Musical Mondays

Hi Guys,

I have an exciting announcement! 

I'm starting a new blog feature called "Musical Mondays." Every Monday I will feature a playlist an author made while writing a specific book. This is an awesome opportunity to showcase your book and also inspire other writers looking for new music.

I welcome any traditionally published authors and self-published authors. I also welcome authors not yet published as long as you have a finished manuscript, a polished book blurb, and a place where readers can find out a little more about you or your writing.

If you're interested, please shoot me an email at: jolene.haley(@)gmail(.com) <-Just remove parenthesis

This is the information I'll need from you:

1. Your name.

2. Name of the Book, Genre, and pub date (past or future, if at all).

3. Links you want me to include. This could be the Goodreads, Amazon, feature on your personal website, wherever you're selling it, or if you're in the middle of a blog tour we can feature a list of where your blog stop tours have been.

4. Your list of songs for your playlist (if you already have them compiled in a playlist or have the links, go ahead and send them over. If they aren't already compiled, I can put them together if you tell me the exact song information.

5. If you have any commentary as to why each song, commentary on the feel or mood of the music, etc., feel free to let me know and I'll include it. Otherwise, I'll just post the songs.

6. Author information, bio, social media links, and pic (if you want that included).

7. Extras if you so desire. If you want me to include any extras such as a chapter excerpt, etc. I'm happy to.

8. Two different Monday dates you'd like to see it up (in case one is already taken).

Alright. I think that covers it. Let me know if you have any questions! 

Hope to feature your book soon!

Happy New Year's Eve!

Happy New Years!

We made it through 2012. We survived two Ends of the World, bath salts, and Honey Boo Boo. Damn. We are resilient. And since silver and gold glitter always make me thing of New Years, here you go.

And here.

Now that glitter is out of the way, here are my New Year's resolutions.

New Year's resolutions:

1. I will read more. Last year I read around 70 books. Then again I did join Goodreads late, so this number could be higher. Either way, whatever number of books I read, I will always think I need to read more.

2. I will do more things that make me happy. I am a slave sometimes to technology. I need to shut down more and focus on friends and family. That said, I need to clarify something in #3.

3. Don't neglect my social media. I know #2 mentioned shutting down my electronic devices more, but I can still do that and get even more blogging/tweeting done. It just means that I can't waste hours on Pinterest looking at glitter gifs or reading TMZ.

4. Lose weight. 2012 was the first time I'd ever had a normal desk job after working previously in my life as a retail slave, camp counselor, waitress, hostess, and misc. office bitch. This means more sitting for me which means that I'm not as trim as I used to be. I need to get out more!

5. Spend more time with my family. My brother and mother both live in Colorado and we see each other 1 to 3 times a year or less. Even my family that lives nearby, sometimes I can go weeks without talking to them because I'm busy. No. This isn't right. I need to be there. I can't live without my family.

6. Help more writers. I remember how lost I was when I first started writing. I needed help. I didn't have anyone. I'm here writers. I'm here for you.

7. Write more. I'm not just talking about blogging because between all of my blogs and blogs I contribute to Pen & Muse, Brazen Reads, YA Stands, Let's Get Nerdy, Thursday Night Book Club, Season Qs Academy, my secret poetry blog that shall remained mysterious, and the blog I'm trying to get off the ground 365 Days of Kindness, I actually do write a lot. But I'm talking about actually writing my WIPS and giving them the love and devotion that they deserve. Write more. This should actually be my number one.

8. Stop hating e-readers. Meh. Actually. Scratch that one. I love to hate them.

9. Read more than just YA. YA is my passion but it's also important for me, with running Pen & Muse, that I'm well versed in all genres. 

10. Go to more conferences for writing and reading. I'm still afraid of flying but I don't let it stop me.

11. Pay off my credit cards.

I'm trying to think of more but those are the biggest ones. I hope I can do at least some of these and make it happen. 

What about you? What are your New Year's resolutions?  Did you meet your goals from last year? I'd love to know in the comments below! 

My Next Big Thing: Bump in the Night

My Next Big Thing

I’ve been invited by the lovely Lauren Spieller to participate in My Next Best Thing! That said, I'm pumped to talk about my novel Bump in the Night.

1. What is the working title of your book?

Bump in the Night

2. Where did the idea for your book come from?

I've always been a huge fan of the macabre and of monsters. There's always been shows like Supernatural, etc where there are lots of men hunting down the things that go bump in the night... but where are the girls?! That's where the idea came from. That and years of reading Goosebumps.

3. What genre does your book fall under?

Bump in the Night is a YA urban fantasy novel with strong elements of horror.

4. What actors would you chose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

I would love to see this on a big screen! This was actually pretty tough, but here's what I have:

Samantha- Ass-kicking, fearless protagonist
Troian Bellisario

Deacon- Love interest / Sheriff's son
Logan Lerman

Tyler- Deacon's best friend
David Henrie

Marcheline- Sam's best friend

Aimee Teegarden

Victoria- Sam's Mom

Reese Witherspoon

Eliza- Sam's Grandmother and Mentor

Maggie Smith

5. What is a one sentence synopsis of your manuscript?

16-year-old Samantha fights monsters as a Guardian of the Day, while trying to live her life as normal as possible and investigate her Grandmother's disappearance.

6. Will your book be self published or represented by an agency?

Agency. 

7. How long did it take to write the first draft of your manuscript?

Bump in the Night was started in 2011 and finished during May 2012. I've been editing it ever since.

8. What other books would you compare this story to within the genre?

Bump in the Night is probably a cross between Spookygirl by Jill Baguchinsky and Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake. I love both of these novels so so much! Also, Sweet Venom by Tera Lynn Childs holds some similarities.

9. Who or what inspired you to write this book?

My love for writing strong female protagonists and my obsession with horror stories/monsters.

10.  What else about the book might pique the reader’s interest?

I think there is something for everyone in Bump in the Night. There's a love story. A mystery. Monsters and fighting. There are normal growing pains. Loss. I love my story. But then again, don't all writers? I just hope someday, other people might love it too.

Thanks so much for stopping by to check out my novel! I'm passing the torch onto one of my favorite writerly people, and one of the best writers I know: Haylee Qualls.

If you have any questions about Bump in the Night, don't hesitate to ask!

How To Get Your Shit Done & Stuff

Balance.

You guys have probably seen a zillion posts on this before, but let me tell you something. As of late, balance in my life has been SO difficult! This is probably why you see my website a little neglected. 

I’m a part of three different writing sites, one blog reviewing site, run a book club, and as of yesterday I was offered an internship with a publishing house. I also work full-time, am engaged and trying to plan a wedding, own pets, and I have a hearty book addiction. I’m also gearing up for Nanowrimo. Oh, and I’m sick.

Sometimes I think of the things I have to get done in my day and wonder, when can I possibly make all of this happen?! I barely even know. I’m sure you feel or have felt the same way.

Don’t get me wrong. I love all of these things that I’m a part of! I really, really do! So why am I complaining? I’m not trying to. I just want anyone out there feeling kind of like I do, to know that it’s okay to feel overwhelmed! It happens. Life gets busy and usually when it does, something has to be neglected. Whether it be that you start forgetting to do little things you were supposed to, a significant other or family member feels like you’re neglecting the relationship, etc. It’s not easy. But there are a few things you can do to make the balancing act a little easier.

•           Create a plan - How will you accomplish what you need? What tools do you need? Do you have them? Do you need more information? Gather this information all together.
•       Buy a calendar / datebook / use an online calendar – Use this. Plan out your week. And if it makes it easier, plan everything, even dinner. Believe me. I know this is tough. I’m a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants kind of girl. But for my work life, this is essential and SO helpful.
•       Manage your time - Allot a certain amount every day to do each task. Once you realize exactly how much each item takes to accomplish, you’ll be able to better plan your day and realize exactly what you can and can’t take on. I know several published authors that have lists like this even for writing. They log when they start and stop, word count, etc.
•         If you have a Smartphone, use it! - Make that post while you’re standing in line at Starbucks or on your lunch break at work. Sometimes, this is the only time that I have free!
•        Reach out to others for help. If you have a blog, ask for contributors or guest bloggers. See if a friend can help with something that you need. Most people are absolutely willing to help and happy to do it. Don’t be afraid to ask.
•            Music – De-stress with a little music if you can. I have several bands that calm me down if I need to be calm, or deflate my frustration, etc. Listen to your band if you can while working or doing a few tasks. I know music while writing always helps me.
•       Do something nice for yourself – Even if it’s something as simple as grabbing a coffee or treating myself to a nice new bright-red editing pen. Rewarding myself for a job well done always makes the week seem less horrible. And believe me, you deserve it!

What do you do when you're feeling completely overwhelmed? 

How do you maximize productivity? How do you de-stress?

Free Writing Apps

I recently posted an article for YA Stands about helpful apps for writers. 

Just in case you missed it, I've posted it below.

Twitter is one of my favorite tools for writers. If you're a writer, and you're on twitter, you probably know what I'm talking about. I'm talking about the supportive online community for writers, agent pitching contests, book cover reveals, meeting other writers, and so much more.

In fact, recently I met several amazing YA writers through twitter, one of which is Kristen Jett. In case you don't know her or follow her, you should! You can check out her website HERE and follow her blog HERE. What is awesome about Kristen, besides her ever-present positivity and sense of humor, is her her incredible knowledge on all things writing. Which brings me to the subject of my posts.

Kristen and I got to talking about technology and the convenience of having a smart phone with writing apps. I only recently got my first smartphone and I'm learning about all the awesome apps out there. Kristen gave me a ton of them to check out. I want to share them with you in hopes that you find them just as awesome as I do now. Put your feet up and get your phone charging; your phone just got so much better!

FREE  BOOK RELATED APPS FOR YOUR PHONE

Evernote - An app that allows you to capture everything from likes, websites, things you see or hear, and everything in between. You can even save important tweets with it.

Cost: free
Useful for: book research, etc.

Available on: computer and most mobile smartphones

Goodreads - This app allows you to mark books you want to read, review what you have, see what your friends are reading, and get book recs. Goodreads also has a lot of great book giveaways.

Cost: free

Useful for: book research, reviewing, and organizing your digital bookshelf.

Available on: computer and most mobile smartphones

Werdsmith - This is a basic writing app that allows you to sort things into three categories: ideas, projects and portfolios. Not only is the logo super rad, but it's got a clean layout and is easy to use.

Cost: free. Has an upgrade option that costs $2.99

Useful for: quickly jotting down book ideas, writing

Available on: iPhone, iPod, or iPad

Corkulous - This is a wonderful app! It's a digital cork board you can use to plan anything you want. I've downloaded other cork board type apps, but this one is far superior. Your boards update automatically to be able to share between all apple devices.

Cost: free. Has an upgrade option that costs $1.99

Useful for: story boarding, inspiration boards, vision boards

Available on: iPhone, iPod, or iPad

Plaintext - This is a simple text editor that let's you write, edit, and organize your documents. Everything is able to be synced with Dropbox.com

Cost: Free

Useful for: editing

Available on: iPod, iPhone, iPad

A Novel Idea - This is amazing! It's ad free and an invaluable tool for planning your novel. It covers characters, plot, setting, and scenes. Setting up your scenes is as easy as dragging and dropping them into place.

Cost: Free
Useful for: Novel layout, planning, character detail
Available on: iPod, iPhone, iPad

I hope you found something here that you didn't know about before! It's always nice to learn about more resources for writers. Oh, and thanks Kristen for all the awesome recommendations! I know there are a ton of writing apps out there, so let me ask you readers and writers:

What are you favorite writing/reading apps?

Nanowrimo 2012

Is anyone out there doing Nanowrimo?

In case you haven't heard of it, Nanowrimo is an online and in-home event, where you try to write an entire novel, or at least 50,000 words of it, in the month of November. The website can be found HERE.

I've participated the last three years, but I've only been successful one time, completing the challenge of 50,000 words in 30 days. Not only is the event awesome for writers, but there's a great writing community out there that band together and write.

I'd like to challenge all of you, including myself, to try this event and take it seriously this year. A lot of good can come from this, whether it be a complete novel, writing buddies, or great writing habits.

Chuck Wendig, novelist and screenwriter, has compiled an awesome to-do list if you're interesting in participating, if you're so inclined. You can find that HERE.

Alas, add me on Nanowrimo if you are participating. My username is Carniehands. Yep. That's right. Carniehands.

Take this time to start thinking about what you want to write, who your protagonist is, and look up local writing ground in your area. You can do this. I can do this. We can do this.