Too Late To Be Insecure?
The IWSG is brought to you by the award winning Alex J. Cavanaugh and his award winning book, CassaStorm.
The book had nothing to do with it, you say?
Au contraire.
We would never have this
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without the need to promote this
And a special thanks and shout out to this month's IWSG minions, Mark Koopmans, Joylene Nowell Butler,Elsie, and Lisa Buie-Collard!
Enough about Alex and his awesomeness...I need to whine.
You see, I totally had this uplifting post all planned out and half written in my brain.
The post was going to be complete with pictures. And sports analogies.
But I needed to pick up my mom; she'd been visiting my sister in South Carolina, and it was a five hour drive to meet my niece half-way to do the exchange. Then when I got home, there were school papers to check and sign, groceries to put away, and lunches to pack. By the time I was done, it was after eleven and quite honestly, I was feeling beat.
My son pointed out that I should have done my blog post days before. Waiting to the last minute didn't work...hadn't I given him that lecture time and time again?
Yeah, I was tired enough that I didn't feel the humor of the advice.
But he was right. Half, oh let's be honest, three quarters of every day is spent doing what needs to be done to keep me current for that day. Rarely a day ahead...much less a week.
That's my insecurity.
I keep planning to have better planning, but I never do.
And I won't ever be as successful as I can be with this helter skelter approach...not to mention the gray it's adding to my hair!
Some days I feel like it's impossible, but then there are obvious examples of people who are just as busy as me, but still manage to have all their ducks walking in a pretty little line.
Take Tara Tyler. She is surrounded by boys, sports, and books like me...but when it came time to do her cover reveal...this neat little package arrived in my in-box at least a week ahead of time.
See, check it out, and you'll understand why I want to be like Tara when I grow up!
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Welcome to the Forest!
It's time for the highly anticipated, most spectacular cover reveal of the day!
BROKEN BRANCH FALLS (MG Fantasy)by Tara Tyler
Release Date: June 24, 2014
Publisher: Curiosity Quills
Gabe is an average fifteen-year-old goblin. He’s in the marching band, breezes through calculus, and gets picked on daily by the other kids at school, especially the ogres. Gabe’s closest friends are goblins like him, but Gabe is tired of being a goblin – he’d like to try other things. And he has his eye on the new ogress at school. It’s against all beastly rules, but there’s just something about her.
When a prank goes wrong, Gabe is forced to join the football team as punishment – but finds a way to make it work. Soon the whole school is getting in on the fad of mingling with other species. Too bad the adults have to step in and ruin things by threatening to destroy the school and split up Broken Branch Falls. And Gabe is their scapegoat. With help from friends, old and new, Gabe sets out on a quest for the Book of Ages, which holds the laws of all beastkind and hopefully the key to saving Broken Branch Falls. After all that trouble, it better work.
Add it to your GOODREADS list!
Also by Tara Tyler, techno-thriller detective series,
The Cooper Chronicles, Book One: POP TRAVEL
The Cooper Chronicles, Book One: POP TRAVEL
Tara Tyler started out as a math teacher. After having a hand in everything from waitressing to rocket engineering and living up and down the Eastern US, she now writes and teaches in Ohio with her three active boys and Coach Husband. Currently, she has two series, The Cooper Chronicles (techno-thriller detective capers) and Beast World (MG fantasy) She's an adventure writer who believes every good story should have action, a moral, and a few laughs!
AND you can get up to five entries in this fun raffle just for commenting on five of the many cover reveal posts (see below) - This week only!
AND you can get up to five entries in this fun raffle just for commenting on five of the many cover reveal posts (see below) - This week only!
Cover Reveal Participants! Thanks you guys!! You the Beast!
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Trust me I feel your pain about being bad at planning. I'm a regular late (or last minute) doer. I just literally did and added my IWSG post to my Tuesday Cover Reveals post. So it's not just you since I completely forgot about IWSG. But like me you try to get something done and that matters Liz. So until you get to be a better planner. Keep being a doer.
ReplyDeleteTara is awesome. She has so many great posts and definitely knows time management. Her cover is amazing and I can't wait to read about all the different creatures in the world she created. Curiosity Quills is clearly a nice publisher. Most don't let their authors mix their genres like this and the following year after her last book. Congrats Tara!
Hugs Sheena-kay. You made me feel so much better. You seriously need to get that passport. You deserve so many hugs! I do try to not drop the ball completely. I may be tripping over my untied shoelaces as I run to the goal, but I am moving.
DeleteI hear ya! Planning is hard, and if it doesn't come naturally to you, it's not that easy a skill to learn!
ReplyDeleteBut you know, you're not doing so badly. You get the jobs done, and that's what matters!
Ah thanks Kyra! I suppose I do get the necessary stuff done, but I just know being organized would be so much less stressful.
DeleteI kind of have the opposite problem to you, Elizabeth - I have all the time in the world (no kids and my only job is writing) but I can be lazy. Well, not lazy per se, but lazy when it comes to writing. I'll put it off and do loads of social networking instead! I need to plan too and stick to it!!
ReplyDeleteTara's book looks AMAZING! I LOVE that cover!! :D xx
Oh Suzy. That social media. I get started on Facebook and totally lose track of time. I have had to set alarms to remind myself to get off there.
Delete(Though I would never guess you weren't organized and working with diligence. Movies, websites, books, a clean house...lady I'm jealous of you too!)
Which middle-grader will be able to resist those cute, green faces? Awesome cover!
ReplyDeleteCongrats Tara!
(...and I still need to get to my IWSG post...LOL)
Isn't that the best cover? I think it will be a great book!
DeleteOh, and get to work! You're later than me chickadee!
DeleteIt occurred to me this week that the time has come for a daily to-do list. I haven't started making one, but the thought is there!
ReplyDeleteI've been emailing myself to do lists, because usually I am an email checking junkie, but this week- even my email is stacking up. Grr.
DeleteI'm with ya! Maybe Tara (congrats!) has been dipping into Alex's cloning machine. Talk about organized people! My streaks of planning ahead are quite hit and miss.
ReplyDeleteThat has to be it. We seriously need to steal that machine!
DeleteI was doing really well at staying ahead of the game awhile back but then…I don't know. Stuff happened. I got lazy. I found myself behind again. Must. Catch. Up. :)
ReplyDeleteMadeline @ The Shellshank Redemption
There was this one week, several months ago that I was a day or two ahead...I vaguely remember that feeling good.
DeleteI hear ya about planning ahead! I'm horrible at it! That's why I combined my IWSG and another post today...too tired to come up with something great at the last minute.
ReplyDeleteCongrats to Tara! The cover looks AMAZING!
I combined posts too. I should have done Tara's reveal on Monday. But it worked. She really is an amazing lady. A real dynamo.
DeleteI'm not a good planner either and every time I try I fall short. For me though it almost works because I work best under pressure. When I try to do things in advance it rarely works out for me. But I totally admire Tara and how organized she is! I wish I could clone her for myself LOL.
ReplyDeleteLet's blame it on us being the caring/intuitive/social worker type. Yeah, advance planning has never been my forte. I have pulled so many all nighters finishing stuff up...I never learn. LOL
DeleteThat should raise the ninja wannabe's ego lol Maybe you should plan to plan for better planning by planning to plan better planning. Or would that be too confusing lol
ReplyDeleteI thought of you too Pat, last night whilst I grumbled and whined about my lack of planning. You and your month ahead of the schedule posts. No wonder you look so laid back in your profile pic.
DeleteYou're not alone. I am a horrible planner, and pretty much spend all my time scrambling last minute in all areas of my life.
ReplyDeleteGrats to Tara! You know, I wonder if she's a plotter and not a pantser... might explain the well-preparedness.
It's good to hear I am in good company! Though the constant hurry and get done can be very wearing.
DeleteMy money is on her being a plotter.
I'm a planner, but sometimes to the detriment of other things. We all have to find a balance, and that's not easy, no matter which side of the fence you're on. ;)
ReplyDeleteIWSG #224 until Alex culls the list again.
No Melissa, don't say planning isn't a perfect fix! I keep thinking if I get all my ducks marching in a row then life will be so easy.
DeleteI'm a planner. I like to know what I'm going to do and have things ready ahead of time... just in case. But I only have one boy! ;) Tara's cover is great!
ReplyDeleteI admire people like you Christine! And one boy is as much work as multiples. It's all in the word boy ;)
DeleteThank you, Elizabeth!
ReplyDeleteTara's cover is awesome.
And some people just don't do organized. It's not in their personality. You just have to find a way to work around the chaos.
And if this post was all last minute, then I'd say you did awesome.
Working around chaos has become a lifestyle, though one day, I am going to try that whole being organized thing.
DeleteYou like the last minute post? Well then I feel better!
I love Tara's cover! I write all of my posts in advance. I have all of May's written. It's overrated...and here's why. TONS of things come up at the last minute so I spend half my time figuring out what to bump so I can squeeze in a last-minute post on my writing method or whatnot! It is nice to have things all wrapped up in advance, but it reduces your ability to write about what's on your mind now.
ReplyDeleteI can see where that would be a problem, though a problem I would like to have. Like the stress of having too much money? Yeah, I'd love to have that dilemma too.
DeleteYay for Tara! Life can really get the best of you if you're not prepared by a mile and a half, eh? I find the only way to stay on top of things is to have a deadline, a secondary deadline, and a tertiary deadline, which is the DROP DEAD date if it's not done.
ReplyDeleteThat is true. And with our work, I'll have to set those deadlines on myself. Good idea!
DeleteSo happy for Tara! The book looks great!
ReplyDeleteI've kind of had to learn the art of planning ahead because I'm silly enough to take on as much as humanly possible (probably too much stuff but YOLO amiright?!).
You'll figure it out! I have faith in you. :)
LOL. I've never really been a YOLO kind of girl, but more like a fireman...putting out little fires and crises as they come up!
DeleteGood premise and timely for kids, Tara! Congratulations!
ReplyDeleteI do my best to be organized but there are times when organization goes splat and I find myself writing something at the last minute.
Sia McKye Over Coffee
There was a time when I was organized. One day it may happen again. Right now, all my days are splats.
DeleteI love planning to be a better planner, I'm getting pretty good at that. One day I'll get there, if only life and it's little surprises would just calm down a bit ;-)
ReplyDeleteI love Tara's new cover and story, looking forward to release day!
Yep, it's the surprises that I could do without!
DeleteSadly, lately even my planning to plan gets interrupted!
I've tried to follow a plan or schedule more times than I can tell. It's pointless. I never stick to it for more than two days. I've only grow frustrated. So I try to do checklists. To my shame, I end up doing things in the last possible moment. Well, at least I do them.
ReplyDeleteWell, it seems I may have some dragon traits, because that's exactly how I roll!
DeleteI wonder where your son garnered so much wisdom? Plans are good. Adjusting them is better. Accepting that they sometimes fail is best.
ReplyDeleteHappy ISWG Day.
Such a wise statement!
DeleteHe gets that wisdom from his father ;)
So happy for Tara! The book looks great, congratulations!
ReplyDeleteMy plans always fall through.
No matter how great the plan, if there is a single human involved, it can all go down the toilet.
DeleteMake peace with your process. :) That's one thing I told my students. Make peace with it and own it proudly.
ReplyDeleteMajor congrats to Tara!
I will try, though it's hard to be proud of being a half-baked nit wit half the time. LOL
DeleteI wanna be like Tara when I grow up, too! lol
ReplyDeleteI keep planning to plan ahead as well, but I'm too behind to ever catch up. Eventually we'll figure something out. I think. I hope. :P
S.K.Anthony: IWSG
One day, maybe we will. We can dare to hope, right?
DeleteHey, this will be my comment #4 for Tara's reveal. :)
ReplyDeleteIf you hadn't just come clean right here, I'd never have guessed you were anything but completely organized---I think anyone would look all hairy and out of control if you lifted their lids to look at the nitty gritty of their everyday. You managed a long drive to get your mum, helped your kids w/ homework, did house schtuff---and STILL put together a cover reveal and IWSG post. You've got your act together, lady.
I love you Nicki. I should send you chocolate.
DeleteAw, who wants their ducks to be in a row anyway? It's much better to be yourself and have fun.
ReplyDeleteCongrats again, Tara!
Ducks are quite cute when they float around the water this way and that.
DeleteNice cover!
ReplyDeleteDon't be too hard on yourself about planning. As adults with jobs, families, and the irritating need to sleep, we have to find writing time when we can. The fact is that you're doing it. It may not always be pretty or lined up in a nice little row, but you're doing it. I bet if you look behind Tara's curtains, you'll find her share of last minute flying fingers. Sorry, Tara, but you know it's true. :)
Great IWSG post!
You really think so? I just can't imagine that out of Tara. It would be like looking behind the curtain in Oz. Life does have a way of keeping a body busy.
DeleteI hear ya, sista! Glad Tara at least has all her ducks in a row . . . we have someone to look up to :-)
ReplyDeleteAnd call on for help. She is also generous with her time in helping her fellow writers out!
DeleteCongrats Tara! The cover is uber cool!
ReplyDeleteAnd Elizabeth, you always know exactly what I need to hear. I'm facing some of these challenges, but we can do it! We can plan! Plus, you are superwoman! Seriously, that's why you and Thor are such a superb couple! :D
You're so right. Aside from being adorable together, we have that super hero mentality too ;)
DeleteYou are awesome Leigh and you will get it all done. I just know it!
Bleh, planning. It takes time, that's the problem. Though, wouldn't it be nice to have a wife to do those other things so you could get something done on time? Yep, that's what you need. A wife!
ReplyDeleteI read that to my hubs Emily, right after he gave me a to do list. Sad thing was he agreed a wife might be a good idea, as long as he got to help pick her.
DeleteWife idea just got a veto!
You are not alone! I do things last minute too. I wrote my post for the IWSG right before midnight because I'd forgotten. I forgot so many times I had to add my name to the list again. It's nice to look up to others who have their ducks in a row, but remember each one of us is different with our writing and our writing process. It's nice to be unique. :)
ReplyDeleteI got mine posted at 12:05...five minutes late for the date. I guess that's not too bad!
DeleteAnd yes we are unique and we have to allow ourselves some wiggle room or we'll just go nuts!
I always plan to get better at planning, but it never works out. I don't know what it is. I've tried just about everything. I had this conversation with someone not too long ago. All I can say is that we do our best because that's all we can do. Have a great night. Eva
ReplyDeleteVery true Eva. And some days we have to adjust plans and do what's best for our family and work goes by the wayside.
DeleteAlex is one of those ppl who I seriously wonder how he does it all without seeming stressed!
ReplyDeletePlanning - ug! - doesn't work. Sometimes I can do things ahead of time (and then I pat myself on the back and feel really fuzzy inside), but usually, it's a disaster. It's not that I'm a procrastinator (I don't think I am ;) ), but every day hits like an unexpected tornado. Seriously, the Fates slam one with the craziest things every. single. day. So, yeah, I'm always just battling to keep normal life going, let alone planned.
If you ever discover the secret behind it, let me know. PLEASE!!!
Seriously, right? Like today, I had all my little ducks lined up, was reading through blogs, then ring...my mom calls with a crisis. You can't plan around that stuff and I am unable (and unwilling) to not answer my phone and put work ahead of family.
DeleteTara's book looks so cute! My son will love it. I hear ya with the where do they find the time?? I"m constantly treading water, but then everyone has a different set of circumstances. Like some have jobs that let them fool around online. Others can stay up late and get lots done that way.
ReplyDeleteIn the end, we do what we can and try not to burn out doing too much. Family is always first.
THANK YOU so much for sharing my new cover a few posts ago. I so appreciate it!! :)
Whew. I was a little worried I jumped the gun. It's a beautiful cover!!
DeleteYeah, there are different circumstances. And I do have a a lot of kids who are active in all sorts of things and I'm never going to be the kind of parent or daughter who puts work ahead of humans.
I know the feeling, Elizabeth. Everyone seems to be on track except me. I'm still so shattered after the A-Z everything seems blurry. I even read the title of Tara's book as 'Broken French Balls' - I had to read again. Sorry, I don't mean to offend, I just can't straighten my mind.
ReplyDeleteI'm posting your awesome details on Monday, Elizabeth. That book cover is scrumptious.
Thank you Fanny!! I totally know what you mean by scattered minds! Mine looks a bit like an omelette, I'm sure.
DeleteI'm sincerely impressed with the way you vented and transition to pride and understandable envy (you're not alone) for awesome people like Tara. But Ms. Seckman, you are an awesome one yourself. We can only control so much. The rest will create chaotic frenzy no matter what.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations, Tara. Much success with your latest creation.
xoRobyn
Wasn't that a good segue? The original post was going to include her as a fellow football mom. I am flexible in a pinch...I will take that credit.
DeleteYou're not the only harum-scarum, helter-skelter style writer on the block. I do my fair share too. I love lists, but haven't been making any lately. Only the Lord knows how I get things done on time.
ReplyDeleteStill, don't be too hard on yourself. Half the fun in life are the surprizes we meet because we haven't planned everything down to the last minute.
Tara's book sounds like a good adventure.
Hugs fellow frenzied traveler. And yes, some of those surprises are joy filled and time needs to be taken to enjoy the moments.
DeleteOh lord, I totally hear you!! I'm a plotter, so I'm also the kind of person who loves to be prepared ahead of time... But life so rarely lets us do that, does it? Sigh. Its a great goal,, anyway. And congratulations to Tara!!
DeleteI"m the same way. I feel more content with order and planning, but have learned to roll with the crazy life. I mean, there really is no other option.
DeletePlanning is a bit over rated for me these days. Blogging has taken a back seat, for sure. Just do what you can. Congrats to Tara, the new book sounds fun!
ReplyDeleteCouldn't agree with you more, Gwen. We can only do what we can. The worry over all the can'ts just make us stressed and crazy.
Delete