Catherine Dougherty's Blog, page 16
July 21, 2013
FIRST EDITION
I want to thank those of you who have already purchased my second novel in Woolen Bikinis, and also to those of you who have written reviews on Amazon and/or have told me how much you like the new book. It means a great deal to me knowing that my second novel, the sequel to in Polyester Pajamas, is being enjoyed.
Truth be told, I was very nervous about this second release—I wanted to make sure it lived up to the first one. It was hard to sit back and wait until the first reviews came in.
To add to my anxiety, soon after the release, it was noticed that a few minor edits were still needed. Oh no! Some people had already purchased the ebook and several print copies had been ordered. What was I going to do? I was the one who approved the final manuscript. How did I miss these things?
I lost a few nights of sleep and even broke down and cried. I questioned myself as a writer and wondered if I should stop writing all together.
I was totally exhausted and felt defeated.
But you know what? The book is getting rave reviews and, thanks to my awesome publishing team, the fixes have been made. Also, because of this happening, although it was stressful, I’ve grown by leaps and bounds as an author.
No more doubt, either—I’m determined to keep on writing!
Bottom line is these things occur, even to NY Times Bestsellers!
If you are an author, don’t be dismayed by the “small stuff” that can happen along the way. Of course there will be challenges, plenty of them, but it’s all part of this wonderful journey. Don’t let it deter you from doing what you love.
And if you’re a reader, don’t be too hard on an author or their publisher when a minor typo or mistake is found in a book. (It’s very hard to see them sometimes, especially when the story is engaging.) Remember, better to read a good book with a few minor mistakes, then to read one that’s flawless, but BORING!
Now it’s time to start writing the 3rd novel in the Jean and Rosie series. I can’t guarantee it will be perfectly written (in fact, I know it won’t), but I can guarantee it will be another great read.
Check out this awesome photo my BFF took of in Woolen Bikinis:
Also, check out my reviews on Amazon at the link below. These people read the book before the adjustments (I now call it the “first edition”) and they still loved it!
July 7, 2013
Now There Are Two!
My second novel, in Woolen Bikinis, has just been released. It is the sequel to in Polyester Pajamas and continues to follow the adventures of Jean and Rosie, two middle-aged women, opposites in every way, who become best friends.
It’s so hard to believe! I can remember hoping to someday have one book published, and now, in just over a year, there are two!
What do I do next? Well, it’s time to start the third book in the series. I’m calling it in Leather Jackets. Don’t be surprised if you read about some crazy women cruising around the Lakes Region (NH) on Harleys wearing their flip flops and slippers in it. (Yeah, that’s one of the reasons for the title, but I won’t say any more.)
If you haven’t read my first book yet, please check it out. For a limited time, in celebration of my new release, the Kindle version of in Polyester Pajamas is only $2.99 on Amazon.
And the Kindle version of in Woolen Bikinis is only $3.99. That’s under $7.00 for both, less than a ticket to the movies, so how can you go wrong?
I guarantee you’ll be entertained!
Here’s my author link on Amazon to access these Kindle Books*:
Thank you to those who are already reading my new novel. I’m anxiously (and nervously) awaiting the first reviews.
*Trade paperbacks also available
June 29, 2013
NEW ENGLAND AUTHOR FAIR
It was a great time today at Bayswater’s 3rd Annual New England Author Fair in Center Harbor, NH. I sold several copies of in Polyester Pajamas, passed out bookmarks for my next novel in Woolen Bikinis (to be released next week), and enjoyed chatting with many of the customers and other authors.
A BIG THANK YOU goes out to Bayswater Book Co. for including me in this event and also for this wonderful photo to share.
(Check out their website at http://www.bayswaterbooks.com/ and be sure to visit their store if you’re ever in the area. It’s a wonderful place to shop.)
Now, I’m beat and my throat hurts. Really, I think I talk too much during these events! (I really do love to talk—just ask those who know me.)
Guess that’s why I write. It’s like talking through my fingers!
June 17, 2013
THE KRAUT HOUSE
During vacation last week, my husband and I spent a couple days in the Camden, Maine area. On the way there, we stopped at Morse’s Kraut House (Haus), located in a very rural area in North Waldoboro. They sell all sorts of German food in their store (aka Morse’s Sauerkraut & European Deli) and also have a small dining area.
Usually we order our favorite meal, Sauerbraten, when we visit, but they were out of it by the time we arrived mid-afternoon. Instead, we enjoyed some kraut dogs in pretzel rolls and also some homemade potato-filled dumplings. Oh, and we ate plenty of pickles—they keep jars of different types, along with different flavors of mustards, on the tables for their patrons.
The hotdogs were so delicious, we had to buy some to bring home, along with pretzels shipped from Germany, a jar of their well-known sauerkraut, and some potato dumplings to go along with the crockpot sauerbraten I make weekly.
If you’re ever in that area and enjoy German food, it’s worth the visit. Check out their website at http://www.morsessauerkraut.com/
And if you ever want to make crockpot sauerbraten, below is the simple recipe (no marinating required). I do warn you, however, this is a very tangy, sweet/sour dish. If you’ve never had sauerbraten before, you might want to lighten up on the vinegar first-time around.
Crockpot Sauerbraten
In crockpot, combine the following:
1 lb. stew meat
1 medium onion, sliced
2½ cups water
1½ cups red wine vinegar
12 whole cloves
6 bay leaves
6 whole peppercorns
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 Tablespoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
Cover and cook for 8 hours on low or medium.
When done, strain liquid into big pot and also include cooked meat (discarding onions, cloves, bay leaves & peppercorns). Add one more cup of water and bring to a boil.
Add 2 cups crushed ginger snaps (I use Nabisco’s brand), stirring often, and continue to boil until desired consistency (thick, but still pourable is best).
It’s as simple as that!
Enjoy on bread or over potato dumplings, spaetzle, potato pancakes or noodles.
A great side to this meal is red cabbage or sauerkraut.
June 12, 2013
LOCAL TV SHOW
For those that live in the Lakes Region (NH) and subscribe to Metrocast, I’m one of the authors featured on the Lakes Region Spotlight show (LRPA – local access channel 25). The program will be shown 6 days/week starting today until mid-July. Here are the times:
Monday 8 pm
Tuesday 10 am
Wednesday 10:30 pm
Thursday 7 pm
Friday 2:30 am & 10:30 am & 2:30 pm
Sat. 4:30 pm
For those that aren’t from the area, I will be putting the show on YouTube in the near future and will let you know when it’s available to view.
Thank you, LRPA!
June 6, 2013
GEARING UP FOR THE NEW RELEASE (AMONG OTHER THINGS)
These last few weeks have been extremely busy. Here’s what’s been happening:
I now volunteer as Social Media Chair for the Greater Lakes Region Making Strides Against Breast Cancer. As part of my new responsibilities, I maintain their Facebook page, as well as the blog site I’ve just created for them. Check it out at http://pinkribbonsblog.com.
This past Saturday evening, I was honored to be one of the speakers at the NH HOBY Leadership Seminar. What a wonderful experience! I met some dynamic high school sophomores (78 in all), and was able to share with them how important it is to follow their dreams and to volunteer in their communities. (I’m sure they were amused by how fast I spoke!) Find out more about this great organization at http://nhhoby.org.
Last evening, I was at a taping for the TV program Lakes Region Spotlight. The show features three local authors (of course, I’m one of them!) and will be broadcast on Lakes Region Public Access Channel 25 within the next few weeks. I’ll post the viewing schedule here as soon as it’s available. For those not from this area, don’t despair. I’ll be putting it on YouTube (with their blessings) after it airs.
Besides still working full-time at my day job and all I’ve mentioned above, I’ve also been very active posting and reviewing poetry almost daily at http://thenextbigwriter.com. If you’re a writer, you might want to check out this wonderful online writing community.
And, last but not least, here’s some exciting book news!! I’ve just finished final edits to the typeset copy of in Woolen Bikinis and am happy to announce we’re still right on schedule. The book will be available later this month!!
Sound busy enough? Now you know why I haven’t been blogging as often these days! However, it’s all exciting stuff and, with the new book release, I’ll have plenty to talk and blog about for the rest of the year!
May 20, 2013
IN WOOLEN BIKINIS – COMING SOON
Are you ready for in Woolen Bikinis? This 2nd novel in the Jean and Rosie series is anticipated to be available by the end of June. Here’s a short synopsis of what it’s about:
All Women Need Their Own Simple Pleasures . . .
Jean and Rosie are involved in a new adventure together—they’re both excited about it—and they’ll introduce you to some interesting characters along the way.
But, while Jean is also busy dealing with numerous “man” issues, Rosie, her best friend, has plenty of issues of her own: she’s facing the “empty nest” syndrome, her husband is recovering from heart surgery, and she’s finally prepared to solve a deep, dark secret from her past. Then, there’s the unexpected news that could shatter her optimism and faith.
In Woolen Bikinis is an engaging story about the unexpected twists and turns that can happen in any woman’s life, as well as a strong friendship, one Jean and Rosie are fortunate to have, that can help carry one through.
It’s also about Simple Pleasures, plenty of them (like woolen bikinis?).
Be prepared to be delighted.
May 9, 2013
DARN COMMAS!
Comma usage confuses me. I was taught to put commas in places where nowadays they are no longer needed. Therefore, I continuously debate back and forth in my head whether to continue using them in certain situations. My “old school” teachings tend to win out—at least until my editor gets a hold of whatever I’m writing.
But we writers are under tremendous pressure whenever we write a blog post. Most of us do not have an editor looking over our shoulder telling us the correct punctuation, proper usage of words, etc. Honestly, sometimes it takes hours to write a few paragraphs! And when we finally do publicize a post, we’re still not sure we’ve punctuated or written it correctly. (I’m really speaking for myself, but I’m sure others feel the same way.)
Last night, after posting a blog entry, I was haunted by a specific comma I used and spent most of the overnight worrying about it. Should that comma have gone there? Maybe I should’ve restructured the sentence instead? Oh, no! I probably need to remove it before anyone notices what a screw up I can be!
I didn’t end up changing a thing, but self-doubt kept at me and kept me awake.
Today (notice the comma here), I Googled my dilemma and found different answers. Most said the comma was optional. I also found this link supporting my “old school” ways.
http://www2.ivcc.edu/rambo//eng1001/commas.htm
I feel better about it now, for the moment at least. No reader has commented on it yet, either, and I’m glad I’ve shared this with you.
So maybe I can sleep now?
May 8, 2013
NO MORE BLAHS
Today, I didn’t take my usual walk because it looked like it might rain. Then, after work, I wasn’t motivated at all—I just felt blah. It’s the first day in over 3 weeks where I didn’t get at least 15 minutes of exercise in like I promised I would.
Earlier this evening, I also wanted to write a blog post, but no matter how much I tried to start something, the “blahness” kept with me, so I finally gave up. Nothing was getting accomplished.
“I need to pull out of this,” I told myself. “Please give me something to blog about.” I prayed.
And then, while my husband and I were watching Vimeo tonight, we came upon an amazing short video by Author David Foster Wallace–a commencement address he gave to the 2005 graduating class of Kenyon College.
It’s exceptional, so if you haven’t seen it already, you can view it here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmpYnxlEh0c
After you watch it, Google the author and find out more about him, but don’t let what you discover ruin the inspiration and insight this gives you.
(I should’ve known the day wasn’t over yet–I wrote my blog post after all! Sometimes you have to give up to be open for inspiration, I guess. As for exercising, well, tomorrow’s another day!)
May 1, 2013
REMEMBER THE MOMENT
For the past few weeks, I’ve been walking along the shores of Lake Winnipesaukee most weekdays during my lunch break. While doing so, I’ve enjoyed the sights: kayakers, other walkers (some with dogs), people fishing from docks or boats, children daring to dip their hands and feet into the still cold water, and, of course, the wonderful natural lake and mountains views.
One day, I saw a group of young children huddled together near a concrete bench with dedication words engraved on the side of it. The oldest one, acting like she knew how to read, impressed the younger ones with a tall tale of what was written there. I listened in while passing by and it made me think about the wonderful imagination kids have and how we tend to lose our imaginations as we grow up. (I’m happy to say I’ve never completely grown up—out maybe, but not up.)
Lately, during my walks, I’ve started to think about how someday I’d like to live in this beautiful lakeside town. Someday . . . Someday . . . I think of the living space I’ll have, how I’ll write at a desk while gazing out at the bay, and how I’ll be able to enjoy even more walks. Doesn’t sound like a bad thing to do, right? Wishing for something so wonderful?
But, while reading Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert last night, I read a very significant line and that’s when I realized I was beginning to lose my focus. By wishing so much for a future event, I had begun to deprive myself of the full pleasures of the present moment—the only thing I’m assured of.
Yes, someday I’d like to live there, but when I’m enjoying these walks, or even when I’m looking out at the same beautiful view from my “day job” desk (yes, I’m fortunate), I’m already there—praying, loving, and okay, maybe not eating much, but breathing in the fresh, clean air, enjoying the sights, and living—REALLY LIVING!
(BTW – Did you know a walk like this is even more pleasurable than food?)
All we have is the present moment, and sometimes we ruin it by trying to live in the future instead—or maybe even in the past.
The past is gone. The future isn’t guaranteed.
Live in the moment.
