Progress I Think

Today at a women's Bible study meeting I sold two books. One copy of Secrets and one copy of Cold Case: Sleeping Dogs Lie. The ladies made the mistake of asking me to talk about my writing. (insert hanging head). I answered their questions. One liked the poetry book because you can see what my writing was like in my teens and early twenties and what my writing was like as I matured. All in all it was nice.

After lunch one of the other ladies and I helped with dishes. We were asked by the hostess to stay a bit. She talked about how South Carolina came to have the only tea plantation in the United States. There is a real story there. It would require lots of research, but I cannot take it on until the Macy series is complete. I know there are at least two or three more books in that series. Two for sure.

Tomorrow night I have a blogtalk radio interview with Barbara Hodges at Red River Radio No Limits. If you know anyone in California, they can tune in at 3pm PST. (That's 6pm our time). The interview will be the longest one I've had and there will be call in questions from listeners. Hopefully I will not make a fool of myself.

For those awaiting the release of Crossing the Line....all I can say is soon. I am awaiting the Library of Congress information and copyright for the front of the book. Then it will be done and ready to go to the printer. Once I have a proof copy, I can take orders.

As soon as I get my computer back on Thursday, I can get back to work on Sanctuary. I don't expect that one to be out this year. I will be sending it out for review. I have a list of reviewers to send it to. I am ready to get back into to it and see where it will take me. I am also mulling over where book four, Something Borrowed, Something Blue will take me. I hope to work on it while Sanctuary is being reviewed, so there will not be such a long delay between books.

I am also awaiting a book from a new author. I am excited to work with her and get her conspiracy thriller off the ground. It has wonderful potential. It will be exciting launching someone else's career. I am networking to find places for book signings and radio interviews. I am learning to write press releases.

Seems as though I'll be busy for a while.
TTFN

Birthdays

They arrive annually whether we want them to or not. This is my cake for one. Most of my birthdays are spent alone. Not that I care. I take myself to dinner and have a good book to read with my good food.
This morning, however, something special happened. There was a knock on the condo door and a delivery man was there.

He had the above package for me with a card from the night manager at the front desk. I have not seen her for a year. It was nice to be remembered. We had talked in the wee hours this morning because my computer service kicked off. 

I had tons of well wishes from friends and family. Those always brighten my day. Several people called. So, I am never really alone. I also got a text or two. 

I don't care how old I am anymore. Age is just a number. Some days I feel like I'm 102, other days I feel like I'm 17, and still others I feel like I'm where I should be. 

It was a great day. I walked on the beach. Met a woman staying in one of the villas. Took myself to dinner. Ordered chicken nachos and had enough to bring home for dinner tonight. Had a drink....hate that the bar feels they must water their drinks. I don't drink much and I know my limits. Bought the cake and a small ice cream on the way home. Nice peaceful evening. 

Thanks to all those who made an effort to wish me well.

TTFN

Just Another Rainy Day

It only rains 73 days out of the year in South Carolina. I seemed to have forgotten that most of those days are in February. Today is a gloomy, overcast day here in paradise.  The temperature is a balmy 57. It would be a good day for running (in my case dancing ) in the rain, if I could find the energy and motivation. They seem to be lacking.

I have an afghan to finish. I have a book to get started on. I have a couple of phone calls to make. Both of those will get done here shortly. I could in general pick up around the condo, run the vacuum, and sweep the floor. No motivation.

I read part of a novel I'd started. It didn't work out as a  novel as, I didn't have enough knowledge to make it work right. I think I should look at it and take it a different way. It has great potential. Having read the first page at a book event on Wed. and getting feedback of don't leave us hanging. I think it needs another look. Even if it only becomes a short story.

I have an afghan to rip out and restart. It has not turned out the way I had hoped and I need to do something different with it. I have a Barbie doll outfit to finish. It has been years since I started it and I need to get busy and get it done. Don't know if I'll be making any more of those. I'm sure I have a couple of baby layettes that  need to be made, too. Just no motivation today.

Curling up on the sofa with a cup of hot tea and becoming an official "Couch Potato." Maybe I'll find motivation tomorrow.

TTFN

Speaking Soon

Next Wed. night at the Charleston County Public Library-Main Branch, I'll be speaking to an audience about my books. Specifically about the Macy McVannel Mystery series. Cold Case: Sleeping Dogs Lie, the debut book in the series was released a year ago. It has had wonderful success. It has been almost a year and the much awaited second book in the series Crossing the Line is due to be released in mid-March.

It has been a long road to get to the second book. The book was finished in May, 2012. It went through the first rounds of edits and we were working on round two and getting the ARCs=Advance Reader Copies ready to go out for review. I don't know what happened, but it all fell apart before my eyes. My publisher closed their doors in October, 2012 with my book due out in November.

What was I going to do? I'd worked too hard and there had been too much press to stop now. Who is going to take a book series when the first one has already been released? I couldn't even get an agent to touch it. So, in talking to a writer friend, I decided to make the next logical step. I am in the process of opening my own publishing company.

Don't everyone send me a manuscript. I am currently the sole author at my company. I am co-writing with a friend and if that gets off the ground it too will be through my company. I also have another new author I am excited about. That is all I am willing to take on at this point. I still have book three in the series to complete and I am a long way from 50 to 60 thousand words. I'm not even in the ballpark.

If you are in the Charleston, South Carolina area looking for something to do on Wed. Feb. 20, 2013. I will be there from 6-7:30pm. There is no admission. As always 20% of my gross sales goes to the Friends of the Library. I am also donating 10% of my net sales after taxes. I donate to tannerstotes.com and I will be donating to an anti-bullying organization. I am not sure which one yet. Hope to see you there.

TTFN

We Have a Cover

The polling is done. Those who left me messages on Facebook overwhelmingly chose the cover I was leaning toward. So without further delay.....insert drum roll here....the new cover is:

While the other cover gave continuity of the main character, Macy was featured on the first book. This book deals with the dark side of bullying. The things we only hear about after it is too late. After the innocence has been stripped from our children.

The next thing to do will be to get us a release date. I am working on that. Stay tuned.

TTFN

Sneak Preview

One of the two following will be the cover for my next book. If you know anything about the first book in the series, you will recognize Macy on the cover of the first book cover.

With it there is continuity of character. Please look at the second possible cover and read the tag-line of the cover.

This one speaks more to the content in the book. Since Macy is still the main character,  I don't know that she needs to be on the cover again. It does tell you this is a Macy McVannel novel. 

I will be finishing all edits and making a decision by the end of the week. I have an informal poll going on my author page on Facebook. So far cover two is ahead 7-2. I will be interested to see what tomorrow brings. Feel free to comment with feedback. I am open to what you think.

TTFN

I am soooo Excited!!!!

My website got a serious updating. It was long over due for something to happen. While it is still hosted on a free site, that will be changing, too. For right now, I am just thrilled with the new look. Check it out.
http://rebeckavigus.wix.com/penadream#!

TTFN

On-line Dating????

I know I've given you the blow-by-blow on how awful I think on-line dating is but seriously. October, 2011 I finally agree to have lunch with W(you pick a male W name). We are meeting at the Big Boy in my town. I am a regular there and know I will be safe as they all know me by name. W shows up and is escorted to my table. We talk, have lunch, and then go for a walk in the park. I know this guy is NOT what I am looking for. He's not even in the stadium I'm looking at. But I am polite and we leave in separate cars.

One would think this is the end of the story but it's not.  A couple weeks later we have lunch again. It's still not working for me. He calls and e-mails. I tell him this is not the relationship for me. I am also breathing a sigh of relief that I am leaving the state soon.

On my way south I spent a night with my brother and low and behold I get an e-mail from W asking me if I am settled in yet. I tell him that I am not there yet, but will be fine. Then delete the e-mail.  Two or three days later, I get another e-mail from W. I politely tell him I don't want to hear from him again. I will not change my mind over the winter. I am NOT interested. Please do not e-mail me again. I delete him from my inbox as a contact and go on about my business.

Fast forward to January, 2013. I open my e-mail the other day to find one from W. He wants to know where I am wintering and did I have any idea how cold it is in Michigan. Ugh. I tell him I have returned to the same place and I know just how cold it is as my boyfriend is checking on my house and keeps me updated on the weather. Did this idiot forget that my family is in Michigan????? I talk to my daughter regularly. I have friends who e-mail and text. I talk to my parents and my sister. Seriously??? What part of I don't want to hear from you is unclear? So, I delete this thinking he will get the message.

Wrong. Today I get an e-mail, did I get a new computer last year? What kind did I get...blah...blah...blah.  Did he miss that I am in a relationship? Did he miss I am not interested? I chose to send the e-mail to spam and not answer it. I am hoping I will not get another. I am not putting up with this.  Thank goodness I was not stupid enough to give him my phone number or address. This guy has become downright creepy.

Stay away from on-line dating!!!!!
TTFN

Loving Paradise

Should you wander onto Kiawah Island this is where you'll find me. Yes, it's January and that is flowering kale and cabbage. And it is beautiful. There is a red flower in bloom I hope to get photos of later this week.

I walk on the beach almost daily. Most times I have it to myself, but the weather has been unseasonably warm so some days there are others enjoying the sun. I've even been wading in the Atlantic. Yes, it's warm enough to do that.

Got a surprise e-mail from my publicist today. She has set up a speaking engagement/book signing for me at the Main Branch of the Charleston Public Library for next month. I am excite about it. I'll be posting more details as it gets closer.  If I had my way, I'd do a speaking/writing workshop/book signing once each week.

Edits on Crossing the Line are almost finished on paper. Then comes putting them into the computer. After that it's off limits until publication time. Which means I can go back to work on Sanctuary. YEAH!!!!

Connecting with friends I made last year has been wonderful. I am glad to be back. I'm making new friends, too which is always a good thing. I'm going to do some serious looking a housing/property while I am here this winter. This is going to be home one day. While not this island, one near it.

That's the news for now.
TTFN

Time to Return to Blogging

I know I won't get to this every day, but I'll shoot for at least once a week. I have returned to Kiawah Island for the winter.

This is a photo I took last year when I arrived on the island. While today was a bit grayer, the beach was pretty much something I had to myself.

It was drizzling and 54 degrees when I arrived. With the assistance of a porter, the car was unloaded within an hour. My daughter called as I was going to the beach to walk. Me, being me, locked all three keys in the condo. Took my walk, called my mom to let her know I'd arrived safely. Called my brother. Then headed back to the condo. Drove myself to the front desk where they sent a porter to let me in.

Surprise his key would not work. Maintenance was called. I laughed as it was the same guy who had to put in a whole new lock for me last year. He even remembered. He was able to get me in and we double checked my key. I proceeded to unpack kitchen items.

A wonderful friend brought me chili, mac and cheese pie and oranges for dinner. She didn't know what I might have here so tossed in what she had. I love how people take care of me. I am set for breakfast. And there is still chili for tomorrow. I will go grocery shopping tomorrow too.

I have now unpacked clothes and other assorted items. I feel like I have come home. I have some afghans to make. I have a book to do final edits on. I have a book to write. I have enough projects to keep me out of trouble for days. I also have books to read.

Looking forward to connecting with other friends at church on Sunday. There will be days to do more exploring. I have friends coming to join me while I'm here.  I am a bit bummed as it doesn't appear the couple downstairs is here and their condo looks to be for sale. I was hoping to spend some time with them. I enjoyed their company last winter.

I will endeavor to have new adventures and find new inspiration while I am here. Be sure to look for updates.
TTFN

Check this out

http://cesyacuonobooks.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-next-big-thing.html