WHY AM I GOING TINY?

I have gotten this question a lot of times and I give a very short answer.

Today; I am going to give you the longer answer. 

The reason I am going tiny is because my needs in life have changed. I have reached my milestone age. I turned 50 in 2016 and started rethinking my life. 

A health issue reared it's ugly head and I had to re-think a lot of things that I took for granted. 

I stepped down from an amazing job for Intrigue Publishing because my health needed all of my attention.

Lucky for me; I had two men in my life that took excellent care of me and gave me the courage to take life by the horns and fight it until I won.

I had been researching tiny houses since 2015 when I stumbled across the show Tiny House Big Living.

I was like a child wanting for Santa. Every week, I altered my schedule to make sure that I was home to see the entire episode. 

This new 'movement' as it was called, caught my attention.

If you have seen my small 'reading room' you all know that I like small spaces. That space is no bigger than 3x4 sq feet. I love this room and stay in it most of the time. 

The size of my home will be 8 x 24. This model is owned by Regina in Florida. This will be similar to the one I get. 

Regina's 24 foot tiny home

My other reason for going tiny? Financial gain. I have paid cash for a small plot of land. I will pay cash for my tiny house. I will not have a mortgage. I will pay for my land taxes once a year. I will not pay for water because I have well water. The only 'utility' I will have is electric and now I am thinking of trying to use solar power. 

Another reason for going tiny is that I can travel with it. Did I mention that the tiny house will have wheels? YES! Do you feel that excitement? All I need is a truck to haul it. Wait; no I don't. All I need is a +U-Haul  that will tow something that is 12,000 lbs. 

So my reason for going tiny is simple. I want to enjoy life. I want to be able to take a trip whenever I want to. I want to live stress free and going tiny makes perfect sense, for me.

Could you go tiny? Leave a comment and let me know.

ARE YOU READY FOR SPRING?

Spring is almost here and the question is; Are you ready?

As an author we should be ready at all times but spring is the time that we should get ourselves in gear for the upcoming 'conference' and 'writing' season.

March and April are typically when you make your definite plans on what conferences, trips or writing events you will attend.

Why you may ask?

Because once you file your taxes you have a little more liquidity to plan such events. In some cases your tax refund may fund your writing endeavors.

In most cases your tax refund will also replenish your stock of books, postcards and marketing swag.

So go online, research some local writing or conferences for writers. Sign up for some that you can afford and then take a look at your marketing handbag. (You do have one don't you?) and see what needs to be thrown out, restocked or refreshed and get to work because it is Spring cleaning time as well. 

So, I'll ask the question again...Are you ready for Spring? and if not; why?

WHEN TALKING GETS YOU IN TROUBLE

While I am a great talker, I'd like to think of myself as a better writer. I talk because I can't live without talking; well no one can really.

But I have found out that I am a great talker. I was told last week that I am a "great interviewer" and "you are so good at this, why aren't you doing it full time." 

Who knew?

I knew I could write and that will be another blog but who knew I was also a great interviewer. Not my words but a guests.

So being the talker that I am; I always ask questions hoping that the answer is one that I want to hear. I was once told, just ask and all they can do is say no. So I asked. I asked this great novelist to be on my show and he said YES.

Wait, what? Yes...what am I suppose to do now? I didn't expect a YES! So I do what I do when I'm unsure; I go shopping!

Shopping for shoes! That is what calms me when I'm stressed. And trust me, I was instantly stressed. How else did I talk this great novelist into being on my show? 

So as I shopped I found some great shoes and it came to me! I'll just ask questions that I want to know and I became very confident in that moment. I got some really cute shoes and some really great questions came to mind.

So I hope you caught the interview with R.L. Stine and if not...please check it out here. R.L Stine Interview

Snow, snow and more snow....

It seems like it is becoming more and more common for the DC area to escape the snow in December and January.

However, we are now experiencing winter in February. Somehow that just doesn't seem fair.

I am gearing up for Spring and having snow in the middle of February is not what I am used to.

It has given me the opportunity to get some writing done, rearrange some closets and also visit with my grandchildren.

Snow can be a good thing...but why do I always feel stir crazy if it snows for two days? Why do I gnash my teeth if schools are delayed? Why do I look out of the window like a lost child wondering when the ground will be visible and the grass green?

Oh, it's because the snow keeps me cold. The snow ruins my vacation "high". The snow makes my dog forget that we don't walk at 4am in the snow just because he can't hold it until a reasonable hour.

Yeah, the snow is pretty to look at but it also stops me from doing what I do best..sitting on the deck with a glass of wine and a small fire burning while I listen to the crickets and look at the stars.

Does anyone else want the snow to stop and Spring to begin?

NOT ENOUGH TIME IN THE DAY

There is never enough time in the day for me to do everything that I want.

For instance; today is Tuesday and already I have gotten behind in things that I need to have done.
I need to prep for tomorrows radio show on +WLVS Radio and then I need to get at least 20 pages of edits done for +B Swangin Webster novel. I then need to finish up reading my girl +Lindsay Errington pre-novel and then I need to take care of mailing out some ARC copies of novels for +Austin Camacho and +Jeff Markowitz after which I need to finish mailing out the copies of novels for +Annie Rose Alexander all this while wanting to spend time with my cute grandson, Isaiah and then I must walk the dog.

Before all that can happen, I must finish work on my 'day' job. Yes, I actually have a day job, working at a middle school in Waldorf, Maryland.

+Mattawoman Middle School is where I spend almost ten hours every day doing things that help pay my bills. Don't get me wrong; I love my job! I love the students I come into contact with every day but some days like today; I'm so ready to quit because I'd rather be writing.

Which brings me to the 'not enough time in the day' theme. Since there is NEVER enough time, I never get to get my hair done, or my nails done or take a spa day. I squeezed in three days of vacation with my kids and my family because I was determined to relax. I loved the time away, at the beach and spending time with my honey and kids but I began to feel guilty about it afterwards. So I did what any workaholic would do. I started working longer hours.

Today I received a jolt. My blood pressure spiked so high that the blood vessels in my eyes burst. Not a good look, so the doctor said, "slow down, relax or risk having a heart attack or stroke". Ok, I am going to listen so today, I am not going to worry about if everything gets done. I am going to do what I can and then I'm going to stop working after 7pm. If it doesn't get done, there is always tomorrow, right? Because there really is never enough time in the day to do EVERYTHING that you want to do.

But it beats laying in the hospital or worse. So for those of you that are workaholics; please slow down; your life depends on it. There isn't enough time in the day to do everything and there never will be.

THE STRUGGLE IS REAL

The struggle to get up in the morning and go to my 'day job' is so real every day.

After being at a book event the night before, the struggle gets harder and harder every day.

Why? Because all I want to do is be a full time writer. Last night, Aug. 25th, +B Swangin Webster , which is me,  along with +Dee Lawrence KR Raye and +Puja Guha was at the Barber Lounge for Men in Waldorf Maryland where we all discussed our writing lives, our writing process and also read from our novels.

Puja Guha was the 'guest' diva of the night and let me just say that this phenomenal woman fit right in as if she had been with us all season on our tour. She brought along her husband, who sat in the audience and smiled proudly while his wife discussed her novel and even read from it. Secretly I think he still thinks she may be a spy and he is trying to 'catch her in the act of spying' but the only thing he caught her doing was having a wonderfully great time with three other ladies who love talking about their novels.

Events like these is what makes me happy and why I came to the decision that Dec. 1, 2014 would be my last day at my 'day' job. I HAVE to be an author! If I don't, I think I would literally stop breathing.

The struggle for me is not what am I going to do, but WHEN am I going to be able to do it. My writing life is such that right now all I can think about is my next character, my next story line or my next conflict.

Yes, the struggle to get up in the morning is very real but the struggle NOT to write is much harder. Lucky for me, I won't have to make that choice much longer.

My first choice and my first love will be writing and going on tour with great authors!

See you on the book tour circuit!

THE DIVAS HIT THE ROAD

As you know I am on tour with two other fabulous ladies.

What, you didn't know that? Where have you been? I've been talking about it all over my +Facebook+ Fan Page and my +Twitter page. (side note: here is my Facebook fan page link B Swangin Webster Fan Page and here is my Twitter page: Twitter for BSwanginWebster ) Now back to my regularly scheduled post.

As I was saying: I have been on tour with +Dee Lawrence and +KR Raye and we are the Book Divas on Tour. We have been on the 'road' since May. We have visited blogs, conferences, homes and businesses.
 

WLVSRADIO; RADIO YOU CAN WATCH

Have you seen me on +Twitter people? If you haven't, where have you been.

I have my own show! yes, that is right, I am now a +RadioShow personality. I am on +ListenVisionRecords every  Wednesday at 4pm and I am loving it.

My show is all about Books, Shoes and Writing and to be clear, I have a Shoe Cam people! A shoe cam! Oh baby!We B Swangin <--That link will take you to my first show.

The first week, we had a party! Yep, complete with disco ball, Moscato, cake and broken glass! (Hey, what's a party without at least one glass getting broken)

+Austin Camacho and +Dee Lawrence showed love for me and came to the studio and sat down and hung out for a quick hour.

Why quick? Because by the time the cake was cut, the bottle was empty and the laughter died down, it was time to sign off.

So if you get a chance, I'd love for you to take a look at our first show and share it around the internet. I want everyone to know that the We B Swangin Show is a lot of fun and you need to be a guest. We B Swangin Show-2 <--this link will take you to the second show!

Well, I'm booked up through September, but hey, I have slots open for the fall and winter. What more could you ask for.

Did I mention that I will have some kind of "adult beverage" every Wednesday; so come on down and party with me and let's have some fun while we talk about books, shoes and writing!

CONFESSIONS OF A CHEATER

A few months ago I wrote about cheating.

I was caught cheating and although I wasn’t proud of it, I admitted it and promised not to do it again.

Well, I am here again, admitting to cheating

Now stop giving me those looks, I’m not cheating on my significant other but with someone just as important to me.

I have been cheating on my KINDLE, again. 
Gasp! Clutch your pearls (if you are wearing any) and hold onto your hat!

My KINDLE has been replaced with…(ok, I’m taking a deep breath) Wait! Don’t rush me! I am cheating on my KINDLE with…with…an…I Pad!

There I said it! Are you happy now? The dirty little secret is out. I never wanted to be one of Those people but I find myself grabbing for Ivy the I Pad all the time. She is there in the middle of the night, beeping, chirping and glowing whenever someone posts to my Facebook or Twitter pages. 

Her rotating screen keeps me mesmerized and sometimes has me confused as I hold her upside down trying to figure out where that darn home button is! However most of the time Ivy the I Pad is entertaining me. Sure I don't know where everything is nor do I have any idea what the hell AirDrop is but I am learning. I have even learned how to do Face Time. Man that has been the best thing ever! I don't have to log into my computer all I have to do is remember the phone number or push the contacts button. Yes, Ivy has taken the place of the KINDLE but only for those things.

Kay the Kindle still reads to me every day; although not as much. I will always keep Kay the Kindle around because she holds my true love. Books (ok, I didn't say that out loud) 

Don't give me that look Mister! Buster the Book is still a little salty but I bought him some new friends to entertain him but for now, back to Ivy the I Pad

I HAVE BECOME MY FATHER

There are worst things that I could have become but the worst thing for me, is becoming my father. See, you don't understand.

See for me, I would say to myself "I am never going to say that" whenever he said something crazy to me. he would sometimes say, "If it were a snake, it would have bitten you." when I couldn't find anything. It wasn't like I was asking him to FIND whatever I was looking for. I was simply making an announcement.

First of all, I hate snakes and he knew it, yet he said it all the time when I said, "dad, I can't find............(fill in the blank)

Secondly, snakes are not looking for things except their next meal or maybe a hiding place from people like me.

and third...why would a snake want anything I was looking for...(geez dad)

Imagine my horror when I said, to no one in particular..."If it were a snake, it would have bitten me." and I wasn't talking to anyone. I was looking for my sunglasses because I couldn't find them. (I guess that is the only reason to look for something, huh?)

For three days I looked in the car, the house and in my purse and nothing.

I get into the car this morning and what is sitting on the back seat...the sunglasses. Now here is the thing. I looked in the car but not in the back seat. Hence why I said it would have bitten me.

It's safe to say, that if a snake were in my backseat, and somehow crawled to the front, and slithered across my feet while driving, one of two things would have happened.

I would have crashed the car or I would have traded my car in! End of story. Most likely I would have stopped the car, got out and ran away from it like a deer running from hunters!

But that wasn't the scary part..the scary part came when I realized that I had did the unthinkable.

So on May 13th at 5:47 in the morning, I BECAME MY FATHER!

Gasp! The Horror! and now all that is left is for me to sit in the chair in the corner, turn on CNN and complain that there is nothing on television.

Book Divas On Tour

This past weekend, May 3rd to be exact. The Book Diva's hit the road and was at the MGH Clubhouse in Capitol Heights Maryland.

Our host was Veronica and we had a blast! The crowd was small and intimate and we shared our stories and we shared a lot of laughs.

We, The Book Divas, know that we are undertaking a huge task by putting ourselves at the mercy of our adoring fans but that is what this is all about.

The question was raised, why are we doing this?

Our answer: so that you can get to know us.

We love what we do. Our motto is, Bold, Delightful, Outspoken, Talented, Sister's in Writing and that is exactly what we are.

We are sisters in every sense of the word. We cross promote each other, we share each other's passion and best of all we love hanging out together.

We have developed our own 'language' as it were and whenever you are in our presence, you can't help but laugh right along with us.

We are having fun bringing to you our readings, our stories and our passion.

You can find us on Facebook by LIKING our page. www.facebook.com/bookdivasontour and see where we will be next.

IT'S THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR

The holiday season is fast ending but I have had a fantastic time enjoying the most wonderful time of the year.

My I Pod has had +Christmas Town music in it since December 1st. My +Christmas Forest and village has been bringing delight to many people who passed through my home and my Christmas cheer has been unstoppable.

Atlas, the season is drawing to a close but I hope you made great memories. I made some great memories with some new friends from the +DMV Weekenders, to a new wife of a special friend to spending some great quality time with my grandchildren and my children.

It doesn't matter what gifts were under the tree; what mattered is that the family was together and together we watched Christmas classics like; +Charlie Brown Christmas and +The Grinch and +National Lampoons Christmas and my new favorite +ELF

All of the laughter and the jokes and the gifts and the decorations will forever be captured in my memory and will live on through photos and videos.

Take this time to make sure that you tell the ones you love how wonderful this time of year was for you and make sure that you make the new year a memorable one.

WHAT HAVE I DONE NOW?

I talked myself into a book tour. Yes, that's right; I am going on tour with two lovely ladies and we are #BDOT or #BookDivasOnTour.

This brain child came about as yours truly attended one of the divas book launch in September, +KR Raye is a local author who just released "The Colors Trilogy" and while talking about our respective journeys I blurted out. 'We should go on tour. Diva's on Tour could be a hit!" and she co-signed it.

Oops, did I just say that! Did I just commit myself to being on a book tour with so much stuff already going on. Yep! I damn right I did.

If I don't promote myself, who will? Besides I knew it wouldn't be hard because all I have to do is buy some killer shoes, get some books in a suitcase and pack. How hard could that be, right?

Well, when you factor in the commitment's I already have, it is going to be hard but fun! Imagine three women, oh, did I forget to mention that +Dee Lawrence would also be on tour with us. This diva is another hard working sister and with the three of us; this is going to be a great time.

So, you need to get ready. #BookDivasOnTour is hitting local cities in 2014 and we are looking to have some fun with you. Are you ready?

Contact my publicist, Sandra Bowman at: sandra.bowman@intriguepublishing.com to book us in your area.

We hope to see you soon.