Friday, March 30, 2007

My First Newspaper Article

Or, The Naples Sun Times Features M. B. Weston in Book Beat

My first newspaper article is finally in print. Dr. Phil Jason, professor emeritus of English from the United States Naval Academy (GO NAVY! BEAT ARMY!) just wrote a feature on me in the Book Beat Section of the Naples Sun Times. It’s a free local paper here in Naples. The article is called, “A Down-to-Earth, Out-of-this-World Author.” For those of you in Naples who want to get the article, go to your nearest grocery store and find the free publications section. Grab the Naples Sun Times. It’s got three blond chicks on the front of it about some fashion show put on by Saks. Skip that and go to page 19A.

I can now proudly say that I have shared printing ink with Sinbad, who is featured on the page just after me. Pretty cool, huh?

Here’s the link to the article on the internet: http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?BRD=2605&dept_id=581759&newsid=18132673&PAG=461&rfi=9

For more information on my debut novel, A Prophecy Forgotten, check out my website at http://www.elysianchronicles.com.

Thursday, March 29, 2007

I’ve Been Selected as a Panelist at BabelCon!!!

Or, How I Decided to Do a Book Tour in the South!

Great news! I’ve been selected as a panelist at BabelCon, and up-and-coming sci-fi/fantasy expo in Baton Rouge. It just happens to occur a week after the Children of Destiny Conference, which means I’ll probably be able to do a little book tour of the Florida Panhandle, Alabama, and Louisiana. (No, I did not realize how close it was to the Children of Destiny Conference when I booked it.)

For more information on my debut novel, A Prophecy Forgotten, check out my website at http://www.elysianchronicles.com.

I've Booked My First Kids Conference as a Motivational Speaker

Or, How You Never Know What Can Happen At a Writers Conference...

I was not able to share this in my Emerald Coast Writer's Conference blog because it was not "set in stone" as the cliche goes, but I can share it now. I have just booked my first weeklong conference as a motivational speaker. From July 23 to 27, I will be speaking at the Children of Destiny Conference put on by Grace Tabernacle Church at Ft. Walton Beach to kids from 1st grade on up to 8th. There, for 45 minutes a day, I shall tell the kids a story from another series I've created (name to follow once I figure it out) and draw spiritual parallels from it. I'm so excited because this is what I believe I've been called to do. (More on that below.)

The amazing part about this is how it happened. First, understand that I was leery of going to the Emerald Coast conference because of the distance from Naples (9 hrs). Still, something told me I should go, so I went. On Friday, I presented a workshop entitled, "The Three Rules of Great Writing." I also passed out my book in e-book form on CD, my trustee first chapter brochure, and a bookmark. Unbeknownst to me, the Associate Pastor for Grace Tabernacle Church, a non-denominational church just like mine, was sitting in the audience. He read my first chapter brochure, including the short bio about how I love to work and speak to kids in my youth group, and handed me his card immediately after the workshop, saying that he wanted me to speak at his conference. We discussed the message he wanted me to give, and--low and behold!--I had already developed a six series lesson plan that tells the story of a boy named Darin who enters the service of Prince Stephen who is trying to take his kingdom back from the clutches of the evil Duke of Archenbrand. (I've already got the 30 second pitch for it, and the book isn't even written.) He loved the series (I sent him an outline over e-mail two hours after I discussed it with him.) and just okayed it with his pastor today.

Now for the freaky part. I don't know what any of you believe about God. For me, God is so real, and I've seen Him work in my life in so many ways. Last summer, I attended a youth conference as a chaperone, and as I was listening to the speaker something told me to listen well because I would be doing conferences one day. It didn't make any sense then--I was a small time youth worker waiting to be published, but I decided to follow the idea. I changed my style of speaking from analytical to parable telling, and created the Darin Series for my youth group. Now, less than a year later, I've just booked a youth conference where I'll be using that very series--due to a writers conference that I wasn't sure I wanted to go to but attended because something told me I needed to be there. Some people might call it a coincidence, but I don't think so.

For more information on my debut novel, A Prophecy Forgotten, check out my website at http://www.elysianchronicles.com.

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

A Prophecy Forgotten Available for Sale Direct from the Publisher!

Be The First to Own A Prophecy Forgotten!

My publisher is offering A Prophecy Forgotten for 25% off the cover price on the ArcheBooks website. I think that's probably as cheap as you can get it from Amazon, and you can get it now instead of waiting for another four weeks for it to hit the shelves and Amazon.com. To purchase, click on the below link, then click the big red button at the top that says, "click to purchase."

http://archebooks.com/BookIDX/Indexes/Fantasy/APF/APFDesc.htm

For more information on my debut novel, A Prophecy Forgotten, check out my website at http://www.elysianchronicles.com.

Friday, March 16, 2007

A Prophecy Forgotten sent to the Printer!

My publisher just finished incoporating my final corrections and has sent A Prophecy Forgotten to the printer. They should send him the final proof in a week, and if he approves, it will be available on his website for sale. It will take a couple weeks after that for Amazon.com and the major book chains to stock it, so stay tuned for more information!

Check it out at www.archebooks.com!

For more information on my debut novel, A Prophecy Forgotten, check out my website at http://www.elysianchronicles.com.

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

A Prophecy Forgotten Has a Face!


Major updates on A Prophecy Forgotten's publication status!

First, my agent and I have both completed our corrections from the galleys and have sent them back to my publisher. Yes, I did pull an all-nighter on Monday, but I got a full night's sleep last night. (My husband made me.) Once my publisher incorporates our changes, A Prophecy Forgotten will head off to the printer.

Second, my dust jacket is complete, and I'm pretty impressed with it. It's eye-catching, and I love the colors.

Stay tuned for more great news. And now, I am going to go to sleep, because I'm exhausted.

For more information on my debut novel, A Prophecy Forgotten, check out my website at http://www.elysianchronicles.com.

Tuesday, March 13, 2007

News: A Prophecy Forgotten's Galleys Have Arrived!

aka Why I Didn't Sleep Last Night.

I received the galleys for A Prophecy Forgotten last night around 11:00. I worked through the night, no sleep, and I hope to finish them by either today or late tonight! (Yes, I'm one of those people. If I want something to get done....) A Prophecy Forgotten should debut around the end of March or early April. We'll see if I can finish the galleys by 3:00 pm. I've got to take a quick nap before I clean tonight, or I'll die.

For more information on my debut novel, A Prophecy Forgotten, check out my website at http://www.elysianchronicles.com.

Monday, March 05, 2007

When You're Working Three Jobs, Don't PMS Without Chocolate!

Or, It's Hard to Write When You're Working Three Jobs and Volunteering with Youth.

Yes, I know, I should be writing every day. In fact, many writers from last weekend's conference were so kind as to point that out to me. But seriously, take a look at my life. Today, I have to leave in about fifteen minutes to go to....

Job Number 1: employee of Weston Commercial Cleaning. I shall leave and clean a salon for an hour, after which I shall eat a peanut-butter and jelly sandwich because fast food costs too much and go to my next cleaning job, which will take me at least three hours. Once 10:00pm hits, I have to pick up my husband from the airport. I will probably not get home until 12:00. Then I shall go to sleep until I wake up, at which time I shall begin ....

Job Number 2: cook the books for Naples Christian Academy. I'm a month behind because I've been working on jobs 1 and 3 and because my computer crashed. I shall work on Job Number 2 until I am finally caught up, but that will take all day for the next three days, and that doesn't count the audit that I have to endure. Of course, I have to stop everything in the middle of the day to work on Job Number 1. Once I find a few minutes here and there, I shall work on:

Job Number 3: cook the books for Weston Commerical Cleaning. Taxes are due ASAP, so I've got to make sure everything is right before I send it to the accountant. That will take at least a day to a day-and-a-half. At least I'm kind of all caught up with Weston Commerical Cleaning bills.

That doesn't count doing the family bills and laundry, keeping the house clean for home showings every weekend, being my own publicist and showing up at schools/libraries, etc. for speeches to tell people about my book that is not yet out, finding time to attend my cousin's wedding this weekend, which will hurt the cleaning schedule, finish updating all my e-mails that I've lost since my computer crashed, volunteer with the church youth group and the Young Writers of Naples, and somehow in the middle of all that, finding time to sleep so I won't turn into a lunatic.

So yes, I haven't had time to write in about a month. No that doesn't make me a bad writer who isn't going to accomplish anything with her writing career. It makes me exhausted, and I'm hormonal and out of chocolate!

(The good news is that this too shall pass. I'm about to pass on the NCA books to some other poor soul, and once Weston Commercial cleaning begins to take on more clients, I can scale back on the cleaning work. And Greg wants to take over some of the bills, so I'll be back on track soon. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go pack the car and find some dark chocolate.)

For more information on my debut novel, A Prophecy Forgotten, check out my website at http://www.elysianchronicles.com.

Friday, March 02, 2007

March 2, 2007 Daily-ish Readings

Wow, it's been a while since I've done this.

Readings: I Kings 6-7, Psalm 149, I Corinthians 15
I Kings 6-7: These two chapter are almost as fun as Leviticus. I wouldn't recommend trying to read them on only a few hours of sleep.
I Corinthians 15: I don't think I can make any good comments on this chapter at this time. Way too much to think about. I'll have to chew on it for a while.

For more information on my debut novel, A Prophecy Forgotten, check out my website at http://www.elysianchronicles.com.

Thursday, March 01, 2007

I Have the Best Friends EVER!

Best friends are the people you can call on in emergencies or when you're just plain old having a bad day, and they'll be there for you. (That was probably one of the most awkward sentences I've written in a while, but it's after midnight, and I'm not going to rethink it.) I've been experiencing some stress--the kind of stress that comes when you can't sell your house, which needs to be sold by the end of March or bad things happen, when you're starting your own business and can't make ends meet, when you don't have much money for food, and when you have no time to do anything because you work two jobs and have to be your own publicist. (And when you're all excited and nervous because you've got a book about to come out, but you have no idea when it's really going to happen.)

Anyway, I have the two best friends ever! My friend, Jill, went out with me for coffee at PJ's today. She listened while I complained, and she told me just what I needed and wanted to hear:
  1. Your book will come out.
  2. Your book is good, and it will sell.
  3. Your life really isn't that bad. Then she told me all the good things in my life, and she's right! What a change in perspective! That's what true friends do. They turn you around and put you back on target.
  4. She reminded me that I'm the one who keeps saying that God's timing is perfect. Duh!

Mainly, Jill just listened. And then we went to Books-A-Million and looked at YA Fantasy novels so I could organize my thoughts for a new, secret series that I'm quietly working on. It's amazing how just getting around normal people doing normal things can really help someone focus.

My friend, Sasha, was the victim of my 3:00 in the morning panic e-mail last night/morning/whatever. She e-mailed me today and told me to leave a key under my door mat. Then she came by and made Greg and me food that should last us a while. And she did my laundry while she was waiting.

So there are my two best friends. Both of them came through for me in two different ways. Jill came through for me emotionally, and Sasha came through for me by meeting some physical needs. Funny, I needed both needs met. I'm now relaxed, and I know that life is fine. I guess that through this, I've basically learned that it's okay to ask for help. I'm not very good at it. It's a pride thing that I have to get over. And I've also learned how to be a better friend. I just hope I can repay them and be there when they need me.

For more information on my debut novel, A Prophecy Forgotten, check out my website at http://www.elysianchronicles.com.