Friday, May 31, 2013

Where did the year go?

Today is the last day of school for my daughters. It seems like only yesterday school was starting... now we are getting ready for summer.

Here is Southern California, the temps are starting to crawl up into the triple digits. It is hot.

I don't do well in the heat.

Our pool isn't ready yet.

Today I got burnt in less than 2 minutes.

The kids are probably going to drive me mad...

Guess just because it is summer doesn't mean things really change. At least next Monday I will get to sleep in.

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Finding my Brand

Writing a book was the easy part....

Mother's Day, book, winged heart in child's hands
Never thought I would say that in my life. After what seemed like forever, I finally hit the "Approve" button and my book was out in the big, wide, evil, cruel world for review.

Ok - it was no longer for review. It was up for grabs for anybody who was curious enough to spend a few hours reading it and a few bucks buying it... but that also meant it was up for critique. People could love it - or they could hate it!

What would people say?

I was so nervous....

Sure, we all have people who will never fail to buy what ever you write regardless of how bad it is or how good it is. It is the strangers we have to be careful of. We need to wrap our hearts and our minds with a Teflon coating so we don't get burned.

And that was when I ran into a wall.....


I was so excited to have finally hit publish. I knew I wasn't going to become an instant millionaire... and probably maybe not even a best selling author... at least yet. What I wasn't aware of, was how hard it would be to actually get someone to buy my book.

A few short lonely books later, I was wondering where were the critiques? The people slamming me under the bus because they hated it. Where was the love? The people who told everybody about it until they were blue in the face.

I guess that means you have to sell some books.


Now don't get me wrong. This is not a pity party. I have already sold a handful of books and the people who have invested the time in it to read Mother's Day, can't seem to put it down. So it must be good. At least that is what I am getting from the feedback.

The problem is, I need to brand it. I need to make people want to buy the book. I need them to realize they can't live another day without purchasing my book. I need to find a way to convince them there is something in it for them.

Frankly, how the hell do I do that?


If you would like a copy of Mother's Day, the book I completed for Nanowrimo, click here for the paperback. If you would like the Kindle version, click here.

Friday, May 24, 2013

I Have Nothing To Say

It seems I have used up my creative energy.

I have been actively trying to blog more, but it isn't working. I can't focus. I don't know what to write. So I sit and ponder. I play some games. I try to think so more. And then I realize I wasted all day and have nothing to show for it.

cleaning, mopping, clean houseI have even used cleaning as a means to escape my head, hoping to come up with something exciting and new to write about.

That hasn't worked either.

If it did, this post might be a whole lot more entertaining than it already is. It might actually have substance. You might make to the end and think, "Now that was an AHA moment and I am glad I stayed!"

But I can't promise that. In fact, I think I am going to go clean. But my house is already clean so I can't even do that. So needless to say, I sit here with nothing to say.

Yet here is the problem. I know why my lack of writing is plaguing me. It is because I have a lot to say. I just don't know how to say it.

telling secrets, lots of stuff to say, how do I tell you
I have lots of things to say. I am just not sure
how to go about saying it.
I want to talk about what is irritating me, I want to talk about my book, I want to talk about my lack of motivation for my workouts, I want to talk about how my medication has made me fat, I want to talk about how I still don't trust doctors so I stopped taking my medication because I think the weight is worse for me than what I needed the medication for, I want to talk about the sleep study I had which probably won't give any results because it was the best night of sleep I had gotten in months, I want to talk about the end of school, I want to talk about the lack of bus transportation that is already causing me stress wondering how I am going to time both kids getting to school at the right time, I want to talk about how my son just dropped a whole bag of M&M's on the floor and it is driving me crazy because I know I will find a missing one
sometime down the road, I want to talk about my new iPhone 5 and how Suri doesn't tolerate you swearing at here, I want to talk about how irritated I am that Emily Owens, MD. was cancelled, I want to talk about how I taught myself Fur Elise on the Piano, I want to talk about the potential of a zombie apocalypse, I want to talk about how life really would be more enjoyable if it was a musical, and I also want to talk about how much I am missing my family and friends back home.

See... even when I have nothing to say, I seem to really have a lot to say. I just can't seem to get it all out. And until I really get out what is plaguing me, I will continue to feel like I have nothing to say.


Monday, May 20, 2013

Music Monday: Whistle While You Work

Today is a busy one. Not that there is ever a day that goes by that I am not busy. I got a massive amount of scrubbing and cleaning to do... after all, it has been neglected over the last few months. I have homework to do; end of school activities; washing my hair; working out; picking my nose and picking my blog post. Mostly though, I have to start coming up with marketing strategies for my book Mother's Day.

If you thought writing a book was hard, try getting the word to spread like wildfire. So, as I step into the beginnings of the marketing process, I am just going to have to Whistle While I Work... seems like the perfect song for Music Monday!


Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Wordless Wednesday: Cool in the Pool

It has not been cool lately. In fact, it is creeping dangerously close to the triple digits. We aren't even out of May yet....

Yes... I am well aware that it is Southern California. I am also well aware that it is a dry heat. However, so is an oven and you don't see me sticking my head in there.

Needless to say... I am looking forward to putting the pool up this coming weekend!

cool in the pool, swimming, pool set up
Help! I can't swim!!!
If you would like to participate in Wordless Wednesday, check out my friend Cyndi at Pictimilitude for submission guidelines.

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Hello...

I thought I would stop by and say hi.

I know, it has been a while. Sometimes I even wondered if anybody missed me. But I have a good excuse as to why I haven't been around. It's a darn good excuse.

I wrote a book!

Let me tell you, it was hard work. I spent hours staring at the computer editing until my eyes went blurry. There were days when I would wear the same clothes... just so the laundry didn't pile up. I don't remember the last logical conversation I had with my husband, my kids might be figments of my imagination, and soon it might no longer be an undiagnosed mad woman state, since I have nearly lost my mind!

I am sure it will be worth it in the end. Actually, I am not sure, I know it will be! After all, my book is published and available for anybody to read. Hope you take the chance to check it out by clicking here.

So what's next?

That is the big question I have as well. I fear I might actually have too much time on my hands that I don't know what to do with myself.

Naw... that will never happen. I have kids and summer is just around the corner.

Sadly, time will always be short because I like to stay busy. But now that I have cleared off a really big task, I will have more time for my family, my schoolwork, and my chores. I will be back to blogging and catching up with my fellow bloggers as well.

Ok - so who am I kidding. I am already working on my next book! This one is going to be about zombies. No worries though - I haven't put myself under a strict deadline yet!

Virtual Mirror