THE WISH LIST

It's here!

And so am I!

The Search for a Puppy

It started last summer (2009). We decided we were ready for a new addition to the family. Most especially for my daughter, who has IDD (Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities), to give her something to love and care for and to love her back. But it would be a family dog. So we started our search. We visited the pounds and shelters of our city daily and never found a puppy. OK, we did once, but no kidding, we stood in line to adopt the dog, and the woman in front of us adopted the dog we were going to get.

Let me explain further. We had a specific idea for our next dog. We wanted a small breed, a puppy, but beyond that we were pretty flexible. And we were determined to rescue a dog.

Fast forward to today. We still don’t have a dog. As much as I wanted to rescue a dog, it just isn’t working out. Around here, every dog is either a Chihuahua or a pit bull. In fact we saw one puppy this weekend that was a Chihuahua/pit cross (don’t ask me how that happened). I know, I know. I’ve heard stories about great pit bulls, and perhaps they do have an undeserved reputation, but we didn’t want a pit. And sorry, we just don’t like Chihuahua that much (Don’t write me hate mail--it’s a matter of taste, just like dark or milk chocolate). From my experiences in the shelters, I’d say at least 50% of the animals available were pit bulls or pit crosses, and among the small dogs at least 50% were Chihuahua or Chihuahua crosses. I think if we lived elsewhere the outcome would be different. (I believe I’ve mentioned in the past how isolated Albuquerque really is.

So we’ve succumbed and bought a dog. For the first time in my life, I’ve paid to get a dog. I still firmly believe in rescuing dogs, and if we ever decide on a large dog again, I’ll definitely go to the shelters.

Oh what kind of dog? A cockapoo. I’ll keep you posted and maybe even get a picture up. The puppy won’t arrive for two weeks yet. ‘Til then, woof, woof.
--Gabi

Books I'm reading now:
Devil in my Bed by Celeste Bradley
Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters by Jane Austen and Ben H. Winters

Making the Rounds

It's been a busy few weeks. Want to see what I've been doing? I'm scheduled on the following blog sites for the release of THE WISH LIST. Yes, the blogs are all different from one another (although I can't be held responsible if they sound similar) and many include giveaways. So be sure to visit these sites to learn more about me and my novel.

Appearances:

April 13, 2010
Pen and Muse


April 16
PASIC To Be Read


April 22
Literary Escapism


April 26
Enchanted by Books


April 26
Paranormality

April 28
Borders True Romance


April 29
Lucy Monroe’s Readers at Home On-line Conference


May 5
Petit Fours and Hot Tamales

Paty Jager


May 11
Muse Interrupted


May 15
Speaker at the Rio Rancho Public Library (This one's live)

May 28

Much Cheaper than Therapy


Reviews:

The Pen and Muse


Michelle and Leslie's Book Picks


Single Titles

Genre Go Round Reviews


Larissa's Bookish Life

Wicked Little Pixie

Heather's Books

And I have a couple of items up for auction at Brenda Novak's 2010 Auction Anything for Diabetes Research. One for writers, the other for anyone. More details later.
Hope to see you there.
--Gabi

Books I'm reading now:
Texas Princess by Jodi Thomas

Twenty Days

Time slips by when you're not paying attention. I've been getting so much ready for the release of THE WISH LIST, that I haven't posted anything here in weeks. Sorry about that.
So today's blog is about what I've been up to to prepare for THE WISH LIST's release.

Actually the process started several months back. As soon as I received the cover (It was November), I posted it on my blog and web site. In December I placed my first ad (in Romance Sells). In January, I started lining up guest blogs and contacting people who showed interest in the novel. In February my ARC's (advanced reader copy) arrived, and I sent them out to various review sites. Also in February, I designed my bookmarks--in the name of full disclosure, I have to tell you that my husband designed the bookmarks--and ordered them. And thus followed many trips to the post office. I also decided what other if any promo I would do, and more trips to the post office to mail off ARC's and bookmarks. More promo followed in March, as well as blog writing, making knick-knacks (I have some vials of fairy dust with labels), and just keeping current.

Now we're twenty days away from the release. Hooray! The first of my blogs shows up next week, and in the meantime, I'm biting my nails as reviews come trickling in (so far, so good). I'm excited and eagerly awaiting the first real copy of the book to hold in my hand. I'm also writing the third book in the trilogy, working on other ideas and still holding down the day job.

Ack! Twenty days!
--Gabi
Books I'm reading now:
Phantom in the Night by Sherilyn Kenyon and Diana Love

Blog Award

I was awarded this blog award much too long ago (Feb 28) and I've finally had the chance to pass it forward. First thank you to Jessica Rabbit for giving me the award in the first place. She has been so much fun to talk with.

Now here are the people I'm sending you to:

Lydia Parks

Molly Evans

Belle Sloan

Darynda Jones

Cat Lovington

These ladies have offered me friendship and support whenever I've needed it. THey make writing less lonely and are wise women.

Here are the rules in accepting this blog award:

* Post the award logo & use it on your own blog.

* Nominate at least 5 other bloggers you feel have become part of your circle of friends. {link to your nominees within your blog post}

* Include these instructions in your post.

* Link back to the person who gave you this award in your blog post, to show appreciation.

Thanks again to Jessica for picking me for this award.
--Gabi

Book I'm reading now:
The Phoenix Endangered by Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory

Readers at Home online Conference

Courtesy of Lucy Monroe, a bunch of authors have gotten together to provide a an online conference for those readers who can't make it to the RT confernce in Ohio. So without further ado, here's Lucy:

Okay, so you all know I'm going to RT, but *I* know a bunch of you
aren't and I got to thinking what I could do to make the week of RT
fun for you all and any other readers who might be feeling a little
left out. Then I hit on it - I would host a Readers at
Home Conference here on my blog. We'd have tons of
authors, tons of "door" prizes (more than 50!!!), tons of hotties
(cover models, hero inspiration...just plain yum factor) and tons of
fun!!!

I wanted something really special, something that made this a true
conference and my friends helped me make it happen! We are giving away
Swag Bags to the first 50
readers who register for the conference. To register, all you have to
do is send an email to me [lucymonroe @ lucymonroe
dot com] with your name and mailing address (for the Swag Bag) stating
your intention to attend the RAH Conference. The Swag Bags are for
conference attendees only and we are trusting that if you register,
you truly intend to attend the conference and interact with the
authors and other readers on the blog. :) I'm shipping the Swag Bags
at my own expense, but many authors have donated loot
for you all, and each Swag Bag will have a free book inside.

Yes, that's right - the Reader at Home
Conference is FREE. How cool is that?

Every day there will be multiple authors visiting and guest blogging,
with new blogs posting every 3 hours between 6 AM and 6 PM. And cover
models? We've got 'em - with behind the scenes action as well as hero
inspiration. There will be daily drawings for multiple prizes,
including dozens of signed books, a B&N gift card, a t-shirt, 3
prize tote bags filled with books & goodies (donated by Sue
Grimshaw from BTRB and Becke Martin), free online subscirptions to
Affaire de Couer magazine and 2 more Swag Bags given away each day.
What could be better?

Readers at Home Conference Sponsors
~ Guest Blogging Authors ~
Elizabeth Amber
Jules Bennett
Jenna Bayley-Burke
Leigh D'Ansey
Jami Davenport
Kate Davies
HelenKay Dimon
Diana Duncan
Cynthia Eden
Kimberly Fisk
Barbara Freethy
Tricia Jones
Nicola Marsh
Kaylin McFarren
Susan Meier
Elisabeth Naughton
Erin Nicholas
Lorie O'Clare
Rick Reed
Maggie Robinson
Patti Shenberger
Gabi Stevens
Kay Stockham
Helen Scott Taylor
Karen Van der Zee
Mary Wine
Other Readers at Home Conference Sponsors
(donated prizes, items for the Swag Bags, etc.)
Affaire de Coeur
Borders True Romance Blog
Monica Burns
Christie Craig
Lori Foster
Donna Grant
Faye Hughes
Margaret Mallory
Becke Martin
Lucy Monroe
Alexis Morgan
Laurie Ryan
J.L. Wilson

So, while a bunch of us are at RT going crazy, you can be visiting
with some of your favorite and some brand new authors - wearing casual
clothes, ditching the makeup and your shoes. Oh, that? I envy! :)

The Golden Heart is stupid...

My dear friend Sheley Wimmer, wrote a brilliant reaction to next week’s announcement of the RITA and Golden Heart finalists. In it she expresses the ridiculous, angry, hopeful, illogical, and plaintive emotions many of us feel as writers. We want validation. Publication does that, but the euphoria doesn’t last. We want to know that we are loved, that we are good, that we have mattered. So, in her words, here is Sheley Wimmer:

The Golden Heart is stupid…
So says someone who was once addicted to entering this contest. But no more. No way. Know why? I will admit something here... but it's a secret. The Golden Heart contest makes me cringe, especially the day the calls go out.

My first entry went in 2002. I heard nothing on that day. In fact, I received a whopping 28 [out of 45] on my scorecard. If I were made of lesser stuff, I would have stopped writing right then and there. Nope. Kept plugging along. I started entering other contests about three years later. Becoming a contest finalist was my new goal. Goal achieved. Twenty-five wins altogether, but still no Golden Heart call. One year I was at Disney World, refusing to ride anything because it was call day. Another time I was on the beach with the phone in my hand.

"Why do you have your phone?" the husband asked.
"No reason."
None at all… just hope.

Again, last March, I spent the day on the computer watching the calls come in one by one. Sigh. Still no call for me. My scores got better thought. I went from 28 to 35. From a 35 to a 38 and then last year, a 42 and a 40, on two different entries.

This last year I said to myself there is no friggin’ way I am going to enter the Golden Heart a-g-a-i-n!!! No way! I'm not doing it. That's for crazy people. Contest wins had already blessed me with a wonderful agent… what more did I need?

So guess what I was doing the last week of November. That's right. You know what I was doing. Need I say more? Okay, I will, but only because I said it was stupid before. That was just a hook to get you to read this far. Two days before the entries were due, I was making crazy insane copies of three manuscripts, the first fifty pages, formatted just right, six copies each, and rewriting each and every synopsis, because, of course, that had to be why I wasn't getting the call. Overnight mail really works! I won't tell you all what I paid. That's a secret between my credit card and myself. Suffice to say I had to hide that bill from my honey.

Through everything, something amazing happened. I had pre-paid for four manuscript, hoping that by some miracle I would finish my young adult novel. Well, I didn't. Not even close. But what I did have was three solid manuscripts, beginning to end, sitting on my kitchen table. Seeing them piled like that made me realize that I am indeed a true writer. There is a plaque I have hanging on my bathroom wall that says, "One shoe can make all the difference. Cinderella."

In my case, one phone call can make all the difference. It won't be the Golden Heart call… it will be the other one. The real call. Even so, what will I be doing on the twenty-fifth, next Thursday, between, roughly, I don't know, six am to, gee, midnight, because one can always hope they "forgot" to call someone? Nothing much. Mostly just sitting here. On top of my on my vibrating cell phone. With my house phone right by my side. Glued to my computer screen. Watching the calls come in. Hoping against hope that I might get one of them... or three. (Okay, now I am just being greedy!) Part of me thinks this IS all incredibly stupid on my part. But what if? I like the "what ifs?" So, like many of you, my fingers are crossed. That is my true confession. Anyone else care to admit a true Golden Heart confession??? =0)

Sheley

Sheley,
You are not alone. We all want that elusive feeling that today is the day. But I’ll let you know that the desire for that feeling comes back. Even after THE CALL. I was a Golden Heart Finalist way back when, and while I try to appreciate being published, I still crave that validation. So you know what I’ll be doing this November. Entering the RITA with THE WISH LIST.

Sucker. Right there, printed on my forehead. But beside it is also DREAMER. Because that’s what gets us writers through the day.

--Gabi

Books I’m reading now:
Lord Of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase
Lessons in French y Laura Kinsale
The Phoenix Endangered by Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory