Meka James's Blog, page 14

Adventures At RWA Day 3

So it's day 3 of RWA and the first day of book signing events! I was very excited about this because 1) FREE books 2) get to meet the authors of these great books and 3) FREE BOOKS!!!


This picture doesn't do proper justice to the sheer overwhelming volume of people at the Harlequin signing. I walked in and was like 'whoa' there's a shit ton of people in here.

As a first timer, it is a very daunting thing to walk in on but very exciting at the same time. I wasn't sure where to start but I did know I wanted to get books that interested me. Walking around, taking it all in, and politely asking the authors if I could read the back blurb before asking them to sign was my game plan.

But there were also some authors whose books I wanted just  because of the author. Who you may ask? Well...

Brenda Jackson who was very sweet and gracious and happily took a picture with this first timer.


Then there was Alyssa Cole who was my first celebrity sighting on day one. She was also very gracious as a had a short fangirl moment as she signed my book. I also snagged one from Sylvia Day! 
I was also excited to meet Peggy Jaegar. I've 'known' Peggy for a year online. We both participate in the #MFRWauthor blog hop. Being able to meet the flesh and blood person behind the screen is extremely cool! I of course got one of her books and one of her HAND PAINTED bags she gave away as swag. 
Check out my haul:




This is all from just one day! The plum bag is the one by Peggy. In the second picture, that flash drive is from Carina Press, they have several of their Dirty Bits books on it. OH speaking of Carina, their head editor saw me, REMEMBERED my name and told me I was one of the 'lunch with editors' winners. Talk about a freaking chance interaction because I never got notice.

It was a great day...until it wasn't. This blog post is coming to you guys earlier because I ended up sick. :( Apparently there is this thing called altitude sickness and it hit me like a mac truck! I was in my PJs and in bed by 4pm. Luckily I have the most excellent roommate who has been hanging out with me the whole time as she fights her own head cold. :( We are two sick peas in a pod.

We are both taking it easy and tomorrow is another day. I'm going to rest up so I'm ready to take on more sessions and get way more books!

Until next time
~Meka

Adventures at RWA Day 2

It's day 2 at the conference and it was SWAG day! There is the 'Goody Room' where authors, editors and others can drop off freebies that gives you the opportunity for free stuff and them the opportunity to put their name in front of people.

So as I walked around the room, I looked for things that 1) caught my eye and 2) I'd actually put to use. Mostly pens. But the chapstick Thing 2 will enjoy so score for him.

But it also gave me ideas for possible swag of my own as I walked around to see what people have. Because while I don't want to take things that I will simply throw away later, I want to make sure when I buy something that other people won't want to throw it away. It's just one thing we have to worry about right? But that's for a later day.

Today was also my first day of sessions. I kicked off my learning with a session lead by Beverly Jenkins and Cathy Maxwell. Handling your career with grace.

It was a very enlightening and laid back session that I'm so happy I attended. Both these women have been in the business for 25 years or so and were both so down to earth and relatable that it was a very feel good session. There were some high points that I walked away with.


Keep things in perspective Stay groundedLook at your career as one reader/book at a timeDon't rush the process. Let it be organic **this one really rang a bell since I'm slow and can't rush if I wanted to**Make your goals things you can control
So those are things that came from two seasoned authors that made me feel good about my process and outlook.

The second session wasn't fully my thing. I'm a pantser and while this wasn't about planning your story, it was still talk about planning your day so that you can get more accomplished. This is something I struggle with. I need to find time to focus on one thing instead of thinking about all the million things I need or want to do.

Biggest take aways on that one.


Be realistic about your time. Look at small segments of time to set goals accomplished instead of trying to focus so much on the big picture. Burn out makes it easier to be distracted.  **this is so true as I'm in that place now**Overall it was a great day and tomorrow things will pick up with more sessions and author signings that I'm looking forward to. Celebrity sightings for today were Courtney Milan and Alisha Rai. 
Biggest thing for the day, this non-talker got out of her comfort zone and talked to other people outside of my RChat ladies. 
Until next time~Meka

Adventures At RWA Day 1

Hello and greetings from Denver. I am excitedly attending my first ever writer's conference. RWA (Romance Writers of America) hosts an annual gathering and a few of my wonderful CPs all planned to come and enjoy and get to meet each other in person finally!


So what have I done today? Not much really. Today was mostly a travel day. This is my first ever solo trip. I've always done family trips, or on rare occasions the husband and I would do a couple's trip, but never have I made a journey to spend extended amount of days alone.

I managed, from the airport (yay Uber) to the hotel. That is the crap-tastic view from my hotel window. At least I have good company in my roomie, Coralie Moss so who needs to look out of the window anyway.

The hotel where the conference is being held is in downtown Denver and it's great because there are shops and restaurants to explore. So exploring I did.

If you can see the store behind the bull statue, it's a candy shop, and I am a woman with a sweet tooth. However walking into it, I was not expecting some of the phallic shaped candies among other sexy time related type of things to be out and open on display. Clearly, being a romance writer, those things don't shock me and I had a good laugh at the options. Fun times right?

I did have two 'celebrity' sightings already. I managed to not go fangirl when I saw Alyssa Cole and Beverly Jenkins in the hotel lobby. You 'see' these people on twitter, follow them, but to actually see them in the flesh, it's pretty cool!

I'm all set for a great week. Looking forward to seminars and goodies. I have already snagged three books from the Book Room today and I can't wait to show off my total haul for the week. I have a badge and ribbons and I'm kinda feeling like a real author. It's kinda cool.

Until next time
~Meka

IWSG 26 -How Do You Know?

Hello and happy July! Man it's July already. This is my kids' last month of summer as they start early August. This year is really flying by. New month, means a new post for the IWSG monthly blog hop.


One was even sorta detailed and talked about the thing that didn't work for her. I appreciated the feedback. That lead to another conversation with a member of my CP group that asked me why I was opposed to changing the subplot of the project. Should be noted what the editor wanted change is not the same thing.

My answer to her was the editing required to remove the subplot. Anyone that has been around this blog around knows how much I hate editing. Taking out an entire subplot, one of which has helped shaped the characters and their relationship is no easy thing. I can't just delete it and move on.

I value the feedback from my CPs. Over the last year they've made a huge impact on my writing. That said, on this point I'm stuck. I don't like deleting things, especially large chunks of things that will fundamentally change the story. And another part of it is I don't really understand the opposition. Yes it's a heavy topic (infertility) but I put time and effort in trying to make sure it was given the attention it deserves.

I'm a pantser, so this was not part of the original idea when I started writing. It was supposed to be a fun, light, and sexy erotic romance about a married couple spicing up their sex life, but as I was writing the infertility worked it's way in. It changed the landscape of the story by taking it away from more of a 'fluff' piece to something a little deeper, but I went with it.

Now I'm faced with the dilemma of to cut or not to cut the subplot. On top of making the changes suggested by the first editor, who did invite me to resubmit it should I make those changes. So how does a writer know when to stick to their guns about their story and when to separate themselves from the work and just cut?

This month's optional question: What are your ultimate writing goals, and how have they changed over time (if at all)?

~My goals for my writing are pretty simple. To keep improving and growing and to hopefully earn enough from my writing to support hiring a weekly maid service. I'm not a fan of cleaning. And I'd say my goals have changed in I didn't really have any before. When I started writing I didn't set out thinking it would be a career or anything like that. I did it because I enjoyed it and wanted to share my stories with others.

That is still my general look on things because why do it if you're not enjoying it? But I would like to do better, keep learning and build a business. I'm not thinking I'll be a bestseller, but having a handful of people that look forward to my next book would make me a happy person.

That's it for this month. This is a blog hop so take a look at how the other participants answered this month's question, or see how they are feeling about their writing life at the moment.

The Insecure Writer’s Support Group is a home for writers in all stages; from unpublished to bestsellers. Our goal is to offer assistance and guidance. We want to help writers overcome their insecurities, and by offering encouragement we are creating a community of support.

Thank you to this month's co-hosts!  Nicki Elson, Juneta Key, Tamara Narayan, and Patricia Lynne!

Until next time
~Meka

A Little Oasis- #MFRWauthor

Hello and happy Friday. It's been a few weeks since I've participated in the #MFRWauthor blog hop. I've been battling the writer blahs and that hasn't really put me in the mood to do much of anything writing related. I'm still battling, but I can't wallow forever.

Chocolate, and other sweets. Wine, those are maybe a 'typical' answer to small indulgences. But for me it's a bath. I've been in my home for fourteen years. I've wanted to remodel my bathroom for all fourteen years. When we moved in, I was very excited to see the large jetted tub. I could take nice relaxing baths, it was a dream... Until it wasn't. Those old school jetted tubs are 1) loud. Man that motor was super loud and not relaxing at all. 2) those jets were a bitch to keep clean. Seriously a nightmare. So, after maybe one or two uses, I quit using the tub. No nice relaxing baths for the last fourteen years though I love them.

Six weeks ago we finally got the long awaited remodel started. A week ago it was completed.


This is my bath nook. All. Mine. The Hubs doesn't like baths and even if he did, not sure I'd want to share. LOL I finally have a tub again that I can sit and relax in and not worry about the labor intensive cleaning afterwards. When putting together the tub area, I had very distinct ideas that I wanted. It was the one area I wasn't willing to make adjustments on.

It's a little thing, but it brings me a level of calm and peace to just sit and soak. The Hubs bought me the bath caddy and he made sure it held a wine glass because he's a keeper. LOL. It makes me happy. We are an active family, the kids always are doing something. A lot of my time is focused on them, or the household as a whole, not to mention writing, editing, marketing. Being able to sit, and soak and decompress, it's my favorite indulgence.

What's yours? Be sure to stop by the other authors on the hop to see what theirs are.

Until next time
~Meka

Book Review: Faster

It’s been a little while since I’ve done a ‘formal’ book review on my blog. Today’s review is part of a release day celebration. If you’ve been around my blog in the last couple of months you’ve seen me talk about this book before. For a refresher, you can check HERE and HERE. Faster, the debut novel for Deana Birch released today. Check out what I have to say about it, then head over to your favorite retailer and grab your own copy.
Louana Higgins drops off the drummer for The Spades exactly where he belongs: on the steps of a tour bus. Because, despite his rising fame and charm, the junior producer understands Jake Riley is not boyfriend material.

Twelve grueling years has finally resulted in a hit song for Jake. But, knowing the new zeroes in his bank account come with as many ways to blow it, he craves stability. Now, certain he’s found the calm to his storm, he asks Louana for the previously unthinkable—monogamy.

Long distance and groupies are already high enough hurdles for a new couple, but Louana’s new beau also comes with a malicious lead singer. And the front man is ready to tear the couple apart by revealing a secret from Jake’s not so distant past. Unable to discuss it with Jake for fear his bandmate’s betrayal would mean the demise of his flourishing career, Louana must now decide if she can live with Jake and his secret or leave the rock star she’s grown to love.

My Review** 5 STARS **

I am an emotional and reactionary reader. I want to be sucked into a story and experience what the characters experience. I yell, eye roll, cuss, laugh…you know react. If a story can’t get a reaction out of me, it’s not a story I will enjoy. I didn’t have that issue with Faster. I found myself rolling my eyes and laughing at some of Jake’s antics pretty early on.
From the start, each character’s voice was established as distinct and while some of their behavior would annoy me (more on that later) they remained true to the personalities that Deana created for them.
Jake was, at times, a man-child. If ever there was an epitome of ‘sex, drugs, and rock and roll’ it would be him, well him and his band-mate Shane. He is a rising rock star and wanted to bask in the glory of all that came with that title. Until he met Louana.
Louana, a career focused, level-headed woman, and so very much the opposite of anything even resembling a groupie, was not in the market for a relationship. Then Jake bulldozed his way into her life. What starts out as a hot sex only thing quickly spirals into something neither of them expected and brings with it all the baggage of a whirlwind romance.
Their biggest issue and a bit of a pet peeve of mine, lack of communication. They both sucked at it. To be fair, Jake, as I said is a man-child, and one that had never been in a real relationship before. Lou, well while she is a handler in her professional life, she is an avoider of conflict in her personal. As one could imagine, that combo can make for some frustrating times as a reader. There were plenty of times where I’d yell at them to just say what they were thinking. Just open your mouth and talk! But as an author, I realize that some of it is needed to help build the tension, doesn’t mean I like it when on the reader end.
Their relationship is on fast forward and while Jake seems fully on board for these changes because Lou takes care of him and gives him a sense of home, Lou does battle some conflicting feelings. Her last serious relationship was one-sided in the needs department with her often caving to the wants/needs of her ex. I understood her need to maintain her independence as to not get lost in the vortex that is Jake Riley, at the same time, I again wish she’d been a little more open about how she felt.
As much as these two were opposites in nearly every way, when they were together, you could see how their pieces could fit together. Faster is the first in a duology, so while this story doesn’t end with a complete HEA, you are left with an ending that leaves their future open in a hopeful way.
Until next time~Meka
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IWSG 25- The Writer Blahs

It's June, my birthday month!!!! Aside from celebrating another year of life, it's also means it's time for another IWSG blog post.

Last month I talked about having to pull things together since I was venturing into the world of querying. I managed to get projects submitted, one still needs a synopsis, but then the blahs hit.


I call them the blahs because it's not the same thing (to me) as having writer's block. I'm not stuck on a story, I have a few WIPs as we speak. The characters are actually still whispering about their stories. I simply have no love or desire to work on any of them. At all. Not even a little bit.

It's a sad and frustrating feeling because the year started off strong for me. I had been so excited. And little by little that excitement died off and I was left with the 'I just need to get it done' feeling so I would push through, but there was never any pride of accomplishment attached.

I've completely fallen out of love with one of my projects. The one I mentioned still needs a synopsis so it can go off to it's final query destination. I have zero desire to complete it or really do much of anything with it. I know people say let it sit, you'll get that feeling back, but not the case this time.

There are days I think I want to write. I'll open one of my docs and then I end up looking like the picture above. Because of the blahs, I've gone on a bit of a WIP hiatus. I say WIP and not writing as a whole due to the fact I'm part of a daily writing challenge that needs at least 100 words per day. Some days I barely get the 100, but so far, so good on at least keeping up with that.

I hope this slump passes soon. I'm not sure why I slipped into it. Until then I'm trying to find other things to occupy my time. It's summer so plenty of activities with the boys. I have plenty of books on my device and I've gone back to playing The Sims as a way to unwind.

I want the enthusiasm I had at the beginning of the year to return. I want the drive and productivity, the motivation all back. Until then, I'll sit and stare at the words on screen and mosey along as I have been for the last few weeks.

Have you ever lost your total love for a project? If so, what did you do to pull yourself out of that feeling?

This month's optional question: What's harder for you to come up with, book titles or character names?

I'm gonna say names. The titles for all my projects have come to me fairly quickly and without a whole lot of decision making. Picking names is a different story. When I wrote Fiendish, I realized at the end I a lot of 'M' names for the small cast of characters. Now I make an effort not to use 'M' so I don't fall into that trap.
There's also the issue of not having names that rhyme or that are too similar in sound like Casey and Cassie. I want to have unique names, but don't want them to be too out there. Then I have to stay away from my no list of names, the ones I won't use under any circumstance because they may have some personal connection, like my kids' names for instance. I write adult romance, can't have my leads using names of the offspring, that would be too weird. 
Book titles are definitely way easier for me. The definition of fiendish fit Seth, my lead in that story as well as the story line as a whole. Not Broken conveyed the message that while Calida went through hell, it didn't break her and she found a way to heal. My novelette was about two neighbors 'getting to know each other', the title Being Neighborly fit and was a fun play on the term considering the theme of the story. See all easy-peasy and nothing super fancy. 
This is a blog hop, so be sure to see how the other participants answered this month's question.
The Insecure Writer’s Support Group is a home for writers in all stages; from unpublished to bestsellers. Our goal is to offer assistance and guidance. We want to help writers overcome their insecurities, and by offering encouragement we are creating a community of support.
Thank you to this month's co-host!  Beverly Stowe McClure, Tyrean Martinson, Tonja Drecker, and Ellen @ The Cynical Sailor!
Until next time,~Meka

WRITE WITH FEY Book release tour

NEW RELEASE & GIVEAWAY!

Catch the sparks you need to write, edit, publish, and market your book!
Write with Fey: 10 Sparks to Guide You from Idea to Publication offers an abundance of data in one handy book. From writing your novel to prepping for publication and beyond, you’ll find sparks on every page, including 100 bonus marketing tips. You’ll also discover how to write specific scenes and characters, adding depth to your work.
•        Spark One: Being a Writer•        Spark Two: Story Essentials•        Spark Three: A Book’s Stepping Stones•        Spark Four: How To•        Spark Five: Character ER•        Spark Six: Editing•        Spark Seven: Publishing•        Spark Eight: Marketing•        Spark Nine: Writing About•        Spark Ten: Final Inspiration
With so much information, you’ll take notes, highlight, and flag pages to come back to again and again on your writing journey.

BUY LINKS:
Amazon US / Amazon CA / Amazon UK
Barnes & Noble / KOBO/ iTunes

 AUTHOR BIO:
 Chrys Fey is the author of the Disaster Crimes Series, a unique concept blending romance, crimes, and disasters. She’s partnered with the Insecure Writer’s Support Group and runs their Goodreads book club. She’s also an editor for Dancing Lemur Press.
Fey realized she wanted to write by watching her mother pursue publication. At the age of twelve, she started her first novel, which flourished into a series she later rewrote at seventeen. Fey lives in Florida and is always on the lookout for hurricanes.   Chrys Fey’s Links:
Website / Blog / Amazon/ Goodreads
Facebook / Twitter

GIVEAWAY!
Open to all from June 4th 2018 – July 6th 2018Click here to enter or use the form below.



a Rafflecopter giveaway

Playing Santa - #MFRWauthor

Hello and happy Friday. Yes, I know it's the same graphic from last week, but there's a reason for that. Last time we talked about the best gift I've ever GOTTEN. Today we're talking about the best gift I've ever GIVEN. So see, the graphic works.


My husband isn't big on receiving gifts. He is such a hard man to shop for. For him, the best gift 'I' gave him isn't something 'I' actually paid for. And no, I'm not talking the children. My hubby is an odd man on a good day, but in a good way. He works hard, takes care of us and very, like super very rarely splurges on himself.

I've talked about my husband's 'new' Jeep before. Yeah that's the best gift for him. Now how does that factor in to the topic? Well, when we went to look at it, we didn't drive away with it same day.

The seller only dealt in cash and we went up on a Sunday. That gave my husband and entire week to start rethinking buying this thing. Not because of all the safety concerns I had, but because he didn't want to spend the money on something for himself. He's that kind of guy.

He loved this thing on first sight. Big smile on his face, he was excited. Then he had time to think about it. Now, I'm not really on board with this idea, but it's something he wanted, so my 'gift' to him was to talk him into still buying it. The office manager at my real estate office is a Jeep person. She, her husband, and their son all own multiple of these sort of old Jeeps. They apparently serve different purposes.

I showed her pictures, gave her the stats and she gave her 'stamp of approval' which I relayed to my husband. I reminded him to make the trip to the bank to withdraw the funds for our journey back to the other side of the world the following weekend. And I spent the rest of the week reassuring him this was what he wanted. Everyone that was in Jeep Life said it was a good buy. He needed to go through with the purchase.

So a week after we looked at it, we (he) became a proud owner of a 1984 CJ7 Jeep. THAT. HE. LOVES. Takes it out any chance he gets. Even drives our children around in it. They love it. Me, I've been in it twice. My wifely obligations are over. I told him he wants me to ride again, he needs to read one of my books. LOL

Oh, and to top off my 'gift giving' I was the one that took the somewhat sketchy bill of sales to the DMV not once, but twice to get his tags and registration for it, and he even got a vanity plate for the thing.

There you have it, not the most traditional version of gift giving, but support is an excellent gift to give, so it works.

What's the best thing you've given anyone? Be sure to stop by the other authors on the hop to find out what they have to say.

Until next time
~Meka

Author Interview: Deana Birch

Hello all. Happy Memorial Day (if you're in the states and celebrate). Today we interrupt our regularly scheduled Music Monday to bring you an author interview with fellow Indie Author Deana Birch.


Sit back, grab a drink of your choice and a snack while we get to learn a little more about Deana. Let's get on to it shall we.

What books have most influenced your life?
Oh, you start with the softball question! I went through a long period of Non-fiction reading. Helter Skelter and No One Here Gets Out Alive were huge for me. They combined my love of wanting to be a District Attorney with music and twisted into my high school years.
 
How do you develop your plots and characters? 
My characters always come first. I get to know them in my head for months before they ever get to the written form. Then I figure out what they want to do, how I can *almost* ruin it for them and we take off.

What do you enjoy most about writing romance?
Writing strong women who have great sex! I want to show readers that having it all is possible.

Do you have a most or least favorite trope?
I don’t do Shifters. At all. And have a really hard time with Insta love. What I do love is tension and that can come in a lot of different packages.

Tell us about your protagonist(s)? Was there a real-life inspiration behind them?
There were not! Louana is a quietly beautiful young woman trying to make her own life away from family expectations who has avoided conflict her entire life. She’s independent and yet very much a people pleaser.

Jake is an alpha man child who has never been in love before and falls very quick and hard for Louana. He basically had to look up monogamy in the dictionary and makes plenty of rookie relationship mistakes.

Do you feel like an outside antagonist is always a requirement?
Anytime I see “always” I have to say no. But I pride myself on side characters so I personally like them.

What was the hardest part of writing this book?
For me, it’s about half way through the first draft when I still know I need about 40,000 words and I’m not sure how I’m going to get there. I usually take a couple days away at that point and think hard about the dark moment and climax.

What was your favorite chapter (or part) to write and why?
Probably around chapters three to five when the introduction of characters and plots have already been established  and the characters begin to define their lanes and personalities.

Did you learn anything from writing this book and what was it? 
That my children can survive on pasta alone.

Is there a message in your novel that you hope readers will grasp?
Again, I go back to strong women. I want the world to have safe, consensual, happy times between the sheets or on the counter, where ever…

What are your future project(s)?
The follow-up book Slower, will be out this fall. I’m currently writing the second in a series of Erotic Romances with my CP partner and have another stand-alone Contemporary Romance I hope to get out by the end of the year.

What song relates to your book and why?
Well, the fictional song FASTER is the basis for the title so I would have to say that one, even though it doesn’t technically exist. Yet! Someone write me that song!

Where can readers find you? Give us all the links!
www.deanabirch.com
Twitter @DeanaBirch
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/deana.birch.14


Louana Higgins drops off the drummer for The Spades exactly where he belongs: on the steps of a tour bus. Because, despite his rising fame and charm, the junior producer understands Jake Riley is not boyfriend material.
Twelve grueling years has finally resulted in a hit song for Jake. But, knowing the new zeroes in his bank account come with as many ways to blow it, he craves stability. Now, certain he’s found the calm to his storm, he asks Louana for the previously unthinkable—monogamy.
Long distance and groupies are already high enough hurdles for a new couple, but Louana’s new beau also comes with a malicious lead singer. And the front man is ready to tear the couple apart by revealing a secret from Jake’s not so distant past. Unable to discuss it with Jake for fear his bandmate’s betrayal would mean the demise of his flourishing career, Louana must now decide if she can live with Jake and his secret or leave the rock star she’s grown to love.
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Contemporary romance and erotica writer Deana Birch was named after her father’s first love, who just so happened not to be her mother. Born and raised in the Midwest, she made stops in Los Angeles and New York before settling in Europe where she lives with her own blue-eyed Happily Ever After. Her days are spent teaching yoga, playing tennis, ruining her children’s French homework, cleaning up dog vomit, writing her next book, or reading someone else’s.


Thanks for stopping by. I hope you had a good time getting to know more about Deana. 
Until next time~Meka