New Writing Tools

I’ve discovered some new-to-me software that’s making my writing life easier than I ever thought possible. Check out the blog post on my site, JeannieDepp.com, HERE:
Enjoy!

Slash

He’s finished.

Peace, Love and fluffy kittens y’all!

Publish U

Publish U is the definitive guide to self-publishing.

Throughout the years, I’ve told authors and aspiring authors not to fall into the trap of being scammed by vanity presses because there’s nothing a vanity press can do for you that you can’t do for yourself.

Here and there, I’ve given the odd hints, tips, tricks and advice about how to self-publish a book, hoping to help empower authors and help them publish their own books so that they don’t need to rely on scam presses or vanity presses just to see their titles in print.

Well, I’ve taken all those hints, tips and tricks and put them all into one place.

Publish U shows you, step-by-step how to publish your book the same way the big publishing houses do, all on your own, no matter what your budget is. There’s advice about formatting your books for print, eBooks, and audio books, creating your own imprint, publishing your book to a global audience, and marketing your book to promote sales.

Pick up Publish U on Ebook on Amazon or Nook.
Or buy Publish U as a paperback on Amazon, Barnes and Noble or Walmart to have all the information you need at your fingertips.
Publish U is also available on Smashwords.

Happy publishing!

Peace, Love and fluffy kittens, y’all!

Congratulations Johnny Depp!

The verdict is in.

In Johnny Depp’s $50m suit against his ex-wife Amber Heard, the jury found in favor of Johnny Depp. They found that Heard did indeed defame Johnny in her Washington Post Op-Ed about being the survivor of domestic and sexual violence and abuse. He was awarded a total of $15m.

The Jury also found that Adam Waldman, Johnny Depp’s lawyer, made a defamatory statement against Heard in a twitter post, awarding her $2m.

But the clear winner today was Johnny, who finally proved that he was the victim in their relationship, not the abuser, clearing his name and getting the vindication that he has deserved for far too long.

Maybe now, his life can get back to normal, or as close as he can come to it. And maybe we can all look forward to seeing him in the movies again soon.

Pirates 6? Bring it on!

Peace, Love, and fluffy kittens, y’all!

New art!

I’ve got some new art available on Fine Art America. Feel free to stop by and browse through everything that’s available. From portraits of Elvis, Marilyn and Bowie to whimsical delights, there’s bound to be something for everybody, available as prints, or on a variety of household items, like shower curtains and coffee mugs.

Peace, Love, and fluffy kittens, y’all!

Remove Amber Heard from Aquaman 2

The petition to remove Amber Heard from Aquaman 2 has neared 4 million signatures.

I think it’s astonishing that so many people are speaking up in support of Johnny Depp and every other male survivor of domestic abuse by signing. It shows that Johnny is leading the way toward the day when men will be able to speak out about being victims of domestic abuse without being mocked, ridiculed, or disbelieved.

Johnny Depp’s defamation case against Amber Heard is ongoing. As a reminder, there won’t be any court this week as the judge has a mandatory conference that she must attend. Court will resume on Monday, May 16th.

If you haven’t signed the petition and wish to, you can find it HERE:

Thanks for your support!

Motivation

I’ve been having a hard time finishing my WWII book. Not because I have writer’s block or anything like that. I was just out of gas. I didn’t have any motivation, and for the life of me, couldn’t stir any up.

Then, last night, I came across a book penned by somebody that I used to write with. A dear friend for many, many years with whom I had a massive falling out. We haven’t spoken since, and certainly haven’t collaborated.

Since we parted ways, she’s been fairly prolific, finishing a few books and publishing them on Amazon. That irked me because the only novel I’ve finished is my first, Subjugation. I’ve written three screenplays and created a comic book in that time, but those didn’t seen to count, for some reason. They aren’t novels, darn it.

But, reading the first chapter or so of that book last night, seemingly hastily written and rife with (lack of) editing errors, I felt a fire stir in my belly. Call it the competitive spirit if you will, or something else. Even a little jealousy because she’s published a couple of books while I still continue to struggle.

Well, whatever you want to call it, I’ve got a fire lit under my butt. I’ve written a thousand words in the last hour and I don’t plan to stop anytime soon. I’m going to finish that book, and I’m going to query it around until it’s picked up for traditional publication. This one isn’t going to be some book that gets slapped on Amazon so it can sit there and sell nothing. This book is going to be the one that breaks me into getting properly published.

And even if it doesn’t get traditionally published, it’s still not just going to get slapped on Amazon and sit there doing nothing, like hers. There are a lot of tools available to self-published authors and if I have to publish this one myself, I plan to avail myself of them. There will be reviews, a marketing strategy that involves the media, and maybe even a good old-fashioned book launch party, right in the middle of New Orleans. laissser Les Bontemps rouller, baby!

Needless to say, whatever “blah” patch I had hit is gone. I’m back on track.

So I guess the lesson for today, if there is one, is to find motivation wherever you can. Whether it’s inspiration you find within yourself, or something you find along the way that triggers you to get going again, take that motivation and run with it.

I know I’m going to.

Peace, love and fluffy kittens, y’all.

Quick update

I met with a shop owner a few days ago about hanging my artwork in her shop, and she accepted me. I move my stuff in this week. I can’t tell you how excited I am!

With my work in a real brick-and-mortar shop, and in shops online, I hope this is the start of an upward trend in my artistic career. All bright roads ahead!

Oh, and Marilyn is finished.

Wish me luck with my endeavors, dear friends.

Peace, love, and fluffy kittens, y’all!

Fine Art America

I’ve decided to give this art thing a try, so I’ve created an account on Fine Art America where I can sell original artwork and prints as fine art. I started with this charcoal portrait I did of Stranger Things kid Finn Wolfhard.

I’m holding back the original for now, offering only prints. We’ll see if there’s any interest.

I’m also working on other portraits, like this one of Joe Elliott, still in progress,

And Prince, also a work in progress.

Both of those will be available on Fine Art America, the originals (11×17) and prints of various sizes.

I’m also taking out a booth in a local flea market, where I’ll offer those whimsical little blocks I paint, baby quilts, charcoal portraits, and I’ll do commissions.

People keep telling me I should be making money at my art, so let’s give this art thing a try..

Wish me luck, folks.

Peace, Love and fluffy kittens, y’all!

Dot Com

Just a quick note to let you guys know that my website is up and running.

Stop by JeannieDepp.com to check it out.

Peace, Love and fluffy kittens, y’all!

Reviews

It only just occurred to me yesterday to check and see if there were any reviews for any of my books on Amazon. Two do. Well, one has ratings, and one has ratings and reviews.

Sudan has one customer rating of 5 stars, so that’s great. Thanks to whoever rated it for me!

History Fair has a bunch of ratings ad reviews, most of them positive. There are a couple of negative reviews, I’m sorry to say, both of them complaining that History Fair is a screenplay, not a regular book. Not my fault they didn’t catch that. But one of the two posted pictures of a couple of typos that made it to print. Yikes.

I’ll admit, I was bummed and angry about that. Sure, the typos are there, but did she HAVE to put pictures on her review? The two errors are being fixed as we speak, but those pictures will still be there forever. Readers will forever be able to see those. Mostly, though, I’m angry that two typos made it past my editor and into print. I will definitely not be using that editor again.

But today, I went ahead and read the rest of the reviews. The good ones. Two people said that they were moved to tears. One said that she was moved to laughter AND tears.

One guy said that he lost an uncle on the Indy and that he loved the book.

So the positive far outweighs the negative. That made me feel loads better.

Subjugation and Freeskate do not currently have any reviews. But I remain hopeful.

I guess the thing to remember is that I’m not going to make everybody happy. Not everybody is going to like my work. But, for the most part, at least one project is being well-received. So really, all I can do is write my books and put them out there. Some people might not like them, but some will. That’s the best I can hope for.

Same thing for you, my lovelies. Write only to be true to yourselves and don’t worry about what anybody thinks. Your integrity will win you points in the end.

More later.

Peace, Love, and Fluffy kittens, y’all!

‘Tis The Season

I’m sorry I’ve been scarce lately, but it’s that time of year. I’ve got a cold, and it’s a monster.

I’ll be back with updates soon. I promise. In the meantime, send those healing vibes.

Thankee much!

Pease, Love, and fluffy kittens, y’all!

Do I know enough?

It’s long been a dream of mine to open a quilt shop. Ever since I got bitten by the quilting bug, what, four years ago? I’ve wanted to open my own place, to have shelves upon shelves of gorgeous fabrics, threats, panels, kits, maybe some quilting rulers you can’t run up the street and get at Walmart. My own little corner of the quilting world. Something like this:

But more than that, I also want to offer quilting services, like making custom quilts and taking in other people’s quilts to finish on a longarm machine like this:

Or even a full bed quilting frame like this:

Doing fantastic details like this center medallion:

But while I was up in the middle of the night last night not feeling terribly well, I was plagued with doubt. Do I know enough about quilting to open a shop? I’m sure that I don’t. What the hell am I doing, thinking that I could advise people who have been doing this years longer than I have? I still consider myself something of a beginner with my limited experience? What do I have to offer?

Well, when I got over my little pity party, I realize that I do have plenty to offer. I have enthusiasm, passion and a joy for the craft that I’m sure rival any out there. I also have something else, one of the most powerful tools on the planet. Google. Anything I don’t know, I can look up.

For example, there’s a round pattern that I was thinking of but couldn’t quite think of the name of. It was right on the tip of my brain, driving me crazy. I didn’t even have enough information to search it and find out the name. But finally, after about a half an hour of nosing around, I found it. It’s a Dresden block pattern. Dresden blocks look like this:

Now, I won’t lie. I had no idea whatsoever how to make a Dresden block. It looks far more complicated than anything I’ve done in my meager quilting career. So I googled a tutorial. There were several tutorials on YouTube, but they looked complicated as hell. But I don’t give up that easily, and kept looking. Finally, I found one that broke it down to the basics and made it easy to follow.

And now the mystery is gone. I’m looking forward to making one, just as soon as I buy the right ruler for it.

Another quilt I’ve found to be a total mystery is the Bargello quilt pattern. They look like this:

I man, it looks rather straightforward, but just imagine all the cutting and liking up of blocks and rows. What a nightmare! But there’s a simple trick to these, too. And I don’t need any special ruler for it, just loads of 2.5″ strips. I could either buy coordinating jelly rolls for it, or use my handy-dandy Stripology mat and cut my own. I’ll probably do the latter since Jelly Rolls can be so pricey. $45 bucks and more for a single coordinating Robert Kaufman Jelly roll. They’re gorgeous and high-quality if you’ve got the money. I just don’t. So I’ll cut my own strips and put one of these together, too. Just for proof of concept.

I still don’t have the means or equipment to quilt a bigger project – keeping in mind that the actual quilting is the process of doing the pretty stitching that holds together the front, the back, and the batting in the middle. Sewing together the fabrics to create the top is called piecing, and I can do that all day long. I just don’t have a sewing machine that can to the pretty stitching to finish it off.

So I stick to smaller projects, like Mug Rugs, Placemats, Baby Blankets and Lap Quilts. Those I can fit under my needle and through my machine. So I figure I’ll make one each of those, maybe a Dresden square Table Runner and a Bargello lap quilt. Christmas is coming up in a few weeks. Maybe I’ll gift them to friends and family.

I’ve got one gift quilt coming up that I’m both excited and terrified about. My first full-sized quilt. It’s a wedding quilt, a gift for a dear friend who’s getting married soon. And, since I don’t have a machine fit to do the job, I’ll be sending it out to a longarmer to finish for me. I Googled (there’s that word again!) and found a longarmer that’s semi-local to me, about 40 minutes away. That means that I can drop off and pick up my gift quilt, and not worry about losing it in the mail.

So it seems I’ve got a bunch of projects coming up, on top of finishing my book and sending out the ever-dreaded query to the agent of my choice. And subsequent agents after that if the first one doesn’t have the good sense to sign me. I found him, and the others I’m sure I won’t need, by doing my research. Not just on Google this time, but by recommendations, blogs, book conventions, and word of mouth. I found a guy and an agency that I feel is best suited for me. I hope they feel the same. If not, someone else wll.

Point being, don’t ever think you’re not good enough to do something you’re passionate about, whether it’s writing, quilting, painting, knitting, crochet, or what have you. If you don’t know enough, learn. If you don’t think you’re good enough, practice. Just don’t let anybody tell you that you’re not good enough. Especially yourself.

Do what you love, kids. Then you’ll never work a day in your life.

Peace, Love, and Fluffy kittens, y’all!

Happy Birthday to Me!

Love and light

For a long time now, I’ve spent a lot of time and effort pointing out the negative aspects of a few toxic narcissists as they pull their various and assorted antics, wreaking havoc while the universe revolved around them. I thought that by shining a light on their shady shenanigans, I might somehow get them to stop.

That was stupid of me.

The longer I’ve dealt with toxic narcissists, I should have learned. A toxic narcissist will. Not. Stop. Ever. They feel perfectly entitled to do the hurtful, selfish things they do. Nothing I say here is ever going to stop that.

So I’m no longer going to try.

From now on, I’m going to follow the example of a dear friend of mine, who inspires me to live life with love and light rather than darkness and negativity. And I have to tell you, it lifts a weight off me just to say that. To let it all go. I look forward to feeing even better about how I’m looking at life as I move forward in this world. All positive things to come.

As for me, I’m busy working on my next book, about an old Gypsy woman in a German labor camp. I figure I’ve got less than two weeks until I finish this draft and I can query the agent I’ve chosen to approach. Wish me luck.

I’ll keep you updated about how it goes.

Peace, Love, and Fluffy kittens, y’all!

Move along

I see you still looking, dear stalker.

Maybe it’s time you took your own advice and move it along to some new business. Something that doesn’t revolve around me.

Just saying.

The Query Letter

There is little more terrifying in the world of being an author than writing a query letter.

A query letter, in short, is a pitch that authors send to agents to try to get them interested in their work. It’s the first thing an agent sees from you. And you know the saying about first impressions. You only get one chance to make a good one. That alone makes writing a query letter daunting.

Comprised of just a few paragraphs, the query letter must introduce an agent to an author and the book in such a way as to catch the agent’s attention. Enough to get the agent to request sample chapters, or even the entire manuscript.

Maybe even get the agent interested enough to want to represent the author!

Whether or not a book gets published, maybe even the author’s entire future can be determined by the strength of a single query letter.

No pressure.

Right now, I’m trying to put together a query letter for my book about an old Gypsy woman in a German labor camp. And I’m here to tell you that it’s torture.

How do you sum up a whole book in two paragraphs, and make it interesting enough to catch an agent’s eye? Agents receive thousands of query letters a week. Maybe even a day. What’s going to make my query letter stand out above the stack of others?

There are tons of sites and articles about how to write a query letter, and they vary as much as any subject you can think of. Some say to start with information about yourself as the author first, while others say to leave that to the end. Some say not to include information about yourself at all.

So which one do you run with? How do you pick?

Start with the agent you want to query. He or she probably has a web presence where they tell you not only what they accept, but how they want you to present it to them.

Haven’t picked out an agent yet? Well, I strongly suggest that you do. There’s no better place to start when you want to start shopping your book around to agents than to make a list of agents that accept the type of material you’re trying to peddle.

Where do you find an agent? With so many on the internet, finding an agent to approach can be as daunting as writing that dreaded query letter. They’re everywhere! Who takes what you offer? How do you find out?

An excellent resource for finding an agent to approach is AGENT QUERY. They have a searchable database that lets you search by keyword or genre. And the results provide you with not only an agent’s name, but a wealth of information, such as contact information, what they’re looking for and links to their agency.

Once you select an agent to query, do your homework about that agent. Google them. Follow links and Google them some more. Do they attend writer’s conferences? Do they have their own website and/or blog? Find out. Those sites can be a treasure trove of information.

Often, an agent will put information online not just about what they accept, but also detailed information about how to approach them. Do they represent the kind of work you write? Do they accept unsolicited queries – queries from random authors that haven’t been referred to them? Do they accept email queries or do you have to print one up and send it in via snail mail, old school?

Many agents will give you a friggin’ roadmap to how to approach them. It’s your job as an author to find it and follow it.

That’s very important, following the roadmap. If an agent says that they want a query letter only, don’t get ambitious and send in chapters or your whole book. If they say to include the first five pages, only include the first five pages. If they say not to send attachments, don’t send attachments. Not following an agent’s instructions is the quickest way to get tossed in the reject pile. Or, worse, deleted and never answered.

Stick to the roadmap. Always stick to the roadmap.

There are some tips and hints that I’ve come across in my research about approaching an agent, they include, but are not limited to:

• DON’T get personal with the agent. You may know a good bit about them because you’ve researched them, but they’ve never heard of you. And they don’t want to, not from one query letter. Keep it professional. Stick with the agent’s surname.
• DON’T gush about your book. Don’t tell them that it’s going to be the next Twilight. Just introduce them to it. They’ll decide for themselves if it has merit.
• DON’T tell them how much your relatives/friends/beta readers loved it. That won’t sell the book. Again, just tell the agent about your book and let them decide for themselves how good it is. If you’ve written a good book, just let it speak for itself.
• DON’T tell the agent about other books you have in the hopper. Sell them on one first, then introduce them to the rest of your work when they agree to represent you.
• DON’T gush about yourself. The agent doesn’t care if you were in the scouts as a child, unless your book is about the scouts. They don’t care what your major was in college, unless your book is about that major. You get the idea. DO introduce the agent to aspects of your life as they relate to your work. That’s it.
• DO include your contact information at the end of your letter. I know it should be a given, but you’d be surprised how many authors sign a letter then forget all else. They think that if they’ve emailed an agent, the agent can get the information from that. Don’t count on it. If the agent finds your letter interesting, he or she might print it out for future reference. Make sure your contact info is in the body of your letter. Include your address, email address and your phone number.
• DON’T send the same query letter to multiple agents. DO your homework on each agent you decide to approach and tailor a query letter to them. They’ll notice your professionalism, and may look upon you favorably for it. Hey, any foot in the door.

There are probably a thousand more tips, but these are the biggies that I came across. If I think of others, I’ll include them in the comments.

All of this, and it still doesn’t tell you how to pitch your book in two paragraphs. How do you sum up your book in just a few words?

One tip I can offer is sit back and ask yourself what your book’s about. In general. Mine is about an old Gypsy woman in a German labor camp. That’s it in a nutshell. I’ll embellish a bit when I write the query, of course, to make it interesting and tell the agent why he should care about the old girl. But its a good place to start.

Once you’ve got that one line, the most basic premise of what your book is about, you can go from there. You can come up with a paragraph that sums up what your book’s about. Make it quick, but make it catchy.

Here’s what a basic query letter should look like:

Date
Agent’s name
Agent’s contact information

Dear [agent]
Quick hook. If your book has a good, brief blurb, that could work here.
[title] is a [genre] info, include your estimated page count.

Book paragraph. Here’s where you talk about the book. This is it, kids. This is where you sell it. So make it brief, one paragraph, but make it good.
End this paragraph with a hook, if you can.

Paragraph about yourself, particularly as it relates to your work.

Pleasantries (Best, Best wishes, I look forward to hearing from you, Sincerely, etc)

Your name
Your pseudo name, if you have one
Your address
Your email address
Your phone number

I hope this helps with your quest to come up with a good query letter. Please don’t hesitate to let us know how you do.

Peace, Love, and Fluffy kittens, y’all!

Creative!

After my recent trip, I came home determined to be useful and productive every day. And I don’t just mean doing the dishes and scooping the cat boxes. Those things are useful, certainly, but I’m talking about using my creative gifts.

So I’ve come up with a rough schedule. I work on Blox, then a portrait, then Blox some more. I round out my schedule by writing a minimum or 2,000 words a day. Then I usually hit the Blox again.

The blox come into play so often because they get done in steps. I paint a layer, then I have to wait for that to dry before I can work on it some more. So I work on something else. Today, I’m working on some Halloween blox.

‘Tis the season, after all.

As for portraits, I’ve just finished up with this guy.

I’m not sure who I’m going to draw next. Maybe another one of this guy, or one of the rockers from Def Leppard. I haven’t done one of Sav’s face that I’m happy with. I’ll probably do that, since I’m thinking about him. I’ve also wanted to do Marilyn Monroe, too. And Bowie. So I’ve got no shortage of inspiration when it comes to subject matter.

The book I’m working on is the one about the old Romani woman in the German labor camp. I do have a title for it, but I hesitate to post it for fear of having some asshat rush to publish a book of the same name so that when I publish, I look like a copycat. It’s happened before, so don’t laugh. Stranger things, and all that. I’ll have a title and cover reveal when the book’s about to come out, whether I self-publish through my own imprint or it gets picked up and published traditionally. I hope for the latter, of course.

Anyway, that’s the book that won the poll, so that’s the one that gets all of my attention. I had put it aside because there was a plot point I just couldn’t figure out. But I’ve solved that point, and now the book is flowing like water. At the rate I’m going, I should have 60,000 words on paper within a month. That’s just the first draft, of course, but it’s still a victory.

After that first draft is done, I don’t sit back on my laurels. I dive right in on the second draft. Somewhere along the way, I’ll need to find a couple of beta readers to look at it for me with fresh eyes. Any takers?

And the whole time, I keep working on those Blox. Halloween is upon us and Christmas is right around the corner. Then come Mardi Gras and Easter. There’s no shortage of inspiration for those, either. Especially if you throw in the usual fare of flowers, butterflies, kids, cats and other cute subjects. I’ll never run out of things to paint on a wood block.

The lesson for today, I guess, is to keep busy with whatever you’re working on. Maybe don’t take on so many tasks at once, but do keep up with what you’ve got going on. If you’re working on a book, give it some time every day. If you paint, be sure to get your brushes wet. Don’t let your creativity get overshadowed by the drudgery of everyday life.

I know one writer that’s got a GENIUS idea for a book, but I don’t think she’s worked on it in weeks. Maybe months. Maybe as long as a year. And it’s infuriating! It’s SUCH a good idea! Hell, if she doesn’t write it, I might. It’s that good.

Whatever your creative muse is, be sure to give it some attention every day.

Above all else, have fun.

Peace, Love, and fluffy kittens, y’all!

Opinion poll: What should I publish next?

I wrote this as an answer to a question in a previous comment here on Ye Olde Blog, but thought I should go ahead and create a whole post about it.

What would you like to see me publish next?

What do you think? What would you like to read? Here are the options:\

1) A book about the cure for cancer. It’s a real thing, set in a fictional story so that I can educate through entertainment.

2) A book about about an old gypsy woman in a German labor camp.

3) A book set in the near-distant future where every legal citizen is microchipped for their own safety and convenience.

4) A book about fans of an aging rock star engaging each other in flame wars online – until they start ending up dead in real life. Who’s doing it, and why?

Let me know and I’ll see what I come up with.

MIA

I know that I’ve been missing in action lately. I haven’t posted about any projects or anything else that’s going on in my life, really. That’s because I’ve been out of town and haven’t really been able to work on anything. I’ve dabbled with a bit of writing, but it’s on a project that I don’t have saved to this computer. Or even to my cloud. I’ll have to dig through disks to look for it.

It’s an old revenge book that I started, called Sin.

See, my first book, Subjugation, exists because I was in a crappy marriage and got a divorce. Every time my ex did something crappy to me in real life, I tortured my ex on paper, or killed off a new victim in print. It was quite cathartic.

Same thing with Sin. It exists because I went through a terrible flame war online with some other fans of Def Leppard. They really put me through the wringer, starting rumors about me that weren’t true. Someone that knew the band even fed those rumors to the guys. It was a horrible, helpless feeling not being able to defend myself to people that I looked up to so much.

Eventually, I met the band for myself, and I think they’ve come to accept that you can’t believe everything you hear. I’m good on that front.

But, being an author, I couldn’t pass up the chance at a good story. So I started writing Sin, a fictional story based loosely on those very real flame wars. I still remember those horrible, helpless feelings, and all those rumors and arguments still exist for all posterity. So why not put them to good use?

I’ve made peace with most of the people who were involved in those flame wars, and they’ve given me their blessing to go ahead and let ‘er fly. One or two of those other fans still remain convinced that I’m evil incarnate and still love to play the victim, even all these years later. I don’t know how they’ll feel about reading all of that nastiness written up for fun and profit, and I really don’t care. I’ve said it many times: how you show up in print depends on you and how you act. If you’re sweet, I’ll paint you as an angel. If you’re a jerk, expect to be shown as such. And if you see yourself in my words even though I’ve changed the names, then you have only yourself to thank.

There’s somebody that wasn’t involved in those flame wars that’s been written into Sin lately. And that’s not the only book she can expect to see herself represented. She might see some of her less charming character traits in just about every villain I come up with. And, again, she has only herself to thank for it.

But the foundation and reason for Sin remains the same. To wreak havoc and revenge upon those who have wronged me. I’m a writer. I can do that. And, if I do it well, I’ll get paid for it. That’s not only revenge, but poetic justice.

So the lesson for today, kids, is several fold. First, don’t give up on old projects. I haven’t even though about Sin for years, but it’s still there, waiting patiently for me to rediscover it. It was a good story then and it’s a good story still. So, most likely, are yours. So take ’em out, dust ’em off, and give ’em another look.

I also want to tell you know not to be afraid of using your own story as the basis for your books. But if you do that, be sure to be honest. Don’t fall into the Mary Sue trap of making yourself look good. If you were a jerk, be honest about it. If you screwed up, say that, too. That makes for a genuine story that your readers will accept and appreciate.

If you just try to make yourself look good at all costs, that’s a lie. Nobody’s perfect. Nobody’s squeaky clean. Your readers will see right through the lie and resent you for it. They certainly won’t enjoy the story, even if you change your name, too.

To make a long story short – I know, too late – be honest.

Most of all, have fun. If you have fun writing it, your readers will have fun reading it. So make that a priority. Get your facts right, sure. tell a compelling story. Do all that responsible writer stuff. But have fun.

I’ve got other projects I plan to get back to, as well. There are baby quilts just waiting to get, well, quilted, and holiday projects waiting to get made. The Spring Market at the Mill is just around the corner, and I want to have enough products to sell. I also have artwork that won’t let me rest until I’ve expressed it. Pictures that live in my brain that want to be put down on paper. Things like that.

Point being, I’ve got a whole lot coming. Look forward to some progress soon.

Aftermath

More than one storm is over for me.

Most recently, Ida breezed over us, leaving no damage in my neighborhood. By and large, we got away unscathed.

Most importantly, there will be no more drama over my cat. His microchip is in my name and my name only. That chapter of my life is over.

That’s not to say that these things are forgotten, though. I’m a writer. And, as a writer, everything of note that happens to me filters down into my work. There might be a reference to a nuance, or there might be a retelling of events in whole. It depends on the basics for every writer. Who, what, where, when and how. How deeply did it impact upon my life, and what can I get out of it for a story?

It doesn’t take an earth-shattering event to make my list. It can be something as little as a person I met in passing at the doctor’s office. I’ve had some fascinating conversations in passing that have enriched my work as they’ve enriched my life. Could be some snarky bitch that gave me the stinkeye at the store because I wouldn’t let her cut in front of me in line with a cart full of stuff. Yeah, she ended up in a story, too.

Of course, there are major events that inspire me as well. Like a marriage, divorce, having children, and everything involved in life in general. My first novel exists solely for the purpose of killing my ex husband off in effigy. A lot.

See, that’s the thing. If you cross my path at all, you’re likely to end up in a novel. In what capacity depends entirely upon you. If you’re sweet to me, you’ll probably get a great part in a book, a friend, an angel, or an all-around good guy. I love to lavish praise upon good people. I really do. It makes writing a true joy.

But if you hurt me in real life, things aren’t going to end well for you in print.

If you hurt someone I love, it’s going to be really ugly for you on paper.

If you’ve done both, you’re well and truly fucked. It’s a big world out there, and there are a whole LOT of things that can go wrong for you. And I can be really creative. It’s my stock in trade, and you can count on all kinds of fun.

And my memory is long.

You might not end up in the book I’m working on today. You might not be in the next one. But I guarantee that you WILL end up being represented in my prose.

So if you’ve been a good and loyal friend, like a few of you here that have hung around since the beginning, don’t worry. You’ll see yourself in one of my books.

If you’ve been horrible, to me or in general, same thing. Sooner or later, your time will come. If you’re the type to troll a dead ex boyfriend, that’s far too good a story not to incorporate into an appropriate story. One of my books in the works involves an aging rock star, his groupies, his exes, his decline and how he deals with it. You’re likely to show up in that one.

If you’re a toxic narcissist that abuses everyone around you then plays the victim, I guarantee you’ll get at least a chapter dedicated to you. Probably a whole book.

If you’re a stalker that terrorizes innocent people in unbelievably personal and painful ways, delighting in the pain you inflict, I promise you that there’s not just a special place in hell for you, but there’s a coveted spot among my pages where you will most certainly appear. And I can tell you right here and now that I will delight in letting karma deal with you in all sorts of creative ways. In print, of course.

Like I said before. I’m a writer. I’m observant, I don’t forget, and I’ve got a whole lot of time on my hands. I can take all the time I want to get it just right. To think of the punishment that best fits the crime in the most devious, delicious ways.

But, not to worry. You’re probably not among those select few. You’re probably just somebody who happened upon this blog. Or, more likely, you’re one of those stalwart few that have stuck around through thick and thin.

I think that’s the lesson for today, kids. Reward the people who have been good to you, and punish the people who deserve it. All on paper, because you’re a writer, and that’s what it’s there for.

Most of all, have fun. I know I will.

Ida

Hurricane Ida looks to hit Louisiana pretty hard tonight, tomorrow. They’re saying that it’s the worst hurricane to hit us since the 1850’s. Governor John Bell Edwards has declared a state of emergency, and FEMA is poised to step in. It looks like it’s going to get really nasty.

I’ve heard that one ugly soul has said that they hope the hurricane wipes me out once and for all, which just goes to show you what kind of people there really are out there. Because it wouldn’t just take me out. For it to be that bad, it would have to take out a whole bunch of other people too. But I guess that doesn’t matter as long as I go.

Ugly souls out there. Just ugly.

At the same time, I’ve received a LOT of prayers and wishes that we all come through it okay. Those prayers and well-wishes are appreciated more than you know.

So it’s gratifying to see that the vast majority of people out there are kind and thoughtful. You guys are the best. I’ll keep you updated as best I can.

Here we go.

Charlotte

I hear that Charlotte Douglas International Airport is the sixth busiest airport in the world. I don’t know if that’s true or not, but I can tell you that it was bustling with activity yesterday. What seemed like thousands of people were all busy getting somewhere. Funny how that is, isn’t it? Everybody’s got someplace to be.

Me, I don’t think I’ve ever flown into Charlotte before. It seemed odd to me that we deplaned onto the tarmac, but I’m told that it’s a pretty common thing there. We had to hike through a fence, around a corner, a fair bit along the outside of the airport itself, and finally into the terminal. I mean, I’m glad it wasn’t hot or anything.

I’m here to tell you that it’s got to be a good mile from one end of the E concourse to the other. It took forever to get to the atrium. But, it was worth the walk. The flowers and trees were just as pretty as a picture, bathed in sunlight through the plentiful wall and overhead windows. There’s a light, open, airy feel about it. I saw people just sitting in rocking chairs, chilling the day away.

There were lots of shops and restaurants, just the smell of barbecue was amazing! And the little Charlotte news stand shops even carry coconut Bai waters! You almost cant find those things anywhere in an airport! They didn’t have any cold at the moment, but I was so happy to see them, I took one at room temperature and minded it not one bit.

There’s even a little watering hole called Captain Jack’s, which I adore. Being a Johnny Depp fan and all.

Whether you’re traveling for business, pleasure, or anything else, it’s pretty amazing what you’ll see along the way, isn’t it?

Peace, Love and Fluffy kittens, y’all!

Joy!

It is with the utmost joy that I’m finally able to tell you that the microchip inside my cat Brutus is now registered in my name and my name only.

I’d like to thank those of you that supported me in this matter for the last 3+ years. Your support has meant the world to me. It truly has. But it is finally over.

Now, back to quilting, art and writing books!

Peace, Love, and fuffy Kittens, y’all!

Happy!

Things are looking up for your favorite Lady of Lepp. A lot of pieces are falling into place in my life, and I thought I’d share my happiness.

For one thing, I got to spend a month with my family in the north. Not only did I get to visit people I love, but a change of scenery sent me home with a new perspective on life. I guess I was in kind of a rut before. I’m not now.

It’s amazing what a fresh perspective can do. I’m approaching everything with a brand new mix of resolve and optimism. I’ve got a brand new lust for writing that I haven’t felt in a long time. I’d been writing, sure, but not with the same hunger and passion. I like it.

And I’m drawing, not just because I’m hard-wired to, but because I have a renewed joy for doing it. It truly makes me happy to create something. It’s not just a job. I’m even creating a new line of stationery featuring my fairy art.

I’ve even started doing my nails, now that I’ve discovered these nifty nail polish wraps. They’re super easy to apply, and I love how they look. My favorites are Glam-oflage

and Coral Bay, which I’m currently wearing.

I’m not really a girly-girl, I don’t wear makeup every day. Hell, I hardly ever wear makeup at all. But I do love playing around with my fingernails.

Point being, life is pretty sweet for me right now. I should go away and come back more often if it’s going to have such a positive outcome.

So that’s my advice for today. Do what you can to look at your life from a different perspective. Change it up somehow. The outcome could bring you and your work a fresh breath of life.

Peace, love, and fluffy kittens, y’all!