YAtopia

Wednesday, July 2, 2014

Meet Your Support Network

Wow, has another month gone by ALREADY??? Seems the summer is flying by in the Northern Hemisphere. And, for me, this spring/summer has been full of firsts. I did my first signing in May, and just last week, I went to my first writer retreat, hosted by the publisher for THE ZODIAC COLLECTOR (YA coming September 2014), Spencer Hill Press.

Most of the folks there I’d met via social media and the interwebz. It was nice to put faces to names and have an in vivo conversation with people I was used to interacting with via tweets and FB updates. Had I planned better, I could’ve stayed the entire weekend and participated in the local con, Pi-Con, and spent more time with everyone. (I’ve never attended a con before—does BEA count, considering I was there for only a few hours and specifically for my signing?) Still, the evening retreat was packed full of fun, laughter, and commiserating with writerly types. Everyone was bright, vivacious, and eager to chat stories, books, characters, and dreams. Just being around them was inspirational.

On the drive home, I realized how important it is to keep a strong support network going. As Kate Kaynak said, “writing is a solitary endeavor” (paraphrase) and we need to gather together whenever we have the chance. It enlivens us. It feeds our souls. It reminds us we’re not alone.

I have to say, the timing of the retreat was PERFECT. I’ve been editing my latest WIP, a YA contemporary about a boy with heart failure, and had considered deleting it. The strong voices of my support network talked me out of doing it (as did another author kind enough to read a partial; she called me crazy, rightfully so, for thinking about striking the delete key). Thanks to my writerly buddies, I started to believe in my story. And that belief was reinforced at the retreat.

Once again, my support network talked me off the proverbial ledge. They bolstered my self-esteem. Then hanging out with them, face to face in the same room, reignited my creativity and passion. I’ve since polished off the round of edits I’d put off for weeks and now I’m drafting a query letter. Yep. I’m back in the saddle.

Your turn to share. When has your support network been helpful to you?

* * * * * * *

Laura Diamond is a board certified psychiatrist and author of all things young adult paranormal, dystopian, and horror. She’s a lucid dreamer, meaning she can direct her dreams while they’re happening. When she’s awake, she pens stories from her dreams and shares them with her readers. Laura has many published titles including the Pride Series (New Pride, Shifting Pride, and Tsavo Pride), the Endure Series (Endure and Evoke), The Zodiac Collector, a novella Sunset Moon in the Lore anthology, and several shorts stories. When she’s not writing, she is working at the hospital, blogging at Author Laura Diamond--Lucid Dreamer, and renovating her 225+ year old fixer-upper mansion.

If you’re interested in reading more about me, or interacting with me on the web check out the following links:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DiamondLB

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorLauraDiamond

Author Laura Diamond: www.authorlauradiamond.com

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5815639.Laura_Diamond

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Laura-Diamond/e/B009Y7L432/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1377733776&sr=8-1

Blog: http://lbdiamond.wordpress.com/

Hope to “see” you soon!

Monday, June 2, 2014

A Real Writer

Last month, I posted on feeling like a Big Fat Phony, a not uncommon emotion writers/artists face. Our work is such a personal endeavor and when it comes to putting it out there, it can feel like we're sitting under a giant magnifying glass perched to study our enlarging pores and deepening wrinkles.

On May 31, I went to BEA (Book Expo of America) in NYC. It was the first convention I've ever attended and probably wouldn't have gone except my fab publisher, Spencer Hill Press invited me to do an ARC signing of ZODIAC COLLECTOR. (Eeeep!)

When I first arrived, I had to stare like a tourist at the enormity of it all. The Javits Center was HUGE. The number of people milling about in crisscrossing paths was astounding. And I felt like the newest newbie ever. Thankfully, people were really friendly and I was able to find my way to registration and then to Spencer Hill's booth.

It was easy to get caught up in the excitement of meeting the folks at Spencer Hill. They were genuine and fun and engaging. Extend that to the thousands of attendees sharing their love of books and reading. Soon, I found myself unable to stop smiling.

Here's my editor, Jennifer Carson and me. Kell Andrews is in the background. Check out Jennifer's MG, Hapenny Magick. ;)

While I admit I didn't initially feel like I belonged there (I'm a country girl loving the quiet life, LOL!), the crowd and Spencer Hill team made me feel at ease pretty quickly. (I lost count at the number of hugs I received and gave.)

Then it was my turn to sign with another author. (Kell Andrews is a FABulous lady and her middle grade book (coming late June 2014), DEADWOOD, sounds AMAZING!!!) I readied my pens, set out bookmarks and chocolate (a BIG hit, by the way), and reviewed my signature blurb as the line of more than SIXTY convention attendees formed to get a signed copy of MY BOOK. WOW.

ARC of ZODIAC COLLECTOR

Once I started signing, it was pretty easy. Smiling faces, excitement for books, and small chit chat about Renaissance Faires (a prominent setting in ZODIAC), and the universal love of chocolate carried me through the signing with ease.

And you know what thought I had while signing? I'M A REAL WRITER.

Why?

BECAUSE I'M CONNECTING WITH READERS.

And isn't that what it's all about?

Can't wait to do it again!