For the Love of... Putting it all out there. Really?!

This past week, since the voting began for #SYTYCW2012 (So You Think You Can Write 2012), I have come to realize several things about myself:

1.  Yes, I will absolutely do whatever is necessary to win this competition because I believe in my ability.  I KNOW that I can write, and I do it damn well.  I can actually SEE it taking me somewhere now, whereas I never really felt that way before.  Before, it was a foggy dream, an aspiration, a some-day, maybe so kind of dream.  No longer.

2.  Yes, I will promote my work.  Yes, I will shamelessly beg and plead for votes.  Yes, I will send reminder emails and spam-like emails to people I hardly know in order to get votes and to go forward in the competition all while apologizing profusely for having to do so.  Yes, I will tweet more in a week than I have the entire time I've had my Twitter account.  And, yes, I will even withstand the sneers of other trying-to-be authors for doing, repeatedly, all of the above. 

But I have, and I will, hate every minute of it because I HATE the feeling that now everyone knows my business.  The thought of facing everyone -- figurativly speaking, of course -- if I don't make it, is utterly crushing.  Oh, the agony of the embarrassment of such a public failure will be gut wrenching.  Nauseating and horrifying all rolled into one. 

For once, I think, there will be no words.

For the Love of... Making IT Work

I have a confession:  I am obsessed with PROJECT RUNWAY!  I have been ever since I read...

This book by Kristan Higgins.  (I LOVE her by the way.  If you haven't read her yet, you MUST!)

Anyway, back to my point.  All day today, as I am agonizing over my word count, the quality of the words that I am squeezing out, and other misc. details one must sweat while they write, I keep imaging Tim Gunn saying:

MAKE

IT

WORK!

 

I'm working on it, I promise.

 

For the love of... Quickie Advertising

I've spent the last several days begging and pleading for votes for my manuscript that I've entered into Harlequin's So You Think You Can Write 2012 contest.  I've "spammed" people in my email contact list. People, to be honest, I don't even know very well.  My child's teachers, past and present... people I barely know who I've emailed with on a casual basis, long-time friends, old boyfriends, baby daddy, old work collegues, and even older school chums.  Any and all of the above, it simply doesn't matter.  You want to know the surprising part?  I've received more positive feedback and votes from people I've picked up along the way in more recent years than those I've known for half of my life.  I have mixed feelings about that.  It's disheartening because I thought that I would, for sure, have their votes, their well-wishes behind me; and it would simply be a matter of convincing the newer people to get behind me, too.  Funny how people can surprise you, disappoint you, and gut you when you least expect it.  All of that, though, is for another night's blog.  Tonight, I'd like to share just how inventive (not) I've gotten with trying to get my contest submission out there.  Take a look:

Last night's Twitter pic to prove that I am, in fact, working hard on revisions and increasing the word count.

This morning's Pinterest pin to expose this to those who might be randomly scrolling through the boards looking for something interesting to occupy a few minutes of their time.

And, finally, the one Twitter pic that got me started on this cheap form of advertising.  Such simple graphics and not so great lighting but the sentiment is still the same.

I'm putting it out there into the Universe that I need some help here.  I want this sooo badly, I can practically taste it.  And even though I am extremely uncomfortable for letting it all hang out there, publically speaking, knowing everyone I know now knows about this and what might turn into an epic failure on my part, I'm still giving it my 100%.  I KNOW that even if I don't win this competition, even if I don't make it through to the next round, I KNOW that this will be published one day.  It just might have to travel a long road to do so and wouldn't it just be freaking fantastic if I could simply spend that time writing my next great novel instead of trying to unload this one.

For the Love of... DOING IT!!

My last post mentioned that Harlequin publishers is holding a contest where the grand prize is PUBLICATION!!!  (That would be soooo cool!)  So, I entered my manuscript called EVERLASTING INKLINATION. 

Here's the plot summary in 100 words or less:

When respectable shop owner Lorelei Kennedy is encouraged by her meddling employee to have a hot fling, Judd Slater, the recent occupant of the shop next door, is not exactly what either woman had in mind. The last thing their sleepy coastal town expected was a sexy, Harley riding, inked man to open his own tattoo studio in its midst. Not everyone is pleased by his arrival, and the message soon becomes clear that someone wants him out. Once the line is drawn in the sand, where Lorelei finds herself standing might come as a surprise, especially to Lorelei herself!

Makes you want to read more, right? 

Well, here's your opportunity to help make it happen.  Beginning October 2, 2012 (tomorrow!) you can go to the following link for my submission on the #SoYouThinkYouCanWrite website and VOTE for it!!!  You can VOTE EVERYDAY from the 2nd through the 11th!  The competition is fierce... over 600 entries so please, please, PLEASE help!!!

There are no words to explain how amazing of an opportunity this would be for me.  It would be life changing. 

For the Love of... Going for it!

Harlequin recently announced their SO YOU THINK YOU CAN WRITE contest!  Beginning next week, they're taking first-chapter submissions for unpublished works.  If you make it through the first stage, you go on through to the next stage, etc... until, hopefully, you win!  Or get signed!!  Which, either way, would be such a fabulous, amazing, freakishly-joyful thing!

So... I'm going for it!  #sytycw here I come!!!