WRITING DURING THE SUMMER

During the summer I want to do many things and writing is not really one of them.

However, I'm an author and writing comes natural to me. Have you ever been somewhere and thought; wow that would make a great mystery? Or maybe you went on vacation and said, wow this would be a great place to put some characters and see what they can get into?

If you haven't done that; you are not a writer but most writers will know what I am talking about.

If you notice by the shirt, I wished I was in NYC right now and participating in +ThrillerFest Volunteer Coordinator  but I missed it this year due to being on tour for my own novel. But next year I will be back!

During the summer months, I sit in my office and I just stare off into space. There is not much to do when the students are on break but I get a lot of writing done.

Hopefully you are getting some writing done in between going to the pool, the beach, taking the boat out or fishing. If you are; snap a selfie and post it in my comments below.

I'd love to see what you are doing when you are 'supposed to be' writing.

Happy Summer!

THRILLERFEST 2015 HERE I COME

Every year in July; New York City is converged upon by aspiring authors, writers, NY Times Best selling authors and ME.

OK, so I'm an author but I haven't made any "list" yet except the "stylish shoes list" and hey, while I love being on that list; I'm hoping that one day I make THE list. No; not NY Times best selling list but the list of authors who are on panels.

I'm still to afraid to put myself on the panels at +International Thriller Writers Inc Thrillerfest. I know almost all of the people on all of the panels because they have been on my radio show. I have even taken selfies with them but sitting up there with them..nope; "I'm not ready" and yep; I'm admitting I'm scared.

So this year, I will be sitting in the audience being a great marketing person looking for ideas and then I will take my customary selfie shots while in the panels and then I will ask that one question that no one asked or wants to know except me. Then I will fantasize about being up there next year...yeah; next year I'll be on the panel.

Ok, I said that same thing LAST year but really, next year I'll make that leap. After all, I have cute shoes. 

So if you are going to be at Thrillerfest this year; please look for the girl in the six inch heels taking selfies with anyone that will let her. 

IT'S BEEN A WHILE

I have been absent for almost three weeks. Did you miss me? What? You didn't even notice that I was gone. Gasp! The horror! Look just pretend you knew I was gone because I have been very busy.

Not only did I start my radio show on +WLVSRadio but I traveled to New York City for my annual trek to Thrillerfest.

Oh the fun we had, the shoes I bought and the friends I made!

If you watched my show...what you don't watch my show! Gasp! Clutch the pearls! We will discuss that later, but last week on my show I told you about investing in yourself. See this is one of the ways that I invest in myself. I make sure surround myself with people that I can learn from, people I can network with and people that have struggled and also had successes. Who better than to tell me what to do when I run into a road block? Who better to tell me when I am being a jackass because I don't actually know it all. Yes even I don't know it all; who would have thought that, right?

But this past weekend showed me that what I am doing, I'm doing very well. What I am doing is making a difference and what I am doing is getting noticed. Noticed in a good way, not the bad way. What's the bad way?

Ask yourself these questions.
Do I always think I know everything?
Am I contrary when it comes to giving a clear answer?
Am I being a pain in the ass to others because I think I know it all?
Am I being pushy at events when others would rather walk away from me?

Yes, those are all ways that NY times authors gave as being a jackass! So luckily I didn't answer yet to any of those questions. However, I know a few people who are and to them; you better stop or you will find yourself on the wrong end of someone's list.

See, if I didn't go to this conference, I would have never known what not to do but I also learned what to do to get noticed. Like wearing the right shoes...aren't they the cutest?

  So to all of you that don't attend conferences, thank you. It just means that I get to talk to Jeffrey Deaver, John Gilstrap, R.L. Stein, Anne Rice, Chris Rice, James Rollins, Heather Graham, MJ Rose, Thomas Young and many others without you interrupting me.