What to blog about when I have no blog ideas?
I guess that’s kind of similar to what to write when the creative brain is a touch dry.
Thankfully, I haven’t encountered the second horror so far, but the first is definitely happening.
As a published author with a blog on my website, it can be tricky to come up with interesting topics to write about.
I don’t want to talk too much about my book and give away the entire storyline. That’ll completely ruin the surprise of Hostage for those who haven’t yet read it.
And for those who haven’t yet read it… why haven’t you read it yet? Is it because you’re saving it for a holiday so you can relax and really enjoy it? Have you been so busy you haven’t had a chance to order your copy yet? Or are you, like a few of my friends, waiting for the release of the audiobook because you really want to read it, but you’re an audio reader as opposed to a traditional paperback reader?
I have to admit, I was nervous as hell about releasing my first novel to the world. For those who were at the book launch with me last month – did you notice my hands were shaking the entire day? I was a strange mixture of excitement and nervous energy. It felt incredible to finally be fulfilling my lifelong dream, but with that dream came exposure.
Vulnerability.
Putting myself out there for the whole world to judge.
That was a tough thing to do.
We writers are protective of our babies. They’re our perfect little creation, and even in those moments that they torture our minds and seek to destroy our souls, we still want to keep them wrapped in a soft chenille blanket and protect them from the evil nay-sayers of the world. Making that decision to share our baby with the world takes a whole lot of ballsiness and bravery.
I have those in spades, but I’m not afraid to tell you, that on that hot Saturday in November, I was crapping in me dacks. Not literally of course. I was raised better than that.
But for the first time in my life I felt vulnerable and nervous about what others would think of my work as a writer.
You get it, I’m sure, and especially if you’re a writer yourself.
Even the most confident person can become a bowl of quivering jelly when faced with the prospect of enduring judgment, ridicule and possibly not good feedback about your most prized achievement.
Thankfully, the feedback I’ve received has been so amazing and supportive and those feelings of nerves and self-doubt have been buried back down deep inside.
I’m certain they’ll return on the release date of my next novel though, so stay tuned for that repeat performance.
A lot of people have asked if there’ll be a sequel. (Don’t worry, no spoilers, I promise. I hate spoilers!)
There was definitely the potential for a sequel as I wrote the book and during the editing stage and I’m very excited to tell you all that there will in fact be a sequel. I’m not going to go into details of what it’s going to be about, but it’ll be a different perspective and the approach I take with this particular book will be very different. Don’t get too excited though, because it isn’t actually written yet. I’ve written up a brief synopsis and I have the ideas swirling around inside my creative mind at this stage, but it’ll definitely happen.
Before Hostage Part 2 (not the title incidentally) reaches your personal libraries however, there will be other books released.
My next one is ready to go and with all things going to plan, I’ll be publishing it in 2023. It’s another thriller but this one is going to be an even more gripping story. The protagonist is an Australian woman living in Boston and the story revolves around a horrific event that unfolds in her life. What you’ll find yourself immersed in is her pursuit for justice, revenge and answers to a question that haunts her for years. Along the way she’ll meet some interesting characters and find quite a bit of passion. What’s life without passion, am I right?
I’m actually very excited about releasing this next book and the great news about it is, it’s only the first in a series. Book two of that particular series is already completed and ready to come out at a later date too.
I find it quite ironic that I’ve found myself writing thrillers. When I first started writing, my focus was love stories and I hadn’t ever given any thought to writing a thriller or crime series. Hostage was a stand-alone idea that came to me one night and I ran with the idea when it popped into my head. I certainly never expected it to be my breakout novel.
It’s been a very busy couple of years for me in terms of my writing career.
I have quite a few novels ready for release and one of the most difficult decisions is deciding which one to release first. Do I go with the Boston-based thriller and introduce you all to Erica and her story? Or should I share my epic love story with you all? Then there’s the one I’ve just completed the final draft of today, which is actually the very first book I ever wrote when I was sixteen. I’ve given it a complete re-write to give the characters some maturity (the benefits that come with life experiences and age, over the innocence of a sixteen-year-old), but the core elements of the story remain the same. It’s a love story of sorts, but about three friends. These girls are crazy, daring, fearless and own their sisterly bond, supporting each other through everything that life throws their way – even the most challenging and confronting changes. I shed tears as I wrote it and laughed aloud at some of the antics the characters get up to. Some of it reminds me of my sister and me when we’re together and every woman will relate to the bond that comes with the types of friendships I’ve written about.
Decisions, decisions…
But I do think I’ll still go with the Boston series.
Those of you who purchased Hostage during the pre-sale and at the book launch have all received the email with chapter one of that particular book (if you didn’t receive it, just reach out and let me know and I’ll resend it). The feedback for that chapter one teaser has been positive and lots of people have asked when it’ll be coming out.
Soon, my friends.
Hey, will you look at that? I actually managed to pull together a blog post from not having a single idea in my head. Aren’t I just a clever cookie?! LOL
If you have something you’d like to read about on my blog, please comment with your ideas below this post. I’m open to all ideas and it turns out, I can pretty much make a topic of discussion out of any subject. Who knew!
I hope you all had a great Christmas. Mine was relatively quiet, which was nice. It’s nice to take a break from non-stop events and be able to veg out for a while and recharge the batteries. It’s crazy to think that 2023 will be here in just a few days. I swear this year just started a few weeks ago. I for one am looking forward to the new year. There’s so much I have on my to-do list for the coming twelve months and I’m excited to be able to share my adventures and stories with you all as I traverse my way through another year of making it count.
If I don’t talk to you before, have a very happy new year and I’ll see you all in 2023.
Don’t forget to make it count, for yourself!
Love,
Carol
