A Pyramid of Projects

As you're reading this I'm likely on a beach :) Or perhaps still sleeping in the tent since this will be published early in the morning.

Yes, it's our annual vacation time to Pinery Provincial Park. I've been going there with the family for the past twenty four years, first as a teen with my parents, and now with my own kids. Our first trip with our first little one was when Alex was only five months old. We haven't missed a year since so this trip really means a lot to the kids. This time though the grandparents are staying back due to work and so they can sit our house.

I'm looking forward to some time away from the computer (although I'm taking it with me to do some formatting). My kindle is full for the beach reading (goal to read 4 books in five days depending on family needs for my time) and I'm soooooo looking forward to the books.

I may get some writing, or at least plotting done for the next book.

I think I'm getting a hang of this juggling between projects. While one book is in editing, I'm writing another one and yet another is publishing which makes it a nice cycle. Sort of like a pyramid.

I'm hoping to finish the one under this name before the end of the month and send it off to my editor. I've been stuck on it for a while now because the other books have been begging to be written. But I have the title and will email my designer to finish the cover when i return from camping. The title is "Racidiuum" and it's  a post-apocalyptic, dystopian fantasy which makes it sort of a hybrid genre I guess.

I hope your summer is going well. Have a great week everyone!

Getting nervous at IWSG

Today is the first Wednesday of the month and so it's time for another IWSG (Insecure Writer's Support Group) post.  Thank you to our host Captain Ninja Alex J. Cavanaugh.

For a full list of participants click here and hop on over to offer your own words of encouragement and/or assistance.

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writers.

If you still have questions about the group, Alex did a great post on Monday at Tossing It Out, so do check it out.

The past couple of months have been a roller coaster of emotions and hard work. We've lost two friends too early (35 and 37 years old ) which put a lot of things in perspective, but I don't think I'm ready to go into more details on that. I want to stay happy and positive, because of a promise. And I will.

So, I have my pre-release nerves all set and ready. But they're good, happy and excited nerves.Before the end of July a new novel under a different name will be uploaded and this time I've done things differently which is bringing up all those emotions. Because I know, deep down, successful novels, even with good reviews, still take a bit of luck. And that is  out of my control.

I've sent out almost 100 review / feature / interview requests ahead of time and the response has been amazing and positive. I'm so grateful to all the dedicated bloggers who host authors and help them spread the word.

So, the pressure is on, but it's good kind of pressure because I really love this book and the effects it has on me when I read it.

Is there a way to increase that luck? Have I done enough? What are your insecurities this month?
  

Thank you...

I wanted to express my gratitude and sincere thank you to all my fellow writers, authors, bloggers and readers as well as to M Pax, Stephen Tremp, Christine Rains, C M Brown who host Writers for Writers.
I am so grateful for your help and support last week. For a few days, I felt like a Hollywood star! Everyone tweeted and shared the posts - Wow! Absolutely amazing!

This community never ceases to amaze me. Even if we're thousands of miles apart, in different time zones or on the other side of the world, I always feel like you all live next door (wouldn't that be fun?)

At this moment, it's not only my kids, my family, and my work that make me happy-- you all do and I mean that from the bottom of my heart. I feel blessed to have found my passion in writing and hope one day to repay my gratitude to as many of you out there as I can.

Writers for Writers is featuring me:)

Posting a little earlier than usual because it's a very special day tomorrow (Monday, June 17th).

Hosted by M Pax, Stephen Tremp, Christine Rains, C M Brown

Writers helping other writers to succeed.

Twitter hashtag: #W4WS

Find W4Ws on Facebook

Writers4Writers is a great support group utilizing Facebook, Twitter, and blogs to highlight new and existing books. Today’s featured author is ME!

I'm so happy and honored!

Below you will find a list of tweets and Facebook posts. Any tweet or FB posting will be most appreciated! You can do just one, two or all tweets / posts. I'll be truly grateful for any. Just copy and paste. Nothing to it :)

Tweets:

Marked Novella is #Free “You like a bad witch?”, “I like a very, very bad witch.” http://amzn.to/163Jd0E #amreading #ebook #W4Ws

  

“There’s something good about being bad” http://amzn.to/163Jd0E Marked Novella is #Free on #kindle #Paranormal #W4Ws

Marked Novella is #Free on #kindle “Want me to match that scar on the other side of your face?”  #paranormal http://amzn.to/163Jd0E #W4Ws

Like #Paranormal Romance? Try Marked:A Two Halves Novella for Free, a prequel to Two Halves Series http://amzn.to/163Jd0E #amraeading #W4Ws

Facebook:

How do you make a choice when anything you decide dooms your fate? Marked: A Two Halves Novella is a paranormal romance prequel to the Two Halves Series, and it's Free.http://amzn.to/163Jd0E

When your fate is already decided, there's nothing you can do, can you? Read Marked: A Two Halves Novella, prequel to the Two Halves Series for free http://amzn.to/163Jd0E

Thank you everyone! I'm sending lots of virtual hugs your way!

IWSG: Keeping Kids Busy

Today is the first Wednesday of the month and so it's time for another IWSG (Insecure Writer's Support Group) post.  Thank you to our host Captain Ninja Alex J. Cavanaugh.

For a full list of participants click here and hop on over to offer your own words of encouragement and/or assistance.



Today's co-hosts today are Sheena-kay Graham, Suzanne Furness, and Laura Eno.


Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

What does "Keeping Kids Busy" have to do with Insecurity?
For me, a lot when it's summer time. July and August are always very busy months because the kids are out of school. Next month this time I'll have them at home all day, every day for about 60 days! Picture me as Macaulay Culkin in Home Alone (bathroom scene) Ahhhhhhhhhhh!

They're great kids, but they're still kids who walk, talk, watch tv, need food and tend to say "I'm bored" every few minutes.

How am I going to get all the work done I'd planned? Well, the good thing about my kids is that they love to sleep in when it's summer, until 10! So if I get up at 6 that gives me 4 quiet hours of work.

We're also planning to go to the library (where it's quiet) to read so they're not distracted. My kids love the library and I'm counting if we can throw in an activity in there (which the library organizes) I'll get another 2 quiet hours.

And that's where the time stops. Dinner, soccer, swimming, karate.... I can't figure out any other time I can use, because the in between will be housework (blah! I'd much rather write). It's freaking me out!

So, have you figured out what to do with the kids in the summer? What are your insecurities today?

Get Healthy Blog Hop :)

I'm so excited to be participating in today's blogfest! And only because I've been trying extremely hard to lead a healthier lifestyle which is sooooo difficult when I spend most of the day sitting in front of my laptop.

Thank you to the hosts: Stephen Tremp, L. Diane Wolfe, Michael Di Gesu, and Alex J. Cavanaugh. Please visit them today when you get a chance.

So, what have I done to get healthy?

Long term, I've eliminated sugar in my coffee It's been 2 years now and I can't drink sweetened coffee anymore.

Since I've already been eating healthy, I haven't really changed my diet other than the sugar, but I have increased the amount of my physical activity.

Short term, as of April this year I've been walking almost every morning. I've even added a bit of running in there too. I've also started a routine I'd heard they do on Dancing With The Stars called 8 minute abs and although I don't last eight minutes, I do crunches for as long as I can, without counting, until my abs (or my stomach for now) burn. When I don't think I can do it anymore I add another 20 crunches.

I've also been working on my arms (especially the back of my arms). And this part is not because they look bad, in fact they look pretty good, but if there's one part of the body that freaks me out as I get older it's that sagging back of the arm. I really don't know why, it just scares me.
What do I do? I support my upper body by leaning back on the second step from the bottom of my staircase, feet flat on the floor, knees bent at 90 degrees and then using only my arms I lower myself slowly and then push up. I also do this until the back of my arms burns and I cannot lift myself up anymore.

Whatever you do, please pat yourself on the back today because whether you're eating healthier or exercising, it takes will and strength to lead a healthier life.

Now hop on to the other participants below and see what they're doing to get healthy:)

W4W, Season Finales and The Originals

A couple of things first:

• All Winners from the giveaway have been emailed so please check your emails. Thank you to all the readers who entered and Thank You to Elle Casey for hosting such an incredible giveaway.

• Happy Victoria Day to all my Canadian fellow bloggers, authors, writers and readers! If you're celebrating with some fireworks tonight, please be careful. This is what happened behind our house after a firework fell over (that's what we're suspecting). To make it worse, people ran off without calling the fire department. We weren't home at the time, but thank goodness for great neighbors. This picture was taken by a neighbour two houses to our left. As far as we know, no one was hurt.
  

  Today is a Writer's for Writer's Monday (also known as W4WS, created by Stephen Tremp) whereby authors support each other by spreading the word about their colleagues work!

You can find W4WS on Facebook and Twitter under #W4WS.

 The featured writers for May are Laura Eno http://lauraeno.com/blog/ and Marian Allen http://www.marianallen.com/

Visit their sites for what to post on FB or Twitter. Or retweet #W4WS on Twitter or share what you find on the W4WS FB Page - https://www.facebook.com/Writers4Writers

Let's take over the internet!

Season Finales:

I don't watch too many shows due to time constraint, but I do have a few favorites. I absolutely Love and Hate Season Finales. They have the best cliffhangers ever. And I curse and thank the writers of the shows at the same time. They draw on your emotions until you cannot wait for the next season.
If you're a fan of Grey's Anatomy, you know exactly what I mean.I don't want to spoil it for anyone, but Shonda Rhimes has done it again. I will be tuning in to the next season on the day it airs.

Another awesome season finale was for Vampire Diaries. I don't watch this one as religiously as Grey's, but after having seen the finale, I just sat there with my mouth open, unable to believe what has happened. The wheels in my head began spinning wondering about future story lines and what the events meant for the characters. Absolutely Awesome! With the twists thrown in, this show has become one I'm looking forward to see again next season.

And as a writer I can appreciate what the screenwriters are doing and I learn from them as well.
It's like a good book with a sequel you cannot wait to read.
Or a book you wish you haven't read just so that you could read it again.
These kinds of shows inspire new ideas and teach me how to hook in a reader and reel them in on a thick fishing line - and you know that kind of a line will not break.

The Originals

This is a new show on the CW, premiering in October. I'm very excited to see where this show goes and only because it's a spin off the The Vampire Diaries and casts well developed characters. Can't wait to see it. 

This is what Joseph Morgan had to say when E! interviewed him:

"It's going to be darker, a little sexier and edgier. Vampire Diaries was more about these kids growing up, a coming-of-age high school story; our show is more about creatures embracing their true nature and reveling in that."

I can't wait for this show!





Do you have a favorite season Finale? Are you looking forward to the next season?
Will you be joining Writer's for Writers? How are you celebrating Victoria Day?