WAHOO! A couple of hurdles down...

My new BFF.

Okay, I know I've been MIA, but I've had good reason.  We've (really, I've) been busy trying to sell our house (no takers yet...) and have spent my valuable free time making nice with my vacuum and Swiffer rather than blogging.  Believe me, I'd rather be blogging...cleaning is waaaay down on my list of ways I'd like to kill a few hours.

In an effort to get my act together before the RWA 2011 conference at the end of June in New York City, I've been hacking away at my writing-related "To Do" list, which included bullet points such as, "make website," and "make a Facebook author fan page".  Both of these were enough to give me hives (not really, only in the figurative sense...I remain itch-free), because I, (1), have no experience building anything web-related besides this blog, which still took me about 6 solid hours and an awful lot of loud expletives to set up in the first place, and (2) while I am not hesitant about promoting my own stories and work and have even fewer qualms about promoting other people's, I always feel weird when I'm pushing myself.  Even worse was the designation "fan page," which made me feel kind of fake, especially since I don't have anything published yet.  But, not one to turn down something to make inviting people to check out my page easier, I invited my whole FB friend list, but still felt it was like, "Hey, "LIKE" my page, even though you have no idea if I'm good at what I do!"   I mean, I'm assuming I am...I've had good feedback so far on my works in progress, but it still felt awkward.  This is something I'll definitely have to get over if I'm ever going to successfully promote both myself and my work.

So, here goes.  *Warning! Brief Shameless Self-Promotion Ahead!*

Check out my Facebook author page here, on which I will try my best to interact with you all and post updates, teasers (when I have more written), and links to these blog posts for your enjoyment.  Please click "Like" once you get on the page.  My fragile self-esteem depends on it.

Also, I did manage to make a website.  It actually came out pretty good, but it still says it's under construction because, let's face it, I probably forgot something major on there and will catch it in the next week or so.  But all the links on the left work and go somewhere, so check it out and kindly leave me some feedback on it here or on Twitter if you get a chance.

Aaaaaand for good measure, follow me on Twitter!

***End Shameless Self-Promotion***

Okay,  moving on.  One more hurdle I've jumped recently (since my last blog post, anyway) is that I crossed the 10,000 word-count mark on my novella, The Curse!  While the number itself isn't really significant and I still have at least another 10,000 words to go if the story gives me that much, just moving into the realm of five digits makes me feel better psychologically, like, "I can do this!"  When I tipped over that word count, I felt like dancing like Sue and Mr. Shue.

Well, that's about it for today.  Time to get some quality writing in.

As a side note to my American readers, please take time to enjoy your family and friends this Memorial Day weekend, but also remember the men and women in uniform who served bravely and are no longer with us.

xoxo Sarah

Titles and Such...

What's this?  A post?  Yes!  I have returned.  Sorry for my absence, even though it was only about a week.  I needed a sanity break to get myself back together after the A-Z Challenge, and I also wanted to take some time to get back into the mind of Jack, my protagonist in The Curse.  Want to know a little more?  Click above on "Novellas and Short Stories."  I'll add more in the future.  Our home is also on the market, as if I needed MORE stress.

Anyway, back to what I wanted to talk about.  Just so you know, I'll probably post something on this again when I actually have something ready to publish, but a little Amazon link recently found its way over to me on Facebook, and I couldn't stop smiling when I read the title.

Go the F**k to Sleep.


Yes, this is real.  Click on the title above for the link to the awesomeness.

A friend posted a link to this not-yet published "children's" book (I use the term very, very loosely, because it should be obvious to anyone with an ounce of common sense that it's meant for the parents, not the kid) that's available for pre-order.  And, even though I don't have kids, just based on the title alone, I may be tempted to buy it.

What makes the title good?  Well, it's unexpected, for one. No one expects profanity in a "children's" book, much less the "F" word.  It also plays on the mildly taboo factor that, *gasp*, child-rearing isn't all bunnies, unicorns, rainbows and feetie pajamas.  No, sometimes parents want to have some time to themselves, and all they want is for their kid to, well, you know...this.  Just based on the title, I want to know more.  What the hell did this guy even write about?  Are the tigers on the cover going to wake up and eat the kid for breakfast?  Just from looking at the cover, I'm all kinds of curious.

Oh, and I tweeted the link out on Twitter late last week, and everyone who commented loved the title.  One writer even tweeted back that she (I'm paraphrasing), "Has said that title every single night for the past few years."  

My erotic novella is tentatively titled The Curse, but I have already resigned myself to the fact that it will likely be retitled if accepted for publication somewhere, likely by someone who knows better what will help the book sell, and hopefully to be given an awesome title like this one.  And what I mean by that is one that will grab your attention and make you want to buy the book, sight unseen (or pages unflipped.)  

Thoughts on titles? The book? Life in general? Want to buy a house?  Tell me!

xoxo Sarah