So what’s it take to succeed as an indie author?

So what’s it take to succeed as an indie author?


[note: this article first appeared as part of the How to be a Good Writer series on the C.P. White Media Blog.]

Sales. God help us. My good friend Aaron Patterson once posted up a comment on Facebook about this: what’s it take to sell your book (basically)? I mean, some of us are selling and some of are not, and it’s not as if it’s cut and dried that the nonsellers are shitty writers. Pardon me, but come on. And there’s plenty of hot-selling total crapola out there. So it’s not simple.

Adding to the complexity is the free market, which I adore. The rise of the eBook has been confounding the Big Six publishers today in the same way that Napster and iTunes changed just about everything in regard to the music business a while back. Well…when I say everything…the point is that Bob Dylan was right about how times change, but only insofar as they don’t really, which was King Solomon’s counterbalancing bit of sagacity.

Aaron and I secretly agree that for the business-minded author, the entrepreneurial, the indie author…pssst: there’s really no need for a publisher. The dirty little secret is that the Big Six will expect you to work just as hard for them as if you were going it alone, and in exchange for that gigantic favor they will be taking about 85% of the pot, thanks. At least. I personally don’t want to shove against that wall. Someone else can shove it, if you get my meaning.

The facts, therefore, have been distilled down to these: editing, cover design, publishing, and marketing strategy. Those are the things that matter most, and the things that any competent publisher (even if he’s just a one-man operation, i.e. an indie writer) will spend the bucks on. Let’s have a look at ‘em one at a time.

Editing is the process, often painful, whereby you as the author pay large amounts of cash so that your work can be pulled apart by someone wiser than thou. It’s also so that you can be emotionally abused about it. Okay, I’m (mostly) kidding. A great editor will do that so nicely that you’ll catch yourself saying, “Thank you, sir, may I have another.” Remember that editing isn’t just spelling and grammar; it’s content, the creative bits, pacing, character development, plot, and so on. It’s my personal opinion that the best editors are a one-stop shop. Spelling and grammar are fixed pretty easily, either by Word itself or by the conscientious author. Anyway, editors who only do spelling and grammar are called proofreaders, not editors. And if you’d like to get in touch with me aboutediting your work, please do.

Okay, covers. Cover design is something at which I suck. Okay, that’s not fair, but let’s say that a guy struggles when he lacks tools and experience sometimes. Just being honest. So few authors are double-edged swords; able to produce literary and graphic excellence. I once posted on Facebook a cover I did for my novella The Marsburg Diary, alongside another cover that was professionally done, and asked people to vote. It was something on the order of 20:1 against mine. Not to say that I can’t learn eventually, but for now, I’ll be leaving it to the professionals. I’d counsel you to do the same. It’s almost impossible to spend too much on a good cover. Don’t be afraid to “focus group” it with your friends, either.

Get yourself out there

Get yourself out there

 

[note: this article first appeared as part of the How to be a Good Writer series on the C.P. White Media Blog.]

Unless you have tried and failed at something, you might not get it. If you’ve never stood your ground even once and told people exactly what you’re thinking, you probably can’t relate to what I’m about to say. If you’ve never tried to create something truly personal, and then taken the huge risk of allowing people to see it, read it, experience it…then you can’t know how it feels. If you can’t look yourself in the mirror and say, “I have something to say,” and mean it, well, you probably don’t know what I’m talking about.

I’m talking about putting yourself out there; in this case as a writer. It might seem difficult to write a book, especially for those who never have, and it is. But it’s even more difficult to finish it and let it go. Out into the wild. Where people are free to love it or hate it. But I gotta tell you: it’s worth the risk. It is totally worth the risk.

Aaron Patterson and I released Airel a couple of springs ago. And then we re-released it last November, with a few improvements. And we have more improvements in store. That first release was the result of about a year’s worth of work. Yep. That much. and like I said, work on that series is ongoing. And as hard as the writing and editing and revising process sometimes is, it doesn’t compare to how difficult it can be emotionally to publish the Work—and allow people into what amounts to a very private inner sanctum: the imagination of the author.

How to submit for publication (or do it yourself, thanks very much)

How to submit for publication (or do it yourself, thanks very much)


[note: this article first appeared as part of the How to be a Good Writer series on the C.P. White Media Blog.]

How to submit for publication: it’s the question you probably wonder about when you turn out the lights and you’re trying to get to sleep. But it’s not one very many authors are asking out loud these days, and for good reason. It’s because of self-publishing. It’s because of technology. We might assume the world has changed for good. But publishers aren’t going anywhere. After all, Sony Music weathered the rise of Napster and iTunes; Harper Collins and Penguin aren’t just going to roll over and die. So then… you might want to know, after all, “How do I submit for publication?”

My best answer to the question? Don’t. You’re going to work your keester off whether you’re independent or traditionally published. The rate of pay, though, is wildly different. I’ve said it before: You don’t need a publisher. Not these days. And not, certainly, for what you’ll get out of making a deal with the Devil, which amounts to about 15% on the high end, and that’s if Beelzebub likes you. Or if you drive a harder bargain than Faust. See, publishers used to be able to justify their gargantuan takes. After all, there was the cost of print, the risk they were taking, the rent on their palatial Manhattan offices; the whole enterprise of publishing to begin with. Plus they were the gatekeepers of the industry. Without a competitive alternative, monopolies tend to do as they see fit, and to hell not only with the consequences but with everyone else as well.

Plot, and how awesome it is, especially in stories (duh)

Plot, and how awesome it is, especially in stories (duh)
 

[note: this article first appeared as part of the How to be a Good Writer series on the C.P. White Media Blog.]

I want to feature plot in this post. I’ve posted other things about this subject (Archetypes), and that’s because it bears study. A good writer is one who understands at least the basic elements of plot. For me, plot = characters in a lot of ways. But for now, plot.

A good story has a skeleton in good order. If you break out the major events in any well-written story, you can build an outline around them (whether the author intended you to do so or not). Sometimes we get a look at it in disjunct ways, a la LOST or The Prestige, which are great stories that keep us guessing—but they’re organized quite well in the final analysis. In other words, whatever happens in the storyline has a reason for happening (the fictional past) and a consequence as well (the fictional future). That’s what I mean by a skeleton in good order.

Good stories have certain elements that are universal, too. It’s been that way since the dawn of time. If a crowd can relate to part of the story, they buy in. That’s what Heathcock bangs on about, and with good reason. It’s called empathy, and you should cultivate the hell out of it. If your book has it, people buy it. That’s the goal here, folks, and it doesn’t require selling out or ignoring/forgetting your principles, contrary to popular belief.

Take a look at any Sherlock Holmes story. I still stand in awe of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s knack for this. I always wonder which part of the story he wrote first; as if he wrote it inside out and backwards, because how can anyone write such mysteries? It’s crazy good writing, with lots of layers, lots of interdependencies; like a combination lock on a safe.

Writing a story with a freakin purpose

Writing a story with a freakin’ purpose


[note: this article first appeared as part of the How to be a Good Writer series on the C.P. White Media Blog.]

Good writing has certain elements that cause it to be compelling, realistic, successful. And savvy authors wield these elements like a skilled craftsman uses his tools. I'm talking about good fiction. Today we're going beyond the nuts-and-bolts talk, beyond subject-verb agreement, tense, and even the difference between present participle and gerunds (which is extremely important stuff), and we're dealing with high-level, meta-picture kinds of things. Following are a few things Good Writers know.

Disasters: Every scene must end with some kind of disaster for the protagonist. More importantly, when it does not, the story is over. Why? Because the thing that drives Story is conflict. Coincidentally, that's the same thing that keeps readers turning pages. And it's the same reason reality TV has been so successful. Why do you think Survivor was such a hit? And why do you think The Office, with its truly cringe-worthy moments, kept people enthralled for so long? You're right; it's because everybody likes a good train wreck. Which explains NASCAR, mostly.
I suppose I should mention here a little about consequence. Truth is indeed stranger than fiction, and if you look to life for symmetry in cause and effect, you'll rarely find it. Evil prospers and good often suffers. Cf. the books of Job and Ecclesiastes. In the best fiction, I think authors are hypersensitive to all the potentialities of the scenes they're writing and how they want them to play out in the lives of their characters. The best authors just flat out notice things, and all the time. Read Klinkenborg for more on noticing.

Just remember, too, that when you're writing a scene, it won't necessarily feel natural to keep your hero from the One Thing (the Story Goal) she's striving toward. But you must be cruel. And realistic too, and that goes for all you scifi and fantasy nerds out there as much as it goes for all you family saga bow tie-wearing spendthrifts, because no matter where, people are people, whether it's just outside of Alpha Centauri or somewhere in Yorkshire. Yes, people will be total jerks—or completely selfless (rarely)—to each other no matter where they are. And that means there'll be arguments. Sometimes, those arguments are big enough to produce a story, which segues nicely into my next point.

Ladies, How would you like to have a guaranteed happiness at the end of the day? Welcome to my bedroom.

Balance in life is an internal matter. Check out how I take just a few minutes every morning to have that guaranteed happiness to look forward to at the end of every day.

Bri Clark Text briclark to 90210 to follow her blog by text. Social Ghoster Marketing Strategist, Author, Speaker, Social Media/ Platform Consultant (208)761-0319  belleconsult.com

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Sass is Class Blog Does Your Reputation Suck Online?

How to get your Twitter Profile Found

 Tip #1 on getting your Twitter Profile found. It's really quite simple. Pick 5 words that stand out about you, your business, and your interests. Then stick a pound sign in front of them, post them in your about section.

Bri Clark Text briclark to 90210 to follow her blog by text. Social Ghoster Marketing Strategist, Author, Speaker, Social Media/ Platform Consultant (208)761-0319  belleconsult.com

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Let the light in

I have to say that I have recently noticed a big difference in my productivity.
Unsure of how that actually came to pass. I've been thinking about it. And the main difference I can find is that I have switched from a very dark office to one with so much light I look like a shadow person on Skype.

It's a proven fact that sunlight produces a vitamin that gives you more energy and that entail produces a chemical in your mind that puts you in a better mood. I have no idea what the vitamin or chemical is called and frankly don't care.

I've tested it...it works.I've also read that's why people are more depressed in winter...less sunlight.

Anyhow...I'm thrilled with this new development. What about you...do you have any tricks on productivity or thoughts on sunlight?

Dear Glamour Magazine...Is that it?

Dear Glamour Magazine,

First I want to introduce myself. I'm Bri Clark the Belle of Boise. That is what my whole online presence/author platform is based around. I'm a successful romance author and I am the CEO and owner of Belle Consulting. As a literary strategist and consultant I advise authors on how to present themselves and build a platform or a plan to sell themselves and their product.

In addition to that I am a woman, mother, wife, sister. Active in the community and church I'm very popular and well liked. However, I am 5'10, very busty and a size 12/14. I'm distinctly southern in mannerism and accent.In fact I'm a smidge cocky.

In 2004 with the birth of my second daughter I canceled your magazine as well as several others. In addition I disconnected all cable and satellite TV. I control what is brought in my home before my children. I have done everything in my power to cultivate daughters that are 10 and 7 who have amazing self esteem and correct body image expectations.

Guess what. I did it. I did a damn good job.

While I loved your articles I couldn't get past the airbrushed, immodest and Photo shopped photos. As a woman I am more than capable of creating enough guilt by myself. It's a talent that comes along with the double X chromosome.

As a writer I don't even want to submit an article to your magazine or any other for that matter that has the same standards. If I won't let my kids see your articles why would I share it with my peers?

I do want to say good job. Lizzie Miller is a beautiful woman. And you did a great job really capturing a healthy realistic image of her.

Nonetheless, you can do better.

You posted one picture of a woman on your website. Now, you are getting all the PR. You've been on the Today show and over 700 people have commented. But really what is that?

I'm still not going to buy your magazine. Nor will I support it.

But I'll tell you what. Give Lizzie a full page spread and the cover and another model of similar proportions as well in the following month. I'll pay for a one year issue and I'll support you for that year as well.


Regards

Farsighted: This review is more than about a book

In this post I decided to go a step beyond. With my business where I help authors as a consultant, Belle Consulting, I have learned a lot about the dynamics of what compels a reader to buy a book. What makes this book climb the Amazon charts vs this one. A common denominator in this study is the social media platform an author has. Or author platform as it is often called now. People will buy a book if they like the author initially, then if the cover art, blurb, and price all come together. If the book was enjoyable they will buy others. Nevertheless the key ingredient, where it all begins, is liking the author. With that said in this review you will get a book review and an author review. We will start with the book first.

Book Review

Product Description

Alex Kosmitoras's life has never been easy. The only other student who will talk to him is the school bully, his parents are dead-broke and insanely overprotective, and to complicate matters even more, he's blind. Just when he thinks he'll never have a shot at a normal life, a new girl from India moves into town. Simmi is smart, nice, and actually wants to be friends with Alex. Plus she smells like an Almond Joy bar. Yes, sophomore year might not be so bad after all.

Unfortunately, Alex is in store for another new arrival--an unexpected and often embarrassing ability to "see" the future. Try as he may, Alex is unable to ignore his visions, especially when they begin to suggest that Simmi is in danger. With the help of the mysterious psychic next door and new friends who come bearing gifts of their own, Alex must embark on a journey to change his future.

Review

Alex is a character I enjoyed tremendously. But didn't expect to. While I am predominantly a romance reader I do have an eclectic taste. So when I was offered the opportunity to read farsighted I was very interested. Anytime an author tries to write about a handicap they themselves don't have it is a challenge. But for this novel to be a debut I was especially tempted to see if Chand could pull it off. She did.


While the beginning did a drag just a tad when it picked up it didn't stop with twits and turns that were not all true to the genre but to the characters. And I finally got to my favorite part...the characters. Chand didn't skimp on development. I bet she can tell you the brand of underwear the bully Brady wears. While the protagonist Alex is obviously thoroughly researched and expressed the secondaries are as well. From the intriguing sweet smelling Indian girl Simmi to the quirky psychic neighbor. 

This is a read I highly suggest from not just the young adult crowd it was meant for to anyone of any age who likes true characters, unexpected twists and a all around fun read. 



Author Review 

Emlyn Chand....Her bio says she was born with a fountain pen in hand and she runs a book club in Ann Arbor and that she also is the president of an author PR firm called Novel Publicity. What it doesn't say is that Emlyn works sometimes 100 hours a week. That her efforts to educate, support and lead authors she often isn't paid for. If my assumptions are true I'd say about half of the time she spends on Novel Publicity she isn't paid for. But that's the way of most startups. Thus we come to another part of Emlyn. Her pr firm is less than a year old. It's success stems from Emlyn's willingness to share information and experience with an eagerness that is signature to her friendly nature. Always one quick to interact with those around her from G+ hangouts to creating forums for authors to have support and sounding boards we all go through. 

How do I know all this? Is Emlyn my FB Bff?

No. However, we are Facebook friends and that's where I met her. All these are the observations of seeing her posts and my interactions with her as a colleague as well as friend online. If you never buy Farsighted...which is currently 99 cents...you need to know Emlyn Chand. You won't be sorry.

To know Emlyn better click here. 

To buy Farsighted click here.

Wait is a four letter word

If you've followed the Belle you know that waiting and anything vaguely resembling patience is  not my virtue.

I'm a woman of action and persistence comes more naturally than waiting.

However, there are times in your life where you really do have to sit still. Where you have to literally wait for the things around you to align so that you can proceed. That scripture , Be still and know that I am God, really comes into play here.

Moolight Rises...Vincent Zandri Drowns

Product Description

“Life sucks. Then you die. Or, if you’re Dick Moonlight, first you die and then you live.”

Dick Moonlight is dead.

Really dead this time, now that three President Obama-masked thugs dressed all in black and communicating only with hand-held voice synthesizers pressed up against their voice boxes have beat the life right out of him inside a dark, downtown Albany alley. What are the thugs after? A box. Size, weight, description unknown. They also want him to stay away from his newest and only client: a handicapped nuclear engineer of dubious Russian heritage by the same of Peter Czech.

But then, now that they’ve killed him, Moonlight’s problems seem to be over. In fact, as he undergoes an out of body experience, his soul floating above his train-wreck of a corpse inside the Albany Medical Center I.C.U., he feels pretty damned good. Great in fact. To make death all the more sweeter, his one true love, Lola, is standing by his bedside. With her long dark hair draping her chiseled face and big round Jackie O sunglasses hiding tear-filled eyes, she appears every bit the grieving sig other. Nothing could make the dead-and-gone Moonlight prouder.

But then something happens. Something bad. A man enters into the I.C.U. Some young guy. He takes hold of Lola’s hand, and pulls her into him. Together, the two share a loving embrace over Moonlight’s dead body. Now, what seemed like a peaceful death is anything but. Moonlight wants back inside his body so he can face-off Some Young Guy and find out if his true love has in fact been cheating on him. At the same time, he wants to find out the true identity of those thugs who killed him so he can exact his revenge. No doubt about it, Moonlight needs to live if he’s going to uncover some pretty painful answers and take care of business.

Like a little kid dropping down a playground slide, Moonlight slides right back inside his bruised and broken body. Opening his eyes the white light blinds him. He feels the pain of his wounds and the pain of his breaking heart.

Life sucks, then you die.

But Moonlight rises.

Review 

Dick Moonlight is one of my favorite characters. Perhaps it's because he reminds me of so many ex boyfriends who were damaged beyond all hope, were sexy as all get out, and a bit of an alpha male. Or maybe it's because as much as I want there to be the happily ever after for him it will not happen. That's just not Moonlights destiny. But he still tries to give it to others...and that dear reader is the endearing trait that makes me love Dick Moonlight so much.

You can tell from the amazing blurb the essentials of what happens. And everyone knows that the Belle does not give spoilers. It's all about my opinion. I bet by now you are wondering when I'm going to start bashing Moonlight Rises because of that title. Well welcome to disappointment because that's not going to happen.

Moonlight Rises is tearing up the Amazon ranking system as we speak. Which is not surprising it's a Zandri. What do you expect. His writing is versatile, signature, and classic noir with a modern edge. If you like dark plots, real characters with flaws and honor, then you'll love Moonlight Rises.

As for Vincent Zandri drowning...and this isn't about that rumor circulating involving a hot tub in Cairo. He hasn't even been there in a while. It's about drowning in success. Vincent has landed a contract with a traditional publisher while he is still creating with is local indie pub Stone House Ink. Congrats are due all around to Vincent.

Moonlight Rises is a book to read especially on a dark storming night all alone.

Belle Overwhelmed

So if you follow the Belle you know she runs at warp 9 most days and only slows down due to illness, injury, or incarceration. Well I've recently opened Belle Consulting. Something I am immensely proud of and requires more time. While I still read like a demon possessed I don't always have the time to review like I used too. It is heart breaking to turn down reviews or not even have time to respond. So I'm going to do something I hardly ever do. I'm asking for help. The Belle of Boise is inviting those who are interested to apply to be a reviewer for The Belle of Boise.

What you'll get

• You'll have your own reviewer page where we will list your bio, picture, contact info, genres preferred and forms that you read. ie. eBook print

• You'll be added as an admin to post your reviews. 

• All your social media contacts will be added

• Your own signature

•  Your posts will be shared on all my outlets

What is Expected

• Reviews should be honest, concise, include buy links, cover art and product description. 

• Posted in a timely manner.

• If I see you posting a book I have a problem with I will not let you review it here. I don't have a list of what's ok because I'm pretty easy going. So it's shouldn't be a big deal

How it will work

• A Google Calendar will be created. I would like for reviews to be posted on Fridays. Post the book you want to review on what day. This will help us stay organized. If you find a blank Friday and want to post something go ahead.  You will have requests come in over time. I get them myself and will forward any I can't do and you can choose from them. 

• Or if you got a book from a blog tour you signed up for, one you bought, or one you borrowed from the library those are great too. 

• You can do your own interviews or giveaways with authors as well.

If interested please go here and fill out the questionnaire and good luck.

Living Life's Country Song

So I've cracked the joke lately that my life became a country song. You know the cliche... Your car breaks down, spouse cheats/leaves, dog dies, BFF sleeps with your sister, your trailers repoed and you don't realized it until your flying in it in a wrecker down the interstate.

You get it.

Well it's not that bad. Truly. But my van I bought in March's engine seized and I have no funds to purchase a new car or fix it. And my husband was in a car wreck in Feb and is in a law suit and turns out slipped 5 disks from said wreck. Not to mention he's in construction and we are hitting the slow time.

But that's not what this post is about. It's about what I do have. Health, love, shelter, food, food storage, the bills are currently current (my editor will love that.) and a host of amazing friends. Online, close by, and faraway. They support me with honest guidance, kind words, well couched and placed reminders of my blessings. Not to mention two are willing to share the use of some spare wheels.

So let's talley

Blessing:10
Trials: 3

I'll remember that when it's hard and smile.

So dear reader how's your trials vs. blessings lately?

My Moms Gotta Knife In Her Purse

Yes dear readers. Those were the words my little girl bellowed in public.

Out of the mouths of babes.

It's not like I keep it a secret or anything. It's more like a reminder. I've carried the 14inch sliver butterfly knife with the dragon inlay on the hilt since I was a teenager. It was gifted to me by a male friend for safety.

Where I lived it was necessary. I've since found it's a great tool as well for everyday things as a mom.

Such as getting the tags off shoes or sunglasses. Or cutting those wrists bands off you get from an amusement park or pumpkin patch.

Well and there is always the wide eyes I get flipping it open without looking while my daughter holds her hand out all trusting for me to cut off the band.

Yes I am an attention lover.

But really it reminds me of how truly far I've come from the streets and couch hopping as a youth. I feel grateful for the stability my kids have. And how crazy I love my husband.

Nevertheless, if a threat does occur I'm completely capable and willing to use my little reminder. And it's truly the only thing I could reach into my bottomless pit of a purse and find without looking.

What about you? Carry anything sentimental?

My bank account had 77 cents

I'm known to say " I'm good at poor. It's prosperity that got me." That statement could encompass my life. I gave a talk on at last Aprils Ignite Boise.

In fact I'm damn good at poor. I know it. It's steady. I mean the only thing you can get from nothing is up.

I remember one time at the end of a week we had 77 cents in our bank account. My husband wasn't hysterical but wasn't happy either. I on the other hand was fine. All the bills were current. We had plenty of food and he had work next week.

We have always been at the mercy of the building industry. Still are until he finishes that criminal justice degree. Another one of my mantras about our money situation was " chickens one day, feathers the next."

And that's the truth.

I can remember one month when we made $60,000. Of course we had $12,000 a month in bills too. And I was not happy. I had nothing to focus my drive, something to engaged my energy.

I am someone who must be anxiously engaged in a good cause.

So as I'm forced to bed because of sickness and it's cold and rainy indicating winter (our slow time) and fear whispers about the future.

I say I have crap to do hurry up antibiotics and heal me. And I'm going to let the hubster worry about the checking account since I'm on loratab.

So what about you...what engages you...holds your energy and focuses you senses through the bad time?

I'm Enough: The Battle of Desire and Guilt

I'm many things. Some good, some bad, all sassy. One of my greatest faults is I don't know how go half way or to do a decent enough job. When it comes to friends, family, & commitments I'm loyal to a fault.

However, in my age (I'll be 30 this year) and experience (I've lived 60 years worth of life) I'm learning that "it's enough for now and it is well." to be distinctly different than a half way job or just enough.

Everyday, every week is different. For most of this week I've been doing domestic things and that is well. My kids need to eat, my husband needs a clean house, & I'm taking the time to be frugal.

I'm still working everyday. That the beauty of home office and Internet. Although I always have a desire to do more I find it's that desire that drives my success. Nevertheless, I'm even more determined to be happy with myself and my efforts. Guilt is useless in this instance and I won't let it hold me back.

What's your greatest desire or what do you find yourself feeling guilty about most often?

I'm sorry there is no Santa Claus

Today as I rubbed primer on my face and filled in the potholes with concealer my mind wasn't thinking of my todo list but what I would do at the end of the day.

For Family Home Evening ( a weekly family meeting where we spend time together) we are going to discuss Christmas.

Why in October? I'm a planner. But it's more than that. As much as I'd like to say it's purely the spiritual aspect that motivates me. Its not. It's the frugality. But it's the spiritual that will make me follow through.

Starting this year Christmas will be less about gifts and more about service, Christ and family.

Each member will only receive 3 gifts. As Jesus Christ did. One gift will be spiritually related, one to magnify a talent, and the last with no restrictions.

In order to achieve this I feel the need to explain that Santa Claus is not who I've led them to believe he is. He's more of the spirit of giving that got put of hand.

My hope is that once done a new loving spiritual tradition will emerge. But I'm deadset on at least trying even if my hopes are an epic fail.

What about you? What's your thoughts on Christmas, holidays and gifts?

Today I Was A Mom

This has been a crazy week. Two bdays my girls are just days apart. And on both of their days I had work commitments. While they seemed happy with the family parties and everything came together...that ugly, nasty, useless guilt nagged me all week.

I was just so rushed during both parties that today when they had the friend party I wanted to nail it. But guess what today I also had a work commitment. However it was before and not after. So that helped.

The cakes were perfect, we kept the games easy, only one girl got hurt, & no blood was involved, the gifts were amazing, & we had one little girl who we met at the park who crashed the party but I had extra goody bags.

I have MANY jobs. But this is the most important, the one I fall short at the most, the one that is the eternal investment, and today I rocked it!

(and dad helped)

Make Time For Twirps

KC Neal is a local YA author releasing Pyisis soon, I follow on Twitter. Which makes her a Twirp but she's also my friend. The last time I saw her was in April and even though she ragged me for having a minivan, when we parted we made plans for lunch again soon.

Well now 6 months later we finally got together. After an hour and a half where we talked on varying subjects from husbands, sleep, YA platform and how it crosses over to Romance, pit stains & tongue rings I've vowed not to wait that long again!

KC is a breath of fresh air. After hanging I feel creatively renewed. I think that has a lot to do with the physical presence of being with another author.

There is a whole world of support for us online. However, we still need that human connection at times. Thanks KC.