So, a day in the life of moi, eh? I have to say that since my book(s) release date is creeping up (May 1st, baby!), life has been a bit crazier than ever. It seems that there aren't enough hours in the day to get everything done...and get enough sleep to make it through the next day!
5:55 a.m. - my human alarm clock (my hubby, Mike) makes the first attempt to wake me. He's a morning person and always cheery and upbeat and giving me the weather report for the day -- which I never remember because I'm only semi-conscious.
6:00 a.m. - Mike sticks his head back in to ask if I'm getting up. I mumble out some nay incoherent response, but assure him I'm getting up.
6:05 a.m. - Mike returns to announce that he's getting in the shower. When I hear the water in the other room, I turn on the alarm clock, set for 6:13 a.m. If I can just sleep for 8 more minutes...I'll be fine.
6:14-6:15 a.m. - The clock radio/CD player has been going for about two minutes. I need to get my lazy arse out of bed and get in the shower. Shower time's the best time to think about writing. I've threatened to turn the walls of my bath into a water-proof white board where I can plot out my ideas and write them down so I won't forget them.
7:10 - 7:55 a.m. - Commuting. If I'm not trying to stay awake, we'll talk about news stories, TV shows, sports, etc. Recently, we've been talking about the book launch party coming up on May 2nd. Or, we've been bantering ideas about for the plot of GHOST HUNTRESS: THE GUIDANCE, which is the second book in my series.
8:00 a.m. - Noon - Hard at work at the day job. I work for an $800+ billion dollar financial company in Boston and I support two executive vice presidents, three vice presidents, two managers, and 50 sales people. I love my job. Everyone's wonderful and I'm kept busy planning meetings, events, travel, doing expenses, sales reports, and being a mother hen to everyone.
Lunchtime - I usually have lunch with my buddy Rebecca -- mentioned above -- but when I'm in the blood fever of writing, I'll bring in my Alphasmart and go sit in the cafe or go down the street to Au Bon Pain to sit with my headphones on (House/Dance/Techno music) and write as much as I can during my lunch hour. I'm also across the street from my publisher, so it's easy to visit my editor or get my revisions or what have you from her. Very convenient!
1:00 - 5:00 p.m. - More work! I love to be busy because the day just flies by. Lots to do...invoices, schedules, order supplies, reports, and PowerPoint presentations.
Although...yesterday during this time period, the advanced copies of SORORITY 101: THE NEW SISTERS arrived!!! Whooooooohooooooooo!!! Everyone on the sales desk was excited to see it. Mainly because I used so many of their names (as requested) in the book. They all wanted to see their names in print. They're so funny! 5:00 - 6:00 p.m. - Commute home with Mike, which usually consists of a wrap up of our days, as well as sharing new ideas and brainstorming my stories with him. He's a great brainstormer and listener.
6:00 - 8:00 p.m. - Again, when I'm writing or revising, this is the time I like to downshift from the day job and read over what I wrote during lunch. I'll tweak and add and correct errors, but mainly, I'm just reading it to get back into the groove. I've found that if I can write 1,000 - 1,500 words per day when I have a book due, then I'm doing well. I just got my revisions for GHOST HUNTRESS: THE AWAKENING, so I'll be working on those next week.
8:00 p.m. - on... I like to cook a nice dinner, or order something in if we're too tired, too busy, or working on things. We like to watch TV and chill out and then go to bed early to start all over again. A lot of people think I'm insane to have a day job and write, but as long as I can balance both, it really enriches my life and fills the day. Besides...I work with great people who make me laugh every day and I would miss that if I stayed home and wrote all day.
Now...without any further delay...the winner of the double-book giveaway of the fabuloso Stephanie Hale's TWISTED SISTERS and my first book SORORITY 101: ZETA OR OMEGA, as picked by my unbiased co-worker, Rebecca...
REVIEWER X!!!!
And the crowd goes wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiild!!! Whooooohooooo!!!!! Congratulations! Please e-mail me offline at marley @ webstuffdesign.com (no spaces) to give me your snail mail address.
And one more contest...which I'll announce the winner on Saturday, April 19th - so that gives you plenty of time to post comments. If we can reach fifty (50) comments again, I'll be giving away a copy of ZETA OR OMEGA? and THE NEW SISTERS to one lucky winner. All you have to do is leave a comment in the trail about your experience with sisterhood, whether it be in a sorority, in a school club, with your best girlfriends, or your real-life sister.
Thanks and hugs!
Marley = )
SORORITY 101: Zeta or Omega? (May 2008, Puffin Books)
SORORITY 101: The New Sisters (May 2008, Puffin Books)
GHOST HUNTRESS SERIES (May 2009, Houghton Mifflin)
SORORITY 101: The New Sisters (May 2008, Puffin Books)
GHOST HUNTRESS SERIES (May 2009, Houghton Mifflin)
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23 comments:
I'm an only child, and I always wanted a sister. Lucky for me that I met my BFF. She went to study in France for a year, during which my boyfriend dumped me after we dated for three years. Only a true sister would stay up until the middle of the night just so she can call me overseas to make me laugh. She even made a little ex-boyfriend cookie and mailed it to me. (I smashed it with a hammer. Can I tell you how much better I felt after that?) She makes me feel invincible, and I'd love to share these books with her.
Carrie
To Marley, my big sister in the writing sisterhood--
I am so happy to help celebrate the release of the first of so many of your books! A very exciting time, indeed! You are an example of what 'big sisters' should be!
Hugs,
Jessica
I am the only girl in my family. Three brothers is hard to have, but it made me tough. Now I have a sister in law, so that is fun. But until 3 years ago, my only "sister" was either my cute little dog, Suzy, or my best friend, Melissa. Melissa and I still act like sisters and we get along sooo great. We are great friends and we have so much fun together and have for years. And we will until we are little old ladies!
Awwww...Jessica!!! Tear...
A big round of applause for Jessica, folks. She's been this year's conference coordinator for the New England Romance Writers Conference that is this weekend. She and her committee have done a phenomenal job!
See you on Friday! Can't wait!
Jumping in to say hi to Jessica...and say she's become a favorite "writing sister" of mine lately, too, for requesting 50 copies of TOP TEN USES FOR AN UNWORN PROM DRESS from Random House as luncheon giveaways at the NEC conference this weekend--and getting Random House to comply! Have a wonderful conference, Jessica and Marley, and all you who attend!
Happy upcoming release date. Not to much to wait. Um...something about sisterhood? I have a sister who is wonderful, but I think takes her duty as my big sister a bit too seriously, since she likes to mother me. Oh well...sisters are great!
Marley,
I'm just tired reading about your day. And how cool that you are right across the street from your editor? :)
Reviewer X,
I hope you liked Twisted Sisters!
Wow, Marley! You have as hectic a day as I do. Hope the revisions go smoothly!
hugs,
HD
i am six years older than my sister chelcea and seven years older than my sister laci. when they were younger we weren't really that close, but now that we are older they are my best friends. they were my bridesmaids and they are my weekend movie dates for girly movies. i never knew how fotunate i was to have sisters until now.
Omg I can't believe I won! This is the first contest I have ever won! WOOT!
Stephanie, first thing: we're namesakes :) Second -- I have to order the first book now, because I haven't read Revenge of the Homecoming Queen! Woot, totally ordering it now.
I'm so happy =]
Your day sounds a bit hectic. Granted so is mine what with going to college and raising young twin daughters, lol.
I'm the youngest in my family, I have two older sisters that are 28 and 27. So I was about 8 years younger than my sisters. Of course they hated me when I was little, I was always the reason one of them had to stay home. Someone needed to baby sit me. But over the years I developed such a strong bond with them. Its sad that I rarely see one of them anymore, she lives an hour or so away and has such a different life now. My other sister lives a few blocks away from my parents' house so I see her a whole lot. I just love my sisters, I don't know where I'd be without them today.
Its so strange to realize that all three of us are in our 20's now. It just doesn't seem like we should be.
Oh wow sorry for the long post.
my sister and i are not particularly close. but we are there for each other when it matters most (you know, ranting and anger and all that)
my sister is.....uhh, how do i put this nicely? well, we're not exactly the best of friends, but i guess she's all right.... :D
-Samantha
This post sums it up for me. It's a long post and it took me a couple of days to write it because I was so emotional. But it really sums up how I feel about my older sister.
http://celisedowns.com/blog/2005/12/10/sister-sister/
My sister is a 6 year old, most of the time she thinks she is older than me. As far as my sister goes, I always try and help her whenever I can, I want her to be able to look up to me because everyone needs someone they can look up to.
I have two older sisters and am in a sorority. Let me tell you it can get crazy sometimes....(I wonder sometimes who thought of putting a bunch of girls together and not expect any trouble or hair pulling) but at the end of the day when one sister is in need we are always there for each other.
i have an older sister of 33. She went trough a lot difficult problems the past years,the only thing to do..just support her! We are not always the best of friends. Sometimes we just irritate each other...i try to stop it!
I have two very very close friends, but no one who I can call a best friend. My sister though, is another story. She's everything that I'm not, and we are opposites but alike in some ways. There are many things I keep in secret, all to myself and share with no one else. But one of the biggest is that my sister's my rock. She has me anchored to this world so just in case my life goes out of perspective, I ALWAYS know she'll be there with me. I think she keeps me sane in some ways.
I have a group of girl friends. We all have been friends since the seventh grade. I'm now a sophomore in high school and our group is still more or less intact. I love them and I know they will always be there for me.
Grace L
I'm an only child, but my best friend is like a sister to me. My mother and her mother were best friends, so we grew up around each other. We really became close though, somewhere around middle school. I know she's always got my back and I've got hers. No matter if we disagree, we have each other's best interests at heart first and foremost. :)
Jeeze people, what is this? We're only at 20 comments, start commenting more!
I've had many experience with sisterhood, between different groups of friends and my real sister. The bad thing about sisterhood is you get close to people, and it hurts more than anything else when a sister betrays you.
I have to sisters umm we get along pretty well, we dont hang out much mostly because im older than them and live on campus at college. I also have my best friends they are like my sisters away from home. We hang out and do pretty much everything together. =D
~elaina
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