• Gina's Journey,  Self Publishing,  The Writer's Toolkit

    The Big Question: Why Self Publish?

    What do you think when you hear the words “self publishing”? It’s okay, you can be honest here, if only with yourself. If you’re like many people, your first thought might have been, “Were they not good enough to get published traditionally?” Like it or not, self publishing has had quite a stigma attached, and while its image is improving, there are still negative connotations to fight through, not to mention a major lack of knowledge on the subject. That’s why I thought I would take a few minutes to talk about what led me to the decision to self publish and let you in on the questions I asked…

  • Gina's Journey,  News

    BIG NEWS: All Systems Go

    My friends, my readers, and my supporters, It is with the deepest joy and wildest excitement that I announce that my debut novel is complete with a title and ready to begin the countdown to its launch! (Eek!) Read on to learn about my book, grab a sneak peek of the story behind it, and find out when you can buy your copy. About the book Angels Strange and Beautiful is a historical novel set in New England between the 1600s and 1700s. In the first half, a more or less innocent stalker follows the love story of Faith and Theophilus in a once-sleepy little village that is suddenly plagued…

  • Gina's Journey,  My Own Brooding

    The Consuming Dream

    I have been given a unique gift. I know that. This beautiful world of dreams which keeps my head ever in the clouds and peering at the world from weird angles is a joy and a delight to me. I cannot imagine a life without it. Why would I live if not to live this way? However, I feel upon my heart an immense burden. Yes, all artists feel the one of striving for perfection and inevitably falling short. I’ve come to appreciate this constant challenge as a friendly adversary who is always forcing me to be better. It is like a tough but trusted critic who stands behind those…

  • Uncategorized

    At the Crossroads

    Hello, my delightful people! I want to give you an update because so much has happened. The past four months have felt like slogging through mud by the hour, feeling like I never get anything done and am constantly moving in slow motion. But looking back, the progress I’ve made makes me want to jump up and down. I think I will. (Yes, I actually did.) So here’s the scoop, my lovely first readers: publication is on the horizon. That is to say, I’m close enough to my on-ramp that I can hear the traffic. It’s been a long, weird, windy path. If you’ve ever undertaken a long-term project, you…

  • Gina's Journey,  The Writer's Toolkit

    It Hasn’t Been Written

    Writer, I’m about to give you some of the best news ever. If you paid attention to the title, I already have: It hasn’t been written. “What hasn’t been written?” you ask. Just pause for a second and feel for that glow of hope. That. That story which is on your heart. The one you’ve been searching for in every book you’ve ever read and haven’t quite managed to find. The one that feels so familiar that you could swear you’ve read it somewhere or maybe had it read to you as a child, if you could just remember where. That one perfect story, or the one that’s perfect to…

  • Gina's Journey

    Boom. Start Again.

    The job that brought me to my dream city is ending. In two weeks, the company that miraculously contacted me last winter just in time to keep me from temporarily giving up on my goal and instead brought my plans to sudden fruition, my first choice company, will let me go. They’re eliminating the position. That’s life. I know it is. The corporate life. I don’t resent them, or at least only in brief fits. I’ve saved enough from the start that I’m not panicking…yet. But what’s far more interesting than my job ending is what thoughts it thrusts upon my mind. What do I really want to do with…

  • Satire

    The Long Walk to the Slush Pile

    Warning: Mild satire. This is not meant to discourage or disrespect, but to let off steam. If you feel convicted at any time, that’s something for you to work through on your own. Why didn’t anybody warn me that querying agents is itself a full-time job? And you don’t get paid. So don’t quit your day job. But this is your new night job, so don’t quit that, either. Basically, the things that keep you alive and human, like sleep and friendships, are the first things to go. I’ve sent out a few batches now, and my queries have grown and changed, which is a good sign. There are good…