Chick Lit Goddess

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

Random

An Exciting Day: March 12th, 2012

1 Comment

Many of you know that the number “12” is a very lucky number for me!  This brings me to Monday, March 12th, 2012, which is tomorrow!  As I sit here drinking my white wine, I’m finding it difficult to contain myself.  THIS might help explain why!  Yes, it’s only a book tour, but it’s my first time to be a part of something like this – GO ME!  I have a feeling that this is only a the beginning of what will be a great Monday for me!

How do you plan on spending your Monday?

To end, I’m leaving you with a quote that inspires me — especially on Monday’s!

It’s Fun Friday

5 Comments

Friday’s are the days where I try to write about something other than writing, editing, or publishing, but today I really wanted to share something very exciting with you:

Earlier this week I added the TOURS tab to my website.  This was the next step on my website, and I’m thrilled to be taking part of Samantha’s Chick Lit Plus Blog Tours.  Having this opportunity has introduced me to some wonderful writers, along with their books filled with many memorable characters.

If you look at my new tab, you will see that on Monday will be my very first time for a tour!  I highly encourage you to come back on Monday to see what it’s all about.

**(There will be a giveaway of the book “Binding Arbitration” by Elizabeth Marx, and I know you won’t want to miss it!)

I hope y’all have a wonderful weekend — I know I will!

Sexy Thursday: Reading Erotica

Leave a Comment

This blog post is a follow-up to one I wrote awhile back,

Adding A little “Hump” To Your Wednesday.

"Come, I'll show you the way..."

What turns you on?  Is it a love scene on you favorite soap opera or movie?  Is it the scent of your boyfriend or husband’s cologne?  Is it the kiss you got from your partner before they left for work – the one you can’t stop thinking about?  (Come on, I know  there’s some of you who are still hung up on that kiss).  Or are you a busy mom and/or career woman and it’s THIS that seems to be the only thing that can get you to take off those granny panties and spanx?

I recently came across THIS article.  It got me thinking how some women are ashamed to read these “trashy” novels, and need the “okay” to venture out of their June Cleaver minds.  Well, there’s nothing trashy about them.  For example, these novels by MEGAN HART aren’t only erotic, but the story-lines seem so real, that they seem more believable – the career mom, the desperate housewife…you name it, and you got it.  I think that’s the difference — “trashy equals fake” and “erotica equals real.”

Go ahead, go get yourself an erotica and enjoy it.  Your boyfriend/husband might even be surprised by your behavior when he enters the door after a hard day at work.  Go ahead, surprise him…you might even surprise yourself too!

Writers and Their Cats

3 Comments

Almost every writer I know has a pet to keep them company as they go through the steps of the writing process, from start to finish.   Some days we will complain about the neediness of the pet and how they distract us from our work, but on those hard days where we stare at the computer and nothing comes to us, we’re glad they’re there.  I know I’m thankful for the way my little man (Thorndike) paws and meows (constantly) at me when I’m the one who needs the attention — and I believe he knows that.

On the days where I’m feeling very productive, my 12-year-old little man loves to be the center of attention.  He practically begs to be played with, cuddled (which most times during this process he falls asleep and begins to snore loudly), and of course, he loves to be pet – a lot, and doesn’t want me to stop.  Wait, let me rephrase that – he doesn’t want me to stop until his daddy gets home.

Then there are times when I’m reading for a book review or tour, and I get up to get more tea or take care of the buzzing washing machine, that he plops himself down on the book.  I can’t resist taking a picture of him because he’s just too cute!  (Notice how the book title “Good In Bed” goes as a perfect caption for him?)  Does your cat do this too?

The Writer’s Workspace cartoon is something that I think we as writers can relate to.  (However, if you’re on The Dream, then I envy you!  Can you share how you do it?)

Simon’s Cat is a little comic strip of what most of my writing and editing days are like with my little man!

Do you have any pets that keep you company?  How does he/she keep you motivated?  Do you have a funny or sweet story you’d like to share about you and your pet(s) during your writing process?

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?

Why Letting Your Friends Read Your Work Is A Good Thing!

8 Comments

When I started taking classes at Gotham Writers’ Workshop I was a little worried about sharing my work with my fellow classmates, but I quickly overcame those nerves and insecurities and learned to listen to what they had to say.  Whether their critique were comments about my storyline, helping me keep a better timeline of events, or anything else, I welcomed their opinions.

I recently gave my second book, The Right Design, to a close friend to read.  I was a little worried about doing so, not because of what I thought he might think, but because it was my baby, my NaNoWriMo baby.  I still haven’t let go of the storyline, nor have I gone a day without thinking about my beloved characters.  Come to find out, my friend really enjoyed the story.  He helped me see where I needed some help and what parts he liked.  This helped me so much, and I’m beginning to take notes for the 2nd draft – yea!

Many writers are like me, afraid to share their work, but trust me, you’ll want to show you work to friends because it might help you in the long run.  It’s also okay to learn to take criticism.  Writers need it because it’s the only way that our writing gets better.

Have you ever showed a friend your MS?  If so, what was your experience in doing so?  Were you happy you did it?  I’d love to hear all about it.  (You can even vent if you want to!)