#NanoWriMo 2014 Diary, Nov. 1 – 8

Cool read and had to share!

San Giacomo's Corner

This was a tough week. I think it would have been difficult for any #indieauthor. I had a busy personal day on the third and picked up a bug / flu on the fourth. Of course I was ill for several days with my nose feeling like it weighed twenty pounds. On some days I only managed about 450 words. However, on the eighth I managed 2,688 words.

Image Courtesy of National Novel Writing Month

I refused to let life get in the way. My total for the first eight days is now at 11,594 words.

On November 1^st I was still in chapter 17 with about a page to go. By the 8^th I had completed chapter 22. Yes, I think I’m going to have the first draft of my #fantasy novel The First Light completed before November is over.

I love it when a novel starts…

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Change

http://www.areneehunt.com/my-2014-blog/change

Well, I’ve begun an early over-haul on my website. I swapped out my theme, colors and titles for new ones. I replaced some photos and updated others. This adjustment was necessary for a few reasons.

First of all, I’m an amateur. I can’t pretend to be a pro, because I’m not. I’m still learning. I am taking action. After two huge mistakes, I know I do not want a publishing company behind me anymore. I’m also going to invest in a reliable editor to come out with a better product. Since I’m new at this game, I can only share my experiences and bits of education concerning these matters, along with whatever progress I make. Posts on any professional strategy, marketing or sales tips do not exist with me.

I know that many are expecting for me to help out in those areas- and if I can, I’ll do just that. I will share what has worked for me and whether I’ll be happy or unhappy with any future moves. That’s all I can do. I pray that other newbies, like myself, will be able to learn from my actions and succeed. So posts that are going to catch another author’s eye may not happen unless it’s another amateur trying for fiction and adventure. Sadly, it’s tough for the genre I’ve chosen.

Lastly, and I’ve thought about this idea for a while, I’ve finally come to conclude: I’m going Indie! I have had it with publishers and the hassle of their incessant emails! Oh my goodness, the emails… I now I’ve blogged on such a decision before, but I was afraid. I always thought I’d never get anywhere as an author, unless I had a big company name behind me. I know several Indie authors who are big time right now. One’s given me awesome advice that’s worked for me too! I won’t name drop. 🙂

I spoke with another fellow author of graphic novels, who posed a few questions to me a few nights ago. My responses brought me to my current decision. I’m also leaving the physical book behind and going electronically. I’ll be creating a store, here on my site, and selling them very soon. That way I only pay my editor the big bucks. There’s a process I know, but I’ll manage. It’s all in the learning, yes?

Anyway, I pray I receive your continued support and feedback. With your assistance and, hopefully your purchases, along with my creative writing classes, I can put out great stories and develop repeat customers!

Wish me luck!

Know Me Facts

From the summer of my tenth grade year through the beginning of my senior year, I lived in Iwakuni, Japan. It was an unbelievable experience.

Hello in 2014!

     I’ve been so over-whelmed!  I can not tell you how much I’ve accomplished.  Okay, I’ll try-

     Right after Thanksgiving, we moved!  I mean the very next day!  I had a few things packed but I ended up packing about half the townhouse before we began driving out to the new house.  Now the house we’ve purchased is 40 minutes outside of St. Louis, so it’s not hop, skip or jump!

     Well as I’m driving back and forth, loading and unloading my truck, my hubby with a few of his brothers are loading the big stuff.  It took them forever!  I drove back and forth about 5 times and they managed to goof around and take two days to load the truck!  I laughed but that’s my Hunts!  

     After the house is filled and the townhouse emptied, I unpacked and cleaned as much as I could in one week because I had a trip scheduled for San Francisco, CA for my brother and to promote my book with some folks.  That was a blast and a time I’ll never forget- mostly because I’m a CA baby- that’s my home and I miss it so much.

     Returned home, unpacked more before preparing Christmas dinner, singing in the Christmas programs at church which were awesome!  We had my daughter and her husband and children over before they trashed my place and left.  I have then been completing the house, painting rooms and have now begun with day One of returning to homeschooling!

     Yes, I’ve been busy.  But I also left my publisher, Tate.  They gave me many promises for only half to come through.  I’m upset at having spent so much money with them but it’s a lesson learned.  A $2800 lesson.  Take this- if you’re not published yet, DO NOT PAY TO BE!  I wish I’d seen those warnings before I began.  Thankfully, my second little publisher is doing great but I’m not sure how much I’ve sold yet.  I began at the end of the quarterly payments.  We shall see!

     That’s enough babbling for now.  Happy 2014 and I pray this year is a wonderful one.

Celebrating 2014 with a Book Give-A-Way!

http://www.areneehunt.com/3/post/2013/12/final-blog-for-2013.html

Know Me Facts

This is so true! I LOVE it!
Esto es tan cierto ! ¡Me encanta!

sorry…

Nothing else is needed for this one.

Know Me Fact!

True and False Humility

True and False Humility
The real example of humility is of course example number 3. The other two are not really displaying humility. Example number 1 is an example of ‘low self esteem.’ Low self esteem is not the same as the quality of humility! Example number 2 is really displaying pride! It’s difficult to see because he’s not saying something positive about himself, but by dominating the conversation with facts about himself he says, “My life is very interesting! Everybody look at me!” This is not humility – it’s pride. The third example displays a mature soul who does not draw attention to herself. She is not consumed with thoughts about herself but shows interest in other people. Applying this to the Christian life – Christian humility is shown when a believer dwells primarily on God and God’s glory and not his or her own self-image.

Faithful Obedience Amongst Fear

Acts 9:10-11 – Faithful Obedience Amongst Fear
Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.” But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.” (Acts 9:10-14 ESV)

Have you ever been afraid to do something God is asking you to do? In this scripture, Saul was known for being a man who persecuted and even killed Christians. Ananias was a Christian. And here, God is about to change the heart of Saul, an evil man who hated God. He is about to heal him of his blindness and use him to reach many, many people for the Lord. But first, Ananias must obey God and have faith that God knows what he is doing.

You can imagine the fear Ananias must have felt to obey God and approach Saul. He must have heard countless stories of horrendous things Saul had done to Christians in the region. But still, he obeyed. And thank goodness he did! Because of Ananias’ obedience, God gave Saul back his sight and changed his heart. Saul (whose name was later changed to Paul) went on to become a major Christian force and in turn, wrote much of the New Testament.

What is God calling you to do? It may be to pray with a co-worker or to invite someone into your home for a meal. Maybe it’s to call up an enemy and make amends. Or, it could be an infinite number of other acts of obedience that God asks you to do. We never know how someone’s life can change because of our obedience to God. When we have faith like Ananias, God can use us to accomplish unimaginable things!

What is God asking you to do?