MY Book is Available TOMORROW!!

Well... the day is almost here! 

My book: The Secret Sisters Club: A Ginnie West Adventure is now available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. You'll be able to download it to to Kindle and Nook starting Friday, March 2, 2012.

If you don't have an e-reader, no problem! There are free apps on both sites to download the book to your computer or phone as well. :)

Here's my blurb:

Twelve-year-old BFF’s Ginnie and Tillie, want to be sisters. Tillie's divorced mom plus Ginnie's widowed dad could equal a lifetime of round-the-clock girl talk and slumber parties. Too bad Dad vowed to never marry again. Ginnie and Tillie form a secret club. They come up with the perfect mission to change his mind: ‘Operation Secret Sisters’.

Before long, Tillie seems happier about gaining a dad than a sister. Ginnie suspects Tillie has turned ‘Operation Secret Sisters’ into a scam called ‘Operation Steal My Dad.’  Things get more complicated when Ginnie stumbles across her real mom’s hidden journals. Ginnie can finally get to know the mother she doesn’t remember and Dad doesn’t talk about. 

When Dad discovers she has the journals, he takes them away. Ginnie needs to figure out what the big mystery is before her relationship with her father and her best friend are ruined forever.

'Garbage Truck' Theory of Life

A friend recently shared with me the 'Garbage Truck' Theory of Life.


How do you deal with mean-spirited, unhappy people who think they they can feel bigger by making others feel small? Or perhaps they just don't realize their frustration and anger is bleeding onto the unsuspecting and the innocent.

The simple truth is that some people are like overflowing garbage trucks and can't figure out how to get rid of their trash in a dignified way.

So they toss it on unsuspecting people.

The trick is not to let it stick by following 4 easy steps:

1) Let it slide off.
2) Smile and wave.
3) Wish them well.
4) Move on.

There is power in being the bigger person. :)

It is not easy to apply in all situations, but you gotta admit when embraced properly--it does make for a less stressful life.

Finding JOY in YOUR Journey

On Sunday, January 1, 2012 I attended church and heard two talks, one about living a compassionate life and one on finding joy in ‘the journey of life’. Both were inspiring. The first had me examining whether I take all the opportunities I should to give service to those around me.  The second made me realize, once again, that attitude is a choice. We all have 24 hours each day in which to live or exist, merely checking off our to-do lists or finding joy in our everyday lives. 

It’s the difference between: ‘I get to’ and ‘I got to’ do something. It’s also the difference between counting your blessings and seeing burdens. You can ‘get to’ make a memory with your son by helping him with his pinewood derby car or you can complain quietly to yourself  that his project is just one more thing you’ve ‘got to’ do.

There is no magic time in life when everything is done, your spouse’s life has become uncomplicated, the kids have all started school, moved out or reached some other milestone when you can finally say: “NOW I have plenty of time to write my book, learn to paint, grow a garden, make a new friend, scrapbook a lifetime of photos or whatever it is you don’t think you have time for now.”

Today you have 24 hours to tick off your to-do list, give a smile, offer a compassionate word or hug, take a few minutes to lift another’s burden and find simple pleasures in the unique journey of YOUR life. 

2012 has just begun. With an attitude of gratitude for the blessings we already have, I KNOW much joy can be found for each of us. A year from now, may January 2013 find each of you with plenty of fond memories of a great 2012. Now get busy making those memories: Laugh Lots… Love Much… Write ON!

S-o-o-o, here's the REST of the story... (so far)

A couple weeks ago I received an offer of representation for my newest book: Traveling Down The Wests’ Lane. After letting this process through my mind and clapping my hands over my mouth to keep from screaming out loud ( I got the email on my phone in church), I remembered I had 2 other fulls out and wrote the publisher back and told him I’d have to let those people know, but I’d love to say ‘yes’. 

Ten minutes later I had an email from this same publisher offering me a THREE book deal instead of just the one. Super-stoked, I sent an email off to my friend, Caleb, whose book became a national best seller the month before, asking him to review the contract when I received it. http://calebwarnock.blogspot.com/2011/10/my-book-is-officially-national.html

Caleb called me later to tell me that not only was the contract NOT shabby, he was impressed that a children’s literary agent was also interested in my book-- as well as his own editor -- and decided to offer me a competing contract.

So…..after spending a few days contemplating both offers and waiting for the literary agent to weigh in, I decided to go with Caleb’s offer. YEAH!!! 

Since then, we have been planning the details: finding a Ginnie to get ready for a photo shoot for all three book covers, having the MS edited, writing the back of the book blurb, a marketing plan and all of the other fun stuff that comes along with the business of publishing a book. 

In the words of Tillie (my other MC) E—e-e-e-e-!!  :O)

PS: Happy 4th Birthday to my youngest child. :) I'm so grateful to have you in my life. :)

It only takes one ‘YES’!

It’s true, in the life of a writer it only takes one ‘yes’ to turn an otherwise dreary day around. 

For example, a couple of weeks ago I spent two days querying agents for my new book: Traveling Down The Wests’ Lane. On Day 3, I got a couple of rejections and a request for a full manuscript and another rejection. I spent the next day and a half re-reading my MS, finding/fixing/ grammar errors, plot holes, etc. I sent off the MS and went back to querying, hoping for the best. I got more rejections and two more requests for fulls over the next week.

Then at 6:15 AM about a week after the first request for a full, I got my ‘yes’: 

A REAL LIVE OFFER OF REPRESENTATION! 

Holy Macaroni! I danced on the ceiling, hovering between pure glee and ‘can this really be REAL?’ 

But every time I read the words:

So ... Monique, our question to you: May we send you a contract for Traveling Down The Wests' Lane for a July 2012 release, in ebook and paperback? 

My response was Yes, YES, YES!!!!!! (Please and Thank YOU!!)

(The day got even better—but you’ll have to tune in Monday (which is my birthday) for all the exciting details.)

As promised, I want to share with you a good friend’s up and coming bestselling novel.

(I have faith in him—it will happen. :) )

Here’s is J. D. Field's book blurb:

What does an ancient legend have to do with a modern day girl trying to fit in at her pretentious boarding school? For 16-year-old Maddy Bride… everything. She knows she’ll have to deal with sport-obsessed rich kids, cliques, and pressure, but she never imagined myths from the shadowy past would take place around her. And that she might be part of them.

Her new classmate, Eddy Moon, is awkward, shy, having lived a life of hardship and loneliness. As his strength and sense of purpose become more and more striking, Maddy comes to believe that he may have a place in the legends and finds herself pulled into his magnetic presence and the realization that not only is he a mythic hero returned to life in the countryside, but maybe she, too, is compelled to him for the same reason. Torn between normality and her attraction to the magnificent Eddy Moon, Maddy has to decide who she is, who she is going to be, and whether stories must end the same way twice.

This is the first book in the LEVELS series. The second, 'Rock Anthem' will be released in November 2011 and the third in January 2012.

For more information, go to jdfield.blogspot.com. Joe has lots of interesting stuff there

Here is the link to his book. Enjoy! I did. ;)

http://www.amazon.com/Song-Wake-Parts-Levels-ebook/dp/B005RFA1RU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1321365509&sr=8-1

Yikes! Where has the time gone?!

Wow, it's been a while since I blogged. I had planned to blog about all my friends getting new contracts and self-publishing and the time has gotten away from me!

School has started since I last blogged and because I have 12 kids, I thought that would translate into more writing time--well, it did and it didn't. I just finished my second novel, TRAVELING DOWN THE WEST'S LANE. A contemporary story set on a farm about twelve-year-old best friends who have very diverse pasts. One Ginnie West, a half-orphaned girl growing up in a close-knit family with 4 men and a twin brother and the other, Tillie Taylor, abandoned years ago by an abusive father, being raised by a mother who wants better for her daughter. Together, they have one goal: to be sisters. 

In a one week period about a month ago--three of my best writing friends all got contracts for their books.  Three others self-published their novels and another became a national best selling author. Of course I want to celebrate and promote each of them, especially since I read and exchanged critiques with most of them before they published. :) 

So, in the VERY near future, I will post a link to the ones that are published and help you find their books. Each are worth your investment of time and money to purchase and read. And lucky us, all seven are in different genres: YA, Middle Grade, historical fiction, western, gardens, urban fantasy and women's fiction, so there truly is something for everybody. I will say upfront that I may be biased, but it's not because these authors are my friends, it's because they have each written a fantastic book.

Please tune in and check them out. Take care, Monique