Tag Archives: New Year’s Resolutions

Jan 4 2017

#LifeGoals

 

carrie-fisher

So 2016 is behind us (thank God). Not only did I lose four family members this past year, but we lost way too many beloved celebrities from my childhood as well, hence the Carrie Fisher quote (and omggg, what great words to live by in 2017!). One of my earliest memories is Jabba putting Leia on a chain and then she strangles him to death while the boys go off to talk. LOVE LOVE LOVE!! I hope she’s finally resting in peace.

I don’t know where you are in this journey called life, but if you’re like me, you’re probably not resting much, and are actually quite busy. As in, you’ve already lost track of days in the new year and what you’ve done with them. You have a list of a million things to do each day and are lucky if you get through five of ’em! So nope, I haven’t started the fourth book in my 18 Things series yet like I planned to over winter break, but that’s okay.

I spent a lot of time yesterday trying to figure out the person I want to be in 2017, and I think that’s my New Year’s Resolution. Just discover who I truly am and be that person instead of trying to impress everyone else. Today I came across this blog post,

Tell Me What You Did Today, And I’ll Tell You Who You Are,

and found it quite helpful, so I linked it above in case you’re interested. May you find peace, love, joy, and health in 2017!~CHEERS!

This has been a post for the Insecure Writer’s Support Group, the brainchild of Head Ninja, Alex J. Cavanaugh. Feel free to join us the first Wednesday of every month! Purpose: To share and encourage.

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Jan 1 2014

18 TRUTHS You Need to Hear for 2014

HaPPy*NEW*YEAR*Awesome*People*of*THe*UnivERse!!!!

18 Truths high resolution image

Did you catch the “18 Truths” on my new book cover? Do you agree with them? The truth can be a complicated thing, can’t it? In the new year, I’m hoping for more courage and faith to speak from truth, every day in every way. I hope to shut out some of the media and to lessen its influence in shaping my perception. I hope to stay focused on what’s right and true, even if other people around me disagree with my decisions. Perhaps, in doing so, the younger generation surrounding me in my home and at school will view me as a model for courage and truth, and like a trail of bread crumbs, they’ll follow my lead, and we’ll all affect 2014 in a positive way. At least it’s a nice thought 🙂

Okay, enough resolution stuff. The TRUTH IS I  need your help in planning for the release of 18 Truths on January 28th! But I wouldn’t ask for your help without telling you a little bit about the book first, so check out the blurb:

Lying is unbearable, betrayal is inevitable, and choosing which path to take is impossible.

Olga Gay Worontzoff ended her senior year as an eighteen-year-old girl totally in love with Nate, enjoying their new romance and about to attend the university of her dreams. Now she’s spending her summer in the weird subculture of the Underworld, with charmingly witty and powerful angels, and problematic demons, trying to rescue Connor, the best friend and secret crush she was unable to save during a freak accident.

But Nate has other things on his mind, mainly Grace. She’s their first assignment as joint spirit guides, and Olga’s feeling hurt and jealous. His mysterious behavior has Olga questioning everything she believed about him and now she must decide whether to stick to their plan, or follow her heart. Unfortunately, a series of mistakes threatens everyone around her and plants Olga in the center of cosmic events much larger than she ever imagined.

Only one thing is for certain: the truths uncovered during her journey will leave no one untouched.

Tell me the truth, does the blurb pull you in? If so, would any of you be interested in an interview (even a character interview), a guest post by me, a book review, a book playlist, or maybe just featuring my cover image, promotional blurb, and author bio on your site? Perhaps sometime in the month of January or February?

Also, last year I hosted a blogfest for the release of the first installment in my trilogy, 18 Things. Fifty bloggers participated by posting 18 Things they had on their bucket list, and I was able to give away 18 awesome prizes during release week! I’d like to duplicate that type of fun, so I’m planning a 1 Lie and 8 Truths blogfest (a twist on the 2 truths and a lie icebreaker I do with my students when they switch into new teams every month). People will post 1 lie and 8 truths about themselves, and we’ll try to find the lie. I figured it’s a fun way of getting to know each other, while tying in the number 18 and the truth theme. Sound good? If so, please consider signing up when I post the link on Jan. 15th. Also, if you have any swag to donate for the blogfest . . . books, giftcards, bookmarks, journals, critiques . . . I’d be eternally grateful, and that’s the truth!

Your interest and support really mean a lot to me. If you’d like to help with either the blog tour or blogfest giveaways (or both!), please let me know in the comments below, or email me through the Contact Me tab above^

Getting my book out there is just a small part of what I hope to accomplish in 2014. I’d also love to be a blessing to other bloggers, so please know I will pay it forward.

Oh, and I can’t go without also revealing my NEW cover for 18 Things. My publisher decided to revamp it for the release of the sequel so we could brand the series a bit better.

18 Things revised cover high resolution

What are your resolutions for the new year? Any truths you hope will rule your life in 2014? My faith is high, and I’m so grateful we get to share in this journey together from every corner of the planet around the blogosphere! Thank you, truly, for always answering my call for help when I need it!

~Cheers!!!!

❤ Jamie

Jan 2 2013

OH, CRAP! Insecure Writer’s New Year’s Post

HaPPy*2013*Awesome*People!!!

When I look back at my 2012 resolution, it was to get my YA novel, 18 Things, published.

But honestly? I never thought this day would come! Nooo, not because I’m wacky enough to believe Dec. 21st was going to be the end of the world (well, okay, some nights when I had way too much chocolate and a gallon of coffee, I might’ve listened to my brother’s entertaining conspiracy theories). But I’m talking about the day I finally announce the release date for my novel.

JANUARY 24TH!

Sure, I prayed for it, counted minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, 3 years off my calendar waiting for the day when I could finally call myself a published author. Now it’s here. And I know 13 is an ‘unlucky’ number, but I’ve got a feeling 2013 is gonna be a good year, a gOOd, GooD year (I always liked an underdog!).

BUT OH, CRAP! THAT’S JUST 22 DAYS AWAY!! AHH!

I’m so blessed I cringe at the thought of asking for anything from anyone. But another blogger reminded me today that God’s blessings aren’t limited and someone isn’t lacking because I’m not. So I’m putting this out to the universe . . . would any of you be interested in an interview, a guest post by me, a book review, or maybe just featuring my cover image, promotional blurb, and author bio on your site? Your interest and support really mean a lot to me. If you’d like to help, please let me know in the comments below, or email me through the Contact Me tab above^ (P.S. If you’re visiting for the first time and have no clue what 18 Things is about, you can also visit the About Me tab for the dets ^)

Getting my book out there is just a small part of what I hope to accomplish in 2013. I’d also love to be a blessing to other bloggers, so please know I will pay it forward. It may take me awhile to repay everyone, but I promise to do it sometime in 2013! And the first person I’m starting with is Sharon Bayliss, my publishing sister who hosted the contest on her blog that led my editor to my book. Today, Sharon is revealing the cover for her debut novel. Here it is *drumroll please*

The Charge Cover copy

Really draws you in, doesn’t it? Yes, we both have a fondness for blue and lightning, lol! Here’s the blurb . . . you’re gonna want to add this to your TBR list!

What if Texas never joined the United States, and instead became its own nation? 

In The Charge that’s exactly what happened. In the 1830s, the Republic of Texas was taken over by a dictator with superhuman powers who named himself the first King of Texas. Eighty years later, the Texas Empire has fallen into ruin, but the story of the Texas royal dynasty is far from over.

College freshman Warren King wants nothing more than to enjoy a beer by the pool on his summer break…but that’s not what fate has in store for him. When Texas soldiers kidnap his little brother, he embarks into a still-wild West to save him.  While fumbling through a search attempt in the lawless Texas Empire, he makes a discovery that changes his life forever. He and his brother are estranged members of the Texas royal family and the King wants them both dead.  Now Warren must save his brother and choose whether or not to be King, follow a King, or die before he can retire his fake ID.

The Charge was a quarterfinalist for the 2012 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award and won a Publisher’s Weekly review:

“A solid cast of well-developed characters, including a “super-tall” royal Texan family, stars in this thrill ride of a novel teetering between sci-fi adventure and alternate historical epic…Easily shifting between characters’ perspectives, and relentless in its action, well-placed humor, and suspense, this manuscript is a delight.”

The Charge will be available in digital and print formats from Curiosity Quills Press on Texas Independence Day, 3/2/13. Go to www.facebook.com/thechargebook for updates.

So friends, what are your goals for 2013? Maybe read more YA books? (Hey, they have lots of inspiring heroes! I’m not just throwing this out there b/c I write YA novels. No, no, no, that would be self-serving. At least I didn’t suggest that one of your goals should be to read 18 Things *coughs*) 

Ha! Whatever your thoughts are for 2013, don’t let unfinished goals from 2012 hold you back. A lot of times our dreams aren’t fulfilled not because of our performance, but because of timing. We don’t know the details of our lives, so we have to step out in faith. Have faith with me that 2013 will be a lucky year!

If you’d like to join the Insecure Writer’s Support Group with our head Ninja Captain, visit Alex J. Cavanaugh!

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