When It’s Time for a Writer to Look for Mary Poppins

My daughter, Juliet, turned one in April. I thought I had been working during the first year of her life. I mean, I tried. I sat in front of my laptop during all of her naps, never sleeping when she was sleeping, instead dedicating one eye to my manuscript while the other was locked on the baby monitor. Guess how productive I was?

While I’m sure there are people who can work like this (God, bless all of you), I found that I was merely putting words on a page. I wasn’t writing. I wasn’t thinking. Heck, one time I didn’t even remember that I had already introduced a character I was about to accidentally introduce for a second time.

So I came to the proverbial fork in the road. I could either admit defeat and give up the writing gig until my daughter was old enough for preschool (of course by then, she could have a future sibling moving into the crib) or I could double-down, bet on my career, and hire a nanny.

I’d like to say the decision was obvious. I’m sure you want to read, “Of course, I immediately starting searching for child care. I’m a career woman, after all!” But that wasn’t what happened.

Honestly, my first instinct was to give it up. I even told a few friends and family members that I was ready for a break. It was just too hard to be split in two—feeling guilty that I wanted to work on my book instead of playing with my daughter, and feeling unfocused on my writing when I did have time to work.

Then an interesting thing happened. I tried being a stay-at-home mom. I spent Monday-through-Friday caring for Juliet, taking her to playdates, singing along at music class, going to the park, doing tons of laundry, and meeting moms for coffee. I did no writing. And you know what happened? I turned into a crazy person.

Now, this isn’t me knocking stay-at-home moms. I have the deepest respect for any woman who can care for her kids full-time and feel self-fulfilled. That is what makes motherhood the hardest job in the world, in my opinion.

But for me, focusing my days on solely caring for Juliet had me feeling like I was in Tahiti any time I had more than an hour to myself. I don’t mean this in a good way. So many weeks passed where I couldn’t remember a single moment when I was without my daughter that it made walking to the drugstore alone feel like a holiday. A trip the hairdresser was a vacation. And don’t get me started on what a luxury it was to use the bathroom, or shower, by myself.

I was never alone, and I needed a break so desperately I was almost in tears when our family vacation ended.

That was when we hired a nanny.

I told myself I was going to wait to hire a caregiver until after I sold my next book. That was the plan. But then I found I couldn’t produce a next book if I didn’t have help—regular help, not just the occasional “sure, I’ll babysit” help.

So my husband graciously agreed. We hired a part-time nanny, just 8-12 hours per week, to see what I could produce. The end result? Three months after hiring a nanny on that limited basis, I have a completed manuscript.

Don't get me wrong, it still has to find the right editor, but I can tell you it’s light-years better than what I was attempting to produce the first year of Juliet’s life. And it’s amazing how productive you can be when you know you’ve only got four hours to work. I won’t even check my email when the nanny’s on the scene. I’m completely focused on my writing.

And this carries over into my time with Juliet. When I’m with her now, I’m more present. I’m no longer wishing I could be writing, or wishing she’d nap longer. Instead, we’re happily playing and I’m not distracted. I’m a happier mom. And I have to think a happier mom makes for a happier kid.

So as I wrap up my Work-In-Progress and get ready for submission, I’ve got my fingers crossed that my second year as a working mother will be different from the first. At the very least, I’ll continue the illusive quest for balance. Maybe by the time she’s eighteen, I’ll finally figure it out.

SOMETHING WICKED Is Headed This Way With GCC Member Kelly Parra

Just in time for Halloween “something wicked this way comes,” or so said Shakespeare in MacBeth. You know who else is talking about SOMETHING WICKED? The authors of this spooky new YA anthology featuring GCC member Kelly Parra. So if you’re looking for something to give you goose bumps this season, check out SOMETHING WICKED through Buzz Books USA.

As always, here’s a little bit about her books to get you hooked:

They’re baaaack.

More nightmares brought to you by the authors of the young adult anthology Prom Dates to Die For...

Beware the Midnight Troll on your late-night stroll by Mari Hestekin. Swim at your own risk Under Loch and Cay by Jenny Peterson. A curse of spiders on campus means Arach War by Lena Brown. Through a Glass Darkly one could lose a soul by Heather Dearly. Supernatural Hunters turn to the sea in Mermania by Kelly Parra. Social media goes to the ghouls in Spectral Media by Aaron Smith.

Don’t miss this paranormal fun for tween, teens and adults!

Kelly Parra’s short story “Mermania” continues Teen Supernatural Hunters Jaz and Blake’s paranormal adventures. The duo debuted in “Darkness Becomes Him” in the young adult anthology PROM DATES TO DIE FOR as they battled a soul hungry dark angel. In SOMETHING WICKED a merman entrances Jaz and it’s up to her and Blake to rush against time before Jaz grows her own tail by the full moon!

Here’s what Kelly had to say:

Q: In ADIOS TO ALL THE DRAMA, Mariana is a bridesmaid in her cousin's wedding. How many times have you been a bridesmaid and what's the worst dress you ever wore?

Kelly: Hi Diana, thanks for having me on your blog! I’ve only been a bridesmaid once. I was about 15 years old and it was a floral dress I never could wear again. But I will tell you I was hit on by the bride’s brother, which made it really awkward!

Q: I've used some of my personal background in each of my novels. Did you take any snippets from your real life when writing your latest book? Base any characters on real people?

Kelly: For this story, I haven’t. When I write contemporary YA, I do tend to take snippets from my life and add it to my storytelling. However, my story “Mermania” in SOMETHING WICKED is about Jaz and Blake, orphaned teen supernatural hunters who hunt mythical monsters. So basically I could run wild with my imagination on this one!

Q: Let's talk publishing. What was harder for you, finding an agent or an editor? Why?

Kelly: I have to say, about 6 years ago when I’d finished my first book, I did not submit to publishers, only agents. And I had a string of rejections before an agent took my book on. Then I had a string of editor rejections before I finally found a publisher. Believe me, I think it is equally difficult to find the right match!

Thank you, Kelly! Now, everyone go out and buy books, lots and lots of books!

You Can LIVE THROUGH THIS With GCC Member Mindi Scott

What teenage girl doesn’t put on a façade for the world? Try to convince everyone, including herself, that her life is perfect? Well, that’s the case in the emotionally-charged new YA novel by GCC member Mindi Scott. Learn how far the girl-next-door will go to protect the truth about her life in Live Through This, an amazing book out this month through Simon Pulse.

As always, here’s a little bit about her books to get you hooked:

From the outside, Coley Sterling’s life seems pretty normal . . . whatever that means. It’s not perfect—her best friend is seriously mad at her and her dance team captains keep giving her a hard time—but Coley’s adorable, sweet crush Reece helps distract her. Plus, she has a great family to fall back on—with a mom and stepdad who would stop at nothing to keep her siblings and her happy.

But Coley has a lot of secrets. She won’t admit—not even to herself—that her almost-perfect life is her own carefully-crafted façade. That for years she’s been burying the shame and guilt over a relationship that crossed the line. Now that Coley has the chance at her first real boyfriend, a decade’s worth of lies are on the verge of unraveling.

In this unforgettable powerhouse of a novel, Mindi Scott offers an absorbing, layered glimpse into the life of an everygirl living a nightmare that no one would suspect.

Here’s what Mindi had to say:

Q: In ADIOS TO ALL THE DRAMA, Mariana is a bridesmaid in her cousin's wedding. How many times have you been a bridesmaid and what's the worst dress you ever wore?

Mindi: Let’s see. I think I’ve only been a bridesmaid once. (I’ve also been a bride, maid of honor, candle lighter, and flower girl.) The worst dress was for a wedding that ended up being called off actually It was this peachy-pink color that looked awful with my skin tone.

Q: I've used some of my personal background in each of my novels. Did you take any snippets from your real life when writing your latest book? Base any characters on real people?

Mindi: I take SO MANY snippets from my real life or from things that people tell me about their lives. My sister read my newest book and started rattling off all these small details that she recognized. I don’t really base characters off real people, but there is an occasional character who I can say is loosely inspired by someone real.

Q: Let's talk publishing. What was harder for you, finding an agent or an editor? Why?

Mindi: An agent! It took me two years and a total of around 150 rejections on two manuscripts to sign with my agent. But my editor (who was my former instructor in an online writing class), acquired my first novel in my agent’s first round of submissions.

Q: Where did the idea for you latest novel come from?
Mindi: I’ve actually written a letter for readers and posted it on my website explaining this in detail. The basic gist, though, is that I put off writing this book for years because I thought someone with more distance from the subject could do it better. One day, I realized that that wasn’t the case and that I needed to write this book.

Q: Where were you when you found out that your latest novel was going to be published? Tell us the story.

Mindi: I remember that I was upstairs in my home office when my agent called with the offer. I honestly don’t remember much about it, except that I quickly promised that I could meet a crazy (for me) deadline because I was so excited to have received an offer for my second book.

Thank you, Mindi! Now, everyone go out and buy books, lots and lots of books!