New Year…where did it go?

I’ve been MIA.
It’s been a whirlwind summer and I’ve met myself at the door so many times, I’m thinking I don’t know where I am anymore. Most recently, I’ve been at PENNED CON. If you’ve never been…make a point to get there. It is a phenomenal event all proceeding charity. Readers…180 Authors…someone has to tickle your reader fancy.

While I’m still hip deep in words, because I set an OUTRAGEOUS goal for this year…I can’t pass the chance to share so many great moments.

 

Highlight for me.
Gravedigger getting the nod for Best Ugly Cry in AMAZING company.

Best Keepsake ever!
READER autographs.

Signing Day one -Talking books.

Channeling PINK for the Lip Sync

Posing with the Beast Revealed for Lip Sync night

 

Signing Day TWO with the fabulous!

 

 

 

 

Awards Night – Roaring 20’s as Charlie Chaplain.

This is what Charity means.

RICK MILES – Organizer & Founder…dressing up to raise funds for AFA Academy

 

 

New Year – Need some new brain cells

Yep. It’s been a while since I posted. How can I tell? Because I couldn’t remember my password for the life of me. Woops.

I still have more covers to share with you, but thanks to some serious schedule shifting for releases…I’m under not one, not two…but FOUR deadlines. I’m living in the chair and feeling like I can’t make headway fast enough. OOF.

July took a renegade course as it was audit month at the daily deal and I lost an assessor mid-way. The buck stops here, so I ended up making a couple extra trips downstate to compensate for the shortage. Add 2 AMAZING signing events and I’m full up, but still running on E.

But, as we have learned over the past years…this too shall pass and my crazy ass will be wherever with bells on and books to share. It’s just how I go.

I’m restocking titles for Show Me Your Books Kansas City, Penned Con and maybe for Booking in Baton Rouge too…that one might be an additional order later. I am perilously low on several titles, and that just won’t do. So, the man in Brown will be visiting me for the foreseeable weeks as things come in and hopefully, I get my deal together before I hit the next hotel.

Where will I see you?

I’ll be in to share more covers and news soon. For now, read something great and tell your friends!
Sav

New Year…whoops.

I keep thinking I have more time than I do. It’s nearly the end of June and I’m completely flummoxed by that at the moment. This post will be short-ish…but oh so sweet!

I have two things to share…ONE is that for this week, Gravedigger…my thriller/suspense/mystery title that came out late last year is $0.99 on all outlets. That’s right! You read that here…the e-book version….however you like to read ebooks…is on sale! Grab your copy before the price goes back to normal!

I LOVE…ABSOLUTELY LOVE almost every one of my covers, but this one is so special. My graphic artist actually LAID IN A GRAVE to get this shot and let her hubs stand over her with the shovel. That’s trust. And, that’s immense craft in my opinion. (Turn the cover sideways for the full effect.) I cannot ever say enough about this one, or the designer Suzanna from Funky Book Design.
MAD LOVE GIRL!!

Thing number TWO this week is another cover reveal. September 7 – 9 I’ll be attending Show Me Your Books Kansas City. This new event is a charity fundraiser for The Dream Factory. If you know me even a little, you know why I signed on. BUT…adding to the good juju is that opening night there is a small group of authors who have all agreed to release a new title, and the proceeds from that night go straight to the charity…no middle nuthin.
GUESS WHO is in that group. Seriously. Guess.

Yeappers…it’s me. I’m excited to sneak peek the cover here. The tale is the first of a new series surrounding Heartland Emergency Air Regional Transport. It will be stories surrounding the team of professionals who staff the life flights where seconds matter and having heart is sometimes harder than getting a medical license. I can’t wait to introduce you to the crazy cast of characters who have been keeping me awake.

The HEART Flights lift off September 7th.

Check back with me next week. Maybe, just maybe I’ll have an update on what’s what…but I’ll definitely have at least one more cover reveal. (I’ve got 4 more for you…so, it could be more than one.)

Read something awesome.
Sav

New Year- Even the Old is new again

YEOWSA. The world is turning faster than I think I can keep up. I can honestly claim that I’m meeting myself – at the door, at the coffee pot, and at the pillow. Part of the crazy is my own fault, I took on A LOT this year…but other parts, are just moving too fast.

I have a slug of new, or reworked, covers to share with you, so watch for that to start SOON. I have releases that are coming out of sets that will be re-releasing solo soon…which means new physical books at signings. AND, I have new stories coming to the mix as well. All in all, it’s a mad scramble of so many things…who wouldn’t be meeting themselves?

I am also hip-deep in the swag pile making goodies for the five signings that I have left this year. I’m pretty sure that something is going to get missed, but what it could be, will probably be a surprise to me too, two minutes too late.

With luck, I’ll be revealing covers starting next week…stay tuned. Meanwhile…send coffee.
Sav

New Year – Need sleep

SO many things are mid- to late-change right now as the summer signing season takes over from the spring signing season and bookies everywhere make plans for stalking. We authors are no different. We want to fan-girl other authors at the events we attend…it just gets done in sprints back and forth.

Me, I’m mid-planning for a couple double do months. I’m scanning the rosters and watching the author announcements, waiting with bated breath to see the floor plans to know which authors will be close, and which ones I’ll be racing around the room to catch a minute with. I’m usually gunning 220 with my hair on fire trying to squeeze in a few stolen moments between manning the table of my stories. It’s just the way it is. So why…if the events aren’t quite here yet, am I already tired? I feel like I could sleep for a week and still come up short.

No matter. I’ve zombie’d more than one event before. And honestly, I wouldn’t have it any other way. There is a resounding “ALL OF THEM” in answer to the question of who is more important at an event…readers, or my fellow authors. I wouldn’t trade a one. So, with that in mind, I’m packing my 5-hours and no doze right next to my ‘gittur done’ attitude. It’s summer signing season and I can sleep when winter returns.

What’s your best ‘get everyone in – in the short window’ secret?

 

NEW YEAR – Same message

Today is Memorial Day.

My message today is simple.

ALL GAVE SOME

SOME GAVE ALL.

Never Forget.

 

New Year – New Plan

Being an author in today’s environment is akin to being fitted for a straight jacket that you may or may not ever wear…and if you do, it will likely be without notice. The world as you know it will upend and scramble in the time it takes you to refresh the page. But, that’s also part of the thrill.

As such, being flexible to the fickle tide is imperative for anyone who deigns to dip their toe into the publishing world game. Thinking about the recent things (the last week or so)…namely trademarking words, and the accelerated closing of Amazon’s Kindle Worlds projects, it’s like waiting for the next fiasco to hit the current White House administration. Take a breath, turn the page…Whoops – there it is.

I myself am affected by the Amazon KW closing, but am fortunate enough to be writing in a world that will continue on, though differently, after the demise is final. The stories I’ve been working on to continue my little corner of the Paranormal Dating Agency world will find light and in a couple of ways…and be able to reach new audiences because of what has happened. Did I see that silver lining when the closure was announced? No. I don’t think any of us did. We all more likely felt the pinch of sliding into the jacket, and an uncomfortable buckle being cinched tight….limitation once again in the writing world.

My thanks go out to Milly Taiden, the matriarch of PDA for the quick action that will enable I, and others, to keep our stories out and add to the growing world that Gerri uniquely matches up pair by pair.

Cross one near-catastrophe off the list, and hang the jacket back in the stand-by closet for the next event. Meanwhile…there are words to write and worlds to build.

See you on the pages.

Sav

New Year – New Oooops

Running in circles is dangerous I’ve discovered. In my quest to keep up with so many pieces, I wasn’t paying attention. Consequently, I’m going to be far more ‘gold’ than I’m used to for at least the next 4 – 5 weeks.

What?

As a woman of a certain age…with teenage (almost not) daughters…I am a bottled blonde. As long as I have a 5-spot in my pocket and blonde comes in a bottle, I will be fair-haired. 🙂 I came into this world so fine and light that you almost didn’t know I had hair…I like it that way. Not to mention, the greys are too vivid a reminder of my stress level.

Anyhoop…I ran through the beauty supply and grabbed my vice to do the deed as I was close picking up something else. Oooops. Instead of grabbing the high-lift that keeps me looking like the silver strands are lovely hi-lights…I grabbed the normal version which is more golden (insert yellow) than I’m used to. I’m afraid the streaks of stress are going to come through on the ‘tinsel’ shade this round and give me away. Luckily, I’m not going anywhere before the next opportunity to correct the oversight.

Still…it’s a bit disheartening. My knees, hips, and back have the deal down pat of reminding me my age. My hair and I had a bargain, and I blew it. Who says you can’t teach an old dog new tricks? I’ve learned my lesson. I’m out of the ‘selfie’ game for a month or so. 🙂

On the writing side of my world, I gave myself heart failure earlier this week. I foolishly sat down and listed the writing projects for the balance of 2018 & the upcoming 2019 agenda. Things I want to do, things I’ve committed to doing, and the stretch goals based on reader feedback and what folks are waiting on me for. WOWSA! I need to pay closer attention to this world as well. Grabbing the wrong color hair dye is repairable in a month or so…the writing agenda? Good grief, I might get to sleep when I’m dead. Then again, maybe not at this rate.

I have figuratively put superglue on the desk chair for my hiney for the foreseeable future. This is not counting the promotion things that are in process and the signing event that is kicking into overdrive in about 6 weeks. I might need to look into cloning soon. I’m not sure how this will all come to fruition…but, as always, I’m determined.

I’m doing my level best to stick with the social media stuff…but that’s likely where the disconnect will happen I’m afraid. So…if you’re missing me somewhere…give me a shout and hold me accountable to come out of the cave for a spell. I’m giving you that authority. It’s that…or the next time you see me, I might still be yellow haired…but with a pair of black-splotch smudged eyes and who knows how fallow my skin could go.

I’m counting on you.

You might be my only hope.

 

 

New year – New…what?

Some days, I amaze myself.
Others, I wonder how I managed to wear matching shoes.

Lately, I’m finding that my head is often on autopilot. I think it’s a defense mechanism because I’ve got such a miasma going on. Different works, different research projects for others, different genres, and the daily stuff I seldom think about until after…

This week is a great example:
Today, there are multiple daycause promotions going live for a set that releases next week. Once Upon A Twisted Time, and I have 2 writing/marketing webinars tonight.
Tomorrow, the Dark Rising set goes live, there is the release day party for it, and there is a promotion going up for Book of Time on FreeBooksy.
Wednesday the Fussy Librarian is taking a crack at Once Upon A Twisted Time, and it’s my federal compliance call in for the day gig.
Thursday…believe it or not, I think I have a cave day to write.
Friday, Once Upon a Twisted Time is going out in the PNR Lovers Newsletter and I have a day of conference calls.
Saturday is a different kind of crazy that I’ll leave at that, and
Sunday I’m meeting with a promoter to talk shop for a late lunch.

NO WONDER I’m not hitting my word counts or MS deadlines cleanly…I’m only getting one word day a week.

I think I’m forgetting things too. Which is really the bigger fear, because the stuff I know about, I know will get handled…it’s the stuff I forget about that will likely land me in hot water. If I’m lucky the hot water will have bubbles and not salt. 😉

Til next time…save a hug-me jacket for me.

Mwah!

 

 

Not so new

I’m a habit girl. I know this is supposed to be my ‘New Year  – New Everything’ year, and in many ways, it is. But then there are the things that I’ll be fighting tooth & nail to remain status quo. I’m losing many of these, but dang it’s a battle.

This week, it’s learning a new phone. I want…desperately want, not to do this. I didn’t get a choice though. The cell that I’ve coddled and carried for the last 5 years decided that it wanted to play games – games like, did you have a call, or not? Did you send that text, or didn’t you? Did the call you missed leave a voice mail, or not? Maybe I’ll share it with you tomorrow…or not. It mocks me.

I know…in today’s climate, 5 years is an exceptional life for a cell phone device to function. And, for some things, it is still working just the way it always did. Unfortunately, for the communication things that I carry it for most, not so much. Begrudgingly, I made the trek and took the plunge into a newer model over the weekend. It’s painful folks. Sincerely, pain-filled.

I want the old. I want the familiarity of the feel of it against my hand. I want the ability to key in that mid-slumber muse without having to look at the screen and be blinded awake. I want the not so new sense of it being just as it has always been. That’s not going to happen.

No, I have to learn a new phone, new icons, new short-cuts, new pretty much everything. I’m not a technology person to begin with. This…is akin to being flayed alive for me. I’m still worn and bloodied from the first twenty-four hours. I have 15 days to decide if I like it…but to what end? I can’t get my old one to work, and there isn’t a newer model that is close enough to fool this old habit girl.

SO…if you see me cursing a bit more, or angling for sanity…it’s Savie-speak for I hate the NEW part of this particular adventure. Down the road, it will lessen I’m sure, but not yet. And, I don’t think anytime soon. How ironic that I’ve left a piece of my soul with a bit of technology. One that I don’t know that I ever truly mastered the potentials of.

For all the ‘New Year – New Everything’ I’ve got going on. Today I want the old. I’m going to grab a fresh tablet and see if some long-hand word work will compensate. Maybe…at least until the next text or something happens. Then, like earlier, I’ll wonder absently at just how much I really need that in my life…because if not – I can have the old one back…right? A girl can dream.