You haven't seen me online. I deleted both my personal and author Facebook accounts. I rarely step into the Twitter zone. I definitely don't miss social media and all of its ranting, complaining, and bullying.

What made me shirk from social media? I got burned out by everyone's opinions about who would be the best candidate for President of the United States. One day, I just couldn't stand it anymore.

Yes, I know, everyone is entitled to their opinions. That's why we live in the United States, and not in some communist-ruled country. Right? What I don't like is the backlash I see if someone happens to disagree with their opinions. Whatever. That's as far as I'm going with this. Today is my birthday. I don't care.

I've been very busy. The last time I was on my blog was right before I attended The Work Conference in March. I had all intentions of doing a post about the awesome time I had. I may still do that.

I also took a trip to Key West in April. It was another check mark on my bucket list. Key West is very cool. I'll share that trip soon.

In May, we enrolled our business in a Management Restructuring Program. It's a whole lot of work, but we're hoping it'll make our business more productive and more profitable. More profit means more money for pens, notebooks, pencils, and crayons. Hopefully, I'll have more time to WRITE. We'll see...

In any case, I just wanted to check in with everyone and let you all know I haven't died and haven't been incarcerated for my snarkiness. That's because I stay off social media.

What's new with you?

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I've been working on The Clover Key forever. At least, it feels like forever. Yeah, maybe it is forever.

I began writing TCK back in 2008. Can you imagine working on a novel for that long? I lived with those characters for eight years. Eight years! Fleshing out their emotions and actions, pulling the story out of them. At one point, I even started to hate them.

I lost count on how many rewrites this novel went through. When I thought it was ready, I sent it out to beta readers and then took their thoughts into consideration. And then rewrote it again. I also lost count on how many rounds of agent queries it went through. I never received any requests. None of the agents gave me feedback. The only thing I could think was that the novel was horrible.

And so, I shelved it. I figured TCK was going to be one of those first novels that never get published, and I started to believe that maybe it shouldn't be published.

But then last year, I opened that file again. I read through the manuscript and found I just couldn't give up on it. Not yet. I did another read through, tweaked it a little more, and began the query process all over again.

This time, I got feedback from agents. They liked the story, but couldn't get excited about it. So, I stopped querying and decided to bite the bullet and hire an editor.

What better editor than Kelly Hashway? Not only is she a fellow graduate of ICL, but she also has several published YA and NA books, AND she's my daughter's former Middle School English teacher. Small world, huh? Buy her books. She's an awesome writer.

In two weeks, she returned my manuscript with valuable input. I'd been doing stupid things that I KNEW I shouldn't have done. So many of her suggestions were obvious, but I never caught them. Why?

I was so involved in the story, but I couldn't see the WORDS. I couldn't see the individual sentences. I couldn't see the problems.

Now, my eyes can SEE the problems. Kelly was nice enough to point them out (in bright red print.)

I'm excited to get back to work on this novel. Will it ever get published? Maybe. Maybe not. But I won't rest until I know that I've done all I can.

Thanks, Kelly!

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eHarmony, Inc. was founded in 2000 and is a pioneer in using relationship science to match singles seeking long-term relationships. Its service presents users with compatible matches based on key dimensions of personality that are scientifically proven to predict highly successful long-term relationships.

Grammarly reviewed 10,000 eHarmony male/female matches generated by eHarmony’s matching algorithm. Fifty percent of the matches advanced to two-way communication while the other 50 percent failed to advance. Each male and female in a match wrote long-form answers to questions on their dating profile. 

These writing samples were analyzed by Grammarly’s automated proofreader for accuracy in grammar, spelling, and punctuation.


https://www.grammarly.com/spell-check

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So, do you remember that boutique conference I talked about a little while ago? If not, here's the post:

Spreading The News--The Work Conference

Well, guess what? I'VE BEEN INVITED TO ATTEND!! (Sorry about the Caps Lock and the exclamation points, but yeah, that's how excited I am.) 

I guess this is an example of manifesting your desires through positive thinking. 

Yes, the tuition is a little steep. Yes, I'll need a hotel room in NYC. BUT just think of the possibilities! I get one-on-one time with TWO, count 'em, TWO agents of my choice, along with workshops, panels, and socializing with other authors, agents, and editors. Woohoo! I'm excited and terrified at the same time.

Needless to say, Hubby knows just how much attending this conference means to me, so after congratulating me on the acceptance, drying my tears of joy, calming my fears, drying my tears of panic, and squashing some of my self-doubt, (yes, I went through a whole range of emotions) he offered to help with the expenses. He's a good man. I told you things would work out, didn't I?

So, I've been busy utilizing the recommendations that came along with the acceptance, and changing my query and the first twenty pages. I came down to the wire but finally sent in my deposit for the conference, booked my hotel room, and am almost finished polishing the pages I will send to my chosen one-on-one agents. 

It's a bit nerve-wracking. I want to get the most out of those sessions, so I want to make sure my writing is awesome enough to grab their attention. I also don't want to embarrass myself. 

But I will say that this acceptance has breathed new life into my manuscript and my motivation. I find myself staying up late, tossing and turning in bed, and staring into space at work while I sort out new scenes and fix broken plots. I haven't been in that 'writing zone' for a long time, and I've missed being there.

Did I mention how excited I am? Squee! 

The Work Conference is doing something totally cool that I wanted to share with you--they are offering a Cyber Ticket.  Here's the info:

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Another new year is upon us. I, like most people, look at January as a time to make a fresh start, but I don't make resolutions anymore.
This year, I'm making goals for myself. I recently read a blog post by Nina Amir, where she talks about SMART goals and how to ensure your success. You can read the article here.


I've already got a few irons in the fire that will help me toward a more productive 2016.

-I've temporarily stopped querying agents and hired an editor to help me make THE CLOVER KEY a better manuscript.
-I'm setting up a blog calendar for this blog, and I'm in the process of starting a blog for our automotive business.
-The chosen attendees for The Work Conference will be notified on January 15th. I'm nervous and excited for the results, but in the meantime, I'll be working on the second draft of my second novel.
-I know I have to lose weight, get organized, etc, etc, but I'm also working on making time for fun with family and friends.

Baby steps, small attainable goals, and a strong desire to make 2016 productive, happy, and less stressful should help me succeed.

What about you? Do you set goals or make resolutions?

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Well, Christmas is over and another year is upon us. I was very lucky this year--I must have been a good girl!

I received a couple of gift certificates for my favorite places, a pair of super warm and soft mittens, cozy socks, candy, a fairy in a teacup, a plug-in thermos for my life-blood  coffee, several warm blankies, and a remote car starter.

BUT, here is the best of the best:

My dear Best Writing Friend Forever, Courtney, sent me this:

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Well, now I can cross 'Visit Michigan' off my bucket list!

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So it's November 6th, and I have less than 1667 words on my novel. It's not that I don't have anything to write, it's just that I can't unblock myself and open up the page. I don't know why--it's just another way I self-sabotage my dream of having a novel published.

I'm not giving up yet. I still have lots of time to make up those 10,000 words, and I know once I get into the zone, I'll crank those words out without a problem.

In the meantime, I thought I would share this recipe I posted back in 2011. I need it.

• With a big hook, mix ingredients until a stiff dough forms. Sprinkle generously with the desired number of characters, and roll out onto a 12-font, double-spaced board.
• Knead for 1,667 words daily, allowing the dough to rise a little each day.
• Place in a large pan, well-coated with positivity.
• Bake at room temperature until dough reaches 50,000 words, or when done.
• Enjoy with a warm beverage of satisfaction and accomplishment.

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So tomorrow is Halloween.

Photo Credit

It's my favorite holiday, but this year, I'll be dressing up as a housekeeper as I do my laundry and clean my house for the upcoming Christmas Season.

At midnight, I'll be in front of my computer, typing up 1667 words for my NaNoWriMo novel. We'll talk about that another time.

Today's post is a fun quiz, courtesy of Grammarly, for you all to try:

                                                  Which Literary Monster Are You?


Here are my results:

Pennywise is only one manifestation of the terrifyingly adaptable alien monster It. The title character of Stephen King's "It" has the ability to morph into any number of beings in order to lure in victims and to appropriately terrify them prior to feasting. It is most horrifically remembered as the disturbing clown Pennywise, who would draw children close to him with this disguise before attacking the innocents.

This result is funny since I'm terrified of clowns and IT was the most terrifying book I've ever read. I'm sure there's some kind of psychological link between the quiz result and my inner fears.

In any case, I'm curious which 'monsters' read my blog, so be sure to share your results in the comments.

Have a Happy Halloween!

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The other day, I was stalking agents socializing on Twitter. When I spotted this tweet:

Ever go to a conference and think, "I wish I had more one-on-one time with agents/editors?" Wish granted. #writetip http://t.co/FUuEfvsjry

— Veronica Park (@VeroniKaboom) September 28, 2015

Well, I've never been to a writer's conference. It's on my bucket list, but I can't seem to muster enough courage to go by myself, and all my writing friends live too far away. But yeah! Who wouldn't want one-on-one time with agents and editors? Especially when you've got two completed novels, and you're seeking agent representation.

So, I clicked on the link, and this is what I found:

The Work Conference--A Boutique Writer's Conference. March 18-20, 2016 in NYC

WHO WE ARE

An inaugural writers’ conference focused on giving 30 fresh voices in adult or YA literature unprecedented access to the agents, editors and industry experts who can help make dreams come true.

WHY BOUTIQUE

The Work is all about details. From attendees to agents to lunch menus, the weekend’s finer points have been carefully considered and hand-selected.

WHAT TO EXPECT

A weekend of intensive attention to your novel, innovative programming, inspired revision, strong coffee, and big fun.

They had me at 'strong coffee.' No, but seriously. They had my attention. Only 30 attendees? That's basically a private writing conference!

Of course, with such a small number of attendees, simply signing up is not an option. Writers must submit the first ten pages of a completed/almost completed novel, a query letter, and a $50 application fee. If selected, the fee will go towards the tuition of $1200. 

My first thought at seeing the fees was, "Yikes!" but honestly, I think the program is well worth the price. Of course, I don't have that kind of money right now, but that's just logistics.

So. I applied. The worst thing that could happen is that I don't get chosen. I'll still get feedback on my submission and get a discount to apply next year. The best case scenario would be that I do get chosen. 

The conference is being held in NYC, which isn't very far from me, but I moved away from Urban NJ and settled in Rural NJ almost 25 years ago. The last time I was in the city was when my Best-Writing-Friend-Forever, Courtney came to visit. Two Small Town Writers in One Big City That was three years ago!! I have lost all sense of direction in the Big Apple and considering the conference highlights start at 8 am, there is no way I could stay home and attend the conference. If I get chosen, there would be a hotel stay involved. I know, I know--that means more money. Logistics.

They say that thinking positively and imagining the desired outcome helps manifest your desires. I already have everything planned out in my head. I'll worry about the finances when the time comes. 

Want to join me? Check it out! The Work Conference Tell them I sent you. Wish me luck!

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Spelling. 

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It was a short work week, thank goodness! 96 degree heat wears me out--unless I'm sitting on a tropical beach with a frozen drink in my hand, my toes in the sand, and listening to a steel drum band. Sigh. Sorry. I was distracted for a moment.

The day job has been keeping me on my toes. I hardly have time for social media during the day which is a bummer. But I've been enjoying the contests and interactions on twitter. Do you follow me? I'm @deestan62 Do I follow you?

Anyway, I recently participated in #pg70pit and #pitchwars and just finished doing #pitmad. These contests are guaranteed to give you anxiety and the need to stalk twitter. They're fun though, and I learned a few things. #pitmad taught me how to pitch my book in 140 characters (Including the pitchmad hashtag and genre.)

It wasn't an easy task but I was lucky enough to stir up some interest for THE CLOVER KEY from a book publisher and an agent. I feel truly blessed, considering the staggering number of writers who joined in.

All of that twitter excitement left me with a bit of a social media hangover. Even so, I've been trying to stay current by posting Facebook statuses on my author page as well as my business page.

But then, I remembered what today's date was. Of course, I'm talking about 9/11.

There are so many heartbreaking stories, and although it happened 14 years ago, and I was 60 miles away from the towers that day, I'll never forget. In my younger days, I worked there and played there, and while listening to the reports on tv, I was able to fully visualize the interior of those buildings. I was horrified, imagining what those people endured. I cried for days and was unable to tear myself from the television screen. I still feel the same grief I felt that day whenever I see videos or hear 9/11 stories. I'm a mess even as I wrote this post.

So, I will be limiting my social media presence today to keep my sanity, but I will NEVER FORGET.

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Have you heard about these things? They are so fun!

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I can hardly believe it's been four months since my last post. My life has been quite hectic lately. My Holiday Season was put on the back burner when my mother got sick. She spent a month in the hospital, but she's on the mend now. The business and the housework sucked up the little bit of free time that I had after daily hospital visits and phone calls with doctors.

But a year ago, I had booked a cruise and the time had finally come for me to unwind and relax a little.

I thought I'd share my pictorial, Morning Views. These photos were taken every morning for twelve days. I hope you enjoy looking at the views as much as I enjoyed waking up to them.

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The lobby was beautiful and cozy.

The hallway did remind us of The Shining, and we expected the twins to appear at any moment.






and the food was delicious...















and stopped at the oldest candy store in Salem.

































I hope you enjoyed my pictorial! If you've never been to Boston or Salem, I highly recommend them both. They are both wonderful settings to truly great stories. Why not create your own?

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First of all, I wanted to tell you about Grammarly. Not only do they have a fun Facebook page that is educational as well as entertaining, but they also have a website that can check your writing for grammar errors. How cool is that? If you write for any reason, blogging, schoolwork, correspondence, etc., take a peak at this grammar checker and get a 7-day free trial.

Grammarly recently conducted a study with 3,000+ participants to settle an existential question that has been plaguing mankind for centuries: “Which gender has the better writers?”

Well, here are my thoughts--

I have favorite writers in both genders.

There are exceptions to all of the polled questions; James Patterson wrote as a teen girl in the Maximum Ride series, Diana Gabaldon wrote as a 16th century Scottish man in the Outlander series, George RR Martin, and Charles Dickens wrote long descriptive sentences. Amy Tan and  Nora Roberts (as JD Robb) write short clipped sentences.

The first sentence of a good book will sweep me off my feet and carry me into the character's head or into a scene. While reading, I don't ever think about the writer, let alone their gender. I often wait until I've finished a book before reading the author's bio.

If anyone thinks that women are better writers than men, or vice-versa, I would say they haven't read enough books and authors.

What are your thoughts on this poll?

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I've been busy. I just got back from a mini-vacation with a friend. I had so much fun but came home to an overload of chores and work. I promise I'll be back next week with lots of photos of my adventures.

Have a great week!

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A few weeks ago, (okay, maybe it was longer than that) I was tagged by Courtney Rene to take part in a blog hop. Thanks, Courtney! I was asked four questions:

1. What am I currently working on?--After emerging from a three-month-long, self-imposed hiatus, I'm finally back to work on my second novel, Halcyon Dream. After I wrote the first draft, I decided to make some big changes, but now I'm floundering. In between persuading my characters to behave and beating my head against my desk, I'm working on short stories.

2. How does my work differ from others of its genre?--I like to write in multiple points of view. I want to get inside the heads of the antagonist as well as the protagonist.

3. Why do I write what I write?--I write contemporary short stories, poetry, children's stories, young adult, and adult fiction. I haven't found one genre that I prefer over another. I write what is in my heart and my head. Not all of it is fit for publication. 

4. How does my individual writing process work?--I'm a pantster. The only time I've ever outlined a story was while I was a student at the Institute for Children's Literature and last year, right before NaNoWriMo. When an idea comes to mind, I write it down, along with any dialogue, character sketches or scenes that immediately come to mind. I spend a few hours or days thinking about the story. Sometimes, it doesn't get any further than those original notes, so I file them away in a box. Other times, I can't get it out of my head. That's when I know the story wants to be written. 

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"Human Library: Don’t judge a book by its cover.” 

What is the Human Library?

Why Become A Reader?

How often do you get the chance to interact with someone who has a completely different story than your own? 

Read to learn

A unique opportunity

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So I wanted to share a few awesome things that I've been saving up to show you.

A while ago, I 'liked' a Facebook page called, Faerie Magazine.  I love their posts and their pictures and decided to browse their page. Call me stupid, but I never realized it was a real magazine. I couldn't resist. I love magazines, and I LOVE fairies. So I subscribed. What a beautiful magazine!! Every page is filled with captivating photography, enchanting stories, and a little bit of magic.

If you want to add some beauty to your life, you must visit their website. http://www.faeriemag.com You can subscribe to the magazine or order back issues. Download a PDF of the summer issue for free! Click here http://bit.ly/1uDTHQk

Check out their handmade jewelry:


and don't miss their Sweet little gifts:

On another note--Here's a website that everyone should visit: Streampebbles



Streampebbles offers a showcase for promoting and sharing stories, blogs, and memories. Check it out, and contact them to share something of your own!

You can also join their Facebook Group.

PS You may see a familiar face if you click on the website's 'Blogs and Memories' tab. :)



What awesome things have you found lately?

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