I did it!

I submitted my entry into Amazon's Breakthrough Novel Award!

Last night at midnight as my sister sat by answering all my silly questions I uploaded my novel as an official entrant into the contest.

I have since edited the submitted manuscript twice, which is ok because I am able to make changes to my entry until 5,000 entrants are received. But I think the story is on a good place, and I've fixed anything that was lingering in my mind, so now we just wait and see! The round two entrants are announced on February 24th, so that is the next big date lurking in my mind. (Other than February 11th when Matt and Jess get married, yay!)

So now, while I'm waiting, what to do, what to do?? I am going to begin working on a book proposal, which includes a query, pitch, an outline, and what seems like 100 other little things. So I will begin to fill my free time with that so that I have a complete "proposal" to send to literary agents to see if they are willing to represent me.

Once I get the proposal done I will start sending it out to agents, regardless of what the status of the Amazon contest is.

I feel good and productive and so ready for things to start happening! Hopefully things will be looking up soon!

Amazon's Breakthrough Novel Award

I am biting the bullet and entering a contest. Not that I have ever thought there was anything wrong with entering contests, it is just kind of intimidating to think about entering one for myself.

So this week I am beginning the process of making sure that I have all my ducks in a row for contest submission and hoping for some good feedback.

As it is called the "Breakthrough" novel award I want to make it clear that I am not entering this because I think I have written a very deep novel that will change the world, etc. But I do think it has some merit, and I am hoping to make it to the quarterfinals where the book where will be reviewed by Publisher's Weekly.

So, what am I doing to get ready?

I am reviewing the manuscript to edit out mistakes just to make sure it is as polished as it can be. This is a harder task than you might think. I had to print out the book because when I was editing it on the computer I found that I wanted to change more than just errors. It kind of became more of a full-on overhaul rather than just editing for mistakes.

I have to figure out my 3,000-5,000 word excerpt. It says it should be the first words, which makes sense, so I am trying to determine how far into the book the excerpt will go.

The "pitch," which I have shared with you here before. It is a 300 word cover letter/summary of the book.

So, those are the 3 easy steps to contest submission. It's a little bit of a daunting task to think about getting that much done, ready, and polished before submitting the work to professionals to review. But I am doing it.

Wish me luck and I'll let you know how it goes!

Because friends are friends forever...

Or are they?

Here's the thing about friendships: very few of them are lasting.

And in saying this it is not my intention to imply that we will ever 100% lose people who truly mattered in our pasts. I mean, we have Facebook... In truth we will never lose anyone... even those we want to misplace. (Thanks for that, Zuckerberg.)

But with friends, it is the very rare friendship that starts in childhood and ends in old age with the same bubbly conversations, laugh till you cry story telling, and soul baring heart to hearts that our friendships often start out with.

Looking back on my life, I can label many "best friends" whom I have had. And, what's interesting to me is that I can honestly remember thinking that these people would be my "best friends forever". But what's even more interesting, is that I can't even remember when these friendships faded. Not that I do not still count these people as friends, and hold them dear to my heart, but our friendships do not still maintain that same intensity that they once had. And for relationships that were so important to me, for people who meant so much, shouldn't I at least remember the moment when we began falling out of one another's lives?

The truth is as easy as: people change. Everyone is guilty of it. There's nothing wrong with it. It's a part of the growing process and it needs to happen in order for us to grow up.

There is no one person to "blame" when a friendship melts. And I say melts, because that's really what it is like. The solid form of your friendship that was once there is gone, but the components are still there, puddling around.

In thinking this way about friendships, and who I once was, where I came from and where I am going, it has made me take stock of the friendships which I currently have, and what sets them up to be my "best friends forever".

The answer is simple: I found them when I was finding myself.

And knowing yourself makes all the difference.

Lemons, Lemonade and Everything in Between

I figure there's been enough chatting about my book, with no follow through. I thought it was time to post a description here and see what everyone thinks! Apparently, you have to have something called a "pitch" in order to be taken seriously in the publishing world. 300 words or less describing your book- basically what you would find a on a book jacket. So, without further adieu, here is the "pitch" for my book Lemons, Lemonade, and Everything In Between.

Charleston socialite Emma Palmer has an aversion to lemonade.

Growing up her mother was constantly reminding her that whatever life handed her, she had the ability to turn it into something good. Emma was expected to turn her lemons into lemonade.

About to become a college graduate, Emma has it all- a job waiting for her in the family business, a boyfriend who loves her, and a bright future about to unfold right in front of her.

So why does she throw it all away?

She breaks up with Charlie, the boy who has loved her for too long. She turns down her parents’ job offer, wanting to make her own way in life. She gives up on lemonade and starts drowning in lemons.

When Emma meets Noah Gray, her world starts to change. Noah reminds Emma that life is about making the choices that are right for you, not about someone else. As Emma begins to fall in love with Noah, she has to also start contemplating the rest of her life and finally determine what comes next.

But as she takes this journey, she begins to wonder what if? What if she was on the right path all along?

Emma has to start weighing her lemons as they are, and not hiding behind an empty lemonade glass. Will she move on with Noah and a new life? Or will she realize that her life with Charlie was what she really needed all along?

In her story of life, love and lemons, Emma will take you along for the ride while sharing all of her ups and downs along the way. Only Emma has the answers she needs in life, she just has to find them inside herself before letting the world see her shine.

Inspiration

Inspiration is a funny thing. It comes to you whenever it so pleases, whether you are ready for it or not.

I was hit with such inspiration on Tuesday at 2am. Not a fabulous time, but not the worst-- unless you have to work a twelve hour day shortly after that...

When the Inspiration Fairy struck I thought it best not to ignore her, so I pulled out my notebook and wrote for an hour straight, filling four pages (front AND back, mind you, Ross Gellar fans..) with notes and ideas and spinning more of a story than I thought I could in a sleep deprived funk.

What was so great (or maybe not so great) about this particular bout of inspiration was that I couldn't turn it off. After I had put the notebook away, stepped away from the pen, and turned out the light my mind was still reeling, as I tried and tried, to no avail, to shut it off and get some sleep. I've never been so full of ideas that I actually could not fall asleep. I have never been so anything that I could not fall asleep. I really like sleep... But my next two books are basically outlined, so at least that is something..

Anyway, has anyone else been hit by inspiration at an inconvenient time? (Or at a convenient time... I will not discriminate against inspirations..) I'd love to hear about your stories and about what you were inspired about and where you were when the Inspiration Fairy visited you!

Hello, 2011!

Happy New Year friends!

I hope that everyone has had a safe and happy holiday season and all are rested and refreshed and ready for Monday morning!

This morning at church they showed a video encouraging people to make 2011 a year to be a better you. Set 3 attainable goals and work to make yourself a better person... that kind of thing.

What is it about the "New Year" that encourages us to make resolutions and changes to the life we have been living? Not that I am any exception to that rule, I make and break New Year's resolutions with the rest of America. I even fall into that trap where you say, "I'm not making a resolution, I'm just going to better myself." But by February I am mostly back to my same old behavior.

Did that stop me from making a resolution this year? Well, not really. But I am (once again) doing it under the guise of just "bettering" myself.

But here's the thing about 2011-- it's the first year that I am living free from the confines of school and earning my education. In a way, I feel like this is the first time I am living for me. Not that I wasn't earning that degree for myself, because obviously I was. But there is a difference, at least to me, between what I was doing then and what I am doing now. It's the first year I get to spend doing things I want to do. Well, and working. Doing things I want to do and working.

So, what are my pseudo-resolutions/the things I want to do?

1. Live Healthier- I know, that sounds just like the resolution 67% of America made. But it's a little different. I am not attaching to it a weight loss goal or something lofty like that. I am just trying to feel healthier. I spent the majority of 2008 and the bulk of 2009 being one of those people who exercised everyday and who was able to say no to junk food. I was not one of those people in 2010. And I feel worse for it. I want to spend 2011, not crash dieting or sporadically exercising, but changing my lifestyle to that of a healthy person. I don't have lots of distractions lined up in 2011 the way I did in 2010. (No internships, no graduations, no cruises. There are some pesky weddings and a trip to Vegas hanging in front of me, but with the right mindset, those are surmountable.. right?)

2. Be less stressed. Because we all wouldn't do that if we had the opportunity, right? But this year, I do. With no projects, or observations, or deadlines looming ahead all I need to do is set myself up for success. I'm going to get up earlier, go to bed earlier. Rather than rushing to get out the door so I'm only 20 minutes late, rather than my usual 30, I'm going to get allow myself more time, rather than scheduling things too close together. I'm going to make it my mission to be less worried about time and more worried about enjoyment.

3. Get my book published. For those of you who do not know, I wrote a book, so the next logical step is to try to get it published. The thing is, with all the research I've done, it seems like a lot of work to get it published. Not really what I was aiming for. So, I am going to wait until the end of January to see how a few connections I have pan out, but after that I am going to actively pursue the challenge of publishing my book. I'm not looking forward to it, but- I'm going to do it. With great ambition comes great reward, right?

And there are my three "attainable" goals for 2011. Perhaps not the three easiest things I have set out to achieve, but there they are nonetheless.

Here's to 2011, which I am dubbing the Year of Me. Also, probably the year of Madison, since my sweet little niece will be born in May and I'm already spoiling her. So, the Year of Me and the Year of Madison (and Emmett, and Nichole... Mothers, you know who are and what you've done to my bank account.)

Hopefully you are able to make 2011 the Year of You, too.