Getting Personal: Back from the End?

Hey readers, I'm happy to say this blog is back up and running. I was supposed to do this post on  Monday the 5th of November. Unfortunately, the evening before I had a bad fall in the backyard, in the mud. So that was not good. Anyway, I'm happy to be posting today.

I am still undiagnosed with my illness but that's just a matter I have to accept. Right now seems the perfect time to revive my review blog. QueendSheena has always held a special place in my heart. There is also my Tumblr which is my writing website for the time being. Plus there's a special reveal tomorrow exclusive to that site, my ko-fi page and Goodreads. I will add a link to my Friday post so all you can see it as well. 

I have been dealing with things including job hunting to help boost my freelancing income. Right now I'm taking part in Nanowrimo which you can find out more about on Twitter. I also started a Facebook group if you can believe it. That along with my writings has me one busy bee. 

So thank you, everybody, who has supported me in the past. I hope you and new readers/visitors will continue to do so in the future.

Getting Personal: The Final Countdown

When I started the QueendSheena blog it was not my first time hosting a blog. A few even going defunct once the site folded (looking at you Greatest Journal). But this time I wanted to go a specific route moving forward in my writing journey. Wanting to meet other writers, readers, bloggers and so on. So I created this blog and over the years it has become more than I ever dreamed.

It has expanded to having reviews for books, movies, tv shows and more. I have shared my personal experiences, writing journey, supported the works of others through tours, blog posts and more. I love this blog with all of my heart. Which is why it is hard but time for a huge change.

August 2018 will be the last month of me posting here. On the last Friday in August my final post will go up. The blog will remain posted for posterity. I want everybody to know this decision was mulled over for months. I have been blogging less and focusing more on other things. Due to an unexpected illness, my time has been crunched by quite a bit and I have had to prioritize things. Including missing a lot of posts on this blog. So I would like to have QueendSheena go out with a bang instead of a whimper. Next post will be Wednesday, August 8 with my weekly WOW.

Thank you to everyone who supported my blogging journey. Goodbyes are never easy but I will still be around. My main site is on Tumblr and you can also find me on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. So take care and you all have my eternal gratitude for following me on this beautiful journey.

Getting Personal: Blog Revamp

Hello everyone, this post has been overdue. My blog has been going through changes and it's time I do a post explaining my plans for the future. So let's go.

1. Turning the blog into a review blog. This has already been underway. But thanks to life and health issues, I've slowed down on this. Hope to have things regularly by early 2018.

2. Making the blog more appropriate for teens. Since I plan to write young adult it would be nice to have more teens visiting my online sites.

3. Post more personal things on my Author site. I don't plan to overflow it with none author related content. But I will be moving Getting Personal over there instead. So yes this is also the last post on this blog. Ironic change, no?

4. Finding the spare change to pay for a full blog makeover. Not sure when I can do this but I've seen other blogs for teens get better viewing and more members with better backgrounds. Right now what I have is really drab and plain.

5. Less blogging. I know, but with my fatigue and working both freelance and self-publishing, something has to give.  This does not include being active on social media and writing my manuscripts to one day send to an agent. My time is limited and I have to prioritize what's important.

Well that's it for me today. Sorry about no post last Friday. Should be able to post this Wednesday and Friday without a problem. Fingers crossed and have a great day.

Getting Personal: Thanks for the advice...but no

I am a frank person. Sure I'm shy and hopefully fun when I can be. But I'm likely to either give you the truth or just walk away. If you want someone to tell you a bunch of fairy tales, that's not me. Not that I just go around spouting 'my truth' everywhere. I know when something is none of my business and stay out of it. However, I've noticed that on some topics that I've come out strongly about. There are some comments saying that I should either not post that way or consider the risk of losing or limiting a future as a published author. Now I know some are just trying to give honest advice and I respect that. But the answer is a strong no.

When I made this blog. I had no idea that I'd have all kinds of people visiting and me visiting them back for years to come. Hell, I even lost touch with one of my first blog visitors but then got back in touch with them when they restarted their blog and I also discovered their twitter. This blog has been great to me and almost every visitor, a pleasure. However, there are times when I'll discuss a hard topic or do a rant. When I rant I do ensure to let people know so they have the option to read or not. I just think it's good to let people go on with eyes wide open. Of course the same goes for me as well. 

Also, I know of many authors who defy the rules of not talking politics, respecting opinions and so forth. And these people have great careers and when you hear their stories, they've been hard from the get. Sure not every publisher will take on such an individual but a lot do. There's a YA author who told a parent on online that she was born without. The parent had found her site and criticized her for how she 'acted' at the airport. This author didn't give a hoot and she's 100% traditionally published and has been outspoken and even rude for the longest time. She doesn't care what anyone thinks and still got her agent and publishing deals. You can scroll back to see her online history of I don't care. It's there and she clearly has no fears. Now if she's fine then I feel pretty good about my chances. 

So I'm just going to post my thoughts and opinions. People are free to agree or disagree with me. I'm fine with that. You will never get shunned or burned for just being honest. Being flippant is another story and sadly I ended communication with one blogger a while back. But trust me it was for saying something super out of touch. It never happens with my regular readers. Anyway thanks for stopping by and always stay true to yourself and listen to the thoughts of others. See you Wednesday.

Getting Personal: Skyping with Grace Randolph and Monday MishMash

Sunday May 15, 2016 will go down as a special day for me. Why? Well I got to skype with Youtube movie news sensation Grace Randolph, creator of the channels Beyond the Trailer and Movie Math. She has been mentioned on my blog in the past via questions she has answered for me on Morning Movie News segment and my love for movies. I was over the moon when I won among a select group of viewers a chance to chat with her via skype for five minutes. Score!

Source - Also is a great article about movie reviewers, 

news commentators and critics.

Of course for such an occasion I decided to skype on the veranda ready for my 1:30 pm meet up, 2:30 pm Eastern on her side. We started with some chit chat. Me excited to be talking to her for the first time and she also excited and thanking me for being a regular viewer. Then it was question time. She asked me about the movie I had most recently seen and it was the Jungle Book. Both of us enjoyed that movie and talked a bit about the technology and characters of the movie.

Then...the glitches started. Before there was a small one but soon she actually got knocked off and could only type. Thankfully I could still also hear her and soon she was back with her smiling blonde self. I started talking about a fan casting I did for a future Fantastic 4 movie which intrigued her since she is among those who would love to see a Fantastic 4 movie do well at the box office. Unfortunately the glitches came back and I decided we better finish up. Overall I had a wonderful time and glitches be damned. Grace is wonderful to chat with and keeps all her viewers up to date on what is happening in the movie verse. She interacts so well with her fans and I even sent her my fan casting in a twitter DM.

Ending this with one of her videos. This one involves Grace confirming Old Man Logan for the Rated R Wolverine movie along with a few theories. Enjoy.

Monday MishMash





1. Update my Fantastic 4 (named Fantastic) fan casting and story. With the recent open casting of Black Panther and Fish Mooney returning to television's Gotham, I need to make some changes. Already started some additions and plan to continue. It is still very amateur but I'm having fun. All I will say right now is that I cast Edward Norton as Mr. Fantastic/Reed. If Chris Evans can go from Fox to Marvel then Edward can go from Marvel to Fox. Just saying.

2. Continue managing my freelance schedule.

3. Getting ready for Junowrimo and Bunowrimo. Yes I plan to do two next month. Yes I'm nuts.

4. Watching Angry Birds and X-Men: Apocalypse this week. Why did Jamaica bring both of these out last week? It only makes me more amped and I follow a budget.

5. Working on an exciting new idea inspired by NBC's Emerald City trailer. Yes, another one.

Thanks for stopping by and today is Labor day in Jamaica.

Getting Personal: Social Media Highlights

Yes social media, from Facebook to Twitter and everything in between. A lot of us use it and many times it's just to browse around finding and posting cool memes. You know, the very important stuff.

Um, Superman has a stepmom on Earth. Is the movie back on? Yes? Good.

Twitter

So the night of the Oscars I live tweeted. A lot of the time with Youtuber @GraceRandolph who is one cool informative lady when it comes to the business of movies. I already mentioned being featured on her channel Movie Math during her Movie News feature via my tweet about a Wonder Woman article. You can read that post here. Well towards the end I tweeted about Leo winning the Best Actor Oscar and I kid you not, the bottom of my online world fell out. In quick succession I got over ten retweets and fifty likes (which increased to over sixty). I had thought getting over twenty likes on a tweet about Disney's television movie The Descendants was great. But that actually took a few hours and I would expect that to be my big 2016 Twitter highlight. As the week went on the Leo tweet ended up having 25 Retweets and 81 Likes. Check it out here. I'm still over the moon about it.

Then last Thursday March 3 during #K8Chat I ended up being front and center on a discussion on writing romance. Mind you, I'm no expert on that but I shared my thoughts on romance not being shoe-horned, abusive romance being creepy no matter how sexy the guy is and so on. I kid you not somehow I got a lot of responses and flitted in and out multiple twitter conversations. I even ended up giving the starring guest author tips on overcoming writer's block and she loved it. I have hardly been going to this for three weeks or so since #NextLitChat got cancelled. Had a great time though but for an introvert like me it was very shocking. But the week before I got into a little chat with Julie Kagawa (author of the Talon series which I love and pre-ordered Soldier yesterday) about anime so that was awesome too. I'm a real puzzle even to myself. But had an awesome time all the same.

Youtube

Man just when you think lightning does not strike twice. Usually it can take months for someone to get their viewer question read by Grace Randolph on her Movie News feature. My tweet on Wonder Woman had made it into the top three news segment which goes on before the chosen viewer question. Now I will say when I put my mind to it I can be very observant. One of the advantages of keeping your mouth shut. In the past I had sent out a couple of questions but never got chosen. Last week I really pondered on that and decided to go with a question hand in hand with the current movie season. X-Men: Apocalypse was coming soon and some of it's steam was leaking out especially after the underwhelming Superbowl Trailer and the negative reaction to Jennifer Lawrence taking Mystique and going Blonde Katniss. So I decided to ask about the sudden removal of the Gambit movie from Fox's release schedule and if it might be related to loss of hype and Jennifer Lawrence. I posted it twice last week and guess what? My question got picked and answered Friday March 4, 2016.

 Facebook

I won 15% off my first order with Quamber Kids. A new division of Najla Quamber Designs whose creator Najla is a very talented graphics designer. I have since decided to write a picture book with #LGBT elements so it was a cool coincidence. Yup I plan to write a children's book. This once one trick pony YA girl is going wild folks. More on this project next Monday Mish Mash.

Conclusion

Social media is a fickle thing. Used correctly you can promote yourself, your brand, work, etc. Just remember that it can be a very good tool but also a potential time waster if you don't watch out. Find the right groove for you and stick with it. Actually no, always look out for new ways while also keeping up the paths of success discovered. You never know what will catch someone's eye. Thank you for dropping by for Getting Personal.

Getting Personal: Hi, Long Time No See

So you must be like...yay she's back. Yeah...as you can see this is a bit awkward. Here is the quick story. When I got my new tablet I was excited. I mean how different would an Android be? Well it is plenty different. For starters a lot of web pages won't come up because of dark or too light backgrounds. Second the keyboard keeps disappearing making quite annoying to write. I can get online and I keep up on Facebook better than ever but blogging...yeah...not on that thing.

I have been also busy with my freelance work which right now is almost exclusively writing novel drafts for people. Trust me, there are people who want a novel just to start with and my brain is on fire. But I have gotten a bit of a rhythm now and recently access to a laptop I can actually blog on. As you know I hate blogging when I can't comment back and my comment status after my last January post was a disaster. Now I hope to slowly get back on track with blogging and being around you fine people outside Facebook Nation.

I posted this yesterday on Facebook because it made me think of my next book in The Missing Girls Series.

Yes, even fat people need to look out for kidnappers. Have a great day everyone and thank you for supporting my blog over the years. Also a special thank you to those who have written/chatted about  and shared the cover for Where is Sarah? Love you all and see you Friday.

EYM and Getting Personal: Hi

EYM

My favorite beverage is orange juice. I don't do coffee and tea is for an upset stomach nothing else seems to cure. So yeah, orange juice all the way. But yes, I do drink soda.


Getting Personal: Hi

I have been busy with freelance work so I haven't been blogging much. Also since November I have been having some hand pains and other issues. So I have to be careful with what I choose to write. But I want to keep you guys updated. Right now I'm working on the covers for upcoming books and I'm happy with how things are going so far. Monday will be my cover reveal for 'Where is Sarah' coming in March 2015.

Yesterday I saw The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 at the movies and it blew my mind. Anyone who loves the franchise should definitely go see it. I swear someone in it looked similar to how Christian Bale did in The Machinist. Divergent movie series can go take some tips for Insurgent coming next March. Plus I also did some writing for a novel which is a fairytale retelling. Not planning to release it anytime soon so I'll keep it under wraps for now. Nano was a dud but I think my other novel for Roe titled Huntress (NA Horror) has some real potential. Got around ten thousand words done on it. The hand pains and uptake in freelance made me have to change my priorities. Yet I am so excited for what is in store. The future holds a wonderful mystery and the present is just that. So I'm grabbing my gift and owning it.

I will be taking a break on Dec. 19 and coming back January 1, 2015. So glad to be blogging again and see you on Friday.

Getting Personal: Writing Business and 9/11

When I started this blog I wanted to get in touch with other writers and readers who enjoyed books as much as I did. I also had a huge priority on getting published. What writer doesn't want to see their work published by some big time publisher? Then I got into the idea of self publishing and even with my poetry being the only kind of writing I got paid for when I started this blog I still held unto that dream. But now things have changed.

Now don't panic I haven't turned into some book hater or anything. But with my freelance writing and ghost writing taking off and this year being a time where I'm setting my priorities straight I realize something. I have been forcing myself towards goals that I can't possibly accomplish right now. The Sacrifice Series (completely delayed and will not be spoken of until a new date is set) being just one of those. So I have decided to buckle down. Now I will not only talk about my writings less but I will prioritize so I can accomplish more. Writing is not just a hobby but my livelihood and if I want to make it profitable enough to be able to do it alone I need to get my head out of the clouds. My blog will still have book reviews, blog hops, personal posts and all other fancies I will like to share.

Now I have decided to focus on a new writing venture which you can read about on my Facebook Author Post from this morning. All I will say is that it is a two part novelette that veers away from the past books I planned on writing. But it is still within a category I love and I can't wait to share more with you. But I will.

Also I am buckling down on getting my AYA Genre started. As of Monday September 15 I will be posting on my AYA Forever Blog two Mondays per month.

9/11

While today many Americans and others all over the world recall the tragedy that happened September 11, 2001. I want to remind everyone that we have one wonderful thing to always look forward to. The future, it is always spotless no matter what happened in the past or the present. Remember that. See you guys and I will post again next Tuesday.

Photo Credit: Kakisky @ Morguefile

Getting Personal and IWSG: It is Always Worth It to Follow Your Dreams

This month I'm not only taking part in IWSG but I'm also a co-host. This is my second time co-hosting this monthly event and it is exciting to help out with such a fun meme that gathers so many of us together. Happy Third Anniversary IWSG.

I was still wondering what to write about when I read Laura M Wavy Lines Blog post on Monday and saw a quote that caught my eye.

If you love what you do and are willing to do what it takes, it's within your reach. And it'll be worth every minute you spend alone at night, thinking and thinking about what it is you want to design or build. It'll be worth it, I promise. - Steve Wozniak

{Steve Wozniak}

I was always the blacksheep in my family. Usually the black sheep is typified as some angry teen smoking pot or committing so petty or worse crime or something. But I wasn't like that. First off I had no interest doing drugs, I decided at a young age to never smoke or drink alcohol and still keep that decision even today. I tried a quick taste of some so called strawberry vodka earlier in the year (I poured some in a bottle cap, yup) and quickly felt like I was a dragon with a hint of strawberry aftertaste. NEVER AGAIN! Second I have no intention on going to prison. I however played the shocking role of unambitious teenage daughter who wanted to be a writer and willing to work in whatever job I could find that wasn't based off money and not be in an office setting if I could avoid it. Oh the scandal! My parents tried to force me into a different direction including pushing me to do CXC Accounting which I failed. When it came to education after high school they turned down going to Edna Manley because it was an Art School. I was literally forced to apply to a University I didn't want to go to (my mother actually draped me up to make me sign the application form, no joke) and the fiasco only ended after I became severely depressed and suicidal. Fast Forward to today I'm the University drop out while my brother got his degree and has gone into banking and my sister is getting a degree involving Computers. Please note, I'm the oldest. Right now I'm technically between jobs but I am earning money ghostwriting (which my parents will never consider a job). Also since I consider myself a writer I know that I'm not really unemployed. Like all my siblings we still live at home though I'm working on getting out which is looking brighter since my ghostwriting jobs have picked up since a big dip when I had to take a break most of June due to no access to a computer (meaning no one besides my dad - his got stolen in May- would lend me one even after my new computer this May turned out to be a scam that it took til July to get my money back. By then I had other expenses to pay so I'm just now starting to save for a computer again. Good news I'm nearly $100 USD). It has been a long road, I lost contact with most of friends from high school thanks to parental isolation and I recently have been trying to reconnect.

What is the point of all this you might wonder? Pursuing your dream will not always land you in the best position. If I had followed my parents set path I would have a degree and a steady well paying paycheck. On the flip side I had sworn to myself during a dark period that if I were to get stuck in a job I hated that I would save enough money to pay for my own funeral then kill myself. So maybe that path would have been a dead end (literally).

But I don't regret pursuing what I truly love. Regulars on my blog know I love writing and sharing with fellow writers and readers a lot. Life without writing or reading books seems barren to me. And even now I would rather die happy than life a long life of regret and misery. So while there are still challenges to overcome and I am yet to get my own laptop/tablet, Steve is right about pursuing what you love being worth it. I am alive now writing and happy. Compared to wanting to really off myself at age nineteen/twenty that is quite a game changer. So I say pursue your dreams and do what you love. Don't ever go along with something that makes you want to curl up and die. Seriously, the money and diploma aint worth it if you are empty or more so dead.

P.S.: Parents don't try to force your kids into doing something you know they hate and those who support their children you will be rewarded in spades. I promise.

Getting Personal: More Writing, Celebrate and Goal Hop

Photo Credit: anitapeppers @ morguefile

For Junowrimo I will end up writing less than 20,000 words of my revision for Normal. But that's okay. I am happy to say that this revision has given me a better path to go on for the rest of the book. Also I have cut it down from five to three intended books with the working titles Normal, Magic and Gifted. Read below for an old summary of this manuscript which was originally an unfinished 2011 Nano.

Normal 

Book One in The Gifted Series


Charlie Sharp is a normal girl in the Northern Region of Airee. While that might seem typical it's not. Being normal in Airee meant you weren't among The Gifted - citizens with special powers- and that made you a second class citizen with rules and restrictions that separated you from many rights and privildges only the gifted received.

Charlie's life is a bit safer for a normal. With most of her family on her side, she gets to live as close a life to a gifted person without breaking the rule. Even getting into the same school as her gifted sisters and being one of less than seven normals attending. Her life as a normal makes things complicated but she just has to deal with it along with the bullies and flat out normal haters. Then something new turns her life upside down. She find a girl who's a magic user and finds out The Magic King has returned. The last time he rose to power it ended with non-gifted being labelled as normals as a price for betraying the gifted and allowing them to be slaves.

Now Charlie has to decide whether to report this or look away. Either way her decision will take her on an adventure she's completely unprepared for.

Now for July I planned to just get back to preparing my unfinished manuscript I have planned to finish this year whether in complete fashion or drafts. But a message from someone from Camp Nanowrimo changed my mind. I have realized that I don't do well cramped in a box and love to explore. Well I knew that but with my book delays and so on I realize that a goal is just that. Not a fight to the death. I can expand and add. So I will be delving into the idea archives and writing an idea for a novel that posted a while back one one of my old extra blogs Idea Factory (gone now). Here it is below and wish me luck this July. I am so excited and bought a new notebook and pen just for this occasion. The colour of the notebook? Blue. You'll get ity when you read about my latest idea getting a lease on life.

The Bite Sisters

Stephanie, Mary and Tiffany Waters are sisters. The older two are the most popular girls at Castle Ridge High School. But all three have a terrifying secret. They are shark people. People who are able to form shark heads to full shark bodies, have agressive speed and even in human form stay underwater for extended periods. Stephanie and Mary love it. Tiffany however wishes to be a normal human.

Crazy things happen at C.R. High. Including teenagers getting bizaree bites in strange places. But things take a dark turn when Britanny Towers is found dead in the school pool. Bite marks indicate she was bitten by a shark. But sharks don't jump in and out of school pools and things got heated between the sisters as they lose trust in each other and have to face the shark king.

Will the murder be solved. Can these sisters keep their family line a secret. If they don't, the consequences will be severe.

Celebrate Meme

1. I finally got my second hand Playstation 2 from Ebay and it works like a dream! Whoo! Can finally play FFIX!

2. Working through having to delay getting a new laptop. Have to send back the defective one which will take some time. But I'm moving forward and keeping my chin up. God will bless me.

3. Junowrimo has helped me breathe new life in an old manuscript!

4. God is with me no matter what. You too.

5. Saw X:Men: Days of Future Past this Tuesday at the movies. It was mind blowing. Quicksilver was hilarious! Next week I will see How To Train Your Dragon 2 and this month and going it is half off Tuesday evening showings! Whoo! I will use this for every 3D movie!

 Sorry Goal hop but no dice. Hopefully if I  get a laptop by August. My father no longer has one thanks to the theft. It was a work laptop so I guess he no longer takes any home. I don't blame him.

Have an excellent weekend everyone and know God is always with us and there is something positive in your life no matter the obstacle. Love you guys.

Getting Personal: Movie Time!

This month I'm excited about all the movies I plan to see. So far I have seen two movies at the theatre this year. American Hustle in January and The Lego Movie in March (Everything is *indeed* Awesome). February was full of all kinds of little disasters that made me miss Robocop (though I don't think that was a big loss), Ride Along, a return of that Julia Roberts movie and yes even Frozen that is now out of Theatres (it should come back in April hopefully. Hey Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs came back last month, it's possible).

Source: Greyerbaby

Now here's what I also plan to see this month. Thanks my ghostwriting gig I actually have spare cash to see more than one movie per month. Just work extra hard and pump out that word count to be paid faster. Hey a girl has to have priorities and I want to order my laptop month end so I can get it in April.

1.Mr. Peabody and Sherman - seeing this on Saturday

2. Son of God - My mother claims she'll come with me next Tuesday. Yeah same thing with Catching Fire. I'll make back up plans just in case. Cause I'm going.

3. Divergent - As soon as it comes out!

4. Muppets Most Wanted - See it before it leaves Jamaica. So maybe April if I can risk it. But I LOVE Miss Piggy.

Getting Personal Special: A Serious Re-assessment

Yes I was supposed to review Static today (will on Thursday instead) but I decided I need to discuss this today instead waiting for Thursday when I usually do Getting Personal bi-monthly. I love books, reading is still a loved pastime of mine. Writing is something I plan to do til life leaves my body and even after that if I can. But I have come to a realization. I have fallen out of love with writing.

*Gasp*

Source: Slowfoot

I know, the coming up with ideas and creating characters I still love but actually sitting down and writing a book from draft to finish has become a somewhat ugly process for me. I can still do it but only in really tiny bursts. This became especially obvious during my ghost writing gig when I had way more fun writing someone else's work than even taking a pen to mine. In fact Beseech which I started this month and gave you a snippet of was the most fun I have had writing something for myself since 2014. I also enjoy Monster City but I gave it a break to focus more on finishing up The Sacrifice Series.

When it comes to blogging however nothing could be more opposite. I see so much potential for 2014. In fact I'm actually excited about the different posts and My Perfect Match was the most fun blogfest post I have done in ages. So anyone thinking that my writing issues extend to blogging, be at ease, my blogging persona is at it's peak and shall not wane. I L-O-V-E blogging and right now if I had to choose between blogging or writing a novel, blogging wins hands down. This is both lovely and disturbing. After all I never planned to a career blogger.

Back to writing, right now I feel like taking a bat to Sacrifice Her. No matter what there is something...I just can't accept it right now. I really want to go on a release and tour...wait no. Sunday I thought 'great now I have to promote this stupid thing' so in truth no I actually want to suffocate my own work with a pillow and bury it in the back yard. The only book that brings true excitement in this series right now is Frozen Doll, the final novella. Great. Not that I don't like the other books and I'm excited about going about getting a cover done for Deadly Luxury. But that's the problem, I'm excited about the cover, not the book. Don't get me wrong, I don't think my work is crap but right now I just feel crappy about doing the work. Get me?

Which is why I have come to a tough but I think necessary decision. I have decided to postpone any publishing of novels or novellas. No new release dates until I have rediscovered my love of writing novels and can truly enjoy dealing with my own work. I had planned at first to give myself a date but I have decided against it. Dates are deadlines and I have decided the last thing I need right now is a deadline. I know that I have hopped from date to date when it comes to Sacrifice HER and feel bad about putting it on hold yet again. But I think it is a really bad idea and disservice for any author to release a book they currently want to maul to death. Yes, really hate it right now and no matter how good the book might be. That can't be a positive thing. So yes, all my books are delayed as of now and until further notice, that is my final decision. Please bear with me and pray for my sanity.

In Other News

I have decided to open myself up and reveal my writing pseudonyms. First one is Roe and yes I have a blog for it too. On this site I'm working on writing LGBT themed YA and unlike with my other writing, it is procrastination and time that slows the writing process for these books. Not burning hate. I am also excited about writing about books staring lesbians/homosexuals because I don't think their lives are explored enough in fiction and sometimes only in overly explicit ways. Not all of them are sexual deviants, sadists or suicidal. Gay characters are just as varied as straight ones. Currently I am working on Lez and Lesbians. A fantasy and contemporary version staring the same characters but in very different settings with different names. They will be released as two separate books.

Also I have Royme which is for adult LGBT books. Yup when I started blogging never thought I would do adult books much less adult gay books. How times have changed. Right now there are The Hatter Series and Cin (stand alone). If anyone heard about Cin, the wip that stars a female character in disguised as a male pirate during 2013 Nano, yup, that was my work. Also have a Pinterest Board and discovered that I'm secretly obsessed about the Mortal Instruments series. See what pseudonyms can reveal about you?

Yes I also have blogs for these but no I don't find that stressful at all. You might think I have a lot on my plate but I actually have fun looking over work under my pseudonyms. I never felt frustrated beyond measure unlike....you know. And you're probably wondering why now do I reveal these? Well while reading L.A. Swift's Author's Note in Static I realized I wanted all my works known to be by me and just those with straight couples/characters. I want to not just be my authentic real life self but also my writing self. And no this is not leading to a revelation that I'm gay. Sorry ladies but this girl is a man's girl. I know, the crushing disappointment will pass. And so will the drugs I'm clearly inhaling.

Now rub your temples and absorb all that has been revealed to you today. You can never say I have never gotten personal with you guys. Maybe a little too personal.

Tomorrow: Moonless Book Review

Thursday: Static Book Review

Getting Personal: January 2014 and Celebrate Today

Photo Credit: erdenebayar

January has been a great month so far. A recent event with a family member dampened it a bit but I'm still determined to look forward. A whole bunch of things have made this month great including my upcoming book release and Deadly Luxury's Cover Reveal next month. I have also won multiple Amazon Giftcards and have bought multiple e-books for my kindle which include both indie and traditional bloggers/writers we know. Including Switched, Witch Fall and Don't Get Mad...Get Even: Vol. 2. I'm so happy when I can purchase a book by a fellow blogger and help support their work.

I am also looking forward to getting the covers for my other novellas done and with a current ghost writing gig online I just might be able to splurge on a cover in March/April. So excited about that since I haunt those websites anyway. Anyone know Phat Puppy Art and Lady Symphonia? All my past covers were under $50 and while they're very good, I want to go wild on at least one cover. I'm eyeing Frozen Dolls in particular. I just love the storyline so much.

Oh and before I go I must share a cake load of awesomeness. Riptide the publisher for The Beginning of Us loved my review of the book so much they offered me a Jan 30 spot on the author's book tour! I mean who does that? I Sheena-kay Graham got emailed by a publisher for their author's book tour. Ahhh! Anyway I said yes (I know, shocker right?) and got to send five questions for an interview with the author Sarah Brooks. So mark your calendars folks and see, Netgalley rules. Whoo! Still excited.

And lastly I yet again posted without commenting yesterday. Sorry but I got stranded at home because of being under the weather and before I could leave when I started feeling better rain fell. Lots of rain. And by nightfall I'm too busy with other stuff including the ghost writing gig to go comment make-up...ing. But I'm determined to get to the library today and continue saving for my own laptop. Right now I'm typing away on my dad's work computer. Yes my computer situation is that sad. But better than not getting access to a computer. Even if it's at night and I have to lose sleep. Still looking forward and thanking God for all my blessings including having KFC for dinner. With fries.

Celebrate the small things

What am I celebrating? Another week of being alive, indie book covers, writing books, reading books, winning gift cards, fan fiction (I'm catching up on some writing for Save Me), ignoring naysayers and jerks, the internet, having a writing job that pays, and the beautiful blogging/writing community. I love you guys and have a wonderful day.

See you on Saturday for weekly book review.

Getting Personal: Goal Fail and 2014

In February in posted Goals for 2013 Revamped and planned to accomplish as many of them as possible. Now 2013 is almost over and all I really managed to accomplish was goal #9 which was to take my marketing and promoting of my books more seriously. I believe I did a good job at at along with the help of Courtney who assisted me from the marketing package I had one. Even though I got sick and had to delay the book, I received honest sage advice that will help me for all things I market. Thank you Courtney.

Am I disappointed I didn't accomplish more goals. Yes. Do I feel bad. Oddly not really. Earlier in the year I did have the downs as I realized I was definitely going to accomplish as much as I'd planned. But now I know I did accomplish some things that weren't even on the list. I got Briar's Dilemma off the ground without it being on the list, I'm working on a new genre AYA, and I have a secret project that popped up on the tail end of Nano 2013. Even though I didn't publish any books this year I do have a smashing book cover for Sacrifice HER. There are things I did without a list and I learned from my failures.

What I want to say is that failure comes with lessons and what you learn prepares you to do better next time. For 2014 I don't plan to have a goal list but I will always have goals. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. I do plan to post through the holidays minus Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

Getting Personal: Happy Birthday to Me! Happy Thanksgiving

Officially my birthday is tomorrow but I want to discuss something else then so today I'm just celebrating that my birthday is November 29. Yay Me! Plan to see Hunger Games with my mom over the weekend and of course my birthday will be spent having fun and stocking up on more books. Hey, I'm a book worm, what else did you expect?

Here's my fantasy birthday cake. Who cares about calories?

And not to forget those who celebrate thanksgiving. Happy Thanksgiving to all of you!

Getting Personal: Nano and Me and Happy 2 Year Blogiversary

I will not be able to reach 50,000 words this year. Yes another year where I'll fall short of the 50,000 word goal of Nanowrimo. Would I have liked to accomplish it for the first time this year? Yes? Am I disappointed? Yes. Do I feel like a failure? No. 0%. Why you ask? Because I did this year what I wasn't able to do last year. I not only started Briar's Dilemma, I'm over 12,000 words into it. Now tell me that isn't a huge accomplishment by any standard.

I am still in love with the story and characters. I even added some new ones and characters like the mermaids have become super badasses since initially being just Briar's favourite secret flirt in bullfrog form. Illuminatu, the dolphin king shines and new comers like Ko, the Warlus have solidified their place into this new fictional world I've created. One of the things that have bothered me is the death count. Six chapters and three deaths and two near fatalities along with a near capture. I live for this kind of stuff and even I think the darkness is approaching too fast. Have to pace it better in the rewrites to come next year. Yes I plan to try to get to 20,000 this month then I'm putting it to rest for a while to focus on other projects. While I love the story this one was super hard to write and I went days with blank. But no regrets, Nanowrimo this year helped me get a project off the ground and for that I'm eternally grateful. Best of luck to the rest of you Nano writers and know whether you reached 50,000 words or not, you accomplished something amazing. You started to write a novel.

Guess What? It's Two Years since I started Queendsheena!

Well it was in October. Yup due to health issues and well...life I missed my blog's anniversary. But I'm still here and happy to celebrate Queendsheena being two as of October 25. Thank you blogging buddies, friends and readers for all your support. You make blogging worthwhile despite all the ups and downs. I'm truly happy.

Getting Personal: Bad News

This week has been a tough one. With the flew last week I had a few setbacks but got through all right. This week was different however. I'm, certain bloggers have noticed a big depletion in my comments on other blogs. That has been because I have been unwell and yesterday it took a bad turn. At first besides the flu and some fatigue I was OK. But then around 9:25 a.m. I started to feel really bad and decided to lie down some more instead of getting ready to go to the library. Shortly after I felt tremendous pain go through me and my arms and legs felt like lead. I was nearly immobile over the next two hours. Right now I am better and the pain has dissipated but I do know I'm getting worse and my parents are willing to help foot the bill to get my lab tests done before the end of October to find out exactly what is wrong. Sadly this is only part one of the bad news.

Part two involves my upcoming novel Sacrifice HER and my blogging presence. It almost kills me to say all plans for publishing Sacrifice HER will be delayed until further notice (it now has a tentative February 2014 release date). With the chance of my illness being an auto immune disease just by the list of potential illnesses the doctor wanted to test for based off my last doctor's visit, I want to focus fully on my health and also remove any chance that if my prognoses is serious any fear of not being around to promote or share my book. I never planned on being an absentee promoter or author and would rather delay than leave my book to languish or to others. It is awful when I see all the effort and plans I'd made. Just know that this was a tough and heart wrenching decision. But if I had decided to hold back maybe I would renege and only change my mind after things went further and I turned out to be seriously ill. I'd rather delay know than pack up shop later. Thank you for all your support and know I still plan to publish The Sacrifice Series in 2014 though with a slightly amended schedule. When it comes to blogging I have been quite absentee this week and might be again in the future. On the days I doubt I can comment or don't feel well enough to post, I might be absent or just leave comments. Know that blogging has become a passion to me and I will miss all of you when I can't stop by. Again thank you for your support and know this was an extremely tough decision.

Getting Personal: After the Reveal and Remembering 9/11

I am still giddy over the Sacrifice Her Cover Reveal yesterday. It was so exciting seeing my cover on other blogs and I;m grateful to everyone who took the time out to help spread my reveal. Also everyone who commented and all the compliments given. I even replied to some comments on other blogs when there was a question about the cover whether it was about the meaning or look. So to everyone who took part whether it was a post or a comment, I just want to say......

Remembering 9/11

I can't say this day affects me in the same way as my American counterparts but it was a shocking day for many. The post It's Been Twelve Years by Jay Noel almost brought me to tears. I must admit there was a lump in my throat before I reached the end. Two of the people who had signed up for my  reveal had let me know they'll post on a different day because they had other posts in mind in relation to September 11, 2001 and I was fine with that. So even though it is technically 9/12 now, let's all take a moment to remember 9/11 and those who were lost and those who were saved.

Getting Personal: Doctor and Summer's End and Ashes Giveaway

I'm doing Getting Personal early this week. Yesterday I went to our family doctor to diagnose the source of my joint pain and fatigue. While the joint pain was regulated to a weight issue, she decided that my ongoing fatigue was the real problem. She couldn't figure out the source so she's put me down to visit the lab for some blood work and other tests. My red and white blood cell count will be tested along with my glucose levels. There is one thing ticked on the lab sheet that concerns me though because it's a test for a particular disease that I wondered if I had it in the past. Hopefully I don't have it because this disease has no cure. All I will say is that it's not HIV or any other sexual related disease. Also so far there is nothing saying I have cancer which killed at least two of my grandparents. So if I lose some  weight the joint pain in my knees at least should go away along with the concern that my left knee is acting a bit arthritic. Thank you for all your prayers and well wishes and here's to my lab results which I'll be taking late September or so (got to save since I don't have medical insurance).

Now August is almost over and September will bring a new month of both joy and disappointment. What we need to remember is no matter what a new month means we have lived to see a new day. Be grateful for the new days you see because someone else never got the chance. Hope you had a great summer and while Summer's End is practically upon us, the fun of life is still before us.

Ashes Book Release and Giveaway

Ashes by S.K. Anthony is out and you can read more about it below.

Purchase: Amazon

Summary: A year ago, Sophia would have told you monsters existed only in the movies. That the world is easily understood and life has a way of making sense. A year ago, Sophia would have been wrong. 

Her world had changed and she'd seen behind the curtain. With Aiden and the others by her side, all she wants now is answers. The monsters were gone, but in their absence new questions about her past were left to haunt.

As the search for answers begins, a remnant from her nightmares returns. Her new understanding of the world is once more shaken and she finds herself on the opposite side of powerful Elementals.

When those sworn to protect humanity are your enemies, the lines of right and wrong become blurred. One wrong choice and she could be left with ashes.
Giveaway

There is also a giveaway that you can enter by clicking here.