Day 483

A spontaneous post because the TV has pissed me off again.

First - I'll be sharing a guest post AND giving away a signed copy of Better Off Red this Friday, Oct 28th over at Fangs, Wands & Fairy Dust. Do check it out.

Now I rant.

I have 29 episodes of Batman the Animated Series on my DVR that my boyfriend has asked me to delete. Instead, I went through the other stuff we had saved and found "So you wanna be... A Writer" which first aired on Current TV back in 2010. I'm sitting here preparing a guest blog post for Friday about why I write, so I figured this show would be acceptable background noise. I remembered quickly that I'd already watched it, but haven't deleted it and now I remember why. The first story in the program featured Ben Karlin, writer and executive producer of the Daily Show, who summed up his Hollywood career as if you can just show up in LA, be instantly funny and the next thing you know-  BAM - you're getting the green light to start production on The Colbert Report. Not to mention the two Daily Show and one personal book he has put out. I don't doubt that this dude had some connections along the way, but I refused to believe this was a painless process.

As I've recently tweeted, I FUCKING hate it when authors who've experienced major or even minor writing success pretend that their writing journey was some sort of easy task. I have read so many author interviews where the author completely breezes over the difficulties of finishing a book, finding an agent, promoting a book etc. I thought I was all alone in my struggles. I thought I would go crazy before things worked out. This whole blog is about how that entire process has driven me to pony loving insanity and massive weight gain. I've passed my all time high by 3 lbs at this point. Go me. But - I also started this blog after Better Off Red was finished. Writing this book was easily (?) the hardest thing I've ever done and I've hiked a mountain as an extremely overweight pre-teen.

Along the way I've cried a lot, been depressed, doubted my very existence and gotten in massive fights with my significant other. All the things that some writers fail to mention, writers who I wont throw under the bus here. After I restrained myself from throwing my shoe through the TV, a segment featuring Robert "Bobby" Moresco, co-writer of Crash and Million Dollar Baby came on. His segment was the reason I'd saved this program for almost a year. Robert acknowledge what being a writer is really about and how fucking hard it is to not succeed, but to simply stay in the business. Sorry I'm swearing so much, but I want to punch Ben Karlin in the face.




I think of this interview every time I'm crying over the state of my bank account or begging my boyfriend to be patient with me.

For the aspiring writers out there - its hard. It's really, really hard, to write, to complete and to get your work acknowledged. But if this is something you want, you can't give up. Read. Write. Read and write some more.

For authors who aren't telling the whole truth, seriously, suck it.

Day 458

More goodies!

This month an interview with lil ole me is featured in the Bold Strokes Monthly Newsletter. The newsletter is busting with info on Bold Strokes's new and upcoming releases and info Women's Week in Provincetown.

There's an excerpt from Better Off Red here, along with the first chunk of my interview.

My full interview can be found here.

You can also get to it here.

And since its October 1st...

Day 449

It's time for another confession. So here it is.

I don't want to promote my books.

And I know all three of you are saying something along the lines of "Why ever not?" Or something with more four letter words, but here's the skinny.

I've worked in sales three times in my life and I never really sold anything on purpose. My best day at the GAP involved helping a guy pick out a Christmas outfit for his wife. He was a wranglers and tee kind of guy and it was so sweet to see how badly he wanted to buy his wife something nice. We talked for a long time, he walked away happy and I made no commission what so ever 'cause it's the GAP.

I had a blast working at The Pleasure Chest, which celebrates it's fortieth anniversary next week. Helping Dave Navarro pick out rope or talking to Judy Geer and Ivana Milicevic about g-spot orgasms always made for a fun work day. The thrill of that job came with working somewhere where I could and had to talk about sex all day with no chance of getting fired or sued for sexual harrassment. I also got asked out a lot. :) But I never "worried" about making sales. People rarely walking into a sex shop to hang out. People need lube and condoms. Some need penis pumps. And I sold a shitload of harnesses and dildos. I knew if I was polite and helpful people would buy stuff and I would get paid.

My other sales job sucked and we need never speak of it again.

Promoting my book is different. It's about the book, but on the outset it's about me and I am terrible at selling myself. I'm TERRIBLE at fitting in or conforming to make other people comfortable. I'm awful in job interviews. Ask me where I see myself in 5 years, I almost always say I don't know. I can't bullshit like that. I'm loud, I curse a lot, pussy might be my favorite word. I'm never gonna do yoga so people should stop asking. I watch too many cartoons. On an average day I dress like a skater who just started 12th grade. I'm all for being nice, but I suck at lying so I think you suck I'm going to tell you.

On the flip side I can't stand it when people tweet links to their books non-stop. I'm also not a fan of reading a book just because everyone else is reading it. I will maintain till my dying day that I read Twilight for work. Ask Dave Kurtz.

I believe people follow me on twitter for two reasons - and this is my low self-esteem talking but I can't get her to shut up -  1) I have web friends from my fanfiction days and 2) I tweet tons of boobs and lesbian porn gifs from my tumblr. The voice in the back of my head is convinced that no one cares about Better Off Red's release in 53 days. 

And then this happened: 2 websites mentioned the upcoming release of Better Off Red and I had nothing to do with it.

KT at Babbling About Books And More: http://kbgbabbles.blogspot.com/2011/09/kb-pimpin-future-book-releases.html


Sally at Bibrary Booklust: http://bibrary.blogspot.com/2011/08/waiting-on-wednesday-better-off-red-by.html

If people I have no personal or pornographic ties to are interested in Better Off Red then there is hope.

The truth I have to face is that some people will want to read my book, but if I don't promote it and myself no one will know about it. I have developed serious love affairs with Beverly Jenkins and LaVyrle Spencer, two authors I would know nothing about if it weren't for social media. The system does work.

In my dreams there's some 16 year old girl out there dying to read something like Better Off Red (yeah the material is 18+ but let's be realistic, kids read up). I want her to be able to find that book and of course I want her to tell her friends because in the end I'd like to make a living off my writing so I must promote. I want that JK Rowling money. He he har. Promote I must.

Here's what I got so far. On my tumblr, http://rebekahloves.tumblr.com/ , in the side bar, if you search the following terms you will find pictures and art that tie into Better Off Red and The Fling. So far people seem to like the character teasers. please remember it is an 18+ tumblr with nude images.

Ginger
Camila
Natasha
Tokyo
Kina
Amy
Benny
Anna-Jade
Sam
Paige
Cleo

an image I love for Cleo

BetterOffRed (no spaces)
Sororitygirls
Sororityvamps
VSS
VSS2
Andrew
The Boys Of 8OBA

TheFling
Annie
Kat
Oksana


I'm also working on my romance trading cards which should be available soon for readers and I'm designing Alpha Beta Omega sorority t-shirts to sell on cafepress. And yes I will tweet and post facebook links to my books. I want this book to sell no matter what people think of me and my foul mouth so I have to promote it. Marketing and promotion are part of the game just like writing synopsisesses and the occasional block, things I also hate about the writing/selling process.

In random update news, I've been in North Carolina since Sunday for a funeral. The service was quite joyful. I've eaten my weight in shakes and other southern fats. The Hills didnt ruin "Unwritten" for me, YAY! I also think Floyd Mayweather and 50 Cent are in love, like secretly making love in love. And my my little pony obsession is spiraling out of control.

Day 425

I know 30 some odd days haven't passed since my last post, but I GOT COVER ART!

It's a little porny. Enjoy it with me, won't you.

Day 408

I had so much to say a few days ago, but then I stopped screaming about the themes in The Help and I forgot the other topic I wanted to blog about so I'll just throw out some updates and random thoughts as I often like to do.

Better Off Red is in its final stages of production. It'll be off to the printers soon. I'm pumped. A handful of people have been nice enough to tell me they have already pre-ordered a copy and that makes me happy to the tenth degree. I'll have romance trading cards featuring the cover art and some deets on Ginger available soon.

The Fling will be out April 16, 2012, a perfect tax time gift for friends and family.

I'm in stage 2 of , lets say, 20 in writing Blacker Than Blue: Vampire Sorority Sisters Book 2. That should be released Fall 2012 granted I get to step 20.

 I'm obsessed with My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. Rainbow Dash is my dream pony. 

I think Jay-Z and Kanye's new song OTIS sucks.

Febreze stopped making my favorite scent: apple spice & delight. I had to settle for pumpkin harvest & fall

Rise of the Planet of the Apes was pretty good.

I'm still shocked that DJ forgot Kimmie Gibbler's 16th birthday.

I dyed my bangs blue which required me to bleach them blond first. The blue washed out this week when I relaxed my so in the end, my hair is now blond. Dreams do come true.

My cats love knocking shit off the table and one of them thought this was a great idea.

Until next time. :)

Day 367

SO. I started this blog a year ago, Wednesday and I figured I should do a little recap. I tend to procrastinate that's why here I am, on Friday, with said recap. I've learned a several things over the last 367 days and I'd like to share some of them here.

• A lot of people use the internet to say the asshole things to others they would never have the balls to say to their face.
• Variety is a beautiful thing.
• Twitter is a great place to connect with people.
• Some cats like to play fetch.
  
• You cannot please everyone in any sense, let alone with your writing. 
• A good editor is worth twice their weight in gold.
• The next wedding I want to be involved in is my own.
• Twitter is a place where you might what to think before you type. Your followers are reading your tweets (and passing judgement on your tweets) even if they don't respond
• I still love Maury results shows.
• I will watch every rerun of American Dad! over and over.
• 3D gives me headaches.
• I'm a GLEEK.
• I prefer Dominos pizza. 
• I have a type.
• I appreciate what Steve Jobs has done for me.
• My cooking skills are okay, but they could be better.
• I may write a certain kind of erotica and romance, but I love YA and historical novels.
• PBS restores my faith in humanity.
• Current TV shit the bed.
• Racism exists in many forms.
• Reading is a good thing.
• Write want you want to read.
• I play favorites.
• Not everyone giving advice should be giving advice.
• I have great friends.
• I have an unhealthy addiction to Teen Mom and 16 & Pregnant.
• Being an adult isn't hard when you do things on time. You also avoid fees. 
• If writing wasn't in my future, I'd be a cake decorator.
• Never buy cat toys. They will find plenty of things around your house to covert into toys. Socks and hair ties seem to the favorites.
• Some literary agents are really nice. Some are not.
• I wrote Better Off Red in the spring of 2010. It will be out with an amazing publisher in the winter of 2011. Miracles do happen.
• When in doubt, ask.
• Learning about publishing is fascinating and scary all at the same time. 
• Shazam is the best app ever.
• The Santa Monica DMV isn't half bad.
• Depression isn't as funny as it looks on House.
• I don't budget well.
• I take horrible before pictures.
• Back pain is a very real thing.
• Words matter.
• Adderall makes me homicidal, yet very productive.
• Talking to other writers about nonsense on twitter and facebook doesn't make me a better writer.
• Blogging doesn't make you a better writer.
• I have a spirit animal.
• Fanfiction readers are fucking LOYAL.
• I'm all for First 48: Boston
• I'm not gay or straight.
• Some people don't know what Bisexual means.
• I'm not bisexual.
• I have poor impulse control.
• GAP jeans are bullshit.
• My mom still gives the best hugs.
• People are surprisingly supportive of my writing, even when I open with "It's about a vampire sorority..."
• Patience is key.
• Emailing strangers can work out extremely well.
• I am capable of writing a book in a relatively short amount of time.
• I have horrible road rage.
• Baby fever is real.
• I don't like going on hikes.
• Regular Show is brilliant.
• I am completely comfortable discovering new music through commercials and shows on the WB.
• I can only be so excited in a J. Crew dressing room.

• When I'm writing I find my happy place.
• If you have a dream, chase it.

Day 364

I finished The Fling last night and sent it off to my editor.



And then I figured out had to post gifs on blogger.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA!