Maybe it’s the suspense writer we should be investigating.

Life:

I had a conversation with my boyfriend, L, today. It was through text message so maybe I missed a joke or he missed a joke or we both missed sarcasm.

It went something like this:

L: I don’t want to have to visit you in jail just yet.

Me: Yet?

L: The yet is optional. You’re bound to murder someone.

I’m not sure I appreciate my friends believing I am capable of ending a person’s life, but I can’t blame them. I often wonder if the police investigating a homicide go after authors the deceased knew. Sometimes I read a book about a serial killer and feel a tinge of fear towards the author—the person responsible for such imaginative ways of murder in a fictional story.

I mean, confetti made of human pieces? Who thinks like that! (Referencing Cut & Run by Madeleine Urban & Agail Roux) It was brilliant and stuck with me as a reader, but ghastly to think about it really happening. I don’t doubt that it has happened, but I’ll pretend it hasn’t.

Writing:

I emailed my idea for a cover for my first published story (through Dreamspinner Press) and started to think about it again. I do that. I made a decision and analyze further after I’ve decided. But a thought occurred to me that if I want this book cover in my house and displayed I might want to reconsider my ideas for a cover. Telling my parents and a few friends that I write romance would be horrible enough, but adding that it’s gay romance is out of the question.

So I’ll need to email again and be the annoying author that emails too much. I really do feel silly for not thinking about this during the days I tortured myself with cover ideas. I don’t care what the cover is as long as it’s mine. I wonder if I’ll feel this way if I publish another two or three...Wishful thinking.

I hope everyone had a great whatever-you-celebrate-during-the-season.

I went to the fire department with coffee and muffins on Christmas Eve. My friend came with me this year for the first time and sad it was sad that they thought we were from a church group because they don’t expect a nice gesture from anyone but church groups. I think she’ll be coming with me more often now. We tried to stop at the new Sheriff substation but it was closed for the weekend. I honestly didn’t expect a substation to close for four days. I thought about going downtown to the headquarters but I only bought twelve muffins and the substations are never as busy as the headquarters. We drove by the city police substation and it looked closed as well. So another fire department was added to the day.

I had Christmas with my family this year but opted out of the celebration elsewhere. I can’t bring myself to celebrate the birth of a figure I don’t normally celebrate in my everyday life. I don’t deny any religion, but it feels funny to celebrate with one group I don’t associate with on any other day. So I allowed myself an agnostic 25th of December and dinner with my parents and sister which they called a Christmas dinner. It was a great day spent with them. My parents gave me gifts which meals they’ll be receiving something shortly...

I have a cover for my Nook now. I love my Nook when it works and part of the problem was random button pushing in the soft case I had for it. (There was also a software issue I think I have solved now) I think this cover will make it easier to shove the Nook into my purse without worry. I’ve already read with the cover on and it actually makes it nicer to hold and balance on the bed when I roll to my side.

My father also gave me a book—The Poisoner's Handbook: Murder and the Birth of Forensic Medicine in Jazz Age New York by Deborah Blum. I’m very excited about this. (I’m more excited that Dad learned how to find Amazon wish-lists. But that excitement is squashed when I realized what ELSE he saw on that wish-list.)

There’s a joke among my friends that have transcended that family/friend border and now I’m teased by my family as well. I have no idea if there is any truth to it but supposedly there is a watch list set up by the FBI that will keep tabs on individuals that buy certain books. My friends believe since I do own a library of poison, murder, police procedure and similar books that I am on that list. Now after Dad searched my wish-list and purchased the above for me, he also has started to recite this tease. I don’t mind it. And I know if any person I know is murdered I’ll be questioned intensely about my involvement even if I have none. I can’t help my interests.

I’m waiting for the year I receive the complete collection of COPS as half-serious and half-prank gift.

I've found another way to procrastinate

Not like I need another way. I have more ways to procrastinate than to be productive...

However, this one makes me feel better about wasting time!

http://knoword.org/

It also slaps me upside the head by reminding me how horrible of a speller I am. But I still find it amusing and a lot better on the brain than hours spent looking on tumbler.

Every weekend I start with the thought and promise that I'd write a chapter or finish a scene. I almost never do. I tend to be extra lazy on weekends when it comes down to writing or exercise. Odd since one I love and one I loathe. I did see a lot of friends this weekend so it wasn't completely spent in front of the TV watching Sherlock again and again. Oh wait. I watched it with friends on Friday and then the bonus features yesterday. Well. What can I say? I'm obsessed right now and the Blu Ray set is getting quite a workout.

I went to the movies with two friends last night. Tron. I hadn't intended to see it but I went along with the plans. It wasn't bad. I expected bad, honestly. But I enjoyed the 90 minutes, or whatever, of silly neon lights over skin-tight outfits. I do feel that Disney stole my money by charging for 3D but only giving me half a movie in 3D. But the 3D was pretty amazing and didn’t make my eyes bleed, so I guess that makes up for having 2D parts.

I think I'll get on with my day and try to be productive. I should at least do some cleaning.

My Opinion about Reviews

I might not have any right to an opinion just yet since my book isn’t out to be reviewed by strangers, but I’m going to share my thoughts anyway.

Last night I finished book number 13 in a mystery series and went online to check it off my “currently reading” list and place the next book in its place. Well, the reviews caught my eye. Now, book 13 I absolutely loved. It was, in my opinion, the best book the author has written in the series. It had everything in it that keeps me forcing myself to stay up until 2am reading. There was also character death in it. Many reviewers complained about that, but I’m a fan of anguish for characters. I don’t like pointless deaths in a story, but I do think if character death is handled correctly it can make the story/series much stronger. The effects from a death need to be felt by the reader in each different reaction given by the main and supporting characters. I thought the author did a fantastic job doing just that. However, the reviews told me I was the only one thinking that.

This brings me to my point. Reviewers were trashing book 13 for one thing (out of many) that I loved about it. So. One person’s trash is another person’s treasure.

Bad reviews are still reviews. Someone still sat down and read the book and felt strong enough to write a review online. Even if it takes five minutes, it is still time taken from their day they devoted to a book they claim they hated. And if they do truly hate it—great! The book was able to bring a strong emotion like hate from the reader. I can’t wait to see what hate my book could cook up! Are my characters cardboard? Are they stupid? Is the plot ridiculous—but obviously not enough so to stop reading?

Now indifference is where an author should worry. Indifference is silence from readers who normally review books. Personally, I think 100 reviews with 50 bad ones are better than 50 reviews of all good.

But it all comes down to opinion. I’ve learned not to trust the community on a popular site I buy books for my e-reader. My opinions about murder mystery series differ wildly from the reviewers on the site. I hated a book that had a near perfect run of ratings and loved another with a very low rating.

So does a review make or break a potential reader? It depends on their opinion.

Standard S&H should never be this

I went to order something from Amazon and decided to use another service. The standard shipping was more than the total!

I might try back after the holidays or stick to Overstock or Borders/Barnes & Noble.

Dreams Come True Promotion

Time to buy those stocking stuffers~

Each day from Dec. 26-Dec. 31, Dreamspinner will draw one name from the customers that purchased during the month of December to win every eBook on their wish list.
http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/

That could be a lot of free eBooks.Good luck!

Child's toy

Is it bad I want to keep it for myself?

It isn't anything special, I know. But It does make sound.

I hope my coworker's child likes it...I also got him a fire engine to go with the police.

of pin-up girls and trees

I’m looking forward to tonight with excitement and fear. A friend of mine does these photo shoots for her original makeup and hair designs. Each shoot has a theme and tonight is Christmas pin-up girls. Well, I don’t know if that’s what she called it, but that’s what I’m calling it. My outfit (it’s a stretch to call it that) is more revealing than I like but I agreed to be part of this and I hate to back out of commitments. (Relationships are not included in that; I tend to do a fine job of running away from those.)

My good friend from work gave advice of heavy drinking before the costume is put on so my confidence is sky-high and I don’t care who sees me in green undies and pumps. It sounds like a great plan except I don’t drink. I’ve been twenty-one before and drank my share of forgotten evenings. I might get a lot of coffee to force confidence in the form of energy. Oh I do love coffee.

Speaking of coffee; I decided last night that I’m going to kick that habit again. Well, I’m going to cut back on caffeine at least. I think I’ve gone into excess (see above) and need a step back from it. Again. I was off caffeine in 2008 and felt just fine. I didn’t get more sleep but that’s not the point to it anyway.

I’ve been fighting off a writer’s block that was suddenly lifted last night. Of course the moment I wanted to dive into writing something I was too exhausted to focus on a computer screen. That’s where a pen and paper would come into the picture but my muses tend to hide when I hold a pen or pencil. I guess that means I’m too far digitalized now. I did jot notes down at least. And then I continued to enjoy my night by watching Sherlock on blu-ray for the millionth time.

Today is the 9^th of December and I have decided to decorate a real tree for Christmas on next Friday. I want to go buy a tiny one. Do they sell tiny trees? I want one that fits in my trunk and needs a table to stand on. It sounds adorable to me.

Biography & Gifts

I'm working on a small biography of myself for Dreamspinner Press, and the thought that people outside of the group I speak to will see this suddenly hit me. What an odd thought it was too. I'm excited to be listed among the other talents they have.

I still can't help but I think my boyfriend, I'll refer to him as L, still doesn't understand what genre I've written. This weekend he told three of his mother's friends and his group of Dungeon and Dragon players (that's another story to be told at another time) that I'm being published. It was very sweet of him to be so excited, but at the same time it made me wonder if he'd be so excited if he had read it. I'm not saying he's against M/M, but I get the impression he believes this book will be found on a shelf next to the likes of Twilight. I haven't had the heart to sit him down and explain clearly what exactly I write.

Speaking of L. This is a new relationship and I haven’t been in one during a holiday season for a very long time. I’ve come across a dilemma of presents. I have this week to order online the remaining presents to give this year, but I have no idea what L will receive. I might end up gifting socks with bells on them or something of equal silly nature. A good laugh is the best gift, right? I already decided to give the children in my life toy police cars because their mothers will get a kick out of it, so maybe L will get one as well. He can glue it to his dashboard and if he’s pulled over for speeding he can tell officers that he supports the police department.

Dream Come True

That sounds cheesy, but it is true. It hasn't been a lifelong dream, but a dream nonetheless. I've sent the contract for publication of Undercover Sins to Dreamspinner Press! I'm being published!
It still hasn't quite sunk in. I can't believe it. I love the story but I'm amazed someone wants to put it into a book form. I guess all artists are the hardest critics of their own work.
The publish date is set for March but there's lots of stuff to do before then. One example: Getting this blog set up and running at full steam. I can talk for hours on end but once the topic is me, I have no idea what anyone could find interesting enough to read. I'm sure most feel this way.

Check back for more updates from me and about the publishing process. I figure a blog is a good way for me to look back on the first time through the process. I'm so green to all of this but I'm excited to experience it!

Who is Hayley?

For an introduction to my blog, I figure what’s better than introducing myself? Probably a lot of things, actually.  I’ll try to make this as entertaining as I possibly can with the help of my handy camera and photo editing skills. (I’ve read that readers like small paragraphs with photos. This is the format I prefer so it must be true)


What's in a name?
My name is Hayley. Well, it isn’t a legal name connected to my person in any form (other than a penname), but many friends refer to me as Hayley so it has gone beyond a nickname. I honestly don’t remember how the use of Hayley started.


Age matters for more than insurance.
As I write this I am 26. Ah I used to think that was so old. I’ve realized this birthday that not only is 26 not old, but it is far from it. I still feel like a stupid kid that has too much to learn in this world. At least I can look back at my 16 year old self and laugh at the idiotic things I thought were important.


Likes and dislikes.
This might get a bit full without my rambles.

I love cops / I dislike seeing them in my rearview mirror.
This is not a uniform fetish. It actually stems from having respect for those who do a thankless and unforgiving job. I read a lot of real life crime and I'm always amazed by what police officers go through. So when I'm caught speeding, I curse under my breath and behave my best so at least the cop has one nice ticket experience that night.

(I'm always happy to see a parked cop car...)

I love apples / I hate the skin.
No seriously. I shave them. (Peel them. Whatever)

I love butlers / I lack the funds to hire one.
Not that I would hire one. But I would like to dress my boyfriend as a butler and have him clean the bedroom. HAHA!

(Butler Lobster...so adorable)

I love sad movies and stories / I hate to cry in front of others.
I actively seek out movies I trust will bring a tear to my eye. But I watch these alone so when I cry I can talk to myself. (Encouragements spoken are far better than thought, right?) I do the same with books and comics. I'm a little desensitized now but that doesn't stop me! I do enjoy comedy as well; I'm not only about the depressing stories.


I love coffee / I hate cream.
Ok, I don't hate cream but I can't have it so I'm jealous of others who can. (not exactly jealous since black coffee is the best coffee.) I also enjoy tea. Tea is my winter hot beverage of choice. Ah so is hot chocolate...with salt.

I love winter / I hate snow.
I do live in the desert where the lowest low is like 20F so the winter is nice compared to other places. However, the city is not equipped for snow since we rarely see anything over a light dusting that melts by noon. Because of the lack of preparedness and experience, I've come to dread and loathe snow. I still love to see pictures of it and play in it but only if it isn't anywhere near my home.


Ok I think that's enough...Now you sort of know me. That's that!