Insecure Writer's Support Group

Insecure Writer's Support Group

It's SOOOO freaking unreal how much  can change in a month!!!

 Last month (here) I wrote about how bummed I was. Revisions to Book 1weren't going worth a shit. Really.  Yeah, that book. The one no one was interested in. I was convinced it was crap. My writing was crap. My writing career would never happen. It was all crap. 

Sort of like: 

In fact, I became so unhappy with the whole concept, I shoved it off to the side and started working on some new projects. And, like the dumb-Ass I am at times, I also did this completely lame #Pitchmad thing on Twitter for my second book. Why not? I was already prepared for the inevitable response - 

But here's the thing - the publisher liked it. THEY LIKED IT! I was all "OMFG" and "ROFLMAO" and - well... it wasn't pretty. Happy, very happy, but not necessarily pretty. 

And then... AND THEN!!! I was offered a contract. Not just for Book 2, but the entire trilogy. THREE BOOKS, people. A THREE BOOK CONTRACT!!!

 Well knock me down with a shot of Scotch -  You can read all the details (here). 

Which of course, made me all - 

So yeah, a lot can happen in a month! 

And what am I doing now? Well, I'm well into the second book in the PHASMs trilogy, with a deadline that seemed "do-able" at the time but is starting to make me cringe. I'm also working on the developmental/content edits my editor sent back last week - I love saying that - "MY EDITOR" and I'm also outlining book three in the series. 

I've sent in my cover design questionnaire, my author questionnaire and my bio and I'm working on a list of places for book signings and other publicity for my publicist. Yes, I love saying that too - "MY PUBLICIST." I'm such a fucking geek.

My publisher (another thing I love saying) is anticipating a March/April release, with a preceding cover reveal and lots of fun to get everyone excited and chomping at the bit to read the book. 

Because... 

And do you really need a reason for a Chuck?

I'm doing my part as well. I'm running a contest the entire month of August to let YOU guys - all of YOU - pick my author photo. Hey, you might win an Amazon Gift Card too, but you have to leave a comment or "like" my Facebook page to do so. You can go (here) for the contest. After all...

And, because I don't have enough going on in my life right now, I've also joined the Masquerade Crew as one of their talented, multi-faceted and always helpful book reviewers. Yay me! 

So, am I still an Insecure Writer? Oh, HELL yeah! I probably always will be. In fact, Sunday I was all freaked out and trying to figure out how to get the damn edits done: by line? By page? By issue? Crap - I had no freakin' idea where to start. I mean, my editor was nice enough to color code everything and send a master list - sort of like a "cheat sheet" for completely trashed authors to go by - but still, where the hell do I start? 

It came dow to this: 

Fortunately, I was commiserating (without alcohol, thank you very much - she lives too far away) with my friend JD (NO! Not Jack Daniels - didn't you read the whole "without alcohol part?) and, being the author/mentor/fellow OCD personna that she is, she pried me off the ceiling once more and gave me sage advice. Which I never would have figured out myself, because I was too busy hyperventilating and squee-ing like Miss Piggy at a bacon sale. 

Tackle the big things first - the content stuff. The adds and deletes. The rest will follow. 

So simple. So direct. So - JD! Oh - did I mention her third novel is coming out at the end of the month? Yeah - she's pretty awesome. And she has a contest going as well - check it out: (here)! Between her and my cp CP, I'm actually getting some work done. Of course, my Scotch input has drastically declined. But don't worry - my Rum intake is making up for it! 


So - I'm off to the editing cave to do more damage revisions... in the mean time, help me pick my author pics! Tell your friends! Tell your neighbors! Just don't tell my ex-husbands! Yes - plural. Let's not go there, 'kay?  Go here -----------> CONTEST!!!

Which Pic is the PICK???

So, here goes!

The Man Behind The Curtain and I have selected our five favorite pics from the photography session we did Wednesday night. Review all five, then make your selection at the bottom of the page. It's fast and easy! 

You can only choose one picture, and please be kind. I am a Grandmother, after all!

Next Saturday, I'll re-set the the questions for the "informal" shoot we are doing tomorrow. 

Also, if you leave a comment below or on my Authors page on Facebook here, you are automatically entered into the drawing for a $25 Amazon Gift Card.

The top two pictures from both the formal (today's pictures) and informal (next week's pictures) will be posted on Saturday, August 17th for the final vote. 

The winning picture and the winner of the gift card will be announced on Saturday, August 24th - so stay tuned!

Ready? Here ya go!

Image 1

Image 2

Image 3

Image 4

Image 5

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My head is going to explode...

Seriously... so much going on, so much to do! I am absolutely overwhelmed by my life right now. Well, okay, not so much...but it's still so freaking exciting!

The whole book thing? Yeah, like KAPOW! I've had so many welcoming emails from my fellow Entranced authors (we call ourselves "Entrancies"!) and the entire staff - it's like going to a new school and finding yourself in the middle of the BEST group of people evah!!! 

My editor, the amazing Tiffany Johnson, is working on the first round of content edits for Book 1 of the PHASMS series. I can't wait to see how bad I suck - gulp. Hopefully not too bad, but we'll see. I'm also about 20% into book 2 of the series, and have the outline for book 3 completed as well. If all goes according to schedule, book 1 will be out March/April of 2014, book 2 around October of 2014 and book 3 in the spring of 2015. SO exciting!

I've completed my cover design questionnaire for the first book - that was a blast to fill out and think about. I doubt I'm the only author who has visions in their heads of what they want their covers to look like...and the Entranced artists do an amazing job! Stop by their website and see for yourself (click here).

I've also completed an "author" questionnaire, prepared a bio and started thinking about things like book tours and signing events and blog tours and cover reveals and media releases and OMG so many things I didn't even think about before!!! So excuse me if I'm a little spastic these days. 

Also huge on the "Things To Do" list were Author Photographs. You know, the little glimpse of me on the back cover or in the end notes??? The Man Behind The Curtain and I spent time last night in San Diego's Little Italy with the amazing Kate Mills of "Chasing Daylight" photography getting the pictures done. Kate is fantastic, with a beautiful portfolio and just a blast to work with. She has infectious energy and a personality that keeps you smiling until your cheeks hurt. Her eye for contrast, background, setting and light is UH-MAZ-ING! I can't wait to see how the pictures turn out. I may even post my favorites here and let you pick which one I use...that would be fun, wouldn't it? 

I'm also going out on Saturday with my friend CP to do more pics. These will be totally different - looking some industrial, gritty images. We hope to be shooting at a shipyard (what can I say - it's where it all started), some cool and extremely San Diego images and a cemetery. Yes - a cemetery. Why? Well, you'll just have to read my books and find out, right? 

Also coming up - I've joined the FANTASTIC Masquerade Crew to do book reviews - here's my bio and more information than you ever wanted to know (wink, wink)! This is a fun opportunity for me to help other authors and because I read SO MUCH and so widely, I'm a good fit for this fun group.

Wow - I know I'm missing some really big news, but that's all I can think of for now. Keep checking back, as the fun has just begun!!!