I Declare this Round a Success

 I can't believe it I did it! Made it through this Round with more yellow than purple.  I think I would have to deem this Round a success. 

I. READING –

A. Daily goal

1. Read two other blog posts a day. YES       

2. Read in at least one of the five books I am reading.  YES   

B. Weekly goal

1. Do research on my novel.  No    

2. Start research for my next novel.  No

C. Goals for the Round

1. Have finished reading five books. YES. Ok, I finished reading, “His Grace is Sufficient”, “The Witness”, “Jesus’ Feet”, and “All That You Can’t Leave Behind”. I have also been on the road a lot the last two months, so have finished listening to “Odd Thomas” and “Forever Odd”. So I got this one.  

II. WRITING

A. Daily goal

1. Work on something for two hours a day. YES  

a. Work on “The Christmas Story in 40 Days”, which is the book my publisher has accepted and we are shooting to have available 40 days before Christmas, if I don’t have a nervous breakdown first. YES

a. Write on my novel. No   

b. Write my blog posts. YES

c. Work on paperwork for the nonprofit organization. YES     

B. Goals for the Round

1. Have finished my novel. No

2. Have finished all of the paperwork for the nonprofit. No

III. REACHING

A. Weekly goal

1. Comment on two other blog posts. YES

2. Research markets for an hour.  No

3. Keep up on social media, spending not more than a few hours a week on it. YES

B. Goals for the Round

1. Have submitted three pieces somewhere. YES  

2. Book signing at a local library. YES

3. Have survived my speaking engagements at two writers’ conferences. YES

4. Set up an author website. YES

IV. PERSONAL (goals by the end of the round)

A. Running

1. Have run in the 5K on July 4. YES  

2. Continue running a few times a week just to improve my time and stay in shape. YES

B. Family

1. Have settled my mom into better housing.  YES.

2. Have planned that vacation with Hubby in September. YES. Finally made those reservations last night.  

C. Nonprofit

1. Have submitted all of the required paperwork. No, just some of the paperwork.

V. GOALS BY THE END OF THE YEAR

A. Tumaini Volunteers, Inc., has become a 401(c)3 nonprofit organization.

B. Have my second book published.

                

Still doing too much

I. READING –

A. Daily goal

1. Read two other blog posts a day. Yes, I think.      

2. Read in at least one of the five books I am reading.  Yes.   

B. Weekly goal

1. Do research on my novel. Noooo . . . .    

2. Start research for my next novel. Noooo . . . .     

C. Goals for the Round

1. Have finished reading five books. I have finished three books so far this round. If I don’t keep adding more books to my current reading list, I won’t be able to finish any more.   

II. WRITING

A. Daily goal

1. Work on something for two hours a day. Yes, I sure hope so.

a. Work on “The Christmas Story in 40 Days”, which is the book my publisher has accepted and we are shooting to have available 40 days before Christmas, if I don’t have a nervous breakdown first. Yes, for like eight hours in the last week.

a. Write on my novel. No, I just have to shelf this for now.   

b. Write my blog posts. Yes, almost on schedule if you count the post my dog wrote for me on Friday. You really should click here to see how he writes. 

c. Work on paperwork for the nonprofit organization. No.    

B. Goals for the Round

1. Have finished my novel.  Ok, I am taking this one off my list. I may add that I have all the paperwork caught up to date on my newest book.

2. Have finished all of the paperwork for the nonprofit. There’s no chance.

III. REACHING

A. Weekly goal

1. Comment on two other blog posts. I did this.   

2. Research markets for an hour.  Umm, no.

3. Keep up on social media, spending not more than a few hours a week on it. Yes

B. Goals for the Round

1. Have submitted three pieces somewhere. DONE, Yes DONE. And not only have I submitted three things, I have submitted four of them! And two of them have been accepted. My devotional, “The Christmas Story in 40 Days” and a blog post “If I can write, I can run”.

2. Book signing at a local library. DONE. Attendance was not nearly what I had hoped for, but my name and the book’s name still got out there in a new community.  

3. Have survived my speaking engagements at two writers’ conferences. DONE

4. Set up an author website. DONE

IV. PERSONAL (goals by the end of the round)

A. Running

1. Have run in the 5K on July 4. DONE.

2. Continue running a few times a week just to improve my time and stay in shape. I am still doing one mile a couple times a week.

B. Family

1. Have settled my mom into better housing.  DONE.

2. Have planned that vacation with Hubby in September. Still in the works.   

C. Nonprofit

1. Have submitted all of the required paperwork. The Articles of Incorporation have been approved and the EIN has been received. Next up is our meeting on September 15 to set up our Board of Directors, work on Bylaws, get started on fundraising, etc.     

V. GOALS BY THE END OF THE YEAR

A. Tumaini Volunteers, Inc., has become a 401(c)3 nonprofit organization. I’m thinking still a pretty lofty goal, but we will see.

B. Have my second book published.

I don’t know what else to tell you, except that I can’t wait for my vacation in ten days. I try not to say much about my day job, but I do work between 32 and 40 hours a week in a medical clinic, with patients who whine, managers who don’t listen, and co-workers who don’t always pull their weight. I love the day job, I just wish it was totally different!

You Better Buy My Book

On my mid-week check-in, when I posted my long list of accomplishments, I included that my publisher, Life Sentence Publishing, is going to publish my next book. As I finished my conversation with him on Wednesday, he asked, "Now, the manuscript you emailed us is ready to go to our editors? Or do you want to go through it one more time?" 

Those are horrible words to hear. "One more time". I have gone through this thing one hundred times! No, I don't want to read it again. Which is not what I said to my publisher. Instead I said, "Give me til Friday to reread it one more time." Arrghh! So that's what I did Thursday night and most of the day Friday. 

In between all of that (and don't forget the day job. I am supposed to be off on Fridays, but had to go in for a seven a.m. meeting.), I was also preparing for the presentation I that I gave today at a local library with two other area writers. 

The talk went fine. I was a little disappointed in the turnout. We advertised everywhere, like crazy. I thought that from the start a Sunday afternoon in Wisconsin in September - or any Sunday from now until January - was going to be a poor choice of dates, because everybody around here seems to think they have to watch da Packers. And even though they didn't play until 3:30 today, and our talk started at 1:00, I just wonder if that had anything to do with it. 

But I didn't pick the time, date or place. I was along for the ride, so don't want to criticize. Like I already said, it was a good day. The other two authors gave great presentations on their books, we had lots of good snacks to eat and I got to visit with a few people I haven't seen in a while. 

 Talking with my hands. It's kind of what I do. 

I don't know what I am saying to the red hat lady, but my left hand seems to be saying a lot.  

Should I use this on a poster with the caption, "Buy my book or else"?

Day 1 and feeling overwhelmed

I. READING –

A. Daily goal

1. Read two other blog posts a day. Yes, or very close.     

2. Read in at least one of the three (its more like five) books I am reading.  Yes.   

B. Weekly goal

1. Do research on my novel. Noooo . . . .    

2. Start research for my next novel. Noooo . . . .     

C. Goals for the Round

1. Have finished reading five books. I have finished three books so far this round. I can’t tell you right now what they are, you will have to trust me.    

  

II. WRITING

A. Daily goal

1. Work on something for two hours a day. Yes, but not the stuff listed here. More on that later.    

a. Write on my novel. No, I just have to shelf this for now.   

b. Write my blog posts. Yes, on schedule.

c. Work on paperwork for the nonprofit organization. No, I don’t think so.    

B. Goals for the Round

1. Have finished my novel.  No, see A.1.a. above.     

2. Have finished all of the paperwork for the nonprofit. There’s no chance.

III. REACHING

A. Weekly goal

1. Comment on two other blog posts. I did this.   

2. Research markets for an hour.  Umm, I don’t remember.

3. Keep up on social media, spending not more than a few hours a week on it. Let’s say yes.  

B. Goals for the Round

1. Have submitted three pieces somewhere. DONE, Yes DONE. And not only three things submitted, but one has been accepted.

2. Book signing at a local library. This is coming up this Saturday. The woman working on it with me is doing most of the work. I feel bad about that, but let her do it.

3. Have survived my speaking engagements at two writers’ conferences. DONE

4. Set up an author website. DONE And here it is 

IV. PERSONAL (goals by the end of the round)

A. Running

1. Have run in the 5K on July 4. DONE.

2. Continue running a few times a week just to improve my time and stay in shape. I am still doing one mile a couple times a week.

B. Family

1. Have settled my mom into better housing.  DONE.

2. Have planned that vacation with Hubby in September. Still in the works.   

C. Nonprofit

1. Have submitted all of the required paperwork. The Articles of Incorporation have been approved and the EIN has been received. Next up is our meeting on September 15 to set up our Board of Directors, work on Bylaws, get started on fundraising, etc.     

V. GOALS BY THE END OF THE YEAR

A. Tumaini Volunteers, Inc., has become a 401(c)3 nonprofit organization. I’m thinking still a pretty lofty goal, but we will see.

B. Have my second book published.

So after all of that, here is the big news, which you may have guessed. This morning I talked to Jeremiah from Life Sentence Publishing, which published my first book “A Time for Every Purpose Under Heaven” last year. He likes my new book, a small devotional, and likes the ideas I have for creating a series of devotionals around this theme. I got the email from him later today that contains all of the stuff I have to do and deadlines to do it if we are to publish by the end of November. Pretty much same timeline as last year, but moved up a month. The devotional is about the first Christmas, so it has to be in people’s hands by mid-December to give as Christmas presents, or that is my goal. Or my crazy fantasy. 

I cannot believe that I am doing this for a second year in a row. How do authors do it who crank out a couple novels a year? 

Floating on a cloud and being a nervous wreck

Here we are, posting the usual quick Sunday update. It has only been a couple of days since Wednesday's check-in, but it is crazy what all has happened.

Have still been finalizing my presentation at the local library next Sunday. Have done about as much promoting of it as I can handle. Two other authors are in on it with me, so I think it will all iron itself out.

Not only is my mom settled in her new apartment, her mobile home has been sold and driven off into the sunset. All that is left is the empty lot and some trampled hostas (I plan on posting about that on my other blog on Tuesday, so stay tuned.).

There might have been something else. Oh, that's right, I finished reading another book.

But the biggest news is that I finally sent my 40-day devotional book off to my publisher. He emailed me back Friday night that he liked it and wants to talk about publishing options. I cannot believe it! It is possible to get published two years in a row! Or am I just dreaming? Or by publishing options, does he mean, "maybe you can find some one else for this book"?

I have a phone appointment with him for Wednesday morning. Darn holiday on Monday has thrown things off. Wish me luck!!!