Megan Morgan's Blog, page 50

Let’s give some #writerhugs today.

This past Wednesday I co-hosted the Insecure Writer’s Support Group and the massive, positive response to my post really blew me away. So many people stopped by to comment, not just to say “hey what’s up?” but to add discourse and talk about the things they’re struggling with and going through. I tried to answer every single comment thoughtfully and thoroughly. I’m still getting responses, so if I’m a little slow replying I apologize–I WILL answer every single person who comments.

The idea that we all doubt ourselves in some fundamental way really got me thinking, though. As writers, we should be here to lift each other up, not just professionally but spiritually. Even if we don’t write in the same genre or often cross paths, we’re still in this boat together, navigating a stormy sea. Life is hard enough and here we are, trying to make it harder by creating art and shouting our meager voices into the void. It’s good to know we’re not alone, but even knowing that, sometimes we feel very alone.

So in the spirit of how humbled and awed I am by the response to my post, today I’m encouraging everyone to spread support. Go to one of the blogs you follow, the blog of someone you admire, the blog of someone you know–or even don’t know–and leave an encouraging, kind comment on their latest post. Or tweet them. Or leave a Facebook comment. Even if they don’t seem to be outwardly struggling, remember what goes on in our heads rarely matches the smiling faces we put on for the world.

Go out into the internet today and say something uplifting to another writer. #writerhugs! Even if you’re not a writer, you can join in. We need all the encouragement we can get.

Filed under: Uncategorized Tagged: insecure writer's support group, inspiration, wellness, writing

You’re awesome, you just don’t know it.

This post is part of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group blog hop. The first Wednesday of every month is Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. The awesome co-hosts for the December 2 posting of the IWSG will be Sandra Hoover, Mark Koopmans, Doreen McGettigan, Megan Morgan, and Melodie Campbell!

First of all, I’m a co-host today and I’m so excited about it! I’ve been doing IWSG for over a year now (my first post was in October 2014) and this is the first time I’ve co-hosted. I’m a little nervous and a lot enthusiastic, so let’s get to it, shall we?

I have great news for you writers out there who think you’re a phony sucky fake despite any accomplishments you may have achieved.

Chances are, you’re not as sucky as you think.

I recently read some articles about Imposter Syndrome. In brief, it’s a psychological phenomenon in which capable people believe they’re actually incompetent and all their accomplishments are flukes, luck, or the result of lies. From the Wikipedia article: Despite external evidence of their competence, those exhibiting the syndrome remain convinced that they are frauds and do not deserve the success they have achieved. Proof of success is dismissed as luck, timing, or as a result of deceiving others into thinking they are more intelligent and competent than they believe themselves to be.

I think I may suffer from this issue, as my first reaction to the definition was “well I’m sure there’s people out there like that, but I’m actually a fluke.”

Every time I send something to a publisher and they agree to publish it, my first order of business is to come up with ‘reasons’ why this happened. Are those reasons that I’m a good author and it’s an interesting, well-written story? Heavens, no. That’s insane.

When Kensington/Lyrical picked up my series, I assumed:

They don’t have enough authors (Kensington has hundreds of authors on their roster).
There’s no vetting process, they publish everyone (Kensington has more bestselling books and authors than I can count–I’m pretty sure their approval process is not ‘throw things against the wall and see if they stick’).
The acquiring editor was drunk when they read my submission (a tad bit presumptuous and rude).

It’s comforting to know there’s other people out there who would accuse a person they’ve never met of dysfunctional alcoholism before they’d give themselves a modicum of praise.

I guess there’s proof for it, though. Think of someone you know who is very good at what they do–an expert, even. Now think of how that person behaves. For me, the people I know like this are some of the humblest, nicest people I know. Even if I’m dying to know more about the thing they’re an expert on, I usually have to fish it out of them and they qualify their statements with things like “Well I’m hardly an expert, but…” or “There are people who know much more about this than me,” or “This is only my opinion, don’t take it as gospel.”

And the inverse is true as well. Now, think of someone you know who brags non-stop about something they deem themselves good at. Who never passes up a chance to fill you in on their area of ‘expertise.’ Who has absolutely no awareness people are trying to subtly escape them in social situations. Is that person actually good at the thing they claim to be an expert at? I can name several people I know who are like this (and I dated one, unfortunately) and the answer is no. I think it’s a self-esteem issue–they don’t gain knowledge of a skill for the love of that knowledge itself, but to impress other people.

And I think that’s what it boils down to. When you love something, really love it–in our case, writing–you want to know all there is to know about it. But you realize there’s SO MUCH to know about it, how can you ever be an expert?  And there will always be someone who knows more, does better, and has a better handle on things…so if you accomplish something, it must be a fluke, right?

I’m here to tell you you’re not a fluke, it’s just Imposter Syndrome.

Except me, I’m totally a fluke.

Filed under: IWSG Tagged: blog hop, creativity, insecure writer's support group, kensington, lyrical press, writing

NaNoWriMo and beyond

Despite the million other things I had going on this month, I managed to complete NaNoWriMo!

I learned a few things by doing NaNoWriMo during one of the busiest writing months of my career so far. During a normal month I tend to slack on my writing at times, I honestly don’t write every day, and I let things slide when I’m feeling extra lazy. Doing NaNoWriMo this month proved to me I can be super busy and manage to write every day, when I set my mind to it and refuse to slack. And, when I write I feel much better about myself, so it’s a good thing for me–being creative makes me happy. Will I carry this lesson on into December and beyond?

I really hope so. I’m honestly going to try. I still need to do a good bit of writing to finish the book I was working on for NaNoWriMo (which already had some written on it). I was glad to put 50,000 words into it but it still needs to be written to the end, however many more words that may be. If I put my mind to it I can probably finish it in December–though now I plan to pick back up a book I have in the editing/rewriting stage too. I’m hoping NaNoWriMo has given me the discipline I’ve been trying to achieve for a while. Even though there were a few days I didn’t write and had to catch up on my words on other days, it was a good reminder of what’s important to me about my writing.

How about you guys? Did any of you participate and did you win? Did you learn anything from it?

By the way, this Wednesday I’m going to be a co-host for the Insecure Writer’s Support Group blog hop! I’m really excited about it because I’ve been part of it for nearly a year now and I’ve always wanted to co-host. Now to come up with an interesting post for it…

Filed under: NaNoWriMo Tagged: creativity, inspiration, writing

I’m thankful

Here in the US this past Thursday, we celebrated Thanksgiving. While it is indeed a day to stuff ourselves with food, it’s also a day for spending time with family and friends and remembering what makes our lives good. This week also contained three (three!) book tours for me, which was a lot of work and had my head spinning, but it was great fun and everything seemed to go over well and the books got a good amount of attention–I’m very thankful for that, too! However, I think next time I’ll try to take it one tour at a time.

Today is also my son’s birthday! He’s 23 today. I feel old. He’s another huge blessing in my life that I’m thankful for. He was a well-behaved, well-rounded teenager and now he’s a hard working young adult. I hope for all the happiness in the world for him.

In the spirit of Thanksgiving (a few days late) here is but a short list of things I’m thankful for:

My health (it’s been a rough year on that front, but I’m still here, and I’m doing better!)
My loved ones–very much including my son!
All my readers/fans and every person who follows this blog, supports me, and engages with me. You guys are beyond awesome.
That after all these (many looooong) years my writing career is finally starting to bud.
The roof over my head and the food on my table.
My job.
My cat and her continued good health.
Travis Fimmel (hey, this whole list can’t be serious and I AM grateful he exists to look at…)

What are you most grateful for this year?

Filed under: About Me, Behind The Scenes, Holidays Tagged: me, personal life

Tropes

Many genres of fiction include tropes. Most of us have spent some time on TV Tropes, browsing the various styles. A ‘trope’ is a situation to construct the plot around, and is used repeatedly by various authors. Romance is a trope-heavy genre, as is mystery and sometimes science fiction. A trope is described as ‘a commonly recurring literary device.’ Some readers love them because of their familiarity and the ease of predicting the outcome. Some readers hate them because they feel it makes the writing too cliche and unoriginal.

I can’t speak for other genres, but I know a bit about romance tropes. I also think there’s a difference between formulaic romance (which does exist and has its fans too) and tropes. Tropes don’t necessarily have to go hand-in-hand with formulas. The biggest ‘formula’ in romance is boy and girl meet, are attracted to each other, are torn apart by various circumstances, finally get together, fall in love, get married, and have babies. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that, because it’s actually what a lot of couples do in real life! If you’ve married and had kids–you’ve pretty much followed the romance novel formula. However, a trope doesn’t have to be part of a formula.

Tropes are not themes, either. Themes seem to go in trends, I’ve noticed. For a while romance was all about vampires. Then billionaires. Then motorcycle club romances (I blame Sons of Anarchy). Cowboys, athletes, and Scottish lords have always been in fashion. But these are simply themes to which you can apply tropes and formulas.

Mindy Klasky has a great, extensive list of romance tropes here. Some of them are more popular than others. Some I like better than others. I would have to say my favorites are class warfare, fish out of water, and opposites attract–all situations where two people come from very different backgrounds but fall in love despite their circumstances. What can I say, I love a challenge! My Siren Song series follows this sort of trope, as the main character comes from a very different world and background than the other characters, and is thrust into things she doesn’t understand or like.

How do you feel about tropes and formulas? Do you like your fiction to follow a pattern and be predictable, or do you like things more off the wall and original? Do you think there’s some new tropes to be invented? Some that don’t get used enough?

—

By the way, I’m on multiple tours all this week! Pop over to this post if you want to find out where I’ll be and when. I update the links each day as the posts go live.

Filed under: Uncategorized Tagged: creativity, inspiration, romance, writing

Now on tour

Today I start two book tours, one for each new publication. So I’ll try not to blabber on about myself on this blog too much this week! Below is a list of places I’ll be each day for the individual tours, along with what I’ll be discussing, so you can stop by and say hello if you like. Both tours will include gift card prizes and the more you participate, the more chances you have to win.

Today: The Reading Addict – Overcoming the greatest obstacle on my path to publication.

Tuesday: Christine Young – Interview. AND It’s Raining Books – Five things readers would never guess about me.

Wednesday: Books Chatter – Interview/playlist for my book. AND Cover 2 Cover – World building in urban fantasy/book review.

Thursday: No post due to Thanksgiving, however, I will have a stop on the other tour (since the company is UK-based).

Friday: Unabridged Andra – The love triangle in fiction. AND Love That’s Out of This World – Interview.

This tour will include a $20 Amazon gift card giveaway.

 

Today: All I Want And More – Writing for the City Nights series.

Tuesday: Houston Havens – What makes a hero sexy?

Wednesday: Romances With A Little Kick – Writing erotic romance.

Thursday: Muffy Wilson – I’m thankful for erotica!

Friday: Erotica For All – The thrill of the forbidden–why I write erotic romance.

This tour will include a $10 Amazon gift card giveaway.

As a reminder, I’m also still on this tour and will be until the end of the month (all posts are either spotlights or reviews):

So that’s where I’ll be this week. If you want to listen to me talk about myself, writing, and my books, and maybe win a prize–come follow me around. I love groupies!

Filed under: About Me, City Nights, Interviews, One Night In Cleveland, Promotion, Publications, The Bloody City Tagged: appearances, erotica, erotica for all, me, reviews, urban fantasy

Hidden by Amy McKinley

Today I’m hosting Amy McKinley and her paranormal romance Hidden from the Champagne Book Group. Amy is giving away a $50 Amazon or B&N gift card, so make sure to comment, follow the tour, and enter the Rafflecopter giveaway!

Amy is also here today to talk about writing–and the hard parts of writing–with us. Take it away, Amy!

The Hardest Part About Writing

The hardest part about writing isn’t just one thing. It’s usually a combination of several, and it’s a constant struggle.

Will this idea work? Plotting the idea is fun and I enjoy it immensely as well as the next part, however, there can be many bumps in the road of ensuring there is enough conflict, tension, and growth as the story progresses. Through the process there are ups and downs of meeting word count, usually due in part by getting distracted with laundry, pets, or family. Staying focused and trying to stick to a schedule is a challenge. At the same time, making allowances when you just need a break (maybe you’re sick, didn’t get enough sleep, or just need a day to read and recharge). And when all the many revisions for your novel are done…will more ideas come for the next book?

No matter how positive a frame-of-mind you try to maintain, self-doubt inevitably rears its ugly head. Sometimes it comes when you see another best selling author that just received another deal and you wonder if you’ll ever be there too. Having to remember it’s not about comparing but about staying on course, writing about what you know, and what you are passionate about. Find what works for you (writing method, online or in person critique group, genre, even writing fast or slow) and keep going.

The thing is, there are good and bad days. Not letting the bad ones weigh you down and maintaining belief in yourself, your writing, and your goals is what gets us all through. It’s incredible to have such a huge online community out there to share our experiences. I’m extremely grateful for the immense support and knowledge my critique group offers. We all have doubts. It’s about pushing through with determination and perseverance to set out and finish what you began because your idea and goals are worth it.

 

Cursed since birth, hunted by gods, and desperate for love—Jade never stood a chance.

Half-demon, half-goddess, Jade’s fate makes her a pawn in an epic battle among the gods. Hidden on Earth with her sisters, she successfully avoids the Oneiroi—the dream gods—bent on her destruction until the prophecy, long dormant, awakens a dark shadow within her.

Roen, a reclusive Worr demon known for his battles against the Oneiroi, is called to protect Jade. Together they must unlock their mysterious connection and find a way to beat back destiny. Can she outsmart the prophecy, change her fate, and find love—even when she learns who is connected to her destruction?

EXCERPT:

Jade’s temples throbbed. She headed toward the east turret where she knew her mom favored her morning meals. As she burst into the room, Jade startled Aiesa. A fork clattered right before her brother, accompanied by shrieks of joy, jumped up from his chair and ran to her.

Jade pasted a wide grin on her face as she bent to pick up her half-brother. His arms wrapped around her neck was the sweetest thing ever. She sunk into his embrace and inhaled deeply, closing her eyes. He had the best little demon smell. She clutched him to her until he squirmed. Releasing him, she realized that for the first time in a while, her shoulders were relaxed. Opening her eyes, she met her mom’s gaze over her brother’s shoulders.

Her mother’s dark hair hung down in a fall of midnight. A storm of worry shone in her eyes. Aiesa half rose, her mouth forming a circle. Damn. Tension rocketed back up again. Nahl pushed at her, forcing her gaze back to him.

“Hey, little demon, you’re looking very handsome this morning.” Jade tweaked his nose.

He favored both their mother and step-demon with hair black as night and ebony eyes. And lucky for him, he inherited Xavior’s olive-toned skin, but not their mother’s deep-red lips. On Mom, they looked stunning. On a boy, well…not so much.

“I’m fierce, not handsome.” Nahl frowned at Jade, grasping her long tresses for emphasis.

“Fierce and handsome.” She chuckled. “What mayhem have you got planned today?”

He beamed as she sat him down, then scampered back to his food. “I get to go to Kristo’s to work on magic. We’re going to turn beetles into snakes.”

“That sounds like fun.” She snuck a peek at her mother, who watched her closely.

Nahl’s laugh turned wicked as he gazed his sister with glee. “Then the snakes into spiders.”

Jade shuddered. “Wonderful.” She couldn’t stand spiders as her mischievous little brother knew very well.

“Why don’t you head over early, Nahl? Cade can escort you there. He’s in the war room with your father. Go find him.” Aiesa instructed her young son.

“Okay, Mom.” Nahl hopped off his chair. A quick hug and kiss were given to their mom and Jade before he raced from the room.

“I can’t believe how much he’s grown since the last time I saw him.”

“Hmm, why don’t you have a seat, Jade?” Aiesa’s gaze never left her daughter.

“Sure.” After sitting down, Jade glanced nervously around the bright room. The sunlight streamed in, illuminating the blue and green mosaic tiles. The room emanated the feeling of being at the seaside. All it lacked was a bit of sand.

With a little illusion, Aiesa used to take her daughters to breakfast on the beach in this very room. It had been heaven. Perhaps that’s why I’m drawn to California in the human realm.

Unable to avoid it any longer, Jade met her mother’s gaze.

Grasping her hand, Aiesa asked, “The fiery orange circle around your eyes is new. How long has the Fates’ curse been active?”

Icy fingers crawled up Jade’s spine, and her stomach churned with worry with her fears confirmed by her mother’s words.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Amy McKinley is a freelance writer and author. She lives in Illinois with her husband, their four talented teenagers, and three mischievous cats. Her debut novel, Hidden is the first in the Five Fates Series.

Connect with Amy:

Website: www.amymckinley.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/amymckinley7 @amymckinley7

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/amymckinleyauthor

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/amymckinley7

WordPress: https://amymckinleyauthor.wordpress.com

Enter to win a $50 Amazon/B&N Gift Card

Leave a comment and follow the tour for more chances to win!

Filed under: Giveaways, Guest Posts Tagged: guests, paranormal, romance, writing

One Night In Cleveland release day!

It’s release day–again! If you’re not a fan of my scary paranormal stuff, this is a sexy, non-scary, contemporary erotic romance. Want to win some prizes as well? Check out the bottom of the post!

Part of the City Nights series.

City Nights is a unique erotic romance series with authors contributing stand-alone stories to the collection. Each book title starts One Night in . . . and takes place within a 24 hour time frame in a city somewhere in the world.

Chef Matt Fattore lives a clean and lawful life—so he doesn’t expect to meet the woman of his wet dreams by being arrested by her. When Lieutenant Caylee Benton of the Cleveland PD mistakes him for a wanted burglar, Matt finds out fantasies sometimes land right in your lap—and frisk you.

Sparks fly despite the misunderstanding and Matt decides to take a chance and ask her out—and maybe, coax her into bed. But Caylee is more than just a beautiful woman with a badge and a gun. While Matt is falling in lust with her, she’ll become his hero, too.

Matt is about to spend the wildest twenty-four hours of his life in Cleveland, and if he’s lucky, he’ll be in handcuffs by the end of the night.

Read An Excerpt

Buy it at:

Amazon | Amazon UK | B&N | Smashwords | iTunes | Kobo

One Night In Cleveland will also be on tour next week:

In honor of release day, I’m giving away a $10 Amazon gift card and e-copy versions of One Night In Cleveland AND my first contribution to the City Nights series, One Night In Chicago. Just click on the link below to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway! The contest will be open until midnight EST tonight and I’ll announce the winner tomorrow morning.

Enter to win a $10 Amazon Gift Card and e-copies of One Night In Cleveland and One Night In Chicago
Filed under: City Nights, Giveaways, One Night In Cleveland, Publications Tagged: erotica, release date, romance, tirgearr publishing

10 Things Nobody Tells You About Being (Traditionally) Published

I figured since I’m in the middle of two publications–The Bloody City this past Tuesday and One Night In Cleveland this coming Wednesday–I would espouse a little wisdom about publication. Mind you, this is about traditional publication, since I’ve never self-published and I know that’s a whole other animal. These are a few interesting things I’ve learned and observed.

10 Things Nobody Tells You About Being (Traditionally) Published

You’re still your own biggest cheerleader. Your publisher will put some promotion into you, but you still have to do a lot of self-promotion. You have to get yourself out there, shake hands and kiss babies. You still have to do a lot of the footwork when it comes to peddling your book. You can’t simply sit back and let the publisher do all the work–or you can, I suppose, but the results won’t be very good.
You pay your own way. Do you want to go to a conference? You’ll pay for that yourself–entry free, hotel, travel, stuff for your table. Want some swag? Design and pay for it yourself. Want some of your own books for free to give away/sell? Ha ha ha, it doesn’t work that way.
You won’t get rich quick (unless you do). Your first book almost probably won’t be a runaway bestseller. Maybe not your fifth book. Maybe not your tenth. That’s okay, because very few authors become runaway bestsellers. That’s not to say you can’t or won’t, but if you don’t, you’re still awesome.
You don’t need an agent. Disclaimer: I’m not saying nobody needs an agent ever. I’m saying you don’t need an agent to get traditionally published. Some people do have agents when they get published, some don’t. That doesn’t mean you won’t ever want/need an agent, it just means it’s not an absolute requirement for getting published.
Your book is a product. Your publisher respects you as a person and acknowledges you as an author, but your book–and you to an extent–is a product and they want to sell it and make money. You have to be okay with that. It’s art, but at the end of the day it’s also a business.
It’s (somewhat) easier to get reviewers to pay attention to you. If your publisher sends your book to ‘big’ reviewers you might have a better chance of getting it reviewed than if you sent it yourself. Maybe. There’s no shame in getting reviewed by smaller reviewers either–you want an opinion, right?
Sometimes you feel out of the loop. Sometimes when your publisher is scheduling promotion for you, running contests, sending your book out to reviewers, getting it up on their site, and doing all the fine tuning that comes with publishing a book, you might feel a bit lost and like you’re sitting in the corner, forgotten. Sometimes you’re the last person to get a piece of information. Sometimes you unexpectedly find your book being advertised somewhere you didn’t know it was going. Don’t take it personally. I try to be happy they’re making a fuss over my book in the first place, and I send emails and ask questions when I feel like I’m out in the cold.
Things get harder, not easier. When your first book gets published, you want to sit back and smile and feel proud of yourself. You should! But soon enough you realize you have to get back to work and this time,  you have to prove yourself. You have an expectation to meet. More books to write. More pies to stick your fingers in. Balls you have to keep up in the air. You’ve just gone from an author to a business–and you have a lot of work to do.
You can still get rejected. Even if you’ve been published multiple times, you can still get a ‘no.’ Your laurels alone won’t sell your writing, no matter how many you have. If you thought rejection before you were published sucked, wait until you get one after and find yourself clutching your pearls going “But…do you know who I AM?!”
People ask you weird questions. Maybe this is just me. Here’s an assortment of actual questions I’ve gotten over the past couple weeks:


Why do you call yourself Megan Morgan? Why wouldn’t you use your real name? (My real name is goofy, hard to say/spell correctly, and even when I explain I want an easy to spell/pronounce catchy name they stare blankly). One woman actually asked me what my mother thought of me changing my name like that. My mother is dead
Is this a book for teenage girls? (????)
Is this you on the cover? (Several people have sincerely asked me this. Why would I be on the cover of my own book that’s not an autobiography? And more importantly….the woman on the cover looks nothing like me.)
Is there sex stuff in this? (Yep.)
Why are you still working here (at my job)? (Because success =/= fame.)

 

And there you have it. A little insight into the publishing world. Feel free to add your own thoughts!

Filed under: Behind The Scenes, Monday Funday, Publications Tagged: advice, funny, information, me, publishers, writing

We have a winner!

The Rafflecopter has spoken! The winner of the $10 Amazon gift card and e-copies of The Wicked City and The Bloody City is:

Crystal Collier

Congratulations, Crystal! I will be contacting you as well for information on where to send your prizes. Thanks so much for visiting and entering, and thank you to everyone else who participated as well!

This has been a crazy week for me and I promise to get back to ‘normal’ blogging soon. In the meantime, you can visit these places to listen to me talk, talk, talk about myself and my book:

The Fantasy, Futuristic, and Paranormal RWA chapter blog (I talk about mixing holidays with the paranormal.)
ParaYourNormal (Where I discuss urban fantasy and my Siren Song series.)
Today I’m at Cover Reveals
The Bloody City is also on tour right now with several other Lyrical books

A huge THANK YOU to everyone who hangs out here and supports me! You guys are the best!

Filed under: Contests, Giveaways, Siren Song, The Bloody City Tagged: appearances, updates, urban fantasy