Indie Life: UTopYA, and stuff...

Hosted by the Indelibles, Indie Life is a monthly feature on the second Wednesday of the month.  This is a chance for indie authors to post about indie life, find each other, offer support, encouragement, news, helpful hints, and anything else that makes life as an indie author a little easier.

 Wow, another month gone.  Where is the year going?  I feel like I haven't accomplished anything. >_<  What a horrible feeling. Lol. 

Anyway.  Writing is actually moving slower than I had hoped at this point.  I'm twenty to thirty thousand away from completing the first draft of my second book Of Sparta and I feel like I'm pulling teeth every time I sit down to type.  It's ridiculous because I have an outline, I know what I want to happen... my characters though... they've had other ideas and roping them in has been harder than I imagined it would be. *sigh* But it will be done - hopefully shortly. ^_^

I've got my first convention as a published author at the end of the month. *enter hysterical scream here* I'm not a panelist - yet - but I'm still anxious as all get out. I've been to conventions before but NOTHING like this.  

So the convention is UTopYA.  It's being held in Nashville, TN.  I'm driving 15 hours with Mel from Girls Heart Books as my co-pilot. The driving part doesn't worry me so much as I'm going to be going as a PUBLISH AUTHOR. OMG. What if I make a total donkey out of myself? I know I"m certainly going to fangirl over a couple of my favorite authors that will be in attendance. 

Also, we'll be going to The Grand Ole Opry on the Friday we're there.  That's going to be just as fricking awesome as the convention itself.  I'm excited/nervous. 

I just hope that I learn a lot (I've got panels scheduled back to back) and that I have a great taken home experience. ^_^ I'm certainly going to get pictures with as many as possible. 

That's all that's new this month.  I'll certainly update with the valuable insight of the other authors next month. 

How is everyone else doing in the writer's world?

Join in on the fun?:

Cover Reveal: God's Warriors

Surprise!  I’m so ecstatic to be asked to assist with a cover reveal. ^_^ It’s beautifully simple and the book is intriguing as well. ^_^

God’s Warriors

Children of God’s  Book # 1 

By- L.P. Hidalgo

Expected Publication Date-September 18th, 2013

Blurb-

Jae Salvador is a college student dealing with the death of her older brother, Jason. But, her life changes when he comes back to deliver a cryptic message: the war of Heaven and Hell is upon us. It is up to Jae and her brother, Joel, to find God's warriors and along the way; they discover that their family is unlike most others. They are descendants of Son's of God who were put on earth in preparation for the war. However, Jae wields more power than anyone could imagine. She alone will decide the outcome of the war by convincing the Catalyst to choose Heaven over Hell.

Will she succeed in her quest for salvation or will she unleash Hell on Earth?

Links-

Goodreads- http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17854439-god-s-warriors

Facebook Cover Reveal Event- https://www.facebook.com/events/339893152780176/

About the Author-

L. P. Hidalgo is the author of the “The Children of God’s” series, the captivating story of the war between Heaven and Hell with the heroine, Jae Salvador and her brother Joel, lead a quest in search of God’s Warriors, which is set to debut on September 18th, 2013. 

L.P. Hidalgo on her off time is a freelance graphic designer, mother of two children, and devoted partner to her fiancé. From an early age she began writing, which throughout adulthood turned into passion. The artistic writer was encouraged by family and friends to write her compelling stories.

Links-

Goodreads:

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7065693.L_P_Hidalgo

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Author-LP-Hidalgo/459149144143735?notif_t=page_new_likes

What do you think?

Indie Life: Nice weather and Such...

Hosted by the Indelibles, Indie Life is a monthly feature on the second Wednesday of the month.  This is a chance for indie authors to post about indie life, find each other, offer support, encouragement, news, helpful hints, and anything else that makes life as an indie author a little easier.

Wow.  Is it May already?  Time certainly does fly. I've been enjoying the nice weather since it's FINALLY gotten warm here in upstate New York.  I've found that the rest and relaxation is as much a necessary part of writing as actually writing.  

Those that read through last month's Indie Life know I joined a Fast Draft challenge.  (70k works in two weeks) The fast drafting didn't end well.  T_T  It ended with a migraine on my part.  I think what it comes down to, is pushing too hard much faster than I'm used to pushing.  ^_^ It fried my brain.  Though I did learn a lot from it.  Maybe I'll try ramping up to it sometime over this summer.  

I've been listening to a lot of audio books and doing some major reading.  I wish there was an audio book lending agency like Netflix.  One flat rate and as many books as I'd like to listen to in a month. Or it could even work like Gamefly - one flat rate and I get one book at a time but I get the next book as soon as I return the first. I'd be game for that. ^_^ (I've found audible to be kind of expensive for what it offers.)

On another note I've joined a local writer's group this past week as well.  As I'm progressing in writing I felt that it was time to find a group of other writers to critique and provide guidance so that I can better grow.  Even after only one meeting I feel I've learned quite a lot.  I'm very excited to keep learning from these people and to hopefully be able to provide my incite to help them as well. 

I am still on the hunt for an editor.  Once I finish Of Sparta and Terrene Gates I'll definitely need someone to go through it - other than myself.  I'm just not a good editor. 

Other than that I really have no news to provide.  I've been slowing it down and taking each day as they come.  I'm writing about 2k a week at the moment and have divided my attention between three projects (the other unmentioned one is a joint effort with a few writing pals) that will hopefully all be ready for release some time next year.  

Slow an steady wins the race.  And I'm certainly at that pace at the moment. How is everyone else doing?

Join in on the fun?:

Indie Life: The Challenge

Hosted by the Indelibles, Indie Life is a monthly feature on the second Wednesday of the month.  This is a chance for indie authors to post about indie life, find each other, offer support, encouragement, news, helpful hints, and anything else that makes life as an indie author a little easier.

Hello everyone!  I have to apologize for the late posting. I’m going insane. >_< More insane than last month actually. 

Release day came and went of course.  It was a great relief and the two week blog tour after that was fun and entertaining.  I’ve got some great reviews out of it which pleases me. ^_^  I’ve also met some cool people and really enjoyed the interaction after months of solitary writing and editing.  

It probably wouldn’t have gone so well if I hadn’t had the wonderful Mel over at Girls Heart Books Tours.  She is so efficient it’s scary and rather relieving as well.  She’s definitely an indie lover which is great and her prices are SUPER reasonable which is weight off my shoulders. 

So now about the crazy part.  I’ve got my first book out, it’s reasonably loved, what could be so crazy now?  Well, let me tell you.

Shannon Delany, author of the 13 to Life series, and Weather Witch posted a challenge on her Facebook that she wanted to do with friends.  I’d be a fangirl poser if I called myself a friend, but we’ve had some decent chit chats so I’m not a stranger.  Anyway, I digress.  

The challenge is 70,000 words in two weeks or fourteen days if you’re looking at it the way I did.  In my arrogance (I’ve got a book out this shouldn’t be too hard) I took her up on it. Here’s a link for the exact details.  

Today is day four of this insanity and while I feel like I’m DYING I am holding my own pretty well. I set aside four hours to write everyday and with my outline I’m getting it done.  There are times, while I’m at work or driving when I think of the finer details of the chapter I’m working on but so far I’m staying consistent on the word count.  

As much as I’m in a love/hate relationship with this I’m recommend trying it for my indie friends.  Why?  Because if you’re like me and you work a day job to pay the bills you don’t have the luxury of getting stuck.  It really helps to put down the ideas.  Trust me it’s not pretty.  However, it’s very effective at getting a basic draft out.  Especially for the procrastinators.  (I am one, I take no shame in the claim.)

I’ll even do it again with you if you let me know when you’re doing it.  >_< Just wait until May/June so I can get some sleep first. ^_^ Who would like to volunteer first?

Much love,

Join in on the fun?:

Release Day

As the day winds to an end I’m filled with the profound sense of relief.  Release day is over.  The stress of getting it right, of participating blogs in the blog tour is over.

Do I have any sales? No.  

Does that discourage me? Not at all.

Instead I’m thankful.  I’m thankful for all the people that supported this endeavor.  I’m thankful for all the blogs participating in the blog tour in this coming week.  I’m thankful because I made it to today. 

I will be frank.  I wanted to give up.  There were moments when there was nothing I wanted to do more than give up, trash the entire manuscript and go about my life as if I wasn’t plagued with visions of a story that wouldn’t type out correctly.  

Instead I had friends that threatened me in all manners of ways if I gave up.  Friends that believed even when I didn’t.  Friends that didn’t call me crazy, but instead called me… well crazy. Lol. 

Even with the way things stand at the end of today I feel successful.  I am successful.  I am successful because I finished.  I am successful because I never gave up.  Even if I make nothing from this, I’ve learned so much from this experience there is no way for me to feel anything other than successful.  

It’s time to start on the second book, and hopefully not make the mistakes that I made for the first one again.  I’m hoping to make new mistakes, so I can learn from those as well.  A lessoned learned is always an accomplishment in my book. 

I’ve even posted a cute little status bar thingy in the margin.  To keep track of progress.  For myself and for anyone that wants to see.  Each word is progress.  And progress is, well, always an accomplishment.  

What I’m trying to say is thank you, I’m not giving up and I’m moving forward.  For everyone that made this the best day of my life. (To date).  You are great, awesome, wonderful people and you mean a lot to me. 

And as Confucius would say (or maybe it’s Aristotle) “The only way to fail is not to get up when you fall.” Or something close to that. (I’m not looking it up.).  To everyone that’s struggling and thinking about giving up – don’t.  Keep going.  You’ll make it.  I’m sure of it. 

P.S. For those that want it - You can make purchase on Amazon for both Ebook or Paperback HERE.