Where I've Been and Where I'm Going

I promised I was going to share what's been going on with me and why I was away from the blog for awhile. Here we go...

First off, I got distracted by life. There were lots of writing commitments and then my mom came out for a one week visit. We had lots of fun, but the blog fell by the wayside. Which just proved to me that I have to pre-schedule more stuff.

Last week I was gone for health reasons. After waking up in the middle of the night with heart palpitations and a numb left arm, I went to the emergency room and was then admitted to the hospital for tests. The good news is that the doctors found nothing wrong with my heart. More good news is that I was given a new medication which has brought my heart rate and blood pressure into normal parameters and I've felt great this last week.

Looking back now, I probably wasn't in any danger of dying. But at the time, I felt like I was. That kind of scare makes you do a lot of thinking. About the things you still want to do. And about what you're willing to give up to stay healthy. I realized that eating everything I want is less important than being healthy and alive. So I've completely revamped my lifestyle. I've pretty much said goodbye to caffeine, salt, and fat. I've embraced fruits and veggies. And I'm slowly working exercise into my list of things to do.

From a career standpoint, I'm working hard to stay on task and not get stressed out about things I have no control over. I'm making good progress writing the new book, and I just launched a new blog for women in ministry (more on that tomorrow).

God has blessed me with a great life, and I'm going to live it to the fullest!


How about you? Have you ever had this kind of life changing, epiphany moment? What did you change? Did it stick? 

The Shack: A Cinderella Self-Publishing Story with a Not-So-Happy Ending

Whenever writers talk about self-publishing, those on the "pro" side of the room usually point to a handful of fantastical success stories: Eragon by Christopher Paolini,  The Christmas Box by Richard Paul Evans, and most recently, The Shack by William Paul Young. But alas, there's not much love left in The Shack.

If you're one of the three people in America who haven't already heard about it, here's a a very quick and simple history of The Shack. William Paul Young wrote it for his kids. He gave copies to friends. They all loved it and said, "You should publish this." He tried. No publisher would touch it. Finally, two pastors, Wayne Jacobsen and Brad Cummings, found out about the book, created Windblown Media, published The Shack, and a star was born. Unfortunately, no contracts were drawn up specifying how the money end of this deal would work. It was all verbal agreements and handshakes. You can see where this is going...

In 2008, after the book had sold about a billion copies, Hachette Book Group got involved and cut a deal to market and distribute The Shack. At that point, contracts were finally signed. But now, several million dollars in royalties later, there is no joy in Shack-ville. You can read the whole sad tale in this Los Angeles Times article, but suffice to say, there's a whole lot of suing going on.

What had become the shining example of how successful a self-published author could be has now transformed into a cautionary tale. The fairy tale has become something of a Greek tragedy. To me, it's just another example of how important it is to have an agent (or at least a lawyer) represent you. Part of the mess going on right now seems to be because these three men signed a standard contract that they did not fully understand. Now that they've taken a closer look at how the money's split, they don't like it. Getting someone who understood contract language involved up front would have eliminated those issues.

I wish everyone in this situation well. While I wasn't wild over The Shack like many of my friends were, I still recognize that it ministered to a lot of people. And now it gives those of us in the publishing industry (and those hoping to break in) a brand new lesson. Sadly, one it never intended to teach

The $6 Haircut - Creative Thinking in an Ever-Changing Marketplace

Most TV commercials make my eyes glaze over. But there's a commercial running right now for Office Depot that's not only funny, it's pretty darn perceptive.

"This is Dan," the announcer says. Dan owns a neighborhood barber shop. When a new chain-salon opens across the street offering $6 haircuts, Dan is distressed. He can't compete with that price. But Dan is not a man who gives up. Dan is smart. Dan is innovative. Dan shops at Office Depot, which is where he goes to buy everything he needs to make a banner proclaiming "WE FIX $6 HAIRCUTS." Six months later, the chain is out of business, and Dan is sitting pretty.

While the ad didn't make we want to run out and buy office supplies, it did get me thinking about how business owners react to changing trends. Which in turn got me thinking about how I react. As a writer, I'm really a small business owner. My books are my products, and all around me the publishing industry is changing.

Audio books, e-books, Kindle, iPad, Nook, web sites, book trailers, blog tours, social networking... Mark Twain didn't have to deal with any of this stuff! It can be overwhelming to be sure, but it's also invigorating. Today's Authors have more ways to connect with readers than ever before. The challenge is to grow, adapt, find what works for you and your peeps (or Tweets, if you're into that, as I am).

Here are some of the things I've done in my quest to publicize my new book, The Pastor's Wife (did I mention I have a new book coming out?)

• I put together a blog tour
• I created a book trailer
• I blog (obviously)
• I've got a web site (which isn't really new, but it's updated)
• I did an audio interview on FictionAddict.com (a completely new experience for me)
• I've made myself available for speaking engagements and book club visits

At this point, I feel like I've done everything I can do to promote the book, short of visiting Oprah (and if she call, I'm there!) Now, it's time for the readers to decide. Ultimately, they're the ones in charge of the most powerful marketing tool of all: word of mouth buzz.

Writers, what are you doing to market yourself that you never thought you'd do?
Readers, what was the last book you just had to tell your friends about? What made it so special?

Lightbulb photo - Morguefile.com

Bookmark Creation Via a Parade of File Extensions

Well, the new year is starting off at a crawl. I hoped to have a lot of work done on my WIP by now. Not so much. Of course, today is the first day of the first full week of the year, so it's a good time to get started. I'm not beat yet!

One thing I did accomplish this weekend was ordering bookmarks to promote my new novel, The Pastor's Wife. I'm sure that sounds simple, but it's not. My insanely talented friend designed a bookmark for me, so I thought I had it licked. But every time I tried to upload it to the printer website, I got a message that the resolution was too low. Not wanting to bug my buddy yet again, I decided to create my own bookmark image.

Long ago in the techy-stone-age, I learned how to do desktop publishing on Microsoft Publisher, a program which is regarded as something of a joke by professional graphics folk. But I like it. It's easy for me. And I haven't mastered the learning curve of Adobe Photoshop yet. Problem is, most printers refuse to work with Publisher files.

Now I was in a pickle. But I figured out a work around.

I designed my bookmark in Publisher. I then converted it to a PDF. Then I opened that up in Adobe where I was able to save it as the proper file type.

TA DAH!

So, while I didn't get any new writing done, I did expand my mind and complete a task that was at the top of my To Do list. And I did it all without cursing. Ten points for me!

And how was your day?

New Goal #1 - Announcing the New Work-In-Progress

Okay, folks. After much consideration, I've decided what the next book will be...

Come Together - a futuristic medical thriller.

From a business standpoint, this may not seem like the best choice. After all, my first two published books are both contemporary romantic fiction, so I'm kind of stepping out of that genre. However, I do have my reasons:

• I want to push myself - By writing something so different, I'm going to need to stretch and go beyond what I'm comfortable with. I think that's a good thing.
• I love weird stuff - I read just about everything, but when it comes to TV, my favorite shows tend to be those with sci-fi tendencies: LOST, V, Flash Forward, Stargate SG-1... Need I go on?
• I'm already working on another book - Yes, it's true. My buddy, Lisa, and I decided to take a stab at co-writing a book. It's a historical romantic mystery. So I want my solo book to be completely on the other end of the fiction spectrum.
• I can always adapt - If I get a nibble or an actual bite from an editor who wants a different story, I will happily switch horses. That's the nice thing about not having a contract for the story you're working on. (Truthfully, that's the only nice thing about it.)

There you have it. My thought process, scattered though it may be. And here, for your enjoyment (hopefully) is a short blurb for my new work-in-progress, Come Together

In 2063 the Inmate Organ Donor Program is in full swing thanks to the success of a breakthrough anti-rejection drug created by DNA therapy expert Dr. Stella Ramirez. But something's gone wrong. Within the span of two weeks, seven people report odd side effects. They’re doing things they didn’t know how to do before, going places they’ve never been yet knowing exactly how to get there, and having flashes of memory that don’t belong to them. After some digging, Dr. Ramirez makes a troubling discovery. They all have one thing in common. They all received transplants from the same donor: Bart Myers.

As Stella searches for an answer to this medical mystery, she uncovers even more disturbing information about the donor program. An investigative reporter, Myers was convicted of a murder he claimed he didn’t commit just days before it was made public that his brother, Franklin, founder of the IODP, needed a bone marrow transplant.

Stella knows she’s being followed, but it’s not until someone close to the investigation disappears that she realizes the danger she’s in. Stella and the affected transplant recipients must come together to save each other, avenge the death of an innocent man, and expose the corruption that snakes its way to the highest levels of the government

Yowza. This one's definitely going to stretch me... an ensemble cast, multiple storylines, and politics. Well, there's only one way to write it. One word at a time. To that end, here's goal #2 for the year: Write 1000 words a day at least five days a week. I'll let you know how that goes.

Now, what about you? What's your goal this year? Is there something that you need some accountability help with? Maybe we can help each other.

Happy New Year to you all!


Photo credit: www.dreamstime.com - Dusipuffi

Not Wasting the Waiting

Have you ever noticed how some folks like to make up rhyming mottos for the year? You know, things like Feeling Great in 2008! Well, if I were to assign a snappy saying to last year, it would have to be Waiting in Line in 2009. Because it feels like I spent a good chunk of the year waiting for things to happen.

About a hundred years ago, when I decided to chase the elusive career title of "writer", I knew it would take hard work. I knew I would have to study, learn my craft, and write even when I didn't feel like it. But I never grasped how much of this business involves waiting on responses from others. It seems like I'm always waiting on an email or (less often) a phone call, either from someone I'm already working with or someone I hope to work with.

And my personal life hasn't moved any faster. This summer, we decided it was time to buy a house. In the current economic climate, you wouldn't think buying a house would take too long. Guess again. There's a long (and to you, probably boring) story behind it, but we've spent the last six months on this project. We are currently in the process of buying a short-sale home. The name is misleading because there's nothing short about it. I'm happy because I feel like this is the house we're supposed to wind up in. But I still don't enjoy the waiting.

My biggest problem is that I don't spend my waiting time well. There are lots of things I need to do. Packing, for one. But then how do I know what to pack when I have no idea when we'll actually move? So, the packing doesn't get done.

Of course, there's always something that needs to be written. I really should be working on a new book right now. Should is the operative word, there. While I have been working on different projects, I have yet to commit myself to the one... that new, glistening concept that I will dedicate the next however-many months of my life to until it's complete. Nope. Right now, I'm kind of speed-dating my manuscript ideas.

One of my goals for 2010 is to manage my time better, and I need your help to do it. Even if you don't comment on the blog, it's okay. I know you're out there. So I'm going to be accountable to you. My hope is that, by sharing my goals with you, I will actually accomplish them. Because if I don't, I'll have to answer to y'all.

So here's goal number one: commit to a new novel to complete in 2010.
And here's my deadline: January 1st.

On New Year's Day, come check up on me and I'll give you a sneak peak for my new novel. I hope!


Photo credit: www.dreamstime.com