Okay, my apartment’s a total mess again and there’s no time to straighten in up. Can you say, tornado central? LOL Once again, I feel like I’m there for a few hours to sleep, do a couple of hours of “book work,” then shower and get ready for the next day. I’m embarrassed to say this, but I’m just going to have to buy a pack of underwear now because I haven’t had time to do laundry. Shame, I know. But I’m going out of town tomorrow morning and since I’m driving to Cleveland, that means I need to just get home, pack, and get to sleep so I can drive out at 4 or 5am. No time to do laundry! Well, if things are busy, that always means things are going good as far as promotions. To me it means I’m doing all I can. If I’m sitting at home doing something other than promoting my book, then I feel like there’s a problem.

So like I said before, the primary focus right now is my hometown peeps. So, I hired a local “publicist” and she is GREAT! Funny how we started working together. She’s a poet (Mocha Latte) with her own platform on Wednesday nights (at the Loft starting Feb. 28th). So, I’d been going to her shows, and she came out to my signing. Without any intent, sistergirl was selling my books for me like hotcakes. I mean, she literally convinced folks to give my book a try, since most had never heard of me. I’m still a little reserved. But she’s one of those open people that can walk up to someone and talk about anything. Plus, she LOVES to promote others in whatever they do. In seeing how she worked, I’m like, I need this lady with me! LOL So, we started talking, worked out terms and now I’m her first client. It’s something she’s always wanted to do and something everybody she knows has been telling her what she should do. I could relate to what she was saying. Same thing with me in becoming a writer. So now, we’re helping each other. I’m telling her what I know about the needs of a writer as far as a publicist. She’s helping me because she has a local literary fan base and connections, plus she’s a driver into getting what she needs to promote. To me, it’s a match made in heaven. We’re just getting started but having her on my team for local promotion has been a blessing already.

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Feedback about First Fridays is starting to come in and I'm cool with what I'm hearing. It's always great to hear reader's opinions of what you wrote. And, like I said, this time, I do feel more mellow with the feedback. After Counting Raindrops, there were some thoughts shared that made me want to ask, "Are you sure it's MY book you read?" LOL Not because it wasn't liked. But usually because of some reference drawn that was from an internal perspective and projected as the underlying factor for a scene, a character, or the whole purpose of my book. Usually something I never even thought of, but they swear up and down, that that's what I was saying. LOL Yeah, it was with Counting Raindrops that I learned that in addition to personal reading tastes, readers all have different realities which may cause them to have a completely different interpretation of your book and believe to the depths of their soul that "this" is what you meant. While they may be wrong in stating what I meant, they're not wrong in their personal interpretation. That's what I've come to learn and respect about readers. If they think it's the best thing since Vaseline...it is..to them. If they think it could be better...it could be...for them. I think getting to this understanding has made me a sane writer. LOL

On another note, man...lots of stuff going on (stay tuned at my Myspace Page. First, I'm scheduled to do an interview for an online magazine that's off the hizzy (can I still say that?). Can't wait to share it with you. Also, I'm on eTour with Marguerite Press and will post the site locations and chat times. And I'm traveling to Cincinnati this weekend will sign at the following locaton:

Friday, February 9th, 2007; 6 – 8pm
Book Signing
Waldenbooks
Kenwood Town Center
7875 Montgomery Rd
Cincinnati, OH 45236
513.791.0011
Bill Carl

Busy, busy, busy, but I guess that's always a good thing. :-) And hey, I'm running a Valentine's Day Contest! Check it out! And for those of you who come out and get a book in Cincinnati, you'll be entered too!

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Okay, I'm cheating. LOL I posted this on my myspace blog last week, and I'm cuttin' and pasting it here. Sue me. LOL



This weekend starts off my events, and it's the second time around for me. My second book. And with llke anything, you learn from experience or you change things around from experience. And your thoughts and attitudes can changed, based on the experience from the first time around. What's different this time?

I'm more relaxed about things. The first time around, I was worried about getting all positive reviews, packing the bookstores with interested, avid readers, and trying to be everything to everybody and be everywhere. Now? Bump all that! LOL I've learned from the first time around that not everyone is going to like your writing or your stories. Does that make you a bad writer or a bad storyteller? No. It's just a fact that just like I might not enjoy a certain genre or prefer books that have less narrative, so might other readers and reviewers have a preference. Although I can say about a good 98% of my reviews from my first novel were positive, it's funny how as a new writer, you focus on the 1 or 2% "bad" reviews (and honstly, thinking back, I can only remember 2 not so kind reviews). You can allow one harsh review negate the 99 positive ones you receive. So, what I've learned is to concentrate on those that enjoy my style of writing. I've learned to take in constructive criticism and separate and absorb that from actual personal preferences in reading (because I found unpleased readers can take your story and re-write it for you in their mind and tell you how you should have written it to make it more pleasing or more relatable to them...all different ways, of course. So the moral is that no matter what you write, someone is not going to be totally pleased.). I've learned to focus on my audience. They'll let me know who they are.

And this second time around, if I can say, I've learned that it is very true that African American women give very little attention to reviews, ads, and accolades. But rather if their best friend or cousin Shaniqua read your book and if she loved it or hated it. That determines whether they buy your book or not. So again, focus on the readers who love my style rather than give thought to those who don't.

And this second time around, I'm enjoying it more. I don't worry about packing the house because I'm a new writer and I have to prove myself and build my readership. So, should I happen to have only one reader to come out to a book signing or 50, the focus is to connect with readers and encourage them to pass the word along to fellow avid readers if they enjoy my writing style. Now, thus far, I've been blessed to have even more readers to come out over my debut. And I pray it will continue to build from there.

This second time around, although I promote like crazy, I don't feel the need to push like I did the first time around. I mean, push readers to post reviews on Amazon.com, push reviewers to read and (hopefully) post positive reviews on my book. I'm very anxioius for feedback and reviews. But, this time around, I feel comfortable in allowing whatever to happen to happen. And with that, thus far, I've gotten positive feedback and friends to come to me and offer to do certain things from the heart, and not out of obligation. And that certainly feels better.

And because of all this and more, this second time around it's even MORE enjoyable. Because I don't look at or compete with other authors. We all have something to offer and an audience that will receive it. I'm more relaxed because the readers who come out either enjoy my writing or who are interested in what I'm doing and want to know more about me and my writing. And now, I'm loving this even more. I can be me, and have more fun this second time around. :-)

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One down and one to go! Had my first event for First Fridays last night. Pics will be coming this weekend. But it was great and I had a great time. We just hung out at Mack’s Sports Bar and Grill, eating, drinking, and chatting. My motorcycle club members were hosting and ever present in their vests. And they even bought books too! How awesome! It was great to get the support of family and to see my different friends come together and act like they knew each other. Well, actually, some of them did, but we just didn’t know it. Found out that night. Small world. Isn’t it funny how that works out sometime? People came from Lyrics of the Lou, a Wednesday night poetry set I hit up at the Filter Bar (if you’re in St. Louis, you got to check this out. It’s hot!). And then there were people I’d never met before who told me they heard me on the radio and came by to check me out. Now that was so cool!

So, today is Friday and I’m chilling and fixing my mind to Saturday’s signing were this time I’m actually going to have to get up and talk in front of people. It’s a reading, Q & A session, and whatever before the signing. Then I get a call from someone that I came to find out was a Soror, who wants me to come to her book club meeting next week and to bring books because she selected my book for February! Awesome! And of course, I offered to come back in February and sit down and chat with them about it. But, of course! So, I’m feeling good about the 11 books for each member that she’s telling me to bring. Because I also know that my other friend, Angelia, who works in the school district and sold 25 of my self published books in a single day at work (and who gave the book club lady my info to contact me)…well, she’s taking orders for this book, so I’m feeling pretty. Next thing I know, another friend, a nurse at a hospital, calls and tells me she has a minimum order of 30 (but she hasn’t talked to everyone yet and this is only one of the hospitals she works in), and can I come up to the hospital next week to do a “hospital signing?” Okay, I never did that before but, HELLZ YEAH!

These are FRIENDS. It feels so good when you don’t ask, but people offer because they WANT you to succeed and sell books. They see you out there chasing your dream and they want to help you catch it. Asking nothing in return (although they will get something). I can’t tell you how warm that makes me feel. I got their back at any time.

So, kick off weekend is going GREAT thus far. I don’t think I could ask for anything better.

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In the midst of things. Going to events, passing out promo cards. And to people on the street everywhere I go. Calling on the job to try to hook up events, interviews, making arrangements for the book release party, doing follow ups, making my infamous "to-do" list...checking it twice.... Oh wait, that's Santa. LOL In other words, at the daily author grind.

Well, if you're in the St. Louis area, at 11:15AM tomorrow (Wednesday, January 17th), tune in your radio to FOXY 95.5FM because I'll be on the air for a live interview! Hope you're able to give it a listen!

Then Thursday is the book release party and I'm still in the process of tying up loose ends for it. But come on by Mack's at 6PM. You can pick up a copy of my book, get some Mack's appetizers and a free drink. And what's a party without cake?!!! It's going to be a good time. :-)

But if you can't make that, stop by the Brentwood Border's on Saturday afternoon at 2PM. I'll do a reading, take your questions, and then sign books. It's my kickoff weekend and I'm scurrying around trying to make things perfect. Yeah, I can be a bit of a perfectionist. LOL

It's the writer's grind. LOL

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Just got wind of a review in the Seattle Medium News: First Fridays Review Check it out.

And that reminds me, forgot to mention that the December/January issue of Heart & Soul magazine recommends First Fridays as a read in their Searching for Soul section. Check that out too!

Lots of good things are happening and I'm still working hard to put things together and doing promotions for my upcoming book release party. Overslept this morning cuz I was doing promotions last night and now I'm sitting here at this computer tired as all get out, hoping like heck this cup of coffee is going to do the trick and wake me up. LOL

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My page is finished!!! Check out my Myspace Page. Let me know what you think about it. If you're on Myspace too, hit me up and let's be friends! I know it took me a long time to get around to getting one done, but I've been on it ever since! It takes awhile sometimes for me to get with the latest program. LOL But check in with me there too. I plan to keep this blog and talk about my writing/publishing experience only. But there, I may talk about that, plus any other literary related thing that's going on. Check it out!

Well, so I'm back doing the promotion thing now. With the first book, I was in Cleveland and I did a lot of internet publicity, and ads, and did fairly well. However, this time, my strategy is to hit up the hometown and get word out on the street about me as a hometown author. It's easier to do that now that I'm here in the city. My first promotions was to hit attend our local First Fridays event and get word out. Now, usually, I'm shy and not very good about approaching people and starting discussions. But one thing I'm noticing, since joining a motorcycle club, I seem to be coming out of my shy shell. What?! Say it ain't so! LOL It's funny when you find out what it takes to get you to change. I'd taken public speaking classes and considered Toastmasters...who knew that all I needed to do was become a biker. LOL There's no such thing as being shy around bikers. They will make you talk, make you dance, and just make you be sociable. So much to the point where you're like, to heck with it. And you're always at functions where you no one knows each other but in 15 minutes, you will know everybody in the room! So, I've gotten a lot better at approaching people and I was able to do so Friday night. A lot of ladies were very receptive, especially since the book was called First Fridays. Hope they show up to the book release party! So, after I passed out my promotional business cards, I waited until the party got going, then I went to the parking garage to hit up everybody's cars, just in case I missed them. LOL Yeah, it's on again.

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Release day was yesterday!!!! Hopefully books are on shelves. Okay, now here comes the part where I have to make people aware that it's there, tell them who I am and what I write and try to get them to give a new writer a chance. Hard work. But this time, I a book wiser. With Counting Raindrops, I tried a little bit of everything within my budget and too much stuff outside of it. So, with just a teeny weeny bit more knowledge and a little bit of experience, I'm choosing my promotions wisely. Being here in my hometown this time around affords me to introduce myself to St. Louis, so that's the focus this time. So peeps here will come across me in email, see me pubbing at events, in bookstores, and just walking down the street. LOL I got work to do!

Hey, if you get Heart & Soul magazine, check out the write up on First Fridays. In the Searching for Soul section that begins on page 63, First Fridays is included as a recommended read!

I'm also in the process of constructing my MySpace page. I want to keep this blog as strictly my writer's blog to capture my writing and publishing experience. Yeah, ,I know, when I write to it. LOL But there's so much other stuff I want to write, share and talk about that's not necessarily writing. Like about other things I'm involved in and riding my bike and my motorcycle club and just living life. I'll post when it's done.

Well, here's to praying people will pick up First Fridays and check it out. I'm anxious to start getting feedback.

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Okay, um…yep. I’ve heard it, but now I think I can confirm for myself. It gets more difficult the second time around. LOL Wow. Now I’m looking back at writing, publishing, and promoting the first book and thinking, “Those were the good old days.” LOL Because now, with the second book, you’re not only trying to promote for it, but also trying to write the next book or short story on top of everything you normally do. Whew! So, back to not having a life and spending every free moment on book related activities.

If there are any aspiring writers out there, I agree with all the other writers out there who constantly say that if you write, you gotta do it for the love of it, and not for the money. I wouldn’t even know how to estimate it, but I would guess that if I were to be able to calculate all the hours I put into my writing career vs. money made from it, it would HAVE TO average out to somewhere around $2/hr. And that’s a generous guesstimation. LOL But still, the truth is, as much as it’s wearing me out, I really love writing and creating stories and I find myself always anxious to finish the next writing projects to have someone read it. It’s funny how when I’m finished, I’m not thinking how much I can sell this story for, but rather my thoughts are on whether or not readers will enjoy this story as much as I do. The thought is a nervous one on whether or not I created a story that will engross the readers and whether the reader will have difficulty in putting the book down because they want to see what happens next. It’s like, yeah, I do want to be able to support my lifestyle by writing, yet, money isn’t the primary source of satisfaction in the completion of the story.

Get it? If you do, explain it to me because I don’t. LOL

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When you start a new venture, EVERYTHING is exciting about it. Because you're full of enthusiasm because it's all new and fresh. Like starting a new job. That first day, that first week, or that first month, everything is all good. Until you've been through it before and you discover what you dislike about it. You discover which tasks are mundane and which ones you actually might even hate after you've gone through it a few times.

The literary world is the same. Yes, I love writing and I love publishing and promoting. When I self published Counting Raindrops, everything was new. It was fresh. It was exciting. I loved writing the book. I loved putting it together, soliciting to get bookstores and libraries to order it, promoting it, selling it, getting myself involved in literary events, traveling, etc., etc., etc. Loved it all. Even when I sold Counting to Hyperion. It was still exciting. It was new and I loved every bit of it. Same book, but re-done, so, a fresher product. And now, under a traditional publisher. So...exciting. Less stuff to do, because a publisher is involved now. But more stuff to consult on.

And now, here we come to the second book. I took time away from the literary world to enjoy life. I got out of the flow of things. I'm hopping back in and going back to what I did before. Planning publicity and promotion, consulting with the publisher and writing the third book. Only, this time it feels different. I've been down this road twice before and I'm discovering the things that I really don't care for. Can't say I hate any of it. But now, I'm finding myself wishing I could just sit back and write. Read and write. Study the craft, and write better. But a writer can't do that. Well, I can if I'm not concerned about selling a lot and having a full-time writing career.

This weekend, I got so into a book. I'm reading Quicksand by Nella Larsen and I love the narrative. I didn't want to put the book down. And when I did put the book down, I immediately wanted to start writing. But I couldn't because there were things on my list that I had to get done for the second book. It's very frustrating to have a fire burning within you, but you can't tend to it. You have to put it aside and hope that it's there burning when you get back. And it's the beginning of the week and your weekdays are long and you know you'll have only an hour or two here and there until the weekend comes again, but you have plans already for the weekend and there's not going to be much time for writing which means another week with scattered hours until the next weekend and...sigh....

Just feeling a little frustrated at the moment....

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Well, I successfully got through a great two weekends of events and had a great time doing them. The Friday before The Big Read, I did a radio interview on the St. Louis NPR radio station. It wasn’t until that day that I thought and realized that it was actually my very first in-studio radio interview. I didn’t know if I was going to be nervous or not, but when I got there and did it, I found it was virtually impossible to be nervous. Because even though you have a large audience, you don’t see them. So I felt comfortable freely answering the interviewer’s questions and engaging in conversation. Okay, so that’s one part of speaking that I do like!

Then the next day was the actual event. I did a panel from 11:30am to 1:00 pm with Eric Jerome Dickey and Professor Eugene Redmond of SIUE. When we first got there, there were only people in the first three rows or so. Very light crowd. And I confess, while I wanted a large crowd for sales, seeing the small crowd made me feel comfortable in speaking. And before our panel, I mentioned to Eric how this was the part that I disliked the most and he gave me tips right there on the spot and talked to me about doing speaking engagements in general. Told me of some of his experiences and how he still gets nervous. So that was cool. And by the time I spoke after him, I was completely cool. The room filled up a lot more as the panel continued and I kept my cool! I read from First Fridays for the first time. Not surprisingly, I waited until the last minute to pick a passage to read. And this experience is different because unlike the first book, I haven’t had a reader to read First Fridays. So, I don’t know what the reaction will be. So, I read my excerpt and during my reading, people are just laughing and laughing. And I’m listening, and even Eric and Eugene are on the stage behind me laughing. And I’m thinking…. “WOW!!!! They like it!!! They REALLY like it!” LOL

But it was a really cool event and I had a really great time. I’m definitely looking forward to participating in The Big Read next year!

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Well, things are moving right along. I should be able to notify you of website updates in the next couple of days. Now, I'm currently working on preparing for The Big Read on Saturday. But before then, I'm doing a radio interview Friday, October 6 from 11:25 a.m. to 12:00 noon on 90.7 KWMU, the St. Louis NPR station. Check me out!

And here's info on my participation in the BigRead:
11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
African American Writers Of Today Panel

Eric Jerome Dickey, Chasing Destiny
Eight-time New York Times bestselling author Eric Jerome Dickey’s new novel is filled with intrigue, speed, and sex appeal. And an unforgettable female narrator rides her sexy yellow motorcycle right through it all. Dickey was born in Memphis and is the author of twelve novels, eight of them New York Times bestsellers. He now writes full time and is currently at work on a series of comic books for Marvel’s popular X-Men series, featuring the characters of Storm and The Black Panther. He lives in Southern California. The New York Times calls him “addictive”, While Entertainment Weekly hails him as the “king of African-American fiction.”

Cherlyn Michaels, First Fridays and Counting Raindrops Through a Stained Glass Window
A bright new talent in African-American fiction returns with her second novel, filled with smarts, sass, and sex . . .Naja’s on a nine-month countdown -- for her baby, but not the kind you’d expect. Naja’s baby is an Internet café, the entrepreneurial dream she’s been pursuing secretly while working in a St. Louis office. When she’s laid off, Naja finds herself looking for new ways to network; at her best friend’s suggestion, she attends a First Fridays get together. To her surprise, she meets Russ, a handsome, charismatic man who offers to back her venture. Soon enough, he wants more, but Naja is reluctant to mix business with pleasure. However, resisting Russ’s charms is trickier than she imagined. Cherlyn Michaels was the 2004 Shades of Romance Magazine Best new Multicultural Author of the Year and was nominated for the African American Literary Awards Show Open Book Award for Best Self-Published Author of the Year. She lives in St. Louis.

Eugene B. Redmond, Drumvoices Review
Eugene B. Redmond, Poet Laureate of East St. Louis is currently a Professor of English and the editor of Drumvoices Review at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville. His awards include a National Endowment for the Arts Creative Writing Fellowship, a Lifetime Achievement Award from Pan-African Movement USA, a Pushcart Prize: Best of Small Presses, a Tribute to an Elder from the African Poetry Theater of NYC, and an American Book Award.

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Well, time is getting close and we're right outside the busy window. Three months before release and that's when things really start to get hectic. And I'm so waaayyy behind on everything! Blog updates are few and far between, still haven't updated the website (working on it now) or put together the next newsletter. But things are about to get underway now. I finally came to the realization that I need to prioritize more and that I just can't do everything that I want to do right now. So, I had to make some tough decisions. I had to let go of some things that I wanted to do and that I loved to do. Sometimes you have to do that. You have to take care of business, then later, have time to take care of the other things that you're passionate about. Gotta set the priorities.

In addition to all the things that come along with promoting the next book, I have an upcoming event that I need to prepare for as well. The Big Read here in St. Louis (Clayton), MO. It's going to be Saturday, October 7th. I just found out that I'm sharing panel space with a writer I look up to, Mr. Eric Jerome Dickey (11:30 am - 1:pm). That's going to be cool. If you're going to be in the area check it out: http://www.bigread.net/AuthorTentB.htm

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Every time I think I’m back, I’m not.  LOL  No, but this time, I’m good.  For real. Free time is winding down and I got to get back to the consistency I used to have in the writing career.  I’ve been writing here and there, but long gone has been the writing 10 – 12 hours a day.  I’ve enjoyed the summer and I’ve been practicing riding my motorcycle, a Ninja 600 ZX6.  Like writing a book, it was one of my dreams and I’m fulfilling it now.  I bought it in June and have had some major issues with it.  Can you guess?  Yes, height issues.  We took 2 or 3 inches of cushion out of the seat, plus lowered the bike a couple of inches.  But I was still tipping over…like a cow.  A sleeping cow.  But now, I’m in the game and doing good. Got my stiletto boots and I’m rolling.  LOL  And for the bikers out there, no, I won’t be relying on the 5.5 inch heels forever.  I’ll have the bike lowered in the “off-season.”

So now, it’s back to business.  I’m planning to finally get that website updated, and to post to my blog more often.  I’ve had so many people to email me about my blog being informative in showing them the path that I took to publishing.  I’d love to keep you all in the loop about the process and progress of book two.  I’m working on my next newsletter where I’m giving away an advance copy of First Fridays, so if you haven’t signed up, you might want to do so now. :-)  I had a phone conference with my publishers many weeks back and I got to get back to business.  The book comes out January 2nd and believe me, now I know, that’s not a lot of time to work with.  Time to get movin’!

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*Rolling over and rubbing my eyes with my fists*
What time is it? It's spring now? Almost summer? Dang! What day is this? The 4th of JUNE???

Ok, ok, ok... See, what had happened was...a few months ago, I was about to do my routine post to my blog, right? So, then, one of my girls called. And she was like, talking, like she always do, right? That girl know she can talk the ears off the dead. Just talking and chewing and chewing and talking. So, when she asked me that, I just said, OK, thinking it was done, right. And I can get back to blogging. So, I go, right? Then, next thing I know, BAM! It's June!

LOL. I'm back and no I still don't have any sense. It's going to take a few posts to update everything. But to sum it up, I just took some time off. Had to get some stuff in my personal life sorted, organized, and filed. Lost 15 pounds. Met my goal. Yea! But you know how it goes. I made a new goal to lose 10 more. Went and filed child support against the baby daddies that I could have had or might have one day. You never know and with the way the court system works, it's best to start early. I went to motorcycle school, passed the class, got my endorsement on my license that says I am legally allowed to rule the road. So y'all better watch out! LOL I'm working on getting a bike right now. Looking for a '92-'95 GSXR600. If you happen to come across one, holla.

So, book stuff. Counting Raindrops is doing very well and the publisher is pleased. It's always a good thing for the publisher to be pleased. The second release, First Fridays, is scheduled for release on January 2, 2007. I'm joining a literary tour group and hope to be in an area near you. If I am, come check out my books! I know January is a long time away and not exactly a date that we're rushing to get to. At least those of us up north or in the Midwest. So, I'm preparing to update my website with the new cover, the first chapter, and reading guide questions. In the meantime, the cover and synopsis in on Amazon.com and you can even pre-order it, if you so choose. :-)

Thanks for stopping by. I'll be back soon. :-)

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So I have my new story carved out now, but I'm still doing research on my major issue and trying to decide what angle to take. What's going to make it the most interesting? Since the issue is surrounding a married couple, I need to ask some of my married girlfriends what they think if.... How would they respond to.... What would they do if.... The thing is, I like to do this without them knowing that I'm asking for the purpose of writing a book. I've notice that when I ask questions of my married friends who think it's for a book, I get textbook or relationship retreat answers. LOL But take the same question, and ask it after talking about the frustrations of raising children and the frustrations and raising a husband, it's like they're caught off guard and the answer is totally different. Until they realize who they're talking to then they sober up and try to clean up the real response. LOL

I've had to stop awhile to try to get my reader's guide questions together for First Fridays. By the way, a lot of people have been asking and my publisher set the publication date for January, 2007. Only 11 more months to go! :-) Gives me the time to write 2 more novels and the 3 short stories I want to get done this year. So, anyway, I'm having to go back and re-read First Fridays to try to pull out deep, gripping questions. It's funny because as soon as I'm done with a story, I'm finding that I don't remember all the details. I actually have to sit down and really READ it in order to consider meaning. I know what's going to happen. But what are the underlying messages that the writer slipped in or was trying to convey? That's what I have to try to capture again. LOL It's not easy. When you're writing, you're in a moment. A different world. On a different level. Then you come back down to earth and have to figure out in your normal mind what the heck the your message was if you had one so that you can explain it to people because, believe me, they WILL ask! Lawd! Book club people had me doing flips at meetings asking me about minor details and what a character was thinking when he/she said or did this or that? They had me going back to re-read excerpts in the meeting because I didn't know and I wrote it. LOL

Well, this re-read is the first of many. My editor told me that I should expect to get the copyedits back February 17th (my birthday weekend!). I must have read Counting Raindrops 25 - 30 times, and STILL don't remember all the details! LOL

Here's a synopsis of First Fridays that I wrote recently:

When Naja Rodgers loses the dead end job she didn’t want, she accepts the invitation of a friend to attend First Fridays networking parties to find a business partner and move her entrepreneural thoughts from dream to reality. At a St. Louis First Fridays event, she finds a sultry and savvy business partner in the form of the handsome Russom King. Despite his good looks and their obvious attraction for each other, out of fear of possibly bringing bedroom drama to the boardroom, Naja vows never to mix business and personal relationships and to keep things strictly professional with Russ. Eventually, however, she falls for his charm and into his arms, and soon finds that bedroom to boardroom drama is the least of her worries. She finds that mixing business and personal relationships could cost her more than she ever imagined.

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Well, I'm getting a good start. I'm finally settling into a good morning routine for book three. Right now, I'm working on shaping my story idea and doing research. I know the main story idea, but I'm considering different ideas to bring a twist to it. What's helping me with that is research and finding out what is the most common or most familiar response to the set of circumstances I'm presenting, then consider "what if's" in the opposite direction. I'll talk about the book more once I flesh out the idea. So, those of you around me, quit asking me what the book is about! I'm shaping it now. LOL

Hey, do you subscribe to Essence or pick it up? Well, there's a page called "Feel the Fire Fiction" where they have recommended books for your Valentine's Day reading. And, you guessed it, they recommend my first novel, Counting Raindrops through a Stained Glass Window! Now, how cool is that? Way cool. :-) I didn't find out until one of my friends sent me an email congratulating me for the mention in Februrary's issue of Essence (page 90 to be exact, but who's paying attention? LOL) I'm finding that a lot of mentions I find out only when someone who knows me see it, then congratulates me on it. As if I knew all along. LOL It's pretty cool though. :-)

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Okay, so it's already the middle of January and I'm STILL not back on track yet. LOL But no, I'm not vacationing still. Wouldn't that be nice? :-) But doing a little life sorting and organization. Getting things lined up for myself for this new year.

Literarily, (is that a word?) I finished up a book, Soul on Bikes - The East Bay Dragons Motorcycle Club and the Black Biker Set. Yeah, I'm really gearing up for this spring! LOL It was a book I bought a while ago and, like so many others, it was sitting on my shelf. Since I joined a club, I selected it to read to see what the experience was like back then. The book was quite interesting and I really enjoyed it. It even got me pumped up about doing things with my club. But even if you're not into motorycles, it was a great read because it also reflected on the times, which was from the 50's until present day.

Okay, other than that, I haven't done much literarily, except thinking. A LOT of thinking! LOL I've come up with so many story ideas that it's not even funny. But it's time to get to writing! Okay, the new goal is to start writing on Monday. January 16th. Yep. That's the NEW plan!

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I forgot to post the contest winners!!!! The winners are everyone who posted (by the due date) their list of favorite authors/favorite books. If you posted your list on my blog, send your mailing address to cherlyn@cherlynmichaels.com and I will send you an autographed copy of my book! I'm on vacation, but you will get them the first of the year! LOL Congratulations and Happy Holidays!!!

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I guess I'm getting a hang of this writing vacation thing! LOL Yes, I've still been taking care of "life" stuff and relaxing, talking, and hanging out with the friends I haven't spent much time with since I've been back in St. Louis. It's been really great. This is my last week of vacation, as I've planned to start working on book three beginning January 2, 2005.

But don't get me wrong, even while I'm on vacation, I'm still an author. I carry my promotional cards with me everywhere I go and everytime I come across readers, I give out my cards. I also keep a small stash of books either on me or in the trunk of my car. Since I'm no longer self-published, I don't have the box of books like I used to. But I figured a way around that. I invested in a small stash and every time I make a sale from it, I used the funds to restock the stash. So, I can still bring the bookstore to the people. And I've also shared a handful of books with several family members for the same thing too. They take the autographed books to their jobs. So, I'm still out here trying to work it while I'm having fun.

A colleague of mine sent me an email to congratulate me on the review of my book in Black Issues Book Review. It's in the January/February issue if you want to check it out.

Well, I'm out. Going sportbike shopping today! I hope not to be away too long. :-) But I'll be back in the swing of things at the beginning of the year. :-)

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Isn't it funny how time flies? I know I said I'd be back December 1st. I can't believe it's the 7th already!

Okay, so I can breathe a little bit. It's like, you know when you get a cold, and both your nasal passages are blocked? Then, things get a little better and one of them opens up so that you're breathing through only one side of your nose? It's not 100% clear, but hey, at least you can breathe a little? Well, that's what it's like for me right now. LOL And first, let me say that if you've sent messages to my inbox, I'm not ignoring them and I promise I will answer. :-)

So, I finally finished up that short story that I was working on for an anthology. My story is called Kettle Black and it's about a young woman who has been scarred in a marriage and thus has developed some trust issues for her future relationships. Sounds familiar doesn't it? But you know me. There's always got to be a twist. Let's just say that when we are wronged, sometimes we can come up with some pretty trifling answers and try to justify them to ourselves as reasonable. Also, while we're busy pointing out what's wrong in others and the world, sometimes we need to look within. So, when will this story surface? I don't know but I'll be sure to let you know. The line up of authors on this project is pretty awesome and I'm sitting here wondering how in the heck did I get selected. :-) It's cool, though. I'll let you know.

So, I finished the story last week and basically took another week of to relax and enjoy life. I've retired my pen for the remainder of the year and I'm trying to have a social life (while I still promote and sell out of my bag on the streets. You can never stop promoting and selling! LOL) Trying to hang with my new Ruff Ryder family (I discovered that I may have to adjust my 10PM bedtime schedule on certain days and take a nap in the afternoon!), meeting new friends and going out, hanging out with old friends. It's been cool. A girlfriend of mine called to give me two tickets to the Rams game on X-mas Eve. So, you know I'm excited about that. I've already invited a friend to go. Finding a football enthusiast who wants a free ticket is never hard to find!

But, of course, this is life and nothing is ever all fun and games. I had to go back to making a "to-do" list. All the things I neglected while trying to complete my short story, and now are urgent items that I must do if I don't want to be sued, pistol-whipped, or disowned by family and friends. And the plan is to get as much reading done as possible before I start on another short story for another anthology at the beginning of the year. Next year's writing goal is to write a minimum of 3 short stories and 2 novels. And I've learned my lesson. The plan is to do it immediately and at my leisure to prevent myself from writing under a deadline. Because that really sucks!

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Okay, I dropped in because I know I've been on an unofficial and unannounced hiatus. LOL As you can probably guess, I'm overloaded with stuff. I'm finishing up a short story and I have my last booksigning this weekend in Baltimore. By chance, if you're there, and you were planning on coming out, please note that my Sunday signing at Urban Knowledge has been changed to Friday from 6 - 8 PM.

So, this time, I'm going to officially say that I'll be on hiatus until round about December 1st (I'll post the contest winners to the blog).

Oh, and speaking of Thanksgiving, I'm going to be on the road, driving to Baltimore on Thanksgiving day. But, before I go, I'm going to hang out with my new MC family, as they volunteer to serve Thanksgiving dinner at the Larry Rice Center (in St. Louis). Yep, that's right. Last week, I became a prospect member of a motorcycle club.

So, last week, they spent time volunteering with the Feed the City program. This Thursday, I'll joined them for a few hours to serve Thanksgiving dinner to many St. Louis families in need. I love what they do and I'm extremely happy to be able to join in and be part of it all. There are so many families here and elsewhere who are not able to gather together and have a meal with their own. I want nothing more than to be able to share a part of my day and spend time with others on that day of thanks.


Well, I'm out for a little while, so, everyone enjoy your Thanksgiving!!!!

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I had an unexpected dilemma on Monday. I really needed to make more headway on the new short story I'm writing, then I still needed to do a re-read on the current on and offer feedback to my co-authors. So, I was all settled in for a full day and evening of writing. I was even planning on nixing Monday nite football and just watching at home. Then, I got a call from a friend who works for Anheuser-Busch. She says she has free tickets to see a private concert and did I want to go. It was Nelly.

I pride myself in dedication to my work. A lot of times you have to make sacrifices. Sacrifices that hurt. Even though you set your own schedule, you know what you can and cannot do. Or at least what you should or shouldn't. You know that to get to that place that you want to be, there are some calls you're going to have to not take, some places you're going to have to pass on going. Some concerts you'll have to pass up. Even Nelly.

I wasn't a huge rap fan anyway. I love old school rap, and I do listen to rap on the radio, although I admit to switching the radio station when it starts to get crunk.

"So, do you want to go see Nelly tonight?"

I felt like a true author as I pulled my cell phone away from my ear, gave it a twisted look, and answered, "Girl, are you drunk? Hells, yeah I wanna go!" And I tossed my laptop to the side, scattered my writing notes all over the floor, and made a mad dash to the closet to find an outfit to wear.

I had a good time. The three of us devised a plan, divided up, and got front row seats together. There were about a million acts that came on before Nelly. Local talents. It was my first rap concert and I must say that I enjoyed it. I put the music aside and focused on the verbal talents. Once I got into that, I found myself really impressed with these local kids for being on the stage. I still don't get the presentation: a million and one people on stage in the background, just strutting around, drinking, and bobbin' their head every once in a while. But I liked it.

And then Nelly came on and put on a nice decent show. I do wonder if it was tamed down from a normal concert (after all, this was an AB concert and it was 21 and up), and if so, I appreciated that. :-) He did some of his hits, then sang a little old school R&B, did a little old school rap, while sharing the stage and the mic with Murphy Lee and the rest of the Lunatics and then brought it back to their current day hits before leaving. It was a really good show and a really good break.

I went home and smiled at my laptop and told her I'd see her in the morning. :-)

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For those of you in the St. Louis area, we're looking for the support of 100 teachers, authors, artists, and illustrators!!!:

If you've visited my blog, you may know that I am working with a group of dedicated individuals to begin 826STL  – a fabulous offshoot of 826 Valencia, writer Dave Eggers’ commitment to providing free writing workshops, tutoring, nurturing and inspiration for kids 8-18 who love to write (or to get them excited about writing and its power in their lives).

The very best thing about 826 is that it SUPPORTS BUSY teachers!  Imagine a group of 10 professional writers and/or artists coming to a classroom free-of-charge, and working with young people, at the teacher’s direction.  So, for example, if kids are working on a book report or an essay about Lewis & Clark, the 826 volunteer team could (and would) come to the classroom, sit down with the children and give them POSITIVE guidance and support!  And…this is only one of the many creative programs 826 offers in its work with St. Louis area teachers  Super cool organization.Yay!  

We have partnered with the 150-member St. Louis Writers Guild and we’re getting the ball rolling on the long and complicated process of applying to develop an 826 St. Louis. As part of that process, we must demonstrate that St. Louis teachers need and want this service, and that St. Louis has a strong community of writers and volunteers who will support the organization.

If you’d be interested in and willing to have your name appear on a list of 100 TEACHERS, EDUCATORS, WRITERS, ARTISTS, AND ILLUSTRATORS FOR 826STL, please contact me at cherlyn@cherlynmichaels.com. If you know any other area teachers/educators, writers, artists who would be interested in lending their name and support to this fabulous organization, please pass this note along. I think this would be an amazing asset to our community!

Please let me know or contact me if you need any more details. Please email me your consent to be listed on our application if you are in support of this program.

THANK YOU!!!

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CONTEST! (FROM NOVEMBER NEWSLETTER)

Giving away books is cool! I'm having a ball. But this month, I want to know a little something about you and you're reading habits. So, I have two numbers in my head (no jokes about nothing else being there besides those numbers!). I'd love to hear who are your favorite authors and your favorite books. The two people to post that match the numbers in my head will receive an autographed copy of Counting Raindrops. For example, the 57th and the 93rd persons (not posts). Those numbers are examples only, so don't try to post in those spots (you'd probably be waiting years! LOL)

So, tell me now, who are your favorite authors and what are your favorite books?

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I had the most pleasant surprise Tuesday night. I had a meeting with my non-profit startup team for Studio STL (if I hadn't mentioned before, this is a writing organization for kids that we're trying to get up and running by June next year. Currently, we're applying for affiliation with 826 Valencia.). So, team member Beth is going over the draft of the application from beginning to end, and she has this excerpt about St. Louis that would be perfect to convey why St. Louis would be the perfect location for the affiliate writing center. She says that she hopes she can get the author's permission. So, she does this wonderful set up, and we're all on pins and needles to hear this excerpt, including me. Then she starts, "The Es-Tee-El. I cruised into my city westward bound..." And I just break out in something. Either a chuckle, or a light scream of excitement. I don't quite know what it was. Don't think anybody else had a clue. But she was reading from Counting Raindrops, Vanella's description of St. Louis when when she's driving home. I was so honored. I actually started blushing. She felt that it really captured the excitement of St. Louis and why it would be perfect for an 826 writing center.

There are centers in San Francisco, New York, Chicago, to name a few. And we're trying to get in our application by December to get the next affiliate here. With or without the affiliation, we're establishing ourselves as Studio STL and will be up and running by next year. We're meeting every week until we get the application in. Yes, somehow, I'm managing to squeeze this in amongst everything else. But this is something I really want to be a part of. It's funny because when we're at the meetings talking about it, I'm getting all excited. I love stuff like this. It's more than a writing center. But it's a place of creativity and imangination. Each location has a theme. Like one has superheros and they'll have a store that sells superhero supplies. The writing center has the superheros theme. So, we've been going over themes for our center and I'm getting all excited because I want to be one of the kids and explore. I'm forgetting that I'm supposed to be the adult and put it together and assist the kids. I love exploratory stuff...like museums and science centers. I can spend all day in a science center. Anyway, to get a better idea, check out 826 Valencia. It's going to be awesome.

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The book signing at Urban Knowledge in Memphis was great. It was hosted by the Unique Women's Social Club and they created quite the scene and drew in the crowd. They had nice little gift bags that they raffled off, had tasty refreshments, and just looked spectacular in their red shirts. I like red. :-) And Kim J. had already read my book and just talked it up a storm to customers. She got quite a few people excited. LOL Anyway, I don't think I ever had such a good time at a book signing. I didn't want it to end.

With one more weekend signing left in Baltimore in 3 - 4 weeks, it's back to the grind. I stated that I was going to take Sundays off. Well, let's just say that I had a light Sunday yesterday. Did a few things while watching the game. It wasn't a full day off, but I'm good.

I have 3 weeks left to finish up a story for an anthology. I'll be able to talk more about it in the near future. I'm also working on a revision to a story for another anthology. That's due the end of this year. Copyedits of First Fridays will probably be back any day now, so I'm trying to clear the plate as much as possible. Speaking of First Fridays, I had a conference call last week with my editor and publisher. It was the first time I've had the chance to actually talk to my editor directly about FF. I knew she loved it, but didn't know exactly how much. She says she feels it's an even stronger novel that Counting Raindrops. That was great to hear. Like I said before, unlike Counting, I hadn't had anyone to read First Fridays before my editor saw it. So, I didn't know what type of feedback to expect or if someone else would like it as much as I did. I was worried about a "sophomore jinx". Wondered if I would be able to be creative on the second book and have it get positive feedback like the first. But after hearing my editor's comments, I think I stand a chance. ;-)

Well, as usual, there's work to be done so I best be gettin' to choppin' some wood! (Don't try to figure out what that means because I have no idea myself.)

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Hey Peeps!

I know it's really been a while now, but things are crazy hectic. Just so much to do. Last weekend, I did the St. Louis Book Festival as planned. However, I hadn't expected to be in the midst of another revision, so I was knocking that out too. Got it Thursday and spent that night and all day Friday doing the edits. It was pretty much all line edits, which requires just adding commas here, changing a word there, deleting that, and rearranging this. So, no scene creations or anything...simple stuff. But a lot of stuff. So, when I say, I edited all day, I mean, ALL DAY! Don't know what time I started, but I remember finishing at 10:30PM and my bottom was hurting!! LOL I sat on the sofa, so it was soft. But I guess sitting in that position for so long got to me. Anyway, I got it done, Friday night, but then I had to find time to print it out, burn a CD, package it, then ship it overnight. Worked all that around the 2-day festival and shipped it off Sunday morning. Feels good.

Now, all I need to do is make it through a signing in Memphis, TN this weekend and my busy October will be complete. I had events every weekend. I'll be at home the next few weekends before heading to Baltimore for signings Thanksgiving weekend. The biggest shopping weekend of the year! Yep, I'm going to need some rest for that. Because it's going to be a challenge trying to shop in between signings. LOL

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I need to hurry and finish up a few little things. I'm expecting a guest today. That's right. My editor's assistant emailed me yesterday to let me know that First Fridays is on its way back to me and should be here today. That was quicker than I thought! I just knew I'd have at least two weeks to work on other stuff, but intead, my editor finished it in a week! So, I'm about to do the serious apartment cleaning and laundry that I've put off for what seems like ages. This afternoon, I'll be into the second round of revisions for First Fridays.

Ups and downs this week. For the first time this season, I went out to watch Monday night football. Last year, I lost a Superbowl bet and was to pay one of the guys $50. Last night, I just knew the Colts were going to win, even though the Rams are my team. But then, the Rams were up by something like 17 points. So, Mikey comes over to me and says, "Double or nothing?" So, I say yes, because I'm thinking there's no way the Rams can lose a 17 point lead. Then I say no, because I'm like, it's the undefeated Colts. Then, he's taunting me about being a chicken and my pride kicks in. So, I stick my chest out and say "It's on!" and I proceed to talk trash the rest of the night. Well, at least until the third quarter. That's when I got up and told Mikey that I'd pay him his #$%!&*! $100 later.

I went upstairs just in time to see Pujols hit a home run at the top of the 9th to win the game and bring the game back to St. Louis. Then I watched last night as we lost. But we had a good season! :-) Going to try to be there when they take the wrecking ball to Busch Stadium.

And, I didn't win Powerball. But then again, I didn't play either. Gotta remember to start doing that...

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Back in for a moment. Had a bad mishap at my signing this weekend. I go to the store to sign, and I see no indication that I'm supposed to sign there. No store announcements, no signs on the door, no nothing. Worse yet, I see all this stuff for another author. I case the place and see a set up with his books on display. So, I approach the associates and tell them that I'm there for my signing that's schedule for a half an hour from then. They tell me that they have me nowhere on their event calendar. I'm so distraught. I've been advertising my butt off for this signing. So, she gets on the phone to find out what's what, and I call my agent in near tears.

So, she can't find me in their system, but says they can set up a table on the lower level (which is good) for a meet and greet. Problem is, the 50 books that my publicist said were at the store are not there. They only have 3 books in stock. It's 15 minutes before the signing. I tell her I have a few books at home (my author copies) and we agree on terms to sell these. I'd use the money made to replace them. So, I get in my car to go home to pick them up. That's a 15 minute drive, one way. So, I arrive back at the store at 20 minutes past the time I'm supposed to sign. There's a small line of people waiting for me to autograph their copies (how cool is that?!). So, we count in my book, she goes up to get an invoice, and I start signing copies. The first few people are people who read the self-published version and enjoyed it so much that they bought the new version. How cool!

So, the associate comes back down with the invoice and shows me were they're selling my books that are listed as $12.95 for $7.99 because that's the only price she could find in their system. I only get a fraction of what we sell the books for, so I won't even make enough money to replace the books. This would be a total loss for me because the books wouldn't count as sales anyway. I think things over and decide to cut my losses and just learn from the experience. So, after 45 minutes, I wrap up and take the rest of the books with me.

I get home and do some research and find out that my publicist mistkenly booked me for a Brentwood Borders...in Tennessee. Instead of my hometown, St. Louis, MO. So, no doubt, this store had my 50 books, and probably signs everywhere saying I was going to sign. And probably cursing me out because they think I was a no-show.

Well, aspiring writers, this just "shows to go ya." Sometimes, things can go wrong when you least expect it. Hey, crap happens. You just gotta pick up and move on to the next thing. So now, I'm preparing for another St. Louis event this weekend at the St. Louis Book Festival at the Muny in Forest Park. The following weekend, I'll be in Tennessee, for real, this time! LOL In Memphis.

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Popping in for a brief moment. I'm still working on my edits for First Friday and I might possibly be able to finish up today. Spent all day working on it yesterday. Can't tell you how many hours because the day is a blur. All I can tell you is that I was in my pajamas all day and I listened to the television as the Cardinals won the first game of the Championship series (you know I had to get that in, right?) LOL

Anyway, my Twin posted a comment yesterday that I thought would make a great post for today. Here's his comment and question:

I've been noticing that you've been doing ALOT of legwork on your own lately . . . aren't you with a major publishing house? I know that you can't afford to let up at all, but why are you working yourself into 25-hour stupors constantly doing things that they should be handling with ease? Am I missing something?



Well, Twin, and all, :-) Yes, I'm with a major publisher, but I'm also a new writer. Most publishers may not do a lot of promotion for new authors. And these days, any author should expect to have to promote themselves. As a matter of fact, my agent said my marketing and promotion skills were an added bonus in picking me up. My publishers came right out and told me this over dinner too. That in addition to loving my story, they were attracted to the fact that I was a self-promoter. I'm hearing that a lot of publishers are looking for new authors who are also self-promoters.

So, that's one piece of the answer. The other is that I'm neurotic, anal, somewhat controlling, and have perfectionist tendencies. I like to give it my all. I have a tendency of going overboard. For advertising, and promotion, my mind is going 24/7. I'm trying to think of ways to reach the readers who might enjoy my story and my writing. I'm trying to think of ways to reach the people who don't normally read, but would read or buy my book because they are related to me, they know me, they know someone who knows me. etc. I'm thinking of ways to expose myself to people who wouldn't hear of me otherwise and I'm trying to get to where they are. Even if they don't buy my book the first time around, I'm working on name recognition so that they'll be familiar and want to give it a try when First Fridays come out.

Even if 5 or so years down the line, I ever reached the point where readers bought my book instantly at release, I don't think I'll ever be able to sit back and relax. I think that's just me. I think the focus would change, but I think I'd still be out there. Because I do enjoy emailing and talking to people who read my book. I enjoying going out and introducing myself and my book to readers. I enjoy thinking and carrying out new ways of promoting. I enjoy the hand-to-hand promotion.

I do get tired, but I think I enjoy being a busybody. It'd be great if my publisher put tons into promoting me (and hopefully we will get to that point). But I still think I'd be on the go and working myself to the bone. I'm unstable like that. :-)

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I took the day off yesterday and I must have slept 25 hours. :-) Okay, maybe just a good part of the day. But I did feel exhausted. I had a whole day planned, but decided to just sleep, and watch football in between naps. Apparently, I needed it because I barely moved all day. LOL I even read a couple of chapters of the short book I've been reading for the past month or so, Soul City by Toure. And I feel refreshed now. Energized! Which is good, because I'm going to need all that energy to get caught up. Come to think of it, I can't remember the last time I took an entire day off.

More of the same. I have mailings and announcements for this week's signing; make arrangements for books for an end of the month signing; finalize an additional signing for next month, prepare and mail shipments, sell sheets to stores to request they order my book (if they haven't already) mail receipts to my publisher, put together my final email campaign, and do promotions. And then I have to squeeze in editing First Fridays. :-)

Well, let me get started. Ain't nothing to it, but to do it!

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If you're a frequent visitor to my blog, you've probably noticed that I'm becoming a little scarce. And you can probably guess why. Yeah, things are hectic right now. But it's a good kind of hectic. From what I can see, things are going to be busy like this at least for the remainder of the year. Within the last couple of days, I came to this realization, and made it a point to calm myself and just do the best that I can. I create my daily to-do list and get through as much as I can. If I don't get to something, I'm not going to stress out, or die, I decided. :-) I've come to terms with the fact that I may not hit everything 100% and everything doesn't have to be perfect. Each morning, I look in the mirror and tell myself that the most important thing is that "I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and gosh darn it...people like me." LOL

I spent the last few days trying to get everything prepared for my upcoming signing this weekend and putting out a major fire associated with it. The unexpected. Good thing is, my publisher step in and got some things squared away for me. I'm still working on trying to get edits done and I'll admit that I haven't had any of those 10 hour days because there just aren't enough hours in the day. This time around, promotion and preparation is a must if I want to avoid having signings where zero people show up. The editing is coming along a little slower than I'd like, but it's getting done. At worst, I'd probably have to ask for a few more days. But we'll see if it comes to that.

And, believe it or not, I'm making time for mysellf so I won't stress myself out. I made it a point to get back in the gym this week. I had gone from working out 4 - 5 days a week to not at all. It's been about 2 months and I was starting to feel the effects. It's strange because I was getting more tired. My energy was zapped. It's funny how that works. The less active you are or the more rest you get, the more tired you are. So, I've got to get myself back in the gym so I can tire myself out so I can have more energy. LOL Sounds backwards, but that's the way it goes.

Okay, gotta get to working. So much to do that it'd take me forever to list it here. The first local signing is tomorrow and I gotta make sure everything's squared away for that. :-)

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Another thing that I got in email this morning and I thought I'd share it with all my fellow aspiring authors:



Consider This

Pearl Buck's 'The Good Earth' was rejected fourteen times and
went on to win a pulitzer Prize.

Norman Mailer's 'The Naked and the Dead' was rejected twelve
times.

Margaret Mitchell's classic 'Gone with the Wind' was turned down
by more than twenty-five publishers.

Mary Higgins Clark was rejected forty times before selling her
first story. More than 30 million copies of her books are now in
print.

--Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen and Bud Gardner
From Chicken Soup for the Writer's Soul
Text © 2000 Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen and Bud Gardner

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This is a good book by the way. I have a copy. Great for when you need a little inspiriation. :-)

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Back from the Pen to Paper Symposium in Dayton, OH. It was nice. It reminded me of the writer's conferences that I went to in my first year. They were small and cozy, and you had short sessions on various topics that were just enough to get you started and pointed in the right direction. Small conferences like these also allow people to speak freely and go in-depth about experiences. Attendees are able to pose any question that is on their minds. And you make contacts. If you're an aspiring writer, I highly recommend looking into this symposium for next year. They have a lot of good information to offer you.

So, yes, I had a great time at this event. I was invited to participate when another author couldn't make it. So, I had only a short period of time to prepare my discussion, but I managed it. I used this event to work on my speaking and presentation skills. I might have said before that I hadn't been good with public speaking in the past. I get extremely nervous to where my voice is shaking, I break out in cold sweats, my mind goes blank, and I ramble and talk at breakneck speed. LOL Well, I had planned to use this event to work on these things, and I think I did a good job for starters. Just the fact that I didn't feel nervous and my voice didn't shake was an accomplishment. Of course, I had a small crowd. But in the past, it didn't matter. I could be before 2 or 3 people and would be on the verge of passing out. LOL So, I'd say I made a step in the right direction. Pretty soon, I'll be an old pro at speaking in public. ;-)

Well, lots to do. I've already started working on the edits for First Fridays. We agreed on 2 weeks, and I'm going to see how much I can get done by then. My editor does love the story, but offered some recommendations that I think are going to make the story even better. I think we work well together. She's awesome. It's so amazing how she can figure out what I mean when I totally botch up a sentence. I noticed that sometimes, my brain and hands do not work cohesively together when writing. I can throw in an extra letter, transpose words, or add or leave out words in a sentence. I mean, huge chunks of words. Like I say the whole sentence in my mind, but only write down half of it on paper. My editor gets it every time. Sometimes I'm looking at the sentence and trying to figure out how in the world did she get it because it looks like mumbo jumbo when I read it. LOL Anyway, she's great.

So, I'm trying to do the line edits first. Then I'm still working on my mail campaign and trying to mail at least 20 - 25 mailings a day. I'm preparing for Saturday's first local book signing. Need to get my October newsletter complete. AND, I was invited to participate and write for another anthology! I already got the story in mind. So now, I need to finish up First Fridays so I can work on the short story for the anthology, which means I'll have to delay book #3 for maybe a month.

Hopefully, I'll get to unpack the suitcase before I go to Memphis at the end of this month. :-)

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Well, as usual, somehow I'm pulling it though. Somehow, I keep forgetting that the 10 hours a day I spend writing...that's the easy part. :-) Promoting for books and events, that's where the real work kicks in and it's nonstop. You're praying for ten hour days then! LOL

I mailed out signing invitations to my local newsletter list, made store flyers and delivered them, plus a whole lot of little stuff. The suitcase is still packed, but what the heck! I have to repack it for tomorrow anyway. :-) I'm putting the finishing touches on my discussion for the Symposium this weekend and I'm looking forward to going. After this weekend, I'll be home for much of October, which will be cool. Doing signings in other locations can be fun. But it's great if you can spread it out instead of going somewhere every week. Personal preference, of course. Last year, I did what I had to do. Sometimes, I was in a different city every week trying to push my book to the locals. LOL Some authors do enjoy that type of travel and do it with a full time job! I might just be burnt out from it because I traveled 85% of the time on my job when I was working. Another reason why I prefer driving rather than flying these days.

So today, I'm finishing up my discussion, packing the suitcase, and then I'm going to a special luncheon today! It's called: Understandiing your Government - A conversation with members of the City of St. Louis Board of Estimate and Appointment." This is an opportunity provided my sorority to meet with public officials to talk, have dinner, and ask questions. Should be interesting.

Then I'm back on the road in the wee hours of the morning, headed for Dayton, OH. Then I'll come back and continue with mailings and weekly preparations for the next signings. Oh, and I should get First Fridays back sometime today or tomorrow. If I get it today, I'll be able to take it with me and review the recommended changes and consider the issues, then come back and begin on it Monday.

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Back and swamped. Okay, I'm not going to get overwhelmed...I'm not going to get overwhelmed....inhale, exhale.

I keep saying I'm going to recruit an assistant, yet I don't have the time to do so. I know of an author who took on a college assistant (intern) who was interested in writing. The benefits for both were great. The author received much needed assistance in projects and promotions, while the assistant, who was an aspiring author, received first hand knowledge about the publishing industry, plus one on one contact with an author. The intern has since completed her own manuscript and has struck out on her own. I'd like to do that. If I can find the time to solicit for one.

Anyway, just got back and I need to prepare a discussion on Plot Tension for my session at the Pen to Paper Symposium in Dayton, OH this weekend. I also need to send out flyers and invitations to my upcoming local signings, make and deliver store flyers, begin discussions with my new host of my Memphis signing, make arrangements for a 3rd local signing that I've been invited to join, make and send out my October newsletter, and submit a contract for a book tour that I want to participate in. And that's just the prep and planning stuff. We haven't even gotten to the errands I need to run yet, unpacking and repacking the suitcase for one.

Okay, I got three days to do all of this and this is quite a bit of woman-hours. And I got a message from my editor that she expects to send my edits for First Fridays tomorrow. Wow! I thought I'd have at least a month before edits came back! So, I need to get the bulk of this out of the way before edits come back. I'm imagining that edits during the first months of the book release is going to be a little tough. But I'll get it done! :-) The good thing is that she says she LOVES it!

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Made a little progress yesterday. Finished an interview, drafted a letter, made handout flyers for my upcoming local signings (will distribute beginning next week), finalized my travel plans to Baltimore for this weekend's Baltimore Book Festival, and few more little must do things. I'm preparing to hit the road, so I won't be back until Monday. I'll see you then!

In the meantime, I got this email from an online group that I subcribe to. I like it, and thought you might like it too:


How To Increase Happiness in Daily Life

1) Endeavor to change the way you look at things. Always look at
the bright side. The mind may drag you to think about negativity
and difficulties. Don't let it. Look at the good side of every
situation. 

2) Think of solutions, not problems.

3) Listen to relaxing uplifting music.

4) Watch funny comedies that make you laugh.

5) Each day devote some time to reading some pages of an
inspiring book or article.

6) Watch your thoughts. Whenever you catch yourself thinking
negative thoughts, stop them, and try to think of pleasant
things.

7) Always look at what you have done and not at what you
haven't. Sometimes you start a day planning to do several
things. At the end of the day you feel frustrated that you
haven't been able to do all of those things, and you become
unhappy. 

Look at what you have done, not at what you have not been able
to do. You may have accomplished a lot during the day, and yet
you let yourself become frustrated because of some small things
that you did not do. You have spent all day carrying out
successfully many plans, and instead of being happy and
satisfied you look at what was not done and you feel unhappy. It
is unfair towards yourself. 

8) Each day do something good for yourself. It can be small
thing, such buying a book, eating something you love, watching
you favorite program on TV, going to a movie, or just having a
stroll on the beach. 

9) Each day do at least one thing to make others happy. This can
be a kind word, Helping your colleagues, stopping your car at
the crossroad to let people cross, giving your seat in a bus to
someone else, or giving a small present to someone you love. The
possibilities are infinite. When you make someone happy, you
become happy, and then people try to make you happy.

10) Always expect happiness. 

11) Do not envy people who are happy. On the contrary, be happy
for their happiness.

12) Be where happy people are and try to learn from them to be
happy. Remember, happiness is contagious.

13) When things do not proceed as intended and desired, do your
best to stay detached. Detachment will help you to stay calm and
control your moods and reactions. Detachment is not
indifference. It is a completely different thing. Detachment has
much to do with inner peace, and inner peace is conductive to
happiness.

14) Smile more often.

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Okay, nothing got accomplished, book-wise, yesterday. However, I drove to my orthodontist in Erlanger, KY yesterday and finally....THE BRACES ARE OFF!!! And I've been smiling all night, and all morning long. Even smiled in my sleep. You know Bob's smile in the Viagra-like commercials (can't remember if that's his name or the name of the product), well, my smile is bigger than his now! LOL Now I can take some photos that my publisher and agent will actually like. They wanted me to smile more, but I didn't want my braces to show.

But anyway, I got a lot to catch up on because I only have a couple more days before I head to Baltimore. Got to get to cracking. It's going to be another long day. But I'll be smiling through it all as my tongue keeps molesting my teeth. Now that the bars and wires have been removed, it can't seem to keep its buds to itself. :-)

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Hey, that ad in Sister 2 Sister that I mentioned a few days ago is in the current issue. The October issue with Whitney and Bobby on the cover. Check us out on page 2. :-)

The good news is I got through half of my "to-do" list. The not so good news is, three more things were added. :-) I can't say it's a bad thing though because things being added are things that could possibly increase exposure. UCLA Writer's Program invited me to do an interview for their quarterly byline. They like to follow the successes (being published equating to success) of students of their programs. So, that's always cool. I'm also sending them the Hyperion version of my book for the library. They already have the Archland version.

So, another day in my apartment, except to get out and run errands. I haven't fired up my printer in months, so I finally did yesterday and it will only print in color. Not black. Black ink is pretty important to a writer, I've come to find out.

But, I did make some progress. I got in the first draft of a timeline I'm putting together for the Writer's Studio. We're all moving forth with that full steam ahead. It's an exciting process. I'd been a little bit behind due to finishing the first book, and now I'm finally getting caught up and able to add more input. And I'm starting to think about my lesson plan for my discussion on Plot Tension for the Pen and Paper Symposium in Dayton, OH on Oct. 1st. And author had to pull out, so the organizers considered me and invited me to talk on the subject of Plot Tension in her place. How cool is that? Eventually, I want to get into teaching writing. I didn't think I was ready yet. After all, I only have one published book and a completed manuscript. I went to a St. Louis Writer's Guild Banquet a couple of days ago and met a lot of interesting literary people in the area. One of them teaches creative writing at a higher learning institution here in town. When he told me that he taught creative writing, I discussed my desire about getting back into writing classes. I missed the UCLA Extension workshop this year and that's been the best writing experience I've had to date. So, he looks at my book, looks at my publisher, and says, "You should be TEACHING writing classes, not taking them." I've heard this before. In the back of my mind, it's something that I want to do eventually, but I still feel that I'm not really ready yet. I feel I need to establish myself more as a writer before I can be considered qualified to teach.

Of course, promotion is number one and most important in the initial months after the release. Balancing this is proving to be difficult. It's on the list and it should be something that I do daily, but I'm having a hard time getting to it like I want. I expect to promote a minimum of 4 hours a day, and as of yet, it's not happening. But I got to make that happen, do or die.

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It's starting again. The "to-do" list is growing faster than I can get items complete. I'm back to creating and following a list again. I got ten items on the list today and praying that I can get through half of them. I'd hire an assistant, but I'm sure they'd want to get paid, and, well...

Okay, good news. I've been spotting several copies of my books in stores locally and I'm making my rounds. Hit a few stores this weekend. I went in to see if they were in stock and where they were located with plans to rearrange display areas, if necessary. :-) But, I didn't have to do that. Not yet. Store personnel can make you feel good. They always seem so elated when you stop by the store to ask if you can sign the copies of your book. Their eyes light up and their mouths drop as they grab the "autographed copy" stickers. And for just a second, you feel like you've done something special. LOL But seriously, it's a great opportunity to talk and greet store personnel. And, of course, I took it upon myself to greet anybody browsing the AA book session. I feel like I could run for office. I smiled, gave my card, shook hands, and introduced myself and my book. If anybody had a baby, I definitely would have taken him/her in my arms for a hug and a kiss. :-)

Okay, got lots to do. I need to come up with a lesson plan for a discussion on Plot Tension. I was invited to teach a session at the Pen to Paper Symposium in Dayton, OH the weekend of September 30th. Then, I need to finish a timeline for the St. Louis Writer's Studio, print, sign, and mail off a contract, create and send a special newsletter on book tour dates for this month, write a letter to a book club, and notify my newsletter contest winner and get address so I can mail free book. And that's just to get started and that's before I begin the promotion work for today. It's always a bunch of little stuff.

But first, I need to walk 'round the corner and down the street to Starbucks to get another half pound of Breakfast Blend. If I don't, nothing on this list will get done.

Yea! for the Cardinals who clinched the division on Saturday! And for the Rams who beat the defectees, the Arizona Cardinals and our former quarterback, Kurt Warner (even though he's a good guy.).

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It's starting again. The "to-do" list is growing faster than I can get items complete. I'm back to creating and following a list again. I got ten items on the list today and praying that I can get through half of them. I'd hire an assistant, but I'm sure they'd want to get paid, and, well...

Okay, good news. I've been spotting several copies of my books in stores locally and I'm making my rounds. Hit a few stores this weekend. I went in to see if they were in stock and where they were located with plans to rearrange display areas, if necessary. :-) But, I didn't have to do that. Not yet. Store personnel can make you feel good. They always seem so elated when you stop by the store to ask if you can sign the copies of your book. Their eyes light up and their mouths drop as they grab the "autographed copy" stickers. And for just a second, you feel like you've done something special. LOL But seriously, it's a great opportunity to talk and greet store personnel. And, of course, I took it upon myself to greet anybody browsing the AA book session. I feel like I could run for office. I smiled, gave my card, shook hands, and introduced myself and my book. If anybody had a baby, I definitely would have taken him/her in my arms for a hug and a kisss. :-)

Okay, got lots to do. I need to come up with a lesson plan for a discussion on Plot Tension. I was invited to teach a session at the Pen to Paper Symposium in Dayton, OH the weekend of September 30th. Then, I need to finish a timeline for the St. Louis Writer's Studio, print, sign, and mail off a contract, create and send a special newsletter on book tour dates for this month, write a letter to a book club, and notify my newsletter contest winner and get address so I can mail free book. And that's just to get started and that's before I begin the promotion work for today. It's always a bunch of little stuff.

But first, I need to walk 'round the corner and down the street to Starbucks to get another half pound of coffee. If I don't, nothing on this list will get done.

Yea! for the Cardinals who clinched the division on Saturday! And for the Rams who beat the defectees, the Arizona Cardinals and our former quarterback, Kurt Warner (even though he's a good guy.).

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Hey, remember the St. Louis Writer's Studio that I said a group of us was forming here? Group member, Erik, has put together our St. Louis Writer's Studio Blog. Check us out and read about who we are and how we bumped in to each other to form this bunch. :-)


Okay, I don't think I'm ever going to get out of my apartment for an extended worry-free, non-book related period of time, until like February. Thursday is when I had the conniption. That's when I went around to a couple of bookstores and a couple of Wal-Marts to check out where my book was so I could tell people where to go (...to buy my book). Well, all 4 locations that I went did not have my book on display. So, being a writer and over dramatic, I'm thinking that there's probably not a book of mine available in my hometown of St. Louis (I have reported sightings of it in other parts of America), so, after hyperventilating, I round up the posse to stage a march. A march on bookstores. So, there we were, down the street from the first bookstore, donned in our "Free Counting Raindrops" T-shirts, just coming out of the huddle where we practiced our literary rendition of "We Shall Overcome." You never heard a literary rendition of We Shall Overcome? Believe me, you don't want to either. ;-/ We had signs: On front "Counting Raindrops on shelves"; On the back "By any means necessary." I was leading the pack with my bullhorn, ready to lead our chant:

Me: What do we want?
Radical Readers: Counting Raindrops!
Me: When do we want it?
Radical Readers: NOW!!!!

So, just then, my editor calls me on my cell phone. I tell her I need to call her back because I'm right at the start of the protest here. She knows because I always tell my editor what's going on. :-) We cool like dat. So, she tells me to hold the phone. She says a call just came down from Sales, and then she runs down what the bookstores purchased. I get off the phone with her and quiet the now raunchy radical readers...they've got determination in their eyes and fire in their bellies and they're ready to march. So, I call up a few bookstores again. I can do that, see, because I put them in my cell phone on speed dial. So, I call store after store, and sure enough, they do have copies of my book after all. Some are just getting them on the shelves. Some say they just got the shipment in and it's in boxes, and to call back tomorrow and they should be out.

So, there's nothing left for me to do but to disperse the angry crowd and tell them to go home. I explain through the bullhorn what happened and they're grumbling and I can see that adrenaline has set in and they're ready to rumble and if I don't do something, there's bound to be some cracked skulls soon. So, I step through them, shouting through my bullhorn, "Move it along! Nothing to see! You ain't got to go home, but you got to get the heezy out of here!" Most of them calmed down, mumbled as they went to the bookstore and browsed the bargain book section, got tea, coffee, and cookies, then sat down and got their read on. Didn't take much.


And now, I'm home, sending out newsletters, updating my email and mailing list, creating flyers for my local signings (October 8th @ Knowing Books, 3-5pm; October 15th @ Brentwood Borders, 2pm), preparing mailings to bookstores requesting that they order my book and sending them promotional cards, promotion, promotion, and more promotion and 10 hour days. And as you can see from the story above, I'm getting delirious.

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LadyLee put up her more, um, formal review of Counting Raindrops on her site. Click on her name to check it out. :-)

Thanks to all who have left encouraging comments on yesterday's post or sent an email. I really do appreciate all comments. As you can imagine, no matter what, there are always butterflies. And it's not like a one time performance. Like you have butterflies before a speech, or a play, or a dance, and then you do whatever and 2 - 4 hours later, it's gone. For the first time novelist, the butterflies last the entire first 3 - 6 months, because these are the crucial months. LOL So thanks to all of you for congrats!

I called my agent to catch her up to date and had planned to get off the phone quickly. I always feel like she must be busy and I always plan to make my statements quickly and keep myself to a two minute maximum. Well, after giving me a pep talk, inspiration, and coaching, I found that we were on the phone for over an hour. This is one of the reasons I'm so grateful for my agent. She has a very beautiful spirit, encourages me to call her anytime, and gets back to me as soon as she can when I have to leave a message or send an email. She even helped me to decide not only which story would be the next best to write, but also we put in order the next three books from my list. She's awesome. She's an author too, and she's been in my shoes. So not only does she know the industry, it's like she knows what I'm thinking and feeling. She knows exactly what I'm going through, whether it's the upswing or the down, because she's been there herself. She always knows the right things to say and to tell me what to think about, and what to consider. Just by nature, she's one of those people who ask you questions to pull things out of you to help you to come to your own conclusion about things when you are conflicted about something. Then, only after you've come to a conclusion will she add her input. She doesn't seem to want to influence your decision.

As you can probably tell, I like my agent. :-) You know how it is when you call up your best girlfriend and you talk for a long time, just gliding from subject to subject just by going with the flow of the conversation? That's what it's like in talking to my agent. Sometimes we have to go, "oh, and back to business...." LOL

I think she's a keeper!

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IT'S RELEASE DAY!!!

Okay, now that the second book, First Fridays, is submitted, now I can turn my focus back to Counting Raindrops. I'm excited about the release under Hyperion and pray that it does well. Later this afternoon, I'm hoping to get out and about to visit bookstores and Wal-Marts to see where it's available locally, and to drop off some promotional cards. I hope that you will either go out and pick up a copy at a Wal-Mart or bookstore near you, or online at Amazon.com, or BN.com. I'd really appreciate your support. :-)

This month, I'll also watch out for our ads. We're supposed to be in Today's Black Woman and Sister 2 Sister. The latter has already put up a cute little ad on their website. They've animated the cover a little bit. Click the link to check it out now because I don't know how long it's going to be there.

So, how am I going to spend release day? Well, I'm going to actually turn the cell phone back on again. Then I 'm going to try to complete and send my September newsletter (I'm a little behind), submit minor website updates, then go store hopping. I might even treat myself to some Broccoli Cheddar Soup from Panera's. Aaaahhh!!!! Can you say, FREEDOM!!! In case you didn't recognize it, um, that's basking. LOL But on a serious celebratory note, I'm going to try to go to the Cardinals game tonight. The magic number is 2 to clinch the division and we could do it tonight. AGAIN!!!

The work begins tomorrow. The focus is back on promoting Counting Raindrops. Then I need to take care of things I've neglected. Got like a foot of new growth under my braids that I need to get taken care of, my fill is going to be about half of my nail bed, and I gotta clean up because THIS PLACE IS A PIG STY!!!
LOL Not really. That's just one of those over exaggerated terms that my mother used to use when I was growing up and I like saying it any chance I can get. :-)

What's next for writing? I got the next 7 - 10 stories (can't remember how many off the top of my head) ready to be written. The next three are vividly in my mind. The next two, I'm actually conflicted on which one to write first. I could go either way so I'm going to try to get some advice from my agent.

I'm excited. :-) Please pick up your copy today! And of course, drop me a line if you do, and especially when you read it.
Okay, until tomorrow....

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IT'S PRINT DAY!!!

It's a wrap! My second book, First Fridays is in final form and ready to see my editor. Okay, here are some specs and facts:

Word count: 76,000
Pages: 357
Estimated ACTUAL writing time: 3 months
Revisions: 3
Title: First Fridays
Genre: Contemporary fiction; relationship
General themes: business and personal relationships
Setting: St. Louis - Mill Creek Valley (resurrected from the dead!)
Main Cast Members: Naja Rodgers (main); Allison "Allie" Rodgers (li'l sis); Andi (Allie's daughter); Russom King (Naja's business partner); Vlora Dern (Naja's best friend); Chaney (owner of Mill Creek Valley's "Rosebud Cafe" - the neighborhood hangout/meetiing place); Jarvis and Manny (neighborhood kids)

Stay tuned for small excerpts in the near future. :-)

All right. Let's get this baby printed and shipped!

I smell FREEDOM on the other side of the horizon!!!!

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Congrats to the New Orleans Saints! They won 23-20 over the Carolina Panthers in a kickoff in the last few seconds of the game! Awesome! On the flipside, my team, the Rams, got creamed. By the 49ers. THE 49ers??? What the...! Okay, okay, enough about that. I won't turn this blog into a football blog. :-)


Okay, I'm jittery and I'm not getting any sleep. I'm excited. Now, you probably would think I'm excited about the release date the day after tomorrow. I would think that too. But that's not the case. Don't get me wrong, I'm excited about it. But that's not what's keeping me up. It's the completion of this second book and actually turning it in to my editor and awaiting her feedback. The more I revise it, the more I get excited about it.

And this process is a bit different than Counting Raindrops. With the first book, I had tons of feedback--although I didn't believe them when they told me that they liked it because I thought they were just trying to be nice. LOL The first to read it and give me feedback was Tiffany in Cincinnati (You'll see her in the acknowledgments). I remember going to her house and she read it for me in installments as I wrote it. It was nerve wrecking for me, although I don't think she knew that. I was sitting across from where while she read pages. She'd read silently, then all of a sudden, just burst out in laughter. And I'm wondering, "What? What? What's so funny???" And she'd read some more and just laugh. And (she probably doesn't remember this) her first feedback comments to me were, "Oh! You got skillz!!!" LOL And I'm sitting there, grinning until my face hurts, but wondering, "Okay, what does that mean?"

I find that I'm analytical. It feels so good when people say they enjoy your story or enjoy your writing. But I always try to capture it. To put it in quantifiable terms so I can understand. So I can create a formula that I can repeat over and over. I still don't have that yet and that's the only thing that makes writing nerve wrecking for me now that I have one (and almost 2) completed novels under my belt. On the other hand, maybe it’s good that I don't know because if I knew exactly, I would probably try to concentrate on that as I write instead of writing freely. With the first and now the second book, I just wrote without worrying about style. And perhaps for those who like it, that's the reason they like it. Logically, I'm sure this is the case. But still, there's that knuckleheaded nerd in me that's trying to figure out a formula.

Okay, last day of revisions!!! Got to make it good because right now I'm running on caffeine, adrenaline, and no sleep! LOL

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