Last Call Tour

One of the perks to being published is being able to do interviews, guest posts etc for other blogs/websites. Maybe it's the nerd in me, but I love, love, love answering interview questions. Okay, maybe less nerdy and more nosy. I'm far more  nosy than nerdy. C'mon, who doesn't like a chance to take a little peak into someone else's life? That's what I thought. So, if you're nosy like me, here's what you  need to know.

Are you a book blogger? If you are, or even if you know one and want to pass on the message (because, hello, you can totally be nosy from someone else asking the questions and finding the answers) you can sign up for the Last Call Tour! The dates run from Oct 17-28, and each blog can offer ebooks for giveaway internationally. Check out the form at the end of the post for more details.

Curious how I got the ideas for Last Call? Want to know who, or what, inspired the naughty bits inside (although if you read the dedication I'm pretty sure that answers itself)? Whatever it is you'd want to know sign up for the Tour and ask away! Or if you'd rather do a review or guest post that's great too!

Last Call Tour

Hope to see you on it!

Cheers!

Jennifer

All things Last Call

And with the end of September do you know what that means? Last Call is now available to order in both paperback and e-book. A list of where to buy the books can be found in Contact.

Now that it's out there people keep asking  me what it feels like to be a published author. Honestly? It feels very surreal. I have the book in my hands and yet, it still doesn't feel like I actually did it. On PUB day I was feeling everything that you could possibly imagine. Nervous, anxious, nauseous and way, way down deep there was a little bit of excitement. Now all I have to do is sit back and wait to see what the reviewers have to say. Is this where I can beg for you not to eat me alive?

Besides the reviewers there are still a couple of people that I really, really don't want to get a hold of it even though I know it's going to happen. My grandmother for one. Don't get me wrong, I'm so grateful that she wants to be supportive and read it, but keep in mind that when it comes to sexual content she's fairly reserved. And if you've read anything I've written - from Last Call to my dip into the fanfiction world - you'll know that sex is a fairly big part of what I write. Now, it's no where near written as graphic or taboo as I could have gone, but for my grandmother I fear one of three things. 1) Heart attack (now you think I'm joking, but really it scares me!) 2) Her never being able to look me in the eye again and 3) A call from her asking me what something is and I'll have to explain Sex 101 - The 2011 Version to my 70-something year old grandmother.

But as my fears of bad reviews and elderly sex ed haunt me, there is something that I am so very proud of. Last Call made TWCS top ten best sellers list of September! It came in 8th on the list, which I am SO very proud and excited about considering I didn't even think I'd make it on there. Eight? Hell, yeah! Here's hoping it just keeps moving up!

If you have read the book it would be great if you could leave a review on either Amazon or Goodreads. If you're a blogger and would like to review it on your blog but haven't gotten the book yet you can find out how by visiting the Contact tab.

Cheers!
Jennifer

The curse has been lifted

Yes, I'm pretty sure that I've been cursed when it comes to writing my second book. I started back in July (I think) and until the other night had only written fourteen pages. Talk about frustrating! But finally - finally! - I finished the first chapter. You hear that? That was me sighing in relief. Now I feel like I can get somewhere with this book.

And I better get my butt in gear because I have six months to finish the manuscript in time for my deadline so Playing With Fire will have a September 2012 release date. Yes, September 2012. But, Jennifer, that's a year away. Surely you can finish a manuscript in time for that! One would think, wouldn't they? I'm s-l-o-w when it comes to writing. I'm fairly certain I drive everyone involved crazy with my snail speed.

Have you checked out the Teasers tab? You'll find a sneak peek to Last Call. You can also find it on Goodreads now. Wow. Seriously, I'm still in surreal mode here http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12576927-last-call.

And because I've been so busy with my kids and trying to write when inspiration actually raises her stubborn little head, I've had NO time to read. The last book I read was WATER FOR ELEPHANTS months and months ago. I have about 30 books on my TBR list and can't seem to knock any of them off *sigh* One day I'll get around to them I suppose.


Jennifer

I have a blog?

Okay, do I even need to say I suck at keeping up with this thing? I think it's fairly obvious since I haven't checked in since July. And apparently I have followers, they just don't show up as following me so really it just looks like I'm talking to myself. Thanks a lot, followers. Like I don't come off as crazy as it is ;)

I've been playing the part of "mother" the last few weeks and "author" has been put on the back burner. My oldest is starting Kindergarten after Labour Day (how the hell did that happen??) and my youngest has been MIA visiting his father. I miss my little booger :( Also, writer's block has been kicking my ass. As soon as I figure out how to kick that ornery little fucker to the curb my creativeness should resurface again. I hope.

But in the mean time, some pretty exciting news. My first novel Last Call is now available for pre-orders on TWCS Publishing House website! PUB day is September 29, but if you order now you'll get your copy by that date instead of having to wait! I mean, I'm pretty sure that's how it works. Damn, can you tell I'm not on top of these things?

Here's where you can find it http://www.thewriterscoffeeshop.com/publishinghouse/ along with so many other great books! Check them out. I promise it will be worth it.


Jennifer

Finding my way to the end

I've been working on a new book...Okay, that's a lie. I've been trying to work on a new book, but so far in the last month I've done, like, seven pages. It's frustrating as hell. I know where this story is supposed to go. I know where this plot is supposed to lead these characters. I can see it. I can feel the creativeness building inside me every time I think about it. I'm excited to lead another couple on an (hopefully) unforgettable journey. The problem? It's all bogus.

I don't use outlines to write. I'm not organized like that, nor am I naive enough to believe that the story is going to turn out the way I want. I could write an outline right now about the plot I envision, and yet I know that as soon as fingers meet keyboard that outline is worthless. My characters are going to do whatever they feel like  and really I'm the one on the unforgettable journey. They are going to tell me the plot. My characters are the story tellers, I'm simply the writer.

But that doesn't mean that I don't imagine how I want it all to turn out. Right now, I can easily picture writing the middle. I can see it playing out behind my eyelids. Same with the ending. I can't get there though. I can't get passed the beginning. I'm stuck. Writer's block is an evil thing.

Do I write the  middle the way I want? Do I end the story without knowing how these two characters come together in the first place? Do I do it the way I want and just hope it all fits together nicely in the end? Or do I suffer it out, writing one sentence at a time only to go back and delete every single word over and over again?

Finding my way to the end depends on my characters. How do I find the end when there's no beginning?

To "cheat" or not to "cheat"? That is the question.

As I was reading through comments on an old fanfic I wrote a year ago, I started wondering if I could somehow take the piece of work I did and turn it into an original fiction. The fic has had lots of positive feedback from readers, but maybe that's just because it's in the fandom world. Is it good enough to stand alone?

Apparently, I've decided to see if it is or not. I've started working through it again, fixing it up, changing names, characters, places, basically erasing anything that made it a fanfic to begin with and turning it into my own. But as I'm doing this I'm thinking two things: 1) how this  may turn out to be a bigger pain in the ass than I originally thought by having to go back and basically redo it all and 2) that I feel guilty.

The guilt comes because of this. Even though this is my own work, I did create the story and I did spend the countless hours it took making a plot and making it work and receiving all the amazing feedback I have from it, it still doesn't feel like mine. I took characters that already existed from another book and just made them do naughty (but very nice) things. I know several authors who have made their fanfic their own original for publication, but for some reason, I feel like I'm cheating if I do this.

These aren't my own characters, I've just used and abused them. Even if I do change their names, in the end they're still not going to be someone I created solely. The plot is mine, but I own nothing else. Is it even right?

To "cheat", or not to "cheat"? That is the question. Now I need the answer.

Jennifer

P.S. The answer was to NOT do it. I came to the conclusion redoing fanfic into something of my own just isn't my thing :)

Sleep is for the weak

That's what I tell myself (almost) every night as I stay up way too late knowing that in a few short hours I will have two warm little bodies crawling into my bed, prying my eyes open -literally!- and telling me it's time to wake up.

Take right now for example...it is 1:26 am. I should be sleeping, yet I have a thousand thoughts going through my mind and I know, I just know, as soon as I shut off all my lights, crawl into bed and my head hits the pillow a conversation between my new characters will take place. They have the worst timing to come out and play. I'll lay there, listening to them whisper in my ear their plans to take over my new book, taking it in a totally different direction than what I originally planned, and yet, I'll like what they're saying. I won't like that they tell me this at 2 am when I've tucked away my laptop for the night and am too lazy to boot it back up. I also won't like that in the morning I won't remember a damn thing that was said.

If all the good ideas come to you at night, then why not write them down? you might ask. Good idea! Except if I'm too lazy to boot up a computer, you can bet I'm definitely too lazy to put pen to paper. I suppose I hope that it will just magically stick to my memory, waiting until the first rays of morning light are burned into my irises thanks to two eager children. Unfortunately, the plot that was so quickly created while my eyes were drifting closed is just as quickly forgotten when dirty dreams take over my imagination and boot the characters out of my head. And my bed.

But that's a different post all together...


Jennifer