Finding time to Do It All

I'm finding that I have less and less time to do all of the things I need to do as a writer. The list is insurmountable. I do the obvious: write, edit, revise, publish, and market. Then I do the not so obvious: participate in a marketing group, participate in a critique group, learn new technology, maintain blogs, website, and social media. And after that there's more: research for books, research for markets, make appearances, read, and on and on. And that's just the writer portion of my life.

I'm a wife, mother, grandmother, friend, small group leader, neighbor and each of these things requires a significant part of my day. I even have hobbies that I try to keep up with. I try to cut back on some of it, but every time I attempt to cut something out I come up with multiple reasons of why I need to keep it. I'm drowning, but on good days I love it!

The list of things I need to get done this week is overwhelming and I have no idea how I'll do it, but I know that I will. I research time-management tools but those are so time-intensive to maintain I'm much better off without them. So I've come to a decision. I will get done what I can and when I'm running behind on something that should have been done sooner I will be gracious to me and be glad I got it done.

So the byword for today is GRACE!

Between the Lines: a different kind of newsletter

I wanted to share the first installment of Between the Lines. I am having so much fun creating this. I hope you enjoy reading it. To follow along on a regular basis, you can subscribe to my YouTube channel or you can subscribe to my newsletter, Between the Lines. Either way you'll be kept up to date on all of the stuff I'm involved in.

Enough chatter. I'll get on with it. Here's the first installment of Between the Lines!

Isn't Soji awesome? Send her a Tweet @SojiBTL, drop her a message on WeChat: SojiBetweentheLines, or leave her a comment here or on my YouTube channel

Introducing...Between the Lines! A different kind of newsletter.

Here's what we've all been waiting for...my newsletter. It's a different kind of newsletter. One that's fun and very friendly to my readers.

Every month a new installment will be available for viewing on YouTube or in your email inbox. And here's the cool part. You can interact with Soji. Ask her anything you want to know about my books, the characters in them, my writing process, or me. All you have to do is leave your questions in the comments, send her a tweet @SojiBTL or text her on WeChat:SojiBetweentheLines. Or, you could drop Soji a line on my author page on Facebook.

So here's your chance to find out how it all gets started.

To receive this great new newsletter, just sign up here, on my author page, or subscribe to my YouTube channel. Let's have great fun together.

Warrior of the Egyptian Kingdom is LIVE

Yes! The newest installment of the PRINCESS KANDAKE series, Warrior of the Egyptian Kingdom, is LIVE! You can purchase your very own copy of book #3 NOW!

Warrior of the Egyptian Kingdom

Princess Kandake, youngest child of King Amani and heir to the throne of Nubia, has determined to continue her warrior training, but that is not the only thing that complicates her 14 year old life.

When the king receives a dispatch from Pharaoh Nakhtnebef of Egypt, Kandake is sent to find out why the pharaoh would need Nubia’s warriors to remain in Egypt any longer and why he has included a secret symbol within his message—help.

In Egypt, Kandake discovers treachery and a poisoned pharaoh, the identity of the bandits that attacked Nubia’s caravans, a Nubian orphan, and that Kandake may be Sakhmet—the Egyptian goddess of war.

Get your print edition today!

An Awesome Read!

People are always complaining that there are no good books for boys. Well folks stop the complaints. Here's a great series. It's clean, action packed, and definitely boy-friendly! Grab two copies...one for yourself and one to giveaway!

Taylor Davis would get stuck with an archenemy that won't stay dead.

Taylor Davis is back, and he just can’t catch a break. Most of his friends only concern themselves with girls and grades, but he has to worry about retaliation from hellish warlords. When three of his classmates succumb to a strange malady, Taylor becomes the target of irrational violence. Is it a coincidence, as Elena so firmly believes? Or could there be a more dangerous explanation? The epidemic soon spreads to national leaders. Taylor and his team are called on to uncover the root of the problem before violence breaks out on a worldwide stage. Their quest leads them to the heart of Africa, to the underworld, and to a second encounter with an enemy who just won’t stay dead. Book two of the Taylor Davis series is now available for Kindle, Nook, and paperback formats.

And book one is now FREE!

Sometimes life gooses you when you’re not looking. You might be happily coasting through days in a little New Jersey suburb, dreaming about Jennifer Williams and making plans to see the new movie showing uptown when—bam!—everything changes in an instant. Your family moves overseas and suddenly you’re hacking at water demons with a four-foot blade. Taylor Davis didn't want to move to the Caribbean, and he certainly doesn't want save the world. But when he's sucked into a supernatural world of angels and their adversaries, that's exactly what he must do. The Flame of Findul--the sword that guards the Tree of Life--has been allowed to burn out. Taylor and his new teammates must relight it in the forge of Findul the firesmith before the tree falls into the wrong hands. But Findul hasn't been seen for several centuries. And a formidable enemy, one who has eaten of the tree, stands in their way. Free on Amazon and Smashwords!

It's Here!

That's right, it's here! I just received the new cover of book #3 of the PRINCESS KANDAKE series, Warrior of the Egyptian Kingdom. Oh. My. Gosh. Don't you love it? It's absolutely beautiful! I know, I say that with every cover, but it is the truth! Donna Casey hits another home run. She does it every time. this cover is another great work of art. Don't you agree?

This cover whets the appetite for what's inside.

Warrior of the Egyptian Kingdom

Princess Kandake, youngest child of King Amani and heir to the throne of Nubia, has determined to continue her warrior training, but that is not the only thing that complicates her 14 year old life.

When the king receives a dispatch from Pharaoh Nakhtnebef of Egypt, Kandake is sent to find out why the pharaoh would need Nubia’s warriors to remain in Egypt any longer and why he has included a secret symbol within his message—help.

In Egypt, Kandake discovers treachery and a poisoned pharaoh, the identity of the bandits that attacked Nubia’s caravans, a Nubian orphan, and that Kandake may be Sakhmet—the Egyptian goddess of war.

So now your next question, when will it be available? Your wait is almost over. Warrior of the Egyptian Kingdom will be available new month. Yes...February, 2014. You will be able to purchase it in print or as an ebook.

Silent but Working

I know I've been pretty silent over the holidays, but I've been working really hard. I've recently decided to publish a newsletter. I know, there are so many out there, but I want mine to be different. Really different. So I'm focusing on its construction and plan for the future.

These are a few of the things that it must include:
1. It must be flexible so that it addresses my total readership -   Tweens and adults.
2. It must be entertaining and informative.
3. It has to keep everyone up to date on what I'm doing (as much or as little as folks would want to  know)
4. It will announce the dawning of new books and new book series by me.
5. It will give the inside scoop on the characters of my books.
6. Most importantly, it will provide a way for my readers to interact with me.

What a big bill to fill, but if I do it right it's totally doable. I'm completely stoked and ready to dive in. I'll keep you posted. As soon as it's ready to launch, you'll be among the first to know!

From Me to You...MERRY CHRISTMAS!

I love flash mobs! I'm always wondering how I can create one or participate in one. I discovered them about four years ago and have been in love with them ever since. this is one of my favorites!

Fridays R 4 Fun

Oh. My. Gosh. I just had to share this with you. Listening to the music and watching Takeshi Sato work is magical! You can find more of his work at this website. http://livepaint.jp You will not be disappointed!

But for now, watch this one:




What do you think? Amazing!

Decision Trees

Things are moving along, the text of Warrior of the Egyptian Kingdom has been uploaded, looking at a new short story to upload onto my website, and working through the benefits of starting a newsletter.

This whole newsletter thing has got my mind lost in a flurry of activity. I realize the benefits of creating and maintaining a newsletter, but I'm not sure what to put into it. I get one idea then my brain leaps to a series of others. I've been doing a bit of research, reading different ones and sorting out what I love about what these authors are doing. Each one is personal and at the same time keeps the readers abreast of what is happening in the authors' writing world.

I really want start one and I want it to be good. But I have so many different ideas about what I want this thing to do that I can't seem to focus on any one aspect. My brain keeps jumping from one thing to another. What I want most is to create a conversation with my readers. That is so much easier said than done.

I think I need to go back to making decisions the old fashioned way, writing a list of pros and cons and putting them into a decision tree. At least if I do that, it would give my brain something to focus on and allow it to calm down.

So here we go:
1.  Get a sheet of paper and a pen.
2.  What is the point of the newsletter
3.  Who is it written to
4.  How often is it published
5.
6.
7.

Okay that's as far as I can get before my brain starts squirting thoughts in 20 different directions.

Fridays R 4 Fun

I'm heading to visit my grandkids and was looking for a craft I could do with them. I thought it would be cool to make something that we could use to decorate with. So I looked online for wreath ideas. Some of these are really cool. Not just for the holidays, but for all occasions.

 This one is kind of cute, but I think I'd like it better with the bells in different color. The cool thing is,it could be used if your doorbell stops working.

I thought this one is really cute. I like that you don't have to destroy one of the kid's toys to get the parts to use. Aren't the glove antlers cute...in a scary sort of way.

I really like this one. You use all different sizes and colors of ornaments. I'd probably shove in a candy cane or two.

Now this is a lot of spiced gum drops. I don't know if I could buy them just for the use in a craft. This is way too much temptation for me

 I think this one is my favorite. I really love those buttons.

this would be cool to have any time of year. what a great way to display your address.

 And this one is just plain fun, making a wreath out of whatever your hobby or interest is. I wonder if I could find a small typewriter and mount it on a wreath...or maybe I could find some small books to make one with. Hmm...

I added this one for my friend, Maria Toth. Hey Maria, maybe you could add a picture of you novel, Butterfly Hollow, to it!

Sorting Through Ideas

Most of the time I'm trying to figure out which story line to work on next. Lately, though, my mind has been circling around some unique things to do with my books. I have this crazy idea that blends audio books with ebooks. I really think it could work.

These are the days I wish I had majored in information technology in college instead of psychology. Don't get me wrong, I truly enjoyed my career working with and treating children and teens. They are the ones who helped me understand the importance of story and how it plays an integral part of our everyday lives. So I guess I should give them credit for my becoming a writer.

But today, understanding and knowing how to write computer code to create the different applications that I have floating around in my head would really be helpful. And if I can't write the code, it would be helpful if I had tons of money to hire someone else to do it for me.

So here I am without skill or funds. I know I can't be the only one in this position. I'm sure there are others with the same lack who figure out how to get it done. So I will keep sorting through how to accomplish what I want until I get to my goal.

By the way...are there any application builders willing to work for royalties? Just thought I'd ask.

Fridays R 4 Fun

Hello my names is Stephanie and I'm a gadget-aholic. Seriously folks, I'm addicted to gadgets. I can't help myself. As soon as I buy one thing I see something else I'm just dying to have.

For instance, I told my husband that my laptop was too heavy to carry around and bought a new one that had a bigger screen. In my defense, it was a lot lighter than the other one. Then I told him that my iPad was dying and I just had to have a new tablet. So...he bought me Samsung's new Tab 3. Now I've decided my new laptop is too big to carry around and I have to have something smaller. Really!?!?

Well, here's the truth. It's Christmastime and all of the new gadgets are being splashed all over the TV screen and the internet and I'm suffering a serious case of gadget envy. Here are just a few of the things I've been drooling over. Just knowing these hybrids are out there and available is killing me.

         

  

Who can choose? Not to mention justifying the purchase to my husband.

 Then there's this little robot guy you control with an iPhone app. I don't even have an iPhone!

What Makes Me Happy?

Sometimes people ask me what I would do with the money if I won a lottery. The usual things come to mind: pay off all my bills, buy my dream car, take a trip. But honestly, none of these are the things that make me happy. So if it'snot money, what makes me truly happy? Here's the list.

Enjoying my marriage with my husband of 38 years
Spending an afternoon with our daughter
Laughing and talking with friends
Chattering on and on with our grandchildren
Allowing the grandkids to teach me new things
Reading an engaging/exciting book
Writing a scene that makes me laugh or cry
Reading the Bible and praying
Relaxing in a tub of warm bubbles with a really good book
Drawing
Listening to my husband's laughter
Watching a beautiful sunset
Listening to the wind rustling through the leaves on a warm evening
Watching puffy clouds move across the sky and naming the shapes they make

These are the things that fill my hear with joy. Not one of them costs a dime, but each is priceless. Just making this list brings a smile to my face. Have you ever thought of the things that fill your heart? Try listing them and see if it makes you smile, too. Would you mind adding a few of them here in the comments? I would love to see what they are.

Fridays R 4 Fun

The silliest thing I ever heard was a knock, knock joke. I remember sitting in the backyard with friends on warm summer nights making up one jock after another. We laughed harder at the ones that weren't even remotely funny. Those were the days. 

Today it's cold outside and winter is setting in, so I though I'd bring you some of summer's warmth and giggles with a few knock, knock jokes. Enjoy!

Knock knock.
Who's there?
Cash.
Cash who?
No thanks, but I would like a peanut instead!

Knock knock.

Who's there?

Doris.

Doris who?

Doris locked, that's why I'm knocking!

Knock knock.

Who's there? 

Honey bee.
Honey bee who?
Honey bee a dear and get me a soda!

Knock KnockWho's there?
Acid!
Acid who?
Acid down and be quiet!

                           
Knock Knock
Who's there?
Adair!
Adair who?
Adair once but I'm bald now!

The List Grows

Saturday I was blessed by the company of two young ladies from the small group I led last year. Together we reorganized my office. They did most of the work and you should see it. Gorgeous! They are working machines. You should have seen them, shredding old manuscript copies, organizing shelves, sorting, and filing.

They came across several stacks of research or pages of story notes. With each collections of pages they'd ask me what it was. I'd say, "That's for a series I want to write." Then I'd tell them a little about it, to which they'd promptly reply, "That sounds cool." Or, "Write that one, soon." After having gone through quite a few of these collections one finally asked, "Do you plan to be writing books forever?"

My answer is, "Absolutely, positively, without a doubt, YES!" I plan to be late to my own funeral because I'm trying to finish that last manuscript. I was born a storyteller and I'll die a storyteller. I plan to spend all of the years in between writing and telling stories. And yes everyone of them will be for the 'Tween audience.

I guess you could say that story is my passion...only because I don't know a stronger word.

Fridays R 4 Fun

Do you remember the special or favorite cup you had as a kid? In my family we all had our favorite cups and if somebody else drank out of it...there was no peace in the land. If my brother or sister used my cup my wrath would pour out upon them. They would have to suffer through my constant sniping about anything they said or did for the remainder of that day. That is until Mom or Dad called an end to my barrage or corrections and complaints.

At long last my mother grew  tired of such occurrences and bought us cups with our names printed on them. There could be no confusion about which cup belonged to whom. I still have favorite cups. I keep them on the top shelf so they aren't the first mug someone grabs.

Apparently, I'm not the only person who has a preference for certain cups. Here's what I found on the internet. I must say that there are a few I would never use.

If you haven't seen one before, this is called a plug mug. You remove the plug and no one can use the cup without it leaking. I would have loved to have this growing up.

 Of course you can always try the toxic warning label, but I don't think it will scare anyone enough to get them to leave your cup alone.





.

But if you're not trying to frighten people away and just want to enjoy a good hot beverage with a few cookies, how about this one. It's a good-sized mug with a handy nook for your treats.

Then again, you might like having your treat match your beverage sip for bite...then the cookie cup is for you.

This cup is for those folks it would be wise not to engage in conversation until they've have their morning cup of  whatever. It gives us a bit of warning.

This mug is for the overworked with little to no time for incidentals. It stirs the drink for you.

 

 These are for the more playful spirited drinkers. You can choose one with a surprise inside or one that comes with a building project.

I would never drink from this cup and certainly not for a brown liquid!

I've Been Wondering...

I've been wondering about a lot of thing lately. Things like: are there really such things as  wormholes in space and can we travel through them? Does the space-time continuum exist? Other things that takes up a lot of mental real estate are marketing (thinking about it always), new book ideas, the kinds of things that interest people, and things that are just plain fun.

Working on  new books is really fun, but a lot of work. It's really difficult for me to stay on point with completing daily word-counts, discovering new markets and marketing ideas, and keeping my blogs and website up to date. In short, I've not been keeping up with things and that's no good. So I'm going to try something new that I hope will help me.

I know, I know, I've said that before and I'm still in the same boat...falling behind. it leaves me wondering if my problem is a point of discipline or that maybe it's not interesting enough. Wow, that's something to think about. I really don't lack discipline, when I set my mind on a goal, there's nothing that keeps me from accomplishing it. After all, I earned a doctorate in psychology, so I must be pretty disciplined.

That leaves the problem in the interest area. I wouldn't say that I'm bored, everything I write about is pretty interesting to me. So then what's the problem? Hmm...I think the issue lies in (oops, the psychologist in me is showing) my internal rules around what I blog about. So reason I came to the conclusion that I could only blog about writing and whatever that is must be new and fresh to the writing scene. I think that limits me and I end up not having much to blog about.

So here's what I'm going to do. I am officially reinstating Fun Fridays. There were some fun and cool things I found to blog about, not to mention the crazy pictures I ran across. So I'm going back to blogging about the strange things I discover on the internet and elsewhere. But I won't stop there. This time I might even include the more fun things of writing or a silly tale or two.

So what do you think?

The Deregulation of Book Events

Oh my goodness! I've been home for almost two weeks and I'm still struggling to get back into my routine. From October 24th to the 28th I was in Houston, Texas at the National Black Book Festival selling books 1 and 2 of the PRINCESS KANDAKE series. Then after I got home I had to get ready for the Arizona Reading Association, another venue where I sold my books.

Both were awesome opportunities to introduce my books to new audiences. Now I have to get back to work and it's very slow going. I can't seem to get back into the swing of things. I keep getting distracted with first one thing and then another. I am about to lose patience with myself.

You would think that I'd have figured this all out by now, but it happens every time. I go to a venue, work hard, meet lots of great people, and sell some books. On the return trip home I'm all hyped up on what I want to do next time and how much writing I want to get done. I even had a few ideas about new projects rolling around in the old noggin.

But what happens when I get home? First, I'm so tired that I sleep most of the following day. Then the next day I unpack, do laundry, reorganize books, notes, and receipts. Spend some time with my husband the day after that. The next day I go to the gym, read a book, watch a movie. By now I can't remember any of those wonderful ideas I had, so I'm frantically looking through my notebook to see if I remembered to write them down.

So here I sit, in front of my computer, wondering what it is I usually do at this time of day.

Writing is Not for the Timid...BUT It May Be For Kids

I recently returned home from a weekend book festival. With the economy the way it is, sales weren't the best but I learned an invaluable lesson. I met other authors like myself. Some of them even write for Teens and 'Tweens. We talked about each others' books and writing process. We bought and sold our wares from and to each other. We even compared out displays and marketing strategies. But this is not the lesson I'm talking about.

As I was setting up my table, a woman entered the room with several children and went about stacking books and putting up upright banners. One of the banners was double sided displaying a picture of two of her children - one of each side. At first my assumption was that this woman had written a couple of books and placed their pictures on the covers. But after watching her for a while I realized my assumptions were totally incorrect.

What I learned was that the children were the authors - ages 10 and 15. They started writing for different reasons and their books are written for the child and 'Tween audience. Oh my gosh...and you should have seen them working the attendees. They were inviting the passersby to the booth, pitching their books, and doing a fantabulous (one of their words) job of it, too.

Later that day one of their siblings came to my table to purchase a book. We were having a very serious discussion about book marketing, promotions, and the importance of having a 'clean' manuscript. Some of her responses confused me. For clarification I asked her which of her siblings' books she was referring to. Stacie (not her real name) said, "I'm talking about my own book. My mommie says I'm not old enough, yet. She says that I can't publish until after my birthday next month. Then I'll be 8."

Needless to say, I just about fell off my chair. Stacie told me the premise of the book and I must say it's a really good one. But I can't share it. I've been sworn to secrecy. Honestly, watching these kids pitch and more than hold their own inviting the attendees to purchase their books was mind blowing. They have taught me a thing or four. And trust me, it wasn't about their being cute! I think my days of whining about how difficult things are have come to an end.

Take a look at their books, very serious authors.

I have definitely learned quite a bit this weekend thanks to the Eneli family. What about you?