I Liked My Life

News Flash–Publications, Pub Dates and Publicists edition

Sunday, October 25, 2015
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Congratulations to Laura Bryant, winner of PRETENDING TO DANCE, by Diane Chamberlain! Check back next week, where we will announce the winner of this weeks giveaway–THE GOOD NEIGHBOR, by Amy Sue Nathan! From the 2016 Debs Louise Miller has had a crazy week that included having great meetings with her agent and editor about her book cover and having all the clothes she ordered online for her author photo shoot stolen off…

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Where do you fall on the passive/aggressive spectrum?

Thursday, October 22, 2015
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My dear friend Camille Davenport recently reminded me that in between passive and aggressive is assertive. It is possible to be both gracious and unwavering. She claims I’ve mastered that, but she lives three-thousand miles away and sees me only on vacation, chardonnay in hand, when it’s easy to be gracious because there’s nothing to waver over. In real life, I suspect I fall somewhere between assertive and aggressive depending…

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Going All In

Thursday, October 15, 2015
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Work on I LIKED MY LIFE began as something to tinker with when I couldn’t give the corporate world any more; nights I couldn’t sleep, long flights, weekends. It was slow-going. Then the kids came along, eleven months apart, and writing was replaced with ear infections, diapers, and feedings. It was as if I had two identities—one in a business suit creating and presenting global sales programs, and the other…

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Talks-a-lot

Thursday, October 8, 2015
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I was ten when Dances with Wolves came out. Such a beautiful film, yet all my family took from it was nicknaming someone after their traits. Mine stuck; my father called me Talks-a-lot until I asked him to stop as a twelfth birthday present. When I was thirteen I was obsessed with quotations. One day I happened across: The words spoke to me. I, too, couldn’t help but share my latest…

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They read the slush pile!

Thursday, October 1, 2015
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It was 2007 when I first set out to understand the query process with a manuscript much lighter than what I write now. I looked online for advice, and found mostly angry blogs and chat groups convinced no one read the slush pile. It was all very what’s the point in trying if your mom isn’t Judy Blume? Then I discovered a blog called Miss Snark. Miss Snark was a respected agent blogging…

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My writing cave…

Thursday, September 24, 2015
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I have a home office where I used to work 60+ hour weeks. It all felt very important. When I quit to pursue writing, the room still carried a serious air. I associated it with conference calls and stack ranking people and complicated financial models, destroying any hope of creative productivity. Enter my own version of feng shui. First, I painted inspiring quotations along the main wall.           …

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My piecemeal writing education…

Thursday, September 17, 2015
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My honors English teacher turned me into a lifetime reader. She talked about characters as if they were real, as if to read about them was to be included in their adventures. She introduced me to To Kill a Mockingbird and laughed with me about passing the damn ham. When she asked why I didn’t care for The Catcher in the Rye, I told her Holden Caulfield was a whiner; she grinned….

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Okay life, you can stop providing writing material any time now…

Thursday, September 10, 2015
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Thank you for sticking with The Debutante Ball as it passes the baton to its 10th class! This blog peppered me with humor & hope for years as an aspiring author; I’m honored to have the opportunity to contribute. My 52-week stint starts now: A friend recently commented that life has thrown enough complications my way to merit a memoir, but an exceptional memoir requires you to hand over the whole…

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The New Debs: Please Welcome the Class of 2016!

Saturday, September 5, 2015
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Please return next Saturday for the Deb class of 2016’s first guest, Carolina De Robertis — author of THE GODS OF TANGO — and a giveaway! We’re excited to announce the new blog schedule as of Monday, September 7th. We know the 2016 class will continue the Deb traditions in fine form, and we look forward to following their journeys over the next year! So please join the fabulous 2016 Deb Class next…

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