Jennifer Apodaca's Blog, page 129

Happy Friday!

Beware, Wizard might have a cold! Duck and cover people! Wizard + Cold = Nuclear Whining!

Which reminds me, the day that Wizard had surgery, CPA Boy was with me at the hospital.  So once Wizard was all prepped, his neurosurgeon came in and explain how “severe” Wizard’s ruptured disk was and what they needed to do. Trust me, he spared no details. Once they whisked Wizard off to the laboratory…uh operating room…CPA Boy and I were in the waiting room when he turns to me and says, “Mom we really dodged a bullet here.”

“How?” I asked.

“Because this is just a little major surgery. Dad could have a MAN COLD.”

I cracked up! And he was soooo right. (Yeah, I knew he was setting me up for a joke, but CPA Boy amuses me.)

But now this MAN COLD plague might have arrived. Sigh. People all around us are sick, so it’s not that much of a surprise. I’m not feeling that great either, but hoping it’s just sinuses.

Otherwise, I’m in the trenches with this book and the April 5th deadline bearing down. And oddly enough, life doesn’t stop just because I have a deadline, so there are family birthdays and assorted events

Oh yeah, I saw my RA doc yesterday, and he gave me his diagnoses of, “You’re a workaholic.” I asked for a prescription to work faster and more efficiently, but he wasn’t helpful at all. He’s very helpful with my RA though.

This weekend we’re planning to go to middle sons if Wizard is well enough. If not, I’m going to be fulfilling my doctor’s “workaholic” diagnosis.

What are your weekend plans?

P.S. If you didn’t know, SAVAGED DREAMS, Book 1 in the Savaged Illusions Trilogy is up for preorder!

Amazon / B&N Nook / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play

 

Wednesday Worthy

Our candidate today seems to be having a little trouble with his towel

What do you think? Is he worthy?

 

Weekend Roundup + Release Day!

Saturday was awesome! I got out to see a friend for lunch and has a great time. Sunday was half good and half so damn hard. I worked until my hands were swollen and nerves frayed with not enough pages to show for it. But you know what? It’s supposed to be hard. I’m challenging myself and my characters to grow and take risks. But I’m going to keep at it and make that April 5th deadline.

Now for today’s good news. It’S HERE!!!  Ta Da!

Amazon / B&N / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play

(Available in soon!)

That’s my weekend, how was yours?

Friday Five

Happy Friday! Okay let’s do our Friday Five.

Wednesday I saw an adorable shar pei puppy that looked just like this picture. One of the girls at the gym brought him in to show her co-workers. He was adorably wrinkled! 
I picked up my new glasses yesterday. I was going to take a picture…but the day got away from me. I’ll try to get a pic next week. It’s going to take me a day or two to determine if the glasses are the right prescription, or a little too strong. My vision is pretty bad, so bad in fact that Wizard tried them on then got a migraine. I’d like to think it’s a coincidence, but probably not. (FYI, I warned him! He has meds that stop his migraine, and he was fine last night.)
DEADLINE TERROR, I has it.
Wizard mowed the lawn for the first time yesterday. He’s doing well in his back surgery recovery. It’s 8 1/2 weeks now.
I’m reading a boring book. Bleh. The only reason I haven’t given up on it because it puts me to sleep at night, LOL! I can’t afford to get hooked into a good book right now, because of the aforementioned DEADLINE TERROR

That’s my Friday Five. Now it’s your turn to share yours. Have a great weekend!

Wednesday Fail

I don’t have a Wednesday Worthy candidate today. You know how it is, when it rains it pours. Not only do we have the premature baby on Wizard’s side, but Sunday night my brother-in-law had a medical emergency that landed him in the hospital. It’s been a scary week, and Wizard and I are both twitching every time one of us gets a phone call or text message.

The good news is the baby is doing okay so far. And last night my brother-in-law was released so we’re all breathing a little easier.

I need everyone to please just be healthy, safe and have a Happy Hump Day. Hopefully next week, I’ll be back up to speed with a Wednesday Worthy Candidate.

 

Weekend Roundup

It’s been a roller coaster weekend. Our niece on Wizard’s side had to have an emergency C-Section Friday morning at 30 weeks pregnant. That makes the baby 10 weeks early. He’s 2 lbs, 3 oz and right now as I type this, he’s holding on and getting a little stronger each day. Our niece is stable and resting. But if you guys can send out prayers or good thoughts for our newest baby boy addition, we’d all appreciate it.

Around all this, I’m working as fast as I can on Savaged Vows. I love it, I have it, and I can’t stop writing or thinking about it. All normal for me

I also got The Sex on the Beach Book Club uploaded for March 20th release date. It’s up for pre-order now at Amazon, Nook, Kobo and Google Play. Sometime today the pre-order at iBooks should go live. So I want to talk about the cover of this book for a moment. This is a romance/mystery with a slightly erotic heat level. It’s also funny, snarky and has a kick ass, very independent Private Investigator heroine. Trying getting all that on a cover.

It’s not really possible and, the job of a cover isn’t to tell the story, but rather, it’s a sales tool to attract targeted customers attention. And by targeted, I mean readers who this book would appeal to. My main concern is that I don’t want to mislead readers, especially mystery readers who might only want a little romance and no sex. So after much agonizing, I decided the cover needed to target those who like sexy, fun romances first and went a cover that fit that and the title (it’s the original title of the book that I decided to keep).

Then I made it clear in the blurb that it was a romance and a mystery. I also say in the blurb that this is a reissue of a 2007 release.  I don’t want those who’ve already read this book to buy it again, or make anyone feel tricked.

So will this strategy work? I have no idea. Covers are really a tricky thing and every reader responds differently. But I’ll let you guys know my experience with this cover in a few weeks.

So that’s my weekend, how was yours?

Happy Friday Five

HAPPY FRIDAY! 

I’m in a race against time trying to write this book. If only the scenes would magically write themselves, but no matter how much Lucky Charms I eat, it doesn’t happen. Also I don’t actually buy or eat Lucky Charms
Wizard brought me home a Hershey’s chocolate bar. You know, because fitting into my clothes is highly overrated.
I love reading sexy dirty books if it’s compelling story, but I can’t listen to them on audio book. That’s such a weird quirk. I’ve been leaning toward mysteries and women’s fiction in audio.
My insert key on my keyboard keeps going on and annoying the crap out of me. I’m assuming I’m typing so fast, I’m accidentally hitting it. Note I said typing fast, not accurately, LOL!
At night when I go to bed, I watch dog rescue videos to try to distract myself enough to sleep. It’s kinda, sorta working.

Okay that’s my super quick Friday Five. What are yours?

P.S. I’m uploading The Sex on the Beach Book Club–it’ll be up for pre-order by Monday (I hope) and release on March 20th.

 

 

Wednesday Worthy

I’ve haven’t–as of yet–written a Vampire Romance. Okay I know, that seems random right? But stay with me, and it’ll all make sense.

**Rude male laughter interrupts this blog.** “You passed crazy last week!”

Excuse me a second.

**Glares at Wizard** “I have video of you on meds after your surgery. And I’m not afraid to use it!”

**Stupid male laughter abruptly stops.**

That’s better. Wizard has left my office. So where were we? Oh, right, so here is today’s Wednesday Worthy Candidate:

.

Do you think he’s Vampire Hero Worthy?

Weekend Roundup

I have a hair under a month to get this book into my editor. I’m barely sleeping because my brain won’t stop churning out ideas…in a random order which is pretty danged confusing. I’m there with my catcher’s mitt, trying to capture the ideas and sorting them into the Yes!, Maybe and Are You Freaking Kidding Me piles. Once I was up and sucking down caffeine, I wrote scene after scene trying to sort it out. Half the scenes ended up in my cut file, and the other half is going through tryout and revisions as I try to figure out the right position in the story.

I’m working back and forth on scenes and honestly am not sure how far along I am at this point. All I care about is Liza and Justice’s story.

Also, I’m pretty sure the trolls are out to get me. What trolls you ask? Well, anyone remember these?

My brother used to have these trolls lined up on the headboard of his bed. Last night, when I finally fell asleep, I had a nightmare those tiny monsters were popping up all over my house screaming DEADLINE and laughing. In my terror, I was forced to summon a dragon like this:

He swooped in and let out a stream of fire, turning those trolls into ash.

Success!

Until my house caught on fire…then I had to rescue my computer and ride off on my dragon…laughing wildly. Also I had really long and pretty hair in my dream so that part was NOT a nightmare.

What? Like no one else has had that dream? Really? Hmm, maybe it was the pizza we had for dinner?

Anyway, that was my weekend.

Today I’m going to the dentist which makes me snarl and roar like a bad-tempered dragon because I can’t afford the time. Then I’m planning to have coffee with Biker Witch, and for her, I’ll make the time with only minimal growling and grumbling

That was my weekend, how was yours?

Happy Friday Five

Okay let’s get right to our Friday Five where we name any five things about our week:

It’s been six weeks now since Wizard’s back surgery. Time flies! He’s doing well, he really likes physical therapy and works hard. We’re hoping the residual nerve pain–which is normal at this point–continues to improve. Wizard is returning to a many normal activities but he’s being very good about not lifting things he shouldn’t–case in point–he asked me to lift a propane bottle out of the car the other day. I was impressed!
However later that same day, he fired me from mowing the yard and paid the neighbor’s gardener to do it. I was writing away and didn’t realize what he was doing until the yard was done. Hmm…that was either really considerate or he isn’t impressed with my awesome moving skills.
Yesterday Wizard made up for that abrupt firing by bringing these home as a surprise from me:
I went to the gym only once this week. I suck…I don’t mean to suck, but our house cleaners came Wednesday morning, and this morning I have a hair appt. which cuts out my gym time. And Monday morning I have a dental appointment. If I don’t go first thing in the morning, I won’t go…because I suck and eat truffles
I want to write the book my heroine is writing in my book!! Did you follow that? So in my rock star trilogy, my heroine writes for fun and as a kind of therapy. In this second book, her stories are changing, and now I’m jealous of her book…I really want to write that book! But I also want to write this book..and now I’m confused and must to back to #3

I was going to talk about our weather too but I used up all my 5…oh well Now it’s your turn, what’s your Friday Five? Happy Friday and Have A Great Weekend!