Tricia Drammeh's Blog, page 32

WIP Blog Hop

I’ve recently been invited to participate in the WIP Blog Hop. Basically, this blog hop involves answering seven questions about my current work in progress, tagging five new participants, and linking back to the person who nominated me. I was nominated by Juliet B. Madison, author of the DI Frank Lyle series. Here’s a link to her blog where you can find everything you ever wanted to know about her series: http://julietmadisoncrimeauthor.wordpress.com/wip-blog-tour-murder-in-the-wings/

Here we go…

1.What is the name of your character? Is he/she fictional or a historic person?

My main character is Rowan Murdoch. She’s fictional.

2) When and where is the story set?

The story is set in modern times in a suburb of Los Angeles, California.

3) What should we know about him/her?

Rowan is a senior in high school who loves to perform in musicals and dramatic performances. Her father is the football coach, so between helping her dad with paperwork and her own extracurricular interests, she spends a great deal of time at school.

4) What is the main conflict? What messes up his/her life?

During the previous school year, Rowan suffered a traumatic experience that has resulted in decreased self-confidence and panic attacks. She thinks her life is moving forward when she tries out for the senior play and lands the part of Juliet, but her developing relationship with Romeo has dredged up some of the issues she’s tried to ignore.

5) What is the personal goal of the character?

Rowan’s goal is to graduate from high school, forget about the trauma from the past, and graduate with a teaching degree. She would ultimately like to be a drama teacher or choir director in a high school.

6) Is there a working title for this novel, and can we read more about it?

The working title is Sweet Sorrow, and you can read a sample on Wattpad.

7) When can we expect the book to be published?

Beats the heck out of me. No, really. I have no idea. I’m about halfway through with the initial draft, so it could be anywhere from six months to two years before I publish it. Be sure to subscribe to my blog and you’ll be the first to find out when I’ve completed the book.

 

These are the authors I’ve nominated to participate in the blog hop:

Maegan Provan

Katrina Jack

Kay Kauffman

Misty Harvey

Please stop by and check out their blogs. If you subscribe to receive updates, you’ll be notified as soon as they post their contribution to the tour!

Thanks, everyone.

Tagged: blog hop, bloggers, juliet b madison, kate jack, kay kauffman, maegan provan, sweet sorrow, tricia drammeh, wip blog hop, work in progress

The author hot seat: That was nice. What was it?

Tricia Drammeh:

A huge thank you to Jane Dougherty for letting me invade her blog today. As part of her new interview series, “The author hot seat: That as nice. What was it,” I’m talking about the difficulties of promoting a book that doesn’t fit neatly into a genre.

Originally posted on Jane Dougherty Writes:

My guest today is Tricia Drammeh, another indie author struggling for recognition. I have always been struck by the thoughtful nature of Tricia’s writing with her sensitive portraits of young people on the verge of adulthood but not quite sure what they are about to plunge into. They are all flawed human beings, some of them damaged, and not all of them come through the story without suffering. All of them though are believable and touching—the hallmark of a writer with her finger on the pulse of humanity.

J: Tell us what the story/your work is about, the setting, the background, and where it takes the reader.

T: I have four published novels in three different genres. My latest release is Better than Perfect, and it’s a contemporary novel with romantic elements. It’s based in a suburban of Columbus, Ohio. Here’s the blurb:
Twenty-three-year-old Karlie is in the type of…

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Better than Perfect by Tricia Drammeh- Book Review Thursday

Tricia Drammeh:

Guess what, everyone? I published a book yesterday. Better than Perfect is now available at a Kindle near you. Rather than plug my book and try to extol the virtues of it, I’ll share this wonderful review from good friend and fellow author, Maegan Provan. Thanks for the review, Maegan!

Originally posted on Maegan Provan, Author:

Click here for the buy link!

I loved Tricia’s blurb for this book so I thought I would share it with you:

Twenty-three-year-old Karlie is in the type of rut some people never escape from. With few friends, no boyfriend, and no plans to graduate from college any time in the immediate future, Karlie is as stuck in her ways as the elderly neighbor she spends all her time with. 

When her world is invaded by two surly twins bound for criminal court, a too-good-to-be-true love interest, and a cute cop who keeps showing up at the most inopportune moments, Karlie can either fight against the changes in her life, or embrace them.

Better than Perfect is the newest release from Tricia Drammeh, and it has got to be, hands down, her best work yet. Tricia has done everything from YA Fantasy to NA Contemporary, and her work on either…

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Are you supported? Friendship and passing 27,000 hits!

Tricia Drammeh:

Sophie Tallis talks about the amazing milestone of reaching 27,000 views on her wonderful blog, and she shares her personal story about lack of support (and open animosity) from someone who was supposed to be a friend. Please stop by and check out Sophie’s blog.

Originally posted on Sophie E Tallis:

Okay, this is not a blog post about supportive bras (sorry guys!), but it is about friendship and support. Do you have people who support you or leave you swinging in the wind?

I am absolutely THRILLED that my tiny little blog has now passed 27,000 visitors and want to say a HUGE THANK YOU to all of you who have supported this blog, whether you are a one-off fly-by visitor or a regular ‘pull up a chair and chillax’ visitor. You guys are utterly AMAZEBALLS!!!! :D xxx

Well, although this is a time of great changes and sparkly new horizons, all of them positive – like the brand new job and scary new career I’ve just embarked on after having been a full-time teacher for the last 16 yrs; I admit that this post is a bit of a ‘moan-fest’, something I don’t do very often. But I’m eventually venting about something that has…

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When Your Family Doesn’t Support Your Writing

Excuse me if this post gets a little rant-ish. Maybe you’ll relate to this, maybe you won’t. Maybe your family and friends are your personal cheerleaders. Or maybe your family told you to stop playing with your imaginary friends and get a job. Or maybe your family is like mine and happily supported you back when everyone thought you’d make it big, land a million-dollar publishing contract, and get a movie deal, but fell out of love with your writing once they realized that wasn’t going to happen.

Lack of support. This is a very painful topic, but it’s one I think it’s important to discuss. Writing is largely a solitary endeavor, often undertaken by introverts. But even though we’re introverts and we’ve decided to travel the often lonely path of the writer, we’re still human beings. We crave love, acceptance, and acknowledgement. We crave community, and who better to fulfill our need for human connection than our closest loved ones?

When friends and family belittle our efforts or talk down to us, it hurts. When they ask us questions like, “You’re still doing that writing stuff?” it makes us feel like our talent is unappreciated and that our dreams don’t matter.

Like I said earlier in this post, my family was supportive at first. My mom read my book. My husband promised to read it when it was published. When the first few rejection letters came, my family reassured me I’d find an agent. They stood beside me through the endless round of queries and rejections, celebrated with me when I signed a contract with a publisher, bragged about my book to their friends, and came to my book signing when the first book was released. Sounds pretty sweet, right?

Flash forward almost two years from the publication of that first book, and my family barely asks about my writing anymore. My husbands and kids complain that I’m on the computer too much. The clacking of the keyboard gets on their nerves. I’ve lost count of the amount of times my teenagers have accused me of caring more about my computer than I do about them. They openly resent the amount of time I spend reading and writing, even suggesting quite recently that I find a hobby. The aforementioned quote–”Are you still doing that writing stuff?” That’s from my husband who still has yet to read any of my books. My mom, my sister, and a couple of my friends read my newly released books, but for the majority of my friends and family, my writing is old news.

Maybe it’s my fault my husband and children aren’t enthusiastic about my writing. Maybe I do spend too much time at the computer. Maybe I read too much. There have been times I’ve been so caught up in what I’m writing, I tune out the world around me. It’s understandable that my family would resent me for that.

Maybe when I foolishly signed with the publisher-who-will-not-be-named and spent a great deal of time moaning about my mistake, I became a failure in their eyes. Maybe they’re just trying to get me to snap back to reality and give up on this writing-thingy I’ve been playing with for three years.

Or maybe they’re unhappy that the writing has cost me not only time, but money as well. Last year, my royalties did not sufficiently cover what I spent on book covers, domain registration for my website, and other miscellaneous expenses. I had a net loss of about $200. (Though, if you think about it, there are people who spend a lot more than that on hobbies–skiing, scrapbooking, tennis lessons–all those things cost money.) This year, I’ve turned a corner and my writing is now a money-making venture. I don’t make a lot of money, but it’s enough to buy lunch or maybe a tank of gas every month. Still, it’s not enough to buy my family’s tolerance or respect for what I’ve chosen to do with my time.

Why am writing such a depressing blog post? Because I know for a fact there are others like me. Some have it worse. Some have never had their family’s support, not even when their writing was shiny and new and full of possibilities. At least I have a small group of family and friends who are supportive. I’m incredibly grateful to them, and I need to express my gratitude more often. For those of you who have a good support system, be grateful. Hug your supporters. Thank them. For those who feel the sting of rejection from your family, you are not alone. We’ve all been there, some more than others.

If you’re an aspiring writer who doesn’t think you can handle the pain of rejection, I’m here to tell you YOU CAN. Rejection is part of life. It’s part of being a writer. We deal with rejection from agents, from publishers, from reviewers who hate our books, from friends and co-workers who are jealous that we’re following our dream. Spouses and partners will complain that you’re not keeping up with the house the way you used to, even when the house looks fine. Kids will complain that you don’t spend enough time with them, even when you were up all night the night before cleaning up their vomit and holding a cool washcloth to their fevered forehead. Parents will tell you they didn’t pay all that money for you to go to college so you can fritter it away on writing fantasy books. Friends will tell you they won’t buy your book because they don’t like to read your kind of “stuff.” Someone is always going to complain, or try to make you feel crappy about your writing. Will you let that stop you?

You can’t prevent your family from belittling your dream, but you can refuse to back down. You can refuse to feel guilty about the time you spend writing. I stopped feeling guilty a long time ago, but I still allow my family’s criticism to get to me. I get defensive. Sometimes I even grumble about giving up, but I’m usually clacking on the keyboard again within a week.

I’m a writer. It’s what I do. You can call it a hobby, a small business, a waste of time, a guilty pleasure–whatever. I’m still a writer. Are you?

 

Tagged: aspiring writers, family, help for writers, support system, tricia drammeh, writer problems, writers, writing

When all’s been said

Tricia Drammeh:

I absolutely had to reblog this beautiful poem by Jane Dougherty. There’s such raw emotion here. Anyone who has ever suffered through the crumbling of a relationship can certainly relate to this. If you aren’t already, please hop over to Jane’s blog, follow it, and read what she has to offer. Hers is easily one of the best blogs out there.

Originally posted on Jane Dougherty Writes:

When all’s been said that can be said

And words no longer have a sense

But fall like stones from a hollow sky

I shrink behind my last defence.

The heart that once was opened wide

Its secrets spread beneath your feet

Is closed against your careless tread

The scattered bones of my defeat.

I would not have you see my pain

That fills my mouth with a silent scream

For what is lost is dead as dust

There is no cure for a broken dream.

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What’s Going On

Hi, everyone!

Sorry I haven’t been around much lately, but I’ve been busy writing the first draft of Sweet Sorrow. Can you believe it? I’ve decided to put my writing ahead of marketing, promotion, blogging, etc. The reason for this is simple: If I don’t continue to write, I eventually won’t have anything to promote. Plus, I love writing. I don’t feel productive when I’m not writing. Even if it’s only 500 words a day, I’m trying to write something nearly every single day, even if it sucks and I end up having to delete it later. I feel really, really good about this positive change in my life. And, you know what? For the first time in a long time, I feel like a writer again.

In addition to working on Sweet Sorrow, I’ve also been working on edits for Better than Perfect. I’d hoped to release the book by the end of this month, but it doesn’t look like that’s going to be possible since I haven’t finished editing and I don’t have a cover. If anyone is interested in beta reading, please let me know. I’d love to have your input.

In other news, you might have noticed a extra page on my site. I’ve decided to integrate Authors to Watch with the rest of the website/blog. Authors to Watch also has an updated look. Please stop by and check it out. (Just click on the page tab above.) While you’re there, maybe you’ll find a new book to enjoy!

I’ve stumbled upon some terrific blog posts and articles this week that I think you’ll enjoy. I’ve picked out a few that I recommend:

So you wanna be a published author… by The Riotous Writer (Excellent tips for new and aspiring authors)

Marketing on New Author Social Media – The Basics by A Woman’s Wisdom (Thanks to Jane Dougherty for sharing this)

13 Ways to Make More Time to Write by Christina L. Rozelle

Have a great week!

 

My Writing Process Blog Tour

I’m super excited to be part of the My Writing Process Blog Tour. A huge thanks to Maegan Provan for inviting me to participate. Please stop by and check out Maegan’s blog. It’s full of lots of goodies like writing tips, music, snippets from her Night Touched series, and other good stuff. On to the Q&A…

What am I currently working on?

I’m finishing up my final round of edits on Better Than Perfect, a contemporary novel for the New Adult audience. Here’s the blurb:

Twenty-three-year-old Karlie is in the type of rut some people never escape from. With few friends, no boyfriend, and no plans to graduate from college any time in the immediate future, Karlie is as stuck in her ways as the elderly neighbor she spends all her time with. When her world is invaded by two surly twins bound for criminal court, a too-good-to-be-true love interest, and a cute cop who keeps showing up at the most inopportune moments, Karlie can either fight against the changes in her life, or embrace them. 

As soon as Better Than Perfect is formatted and published, I have a couple of projects I need to work on. Sweet Sorrow is a teen romance that’s a little less than halfway through the first draft. I also have a burning need to work on the sequel to The Seance. I have a rough idea of where I’m going with it, but have barely begun working on it.

How does my work differ from others in its genre?

This is a really tough question because I write across multiple genres. I’m not sure that if my books really differ from other books in their genres, but like all authors, I put my heart and soul into writing it, and so it bears my unique stamp.

Why do I write what I write?

I tend to skip from genre to genre because I write what I like to read–which is everything. I feel like my books are moving away from the fantasy/paranormal categories. I seem to be gravitating toward contemporary books, but that’s okay. I’m sure I’ll return to my beloved fantasy some day soon.

How does my writing process work?

I wish I knew… My writing process seems to involve a lot of procrastination. Once I buckle down and begin to write, I tend to be a pantser, meaning I do not employ an outline. Sometimes I don’t know how a book is going to end until I’m ready to finish. Some people think the seat-of-your-pants is the lazy approach, but I enjoy surprising myself.

Now it’s time to pass the torch to a couple of bloggers I adore:

Kay Kauffman
Kate Jack

Please stop by and visit Kay and Kate!

Tagged: blog tour, writing, writing process

Trailer for the new edition of The Dark Citadel

Tricia Drammeh:

I loved this book! Check out the trailer and grab a copy of The Dark Citadel for yourself.

Originally posted on Jane Dougherty Writes:

You know the general drift of the story; here’s a rapid set of images to go with The Dark Citadel.

You can purchase it here and here

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For Mother’s Day: Poetry of Love

Tricia Drammeh:

Christy Birmingham at Poetic Parfait wrote this lovely tribute to her mom. Enjoy!

Originally posted on Poetic Parfait:

Look up and Mom’s Love Radiates. Photo Source: CC BY-SA 2.0, via Flickr

Here’s to wishing a happy Mother’s Day to those special ladies out there!

Here’s a poem I wrote to my own Mom. I know I am so blessed to have her and whenever I need her she is always there. That’s an incredible feeling to have someone like that in life. I know I am so fortunate.

I hope that you all are having a great weekend, whether you go out, relax at home or do a bit of both. ♥

Your Spirit, Mom

We take to the skies one day, don’t we?

Before then, we treasure the moments of

Making connection between foot and field,

Making connection between heart and strings.

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