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Writers and Their Cats

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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?

Julie Anne Lindsey

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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

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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!

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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!)

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.

Gone, But Not Forgotten

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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!

The Right Design

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I’m sorry I’m just now getting to post this, but ti’s been a busy few days!  Anyway, like I promised last week, here are the details of my second book, The Right Design!  When I was writing this book, I didn’t tell anyone what it was about because it was my baby and until it was finished, I wanted the ideas to come from me and only me – I didn’t want to be persuaded by anyone.  Now that I’ve finally named my book, I’m excited to share what it’s about, so here goes:

The Right Design

It’s interior designer Carrie Newman’s six year anniversary with her boyfriend, Roger.  Before leaving for work that morning, he gives her a little blue box, but when Carrie opens it up, it’s not what she thinks (and hopes) that it would be.  Later thad day when she comes home early to prepare a surprise for him, she’s shocked to find him in a very erotic position with another woman on their kitchen counter.  Devistated and heartbroken, Carrie ends their relationship and moves in with her sister and brother in-law, Sara and Sean.  It’s not too soon after that does Sara announce that she’s pregnant, and Carrie thinks it’s time to get her life back on track, so she makes an announcement of her own – she’s moving to Florida!

Carrie finds herself living a whole new life, working at another highly established interior decorating firm.  Her first job since moving to Florida is to update Brad Larson’s mansion.  There is instant attraction between them, but Carrie is a firm believer of not mixing business with pleasure, but Brad does everything he can to change her mind.  After fighting her feelings, Carrie finally surrenders and allows herself to feel something for him, but the morning after they sleep together the first time, Brad walks in on Carrie at her office and catches Roger and her in a kiss.

…and cut!

That’s all you get to know until the book’s published!

Do you like the storyline?  Who do you think Carrie will end up with, or will she forget them both and move on to someone new?

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!

Blah Monday!

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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: