Chick Lit Goddess

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

Writing

Nikki Jefford

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Nikki Jefford is one of the funniest girls I know.  I “met” her when I was taking a Romance writing course from Gotham Writers’ Workshop.  Since then I’ve gotten to know this wonderful woman!  Her blog posts make me laugh out loud, as she tells it how it is!  I have had the pleasure of reading her book, Forbidden Footage, and loved it!  She is an amazing writer, and I am honored to have her as a guest!

When did you start writing?  From the moment I could hold a pen. My stories really started improving once I learned to form words.

What is your genre, and why?  More and more I’m becoming a genre juggler. I’ve written short stories, a memoir, historical romance, erotica and now young adult. I’ll tell you what I love: Romance. I was an entertainment reporter back in Anchorage trying to break in as a literary fiction writer. Then I realized I wasn’t having fun doing either. When I wrote my first historical romance it was a Eureka moment. This is what I love to do!

Congratulations on your book.  I noticed you’re under a pseudonym, Louise Harvey.  Why?  Thank you. I chose a nom de plume for my erotica because I wanted to keep that genre separate from my – I’ll call it true pursuit – and especially not use the same name when I’m writing spicy content for adults on one hand and material for young adults on another. I dipped my pen into erotica as a way to bring in money (or try bringing in money), but it’s not the genre I want my name associated with. Don’t get me wrong, erotica’s a blast to write!

How long did it take you to write your first book?  My first fiction novel was finished in a month. I’d just read about National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), but it was February and I was too impatient to wait till November so I did it on my own, unofficially, in April 2005.

Why did you choose online publishing?  Online publishing offers many more opportunities. As far as online marketing, it’s easy to post links via blog and other social media outlets. You can spread the word instantly and I have to say, I love the quick turnaround.

How did you go through the editing process?  In the case of my erotica, my editor made the edits. I was never given a chance to look them over. Let that be a lesson to everyone: Take the time to research the publisher you go with. Funny enough I had doubts after reading the contract and never signed it. Then one day I received an email saying the stories were going live. I stressed over it then finally decided to basically write those stories off. Ultimately you learn, let go and move on.

What’s a day like for you?  I’m lucky in that I only have to work part-time. At the beginning of the year I had Tuesdays and Wednesdays off and it was the most productive writing time in my life. I wrote two novels, two short stories and one novella in three months. Ever since I changed my day job in July I’ve been working five hour shifts five days a week and lost my most productive time: Mornings. I know I should get up early and write before work, but I don’t feel like it. Sleep is a priority for me. As is a 3 mile+ hike with my dog, a home cooked meal and spending time with my husband. No exceptions. Starting in January I’ll be forced to take a 2-3 month hiatus from my day job and I’m already anticipating another round of crazy awesome productive writing time.

Who is/are your favorite writer(s)?  I’m a huge Jane Austen fan. I consumed her novels like candy in high school. For historical romance: Susan Carroll, Philippa Gregory, Candace Camp (excluding her latest series – so disappointing!), Sherry Thomas, Sophie Jordan and Loretta Chase. I love Michelle Moran’s books based on past events and people like Nefertiti and Cleopatra. Bill Bryson and David Sedaris are both a hoot. For chick lit: Bridget Jones’s Diary by Helen Fielding!

What are your greatest strengths in writing?  Humor and dialogue.

What are you weaknesses in life?  Food! Particularly bread, sweets and snacks. I treat all symptoms with food: angst, boredom, depression, stress, sorrow, fatigue, joy, happiness… When my husband first met me he thought I’d done time in prison because he’d practically get stabbed in the hand by my fork anytime he took something off my plate.

What would someone be surprised to know about you?  My last name changed four times before I reached 20. I went to 13 different schools before graduating from high school. My mind has always been in the gutter. In fifth grade my teacher had to talk to me about bringing a naughty picture book to school. Shame on the snark who ratted me out! Very uncool.

Where do you see yourself in five years?  On Orcas Island in a home of our own, growing veggies and at least a dozen books published!

What would your perfect day consist of?  The house to myself all morning with five hours of uninterrupted time to write. Really good leftovers or takeout and a chewy chocolate chip cookie at lunch. Reading on the couch with a cup of tea and dog by my side. A hike with my husband, our good friends and our dogs (in the warm sun). Dinner out with everyone (dressed up) and two glasses of champagne

Do you have any upcoming projects?  If so, explain.  Heck, yeah! I’m jazzed about my latest YA romance: Entangled. It’s a dark comedy with magical elements. A condensed version of Entangled will be included in the anthology Death By Chocolate, a selection of six lip-smacking YA paranormal romance stories we chocolatiers plan to self-publish and release for Kindle Valentine’s Day 2012.

I’m especially excited about the release of Bob Friel’s The Barefoot Bandit: The True Tale of Colton Harris-Moore, New American Outlaw (available March 20, 2012). The chance to be Bob’s research assistant was the opportunity of a lifetime. Not only was this one of the most outlandish true stories I’ve ever heard, but Bob’s writing puts you right in the action and his humor cracks me up.

Do you consider yourself a writer?  Totally. Writing is one of my only skills. And it does wonders for boosting self-morale when you bounce from one crap job to another: When you’ve got eight screaming kids climbing up the walls or Cruella De Vil snapping at you to schedule her facial or a grumpy old millionaire watching as you weed on his plantation and making you paint the floor of his meat locker or having a woman throw her bill in your face at the reception desk… you drift off into dreamland and tell yourself, “This is only temporary. I am a writer.”

**For more information on Nikki Jefford, visit her blog:

http://www.nikkijefford.blogspot.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!

 

A Love Letter To My Hero

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In honor of it being my second anniversary with my husband, I thought I’d write him a love letter:

My Dear Sweet Hubby,

Happy 2nd Anniversary, my love!  As a writer, I want to thank you for your constant love and support.  You are by my side when I have everything, and nothing to write.   You’re there to help form my characters and thoughts into a reality.  Having you be there for me during NaNoWriMo to wipe away my tears, cheer me on when it had been a good writing day, or massage my back and hands, and of course your pep talks of encouragement, meant everything to me — more than you’ll ever know.

You are the Hero that I wish I could write about, but you’re more than that…you’re my love, always and forever.

Love,

~~Me~~

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!

My 1st NaNoWriMo Experience

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When I set out to partake in NaNoWriMo I thought it would be a great idea to add a little chaos in my life.  On November 1st I wrote over 5,000 words, and did so again on the 2nd day.  I felt pretty good about how strong I started, and even so by the end of the week.  Week one was pretty good.  I was hopeful that I might win, and might even finish before the 30th.

Week #2 was not as great as the first, I still wrote at least 1,667 words a day (the word count in order to finish 50,000 in 30 days).  By the end of the week I was behind on the words for my own personal count, but still 1,000 or so ahead.

I began to panic during Week #3!  I was going out of town for the weekend to see my sister, and Thanksgiving was coming.  I wrote as much as I could during preparing for my trip to see my sister, while still giving my husband, cat, and other wifely duties attention.  During my flight to Orland, I wrote the entire time, but not enough to be all caught up.  CRAP!  My sister understood that while we could still have our good times (which we did), she knew that I had to write every single day–and I did.  Even though I wrote on the plane home, by the time I got back home, I was still behind.  The next day I dove headlong into my story and made finishing my second book my goal.  My thoughts were that if I was going to participate in NaNoWriMo, I would win!

Thanksgiving was the last weekend in NaNoWriMo and there were only a couple of days until the month was over.  It was the most memorable holiday, and for this I was-no, I am thankful!  I can’t remember a holiday (especially a Thanksgiving) where I was so focused on family and my book!  Everyone in my family, all seventeen of them, saw me writing, but I don’t think that some knew what I was in the process of doing, the pressure I was under, or what I was going through.  I wrote in the mornings, during lunches, and after dinner, some even between cooking meals-which I did quite a lot of, but it was all worth it.  I love my family, and I love to write.

On the next to last day of NaNoWriMo, I wrote my heart, and my fingers and hands out.  I wrote like there was no tomorrow.  That night I went to bed just shy of 2,000 words to go.

November 30th had finally arrived.  My husband had gone to work, the cat was fed, and our house was a mess.  I sat at my laptop for about forty-five minutes thinking of how to end it, but I couldn’t bring myself to write the ending.  I didn’t know my emotions then, but looking back on it now, I was sad to let my characters go.  Once I began to write, I found it hard to stop…but then the last two hundred words were the most difficult.  How did I want my characters to be known, and how did I want my readers to feel/think/say when they read the last word?  I finished NaNoWriMo that day around two o’clock in the afternoon.  When I called my husband to let him know, he asked me how I felt.  I couldn’t answer him, because I really didn’t know how to respond.  I was sweating, and I was nervous, happy, excited, and sad to see my time with the characters that I created had ended.

Overall, my first experience with NaNoWriMo was amazing.  It taught me to how be a writer, and it taught me how to trust what I write, but most of all it taught me to believe in myself as a writer.  It’s because of NaNoWriMo that I can officially call myself a writer.

I have decided to participate in NaNoWriMo 2012, and am thinking of picking up from where I left off from my second fully completed book.

 

 

I’m Thankful For NaNoWriMo!

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I’M BAAACK!!!

Before I start blogging about why I’m thankful for NaNoWriMo, I’d like to take a minute to thank my faithful readers, friends, and family for being patient with me for not posting a blog the entire month of November.  Without your support, I don’t think that I would have made it as sane as I did (well, maybe).  I will be continuing to blog throughout the rest of the year.  As for next year, I will be reviewing more books, and interviewing more writers, (YAY)!

When one thinks of November, most will think of Thanksgiving, and about how soon it will be until Christmas is coming.  Well, when I decided to participate in National Novel Writing Month, I knew it would be something that would be difficult, but I thought why not add one more thing to my plate (two Gotham Writers’ Workshop classes, a girl’s only weekend with my sister, and working on edits for my first book, and Thanksgiving with seventeen of members of my family), but I was ready to take the challenge.  (I will explain my whole experience in Monday’s blog, but I wanted to first explain why I’m thankful for NaNoWriMo being in November).

Here is why I’m thankful for NaNoWriMo:

  • Day after day I learned what it would be like to be a “real” writer.
  • NaNo taught me to focus on what’s important in the story, and to pay attention to the plot
  • I think that NaNo cured me of wanting to continually correct my grammar and punctuation, but since I had a thirty-day deadline I couldn’t which was so hard to not do
  • Most of all I’m thankful for the lesson of “just write,” which will teach me to be a better writer

Anyway, I survived National Novel Writing Month – and I won!  Writing my second book consumed me.  It was all I knew, and all that I thought about.

Love y’all!

NaNoWriMo: Less Than 24 Hours To Go!

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30 days & 50,000 words...

It’s less than 24 hours NaNoWriMo begins and I can’t wait, though I have a swarm of butterflies in my stomach!  I’ve been racking my brain all weekend for a plot, but I had no luck…until now!  (Yes, I know I’m late in the game, but at least I figured it out, and later today I’ll be doing an outline).  The thought of 50,000 words might seem scary, but I’ve gotten use to the idea, especially since my math capable husband (total opposite of me) figured that all I would have to do is write 1,666 words a day, I’m no longer as afraid of that scary number.  But, to make the goal, that means that I need to be dedicated, even on Thanksgiving!  Wish me luck!

I also wanted to let y’all know that during the month of November, I will be blogging less.  I’ll be back pretty much on a daily basis beginning December 1st, and will be sure to share my first NaNoWriMo experience.  I thank you in advance for your support and understanding.

Messy Bookshelves

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I can only imagine how many books I have in my house, in my car, and some even in the garage.  There are books everywhere.  Literally!  While I have a fair amount of bookshelves in the house, there never seems to be enough space to hold my book buying obsession, which means that there is no system of organization and I want to change that.  Just recently I took all the cookbooks on the shelf in our kitchen and organized them into size and type of food.  It was an all day job, but the end result is gorgeous and I’m proud of the work I did.  Cookbooks are easy, but other books aren’t.  Over the years I have accumulated so many genres of books it’s unbelievable (fiction, non-fiction, biographies, self-improvement, text books from high school, and sports, just to name a few).  I could open a bookstore!

This leads me to wonder, how do you organize your bookshelves?  Are they in any kind of order?  Your help is greatly appreciated…

**TO BE CONTINUED ONCE I’M IN THE PROCESS OF SOME KIND OF ORGANIZATION PROCESS**

NaNoWriMo Ideas

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**I’d like to apologize for a blog not being posted for the past week or so.  Things have been busy around here, but I thank you my faithful readers, for all your sweet comments and support.  Now, back to blogging!

It’s been about a month since I decided to take part in NaNoWriMo and I still haven’t made an outline (YIKES)!  I finally narrowed down my book idea and thought this would be so much easier, but writing it all out is easier said than done.  The parts I’m stuck on are the beginning and ending; I find this humorous because this is usually where I find it easiest.  Anyway, to help motivate me, I’ve started to watch The Bold & The Beautiful once again, and it’s working!  I quit cold turkey on my soaps (I loved As The World Turns) when I was writing my “Redefined Dreams,” and so much on that show has happened!  I can see why it’s won so many Daytime Emmy’s!

I can see how not only reading can jog some thoughts, but so can TV!  It can also be very distracting, which is a good thing B&B is only a thirty minute show.  I hope by the end of this week I will have an outline for what will be my second completed book!

Wish me luck!