Juggling--an Acquired Talent by Donna Michaels

No, I can’t toss around multiple balls without dropping them. And forget chainsaws. I’d have no hands left! But, being a mother of four, two of them twins, I learned to multi-task (juggle) or die. Okay, not die, but become overwhelmed and neglectful. Not an option to me, so I learned to adjust, aka, multi-task, aka juggle. The husband and kids were fed and clothed, maybe not with the must nutritious of cuisines and wrinkle free outfits, but they weren’t hungry or naked.  I considered that a win. The kids always had something to take to school for their birthdays, and holiday parties, including me because I volunteered as a Class Mom for each child. Helping out the twins was a challenge since they were never in the same class, but it worked out. Looking back now, I realize that was great training for my writing career. Between writing, promoting, social networking, and appearances, that multi-tasking, aka juggling, conditioned me well. Especially for when there are multiple releases in one month.

Like this month.

I had two scheduled, then my publisher decided to test my juggling act by surprising me with an earlier than I expected release date to my upcoming Yellow Rose...on the same day as one of my scheduled releases.

Juggle time.

I kept my release of Her Volunteer Cowboy as scheduled, but pushed my self-pubbed suspense release back a week. Now I had a release on the 4^th, 9^th, and 14^th of the month. Woot! Calgon take me away. Have you ever had the need to juggle? I’m guessing you’re nodding your head say, ‘He%$ yeah!” Well, believe me, I’m feeling ya. Give yourself a pat on the back for all the juggling you do and don’t even realize because it’s become the norm. Your personal life. Profession. School. You name it, you’re juggling that very elusive son-of-a-gun called…time.

And if you find any extra time, please check out my three new releases:

Tanner’s story was part of the 12-Alarm Cowboy boxed set, now releasing as a single on the 4^th.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B014VLU76U

Brett’s story is the sequel to Cowboy-Sexy/Fiancé I thought would catch an October date, but released on the 9^th through The Wild Rose Press.
http://www.amazon.com/Cowboy-Payback-Sequel-Cowboy-Fianc%C3%A9-Michaels-ebook/dp/B013M188XO/

Cage’s story is the 2^nd book in my new Dangerous Curves Series, giving the woman rescued in book 1 her own HEA in this story that released two days ago on the 14^th.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01343DV3C

Thanks for taking a slice out of your precious time to read this post. I do appreciate it, and understand how crazy our lives can get. Right now, I’m driving from Vegas to Palm Springs for the InD’Scribe Author/Reader Conference. 

If you’re in town, please stop by and see me! I’m signing Friday and Saturday at the Renaissance Palm Springs! I’m also on the THAT'S MY KIND OF HERO/HEROINE panel where I’m representing both cowboys and military heroes/heroines, and later that night, I’m up for a RONE award in the Cops, Jocks, and Cowboy category for Her Forever Cowboy! Yeehaw! It’s such an honor and surprise to be nominated!! Then, on Sunday, it’s back to Vegas for a few days, before I fly home to start it all over again.

Because I love to juggle. I live to juggle. Juggling is my life! Lol Have you juggled today? I bet you have!

Thanks for reading,

~Donna

If you’re interested in keeping up with my juggling act…I mean news, and exclusive contests, please sign up for my newsletter here:  www.donnamichaelsauthor.com

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May is for Multi-tasking by Brenda Whiteside

Hello, my name is Brenda and I'm a multi-tasker. No matter how hard I try, I keep slipping off the wagon. Nothing seems to work to break me of this most annoying addiction. I don't find it annoying, but the people I live with have a few objections.

So I've ruined a few pans by not sticking close to what I'm cooking - that's the price they pay for letting me cook anyway. Boiled chicken becomes browned and sort of crispy. And you'll find blackened salmon on expensive menus. At least I was able to weed the flowers and change the sheets on the bed while dinner was cooking.

Maybe it's not the best idea to write those last few sentences of chapter four while the sink fills with water. But the floor needed mopping anyway.

Speaking of water, the flower bed just won't need to be watered for maybe a week or two, but how can I remember to get back to moving the hose when my dog is demanding breakfast and I'm making out the shopping list while waiting for my toast to pop up while my coffee is brewing?

And no I can't just talk on the phone. With the phone tucked between my chin and ear, my hands are free to make the bed or check my email. This only causes problems when my chin hits the disconnect or the person on the other end of the line says "are you listening to me?"



A little something about Brenda:

Although I didn’t start out to write romance, I’ve found all good stories have to involve complicated human relationships. I’ve also learned, no matter a person’s age, a new discovery is right around every corner. Whether humorous or serious, straight contemporary or mystery, all my books revolve around those two facts.

Visit Brenda at www.brendawhiteside.com.

Or on FaceBook: www.facebook.com/BrendaWhitesideAuthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/brendawhitesid2

She blogs on the 9^th and 24^th of every month at http://rosesofprose.blogspot.com

She blogs about prairie life and writing at http://brendawhiteside.blogspot.com/

Multitasking Or Overextending? How to Budget the Hours of the Day

Laura Breck

I’ve been so busy this week, I nearly forgot to post my blog today. That’s pretty bad. I have my life plotted out to the hour.

I use two calendars - one for personal and work commitments outside the house. Book signings, conferences, and meetings. The other is for online work commitments like blogging, editing, and writing deadlines.

Right now, both calendars are overflowing. I’m editing for my edit-swap partner, I’m doing a paid edit, and I’m helping my mentee with her first edits on her first contracted book.

Add to that trying to prepare for an upcoming conference where I’m presenting two workshops, rewriting a book I wrote three years ago and on which I just received my rights back. Plus I have requests from an agent for two books, and a request from an editor for a book. None of these three books is ready to be sent out without hours of rewrites.

I think I’ve over-multitasked myself right now, and unless I can find a way to stretch out my writing days, I may need another calendar to reschedule some of these projects - in 2014!

How do you organize your life? What are your tricks to make good use of every hour of the day?

~~~~~~
Have a wonderful Mother’s Day Weekend!
Laura
~Smart Women ~Sexy Men ~Seductive Romance
LauraBreck.com
~Dancing in a Hurricane is available in digital formats at Amazon, Smashwords, and Barnes & Noble and in paperback at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Createspace
~Love in the Land of Lakes is available in digital format at Smashwords, All Romance Ebooks, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon, and in paperback at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Createspace

Extreme Multitasking or How to Survive as an Author by Jannine Gallant

We all know that mothers are the world's best multitaskers. As a mom, I can arrange next week's ballet car pool via phone, fold laundry, jot items on a grocery list, and yell at my daughter to put down her iPod and do her homework, all at the same time and without even thinking twice. As a writer, I can do the above plus add work out the latest plot twist in my WIP and the subject for my next blog post to the list. No, I'm not Wonder Woman. I'm an author, and as such, I've learned lesson #1. Prepare to become an efficient multitasker or lose your mind.

For those of you who picture a writer, hard at work in his or her garret, cranking out the next Great American Novel with no distractions, I must chuckle politely at your naivete. In reality, that writer is performing a juggling act. More than likely she (I'll use she since most of my author friends are female and I'm not at all sure males are capable of multitasking. LOL) is working on her current manuscript, editing the one she recently finished, and promoting the novel that just released. Sometimes my head spins, just trying to keep the characters straight. So, here's my author tip for the day. MODERATION

We can't do everything well (or even competently) if we don't learn moderation. When working on the first draft, learn to let go of that search for the perfect word and move on. It'll come to you later, probably waking you from a deep sleep, so keep a note pad handy. When working on the second or third draft, accept that it probably isn't perfect yet and hand it over to your critique partner or agent or editor. These wise souls will point out exactly what is wrong with it, and then you can make those final changes and repairs. When in the midst of final, final edits - don't drive yourself crazy reading it over and over, changing one word here or there. You could do this until those proverbial cows come home and never be 100% satisfied. And finally, there's the promotion.

Promoting can be a complete time suck. It's necessary, but you need to learn to use your time wisely. I'm not an expert by any stretch of the imagination, but I do know what generally doesn't work.

1) Too much blogging. I've seen authors set up 20 blog stops in the first two weeks after their book releases. Who has time to write all those blogs and monitor them? Not me said the busy mother/author. Also, even your best writer buddies get sick of seeing you post on Facebook about yet another blog stop on your endless tour. I believe a few fun, informative posts that aren't strictly shouts of BUY MY NEW BOOK are more effective in the long run.

2) Too much Tweeting and too many Facebook blasts. Personally, I never bother to read tweets, so I could care less if the people on Twitter scream about their books day and night. But, I've been told it irritates those who actually do monitor their twitter stream. Same with Facebook, which  I do spend time perusing. Maybe post about the entertaining subject matter of those blogs you're writing along with the news that you have a new release. Yes, let everyone know, but don't make your Facebook and Twitter friends crazy.

So, to keep those balls in the air and become a multitasking diva, practice moderation in all aspects of your writing habits. And now, to my bit of promotion...

The final book in my Secrets of Ravenswood trilogy has just released. Go, me! You can pick up a copy of He'll Never Know at Amazon. Just click here.  Also, the first book in the series, We'll Never Tell is free today only. So, if you haven't read it yet, click here to download. These are fast paced, romantic suspense stories set in small towns with plenty of action and a few surprising twists. If you enjoy that sort of book, I hope you'll give them a try.

For more information, please visit my website. Last but not least, if you have any tips that will help us all become better multitaskers, leave them in comments and have a great day!