A Post of Thanks - 10 (Shallow) Reasons I'm Happy This Holiday Season

I recently shared in a post how I've been struggling with writing and how grateful I am to have amazing fans. Since it's Thanksgiving, I want to go one step further and list ten things I am currently grateful to have in my life on this holiday of thanks. These are things that go beyond friends, family, and fans, because I feel it goes without saying that I feel blessed and cannot imagine my life without them. Plus those are things of importance and the list I'm about to provide is shallow and petty, but makes me smile nonetheless. So here they are, in no particular order:

1. X-Files reboot. The original series is in my top three TV shows of all time and since the first movie was release, my fingers are always crossed that Chris Carter will give us more. I'm a little annoyed because they're hinting that Scully and Mulder are no longer a couple, but I refuse to accept that they would permanently separate a couple of such epic proportions.

2. New Foo Fighters album. Most of my fans know by now that I freaking ADORE Dave Grohl and crew so much that I recently got a tattoo with the band's logo. This past Monday they surprised fans with an EP containing five new songs they're giving away for free. If you're a fan of music, I suggest you check out their new EP because they're a group of really sweet guys who are also hilarious and know how to rock.

3. Beta reading awesome books. I've had the pleasure of getting to know Kate L. Mary after I fangirled her on Goodreads. Now that she's convinced I'm not a crazy stalker, we've become friends. And when you're an author who is friend with another author, you often get the opportunity to read advanced copies of their work. As Kate is the author of my favorite zombie series, it was better than Christmas when I found her latest masterpiece waiting in my inbox. I know I'm always going on about her Broken World series, but honestly, peeps. If you're into The Walking Dead, you HAVE TO read this series. While it only vaguely reminds me of TWD, the plots and characters are fresh, and there's even a bit of romance involved. The series is available on Kindle Unlimited, and book 5 comes out next Monday! While you're at it, check out her award winning book While We Were Human.

4. Awesome beta readers. I finally finished the first draft of Paranormal Guardians, the sequel to Paranormal Keepers, and sent it off to the hands of some very capable beta readers. In the meantime I'm working on another rewrite of book 3, though that likely won't be released until some time in March. I'm very passionate about this series and cannot wait to share it with my readers! If you haven't read the first book, it's available on Kindle Unlimited.

5. New Stephen King book. I've been a fan of the master of horror for 30-some years and I'm always crazy excited when he releases something new. I have a small bookshelf that seems to be in serious distress from holding all my hardcover editions of his work. At the rate he's going, I figure one day I'll have to devote the entire bookcase to his work. I'm especially pumped for The Bazaar of Bad Dreams because even though I adore the man, some of his books tend to get a bit too long winded and I always think his best work has been in short stories. Even though the book has been out for awhile now, I don't plan on reading it until I'm on a beach in January (which brings us to #6).

6. Vacations. Living in Minnesota is akin to living in the tundra. Our winters are miserably cold, often dipping below zero with a wind chill in the double digitis, and the roads are scary as hell 85.9% of the time. As someone who is considerably fair-weathered, the only way I can survive the long, harrowing months is to know at least for a few days during the season I'll get to put my toes in the sand somewhere warm and read a good book. There's no feeling like it. My favorite part about going somewhere warm is taking a catamaran out to play in the water. Even though we just recently had our first snowfall, I'm beyond ready to pack my bags and get the heck out of here.

7. Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2. I'm planning to see the highly anticipated finale of the young adult series this weekend with my family. Although I enjoy the movies far more than the books (yeah, I said it), I'm ready for the story to be over. As much as I adore Jennifer, I'm ready for Katniss to go away and live her happily ever after.

8. Teens with a driver's license. I realize having a child on the road will be stressful, but my daughter will have her license in just over a month (she even already passed the test!) and I'm dreaming of all the times I won't have to drive her into town. But it makes me sad knowing she'll have more of a social life than ever.

9. Untraditional holidays. With our adult children spread out and a few of them holding down unusual work hours, it's not as easy to get together for the holidays. Accordingly, our new Thanksgiving tradition has evolved into swimming, doing a little shopping, and a movie afterwards. Honestly, I adore it. My childhood memories of going to my grandparents' and meeting with the cousins over the holidays is something I'll always cherish, but times have changed considerably and our little family is just as unique as our new tradition. (I guess that's a nice way of saying we're weird.)

10. Red Bull. I know it's bad for you, but it's my one big vice these days and it enables me to function instead of drinking coffee, something I cannot stand. There are days when I'm sure I wouldn't be able to write a single word without it. As may times as I've tried to quit the stuff, I've come to accept it's one thing I can't do without.

That's it, folks. Hope all my fans in the US have an amazing holiday and have plenty to be thankful for, both important and shallow.

On Being Burned Out, Frustrated, and Grateful...An Open Discussion About My Career

While I'm possibly talking to myself with this post as my blog seems to have lost followers in my absence, I thought I'd put it out there regardless. Because a writer's gotta write, right? And I consider it a form of therapy to openly talk to my fans about where I'm at in my career.

Contrary to popular belief or the darkest thoughts of my psyche, I have not quit writing. After several months of putting my craft to work in other avenues in which I usually worked seven days a week and sometimes up to 12 hours a day, I took the months of September and October "off" to help my husband farm. Turns out it was a much needed mental break from writing.  I didn't realize I was completely burned out until I stepped away from it all.

Although some people may think writing is easy and a non-stop fun-fest, it can take a toll on a person - especially when self-employed with ridiculously long days because you're not reporting to an 8-5 job and can type away in the comfort of you home until you're unable to keep your eyes open. And then there's the marketing aspect of being an indie author. Don't even get me started on the business side of my dream career, because I'm clearly not cut out for that kind of thing. I'm unorganized and unfocused, unable to stick to a plan. And the experts say as a writer you have to have a presence on social media. Although it has become an important tool for reaching fans, it's also a place where you learn about the success of others and begin to question yourself and your work.

*Cue depression*

I've been open about dealing with depression in the past and I'm not about to shy away from it now. Around the time I was preparing to help with harvest, I was in a tunnel so long and so dark that it seemed I would never find my way back out. I quit the business side of social media, even unfollowing my dearest of writer friends because it was too painful to see others flourishing when I was floundering. Thankfully I've never been suicidal, but there was a time when everything seemed pretty bleak and I would cry at the drop of a hat. Like many so people battling inner demons, I was able to smile and put on a brave face while trudging through the murkiest of waters. Not many people in my life knew about my struggle.

For the first time in five years, I didn't participate in NaNoWriMo (an annual (November) novel writing project that brings together professional and amateur writers from all over the world). Instead I used this "time off" to evaluate my career. I say "time off" as I was sometimes spending 10 hours per day in the tractor and that can be way more exhausting than one would think. Now that I was able to take a step back and put things into perspective, I'm so incredibly grateful.

I'm sure everything I said above sounds incredibly whiny, especially coming from someone who works from home and doesn't have to meet the demands of a surly boss or punch a clock. Though it's dangerous when you're able to set your own hours in a job you love because there's no one to tell you it's time for a break, it's also incredibly convenient. I'm amazed my friends with jobs can keep up with their teenager's activities and I can't fathom how working farm wives can meet the demands of their husbands. Being married to someone who also sets their own hours gives us the kind of freedom together that most people dream about (aside from the grueling demands of planting and harvest seasons, of course). My days of spending weeks building up the courage to ask for accrued time off are long gone. And I can virtually write from anywhere so long as I have access to power, it's quiet, and there aren't people moving around me (demanding, I know, but I have crazy ADD). In reality, it's the ideal job.

Having gone from a well-paying job to being self-employed almost four years ago was at first a serious blow to my ego. I don't have the kind of salary that a person could live off, but I am making some money. The fact that I have actual fans who buy my books and want to read more really says something. I've wanted to be a writer since I was eight years old. I'm not only proud of myself for making my dream a reality, but incredibly thankful beyond words for those who have an interest in my work. I wouldn't be where I am today without them.

It has never been my goal to become famous. I know I won't ever be on the same playing field with the likes of Stephen King or J. K. Rowling as I'm lightyears away from their level of prose. Honestly, I wouldn't want that kind of public recognition anyway. I'm uncomfortable the way it is when a stranger asks me in public about my next book and therefore know I would totally suck if put in a spotlight of any significance. I simply want people to get excited about my books because the endless stories going through my head won't stay silent. I want fans to fall in love with my heroes and get lost in the worlds I create. And hopefully one day my ultimate dream of having a book made into a movie will be realized. *fingers crossed*

Last night I had a breakthrough and, for the first time in months, wrote for several hours straight. So here I am, back in the saddle of sorts, ready to focus on writing and decide what project I want to do next. Hopefully in 2016 I'll be releasing the long awaited sequel to Shymers and the next two books in the Paranormal Keepers series as well as a few other projects, but I still have to work it all out and decide my next moves. Because that's what you have to do as an indie author - make all the decisions on your own. It's stressful as all hell, but I'm still thrilled that I have the opportunity to spend my life doing what I love. If you've reading this and you've read even one of my books, I thank you from the very bottom of my heart. It's people like you who have helped to make my life complete!

I'm an Award Winning Author!

Agh, where does time go? While I'm sorry I've been so neglectful of this blog, I promise you it's because I've been insanely busy with writing and other projects! Regardless, it was time to break the silence with some pretty big news. People who know me will probably agree I'm pretty modest for the most part, but this is one of those times in which I want to shout my news from the rooftop: I'm an award winning author!

Last week, the day after approving the gorgeous new cover for Mind Static, I received an email from the president of Indie BRAG informing me that the same book received a B.R.A.G. Medallion! Honestly, I wasn't sure what it was at first, either, until I went to their website and found this explanation:

BRAGMedallion.com is owned and operated by indieBRAG, LLC, a privately held organization that has brought together a large group of readers, both individuals and members of book clubs, located throughout the United States and in ten other countries around the globe. The word "indie" refers to self or independently published books, while B.R.A.G. is an acronym for Book Readers Appreciation Group.

All ebooks brought to the attention of indieBRAG, LLC are subjected to a rigorous selection process. This entails an initial screening to ensure that the author's work meets certain minimum standards of quality and content. If it passes this preliminary assessment, it is then read by members drawn from our global reader group. They judge the merits of the book based on a comprehensive list of criteria, including;

Plot

Writing Style

Characters

Copy editing

Dialogue

One final factor our readers use to judge a book is whether or not they would recommend it to their best friend.

On average, 50% of the books submitted to us fail to pass the initial screen and another 40% are subsequently rejected by our readers. Thus, only 10% of the books we consider are awarded our B.R.A.G. Medallion and are presented on our website. Conversely, we do not make public the titles of any books that were not selected to receive a Medallion, or the names of their authors.

Needless to say, I was touched and honored that my work fit this criteria and made it into the final 10%! I'm probably just as excited to reveal the gorgeous new cover for Mind Static, created by the amazing Najla Qambers (see teaser, left). In the past I've been proud to say I designed my own covers and took all the pictures of models used, however, the market is highly competitive, and I really don't have as much time or as many resources as I would like. Accordingly, I've hired this extremely talented designer to take over the duties. She's the genius behind the beautiful Paranormal Keepers cover. Bloggers, sign up for the reveal and keep an eye out for the upcoming blitz of through Xpressobooktours.

If you haven't yet heard the news, I'm writing contemporary new adult romance under the pen name Jennifer Ann, and will be releasing my debut novel Adam's List on June 13th! I'm really excited about this project as it was just as much fun to write as the paranormal genre. If you're a blogger interested in the reveal (the giveaway includes a Victoria's Secret gift card, New York necklace, and signed paperback copy of Adam's List), be sure to sign up HERE.  **Please note anything written under this pen name contains adult content, and therefore is intended for readers 18+ only.** Get all the latest on my new adult romance projects through my other website, Facebook, or Twitter.

A Reflection of Thanks

I'll forever think of November as days filled with an insane amount of writing, thanks to NaNoWriMo. Like thousands of other writers, I've been hunkering down all month long, stealing time that wasn't really there just to fit in 50,000 words on my new work in progress. Yesterday I finally hit that golden mark, in effect "winning" the personal challenge I had set for myself. Sadly enough, there wasn't any confetti, or any monetary reward per say (I did purchase a new coat in celebration, and had my own personal "Elf" moment), but there was a grand feeling of satisfaction that comes with the creation of a story and achieving a challenging goal.

The most gratifying thing I can walk away with from this experience is that I reached 60,000 on my newest book Paranormal Keepers, and can see the first draft being finished up by the end of December. The bad news is that it seems I've unleashed my inner writing demon and don't know how to put it back in its cage. I've caught myself structuring sentences before I say them out loud in regular conversation. If I don't get at least 1,000 words in a day, I become irritated with everyone and everything. Last night I had three consecutive dreams that were separate stories I was writing as they progressed (one very bazaar one even involving John Green). Sometimes writing is more like a relentless addiction than a job.

Still, I'm glad this was a successful month, and I'm thankful that my creativity continues to flow plentiful. If it didn't, I know I would lose my mind with all of these ideas trying to claw their way out. I'm also extremely thankful for all of you who have supported me by taking the time to read my books, write reviews on Goodreads and Amazon, tweet and blog and Facebook how much you enjoyed them, and continue to buy each of my new releases! You'll never know just how much I appreciate all you do! I wish I could give each and every one of you a tackling hug.

To all my US peeps, I wish you a very happy and safe Thanksgiving with your family and friends. Knock yourself out with turkey, football and good times.

Let Me Preface This Post With "There's No Reason for Alarm"

But. Yesterday I sat down and tried my hand at straight up romance for the first time in decades. And this one is also "new adult" rather than my normal "young adult".

I've mentioned before that it's practically mental suicide for an author to pursue what is commonly known to us as SNIS (shiny new idea syndrome), especially when you're actively working on something else. Yet sometimes there's a story inside you so profound, so nagging and freaking loud that you can try suffocating it for as long as you want, and it just won't go away or die. Usually I take that as a good sign, because it means the story is so well developed that it shows no sign of slowing down any time soon.


I've used the "insane" gif from The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo as I'm normally not a wishy-washy kind of girl, and prefer action movies like that one over chick flicks any day. At times I would rather be strapped to a chair and tortured than have to watch another Katherine Heigl film. Part of me blames all those damn  irresistibly adorable pictures that I've come across on Pinterest. But I'm telling you, there isn't even the slightest paranormal element involved in Adam's List—not even a creaky door that scares the crap out of someone. It's just the story of a girl meeting a guy at a college party, only she already has a boyfriend, and he has some pretty big secrets. And somehow he talks her into abandoning her life to go on an adventure with him. The last time I wrote anything like this I was probably in high school. And some of those romantic stories were actually an early form of fan fiction. *dies of embarrassment*

Eight hours after I sat down with the intent to type this story out of my system, I was at almost 10,000 words. I even created a Pinterest board (that includes the lovely image on the right), and a Spotify music set list, both things I've never done before until after the story was completed. But don't worry—true to the masochist I've become, I can already tell you Adam's List won't have a happily ever after, and it will tear your heart out.

Will Adam's List ever see the light of day? I don't know. Will I write it under a pen name so my loyal fans don't accuse me of losing my mind completely? Don't know that either, but it would probably be a good idea. All I know is this story was going to kill me if I didn't get in the computer, or make me completely crazy. Oh wait, I may be there already.

Cover Reveal: Waves of Love by Danielle Sibarium

My friend Danielle Sibarium does an excellent job of writing YA romance, so when she asked if I would help reveal the cover for the third installment in her paranormal trilogy, I jumped at the opportunity. And I was pleasantly surprised to see a guy with muscular arms featured (how can you not appreciate a man with well-built biceps?).

In celebration of her new release, Danielle is giving away three free copies, so be sure to enter below!

Jenna knew Reece would break her heart, when he did Tyler stepped in to pick up the pieces.

As she’s ready to take the next step with Tyler, Jenna finds herself face to face with Reece. Lies and secrets are discovered from the two boys she trusted the most. And now it’s more than just her heart on the line, it’s her life as well. 

Torn between two amazing guys Jenna’s certain of only one thing, this is the most important decision of her life. One almost destroyed her. The other brought her back to life. The time has come to choose. Can Jenna move forward with Tyler or will she be stuck in the past with Reece?

Become a fan of the Waves of Love Heart Waves Facebook page for teasers of this heartwarming story, coming October 31, 2013.

Ways to follow Danielle Sibarium:

Website

Twitter

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Top 5 Reasons Why I Love Twitter

Before I published my first book in April 2012, I decided to take the plunge and join Twitter. I seriously had no idea how it worked, and found the hashtag thing rather strange. Fast forward to 16k tweets later, and I'm definitely considered an addict. While there are times I know I spend way too much perusing what's known to be The Drainer of All Time, there are so many benefits to being active in this social media phenomenon.

Reason #5: World news! Okay, this is probably not something to brag about, but I don't watch news anymore, and I steer clear of the newspapers, so I get most of my news through Twitter and Facebook. There's something satisfying about talking to other people around the world when tragedy strikes, as if we can find comfort in knowing there are others experiencing the same kind of reaction.

Reason #4: Human interaction! Let me explain—I went from an extremely social job in which I helped (usually angry) people all day long to sitting in my little writing den out on our farm. My daily communication with people while my family is gone for the day becomes limited to whomever I chat with online, or the friends I text. There are days this is the small string that holds my sanity together.

Reason #3: The fandom! Its no secret I'm crazy about shows like The Walking Dead, and I love that I can rehash each episodes with other fans from around the world. I love that I can connect with others who are into the same musicians, and carry passions for the same books and authors. It's like being a member of several fan clubs without having to pay any dues.

Reason #2: The celebrities! Getting followed by Norman Reedus (Daryl Dixon from The Walking Dead) made me scream so loud my husband thought someone had died, and shamelessly, having my tweet read by Chris Hardwick (host of Talking Dead, show that reviews episodes of The Walking Dead) on live TV was like winning a Grammy. I save each and every tweet I receive directly from a celebrity because it feels just as satisfying as an autograph. Being a fangirl of amazing authors, these are just a few of the tweets I've received that just about sent me over the edge:

@naumannbooks thank you so much! And darn, I would have loved to meet you! Next time I hope :-)
— Kendare Blake (@KendareBlake) September 27, 2013

@naumannbooks Check my profile, girl. Check that check!
— Isaac Marion (@isaacinspace) September 27, 2013

#1: The friendships! I've made so many friends through Twitter—some started out as fans of my writing and became my friends, some I've started blogs and businesses with, some have become my beta readers and critique partners, some I've spent hours virtually chatting with while partaking in adult beverages, others I have met in person or have plans to meet in the near future. It blows my mind to think how ten years ago, meeting strangers from across the country (or even the world) online was inconceivable.

Maybe this is just me trying to justify to myself why I spend so much time on social networks, or maybe it's just proving what a pathetic life I have. Either way, I don't really care. Twitter has been life-changing, and extremely resourceful. I plan to tweet until someone physically removes my phone from my hands.

Supernatural Author

Fall is the busiest time of the year for my family, so I apologize for the lack of posts! Between football, volleyball, dance, tae kwon do, confirmation, harvest, homecoming, and a million other things I won't bore you with, I've been crazy busy working on getting the sequel to The Day Zombies Ruined My Perfectly Boring Life out. The cover is ALMOST officially ready to be released (stay tuned!), first draft is off to the editor, and the trailer is done. As soon as winter arrives, I'll be ready to take a day or two off. And by that I mean a girls' trip to New York City in which I'm sure we'll walk a few hundred miles and get very little sleep. Did I mention I have ADD and seriously don't know how to sit still?

Meanwhile, I'm still trying to get through the Supernatural series with my daily workouts (sometimes seeing Sam shirtless is all the motivation a girl needs). Yesterday I watched episode 18 of season 4 (how many freaking episodes can they pack into a season???) in which the Winchester brothers meet an author who just happens to be chronicling their lives, word for word. I especially enjoyed this one as the poor author was freaked out, thinking everything he was writing was coming to life. At one point he stated something like, "I'm like a god. A really sick one." Okay so that wasn't an exact quote, but you get the idea.

It was pretty amusing to consider the possibility as an author, then it suddenly started to freak me out a little. If my books were to come to life, I would also be considered a bit sick, sadistic even. I would be responsible for hundreds of deaths! Then I remembered it's fiction, and told myself to chillax. Still, there were some amusing stereotypes of authors involved (guy in his robe, drinking all day long), and even a slam to M. Night Shyamalan that irritated me a bit as I happen to be a big fan. But this was probably my favorite episode to date, mostly because it hit home. If you're into anything paranormal and haven't watched Supernatural, I suggest you jump on Netflix and give it a try. If nothing else, Sam and Dean are certainly easy on the eyes.

Looking forward to a month filled with horror movie marathons, Halloween parties and best of all, NEW EPISODES OF THE WALKING DEAD!

Shooting Zombies (It's Not What You Think)

Three words describe the millionth reason why I love my job(s):

Zombie photo shoot.

If you know me at all, you'll understand just how exciting this was. I've had the idea for the second book in my head for nearly a year, and couldn't wait to actually make it happen. Whenever there's anything involving zombies that I can sink my creative hands into, I'm all over it!

As many of you know, the cover for The Day Zombies Ruined My Perfectly Boring Life was done with a friend's fifteen-year-old daughter who used to babysit my kids. Somehow I talked her into taking the tags off her brand new prom dress and stepping into the woods behind my house. We paid to have her hair done, then went crazy and messed it up to make her look like she had been living in the wild a few days. She was a total trooper.

Today I used one of my very first babysitters turned good friend who was a total champ. I feel kind of guilty as each of the zombie models I've used are gorgeous girls, and would've been better used for covers of some romantic love story. But we all know my novels involve paranormal love stories, so that may never happen.

The first step was to make my friend look like the undead using Halloween makeup, homespun honey, oatmeal, fake blood, and toilet paper (yep, you read that last ingredient correctly, and yes we used clean toilet paper). I was fortunate enough to have an extremely talented professional makeup artist transform me into a terrifying zombie last year, and picked up a couple of tricks. The best part about doing these photo shoots is that the makeup doesn't have to be perfect since it's a far away shot, and I can later add techniques to give the picture a cartoonish effect. But honestly, I think I did a pretty decent job on her wound for an amateur (seriously, this was way too much fun).

The second step was to wait for just the right outdoor conditions. Since it's mentioned in the second story that there are many fields left unharvested, I wanted to catch the corn right before it was ready to go this fall (which will be way later than usual with all the crazy weather we had this summer). And as a photographer, I knew I had to wait until the sun was just at the right place in the sky so my subject wouldn't get washed out. Turns out 10:00 a.m. this morning was nearly the perfect time. And we had blue skies—another bonus!

The last step was to find the right pose. I didn't want her just standing there as that's basically what I had the model do for my first book. But the trickiest part is for neither of us to laugh, and take the fact seriously that we're two adults standing in the middle of a corn field, one of us dressed like a crazy person and the other dressed like a zombie (hey, I didn't want to get any fake blood on me). My friend was worried she didn't do a serious enough face, so I had her yelling, and it turned out amazing. The final result? You'll just have to wait for the final cover reveal to find out!

My Next Project

Happy Friday, everyone!

I have a confession to make—I'm dragging my feet on my next project. Technically, I have five in the works. I've mentioned before it's a horrible habit for writers to take on as it's the best way to get nothing done fast. I'm pretty sure this is a form of self-sabotage. I could blame it on the transition between summer—probably my slowest writing season of the year—and the madness of fall (kids back in school and sports, farmer husband preparing for his busiest season of the year), but I know that's just an excuse to hide behind. The real reason? I'm just a big chicken. I'm indecisive. I'm terrified of sequels. I'm scared of rejection. Take your pick.

I know I need to start pumping out sequels, especially to Shymers and The Day Zombies Ruined My Perfectly Boring Life as I really left those poor characters hanging. When I first started writing, I was a fly by the seat of my pants kind of girl. I wrote stories with no ending in mind, and no general outline to follow. This made for a lot of work in subsequent drafts (bless my editors' hearts), but it felt like the best way to let my creativity flow. While I still don't use an outline as that feels way too much like homework, I at least have the eventual goal of the characters laid out, and try to give a satisfying ending. And I can promise you, I'll never leave a book open-ended ever again. You'll sooner see me sky-diving or performing open-heart surgery.

Whenever I really enjoy the first book in a series, it seems the second almost never has the same magic, unless we're talking about Harry Potter (pun intended). And I HATE the formula of the second book that always seems to go like this: boy and girl who fell in love in book #1 are separated in book #2 and spend most of the time either trying to get back to each other, or mourning the loss of their love. I spent all of book #1 wanting them to finally hook up and most definitely don't want them to be apart again! So a big part of me is anxious in fighting in the formula. Another part of me is just worried it won't be as good as the first, and that I won't find the same "voice" of the character.

I've almost finished the first draft of the sequel to The Day Zombies Ruined My Perfectly Boring Life, and have my fingers crossed that it will be out by Halloween. Will Shymers be next? I hope all my fears, ADD, and self-doubt will behave enough to make it happen. Besides, as J.R. Tolkien wrote in The Return of the King, “The whole thing is quite hopeless, so it's no good worrying about tomorrow. It probably won't come.”

On that happy note, hope everyone has a fun weekend.

Obsessed With Death?

In interviews, I'm often asked what's with my obsession with death. Honestly, I never put much though into this until I realized four of my five novels have dealt with death as part of the main storyline, my favorite shows are Dexter and The Walking Dead, and I've started a collection of Day of the Dead statues from Mexico. On second thought, maybe I do have a thing with death. Okay, time to panic.

As pretty much anyone else would do with today's technology, I went on the internet with the intent to self-diagnose. Here are some of the signs I discovered:

1. Your favorite things to do are visit cemeteries to look at graves.

Uh, I seriously have a major issue with cemeteries, and have given my husband strict directions not to bury me in one. I think they're creepy, and that it's morbid to think you're standing over the rotting corpse of someone you love. If I want to remember someone, I would much rather do so with pictures from their happy times on this earth.


2. You have all the Faces of Death movies, and love to look at graphic images of real deaths.

I do enjoy a good zombie movie, though there are more often times than not that I have turned away when a scene become too gory. I usually have to remind myself that it's all Hollywood magic, just so I can continue to watch. I can't imagine I would be able to stomach one minute of the Faces of Death movies—I just Googled it out of curiosity, and about lost my cookies after what I found.

3. You wear black clothing and black makeup.

My daughter would tell you a majority of my wardrobe consists of black and white (she's trying to break me of the habit), but I have yet to don black Doc Martins with black pants and a black top. I do wear black eyeliner, but a very modest amount, like a perfectly normal woman who isn't so great with makeup does. Pretty sure I have a long ways to go until I resemble Winona Ryder's character in Beetlejuice.

4. You're afraid of doing anything for fear of dying or some other tragedy.

While the occasional thought of plunging to a firey death has come to me a time or two when riding an airplane, I would say I'm not fearful of doing things in general. Although terrified of heights, I still climbed part of Mount Rainier, zip-lined and parasailed in Cabo, stood on the top deck of the Empire State Building, and rode dozens of rollercoasters. Looking back, I'm starting to think that maybe I'm a bit too adventurous, and it wouldn't hurt to tone it down a bit.

5. Your favorite thing to write is poetry and journals that speak of death.

Okay, maybe it could be proved in a court of law that I'm guilty of this one, although I suck at poetry, and I stopped writing a journal years ago. But then again, there's the books...

So 4/5 negative answers must prove for something, right? At least I'm telling myself that. I like to think that as death is a natural part of life, I'm just extremely conscious of it, and not trying to pretend like the possibilities aren't looming over our heads. All I know is that I won't be checking into Death Junkies Anonymous anytime soon.

Cover Reveal: Kinetic by S.K. Anthony

I'm honored to present to you the stunning cover of the upcoming release by the fabulous S. K. Anthony! I'm one of those who will buy a book based on the cover alone, and I'm already sold on this one. Check out a synopsis of the NA Urban Fantasy novel below, and where to follow S. K..

Title: Kinetic

Genre: NA Urban Fantasy

Release Date: September 2013

Cover Design: Mae I Design & Photography

Synopsis:

Being strong is one thing. Being an unlimited source of power is quite another.

Genetically altered by the Organization, Annie Fox takes down criminals CIA-style with her luminary strength. With nothing to mend but her broken heart, she is relentlessly pursued by her boss Derek Lake. Just when Annie is about to give him a chance, her ex-husband unexpectedly comes out of hiding. 

A wanted man, Nick Logan is a cold-hearted murderer who is considered enemy number one, and orders are clear: kill on contact. He is more powerful than ever and threatens the lives of those she holds most dear. His plan? Get his hands on Annie and use her Kinetic energy to destroy them all. When Annie finds herself with an opportunity to end him, she pauses, horrified by the scars covering the face she once loved. A split second that will cost her everything…

Meet the Author: 

S. K. Anthony is a writer, a reader and a make-stuff-up-er who lives in New York with her husband and toddler twins. She is a wine connoisseur, which just really means she knows she loves it, and a caffeine addict. When she isn’t busy with her family she finds herself being transported into the world of imagination. Well, either that or running away from spiders…she is convinced they are out to get her!

Follow S. K.

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Celebrate the Small Things - June 7th

Happy Friday! Once again I'm going to list off the things I had to celebrate this week per the fabulous VikLit's Celebrate the Small Things blog hop. If you'd like to remind yourself of all the things life has to offer, sign up for the hop below.

Today I'm celebrating a very BIG thing, and that is my son's 11th birthday! Hard to believe that much time has passed already. Before I know it he's going to be taller than me with a deep voice and a gaggle of girls knocking on our door.

Career-wise, I'm celebrating the fact that I'm halfway done with the edits of the re-write on my first novel What I've Done! I have an amazing editor with the best ideas, and together we're making this story even better than before. Stay tuned for an updated release date.

I'm also celebrating the fact that I added nearly 10,000 words to my zombie sequel this week after signing up for JuNoWriMo. I knew it would be the motivation I needed to get past a major case of writer's block as the very first time I signed up for NaNoWriMo, I finished the first draft of What I've Done.

Hopefully by this time next week I'll be celebrating the fact that summer has finally arrived, my friends and family are all healthy, and we're done planting crops for the season. Keep your fingers crossed.

This Week's Video Blog

This week I review the Beautiful Creatures movie I was finally able to see as well as my final thoughts on the third book in Lauren Oliver's Delirium series (Requiem). I also share my 2.5 seconds of fame.

Video Blog, Take Two

Personally, I think I came off as a bit of a nut job in my first video last week. So I cleaned up and tried again, this time even reviewing a book and discussing my thoughts on sequels.

Celebrate the Small Things Blog Hop

Once again, I'm flabbergasted that it's Friday. How does time slip by so quickly? Is losing track of time a sign that you're going insane? Anyway, I'm here again as part of the awesome Vikki's blog hop (see info below on how to sign up). Another great week went by with many things to be thankful for. 

Career wise, I did sign up for my first writer's convention in Madison, Wisconsin this April and discovered I will meet a few Twitter friends while there. Yay! Although I'm a bit freaked about having to drive five hours by myself and then navigate through a big city (I'm a country girl after all), I think all the information, classes and networking will make the trip well worth it. I also revived a story on mind control that was nearly completed and made it into something I'm really excited about and can't wait to get out there. I know it's time to work on the sequels to Shymers and The Day Zombies Ruined My Perfectly Boring Life, but I feel a lot of pressure to complete them and writer's block has kicked in. I hope to tackle them this summer when at our lake home where my mind is bit more relaxed.

And finally, I created my first video blog. It was almost as painful as dental surgery. Almost. But I have heard so many people say that they love it when they get to "meet" their favorite authors and see them in person, so I thought I should give it a try. I was super nervous when doing it and seemed to roll my eyes an excessive amount of times. I promise to work on that with my next installment.

If you watched that video then you already know I started an intense diet this week. The weight loss won't be anything too dramatic, just a chance to lose those last extra pounds that exercising and watching what I eat don't seem to touch. But my favorite foods/drinks are Red Bull, ice cream, chocolate, alcohol and pizza/pasta, none of which I can consume for probably an entire month. This diet has taken more will power than I thought I was capable of. It's day four, and I haven't cheated. Not even once. But I nearly went postal last night when my son found the Snickers ice cream bar I hid from myself in the freezer and seconds later I found a Red Bull my husband put in the soda drawer. Really? I hope my family can work with me a little better in the weeks to come. And I hope after I adjust to these smaller portions of food, I will no longer feel like this all the time...