STILL AT IT

Some may think that I have completely forgotten about writing since I have been busy designing my tiny house.

That is not the true.

On Friday, May 12 I was able to sit on a panel discussion about the "Business of Writing" at the Festival of Literary Arts.

During this panel I was able to learn some tips and tricks from the best in the business like +OmarTyree and +JessicaTilles.

On this panel +AustinCamacho spoke about the changes that he has seen happen in the years he has been in the business.

Gone are the days of packing books into your car and driving down to the local Borders book store to set up and sign your new novel. Borders was a very friendly author book store that welcomed all authors into their stores with open arms.

Those days are now replaced by packing boxes in your trunk and heading to the local barber shop, beauty salon or local mall to try and sell books to a crowd that believes that if you are an indie author; your book can't be good.

Omar Tyree said it was "numbers that got him noticed" in 1994 with his novel Fly Girl. He sold 25K book,s by hand, by doing what he knew best. Hustling on the streets and at work. It didn't hurt that he was also a writer for a large newspaper and had connections that would help him reach those numbers.

Today you need luck, numbers (as in books sold) and your hustle. You have got to be willing to work at being an author like you work your normal job.

This is going to require you making an effort to sell yourself as well as your writing to people who have no idea who you are.  This will require you to work more than 40 hours some weeks and it will require you to have a budget for everything that needs to be done for your novel.

So, this goes back to me. I'm still at it. How? On June 7th I will be on +KLoweryMoore's Internet radio show. In July I will be traveling to Indianapolis for business but while there; I hope to sell some novels because after all; I will have a very captive audience and my author persona will come out if anyone asks me about what I do.

You see; I'm still at it.

Are you?

WHAT EXACTLY AM I?

A lot of you have questions about my last blog post. I intend to answer all of your questions here.

So you want to know what am I? What do I do? Why am I doing it? and How does it all work?

First, I'm a 51 year old woman who has 5 children and 9 grandchildren. (With a set of twins on the way for a grand total of 11) Yay me!

Second, I am a future, tiny mobile home owner. Tiny House on Wheels as some of you know it or like +HGTV says, Tiny House Big Living.

Third, I am a woman with two men in my life that love me unconditionally and whom I love with all of me.

Fourth, I am not crazy, stupid, going through a phase, wasting money, waiting on someone to save me or marry me and I am not desperate.

Fifth, I am an author, speaker, talk show host and motivator of all things in the writing world.

I am living my life like it is golden. And yes, that is a Jill Scott song. Get it on ITunes and really listen to the words.

I have decided that after having cancer, having survived starting over at 45 and managing the 'new' dating world; that I deserve to live my life like I WANT TO.

Not according to the 'world's' standards but by my own standards.

I don't tell you how to run your family, business or life so I am not asking permission from anyone to run mine.

I am happy. I am content and what makes me happy is not what would make anyone else happy.

If you can't be happy for me, please don't be sad for me. I am doing just fine because...

I am living my life like it is GOLDEN.