It's my anniversary!!

Due to unforeseen technical difficulties the last instalment of Love's Savage Whiplash is unavailable until tomorrow. OUR APOLOGIES!! We know you've been waiting anxiously.

Since I was scheduled to blog tomorrow, I'm up today instead - celebrating a day early!! But I'm giving away a book, so read on...

September 16, 2008 was the release date for my first ever published book, Love Me so today is my 3^rd anniversary as a published author!! I'm celebrating by giving away a book -leave a comment here at the blog and I’ll pick a winner who can choose any title from my backlist. You may wish to go to my website www.kellyjamieson.com to peruse the selection.

Looking back over the last 3 years - it was so exciting being published, but my goodness, there was so much to learn! I remember doing chats in the Samhain Café to promote Love Me and being first of all terrified with no idea what to do or say, and then being blown away when people talked to me and were interested in my book. I remember my first ever “fan email” and how it made me cry. I remember being lost as to how to get my name out there and how kind people were to help. My first reviews were luckily positive and kind.

Back then Twitter and Facebook might have existed, but I didn’t know it. Promotion was something I didn’t enjoy but had to learn how to do, by joining writing groups and forums and Yahoo groups. I’ve learned a lot since then and although I still don’t enjoy promoting myself, social networking has gotten to be fun!

Copyright (c)123RF Stock Photos

I’ve learned a LOT about the publishing industry and I might be a tad more cynical about some things than I was three years ago. This has been a challenging time to become a published author. The publishing industry is changing immensely. Three years ago, digital publishing was on the verge of exploding, and now it has and the publishing world is a lot different than it was then, with more changes coming.

I’ve learned a lot about writing too and I think I’ve grown as a writer. The books I write now are different than the ones I wrote early in my career. Sometimes I shake my head and wonder how I ever got published when I just sat down and wrote until I had a book, with not a lot of thought about character arcs and turning points. My process has changed a lot since then. My first manuscripts were a complete mess of typos and too many adjectives and adverbs and overused words. Now, my work still needs editing, but I’m more aware of all those things as I write. And I plan a lot more, although I still don’t consider myself a “plotter”. J I’ve taken courses and workshops and read books and studied, and worked hard to become a better writer.

Lance Thomson Photographic

There have been a lot of ups and downs. Some of the downs were things like encountering writing groups or authors who were not supportive; negative reviews (Yes I get ‘em. I don’t even go to Amazon any more because of that.); rejections (Yes I still get ‘em. Lots of them. And yes they’re still depressing.); writer’s block (Yes, it happens. Usually not for long, but I did go through a rough time earlier this year where I couldn’t write for months because of the other negative stuff— see “reviews” and “rejections” and "no support").

But I'm mostly a positive person, and when I look back over the last three years I really do so with a huge feeling of joy and pride and gratitude. The good things SO outweigh the bad – good things like finding an incredibly supportive group of writers who have become awesome friends; meeting so many wonderful people on line and in real life and making connections with them; lots of contract offers (I’m up to 21 now— get ready to celebrate again when book # 20 comes out next year!!); editors who love my work and help me make it so much better; lots and lots of great reviews that help remind me I know what I’m doing (mostly!); lots of people who buy my books; and lots of incredible people who read my books and take the time to tell me they like them. THAT’s what it’s all about and THAT’s what makes all those down times fade into the background. I have some goals I haven’t achieved yet, and sometimes it feels like I never will, but even if I don’t, I can be happy— because I love writing and I love sharing my stories and knowing that other people like them too is so very gratifying.

THANK YOU to everyone who has made this journey the last three years so incredible!