The Great Disappearing Jay!

Oh man, how is it almost July?! Where has the time gone?

Life has been absolutely crazy for me lately. I just moved into my very own apartment (no roommates!), and I'm exhausted. I thought the solitude would help the creative juices flow, but instead I'm busy building bookcases and waiting for my couch that's STILL on back order. The past few weeks have been an adjustment period for me--and my cats--but I think things are finally starting to fall into place and I'm getting back into a routine that will allow for some writing and editing.

I feel absolutely awful that I'm now TWO MONTHS behind schedule on publishing Shots on Net, though. In fact, I haven't touched base with my graphic designer since... well, I don't even know how long! (In my defense, I just got my internet access back three days ago.)

Of course, I can only make so many excuses for myself. I've also been a regular social butterfly this month. Pittsburgh has finally gotten some good bands to tour here, and I've gone to so many shows (Of Monsters and Men! Passion Pit! The Joy Formidable! Metric! And tonight... Jimmy Eat World!). I should be managing my time better. I'm going to make that my goal for July, to buckle down and refocus my energy on the stories I can't wait to share with you!

And I'd like to share one last thought with you before I sign off and hopefully go dig out my pages: After publishing Play the Man in March, which takes place in Chicago and features the characters playing on the Blackhawks, the real-life Chicago Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup. For my faithful followers who know that Play the Man is a re-write of A Sharp Contrast, you may remember that the Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup the season I wrote that story! Coincidence?

Thanks again for hanging in there. Not only do I hope to have some definite news regarding the release of Shots on Net, but I hope to blog a little more regularly and not fall off the face of the Earth again!

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Kissing 2018 Goodbye / Bring It On, 2019!

Listen. New Years always freaks me out. Any occasion that encourages me to look back at the past while simultaneously looking toward the future is just... super stressful. I've said it before (I say it at the end of every year!) that December is crazy between work and the holidays and social engagements.

My natural tendency is to think about all the things I didn't do and chalk it up as failing to accomplish my goals. As I reflected on my 2018, I went back to read last year's blog post about my 2018 resolutions, and I kept it simple last year: rein in my spending. And, in some aspects, I accomplished that. I cut down on ordering pizza when I felt too lazy to cook, I didn't add (very much) to my TBR pile by buying books I knew I wouldn't immediately start reading, and I only saw a handful of movies in the theatre (of course I made exceptions for Marvel movies, and my mom and I went to see Book Club because it looked too good).

But I totally fell flat on the writing …

Author Spotlight: Melanie Ting

Melanie Ting and I go way back, to when we were anonymous authors posting serialized stories on-line. We talked about writing and bonded over hockey and cats—which, incidentally, are two of Mel's favorite writing topics. She's just released her second full-length novel entitled Hockey Is My Boyfriend, Part One. The synapsis:

Wouldn’t it be great if you could tell exactly what a guy was like… before you went on a date with him? Kelly Tanaka can. After years of playing hockey with guys, she believes that how a guy acts on the ice is a good indicator of how he’ll be as a boyfriend.

So far, she’s only used this superpower to help her girlfriends, because Kelly’s not really into dating. However, when blond and beautiful Nicklas Ericcson comes along, her theories are put to the test. But then tall, dark, and smoking Phil Davidson insists he’s a better hockey player and a better potential boyfriend. What’s Kelly to do?

Hockey Is My Boyfriend is a smart and funny journey into…

Dude. May. WTF.

May has been... an interesting month so far (and we're only one-third of the way through. Phew!).

If you're friends with some authors on Facebook or Twitter, you've probably seen the insanity and the accompanying hashtags. It's not my intention here to go into the matter; there are plenty of places online to get the details. And while I did a little rage-venting on my own profile, I don't want to publicly feed into this riotous frenzy while the courts and attorneys are working toward a resolution. I do, however, want to take a moment to say that the indie author community is a supportive, close-knit group that I'm proud to be a part of. And it's because of readers like you, who choose to support not only myself but so many authors who work hard and try to give you the best possible books.

Okay, moving on.

So, what have I been up to? Well, I've been buzzing around, prepping for my trip to Philly this weekend. I'll be at Unmask the Romance in Phoeni…

Of Ice and Men

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