Keep Moving Forward

Well, I did it! I mailed the complete submission packet for The Tyrant King to the publisher this morning. Now, it's up to them.

So I'm moving on, too. A really great friend of mine, who happens to be a GENIUS artist, Deirdra saved me yesterday. Check out the cover she came up with for one of my new ebooks.

My version, my own, pathetic attempt, involved what was supposed to be a tattered wedding veil on black velvet with blood splatters. I won't subject you to the pain of viewing it. Thank you, Deirdra, for being so brilliant!

As I sit in my post-submission euphoria, I'm eager to tackle the next projects: ebooks. Ghost Bride is a super short one I'm only going to sell for 99 cents. The Wild Queen, being an installment of The Peasant Queen series, may be as much as $5.00. (I know, don't blow a gasket lol) The Price of Love, may sell for $2 or $3, depending on several things. The more I research, the more intimidated I become--but that's cool, because I'm going to do it anyway. :)

But I have the entire month of April to accomplish this. 3 ebooks published by April 30th. I'm working on revisions, and cover art, and getting all my ducks in a row formatting-wise before I start launching books. I'm also going to attend a class on ebooks (as long as it doesn't interfere with my presentations) when I'm here:
I highly suggest, if you're in or near the area of Ephraim, UT on April 9th you come check it out. You can't beat free, and there's going to be tons of good information passed around.
See you soon!

I'm sorry my fellow Authors

I can't get to everyone I want to at each author conference. I see someone and think "I need to say hi" and then they vanish to another class or area or have to leave and I never get the chance.

Today I'm thinking of Heather Moore. I'm sorry, Heather. I walked right by your table when you were signing books and should have said hello. I wanted to get my books signed before time ran out and before the lines got crazy, but when I was done you had gone (it was 20 min after the signings had ended so I'm not surprised). I'm not ignoring you on purpose, I promise. I had the same problem at the LUW conference where I saw you and smiled but didn't stop and say hi.

Let's face it; I'm still coming out of my shell. I have some shining moments at these things where I'm talkative and friendly and other moments where I don't talk to anyone at all. And the conference schedules have me running from one thing to the next. I want to soak it all in and there's just not enough time.

I'm battling years and years of antisocial behavior. Like many authors, I'm an introverted person and don't like to open up. It's been a fight for me, and each time I talk to someone at a conference or other gathering is another step I'm taking to overcome. It's not easy. My goal has always been that none of you knows the inner struggle I go through each time I open my mouth. It's hard to talk about our own weaknesses or shortcomings.

But Heather's a fantastic author and wonderful person, and I don't want her to think I don't like her. I won one of her books, Abinadi, during her contest giveaway this summer, and joined her blog tour for Alma. (hint, I got Alma in the mail before I opened up Abinadi, so I've chosen to read them out of order to provide the perspective of reading Alma first) You rock, Heather!

This would be a Down

I feel a little sorry for myself tonight, sitting her under the influence of prescription painkillers and muscle relaxants. After over two weeks of being sick and trying desperately to get over it (2 rounds of antibiotics), I took my brilliant son--who read 10,000 minutes last school year--to Lagoon and rode all the spine rattling rides he could find. For the record, while I enjoy the thrill of the rides I actually dread them the whole time I'm in line.

The next morning I woke up with a horrible pain in my neck and shoulders, like I had slept wrong. Except it never went away. Yesterday, 6 days later, I finally stopped torturing myself and went to the doctor. I don't know why I waited so long to seek relief. I can't drive because I can barely turn my head to look around and I can't even stand to be hugged by my kids because of the pain. Sleeping has been next to impossible.

But I signed on to participate in a charity author workshop (not as a presenter) in Ogden at the Treehouse Museum, which sounds like a fascinating place. Actual authors will be there like Brandon Mull and Shannon Hale, and I really wanted to be able to go. Except now that's become impossible. I can't drive safely without my meds to alleviate my pain and I can't drive safely with my meds because they're so powerful.

I'm especially disappointed because I wanted to get another signed copy of Shannon Hale's newest book for my cousin Becca who lives in Indiana because she's such a fan. A copy of Brandon Mull's Pingo for her daughters wouldn't be amiss, either.

Oddly enough, either because the meds have alleviated my pain so I can concentrate on other things or they've made me loopy, I'm feeling really creative. Maybe I can get some actual writing done this weekend, since I'm not leaving the house for the next few days.