IWSG - Chasing my Tail

Here we come upon November, meaning my favorite season is almost done. Of course, here in Colorado fall is pretty short, so it won't last until the Solstice.

It being the first Wednesday, it's time for the Insecure Writer's Support Group. Created by Alex J. Cavanaugh, the IWSG allows us to post about our worries and insecurities, so we can share support and empathy. All are welcome to join. Just click on Alex's name and sign up, then post the first Wednesday of each month. Also, be sure to visit some of your fellow IWSGers, including the co-hosts: 

Jemi Fraser, Kim Lajevardi, L.G Keltner, Tyrean Martinson, and Rachna Chhabria!

Quick note: I'm currently in New Orleans playing outdoor tourist, so will be visiting everyone this weekend when I get home.

Second note: Before you leave, please consider signing up to help with my book launch! The form will be at the bottom of this post.

The optional question for this month: Albert Camus once said, "The purpose of a writer is to keep civilization from destroying itself." Flannery O'Conner said, "I write to discover what I know." Authors across time and distance have had many reasons to write. Why do you write what you write?

The first thing that comes to mind is the trite "I write because I have no choice." The thing is, in my low moments, I often consider quitting, but then I realize I don't know what that looks like. I started writing because I was drawn to it. I didn't just up and decide to do it. I needed an outlet for the stories in my head. On the other hand, a second reason could be that I write to fight the monsters, and not just the ones in my head. 

I took this week off from my college classes (the schedule and pace are self-set) to get my upcoming release ready, which is stressing me out like crazy. But I needed this time. What I'll probably do is set aside all writing stuff when I get back from New Orleans, so I can buckle down and finish my third class. Then I'll go back to my new schedule as normal, where I split my time between the two a bit better. I'm already planning a second volume of holiday stories to follow this one, with holidays starting at Easter and going through Halloween. The stories in Happy Ghoulidays (Volume 1) go from Thanksgiving to Valentine's/Lupercalia.

And, hey, you know the podcast I've been talking about for MONTHS? It's finally happening. We have four episodes recorded, with more to come, and we'll be premiering on November 11 (assuming I get everything uploaded and setup in the right places.) Let's just say I've been learning A LOT lately, between school and starting up a podcast. But what's the point if we don't keep learning, right?

(Isn't the logo cute? A graphic artist friend of ours created it for us.) You can check out our website and our Facebook page. Our first two episodes focus on Colorado crimes and ghost stories.

Time for my monthly check-in. It's not great. I've got a bunch of stories needing editing and submission, plus stories that have been rejected that I still need to turn around. They've been set on the back burner this month. But I'm not going to skip my accountability post.

October stats:

1 submitted

3 rejected (2 after being shortlisted)

0 acceptances

6 currently on submission

15 currently pending re-submission (eeek)

I think I will be setting myself a weekend free from my classes as soon as I finish my next course, dedicated to getting stories out on submission. It takes a considerable amount of time searching out publications and finding the right ones for stories, so that tends to be the first thing I drop when I get busy.

Okay, onto the Happy Ghoulidays launch! I'm asking people to post between November 9 and November 20, which is the date of the book release AND my birthday! But the reason I'm releasing it that day is because of its proximity to Thanksgiving. Because I've been having issues with the form not reporting everyone who has signed up, please leave a comment if you signed up so I know to send you at least the basic materials even if you don't show up on the form. (Google forms have always worked for me before, but I've had constant issues this time, for some reason.)

I will be doing an online launch, as well as a late "trunk or treat" book signing in various parts of Colorado Springs and Denver. Thank you in advance for helping me out! And please know that I'm always happy to help with launches. Sometimes I don't see the posts asking for help.

The pre-order link for the Kindle version can be found by clicking HERE.

What are your insecurities? Have you been writing lately? How about submitting? Do you listen to podcasts?

May you find your Muse.