M.R. Pritchard's Blog, page 34
September 29, 2013
Sci-fi Movie weekend!
So this past weekend I was on vacation, which meant barely any writing/working on books (very hard to do!). I also had a hard time reading out in the wilderness. I only read one book last week. Usually I read 3.So after a week of camping in the wilderness the only way to further distract ourselves from work was to go to Redbox and gorge ourselves on all the latest movies we've been too busy to see.
Star Trek: Into Darkness
-This brought on a lot of reminiscing. We interrupted the movie to talk about how we used to watch Star Trek every evening as kids. There was lots of action, a little love, and some crazy science (Khan's blood can do what!)
Oblivion
-To be perfectly honest, I was nervous that this movie was going to be a total flop. Some of the reviews weren't the greatest. And I have to admit, within the first twenty minutes I was distinctly reminded of the movie Wall-E... And Tom Cruise was Wall-E. He even watered a little plant and had a collection of trinkets. And then I made a bet with the husband at the halfway point. I told him, "I bet this is going to be a mashup of Wall-E, Moon, and the Matrix." And you know what? It kinda was. But! It was still pretty good. However I felt like there were a few loose ends, like where the hell did the Tet come from and where was Earth's water getting sent to...
World War Z
-As you all know from my previous posts I am a lover of zombies and I've been waiting to see this movie since I read it was being produced. Did you read the book? I did. And guess what... The movie is nothing like the book... It's BETTER! Loved World War Z the film. Loved World War Z the book. Probably shouldn't have let my seven-year old wander the house while this was on, she'll probably never sleep tonight. And my husband kept complaining about Brad Pitt's hair, he said Brad has girl hair in this movie. I didn't mind. I think he did a great job.
Looper
-You ever watch previews for a movie and expect one thing, then watch the movie and get something totally different? Well, that's what happened when I watched Looper. It was a pleasant surprise. The acting is great. Joseph Gordon-Levitt's face was freaking me out a bit, he barely looked like himself. But this was good. I was expecting some chasing, some violence, and a little time-travel. What I got was a grand helping of humanity and sacrifice from the characters. Watch this, it's worth the two hours.
September 15, 2013
The Phoenix Project Series free Kindle eBooks Days!
Get the Kindle eBook for free on these dates:The Phoenix Project
Sept 20-21
Oct 14th
Nov 17-18
The Reformation
Sept 21-22
Oct 13th
Nov 17-18
September 13, 2013
August 28, 2013
Helping out the local artists: Michelle Roberts Design
If you're interested in heartfelt, handmade crafts check out these Messenger Birds, crafted by a talented young friend of mine.
If you're as impressed as I am, vote for her in the Martha Stewart American Made Choice Awards. Go crazy and use your votes for her. I did... Here's the link: Messenger Birds
August 23, 2013
Second Edition Paperback is ready!
The Phoenix Project Authored by M. R. Pritchard
Edition: 2
The Phoenix Project Book 1
The United States is crumbling under the weight of the worst recession in decades, and The Reformation has been causing a stir. It started with promises of overthrowing the election under the premise of change. But change starts where we least expect it in Phoenix, a small lakefront town, hidden in the backwoods of upstate NY.
Andie's life is about to change forever. She thought making it home was the hard part, but much worse is to come. She needs to find her family, she needs to find out what's happening to her town, and she needs to find someone she can trust.
Paperback $12.99 (Includes sneak peek of book 2!)
Kindle eBook $1.99
August 10, 2013
July 28, 2013
The hardest part of being a writer
I've had this blog post written and in the archives for a long time, waiting for the right time to press publish. I guess now is as good a time as any since most of it still applies.
One Writer's Dilemma:
What's the hardest part of being a writer?Time, recognition, money.The list can go on and on and on.
What's hardest for me?
Telling people.
Not just any people, people I know.I haven't even told my mother.
True story folks.
I've been a closet writer for almost a year now. I have three completed novels under my belt and I have plans to get started on two more this year.
No, they aren't published, yet, but soon.
Which excites and scares me.
Why?
I can sum it up in one word:
Failure
[image error]
It's not that my writing may not get recognition,
or that big publishers and agents continue to shoot me down.
It's the failure in the eyes of people close to me that scares me the most.
It's that moment when you walk into a room and everyone eyeballs you and things get all uncomfortable and awkward because they know you've done something different.
But no one wants to talk about it.
Because you're not a super success.
That's my fear.
That's why I haven't told my mother, or most of my closest friends, or even my co-workers.
My New Year's resolution was to tell everyone what I've been doing.
Now ask me if I've done it...
Nope.
I know. I know. I need to grow some balls.
Until then I'll just continue drowning my worries with liquor.
[image error]
What part of writing do you find the hardest?
(Update -- my secret has been out for about 5 months. That doesn't make it any easier. The self-doubt is still there, but at least I finally told my mother )
One Writer's Dilemma:
What's the hardest part of being a writer?Time, recognition, money.The list can go on and on and on.
What's hardest for me?
Telling people.
Not just any people, people I know.I haven't even told my mother.
True story folks.
I've been a closet writer for almost a year now. I have three completed novels under my belt and I have plans to get started on two more this year.
No, they aren't published, yet, but soon.
Which excites and scares me.
Why?
I can sum it up in one word:
Failure
[image error]
It's not that my writing may not get recognition,
or that big publishers and agents continue to shoot me down.
It's the failure in the eyes of people close to me that scares me the most.
It's that moment when you walk into a room and everyone eyeballs you and things get all uncomfortable and awkward because they know you've done something different.
But no one wants to talk about it.
Because you're not a super success.
That's my fear.
That's why I haven't told my mother, or most of my closest friends, or even my co-workers.
My New Year's resolution was to tell everyone what I've been doing.
Now ask me if I've done it...
Nope.
I know. I know. I need to grow some balls.
Until then I'll just continue drowning my worries with liquor.
[image error]
What part of writing do you find the hardest?
(Update -- my secret has been out for about 5 months. That doesn't make it any easier. The self-doubt is still there, but at least I finally told my mother )
July 9, 2013
The Phoenix Project - Second Edition
One of the best parts of being an Indie Author?
Sometimes people will offer their services for free. Which is very exciting!
The second edition of THE PHOENIX PROJECT has been released on Kindle.
Get your eBook update or if you haven't read it buy it today!
THANK YOU Kristy for all of your hard work on both books!!
Sometimes people will offer their services for free. Which is very exciting!
The second edition of THE PHOENIX PROJECT has been released on Kindle.
Get your eBook update or if you haven't read it buy it today!
THANK YOU Kristy for all of your hard work on both books!!
June 19, 2013
How do you find time to write?
I get this question a lot, and more now that people know I've published. For many of them it has been a surprise, for one reason: I kept my writing a secret from everyone except for 3 people.I have a house, a full-time job as a NICU nurse, 3 gardens, 2 birds, 2 dogs, approximately 17 freshwater-tropical fish and two tanks to take care of, and... Oh yeah, I have my own human child to take care of.
So where do I find the time?
Anyone who tries discussing the latest TV shows with me could easily find out... I don't watch television anymore. Maybe once a week I'll sit down for a movie or an episode of a series that we still follow, but other than that the TV is off.
When the TV is on I find myself getting antsy and annoyed with the crap that's on. I find it hard watching TV shows or even the news. It just feels like my soul is being ripped out and kneaded and I can't find the time to bother with it anymore.
So, I write. I grow vegetables in my garden, I check the pH levels on my fish tanks, I walk my dog, I annoy the crap out of my editor, I avoid the calls from work offering overtime, I stare at the floor that needs vacuuming and the pile of mail that needs sorting. I read books: Indie books, traditionally published books, articles and newspapers. So much that the astigmatism in my left eye can't focus half the time and I've gone back to wearing glasses full-time again.
Lately, I've been really bad with pretty much ignoring all of the social media work required of an author. I find the more that I'm on the internet, interacting with writing groups and bloggers and reading book reviews, I feel like my time is being leached out of me... I also feel like I come across some of the worst of humankind. It seems people get more and more cruel with each day that passes. I find this really affects me in a negative way. I can't say I've felt this much self-doubt in a long time. Even when I first began writing (and I know those first few drafts were horrible), I still had some sense of confidence back then. Now that I've been published, even with all of the fans who approach me and talk about the books and how much they love them, I find the self-doubt monster is stronger than ever.
This week has been especially rough, I guess I'll blame it on the weeks of drowning rain, sucking the life out of me, there has been more than one occasion where I've contemplated just stopping it all.
And then I wake up in the middle of the night with a head full of ideas and conversations from characters I haven't written yet an I have to grab my iPhone and write it all down before I forget. It's those moments, and when my husband is urging me on, and when my fans are speaking excitedly with me that I think maybe this is the right thing to do.
Either way, I think I'll continue my break from the social media world. I think I will continue living life, reading great books, writing what I love, and living in my little bubble.
