Obey the Muse

Oh no! I have been slacking here on Blogger again!

But that's because things have been happening. Cool, awesome things.

Like this:

 

My floor was not large enough to write out the whole title.

And Rage's Echo now has a release date. It will be available in paperback and ebook formats on October 1. I had so much fun writing this story, and I pray that you will enjoy it, too.

Also, I have joined forces with some amazing people and created a brand-new blog called Obey the Muse. (www.obeythemuse.com) We'll be talking a lot about writing, inspiration, and the randomness that everyday life brings. The Musers are:

LaDonna Cole

LaDonna Cole is a Texas girl who thrives in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee with her children. Playing Ukulele, singing, writing fantasy/fiction, and traveling as much as possible, a Psychiatric Nurse and incurable optimist, she draws on her zest for adventure, passion for family, and journey through faith to release the soul of each new story. Check out LaDonna and her imaginary peeps at HeartworkVillage.com,immortalportals.wordpress.com, www.facebook.com/LaDonnaColeAuthor, and LaDonnaColeRN.wix.com

RM Harnist

RM [Robin] Harnist is a freelance editor and writing coach but also writes speculative fiction in those very few and far between spare moments.  She currently resides in Louisville, Kentucky with her fuzzy puppy, Gemma, and her evil cat, Kiya.
Check her out at http://facebook.com/rmharnist, twitter.com/rmharnist, www.rmharnist.com and gotgrammar.rmharnist.com.

Katie J Cross

My world revolves around my husband, my dog, and the mountains. I wear hiking boots instead of heels when I need to feel powerful, and on a bad day, I love a weightlifting workout. Actually, I love it on a good day. I don’t eat bread because I choose not too, even though I miss it at times. I write because I have too.
Find her at: www.kcrosswriting.com

JS Bailey

J. S. Bailey is a lifelong resident of Clermont County, Ohio. She is an alumnus of St. Louis School and Clermont Northeastern High School, and graduated cum laude from Northern Kentucky University in December 2011 with a degree in Entrepreneurship.


Bailey learned to read at a young age and began writing soon after. She had a brief stint writing horoscopes for her high school newspaper before deciding she would have better luck inventing other things at the keyboard.

She penned her first (unpublished) novel while still in high school, and her debut novel The Land Beyond the Portal was released in July 2011 through Tate Publishing. Her other writing credits include short stories called Vapors and Weary Traveler and an upcoming novel called Rage’s Echo, which releases October 1.

Bailey enjoys reading books by her favorite authors. When she isn’t working or glued to a computer screen, Bailey spends time with her husband, Nathan, in their Southwest Ohio home.

Stephanie Karfelt, aka S. R. Karfelt

Writing fiction with a twist is my specialty. My novels crossover Contemporary Fiction with a dash of Urban Fantasy. Warrior of the Ages is my first novel, and will be released 8-15-13. It’s about an immortal warrior moonlighting as a cop, and just how dangerous a blonde in a speeding convertible can be for the world’s oldest bachelor. My hope is that this book will make cops everywhere think twice about trying to foist speeding tickets on women.

The latest on my books can be found at www.WarrioroftheAges.com, or follow my blog if you need a laugh, at www.TheGlitterGlobe.com.

Kelsey Keating

When I’m not writing (which is more often than I’d like), I’m often found doing something with very little grace. Like right now as I type this, taking momentary breaks to stuff my mouth full of Cool Ranch Dorito Crumbs.

But I guess that’s beside the point. I have four books written and rewritten, one of which is in the editing process.  My main foci are YA Fantasy and NA Contemporary novels.

To follow my insanity (and maybe see why they let me IN here), head over to my blog www.lifeunpublished.blogspot.com OR visit my website where I keep updates on all of these friends of my Asylum: www.kelseykeating.com.
P.S. That mustache isn’t real. Or is it?

DM Kilgore

“I am a once lost and broken soul who now knows the joy and beauty of being made whole.  I write about broken people striving to find their way to that place where they too realize the joy of being whole again.  Hope in the face of desperate circumstances is a reoccurring theme in my novels.”
D.M. Kilgore enjoys writing poetry, song lyrics, blog posts, articles, and both fiction and non-fiction books in various genres. She loves being a writing gypsy and dipping her toes into the sparkling stream of whatever genre she happens to be dancing by when inspiration strikes.
Currently, D.M. is making a splash in the blood-tinged waters of suspense filled thrillers.
Drop by her official website, DMKilgore.com and blog The Realm!
You can also follow D.M. on Facebook and Twitter: @DMKilgore
Experience the journey from cover to cover as D.M. Kilgore writes her way from published freelancer to published novelist!

Kimberly Robertson

Kimberly Robertson is a recovering high school English teacher, Mother to a tribe of boys, a non-profit Director, blogger and aspiring novelist.  She writes in the cracks of her life, often in random notebooks or on the pages in her head while car pooling, watching little league or caring for an ailing parent.  Her current blog project is a journey to self discovery to eat less, pray more and love abundantly at:www.lessmoreabundantly.com.  She has one faith based speculative fiction novel awaiting editing and is currently working on a YA project with her 9 year old son as inspiration.  Her goal in writing is to inspire, to encourage and to push herself and others into the beyond space-beyond limits, beyond expectations and beyond greatness.

Katie McElhenney

Ever since age 3 when I read “See Spot Run” and felt annoyed that Spot wasn’t given more of a back story, I knew I needed to be a writer. I’m currently living the life of a nomadic homebody with my husband and dog and focusing on creating stories kids want to read. The biggest lesson I’ve learned so far in life is if you want to really understand the world, spend a few years teaching preschool. There’s more wisdom to be found on the playground than most people realize.

Choices of the Heart by Rhonda Kooyman

Choices of the Heart by Rhonda Kooyman is one of the most terrifying and moving novels I have read in a long time. It is written mostly as the fictitious memoir of a woman named Tracy Dewitt who became entrapped by a psychotic and manipulative boyfriend who brutally abused her for years. Though this story is fiction, it seems very real because Tracy's story happens to women every day all over the world. They know they can't stay with their abuser because they'll end up being killed, yet at the same time they believe that they can't leave because their abusers have led them to believe that they are helpless on their own.

This story is full of tragedy and heartache. I was actually frightened for Tracy as if she were a real human being, and it takes a lot of talent on the author's part to make me feel that way about a character. However, this novel does not lack in hope. Even though the choices Tracy made were devastating, she does learn from her mistakes and finds the ability to forgive. I wish I could give this novel ten stars. Kooyman's writing sucked me in so well that I actually felt like I was there with Tracy. I could see what she saw and feel her terror and desperation as if it were my own. I think that more people need to read this so they can recognize the signs of an abuser before it is too late for them.

I highly recommend this novel. It is a must-read.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13456389-choices-of-the-heart

 http://www.amazon.com/Choices-Heart-Rhonda-Kooyman/dp/1613464215/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1373135962&sr=8-1

Tell a Real Human Person!

I have read hundreds of books in my lifetime. Maybe thousands if you count The Cat in the Hat and Hop on Pop and all that stuff. But one author whose work I have yet to read is Neil Gaiman.

I follow Mr. Gaiman on Twitter, not because I have read his work (obviously), but because he is an author and I like to follow other authors to see what they're up to. Not the I'm-in-a-van-with-tinted-windows kind of following. You know what I mean.

Anyway, last night I saw this tweet from Mr. Gaiman:

A request. If you liked The Ocean at the End of the Lane, tell someone. Tell a real human person. It's all about word of mouth. #oceanlane

The Ocean at the End of the Lane is, evidently, his most recent novel. I think it's funny that he's trying to get people to use word of mouth to spread the news of "Ocean's" release because seriously, he's Neil Gaiman, and he has millions of fans who will eagerly snatch up his latest work without anyone having to tell them about it.

But for some of us, it's a different story.

My novel The Land Beyond the Portal was released two years ago. In that time, it has sold 500 copies.

That's it.

I have to do all the marketing on my own. My publisher published the book and helps me set up events, but they don't advertize their books. Their books do not find their way onto bookstore shelves except on rare occasions, like when I was invited to have a book signing at the Kenwood Barnes and Noble in October 2011. They kept "Portal" in stock for about three months after the event was over.

That was it.

 
But they looked amazing while they were there. :)

It is so hard being a first-time author whom nobody has ever heard of. Fortunately in the past couple years I have met some awesome fans who have shown unending love and support for my stories, and I will be forever indebted to them. They took a risk on a newbie and have stuck with me. I wish I could gather them all together for a big group-hug, and maybe that will happen someday (even though hugs are scary).

My second novel, Rage's Echo, releases on October 1 of this year. I've been brainstorming ways to get the word out so it will be more successful than "Portal." I write so that people will read my stories and enjoy them, and it's tricky finding those particular people. Not everyone likes every kind of story. It's kind of like looking at a scene from Where's Waldo? and trying to pinpoint my target audience among the throng. Who are you? And where are you hiding?

So please, people. If you read and enjoy a book, especially one by a lesser-known author, TELL people about it! Sing its praises to your hairdresser. Your doctor. Your pastor. Your kid's teacher. Your parents. Your siblings. Your cousins. Your cable guy. The person bagging your groceries. LEND them a copy. Or give a copy to them as a gift. Ask your library to add it to its collection. Recommend it to people on Goodreads. Tweet about it. Blog about it. Interview the author and give away a copy of the book as a prize for those who comment on it. Pin pictures of it on Pinterest. Write reviews and post them on Amazon. Climb to the top of the nearest mountain with a megaphone in hand and shout its praises to all the land.

Not everyone who hear about a book will want to read it. But what if, say, your hairdresser says, "You know, that sounds like it could be a really good book! I'll have to go check it out."?

That's what we ask of you. It means so much to us. We are the future Gaimans of the world. And it is up to you to help us get there.

 

 Rage's Echo releases October 1. Click here to preorder:  http://www.amazon.com/Rages-Echo-ebook/dp/B00DOAX9CO/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1372816667&sr=1-4

Risky Business

I often find myself thinking about random things. Earlier today I was thinking about how my stomach started feeling bad and I couldn't finish my sushi, and how it will really stink to throw it away; and then I thought how it would be funny if someone tried to return their leftover sushi to the store; and then I remembered how I worked at a shoe store six years ago and someone tried to return a pair of used shoes that had the wheel in the heel of them; and then I remembered how popular those shoes were and that I never see them anymore. What were they called? Heelies? Hang on a sec...nope. Just Googled it. Heelys, they were called. And I only remembered they existed because my stomach felt bad and I couldn't finish my sushi.

I tend to do that a lot. One thought leads to another leads to another, and then a light bulb goes off in my head, and I exclaim, "Blog post idea!!!" Okay, maybe I don't exclaim it, but whatever.

Today I got to thinking about risk.

  

No, not that one.

I realized that every tiny thing we do in life involves taking some kind of risk. Do I get out of bed and face the day and the unknowns it will bring, or do I just lie here wasting away until someone comes in and feeds me? Do I leave the house and face the dangers of car accidents and armed robberies, or do I stay home and wait for the roof to cave in on me?

I think that most of us will choose to step out into the world each day as opposed to hiding under the blankets. Yet even those of us who step outside can fear taking additional risks. Say you've been offered a job in a different state. It pays better than your current job, but you're hesitant to move because everyone you know and love is here. You don't want to risk losing touch with them, and you're not even sure you'll like living in another state. What if they have funny accents? What if they don't have Gold Star Chili and goetta? What if the weather stinks and the new house gets buried in a mudslide? What if what if what if?

About five years ago I hit rock bottom hard. I was depressed, on medication, and seeing a counselor. I was plagued by the what-ifs and it was literally making me lose my mind. I felt like the whole world was crashing down around me and I was going to die. I've tried to block most of these memories, and that's okay. They weren't very fun, anyway. But one thing I do recall from those dark days was someone (my mother, maybe?) telling me to turn the what-ifs on their heads. What if I'm happy? What if Decision X is the best decision of my life?

What if this whole fiasco has happened for a reason?

(It has.)

Anyway, let's go back to the previous example. You're afraid to take up that job offer. Right? Well, what if it ends up being the most enjoyable job you've ever had? What if you make some really amazing friends in that new state? What if you fall in love? What if the weather is perfect? What if? What if? What if?

It's okay to be a little afraid because fear breeds caution and caution aids in survival. But when your fear inhibits you from taking the initiative to move forward--not just with a job offer, but for anything--take a step back. Breathe in. Let it out. Open your eyes. What if everything is going to be fine? What if this decision makes you happy? What if this is what God is telling you to do?

Do you do it?

"The risk of a wrong decision is preferable to the terror of indecision." --Maimonides

Updates, Randomness, and More--Oh My!

Goodness. A week and a half without posting. I'M SORRY. Truly. Honestly. But I'm here again. I don't have a lot to say, though. But there's nothing new about that. ;)

I finished the rough draft of a Top Secret novel earlier this week. It really stinks. Because that's what my first drafts are like. When comparing my rough drafts to my final products, it's like holding a picture of a stick figure up next to the Mona Lisa. In other words, there isn't much of a resemblance, and turning that stick figure into a beautiful work of art takes a LOT of work--and I think that this novel is going to need even more work than the others I've written.

 
Fortunately I write everything on the computer now, so fewer trees will have to die at my hand.

I pray a lot when I write. I ask God to show me what he wants me to write, only oftentimes it's more like begging. PLEASE tell me what Character A is doing here. Why am I doing this again? HEEEEELLLLLLP!!! I'm sure others will understand. This writing business is tough.

In unrelated news, I acquired a piano this week, so now it can help me procrastinate some more. Oh, I need to revise my novel? Let me just sit down and play Rondo Alla Turca a few times. And what was that one song I played back in college? [flips through book of music]

Anyway. I also joined a writing group this past week. Pretty cool, huh? I'll tell you more about it soon enough.

In the meantime, peace out! And please pray for me, too. :)

That My Dreams May Change You

I'm sorry, Blogger.

I really am.

I have been neglecting you. And fear not, because it's not you, it's me.

It's the laundry piled on the floor. The dishes in the sink. The weeds in the garden and the constant battle against the wildlife that would gladly ruin it all.

It's spending time with family. Finishing that book I've been meaning to read. Going through Scripture so that I may never go astray.

And, of course, it's the words that I bleed onto digital pages through my fingertips. The stories I pour forth from my heart so that I might reach out across time and space and touch yours.

My hair is greasy. My stomach is growling. The laundry is swishing around in the machine. I sit here listening to my favorite music in the whole world. I am alone.

Writing is a very lonely profession.

Nobody ever admits that they are insane. Am I insane? I don't know. I live inside my head all day long, dreaming not only while I slumber but while I am awake.

An author dreams. We turn our dreams into stories and share them with you, because we love you from the bottom of our hearts. We want you to sink to the deepest depths of tragedy, and we want you to become filled with so much hope that you soar above the clouds into the sun.

I know that I am rambling. An author rambles. My head is filled with millions of thoughts that scream for dominance in my mind.

Sometimes I write them down. Like now.

I can remember the first time that a piece of art made me soar. I was sixteen years old--only eight years ago, for those who don't want to do the math. It awakened me. It opened my eyes and made me view the world in a way I never had before. I saw beauty in the tragic. I saw the bittersweet hope that too often is representative of real life.

And I can never, ever go back--not that I'd want to.

That is my hope. That my words--my stories--can change those who take the time to read them.

Who's with me?

The Rage's Echo Cover Reveal!

For those of you who are new to my neck of the Internet woods, you should know that I write speculative fiction and suspense. (Specu-spense? Suspecu-fiction?) Something like that.

Also, some of you may be aware that my next novel RAGE'S ECHO will be released later this year. No word on the exact date yet. My publisher is keeping me in suspense just as I am keeping you in suspense by beating around the bush. You really want to see that cover, don't you? Because I've been talking about RAGE'S ECHO for a long time--over a year, in fact. I have enticed you with the opening chapter. I have piqued your curiosity by making a teaser poster using the materials I found in an art kit that I've had probably since I was eight. (Immortal paint, anyone?)

 

Sometimes I get carried away.

You may notice that I have not yet shown you the actual cover. "Why are you doing this to us?" you might ask. "We want to see it!!!"

Two reasons: I am an author of suspense. Or specu-spense. And I will not be revealing the cover until my author page on Facebook reaches 600 "likes." As of this writing, we're only 42 shy of that number. (You can find the page here: www.facebook.com/jsbaileywrites) I think we can get to 600 soon enough. Don't you?

I'll give you a hint: The cover is reflected in my glasses.

I have been truly blessed by the 558 of you who have already shown your support by "liking" my page, as well as the untold number of you who have taken the time to review my work, pray for me, and lift me up when I am down. It is so difficult being a new, relatively unheard-of author, and I couldn't have gotten to where I am today without your love and support. 

I would like to thank Kara, Valerie, Abby, Michael, Casey, the Dustins, Jason, Janie, Catherine, Donna, Evan, Gavin, Josh, Reuben, Taylor, Clint, Vanessa, Rhonda, Don, Richard, and many others who have aided me in my journey in their own special ways. I would like to thank Erin Healy for her wisdom and advice; and my family for believing in me. And most of all, I would like to thank the One who made it all possible.