NaNoWriMo Gives Good Goals

NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) holds a special place in my heart.  It helped me write until the story was done.  NaNo helped turn me from a writer into an author.

This is day 19 of NaNo.  At 29,500 I am a little behind, but nothing that I can't get caught up on tonight with a little help from a plot bunny and a glass of wine.  I would go into the connection with writing and alcohol, but I think that is a musing for another time. (Bottles of wine are welcome gifts.)

I have read many blogs over the past couple of weeks.  If you are looking for some top quality NaNoWriMo reading I highly recommend Chuck Wendig's Terrible Minds Blog.  Much hilarity and awesome advice.

I just had to add my voice to the NaNoWriMo buzz.

I have heard many people saying that NaNo doesn't work. That it's not conducive to "REAL" writing.  If you ask me...real writing happens in a lot of different ways.

What works for me? I need deadlines.  I need progress bars.  I need someone on my ass asking "Why the hell are you on Facebook?"

Here's the bottom line.  There is NO writing style or technique that makes everyone explode words onto the page.  There is no "right" way to do this whole author thing. 

Something NaNoWriMo does, and does well, is it makes you set a concrete goal.  There is no wiggle room in that 50k goal.  You have to copy/paste your words into a verification tool to make sure your 50k is the same as everyone else's 50k. 

When you tell yourself you want to "get some work done", or "make the document cleaner", or "get my WIP ready to submit", what does that mean?  Well it means you will probably never be done, that's what.  Or at least that's what it meant to me.

When I realized that there was a specific goal of actual words that I had to meet...wow...did that change things. 

Once I set this 50k goal, and met it, I set another goal.  Then another one. 

The big goal I set for myself at the beginning of this year was, I wanted to submit two manuscripts to publishers before the end of 2013.  I have done that, and now have my first book published and the second one in process.  That never would have happened if I hadn't done that first NaNoWriMo novel. 

I am a seat of my pants writer.  There is nothing more inspiring to me than a blank page.  I love looking at all that white and watching it fill up with words that I try and catch with my fingers.  NaNoWriMo works for me.

Does it work for you?  Only one way to find out.  Set the goal.  Work towards it.  Even if you fail, you now know one technique that does not work for you.  Then it's just time to set the next goal.

My next goal is to finish up this manuscript 1667 words at a time.  If you want to watch me stumble and get back up again you can add me as a buddy on NaNoWriMo.org.  Or you  can check out the word count widget at the bottom of my website home page at RoxyRocksMe.com.

I am off to write.  I have goals to meet.

Roxy

National Novel Writing Month! Time for Coffee, Ordering In, and Frantic Word Slinging.

National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo for short) is one of those strange phenomena that illustrates a simple plan creating an extraordinary outcome.

I have seen many blogs and people talking about why NaNoWriMo is ridiculous.

"You should be doing this every month!  Taking only one month out of the year to write is a recipe for failure."

"I need to write slower so I can edit while I write.  NaNo novels are junk."

 "It's too much stress."

"When will these NaNo people get the hell out of my Starbucks?"

All of you can bite me.  I love NaNoWriMo.  And I have invaded "your" Starbucks way before November.

I haven't been quiet about the fact that my first published book, A Love Worth Biting For , was a NaNo novel.  Was it my first ever novel written?  Oh hell no.  My computers are the graveyard to a few doozies. But this was the first time that I sat down and felt the magic of my own words.

NaNoWriMo also helped me do something that I had been struggling to do.  It helped me finish.

You will see me squealing around the Internet about NaNoWriMo.  Why?  Because it gave me a plan, it gave me some tools, and it gave me a community.

The biggest thing I got from NaNoWriMo, was the realization that there were many other people out there at that exact moment, pounding away on the keyboard.  Writing can be a solitary event.  You don't have to talk to anyone, and there are days that the isolation is GRAND.

Getting home from a stressful day job or dealing with someone who you can't stand...yeah...destroying those people in a literary blaze of pain and torture can be a great deal of fun that is best without a witness...er...I mean, audience.

But then there are those times that you've written yourself into a corner.  There are those time that you can't figure out if what you wrote works with the rest of the story.  And there are those times where you just need someone else to tell you, they hit a wall too.  During November, I can take to Twitter and find the #NaNoWriMo or #NaNo hashtags.  I can find people on the NaNo forums, or check in on my writing buddies on the NaNoWriMo website.

The best part?  I get to be encouraging and competitive and drink coffee, and my family puts up with me ignoring them during Thanksgiving.

I am a writer.  So it's time I stop babbling on my blog and do what I love to do.  I am going to watch the words magically appear and create a story from nothing.  The best part?  You can join me.

I have a few bets in play to keep me motivated.  And if I want to win that Starbucks gift card so that I can continue to annoy the piss out of the local business men while I write about public fornication, I better get my butt in gear.

Time for words.  Time for coffee.  Time for NaNoWriMo!


Roxy

Release Day Recap...Did That Really Happen?

I expected a sale or two.  I expected to watch my rankings for a couple of hours before they dropped, and I expected to have a slice or three of birthday cake. (Or five)

What happened on October first was so much more.  I began the day doing dishes.  Complete glam life, am I right?  But dammit, I wanted some Boo Berry cereal, and we had no clean spoons.

I love Halloween for giving us Boo Berry.

Then I did what any new author would do.  I scampered to my computer and checked out my rankings and ratings.  I watched them climb higher than I would have ever hoped for.  I am not a known player in the writing world.  I am nobody, but I was so lucky to have some amazing people at my back.

Then the super amazing things happened.

I broke into four digit rankings on Amazon!  Sure it was only #9250, but I can tell you that is now my new favorite number.

I moved up the best-sellers list at Samhain Publishing.  I actually hit the top ten for the whole site! 

Then the shoutouts.  OMG the shoutouts.  I got so many birthday wishes and happy release day posts, that I could not possibly name them all.  What I can say is that I slapped my husband frequently that day and squealed, "Holy CRAP! {insert amazeballs person here} just wished me Happy Release Day!"

Then someone knocked on the door, my hubby answered it, because it was my day, and I was wearing comfy pants to enjoy it.

These beautiful flowers were what was at the door.

With a note from a woman I consider an idol in the Erotic Romance Industry.

I won't say who, but if she happens to be reading this I hope she knows that these flowers were an amazing highlight for me, and who they were from made them even more beautiful.

I am still smiling at the pretty pink bouquet.


So my day can't get much better, right?

WRONG.

It was my birthday as well as my release day, and hubby, being the amazing man he is surprised me with this...

That is a damn near life-sized framed poster of my book cover.  It's hanging right next to my signed books shelf.  He told me that when he sets up my writing office, that is going right behind my desk.  He said it's to remind me where my writing career started.  I think he might be enjoying Amber a bit, too, but the sentiment was so sweet, and the fact that hubby walked into the store and printed out a huge erotic romance book cover and then walked out with my cover blazing earned him big brownie points.

Needless to say, I am on a major high by this point.  The day is winding down, and I am trying (very unsuccessfully) to tear myself away from the computer.  Then my cell phone dings to give me a notification.

It let me know that the Kindle Smut group on Goodreads, had chosen my book as one of their Featured Reads for October!

It was a good thing Hubby stayed home to feed me, otherwise I wouldn't have left the couch to eat.

The next day was just as incredible.

A lovely woman sent me a message.  Just three sentences, but it told me she read my book, she loved it, and she was waiting for book two.  Just so you know, dear reader, you were the icing on my birthday cake...that I totally had for breakfast the next morning.

I got reviews!  I had people talking about my book.  And many of them enjoyed it.

Now.  This is when it winds down, right?  This is when I slide back into obscurity?

Not yet, at least.  I get the Samhain Publishing newsletter.  My own cover is staring back at me.  I AM ONE OF THE FEATURED BOOKS FOR OCTOBER!  *dies*

***NOTE***  If you buy my book through Samhain Publishing and enter the coupon code "FALLREADS" you can have 30% off the price through October 31st.

Then I get a DM on Twitter.  Did I see the newsletter?  Well heck yeah, I saw the Samhain Newsletter!

She tells me, no, not that one...the All Romance Ebooks Newsletter!

Nope.  Not joking.  Off to the right hand side of that email blast was my book, tagline, and buy link.

So here I sit today.  My mouth is slightly ajar, and my eyes are fuzzy from staring at the screen, but I am insanely happy.  Thank you everyone for the start you gave me.  I could never pay you back, but I hope I can pay it forward.  Just know that you all had a huge part in this.  All I did was let the voices in my head hit the paper.

For everyone that read my little corner of crazy...words will never express my gratitude.  But words are all I have so...

Thank you.

Roxy

Tomorrow Starts My New Reality

I have always been a firm believer in fate.  There has always been something inside me that gave me a nudge in the right direction.

These nudges became a downright pounding on my gut when I started writing.  I kept fighting them, because there is NOTHING scarier than putting something in your brain down on paper and handing that over to someone else. Well, being inside my brain could also be pretty terrifying, but that is a whole other story.

There are a few places that I have walked into and felt like I fit in.  One of them happens to be an online community of woman that I met through my love of books. I started talking to them in the middle of the day, when I couldn't stand the thought of one more boring day folding laundry, and in the middle of the night when I couldn't sleep.  Women from all over the world came together to create a glorious group that helped me remember what I loved to do.  Write.

Tomorrow my first ever book, A Love Worth Biting For, goes live.  Some people will love it, and some people will hate it, and still others will get a smile on their face which is all I could ever ask for.

Tomorrow I get to become an author.  I get to do something I dreamed about as a little girl locking up my Lisa Frank journal with the butterfly key.

Thank you to everyone who let me into your online family, you gave me my dream.  Tomorrow, let's all sit down and read something naughty.  I hope I give you a little something to shift in your seat over.  I hope I make you smile.

I will be grinning from ear to ear.

Join in the hybrid fun and buy A Love Worth Biting For at

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

KOBO

Samhain Publishing

And many other ebook retailers who know how to have a good time. ;p

I will be toasting my new career all over the internet.  Find me on FB, Twitter, and chatting with Mary Hughes over at her blog.



Roxy

Getting Rear-Ended...and NOT in a Good Way

Guess what this is...go ahead.  Guess.

Torn wrapping paper?

Strange looking Jell-O?

Melted lipstick?

I wish.  

No, folks.  That is the bumper on my car.  A city truck slammed into me on the highway.  I have only been in one other accident before, and I was a lot younger.  Obviously age changes things, because it feels like more than my vehicle is trashed.  

I am working on projects, but thanks to some fun medications, my attention span is smaller than a kid walking through their favorite toy store.

With just over two weeks until my first book releases, to say this is a bad time is an understatement.  

I have been bouncing around on the Samhain Publishing best-sellers lists in Comedy and Vampires.  To see my book up there with Mary Hughes, Vivi Andrews, and Sierra Dean was amazing.  For everyone who pre-ordered my book I want to say thank you.  You've had me smiling through my prescribed haze.

I am working on some blog appearances to kick off the release.  

Some of the upcoming stops are...

September 17th - Guest Spot and Giveaway at Something Wicked (Thanks to Angie Fox for letting me invade!)
September 26th - Character Post and Giveaway at Scorching Book Reviews
September 30th - Guest Spot and Giveaway at Bookie Nookie Reviews
October 1st - RELEASE DAY! 
                        Guest Spot and Giveaway with Mary Hughes at her Blog

There may be more coming up as we get closer, so make sure to check out my website for the up-to-date list.

I would say I popped a cork to celebrate, but with all the back  medications I am on, I actually just drank some water and smiled really big.

Thanks for the smiles.

Roxy

We're Not Done Yet!

My first book A Love Worth Biting For is still a little over a month from release day.  But I had to share some great news.

Two of the characters you will meet in the first book of the Hart Clan Hybrids series will get their own story in Book 2.

The ink is dry on the paperwork and I can officially say Love's A Witch : Hart Clan Hybrids Book 2 will be published by Samhain Publishing next year.

**CONFETTI!!!**

I get to work with some new people this time around and can't wait to get fresh eyes on these pesky hybrids.

  

I already drank the champagne, so I can't give you any.  But know that it was very tasty.  ;p

Roxy

Sneak Peak at A Love Worth Biting For

Just two more months and Samhain Publishing is releasing Amber Paulson into the world of books for me.  I still shake myself that I have words out there for y'all to read.  I am ridiculously excited for everyone to meet the werewolf that has been snarking her way through my brain for so long now.

Now for a sneak peak at why I love this character so much.  The reading below has some NSFW language, because if you woke up like Amber did, you would be grumpy, too.

A LOVE WORTH BITING FOR

Hart Clan Hybrids Book One

Releases October 1st 2013

“Amber.”

I was dreaming. There was a rabbit hopping ahead of me, and I was chasing it. Yeah. Okay. I have wolf dreams. But you don’t know how fun it is to tear a rabbit apart with your teeth. The way the fur feels against your tongue…

“Amber.”

I was waking up.

“Do I not have your name right? Or are you already ignoring me?”

Damn. Guess the honeymoon was over already.

“Mmhhanmmph.”

“I figured you might say that. So I brought coffee and bacon.”

“I’m awake.” I looked around. I sniffed the air. I frowned. “Where the hell’s the bacon?”

“That, my dear mate, is the point. There is no food here. My control is not where it needs to be. You have to venture out for us.”

I looked around. Crap. Were there any clothes we hadn’t destroyed? I got up and stalked outside to the shed behind the cabin. Our Pack kept a few scant necessities out there. Looked like I would get to do the walk of shame wearing a pair of SpongeBob pajama pants and a “Where’s the Beef?” sweatshirt. Goodie.

I went back inside to find my flip-flops. At least I knew they had made it through. Jake woke me up three different times during the night, and the last time, I had rolled on top of my shoes.

I growled at the chuckling behind me. Fucker was lucky I was going anywhere. If he kept laughing at me, I would make sure to eat everything I brought back right in front of him while I kept him tied to the fireplace.

Ohhh. Jake tied up. With rope.

“Amber! Whatever you are thinking, stop it! I can smell you from here, and if we both keep going like we did last night, we will die of starvation. You need to bring us food.”

“Are we already up to the ‘make me a sandwich’ stage? Keep talking, Jake. That should help with the sexy. I’ll totally be able to control myself if you don’t shut up.” Maybe. He was still naked. And I could tell from the tent in the blanket he had over himself, he was very much enjoying being naked.

He shook his head. His statuesque perfection was gone in the morning light and tousled black strands hit below his ears. The sex-rumpled thing looked great on him. He also didn’t have a scratch on his body that I could see. I knew he healed fast, but even when I was clawing at him like a cat climbing curtains, I couldn’t remember ever having made a mark on his skin.

“Jake—”

“Before you talk, take a few steps back. Please. I need to have a little more control. You smell even more incredible than you did last night. If you are out of my immediate reach, I stand a better chance.”

I took a step back. The fact that he still wanted my body when it was covered with a fluffy, square sponge creature who lives in a pineapple made me feel good. Yeah, it could have been the mating thing, but my ego decided that it was my sexy bod he wanted instead.

“Sooo…what do I get for you? I know that you bit me last night. And it was fucking awesome.” He growled and the spot on my neck where he’d taken from me tingled. Hell, I tingled everywhere when he growled like that. “But was that enough to feed your Edward side? Or do I need to kidnap a coed? Because there is this little chick in my history class that has been really pissing me off.”

“I don’t want anyone but you.”

“Okay, that sounds sexy as hell, but do I need to worry about you sucking me dry? I’m not really up on how this works. And I didn’t really pay attention when they went over the not-really-mythical creatures run-down in Council sooo…what do you eat? Do you only eat meat?”

Sitting up, his feet hit the floor. After the back snapped off of the couch, we left it that way. It made a pretty comfy bed. His hands scrubbed over his face and ruffled his hair before he looked up at me.

“I don’t take enough to hurt people. I don’t actually need as much blood as full vampires. While I needed to bite you and feel your blood inside me, I promise you my orgasm was not due to physical nourishment.”

Pant.

“Okay. So I don’t have to kidnap someone and give them a good old fashioned bleeding?”

“No.”

“Sooo…fast food?”

“I would eat the wrappers right now.”

“Lots of fast food. I’ll be back soon. Do I need to lock you in?”

“You can do that?”

I shrugged. I wasn’t sure how much of our life I was supposed to share here. On one hand, he was my mate, and I should share everything with him. On the other hand, he was a fucking vampire. Were we supposed to keep our vampire and wolf lives separate? How could we? This was a mess.

“You’re not the first wolf to not have full control.”

“I’m a vampire.”

“With a furry side?”

“Just go get food.”

I took great pleasure in locking his ass in after that.

You can visit Amber at quite a few different places now.  She is making her rounds.  Look for this cover...

You can Pre-Order from the following fabulous ebook sellers.  Just click on the retailer's name.

Amazon - $3.44
Barnes & Noble - $4.49
KOBO - $3.99

Also check out a bit more information about my book including the blurb and another excerpt here.

And don't worry.  There are good things ahead for Amber.  I can't wait until you take the journey with her.

Roxy