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Thanks so much for inviting me today, Lydia!
It’s hard to believe that I’ve been writing for over four years. Sometimes it’s hard to believe that I’m a published author. The journey has been thrilling, devastating, exhausting, and shocking all at once. My emotions have never been so topsy-turvy about anything else—for realz!
I’ve often pondered what it is about writing and publishing that gets my blood going. Certainly, it has to do with the countless number of hours put into drafting, editing, plotting, revising, and brainstorming various projects, only to hear I need to rework something, or—GASP!—start over. It conjures images of building a masterpiece sandcastle only to have the ocean slap it away or constructing an intricate ice sculpture only to watch it melt. It’s even more painful to have to destroy (erm, I mean, polish) a manuscript myself.
So what keeps me going?
It’s that moment when you’re reconstructing a scene, paragraph, or chapter and you see the ENTIRE thing click into place like it’s never clicked before.
It’s getting an email from a publisher that, yes, they like your manuscript and want to PUBLISH IT.
It’s getting a, “HUZZAH!” from your crit partner.
It’s getting overwhelming support from your writing buds.
It’s getting a tweet that someone outside your regular network that they’ve bought your book.
It’s getting a review that makes your day.
The journey is slow. It’s stressful. It brings you to the brink of quitting (in my case, many times). It gives you euphoric highs. It makes you hungry for more.
How about you? What keeps you writing?
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About the author:
When she's not writing, she is working at the hospital, blogging at Author Laura Diamond--Lucid Dreamer, and renovating her 225+ year old fixer-upper mansion. She is also full-time staff member for her four cats and a Pembroke corgi named Katie.
Find Laura online:
blog
facebook author page
website
amazon author page
goodreads author page
Author's Den
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About Shifting Pride:
Sixteen-year-old Nickie Leone has proof her father is still alive. His watch arrives in the mail, with a note telling her to “keep it hidden,” and her curiosity is piqued. She obeys the request, even keeping it hidden from her mother. But when an email from her father disappears before her very eyes, she begins to question her own sanity.
And things get even more complicated when she meets Xavian Katz, the blue-eyed, blonde hottie whose contagious smile and ridiculous sense of humor make her want to tell him all her secrets. But there’s a current beneath his charm that she can’t quite read. He’s hiding something.
When Nickie grows pointed ears and whiskers…and then a tail!...Xavian (who always seems to knows the right time to be around) seems unsurprised. He’s a shapeshifter too, a coincidence that Nickie can’t deny or ignore. She needs his help to master her new abilities, because her father’s rival, Derek, wants her to join his tribe. The last thing she wants is to be under his rule, but Derek’s got something to do with her dad’s disappearance—she knows it. And maybe letting herself be captured is the best way to find out…
Where to purchase Shifting Pride:
Amazon
Omnilit
B&N
Where to purchase New Pride:
Amazon
Omnilit
B&N
Thanks so much for joining us today, Laura!
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Would you like to be a guest blogger? Email your topic idea to lydiasharp4sff (at) yahoo (dot) com. Please put "guest post" somewhere in the subject line. You do not have to be a published author to be a guest blogger here, just a serious writer or a publishing industry professional or intern. We'd love to hear from you!
That 'clickable' moment is the BOMB! I'm currently waiting for that one. lol
ReplyDeleteLoved this, Laura.
When it happens, it'll blow your mind. ;)
DeleteThe number one thing keeping me going with my current WIP is having crit partners say "finish it because we want to read it!!" There's nothing like having a built-in audience. And I empathize, because I get excited for them to finish theirs so I can read too!
ReplyDeleteYes, the cheering squad--a fabulous motivator!
DeleteAwesome! What keeps me going is the fact that these characters won't get out of my head and leave me alone until I pull 'em out and dump them onto the page. I hate it when that happens. =)
ReplyDeleteCongrats!!!!!!!!!
LOL! Writing is a good method of brain cleaning. ;)
DeleteLots of things keep me going, but coming to mind right now:
ReplyDeleteDiscovering a new author
Getting emails from new writers asking my advice and opinion
Accidentally clicking on my book report on Amazon and discovering I sold a book!
Excellent--love these!
DeleteThose are definitely great things to keep you going! :) I also love when you are editing your manuscript and forget to edit it because you are just enjoying the story so much.
ReplyDeleteThe things you listed (and the mere thought of them) do keep me going as well.
ReplyDeleteMy main motivation, though, is that I start feeling terrible if I don't write often. :-)
P.S. Hi Lydia! New follower here.
DeleteHi! ~waves~ Thanks for following!
DeleteWhat keeps me going? I think it's my characters. They keep nagging. :p
ReplyDeleteLaura, it is so exciting to see you promoting your release. It is such an amazing journey, and you've made it!
ReplyDeleteawesome points! I think you hit on every reason why we do continue doing this despite it all. Great stuff, Laura! Hi, Lydia! *waves* :o) <3
ReplyDeleteHello, lovely! ~blows kisses~
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