I Just Fall In Love Again

2015 is nearly over. What a long, winding, frustrating, and beautiful year.

The year began with everyone under so much stress, but it ends with the family in good health and spirits. We added to our family with Pixie. She's my sweetie pie and her affections have alleviated a lot of stress I deal with the last eleven months.

Finishing off the year, I was blessed with a rather successful Bookbub promo this month. Damaged and the Beast reached #11 in Amazon free. Nice to know my first romance still has a little life left.

After the promo, I received an amazing and heartfelt message from a reader who enjoyed Beast and Knight. I felt like a million bucks knowing my writing touched her in such a personal way. Real life can be ugly and harsh, yet also beautiful and redemptive. I love knowing readers can find both the light and dark in my writing.

I'm looking forward to starting fresh in 2016. I have ten projects planned. I doubt I'll get most completed, but better to aim high, right? I'm planning to create a new pen name for a few romance books that I want to write, but that won’t fit the Bijou brand. I'm unsure if I want to go with a name that has a 1970's vibe like Shawna or maybe use my brother Freckles’ nickname MJ. I guess I'll wait to pick a name once I have the book written. Also next year I have audio books in the works, and I'm finally putting together box sets for my three series. 

December is my favorite time of the year. The holidays. The decorations. The nostalgia of looking back at the last 12 months. Looking at mistakes made and goals reached. Planning for new adventures and challenges. Most of all, I love cuddling with my kids and enjoying all my blessings.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

Thankful Time of Year

I’ve wanted to write this post about everything I’m thankful for, but I didn't know where to begin.

I’m most thankful this year for Pooh’s improved health. When I think of where he was at the start of 2015, I see God's hand guiding those caring for him. His every smile is a blessing.

I’m grateful for Tigger and Roo too. They matured a lot this year. They also learned to appreciate their home after the traveling we did.

I’m grateful for Sally’s continued health. She kicked butt while alone with the animals.

I’m grateful for my friendship with Miranda. She’s been at my side through the difficulties with Pooh. When I was stuck creatively, she helped me dig my way out.

I’m grateful for the many new friends I've made this year. Through some faded from my life quickly, others have formed deep bonds.

Finally, I’m grateful to be able to write. I struggled at times this year with my creativity, leading to only five books published. Call it growing pains or reclaiming my voice, but I lost my way this year. Since I started publishing in the summer of 2013, I’ve put out 26 books. I needed to stop and really consider where I was and what I wanted to do next. Now my writing is reinvigorated and I’m looking forward to where God leads me in 2016.

This year felt like a transitional one. Pooh’s improvements will lead to a new, and hopefully permanent, living situation. My family learned to adjust to not seeing Pooh every day. I’ve rediscovered my writing voice and become more outgoing by attending the signings. Tigger, Roo, and Sally are more independent since our trips. After a year of growth and many blessings, I’m thankful.

Happy Halloween

Anyone who knows me is quite aware of my love of horror movies. My oldest son Tigger loves them too. While he's more of a ghost and slasher fan, my preferred horror tastes lean towards zombies and aliens. With Halloween a few days away, I figured I'd post my favorite horror movies. 

10. Here Comes the Devil (2013)

This quietly disturbing movie bothered me for days after I watched it. The Mexican horror flick is raw and quiet. The evil's normalcy makes everything all too believable.

9. Aliens (1986)

The first one is a classic, but the second one scared me more. There were more aliens, Ripley being a bigger badass, a child in jeopardy, and a group of tough Marines. Even after all these years, Aliens remains an exciting action horror film.

8. Dawn of the Dead (1979)

The first horror movie my brother and I ever watched. The grittiness of the original still gets under my skin. Besides, when the zombie apocalypse happens, who wouldn't want to hang out at the mall?

7. Night of the Creeps (1986)

I enjoy campy horror. This one has sorority girls in danger, a crazy slasher, and zombies. Despite the humor, the idea of alien slugs flying into your mouth, laying eggs in your brain, and turning you into a zombie just freaks me out.

6. [REC] (2007)

Spanish horror movies always leave me happy. This one was a great twist on possession, zombies, and found footage. I really like how the outbreak was related to demon possession rather than a virus. The film's realistic acting and setup makes the movie more terrifying. [REC]2 was really good too while [REC]3 had fantastic gore. I found the final [REC] a disappointment though.

5. Evil Dead 2 (1987)

I still remember driving around Los Angeles when this movie was about to be released and hearing the commercial on the radio. The mother's evil voice scared the shit out of me. The movie was even scarier, plus campy as hell. Evil Dead 2 contains an outstanding performance by Bruce Campbell.

4. Return of the Living Dead (1985)

Campy horror is still horror and this movie gave me the creeps. Zombies that can't be killed are bad enough, but these zombies are extra gooey gross. The sequel was even more awesome for taking place in suburbia. Plus the kid with braces made for a terrifying zombie.

3. The Thing (1982)

Halloween is a great slasher film, but for me John Carpenter's most frightening flick is this alien themed horror. Kurt Russell is immensely likable as he faces paranoia in a camp in Antarctica where anyone might be the monster. The special effects are truly gross and far superior to the CGI used today.

2. Evil Dead (1981)

I saw this movie in junior high with my best buddy Quasar. She thought it was campy fun. I was scared shitless. The OTT effects still creep me out. The 2014 remake was bloody gross, but not nearly as scary. I also missed Ash.

1. Exorcist (1973)

Everyone knows this movie, so there's no need explaining why it's terrifying. I had nightmares from the TV commercials with Regan crab walking down the stairs.

Memorable mentions:

You're Next (2011) - a slasher flick that surprised me in a good way.

Shaun of the Dead (2004) - it's both zombie gross and genuinely funny.

It Follows (2014) - a slow burning and scarily creative movie.

Fulci's Zombie (1979) - despite the horrible acting and writing, the movie is brutally entertaining.

Sinister (2012) - Going into this movie without knowing if the bad guy was a slasher or something supernatural, I was shocked by the effective film.

The Dead (2010) - a low budget zombie flick set in an African country that left me thinking about the outcome for days.

Event Horizon (1997) - a great haunted spaceship flick.

Tremors (1990) - campy fun with the hippy dad from Family Ties packing heat.

Lost Boys (1987) - a teen fave of mine that still holds up after over 25 years.

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978) - paranoia is a powerful tool in horror movies and this one uses the technique just right.

Poltergeist (1982) - the normalcy of the family made the horror so much more effective.

Right or Wrong

I'm back from my fifth signing this year. Sassy in Savannah had a huge reader turnout with so many great authors. I spent half of my time playing fangirl. I finally met Aurora Rose Reynolds and TM Frazier and now have signed copies from them. I didn't get as many pictures as usual, but the place was a madhouse. The organizers did an outstanding job bringing readers out, even during poor weather.

On the way to Savannah, we encountered car trouble. What started as a pain turned into a blessing. I met two wonderful people who helped me with the car. The wife Wanda is a retired journalist and aspiring writer. She's also a woman of Christ, so I was immediately comforted by their help.

The boys enjoyed the trip, but they're happy to be nearly done with traveling. I don't know what I was thinking by agreeing to three signings in a six week period. Fortunately, the last one is in nearby Cincinnati. Plus, my tablemate is Aimie Grey and we'll hook up with Shyla Colt for dinner.

For 2016, I'm planning fewer signings. While I enjoy traveling and meeting authors and readers, the signings take a lot of time and focus away from writing. This year, I'll likely only publish seven books. Since my goal is to write more books each year, something has to give. So far, I've signed up for three signings and I'm on the waiting list for a fourth. It's always possible I might be lured to attend something additional especially if the location is nearby and I have friends signed up.

With all the traveling, I'm behind on Live Wire. Luckily, the last week I've hit a writing groove. I likely won't make the late October release date, but it shouldn't be too much longer. I still plan to get another Bijou book out this year and one from Dakota.

Roo turned 12 in Savannah. My baby is nearly as tall as Sally and me. He has a ways to go before he'll catch up to his big bros though.

Pooh continues to do well at the residential facility. He's currently being prepped to move into a house with one of his roommates. I know this will be a big transition for him, but we hope the move will be his last for a long time.

My faith has been bolstered by the last two years as Pooh struggled then improved. I realized I'd neglected my Christian fantasy books, but finally focused a little money on marketing them. While Angelic Redemption will never be my moneymaking series, I've gained a few fans for the books. I can't express how exciting it is to have people asking when the next Dakota book will be released. Yes, I feel more pressure now, but I love all my books from all my pen names. Though Sally and Miranda enjoy the Dakota books, I'm thrilled to share the AR series will new people.

What I learned from attending these signings is how to mellow out and roll with each experience. I also met so many different authors writing so many different books. Indie publishing has opened the door to such a great variety of voices. In Savannah alone, I met several authors who write in my sub-genre that I'd never heard of and now I'm checking out their books. Even enjoying a large number of author friends, I've barely scratched the surface of the indie publishing revolution.

I better get back to Live Wire, so I'll sign up with the legendary George Strait singing one of my fave country songs.

Gold

Four signings down, two more to go in 2015!

Tigger, Roo, and I enjoyed our time in Louisville. We arrived on Thursday to allow us an extra day with the hotel pool and hot tub. Tigger especially loves swimming.

The Kentuckiana Authors Book Blitz signing took place at a grand theater in downtown Louisville. I wish I'd had more time to explore, but what I did see was quite beautiful. The boys and I set up on the second-floor lounge.

The author at the next table was Cate Peace, a super fun chick. Her friend was really interesting too. Towards the end of the signing, they asked for marketing tips. Cate is with a small publisher. Like most authors, she has trouble finding readers in a crowded market. I shared what I've tried and what's worked for my author friends. I also suggested she try indie publishing. Too many small publishers leave all the work to the authors while taking a chunk of the profits. For an author with the right work ethic and motivations, indie publishing really is the best way to go.

During lunch, I watched Cate's table while she and her friend went to eat. She did the same for the boys and me. She also suggested trying Sicilian Pizza & Pasta a few doors down from the theater. The pizza was delicious and the crust was the best I've ever eaten.

When we returned to the theater, I stopped by the erotica room to see Shyla Colt while my poor boys ended up watching my table. Shyla is simply one of the coolest people I've met. The way she thinks about writing and marketing is so dead on that I had to pry myself away from her table. I can't wait to see her again at the Queen of the West signing next month.

Once everyone packed up at the theater, we headed back to the hotel after a quick stop at Chipotle for dinner. I enjoyed Louisville and might return next year. A lot will depend on my signing schedule by the time author/organizer Atty Eve posts the details for her next book blitz. I have three signings already set and I'm on a few waiting lists. No doubt, God will lead me down the right path.

I meet so many interesting people when I do signings. Authors share their war stories and battle wounds. At the Kentuckiana signing, an author walked up to my table, checked out my books, and asked if I did audio books. I said I hadn't gotten around to it yet. She suggested I give it a try since my books were the type to sell well. After explaining how she put hers together and the way they sold, she returned to her table. This casual sharing of insight is difficult when authors are always behind their computers writing.

Despite the fun of traveling, I was happy to get home to Sally and the pets. Pixie especially missed me. Sally did so well on her own that she's cool with Tigger traveling to Georgia with Roo and me. Normally, I hate leaving her for so long with four animals and their drama. She insists she can keep the pets in line and survive all the whining they do. :)

I need to make the most of the next week and a half before we leave for the Sassy in Savannah signing. I'm still writing two Bijou novels and editing the fourth Angelic Redemption book. Sometimes, I feel like I'll never get ahead by working on three projects simultaneously. Other times, I feel super productive. We'll see how everything turns out in October.

Country Roads

The Carolina Book Fest is over, and I've returned to Indy with Roo. I had a blast meeting readers. I also met top shelf authors including Tabatha Vargo, Beth Flynn, LP Dover, Alyssa Rose Ivy, and Tara Brown. I enjoyed hanging out with my tablemate Valerie Twombly who writes paranormal romance. During quiet times, we discussed marketing. She shared a few ideas she'd seen online while I told her a few tricks I use to increase my ranking with new releases.

At the table next to mine was Kelly Walker who writes YA romance. She was super sweet, even though I kept bumping her table with my big butt every time I got up to rearrange something. An author I nearly missed meeting is Inger Iversen who writes contemporary romance. I met her during in the last hour when I was looking for signatures for a giveaway I'm planning.

The signing was well organized and a lot of readers showed up, so I can't complain about a single thing. In fact, I'll likely sign up for next year even though I've already hit my four signing maximum for 2016.

The signing was held at the Hilton hotel, and I was able to upgrade my room. The view from our 11th floor bay window was so impressive that even Mr. Nonchalant Roo was impressed.

Despite all the fun, I had a stressful week. I'm rushing as always to get another book out. Thunderstruck took longer than I planned (heard that before) but thanks to Candy Girl (again I've said this before), I'll make the Thursday release date.

I planned to contribute a novella to a box set later in the year. Unfortunately, this plan fell through, and now I'll publish the story myself. The upside is I can flesh out the romance without worrying about word counts.

The rest of the year should be busy. I have three more signings scheduled along with three books to publish after Thunderstruck. I'd love to get a fourth book out, but with the change in the box set situation, I don't see that happening.

During the drive to Charlotte, I came up with a new idea. I'm thinking the two or three book series could be written next year. I'm allowing my gut to dictate what to write next rather than forcing stories.

My next project is to clean up Wounded Soul (FINALLY) and publish the fourth Angelic Redemption novel next month for my Dakota pen name. I'm giving myself a week to edit the book before I start my new Bijou story.

My next signing is the Kentuckiana Authors Book Blitz in Louisville. I'm excited about this one for several reasons. One is I'm able to do a little pimping for Dakota. I figured since this signing has such a wide range of genres represented, I could show off the new covers Miranda created for the AR series. This is the first signing where I'm able to give my Christian fantasy series any attention.

Another reason I'm excited is that Tigger and Roo will join me for the day. The theater where the signing takes place is quite beautiful and I knew they'd enjoy looking around. Most romance signings would bore them, yet the various genres at the KABB should keep them entertained.

Finally, I decided to join the signing when I saw one particular woman on the author list. I admit I fangirl Shyla Colt, but can anyone blame me? She's desperately cool and charming. We'll be at the same signing next year in Mississippi, but I'm hoping we get a chance to chat next month too.

I can't believe August is nearly over. I still have plenty of work to do. Hope everyone is enjoying the end of their summer (or winter if you live on the other side of the equator).

Cacapoopoopeepeeshire

How is July over? The month flew by, as it tends to do every summer.

I spent the month decluttering the house and collecting things for a charity pickup. Like most families, we keep things we don't need. I still have clothes and toys from when the boys were babies. It's my hope to move to a new house in a few years. Downsizing the amount of belongings we have now will gives us fewer things to move later.

July marked the eleventh year we've lived in Indianapolis. This is the longest I've stayed in one home. As a kid, we tended to move every five years.

Moving from California to Indiana remains a great decision. The cost of living is better and we enjoy four seasons. I had no idea how much better the schools were or how easily the state allow parents to home school. I never saw myself homeschooling, to be honest. Yet this will be my third year doing just that with Roo.

He begins 6th grade this Monday. Like many kids, he isn't thrilled to start school. He'd rather spend all day playing Xbox or Roblox. Oh, well, he'll survive a few hours of schoolwork a day.

Pooh's health remains improved, but it'll always be a struggle. He's doing well at the residential facility, playing softball on the weekends and visiting the zoo last week. Soon, he'll be moved to a home for his adult care. My hope is Pooh will be settled into a more permanent location by the holidays.

Writing-wise, I'm still working on Thunderstruck. A few times during this book, I've lost my way and had to step back. In fact, I've been rather stuck creatively this year, publishing only three books. I had expected to be farther ahead in 2015. Despite the slow start, I still hope to have eight books out by the end of the year including one for Dakota. Considering August is here and I'm still working on Thunder, eight books out by December 31st feels like a foolish dream, but I'm all about aiming high and falling short.

I remind myself that since July 2012 I've published 24 books (Angela - 8, Dakota - 3, Bijou - 13) True, many of them are now unpublished since I don't have the time or focus to finish the Angela series. One day, I'll clean them up and republish. First, I need to finish my Dakota series, which should be completed in 2017.

On the 25th, I joined a fellow author, Aimie Grey, for lunch in Richmond, Indiana (halfway between her home in Ohio and mine in Indy). We enjoyed pizza at a quirky place and talked about writing for hours. It's always fun to discuss the creative process. I'll see Aimie again in October when we attend the Queen of the West signing.

August will be a busy month. I'm publishing Thunderstruck on the 20th. I have the Carolina Book Fest on the 15th. I'm also hoping to finish the edits on Wounded this month. Oh, and I need to get started on the novelette I'm writing for a box set due in mid-September.

Here's hoping August is a fun and productive month for everyone!

 

FYI, the post title comes from an episode of Family Guy. This joke had Roo and me in stitches.