In case you haven’t heard, and you probably haven’t, my first book, An Unexpected Wish is out on October 27th. It is by far a dream come true, something I’ve wanted my whole life.

It hasn’t been an easy journey to publication. I have my share of rejection stories. Contests and me do not get along. I could tell you some stories about contest feedback. But when you are driven to tell a story, you have no choice but to write it.

Having a debut release hasn’t been what I expected. Not that it’s a bad thing. I’ve completed two full manuscripts this year, which I have never done. My books have beautiful covers and the feedback so far has been favorable. I’m learning new things like marketing, memes, and the fine art of Facebook Parties. My husband is still trying to figure out how you have a party on Facebook.

I thought I’d list a few things that I have learned just in case you find yourself in the same position:

  1. Writing with a deadline is HARD. There is no room for writer’s block. It’s all about parking your butt in a chair and putting words on the page. It took me two years to write my debut book, An Unexpected Wish. Two lovely years. The other books took considerably less time to write. Time will tell if writing fast produces a better book.
  1. You need a series bible. What’s a series bible? It’s a document that has the name of every person who has appeared in the series, places, and other miscellaneous information that needs to use through the entire series. I did not do this. Huge mistake. Don’t ask me how many times I had to open one of the other manuscripts to remember what color eyes I gave one of the characters.
  1. Life still happens. People need to eat. The dog wants a walk. I still had to be at work at 8am every day no matter how late I was up writing the night before. Laundry doesn’t wash itself. Why is that? We have a vacumn cleaner that runs all by itself. Why can we come up with something to magically do laundry? Or shop for groceries? My husband wants his wife back.
  1. It never gets easier to talk about your book. Promo happens whether you want it too nor not. It gets squeezed in while writing the second book, plotting the third book, and doing copyedits on the first one.
  1. Hemingway said write drunk; edit sober. Right. What he should have said is never allow a stressed out post-menopausal female writer anywhere near alcohol when under the gun of a deadline. Needless to say there weren’t many words written that night.
  1. Adam Levine will always be a distraction. Nothing more needs to be said about that one. Too bad he’s on television, twitter, facebook, instagram, and tumblr.
  1. If words are hard to come by, there is no end of distractions to find to keep from trying to write. Those internet programs that slap your hand for not writing? They don’t work for me. The only thing that works for me is to have the cable modem powered down and the room locked so I won’t turn it back on.
  1. It is a REALLY LONG WAIT for release day. I got the call in June 2014. I’ll let you do the math. J

It is a fabulous experience. I can hold my book in my hand. People are going to read it. Review it. (See #5 for the reason for alcohol.). Enjoy it.

My little story of a spinster who wishes for a change and gets more than she bargained for is available to for every one to read and hopefully enjoy. It something that I’ve wanted since I was a little girl. For all the hard work, the inconveniences, the stress, I would do it again.

I can’t wait to start writing the next series running through my head. How about you? What life long dream have you seen come into fruition?

Anunexpectedwish_2An Unexpected Wish

 

LOVE IS IN THE AIR

Anne Townsend doesn’t ask for much. Plain and poor, she’d settle for the funds to put food on the table. Making a wish on the fabled Fairy Steps is hardly a solid solution, but to see her two sisters taken care of, Anne’s willing to try anything. Yet when she finds herself suddenly surrounded with suitors, romance is now a possibility for the spinster everyone always ignored except with the one man who will never want her…

Nathaniel Matthews has no time for courting. As the eldest, he has his family’s lost fortune to rebuild, and his reckless brother to manage before he gambles his future away. Odd that Nathaniel can think of little but kissing bright-eyed Anne, who seems to be fighting off admirers from all sides. Is it the country air, or is Nathaniel ready to discover that love has a magic all its own?

Available at:

Amazon US
Barnes and Noble
IBOOKS
Kobo

eileen-richards-authorAbout Eileen

Eileen Richards has been writing for most of her life. Poetry, totally inappropriate answers to essay questions in school, and interesting error codes during her 30 year IT career has prepared her for the manic world of publishing.

She writes sassy regency romps set in the small villages of England where the rules are bent a bit and gossip rules the day.

Eileen resides with her husband and their diva of a greyhound in North Carolina.

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