Wednesday, March 4, 2015

The Good News and the Bad News - IWSG style

Feeling insecure about your writing career? Join the club - literally! (ha ha) The Insecure Writing Support Group is here to boost your spirits and commiserate and whine together. I've had a very up and down month, so I'm getting right to it!

*  The good news: I got a ton of writing done on Cradle Rock and Jolissa's Tale (anti-princess story) when we were snowed in for a week off school!
  • The bad news: Now that I'm back at work, I've stagnated again... Oh time, why must you be so fleeting!
*  The good news: I was accepted to be a panelist at 2 awesome events! Ohioana and Imaginarium. So excited!
  • The bad news: I'm not having any luck getting a gig for Spring Break (and hardly have time to work on it)
*  The good news: After Spring Break I'll have more time to write!
  • The bad news: But I'll have substantially less income, too.
*  The great news: I was so flabbergasted when one of my students presented this drawing to me while he's reading Broken Branch Falls.
  • The bad news: I wish there was an easier way to spread the word about my books!
*  The good news: I had an awesome turnout for my giveaway! Yay to the winners and thanks to all who participated! (see previous post for who won)

*  More good news: I'm finally introducing myself as an official muffin commando A to Z regulator with a drill of questions:

1) Who are you?
I'm just little ol' Tara Tyler, adventure author, mom, and math teacher

2) What kind of muffin are you?
It's a toss up between blueberry and pumpkin...

3) What's your latest WIP/publication?
BROKEN BRANCH FALLS (MG fantasy) was published last June and SIMULATION (techno thriller) comes out in September!

4) What was your theme last year for A to Z?
artwork by http://www.matusic.com/
Last year I did bits from Broken Branch Falls, writing advice, and jokes about why men are happier.

"We're the muffin commandos, delicious as we can be.
Mixing it together, to whip the A to Z.
Fully baked, crispy crusts, we'll make it to the end.
We're the muffin commando, the net's sweetest blend!"


I'm excited about my theme this year. And since April will be a slow work month, I should have plenty of time to visit, visit, visit! Sorry I've been so lame. I don't know how you full timers get it all done. I'm always behind!

How was your February? Any insecurities this month?
Joining us for the A to Z challenge?
Share with us! We care!

43 comments:

Sarah Foster said...

Hooray for lots of writing and your student's drawing! That's so cool.

Anonymous said...

Life is full up good/bad, isn't it? It's that darn balance. But, if you think about it, I find the good still outweighs the bad. Keep on trucking with your writing!!

Karen Jones Gowen said...

This post made me smile. It always is a good news bad news thing isn't it? I'm having a few of those myself, and I like the idea of listing them this way. Makes it more acceptable, I think!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

That's cute one of your students drew that for you. Wish there was an easier way to spread the word. Congratulations on being accepted as a panelist.

Madeline Mora-Summonte said...

Yeh for all the good news!

Wishing you positivity and focus on working through the not so good stuff. :)

mshatch said...

Glad you had lots of good news to go with the bad. I'll be away for half of April so no a-z for me this year. And I love that one of your students was inspired enough by your book to draw a picture! That's very cool!

E. Arroyo said...

The drawing is so cute. I'm still not sure if I'm going to join the challenge. If I have at least half my posts by March 30th I will. Hopefully. Maybe. Yeah, I'm insecure. =)

M.J. Fifield said...

I love the drawing; it's terrific.

I have to pass on the challenge again. Sad to do so, but I'll be cheering everyone else on.

Also...I'm uber excited about the anti-princess story.

Michael Di Gesu said...

Hi, Tara,

This is LIFE... LOL... Good and bad... At least it is interesting and very unpredictable. Who would want it any other way?

Take care. Keep breathing. And ALL THE BEST!!!

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

I loved your posts last year. I don't think I missed a day to read why men are happier. Glad you have some good news to outweigh the bad.

Tyrean Martinson said...

I'm always behind, too. It's ok. :)

I love that drawing and all your good and great news! Way to go with being a panelist!

Love your Muffin Intro!

Nick Wilford said...

I think the good stuff will win out, you sound pretty positive anyway! The drawing is great and good luck on your panels.

Chrys Fey said...

Those are definitely give and take, but I'm with Nick in thinking that the good stuff will beat the bad.

cleemckenzie said...

You've done exactly the right thing. You've shown both sides to each of the events in your life. If there's a negative, there has to be a positive. Our job is to find that positive.

Loved your Muffin intro. I'd vote for blueberry.

Carrie-Anne said...

One always has to take the good with the bad in life. It's just like the line in the George Harrison song "Crackerbox Palace," which I gladly paid $100 to quote from.

I'm looking forward to A to Z, and hoping I get a lot more visitors to my secondary blog this April. I've put a lot of time and thought into the posts for both of my blogs.

Tammy Theriault said...

WOOT WOOT!!!! Love broken branch falls. Seriously!!!!

Kimberly said...

You have a lot of great news! We definitely need to figure out the magic formula for spreading the word on books. :)

What a great drawing and how cool to get one!

Carrie Butler said...

That drawing is awesome! You should frame it in your office. :D

And woohoo for the Muffin Commandos!

Liz A. said...

Keep focusing on the good news!

Annalisa Crawford said...

Lots of good news there, well done. Work gets in the way of my writing too - not so good!

Donna McDine said...

I'm honored to be on the Muffin Commando Squad with you! Congratulations on your forthcoming book. Nope, never enough time in the day! Do the best you can and don't be so hard on yourself.

ELAdams said...

That drawing is awesome! Hope the good news outweighs the bad!

Anonymous said...

Awesome drawing. I'm still waiting for someone to draw something from my books for me. Might have to resort to doing it myself. That's not lame, is it?

F. Stone said...

Thank you for your post. I'm not sure about A-Z challenge. I did it a few times. Got bored with a lot of the posts (too long or not applying rules of A-Z). Did anyone find the experience positive, genuine long-term connections with authors and readers?

Diane Burton said...

Love your good news/bad news. That's life, isn't it? Best wishes.

Jenni said...

I loved your student writing! There's always trade-offs. It seems like you have money or time, never both. :) Kudos to you for getting so much done!

dolorah said...

Wow, what a roller coaster ride :)

I'm not doing A-Z, I'm concentrating on getting some reading done, and writing reviews. Hmm, maybe next year I should do book reviews as a theme.

L. Diane Wolfe said...

I love blueberry muffins.

Being on a panel is so much fun. Congrats on scoring two.

Krista McLaughlin said...

Sounds like you have some good and bad things happening! I liked how you set that up.

Your A-Z theme sounds wonderful! I'm still trying to decide if I want to do it this year, but I might. :)

Yvonne Ventresca said...

Love your good/bad approach. And what a great drawing!

Yvonne

Suzi said...

Not doing A to Z. Got burnt out last year, so this year I'll probably just be doing the reading of A to Zers.

LD Masterson said...

Hey, you had more good news items than bad. Can't ask for more than that.

Love the drawing.

Maurice Mitchell said...

It's always good news, bad news, but that drawing is awesome Tara.

Christine Rains said...

Lots of good news! I hope to see you at one conference this year if I can make it. :) And wow, fan art. That's so awesome. I blinked and February is gone. Here's to a fabulous March!

A Beer for the Shower said...

I think I'd be horrified if a child tried to draw one of our books. That's awesome your student drew one of yours, though.

Someone say pumpkin muffins? Those are my favorite.

Rena said...

Sounds like things are the usual mix of good and bad. And you're going to be a Muffin! Awesome!

Unknown said...

Congrats on all the good news, Tara! That's adorable that a student drew a picture of your book. :) I'm also taking part in the A to Z Challenge and I'm a Minion on Csenge's Team. Good luck with the Challenge!

Stephanie Faris said...

YAY!!! Promotion's always tough. You want to be able to tell everyone in America to read it...but you just can't. All you can do is plan a few things and hope for the best.

Romance Book Haven said...

Awesome post. Yes, marketing and promoting a book is tough.

Shelley Sly said...

Sounds like you have a ton of good things, even with the not-so-good. And your student's drawing is awesome!

Cathrina Constantine said...

I'm very late in commenting, been so busy lately and I don't see it easing off.

And it sounds like you're extremely busy too!! Looking forward to A to Z!

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Tara - life is full of good and bad .. the good I came to visit, the sad Christine's character post on her new book isn't up yet!! No worries .. I'll be back to that post anon .. cheers Hilary

Michelle Wallace said...

The Muffin Commandos sound like a force to be reckoned with!
And I LOVE your "Commando Creed" - such a cool jingle! I can totally hear a tune accompanying those words...

Love that picture! Really cool. Kids are so spontaneous... we can learn from them!

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