Gail Wagner's Blog, page 9
August 22, 2012
30 Before 30
So this is my last year as a 20-something and I decided to make it count. I've seen a couple of other blogs that have done the 30 before 30 but just in case you aren't familiar with it: you make a list of 30 things you want to do before you turn 30. Seems simple enough...until you start typing it out.
It's a fine line of not making it an everyday to-do list (paint my bedroom, actually finish a sewing project, etc) and making it so lofty that there is no way I could do it in a decade let alone a year (visit Ireland, go to the Grand Canyon, have a movie made based on my books). So without further ado here is my list:
1. Get a house and decorate it the way I want it2. Have family live nearby3. Get a third book finished (first draft)4. Do a book signing5. Do one thing that scares me to death (did a radio interview...thought I'd have a heart attack)6. Sew something for myself7. Get a second book published8. Have a garden (and not kill it)9. Learn something new10. Make a cake entirely from scratch11. Quit soda12. Throw a party 13. Finish a quilt14. Go to a Writers’ Conference15. Kick the eating out habit16. Have an entirely handmade Christmas17. Paint a picture18. Go to the Grand Canyon19. Go camping20. Get back into the FlyLady habit21. Visit the cliff dwellings22. Learn to get my migraines under control23. Organize a filing system24. Decorate for each holiday (including themed meal for the day)25. Learn how to blog and do it (clearly still working on this...but I don't think I'm too bad. Right?)26. Try one new recipe a month, including marshmallows27. Go on a picnic each month while it’s warm28. Find a hat I love and actually wear it29. Learn to budget30. Learn to reupholster
I've only crossed off a few and I don't have that much longer to go. Some of them might be right after 30, like going to the Grand Canyon. We had planned on going this past Spring Break but plans had to change so we'll go this next one.
I'm hoping to post some pictures of various ones I've gotten to cross off. Including my first cake from scratch, which by the way, tasted AMAZING....it just kind of fell apart.
So what's your opinion? Anything you think I should add?
It's a fine line of not making it an everyday to-do list (paint my bedroom, actually finish a sewing project, etc) and making it so lofty that there is no way I could do it in a decade let alone a year (visit Ireland, go to the Grand Canyon, have a movie made based on my books). So without further ado here is my list:
1. Get a house and decorate it the way I want it2. Have family live nearby3. Get a third book finished (first draft)4. Do a book signing5. Do one thing that scares me to death (did a radio interview...thought I'd have a heart attack)6. Sew something for myself7. Get a second book published8. Have a garden (and not kill it)9. Learn something new10. Make a cake entirely from scratch11. Quit soda12. Throw a party 13. Finish a quilt14. Go to a Writers’ Conference15. Kick the eating out habit16. Have an entirely handmade Christmas17. Paint a picture18. Go to the Grand Canyon19. Go camping20. Get back into the FlyLady habit21. Visit the cliff dwellings22. Learn to get my migraines under control23. Organize a filing system24. Decorate for each holiday (including themed meal for the day)25. Learn how to blog and do it (clearly still working on this...but I don't think I'm too bad. Right?)26. Try one new recipe a month, including marshmallows27. Go on a picnic each month while it’s warm28. Find a hat I love and actually wear it29. Learn to budget30. Learn to reupholster
I've only crossed off a few and I don't have that much longer to go. Some of them might be right after 30, like going to the Grand Canyon. We had planned on going this past Spring Break but plans had to change so we'll go this next one.
I'm hoping to post some pictures of various ones I've gotten to cross off. Including my first cake from scratch, which by the way, tasted AMAZING....it just kind of fell apart.
So what's your opinion? Anything you think I should add?
August 21, 2012
My Furriest Fan
My baby went to kindergarten last year and my hubby decided I needed some company in the house. I decided I wanted a black cat (can you tell I am NOT superstitious? My favorite numbers are 7 and 13 too), so he took me to the local animal shelter and I lucked out. They had one black kitty.
My husband snapped this picture of the kitty (Sirius Black) (hehe!). I had just lined up a lovely row of hardbacks when he decided he had to check them out. He is my constant companion when I write, always curled up on my feet.
Please excuse the photo quality...this was taken with a phone. I don't have a decent camera...
My husband snapped this picture of the kitty (Sirius Black) (hehe!). I had just lined up a lovely row of hardbacks when he decided he had to check them out. He is my constant companion when I write, always curled up on my feet.
Please excuse the photo quality...this was taken with a phone. I don't have a decent camera...
August 20, 2012
Still Alive
No, I didn't fall off the face of the Earth. We've had a busy last month and it was all I could do to keep up with it. We had family in town for a week and then school started. Things are finally calming down.
I will be working on various projects as the cooler weather sets in (hear that weather? You need to cool down!) These projects include: Halloween costumes, reupholstering and refinishing some furniture as well as making some pallet projects. I hope to start posting some photos.
I finished the first round of edits for my new book (not Sea of Despair...sorry) and am waiting for my beta readers to give some opinions before sending it off to the editor that requested it. I am nearly done with Sea of Despair though. Just a few more chapters...then MASSIVE editing.
By the way, I am looking for a couple of new beta readers. Any volunteers? Qualification include: a love of YA fiction, the ability to finish a book (fairly quickly), and the ability to tell me what's working and what's not all while still telling me how brilliant I am (I'm just kidding...mostly). :)
I will be working on various projects as the cooler weather sets in (hear that weather? You need to cool down!) These projects include: Halloween costumes, reupholstering and refinishing some furniture as well as making some pallet projects. I hope to start posting some photos.
I finished the first round of edits for my new book (not Sea of Despair...sorry) and am waiting for my beta readers to give some opinions before sending it off to the editor that requested it. I am nearly done with Sea of Despair though. Just a few more chapters...then MASSIVE editing.
By the way, I am looking for a couple of new beta readers. Any volunteers? Qualification include: a love of YA fiction, the ability to finish a book (fairly quickly), and the ability to tell me what's working and what's not all while still telling me how brilliant I am (I'm just kidding...mostly). :)
July 26, 2012
Quick News
This is a bit short notice but I have a radio interview on STAR 102.9 tomorrow at 8:15 am (mountain time). If you'd like to tune in, you can listen online here.
July 24, 2012
It's Official!
My book officially released last Tuesday! I feel silly posting about it now but unfortunately last week was my final for the class I took this summer and it completely consumed the week. Thankfully I am now done and can focus my attentions to the million other things I need to do.
Last month I attended a writer's conference with my friend Amanda (who is the co-creator of The Novel Nibblers, if you haven't check it out, go now...I'll wait for you to come back.) Both of us got requests for our manuscripts and have been trying to edit like crazy before we send them in. On top of that I have to finish Sea of Despair and get that in.
School starts August 14 here and though I feel like summer barely started, at the same time I feel like my monsters have been fighting FOREVER! I am ready for a little break from the inevitable bickering that occurs when the three of them are in the same space for any length of time. With only a few weeks left of summer we're trying to shove in all the things we wanted to do: a visit to the local water park, a camping trip, and a visit from my sister and her kids.
You may wonder why, with all of this other going on, I would even consider more projects. Me too...when I figure it out, I will let you know! :) I recently decided to make some back to school clothes for the kids and have been pulling out fabric and patterns. I really am nuts. However I haven't sewn in quite a while and am beginning to miss it. I will post photos as soon as I get something done...which means it may never happen if you look at my previous track record. I have a very bad habit of never quite finishing sewing projects, but hopefully I will this time.
One more thing: my first official book signing is this Saturday 1-3 pm at Andrea Kristina's Bookstore and Cafe in Farmington, NM. Please, please come and bring your friends! I have been having nightmares of me sitting there with nothing but crickets chirping. :) I will have tshirts, paperbacks and hardbacks available at special pricing! Hope to see you there!
Last month I attended a writer's conference with my friend Amanda (who is the co-creator of The Novel Nibblers, if you haven't check it out, go now...I'll wait for you to come back.) Both of us got requests for our manuscripts and have been trying to edit like crazy before we send them in. On top of that I have to finish Sea of Despair and get that in.
School starts August 14 here and though I feel like summer barely started, at the same time I feel like my monsters have been fighting FOREVER! I am ready for a little break from the inevitable bickering that occurs when the three of them are in the same space for any length of time. With only a few weeks left of summer we're trying to shove in all the things we wanted to do: a visit to the local water park, a camping trip, and a visit from my sister and her kids.
You may wonder why, with all of this other going on, I would even consider more projects. Me too...when I figure it out, I will let you know! :) I recently decided to make some back to school clothes for the kids and have been pulling out fabric and patterns. I really am nuts. However I haven't sewn in quite a while and am beginning to miss it. I will post photos as soon as I get something done...which means it may never happen if you look at my previous track record. I have a very bad habit of never quite finishing sewing projects, but hopefully I will this time.
One more thing: my first official book signing is this Saturday 1-3 pm at Andrea Kristina's Bookstore and Cafe in Farmington, NM. Please, please come and bring your friends! I have been having nightmares of me sitting there with nothing but crickets chirping. :) I will have tshirts, paperbacks and hardbacks available at special pricing! Hope to see you there!
July 14, 2012
Giveaway Take 2
Have I ever mentioned how much I LOVE Goodreads? If you don't know what that is, it's a website for you to track books you've read, books you want to read and see what your friends are reading. I loved it before I even thought of being an author, and now that I am one I love it that much more. It puts you in direct contact with readers. It also lets you do awesome giveaways!
Which brings me to the point of this post. I am having a second Goodreads giveaway. The first one did so well I figured I should have another go round. If you still don't have a copy (seriously? What are you waiting for?) then go here and enter to win it! Or if you're like me and have absolutely NO luck when it comes to winning drawings then you can purchase a copy here on my website.
Also if you haven't checked it out, please visit my Pinterest board for my vision of Army of Sorrow and get in on the discussion of who should play who!
Which brings me to the point of this post. I am having a second Goodreads giveaway. The first one did so well I figured I should have another go round. If you still don't have a copy (seriously? What are you waiting for?) then go here and enter to win it! Or if you're like me and have absolutely NO luck when it comes to winning drawings then you can purchase a copy here on my website.
Also if you haven't checked it out, please visit my Pinterest board for my vision of Army of Sorrow and get in on the discussion of who should play who!
July 12, 2012
Jumping the Gun Just a Little
I know my book isn't even officially released yet but I've been thinking who would I cast if it ever got made into a movie. Oh come on! We all do it! Every book you read, you get a very specific idea of what the characters look like. Of course, if the book does get made into a movie (*ahem* Twilight) everyone is upset with the actor choices.
Now sometimes the actor does so well no one really cares they don't look just like them because they are them, but sometimes the actor doesn't and everyone is still upset! :)
The point of this is that I've begun a board on Pinterest for my vision of Army of Sorrow. If you've read my book I would be EXTREMELY interested in who you think should play who. I have yet to find an appropriate Abiageal so if you have suggestions for her please let me know!
Now sometimes the actor does so well no one really cares they don't look just like them because they are them, but sometimes the actor doesn't and everyone is still upset! :)
The point of this is that I've begun a board on Pinterest for my vision of Army of Sorrow. If you've read my book I would be EXTREMELY interested in who you think should play who. I have yet to find an appropriate Abiageal so if you have suggestions for her please let me know!
July 11, 2012
Personal Rant
Since my friend Amanda and I started The Novel Nibblers, I have started reading a lot, again. This is awesome since my reading time had really started to shrink with all the writing and other things I do (college, PTO, kids...you know, life). I decided to start with the free/cheap books on Amazon. I downloaded a TON of them and started reading.
Can I just say that I'm appalled at the quality of self published eBooks? I know not all of them are so shockingly bad, but still, how hard is it to look for simple grammatical and spelling errors, and, you know, get somebody to critique it. I have found some books that not only change points of view in a chapter, or even paragraph but in the same sentence! Talk about confusing!
I'm aware that I'm ranting about my own profession here, but I was a reader long before I was an author! It just seems to me that there is a glut of people who finish a book and then stick it on Amazon for the whole world to see without editing it. Who knows, maybe I just have crummy luck and got a bunch of bad ones in a row.
What's your opinion? Agree, disagree? Leave me a comment and let me know!
Can I just say that I'm appalled at the quality of self published eBooks? I know not all of them are so shockingly bad, but still, how hard is it to look for simple grammatical and spelling errors, and, you know, get somebody to critique it. I have found some books that not only change points of view in a chapter, or even paragraph but in the same sentence! Talk about confusing!
I'm aware that I'm ranting about my own profession here, but I was a reader long before I was an author! It just seems to me that there is a glut of people who finish a book and then stick it on Amazon for the whole world to see without editing it. Who knows, maybe I just have crummy luck and got a bunch of bad ones in a row.
What's your opinion? Agree, disagree? Leave me a comment and let me know!
Personal Rant
Since my friend Amanda and I started The Novel Nibblers, I have started reading a lot, again. This is awesome since my reading time had really started to shrink with all the writing and other things I do (college, PTO, kids...you know, life). I decided to start with the free/cheap books on Amazon. I downloaded a TON of them and started reading.
Can I just say that I'm appalled at the quality of self published eBooks? I know not all of them are so shockingly bad, but still, how hard is it to look for simple grammatical and spelling errors, and, you know, get somebody to critique it. I have found some books that not only change points of view in a chapter, or even paragraph but in the same sentence! Talk about confusing!
I'm aware that I'm ranting about my own profession here, but I was a reader long before I was an author! It just seems to me that there is a glut of people who finish a book and then stick it on Amazon for the whole world to see without editing it. Who knows, maybe I just have crummy luck and got a bunch of bad ones in a row.
What's your opinion? Agree, disagree? Leave me a comment and let me know!
Can I just say that I'm appalled at the quality of self published eBooks? I know not all of them are so shockingly bad, but still, how hard is it to look for simple grammatical and spelling errors, and, you know, get somebody to critique it. I have found some books that not only change points of view in a chapter, or even paragraph but in the same sentence! Talk about confusing!
I'm aware that I'm ranting about my own profession here, but I was a reader long before I was an author! It just seems to me that there is a glut of people who finish a book and then stick it on Amazon for the whole world to see without editing it. Who knows, maybe I just have crummy luck and got a bunch of bad ones in a row.
What's your opinion? Agree, disagree? Leave me a comment and let me know!
July 1, 2012
Exciting News!
First of all, only two weeks left till Army of Sorrow is officially released! Second of all, a very close friend and I have started a new blog called The Novel Nibblers. We have seen a distinct lack of information when it comes to book content. How do you make an informed choice? So, we decided to start our own book rating system (similar to how a movie is rated).
It is not our intention to judge the book or put our own opinions about it up. We simply want to help others make informed choices about what they want to read.
So come check The Novel Nibblers!
It is not our intention to judge the book or put our own opinions about it up. We simply want to help others make informed choices about what they want to read.
So come check The Novel Nibblers!
