The Big Stupid: Making Adult Decisions Like an Adult (and How Not To) IWSG edition

What is your big dream? Something you thought impossible?

Every year I feel my age more and think about things I want to do. The things I have done. The things that are no longer realistic.

My husband is the same way, and this year he decided to do something about it.

So he took back up rollerblading.

At first, he was lucky to keep his balance. I kept my mouth shut...until he came home bruised from a fall.

He bought protective gear.

He watched YouTube videos and learned how to fall, new techniques, then practiced them in our garage. 

Occasionally, he came home with another booboo, but for the most part, he did pretty well -- until he could go out for an hour each day, cruising the neighborhood.

The rest is his story, and you can read it if you'd like: 

Click on me!

It boils down to this: he chased a dream, he achieved the dream, he got confident, he made a bad decision.

And now he's recovering from reconstructive shoulder surgery. For his dominant arm.

Chase your dreams. But stay humble. Listen to that little voice that warns you when you're about to make the big stupid. Hubris goes before the fall.

Our awesome co-hosts for this month are: Rebecca Douglass, Ronel Janse van Vuuren, Cathrina Constantine, and Jacqui Murray!

The question: Is there anything you'd like to see changed, added, and/or rearranged about the book publishing industry?

So, so much! Alas, if wishes were lollipops... (Don't ask me where I'm going with that. LOL!)

I think the biggest problem the industry used to have was a HUGE barrier to entry, and now it's the opposite.

Everyone should have the opportunity to reach for their dreams, but it doesn't seem there's much reaching when it's too easy to obtain. I'm not saying writing a book is easy, and there are many things to learn when it comes to publishing.

I mean that with the ease of publishing, the market has been flooded by scammers, AI agents, etc. who are looking to make a penny. And I can't blame them. Everyone needs to eat. There are even people who sincerely put out their best work...whether it's ready to see the light of day or not. And my heart aches for them -- because this is a brutal world and you learn that through reviews.

The sheer number of books released (good and bad) make for a lot of noise and sometimes a breakdown of trust between readers and the publishing world. Where is our quality control? I guess that's what I'm trying to say--because we've gone from one extreme to the other. There's a perfect middle ground somewhere. I think.

What dream are you holding back on? Have you ever made a big stupid? Broken a bone? What are your feelings on the publishing industry?

3 Responses to Insanity: Which Are You?

What do you do when the world explodes? 

Do you hunker down and hope the storm passes?

Do you strap on your survival gear and explore the changes?

Do you hide behind your window and ignore the pretty, pretty disasters?

Me? I disappear and take up a new hobby. 😆 Apparently. With cheese. 

I don't know if anyone even comes here anymore because I've been so stinkin’ absent. So...

Things I've been up to:

• Teaching. Like literally, in a school setting. (Creating curriculum from scratch.) I taught several writing classes, a music writing class, geography, even preschool. *gasp* (Not full time. Nope. Too busy teaching my own kids the rest of the week.)

• Producing Musicals (and a play). That's right. 4 under my belt, two of which I cast and directed (and designed lights/projection, and so, so much more!). Tuck a talent show in there too (including all production aspects—finding a venue, tech design, all the way down to rehearsals with the talent) and we tally 5 separate shows. In two years.

  

• Running writing contests and playing editor for a couple anthologies.

• Had a son get married.

• Sent a daughter to the other side of the world serving a church mission.

• Graduated a third child.

• Reestablished a Drama Program: from fundraising to tracking down venues to building teams to casting... I've done it all AND wrote the manual for my successors. (Seriously though, 45 pages of best practices.)

• Revised and workshopped MY musical. (Two years and counting, baby!) (“My" is a loose term referring to the Collier team, hubby and myself.)

• Held 2 low-key readings of my musical. (I say low-key, but that included creating rehearsal video for ALL music parts for ALL characters for a TWO HOUR SHOW. 1 to 12 vocal parts per song – let that sink in — and holding rehearsals/coaching sessions for performers. Whew!)

• Mixed 2 hours worth of orchestrations for a live performance. 😶

• Begun casting for a professional staged reading for IMMORTAL THE MUSICAL.

Those are just some of the highlights. 

What have you been up to?

Shameless plug: We’re looking for talent local to the Orlando area (singers/actors/sight readers). Know of someone? Send them my way!

Our Webpage

On LinkedIn

On Backstage

Are you hunkering down? Taking the world by storm? Kicking the trash out of your goals? Hanging on by your nails?

How NOT to Accomplish Goals (in 5 Easy Steps)

Have you completely given up on your goals for 2016?

Several of my wonderful blogging buddies do a monthly check in about their goals for the month/year. I don't. I live off the "list." There's a master list of things I'd like to accomplish each day, and as I accomplish them, they get scratched off the list. Looking beyond that tends to overwhelm me...because you know, I'm home schooling 4 kids.

So enough about healthy habits. Let's talk about some not so healthy habits. (Because they're funner.)

At the beginning of the year, my 2016 writing goals included:

1. Finish TIMELESS (book 3 in the Maiden of Time trilogy). DONE!!!! First trilogy completed. You better bet I'm celebrating. 

2. Publish an anthology of my short stories. .....

3. Record the audiobook for MOONLESS. (Maybe after TIMELESS releases?)

4. Finish PROJECT ALASKA and start querying. 32K words, and holding...until (you guessed it) after TIMELESS releases.

5. Read 60 novels. Yeah, I knew it would be a small reading year. I'm at 34, unless you count the ones I'm critiquing and beta reading, but I don't count those--only the ones I review.

SO How Not to Accomplish Goals (in 5 Easy Steps):

#5: Get Netflix. (You'll probably spend an entire hour just trying to decide what to watch.)

(Credit: Shutterstock/Dave Clark Digital Photo)

#4: Develop a social media dependence.

Source

#3: Have kids. And home school them. Every day. All day.

Source

#2: My favorite, stay up all night every night reading EPIC books.

#1: Forget the goals because...OOHH!! Chocolate. (Or cheese.)

Source

Whether you're a list, calendar, or check in kind of goal keeper, I hope your goals are going swimmingly this year.

Time to give some away some book love, eh?

Last week Misha Gerrick shared two truths and one lie. The winners were entered to win an eBook: ENDLESS.

The game:

1. I'm currently wearing my hair the shortest I've ever worn it. 
2. Mashed potatoes is my ultimate comfort food.
3. I've recently resumed my classical vocal lessons.

The lie: #2. Misha hates mashed potatoes. If she wants comfort, she'd chow down on chocolate. She is actually back in voice lessons as a soprano.

Way to guess everyone! And the winner is:

...DRUM ROLL...

Cherie Reich!

Congrats, Cherie!

And now for today's giveaway: 

In You. I. Us, Annalisa Crawford captures everyday people during poignant defining moments in their lives: An artist puts his heart into his latest sketch, an elderly couple endures scrutiny by a fellow diner, an ex-student attempts to make amends with a girl she bullied at school, a teenager holds vigil at his friend’s hospital bedside, long distance lovers promise complete devotion, a broken-hearted widow stares into the sea from the edge of a cliff where her husband died, a grieving son contacts the only person he can rely on in a moment of crisis, a group of middle-aged friends inspire each other to live remarkable lives. Day after day, we make the same choices. But after reading You. I. Us., you’ll ask yourself, “What if we didn’t?”

Get Your Copy HERE.

Ready to meet the author?

Annalisa Crawford lives in Cornwall UK, with a good supply of moorland and beaches to keep her inspired. She lives with her husband, two sons, a dog and a cat. Annalisa writes dark contemporary, character-driven stories. She has been winning competitions and publishing short stories in small press journals for many years, and is the author of Cat & The Dreamer and Our Beautiful Child.

You might run across Annalisa munching on cheddar with her feet paddling in the sea.

Annalisa gave me two truths and one lie to test your "lie detector" skills. Those who figure out the lie will go into my magic hat for the chance to win an PRINT copy of You. I. Us. (Open internationally.)

You have until Tuesday, August 2 at 2 p.m. EDT to guess. Be sure to come back for the answers on August 3, 8 a.m. EDT.

TRUTH OR LIE

1. I sink when I try to swim, but float away when I'm upright.
2. Due to repeats in the UK, I have watched the complete series of Star Trek: TNG, Castle, Big Bang Theory and How I Met Your Mother multiple times.
3. It took me 6 attempts to pass my driving test.

So sleuths, which is the lie? What are your goals for 2016? How are you doing with them? What's your favorite distraction? Have you met Annalisa?

Goals, Gatling Guns, and IWSG

Happy New Year!!!

Are you having the most fabulous 2015 so far?

Quick intro for any new friends here... I'm a total book nerd who dabbles with writing for theater, novels, poetry, short stories, flash fiction, lyrics and orchestral compositions. I LIVE on cheese, home school 3 kids (shortly to be 4) and answer to the title of "Chicken" with pride. Two of my book babies are out in the world, and I've contributed to several story compilations (see the Books section). Today I'm ravishing an orange, counting baby kicks, and desperately trying to remember what it was I wanted to say. (Ah, pregnancy brain...)

Really, it was something like this:

The beginning of the year is such a fabulous time--a time to look at our lives, reevaluate what is working and what isn't. As I've reflected, I've been missing how I used to run this blog: 3 posts a week, deep thoughts on Monday, Writerly stuff on Wednesdays, Funnies on Friday. I've also missed how I used to spend a minimum of 2 hours a day writing. Alas, life doesn't stand still for blogging. (Or maybe I should say the 3 kids and 1 on the way.)

With limited energy/time I'm finding I can't handle the precision of one of these:

I need the precision of one of these:

Now a sniper rifle requires patience, setting up exactly the right shot, breathing correctly and pulling the trigger with a steady hand. Much of what goes on is in silence, behind closed doors, whereas the Gatling allows for all out warfare, spur of the moment.

Do you see what I'm saying?

My goal this year is to welcome a new life into the world and follow a very precise calendar of specific deadlines to make sure my next novel makes its debut on time. (Hah!) Wish me luck. My other goal is to form a deep and positive mental dialog about everything--and I do mean everything. You get a TON further on positive mental vibes.

What are your new goals this year?

Now, on to the fun and games!

Last month Suzy shared LOOKING FOR LUCY JO with us, along with two lies and one truth. Those who guessed the truth correctly were entered into a random drawing for the chance to win an eBook.  

Suzy's game: 

1. Suzy once sat next to Robert Pattinson on a train ride from London to Bath. He was super cool and chatted for a while before he was distracted by a much younger lady with bright blue hair and a tattoo on her wrist that read Stamus Contra Malum.
2. She celebrated her birthday one year with Kiki Dee - you might remember her from the 60's? She was particularly famous for singing Don't Go Breaking My Heart with Elton John.
3. She has a belly button piercing. (Yes, it hurt!)

And the lie is:

#1. Suzy didn't meet Robert Pattinson, but wouldn't that make for a fun story if she actually had?

And the winner is:

...DRUM ROLL...

Susan Gourley/Kelley!

Congrats Susan! 

And now to today's feature...

Sugar’s not so sweet and secrets can be deadly …

especially with matters of the heart

Sienna’s bestie, Harper warned her not to intern for famous bad boy artist, Casper Mason. After all, he just fired Harper who helped Sienna get the interview. But the moment Sienna sees Casper—or Caz—sweaty and practically shirtless and swinging from chains while he works on his sculpture, she’s hooked. He’s the richest, hottest artist in New York, and he lives in the fabulous Williamsburg Sugar Factory. But he’s also an incorrigible game-player, who seems to relish testing Sienna’s loyalty with a string of unsettling tests.

She knows she should get away fast. But by the time Sienna sneaks into his locked storage room and begins to unearth his dark and terrifying secret, she’s fallen way too hard for the handsome, charismatic Caz.

Bloggers and readers are saying:

“A must read!” -Amazeball’s Book Addicts
“Sexy, smart, compelling!” -Booklover 
“Moving, even heartbreaking” - 5-stars from The Phantom Paragrapher
“Believable characters who show emotional growth” -Summer’s Book Blog
“Killer analysis of the NYC art scene” -reader review

Get your copy HERE.

Kitsy Clare lives in Manhattan. A romantic at heart, she loves writing about the sexy intrigue of the city and of the art world. She knows it well, having shown her paintings here before turning to writing. Her new adult Art of Love series - Model Position and Private Internship - is all about artist Sienna and her friends. Living in a Bookworld says: “Beautifully written! We learn things about art & painting. Colorful stories from a promising NA author.” The books can be read in any order.

She also writes award-winning YA as Catherine Stine. Novels include futuristic thrillers, Ruby’s Fire and Fireseed One. Her YA horror, Dorianna, a twist on Dorian Gray for the Internet age, just won Best Horror Novel in the 2014 Kindle Hub Book awards.

Kitsy (aka Catherine) gave me two truths and one lie to test your "lie detector" skills. Those who figure out the lie will go into my magic hat for the chance to win an eBook of PRIVATE INTERNSHIP. How awesome is that?

You have until Tuesday, January 13 at 1 p.m. EDT to guess. Be sure to come back for the answer on January 14.

TRUTH OR LIE

1. She had a lively discussion with Blues musician Buddy Guy, where he talked about getting musical inspiration from listening to rain on his tin roof.

2. She hung out with Marilyn Manson at one of his after-parties and munched on black marshmallows. 
3. She met all of the 2014 top ten Idol singers and took selfies backstage after the concert. 

So which is the lie? What are you prioritizing for this new year? Have you build a plan with deadlines? What did you do to celebrate the holidays?

Angry with Authors

I read a book this last weekend that I really enjoyed, until the last line.

Ug.

There was so much conflict, so much struggle, so much longing and hope for something better. There were epic battles, HUGE sacrifices, and pain... And all of that would have been worth it, except for that darn last line.

I think about that sometimes, about life and goals and how we strive and hope for an ultimate outcome. We may even fight and sacrifice for that outcome, but it all comes down to that last line. Do we eventually give up? Do we hold strong until the very end?

Source

POST AMENDED: At the request of several readers, I will share that the last line was a cliff hanger. Yes, cliffhanger. I know some of us feel that's okay, and sometimes it is...but not in the very last sentence of the book. You have to give the reader some warning. And seriously, if you're going to kill half (or more) of the cast to accomplish something, don't leave your readers feeling like all the victory was stolen by the last line. Yes, I said STOLEN. *sigh* Rant over. 

Ready to guess the lie and win a book? 

Last week, Jay Noel shared SHADOW WARRIOR with us, along with two truths and one lie. Those who guessed the lie correctly were entered into a random drawing for the chance to win one of his ebooks.  

Jay's game: 

1. Jay had a near-death experience in his 20's.
2. His biggest fear is being poked in the eye.
3. He went skydiving on his 40th birthday. 

And the lie is:

#3. Jay did not go skydiving for his 40th birthday. 

Way to guess those of you who got it right! And the winner is:

...DRUM ROLL...

Diane Carlisle!

Congrats Diane! 

And now to today's feature:

A junction between the worlds erupts.

The Gold Rush trickles to a fool’s quest and a string of stagecoach heists. In 1888, Earl Blacke makes a new start to become a better man. He escapes into the mountains, heading north. In the wilds of Oregon, a rift inside an ancient volcano opens, sending him into the future, into the present day. It also shaves thirty years off his age, thirty years to live over and atone for what he’s done.

Starting over is hard to do. In current day New York City, Daelin Long’s dream job at a publishing house goes the way of the dinosaurs her sister chases. With no money and nowhere else to go, Daelin accepts the librarian position in her sister’s dinky town in the middle of Oregon. Nestled inside ancient volcanic peaks, the town of Settler holds onto many secrets. Residents roam the streets with weirdly fashioned devices, and odd lights pulse in the night skies. People whisper of a phantom outlaw and start dying, murdered and missing their heads. Worse, Daelin’s sister is missing, and Daelin doesn’t know who to trust.

Earl knows more than he’s saying. He shares a notorious history with the phantom, one he’ll see remains buried. Keeping Daelin’s sister’s secrets is his only chance at redemption, and the only way to keep this world safe.

MARY PAX ~ M. Pax is author of the series, The Backworlds, The Rifters, and has other novels and several short stories published. Fantasy, science fiction, and the weird beckons to her, and she blames Oregon for that, a source of endless inspiration. She docents at Pine Mountain Observatory in the summers, teaching the public about the stars and the galaxy. A Bachelors of Science in Journalism, she had former lives in marketing and television before settling down to write. 

You might stumble across Mary while on a picnic out in the wilds of Oregon or at a lunch gathering with her writer gal pals, munching on brie.

Mary gave me two truths and one lie to test your "lie detector" skills. Those who figure out the lie will go into my magic hat for the chance to win BOTH eBook's: The Rifters, and The Initiate--before release. How awesome is that?

You have until Tuesday, August 26th, at 1 p.m. EDT to guess--and be sure to come back for the answer on August 27th.

TRUTH OR LIE

1. Mary stood behind Kurt Vonnegut once in line at a newstand. They spoke for hours in the gardens of Dag Hammerskjold smoking Shermans. 
2. She went on a ghost hunt in the Caribbean. On Nevis there’s a tale about a woeful bride who had a fateful wedding day.
3. On the first date with her husband unit, she hit his car. She was pretty sure there’d be no second date. Fooled her!

Which is the lie? Do you have a secret goal you're pushing toward? Have you ever given up on something and then wished you hadn't? What do you think of time rifts?

The Long Game

Playing the Long Game

Are you a distance runner or a sprinter? Once, many many years ago (before I knew I had asthma) I ran track. Many of my friends were in it for the sprint. I could do the short runs, and I tied with the fastest girl on our team, but where I really excelled was in distance. It wasn't because I was fast, it was because I knew how to set a pace and stick to it.

As I get older I've noticed the people who seem to succeed in life are the ones who have figured out the long game.

So how does that apply to writing, and what the heck does it have to do with being insecure?

Diagram A

Well, I write in the long term. My debut novel is part of a trilogy which is a partner series to two others trilogies that all tie up together in a capstone series. (See diagram A, for Amazingly Insane.) Yes, we're talking 10 to 12 books. Because there's so much story, it's impossible to tell all of it in a single book, or even a single series, and this is where the pacing comes in.

Now the insecurity. There is a TON of world/character building that goes into a project like this. SO MUCH. When beta readers (or my editor) come back and ask certain things I reply, "Do you want to be surprised in the next book, or do you want me to spoil it for you?" I guess it all comes down to impatience. I want to scream, "Dude, I've got reasons for EVERYTHING and you are going to freak out when you learn them!" But I can't. Nope. I have to sit back and grimace because I can see the long game, but I'm the only one. On the flip side, I'm constantly biting my nails as to whether I should have given away more. How do we reconcile and find a balance?

Ready to meet a new author and enter to win an amazing book? 

Last week, the spunky Sheena-Kay Graham shared SACRIFICE HER with us, along with two truths and one lie. Those who guessed the lie correctly were entered into a random drawing for the chance to win a book of their choice from the grab pool.

Sheena-kay's game:

1. Sheena-kay has written song lyrics but can’t sing at all.

2. She won a three legged race against her brother at a family picnic.

3. She thinks it's creepy burying someone at sea without permission, even if it’s a terrorist.

And the lie is: 

#2. Sheena-kay says, one, she doesn't do running, and two, she wished she had family picnics.

Way to guess those of you who got it right! And the winner is:

...DRUM ROLL...

Catherine Stine!

Congrats Catherine! 

And now to today's feature:

I am a champion athlete with all the skills of a fighter. I should have been untouchable.

A brilliant surgeon known for his invention of Modi’s—the only cure for the deadly disease, vaincre—has gone rogue with his experiments, and the Monarchy is desperate to shut him down. That's where Aeva Storm comes in, a champion athlete with an ego to match. Aeva is the surgeon's secret weapon against the Monarchy. And they'll never know what hit them. After reconstructing her body to become a Modi unlike any he's ever created, Aeva is forced into a fight against all odds. She'll have to break loyalties, hurt family, and turn her back on newly awakened love. Thousands of lives hang in the balance in a battle that will set forth a new era.

Join Aeva on her quest to see whether she's got what it takes to go up against the most powerful humans ever created.

Pick up your copy HERE.

Now let me introduce you to this fashionable and very kind author: 

Anna Soliveres has always been a storyteller but it wasn't until her early twenties when she began writing novel length works. The result was an enthusiasm to get better at the craft until her work could be shared with the world. Releasing in March 2014, Violet Storm is her debut novel. Anna is currently working on another young adult science fiction series, titled Snow Dolls, set to release in late 2014.

Her favorite cheese is goat cheese (with jam) and you can find her eating it outdoors on a picnic blanket with a glass of wine.

AND IT'S HER BIRTHDAY!!!

(Wish her happy birthday, eh?)

Anna gave me two truths and one lie to test your "lie detector" skills. Those who figure out the lie will go into my magic hat to win an eBook of VIOLET STORM. 

You have until Tuesday, June 10, at 1 p.m. EDT to guess--and be sure to come back for the answer on June 11.

TRUTH OR LIE

1. Anna is an accomplished vocal performer.
2. She was a Police Cadet.
3. She had nine different jobs while in college.

Help me with the cover reveal (book 2 in the Maiden of Time Trilogy) July 14-19.

Sign up HERE.

(This is just a logo.)

OH! And I should mention, the first page of SOULLESS is up for review/critique today @

Dianne Slerni's place

&

Mainewords

Pop in and voice your opinion, eh? 

Which is the lie? Doesn't the concept for Anna's book sound fabulous? Are you a distance runner? What long game are you working toward? Are you insecure about projects you're working on? Oh hey, and wish Anna a great birthday, eh?