Hostages - Friday Funny

You know your child has an addiction when you receive a text message like this one:

We have the lovey! If you do exactly what we say you will see it again lol!!

Followed by a text with this in it:

Just in case you thought we weren't serious.

And since I'm such an expert hostage negotiator, this was my response to these evil people: Keep it. We'll buy another one!

Just so you can all rest easy tonight, the lovey has been returned to its rightful owner. The perpetrators have been prosecuted!

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Getting to Know You

I had an epiphany. Well, not quite I solved all the world's problems kind of epiphany, more the kind of what do I want to ask my blog followers today.

You see, I like people. Often I say the opposite of that, but it's not true. You put me in a room with a bunch of strangers and I swear by the time we're ready to part ways, we'll be friends—or at least exhausted from laughing a lot.

Meeting new people is fun. Learning an individual's history, their likes and dislikes, where they're from, etc, is often what opens our world to new cultures, new viewpoints . . . you get it.

So, I'm asking you to share a little bit about yourself. Where are you from? What do you do? What's your favorite color, favorite book?

I'll start: You obviously all know my name. I was born in Illinois, but my parents had their own epiphany and moved us to Texas when I was at the ripe, young age of six months. Although I lived in Texas until the age of sixteen, I consider myself to be a Virginian. This state is my favorite so far. If I ever strike the book lottery, my husband and I joke that we'll move to Vermont. We'll see. It's gonna be hard to pull me away from Virginia.

I'll leave my day job out of this. I'm an author. This is what makes me tick. My favorite color is purple. My favorite book of all time is The Hobbit, but The Hunger Games trilogy is my favorite series of modern times.

I think that's a good start. So tell me about yourself. I really want to know!

~Krystal

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Guest Blog: Jess Wentz

Today I have a special guest with me: Jessica Wentz. Jess has been a long time supporter of mine. She's always retweeting my posts and chatting with me on twitter. So it's only fair I reciprocate. We're breaking her guest appearance cherry! Make sure you leave her LOTS of comment love and check out her blog!

~Ok... first I would like to thank Krystal for asking me to do this for her! It's my first time being a guest blogger for anyone, and I'm really excited to be doing it!! Now... what to talk about.

I thought I would write about what made me finally want to publish a book. I've been writing since about the age of ten, and have always kept it very close to me. There has always been this nagging feeling in me that I've never been good enough to publish anything. I can honestly say that even my husband didn't read my work, because it was just too private for me to share with him.

I knew that I had wanted to publish something, as I have so many stories started in my computer, but have never finished. I'm sure there are ones that don't make any sense, but like most writers, I would get an idea in my head and have to write it down. Once I started, I usually knew if it wasn't going anywhere, and still, when I go back and read them, know where I wanted to go with them.

The reason why I finally decided to publish, was two people gave me the push I needed. The first one was my husband, who after seeing me drifting a little bit, told me to publish something, as I'm always sitting at the computer writing. The second was Raine Thomas, who told me to go for it after I said that my husband had planted the seed. It took off from there, and I bought a writing program designed for writers, and got down to business. I must say my story has changed about ten times and will probably change a lot more before I'm done, but I'm loving every frustrating, nail biting minute of it! My characters are constantly telling me how to go, and I follow their lead.

One thing I forced myself to do was share my work. I have been emailing my WIP to Raine, and getting her feedback. She has been a godsend to me, and given me such great advice writing wise. Also, it's great to have fresh eyes seeing it when I've been looking at it for four plus hours!! Before this, I had never shared my work with anyone, because it terrified me to do it. I had visions of them hating what I was writing, and telling me it was awful. There is still a part of me that thinks that, and I don't think that will ever change. It's just great to know that I've made myself get over that hump of keeping my writing to myself.

I'm hoping to have my book written, edited and have the book cover done by the end of the year. That's my goal for 2011! Now, I'm hoping my children can allow that goal to happen...

Thanks again, Krystal for asking me to do this!!

~

You're welcome, Jess. Thank you for sharing such an intimate part of yourself. We all have our different reasons for writing and publishing. It's good to hear your husband is so supportive of you. Now hire a sitter and finish that book!

Jess is a mother of two amazing boys, and has been married for ten, almost eleven years. She's in the process of writing her first book, which has been a dream of hers since childhood. Jess also has a book blog, where she reads and reviews books. Please check it and follow if you have a chance. jessbookblog.blogspot.com

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LIES #TheWritersCollection

*Disclaimer: This post is full of lies.*

I look forward to waking up every morning before the sun rises. Parting ways with my bed is potentially the best thing I'll do all day. I don't need sleep. I don't like sleep. Once I shower and say goodbye to the family I don't love, I know my day is destined to get better. Sitting in my car for over an hour with perfect strangers, while commuting fifty-miles to Washington, DC, brings me joy. I cannot deny it.

Once I walk into my office and see hundreds of papers stacked on my desk, I smile. Ahh. This is the life. Seven hour days should be increased to ten. I'd be more productive, and then I wouldn't be forced to go home where I do nothing but play stupid games with my family. And don't even get me started on cooking and cleaning for the heathens. Why did I have kids again? I should have just purchased a small apartment in the city so I could be at my employer's beckon call.

Last year I wrote a novel or two. What the hell was I thinking? I hate writing. Then I made the mistake of submitting it to a publisher . . . and they accepted my crappy work! Maybe they're insane too? An enemy of mine suggested I become involved in social media to help promote my worthless second career. My dismal success with Twitter, Facebook, and Blogger further explain why I hate her.

Pushing paper is what I love. Not my family. Not writing. Not the sunshine or the birds soaring through the blue sky on warm summer days. I want to be chained to my desk the rest of my life, slave to other people's hopes and dreams. That life keeps me grounded, prevents me from allowing my imagination to run wild.

Who needs creativity? Who needs freedom? Who needs time with their family and friends, time to get lost in books, time to fall asleep on white sandy beaches?

Not me, folks, and I bet not you either.

To read other author's personal take on the topic LIES, go to www.thewriterscollection.com

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Six Sentence Sunday

BIG NEWS!!! Wilde's Fire is now CONTRACTED with Noble Young Adult! Don't have an official release date yet, BUT I can say it will be soon. YAY!

So this is a continuation from where we left off last week.

Enjoy!

~For a moment everything and everyone disappear. The only things I can see are Brad’s fist, his anger and his broken heart. I cannot allow this to happen. I have to stop him before this situation gets any uglier. With hopes to bring Brad out of his fury, I push myself in front of Arland.

My former best friend’s fist slams into my left eye.~

Well, bet you all didn't see THAT coming?! To read more Six Sunday greatness, make sure you check out the official site! *Disclaimer: Not all sites are appropriate for children under 18.*

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Friday *Yawn* Funny

This week should have been epic. My book is moving right along through edits. Soon I will have a cover to look at, and drool over. There's a tentative release date in sight. So I should be all *squeeee* . . . not *yawn*. But I had the flu last week. I may still have the flu. I'm not sure. All I know is I want to close my eyes and sleep for three weeks straight.

But there's no time for that. I have a book trailer to finish. Originally I was going to hire a production company to film a really amazing movie-like trailer for Wilde's Fire, but now there's not enough time. I'm doing this myself. And let me tell you folks, it's kind of fun. :-)

Look for it here, on my website, YouTube, Facebook--I know you get it--everywhere!

So for now I leave you with today's Comic Strip based on how I feel. Have a great weekend!

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Data Threats

Last week I received a notice from AT&T about my data usage. Apparently I'm in the top 5% of all users. Of course they suggested I use WI-FI to avoid slowed Internet speeds—

WAIT! WHAT?

Years ago my husband and I stood in line for over four hours to purchase our first iPhones. I remember making a ridiculous comment about how I'd never use or need all the features of the phone and even considered getting a Blackberry Curve.

Thank God that didn't happen.

My cell company used to offer Unlimited Data plans—actually they forced us to sign up for the limitless services. Bet AT&T regrets that now. But this all brings me back to my frustration.

Why on Earth would they reduce the quality of service to people who use their phones the way Apple intended? It hardly seems fair. I stream Pandora in my car during my fifty-mile commute to work. I stream Pandora at work because we aren't allowed to use our organization's network. Makes sense. No big deal. I have my phone, unlimited data, all the good stuff.

I have all my author gadgets linked to my phone . . . my multiple e-mail accounts, Facebook, Twitter, StumbleUpon, GChat, the list goes on and on. I need my iPhone for all it's worth.

But AT&T wants to punish me.

If their network can't handle me, maybe they need to fix their network. I certainly shouldn't receive "reduced Internet speeds" because I use my phone to its full potential.

Right? Right? Does anyone agree with me here? They sold me unlimited data, they advertise 3G speeds . . . why should I get anything less?

My name is Krystal Wade, I have an iPhone 4S and I'm proud to be a data hog.

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