Dream Big

~xxx~ Friday

 

Today's the day.

I don't feel any different. Woke up the same as every other day this week. Traffic sucked. Again. Work was here. So was I. 

But, today's the day I can honestly say "I'm a published writer." 

Feels a bit unreal. It's something I've thought about for a while, but never really believed could happen. But here it is.

Join all the wonderful authors involved in the Riding Double Anthology for a virtual release party Sunday, 20 February at the Dreamspinner Blog. There will be excerpts and anecdotes from the great authors of the individual stories. Oh, I'll be there too.

Next Friday, I'll be back to my nerds. This week, enjoy some cowboys. Maybe they should be wrangling my Geek Stable......

~xxx~

Aaaah! A Breakthrough

I've had a story brewing for a couple of weeks. It was easy going for a while, but then, Bam! Cock-blocked. One of my characters just refused to go along with the program. He just didn't want to play in that way. He was fine flirting, and bantering, but then he just kept fighting with the other character. But, don't worry. He got a happy ending. And I got my ending.

In other news, I received and approved the galley proof for Cowboys and IT-ians, which will be published in the Riding Double anthology from Dreamspinner on 18 February 2011. It's showing up on Goodreads and everything. That means it's real, right? I'm not dreaming?

If I am, he's a good dream. And the guy's pretty hot, too.

~xxx~

The Process

 Writing the story was the easy part. 

Submitting it to a publisher was terrifying and nerve-wracking. Getting the selection letter was thrilling. Accepting the contract was gratifying. 

But the most stressful part of the process of getting my first story published happened this weekend. 

I had to write a blurb about my least favorite subject - myself. You would think it's easy to write a hundred words about yourself, but creating an author bio was tough. Especially for an introvert like me. 

I also got the edited version of it back. I've already reviewed (and reviewed it, and reviewed it, and reviewed, and did it again......) and returned it, so we're one step closer. It really wasn't that painful. Not as painful as I expected it to be, anyway. A few commas here and there, some formatting issues, but it didn't need as much revising as I was afraid it would.  Now, more waiting.

In the meantime, I give you my Connie.

~xxx~

And I'm Spent....

What a week.

I did it. I didn't think I could do it. I didn't think I would ever do it, but I did.

I've finished writing my first novel. I know, lots of people do it every day, but this is my day, so forgive me for being a little giddy about it. Some reviewing, some editing, some beta reading, and I'll be ready to jump off the ledge and submit it. Then the hand-wringing and teeth gnashing will begin in earnest.

This, on the heels of selling my first story, has made it a very special week for me. It's the realization of long-abandoned dreams. 

I almost feel like a grownup now. ;)

~xxx~

I REALLY am an Author!

No, really, I am now, or at least I will be very soon. At least that's what is says in CAPITAL letters on the publishing contract I received today. 

The short story Cowboys and IT-ians has been selected for inclusion in an anthology due out next month.  To celebrate, I offer you this cowboy. Good thing he's got his saddle with him, because I'm ready to save a horse by riding a cowboy.

~xxx~

The End Is Near!

If I had a sandwich board and a bell, I'd be walking around bothering people yelling that the end is near. Oh, no I would not. If it were truly near, I'd have a hell of a lot more interesting things to be doing.

The end is near, but it's the end of my novel. The dam that was blocking me finally burst, and I pulled an allnighter last night and  now I'm very close to finishing.  It doesn't even suck, from what I can tell. In fact, I expect to be finished with it this week. 

This is by far the longest thing I've ever written. I've never finished anything like this, so I'm very excited. Exhausted, and a little nervous about it, but excited. If you look at my works in progress, you can probably tell I have no problem beginning things. It's the follow through where I have issues.

I'll keep you posted as it gets closted.

~xxx~

I'm Finally an Author!

Well, I still consider myself more of a writer than an author. But, for Goodread's purposes, I'm now an author.  Sure, it's for a free short story I wrote for the fun of it, BUT, it's one writing credit more than I had yesterday, and one step closer to my goals. 

So, how did this happen? In December, the utterly fantastic Goodreads M/M Romance Group ran a "25 Days of Xmas....M/M Style" event encouraging readers to write letters to Santa requesting one of our members stuff their stocking by writing a story to go along with the photo the member chose. I answered a letter, wrote a story, and stuffed a stocking.

The wonderful moderators and readers took these stories and compiled them into an ebook and made it available for downloading. Voila! Now, I'm an author!

Even if it would have just remained a thread on a website, destined to be long forgotten, I'm glad I had the opportunity to participate. The entire process was worth it. Creating the characters, getting them to tell me their story, and even the thoroughly terrifying (at least for a reclusive introvert like me, anyway) act of actually releasing the story into the wild, wild web and opening myself up for criticism helped me grow.  If I get the chance, I will do it again in a heartbeat.

And, the boys in my story will be showing up in my Were Menagerie.

Now to fulfill the dream, if I can just finish my darn book! Sooooo close, yet so far.

~xxx~