IWSG Check-in
IWSG stands for “Insecure Writers Support Group.” It’s a monthly check-in for writers of all stripes. Its creator, Alex J. Cavanaugh, describes ISWG like this:
“Purpose of IWSG: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!” – Alex J. Cavanaugh
Belated is the New Black!
Phew! Howdy, all. No, I didn’t forget about IWSG. I’m just pulling in a couple days late. And I hate being late – for anything.
Y’know how some folks are chronically late? I’m the opposite. I’m chronically on time, or to be more precise, I’m chronically 15 minutes early.
I once turned up 2 minutes late at a coffeehouse where I worked. The moment I stepped in my boss ran over and hugged me, saying, “There you are! We were so worried.”
Don’t fret – if you ask me to dinner, I won’t actually knock on your door before the agreed upon time. I’ll kick around the neighborhood for a bit, taking pix of tree bark, or whatever.
The proof is in the… proof!
Anyway, enough about me. Hey, wait, this is IWSG. It’s supposed to be about me! See how frazzled I get when I’m tardy? Sheesh…
Well, the good news is that I just ordered a proof for my latest book, Paranormal Texas. The proof is mainly just to assuage me that the cover came out OK. Until I see a physical copy, I fret about how it will actually look.
Meanwhile, I’ve got a few people reading ARCs, while the main manuscript is getting its final edit. My plan is to order bunch of official copies by next Friday.
Why the rush?
So why am I in such a hurry to get Paranormal Texas ready to roll? Well, I signed up as a vendor for this fun paranormal expo down in Galveston, Texas called Dash Beardsley’s Wake the Dead Show. My pal, Shelly Tucker, who is a professional storyteller recently published a book about haunted places in Denton, so we will be representing all the wacky haunted stuff here in north Texas. The expo is set for September 6, though, which is less than a month away. Eep!
Insecurity time
So what am I currently insecure about (besides this crazy time crunch)? OK, so the book is a guide to haunted places in north Texas, real places that people can visit. I had a blast dredging up spook tales and haunted history, but now I worry, “Will people outside of Texas enjoy reading a book like this, or is the audience too narrow?”
I mean, I truly believe in writing what thrills you, and this is certainly a book I would buy and read, but still…I keep getting pangs of, “why did you put so much time and effort into this, you crazy chick, you?” Hey, this is IWSG, folks, so I’m putting it all out there!
Y’know, it’s funny. All summer long, I was too busy researching and writing to worry much. But now that things are pulling together… I worry! Does that ever happen to you?
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