No Turning Back: Release Day!

I can't believe it's here! Release Day for "No Turning Back." 

Here's a summary:

Kaia Hart seems to have it all: a career as a successful architect, two perfect children, and a handsome husband, Patrick, but she’s haunted by an accident in her past.  On a business call, one day, she’s surprised to find Asher, her once-love, has moved to town and will be working with her.  In “No Turning Back,” Kaia faces nightmares from her past and big decisions about her future, as the two worlds seem to collide.  Will Kaia give up everything for Asher, or will she find comfort in the arms of Patrick?  

Add it to your Goodreads reading list:  http://bit.ly/1uLKvsG

Where can I buy this book? Glad you asked:

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1BDMdPf

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1Lurplw

Kobo: http://bit.ly/169NJ3D

Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/1EWHdJe

About the Author:

Lauren Greene was born in California, but raised in Alabama. After moving away and swearing she would never come back, she moved back to Alabama with her husband and her three children. Lauren currently works in the banking field.  Lauren has been writing since she was seven years old, and she's an avid reader.  "No Turning Back," is her first published work. Besides writing novels, Lauren also loves to write works of flash fiction.  You can find more of Lauren's writing on her blog and on Wattpad. 

You can find Lauren online:

Website: http://www.lululandadventures.blogspot.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/laurengreenewrites

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/1CKGGue

Twitter: https://twitter.com/laurenegreene

Google+: http://bit.ly/1DgXK9i

Wattpad: http://www.wattpad.com/user/LaurenGreene4

On Being a Self-Published Author

I'm not quite yet a self-published author, but I will be tomorrow.  And let me tell you, there's nothing easy about being a self-published author. In fact, (excuse my language) it takes a shit ton of work.  I have been promoting the heck out of my book. I've had friends set up twitter feeds.  People are reviewing my book.  I've been trying to get bloggers and websites to promote my book.  There is so much work.

I love to write. It's my passion. I'm not crazy about all the other stuff.  I read, about two years ago, an article about how much time and effort it takes to self publish. I think I brushed it off, put it aside, and went on thinking, "la la la," this will be easy. Well, it's not.

The thing about being an indie author, is sometimes you're not taken seriously.  I tell people I have two full time jobs: executive assistant and writer (I really have more than that because I'm a mother too). And it feels like it. I wake up every morning at 5:15 to: write, edit, send email requests to bloggers, reviewers, format, request covers, upload, etc. This is a time consuming job.  The people who don't want to invest the time into finding the right communities to be part of, into marketing and promoting the heck out of themselves, well, they need to find something else to do. I probably spend about 50% of my time on trying to market my book, and the other 50% writing or editing.

In a perfect world, I could wake up write, edit a little bit, send off to an agent, BINGO, get an acceptance and never look back. But that's not going to happen. Even if I do end up with an agent (one day), I still have to make changes to the book and self promote. Many publishers these days play a hand in the marketing and promotion of books, but they don't do it all.  The bottom line: If you want your book to sell then you have to promote it.  You have to have friends who will share your link. You have to have an active twitter account.  You have to have reviews on Amazon (this is key), Goodreads, and blogs.  Your name and the title of your book needs to be visible on the world wide web.

Anyway, after reading all of this you might ask why I do it? And the reason is simple: I love writing. When you find something you love doing, you might jump through hoops to be able to do it. Plus, I have met some incredible authors who are living the same struggle as I am.  If I had never taken on this endeavor, I would never have met these incredible people, maybe never known their books existed, never been able to help them just as they're helping me.  It's so worth it in the end.

If you would like to read an excerpt of "No Turning Back," you can check it out here: https://awomanswisdom.wordpress.com/2015/01/30/new-release-no-turning-back-by-lauren-greene/

You can buy it on Amazon. 

Check out my other social media:

Check out my Amazon Author's Page: amazon.com/author/laurengreenewrites

Read "The Devil Within" on Wattpad: http://www.wattpad.com/82001959-the-devil-within-chapter-one?utm_source=web&utm_medium=link&utm_content=share_reading&ref_id=40841265

Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/laurengreenewrites?ref=hl

And follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/laurenegreene

No Turning Back: Cover Reveal

Kaia is an architect, married to Patrick, overwhelmed by a full-time job, her two children, and her failing marriage.  She's haunted by an accident from her past and by the man she left behind: Asher. On assignment, she is shocked to find Asher has moved to her town.  Working with him, the feelings that she pushed to the back of her mind, years ago, start to resurface.  In "No Turning Back," Kaia must make a decision between the man she married and the man she loves.  Who will she choose?

"No Turning Back" will be available on Amazon on January 31, 2015.  But you're in luck, because the cover is complete:

In the meantime, you can check out my other writing over at Wattpad.  "The Devil Within" is a dark coming of age story about William Hill, a nine year old who not only loses his mother, sister and brother, but has to contend with an abusive father who doesn't know how to face his grief.  You can read it by clicking here-->http://www.wattpad.com/story/26698809-the-devil-within.

Stay Tuned for teasers from "No Turning Back," and for other news about my writing.

Check me out on Wattpad. 

Follow @laurenegreene

This File Cannot Be Found

I worked hard yesterday.  I finally started preparing to turn my first piece of completed work into an eBook.  I read about how to format the book.  I even started formatting the book.  I spent a good hour putting in headings, prettying up some language, and continuing to do some minor editing.  Then what happened?  Word crashed, and mysteriously my entire document disappeared!  YES--disappeared!!!  Thank God I have it saved in more than one place and on more than one computer plus a thumb drive, but I felt like I could vomit. I felt like yelling, but screaming at inanimate objects really does little to make you feel better: 

Formatting sucks worse than editing, and I wish I had put chapter headings into the novel when I was writing, but I didn't. Now I get to do it all over again: YIPPEE!!! I just wrote and wrote.  I have learned from this mistake, and I've been putting chapter headings in my current work. 

I just pulled up my document again, and I'm going to start formatting...AGAIN!  I looked all over, My Documents, my SkyDrive, every single place I had saved and the work I had done was nowhere, like it had never been done. POOF, vanished.  How does that even happen?  How does a computer consume your work? 

My computer gives me this cute little message when I try to pull it up from the location where I saved it: This file cannot be found.  Are you sure you didn't delete it or move it?  And of course, it's a rhetorical question, because it's not like you can answer your computer.  And if you did answer your computer, it's like it would be looking back at you and shrug, and say, "Well what am I supposed to do about it?"  So instead, you just have to click the gigantic X on the screen and then stare at the blank white screen and wonder where in the universe all your work went, and wishing you could have done something more productive in that hour of your life than formatting a piece of work that was intended to be swallowed into the great abyss of computer hell. 

 

 

Just Write

I set a date (in my head), in order to start my revisions on my first draft.  I'm still trying to come up with an appropriate title for the work.  My original title, "What Could Be," does not really fit with the outcome of the book. 

I'm at the point where I want to pull it up and really dig into itwork on it: correcting grammar, fixing mess-ups, and just doing a total revision, but I'm holding off for a few more weeks.  I'm setting the day of the 24th, after my trip to Nashville, and when meet season is (almost) over; when I can actually concentrate on revising the way it needs to be done.

Then, I need to dig further into Writer's Market for possible agents.  Actually, my goal is to do that over the next few weeks: research agents, find agents that will accept unsolicited works, read up on query letters, and formulate a query letter.  Yes, this is like having a second job.  There simply are not enough hours in the day for me to do everything I NEED to do. 

I'm also hard at work on my next piece. I've already written 15,000 words, and I'm just getting started.  This work is different from my first finished work, and I'm going to have to dedicate some serious hours to research and reading, that I simply don't have time for this month.  Did I mention I also have my nose stuck in a 700 page book right now? Underworld by Don Delillo.  I'll probably owe the library $10 by the time I finish it, because I keep forgetting to renew it.  There's no excuse for that either, because I can renew on line: pure laziness on my part! I need to finish it so I can look into the list of history books my friend Scout provided me.  It pays to have a history professor as your friend! 

This second piece is sticking with me more than the first. Sometimes I pull up "What Could Be," and I marvel at the fact that I actually wrote it.  I remember writing it, but it almost seems I was outside of myself when I did it.  I know that it all came from me though, my subconscious, my thoughts, but it just seems so surreal that I put all that down on paper.  I don't feel the same with the second work.  I feel more connected to it.  Maybe because I finished the first work, I'm feeling more confident in the second one. 

I Must Be Crazy

I seriously must be crazy. I had committed this year to do a 5K.  Remember?  It was one of my 2013 Goals.  Well last week, my co-worker sent out an email about a 10K race that the Montgomery Junior League is Sponsoring. I thought, "Wow, there's no way I'm doing that.  I have to do my 5K first."  I mean, a 10K is TWICE as long as a 5K, and I haven't gotten close to running 6 miles yet. 

So yesterday I hit the reply button, and I told Amy that I would run the Shamrock Shuffle.  Seriously, I'm crazy.  Anyway, my goal is to run at least a 5K and then maybe walk the remaining 5K, unless I really amp up my training between now and then.  Or who knows, become Superwoman?  That would be great.  I could get a lot done in my life if I had super powers!

 

 

So if any other runners in Montgomery want to run with me, just let me know.  I can get Amy to help sign you up.  I'm excited for it, but a little bit nervous about the commitment of a 10K.  At least the run is located near where I run every day, so I'm used to the terrain. 

 

I'm typing this while sitting on the couch and drinking coffee.  I was supposed to go for a run this morning, but I woke up cold and I did not want to go out in the 34 degree weather.  I'm going to have to give that attitude up if I want to achieve my goal and run the Shamrock Shuffle!  I need to put in more and longer miles.  I know I can do it, it's just a matter of setting my mind to it.

 

Now on to another topic...

 

I've been brainstorming about finding an agent for my book and figuring out how to go about getting published.  I've received positive feedback from the few people who have read it so far.  I did a no-no last night, and I opened up the revisions that my friend Aubrey sent me.  I looked through, and I made a few adjustments.  In one point, I had changed the character's last name several times.  I love the "find and replace" feature in Word.  It makes my life so easy.  My sister said she thinks the book is totally marketable.  And I'm realizing that when people read my work it makes me happy, even excited, to see their take on it.  I hate criticism, but I WANT them to critique it and tell me what needs to be added, changed, and where the holes are.  I WANT them to tell me if the story flows and makes sense or if I need to change things around, delete, etc. 

 

I've been reading a lot on the Internet about the world of publishing, and I know the steps I need to take.  I'm steeling my heart for the rejection slips that will follow too.  You have to deal with rejection in order to get to the good stuff in life.  And most importantly, I'm still writing.  I've scribbled down approximately 10,000 words on my 2nd novel, which is whole-heartily different than my first and taking me longer because I've had to do some research on what life in Alabama was like in the 1920's.   

 

I'm achieving my goals this year, and I'm doing things I didn't even think I could do last year.  It's such an amazing feeling.

2013 Goal Accomplished: Finish my Novel

Check one off my list for 2013, I finished my novel yesterday!  I am psyched, but now the real work begins. I sent the work to a few of my close friends and relatives for their constructive feedback.  I know I have a lot of grammatical issues to clear up, because let's face it: when you write something that's 230 pages you can't always be perfect.  Plus, I'm sure there are holes in the story, and plot clean-up that needs to be done in the second revision.  Still I'm glad to have it done.
Some of you have been asking what it's about and simply put: it's a love story with a little bit of a tragic twist.  I'm not sharing too many details, because I want y'all to read it when it's published (even if it takes me the rest of my life to do that). 

So what am I doing now?  Am I still writing? Yes.  I started my second piece of work last night, an idea that popped in my head one morning while writing Untitled Novel #1.  Idea #2 is a different story line, a very different plot than Novel #1, even a different genre. I'm meddling with the notion of making Idea #2 a short story, to try to submit to some online publishing companies in order to gain some recognition.  I'm following Stephen King's advice to start the next piece of work while some trusted friends are reading your current work, then put it aside for six weeks, and go back to do revisions when you're not so attached to your characters or the plot line, or where people's advice (even constructive) doesn't make you want to throw up.

Next: I need to research publishers, and then I guess I need to start the submission process.  I know it is difficult to get any work published these days, but I really want to try, as this has been one of my dreams my entire life. 

I started writing stories when I was 7 years old, never finishing, but always writing.  I have stacks and stacks of notebook paper and old printer paper filled with stories I began and never finished.  I used to write about these little boy triplets, and then I wrote about the Civil War, something I was completely fascinated with as a child.  I grew in my writing as I grew into myself.

It is simply an amazing feeling to accomplish one of your dreams. 

I have achieved one of my life goals, and that is an incredible feeling.

Goals for 2013

I just pushed a button on my phone, setting a huge GOAL for 2013 for myself.  My goals for this coming year are similar and different from last year. 

Here they are, in no particular order:

• Run 315 miles this year: I set a RunKeeper goal to run 315 miles.  This is slightly over 2 miles 3 times a week.  Basically, this means I have to run on all my Taekwondo off days, plus maybe on a few Taekwondo on days.  I'm sure I can do it.

• Run a 5K: I'm setting a goal to run ONE 5K.  I actually hope I can do this somewhere around March or so.  I'm also doing a training program with RunKeeper, to get me prepared.  Now if I can just get over this cold and hit the pavement a little bit more.

• Finish my Novel: This is one of my biggest goals this year.  I should be done in the next month or so, I'm guessing.  I've already reached the climax and my main character is just floundering right now in between two large life decisions.  I need to get her settled and then put it away, returning to it to edit.  Some of you may be lucky enough to read the first draft!

• Start working on Short Stories: I've never been a short story writer, but I really think they are the key to getting novels published.  If you can get some short stories published, then you'll have recognition that will help you with a longer piece.  So I'm going to try my hand at it.

• Keep the Weight Off: Clean out my closet of all the too-big clothes and keep the weight off.  I'm going to do this by maintaining my healthy diet and incorporating exercise in my life every day (see above). 

So those are my goals this year!  I'm psyched to accomplish them and to see what 2013 holds!

Thoughts on Writing

Thoughts on Writing

 

DJ Lance is the background noise to my creative juices this morning.  Darling Daughter decided 4:30 AM was as good a time as any to start her day.  She loves Yo Gabba Gabba.  I don't mind it.  I wonder if I should be writing a children's book, instead of attempting a novel.

I've realized a few things about novel writing this week. 

• I have too many ideas in my head.  I've started a novel.  I've worked on editing it. I've worked on writing it.  My characters are leading their own lives, moving in the way they are supposed to lead me, the author.  As the ideas are flowing, other ideas for books fill my mind.  When my mind is creating it doesn't want to stop.  I think this is why I have a problem with completion.  I start one story, then I move on when a "better" idea hits me. 

• I really need an editor, but I can't afford one.  I have a tendency to be a perfectionist.  This is not good. I keep going back and making changes, and I don't make progress.  I need to set certain days to write and certain days to edit, so I can make progress.  And eventually...I need to have an editor.

• I need to attend some creative writing classes or seminars.  I need to meet other creative writers and discuss struggles in getting published (very hard to do right now) and editing and character development and dialogue and so on...