Chick Lit Goddess

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

Publishing

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

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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.

My Title of My National Novel Writing Month Book Is…

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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!

The Background of Fonts

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In one of my husband’s Bathroom Reader books (THIS one in particular) it talked about the background of fonts.

I admit that when I was younger, I played with fonts like crazy and made banners with my printer (the ones where you had to have the paper with the holes), and I felt cool.  I was doing something fun–especially when a birthday would come around!  I was your “banner” girl!  Fonts added attention to what was written, and when you added color to them, they added more to the text.

As writers we all know that when we submit our work into publishers they are stern about their certain requirements.  Am I right?  So, say that we get our book published and our name is thrown across the books.  That font is different from the text in your book (excluding chapter introductions and other text by the author, mostly said in character form), but why is this?  This leads me to fonts on book covers.

To many (okay, a lot), book covers are the sole reason they buy the book.  The coined phrase, “Don’t judge a book by its cover” doesn’t exist anymore, and font has a lot to do with that.  In one of my blog posts last year, HERE is another example of how it catches someone’s eye.  Isn’t my brother’s POV right?  If it’s in the Chick Lit Genre, then it’s most likely that the font colors are big and bright, but not only that, so is the background.

Now, onto another font topic.  I think it’s funny when people write emails in certain types of fonts.  Don’t you?  I know some who write their entire email in hard to read text, I know some who use color and script (for example) as their signature, and then I know some who are like my husband who uses a simple and easy to read font throughout his email (including in his signature).

Yes, I do know that there is a difference between fonts on covers and in books, and in emails, but fonts and text is a funny thing…

We see all different fonts, slogans, and texts all day long, so don’t you agree with me that there is something special about fonts?  I certainly do!

Anyway, I’d like to share some information about fonts HERE!

Nobody Knows Who We Are…

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I have to admit that at first, I wasn’t really into this reviewing part of the author title, but without it I wouldn’t have had the great pleasure of reading some amazing, funny, thrilling, and charming Chick Lit books!

Tonight I was sitting at home thinking how cool it is to do what I do — I’m an author and most recently, a reviewer!  As a reviewer, isn’t it cool how we can be, in a bookstore for example, and feel right at home?  In some ways, isn’t it like we’re like a PI?  We reviewers (and authors) read and review books that are sold on eBooks and in bookstores.  Well, on quite a few novels, there are most often quotes about the book which can help promote the book.  Well, how cool would it be if while I’m not yet an author, the quote came from the Chick Lit Goddess?  Since I started this blog, I’ve grown not only to focus on writing and getting my books published, but to help support my fellow authors!

2012: Any New Year Resolutions For Writing? Not Me!

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Everyone always asks me if I have any New Year’s resolutions.  When I was younger I was able to answer this, but now I can’t.  It’s a funny thing, these resolutions.  Everyone at one time or another has made at least one during their lifetime, and on January 1st it becomes a great opportunity to make your “goals/dreams/wishes” if you will, come true.  As we get older, I’ve seen how things don’t go always as planned.  “Life got in the way,” someone might say down the line about not yet achieving their resolutions.  My thoughts are why wait until January 1st?  If you want something so bad, just go do it!  Reach for your dreams and make them in a reality!

I think that I’ve grown over the past year.  Not only am I more confident in my work, I’m not letting anything knock me down.  Having said that, I want to share with you what I have planned for this year.  They are not resolutions or dreams, but they are simply thing I want to get done.  (If you put what you want to do in a “To Do” list form, it seems to make things less intimidating).  So, here is my list for 2012:

  • I want to finish editing my book first book, Redefined Dreams
  • I will have the pleasure of doing quite a few more Guest Interviews/Posts, all which I’m excited to share.  (If you’d like to be a Guest, please email me directly)
  • I will once again be taking part in NaNoWriMo…and I will win again!
  • I will be researching more about self-publishing
  • And of course, I’ll be writing more.  I do have three plots that I’m toying with and I’d like to see where they go

My overall advice is do not wait until 2013 to start living the life you’ve always wanted!  It’s out there, and now it’s your turn to go get it!

What do you want to accomplish in 2012?

Karen DeLabar

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I met this amazing woman, Karen DeLabar, from Twitter.  She’s a classy and witty lady, and one I’d like to call a friend.  I admire her passion for not only the love she has for her family, but for her writing.  She’s a dedicated wife and mother who does what she loves to do, which is write.  That’s only one of many reasons as to why I love her!  I am so happy Karen could join me at Chick Lit Goddess for a guest post during the holiday season!

What led you to writing, or is it something you’ve always done?  Expressing myself has always come natural to me and for most of my life my outlet for that expression was the stage. I can’t remember a time in my life when I didn’t want to be an actor; I even started college as a theatre major, but life didn’t take me towards the Great White Way. However, it did put a young man by the name of Eric in my path. It was my husband that pushed me to put my expressions down on paper. 

He has always been amazed at the vividness of my dreams and my ability to recall them the next morning. From day one of our relationship he said that I should be a writer but it wasn’t until after the birth of my second daughter, 10 years later, that I even entertained the thought. Eric introduced me to NaNoWriMo last year and challenged me to do it. Anyone knowing me knows that unless its physically impossible for me to do so, I almost always take a challenge. I wrote my first novel that month, or at least the start of a novel. Alas, its a novel that is currently sitting in the bottom drawer of my desk, but its there as a reminder that I can do it, that I want to do it.

I came alive that month, as corny as that sounds but its the truth. I was lost for awhile trying to figure out how to channel my creativity and need for connections with only two little babies at home with me. Writing gave me an outlet and lead me to meet some of the most interesting people the literary world has to offer.

At what moment did you consider yourself a writer?  I don’t remember the day but I definitely remember the moment. It was in early December last year, shortly after NaNo ended and I sat in my darkened dining room, the light of the blank computer screen my only light. I had just finished writing close to 72K in 25 days during NaNo and I felt drained, exhausted and yet… I had this itch. This bubbling inside my tummy. At the end of those 25 days I couldn’t coherently string two words together but in this moment story lines and dialogue came rushing at me from all directions. I couldn’t type fast enough. I think I even had that maniacal laugh delusional mad scientists are known for. It was great!

I do consider myself a writer, however, I’m a mom, too. And right now that comes first. There are days when I can write when they go to bed, or when they play nicely together, but unfortunately more often than not, my writing time is few and far between. But fear not, my oldest is going to be four… that means school is right around the corner. 😉

What’s a day in the life of Karen DeLabar?  Scary. You don’t want to know. Just kidding. Like I said above, its the life of a mom. I wake up to a very energetic and loud almost 4 year old declaring that she needs to pee. Every day. I usually lay in bed for another hour until I realize that I should have gotten up when she first awakened me because now I’m late. After waking up my youngest, I dress them both in something that I pray matches because my eyes are basically glued shut until I have my coffee. After they’re dressed, I grab a cup of coffee (because driving requires sight) and out the door we go to either school, or my mother-in-law’s for morning day care. 

So I have my mornings free, I should write, right? Nope. I wish, but the truth is, I can’t write in the morning. I’ve tried, I’ve failed. So, I do what any self-respecting writer would do… I head to Twitter. 🙂

After catching up with friends while doing some mindless chores around the house I pick the kids up after lunch and nap time comes. Wooooo! Now, I write. Wait, nope, not then either. I usually read or write (yay!) reviews (oh.) for the many wonderful authors I’ve met through my morning tweeting.

Sometimes at night there is dance class for the oldest and sometimes there are gym classes for me but our night’s fly by and before I know it, its bed time for the girls. If it’s a good day, I write, if it’s not, I watch tv with the hubs. Ah, the glamorous life of a mom.

When and how do you have time to write?  Well, you saw my day. It revolves around dropping off and picking up offspring, breaking up fights, teaching lessons on sharing and why you shouldn’t pull your dress up over your head in public. But on a good day, which means when the kids haven’t drained me of all conscious thought, I sit down after they go to bed at night and write. I may continue a review I started in the afternoon, I may pull up my WIP, or whip out a blog post or just write down thoughts I had during the day. Those are always my favorite nights. 

I’m definitely a night writer. I love the stillness of the night. The worries of the day seem to lose importance and I can focus on what I find to be important or inspiring.

What is your favorite genre to read?  To Write?  I’m a hopeless romantic. I love to read about happy endings because darn it, they just don’t happen in real life, do they? And if they do, not often enough. But the ones I really love reading and writing are the gut-wrenching, heart-breaking ones where two people find a way to accept the faults in each other and still find a way to be happy. 

With that said, I hate fluff stories. Give me drama, give me tears, and give me supernatural. There’s a darkness to supernatural stories that attracts me to no end it’s why I read them and now write them.

However, thanks to the people that I’ve met on Twitter I have read science fiction, thriller/suspense, urban fantasy, erotica and chick lit that I have all loved and left me wanting more. When it comes to reading I can honestly say that I’ll read anything as long as it’s a good story… and having some hot sex scenes thrown in there never hurts. 🙂

What writer(s) inspire(s) you?  Being of the romance persuasion I have to say that Nora Roberts is the one that got me addicted to genre so without a doubt she is my first inspiration. Her characters are accessible and her stories are easy to get swept away in. Julia Quinn’s historical romances are funny and heartwarming and when I need a quick pick me up I turn to her. For the supernatural I love Laurell K. Hamilton and JR Ward; those two are my favorites in the genre.

As for general writers, I’m going to get sappy here for a second, but the authors that I’ve met on Twitter inspire me to no end. It doesn’t matter if they are traditionally published or are doing it on their own, they all have a story to tell and will do their damnedest to see it out there. They network, they support each other, they beta read, copy edit and review each other’s work. It’s amazing to watch and I’m grateful to be a part of such a network.

What are your personal goals for your writing?  To write! Ack! Oh, if I could just write every day. So, you know what? My New Year’s resolution is to write every day. I don’t care if its five minutes a day or writing 5,000 words a day, I’m doing it. And I’m not even waiting for the new year. I know, I’m a rebel. 😉 I’ve already started and so far so good. 

So as long as I keep up that goal, my next one is to have a story ready to be published by summer. Whether that means I start looking for an agent or publisher or by doing the indie thing I haven’t decided, but dammit that story is going to be ready!

With the “Have Coffee…Will Write” being over with, tell us something about Writing on the Rocks?  Writing on the Rocks was meant to be a place for people to come together to read and review each other’s works. Unfortunately, it didn’t turn out that way. But not all was lost. I’ve met some terrific writers through this venue who have opened me up to more channels of networking. The site, as it was, was shut down and integrated into my personal website. It’s currenlty being used as a home for my own reviews, interviews and blog posts.

Which do you prefer, ebook or paperback?  Tough one. I love the smell of books and I love seeing them on my bookshelves. I know that’s a bit weird but it’s like looking at them and seeing old friends. However, I love the accessibility my Kindle gives me. Anytime, anywhere a book is at my fingertips. And, there are times when I’m reading my Kindle and my fingers go to turn the page. It is quite surreal when I realize that I have to hit a button and not flip a page. 

So, to finally answer your question, I’ll go with ebook purely for the fact of having multiple books at the ready no matter where I am.

What has been your most proudest moment in your writing career?  When my book went live and I had 30 sales in the first 10 minutes and they were all from people I did not know. … Oh, wait, whoops. There goes my imagination again. 🙂 In all honestly, my proudest moment happened a few days ago and came to me by way of a request from a friend. 

I received an email from a friend, let’s call her Veruca,  who had dinner with a friend of hers. This friend seemed like someone who had the world wrapped around her finger, almost too perfect, you know? However, as the meal progressed Veruca learned that her friend’s life is far from perfect, in fact, her friend’s life holds some very tough struggles. Veruca left the dinner realizing that pretty much everyone has problems its just some are better at hiding them. It got her thinking about how everyone has their struggles and you never really know what is going on behind someone’s smile.

This is part of her email to me, “I was thinking about your blogs yesterday, and how they’re always so honest and mostly funny but sometimes just pure truth, and I’d love to hear your thoughts on a topic like this.” I was blown away by her email. The fact that she thought of me, my blog, the way I look at things and wanted me to write about it was something I held as a great compliment.

Writers take on difficult topics all the time. We break down human nature and inspect it in minute detail so we can truthfully, honestly, and reliably put it back together in a way for our readers to relate to. We hope to touch, to teach and to inspire a desire in our readers to question the meaning around them. Whether that inspiration comes through a comedy who wants you to take pleasure in the little things in life, or the spy thriller that makes you question government activities, or a romance that teaches you the meaning of love, our goal is to portray life openly and honestly. Veruca’s comments to me led me to believe that I’m on the right track with my work.

I have to say I was pretty proud at that moment. 🙂

It’s a known thing that you like scotch.  Is that your drink of choice when writing, or to inspire new ideas?  Both?  I started drinking Scotch a couple of years ago while I read Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series. Her characters were always drinking it and I thought, “why not?” So I started… and now I can’t stop. 🙂 

I’ll admit that after a tough day I’ll relax with a snifter of Scotch (straight, no rocks) and let the worries of the day melt away. I by no means have a drinking problem, but it does help me relax and I have a wicked inner editor that 2 fingers of Scotch can help quell. But I’m not biased either, I’ll drink any alcoholic beverages while writing. 😉 However, I do have to say when I’m writing reviews Pinot Grigio is my go to drink of choice. I don’t know why, but it helps me formulate ideas about other’s work. However, just so everyone knows, I always finish my reviews at night and reread them the next day… sober. 🙂

Do you have any upcoming projects?  I’m currently working on the first in a trilogy about two warring kingdoms existing just outside the realm of our world. It has magic, sex, humor and heartache, all the things I love to read and write about. I’m hoping to have it ready to go this coming summer. I’ll definitely keep you posted!

**For more information on Karen DeLabar, please visit her at the following:

Facebook.com

Google+

Goodreads

Twitter

www.writingontherocks.com

What Am I?

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When I began this blog, it was merely to connect with other bloggers and authors, and to meet some friends.  I never in a million years thought that Chick Lit Goddess would be where it is today!

The more I blogged and read other people’s websites, the more I noticed a trend.  People were reviewing books!  When I received my first “Will you review this book?” question, my heart melted!  I was overjoyed that someone had taken the time to ask me, a non-professional, to read their book.  After I read, wrote and posted my review, I’ve had quite a few people wonder if I would read their book and write a review too, especially within the past few weeks.  This leads me to wonder…

Who am I?  Am I a blogger?  Am I a writer?  Am I a reviewer?  Another question I have is, how do I manage it all?  When do I read?  How do I edit my first book?  When I do I have time to work on self-publishing my second book?  As a New Year’s resolution, I’d like to take this all into consideration, and even make a somewhat of a calendar.

I’d love to hear your comments/questions/ideas, so let me know!

 

It’s Fun Friday

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You’ve written a book!  Congratulations!  “Now what?” You might ask.  Why not try self-publishing?

Since having finished NaNoWriMo ten days ago I’ve done a lot of thinking about this book and am on the verge of beginning the process of self-publishing it.  Isn’t that what everyone is doing these days?  There are several book that I’ve read that have been self-published, Lisa Becker’s Click: An Online Love Story, for example.  (I will even be reading and reviewing some within the next couple of weeks).

I have done some research about where to start, but the internet was way too overwhelming with websites coming at me like there was tomorrow.  I had enough, so I went to B&N and bought THIS book.  It seems to have the basics, what to do and how to start, through making a profit.  If I do end up deciding to do this (maybe as a Christmas present to myself), I will share my experiences.  Wish me luck!

Have any of you thought about self-publishing?  Why, and/or why not?

Happy Friday y’all!