Alex Hughes's Blog, page 14

Blog Tour, Day 20

Today I’m hanging out over at Books Make Me Happy and I’m talking about music and my writing process. Stop by for your chance to win a copy of Clean.

Blog Tour, Day 19

Here are my blog tour stops for the last few days.

Head over to Paranormal Book Club and Readers Confession for your chance to win a copy of Clean.

I”m hanging out over at Little Read Riding Hood answering questions. Stop by to find out some of my favorite types of reads and bands.

Next I’m hanging out over at The Jeep Diva and I’m talking about the pros and cons of Starship Piloting. Stop by and enter to win a copy of Clean.

Last but not least, I’m over at Reading Between the Wines Book Club and I’m sharing an exclusive excerpt from Sharp.

 

Blog Tour, Day 18

Today I’m hanging out over at Bookcrack talking about my favorite anti-heroes. Stop by and share your favorites and enter to win a copy of Clean!

Blog Tour, Day 17

I’m hanging out with the lovely ladies of Tynga’s Reviews and answering questions. I do hope you stop by to chat.

Blog Tour, Day 16

Today I’m over at Literal Addiction hanging out and answering questions. Stop by for your chance to win a copy of Clean.

JordanCon

This weekend I will be hanging out at JordanCon and I hope to see you there.

For more information including a schedule of events head over to http://www.jordancon.org/.

Blog Tour, Day 15

Wow. I can’t believe I’m already more than half way through the blog tour. Time is sure going by fast. Have you been keeping up with all of my stops? Today I’m visiting two blogs and giving away copies of Clean.

Follow me over to That’s What I’m Talking About, where I’m talking about my favorite moment since becoming a published author.

I’m also over at Bookhounds talking about the pros and cons of owning a pet dragon.

Blog Tour, Day 14

Are you keeping up with the Sharp Blog Tour?

Here are the posts from the last few days. Stop by to chat and enter to win copies of Clean!

Ex Libris – Stop by to learn 5 things about Paulsen, Adam’s boss.

What the Cat Read – Join me for a fun interview.

My Bookish Ways – Another fun interview.

 

Permission

Today I sat in a coffee shop next to a lady who was working on her first book, a memoir about her experience with violence towards women. She’s a spoken word artist and a writer, she says, and she has things to say that she wishes someone had said to her.

What touched me about the conversation was how hesistant and scared she seemed in the beginning. But she couldn’t not talk about it—I was a complete stranger at a coffee shop and it didn’t matter. The project compelled her, she said.

I asked a few questions, and listened a bit, and then offered a few pointers that she could have gotten from any writer who’s been at it awhile. I gave my opinions of publishing, and encouraged her to make the book as good as it could possibly be before trying to publish it anywhere. And, over the course of about five minutes, she lit up like a fire. Someone had heard her. Someone had told her to go ahead and do the thing that’s in her heart, and to have pride in it and do it the best that she possibly could.

She almost jumped up and down by the time she had to go, after only ten minutes. She asked if she could hug me (I said sure) and she ran off, visibly excited to conquer the world. I didn’t do anything but offer a few ideas and permission.

This encounter got me thinking. How often do we look to someone else in our lives, the authorities, the stranger at the coffee shop, for permission to do the thing we want to do anyway? I know that I’ve done it. I’ve seen friends and family members do it. And periodically, I meet a writer or an artist who just seems to be waiting for someone to tell them they’re good enough, they’re smart enough, and they should try.

So today I say to all: if it’s in your heart to do, if you can’t stop thinking about this project or this job you want to tackle, if you wake up in the morning and think about this passion of yours, you’re supposed to do it. You don’t need permission, from me or anyone else. You already know what you need to do—it’s time to stop waiting.

If it helps, I’ll say the same thing to you I said to her: you should do this thing that’s in your heart to do. You should make it the best thing, the bravest thing, the most honest thing you can possibly make, and keep working until you have the skills to do what’s in your heart. You should do this thing.

Start now.

Blog Tour, Day 10

Today I’m over at All Things Urban Fantasy and talking about the Top 6 Abilities that are possible in the Mindspace Investigation series. Stop by and let me know what ability you would chose to have + enter to win a copy of Sharp and Clean!