I've been making a list of things to talk about on here. Right now not much is happening since I'm writing away. But I'm going to start planning for NaNoWriMo so I'll post some of that stuff. I also want to post about the trips I took this summer that'll be really soon and a 3-part series. I'm also going to post about movies I see and books I read. I mean those two things rank in my top three things to do. What's the third? Eating. Really I like good food and trying new restaurants and dishes. I'm easing back into blogging and really need to find my groove. And i need to decide just how much of me I should let everyone see. Not that iI have anything to hide, but I wouldn't want to scare anyone away.

I can write anywhere, but timing is another story altogether. I'm most productive between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m.. I think its because in my early writing days, back in 2005/2006, I was working 3rd shift and did a lot of writing in those hours. I'm trying to retrain my brain, but it hasn't been easy. I've been going to bed by 2 a.m. and getting up by 9 a.m.. The problem is even if I go to bed at 11 p.m. I just lay there and think, which is why there's a note pad beside my bed. Hitting the sack at 2 means I'm hopefully asleep by 4. And getting up at 9 hasn't been much of a change, since i was getting up between 10 and 10:30. I'm going to give it a few more weeks to see if anything changes.

So are you a Night Owl or an Early Bird? Do you know why?


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I'm going to start his post with a few admissions. First I started my mailing list a few times. I let them both fall to the wayside and totally ignored them. Yes I heard tons of authors saying their mailing list was one of the main reasons they were able to reach so many readers. I even joined my favorite authors mailing list. I love hearing what other authors are up to and getting notified when their next book was out.

So why didn't I push my list? The answer to that is sad but true.
​First, I didn't think I had anything to say. Now that doesn't mean I didn't have books coming out, or that I wasn't up to lots of mischief. I did. I just didn't think anyone wanted to hear about it.
Second, I really didn't understand how to set the mailing list up. Once I really put my mind to figuring it out I got it. 
Third, I just wanted to write. When I started writing I had no idea there was going to be so much marketing and promotion that I was going to have to learn to do. 

What changed?
Well lots of things. Someone broke down how to set up a list in a way that made so much more sense. Someone else brainstormed with me on what I could share with people. And lets be honest readers who join my deserve a little something extra. What you might ask? Well that is for them to know and only my list people will find out. so join!

How do you join?
 Just click this link--> Newsletter

Since I can be nosy I have a few questions for anyone who wants to answer. Do you subscribe to any mailing list? If so what do you like about them? Do you have a mailing list? What do you do with it?

Most people can probably answer this question easily. Me... not so much. It's true that as a writer when I'm really in the groove the smallest distraction can seem so major. But sometimes having to get up and move gives me a chance to remember that I may have forgotten to eat. And you know those days when you're running from dawn to dusk to get things done? Well in that hectic frenzy your not focusing on your current work-in-progress or whatever the next title you're thinking about starting. You might not realize it, but this is probably going to be just what you need. In that time your brain may be storing things that you're not even thinking could be important. Then when you start plotting, or writing BAM! some little thing will pop up and suddenly your like Hell Yeah!. So while at the time that phone call reminding you to go get the mail, your niece telling you one of the cats climbed into the hole your husband made in the wall, or even just when your nephew's dog whines to go pee (Chihuahua have tiny bladders) just remember that might be the moment when something totally unexpected and fabulous might park you imagination. 

What's that mantra about do something for 30 days straight and it'll become a habit? However it goes I"m giving it a go. So if you follow me on social hopefully you'll e seeing more from me. Here too if I can think of enough to say. Honestly the things I want to say aren't suitable for public consumption. I'm not kidding. I'm getting a little frustrate with a few things and need to work my way to a solution that doesn't involve me killing someone. Maybe I can write  story where I kill them all off. Sounds like definite possibility.

In book 6 of my Brazen Sister Series, To Protect The Heart Of a Brazen Woman, I almost killed someone. Why didn't I? Because she was the main character and the hero needed to rescue her or lose his heart forever. For now I'll just start making a list of everyone who needs to go!

It's weekly wrap up time. So what has been happening with me this week? A lot actually.

Book 6 of the Heiresses In Aprons series was released on Monday. It took me longer than I wanted to get this book out with all the stuff we had going on here. Oh and the 1st Heiress Box Set is on sale! It's $.99 for a limited time. I spent some time setting up promo ads and stuff. 

Getting into the writing groove I've been doing what I can to clear as much off my plate as possible. Biggest thing this week was meeting my doctor. She was great. I'm back on my medication and plan to add eating well and more exercise to my schedule to get healthier. Also started re-organizing my desk and office.

On deck for next week:
I'd like to say not much, but that would be a lie. I'm going to be focusing mainly on writing this week. I'll also be dealing with my sister and hopefully gaining some ground on that front.

Wish me luck!

I'll start this post by saying I've always had a planner. Now that doesn't mean I was ahead of this crazy fabulous planner trend. My planner use was mainly to keep track of meetings and appointments for my kids, and my hubby's work schedule. Once I start submitting my work to publishers I would list that in there too. 

That all changed in December of 2014. My daughter bought me a Passion Planner for Christmas. Starting in January 2015 I started adding my to do list items and my daily word count, and any promo stuff to my appointments. Now I didn't get nuts with stickers and stuff in 2015, but I did start using my stash of sticky notes and flags to mark really important things. About halfway through the year I realized things were getting over looked so I started color coding my items. I've always loved sticky notes, pens, and notebooks (probably the writer trying to assert herself) so I was stocked and able to make the switch damn quick.

In 2016 I found the joy of stickers. Yay! I don't use them like I have seen so many others doing. I don't go crazy and decorate each month or week. What I do is use them to sparingly to keep myself motivated. And sometimes just to make me smile. A few members of my family, well my sister Dorene, think I'm insane. I'm going to convert her I swear. It's one of my yearly goals. Oh yeah, I've also been keeping track of my goals too.

​ will admit, as I have said before, this year has hit some major snags. But that is mostly, hopefully, behind me. I've start really detailing my schedule for the next few months. And I'm building a planner for myself for 2017. I decided I needed a planner that allowed me to be more flexible or strict as needed. I also wanted monthly, quarterly and yearly review options. I guess we'll see how this goes and maybe I'll post a bunch of stuff as I find my way.

It's been a while since I wrote anything here. Actually it has been slow writing in all around, but thankfully that's starting to change. At least I had legitimate excuses for how craptastic my productivity has been. It started in March when we decided to buy a new house. Along with decision came all the paperwork and appointments that go along with it. The in the end of May came the move. We had all the stuff from our house in Maine (we sold that one in December) and from our apartment here in Massachusetts. 

So by the middle of July we were just starting to feel like we were making some headway in settling in. Then came vacation and Authors After Dark. Trust me those were 10 days desperately welcomed from all the chaos that had become my life. We got back and it wasn't long before my sister and her 5 kids joined us in the new house until she finds and apartment. We have the room, but merging families and the way we all do things hasn't been easy.

If that wasn't enough life decided we all needed another challenge and my dad was diagnosed with late stage lung cancer. Just writing that here puts a more permanent stamp on it. It's really hard to focus on writing when life keep throwing more distraction at you. Somehow I've worked myself back into a writing groove. As Rachel Hollis (if you don't know who she is check her out, she makes me laugh) said recently "no one is going care about your dream as much as you do".  She's right and that means if I need to take the time to focus on me and what I need to do then that's what I'm going to do.

Part of that is going to happen here. I watched a video on YouTube this morning that made me laugh. Mind Sweep by How to Get Your Shit Together. My crazy self has decided that this might be a place for stuff like that.
Another big part that I already put in effect was using my planner more effectively and actually sitting at my desk to work instead of in front of the TV.

To wrap it up I'm going to push myself and find positive ways to stay focused and churning out the words. Wish me luck!