Building A Perfect Team

I have been very fortunate in my life to have had extremely supportive family members as well as friends that have stood by me. When it comes to my writing I have friends that are willing to help by reading and promoting my work and family members that buy my books but the two people I would be lost without at this point are my two managers also known as my mom and my boyfriend.

My mom has always believed in me. She would read and help critique my poetry and short stories even encouraging me to enter competitions as early as elementary school. I made a promise to her as I got older that as soon as I was able to land a traditional publishing contract with a large enough advance I would take her on a cruise to Alaska. It is a dream trip that I still fully intend to take her on someday.

My boyfriend has been my artistic director and one of the largest supporters and promoters of my work. He has helped create some amazing posters and flyers when I participate in signings or book festivals and he was instrumental in putting together everything from room setup to online raffle prize promotions. He also acted as MC at the book launch event held last month for my my recent book Survivor.

While they are both invaluable from a business aspect they have been there for me even more from an emotional level. When I was fighting through the nerves to finish the draft of m first book they encouraged me. When I sent out the queries and received rejection after rejection they held my hand and told me to keep trying. When I wrote Survivor and my PTSD flared up sending my into anxiety and depression they held my hands, hugged me and told me I was doing something brave by sharing my story with the world.

I am grateful for my team and everyone in my life that has been a part of my writing journey and I hope everyone  out there finds their support network, it can make all the difference in the world.

Wrapping Up Week 3

I have been a member of the Nanowrimo group on Facebook for over four years and the local group for at least three. I have always wanted to join in on the group writing known as a write in but for one reason or another I never made it until today. At first I am sure nerves had a lot to do with it. Oddly enough I am quite the extrovert but because I suffered from a debilitating fear of looking foolish in front of people stemming from my PTSD for years I can slip back into that mind set in certain situations.

I have overcome it in many respects working in a field that constantly puts me in front of people to perform and make conversation with strangers. I speak in public as often as possible and when handed a radio microphone or put in front of a television camera I am just as comfortable as I would be sitting in my own living room. But when it comes to sitting with other people involved intimately in something I am passionate about like writing I feel the butterflies stirring.

Today I made it though. I am sitting amongst fellow wrimos writing and trying to drastically increase my word count. I am not sure how well it will work because now I have more people to talk to about writing whereas the coffee shop I tend to spend most of my time in is public but solitary at the same time. I may end up back there this afternoon but at least I can finally say I faced the concern of looking and feeling out of place.

I also stopped making excuses like I have to work, it is too far away or the time doesn't work with my schedule. While they have almost all been legitimate concerns at one time or another the truth of the matter is that they are the same reasons many people give to not write at all. I am already a three time and hopefully soon to be four time winner of Nanowrimo so my dedication isn't in question but just as I push myself beyond my comfort zone in genre it is important to do so in life and my writing experiences as well.

For anyone thinking about joining a group, whether for hobby, work or even sports but you have reservations I suggest you take an honest and objective look at the reasons you have for hesitating. Are they real or just excuses because of some underlying fear? If it is fear then I say suck it up and jump in feet first. Now that I am here and working I wish I would have done it sooner. Worst case scenario I do say or do something embarrassing or my word count doesn't improve. If either is the case I simply will know better and not return but at least I can finally say I tried. Take the chance, you never know what opportunity you may be afforded.

Book Promo - Upcoming Projects

With a goal to finish the first drafts of not only my current Nano novel first draft but also the drafts of two other books by the end of the year I thought instead of doing a profile of a single character or discuss one of my stories I would just do a small preview of the five total drafts I will be working hard on editing in the new year. The five books I will have hopefully finished are Sharing Strength, Welcome to Syn, Chocolate Covered Cherries, Voice In My Head, and Breathe.

Breathe has been shared before and is the first of three Nano novels in the group. It follows the journey of assistant bank manager Kelsey Matthews as she gets caught up in a nightmare situation. The bank is being robbed and her coworkers and customers have been taken hostage. She is trapped with no means of escape. She hides, trying to figure out a plan because she too is a helpless victim. Or is she? Was she in on the robbery from the beginning? Does she know what is about to happen to the hostages hidden just out of sight or will she join them losing her life to the madmen terrorizing everyone? Keep an eye out for the twists and turns as Kelsey does her best to work under pressure and remember no matter how crazy things are you just have to Breathe.

Welcome to Syn is the second book. It is also a completed draft and the second Nano novel. This book has also been highlighted in parts and follows the tragic story of a woman that has just lost her husband and must now care for her seven daughters and the family farm without knowing how they will survive. Set during the time of the Salem Witch Trials in nearby Tyler, Mass. Persyphone Syntel stands her ground against societal pressure and a deviant head of town council all bent on destroying her. She and the girls must fight to prove their innocence in a series of strange happenings in town including the death of her husband. With the madness of the trials arguing nearby and suspicion growing all around them, can any of the girls prove they have nothing to do with the chaos and escape or will they become more victims to the hysteria sweeping through the town?

Voice In My Head is the Nano novel from this year and will soon be completed. It is about best selling romance novelist Chelsea Perella that has been struggling to hear the voices of her characters. She admits in an interview that writers talk to the figments and tells everyone that she just needs a short break. The truth is though that she does believe in letting characters take control of the stories and when she gets nothing but static and silence from inside her mind she decides to step back. That is until a new voice comes in and begins to tell her a story. He is the new guying the town all of her books have been set in and he is madly in love with one of the young women named Scarlett. Chelsea is thrilled until she begins having nightmares about the characters. They are not behaving they way they normally do and she is worried that her creations are taking on a life of their own, a very sinister one. Her friends and family notice the change in her but have no idea what is causing it. Are the characters really making her crazy? Do they even have that power? Or is something else entirely taking control of Chelsea's mind? Check out Voice In My Head to find out.

Chocolate Covered Cherries is my first dedicated romance novel and while I have done a character profile on Jessica, the main character before, this book is the furthest from being completed. I do not read romance generally and am not familiar with the genre so writing one has been a challenge to say the least. In CCC Jessica has recently moved to a small town and plans to open a candy and dessert shop. She is guarded about her past but is doing her best to create a solid future. She has even caught the eye of the local mailman Charlie. Charlie is a great guy and falls for Jessica quickly though because he has been hurt he struggles when she is secretive and doesn't openly return his affection. After a particularly tense consultation he witnesses Jessica disappears from her store and he finds her hiding at the local bar. He does his best to be a friend but is horrified by what she reveals. Can Jessica overcome her past? Does Charlie have what it takes to break through her barriers and does she truly deserve his adoration? Check out Chocolate Covered Cherries to find out if either of them can find a way to trust again and exactly where the name comes from.

The last book in the group is Sharing Strength. I began writing this book early in 2014 and it has stalled several times. It has been the source of numerous firsts for me. My first non-Nano novel. The first time I wrote a book truly involving my own experiences and the first time I wore certain scenes before they were to be featured in the book. I have covered parts of Sharing Strength extensively because it is a very important story for me. Sharing Strength is the collective story of a six member support group for those suffering with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD. They each have their own reasons for being there and all represent different aspect of those i have known while dealing with my own diagnosis a decade ago. With only a handful of characters and a deep need for support and acceptance this book delves deeply into the painful world of those living with the issue. I can admit that not everyone in the book survives the diagnosis mentally. It has a very profound effect on people and there are thousands in the world that deal with the emotional and physical side effects of having this disease everyday. I hope you will take some time and get to know the characters of Sharing Strength and perhaps find that there are people in your own life that it inspires you to get to know better. Having someone to lean in can make all the difference in the world and I would not be here today if I hadn't found my own network of people willing to share their strength with me.

Proven Quality

Not long ago I wrote about ways to get in touch with the media. It is of course important to make sure that you and your work find as wide an audience as possible in order to grow. It also helps when introducing new books if you have the contacts to bring your new work in front of that same large group. There is in fact another reason to work with the press though.

Once you have done an interview or had something written about your work sales can temporarily increase. That is great but what many people fail to realize is that if someone with credentials is willing to vouch for you than it makes your work more appealing. I have been involved in a number of online discussions as always happens during Nano that are about publishing our books after the challenge is complete. It is a wonderful ambition but there are so many aspiring writers that have no idea how to do it and will simply upload a draft and hit publish that Indie authors as a whole get a bad reputation.

I will admit that even being a part of the proud tradition of authors that have decided to take the indie / self publishing route for the sake of learning more about the craft I still see the stigma involved. I have even been guilty of hesitating before purchasing a book that I knew to be self published. Anyone can do it and therefore it makes it a little unsettling not knowing what quality level you are going to get.

Authors like myself and my friends take the responsibility of being writers and publishing our work very seriously. We incorporate beta readers, editors and cover artists as well as rewrite and revise our work countless times before we begin to consider the publish button. It is not just a hobby for us it is the makings of our dream career. By having the reviews and the media coverage to back up your work as legitimate it helps the readers see you are one of the serious ones with quality control at the top of your priority list.

I am working on getting more press coverage and I am fortunate enough to have an education that gives me a marketing edge in some cases but having a team that can assist you is vital to making it in any industry especially one so competitive and saturated. It is a fantastic adventure being a writer but please for anyone aspiring to join us, remember that this is who we are and respect the craft as we do in order for us all to prosper together.

Book Profile - Veneri Verbum

I have talked about my own books and several charity anthologies that either I or writer friends have put together. I believe in all of the causes as well as the people that are behind these books and while I will continue to share them, today I wanted to do something a little different. With the month more than half over and Nano progressing as it does with some people posting about why they fell they will never be able to cross the finish line and others proudly proclaiming that they have finished, in some cases for the first time, I wanted to share a book that for me has been more accurate describing the experience than any other out there.

There are a number of books about Nano from No Plot, No Problem and Ready, Set, Novel but all these books do is give advice about how to overcome writer's block or fill in plot holes. They are good things to know but they do not demonstrate from the writer's point of view what it is we experience with our characters. On the other hand there is a book that was written by my friend Zanzibar 7 Schwarznegger called Veneri Verbum and reading this book made me laugh and say out loud repeatedly how familiar the experience sounded.

Schwarznegger takes the main Character Christopher Collum on a journey through the world of characters and figments as he does his best to get home after falling through a plot hole in his own lack of story. It is a fun and interesting read that accurately captures the intricacies of authors fighting through the November challenge. I highly recommend it to anyone thinking about joining us or that simply knows someone that writes in general. Check out Veneri Verbum on Amazon and the synopsis below.

Writing a book may be the perfect solution to all of Christopher Cullum's problems. He's currently living at home (at age twenty-five), but his mom fears she'll be doing his laundry forever. If he doesn't accomplish something notable soon, she may invoke some tough love. He might even have to clean his room. 

If he can write a novel in a month and get it published, maybe he can continue living at home. Unfortunately, Christopher is more in love with his main character, Elsa, than he is with writing. His book won't get done by itself-- and neither will his laundry. When he falls through a plot hole into the pre-published world he finds character Figments-- including Elsa-- who aren't very happy with the Writers who've made their lives a literal hell just to finish a story. Oh, and that plot hole is tearing up the very fabric of space-time-space. Can he survive parody flux, plot bunnies, and Nana Romo to get back to his own world before he destroys the one he's created?

Finding The Time

I knew it would happen. I had plans. I made drafts and thought I was ready. Still somehow I knew it would happen and sure enough it has. I was positive that going through nano again this year I would struggle to keep up on my blog posts. I had created a few drafts that I could publish later in order to keep up and designed a schedule so I would know what I was supposed to be writing at any given time but as always seems to happen, I fell behind.

I am not just behind on the blog though, I am also only halfway to current word goal for Nanowrimo. I find it very difficult to get much written when I get home from work instead preferring to have dedicated days but I only get a handful of those each month making it a challenge beyond just writing the allotted number of words. I am still somewhat confident that I can complete this story and even that I will be able to finish at least one other started draft for a book by the end of the year but I do not want to slack in another area for the sake of finishing.

I see fellow authors that spend upwards of two or more hours per day promoting their work on Facebook and I would assume other social media outlets as well everyday and I know many of them have blogs as well as find time to write new books. I am in awe of their abilities. I am even more impressed with their time management. I need to learn to be better at scheduling my time.

Right now I am working to finish this year's nano novel as well as two I have begun so that I will have several projects to edit and submit for agents and publishers to consider. Then next year I will be spending about two months dedicated to editing along with utilizing my wonderful beta readers for their feedback before I begin the onslaught of queries. I am also hoping to learn how to create teasers for my current books and schedule some more live events which I have found I am far more adept at.

I would appreciate any suggestions for things I could do to help promote and increase my visibility for my work. I believe very strongly in my writing and while I know it is a craft that is always evolving and improving I think I can really make this happen someday. I am willing to do the work I am just not always sure what exactly it is that I need to do. So I ask you fellow readers and writers, whiter things you have seen that are effective as well as not? How can I take my writing and promoting to the next level.

Book Profile - Authors Against Bullying

I have done several profiles on anthologies. The first was of course my own animal charity book Rescue Me that I am immensely proud of creating. The next was the first of a series that actually inspired my own, Rock & Roll Saved My Soul. This series was put together by a good friend of mine Kate Marie Robbins. She has been not only a great friend and inspiration but has become one of my favorite writing partners in crime most recently organizing the online portion of our two part event for Domestic Violence awareness.

The third member of our team in many ways is Bree Vanderland. She is Kate'a partner in the indie publishing group Pure Ice that published my first novel Never Give Up and had her short story Finding Rachel as part of the event last month. But today I want to focus on her charity anthology Authors Against Bullying. She is passionate about shining a light on the worlds bullying problem and pulled from her talent as a writer asking her friends to do the same and collected stories about fighting bullies.

All of these stories were formed into a book that can now be found on Amazon and donates all of the proceeds back to a charity to bring awareness and help end bullying once and for all. There are currently two volumes available on Amazon. Please take a moment to check out the books and help end bullying.

Upon seeing how bullying affects people, many have come together to help shed light on the issue. In the first installment there is no set theme, but stories focus on bullying in general. All profits will be going towards a charity to bring awareness o n the issue and help put an end to bullying. Authors included in this volume: Brittany Tucker Derianna Thomas TJ Loveless Riya Yadav Mark Mackey Elise Barlow Bree Vanderland E. Montgomery Sarah Tackitt Georgia Faye Pope Airiel Hawkins Lee Ryder Amanda Lynn Renee Jean Rachel Carlyon Cody Lee Powell Ella Dare E.B. Black Aimee Carnegie Yvonne K. Anderson Damien McManus Chadd Hawkins Cassandra Jones Cindy J. Smith Courtney Ernste