Autharium (aka Indie) Strikes Back

Last Friday, the following comment showed up in my moderation file:

Re: Autharium Drama
Maybe you should try being in Matt's shoes for one day. Try living on under 4 hours sleep with 4 children and a partner who's mother is critically ill in hospital. Then see if you can post an email that satisfies your intergalactic standards.

It belongs to a post from nearly two years ago, More Autharium Drama. Go look it over. I'll wait.

* * *

You're back? A lot of crap that passed under the bridge two years ago, right?

First of all, the comment, which I approved for posting, gives me a chance to re-visit a company whose tactics I questioned. Rather than issue press releases touting their new, improved terms, Autharium changed its name to Indie. The terms I had concerns about two years ago, I still question now. The funny thing is my posts about Autharium (aka Indie) are still near the top results of most search engines.

So who left the anonymous comment, hoping to make me feel guilty? Well, I have my suspicions, but I'm going to address the particulars anyway. *grin*

Obviously, my mysterious commenter hasn't bothered to look at my blog for the last two years. Regular readers know about some of my travails, but I'm not going to spell them all out. Social media isn't the place to spill personal shit, contrary to what some folks on Facebook believe.

The main point, and I really hate to say this, is that Matt's shoes don't matter in a professional environment. Guess what? My shoes don't matter either, not when it comes to our customers/clients/readers. In a professional environment, if we want to call ourselves professionals, we are simply required to do our jobs without whining.

Seriously, if you walked into McDonald's and the person taking your order started complaining about his parents ragging on him, how he's failing Algebra because his teacher's really smokin', and his girlfriend won't put out, what would you think?

For the first time, I pray this was a real troll comment. I'm really hoping that Matt Bradbeer wasn't stupid enough to post this comment because it plays exactly into my criticism of his lack of social media awareness from his e-mail and tactics from 2014.

I also hopes he reads this because, Matt, if you really are under that much pressure, no business is worth ruining your health for.

The Slightly More Serious Totally Not Safe for Work Valentine's Day Present

Here's a more serious version of the R-rated Deadpool trailer. 34 days and counting!

Writing in the Middle of a Crisis

If one more person tells me how much they want to write a novel, but they just don't have the time, I might just bitchslap them.

Because I'm sure as hell not going to waste my Starbucks Venti Peppermint Mocha throwing it in their face.

(Praise Murphy and all other deities! There's a Starbucks in our town now! I can retain my Gold status for 2016. Actually, this news is a very good thing for those who irritate me. Buying me a Venti Peppermint Mocha will make me bitchslapping you less likely.)

The new Starbucks has helped me cope with the family drama. We started 2016 with MIL still in the Physical Rehab/Skilled Nursing facility. Only to have Blue Cross/Blue Shield try to say she doesn't need such care. Mind you, the woman has a gaping open wound on her leg that is the length and twice the width of my forearm. As in, she could be an extra on The Walking Dead without any make-up. It's bad enough that we'll be consulting with a plastic surgeon later next week.

On a side note: I fucking hate Blue Cross/Blue Shield! These are the same assholes who tried to deny coverage on DH's emergency surgery when a cancer tumor literally ripped open his colon. Their reason? Not getting preauthorization.

Back in the current time frame, FIL hasn't been dealing with the absence of MIL very well. He's been eating less and less. He complained about intense pain in his leg (ironically, the same side MIL is having problems with). DH took him to the ER on the 30th. After a CAT scan, the doc thought the problem was sciatica, i.e. pressure on the sciatic nerve due to inflammation and spasming of his back muscles, probably from stress. Unfortunately, things got worse.

So, Monday started with BC/BS being assholes and ended with FIL back in the ER with more symptoms than his original sciatica.

What does any of this have to do with writing?

In the middle of helping DH with his parents, I actually got words in.

Nope, not lying. I have words. Maybe not thousands, but I've got hundreds over the last seven days. A hair over 200 per day for the first six days.

For one thing, writing has actually been my method of relaxing prior to publication. I lost that along the way. Finding the fun again has been one of my goals this year.

Which brings me to letting go of the pressure I've been putting on myself to publish faster and faster. The more pressure I loaded in my head, the more I felt like a failure for not living up to unobtainable, unrealistic goals given all the family issues over the last two and a half years.

The last trick was not getting caught up in some weird ritual before I wrote. And yes, I've tried them all. My only ritual now is pulling out my iPhone when I'm waiting in line or sitting in a doctor's office and typing a sentence or a paragraph or a chapter.

An iPhone? Yep, an iPhone, using the Notes app. So far, I'm five chapters into Sacrificed which will be Bloodlines Book 8.

And right now, there's someone reading this, screaming "I can't do that! The screen's too small." Remember "weird ritual" above?

Yep, that's what the screamer is doing. Not letting go of a weird ritual. If you don't like my method, that's fine, but don't tie yourself to one method. I didn't think I could write on a smartphone, one sentence at a time, either. Surprise!

So yes, you can write in the middle of a major family crisis. Just let go of your preconceived notions first.

The Totally Not Safe for Work Valentine's Day Present

Yes, I have already demanded that DH take me to see Deadpool for Valentine's Day. No, I'm not your typical soccer mom.

Seriously, folks, this is NSFW!

Happy New Year!

May all your goals be accomplished in the coming year!

End of the Year Review, Or Why Murphy Is the One, True God

Plans.

I had so many plans this year. Novels and shorts published under both names. And what is the end result?

Only one short story, a sword and sorcery fantasy, was published in someone else's anthology.

Selling a short should make any writer happy. Don't get me wrong; it does.

But right now, life has kicked me in the head again.

Today marks the end of the second week of my MIL's stay at a rehab care facility. She fell on their front porch the Sunday after Thanksgiving, and ended up in the hospital. The injuries from the fall itself weren't the problem per se, but other issues came to light, which resulted in a week's stay at the hospital before she was transferred.

And because no one in my husband's family can keep a straight head in a crisis, I'm the one keeping track of everything.

Which is the capper to a year of dealing with a variety of personal issues, mainly other people's.

It doesn't mean I haven't been writing. I've been tapping away on my phone while waiting on kids and parents at various appointments.

It doesn't mean I haven't been editing. There's a proof copy of a paperback sitting in my backpack, along with a highlighter and sticky notes, that gets pulled out when I can.

But right now, I'm angry and frustrated because it feels like I'm spinning my wheels on my career for the third straight year. It doesn't help that if you're reading this today, Wednesday the 30th, I'm probably sitting in MIL's room, listening while the medical team plans for her eventual release.

Why am I there? Because the two sisters-in-law who are supposed to have the power and responsibility for medical decisions probably didn't show up. Again. And FIL asked DH to be there, and DH asked me to be there, because they both are having trouble keeping track of all the doctors' opinions and appointments because they're stressed and worried and not thinking straight.

I really want to say, "Not my circus, not my monkeys," and bury myself in Sam's latest adventure because, well, cursed phones, a Kevin Smith clone, and the return of Baron Samedi are way more fun than wound care and blood sugar levels and blood oxygen readings.

Needless to say, nothing more will be released in 2015. Here's hoping 2016 will be a little better.

Monday Movie Mania - Star Wars: The Force Awakens

I think I have a split personality after watching the latest installment of the Star Wars saga. Thirteen-year-old me is ecstatic! Fifty-year-old writer me wasn't impressed.

I don't want to ruin the movie for anyone who hasn't seen it yet, so here's my only SPOILERS:

* * *


SPOILERS


* * *


1) I hate FUCKING CLIFF HANGERS! Unless you have a good enough story to overlook it. TESB works. TFA does not.

2) Harrison Ford finally got his wish.

3) There's a reason Mark Hamill isn't featured in the teasers. He does NOT have one FUCKING WORD of DIALOGUE!

4) Leia and Rey ROCKED!

5) J.J. Abrams kept to the spirit of the original.

I'll tell you right now. This isn't a complete story. I think that's my biggest problem with TFA. The original Star Wars had a complete story. Sure there was stuff before and stuff after, but the story as shown on the screen had complete plot and character arcs. It's why I use it an a prime example of the classic three-act structure for newbie writers.

But this? This kind half-assed of story crap is why readers hate a lot of indie writers.

So between my two personalities, I have to give Star Wars: The Force Awakens a 6 out of 10.

* * *

P.S. There's SPOILERS in the comments, so don't read 'em if you haven't seen it!

Holiday Music from My Youth

Nothing rocks any holiday like The Boss.

Merry Christmas!

Have a wonderful day with your friends and/or family!

Writing over the Holidays

This time of year you see so many posts from writers on how to be productive through the holidays.

I'm not going to give you any tips on writing.

Instead, put aside your journal or notebook or laptop. Go out and be with family and friends. Be with people that make you happy. Enjoy the season and whatever holiday you may celebrate. Eat good food. Play. Make merry.

I know far too many people who live with regrets. For the words not said. The hugs not given.

So go out and interact with real people this holiday season. Meet strangers. Ask deep questions. Laugh.

Even if you think you know someone, memorize the person they are now. See the little guy above? Not even that version of him will be around forever. So go out and love the people in your life and enjoy yourself.

Trust me, your imaginary friends will be waiting for you when you get back.