Elizabeth Guizzetti's Blog, page 11

My RustyCon Speaking Schedule!

So my first convention of the year is: 

Held in Seatac, Rustycon is an annual science fiction and fantasy convention with a smaller, relaxed intimate feel. They have multi–track programming in writing, gaming, films and media. They also have a dealer’s room, art show, and a hospitality room for the general membership.

Here’s a photo of me and Bruce from Rustycon 2014. I’m the human.

If you’re looking for the convention experience without the crowds of ECCC or the pressure of Norwescon, you’ll LOVE Rustycon.

I hope to see you there.

Friday 1/16

2:00 pm

Sexy or Sexualized

Mercer B

When does the depiction of a heroine stop being sexy and become sexualized?

I will be presenting along with Jon Del Arroz and Michael Suiter

Saturday 1/17 

11:00 am

World Building in Sci-Fi and Fantasy or How to Avoid the Infodump

Orcas B

Too much information and the story bogs down, but too little and the reader is left lost. Writers want to deliver an enthralling alternate world, but how do we do that gracefully? Experts share the details that make a world great, and ways to sneak in the brick and mortar of world-building.

I will be presenting with Verna Mckinnon, Thomas Gondolfi, Tom D Wright with Rick Hipps Moderating

12:00 Noon

Designing Character Backgrounds

Orcas B

When you read, do you fall in love with a story or a character? By designing your characters, major and minor, you shape the story they’re going to carry. But how do you bring them to life? And how much obsessing is too much? Do you really need to know their favorite food, color, and dessert topping? Learn how to design a character.

I will be presenting with A. Maire Dinsmore, Rick Hipps, and Todd Tepper

Sunday 1/18

9:00 am

How do I Finish???

You have the story, the big climax.. how do you end it??  A lot of beginning writers (and some pros) have problems with that.  Come get some ideas.

I will be presenting with Will Mcdermott, Verna Mckinnon, and Rick Hipps

11:00 am

Independent Publishing 

Orcas B

Independent publishing has taken off, especially with the recent rise of the hybrid-author, who is willing to sell work traditionally but not afraid to self-publish and promote. From ebooks to POD, which stories benefit from independent publishing and how do you get them ready? Bring your questions about editing, Kickstarter, cover art, sales price, and marketing.

I will be presenting with Jennifer Brozek Dustin Gross and Thomas Gondola

The Light Side of the Moon Update: I see more editing in the future…

We all have heard:

“Kill your darlings, kill your darlings, even when it breaks your egocentric little scribbler’s heart, kill your darlings.” 

― Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

Well, I tried to kill my darlings, but my editor wants me to I resurrect a few. Let’s just say, it’s possible that  when I did my first rewrite, I might have gone on a killing spree.

And FYI apparently my fifth draft sucks too.

I’m super thankful for the time that my editor has put towards it already.  I was told to tighten up the action scenes and watch my sequence of information in the details, and fix a POV issue.

I’ll also be fixing a problem with the storyline. Without spoilers, I introduced a plot point early in the book, but it didn’t show up until much later. So I need to bring it forward in the story. This suggestion was absolute gold, because this morning, I realized how to do it without hurting the rest of the story…and even more important it makes two scenes towards the end of the book even more poignant.  Another suggestion didn’t work, but I realized in a way it did. She thought I was trying to do X, so she pointed out that Y also needed to occur. I got frustrated, but then I realized since she didn’t understand what I was trying to convey, I needed to clarify. Sometimes by adding back pieces of old scenes that were cut.

Personally, I find the editing process difficult. People think its because it hurts to cut. It doesn’t. It doesn’t even hurt to rewrite scenes and take advice.

As I’ve said before, it’s hard for me to wait to hear back, because I tend to start thinking the worst.

However, now the ball is back in my court, so now I have a different problem. I find its hard to say no to suggestions. I want my editor to be happy and proud of the project. After all, her name will be on it too. And I want to make the acquisitions editor happy she continued to put faith that my writing will make a buck, and I want to make the reader happy enough they purchase it. The only solution is to focus on the words on the page, not any person. Not even me.

While this revision is not as major as the last rewrite, I’m planning to take all of January, because while I’m focusing on this project, I’ve a few other commitments.

So dear readers, thank you for your continued support.  I will answer any questions that I can answer, but please do not ask about plot points at this juncture. If you have any words of wisdom, please add them to the comments.

Happy New Year: my Writerly Goals for 2015

2014 is coming to an end, and I’m beginning to look towards 2015. I have 5 big goals for myself this year…and hey you know it looks a to-do list. I love to-do lists.

1) Revise The Light Side of the Moon.

Yep, that’s right, I got information from my editor at 48Fourteen and there will be another revision–though this one is not as major as the last one. Hopefully, the novel is still on track to be published in 2015, but ultimately, that’s not my decision. What I do know is this revision will take all of January. Maybe February too.

2) Finish the third draft and find a publisher for The Grove.

3) Write 12 short stories.

That’s right, one short story a month. I’m not saying they are going to be good enough for publication though I certainly hope they will be. My goal is to focus on writing smaller tight works after this massive shit storm entitled The Light Side of the Moon.

4) Finish a first draft of Other Systems #3.

This story is focused upon Kipos and her three moons after the humans are integrated into Kiposian society. I’ve a loose outline and about 70 pages of scenes, but nothing put together.

5) Attend at least Five Conferences where I am speaking or tabling.

I’ve signed up for a over five and even have a few confirmations for the winter events.

RustyCon (Speaker) January
RadCon (Speaker) February
More will be announced as they are confirmed….

So there you have it. These are my writing goals for 2015, what are yours?

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Christmas at our house. The puppies are wondering when we are going to open all these presents.

 

Free Flash Fiction: Winter Solstice in the Black

I wrote this piece of Flash Fiction set in the Other Systems Universe for Sallie Lundy Frommer’s Blog during the 12 Authors of December Event last year which is where it was originally published. Please don’t be a jerk. It’s just a small piece but I did work hard on it.

In the theory of relativity, time dilation is an actual difference of elapsed time between two events as measured by observers that occurs if one or both of them are traveling at high velocities.

 

 

Winter Solstice in the Black

By Elizabeth Guizzetti

 

Bene’s boots stuck to the beer-stained floor, but he slid onto a barstool and signaled the waiter. “Pilsner.”

Maybe 150 ducats was too much to carry on an outpost, that was little more than a ship-stop on the transport run, but on his timeline, it was Winter Solstice. Bene needed to have a good time this year. Nina always decorated the ship, made pine-nut cookies and bought presents—whether he remembered Winter Solstice or not. Now Nina was gone and he never told her how much he appreciated it.

It wasn’t the holidays for all the people who swarmed around the bar. Though they had all ended up on the station at this moment, they lived upon their own timelines. Their own clocks and calendars. Damn time dilation.

He lifted his glass. His hands weren’t strong anymore and they lost their once impeccable pilot’s timing. So he worked in the laundry and took care of small repairs around his ship for Captain Wilkes—who he liked well enough.  “Happy Winter Solstice, my dear Nina.”

He took a long swig, tasting the mild sweetness, followed by the bite of the hops. When he set his glass down, he saw a girl with grease-stained coveralls staring at him.

“Sir, I’m sorry to bother you…” As she apologetically blathered, Bene took another sip and wished she’d just tell him what she wanted. “My name’s Rachel. We were in grav-pods for Winter Solstice…”

The arrogance of the kid to think she could possibly understand what it was to be covered in liver spots and sitting in a bar alone on Winter Solstice. Bene interrupted, “Get to the arcade where you belong. Plenty of kids there.”

“I don’t have any friends there,” she said.

The melancholy in the girl’s voice resonated in his chest. Bene thought: maybe Nina sent an angel to keep him company. Nina never missed a trick. Bene gestured to the chair next to him. He ordered another beer; she ordered a lemon soda.

He found himself smiling as Rachel spoke. The ward of Captain Laura Jamus, aboard ship, she cooked meals, helped in the engine room, or studied. Yes, she had snuck in the bar. No, Jamus wouldn’t like her being here, but she was busy unloading a delivery.

Their conversation became light. They spoke on their favorite traditions–Rachel liked making holiday cookies too. Her favorite were pepparkakor. They toasted Nina and Rachel’s late mother. And Captains Wilkes and Jamus.

“Know what we need?”

The girl turned away from him and hunched over. She pulled something out of her pocket, but he couldn’t see what. Then she turned back and pushed over a small makeshift package wrapped up in a red handkerchief. “Happy Winter Solstice!”

He said, “I wish I had something for you.”

A middle-aged woman stormed up to the table, her eyes focused on present. Rachel barely got a “Cap!, before Jamus grabbed her arm and snatched the gift from Bene’s hand.

Figuring Rachel would be better off without his interference, Bene ordered another pilsner. She took the risk doing something her guardian wouldn’t like. She admitted as much.

He was at the bottom of his next drink when Jamus showed up again. Crap what does she want? “Hello, Captain Jamus.”

She set down the makeshift package, “When I saw her give you that…I don’t know what I thought…but it wasn’t a Winter Solstice gift of a few store-bought toffees.” Then three ducats on the table. “For her soda.”

Bene expected Jamus to leave, but she did not.

Instead in halting sentences, she said,  “Rachel told me you toasted a ghost. The holidays can be hard….on her.” Her eyes dropped shyly. The woman was out of practice, but she was trying to be friendly. Her voice suggested at the pain of her own loss and how much she both resented and loved the teenager who had been thrust upon her. How often did it happen?

Bene asked her to join him. She glided into Rachel’s vacated seat.

“Rachel’s in her billet thinking about why she shouldn’t sneak into bars, but I told her I’d invite you for supper.”

Bene considered that Rachel was obviously no angel, but maybe Nina sent an impish girl in order to get her captain’s attention. Bene and Jamus both lost loved ones to the Black. Both needed something to celebrate, but didn’t know how.

Yep, Nina never missed a trick.

Copyright 2013 Elizabeth Guizzetti All Rights Reserved.

A letter to my “devout” relatives and friends– THERE IS NO WAR ON CHRISTMAS!

To all my devout relatives and others who believe in building a society of fear: I’m sick of this War on Christmas crap, I am seriously about to unfriend/unfollow people. Sorry, but I can’t take another Christmas of this. Yes, I am about to censor my relatives, here is why:

In the Unites States, Christmas became a Federal Holiday in 1870 since then it has won and continues to eat holidays in December, November. We barely care about Thanksgiving, except that it opens our way to Black Friday and Christmas Shopping. Though the US has citizens from every major religion, no other religious holiday is a US federal holiday. Winter Solstice, Chanukah, and Ramadan are NOT Federal Holidays so let’s show generosity of spirit and be good winners.

Just so everyone’s knows the US Federal Holidays are

New Year’s Day

Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Washington’s Birthday (Sometimes referred to as President’s Day)

Memorial Day

Independence Day

Labor Day

Columbus Day

Veterans Day

Thanksgiving Day

Christmas Day

Want more proof on the fake war on Christmas? Look around you.

Santa is in EVERY mall in the United States. Red and Green Bunting is everywhere. f you want to see a Nativity Scene, find a Christian church. While, yes, towns no longer sponsor Nativity Scenes–and I’d say that’s a good thing since we are supposed to have Freedom of Religion–plenty of churches have Nativity Scenes for the season.

Last weekend on the FoodNetwork, I watched Outrageous Christmas, not Outrageous Ramadan. (And I might not celebrate Ramadan, but I’d love a show about the traditions and food of their celebration) Last night, during RAW (WWE Professional Wrestling) Santa and elves showed up. During the breaks, I saw plenty of Christmas commercials, but no Chanukah commercials.

So if your biggest problem is that in certain instances you say to a general group of people “Happy Holidays” rather than “Merry Christmas,” you have no real problem!

Internet memes ignore the fact the USA is only 238 years old. Our traditions have changed with access to technology and mass media. Don’t believe that in Puritan New England that you could be fined for celebrating. Check out this link for more info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_in_Puritan_New_England

Christmas hasn’t always even been celebrated on December 25th.

I could go on and on about how the holiday has changed in 200 years, but it is more important to explain what I think of The War on Christmas Memes”  However, here is a link to the history of Christmas in the US, please check it out! http://www.thehistoryofchristmas.com/ch/in_america.htm

This meme is three years old, but was on my Facebook Feed today:

This is the WORST kind of meme. It tell people of other faiths to LEAVE. That’s is pretty damn un-Christian and un-Americam since our country was founded on Freedom of Religion. Jewish, Muslim, Wiccan, Hindi and Atheist citizens also live (and are *gasp* born) in this country. They have traditions too–some a lot older than America’s version of Christmas.

Please stop filling my Facebook and Twitter feed with this War on Christmas crap, instead show Christmas Goodness such as more pictures of your Christmas trees and cookie recipes and family togetherness…and you can say it’s a Christmas tree on your Facebook posts.

To get this started, I am reposting a picture of Rosie sleeping under my Christmas Tree which was originally posted on Twitter when I explained why I wasn’t #amwriting. 

Where do your ideas come from? Five Ways to Stay Creative

People often ask me where my ideas come from. The short answer is everywhere. I am constantly bombarded with ideas from half heard phrases or stories in the news or silly things that I see. Once one lets the creativity flow, creativty doesn’t like to stop. However that doesn’t tell you how I got there. So here are Five Ways to Get and Stay Creative

1) Don’t be afraid to be a Beginner.

Adults often feel they need to be good at something immediately. When I went to a critique group, I’ve seen many first drafts of first books that suck. Sorry, but that’s the way it is. People get good at something with practice. To be a writer, you need to write. To be a painter, you need to paint. If your first attempts aren’t perfect, keep striving. You will get better.

I hike with my pups to stay in shape and to relieve stress.

2) Keep your eyes on the process.

Organization helps on a long project such as a novel, a comic book series, or a series of paintings. Having a list, or even a loose outline, of each step can really make the difference between continuing on when it stops being fun, and stopping.

3) Exercise.

Being creative can be painful at times. Creative people open themselves and their work to the world. We want to support each other, yet work in a highly competitive field. Most of us make very little money, but we love it so we do it anyway. So if you are stuck, take a walk. Take care of yourself.

4) Experiment.

If you are stuck, try something new! In my latest project, I wrote a scene by scene outline between draft 2 and 3. Why? Because I could see a few minor points were missing and I needed to find them. Guess what? It worked.

In The Light Side of the Moon, the book began going slow. I needed to mix it  up. I wrote this crazy scene with the protagonist—which I don’t want to talk about since the book is in editing now— but that change is in the manuscript I sent my publisher. Every project has had surprises. Embrace them.

Cover Illustration for First Contact which you can read on Wattpad. This short story was written as an experiment and trying it out Wattled was an experiment too.

5) Surround yourself with creative people within your field.

Attend conferences, book store and library events. Join a writing group. Find people to support you with friendship. It’s also important to point out, writers have writer friends so we don’t drive our non-writer friends crazy.

If you can’t find folks in real life, then write a blog. Join Twitter. Join an online group.

 What do you do to stay creative?

Long Road to Publication is more like a Dark Cave filled with Giant Boulders…and monsters don’t forget the monsters.

I’m walking down the path towards publishing my second novel, The Light Side of the Moon. I thought it was going to be easier this time–I was wrong.

Disclaimer: I am not trying to scare you. I did not publish this post during November, because I didn’t want to sound like I am attacking Nanowrimo, speed-writing, or anything that helps authors follow their dreams. However, after four self-published comics and a published novel and short story, I realized that the main attribute that makes or breaks an author is patience.

Here’s why:

Your first draft sucks. Now don’t feel bad, my first draft sucks. When he was alive, Ernest Hemingway’s first drafts sucked. 

For me, its the first few drafts that are shit. I’m not going to talk about my process today, but its a boulder that’s so big, it has false summits. Other Systems had seven distinct drafts, The Light Side of the Moon had five. My current project entitled The Grove has had two so far, but I know there is at least one more on its way. BTW This is all before professional editing.

Writing the novel is the easiest boulder. It’s big, rocky but with steady work eventually I get over it. So will you. Because whether you write the book or not, is completely within your control.

None of the next steps are within your control.

After I finish the book, I send it out into the world hoping it gets accepted somewhere. 48Fourteen has had manuscripts of mine from anywhere to two months to nine months. Other small publishers have been similar. Large publishers are even longer. I had a manuscript at Angry Robot for nine months before getting a rejection. I had sample chapters at Tor for seven also rejected. I get so many more rejections than acceptances. They don’t hurt anymore. I just list it on the manuscripts spreadsheet, if there is personalized feedback, I try to glean what I can from it–but that’s time.

Skylight in Ape CavEven short story markets sometimes take months to hear back.

So if you want to be published, authors need to wait, learn patience.

After a traditionally published book is accepted, there is waiting–alot of time in the dark, not knowing what’s going on. I am happy people ask me about the book, but they really have no idea how long each part of publishing takes.

First of all, there is calendar issues. Every publisher has a calendar to get out their yearly catalog. So the publisher has to decide what makes sense for the title and put it in between other titles.

There’s also the cover art. This one isn’t as bad for me, since I do my artwork with 48Fourteen, however, I do need to wait for my cover lettering to be finalized.

One of the abandoned tunnels at Iron Goat

Next boulder is editing. Right now, The Light Side of the Moon is getting edited. My publisher told me. This is a huge boulder that I have to climb over, cutting my hands in the rough crevices. Not because every word I write is gold, (that last sentence certainly wasn’t) but because I am curious what the editor will suggest. I want to get to work on making it a better book, I don’t know how long the editor will take. Every week I freak out a little more. I have to remind myself that the editor is a person with a life, she will finish it when she finishes it. And I need to stay chill, so she can do a great job.

Seeing your manuscript marked up the first time is pretty shocking. When I was going through Other Systems, I joked that it looked like a smurf died with all the comments. That being said, going through the process is the best thing for your writing.

People often ask, “Does it hurt when they touch your baby?”

Answer: “Not as much as you’d think.”

Truthfully, it doesn’t hurt at all. I don’t argue with my editor. I read their comments and unless I feel they are way off, or I don’t understand them, I get to work on the corrections or rewriting the passages. Only if the editor is way off, I argue. While editing does not hurt, WAITING does. The not knowing. I tend to start thinking weird thoughts. Computers exploding, stuff like that. The Boulder morphs into a monster. Maybe a stone golem or something.

Other Systems had two editorial passes, will The Light Side of the Moon? Who knows.

Then a book goes to formatting and actually become an ebook and a paperback.

Then the book gets released….and its still not over. We stumble around trying to sell it while we write our next book. We need to go slow and steady. We want to write with passion, while everyone tells us to get out our next book: now, now, now. Whether self-published or traditionally-published books sell is up to the whim of the readers. Will they like it? Will they find it compelling?

I can send out review copies, do interviews and go to conferences, but I can’t make people buy my book. I can’t make people read it. That is not in my control. What I can control is how I react to it. My goal is to respond with patience and persistence and to remember the long game. It boils down to the publishing of The Light Side of the Moon or any book is just another step in a career.

Long Road to Publication is more like a Dark Cave filled with Giant Boulders

I’m walking down the path towards publishing my second novel, The Light Side of the Moon. I thought it was going to be easier this time–I was wrong.

Disclaimer: I am not trying to scare you. I did not publish this post during November, because I didn’t want to sound like I am attacking Nanowrimo, speed-writing, or anything that helps authors follow their dreams. However, after four self-published comics and a published novel and short story, I realized that the main attribute that makes or breaks an author is patience.

Here’s why:

Your first draft sucks. Now don’t feel bad, my first draft sucks. When he was alive, Ernest Hemingway’s first drafts sucked. 

For me, its the first few drafts that are shit. I’m not going to talk about my process today, but its a boulder that’s so big, it has false summits. Other Systems had seven distinct drafts, The Light Side of the Moon had five. My current project entitled The Grove has had two so far, but I know there is at least one more on its way. BTW This is all before professional editing.

Writing the novel is the easiest boulder. It’s big, rocky but with steady work eventually I get over it. So will you. Because whether you write the book or not, is completely within your control.

None of the next steps are within your control.

After I finish the book, I send it out into the world hoping it gets accepted somewhere. 48Fourteen has had manuscripts of mine from anywhere to two months to nine months. Other small publishers have been similar. Large publishers are even longer. I had a manuscript at Angry Robot for nine months before getting a rejection. I had sample chapters at Tor for seven also rejected. I get so many more rejections than acceptances. They don’t hurt anymore. I just list it on the manuscripts spreadsheet, if there is personalized feedback, I try to glean what I can from it–but that’s time.

Skylight in Ape CavEven short story markets sometimes take months to hear back.

So if you want to be published, authors need to wait, learn patience.

After a traditionally published book is accepted, there is waiting–alot of time in the dark, not knowing what’s going on. I am happy people ask me about the book, but they really have no idea how long each part of publishing takes.

First of all, there is calendar issues. Every publisher has a calendar to get out their yearly catalog. So the publisher has to decide what makes sense for the title and put it in between other titles.

There’s also the cover art. This one isn’t as bad for me, since I do my artwork with 48Fourteen, however, I do need to wait for my cover lettering to be finalized.

One of the abandoned tunnels at Iron Goat

Next boulder is editing. Right now, The Light Side of the Moon is getting edited. My publisher told me. This is a huge boulder that I have to climb over, cutting my hands in the rough crevices. Not because every word I write is gold, (that last sentence certainly wasn’t) but because I am curious what the editor will suggest. I want to get to work on making it a better book, I don’t know how long the editor will take. Every week I freak out a little more. I have to remind myself that the editor is a person with a life, she will finish it when she finishes it. And I need to stay chill, so she can do a great job.

Seeing your manuscript marked up the first time is pretty shocking. When I was going through Other Systems, I joked that it looked like a smurf died with all the comments. That being said, going through the process is the best thing for your writing.

People often ask, “Does it hurt when they touch your baby?”

Answer: “Not as much as you’d think.”

Truthfully, it doesn’t hurt at all. I don’t argue with my editor. I read their comments and unless I feel they are way off, or I don’t understand them, I get to work on the corrections or rewriting the passages. Only if the editor is way off, I argue. While editing does not hurt, WAITING does. The not knowing. I tend to start thinking weird thoughts. Computers exploding, stuff like that.

Other Systems had two editorial passes, will The Light Side of the Moon? Who knows.

Then a book goes to formatting and actually become an ebook and a paperback.

Then the book gets released….and its still not over. We stumble around trying to sell it while we write our next book. We need to go slow and steady. We want to write with passion, while everyone tells us to get out our next book: now, now, now. Whether self-published or traditionally-published books sell is up to the whim of the readers. Will they like it? Will they find it compelling?

I can send out review copies, do interviews and go to conferences, but I can’t make people buy my book. I can’t make people read it. That is not in my control. What I can control is how I react to it. My goal is to respond with patience and persistence and to remember the long game. It boils down to the publishing of The Light Side of the Moon or any book is just another step in a career.

Who do you think you are? Well, I am Elizabeth Guizzetti.

I might be a nobody, but wait…that’s me selling my books at Barnes&Noble

When someone says “Who do you think you are?”

They are actually implying that you are unimportant and your work is unimportant.

And when someone points out, “Well, you’re not [Enter name of best-selling author here]“

They are implying you can’t break the rules because you are a nobody.

There is only one answer to both of those questions:  I am author [insert your name here].

During the rewrite of The Light Side of the Moon, one of the comments that my editor made was that she rarely sees books over 40 chapters.  I admit I came close to mentioning that Other Systems had 46 chapters, but I didn’t want to be argumentative.

Later, I realized this year alone, almost every book I read was over 40 chapters. In fact most of them were over 100 chapters, but when I pointed this out to a friend:  I was reminded that I am not Dan Brown, Stephen King, or Joe Hill.

Tell me I’m unimportant. Well I’ll go Kaiju. FYI I didn’t destroy Seattle, because I live here and can’t afford the drop in property values, but I’m coming for Bellevue.

 

It happened again when writing my back cover copy for The Light Side of the Moon, I showed some people in my writing group.  I had originally written it from Ellie’s point of view but that really didn’t show the expansiveness of the story.  I was reminded that the rules state that I should name a single main character.

I pointed out that Game of Thrones’s back cover copy that doesn’t name a single character. I was told I am not George RR Martin.

They’re right–I am none of those people. And if I ever forget,  my quarterly royalty checks brings me back to reality.

But tiny royalty checks doesn’t change who I am and how I identify myself in this world.

I am author and illustrator Elizabeth Guizzetti and Ha Ha! As if there are rules on the job that we do– at best, they are only loose guidelines

I write what I want to write just like the authors I mentioned above.  I don’t know how they became best-selling authors. Yes, they write great books. And yes, because they are best-sellers, their publishing houses spend more money on their marketing efforts.  And yes, that by selling movie options they became even better-selling best-selling author.

Besides that? I don’t know if they rubbed on a genie’s bottle or have a lucky rabbits foot and don’t write on Friday the 13th.

It doesn’t matter, their sales do not make me less of an author…and their sales don’t make you less or more of an author either.

I love my job.  Most weeks, I put in over 50 hours which means I made less than a penny an hour last year as an author, but I’m not the only author that makes pennies per hour.  It is estimated that an average’s salary for an author in America is less than $30,000 a year. Yes, there are the authors who win the author lottery,  but there’s a lot more of us who love writing and do it for very little money. Guess what? I’m still an author. I have one book published, and another under contract.

Here is me and my author buddies Zachary Bonelli and Aubry K. Andersen at the Federal Way Library. We worked hard for this appearance and did awesome!