It was a daunting task reading the over fifty (whoohoo!!) responses on the
TWISTED SISTERS +
SORORITY 101: ZETA OR OMEGA? contest. Your answers were so awesome that there was no way on this planet that I'd be able to choose one winner to get both books. So, I printed out all of the comments, gave them to my friend and co-worker, Rebecca, and asked her to read them. I asked her to pick out which comment moved her the most and answered the question the best. She's not a writer...just a fan of books, so she was totally impartial.
Read more to find out who won!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)
As Tina and Tera mentioned in their posts, I'll be among the teen authors appearing at Teen Day at the Romantic Times Booklovers Convention on Saturday. Something cool is the teen authors will have their own rows, all together, for easy access. Then all of the YA gang will move into various activities like meets-and-greets, interesting talks, author readings, one-on-one "speed dates," and then all followed by a teen party. This is my first RT conference and I can't wait!
Thanks to everyone who commented to win a signed copy of my book, The Clearing, this week!
. Congratulations to Matt Groening, creator of The Simpsons.
Now, without further ado, I will announce the winner of the $10 Borders/Waldenbooks gift card. There were nearly 60 entries! My son wrote the names of each entry onto little pieces of paper and shook a bowl vigorously and drew the paper with ... YA Book Nerd written on it. Woot! Congrat's, YA Book Nerd. If you'd be so kind as to email me at roxyinlights at yahoo . com with your mailing address I'll send it on its merry way. Thank you to everyone who commented! What a treat to get to know each of you a little better. :)
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! 
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