The Wednesday Whinge – Angsty Angsty Cheep Cheep

As I sit here waiting for coffee to filter, I am consumed by angst – writers angst.  It’s the kind of angst that makes your stomach start to self-digest.  You see when I signed up to this writing thing I wanted to write books, get lost in a story, work with an editor to make it better. Enjoy the process as it moves from ideas to rough draft and on to a beautiful book that I could snuggle up with.   What I didn’t really factor in was all the other stuff.

The other stuff?  Yes, all the stuff that a writer must do to publicize their book.  I’ve been sitting at my computer for five days straight doing blog posts, guest posts, interviews, and stressing myself out about public appearances.  This is all happening during NaNo, and I’d promised myself at the beginning of November that I’d have the first draft of my next book on paper by the end of November, and I’m failing miserably. Why? It’s simple, I just don’t have time. Juggling four kids, and a time consuming career is tough work, and it’s only getting tougher. 

I’ve got three signings and readings over the next four days, and while this is super exciting, it’s also super scary. It makes me want to duck for cover. I’m lucky to have some really supportive bloggers and writing friends who cheer me on, but my confidence really just isn’t where it needs to be. I look at other writers as they work conference circuits, rocking the teen panels, churning out helpful information with beguiling charm, and wonder, will that ever be me? Would I/could I do that with such finesse?  As I sit here now sipping coffee that will only add to my aching stomach woes, I’m thinking …hell no, where is the nearest bunker? The only thing keeping me driving forward is the fact that everyone tells me once I’m up there talking I’ll be fine, and if I’m not, I have my Irish accent to fall back on. Apparently I could get up and start reading the rules of the road in my accent and the attendees would be entertained. I’m not convinced, but I’ll be popping into the DMV for a copy of rules, just to be on the safe side.

Wish me luck my friends.

All the best and talk soon.

Leigh

The Wednesday Whinge… I mean, The Wednesday Woohoo!

You’ve probably noticed that by blogging schedule has been all over the place these past few weeks, and for that I apologize.  However, I was up to some good stuff.  In July I announced that I’d signed a contract for the second book in the Carrier Series.  Well guess what?  I’ve just finished it. AGHH!  It took a lot of hard work, which isn’t easy with four kids pulling me in different directions while they suffered from chronic cases of summer holiday boredom.  But I managed to pull through with (most) of my hair intact.

Now, I’ve got a week or so of some super intense editing ahead of me and some head to heads with my fabulous critique partners, Wendy Higgins (Sweet Evil), Jennifer L Armerntrout (Half-Blood), Morgan Shamy (goddess and future star),  and my sister Jennifer Conroy (super-duper photographer).

But here’s the good bit!!  September is going to be an epic month for this blog.  I’m going to be doing fantastic giveaways EVERY week from September 1^st to the launch of Carrier of the Mark on the 4^th of Oct.  I’m also going to announcing my big Pre-order or Buy Carrier comp.  The prize is awesome and way bigger than my normal offerings. Eeeek!  I’ll be dishing the dirt on all the amazing things that I’ll be doing with HarperTeen and inkpop over the next few weeks.  There will be so much, it deserves its own blog post, but I’m just giving you heads up to brace yourself for a fun filled exciting couple of weeks where I will be emptying my choc-a-block swag drawers of all the fabulous goodies I’ve been hoarding.

So stay posted guys. This will be epic. Oh and you can get a running head start to win big if you pre-order Carrier NOW.  Check out the sidebar=> for loads of options

The nearly Wednesday Whinge

I’m whinging early this week for two reasons. 1. I’ve a few things to whinge about that won’t wait until tomorrow.  And 2. My three year old twin tormentors are now on a two day week at school and one of those two days is tomorrow, so I’m going to be off frolicking somewhere, basking in being alone and the freedom that gives me.

So what peeves me so?  Well in a word… WEATHER.

Being Irish, I’ve grown up with rain, dampness, wind, and crappy weather in general.  So you can imagine my surprise when the MA summer decides to have a hissy fit and go all Irish on me.  I mean seriously!! What is it up to?

We had the the snowiest winter on record. Then in the spring we get hammered by storms and … wait for it… tornados!!  Then, the summer comes and promptly disappears.  Where did it go?  We got like one week and it was gone.

After getting caught out last year, this year I was prepared.  The AC units have been lovely installed (by me, my husband is still on his DIY hiatus).  I got the pool up (again, by me… on my own), nearly killing myself inhaling chlorine dust as I tried to balance the pool chemicals, and the garden barbeque has been unearthed from the barn and cleaned down…ready to go.  I’d even put away the winter duvets and the kids fleece PJ’s.

But now the summer is giving me a very prominent two fingers while doing its best impression of an Irish spring.  The only ones getting use of the pool are the dragonflies who feel compelled to drown themselves for some reason (probably the crappy weather).

MA Summer, you good for nothing, bundle of heat and humidity! I dare you to come out and face me.  Do your worst.  Bring your poison ivy, ticks, mosquitos, and armies of ants. I can take it. This year I’m prepared for you. 

The Wednesday Whinge - BEA & Driving Tests

It is Wednesday and I should be whinging… big time!  I do have one little whinge, I’ll come back to that in a second.  Firstly I want to tell you guys the good stuff.

Yay! Reviews for The Carrier of the Mark are starting to make their way into my twitter feed.  So far I’m ecstatic about how things are going. 5 out of 5 stars all around, now that’s not a bad start. 

Just in case you missed my BEA post, here is the low down.  I’m going to be at BEA this year. Double Yay!  I wasn’t expecting to be there, but then The Carrier of the Mark was picked as a Buzz book.  I just have to be present to hear the powers that be discuss my book at what is traditionally one of BEA's best-attended events.  The YA buzz panel is on from 2pm to 3.15pm on Tuesday May 24^th.  If you are going to be at BEA, make sure you pop by! Oh and I’ll be doing a signing from 4 – 4.30pm at Table 9 in the signing area. Make sure you stop by and say hi, oh and grab yourself a signed copy of The Carrier of the Mark while you’re there.

Now, back to my whinge.  I was recently informed that I had to do the Massachusetts Driving test before I could renew my insurance here in the US.  I have to admit, this filled me with terror.  I did my driving test when I was eighteen, back in Ireland.  I passed it first time.  I’ve spent the last twenty years driving all over the world, and not once have I had an accident (knock on wood). Now I’m faced the prospect of having to impress a grumpy driving tester and my confidence is giving way to horror.  I went into the DMV (that’s what you guys call the test center right?), got a form, filled it in, took a ticket, waited for 45 minutes, got called to a desk, had to give them all manner of background info and proof of identification, I think I might have given away the rights to my first grandchild too. Then horror of horror!! They took my photo. I wasn’t expecting a photo and hadn’t brushed my hair or put on makeup so basically I look like a troll. Then an impromptu eye test *gasp*, I hand over my credit card to pay a fee (can’t remember how much, I was still panicking over my horrendous headshot). Then I’m led off to a little room to take a test.  Now I know the rules of the road better than anyone. But these questions weren’t the rules of the road!

I don’t know how marijuana affects your eyesight, or how much you are charged for killing someone while operating heavy machinery while under the influence of alcohol, or where to store my weapon while I’m driving a car! I means seriously! Wouldn’t it be more beneficial to simply tell people you can’t get plastered, totally baked and carry a gun while you’re driving.  Why should I be tested on what the penalties are if I do? I mean, people who are going to do all of the above won’t give a toss what the penalties are in the first place. GAH!

Anyway, I passed my test through the process of elimination.  I can’t say I learned anything enlightening during the process, other than not to drive at night if you’re completely stoned on pot, oh, but you should be fine during the day.

Next up, the driving test, compete with grumpy driving tester, and horrible flashbacks of that movie License to Drive with Corey Haim (RIP). I’d love to video it for a vlog. I’ll see if I can hide my camera for you. LOL.

Later guys.

Leigh

The Wednesday Whinge - Sink your TEETH into this Comp.

In this edition of The Wednesday Whinge, I'm whinging about teeth.  I've to go to the dentist again today. Boo! Not because I haven't looked after my teeth, nope, it's because of past shoddy dental work. Double Boo!  In honor of the dreaded visit to the dentist, I'm running a toothy comp. So while I toddle of for some medieval torture, you can get entering. ENJOY!

Oh and before I go, a quick note.  Either 80%  of all YA authors have either:
A. No Teeth
B. Are scared of smiling
C. Were aware that someday someone would go looking for pictures of their teeth for a blog post just like this.

How-and-ever, there are always the few that are willing to pucker up and say cheese. Thanks guys.

COMPETITION!!

Be afraid... be very afraid. 

There's a couple of unsuspecting Gnashers just chomping at the bit to be allowed sink there white sharp ones into your neck.  So spot them before they spot you!!

Name the face behind the teeth (answer in comments).
Follow the Blog...pretty please.
AND you're in with a chance to WIN an ARC of TEETH.

Ready...

Gnashers 1

Gnashers 2

Gnashers 3

Gnashers 4

Gnashers 5

Gnashers 6

Gnashers 7

I know... kind of difficult isn't it? The grainy blown up shots don't help and for this reason I'm giving you some clues.  The owners are the following:

Cassandra Clare

Holly Black

Lauren Oliver

Kiersten White

Richelle Mead

Sara Bennett Wealer

Meg Cabot

Just put the right number beside the name and you are in!

Comp closes on Monday 28th March.

Oh and I'd love if you could click the little Tweet button below. Thank you.

The Wednesday Whinge - Whinging in rhyme

In honor of Dr. Seuss birthday and the fact that all the kids going into school this morning were in ‘The Cat in the hat’ hats, I thought I should pay homage to the lord and master of children’s stories, so I’m going to attempt to whinge in rhyme today.  Dr. Seuss will be turning in his grave seeing his name and my attempt at rhyming on the one page, but here we go…

Wednesday’s for whinging, and that I can do,

For my head is pounding and my throats full of goo.

My stomachs in heap, I haven’t eaten for days,

Everything hurts and my brains in a haze.

What is it with these US bugs,

These dirty, nasty, damn thugs?

How can they even still be in existence?

They’ve only gone and got antibiotic resistant!

This winter is sucking in terms of infection,

I’ve never seen so many germs avoid detection.

The kids are puking, and have a dose of the trots,

Even though they’ve all had their flu shots.

Be gone with you winter, and spring time come hither.

I’m sick of the snow, the ice, and the shiver.

Things are on the up though, I’m sure you should know,

The Ice is melting a bit, and there’s much less of the snow.

The girl scouts are out, flogging cookies, what fun,

A sure sign that spring is upon us, bringing the sun.

Oh and while I’m donning my big red stripy hat,

This evening on inkpop I’m doing a live chat.

I’ll be there with my agent, Tina Wexler,

Pop on over and throw some questions at her.

I’m posting a video of me in New York,

Go on and look at it, I’m such a big dork.

If getting published is your life’s dream,

Well then have a gander and meet my team.

And so this brings me to the end of this whinge

Where are those girl scout cookies? I’m in the mood for a  binge.

The Wednesday Whinge & Giveaway Winner

I started doing my Wednesday whinge and realized I had little to whinge about.  Okay, so my twin boys have bad croup, my husband was in ER with one of them until 10.30 last night, and they’re both off school today, so I’m getting no work done, but at least they're healthy…ish.  And I guess Valentine’s Day totally sucked.  I rather stupidly had booked myself and my husband in for a dentists visit, forgetting completely that it was Valentine’s Day.  Okay, so I’m not a big fan of that silly day anyway, but still, miniature efforts should be made.  But it turned out to be a blessing in disguise, as my husband was so busy that it was the only time of the day we got to spend together, and we did manage to share a tuna sub in the car after the dental hygienist assaulted our mouths (the only action I got that day!) *giggle*

Not mine... but you get the idea.

Humm, I guess I have a few things to whinge about now I come to think about it.  The most prominent being my tech fail on the video you’re about to watch.  I decided at the last minute to try and entertain you for a few minutes, you know the usual me making a fun of myself and making lots of silly faces, but my mic on the camera was not playing ball today, I think it might have been a bit intimidated by my singing voice (scary).  But anyway, in fine Leigh fashion, I ploughed ahead, so if it hurts your ears, or if you are of a delicate constitution, best to turn down your volume before pressing play.  I want no complaints… you have been warned.

Oh and I did contemplate not bothering to post this video, but during the time I was trying to shoot it, my 3 year old twins had emptied the entire contents of a large jar of peanut butter all over the kitchen counter and mashed it into the hardwood floor.  It took me FOREVER to clean it up and now the poor  cat is frantically working her way along the ridge between the boards  licking what she can out and it’s driving her nuts.  So due to the pain and torment this video caused to both me and the cat, I posted it, despite its horridious sound.

And thanks a million for all your fantastic comments and ‘likes’ you guys rock my world.  I’d love to have stuff to give to you all, but there can only be one winner and that is… watch the video!!