January Status Update

Happy New Year!

I hope these past six days of 2017 have been everything you hoped for. If you are a resolutioner, you can do it! (Whatever it is that has made your list this year.) If you don't make resolutions, the pressure's off! It's all downhill from here.

I'm personally excited about the upcoming year because I've got some fun projects lined up for myself. I'm not ready to say what they are just yet, but my hope is that they will, eventually, bring a smile to someone's face. That's pretty much my hope for any project I work on.

I've got plans for the blog this year as well, and I'm looking forward to (hopefully) helping it find some sort of identity. It's never a bad thing to know who you are or what you're about.

My "January Status Update" is that I'm happily writing, drawing, and creating over here. There is even talk of a Rise of the Seer birthday party in the works. Who doesn't love a party? (Me...because of the introvert/safety bubble thing. But I'm willing to make that bubble smaller for a day if it means seeing friendly faces and getting to hear new stories.) This guy is definitely ready to party:

His name is Howard. I hope you see more of him this year. 

I do hope that this will be a good year for you. Hold fast to that optimism and sense of a fresh start that January 1 can bring. There are good days ahead, my friends.

Imperfections

1995 was a very good year. I was in eighth grade and editor for my junior high yearbook and newspaper. I loved it. Honestly, it was probably one of my favorite years of school throughout my entire scholastic career. Why? Because I was able to go to a class each day that I loved, doing the things I enjoyed most. I loved writing articles for the paper and cropping pictures for the yearbook. I also enjoyed the leadership role of being the editor. I worked closely with my teacher to double check proofs and layouts to make sure we were getting what we wanted. (Shout out to Mrs. Dendy! Twenty years later and you’re still one of my favorite teachers.)

It took a lot of work and effort for our publications staff to put out the Hitchin' Post and Hoofbeats, and I wanted the final products to reflect that. One day while going over a yearbook proof, I noticed that the publishing company had made a mistake. They had an image pointing in the wrong direction. So my teacher and I circled it and told them to reverse the image so it would look just like the many others in the book. Imagine my shock when the yearbooks finally arrive and I turn the page to see the “correction.”  

This is what the design was supposed to look like:

I'd also like to offer a shout out to Michelle!

And this is what they printed:

I felt horrible. It was wrong. It was a mistake on my watch. It wasn’t perfect.

I don’t know how many others even noticed the mistake. I just know that it bothered me tremendously.

Fast forward two decades later to a girl who grew up and published two books of her own. When a stomach bug/virus/inconvenience attacked this weekend, I decided I would finally get around to reading those two books. (Hello, unexpected downtime!) So I read Ransom of the Healer and Rise of theSeer. And you know what? I found mistakes. And I felt horrible. Or in this case, horribler. We could say even more horrible, but horribler just seems to sum it up better. And I wanted to pull each and every copy and shut the whole thing down. And I let myself hear the awful things I’ve been afraid of since deciding to put my books out there three years ago.

I am, without a doubt, my own worst critic. No one is better at tearing me down than my own thoughts and voice. And I don’t think I’m alone in that. I know there are more out there like myself and I just have to ask:

Why do we do that to ourselves?

Why do we kick ourselves for imperfections and perceived failures?   

Why are we so quick to notice what isn’t perfect without looking at all of the positives that got us there in the first place?

There is no one, not one single person on this planet right now, who is walking around as perfection personified. And I think we need to see that as a good thing. I think we need to see it as an opportunity to offer ourselves grace when we make mistakes. Because we’re human, and they are going to happen. So we have a choice to make.

We can let the weight of past failures keep us tethered to a moment that wasn’t ideal, or we can acknowledge it and move on.

Move on, my friends.

Pull an Elsa and let it go. (Apologies if you end up singing that all day now.) We are more than the sum of our imperfections and failures. To stay in that place of regret is to forgo future joy. There is so much more freedom when we just acknowledge mistakes as an opportunity to learn and grow.

I just thought someone else might want to hear those words. Give yourself permission to move on. And be kind to yourself. Life doesn’t have to be perfect to be beautiful.

Today is the day!

Toss that confetti, my friends!

Rise of the Seer is officially ready for purchase! 

Before I get into the specifics, I’d like to introduce you to the newest member of my writing team. Ladies and gentlemen, say hello to Ransom.

Now for a little Q & A on Rise of the Seer and how you can get your very own copy:

How can I get my very own copy of Rise of the Seer?

Excellent question! I’m so glad you asked.

You can purchase it here at my personal online store.

It is also available on Amazon and most other online bookstores.

Is there a Kindle edition?
Yes! You can find it here. 

I went to ____________ bookstore and asked them for your books, but they looked at me like I was crazy. Why would they do that?

People these days. Because I am an independently published author, I’m doing this all on my own. It would be magical to walk in and see my books sitting on a shelf in any bookstore, but that’s not where I am in my publishing journey yet. As of now, I will have physical copies of my book in Roma’s Books out here in Rockwall.  Local business, local author. It’s a good fit. They should be available there in the next few days. I also have my own copies to sell. If you know me and see me, I’ll sell you some books out of the trunk of my car. I’m not even kidding.

Why is the paperback so much?

Again, because of the independent publishing, I have to be careful with the pricing. This isn’t a mass production. Each book is only printed when it’s ordered. Because of the weight and length of the book, the bare minimum price I could sell it for logistically speaking, was only a dollar less than the purchase price. I promise, I’m not trying to charge an arm and a leg to make oodles of money off of you. If I lower the price, I’ll end up losing money with each purchase and I honestly can’t afford to do that. Book sales aren’t buying a vacation home or paying my mortgage, they are recouping the funds I’ve already invested into publishing two books.

Will you sign my book?

Sure! Because you asked. Just know that sometimes I get a little awkward and may end up writing things such as, Have a great summer!  Or things like Keep in touch!  And my favorite, A.C. Autry was here!

Why are your palms wet?

Sheer, unbridled terror.

My book club will be reading your book. Can we Skype for questions and discussions?

First of all, thank you tremendously. Secondly, I’m happy to Skype during some of the meeting. Just get in touch with me and we will work out the details.

What’s next in the Ransom series?

Book three is Reign of the Judges. I don’t have an idea for a release date. What I do know is that I’d rather not go through this publishing process again because of the numerous hiccups I’ve encountered along the way. So I’m looking into new avenues for the final books in the series. I have no idea what that will look like, or where it will lead. I guess we’ll find out together.

How many books will be in the series?

From the beginning I’ve seen this as a four book series. We’re halfway there!

Any final thoughts on this beautiful day?

Yes. I cannot thank you enough for your interest, enthusiasm, and encouragement. I'm just a girl who fell in love with writing and have been trying to keep it in my life in some way, shape, or form along the way. I don't proclaim to be an expert by any means, but I do expect to become a better writer with each subsequent project. This is me, doing the thing that I love and not letting fear dictate who I want to be or what I want to do. Be brave and courageous, my friends. And if you happen to be in the market for a fun weekend read, I have a suggestion:

Will You Be My Best Friend?

A funny thing happened to me on the way to February. I suddenly remembered that I had a blog. That’s me acknowledging the lack of recent posts, but not quite apologizing. Unless you want me to. All requests for apologies must be sent in writing and submitted to the address listed on my website. Wait a second. I have a website?! A funny thing happened to me on the way to February…

For those of you interested, I’ve got a quick Rise of the Seer update. It still hasn’t been published. I’m waiting…still waiting…on the copy for the back of the book. Those little words have to be just right. I’ve submitted suggestions and am currently awaiting the final product. After that I’ll see interior layouts and approve the cover. That’s it. I want to give a release date. I don’t have a precise one yet other than to say, soon. I don’t think there is anyone on earth who wants this book to be finished more than I do. When the publishing date draws close I’ll post a countdown so you can prepare for how hard to party and acquire the appropriate amount of confetti.

I approve of this level of celebration and confetti. 

On that happy note, let’s talk about becoming friends with books. As with most relationships and interactions, I know I don’t approach things from a typical perspective. And I can’t be trusted in a bookstore without a budget. Inevitably books just jump off of the shelves and into my hands. I’ve mentioned before our house rule is that no new books may be purchased if there is no longer room available on your assigned “to-read” shelf. Here’s a current look at my shelf for those curious:

Still plenty of room to work with!

Some of these books I’ve started and placed back on the shelf because I’m always on the lookout for the perfect book. I don’t know how it is for you, but when I begin a book I recognize that we’re going to spend some time together. We’re forming a relationship. The length and depth of that relationship is entirely up to the book. I really don’t have any control over it.

I will say that the last couple of books I’ve read have turned out to be acquaintances only. We hung out for a little while, but nothing progressed and they’ve ended up in my trade back bin. Usually within the first chapter or so I can get a general sense of how our relationship will proceed. I’m not often wrong. I will confess here, that if we are still on an acquaintance level friendship and I’m more than halfway through the book, skimming will begin to happen and sometimes, on a rare and unhappy occasion for both of us, a clean break will occur. Yes, a couple of books have ended up in the trade back bin before completion. When the relationship isn’t right, it’s best to part ways.

Sometimes though…

Sometimes…

Something magical happens in the pages of a book.

The story grabs you and says, “Hey, I think I know you.”

And as you read it the more you feel that pull, like this one could swallow you entirely…and you wouldn’t mind one bit.

A line grabs you and you relate to it on some cosmic level in a way that doesn’t happen all that often. The words wash over you and you never knew you needed them strung together in that particular order until now.

And then you realize that this book could quite easily become one of your best friends.

And there is no way this one would ever mingle with acquaintances in the trade back bin.

But you’re only 14 pages in, so you have to restrain yourself so you don’t appear too eager. And you tell yourself, “Play it cool, Autry. Play it cool. There’s a lot of story left.” But you’re already secretly planning the next time you’ll curl up in your reading blanket with a cup of tea and your not-yet-but-soon-hopefully best friend. Now, I didn’t want to say anything because we’re so early in the relationship, but I *may* have found another best friend. I’m hopeful that things will keep rolling along like they have for the last 37 pages. I know it’s early, but I’m tired of meeting acquaintances every evening. So if you need me this weekend, I’ll be getting to know this book a little more. 

I even gave this book a bona fide bookmark. No old receipt or meaningless scrap of paper for this new friend!

Notice the little glint of sunlight illuminating the cover? This means something. I know it.

Happy reading to you and yours, my fellow bookworms! Here’s hoping your next book is one you will meet again in another few years with just as much excitement and joy as your first meeting.

Rise of the Seer Update

I am happy to report that every line has been written, each word is in place, and all edits have been revised. Rise of the Seer is officially out of my hands! Let us all exhale. Or at least me because this story needs to be released so I can move on. It is more than time for us to go our separate ways.

What's left and when will you be able to read it?

Excellent questions!

Now I'm waiting for the interior layout and cover to be designed. I'm also waiting to see if there is one aspect of the cover that will be able to happen. Once I find that out, I'll let you guys in on it!
This process can take about 8 weeks, or longer if I drag my feet. Trust me when I say, I have no intention of letting that happen! I haven't felt the freedom to sit down and just WRITE since the editing and revising of Rise started. It's the writing that I adore and I'm eager to get back to it.

To answer when it will be out, I'm not sure yet. I'm supposed to hear from my design team within the next few days, so I should have a better idea of an anticipated release day. But, it is eminent, my friends! I think balloons will be involved. Or at the very least a confetti crown. Could one of my crafty friends (you know who you are) begin working on that? Thanks.

What am I working on now?

Here is the part I'm not sure about. While all of the Ransom escapades are fresh in my mind, it would be nice to go ahead and write the third book in the series, Reign of the Judges. It's currently sitting at a piddly ten pages. However, I might devote some time to short stories for a little while to get myself back into the swing of writing. Who doesn't love a good short story? Hello, lunch break!

Eventually I will move beyond the Ransom Series. As of now it will be a total of four books. After that, who knows? I'm just happy to be in a place where I have options available. Keep creating, my friends! Bake that cake, play that guitar, sing that song, paint that masterpiece, take that picture, perform in that play, sew that dress...just create. It doesn't have to be for a living. If that happens, awesome. That's great. Regardless of whether or not your creativity is tied to your livelihood, just find some time to do the thing that makes you thrive. And if you ever feel like sharing that creativity, I'm more than happy to show it off here. Seriously. Message me and we'll see what we can do. We've got this one life and it should be lived with passion and abundance!

Kicking Fear in the Teeth

All is quiet on the writing front. It’s not supposed to be, but it is. I’m supposed to be going over interior layouts and choosing fonts and designing what my second book should look like. I’m supposed to be going over marketing questions and figuring out, once again, if I’m working within the appropriate genre. I’m supposed to be talking about it, getting word out, and promoting, promoting, promoting this novel I’ve spent two years of my life preparing. I know these things.

So where is Rise?

The same place it has been for the past month. On my computer just waiting for me to take another step. It’s 99.9% finished. So why aren’t things moving along?

Because I’m afraid.

What if they rip it apart?
What if it's not as good as it could be?
What if I missed something?

I have a trip to Boston coming up soon. I don’t know what it is, exactly, but when I heard my husband was headed there for a business trip, I just needed to go too. After he booked the flight I had to go into another room and make myself breathe because I was suddenly overwhelmed with all that it would mean.

Flying in a plane with other people and no way out.

Wandering around by myself in an unfamiliar city.

Figuring out where to eat and being okay with sitting at a dining table alone.

What if I get lost?

What if someone tries to talk to me?

What if…

What if…

What if…

It’s exhausting.

I decided a few years ago that I will never let fear prevent me from doing something I want to do. There’s just too much life out there to experience to live it any other way. And while my fears may seem silly to others, I don’t need to have anyone else validate them to know that they are struggles for me. Don’t we all have that thing that hinders us? That thing that pops up just to remind us that we’re human? The thing that has the potential to keep us from truly letting go and thriving?

So you and I are going to take all of those “What ifs” and kick them in the teeth. Whatever the thing is that holds you back…or rears its ugly head just when you’re beginning to feel brave enough to try something new. We’re going to tell it to take a hike.

We’re not perfect people, so why do some of us try so hard for perfection? I think one of the worst fears we wrestle with is fear of failure. Everything we attempt, everything we want to try is polluted by the nagging doubts that want to defeat us before we even begin. If I happen to miss a word or have a double space in a sentence in a novel of 196,000+ words, it’s not going to be the end of the world. Really. Failure doesn’t have to be permanently branded across our hearts. It’s not fatal and it’s not some omnipotent word that gets to govern how we live. No way.

I’m shaking off all of those pesky “What ifs” and trying to move forward with Rise of the Seer. I’ll save my fears for things actually worth fearing. Like clown sharks.

A Little Bit Darker Now

Hello there! I’d mentioned a few blogs back that I would try to shift the content of this blog a little bit, and then I dropped off the face of the earth. That’s how it goes over here. I didn’t really leave the planet, but I’ve been working on publishing Rise of the Seer. It’s taken up most of my focus these days.

No, I did not get lost in space. Danger, fellow bookworms! Danger!

I also mentioned that I would always let you know what was for dinner. At this exact moment, I’m not sure. I can tell you that I’ve been obsessed with something I’m calling a “Green Goblin” this past week.

I've slayed many a goblin this week. Spinach trembles before me.

For those interested in an update, I honestly don’t have a definitive publication date as of right now. All I can say for certain is that it will be out before the end of the year. I have an anticipated release date, but until I know if that’s really possible, I won’t say when it is just yet. I know I’m doing all of this wrong. I’m supposed to build up a level of frenzied excitement in the months/days prior to the release, but I’m a new author trying to figure all of this out while still managing a home and family life. Suffice to say, I don’t always know if the day will be one where I get to sit down and focus solely on my work, or if I’ll have to drop everything and take a kid to the dentist to have a broken tooth fixed. Life. It always keeps us guessing.

Now that I have the **FINAL** copy (Can we please just pause here and throw hands up? Maybe shake or wave them a little bit?) of Rise in my hands, I wanted to say a few things about it. Keep in mind, as I was writing Ransom of the Healer I didn’t know it was going to be a book. That wasn’t the case with this one. I started writing Rise in 2013 and knew the basic plot of where I wanted the story to go. Things were mapped out and moving along. And then life happened.

Have you ever been in that place where you just don’t think you can handle one more thing? And then that one more thing happens anyway? That’s what last year looked like. The amount of pain and loss was staggering and I carried it with me daily. Grief and sorrow are heavy. So very heavy. If you’ve been there, you know. You know that it’s the first thing you notice when you wake up. You know how you think it’s lessened marginally, that you’ve finally started to heal, until a word or thought rips the wound back open and you’re right back where you started. It is a place where we function. That’s it. We’re not thriving there. We’re just making it through the day. That wasn’t where I wanted to be. I needed to get out from under the weight of everything trying to steal my joy.

So I went back to the thing that has always brought clarity and reprieve.

I wrote.

I wrote through the pain and hurt.

I wrote until the things that I no longer wanted to carry were there in front of me, on the screen, instead of constantly sitting on my chest.

Why am I sharing this? Because you’re (hopefully) about to read some of the words from that time. Rise of the Seer was exactly what I needed to work on while climbing out of the valley. It’s amazing how things work out that way sometimes, isn’t it? I already had the story in place, but after 2014, I had the emotion to add to it. If I’m going to hurt, there is absolutely going to be something beautiful to take away from it. 

If you are currently in a valley yourself-in a place you don't want to be- please, keep climbing. Keep going. I don't want to trivialize your circumstances or pretend to know what your struggle feels like. I just want to encourage you to take another step. You and your story are valuable. And your story isn't over yet. Just keep climbing. 

I've Fallen Into Summer and I Can't Get Up

My dear friends,

I know that it is August in the year 2015. I know that it is sunny outside and that there isn't enough sweet tea in the world to combat the relentless display of summer the Lone Star is hurling down at the pesky mortals who reside here. I know time is passing because the sun sets and reappears a few hours later. But...I am trapped in the thick of summer and I cannot find my way out of the blur of days ticking by. And the heat. My goodness.

Lo, in a moment of defiance I wield my sword against the fiery furnace that will. not. stop.

Everyone together now, "For the honor of snow cones!"

It just so happens that this particular sword is super sour cherry and cream. If I've learned one thing this summer it is this: super sour cherry + super sour lemon + cream= my flavor for life. It's good to know your weapon of choice and learn how to use it well.

Another thing I've learned this summer is that Lewis is a surprisingly delightful traveling companion. He thought we should share a few vacation pictures to let everyone know we're still alive and well. I am under contract to agree with his promotional ideas, so here you go:

Just reading by the lake. He's an excellent page/acorn holder. 

I cannot with a clear conscious recommend playing Rage with a squirrel. An angry squirrel is a dangerous squirrel.

Lewis and I also looked into his ancestry, but those pictures aren't ready yet. He's excited to show them off though, so be on the lookout for those soon.

It hasn't been all fun and games in this vortex of endless snacks, late night page turners, and questionable dietary decisions (I'm looking at you, cereal for dinner!). I am still moving in the direction of getting Rise of the Seer ready for publication. It will be in the hands of my editor on August 31st. We'll then work through two passes of editing together to get it ready. And it may not look like much yet, but I've taken the first step to begin the actual publishing process. Rise is officially an open project now!

No turning back now!

I know I've not been as active on Facebook or blogging as much lately, but summer (mercifully) doesn't last forever. In just a few weeks the scent of sunscreen will once again be relegated to memory and hours of uninterrupted quiet will descend upon my house. Although some days I feel like it can't get here soon enough, I'm going to squeeze every ounce of adventure and rest out of this season. If I don't show up again by September, please come find me. I'll probably be stuck in a hammock with a snow cone.  

Yours until sweet tea runs dry,

A.C. 

Laws of Motion

I did not intend to take physics in college. I ducked and dodged and shied away from courses that involved complicated math and equations like a skillet on a hot stove. Bring on the literature! Bring on the essays and reading lists! Chemistry and calculations? No, thank you. An unfortunate round of scheduling brought me face to face with the very thing I had tried to avoid for semester after semester. I took Physical Science over the summer before my impending graduation...and I loved it.

Loving it certainly didn't mean that it came without challenges. Nope. I struggled and worked hard to keep up in that class. But I have to say, of all of my college courses I walked away with a greater sense of accomplishment from that class because of the effort it took to finish. No, I did not get an A. And that didn't matter to me one bit. To this day I still don't fully understand electric circuits, but I'm okay with not understanding all the ways of the universe.

Why the physics talk? So glad you asked. It's because I still have an $80 used textbook on my shelf to unload and I'm trying to finance publishing a second book. Just kidding. It's not for sale. It's my trophy. 

Earlier I was thinking about how objects at rest tend to stay at rest and objects in motion tend to stay in motion unless an outside force disturbs it. At the moment I'm an object in motion with finishing up this second draft of Rise of the Seer. My plan is to stay in motion until it's finished, which means I need a...

I had a few people ask me about the progress on Rise because I hadn't mentioned it lately. It's moving along and I am looking forward to handing it off once again. Outside eyes see things that I just can't find on my own. Eye color...the spelling of names...who does and does not like pickles and why? (1,000,000 points to you if you knew the answer to that last one.*) 

I feel like I would miss a wonderful opportunity to let you in on one of my favorite lessons from back in the day. Check out the Tacoma Narrows Bridge to see why physics can be utterly fascinating. It can also give me a small case of the heebie-jeebies. What's life without a little bit of fascination? The moral of this story is, work hard, kids. Try the thing you think you can't do and don't put limits on yourself before you ever start. Someone should really put that on a t-shirt. Thank you in advance.

*Points may be redeemed for a smile or high five, depending on your level of comfort and my level of comfort at the time you choose to tell me about your in no way literal points. Open to US residents 18 and up.

Also, it's Catryn. Because of an afternoon of pickling that she just couldn't get out of.  The more you know...

Renovations and Relaxers

Oh, my friends. March is trying to swallow me up and spit me out. After returning from my amazing conference in February, I had such lofty ideas about all the ways I could become a better writer. The first step in that process was making our home office into a place where I actually wanted to write. I haven’t decided yet if I’m brave enough to post a “before” photo. While the majority of the office is complete, it certainly isn’t finished. I’m still waiting on my computer desk to be delivered so that I can get a computer…and finally set up the printer we were given as a Christmas gift. Rise of the Seer was done entirely on a lap top, and while I’m thankful to have said keys and screen, I’m looking forward to moving on to a keyboard that doesn’t make me hold my arms out like a baby T-Rex.

Believe it or not, I actually found a stock photo of a T-Rex at a desk. The world is a strange, strange place.

Moving right along, my Beta reader finished reading the first draft of Rise of the Seer. I’m now about to begin the process of rewriting based on his comments. And for anyone who may be curious, yes, we are still friends and on speaking terms. Critique can be oh-so-painful, but a second pair of eyes on your work is crucial to helping it become the best it can be. Speaking of eyes….

For undisclosed reasons, I had to take my first muscle relaxer last night. Now, I’ve had pain medication before, but I detest having to take anything like that for any amount of time. I’d rather chew on a leaf or rub some oil on whatever hurts. Usually what happens is that I end up singing a heartfelt round of Irish pirate ballads before falling asleep. No harm done. Apparently muscle relaxers bring out my pun side! I had a little notepad by the bed and scribbled out puns in my “relaxed” state. Because we are all friends here, I’ll share one of them with you. Yes, there were several. Here you go, in all of my medicated glory:

In case you are having trouble deciphering my scribbles, it's "the ayes have it." This was snort laugh hilarious last night.

The Weight of Words

I’m still fighting off the word lag associated with finishing up a novel in a short amount of time. It’s not an official diagnosis, but I consulted Dr. Google, and I’m pretty sure that’s what I have. It’s similar to jet lag, but rather than crossing time zones at a high rate of speed, you pass through worm and plot holes. Someone really needs to write a wiki page for that condition. Writers everywhere will thank you.

Lest you think the Ransom Series is doomed to perish in premature abandonment, here is a pic I snapped minutes after writing the final words to Rise of the Seer:

I know. It’s a little crazy, but the feeling of accomplishment temporarily nulls your senses as you bask in word counts and everything that isn’t touched by the ominous red squiggles of spellcheck. (300 pages=a plethora of squiggles.) Speaking of word counts, let’s talk about words for a moment. Behold, my glorious transition. Since childhood I’ve been familiar with the phrase, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” (That paraphrase is from Tappy's Chicks: and Other Links Between Nature and Human Nature, by Mrs. George Cupples, 1872.) I say, poppycock to that whole notion. While I understand the idea is encouraging someone to let words roll off of you, rather than react in a physical altercation, I still don’t agree with the sentiment. 

Words have significant weight and value. They can make a day better or crush a heart. Words can draw people in and encourage them or they can wound viciously beyond repair. In short, what we say matters greatly. I’ve been thinking about that this week as articles have circulated about how people have lost jobs over what’s been said on social media or how some find popular literary works to be abusive and offensive. Whether they are spoken, written, signed, sung, painted or written across the sky, words are objects with remarkable substance and can stay with us forever. My hope is that there may be some word somewhere in my writing that would be a little breath of fresh air for you as a reader. I hope that there’s something in the world and characters I’m creating that will make you smile and give you a moment of happiness. Because I understand that the words we use to tell our stories, fictional or not, are each important and have the ability to impact the way we feel and respond to those around us.

Maybe today we can each choose to use our words to spread a little bit of beauty or happiness. I'll go first. Thank you, my fellow reader, for taking the time to read this post. I'm thankful for you and I truly hope that there is a moment in your day that puts a smile on your face. One final thought-*what happened when the bloodhound wrote his autobiography? It got on the best smeller list.

*I didn't make this up. To see more click here.

Now What?

I hope you’ve been vaccinated for spontaneous combustion. I know, it’s a controversial topic. We each need to decide what’s right for our own bodies. I just wanted to prepare you so that you would be informed about the risks associated with continuing to read this blog post.

 **CAUTION**

I finished the first draft of RISE OF THE SEER.

Are you still with me? Good! If I happened to lose you, take heart and remember, “They’re doing remarkable things with globule research these days.”

I thought I would let you in on how this process works for me as an indie author. The very next step for me in RISE is to do…nothing. This is actually a very important step. Between December to February I’ve spewed out 49,728 words for this story. I have lived with, talked to, and dreamt about these characters intimately for the past two months. We need a break. I’m quite caught up in their world and need to clear my head so that I will be able to view it accurately as a reader. So is RISE just sitting on a shelf? Nope.

It’s now in the hands of my favorite Beta Reader. He will go through this draft and mark it up. So much red ink! This process is both a relief and a test. It’s a relief to finally share this story with a fellow reader and see if it came together or not. I haven’t been able to share key details or plot points with anyone, so it will be nice to have an outside opinion. The testing part is that when you’ve been working on something for over a year and a half, it can be challenging to not take things personally when something just doesn’t work. There is nothing in this draft that can’t be cut if it’s what works best for the story as a whole. It’s not personal. And, repeat…

The next part will look something like this:

-My Beta Reader and I will edit this first draft.

-Rewrite.

-Send out the second draft to another round of readers.

-Rewrite.

-Have the third draft professionally edited.

-Rewrite.

-When I feel like my novel is in a place where I can finally abandon it, I’ll start the actual publishing process.

In the meantime, curious to see what it looks like when you’ve dedicated an entire week solely to finishing writing your book? I know, it seems like the charmed life of an author would be all glitz and glamour. Really though, it's a lot of work at the expense of sacrificing time in some other area. Just like everything else. Revel in my splendor, fellow readers, and see for your own eyes what a REALLY good writing week looks like around here. 

I thought the sepia tone would make the pile of clean laundry seem more whimsical. 

The people I live with need food. I like for them to live, so I agree with this system.

Lest you think I subject my fellow housemates to my slovenly ways, I assure you that order has once again been restored. Clean dishes and counter tops abound, as do folded laundered items. Until the next frenzy to finish a project hits us...
Now, for the love of dish soap and dryer sheets, please buy the book. :)

The Elusive Blog Fairy

“Wednesdays are for blogging,” she said.

Well, it’s Thursday now and I still haven’t tracked down that tricky Blog Fairy. Who is the Blog Fairy? That’s a good question. She’s a creature of legend. Some say she’s the living embodiment of sponsored dreams, paleo recipes, and images of how to tie scarves while baking bread in vintage refurbished wood burning ovens made from cinderblocks and leftover shipping pallets. She sneaks in and leaves informative, witty, and sufficient content on your computer while scheduling your blog posts weeks in advance. As of yet, I haven’t been able to find her, but I’m optimistic. I even set out a trail to lure her to my laptop. I hope she likes candy.

Until the Blog Fairy decides to frequent my computer, I suppose I’m on my own as far as blog content is concerned. I will take this opportunity to let you know that I haven’t forgotten my deadline of December 31^st for the completion of Rise of the Seer. As mysterious as the Blog Fairy is, her counterpart, the Novel Fairy, is far more elusive to catch. The Novel Fairy is a bit darker though and said to be the incarnation of sleepless nights, leftover take-out containers, keyboards of yesteryear and the fleeting hopes of souls lost in word counts and conflict resolution. The Novel Fairy is loosely related to Sasquatch and has been known to take his chupacabra for midnight strolls. If one is fortunate enough to have him tinker with their novel, they find everything magically tied up and ready for publication upon starting up their computer for the day. And what a glorious morning that is. Since neither fairy has decided to visit, I’m sitting here blogging about mythical creatures and pushing myself to finish my novel by the end of the month. This is my version of a Novel Fairy, and I can't be certain, but his head might weigh 100lbs:

As far as book two is concerned, it’s almost there. There are only a few things to finish up. Why isn’t it finished yet? No Novel Fairy. Remember? I almost made the deadline of the 31^st, but it just wasn’t feeling like it was coming together the right way. I decided to give it a little more time to allow myself to steer it back in the direction it needed to go. While I am not able to do this with horses, I can do a serviceable job of corralling my stories if given a decent amount of time. I’m still corralling and cajoling. I see no reason, now anyway, that you shouldn’t be able to have a copy of Rise of the Seer in your hands by this fall. If you want one. And I hope that you do.

Crunch Time

I’m coming up for a bit of air before plunging back into Rise of the Seer. It turns out writing the second book in the series is, let’s say, difficult. There is an overall plot to move forward and keep that is the basis for the whole series. That part isn’t really the challenge. I could sit down with you right now and tell you how everything ends and if anyone gets a happily ever after. It’s the subplots that are most likely turning my hair grey, or silver actually. (I’m beginning to sparkle.) Imagine dumping a jar of marbles on the floor and trying to find two or three of one color. Did I mention the floor is on an incline and now the marbles are rolling away from you? Oh, and then a Subplot Gremlin also came behind you and dumped a jar of Gobstoppers into the mix just to make it seem like more of a party. Fun for everyone!

The elusive Subplot Gremlin in his natural habitat. Or it could be a pterodactyl... 

 I’m still hacking my way through this world and story. There have been some developments I wasn’t expecting, and a few that I had to remove because they just didn’t fit with the overall flow of the story. It really does take on a life of its own once it finally gets going. I don’t really know how other people write, but I don’t do things sequentially. When an idea for a scene pops into my head, I’ll go write it and stick in the general area for where I think it belongs. I’ll fill in the space around them until, eventually, it all turns into one linear journey. That’s what I’m currently working on. The scenes are in place, I just need to go through and add more marbles. Or Gobstoppers. They’re all looking the same at this point.

I found this photo here: www.equilibridigitali.it/un-post-opificio-di-scrittura 

I'm down to 15 days, fellow readers! I'm trying to have the first draft of Rise of the Seer finished by midnight on the 31st...during the Christmas season...when my house will be full of people...with my husband in his critical season at work...and Subplot Gremlins on the loose. What's life without a little adventure?

Scenes and Ramblings at 3AM

I’m going to let you in on a secret. My mind is a very busy place. That can be a good thing when you’re trying to make a career (hopefully…eventually) out of writing. It can be a challenging thing when you’re trying to relax, say, during a massage. It’s even worse when it’s three in the morning and your brain is firing at warp speed on overdrive.

What kept me awake this morning: If we say someone is under the weather, why don’t we ever say someone is over it when they’re feeling better? It could be so much more pleasant instead of the standard fine.

How are you today?

Fine.

See, that’s not helping anybody. What if the standard became something like this:

How are you today?

I’m over the weather! And you?

I personally think the second conversation is not only nicer, but far more engaging. 3 AM, people. That’s what you get.

I also sketched out a scene for Rise of the Seer and spent the next hour running over dialogue between Nathan and Ian. It popped up out of nowhere. I had just finished the above conversation with myself when Nathan and Ian were suddenly in the middle of his kitchen going through cabinets. Things happen like that sometimes.

The ramblings during the night made me think of my other, numerous, ramblings from other times in my life. I’m going to let you in on a little snippet I recorded back in 2008 while waiting for my husband during his surgery. Why? Because I’m exhausted and I made myself a schedule. Wednesdays are for blogging. My mind is cluttered, so why not let everyone experience what goes on up there?

12/11/2008

      There is a horrible beeping sound. One continuous beep when they open one particular door. Eerily resembles the flat -line sound. Perhaps they should rethink that, seeing as to how everyone in this room might be particularly sensitive to such a sound at the moment.

If I write, it doesn’t look like I’m listening to your conversation. But I am.

Waiting rooms are notorious for subjecting captive waiters to daytime TV and talk shows. I don’t think they really have good ratings. It’s all faulty information. I think it’s based entirely on a captive audience. Soaps get waiting room ratings. That doesn’t seem fair.

Big hair. Seriously, at some point isn’t a friend or loved one obligated to intervene? Say, “Enough’s enough!” and quietly and slowly approach them with a bucket of water, scissors, and a rabbit’s foot?

Beginning to think my mind is a scary, odd place. What really goes on in there?

And now, just to keep up with the random ramblings, here's a picture of the happiest protein bar I've ever seen in my life. Happy Wednesday!

Grassroots and Venus Flytraps

I wanted everyone to know that I am feeling significantly better after last week’s episode of spontaneous combustion. I’ve recovered nicely, and the extra fingers I was fortunate to grow have indeed increased my WPM. This is quite useful as an author.

One of the bits about being an author that isn’t all glamour and signing books with flourish, is having to put your book out there and cultivate an online presence. I’m an introvert by nature and all things social make my third thumb twitch. I’ve devised a plan of attack and thought I would put it out there so you can follow along with, or avoid, my calculated attempt to venture out from my introverted bubble. I’ll be posting on Facebook. *Deep breaths here.*

Monday: I’ll be featuring some favorite quotes. Feel free to share your own!

Tuesday: Pun day for life.

Wednesday: Blog post!

Thursday: Progress report for Rise of the Seer. It keeps me accountable…which is a good thing because I’m sitting alone in an office with a myriad of distractions around me.

Friday: Weekly reader. I always have a book going. Writers have to read. I also want to hear what you’re reading. Bookworms need to unite. Proudly. There are some frightening statistics out there about U.S. citizens and reading. Let’s encourage literacy. It’s good for all of us.

So where does the “grassroots” reference come in? Ah, that is for you, my fellow reader. Please feel free to interact and share links. It would be so fun to build a small community of fellow bookworms.  We are mighty! Like the mighty Venus Flytrap! (Because I don’t have a pet lion to photograph, but I did have a picture of my plant.)

Your voice and assistance are key to helping The Ransom Series find its audience. I promise to write and fill in the story, but I need help letting others know about it. (Introvert, remember?) Thank you, again, for the encouragement from so many of you. Really. It means the world to an independent artist trying to share something I’ve enjoyed creating. I can’t promise that I won’t spontaneously combust again, but at least we know they can always put me back together.

Indie Author Spontaneously Combusts

First time author, A.C. Autry, spontaneously combusted in her home office on September 2, 2014. As with most cases of spontaneous combustion, the only remains found of Autry were one small globule on her office chair strategically placed beside a copy of her novel. Authorities are investigating the incident and remain optimistic that they will be able to solve the current mystery.

“It’s really not all that uncommon in these young and independent artists. All it really takes is for someone to acknowledge their work, or worse yet, compliment it, and up they go in a glob of smoke,” said Detective Ezekiel Brindle, of the local law enforcement. “We’re now just working backwards, trying to find the key to the puzzle that instigated the unfortunate event.”

Autry is relatively new to the literary scene, having published her debut novel, Ransom of the Healer, in November of 2013. It is said to be book one of The Ransom Series. Whether or not the series will reach a conclusion remains to be seen. The second book in the series, Rise of the Seer, was found on Autry’s laptop in a state of disarray and somehow correlated to a series of multicolored sticky notes. Local authorities are still trying to decipher her system of writing, but have been unable to do so thus far. “She’s just got boards with names and titles all over the room. Here and there you find a notebook or scrap of paper with a scene written on it. I’m not sure how anyone could ever piece this thing together,” Brindle offered.

Autry wrote supernatural fiction and had created a world where people possess extraordinary talents and abilities. Perhaps she simply drew closer to the world she created than one can safely attempt. Not all hope is lost, however, as local pathologist, Zoe Blithe, informed the minuscule group of mourners gathered outside a small bookstore in Autry’s hometown. Unfortunately, the owner of the shop had never heard of Autry and chased the group from the premises with several large leather-bound copies of traditionally published works. “They’re doing remarkable things with globule research these days,” Blithe told the group as they nursed paper cuts as well as broken hearts. “The essence of A.C. is still very much contained within the globule. I wouldn't be surprised at all if they had already grown a new A.C. Autry by sometime next month.”

It’s said all 14 people who have read Ransom of the Healer have taken a collection to raise the necessary funds to unglobulate their beloved author. Inquiries for donations can be sent via message to Autry’s Facebook page. Brindle cautioned well-wishers from leaving too many positive posts on the page. “We found a mention to her being involved in a book club. That might be the key component for the combustion. If she does recover from this, too many kind comments might just make it occur again. We don’t want to see that happen.” 

I'm a Tortoise

It takes a long time to write a book. Unless you happen to be one of those rare and gifted types who can sit down at your screen and hammer out a novella over the weekend, it’s going to be a process that takes up a good portion of your time and attention.  If you’re like me, you are constantly mulling over ideas and stories. In the pick-up lane at school…in the produce section of the market…while doing dishes…while watching people awkwardly engage in small talk in social situations…the mulling never ceases.  The actual writing though, that takes self-discipline and the ability to stay in your current story despite what’s actually happening in your real life.

It took years for me to finish writing Ransom of the Healer. I’m now what I consider to be half-way finished with the next book in the series, Rise of the Seer. I actually started writing scenes for Rise while I was finishing up the first book. Once again I’m trying to keep embers stirring in a story that is now over a year old. When I think about the places I have been in my own life this past year, I can justify how slowly the story sometimes seems to emerge. I’ve lost people. I’ve grieved. And I’m pretty sure that there are going to be places in this next book where I look back and see a reminder of the journey. If I’m going to have to go through grief, I’m at least going to find something productive and beneficial about it. The beautiful thing about being the creator of this world is that I get to choose the people I add to the story. It’s therapeutic to put a character in my story, if only for a couple of paragraphs, who will live on in print for as long as the book survives.

In case you are one of my treasured few who are eagerly awaiting Rise of the Seer, just know that I’m not going to disappoint us. I’m mulling and that inevitably leads to writing. Once that happens dishes pile up, laundry goes untouched, and ideas explode onto the pages of our next adventure.

I woke up to find this little note waiting for me on the coffee maker...