Thoughts on a Saturday

I've joined a new group of authors who are writers, mothers, fellow jugglers like myself - who are trying to do a bit of everything. We started as a support group, and after realizing how much we needed each other, we realized that we all blog- and by combining our efforts, we can share our experiences in the publishing world with all of you!

Case in point. This blog was just interrupted by serving breakfast, administering a dose of Claratin to fight an extremely runny nose and allergy cough, and breaking up a squabble that I think started because mommy was only loosely paying attention to the equal distribution of tinker toys!

When do we find time to write? Whenever we can. Now I have to go re-plan a backyard scheme to include my oldest daughter's birthday present...

Back again. What was I saying? Oh, right. Finding time. It's Saturday, at least. I overslept, otherwise I would have been writing at 5:00AM, like usual. Looks like I'll be up long after everyone's gone to bed editing my latest WIP (Work In Progress).

My New Year's Resolution was to be better organized with my time. When you're juggling family, work, writing, blogging, and now MARKETING (*argh!) something has to give. So, tomorrow I'll be planning out my posts for the month of February. So, dear reader, please let me know what you want to know about...

1. How to become a published author?
2. Waxing rhapsodic on romance as a genre, a past-time, or a way of life?
3. How to juggle a budding writing career?
   

Looking forward to hearing what you want to read...

Release Date!!

Hey, everyone!

I have a release date for All or Nothing! September, 25, 2009 -- All or Nothing will be available in print and e-book format!

I'm too exhaustsed to be anything but relieved.

What's next? Marketing! Back to finishing my current projects, and research on my next historical WIP. Last but not least--A vacation--hopefully more than one before summer gets here!

Thank you, everyone, for your enduring support. I'm so grateful for each and every one of you.

All the best,

Ashley

How to Get What We Want

I'm thinking this moring of the art of getting what you want. More to the point, how do little girls learn to get their way, or accept that they won't get their way, and change their tactics?

As I'm writing, I have my daughter curled up beside me, whining because she wants a puppy for her birthday. Her birthday - turning 5 - is becoming quite the event in her mind. She has plans, boy oh boy, and her party better not disappoint! she's planning everything, down to the decorations, the party favors, the guest list, the color of balloons. Everything. And she's changed her mind on all of it, at least twice.

As her mother, I can only listen, smile, and wait for her to change her mind for the thousandth time. She is a fickle little flower. A sweet, demanding little thing, with a disposition like a partly sunny day. One moment, she's sunshine and rainbows, and the next--she's a storm, ready to weep rain over the bitterness of her disappointment. I sit by, with sunscreen or umbrella handy, as one never knows what you're going to get.

Her little sis is easy. Easy to please. Easy to distract and make laugh. And though she gets frustrated with her little toddler body, me, and learning the boundaries, she is my bubble. The older one, she is another story. Who knows why. Some say drama-queen. To me, it's just her. Just typing this post, I've waited her out. Now she wants orange juice with the same abandon of the forgotten puppy.

This is motherhood.

Blog Tag!

I've been tagged by my friend and colleague Skhye Moncrief over at: http://blog.skhyemoncrief.com

The rules are simple. Link to the person who has tagged you. Write down six things that make you happy. Post the rules, tag six others and let them know you did it. Then tell the person when your entry is complete.

Six Things That Make Me Happy...
1. Making my daughters belly-laugh
2. Seeing notes from my friends on FaceBook
3. Seein God's perfection in a sunset, a snowstorm, or the swelling waves on the shore
4. 4 o'clock high-tea parties
5. Packing my suitcase the night before a trip somewhere... anywhere!
6. Walking into a bookstore - especially an old one, and inhaling that musty, aroma of old paperbacks.

Now I tagged:
Bess McBride at: http://www.rvromance.com/
Eliza Knight at: www.historyundressed.blogspot.com
Renee Knowles at: http://authorsandbooks.blogspot.com/

All the best, everyone! Have a wonderful week...

Ashley

All or Nothing - Galleys are RELEASED!!

Good Morning, everyone!

It's finally happened. All or Nothing has been released to my editor. At first, I was struck by abject terror. I knew receipt of the galley meant that the story, for all practical purposes was done. But that also meant one other thing. RuthAnne and Bowen's journey is now set in stone. I've told their story, and now it's time to share it with all of you.

So, prepare to catch a stagecoach, travel over the mountains and into the wilds of the Arizona territory, into a journey into the American West. Part mystery and adventure, part romance -- this spring! All or Nothing's release date is to follow.

Stay tuned to my blog for contests, prizes, and updates! I'm thrilled to have you all along for the ride.

If you haven't had the opportunity... download my Free Read -Tessa Takes A Chance - from The Wild Rose Press. If you'd like to hear more of Tessa's story, shoot me a comment!

All the best on this holiday weekend!

Ashley

Chasing Monsters

A scream pierced the darkness. 5:15 a.m.

I flew down the hall to the shaking, sitting up form of my oldest daughter. She sobbed into her hands, "The little man downstairs. He had a knife!"

Just a dream, I knew. I soothed. But the knowing of that, and the soothing of her didn't take the terrors away. Her daddy tried to share his wisdom in the wee hours of the morning with little ears that only heard one thing. He didn't believe her.

I shushed them both and picked her up. Carrying her back to my bed, I wrapped my hands around her, held her close. Not until this moment have I realized how much she's grown. Long legs, slender arms, ocean blue eyes that see far more than we give her credit for.

When she was a baby (toddler) 5 a.m. was her time to relive incidents from the day before. I'd perk my ears as I stroked her back, and she talked in her sleep, wailing about unresolved daycare issues. 5 a.m. is her witching hour, the time that she shares her soul with me, and I stand on the sideline and watch her subconscious deal out the blows to the bad ones that my soft spoken little miss couldn't perform while awake.

Now, she's reliving a movie we watched last night: Arthur & The Incredibles. An innocent enough tale with fanciful creatures, good and bad. A secret universe, under our very noses, with a princess, a prince, and a happy ending. And of course, where there is good, so there is evil. A tiny, scary creature with a sword and a vengeance. The story is all about balance of good and evil. Yin and Yang. Light and dark. We laughed, we danced to the music, and we cheered when love conquers all.

But, in her dreamland, convinced that she truly crept downstairs in search of a secret snack only to find the little scary man with his knife.

Was it real? Real enough for a 4 year old on the edge of turning 5. Real enough to curl up with her mama under the covers and stare, wide eyed at the horizon and wait for the first fingers of dawn to unfold the blanket of dark. Real enough for me to hold on to her, stroke her back, and keep the nightmares at bay.

Romancing February - Mark Your Calendars for Your Chance To Win!

ROMANCING FEBRUARY
28 romance authors invite you to participate in a month-long event of love and laughter. Each day starting Feb. 1, 2009 an author will throw a romance party at her blog and host a contest with a prize.

The link to the next day's blog location will also be provided at each location. Just drop by and enter the contest. And get ready to heat up the cold wintery days of February. You could win a prize a day! On February 28th, one person will be awarded the grand prize of a $75 WRP gift certificate.

All you have to do to enter the grand prize contest is make a list of each author in this blog event and name one title she has available. Submit your list to Christmasrideblog@live.com by midnight CST, February 27, 2009.

The winner will be announced on February 28th--just in time to warm up that person's February. Visit http://www.amberleighwilliams.blogspot.com on February 1st to begin.

E-books & Reading Habits

Hey, everyone

I'm researching more about how and what we are reading - collectively. So, if you care to play - comment below:

1. List the last book you've read/purchased & plan to read (at LEAST 1)
2. Where you picked it up (Amazon.com, Library, Borrowed from a neighbor)
3. Answer this question: Have you ever read a chapter/story on your phone or computer?
4. How many hours a day/week do you spend reading blogs?

For me:

1. Nora Roberts, The Pagan Stone -- Next up on the nightstand: Courting Trouble by Renee Knowles! -- Ordered from Amazon.com
2. Christmas gift - bought at Costco & it MYSTERIOUSLY appeared in my stocking
3. YES - on my computer. Still have yet to purchase an e-book & don't yet have an iPhone or Kindle.
4. TOO Many!! At least a half-hour to an hour a day.

Short Covers - An answer for the expensive Kindle?

This is a new e-reader program that's launching the end of January. They are on target for iphone, as well as blackberry storm - basically an e-reader to kick Kindle's butt... based out of Canada - they are owned/sponsored by Indigo.ca - Canada's version of amazon.com

http://www.shortcovers.com/splash/ - The ShortCover's splash page.

http://indexmb.com/indigos-ereading-initiative-shortcovers-is-out-in-the-open/ - a discussion on the product.

http://www.truveo.com/Talking-Tech-CES-Short-Covers/id/4035412680 - a podcast with the owner.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/sfgate/detail?blogid=19&entry_id=34327 – another description of the service.

I'm most curious to hear my fellow romance writer/reader friend's thoughts on this as a method of distributing our medium... Feel free to comment!

Happy New Year! This year, it's ALL OR NOTHING!

I must have still been celebrating the 12 days of Christmas. But, Happy New Year, everyone!

After taking a small break for the cold and rainy Southern California holidays, I'm back to writing full steam ahead. I'm giving serious attention to detail on the galleys for All or Nothing. It's almost ready (hang in there, Elizabeth! :) and mostly, it's formality. My editor rocks, so there is nothing that as of yet has risen its evil head and proclaimed itself "deal-breaker!" I'm not expecting anything, but it is interesting the power of the mind, of night terrors, of wondering if your writing will be good enough when it is released to the world at large.

There's power in print, you see. Not that e-books and pdfs don't have just as much merit. I am a HUGE e-book fan - and self proclaimed super hero name is "Gadget Girl!"

Though I have yet to purchase a reader, (my laptop works just find in my opinion) and a net-book might be just what I need for an e-reader... if they get slim enough, and I can convince my husband that it's worth it -- with all the money I haven't spent on e-readers and gadgets! But, that iphone is so cute, the Kindle is so cool, as I said... I love gadgets. So, I'm frugally scanning Craigslist for one to crop up.

At any rate - back to print. Print is permanent. I've been in the industry for 6 years - and I know, once the galleys are approved, that's it! It's done! warts and all, Professor Soren would say. Yes. At this point, I have to stop mothering the story. It's a baby of a different sort, almost ready to be put on display for the world, to stand on its own merit. I know the characters, the setting, the plot twists, and jokes inside and out. And though I love it, it's time to let it go.

This is even more profound a feeling than sending the synopsis to the Senior Editor at TWRP all those many months ago! So, hang with me, friends... a release date and many posts of shameless marketing are soon to follow.