No Spoilers, Please!

Before I get to today's subject, I just want to let you guys know that I now have a Facebook Page! I'm not asking you guys to "like" it or anything, but if you do, please feel free to plug your own Page's URL in the comments so I can "like" you back.

So, several months ago, I was browsing Twitter when I saw a tweet about a TV show I watch. The tweet said something along the lines of:

OMG I can't believe [CHARACTER] was killed off on last night's episode of [TV SHOW]!!

...and I hadn't yet seen the episode. Thanks for the spoilers, random Twitter person. You're un-followed. (Not really, but I was momentarily annoyed enough that I considered it.)

The thing is, yeah, it was pretty lousy. I was really into that TV show and wish I could have experienced the shock of this character dying without hearing about it beforehand. The episode was ruined for me.

But when I was finally over it (weeks later...), I realized that being sensitive about spoilers is a good thing. It means that we care about the story. We're invested. And as a creator of stories, it always makes me happy when people appreciate a writer's work. In the case of this TV show, while I love the acting, it's really the writing that draws me in. I wanted to completely immerse myself in the script writers' world and feel emotions as if the events actually happened.

Now, when I hear someone say, "No spoilers, please!" I know how important that is. And I won't spoil anything. I promise.

Have you ever had anything spoiled for you? How did it happen? (Remember not to give away what the spoiler was, if it's something that fellow readers might not have seen/read yet.)

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So... I Have A Book Coming Out!

Yup, you read the title right!

I unofficially announced this on Twitter last week, but here's the official post:

My debut middle grade novel, WISHING FOR WASHINGTON, will be released this summer through my small business, Frolloway Press.

Woo hoo!!

I know it's all pretty vague right now, but trust me, more details will be coming soon, including the actual release date and a summary. I'm working on a whole bunch of things at once right now. And you know what? I love it.

My decision to self-publish was one I made over the course of many months. Actually, close to a year. I wasn't necessarily set on self-publishing this particular book from the start, but I became quietly interested in the idea of going indie a while ago. A few factors contributed to this:

1) The biggest reason is that, as regular/long-time readers know, I'm chronically ill. I have been on a sickening rollercoaster the past two years, going from doctor to doctor, hospital to hospital, taking a year off work and then finally cautiously returning to a part time job.

I'm sure there are traditionally published writers who are also chronically ill who still manage to do everything just fine. I, personally, felt like I couldn't make a promise to meet deadlines and carry out responsibilities, not knowing if I'd suddenly get hit with a few weeks or months of daily pain. I wanted the freedom of being my own boss. I still have self-made deadlines that I've been meeting so far, but it's a lot less pressure for me this way.

2) I like to be in control. I guess this goes along with the feeling of not having control when your health stinks, but I'm okay with giving up some pretty "big" things, like having my book on store shelves, if it means I can decide things that are more important to me. The exact day my book releases. What exactly my cover looks like. How soon to release a second book.

I have a business plan (including a marketing plan) and a calendar filled out for the next eight to ten months. And it feels awesome to plan all that out!

I can't wait to share more with you all as it unfolds. I appreciate the support I've receive so far, too. You guys are great!

ONE LAST THING: My book isn't the only one to release in 2014, obviously. So, instead of making this all about me, me, me... feel free to share any other 2014 releases you're excited about!

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