Blog Archives

What Works, and What Doesn't Work

4/28/2016

This week has been a lesson of what works and what doesn’t work in life these days. It’s been more of a confirmation of what I already knew than revelations, but it’s always good to take stock and make sure you’re still on the right path and doing what works best for you. For example, this week I’ve discovered that:

Self publishing works. I don’t have anything against my epublishers – in fact, I like them and I learned so much about the publishing process from them. But one thing I learned is that going through an outside source is slow. If I had submitted Progenitor to one of my publishers, it would probably be 12-18 months from now before it got published, if they accepted it. By contrast, I had a final draft and cover worked out in 2 months. Self publishing is a lot faster, and you keep total control of your work, which is handy because writers have to do the bulk of publicity themselves no matter how they publish, so it helps to be able to adjust price points or to run specials when it’s convenient for you. The downside is that with 100% control comes 100% responsibility, but I’ve learned how to divide and conquer when it comes to getting the work done.

Diet and exercise work. I had my annual physical on Monday, and my doctor said I was in the best shape she’s ever seen me in. I guess those T25 ads when they ask if you can give up 25 minutes of scrolling on your phone to get in the best shape of your life aren’t kidding! My weight has gone back up a little since I moved up to the strength training workouts, but the doctor said that’s alright. Plus, she said my foot healed from that break last fall perfectly, and that I’m at no risk for osteoporosis or arthritis in it since it healed without complications. I guess the few people that were predicting a future of pain and doom for this foot are wrong!

Going to a little extra trouble to get the makeup I prefer works. I have my preferences for a reason – because they work! I’m really glad that Avon has brought back it’s loose powder too, because “smooth minerals” makeup doesn’t work for me with my oily skin.

Technology works. Yes, it causes things to change at the speed of light, but after a week of digitizing old files, I see that the benefits of these rapid developments far outweigh the stress of constant adjustment. We do work faster and more efficiently. Remember when typing was a skill limited to secretaries and people at the bottom of the totem pole? Now, you’re handicapped if you can’t type. The advances in technology in every area really have made life better and more enjoyable. However –

Staples don’t work. If I had a penny for every staple I’ve pulled in my career, I’d retire today. If I had a dollar, I could have just pulled staples for a few weeks and called my career done. In this age of digitizing files, paper clips and binder clips have become more valuable commodities than staples. Honestly, I’m thinking about starting a “Staplers Anonym’s” group.

Multitasking doesn’t work (neither does nagging me to multi-task). I quit multi-tasking six years ago, and I’m amazed that people are still frustrated with me for not doing it – especially when my productivity is so high. I learned long ago that I do better when I focus on one thing at a time, because I make fewer mistakes. Sure, there are times when I’m required to put something aside for a more urgent issue, but that’s rare – and also when I’m most likely to make errors that frustrate people and need to be corrected later.

Using discernment works. I had an incident this week when somebody said they lost my number and looked me up on Facebook. Thank goodness I’ve limited the access to my profile and posts, but all they would have seen are a bunch of things about my writing, pictures of birds, me admonishing Tyrion Lanniser to release the dragons on Mereen on Game of Thrones, and silly reposts I’ve seen across the web. Seriously, anybody stalking me would have a sure cure for insomnia in minutes! Still, it’s a good reminder to be careful. I hope you all know to use discernment in all things online – and in every other area of life! After all, there are enough lurkers, trolls, and busybodies stalking you. Don't make it easy for them!

My discoveries are of the obvious this week. That’s ok. It’s good to have confirmation that all things are still rolling in the right direction!

That’s all today. Take care. Have a fabulous Friday and a wonderful weekend.

Bye!

Why I Skipped Kindle Scout for Progenitor

4/25/2016

I know I said in previous entries that I planned to enter Progenitor in Kindle Scout, but when I finally had the final manuscript in my hands, I had a change of heart that went back to these three reasons:

1. I learned more about the contract I'd get if I won, and wasn't happy with it. In essence, Amazon owned it, and I didn't feel comfortable giving them the keys to the kingdom, especially since it's the first book in a trilogy (which would mean limiting the entire trilogy to Amazon, if it won). Plus, it looked like I was still solely responsible for marketing and promotion. Excuse me, but how's that different from what I'm already doing with all of my other published books? It isn't, because that's the nature of the publishing industry these days. Even traditionally published authors can't rely on their publishers to get behind their books and get them moving. Other than the $1,500 advance to claim it as their own if it won, there really wasn't any benefit to it as far as I was concerned. I'd rather keep the control so I can run specials, etc when I feel like it. So I self published it, and put it on a $0.99 special on Amazon for the first week.

2. I like you, but I don't trust you. If I entered Progenitor in Kindle Scout, I'd have to solicit people to vote for it for 30 days. How likely are you to really to respond to me begging you for your vote every day for a month? How likely are you to do it anyway? Considering that "I'm busy" is the #1 thing I hear out of people these days, I'm not confident that people would take a minute out of their time to go to the website and place the vote. As it is, most of my book sales are to people I don't know anyway - I can count two people I personally know that actually read my books, and those people are Rick (my husband) and Mom. Honestly, my life is full of well meaning people that are struggling to keep their own business on track, and they can't be bothered with little things even if they do mean well and want to see others succeed. When I really thought about it, the truth is that I didn't want to set myself up to be disappointed and angry at people over it. It's just not worth it. Given that I wasn't entirely happy with the contract should I win anyway, it didn't make sense to set up personal problems on top of things. Plus, I do get it, because there have been many times when I meant better, but didn't do better. It's a problem we all have, and in fact it leads into my next point, which is:

3. It's the busiest time of year at my day job now, and it's been compounded by the fact that our area is expanding to include a new area TOMORROW (Tuesday). Not only are we in renewals which will keep us hopping through July, but we're getting another program, which I've been told is likely to be a 6 month transition. I know I'm going to come home from work tired, and squeezing in all of this would be a challenge. Progenitor is ready, and it made sense to just go ahead and publish it now. Promotion isn't nearly as intensive as writing and publishing and I know I can handle that while work is busy. It made sense to do the hard work ahead of the busy crunch for myself. This way, I can pick up revisions of the rest of the trilogy and Joy on the Journey in July when things let up a bit, and keep on track with my writing schedule for the year. And by the way, get ready to hear me join you in the "I'm busy" chorus, because here we go with that one again.

So that's why I went for it. I believe it's a fine program, and I certainly encourage other writers to take advantage of it, if that's something they like and feel led to do. I also will continue to support it by reading and voting for entries, because it is a great way to find new talent amongst independent authors. But in the end, it just isn't for me.

That's all today. Take care, and have a wonderful week.

Bye!

The Aliens Are Here

4/21/2016

The aliens have landed. Progenitor, Book One of The Earthside Trilogy, has been published.

Surprise!

I decided to forego Kindle Scout and to proceed with self publishing. I checked into the potential contract they offered winners, and wasn't crazy that it gave Amazon the keys to the kingdom with this book. So I thought: do I want to spend the next 30 days aggravating you to vote for me, just to possibly lose and have to self publish anyway? Or should I just go for it?

You know me. Nagging isn't my style. So I went for it. The proofreader delivered last weekend, so I finalized the manuscript, got the cover, and hit publish.

Progenitor should be pushing through the various ebook outlets in the coming days, so keep an eye on the home page for links as they become available. And welcome to my new world!

In other related news, I'm also excited to find that the ebook conversion for Battleground Earth - Living by Faith in a Pagan World has been completed by America Star Books. It's now available in an ebook format for just $3.99. Check the "Non-Fiction" tab for links to it on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Have a fabulous Friday and a wonderful weekend.

Bye!

Truth

4/18/2016

But it’s not just a “me” problem. I believe the phenomenon I described in my last entry could well apply to a great many people – perhaps even, all of us. I’ve talked a lot about the “I’m so busy” phenomenon that’s so popular right now, and have even devoted an entire chapter to solving it in my work-in-progress follow up to Battleground Earth. I’ll just address the relevant part of it in this blog, and save the rest for the book.
Our lives are busy. A lot is expected of us. Working full time eats away a lot of hours, and then you have to make the rest of life happen after that. Honestly, I don’t know how people with children do it, because we run ourselves ragged and are lucky to have a spare hour on a work night! The struggle is real, and it’s easy to allow your world to collapse in on itself. Unfortunately, that means that we usually develop tunnel vision and don’t see anything outside of ourselves and our inner circle, which is defined by the four walls of our home. We forget that there’s a bigger picture that we’re a part of, and that if our efforts aren’t reaching “out there,” then we’re wasting our time.
I don’t think it’s any coincidence that I heard the story of Paul’s conversion in Acts 9 on the radio twice this morning while on my way to have labwork done for my annual physical, and then again on my way to work – and on two different Christian stations, no less. I think this story is a perfect illustration of what it really takes to change people, which is nothing short of divine inspiration. No human being can bring about a paradigm shift that will force people out of their heads and open their eyes to the bigger reality. It took life kicking me around for five years of constant struggle and change for me to finally realize that I wasn’t going to succeed at anything until I got my eyes off myself, purified my motives, and considered the implications and outreach to the bigger world. You have to decide that you want to do what’s right because it’s right and will make God happy, regardless of what other people think.
This is the mindset that all active Christians should have, and you’d be amazed at how rare it is. It’s even harder to live it, because people want to use it to their advantage in a world that celebrates the almighty “I.” And here’s the secret: if you’re truly committed to walking the path less traveled, then you can’t worry about them. You must set your focus on the larger goals and keep working toward them, even if it means you do it from the periphery where nobody sees you or even cares about what you’re doing until something big comes out of it.
People can change, but they won’t do it for you. Don’t be offended, because the fact is that they won’t do it for anybody, and sometimes they even resist God. Leave that alone, focus on your pathway, and trust the Lord to work it all out. Yes, it hurts when others disappoint you. It hurts when they break promises, ignore you, or even turn on you and try to drag you down. But you must remember that your business is to serve your purpose. Whether people “get it” or not isn’t your problem. You’re bigger than that, so act like it. Jesus is the only one that will never let you down, so focus on Him to forgive and move on. And remember, forgiveness doesn’t mean that everything is excused. It means you choose to let it go so you can move forward. That may mean letting the person go, or letting some aspect of the relationship go. Trust the Spirit to show you the right way where all of the pieces fit into the bigger picture, and keep your focus on right things and right ways. Don’t let people or things with wrong intentions or motives cast a shadow over the light of your purpose.
I don’t regret the realizations that came from my disappointment late last week. In fact, I’m grateful for them, because they drove me to scripture and prayer to clear my mind in the Spirit and find a better focus for the future – and that’s a path that I have a lot of hope in. I'm making necessary adjustments and changes in how I interact with the people and issues that inspired the last entry. I also realize that if they choose to accept mediocrity and negativity in their lives, then that's their business. I can't stop them or change them, but I also don't have to accept it in my own life. I'm committed to the path I'm on, and boundaries are good things to keep it all on track.
That’s all today. Take care, and have a great week.
Bye!

Lies

4/16/2016

Twenty years ago, people were pretty comfortable getting in my face and talking about responsibility. They said it was time to take charge, to get fired up, to work hard, and to step into the big, bad world and conquer it. I was in my 20's, completing my college degree, and it was time to step into that world and give back to it. When I went through a tough season six years ago, and faced more challenged a couple of years back, they didn't hesitate to get back in my face and tell me to get my crap together and make things right for the same reasons as before: taking life by the horns, being responsible, etc.

That was all lies.

It's been a disappointing week. I'd like to think that people want to do better, but honestly, years of experience have shown me that people are quick to complacency and accepting mediocrity. They talk a good game about meaning better, but I have to wonder about their sincerity when they refuse to put their brain on things for five minutes, when they won't get up and do something, and when they'd rather make excuses than effort. Words mean nothing if you don't follow them up with action to make them true - we've talked about that before. It makes all that talk I heard about self discipline and internal motivation seem like so much hot air.

Today, I understand what God meant in the Old Testament when He said that He doesn't delight in sacrifices, but in a right heart and sincere actions. I can't believe that people still don't get that I'm not the type to be bribed or cajoled with fancy words and a sad enough look on your face. Intentions mean nothing. I don't want your treats or goodies. I want you to do what you're supposed to be doing to the best of your ability. All the gifts and flattery in the world mean nothing if I can't count on you to follow up, or to give things your best.

If you've accepted a responsibility, then fulfill it. To not do so for any reason within your control is faithless, and I see a lot of people that are too eager to throw in the towel, quit, and talk about how tough life is. Of course life is tough, and I'm sick of people getting jealous of me because I live my personal conviction to keep going when things get sticky or tough and see things through. If you don't have the motivation to keep going and stay the course when it gets tough, you have no right to get jealous of others that are willing to do the hard work. Your failure or stagnation is nobody's fault but your own - and the people you're jealous of and whisper about behind their backs know this.

I said in my last entry that I'm trying to live better, and to have a better attitude. The problem seems to be that I'm the only one that made that resolve, and frankly I'm tired of fending off wrong, bad attitudes and laziness. I don't want or need negativity, and I certainly don't need these lies about meaning well but not being able to do it. Tell the truth on this, at least. You don't want to do better. The excuses are comfortable and you're content with them.

I'm well aware of human nature. People are going to be themselves, and nothing short of the hand of God can inspire a paradigm shift. But when people aren't responding to you, then you have to accept your part of the responsibility and change how (or if) you interact with them. I've already done some confronting and letting go of things I just couldn't allow in my life anymore, but it seems that wasn't enough. Then again, I thought people knew and understood me better, but I was obviously wrong and need to make some adjustments.

It seems the answer is at a higher level, and I have some prayer and meditation to do.

Bye!

Awkward

4/14/2016

Facebook does this thing where it shows you posts from the past, and the flashback to this date 4 years ago was somewhat embarrassing. It seems that I had a very bad day, and a confrontation with some people that made me pretty angry. Problem is, I took to social media with it. While I was at least prudent enough to not name names, but it reminded me of why I've made a personal policy to stay off social media when I'm in a bad mood. And obviously, I didn't share that post.

Actually, it made me realize something else. It's been two years since I read The Secret, and made a commitment to pursue the power of positive thinking into my life. I wondered if it was bearing any fruit in my life, because the changes are mostly internal. Yes, life has changed for the better since then, and I certainly feel better mentally. I was tired of being stressed out and angry all the time, and it helped me to cope with some difficult times until the season passed. It even inspired me to look for other ways I could improve my life, like committing to an exercise program, eating better, and finally writing a scifi trilogy like I've always wanted to do it.

The thing is, these changes have been largely internal, and I've often wondered if people notice it. I knew I felt better, but I also couldn't help but see areas where I could still make improvement. Recently, I've been struggling to stay on the diet, and to stop looking for excuses to not exercise. Then again, I suppose that the fact that I'm still committed to staying on the diet and exercise program after 11 months is a testament to the fact that my mindset has changed, since this is the first time I've stuck with either for this long (and got back on it after breaking my foot last fall). There will always be struggles. That's the nature of life. I guess the real thing is dealing with them better than I did before, mainly by not being taken over by stress and worry.

Awkward as that post was, it was a great reminder of how far I've come, and is inspiration to keep on the path. It didn't work fast and it was a struggle to change my thinking, but it's been worth it, because I'm more content with my life now than I ever have been. Really that's the key to joy - enjoying the journey every day, and being grateful for every blessing that makes up your life. It doesn't matter if people actively notice the change - what matters is that I inspire joy by living my life the best way possible. It's their responsibility to pick up on that energy, and to choose to have it in their own lives.

That's all today. Take care. Have a Happy Friday and a wonderful weekend.

Bye!

Who Do I Think I Am?

4/5/2016

As you know, I started out as a Christian/inspirational writer and my first book, Battleground Earth – Living by Faith in a Pagan World, was published back in 2004, before ebooks and the advent of social media. I’ve had a few questions about this recently, mostly from America Star Books, who published it and is curious as to why I’m not promoting it. I told them that I’ve moved on to writing fiction and ebooks since that time, but a call from one of their representatives yesterday about converting it to ebook format woke me from a stupor and got me thinking that perhaps I shouldn’t only promote it again, but finally move forward with the idea of a sequel that I scrapped over a decade ago.

Actually, I did write a sequel. The problem was that it stank, and the harder I tried to make it work, the more I wondered how good Battleground Earth was. Family and friends were supportive, but the book didn’t really catch on beyond my circle of acquaintances. I realize now that isn’t unusual for a first book from a new author, but it was enough to cause doubt. I was 28 when Battleground Earth was published, and that book was about taking the faith I had grown with into young adulthood. I had dreams of returning to graduate school and to pursue a goal of working as a therapist. Then, as the people I license used to say, life happened. My dreams of a career in mental health changed as I opened my eyes to reality. I discovered that I was perfectly happy and achieving my life goals in administrative work, and that my truest desire wasn’t to work in mental health, but to bring people joy and inspiration through writing.

When I realized that these things didn’t require advanced degrees but rather, persistent work with a dedication to be my best through learning and experience, graduate school was no longer a goal. I switched to writing fiction, and life went on as it always does. There were triumphs and tragedies, successes and failures, changing and adjusting to the ever shifting nature of life. Miraculously (or not), my faith grew as I came to understand what it meant to meet each day head on, whether it brought joy and success, or pain and challenge. Which brings me here, twelve years later in middle age and wondering what to do with my maiden efforts as a published author. I’m clearly not the same person I was after having life Kung-fu me around through my 30’s, but it seems foolish to let those efforts slip away. Maybe there’s some merit in Battleground Earth. And maybe the detours, triumphs and tragedies of my life lend better to a sequel now. One thing’s certain: I definitely enough life experience to say I applied those methods, and I’ve gained wisdom from the hard knocks of reality (I hope).

One question that came while I was doing Christian/inspirational writing was what I call the “credential question.” People have strong defensive mechanisms, and when you offer advice to others then the natural reaction is for people to ask why they should listen to you. It seems that common sense and life experience will only get you so far if you don’t have an alphabet of credential letters behind your name. Really, who do I think I am telling people how faith applies to everyday life? A normal person that lives each day just like they do – what inspiration could I possibly offer? I escaped this by switching to fiction, where talent and good writing matter more than anything else, but it’s a question sure to come up again if I decide to pursue a sequel.

I’m not going to waste time worrying about this. I’m primarily a fiction writer, and I’ve published enough books to know that if the Spirit prompts me to write it, then a way will open for it to be published and find readers. If I do decide to move forward with a sequel to Battleground Earth, then people will treat it the same way they treat everything else I’ve published: take it, or leave it. Everybody isn’t going to like everything you do. If I enjoy writing it and learn something from it, then a purpose has been achieved. I’d like for it to reach others and help them, but that’s in the Lord’s hands – as it is with everything I write.

For now, I’ve given America Star Books the ok to put Battleground Earth in ebook format, and it should be available in a few weeks. It will be $3.99, and I’ll let you know when it’s available for sale. As for the sequel, I’ll continue to contemplate it as I continue work on The Earthside Trilogy. The thought of following up Battleground Earth with something based on my experiences and how applying positive thinking has helped me makes me happy. We’ll see what becomes of this. An idea is the catalyst for everything, so who knows? I thought I’d write a mystery next, but I may surprise myself and return to Christian/inspirational again after all. It’s looking better now than it has in a long time.

That’s all today. Take care, and have a great week.

Bye!

Office Workers Need Spring Break Too

4/1/2016

And the more frantic people are about you being out of the office, the more you're justified in needing it. I'll be uncomfortably honest: after my last entry, I think it's fairly plain that people had worn me out. It happens. People will wear you out. Work will wear you out. Staring at the same four walls five days a week will wear you out. If you feel you need an 80 year sabbatical from working, you aren't alone. Being a grown up is hard, and being a young or middle age adult is tough. Everybody's looking to you to keep it going and to do better, because the world turns off our efforts. And the constant race against the clock gets old fast - it's frustrating. It's no wonder that people love to travel. Stressful and frustrating as packing and coordinating arrangements are, many people find it satisfying to leave their problems hundreds or thousands of miles away. Problem is, they wait for you to come back, but it's nice to abandon them for a while.

Even dropping out of the day to day and just taking the break at home can be a miracle. I've been off work since Wednesday, and it's the simple things that have been luxurious: not waking up to an alarm clock bleeting in my ear, being able to do my chores and errands in the middle of the day without squeezing them into a lunch hour or juggling them around dinner and workouts at night, wearing jeans on a Thursday, going to the movies on a Friday, having time to revise 30 chapters of your work-in-progress in three days. I was actually in my chair to watch an entire episode of D.C. Legends of Tomorrow last night without missing the first 5-10 minutes like I usually do in a haste to finish a workout, shower, and fold laundry in that "sliver of time" between dinner and 8 p.m. And I pulled it off because I was able to finish my laundry by 5:00. Sweet.

Yes, office workers need spring break too. Heck, all working adults need spring break! And if you aren't blessed enough to work in the education industry and get it, then you have to just take it. Nobody else is going to look out for you. You have to do it yourself. And don't let them make you feel bad about it. In fact, if people guilt you, that's more reason why you need it. Cut the co-dependency and take a break. I don't see anybody else saying "no thanks" to their vacation time.

I know that breaking the chains these three days has been a tremendous blessing. It's inspiring ...

That's all today. Take care, and have a happy Friday and a wonderful weekend.

Bye!