Good morning, writers!

Sorry for the delay in posts. It's been a whirlwind of a month.

What happened this month:

- In 24 days, I wrote the third book to the Blazetrilogy. It's with a beta now for fact checking.

- A good friend passed away in an accident, so we've been bouncing back from that.

- Depression's been at an all-time high.

- Various acting gigs from playing Belle (above picture) at an interactive event, landing a spot as a model in a wedding fashion show, and handbell performances have occupied my schedule.

- I'm currently waiting for edits back on book two of the Blaze trilogy. A beta just read it and said they even liked it better than the first, so that encouraged me.

- Said goodbye to my dad for eight months as he's snow-birding in Florida with his wife he married in March. They seem like they're really enjoying the warm weather.

The plan moving forward?

At this blog I'm still planning to:

- Give publishing tips whenever I stumble across them.

- Interview and have authors guest blog on here. Watch out for another interview October 25th.

- Give encouragements for authors in the industry.

- Keep you up-to-date on my publishing adventures.

Update?

Blaze trilogy: Book one sales are still going strong. Found out the other day it's available at Target and Wal-Mart. With the LPC/Iron Stream merger, I'm excited to see what happens. Book Two's under edits, Book Three with a beta.

Other books: My agent currently has out two children's books, three YA series, a romance, and a non-fiction book. Nothing but rejection so far (with the exception of a few full requests). Fingers crossed.

Agenting: Proud to have recently gotten clients a number of contracts in the past few months. It always makes my stomach do a flip whenever they open that email in their inbox.

Work: Working a billion side gigs. Putting out, for one job alone, 200 social media posts per week, and that's just the tip of the iceberg. Send chocolate, please.

Depression: I wish I could say it's going down. For the moment, I'm in a better living situation, but a number of tumultuous events happened in the past few weeks. It's been hard to get minimal work hours and bounce back.

I think that's about it. Sorry for the brief update. I figured I'd fill you in about the hiatus. Once the storm passes, I plan to get more posts out there. Hope you're all having a wonderful Friday.

I absolutely love interviewing authors on this blog, and seeing Adam Blumer had a new book releasing, I jumped at the opportunity to have him stop by.

For those of you who have not read Kill Order, please Order (haha) it. No, seriously. Go order it. I read it all in one sitting. It's amazing.

Below find a description about this jaw-dropping read. If you're looking for clean suspense, with amazing descriptions, razor-sharp dialogue, and deep philosophical inquiries into the nature of the human condition and free will, you'll love this epic read.

Brief description: When he sleeps, the forgotten terrors of the past come alive.Grammy-winning pianist Landon Jeffers’s brain cancer has given him only a few years to live. But when he sleeps, the forgotten terrors of his past torment him. When he wakes, shameful memories come rushing back. Desperate for answers, Jeffers discovers that a brain implant intended to treat his cancer is really a device to control him, forcing him to commit terrible crimes. Now he’s being manipulated by an evil crime syndicate and a crooked cop. What if free will isn’t? What if your every move is predestined? If you kill, are you guilty of murder?

Creepy!

Now as you're ordering your copy, I'm going to interview Adam. Don't worry. The interview will be here for you after you go place your order.

Now, Adam, we have a lot of authors who like to stop by this blog, so tell me a little about your writing journey.

I’ve loved to write stories since I was a kid and studied novel writing in college. I completed five unpublished novels, mostly for youth, before I began Fatal Illusions, my first published novel, in the spring of 2002 in conjunction with a Writer's Digest correspondence course on novel writing. In January 2006, literary agent Steve Laube, a well-known and respected voice in Christian fiction, responded enthusiastically to my book proposal and asked to see the entire manuscript. Of course, I was on cloud nine. Though he ultimately declined to represent me, he kindly gave me eight suggestions on how to make the novel publishable.

Energized, I followed his advice and got to work, but I still couldn't find an agent or publisher. A year later, I contacted Kregel Publications, not about my novel but about opportunities to edit books from home. The managing editor noticed on my résumé that I had written several unpublished novels and asked to see my latest project. Kregel accepted it for publication in August 2007. God opened a door I never could have opened for myself.

I love that! God really does open doors when we least expect it. Now, I know you've written some other fantastic novels like Fatal Illusionsand The Tenth Plague, but I'm really intrigued by Kill Order. Can you tell me where the idea came from for that?

My dad, Larry, passed away from brain cancer in 2011, and several aspects of his cancer journey kicked off the initial story idea. One key detail involved a medical procedure; the doctors agreed to remove as much of my dad’s brain tumor as possible and replace it with medicinal wafers intended to fight the existing cancer. My mind began playing the what-if game. What if the doctor implanted something else, something that could monitor or even control my dad’s life? The story’s premise grew from there.

That's so interesting. I'd wondered if the idea had come from a what-if scenario ... now to craft a book as excellent as this, I imagine you had to go through a lot of drafts, edits, and other frustrations of the writing process. What is the most difficult part of that writing process for you?

I rarely have difficulty coming up with story ideas and even an engaging premise, but getting from the beginning to the ending is a circuitous path that can sometimes come to dead ends. The hardest part of novel writing, in my opinion, is choosing the right path that comes out at the right ending. There are so many moving pieces and critical decisions along the way that the writer can become paralyzed, overcome by too many choices. If you’re an indecisive person, you’ll never succeed as a novelist.

So true! Especially in a genre like suspense, you really can't afford to choose the wrong path. Can you tell me the hardest part of writing Kill Order specifically?

The ending was tough to write. While I’m typically an organized plotter, I took off the training wheels on this one and let the story glide where it and the characters wanted to go. The journey became both fun but scary. I had the premise and some plot developments in place, but how the story concluded took more work than I expected. I typically take at least a couple of years of evenings and weekends for the actual writing of the book. But that doesn’t count the time needed to shop the novel around through my agent and then wait on a publisher before and after the contract; the publishing wheel turns much more slowly than most readers realize. I wish I could write more quickly than that, but that’s the reality for me, since this isn’t my full-time gig.

Good point. Speaking of the publishing industry, what are some of your frustrations with that?

1. The amount of time each book requires from start to finish. Included in this is the long wait time from publishers.

2. The continually changing rules in writing and publishing. Just when you think you know what publishers are looking for, your agent tells you something else

3. Book marketing. One cannot guarantee sales. I wish a book release was like the movie Field of Dreams. “Build it, and they will come.” If only it were that easy. There is almost an equal amount of work in just promoting the book.

I love that movie, and I agree. I wish it worked more like that. We've been talking a lot about the difficult parts of writing, but what is your favorite part about being an author?

I love hearing from readers who went to work tired because they stayed up too late finishing one of my novels. If I kept them immersed in my story and entertained, that’s a score in my book.

And of course, because I'm a weird gal, I need to know one unusual fact about you:

When I was a kid, for a while I wanted to be a ventriloquist and had a “dummy” named Andy. But then I got braces and could no longer talk through my teeth like I used to. Andy sadly went into storage.

I was not expecting that, but that is a very unusual fact. Thank you so much, Adam for visiting! And everyone please, if you have not yet, go get a copy of this fantastic book.

Book links:

Amazon:https://www.amazon.com/dp/1645261867/Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/kill-order-adam-blumer/1132572349?ean=9781645261865Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas:https://www.shoplpc.com/product/kill-order/Kindle E-book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07VRSPGMN/

Adam Blumer fixes other people’s books to pay the bills. He writes his own to explore creepy lighthouses and crime scenes. He is the author of three clean Christian thrillers: Fatal Illusions, The Tenth Plague, and Kill Order. A print journalism major in college, he works full-time from home as a book editor after serving in editorial roles for more than twenty years. He lives in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula with his wife, Kim, and his daughters, Laura and Julia. He works with literary agent Cyle Young of Hartline Literary Agency.

Connect with Adam:

Website:http://www.adamblumerbooks.com/Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/AdamBlumerNovelistTwitter:https://twitter.com/adamblumerAmazon:https://www.amazon.com/Adam-Blumer/e/B001PYV33I/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0

Goodreads:https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2315682.Adam_BlumerPinterest:https://www.pinterest.com/adamblumer/

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/adamblumer/

I'm more than thrilled to host author George Cargill on here. Having worked with him at Hartline Literary, I can't wait to hear from him and about his latest release from Brimstone Fiction. George is going to walk us through his writing journey. If you're an author who wants to have a book published in the future, I'm so excited for you to dive into his journey. He'll walk you through the process of idea to publication for In the Grip of God.

Welcome, George!

A Late Start with Grit

My mother always said, “Buddy, (my nickname) you do everything like you are killing snakes.” I guess that held true even when I approached seventy years of age. Pedal to the metal, all the way to the floor on the gas or the brake. Retired pastors who refuse to give up ministry can be very annoying.

(Guilty.) I have written many things over the years in the course of my work, sermons, Bible studies, commentaries and curriculum. I did not attempt to publish anything but used them in the course of ministry.

But while studying the Acts of the Apostles I became fascinated by Paul’s entry into Corinth related in the eighteenth chapter. He came into a huge pagan metropolis alone, broke, and beaten down. Paul later wrote to the Corinthians, “I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling” (1 Corinthians 2:3, ESV). How did Paul accomplish all of the wonderful things that happened in Corinth? I decided to write a novel about it.

I guess many people have thought, “I ought to write a book.”

Perhaps they have a story or a message in mind. But the desire is stillborn when they realize the enormous effort involved in writing a novel and actually getting it in print by a traditional publishing house or even self-publishing.

I hit the wall after the first chapter. The book lay tucked in a digital file on my laptop for a year.

Then I began waking up every morning hearing in my mind, “Write the book! Write the book! Write the book.”

To get some peace of mind, I took an author friend of mine out to lunch and asked him the read the first chapter and tell me if I was wasting my time. He encouraged me to take up the effort once more. It became a blessed agony of trial and error over the next eighteen months.

I had a story, but I did not have knowledge of the craft. I just knew what I liked. I understood intuitively about point of view and staying in my voice but could not define those concepts. Sensing something wrong with a paragraph, I would write and rewrite until it seemed right. My wife served me as a faithful reader and never shied to let me know when something needed correction. I had another friend who edited the manuscript for grammar and consistency.

At last I had a “polished” 83,000-word manuscript. But no one in the publishing realm even wanted to look at it.

No progress was made for several months as I queried agents and publishers. One day, I saw an ad on an agent’s website for the Write-to-Publish Christian Writers Conference in Wheaton, Illinois.

In desperation, I registered for the conference. It turned out to be a great conference for me because I learned a lot about writing from the speakers, seminars and critique groups. I bought several helpful books about the craft of writing. But interviews with publishers and agents became the best part of the deal. Rowena Kuo at Brimstone Fiction saw the value in my manuscript.

I had an agent and a contract within a week.

That’s when the real work began. Rowena is the Senior Editor at Brimstone. She immediately cut 4,000 words out of the book. “Back-story” she called it. I thought it was good, but I have learned it is best to be compliant. She made me rewrite almost an entire chapter. I had to go back and find every instance of “was” and “were” and try to write actively. I am embarrassed when I think of how many changes I made to active verbs.

I owe a lot to Rowena. In the Grip of God: Journey into Corinth is my baby.

Conceived in my mind, I wrote it. All of it. But it would have never been born a novel without a publisher willing to invest in me, or an agent to help with the contract, or beta readers, or an editor, or a terrific artist, or proof-readers, or those involved in marketing the book. I am grateful to each of them.

Whether an aspiring writer gets a late start like I did or is young and can look forward to many productive years, grit is what we need. Pure determination to produce a work even if it may never be anything but a dusty family heirloom. Learn the craft of writing, join a tough critique group and write. Do not stop until the work is complete. Whether we can sell the manuscript or not, writing to completion becomes a joy unto itself.

Just write and have grit.

In the Grip of God: Journey into Corinth by George Cargill

Alone, beaten down, out of money, and pursued by his enemies, Paul leaves wealth, power, and love to bring the gospel to the great pagan city of Corinth.

Facing danger and death, he must find a way to survive the laws of both the Jews and the Roman Empire itself. Soon, Paul finds himself no longer seeking God’s will but being inexorably carried along by Divine purpose.

George Cargill is a fourth-generation pastor.

His first novel, In the Grip of God: Journey into Corinth, chronicles the trials of the early Corinthian church through the eyes of the Apostle Paul.

You can read more from Pastor George on his blog at georgecargill.com.

Visit his ministry at https://followingthebook.org.

Before I became a literary agent, I absolutely hated these.

After I became a literary agent, I still absolutely hated these.

Form rejections don't provide any ways for authors to improve their writing, what reasons the agent rejected the manuscript, or offer, really, anything constructive.

So why do agents (and publishers, for the matter) still send them?

Why do agents at my own agency send them?

Some people like to answer, "It's a time management thing. They don't have time to answer all of those letters."

Yes, but also, no.

I'm an agent who tries to respond personally to every letter, but after doing so for hundreds of manuscripts that came my way, I understood why my colleagues chose to do something impersonal.

Sometimes some authors can get a little nasty.

Notice the operative word: some.

Most are gracious with the feedback, thank you for your time, and even use some of the critique and apply it to edit their manuscript.

However, some do fight back. Some tell you how literary agents are trying to ruin the lives of authors and just provide another obstacle in the industry. Many will argue that you have a lack of expertise, and clearly any agent who knew what was good would take on the manuscript.

And, yes, I've experienced a great deal of people who got a little less than pleasant. I always tried to be kind and encouraging back.

I've had agents receive submissions where someone sent photos flipping them off or a six-page letter explaining why agents should die as a whole.

And I get it. It's a frustrating industry. We all want our books in the hands of readers, and it seems like every year, it gets harder and harder to do so.

I still choose to respond with feedback. I always try to provide something they did well and something to improve up, but I understand this has become rare. As someone who started out as an author, I got frustrated by how many form responses I would get, but now I can understand in part why they never sent anything personal.

Because sometimes a mean letter from an author can ruin someone's entire day, even week.

Sometimes agents don't have skin as thick as cinder block.

And sometimes, well, we just don't have time to respond personally to everything.

My marketing director at IlluminateYA encouraged us to post on Instagram each day in July (whether on our stories or on our feed).

I'd never strayed much beyond posting once a week, so I would now enter new territory.

For 31 days, I posted either on my story or on my feed, about 3 feed pictures per week and 4 stories to cover the rest. Here's what happened in those days:

1. Growth Went Up a Little

Usually, on Instagram, whenever you post, you tend to gain a few more followers, depending on the hashtags used.

It's nothing to write home about, but I did get about 350 new followers in that month. Considering I usually gain about 100 followers a month, that did show posting more helped boost the numbers.

2. Habits Developed

Now, into August 1st, I already posted today.

We can create habits on social media the same way we teach ourselves to brush our teeth twice a day and eat some servings of fruits and vegetables.

I remember my first time sitting in a social media class, gawking at the idea of contributing even once a week on each social platform. Now I've found ways to post or interact each day, to develop a following.

3. You Do Actually Have Something to Say Each Day

When the marketing director told us to post something each day, I got worried. What on earth would I have to contribute for 31 days? I already struggled to come up with weekly content.

To my surprise, I actually did find something to post each day. From meals I enjoyed to spending time with friends, I did manage to find content to make it into at least one story a day.

How about you, writers? Have you gotten more active on a social media platform? If so, what have you observed?

Thanks to my lovely neighbors deciding it would be a good idea to cut down trees right before my scheduled interview with Michelle Medlock Adams for the North Carolina Christian Writers Conference, the video had really poor feedback, so we decided to transcribe the video right here.

Hope: Today we have Michelle Medlock Adams. She is an awesome person, super hard worker, and very prolific. If you have a class with her, you'll walk away extremely inspired. Michelle, who are you and what companies do you work for?

Michelle: I represent Little Lamb Books, which is one of my publishers. They published my book "C is for Christmas." Rachel Pellegrino, who is a friend of mine, is the publisher there. When she can't be at a conference, I'll represent for her. Which means, I have no power, but if I like it, I'll pass it on to her. I also work with Bethany Jett from Serious Writer. We are partners in Platinum Literary, our premier writing services for ghostwriting, heavy editing, preparing proposals, marketing strategy sessions, there are lots of things we can do. If you don't know what you need right now, we're really good for that. We love to brainstorm with people. And I also work for myself. If you're a freelance writer who needs help or a children's writer who isn't sure where you fit in the industry, I'm good with that. I'm good at praying with you and to cheer you. I know writer's conferences can be overwhelming. I think at one point every writer asks, "Why did I do this?" Know you're not alone in feeling that.

Hope: We're already two minutes in, and I'm already inspired. Michelle wears a lot of hats and is very well-versed in a lot of areas in the industry. Michelle, what is something unique about you?

Michelle: I was trying to think about that. I've been in the industry a while, so people know a lot about me. I'm pretty much all out there . . . there are no secrets. There is the fact I was a sport's writer before I became what I am now. I was the only girl in the sport's writer for Times Mail. I was the AP stringer, covering movies and lots of things. I had this journalism career before I became this other writer. I'm a huge sports fan. I probably likes sports as much as any guy. Big Cubs fan, IU (Go Hoosiers). I love to bass fish with my husband. We practice catch and release. We're very kind.

Hope: So you mentioned you're representing Little Lamb. What are they acquiring.

Michelle: So I talked with Rachel a couple weeks ago, so I know exactly what is going on. They're a faith-based children's book company. Rachel is an amazing woman. She felt like this company was needed. There wasn't a company that just did faith-based books. I love what they've done. Every book they've produced have won an award. Their newest YA release just won the Realm Makers Award. My Christmas book won three awards. She does high-quality books. She doesn't want any lamb books. Everybody thinks that, but you can't imagine how many lamb books they get. They only do two holiday books a year (Easter, Christmas). It has to be faith-based and fiction. She wants strong stories that have a faith element in them. Not preachy, but it has to have an element of faith, picture books through YA, and she's open to board books. Know you can't just put Scripture in the front and call it faith-based. There actually has to be an element of faith in your story.

Hope: True! They're such a good company, so I'm glad they're winning awards and getting recognition.

Michelle: Their editorial staff is great, too. Because they're a small company, it's fun to be a part of it. Most publishers, I don't get to see illustrations until I receive my author copies. From the very beginning at Little Lamb, I have input on the illustrations. You get that input.

Hope: So when someone pitches to you, what is some of your advice?

Michelle: I actually teach a course called Pitch Perfect. I would suggest you take that. I developed that class because I had this pitch for one of my first conferences. I kept practicing the elevator pitch on the plane. I had it down, and I pitched it to an editor at Howard Books. He nodded and said, "That's great. It's not a fit for us. What else did you have?" I didn't have a Plan B! It was the longest most awkward 14 minutes of my life. He was so kind to me, and we chatted and outlined another book which won Writer of the Year. But I just never wanted to feel that awkwardness ever again. Go in with one idea, but be prepared if they want a Plan B. Have a list of 4-5, even if they aren't finished yet, and a short description for each. Two sheets of paper, one for them, one for me. I will give it to them, and they'll often like several of them. I'll walk away with interest in more than one thing. I also put their name on top of the paper so they feel special. If a divine appointment comes, say I bump into them in the hallway, I'll have that paper ready. Go prepared. Go armed with ideas. It's good to have a plan, but be open to God's leading. Sometimes you go in thinking, "It all about this publisher." But maybe that publisher can't be there because of a sudden family illness. Be open to know that God has a bigger plan. Even if that publisher doesn't make it, God has something else for you.

Hope: Are you looking for anyone to bring any materials if they come to pitch you?

Michelle: There are so many people who say, "Bring a one sheet. Bring business cards and a proposal." All of those are good, but if you don't have any of those, still come and pitch us. At my first writer's conference, I didn't know any of that. I didn't have a website, business card, anything. I still sold two books at that conference. Don't be afraid to talk to us. Faculty and editors . . . we put on our britches the same way you do. We wouldn't be there if we didn't want to help you. Business cards are great, especially VistaPrint.com. If you have a proposal, that's great. But if you just have a sheet about yourself and one book, that's good.

Hope: True!

Michelle: Plus, with suitcases weighing so much we'd rather pack cute shoes than a bunch of papers. Most of us will ask you to email us the materials anyway. If you forget it, don't worry about it.

Hope: Thank you so much! We're looking forward to seeing you at the conference!

If there's anything more frustrating than hundreds of hours of editing and marketing, it's trying to explain to non-writers why you need to do such things in the first place.

For the person who asks if "You're still working on that little book project of yours?" take a look at the 9 myths non-writers believe.

1. Anyone can write a book

I often hear the phrase, "Everyone has a good book in them."

Maybe. But everyone does not have a good editor in them. Writing takes a great deal more of effort than just slapping words on a page. You have to execute an eloquence of pacing, 3-D characterization, showing instead of telling, realistic dialogue, and do it all in such a way that that first page will pull those jaded agents and editors out of their stupor.

(Yes, I am one of those agents).

2. You can write a book once you have free time

Nothing can irk a writer more than someone well-meaning who smiles and says, "Oh, I'd like to write a book someday, too. Maybe when I retire and have free time."

Writing doesn't make time for you. You make time for it. Every day.

3. People get books published fast

I blame Hollywood.

In quite a few movies, after a main character has an adventure, they publish a book right after about said adventure.

Lies. Even if a person had an incredible platform with millions of followers, and happened to have a literary agent, they could possibly see a book in print two or three years after that adventure.

Even if they hired a ghostwriter (which, most of them probably would have to, considering they haven't even picked up a pen until after that adventure), it takes years.

4. People get books traditionally published all the time

Although I was happy to be included in a local magazine, I had to pull quite a few teeth to get my name in there. I called, left voicemails, emailed them. Finally, I received a voicemail from the main editor:

"We received your information, and we just expanded our page count. So we can include a little story like yours. Isn't that just great?"

Let's break down what information I told her:

1. I'm a 22-year-old literary agent (it's rare for someone this young to be an agent) with a track record of 20+ contracts in my first year.

2. I'm a college student (just graduated) who got a book traditionally published. Average ages of traditional debut authors range from 35-39.

3. I'm a local author. This was for a local magazine.

4. I have almost 400 bylines, some in major national publications.

It didn't feel like a little story because to get your book traditionally published, you have to fit in a very, very small percentage of books submitted to agents, editors, publishers, etc. I believe it's now sitting at less than 1 percent. Probably a percentage within that 1 percent, to be honest.

But to this editor, and many others I've encountered, they feel as though this seems like average news.

5. When authors get published, libraries will beg them to come talk

LOL. No.

For Blaze, a traditionally published book, let's talk about my process for trying to get speaking engagements during launch month.

I called, emailed, visited in person (multiple times) the following:

- 20-30 local libraries

- 20-30 local bookstores

- 20-30 local schools

- 30-50 local churches

- 10-20 local magazines, newspapers

- 20-30 radio shows, podcasts

- 40-60 reviewers, bloggers, misc.

- 50-60 endorsers

Let's tally that up: 300 or so specific emails/calls/in-person visits with specific people.

Let's talk about how many actually got back with a positive answer, after a LOT of pulling teeth.

- 3 local libraries (one saying MAYBE they would take a donation of a single book for their collection temporarily since it had some nice reviews)

- 3 local bookstores

- 3 local schools

- 0 local churches

- 2 local magazines (no newspapers)

- 5 podcasts

- 20 bloggers

- 10 endorsers

A total of: 43 (14%)

6. Writers can just be writers once sales pick up

I mean, if we're talking copy writing, freelance writing, and ghostwriting, yes.

If we just mean writing books and nothing else, not really.

Only a spare few authors can just live off of writing books, and they do so by spending most of their time marketing what they've written. Their full-time job really is marketing.

Even famous authors I know work another job (literary agents, book coaches, editors, etc.).

7. If you have a literary agent, a publisher is bound to pick that book right up

Mmm, no. It still takes years. Yes, we can expedite that process and open doors unagented authors usually can't, but it takes time. Not every book we represent will get a contract.

Most do, but even editors get really picky when it comes to agented submissions.

8. Writers are lazy/lucky

I can't tell you how many times I've gotten, "Well it must be nice to sit around and create worlds all day."

Or someone will pat me on the should and say, "How lucky you are to do what you enjoy while the rest of us work jobs we don't."

If you've ever met a professional writer, you'll know they're anything but lazy. They have to fight and claw for every single byline, email and knock on doors until their fingers hurt, and force themselves to do things they hate like:

- Public speaking

- Pitching to jaded agents and editors at conferences

- Getting hundreds (thousands) of rejections

- Receiving angry reviews on Amazon and Goodreads that showed the reader didn't understand the books

- Oh yeah, getting more rejection

- Marketing

- Building platform

- Editing

Writing only takes a small portion of our time. Yes, we love it. But it's still a job.

9. Writers only wait until the Muse strikes

Umm, yeah, no. We have deadlines.

Maybe in our earlier days when we got started did we wait for inspiration, but now we chase after it with clubs.

Didn't see your least favorite myth in here? Go ahead and drop one in the comments!

There hasn't been a new blog post in a while for a reason.

I needed a break.

My writer friend came to visit my hometown and stayed a week, leaving just this past Saturday.

Each of us had somewhat difficult situations back home, and considering my family had left me with three pets as they headed to South Carolina, I had an empty house needed filling by a friend.

We both discovered something scary that first day.

For the past few months, neither of us had eaten more than one and a half meals each day.

Sonya (my friend) often ate a small breakfast, forgot about lunch, and remembered dinner. I would skip breakfast, scarf a small sandwich around lunch, and actually ate what you could call dinner.

We'd just forgotten to eat, or stress overtook us, or (in my case) I could either get an extra hour of work in (I'm working four jobs to get enough money to afford minimum apartment rent) or I could spend more time sauteing yellow squash. So the yellow squash went moldy as I wrote another article.

It was depressing when we both came to the realization we, and our other writing friends, didn't take care of ourselves enough.

Writers don't do enough personal care.

We don't. When given the option to take a Sabbath or write another article to pay for gas that month, you can take a guess at what we usually pick.

But I learned something this week. We all need to take care of ourselves. For those reading this: YOU need to take care of YOUrself.

As I realized just how much effort I put into meals because I had a guest, opposed to when I had no one else in the house, I almost broke down and cried. I couldn't imagine treating anyone else the way I treated myself. If I had, I'd have no friends to speak of.

You matter, and you need to give yourself grace.

Please, watch something that makes you laugh; eat something you love. Treat yourself as though you are a guest in your own house.

At least, try to do so for one whole week.

You need to take care of yourself. Your body will notice, and you'll return to the desk more refreshed and ready to write than ever before.

We all feel a little used sometimes.

For instance, since my parents divorced and remarried spouses who live in Florida and England (we live in Ohio) and are juggling two dogs, a cat, and a master's program, they assigned me to pet duty.

That means almost every single day between May 2019-April 2020, I will have to stay with the pets, care for them, and spend limited time out of the house because the dogs can't go more than four hours without having an accident.

I get it.

It's difficult to find a pet sitter for twelve months straight. Not to mention our cat and one of our dogs gets a UTI if any non-family member watches them for more than two days. Did we also mention they don't do well with travel, and one couldn't make the flight to Florida because he only has a few years of life left in him and didn't handle a drive fifteen minutes away well?

Why my parents picked such high maintenance animals, I cannot tell you. We love them . . . but man oh man, they can kill a social life.

Anyway, I understand they found a cheap and practical solution to the problem of who will watch these animals while they spend months in Florida or England. Me.

As much as I love my pets, this does make me feel used. After all, I rested in the Lowest Common Denominator slot, and would much rather the animals not be put down in exchange for more time outside of the house. Played against my empathetic side, I relented and agreed. I can watch them, and I will give 100 percent effort, but it does leave a bad taste in the mouth.

It just makes me feel like they see me more as Pet Help than a daughter.

What does this all have to do with LinkedIn?

I get a lot of requests on LinkedIn. Balancing 4,000+ connections that built in less than 12 months, I tried to be selective on who I picked and didn't.

Often an author or other industry professional will request me. As a fellow author, I understand the need to build a network, so I accept because they might need one more follower to make those numbers look impressive to a publisher. Or, maybe down the road, we can endorse each other for a book or offer advice to one another.

Two seconds later I receive a very long form letter that goes along the lines of:

"Hi! Thanks for connecting. I have 20 books on Amazon, and I need an agent to represent me. Here's a link. And an attachment. And another one. Tell me which one you want to represent. Let's make this happen!!"

Once I got as many as 22 messages in a row from one person who pitched me 22 of his books, without so much as a hello. We unconnected five seconds later.

I get it. People use LinkedIn to connect professionally.

But let's think of another example for why you might want to avoid this tactic.

Let's say you have a Facebook account and you often like to post pictures wearing sunglasses. You live in a sunny area. You see someone friend request you. Seeing they have 100+ or so mutual connections, and their profile checks all the boxes, you may shrug and accept them to build your following.

And let's say, five seconds after you accepted them, they start posting on all your pictures:

"Hey, girl! Love the sunglasses. I sell sunglasses at Shady Company. Buy some here (Link)."

About three of these comments in you would unfriend/block the person. Why? Because you don't know them all that well, and even if you did, you'd feel quite used because they only wanted to sell you sunglasses.

So why do we feel we can do the same when it comes to pitching books to agents on their social media accounts?

Back to the pet sitting

No one likes to feel used.

Sure, yes, we build our networks to possibly get reviewers, agents, beta readers, etc. down the road. And after striking up a conversation with someone, you may discover they would be a great fit for some need you need fulfilled, and you can ask politely and professionally for that.

I've had some of those conversations on LinkedIn. They thanked me for connecting, we chatted a little, and then they asked if I was open to submissions.

Feeling a little less used than usual, I gladly pointed them to my guidelines and read their submission with more care than others who just started pitching me right away.

Keep in mind, you only get one first impression with an agent. If they see you want to connect with them only to see what they can do for you, you will come off a lot like my parents when they held out the dog leashes for me. Even if you have a great pitch, they will look at your submission with the idea that you are not a professional since you pitched via unorthodox means.

If you need to pitch to an agent and can't find their guidelines, we will kindly point you in the right direction. Otherwise, try to find their websites first and start from there.

If I could've slammed the book against my head, I would've.

After coming back from Book Expo of America, launching Blaze a few days later, and signing the contract for the sequel, I decided to take a brief break and read several of the books I had taken home from the large New York conference.

Although I didn't want to teeter close to that 50 pound limit for a checked bag, I did manage to snag 8-10 YA and MG ARCS (advance reader copies) from the conference so I could know what teens want to read right this upcoming fall and winter.

Two books (which shall remain nameless) skirted to the top of my pile.

One page into each, and I already wanted to tear them apart.

Without trying to give too many details away, and thus release the identity of the books, both were clearly cash grabs. The author of one latched onto a huge trend in publishing right now: STEM (mainly, young females engaging with it). The other was a book based on a franchise that may or may not hit theaters soon.

Problem with the STEM book: It beat readers over the head with the concept of STEM, had stilted dialogue, and contained a loose and unresolved plot.

Problem with the franchise book: It had enough plot holes to fill a Swiss cheese block, lacked character depth, and carried some psychological implications that book never addressed.

But two large publishers picked these up.

Why? Because they had a) a celebrity or high-end author write the content and b) because the concepts within are trending.

I have no doubt both will sell well. Both contained valuable messages, and they have Big Five publishers to back sales.

But will they last and make their way into the hands of teens five, ten years from now?

Definitely not.

However, the third book on my TBR caught me by surprise. The Woods by R.L. Toalson carried such a classical tone and latched onto none of the trends they'd spoken about at the conference. Yet, this book has the greatest emotional impact on me than a novel has in a long time.

Why?

Albeit a bit weird and inconclusive at times, the novel contains such character depth and emotional agony that you can't help but empathize with the protagonist the whole way through. I don't know what sort of Hell-and-back journey the author had to go through to write such a poignant book, but it shows in the writing.

It likely won't sell as well as the aforementioned two.

But of the books read so far, I can only picture The Woods making it into the hands of future generations 20 years down the road.

1) Because it's authentic and raw

2) Because it doesn't hold back

3) Because it discusses universal truths instead of present trends

4) Because the writing can and will withstand time

Writers, I encourage you to write what's on your heart instead of what's selling the most. I know as an agent I can't technically say that, because in the publishing business we do have to pay attention to what sells.

Nevertheless, ten times out of ten I will take on a client because I fell in love with the writing, not the platform or trend the book seems to exude.

Because although, yes, money does come from writing something that sells, we should write because we want to change the world, not our bank accounts.

Blaze launchestomorrow.

Not only does this make me both excited and scared out of my mind, but I can't believe a little over a year ago, I signed a contract, and my publisher encouraged me to create a launching plan.

A launching plan, for those not yet familiar, mean an author has to pull together all her resources possible, so when the book releases, it can reach as many readers as possible. This can involve blog tours, book trailers, author interviews, book signings, etc.

Although my publishing company offered helpful newsletters for their authors, and I had some author friends to observe, I mostly navigated this part of the journey on my own.

I picked up a great deal along the way, but I could've saved time if I knew some of these things going into the 12 months leading up to the release:

Build your platform before you get the contract

When LPC contracted Blaze, I had about 2,000 followers.

Although that may sound like a great start, in the publishing world, that's almost nothing. Only a small percentage of followers actually purchase products, so 2,000 wouldn't cut it. Let's say, for instance, only 1% actually purchased. That would mean just 20 people would buy the book.

I managed to get it near 20K by the release, while juggling school and seven jobs. Even though that still doesn't mean much in publishing, it helps a lot, but I wish I would've built it sooner.

Ask other authors how they did book launches

The other day, the fantastic Michelle Medlock Adams posted about what an author needs to do for a book launch.

She provided great info, but because I launch tomorrow, I couldn't use the advice for this book. Ask around and see what wisdom other writers can provide. It can save you hours of time figuring it out yourself.

Connect with influencers

I discovered this one a little late. Although I did connect with a few who plan to post about Blaze tomorrow, I could've reached out to more had I known the efficacy of this. See if an influencer will be willing to post about you on their Instagram story or include a blurb about your book in their newsletter.

Reach out to other authors who are launching

Odds are, someone else shares your release date, or releases in the same month.

Find authors at your publishing house or in your genre who release the same month you do, and host a giveaway or party together. I found out about another authorreleasing in June, and we coordinated a fun Facebook party on the 22nd of June.

Although it takes a lot of trial and error, and I had to learn along the way, I still can't wait to release tomorrow. The publishing company has graciously blessed me with this opportunity to share this story, and whether it reaches 100 readers or 1,000, I can't wait to launch.

Blaze releases in 13 days, and I'm not ready.

I mean, yes, I pulled together a blog tour, built my platform from 2K to 17.5K, did a number of interviews, reached out to influencers, got some endorsers, etc.

But as we moved past the threshold of two weeks until the release, I feel anything but ready. And with a few lukewarm reviews already on the book, I worry that:

A) Everyone will hate it

B) No one will read it

C) Both

I know authors, and well, people in general, often feel this way. Unprepared. Unready. Unsteady.

Whether they have a job interview or just need to figure out how to get through to next Tuesday, people can often lose faith in their work, their dreams, and themselves.

If this speaks to you, let the following ways help you to regain confidence:

1. See how far you've come

Writers often hate their first published book.

Because years later, they look back and realize they didn't refine the craft as much as they do now.

You're growing, I promise.

2. Get a James

My friend James doesn't let me give up.

Trust me. He gets frequent texts like, "Can I die now?" and "Please just let me quit."

He won't budge. He makes me stick it through. "Because it's worth it. Because people need to hear what you have to say."

So I do. Find someone who believes in you when you can't believe in yourself.

3. Don't look at reviews

Some authors will fight me on this, but I won't forget what New York Times bestselling author Stephen James told me at a conference, in regard to reviews:

"If they say something nice about it, I'll get a big head and think I'm all that. But if they give it a bad review, I'll think I can't write. So I just don't look at them."

I do love feedback, and if someone emails me their thoughts on how they liked the manuscript/how I can improve it, I will read it with all ears. But sometimes you just need to step away from Goodreads and Amazon for a while.

4. Step away from social media for a while

I love the friends I've made on Twitter and their silly banter.

But sometimes you just need a break from the perfect and embrace, for the time being, the present.

5. You have a reason for being here

I know not everyone who reads this is religious. But I do believe every person has a purpose. Do not give up. The world needs a little bit of you every day.

6. Exercise every day

No, you don't have to join a Cross-fit group.

Just go outside for an hour. Pace around the cubicles in your office. Do something to get you moving.

7. Prune and establish boundaries

I love everyone, even those who hurt me.

But I still need space. Yes, I love others, but I often, in my efforts to please everyone, forget to love myself.

It got to such a bad point that one of my friends told me, "Hope, if you treated your friends the same way you treated yourself, you'd have no friends."

8. Know you can't please everyone

People hate chocolate. I'm not talking about the lactose intolerant people. I'm talking about the lactose-abled people. I know some of those who hate chocolate. Why? I don't know. Maybe someone chucked a candy bar at their head in childhood.

If you create something beautiful, if you are beautiful inside and out, someone will not like you. That's OK. Live anyway.

9. Look at the patriarchs

Most famous authors, actors, etc., had to claw and fight and starve and cry into their roles as pioneers and earth shakers.

If you feel like the world's pitted against you, go another step. You're closer than you think.

10. Everyone feels like an imposter

If you have minor success, you will often feel like you didn't earn it.

You did. Especially in publishing, no one gives handouts. You earn everything in this business. Every book sale, every platform number. You earned it.

Jerry B. Jenkins once told me, "Even when I write books now, I always worry if I can do the same caliber of writing. Will I make it this time, or have I lost my writing abilities altogether?"

This man has sold 70 million books. He still feels like an imposter.

11. Make room for imperfect

You will mess up. I've found typos in Harry Potter, in the Chronicles of Narnia. Relax and allow yourself to write without editing, paint without restarting, and live without regretting.

12. You won't be the best; that's OK

People break world records all the time. Even if you do land yourself in the #1 spot, you won't occupy that for long.

Stop comparing, and keep going.

13. You are so much more than a trophy

I love book contracts. When I get them for clients, when I get them myself.

It seems that I focused on just getting those and not on the whole journey to receive them. I forgot about the friendships I made along the way, the incredible God moments, and amazing opportunities that came.

14. You won't always feel this way

Depression episodes pass, I promise. Even if you have it your whole life, you will have days where you feel as though nothing can hurt you.

It will. But you'll rise again. And again. And again.

15. Inspire future generations

My AP Lit teacher put my book on her outside reading list. That means students can read it over the summer, take a test on it during the school year, and share their thoughts on Blaze.

That means students can read something by a former student and know that, in a few years, they too could make that dream a reality.

You have no idea how many people you will inspire. Don't let them down. Keep going.

It seems simple.

1. Find the book on Amazon that you read

2. Give it a star rating

3. Write a few words to give your reasons for that rating

And it is that simple.

But Amazon can and will pull down certain reviews if:

- You seem like you know the author personally (that means a biased review)

- You haven't purchased anything on Amazon recently

- It seems as though the author paid you to write a review

Amazon wants unbiased, unpaid reviews.

So how do I review a book without it getting taken down by Amazon?

Easy.

Step One: Make sure you have recently purchased more than $50 in the past few months on Amazon.

I learned this the hard way. I wanted to review a book that an author gave to me in exchange for a free review. But because I hadn't purchased much on Amazon, they took my review down.

Step Two: DO NOT talk about the author in the review

Sometimes people who don't even know the author say, "She's a great person. Such a kind human being, etc." and they can get their review taken down.

The purpose of the review is to rate the product, not the author. So whether you know her from grade school or have heard her talk at a conference, refrain from mentioning it in the review.

Step Three: Just write the review

It doesn't have to be long, have proper grammar, or give plot-by-plot point of the book.

In fact, if you can avoid spoilers, please do. If you have to put them in, make sure to put *Spoiler Alert* before the plot-divulging information.

And, if you can, be gracious even in criticism. Keep in mind authors will and do read their reviews, so make sure you would feel comfortable saying it to them in person. Feedback is great and helpful, but they did spend years on these projects, so even if you have critical remarks, keep it kind if you can.

Add a header to the review and your name, and you should be good to go. It takes 2 minutes tops, and you can help make an author's career by writing a review on Amazon, Goodreads, or any other reviewing platform.

Reviewing Blaze

Although some reviewers have already jumped on Goodreads and given Blaze a review (some praising, some critical), you can't review it on Amazon until the release day: June 3, 2019.

However, if you've read it an have to give it a review, feel free to click the Goodreads link above. And if you do leave a review on Amazon as well, I will be more than ecstatic, even if you give it one star.

It depends.

I don't have any tattoos. I have no desire to get a tattoo due to a fear of needles. But when my Crosswalk editor assigned a tattoo article with a fresh perspective, I knew whatever I would write would end in something controversial.

I wrote anyway.

I wrote it for my brothers and sisters in Christ who have a tattoo, especially one that signifies an important part of their testimony. Those markings mean a great deal to them, and I wanted to voice what so many of them had expressed to me before.

And, as expected, the article received a range of reactions, and for the first time in my life, a good number of angry Facebook emojis. I call that a win. You can check out the article here.

Why did I write something controversial?

I knew a good number of people who didn't have a voice in the Christian community. That had a tattoo (or two, or ten) or worked as a tattoo artist, but the church judged them or wouldn't listen to why they chose to have something etched in permanent ink on their forearm. Some of these people have the strongest stories of faith I know, but they couldn't have a platform to speak because of a permanent semicolon on their wrist or a cross on their foot.

TLDR: I gave a voice to those who didn't have one before

Should you write something controversial?

I really think it depends on your purpose.

You have to keep in mind that whatever you write will meet some varied reactions, and the more controversial, the more emojis you'll see pop up in your feed.

If you want to write a controversial article just for the heck of it, you might be missing the point. Not only will you just have a ton of people that you don't know mad at you, but you'll receive quite a bit of negative feedback. And as much as we would like to have a thick skin in this business, a hundred or so negative comments can weary a soul. Even the strongest ones.

But if you know someone who is marginalized, or you yourself are, and you have the power to get a conversation going about that subject, then yes, write it. I love dialogue, especially the hard stuff.

What about controversial books?

Yet again, depends.

I know Christians who have characters swear up and down in their books because they want it to be edgier and for it to evoke a certain visceral reaction in their audience.

I'm not too sure that's the best way of going about it. If you plan to cause discomfort in your audience, really know the reasoning behind it. If you want controversy to boost book sales and draw readers to your website, you can do yourself and your genre a disservice.

But if you want to give a voice to the voiceless, cause the readers to think deeply on an important topic, or bring to light an issue readers struggle to discuss, then yes. Write it.

It made the pub board a bit uncomfortable to read it. I remember getting comments like, "These descriptions are disgusting and uncomfortable."

I remember saying, "Great. That's what I was going for."

It's not exactly a lighthearted book, but also, it presents a couple breeds of Christians that don't often get a media spotlight.

The edgier, Tumblr Christian: I went to a Christian high school, and some of my best friends loved edgier things like scream-o and Tumblr. I have a character in Blaze with a slightly morbid side, who can often go to dark places.

The Christian with mental illness: Throughout the series, I have Christians who deal with severe anxiety, PTSD, OCD, and suicidal depression. It's a reality in teens. I went through it and had plenty of friends who dealt with it.

The feminist Christian: Although I waffle on where I stand in gender roles, I do have a character who is firmly a feminist.

The Christian dealing with domestic violence: Not only do several of my characters live in divorced families, but one deals with domestic violence on a regular basis.

And the thing is, every single one of those characters is a Christian with a strong faith.

Any one of those characters can cause a stir, so why write all four?

I wanted to present an idea that Christians come in all shapes and sizes, and I know several Christians who fit into multiple of the categories above. Having taken up the space of one, I remember I didn't have many books or media to look to that had a character like myself. I wanted a Christian who dealt with depression or a Christian who placed her career first above pursuing a relationship, but I didn't often find that.

And I know I had friends who also wanted to see representation in the media, too.

So I wrote the characters the way I did. Because I wanted to give them a voice they never had before. And I know I will probably get more than one one-star review or an angry emoji.

That's OK. As long as this book sparks some sort of discussion, I have done something right.

And who knows? Maybe, after my characters graduate, one of them will get a tattoo.

Thanks to a fantastic discussion on Writer's Chat, I wanted to make the resources readily available. Below you'll find twenty ways to tackle writer's block with a brief explanation for each.

1. Set word count goals - I usually make mine about 2500-3000 per day when I'm writing a book contract. Yours don't have to be that ambitious. If you just have a set number of words to hit each day, it can give you a structured goal. Also, give yourself one day off per week for rest.

2. Pantsing vs. plotting - Whether you plot with an outline or fly by the seat of your pants (pantsing) try out the other form of writing to break that block. If you're a plotter, ditch the outline. Pantser, try to map out one chapter, even if you know your characters will ignore your suggestions.

3. Change up the genre - Or do a different POV or mix up the first vs. third person. If you find yourself writing all romance, try a genre that scares you. All third-person past? Go for first person present.

4. Read great writing - 1) The classics 2) In your genre 3) something vastly different than your genre. These three will help shape your craft via osmosis.

5. Attend writer's conference - I never walked away from a writer's conference without ten new ideas. Something about meeting with fellow writers and hearing great classes by experts in the field ignited a fire that had burnt out in my writing.

6. Vary it up - Your location, the time you write, the smells of the room, what program you write (Google docs, Word, Scrivener, etc.), what you wear (trust me, this can affect everything).

7. Set a timer - Get distracted easily? A ticking clock might keep you on track. If you give yourself only half an hour to write, and you stare at the screen the whole thirty minutes, the next day you'll approach that time with more sincerity. Also, bonus tip, try out word sprints. Set blocks of time where you write almost stream of consciousness. It takes a lot of effort and brain power, but you'll find your writing speed will improve overall.

8. Block social media - I love Pinterest. But I should love my writing more. Get an app that blocks social media, so you don't feel tempted to get lost in a network instead of your world.

9. Give it a rest - All writers need breaks. Sure, yes, take a Sabbath once a week. But see if you can find a week or month in the year where you take a break. You'll find an abundance of ideas flooding you during that time.

10. Pray - For those who practice faith, prayer can work wonders in one's writing journey. Perhaps God has placed a thorn in your side called writer's block. Pray for Him to remove it. Also, bonus tip, immerse yourself in Scripture. I highly recommend Psalms, John, and Hebrews.

11. Get an accountability partner/coauthor - Have someone keep you accountable to your writing. A coauthor can pair with this tip best. Because if you write a book together, you actually have to write it to not let the other person down. But at least have one person who asks about your writing progress. Critique groups can provide these often.

12. Put yourself on deadline - Pretend you have a deadline (you may not have to pretend). Give yourself a set date to get the manuscript finished. Take it as seriously as you can.

13. Talk with writers - Every writer can list dozens, hundreds of obstacles they overcame, including writer's block. Ask them how they conquered the very things you struggle with.

14. Stop self-editing - Allow yourself to write a messy first draft. Turn off that self-editor until you reach the second draft. He or she will drive you crazy with edits if you don't.

15. Listen to writing podcasts - Or YouTubers who talk about writing, etc. We live in a to-go world. Sometimes we don't have time to sit and read blogs like this. That's fine. Check out great resources like Writer's Chats, Novelists Unwind, Brew & Ink Podcast, and Genres Chats.

16. Idea jot - Set a timer, get a notebook, and jot down as many ideas you can think of on a single subject. You don't have to be married to any of them. With the time constraints and the strain to write as many as possible, you might forcibly break that writer's block.

17. Get an encourager - Writers grow discouraged often. Find someone who can support you and encourage you to keep going, even when you hit a block.

18. Exercise - I like to take breaks every 500 words and walk around the house or run on a treadmill. Exercise and eating healthy can work wonders when it comes to cognition, memory retention, and productivity.

19. Revisit old work - Worried your writing has hit a dead end? Take a look at some older writing. You've grown. I promise.

20. Shower power - Something about taking a shower unleashes a flood of ideas. Take an extra long one, and wait for the inspirations to pour.

The question that haunts an author far more than: so where did this idea come from?

Why do you write?

I mean, aside from, "It's fun." "I've always wanted to give it a go." and "I have to. It just burns up inside of me."

All valid, but not strong enough to keep a reader turning pages.

Most writers I've met encountered a tragedy of some sort. Some lost a parent far too young. Others went through unspeakable abuse. Some had to fight discrimination and every sort of "ism" to put ink to a page.

Every time you read a book, an author had to fight years for those pages.

So when you fight against (literally) hundreds of rejection slips, thousands of unanswered emails (before and after you get a contract), and countless readers and writers who do not see your vision, what drives you to keep going?

Why do I write?

It took me a while to figure this out. I took up writing early, and started novels in high school because I could. Because my best friend wrote them, and I thought we'd have something in common.

But, as I started querying at 17, I began to lose my fire. Why keep writing if no one would read it? Why create worlds if no one would ever explore them?

I had to have a stronger purpose, a stronger reason, than: I write because I want people to read what I write.

I needed to give them something worth reading.

Hope and Writer's Block sitting in a tree. W-R-I-T-I-N-G.

First came divorce.

Then came depression.

Then came institutional regression (sorry, needed a rhyme).

A lot of things hit me hard at once. The college I attended, although a wonderful place at first, had a lot of dark spots that revealed themselves my junior and senior year. My parents split right around then, around the same time my anxiety and depression skyrocketed to an all-time high. Boys who I'd grown attached to, who I'd spent months and years kindling a relationship with, left me almost instantaneously, and I watched several friends go through unspeakable hurt, isolation, and loneliness. Plus, the rejections just happened to pour in right around then. Funny how that happens.

Something snapped.

For the first time in my life, I felt alone.

Truly, deeply, alone. Even cloistered in a tight wing of 24 girls, involved in various campus events with dozens of attendees, I felt completely and utterly alone.

I remember that summer when everything had snapped. I'd wanted to kill myself. Even had a plan. I never carried it out. But ever since, I still battle thoughts of my purpose on this world. I'm happy to have a Savior who gives me a purpose, even when things fall apart.

But still, things fall apart.

I'd had friends who had it worse.

I did. I really did. My friends in high school and college all had gone through their own versions of hell. And they all had something to write about.

But in my mini circle of hell my junior year of college, I finally had a purpose.

I felt utterly alone, and I didn't want any reader ever to feel that way.

So I wrote.

I wrote for all the readers who have fractured families, who deal with mental illness, and who feel as though they had no voice or that it has been censored.

I wrote because I was so, so, so alone.

I wrote because no one ever should be.

I always compared a pre-order to a baby shower.

Authors, after all, claim books as their babies, and what better way to celebrate a book launch than having a book baby shower (a pre-order) before welcoming a physical book into the world?

Now my sister who recently gave birth would resent my comparison. Lucky for me, she doesn't read my blog or have a Goodreads account.

This past week, my book launched for pre-order.

I found out about it less than 24 hours before the link went live. Oh boy.

And they told me that only the ebook version would be available for pre-order. Print doesn't come out till June thanks to CreatSpace shutting down. Oh shoot. *Inwardly cries, as the majority of my following wants a physical book*

Totally fine.

My publisher is insanely busy. However, as a planner, this threw me a bit into a loop of last minute scrambling. So in this post, I'd love to show you what I pulled together in those 15-some hours, after grabbing Taco Bell with my best friend and having an anxiety attack.

Why do pre-orders matter?

Why order a book two months before it releases? Shouldn't you just wait till June?

I mean, you can. But you'll probably make an author inwardly cry again.

Here's why: the number of pre-orders can let a publisher know how much intial interest a book has. In other words:

- Whether an author has enough interest for a sequel

- Whether the book will flop on the release

Granted, maybe readers will swarm Amazon and the company's website once the book releases, but publishers like to crunch numbers. If the pre-order flops, the apple doesn't fall far for the release.

OK, now for the good stuff (aka: less than 24-hour scrambling)

For preorder week, I put together the following

1. A Giveaway (for one lucky winner)

Granted, I planned this one ahead of time. In fact, those socks on the bottom left corner took several weeks to ship.

But they arrived just in time for me to set up this giveaway.

Also tip on giveaways: memorize Facebook's (or whatever social media's) rules before doing one. Because I offered, as bonus entries, for the post to be shared, Facebook flagged the giveaway and let fewer people see it. Live and learn, I guess. From now own, I plan to do giveaways on this website and direct people to them via social media.

2. A giveaway for anyone who pre-orders

I understand the struggle of waiting for two months for a book to release, so I want to send a token to anyone who willingly pre-orders. If you pre-order, send me a receipt (hopekbolinger@yahoo.com), and I'll send you a King's Academy Handbook, a 46-page item featured in the book.

3. A cover reveal

Everyone loves a good cover reveal.

On my social media networks, I held a vote for favorite graphic version of this cover. I posted one with smoke billowing (my personal favorite) and another with sparks flying.

Although smoke had a handful of votes, sparks won by a landslide. You can take a look at the winner by clicking on this link.

4. A book trailer

I'd originally paid someone to do a trailer. Although he did an all right job, I decided to try my hand at one (below) and loved the results.