I'm testing something

You can safely ignore this blog post. I downloaded some nifty software which lets me post to any of the blogs where I post regularly, all from one interface -- yea! You see, I post on three different blog sites: LiveSpaces, Blogger, and WordPress. Which means I have to go to each spot in order to post anything.

Well, with this software, I don't have to do that. I think. We'll see if this posts okay. If it does, I may have a nifty new tool.

I've tried inserting a picture, but it won't let me do that. Bummer. I may need to RTFM.

And the Pig Book has a cover!

How about this??!!! Boy, I just sign the contract and I get a cover!

I'm very pleased with this one. It's got all the right elements: the sticky note on the monitor, the candy on the desk, and my name on the newspaper page -- so cool, eh? I have to give kudos to Wild Rose Press' artist, Kim Mendoza, she is awesome. I LOVE this cover. I don't have a release date yet, but I"m assuming it'll be sometime early next year, so look for the Pig Book, in print, next summer (maybe: fingers crossed). I've submitted another book to my editor, haven't heard yet if she liked it, but if she did, there's 2 more follow-on books to that one, so ... I've also been toying with the idea of a follow-on book to the Pig Book, but that's just the germ of an idea...

I won't be blogging on Tuesday because I'll be busy but I'll check back in next weekend. It'll probably be later in the evening because I'm going to a workshop next Saturday. It's on creativity, and Eric Maisel, a reknowned creativity coach, will be in town giving an all-day workshop. While I haven't had trouble with overcoming writer's block (I don't know if I've ever had it), I'm looking forward to seeing what he has to say. Everyone who's seen him says he's exceptional. I'll post a report when I get a chance next week.

And if you have time, check out my LiveSpace page (this is like MySpace, but not quite as ... spacey):

http://jlwilsonauthor.spaces.live.com/default.aspx

It only took me an hour or so to set this up, and I think it's kinda cool, if I do say so myself. So check it out!

Gotta go and get creative! Later ...

The Pig Book has found a home ...

... or has it?

Remember the Pig Book? I sold it to Triskelion who went bankrupt. I had my rights returned to me prior to the declaration of bankruptcy (a month or more before). I assumed I was free and clear.

Well, there's rumblings that all contracts Trisk held are going to be auctioned. I've never gotten anything 'official' about this: no letters from lawyers, no notices, etc. But an author friend said that ALL contracts, even those with rights returned, are being lumped into this pot.

I've checked what legal papers I can find, and I'm not listed, so I'm proceeding on the assumption that all is well. Who knows what'll happen? I signed a new contract on this book in good faith, and I've got the legal paper to prove it (that is, the letter returning my rights to me).

This wouldn't have been an issue if not for the bankruptcy. So ... I'm proceeding on the assumption that I'm Happy because the Pig has found a home.

Stay tuned. I'll let you know if that Happy turns to Sad.

Hey, a few days early, but ...

I'm so excited I decided to post today (plus I'll be out on Saturday and may not get the chance). I'm so excited about my cover, I'll post it twice!!

Yep, it's release day. Here's the information about my book -- I worked hard on this one (not that I don't work hard on all of them) but this one was tricky to write.

Fingers crossed that readers find it intriguing ....

BLURBY HERE

What would you do if you caused the death of the woman you loved?

In 1876, James Benteen caused the death of Penelope Albright. Choosing to serve penance, James is reincarnated in 2168 as Jim, a shapeshifting Companion to Penelope, a Guide with the History Patrol. Penelope doesn’t know about her past connection to Jim. He’s simply a soul she’s learned to love through dozens of trips through time.

They’re sent to 1876 America to observe history and assist in the capture of Franz Mueller, a 22nd-century murderer who escaped through God’s Portal. It’s here that Penelope meets James Benteen, a cowboy with a dark past. If history repeats itself, Penelope and James will fall in love before James betrays her, causing her death. But this time Jim is there. If he can save Penelope, he can attain forgiveness and his penance will be served.

Jim will have to battle his former self, the Jesse James gang and God to accomplish his purpose. But in the end, it’s Penelope who must intervene with a higher authority to find happiness with the man she’s come to love across time…

It's promo time again ...

Just when I was starting to relax, I get to start promo all over again for my paranormal release, coming out this Thursday.

The good news: I think I've got the hang of it now, and can pace myself.

The bad news: I have to investigate all new groups and web sites because this isn't a mystery book, it's a time travel book. So it's a different audience I'm targeting.

Where's a cloning program when you need one?

New computer, new organization

I got a new laptop yesterday (this image is a bit misleading). So I had to spend some time fiddling with it.

It's got the newest Windows operating system, which will take some getting used to. I also bought some software to easily transfer files from Old Computer to New Computer. I hooked it all up and got a message: "This may take hours, please plug in your computer so it can remain fully charged."

Hours? No no no. I just needed a few files here and there transferred. Hemingway (the New Computer) will not be used for Internet use or pictures or any other stuff. It's just for Writing.

I went back to the tried & true method: SneakerNet. I copied things on a memory stick, then copied them over to Hemingway.

Sometimes the Old Ways are the Good Ways.

Juggling can be fun!

While swimming on Sunday (my normal exercise option for the weekend), I get a lot of thinking done. Last Sunday while paddling in the pool I mapped out my strategy for my upcoming submissions.

I have X number of books currently drafted, most in 3rd person format. But I prefer working in 1st person. So .. which can I re-task? Then I had a stroke of ... no, not genius but perhaps ephiphany (spelling? you get the idea).

One book that I wasn't sure what to do with (3rd person? 1st?) is really a prequel to another book that's already done and polished. That book is 1st person.

Voila (or walla, to give it the American spelling), that prequel book must be re-tasked to 1st person.

So I started nipping at it and ran into problems. Doubt, waver, question: should I re-task it?

Yes! I must. It's a match to another 1st person book.

Go back to work, grumbling, and LIGHT BULB GOES OFF. I know how to do it.

I just LOVE it when inspriation strikes.

Another rejection, another day

Got a rejection from the agent I submitted to (the one I pitched to at National Conference).

I'll tell you, it bothered me so much it took me 10 minutes to send a query out to someone else.

I'm getting jaded, I guess, but it just didn't faze me (or is that 'phase'?). I've been itching to send that manuscript to my editor at Wild Rose, and I was just waiting for the agent to give me the thumbs up or thumbs down.

Thumbs down = SEND THAT PUPPY OUT!

So now I'm waiting on the editor and her decision.

Fingers crossed!

Happy happy rewrite!

Yea! I finished it. And it's pretty darn good if I do say so myself (and I do).

It meant that I had to really think outside the box -- or, rather, outside the plot. I nuked the ending, eliminating 3 chapters (which I will use in the follow-on book), I introduced a new character who plays a major role at the end (and will play a role in the 2nd book), and I reworked the hero/heroine so they're more believable and consistent.

I hope.

See, that's the problem with writing -- you won't know if you succeeded until the agent or editor reads it.

I'm going to let it sit for a few days, go back and read it for egregious errors, then send that bad boy off.

Fingers crossed .... again.

In a rather sad note, tomorrow is the anniversary of my first contract offer ... with a publisher no longer in business. But on a happy note: I can still sell that book elsewhere!

I fought the tree ....

and I won!

Okay, not me alone. We had planned to have a Tree Guy come out and take away the offending marauder, but they had to use a crane to lift it up and over the house at a rather $$$ price.

This tree is 10' in circumference. Go ahead. I'll wait while you get a tape measure and sketch it out.

Are you back? Okay. That's a BIGGGGGG tree.

So my husband goes over to talk to the neighbors (it's their tree, after all), and they volunteer to take away the big pieces. That left the more manegeable chunks for us.

So on Wednesday afternoon I got out there with my pruning saw and Jim got out there with our little chainsaw and we whacked away. Four hours later, we had done what we could.

On Thursday and Friday, the neighbors tussled with the rest. The result?

Big tree over the hillside (I live in the woods, thankfully) and LARGE piles of brush that need to be dragged down to the river.

AND NO TREE!!! Just crushed flowers and fence. And as I told a friend, crushed flowers=a chance to go to the nursery next year and re-do that part of the landscape.

Not exactly win-win, but better than lose-lose.

So on to the next challenge in my life: finishing this #*(@ rewrite (which is really going beautifully), update my web site and maybe relax a bit because I've already had MY Labor Day on Wednesday.