Boredom, ugh! Sooo two seconds ago

Well, as happy as I am about my book being published online and now available on Amazon and iBooks, I feel like my blog is kind of boring.  It's kind of embarrassing saying that, but when I think about writing a blog post as being a duty, then, to me, it's boring.  Why should anything in life be boring?  If something is boring, I have a really, really, really...yeah, really hard time doing it.  I tend to feel like if it can't be made interesting somehow, by turning it into a game, a competition, or changing your perspective, then it's not worth doing.  And right now my blog doesn't feel worth doing.  I'd rather be writing a story, something really fun and creative, or watching a good movie or even reading than be doing this right now.

Maybe I'm supposed to say how much I love every aspect of writing and publishing, but instead, I'm telling you what I don't like.  I like interesting things, and when I meet something boring, I feel like the life is being sucked out of me (I said something not someone, although it applies for both, but that's kind of mean).  It is hard to find a reason to go on.  I also feel kind of insulted when I come into contact with something boring and feel forced to stay in its presence.

I got some great responses the other day when I messaged FB friends about my book and asked if they would buy a copy.  But then after only one sale came through from that, I felt the excitement leaving and boredom creeping in.  I try to be excited about my story, but it's kind of hard when you don't know if people like it, if they want to hear more, if they say they want to hear more but are just being nice.

I thought it was so cool that my book was on Amazon, so I went online and searched my name.  Sure enough, my book comes up, but it is at the top of a list of the most boring looking books.  I feel kind of angry, like I shouldn't have to be subjected to this kind of insult.  (Lol.  This really does tick me off, but it is also quite hilariously petty.  Of course being near some boring books doesn't mean anything.  I guess it reminds me of being different in high school and feeling like I could only hang out with lame people.  I suppose that scarred me worse than I thought.  Haha.)  I'm including a screenshot of my book with these lame books just for laughs.  Then some day when I'm famous, I can look back over my blog and laugh.

Well, I guess that's some thoughts from the real me today.  Now, back to being the "put together, happy" writer.  Lol.

And of course I must add the links for my book because I'm supposed to be promoting and marketing, oh yes.  (Ugh)

Etsy
Amazon (Kindle)
iBooks

By the way, iBooks was a heck of a link to find on the internet, so you can thank me later for that one.  IPhones and Apple stuff is great, but without fail, it ends up ticking me off.  I know it's oversimplified to be easy to use and stuff, but I always feel so lost with their dumb icons and no words and exclusivity.  It makes me feel like I must be really dumb because they put extreme perfection into a very-easy-to-use format, and it's still hard for me to figure out without getting mad.

Anyways, that's my two cents on that, and now I'm done ranting and blogging and being irritated.  Back to my magical life of escapism.  Haha.  Help!  (If you're completely confused by now, that makes two of us. :) )

Now available on Amazon and iBooks!

Ok, this is exciting.  My book is now available on Amazon and iBooks.  You can go to Amazon or iBooks and search "Rebecca Yoder" and my book Innocence will pop up.  Or you can click on "Amazon" and "iBooks" above for their respective links.

So now is your chance to get the very first in the series the Gold Dragon.  The lowest I could price the book on Amazon and iBooks was $2.99, and you're going to love it!  The format is great.  I have to admit that the cover looks best on iBooks.  (That's hard for me to say because I'm a Galaxy/Android person.)  But for some reason the cover is darker on Amazon.  I don't know what they did to it, but I'm too happy that it's on there to make a stink about it.

You can still buy Innocence in PDF format (which, I must say, is beautifully done as well and reads just as easily as the epub version) on Etsy.com.  The plus to buying this version is that it is only $1.99...AND coupons will be available if you leave a review on Etsy.com after your purchase.  I am offering a discount coupon for the second book, Awakened, for anyone who leaves a review on Etsy for the first book, Innocence.  Just leave a review and I will email you the coupon when Awakened is released.

So get out your phones, tablets and Kindles and start downloading.  Let me know what you think.  Leave a review.  Leave a comment on the blog or my Facebook page.  I'm excited to hear your feedback.  And as always, thanks for reading this.

One more time:  Buy me on
Etsy,
Amazon-Kindle
iBooks

Failure & Future

Well, it looks like I have failed at another NaNo event.  I know there are still two days left, and miracle word counts have happened.  But my plans include something other than winning a word count this month.  Through my failure I learned what I really want, or rather, what my first step is to getting where I want to go.

My goal is to make a living from my writing.  And I believe that when I complete my first adult book, finishing the next one will be easier.  I also believe that the right readers will be attracted to my work and news will spread.  However, I have tried time and again to finish this first novel that I'm talking about.  I have the story chosen and the plot mapped out, but the finish line seems ever in the future.

Last week a friend challenged me to finish any book I choose by Easter and she would carry it in her store.  As I pondered on finishing my novel for this challenge, I also knew that a goal so far away felt daunting to me.  I wanted something I could complete in a week.  I did some research on stories I had completed, half completed and of various genres.  Then it dawned on me what would work.  I had a children's ebook I had published almost two years ago.  I decided to make that one my first paper version.  I checked pricing at a local printing business and found out that printing my own work was going to be much simpler than I had thought.

So my task this weekend is to format my children's book Betty Butter into a version to send to the printers.  It's lacking a few illustrations.  The e-version has no illustrations but is also less expensive to purchase at only $1.99.  A fun recipe to make homemade butter at the end of the book makes up for the lack of illustrations in the digital version.  I feel that the printed version will not fair so well without the illustrations.

After the completion of this first paper printing project, I have a second story I will write about Betty Butter and print in e-format as well as paper printing.  These were small steps I could see myself completing without being overwhelmed.  And the anticipation of being able to say I have two books out before the New Year is a huge affirmation for me.  As I build my faith in myself, I know that novel will look easier and easier.

That's my plan.  I made a schedule this morning to show my purpose to myself and the universe as to how I'm managing my time in order to meet my goals.  I now feel confident that I will meet them and that God will be there to help me all along the way.  I know he will give me more than I ever dreamed and planned for. 

Stepping Into Your Role

Good morning, everyone!  It’s been a while since I have gotten to my blog posting.  Dang this sickness.  But I’m about over the sinus pressure so I've crawled back on the blog horse today.  

Today we are on Day 22 with 38 days to go until March 1, 2014--publication day!  The numbers sound more than scary to me, but I can’t think about that.  I must get this book done.  That is my only choice.  When I think of my characters, Daisy and Dell (the nickname that has grown on me for my heroine’s best guy friend), they take me to another world where that scary type of pressure caused by time doesn't exist.

Two things I want to tell you today about my journey to my first book:  1.) I finally have the feeling back that I used to get when I would sneak off to a secluded spot to write when I was 12; thought I’d never get to have this feeling of excitement about writing again.  2.) I found great power in stepping into the role of who I’m meant to be in life.

Number one is self-explanatory, but let me talk about number two.  Most of my adult life I have followed people’s suggestions on how to live my life, even though their suggestions did not follow what I wanted to do with my life.  Part of it was due to me not seeing writing as a profession but rather a hobby, something to do on the side of real life.  But the older I got, the more I realized I hated everything I was doing in my life.  No job satisfied me.  I thought I was just a lazy bum who hated to work.  The truth was I was waiting for “some day” to get to my writing.  I didn’t think people would approve of my stepping into the writing profession, especially since it doesn’t make any immediate money, or so they tell me.  I listened to them for two years longer.  But something happened to me at the start of 2014.  I was saved by God’s view of my life.  He created me to be a writer.  How long was I going to keep playing around, investigating other people’s suggestions of what I should do with my time instead of pouring my energy into writing a novel?  I took control of my thoughts, told myself “I am a WRITER, a NOVELIST, and that’s what I want to do with my life.”  Ever since that point, the drive, the motivation, the energy, excitement, and inspiration I needed for a project as intimidating as publishing an entire novel, came to me.  

Every time I begin meditating on my characters, I start feeling excited.  My novel calls to me, pulls me toward itself, to write, to work, to find out what’s going to happen next in the story.  I never felt this way when I was half “noveling”, as my cousin George calls it, and half investigating other options of work for my life.  The drive I needed came only when I completely accepted who I was.

So I push forward with everything I have, on a time scale that’s far too short; excited, persistent, almost in tears at the relief I feel to finally be doing what I want, what I was made to do from the day I was born.

Follow my progress on Facebook and Twitter @EdinanRoman as I reach my goal day by day.

Scritch Scratch

So I woke up in the middle of the night with a throat so scratchy I could barely swallow.  I stumbled to the kitchen to get that tasty cherry-something-flavored medicated throat spray.  I turned the light on to make sure I had the nozzle pointed in the right direction.  Relief!  I was able to sleep until the morning light came in my window.

My robe and I are still best friends even though it is nearing noon.  But there is nothing like the comfort of a robe to draw the characters out of my head and onto the page, at least that’s what I tell myself.

Last night a new hero developed in my mind.  And I’m not talking about a hero in CastleVille (which, by the way is progressing very well; I have completed the second part of the Yuletide quest and now have a magical berry patch growing).  My new hero is a guy.  I’m withholding the name for now because I’m only 99% sure about it.  Maybe after today I’ll be 100%.  He will be a friend to Daisy Mosse, my heroine.  But that’s all you get to know for now.

No progress made on chapters, however, the development of said hero greatly progressed my story line.

Thanks for stopping in again.  This is Day 5 with 55 days to go until publish date March 1st.  Check out my Facebook page and click Like for the magical experience of becoming a fan.  Also, follow me on Twitter @EdinanRoman.

See you tomorrow!