The Importance of Feeding Your Human

Sometimes we get all caught up with research, plotting, and writing to the point that we forget that the human side of us needs a break sometimes. No matter how much we eat, live, and breathe writing, there comes a time that we all need something different for a change. For some of us, we naturally take periodic breaks to relax, read something fun, watch a fun movie, or take a family vacation without the computer. Yeah, right. Not happening here either.

My poor human side gets very little time away from writing. The time I do take usually still has something to do with writing in some form or fashion. For example, I’m going on a long weekend out of town where I will meet up with my writers group that I’m a member of and discuss writing as well as catch up on how everyone is doing. I’ll also take some time to visit a couple of friends that don’t write but always in the back of my mind is that part of me that is cataloguing everything in case I can use it later in a book.

 

Even after I’ve visited with my friends, I’ll be going back to my hotel room to write. I’d never get any sleep if I didn’t write some before going to bed. It’s a habit so engrained in me now that if I try to break it, I fear I’d go insane. What will happen when I’m too old to see well enough to write or have such bad arthritis that I can’t hold a pen or use a keyboard? My mind will slowly implode. Then again, maybe I’ll just go happily into that amazing world inside my brain and live out the remainder of my days there.

The point is that if I didn’t do something to relieve some of the constant pressure to write, write, write, I would go stale and my writing would ultimately suffer. Just feeding my muse all the new things I find for it isn’t enough. The human side of us has to be, well, human at times. Remember, we might drive the obsessions, the passions, and the finance side of things, but our human is only human and if he or she gets sick, we all suffer.

 

So remember to feed your human different ideas, experiences, and other human interaction. Becoming a monk or, in my case, a hermit at times, isn’t a good thing. As much as I would love to bury myself in a little cabin in the woods with damn good satellite Internet but not much else, just so I could write uninterrupted, it would eventually lead to my demise as an author and ultimately as a human.

Find something that gets you out of your little hidey-hole at least two or three times a year and take advantage of it. Keep your muse looking and smelling fresh so that your writing remains exciting and unique to you.

Marla Monroe

www.marlamonroe.com

http://bit.ly/1fGPpzR

http://bit.ly/MzcA6I

@MarlaMonroe1

 

 

Decisions, Decisions

How do you choose where you will go each year? There are so many conventions, conferences, and workshops out there to choose from. I’m totally overwhelmed! I want to go to them all. If I went to even half of them, I’d get nothing written though.

How do you decide where to go? Here is what I do.

·       I put them all on one calendar with where they are located

·       I put the cost of the convention on it

·       I put the general cost of travel/hotel on it.

·       I cross out anything that is just too expensive for me to handle.

·       I highlight all of the ones I’ve gone to in the past that seemed to show me a good return on my investment. (# of books sold during that week and the week after, number of hits and friends on my website and Facebook during that week and the week after, and compare it to the cost to see what my ratio of cost to potential sells is.)

·       I highlight in another color those that I’ve been to where I didn’t see quite the same results.

·       I put an * by those I’ve never, ever been to that are in a place I’ve never been, like, say Seattle, Washington or Idaho.

·       I choose the three main ones that I plan to go to based on if I can be a featured author and/or give a workshop/sit on a panel.

·       Then I cross off all the others in that month. I can’t go to more than one in a month. Tried that and have the nervous breakdown report to prove it.

·       Next, I check with all the rest to see if I can present or give a workshop or panel and go from there. If I can, I pick out those in areas I’ve not been to for a new experience and chance at reaching new readers. I cross out all of the rest in that month.

·       I don’t go to workshops or conventions in November or December unless they are one day affairs near me.

·       If I get a personal request from a reader, I try to accommodate them since they rock! And they took the time to contact me. If it is possible, I will come. If not for the entire thing, then maybe for a day to visit with that reader.

·       If I get a request from a convention/workshop coordinator to be a featured author or workshop presenter, I will try to work those in as well. That is always an honor to be asked out of thousands and thousands of other authors out there.

So, I now have about five maybe six workshops/conventions I’m planning to attend. That’s six weeks out of every year that I get very little writing down which means I have to double up the rest of the year! Yikes!  How do I do that?

Well, I cut out things that a lot of people do without even thinking about it most every day.

·       I don’t watch TV—at all! End of story. I plow through the news on my computer for top stories that I need to know about. I listen to other people talk about news when I’m commuting, eating, or otherwise occupied but hear them chattering.

·       I buy/rent/stream movies and TV series that are of interest to me for writing such as Sons of Anarchy and Dexter and Gigolos and True Blood to watch short takes when I’m writing that particular genre for inspiration, to get in the mindset, and for entertainment. But only short bits, like one episode at a time.

·       I listen to books on tape in my genres whenever I’m in my car when I’m alone or exercising, using my MP3 player.

·       I read at doctor’s offices, waiting on appointments, on planes, at railroad tracks, red lights, stop signs…well you understand. I don’t normally take a few hours every day to read. I need to write. Sometimes I will have an excellent weekend of writing and reward myself with half a day of reading. Those days are rare and very, very special!

·       I shop on line and have everything except perishables delivered to the house so I don’t waste time browsing at the store for things I don’t need and can’t afford anyway only to waste even more time waiting in long annoying checkout lines.

·       I make the most out of any non-writing time I take. For example, if I’m going to have to get up to go to the bathroom, I also get a refill on my water, drop off dirty clothes, and pick up any mail, and folded clothes to be put away.  If I have to leave to go somewhere, I plan my trip so that I don’t waste time doubling back for other errands, like going to the bank, post office, pharmacy, etc.

·       I have a unique work schedule since I work at the EDJ Monday through Wednesday from 6:30am till 6:30pm. Then I’m off Thursday through Sunday’s to write. I do edits, promo, and the business side of things after work on Mondays thru Wednesdays until 10pm. Then I’m off to bed. On Thursday’s through Sundays, I write, write, write. Yes, things interrupt me that have to be handled, but everyone has that. Plus, it keeps me from getting stiff sitting in my chair for 12 hours a day non-stop!

So, that’s how I make up for going to conventions and workshops five or six times a year. I do one other thing that helps make up my word counts. I schedule a week’s “vacation” where I go to my writing retreat where there’s nothing to interrupt me (for the most part) and I’m alone and can write non-stop. I also schedule one or two long weekends at my writing retreat for the same thing.

Is this the best way to do it? I highly doubt it. No two authors are the same. All of us are unique, which is why we have so many different writing styles and ideas. What works for me won’t work for someone else. What works for them, wouldn’t work for me.

Some of you are going to read this and think one of two things.

1) I don’t really do this. I’m just making it up. Many of my colleagues will tell you, that yes, I really do live like this. I’m different from others. I don’t have children. (I do have my parents living with me) I don’t have a big social live, but I do have writer friends who I talk with and visit occasionally. It’s not for everyone or even a few others. If I’m not writing, I feel guilty and get nervous and the voices in my head start talking about ways to torture me. Believe me. You don’t want my voices discussing the merits of one technique of torture over another!

2) You’re going to say I’m crazy and probably an introvert. Well, you’re right. I am crazy and an introverted hermit except when I’m at conventions and workshops. Then I will talk your ear off because I haven’t had anyone to talk to for about the last forty-five weeks!!!

Okay, I got off on a tangent. Choosing what conventions and workshops to attend isn’t easy and more than likely, something will come up to throw you off just when you thought you had it all worked out. That’s okay. Another opportunity will come up.  I’m posting my planned 2014 schedule on my website www.marlamonroe.com and here. Just be for-warned.

Sh*t Happens!

For a complete list of all Conventions/Conferences/ Workshops that I’ve got information on, check back later and I’ll post a link to my spreadsheet.

For all of you wonderful readers out there, have a great week and hope to hear from you sometime. Maybe I will even meet you at a con.

For all of you busy writers, don’t change your process if it works. If you see something you like that someone else does, try tweaking your process and if it doesn’t work, go back to your original method. You don’t lose anything by trying something new, but you might miss out on something if you don’t.

 

 

 March 21-22, 2014

MidSouth Con

Memphis, TN at Hilton Memphis

939 Ridgelake Blvd. Memphis, TN  38120

http://www.midsouthcon.org/

April 9-13, 2014

Las Vegas, Nevada

Details Coming Soon

 

June 19-22, 2014

RomCon Denver, CO

Crowne Plaza, Denver Airport

http://www.romcon.com/index.html

 

July 23-26, 2014

Romance Writers of American Convention

34^th Annual Conference

San Antonio Marriott Rivercenter & Marriott Riverwalk

In San Antonio, TX

http://www.rwa.org/p/cm/ld/fid=538

 

August 21-26, 2014

BDSM Writers Conference

New York, NY Manhattan

Hotel TBA Later

http://bdsmwriterscon.com/

Check out my BDSM Author Page

 

September 18-21, 2014

RAW

Lora Leigh’s Reader Appreciation Weekend

Hagerstown, Maryland

Website to follow soon

 

October 9-12, 2014

Destiny Blaine’s Writing Workshop & Reader Rally

LaQuinta Inn and Suites

10150 Airport Parkway

Kingsport, TN  37663

http://destinyblaineworkshop.blogspot.com/

 

My Readers Rock The World!!

I have not one...not two...but THREE books on Bookstrand's top 30
ménage books best seller listing!!!

#5   Hungry for Her Mates

#18 The Wranglers' New Chef

#29 River's Biker Heroes

Now I'm truly blown away by this and can't thank you all enough for giving me this wonderful gift! I'm going to celebrate tomorrow and write while drinking a bottle of wine! Can't you just imagine the amazing scenes I'll write by the end of the day!

Here's a gift back to you. An unedited snippet from my new series Wounded Warriors

Book 1 Ellie's Wounded Heroes

Ellie.

Her name seemed to whisper relief through his aching soul. Looking into her slightly unsure eyes had been like seeing his future in a different light. One of his old buddies had once said that when he’d found the woman who would become his wife, he had seen their unborn children in her eyes. Maybe there was something to that after all. He would swear he’d seen her sitting with him on his front porch swing.

Shaking his head, Rex grabbed a bottle from the fridge and walked over to his favorite chair and sat down as he removed the cap on his beer. One long, ice cold swallow later, he set the nearly half empty bottle on the side table and toed off both boots. After pulling off his socks and stuffing them in the boots, he pulled the seam along the left leg of his jeans from the hem, and it split half way up his leg so that he could get to his leg.

Well, it was where part of his leg used to be. Now he stared at the new and improved part of him that continued to burn and ache despite its lack of nerves. Metal and silicone formed his lower leg instead of the bone, sinew, muscle, and skin he’d been born with. It didn’t take but a few seconds to remove the offending part, but it did take a while before he was able to touch the remaining stump to massage away some of the irritation that never seemed to totally disappear.

“Fuck. This is bullshit.” Rex grabbed the bottle off the table and upended it, gulping down the still cold brew, then slamming the empty bottle down on the coaster.

He leaned back in the chair and shoved with his hands until it reclined. He closed his eyes and ran both hands over his face several times to push past the stinging tears that burned just below the surface. Too often he found himself in this spot, alone and angry, struggling to find his next reason to wake up to another day of his life. Yesterday it was because he was riding with his gang to say goodbye to someone he'd never met before. The man deserved an escort and protection for his family from protesters who always seemed to find the time to show up. Today it had been because he had to show up at the VA to help the new guys navigate the gym with someone who’d already been there and done that.

Tomorrow? What would be his reason to wake up tomorrow? No funerals to attend, and it was a Sunday so no one needed his help with therapy. Maybe tomorrow would be the day he didn’t wake up.

He lay there with one arm thrown over his eyes letting his mind wander in case there was something that he had promised someone that he’d forgotten about. Images of Ellie appeared instead. He could still feel the mounds of her breasts as they pressed against his back while they’d been heading to her sister-in-law’s house. It had gotten him more than a little turned on. Hell, just looking at her bent over the car had made his dick hard.

Face it, Rex. I’m in lust, and she’s not the least bit interested in a roughneck biker, much less the damaged man I am. Jack off like normal, and let it go, man.

He blew out a breath, banishing thoughts of her to another room in the many compartments of his head. He would bring her out when he was alone in the shower or his bed. Right now Rex needed to remember what he was supposed to do the next day. As much as he hated to have to do it, he figured the only way he’d remember was if he got up and hobbled into the office to look on his calendar.

He could do it now or wait until he was ready to head to bed and stop on the way by to check. Waiting suited him much better. No reason to make an extra trip across the floor if he didn’t have to. He hated hopping, or worse, using the damn crutches. There was no ignoring the oppressive presence of them laying on the floor next to his chair, no matter how much he liked to pretend they weren’t there. They were a constant reminder that he lacked something and always would now.

Now he wished he’d brought the bottle of Jack with him when he sat down. At the very least he should have grabbed two beers instead of the one. He’d known he would finish that first one fast. Now he was stuck with nothing to drink unless he got desperate enough to hop or grab those damn crutches.

“Fucking idiot. You can’t remember crap anymore.”

Rex remembered every millisecond of that damn blast that had killed most of his platoon and left him footless with a head injury, but he couldn’t recall what he was supposed to do the next day without a fucking note to remind him.

“Hell!” He rubbed at his eyes again.

Might as well go look at the damn calendar and see what’s on the agenda. There would be something, because there always was.

Giving himself another few minutes to relax as much as he ever did, Rex played the game he always played and challenged himself to wait it out as long as possible before he gave in to the need to know. One, two, three minutes passed before he finally cursed and gave in to the skin itching need to know.

Rex pushed the chair down using his good leg and sat up. Without looking, he reached down to one side and grabbed the offensive crutches and pushed himself to his foot. Then he leaned over and grabbed the artificial part of himself and fixed it on the hook he’d set up to carry it when he was on the wooden contraptions.

The office was just off the living room, exactly ten swinging steps from his chair to the doorway. He used the rubber tip of the crutch to push the door all the way open and crossed the threshold of not knowing into everything he had ever known and ever would need to know.

Leaning the crutches against the wall next to the door so the prosthesis didn’t hit the floor, he hopped twice to get to his chair. As soon as he sat in it, things seemed to calm inside of him. Here, at least, he knew who he was and what his purpose was. Here he was in control, and there were always happy endings.

What had started out as a way to work through the pain and depression after the bomb had turned into a career that had taken him by surprise. Not only was he able to support himself and help others, but he could lose himself in the process for a little while, escaping the reality of life without his lower leg.

He looked at the calendar that always remained open on his desk. Saturday, June sixteenth, twenty-twelve. VA Therapy Class and, below that, Chapter Fifteen is where Luke realizes he is going to lose Sandy if he doesn’t make a decision one way or the other.

Sunday the seventeenth he had written in to finish the edits for Gabriel’s Redemption and send them to his editor. He relaxed. As long as there was something written on the calendar, he felt like he had a reason to get up. He remembered the strange scent of vanilla and mint in a warm kitchen, and Ellie’s face drifted through his thoughts. She’d smelled so damn good when she’d brushed her lips across his for that brief moment. He imagined she tasted even better, but she hadn’t given him a chance to find out.

He turned on the computer and pulled up Chapter Fifteen of his current book and wondered if a person could replace his need to have something on his calendar every day. To do that, she’d have to be in his life, and right now, she wasn’t. But maybe she could be if he was able to find her again. To do that, he’d have to remember her when he woke up in the morning. He could write her on his calendar, but that would be cheating.

Be sure to watch over the next few days for a list of my 2014 Schedule as it stands now. I'm going to be watching for you!

 

Marla Monroe

www.marlamonroe.com

 

Hungry for Her Mates, Out now!

Hungry for Her Mates, available here (http://www.bookstrand.com/hungry-for-her-mates), is out today! It is my newest shifter book in the series Wolfs Pass Shifters. It has magic, men, and mystery, the three great M's! Don't miss this exciting new read.

Gabrielle "Gabby" Caldwell is going crazy waiting on her mates to claim her. Her wolf is retreating, believing they have rejected her. Levi and Aaron Shoewater want Gabrielle as their mate, but something is blocking Levi’s mating heat. Without it, his wolf won’t mark her, and they’re slowly losing Gabrielle while they search for the answer.

To make matters worse, humans are using magic to invade their land and take their wolves. As future Alpha, Levi feels pressured to stop them and capture whoever is helping them, but what about his mate?

An old ally is called on for help, but while the three sisters who arrive are able to counter the magic the humans have stirred up, they prove to cause a stir of their own. Levi and Aaron must hold their pack together despite their private issue with claiming their mate. The answers are right in front of them, but sometimes good intentions cause more problems in the long run.

Hard Stories

Sometimes the books that jump at me to write are hard to write. Something about them is either personal to me or to something I believe in. My new series, Wounded Warriors, is that type of series that burns in my soul. Its been on my mind for a long time, but this is the first book in the series to finally be finished.

Today I'll be writing those last two words that hits every writer in the heart. The End. The funny thing, is that it isn't the end really, but the beginning.

With this first book, a group of lives that are often ignored will come alive for us to hear their stories and learn about their hopes and dreams and how they were temporarily squashed. Temporarily because you can't keep a good man or woman down and because everyone deserves a happy ending. In these books, at least, they will have their HEA.

Sometimes being a writer means delving into the harder subjects and this is one of those that some great authors have addressed. Beth Williamson and Lorelei James are two that I think about here with their books that touched my heart. I hope that I can do half as well as they did with their stories.

Remember when you read one of these books that even though all my books will have a happy ending, not all lives get that HEA. It's one of the reasons I became a writer, to be able to always have a book I can disappear in for a few hours in order to live a HEA. Because as everyone knows, life can be hard and often is.

Marla Monroe

Where Is My Sunshine?

I'm desperate here. Tired of cloudy nasty days. I need the sun to come out and fill me up with energy. Its hard to think and plan when all you see is doom and gloom on the horizon. Spring, where is your brightly colored rainbow with all of its new life? Hurry up and explode across the sky to chase away the dreary world I'm stuck in.

Ever feel like this? I'm a solar powered kinda woman. I need the sunshine. Love a roaring thunderstorm to blow through a lazy afternoon or wake me in the middle of the night, but they are volatile and only last a short time. These long drawn out dull cloudy days stretch on and on until I'm ready to crawl under the covers and hide.

So here I sit, arguing with myself to just get over it already and write. I've got all the lights on around me to make it feel sunny and my manly inspiration pictures posted on my hunk board. I have no excuses, yet even closing the blinds so I can't see the depressing landscape before me, I know it is there.

Perhaps it is a fitting backdrop for the deeply emotional book I'm writing anyway. It is my challenge to bring them out of the place they've fallen in to one where happiness is found and dreams come true.

My ode to Edgar Allen Poe in a feeble attempt to mimic his depressing writings that always gave me the shivers when I read them. His birthday was the other day. I'm late as usual.

Marla Monroe

New book on Preorder!

Hey everyone! Just thought I'd let you know my newest book is on preorder. It is called Hungry for Her Mates.
http://www.bookstrand.com/hungry-for-her-mates 
It will be officially released on January 31st, so don't forget to go check it out!

Gabrielle "Gabby" Caldwell is going crazy waiting on her mates to claim her. Her wolf is retreating, believing they have rejected her. Levi and Aaron Shoewater want Gabrielle as their mate, but something is blocking Levi’s mating heat. Without it, his wolf won’t mark her, and they’re slowly losing Gabrielle while they search for the answer.

To make matters worse, humans are using magic to invade their land and take their wolves. As future Alpha, Levi feels pressured to stop them and capture whoever is helping them, but what about his mate?

An old ally is called on for help, but while the three sisters who arrive are able to counter the magic the humans have stirred up, they prove to cause a stir of their own. Levi and Aaron must hold their pack together despite their private issue with claiming their mate. The answers are right in front of them, but sometimes good intentions cause more problems in the long run.