How to Stay Motivated During NaNoWriMo

Good news is goal number one/priority number one has been reached. All the World's a Stage, is on schedule. Book #1 revisions are complete, cooling off, waiting for the editorial calendar/clock to begin and I have already started writing Book #2 in the series.

And since I haven't figured out how to add two or three extra hours in a twenty-four-hour day, NaNoWriMo is not happening for me this year, but that's okay. My marketing and PR efforts are taking up way more time than I anticipated, and to be honest, my gut told me to shelve the idea of NaNoWriMo this year and keep going with my original goal of getting my trilogy written, ASAP.

Although I'm not participating in NaNoWriMo, the excitement is still around the writing community and I know lots of teens taking on the writing challenge. So I'm doing a virtual cheer for all you brave writers in the trenches, your fingers wildly tapping away. I feel your pain. I know how your eyeballs hurt from too much screen time, and your shoulders and back ache. And since I can't give you all a virtual back rub, I figured I'd share a few ways I stay inspired and on track with my writing.

Tip #1:  Exercise. Every day.
Do whatever works for you. A very smart person told me that if a lumberjack never sharpens her saw, she's going to work harder and be less productive, i.e., chop down less trees (not my favorite analogy because I get choked up when any tree is being cut down, but hey, you get the point). Daily exercise is a must and when that cursor is sitting on an empty page and you've done nothing but write and delete a hundred times, get up, take a walk or a run or whatever you like to do, and come back to your story.

Tip #2:  Mindless, repetitive tasks.
Mindless, repetitive tasks help cultivate creativity. Get up from your story and do something mindless for at least twenty minutes after about an hour of writing time. Laundry, dishes, cleaning the shower stall with a toothbrush, shredding documents - you get the idea.

Tip #2: Read your previous work.

I always start every writing session reading the previous writing session's work (and tweaking and revising as I read). I'm not a sports person, but I've taken enough P.E. classes in my day to know that you must warm up before any kind of exercise or game. Same with writing.  

Tip #3: Know where you're going.
When I get stuck, it is because I'm lost. Look at the big picture for your story. Maybe you need to rewrite what you just wrote yesterday because you wrote yourself into a corner. I know it sounds daunting, but sometimes rewriting the previous section, gets you out of that corner, frees you up, and you will double your word count for the day. In other words, you're going to go backwards to move forwards.

Tip #5: Find a routine.
It's cliche' but you have to find a writing routine that works for you. I like to use the analogy of getting ready for bed. You have a routine for that, and the "getting ready for bed" routine helps your mind wind down. Writing is the same. Get some kind of routine going that gives your mind a signal it's time to write.

Tip #5: Life outside the novel does not exist.
If you're going to focus on getting to your word count for the day or week or whatever, you have to block out life. There just isn't any other way to put it. When you sit down to write, nothing else happens. Period.

Tip #6: No freaking out.
Sometimes the thought of writing so many words is worse than actually doing it. You might have had a bad day, or life gets in the way and you're way behind on your word count. When you sit down to write, set your goal but don't panic. It might seem a like a huge mountain but don't freak out. Just write. Decide you will stay at your computer until you reach that word count, no matter what and do not check your word count until you are ready to cry (seriously). When you're exhausted, check where you're at. If you made it to your goal, great. Reward yourself big. If you're close (within a few hundred words) give yourself a break and call it a day, but make a goal to make up those words during your next writing session. The biggest thing is this: you need to decide you will reach your goal no matter what. Tape that word count onto your computer and keep at it. Within a few days, you'll catch up and reach your goal, as long as you don't panic. I promise.

Crazy Good Things

As you know, I’ve been working on revisions for All the World’s a Stage, which is going at a super-duper clip, meaning 85,000 words will be redone, revamped and revised by the end of October. (I'm at about 31,000 now - which is ahead of my self-imposed deadline!)

My next plan of action is to take on the ridiculously insane task of writing a brand new novel for NaNo in November, while All the World's a Stage takes a break and cools down. I’m plotting the book as we speak, and although it is untitled, the genre is New Adult, which are stories featuring protagonists a bit older than in YA (18-24 years old).

After NaNo's over and December rolls around, All the World's a Stage gets passed onto my editor. After she edits, I'll work through another few revisions, while drawing up my marketing and promotion plans. All the World’s a Stage should come out in April/May. 

Okay, so while writing six to seven hours a day, I’m still marketing and selling like crazy. In September, I had an awesome time at the Chicago Writers Conference, speaking on a panel about self-publishing, which is my second most fav subject to talk about - aside from writing.

I’m also doing signings and more presentations. October 19^th, I’ll be at the Barnes and Noble in Rockford, Illinois signing books, and November 2^nd I’ll be signing books at an Indie Book Fair in Lake Forest, Illinois. This is an event where only independent authors will be in attendance, so if you’re a reader who wants to discover the next best author, come check us out. It is a free event. All the info is posted below and on my events tab. You can also check out my other social media sites for more information as well.

And finally, if you want to know how to become a successful self-published author or know of a writer who's thinking about self-publishing, come to Lake Forest, Illinois on November 3^rd. There will be an agent rep, two other successful authors and myself hosting a half-day workshop. We’ll cover almost everything there is to know about publishing options, and what to do and not do in an industry that is literally changing daily. For more information and to register, click on the link to the right. I also have a link on my Facebook page and other social media sites.

That is it for now. Plan on hearing from me in November, as I blog briefly about my NaNo experience. Phew, I’m exhausted just thinking about it. J As always, thanks for your support and loyalty! 

Cheers,

Shari 

The Train's on the Tracks

One of my loyal followers sent me an email wondering how she accidentally unsubscribed to my blog.  She was all like, “I don’t know what happened. I don’t get your posts anymore.”  And I’m all like, yyyeeeaaah, that's 'cause I haven’t posted since April.” 

What??

Right.  So I'm announcing my return. I'm back in the writing chair, back on the dance floor, back in the game, the train is back on the tracks. And since I can't think of anymore cheezy metaphores, I'll get to the point.

First, I’d like to report some really awesome news:  Wish I Could Have Said Goodbye won another award, taking the Gold (first place) in the Independent Book Publisher’s Contest for best eBook in the young adult category, and Wish I Could Have Said Goodbye made its first appearance at the national American Library Association conference in Chicago last June.  And speaking of appearances, I'm scheduled to speak and/or sign books in and around Chicago from September through November at various locations and venues.  Check out my calendar on my events page for details.

And what about All the World's a Stage?  Here's the scoop:  In the midst of making lemons out of lemonade (blog post January, 2013) All the World’s a Stage had major production delays and won’t be released until the first half of 2014, which seems light years away, but in terms of book-publishing-calendar-time, it is really super-duper quick. My revised plan for All the World's a Stage will give me enough time to finish edits, go into production, and give you (my loyal fans/readers) another award-winning, fantabulous book.

I have to admit, I’ve missed my characters, my writing, and my life in general.  My life was completely derailed without warning but the good news is I'm ready to roll again.  Part of my derailment involved having to move my kids, my dog, my office and my life, and I gotta admit, it was like whoa, what happened??? Major life-changing times for sure, but that’s life, right?  In fact, as I was plowing through what seemed like ten-gah-zillion-boxes, I was thinking about how as writers, this is what we do to our characters.  We invent one ginormous event to set off the story and then -- pile it on baby. 

Anyway, that’s my story.  You’ll see more of me now and I’ll keep you posted on progress, I promise.  I still have a novella in the works with Carmella and Howie in Paris and a host of other things in the hopper.  So be patient, stuff is on the way, and thanks a truckload for your support.

Cheers!

Happy Birthday Shakespeare

April 23rd marks Shakespeare's 449th Birthday - or at least we think this is his birthday. Shakespeare's exact birthday was not documented, but he was baptized on April 26th. April 23rd is an approximate date of birth given to him based on his baptismal record. Ironically, April 23rd marks the day he died as well.  So fitting for a man who devoted his life to literature.

Shakespeare, is of course, one of the greatest writers of all time, and considered to be one of the greatest influences in the world of literature. In basing my three book series very loosely on Shakespeare, I've done some research into the history of his contributions.  For example, I knew he was a literary genius, but did not know he is given credit for contributing over 3000 words to the English language.  Also, his work ranks number two for being quoted the most in history.  The Bible is number one.

And my last birthday-celebration-tidbit-about Shakespeare probably won't come as a huge surprise.  Along with being a gifted artist, Shakespeare was quite a smart businessman as well. One example of his business sense, was his decision to write Sonnets.  He began writing them not because he was exploring a new medium for his talents, it was purely a business decision. He wrote Sonnets because the plague hit and he had to make a living.  So he diversified - in response to what his market (audience) needed.

So, in honor of Shakespeare's birthday and his life, here's the infamous five lines from As You Like It.

All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages.

Kindle Top Ten List Interview

Lots of things going on in authorland these days.  First off, today Karleen Tauszik is interviewing me on her awesome blog KidsEBookBestsellers.com, a website devoted to children's e-books and featuring authors whose books reach the Kindle Bestseller lists.

Read the entire interview here.

And don't forget, just a few more days on tour.  Here's the stops for today:

2/13 For Love and Books ~ Review
2/13 Ivy Book Bindings ~ Review

Finally, this Sunday if you'd like to see me in person, stop by the Seminary Co-op bookstore in Hyde Park for the first annual Certificate in Creative Writing Program Alumni Reading. Books will be for sale, but most importantly, you get to hear five other awesome writers read from their work.  If you're yearning to connect with the literary community of Chicago, come and check us out! 

Details below:

Alumni Reading

Sunday, February 17, 2-4 pm

Seminary Coop Bookstore 

5754 S. Woodlawn, Hyde Park, IL; www.semcoop.com

Featuring:

·         Shari A. Brady (novelist; author of the award-winning YA novel, Wish I Could Have Said Goodbye)

·         Ralph Gerbie (essayist)

·         Paul Luikart (fiction writer; 2012 Pushcart Prize nominee)

·         Terry Madl (novelist)

·         Barbara Kreader Skalinder (poet)

·         Ed Winkofsky (fiction writer)

Exciting News - Thanks to You!

I'm leaping up for joy thrilled to announce Wish I Could Have Said Goodbye made the Kindle paid Bestseller list and took #1 and #3 spots in two categories.  All I can say is yippeee and thank you, thank you, thank you.  Without my loyal fans out there talking about the book and posting reviews, this wouldn't be possible.  You are the best!

Second, yesterday kicked off my second blog tour so stop by and say hello. At each stop, you can enter the Rafflecopter for a chance to win a signed copy of the print book (with an award sticker on it), an ebook or a $25 Amazon gift card. And don't forget, all of February the ebook is only 99 cents, so spread the word and thanks again for all your support!


Tour Schedule:
2/4 Chocolate Coated Reviews ~ Excerpt & Interview
2/4 Moosubi Reviews ~ Review & Top Ten
2/5 The Flyleaf Review ~ Review 
2/5 Love is Not a Triangle ~ Review & Excerpt
2/6 I Am a Reader, Not a Writer ~ Interview
2/6 I Talk Books! ~ Review
2/7 A Diary of a Book Addict ~ Review
2/7 A Dream Within a Dream ~ Excerpt
2/8 Emily's Crammed Bookshelf ~ Review 
2/8 Reads and Thoughts ~ Review
2/9 YA Romantics ~ Review 

2/11 Coffee, Books and Me ~ Excerpt 
2/11 Xpresso Reads ~ Review
2/12 Candace's Book Blog ~ Confident Reads Interview
2/12 Lost in YA Wonderland ~ Review & Excerpt
2/13 For Love and Books ~ Review
2/13 Ivy Book Bindings ~ Review
2/14 Alluring Reads ~ Review
2/14 D for Darla's Definite Reads ~ Excerpt 
2/15 Buried in Books ~
2/15 Pink Polka Dot Book Blog ~ Review

Making Lemons out of Lemonade

Now that 2013 is in full swing I thought it was time for a report on what’s going on in Shari Brady, author land.  First of all, I’m proud (and a little embarrassed) to admit, one of my biggest resolutions for the year was to get more exercise.  Writing almost every waking moment of my life is so seriously sedentary (obvious, I know), I decided to be diligent in scheduling time to get out of the chair and get the old heart rate up.  It’s going great so far, and the regular, regimented exercise is not only helping me stay physically fit, but I am living proof that exercise helps manage enormous life-altering levels of stress.

Yes, life altering events have taken place in the Brady house and although not tragic, very unfortunate and life changing - for sure.  I’m happy to report everyone (including shelter dog Betty Queen Elizabeth) are doing well and adjusting to our “new normal” and making lemons out of lemonade on a daily basis.  If anyone wants advice on how to live through crisis, give me a shout out.  In fact, you might be seeing some kind of e-book-personal-crisis-survival-guide/manual coming out in the near future.  Shhhh…

Anyhow, tending to real-life means a break in the action for a dedicated and focused fiction writer.  And although I’m behind on my revisions to All the World’s a Stage, I’m happy to report the book will still be released in the spring, just about a month behind schedule and will still be book one of the trilogy, My Shakespearean Life.  Stay tuned for sneak peek cover release and other exciting things in the pipeline leading up to the release. 

Also, I was informed last month, Wish I Could Have Said Goodbye was chosen as one of the top three novel entries in the Anderbo Self-Published Book Award contest!  Although I didn’t win top dog, being recognized as one of the top three entries is always a really good thing.  (For anyone keeping track, this would be the third consecutive win, place or show).

And speaking of good things, during the month of February, Wish I Could Have Said Goodbye is going on sale, so spread the word.  For the entire month of February, you can get the e-book for only – wait for it – 99 cents!  And if you’ve read the book, you know why I chose February to put the book on sale.  (If you don’t know, then you’ll just have to grab a copy).  Also, the marketing department (meaning, moi) decided we need to go back on tour, so an official  blog tour is scheduled from February 3-15^th. 

And finally, if you’d like to catch me in person, I will be doing a reading at the 57^th Street Seminary Coop Bookstore for the first annual University of Chicago Alumni Student Reading on Sunday, February 17^th from 2-4pm.  Check out my events page for all the details.  Oh, and a big shout out to The 57^th Street Bookstore for stocking my book.  Being placed on a shelf at the most famous bookstore ever is quite an honor.  Thank you!

Holiday Giving x3

The holidays are upon us and I've decided to participate in three fundraisers I feel very passionate about. I invite you to join me.

The first one is being hosted by Nathan Bransford, who is holding his fourth annual fundraiser for Heifer International.  Nathan is an awesome writer who also keeps the publishing community inspired and informed on everything going on in the industry on a very regular basis.

Click here to find out more about Heifer International.  If you want to join the fundraiser, leave a comment on this blog post and for every comment I get, I will donate $1 to Heifer International, up to $100.

Second, if you haven't already heard, OneRepublic is raising money to help the families of shooting victims from Sandy Hook School recover from their tragedy.  You can help their effort by donating on indigogo.com.  Third, on the same site (indigogo.com), I was overwhelmed when I saw Elyse Bogacz raising money for art supplies so kids can use their creativity to heal from the tragedy and feel safe again in school.  You can donate here and contribute to her efforts as well.

'Tis the season for giving and I appreciate you helping me reach out to help people all around the world in need.

Cheers,
Shari

Release Day for Free Souls by Susan Kaye Quinn

 

One of the best things about being a novelist is celebrating release day with  other authors. Today I'm thrilled to spread the good news about Susan Kaye Quinn's third book in her Mindjack Trilogy, Free Souls.  Keep reading to find out more about her latest novel and the whole series.  And the best part is at the bottom of this post, where you can sign up to be entered in her Rafflecopter giveaway. It just doesn't get better than this.

Congrats Susan!

Oh, and did I mention these are awesome stories, with awesome characters?  Yep, they are.  Trust me.  You have to check these books out!

 Free Souls by Susan Kaye Quinn

                                 (Book Three of the Mindjack Trilogy) Now Available!

When your mind is a weapon, freedom comes at a price.

Four months have passed since Kira left home to join Julian’s Jacker Freedom Alliance, but the hole in her heart still whistles empty where her boyfriend Raf used to be. She fills it with weapons training, JFA patrols, and an obsessive hunt for FBI agent Kestrel, ignoring Julian’s worries about her safety and repeated attempts to recruit her for his revolutionary chat-casts. When anti-jacker politician Vellus surrounds Jackertown with the National Guard, Kira discovers there’s more to Julian’s concerns than she knew, but she’s forced to take on a mission that neither want and that might be her last: assassinating Senator Vellus before he can snuff out Julian’s revolution and the jackers she’s come to love.

All Mindjack stories available on Amazon, Barnes&Noble, Kobo, Smashwords, and iTunes (Note Free Souls is not yet available on iTunes)

Early Praise for Free Souls

“Quinn paints a picture of a not-too-distant America where politicians inflame the hatred of one section of the populace for another—all for their own gain—and you worry that her world is not so far off from our own.”

— Dianne Salerni, author of We Hear the Dead, The Caged Graves, and the forthcoming The Eighth Day

"Free Souls starts with a bang and doesn't let up. Like a mash-up of all your favorite science-fiction adventures from Star Wars to The Legend of Korra, it blends nonstop action, nail-biting escapes, and great romance. I absolutely loved it! A great series conclusion—a must-read."

— Leigh Talbert Moore, author of Rouge and The Truth About Faking

“Susan did it again. Free Souls was WOW! I expected Kira to step up to her role as heroine but not like this. Surprises kept coming until the very end which tied up more loose ends than I knew existed. Warning: Don't start reading until you have time to finish. I didn't want to put Free Souls down for a second. It's that kind of book.”

— Sher A. Hart, Goodreads Review

Interview Susan's over at Amy Saunder's blog today (12.14.12), answering questions about how she came up with the mages' abilities, what kind of mage she would be, and all about her future works. Digital Box Set Since Free Souls is out, there is now a Digital Box Set of the Mindjack Trilogy for those of you who want the whole series!

Available on Amazon, Barnes&Noble

Mindjack Origins Collection Want more Julian? Wondering how Sasha's ability really works? Looking for EXCLUSIVE DELETED SCENES from Free Souls? This collection of novellas, scenes, and other goodies is for those craving a bit more of the characters and drama of the Mindjack series.

Includes: Mindjack Novellas Mind Games (Raf's story) The Handler (Julian's story) The Scribe (Sasha's story) TWO EXCLUSIVE DELETED SCENES from Free Souls (published nowhere else!) PLUS Mindjack flash fiction, an (imaginary) conversation between Raf and Julian, and other goodies for readers who want just a little bit more of Kira, Julian, Raf, and the Mindjack crew.

Available on Amazon, Barnes&Noble

ENTER TO WIN one of FIVE ecopies of the Mindjack Origins Collection

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Another Award & Big Things on the Way!

Okay, November is totally gone and December is upon us.  It's been a month since my last post so I want to get you all caught up on what's happening in my little corner of the world.

First of all, last week I was notified Wish I Could Have Said Goodbye earned two awards in the Royal Dragonfly Book Award Contest (scroll down the page to see results).  The book took second place in the Newbie Fiction category and third place (honorable mention) in the Young Adult category.  Not only am I completely thrilled and excited, but like the Moonbeam, it gives me recognition and honor within the writing community and among educators and librarians.  Wish I Could Have Said Goodbye is also being pitched to (and accepted by some) Chicago area high schools as mandatory or summer reading and I have been booked to do some speaking engagements within high schools and other organizations as well.

Second, I've made the decision to do a series with my next book (All the World's a Stage). I'm so excited to work on multiple books with these characters. They are hysterically quirky, and have so much to offer.  I think they will bring a breath of fresh air into the young adult market with their stories and their passion for the arts.  To put it into an extremely simple concept, think of Fame meets Glee: Four teens in performance based high school try to navigate real life issues such as a love triangle, friendships, parents, extended family, family economic crisis...you get the idea.  All this while feeling the pressures of needing to always be on the top of their game.  The working title for the series is called My Shakespearean Life.  Obviously (or not), the series title will be decided before All the World is released (Spring, 2013).

Third (and totally exciting) news.  All the World's a Stage has already been edited by my editor (in New York) who I am so over the top thrilled to work with, I can't even tell you.  So for the next two months, I'll be in my "writer's lair" completely immersed in edits/revisions to get this puppy spit shined and ready for the world to see.  Spring is my target release date, and there will be more to come on all that fun stuff later.

Stay happy, stay sane and thanks so much for your support.
'Till next time,
Cheers!

NaNoWriMo

Today marks the first day of November, which means writers all over the world are participating in the National Write a Novel in a Month challenge.  Personally, I have not tried to slay the dragon (also known as the novel) in this manner, but many writers love to challenge themselves in this way, much like a runner entering a marathon or other types of physically grueling endeavors.  I can guarantee you won't pull any hamstrings and you won't have any side aches, but your brain might really hurt on December 1st. And while I don't believe a truly awesome piece of work comes out of penning 50,000 words in a month, I do believe a writer can walk away with a solid foundation for a novel.  I don't know the statistics, but I know a lot of novels are the result of  NaNoWriMo.

If this sounds like a challenge you're interested in, you can find out everything you need to know at www.nanowrimo.org

And for the younger writer, Nanowrimo.org sponsors a kid and teen version (17 and under), meaning the word count requirement is much lower than adults.  I encourage any young writer to join in on the fun.  Last year, 2000 classrooms and 60,000 young writers stepped up to the challenge.  Love to write?  Give it a try. You never know what you might come up with in thirty days. Click here to find out more.

Happy NaNoWriMo!

Red Ribbon Week and Honoring "Kiki" Camerena

October 20-28 marks this year's Red Ribbon Week, which means schools throughout the country sponsor activities and presentations to commemorate living a drug free life.  But every year, I wonder if the meaning behind Red Ribbon Week loses its impact because it has become so routine for kids.  I also wonder how many people know or remember the story behind how Red Ribbon Week started.

Every year during Red Ribbon Week, I take this opportunity to talk with my family about Red Ribbon Week and who it is we are honoring.  "Kiki" Camerena was an example of a real-life modern day hero, as are all the DEA agents, police officers, fire fighters, soldiers and basically all the people who dedicate and sacrifice their life so that we can be safe.

I like to use Red Ribbon Week as a time to celebrate living a healthy life while remembering the modern day heros who, like "Kiki" Camerena, are the ultimate example of bravery as they put their life on the line and are willing to risk death for their passion.

If you're interested in knowing more about "Kiki", his complete story is on the Enrique S. Camarena Foundation website.

Wish I Could Have Said Goodbye Wins an Award

The official press release went out today! I'm thrilled to announce Wish I Could Have Said Goodbye was awarded a silver medal in the Moonbeam Children's Award contest.  Here's some information about the award and what this stands for in the world of children's literature.


"The Moonbeam Children's Book Awards exist to bring increased recognition to these kinds of exemplary children's books that inspire and delight children of all ages.  Judging panels of librarians, teachers, students and book reviewers chose medalists in 39 categories, and winning books came from a diverse group of long-established publishers, small presses, associations, and self-publishers.  This year's contest attracted over 900 entries from throughout North America and the English-speaking world, and medals will go to books representing 35 U.S. states, 7 Canadian provinces, and 3 countries overseas."

     You can see the entire list of winners here, along with more information about the awards.

I'm honored to be chosen to stand among these gifted authors and will continue to produce books that entertain, inspire and empower readers of all ages.  

Thank you judges and readers for keeping me inspired!

Thursday's Children Blog Hop - How I Stay Inspired

One of the most common challenges faced by fiction writers is keeping the inspiration going.  Writers are asked constantly how they stay inspired or how they were inspired to write a particular story. Here's my theories on inspiration and what inspires me.

Fiction writing is a long process, especially getting the first book out into the universe.  Most everyone who knows me, knows I threw my first three novels in the trash.  My first stab at fiction writing spanned ninety-five thousand words, the second book, about seventy-five thousand and by the time I got to the third one, I threw in the towel, realizing at around forty thousand words I had nothing close to a compelling piece of work.

I printed big chunks of these books out as I re-worked and edited them, which serves me well when my kids complain about having to re-write an assignment for school.  I simply point to my four reams of paper stacked up in the corner of my office and say, "You're upset about re-writing how many paragraphs?" (It's an awesome tool. It totally works every time).

Anyhow, I know you're asking what inspired me to start again the fourth time around?  What kept me from getting discouraged (and going completely insane)?  Passion.  The same passion every person has within them to achieve a huge goal in life.  My theory is this:  People who have a true passion for something work quietly, in secret and they don't complain.  They don't publicly announce how hard they're working, how many times they started a small business and failed, how many hours they spent in classrooms or working as an intern for little to no money. They keep at it, over and over and over again, until they get it right, until they succeed.

I think we all (myself included) walk around with this notion that success is what inspires people, when in fact, the most successful people in the world failed - a lot - and somehow found inspiration in their failures, seeing failure as part of the process, the journey towards success. To me, each book wasn't a failure, it was part of my apprenticeship, a step in the right direction.  Did I feel ticked off and frustrated?  Yep.  Did I want to take my computer and throw it against the wall and scream and yell?  Um, yeah.  But I also knew I wasn't going to stop until I got it right.  So, I got some rest, got up the next day, poured a big cup of coffee and went back in.

I also read alot of books on writing and I'm still reading books on how to write fiction (I think I'm on my sixteenth or so, can't remember, lost track). Most all fiction writers struggle with the first novel because fiction writing is as individual as the voice of the author.  No two writers have the exact same system and the first novel helps establish some sort of systematic approach to putting all the pieces of the puzzle together.  Books on how to write fiction always give me new ways of looking at the craft, kind of like re-arranging the furniture in my house.

And, if what I just said here doesn't inspire you this will:  This morning, I was listening to NPR while  packing up my kids' lunches (my normal 6 am routine).  J.K. Rowling was being interviewed about her newest book, The Casual Vacancy.  She said it took her five years to write the book. See?  Feel better?  I certainly do.  How validating and inspiring is that?

So now that I've completed and published my first book, what keeps me pushing the words out each week?  What inspires me to sit down and write?  My characters. They inspire me.  I love writing them and spending time with them.  They are real to me, and I know this sounds like the people in the white coats should come knocking at my door, but honestly, I think writers have to love their characters, otherwise the reader won't.  Books have the power to change people's lives for the better and I'm inspired by characters who can help us figure out how to do that.

I'm also inspired by other writers.  I strive to be as good as my idols, Pat Conroy, Augusten Burroughs, Laurie Halse Anderson, Ellen Hopkins, Sara Zarr, Carolyn Mackler, I could go on and on.  I read other writers' work and their words inspire me to keep working and keep growing as an artist.

And finally, here's the not so exciting news on how I stay inspired to write:  I set goals for my writing (as I should for my exercising, but that's another topic altogether).  And if I don't make my writing goal for the week, I don't beat myself up.  I forge ahead.  Next week will be better, it usually is.  And some days the words don't come as quickly, so I find myself checking my word count a little more often than other days, but I don't stop writing for the day until I reach my goal.

So there's my theory on inspiration.  Hope I've inspired you as much as so many writers have inspired me.  And don't forget to hop on over to the awesome Kristina Perez's blog where you'll find a whole slew of inspiration!

Suicide Prevention Fundraiser and Giveaway

If you're a writer or a reader, here's a chance to win some really cool stuff and do something positive to help raise awareness about suicide, the fourth leading cause of death among teenagers and adults.  According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, studies indicate the best way to prevent suicide is through early recognition and treatment of depression and psychiatric illnesses.

In order to raise awareness and funds for this very important cause, fabulous writers, Justine Dell (Adult Romance) and Sarah Fine (Young Adult) have teamed up to give away tons of books and goodies, donated by authors (moi included), bloggers and agents.  For writers, you could win an agent critique, manuscript critique or an awesome book on writing.  For readers, there are tons of free signed books and even a gift card from Amazon.  But don't wait.  The raffle ends on Friday! And of course, if you'd simply like to make a donation, you can do that too. See the entire list of giveaways and all the details here.  Thanks in advance for participating, and good luck!

Final Day

On the final day of my blog tour, two bloggers post reviews and I'm thrilled with both of them.  Dalene posts about her hesitation to read my book and is now so glad she did at A Date with a Book.

And I didn't plan on saving the best for last, but it just worked out that way.  I am thrilled to share a review from Books Down My Pillow, where Camila from Chile posts about her love of the book and how the story moved her to tears.

It is overwhelming as a writer to know a reader has been touched by your words and moved by your characters.  It makes every sacrifice and effort for our art worth it.  This first tour has been fun and rewarding in so many ways.  I'd like to thank all the tour hosts for reading my book and featuring me on their blogs.

Cheers!

Writerly Wednesday

Many people are curious about what writers go through to learn their craft, so I thought I would periodically share some of the things I've learned here.

I think story analysis is a huge part of learning the craft of writing, and I think it's a great tool for students to use, as they are constantly asked to analyze what they are reading. Analysis also helps when having to formulate ideas for stories as well.

So as a writer of character driven stories, I naturally look to the characters within the story to analyze it first. By always looking at character first, I dissect the story, using the characters as the foundation and building up from there.

For example, we know the character arch is an illustration of how the character changes within the story, but how do they change, and why do they change?  To answer these questions, we need to ask ourselves, what does the character want? The main character will risk it all at some point for what?  What is that one thing that means everything to the character? And finally, do they get what wanted at the beginning of the story or did they figure out by the end of the story, they really didn't want what they thought they wanted?  Or, did they have what they wanted all along, but didn't realize it until the end of the story (when they're done learning their character lesson)?

For example, in the very beginning of the Wizard of Oz, Dorothy wants out.  She wants to be in a better place.  And by the end of the story, she realizes she was in a good place, she had everything she ever wanted at home, she just didn't realize it.  So her want really was about feeling at home within herself, which became her character arch, her lesson.

Any writing questions you're dying to ask, from story analysis to the mechanics of writing to the life of a writer?  Drop me note in the comments section or send me a message on my Facebook page (click on my photo at the right).

And be sure to check out a few corner stops on the tour: My Cozie Corner and Kaisy Daisy's Corner.

Thanks for dropping by!





  

Manic Monday - One Inspiring Quote and Three Reviews

Anyone who knows me, is aware of my lack of gross motor coordination and therefore, lack of knowledge concerning sports and sports figures.  But over the weekend, while perusing the internet for some quotes, I ran across this one from Arnold Palmer, who just happens to share my mother's birthday and birth year.  Happy Birthday to everyone born today!

"The road to success is always under construction."  - Arnold Palmer

And check out three interesting blog stops for today:  Reading with ABC, A Case of Reading Insomni and A Chick Who Reads.

Ann Brashares and day #8 on the tour

Part of becoming a fiction writer requires reading a lot of fiction within your genre and specifically authors who you love, who write the kind of stories you wish you could write.  And when I say I read a lot, I mean a lot.  As in a book a week.  So while writing several novels over the last decade, I've read a lot of books too, and all exclusively on the craft of writing and in the young adult genre.

I thought each week, I'd highlight one of these books I've read over the years, as a few of them are still selling, and still being talked about, even years after their release. I'll also post a review of new books on the scene, some of them published by traditional publishers, others by indie authors.

Today I'm going to talk about a book from an author who impacted me very early on in my journey and confirmed in my mind who I wanted to become as a writer.

I read Ann Brashares, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants in 2005 (it was released in 2001).  The Sisterhood portrays four teen girls with four separate lives and character arcs, and the way Ann got into their heads, I was mesmerized by them and their story.  And while reading her book, I realized how much I wanted to write character-driven stories grounded in reality. I wanted to tackle real-life issues and entertain my readers at the same time, just like Ann.

I loved how each girl over one summer, faces real life challenges, challenges teens are faced with everyday. I won't go into much more detail, as the book is a little old, but I love how Lena, Tibby, Bridget and Carmen all learn separate lessons, but all of them tie into our (sometimes desperate) need for love and companionship.  I'm so thankful for Ann for her words and her style and for continuing to inspire me to write from the heart.

And finally, stop by Window on the World where Teressa posted a very nice, honest review of Wish I Could Have Said Goodbye.

Raising Awareness + A Review

Friday August 31, was International Overdose Awareness Day.  In coordination with that effort, a vigil was held last Thursday night where hundreds of people gathered on Roosevelt University's Schaumburg campus to participate in a candlelight vigil to remember those affected by drugs.  The vigil marked the first big event and gathering in Illinois in an effort to raise awareness and try to put an end to the sudden epidemic of teen drug use and overdoses in suburban Chicago. Read The Chicago Tribune, Daily Herald and The Beacon-News reports here.

Also, Senator Matt Murphy is sponsoring an awareness presentation on Heroin tonight, September 5th from 7pm -8:30 at Hersey High School and on Thursday, September 6th at Fremd High School.  More information on these events here.

And finally, the big blog tour continues.  Check out a review on Stressed Rach's Blog.