Happy New Years Eve

Just a quick Happy New Years Eve to all my blog world friends. I hope everyone has a wonderful, fun, and safe night.

See you all next year!!!

WW's and PD's,
Vicki

Goals, Time to Step It Up A Notch

2009 is almost here and with the New Year brings new goals as well as reflections of last years goals. Time to think about what’s accomplished or what fork split the road when you least expected it to.

Last year I talked about what a goal is, you can click here if you’d like to read it. This year I’m thinking differently about goals. What do they do and how can making them affect the year ahead.

For me, goals are my roadmap, the direction I want to take with my writing career. Yes, I want an agent and to receive ‘The Call’ this year and I’m doing everything in my power to achieve that. But those aren’t really goals, since I can’t make them actually happen.

This year my goal is to finish two books. Plain and simple, right? Okay, not so much. In order to do that I need a plan. Write everyday, yes, every single day. Four months to write the first book and edit it, take a couple weeks break and then write the second book (same timeframe). Yep, stepping it up to two books, completed and edited. See, I'm figuring it's better to work like I'm already published with deadlines. Look out cp's, we're going to be busy. I have the best cp's in the world and they work just as hard.

We did this really cool thing at my TARA meeting this past year. We wrote on a post card three things we’d like to do and gave them to the wonderful June. Three months later those who participated, received the postcard in the mail. I was in a meeting and didn’t get to do it, but those that did raved or how cool it was to see what they’d done and how close they were to completing all three things.

So, if you’d like, email me three things you’d like to accomplish in the next three months, along with your address and I’ll send out the postcard to you.

Changing venues here:

More than likely you’ve listened to Randy Pausch, The Last Lecture. If not, then trust me its well worth the hour.

Here’s a small recap from his lecture.

When you’re doing poorly and no one is telling you, that’s a bad place to be. – Wow, if no one ever told us when something didn’t work in our writing, where would we be?

Experience is what you get, when you didn’t get what you wanted. – Think about this one. Maybe you didn’t final in ‘that’ contest, but you did gain experience whether it was thicker skin or learning how to make your work better.

Don’t bail: the best gold is at the bottom of the barrel of crap. – So how does, this relate? Never give up.

And two of my favorites:

Brick walls are there for a reason: they let us prove how badly we want something. They’re not there to keep people who want it out, but to stop those don’t.

Be prepared: “Luck” is where preparation meets opportunity.

So what about you? Are you making goals for 09? Did your goals last year help you or did you forget to look back at them from time to time?

Writing Wishes and Plotting Dreams,
Vicki

Happy Holidays To You and Yours

May your holiday's be filled with joy of the season and your new year bring all your hopes and dreams.

Writing Wishes and Plotting Dreams,
Vicki

Perfect Chemistry - Don't Miss This Book

Simone Elkeles book, Perfect Chemistry is a must read and comes out tomorrow.

Check out the video.



So, what did you think? I know this is one book, I can't wait to read.

Hope everyone is having a wonderful week and wishing peace to you all.

Vicki

Contest Winner's and the Holiday's

First things first, the winners of the bookmarks are: Maura, Liza, and Laurie K. Please email me at vickilanewrites@yahoo.com with your snail mail addy and I'll get them out to you.

I don't know about you, but I love this time of year. Even on a rough day at the day job, riding home and seeing Christmas lights burning bright makes me smile. And yes, I play holiday much in the car as well. I love it, I'm like a kid.

The decorating and baking and shopping, (maybe not as much as normal this year, but still shopping) are part of the fun. The house will smell like homemade cookies and not just from the candle I lit last night. :) Or the pine smells from the Christmas tree spray. Science Guy and I have an artificial tree, so I have to burn candles and spray the room spray for the scent. Bath and Body has a great one.

And the holiday parties, big or small are always special. This past Saturday we had our TARA holiday party at the St Pete Yatch Club. Our room had a view of the water and the food was yummy. We all bring a gift. Something to do with the book we wrote or are writing and of course chocolate or wine or both. Because, as so many said on Saturday, 'That's what we do.' and then the fun begins. The first person picks a gift, the person who brought it tells what or how it represents her writing and then the second person steals that gift or picks another one from the table. And the fun goes on.

This year one of the girls made an incredible gift which was much fought after. She made a wreath (which lights), and all around it where the books of our TARA authors. Tiny little book covers of everyone's books. Amazing!

But, all this fun does lead to one little bity problem. Finding the time to work on my book. I'm squeezing in 20 minutes here and an hour there. I've got a few thousand words left to cut and then it's done and out the door. Whoo Hoo!!

How about you? Are you having a good holiday and are you able to find time to write or read?

WW's and PD's,
Vicki

Bookmark Contest

Sorry guys, I know I've been away for several days, but time has not been on my side. I'm still slashing words (almost through)to send out the request.

The day job is...well, I'm there and that's major important since we had the black Friday so many other companies have had.

This week I'm giving away three bookmarks. I know for sure one of them is not available in the states as of yet. Leave your comments this week to be entered.





Writing Wishes and Plotting Dreams,
Vicki

And the Winner is...

The winner for this week’s contest is Bray!! WhooHoo. I know you’re going to love the book.

Email me at vickilanewrites@yahoo.com with your snail mail addy and I’ll get the book out to you.

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend and next week I’m giving away some more bookmarks. Some of these are not available in the States as of yet.

Writing Wishes and Plotting Dreams,
Vicki

ARC for Carrie Ryan's The Forest of Hands and Teeth

Click here to enter a contest for an ARC of Carrie Ryan's debut book, The Forest of Hands and Teeth.

I'm not the one giving this away, but here's your chance to get it now. I know I'm dying to read it. :)



WW's and PD's,
Vicki

Julie Leto's Phantom's Touch Is Here!!

Julie Leto's second book in the Phantom series just released. WhooHoo!!! The cover is amazing.

Here's the blurb from Julie's website:
One more movie and Lauren Cole will be free of her role as an action heroine—and of her producer ex-husband...except that he still has her beloved antique sword. Nothing a little breaking and entering can’t fix, but nabbing the weapon unleashes a magic that reignites her love life and puts her in grave danger.

In 1747, Aiden Forsyth stormed a Gypsy village to save his sister, only to fall victim to a powerful spell that has held him captive for more than two centuries. Finally liberated by a sword-wielding beauty, Aiden learns that in the future, all the world’s a stage—and he cannot tell if this maiden’s affections are genuine or naught but an act. But she holds the key to his freedom, so he pledges to do whatever she asks.

Lauren has never needed a protector—until she’s forced to rely on the sexy warrior who has mysteriously appeared in her life. After all, it may be his age-old enemy who is trying to kill her...

And this is from Amazon:
Two centuries ago, Aiden Forsyth stormed a gypsy camp to save his sister, only to fall victim to a powerful spell. But now, when modern-day actress Lauren Cole grasps the hilt of an antique sword, she is shocked to see the ancient warrior materialize before her. Not only has she released Aiden from the curse that bound him, but she has put herself in the path of an incredible danger.

To read an excerpt, click here.

Leave your comments this week to be entered into the contest. Also don't forget to check out the auction for Jo Leigh.

WW's and PD's,
Vicki