Agents and Publishers

Okay, so I got a book that will help me to find more information about agents and publishers that could possibly be contacted about my book. I'm excited. So I guess this will be the shortest post ever. I guess that's about it, so thanks!

I Lov My Characters!

The one thing I am learning from writing, editing, and re-editing this book is that I love my characters. I mean I REALLY love them. I have this one girl in here, she is a trip and a half! For real, this girl has me cracking up like WHAT? Okay, I'm super sleepy, but that doesn't mean that this is the reason why I am cracking up over this girl. But seriously, I love my characters. The protagonist, the villain, the hero, and the sidekick. They are all awesome people, and I am loving the fact that I get to build a story around them.

But anyway, added a new chapter, and it is CRAZY! I love it! Loved everything about what happened, how it happened. Seriously, made me laugh, made me cry. I mean some folks can be just sick!

So on that note, I'm going to bed. One word of advice - don't play with your food!

Death, death...and more DEATH!

I just finished a new chapter that was not a originally a part of the story. I had been debating on whether or not the chapter would go the way that it did, and it turned out to be pretty good. I will have to tweak it a little, of course, but for now, it's good as it is.

People have to die, folks get caught up in the mess they create, and these folks had to go. And so the story continues. Good night everyone!

Back to the grind, baby!

I have been gone for far too long. You know that thing called Writer's Block? Well, it had a nasty hold on me, and I was trapped for a while. But thanks to my girl, my editor, I am back in the business of writing. It was time, so now I'm back to writing. She had managed to give me a few wonderful ideas, some that just might work, and some, with a little tweaking, will work. I also came up with the idea that a few more folks needed to die. Sorry, but death in inevitable, and why not die at the hands of a talented author?

So anyway, I just wanted to let you all know that I am back in the game, and not to worry. I'm not quite done, of course, but it will be before this year is out. I for damn sure will make sure that this happens. So good night any thanks for reading!

PS!

I've also come up with my idea for my cover art. Will I tell you all? No, but be assured that it is AWESOME!

I've been suck a slacker!

So I sent my query letter out to an agent, and of course, I was denied. I thought it would happen, but it didn't hurt to try. Other than that, I've been busy with the wee one, and I started working on my doctorate in education. Needless to say, my brain has been on overdrive, and all for reasons other than my book. I'm not going to neglect it for too long. I will return and I promise not to be such a slacker. Must continue to press on. Well, I think I may try self publishing. Got a book from a friend of mine for my birthday on self publishing. I've been reading through it, and I looks like it may be the way to go, for me that is. So once I've gotten my brain back in gear, gotten over this hump that's called Stats (it's an evil class, I want it over with already), I will get back into the swing of things. Again, sorry...sorry...my apologies. So sorry!

Round 2 of edits done!

I'm super excited to say that the second round of edits is complete! Now, let me go and re-read it again, and this time, I'm going to be adding some other things. I am super excited, people! Another thing I've done...my query letter! Yes! Your's truly has written a letter that she will hopefully submit to an agent, and see whether or not I'll get picked up. Yay! So wish me luck! Send me happy thoughts to complete and hopefully get this book out for people to enjoy. Again, super excited! Now...let's get this ear ache to stop. Night all!

Wow! This Just Got Real!

I would say what I really wanted to say, but I'm working REALLY hard on cutting back on the cursing. Got the little one now, and she is just repeating every-little-thing-mommy-says! And with such emphasis! Me: Kayla, did you have a good day today? Kayla: Have a good day today? Everything is in the form of a question, and it's in a higher pitch than her normal talking voice, which I refer to as her Toni Braxton voice. The girl is a tenor, I tell you! And then she's always singing. It's amazing what I discover with this child on a daily basis! Anyway, this isn't Kayla's blog, but you all know I can go on for hours about her. This is basically about the fact that I have really gotten into my whole editing kick, and I'm actually - wait for it - looking at literary agents! Yes! I'm researching agents. I need that assistance in finding help marketing my book. I would like to get info from people who have been out there and know what they are doing! I am finding a lot of useful information, and I really hope that the people I'm researching, and debating on using, are reputable. I haven't read anything negative on them, and they actually have a blog that gives out a lot of useful information. So like I said, this just go real, you guys! A dream no more, people...I'm going to make this happen! And that's about it on the Mel-Mel front. Hope you all have a great week!

And I'm still editing...

I know, I know...slacker! But at least I have been looking around at agencies and publication groups. I just feel like I'm surrounded by this Blah monster that's keeping me from moving forward. I think really my brain has been attacked, and I need some sort of motivational speech made for me to get moving and get to editing again. If anyone has a sure fire way to get me off of my lazy behind and get this book out, please do it! As you all recall, anger is my motivation, so please, feel free the tick me off in some way that eventually, I will forgive you! I don't like being mad for too long.

Thank you in advance, and now, back to the editing process...

Up with the Slowness!

I've been a slacker, people. The book, I still need to edit it. Hopefully tomorrow, if I can get mean baby to sit still long enough, I can sit down and go through some of these pages and get this thing done! I've looked at publishers, self publishing sites, and I think that's my issue: even after I'm done editing, who will publish this bad boy? Decisions, decisions...and why do I have the pleasure to make them? Oh, it's because it's MY BOOK! I think that's about all of the update I have for you all. Hope your weekend was productive. Mine was, but could have done without my knee going out on me. Wish me luck with finishing this book!

Editing...DONE! But...

So I got a call from my "editor", or, if you may, my friend Ketha. SHe has gone through, read it, and has given me some suggestions for some changes, and additions, to the book. I am super excited, you guys! I already know what I want to add, so I'm excited to see what she has for me. And of course, I've had to explain to her why I didn't add some things to the story...it's called "I don't want to explain the whole creation of the universe story to my readers!" So get ready, people...it's almost here!

I have been slacking!

Okay, so the book is finished, it's being reviewed, but I haven't been posting my progress. I need to check with my "editor" to see where she is in the editing process. Meanwhile, I've been working on the second book. May be I should work on one project at a time. That would be a great idea, if my brain wasn't trying to do 50 million things at once! I need to slow the brain down or else I've go into overload and never finish what I've started. I am a slow bunny, of course. So shoot me! Anyway, just wanted to let you all know that I have been working on the book. So let me contact this child and see what's she's been doing!

15 chapters down, 10 more to go...

That's editing, that is. I have someone reviewing as I review and make changes. We hope to have this done soon because I am just so excited to get this book out there. Other than that, no other updates. No more additional characters, name chages, but there have been some location changes. I had to...I had people going one place when they're supposed to be somewhere else. Man, I was just all over the place with this book...too much inside my head...must get stuff out!

I think there are more changes to come...

I've been on the mental warpath lately. I actually have been adding stuff to the book. I swear, it's turned into a manuscript monster! I've also been reading up on some publishing companies, what they require and all. I think all of this reading is psyching me out, so I had to chill for a bit and concentrate on the second book. It's a whole other moster of it's own.

All of that concerntration made me leave my jump drive at home. Yup! All of that thinking made me leave it hooked into my laptop. No worries...just means that I will work on it when I get home. Oh, the JOY!

Well, guess what I've been doing?

Revisions, revisions, and what? More revisions! I have been making so many changes, I think I've even changed some of the characters' underwear. I'm not kidding. Clothing has changed, eye colors have changed, hair has changed. I've changed so much stuff, it's crazy. Makes me think back to the "A Different World" episode that Duane Wayne had of the 1992 President Election, and Whitley was singing this song about change....CHAAAAAAANGE! I can change, you can change, we both can change, can you spare some change? CHAAAAAAAA-AAAAAAAANGE!

Anyway, it's all for the best...not better, because I want it to be at its best when I submit it. YAY! GO CHANGE!

Editing DONE!

Okay, I'm done editing the book. I've read through it, several times making changes, changing names, events, all kinds of things. And I think I'm ready for a test reader. I've already chosen her, and now I need to call her. Ugh! I don't know what to think about this! I am just so glad to have gotten this thing done, and soon, I will have it out there for folks to read. I am uber excited about it! WOO HOO!! Okay, it's late, the baby is asleep, so I'm just a bit more excited than usual. Don't kill me about it. Anyway, I'M DONE!!

Well, back to work!

I've stepped up the editing again. I've been making some changes to the story, adding some things, taking things out. Trying to make sure that the book doesn't read like cooking instructions rather than telling an interesting tale. All the while, I'm trying to think about my target audience. Would they read it? I know what I like, but how would other's like it? At first, I really didn't think about it because I was like "I have a story to tell, and I need to get it out before it drives me insane!" Now that I'm done writing it and I'm going back to read through what I have, I'm trying to make some changes. I want it to flow properly. I don't want it to seem like I'm condescending, trying not to make those who are reading my book feel like they're not smart enough to read it. I want it to be fun, interesting, again, tell a story.

So far, it's going better than I thought. I'm just about to the point where I'm liking the book. I guess you should like your own book if you're wanting to get it out there to other folks. Well, it's getting better now. Soon I will be shopping for a publisher. I just spoke with my aunt about it. One of her co-workers just got her book published. Actually, I may speak with one of my co-workers who just had her book published. Man, this is just so much work! And to think, I have two other books in the works. I have them outlined, just need to add the right words.

Well, anyway, that's about all. I'm going to get back to the book and let the wee one watch the rest of Ice Age: The Meltdown. She is just so excited about this movie. Too funny!

Okay, back to work!

Ive been slacking...

Yes, I have slacked off, but not much. I've been checking into more publishing companies, all the while reading books and not looking too much at my own writing. I did go over it a bit yesterday, but didn't touch it like I should. I'm going to get back to it within the next week or so. I need to sit down and make a schedule as to what I should do throughout the week. I'm doing so much now, with taking my niece to summer school EVERY MORNING, trying to care for my daughter, and still try to have a life, I'm tired, yo! But I will get back on this thing as soon as possible. I want to be a guest author at Dragon*Con some day, dang it!

Still Editing!

Thought I had forgotten, didn't you? Well, I didn't. I'm still editing, and it's going pretty well. It's long, but hey, as long as I get what I want out of what I've written, this process will be worth it. But just wanted to update you all on where I am, and to let you all know I haven't slacked off...much.

FINALLY!

No, I'm not done with the editing, but I've finally figured out the genre of my book: scifi/fantasy. I have been struggling with it, whether it was horror, or if it was scifi/fantasy. Well, there's not enough death to make it horror...or at least blood for my taste, but it's enough to make it something out of just the plain old general fiction category. It's a fictional tale, yes, but I just didn't know how to describe it to people who would ask "So, what's it like? SciFi, Fantasy, Horror?" I would just like to say "Yes" to all of the above, people! Anyway, I'm just going to put it into that category. And just watch, people are going to say it's nothing like that, it's more of a drama! No, I wouldn't go that far, but you get the point, right? Anyway, just glad I finally found a "place" for it.

Still editing

Well, I'm still in he process of editing. So far, so good. I'm a little less afraid of what I've written so far, and I've been looking around at publishing companies, and I still may just go with a group I was told about a while back called Author House. I think I may just go with them. But for now, it's back to editing and making sure what I have makes sense. Again, so far, so good.

And while I was editing, I had time to make a little change...to the hair! Gotta go with a new do for the new year...especially since I will probably be doing some publicity photos for the book. Gotta look good!