OMG....WE HAVE A DATE!

I've had several people ask me...What’s going on with Beyond Eighteen (book 3 in the Wilson Mooney Series)?

First off, I know you feel like you’re floating in a blow-up raft in the middle of a shark infested body of water known as Wilson and Max. Bailing water from the sinking boat, and hoping that the little lifelines I seem to throw you will keep you from becoming shark bait. I get it. I truly understand the frustration, anticipation, and impatience y’all must be feeling, because I feel that way too! (thanks Shark Week)

With anything I feel impassioned about; I want to keep it safe. I want to make sure everything is in proper order before I let it go off on its journey. It’s so important to me that I give as much of myself that I can to the stories I write.

When the characters talk through me, or I feel that spark to write, it is as if everything else bows out. My family, friends, house, animals, events, everything becomes the background on which my writing is fueled. Life around me goes on going, while I disappear in the folds of my stories and the heartbeats of my characters.

The people, who know me and love me, try to understand. They continue to support me, but I can see and feel when they are reaching the saturation level of being ignored. Doors become heavier as they close with more force, calls and texts become a little longer, with words like, “I know you’re writing, but”, and my family gets tired of the excuse, let me just finish this chapter. As a matter of fact, I know my family and friends sometime feels my characters get more time with me then they do, and truthfully, sometimes they’re right.

Inspiration has a way of showing up at the most inopportune of times and so does its nemesis procrastination! There are days when I want to ignore the cat calls from the fictional characters in my head and the bellyaching from my boys in real life, and just take a day to myself. But, well, that just wouldn’t be fair to everyone.

So, here’s where I am with Beyond Eighteen...I hope it eases your mind. The first 3/4 of the book is written, and as of yesterday, is with my editor, Tiffany. I am at a pivotal point in the book and I feel like there is roughly another 3 or 4 chapters to go before Wilson and Max’s story will be done for this series. A couple of my beta-readers have been reading it all along, helping me catch inconsistencies. My graphic designer has finished the ebook cover and it is ready to go, the paperback is really close. I have been communicating with bloggers and other authors about promoting the series. And if all goes well, I will revise, re-read, and revise before back to editor and then off to the world. So the big question everyone is waiting for…When will book 3 be released?

DRUM ROLL PLEASE............

Beyond Eighteen will be released on a very special day…October 2nd, 2013, (Ed and my 19th wedding anniversary).

HEY! MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

I'll be in Las Vegas on August, 17th at the Hard Rock Hotel from 2-6pm. 

and

On October 12th (10 days after book 3 is released), I’ll be at the Mark Spencer Hotel in Portland, Oregon from 12-4.

With Love and Gratitude,

Gretchen

Tah-Dah.....WM18@L Cover is here!

Okay, so the book isn't up for sale yet, however; keeping you in the loop...here is the cover for Wilson Mooney, Eighteen at Last! I believe with the way things are moving and shaking....The book will be out this week or next....EEEKKK!!! I actually pinned it down to a time frame more than soon!...Still sorry I'm not more specific with an actual date, but I gotta go over the last couple of chapters and pick up the image files from my graphic designer!

I HAVE THE MOST AMAZING KICK-ASS READERS!!!!

THANKS FOR BEING SO PATIENT AND HOLDING ON!

When A Spark Catches...

When a spark catches, a fire will blaze until its unstoppable flames consume without consideration. It is at this particular moment when we must decide if it is a blessing or a curse. We can either stand on the edge of a new opportunity grieving for what was lost or choose to celebrate the newly discovered possibilities.

When Wilson came to me several years ago, I didn’t know what she was all about. Some people told me that none of the big publishers would touch the story with a ten-foot pole. They thought the story was too taboo because it was about a girl and her teacher. But something inside me kept me writing it. The creative urge to tell her story was stronger than the mainstream belief that readers couldn’t handle the subject.

I knew that once people read the story, the whole idea of a student and a teacher would be an afterthought to the relationship of two young people who were falling in love with each other. It was so much more than the superficial, knee-jerk judgment of a naughty novel.

As I passed chapters to people who wanted to read Wilson’s story, I worked really hard to stretch out of the box of conventional thinking. If someone tried to stuff me back in the box, I would find the means to kick my way out. I guess I was too naïve to believe that stories like Wilson’s didn’t have an audience.

When I needed help, I would ask and opportunities would always show up. When I didn’t know if I was doing the right thing, I would stop and wait for the answers. When days turned into more days and doubt would creep into my head, I was fortunate enough to have people who would whack me upside the noggin for stopping mid-sentence and then give me positive strokes for continuing with my passion. It never took much to remind me why I was writing Wilson and Max’s story.

If there is anything I learned in the journey of bringing Wilson and Max to the world, it would have to be anything is possible. 

What mind can conceive, man can achieve.

Patience is truly the most rewarding attribute of seeing your dream unfold. When you feel like giving up, find every moment that sparks the creative energy in your heart and focus on that. When situations hurt your feelings, find something in that situation that helps you grow. Find the diamond buried in the huge mountain. And never forget, sometimes your ignorance of the worlds views will keep you alive and swimming when so many others are eaten by the sharks circling to swallow them whole.

**WM18@L Update**

I’m meeting with my beta readers Sunday! Whew, I can’t wait to hear what they have to say! Also, my editor is done with the book. She should have it to me in the next couple of days. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for the first part of next week to see the progress on the cover from my graphic designer.

Lastly, I want to thank each and every one of you. I’m speechless and can’t think of any words to express how grateful I am to have all your support. You took a chance on an unknown author and bought my novel. That means the world to me. You’ve come back to my blog and Facebook page, checking in on my progress and I totally appreciate that. It’s funny to think, not too long ago Wilson’s story only existed in my head and now it’s out in the entire world, being shared!

With Overwhelming Gratitude,

Gretchen

Almost One Year Later!

Sales of Wilson Mooney, Almost Eighteen are growing at a steady pace. Almost a year after it was released it seems word of mouth is working its magic. Yeah, at times I wonder if it is because I am getting close to releasing the second novel in the series…maybe. Or it could be that people are finding it because they are looking for a steamy read with a storyline and character development.

I understand readers want to invest in the characters; it is important to feel the different emotions that the characters evoke in their hearts. Let’s face it, we all want to love, hate, get angry, and laugh at characters in a book. We want to be entertained and transported to another world, even if it is only for a couple hours in a day.

When I decided to self-publish Wilson, I went about it with blinders on. When I stumbled or came across a roadblock, I would hit the internet and searched out how to overcome it. Yeah, sometimes I had to take a pretty big shovel and tunnel under some real huge barriers. Sometimes I would fall off the confidence wagon and question the choices I made. But I eventually found my footing again, fixed the axle of the wagon, and gave it a running push before I jumped back on.

The biggest roadblock I still work at overcoming; the biggest mental hurtle I work on the most (sometimes multiple times a day), has been my own self-defeating talk in my head. You know that little irritating, nonsensical voice that shows up in the back of your head when you believe everything is heading in the right direction.

Do I listen to the little irritating turd in the back of my head? Sometimes~ But my saving grace has been the people who support me and want to share in the success of my stories. See, I learned early in life, the people you attract in your life, the people who surround you will shape your experiences. Now, fortunately, I have some really amazing people in my life; people who share the same philosophy as I do. I’m not saying that we are a bucket of rainbows all the time. But we don’t focus on the negative situations for very long when they seem to come up and bite us in the rear.

Now, I’m not saying my journey been perfect. But it’s my journey and how I react to it, creates my experience. I work every day at perfecting my craft, marketing my books, and most importantly making sure to live in gratitude. Every person who has invested in me and my stories, every new sale I get, every letter or email I receive, and every moment I am given to write and create…I consciously and verbally give thanks for…everyday.

Thanks for visiting~

Make sure you check out the Wilson Mooney Facebook page~ HERE

 

I Got Your Book Cover...(coming soon)

I am getting really excited about the book cover.  My graphic designer, (okay it isn't like I own her, she is just totally amazing and I can't wait to show everyone her work) has really hit the nail on the head with the cover I wanted.  She is touching up the small changes and details we decided on. Soon, very soon, I will be releasing the cover art here on the WM blog, Written & Ready, and my website (and any other sites I can get to upload it).

As a matter of fact, I will  do a post introducing my graphic designer and her information, because when you see this cover, you are gonna want to have her do some designing for you.  The great thing about her is I gave her a few ideas and photos of what I wanted and she came back with great concepts.  She is a wonderful artist, amazing woman, and a professional.

So keep checking back for new posts about the release date of my debut novel, WILSON MOONEY ALMOST EIGHTEEN, and the amazing book cover design.