On display

In the way back, I bought hella stickers, little sparkly bags to put swag in, and a plethora of nice draw-string bags. 

I didn't do that this year. 

I'm going to pass out what I have and then reevaluate. 

First, everyone thought the sparkly bags were for sale. I literally typed out a note for the table that explicitly told passers-by to help themselves. Had a pen, my business card, stickers, and an old-timey stamp library checkout card. 

I couldn't GIVE the nice bags away. They're fabric with drawstrings in black, green, and blue. They are uber nice. 

Everyone liked the stickers, both in the sparkly bags and on the table. 

Candy was a no-go for pretty much everyone. Ended up giving one family an entire bag of Reece's chocolate hearts because they caught me at the end of the day, and those were NOT going home with me. 

I would recommend donating a book or books for a giveaway basket. Or having your table tied into a raffle or bingo card of some sort. Needing a sig to win a prize. That sort of thing. 

But pace yourself. I don't think that results in many sales.

Yesterday, I put twelve of my books in the display I bought. I've several more written. But having a visual of my hard work is certainly a means of pushing productivity. I keep looking at them and simply smiling.

Funny thing, I think I can buy another display and have two, especially next year. 

Sometimes it's not the sales, my darlings. Sometimes it's the knowledge that the dream of your heart is coming true before your eyes.

Is it Wednesday? It feels like Monday.

Errands to do this morning. Bleh. Found some AMAZING cut watermelon at Crest. So sweet. So good. So me having to go to the bathroom every five minutes. 

Worth it.

I have 7 Amazon boxes full of about 10 titles behind me on the floor. I stuck with the table model for book events and the like. I didn't trust myself to like drape things over boxes and set up my books. I bought a display rack, and I'm fucking excited! Going to mark my display copies and then keep the pristine originals on my side of the table. Also, because I'm me, I've decided to have a laminated catalog of my other titles available on the table. Plus, stickers and whatnot. Finally getting into the spirit. About damn time.

Also, it's overcast as hell here, and I'm starving. Like, I had breakfast. Came home and ate some watermelon. But the food noise is real. 

I have 42,855 words on the "The Gordons" and am pleased with the progress. Will write today, but for some reason I'm drawn to making reels, even though I'm not pressed to do that right now. I made 3 for A&H and 3 for "The Morrigan."

I want to say maybe I'm ahead for once???

But then reality struck, and I realized I have three anthologies to write in. 😬

Cue the drums and trumpets, I've outdone myself once again.

Cue Twilight Zone theme music

I find out a lot of things while I'm deep-diving into the ol' Interweb. Some incredibly niche information. All to the good of my books. 

Having said that...ya girl hit a new high (low?) yesterday.

There are three points on a map that I need LA to visit. In a little over four days. But two of the points are closer together whilst the last point is farther away.

Thus, I needed mileage between the first point and second. Then mileage between second and third. And, of course, third to LA's home.

Rough terrain. Communities. Water. You name it, I'm having this heifer burst through everything with her mythological companion. 

You will literally NEVER guess which one. 

Antyway, I have my stats for that. Then, I need to know how quickly they must travel to be able to pull this off. 

Answer: 200 mph, with a few snacks and bathroom breaks.

For those who need to know: 

At the speed of light: 0.027 seconds

At Pegasus's hypothetical top speed? You would be in the air for about 50 hours.

THEN...I wanted to know how fast something would need to move to keep the surface tension of the water beneath them and not fall into it. 

And ONLY THEN...did I hop into the rabbit holes of the Ekranoplan, hydroplanes, and the Basilisk concept.

My brain promptly exploded, and I sought my rocker recliner for the rest of the evening.

But fucking hell...what a ride!

What. A. Ride.

Now, I only need to write it. 

 

Ripped open boxes. Made reels. Threatened Murphy's young life. Before noon.

Been a busy day, and it's only now 11:00 am. Opened my boxes of books for my events and festivals. It never gets old, fam. NEVER

Someone, short ginger and furry, decided to help himself. 😒

Pictures provided.

Electrical issues in part of the house. Man came early this morning and fixed that. Woot!

Came back to my desk to make the last reel for "The Morrigan" so that is out of my way. Another woot for woot's sake.

Nearly gave myself a heart attack yesterday. Like I was about to spiral up into something, y'all. Don't know if this will make sense or not, but I nearly lost my shit.

Five books, thus far, in the Plot Twist series. 

Apollo and Hyacinthus

The Morrigan

Ace

Macaria

The Gordons

But...when I started book 4, I named IT The Gordons. Because, it started out being about them. Only, we all know characters don't listen, right? So books 4 and 5 go together. Like...one bleeds into the other. 

Cool beans. Frosty as fuck. 

But someone with ADHD, Fibro, and menopause thought it would be grand if she put all her notes in one notebook on OneNote. AND...bonus...did NOT rename book 4 yet so she didn't make herself confused.

Laugh with me, please.

I searched through my Plot Series manuscripts in search of one scene that will come back in book 6.

Didn't find it.

Couldn't find it.

Kept opening my current WIP, which is titled Mac and Medi, in most locations. 

To say I was unwell would be putting it mildly. I frantically opened the whole she-bang at least three times and grew more terrified with every turn.

Because now I'm thinking I didn't finish book four and started book five.

WTF???

Because ya girl can't name all her fucking documents the same.

For some profound, unknown to me, reason.

FINALLY figured out my fucked-up file system and found the scene. Gave myself a stern lecture and then promptly left everything like it was. 

Here's Murphy being an absolute ass with his ass. Note the books, though.

Aren't they pretty? 😁💖

Actual writing

Yes. I do still indulge in it. 🤣

Wrote on "The Gordons" yesterday, and I'm a bit over 37,000 words. Today is much of the same after I throw together a couple of reels. 

I'm at that in-between spot of still pushing out information about "Apollo and Hyacinthus", but will turn the corner the first of July and focus on "The Morrigan" and its impending publication. And for my darlings that preordered the second book, I love you with my soul. 

A bit about "The Morrigan." 

It's important to remember these deities are plucked from their lives and deposited in LA's yard. They are as put out as LA. Okay. Edit that. NO ONE is as put out as LA.

And the Morrigan is a death goddess. A Celtic warrior. A revered legend.

LA doesn't give a damn. She just rid herself of one deity to somehow be cursed with another?

The book is an unfolding. Two extremely stubborn and independent women who need to learn to work together to unravel the Morrigan's arrival and, LA hopes, her imminent departure.

It's rather like trying to stick two pieces of Velcro together that is all hooks. 

You're not getting anyfuckingwhere. And it's annoying as hell. 

LA Bennett is forty and completely over the interruptions and unapologetic jaunts through her life. 

Fortunately for me, she has a long road ahead of her.

I did it. Or...didn't do it...

I feel better about life in general when I have a purpose. A focus.

Thursday and Friday?

Instead of being steadfast in my social media posting, I spent two days basically with my cat, Murphy.

I have no regrets. 

He's happiest when I'm posted up in my rocker recliner, and he lays, like a toddler, over me.

Everyone needs a break.

Everyone. Needs. A. Break.

For maybe fifty or so years of my life, I didn't subscribe to that. I totally dismissed it.

Because the harder I worked, the better I felt about myself. 

I had purpose.

Thanks for those across the years that paid into telling me that, at every turn. 

I would finish writing a book.

Immediately start another. 

I would start cleaning and do so until

I felt as though I would throw up.

But...the PROGRESS...🖕

Progress is brilliant, don't get me wrong. But at what price? How much are you actually giving for that perception of yourself?

Too much, my darlings, too much.

I'm on Threads and understand, but am appalled at, all the authors overwhelmed and treading water. 

I see you.

I know you.

I AM you.

I suggest we all take a little break for mental health. Spend time alone. Spend time with your favorite person or people. Spend time with family. But spend time. Because you don't get to take that shit with you.

I'm also a DJ and sound mixer

Yes. You read that right. Because I should not be on my computer unsupervised. 

I'm making reels yesterday of my earlier works with first covers and updated ones. And I use Adobe Premiere Elements 2023. We bought that and Adobe Photoshop something or other at the same time at a big discount. Which is brilliant. That's where I put together my reels and add sound. Except, the audio catalog leaves a lot to be desired. It's, shall we say, limited.

Which, of course, sent my short ass on a digital road trip of where I could find royalty free music and use. Because I need much more than what was available.

I find myself in YouTube audioland. Epidemic Sound, to be exact. 

Being me, I start immediately cruising through genres and moods. Find one I like. Then, the kicker, ah...yes. Subscription land. $120 a year? Exsqueeze me? Baking powder?

The Honey is not going to go for that AT ALL. 

We're frugal here. I mean...frugal. 

Which puts me on the search for a code, deal, or godly intervention.

Finally found 1/2 off for a year! 🥳🎉Hell. Yes.

Shopped that to the Honey. And now I have Epidemic Sound at my fingertips.

Is it overwhelming? 

Fuck yes, it is. There are thousands of songs. But I can mix or snip or download the entire damn song. And that's exactly what I needed. Then save and import into my Adobe Video stuff.

Feeling pretty frosty yesterday. 

Until I wanted to pluck my eyes out and shove cotton in my ears. Stopped at that overstimulated feeling. 

Going to add these titles to my mental list of Crystal of all trades. Master of none. 😁