The Low Tech Experiment

First of all, I haven't done this in a while, so let me start by saying, "Hi! Welcome to my blog."

It's been a almost a year since I blogged. And last year, I only blogged a couple times. It's because - life. My life has changed so much in the last few years.

But that's neither here nor there.

Well, kind of. Part of the reason I'm here writing is because of my choice to shut down some of my apps. I have many reasons to have done so.

Let me say that this is not a resolution post. I think I'm done with resolutions. I'd rather set some achievable short term goals and see how that works out.

So anyway, the reasons I'm shutting some shit down...first, to remove myself from drama. Facebook was the first casualty. After a bad work/romantic relationship failed and I found myself the butt of much bullying and harassment,  I decided to shut down my personal Facebook account. I had already blocked that person, but friends would send me screenshots of all the awful things he would say about me. While I appreciated that, I also came to a point in which I just didn't want to see it anymore. I wanted to be blissfully ignorant of what he was saying about me.

So, no more Facebook. I deactivated my account for an indefinite period of time and also deactivated the app from my phone.

Once I did that, I decided to take it a step further. I'd become reliant on game apps to fill my time when I was bored, on a work break, winding down from work, before bed, when I woke up on the more...you get the idea. So I deleted them all. Every game app on my phone. My end goal: read more, write more...find other more stimulating things to bide my time. Expand my mind. No more monkey pushing a button (though you know I LOVE monkeys).

Now I have all this free time and need to reinvent what I do with myself during my lull times. In the morning after coffee I've started doing yoga. I've heard yoga is great for chronic pain and bringing one peace. So far I feel like a monkey trying to fuck a football doing the poses (yes, another monkey reference, but an apropos one). Hence why I do it in the privacy of my own home. But in just a couple days I already feel a little more mobility in my limbs, a little serenity in my soul.

It's weird how dependent we become. After deactivating Facebook, I realized I can't access my business page, I can't access the events to which I'd been invited. There were groups I wanted to continue accessing...long story short, I created a profile just to participate in those things. I'm sure it's all part of Mark Zuckerberg's evil plan - that we should be dependent on his app.

I've figured out a few ways to keep up with my business and such. Mostly, when I'm just sitting around, or waking up in the morning...those are the times I'm finding myself a little lost. But, I've started reading a book I've been wanting to for awhile (shout out to Gae Polisner and In Sight of Stars). I've caught up on some magazines. I'm writing this blog. I wish to get back to writing my dystopian novel. I want to create and work more with my hands.

Will I last the 30 days I've allotted myself? I don't know, but I hope so. Longer would be nice. I'm also planning  to not reload any games or other soul sucking apps back onto my phone.And mostly, I simply plan of being a more healthy, productive and intellectual person.

Have you set any short term goals for yourself? I'd love to hear them.

A step in the right direction

I finally found a paying gig. It won't be a lot of work or money (maybe I can work myself into more if I'm, ya know, awesome), but I finally connected with a blogger that liked my writing style. And I must say, it's a good fit for me. She had me write her an article as a test. A paid test. *visualize Megan doing a happy dance*

What I love about it is I can be myself when I write. The blog wasn't looking for AP Style or Chicago Manual yadda yadda yadda. They were just looking for someone who could speak to their readers. Someone who could be honest, informative, witty, and funny. Someone that is on the same level. Someone relatable.

Um, over here...that's me.

So, I know you're asking yourself, what are you writing? (okay, just pretend you are) I get to share with the blogosphere, my dating and relationship experiences. How cool is that? (even if you don't think it's cool, just pretend you do) I get to write just like I do here. Casual, matter of fact. I even get
to throw in some gentle cussing. (sadly, no "f" bombs).

Ex boyfriends,  you might want to steer clear.

When my first article is published, it will be on Attract The One  - Smart, Blunt Relationship Advice for Women.

Don't worry, you'll be the 2nd to know when the article is out (okay, probably right after Facebook and Twitter).

I'm super excited and you should be too (maybe you just don't know it yet).

Blog me

"What should I blog about today?"

I posed this question to my daughter as she walked out the door for school today. She said, "Blog about me."

"What should I talk about?"

"How cool I am. How talented I am. How beautiful I am. How annoying I can be. How humble I am." Okay, I made up that last one.

She told me about Childish Gambino. I'd never heard of him. If you haven't, apparently he is a comedic rapper/singer. I watched a couple videos and...it's funny. He raps silly shit, but it makes sense, in a way, I mean, hard to explain. Here's some lyrics.

This one is from Sweatpants:

Hip deep in the Pepto, I got five on her like Ben Folds
I got more tail than that PetCo, you faker than some Sweet'N Low
Yeah, you got some silverware, but really are you eating though?

Here is some from Freaks and Geeks (warning, nasty nasty lyrics):

 Gambino is a mastermind, fuck a bitch to pass the time
Mass Appeal, orange rind, smoke your green, I'm spendin' mine
The beat is witches brew, but beware this shit is potent
E.E. cummin' on her face, now that's poetry in motion.

In his songs you can tell, or at least I can, or maybe I'm imagining it, what rappers he's making a parody of. But he does it so subtly, it's genius. He got his name from the Wu Tang Clan name generator. By the way, mine is Mad Scientist and Rachel's is Master Destroyer.

So, my daughter, Rachel, she introduces me to new things. New music, videos, interesting people. She's cool like that. She has great taste in music. I remember her first favorite band was the Beatles (she still likes them). She listens to many different genres, hip hop, rap, rock, alternative, indie...She plays songs that she's discovered for me all the time. She keeps a poetry notebook. She likes to draw.  She loves photography. She has many unique and different likes in this world.

Rachel is uber talented. Her talents began with sports. She could probably have played any sport she
wanted, but we put her in soccer and basketball. I don't know basketball very well, but I think her position was guard? She brought the ball down the court, great at passing. She was also a great shooter, but she was short. Get her at the free throw line though...golden.

She was an awesome keeper in soccer. I've seen that girl stop goals that looked impossible. From the time she was in about 3rd grade on, that girl was a menace on the field. Also, she could play any position on the field. The last year she played, she was reluctant. But I was coaching so I talked her into it. Her usual position, if not keeper, was defense. She had a great foot and could clear that ball with no problem. Same at midfield. Her passes were so accurate!! And she could score. She'd
sometimes get frustrated on the field and say she didn't want to go back in. I gave her a pep talk and told her exactly what I wanted her to do. Sometimes it was to  pass it up to the forwards. Other times, I would tell her to take it as close to the goal as possible and shoot. Other times (depending on team and keeper we were playing) I'd tell her to shoot when she got close to the 18. She had a strong foot, her shots were great and she wasn't afraid to shoot. I think she was my 3rd highest scorer that last year.

Her interests turned to music however. I was sad to see her quit soccer, but her musical talents rivaled her athletic ability. I put her in lessons for guitar and voice. Very soon, her teacher had her playing keyboards/piano and drums. One day she came home and said, "I need a bass."

Um...huh? "I'm in a band now. I'm the bass player."

"Do you know how to play bass?"

"I'm learning."

I think you could stick any instrument in that girl's hand and she could figure out how to play it. She even played the cello at an acoustic performance.

So, in this band she played mostly bass and  a little rhythm guitar. She also has a beautiful voice. She sang on some of their songs. And she writes originals. She fucking rocks.

At her high school, she's in both Jazz Choir and Concert Choir. Her Jazz Choir just took a gold medal at a competition in Seattle last month.

Okay, let's talk about her beauty. Yes, I think she's beautiful. Obviously the boys do too as she usually has a string of them waiting to be her next boyfriend.

 

 And she just recently went from long  hair to short. I was worried, but when she came home, it really did suit  her.

And yes, she's annoying. She's about the worst cleaner in the world (but the best mess maker). She doesn't always get her homework in on time. She's not found a job. She rolls her eyes when I ask her to do chores. But this is only a small part of who she is.

My daughter is cool and talented and beautiful. She walks to the beat of her own drum. She doesn't care about trends when it

comes to music, clothes. She doesn't care how people view her as long as she has friends and is happy. In many ways, she is my mini me.

So here you go Rachel. Here's your blog. You know I'm going to have to write about your sister tomorrow now.

Love you girl.

I think it's time...

After some low days and soul searching I decided I could not stay away from writing. I miss writing this blog and I miss writing fiction. I have one novel fully written that just needs editing and one that I have about 30k in that I need to finish and so many ideas it seems a shame not to write them.

So I am back.

I also have my author website I was updating which I'd like to finish and was going to start a new weekly blog

This is what I love and though I love what I do at my day job as well, it is not enough. I will have to toil through work and health problems, exercise and kids activities and make a schedule that works.

I picked up writing for a reason. I needed it, and I don't mean like oxygen, like so many others might say. It came to me at a time that I was grieving. It makes me calm, gives me peace, help me breathe - a form of therapy that nothing else seems to be able to parallel.

So, I guess, in a way it's like oxygen. I feel I need it to survive this world. I realized that without it my world was a darker place.

The Life Chaotic

"I hate busy. I guess it's better than dead." ~ Megan Bostic

Yes, I'm quoting myself. Sue me.

These days it's mostly been the day job, which has somehow trickled into my life. It's because my position as Marketing Coordinator has morphed into something bigger than anyone imagined it ever being I think. I was hired for social media. To post things to Twitter and Facebook and to blog. But social media has transformed into something so big, and my job has also transformed into something more because I've taken it upon myself to learn and grow as a legal marketer, so lately, I've been having to get to work early, and stay there late, and bring it home.

Don't get me wrong, I love what I do. After all, I get to post crap to Facebook and Twitter. And now Linked In (and I'll eventually get to Pinterest and Tumblr and other sites when I get the time). I get to write articles and edit. I get to be imaginative and create ads like the ones below.

I get to think outside the box these days, like we started a whole new website/blog for the founding partner (who happens to be my dad) and his cat, Maxx.

I get to tinker with our website unless things get messy, like it gets hacked, then I call in the big guns. I can only do so much.

Plus, I'm on our Fun Committee, so I get to plan our office parties, and we have fun ones.

I really do love my work. And the lawyers I work with, I know a lot of people have negative feelings about personal injury attorneys, but really, these guys see seriously injured people. People who have been damaged because someone else was negligent, or careless. They believe in what they do and I believe in them.

Other than the day job trickling in to life, there's also that pesky book I'm trying to publish, one I'm trying to write, a soccer team I'm coaching, a boyfriend I'm entertaining, two teenage girls I'm raising the best I can, a garden, a house, and a body that needs to kickbox or walk a few times a week, and maybe eat on occasion.

On a separate note, Jenny Milchman, who I know through ABNA, and whose debut novel, Cover of Snow came out January of this year, is in my neck of the woods and I get to meet her tonight for the first time. I'm terribly excited.

I started her book ( I hope to finish it before tonight, but it doesn't look good) and so far it's excellent. You should go get it and read it and tell all your friends about it.

Okay, enough about me. How are you doing today? Anything keeping you away from your projects?

Major work projects and Dissected proof

Man, I have been working on a major major marketing presentation for work for about three weeks now and I'm finally done. It's why I've not been blogging. I've been having to work on it at home as well as work to get it ready for my office retreat which took place last week. Now life is getting back to as normal as my life can, so here I am, blogging again.

I received a proof copy of Dissected in the mail this week from Createspace. Let's just say, I'm glad I ordered just one. The cover came out much darker then I'd anticipated, and you know what else? I found...wait for it...TYPOS!!!

Yes, I found typos. This is nobody's fault but my own. I truly am surprised that I found typos, but there they were, a couple in the first few chapters. So I emailed the truly gracious woman who did my formatting and asked her to please not kill me, but did she mind if I send her more corrections for reformatting. She said she didn't mind, but I can't help but imagine that she was silently cursing me (or perhaps loudly) as she emailed me back telling me it was no problem.

She also told me that many of the covers she's done have come out two or three shades darker than expected, so I redid mine. Lightened it up and even added a little more color so it wasn't so black and dismal. Now I'm rereading the proof to find any other typos that may be lurking behind the pretty formatted fonts and styles.

I truly can see why many books, indie published or traditional, make it to the shelves with mistakes. It's difficult. It truly is, to find every last mistake, no matter how many eyes are on it or how many times you read through it. Humans and computers are simply not perfect. That is not a cop out, nor an excuse for my failings, it is simply a fact. I hope to catch every last error in my novel. End of story.

I'm in the process of setting up distribution so the bookstores may carry the novel. They are having a problem with one of my scanned forms for the second time though. I don't know why. So, I have to try again.

So that's where I'm at. Here is what the book cover looks like now. I'm thinking about adding a gummy bear to the back cover...

What the hell day is it?

It's Wednesday, right? I've been busy, so I haven't blogged for a few days. Okay, that is not the entire truth. I've been lazy too. And tired. And I just haven't wanted to do much of anything. But let's catch you up on some things...

Hmm, still working on Dissected hoping to publish by July. Working on some revisions and formatting, then will get it edited. My Indiegogo campaign is still going. Click here to find out about the project, the book, or to watch the trailer.

I've got some interest from over seas for the rights for Never Eighteen. Brazil and Spain have contacted me. It would be really cool, but you never know how those things are going to go.

I've not written. Not a single young adult word in weeks. This is not good. I've been focusing on Dissected, side projects, and life stuff, and I've put the writing on the back burner. I've cleared some things off my plate though so I should be getting back to it this week. Still working on the fairy tale retelling.

I signed up for the SCBWI Western Washington conference. Pretty excited about it. There are some interesting topics this year.

That's about it I think. Other than that been busy with my kids and their soccer, music, drivers ed. I've been kickboxing, and napping quite a bit. (my doctor told me I had to listen to my body, my body quite frequently revolts and tells me to slow down)

What's up with you this week? Do you have any short term or long term writing goals?

"Image courtesy of thaikrit/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net"

Monkey Madness Tuesday: Dear, Spammer

You get the monkeys today because I didn't feel like blogging yesterday, I felt like I had nothing to say. Today I do. I'm feeling some angst. So here I am. 

First of all, to the spammers who keep commenting here on my blog anonymously, go away. Get a life. Don't come back. No one is going to read your comment and follow your link. Are you stupid or something?

Secondly, I'm frustrated about my writing career. I have no idea which direction to go. I have about five projects going. I can't seem to focus. Meanwhile, I've got things tied up with editor and contest. I feel like a chicken with my head cut off.

Thirdly, I have another frustrating ongoing thing I can't really talk about but I'm so tired of dealing with I want to rip my hair out and I really don't understand it, it seems so stupid.

I have to say this. Thank god for kickboxing and xanax.

Image courtesy of samurai/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Introducing...ME!

So today is . A bunch of us bloggers are re-introducing ourselves, then checking out the other bloggers on the list that are participating. To find out more, click here.

So, this is me. I'm Megan Bostic. I am Creative Chaos. Why? Because my writing style, as well as my life is in a constant state of chaos. That's it. I'm a legal marketer during the day writer at night. My first novel, Never Eighteen was published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt just over a year ago.

I'm also a soccer mom, vlogger, blogger (obviously), amateur poet, who likes to mess with graphic design, websites, and other crap.

I mostly write contemporary realistic young adult (YA) literature, though I have a couple adult books in the works, as well as fantasy and sci-fi YA. I do like to write about dark or sad subjects, as I think they are stories that need to be told and I like to write characters that teens (and adults) can relate to.

My two teen daughters, who I often refer to as Thing One and Thing Two, are crazy beautiful, totally inappropriate, disgusting, and hilariously funny.

I'm a fan of the "F" word.

I love monkeys.

I wear black daily.

I love kickboxing.

I'm also a fan of NFL football, soccer, and my children.

I have a boyfriend who's off the charts awesome.

I think I'm going to try my hand at self publishing this year.

Music and life are my inspiration for writing.

I think that's it.

Hoping to see you on your blogs. Please feel free to leave a comment. I love comments and try to respond to them all.

Have a great re-introduction day!

Bully Prevention Month

Did you know it's Bully Prevention Month? It's a month long effort that encourages everyone to take an active role in the bullying prevention movement. To find out more you can visit Pacer.org.

There are two awesome bloggers that are doing their part, Jodie from Uniquely Moi and Amy from Lady Book Stuff. They've asked a bunch of us to write guest posts about bullying and are giving away daily prizes. Today you'll find my guest post, Portrait of a Bully at Uniquely Moi. Visit their Facebook page to find out who will be up tomorrow.

Wednesday is Unity Day. If you care about students who are bullied and want bullying to end, make your color ORANGE on Unity Day, Wednesday, Oct. 10. That's the day everyone can link together—in schools, communities and online—and send one large, ORANGE message of support to students who have experienced bullying.

Ways to unite on Oct. 10 in your school, home or community:

1. Wear the color orange. 
2. Write the word “UNITY” on your hand, on your notebook, or on a poster to hang in your locker or hallway
3. Set up a “unity” table.

•  Hand out orange “unity ribbons.” (Create your own ribbons. Purchase a spool of ribbon at craft or dollar store. Cut into 12” strips. With black marker, on the ribbon, write UNITY, “The End of Bullying Begins With Me”, or create your own bullying prevention message)
• Give the opportunity to donate for the ribbons and send the proceeds to PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center.

Online:

1. On Oct. 10, update your Facebook status to “UNITY DAY, October 10th— Join the movement to make it orange and make it end! If you are being bullied, you are not alone. Unite and be a champion against bullying!
2. Share” the Unity Day event with your friends.
3. Post pictures of anyone wearing orange to this UNITY DAY Event page
4. Sign “The End of Bullying Begins With You” Petition.

 
Let's work together to help end this nationwide problem.

Millions of things to do so little time

Pretty sure I forgot to post a monkey this week.

I've not blogged in a couple days because I've been so scattered going this way and that way, I've not been able to focus on one task at a time. Here's what I've needed/wanted to do the last few days.

• Edit a 2k12 video
• Study and play with Adobe Creative Cloud
• Consolidate my bills
• Write book reviews
• Look for some contract work to make some extra money
• Practice my new Photoshop and InDesign skills
• Work on my rewrite
• Work on gathering more agents to query
• Clean my house
• Mow my lawn
• Weed my gardens
• Spray my blackberry bushes
• Pick up the box of books I ordered
• Clean out my inbox
• Probably some other crap I'm not remembering.

Instead of any of those things, this is what I worked on last night:

And just saw someone gave me a dislike!! >:(
Oh well. Chaos isn't for everyone.

Okay, I'm going to try to maybe do one of those things *points above*. Enjoy your Thursday night.

Contest winner and new video series

Two birds with one stone. Releasing my new video series AND announcing the winner to my Never Eighteen Half Birthday Contest! Enjoy!

F³A: Is this thing on?

I'm wondering, some days on my blog I have a lot of comments, other days I have none. I know people look at my blog daily. How come so few comments? 

I started thinking about what  makes me comment on a blog or not. I mean, in truth, I've not had the time to look at a lot of blogs lately, but when I do, there are specific reasons why I comment.

I want to support my fellow bloggers. To show them that I read them.

Because I have something to add to the conversation.

If I don't comment it's usually just because I don't feel like I have anything useful to say or don't know much about the subject matter.

Sometimes I feel like I lose readers because I'm at times sporadic. Life gets in the way of my blogging and I'll go a few days or even a week without connecting with my audience.  I think that's detrimental to a blog. Maybe it's also because I'm all over the place with the blog. One day I'm talking about writing, then dating, then kids, then exercise...it's a blog about life really. I've decided to kind of keep focused on the writing aspect of my life, but you know, I can't stop myself from ranting if something comes up.

Do you have any insights as to blog trending? Why do you comment or not? Do you try to change things up when people don't comment?

Here's the Friday Scribbles, which I've not done in awhile either.

Next Pandora Song: Missed the Boat by Modest Mouse (The Head & the Heart channel)

Netflix of the Week: To be honest, I can't remember the last thing I watched. Let me think a minute. Oh, yeah, it was a movie called Spork. Think female Napoleon Dynamite. Well, kind of female, she's a hermaphrodite. Very funny.

Book of theWeek: The Wicked and the Just by J. Anderson Coats. Think, Medieval girls gone bad, as Jillian says.

Quote of the Week (because of recent events in my life): "Don’t interfere with something that ain’t bothering you none" ~ Old Wild west Talk

Wednesday Weigh in, guest blogging, a new video, and a good cause

I'm six pounds down.  It's been a rough road to get there.  I still want to drop another twenty at least.  My exhaustion has finally passed and I've got off my butt and exercised.  Tortuous Jillian Michaels yoga in the morning, some kind of aerobic activity in the afternoon/evening.  It was nice enough to bridge walk the other day, but weather is changing and I'll probably move to the elliptical (once I superglue the foot back on, the hazards of having a bunch of teenage girls in the house).

I also want to mention that I have a guest post up at the Class of 2k11 today about what they've taught me that I'll take into my debut year.  Look for another post from me on Friday at the Class of 2k11.

I've also opened a Never Eighteen shop at Cafe Press.  All the profits are going to Mary Bridge Children's Hospital in Tacoma.  I thought it apropos with the theme of my book and they saved my daughter's life when she was just 5 weeks old.  I feel like I'll never be able to repay them.

I've posted a new video.  A bunch of random thoughts from me. Watch it here.

One more thing, I have a blog tour starting on Halloween through Teen Book Scene.  The details can be found here.

Have a great Wednesday!

Monkey Madness Monday:Torture and Blog Tours

So, this exhaustion stuff is over for the most part, and I'm really trying to be healthy and drop some pounds.  I promised myself I would get off my ass starting today and do yoga in the morning and something aerobic at night.

I got up.  I put my DVD in the machine.  but what I experienced was not yoga.  It was Jillian Michaels yoga, which is really some form of torture disguised as yoga.  I think she's trying to kill me.

I know, I bitch, I complain, I moan, I probably won't be able to walk for a week, but if I continue with this torture, I'm fairly certain within a few weeks I'll have abs of steel.  Okay, maybe not steel, but aluminum at least.  

Enough about torture.  I'm just giving you a heads up that there will be a Never Eighteen blog tour coming courtesy of Teen Book Scene. You'll find out all sorts of interesting stuff about me, the book, and the characters.  Don't worry, I'll remind you again.

 

Okay that is all for today.  Enjoy your Monday.

F³A: I'm starting to freak out

My book release is three months away.  THREE MONTHS!!!!!

I'm seriously starting to freak out.  I'm trying to plan two parties.  The Tacoma Public Libraries have offered to host my release party and then I'm having a private party for close friends and family.

My marketing campaign is not quite in place yet.  I'm still working on it.  Who would have thunk it would be hard to get people to take a free book?!?!?!

I'm still writing guest blogs.  I'm almost blogged out. I'm not sure I'll ever want to blog again when this is all over.

I'm trying to drop *cough* another 20 pounds before release.  I'm not sure I'll make it.

I'll have to get my house ready for out of town guests.  I may have to hire someone to help me come clean it, because I'm not good at cleaning things like door frames, and corners, and crap like that.

I will probably also be going into seclusion next week to finish revisions on my WIP. ugh.

Someone talk me down from the ledge so I don't have to resort to xanax.

Friday Scribbles:

Random Pandora song of the week: Vienna by the Fray. I love Pandora.  It gets me through my work day.

Netflix of the week:  Finally finished Monk and have started on Breaking Bad.  Looks funny.

Book of the week:  Um, I've not had much time to read.  I'm reading a friends manuscript and it's really good.  May be the one that gets her published.


Quote of the week:  "Shoot for the moon, even if you miss you'll land among the stars."  I don't know who to attribute that too. I remember reading that years ago some where and for some reason it popped into my head this morning.

Catch me over at the Class of 2k12 blog today!!!!

I've blogged about Teen Read Week and favorite graphic novel characters!!!

Click here to check it out!

F³A: Blogging, blogging, and more blogging

Seriously, I've been doing nothing but the day job, soccer, and guest blogs all week.  The guest blogs have been pretty fun.  I'm one of Badass Bookies Debutantes for 2012.  I've got a blog tour coming up on Teen Book Scene (I'll share dates later).  I've got a Dear Teen Me letter coming out on October 31st. And I've got two posts for the Class of 2k11 at the end of the month.

Oh, yeah, and the Class of 2k12 launch on the 12th.  I'll be blogging toward the end of the month (website not up until that date).  Plus I've got guests blogs to finish up for the class.

I'm crazy right?  The answer would be yes.  But I love it.  It's what I want to do.  I wouldn't have it any other way.

Don't forget, I'm sending out signed bookmarks for anyone who subscribes to my Youtube channel.

Question: I've got my vlog series, but is there anything else you'd like to see?  Advice, personal stuff? (keep it clean people)

Okay, Friday Scribbles:

Random iPod shuffle song:  Bulls on Parade by Rage Against the Machine.  This song has a supporting role in Never Eighteen.

Book of the Week:  I'm sticking with Amy Dominy's OyMG.  After I finish all these blog posts, I should have time to read again. *fingers crossed*

Netflix of the Week: Dexter Seaon 5, OMG! OMG! I LOVE Dexter.

Rest in Peace

Quote of the Week:

Monkey Madness Monday

I'm back after a short hiatus from regular blogging.  I'm coming off my exhaustion (I think). I was tested for Anemia and Hypothyroidism, and it's neither of those things.  So I think my doc was right and it's just a case of exhaustion.

I'm still tired, but the last day I had to sleep half the day was last Wednesday, and I've not napped since the week before last.  I'm hoping that I can get back to the exercise and getting healthy.  I'm so tired of being tired.

Enough about that.  Yesterday I was on a panel at Northwest Bookfest with my fellow Harbingers of Doom Marissa Burt (Storybound), J. Anderson Coats (The Wicked and the Just), and Danny Marks (Velveteen).  Our panel was about the Terrible Truth from Conception to Publication.  We had a big crowd and had lots of questions asked.  So, I think it was a success.  The Harbingers had fun looking at the booths and talking to other writers and editors.

It made me excited about revisions again.  I'm really slogging through them, but I'll get them done.

One more thing, I don't know if you guys know I vlog, but I'd love to have more subscribers on my youtube channel.  I've got a couple advice videos, some book reviews, I vlogged my journey to publication, and now I'm vlogging about my middle aged angst.  Click here for my channel.

If you subscribe, I'll send you a signed bookmark.  Just comment below and I'll get your details.

Catch ya later,

Megan

Monkey Madness Monday

First off, here's my cute Monday Monkey.  Secondly, I have to correct something here on my blog. 

Remember back when I talked about Goodread reviews?  Well, apparently the reviewer I spoke about in general commented on that blog, and for some reason it did not post.  She thought I deleted it, which, those of you who know me know I wouldn't do.  I've been known to delete an entire blog of mine, a million facebook posts of mine, but never a blog comment.  I respect other people's opinions even if I don't like them or agree with them.

She  blogged about it, thinking I'm a disgrunted writer, which I don't blame her for, thinking I deleted her comment.  I'm linking to that blog here. In my original blog was more making a point about Goodreads reviews and respecting others opinions.

I'm linking to her blog because she was very eloquent and made some good points.  And now that is all I'll say on the subject.


I want to talk about my writing retreat.  It was great.  Only four of us.  Kristin Kendle talked about grammar and punctuation, Janet Oakley spoke on historical research.  I gave an totally unorganized (my style) presentation about the publishing process. 

I want to make it an annual event.  We have given it a name, as shown in the following logo (TSS for short).  I would to get more people involved, even though we want to keep it small.  We decided on eight people, though I would probably take it up to ten.  I already have people interested. 

If you're interested, it's at Ocean Shores, Washington, the third weekend of July.  If you want to come, respond to this blog, or send me a direct email.  Also, expect to give a presentation on a writing subject, expect to do some cooking, cleaning, and expect to learn and have fun.  Participants will be chosen by presentation proposal.  I want people who will be a good fit, not just first come first serve.

If I get a lot of interest, I may expand to those who just would like to learn rather than present.  But right now, we're tiny.  So, if you're interested in the learning process alone, let me know that too.  I'll see how many people are interested and go from there.

I wouldn't mind presentation from bloggers and famous writers either *cough Jay Asher cough Brent Hartinger cough Elizabeth Scott*  Excuse me.  Must have had something caught in my throat.

That is all for today.

Catch you on the flip side.