Drifting Into the Unknown by M C Holman

So being an author doesn't mean you get to sit in front of a laptop all day like some people may think. It's not all glamour as others may see it either. Being an author is HARD WORK! Writing the book is probably the easiest part of it. From then on, it gets a tad tough. There's the self-editing; first, second, third rounds and so on until it's close to perfect. I say 'close to perfect' because no matter what, and as much as you'd like it to be, it'll never be absolutely perfect. 

Finding a publisher takes time and effort too, and to top it off you need to grow a 'thick skin' to take all the rejections. You can't let them get the better of you. If you're lucky enough, a publisher may send you a contract and then the real fun begins.

More editing! If you get to work with a great editor from the publishing house, it's not so bad, but good luck to you if you don't see eye to eye. Same thing with the art department; your vision of what the front cover should look like doesn't always match what's designed for you.

After months or perhaps years, it's time to bring your baby into the world. That in itself can be quite daunting. You need to learn how to shamelessly promote yourself as well as your book and you need to do it daily. 

Knowing that your words are going to be read by readers all over the world can be beyond scary. You need to prepare yourself for the reviews, good and bad. 

We'd all love to think that we're capable of writing a bestseller, but the reality is, that that's (most likely) not going to happen for the majority of us. That doesn't mean that you give up though. If you want to write, then write. 

As some of you know, Drifting into the Unknown is my second novel. It was published by Eternal Press and released on the 1st of November 2014. So here I am, shamelessly promoting myself and my novel. I hope you find it interesting. 

Until next time...

Take care of YOU!

Maria.... :) xx


DRIFTING INTO THE UNKNOWN
(A paranormal/Ghost/Romance novel)

About the book:
Lexie Bennett is about to uncover the secrets hidden within the walls of an old Victorian house she bought.

After leaving her abusive husband, Lexie thinks life will be simple. How wrong she is. The old house she bought has hidden secrets. Her new friends are out of this world, and her best friends’ wild sex life becomes a pleasant diversion from her own frigid life.

Then she falls for two brothers, on two separate planes of existence, unfamiliar feelings and passions arise. She must choose between the two of them or the choice will be made for her.

Published by Eternal Press
http://www.eternalpress.biz/book.php?isbn=9781629291697

Available through amazon.com and most online book stores.

Like my page on
www.facebook.com/HiddenInfluenceUnveilingTheTruth

and join me on twitter.com/Holman_Novelist

ARE YOU A SLAVE TO YOUR MONEY?

Well, it's certainly been a while! Looking at this blog site of mine and seeing my last entry as September 2013 (10 months ago!!! Yikes!) makes me wonder where this last year has gone. It's scary how fast time flies. A lot of my friends are complaining about the same thing. Does this mean that life is too hectic for most of us these days? I think so.

So how can we fix it? How do we fix the fact that most of us have day jobs, and not just 9 to 5, but 9 to 5 and beyond. More of us are trying to cram in extra hours at work to help pay for the little luxuries we're used to and can no longer go without. With prices rising on everything these days, we really are becoming slaves to our money. We buy things on credit and then get upset when we can't leave our jobs because we have debts hanging over our heads. In doing so, we spend more and more time at work and less time with our family and friends. We're living zombies! Is it really worth it? There have been times when I've wanted to sell everything we own and go on to live a much simpler lifestyle. I'm still very tempted to do just that.

Why do I feel this way you ask? Well, after spending four weeks in hospital in November, with doctors and surgeons telling me I was lucky to be alive, it put everything into perspective. When you're on your deathbed your last thoughts aren't of the 'things' you've accumulated in life, nor are they of how much money you've made. Your thoughts, in-between excruciating bouts of pain, are of your loved ones, the ones you're about to leave behind. They're also of the tasks you didn't get time to complete. For me it was my family and close friends, first. Coming in at second place, was the thought of all the books I had not yet published and others not quite finished.

When I was released from hospital, I spent the next few months re-evaluating my life. I chose to take a year off work, not only to heal properly, but to work out what it was that I wanted to do for the next forty years or so. I haven't quite worked it out yet, but I'm getting there. The point I'm making is, we all need to stop doing what we're doing and think about what we want. Otherwise we'll look back in 5, 10 or even 20 years time and find that we're still unhappy, still slaves to our money and we're still time poor! Weigh it all up. Pros and cons. Are THINGS really so important to you that you allow the banks to lead you to temptation? Will you allow them to bind you to a lifetime of work by using the metaphorical ball and chain? Hmm...That brand new top of the range car, or that monstrous size house that you want but don't really need, doesn't sound so appealing anymore, does it?

So without wasting any more of your time, I'm just going to say, I, for one, plan to use my time more wisely from now on. I also plan to spend less money on 'things' that aren't so important and I plan to work less so that I can spend the extra time doing what I want to do, like spend it with whomever I want to spend it with.

Until next time....work less, play more.

M.C.

ARE YOU OK?

Today, the 12^th of September 2013, is ‘ARE YOU OK?’ day.

In Australia, there is a suicide attempt every ten minutes! That’s a hell of a lot of depressed people living in a state of mind where they feel that life is not worth living, for whatever reason.

I’m pretty sure that each and every one of us has been touched by this kind of tragedy at some point in our lives and if you’re anything like me, it leaves you wondering if you did everything you could to stop it from happening.

Most of the time we have absolutely no idea that someone close to us is having a hard time dealing with life. They may walk around with a smile on their lips but their eyes tell a completely different story. The problem is, we’re so busy doing our own thing in our own very busy lives, that we don’t actually stop to take a good look at our friends and colleagues.

More often than not, when we ask the fleeting question, “How are you going?” we don’t even hear the answer, let alone look into their eyes as they tell us. The secret is there. They’ll try to hide it from us but if we take a few seconds to look deep enough, we’ll find the truth. And sometimes, all they need is someone to listen for a few minutes.

If you’re ever the one chosen by someone to lend an ear, don’t ever turn them away. You never know...you could be the one who ends up saving their life.

Until next time...

M.C. Holman...

Giving up? Or giving it all you've got?

How many times have you taken up something new, gotten all excited and then realised how much competition is out there? Do you continue because you have something to prove or do you quit because you’re scared?

No matter what you do, there is always going to be someone out there who does it better. Someone who’s more devoted. Who has more contacts and more resources than you do and who believes in themselves more than you do.

So what? Are you going to quit? Throw in the towel and admit defeat?

I don’t think so!

You trod on. You squash those negative thoughts and you give it all you’ve got. If you enjoy what you’re doing and you believe you’re good at whatever it is, or if you’ve been told you’re talented on more than one occasion, then the right thing to do is keep going. You owe it to yourself.

Do you want to look back in twenty years time and think, “I wish I‘d kept going. I wish I hadn’t quit.”

I don’t! That’s not me! It used to be, but not anymore.

It’s taken quite a while for me to refer to myself as an ‘author’ or a ‘novelist’ but that’s what I am. Even though I’ve been writing for years, it wasn’t until April 2012 that my first novel was published. Sure I’d had the occasional article in newspapers published and a poem of mine is included in an anthology somewhere (I really should find where I put that book.) but the thought of referring myself to others as an author, made me uncomfortable, to say the least. It still does, even now that my second novel is in the process of being seen in print.

Why?

Because Facebook has opened up my eyes. The number of literary geniuses who are out there, is astounding. Every author who I’ve made contact with, is in one way or another amazing. Whether it’s the way their imaginations run wild, the words they use or the way they string those words together, they’re all wonderful and unique in their own ways. I find myself reading their work and thinking, I could never write like that!  Who am I to even think that I can compete with these remarkable men and women?

I have to keep reminding myself that I’m not competing with any of them. I’m only competing with myself. Learning more as I write and bettering myself as I do. Sure I’m a late starter, so to speak, and I may not be a huge success in the end, but I enjoy what I do and that’s a good enough reason for me to keep going.

So next time you feel like quitting, ask yourself...Are you doing whatever it is you’re doing, for the benefit of others? Or are you doing it for yourself?

If the answer is, ‘I’m doing it for myself’ then that’s the right answer, and you should never quit!

 

Until next time...

Keep smiling!

 

Working the graveyard shift – A killer for relationships.

These days it’s almost impossible for a household to live on one income alone. When there are children, the expenses are astronomical and it’s fair to say that we need to make sacrifices to get by.

But why is it that when we try to do the right thing by our kids, we often jeopardise the things that are most important? Our family and their happiness.

Sometimes we believe that we are doing the right things to make our lives easier, but in the long run, we’re actually making things worse.

I have worked nights for roughly seven years while my husband works days. My mentality when I first started was, that there would always be someone home with our children regardless of who was at work, day or night. It almost backfired!

Marriages, and all relationships for that matter, need work. They take an endless supply of nurturing regardless of whether you’ve been together for one year or fifty, there is no difference. Yes, it’s easier in the beginning because the love is strong, but as the years go by we become complacent and that’s when the shit goes south. We need to stay on top of it. Our relationships need ongoing work and maintenance, otherwise they crack, break and fall apart and you won’t find any type of adhesive that’s strong enough to glue it back together.

Now picture this...You throw a couple of kids into the equation and it suddenly becomes even more difficult. The time that you and your partner once had for each other is now delegated between more members of the family. At this point, you may throw one part of the partnership into a day shift job and the other one into night shift to make ends meet financially, and you’ve got a recipe for disaster. If you thought you had problems before, well, let me tell you, you’re going to have major issues now. Usually the one who works nights is exhausted all the time. They have limited sleep. Their body clock is out of whack. They’re grumpy all the time. They snap for little or no reason. They’re emotional. They’re forgetful. And to top it all off, they have little or no desire to have sex.

“What?” You scream. “No sex?” That’s right guys. No sex. (Well, If you’re lucky, you might get a little, but it won’t be very often and you can forget about those marathon sessions that you used to have. They’re history, so don’t go getting all excited.)

So what do you do if you have no choice but to work a different shift to your partner? How do you share your time to suit every member of your family? What can you do to keep everyone, especially yourself, sane and happy?

Date nights. Yep! You read right.

Kids are flexible and adaptable but the same cannot be said for your partner. You are their life. You are the one who they chose to spend the rest of their years with, so don’t take them for granted, because nothing is set in stone. They can walk away at any time if they feel that it’s not worth it anymore. If you want your relationship to stand strong and last for many years to come, you have to work on it. Go out for dinner, see a movie, book a motel. Do whatever it takes to keep that love going because if the flame dies and the spark disappears, then you’ve lost. You’ll be left standing alone and wondering how the hell you let it get to THAT point. The point of no return. So work nights if you really must, but remember to throw in a little 'R & R' and 'ME 'time as well as a little one on one time with your partner, otherwise, there's no hope.

Until next time...

M. C.

WAKE UP! YOU'VE BEEN USED!

YOU’VE BEEN USED!

Ever offered something to someone and they’ve led you to believe that it’s what they want, but then they avoid you? It’s  amazing how often it happens. You may say that these people are too nice to knock you back by saying anything negative to your face, or that they’re too nice to reject you straight out, but the truth is, they’re just cowards that lead you to believe that you’ve got something that they want.

Maybe they leave you hanging while they work on something else. Something that they believe will suit them better and will be more to their liking but they’re unwilling to let you go completely until they’ve got the other project in the hand. They’ll string you along until they’re absolutely certain that they don’t need you anymore. You’re their plan B. When their other project is a sure thing, then they’ll let you go. Sound familiar?

It can happen in the workforce. You need a position that pays better. Your boss tells you that he’s working on giving you a promotion but instead he strings you along to keep you there which in turn encourages you to work harder. You do this because you really want that higher paying job but your boss has no intention of giving you a better position or a cent more than what you’re earning right now.

Wake up! You’re being used! Look for another job! Somewhere where you’ll be appreciated and paid your worth.

You’ve just started seeing someone new. They say all the right things and it’s going along nicely (so you think) until you put out. Then the calls stop and the messages cease. Deep down you know they’re seeing someone else. You’ve been played and you end up wondering where you stand.

Wake up! You’ve been used! Cut your losses, tell them to  **** off and look for someone new. Someone who’ll appreciate you for who you are and all the good things you have to offer.

Your friends call you only when they need something or have no one else to hang out with. But when you need them they’re not available or they’re too busy.

Wake up! You’re being used! Get some new friends. Friends who know the meaning of the word ‘friendship’.  Not only when it suits them, but at any time, on any day. Friends who’ll be there for YOU and vice-versa.

It’s amazing how much we’re willing to put up with when we really want something to be a part of our lives. How much we let slide or turn a blind eye to when it’s what we THINK we want. We make excuses for the people who continuously do us wrong and we protect them, and because we do this, they get away with it and continue to use us because they know they can. BECAUSE WE LET THEM!

The day we let go of the things that are no good for us, is the day that we make room for the things that are. We really need to make the changes to improve our lives and rid ourselves of everything that brings us heartache. We need to learn from our mistakes and move on. Do things differently and start living the life we deserve. WE are in charge of our own happiness. WE have the right to make our own decisions. WE have a choice!

 I choose to be happy. How about you?

"If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got." Henry Ford (1863-1947)

Until next time...
Stay happy! xx

M.C.

Why write?

Friends and family often ask me why I bother with writing.

The answer is quite simple really. It’s because I love it. It’s what I like to do in my spare time.

Some like to play games, for instance candy crush, ha-ha, while others like to gamble or go to pubs. There are those who devote every spare minute that they have to the gym. Some read, some drink, some do gardening or build things. There are those who are big on renovations-they will finish one project and immediately begin a new one. Some are into their sports, some cook, others clean and some drift.

Not me-I write.

I write even if no one reads my words. Why? Because I enjoy it. It is my favourite pastime. Just as others have their favourite activities, I have mine. My writing takes me into a world which I create. A place where all my secret fears and desires congregate until I bring them out into the open. The place where I have total control over them. And since I am a bit of a control freak, that suits me perfectly.

There is a little bit of me and a little bit of everyone that I know in everything I write. The teaser for those who do actually read my work, is trying to figure out which parts are based on myself and which parts are based on those around me. My characters may be fictional, but most of them are inspired by my acquaintances-family, friends, work colleagues, and of course, adversaries.

My chosen genre is paranormal romance. The paranormal because I love all things that cannot be explained. My favourite quote here would have to be from ‘City of Angels’ – “Just because you can’t see it, doesn’t mean it isn’t there.” And I choose to merge romance with it because I’m a sucker for a good love story with a happy, or at least... an almost happy ending.

Now that I’ve clarified why it is that I write, one question still remains...

Who am I writing about? And are they playing the part of the antagonist or the part of the protagonist? That is, and always will, remain classified. However, you are more than welcome to speculate. (Wink, wink.)

Until next time..

M.C.