It's Finally Done

Well, it's finally come and went. Moving day was March 20th and while there were a LOT of emotional moments leading up to that day, there were very few on the actual move day. Quite a few friends along with my brother in law, nephew, aunt, and uncle helped get what I owned from a two bedroom apt. to a one bedroom apt. I wasn't sure it would work, but it did. And several friends gave me a "new" couch and recliner, diningroom suit, and bedroom suit. The Sunday School across the hall from the Nursery (at Church) gave me a brand new mattress as a housewarming gift. I've never had a brand NEW mattress! The blessings that occurred in just one week's time frame are unbelievable... there were 18 that I counted in just a few days or so!

Still unpacking boxes, but thanks to my cousin and a friend from church, quite a bit of it got unpacked and put in place. Just a few days ago several friends from church came over to mount my curio shelves and corner curios. I'm now getting back "into" life and living again since the move. Hopefully here soon I'll be back into writing the next book in the series, "The Heart Mended".

Say a prayer for me and the first book in the series, "The Heart's Desire". Here soon I plan on sending it to "The Writer's Edge" in hopes of getting it professionally published. Self-publishing is nice, and it gets the job done for the moment... but I'm not an agent or a promoter and have little free time to take it on. If it's what God is wanting to have happen, then things will fall into place with it, like it did with the moving!

Heading on to bed now. It's the first time I've been in bed before midnight in almost three weeks.

Have a great one!!

First Review in for "The Heart's Desire" and "The Heart Broken"

Well, I hadn't planned on doing a posting tonight, but couldn't sit on this. I got in the first review for "The Heart's Desire" and "The Heart Broken". As you all know, "The Heart's Desire" is my first attempt at fiction writing. To say I was scared was an understatement. I wasn't sure how it would be received. I was scared that much more that I'd made an idiot out of my myself through my writing attempts and now EVERYONE knew what I felt. I love my family, but while they love my books... I needed to find someone objective to honestly critique it. So, by the grace of God and a friend from church, Debra Gaynor's name was given to me to contact. Debra is a Kentucky reviewer who has her own business and wants to promote the fine authors Kentucky has to offer. So when she not only gave a 5 star rating to "Forget Me Not" AND wrote about it in the Hancock Clarion newspaper, my confidence started to rise... and thus I began my venture into fictional writing.

Below you will find the reviews found at "Readers Favorite: Book Reviews". Out of a 0-5 star rating (0 being bad, 5 being outstanding), I received a 5 star rating for both books. To say I'm estatic just doesn't cover it. I'm beyond estatic. At the present, my dreams are beginning to be touched... but there is still MUCH more of the dream to grasp.

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Rated 5 Stars
The Hearts Desire-Book 1 of "The Heart Series"

Moving from Virginia to Kentucky was a hard trip for the Baker Family. Tragedy and joy followed them on the journey. The death of children and the birth of son along the way, only to be murdured by Indians in this their dream land. The few who survive carry on the legacy.

Ella Baker Gray has grown uo, married and raising a family of her own, all the while beliving her oldest brother survived the attack years ago.When a mysterious stranger arrives in town, he holds the key to all the questions Ella has pondered for years.
When their daughter Kate falls in love with William Miller, his father comes between them and along with her plans to be a teacher will this drive them apart or make their love stronger.

When an unexpected storm comes up just as the Church social is ending everyone in its path is threatened.

As the tornado rips through the town who will survive........

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Rated 5
The Heart Broken-Book 2 of "The Heart" Series

In book two of The Heart Series we find the town of Big Springs Kentucky trying to recoup from the tornado that nearly destroyed the town. When many lives were lost along with homes and businesses ,the town would survive. They would re-build.
For one family, James and Ella Gray the tornado was devastating. When Ella survives the tornado the outcome of the rest of the family changes completely. Who can predict the future.

Matthew Conner along with his family has been a stronghold in the Big Springs community for several years, but he has secrets that have remained hidden that would surprise the whole town if they only knew. If they ever became known it could very well destroy not only his life but the life of his daughter, destroyed by the hands of his very own family.

As the new year begins there have been many changes. A new school teacher, who has her own little unsuspected twists and turns to add to the story to a surprise ending of the book.

To get to know the characters and the what leads up to the beginning of the book “The Heart Broken “one really needs to read the first book ”The Heart’s Desire”. Look for book 3 of the series out later in 2010
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I'm waiting with anticipation two more reviews to come in on both books... to see if the first was a fluke, or if I really do have "something" to work with.

Have a great one!
Dana

And It Continues....

Got the word yesterday that it'll be 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 wks. before they'll have the apartment ready for me to come view and do the last little bit of paperwork. So the date is definitely narrowed down to one of two weekends. Either March 20th or March 27th. The 20th would be best for me, as the 27th is the local book fair. I've already ordered (and paid for) the books and the table for the fair and the roughly $300 isn't something I can "eat". So while I'm praying God's will, I'm hoping it's that He has the 20th in His will. We shall see!

As for now, any writing on the next book in the series (which I'm also working on as a "presentation" piece) has come to a sudden halt until at least after Easter. Each room, minus the bathroom, has little odds and ends that need to be packed to "complete" as much as possible until the actual move day. That means I'll be packing and getting things ready as much as possible between now and then. It also means I might be a little more quiet on this end, barring book reviews coming in, until I get moved into the new place. Once I have a set date, I'll be brief... posting the date... and then it'll be after the move before I get back up and going again. Getting excited!!

Have a great one!

Exciting Times Abound

Where do I begin? The excitement has been incredible the past two days to the point I can barely stand it. Yesterday I got the call that it'll be a couple of weeks before an apartment is ready for me to view. If it pans out, then it looks promising for a possible March 20th date to move. That means I need to get "off my behind" from writing and start packing so I'm not totally caught off guard. Tonight... it's totally breaking down the bathroom minus the absolute essentials. Gonna be interesting!!

Today has been incredible. I finally received the copies of "The Heart's Desire" and "The Heart Broken" for the book fair the end of March. It seemed as soon as I started showing them off, they started selling. In one hour's time, I'd sold three sets of the series plus one book of "Forget Me Not" and one book of "The Heart Broken".... two hours later I sold two more sets. With what was sold in that short amount of time, I believe I have recouped what I've already paid for the printing of the 10 sets. Out of all of this, there was a very special blessing that occurred. This blessing is one of two blessings that I can fall back to when I get in the writer doldrums and wonder what in the world am I doing writing.

I know you all know I'm a preschool teacher of many years. One of my former students, she's nine years old, came with her mom this evening to pick up her little sister. I happened to have the books there and showed her mom... to which her mom called her over to see them. Caitlin loves to read, I gave her my old set of "Little House on the Prairie" books when she was finally reading at a level where she could understand what she was reading. So when she was reading the backs of the books I asked her if she liked the "Little House" books, to which she replied, "yes". I responded that my books were like those. Well, Caitlin asked about getting a set and her mom said they would but things were a little tight right now and they would get them later. With that, you could see the wheels beginning to turn in Caitlin's mind. She said, "Mom, I have $34, I could get one book." Her mom asked her if that included $10 from her sister (Caitlin just had a birthday a few weeks ago) and she replied, "No." When her mom told her she had $44, Caitlin got all excited and said, "I can get both books mom!". She was so excited that she was getting them... reminding me she would get them tomorrow and wanted them signed.

I can't tell you what that did for my ego, but MOST especially for my heart. This is the second of my former kids who has a copy/copies of my books and are excited about them. While my marketing strategy is for the 30+ year old womens group, my secret desire was also to reach the pre-teen and early teen readers too. I wanted to offer them another choice besides the Vampire novels and Harry Potter books that are out there. Something that their moms could read right along side them and they could discuss it and talk about the characters... and the moms weren't concerned about language, extreme sexual/violence scenes their daughters might read. So this has been a VERY blessed day that I'm not only grateful for the blessing of having, but excited that He chose me to experience it.

Y'all have a good one!

Dana

Decisions and Surprises

It has been a wild and crazy week. First it was a possible publishing company's interest in me and my books, then it was snow, then it was more snow, then it was more snow! We've had a break in the snow, the last round letting loose with 6". Weather forcaster are saying there is more scheduled to be on the way starting tomorrow. Depending on the track of the system, we'll get snow or we'll get SNOW. I think I'm going to have to make a trek to the store to get more dog food so the Pookie puppy is as ready for it as what I am.

Obtaining a publisher has been an interesting venture. There are several things on the table, the first being something local. I talked earlier this week with Bearhead Publishing based in Louisville, Kentucky about my books and publishing avenues. Due to scheduling conflicts this coming week, we will be meeting to talk the following week (barring any snow events). I'm interested to hear what they have to say and what they can do regarding the publishing and promoting of my future work. While it seems the first two in the series are probably out of their publishing control, it seems God is moving me into several different areas and places.

The second has been something on a "national" level. I've been retooling the next book in the series, tentatively entitled "The Heart Mended". I'm beginning to learn the ins and outs of the publishing world. I learned that the first two books in the series are under my ownership when it comes to the content within the pages of the book. Lulu Publications, though, holds complete and total publishing writes... so the first two books are not under my publishing control. In order to have a body of work to present to Writer's Edge or Christian Manuscript, I need to do some heavy "reflecting of the two previous books" in the first chapters of the newest book. It will provide them the ability to send it to a traditional publishing firm, versus a private/local firm, and there be no issues with ownership of the writing or publishing portions. Only time will tell! I'm not making rash decisions and have several that I'm talking with for guidance and help. Oh, and waiting on a contract lawyer too! All that said... I have a LOT of work to do on my part... but I'm up for it.

Have a great one and happy reading!!

And We're Off....

This has been one very exciting weekend. Not only did I get my income tax in, but it provided me with the chance to order a grouping of both books for a book fair the end of March. My cousin, Duke, had spent several days going through and finding places and groups that offered various types of products for authors and even contacted two different Christian bookstores regarding the placement of my books. God love him!! He's getting a half ton of peanut brittle, if not a whole ton of it!

Just when I thought it couldn't get any better, I contacted AFAF (Almost Famous Author's Faire) regarding placing my book on their submissions list. That's when I found out about the pending book fair but that I had a possible chance at gaining an actual publisher. Up until now I'd been printing on demand through Lulu.com. If anyone wanted a book, they either had to purchase it directly through them or go through me... and I would pray I had the money to pay for the book until their check went through. I've been in email contact with Bearhead Publishing, a small, local publishing company, and will learn at some point this week if I am someone they are interested in taking on. The "roughest part" was making sure I wasn't held down by Lulu for anything that might hamper any positive work that might occur with Bearhead Publishing. Keep your fingers crossed! I will post to let you know if and what happens when it does.

For those that will be in the area of Clarksville, Indiana, at the Green Tree Mall from noon until 7pm on March 27th, there will be a book fair hosted by AFAF (Almost Famous Authors Faire). We'll be set up in the courtyard down by J. C. Penney's, so come look me up! I'll have plenty of books on hand to sell and sign while I'm there. If I run out, I can take pre-orders and mail them to you directly when they come in. I have a feeling this is going to be a VERY exciting week for me, in the book writing field. Stay tuned!

Off to bed for now. We're due 3-6" overnight tomorrow night, so I'll be hitting the store tomorrow for bread as I just pulled out my last loaf. Oh, and I'll need to replenish the hot chocolate and something sweet for the sweet tooth that's been growing!

Exciting Blessings

I don't think I've ever posted something on back to back days, so this is probably a first. The day has been chocked full of blessings and I just had to share them.

Yesterday was "D-Day" for the book's release. I was so excited about the release of it, I could barely contain it. In fact, the only damper was that I didn't feel comfortable enough to drive to Jeffersonville for my nephew's 16th birthday party. We had 4 1/2" of snow fall here Friday night/Saturday morning and after a MAJOR scare on black ice Tuesday during the commute to work, I was still a little skittish about driving at night. This morning I was able to go into the sanctuary for first service at church (something that's only happened once or twice before in the past 6 years of heading up the Nursery Department). The sermon was a good one... reconfirming everything I'd been feeling God was telling me over the past couple of weeks. Hahahaaa... it reaffirmed that I needed to be patient about the move into the apartment. I know God was having fun with me as He KNOWS patience isn't my strong suit.

Just when I thought it couldn't get any better, the blessing really started rolling in. My fave 21st century author replied to my email and made an offer that was extraordinary. She's asked me to be her guest blogger on her blogspot in April. I've never been to a guest blogging, let alone know how it's done... but I'm excited none the less. She's going to introduce me and my books to her readers. I am SO excited. I get to talk about three things important to me, only succeeded by God and my relationship with Him. I get to talk about writing, genealogy, and Breckinridge County. Then just when I thought it couldn't get any better, next comes the "cherry on top".

I'd only posted via my Facebook status that the book was available. As of a couple of hours ago I had already sold 3 of the new book. If you could have only seen my happy dance. I'm now working on the next in the series due to all the adrenaline coursing through my vein. Gotta take advantage of the drive and the "little whispers" that have been coming since about 8pm tonight. Those little whispers are how to tie up the loose ends from "The Heart Broken" and fill in a little more of things I left to the imagination. I was afraid that doing Alexandria's story as I did would be a downer for family who knew her story was being done. I'm drawing off of what was unwritten in the one book and expanding in the next one. I'm doing the same with a "major" storyline that seemed to "not be wrapped up properly". Both will be explored in greater detail in this book. I just LOVE writing!

Have a great one!

"The Heart Broken" Available for Purchase

I can very happily report that "The Heart Broken" is available to the public now. Yippee!! This afternoon the last of the corrections were completed, a few adjustments made to the back cover page, and then it was all sent to Lulu.com. I was excited to send it, and overjoyed to learn it was ready so soon. Yet, while I was excited to see this next book become available, it means that an "end" as come... of sorts. I won't divulge what as it is part of the storyline. I will only say that it saddened my heart, yet I knew the pruning was needed for what was ahead for the next few books.

One of my favorite 21st century authors had a book contest recently and I won a book through that contest. I had, what I thought, was an idea of what the book was about. When I started reading it, it threw me for a loop. Not only wasn't it what I thought, but it was even better... it caught my attention right off the bat. Each night I read a little more which gets those cogs in my brain grinding. Before I know it, I have ideas floating through for snippets of stories in my writing. Hehehehehee... and then I go to Laura's blog and see pictures she has embedded in her page... and that stirs up even more ideas. I think I need to get this move into the new apartment hurried so I can get back to writing ASAP!

Speaking of which, there is one person ahead of me on the waiting list for an available apartment. It's been agonizing, but it has been working out for the best enlight of little things going on that cause you to side step along the way.

Have a great one!

Packing, Moving, and "A Forest of Books"

Well, over the past month I've been going through everything I own in my two bedroom apartment to purge, clean, and pack. I'm in the process of moving to a one bedroom apartment in which the rent will be cheaper and most of the utilities will be paid. Lord knows it will help out on the finances, but the emotional toll it's taking can be nearly unbearable at times.

Seeing old trinkets, mementos, and especially clothes, has brought back a world of memories and stories I had forgotten about.... not to mention no need to go shopping for new clothing! It's been hard to see some things go to the trash or to other people, but I know it's what has to be done. The neatest, so far, has been my mother's collection of records. They were her pride and joy when she was alive, despite not having a turntable for two decades to listen to them on. She simply couldn't part with them as they reminded her of a time gone-by and my father. I knew the 100 or so albums from the 50's-80's were more than I could keep and I wanted them to go to a good home. Selling them to a local music store seemed to be the only option until a good friend noticed my comment about having to load them into my car. It seems he received a turntable/CD player for Christmas and loved the 33 1/3rd albums. We talked and a few hours later he came to pick them up. In talking with his wife, she said he was so excited upon getting them home and going through them. As hard as it was saying "goodbye", it was even better... near cathartic... to know they were with someone who would appreciate and take care of them.

To this same friend went a TON of books (and I'm still finding more as I pack). I packed up five boxes of genealogy books alone, with more scattered throughout two other boxes. My personal books, those I wanted to keep, have totalled roughly four boxes... with still another box to be packed. I teasingly look at the boxes and think, "I have a small forest of trees in those boxes". When I go to move or pick them up, I feel like I found the whole tree... trunk, roots, and all. In the end, though, I have 2-4' book cases that will house those books rather nicely in my livingroom... and a 10' bookcase to house the genealogy books. So there you go, the bookcases and books will "complete the tree"!

Off to relax a little more before possibly attempting to pack more for the eventual move! Then again, maybe not!