Year: 2014

Wrap Party

Betsy, Harry (the white gerbil who is the Guide for her Quest), and the Muse have decided to get together to reach out and touch base and create synergy heading into 2015. Where does Betsy stand with her writing? What are her goals for the new year? Is her Muse having an affair with Coffee?

Let’s see….

*Betsy pushes open door to Harry’s office in her brain* Hello! Is anyone here?

Betsy! Dollface! Come on in. *Harry lounges on top of his gerbil habitat tower browsing through his gPad*

Is Muse here too? *Betsy comes further into the office* Oh, there she is. *Waves at muse*

Hi, Betsy! *Muse waves back from where she sits on the worn sofa* Oh, and you brought Coffee! Hi, honey!

Bon jour, mon petite. *Coffee saunters over to the Muse and kisses her hand* How might I…serve you? Heh, heh, heh

Oh, Coffee. *Muse flutters her eyelashes and titters* You know I like you sweet and light.

Sheesh, you guys can make anything sound dirty. *Betsy drops onto the sofa next to the Muse and settles back with a sigh*

Well, I am a romance writing fool, after all. *Muse accepts a mug of coffee from Coffee and sips* Perfect, darling.

Mon amour…. *Coffee breathes his scent under the Muse’s nose*

Stop it! *Betsy covers her eyes*

You’re the one who got us together. *Muse sips* Speaking of getting together, why are we here?

*Betsy drops hands* *Looks around* I was hoping Skipper could make it too.

No worries. *Harry holds up his gPad* She had a New Years Resolution Emergency Planning Meeting, but I’m filming it for her.

Oh. *Betsy looks suspiciously at gPad* Okay. As long as it doesn’t end up on YouTube.

Trust me. *Harry smiles* Now GuideTube, maybe…

Shut up. *Betsy shrugs* Whatever, I guess. Anyway, I just wanted to get together to kind of, well, wrap up the year.

*Coffee comes over to her and pours another mug of himself* *Hands it to Betsy* It was ze best of ze times, it was ze worst of ze times.

Would you knock off the French accent. *Betsy sips* Ahhhhh…nice

Thank you. I do try.

What’s that accent? British roast? *Betsy frowns* I didn’t know there was such a thing.

*Coffee smiles* No, darling. I’m Premium today.

*Betsy sighs* Anyway, you’re right. 2014 started off really badly.

*Muse reaches over and pats Betsy’s hand* But it’s ending on a good note, at least writing-wise.

Yeah, Skipper’s gonna have a few things to say to you about some of your habits, though. *Harry holds up gPad again* And she’s watching. She knows when you’re sleeping, knows when you’re awake, she knows when you’re eating ice cream.

She sounds like a creeper. *Betsy waves that away* Anyway. Today I really wanted to just talk about the writing.

Okay. *Harry props gPad up against side of tower* *Pulls a notepad and pen out of a fold of his fur* *Flips notepad open* *Holds up pen* Shoot.

You’re going to take notes by paw? *Betsy blinks* Harry, I’m surprised at you.

I’m a gerbil of many talents. *Harry shakes out fur* Okay, I know you and Muse have been meeting fairly regularly. I even felt a tingle in my tail the other day. I think it might be shortening.

*Coffee blinks* Your tail felt like butter or another fat used to make pastries or bread?

*Harry rolls eyes* Not shortening like you’d bake with, caffeine-brain. Shortening as in getting shorter. *Waves paw towards his back end* Like maybe it’s getting ready to transform into a rabbit tail.

*Muse leans back on sofa* And that’s a good thing?

Honey, I’m so close to white hare status I can almost taste it. *Flicks paw at Betsy* Come on, doll. Talk to me. Take me home to the carrot patch.

Um, okay. *Betsy looks at the Muse* So, “Handling It” is finished, right?

Yup. *The Muse takes a lollipop out of a pocket and sucks* *Pulls it out of her mouth again with a pop* We just have to read it through quickly and send it to the editor. *Points at Betsy with lollipop* By January 3rd. You promised.

I know. *Betsy makes note in her own notepad* We need to make sure it ties in with “Believing It” now that “Believing It”’s first draft is finished.

The first draft is finished? *Harry looks over the reading glasses he is suddenly wearing*

Pretty much. *Betsy glances at Muse, who shrugs* There are a few scenes I know I’ll need to add, but I’m calling the first draft done. I’ll add in the missing scenes when I’m working on the second draft.

Like the sex scene. *The Muse grins at Coffee* Hubba hubba

We’re at about 48,000 words, and we’ll probably end up at around 50-52,000. That’s the size of one of those little Harlequins they sell in racks at the Walmart, so it’s longer than I thought it would be, but I’m good with it.

Good, good. *Harry scribbles* When are you aiming to have that one finished.

*Betsy glances at the Muse again* Well, we want to have it completely finished by the end of January.

*Harry quirks eyebrows at her* Ambitious.

*Betsy shrugs helplessly* Yeah, especially since I want to keep writing new words on other projects while I’m in the editing process. I’ll just do the best I can.

As long as you keep at it, we’ll make it. *The Muse leans forward to pat Betsy’s knee*

What are the other projects? *Harry frowns* We really need to get moving on the newsletter thing, you know.

I know. *Betsy chews her bottom lip* I know what I want to do, so I’ll be working on that and planning out “Finding It” and “Facing It” while I’m finishing up “Believing It”.

That seems–

WHAT ABOUT THE BLOG??

*Betsy, Harry and Muse all look up and around the brain*

Blogosphere? Is that you? *Betsy clasps hands to breast* Have you remembered me again?

Never mind him. *Harry adjusts his glasses* About the newsletter—

WHAT ABOUT THE BLOG??

Oh, but I have answer. *Betsy bounces up and down* I’m going to blog once a week and be more consistent in keeping to that schedule

I’VE HEARD IT ALL BEFORE.

Tell him what we’ve come up with for the first posts. *Muse nudges Betsy’s knee*

Well. *Betsy looks at Muse for confidence* We’ve got some posts written where we go through how I seem to be writing, and then we’re going to analyze it.

FASCINATING.

No, no. *Betsy sits forward* Looking at my own process has already helped me. And it should be entertaining. I hope.

*SIGH* WELL, IT WILL BE A BLOG ANYWAY.

Okay. *Harry stands* We need to wrap up this wrap up. Are we ready to head into 2015? Are we ready to CRUSH this new year?

*Betsy, Muse and Coffee throw fists into the air* We are!

*SIGH* YEAH, WHATEVER.

*Harry jumps up and down* Then let’s go DO THIS THING!

YEAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! Betsy, Muse, Coffee, and Harry all run out of brain.

WONDERFUL. I’M OUTTA HERE.

To be continued…

December 28, 2014
Progress? Yes! Progress!

Hello there! Well, it’s been – *checks calendar* – EEEP! two months since the last time I’ve blogged. Shocking, but true. But this time I’ve been silent because I’ve been making some…wait for it…wait for it… Progress! Yes, I said Progress! Granted, it’s been a shambling zombie-like run towards progress, my arms outstretched, bits and pieces of me falling by the wayside, but a wee bit of progress has been grasped in my fingers curved like claws, pulled towards my cavernous….er….sorry.

Anyway, I’ve made some progress.

At first I stopped blogging so I could put all of my creative energy and time into finishing my new contemporary romance, Handling It. I was able to finish that book at the end of October and get it to beta readers. The readers have gotten back to me, so it will be going to my editor after the holidays. Huzzah! Thank you, everyone!

Because nothing’s as simple as you think it will be, as I was finishing the polish draft of Handling It, I realized I needed to write a novella to lead into the series. Although the novella – Believing It – will be outside the plot arc set up in Handling It, it establishes motivations for some actions that are important not only in Handling It, but in the next two books in the series.

Since the novella is really first, it might become permanently free to lead people into the series (I have to think about that some more). I’d like to try and release it at the same time as Handling It, if possible, so I’ve been trying to get it finished as quickly as I can. As of today, I have 39,780 words written, which is great for five weeks work. It’s not finished, but I’d really like to see the final length be around 40,000 words. And that means I’ll be doing some cutting in the second draft. Ah, well.

The covers are finished for both, and the sales blurb is pretty final for Handling It. I’ll be doing reveals for both after the holidays.

I’ve also been giving a lot of thought to the newsletter I don’t have yet. 😛 The good news is, I think I know what I want to do. The bad news is, I can’t decide if I have time to do it or if I’ll just be setting myself up for failure. I just have to remember that nothing’s written in stone. I can always change my mind.

More to come on all of this, but I wanted to let you know that things are moving right along. This time I HAVEN’T been wasting all of the time while I’ve been away. Yay! Hooray for maturity!

P.S. – I’m going to try to get back on a more regular blogging schedule now. We’ll see how it goes. I’m sure Harry and the Muse and Skipper will have a LOT to say!

December 14, 2014
Birthin’ Galaxies

Previously on Betsy’s Blog…

Betsy suffered a bit of a meltdown on her path to indie authorpreneurship and was sidetracked by her deep and passionate love of baked goods. When last we met, Harry, the white gerbil who is the Guide for her Quest, lectured Betsy quite severely about the importance of maintaining her health. He was very stern.

But he was right.

It’s been a little quiet here at the blog since then, but Betsy and Harry are back now. As we join them, they are laying in a field inside Betsy’s mind, gazing up at a beautiful night sky.

Wait…a field? Inside Betsy’s mind? What the…. Let’s go see what’s going on now….

*Betsy settles more comfortably into the lush, fragrent grass of the field* *Laces fingers across her stomach* *Gazes with rapture at beautiful night sky* *Stars twinkle* *Aurora borealis dance* *Galaxies spin*

This is so beautiful!

I know it, doll. *Harry stretches out beside Betsy, all four paws in the air* *Tail curls up to preserve his dignity*

I can’t believe this is inside my mind. *Betsy watches a shooting star*

You knew. You don’t always let yourself see it is all. *Harry curls forepaws*

I don’t understand.

This is where your ideas come from, kid. It’s like the, whatyacallit, freaking well of creation or something.

Oh.

*Betsy and Harry watch the sky* *Crickets chirp*

I hope there are no spiders crawling around underneath me. Or earwigs. *Betsy shudders*

It’s your brain. *Harry shrugs* Could be anything.

Thanks.

*silence*

So, this is where ideas are born? *Betsy puts her hand up to see if she can touch a star*

Yup. And dreams and visions and all that kind of crap.

It seems so real! *Betsy breathes deeply*

It IS real.

*Betsy turns head to look at Harry* Come on. This is inside my mind, for Pete’s sake.

*Harry shrugs again* Doesn’t matter. All of this *waves paw* is right there inside you. It’s not an illusion. It’s real.

Wow. *Betsy thinks* Then how come things don’t just happen because I want them to happen?

Well. *Harry itches chin with forepaw* See, that’s the thing. Just because something is real, doesn’t mean it exists, like, in the world.

*Betsy blinks* Huh?

So this *Harry gestures at sky* is true. And you know it’s true. But the stuff in this place hasn’t actually happened yet. So, it’s true, but it might not actually exist.

*Betsy blinks* Huh?

*Harry sighs* In other words, all of this is waiting for you to like, birth it.

*Betsy sits up* I ain’t birthin’ no galaxies.

*Harry sits up and looks at her* Yes you are. Whenever you get an idea and make it happen, you’re birthing something from here.

Huh. *Betsy thinks* Huh. So, not just with my writing, but like when I come up with a plan of how to get out of debt, or how to lose weight, or…

Or time management or a new business or anything. *Harry smiles* It’s from here. And when you actually DO it, you’re bringing that part of this place into the “real” world. I mean, yeah, of course with your writing where you’re creating people who haven’t existed before, but with everything.

Huh.

But *Harry waggles a paw at Betsy* Your problem is you come up with a plan or make a decision and then you think it’s done. Because you can see it here where it is very clear and real and true. But you still have to DO the thing. You know?

Hmmm. *Betsy thinks* So you’re telling me that even though I make a plan of how I’m going to eat and be healthy, or how I’m going to manage my time, and it’s very clear and I know that it’s right and true and all, I still have to do it? It’s not done just because I’ve made a decision?

Exactly. *Harry nods* You still have to birth it so it kind of shines from this place into the “real” world.

*Betsy lays back in the grass* Well, that sucks.

Yeah. Tell me about it. *Harry lays back down next to her*

It sure is pretty here though. Lots of galaxies. And…ooooo! A nebula!

Yup.

Let’s just lay here and look at it for a while.

All right. *Harry looks at Betsy sternly* But then you need to get out there and get birthin’

Okay.

To be continued…

October 19, 2014
Taken To The Woodshed

Previously on Betsy’s Blog…

As we saw in the last post, Betsy has apparently fallen into the den of her own iniquity by eating inappropriately for her diabetic condition. Again. In a big way. When Harry, the Guide for Betsy’s Quest, and the Muse discuss this, Harry promises to have a little chat with Betsy. After all, she needs to know that ignoring the reality of her body’s health impacts everything else. Once that sugar/fat/chemical combo starts zinging around in her bloodstream, her life goes right out the window.

The Muse has gone, promising to return at a more opportune time, and Harry is waiting for Betsy to come out of hiding. Will he be able to convince her that her health is important and the cornerstone of her Quest? Let’s see…

*Frontal lobe opens* *Betsy’s sticks her head around the corner* *Looks up and down the corridor*

Is the Muse gone?

*Harry crosses arms over tiny chest* What do you think?

*Betsy slides into the hallway of her brain* *Kicks at a dangling cell* Yeah. She’s gone.

*Harry sighs* Don’t worry. She’ll be back.

*Betsy looks up* *Meets his eyes briefly* *Looks away* Are you sure?

Yeah. *Harry pats Betsy’s ankle* Come to my office, doll.

*Betsy balks* You’re going to yell at me.

*Harry shakes his head* Not really. We’re just gonna have a…conversation.

That’s what they all say. *Betsy’s feet drag* *Follows Harry to his office in her brain*

*Harry turns on some lights* *Throws gPad tablet on a table* *Gestures to the sofa* Have a seat.

*Betsy perches on edge of sofa*

*Harry climbs on coffee table* *Studies her* You know what you did was unhealthy, right?

*Betsy hangs her head* I was a bad girl.

Nah. *Harry shrugs* Let’s just say the way you were eating was not advisable for someone with your medical issues. So maybe we’ll call it “stupid”.

I know. *Betsy heaves a deep sigh* *Slumps back on sofa* I just couldn’t seem to stop.

*Harry climbs onto Betsy’s lap* Look, I live here in your brain, right? I see the cravings and how your body chemistry gets all out of whack once you start eating the stuff that sets you off. Yeah, you can stop, but I see how much effort it takes. I see how difficult it is. It’s hard as hell. But–

*Betsy pouts* There’s always a but.

*Harry taps her leg* BUT, you have to be aware of what you’re doing. And you have to try not to start in the first place. Right?

I guess. *Betsy looks away*

*Harry fists paws on hips* You don’t “guess”. You know I’m right.

*Betsy throws up her hands* I just want to be normal, okay? I just want to be like everyone else! Other people can eat pastries and ice cream, why can’t I? Why can’t I have a freaking DANISH without going off the deep end and ending up drowning in a cesspit of my own design?

*Harry shrugs* Because you’re not normal.

*Betsy glares at him* Well, thanks for that.

I mean it. First, I don’t think you should assume everyone else can eat things without consequences, but we need to focus on you now. And even if everyone else in the universe could eat whatever they wanted without any ramifications whatsoever, YOU. CAN’T. You can’t plan a little food holiday. You can’t say you’ll have “just one”. You can’t say “it’s just for today”. Not because the food is wrong necessarily, but because some of it triggers you to hell and back and sets up a destructive cycle. For YOU.

*Betsy pouts* Well…it’s not fair.

*Harry sighs* Look. Let’s have a little reality check here, okay? You are diabetic. Your body does not process sugars properly and too many fats just makes everything worse. Sugar stays in your blood instead of going where it needs to go and damages all sorts of blood vessels and nerves and crap. And your poor kidneys…don’t even get me started on your kidneys. If they weren’t already working at capacity they’d be asking me to go out and get a bottle of whiskey for them and your liver. Diabetes KILLS people. Do you get that?

*Betsy frowns* What exactly are you trying to say?

Oh, for God’s….*Harry jumps up on Betsy’s chest* *Stares her right in the eyes* I’m trying to say that when you eat the way you did last week your body goes haywire because it can’t process certain kinds of food properly. Then your brain, which is part of your body by the way, takes a room at the Insania Motor Lodge for a vacation in Crazy Town. Then suddenly you wake up and you’re missing a month of your life and a chunk of your income from buying Haagen Dasz! So you need to NOT. START.

Hey! *Betsy glares back at him* Who made you the boss of me anyway?

*Harry waves paws in the air* I’m freaking trying to freaking GUIDE you here!

For my writing! You’re supposed to Guide me for my writing! *Betsy bares her teeth*

*Harry bares his teeth back at her* I’m supposed to Guide you on your QUEST! And your Quest is to walk your own path, right? Is your path to be a shill for Nestle? NO!

*Betsy scowls* Maybe I like Nestle.

*Harry jumps up and down on Betsy’s chest* *Falls off* *Climbs back up again* I KNOW you love the Nestle people. But you get all of these sugars and fats and chemicals and whatever the hell else running through your system and you can barely function, let alone write. You can’t think. You can’t do anything. And thus we have another year of your life flushed down the toilet.

*Betsy’s lip quivers*

Ah, geeze. Don’t cry. *Harry sighs* *Sits back on haunches* Look. You have a serious medical condition and you are basically addicted to the highly-palatable food that make you worse. You just can’t do it anymore, babe. You can’t. Your body, your health, is the cornerstone of…of…of everything. You need to eat in a way that makes you feel…alive. Not ashamed. Not guilty. Creative. Free.

*Betsy sniffles* The Dark Voice is just so loud sometimes.

I know, honey. *Harry pats her cheek with a gentle paw* He always has been.

*Betsy knuckles away a tear* What am I supposed to do?

You have to know that YOU can’t. This last time, you thought you could, but that was a lie. I don’t care what anybody else tells you, I don’t care how many times they tell you “one won’t hurt”. I don’t care how many times they say “are you sure” or “just today” or “it won’t matter”. For YOU, it matters. For YOU there is no just “one”. There is no “just today” because if you’re triggered, then you won’t stop.

*Betsy slams head back against sofa* It’s so freaking unfair!

Maybe. *Harry shrugs* But we all have restrictions. I’m a white gerbil, not a white stag. You can’t eat pastries and ice cream. We all have boundaries. We choose how well we live within them.

*Betsy thinks* Will the Muse come back if I try to be better?

*Harry sighs* The Muse will always be here singing, kid. The trick is whether or not you can hear her. Stuff up your ears with fats and fill your brain with sugar and she could be singing Wagner for all you’d know. You won’t be able to hear her. See it’s not enough to just know what your path is. You have to CHOOSE it. And choosing FOR something, means choosing AGAINST something else.

Like ice cream?

*Harry shrugs* For you, yeah. Like ice cream.

*Betsy chews lip* I….I want to try. That’s all I can promise, okay? That I’ll try.

*Harry nods* None of us are perfect, doll. You’re not gonna be successful a hundred percent of the time. All you can do is try. *He looks at her sternly* And you HAVE to try.

And when I fall into the mud?

*Harry holds out a tiny paw* I’ll be there.

*Betsy takes his paw* Okay.

To be continued…

[tube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SnGU6Jtxc0[/tube]

October 1, 2014
Undone

Previously on Betsy’s Blog….

When last we met, all seemed to be well with Betsy. She was happy, she was writing, and she was discussing newsletters with Harry, the white gerbil who is the Guide on her Quest. She’s on her way, right? Sure, there have been some bobbles, but there is no way in heck Betsy’s going to fall off her path again, not now that she is positive it is where she wants to be. Right? So what harm could there be for her to eat inappropriately for her diabetic condition by indulging in baked goods and ice cream? It’s just a treat. Just once. Okay, just for one day. Or perhaps two. Maybe three….

Uh oh.

And a Dark Wind howls through Betsy’s brain. And a Dark Voice whispers in her ear.

Looks like we’d better go see what’s happening…..

*The Muse walks down the corridors of Betsy’s brain* *Seems hardly to touch the ground* *Her face shines with fierce brilliance* *She does not look like the young sullen girl Betsy has imagined, but instead is clothed in mists and dreams* *She sings* “You spin me right round, baby, right round. Like a record baby, right round round round.” *Shakes hips as she glides* *Sees Harry standing next to a closed frontal lobe*

Harold.

*Harry quickly tucks his gPad tablet back into his fur* *Bows* Ma’am.

*Muse settles onto a stool that appears behind her* What happened this time?

*Harry shrugs* She fell. She decided she could just ignore reality. I tried to call her back, but she didn’t care.

*Muse frowns* Yes, she didn’t listen to me either. Was it food again?

*Harry nods* Yes. She thought she could do “just a little” and “just once” and “only today.”

*Muse rolls her eyes* Oh, for God’s sake! How old is this woman? If it hasn’t been true before, it’s not going to be true now.

*Harry grimaces* I know. I’m sorry, ma’am. She gave herself permission to go off the deep end with her eating for just one day, so there was no build up this time. One day she was on the path, and the next she was was drowning in a sea of sugar and fats and indulgence. Her body chemistry went haywire and the Dark Voice had her.

*Muse frowns* I see.

*Harry sighs* Unfortunately this time she thought she had it under control, when in fact she was spiraling away further and faster than she has in a very long time. I called to her, but she thought she was following me when instead she was following a false trail to fulfillment and satisfacton. The Dark Voice sang, Obsessia tugged, and Fake Harry led. *He shrugs* She followed. She accomplished nothing meaningful this week except to send her poor body into the mire.

Misdirection. *Muse rubs her forehead* You let her go?

*Harry nods* Yes, ma’am. This time I could not intervene because she had chosen to be so completely blind.

*Muse shakes her head* *Starlight sparkles* It was for the best anyway. She had to run the course, wreck herself, and come to the place where she realizes she has been the victim of Resistance and Lies. She has to look up from the mud to see how far she has fallen.

Yes, ma’am. I believe she has reached that point. She has resisted the food temptations for two days now.

*Muse sighs* Well, it’s a start. Does she finally realize there can be no “just one” or “just now” for her where food is concerned?

She realizes it today. *Harry shakes head sadly* But the Dark Voice is strong. He calls to her. The more time that passes, the less she remembers. She will fall again.

Yes, well, that’s humanity for you. *Muse stands* *Stool disappears* For now she is back on her path, and that is all we can hope for. But she has to be more aware of her health. When her diabetes gets that far out of control…. You’ll talk to her?

Yes, ma’am. *Harry bows* It will be the next blog post.

*Muse nods* Good. *Starts to leave* *Turns back* She still doesn’t know who I am, does she?

No. She does not understand the depth of you yet.

*Muse considers Harry* You haven’t told her.

No. I’ve allowed her to continue to view you as a cranky teenager. I’ve let her think you are merely a wind that floats through her mind now and then.

Why? You know I sing to her, have always sung to her, as I sing to many people. She has finally identified her Quest. It might be time for her to know me more fully.

*Harry shifts on his paws* Yes, she has identified her Quest, but she must commit to it. She must make a true commitment even though at this point much is hidden. It is not a coincidence that as soon as she saw a part of the truth, she was attacked by her own desires. That’s the test. Every time she falls off her true path, the light dims. She must realize that, acknowledge it, and decide to hang on, even when she very much wants to do something else.

*Muse smiles* She must choose.

Yes. *Harry returns her smile* She does not see it all yet, but I think she’s beginning to understand, at least a little bit.

How do you know?

Well. *Harry shrugs* She wrote this blog post.

Ah. *Muse nods* Good point. *Sighs* Well, I might as well go. Her brain and body are still recovering from the latest abuse she has put them through. She won’t hear me properly until she has had time to cleanse.

*Harry frowns* But you’ll come back, right?

*Muse smiles* Of course.

To be continued….

September 28, 2014
Back To Nuts And Bolts

Previously on Betsy’s Blog –

In a meeting with Harry, the white gerbil who is the Guide for her Quest, and Skipper, the chipmunk who is a Habit Formulation Specialist, Betsy realizes her overarching life goal is to always choose her own Path, follow her own Guide, and seek her own Grail. Working to achieve this goal effectively changes her Quest from that of becoming a successful indie authorpreneur to that of becoming a successful human being. Which is kind of the point of all Quests anyway, isn’t it?

However, Harry is about to remind Betsy that being a successful indie authorpreneur is still extremely important to her and a huge goal. And these kinds of goals aren’t going to achieve themselves, are they?

Now that the tender moment has passed and Skipper has returned to the International Muse Council, Harry wants to tackle some nuts and bolts issues. What does he want to discuss? Can he get Betsy’s head out of the clouds and pin her feet to the ground? In other words, can he get her to do something…productive? Let’s see…

Hi, Harry. *Betsy walks into Harry’s office in her brain* *settles on comfy sofa* You wanted to see me?

Yeah, doll. Thanks for coming. *Harry pulls out gPad and hops down from gerbil habitat* *runs up sofa* *perches on arm* I know you had kind of a big deal moment in the last blog post.

Yes. *Betsy shrugs* I’m still trying to figure out what it all means.

You still want to be a successful indie authorpreneur, right?

Oh, yes! *Betsy claps hands* *bounces on sofa* That’s like the bestest thing ever!

Sheesh, calm down. *Harry waves his paw* You’re scaring me.

Okay. I mean, *Betsy clears her throat* *deepens voice* Why, yes, Harold. Becoming a successful indie authorpreneur is a very important goal. *relaxes* Actually, I think focusing on that goal is essential in working towards the independence I’m trying to achieve in my life overall. It’s like, symbolic, you know?

Yeah, I think so too. *Harry taps on the gPad* Okay, then I think we need to move away from the touchy-feely crap for a minute and talk about some nuts and bolts things.

Oh. *Betsy makes face* Really? Do we have to?

Your goals ain’t gonna come true just because you wish they would, kid.

Oh. *Betsy slouches on sofa* Okay.

Suck it up. *Harry taps* First, how’s the writing coming? I want to document your progress.

Okay, I guess. *Betsy straightens* I had hit a snag last week with the real-life stuff, but I’m at the very end of the second draft. I’m not lying. I really am.

I believe you. *Harry types* And what will you do after you’re finished working on Handling It? *glasses suddenly appear on his nose* *he looks at Betsy sternly over them*

I’m going to work on the next book, Losing It. *Betsy crosses her heart* I swear. I’ve learned my lesson. You’ve got to keep going. I even know how I want it to start out and who the main characters will be.

Wonderful. *Harry swipes paw to open another screen on gPad* Now, you know you have things you’ll need to learn before we can actually publish.

*Betsy nods* Yes. Like how to compile in Scrivener and how to upload files onto the different ebook sites. But that’s not big deal. After Handling It is out to the beta readers and edited, I’ll get that under control.

There’s something else you should be thinking about now. *Harry turns gPad around so Betsy can see the screen* You need a newsletter.

*Betsy wrinkles her nose* A newsletter?

Do you see this article? *Harry points at the screen* You need a newsletter so you have a way to talk directly to the people who want to read your books.

Okay, yes. *Betsy waves hand* I know it’s important for an author to be able to communicate directly with their readers without the middle-men, but why can’t I just use Facebook and Twitter?

Did you see the “reach” your last Facebook post got? *Harry frowns at her* Pitiful. You can’t count on a platform not to change and you sure as heck aren’t important enough for them to care if it bothers you.

*Betsy pouts* Well, thank you very much for that.

*Harry shrugs* Just being honest, kiddo. With a newsletter, you have more control. Plus, the people who’d sign up for the thing are probably the ones who actually care about what you’re doing.

Well, yeah. *Betsy throws both hands up in the air* But it’s one more thing to do!

Tough. *Harry turns gPad around and taps on it some more* It’s important.

*Betsy frowns* What would I even say?

*Harry rolls his eyes* I’d say you could send out one whenever you have a new release, but we want it to go out more frequently than every three years.

Oh, ha ha. *Betsy thinks* That is a point, though. If I say it’s going to go out monthly or bi-weekly or whatever, I want to make sure that happens. I’ve signed up for newsletters where they were supposed to come frequently and I haven’t gotten one yet. It’s really annoying.

Even more important, we have to make sure people WANT to sign up for it. You have to make it worth their while. *Harry frowns* And that means, it has to be something special, not just news announcements once in a blue moon You have to be freaking entertaining.

*Betsy sighs* But no pressure.

I know kid. *Harry pats her hand with his paw* Tell you what, you go away and think, I’ll go away and look up the deets on how this thing works, and we’ll get back together and brainstorm.

Okay. *Betsy thinks* *slowly smiles* You know, this might be fun.

*Harry beams* There’s my girl. Now go finish your book! That’s an order.

*Betsy salutes* Yes, sir.

To be continued….

September 21, 2014