NEW YEAR AND NEW GOALS

It seems as if 2016 flew by in a blur.

For most of us authors, it was a year filled with lots of activity. There were lots of edits, rewrites, conferences, submissions and rejections that occured in 2016.

For 2017, it may be filled with the same but how will you approach it?

Will you take what you learned in 2016 into 2017? Will you submit your manuscript to more publishers? Will you rewrite that manuscript in your desk drawer? Will you attend another conference or maybe your first conference? Will you look at those rejections with new eyes and make improvements on your writing?

Whatever you do in 2017, remember that being an author is a privilege that a lot of people WISHED they had the courage to do.

Remember that you, yes you, can improve on being an author if you do one simple thing.

Be the best author you can be.

That means; attending workshops, conferences and seminars geared towards your genre of writing. That means not limiting yourself to one specific audience. That means taking time to market yourself to everyone; not just your family and friends. That means taking a leap of faith and submitting your work to a publisher, editor or doing it yourself.

Whatever you do; do it to the best of your ability.

I hope that your 2016 ends on a high note and that 2017 begins on a higher one.

See you in the new year.

AUTHORS AT CHRISTMAS TIME

On December 6 80+ authors met for their annual author dinner at The Old Europe Restaurant on Wisconsin Ave in Washington DC.

This is an event that is put together by +Dan Moldea  is something that all of us look forward to. This is an event that requires only two things.


You have a published novel and a check for $35.

It's that simple.

There was a room full of authors that write everything from literary works to fiction and we all get to give a 20 second elevator pitch.

We sit with our fellow authors and talk about everything from politics to the upcoming inauguration.

Take a look at all of the pictures that were taken last night and if you want to get on this exclusive list; please leave a comment below.




We also get to take lots of selfies....

CYBER DEALS ARE FOR EVERYONE

Today starts another big shopping day.

If you thought BLACK FRIDAY was big; then you have never done CYBER MONDAY.

Consumers spend just as much during this day than any other online shopping day.

Please remember this as you are clicking your way around the internet.

AUTHORS LOVE CYBER MONDAY TOO.

This is the day that they may sell a year's worth of books and be able to travel to a new book conference. This is the day that you can buy a series by a new author, for half the price and this is also the day that you will discover brand new reading materials.

If you ever wanted to try a new genre, buy it on Cyber Monday.

Want to get a personalized gift for the reader in your family, workplace or teacher?

Give them a book signed by the author and you will be the best gift giver EVER!

I never liked mysteries until I read Austin Camacho's Hannibal Jones Series. When did I get it?

Cyber Monday 2011 and have never regretted it.

SO take a chance on a new genre, new author or better yet; give the gift of reading to the readers in your life.

And if they have enough books...well there are so many great gifts to give...but that's for the next blog!

Stay Tuned!

REJECTION IS A GOOD THING

Rejection isn’t something that anyone likes to go through.

Being a published author, I worry about rejection.

Rejection from a publisher, an editor or from readers.

How do you overcome the fear?

By saying to yourself: I will be better for it.

Yes, rejection serves a purpose. 

It allows us to remember that we are humans and make mistakes. It reminds us that we are not perfect, no matter how hard we try to be. It also reminds us that we have to, correction, we MUST continue to get better in our writing.

Readers are not going to allow authors to sit back and push through mundane work. Publishers aren’t going to let authors think that don’t need improvement and if you have a good editor; they will make sure that they are pushing you to bring out the best words you have.

Yes, Rejection is hard but it is necessary.

So don’t just sit there crying because you have gotten another rejection (or your first rejection).

Dust yourself off, pick up that pen, paper, Notebook, computer or IPad and begin the rewriting process. 

Trust me, you will be glad that you did.

WRITING WHILE WORKING

That is the dreaded 3 W curse.

If you are an author or writer AND you work a full time job than you know what I am talking about.

Working while writing or maybe its the other way around, writing while working is very hard to do.

Why? Because you know you need to write but you are sitting at your desk at work.The choice is hard. Or is it?

For me, it's not. I simply close my door for 30 minutes and I write. I hate that this thing called a full time job gets in my way at times but I have to still pay bills until I take that leap of faith. side note: I'm taking that leap in December.

Some people waste a lot of time gazing off into the world or surfing the internet while working. Yes, I have been doing the same thing. However, I learned recently that while those things are very fun I could be doing something else.

I could be writing.

So when I have the urge to surf, gaze or wander aimlessly around in my head listening to the birds tweet or the crickets chirp, I pull up my trust WORD document and begin typing a new scene.

It didn't happen overnight, trust me. It took days of retraining my brain to go into the creative side instead of the lazy side. It took days of me forcing myself to sit down in my chair instead of just looking for someone to talk to and it took days of me aimlessly playing solitaire on the computer to say, hey you...you are a writer; now get to writing.

So what are you doing that is stopping you from using that creative side of your brain? and whatever it is; try redirecting it so that you can finish that novel sitting in your computer just waiting for you to finish it.

ARE YOU READY?

This weekend I had the pleasure of going to the #MDC3Con in Columbia Maryland.

Well let me tell you...I had the time of my life! I always do but this time it was different. This time I went into it with an open mind and this time I knew that I was getting ready to begin a new chapter in my life.

That chapter involves doing what I love to do, full-time! That means I'm going to jump right into my author world and swim with the fishes.

I know that I am ready because I wasn't ready before. How do I know?

Because I found ways to sabotage my efforts. I found ways to not write every day. I found ways to help everyone else with their marketing, with their novels, with their manuscripts and with their social media presence.

I wasn't ready! But I thought I was. Imagine that. Imagine me, not being ready. Turns out; I should have been asking the questions that I normally ask my friends and new authors.

Are you ready to be an author? Are you ready to put in the work? Are you ready to do all that it takes to be a full time author?

I would have answered yes but I would have been wrong. I tried convincing myself that I was ready when I had no clue what the next step would be.

This weekend, I found my next step and I am taking it.

So get ready world; I"m ready to walk in my purpose and in some really great shoes!

I'm ready to be a full time author! 

WHEN YOU BECOME THE PARENT

This blog will be a little different from any I have done. It's 2am in the morning and my insomnia is worse than ever but my author mind is sharp!

I have been a parent five times over and loved every single minute of it. OK; well except for the potty training, the projectile vomit and the flu running rampant in the house for three years in a row. Except for all of that; I loved every minute of it.

This time it is a little different. I'm a parent, to MY parents. My dad is a strong, and strong willed man but he is now 79 years old. My mom is a vibrant and sassy woman; who just happens to be 87. (Yes, she was a cougar back in her day)

Now they need more. More than I or even they, thought they would. My mom has lost 85% of her eyesight and 70% of her hearing. She has had both hips replaced and suffers with circulatory problems in her feet; which cause they to swell like stuffed sausages.

My dad just recently had to have eye surgery and suffers from severe neck pain; caused by a fracture in four of his vertebrae about three years ago.

So, they depend on me for a lot and at first I didn't' think I could handle it.

Let me explain. I'm an author; I do that very well. I know how to market and I know how to push myself to the limits. I know how to publicly speak and I know how to get things done.

When my father asked me to accompany them to a DAV (+Disabled American Veterans) function this past week in  Atlanta, I didn't hesitate to say yes. After all, spending time with my parents is always great.

What I didn't know was that they would need LOTS of help. My mom needs assistance standing, walking, eating, and other things that I won't go into. My dad, although mobile, has to help my mom but also has a hard time standing, walking, and doing basic things for himself.

Imagine going on vacation and having the room next door where you become the room service person for 24 hours of a day.

Here's the thing: I LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT.

I felt like now was the time I could give back. Now was the time I could help the people who have supported me, helped me and guided me through life. Now was the time that I could say, THANK YOU, without hearing; "We were supposed to do that because we were your parents." Now was my time to become a PARENT to my parents.

And you know what, I love it. I found myself opening up the connecting door just to check on them in the middle of the night. I found myself racing around when I thought they needed something. I made sure they ate before I ate. I made sure they were comfortable before I was.

My parents are THE best and I will be their eyes, ears, chauffeur and cook for as long as they will have me.  This is time I will cherish with them.