Deal Maker

These past few months, I’ve received some news of the let’s-see-what-you’re-made-of variety. I like to think in times of adversity, I come out swinging. Hard. I take in news, I process it; then I get my game plan together and start to attack it. I usually win too. For being a small person, I’m freakishly strong, and I’ve always been incredibly lucky. (Disclaimer…I’m much more lucky than strong….Okay full disclaimer – my biceps look impressive, but it’s illusionary. I can’t open a bottle of wine by myself for the life of me.)

Without being too specific or too personal, this fight is a bit more exhausting. There are no quick fixes. And I haven’t been feeling too lucky.

Until yesterday. Yesterday I had my coming-to-Jesus revelation. I made my deal with God. And in exchange for one tiny (okay-kind of gianormous) but *possible* miracle, my “give-back” involved writing. That shocked me. Usually my “give-back” involves teaching. This time, it’s writing.

Writing is powerful. Words are powerful. Books are powerful. Stories and characters can change lives, save lives, reshape the way people think. As a seventh grade literacy teacher, I’ve seen it happen. And if God takes me up on my deal, I will dedicate my life doing just that.

So I’m going to be away for a while…lifting weights, running laps, knocking down hurdles (because jumping over them is a quick-fix and there are no quick fixes here). And I will be writing. Just in case I’m one day called upon to use my writing powers to spread a little good.

So Much to Celebrate

Alex J Cavanaugh's IWSG and the 4th of July in one week? So much to celebrate!

July 4th has always been my favorite holiday. Because of it, I will toss aside my monthly griping to celebrate some small successes.

I love editing. It's my favorite part of the process. But that also means I can get stuck editing the hell out of what I've written instead of moving forward. This summer, I've committed to moving forward and cranking out a first draft by the end of the year. A very smart CP of mine told me to commit to 500 words a day. It's so simple, and for someone with my stupid, insane schedule, it's perfect. Slowly but steadily, I've wracked up 20,000+ words this summer. I estimate that's ~25% of being done. Perhaps not worthy of fireworks, but certainly worthy of a really good tasting imported beer with a ridiculously high alcohol content. Yes, I realize given the week a Coors Light might be more American of me, but this type of small success ought to be celebrated properly.

So, cheers - to big successes, small successes, and everything in between! Whatever your successes may be, I hope you all take the time to celebrate them properly.

No Guts, No Glory

No matter how well a book is written, a handful of kids will always hate it. Hunger Games is the closest I've ever come to having most of my kids enjoy reading it. I personally love the Cinder series. I think it's incredibly well-written, especially the second and third books, but many of my kids can't get into them. That doesn't mean they aren't good books.

I recently gave my MS for critique to someone who didn't have the same vision I had for my plot and characters. As a result, the critique totally derailed me. Since then, I've been rethinking (and over-thinking) something I was initially excited to write instead of actually writing.

Likewise, a CP of mine on submission right now just received a R&R from an agent. While most of the suggestions were good, it caused him to temporarily lose sight of everything great and strong about his MS. My CP friend is brilliant. He emailed a best-selling author for advice. The advice Mr. Best-Seller gave was stark, sound, and basically boiled down to this: Just because someone gives you advice about your MS, doesn't mean you have to take it. No matter how good an agent, an author, or a CP is, if they aren't a fit for you and your work it's best to go a different direction. 

These last couple months have shed a new light on an old lesson - one I need to have more faith in: Write the novel you want to read. This April, may you all have the confidence, the ambition and the guts to do just that.

Happy IWSG Alex J. Cavanaugh and friends!

Better Late Than Never

I'm squeezing in last second with my IWSG post. I adore Alex J. Cavanaugh and my IWSG friends too much to skip out several months in a row and get kicked out...better late than never.

Today I'm airing out my New Year's Resolutions. Yes, it's February and New Year's Day was forever ago, but I'm hoping we can just tiptoe past that and let it cleverly fit in with today's theme. Right?

NY Resolutions:
1. I'm 10,000 words into my next MS. I hope to have a strong rough draft by the end of the year, with the high hope of sending out queries in early 2015.
2. I'd love to find one more CP that I mesh well with - preferably a female who loves YA. I LOVE my current CP's and Betas, but they are mostly male. I'd love another female perspective. (This one is for much, much, much later in the year when I have a bit more time to be a good CP myself).
3. Complete 15 credit hours by July...not difficult, just time consuming.
4 As always, give each of my boys the love, support, and attention they all individually need. This is listed 4th, but - as always - reigns first in priority. Today is Baby Boy#1's 4th birthday. For those of you who've been around for a while, perhaps you already know - it's a wonderful, emotional day. I'm very proud of my sweet birthday boy.

I'm excited for this year. I have a good feeling good things are to come.

Happy (much belated) New Year IWSG!

'Tis the Season

It's been a while, I know. But what's a holiday season without a little insecurity?

Let's start with my good news. My good news is I started my next WIP. Granted, I'm only two chapters in, but it's a start. I've been exchanging chapters with a dear friend and CP. In fact it's because of him (and my last IWSG post) that I'm writing again. He's fabulous at peer pressuring me. In fact so many of my CPs have been wonderfully supportive by trying to kick my butt into writing gear. Thank you for that.

Here's my problem, with the limited writing time I have, everything I give him is rough...and by rough I mean ROUGH. And yet so many of his comments have been positive, which, naturally, makes me insecure. Yes, I give my chapters away hoping someone else will like them. But then when someone does, I flip out and feel the need to pass them around until someone will crush my growing optimism and knock me down a peg. Stupid. Sick, twisted - yep, I know. Tell me, why do we only trust the bad stuff?

I hope you all enjoy a lovely holiday season!

Ice Skating and Grit

Thank you Alex J. Cavanaugh for giving me an excuse to blog every first of the month. Happy IWSG Day!

Angela Duckworth conducts research at the University of Pennsylvania that proves the two most determinate factors of reaching success in life are grit and self-control. As a seventh grade teacher, I’ve preached for the last 15 years that intelligence without determination is wasteful. I’d rather have a semi-smart student whose determined to find the answer than an ubber-smart student who can read any difficult text I throw at him but is too apathetic to push himself beyond his ability.

My three-year-old son was born with grit. After a punctured lung and almost losing his life twice in the first week of life, he fought hard to get rid of the machines breathing for him. He would pull out tubes and IV’s when he was ready to not rely on them anymore. How an infant can instinctually determine that is beyond me – but my kid has amazed more in the last three years than I’ve been in the last 35 years of life. At age two when he didn’t have words, he would sit for 20-30 minutes at a time and practice his flashcards that indicated sounds – not because I prompted him. He wanted to talk. His path to success hasn’t been easy. He needs everything explicitly taught to him. But he wants to learn, and he’s determined to succeed.

A couple weeks ago, I took him to an introductory ice skating class. I don’t know what I was thinking. My kid struggles with coordination, motor planning, and core strength – things you kind of need to skate. It was nothing short of disastrous.  He cried, screamed, and fell a million times. At one point, he was crawling on his hands and knees for the door of the ice rink while sobbing. In that moment, I was pretty sure I’d ruined his life. But at the end of the thirty-minute session, he took one step off the ice and said, “Mama! Mama! I did it!” He smiled for the rest of the night. After two more lessons, he was skating. I still tear up when I think of how proud I was of him in that moment.

My kid is amazing.

I can read about it, I can preach it, I can be inspired by it on a daily basis. At some point, it’s time to get my ass in gear and show some grit.

May you all find the grit you need to meet the success you want in life.

My 3 yr old son with his brother and his aunts

CassaStorm Book Release

One of the greatest parts about having a blog is having the opportunity to support friends and talented writers. Today I get to celebrate both. Alex J. Cavanaugh's CassaStorm, the final book in his best selling series, will be released on Tuesday, September 17. Congrats Alex! I am thrilled for you.

CassaStorm

By Alex J Cavanaugh

From the Amazon Best Selling Series!

A storm gathers across the galaxy…

Commanding the Cassan base on Tgren, Byron thought he’d put the days of battle behind him. As a galaxy-wide war encroaches upon the desert planet, Byron’s ideal life is threatened and he’s caught between the Tgrens and the Cassans.

After enemy ships attack the desert planet, Byron discovers another battle within his own family. The declaration of war between all ten races triggers nightmares in his son, threatening to destroy the boy’s mind.

Meanwhile the ancient alien ship is transmitting a code that might signal the end of all life in the galaxy. And the mysterious probe that almost destroyed Tgren twenty years ago could return. As his world begins to crumble, Byron suspects a connection. The storm is about to break, and Byron is caught in the middle…

“With a talent for worldbuilding and a compelling cast of characters, Alex J. Cavanaugh combines high powered space battles and the challenges of family dynamics to provide readers a space opera with heart.” 
- Elizabeth S. Craig, author of the Southern Quilting and Myrtle Clover mysteries

“I thought the revelation was going to be one thing and I was completely wrong … CassaStorm pushes the limits…”
- Tyson Mauermann, Speculative Reviews

“…mesmerizing story of survival, personal sacrifice, tolerance, and compassion. It’s a rare jewel that successfully utilizes both character and plot to tell a story of such immense scope and intimate passion…” - Nancy S. Thompson, author of The Mistaken

$16.95 USA, 6x9 Trade paperback, 268 pages, Dancing Lemur Press, L.L.C.

Science fiction/adventure and science fiction/space opera

Print ISBN 9781939844002 eBook ISBN 9781939844019

$4.99 EBook available in all formats

Find CassaStorm:

Barnes and Noble - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1116848619?ean=9781939844002

Amazon -

http://www.amazon.com/CassaStorm-Alex-J-Cavanaugh/dp/1939844002/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1378484337&sr=1-1&keywords=cassastorm

Amazon Kindle - http://www.amazon.com/CassaStorm-ebook/dp/B00F2O9QMC/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1378811366&sr=1-1&keywords=cassastorm

Goodreads - http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17670532-cassastorm

Book trailer - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Umm2l0XdHc&feature=youtu.be

Alex J. Cavanaugh has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and works in web design and graphics. He is experienced in technical editing and worked with an adult literacy program for several years. A fan of all things science fiction, his interests range from books and movies to music and games. Online he is the Ninja Captain and founder of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group. The author of the Amazon bestsellers, CassaStar and CassaFire, he lives in the Carolinas with his wife.

Website – http://alexjcavanaugh.blogspot.com/

Twitter – http://twitter.com/AlexJCavanaugh  

Goodreads - http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4287922.Alex_J_Cavanaugh