Jennifer Anderson's Blog, page 23
October 31, 2011
Fear of the Rejection Reaper
Recently I received notes from an agent about the first three chapters of a YA Paranormal I'd written won't let die. I'd won the opportunity for a free critique with an agent from an agency I love. I mean I stalk these poeple.
Anywho, I got her notes and saying it felt like she stabbed me in the heart is an understatement. My stomach churned and tears stung the backs of my eyes. My life was over.
Let me clarify, her notes were positive and she was very nice. And the changes ranged from major to not so bad. But if you've ever been in this situation, you know exactly how I feel. My world had come to an end. And yes, I'd completely forgotten that I have 3, not 1, 3 not 2, 3 novellas for a YA series releasing next year by TMP as well as short romance coming out in a few weeks. All of this greatness completely elluded me.
Until a cheerleading birdie from OH reminded me.
I sent my friend the notes and she was like Jennifer, hello *taps computer screen*, you have a series coming out next year. You have a short story out soon. And these notes are not that bad. Completely doable.
So I pulled my big girl panties on digested the agents comments. What at first sounded like major surgery, in the end was more like a colonoscopy. Painful, uncomfortable but completely okay with the right sedation!
It's tough people. And yes, you are going to receive many No's. In college I took a sales course and I learned a valuable lesson that I still remember today. With every No, you get closer to that Yes!
Happy Halloween!
October 24, 2011
Honey Creek
I may have mentioned, a few thousand times, about my YA series being released by Turquoise Morning Press in 2012. And I may have also mentioned, another hundred times, the books are based on a small, cute town called Honey Creek in Ohio. Well, things are cookin' over in Honey Creek.
So here are the details...
Welcome to Honey Creek, Ohio, a place where anything can happen. Nestled in the lush green of rolling Midwestern hills, crops, combines and crows pepper the landscape, but inside Honey Creek there's a whole lot of mischief going on.
The best way to learn about Honey Creek, Ohio is to talk to someone who lives there. I've asked my friend Jenny to tell you a little about living in Honey Creek. Jenny?
Sure thing. Honey Creek, Ohio, is about as Midwest as one central Ohio town can get. In fact, if you want to describe Honey Creek, you can simply do it by the numbers, and you only have to count to two. Mostly, you can get by if you can just count to one.
For example, Honey Creek has:
• Two gas stations, two churches (one Methodist, one Church of Christ), and two bars (one by the tracks, the other one at the edge of town).
• One stoplight, one restaurant, one school, one post office, one funeral home, one fire station, one grocery store, and one hardware store. Oh, and one pizza place. That's important. And one railroad track ran through it all.
I'll just add that at the last census, Honey Creek had 829 people living within its corporation. Most of those people work someplace other than in Honey Creek because as you can see, there are only one or two places for people to work, here. Unless they farm. Lots of people around Honey Creek farm, you know, corn and soybeans and the like, but they don't live in Honey Creek, they live on the farms.
About the biggest thing to ever happen to Honey Creek, was when the Corp of Engineers came in and dammed up the creek about 1972. Flood control, they said. When that happened, a lot of farm land got taken over by the lake. The old mill outside of town stopped operating full time, too. Now it's a tourist attraction and just grinds a little corn now and then to sell. The men all complained that the fishin' in the creek wasn't as good any more. But, as time went on, things changed.
They started changing when the beach went in. And the boat docks. And the game preserve was designated. And the camping grounds were created. And the lodge and cabins were built.
When town people started to work at Honey Creek State Park, and when lake people started coming in to Honey Creek to buy things, suddenly, the lake was a good thing.
My name is Jenny Miller Carver. I grew up in Honey Creek and I've lived here all my life. I was 14 when the lake went in and by the next summer, I was spending every single day of my summer vacation on that beach. We'd ride our bikes out, (a whole five miles) my friends and me. We lived to spread our old quilts on the sand, lather up with Iodine and baby oil, and bake. Of course, we'd squint a peek at the "cutest lifeguard on the beach" now and then. Greg Carver never gave me the time of day until I turned 16 and lost 15 pounds. But I snagged him, I did, and married that "cutest lifeguard on the beach."
That was a lot of years ago and things are both the same, and different, in Honey Creek, but I tell you, living here is still wonderful. I want to tell you more about how my story unfolds, and the people of Honey Creek, but I'll have to leave that for another day....
Honey Creek has their own website and twitter feed . January marks the first month in a long line of releases for this small, unsuspecting little town. Currently, you can follow us on Twitter @HoneyCreekBooks and once we get the blog and site up and running, you can check us out there. I hope you're all as excited about the HC (kind of like the OC except waaaaaay cooler!) as much as I am.
Catch'ya later!
So here are the details...
Welcome to Honey Creek, Ohio, a place where anything can happen. Nestled in the lush green of rolling Midwestern hills, crops, combines and crows pepper the landscape, but inside Honey Creek there's a whole lot of mischief going on.
The best way to learn about Honey Creek, Ohio is to talk to someone who lives there. I've asked my friend Jenny to tell you a little about living in Honey Creek. Jenny?
Sure thing. Honey Creek, Ohio, is about as Midwest as one central Ohio town can get. In fact, if you want to describe Honey Creek, you can simply do it by the numbers, and you only have to count to two. Mostly, you can get by if you can just count to one.
For example, Honey Creek has:
• Two gas stations, two churches (one Methodist, one Church of Christ), and two bars (one by the tracks, the other one at the edge of town).
• One stoplight, one restaurant, one school, one post office, one funeral home, one fire station, one grocery store, and one hardware store. Oh, and one pizza place. That's important. And one railroad track ran through it all.
I'll just add that at the last census, Honey Creek had 829 people living within its corporation. Most of those people work someplace other than in Honey Creek because as you can see, there are only one or two places for people to work, here. Unless they farm. Lots of people around Honey Creek farm, you know, corn and soybeans and the like, but they don't live in Honey Creek, they live on the farms.
About the biggest thing to ever happen to Honey Creek, was when the Corp of Engineers came in and dammed up the creek about 1972. Flood control, they said. When that happened, a lot of farm land got taken over by the lake. The old mill outside of town stopped operating full time, too. Now it's a tourist attraction and just grinds a little corn now and then to sell. The men all complained that the fishin' in the creek wasn't as good any more. But, as time went on, things changed.
They started changing when the beach went in. And the boat docks. And the game preserve was designated. And the camping grounds were created. And the lodge and cabins were built.
When town people started to work at Honey Creek State Park, and when lake people started coming in to Honey Creek to buy things, suddenly, the lake was a good thing.
My name is Jenny Miller Carver. I grew up in Honey Creek and I've lived here all my life. I was 14 when the lake went in and by the next summer, I was spending every single day of my summer vacation on that beach. We'd ride our bikes out, (a whole five miles) my friends and me. We lived to spread our old quilts on the sand, lather up with Iodine and baby oil, and bake. Of course, we'd squint a peek at the "cutest lifeguard on the beach" now and then. Greg Carver never gave me the time of day until I turned 16 and lost 15 pounds. But I snagged him, I did, and married that "cutest lifeguard on the beach."
That was a lot of years ago and things are both the same, and different, in Honey Creek, but I tell you, living here is still wonderful. I want to tell you more about how my story unfolds, and the people of Honey Creek, but I'll have to leave that for another day....
Honey Creek has their own website and twitter feed . January marks the first month in a long line of releases for this small, unsuspecting little town. Currently, you can follow us on Twitter @HoneyCreekBooks and once we get the blog and site up and running, you can check us out there. I hope you're all as excited about the HC (kind of like the OC except waaaaaay cooler!) as much as I am.
Catch'ya later!
October 17, 2011
It's Alive!
Drum roll please............
JenAndersonAuthor.com is now open for business!
A couple of years ago I set out on this writing journey, not really sure where it would lead but hopeful one day I'd see my name in print. Within the last 4 months my life has been taken over. In a totally, completely awesome way!
Up until I actually heard the words "we want to print your story"or "I want to represent you as an author" (hasn't happened yet) I'd been waiting. Waiting to hear news. Waiting to get headshots. Waiting to set up an author site. Waiting. Waiting. Waiting.
And I was okay with waiting. At least my on-hold music was better.
Then 4 months ago I got the call. Or rather, I met the publisher who thought they were going to represent and then I got the email confirming. I hit the ground running. By the next week, I got headshots done. Then I shouted to the rooftops my news. Then I started planning my author site.
I thought I could handle the creation myself and even purchased a Web Design for Dummies book. Needless to say, I needed some help. The only type of byte I know about when a vampire sucks your blood. And html. Is that short for hotel motel? No clue!
My good friend Nick swooped in and saved me from myself. And now I have a finished projuct I am so beyond jazzed about. My site is simple, cute and easy to navigate.
When you get some time. Come check me out. I'd love to hear what you think.
JenAndersonAuthor.com is now open for business!
A couple of years ago I set out on this writing journey, not really sure where it would lead but hopeful one day I'd see my name in print. Within the last 4 months my life has been taken over. In a totally, completely awesome way!
Up until I actually heard the words "we want to print your story"or "I want to represent you as an author" (hasn't happened yet) I'd been waiting. Waiting to hear news. Waiting to get headshots. Waiting to set up an author site. Waiting. Waiting. Waiting.
And I was okay with waiting. At least my on-hold music was better.
Then 4 months ago I got the call. Or rather, I met the publisher who thought they were going to represent and then I got the email confirming. I hit the ground running. By the next week, I got headshots done. Then I shouted to the rooftops my news. Then I started planning my author site.
I thought I could handle the creation myself and even purchased a Web Design for Dummies book. Needless to say, I needed some help. The only type of byte I know about when a vampire sucks your blood. And html. Is that short for hotel motel? No clue!
My good friend Nick swooped in and saved me from myself. And now I have a finished projuct I am so beyond jazzed about. My site is simple, cute and easy to navigate.
When you get some time. Come check me out. I'd love to hear what you think.
September 23, 2011
A Little Pimp Service
I may have mentioned I'm included in a Veteran's Day anthology published by TMP called Men In Uniform. It's full of sweet romance, with a little suspence, stories involving men in uniforms. The anthology will be out November 21, 2011 and it will officially be my FIRST print publication!
*blinks* Yeah, I said it!
When offered the opportunity to submit a short story, I jumped at the opportunity. Right on the heels of news about my novella being out in April, I struck while the writing iron was hot. With help from my writer bestie, Julie, I submitted Knight In Armor and was over joyed when I got my acceptance letter. I hooted, hollered and may have done a cartwheel or two!
Drum roll please...
*grins* How cool is it to see my name on the cover of a book? Let's just say I'm at a loss for words...finally!
As soon as the book releases, I'll let you all know where you can grab a copy. Heck, send it to me and I'll even autograph it.
*blinks* Yeah, I said it!
When offered the opportunity to submit a short story, I jumped at the opportunity. Right on the heels of news about my novella being out in April, I struck while the writing iron was hot. With help from my writer bestie, Julie, I submitted Knight In Armor and was over joyed when I got my acceptance letter. I hooted, hollered and may have done a cartwheel or two!
Drum roll please...
*grins* How cool is it to see my name on the cover of a book? Let's just say I'm at a loss for words...finally!
As soon as the book releases, I'll let you all know where you can grab a copy. Heck, send it to me and I'll even autograph it.
September 15, 2011
Stress, thy name is Mom
I recently did a guest post over at the authorialmomblog and it got me thinking. How do moms and dads work full-time, write, be functioning people in society and still be a parent at the same time?
Let me break it down. I work full time. No secret. I'm a wife, a mom, I love to cook, read mountains of books, beta for my lovelies all while tackling this new career as an author. All these, no secret. Did I forget to mention that I'm now the PR/Marketing Manager at TMP? Yeah, that one might have been a secret. Now as much as I'd love to drop one of these tasks, I can't.
So how do I juggle them all?
The answer. Have no clue but I'll manage.
Today, mom role tool over and I have two kids home with strep. Great! Great? I know what you're thinking. Jennifer, sick kids does not equal great. In my book it does.
I love my kids and if you have older kids you know that as they get older, they don't act like they need us anymore. Sure, clean their clothes and do their laundry, they need but the constant cuddling or hugs or pats, not so much. And that's what I miss. But when they're sick, Yeah! I get my kiddies back. They want my lovin'.
But that's only part of the great. The other part is...wait for it... wait...
I can get crap done around the house! The laundry, the dishes that have piled up higher than the laundry, the dusting, vacuuming and WRITING! Yeah, I said it. I have all day to write.
But what about the sick kids you ask. And that's where the dilemma is. What? You ask. Yeah, so between running around making sure each kid is comfy I have to juggle between clean clothes and another 1000 words. And throw my new job in the mix and find review sites for their books. Some might think, why bother. Drop something and move on.
And maybe years ago, I would have but I can't. I'm on a quest. A quest to be a published author, which I've accomplished but I have to maintain now. And in the meantime, this awesome opportunity fell in my lap and you bet your sweet bipy, I'm gonna work my butt off to do the job right. But being a mom and wife, I can't neglect them as well. So during the week and sometimes weekend, my craft sits and gathers dust but that's okay because I have days like this one where I can make up for lost time.
So while my kids zone out to Disney, I get to write and write and write because sure my plate is full from seconds and thirds, today I got to take one thing off of it. My day job!
How do you manage? Any secrets to share.
September 8, 2011
Authorial Mom
Hey, I'm over at authorialmom.blogspot.com today with my first interview! Wheee!
August 29, 2011
For the Love of...
Last night I watched Julie & Julia. The movie about a girl in NY who blogs about following Julia Child's cookbook for a year and preparing every recipe in the book just to see if she can and because she loves to cook. Super cute movie BTW. After watching the movie I felt inspired. Not inspired enough to buy the same cookbook and prepare the same recipes (not much into French cuisine) but inspired to share with you my love of cooking.Remember a few posts back when I mentioned how a book I'd read inspired me to plan a trip and travel somewhere and I asked you to share any similar situations. This is the same idea.
I love to cook. Not bake. But cook. I can sit and watch the Food Channel (yes I know it's called the Food Network but around my house we insist on calling it the Food Channel) all day. In fact, while I was staying with my grandmother during her hospital and hospice stay we watched the channel all the time. Each recipe and show got us talking about whether it was good or what we'd change about it. My grandmother was a huge fan of Iron Chef because of the Japanese guy on it. He's a famous actor in Japan and since she's Japanese, he wore a soft spot in her heart. Plus, she had taped episodes from Japan's version (and they might have started the idea) and we'd watch those for hours. I didn't understand a single word they said but I didn't have to. I could tell they were sauteing something in this pan and braising something in the next.
Anyway, no one taught me to cook. I didn't take a class and I didn't spend hours in the kitchen being taught as a kid. I watched my grandmother cook and I absorbed. The same thing happens when I watch a Rachel Ray (love her) show or a Giada at Home show. I watch and I memorize the ingredients and how a dish is prepared. Just like them, I love to create a dish from scratch. Sometimes, I watch what they make and I alter it to fit my needs. I love to cook but I don't advertise it with my friends. Sure my family knows I do and can attest to the great taste but like my writing, if I have no proof, I feel silly talking about it. Because like Julie in the movie, I too love to cook after a long crappy day of work and just create something tasty to share. The sound of my knife tapping away as I chop ingredients or the sizzle of garlic cooking in a pan drenched in EVOO are all things that I enjoy about cooking. No one bothers me or demands things from me. It's just me and my pan of yummy smelling stuff.
What about you? Do you love to cook? Or is there something you just love doing that you're not an expert at or you don't make money doing?
August 22, 2011
Friendly or Friend Overload
I recently noticed a friend of mine from one part of my life was friends with someone else I knew from another part of my life. I was so excited I tagged them and said "Yeah, I feel like I made a connection." Later I got an email from one of them asking me who the person was she friended which she then explained she accepts everyone that asks.
This all got me thinking. Is it a good idea to friend on Twitter, FB, Google+ and any other social media website all those people who request to be your friend? I know on Twitter unless you're private you have not control and you could find yourself being followed by a squirrel. But what about the rest. Is it overload?
As an author with a book coming out in April (I'm counting down) and maybe a short this year, I wonder if liking everyone and knowing everyone in the social media way, does it help your sales? If I throw my name out there and like everyone and want everyone to like me will it bolster my sales. Will someone discover a new author? Or will I feel over-exposed and want to crawl back into my writer hole?
I could ask my friend how it's helping her but like me, hers isn't out until next year as well. So I'm throwing my question out to the masses. What do you think? How do you roll? Should I like everyone? Should I stay right where I'm at and be selective with my friendship?
I'd love to hear what you think.
This all got me thinking. Is it a good idea to friend on Twitter, FB, Google+ and any other social media website all those people who request to be your friend? I know on Twitter unless you're private you have not control and you could find yourself being followed by a squirrel. But what about the rest. Is it overload?
As an author with a book coming out in April (I'm counting down) and maybe a short this year, I wonder if liking everyone and knowing everyone in the social media way, does it help your sales? If I throw my name out there and like everyone and want everyone to like me will it bolster my sales. Will someone discover a new author? Or will I feel over-exposed and want to crawl back into my writer hole?
I could ask my friend how it's helping her but like me, hers isn't out until next year as well. So I'm throwing my question out to the masses. What do you think? How do you roll? Should I like everyone? Should I stay right where I'm at and be selective with my friendship?
I'd love to hear what you think.
