This 'n' That

Things have been busy around here since I last posted, which is why I'm late posting this week. Here's a brief rundown of the excitement (and yes, some of it is pretty exciting!).

The most exciting piece of news is that I received a release date for Riley's Mission! My very first romantic suspense will be available from The Wild Rose Press April 7. Yes, that's a little less than a month from now, but it seems like such a long wait for my "baby" to make its debut in the world. Ah, well, I have plenty to keep me busy in the meantime, including working on more writing projects.

Which brings me to another exciting thing. I submitted a query for a sequel to Riley's Mission to my editor. Now I'm in the nail-biting, "Will she like it?" waiting period. Of course, if she likes the sound of the story, then I have to submit the manuscript and do a little more nail biting. I don't mind too much, however, since every submission brings the story one step closer to publication.

More writing-related news. I started a new job writing articles. While it can be difficult to write some of the topics, I'm enjoying the job and it works well with the odd hours I sometimes keep. What other job would allow me to work at noon or two in the morning (or both) depending on the kind of day I'm having? The people who say self-employment/freelance work is great for autistics are so right. Without the flexibility I have with this job, I wouldn't do nearly as well.

Speaking of autism, I'm still looking for guest bloggers for the month of April. If you're interested in writing a post with a positive spin on autism, you can find the details of my blogging plan for Autism Awareness Month here.

And now for the totally off-the-wall bit of news. I successfully crocheted a coat for my shih tzu. Yes, I'm now one of those people who puts clothes on her small dog. He's so adorable in his black and tan coat with a big red button on the side! I needed some way to secure the strap that goes behind his front legs, and with his penchant for getting into things when outside, the button will work better than Velcro. Why did I make a coat for him, you ask? So I can get his fur trimmed in cold weather without having to worry about him freezing when he goes outside. He's a shaggy little fella right now, and I'd like to get his usual warm-weather haircut so he looks a little more sophisticated, which if you knew my dog would make you laugh. He's like the little human boy who can get his dress clothes muddy without ever leaving his chair.

I also learned something sad in the last couple of days. I live in an affordable cotton yarn wasteland...or maybe that should be a yarn wasteland. There are precisely two yarn shops listed in my current phone book, and one of them went out of business a year or so ago. The other one is open two afternoons a week. I know there are a ton of knitters and crocheters in my area; I've met several of them and heard about many more. Where do they get their yarn? My best guess is that they either buy whatever yarn is available at the local craft stores (there are at least three that I know for sure are still in business), but I have to wonder if they order their yarn online, which is what I'm going to have to do. Out of the single yarn shop and three or so craft stores in my area, not one of them carries either of the two affordable brands of cotton yarn I'm looking for. I found a website that carries both of them, so I'm stuck paying shipping. The sad thing is, even with the shipping costs, it will still be more affordable than the only worsted weight cotton yarn I could buy locally.

All that's left to say is, Happy Friday! I hope you all have a great weekend and be sure to celebrate what's left of E-book Week with a good read. Shameless promotion alert! I happen to have two ebooks available at affordable prices. If you're looking for a quick read in the mystery genre, why not check out Light in the Darkness? Or if inspirational romance is more your style, try Dreams Do Come True.

Enjoy your weekend!

New Year, New Challenges...

Happy New Year!

2009 was filled with joy and sadness, excitement and concerns. Overall, it was a good year for me, particularly in terms of writing. My first ebook, Dreams Do Come True, was published by White Rose Publishing. A few short months later, I had received my second ebook contract and Light in the Darkness was released from Sea Crest eBooks. The end of the year was particularly exciting. On Christmas Eve, I received a contract from The Wild Rose Press for my third ebook, this time a romantic suspense. Look for more information on that story (including the final title) later. On New Year's Eve, I received the first round of edits on my newly contracted story.

While I have a lot of work to do in terms of edits, what better way for an author to start a year than with a brand new contract?

So, what is my New Year's resolution? Predictably enough, it involves writing. My main resolution is to get promotion under control and planned out so it doesn't take over my life or intimidate me to the point I don't do it at all. I had both things happen in 2009, and I know it was a direct result of not getting organized. 2010 is my year to figure out a promotion plan that works for me and that I can stick to without sacrificing too much writing time. My other writing goals involve actual writing. I hope to write and publish short fiction for magazines. I also plan to work on three romantic suspense stories I have in mind (one of which is already half written!), and I am going to finish my inspirational time-travel romance. This may not sound like much to some people, but this short list is going to keep me very busy this year.

Did I meet my 2009 goals? No. I was too ambitious with them and was unable to accomplish all I had hoped to do. This year's goals may be a bit ambitious as well, but I can always adjust them later if necessary. I like having a challenge, however, and meeting my goals for 2010 will definitely challenge me.

What about you? Did you meet your 2009 goals? What goals do you have for 2010?

Holiday Gifts...

If you're anything like me, you're asking yourself what to give people for Christmas. I'm crocheting a LOT of gifts, and I plan to make cookies as well, but there are still one or two I'm thinking about. If I had the money, I'd probably give ereaders as gifts. I am an ebook author, after all. :)

Seriously, ebooks are so prevalent now and the trend toward electronic publishing is growing, so ereaders are a good investment, in my mind. With a wide selection from the Sony Reader, to the Barnes and Noble nook, to the Amazon Kindle and beyond, there's an ereader for everyone out there. If you're interested in trying to win a free Kindle II, Bibliofreakblog is giving one away this Friday, December 18.

And if your loved ones already have ereaders (or you're like me and can't afford to give them as gifts), ebooks can be read on your computer, PDA, Blackberry, and some cell phones. What does this mean? Ebooks are a great gift as well, and they're affordable. They're also widely available from publishers and from distribution sites like Fictionwise and OmniLit.

Now for a little shameless self-promotion. :)

As I mentioned before, I am an ebook author. If you know someone who loves inspirational romance, check out Dreams Do Come True from White Rose Publishing:

Blurb:
Aspiring author Cassie Teague has been rejected…again. As she considers giving up her dream of getting published, a handsome editor walks into her life and makes her wonder if God has more in store for her than just writing.

Acquisitions editor David Jameson wants more than just Cassie’s book. But will office politics destroy his hope for the future?

"The characters are likeable and the story very believable...The writing is smooth and easy and the spiritual message is not at all preachy. The elements work together to make this a lovely, quick, uplifting read." ~ MarthaE, Reviews by Martha's Bookshelf

"If you need a little pick me up or some inspiration, please read this...This would be a great story to give to friends and family. You will not be disappointed in purchasing this work of art." ~ Roberta, You Gotta Read Reviews

And if you know someone who prefers mysteries, why not give them a copy of Light in the Darkness from Sea Crest eBooks:

Blurb:
Kennedy Drake loves exploring dark places, which makes his job as a graveyard shift security guard ideal. While checking out strange noises in his elderly neighbor’s basement, he discovers a hidden room with a woman trapped inside. Chastity Mooreland has more to fear than her time trapped in darkness. Will Kennedy believe her bizarre tale of a stalker no one thinks is guilty—and will he help free her from a life of despair? Can Chastity look past her suspicion of mankind to accept his offer of friendship?

"I found Light in the Darkness a short sweet story." ~ Brynna Curry, You Gotta Read Reviews

"This book reminded me how much we need to care for our fellow human being. Nice, short read." ~ Readers Favorite

Happy holidays!

What a weekend...

My life has been a whirlwind for the last four days, and it's not letting up yet. Thursday, I received word from Sea Crest eBooks that my newest ebook, Light in the Darkness, was released. That started a flurry of emails about promo and probably a few silly questions on my part. Sheila, you are such a sweetheart and so patient with the tons of questions I've had. Thank you for all of the help you've given me.

I spent Friday with The Sweetest Romance group in the Latte Lounge of Coffee Time Romance. We had a blast and I want to give a big thank you to everyone who stopped by, including the lurkers. I hope you guys enjoyed the chat as much as I did!

On Saturday, I worked on my blog. A huge thank you and a big hug goes to Lula for pointing me to the site where I found the new background for my blog and for the banner she so kindly created. As I've already said, Lula, you are such a sweetie! Thank you so much.

I've also been working on updates for my website the last few days. I'm hoping to have all the work done on the site next weekend, but we all know how the best laid plans can go awry. I'll keeping working toward getting the site updated next weekend anyway. :)

Sunday, I finished reading See No Evil, My Pretty Lady by Miss Mae. If you've never read this historical romantic suspense, I recommend buying a copy. The story kept me guessing all the way to the end, and when I found out the true identity of the villain, I couldn't have been more surprised. Major kudos to Miss Mae for a job well done.

Of course, not all of Sunday was great. My laptop, which is older than dirt, finally gave up the ghost. I coaxed it into working long enough to rescue all of my files, but now I'm stuck working on the desktop computer, which resides in one of the busiest rooms of my house. So much for peace and quiet while working. Hopefully I can replace the laptop soon, but we all know how expensive computers can be.

Today I'm hanging out on the Diana Kay Publishing loop and promoting Light in the Darkness in between working. I'm also participating in a couple of other promo events coming up before the end of the year, which I'll mention here as those days draw closer.

On top of all of this recent insanity, I'm in the midst of major revisions on what I hope will be a full-length novel by the time I finish, and I'm working on revising a couple of short stories. A writer's work never stops, but if it could slow down a little, the writing part would be a whole lot easier. Ah, well. Squeezing out time to write is part of the complex juggling act of life.

Everyone have a great week, and remember to make time for books(including ebooks), whether you write or just read.