The "Publish" Button

First of all, I just want to say thank you to everyone who helped out with my Cover Release! You guys made it all truly epic, and I feel like I can't thank you enough!

If you didn't see the cover, just scroll down.

Anyway, I was so scared for quite a while about releasing it. I was afraid people might think it sounded too much like The Hunger Games or something (which a few did unfortunately…)

But overall, I think it went really well.

Okay, what I'm really excited for now, is getting the long awaited Author's Review Copy. Like, I'm literally finding it hard to sit still just waiting for it. CreateSpace said that I should get it within five to seven days.

And they said that about four days ago, so I'm dying to see my book in print.

I also realized that after I submit my final revisions for the story…

There's a "publish" button.

So like, when I click publish, it will be published.

I mean how cool and scary is that!?

Anyway, I'm just sorta freaking out about all this.

Happy Monday!

--Jess
麥潔思

Launched!

Okay, I finally did it!

Made a facebook author page, AND a website. So, if you haven't "liked" me already, I'd really appreciate it if you took the time to check my Facebook Author Page. Oh and here's My Website. The site isn't very helpful yet, due to the lack of information, but I'm still only in the middle stages of publishing, so it WILL be updated once I've got more content.

I still can't believe that I'm ACTUALLY getting published. For the longest time, it seemed so far off in the distance, and I never fully thought I'd get here.

Anyway, I have to take two ice dancing tests today, so wish me luck! I'll tell you how they went on Wednesday :)

I will be revealing the cover to all of you soon!

--Jess

It's Moving Along…

Yesterday, I got to talk to the CreateSpace team again (which I was actually looking forward to since they were so nice to talk to last time). And YES it was on the PHONE, which I usually hate. But they're so easy to talk to, so my usual "phone panic" didn't really occur.

Anyway, I discovered that I'll be getting a good look at the first draft of my cover sometime late next week! And I cannot describe how excited I am (actually I can… I just don't feel like it)!

Also my previous goal of getting published by the end of the year has sort of been tossed out the window. Due mainly to all the stuff I have to get done.

SO… my new goal is to be published by February 9th!

Which is Chinese New Year's Eve, and the LAST DAY of the Year of the Dragon.

And to those of you who've read my story know why it should be published on that day :)

Finally, I have a surprise for you on Monday, so make sure to stop back then! It's going to be cool, I promise!

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

--Jess

I Did My Research

Yes I did.

Well not really, since I don't really have much time to read (yes, shame on me). I know what everyone says, you don't have to tell me. "A real writer makes time to read," or "to be a writer, you have to read."

I.

KNOW.

I'm just so busy… ugh.

Anyway, as I was saying. While choosing options on CreateSpace for publishing, I looked at a lot of books. What sizes did I like the best? Which fonts? What would work best for my book?

After putting on my thinking cap and doing some very complex calculations (… like… addition, subtraction, and division…) I came to realize that if my book was 5.25 inches by 8 inches, From the Ashes would be just about the same size as the paperback version of Divergent by Veronica Roth. Just a little thicker, maybe.

So, that turned out to be a good size.

I also had to choose the page color. And after checking many books published by big name publishers, I noticed that ALL of the pages were crème colored. (Or cream colored. I prefer the "cooler" way to say it :) Naturally, I went with crème colored pages.

Then, I went through all the font choices they had, and finally decided on Hoeffler Text Roman. At least, I think it was something like that. I didn't choose a size though, because it always looks different to me on paper than it does on my computer.

Currently, they're working on my cover and interior design. I'm pretty anxious to see how it turns out.

Oh, and I have some VERY special news that I forgot to tell you on Wednesday.

Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh finally became my 395th follower! Thanks so much, Alex! Now, only 5 more to go. How long do you think it'll take me?

Oh, and since I love music so much, I'll leave you with this pretty song I found:

Have an amazing day!

--Jess

Uploaded.

Dear fellow bloggers,

Please excuse my absence from the blogosphere yesterday, I got pretty much nothing done. As far as school work, and stuff other that writing goes.

So yeah, yesterday was quite busy for me.

Why?

I uploaded From the Ashes to CreateSpace.

Yes.

I did.

But it took quite a long time because I had to fill out a TON of information about my book, which is actually much harder than it sounds. For some reason, when it comes to talking about my own story, I get all tongue tied. Or keyboard tied, since I actually had to type it all out.

Then again, I get to talk on the phone again to the people at CreateSpace about my answers and other stuff… yeah haha I'm not quite sure what to expect. I'm just such an awkward speaker. That's kinda why I'm a writer.

Anyway, I'm really excited to see how things turn out!

How are you guys doing?

--Jess

IWSG~ Publishing

Um, yeah.

I'm very insecure about publishing.

Only a few weeks ago, publishing From the Ashes was a dream far off in the distance. Actually reaching it was a silly fantasy I had, not really believing the day would ever come where I'd have to worry about that rough, rocky shore of publishing.

Now that I've considerably closed the distance between me and that "rocky shore," I'm realizing it looks much more difficult to navigate than it did from far off.

Maybe I'd be a little more comfortable if I'd secured a publisher. At least I would feel like I'd been "accepted" by editors, and other people because they liked my story.

See, my mom has read my story like… ten thousand times for me. Okay, not ten thousand but probably around ten times. She's helped me edit it each time, and she always tells me it's really good, and it's getting a lot better and all the stuff a mom has to say. She's very critical, don't get me wrong.

As I'm reading through it one last time (as a reader, not an editor), I haven't found a single gramatical error. And I'm already on page 200.

Now maybe I'm just blind. But I have found a lot of stuff to reword, to make things flow better.

Anyway my biggest insecurity is… what will everyone else think about it?

I know some of you have read through it for me as beta readers and such, but that was the first few drafts.

(Very embarrassing that I actually let you read such a rough draft… I know…)

But what if you don't like the final version? What if no one likes it?

That'd be really awkward.

Anyway, what are you guys insecure about?

--Jess

I Actually Have to TALK?

Well, it looks like I'm not doing NaNoWriMo this year. I really wanted to, and I made a last effort to prepare for it on October 31st, but I wrote absolutely nothing yesterday. Sure, I have today to catch up, but that'd mean a TON of work.

I have a story idea.

Not a storyline, or a plot, or characters.

Just an idea.

And I like to have things planned out before I write it, otherwise I get lost halfway through the draft.

So, yes, this is my explanation for not being able to do NaNo this year. I feel like I'm betraying all of you who are joining in. This is the first year I haven't participated since I started writing novels.

I'm pretty sad about it.

Secondly, I have some exciting (or scary, either way works) news. I have to talk to a Senior Publishing Consultant at CreateSpace today.

OH. MY. GOD.

What scares me the most is that I have to really talk. Not email, or IM.

I have to USE MY VOICE BOX and talk on the TELEPHONE.

You see, I'm not a very good talker. I have a writing voice, not a speaking voice. Of course, it's all right once I'm talking to friends, but my "writing voice" is still much better.  My speaking vocabulary is filled with an overuse of teen words like "like," and "cool," and "totally."

Worst of all, I say "um" a LOT. Especially when I get excited.

Another thing is, I'm not sure if these people know I'm only 16. I'd kind of like to see how long it takes them to figure it out. Oh well. They'll probably realize that today after listening to my limited vocabulary, lol :)

I'm really scared.

Wish me luck, guys!

--Jess