Finding my Brand

Writing a book was the easy part....

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.

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!

Writing a Book: B is for Beta Readers

How many times have you heard someone say, "I want to write a book."

Probably a lot of times. It seems to be on everybody's bucket list whether they call themselves a writer or not. It just seems to be in our nature as humans to want to tell a story.

Yet, out of all those people who want to write a book, how many of them actually accomplish it?

Well I have!

It hasn't been released to the general public yet, but it will. In fact, I plan on releasing it on Mother's Day 2013 if all goes as planned. I am so excited yet so scared at the same time.

I first started writing this book 3 years ago. But it wasn't flowing. It wasn't even called Mother's Day like it is now. But I had the thought in my head and I was going to do it. But it wasn't going. I had almost 100 pages down and it still wasn't going anywhere.

You see, the main characters had a child and frankly, this was an imaginary life and I was sick of getting a babysitter for this fake child. It is hard enough to find one for your real kids. So I scraped the book and decided the kid had to go. After all, even though the kid wasn't real, I needed to be a responsible parent for my fake kid.

I already have three kids. The last thing I need to do
is stress about finding a babysitter for a fake one!

So I quit!

Yet it has always kind of been in the back of my mind. I have always wanted to pick it up and make it work. But I didn't know how to do it. And that is when a bunch of writers started talking about NaNoWriMo. I thought it was impossible. Finish a book in 30 days. I had already tried to write a book and I couldn't do it in 3 years. How could I finish one in a month.

So with the idea in my head, I started over. 

Not everybody that starts finishes. It is a difficult
task. Yet I pushed through. I don't know if I could
have done it without the push.

And I finished. I was a NaNoWriMo winner coming in at roughly 81,000 words. Not only did I complete the task, I surpassed the task. And it isn't even the same book I was trying to write before. It took a whole new direction. It's better. And it is definitely something I am proud of.

When I was finished, it was a relief yet a disappointment. I didn't know what to do next. Sure, it needed to be edited but I was so involved with writing for the entire month, it was like the crash at the end of an accident. So I put it aside and let it sit for a bit.

I finally picked it back up. It was time to edit. Now one of the hardest tasks any writer can do is edit there own work. The story is inside them so sometimes it is as if they see words that are there but not really. It is nice to have a separate set of eyes to look at your work.

This is were Beta Readers come in. They are basically the second ones to view my book. And with their help, I hope to catch a few grammatical errors that I missed, timeline issues. or anything that just generally didn't come across right.

Let me tell you, it is nerve-wracking to wait it out. I handed out the book to someone else the first time on March 1st. They have until April 1st to get back to me.

This is one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. It just goes to show, writers need to grow thicker skin. I feel so vulnerable.

It isn't like I haven't had my name in print before. I was a photojournalist for the Army. My name was in print every single week. It has also been in print in some magazines. I have also won a few Journalism awards as well. I know I can write. But this is an entirely different.

Writing a book is a BIG task.

And I feel more vulnerable. Not to mention my Beta Readers have, for the most part, been pretty quiet. I have heard some feedback, but not a whole lot. It makes me wonder.

• Did they start it yet?
• Are they liking it?
• Can they not get through it?
• Do I have so many errors they are struggling?

It is hard not to question. It is hard to wait. A big part of me doesn't want to know their thoughts until they finish. The other part of me wants to shake the information out of them.

I want reassurance. I want to know they enjoyed it. I want to know that it is good enough! I want their constructive criticism. I want to know that I invoked an emotional response from them. I want them to laugh and I want them to cry.

Yet in the end, I know this whole book is on my shoulders. It will be published. It is one of the advantages of going the self published route. It also allows me to not sacrifice my style. I don't have to change anything about my book unless it is a suggestion I feel comfortable with.

As is, I know I love my book. I think there are a few errors, but even if I were to hit publish on it right now, it wouldn't be anything I would be ashamed of. After all, writing a book is a hard feat. So many want to do it, and how many of them actually have?

Well, I did. 

For writing inspiration, check out
https://www.facebook.com/iwanttowriteabook

Short Month - Big Things

February was a big month for me. Things just started falling in place. Needless to say, I am excited.

The first thing that happened this month is I finally got paid out by Swagbucks. If you aren't aware of Swagbucks, you can check it out here, but mainly it is a program that pays you for various activities that you can cash in for prizes. I cashed mine in today for 100 Big Ones.

I won't lie... it took me awhile. However, I didn't put a lot of effort into it either. I used the search bar, did the daily poll, did the No Obligation Special Offers (NOSO), and occasionally watched a video. Stuff I probably would have done anyway. And look - I earned money from it. It wasn't instantaneous, but then again, I didn't attempt to do anything bigger to earn more faster either.

On top of that, I also finally hit the payout for Google Adsense. If I didn't say it took forever, I would be lying. That's another 100 bucks right there. What can I say, it has been a profitable month.

I believe my blog is what really pushed it over the top. I can look at trends and frankly, the money I was pulling in from Hubpages, very little of it went to actual Google Adsense because I was using the Hubpages ad program.

When I first signed up for Adsense, the pennies came in slowly. I almost gave up thinking I would never see payout. But, it finally happened. It was worth the wait, even though hopefully the next payout will come much faster.

February was also a month for awards. This month I received not just one, not even two... but 3 Liebster Awards. I don't know if I should be excited about this or cry. Mainly because this is an award for those beginning bloggers who have less than 200 Followers.

Either way, it is a great honor to bestowed upon. The rules of the award are:

• List 11 random facts about yourself
• Answer questions the previous blogger tagged you with
• Nominate another 11 bloggers deserving of this award
• And thank the bloggers who gave you the award.

Well, this month - I am breaking the rules. I am not doing any of it. Except of course thanking the people who nominated me.

Thank You Jennifer from JenJen's Soapbox of Parodies - I am truly humbled that you thought of me.
Thank you Terrye from The Adventures of a Misplaced Alaskan - I will pay you that $5 next month.
Thank You Susan from Everything Susan - It is an honor to be on this path with such great writers.

The only thing I ask, if you know a fellow blogger that you really think deserves a shout out, give it to them. Show them how much you enjoy their writing style. After all, those words of encouragement are what makes writing all worth while and it might be the thing they needed to hear to go on one more day!

But with all those great things happening this month - there is one thing that beats out all of them.

This is the first month, my book has been in the hands of someone else!

Playing around with book cover ideas...

Last night, before I headed to bed, I emailed out 4 versions of my manuscript to my Beta Readers. This is the very next step before publishing.

I never dreamed how much of a nerve-wracking feeling this was going to be. Sure, I have had people read my stuff before, but for some reason this is different. I am much closer to this story than any other short article I have ever written before. I am much more sensitive about this, wondering what people's reactions will be.

Will they like it?

I don't know. But what I do know is this book has consumed thousands of hours, plenty of tears, and at least 100 cups of coffee. I also know that I have talked to people about my characters in depth like they were real people. It was as if these characters really existed in my mind. And now, I feel like I am exposing them to the outside world for the first time.

It is scary but I know in the end it will be worth it.

So as we sit, I am anxiously awaiting to hear something... anything... from my Beta Readers. A snippet, even if it is something small like ... "Wow - you sucked me in right away. In fact, people started to call for a search party because I was missing on Facebook for too long!"

Yet, even though I am anxious, I know it doesn't matter how fast they get back to me. The book will be published on Mother's Day 2013, even if it were to be done tomorrow.

But I am on my way. It won't be long before I will be able to say, "I published a book!"

Writing and Editing Can Really Make You Crazy

I have been pretty busy lately.

I don't remember feeling this busy since I was participating in NaNoWriMo and I attempted to write an entire novel in one month. Was it hard? Yes! But it was so worth it.

My book is done.... well, at least the thought process anyway. The story is down. The editing phase has just begun.

The editing phase is making me crazy!!!

It isn't that I don't like editing. I can edit other people's stuff without a problem. I can pick out typos and missing words like the page isn't in black and white. I wrote for a newspaper. We had to find the typos and fix them before it went to print.

However, when it is your work... it is so much harder.

I am close to this story. The story is inside me. I know all the characters right down to the color they painted their toenails (even if that was a detail I didn't reveal!).

However, what important details have I left out? I question the timing. I question some of the characters actions? Does it make sense? Would a person act this way in real life?

Now I have caught a few errors... some that are obvious and a few that are easily missed.

The fact that I keep mixing up coach and couch makes me laugh.

How I mixed up the characters names at random times gives me a headache.

But mostly, this is just exhausting work!

And then I wonder... will I ever think it is good enough? Is this author cold feet setting in?

It isn't that I don't want people to read it, but it scares the crap out of me. What if people don't like it? What if there are spots that are too graphic (you know - the steamy sex scenes that I really wasn't comfortable writing but was necessary for the book!) What if the timing doesn't make sense? What if people don't like my characters?

Either way, I am pushing through. I have a goal. I want to have the book Mother's Day out to beta readers by March 1st.  I have another 10 chapters to edit and about a week to do it in.

If I made it through NaNoWriMo I should be able to make it through this!

And Out of Nowhere It Happened....

I just finished writing a book.

The best way I can describe the feeling is waiting in line for 3 hours for this epic roller coaster that lasts a total of 30 seconds and when it is done you ask yourself, "was that it?"

I know - it sounds depressing! Really makes you want to jump in there and write that book that you have been trying to get out, doesn't it?

Needless to say, I have been a little on the "I just finished what was supposed to be a mind-blowing roller coaster that really left me wondering if that is all" kind of mode lately. It's not a fun place to be. I am hoping there are others out there that can relate to this deflated effect of finishing a book.

Sure, it is like there is a huge weight lifted off of my shoulders. This book has been on my mind, stirring up scenarios for the last 5 years. It is finally out and it is finally done. But, now that the weight is gone, I am left wondering what is next?

Then it hit me. I am going to write another book.

Easier said than done. I struggled with this thought because I really didn't have another "book idea" floating around my head. With no idea in my head, how was I supposed to actually write another book.

And then out of nowhere, it happened. This idea just floated in and grabbed a hold of me. So, since last Saturday I have been preoccupied. I now have another book working it's way through my mind. I haven't even got the first one published yet, but I think I am going to get started.

After all - why wait?

So starts the second adventure of writing a book. The deadline - January 31, 2013 (unless the world ends. If that happens I will cut myself some slack!)

So now if you see me acting a little crazy - you know why!

I'm a Beautiful Blogger -- And So Are You!

Sunday was a rough day. 

My kids were so nervous!

The night before we drove an hour, through switchbacks, to get to the Pala Casino in Pala, California. My two oldest girls were doing a karate demonstration before a boxing event. It was awesome. But anybody that knows me, knows I hate driving through switchbacks or any kind of curvy roads with a steep drop off. The anxiety is enough to knock me out for days. However, because this was in a casino and only 2 out of my 3 kids were partaking, I had to get rid of the youngest. So he went to stay with grandma and grandpa for the night.

We got home late after I suffered through another hour drive. Ok - so the switchbacks really were only 5 or 6 miles long. I thought I was going to have a heart attack. But I knew that since we weren't picking up my son, I was going to get a chance to sleep in.

Ahhhh... the joy. 

Parenthood is ironic. Just as we have trained the oldest to be able to wake up and turn cartoons on to let us sleep in a little longer, I end up pregnant and the cycle starts all over again. But this time, I was going to get to sleep in. The two oldest could get up, make their own bowls of cereal, and watch TV or play. We could get up when we wanted because our little boy wasn't home.

Dreams are easily shattered... especially at 6 a.m. with the phone ringing. 

It was the dreaded call. My son had been awake all night and throwing up. Sunday was going to be a rough day.

So needless to say, when I found out I had won another award, I was ecstatic. It truly made my day since I was woken up early after getting to bed late, was dealing with a sick kid, and I am not going to lie, but I have been in a bit of a funk since I finished my book for NaNoWriMo.

I have been awarded The Beautiful Blogger Award! YEAH!

Now I can't thank Janine, from Janine's Confession's of a Mommyaholic, enough for spotlighting me in this prestigious award. Janine is a fellow blogger/writer and mommy, who I have come to know through the most awesome Facebook Group Bloppy Bloggers. She was one of the first bloggers I came to know when I started on my blogging journey and immediately there was a connection. We seemed so similar, in the stuff we propose on our blog and even the way we write. Who knows... maybe when we both become millionaire bloggers, we will get a chance to meet, since she lives all the way on the other side of the country! So don't hesitate.. go check her out!

So without further hesitation... if you get this award... this is what you got to do!

1. Post The Beautiful Blogger logo in your post and on your blog. Your beautiful so go ahead and show it off!

2. Thank the person who nominated you. (Janine - you are amazing! I am truly honored that out of all the bloggers you picked me! And you would have been one of my choices as well!)

3. Tell 7 facts about yourself that others may not know. (Oh no - is there anything left to tell! I will try though but excuse me if you already knew the stuff!)

4. Nominate other bloggers for the award and let them know!

Seven things About Me that you might not have known.

1. I am a bad story teller. When it comes to my writing strengths, I do the best when writing feature articles. Basically, something you would see in a magazine. This is why I was so surprised to be able to finish a book for NaNoWriMo. My story telling skills are horrible. This is usually very apparent when sitting around a campfire.

2. I have a sick obsession with "end of world" disaster type movies. I will watch them all regardless of how bad they might be. The movie 2012 is one of my favorites... and since I know what is supposed to happen on that day, I will be glad that I am not going to be in California Dec. 21st since I am heading home for the holidays.

3. I took a lot of joy in people complimenting me on how much weight I lost in the past year. But now that I have kind of kept it off, I am kind of sick of hearing about it. No - I haven't lost any more weight since last February. I have been plateaued (or maybe I have been drinking too much wine!) That also means that every  single time the same person asks me again about weight loss, it reminds me that I haven't gotten to goal. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the compliments. But I don't enjoy the fact that everybody thinks I am obsessive about working out because I am trying to lose more weight. Currently, while I would love to actually get to goal, I actually work out more for the mood enhancing effects. You should see me when I don't work out... I turn into a bitch!

4. I can't write erotica. It makes me giggle too much. I am so immature. Well, since I just wrote a book, and part of it does deal with a few minor (but needed) sex scenes, I had to enlist my husband's help. Personally, I think it is corny. Personally, I am hoping one day my mom will read this book. And personally, I really don't want my mom to read a sex scene that her innocent daughter wrote.

5. I am currently sick. It scares me to death. Not that this is anything more than a very short stomach bug, but because earlier this year I got sick and was sick for 6 months. In fact, I was so sick that I don't remember a good portion of this year. That being said, it scares me that I was out of it so much yesterday, that I can't recall anything. I don't ever want to be that sick again.

6. I love musicals. I think every single show should have at least one musical episode. I love watching musicals, whether it is on DVD or in a live theater performance. For awhile, every DVD we bought was a musical. Yet, there is still so many I haven't seen.

7. Speaking of musicals, it has taken me awhile to realize this, but there is a few traits that make a man more attractive to me regardless of how he actually looks. If a man can sing or dance, his hotness level is automatically given a few extra notches. Double that if he can do both. This is one of the reason's why my favorite actor is Ewan McGregor. Have you seen him in Moulin Rouge?

Now time to pass the award off to other Bloggers....

For me, coming up with 7 things was way easier than attempting to pick out just one person for this Beautiful Blogger Award. (Ok - so I am actually supposed to pick 7!) The reason being, I have met so many wonderful bloggers in the Bloppy Bloggers group that I think they all deserve this award. That being said, I am only going to give it to a couple. Why - so those who are still new to the blogging world will have a chance to also give the award to others in the group, or even others outside of the group.

Here we are... having a blast in Vegas!

1. The first person I am giving this award to is The Realhousewife. I feel like I am playing favoritism here because it doesn't matter the award, Kelly is going to get it from me every single time. Out of all the writer's I have met online, she is the first one I have actually met in person. The opportunity was priceless. She was headed to Vegas for a getaway and I am not too far from Vegas. So my husband and I took the drive to met up with Kelly and her husband Dave. We have actually got a chance to hang out a few other times... all times went too fast as I swear we could talk for hours (you should time us on the phone sometime!) So, she is my first selection for The Beautiful Blogger. She is beautiful not only on the outside, but the inside as well. She is beautiful through words and through voice. I just love this girl. She has picked me up when I was down and she has given me some great inspiration for stuff to write about. After all, if it wasn't for her, I probably never would have known about the Booty Pop! Kelly is just plain awesome. Don't take my word for it... check her out for yourself!

2. The second person I am giving this award to is Julie from Life According to Julie and Fabulous Blogging. Now I actually met her online through a different group on Facebook, however, I was instantly drawn into her blog. In fact, she was probably the main person who got me started with blogging (even though she probably didn't realize it). This woman amazes me. Not only because her blogs are entertaining and helpful, but because of her courage to stand up, whether it is a topic she believes in - like Enough - or it is sharing her memoir Wanted so others will be able to learn from her experiences. You can check out her book by clicking here... I highly recommend it. It is an incredible read! I couldn't put it down. But the best part about Julie is that she is down to earth and someone I can relate to. There have been so many times when she has said something and I have to tell my husband about it because it just seems similar. She is an amazing person to follow and always there to lend a helping hand. Honestly, I don't know how she seems to do it all, but just sit back and watch her and you will be amazed as well.

There are so many great bloggers out there, I find it difficult to narrow the choices down. Every single blogger I interact with qualifies for The Beautiful Blogger Award! You guys are all amazing! You have made this journey an incredible one and I am truly humbled by those who stop by and offer your support.

NaNoWriMo - I Did It!

This is my cool and collected pose!

I was hoping that someone was going to approach me and ask me this simple question...

"So, what have you been up this month?"

There is a selfish reason for that. Because I already have the answer, but I need someone to ask me that question so I can shout it out:

"Oh, what have I been up to this month. Nothing much. I just wrote a book!"

Of course, you need to imagine me all cool and collected. You know - leaning against a wall, hands in my pockets, nonchalantly staring off into space like I am completely bored. I wrote a book. I got to be all professional now or something like that. Like it was no big deal. Like people do this all the time.

But that is not the case. I am going to be like my child hyped up on Mountain Dew and candy bars. By the time I get to the end I will probably be - correction - will be jumping up and down. And for dramatic effect, I could use a trampoline so I could get some real height and exaggerate my excitement.

Why? Because I wrote a book. How can I not be excited?

As of November 26, 2012, at 8:20 p.m., I had completed 353 pages in Microsoft Works in Courier New 12 Point Font.  That is 81,808 words worth. And just in case you didn't have enough numbers already to look at, in an average printed off paperback book (about 300 words per page), I would have written a book that is about 273 pages. That is a whole lot to absorb. I did it. I am a NaNoWriMo Winner!

I need to take a minute to calm myself down....

So today I woke up and for the first time in a long time, I didn't know what to do with myself. I have wrote and wrote and wrote. And now I am done. It is a weird feeling. I don't even know how to describe it really.

I feel like I should feel different today. But I don't. I feel like I just rode this great roller coaster ride and suddenly it ended. It just stopped. And I feel empty. I feel like I should be writing. I feel like I should still be working on this book. But it is done. It is a washed over feeling of complete satisfaction but complete sadness at the same time.

Now I know the book isn't done yet. It is still in a very rough first copy. I need to read it again and do a first round of edits. These are the edits to catch any grammatical mistakes I might have made, but also to add more color to the story. After all, when you write to get the story down, you might have missed a spot where you could have been more descriptive. This is my job and is a necessary one to make the book complete.

A second pair of eyes is always
a good idea!

And then I need to pass the book on to a few select people for further editing. These people will hopefully find the grammatical errors I missed and they might be able to point out the storylines that might not have actually made it out of my head. So it might make sense to me, but not to them. It is always good to have a different set of eyes to look at it.

Then finally, I need to decide on the publishing venue. Do I go the traditional route and hope and plead that some publisher will pick up my book so I can see a copy at Barnes and Noble? Or do I just do it "ebook" style and have the satisfaction that it is published? These are important decisions. And today, as I glanced at how to publish, I realize there is so much more I need to learn and a whole lot of work ahead of me.

But for now, it is time to let my brain rest. It has been an incredible journey. I am sad that this step has ended. I have had this book sitting in my head for the last 5 years, give or take, and now it is finally complete. I feel kind of empty. I am hoping other writer's can relate.

Don't get me wrong. I am super excited about finishing my book. But now that I am done, I no longer have an excuse as to why the house hasn't been cleaned, laundry isn't done, and my husband's work clothes haven't been ironed. I have been absorbed into a book but now it is time to head back to reality!

Congratulations to all those who completed NaNoWriMo. You achieved something great. And for those still pushing, you still have time. Get to writing!

Music Monday: Down With The Sickness

This morning my girls woke up barking...

And by girls, I don't mean I suddenly adopted a couple of dogs over the weekend and today they were barking and waking up the neighbors. No - the barking was coming from my children.

Watch out! That little bugger is out
to get you! And me without my
can of Lysol!

Now I am not going to lie, this wasn't exactly unexpected. My 3 year old son Max started getting it last weekend and it peaked on Tuesday when we ended up taking him to Urgent Care. He then spent the next few days making my life miserable. He is totally a man when it comes to whining about being sick. He doesn't want any help - he just wants to cry. He even beats my husband out for being the most dramatic sick person ever.

Well, now all three kids got the cough and they have been running fevers on and off. My husband, well he is lucky enough to be working so he gets to spend less time home potentially contracting this sickness.

Me, on the other hand, was comforting my son as he coughed, without covering his mouth, and spit his sick germs right in my face. If you want a more disturbing picture, I was in the midst of telling him to cover his mouth as he coughed. So my mouth was open and he just spit his germs right at me. I can feel it already. I am probably going to be sick. But I am strong. I only whine when it gets really bad.

So today I took some time away from my writing and got some deep cleaning done. It needed it anyway. I have been neglecting my chores since I have been working on my book. But I was going to attempt to get those nasty germs out of my house.

To bad I can't find my can of Lysol. 

Seriously? Who loses their can of Lysol?

So today for music Monday, I give you Richard Cheese with his rendition of Down With The Sickness!

Note: There are some bad words in the video, so this is your warning if you or anyone around you has sensitive ears! :)

'F' The Pennies...

Pennies are something most writers can relate to. It is a sad but true reality. Most of us know far more what it is like to be the penniless writer than a best selling author. Tis the life I guess.

That being said, it isn't like that will be the case forever. I remember when I first started writing online, I would be excited if I made a penny - in like a month. Then I got spoiled by the nickels and dimes.

However, at the beginning of November I decided to try something new. I was going to sign up for NaNoWriMo and I was going to beat it. I take challenges very seriously and I am way too hard on myself to fail. However, I knew I wasn't going to fail because I have an amazing support system of writers.

Well, among the writers is one of my good friend's Kelly. She is The RealHousewife! And since I have met her in person, I can truly believe that when she says she is going to do something, it is going to get done. I have never met someone so strong willed and determined before. I was happy to have her on my side.

Well immediately after signing up for the madness, she called me up. I remember the conversation so clearly. She stated that out of all the people that sign up for NaNoWriMo, only about 10 percent of them actually finish. Then, with as much gusto as she could push through the phone, she told me that we - the both of us - would be a part of that 10 percent. While I was a little sketchy about this whole thing, I knew that together we would both succeed.  She also told me that she was going to need me this month. She needed me to help push her, and if I needed a push, she would do the same.

Well, things were about to get serious!

As the month hit it's midway point, I had been pushing through NaNoWriMo. I was so proud and I was seeing others push too. But there was a few that also dropped out and said they couldn't do it. Then today, I woke up and checked my Facebook. Right there in black and white, my friend Kelly decided she was no longer going to do NaNoWriMo. She was done. She would save it for next time.

WELL - NOT ON MY WATCH!

I knew what I needed to do. I called her and for a good hour (or maybe two - that was a short phone call!) I talked her off the ledge. I told her she could do it. I told her she was already a quarter of the way there. I told her that Hubpages and her blog would be waiting for her December 1. I told her if she quit now, she would not be in that 10 percent. I told her she only needed to do 2,300 words a day and she would be right were she needed to be. I told her what she needed to hear. I told her I believed in her!

I used ever word I could think of to stop her nonsense. We are doing this together and I wasn't allowing her to back out now!

Of course, her best attack came that she missed Hubpages. So, as my wheels started rolling through my head, I asked her a very personal question. How much money do you make on Hubpages?

Hubpages is a great way to make an additional income as an online writer. But, it is still going to be there when NaNoWriMo is done. On the other hand, if you publish your book and decide to sell it on Amazon, the potential to make money is there. Not to mention, you can say you published a book. I can't think of a greater accomplishment.

So together... we decided to say "Fuck the Pennies!" We were going to get this book done!

As a writer, it is hard to set priorities when you feel like you are being pulled into so many different directions. For the month of November, my priority has been to complete NaNoWriMo. I might even be a little obsessive about it. There has been a fire lit under me! I am going to write until I can't think. I am going to write without abandon. I am going to finish this book.

Now I know the blog is waiting for me... Hubpages is waiting for me... and heck, I am probably not keeping up with my comments or even my reading. My chores are suffering (so please no visitors until December!) and my kids and husband might even be missing me. But, by the end of this, I know the people that matter, will understand why I needed to do this.Why I might not be as active reading or responding back. Because I am allowing myself to take this month to do something great.

So, if you know of anybody that has openly pledged to do NaNoWriMo, don't let them take the easy road out. We can do anything if we put our minds to it. Sure, it might be hard, but nothing is impossible. Believe in yourself and you are already halfway there!

So Kelly, this is for you! I believe in you. I think you can do it and I think it is going to be great. 

Don't doubt yourself. There is no room for that.

Now get your writing done... I am watching you! 

Flashback Friday: Living In A Dream World

Writers live in their heads...

We all know that feeling. The story comes alive in our head. We think out the perfect words to describe each situation perfectly. Sometimes it is funny, sometimes it is sad, sometimes it is dramatic, sometimes it is crazy. But what we do, is we create a world that no one else can see until we are able to put it down in words.

Sometimes it gets a little crazy up here!

As I continue on my journey with NaNoWriMo... (I know I know, it is all I seem to talk about lately) I realize how much of the story is just floating in my head. It is trying to escape. It has been trying to escape for years. But with NaNoWriMo, I have finally been given the opportunity (or maybe the fire under my ass!) to finally get the words out.

But it goes back to the same thought. As a writer, we live in our heads. We are constantly living these fictional stories. Whether or not we write them down is another question. We can do it in so many different ways. We can write a book or we can even write a poem. It is an expression of what we are living on the inside.

So, as I continue on my journey, creating an imaginary world, I wanted to share another imaginary world that I created a while back. This one is a poem. But it describes perfectly how I feel right now.

Today's feature for Flashback Friday is...

Living In A Dream World

Excuse Me While My Brain Farts

Last night my husband called me on his way home from work. Most nights he calls me and we talk the hour it takes for him to get home. I look forward to these calls since I spend most of the day surrounded by little people. It is some adult conversation.

However, lately, I have been working really hard on NaNoWriMo. As I write this, I have already surpassed the halfway point to 50,000 words. Needless to say, my brain is fried.

As I was talking to my husband, I kept spacing out. I literally couldn't hold a conversation. In the middle of sentences I would just stop never really completing a thought.

My writing is not suffering. Well, at least not the writing for my book. That is all I think about. My talking is suffering though. I seem to be going through lapses of brain farts. As the pressure builds up, I can't seem to get the words out of my mouth. Mid-sentence I will just stop. And then my husband has to nudge me. Almost like he has to give me a jolt to start my brain.

I am stuttering over my words or stopping completely mid sentence. My favorite consequence to having the brain farts is when I randomly stare off into the air. Yep... nobody's home.

So, while I may sound normal and come across very normal while I interact online, that is not the case if you see me in person. So this is my warning to you, because I can only assume that it is going to get worse. After all, I am only in to NaNoWriMo one week. There is still three more to go. God help me and anyone who tries to have an intelligent.....

VLOG - Getting Organized: My binder for NaNoWriMo

Writing a book is easy - said no writer ever!

The truth is, it is downright difficult. This is no 10 page paper... this is that times 20. And if you thought those term papers in college were tough, this is a whole different level. That means you have to keep a whole lot more thoughts organized. You need to remember facts; you need to be on a first name basis with all of your characters; you need to get in bed and sleep with them. Ok - maybe that is taking it a step to far....

But what I realized is I need to get organized and I am never organized. In fact, I am an organized mess! When writing a book it is really hard to keep everything straight. So, I brought in a binder. I needed something sitting in front of me to keep me on track. This binder is proving to be invaluable for the month of November as I push through NaNoWriMo.

I am on a time limit. I got 30 days to finish this book
so that means it is vital that I stay organized!

I originally bought the binder to organize my writing. After all, I wanted to keep track of the book I planned to write, my hubs, my blogs and my Vlogs. I don't have a photographic memory. I needed a place to keep my ideas stored. I never got that far.

As I started writing my book November 1st, I realized it was going to be hard to keep track of what I was writing. I needed something to quickly reference so I could avoid going back and rereading my manuscript. If I did that, I just know I would be stuck in edit mode and keep changing the story. But that isn't the point of NaNoWriMo. The point is to kick the editor out of the room and just get the story down. The beautifying process can come in December. Right now - I just need to hit 50,000 words.

So I started tracking bits of information that I put in my book each day. I started my character profile sheets. The sheets aren't organized in an Excel type format, but they work for the time being. I also started keeping track of how many words I was adding each day and how many words are in each chapter. (I know it is weird, but nothing bugs me more than knowing if my book was printed the chapter would only be 2 pages, but I have 100 chapters!) As an added bonus, I am also trying to beat myself. If I wrote 1500 words one day, the next day I am pushing for at least 1600.

So far this system has worked for me. It even gives me a spot where I can put my tiny little USB plug so I can back up my book and not lose it! And my pen... my pen has a home in my binder as well! How can I not succeed when I am being this organized.

Now I will admit, it does take a little extra effort at the end of the day. But if you start off right away and get into the habit, you will be much better off than when you get to the end of your story and you can't remember if your main character has blonde or black hair or if you can't tell us where they work. I figure the time I put into it now will save me time in the end.

So, I thought I would do a Vlog on my binder. I hope if you have been struggling to get organized, that this helps you. So take a look...

So for those writers doing NaNoWriMo with me, how have you been staying organized?

If you aren't a writer, have used a binder to get areas of your life organized?

What comes first? Farting or Sex

This morning I woke up early. I looked at my phone and it said it was only 7:30 a.m. I didn't remember that it was daylight savings and the clocks fell back an hour. (Thankfully my phone does it on its own!) So I had no intention of getting out of bed. So I just laid there and thought.

I am now going into Day 4 of NaNoWriMo. So naturally, as I lay there thinking, I am thinking about my book. I am trying to grab the essence of my thoughts, truly understand and feel what it is like to just lay in bed and stare at the ceiling. I feel like for me to describe something like this, I need to feel it. I need to feel like my main character so I knew exactly what she was thinking. I needed to get into her head.

I laid in bed for a bit before my husband woke up. And naturally, he woke up and was ready to start the day. How dare he think like that? How dare he disturb my ability to lay in bed without being bothered by kids or by life on the outside world. I was comfortable and warm.

My husband got up and did his morning business while I continued to lay in bed. Naturally, since I refused to get out of bed, he decided to lay back down and snuggle. (Yes - my husband is a snuggler! Not me - I have my own personal bubble!)

Well, we all know what happens when you have two people laying in bed...

No - I wasn't talking sex. Geesh.... we are married... we don't do that kind of thing! (blush, blush)

No - we got into one of our weird conversations or what is better known as our kind of pillow talk.

"What do you think came first... The fart or the sex?"

"I think the fart," he said, without hesitating.

"Really?" I questioned him.

"Well I thought you were referring to that question who came first - the chicken or the egg. You shouldn't have worded it that way!"

"So answer the question then!"

"It's the sex."

"I don't think so, you farted in front of me before we ever had sex!" I called him out.

"No I didn't!" he denied.

"Yeah you did. I remember it perfectly," I announced. "We were heading out of the barracks and you were walking in front of me. Then you let it rip." I have a photographic memory for the oddest things. "I shouldn't have married you!"

"Well, you know you aren't supposed to hold it in," he said.

"I didn't fart in front of you," I said, declaring that I couldn't fart in front of someone until I was really comfortable with them. "But what I was thinking is, how do you sleep with someone without the fear of them hearing you fart if you have never farted in front of them before. Don't you worry about that stuff?"

"Nope, I figure if I am sleeping then they are sleeping."

"Yeah, but what if they are that creepy guy that wakes up and stares at you while you sleep?"

"I'm not creepy." Naturally, then he gives me that creepy joker like smile as he gets really close and smiles at me.

"You know what I mean... when they watch you sleep and they are all like wow isn't she so beautiful and peaceful when she sleeps and suddenly you hear...... thbrrrttttt... and a big fart rips out."

"Then I think she is even more beautiful because of the smile that happens because of the fart."

Well, I guess with a comment like that, he definitely is a keeper. Good thing I married him after all. But now it got me thinking...

Which comes first... farting or the sex? Both are intimate acts in completely different ways. And yes, I know it is hard to think of farting as intimate. But for some, it means you are completely comfortable with that person. Yet, when you look at relationships, how many will jump into bed and have sex with a person before they will even fart in front of them?

So, which comes first... farting or sex?

OMG - NaNoWriMo starts today

This is me today.... feeling a little crazy!

Since I decided to sign up for NaNoWriMo last week, I have been nothing but excited. In fact, it took everything in me to NOT open a word document and start typing away. I had this story in my head and I wanted to start and I wanted to start now.

That was.... until today. Today I am a nervous wreck. I can only assume it is because I am about to start a 30 day, 50,000 word journey... YIKES!

The day didn't start off on the right foot. I had a mental journey of what needed to get done. The first priority was to publish my Keysocks review on Hubpages. Most of it was already done. I just needed to add some pictures and do some final tweaking. My second priority was to write this blog. My intention was actually to do a Vlog but after looking at the clock I realized time wasn't on my side and frankly, those Vlogs take me hours. (Mental note - maybe I should make them shorter!)

It was already after 12 and I have yet to even do more than just think about NaNoWriMo and the fact that it has started and I have not!

In fact, my stomach just growled reminding me that I have forgotten to eat breakfast. (Probably because I ate the last bagel yesterday!) And my hands are shaking and I know I can't blame that on the nerves. (That is the whole pot of coffee I downed!) My son isn't dressed yet... but what can I say... I am not either. Thankfully my daughters are pretty good at doing that on their own.

So is this what the next 30 days is going to be like? I am a mess... my house is a mess... and my son is eating candy for breakfast because I am preoccupied with NaNoWriMo!

Yet, I have this weird feeling that this is just day 1 jitters. After all, I don't know why I am so worried about it. The story is already there... I just need to get it down. And technically, I only had three objectives to the day... once I publish this, two of them will already be done. Now that I think about it... 1700 words doesn't seem that unbearable anymore!

So I guess it is time to hit publish and getting going. I got a book to write and it doesn't look like it is going to write itself!

P.S. If you are a writer and you want to buddy up, my user name is Barbergirl28. See you there!

'Scuse Me While I Write This Book

I am a writer.

Because I have given myself such a title I have been known to whittle away hours writing online for pennies a day; I have been known to tell others I am in the midst of writing a book - one that honestly I never thought I would ever finish; I have been known to dabble in the written word in hope of entertaining and informing.

Today however, I took a step in a new direction. I have committed to a task that, I would be lying if I didn't say it, I am a little nervous about. I decided it is time to sit down and finish my book.

For those who know me, I am a Libra and I take the character traits of being a Libra pretty darn seriously. That means every time I make a decision, I weigh everything over and over again so I know when the time comes, I have made the best possible decision with no regrets. About a month ago, the topic of writing books came up in a group of writers I belong to. You see, November is National Novel Writing Month and during that time, you spend 30 days writing without abandon to see if you can hit 50,000 words or finish your novel. I was intrigued, but wasn't sure if I wanted to commit just yet.

Then yesterday as I was cleaning, I was sorting through the newspaper so I could get it off my counter and into the recycle bin. Naturally, I can't just throw it away, so I read the parts that were interesting and grabbed the coupons. This is when I saw my horoscope.

Now sure, I realize you shouldn't base your life off of what is said in your horoscope. However, I do still read my horoscope because I think they are interesting... more so than the actual news stories. This is the part that got me:

Similarly, publishing opportunities, along with opportunities to explore higher education, exist for you.

Really? How could I not take that as a sign? Do you see "publishing opportunities" flashing me right in the face? My first thoughts went to my book. And at the moment it was obvious to me what I had to do. I had to sign up for NaNoWriMo!

So what does this mean? This mean it is time to stop talking and time to start taking action. I have signed up and I am committed. I was a little nervous; I still am. But after looking at the site, I realize I don't actually have to finish the book by November 30, I just have to finish the story. I just need to write it out. The editing stage can come later. Which frankly was the part I was struggling with. I would write and then edit and rewrite. That is a never ending cycle where you will never get the story down. I just couldn't finish the story. And now I was presented with NaNoWriMo where I waswondered how do I complete an entire manuscript in just 30 days. Well, obviously it can and has been done before. Now, it is my turn!

Now this book has been sitting in the depths of my mind for many years. In fact, I started writing it 4 years ago. Sadly though, I took a break. I started changing things and then I realized I hated my characters. So, the book has been scraped. Not the idea, just all the work I put into it in the past. Those I will consider notes. And now since I have been actively thinking about writing this book again, I have also figured out how it is going to end and come up with new character names.

What can I say, I started off nervous and now I am just excited. So, if you are aspiring to write that book that has been floating around in your head, come join me. You can find me on my profile page on NaNoWriMo and we can help push each other through what I expect to be a fun month.

So now that I have done it, are you willing to take the plunge with me?