There's No Turning Back Now!

Yesterday was a monumental day for me.  Yesterday, I changed my life.  Yesterday, I did something I've been saying I was going to do for years.  Yesterday, I listed my book on Amazon for pre-sale.

You can pre-order it here: http://www.amazon.com/No-Turning-Back-Lauren-Greene-ebook/dp/B00SM94ENU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1422013133&sr=8-1&keywords=No+turning+back+by+lauren+greene&pebp=1422013147725&peasin=B00SM94ENU

It's also now on Goodreads, so if you love it (which I hope you do), you can add a review.

Link to my Goodreads author's page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13113697.Lauren_Greene

The thing is, the day went by like every other.  I went to work, I went to Number Two's basketball practice, I came home and ate dinner with the family, then we all snuggled on the couch and watched an episode of "The Simpson's."  After the kids went to bed, I worked for two hours on sending another piece of work in for submission and putting, "No Turning Back," on Amazon.

People ask me how I do everything I do. I have a lot going on in my life: I work a full time job, take care of three kids, write, and sell Jamberry nails. I exercise consistently, and I have a social life too.

The thing is, when you have a dream you do whatever it takes to achieve it.  If you really want to succeed in life, then you have to work for it and stop waiting for it to come to you.  It won't ever come to you, if you don't put the effort into making it happen.  Three years ago, I was "woe is me". I wanted to be an author, but I didn't realize the work I had to put into it (and let me tell you, it's a lot of work but well worth it). To make it happen, I've had to spend countless hours writing, editing, socializing with writer's groups, reading about how to create an e-book (which I didn't have to do on my own thanks to +Dash McCallen), and figuring out how to get my name out there.  The book may sell one copy, or fifty copies, or it could be a bestseller.  I don't really care.  What I do care about is that I decided I was going to do this, and I went for it.  I stopped worrying about what everyone else thinks about me. I know there will be people who don't like my book, and that's okay.  I stopped doubting myself.  I started believing in the power of me, and that gave me the ability to live my dreams.

You can live yours too!

Check me out on Wattpad. 

Follow @laurenegreene

That's A Wrap...Almost

So it's the last week of NaNoWriMo, and I still have a long way to go.  For those of you who don't know NaNoWriMo is National Novel Writing Month.  I've never participated before, but having a self-imposed (or nationally imposed in this case) deadline can actually help the creative juices flow. I just guess I like to be on a really tight deadline.  One month is not enough, let's try to write 50,000 words in ten days.

The thing is, I've probably written more than 50,000 words this month, between blogging, re-writing my other novel, and then starting my new novel.  I'm at 25,000 words in the new novel, and I can't relate the topic on this site because it's R rated, or maybe even NC-17, okay, definitely NC-17.

I've also found during the writing process, I like to listen to the same song over and over again.  The song of choice depends on my mood, but for my current project about two couples who become entangled in a web of lies and deceit that song is Hurt by Nine Inch Nails.  Yes, I know a lot of you who actually know me are laughing now, because I'm so not a NIN fan, but there is just something about this song.  I love the Johnny Cash version of the song too. Plus, the words relate to what's going on in my novel.  I wonder if any other authors listen to songs on repeat, or am I just crazy?  Regardless, I can't get enough of this song right now, and I wonder if the angst of the lead singer is coming out in my novel. I sure hope so!

Enough of that. I'm releasing Chapter 4 of The Devil Within on Wattpad tonight.  If you haven't read it, then click on the link above to offer me your support.  Wattpad allows writers to publish their work in pieces for others to read free.  It's a great way to support fledgling authors, and for me I'm using it to, *hopefully*, build up an audience so when I release my e-book I at least have a few buyers.  You can sign-up for Wattpad, favorite and comment.  If you see any grammatical errors, please let me know. The Devil Within has not been edited by a professional, and I'm editing it as I go, but I don't always catch every little mistake.  Plus, it's a rough draft, so there will definitely be mistakes out there.

I feel like this week, I've really made writing a priority. I still find it a struggle to balance everything: life, kids, work, writing, and exercising.  When I'm writing I get so caught up in the world I've created that other things start to slide in level of importance, and I tend to feel guilty.  Last night, I made it a point to lay in bed with the kids and talk to them about their weekend.  I asked them what they were excited about in this upcoming week, and we had a nice chat.  I need to find the balance to be able to write every day without feeling like I need to sprint, so I have more quality time with the kids on the weekend when we're all home together.  I know this is something every author struggles with, especially at the beginning when you're having to, not only write, but market yourself and make a name for yourself so you can stand out from the millions of other aspiring artists.  I'll get there one day.

Until then...Dream Big!

Don't forget to follow me on:
Follow @laurenegreene

A Writing Routine

I don't have writer's block.  I never have.  I usually have too much to write about, so I start and stop. I write 20,000 words, then I scrap it and move onto the next project.  I've done this my whole life.  I'm currently editing and rewriting sections of "No Turning Back," before I self-publish it on Amazon.  I worked on rewriting two sections this weekend, but I always need a little bit of a break before I go back to read it and work on grammar, realistic dialogue, etc.  So, I decided in the interim I would work on one of my other stories in progress.

I had about three to pick from, and I picked one I had been working on which I think has a great beginning, middle, and end but may be slightly inappropriate.  It's a psychological thriller.  I don't know how to pick one genre and stick with it.  I'm all over the board!  I started writing, but the more I thought about it the more I felt like I didn't want to work on that particular story.  I seriously could sit down and finish it if I wanted to, but I can't submit it to Wattpad for a general read because of some of the less than saintly aspects of the book.  It's more of a work that needs to be self-published (or actually published by a publishing house if I could ever make it that far)!

So, instead I decided to work on a new novel. It's more women's fiction, but may lean towards romance. GASP!  That's so not me.  But it will probably get a load of follows on Wattpad, and right now I'm all about trying to build an audience for my writing-to-be.  It just takes a lot of work, and I feel like it's all I'm able to do. It's giving me less time to do what I actual want to do: write.  When you have three kids, a job, 5,000 activities, and you try to stay in shape your writing time is limited anyway.  It makes me wonder how anyone makes it.  Oh, and unfortunately, I'm not one of those insomniac writers. I'm one of those people who thrive on routine.  I wake up promptly at 5:15 every day, and I have to be in bed by 10 PM (usually before).  I thrive and feel the best on this routine, but I do wish I had more time to write.  I'm always counting the minutes in the morning, trying to figure out how much time I have before a child comes downstairs, or before I have to start the crockpot so we can actually eat at night.  Always too much to do.  But, I wouldn't give up any of it.  When you love to write, you fit it in where you can, and you find you are always coming up with ideas for new books.

I find my inspiration, mostly from dreams, random thoughts, other people's conversations: you name it!  It just comes to me, and then I feel this urge to write.  I hope that urge never goes away.

Follow me on Twitter @laurenegreene
Read "The Devil Within" on Wattpad: @LaurenGreene4.  Currently the 1st Chapter is up, and the 2nd Chapter will be released tomorrow, 11/19/14!!!
Check out my Facebook Writer's Page: https://www.facebook.com/laurengreenewrites

Young Adult

Young Adult.  That's where it's at.  I went to see Divergent last night.  I'm in the middle of the second book, almost done, and there is something intriguing about young adult dystopian fantasies. 

I told Hubby last night, "I think I'll write a Young Adult trilogy about a war, a couple in love, and some sort of conflict.  Then I'll get it turned into a movie, and we can be millionaires." 

"Go for it!" he said. 

And I will.  I need to.  I've been blogging again, which is good.  I haven't really been writing.  I've been trying to set exercise goals and get myself back in shape.  I've been trying to spend more time with my children--giving them the best part of me.  Those are all important, but so is achieving your goals. And I need to stick to my writing goals and not get away from them.  There was one part of last year where I was writing about 5,000 words every day, and writing only gets easier and better if you do it often. 

I've had my head stuck in a book this year, but not in writing a book. 

I'd love to work on a great trilogy, go through about a thousand rejection letters and then get it published.  I'd still like to e-publish my work, but honestly I'm not sure I have the time to market it the way an e-published book needs to be marketed.  I simply am not connected enough, and I don't know enough people to have them review the book and send on to other people they know.  E-publishing is tough, because so many books are published every day, and only the books that are actively marketed earn money. 

To me writing isn't about earning money, but how great would it be to be able to make a living at doing something you love?  That's my overall goal, even if it takes me better than 20 years to do.

Plus, I'd love to have this guy play the male lead in my movie, and maybe as an author's bonus I could rub my hands all over his chest: