Writing From the Hart

So I've been writing now "professionally" for about 9 years, well 8 years and 6 months. I count my writing year starting in September. Not sure why, maybe because it's the same time I actually moved to Charlotte, although that was 14 years ago now. I've been writing since I was a kid because I always loved to create stories.

During the years that I have written anything, there have been times where I have come stopped for a second and thought, "Do I really want to quit writing?"

I'm not talking stopping writing altogether because I don't think I could do that, but stopping it as a business and sending stuff out into the world and see who reacts to the crazy that has sprung from my head. Sometimes seeing the sales are disheartening because yeah I would love to quit the day job and write full time. There are also the days where I get into a funk and just say screw it. My writing sucks. Everything I do sucks. Why do I even bother with it anymore? I don't get much of a response from people so, who is going to miss me if I stop writing? I am a small fish in the huge and ever widening sea of authors and what does it matter if I cease sharing part of my own slice of crazy.

It would certainly make my life easier and give me time back so I can pull away from the computer.

But then I give it a day or so, and even if the question still lingers in the back of my mind to dispose of everything, the stronger sense in me is to keep on sharing. Not because I know I'm going to make millions. But because I love sharing the words I create with everyone. No matter how disheartened I get.

As a teenager, I would write stories and shove them in my friends' faces to force them to read what I had done. Although sometimes the marketing aspect of it makes me feel that way too, I try not to get down and dirty splashing every other post on social media with the diatribe of "Buy My Shit" cause we all know that gets old. Fast.

I guess what I've been trying to say over the whole thing is that no matter what my mind says, I am following my heart. Even if you are thinking about giving up the writing, just stop and think a minute.

It isn't about making the money or seeing how many books you can sell. It's about giving into the instinct within your heart and appeasing the screaming muses so you can get your story out there. Even if you decide to step away from the publishing industry, don't give up writing.

Home from the Mid-South Con Memphis Road Trip Adventure Weekend

Good Morning Everyone,

It's Monday. At least I think it is. That is what the calendar tells me although I would still love it to be this weekend so I could sleep more. It was a long drive home yesterday. So recapping everything that happened this weekend.

Thursday I set off on this epic adventure with Susan Roddey.  
Her husband was also along for the ride as well. We got off on our journey heading from SC, GA, Alabama, Mississippi, and wound up in Memphis, TN all of the ten hour drive that it took us getting us at the Hilton about 6:30.

We wound up on the 22nd floor of the circular hotel, why was it round? No idea, but being up so high although with an amazing view, I couldn't exactly enjoy it all the time because heights give me vertigo. (Thank the late night fire drill in college with the flashing lights and going down a spiral staircase in the strobe lights for that one.) The room was okay. I've had better and you would think for a Hilton they would have a fridge or something in their room for the price you pay. But nope. That night, we met up with Charon Coin Press owner, Jerry Benns, his wife Christine and their son, along with the editor, Margie Colton. We all hit Beale Street in Memphis, had some wonderful BBQ and walked around a bit checking out the local shops before heading back to the hotel.

Friday was the first day for Mid-South and my panels started at 5. I had The Female Author Roundup which was very good and discussed what it was like to be a female writer these days.
6 was The Writing Process with a packed room about how we all go about writing.
11 was the Erotica panel which is always fun.

In between all that we all hung out at the Charon Coin table annoying Jerry and making sure Omar had his hand one everything. (Omar is the perverted, reanimated mummified hand in A Deathly Undertaking, the Urban Fantasy I have coming soon with Charon Coin.)

He doesn't look exactly like, I pictured him, but he's still fun to play with.

Saturday, my first panel was at 12 pm. Haunted Objects.

That was fun, one of the panelists brought in his haunted dolls. All three dolls had little girls attached to them. They were playing around the room, the spirits, not the dolls. That panel was packed and went very well.

Next was Mythical Creatures at 4 and we talked about dragons and all sorts of different animals.
Tarot & Divination at 5 leaning about how Tarot was read and other forms of reading. It is always nice to talk shop with other readers since I don't get to do that much these days.

The rest of the night was spent hanging out and watching the people with all the amazing costumes and getting to talk with some friends I hadn't seen in a while and of course making new ones.

We all loaded back into the car Sunday morning and had the 10 hour drive turn into a 12 hour one because of the rain and idiots on the road. I got in about 11:30 as it was another hour for me to drive home and I wanted to sleep in my own bed last night.

It was tiring, it was fun, my hands are killing me, my husband is glad I'm home, and I can't wait for the next road trip in May. Susan and I are heading out to Austin Author Affair in Austin, Texas with a couple side trips on the way of course.

Overall, the con was fun.

It was a long drive, but Omar made it all special.

Mid-South Convention Schedule

So all of you who are going to be heading out to Mid-South Con in Memphis, TN this coming weekend, March 20-22, I will be there with bells on.

I am hitching a ride with another wonderful friend and author S. H. Roddey as well as her husband. A ten hour drive in the car with them is going to be quite and adventure I'm sure. But we don't kill one another just maybe drive one another crazier than we already are.

Anyway, here is my schedule below so don't forget to come on out and see me Friday and Saturday. Hit me up because I'll be hanging at the Charon Coin Press table bugging my new publisher. Come and ask me for the Toe Tag Bookmarks I have and some of the other goodies.

Schedule:

Fri 3/20	5:00 PM	Female Author Roundup
Fri 3/20	6:00 PM	The Writing Process
Fri 3/20	11:00 PM	The Power of Love (18+)
Sat 3/21	12:00 PM	Haunted Objects
Sat 3/21	4:00 PM	Mythical Creatures
Sat 3/21	5:00 PM	Tarot and Divination

Coming Soon from Charon Coin Press - A Deathly Undertaking

Hello Everyone,

On the day before I am trekking to Mid-South Con, I wanted to announce that I have signed on for a new series called The Undertaker Chronicles with Charon Coin Press. The first book in the series is entitled A Deathly Undertaking. The second book is called Follow The Ink. The third book is something I'm working on now.

Needless to say, I am very excited to be joining the family of such a great house. I am also thrilled because within the series are a few very unforgettable characters, namely one of them being a resurrected, mummified left hand who loves anything with boobs.

His name is Omar and he'll be with me at Mid-South so come and find me if you wanted to be petted.

Now here is a bit about A Deathly Undertaking. Enjoy.

Blurb:

Darria Savege is an undertaker's assistant. When her boss is killed, she assumes the job of undertaker and all the strange things that goes with it. A necromancer is trying to retrieve an item in her curio cabinet along with the key tattooed into her arm so he can release Medusa and her sister's from limbo.

All the while Darria is learning about her new position, she awakens a mummified hand named Omar who becomes her familiar. She works with a grim reaper named Oliver who collects the souls of the bodies she works on. And she has to do her job all the while trying not to get killed, figure out what the necromancer wants, and how to keep Medusa from escaping into her world.

Excerpt:

First she would have to set up the roll around tray that Mr. Archer used. Those tools were easy: pliers, wrench, blow torch, stake, mallet, silver scalpel, and forceps. She left a spot open for the last thing she would have to get, but first she turned her attention to the center of the room where Mr. Archer would focus all of his attention.

This one looked normal enough, blond hair perfectly arranged around her head. A smear of emerald eyeshadow on her lids matched her dress. Soft slightly marred pink lipstick was stuck to the woman’s teeth. Her green dress showed her curves and covered her legs down to her calves. One of her black pumps was missing and she wasn’t wearing any stockings. However, the bullet hole in the center of her forehead was a dead giveaway that she was well...dead. That and the faint curls of black smoke still steaming from the wound where the silver reacted with the corpse’s flesh. 

It was tough to believe this woman could turn into a ferocious beast on the full moon. Trying to picture her on all fours covered with fur brought back memories of some of the bad horror movies Darria had seen as a child. She didn’t know too much about how werewolves ticked because she had never seen one alive before, except that silver could hurt or kill them. But this was one of the varieties of creatures that had come through the undertaker’s cellar to be processed. And she wasn’t allowed to talk about any of them. So she kept on about her work and right now she had to be sure the cellar was set up correctly for her boss.

She glanced at the tray of tools. All were neatly arranged in their exact spot because if they weren’t she would have hell to pay later. The remainder of the instruments was kept under lock and key and she guarded that key with her life. Darria trailed her fingers over the tattoo on the inside of her right elbow. The lines of the tattoo, along with the rest of her sleeve, were sleek and defined. Darria played her fingers over the outline of the key tattoo until a violet shimmer appeared on her flesh. Once it lit up, the key became solid and plunked into her palm. The metal was warm as she held it. When the undertaker had given it to her, it resembled a normal key she would slip into any lock. It hadn’t been anything special, just a gold key that she could have picked up any hardware store. 

However, when she accepted her job, it transformed into what it was now. Darria ran her finger over the three arches on the top of the key. A surge of energy arced along her skin, causing the small hairs to rise along her arm. It gave the ravens etched into her flesh an amethyst hue. A small smile turned up her lips. It was nice to take a moment to relax and admire the simple symmetry of her job and the duties that went with it.