Logos, Logos, and Branding

June 19, 2018June 12, 20181 Comment

As an author I am a brand. Who knew, right?

As an author I am selling myself. Man, I really hope you like the product. I’ve gone through lots of soul searching, lots of thoughts, and lots of renditions of a logo.

When it came down to it, I had to figure out who and what I write. I should know this right?

Well here it is. I write strong, sassy women. Every one of them is escaping something holding them back and growing. They don’t always do it with a smile; sometimes it’s with a frown, some cussing, and a lot of determination. They refuse to fail.

So my brand is strong and sassy women moving past what is holding them back. I hope we all can do this!

Here is my logo. Sort of a ‘kiss mine’ attitude, something my heroines are telling the world. They don’t care what the world thinks anymore, as long as they love who they have become.

When Idea Meets Reality

June 12, 2018June 12, 2018Leave a comment

Reality is that I have not rocked blogging. I used to be awesome at this. Back when I didn’t have kids, or multiple jobs. It’s sad because with technology, I should be even better.

I guess blogging is similar to writing. I found a publisher, I am learning new marketing techniques every day and I keep thinking I will be making more. The idea was that I would be able to make a part time income. The reality is, I have to step outside my comfort zone and publish different ways. Even those signed by agents tend to go hybrid, meaning they self-publish and traditional publish.

In life the idea is what drives us. Not meeting that idea might seem like failure. Maybe though, just maybe, it’s the drive to help us make the idea more of a reality. Just because things aren’t the way I expected doesn’t mean I have failed. It means I should try harder sand adapt.

Have a great week everyone!

Even they do it

September 8, 20161 Comment

While writing, stories take on a mind of their own. They change directions, and sometimes was have to delete a lot. This is all to create the best story possible, because let’s face it people are harder and harder to please, and it’s hard to sell books.

Incase you write or are already a published and trying to overcome writers block look to Disney for inspiration. If you ever watch their ‘making of’ extras, Frozen, you would see them deviate from their original storyline. This all happened because a character was more likeable than originally planned. It happens to Disney, it will happen to you. It happens to me all the time.

My current new release is a fantasy, something I have never written before. I am very once upon a time excited. It’s about Faeries, but not in any way you’ve seen them before. They are my own making. No one says I have to stick to someone else’s made up rules. Well, the story took on a life of it’s own and it turns out the evil character who plays a minor roll in Finding Bell actually has a very large backstory. She needs her own story.

I suppose what makes a great story is that they can grow and evolve to become something people will actually want to read. Never force a story to fit what you had thought, your characters, although in our heads, have very real personalities. Yeah, that sounds a little crazy. No one is allowed to judge a writer.

So just remember, even the largest and most professional companies out there don’t stick to their original ideas and plots. AND THAT IS OKAY.

Happy writing. If you are a reader, happy reading and remember that the book you hold s a heartbeat to every author. Please read it with love.

Fighting the Demons

May 11, 2016May 11, 2016Leave a comment

Is May the month of struggle for anyone else? Or maybe it is the Friday the Thirteenth thing, plus a full moon. I never believed in that kind of thing before, but this week has been a rough week of Mondays. In fact, I missed Tuesday altogether.

I need help. No, really. I need it. I struggle with the demands of life from kids, to cleaning, to working, to wanting to read a book. Where exactly is writing happening? It’s not. It’s fighting with some demons that say ‘this is never going to go 2016-05-11 23.43.37 anywhere” and “no one actually reads what you write anyway.”

It’s hard when reviews are so daunting to pull out of readers. It’s hard to sit and write when entire stories play out in my head a million times better than I write it.

So, there you have it. That little doubt monster is back.

Pushing it all aside, I am doing as Taylor Swift does. “Shake it off.” I am going to start the synopsis. I feel like I need something to remind me where I was going. I don’t do outlines – too many rules to follow or change. A synopsis though is a great highlight of all the big parts of your book. I hope this will focus my energy and make me stop doubting. Besides, I love writing. Who cares if no one writes it, other than I would love someone to come visit me in my made up worlds.

Naming Your Story

September 10, 2015September 9, 2015Leave a comment

I am in the middle of a new book – single, not another anthology. The WIP name has changed about 5 times and I still don’t know what to name it when I go to submit it. I started realizing most of my books were titled after completion. And oddly, most of the titles were due to the endings. This seems to work in contemporary romances. I don’t’ know that they would work in other genres.

How do you name your books?

Maybe this is a spoiler, not sure?

In my book Any Other Way, (Free short story) the last line is “Maybe. But, you wouldn’t have me any other way.”

In Garden of Souls, part of Spooktacular Seductions, I actually had the title namesake mentioned in the first two pages. “That’s what it was, a garden of Souls.” Which, she is talking about a cemetery. The names comes back around in the end too. This one actually had a lot of reason to be called what it was I suppose.

Finding a Friend – or Willing Victims -IWSG

September 2, 2015August 28, 20155 Comments

It’s that time again. (Actually I am a little late) A post for the Insecure Writers Support Group.

Finding a friend or willing victims. It sounds morbid, and it’s not. I promise. Well not too morbid. Anyone else hear about these networks called street teams? They help promote a specific author and in return you get free books and prizes. Sometimes. Other street teams are more of a social circle. Some are closed to external jabber. Others are open to helping anyone who is willing to help the administrator. I think I am somewhere in between. I don’t want someone joining my group and getting nothing out of it. The issue is that when you only have a couple of people, the group can’t really be just about me anyway, and not seem very self serving. For the time being I am approaching a “street team” more like a way to meet other authors and book lovers. This is all in hopes of developing a network that will eventually love to promote me.

So now. How do I get members? Good question. Lots of authors gain users through giveaways. My issues is, do these pan out? I haven’t see it. I don’t want people entering who have no intention of being active. I mean commenting, laughing, and maybe sharing promotional information. I want people who want to be involved, even just once in a blue moon.

I am learning so much about networking from bigger name authors, but I don’t have the name or the networks to succeed as quickly. Yes. I said as quickly. I think we all eventually succeed. The glass is always half full.

Tips or pointers if you have a successful network? Otherwise, are you interested in joining my little group?

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Visit other bloggers in the Insecure Writers Support Group ! (A blog hop that posts the first Wednesday of every month, founded by Head Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh.) Thanks to his co-hosts this month too!

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 writer – aim for a dozen new people each time.

Peak My Interest – IWSG Post

July 1, 2015July 1, 20152 Comments

It’s that time again. A post for the Insecure Writers Support Group.

How do you peak the interest of a new reader? Word of mouth is awesome. Really, really awesome, but you can’t always reach everyone this way. In fact, when you are a new author, sometimes people want a sneak peek. So how do you feel about teasers? Do you like quote from the book, lines from the book, one line summaries? I’ve been experimenting with teasers and would love to know what works for you.

I feel like these small bits of advertisement are my only key way to keep sales generating after something has been released for awhile.

So as a reader what do you prefer?

As an author, what has worked for you?

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http://charitywrites.blogspot.com/ Charity Bradford

http://salarsenbooks.com/ S.A. Larsen

http://www.ajlauer.net/ AJ

http://tamaranarayan.com/ Tamara Narayan

http://eclecticali.wordpress.com/ Allison Gammons

http://tanyamiranda.com/ Tanya Miranda

What To Write Next -IWSG

June 3, 2015June 4, 2015Leave a comment

It’s that time again. (Actually I am a little late) A post for the Insecure Writers Support Group.

I had the best idea for a post – no I really did. I figured if I wrote the post asap I wouldn’t forget. That was the plan, anyway. Than life happened and I forgot. Now I can’t remember what I thought was the next awesome idea!

Isn’t that how writing goes? You make the commitment to write. You sit down and BAM! Nothing. Or what about the fact you have too many ideas. So which do you write next? Is there one that might get you an agent, or maybe one that will get picked up as the next best seller?

Do you find yourself second guessing what was the best next choice? Or maybe you know what is the right choice, but your heart is calling for something else. What then?

I don’t have any answers. I simply know that I want to write something else. A story that isn’t in my current genre published and I worry it won’t be publishable because of market trends. Or perhaps the current fans I might have wouldn’t like it. MY Halloween story, which was paranormal and not typical to my writing, didn’t get much notice. Maybe it was because the story was themed for Halloween? I can’t say.

What about you? Do you know what the market trends are and do you write to them? Do you write whatever you want and have multiple WIPs? Or do you find yourself frustrated?

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The Failure Bug -IWSG

April 1, 2015March 29, 20151 Comment

It’s that time again. A post for the Insecure Writers Support Group.

Getting past the fear and failure bug. That is my issue. I am not overly confident. I don’t assume anyone likes me. I defiantly take criticism to heart. I am my own worst enemy!

Lately I have had a whole lot of new. New jobs, new clients, new books, etc. I hate the idea that nothing is guaranteed. There is no promise that everyone, or well anyone, will like what I have said or do. It’s sad that I let the fear of failure get to me. The good news is that I push through it these days. I still have that awful gnawing in the pit of my stomach, but I’ve realized that what is the worst to happen? I fail and move on.

That being said, it is one of the hardest things I have to battle. I have to push and force myself to just do it without letting the fear make me fail before I even tried.

So everyone – PUSH ON! Don’t let yourself not try. I wouldn’t have 3 anthologies under my belt and the ability to obtain work from home if I’d quit.

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