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I can’t wait to go back to Texas!  <—-Words this Cali girl never thought she’d say.

Seriously. Growing up in California is like being raised in North Korea. We are taught that California is the BEST state. People born in other states are, well, unfortunate and sad. California is the most visited state in the union. Our economy is 4th in the word.

In. The. World.

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I’ll have some Sway Butter at the signing!

When a Californian ventures out to other areas of the country, we never plan to find anywhere close to being as cool as us.

This was my mindset. During the 90’s and early 2,000’s in San Francisco there was a HUGE insurgence of east coasters flocking to the west. The only reasonable explanation for this mass migration was clear. We rule.

In my mind and heart, there was not a single state that could hold a candle to Cali.

Then I went to Chicago.  In a lot of ways it reminded me of home. It was fall so the weather was good, but it wasn’t the “fly-over” state I assumed it would be. There was culture and shopping and a large body of water. I was impressed.

Chicago was okay in my book…until I went to New York.

Holy Shit.

NYC is like San Francisco on crack. Constant movement. Places to go. Food to eat. People to watch. Warm, muggy, dirty rain and trash filled streets. Broadway musicals, midnight pizza. New York was my soul mate.

Me, a california girl in love with New York city. What the fuck.

To date, NYC is still one of my top vacays ever.

Until fate brought me to Texas. Mother fucking Texas.

Flat land as far as the eye can see.

Good meat. Better Tequila. Really nice people.

It’s hot as hell. Not figuratively. Like literally.

Texas kind of rocks. It isn’t the night life or the food, or Bucee’s beaver nuggets.

It’s the people.

Texas people, the ones I’ve met, kind of rock.

They can drink, and sing. They have crazy accents and no appreciation for coconut milk, honey, or goat cheese. But I like them. Or as a Texan would say:

I appreciate you.

So, Texas; here I come.

 

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I am so humbled by this review.

MI Book Reviews

“When his precocious daughter is accepted into a hipster private school – Theodore Sway sacrifices his ego, his morals, and his body hair so Lulu isn’t damned to a life of ramen noodles and broken dreams.

Theo takes a job at Trance; the city’s only women’s club, and soon becomes its star attraction. That still isn’t enough to pay his daughter’s tuition and the ever-rising cost of his San Francisco neighborhood. With the help of Rico, a fellow entertainer and part-time pimp; Theo earns extra cash through a series of hilarious side jobs.

Soon, Theo’s sexy stage persona becomes a liability and threatens his role as the world’s okayest dad. ”

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I got an ARC in return for an honest review on NetGalley.

Can we start on that cover. If that hunk is supposed to be Sway, no wonder all the ladies are going nuts for him. The detail of…

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It’s been awhile cause I’ve been busy doing busy writer shit.

That’s a joke…kind of.

New Release: I did finish the first novel in my next series. As per usual, it is nothing like I’ve written before. It’s a new adult sexy dad thing. Not quite a romance. Not really a comedy. Although the early reviews all seem to think it’s funny. I guess the public will decide. Check GOT MINE here.

Query Update:  I decided to send the manuscript that was kindly rejected, to an editor/proofreader. She is someone that has never read any of my work. I’m hoping that gives me a fresh perspective on my writing.  She came highly recommended and works with one of my fave writers.

Technically, she is beta reading. Beta reading is when someone reads your completed WIP and critiques the shit out of it. Beta readers don’t mess with spelling, grammar, punctuation. They get to the meat and bones of the story. In my case, I want to know the following:

  • Does the plot suck.
  • Are the characters likable.
  • Will the reader care?
  • Does it flow from scene to scene?
  • Does it need more romance, internal dialogue, story?

I won’t share who I’m using until the read is complete. Just so I can give an honest review of her work and how it has affected my work.

Fingers Crossed.

Book Signings:  Here is my lastest signing schedule. I’m hoping to add a few more. One in Seattle and on in San Francisco.   I’d love to meet up! (ticket info below)

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Authors in the OC: http://bit.ly/2tkEKvz
Traveling Bookshelf: http://bit.ly/2toSqWH
For the Love of Books NOLA: http://bit.ly/2tl0OGw
For the Love of Books Boston: http://bit.ly/2shMJd1
Book Bonanaza: On sale July 31st.
For the Love of Books Phoenix: http://bit.ly/2tp7Wlo

 

 

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I’m sure all my readers are eager to know how my query quest is going. For those that don’t know what the hell is going on I’ll give a brief synopsis. <—- that’s a query joke.

In March I sent a query to an agent, cause that’s how you query. waiting

I waited 6 long weeks for her reply. (Six weeks is standard for query replies)

 

During that time I read my MS and realized it wasn’t really the best it could be so I sent it to someone else to read. She agreed. SO, I prepared myself for the standard boiler plate rejection.

To my surprise…..(drum roll)…. I didn’t get a standard rejection. I got a personalized one. As someone that’s received more than two dozen boiler plate rejections, I gotta say, the personalized one feels much better.

My next dilemma:  The agent asked if I would consider rewriting it as a YA book. If I do decided to rewrite, she said I can resend her the MS in six months.

What to do….What to do…..

Hello! I’m going to rewrite the mother fucker as a YA! It’s almost YA now. I was trying to force the NA tag on it cause I was trying to get away from YA. But maybe YA is my thing. I can write the hell out of some YA.

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So, after I get through the edits on The Lunam Deception (book 2 in the Lunam Series)
which is WAAAYYYY behind.

And I finalize the edits and release for Got Mine. I will sit down slice open a vein and rewrite Alee.

Stay tuned….

 

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I sent a query to an agent. I realized after I sent it that I didn’t mention anything about being self-published. It bothered me at first, but now it’s like, whatever. Does it really even matter? My first book bounces around in the top 100,000 on Kindle’s paid list. It’s better than the top 500,000, right? I wondered if my self-published success or failure would impact an agent’s desire to work with me.

After I sent the query I started stalking websites of other agents I might query. Here’s the thing. This agent’s literary agency only takes children’s books. Well, children’s, MG and YA. My book is more like new adult without high sex content. So, why did I query her?

  1. She asked me to.
  2. I have a solid excuse as to why she can’t represent me should she pass.

Excuses. Excuses. I need these to keep me from slipping into a hole filled with donuts and french fries. A hole that will take me hundreds of hours on the treadmill to dig out of.

On my quest to find other agents should this agent pass I realized something.

Not all published books do well.

Agencies liked to list books they represented. So, I looked up a few and found they have less reviews and lower ratings than indie books in the same genre.

I started thinking why am I torturing myself? Why do I stand in front of the class in my underwear. Landing a lit agent might not amount to anything. Why am I setting myself up to fail?

Because what if I don’t.

What if this agent loves this book and knows the right editor who happens to be looking for this style at this time. What if that publisher wants to buy my book?

I have to believe that every great accomplishment started with what if.

What if I build a computer?

What if we make these wheels round?

What if I add cream to this coffee?

What if I look back on this post and think, “What if I never sent that query?”

 

 

 

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Like most book snobs of the early 21st century, I’m not a huge fan of books I love coming to life in the form of movies, television shows, or Lifetime Movie Specials. (eek) These days, people (cough, millennials, cough) need visuals. Instant gratification, meals prepped and sent to their homes. Millennials also like copycat movies, television shows, clothing. Taking something as sacred as book and stripping it of its soul in order to make it into something you can watch in 30-minute doses on your cell phone because you’re totes busy – sounds like a fucking horrible idea!

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I have a confession (hee hee); when I heard Colleen Hoover’s book Confess was turning into a show I was actually excited. I tied my high horse to a fence post and joined the hoedown. (Confession #2: I just googled the word hoedown, cause that just doesn’t look right.)

In addition to this book being well-written, funny, and romantic. It also contains seriously kick-ass art by Danny O’Connor.( DOC Art ) Do yourself a favor and look him up!  I have the print below hanging in my office.  It’s my favorite piece from the book.

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“I’ll love you forever, even when I can’t. “

In the last decade, there have been a lot of great books that turned into really good movies and a couple of decent TV shows. (Confession #3: I didn’t read Me Before You because I heard it was being made into a movie.)

Although we love the image of the book boyfriends we make up in our head; we sure spend a lot of time looking for shirtless models to match the fantasy. And when you hear about one of your all-time fave books being cast – you’re less than thrilled. Scared even. I was there for every second of the Twilight casting. It was brutal. Then you have the 50 Shades debacle. Is it Charlie Hunnam or isn’t it!!

In the case of Confess I have to say, they nailed it!

This is Owen Mason Gentry (OMG, yes OMG)

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This is Auburn.(no last name)

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And this is the famous OMG gnome.

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And this is the link to watch the trailer. OMFG!