Megan Bostic's Blog, page 61

T is for ?

I need a new Tuesday blog.  People don't seem interested in horns tooting.  Got any ideas?  I'd love to hear them.  Also, I am three followers away from shelling out a prize.  If you know someone you think would be interested in my blog, send them over.  A referral gets a prize too.

Today should be tired Tuesday.  Went out and "celebrated" my birthday in a big way last night. *YAWN*

Leave your ideas for a new Tuesday blog in the comments.  Maybe if I pick yours I'll shell out another prize.

Thanks for reading.

Best,

~Megan

Monday Morning Blahg: 42

I am now the answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything. You know what that means, right?  You know Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy? :)It means today is my birthday and I am 42.  And it honestly doesn't bother me at all to be another year older. (no really, stop laughing)  Birthdays have never bothered me.  Well, I did flip out after number 40, but I've heard most people do.  You did, right?It really doesn't bother me because for the last six months I thought I was going to be 43 this year.  So in a way, I've gained a year.This last year has been full of big changes for me.  In March I finally found an agent to rep my work after looking for about three years.In April I went to Disneyland and on that vacation found out that Houghton Mifflin Harcourt wanted to publish my novel.I joined a great group of debut writers called the Class of 2k11. And though I'm now part of the Class of 2k12, I'm still a 2k11er in my heart.I got to attend the book releases of two wonderful writers, Holly Cupala, and Carole Estby Dagg.  I've met some really fabulous people this year, both virtually and tangibly.  I started a new life, new house, new car, new job.It's been a big year.  And the next, I keep saying, will be EPIC.  I want to thank everyone who has touched my life and supported me this last year, in either little or big ways.  Every little bit counts. Thank you friends.~BestMegan

F³A: Multi-tasking

I have been multi-tasking for some time now.  Between my day job, my writing (including research), editing when needed, my video work, and co-presiding over the Class of 2k12 including making the trailer, the lines get blurred. It's not pretty.  I've got papers strewn all over my office, notes scribbled everywhere.  Sticky notes plastered on everything.  This is how I do it.  And somehow it all comes together.  I like to call it organized chaos.  Aside from that, I have crap sitting all over the place that I have to review for Amazon Vine, papers that need to go into recycling, CD's with pictures and video for different projects I'm working on, and for some reason there is two packs of confetti on my desk.  Sometimes it amazes me that I get it all done.

So, how do you do it.  How do you get it done when it seems like pandemonium and disharmony.

By the way.  I have a new Facebook Fan Page, yes, I'm pimping myself out.  If you want to "like" me even more than you do, click here.  If you're sick of me and just want to wish me away, don't click there.

Also, only six more to my 100th follower.  Prizes will come to that 200th person.  It could be you.

Okay, not for the Friday Nibbles.

Random iPod Shuffle Song: Train, If It's Love

Book of the Week: The Year We Were Famous.  Went to Carole Esty Dagg's book release.  She's adorable and I can't wait to start the book.

Movie of the Week: Burlesque, loves me a musical, and Christina Aguilera has the best voice on the face of the earth.

Quote of the Week: Multi-tasking - Screwing everything up simultaneously.
-- Anon

That is all.  Happy Friday

Best
~Megan

Thought Provoking Thursday: Successes and failures as a writer

If you're a writer, I'm sure you feel you've failed at something more than once.  You've scrapped a piece of your work.  Revised to the point of it being something completely different.  Been rejected over and over again by agents and editors.  Gotten a harsh critique or review.

Here's the thing: it's hard to get over, I know this.  Been there done that to all of the above.  The key is to let it roll off.  Yes, first you can scream, shake your fists in the air at no one in particular, but don't lose your cool (which unfortunately I've done a couple times as well, though fleeting and I don't think there is any evidence *crosses fingers*)

It's easy to burn bridges.  Look at that poor author who posted a million times on that blog reviewer's review of her novel.  That is called self destruction.  Can you say it with me?  I knew that you could. (I'm totally dating myself with that reference, but some of you may chuckle)

I've learned to scream silently.  Or to do it in the privacy of my own home.  I've written letters and emails voicing my anger and I've promptly deleted them.  And okay, I've written a blog, posted it, then deleted it.  But THAT one was ridiculous.  Just ask anyone who looked at it.

You take your hits.  You suffer in silence.  Tell a couple really trustworthy friends, your mother, your journal, then you move on.  Take a step back and re-evaluate your rejection/critique/review and see if maybe there is some validity to it.  Even if you don't find that validity, you continue to work on your craft, you keep learning, keep growing as a writer. Surround yourself with people who will support you through your trials and travails. You never give up.  You keep writing, you keep querying, you keep submitting, because if you give up, you'll never get there, and you'll always be wondering what might have been.

Writing Wednesday: Poetry

I thought I would do something a little different and post one of my poems.  I call this one Abandoned.

Pen to paper [image error]  Left unreadOnly  ink,Words,the alabaster page.Spoken wordsHeard onlyBy the moonand starsand the blanket of night.Arms reach outLeft unfilledGrasp airand windand empty spacesSolitudeThere's only meMy breathMy beating heartNothing more.

Tooting the horn Tuesday: Celebrating Book Birthdays

I want to congratulate Amy Holder, author of The Lipstick Laws and Carole Dagg Estby, author of The Year We Were Famous for the releases of their debut novels yesterday.

Also, Gae Polisner, dear friend and author of The Pull of Gravity (releases May 10) has a blog tour happening right now.  Click here for info.

And please don't forget about the Write Hope auction to help Japan.  There are a variety of items that have been donated by writers and artists.  Please check it out.

And I'm eight followers away from giving away a gift card of your choice, amazon, barnes and noble, or itunes.  If you're my 100th, you win. (and if anyone referred you, they win too.  So spread the word.

Oh, yeah, and if I didn't already mention it, Never Eighteen is available for reviewers on NetGalley.com and for pre-order on Amazon.

Have a great Tuesday everyone.

Best,
~Megan

Monday Morning Blahg: Eternal Rain

How would you like to see this for 8 months straight?Yes, I know I live in the state of Washington where it rains the majority of the time, but the last couple years the sky has been gray for eight months straight.  I don't remember it being like that.  I remember sunny warm Septembers, and hot March and Aprils.  I don't like Climate Change.  I like the idea of Global Warming instead.

We had a little sun on Saturday and instead of taking advantage of it and getting outside to work on my yard I wrote.  Which was good because I hadn't written in awhile and I wrote a lot.  But now we're back to rain.

I have decided this:  I WILL be taking a vacation every winter for at least a week to go someplace sunny.  Probably AZ.  And I will SERIOUSLY consider moving someplace sunny when my children have graduated from college, or at least become a snow bird. (of course I can only do this if actually make money being a writer and can quit the day job.  of course, it is possible I can do my day job from home, but I don't think they would like that all too much)

Did you know that our state has one of the highest rates of depression and suicide?  It's true and it's because the sky is gray.  We're probably the state with the highest rates of purchases of vitamin D.  It's also why we were the the most wired city.  Because we had to stay inside so much people took to the internet like flies to shit.

I cannot wait to see the sun again.  I am after all solar powered.

Happy Monday Peeps.  Until tomorrow.

Best,
~Megan

F³A: Rollercoastering

Life is full of ups and downs, and this week has been no different.  Of course is started out fab because I was in the sunny city of Scotsdale AZ with my mom and Thing One and Thing Two.  The last day of vacation however I started to crash.  I was missing someone important in my life and I was probably dreading coming home to the rain and gray that I knew awaited me in the wet but beautiful Pacific Northwest.

Yesterday  in itself was a rollercoaster.  I woke up to find out my novel, Never Eighteen, was available for pre-order on Amazon.  But was still crashing from being back in the rain, and having a few feelings of jealousy and "I suck" (it happens with us writers), and other icky feelings I needed to Shake off.   And my auction item on Write Hope only got two bids.  Not sure if it's because it's the second week and everyone who knows about the auction is tapped out (I know I am) or if no one is in need of a book trailer (it's the biggest part of my piece, also a signed arc and query critique.  It's still there if anyone is interested.)

Now it's Friday.  And I'm hoping today is better than yesterday because, well, it's Friday, I can look forward to a weekend of writing and planning a marketing strategy, work on video, which I love to do, and watch Things One and Two play soccer, which I love, win or lose.

So, until Monday I'm off the rollercoaster (fingers crossed) which is good because I was starting to get dizzy.

Until then Bloggy friends.

Truly,
~Megan

Oh, can't forget the weekly nibbles:

Random iPod shuffle song:  Bruno Mars, Grenade.  Many musicians I know have a musicians crush on Bruno because he's so talented.  I just have a regular old crush on him for other reasons.

Book of the week:  Deadline by Chris Crutcher.  I read this because it was similar to my own novel.  It was amazing.  Highly recommended.

Movie of the Week: Billy Elliot.  I had never seen this until the past weekend.  One word, Amazing.

Quote of the Week: Life is a roller coaster. Sometimes you're at the top of the hill feeling good. Other times your heading for the bottom feeling totally out of control. Life is full of things that are hard to handle, but you can get through them.
~ Reggie Dabbs

Thought Provoking Thursday: OMG

I can't really think straight.  My novel, Never Eighteen just got released to pre-order.  See that, over there to your left.  That would be my book on Amazon.  My heart is pounding.  Due out January 16, 2012.

Yeah, I was going to write a post about jealousy and feeling inferior today.  But now I can't even think.

Also, my auction item is going up today at Write Hope.  It's going to be a signed ARC (as soon as I get them), a query critique, and your choice of a book trailer or Amazon gift card. If you want to see what I do with my book trailers, you can go to my Youtube page by clicking here.  Basically it would be a video made from stock photos, audio, and/or video 1 to 2 minutes long.  Look for it at noon Pacific time.

That's all.  Thanks to those of you who already ordered. 

Truly,

Megan

Writing Wednesday: FML or whatever I'm going to call this damn thing.

    Keep in mind, most this stuff I post is unedited.  A first run.  And it's Rated R.  Feel free to give me your thoughts.
As I exited the cafeteria I heard someone call, "Syd!"  I turned around and Zach was chasing me down.  Even though whatever he had to say was sure to be awkward, I waited.      When he reached me, he said, "Syd, I'm not mad at you."     I continued walking toward my locker.  He followed.  "Good," I said.  "But, Zach, I don't want—"     "No, I know, that was stupid of me to tell you how I felt, or even suggest it."      I touched his arm gently.  I wanted to show him it was okay without sending mixed signals.  "It's fine.  Really."     "But, we can still be friends, right?  Hang out and stuff?"     I looked up at him, "Yeah, sure.  I'd like that."    "You doing anything Friday night?"  It was starting to sound like he was asking me on a date.  Luckily, I already had plans.     "I just made plans with Lacy," I said.  "Maybe another time."     His head dropped, barely noticeable to a less discerning eye.  I got it.  This was him going to woo me and make me fall in love with him.  No thanks.  I knew what love did to people.  It made them stupid and weak.  I was not that girl anymore.  In fact, I didn't want to be her at all.  It was time for a new Sydney to emerge.  A Sydney that was apathetic and aloof.  A dark and mysterious Sydney.  I would take care of it right after school.     I didn't get home until eight o'clock after a trip to the mall and the hair stylist.  I tried to sneak into the house without being seen.  I was afraid of the reaction I would get to my new hair, and frankly, I wasn't in the mood.  No luck, as I  ran into Tammy just as I entered the hallway.     "Oh my god!  What did you do?" she asked circling me to check out my new hairdo.  "Mom's going to have a shit fit you know."       Then Bryce came out of his room.  "What's going o—holy shit!  Syd!"     They were so frustrating. "Jesus, it's just hair.  Leave me alone."  I pushed past them to my room, slamming the door behind me.  I dropped my shopping bags and  immediately grabbed the the box from the top shelf of my closet, in which I kept my blade, and my bloody washcloth.  I sat down.  I pulled my shoes off.  I stripped my pants off and I cut.  And it hurt, but it felt so fucking good to release.  I watched as the blood dripped down my thigh and seeped into the washcloth.  Soon enough the entire cloth would be blood red.  I wiped the blade with a clean section, wiped the blood from my leg, then fell back on my bed.     After a few minutes I stood up and went to my mirror. Staring at the face before me, I compared her to the old me.  My hair was once long, brown, with bouncing curls at the ends.  I'd had it cut short.  Really short.  The dark brown it used to be was now jet black with a purple streak.  It was so black it was almost blue, but the hairstylist said it would tame down after a few washings.  It made my face look pasty.  I cried.  Just a little.  The person in the mirror was a stranger to me, but I chose to be her, didn't I?  I wanted to be someone else and now I was.