Getting Out More

One of the things I’d like to do more of in 2016 is…to do more. I spent most of 2015 holed up at my writing desk, writing as fast as I could and spending a lot of time staring at my computer trying to figure out the public part of being a published author (still working on that one). I didn’t get together with my writing group as much as I’d have liked, although I did make sure I went to my monthly book club <3. I bowed out of tons of social events, and spent every spare minute launching my first books.

I regret nothing!

But it isn’t sustainable.

I know I can keep up the writing pace—if I don’t let myself get distracted. I’m going to regain my focus and amp my time management. Part of that is scheduling fun time, where I get to go out from my writing desk and actually *gasp* meet people and talk to them face-to-face.

Author Holly Messinger at a Signing
Holly Messinger at her Book Reading/Signing (she’s really cool)

The first adventure for this has already happened. I went to a book reading/signing held by Holly Messinger at a local bookstore. Her novel, The Curse of Jacob Tracy, looked really interesting to me. Westerns aren’t my thing, but I can really get into the idea of someone who can see ghosts and isn’t very happy about it. I also love reading outside of the genre I write in. I get to read her book as my reward when I finish my current WIP 😀

Holly was awesome. Her voice was perfect for the parts of her story she read—strong and steady, like you’d want in your shootin’ hand (is that something they’d say in the Old West?). And she was wearing a period costume that she had made herself.

Let me add this up. Writes books? Check. Reads books? Check. Writes about ghosts? Check. COSTUME SEAMSTRESS? Uhh, I didn’t know that, but CHECK. I don’t have many pictures of my sewing projects on my Creations page, but they’re out there in the world (I tend to give them to people). The bottom line is, it was wonderful to meet her, and I can’t think of a better way to start getting out more.

Did I mention the people who showed up to her signing? They were as cool as she was. People were making obscure SciFi references, discussing speculative fiction, talking about the writing process and new trends in grammar—and of course, Holly’s series and where she’s going with it.

It was great to meet new people and expand my horizons. I’m looking forward to more adventures as 2016 unfolds!

What about you? Do you have any new adventures you’re excited about this year?

Published by

Author

USA Today Bestselling author of Paranormal and Science Fiction Romance — sometimes in the same book!

Leave a Reply