The BIG Fat FAIL Post: IWSG & Being Human

Have you ever had to make a REALLY hard choice?

That's where I'm at. It's been coming for a long time, but it is finally time for me to step away from the blog.

And no, I don't mean for a month, or two, or three... This is an extended farewell.

I know, I know. We've all seen people desert us here on the blogosphere for the continued reason that, "I need to focus on my writing." Basically, when I read those words I think:

I've been doing this for over ten years, and the relationships...oh the relationships! I love this place. Seriously, I do. Watching each person disappear has been painful--like spooning out a peice of my heart and stomping on it. (Sorry, that was graphic.)

But it's time.

And it's killing me.

This won't come as a surprise to some of you, as many have marveled at how I juggle the writing, home schooling, and babies around not just blogging, but leading choirs, writing music, vocal performances, and visiting hundreds of blogging friends each month. The truth is, we could make it work, until now. My oldest is leaving, my baby is walking and getting into everything, and my toddler is in preschool full time (which we teach her). My older middle children are on the cusp of high school. My writing is almost non-existent, and I find that my creative juices really do need to be focused on my children for the short time that I have them. It flies.

I've even cut down (or dropped out of) Facebook, Goodreads, Instagram, and Twitter. And reading. *gasp* (So you know it's desperate.)

And that's it. I'm not leaving to write. (And yes, I'm sorry, the writing thing is a lame excuse. Even if I've used it before...)

So give me a virtual hug, and perhaps if the stars align, I'll be back one day.

In the meantime...

This has been an answer to the IWSG blog hop: How do major life events affect your writing?

Huge thanks for hosting
Alex Cavanaugh, Dolorah @ Book Lover, Christopher D. Votey,
Tanya Miranda, and Chemist Ken!

Last month Sherry Ellis shared BUBBA AND SQUIRT'S BIG DIG TO CHINA along with two truths and one lie. Anyone who guessed was entered to win a signed print copy.

The game:

1. Sherry once played her viola at night in the middle of the Black Forest in hopes of scaring away the wild boars. 
2. Sherry enjoys parasailing and hopes to do it in Australia some day.
3.Sherry once crawled through a window of a locked hotel in Europe to get inside because she was out past curfew.

The lie: #2. From Sherry: I have never para-sailed. I do want to go to Australia, but I don't care about parasailing there. SCUBA diving? Yes. 

And the winner is:

...DRUM ROLL...

Shannon Lawrence!

Congrats, Shannon!

And a HUGE thank you to Tonipads & Ezvid Wiki Editorial for featuring a surprise review and recommendation of my Maiden of Time series in their Paranormal Romance article! (Click on over.)

WAIT, WAIT, BEFORE YOU GO--!!!

What kind of lame-o friend would I be without a parting gift? Exclusively for you, my blogging buddies, pick any one of these books, shoot me an email (crystal@crystal-collier.com), and your inbox will fill up with cheese and joy:

5 Reasons You Need Fun TODAY

It's way too easy to get swept up in the seriousness of life. Don't you agree?

So here's a reminder to be a little lighter hearted, to do things that make you laugh, to take time to occasionally be a kid.

1. Because...Oooh! Bouncy!

It's way too easy to get paranoid about taking risks or looking silly.

2. Your inner child is DYING to come out.

No seriously! If you don't let it out occasionally, it will die.

(And who doesn't miss playing in the ball pit?)

3. Sometimes you just have to go for it. Let the consequences be what they are!

Dive!

(I wonder how many times he washed those pants and still found leaves hiding in them.)

4. Allow yourself to occasionally be silly on the job!

A little groove goes a long way.

5. We all want to be Superman. I mean, er, fly!

You can't fly with out the danger of falling/crashing.

AND NOW, don't forget that

Have a magical day, and win a book below!

Two weeks ago, Liz Long shared SUPERNOVA along with two truths and one lie. Anyone who guessed was entered to win an eBook.

The game:

1. I've appeared as a Jeopardy contestant.
2. I have interviewed Kevin Costner and Bill Maher.
3. I was once involved in an FBI case.

The lie: #1. 

From Liz: My husband and I love Jeopardy; I've always loved it to be honest, watching it almost every night growing up. We're those people who shout the answers at the TV because we're so excited when we know it. Maybe one day I'll be on there, but it would have to be one of those specific ones, like College Jeopardy...Author Jeopardy? ;)

And the winner is:

...DRUM ROLL...

Tyrean Martinson!

Congrats, Tyrean!

Speaking of fun, you can win an AMAZING book from one of the funnest people I've had the pleasure of knowing online (and it has nothing to do with our matching first names):

Since her release from the psychiatric facility and into the smothering guardianship of her aunt, twenty-one-year-old psychic Tatum Torabi has been sneaking away to sell curses and plagues in the underground, a black market known for illegal and supernatural wares.

Tatum’s unique abilities catch the attention of a hella-creepy trash peddler who offers her a job tracking down people who owe his boss “a favor.” She couldn’t be less interested, but when she refuses, the company forces her compliance by threatening the lives of the only family she has left.

Because tracking barely scratches the surface of what they really want from her. There’s a reason Tatum is so good at making curses, and they want her to use those skills for a much darker purpose.

Buy your copy on Amazon.

Ready to meet the author?

Krystal Jane is the author of supernatural and paranormal fiction. She lives in the Tennessee Valley with a collection of swords and daggers. She hopes have a full fledged collection of medieval weapons one day. 

When she's not hoarding stuffed pandas, hourglasses, and Hello Kitty replicas, she can be found drinking chai tea, knee deep in Sudoku, in a YouTube hole, or blogging about books, writing, and random things at KrystalSquared.net.

Krystal loves cheese but can't eat it so much anymore so she saves it for special dishes like Panera's Fuji Apple Chicken Salad with Gouda. Otherwise she dives into her new vegan favorite: Follow Your Heart Vegan Parmesan Shreds - makes the best pizza for people who can't eat cheese!

Krystal gave me two truths and one lie to test your "lie detector" skills. If you guess the lie, right or wrong, you will be entered to win an A bookmark, print copy of NO REST FOR THE WICKED, and dark fantasy coloring book. (Open internationally.) IF YOU DON'T HAVE A BLOGGER ACCOUNT WITH AN EMAIL ON THE PROFILE, PLEASE LEAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS IN THE COMMENTS OR EMAIL IT TO crystal@crystal-collier.com WITH YOUR SCREEN ALIAS.

You have until Tuesday, June 6th at 2 p.m. EDT to guess. Be sure to come back for the answer on June 7, 8 a.m. EDT.

TRUTH OR LIE

1. I once got lost in England, alone, at night, by myself. I was coming back from seeing Phantom of the Opera at the Royal Opera House in London and went out a different exit than planned. I found by way back by following signs for the British Museum as my hotel was off an adjoining street. I only ran into three weirdos.

2. I once got lost in Spain coming back from Castle Alcazar in Segovia. I wandered around the mountains for a couple of hours looking at the pretty scenery before growing tired and taking a trolley to the cemetery across from the hotel, which was the closest he could get me on his route. 

3. I once got lost in Switzerland. I got distracted by the pretty buildings on the way to see the famous Lion Monument in Lucerne. I lost my tour group, and was found by the trip director on my way back to the prison hotel who took me on a walking tour of the city while he ran some errands.

So sleuths, which is the lie? If you could abandon life today, what kid-like behavior would you engage in? Have you met Krystal Jane? Do you like paranormal books?

Why You Will Always Fail, Always

Do you ever feel like a complete failure? (*points to self* On a daily basis.)

Q: What is it that makes you feel like a failure? (Barring clinical conditions.)

A: An expectation that you have not yet or are unable to meet. Does that expectation come from you, from society, from a friend or spouse?

As a mom to 4.5 (see my last post if you missed the announcement), it's easy to fall into this trap. There's a house to keep clean, clothes to mend, schedules to keep, school lessons to plan and execute, food to make... But here's one quick life hack I've learned:

Simplify.

Hate cleaning that self-stirring pitcher? Toss it. (True story. Hubby saved me AGES of sanity.) Can't make it to sewing up the holes in pants? Up the clothes budget and shop at less expensive stores. Struggling to keep up with fifteen schedules in the same house hold? Set limits. (One extracurricular per person, or less.)

And more than that. Cut the guilt. So what if your neighbor's family is always wearing the newest fashions, attends really awesome concerts & shows, goes on AMAZING vacations, has the star kid on the community baseball team AND a future concert pianist AND are 3rd degree black belts AND delivers homemade cookies at Christmas to everyone, and and and...

You are you. You're different than anyone else--in your capabilities, your sanity level, your strengths, etc, and the sooner you recognize that, the better.

So cut back on the commitments and stop trying to be everyone's perfect vision of success. Do what keeps you sane. More importantly, celebrate the fact you are a success.

Otherwise you are doomed to always fail. Always.

This has been an IWGS group post. The question for this month:

Have you taken advantage of the annual A to Z Challenge in terms of marketing, networking, publicity for your book? What were the results?

Yes to all three. The results were awesome, but I wanted to sleep for a year afterwards.

THANK YOU, CO-HOSTS! Chris @ Madness of a Modern Writer, Madeline Mora-Summonte, Fundy Blue, and Chrys Fey!

Led by Ninja King, Alex J. Cavanaugh.

And now for the FREEBIE of the week...

Two weeks ago, Simone Pond shared HIDDEN SIGHT along with two truths and one lie. Anyone who guessed was entered to win a PRINT book.

The game:

1. I saved someone's life giving them the Heimlich maneuver.
2. I was baptized in the Pacific Ocean.
3. I'm a hoarder.

The lie: #3.  

From Simone: Huge lie. I actually have OCD and I'm a neat freak! I can't stand any extra clutter or things out of place. I like my house to look like a museum. Sometimes I drive my husband a little nuts with all of my organizing and getting rid of things we don't need, but our home is very peaceful. 

And the winner is:

...DRUM ROLL...

Jess!

Congrats, Jess!

And now for an AWESOME epic fantasy:

Once Alaric was a Keeper. He protected the land with his knowledge and his magic. He advised the queen.

Once he was a good man.

Until, in a futile attempt to save his dying wife, he delved deep into dark magic, betraying everything he believed in. But now there is one last chance to save his wife, buried in an ancient Wellstone. With a map from a disgruntled dwarf, and the help of an inscrutable elf and an inept wizard, Alaric just might find it.

Except there are other, darker forces searching for the Wellstone. And if they find it first, they’ll use it to awaken a terrible evil. 

To face this growing threat—and have any chance at saving his wife—Alaric needs the strength and power of a Keeper, not the brokenness of the man he has become.

Can he overcome the darkness in his past? Or will it be the shadows within himself that destroy everything?

Buy your copy on Amazon.

Ready to meet the author?

JA Andrews is a writer, wife, mother, and unemployed rocket scientist. She doesn't regret the rocket science degree, but finds it generally inapplicable in daily life. Except for the rare occurrence of her being able to definitively state, "That's not rocket science." She does, however, love the stars.  

She began writing stories and creating coloring books because these sorts of things need an outlet. And now good markers are a deductible business expense.  

She spends an inordinate amount of time at home, with her family, who she adores, and lives deep in the Rocky Mountains of Montana, where she can see more stars than she ever imagined.

You might stumble across her at The Melting Pot downing their huge fondue pot of cheese on her anniversary. It’s happiness melted into a pot. 

Yup. I totally agree. =)

JA Andrews gave me two truths and one lie to test your "lie detector" skills. If you guess the lie, right or wrong, you will be entered to win an eBook of A THREAT OF SHADOWS. (Open internationally.) And if you are the selected winner AND guessed correctly, you will receive as a bonus, A Keeper's Tale. IF YOU DON'T HAVE A BLOGGER ACCOUNT WITH AN EMAIL ON THE PROFILE, PLEASE LEAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS IN THE COMMENTS OR EMAIL IT TO crystal@crystal-collier.com WITH YOUR SCREEN ALIAS.

You have until Tuesday, April 18 at 2 p.m. EDT to guess. Be sure to come back for the answer on April 19, 8 a.m. EDT.

TRUTH OR LIE

1. I have aphantasia, which is the inability to make pictures in my own head.
2. I hate aluminum foil so much that I refuse to touch it. Or anything it’s wrapped in. 
3. I have a degree in rocket science.

So sleuths, which is the lie? Have you met JA Andrews? Do you like epic fantasy? Do you feel like a failure? What is your greatest success or most unique talent?

There is NO New Year Here (IWSG Edition)

Friends!!!!

I'm back. Did you miss me? I missed you. And I'm kind of in denial about this new year thing. So no, it is not 2017. And no, it's not time for making crazy, stupid resolutions that we'll all break in three weeks or less. And no, it's not time to get back into a productive schedule.

But if it was, I'd celebrate like this:

So maybe I'm not as much in denial as I'd like to be. In fact, I'm starting the year with this:

Goodreads Book Giveaway

     

Timeless

by Crystal Collier

Giveaway ends January 09, 2017.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway

And I'm dropping back to a twice a month posting schedule, but I've got an amazing lineup of book giveaways headed your way.

It's going to be a beautiful new year, and I'm wishing you the best 2017!

And now...

The new year is about trying new things, right? Well, I finally took the plunge and signed up as a co-host for the IWSG bloghop. See what it's all about and join the ninja king, Alex J. Cavanaugh (who may or may not have stolen my cloning device), and his minions. Meet my fellow cohosts: Eva @ Lillicasplace, Sheena-kay Graham, Chemist Ken, LG Keltner, & Heather Gardner.

Oh, and heads up, they're announcing the winners of the second IWSG Anthology contest TODAY.

The big hop question is: What writing rule do you wish you’d never heard?

I can't answer that because there isn't a single writing rule I regret learning. *shrugs* Call me a conformist. Ignorance in the publishing industry is the same as hari kari, and maybe just as messy. Young writers, LEARN ALL YOU CAN. Readers have expectations. Those expectations have been set by centuries of patterning, and deviating too far will alienate those most loyal to the written word. There's still room for creativity--within a safe framework. Writing is ALL about your audience.

Last year (ha! I make it sound so long ago!), Kristin Smith shared CATALYST along with two truths and one lie. Anyone who guessed the lie correctly was entered to an eBook.

The game:

1. I'm the mother of five boys, and when I was pregnant with my oldest son, we were told by the ultrasound tech that she was 99.9% sure we were having a girl. Surprise! We ended up with a bouncing baby boy.
2. By the time I was 18, I'd traveled from the east coast to the west coast 3 times, but the first time I ever rode in an airplane was when I left home for college.
3. I once chatted for five minutes with Woody Harrelson outside of a bathroom in a casino in Las Vegas and didn't realize who he was until after he walked away.

The lie: #3.  

From Kristin: I did see Woody Harrelson outside of a bathroom in a casino in Las Vegas, but I DID NOT talk to him. And yes, I knew immediately who he was!

Way to guess everyone! And the winner is:

...DRUM ROLL...

Christine Rains!

Congrats, Christine!

And now, I have a special treat for you:

A mighty flame follows a tiny spark.

Cora Sandoval’s mother disappeared when she was five and they were living in Ireland. Since then, her dad has been more than overprotective and Cora is beginning to chafe under his confines. But even more troubling is the colorful light she suddenly sees around people. Everyone, that is, except herself—instead, she glows a brilliant, sparkling silver.

As she realizes the danger associated with these strange auras, Cora is inexplicably drawn to Finn, a gorgeous Irish exchange student who makes her feel safe. Their attraction is instant, magnetic, and primal—but her father disapproves, and Finn’s mother orders him home to Ireland upon hearing he’s fallen in love. After a fight with her father, Cora flees to Ireland, both to follow Finn and to look for her missing mother.

There she meets another silver-haloed person and discovers the meaning of her newfound powers and their role in a conspiracy spanning centuries—one that could change mankind forever…and end her life.

Get Your Copy HERE (for only 99 cents! You know you want to).

Ready to meet the author?

Tracy Clark is an award-winning author who grew up a “Valley Girl” in Southern California but now lives in her home state of Nevada. She has two teenagers who are a continuous source of great dialogue. Her published books include: a young-adult paranormal series, The Light Key Trilogy (SCINTILLATE, DEVIATE, ILLUMINATE,) and her latest novel, MIRAGE, an eerie YA thriller. Tracy’s a proud mom, a private pilot, a post-skydiving daredevil, a spicy-chocolate connoisseur, and an irredeemable dreamer. www.tracyclark.org

You might find Tracy munching Humbolt Fog goat cheese with amazing spicy jam (from Trader Joe's)...although she probably won't notice you while engaged in such deliciousness (about as close to food-heaven as she gets).

Tracy gave me two truths and one lie to test your "lie detector" skills. Those who figure out either lie will go into my magic hat for the chance to win an eBook (open internationally):

You have until Tuesday, January 24 at 2 p.m. EDT to guess. Be sure to come back for the answer (and FUN) on January 25, 8 a.m. EDT.

TRUTH OR LIE

1. I eat all sandwiches and burgers in a circle, around and around until I get to the middle.

2. I was once crowned Miss Burbank, CA. 

3. I was an extra in the condom commercial in Lethal Weapon 2.

So sleuths, which is the lie? Have you met Tracy? Love urban fantasy stories? What is your new years resolution? Are you in denial about the new year? Have you met the IWSG community?