Preparations have begun!

Good morning and happy February!

I hope everyone's new year has started off well and continues as we push into a new month.  Pretty soon I'll be releasing the second book in the Annals of Ellie series, Perspicacity and am hoping to have a synopsis to share with everyone before too long.  If you haven't read the first book, Vivication, yet, then check out my publisher's website, Cressen Books LLC, where you can read the synopsis and the first chapter and find links for purchasing Vivication on Kindle, Nook, or on CreateSpace as a paperback!

 

As that particular book wraps up its journey to publication, I've begun preparing myself for my next project, the fourth book in the Galactic Dynasty series.  I'm actually re-reading the previous books to refresh my memory of all the events that have taken place so far in that series and am really excited to begin writing the next novel!  If you haven't checked out this series yet and are intrigued by sci-fi/adventures, then be sure to visit the Galactic Dynasty page on this site to find links for the first three novels!

I believe that's all my news for now!  So it's off to the coffee pot to refill my mug with some 'go' juice and then on to more reading!

It's a Brand New Year!

Happy New Year, everyone!

Sorry I've been silent for so long, but as you can see by the progress bar on the right side of the screen, I've been hard at work on Two Worlds (The Soul of Arial #2)!  It's coming along beautifully and I hope to have the full manuscript written by the end of this month.

So, speaking of the new year, what's in store?  Definitely the publication of Two Worlds, which I hope will take place by March.  *crosses fingers and toes*  Then it's on to book 3 in the Galactic Dynasty series that I'm co-authoring with my Muse.  If all goes well, I should have that book ready to publish between October-December.

On top of getting two new books out this year, I'll also be putting my editor/cover creator/formatter/publisher hats on and helping the other authors in the Cressen Books publishing family get their books out there to the masses.  I also have two trips planned this year, one to Norfolk, VA and one to Indianapolis, IN as well as a possible third trip but that one's still in the works, so not sure yet if it will happen or not.

2015 looks as though it's already shaping up to be a busy, exciting year!  On a personal note, I've challenged myself to read 50 books this year as part of my Goodreads Challenge for 2015.  And I'll always be working on other writing projects that may or may not see the light of publishing.  Never know!  If any of the books I read this year turn out to be review-worthy, I'll be sure to post the review on the site here and share my thoughts with everyone as well as posting the review over on Goodreads.  And if you're not a member of Goodreads, head on over and check the site out, maybe even send me a friend request while you're at it!

Okay, so I'm off of here for now.  I'll try to be a more consistent blogger this year... one of my goals for 2015.  I hope everyone's new year has gotten off to an awesome start and I look forward to sharing this year with all of you awesome peeps!

Wuz Up?!

Morning, all!

First, I'd like to congratulate Sheri on winning the signed paperback of Starward!  Cressen Books will be hosting more giveaways in the future, so be sure to check them out and like them on Facebook so you'll know when the next giveaway is taking place.  I'll also announce future giveaways on here and other sites because I love my readers and followers and want you guys to have all kinds of chances to win awesome books!

Second, I'm making progress on Vagar, the second book in the Galactic Dynasty series.  I'm hoping to get the last few chapters written in the next week or two.  Then it's deep edits and cover designs and hopefully, if all goes well and my characters are being nice to me, this book will release by the end of summer!!! YAY!!

And last, but not least... whatever happened to The Soul of Arial series?  Prophecy Revealed released back in December 2013.  When's the next book coming out?  Good question.  I'm trying to get through Vagar at the moment.  Once I've finished writing that manuscript and edit it with my co-author, E. M. Lohr, I intend to pick up with the second book in the Arial series tentatively titled Two Worlds.  So, that's the other reason I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I can get Vagar out to the masses by the end of summer!  Wish me luck!

Okies, back to my writing cave.  I'll check back in and let you guys know the latest when I come up for air again.  Or coffee.  Or both. :)

Finally A Title....and Other Writing News!

So, for the last couple of months I've been struggling with what title to give the 2nd book in the Galactic Dynasty series.  The Muse and I batted titles back and forth like it was a fiendish tennis match where neither of us could break Deuce.  (Tennis fans or those familiar with the game will get that reference.)  Anyway, long story short, we have finally come to an agreement on the title for the new book we're co-authoring.  Ready?

Vagar

Yep, that's it!  lol  Seems like such a dramatic and traumatizing process for such a short title.  But, for those of you who have read Starward, you'll at least know where the title comes from.  And for those of you who haven't, when I post an official synopsis down the road, it will probably make more sense.  Don't you just love it when us authors get vague and mysterious about our works?  *evil cackle*

So, now that I can rest easy once more having finally come up with a title, I can also proudly announce that we are now six chapters complete into the new book!  Woot!  Writing and brainstorming have been going really well these past few weeks and continues to go strong.  I've got the next two chapters outlined and ready to begin writing and I'm so excited with how this novel is flowing so far!  And it's a new challenge for me because there are several POV's I'm writing from this time.  But each POV is pertinent to the overall story, so hopefully you wonderful readers will not hate me too much for writing from so many different perspectives!

In other news, Prophecy Revealed (The Soul of Arial #1) is in the process of being edited.  It's getting a lot of massaging and polishing, but it's slowly developing into an even more awesome fantasy novel than I thought possible!  I'm really excited about this novel and can't wait to share it with you all.  Hopefully it will be finished and released before the end of the year, but we'll see.  I'll keep posting updates as things progress!

I believe that's all my news for now.  I hope everyone is enjoying the onset of Fall...my absolute favorite time of the year!  And if you're looking for something different to add to your book collection, meander on over to my publisher's website, Cressen Books LLC, and see what they have for you to choose from!  I'm pretty confident you can find a book there to curl up with on these crisp, cool evenings!

New Release!

I'd like to take a moment and congratulate Jessica L. Padilla on her new release, Blood Origins (Black #1)!  This is a paranormal suspense for readers 16 and up.  You can read the first chapter on Cressen Books' website and find the purchase links for the book there as well.  Below is the cover and synopsis for this incredible debut:

Red pain, Red need, Red hunger... Nightmares filled with red, dripping with death. The lines between predator and prey have blurred, nightmares have become a reality and choices must be made. Adelin, half in each world, must choose between a lost mother, found, or a dad who's always been there... The black world, a world filled with darkness and death, or the human.... Will she choose humanity or will she let the darkness consume her? Blood has never been so red.

Changes

Over the next week or so, you may see a lot of changes taking place here.  I have my own domain name now and am hosting it here on Blogger for the time being.  Any of you who have bookmarked me or are following me through RSS feeds will be redirected to the new URL.  But here it is if you'd like to refresh your bookmark or share with others: www.wendylohr.com.

I'll try not to disrupt things too much, but I would like to make a few changes to freshen the site up a bit.  So, I'll be playing around with templates and images and other things until I have the feel I'm looking for.  Please hang in there and I'll try not to take too long in this process!

I hope everyone has a wonderful rest of the week and a fun weekend!  And, if you're looking for anything interesting to read, head on over to my publisher's website...they have some pretty awesome books to check out! www.cressenbooks.com

Coming Up For A Breather!

Good morning all!  We made it past hump day and the weekend is almost upon us.  I just wanted to say 'hi' before I disappeared again.

Oh, and I wanted to share with you a little update on one of our authors at Cressen Books.  Her name is Jessica L. Padilla and she has a debut paranormal coming up.  The novel is Blood Origins (Black #1) and the release date is August 21.  That's right...just a few more weeks and you can get your hands on this awesome new book!  Below is the cover and synopsis:

Red pain, Red need, Red hunger...

Nightmares filled with red, dripping with death. The lines between predator and prey have blurred, nightmares have become a reality and choices must be made.

Adelin, half in each world, must choose between a lost mother, found, or a dad who's always been there... The black world, a world filled with darkness and death, or the human....

Will she choose humanity or will she let the darkness consume her?

Blood has never been so red.

Doesn't this sound amazing???  Be sure to mark your calendars for this debut release.  This series is going to be awesome!

So, I believe that is all my news for the moment.  I'm going to hop off here and get some writing done.  Have a wonderful weekend and Happy Reading!

Road Trip!!

Happy 4th of July everyone!  I hope you all are enjoying beautiful weather, great cookouts, and maybe even some awesome fireworks displays this evening!  And I hope all of this is taking place with family and/or friends.

We're actually having a cookout today (some beautiful hunks of steak are going on our grill....yuuuummm).  But, no fireworks for us this year.  That's okay, though.  We have to get up around 4am tomorrow because we are going on a ROAD TRIP!!!!

Yep, we're heading to Madison, Wisconsin where the hubby and Muse will be in meetings and attending a conference.  Once we're done there, we'll be heading to Iowa to meet one of our authors and then to Indiana to meet another author and then back home again!  A whirlwind trip, but it should be a lot of fun. :)

What will I be doing while he's locked up in meetings?  Well, I will be feverishly writing on the second book in the Galactic Dynasty series!  With Starward (book one) finally available for purchase - you can check out Cressen Books' website for purchase links - and the celebration of that release out of the way, I have come up with all sorts of ideas for the next book.  And after having spoken with my co-author and Muse about story flow, plot line, and general direction, I am now ready to pound out at least the first several chapters!  I'm very excited to begin this novel and will keep everyone informed of the progress.

And when I'm not writing, I intend to get a lot of reading done.  I've just started the third book in the Song of Ice and Fire series by George R. R. Martin, A Storm of Swords, and hope to have lots of time to read that.  Of course, when the Muse is not in meetings, I fully intend to drag him around the city to see the sights....we will, after all, be tourists!  So, I'll be taking pictures and will try and post some of the better ones once we get back home.

So, there you have my excitement!  Have a safe and wonderful Independence Day and I'll be back on when I get the chance to give updates and share pictures!

Spotlight: Awakening Iris

Today I want to spotlight Awakening Iris (The Dreamcatchers Saga #1) by Jessie McClain.  This is a debut contemporary romance that my publishing company, Cressen Books LLC, released on June 12.  It is available for Kindle and Nook and is also available in paperback (through Amazon.com and CreateSpace).

This novel takes you on a journey through the life of Iris, a woman who has seen and experienced the worst sort of tragedy and is barely getting through day to day.  What keeps her going is her little brother Danny, whom she cares for as if he were her son.  Then one day, she's doing her usual routine of singing in a local coffee shop when she discovers her familiar Stranger for the first time.  As she gets to know this Stranger, hope begins to blossom once again and she starts to dream of the future once more.  But none of it comes easy and there is a lot of untangling Iris has to do in order to follow where her heart wants to lead.  This is an amazing journey, full of hope and despair, shattered dreams and future promises, lost love and second chances.

So, what are you waiting for?  Check out this heart-warming/heart-wrenching debut and get snared in the Dreamcatchers web today!

Latest Updates

I know it's Thursday and I usually do a Booking Through Thursday post.  But, I was sifting through all my posts and realized that I hadn't given any updates lately.  So, I will return to Booking Through Thursday next week.

So, let's start with an upcoming release from one of our authors at Cressen Books.  Awakening Iris (The Dreamcatchers Saga #1) by Jessie McClain is the debut novel of a very talented author.  Here's the cover and synopsis and the release date for this novel will be Wednesday June 12, 2013:

Dreamcatchers and dreams.  Iris has them both.  Dreamcatchers to catch her bad dreams.  And dreams of what life was, but none of what life could be.  Until her familiar Stranger engulfs her life and changes everything.  Is he a new dream of the future or destined to be a repeat of the past?  Can she allow herself to love again or will the pain from the past be too great?







So, make sure to mark your calendars!  This book will be available for Kindle and Nook and will also be available in paperback through Amazon.com.

The next bit of news - Starward (Galactic Dynasty #1) by E. M. Lohr and Wendy Lohr (co-authoring with my Muse has turned out to be a lot of fun) had to have an extra chapter added.  We had gone through all the edits and realized that it was missing something.  So, I've added that extra chapter and hopefully we'll have a chance to edit it in the next couple of days.  Then we still have to get a synopsis together and finish the cover before everything will be ready.  We're hoping to either publish this sometime in the middle of June or sometime in July.  Release dates will be announced when we get closer to figuring that out!

Other than those two major things taking shape, I've been working on edits for another author's novel that we hope to release by the end of June.  I'll highlight that more once things have progressed to the last stages.  And, I've been writing feverishly on several new ideas over the last few weeks.  I absolutely love the writing process, the flow of words across the page, coming so fast that my fingers can barely keep up with my brain!  So exhilarating!!

I think that's it for now.  I hope everyone had a wonderful Memorial Weekend and wish you all a great weekend coming up.  And Happy Reading!

Teaser Tuesday: Spanish Intrigue

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

 

•Grab your current read
•Open to a random page
•Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
•BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
•Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

This weeks' teaser comes from my first novel in The L & L Mysteries series, Spanish Intrigue:

He stared at her in disbelief, not saying anything for a moment, and Leyla was starting to regret having said anything to him.  Then he started chuckling, completely catching her off guard.  Narrowing her eyes, she whispered angrily, "What's so funny?"
His violet eyes sparkled as he replied mischievously, "If I didn't know better, I would think you were jealous right now, Leyla." (p. 83)

This is one of many humorous interactions between Leyla and her really good friend and mystery-solving partner, Lucien.  I truly enjoyed writing this scene (which is actually much longer but this is supposed to only be a teaser), as this kind of sets the tone for future books of the type of friendship that develops between these two characters.

This mystery series is written for ages 10+, mainly for middle grade.  If you know of any kids who love to read, have them check out my publishers website: Cressen Books LLC.  They'll find all four books in the series as well as links for purchase and the first chapter for each book.

Have a teaser for me?

Leave a link below and have a wonderful week!

 

It's Saturday!

Good morning all!  It's Saturday and in just two days I'll be picking up my very best friend in the whole world from the airport to spend a week doing what friends do...sooo excited!!

With her coming to visit, that inspired the Muse and I to do a bit of Spring Cleaning this morning and I'm a bit exhausted now.  Fortunately, with no kids to worry about, the mess wasn't all that bad...clean bathrooms, vacuum, and dust for the most part.  But it can still be a bit tiring.  So now it's chill time here before we decide to do something else ambitious!

Just to give an update...I've finished edits for two of the authors that are signed on with Cressen Books.  Those manuscripts have been sent back to them to work on and if all goes well, we'll be publishing them within the next 6 weeks!!!  Between now and then, I'll be posting covers and such on the blog here so you all can see what's releasing soon.

So now it's back to working on edits for Starward (Galactic Dynasty #1).  We're about 40 pages away from being done with it.  Then we have to come up with a synopsis, finish the cover, and publish it!  Woot!!  I'm so excited to see this novel release as it's going to be an awesome beginning to an epic Sci-Fi/Adventure series that I hope readers will enjoy!

Then my next project will be to start working on edits for Prophecy Revealed (The Soul of Arial #1).  This particular story has evolved so much over the past couple of months that it no longer looks like what it originally started out to be.  But that's okay.  I think the evolution of this project has just made it even better.  This series will fall under the Fantasy/Mythology/Adventure realm (yeah, it covers different genres and doesn't fit into just one specific one).

Other than that, I've been writing on some different story ideas during these last couple of weeks of editing sessions just to keep the creative writing flowing.  I'm not sure if any of those particular stories will develop into something publishable, but you never know.  And, as some of you may have noticed, I've started participating in some bookish memes each week to add a little more spice to the blog.  For now, I'm participating in Teaser Tuesday, hosted by Should Be Reading, and Booking Through Thursday (blog is of the same name).  I've been enjoying these so far and hope to keep up with them on a regular basis.

And since I love to read and have gotten back on a reading trend again, I hope to post a monthly update of the books I've read during that month.  I did this for several months last year before I fell off the reading trend horse.  But now that I'm back in the saddle, I'll try to pick that back up again.

I guess that's it for now.  I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend and I'd like to say 'Howdy' to the new followers!  I'll try to keep things interesting here!

New Projects

With the official release of The Butterfly Connection (The L & L Mysteries #4), I can finally put that series behind me and begin working on the many other writing projects that have been waiting in the wings for the last couple of years.

The first project being Starward (Galactic Dynasty #1) which I'm co-authoring with my Muse.  I'm really looking forward to escaping into a much different genre, this one being sci-fi/adventure for mature readers.

It feels strange, though, having gone from writing for a much younger age group to writing for those that are in their late teens and above.  The transition is challenging, but I like that because it forces me to develop and expand my writing skills even more.  One thing hasn't changed, though.  The characters are alive and well in my mind and are clamoring to tell their parts of the story!  And I'm excited to tell it for them. :)

While I'm in the process of completing Starward, I will probably be working on a couple of other series that I've been kicking around for the last few years.  The Soul of Arial is one of them and is only about half-written.  But I'm really excited about this book as well because I feel that it is so different from what's already out there in the Fantasy genre.  This book in particular is definitely for mature audiences and again is a challenge to write, but a good challenge.

And right now, I'm currently doing research for an epic fantasy/adventure series that I've got brewing in the back of my mind.  The research is fascinating and I can see so many different ways to weave in what I've learned so far to make the story really come alive.

But, as a whole, you'll probably be seeing update posts regarding Starward for the next few weeks or months.  That is where my focus is going to be primarily.

So, I'm off to do some more massaging and tweaking of the manuscript!  I hope everyone is having a great week so far.  And, make sure you pop by Cressen Books' website to read the first chapter of The Butterfly Connection as well as check out the other books that are available!  There's some awesome stuff out there!

Where Has the Week Gone???

It seemed like only yesterday it was Monday and I had a whole week stretching out before me with things I needed to do.  Then, I looked up and suddenly it's Friday!  Holy Crap, where did the week go?!

I managed to get a couple more chapters edited in The Butterfly Connection (The L & L Mysteries #4) before I got side-tracked with 101 other things.  And if I'm lucky, I may be able to move ahead with more editing today.  But I'm not holding my breath on that.

So what did I do this week to make it go by so fast?  Well, I published my Muse's 2nd book, Naked Lady Dreams, and of course had to tell the whole world about it.  *shameless plug: Check this book out...it's amazing!

I've also been prepping for a book signing that's taking place this Saturday (eeekk! Tomorrow!!) for one of Cressen Books' new authors, Rachel Stark.  She'll be signing her debut novel, A Veil of Shattered Dreams, at Beasley's Books and Eccentricities located in Charles Town, WV.  If you're in the area, be sure to stop by!  The photographer and the model for the book cover will also be there with Rachel, signing books as well.  So, this is a unique opportunity to get all three signatures!  Cool, right?  The signing is from 1-4pm.

I've also begun working on cover concepts for another one of our new authors, Jessie McClain.  She's writing an intriguing and dramatic romance series that spans over a few generations of the same family.  Currently, I'm working on the cover for the first book in this series, attempting to find the right cover design that captures the books' essence.  Not an easy task, but it's a very enjoyable one! :)

I'm sure I'm forgetting something, but I promise you that everything I've mentioned above has taken up the majority of my time this week.  But, it's all good, so I don't mind. :)  I love watching other authors' novels take shape and come to life!  Being a part of that exciting process is the reason I do what I do because it's such a rewarding and enriching feeling when it all comes together!

So, that's it for now.  I'm off to develop some more concepts and maybe work some more on edits of The Butterfly Connection.  I hope everyone has a wonderful and safe weekend!

A Wild and Exciting New Year!

Wow, it has been a very crazy couple of weeks since I last posted!  First of all, I want to wish Rachel Stark a Happy Release Day!  Her amazing debut novel, A Veil of Shattered Dreams, (link is to Goodreads) is now available on Kindle and Nook and will be available in paperback soon.  So very excited for her!  And if you'd like to check out the first chapter, mosey on over to Cressen Books website.  There are links for the Kindle and Nook if you read the chapter and decide you have to have this awesome book right then and there! :)

Christmas was wonderful and I got some really cool "author" related gifts (a couple of tees and a long-sleeved tee with author sayings that are adorable and totally me as well as a HUGE coffee mug with an author saying on it too)!  So now I'll be able to dress the part of an author while I sit down to the keyboard and pour out all of these stories floating around in my head.  And the HUGE coffee mug will be put to very good use, delivering inspiration one steaming cup at a time! lol

New Years Eve was uneventful...the Muse and I ended up going to bed around 8:30 after a very long day, so we missed the ball drop this year.  New Years Day, we celebrated the Muse's birthday and I actually managed to bake a really awesome-tasting pecan pie, my first ever!  I was really excited about that. :)  I don't bake or cook, so it was a bit of an undertaking for me.  The Muse was happy, though, and so was I, so it was all good.

As for 2013, there's so much already planned that I don't even know where to begin!  I should have The Butterfly Connection, the fourth and final book in The L & L Mysteries, completed within the next month or so...yay!  The Muse will be coming out with a new book in the next few weeks as well.  Then we have our new authors, Jessie McClain and Jessica L. Padilla, that we'll be assisting in getting their novels ready for publication.  And of course, there will be trips and book fairs and other happenings taking place throughout the year...busy, busy!  But I wouldn't have it any other way.

And somewhere in there, I'll be working on the collaborative project the Muse and I are doing together (Galactic Dynasty series) as well as The Soul of Arial.  Whew.....I've got a lot on my plate now that I think about it! :)  But, I believe that's everything I can think of at this moment that will be taking place this year.  And I believe that's probably more than enough!

Did you celebrate Christmas?

If so, what awesome presents did you get for Christmas?

 

I'd love to hear from you, so leave a comment below!  I always respond back, so if you leave a comment, be sure to check back within a couple of days!

Provoking Emotions/Waiting on Wednesday

"Waiting on" Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

It spotlights upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating!

Just a heads up...this post is actually a mix of WoW and a regular post today.  So, those of you who are looking to see what I'm eagerly waiting on, please be patient as I do reveal it towards the end of this post!  What is written between here and there is actually pertinent to the WoW reveal!

As most of you know, I co-own a publishing company (Cressen Books LLC) with my husband and lately we've been taking on new authors.  We have three authors signed on with us now and one of them is getting ready to release their debut novel.  It's in the final stages even as I write this.

The reason I mention this is that I spent this morning editing the latest chapter in this soon-to-be-published novel.  And I literally went through 10-15 kleenexes while editing it.  It was that emotional!

Normally, when editing occurs, especially if it's more technical editing than content editing, emotions get turned off and I'm busy looking for misspelled words or punctuation problems or grammar issues, that sort of thing.  Can't get too emotional with that.

But, I also do content editing.  So to a degree, I have to read what's written in order to know if anything needs to be added or changes suggested to make the work flow better.  Even with content editing, I can usually turn off the emotional responses because it's work reading not pleasure reading.

Not today, however.  Rachel Stark, the author of this upcoming novel, is such a talented writer and I knew that this latest chapter was going to be an emotional ride.  But, I had no idea how Rachel was going to proceed to write it.  And boy was I in for a surprise.  Within the first two paragraphs, I was jumping up from my computer and fetching a box of kleenexes.  And the waterworks kept getting jarred as I continued through the chapter.

Now this book is full of emotion already, but Rachel has written it in such a way that it just keeps building and building until it finally has to burst.  And she manages it so well in this latest chapter.  Whew.  Now that's what I call provoking emotions in a story.  The reader knows that it's fiction but has become so emotionally tied to the main characters' plight, that tears or laughter or anger can readily be drawn from the reader as events unfold.

Well done, Rachel!

For those that are interested, the title to this debut novel is A Veil of Shattered Dreams and will hopefully be published within the first week of January.  It falls in the Young Adult Psychological Suspense category but is definitely a read that many adult readers will enjoy as well.  And because a cover reveal has already been done, I'd like to share the cover here with you...it's amazing and definitely fits well with the story:

Is that an amazing cover or what?  Rachel, along with two of her friends, one a photographer and one a model, developed this cover and I think they pulled it off beautifully!  And there's actually more to it but you have to order the paperback to get the full effect (hint, hint). ;)

And here's the synopsis:

Have you ever dreamed so hard it was real? A dream world that beckons to you, but is so fragile it could shatter with the mere thought of harsh reality. Katerina dreams of this place. But is it real or only real to her? With her sanity trapped behind a shadowy veil, Katerina struggles to free herself from its hidden secrets. But these secrets come at a terrible cost, a cost that may be too great for her to accept.

Does that synopsis draw you in or what?!  So, I guess in a way, this is my Waiting on Wednesday because I truly can't wait to see this book published and available for readers everywhere.  It will definitely provoke emotions and leave readers ultimately satisfied at the end of the heart-wrenching journey.

For those visiting today, if you have a WoW post you'd like to share, please leave a link for me in the comments below as I'd love to see what you're waiting on!  If you read through this whole post, thank you...it truly was pertinent!  And please let me know what you think about this exciting upcoming debut!

Priorities and Procrastination

You know, I never cease to amaze myself with how well I procrastinate.  When it comes to things that I'm working on for myself that I know I need to get done and even want to get done, I still manage to find ways to put it off. 

Take, for example, The Butterfly Connection (The L & L Mysteries #4).  This is a book that I've had written for quite a while now and I'm in the final editing stages even as I type this post.  But, I find myself looking for anything and everything else to do so I can put this off. 

Why?  Well, one reason is because this is the last book in the series and I'm a little sad to see it end.  But, at the same time, I'm ready to move on to other projects.  It's just that, I think about Leyla and Lucien and wonder if I'll ever revisit these two characters and the world they live in.  Or will it just fade into the back of my mind as I move on to create new worlds and new characters.....hmmm....yeah, I still don't have an answer for that. 

And another reason I keep procrastinating has more to do with getting things done for the business and setting The Butterfly Connection to the side so I make sure nothing falls through the cracks with the business.  Anyway, the point is that I keep putting this off (whether it's because I'm personally putting it off or it's because other aspects of the business have taken my focus, doesn't matter).

So, that's me procrastinating.  Now on to me setting priorities.

If it's for myself, I know the top priority has to be The Butterfly Connection simply because I'm literally almost done with it, I want to get it published ASAP, and I want to finish out The L & L Mysteries so I can move on to other things.

If it's for others, it all depends on what's happening at the moment within the business.  For example, right now we are getting really close to officially publishing a book that one of our new authors (and our current intern) is writing.  So, I need to do several things for that, including creating a webpage for the book and telling everyone about it.  Then there's the book signing that will take place after the first of the year for this book and I'll need to make posters and flyers and get things ready for that.  And this is what I actually intend on working on today.

So, see...I do know how to set priorities and get them done.  It's just when it comes to my stuff that I tend to drag my feet and I have absolutely no idea why.  I mean, you would think that I would be chomping at the bit to work on my stuff and would be procrastinating when it came to other people's stuff, right?  Nope, that's just not how I work.  I prefer to put other people's stuff ahead of my own.  I guess that could be considered a good thing, but it still doesn't get any of my stuff done...sigh.

And that reminds me, I need to do two posts on this blog about the two new authors we've taken on at Cressen Books LLC.  So, stay tuned because those posts will be coming in the next few days.

Yep, lots to do and I can already feel myself wanting to put things off and just goof off for half the day.  MUST...RESIST....TEMPTATION......

How do you organize your priorities and ensure that they get done?

Are you a procrastinator?

If so, how do you keep yourself from procrastinating when it's really important to get certain things done?

 

I love to hear from you, so leave me a comment below!



Changes Run Amok

If it's been a while since you've been to the blog, you'll notice some changes taking place.  I guess I decided I was in a Blue Period but I like how things look for the moment.  And I've added some new things to the sidebar, like a logo with the link to Cressen Books, my publishing company, a display of my Tweets, and a widget displaying what book I'm currently reading.  I've also made a few tweaks to the About page but those are more subtle.

Some of these changes were made due to the fact that I decided to end my book review blog, Escape Into Fiction, but I still wanted to share what I was reading at the moment and such, which would have been found there.  And because Escape Into Fiction has escaped into the sunset, I thought I might participate in some bookish memes here on my authors' blog, such as Teaser Tuesdays hosted by Miz B at Should Be Reading and Waiting on Wednesday hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.  Those two memes in particular I really enjoyed and thought it would add a nice mix up here on Wendy's Musings.  It's all book related, so it's all good.  And I think it's also good to share things outside of just what project I'm working on at the moment.  Makes me feel more human!

I'm also hoping that these changes will have me posting on this blog more often.  I realized that as I got busier with everything happening with the business, I was spending less and less time on the book review blog.  And when I took into account what I was posting there (when I had the time), I realized that I could just as easily incorporate those posts here on this blog.

I'm still trying to adjust to this new idea, so some of the memes I've mentioned may or may not get posted this week.  I wanted to make sure I was satisfied with the overall "new" look of the blog before I dove into adding new posts.  I also intend to continue reviewing the occasional book, especially if it's a book that I found really interesting or amazing.  So, be on the lookout for reviews thrown in here and there.

So, although I'm sad to see the end of Escape Into Fiction, I know and feel that it was the right decision to make.  I look forward to occasionally sharing fun bookish memes with you all as well as reviews and of course the usual musings! :)

When Will I Write Again?

Wow, it has been a crazy few months and things don't look to be slowing down any.  Especially with the holidays approaching, I've been trying to figure out just when I can get back to my writing.

As some of you may know, my Muse and I own a publishing company.  So, aside from writing, I wear many other hats including editing, cover design, website maintenance, etc.  And this year, we've taken on an intern from Shepherd University who has been an absolute joy to work with these last few months.  Her enthusiasm and insight has helped us branch out even more with our business and has given us ideas of how we want to proceed in the future with many different things.

And most of you probably remember me announcing that we have signed on a new author, Jessica L. Padilla, who will be writing in the Paranormal genre.  So, exciting times to be had by us here and more exciting times to come as we may sign Rachel Stark, our intern, on as an author (she's still contemplating what she wants to do and we don't want to pressure her and will respect any decision she comes to as we want to see her do what's best for her).  We are also in talks with another potential author but that's still the early stages, so we won't know anything at this time.  But I'll definitely post when we know something for sure there.

With all of this going on, I also managed to get our books in paperback out on Amazon.com and soon it will be time to start a "Christmas" marketing campaign.  So many things to juggle where the business is concerned and I worry at times that I'm going to drop the ball somewhere.  I mean, the Muse is a huge help with the business, but he works full-time for the federal government, which leaves me handling the business alone most days.  I don't mind because I absolutely love what I do and I love working with all the different aspects of a publishing company.  But it can get overwhelming at times for just one person to handle.

So, that brings me to the title of this post: When will I write again?  I've got The Butterfly Connection waiting to get it's final edits so I can publish it and finish out The L & L Mysteries series.  I've got Galactic Dynasty waiting for me to write more on it.  And I've got a ton of other stories and ideas that keep grappling for my attention.  But there's only so much time in the day and these other pieces have needed my complete focus these last few weeks.

I'm extremely happy that the business seems to be picking up, so please don't think I'm complaining about that.  It's really wonderful and exciting!  In the case of my writing, I guess I'm going to have to figure out how to restructure my days so I can at least get some writing done each day and not feel as though I've completely abandoned my own aspirations to be a writer.  I have so many stories to tell that I don't want to push them to the back burner permanently.

So, I'm out of here for now to figure out how to make time for writing and to hopefully get back into the wonderful flow of words!

New Author On Board!

Today is a totally awesome day for my publishing company, Cressen Books LLC.  We've signed on a new author!!!!  Her name is Jessica L. Padilla and she'll be writing in the paranormal genre.  We are so excited to be working with her and I look forward to sharing progress updates as we move towards publication of her first novel in the series.

Here are links to her social media and internet sites:

Facebook

Twitter

Goodreads

Author's Website

Also, check out our website and see the new addition of Meet Our Authors tab.  There, you can see pics of our authors and follow the links to their individual author bio pages.  And, we have the announcement up on the homepage about Jessica joining us.

So, exciting times here at Cressen Books!  Make sure you Like us on Facebook so you can keep up with progress, updates, and announcements!  Now it's off to celebrate!