My first publishing contract!

I am happy to report that after receiving two contract offers I have accepted a publishing contract with Etopia Press! I am very happy with my decision even though I stressed over it for about two weeks while I waited for a third to respond. In the end, I went with the publisher that told me what I needed to fix as opposed to the editor that told me what she loved. I'm not sure why this is. I guess in my mind I know my manuscript isn't perfect and I really wanted someone to help me mold it into something spectacular. Also, the company I chose produces their books in print and in ebook whereas the other company does not. Call me old fashion but I want a hard copy of my book. I want something in my hand to show for my effort. I want a pretty book to put on my bookshelf and to be able to say it is ALL MINE.

So what's next for me? I am waiting for my EDITOR (I can't believe I can say that) to contact me so we can establish time lines and she can provide me with a list of what needs to be changed. I can't wait until the end of this process. I'm interested to see how different my polished MS will be from the original.

I want to start the sequel but I know my ending is going to end up changing so I don't feel comfortable going ahead when I'm not for sure where the last book will end. So I'm working on a vampire book right now--my first. I hear the market is saturated with them but I don't care. Writing is my escape from real life so I have to write what speaks to me, and right now a handsome boy with fangs would like his turn to talk. I don't want to upset him. 

My first final!

My young adult paranormal novel finaled in NEORWA's Cleveland Rocks contest! Woohoo! I can't tell you how excited I am! And my scores were 98 and 99 out of 100! My heart is racing, and I can't stop smiling. This is my first final ever, and I thought I might never see one. I'll be sure to post the results when they're available in May. And I may have some good new to report before then, so stay tuned...

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day! I hope you're having a great day so far.


What are my plans for today, you ask? Since I royally suck, I'll be studying--maybe. I have an exam tomorrow and another on Friday. After that, I'm done, done, done! By month's end I'll be doing my final clinical at a nearby jail. Soooo excited. People think I'm crazy for requesting this placement, but I couldn't imagine going anywhere else. The stories and inspiration I'll get from working there will be endless, I'm sure.


So now you know my plans, what are yours?  

Fave Reads of 2011

Happy holidays!

It's been a few weeks since my last post. I continue to edit my last manuscript and find I'm not tiring of it. I think this is a good thing. Maybe this one will sell. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

I also continue to read as much as I can. At the beginning of the year, I challenged myself to read 60 books this year, but with school and kids that number quickly became impossible. Mid-year I knocked it back to 52, thinking, "I can do a book a week. No problem." Then, I upped it again to 55 when I got close to that number. My final tally is 54 books with another one I may finish today. So, looking back, what were my favourite reads of the year? Have a look.

Top three YA reads:

1. Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare
2. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
3. Starstruck by Cyn Balog


Top 3 romance reads:
1. Captured by the Highlander by Jullianne Maclean
2. Breathe by Donna Alward
3. Taken by the Cowboy by Julianne Maclean


Top three contemporary: 
1. One Day by David Nicholls (I couldn't love this book more) 
2. The Color of Heaven by Julianne Maclean
3. Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert


If you only read one book on my fave's list, let it be One Day.
This book broke my heart, and I loved every minute of it. 

607 Pages, Oh my!

Before entering the Golden Heart, I never really thought about how much paper my submission required. My total pages: 607 (6 copies of my partial and synopsis and one copy of my full). That is a freaking lot! At least a half a tree, I'm sure!

To the right, is the finished product, ready for mailing. I intended to ship it out yesterday but I had problems with my printer so it is going out tomorrow. I am afraid of how much it will cost to ship it to Texas, especially since I'm a worry wart and will Fedex it because I think snail mail is evil and it might never get there (that was a mouthful, I apologize). Sorry Canada Post, but you've disappointed me before.