Whew! What a crazy past couple of months. I was right in the middle of updating my facebook page when I realized I had more to say than the status update would probably allow me to write. It's been a while since I've been on the computer long enough to write, much less update anything! Sometimes think I need a secretary to manage my facebook page because I'm hardly on there anymore. Hopefully I'll have enough time to finish this post before a child wakes up. ;) 

In short, my little family and I have changed jobs twice, boxed everything up and moved, had two birthdays (mine and my daughters), and added eight chickens to the family (as if I wasn't busy enough before!). It's been a crazy couple of months, like I said, but it has been fun.

I want to take just a moment and update everyone on the progress of book two in The Tabitha Hale Saga. I keep going back and changing things. This is a bad habit I've gotten into...some also call it being a perfectionist. I want it to be 100% perfect before I put it out there. I wanted to have it out a month ago, but I'm not satisfied with it yet. I've actually gotten pen and paper out and drawn a sort of timeline starting with the end of the series and working my way backwards so that I know exactly where I'm going with things. The more I go through all of the details (and there are a LOT of details to keep straight!) the more I remember something my grandfather always told my father when he was writing sermons: K.I.S.S. Keep it simple, stupid. It's interesting the things I think of while writing, but I have weeded out a lot of 'non important' details in the last couple days in an effort to keep things clear and concise. I don't want my readers to be bored with so many details that they are sitting there thinking, 'What was the point of this again?' At the same time, I don't want to have a lack of information and everyone wondering how I got from point a to point b. The battle between the two is... frustrating.

I'm going to try to make a point of getting on here more and blogging (when I have those brief two moments to myself). Not all my posts will be about the book and I'm going to attempt to *gasp* make things a little more personal. That's odd for me coming through the internet to God only knows who is reading this, but I'm going to try. Let's start with this one:

Hi, I'm Andrea and I have a book addiction. Over the last two and a half days we have been sick and I had someone insist that I read a new six book series. *heavy sigh* Just so you know, every time someone does that I end up getting hooked. When I say hooked I mean you don't see or hear from me until I'm finished with it. I try so hard not to read anything while I'm in the process of writing because I want to focus on the task at hand. Two and a half days and six books later, I'm finally coming up for air. Be careful what you do with this next information because you will lose days of your life. You've been warned. Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead. You're welcome.

-A

A New Chapter

Well, I did it. Yesterday I began sending out query letters to a fresh batch of agents for the first time since Pauline died.

If you have no idea what a query letter is, it's basically like sending out your resume to prospective employers. I have a couple of databases I search through that contain agent's names. I go through and click on each name and carefully read what each person requires in their query letter, what books they represent/enjoy reading, and their bios. Every person is different in what they require which makes it time consuming to go through them all and change my letter to their preferences. When reading through it all, I carefully consider if that person will not only be a good match for promoting my book, but also a good match in promoting me. I try to make sure we have similar interests, beliefs, and goals.

 It took me ten months to finally feel it was time to start over again. Interestingly enough, I feel really good about 'moving on'. I'm thankful for the time, however brief it was, that Pauline was in my life. She was such an influential part in helping me decide to self publish. Her firm belief in my series and wonderful encouragement to keep going no matter what happens is such a precious reminder to me as I push through the 'query process' all over again.

It's exciting to wake up each morning and check my email even if the agent is not interested in my work. Each 'no' I receive only means that I didn't find the match. If there's anything I've learned through the last agent search I went through it's that the right person will come along at exactly the right time and no sooner.

As wonderful and influential as Pauline was, I'm greatly looking forward to meeting the person that I will not only work with, but become friends with.

-A

To all self-published authors: I salute you.

Let me just say that I have a new found respect for self published authors and even agents with the massive work load that they must have. Good grief, it's some serious work! Not having been through the process before now, I had always wondered why book prices were so high. I never took into account how much it cost to actually print the book, ship it to the author, then ship it to the buyer (none of that even includes what the author would make on the book). There is sooo much that goes into it! I won't even go into formatting for each book. The eBook version is way different than the print version. It's not stressful at all. :x

I also feel for new authors who have no idea what to do with their book covers or have no one to edit their books. Fun fact #1: The cover of A Perception of Dreams is my mother's photo. Fun fact #2: My father is my editor. I have spent countless hours on the phone with both of them going over all the little details. They are such a huge part of my having the courage to put my writing into print. I've dabbled in a lot of random creative things, but had never found my niche until it came to writing. I had a lot of fun playing with Photoshop to get my book cover just right though. It only took a few days or a week (my mind is so shot that I can't remember exactly...or I blocked the trauma out) and many tutorial's online, but I figured it out ;) 

Just so all my bases are covered, I want to make sure and re-post what I put on facebook this morning. If you aren't following me on FaceBook or Twitter, go check those pages out. There are way more updates on there than there are on here.

::: TOMORROW BEGINNING AT 8AM!! :::

Amazon will be offering A Perception of Dreams (eBook version) for only .99 (86% off!) on 12/3. The price will increase by a dollar every 32 hours until it goes back to its normal price of $6.99 on 12/10. Share with your friends!
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FBM3YQ4

In other news: The VERY FIRST paperback copy should be on my doorstep in the next couple days!! For those of you planning to order a copy, I need to know how many books you are wanting to order ASAP so that I can order enough in bulk ahead of time for them to arrive on your doorsteps before Christmas. The list price is $12.99 per book not including shipping. Shipping is a flat rate of $4 for media mail. I'm working on setting up a paypal option on my website. Until then, comment below and let me know who is wanting what so that I can get an idea =) Thanks everyone ♥

-A

A Writer's First Rules

Goooodness. I decided on a whim to crack open a book and enjoy a bit of reading. I needed a break from writing to focus on something else for a while. I typically have a very strict 'do not read while writing' rule. I don't want to allow anything else to distract me from where I am with my own story.

When I pick up a book I become immediately wrapped up in it, so much so that I literally tune out the entire world and focus on engulfing the book. If it's a really good book I won't answer my phone, I become non-existent online, and you're lucky to get me to take a break long enough to make food. Now that I think about it, it's a really great dieting idea. ;)

On Thanksgiving, I opened said book and, since a new one had just come out, I caught up on the previous two. Ok, folks. If you're an author or enjoy writing even the tiniest bit then this part is for you. Here is my number one rule: Don't make your readers mad. If you, even once, break this rule without having an exceptionally awesome reason for it and an even better idea to pull your readers back into being infatuated with your story then you've completely botched your writing career. From that point, the point that your reader hates you, they won't read anything else you've written because you've lost their trust. Then it's pretty much game over.

When I'm writing, I try really hard to remember what I want out of an author or out of a book that I read. Would I like a happy ending where everything is pink rainbows and butterflies? Yeah, I would. I'm a sappy, hopeless romantic when it comes to 'happily-ever-afters'. I want the main guy to be the protector of the main girl and I want both of them to overcome whatever it is that is keeping them apart, conquer the world, and be insanely happy at the end of the book. Is that really too much to ask? Yes, it is.

Let's face it: life isn't always pretty. Life will throw curve balls at you, people will die- people you have come to depend on and love deeply, things will never go quite the way you had planned that they would, and even though each and every one of us want that 'perfect ending' every day, we need to face that it won't always happen. This is my favorite part though. Life causes us to grow. Life is what shapes us into the people we are and the people we are going to be. Those trials that we all hate are the ones we look back on later in life and say, "I really hate that it had to happen like that ... but if it hadn't happened then I wouldn't be the person that I am now."

Sooo ... When I'm writing, I try to remember that. I know that life can suck, but I also know that it can be absolutely beautiful. I try to add a splash of realism with a heavy dose of "It'll all work out so let's all just be freakin' happy." I also try to remember that, if I don't like it when an author kills off a beloved main character then brings the character miraculously back in the next book then makes the character a horribly nasty person then takes the character back to the amazingly good person he originally was, then I don't want to write like that. I don't want to force my readers to sit through it if I'm not willing to sit through it. If your reader is skimming and flipping the pages wondering when the author is going to get to the point and stop dumping on the characters, buckle up. The book should be so good that you can't miss even a word.

The writer's first rules should be the following, 1) Don't make your reader mad. 2) Keep the main thing the main thing. If you have a goal for the book, tattoo it on your arm (or something possibly not so permanent) so that you never forget, through all the side stories, where you are heading. Don't lose sight of your focus or ever make your readers wonder 'What was the point of this again?" 3) Develop your characters. Don't leave them to be the same whiny brat they were when the book started for three entire books before you decide to make them grow up. That leads back to rule #1.

-A

Let Them Be Little

I really enjoy Halloween. I have fond memories of watching scary movies with my brother and dressing up in cool costumes pretending to be someone else for a day. One year I was even a witch ((gasp)) because I thought it would be so cool to fly and wear a pretty, sparkly hat. I loved pretending to be someone else and knocking on a stranger's door knowing that one day a year everyone had their doors open to greet each other. Essentially, we were all playing one giant game together- until the porch lights went off. That was the universal sign that we were done playing. (A sign I'm certain people don't remember.)

This year I'm bummed though. I look around me at terrifying or provocative  'children's costumes'. I see sugary, crap food everywhere that society has been trained to think of as 'normal' for a child to consume. Each and every single one of the ingredients in any candy bar contains high fructose corn syrup. (Go research what that is, what it does to your body, and then you'll understand why I am bothered by giving this to my children.) 

I have the desire to take my children trick-or-treating because I want them to experience what I experienced at their age. I want them to look back and remember the times we spent together doing things as a family. I want them to be able to hold out their bag and get excited by what is inside at the end of the night, but it is not worth it to risk their health or their lives just to get candy which we all know they would be devastated to receive and not be able to consume.

Then there is the other reason I'm bummed. The 'fun-suckers' come out. I see social networking sites explode with negative and purposefully nasty, judgmental comments directed at those who 'partake' in Halloween. I still fail to understand how people who claim to have a desire to show Christ can sit around the same table and make such purposely hurtful statements based on no facts to back them up. When it comes right down to it, my reason for 'celebrating' Halloween may be completely different than the couple down the street. Is it true that there are those who 'worship' this 'holiday'? Yes, it is, but to lump everyone into the same basket isn't fair or accurate. We are all different. We have different backgrounds, different beliefs, different reasons for why we do the things we do. The thing that constantly surprises me is adults' desire to turn a child's imagination into more than what it is. 

I've said this many times, but it's worth saying again. If something is a stumbling block for you-- Stay away from it!!!! Good for you for recognizing a problem in your life and not having a desire to be around it. I sincerely applaud you and am genuinely happy that you are trying to do the right thing by you. But we have got to stop getting so angry and upset at others for doing things that we stumble over. Your situation is not the same as theirs, it's a matter of opinion rather than a matter of salvation, and you have no idea where someone else is at in their journey to criticize something they choose to do. Live your life, tend to your own garden, and let them live theirs. At the very least, be polite when having a disagreement. Not everyone has to think the same way or do the same things, contrary to popular belief. If you're reading this and are completely anti-Halloween... That's ok! I completely respect you and the decision you have made about what you feel is best for your family.

For me, Halloween wasn't about sitting around in a dark room speaking in unintelligible languages to the dark forces that be. It was about playing dress up and using my imagination to fly or put out a pretend fire like a fire fighter. As an adult, it's about reliving my childhood and seeing a smile light up my son's face as he uses his imagination. Now, to me, it's more of a tribute to fall and a reason to do something we wouldn't normally do. (Plus, I don't think i'll ever grow tired of playing dress up.)

Let me tell you something that happened a couple days ago. As my husband and I walked our children through Aldi, my son saw all the costumes on the shelf. I asked my husband if he wanted to 'do Halloween this year' but he didn't care one way or another. As we had our own conversation, my three year old points up at one of the costumes and says, 'Mamma, I wanna be buzz lightyear!!!' Seeing his face light up with the uncontainable joy only three year olds possess, we picked through the costumes to find his size and handed him the package. Anyone with a three year old knows what came next... 'Mommy, open it!' followed by daddy saying, 'We have to pay for it first, then you can put it on at home.'

Fast forward to the very moment we crossed the threshold of our home. Little squeals pierce my eardrum as my toddler begs his daddy to 'Open Buzz!' While my husband unwrapped the millions of layers of packaging with a Swiss Army knife and a crowbar, my son was readily disrobing with the door half open to the world. Eyes still blazing with excitement, my son begins running around the house hitting the 'button on his arm' and saying 'pew, pew!' He dubbed our miniature dachshund 'slinky dog', gave me the title of 'the dinosaur', my daughter was 'bo peep',  my husband became 'woody', and my son made us call him 'buzz lightyear' all within the span of a wardrobe change.

 Isn't it amazing what our little ones come up with when given room to let their imaginations run untamed while they are little? Embrace their precious imaginations. One day you'll look back fondly on all the times you spent together in make believe land. Let them be little. They grow too fast as it is. 

-A

And the winners are...

I am super excited to announce the winners of the very first giveaway for 'A Perception of Dreams'!!!

Collin C. & Amanda J.

Congratulations to both of you!! I will be sending you emails hopefully by tonight. (Here's hoping my children allow me five minutes of peace!)

I will be hosting another giveaway as soon as we reach 100 likes on The Tabitha Hale Saga facebook page. However! As an added incentive to help me get the word out, I will happily have TWO MORE WINNERS if we can reach 100 likes by Monday!! Only 9 more to go =)

Congratulations again to Collin and Amanda! I can't wait to hear what you both think!

-A

Oh, the life of a mom. Yesterday I said I would get 'A Perception of Dreams' (affectionately known as APoD) on another site. As is typical, life happened and my littles picked that day to be demanding. I love, love, LOVE being a mommy, but it is so complicated to be an author at the same time! The deadlines I set for myself have to be lengthier ones so that I'm sure I meet them on time. What would normally take me a couple hours to do or figure out now takes a day at the least, but most likely several. I have emails that I haven't had a chance to respond to and a very dear friend that has been left hanging somewhere in facebook land because I haven't had more than two minutes to sit down and type out a well thought out reply. Bless her heart for still keeping in contact with me though!

I really do love being a mom though. It is hands down the best job I have ever had and more rewarding than anything. Even now, my daughter is in her bouncer giving me those baby blues asking to be held, I just noticed that my son drew on his face with blue and black markers, and my phone is going off every two minutes. I wouldn't change it for anything.

Finally, a day later, I've gotten around to the 'other site' that I wanted to put APoD on. It is now avaliable for purchase on Smashwords. Also, for those of you who have read the book already, I would greatly appreciate it if you left a review on either Amazon or Smashwords or both! Thanks! <3

Have you entered the contest to win APoD? Remember, you can do so daily! Share with your friends =)

-A

A New Beginning

After many months of being silent on here, I am finally ready to reveal what I've been working on! It's been so long since I've written to you all and so many things have influenced that. 

I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl in April, whom we named Tabitha. She is such a little mommy's girl. I can't put her down for more than fifteen minutes without her wanting me which I dearly love, but it does get frustrating when I need to get things done. My son, Jonah, loves her to pieces and is constantly wanting to play with her, talk to her, hug and kiss her... As she has grown (she is now almost five months) we have noticed that she is living up to her name. My mother first pointed out that she has 'elf ears'. I can't wait to see who she looks like!

My sweet agent, Pauline, passed away unexpectedly. It was a complete and total shock, one which I'm still reeling from. I think a lot of frustration came from that, but in more ways than one. She was one of the first people to believe in me and in the story that I have created. She encouraged me, corrected me, helped me to learn and grow to be a better writer, and without her I would never have the courage to do what I am about to announce. Because she, and many others, believed in me and The Tabitha Hale Saga so much, I feel confident in the work I have been doing over the past few months. 

::The big announcement::

I am beyond excited to announce that the first book of The Tabitha Hale Saga, A Perception of Dreams, has been created into eBook format for Kindle and is officially for sale on Amazon. To celebrate this, I am having a contest for five days! Not one, but TWO people will win a FREE copy of 'A Perception of Dreams'! The contest will run today through the 27th. You will have up to 10 entries and 4 of those will be daily entries. So invite your friends and let's really get the word out! I'm so excited to share this with all of you and am excited to see who the lucky two people will be!

-A

If you have a question about the Tabitha Hale Saga, please feel free to shoot me a message here or leave a comment at the bottom of this post and I will incorporate it into my schedule. (Once you're on the website, click 'contact' on the upper right hand side.) Make sure you subscribe either via email or blog so you don't miss the next question!

Will you write more stories set in this world that doesn't involve the main character?

When I first started writing the Tabitha Hale Saga it was solely meant to revolve around Tabitha, which is very evident in the first book. As I have gotten deeper into the story and become more involved in the character's lives I have had an inner pulling to tell their stories as well. Even now that I'm working on book four, I frequently have the desire to go back to book one (A Perception of Dreams) and indulge more on Emma's side of the story, but as my father says, "The important thing is to keep the main thing the main thing." In the end, I always end up listening to him and adding more to books two through four which you'll thank me for later. ;)

Once you switch from book one to book two you can definitely tell that I take a greater interest in telling Emma's side, but I also want to make sure that I keep the main focus on Tabitha as it is still her story. I have thought of several different ideas where I could branch out and do a separate book on specific characters- and I very well may- but my current priority is finishing the THS. 

I think one of the biggest things I love about the THS is that I have somehow managed to reveal everything as the character is figuring it out so that we learn everything as the character is. (I think part of that is because, for the longest time, I had no idea where I was going with it; rather, I just sat down and wrote so whatever the character was experiencing I was experiencing too.) I didn't want to put all the info on the table at once and overwhelm my reader, but I didn't want to leave out so much that I didn't grip them either. 

Somehow I think I've found the perfect balance and I really have to just thank my dad for listening to my lengthy ramblings and understanding what I mean through all the crazy thrown in. I also have to thank my agent for taking a chance on me and believing in the book and Tabitha's story enough to pick it up and promote it. I have some pretty great people in my life that really helped stitch all of this together.

-A


If you have a question about the Tabitha Hale Saga, please feel free to shoot me a message here or leave a comment at the bottom of this post and I will incorporate it into my schedule. (Once you're on the website, click 'contact' on the upper right hand side.) Make sure you subscribe either via email or blog so you don't miss the next question!

After a much needed break, I am working on getting back into the swing of not only writing, but also posting for all my lovely readers. I really appreciate the patience you have all had as well as the encouraging words from several of you that a break is sometimes needed to clear an authors mind. I hate these breaks because I know exactly where I'm going with the Tabitha Hale Saga, but for whatever reason the words just don't seem to appear as quickly as I would prefer them to. I am thankful for the many extra snuggles I got with my little one at night as I put him to bed rather than writing immediately after he went upstairs with daddy. =)

What influenced the world you have created?

My first thought when I read this question was David Eddings. (I swear, everything goes back to that brilliant man!) I was so in awe of the world he created for his characters that it made me want to create my own as well. Imagination is such a wonderful and amazing tool. One can literally use this tool to accomplish anything. Look across time at all the things people have dreamed up- Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and Harry Potter being the firsts to come to mind. In the creation of those stories, the authors literally reached an entire generation. The power that a properly told story has and its long-reaching affect astounds me, but is also a little scary because, when you think about it, that is a lot of power to wield. Speaking for myself, I really try to be careful what I write and how it comes across to my readers. Even if you aren't an author, I would really encourage you to be mindful of how you want others to remember you and think of the impressions you could end up leaving upon the earth after you are gone. You never know- you could be the one that affects an entire generation.

-A

If you have a question about the Tabitha Hale Saga, please feel free to shoot me a message here or leave a comment at the bottom of this post and I will incorporate it into my daily schedule. (Once you're on the website, click 'contact' on the upper right hand side.) Make sure you subscribe either via email or blog so you don't miss the next question!

I think I have had about enough traveling to last the rest of the year. What a long summer this has been! I'm pretty sure I've been gone more than I've been at home and, let me tell you, I have missed my own bed! Now that school has started again, things are finally starting to slow down. Also, the Olympics and Shark Week is behind me- FINALLY. Now I can begin writing again- after I catch up on all the emails and questions and such. :-)

Now that the Olympics and Shark Week are over, have you started writing again?

Ok, I remain skeptical that this is my agent emailing in in an attempt to light my inner fire again. ;) It's been a while since I have written, but as soon as I am finished with this blog post I am getting back to the grindstone. My husband bought me an amazing set of headphones which I have been drooling over for the past year and I'm itching to use them. For those that don't frequently follow my blog, I rarely write without listening to at least some kind of music, but mostly stick to dub step.

Regardless of if you're a writer or not, I think we all need breaks. They are healthy and give us a chance to cool down from whatever it is we are passionate about. For me, it gives me a chance to experience new things and catch up on my reading which actually fuels my writing once I begin again. It's interesting how, after taking a break and being frustrated by writer's block, can open your mind up to things you had not once considered before the break. I'm going into book four with fresh ideas and thoughts that I can't wait to get down. The several week long break, as frustrating as it really can be, is always a blessing in disguise because I gain more insight to my character's lives when I take a step back from the situation. 

-A

If you have a question about the Tabitha Hale Saga, please feel free to shoot me a message here or leave a comment at the bottom of this post and I will incorporate it into my daily schedule. (Once you're on the website, click 'contact' on the upper right hand side.) Make sure you subscribe either via email or blog so you don't miss tomorrow's question!

Thanks to all the wonderful people at Goodreads, I now have not only an author profile, but also one for my book! You can become a fan, follow my updates, and add A Perception of Dreams right to your reading list! Here is my author page and here is the page for APOD. Also, if you look on the right hand side of my blog, just under the about me, you'll see my fancy Goodreads button. I've already clicked it twice. I'm so excited =)

Is anything in your book based on real life experiences or purely all imagination?

Actually, it's a little of both. A good portion of the story has come from my imagination, but there are many places where I insert things from my own life. Whether it be in a conversation, a certain situation, or a minor detailing, there is a little bit of 'me' in all of it. For example, in chapter two there is a scene where Tabitha is knitting to relax after a long day. As she hears knocking at the door, she places the project into a 'multi-colored bag'. The bag I have in mind was actually my grandmother's. She always had that bag full of every color of yarn and an assortment of needles. After she passed away, I found out that she wanted me to have that bag, making it very special to me. We spent many hours in her seventies orange rocking chair as she taught me to knit.

In answer to the question though, it's little things like that which I throw in not because I expect the reader to focus on the minor details, but because it means something to me. It's pretty neat going back through all the books and picking out all of the hidden treasures I've snuck in over the years.

-A

If you have a question about the Tabitha Hale Saga, please feel free to shoot me a message here or leave a comment at the bottom of this post and I will incorporate it into my daily schedule. (Once you're on the website, click 'contact' on the upper right hand side.) Make sure you subscribe either via email or blog so you don't miss tomorrow's question!

You know how you have those weeks where you're so busy that you feel like you're running around and forgetting everything you were supposed to do? Yeah. That's been my entire summer. The last week was verging on miserable and my memory is so shot that I had to buy a planner a few days ago! ...Then I lost the planner...However, I did just find it in my computer bag so we'll see how long this lasts.  I'm pretty sure I'm becoming the type of person that will forget something even if it's stuck to my forehead. 

On top of the previous dilemmas, the last two weeks were Olympic weeks. My mother, being the gem she is, called and informed me that the Olympics are ending on Sunday- thank God!- but that Shark Week begins then. ...Are you kidding me?! It's got to be a conspiracy against writers everywhere. I was glued to the television more than I would care to admit watching all of the Olympic events and now I will be glued another week to tune into Shark Week. It's a good thing A Perception of Dreams is not yet published or I would have emails out the wazoo prodding me to continue working on book four. No one tell my agent. :P

I need a nap...and someone to pull the plug on my television. K thanks.

-A

If you have a question about the Tabitha Hale Saga, please feel free to shoot me a message here or leave a comment at the bottom of this post and I will incorporate it into my daily schedule. (Once you're on the website, click 'contact' on the upper right hand side.) Make sure you subscribe either via email or blog so you don't miss tomorrow's question!

What book are you reading right now and how often do you pick up a new novel?

Great question. If you take a look at the right hand side of my blog, you'll see a little box under my 'about me' titled 'currently reading'. I update this as soon as I finish a book. Currently, I'm reading Two Pins in a Fountain by Jane Arbor. It's one of those books that I picked up from a yard sale because it 'looked pretty'. [See previous post for that explanation ;)]

As for how often I pick up a new novel: I go back and forth all the time on this. I can easily go through a book a day, but the downside is that I get so absorbed in the story that I neglect my own writing of the Tabitha Hale Saga. I've gone from the former to a couple a week because I need a brain break from the THS. About a month later, usually when I see a new book coming out, I'll switch back to the former and do a book a day. After realizing, again, how much that took away from my writing, I always switch back to a couple a week. It's really a viscous cycle for me. Once I get into a story, I just have to know the ending which makes the book really hard to put down long enough to come up for air. As my husband says, 'You devour books.' No, but really. I do.

-A

If you have a question about the Tabitha Hale Saga, please feel free to shoot me a message here or leave a comment at the bottom of this post and I will incorporate it into my daily schedule. (Once you're on the website, click 'contact' on the upper right hand side.) Make sure you subscribe either via email or blog so you don't miss tomorrow's question!

Do you ever suffer from writer's block? If so, what do you do to get past it?

Ugh. I get writer's block more often than I would like which usually ends up frustrating me to no end and causes me to walk away from writing for a while. As much as I would like to give you a definite answer that would cure the dreaded writer's disease, I don't have one. Every person is different and their thinking/writing process is entirely unique so what works for me may not work for you. That being said, I typically just have to turn my music up more loudly and push through the block. I force myself to sit down and write or I take a break and read a book to clear my head.

-A

If you have a question about the Tabitha Hale Saga, please feel free to shoot me a message here or leave a comment at the bottom of this post and I will incorporate it into my daily schedule. (Once you're on the website, click 'contact' on the upper right hand side.) Make sure you subscribe either via email or blog so you don't miss tomorrow's question!

Alright, I'm back, ha ha. In previous posts, I mentioned that I had bought a massive bag of books a few weeks ago and posted a photo on Instagram of them. Well, I have been quickly working my way through that bag. It's a rather funny story as to how I acquired said books. A friend of mine, Kayla, went with me and my son to visit my family for a week. It was a blast! We all took one of the days to go to a local second hand shop and I ended up finding books for .25 cents to a dollar a piece. Needless to say, I filled a huge bag.

I came to find out that Kayla's way of choosing books and my way of picking them out were entirely different. I base my decision by reading the summary on the back cover; Kayla, on the other hand, chooses books with "pretty covers" and goes from there. As you may imagine, I laughed out loud when I heard this, but gave it a try figuring, why not?

I don't even remember how long we were in that silly store, but I remember it took up the entire afternoon as we scoured the shelves. Three weeks later and I have finally begun going through them. So far, I have read three books in the past four days. The first book was alright and had a decent story line. The second book verged on great, but kind of ticked off the reader in the middle and resumed the story at the end. [Author's first rule: Never tick off your reader.] The third book was just phenomenal. 

If you have been following along with my blog from the beginning, you will already know that David Eddings is my all-time favorite author and that I am head over heels for all of his books. There is just something about how he writes that sucks me in, not to mention his out-of-this-world imagination. I have read everything from Lord of the Rings to the Chronicles of Narnia, to Harry Potter, to Twilight and none of them have topped David Eddings for me.

I'm definitely more of a fantasy, paranormal buff, so stepping outside of that and into the contemporary romance novel was a stretch for me. I don't prefer stories that are laced with language and sex. I believe you can have an amazing story without the two of those placed so graphically into your mind for the rest of forever. That said, I just finished Secrets of the Lost Summer by Carla Neggers and fell in love. 

When I informed my husband that this was right up there next to David Eddings, he was shocked. Then I went on to tell him that there are twenty five more books she has written and I received the classic 'look'. [Check two posts before this one for more on that ;)] Bless his heart for putting up with my book obsession.

Switching gears a bit: Now that Michael Phelps has raced for the last time and the gymnastics I care about have come to a close, I can finally start focusing on finishing book four of the Tabitha Hale Saga! My week long brain break was nice, but I'm itching to see where my mind takes me. More to come soon!

-A

Because I just love you all so much, here's a sneak peek into chapter four of A Perception of Dreams.
 

Tabitha shrugged and stared into the water. “I just feel like I'm missing something. Even before my parents died, I always felt like there was something … more. When I'm alone, outside, I just have this sense of … I guess you could call it purpose. It's like I know who I am, yet I don't know anything at all, but on the other hand I'm supposed to be something more.” She shook her head suddenly, “Never mind. It's stupid.”

Aidan stood and offered her his hand. “First, you're not alone.” Helping her up, he picked up her blanket and handed it to her. “Second, your thoughts aren't stupid at all.” He paused, as if considering what to say, “Sometimes the best way to find yourself is to realize you're lost. Knowing that creates a starting point for finding your way home. If this is where your path leads you,” he said gesturing to the natural surroundings, “then don't let anyone pull you away from that. Only by being true to yourself will you become what you are truly meant to be.”

She was staring out over the water again, her face serious. He nudged her shoulder and smiled. “It's even better,” he said, “when you find those who share the same passions and walk the same path. It makes the traveling a lot less lonely.”

If you have a question about the Tabitha Hale Saga, please feel free to shoot me a message here or leave a comment at the bottom of this post and I will incorporate it into my daily schedule. (Once you're on the website, click 'contact' on the upper right hand side.) Make sure you subscribe either via email or blog so you don't miss tomorrow's question!

The following is a list I created based on my own personal experiences. Enjoy ;)

You know you're a reader when...

When in trouble, your parents take away your book rather than an electronic device.
When you go to the hair dresser, you read instead of talk.

When your friends tell you to get your nose out of a book, they think that's a bad thing.

When leaving the house, you grab the book before the baby. (Kidding!...no, but really)

When in bed late at night and your husband is ready to turn out the lights, you ask for five more minutes to finish a chapter, but end up finishing the book.

When you sneak off to the bathroom during a sleepover to read a book where there is less noise.

When a teacher asks if the class has read a certain book, the class answers, "Andrea has."

When you have a 'must buy' list.

When you re-read a multiple book series every time before the new one comes out.

When you've read Harry Potter so many times that you point out every single anomaly in the movies.

When you ask if a friend has read a certain series and they answer, 'No, I would rather watch the movie," you consider deleting them on Facebook.

When you frequently have in-depth discussions about fictional characters as if they are real.

When you cry when a character dies or kisses the wrong person who they clearly aren't meant to be with.

When you purposely buy hardbacks so they will last longer through your obsessive reading patterns.

When you see a second hand shop, you make a beeline for the book section in hopes of finding a good deal, and walk out with bags of books.

When you have more books than shoes.

When you'd rather have more books than shoes.

When you begin a new book, you don't come up for air until it's finished.

When you defend your reading habits to others who find it odd.

When you were a kid, you would get into trouble for staying up late to read.

When someone asked what you wanted for Christmas, you give them your already-prepared book list.
When people buy you gift certificates instead of books for Christmas because they can't keep track of what you've already read.

When you quote from a book in a conversation and no one understands the reference.

When you have the tendency to think in third person.

When your friends know to come to you for suggestions on what to read next.

-A

If you have a question about the Tabitha Hale Saga, please feel free to shoot me a message here or leave a comment at the bottom of this post and I will incorporate it into my daily schedule. (Once you're on the website, click 'contact' on the upper right hand side.) Make sure you subscribe either via email or blog so you don't miss tomorrow's question!

As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?

A gymnast! I don't even remember how many years I was in gymnastics and dance classes, but I loved every moment of it. Eventually, it got to the point where I had advanced as high as I could go without putting some serious money into it. That was ultimately when I switched from gymnastics to swimming. All that being said, I have an addiction to the Olympics right now!

I'm pretty sure I came out of the womb knowing how to swim and still feel as if I am part mermaid whenever I enter the water. I was a lifeguard for eight years and that was probably one of the best things I have ever done. I frequently wish I could go back to it and may look into being an aquatics director some day, but I will always be a writer first and foremost. 

-A

If you have a question about the Tabitha Hale Saga, please feel free to shoot me a message here or leave a comment at the bottom of this post and I will incorporate it into my daily schedule. (Once you're on the website, click 'contact' on the upper right hand side.) Make sure you subscribe either via email or blog so you don't miss tomorrow's question!

How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?

I have written three books so far which make up the Tabitha Hale Saga. The first, A Perception of Dreams, is finished and in the publisher's hands. The second installment is currently in the process of being edited and the third needs some more work put into it before I have it edited. I am writing the fourth at the moment and already have an idea of where I want to go with the fifth.

There is another series that I have started, but I have been too focused on finishing the THS to write it. I greatly look forward to having the Tabitha Hale Saga finished and put to bed so that I can put my heart into the next big idea I'm working on.

As for my favorite, that's like asking me to choose between my children. I love all of them!

-A

(In reference to the last post, I made banana bread this morning and am addicted!)

If you have a question about the Tabitha Hale Saga, please feel free to shoot me a message here or leave a comment at the bottom of this post and I will incorporate it into my daily schedule. (Once you're on the website, click 'contact' on the upper right hand side.) Make sure you subscribe either via email or blog so you don't miss tomorrow's question!

I thought I would mix things up a bit and put off the daily question until tomorrow. Instead, I have a question for you:

What is your favorite [healthy] recipe or food?

In the past month, I have been making my way towards clearing out all of the processed foods we buy. My goal is to have my family and I eating much healthier than we have been. This includes eating out, drinking soda, and snacking just to snack.

I have been lucky enough to have Pinterest at my disposal as I search for creative ways to cook dinner and get my son/husband to still eat it. Here are a couple recipes I found in the last week that were a huge hit for the three of us: Fettuccine Alfredo & Skinny Baked Rigatoni. I kid you not, both my picky husband and my skeptical son ate and loved them. I even hid mushrooms and green peppers in the rigatoni and STILL got away with it! If that's not success, I just don't know what is. :-)

-A

If you have a question about the Tabitha Hale Saga, please feel free to shoot me a message here or leave a comment at the bottom of this post and I will incorporate it into my daily schedule. (Once you're on the website, click 'contact' on the upper right hand side.) Make sure you subscribe either via email or blog so you don't miss tomorrow's question!