Published and motivated

A few months back, I submitted an article about childhood bullying to Chicken Soup for the Soul, and my story was accepted for publication in their latest book Chicken Soup for the Soul: Think Positive for Kids. My article is called "Don't Fight it, Just Write it." I got my copies in the mail last week, and seeing them in tangible form was a thrill like none other. One of a writer's favorite words is "published!" I was in a slump prior to that, but this new sparkle has gotten me hyped and enthused to land a few more.

Not to mention, I'm still on furlough because of the government shutdown, and I see some financial doom and gloom in my near future when bills are rolling in and money isn't! Freelance can be a savior, but first I must land the jobs, which is the tough part.

Latest Moves

• I sent emails to about 10 book reviewers yesterday, and 2 responded, one declined stating my book sounded YA (which it is SO not - hence, the 18 & up warning in the front matter!), and the other said it is just the kind of weird book she likes to read, ha! One out of ten is pretty good. 
• A guy placed my book cover in the game Second Life as an ad, and it will run there for a month. 
• Radio Rock 92.6 The Blitz is running a 1-minute spot with my book synopsis on weekdays for a month. They exist to support indie artists! You should check them out if you are a starving artist! Click their name to visit the facebook page. 
• I joined the site M.A.R.S. Social, which is another group that supports artists of all kinds. They are very welcoming.
• I've joined http://fiverr.com/neesha101! Fiverr is a site where you can buy all kinds of services from people for $5. I'm a seller, meaning I listed 3 gigs: I'll edit the first 5 pages of your book for $5; I'll proofread your About Me page for $5; and I'll proofread up to 2,500 words for $5. 

So, if you're an author, you can go check out my gig and get the first 5 pages of your book professionally edited by yours truly for 5 bucks! 

That's it for now!

No shutdown will shut me down

This week has been troublesome because of the government shutdown. I got the boot Tuesday around 10 a.m. and had to vacate the building along with my co-workers, not knowing when we would return. Well, furlough or no furlough, I've been using the extra time to write, send query letters, and pitch stories. I'm sad about being home with no pay, but it's beyond my control. So, I'll just sit back and make the most of it.

Furlough day 1 gave me a headache, and I spent the remainder of that day at the craft store looking for stuff to make. (This is how I ease my stress; I make pretty things.) That's how this little graphic got made. It was born in MS Paint as I sat seething at my desk over a project that was gnawing at my sanity earlier this year. Then, I felt better.

Furlough day 2 -- I attended an ARD meeting at my son's school, and it was the first positive one I've attended in a while. (These are meetings held annually or as needed to discuss the progress of a student with special needs. In this case, autism.) His reading has improved by a grade level, and he loves math. Magical words for a concerned mom. Afterward, I lunched with a friend and laughed at just about everything. Also, my landlord stopped by to give me a nearly brand-new lawnmower as a furlough gift. Not that I'll ever use it since I'm scared of the grass, but my husband can go nuts with it. 

This brings us to today, furlough day 3. My mom leaves the country tomorrow for 3 weeks. This will be a shock to us, considering this has never happened. I'm happy that she's going on an adventure, and I'll anticipate all the stories she'll have to tell when she returns. I plan to use day 3 to write, nothing different from any other free time I find, but this is time I wasn't anticipating. I'll be damned if I let it go to waste! More specifically, I will pitch to at least 2 magazines, phone a potential client about writing a business plan, and resume writing my autism journey memoir. No moping for this girl. Wasting time is not my style, and I don't plan on starting now. Cheers to productivity!