Time for a New Book

 

Oh my God, it's been so long since I've written in this blog, that I forgot the password for the email address I use here. Sorry everybody....

After the book event, nothing new happened. There was nothing worth writing about. Well, until now. 

Her True Name: Volume Three is crawling toward completion! David Fingerman has it and will begin as soon as he gets the check! Emma Hibbs will be doing the cover art, starting the end of May. 

I can't wait until she's onboard, because finding the cover is going to be tough. Yes, yes, I know how to use stock photo and digital photo sites, that's not the problem. 

The problem is I'm not finding images I can use, and not in colors I want. I might have to abandon my original plans for it, and I need Emma's input. I worry about things like Cultural Appropriation, because as you know, these books take place in other parts of the world with regional gods and appropriate atmosphere, foods, rituals, etcetera.

While I'm here, I have news about the series. Her True Name Volume Three will be the last book. It will be a trilogy after all. No more after this. 

I have several reasons for ending it; hear me out.

The cost, for one. I simply don't have the funds to continue churning out endless books. As you know, I am self-published, so all costs are my own. While my colleagues deserve every cent they get, I'm still not working enough hours to fund what has become a very expensive hobby. 

Which brings me to time. I need to work more hours, and my writing time is taking the hit. I'm still writing-don't worry-but if you thought it took me a long time to finish THIS book....

I haven't even started an outline for another one. Sure I had an idea or two, but nothing that jumped out at me. I'd thought of doing one in China, but my knowledge of Chinese history and mythology sucks. I don't know how I'd make it work in the timeline. It might have a 'white' perspective, and I don't want that. 

Then there's the worry of Cultural Appropriation. I just want to tell stories, and in this case, about reincarnation. I have no wish to disrespect other cultures for my own amusement. Unless I write these books based on white civilizations alone, that will always be a danger. And white civilizations are not the only cool or important ones. Honestly, who would want to read books on reincarnation with such a boring limitation? I've never found white history to be that interesting, so why would I write it? I'd bore myself, never mind the reader, and you must NEVER bore the reader! 

Then there's the ending to this book. It was unexpected, but it feels right. What I'm trying to articulate, is that I hope the reader leaves feeling they are not wistful for another novel. I want them to close the book, understanding why there won't be more. It just happened, but I think it works, and so does David. 

I'm pushing for Her True Name: Three to be out by the end of the year. Honestly, there is no reason why not. Barring unfortunate circumstances, and my terrible computer skills of course. I've got faith in my team. 

I DO have good news. There's another book coming out right behind this one, and it's mostly written already. It's a collection of short stories, blog posts and drabbles. It's a little different from my usual in the fact that it isn't about angels, demons, mythology or reincarnation. It's all about the strange and scary dreams I have. My readers know I get many of my ideas from my dreams, and these are the stories that don't fit into my brand, so they will be completely different. 

My favorite is Bad Clown. It's a short story that could be a dystopian novel, but I wrote it as it played out in my brain. It is one of few dreams I've had that rolled out like an entire movie, and very little of it has changed. There are drabbles like Lightning and Demon that left me with a pounding heart when I awoke, and I can't wait to share them with you. There one story that still has no title about meeting up with a fairy in a bar after my character has a bad date.  

This book has a title, but I'm not ready to share it yet. I love it so much, I'm worried someone will steal it! 

Oh crap....I've just realized that Her True Name: Volume Three is going to need a new back blurb. So while I'm doing that, know that there is more coming from me. I'm still here, and I'm still writing. 

 

Hurray for Fall!

 

I love September. I love summer and fall, but September is the best of both worlds.

It's still warm, but not too much so. There's more yardwork to do, but because it's cooler, it's easier to do. Don't get me wrong, I love yardwork, but those plus 30 Celsius temperatures can really sap a person's energy. It's time to harvest and reap the rewards of all that spring and summer work. 

I've stopped raking my yard in the fall. Or at least I don't rake too much of them. Someone pointed out how a yard full of leaves is bad for your grass and attracts pests and snow mold. It's true, but I'm not talking about that kind of thing. Mine never gets that bad. 

My neighbor across the street gets the carpet of leaves. They're the people who clear my sidewalks and driveway in the winter. So I rake their tiny lawn clean and put the leaves in my compost. Win/win, and it's the least we can do for them.  

I do my fall cleaning. Like I said, it's a lot cooler outside, but I can still keep my windows open to air things out. Perfect.

Then there's the harvesting and canning. I've already done a batch of canned tomatos and a batch of freezer pickles. The pears are plump this year, and that means I'll spend my evenings making pear bread. It's also a lot of work, but the results are so rewarding. When last I visited my friend Tracey, his mom gave me QUALITY vanilla--the kind you get from Mexico--and I'm excited to try it out. 

Melaida's new business is off to a good start. She'd given me a stack of flyers to put out when she started the business, and today I got them all out. She's got new ones coming soon, and I've already figured out new neighborhoods to hand them out. There's entire blocks in my own region I haven't even been to, not even in my garage sale days. I'm finding that those long walks around the neighborhoods are a lot more pleasant this month.

I'm excited and proud of her, but I just realized I haven't done anything to promote my own work lately. I was thinking I should publish an excerpt of Chasing Monsters for Halloween. Then later, one for Elaina's Fate. maybe a contest. With all the aggravation that went into publishing Elaina's Fate, and the length of time it took to finish it, I stepped back from it, and never really came back. I didn't even hold a contest for it. 

I intend to fix that...soon. There's still a lot going on. I finished the first draft for HER TRUE NAME: VOLUME THREE, but I'm taking a short break on that before I edit. I'll start in October. There's also the anthology that has new stories to add, and truthfully, I need to get all of it organized. At least get all the stories on a single USB key. ( Yeep!) I finished a short story named 'Bad Clown'but it needs work. 

I've got a new short called 'Darkness Encroaches' but I don't like the title. Yet another piece that needs a lot of work.  

I've started work on a eulogy for a friend that has signed up for the MAID program, but that's the only new thing right now, and as you can imagine, it's not fun. 

So, yeah...I'm still hard at work. You can probably expect something new from me next year. Hopefully. We'll see. At least two new books are on their way. 

What Does it Take?

 

This post is inspired by a conversation I had with David Fingerman about critique groups and learning to write. 

It made me think about my first and only critique group and what an amateur I was when I started. 

I was one of those people that believed that simply because I did exceptionally well in English class that I could be a writer. 

God, was I wrong. It's not that simple. 

When I joined my critique group,  I was unpublished and probably the only one without any formal education in creative writing. I hadn't even attended a single seminar or convention. 
It was a group of four and the rules were that we meet once a week with new chapters each time. 

My first meeting went well. They were awesome and nice....except they were brutally honest to the point that my chapters were eclipsed with red ink. I expected honesty, and I they buried me. 

That was okay. I asked for guidance, and I received it. I didn't want to be a good writer, I wanted to be GREAT. I tucked my ego away and absorbed what felt like punishment. I wanted to be taken seriously. 

That meant absorbing the critique, taking notes and fixing my chapters according to direction. When we met every week, I had a new chapter to show as well as the previous one with all the corrections. That is how I learned how to write properly. That is how I earned the respect of my critique group. 

I learned, many months later, that the other three members considered tossing me out after the first meeting. I was too raw, I was such an amateur. I had no idea what I was doing. 

It's true, I didn't know what I was doing. But they decided I was teachable. I had 'Belly Fire' as they called it. They decided I really wanted it. And they went at me harder. 

I'm so grateful for it. I'm not the best writer out there, but I strive for it every time. There's always something to learn, and you have no idea how I agonize over simple sentences. Sometimes even here on this blog. 

I have friends who have started writing. They ask what I think, and I tell them I will be brutally honest. I tell them that if they want to publish, there are other things they'll have to do....like creating a social media platform. Like going to conventions, like taking honest criticisms. Things that are not fun and dull things involved with publishing. 

 I've given honest criticism when someone asks me to look at their work. I think they feel it was too much. I can't really speak for other writers, but I feel that if you've asked, and I've agreed, I have your best interests at heart. I'm not being mean. I'm not being passive-aggressive. I'm not jealous of you. I'm trying to help, because if my critique group hadn't helped me, I wouldn't have published my sixth novel. 

Well, I'm self-published, so it's an odd flex, but I'm proud of my work and how far I've come. I don't suck, and I'll keep trying to get better. 

ANNOUNCEMENT: So happy to tell you.

 

I have some great news about publishing ELAINA'S FATE. Who would have thought, eh? I feel a lot better about publishing right now, and I credit Heather Savage and Draft2Digital. 

As you know, I've been having issues publishing ELAINA'S FATE through Amazon and KDP. I tried a few times to figure out why I can't see the paperback, even though KDP insists that it's out there. I believe it has something to do with formats not matching up between the ebook and the paperback. The thing is, between myself, Emma and Heather we jumped through a lot of hoops trying to meet KDP's standards. It still didn't work. 

Heather INSISTED I try Draft2Digital. I promised I would look into it in January. Today I made good on that promise. She was absolutely right. 

I can't believe how easy it was to use. I did the whole thing in 45 minutes, maybe less. It is truly user-friendly. A Facebook friend and writer named Victoria Ryan Meadow told me they do print books too, and she's correct, I saw it. I haven't made a decision yet, but I might just print through them as well. 

I know it's my first time with them, but it already feels like I should move all my books there. The only thing stopping me is how I handle the ISBNs. I need to think it through when I'm not so excitable. 

This is how self-publishing should be. Not only was it easy, but they're only taking ten percent of the sales. I'm gobsmacked. 

I am pleased to tell you ELAINA'S FATE the ebook is now available at: 

Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, Vivlio, Rakuten Kobo, Tolino and Borrow Box. 

I know there are people who prefer paperbacks, I get it. It's always nice to see them on a shelf, and I was worried that my work would never been seen on bookshelves again. I'm going to make the paperback happen. I spent too much time ( so did Emma and Heather) and money to just surrender to technology that I don't understand. Honestly, I love the feel of one of my novels in my hands, I love the look. 

I hope this brings my work to new people who might not have had access to my books before. I know there are people who don't want to use Amazon for their reading entertainment, and I don't blame them. Jeff Bezos doesn't need more money and he needs to treat his workers better, right? I would much rather work with Draft2Digital. 

In case you're interested, ELAINA'S FATE  is priced at $3.99 USD. I intend to get on the paperback issues a lot faster now, especially now that I know it can be so much simpler. 

Wish me luck!

THANKS!

 

No really, thanks so much. Obviously, from the last post, I didn't publish on November 19th. More like November 30th, and the paperback still isn't properly on line. According to Amazon, the paperback is available. Yet no one can find it, not even me. 

There appears to be a problem with keywords. Somehow they don't work with the system. I've gone in and changed a few things and re-published. I'm trying to be optimistic, but...I'll keep trying until it works. I've spent too much time and money trying to make this work, I can't just give up. 

I'd like to say thanks to friends on Facebook. I ordered paperback copies of ELAINA'S FATE, so I know they're definitely done,(They're gorgeous, thanks Emma!)  and I posted them on my personal Facebook and my Author page. Not much on the Author page, but my personal Facebook got 99 reactions. Wow! Thanks! There were a lot of comments congratulating me too. It feels pretty awesome, and I needed that, THANKS! 

David did an awesome job, but I'm glad he missed the agony of publishing. He's still been a good sounding board. Some of it was my fault, like the wrong format size. Oops and Ouch. But a lot of it was, and still is, the fickle nature of KDP. I'm worried that Emma and Heather won't want to work with me again. This whole thing took up way too much of their time and I feel shitty about it.

Which brings me to this...I'm reconsidering my publishing options. That might mean no more paperbacks. (But never say never.) It can also mean looking for an actual publisher.

Heather suggested Draft2Digital, and I'm definitely going to try that. But not until January. I'm too busy, and I don't have the spoons. The original plan was to publish in time for Christmas so people could order Elaina's Fate for Christmas. Well, we're beyond that now, aren't we? Now the plan is just to make it available to anyone on any e-book site, without using Amazon. Not just for my issues with publishing, but for moral reasons as well. 

I have a lot to think about, a lot to absorb. I can't do that a week before Christmas while I'm working retail. Insert Canadian apology here.  Yeah, I'm seriously sorry.

I hate publishing, it's true. But I LOVE writing. When I feel like giving up, my husband offers these words. "Don't deprive the world of your art." It always works.  Makes my heart sing that he believes like that. 

So somewhere there must be a happy medium, a solution. Not everyone reads paperbacks, and not everyone wants to buy a Kindle or a Nook. I need to figure something else out. 

I'm on it in January! Wish me luck. 

Back to Graves

 Hey, I'm back, and it's not a cat post. 

Gratutitous Black cat photo...

Fall is always crazy busy for me. I don't mind. It's neither too hot nor too cold to get everything done. I'm not going to bore you with the list, but I will tell you that pear loaves are in the freezer, got my flu shot, got my winter tires on, and my house is clean from top to bottom. I don't even have kids, and I can barely keep up. 

I also have a novel coming out named ELAINA'S FATE. I'm on it, for real. Emma designed a wicked cool cover for me, David helped me write the story. Spoiler Alert: You can thank him for the longer and improved battle scene. Heather has worked her usual magic, polishing my words into grammatic prose so well that I can barely tell where she's been. It's still mine...only better. 

I have been slowly crawling toward graveyard shift, and I'm letting it happen. It's natural for me and someday, when I'm a retired crone, I will live like this permanently. I like the day, but my body prefers night time, like a vampire. 

Something happens to my body when Fall arrives. I was practically born an insomniac, but I thought I'd learned how to control it. Sometimes...not all the time. I no longer stay awake for days. Right now, I'm finding that I'm always tired. I wake up in the ungodly hours and can't get back to sleep. I need long daytime naps, and they are blissfully deep snorefests where I wake up refreshed at dinner time. I'm letting it happen. 

If you're wondering what I mean by 'Born an insomniac' , It's like this. I was born in winter and my beloved father worked eleven at night until seven in the morning for the railroad system. (This was when he still went to school at NAIT. Apparently, my father didn't rest much in the early years of his marriage.) I couldn't sleep or be comforted until my father came home from work. He would rock me to sleep, and my mother would serve him bacon with scrambled eggs and a beer after I finally went down for the day.

Also odd fact. I had no idea my father went to the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology to be an electrician until he passed. He became an Instrument Mechanic shortly after we moved to an obscure hamlet named Rainbow Lake and they needed other skills than an electrician. . He challenged the exam to be certified and spent the rest of his life as an Instrument Mechanic That trade was new and he never once spent a day in NAIT'S classroom to become one.  

But I digress, back to graves. Why fight it? I used to work graveyards when I was single and I decades later worked them well for a certain toy company that still exists in Canada. While I'm not working for them this year, the department store I spend 75 to 80 percent of my time working at agrees that coming in after they close is a great idea. The staff already knows me from other late night work I do. No collectors to deal with, I won't be in the way of customers while I do what I need to do. The staff like me, and I like them. I feel energetic just

 thinking about it. This is gonna be great! 

The other stores I do? I can always nap until they open at seven, eight, nine o 'clock, and be there extra early before they are busy. 

Or I can spend my off hours getting ELAINA'S FATE  ready to publish. I win. Or at least I hope so. My goal is to get ELAINA'S FATE out in time for Christmas. I hope so anyway. It's been too long, and I'm sorry. It just wasn't ready, I wasn't ready. Sorry for so much delay.

So please wish me luck.

Doing Things Differently

What's the saying? Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting different results. Change is inevitable, time marches on with or without us, and progress is relative.

It's no secret--I hate marketing, and I suck at it. But I'm open to new ways, and new ideas. Or at least I like to think I am. I talk a lot about trying new things, but I rarely do. Sometimes I cringe at the options. Honestly, sometimes I don't know who to ask, or where to look. I'm hoping that too, will change soon. It's already starting in small ways.

Like how I began a series of novellas rather than full length novels. Novella number two is being processed and is coming soon. Or how about a collection of short stories? Also coming soon.

How about Boosting a Facebook post? Amazon ads and Bookbub ads? Actually, the Amazon ads didn't pull through...I believe it has to do with topless models on the book covers. But the Bookbub ones are going strong, and the Facebook boost introduced new people to my writing.

Cover by Terra Weston

I'm working with a different cover artists. Perhaps you've heard me mention her before....Emma Hibbs has done a great job of the cover for Her True Name: Volume II. We've gone a little brighter in color, and a bit of a different look. I can't wait for you all to see it.

I've recently put copies of Chasing Monsters in Audrey's, a local independently owned bookstore, and they're interested in the new upcoming novella. They've been a pleasure to work with, and I finally got to see my work in a real bookstore. (See above photo)

Whenever I feel worried and uncertain about my future as a successful writer, I am reminded of two things:

1. This is not a race. I'm not going to throw my hands up in defeat because I haven't hit the finish line yet.

2. Change is constant. What doesn't work now, might later, and vice versa. Things I hate to do now might be different years or even months from now. There will be new ways to promote, publish and advertise in the future, and I'll be there to try them and use them to my advantage.

Am I scared? You betcha, but I'm going to keep plodding along. Let's see what fresh hells the future brings, shall we?

Apologies to my Readers

Cover by: Anima Black

Dear Readers. I should be promoting this novella, but I'm sort of avoiding you. The reason is...I feel kind of bad.

Yes, 'Her True Name:Volume One' is available for purchase, but...There is an issue concerning formatting.

It started with a conversation between Sage and the Energy in the prologue. The original version has the Energy speaking  in a stunning Papyrus font, and that's what created the problem.

You see, Createspace doesn't accept any font other than Times New Roman. So it just ignored the font, and replaced it with Times New Roman. I've been trying to fix it since.

Yes, I am aware that I can 'embed' the font, but no, I'm not smart enough to do it. It may as well be math, because that's what it looks like to me..

You know what irritates me? In highschool I had a 92% average in computers. I had a decent grade in typing too. Flash forward a decade or so without using either, and here we are. Everything I learned in highschool computer class is utterly obsolete. I type with two fingers, and I require hands-on help to do the simplest task on my computer. I even needed help to start this blog years ago. Did you know I can't even take a screen shot? I have to pay Heather Savage to do my formatting, because I can't do that either.

I'm digressing. Anyway, my point is, I've made several attempts to fix the problem, but I think I'm making it worse. My novella looks like it was written by a hack. Okay, maybe not that bad, but that's what it feels like. If you'd read any of my stuff, you know I can write! Right?

My big fear is that readers will check out the first chapter of an otherwise decently written novella and say, "Oh for God's sake! This woman can't write! Look at the errors!" Ugh...I'm so sorry.

But I've learned many valuable lessons from my first messy stab at self-publishing. Painful ones that will stick with me a loooong time, so please bear with me. I've still got more books in me--Like Volume Two of this series, and 'Elaina's Fate', which bring me pleasure to compose. I'm hoping to get 'Chasing Monsters' out next, time and finances willing.

If you hang with me, I promise to give you villains to hate, characters to love, and adventures in mythology and reincarnation.

And someday, I will laaaaaugh at this. Thanks for reading <3

Have I Crashed my Plane?

I used to dream of airports. I often dreamed about long rows of plastic chairs lined up on smooth gold floors with hundreds of people rushing by with luggage. Jets screamed past massive windows, and voices echoed over PA systems. The airports are always gold, with statues, moving sculptures or spiral staircases.

Sometimes I found myself strapped into one of those blue economy seats, pointed straight up at the sky. Why do my airplanes always have an open fuselage? No matter the size of the aircraft?

Photo by: Whaldener Endo

I never quite understood what those dreams meant, until the other night.

I was dangling from a parachute, watching as my banana yellow biplane glided away from me, its Bear engine smoking and sputtering. I twisted in my sleep, disturbing my husband.

"What's wrong, Honey?" he asked.

I distinctly remember telling him: "I need to learn how to fly in airplanes again." before going back to sleep.

I haven't been writing much lately. The ITIN still isn't here, and with each passing day, I grow more anxious.

What happens if it isn't approved? How many times must I keep trying? SHOULD I keep trying? Is it worth all this stress? Will Her True Name and Chasing Monsters ever come to print? Or is all the time and money spent all going to go to waste?

I come home from work, thinking about yard work, washing walls and how very little energy I have to do either, never mind write. Is this all there is? To spend hours everyday in a tiny windowless kitchen while I suppress my dreams? Have I forgotten how to fly?

A year, maybe even six months from now, I'm going to look back at this with a smile on my face. I'm going to chuckle at my own doubt. I'll have my muse at my shoulder and another completed novel and/or novella. What's the use of telling new writers to persevere if you can't live by your own words?

Don't worry. As soon as that ITIN is in, the novella will be out. In the meantime, I'll still be writing, even if I have to do it in tiny, exhausted increments. Stand by for take off.

At Last. Progress. (New Cover Release)

Cover by Anima Black.

First, I must apologize. This has been a real adventure, trying to self-publish my new novella, but I'm getting there. I finally have something to show you. TA-DA!!! New book cover!!

The novella is called HER TRUE NAME: VOLUME ONE, and yes, it's going to be series. My first! It is edited by Heather Savage of Staccato Publishing, and the cover is done by Anima Black.

Publishing date? Uncertain, but certainly sometime this month. I hope!

I'm doing this through Createspace, and will have information about it's availability soon. Sorry to say, I only plan to publish it as an e-book. It's only 25,000 words, so it doesn't look feasible to publish it in paper form.

If anyone has questions, I'll be happy to answer them as best I can. In the meantime... Here is the back blurb. (Thanks Heather Savage for helping me write it.) And wish me luck!

When Virtus dies in a demon attack, Sage defies the Energy and goes in search of his soul. She finds him on Earth, and sacrifices her immortality to join him. She will pursue him through every human incarnation, each lifetime, until they can return home to Eden, together.

Finding each other is only the beginning. Theophrastus is a scholar and healer, come back to the village where he was raised. Salvia married a merchant, her greatest joy her three young boys. When Apophis, god of chaos, meddles in the affairs of humans no one is safe. Will they find love again? Or is survival their greater obstacle?"

Yelling From Mountain Tops.

Image by: winnond@FreeDigitalPhotos.net

I am NOT having fun. I've finally sent my novella off to beta readers, and have had reasonable success formatting Chasing Monsters in order to send off to agents and publishers. Time to get on it. The first agent query went out  on the 24th.

So I decided to page through the agent and publisher section of my copy of the 2015 Writer's Market with a highlighter. I'm almost sorry I did. Talk about overwhelming and discouraging! Page upon page of people and organizations with specific requirements and discriminating tastes. Even the avant garde looks daunting. There are several pages without the telltale neon yellow of possibility.

This one only wants Canadian content. This one, only wholesome Christian content. This one only Imprints, whatever that means. No unsolicited manuscripts. No fiction. No romance. Did you know there is a publisher that deals exclusively in vampires? They don't care about the word count or genre, just as long as it has vampires. No vampires, no publishing contract.

I got such a weird feeling. I had a visual of my cartoon self climbing a mountain. (Just a smallish one. No Kilimenjaro or anything.) I stood on the top, listening to loud murmuring from the ground. I yell, "HEY!! I WRITE PARANORMAL ROMANCE NOVELS!!" The noise lessens as groups of people leave. "I WRITE ANGELS, DEMONS AND GODS. PLUS REINCARNATION." It gets a little quieter. "I WRITE GRAPHIC SEX SCENES." By now, I can barely hear the voices from the Earth. "I'VE PUBLISHED TWO NOVELS, BUT I DON'T HAVE MUCH OF A PLATFORM." I'm greeted with silence.  No one out there is listening to me anymore. And I'm worried.

Now I understand the allure of self-publishing. I used to think, "Why would anyone want the hassle?" Now I know. The world of literary agents and publishing houses is an unwelcoming place.

But it isn't a reason to give up. I'm an optimist after all. I'm also an armadillo, and I will persevere.

New Year, New Ideas

I have news. Good or bad, we're not sure yet, but here it is. My publisher at Staccato Publishing, Heather Savage and I have reached a decision. I won't be publishing my next novel with Staccato. I'm going to look for an agent, and a bigger publisher. That's not to say I wouldn't work with Staccato again...This isn't goodbye. It's more like, "See you later, okay?"

With the loss of my husband's job, I need to make a change. The Independent circuit, while allowing all kinds of awesome freedom, doesn't make me enough money. I have to go big. I have Heather's blessing, and I have that wonderful woman's help and encouragement to do so. Thanks, Heather <3

I hemmed and hawwed, but when I finally developed the guts to tell her, she was nothing but kind and helpful. She told me of 'Hybrid authors', and offered advice. Apparently, I can be any kind of published author I want...Independent, big name, or self-published. Good to know, eh?

When my previous publisher had to dump me, she put me in touch with Heather. (Thanks, Nicola) A great partnership followed. Heather Savage is an excellent writer herself, and publishes not for the market necessarily, but books she just think are a great read. If you need to see for yourself, check out David Fingerman, Jacinta Maree, Jay Mims, or any of her other authors at http://www.staccatopublishing.com/Staccato_Publishing/So_that_you_can_write_and_leave_the_rest_to_us....html  I believe in all of them, and in Heather. I just need to try something new.

I will continue to write, as always, but I need to go get a job. Not sure what I'll be doing yet. My trade as a meatcutter is obsolete in the city, with pre-cut meats coming in from Brooks, Alberta and British Columbia, and I'm not sure I want it back anyway. I hate the cold, and now that I have pets, I'm not really sure I want to slice up animals for a living.

I'm worried and scared, but determined. When I get my life back on track, I'll continue to write fiction.  Right now, I'm reworking parts of Chasing Monsters and still writing an Egyptian novella. From there I write a synopsis for Chasing Monsters, and write to an agent. I'll continue to write this blog, and one I just started with my bestie, Melaida Corpuz. It's specifically to help plug her Travel agency with ytb Travel and my Yelp page: http://www.yelp.ca/user_details?userid=iEhpkdXhqA6ozUBwKYPPPA   It's in the beginning phase, but it's called 'How to Hang Out' and here's the first entry:  www.howtohangout.blogspot.com

It's a work in progress...

In the meantime, I'll still be here. Wish me luck?