Off Schedule

Those of you who keep up with my blog know that I usually post a few times a week, and I usually publish those posts early afternoon.  My schedule has been a little off this week because I’ve been waking up early to go take care of my god-pup.  Okay, technically, my friend hasn’t actually asked me to be his godmother, but I’ve decided that I am.  As you may or may not know, however, I am a night owl.  My natural bedtime is 3-4 AM.  That doesn’t change when I have to wake up four or five hours later.  This new routine has resulted in midday nap time for me, around the same time I’m usually writing my blog post.  So yeah.  Just thought I’d let y’all know that I am still a live and functional.  I’m just sleeping a lot in the middle of the day to make up for my lack of sleep at night.  I love taking care of Dorian, though.  I haven’t had a puppy since I was 2, so it’s a lot of fun taking him on walks and playing fetch with him.

In book related news, yesterday was the two-year anniversary of the first time I held the first copy of my first book in my hand.

It’s kind of surreal to think that it’s already been two years since Cemetery Tours became a reality.  In other ways, it feels like it was just yesterday.  Writing books, holding those books in my hand for the first time, or even the second, third, or thousandth, is still such a thrill.  I can’t wait to share the new Cemetery Tours book with you.  I’ll admit, I’m really pushing my time as far as revisions go, but I know it will be beautiful and professional and ready to go on October 6.  I have way too much pride to not let that happen.

All that being said, it’s time to go check on Dorian!  I’ll talk to y’all soon!  Happy Thursday!

Authorfest 2015

This weekend was incredible.  I was thrilled to be able to participate in the second annual Authorfest in one of my favorite small towns, Denison, Texas.  As a writer, I believe that words are all powerful, but as a photographer, I believe that pictures are worth at least a thousand words.  So here they are.

First, some scenic shots of Downtown Denison.

Preparing for dinner and a reading at Devoli’s!  It also happens to be part of my favorite winery, Homestead.

Photograph courtesy of Tim Malek Photography. http://www.TimMalek.com

Photograph courtesy of Tim Malek Photography. http://www.TimMalek.com

Usually, I prefer red wine, but this Orange Muscat may have converted me.

That night, there was another raffle drawing.  I swear to y’all, I have the BEST luck at these things.

And, of course, there were plenty of books to go around.

I also got to meet the cutest puppy ever.

And I spent all the money I earned on wine and new old books including a lot of vintage Stephen King and an old copy of In Cold Blood by Truman Capote.

Thank you to everyone who made this weekend such and amazing experience.  Thank you especially to James and Claudette Peercy, who organized and made the entire event possible!

You can find James and his wonderful books here: http://www.jameswilliampeercy.com

Unexpected Happenings

Hello, friends.

I hope you all had the most pleasant of Easter/Passover weekends.  If you don’t celebrate either, I hope your weekend was just as pleasant.  My weekend, while weird in perhaps not the best possible way, still managed to be wonderful.

I spent Easter with three of my best friends.  Since none of us have kids, we hid treats for two of their dogs around their parents enormous backyard.  It was like a doggie EAster egg hunt.  I really didn’t expect to get so into it, but we all had so much fun trying to guide the puppies to treats.

Speaking of doggies, Lucas here really wants you to read Boy Band when it comes out in a few weeks!

Anyway, after that, we headed back to the apartment for an indoor spa session.  We filled the bathtub up with bubbles and soaked our feet.  Then we painted our nails and made s’mores with Nutella.  I now know what Heaven tastes like.

Finally, to end our night of Eastery festivities, we set up fish tanks so my friends could go buy some fish (because there are several other reasons why someone would bother setting up a fish tank).  Anyway, while we were emptying the bags and getting everything set up, we found this:

Someone thinks they are either very funny or very clever.  Either way, we got a good laugh.  So I guess they would be right.

So yeah, Easter was pretty fun in a very unconventional way.

But now that it’s Monday (almost Tuesday), it’s really time to get down to business (no, not to defeat the Huns).  I’ll be attending the North Texas Book Festival in Denton this Saturday.  I’m SO excited, not only because it sounds like an AWESOME festival, but because Boy Band will be pre-released!  Agh!!!

HOW COOL IS THAT!?!!?

I have a few more events lined up in the upcoming weeks and months, including, I found out just a few hours ago, a book signing at Half Price Books Flagship in Dallas!!!  It’s the same Half Price where I met Kathleen Kent and Anne Rice!  It’s my first ever personal book signing!  I’ll let you know more details as they unfold, but I am ecstatic.

Finally, in other career news, I find myself in the mindset of… rewriting Cemetery Tours 3. 

Don’t panic!  It’s still coming!  And I’m not deleting what I have.  I just find myself struggling along and trying to convince myself that I’m happy with where the characters and the story is going and I’m just… not.  I’ve been doing some brainstorming recently, though, and I’m thinking I know what I want to happen.  It’s more of a tweaking than an actual re-write.  But you know, sometimes as writers, if it’s not working, it’s not working.  And that’s okay.  I’ve discarded manuscripts and half-manuscripts before.  This is nothing new.  I just want, not only what is best for my characters, but what is best for my readers.  I want to write a book that they’ll enjoy, the kind they deserve to read.

And yes, I’m still going to write the rest of the character interviews.  Busy, busy, busy.  But in a good way!

I’ll talk to y’all soon.

Weekend Recap

Hi, friends!

I hope you had a splendid weekend and Valentine’s Day full of love. And if not love, then at least full of chocolate.  Since my boyfriend, Richard Armitage, is out of town shooting a movie or something, my mom and I had a Valentine’s Mother Daughter Date to the bowling alley!  It was great.

It also got me thinking that a bowling alley would be a REALLY cool place for a book release party!  I’m seriously considering it for the release of Boy Band.  But then, I also have a lot of cool ideas, decoration-wise, for the party, so it probably won’t happen in a bowling alley.  But still.

Sunday, I celebrated Galentine’s Day with my BFF, Jessica.  We went out to dinner and then went back to her place to watch a Disney movie and drink wine.  Unfortunately, she does not have very good wine openers so I ended up prying the cork out with steak knives.

The lesson to be learned here?  Nothing stands between an Episcopalian and wine. Nothing.

Yesterday was a blast.  My other BFF, Hannah, flew in from California to visit her parents and their new farmhouse.  I hopped in my car and drove the two hours to see them.  I love being out in the country.  It’s so free and open.  No traffic.  No big buildings.  Just Earth and sky and road.  Love!

Anyway, their land is amazing.  It reminded me of how much I want a getaway cabin one day.

I love Texas.  But you know what I love more than Texas?  This puppy.

His name is Krager and he is the cutest, sweetest, most lovable dog you will ever meet.  I wanted to steal him so bad.  Sadly, my kitty would NOT approve.  She likes being an only child and would probably try to banish me or something if I brought home a dog.  Otherwise, Krager would have been mine.  I would have found a way.

So, now that my weekend of adventures is over, it’s back to work.  And I do mean WORK.  I HAVE to get these revisions finished ASAP.  I’m also in the process of helping my friend Paula format her first children’s book, which will be released very soon.  You can keep up to date with her writings here: https://paulawalkerbaker.wordpress.com

Tomorrow is also the first day of Lent.  I’m aiming to make some big changes in my life.  We’ll see if that actually happens.  But I’m going to try!  But more on that tomorrow.

I hope you all have a fantastic Shrove Tuesday / Mardi Gras.  Go eat some pancakes!

Tea and Puppies and Paper Towns

These last few days, not very much has happened. On the flip side, a lot of stuff has happened. I just feel like no one thing has really been big enough to deserve its own blog post. Ergo, this will be one of those List of Random Thoughts and Happenings Posts. Here it goes.

1) I have to go in for my annual physical in exactly one month. In preparation for the inevitable weighing and blood work, I have decided it’s time to start eating healthier. To begin with, in place of my delicious chocolatey treat that I normally get for myself at the local coffee shop, I ordered Green Tea.

Now, I am not really a tea drinker. Nor am I a coffee or soda drinker. My body is not really used to lots of caffeine. Caffeinated tea, it turns out, gives me a super jittery high. It doesn’t last for long, but it’s enough to notice!

2) My friend was having a bad day yesterday, so we went and played with a cute husky puppy. Best. Decision. Ever.

I took a lot of pictures of him, because when you play with a husky puppy, that’s what you do. You love him and play with him and take pictures of him.

3) My sister finished reading Paper Towns by John Green. Now, I love John Green as a person, but as far as his books go, the only one I’m really wild about it TFIOS. Great book. Made me cry. Read it six times. However, I had a very difficult time finishing Paper Towns. I didn’t like the characters, I didn’t care about the story, and I thought it was the same book as Looking For Alaska only not as good.

The following contains spoilers for Paper Towns.

My sister, upon reading PT, said, “I really hope that Margo ends up becoming a serial killer and that she killed the guy in the beginning.” At that point, I realized that I too wished I was reading a book where the dream girl turns out to be a psychotic killer. How great would that be? If Quentin finds her and all she says is, “You shouldn’t have come looking for me, Q.” And then she shoots him and that’s where the book ends. That would have been a much better ending than what we got.

4) I made friends with another bird.

5) My sister and I went to Fry’s Electronics and saw Divergent on Blu-Ray and DVD. Is it actually out yet? I haven’t seen any previews or heard any news that it was, but perhaps I missed it. Anyway, here it is!

Those are the major updates in my life. What’s going on with all of you?