Sunday 19 April 2015

Remember me?

Hello, netizens! Remember me?
I know I have been absent for so long since the release of my first book Dreamweavers.
There is absolutely no acceptable excuse for it...I know and I'm sorry.
Only thing I can say is: WRITER'S BLOCK.

Man, you don't know what that means until you actually get one.
Hope I don't run into many of them in my writing career because it isn't pretty.

So, what had been happening to me since the release of the little book?
Well, several of you know that little book hit Amazon's bestseller list on DAY 1!
And it stayed there for an amazing one week.

For that I owe ALL OF YOU a MASSIVE THANK YOU!
I couldn't have done that without YOU!

Book 2 Soul Eaters is in the process of being written.
So far I've made it to Chapter 5 then the BLOCK happened.

I took some time out while concentrating on promoting Dreamweavers out there.
Then I also noticed I had a little family beside me.
I'm a new author and I still haven't mastered the art of juggling family life, day job and dream job in my two little hands. Anybody out there who has tips on how to do it, I am all ears.

Anyway, during this dark and lonely time with my block,
a tiny light was shined on me and dangles the words
SUPER-SECRET-PROJECT.
And WHAM! Block gone!

So, yes, there you have it!
I have a SUPER-SECRET-PROJECT!
And I can't wait to share it with all of you!

Well...that is WHEN I get given the go ahead to share it with you
Because...you know...it's a SECRET! Shhh!!!

So, keep tuning in and you never know...
One day it might be the day I'm allowed to reveal my SUPER-SECRET-PROJECT
Gosh, I love saying those words :)

Friday 23 January 2015

SIX (6) DAYS TO GO!!!

There's only six days to go now until publication date.

I can not describe how I'm feeling right now. I swing between getting excited, nervous, depressed to being nonchalant about it all. My author friend K.D. Wood assured me it's perfectly normal.

I can't wait for the book to be released but at the same time I wish it's all over so I can stop worrying about it :)

Anyway, what had been happening recently. Well, since the cover reveal:

* Book release blitz had started.

* Advanced Readers Copies had been given out in exchange for reader reviews in preparation for THE DAY.

* Promo for Dreamweavers started in full swing on Facebook, Google+ and Twitter. https://www.facebook.com/collierav

* Amazing reviews of the book started trickling in. Read about them here: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23370677-dreamweavers

* Thunderclap for Dreamweavers went up to maximize my reach on spreading the word about book release: https://www.thunderclap.it/projects/21094-shout-out-dreamweavers-release

* I'm hosting an on-line party on Facebook on January 31, 2015 which will last all day until early hours of February 1 to cover different time zones. https://www.facebook.com/events/1524972484454446/?ref_dashboard_filter=hosting

* I'm also doing author takeovers in various blog groups on Facebook over the next few weeks.

* Chapters 1 & 2 of Dreamweavers are also available to read for free here: http://www.wattpad.com/user/CCRavanera

A bit busy :)

Well, next time I write an entry here would be to tell you all how the book release went! Fingers crossed we'll be successful. This is my wishing anklet. My friend, Louise Francomb, who made it for me said that if it breaks my wish will come true. I wished Dreamweavers' success on it...it broke last week. Hope it's magic will help make my dream come true :)


How not to make a first impression


Today, I went to meet up with the head librarian of my local library. The book is coming out in ebook format next week and I still don’t know when the paperback will go live but I thought I’ll get the ball rolling for the printed copy.

I wasn’t really given a specific time by the other librarians I spoke to the other day so I thought I’d come around mid-morning. When I arrived I was greeted by one of the librarians I met before and he announced my arrival. The head librarian looked friendly and approachable when she turned up. She then led me to a quiet corner in the library where there were a couple of armchairs and a love seat around a wide table.

Then she invited me to sit down before she settled onto the love seat.

So, there I was thinking: Where should I sit? If I sit on the arm chair there’s that wide table between us and we’ll be forever reaching forward to each other and she might think I didn’t want to sit with her. Also, I’m a friendly girl.

Decision made: I sat on the love seat…and found that it wasn’t THAT wide enough for the 2 of us with me wearing my coat, shoulder bag and with her perched in the corner. But it was too late to move because she might think I didn’t want to sit with her!

Then what followed was just a joke after another: I didn’t know what to say...She wasn’t even smiling at me...Then she pointed to the word “savior” in the blurb of my book asking me "What that word was?" Me, being confused said “savior” when she said (sa-vee-or) then it clicked that she was looking for “saviour” which is the British way of spelling. Duh! So, I then explained that I have published with an American company.

When we finished I literally wanted to sink into the floor. The ship had sank before it even set sail :(