Writing - the ups and downs

In case I have not told you, I changed my book title again. It had been simply VADA FAITH for years. Then I thought that wasn't fancy enough and I changed the title to HUNGRY FOR CHOCOLATE, because she made that statement early on in the story. However, when I started reviewing book covers, I could not find one that fit with the story and the title. It was then that I realized the story and title both  belonged to the main character Vada Faith. Plus I found several covers that seemed to fit her to a tee. I emailed those to daughter Jill and she found the perfect one and mocked it up for me. I love it. It is so the story and the characters. So the title and the cover were meant to be. As was this story. After the cover was in my hands, I decided I needed to get the story copyrighted. I did that online and I am here to tell you it was easy. And it was inexpensive  - $35 online. I believe if you get it through the mail it's $65. I have a budget for this project and so far I...

Today I went to a workshop in Columbus featuring author Jane Porter. She's written a number of books including Flirting with Forty which was made into a television movie by Sony and aired on Lifetime in 2008. Filmed in Seattle and Hawaii Jane  visited the set and spoke to the stars, Heather Locklear and Robert Buckley. Wow! I'm excited to read the book, Flirting. Everyone was given a free copy, a nice canvas red tote that says READ on it plus pens, bookmarks, a mini note pad. Great giveaways. The best part of the workshop was listening to Jane. She's a powerful speaker, she says because she once taught seventh graders and she may be right. However, my opinion is she is such an interesting personality we all held onto each word she said. Some of what she said, I already knew. It never hurts to hear something twice, especially writing advice. And twice again after that. Eventually it sinks in. Her topics included voice and market advice. Writing smart, writing well an...

I'm learning the ins and outs of putting my novel on Amazon as an ebook for Kindle. I'm nervous and I'm excited. I'm ready to  copyright my book and do all the other endless things needed. I'm doing another nervous run through making sure there are no mistakes. Wish me luck on that one! I've looked at book covers all day until my eyes feel crossed. I've found some wonderful sites if anyone is interested. My daughter is helping me go through covers and I'm making a last minute change to the title. I pray I'm making the right decision about that. This whole process is a little intimidating. I'm much more confident and self assured when I'm writing. Publishing or getting ready for publication is way out of my field. I'd always thought if I ever published a book it would be with a big publisher who would do all the work for me. But the world of publishing is changing and so many doors are opening for authors with internet ...

Lately I've lost my focus - at least my focus on the things I should be focusing on. Like life in my household. My husband. Things I need to be doing. Like finishing the novel I'm working on. I work everyday but not as much as I should. I'm busy focusing on, well see below. My focus entirely is on a spot in my head where I'm losing hair. You heard right. I have one small spot on the right side of my head, in the exact position where my head hits the pillow every night. I can't get my focus off  that one spot. Wondering why I have it, how I got it. What to do about it. Questioning, will it get worse. Am I doomed to lose all my hair at this young age. Well, not so young but who wants to have a bald spot right on the side of their head at any age? So instead of doing more important work, I think about remedies for my "balding" spot. Sure I can still cover it with hair. Am I going to be like those old guys who do comb overs? I hope not.  It's not e...