Friday, October 4, 2013

The Latest News

Yes, it's been awhile since I've been here. Life has been busy. My regular job has been keeping me busy, as well as, home life. So busy, I haven't done much writing on my Witchy story, which is very frustrating.

However,  I was "interviewed" online by one of our club members who has the following blog:


http://www.cherylholloway.net/blog/

She has started a regular "interview" segment on her blog,  featuring local authors and many of our club members. Please check it out.

Thursday, August 8, 2013

Book Two of Janie's Got series

Good news! Finally got Janie's Got The Knack uploaded to Amazon and Barnes and Noble, and hard copies ordered.

I've already sold several to my wonderful followers.

I must add a disclaimer, as I heard there were spelling errors found after it was edited, and proof read by two people.  My disclaimer goes like this: I apologize to all who have purchased my books for any typos or spelling errors. We checked, and double checked before they are published. It is our intent to provide a quality copy, and will endeavor to eliminate errors in future products. 

And, finally, I want to thank those who have purchased Hooked and Janie's Got A New Job, have overlooked my trial and errors, and have since purchased or requested a copy of Janie's Got The Knack. Thank you for sticking with me as I continue to grow and write.

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

After ArtFest Report

The Charles County 2013 ArtFest was pretty great.

The event was held at the Town Hall, which was a really nice place, and ran from noon until six.  This was the first time I had seen the new building. For the first hour, it was rainy. Ground was soggy even before the rain, which caused the committee to move many of the attendees. Most of the tents were located very close to the paved walking path that allowed visitors to see most of the exhibits without having to walk across the soggy lawn. There were an estimated 20 tents, several food carts, and a variety of music all afternoon. The bands set up on the large portico, and the seating was under a large tent on the lawn in front of the steps.

I managed to sell 3 books - all Hooked, which was my first book. Those are almost gone, and I will purchase 5 more just to have available should someone want to buy. Once the sun came out, we had a steady stream of visitors. The Life Journeys Writers Club table did very well. We made new connections as well and will see new members.

Needless to say, I was exhausted by the time I got home at 6:30, but was excited to be able to attend and get my name out there.

There are plan for several more events this year, but I don't have the schedule yet. I desperately need to get Janie Two finished and ordered so that I can have them available for those events.

That is the highlights of the event. I am sure we will be attending next year, as well.

Until the next time...keep reading.

Thursday, May 30, 2013

The Latest

Hello, is anyone out there? LOL

Here's a little update to where things stand as of today.

I've gotten Janie's Got The Knack, Book Two back from my editor. Not as bad as I expected, mostly punctuation. Still, it will be slow going to read through every page and make changes.

My next book event will be Saturday, June 8 at the LaPlata Artfest. The LJWC (club) will host two tables for our book sales. I was hoping to have Book Two of Janie's Got available by then, but I am still in the fixing things found by the editor. Thus, I don't even have it uploaded in order to make the cover for printing. It may be another month before it's done enough for purchasing the proof for the final review.

It may be September before I have the next book event at Booknuts in White Plains.

In the meantime, I did create postcards for my two 99 cent e-books to hand out during the ArtFest. Other than writing the information on the back of my business cards, or telling people about them, there was no way for people at a book event to know about the short stories on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

That is all for now. Til next time...read and read some more.

Thursday, April 25, 2013

Janie Two is off to the editor

I finally sent Book Two off to my editor. As you know I self-publish, so I use a local person who happens to be a member of the same writers club ~ The Life Journeys Writers Club. This is another example of how we support each other.

It will take several more months to get all of the editing and fixes done before the book can go to print, but I am anxious to get it done. My other stories are calling me back.

Below is the write up that will appear on the back cover (once I get that done) and also appears on my website.


Janie Montgomery is settling into her new job as a tag and title agent. She's even managed to make peace with the fact that handsome private investigator, Alexander Drake, works next door. Even though she is struggling with getting her own business off the ground, she finds herself helping Aleck more and more. 

While she has every intention of doing her best, she finds herself pulled back to Edenton, repeatedly, when her family arrives unexpectedly. First, her parents arrive from Hawaii during one ride-along, then, her brother arrives several days later.

Then to top it off, when Aleck has to go out of town for a few days, she even volunteers to watch his dog, Puddles, the same dog that tripped her up in the park. She considers she must be crazy to take on a hyper little mutt when she owns a cat named Joey. But she was taught to help your neighbor, even a handsome PI who makes her heart trip over itself.

Aleck believes she has a knack for PI work, but even when she manages to help Aleck solve his latest case, Janie wonders if she only has a knack for trouble.

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Hello once again. I'm back again for another update.

Taxes are done and on time.

Today I finished Janie's Got The Knack, Book Two, enough to send off to the editor.

Because of changes I made in Book One I had to re-write quite a bit of Two in order for the stories to flow. Plus, I had to start on the Book Three re-write, Janie's Got It Bad, because I place an excerpt in the back of each book. And it had to be what the reader expects to see in the beginning of Book Three, therefore, how I want it to stay (fingers crossed).

I will be happy when Janie Two gets published and ready for sale as I have a number of other stories that I'm anxious to get back to. I have learned a lot since I first starting writing Janie back in 2008. Between the editor's input and the LJWC critiques and guidance, I will have a lot of re-writing and changes to make in many of the drafts I have waiting.

I tell people I write women's fiction, mostly character-driven stories with a touch of humor. However, recently I had an idea come to me, which will be written in the first person and will be about a guy. He will become a ghost private investigator, literally a ghost. So, now what will I be able to tell people that I write? Just fiction?

In reality, I want my characters to be older women. There are not many books out there about older women characters; not counting the "make over" kind of books. Hooked is about a woman who is forty. That's a start.

The sad news (for me at least) is that I have several books cooking that are about women in the thirties. The good news is that I also have a few that are forties and up. The really good news is that the next story I'm attacking is about four elderly witches who are crime fighters (?). Got to get those juices stirred up so my fingers can do their thing.

On a long-suffering note, self-publishing has been a learning experience. I try to save money by doing much of it myself, so I upload, format, preview, edit, select book cover and fonts, order first proof, and edit some more before the final product. Then there's the marketing.

I've been to several book events in the last year, even sold a few of Hooked and Janie's Got A Job, and I have a few more events scheduled for June.

I also have a very busy personal schedule for most of April and May, which will of course, impede my writing schedule.

Til the next time, hope to see you again.

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

I was surprised (again) to see how much time has gone by since I was here last. It has been a busy time and will continue into June. We have several weddings to attend in May, which puts the bridal showers/one bachelor party to attend and gifts to be purchased in April. So every weekend in April and May are taken.

The Life Journeys Writers Club was incorporated in December and soon to be non-profit. I am now a Board member and the Treasurer. Every quarter, I attend the Board meeting where we are in the planning stage. This is besides the monthly meetings we have as a club.

I continue working on the re-write of Janie's Got The Knack, Book Two in my Janie's Got series. Time is at a minimum for working on making change and getting it ready for the editor.

March flew by, but I did manage to get Janie re-written to follow the changes I made in Book One. I am anxious to get it finished so that I can get back on to some of the other stories that have been on the back burner for some time now. It's always a "I think I can make that part better" moment when I'm nearing the finish line. At some point I'll have to say it's good enough and send it on.

On the first Saturday in March I did another Local Authors event at Booknuts Book Store in White Plains, MD. There were about four of us there this time around. The owners serve refreshments, and are very helpful when it comes to advertising and taking care of ringing up the sales. I did sell a couple of Janie's Got A New Job, Book One in the series this time around.

I've signed up for another event on June 1 at Booknuts. I still have several books left that I'm hoping to get sold. I would love to have Janie Two finished before then so that I can offer them for sale at that time. However, given how time consuming it is to go through 250 pages for the thousandth time looking for typos, or ways to improve a sentence, it doesn't seem likely that I'll be able to accomplish that. So, I'm hoping by the time I have it done and printed (fingers crossed it will be before end of year),  Booknuts will be having another event to which I can sign up.

That's a wrap.

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

FIRST POST OF 2013

Happy New Year to all who visit my blog.

I must say that 2012 was an eventful year for me.

Looking back on this site, I was surprised to note that I have had this blog since 2009. It really is hard to believe it's been that long.

Also, to realize that a few of the snippets I had posted here have made their way to publication, even if they were self-published. Although it has been a learning experience (that I have to do many things myself), I like the creative control of self-publishing. My ego is a little damaged to realize I haven't got a large following yet, for which I need my #1 fan to help remind me that the important thing in the beginning is to get my name and books out there.

Please note that some of the original snippets (that have been published) have been deleted from here. A lot has changed since they were first posted. A few of them were made into short stories, and either, have been or will be, put online for 99 cents.

For 2013 I want to be able to put out two more books. The Janie's Got series - Book Two, and Gale Warning - the 4 elderly witches crime solvers. However, just recently another story came to me which I have spent some time on letting the words go from my brain to the page. Once I exhaust that, I will get back to editing Book Two of Janie, and finish writing Gale Warning.

This year I will also have to find avenues for getting my remaining books sold.

I have spent all of my book revenue purchasing a website, tote bag, ball cap,  and other items that bear the my website information (advertizing). Please visit my website:

http://patriciapharrington.vpweb.com/default.html

for the latest updates and information.

I am also a member of The Life Journeys Writers Club:

http://www.lifejourneyswritersclub.com/home

which has helped to nurture my writing passion. And helped me get to where I am today.

So, yeah, 2012 was a busy year for me.