Standing still while running.

 Did you ever feel like though you were moving and thinking 90 miles and hour you felt like you were some how standing still? Well, that's where I'm at right this minute. Seems like there is so much for me to do and I'm moving as fast as I can, while I'm still standing still. So many things I'm waiting for so that I can proceed are going to take some time and thought and my head knows that but...Even at this moment it's happening, I'm standing still. 

Laying back in my red leather recliner there are things for me to do and those things are not due now or anything, but they are talking to me. I reached for my trusty laptop and here I am, writing because it's time but not because I have something truly terrific to share.

I've been very busy collecting, pricing and making things sell-able. In the meantime, working on a friend's apartment as her decorator. She decided she wants a horse theme. She lives in a 1 bedroom apartment. I'm soliciting a couple of friends to help me put it all together in a couple of weeks. The resident gave me a theme and a budget and I'm on my own. I love it this way.

So I ordered a few things that will go on the walls...really cute and are suppose to come the week after Labor day weekend.  I'm gonna ask her to leave and stay gone until I call her to come back for the reveal. That's the week of September 3rd. The item's should be at my door during the first of the week.

Right now there are many paintings her mom did of flowers mostly. So that's all coming down and will be replaced by a horse theme through out from the front door, past the kitchen and including the living room. There is a double window and two doors, one to the bedroom and one to the bathroom and then in the entry, one for a coat closet and a second for stuff. I'm making a couple of signs with wood scraps that will say, Feed room,Paddock, Stall and Tack Room.

Feed Room, kitchen: Paddock, living room: Stall, bath: Tack Room, bedroom. In my imagination it's gonna be really fun and cute with some relaxing colors. If it works, I may take pictures and put them in a post. She had horses when she was younger and though she didn't ride much, she loved taking care of them. It's gonna be fun.

I've also had several errands to run and laundry to do this week which is why it's quite possible why I chose the title of this post. Seems like when I have a lot to do or take care of, I also have to do something creative. So this week I repainted the frame of a painting for this same friend. It looks really good and helps the painting. That kind of creative blitz doesn't
always turn out well but this one did.

Ok, that's it for this one. I'm hoping to get some notification from the publisher regarding editing. And, BTW I have begun writing #2 book. Maybe I mentioned that before, no matter, it's in progress.

I'm Judy, and I'm enjoying some light jazz while writing away on this Friday afternoon. Hope you have a blessed next few days until we meet again...Happy Trails to you!

More things for this author to do

 I decided that rather than submitting a selfie, I should find someone to take pictures of me, they would have to be better than the ones I've been taking. This picture is a selfie, one of the better ones. I've already sent three in....and then.... An old work friend called me and wanted to have coffee. We did and, in the conversation, she mentioned her daughter was doing some photography and building a portfolio. Well! don't you know that I jumped on it and asked if her daughter would be open to taking some shots for the back cover of my book.

We met in the cool of an evening at a newly constructed parking garage that was well landscaped on one side and that's where multiple shots were taken. I will get them in about a week after the photographer has done some editing and hopefully some airbrushing. I can hardly wait to see them. The picture I have placed here is taken before I met with the photographer so I'm in the same outfit but of course those pics won't be selfies.

I contacted the publisher person I talk with and asked if I'd be too late with submitting another picture in a couple of weeks and she said no. So, there!  Right now, the editing team should be editing the manuscript. I've no idea how long that will take. Hopefully it's not too bad for a novice writer. I will know it when they are ready for me to see what they have done for my approval.

So, while I'm waiting, I'm orchestrating a yard sale for September 2nd. I'm pretty much doing it by myself. What I mean is, the part about getting it all together and pricing. I've been working on that now for a couple of weeks so that by the time the day comes I will be ready with stuff to sell. I'm still collecting tables. I have on round table, two rectangular small tables and am borrowing 2 card tables. I'll be setting up in my neighbor's yard because it's shaded until about 11:00am. The YardSale will start officially at 8am and go until it's too hot to continue and that would be around noon or 1pm. The temps here are still in the triple digits so no telling what it will be that day. 

Anyhoo...I have 3 friends who are going to help work the sale and that's really good. I'm not terribly comfortable with the money, though I can do it. With a calculator I can but not just off the top of my head. Why am I having a yard sale? Because this is a self-publisher and I have to pay to be published. Now some think that's not really being published. However, these days in the publishing world it's common. Except for the money. If I want the book out there because I believe in it then this is how a non-published writer gets published and the book gets into the hands of the readers. And that's my goal.

I'm Judy at my desk, Milo is asleep, and I will be shortly.Goodnight, and God Bless.

Of course, I've got it all together!

 

Though some days it feels like my life is all about the book. BTW, I really like my cover design. I'm pretty sure the publishing cover team will find something better but until then this is it.  Anyway, as I was saying, the things I've been asked to provide haven't been that easy to accomplish. It has more to do with graphics now than writing and though I use to be pretty good at figuring things out when it comes to making pictures look good, etc. not anymore. It's all way outside of my understanding. So, it takes all day just do one thing and that's the least amount of time. It's a good thing I like figuring it out until I can't!

I wanted to put my goose painting in, but it doesn't fit their software so now I'm considering doing a black ink drawing in a small enough size that it can be used. Gonna work on that this evening and see what I can come up with. It'll be on multimedia paper.

There is more of my life that the book though, really. There's this little guy. Though he's small and a would be lap dog, he doesn't spend much of his time in my lap. Not really his fault though. I don't stay in a chair long enough.

His name is Milo and he's about 2. Marked like a Doberman and built like a Doxie/Chiwawa deer headed/long haired dog. Smart little guy and very obedient. Never had a pup so eager to please. I have a cousin who is in the horse business of breeding and rodeo roping training business. So, visited the barn and will be back. Didn't get the pictures I wanted for art. Besides adventures with animals, I spend a good amount of time with friends in my age group. We take care of each other in many ways and mostly encourage each other in the stage of life we are living and thriving in.

                                                                                                    

If you are in a younger age group, I want you to know that contrary to what is in the news about health issues of the aging that is certainly not all there is to growing older. There is as much living left to be done as ever. In some respects it's lots freer and more laughter if you want it. I know for me it's really up to me and I choose to keep on living whatever state I'm in. There's good everywhere I look and I look for it everyday. Forgetting about the physical lack there may be and capitalizing on the wonder of every day.  Blessings...I'm Judy in the cottage, nice and cool on a Saturday afternoon.

It's in the works with a $gift

 Can I get any more awed than this? The book is now in the editing stage at "my publisher"! Working with the pros to get it ready for print, etc.

And then I get this phone call see...and it's from the director of a non-profit. He was a friend of my husband so a friend of mine but, besides that, the request I made to the foundation result, came to me through the phone call and the gift given is $2,000 minimum.

The publisher is a self-publishing publisher so there is a fee for getting a book published. Vanity publisher is what they, all self-publishers, were called. Things have changed in that realm of getting a book out there and it's because the 5 big publishing houses are so hard to even get your manuscript seen that the self-type has become the now, apparently, way to get a book published. I did my research on this. The publisher I chose is among the least expensive with the most all around means of printing and marketing. And a most important part of this for me is/was to have a payment plan I can afford, and Xulon Publishing had the best I could find.

So, needless to say I'm completely beside myself, first that the book is even written, second that a publisher accepted it for publication and now there has been a generous gift to get the book costs paid. I can only say this about all of that...the book is about honoring God the creator of all things, spreading information about his love for his creation, and how we might truly love our neighbor to become one church, ready for the return of Jesus for his bride, the church. Not the denomination or the building but the people who love him first above all else. 

It just blows me away that He would use me in such a way at the age of 79. Now I pray people will buy and read and apply what is written inside. I don't know exactly when it will show up on the bookshelves and in e-book form on Amazon and elsewhere, but it will within 9 months which is May 2024. Soonest would be December 2023. I'm praying for December.

So, very busy doing something I love doing and that is writing. I am loving every second of this season in my life.  Off now to move forward on the next project, and it's already swimming around in my head. Thinking it will be around 50k words. This one is 31k words.

So, there ya are for today and this post. Still trying to get some feedback and if you can, please leave a comment. I would love to hear from anyone who reads the posts. 

I'm Judy at my pc, writing to you.  Blessings to you and yours!

Looks like it's a deal!

 Tomorrow I will go over the agreement with the gentleman that I've been talking with over the past month. If all is in order I will initiate with a small payment and the publishing process will begin. I will post again tomorrow.

I've talked with several other publishers over the past few weeks and each one has been gracious and actually fun to talk with. Finances is always the deal breaker up until now. So many varied offers that it's a bit difficult to decipher. So, during this time I've had to pay attention to details and almost read between the lines in some cases to be sure I'm getting what I want in each category.

Getting the book out where people can find it is the big deal. Just because the word distribution is in there doesn't mean it will be distributed and in some cases it's talking about the author doing the distribution. So when I visit tomorrow that's a box I will need to pay attention. In fact, I'm going to make a list before the call so that as things are gone over I will be listening for the items on my list that are of concern to me.

I just thought of that. It's a terrific idea. Anyway, I think this publisher that I will be talking to is the way for me to go and will give me what I'm looking for at a price I can afford with a payment schedule I can do.  I believe he said the book would be out before Christmas and apparently that's good marketing strategy.

I do want to say that this has been a different kind of venture that I've ever attempted before. There are so many choices I was unaware of. I looked into publishing free on Amazon but it didn't seem to cover all the things I want. I believe this writing is really good and relevant and important for people to read. I believe I've said things in a way that will impact behavior of the reader and those the reader talks to about it. The book is an attempt to change behaviors that have been in position in most everyone's life for generations.

If I don't choose the right distribution methods, then it won't have as far a reach as I think it needs to make an impact on the whole body of Christ. Every denomination and every non denomination. As well as those Christians who do not go to a brick and mortar building to fellowship.

 

This is my design of the front cover. I don't know that the publisher will work with this or suggest a better cover. I do know that the cover is a really big deal. So of course I want what will cause people to pick it up. That's the first step to getting them to read what's inside. 

So! For this post...I'm done. I'm so excited about the happenings of tomorrow, If there is anyone out there that is reading my blog, I hope you feel the suspense too...

Once again, I'm Judy in the cottage, expecting 101 degree heat in SW Texas. Stay cool out there.