I can’t believe it’s April 2nd (only twelve days away from my thirty-fifth birthday, a day of equal celebration and mourning in our house) and time for Row 80, Round 2.

Some big goals for me this time around. INTO THE DARK releases from MuseItUp Publishing in November, and I’ve got to have “The Book Formerly Known As The Prophet, But Now Needs A New Title, a WIP” ready to query by then – or earlier. Whether you self-publish, go with a small press, or by traditional means, having more than one book out is a big key for a new author to build their readership. That means WIP needs to be done asap.

Round 2 runs from April 2nd – June 21st. 
Goal: Finish the first draft of WIP by then. That’s roughly 85,000 words, depending on how much I’ll need to cut with the new plot adjustments. I’ve got until June 13th, as we’re going on vacation shortly after, so in a five-day work week (weekends are always iffy), I need to average at least 1600 words/day to get it done. Thanks to Catie Rhodes, I’ve got a fifty scene outline, something I’ve never had before. So I WILL get it done. I’m determined. This means you’ll be seeing me at the Row80 Sprints on Twitter!

Additional Goals: I’ve also got some ideas for a series to work on after this, so I’m hoping to find the time to study up on forensic psychology. If you have any good resources, please share.
Continue to blog and market Thriller Thursdays.
Continue to promote fellow authors/bloggers.
Continue to work on marketing plan for INTO THE DARK.
Continue to maintain healthy eating regimen.

What about you? What are your goals for this round?

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Sign up for my newsletter, Twisted Minds and Dark Places.

P.S. Bones returns tonight. Woo-hoo!

Hi, everyone! I wanted to check in and let you know of some very cool things coming up here at Turning The Page.

Author Interviews: I’ve got several great authors lined up for the next couple of months, including Jen Talty, Bob Mayer, Heather Haven, and Pat Dale for a special Thriller Thursday. Romance author Laura Kaye will be interviewed on Monday, so make sure you don’t miss it.

After taking Melissa Foster’s marketing class via World Literary Cafe, I’ve taken her advice and decided to start a newsletter. It will feature Thriller Thursday extras, information regarding my books, writing news, and other fun stuff including contests, book deals, and reviews. You can sign up for Twisted Minds and Dark Places (my new tagline – look for a new design and all new website soon) here.

Finally, here are some must read links for the week:

Can You Self-Publish Your Way To A Big Deal? By Lindsay Buroker

Branding For Writers: An Essential Step To Building Your Author Platform. By Joanna Penn

Zombies and Fear by Catie Rhodes

Blog Tours – The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly via Writers In The Storm.

Writers, Time, and Social Networking by Jill Kemerer

My Love of Steampunk Began as an Accidental Affair by Lena Corazon via Nicole Basaraba’s Uni-ver-city