Getting Back to the Groove

Hello!

I feel like I’ve been gone forever! I was “off” last week, concentrating on putting together a website for my photographer hubby. It is not quite done yet (hello, Hubby!); he still needs to supply me with photographs to display on it, and he’s been up to his eyeballs taking wedding pictures – engagement, bridal, and wedding. And working his regular job, to boot! So it has fallen to me to gather and edit some of the pictures we *do* have available, and I imagine I will be helping assemble the finished wedding package, too.

Fun.

I also had the delightful opportunity of designing a cover for another soon-to-be-published short story. More on that as soon as the author takes the plunge. Can’t wait! 🙂

I hardly looked at my email last week, and as a result I have quite the pile to go through now. I haven’t read any blogs or news or anything! Fear not, my dauntless friends, I shall catch up! I am link-hopping even as I write!

One piece of email that caught my eye was a notification that my short story, In the Mirror, is now available on Barnes and Noble for all you Nook fans. Woohoo! And then I saw that my fantastic friend Kristie took the time to tell all her friends about the Nook-ness on her blog AND on her Facebook account. Isn’t that awesome? Thank you, Kristie! And thank you Reviewers!

Positive feedback goes a long way toward scattering doubt.

Our doubts are traitors, 

And make us lose the good we oft might win

By fearing to attempt. 

~ William Shakespeare, “Measure for Measure”, Act 1 scene 4

I am also encouraged by other peoples’ sales reports. I was reading about D.D. SCOTT’s success on her blog: Barnes & Noble PubIt Sales are Now Rockin’!!! I can’t help but feel excited for her, and excited about the future of e-publishing. How great it is to be a part of that. (Site no longer available! 🙁 )

I had big plans to work on my novel today, but you know what happens to the best laid plans of mice, men, and moms… Regular tasks (like housekeeping and bill paying) fell by the wayside during last week’s construction. But now the house is clean, the bills paid, and some of the stack of ironing done! I’ve heard that authors often let the housecleaning slide in favor of finishing their manuscripts, but I can’t work in a messy house! And it’s also a good idea to stay on the sweet side of my fellow inhabitants!

Work on my novel is in the editing phase, and I like that a lot less than the writing phase! I get bored when I edit myself, so it’s not very hard to find something else to do instead. Like housecleaning!

David B. Coe has an insightful article about how he edits: How to Revise a Manuscript or Story.  I also have a copy of James Scott Bell’s “Revision & Self-Editing” book, as well as “Story Engineering” by Larry Brooks. I’m all set, right? Kristie has been Brave Beta Reader #1; her comments and suggestions – not to mention her support and encouragement – have been very helpful, and I’m looking forward to input from two other volunteers (Hi, Mickey! Hi, Maren!).

So…

Get it done already, eh?

All right. Innaminit! (or more) After I finish checking out these interesting posts I found in my list:

• Of Hobbits and Pygmy Elephants, by Gene Lempp (Oh, the wheels are turning, and I don’t need more ideas until I’m finished with the forty-eleven that I’ve already got!)
• Authors, Do You Have a Facebook Fan Page? by Lindsay Buroker (I have one, but I want to change it. Not sure, but this may be another procrastination effort…)
• Writing For the Joy of It, by Marg McAlister (This takes me back to my childhood, sometime last month. He!)