My Sons and Karate

It has been almost a year since I posted about Karate and the fact that my sons were going to join and my hope that that would stick with it.

Yesterday (sunday) My eldest son competed in his first karate tournament, his expectation and nerves were high, I had the same nerves but my expectation were not that high.

When my son was born no one prepared me for the moments when as a parent you fret for your child and have to allow them to be a person, yesterday my son went through a range of emotions, and learnt a lot, the first being he was not as good as he thought, some may think this a bad thing.  But he learnt that he has to work hard for something he really wants.

He thought that he would receive a bag of trophies not because he thought he deserved them but because he thought he was good. (I like his air of confidence and knowing that he may not do so well as his coach warned me that he may not go so well, I was not about to burst his bubble). Yesterday was a lesson learnt hard by him and tonight for the first time he went to the second karate practice for the first time. His determination to win is high.

Yesterday I rode every emotion both mine and his, I felt his nerves and I felt his disapointment as he walked away with a lot more than he came with but not something he expected, I was proud, as proud as any mother could be, it takes a lot to get up and go in a competition, and I only wish he could feel how proud I am of him.

One year ago the both of my boys joined Karate and in that time they have together gone up one belt and one of them have competed in a tournament, both are proud of their achievements and it has given them something that I as a parent could not give them, an accomplishment of acheiveing something.

Again I hope for the same thing as this time last year. I hope they continue with it.

Til next time

Happy Reading

Valissa

Reviews and Criticism

Last night I attended the local writer's group and a few of us got around to discussing reviews and whether as an author we listen to them or as a reader we listen to them.

This was quite an interesting look at myself and I'll explain why.

When I first published my book five years ago, almost six. I was immensely proud of the huge achievement I had accomplished, I loved my book I had put so much into it and I wanted other people to love it as much as I loved it, I had grown attached to the characters and to me they were like an extension of my family.  After all I had lived with them every day for a whole year as I wrote and I had been through all of their ups and downs.

So when the critics came out and critiqued on everything but the storyline or the characters, I was left devastated, one critic hated the ending, one said there was too many swear words, one said that the boss Steve was so far from reality it was not funny. The boss in the book is actually toned down from some of the bosses that I have had in real life and yes I drew the character from reality.

I was waiting for at least one good compliment, one that said they loved the book despite the mistakes ( a long story cut short ~ my computer crashed just before it went to the typesetter for printing losing all of the work my editor had done. I had to cancel the print run and the book launch and the media or run with it and hope for the best. I hoped, of course in hindsight I should have cancelled and taken my time. Lesson learnt.) It wasn't to be. The people who loved my book weren't queuing at my door trying to bust it down to tell me how much they loved my book the characters and the storyline.

Ego, self esteem and confidence go hand in hand and some have a chest full of brass and any negative criticism is rebounded by a barrier, however I am not that kind although I have been told many a time that I appear that way and I know that I have written about this before because I still battle with my own self confidence and the older I get the more I know that I know so little.

So we talked about that self confidence as I caught the tale end of the story of Enid Blyton a much loved children's author, I know she was one of mine and it astounded me that she had confidence issues.

Are we writers so egotistical that we require that constant supply of good criticism. My jury is out on that. I have put this out on the world of facebook asking other authors how they feel about it and so many have said that they simply don't listen to the negative feedback. And this is where I was taught that if there is a negative comment or constructive criticism take it on board and learn from it.

However, when it comes to one's opinion who's to say what is right and what is wrong, orange as a colour for one person is abhorrent whilst another may love the colour.

So the other day I received a review and a comment from a reader saying how much they loved my book and how much they loved the characters. Of course my chest filled with pride and after five years almost six, the people who love my book are starting to knock on my door to let me know.

The point I want to make here is that whilst one person hated the ending of my book stating that it ruined the whole book, another loved the ending stating that it was the best part and eagerly wanted to know what was happening in the next book.

Oh yes one person's junk is another man's treasure, opinions differ. If you love a book and love an author. Tell them. I guarantee they will love you for it. :)

Til next time

Happy Reading
Valissa

The light at the end of the tunnel

I didn't think I would get here, well I have been, sort of. 
Before the virus I was close to the second book to the Hart series being finished or at least ready for the editors.  I felt ok about it, it has been a long project this second time around, probably had something to do with the fact the my attention was diverted into different directions.

But it was almost there and then I lost a lot of the work. I was devastated, a lot of hard work went into that, so I had to retrieve what I had saved and go from there, yes I have been working on it and today I wrote over 1000 words piecing it together and I can say that I can see the light at the end of the tunnel and it feels really good.

I stepped over to here as I needed to take a little break from it, I have been working on it all day, but it feels good, feels even better than before the loss of so much work.

Out of every bad comes an even better good. That might not be the right words but I hope you know what I am thinking.

So I'm outting a positive spin on it, I knew it happened for a reason and I accepted the fact that perhaps it was to teach me to back-up, well that and the fact that I had a better story within me.

My intention is to concentrate on it this week and get it to the editor at the end of the week, who, just yesterday asked when the next project was coming forth. 

Last week I also managed to update the website a little, adding a few extra things here and there, When you look at the Crystal Hart Page, I have added a bit of what you can expect in the next book.

I hope that this next book can live up to and even outshine the first. Well that's what I'm aiming for.

Must go and pick up the children from school

Til the next time

Happy Reading

Valissa

Bringing you up to speed.

It has been a while since I have posted anything on my blog and I wish I could say that I had done something worthwhile.

Or at the very least something substantial, but alas I haven't.  So what have I been doing?

I have been trying some new things for a new look on my website,it is proving to be more difficult than I first thought it would be. It's also taking up way too much time, but when I get there and I do say when, it will be great, dare I say it, it will even look more professional.  An easy option would be to get one of the premanufactured ones that you simply paste your contents into. However that would just be too easy and for some reason I like to challenge myself. WHY????? (I scream)

Of course I am laughing at myself here.

There have been some changes to the website. Be sure to pop on by and have a look.
www.valissaenever.com.au

About a month ago maybe a little longer my son (yes I do love him) downloaded a virus and yes I have mentioned this previously in my blog. My apologies for harping on it, but I have been busy working on the sequel to Hart 2 Heart, the Crystal Hart Series. Before the virus I almost had it ready for the editor and then, POOF! Like magic it was gone.

So I have been busy trying to rewrite what I had lost and it is coming together, scrambled so far but it is coming together. I would like to say that by this time next week I will be able to say, yep! It's ready for the editor. Hopeful thinking. One must stay positive.

I have also been dabbling at the new romance Advertisement for love.

Don't come to me for advice on being focused.

Okay til next time.

Happy Reading.
Valissa

Famous Five Plus

Hello Everybody,

Just thought I'd post the wonderful news that I have been accepted into a wonderful group of authors, we have a blogsite and a facebook page so that you won't miss a thing about all the exciting news that us wonderful authors are up to.

Come and check us out at: http://famousfiveplus.blogspot.com/

There is also a permanent link here on my blog for you the next time you come back to visit me.

Til next time

Happy Reading
Valissa

Hot on the trail

I am hot on the trail of a new romance story, yes another romance and this has a bit of spice in it so if you don't mind a bit of spice in your life (or at least your reading), then this will be the story for you.

I should have got up this morning at 2am when the characters wouldn't stop 'dialogueing' (is that a word??) in my head, the storyline so vivid, the characters so entertaining and HOT.

The book is going to be called Advertisment for love and while I've had the idea for it for a while, since Novemeber last year, last night it came over thick, fast and hot.

So I thought that I would sit here and let you know what I will be up to over the next few weeks, months and I will give you snippets and insights as we go along.

Til next time

Happy Reading
Valissa

Trying to get back into it.

Since my last post things have been scrambled.

My son (I do love him) downloaded a virus that wiped my entire computer, I lost everything including all the work I had done, all of my programs, the lot.

Did I mentioned that he is still alive and that I love him (moment of madness).

So instead of writing, I have been trying to get my computer back to where it should be or where I would like it to be.  I must have some brains as I have the most of my work saved on disk and USB which were in storage an hour from my home, so I drive down there retreive them and I was happy that I had the back up, but the next book in the Crystal Hart series I lost almost three months work as I had not updated the USB.

I have to say I am very disheartened at this as it was almost ready to go the the editor, now I'm not even sure if I want to pursue it, the only thing that keeps me going is the people who have read it want to know what happens next. I still haven't written anything more.

I am involved and run the local writer's group and I am helping another writer Kitty Jardin publish her first novel and it looks like I may have another two that I will be helping and publishing through my publishing arm, DARE Publishing. It feels good to help someone and this feels a lot better than the wallowing of pity that I was almost drowning in with the loss of my Hart Series follow up.

So that is where I am at, a bit of a dramatic turn of events since my last post but perhaps in a way it is good, I am sure the universe knows which way it is guiding me.

Til next time

Happy Reading
Valissa