A few things to share and a magical weekend in Tennessee

I realize that it's been MONTHS since I've posted here. For that, I apologize. Between illness, writing Moon Song, and trying to just keep my head above the water, it's been a hectic few months! However, I have a few things to share with y'all!

First, let's talk a little about Moon Song shall we?

I have got to tell y'all that I am such a huge jumble of emotions over this book that I don't even know where to begin, but mostly, I am so incredibly excited about it. This book is going to be so good, I can feel it, and you guys are going to love it so much. That is if you don't kill me by the time you finish it. PLEASE DON'T KILL ME!! Ha ha. I am even more excited about the cover for this book. Though I haven't even seen it yet and I don't even know what it's going to look like when it's done, I know it will be exactly what I see in my head every single time I think about it. At the same time I am completely terrified because everything, and I do mean EVERYTHING, is riding on this cover. My sells, the way you guys (my readers and fans) embrace it, and the over all feel of the book stands on the cover of Moon Song. It's important that we get this right.

Moon Song is slated for release in late October/early November, and you can read the blurb and add it to your To Read shelves on GoodReads. 

Second, I'm working on a collaborative project titled If It Hadn't Been You with my wonderful friend and an outstanding writer, H.P. Landry. I am just as excited about this book as I am about Moon Song, and I cannot wait to finally be able to devote my attention to this one as well. It's going to be really good. I can feel it. We do not have a synopsis for it yet, but you can go ahead and add it to your To Read shelves on GoodReads as well. 

And finally, let me talk to you about my magical weekend in Nashville, TN at UtopYA Con 2013!!

Seriously you guys, this was honestly the most wonderful weekend I have spent surrounded by readers, bloggers, and authors who all share the same feelings about the book world as I do. It was absolutely awe inspiring. I was able to meet authors I wouldn't have had the opportunity to meet any other time, and I was also finally able to meet people I had only ever talked to on Facebook or Twitter. I saw people I hadn't seen in months, and never once did it ever feel awkward or forced. It was the most natural thing in the world. 

I went into last weekend thinking that I would be one of those odd ducks who just kind of loafed around aimlessly, talking to people only when they talked to me, and then going back to my hotel room feeling like no one wanted to hang out with me because I may have said something I shouldn't have said and BAM, no one wanted to hang out with me. I was wrong. Oddly enough people thought I was funny, which is really weird because I am not at all funny, and I didn't spend much time alone at all. It was great. 

I could make a list of some of the wonderful people I met, but one person stands out the most in my mind... Nanette Bradford. We only chatted for a few minutes but in those few minutes, I found a kindred spirit, and she is a lovely one. I only wish we didn't live on opposite coasts.

There were several highlights of my trip to UtopYA 2013, one of which included me telling THE Chelsea Fine that she absolutely could NOT give me a hug, and then feeling awful for a split second when her radiant smile slipped from her face right before I wrapped her in a huge hug. It was great, let me tell you.

Then there was the night Megan Curd and I became instant BFFs because she air humped me. She says it was completely unintentional, but I know she meant to do it. I love her so much more because of her valiant attempts to make it not creepy. 

My favorite moment though came when I finally got to meet the woman responsible for bringing me into the world of indie books and their authors. Tammy Blackwell. To say that I didn't want to cry would be telling you all a bold faced lie. If I were that girl, I'd have broken down completely and cried for an hour, but I held it together (just barely), and managed to actually form words in her presence. And then she gave me an omnibus of the trilogy that started it all, and it took every single ounce of energy I had to not lose it. I will cherish it, and her, forever. 

Meeting Samantha Young was something that I have wanted to do since the moment I sat down and read Warriors of Ankh. The only thing though was that it was so blasted loud and she is so soft spoken that I had to keep telling her, "Baby, you're going to have to speak up because no one can hear a word you're saying." I think I told her that half a million times, and every single time, she'd laugh like it was the best thing she'd heard in her life, and it made me feel like a million bucks! I only hope that I'll get to see her again sometime. She is as amazing in person as she is on Facebook.

I could go on for hours about all the people I met and hung out with, but I won't do that to you. I'll let you check out the pictures I have on Facebook, and you can see for yourself all the fun that was had. I absolutely cannot wait for next year! Is it here yet?!

I love you guys, thanks for reading this post and for all of your hard work and your support of all things Indie! We love you all! 

And remember... #ExpandYourClump