To 2019 And Beyond

 

Hey.

Yeah it's me. Back from a much longer hiatus than expected. For those of you that didn't know I've spent this year in an accelerated Registered Nursing program that was nursing on speed. Think 3 semesters, self taught plus clinicals from hell. But, thank the Lord it is over now which brings me to trying to reconnect with my muse in the midst of preparing to study for boards. Yeah I still have one last hurdle to jump and then I'm home free.

In the meantime, since 2018 saw my muse pretty much die, I'm praying that she makes a full comeback in 2019. So on that note the following are my goals for 2019.

1. Complete Deadly Arrangement- Book 1 of The Corrupt Cassinellis (Organized Crime Romance)

2. Complete Revision of Pawn- Book 1 of The Ugly Stepsister Chronicles (Fairytale Retelling)

3. Complete Crossing Lines (African American Romance)

4. Complete Revision of Siren's Song- Book 1 of The Mermaids of Astaeria (Paranormal Romance)

5. Complete Goddess by Surrender- Book 3 of The Demi-God Daughters (Paranormal Romance)

6. Complete The Venus Deception (Romantic Suspense)

Six projects. Four of them completely new drafts, two are completed drafts that need to be revised. Yeah I've got some lofty goals, but I feel like after my writing life was non-existent in 2018, I need to go into the new year with a fire lit under my butt. So here's to leaving behind a stressful 2018 and walking into 2019 with my muse.

THE YEAR IN REVIEW & LOOKING FORWARD TO 2016

 

 

 

         2015 is in the books and now we are in a brand new year. With every new year, I look back and evaluate what the previous year has brought me. 2015 was a year of transition for me, personally and professionally. I graduated from nursing school, passed state boards, started a new career and moved back to a bigger city. So yeah a lot happened in real life, but what about in my Erin the Author life?

 

 

July- Dirty Little Secrets, my first romantic suspense novel was released by Samhain Publishing on July 21st. I was also offered a contract for my 2nd romantic suspense novel, Devious Little Lies.

 

 

Was that it? Yep. This was a slow year writing wise. I can only hope in 2016 I will find myself back in the saddle. So what do I hope to accomplish this year?

 

 

1. Complete and submit, Goddess by Surrender, my 3rd Demi-god Daughter novel for publication.

 

 

2.  Promote the release of my 2nd romantic suspense novel, Devious Little Lies, on June 21st.

 

 

3. Complete and publish the 1st novel in an organized crime series with a fellow author.

 

 

4. Self publish Diary, the 1st novel in a fairytale retelling series called Chronicles of an Ugly Stepsister.

 

 

5. Complete the 1st novel in The Corrupt Cassinellis organized crime series, Deadly Arrangement.

 

 

Looks like I need to get writing. What are you looking forward to in 2016?

FINISHED...NOW WHAT?

FINISHED...NOW WHAT?

 

 

 

 

      The photo above describes exactly how I feel. I am so beyond happy that I finished my 6th novel on time and turned it in to meet my deadline. Yes. Yes. Yes. Why am I so happy? Simple I managed to write a 98K novel in the midst of going to nursing school and in the process I realized I can crank out a novel in less time than I thought I could. Though I wrote intermittently and not consecutively, it only took me 64 days to write my latest novel, Devious Little Lies. That's roughly 3 months and 4 days so if you think about it, in a perfect world I could write 3 novels a year. Okay, maybe I'm stretching. After all I do have to take real life into account, but still under the high stress and craziness I'm proud because I know I can do it.

 

 

         In the now 3 years since I've been writing I've switched from paranormal to fairytale retellings and now to mafia suspense. Believe it or not I've enjoyed all of the genres I've written in and I have plans to add a few more to my list and herein lies my current problem...what now? What next?

 

 

       I have no clue what to start on next and it's certainly not because I don't have ideas. I have a notebook full of them. So why can't I just pick something you ask? Because there are some things to consider. I miss writing paranormal with a passion. It was the first genre I started out in and my first love. Unfortunately unless you're a big name with a big fan base a lot of paranormals are not being picked up right now. The same for the fairytale retellings I was writing and falling in love with. So for now, they have to be on the backburner regardless of how much I want otherwise.

 

 

      It sounds all well and good to write what you love, but I love pretty much everything. And secondly, writing what you love may cause your novel to never get picked up if you're attempting to go the traditional route like I am. So for now I'm looking and pondering, making notes, moving things around and trying to decide what direction do I go in next. Will it be the historical saga calling to my heart? Or the action adventure? Or a mystery? Or another dip into the world of organized crime? I don't know. I just hope my muse will tell me what she wants to write next.

 

 

       How do you decide what to write next? Drop me a line and share.

THE YEAR IN REVIEW & LOOKING FORWARD TO 2015

THE YEAR IN REVIEW & LOOKING FORWARD TO 2015

 

Happy New Year everyone. I'm back from vacation. At the end of every year you look back over everything that happened and you make goals for the next year. At least I do, when it comes to writing anyway. When it comes to my life Jesus take the wheel. But I digress. Despite some setbacks and unforeseen things, 2014 was pretty good to me as I continued on the road towards being a professional author.

January- I was blessed to sign with an agent, Nikki Terpilowski of Holloway Literary Agency. In a day and age where getting picked up by an agent is still a hard thing to do, I remain ever so grateful.

April- I complete the second novel in my Demi-God Daughters series, Goddess by Chance.

August- I complete my fifth novel, my first mob romance, Dirty Little Secrets.

November- Goddess by Chance is released by Evernight Publishing.

December- Dirty Little Secrets is sold to Samhain Publishing and expected to release Summer 2015.

So looking back over 2014, things were pretty darn good. I wrote 2 novels and both those novels have homes. I signed with an agent at the beginning of the year and by the end she had me a book deal. Yes 2014 was good to me in the pursuit of my dreams and I hope 2015 continues to be even better.

MY 2015 GOALS

1. To finish my second mob romance, Devious Little Lies and find a publishing home for it.
2. To start and complete my third Demi-god Daughters novel, Goddess by Surrender and find it a home at Evernight Publishing with the others in my series.
3. To finish Siren's Embrace, the second in my Mermaids of Astaeria series that has yet to find a publishing home. But I'm passionate about this story and this series and even if it does not find a traditional publishing home I will self publish it myself.
4. And if I'm really, super ambitious maybe I can start on the 1st novel in an edgy, contemporary romance series called Fated.

That's a lot in addition to keeping up my grades in nursing school so I can graduate, studying to pass my boards, looking for a job and hoping Mr. Right will finally decide to show up. It's a lot, but when you have a passion you have to put in the work to make sure that it goes somewhere and I intend to do just that.

 I hope you all have an awesome year. What are you looking forward to in 2015? Let me know.



MY WRITING LIFE IN 2013 & LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

MY WRITING LIFE IN 2013 & LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

 

   Now that 2013 is drawing to a close it's time for me to do what I do every year...reflect. Yes I know it's cliché but every year I reflect over what has happened the last year and make new goals for the future. Do I meet those goals? Sometimes I do. Sometimes I don't.

   2013 was a monumental year for me. After buckling down and finally listening to the voice that had been telling me to write for the longest, my first novel was published. Goddess of Legend is my baby and I am extremely proud of it. I am so grateful to everyone that took the time to read it. It means a lot to me.

   With the happiness that I felt at finally becoming a published author, there also was tons of rejection. I had a hell of a time finding someone who believed in my vision for Goddess of Legend. There were times when I was ready to give up on being published at all. But I kept going and now I'm telling myself to do the same thing.

  I'm currently shopping around my second novel, Siren's Choice, and hoping to find a publisher or land an agent. I have already received some rejections, but I'm determined to keep going. After all, rejection is part of the game when it comes to writing.

   This year I also completed my third novel, The Diary of An Ugly Stepsister, a new take on the Cinderella myth from the viewpoint of one of the stepsisters. I wrote this novel in about six months and I'm really proud of it. Do I think I will have a hard time shopping it around? Probably. After all, I write multicultural fantasy romance. And that is a hard genre to shop around, but we'll see what happens.

    Overall in 2013, I completed 2 novels and have started writing my fourth novel, Goddess By Chance. So with a new year approaching what are my writing goals?

1. Complete the first draft of Goddess By Chance, Book 2 in The Demi-God Daughters Series

2. Complete the first draft of Siren's Embrace, Book 2 in The Mermaids of Astaeria Series

3. See the publication of Siren's Choice, Book 1 in The Mermaids of Astaeria Series

4. Start second draft of The Diary of An Ugly Stepsister, Book 1 in The Fractured Fairytale Series

5. And if I'm really lucky, find an agent.

So what are your goals for 2014? Drop me line and share.