A Minute on the Lips’ UK version and me

March 9, 2014March 9, 2014 / Cheryl Harper / 2 Comments

On Saturday, the postman slogged through the mud to bring me copies of the UK version of A Minute on the Lips. Yes. Let’s let that marinate for a moment. The UK version. Here’s the link: A Minute on the Lips, Mills and Boon UK. This is different than the Australian version, which I have not seen yet and which will send into full-on meltdown most likely. Here’s a link just so you’ll believe me: Australian 2-in-1 Version. Don’t worry…there will be new pictures of this one too.

This, combined with the Goodreads group’s discussions on dream travel destinations, the unending snow…it’s all turned the flame up under my desire to go to London. I yearn. Like the way I yearn for whatever chocolate dessert’s on the menu that I never order but bigger. Over the past year, I’ve had a trip planned at least 3 different times but never pushed the “BOOK IT!” button. This is probably because I remember my panic on landing in the Newark airport and facing navigating New York by myself. Also, I might never want to come back. I managed New York. London could be tackled too. Right?

Goals or Here We Go Again

February 27, 2014 / Cheryl Harper / 2 Comments

Last week I was very ambitious. I read a few sentences somewhere about how writers need a business plan. I know some business. Make a plan for income and expenditures with action steps to meet the goals set. Easy. It is not. But I set out a solid work plan through June with measurable goals. I like goals. I like lists. I like seeing progress. And while I’m waiting and stalking my inbox for answers, it’s a good thing for me to KEEP WRITING. JUST KEEP WRITING.

My goals for this week:

1. Taxes. Ugh.

2. Polish up a finished story, write a synopsis, and start querying.

Turns out, that story wasn’t quite finished and now I remember why, so the work’s been a little more intense than I thought. And the taxes? *unintelligible mutters*

Neither is really all that difficult (although, seriously, taxes…why so complicated? Also: Cheryl, plot better please.), so what is the deal? I’ve heard someone else call it the imposter syndrome when referring to writing. The idea that any success you’ve had has been pure luck and you can never repeat it again because you don’t know what you’re doing. And for me, it’s the biggest challenge.

Goals are good things. I’m going to hit this week’s, I think, so we’ll see how it goes from there. Writers, how do you keep going? Got a business plan model you’d like to share?

2013, 2014, and goals

January 1, 2014December 31, 2013 / Cheryl Harper / Leave a comment

I am a resolution maker. I think this is because I’m a list-making, step-outlining planner and I like goals. The cold, hard truth is that I’m not much of a resolution keeper. Exercise more, eat less, and lose weight…those would be so awesome but I have failed often enough to understand that resolutions aren’t magic. I have kept two with spectacular success. The first: I resolved to buy more shoes. If the thought behind resolutions is to repeat enough to make new habits, this one worked very well. From this I learned I will always have an easier time spending money than sticking to a budget. Not exactly earth shattering, right? And the second: I resolved to write more. “More” wasn’t that hard. Aside from emails and instructions and all manner of boring homework, I hadn’t written much for fun since my creative writing class (which was also technically homework but a lot less boring than economics). I said both out loud, and I had a good friend take me at my word. She helped me find a local writing group, took me to my first writing workshop, and generally cheered me on, something I desperately need to try anything new.

I don’t remember 2013’s resolutions at this point (*cough* eat better, exercise more, lose weight *cough*) but I’m pretty sure they were epic failures. I have already set 2014 writing goals, although at this point, making them happen seems to take magic and I have no wand. Obviously I need to make smaller goals. And I will. I have more travel planned for this year, something I’m really looking forward to, and I believe this is the year I’m going to take the trip I’ve been dreaming of instead of waiting for a better time. And I’m totally going to eat better, exercise more, and etc.

But I think instead of resolutions this year, I’m going to try that other popular idea, coming up with a word for the year. I haven’t settled yet, but I’m thinking TODAY. Yes, I see the irony of choosing it, but the flip side of being a planner is that I WORRY, usually about mistakes I’ve made or things that might never happen. That’s exhausting. I can’t change either. So I want small goals, things I can do today.

Day 1: I resolve to eat a salad (never a hardship), edit 30 pages, and take myself to a movie (with popcorn because I ATE A SALAD already).

What about you? Have you made resolutions for 2014?