Author Melissa Lemon

Things I Love Thursdays

2012-02-23T05:00:00.000-08:00

Yes, I love chickens. I defend them when people call them stupid (they're actually quite intelligent); I decorate my house with them; I eat them with reverence; and I stop at any chance to admire them. Truly, they are remarkable.

What animal do you love?

Got Great Giveaways

2012-02-22T14:01:00.003-08:00

February's contest is here. Tweet or facebook about my blog sharing the link. That's it. You must be a follower to enter. I'll be giving away 5 signed copies of Cinder and Ella IF we reach 400 followers so be sure to share and follow. Happy leap year.

If you know of another great giveaway link it up at Got Great Giveaways hosted by I am a Reader not a Writer.

The Top Ten Things You Need to Write a Book in 60 Days

2012-02-21T05:00:00.000-08:00

10. A healthy diet including but not limited to Cadbury Mini Eggs, chocolate chip cookie dough, brownies, and crackers.

9. Plenty of sleep. That's right. No writing past ten 'o clock at night or before six AM. Period.

8. Zero distractions. Which means of course you will have to rent your children out for a while.

7. Give up your dazzling social life.

6. Glue. You will at some point have to glue your fingers to your keyboard. Otherwise, you will give up. Trust me. (I don't recommend super glue.)

5. Time outs. This could include ski days, spa days or mind-numbing television. When your brain shuts down, give it a rest. (I recommend a damp, warm cloth to get your fingers off the keyboard.)

4. A maid. Self explanatory.

3. Focus. No, you can't take your characters on diverted paths so forget about it.

2. Did I mention chocolate?

1. And the number one thing you need when you have to write a book in 60 days is...a scheduled visit to your local insane asylum when it's all over.

Okay, I'm exaggerating, but not by much. And I'm half way through the revised edition of my current WIP. Woohoo! Okay, enough of this blogging stuff--back to writing novels.

Writer Wednesday--The GOOD, the BAD, & the UGLY of Reviews

2012-02-15T05:00:00.000-08:00

I still remember where I stood when the heavy emotions from my first bad review hit me. I nearly doubled over and vomited. It took some time and practice, but they don't bother me anymore. If you've chosen a career as an author, inevitably, someone somewhere is going to hate what you write. And that's okay. I read things that I think are pointless or poorly written and so do you. When you get a bad review, you have to know what to do with the GOOD, the BAD, and the UGLY.

Take the GOOD. Soak it up. Savor it. Agree with it. Tell your friends and family about it. Post it on your blog and your facebook page. Smile secretly to yourself in the shower as you think of the kind words people said about your book. Type up a few reviews and hang them on the wall above your computer. Frame them if you'd like. Celebrate the good! People out there love your book!

Learn from the BAD. Ponder over the less than good. Decide whether you agree with it or not. Be honest. You can do it. Learn to implement into your writing the free tips that come from constructive criticism. Be grateful for it. Be humbled by it, because as we all know, a writer with a big head just isn't pretty.

Throw the UGLY out the window. Seriously. Print it out, crinkle it up, rip it up, burn it, bury it, slip it inside a helium-filled balloon and watch it float away. Choose your method of destruction. If someone says something ugly about you or your writing, they are not a good reviewer. Chances are, they're not even a legitimate reviewer. And the chances are even greater that something terrible has happened in their life and they need therapy. Maybe their potty-training dog kept leaving his mark every time they sat down to read your book. It doesn't matter; UGLY is UGLY, no matter where it came from and you don't need it.

Cinder and Ella has been out for a three months now and I no longer have the desire to read reviews. The time and need has passed for me to be interested in what people are saying about my book. Love it or hate it, I wrote it and it's awesome. If you've written a book, you're awesome, no matter what anybody else says, GOOD, BAD, or UGLY.

What helps you get through a bad review?

Monday Musings--A New Do

2012-02-13T05:00:00.000-08:00

A friend of mine once said that a woman doesn't figure out her hairstyle of choice until she's 30. Well, I'm over thirty and I'm here to tell you that I still don't have a set preference. I think I just need to be able to do my hair however I want, whenever I want, which could only mean one thing: I should shave my head bald and acquire a myriad of wigs. Here are some fine choices thanks to Lynne's Wig Boutique.

I love this smart look. When gray hairs start to come in, just embrace them with a classy wig. Of course, the color streak is just plain fun. I think I'd need a pair of intelligent-looking glasses to go with this one.

Something short and sassy is essential.

And every good wig collection needs a few long hair selections for those days where you just need a little extra cover.

I don't know why, but lately I want blue hair. Blue is my favorite color; something about it just calms me. I can't think of a better way to show it than to have a blue wig.

I would never forget the two-tone and the curly head. My life long dream is to have naturally curly hair, but it's straight as a pin. I love these blonde pieces.

Now, all I need is a bit more courage and I'm set. I don't think I could ever shave my hair, but sometimes it's a love-hate relationship.

What kind of wigs would you choose for your collection?

Bad Guys Beware

2012-02-08T13:12:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to put a plug in for a new series on BigWorldNetwork.

Babes in Spyland: The Truth Hurts

by Jo Ann Schneider

In a realm of crime that shouldn't exist, the operatives of the Super Secret Agency fight to keep the world safe from certifiable maniacs.

I can't help wondering, if I was a super secret agent, what would my name be?

Probably Agent Chicken.

What about you?

The World's Strangest Contest

2012-01-13T15:48:00.000-08:00

Do you know somebody named Jasmine who likes churros? No, this isn't my idea of the worst way to open a conversation, I'm really asking. I have a book to give away. It's a copy of Cinder and Ella that is signed to someone named Jasmine. It also says, "I like churros, too."

Here's the story:
I was at my fist signing at the Ogden, UT Costco. A family came by and picked up a book for their daughter named Jasmin. Problem? I spelled it Jasmine in the book. Jasmine with an "e" at the end. So, I did what anybody would do. I got a new book, spelled it right and purchased the mess up myself. Yes, now I realize that was silly; I should have just crossed out the "e" or drawn a tree over it or something. Nonetheless, I have a randomly signed copy of Cinder and Ella and it's time to let go of it.

What to do to enter this contest:
Leave a comment telling me what you would have done in this situation. And whether you know someone named Jasmine who likes churros or not, the book could be yours.

Share and enjoy!

Oh, and this contest will end at midnight on January 20th. (That's Friday if you were wondering.)

Six Weeks to Yehidah Blog Tour

2012-01-09T20:41:00.000-08:00

I am a lucky participant in the blog tour for the book Six Weeks to Yehidah by Melissa Studdard.

Annalise is going on a journey! And she's taking her talking sheep with her. I really don't want to give anything else away as far as plot goes, so I'll be on to my review now.

I have never read a book in my lifetime that was written in my lifetime that I enjoyed so much. When people ask me what I read, I say "Classics," because to me there isn't a lot else worth reading. Six Weeks to Yehidah is now on my "Classics" shelf. Written in beautiful, clear prose, Six Weeks to Yehidah explores the imaginations and ideas of the child mind while delving into the realms of truth and spirituality. I loved every page of this book. From the main character and her inner monkey to Annalise's Garden and Acoustic Island, every single page brings pure, enjoyable imagination, with just the right amount of insight and invitation.

Six Weeks to Yehidah is my kind of book. In fact, I don't think five stars is quite enough, but since that's the most I can give it...

Melissa was kind enough to answer a few questions, so get to know the author a little.

1. Where did you come up with such a delightful idea for a book?

Thank you for the compliment! It developed on two levels. I was in a wonderful critique and writing group in which we took turns assigning prompts each month. One woman asked us to read The Oxford Book of Modern Fairy Tales and write our own short tale. It turned out that I was so compelled by the voice and characters I’d created that I kept writing and writing until I realized I was no longer working on a short story. I was writing a novel. The second is that after reading volumes of non-fiction books about spirituality and benefitting from them immensely, I wanted to share wisdom traditions with younger people—to share with them some of the things I wish I had been introduced to at an earlier age. However, I also knew that kids wouldn’t want to sit down and read the same kinds of books I was reading as an adult, so I decided to do it in a fun, entertaining way, through narrative and humor.

2. What is your writing schedule like?

It’s very cyclical. When I’m working on a book, I get into the routine of writing daily, but, when I’m not, I sometimes take weeks or even months off at a time. I love writing more than almost anything else, but, as we know, life experience enhances writing, so I have to force myself to live too! Haha. When I’m deep into a project, I’m a bit obsessive. Often, my daughter will come in to find me typing away in the dark because I’m so deeply into my writing that I don’t notice the sun going down. When this happens, she just turns on the lamp, shakes her head at me, and commits to cooking dinner that night. She understands because she is a writer too. Likewise, when her writing is flowing well, I do whatever I can to support her and make sure she doesn’t have to stop until she’s ready.

3. Do you have any fun New Year’s Goals you'd like to share?

Out of all the goals I made, I think the most exciting will be keeping a dream journal. So many of my writing ideas come from dreams, and I’ve noticed that when I take time to write them down, my subconscious mind more generously grants me regular and creative dreams. There is something to showing it that I’m listening.

Well, not only do we share the same name, I think we were separated at birth or something. Thank you, Melissa for writing such a wonderful book and for giving us some of your time.

For links to the author's facebook and twitter accounts or to learn more about the book, check out the website: http://sixweekstoyehidah.com/

Click here to purchase the book on Amazon.

Upcoming Blog Stuff

2012-01-05T14:32:00.000-08:00

Hello out there. I just wanted to announce something that I'm way excited about. Next Tuesday, the 10th of January, I'll be participating in a blog tour for a super awesome book that I can't wait to tell you about. I hope you'll join me. Also, join Jean Book Nerd on February 16th for an interview of me, myself, and I, and maybe a few other of my personalities. You never know. Check out her blog for other cool author interviews and stuff. I hope everyone had a great holiday and is making a graceful entry into the new year.

The Power of a Goal

2011-12-29T09:28:00.000-08:00

No, that's not me running, but I wish it was! December and January in Salt Lake can be icky to run in and I am missing it horribly. But, I am about to complete a goal that I set at the beginning of the year to exercise at least three days a week. All year. And guess what? I made it! And I only cheated a couple of times. (One week I counted playing at the park with my kids and another week I counted walking our foster dog.) This week I counted skiing, but I don't think that was cheating because it was four solid hours of muscle work. Exercise is something I love and something that I don't have to force myself to do. But I've struggled with consistency in the past and that was the whole purpose of setting this goal. Here are some things that I think helped me succeed.

I kept it simple. How I wish I could exercise five or six days EVERY week. But life is life and something always gets in the way. Three days was perfect. Possible. Challenging at times, but possible.
I tried for a set routine, but kept it flexible. That "set routine" changed several times throughout the year to accommodate different things like whether kids were in school or at home or vacations and the like. A flexible routine kept me going.
I just kept at it. By October there was no way I was going to give in because I had made it that far. Just keep going! Just do it! Some days I wanted to more than others, but I had set a goal and wanted to reach it so I kept going.
I had a variety of exercises that I enjoy so I never got bored. I love running, hiking, speed walking, Turbo Jam, strength training, snow shoeing, etc., etc., etc. I NEVER got bored!

I'm about to head to my basement for a little Turbo Jam session and then I'm done! I did it! And it's a habit now to get those three days in. It's always an important part of my week and something I focus on and think about when I'm scheduling my weeks. Here's to a happy, healthy new year and to setting one or two achievable goals! Happy New Year!

Coloring by Candlelight

2011-12-15T12:06:00.000-08:00

Two weeks ago my kids were home from school, hanging out, making some Christmas crafts. I let them stay home because the power was out at school and a crazy wind storm made being outside comparable to entering a boxing ring with Mike Tyson. I don't mind power outages as long as they're short-lived, and this one was perfect. It lasted about 15 hours. Electricity is wonderful, but I think we miss out on a few things, like the warm glow of a candle and the stillness that comes when everything is dark. The world has a natural cycle of dark and light. When it's dark, we wait in anticipation for the light. And we store all the light and heat and energy we can to make it through the dark. Electricity sucked the life right out of that symbolism; heat comes on automatically, and if we aren't ready for the dark, we flip a switch to erase it. But we enjoyed the lack of power for one evening, coloring by candlelight.

Christmas Giveaway

2011-12-04T09:26:00.000-08:00

I'm thinking it's time for a Christmas giveaway. I will be giving away two copies of Cinder and Ella to one lucky winner--one for you and one to give away (or two for you or two to give away). Here is what you have to do to enter: Tell at least five people about the book OR call your local library and request it. Leave a comment when you've finished. Contest ends at midnight December 10th.

My Heart Grows Fond

2011-11-30T10:10:00.000-08:00

I've always thought it would be a neat experience to be a foster parent. My husband and I have talked about it several times over the years and the timing never felt quite right. Last Saturday, my family and I took a trip to the local Petsmart to see the dogs. Oh how my children have begged for a dog. (We were even planning on getting a puppy for Christmas.) They asked us if we were there to adopt. "No," we said. "We're just here to pet them." Then the nice dog-handling ladies told us we could always foster one. Well, isn't that a great idea? Take a dog home and see how it works out? What I've learned from this experience:

I like dogs, but I don't want a dog to take care of
I could probably fall in love with any dog, but I still don't want a dog to take care of
My seven year old has extreme anxiety around a dog she thinks may bite her
My children will not be getting a puppy for Christmas

Well, that's pretty much it. Taking Rascal back will be difficult, which means the sooner the better. I'll consider a dog when my kids are older and can take care of it themselves. And I probably won't be fostering any children either because my heart doesn't need the damage of having to say goodbye to something I've grown fond of, especially over and over again.

Magical

2011-11-20T17:56:00.000-08:00

This night was nothing short of magical: fun decorations, amazing people, a great book to celebrate and beautiful snow.

Signing table minus the author.

Banquet table. We went for a medieval castle feel and it turned out lovely. Check out the haunted forest mural in the background. Gotta love Halloween clearance! It worked perfectly.

We started off the night reading the third chapter of Cinder and Ella where Ella decides to leave her family behind.

The beautiful cake my friend made. Thanks, Misty!

I'm so sad I missed all the fun! I signed books upstairs while everyone partied downstairs. My husband made these stilts that I'm sure everyone had a blast with.

It was so fun to see family, friends, neighbors. Thanks to everyone who made an effort to come out, especially given the heavy snow.

Just some more of the cool decorations made by my husband.

Cinder and Ella had a fabulous launch! Special thanks to Susie, my partner in crime, Jo, Sarah and Crystal for keeping things running smoothly, everyone who brought such yummy food to eat. Thanks for such a magical night!

End of an Era

2011-11-16T10:24:00.000-08:00

Nearly seven years ago I began teaching piano lessons because a friend of mine convinced me I could. My husband and I bought a Kingsbury spinet for $700 from an ad on Craigslist and I obtained several students. Cello students came as well and I eventually taught myself guitar so I could teach that, too. I've had dozens of students in two states. I enjoyed it. I'm good at it. Then I wrote a book. For me, that was like seeing your favorite color again for the first time. I fell in love. And continued to teach music lessons. I spent over a year trying to get that first book published. Then in November 2009 I made my first attempt to win NaNoWriMo, working on a story I had been thinking about for several months. I finished the story, but fell thousands of words short of that 50,000 word mark on my first draft. I began the editing process and attempted once again to find an agent or publishing company. And continued to teach music lessons. In February of this year I received that fateful e-mail every aspiring author dreams of. I cried. And continued to teach music lessons. Things got busy, a little too busy. Earlier this month I had a final recital with my current students. Did I cry? Yes. Will I miss my students? Yes. Do I love writing more than teaching music lessons? Yes. And I hope a career in writing works out because I've done that stupid thing every writer knows they're not supposed to do: quit my paying job.

I am so grateful for all of the music students I've had and for how my ability to play these instruments has increased. But also so grateful for the chance to try something new.

What new thing have you tried lately? Or what new thing would you like to try?

NaNo Drama

2011-11-15T09:03:00.000-08:00

Oh, November, why do you have to be so darn busy? Last night I hit 5,000 words. Forget that I'm dealing with major personal life drama and releasing a book. It's pathetic. To tell the truth, though, knowing how busy this month would be with signings and everything else, I made a silent goal: Finish my current WIP by the end of the year. Not November. Maybe this won't be my year to be a NaNoWriMo winner. But worse things have happened. Far worse. Literally.

What things have kept you from your NaNo goals?

Nourish and Strengthen Blog Tour

2011-11-10T04:00:00.000-08:00

My Review:
After reading this book I had to put it down and kind of mull over it for a while. Over a week later I'm still thinking about it. To tell the truth, it took a bit of courage to volunteer for this blog tour because Nourish and Strengthen fits into a category of books that I generally don't like. Somehow this book was different for me. The story is simple, and yet it's not. While Nourish and Strengthen may seem like a book written mostly for Latter-Day Saint women who have diabetes, it's more than that. It subtly speaks truths about relationships, particularly friendships and how those friendships are formed and how they last despite things like big mouths and human frailties. Having friends, especially in an LDS ward setting, is a lot like the family you are born into. You didn't really get a choice, but you make it work somehow. You make mistakes and so do your friends. They forgive and so do you. All of our lives are crazy busy and somehow we have to learn to help each other and lean on each other and, on occasion, stay out of each other's way. This book just gives you a ton to think about. And if that isn't enough, Hoagland's writing is pristine. Take it from a picky reader who likes to know what's going on and likes beauty in the writing of the books she reads and isn't fond of silly mistakes. I give Nourish and Strengthen 4/5 stars. Check out the author and how to purchase the book below.

What do you find difficult about friendships?

Maria's Blog
Smashwords (for all eBook versions)
Createspace (for paperback version)
Amazon (for paperback and kindle)

Give Thanks

2011-11-08T06:48:00.000-08:00

This contest is now over. Congratulations to Inga!

Happy November, my favorite month to give thanks and slaughter turkeys. One lucky winner will win a hardback copy of Cinder and Ella. This contest is international. For all of the other giveaways click here.

What you have to do to enter: Leave a comment, and if you want, tell me why you are grateful for books or share an experience where a book helped you through a difficult time.

Good luck!

The Trailer is Here

2011-11-03T13:56:00.000-07:00

Top Ten Ways to Get a Hold of Cinder and Ella

2011-11-02T05:00:00.000-07:00

Cinder and Ella has arrived in my publisher's warehouse which means it will be available soon. If you've been asking how to get a hold of a copy, here are a few great ways!

10. Order it on Amazon. This is recommended if you live far away from me. It is available in hardback and kindle.
9. Walk, run or drive to my house since I've got a few handy. This is recommended if you'd like a signed copy, but if you live within walking, running or driving distance I hope you'll come to the launch party for your signed copy.
8. For you library buffs: Please, please, please call your local library and tell them you'd really really like to read the book and request that they get a copy of it.
7. Go to your local bookstore and see if they have it. If they don't, request that they order it for you.
6. Come to one of the book signings scheduled in November. There are several. Click on my events page above for all those details. I would so love to see you at one of those signings!
5. Take a trip to Costco in a week or so and it should be there. (This is recommended if you live in Utah, Idaho or Arizona).
4. Come to the Cinder and Ella launch party!
3. Come to the Cinder and Ella launch party!
2. Come to the Cinder and Ella launch party!
1. Come to the Cinder and Ella launch party!

Can you tell which one is my favorite? I really hope you'll join me if you can. If not, there's always Amazon. Oh, and by the way, I always knew the cover design was stunning, but after seeing the real live thing I know it's more than stunning. The designers and writers did an AMAZING job of the cover art and blurbs. Now I want to read it. Again.

What things on a book's cover make you want to read it?