Hello, friends! This is just a quick blog post to let you know what’s been going on around here at the Palatial Horvath Estate over the past few months, lest you think the answer to that is “nothing,” which has sometimes been the case in the past. (more…)
Hello, my dears! My, but it’s been a long time since I’ve posted, hasn’t it? Sorry about that. One reason I’ve been delayed is that I keep thinking I’ll write a funny little story-post with the Muse and Harry and Skipper and all the rest. Then time slips away and I don’t do it. This week I decided to give up on the grand schemes and just write something.
But don’t worry! Harry shall return. (more…)
My friends, today I’d like to share a great secret with all of you.
You can have as many ideas and good intentions as you want. You can have goals and dreams and freaking aspirations. You can give yourself pep talks. You can have a production schedule. You can even actually write things down on a calendar. You can have a plan.
But if you get a head cold from hell, none of that matters. (more…)
Although I love the holiday season, I’m a HUGE fan of January 1st. That’s when the new year stretches out before us unsullied by our footsteps. What will happen in 2017? What will we accomplish? Anything is possible.
But, as with everything else, possibilities only become realities if we actually do the work to make them happen.
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As I mentioned in last week’s blog post, I’ve become quite introspective here at the end of the year regarding my author business. Or lack thereof.
This introspection has led me to think about my reasons for doing this writing thing (again) and to identify a primary objective for what I want to achieve with it (again). Basically, my primary objective is to be a midlist, professional independent author, producing work regularly and being paid for that work because readers buy it.
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As you may, or may not, know, Betsy is on a Quest to become a successful independent author / entrepreneur. Her Guide on this Quest is a white gerbil named Harry, who lives in her brain and annoys her on a regular basis.
Betsy has been known to yammer about goals and objectives here on the blog, but today she does not seem to be in her office. Her desk sits empty, the lights in her brain are dark. Where is she? What in the world is going on?
Let’s find out…
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Previously on Betsy’s blog….
Betsy has announced that she is going to be publishing her next book on June 22nd. Harry, Betsy’s Guide on her Quest to become a successful independent author, has called all hands on deck to make sure Betsy doesn’t back out or screw up in another, as yet unknown, way.
When last we left our hearty crew, the aforementioned Harry, Betsy’s Muse (known simply as “Muse”), Skipper (a chipmunk who is the best Habit Implementation Specialist around), Coffee (the beverage of champions), and the Blogosphere (who can be kind of a jerk), were all gathered in Harry’s office in Betsy’s brain, preparing to boldly go where Betsy has never gone before. They are also, as fate would have it, dressed in vintage Star Trek uniforms. There’s even a uniform for Betsy! Yes, it has a red shirt, but…hmmm…
Harry, the Captain Kirk of this little drama, is trying to get his ship underway. But first he has to figure out what’s left to be done. Does Betsy know? Does she even have a clue? And, more importantly, will she be able to evade the Dark Voice – the force trying to push her off her path – long enough to get her starship to the finish line?
Let’s see….
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Previously on Betsy’s Blog…
Betsy has made a decision. I know, but it’s true! She is going to publish her book and it will be out in eBook form on June 22nd! It WILL goldarnit!
As you may know, Betsy has a Guide on her Quest to become a successful independent author-entrepreneur. Although most seekers on a Quest have a White Hare or a White Stag to lead them on the path towards their goal, the International Muse Council has assigned Betsy a White Gerbil with ambition – Harry. Harry wants to be promoted, and the IMC told him he might get moved up if he can keep Betsy on the straight and narrow. (Good luck with that)
Other members of “Team Betsy” are: her Muse, who has appeared as a Goth-girl, but seems to be taking on a lot of new dimensions recently; Skipper, a chipmunk who is one of the top Habit Implementation Specialists at the IMC (and really a little too chipper for her own good); Coffee, the beverage of champions; and the Blogosphere. Well, the Blogosphere isn’t really on “Team Betsy,” but it shows up anyway. Sometimes.
Trying to pull Betsy down the path to destruction is the Dark Voice…but more about that later.
As we rejoin our adventure, Betsy has finally taken the first toddling steps towards a certain level of maturity. But now Harry has summoned her back to her brain (and, yes, it should worry you that Betsy has to be summoned back to her own brain). Isn’t everything settled? Aren’t things moving along? What in the world could he want?
Let’s see….
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As we rejoin our story, we find Betsy and Harry, the white gerbil who is Betsy’s Guide on her Quest to become a successful independent author / publisher, lying on their backs in the field of waving wheat that spreads across a portion of Betsy’s brain. They are watching the sky overhead. As they watch, stars form and splinter apart. Suns grow and burst. Dreams stir. They have been here before.
For the last few weeks, Betsy has seemed to be moving forward on her Quest. She has been running around like a chicken with her head cut off to get the business side of things going. But Harry senses something is amiss. Is it? Is Betsy using sleight of hand so people think she is doing a lot when she is actually practicing her finely honed skills of procrastination and avoidance? Let’s see…
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Previously on Betsy’s blog…
When last we left Betsy and her Muse, it seemed they were making progress towards the ultimate goal of Betsy’s Quest. Betsy had completed the first draft of her next book, and even took the time to evaluate her writing process in a relatively thoughtful manner. But something appears to have happened since last we spoke. Betsy’s brain has been ringing with the sounds of…screeching? And are those really feathers filling the corridors? What in the world is going on here?
Let’s see….
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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…
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Previously on Betsy’s Blog…Betsy meets with Harry, her Quest Guide, to discuss progress on her Quest. She tells him she has finally finished the first draft of her book, but she doesn’t seem excited about it. Turns out she’s scared because now this whole thing is getting real. Harry talks her down off the ledge and they end up doing a happy dance around Betsy’s brain.It turns out Harry hasn’t been idle as he waited for Betsy and her Muse to finish writing – he’s come up with a whole lot of things Betsy will need to learn and other things she will need to consider. What are they? Let’s listen in and find out…. 
Previously on Betsy’s Blog…
Betsy met an albino gerbil named Harry, who just happens to be her official Guide for her Quest. The problem? She didn’t know what her Quest was! Although Harry was disgusted by this lack of self-awareness, he helped her weed through her writing goals to see what she really wants to accomplish. With Harry’s help, Betsy realized she wants to self-publish (or indie publish, if you will).
But where does she go from here? This question has been haunting Betsy for days – nay, weeks. Let’s join Betsy and Harry in Betsy’s brain as they discuss the first steps.
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Previously on Betsy’s Blog….
Harry, Betsy’s albino gerbil Quest Guide, has sent Betsy away to think about her writing. They need to identify the true nature of her quest before they set out. Otherwise how will they know when they get there? Now, after a short break for Easter, they’ve gotten together again and are sitting together on the Ikea sofa in Betsy’s brain to see if they can decide what they’re doing.
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Our story thus far….
Mavis, Betsy’s inner Mary-Poppins-like career consultant sent by the International Muse Council, has determined that Betsy will be too much work. However, before she flies off into the sunset, she provides Betsy with another Guide – a white gerbil named Harry. Yes, whereas in mythology most seekers setting out on life-altering quests are led by a white stag or a white rabbit, Betsy got an albino gerbil.
Harry has been settling into Betsy’s brain for three days now, and he’s just called a meeting. Let the quest begin!
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Hello, dear.
I…hello? Who are you?
I’m Mavis, dear.
No…I mean…it’s nice to meet you, but who ARE you? And why are you talking to me?
I’m a consultant, dear.
I have a consultant who’s a voice in my head.
Yes, dear.
Wow. I’m more screwed up than I thought I was. I mean, can multiple personality disorder be far behind?
No.
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