Thought Provoking Thursday: Moving

I swear the last couple years here in the PNW have been horrible.  It's been gray from September to May and we had no summer to speak of last year.  We have two season: Rain for ten months, sun for two.  And we don't even get rainbows anymore.  What's up with that?

This year, our weather has been having an identity crisis.  Like right now, the sun is out.  It's bright, shiny, and blue skies.  But in a few short hours, it's going to be pouring down rain according to the weather man, and I think he's going to be right.

It's impossible to know what to wear when you leave the house. 

This is the first year I've seriously debated moving to someplace with more sun.  Arizona mostly likely.  I would at least, if I make a mint, like to buy a house down there.  Just a tiny one with a pool where I can go for a couple weeks during the winter to get my battery recharged.

I'm not sure I can take another Washington fall/winter/spring.

Please let this book sell. 

Ciao,

Megan

Writing Wednesday: Sad

     Just a little bit.  I posted on my Facebook page a couple days ago, so if you've already read it I apologize.  There's much in Sad I don't want to give away.  Always keep in mind, the writing I post here is unedited.

 As if by intuition, Bryce turned around.  He mouthed shit and grabbed my dad’s arm.  They began running toward me.  The world spun out of control.  I felt my body collapse and the cool, dewy grass enveloped me like nature’s coffin.  The stars in the sky whirled around, reminding me of Van Gogh’s Starry Night.  I couldn’t make out a single constellation, not Cassiopeia, not Orion, not even the Big Dipper.  Then it all stopped—the pain, the spinning, the whirling—and all turned dark, as if I’d just been sucked inside a black hole of emptiness.

Thanks for reading,

Megan

Tuesday T is for Time Off

Yep, that's me taking time off from my blog yesterday.  Did I mean to?  No.  In fact when I sat down to write this today, I was starting the Monday Morning Blahg until I realized it was Tuesday.

That is the sign of a good weekend.  And it was, it was fun and lazy and sunny.  Friday night I stayed in and watched Black Swan which I thought was very good though a bit disturbing.  Saturday I went to a beautiful wedding with friends (one of which I would like to be my boyfriend).  Sunday, I took a totally lazy day, well, not really lazy.  I did write, and work on some marketing stuff.  But I got to take my time and take breaks.

Yesterday I worked in my yard, mostly shoveling.   Which is a story in itself.  When I moved into my house, the previous owners had these two berms in which he planted flowers, at the front of my driveway.  I thought they were ugly and I kept running over them with my car, so I decided I would turn them into tiered herb gardens.  I started digging out the edges so I could pour some concrete (to make it a little easier to back out of my driveway) and so I could edge the garden. 

At the corner of one of the berms, I found concrete underneath, which kind of threw a monkey wrench in my plans.  So, yesterday, I decided to dig into the berm to find out how far the concrete went.  Well, I found that it was about two feet wide, and went from the sidewalk all the way to the house.  I dug it out as far as where I wanted my herb garden, but was completely mystified as to why someone would put a flower bed, and sod over a strip of concrete.

So, I'm still going to put my garden in, I just don't really have a plan of action, instead of them being triangular, I think I'll make them square.  I guess.

Anyway, after that, I sat in the sun and read while drinking a glass of wine, took a nap (which if you know me, you know I NEVER do), watched Invictus, which was excellent, and went to bed.

I even forgot to set my alarm clock, so I woke up a little late. Oops.

How was your holiday weekend?

Ciao,

Megan

F³A: Time

I don't have any anymore it seems. None that's free anyway.  I work.   Then I go home and work some more.  I don't think I could possibly have fathomed how much time and energy it takes to release a book.  You write it, get a book deal, and the rest just falls into place, right?  Um, no.

First there's swag.  If you don't know what swag is, it's pretty much a group of promotional items you give away.  Most people would hire someone to design these things for them, but since I have a bit of know-how (a small bit really, but enough not to pay to have it done) I'm designing them myself.  Time.  Yep.  I just ordered buttons yesterday.  I'm designing bookmarks.  I'll probably do some stickers, pencils, and hopefully come up with some other really brilliant ideas.

Once you have the swag, it's time to make connections.  You take them to your local bookstores and libraries and ask them to carry your book.  You give them to LA teachers and school librarians to give to their students.  You send them all over the country to any of your connections that will pass them out for you to their local bookstores and libraries. 

Then there's donation letters.  I'm reaching out to any company I mentioned in the book.  Ford, Starbucks, the Space Needle, etc, and ask if they will donate ANYTHING for giveaways.  I'm still working on this one.

I've booked one release gig.  But I'll need to do at least three or four to include everyone I want to.  And this will require me talking to my local indie store, which I as of now have no relationship whatsoever.

I'm trying to put some of these things in place now because I know the closer it gets to the release, the busier it's going to get.

There's way more than that too. AND I'm also working with the Class of 2k12 on basically the same stuff.  I love it, but it's exhausting.

That's all for today.  Getting sidetracked and feel poopy. Happy Friday and have a great holiday weekend.  Remember all those who gave their lives for your freedom.

I'll leave you with the Friday Nibbles.

Random Pandora Song: Break Even by the Script.  I freakin' love this song and it's so true.

Book of the week: I'm still reading Popular by Alissa Grosso, but let's throw Tension of Opposites in there too.  It's by Kristina McBride.  Just Facebook friended her and we have a mutual friend.

Netfix of the week: The Office Season Six.  Just finished it.  Hilarious

Quote of the week: "When love is not madness, it is not love."  ~Pedro Calderon de la Barca

Thought Provoking Thursday: Tornadoes

Not so much a blog today as a prayer for those living in the wake or path of the tornadoes.  So much devastation and loss.

I have friends and family in those areas and I fear for them.

Be well all of you that continue to receive tornado warnings.  Stay safe.

Megan