Writing

It's a solitary business, writing books. You have hours, days, weeks with non stop writing... hopefully. Then the book is finished and then the editing begins. While writing I am learning the ropes about promotion and e-publishing so I can e-publish the next book in the series plus other books. Promotion, getting your name out there so you have readers ready to read your next book. I am hard at work on # 2. Also working on another book so I can have at least a couple books out next year. Research is a needful thing also when writing. Some days that's all I do and get very little actual writing done. I am talking with my daughter about my trip to Cambodia and then going up to Siem Reap to visit Angkor Wat. Another author friend of mine, Kent Davis say he gets more research done when at home in the states. I am sure I do too BUT the whole idea of going to Angkor Wat is walking in the steps of the Kings. I was hoping to go this fall but I think I will wait till one of the New Years, Cambodia has 3. The regular New Year On Jan 1, then Chinese New Year and then Cambodian New Year. So we will see. When I do go I know I will have a lot to write about and to share photos. Till then I use the internet and my books that are now part of my library. So I will close for now and know I am hard at work on the second in the series.

Writing

Writing is so solitary, it's a creation that is done in the head of the author, he or she works on their story, typing away, crafting ,molding, erasing or in the case of computers deleting... I write ,I delete, I fashion words and phrases. Some days I get a lot of pages done, other days it's like pulling hen's teeth. I love the days that I have no interruptions and the words flow. I try not to get too crazy if I can't get what I want done. But I have many hats that I wear and writing is just one of them. This morning the sun calls me to go power walking. I look out my window and the intense shades of green, maybe there are fifty... Out there I see tinges of fall colors too that are gently sneaking in there. I know it was cold this morning when I crawled out of bed. As I wrote this morning I listened to Christina Perri and "A Thousand Years" A fitting song for what I am writing. I need music as I write, usually one song plays on my ipod over and over, it helps create a mood, blocks out sounds. So those are my thoughts on writing at the moment. Anyone who reads this have a wonderful Sunday!

Well Good Morning. It's a cloudy morning here in Maine but wait a few minutes and it may change! I found I am on sale through Amazon UK which is thrilling. Also in the Times of India which when I looked on their site saw: Our Heritage: Indiatimes is part of India's largest media and entertainment house, The Times Group. One of the most respected business houses in India, the 168-year-old group is a market driver across all media platforms. The group's brands include: The Times of India - World's largest broadsheet English daily So that is right from the horse's mouth. Since a lot of my back story is Indian based it's very cool that I am listed in one of their papers. Also I saw I was in a couple of Maine papers too so I was pretty excited last night before a Fire Works Detail for the CFD. I have been asked by friends and family if there will be a second book? Yes and a third. I am currently working on the second. I hope to have it done for release by next summer. BUT all good things take time and I want Anna's story to be bigger and better then the first. Summer was a very hard time to write. What with the children home for the summer from school it made my writing time a real creative lesson on time management. This week starting tomorrow the boys really go back to school. They started last Wednesday but the first day was just a half of day. When I can't get writing done I get really frustrated and I become scatter brained and can't sit because all my thoughts are bottled and I feel like I am going to explode. Like another writing friend put. When you can't write it's like having an itch that you can't scratch... that is so true and frustrating to the extreme. So yes, Anna's story will continue. I fell in love with her story and that of Princess Indradevi. The Love story between Indradevi and Jayavarman is older then you may think and that's where India comes in. I had some moments when writing the book that I can only describe as 'Oh Wow' moments because I wrote things about the characters. The modern day counterparts are pure fiction. The story line for their historical conterparts is fiction, my story but there is a lot that is true. I did a great deal of research when writing this book but sometimes I would just write and then research. Kinda Bass Ackwards... but what I found out after writing for a day is the backstory of what I just wrote was true and how in the world did I know what I just wrote because I never read anything on that subject prior. It was times like these that I had goose bumps going up and down my spine. Like any new author who wants to get his or her work out there, she has to learn the ropes of selling his or her work. Your publisher can only do so much. I think like a lot of other authors we tend to be shy and would rather just write. But if we want to sell our work we have to get out there and talk to people. Whether it be at book signings or just at a local ice cream stand. Talking about your book to complete strangers can be hard but you never know who you may be speaking to and it may be the break you were looking for. My days hopefully will settle down to a great writing schedule. Being on the Camden Maine FD gives me the freedom to stay home and write. I also have letters to write to bookstores and libraries. I do have my book in Camden's beautiful library. Some would say ' Oh, your book in a library, that's not encouraging sales...' Yes and no. There was many a time that I couldn't afford a book at that moment, found an author and later bought her books. Like one of my favorite authors, Elizabeth Peters. Also I would like to mention ,in The Kings of Angkor Anna's uncle that is mentioned and her last name... That was my mother's family's name a couple generations back. The uncle who was an archeologist... that was mine. If you haven't read the book and don't know the answer to those two references , well you will have to read the book :-) So I will leave you. There is back information on research that I have done for the book and though it may seem dry it helps paint a bigger picture of my story and Anna's story.