Random Shit I Want To Mention

I've had a recent career shift which has changed my life. I'm working in a veterinary clinic. The money is shit but the job is awesome. It's the first time in a very long time that I've actually had a job that keeps me busy all day, makes me laugh most of the day and feel good at the end of the day.

So that's all a wonderful change from what my life had been the last few years.

**

Mollie and I have adjusted to Hawaii (I love living here) and are still adjusting to living as a blended family. For the most part it's pretty okay but living with another adult woman with her own set of mood swings is always a challenge. The funny thing is that I'm the adult woman in the house who acts the most rationally and the least emotionally. Now that's a huge switch up in my life.

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I'm taking a romance reading break. I'm reading the Hit Man series by Lawrence Block which I read a lifetime ago. I'm enjoying it and it's like sitting and watching TV while eating Cheetos. No real substance but you still enjoy it and feel rested and satisfied later.

**

My writer's block is unblocked. Somewhat.

There was something about Jane Litte admitting to being Jen Frederick that turned a switch in my head. I can't explain it but I was in my car and wrestling with my feelings and I suddenly had an idea that became a thunderbolt. And I started writing.

Of course I have to rewrite it all since I'm changing a huge part of it but still, I'm writing.

Happiness.

**

So Carolyn and I did free book giveaways on Amazon over the weekend and I have to say that it wasn't worth it at all. Smallest amount of downloads I've ever done with a free book and it was responsible (I think) for only one book sale.

So not worth it.

**

And Survivor is having an interesting season. They have some of the most unlikable players they've ever had and I'm not rooting for anyone. Except kind of, a little bit, one cute guy who won't go far. I'm still hooked but with so many unpleasant people, it's more an intellectual exercise than a true experience.

It's A Writing Life For Me!

So there was a DA link to a cool blog (which I'm too lazy to find right now) with an author I never heard of sharing her sales numbers. She's making a living at writing (yay her!) and it was cool to hear her experiences.

Ann Aquirre chimed in with her numbers and I want to say that although I've had limited success reading Ms. Aquirre's titles (can't always like the writing even when one loves the writer) I really appreciated her adding her experiences.

Then came the comments from the readers that said basically I haven't written a novel yet but I intend to and now I'm so excited because I know I can make a living at it.

Ladies: this is for you.

My last payment from Amazon was $9.82. I also got a 36 cent payment for my British sales.

I have something like 19 titles available and if I'm lucky I can buy a Big Mac.

I'm not a failure. Far from it. Because writing sales aren't the only indicator of success. Having a publisher want to publish you is a success. Having strangers buy your books is a success. Having strangers leave reviews is a success. New views on your Facebook author page is a success.

If money is what matters then I'm a raging failure. But I don't think I am.What I am is a writer who doesn't have any titles that hit. It happens. And with all those non-writers who plan to write a book one day... I hope your numbers are as good as mine.

Oh, and to add more info: My best sales check was self publishing Yesterday's Headline which made about $120.00 in royalties the first week and hardly anything since then. My DA review of Surviving America's Sweetheart led to maybe 50 book sales but at 99cents and my cut of 34 cents per copy, I think maybe I got a cup of coffee out of it.

Writing isn't for making a living. It's for writing. Or as a wise man once said: don't quit your day job.

Monday Musings

Every Monday night is RAW, a wrestling show. Mollie and I watch and we're shaken right now, one of the commentators, Jerry Lawler, apparently had a heart attack during the show. Commentary went silent which was very strange and left us feeling very shaken.

Get better soon Jerry the King Lawler.

**

A bunch of writerly wonks have a petition (?) on the internet stating they disapprove of sock puppets and will never engage in any behavior that isn't Godly or self serving. I especially appreciated how so many of them managed to work in the information about their own work.

Writers are truly becoming the most self-serving, boring group of people on the internet.

**

Pinterest is my life. Nuff said.

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Per Dear Author (who has gotten more boring in the last few months), EL James had the unmitigated gall to stop a party planner from using 50 Shades as a party theme because nobody should piggy-back on another's success.

The irony, it burns.

**

Carolyn has started writing again. This makes me so very happy. If you haven't read her then you should. Song of Life, which has the suckiest title ever, has some of the best writing.

Read it, my minions, read it. (I'll send lollipops to those who do.)

**

And because my chest still feels thick:  Get better Jerry Lawler. We're praying for you.

Official Release: Letters from Greece

5 Star Review

Today is the official release day for Letters From Greece.

It was exciting to see it on the front page of All Romance (yay). However, because there's always something.... the publisher sent the announcement of the book release and although all the promo wordage was for Greece, they put

as the picture.

And we're excited because the paperback is selling too. (Not a lot, but still, exciting!!!)

Ranty McRant Rant

So I saw this wonderful pic on FB this morning and it made me smile. But then I saw someone comment, saying "Exactly! They're both sales." and I bled inside.

Books aren't about sales. It's about telling a story and engaging a reader's mind. It's about disappearing from your life and into the world the author created.

Books are about bliss. Not about bucks.

So speaking of this, I just finished Scandal Wears Satin by Loretta Chase. There might have been some not quite stellar reviews of it. Might I suggest one reads the book and not the reviews.

Oh I loved it. I adored the hero, Harry and want one of my own. He was delightful. De-fucking-lightful. Oh my lord, I must must must squee.

Dear Loretta Chase,

I might not be your biggest fan despite my waist size but I want to have your love child, take out your garbage and marry most of your heroes. I want to be your best friend, your barista or bake you cookies.

I love you more than I love chocolate and that's a scary amount. I adored Sophy and her amazing scams, I loved Harry and his not-so-dim but not-very-smart self. I want a man to love me the way Harry loved Sophy and I want a declaration of love in such a wonderful way.

I want Clara's story more than I want to see George Clooney naked.

If you like, I will practice with a rapier until I can cut the heart out of a marauding turkey and then I shall cut the barely beating hearts of your detractors from their wizened chests.

Yours forever,

Lori the Lunatic

Hmm. Hope that didn't sound too fan girlish.

Personal note: I'm working on Book 2 of my Hollywood Heroes series and I realized that I didn't like my heroine. If I don't like her then the reader would hate her.

Delete. Delete. Delete.

Starting over. Gave her a dog too. Heh. Who said truth isn't fiction? Or vice versa?

Someone is Better Than You

There was a book review over at Dear Author today on a Lori Foster book. Lori Foster is a many published romance author who is the reason I got published. Seriously. I read a book she wrote and it was so goddamned awful that I threw it across the room and said "I can write better than this."

That doesn't happen a lot. Occasionally though there are books I've read that I thought "Hey, she's not better than me." And then I read Loretta Chase and feel like the speck of poop on the bottom of her dainty slipper which I am. (I love you Loretta Chase and I am not worthy. I am not worthy.)

Comparison sucks. If I compared myself to everything I read then a lot of the pleasure of why I write might be compromised. It doesn't matter if Carolyn is a better writer than I or if I do better dialogue or if Cheryl has better plots...

We all write to tell the stories we want to tell. And there's an audience for all of it.

Lori Foster wrote a book that was so bad I challenged myself to write better. Lori Foster has also written books that are beyond my capabilities. It doesn't matter. Because in the long run, there's an audience for her and an audience for me and it all washes out in the end.

(Okay, I will admit that I read about 4 or 5 Lori Foster books trying to find one I liked and never could. She's my least favorite romance writer. And her idea of erotica works for a 15 year old boy, not for me. Mea culpa. Sue me. I just can't stand the woman. But she's got a lot more readers than I could ever dream of so she's doing something right. Oh well.)

Readers and Reading

Dear Carolyn,

thank you for pointing out that post on Dear Author about certain authors guilt tripping their readers into how to buy and where to buy to drive their rankings up. Very sad.

Writers should thank the heavens for any and every body who chooses to read them. There's so many choices out there and so many low cost ones, choosing to spend money in any format is a great big deal.

Hell, I'm grateful for every single person who purchases or downloads something I write.

I got my new Oprah magazine today (don't judge) and Daniel Radcliffe, who plays Harry Potter gave a list of his favorite books. His comments are so amazing and insightful that I think I now have more books to try.

It also was obvious that one day Daniel Radcliffe will be a writer. That young man loves the written word.

Just to let you know I'm still working on our story-in-progress-for-over-2-years. But I'm going to take a nap.

Loves ya,

Lori

Dear Carolyn,

I know, I know... writing again?

Well I have a bit of a conundrum. Or a problem. Or maybe I'm just all fucked up and it's time to move on the old age home and scheduled bowel movements. ("Ms. Green, it's time for your 2 pm BM.")

Anyway, I'm having an issue with writing. I've been working on our secret project with those lovely Aussie ladies as you well know and I've also been working on my sex scene with Satan. The joy of writing "Satan has a beautiful cock" truly made my sunday night. But writing, really writing... well, I haven't been.

I mentoned that I bought that cooking chick-lit book and I started reading it this morning. It's okay. Maybe it's more than okay. What I know is that I've been reading it in a way that makes me feel like I'm ravenous for words. A starving woman needing an IV of adverbs and descriptive phrases to stay alive.

I'm devouring this book. I'm almost licking the Kindle to make sure no word goes untasted. Carolyn, this is getting a little intense. And then after I ate a giant Kit-Kat bar and calmed down, I realized that I was craving love.

Oh heavens, not a gooey, wild-eyed, fuck me in the afternoon and all day Sunday kind of love but a I love these characters and never want to let them go kind of love. The way I used to feel about some of my fan-fic characters from way long ago when we were cutting our teeth on Father Knows Best fan-fic.

I'm a nutcase to be sure but I want to write some characters that make me melt a little inside. I want to feel a little swoony. I want ambiance and passion and ultimately, a sense of knowing these people and being invested in what happens next. I want kitchens redolent with cooking, brothers and sisters who fight and tease and would kill for each other, love that doesn't come from Satan's snack bar.

Oh Carolyn, I really want to write.

Lori

The Big Block

Carolyn and I have both been struggling with the big B recently, you know ... the dreaded writer's block. And I saw on Facebook our friend Cheryl also has the big B.

I know that my blocks usually are life related. The more I might stress in real life, the less my juices for any creativity run. So as I plan on buying a home, adjust to a new boss at work ... I cook less, clean less and write less.

Carolyn is free to correct me but hers seem to run concurrent with her tiredness. she yawns, she doesn't write. She's perky and feeling good: big words come flowing.

I've read some people argue that writer's block isn't real. "Just write through it, you lazy so and so" they claim. I imagine that they don't understand the inability to write a word that pleases you or to create anything that works in any way.

Writing takes place on a lot of levels. The best writing is when the story uses you as nothing but a typing machine. When you don't have to play with the words or think about what comes next: you just type and it writes itself. It's not mystical, it isn't pulling the words out of the air; it's just that sometimes the story is already complete in your head (whether or not you realize it) and so it flows out easily.

Many times it isn't quite as easy and you fight for the proper words, struggle to get it right. That's much more common and is so rewarding. Knowing your story and working to make it right.

And then sometimes words refuse to come. Everything is wooden or leaden and has no flow. No interest. Then you fight the dreaded block or give into it hoping it'll pass and you can write again.