Chick Lit Goddess

...because every author wants to feel like a goddess!

Images

Dr. Seuss Quotes

1 Comment

It’s Monday!  Why most people treat this day as the worst day of the week, I decided to make it a good one, and hopefully inspire you.

This past Friday, Dr. Seuss would have been 108.  When I was younger, I was never a huge fan of the beloved author (my preferred reads were Danielle Steel), but as I’ve aged, I’ve come to admire the Dr., who used the pseudonyms of Theo LeSieg, Rosetta Stone, and Theophrastus Seuss.  (Even Dr. Seuss was a pseudonym; His real name was Theodor Seuss Geisel).  For more information on Dr. Seuss, click HERE and HERE.

On Friday night, my husband and I went to dinner and were talking about my work and somehow we got on the topic of Dr. Seuss.  We both had a lot of books by Dr. S, and have kept them because they are classics.  My DH (dear husband) then pulled out his phone and sent me the picture on the left that he had seen earlier that day.

After reading the “30 Dr. Seuss Quotes that Can Change Your Life,” I was inspired not only to use these quotes of my way of life, but as a work motto too.  If I’m having a bad day and/or old Mr. Writer’s Block decides to come for a visit, or I get some bad news from publisher, maybe reading these quotes will inspire me to continue and not give up on anything I’m working on.

Of all of these quotes, what is/are your favorite/favorites?

Happy Monday, y’all!

Julie Anne Lindsey

4 Comments


About Julie

I am a mother of three, wife to a sane person and Ring Master at the Lindsey Circus. Most days you’ll find me online, amped up on caffeine & wielding a book.

You have a BA in psychology, so how did you discover writing?  I got the psych degree because I loved people and wanted to inspire young girls to reach for the stars. So many teens turn to drugs or have babies and I wanted to counsel them to keep going.  Whatever you’ve done is not the end of the world. Bad choices are certainly a setback, but they don’t define us. I think that’s a tough concept, especially for young women, so I wanted to help.

Staying home with my kids kept me from finishing my masters degree so I could counsel. (Though I do plan to go back to it when the kids are older). Meanwhile, I figured I could write and reach people this way. Not through self-help but through providing an escape. Reading is brain food and an amazing way to recharge or be inspired.

How long did it take you to write your first book?  What were your emotions during that period?   I wrote my first book in about 4 months. It sucked, but I didn’t know it. I plowed right through it and sent out those horrific queries then waited for all the agents to call me up. *shakes head in shame* I had no clue what I was in for. Silly Julie.

How did you celebrate your first publication?   I haven’t celebrated. I have only child/over achiever syndrome, and I never really feel it’s time to celebrate. There’s always a higher goal to strive for, something bigger to achieve and it makes it hard for me to feel accomplished. So, I keep going forward. I worry that if I ever stop to celebrate and say “This is it, Julie. You did it!” I might lose my drive to reach higher. I blame my parents (which is silly because being an only child, they celebrated my every breath).

I see that you’re writing series of books (Honey Creek Books and Killer Confessions Saga).  How do they differ?  These series are night and day. My Seeds of love series are a set of sweet romance novellas situated in a small fictitious town in rural Ohio.  These stories are dear to my heart because I live in a similar town and I see the joys and troubles that come with small town life. Romance makes my world go around, so writing tales of how characters fall in love made perfect sense. They make my heart swoon!

The Killer Confections saga are full length novels of silliness and instability. The stories follow two nutty girlfriends working to get away with murder. They were spawned from the sweetest lady I know, who bakes for our church and looks like June Cleaver. She got me thinking about how much damage she could do with her sweet treats and never be suspected. Everyone loves here, but what if she wasn’t what she seems? This series is devoid of romance and filled with crazy. Oh, but what we won’t do to help our girlfriends!

Where do you write?   Our little princess came along three years ago and my office became her castle. These days I write on my couch, laptop on lap and kids everywhere. It’s a crazy situation, but what can I say, I love writing almost as much as I love my little ones, so I write with them all around, and often stand up to find myself covered in My Little Ponies or Army Men action figures. It’s the insane little experiences that fuel my stories and inspire my characters. I wouldn’t trade it for anything. It will be past too soon.

Where do you get your ideas?  I’m a people addict. So all my stories start by me being a creeper. I watch and something catches my eye or initiates the “what if” scenarios in my brain. Like with Death by Chocolate, I wondered what if she wasn’t what she seems. With my sweet romances, I wonder, what if she had a secret? What would keep me from accepting love or seeking it? Guilt? What kind? Hmm do tell! And then I’m off and running with a new idea.

What do you love and hate about the writing process?  I love the outlet writing offers me. I tend to have extra energy and writing gives me a funnel for that. I also like my kids seeing how hard I work at something I really want. Plus, writing gives me new excuses to meet people – online and at the grocery, anywhere. I love people.

The down side is the waiting and the rejection. No matter how perfect I think my manuscripts are, even after a half dozen betas and a handful of crit girls work them with me, I get rejected. Not everyone sees the same things, and there will always be those who don’t connect and don’t love your work. It’s hard to get rejected when you’ve put your heart into something.

Also the waiting stinks. Every writer is waiting for something at this very moment. EVERY ONE OF THEM. Waiting on submissions, or edits, or cover art or release dates or contracts, or reviews or ARCS. Signing the contract doesn’t end your waiting, it only adds new things to wait for LOL

What’s it like in a day of Julie Anne Lindsey?   Crazy. I get up at 6am and make a pot of coffee and write. I include all social media when I say write because it’s all part of the job. Then I get the kids up at 7. We do the morning shuffle, no one wants the kinds of cereal I have, they can’t agree on what cartoon to watch and what they want to wear is never clean. I shove them out the door and onto a bus at 8:30 then some days I drive Little Miss to preschool and run errands for two hours till I need to pick her up, come home, unload the van, make lunch, play some games and back to work for a couple hours till bus brings the boys home. I make dinner, serve it clean it, start baths, check homework, hit the treadmill, kids in bed and from 9-11pm I have time with my husband. He goes to bed and I go back to writing. I don’t sleep a lot and now you see why the kids clothes aren’t always clean when they want them. Laundry falls behind – A lot.

What would your perfect day consist of?   Quiet. I love those kids, but I’d kill for a day off completely. I could get mad amounts of writing done if there were no interruptions. But, I also crave more time with Hubsy, so maybe a trip to a spa resort where I can have it alllll. LOL. Ahhhh to be pampered to instead of running the mommy track. *Imagine*

Do you have any dreams or goals for your books? (Ex: Having them turned into movies?)  Not really. LOL.  I mean, I want people to read them and like them. I want to make people smile and give them the escape so many authors give me every year. Beyond that, I’d love to be a YA author. I read YA almost exclusively, but so far my YA is on the back burner. I guess my biggest goal is to brighten someone’s day with my words. More than one book has changed the course of my day and I am indebted to the authors who help me get back to smiling.

Are you an ebook or paperback kind of girl?  I think there’s a tool for every situation. Before my sweet husband bought me my first ereader at Christmas, I would bring – I am not kidding you – a box of books on vacation. It took up much needed space in a van full of five people and luggage and toys and, well, you get it. But I needed them. How was I to know what I might be in the mood to read? Now, I can toss my entire library in my purse and go. Love love love the Kindle for this reason. BUT nothing beats holding a book and curing up in a bath or on the porch swing, so I will continue to buy print books as long as they’re available. My super favorites I buy both copies of LOL

What has helped you the most in your writing career?  Do you have any advice for up and coming writers?  For me, developing a web presence has made so much difference. There is an incredible community of writers out there and they are kind and helpful and supportive. Taking the time to meet other writers has kept me going when I wanted to quit and I love them so much for that. Writers are writers’ greatest resources!

Bloom by Julie Anne Lindsey

In a town filled with her past, she never expected to find her future…

Seven years ago Cynthia left Honey Creek with a broken heart. Three years ago Mitchell arrived with one.  Now Cynthia’s come home, and these two hardened hearts can’t stop arguing. If they’d only take a break long enough to find some common ground, they might be surprised to find love can grow anywhere.

If they’ll let it, love will find a way to Bloom.

*Bloom is book one in my new Seeds of Love series.  I’ll be planting those seeds all year.

**For more information on Julie Anne Lindsey here’s her contact information:

You can find her blogging about the writer life at Musings from the Slush Pile

Tweeting my crazy @JulieALindsey

Reading to sooth my obsession on GoodReads

And other books by me on Amazon

It’s Fun Friday

4 Comments

Many people in their 30’s have issues with growing older, but I don’t.  The year that I’ve been 30 has been amazing!  Yes, truly amazing!  I’ve worked, I’ve learned, and I’ve become someone who I didn’t think I could be — somebody named Isabella Louise Anderson!

When I was younger I always wanted to be in my 30’s, as it seemed like a great round number – not too old, nor too young, but just right.  I, like most children, thought that I’d be this and/or that, but I really never thought that I had the guts to try to become a writer, but I’m so glad I did!

Here are some of my goals that I want to achieve for the next 10 years:

  • Dedicate my life to my work
  • Get a book deal
  • Get my books published (either through publishing companies or self-publishing)
  • Write as much as I can, each and every single day

I ask you, what are you goals for your decade?

What They Think We Do, What We Really Do, and What We Want To Do

4 Comments

The above picture (or one similar) has been floating around Facebook for the past couple of weeks.  At first I thought it was funny, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized just how true pictures are.

When I finished the last page of a great book, I thought that writers would sit down at their computer and would write a book without any troubles and they’d be rich and famous.  That was when I was younger — much younger.

It took me a year to write my first book and a month to write my second, and for both there were struggles along the way. It’s definitely not as easy as it seems, nor is the editing and publishing process.  Being a writer isn’t easy, not by a long shot.  I admire writers like Danielle Steel, Emily Giffin, James Patterson, and Nicholas Sparks, who can literally write, go through several drafts of edits, and have their books published one after another in such a short time.

When people ask me what I do, I say that I’m a writer, and I love to see their expression.  Their jaw drops and their eyes dazzle.  It’s in that moment that I feel like I’m a move star!  It’s a wonderful feeling that makes being a writer worth the emotions, stress, struggles, and time, that writers go through.

Gone, But Not Forgotten

2 Comments

Hi, y’all!  It’s been about two weeks since I’ve blogged and I’m so happy to be back!

During my hiatus there’s not been a second where I’ve not been thinking about my books (editing my first, and thinking about what to do with my second – self publishing?), reading book for my reviews, my upcoming guests, and of course my fantastic followers!

In the next few weeks I’ll be busy with a few book tours, featuring some wonderful writers (Elizabeth Marx who wrote “Binding Arbitration,” Kathleen Kole who wrote “Favorable Conditions,” Toni Aleo who wrote “Taking Shots,” and Liz Matis who wrote “Love By Design!“)  I also have a few guest posts/interviews that I’m excited about hosting!  And in the midst of it all, I’ll be dedicating the rest of my time to the books I’ve written!

Once again, I’d like to thank my fans, followers, friends, and family for sticking by me.  Your support has meant so much to me!

My Title of My National Novel Writing Month Book Is…

6 Comments

Like many of you know, I participated in National Novel Writing Month in November and I won!  I was my first I woke up around seven this morning and all of a sudden it hit me, and I had a title for my book!  I don’t know what it was that struck me, or how I came to this conclusion, but after three and a half months, I did it!  I must say that it is quite a relief!  (Even my husband was happy about it, and he can now print out my winning certificate!)

The title is:

The Right Design

For tomorrow’s post I will finally reveal what my book is about!

Stay tuned!

Blah Monday!

2 Comments

It’s the Monday after Super Bowl (YAY, GIANTS) and I have a case of the Monday’s!  My brain doesn’t want to work, and I have work that I need to get done!  I wish my energy level would pick up, but it’s not.

In that case, I’m promising you, my faithful readers and friends, that tomorrow will be a better day here at Chick Lit Goddess!

Until tomorrow, I’m leaving you with this message:

It’s Fun Friday

1 Comment

My post on the 1st, was about Valentine’s Day, so here’s (kinda’) a follow-up.  I hope you find it as alluring and as sexy as I do!  Both of these men have been on the cover as People Magazine’s Sexiest Man!

George Clooney

I remember when I fell in love with George.  He was wearing blue scrubs and had a stethoscope draped around his neck.  Hello, Doctor!  He was the only reason I watched E.R.  There was a mystery about him that intrigued me, so much that seeing him made me swoon.  His voice had this power that made me hang on his every word.  He was my new crush!  When he appeared on Friends, playing a doctor (not his same character), I was pleasantly surprised to see him jumping out of a drama to play in a comedic role.  (His doctor friend was played by Noah Wyle, who is also a cutie!)

One of my favorite movies George (yes, I’m on a first name basis with him) is in is One Fine Day.  I love seeing him play the role of a very sexy daddy.  Other movie roles I’ve liked him in are Oceans Twelve and Ocean’s Thirteen, where his role of power and sexy combine.

George Clooney only gets better with age, and I love his greying hair.  He’s never in the tabloids, he stays away from bad publicity, and he deserves each nomination and he receives.  For such a sexy man, I love how the leading ladies in his life (he’s currently dating the beautiful Stacy Keibler) are just as attractive as he is.  What lady wouldn’t like to be next to him on the red carpet?

Brad Pitt

I picked this picture because that’s how I’d like to remember him — when he was attractive, and when he seemed somewhat normal.  When I first saw Meet Joe Black, I was a Brad Pitt fan!  There was nothing I didn’t love about him.  His charm in the movie spoke for the man he was in real life.  He was just a good guy who happens to be once engaged to Gwyneth Paltrow, and most famously married to the gorgeous Jennifer Aniston, where they spent reported $1 million dollars on their wedding.  He is now a dad to his six children with partner Angelina Jolie.  (Can you tell I’m against his precious “Angie” and am pro-Jen!) Don’t y’all remember the picture of Jen and Brad on the beach the day before they announced their split and he was wearing a T-shirt that said TRASH!  Well, maybe it speaks for itself during their relationship.

My most favorite movie with Brad is Legends of the Fall where he plays the handsome Tristan.  If you’re a fan of Brad, you have to watch this movie, if you haven’t already.

Brad’s changed over the years, especially since he’s been in the relationship with Angelina.  I’ve not been impressed by some of his comments, or how he handles himself.  I’ve seen him on several Today Show interviews, and each time I grow less and less of fond of his cocky personality, and it’s not attractive.

In closing both George and Brad will be known for their good looks.  They will fit in the category of men (Michael Douglas, Paul Newman, Tom Selleck, Anthony Hopkins, Sean Connery and George Hamilton) who have aged gracefully.

I hope this has been a Fun Friday for you…

Tracie Banister

6 Comments

I met Tracie Banister on Twitter and got to know her through our shared love for Chick Lit.  Her debut novel, Blame It on the Fame, has just been released!  When she said that she wanted to do a Guest Post on Chick Lit Goddess I was beyond excited!  I am thrilled to share this awesome post and topic!

I won’t keep you in suspense anymore, so here you go…

THE MALE PERSPECTIVE IN CHICK LIT

In preparing to write this guest blog, I asked several Chick Lit-loving friends to give me some examples of male characters in the genre who were particularly well-written and developed.  They all came back to me with the same answer, “I can’t think of any.”  I suppose this is the nature of the beast as Chick Lit is geared towards a female audience and most of it is written in first-person, which means we don’t get to see inside the heads of male characters in these stories and they remain a bit of a mystery.  All we know is how these men are perceived by our heroine, how she interprets their words and actions, how she feels about them.

When I started writing my Chick Lit novel, Blame It on the Fame, my intent was to focus almost exclusively on the five heroines (all Oscar nominees in contention for the Best Actress trophy.)  The male characters would be adjuncts, there to support the stories of the heroines in varying capacities (husbands, lovers, business associates, caretakers, and children.)  However, as I worked my way through the first several chapters, I noticed that there was another character who was on a parallel path with the five actresses, someone who not only had an interesting story to tell, but had the potential to be every bit as multi-dimensional and entertaining as the ladies were.  That someone was Best Actor nominee Miles McCrea, whom I began to jokingly refer to as “the sixth heroine in Blame It on the Fame.”

As there’s a third-person narrative in Blame It on the Fame, I had the freedom to dig deep with Miles.  Okay, maybe not that deep since Miles is a bit shallow and id-driven.  But there were still motivations and emotions and a backstory to explore, and I got to flesh out the character and show readers how his mind worked, which made the relationship between Miles and his co-star/on again-off again girlfriend, Philippa Sutcliffe, richer and more complex because it could be seen from both sides. 

Is writing for a male character more difficult or intimidating?  In my experience, no.  As a matter of fact, it was kind of refreshing to switch gears and think like someone with a Y chromosome for a while.  The character of Miles wasn’t based on any particular male of my acquaintance, but I did piece him together, much like Frankenstein’s monster, using personality traits and quirks gleaned from men I’d observed (people-watching – it’s the best research any writer can do, be it at your local restaurant, on You Tube, or in your own living room.)  What I ended up with was a fun, distinctive character I hope readers will connect to and find just as memorable as his female counterparts in Blame It on the Fame.

**Visit Tracie Banister on her blog!

Buy her book Blame It on the Fame:

Amazon

Smashwords