Addison Westlake's Blog, page 5
November 27, 2012
Lucky #13 in Amazon's Hot New Releases
Last night my romantic comedy "Christmas in Wine Country" hit #13 on Amazon's "Hot New Releases" list in both "Humor" and "Women's Fiction--Single Women".
That's lucky 13 in both!
Which begs the question -- can I even go to Target anymore? I mean, I had a few things I needed to pick up this morning. But will I be mobbed by the Paparazzi? Do I have to do hair and make up to even leave the house now?
Fame is so demanding.
But I promise I'll still remember all the little people who helped me get here. Mostly.
That's lucky 13 in both!
Which begs the question -- can I even go to Target anymore? I mean, I had a few things I needed to pick up this morning. But will I be mobbed by the Paparazzi? Do I have to do hair and make up to even leave the house now?
Fame is so demanding.
But I promise I'll still remember all the little people who helped me get here. Mostly.
November 26, 2012
Woo hoo -- My first author Q&A is live!
A huge shout out and thank you to author and book critic Monique McDonnell for posting my very first author Q&A! Yay! Check it out on her website:
http://moniquemcdonell.weebly.com/2/p...
I thank her for helping publicize my new romantic comedy "Christmas in Wine Country"!
And I especially thank her for asking me when I first started writing -- it reminded me of my junior high endeavor to rewrite the Sweet Valley High series. AS IF anyone could improve on those masterworks!!!!
Thank you Monique McDonnell! May the universe bring you good things!
http://moniquemcdonell.weebly.com/2/p...
I thank her for helping publicize my new romantic comedy "Christmas in Wine Country"!
And I especially thank her for asking me when I first started writing -- it reminded me of my junior high endeavor to rewrite the Sweet Valley High series. AS IF anyone could improve on those masterworks!!!!
Thank you Monique McDonnell! May the universe bring you good things!
November 25, 2012
Leslie Knope
I love her.
Here's a reminder from Season 3 of Parks and Rec about all the ways she's been broken up with:
"One time when I was in high school a guy's mom called me and broke up with me for him. There was another time when I was on a date and I tripped and broke my kneecap, and then the guy said he wasn't feeling it, so he left and I waited for an ambulance. One time I was dating this guy for awhile, and then he got down on one knee and he begged me to never call him again. One guy broke up with me while we were in the shower together. Skywriting isn't always positive. Another time a guy invited me to a beautiful picnic with wine and flowers. And then when I tried to sit down, he said, "Don't eat anything. Rebecca's coming." And then he broke up with me."
Here's a reminder from Season 3 of Parks and Rec about all the ways she's been broken up with:
"One time when I was in high school a guy's mom called me and broke up with me for him. There was another time when I was on a date and I tripped and broke my kneecap, and then the guy said he wasn't feeling it, so he left and I waited for an ambulance. One time I was dating this guy for awhile, and then he got down on one knee and he begged me to never call him again. One guy broke up with me while we were in the shower together. Skywriting isn't always positive. Another time a guy invited me to a beautiful picnic with wine and flowers. And then when I tried to sit down, he said, "Don't eat anything. Rebecca's coming." And then he broke up with me."
November 23, 2012
Toast to all the bad art
I'd like to take a moment to raise my glass to all the bad art out there.
The exhibit I saw a few years ago featuring a TV focused on hands playing a violin. G-A-D. Those notes, over and over again. In a loop.
Battlefield Earth.
The free Kindle downloads I've checked out late at night, unsure whether I couldn't follow the plot because it was 3am or because it made no sense. And it was the latter.
The famous author who recently put out a novel that, just, unravelled. Started out so funny and compelling, then lost it's way until it ended with such a tiny whimper.
I have to say I FIND IT INSPIRING!
If it weren't for all the terrible art out there, the nonsensical character developments and bad endings and incomprehensibly boring exhibits and let's not forget the impossibly Not Funny romantic comedies! They deserve a whole blog in and of themselves -- the unlikable shrewish leading ladies and the cardboard cutout leading men that form the couple no one could possibly wish well.
If it weren't for all of these pieces of... art blazing ahead of me on the trail I might never have self-published my e-book "Christmas in Wine Country" on Amazon.
But, I figured, if they all could do it, why can't I???
If they can air their dirty laundry which no one could possibly want to see and might actually wish they could forget afterwards--or at least get back the time that they devoted to consuming/interacting with said art -- then, surely, there's room for a happy little book which has a decent chance of making you laugh at some point? Perhaps even multiple times!
So, a big THANK YOU to all the creators out there who've lacked the inhibition, the self-criticism, the self-censorship that might have prevented airtime!
If there's room in the world for Keeping up with the Kardashians, then Gosh Darn It, there's room for "Christmas in Wine Country!"
The exhibit I saw a few years ago featuring a TV focused on hands playing a violin. G-A-D. Those notes, over and over again. In a loop.
Battlefield Earth.
The free Kindle downloads I've checked out late at night, unsure whether I couldn't follow the plot because it was 3am or because it made no sense. And it was the latter.
The famous author who recently put out a novel that, just, unravelled. Started out so funny and compelling, then lost it's way until it ended with such a tiny whimper.
I have to say I FIND IT INSPIRING!
If it weren't for all the terrible art out there, the nonsensical character developments and bad endings and incomprehensibly boring exhibits and let's not forget the impossibly Not Funny romantic comedies! They deserve a whole blog in and of themselves -- the unlikable shrewish leading ladies and the cardboard cutout leading men that form the couple no one could possibly wish well.
If it weren't for all of these pieces of... art blazing ahead of me on the trail I might never have self-published my e-book "Christmas in Wine Country" on Amazon.
But, I figured, if they all could do it, why can't I???
If they can air their dirty laundry which no one could possibly want to see and might actually wish they could forget afterwards--or at least get back the time that they devoted to consuming/interacting with said art -- then, surely, there's room for a happy little book which has a decent chance of making you laugh at some point? Perhaps even multiple times!
So, a big THANK YOU to all the creators out there who've lacked the inhibition, the self-criticism, the self-censorship that might have prevented airtime!
If there's room in the world for Keeping up with the Kardashians, then Gosh Darn It, there's room for "Christmas in Wine Country!"
November 22, 2012
THANK YOU NBC! (especially for the cropping)
So many things to be thankful for -- family and friends, a roof over our heads and tasty food cooking up as I write (even for the apple pie now baking into which I forgot to put cinnamon. Whoops.)
BUT top of mind this Thanksgiving day is feeling thankful for the bizarre and hilarious way in which the world conspired last night to convince my reluctant son that volunteering to prepare Thanksgiving meals is AWESOME.
There we were at Glide Memorial church in SF scooping out cranberry sauce into vats and stacking up dinner rolls in giant tubs in preparation for meals served today. And what happened to my son?
Personally thanked by the Mayor of SF. We’re talking handshake, eye contact, use of my son’s first name. About two minutes of the mayor’s time devoted to explaining directly to my son how many meals will be served there on Thanksgiving day (5,000!) and how crucial volunteers like him are to the effort.Cute 12-year-old girl there volunteering as well that my extroverted son could chat up. His lead-in: "You know, I'm only 9. I'm the youngest one here today!" Special trip out back (thank you, volunteer coordinator) where he was allowed to operate the huge lever to lift up the huge compost bin and dump it into the huge dumpster to tremendous effect
AND, here it is, the biggie: Got on TV. NBC LOCAL NEWS coverage featured about 6 seconds of my son doing meal prep. Too cool.
But the reason I’m most thankful: excellent cropping by the news crew that zoomed in just on my son’s cute little volunteering face, thereby cropping out me, his mother, standing with a hairnet, a dumb grin, no makeup whatsoever (I was just going to do food prep, right?) and a chipped front tooth I need to get fixed at the dentist but haven’t figured out the childcare to do so yet.
THANK YOU NBC!
HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!
November 21, 2012
We're at 14, ladies
Kids eating breakfast, husband made coffee (yay) so I'm slightly awake and taking "just a sec" to check up on emails and now my new favorite compulsive behavior -- checking my Amazon sales rank!!! Because I self-published my novel 100% for fun but now that it's out there... and we're at 14!
OK, I bought one to see what it looked like on my Kindle and my mom bought one which I'm not sure counts because she's obligated, isn't she? Though it's nice she bought it, I'm not just taking it for granted.
So that means 12 other people have bought my little book!
I love you all :)
Thank you so much -- I hope you enjoy it, it makes you laugh, and you have a moment away from it all! Yay books!
Now wish me luck picking up a few last things at the supermarket today...
OK, I bought one to see what it looked like on my Kindle and my mom bought one which I'm not sure counts because she's obligated, isn't she? Though it's nice she bought it, I'm not just taking it for granted.
So that means 12 other people have bought my little book!
I love you all :)
Thank you so much -- I hope you enjoy it, it makes you laugh, and you have a moment away from it all! Yay books!
Now wish me luck picking up a few last things at the supermarket today...
November 20, 2012
Top 5 Reasons to Publish under a Pseudonym
Just self-published my romantic comedy as an ebook on Amazon -- fire up your Kindles ladies and get ready to enjoy Christmas in Wine Country --
And the question has arisen -- why publish under a pseudonym?
Top 5 Reasons to publish under a Pseudonym:
5. As I say, like, 9 times a day, "If it worked for Cher and Zsa Zsa Gabor..."
4. Early signs of schizophrenia
3. Get to use the word "pseudonym"
2. When you, yourself, are a serious and thoughtful individual who would probably publish a book about the geopolitical ramifications of the most recent developments in the Middle East, or at the very least a book about the socio-emotional importance of pretend play for children in the digital age. BUT your pseudonym is the happy-go-lucky sort of gal who shamelessly writes happy, candy-coated fluff -- and she LOVES promoting herself, too!
1. Paves the way to assume other personas. Next, I'm working on Sophie. Not sure exactly what she does, but she is Parisian and dresses impeccably. You should see her shoes.
And the question has arisen -- why publish under a pseudonym?
Top 5 Reasons to publish under a Pseudonym:
5. As I say, like, 9 times a day, "If it worked for Cher and Zsa Zsa Gabor..."
4. Early signs of schizophrenia
3. Get to use the word "pseudonym"
2. When you, yourself, are a serious and thoughtful individual who would probably publish a book about the geopolitical ramifications of the most recent developments in the Middle East, or at the very least a book about the socio-emotional importance of pretend play for children in the digital age. BUT your pseudonym is the happy-go-lucky sort of gal who shamelessly writes happy, candy-coated fluff -- and she LOVES promoting herself, too!
1. Paves the way to assume other personas. Next, I'm working on Sophie. Not sure exactly what she does, but she is Parisian and dresses impeccably. You should see her shoes.
November 19, 2012
Wachu Got???
My least favorite expression now -- Wachu got??? Said in a super peppy voice by the substitute teacher in my favorite exercise class today. Jazz/yoga/dance specialist, she tried to make me do jazz hands and practice "falling down". Wish I'd had my phone with me to take a video.
Oh, and throughout she kept asking us "Wachu got???" which, I think, meant "What do you have?" meaning "How cool are you?" or, perhaps, "Show me how awesome you are in the form of your dance moves."
Final point I should mention -- class is usually a rather straightforward cardio & strength class with a super-efficient approach to getting sweaty & working all major muscle groups in 60 minutes.
And there you have it, highlight of the day.
Wachu Got???
Oh, and throughout she kept asking us "Wachu got???" which, I think, meant "What do you have?" meaning "How cool are you?" or, perhaps, "Show me how awesome you are in the form of your dance moves."
Final point I should mention -- class is usually a rather straightforward cardio & strength class with a super-efficient approach to getting sweaty & working all major muscle groups in 60 minutes.
And there you have it, highlight of the day.
Wachu Got???
woke up, rainy morning perfect for a book!
Misty Northern California morning -- perfect for a book!
November 18, 2012
My new romantic comedy is now up on Amazon as an ebook. C...
My new romantic comedy is now up on Amazon as an ebook. Check out Christmas in Wine Country! Just 0.99 cents, the perfect read for the holidays. Curl up with a glass of wine and prepare to laugh out loud!
