The Joys of Being A Writer...

I am a writer first and foremost, so I guess it should not be surprising that off and on I have had issues with Carpo Tunnel, but after the pain became so bad I could not tolerate it, I decided it was time to take a more proactive role in dealing with it.  I can't exactly just forget about it...I mean the pain is very real, and it affects the function of my dominant hand...Still I would not change what I do for anything.  I am a writer, and the pain in my wrist, literally is not going to change that...

I love what I do and despite the pain I am still writing though not as much as I would like I just can't stay at the computer as long as I would like, but I am going to work on Finding Star in the next few weeks, final edits, and I am going to do my best.

I can say one thing I must admit I would like to spend more time boosting sales on my print books and my Kindle books though truth be told my Kindle books seem to be selling better than my print books, but I am going to do my best to keep the sales going on both...

I have discovered too that the Baxters story, will not be done with Finding Star, it seems Hope has her own story to tell and in the next few weeks I will start working on her story as well...

To Be Continued....

A Day of Sorrow

My heart breaks today, it is hard to put words into the tragedy that is today.  So many are asking why God wasn't there, but I believe he was, and he is hearing us, it is just a tragedy we can't figure out.

Twenty innocent children dead, several teachers, the shooters own Mother, and the principal of the school.

This is supposed to be America, Kindergarten classrooms are supposed to be safe, but not today, and it has us all wondering, and praying.

My hear and prayers go out today, for all the innocent lives taken today, at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newton Connecticut, and for the lives taken by those affected by the school stabbing in China.

What is this world coming to?

Lord we need you now more than ever...

The Start of Something Big?...I.E Finding Star

Well I am finally back online after my other computer started eating files, and acting insane.  I took it in, and got a better replacement.  You've got to love warranties right? 

Unfortunately Finding Star was partially eaten as well, but because I had the insight to send a copy to myself via email I should be okay.

I started out the New Year by Spraining my ankle due to a ditch my landlady decided to dig, and not cover after doing whatever it is she was doing.  Still haven't figured out what that ditch was for, but spans the majority of my yard, so it's not easy to just step over.  I tried that, ended up stepping in and spraining my ankle, so I have been laid up for a bit now, it's slowly mending, but I have to move with extreme caution and it is tender.

I am discovering things about Star I never knew, as I continue to work on the final edits of Finding Star.  I have been spending a lot of time on this project, because though it is not a long piece of work, it is in fact full of subject matters that are hard to tackle.  Child marriages, Incest, and others amongst them.  This is a work of Christian Fiction, but it deals with some pretty tough realities, but when it comes down to it, I think it also speaks of God's grace.

I have other projects I plan on focusing on in 2013, but right now this is the one that is most on my heart.  The one that I feel needs to be told.  Star has something to say, and I believe that in this story, that is exactly what she does, she tells her story.  As well as her sister Hope!!!


Until next time, I wish you all happy writing, and Happy Reading

May God Bless you...

Love Michelle~

Blogging my Wip: The Price I Pay

Writing can be murder.  Especially when you have disgruntled fan, who wants you dead! 

Myra finds this out the hard way, when being a Christian Mystery Author turns out to be a reason to fear.

This is not one of her novels, this is her life, and it is becoming a living nightmare.

She can still hear the gunshots, still feel herself collapsing, and then nothing, nothing until she wakes up in the hospital.

Dear Lord, why is this happening to me?

Obviously I am working on another book, actually the idea for this one happened a couple of years ago, but I got so busy with Finding Star, which I will be working one last time, to make ready for Kindle, and because I am so passionate about this book I have good feelings of where the story in Finding Star may go.

Have my other writing friends had a Character like Star, or like Myra one that sticks with you and begs to be written, and then when you find the story is done, you actually grieve over the loss.  Perhaps that is why I hate killing off my characters, because in my mind I may as well be killing off my loved ones.  I believe it was Anne Lamont who described writing like giving birth, the character is inside you, you create it, and watch it grow, but sometimes something goes wrong, and you have to let that character go, you have to write the story in the way the character directs you.

My fans notice I write a lot about people with disabilities, because that is a subject matter I am passionate about, because I want to show the world that just because someone is a little different, just because they use a chair, can't hear well, can't see or whatever the case maybe, does not mean they do not live a full active life.

In the Marishka Tanya Alexei series, the main character happens to be a cop, who just happens to be in a chair, but she can still bring the bad guys down.

The Price I Pay is still a work in progress, but I have a feeling Myra will have a few tricks up her sleeve.  I am just really starting to get to know her, and understand her character.  And I know th lord is her strength.  Just as he is mine.

Well friends, Happy Reading, and Have a Very Merry Christmas, may you be blessed with many books, Kindles and Nooks!!!

God Bless
Michelle

That Time of Year Again

Well I made it through Nano in November, and had a lot of fun, when all was said and done, I ended up with eighty five thousand words, and that felt good I must say. 

I had my thirty fifth birthday on November 25th and got a Samsung Tablet which I must say I love.

The boys (my friends kids who are nephews to me) and I decorated our tree this weekend.  The boys did the majority of the light.  Mikey age twelve strung up the lights, and did a good job of it, and Ethan age six helped with the bulbs and the garland.

Well I guess I should get back to writing, something other than this blog LOL!!!!

In Christs Love
Michelle!

The End In Sight (Deep in the Land of Nano)

How are my fellow Nanowrimers doing?  I am flying through this part, but I know I am going to have to face a lot of rewrites on Edge of Ruin.  I am ready though, but first I need to finish the novel and at 75k words and counting i am starting to see an end in sight.

I took some time off to enjoy my friends youngest sons fall concert.  Very cute I must say.  But I am still writing, and the story line I think is pretty strong. 

I also am realistic and know that this wip is going to need some work.  I am just happy that I am getting the story down.  I am happy to be writing.  Thank God for the gift of words, it is truly freeing in more ways than one.

God Bless
Michelle

Keeping Your Head Above Water...Trial and Error in the World Of Writing And Publshing

As a writer of course my passion is the written word, whether I am the one writing it, or I am reading something.  I love a book that holds on to me and doesn't let me go, and that is the way I want to write, but there is more to an authors life than just writing novels.  After nearly ten years of being an "author" you know that magic word you can use when you are published, I still find myself trying to figure out things like Authors Platform, and how to better your sales, and believe me I have ready plenty on the subject, but I am still trying to figure it out, I will let you know when I get somewhere.

Some may say you could always higher a publicist, and where pray tell is that money going to come from?  I find myself wondering, because the truth is I am not exactly making the kind of living Danielle Steel does at this, of course my genre is different, but I am simply trying to make it, keeping my head above the water in the publishing world.

My publisher does next to nothing in the way of publicity so its left to me, and if I tell you the name of the publisher, you may say why in the world did you publish with them.  The truth was back then I did not know the things I know now.  Ten years can make a person do a lot of growing you know what I mean?  So its left up to me, and yes I have facebook, with more friends than I can count, Google Plus twitter, heck even pinterest, and still I am fighting to keep my head above water...I am trying to make it as a writer, and yet I keep doing it... Some may say well you can always stop writing, and get a "real job" and that has always made me want to scream, you know what I mean?  I have a real job, writing is not merely sitting at a computer all day, typing words, you research, you read, you run around looking for the information you need until your eyes feel heavy, and you wonder if your head is going to explode, and still you do it, because you are a writer, and not writing, would be like not breathing.

I'm a writer, and that is not going to change, even when I feel like pulling my hair out because the sentence does not turn out just right, even as I face rejection and dismal book sales, I am going to write, because write I must...