Gail Wagner's Blog, page 2
September 16, 2014
Let Her Sleep
I love writing that! LOL! I've been working on the cover with my friend DelSheree, who is amazing at that kind of thing! I will be having a cover reveal later this month so I can't post it yet, but I thought I'd let you know that the first half of the book is still up on Wattpad if you'd like to give it a try. It's still listed as Dream Walkers there, just FYI.
And here's another little teaser for you!
And here's another little teaser for you!
September 15, 2014
Top 10 Movies
Hello all! I have been extremely busy lately. Between promoting my new book coming out and being in charge of book fair again, I feel like I'm running in circles. Not to mention the three books I'm working on! I know, I know...I can't ever do anything the simple way. Oh, did you notice that Halloween is coming?! That means costumes for the whole family. This year we have decided to go themed...wait for it....wait...drum roll please....Doctor Who!! Even the kiddos! I will be sure to post pics of us all.
As I stated in my things I love post, I love a good movie...or tv show! There are a few that I could rewatch a thousand times...okay, maybe not quite that much but a lot before I got sick of it. So without further ado, I present my top 10 movies (and tv shows) in no particular order.
1. Star WarsPreferably the original three. When I was a teenager I used to go to sleep to Return of the Jedi every night. I love me some Luke Skywalker!2. Stardust If you haven't seen this movie, stop reading and go watch it! The scene with Robert de Niro in a corset is well worth your time!3. The Avengers Need I say more? (This also includes any movie in this franchise!)
[image error] 4. Narnia I love this series so much. The books, the movies, the audio books. I even went to an exhibit for it in Kansas City.
5.The Lord of the Rings This includes The Hobbit. So good. There is nothing I dislike about this movie...except for Faramir. He is so much cooler in the book...just sayin'.
6. Doctor Who This is a more recent acquisition to my favorites. We watched all of the new seasons this summer as a family and we are obsessed!!
7. Murder She Wrote [image error] Who doesn't love Angela Lansbury? I have seen every single episode of this show at least twice and that is a lot of episodes. My kids even love to watch it. I was raised on a steady diet of murder shows (Father Dowling, Diagnosis Murder, Columbo, etc). This might explain my love for newer shows like Pysch, Bones, and Castle.8. Beauty and the Beast Really any good Disney musical (ever seen The Newsies?). I own an embarrassing amount of Disney music and nothing makes me happier than to sing along. Beauty and the Beast holds a special place in my heart though. I watched the video twice a day for months (until my mother banned me from it) when I was about 9.9. Moulin Rouge/Phantom of the OperaI know...I sneaked two in there but can you blame me? Again with the musicals. Can you tell I like a good show tune? I dream of getting to see a real show Broadway show someday! What else do you need? Maybe a little Hairspray...or Money, Money, Money. :)
[image error] 10. Miracle Little known fact about me...I hate sports. I don't like watching them, I don't like playing them. Got a feel good, inspirational sports movie? I'm there! Go figure! I LOVE this movie (and ice hockey is the only sport I enjoy watching...I turn into a crazy person, just ask my husband!). I also adore Cool Runnings and Remember the Titans...you get the picture!
September 10, 2014
New Release
I am so excited to share this news, partly because I feel like it's been coming for forever! Dream Walkers is being published under a new name! Let Her Sleep, book 1 of The Dream Walker Chronicles will be coming soon!
September 9, 2014
Some Topics Are Too Big for Adult Fiction
Hello! So we had our fourth blog radio show today! We discussed the latest news for all of us and then talked about how some topics are just too big for adult fiction. Listen and let us know your opinion on it!
Check Out Books Podcasts at Blog Talk Radio with A Special Kind of Crazy on BlogTalkRadio
Check Out Books Podcasts at Blog Talk Radio with A Special Kind of Crazy on BlogTalkRadio
September 3, 2014
10 Things I Hate
Alrighty, going along with last week's post of 10 things I love, I will be doing 10 things I hate this week! Okay, hate is a very strong word, perhaps 'strongly dislike' is a better description, but it doesn't sound as snappy. :)
#1 Spiders...need I say more. This really encompasses most creepy crawly things particularly in my house...like the centipede I found in my kitchen sink this morning!! YUCK!
#2 Reusing silverware. I'm not talking about for a different meal but I have to have a clean fork for my dessert!! It totally grosses me out! Going along with this, I also have to rinse my glass out or get a new one if I change drinks...unless it was water to start with. I do not like my food touching other food.
#3 People who drive like morons. Sorry. I probably could be a little more PC here but I don't think there is a better term for it. Either I'm just getting old (no comments on my age please!!) or people just keep getting worse when it comes to driving....and parking. I can't park well. I'll admit it. It may have something to do with the fact that my driver's test consisted of backing out of a slanted spot, making four right turns and pulling back into said spot...at the age of 14. I also don't park up close if I don't think I can park straight. I'd rather walk a bit farther than take up four spots!! Totally saw that the other day by the way! Took the four closest spots and parked in the middle of them all so no one would get near their Dodge Charger!
#4 ExercisingIf it feels like work, it ain't happening. I'll dance till my feet bleed though. And yes I have witnesses to that fact. I have no self control if music with a good beat comes on!
#5 Cleaning the kitchen. I know, I know, who likes that? But I would rather clean both the bathrooms in my house than unload/load the dishwasher and clean the rest of the kitchen. Sad, right?
#6 Crooked things. Don't go there, just don't. I'm aware that there are a million different ways to take that but I assure you I didn't mean them! I can't stand if a picture is crooked on the wall or something isn't level. Seriously I have a level that I use all the time! I eyeball it pretty well too, though. I am definitely a classic picture straightener!
#7 Goulash ...or anything like it. Probably goes along with my whole not liking my foods to touch thing. I think it's disgusting. Doesn't matter what's in it or what it tastes like, I won't eat it unless I'm starving and have NO other options. And I mean NOTHING. I might eat grass before it...Same goes with tuna noodle casserole. I have texture issues and there are really several foods that fall into this can't-stand-it-in-my-mouth feeling. *cough* oatmeal.
#8 Shaving. Okay, maybe this is TMI but you would think that with decades of us ladies shaving it off, our bodies would figure out we don't want it there and just stop growing!! It takes forever and is a daily chore. And don't even get me started on how much razors cost! Maybe this is why I like cooler weather. Pants=less shaving!! :)
#9 Dog slobber. Don't get me wrong, I like dogs, I don't have one, but I like them. I just don't like when they lick! Heaven knows where their tongue has been. Actually I've seen where a lot of their tongues have been and can I just say ewww. Also I actually break out in a rash if I don't wash it off quick enough, so yeah, not a fan of doggy kisses.
#10 Yard work...of any kind. I would love to have a beautifully landscaped garden but unfortunately I can't stand to work outside for more than say about 5 minutes. It's hot and the weeds are itchy...and half the time I can't tell what's a weed and what's supposed to be there. If I ever make it big, I will hire a gardener, so I can enjoy the outdoors without having to worry about the plants. By the way, most plants commit suicide when I come anywhere near them. They do not like me!
Wow that list was really, really random. I'm sure there are a lot more but there you go, 10 things I hate....at the current moment!! :) What can't you stand?
#1 Spiders...need I say more. This really encompasses most creepy crawly things particularly in my house...like the centipede I found in my kitchen sink this morning!! YUCK!
#2 Reusing silverware. I'm not talking about for a different meal but I have to have a clean fork for my dessert!! It totally grosses me out! Going along with this, I also have to rinse my glass out or get a new one if I change drinks...unless it was water to start with. I do not like my food touching other food.
#3 People who drive like morons. Sorry. I probably could be a little more PC here but I don't think there is a better term for it. Either I'm just getting old (no comments on my age please!!) or people just keep getting worse when it comes to driving....and parking. I can't park well. I'll admit it. It may have something to do with the fact that my driver's test consisted of backing out of a slanted spot, making four right turns and pulling back into said spot...at the age of 14. I also don't park up close if I don't think I can park straight. I'd rather walk a bit farther than take up four spots!! Totally saw that the other day by the way! Took the four closest spots and parked in the middle of them all so no one would get near their Dodge Charger!
#4 ExercisingIf it feels like work, it ain't happening. I'll dance till my feet bleed though. And yes I have witnesses to that fact. I have no self control if music with a good beat comes on!
#5 Cleaning the kitchen. I know, I know, who likes that? But I would rather clean both the bathrooms in my house than unload/load the dishwasher and clean the rest of the kitchen. Sad, right?
#6 Crooked things. Don't go there, just don't. I'm aware that there are a million different ways to take that but I assure you I didn't mean them! I can't stand if a picture is crooked on the wall or something isn't level. Seriously I have a level that I use all the time! I eyeball it pretty well too, though. I am definitely a classic picture straightener!
#7 Goulash ...or anything like it. Probably goes along with my whole not liking my foods to touch thing. I think it's disgusting. Doesn't matter what's in it or what it tastes like, I won't eat it unless I'm starving and have NO other options. And I mean NOTHING. I might eat grass before it...Same goes with tuna noodle casserole. I have texture issues and there are really several foods that fall into this can't-stand-it-in-my-mouth feeling. *cough* oatmeal.
#8 Shaving. Okay, maybe this is TMI but you would think that with decades of us ladies shaving it off, our bodies would figure out we don't want it there and just stop growing!! It takes forever and is a daily chore. And don't even get me started on how much razors cost! Maybe this is why I like cooler weather. Pants=less shaving!! :)
#9 Dog slobber. Don't get me wrong, I like dogs, I don't have one, but I like them. I just don't like when they lick! Heaven knows where their tongue has been. Actually I've seen where a lot of their tongues have been and can I just say ewww. Also I actually break out in a rash if I don't wash it off quick enough, so yeah, not a fan of doggy kisses.
#10 Yard work...of any kind. I would love to have a beautifully landscaped garden but unfortunately I can't stand to work outside for more than say about 5 minutes. It's hot and the weeds are itchy...and half the time I can't tell what's a weed and what's supposed to be there. If I ever make it big, I will hire a gardener, so I can enjoy the outdoors without having to worry about the plants. By the way, most plants commit suicide when I come anywhere near them. They do not like me!
Wow that list was really, really random. I'm sure there are a lot more but there you go, 10 things I hate....at the current moment!! :) What can't you stand?
August 27, 2014
10 Things I Love
Alright, taking a leaf out of my friend Sheree's book and in an effort to put myself out there more I am listing 10 things I absolutely love.
#1 Dressing Up
Makeup, hair, nice clothes, shoes, the whole shebang! Especially anything with a vintage vibe. I cut my hair off last year and now I miss having it because I can't do all my cool hairstyles. I also adore dressing up in costume and Halloween is the best!!
#2 Fangirling
I'm not sure that's a real word but it's what I do. I love to get sucked into another world so completely I have a hard time accepting it's not real. A few examples: Harry Potter, Sherlock, Marvel, Doctor Who, Once Upon a Time. Those are my big ones. I'm not opposed to dressing like characters (as evidenced by my Captain America and Tardis Cardigans as well as by the fact that we used to host annual HP parties where everyone came in costume...and the kids were not invited!).
#3 Chapstick
Okay this maybe more like an addiction rather than a love but either way I cannot leave my house without it...or lip gloss that will work too. Burt's Bees original is my favorite but I also like the mint eos. In high school my signature was strawberry kiwi comet by LipSmackers. Sadly they don't made it anymore....
#4 Bread
I'm talking the crunchy, crackly on the outside, super soft on the inside kind of baguette preferably with drowning in butter. Yum....Ratatouille bread my kids call it. If you have to ask, you clearly haven't been forced to watch that movie a thousand times. The sad thing is that I can no longer have gluten. *sob* Do you know how hard that is for a bread/pasta addict like me? I'm still on the hunt for a good gluten free recipe I can make that tastes similar.
#5 Eating Out
I love to eat...cooking, not so much. Well, it's more the cleanup than the actual cooking. Either way, eating out takes care of both! I would eat out every meal all the time if my bank account would let me.
#6 Dancing
I've taken less than a total of one year of dance lessons in my life (ballroom and clogging. I was actually really good!). However, that doesn't stop me from busting a move anytime I hear a good tune. Just Dance is my all time favorite Wii game and we regularly do it for girls' night out because I'm not the only thwarted dancer around here! I would have totally joined the dance squad in high school, but alas I went to an academics only school. All we had were intramural sports and a chess team.
#7 Watching TV
I have a confession...I'm addicted to TV. It drives my husband nuts. I used to turn it on and not even watch it, just to have the "company" in the house. My favorite shows and movies I can watch over and over. Now that I write more seriously it has cut into my TV time....guess that isn't all bad. :)
#8 Thrift Store Shopping
Yard sale-ing goes along with this one. I don't know if it's the thrill of the hunt or just the fact that I LOVE to get a good bargain. You can also find me in the clearance section of our local JCP. In all honesty I love any kind of shopping.
#9 Loud Music
Yeah I know it's not good for me but I adore cranking the music up in the car or house (particularly when I have to clean). Don't worry, I'm careful when the kids are around. No point in damaging their hearing anymore than necessary.
#10 Freshly Sharpened Pencils
I love pencils. I love to write and draw with them (plain and colored!). I'm obsessive about keeping them sharp but I find it soothing to sharpen pencils. I know. I'm weird. I would never write in pen if I didn't have to. I freaks me out if I write something in pen because I can't just erase and change it. I read somewhere that was a sign of commitment issues....
#1 Dressing Up
Makeup, hair, nice clothes, shoes, the whole shebang! Especially anything with a vintage vibe. I cut my hair off last year and now I miss having it because I can't do all my cool hairstyles. I also adore dressing up in costume and Halloween is the best!!
#2 Fangirling
I'm not sure that's a real word but it's what I do. I love to get sucked into another world so completely I have a hard time accepting it's not real. A few examples: Harry Potter, Sherlock, Marvel, Doctor Who, Once Upon a Time. Those are my big ones. I'm not opposed to dressing like characters (as evidenced by my Captain America and Tardis Cardigans as well as by the fact that we used to host annual HP parties where everyone came in costume...and the kids were not invited!).
#3 Chapstick
Okay this maybe more like an addiction rather than a love but either way I cannot leave my house without it...or lip gloss that will work too. Burt's Bees original is my favorite but I also like the mint eos. In high school my signature was strawberry kiwi comet by LipSmackers. Sadly they don't made it anymore....
#4 Bread
I'm talking the crunchy, crackly on the outside, super soft on the inside kind of baguette preferably with drowning in butter. Yum....Ratatouille bread my kids call it. If you have to ask, you clearly haven't been forced to watch that movie a thousand times. The sad thing is that I can no longer have gluten. *sob* Do you know how hard that is for a bread/pasta addict like me? I'm still on the hunt for a good gluten free recipe I can make that tastes similar.
#5 Eating Out
I love to eat...cooking, not so much. Well, it's more the cleanup than the actual cooking. Either way, eating out takes care of both! I would eat out every meal all the time if my bank account would let me.
#6 Dancing
I've taken less than a total of one year of dance lessons in my life (ballroom and clogging. I was actually really good!). However, that doesn't stop me from busting a move anytime I hear a good tune. Just Dance is my all time favorite Wii game and we regularly do it for girls' night out because I'm not the only thwarted dancer around here! I would have totally joined the dance squad in high school, but alas I went to an academics only school. All we had were intramural sports and a chess team.
#7 Watching TV
I have a confession...I'm addicted to TV. It drives my husband nuts. I used to turn it on and not even watch it, just to have the "company" in the house. My favorite shows and movies I can watch over and over. Now that I write more seriously it has cut into my TV time....guess that isn't all bad. :)
#8 Thrift Store Shopping
Yard sale-ing goes along with this one. I don't know if it's the thrill of the hunt or just the fact that I LOVE to get a good bargain. You can also find me in the clearance section of our local JCP. In all honesty I love any kind of shopping.
#9 Loud Music
Yeah I know it's not good for me but I adore cranking the music up in the car or house (particularly when I have to clean). Don't worry, I'm careful when the kids are around. No point in damaging their hearing anymore than necessary.
#10 Freshly Sharpened Pencils
I love pencils. I love to write and draw with them (plain and colored!). I'm obsessive about keeping them sharp but I find it soothing to sharpen pencils. I know. I'm weird. I would never write in pen if I didn't have to. I freaks me out if I write something in pen because I can't just erase and change it. I read somewhere that was a sign of commitment issues....
August 19, 2014
Weekly Radio Show
So Amanda Strong, DelSheree Gladden and I have started doing a blog radio show each week. Today was our first day! We talked about our Top 10 Book Boyfriends. If you want to listen here it is.
Online Books Radio at Blog Talk Radio with A Special Kind of Crazy on BlogTalkRadio
Just in case this doesn't work (because I'm a total dork when it comes to blogging) here is another link to the page.
We will be doing it each Tuesday at 10 am MST. Next week's topic will be Should Adults be Embarrassed to Read YA Books. If you want to weigh in before the show or have a question feel free to leave in on our page here or even leave a comment here.
August 14, 2014
Just An Update
Hi all! I don't have any earth shattering news today (other than the fact that school is finally starting and my oldest headed off to middle school today. *sob* seriously this is worse than when he went to kindergarten for me!). I just wanted to give an general update of where I am on various projects.
So Donegal Sidhe...well I'm revamping Army of Sorrow (two new chapters added and the first and last ones rewritten). I've finished Sea of Despair and am nearly a quarter of the way through Isle of Darkness. It's hard to write over the summer!
Dream Walkers (which I'm totally trying to find a new title for) is kind of in limbo unfortunately. Obscures is done and I've had amazing feedback on it. Apparently the whole dream thing is overdone and the title sucks (I can't say that surprised me...I knew the title was lame). My agent and I are figuring out the options for this series.
Curiosity Killed the Crow is being read by beta readers from my agent and thus far is getting positive feedback. So yay for that! It is still available to read on Wattpad too.
And because I'm not happy unless I completely overwhelm myself with projects, I'm working on an entirely new one too, but only have about one chapter done. I'll let you know more as it takes shape.
Well, thanks for checking in!! I hope to have more news soon. :)
So Donegal Sidhe...well I'm revamping Army of Sorrow (two new chapters added and the first and last ones rewritten). I've finished Sea of Despair and am nearly a quarter of the way through Isle of Darkness. It's hard to write over the summer!
Dream Walkers (which I'm totally trying to find a new title for) is kind of in limbo unfortunately. Obscures is done and I've had amazing feedback on it. Apparently the whole dream thing is overdone and the title sucks (I can't say that surprised me...I knew the title was lame). My agent and I are figuring out the options for this series.
Curiosity Killed the Crow is being read by beta readers from my agent and thus far is getting positive feedback. So yay for that! It is still available to read on Wattpad too.
And because I'm not happy unless I completely overwhelm myself with projects, I'm working on an entirely new one too, but only have about one chapter done. I'll let you know more as it takes shape.
Well, thanks for checking in!! I hope to have more news soon. :)
July 31, 2014
Arrr...Here There Be Pirates
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I may be aging myself, but Napster was the big thing when I was a senior in high school. I had songs on my list that I still haven't been able to find since (Marilyn Monroe's version of Santa Baby to start). It never occurred to me that what I was doing was wrong. The word piracy wasn't applied to the website until after I was in college.
Napster was the first big website (at least as far as I was aware) that did 'file-sharing'. As the internet has gotten progressively bigger so have piracy issues. From music to movies and now to books.
I'll admit I'm not a big enough deal for this to have affected me personally yet (though I did find a couple copies of my book for sale on Amazon for over $500....). The point is that no wants to be stolen from. Whether you're an engineer who gets his idea hijacked by a superior or even a coworker just to watch them get a promotion from it, or a waitress who gets stiffed by the overly demanding table you slaved over. The point is that we all deserve to get paid for our work.
I've dealt with people not wanting to pay for my work before. There is a reason I USED to be a professional seamstress. Now I see that this extends to most creative fields. How do you protect intellectual property?
It's a question people are finding it hard to answer. I've seen people for and against (by the way, just to make it clear, I'm adamantly against it despite my questionable association in high school). My biggest issue with the people for it are the ones who say to we should just accept it because it's here to stay. That we should just concentrate on selling merchandise because it's harder to steal. You can read the article here if you'd like.
I'm sorry, but unless you are a NYT bestselling author with a movie/tv show there is no related merchandise. Our books are our merchandise. And believe me when I say we get paid pennies for the work we do! Besides all the writing and the editing, there is marketing.
Okay, so what can we as honest citizens do about this? Click here for a great article about this. There are always those people who feel entitled to whatever they want but sometimes people don't even realize what they're doing is wrong. It's up to us to educate them.
Alright, rant over! ;)
July 14, 2014
Inside, Outside, Upside, Down
If you didn't know, that is from a Berenstain Bears book. One of my kids' favorites to be exact. I read it out loud more times than I care to admit. It's a fitting title however for my writing career thus far.
The more I learn about writing, the more I realize I may have started backwards. I don’t mean I queried an unfinished manuscript or anything but I didn't do some basic things I should have, simply because I was too scared or didn't know.
I have a lot of author “friends” online. Some I've gotten to know a little better than others and in all honesty, there are several I only recognize their names when I scroll through my Facebook feed. One thing they all have in common though? A lot more likes/followers/friends/whatever than me. Several of them don’t even have any published works…or finished works. I wondered how this was possible. To be honest, I was actually a little jealous. How could these unpublished authors have a bigger following than me, who had “followed the rules”…okay, they were rules I’d partly read in some how to write book and partly made up in my own head.
Confession: I didn't tell anyone I was writing a book. Not even my own mother. My husband knew (I mean that would be a little hard to keep a secret) and maybe two close friends. I researched and checked out advice books from the library, all while keeping it to myself. I didn't want to flash it around for a couple of reasons. If I never finished it or it sucked horribly, I didn't want a large audience to that failure. Chalk that one up to pride and the fact that I don’t repeat things I fail at (true story. If I’m not perfect at it, I don’t want to do it). Yeah, I know, that’s a bad character flaw.I was terrified that someone would steal my ideas. I had no personal experience with that one but I've had several family members have ideas stolen (not stories but still). This one was a legitimate worry. I have a friend who had this happen (on a small scale) and it was very stressful for her even though it all turned out okay in the end.
Number one is the one I did backwards apparently. Most people start building a following long before they publish. I thought that if I didn’t have anything published for people to read I couldn’t begin to market. I have to admit, I’m still not very good at marketing but I’m better than I was. I went into it not knowing a thing with a publisher who didn’t do a thing for me. Not a good combination.
Luckily I have some friends who are awesome at it and are more than willing to help me out. I’ve learned that it’s always a good idea to seek out advice from those more experienced than you. Maybe with the next book things will be different.
The more I learn about writing, the more I realize I may have started backwards. I don’t mean I queried an unfinished manuscript or anything but I didn't do some basic things I should have, simply because I was too scared or didn't know.
I have a lot of author “friends” online. Some I've gotten to know a little better than others and in all honesty, there are several I only recognize their names when I scroll through my Facebook feed. One thing they all have in common though? A lot more likes/followers/friends/whatever than me. Several of them don’t even have any published works…or finished works. I wondered how this was possible. To be honest, I was actually a little jealous. How could these unpublished authors have a bigger following than me, who had “followed the rules”…okay, they were rules I’d partly read in some how to write book and partly made up in my own head.
Confession: I didn't tell anyone I was writing a book. Not even my own mother. My husband knew (I mean that would be a little hard to keep a secret) and maybe two close friends. I researched and checked out advice books from the library, all while keeping it to myself. I didn't want to flash it around for a couple of reasons. If I never finished it or it sucked horribly, I didn't want a large audience to that failure. Chalk that one up to pride and the fact that I don’t repeat things I fail at (true story. If I’m not perfect at it, I don’t want to do it). Yeah, I know, that’s a bad character flaw.I was terrified that someone would steal my ideas. I had no personal experience with that one but I've had several family members have ideas stolen (not stories but still). This one was a legitimate worry. I have a friend who had this happen (on a small scale) and it was very stressful for her even though it all turned out okay in the end.
Number one is the one I did backwards apparently. Most people start building a following long before they publish. I thought that if I didn’t have anything published for people to read I couldn’t begin to market. I have to admit, I’m still not very good at marketing but I’m better than I was. I went into it not knowing a thing with a publisher who didn’t do a thing for me. Not a good combination.
Luckily I have some friends who are awesome at it and are more than willing to help me out. I’ve learned that it’s always a good idea to seek out advice from those more experienced than you. Maybe with the next book things will be different.
