It's Friday. What a perfect time to write a post. One of my clients didn't show up for their appointment, so why not utilize this time for something like...a blog post?
Tomorrow, Saturday, my husband is going to compete in the Warrior Dash. This will be his second year of sliding through muddy water and then running through obstacles for over three miles. Crazy much? Yeah, he is. I'd like to join him, but, uh, I have a, uh... Well, someone needs to take pictures, right?
Rain Boots Required YA Author Tour now has a Facebook Page. Check it out and "Like" it. I hope people show up for our stops. Wouldn't that be crazy sad if no one showed? Eeek. Let's think positive now. There are three fabulous authors who will be on the tour with me, so I'm sure they have fans who will want to visit us. :)
We have added a new author to the tour. Laura Elliott. She'll be joining us at a couple of our tour stops. I'll have the exact locations later this week. Her debut novel, Winnemucca, is now available. She also has a new book, 13 On Halloween, that will be available at the end of September. How exciting!
Here's a recap of the Rain Boots Required YA Author Tour
Authors Involved
Stacey Wallace Benefiel
Me!
Lisa Nowak
Rebecca Knight
Laura Elliott
Dates and Locations
October 1st, 5-6:30 pm
Cover to Cover Books
Vancouver, Washington
October 7th 6:30-8:15 pm
West Linn Library
West Linn, Oregon
October 8th and 9th, all day
WordStock Festival
Portland, Oregon
October 17th, 7 pm
Interzone, Inc.
Portland, Oregon
October 20th, 4-5 pm
Beaverton Library
Beaverton, Oregon
October 22nd, 1 pm
A Children's Place Book Store
Portland, Oregon
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Also, for those peeps who don't have an eReader or who would just prefer to have a paper copy, Loramendi's Story is now available in paperback! You can buy it here for only $9.99.
It's almost time for my next client, so I'm outta here. Have a great weekend!
Friday, September 9, 2011
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Writing Update
I've been reading a lot lately. Not a lot according to some of my friends who read eight books a week, but a lot for me. Normally I read two to three books a month. This past month I've read seven books. And yes, my writing has paid for it. I was hoping that this second Lords of Shifters book would become more fluid if I spent a little time away from writing, but it's still stubborn and thick to think through.
I'm struggling most with the point of view. I really want to tell Jess' story, but to do that, I have to leave Lora where she ended up in Loramendi's Story. I'm not really sure that's what fans will like. Fans fell in love with Lora, and most series continue on with the same hero/heroine, but Lords of Shifters isn't like most series. Of course I'd get back to Lora eventually, probably in book three.
To motivate me to get through this madness and to keep my readers up to date on my progress, I posted this cool new Word Meter on the side bar thanks to Sarra Cannon's Free Word Meter. Come back often and see how slow I write! haha ;)
I'm struggling most with the point of view. I really want to tell Jess' story, but to do that, I have to leave Lora where she ended up in Loramendi's Story. I'm not really sure that's what fans will like. Fans fell in love with Lora, and most series continue on with the same hero/heroine, but Lords of Shifters isn't like most series. Of course I'd get back to Lora eventually, probably in book three.
To motivate me to get through this madness and to keep my readers up to date on my progress, I posted this cool new Word Meter on the side bar thanks to Sarra Cannon's Free Word Meter. Come back often and see how slow I write! haha ;)
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Forks and Other Stuff Happening
When you hear the word "Forks" what do you think of? The utensil. Choices in life's journey. The town in Washington where vampires and werewolves reside. I want to mention two of those conjured thoughts now.
I recently tested into a nursing school. Apparently my scores were in the top percentile, which surprised me. Well, even though the test said I can go to that school, I'm unable to because of financial reasons. I mean, if we scraped and stressed for the next two years, maybe, a very slight maybe, there would be a chance we could come up with the money. But realistically, I'd get halfway through the program, and I wouldn't be able to pay for the rest. So, it's probably best to go to community college. Sure, it will take triple the time to finish, and it's severely competitive to get into the program once the prerequisites are done, but that's a chance we'll have to take. I'm excited to begin my first class in September. Chemistry. Ooooh. Aaaah. Wish me luck!
And now for the town in Washington where vampires and werewolves reside. Did you know it rains there, like all the time? Ha! Not all the time, but it did rain when we stopped by last Monday. I'm told it was sunny and 70 degrees the day prior and the day following our visit. Figures, eh?
We also visited a beautiful rainforest on our journey north. Of course, it rained there, too.
Now to the other stuff. October is going to be an exciting month. It's always full of awesomeness, but this year will be even greater because I'll be going on tour with three other YA authors, Stacey Wallace Benefiel, Lisa Nowak, and Rebecca Knight. We are in the scheduling venues and thinking up really cool tour name stage, but it's going to be rad! Here are a few of the stops already confirmed:
We are working on finalizing a few other locations, so check back for a list of dates in the near future.
One more thing -- Starting Monday, I'm going on a juice fast. I will most likely be grumpy and irritable the first few days, so if my presence seems sparser than normal on the social networking sites, this is why. The fast will only last about two weeks, and I'll be adding cooked and raw fruits and veggies on the third day, so it won't be so bad.
Another one more thing -- Don't forget that Loramendi's Story went on sale this month! It's still only 99 cents for the ebook on Amazon, B&N, and Smashwords. The paperback will probably be available on Amazon in the next week or two, too.
Peace out for now! Be safe and healthy!
I recently tested into a nursing school. Apparently my scores were in the top percentile, which surprised me. Well, even though the test said I can go to that school, I'm unable to because of financial reasons. I mean, if we scraped and stressed for the next two years, maybe, a very slight maybe, there would be a chance we could come up with the money. But realistically, I'd get halfway through the program, and I wouldn't be able to pay for the rest. So, it's probably best to go to community college. Sure, it will take triple the time to finish, and it's severely competitive to get into the program once the prerequisites are done, but that's a chance we'll have to take. I'm excited to begin my first class in September. Chemistry. Ooooh. Aaaah. Wish me luck!
And now for the town in Washington where vampires and werewolves reside. Did you know it rains there, like all the time? Ha! Not all the time, but it did rain when we stopped by last Monday. I'm told it was sunny and 70 degrees the day prior and the day following our visit. Figures, eh?
We also visited a beautiful rainforest on our journey north. Of course, it rained there, too.
Now to the other stuff. October is going to be an exciting month. It's always full of awesomeness, but this year will be even greater because I'll be going on tour with three other YA authors, Stacey Wallace Benefiel, Lisa Nowak, and Rebecca Knight. We are in the scheduling venues and thinking up really cool tour name stage, but it's going to be rad! Here are a few of the stops already confirmed:
Cover to Cover Books
WordStock 2011
Beaverton Library
A Children's Place Bookstore
Interzone, Inc.
We are working on finalizing a few other locations, so check back for a list of dates in the near future.
One more thing -- Starting Monday, I'm going on a juice fast. I will most likely be grumpy and irritable the first few days, so if my presence seems sparser than normal on the social networking sites, this is why. The fast will only last about two weeks, and I'll be adding cooked and raw fruits and veggies on the third day, so it won't be so bad.
Another one more thing -- Don't forget that Loramendi's Story went on sale this month! It's still only 99 cents for the ebook on Amazon, B&N, and Smashwords. The paperback will probably be available on Amazon in the next week or two, too.
Peace out for now! Be safe and healthy!
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Now Available and Heebie-Jeebies
To be extra sure that Loramendi's Story shows up on August 7th, I decided to hit the publish button today. Sometimes it can take a couple days and sometimes, like today, a few hours to become available. Barnes and Noble is still thinking about it while Amazon is already complete. Here's the link!
If you have a Kindle, you can now purchase Loramendi's Story for only .99 cents! Since this is the first book in the series (Lords of Shifters), I'm keeping the price low. It hurts, but I'm hoping it will help gain new readers.
I've been doing a lot of research into spiders lately for my next novel. They totally creep me out, but the research must be done. So, after spending a few hours reading and looking at pictures of the eight legged creatures, I crashed in the recliner for some much needed time with my Kindle.
My big pooch, Cookie, fell asleep at my feet.
Out of nowhere, a ginormous hairy spider scurried across the floor, straight toward Cookie. I pushed her head so she would stand, but she was out and didn't budge. The spider bolted straight for her cute pooch nose. I pulled her heavy face up to save her from the spider attack. She finally woke and helped me out by standing.
The spider stopped.
I maneuvered my Kindle toward the spider to capture it and then I brushed it off into the front yard.
Afterward, I danced around to make sure it wasn't crawling on me even though I clearly saw it scurry off in the other direction.
Whew.
I pretty much saved my dog's life. I'm a hero.
Have a great night. I hope you enjoy Loramendi's Story!
If you have a Kindle, you can now purchase Loramendi's Story for only .99 cents! Since this is the first book in the series (Lords of Shifters), I'm keeping the price low. It hurts, but I'm hoping it will help gain new readers.
I've been doing a lot of research into spiders lately for my next novel. They totally creep me out, but the research must be done. So, after spending a few hours reading and looking at pictures of the eight legged creatures, I crashed in the recliner for some much needed time with my Kindle.
My big pooch, Cookie, fell asleep at my feet.
Out of nowhere, a ginormous hairy spider scurried across the floor, straight toward Cookie. I pushed her head so she would stand, but she was out and didn't budge. The spider bolted straight for her cute pooch nose. I pulled her heavy face up to save her from the spider attack. She finally woke and helped me out by standing.
The spider stopped.
I maneuvered my Kindle toward the spider to capture it and then I brushed it off into the front yard.
Afterward, I danced around to make sure it wasn't crawling on me even though I clearly saw it scurry off in the other direction.
Whew.
I pretty much saved my dog's life. I'm a hero.
Have a great night. I hope you enjoy Loramendi's Story!
Monday, August 1, 2011
I should feel busy,
but I don't. There have been some happenings in the works. Yep, happenings. Things that are going to happen.
First happening: I've been asked to participate in an event this weekend called "Art in the Heart." I'll set up my little table to display a stack of books and then sit my bottom in a chair. If you are in the Vancouver area, please come see me! I'll be sitting with some other awesome authors in front of the Angst Gallery.
Second happening: Loramendi's Story will be available for purchase this coming weekend. August 7th to be exact. It has received some lovely reviews thus far.
Third happening: Dream Smashers will be on a blog tour the week of August 8th! The Teen Book Scene has put together this awesome tour. I'll announce the stops this coming weekend.
Fourth happening: I received a letter in the mail last weekend informing me that I've been accepted into nursing school. Woo hoo! I begin this fall.
Fifth happening: Wordstock is just around the corner. I'm sure you read my whine in the previous blog about not being able to participate. That has changed! Although I won't be speaking, I'll be there with a few other fantastic local authors, ready to sign books. More information to come. (I'm really, super elated and hope I get to meet Maggie Stiefvater and Ellen Hopkins.)
Sixth happening: After Wordstock, I'm going on a regional tour with a group of authors including Stacey Wallace Benefiel and Lisa Nowak. I'll share the complete list of authors and dates closer to October.
A lot of happenings right there. How does all this make me feel? Happy, elated, stoked, nervous, scared...
I hope you'll stay with me for the ride! It should be pretty wild. :)
First happening: I've been asked to participate in an event this weekend called "Art in the Heart." I'll set up my little table to display a stack of books and then sit my bottom in a chair. If you are in the Vancouver area, please come see me! I'll be sitting with some other awesome authors in front of the Angst Gallery.
Second happening: Loramendi's Story will be available for purchase this coming weekend. August 7th to be exact. It has received some lovely reviews thus far.
Third happening: Dream Smashers will be on a blog tour the week of August 8th! The Teen Book Scene has put together this awesome tour. I'll announce the stops this coming weekend.
Fourth happening: I received a letter in the mail last weekend informing me that I've been accepted into nursing school. Woo hoo! I begin this fall.
Fifth happening: Wordstock is just around the corner. I'm sure you read my whine in the previous blog about not being able to participate. That has changed! Although I won't be speaking, I'll be there with a few other fantastic local authors, ready to sign books. More information to come. (I'm really, super elated and hope I get to meet Maggie Stiefvater and Ellen Hopkins.)
Sixth happening: After Wordstock, I'm going on a regional tour with a group of authors including Stacey Wallace Benefiel and Lisa Nowak. I'll share the complete list of authors and dates closer to October.
A lot of happenings right there. How does all this make me feel? Happy, elated, stoked, nervous, scared...
I hope you'll stay with me for the ride! It should be pretty wild. :)
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Dreaming of Wordstock
The Wordstock Festival here in Portland has been around for about five years. Every year of its existence, I've wandered the aisles of beautiful books and writing services being promoted and celebrated by local authors, publishers, editors, and the like. Then I'd sit in on a reading or two and get uber-excited to meet the authors.
While listening to the readers, I'd also fantasize that someday I'd be up there reading my pages. Lets put a little emphasis on the word FANTASY here because if I were to ever get up on a stage to read my pages, mouth farts, drool, and hiccups would probably be the only thing exiting my lips. Stage fright anyone? In Autumn's words from my novel, Dream Smashers, "One can still have hope." And in my words, "One can still dream."
This is my first year to have a published novel. I thought for sure they would definitely let me read at the festival this year, because, well, I have a published novel, darn it. Plus, I'm from the same area the festival is held, total shoe-in. Plus, plus, I whispered nice things to the book, like, "Please impress the peeps responsible for inviting authors to the festival," and "Don't fail me now," before sliding it into the bubbly envelope and addressing it to the Wordstock powers.
I waited patiently everyday for the mail-person to deliver my invitation to the ball. Did I ever receive one? Sadly, uh, it probably got lost somewhere and should arrive any day now.
Disappointed by the loss of my invitation, I scrolled through the very impressive list of YA and Middle Grade authors whose invitation didn't fall through the door panel of the mail truck. OMG! No wonder mine got lost.
Take a look for yourself: The List of YA and Middle Grade Authors attending Wordstock 2011
How is a local author supposed to compete with that? Sigh. Well, there's always next year, right?
Oh, and did you see on that list one of my favorite authors? Maggie Stiefvater! How cool is that? Very.
Chin up, peeps, we'll get there someday. Peace out for now.
While listening to the readers, I'd also fantasize that someday I'd be up there reading my pages. Lets put a little emphasis on the word FANTASY here because if I were to ever get up on a stage to read my pages, mouth farts, drool, and hiccups would probably be the only thing exiting my lips. Stage fright anyone? In Autumn's words from my novel, Dream Smashers, "One can still have hope." And in my words, "One can still dream."
This is my first year to have a published novel. I thought for sure they would definitely let me read at the festival this year, because, well, I have a published novel, darn it. Plus, I'm from the same area the festival is held, total shoe-in. Plus, plus, I whispered nice things to the book, like, "Please impress the peeps responsible for inviting authors to the festival," and "Don't fail me now," before sliding it into the bubbly envelope and addressing it to the Wordstock powers.
I waited patiently everyday for the mail-person to deliver my invitation to the ball. Did I ever receive one? Sadly, uh, it probably got lost somewhere and should arrive any day now.
Disappointed by the loss of my invitation, I scrolled through the very impressive list of YA and Middle Grade authors whose invitation didn't fall through the door panel of the mail truck. OMG! No wonder mine got lost.
Take a look for yourself: The List of YA and Middle Grade Authors attending Wordstock 2011
How is a local author supposed to compete with that? Sigh. Well, there's always next year, right?
Oh, and did you see on that list one of my favorite authors? Maggie Stiefvater! How cool is that? Very.
Chin up, peeps, we'll get there someday. Peace out for now.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Sample Sunday -- Loramendi's Story
I'm so excited to be able to participate in Sample Sunday with a new novel. Today, for the first time ever, I give you a glimpse of my upcoming YA Paranormal novel, Loramendi's Story -- A Lords of Shifters Novel.
Enjoy and check it out here.
Enjoy and check it out here.
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