Yep, drowning in work over here. Starting to freak out. Wondering why I can’t seem to be more organized. Missing my friend’s blogs that I hardly ever get to visit anymore because I’m too busy.

Nope, I’m not bitching. I’m glad to be busy, just kicking myself and making promises to get a better handle on multi-tasking.

Ran out to the car this morning in a hurry to take my son to kindergarten. Found the battery dead. *sigh* I pulled out the battery charger (yep, I’m married to a Master auto technician. This means I can build a car with all the tools we have in the garage, but I can’t get him to do even an oil change. ) I charged the battery for an hour, took my son to school an hour late, and came home. Two hours later I get back in the car to pick him up and the battery is dead again. I don’t have time to charge it for an hour, so I hook up the charger, get enough juice to get the engine to turn over and drive to the school. I leave the Suburban running (way up the road, because there’s no way to park close to the school) run up and get Jack, and run back to the car. Not fun.

So that was my day. How was yours?

Thanks to, Sasha.

Finished my copy edits tonight. It was strange going through them. Little things were changed here and there, mostly descriptions to be less graphic. Really, I think it changed the tone of the story quite a bit. I’ve had edits with my Brava editor too, but somehow those didn’t seem that big of a change as far as the tone of the piece, more of a speeding up of the pace by cutting out extraneous descriptions. My Black Lace story just doesn’t sound like me in some places. Those of you who have read my work will notice that this Sylvia Day is far more reserved in her language.

Black Lace has been disappointed with their reception in the United States. Relegated to dark corners of bookstores, they’ve revamped their covers to be less porn looking (love the cover, so no argument there) and they’ve decided that some words have to go.

Weblogs have quickly grown to become one of the most popular pages on romance author websites. Authors who maintain blogs will tell you that their blogging has increased traffic to their sites, encouraged readers to participate in discussions, and helped to build a stronger fan base. But does blogging help a writer network with other writers?

Using weblogs to network was an inevitable use of the platform. Visit any weblog and you’ll find the “sidebar”, a slender row of information that can extend down the left or right side of the main content. In almost all blog sidebars you will find links to other weblogs, and from those links you’ll find even more blogs. In addition, some blogs, like my own and the extremely popular Romancing the Blog, also “plug” the sites of the people who leave comments right on the main page.

Unlike message boards or forums, a weblog gives you the flexibility to write entire articles, allowing you to go into greater detail than you would with any other medium. Adding a static page to your site does nothing to help you connect with other writers, but post the information on your blog and the commenting feature enables you to have “conversations” about the topic, which is the whole point of networking–an interchange of information.

As your blog becomes more popular, you will find a wonderful mix of individuals and opinions. If you have a question, all you have to do is ask. You’ll find any number of responses tackling the issue from various angles. If your topic is interesting to others, they’ll mention your post on their blog, exposing you to new readers who will then visit you. You’ll be networking without getting dressed, leaving your house, or spending a dime.

The promotional value of this networking is tremendous. Search engines, such as Google and Yahoo, use incoming links to a website to determine how popular that site is. The more popular a website is deemed, the higher it appears on search results. If you want your website to be the first result returned when someone searches your name, having a multitude of other websites linking to you is important and having a blog is an easy way to get more links to your site.

Blogging is not for everyone, since it requires an investment of time and your own personality. But for those of you considering the pros and cons of starting a weblog, know that you’ll be enjoying one of the most effective ways to increase visibility and network on the Internet.

(written for a RWA PRO handbook on promotion.)

Check out my first book cover! I think it’s lovely. Definitely looks like a beach read, which is fitting, since my story takes place in Jamaica, mon. (Shhh… It doesn’t match my site, but I won’t say anything if you won’t. )

With the cover flat came copy edits, so I still have more to do to wrap up January. But we’re getting there. Slowly, but surely…

And don’t forget Tues. Jan 25th is the launch of Romancing the Blog!! The first column is by Katie MacAlister.

My mother is the greatest. She spent the night last night and we sat on the couch, just us girls and watched Desperate Housewives and Boston Legal (both shows are our favorites.) Then my mom got up early this morning and scrubbed my house, did my dishes, and washed my laundry.

My mother is a saint. I can’t tell you what it means to me to have her do stuff like this. She does it because she believes in my writing and wants me to be able to focus completely on my work. That kind of support, faith, and hope for another person is priceless.

I love you, Mom.

And something a bit gross…

This month has been a difficult one for me. I had many obligations to fulfil, not the least of which is meeting my Brava deadline. I completed one of my To Do’s today when I submitted the PRO booklet article on weblogs. It was accepted in its present form, so I’m done. [insert sigh of relief]

The first chapters of story #3 are out for critiques so I’m editing while writing, which to me is a wonderful feeling. I’ve been working on #3 without any input on how the story is progressing. Hopefully the things my cp’s catch will be minor and easily fixed. Changes in the story arc, due to possible historical or character issues, will be much more problematic. Frankly, I’m running out of time and I still have to write the ending.

I also have a few more contest entries to judge. Once I’m done with that, I’ll be ecstatic. I took on the challenge during a deadline, because I’m insane. There’s no other excuse. Eventually, I’ll need to work on my RTB article, but I’m trying not to think of that now. My scheduled day is Feb. 6th, but don’t worry. I’ll remind you to go read it.

In the good news category, I’ve been offered another publishing contract. I won’t reveal details yet, because there are many Powers-That-Be who need to be contacted and the situation discussed. But I’m thrilled of course. It’s nice to know that I can sell one of my other finished works.