Harleys, Books, Kindle & Other Ramblings

Starting tomorrow, life gets even crazier than it has been for the next 10 days. Tomorrow I'm taking off with The Man and some friends to Biketoberfest in Daytona. Anyone familiar with the world of Harley-Davidson and motorcycles knows that Daytona Bike Week and Sturgis Bike Week are the two BIG rallies of the year. But Daytona has a smaller one, called Biketoberfest that's supposed to be more fun because it's not as huge. I'm excited for a real break...and possibly a beer or two. ;-)

I've been trying to figure out how to take advantage of this trip because, you see, Tristan (aka Mr. Beautiful up there in that picture) rides motorcycles. He has a crotch-rocket (well, um, two, if you think about it...ROFL...er, sorry, as you can tell I'm ready for a break!) and a Harley, which he and Alexis ride on throughout Promise. But I just can't see myself walking up to biker dudes and chicks, asking if they'd like to read my book. So, the idea of how to do a tie-in is still germinating and will have to wait for the next rally.

But while writing this, I had a great idea for the Halloween Hop contest. Too bad I can't enter my own contest, though. Maybe one of you lovely readers will take the hint of Tristan and motorcycles and run with it... Remember, a Kindle is up for grabs!

Speaking of the contests, I've seen many tweets, FB and blog posts about them. I'm eternally grateful, but not all of you who have spread the word have entered the Birthday Bash giveaway. The one where you get entries for tweeting and posting! If you're going to do it, you may as well enter the contest for books and swag! Don't forget, you can enter that one as many times as you want by filling out the form each time you tweet or post about the contests.

As for the Halloween Hop, just put the link of where you'll be posting your entry in the linky-thingy. The more people who sign up there, the better the prize (like that Kindle).

Okay, real quick, other things going on next week, in case I'm somewhat absent:

• My usual bi-monthly trip to Orlando for the day-job will keep me up there through the end of the week. Because I have to be back there for...
• Florida Writers Association Conference! Next weekend. I'm so excited for my first big conference. PLUS, Promise is a finalist for the Royal Palm Literary Award. I find out next Saturday night if it won.
• While I'm sitting in my hotel next week, I'll be Skyping for the first time with a book club. They're all the way in Minnesota! I'm chewing my nails about this. I hope they're nice. I think they will be, based on the hostesses.

So, yeah, lots of ramblings of my chaos. But it's all exciting stuff. Oh...one more thing. Twitter Party tonight!! Hosted by Jess at Confessions of a Bookaholic and Lisa at A Life Bound by Books. Starts at 9 p.m. ET, at #HauntedHalloween. They're giving away books, swag and Halloween goodies. I'll be there. I wonder what other authors will be. Follow @TotalBookaholic and @BoundbyBooks

Have a great weekend, everyone!!

Thoughtful Thursday

Sorry I haven't posted much this week, my lovelies. I've decided to re-think my Teaser Tuesdays for a while, because I don't know what to tease you with. Promise is out and I think I've already teased the hell out of it, anyway. And until more people read Promise, I don't want to get into Purpose. So...I'm thinking of replacing it with something else, but haven't figured out what.

And yesterday I had a post completely written in my head. I even had a title for it: Whiner Wednesday. Because that's all I was doing: whining. Complaining about not having enough time, money, space and sleep. Whining about everything I had to do, which keeps me from doing all those things I really want to do. Sharing my envy for all of you who get to read a lot and write reviews and manage beautiful book-blog sites...or those of you who get to write without a deadline or are so involved in your writing, you think of nothing else and wishing I was in that place again but there's just too much to do...or those of you who have been taking trips - whether long or short, nearby or far off - because it's been so long since I've traveled for fun.

Yes, it was all about whining. And who am I to whine right now? Sheesh! My first novel has just been released. I'm living my dream! So I mentally spanked myself and put myself into gratitude mode.

Because I am so thankful for all the blessings I have - my family, my friends, my day-job that pays the bills, a roof over my head, vehicles that get us all from point A to point B safely and reliably (perhaps without A/C, but at least we're safe), the ability to purchase school supplies and clothes for my kids, and, of course, my writing and all the people who have supported me, past, present and future. We're all generally healthy (although it's football season so that can change quickly), my kids stay out of trouble and do well in school, we both have jobs and aren't suffering nearly as badly as many during this economy. God has truly blessed us.

I'm also thankful for all of you, who check in here to see what nonsense I have to share. Who have read my book and suggested it to others. Who comment here or on Twitter or Facebook or email or real-life. Thank you for reading my ramblings and joining me in the celebration of Promise's release. Thank you for sticking with me for what's to come. *Love and hugs thrown at you all*

So...what are your thoughts for this summer's day? What are you thankful for? Or, if you feel like it, what do you have to whine about today? Go ahead, I don't care. Sometimes we need that bit of time to let it all out. It helps us to release it from our souls and then to regain perspective. So use this opportunity to whine, if you'd like. We can all whine together and offer cheese to each other to go with it, and then move onto better thoughts.

I'm Back, With Mindless Ramblings

I've taken a sort-of blogging break the last couple weeks. I still posted a few times, but not as gung-ho as I had been for a while. And I really missed it. I missed you, lovely readers. I missed checking my email every ten minutes to see if you had posted a comment, wondering if you liked what I had to say, agreed, disagreed, etc. I noticed how much I missed you when I posted last week's blogfest entry and was so excited to read everyone's feedback.

But I definitely needed that break. I have some new ideas now for future posts, including a theme about marketing that I'm going to start. I think I'll do it on Mondays - Marketing Mondays. Creative, right? LOL We'll start that next week.

In the meantime, I have some sprucing up on my blog to do. I know I have an award waiting for me to claim from the generous Dawn Embers. I also need to update my new Contests & Blogfests page and my calendar. I have lots of events and fun things to add because, in case you didn't know...

It's release month!!!!!

Woohoo!!!! Throw confetti! And streamers! And balloons! And definitely pop that champagne for me! 'Cause I need it!

It's hard for me to wrap my head around the idea that Promise will be out there, for the world to read. At least...whoever feels so inclined to pick it up. We have tons of pre-orders (if you haven't ordered already and want a signed book, please get your pre-order in by Friday, July 9 - yes, this Friday!) and it's both heart-warming and nerve-wracking to know that many people want to read my book. Nearly 400 people have added it on Goodreads! That just blows my mind!

I remember the first time I let someone else read the very beginnings of Promise. At the time, I had no plans for it to be published and I was nervous as hell letting it go, even to those closest to me. It was like baring my soul to them. Yes, I still feel the same way. Many people have read and loved it, but my stomach still twists and turns at the thought of others reading it.

So it's an exciting yet anxious time in my world right now. And a very busy one. After all, I have another book to get out. The good news: that is going amazingly well. I'm running behind on the timeline, but this weekend has allowed me to make great progress. And Purpose, book two, is going to rock even harder than it did before! In fact, contrary to what I just wrote above, this one I really can't wait for you to read. I think. Ask me again when it's about to come out...

So, doing all the last-minute marketing and preparations for Promise, finishing up Purpose and trying to manage the dayjob, the herd of teenagers and The Man, the fur-faces and some semblance of a home...that's all going on in my world. Isn't there something about the lazy days of summer? Ha! Not around here.

I keep thinking that I can't wait for things to get back to normal. But then I'm reminded that this is my normal - my new normal. This is how it's going to be until that one day when my writing will support us all and I can just focus on that. The day I decided to start writing fiction again, the old normal blew out the window in the storm of creating, never to be seen again.

How about with you? Are you enjoying lazy days or are they just as crammed full as mine? Have you had to adapt to a new "normal" in your world? Tell me all about it. Because it'd be really nice to know I'm not alone right now. ;-)

Head-Injury Ramblings

I had a couple great ideas for this next blog post, but they’ve been put on hold. They require more brain power than I have available right now. You see, I was a dumbass and rammed my head into the corner of the oven hood while making dinner tonight. It’s a feat only I can manage, especially considering I’m height-challenged – I didn’t even know I was tall enough to reach the hood! But apparently, I am, at least, in my Nike Shocks, I am. And apparently I’m not coordinated enough to talk on the phone – on a Bluetooth earpiece, no less – and take a pot off the stove at the same time. Geesh! And I was so motivated to do some actual work tonight. Instead, I’ve been nursing a terrible headache that, so far, two Advil have not tamed.

It did allow me to finish this:

Thanks to Anne Riley and her suggestion, I downloaded it to my Kindle for some lunchtime reading and finished it tonight. It’s only 150 pages and a very fun read. I laughed out loud several times. My family kept wondering, but since they’re all guys and haven’t read the Twilight books, I just shook my head and went back to reading and laughing. Unfortunately, laughter has not been the best medicine for my head. But it was worth it.

Also today, I joined Goodreads. I checked it out briefly a while ago and don’t know why I didn’t join then. If you’re a reader or a writer, or both, and haven’t joined, you should. It’s a social networking site for bookworms. You “friend” people and then get to see what they’re reading now, what they’ve already read, reviews they’ve written, authors they’ve fanned, etc. You also rate and can review books you’ve read, adding them to your virtual shelves. You can create a “to-read” shelf to track all those books on your wish list. Just by seeing what my friends have read or are reading, I’ve added several more titles to my to-read list. Like I need more, but, dude, there are some good ones out there!

And one day in the not-too-distant-future, you will see my books up there. And if you don’t read and review them, I’ll hunt you down. My trusty Beagle will catch your scent and lead me right to you…if you’re a squirrel anyway. But I’ll find you, don’t worry. Bwahahaha!

Okay, I’m wondering how serious my little head injury is. I’m having delusions of being a ninja now. Too bad I’m not making sense, or I could be writing a great story right now. Instead, I guess I’ll do some browsing for this little project I’m working on – you know, the one that gets my books into your eager hands (because I know they are soooo eager!!). I owe a little time to my biz partner. After all, she did some seriously major networking tonight that I’m trying not to get too excited about.

I’m so not excited, I won’t even bother telling you about it. Except that it’s a SINGLE degree of separation from a very famous, influential woman…from Chicago…and one of her names begins with O. Oops. I might jinx myself. Saying no more. Because, you know, I’m not excited at all. I’m sure the butterflies in my tummy just thinking about it are from my head injury. Really.

So, yes…better get to work on something besides rambling.