Tag: insomnia

Mutterings of a mad mind

mind-the-gap-1484157-640x480

Right now, I’m all over the place. I’m in the final countdown for TNEE 2016 as we gain speed and race towards the weekend. Tuesday is going to be here before I know it, and while I’m mostly organized, there’s also a part of me that is scrambling like a wee mad thing trying to ensure that everything is on my list. Hint: everything isn’t.

But let’s not worry about that right now, eh? Instead, here are a few musings from my brain this week that need to get out . . .

FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THINGS HOLY – GET AN EDITOR

I have not just one, but two editors plus a whole host of additional professionals behind me to make sure that I’m not releasing rubbish. I’ve said this over and over on this blog having learned the hard way myself: no self-respecting indie author should release a book without a qualified editor *EVER* even if you are an editor yourself. Your brain is wired to your thought and speech patterns. It will miss so many grammatical mistakes, typos, word switcheroos that you’ll wonder if some grammar goblin came in the middle of the night and fucked with your manuscript. Just don’t do it. Pay the money and have someone go through it at least twice. Even better if you get a content/vision editor on board first who will rip your darling apart and give you the best damn advice of your career. Life it too short to read badly written fiction much less create it. If you want to be a professional author, please for the love of all things holy, act like one.

WHO INVENTED INSOMNIA – MAY WE BREAK THEIR LEGS

I’m a sleep monster so without it, um, I’m also a monster. A very scary, emotionally psychotic beast of epic proportions. You people who have infants should get Pulitzer Prizes – every single one of you. Anyone with great insomnia tricks, hook me up with your solutions.

WHY DOES EVERYTHING HAPPEN AT ONCE

My life is extremely boring. I like it that way. Right up to the point that I have to something major to do, cue this completely crazy TNEE business . . . so why is it that as soon as I have a big thing coming up does everything else blow up? Is there a rule of odds that I don’t know about?

GRIEF IS A HORRIBLE THING

This post never got finished on Friday because of the post that is about to follow this one. Needless to say, while grief is a part of who we are as human beings, it’s the worst possible emotion anyone can feel. I’m feeling a lot of it today so I’ll finish on this note: enjoy every minute of your life like it’s the last. Love hard and live hard because you never know what tomorrow will bring.

 

 

 

 

 

Why I love my critique partner

The Bookfiend shop on Etsy.com

The Bookfiend shop on Etsy.com

Another night. Another bout of insomnia. It’s not something I’m used to given the fact that I exist in order to sleep. I don’t know if it’s because I’m still on San Francisco time or if somehow my body thinks that something miraculous is going to happen after 10pm at night, but nothing short of drugs will conk me out right now.

So in the spirit of late night inane twitterings, I’ve decided to make a list of reasons why I love my critique partner, Terry, and why she is so utterly awesome to me.

But before I do, please give her your sympathy. Somewhere on the West Coast she is in a dentist office getting her wisdom teeth yanked out without general anesthesia. No lie.

Which brings me to my first point . . .

  1. She is strong. Terry has amazing fortitude. This whole wisdom teeth thing = cake walk
  2. She is funny as all get out. Seriously. I look forward to getting her feedback just for the witty comments. Pure gold, I tell you. She should be doing stand up.
  3. She is writing a great series. Honestly. I almost wept after the first 3 chapters because no one should be that good first time around.
  4. She humors me. Even when she probably shouldn’t.
  5. We are a lot alike. Hence Point no. 4.
  6. She writes under a pseudonym. I love me some mystery.
  7. Her characters are the best. Really. I have laughed out loud, groaned, you name it, as they’ve progressed through their story.
  8. She’s my agony aunt in the writing world. Every author needs one. I’m lucky to have a good one.

Thank you, Terry. I *heart* you, darling. I hope you feel better soon. Take the drugs. It’s worth it.

xo shawnee