Besides all of this writing, I’ve been asked to speak on a panel at my local Barnes and Noble for B-Fest, the YA-oriented festival where YA authors speak at bookstores and hold events for readers. While I don’t write YA, I couldn’t pass up the chance when asked to talk about the creative process, that is, my characters, plot, and connecting plots in a series.

He captured all the nuances of each book beautifully, and his attention to detail to character is astounding. I’m extremely happy with them.

Just so no one’s confused, however, I will say that these books follow a group of characters, as such there are scene dividers and threads of everyone’s story as the series progresses.

After taking Xavier (my Siberian Husky for new readers) out to do his business, I had an idea that I would use each social media platform I frequent to hold giveaways conducive to the platform. For example:

My Instagram would have image-inclined giveaways.

My Facebook Page would have ‘share this, comment, take a photo of yourself with book 1, answer this question, and sing a song while on your head’ kind of giveaways.

My Tumblr would have ‘reblog this and like this to enter’ kind of giveaways.

Because I’m starting not to post the same things on each social media. Some days my Instagram is left alone while I frequent Facebook. At others, my Tumblr sees me reblogging everything in sight, sparking up conversations with other writers and readers, and at others my Facebook sees me sharing everything I can.

Even my Newsletter would have ‘subscriber-only’ giveaways right through emails.

I’ve recently taken some necessary steps to turn the next page or chapter of my life if you will, and as such I feel so much more refreshed, focused, and hmm…very much like a writer.

That writing part of myself was stamped down until recently, wallowing beneath some sort of veil I couldn’t lift over excruciatingly tired eyes. I was exhausted, mentally more than physically.

But I didn’t really know how depressed I was until I had a turning point, realizing where I was in my life wasn’t where I needed to be for happiness sake. 

So I updated my Twitter and Facebook Page’s headers/cover photos (photos below) and found a trending hashtag I thought I’d lend my own two cents to…

‪#‎TenThingsNotToSayToAWriter‬
1. So, is your book like Twilight?
2. Do your vampires sparkle?
3. Why don’t you stop writing if it’s stressing you out?
4. I have a book idea. Maybe you can write it for me.
5. How much are your royalties a year?….

I just read something from an awesome author friend of mine David Owain Hughes – a new submission for Burning Willow Press, and the five chapters I read have sent me into a tailspin of, yes, pleasure. The pleasure of ‘witnessing’ horrid acts, but being in the MC’s shoes – feeling his pleasure with him as he commits them, well if you’re into BDSM that is, and understanding his pleasure.

Yup because I’m bored at home (and somehow not writing, I know, I know,) I decided to hold a flash giveaway on my Facebook Page! Because I know my Likes could be a bit higher, I’ve decided to make that the stipulation for entering the giveaway! All you have to do is like the page and you’re entered to win!

If one day, perhaps, I’m walking down the street and just one person comes up to me, book in hand, eager for a signature, or to pick my brain about the story, I will know I have made it in my career. Aside from the conventions, the bookstore book signings, the (hopeful) cosplays of characters in my books, I will know I’ve made a difference by being myself, doing what I’ve always felt is best, and doing the hard work I know is necessary to reach all of my goals.