How to waste time as an author

Fighting with your muse.

Yeah, total waste of time....

Didn't stop me from doing it thought. I've spent the last six months trying to convince my muse that we want to write what is popular at the moment. Every story I started I second guessed based on the genre or heat level. For a brief (really brief) moment I considered working on some YA. It was silly really thinking I could win a war with my muse. That pig headed kilted warrior I've got for a muse simply ignored me and watched reruns of the Sarah Conner Chronicles while gouging on junk food.....the jerk.

So I did what any other desperate author does. I gave in to what my brain wanted to write. It might now be the most popular but I'm really having fun with it.

Remember Damnation Alley? Yes, I know I'm dating myself with this one. It was one of my favourite movies. (Although, I watched it recently and don't remember it being to incredibly cheezie!)  Even as a teen I was a post-apocalyptic junkie and that hasn't changed much now that I'm in my 40's. I'm still fascinated by the survival of the human spirit and what would happen if everything we knew...changed.

Kennedy Layne has an awesome series that I'm addicted to. Her Surviving Ashes series takes place during the beginning of an apocalypse when the Yellowstone Caldera erupts. There are three books so far and the fourth is due out in September and I've loved them. 

Jana Downs Deadzone series is another of my favourites. I think I've reread her three book series more than any other. There's love, lust and zombies....I know sounds awesome. right!

I realize I might be in the minority with my post-apocalyptic fan-girling which is why I've dragged by heels on finishing my own book. But, now that I've given up the fight...I'm having a lot of fun creating my own post-apocalyptic world. Yes, there might be a zombie or three....but that's not going to be the focus of the story, I do write romance after all. Can two people from warring cities find love in the middle of a wasteland. I sure hope so. <3

So tell me, do you read/enjoy post-apocalyptic books? I've mentioned a couple that I enjoy, do you have any suggestions for me?

Biting off more than you can chew....or thinking you're superwoman.

Where's my cape! I really need a cape! No not to help me fly or look super-fly as a superhero, I was thinking more along the lines of hiding under one with a bottle of wine and a box of fudge.



We've all done it. Taken on projects and made decisions that sound great at the time...and they are great ideas but then suddenly you realize that the alligators are up to your ass and getting higher. Oooops...

 It just means I need to focus, *hah* for those who chat with me on FB - you know that I have magpie syndrome....Oh! Shiny.....





This month I'm juggling:

~ Camp NaNoWriMo. Yes, I'm attempting to write at least 50K this month. Actually my goal is 60K. I'd like to have a Black Hills Wolves, 1 Night Stand and my Beyond Fairy Tales books finished and ready for edits by the end of the month.
~ A Three week Blog hop with Regina Andrews, Ann Tracy Marr, and Susan Roebuck
~ Two social media classes that are part of the certificate I'm working on through Algonquin College.
~ A Mystery Knit Along based on "The Once and Future King". This is where I get a single "clue" or part of the pattern every week but I won't know what the finished project will look like until it's done. All I know is it's a lace scarf and I plan to wear it to Philly Author Fest in November.

So far I've managed to keep up...although I admit I'm about 7K behind my writing goals for the month but I'm determined to get to at least 50K and have two books finished.

The cool thing about my college courses is that I'll have to be more active with my blog and keep it up to date for my course, Hopefully I'll develop some good habits in keeping this up to date. *fingers crossed* ;)

I'll still pepper a bit of my day to day life in here but I'd like to start inviting other authors who I enjoy reading and are all around awesome people to guest post here time to time. Also, I used to do the Monthly Picture with Lori King where we'd write a short story based on a single photograph. That was always fun as well.

What would you like to see on here and keep you coming back for more? Bad jokes...I have a plethora of those ;) Blogging has changed so much over the years, what is it that you look for in a blog. Inquiring minds want to know and the comments are open below!

Happy November!

See the cute little word counter over to the right? ----->

Yup that's me hard at work on my newest project.
NaNo has a gorgeous steampunk feel to its graphics this year and I'm determined that I'm going to kick the 50K ass.
My goal is 60K!
Yes, you read that right. I'm pointing to the bleachers and giving the pitcher the stink eye. I'm going to knock this one out of the park this November. 2k a day is my goal and so far I'm keeping up to the pace. I'm not saying that I'll trip up at some point. That's a given. but hopefully I'll have a bit of extra stored up for those days that I just can't get to the computer.

Also there is my on going goal to keep up with blog posts and website updates. That's something I've always struggled with

I can't complain on how things have worked out so far. I have two publishing contracts with Decadent Publishing's 1NS line and am in the middle of edits for them. You can click on the pages above for more information about my books and projects.

It's a little bit strange starting over with a new name. Not many of you know that this is my second pen name, bonus points to anyone who knows my other alias ;)  But, it's exciting because I'm not governed by the same rules I was before. I can write what ever I want and what ever genre I want. Maybe that is why this month is so exciting to me? The last time I won NaNoWriMo was when I was working on my second or third book before (I've forgotten now, LOL 18 books will do that.)

While I like to think I'm a little older and a little wiser, I still feel like this is a freshly paved road and I've got on my favourite pair of runners....and my ass looks like the chick in the picture.

But, that's enough sports metaphors for one day. I've got to go feed my muse some chocolate. See you at the finish line.