Megan Bostic's Blog, page 25

Monkey Madness Monday: I'm online dating again

Well, kind of. I haven't officially gone on any dates yet.

I sound like a total bitch in my profile. But much like the publishing world, in the dating world, I've become a bit jaded. I don't want to drive 30 minutes to go on a date. I don't want to date a guy with a dog. I don't want to date a guy with little kids when mine are a couple years to being out of the house. I don't want to date a guy looking for a bride when I'm not sure I ever want to get married again.

When Plenty of Fish puts my matches on the screen I say "Dafuq?" What the hell are they thinking? Do they even read my parameters?

And they ask if I'd date a guy who smokes or does drugs, but I think they should ask if I'd date a guy with pets, or body odor, or halitosis, or who swears socks with sandals.

And there are people who don't put pics of themselves on their profiles. They put pictures of their dogs (automatic "no" for me), or sunsets, or no pic at all. Now how the hell am I supposed to know if I want to date you if I don't even know what you look like? I mean, looks aren't every think I know, but there has to be some kind of physical attraction? I tell them I want something between all american boy and quasimodo.

And honestly, I don't think they even read my profile. Because when they write me and I look at their profiles it's like um, lives more than 10 miles away - check. Dog - check. Small children - check. Tries to IM me (which I say on my profile I won't do) - check.

I do have a guy I've been texting. And he does seem to be Mr. Right Now, which is what I'm looking for. I don't want a relationship, I just want to date. I don't want to feel like a cat lady (I don't have cats). I need some Megan time, some Megan + kid time, some writing time, some get healthy and fit time.

With only a little date time on the side, but one to my liking.

Reaching goals and moving forward

Me on my 44th birthdayThis could encompass many things in my life.

It could encompass reaching my 44th birthday, talking to my counselor, and having her tell me that no, I'm not a complete fuck up and having me leave her office almost believing it. I'm worried and depressed because I'm always tired and I can't get my yard work done or my house cleaned. And I'm lonely.

She reminds me this is because I'm trying to be a good mom. I believe her exact words were Supermom. And I have an awesome job. And I'm publishing my own book. And I'm writing again. And I just got back from an awesome vacation. And I'm going out with my friends and trying to date again but NOT get into a relationship. And I'm going to coach soccer. And I'm kickboxing. And she says, fuck it if you can't clean your house or get your yard work done. Hire someone to do it.

Um, okay. I'll give her that. Whatever.

Reaching goals could also mean I made it to my Indiegogo goal. Yay me!!!! Now I can move forward
Happy Dancewith my Indie publishing process. Where I'm at now: Book is in the hands of editor friend for copy edits and line edits. I will edit when she's done and send to another friend for formatting (god it's good to have friends in this biz). I will start designing and buying swag, bookmarks, buttons, sticks, bracelets. I will buy ISBN numbers. I will research distribution. Those are my next steps for now.

Goal is publication by Junilyish.  I'd say a release party 2nd week July. Book out in time for next school year. I'm excited!!

Getting old(er)

It's my birthday. Where am I in life? In many ways I feel I've accomplished a lot, in many ways I feel I've done nothing.

I have two beautiful daughters. I've had a book published by one of the biggest publishers in the world. I have a great job that utilizes my talents well.  I'm a smart, funny, sexy woman.

On the other hand I'm lonely and can't seem to be without a relationship for too long even though I know I should. I want a second book deal and don't have one so I'm going Indie, which I'm excited about, but also scared to death about. and even though I'm embracing smart, funny and sexy I also feel a bit out of control, chaotic, and crazy.

So there's that. I can't decide whether I have my shit together or whether I'm a mess. Every year for the past few years I would say "this year is going to be epic." I'm not going to say that this year. I don't feel that way this year. I'm not sure what this year is going to bring. It feels a little daunting. I don't know why, it just does.

For right now I'm just going to take it one day at a time though and see what happens. I'm going to try to slow my life down. I'm constantly going and it stresses me out. I'm going to focus on my kids stuff, because they have a lot of stuff, band gigs, soccer, tennis, drivers ed. I'm even going to coach them in soccer this year. I'm going to really try to NOT get in a relationship. I'm going to just date and see where that gets me. I'm going to keep writing. I'm going to get this book out this summer and see what happens. I'm going to concentrate on my health, keep eating right, keep kickboxing, walking outside when the weather gets nicer, try to get up earlier so I can get back to Pilates.

That's what I'm going to do. And I hope those things turn into habits and stick.

Wednesday Wip: Revelation: Book One of the Divinity Chronicles

Here's a bit from the dystopian YA series I'm working on, The Divinity Chronicles. Let me know what you think.



The dirty white bus with the black bold letters that spell out INFIDELS, waits at the curb as it does every week day, to drive us across town to neighborhoods like the ones in which we used to live, to take us to school. You’d think the Deities would practice segregation to keep us away from their children and those of their precious Disciples and Priests, but with us all under the same roof, they think it easier to convert us. Brainwash, more like it. They’ve not had a great success rate yet.
We climb on the bus with all the other children of Infidels and head to W1-6 HS, which stands for the West Zone, Sector 1, Division 6, High School. Mary takes two packs of tin foil out of her messenger bag, more than likely leftovers from the previous night’s dinner. She opens the window as we cross the Incendia Bridge, and tosses the packages over.
 I peer down to watch the scrambling of the Radicals, those who not only oppose the Deities, but insist on continuing to worship their old gods, be them Christian, Hindu, Muslim, whatever. They’ve banded together to stay alive. Committing treason in the eyes of the Deities, if they’re caught it’s punishable by death. As citizens of the new theocracy, or theocrazy as I like to call it, we are bound to report any sighting of Radicals, but we don’t. The idea of being persecuted for believing in something is archaic. I don’t blame them for sticking to their ideologies, I’m sure it offers them some kind of hope for the future.
We pull up to the curb of the school and file out like lemmings to their death, which is what it feels like when you have physical education first period.  If anything should be outlawed, it should be forcing us to do jumping jacks and climb ropes at seven o’clock in the morning.

Inspired by Reading

I finally started reading Veronica Roth's, Divergent . I've been wanting to read it for a really long time, but I've been reading friends books, and writing, and you know, there's that thing called life, but on vacation, I finally had some time to actually sit down and relax.

So far, I love it. I'm a big fan of dystopian stuff anyway, so it's a no brainer for me really as a best seller. But the other thing about it is it's made me excited to work on my own dystopian books. I have one adult I started ages ago and one trilogy I'm writing based on the first novels I ever wrote. Last night I got up to 5k on the first book of the trilogy.

I love how reading inspires and I realize how much I miss it when I haven't done it in awhile.I miss the escape, and let me tell you, if anyone needs to escape from life it's me.

Are there any books that have inspired your writing? Tell me.

Monkey Madness Monday: I'm back! and other crap

Okay, after some advisement, I'm back at blogger. We'll see if the spammers stay away.

I just got back from vacation, and on the way home I finished my revisions of Dissected. Yay me!

Now I send it to an editor for copy edits and other ideas.

Next step, fixing those mistakes and moving to formatting. I think this book is still on track to come out in early summer.

Also, my Indiegogo campaign is still running. There are 15 days left and my goal is another $170. If you'd like to contribute and help me get this book on the shelf asap, you can follow the widget to the right. If you donate, you get perks, such as a signed book and swag. Or you can follow the link if you just want to see what the book is about, watch the trailer, or see where the money is going.


I've not pushed the campaign too hard, but now that it's coming to a close and I'm very close to my goal, I may become annoying (as if I wasn't in other ways already).

Happy Monday all. Good to be back at blogger.

Changing formats

I have loved blogger as long as I've been blogging, but I have to move on. I'm receiving so much spam on here I'm fed up. My new blog is here: My new blog.

Goodbye blogger, it's been a good ride...

What the hell day is it?

It's Wednesday, right? I've been busy, so I haven't blogged for a few days. Okay, that is not the entire truth. I've been lazy too. And tired. And I just haven't wanted to do much of anything. But let's catch you up on some things...

Hmm, still working on Dissected hoping to publish by July. Working on some revisions and formatting, then will get it edited. My Indiegogo campaign is still going. Click here to find out about the project, the book, or to watch the trailer.

I've got some interest from over seas for the rights for Never Eighteen. Brazil and Spain have contacted me. It would be really cool, but you never know how those things are going to go.

I've not written. Not a single young adult word in weeks. This is not good. I've been focusing on Dissected, side projects, and life stuff, and I've put the writing on the back burner. I've cleared some things off my plate though so I should be getting back to it this week. Still working on the fairy tale retelling.

I signed up for the SCBWI Western Washington conference. Pretty excited about it. There are some interesting topics this year.

That's about it I think. Other than that been busy with my kids and their soccer, music, drivers ed. I've been kickboxing, and napping quite a bit. (my doctor told me I had to listen to my body, my body quite frequently revolts and tells me to slow down)

What's up with you this week? Do you have any short term or long term writing goals?

"Image courtesy of thaikrit/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net"

Artistic Fundraising Campaigns: A Good Cause?

This topic was brought up on a friends Facebook page the other day and there were some interesting comments. There are a few of these fund raising websites out there now, the first I'd heard of was Kickstarter, there's Indiegogo, Crowdfunder, and Gofundme. They're not just for artistic causes, they can pretty much be used for anything, but since I'm a writer, mostly what I've seen them for are the arts.

I think I've mentioned here on my blog that I recently started my own Indiegogo campaign to fund my Indie publishing project, Dissected. I've kept my requests to my own social network pages, here on my blog, one email to my closest family and friends, and I did send one email out to a handful of book bloggers who have been my biggest supporters. I told them if they cannot contribute and if they feel comfortable spreading the word (not everyone is comfortable asking others for money, and I totally get that, hell, I had to talk myself into doing the campaign at all), I would appreciate it. I'm not asking for much either. I really doesn't take that much to Indie publish a book, but it takes a little. Ya know? In a nutshell, I've tried to be as tactful as possible.

Apparently a lot of my friends have been bombarded lately with a lot of these requests. Personally, I have only received one invite to an "event" on Facebook from another writer, and received a direct message on facebook from an old friend from high school for a cd release (it's how I decided to try indiegogo). I felt these were appropriate ways to do this. For the event, I could either join or decline. I could remove it from my facebook. No biggee. For the friend, we've known each other for 20ish *cough* years, we're both in the arts (he's an actor and
As a whole, I think, if used tactfully, this is a great way for people to raise money for anything they might need it for, from anyone willing to help.

On the thread on Facebook I spoke about at the beginning, it was brought up that people should be giving their money to more worthy causes, cancer research or feeding the hungry and such. Well, here's my take on it. I give to my local children's hospital every year. Just because I give my old high school friend $25, doesn't mean I'm not going to still give to them. I don't think people would choose between the two. If you have to choose, follow your heart.

Just because you're my friend, even if you're my best friend, doesn't mean I EXPECT you to contribute to my campaign. And I'm not going to be mad if you don't. There are more worthy places to spend your money if you have the extra money to spend at all.  And there are people out there who make it a point to support the arts.

So, what is your take on the fund raising websites that have popped up? Good? Bad? Tacky? Awesome?

Donate image courtesy of Stuart Miles/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Email image courtesy of Patchareeya99/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Monkey Madness Monday: Crazy

Do you ever feel like you're so completely out of your mind that you need to check yourself into a psych ward? Probably not, huh? I don't know, I've already reached rock bottom once, and I feel myself sinking again. It's not a fun place to be.

How do I swim to the surface again before the vortex sucks me down again? Here's what I'm going to do. Refocus. This last weekend I came to some conclusions, I need some time and space. I need to not spread myself so thin that it makes me crazy. I need to get some projects completed I need to focus on me. So...

I skipped an author event. Granted, after inviting me they left me off the list, so wouldn't have had my book there to sell, but it gave me the opportunity to skip out on it, which was awesome. I stayed home, I wrote, caught up on some cleaning and laundry which I hadn't done all week because I'd been so down in the dumps.

On Saturday I did the same thing.  I also went on an errand for some new kitchen towels, throwing out the old ones, and a visit to my parents.

Sunday I skipped one of my kids soccer games, which I rarely do. It was a beautiful day, so I threw in a two mile walk. I finished up the laundry, finished up the cleaning, and put together one of the five pieces of furniture that have been sitting in my garage for a few months.

Sunday was the first day in two weeks I woke up without a headache.

I also had to make some very difficult but necessary decisions. It's not easy to do and  we wonder if we're making mistakes, but sometimes, it's just the right thing for the time.

For the time being I'm going to say no. I'm going to skip things when I need to. I'm going to let my body rest when it tells me to. I'm going to finish some projects. I'm going to take my time and not set unreasonable deadlines for myself. I'm going to focus on getting my mind, heart, body and soul in order so I can propel upward and accomplish the things I want to in life before taking on any more serious commitments.

It's what's right for me.

At least for now...