Transitions

I find myself more in an observant mode these days than a participative one.  I've spent a lot of time the last few months watching, rather than doing.  I've spent the better part of my life in the middle of things, whatever those things were at the time.  I'm very social, I love to be around people, and I wanted to belong in whatever environment I've been in.  More lately, I find I don't have that need to belong anymore and I'm not sure why. Perhaps it's the aging factor, or perhaps I've evolved (as we all do) and simply no longer have the desire to be in the spotlight. 

For example, I used to compulsively make sure I logged into Facebook every day, scanned all the goings on and added my comments, yahoo's, smilies, encouragement...whatever was needed to let others know I support them in whatever their current endeavors are, up or down.  It was important to me to let friends know I'm there for them, even if only in spirit, sans physical presence.  Now days, I may get to Facebook twice a week and I'm ok with that. I don't feel the need to be present there anymore than that and it's not that I don't value all of my Facebook friends, on the contrary. I hold all of you very dear to me as there are many of you that I only keep in touch with through the social network, or wouldn't have met up with at all if not for it. So, I'm very grateful for the opportunity to know so many lovely people.  Don't we all value the "want to" relationship over the "have to" relationship? I think so.

Another...I used to feel the pressure to blog every week, as that's what all of the experts say an author needs to do in order to establish their voice and platform. At one time, that was very important to me and I followed it religiously, even blogging up to twice a week to keep in touch.  Now...I don't feel the pressure to do that and I'd rather blog when I really have something to say, not just talk to keep my name out there in the blogosphere. So, if I'm absent from here periodically it's not because I don't love you and miss you all terribly, it's that I don't have anything pertinent to say and I don't want to waste my time or yours on babbling. Don't get me wrong...I love to ramble! I'm also very good at it, but I don't want to wear out my welcome on that front.  There is rambling galore in my poetry anthology "LifeLoveLust" if you're of the persuasion to read more of that.

Happnins'...

Another thing I've previously not done, not regularly that is, which is to use slang when writing in a proper format.  I find it rather whimsical, though, and am doing it more these days.  I guess I'm more relaxed :) 

Technological happnins' - I'm sending the old HP to the graveyard later today and hookin' up my new one. The old work horse has been limping along for a while now and its time to let it go. It's a long time coming and I'm a little anxious about the transition from 2003 Word to Works.  I think it will all transfer over with my thumb drive, but I'm keeping the old one right here for a bit, just in case...newfangled stuff scares me!

Beautiful sighting happnins' - Spring is sublime in the Pacific NW! We've got beautiful clear sunny days with highs in the 60's to low 70's, which is average for us.  Soon, though, June will be here and we'll slip right into the heat of summer and I'll be turning on the a/c to get me through those short months.  Heat is one of lupus' worst enemies, so I stay inside with the a/c during the hot months. Let me know if ya'll will be traveling to my neck of the woods this summer.  The lake is beautiful!

Stalker happnins' - My favorite musical hunks will be here on Tuesday 5/22.  Roger Clyne & the Peacemakers are back at Knitting Factory Spokane with our local guys Buffalo Jones opening up for them again.  It's a great combination!  Makes the Sugar Momma proud those boys have come so far and are strongly at the helm of their own touring.  Yes, touring! They are going on a four city tour with RCPM to open up for them on this leg of their tour ending up in Ft. Collins, CO.  Rock on!

That's about all of the rambling I have for today.  Next week, I'll give a complete review of the show, of course, and any other new updates.  I've just about made the decision to sever my exclusive ties with Amazon, so I'll give more details on that.  There will definitely be abundant free days of downloads before that contract period is up, so you'll have plenty of chances to download some free reading.  I'm progressively editing "Back Track" and will have some new news on that front. 

Have a beautiful day! Hugs all around here, except for the Lhasa.  We're on the outs as he's made a habit of digging in the planter that holds my Mother's Day roses...

Grudgingly yours,

~ K

Author smack down, March madness, noisy house!....Oh my! Read all about it

Standing out in a VERY large crowd

We've had much conversation this past week on the internets :) about how authors, specifically independent authors, gain readers and fan followers.  With no BBNY (Big Boy New York) publishers name backing us, we have a gigantic challenge in getting our name and writing out there in the big world.  For writers, the objective is to first, of course, finish our stories and then we must turn our attention to promoting. Ugh...the most difficult part for moi.  Writing is the easy part.  The characters live in my head for a long time, possibly years, weaving their tale through tribulation and triumph. Then, we graciously share it all with the world with high hopes that readers will love our story and characters at least a fraction as much as we do.  That's like being an ant in an ant pile as big as, say...Texas!  There are so many artists trying to get noticed, it would take hours to go through the many screens of books and e-books available on the market.  Working to have our one or two to stand out from the crowd of Grishams, Kings, Koontz, and other highly acclaimed authors who have BBNY backing and a loyal following, is like that little ant traveling through that gigantic pile of ants and getting to the top in victory. I'm not saying it doesn't happen, it's just that the odds are so high.  So, what to do then?  That has been the discussion this week.  Many of us have banded together to support each other and help further our books by reading and reviewing, giving likes and tags on Amazon, and the like.  Some upper crust stuffy stiff-upper-lip authors who are holding out for the BBNY publisher to notice them and make them one of the greats on the first page of the new releases, have chastised those of us who are doing everything we can to get noticed.  I take exception to that in a most offended way.  If supporting other authors is beneath you, then get out. But don't scold us and talk down to us in our quest to do what we can to further our own writing. There are many gems among us and no one is ever going to know unless we help each other out.  I'm so grateful for all of my author friends and I'm blessed to become acquainted with you all, well...most of you.  The upper crust stuffy stiff-upper-lip ones can take a hike.  Quietly, please :) 

/end rant/

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Speaking of promoting...nice segue, huh?  If you haven't had the opportunity to read "Bright Lights, Money & Show Biz, Honey" it is FREE tomorrow, Monday March 19.  Just click on the link and you can download it anywhere you want.  If you don't own a Kindle, just download Kindle for PC.  I'll have a promotion in the near future for "Random Encounters" , however it is currently sitting on a publishers desk for consideration, so I'm waiting to see how that turns out :)  For an indie writer like me to have a publisher ask for a complete manuscript after the query, then sample chapters, is a pretty BIG deal! I don't want to jinx it, but I'm very excited!  If you would please, click on those links above for both of my books and on the Amazon page, click the "Like" button on each.  When an author gets to 50 "Likes", it moves them up in the Amazon rankings and makes it easier to find my books in the gigantic ant pile.  I would appreciate it. Moving forward book wise, I'm still editing "Back Track" for it's debut and am hopeful to meet my April 1st deadline.  I'll keep you posted.  

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March madness is in full swing and my bracket got whacked in the very first round.  Wichita St., UNLV, and Colorado were my spoilers.  Ah, the tense anticipation! Every year, I study the stats, check each top 25 teams last games of the season to gauge their aptitude for the playoffs to the big game...alas, there are always a few who upset and surprise.  However, I was more than surprised, I was shocked to see the top 50 brackets on ESPN after the first were all PERFECT! I think they cheat...however, I had picked Indiana to go on to the second round and that put me up in the stats.  Apparently, they were a long shot. Let's move on...

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Do you ever just sit and take in all that goes on around you? As an observer.  This is a sample of what went on in my house yesterday over a period of time, of course:

"Stanley....shush"

"What's that on the ceiling?"

Stanley...SHUSH!"

"Woof!" "You wanna go outside?" "Woof!"

"What are you burning?"  "Lloyd's dinner"

"Do we really need 8 boxes of k-cups???" "YES!"

"Stanleeeee...SHUT UP!"

"Woof!" "You wanna go outside?" "Woof!"

"I wub you" :)

The Lhasa is mouthy.  He talks and/or barks a lot.  The other two, the black labs, will quickly follow suit and then a three dog harmony of barking ensues.  It would be difficult to get a nap around here, if there were time for one. 

Maybe you'll have time for a nap today.  Please take time to hug everybody! My doggies get hugs from me several times a day and that's me telling them "I wub you" with a smile and a treat. 

Affectionately yours,

 ~ K