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!!!

San Antonio Romance Authors offers special conference for writers

San Antonio Romance Authors offers special conference for writers

Tony Bowls | Item View

Tony Bowls | Item View

For the Love of... A Great Poem

In my senior year of high school, my English teacher asked us to write something -- anything -- to submit for our yearly "magazine". It consisted of creative or artist entries by all of us Seniors. So, I dug up a poem I had written because I was inspired during my freshman year when I was 14. While I think I can write, I've never thought that I was much of a poet but this one poem has always stayed with me. It's spectacular writing. I thought so when I wrote it, when I gave it to my teacher, when it was accepted into the magazine and even when I read it again tonight.

Question...With No Answers

Why is happiness so easy to grasp
Yet so hard to hold?
How can love so brief
Pay such a heavy toll?
Why do you walk away
When you know you should stay?
Why is a broken heart
So full of fears,
And bright eyes
Filled with tears?

How do you tell the difference
Between holding a hand and chaining a soul?
How do you go back
When yesterday seems so cold?
But how can you go forward
When the future is untold?

When will you realize that yesterday is gone
And tomorrow has yet to come?
When will you know
That to forget is to forgive
And to survive is to live?

For the love of... Getting to know me better, part 2

- I'm the oldest of 4 children.

- I believe God gave me a son so that I wouldn't give up on and/or hate men completely.

- If I could do anything in the world, I would write, take pictures, and make a book out of the two.

- Instead, I decided to go to school to be a Court Reporter.

- I type 75 to 80 wpm (on the keyboard).

-- I'm still working on the 225 wpm requirement to be a Court Reporter. (225 wpm on a stenography machine)

- I love a song by Brian Ferry called Slave to Love.

- I don't cry much. I just get angry.

- I believe that there is a difference between pissed off, mad, angry, and furious.

- I want to be CONTENT in my happiness.

- I wear only one perfume: 212 by Carolina Herrera.

- My closest girlfriends I've had since High School. All 3 of them. Actually, one I've known since 5th or 6th grade when we were in the Girl Scouts together.

- They're all married.

- I'm very impatient. And stubborn.

- I once had a boyfriend who said to me, "You have an iron will that I can't break." He wasn't my boyfriend for too much longer after that.

- One guy I dated accused me of not having TEAR DUCTS because I never cried. LOL (This was also the same guy who cried on our first date talking about his son!!)

- I feel enormous amounts of guilt that I failed in giving my child a good father.

- I do not feel obligated to find him a replacement, though.

- I don't think that biology amounts to a hill of beans when it comes to child-rearing.

- I was born in Texas.

- I love the fact that I'm a Texan.

- My dream house has a darkroom in it.

- I scrapbook, knit, crochet, quilt and cross-stitch. 

For the love of... Getting to know me better

- I can't sing. - I've only been in love once in my life and it was a disaster. - I'm a single mother. - I hate the term "single mother" because it somehow implies that I'm handicapped or incapable of raising a child. - I'm a great mother. - I believe in God. I believe that he has a dreamer bigger for me than I could ever dream for myself. - I still have NO clue what that dream is. - I LOVE kissing. - I've had 25 sexual partners. - I've never been married. - I've never even been close to getting married. - My absolute favorite band in the world is a little band from Seattle called QUEENSRYCHE. - I take a lot of crap for this. - Their music moves me. Just a sampling of their lyrics: Strange how laughter looks like crying with no sound. Raindrops taste like tears, without the pain. - I'm great at being sexual. Not so good when it comes to intimacy. - I watch the Oprah Winfrey Show EVERY day. - I LOVE MY DVR!!!!!!!!! - My mother is American. My father is Iranian. Living in Texas, my whole life people think I'm Mexican. - I miss the days when MTV and VH1 actually played MUSIC!! - I have a lot of walls around my heart and soul just begging to come down for the right person. - Still trying to figure out how to spot the right person. - I hate it when people tell me that they will call me back and don't. - I used to be a very ballsy, take-no-shit kind of girl. I've mellowed with age. - I don't feel old. Just disconnected. - I hate checking my email and not having any. - I want a man who is strong, secure, communicative, smart and will give me a swift kick in the ass when I need it. - I LOVE to have the sides and back of my neck kissed and nibbled. That gets me SO hot!! - I've broken all of my vibrators. - I need a new one.

Nate Berkus and Colin Cowie talk entertaining on a budget - National Nate Berkus Show | Examiner.com

Nate Berkus and Colin Cowie talk entertaining on a budget - National Nate Berkus Show | Examiner.com

WhoSay - John Cusack

WhoSay - John Cusack

For the Love of... National Novel Writing Month

So, National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) officially kicked off today.  My stats are as follows:

Words for Examiner.com articles... 1,500 easy

Words for NaNoWriMo... ZERO!

It's only day one... not necessarily a big deal that I am officially 1,667 words behind but here's the thing, I came across A LOT of erotica publishers wanting story submissions... some way less than the 50,000 limit.  So I am thinking I shall be kill two birds with one stone.  Why the hell not?!

I can crank out 1,000 to 5,000 pretty good words to submit to these publishers and then continue to expand upon my words taking it all the way to the 50,000 mark!  Sounds like a good plan to me.  I have the Monday after Thanksgiving off of school and Little Man will be in school so if I'm really behind that will give me one great day's worth of catch up time.

The Nate Berkus Show: Daily recap for Friday, October 29, 2010 - National Nate Berkus Show | Examiner.com

The Nate Berkus Show: Daily recap for Friday, October 29, 2010 - National Nate Berkus Show | Examiner.com

Nate Berkus offers advice on using flea market finds to decorate on a budget - National Nate Berkus Show | Examiner.com

Nate Berkus offers advice on using flea market finds to decorate on a budget - National Nate Berkus Show | Examiner.com

What kind of decorator are you? Take Nate Berkus’ quiz and find out! - National Nate Berkus Show | Examiner.com

What kind of decorator are you? Take Nate Berkus’ quiz and find out! - National Nate Berkus Show | Examiner.com

For the Love of... Modern Family!

I'm a recent viewer to Modern Family.  Oh, I had caught bits and pieces here and there since it's inception but I never really tuned regularly to see the shenanigans.  Oh my, has all of that changed recently!!  I was LOLing all over the place last week.  You couldn't help but crack up over the neighbor's annoyance with a parrot that turned out to be Manny's beloved Momma, Gloria, screaming, "JAY!!" at the top of her lungs.  Then, there was the hysterical one-liner by Mitchell as he fretted about them not getting Lily into into preschool.  "Leave it to the gays to raise the only (not smart) asian!"  Ha!  Too funny. 

The Nate Berkus Show: Daily recap for Monday, October 18, 2010 - National Nate Berkus Show | Examiner.com

The Nate Berkus Show: Daily recap for Monday, October 18, 2010 - National Nate Berkus Show | Examiner.com

For the Love of... Taking the Perfect Photograph

I spend some time this evening updating the look of my page... I added some new feeds from a writer friend who isn't afraid to go "there."  While I was at it, I decided to add some of the photographs I've taken semi-recently.  They were taken within the last year, for sure.  I love to photograph flowers in particular.  (None of that "be still and smile" business that can zap the joy out of taking pictures in 2.5 seconds flat.)  So I added some here... for your viewing pleasure.  Enjoy!

For the love of... The Nate Berkus Show

Here before long, I shall be writing articles for Examiner on The Nate Berkus Show.  I've been watching, more or less, since he started; and, I have to say that I am enjoying his shows!  He's such a cutie but incredibly warm and friendly, too.  Seems to be really thankful for his current lot in life.  Never mind all of the decorating tips I've been getting since I started watching.  I love design shows!!  This should be fun.  Now, if only the website link would hurry up and get up and running!

For the Love of... Blogging for my Boobies

I just came across an article talking about how, in observance of Breast Cancer Awareness month there's this thing called Blogging for Your Boobies.  So, here is my contribution.  You'll have to forgive the poem format but I think, when you're done reading, you'll agree that it's sad and funny all rolled into one!  Although, because it IS Breast Cancer Awareness month and I am extremely grateful that my boobies are cancer free and I am continuing to remind myself that it's not what on the outside that counts but what's NOT on the inside that counts.  Anyway, here's my little poem devoted to my boobs.

I looked in the mirror today and what did I see?
My mom's boobs staring back at me!!

:)

The Miche Bag makes changing purses fun and easy - National single moms | Examiner.com

The Miche Bag makes changing purses fun and easy - National single moms | Examiner.com

Ladies, don’t shop... Swap! - National single moms | Examiner.com

Ladies, don’t shop... Swap! - National single moms | Examiner.com

Interview with a single father, Part 2 - San Antonio Single Parenting | Examiner.com

Interview with a single father, Part 2 - San Antonio Single Parenting | Examiner.com

Interview with a single father, part 1 - San Antonio Single Parenting | Examiner.com

Interview with a single father, part 1 - San Antonio Single Parenting | Examiner.com