Nancy J. Parra's Blog, page 4

Sept 16

When you are at a conference there is far too little time. I am stopping in to let you know that I am fine. I'm simply busy meeting wonderful book reviewers like Dru Ann Love and writers and other business professionals. It's been non-stop motion since I got here. My poor roommate is doing at least two things a day. Where I am lucky and get to sit in the break room whenever I want. Sometimes it's good to be part of the masses.
Cheers my friends. I hope your weekend is joyful!

Sept 14

I got revision notes for my latest cozy mystery. I love to see what my agent thinks. Then it's a puzzle for me to figure out how to make that happen. When I first started many books ago, I would have been put off by revisions. But these days I encourage opinions. It doesn't mean that I will follow them all, but it helps me to improve the work and for me that is the most important thing. I want to be successful and if that means a rewrite or a word search, then I'm all over it. I am so invested in my stories. It breaks my heart when they aren't selling. So I work hard to ensure they are the best they can be so that more people enjoy them.
Writers, how do you feel about revisions?

Sept 13

Well, my blogging friends, how is your social media doing? Have you done any Google analytics to see page views. Are your numbers going up or down now that the kids are back in school? I see my numbers rise in September. But I wonder what it's like for YA authors, do your numbers go down or up with the return of school and all it's activities?
I think there is a place for blogs and it shows when the numbers come back that many people get to my website through blogs.
Readers, do you have more time or less for social media when school starts? Inquiring minds want to know. Cheers~

Sept 12

The grapes are starting to turn purple. I have noticed trees with red leaves. Some are half red while others are still pure green. People are putting out their Fall decorations of scarecrows (that scare no one) and red/orange/yellow-colored mums. The geese are flying over head in V formations. I suspect they will begin to come back to the lake for their annual ten o'clock coffee break.This area lost a lot of trees this summer. The weather was bad between drought and strong storms that tore off branches and split trunks. Then the bugs came and feasted on the damage. Slowly the trees are being cut down. The limbs sectioned into firewood. The air is dry and scented with bonfire smoke. Fat squirrels run about burying nuts for winter storage. I have yet to see the deer this year. I wonder why they are not coming by this way. Perhaps there is more food somewhere else. Little dog tells me that chipmunk has been up on the deck again. I need to keep an eye on the fruit and ensure I get it first.S easons change daily, but life...life goes on in known cycles. It's comforting. Isn't it?

Sept 9

Yay Friday~ It has been a crazy short week. September ramps up for writers as the fall releases start to come out and the publishers, editors and agents are back at work after a leisurely summer. I'm having fun with my new story idea. Plus working on new stuff for my next release. Then there is website stuff to update and more. So, it's going to be a busy weekend.
If you're a reader do you buy more books come Fall? Are you thinking Christmas already or are you simply happy to have the kids back to school?
If you're a writer, tell me about your latest release and what kind of promo you're doing. Inquiring minds want to know. Cheers~

Sept 8

Its a Thursday that "feels" like Wednesday due to the holiday on Monday. That can be a good thing and a bad thing. A good thing because it is almost the weekend already and a bad thing because there is more work than usual to fill the hours. I'm working on a new mystery series as well as a young adult horror/thriller novel. No worries there is humor in my horror.  I guess that is because I see humor in everything. It keeps the hardships of life less of a burden when you see the ridiculous in them.
What is your favorite genre to read and/or write?

Sept 7

The grapes on my back deck are beginning to turn purple. Right now they are a dusky red. The air is scented with concord grape. It smells purple. The neighbors gave me a bag full of tomatoes from their garden. Mine are still mostly green. It has cooled off and I am worrying that frost will come before the plants fully produce. If that happens, we'll figure out what to do with green tomatoes and green grapes- perhaps a relish.
Do you know of a good green tomato recipe? Cheers~

Sept 6

I'm going through my inbox. What a mess. There are stacks and piles in the basket. So it's time to figure out what stays, what goes, what's due and what can be put off.  I did get some critiquing done this weekend. I got signed copies of my new contracts out. That's always good. I did write my weekly letter to my grandmother. It's an excuse to use stationary and practice my handwriting-which sucks since I type everything. There is some mail I wanted to reread. A book borrowed from a friend. Notes on my new job. An invoice on a skirt I bought on-line. Gah!
The good news is that nothing has tipped over and scattered on the floor. Not yet anyway.
How busy is your Sept?

Sept 5

A cold front has come through and the temperature dropped about twenty degrees F. The windows are open and the breeze blowing in making me chilly. I have a sweater on. Here in the US it's Labor Day and the official end of the summer season. The fashion industry once again debates whether it is fashion forward or a no-no to wear white after labor day. As for me, I try to avoid white at all costs because I'm a hot mess and white will be quickly stained and ruined if I wear it. One bump of my coffee cup or a stray spurt of ketchup or even just brushing by something dark or greasy. For that matter I sat in gum at the movie theater a few weeks back and ended up tossing a pair of slacks. So for me, white is always a no-no. As for my messiness. I embrace and accept it. I work around it. Mostly I don't worry about it. It can sometimes bring a good laugh to a sober day. Happy holiday my friends. Cheers~

Sept 2

Yesterday I saw the first signs of Fall. I drove to pick my daughter up from college for the weekend and passed a farm with a line of colorful flags on either side of the driveway and small signs that read: pumpkins, corn maze, hay rack rides, caramel apples, and- my favorite- cider donuts. It brought back memories of taking my kids to one such farm to pick out their pumpkin for carving later-or painting if we decided to cook and eat it. Fresh apple cider and donuts are special parts of Fall I look forward to, although these days for me it's gluten free donuts as I have a gluten allergy (celiac). The memories flow of college and football games and bon fires and fun.What memories do you have of Fall?