Update...Again

Yep, yep, yep, I'm still around. Still lurking around the internet trying to find my way in life. That sounds way more dramatic than what I've really been doing for the last thirteen days, but that's what it feels like sometimes. I thought that I've had existential crises before, but this one really threw me. Being really down on yourself also doesn't help. But, thankfully, I've seemed to break through it and I've just started to really get back into my writing. Sure, Spike and Buffy may have had some help in that (weirdly enough), but whatever helps, right?

Seeing as we're halfway through July, I have to get my butt in gear. I feel like I'm racing against time here, and I have to remind myself that I'm only thirty-one. If things don't happen right away, then that's okay. Some newbie authors are entering their forties right now, so I'm doing okay.

My biggest problem is just sitting back and thinking that people are just going to flock to my book without even knowing about it. I've done some preliminary research on some of the review sites and it hasn't been too uplifting. Some of the sites ask for money, and that's not something that I have at the moment. At least, not what some of them are asking. Other sites are nicer and offer services for free, but they require certain things, such as so many reviews. Well, that's what I'm trying to do! It's a catch 22, but I'm trying my best to work with it all. More sales, more promotion, more everything.

I guess what I'm most worried about is turning into some of those authors that I follow on Twitter. While I understand what they're doing and why they're doing it, sometimes they bombard my Twitter feed with their book promotion. I suppose it's pretty successful sometimes, because I do click on the links and think about buying their books. Being pushy has it's perks, right?

But, besides all the book nonsense, I'll be glad when this summer ends. It's been so hot and I'm sure my electric bill is ridiculous and I'm ready for hot drinks and warm doughnuts and being able to wear jeans without the worry of them sticking to the back of my legs. I've also been reading too few books (sadly!!) and watching far too much TV (Buffy forces you to watch eight episodes in a day, I swear). But my German lessons are going well. Oh, did I not tell you all? Yeah, I've decided to learn German. Because, you know, in this day and age in America, German will get me far. I don't even care, though. I'm having a good time learning it and I'm super proud of myself each time my program asks me to translate some German sentence and I don't even have to turn to my notebook filled with foreign words. Seriously. I'm already ten pages into a new notebook and I'm trying to remember all the words I'm writing down.

Basically, I'm just trying to keep busy to keep the stress and unhappiness at bay. Hopefully this plan works. Fingers crossed.

I'm Alive!

I feel like I've been pretty MIA this week. I kind of spaced on the whole sale thing, I didn't once think about tweeting, and my Tumblr has been there for me to laugh at when I feel like strangling a child. It's been kind of crazy this week, and I thought that maybe I'd be able to get back on schedule next week, but I forgot that I'm leaving for a mini vacation tomorrow afternoon. I'll be gone until Tuesday afternoon, so I figured I would write this out and let the world know that I'm alive and that things have been good, just insane.

That does mean that I haven't been doing any writing this week. Not that I haven't wanted to or even had ideas for it. I've been jotting down things here or there (seriously: I just found half a napkin with dialogue written on it). I just haven't had time and when I do have the time, I'm too tired to do anything other than collapse on the floor and let my cat use me as a drooling board. I'm hoping, though, that when things get back to normal (the week after this one), I'll be able to devote a little time to writing. I'm still searching for a new job and trying not to spiral into madness, so there's a lot on my plate right now. But we'll see. Things have to turn around and go on the upside, right?

Anyway, I have to pack and clean up and make sure the cat won't tear the apartment into shreds before I leave. I hope everyone had a safe and festive 4th (or, if you read this outside of the US, a safe and festive any other day of the year!), and I'll see you all later!