Review for Brownie Fix from Chick Lit Plus
Here’s another review for Brownie Fix:
http://chicklitplus.com/brownie-fix-ellen-cardona/
I’m loving this blog tour.
Another Novel Spotlight
Here’s another novel spotlight for Brownie Fix. Check it out:
http://www.lost-in-lit.blogspot.com/2012/07/novel-spotlight-brownie-fix-by-ellen.html
Guest Post on Procrastination and Another Review
Here’s my guest post on procrastination on Ruby’s Books and her review of Brownie Fix:
http://rubys-books.blogspot.com/2012/07/guest-post-ellen-cardona.html#comment-form
Or . . . just read below for the guest post. Yes, it’s an exaggeration:
Procrastination
Some people think that writers just write a steady stream of words, and it turns into a novel. That doesn’t happen to me, not even on a good day. If I’m going to jump into a manuscript or edit for a long period of time and be committed to it, the first thing I do is procrastinate. I’ll do it for a couple of weeks that turns into a month until I just can’t stand the pressure of it anymore and have to start writing.
Here’s a recent day when I procrastinated. Of course, my normal procrastination schedule was thrown off because my kids have started summer break:
Wake up at 4:30: Write. No way. I go out with my running buddies to burn off the guilt that I’m not writing.
7:00-8:00: Eat breakfast and watch Buffy The Vampire Slayer because the kids are on summer break and are asleep. Maybe Buffy will give me inspiration?
8-9:30: pull up manuscript that needs editing and stare at it. Check emails and Facebook and realize that I’m exhausted because I got up at 4:30 to go run. Sleep.
10:00-11:00: pick up house, clean it, stare at manuscript, check and answer emails, do a blog post to release the guilt that I’m not working on my manuscript. Get one child ready for swim lessons and yell at teenager to get up from bed.
12:00-1:00: Go to Power Yoga to release more guilt and pressure from not doing what I’m supposed to be doing.
1:00-2:30: Get changed, dressed, hair and make-up done so that I’ll feel better so that I can write.
2:30-3:30: Realize I can’t write because I have to get kids from summer activities or I’ll usually tell them to go find something to do, even though I’m not doing what I’m supposed to be doing.
3:30-4:30: Stare at computer.
5:00-9:00: Chauffeur duties for kids’ activities and will bring laptop to edit manuscript but spend time gossiping and completely zoning out.
9:00-11:00: Spend time with the family and husband.
Ok. This is a slight exaggeration, and all my days are not like this one. Sometimes, I substitute brownies for yoga, and I don’t get up at 4:30 every morning. I actually do have a part-time teaching job, and sometimes my family will eat dinner at the table.
This sounds absolutely nuts, but it’s normal for me. No wonder people think writers are crazy. Hmm. That manuscript is still waiting . . . I’ll think I’ll make some brownies.
Interview for Brownie Fix: Love this Blog Tour
Here’s my interview from Amie Louellen on her blog. Check it out:
Guest Post about Writing Brownie Fix
Here’s my guest post on the blog, Change the Word:
http://change-the-word.blogspot.com/2012/07/writing-debut.html
Enjoy.
Book Review from Change the Word
Loving This Blog Tour
Here’s another book review for Brownie Fix from the blog, Change the Word:
http://change-the-word.blogspot.com/
I’m love being on a blog tour.
Guest Post: Self-Publishing vs. Publishing
To Self-Publish or Publish
Here’s a guest post that I wrote for the blog, Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave about publishing vs. self-publishing:
http://tweedling.com/2012/07/guest-post-self-publishing-vs-publishing-ellen-cardona/
Here is the entry:
Writers are often faced with the decision now to self-publish or land an agent, who finds a publisher, or just find a publisher on their own. For my book, Brownie Fix, I landed a publisher, which turned into a complete nightmare.
You know those red flags that you hear about when divorced people talk about their former spouses, well think of the relationship between a writer and a publisher as a marriage. Oh boy, did I have red flags. Oh yeah, I ignored them.
I’m pretty loyal, and I tried to stay loyal and in the writer/publisher relationship even when the publisher started to take over the book and insert her voice in every single page. I remember she told me that my book was her baby. Red Flag.
What she didn’t know was that when she took over my book and when I basically became her copy editor, correcting her grammar mistakes, I finally got pushed to the point of developing a backbone. I took back my voice and deleted the majority of her stuff. Out of complete rage, I was driven to make my book better. I noticed that I had dropped some strings and connected them, and I changed some scenes to bring the book into focus. Out of complete rage, I became a better writer.
She backed off, and I thought all would be well. It was the calm before the storm.
What I didn’t know was that she didn’t have a clue on how to publish a book, soft copy and ebook. She was basically using the same tools as any self-published writer would use. I remained loyal and tried to send her articles after articles on how to format the soft copy and how to format ebooks, but in the process, I started learning how to publish, and she didn’t.
The end result was that I let her go and self-published Brownie Fix. The first draft that was released had typographical errors, which completely shocked me. It was because two people had been writing Brownie Fix, and I had spent most of my time trying to get rid of the publisher’s voice that I did not see the errors. I finally found a very good copy editor.
The hardest part of self-publishing is the marketing. I had to learn marketing. I established a blog, Facebook and Twitter accounts, website, but that was not enough. That’s only the tip of iceberg. As a writer, you have to sell yourself and get out there. You have to put yourself out there for appearances with book clubs, social clubs, and anywhere you can sell your book. It’s been a learning process, a huge learning process.
For my next book, Raven’s Return, I’m on the shelf on whether I want to self-publish again. I already have a cover artist, a copy editor, and publishing tools, plus I have an online presence and an audience. What’s putting me on the shelf is the marketing.
If I do decide to go the traditional route with an agent and a publisher, then I won’t ignore the red flags because I won’t be desperate for a publisher. I know that I’ll be all right self-publishing, too.
Raven’s Return is due out in the fall, which means December for me because I’m always two months behind me deadline. I’ll be finishing up my edits by the end of July and forwarding the manuscript to my copy editor and test readers, while the artwork is being completed.
I guess I’ll have to make a decision at that time what route to choose. Whatever way I go, I’m wiser with all the lessons I’ve learned. That’s good. I’ll take it.
Blog Tour Has Started: First Review
Yay!! My blog tour for July has started, and here’s a review from the blog, Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave:
http://tweedling.com/2012/07/book-review-brownie-fix-ellen-cardona/
Enjoy.
Guest Blog Post on Postpartum Depression
I’m kicking off my blog tour for this week with my guest post on Life Ever Since:
http://www.lifeeversince.com/brownies-books-a-giveaway.html
Rach, who runs the blog, is giving out one free copy of Brownie Fix in ebook form.
Check it out and enjoy.
About Ellen Cardona
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About Brownie Fix
