My Journey As An Author

My book, "Tarot, Birth Cards, and You" is out. Each step of the way I think I am fine, then when I get there I am nervous! It is incredible to have it in my hands, it is incredible to be able to actually sign copies and send them to friends! It is incredible that my friends are doing reviews of my book - which they do not have to do. I would have sent them the book anyway!

It is very strange to be on the other side of the interview table - answering the questions, rather than asking them. The questions have been very good ones, too! Including the one ab out whether I had another Tarot book in process, which I do. Subject dwelling in the mists, for now. Proposal is out to my editor, I will have to see what she thinks. If it is accepted, I am sure that she knows she won't be seeing the panicked little person that she saw the first time around. I know what questions to ask, this time, and I know a bit about the process.

Interesting things have been happening - did you realize that a package will get to Sweden before it gets to Western Canada? (They were sent on the same day.) I think I also have it down that I have to fill out customs paperwork to send anything out of country. (I grabbed a fistful the last time I was at the post office - it beats filling them out at the post office!)

I have to ask my editor about books from brick and mortar publishers going into e-book format. I am not sure how they handle that. I do suggest that people click the "Do You Want To See This On Kindle" button on Amazon.com - that might help.

Speaking of clicking buttons - many of us are now using Google +1. When you see this on someone's site, blog, or article - please take the time to click on it. Unless you don't like the site, blog, or article - then just be polite and move on.

Focus for this coming week - edit my Power Point for my webinar with Linda Marson. Thank you Linda for setting the files up for me - I would not have had a clue!

(c) September Bonnie Cehovet

Allowing The Flow

I had hoped to get my WIP finished and edited in April. We are ten days into May and that has not happened. Life interferes! However, I am at a point where I am comfortable allowing life ti interfere. If I see a side issue that I want to follow, I allow myself to do that. Quite often it leads me to new places, and a new understanding of what I am already working on.

I have found that the time I spend on my music connected work not only gives me great joy, but energises me. I like the contacts that I am making, and love listening to the new (to me) music. I often use it as a backdrop while I am working ... especially the instrumental work of jazz saxophonist Charley Langer. Wonderful person, soulful music!

I am actively developing my characters for my WIP ... some of whom are surprising me! One couple that will probably only appear in this book (I intend this book to be the start of a series) are turning out to be very strong people. Strong because of their background, and strong because of their connection with life.

Another character is showing a bit of who I am (all of my characters are amalgums of the people that I know in my life, and people that I have read about) ... a part that again surprises me. Not that the qualities are there, but that I am willing to talk about them.

My bible for this book is growing beyond what I thought that it would be. I have to smile when I think back to the mystery shows that I have watched, where the writer is murdered, and the bible for their work is stolen. I thought this would be maybe a few pages - important pages, but just a few pages. It is close to being a book in and of itself!

I am also in the process of setting up a web-based class, as a prelude to doing webinars and online seminars for my upcoming Tarot book. I want to use the first class, which will be on a topic only tangentially related to my book, to see what I need to practice, what tools I need to be able to use in a stronger fashion. I am lucky, in that I have picked out two individuals that host webinars and classes, and will be scheduling through them. Win/win - they have a seminar or class to present through their company, and I have someone to watch the chatroom and help me through the technical morass.

Next up - finding mystery writer's blogs to follow, and perhaps one or two more writers groups to join. Thank you Google Calendar for being there to keep me straight!