Tuesday, July 25, 2017

The Perils of Plotting

Those brave souls out there who took a chance with my first novel, Hold My Heart and went onto Break My Heart, I thank you.

I thank you because as you know, my debut novel is not for those faint of heart. It's complex, different, well, let's just say it -- not your average romance. Hold My Heart is not only outside the box; Hold My Heart packed its bags and moved all the way across town away from the box. It's a unique ride promising to bring anything along and the reader has to be willing to risk one hell of a ride.

As you wait patiently for the final installment, I struggle everyday to find a system in which to contain the complicated timeline of my story. I visit many social media groups and watch as successful writers are able to tame their stories into neat spreadsheets, folders, and other orderly, no-nonsense logical formats.

Then there's me.



Notes upon notes of possible outcomes for each scene; ten different twist and turns in order to reach the finish line, reading, re-reading, researching, and rewriting until I reach an inkling of satisfaction that each part of the story is the best it could possibly be.

And still, after publishing, I read my work, frowning at certain parts. I can't help wonder if I didn't give it my all. Maybe if I'd taken a little longer, played with it more...it would be better.

My strive for perfection is my undoing.

It consumes me and like my thoughts, my plotting notes are a collection of notebooks with ramblings, questions I pose as I go, and notes from years of countless research.  Time Travel requires knowledge of the time period, the social climate of the time, politics, history, physics, weather, chronology, locations, and much more. 

Some days I tell myself had I written a sweet, contemporary standalone for my first book, it would have been less research, right? Maybe it would have been less chaotic to keep track of, instead of dealing a with a timeline and characters spanning eighty years.

But I know the answer: Because when I set to do something, I either go big, or go home.

So, here I am, reflecting on what I've learned and what I've yet to learn. I want to master the ability to plot and set firmly the course of a story as easy as entering a destination on the GPS. But it's not that easy, is it?

Nothing worth doing is easy.

For now, I'll content myself with the knowledge that there are fellow writers out there who have mastered the plotting beast, and won.

E.

Sunday, May 7, 2017

The Heart Series Available on multiple platforms

 The Heart Series Books are now available through Nook, Ibooks, Kindle, and many more!

Hold My Heart: 2.99 Ebook
AmazonUS: http://amzn.to/1Bj1kCo
IBooks/Kobo/Nook: https://www.books2read.com/u/3nez85


Meant To Be: 99 Cents!
Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B016B63B52
Available on #KindleUnlimited


Break my Heart: 3.99 Ebook
Amazon US: http://goo.gl/EOZm7S
IBooks/Kobo/Nook: https://www.books2read.com/u/bw8DaP

Paperbacks for all books are available for purchase 
Through Createspace (Amazon)  
 SIGNED PERSONALIZED COPIES Through this blog!

Wednesday, February 22, 2017

WHAT I'VE BEEN UP TO, AND WHAT'S COMING UP.

I haven't blogged for a while. Why? Maybe because in my head, putting my thoughts into the void of social media feels like the tree in the forest analogy...you know the one.
But one thing I've learned about the indie publishing business is that if you don't stay visible, readers forget and move on. Maybe a lot already have...
 But for those of you who are still around? Thank you so much for your support!
 I'm working hard on Book 3 of the Heart Series because I'm determined to finish Ileana's journey -- and like Ileana, I finish what I start. I plan to finish and publish the final chapter of the Heart Series this year. There are things the characters have yet to reveal, but I'm prying and prodding and getting the them to spill the beans. So in between teaching, I write. I revise. I read HMH and BMH. Take myself back to the beginning, retrace their steps in search of clues, visit their lives as a spectator -- as the readers would.

It's difficult to be all things: writer, character, reader. It's a delicate balancing act, and it takes practice to achieve. Everyday is homework, every scene a juggling act. But I forge on.

Meanwhile, I'm staying active as an author. For those who know me, introvert is thy name.
For those readers who've met me, they might have noticed I don't do crowds, or networking, or socialize much -- which in terms of indie publishing, it could be career suicide. So, this year I'm venturing outside my cave in between teaching and writing:
  • March 17, 2017: Ohio University Lancaster Celebrate Women Conference (Lancaster, OH)
    • I'll be leading a panel titled, "Pursue you passion: Advocating for you." I'll talk about my experience in transforming my passion for reading into publishing my books. 
    •  OUL Celebrate Women Conference  
  •  October 14, 2007: For the Love of Books & Chicago Signing (St. Charles, IL)
I'm hoping to make them all. As we all know, we can plan until the cows come home, but life likes to throw wrenches into our semi-well oiled machine of existence.
We can plan all we like. Then life happens.
So, there you have it. I look forward to meeting you this year, and will do my best not to sound like the pajama-loving introvert I really am.

And now, back to work. Book 3 of The Heart Series isn't gonna write itself...(God, I wish!)
Thank you so much readers, from the bottom of my Heart! Until next time.