Indie author burnout is real. But it's not the end of the world.

Indie author burnout is real, as is social media and promotional burnout. But we can combat it with one simple plan.

Friends, Indie author burnout is real. Social media burnout is real. Promotional burnout is real. Writer’s block is real. Let me set the stage on why I am even touching on this subject. I want you to imagine your favorite TV show back in the day. Star Wars to Friends– 22 – 42 episodes a year. Today, an hour-long episode is only 44 minutes and 16 minutes of commercials. Now, I want you to…

View On WordPress

Want to fix the economy? Then you're going to need to go into the economy...

A historian's outlook on why the economy is not rebounding. It takes one simple step from the masses. Leave your house...

Friends, I am a ritual kind of girl. I wake up every morning at roughly the same time and follow the same pattern of getting ready—down to the minute. I will switch up what I work on during my ‘computer’ time, but it always alternates between social media, my website, and promotions. Nothing more. Nothing less. When I get to work, it’s the same thing: I get my water, go potty, log on, and,…

View On WordPress

My first experience of being 'live' on social media.

Friends, I went on my first ‘live’ last night on the TikyToc. I had honestly been looking forward to the live event. The host even did this wonderful countdown video prior to its start time. And while I wasn’t 100% sure that this was the ‘space’ for me, I jumped in feet first, determined to insert myself as a player in the world of indie authors. Because that is what we are supposed to do.…

View On WordPress

When you get schooled by a 16-year-old on created a website.

When your 16-year-old schools you on the complexities of building a website and outshines the one that took you 2 years to build. Life is not fair.

Friends, My son is an inspiring artist. I use the term ‘inspiring’ lightly because he has sold his painting, and in the last four years, I can count the number of days on one hand that he has not been practicing his art. He is an artist through and through. For the last year, he has wanted to create a website. And I supported him. Now, did he listen to me, the mother who has a website and has…

View On WordPress

Can you change your algorithm on social media? Short answer- yes.

Did you fall into the pit of darkness of social media. Good news- there is a way to get yourself out of the drama and back to where you want to be.

Friends, Running the rat race. Hustling with the hustlers. Keeping up with the Jones. These are just a few things I struggle with. And as I floundered with it all, I lost who I was as an author and historian. I am ashamed to admit that I got drawn into the drama of social media. Rarely did I comment, but I was a backstage peeper to what was going on. I made the popcorn and sat back, scrolling…

View On WordPress

Elephant in Suit Print by Kekoa Paki Arts

Add a touch of fantasy to your home decor with the Elephant in Suit Print by Kekoa Paki Arts. This captivating painting depicts a raven dressed in a suit, adding whimsy and intrigue to any room. Decoration Type: Painting Artwork Surface Material: Paper Frame Material: Canvas Pattern: Animals Theme: Fantasy Size: 8×10 (in Black Picture Mat Frame) The artwork is printed on high-quality paper,…

View On WordPress

Spider in Cap Print by Kekoa Paki Arts

Add a touch of fantasy to your home decor with the Spider in Cap Print by Kekoa Paki Arts. This captivating painting depicts a raven dressed in a suit, adding whimsy and intrigue to any room. Decoration Type: Painting Artwork Surface Material: Paper Frame Material: Canvas Pattern: Animals Theme: Fantasy Size: 8×10 (in Black Picture Mat Frame) The artwork is printed on high-quality paper,…

View On WordPress

Special Edition copies are available on my website! Join the Raven Society today if you like middle-aged characters, lost books, hidden libraries, myths, legends, and lots of coffee. Your new favorite fantasy series of the year!

A quick check-in...

Checking in to see how those New Years Resolutions are turning out. Me? Glad you asked. A complete failure!

Friends, I apologize for the interruption to your previously scheduled programming, but I wanted to go off track for a second. I needed a break from the camouflage if you know what I mean. We are into month three of 2024, and I had a host of ‘New Year’s Resolutions’ that I made back in December. And since we are at the quarter mark, I kinda wanted to check in to see how I’ve been doing. –…

View On WordPress

Bigger is better...

My first taste of what I would be doing for the next 20 years of my life. I was in love. I was behind the wheel of the biggest wheeled vehicle on the road.

Friends, So there I was, standing in a motor pool, learning my new job. In case you didn’t know- a motor pool is where the military keeps all the vehicles. On this particular day, we were going to learn how to drive the M915’s. For my civilian friends- 18-wheelers. I still remember the instructor telling us to enjoy because we would never see them again. They were being phased…

View On WordPress

I got caught...

What's an Article 15? It is a way for the military to punish service members for offenses without court martialing them. My definition? Being grounded.

Friends, I had to take a couple of days to think this blog out. You wouldn’t know because I preplanned most of them, knowing I would have to take a break on some days. Memories are difficult. What memories do I share? How many blanks do I leave in the story? You would never know if I did or not. You weren’t there. But I would know. I also know that history will judge the words I have written…

View On WordPress

Six more weeks to go and a whole new set of challenges.

From one set of outdated buildings to the next, and a whole new set of drill sergeants to yell at us.

Friends, Between Basic Training and Advanced Individual Training (AIT), soldiers are permitted to have a bit of a break. Time to shake off the last ten weeks of intense training and let our hair down. Literally. My hair had been pulled back in a bun for so long that I got bald spots on my temples. Another rule about the military was that hair had to be off a soldier’s face and out of their…

View On WordPress

Life moves on...

What is a major life event for you is a paragraph in a story of life to others. Graduating basic was huge, but my family was making their own moves.

Friends, Now you’re probably wondering if the story has ended. Was graduating from basic training the shining accomplishment of my military career? Honestly? The last few weeks were just an introduction. If this was a book, you just read the prologue. We haven’t even gotten started yet. My family follows these blogs. I’ve never told them about my military career, at least not in a story…

View On WordPress

Weapons, body armor, and helmets...

The right gear can save your life. Wear it properly and you never have to take it off. Small issue- the one-size-fits all concept didn't work.

Friends, As I mentioned, there were a few parts of basic training that I loved. The rest of it kinda faded into the background of ‘must have done’s.’ I loved the range. I don’t remember ever being afraid of the M16. It was big. I remember that. Long is a better description. Slung over my shoulder, it hit the back of my knees. Big, bulky, heavy. You could even fix a sword to the end of it. So…

View On WordPress

The Kosovo War

Events interlink in ways we never expect. I was in basic training when the Kosovo War hit full throttle. Little did I know it would affect my life.

Friends, At the same time that I was complaining about blisters, runny eggs, and running… things were going on in the world that would affect me later in life. Isn’t that the way it is? We don’t look at the bigger picture until years later and say, ‘Oh, shit. The writing was on the wall.’ Maybe if I had paid attention in the chow hall to the news, I would have known that the same month I…

View On WordPress

Snake in a Top Hat Print

Add a touch of fantasy to your home decor with the Snake in a Top Hat Print by Kekoa Paki Arts. This captivating painting adds whimsy and intrigue to any room. Decoration Type: Painting Artwork Surface Material: Paper Frame Material: Canvas Pattern: Animals Theme: Fantasy Size: 5×7 (in Black Picture Mat Frame) The artwork is printed on high-quality paper, ensuring that the vivid colors and…

View On WordPress

You don't need sleep, food, or friends to survive.

A few questions I used to get about basic training. Was the food terrible? Did you sleep? Did you shower in open bays? And finally... was it hard?

Friends, There are a few questions I used to get about basic training. Was the food really that terrible? Did you shower in bays? How much sleep did you get? And finally… was it hard? Let’s start with the last one. Was it hard? Of course, it was hard. That’s like asking if a tattoo hurts. But maybe not in the way you think. It wasn’t Ranger or Special Forces training. But it had its own…

View On WordPress