Happy July, all! As usual I can't believe another month has gone by and we are meeting again for the Insecure Writer's Support Group. This great group was started by Alex J. Cavanaugh and has expanded exponentially from its humble beginnings. If you're not a member and would like to join us just add your name to the group list here. You can also find Alex's co-hosts for the month and all the other group members at that link.
I'm making my IWSG post short and sweet today and just want to say that my biggest insecurity at the moment is the fact that I've decided to work on two novels at once. This is something new for me and I hope I can pull it off. I was feeling frustrated with my Chicago ghost story so I thought I'd set it aside and start working on an idea I've had for a story set here in Cincinnati that has its origins in my own family history. It also has a ghost, but a friendly one this time. :D
Anyway I realized there's no reason I can't work on both at the same time, so that's what I'm doing. I am just trying to be flexible about it and work on whatever inspires me the most when I sit down to write. Since this is a new process for me I hope I don't end up screwing both stories up, but so far, so good!
Also, I wrote a column on writing resources for College and Research Libraries News as part of my day job, and was happy to be able to include the IWSG in the article. Thanks to Alex for letting me use the logo to go along with the IWSG entry! If you'd like to check out the article and see if it includes any resources you may not be familiar with yet, you can find it here. It was kind of fun to combine my two personas in this way. :D
And now I'm turning the blog over to my buddy Tara Tyler and sharing her fantastic new cover for Pop Travel. Congratulations, Tara!
Julie and I are Queen City Sistas! We both live in the Cincinnati area and I'm so glad we've done several book events together and more to come!
Doing book events with a friend is pretty awesome. We bounce ideas off each other, give each other advice, and support each other during a long stressful day of wearing a smile through thick and thin!
I'm really thankful to have a book event friend so close!
Thanks Julie, for jumping in to let me stop by and show everyone POP TRAVEL's new cover - it's eye-popping! And the re-release has a sneak peek at the first chapter of SIMULATION which comes out Sept 14th!
by Tara Tyler
Re-released July 1, 2015
In 2080, technology has gone too far for private detective J. L. Cooper. He thinks he can avoid pop travel teleportation, until he stumbles onto a video of a pop traveler who turns to dust.
Sparking a series of murders, attempts on his life, and threats to his brother, Cooper wants to pass off the evidence but knows he’s being watched and can’t trust anyone. And who would believe him?
With help from the neurotic genius “Creator” of pop travel and a beautiful Southern charmer, Cooper must expose the deadly glitch and shut it down or die trying. No problem.
Tara Tyler has had a hand at everything from waitressing to rocket engineering. After living up and down the Eastern US, she now writes and teaches math in Ohio with her three active boys and Coach Husband. Currently, she has two series, The Cooper Chronicles (techno-thriller detective capers) and Beast World (MG fantasy) She's an adventure writer who believes every good story should have a moral, and a few laughs!
Also by Tara Tyler, MG/YA Fantasy series, Beast World,
From what I understand, a lot of authors work on more than one novel at a time- write one, revise a different one, etc. I really hope it works out well for you, Julie! And very cool on the column. :)
ReplyDeleteYeh for Tara! That is an eye-popping cover!
Good to be flexible. I'm always working on more than one WIP these days, but it used to feel like a kind of betrayal? I'm not so precious about my characters as I used to be, :) Best of luck with that.
ReplyDeleteLoved the picture!
shahwharton.com
It's ok, technically I'm working on three books right now. If I was actually writing them and not just outlining them...It will probably be nice to switch back and forth if you need a break from either one.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations, Tara! I absolutely love the look and sound of your book. Nicely done! And thanks to Julie for sharing it with us.
ReplyDeleteOoh! I love the new cover.
ReplyDeleteJulie, I'm with you. Before getting published, I'd sit down to write, look at my writing folder, and decide from there which story I was in the mood for. I miss those days.
Hi Julie. I work on several projects at once so I'm wishing you the best of luck.
ReplyDeleteHi Tara. How cool that you guys have done events together. And I love the new cover and just finished reading it last night. Loved it.
@Madeline, yeah, it does seem like lots of people do that so I'm hoping I can join them and make this work. Thanks!
ReplyDelete@Shah, that's it exactly, it feels like I'm betraying the characters in the first story! I need to get over that.
@Sarah, I hope so, that's how it's been so far. Good luck with your books!
@SA, I agree, happy for Tara.
@Crystal, that's how I want to be with these two. Fingers crossed.
@TB, thanks, I appreciate it.
Soon you'll be working on three books at a time, you'll see it will all make sense too! Go for it!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations Tara, that's awesome!
Love that you two work together on signings, that's truly awesome, and yes, has to be a blast!
Good luck with working on your two books at once! I can never divide my attention well enough to do that.
ReplyDeleteA big congratulations to Tara!!!
I rotate through my stories on a regular basis. They (or me) need a rest between revisions. Here's my link if you'd like to drop by :-)
ReplyDeleteAnna from Elements of Writing
TWO novels at once. That has the possibilities of brain drain. But if anyone could do it, you can. Best of wishes for super writing.
ReplyDeleteI don't think there's any problem with working on two stories at once. It's what I do. Whenever I get too bogged down on one, I can just jump to the other for a while.
ReplyDeleteYou are brave to do 2 books at once but I know you can do it. How nice to meet a fellow author where you can support each other. her book sounds quite good and unique.
ReplyDeleteGood luck on your new process! That's so cool that you two have teamed up for signings. That had to have been fun!
ReplyDeleteAwesome cover, Tara!
ReplyDeleteThanks again for including the IWSG in the article, Julie.
Working on two projects at once does give you options. Happy writing.
Tara - Congratulations! You always have great covers.
ReplyDeleteJulie - Yay, for the writing muse! You can absolutely pull off writing two books at once.
@Yolanda, I'm so glad Tara and I live near each other, it makes the book fests so much easier when you know a buddy will be there too.
ReplyDelete@Chrys, thanks, not sure if I will be able to either but I'm giving it a go.
@Anna, I think that's how I felt, just that the first story needed a rest. Thanks!
@Susan, aww, thanks!
@Ken, here's hoping that works for me as well.
@Birgit, thank you!
@Ava, it is!
@Alex, my pleasure and thanks!
@Murees, I hope so, thanks so much.
I have ideas on the back burner and I sometimes jot down notes for them if any come to me, but I'm a one-book-at-a-time kind of gal.
ReplyDeleteGood to *see* you again.
I've been a bad social media friend.
You can slap me. It's okay. :P
IWSG #123 until Alex culls the list again.
It can be good to work on two things because that way you should always have something to write. That's awesome about the article! Love Tara's new cover!
ReplyDeleteI usually work on multiple projects at once. Not lately. I hope to get back to it. Beautiful new cover for Tara!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations, Tara!!
ReplyDeleteGo multi-tasking! Julie, I always try to have ore than one project going at a time. That way, I can feel like I'm procrastinating on one, while still being productive on the other :)
Great writeup on the IWSG for us newbies deliberating about joining. I feel so insecure about being insecure, lol. OHHHHH I love the book POP Travel, sounds awesome.
ReplyDeleteJulie, good luck with working on 2 books at once.
ReplyDeleteTara, great new cover. LOVE this book.
Diane IWSG #99
It's so cool that you were able to do an event together and bounce ideas off each other!
ReplyDeleteCongrats, Tara on that new cover!
Oh a friendly ghost! I like that. I also like seeing you two together. What fun.
ReplyDeleteLots of writing awesomeness going on here. I have the previous Pop Travel on my Kindle. Another one I need to read.
ReplyDeleteGood luck writing your two stories at once :)
ReplyDeleteHi, Julie,
ReplyDeleteI know you can handle it, Julie! You are a professional with several novels under your belt. It shouldn't be too difficult to weave both stories. It's fun to do so. Ideas pop into our heads from one story to the next and it should be a fun and exciting experience!
CONGRATS TARA on you fantastic new cover!
Sorry we didn't get to see you at your book signing a few week ago. I was so bummed about it. Hopefully sometime in August we can all get together....
I think your gut has taken you in the right direction with working on both novels at once. Now instead of stagnating on one, you're moving forward on both!
ReplyDeleteYou two are so lucky to live so close. How cool that you're event buddies. That certainly is a POPPING new cover. Congrats on the upcoming sequel to what was a super fun adventure.
Grats Tara!
ReplyDeleteBest of luck to you, Julie. I always have multiple stories in my head, so I can't help but work on more than one at a time anyways. I hope you have a lot of success with it!
Tara's new cover is ab-fab!
ReplyDeleteYou ladies are so lucky to live in close proximity. I wish I had a writerly buddy close by.
Julie, working on two stories at the same time means you'll never be bored... and it also diminishes the possibility of the dreaded 'writer's block'.
When you've had enough of one story, you can just switch over to the other.
I like the idea of working on several stories at once, but I haven't yet been able to pull it off. I know it helps with productivity if an author gets stuck for awhile. Tara's cover is quite striking. Have a safe and happy 4th!
ReplyDeleteJulie!!! this is awesome! thanks for helping me out.
ReplyDeletelook at all these awesome comments! thanks so much, y'all for the wonderful words of encouragement!
and julie, you can most definitely work on two books or more at once. the positives: when you get stuck or dare I say bored with one, you can go work on the other and come back with a fresh new take, eager to work the other one later! drawback: it takes a little longer, but i believe it's still better than forcing yourself to buckle down on one. that creative spirit needs variety sometimes!
thanks again! and happy july!
@Melissa, I definitely won't slap you, I've been bad myself. Great to see you as well.
ReplyDelete@Cherie, I hope so, that's the plan anyway.
@Mary, I hope you can get back to that too, I'm sure you will in time.
@Liz, fingers crossed that's how it's works for me.
@Spacerguy, oh, glad you've joined us! It's great to meet you.
@Diane, thank you!
@Tyrean, the events are definitely more fun with a buddy.
@Lee, I like him too so I hope it will work out. :)
@Dolorah, on my read list as well.
@Laura, thank you!
@Michael, I'm so sorry the weather messed up our plans but we'll make it next time.
@Nicki, I hope so, thanks!!
@Loni, thanks, I hope so.
@Michelle, that's what I'm hoping for, thanks.
@Michael, I definitely need help with my productivity lately unfortunately LOL.
@Tara, my pleasure, it's great to have you here! And thanks!
Congrats on being brave enough to do two novels at once, Julie. I couldn't do that - my brain would do what Tara's traveler did and POP! Tara's new cover is AWESOME! I wanted to read the book before, but now I really, really want to read it! Yay for you two Queen City Sistas! :)
ReplyDelete@Lexa, thanks! And I hope my brain doesn't pop, it's definitely a possibility LOL.
ReplyDeleteWriting two books at the same time must be a big challenge.
ReplyDeleteYour article is terrific. Nice job!
ReplyDeleteBut, really. I mean, really... do you HAVE to be such a show off??? TWO books at once? REALLY? Next thing we know, you'll be juggling three or four of them at a time. Wait, somebody else here already commented that she WAS working on three. What can I say? Y'all are just a bunch of over-achievers! (Or could be I'm a slacker...) Seriously, I think working on multiple projects is a great idea. Keeps ya from getting stale. (Too LATE for me on that count... I've already outlived my expiration date...)
Tara's book sounds really good. I love that you guys can do book events together. Very cool.
@Vanessa, definitely and I have no clue if I'll be able to pull it off LOL.
ReplyDelete@Susan, LOL you're the last person I would call stale. And I said I'm trying, that doesn't mean I will actually be able to do it! It will likely end in disaster. :D Thanks about the article!
Two novels at once sounds pretty overwhelming, but I'm sure that you're up to the challenge, Julie. It's great that you wrote about the IWSG, and had the opportunity to "combine personas." Glad you had fun at the book signing with Tara! Congrats to Tara on your fabulous new cover!
ReplyDeleteJulie
It's great that you guys get to see each other and do book events together! Congratulations on the new release, Tara, and congratulations on the column, Julie!
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the two books - the most I've ever tried is writing some short stories while I'm in the middle of a longer story.
ReplyDelete@Julie, it was great to be able to include IWSG in that article, the group means to much to all of us. Thanks!
ReplyDelete@Shannon, thank you!
@Annalisa, so far I'm not exactly doing well with it but we'll see LOL. Thanks.
Wow, two novels at once! i don't think I could do it. I can work on multiple picture books and articles and one novel at a time, but two novels....YIKES!
ReplyDelete@Sharon, well I have to admit so far it isn't going well LOL. :D
ReplyDelete