I really hate.....

I really hate....when my day starts off all wrong....

like by over sleeping....

and then having a bloody nose.....

followed by choking on a vitamin, nearly dying while my dog Chubs watches from the comfort of his dog bed.  And why does he get to lay around all day while I have to to off to work to support his lazy-dog-luvin-butt-smelling-tush?

Ok, whew...got that outta my system.

I sound cranky don't I?  Did I mention that my Vitamin D gel tab ended up coming out my nose and then stuck to the kitchen countertop?  That TMI for before noon on a Thursday?

 I apologize, I'm trying to shake it off.

Last night I didn't get a lick of sleep, well, not real sleep anyway, I spent the whole night tossing and turning and DREAMING...I must be wound pretty tight and don't know it because all night long I dreamed about all the things I have to do this week, except for, they all went wrong.....like I bought a chair on a facebook garage sale site :  (She's a beaut ain't she?)

and I'm supposed to go pick it up in Convoy on Saturday at 1:00 p.m.  Well, I dreamed I realized at like 4:00 p.m. that I forgot to go and missed it! 

I also dreamed that I was Angelina Jolie, and I was a newborn vampire and had amazing powers I didn't know how to use yet...(I recently watched Twilight Breaking Dawn Part II...can't ya tell?) 

followed by....

Dreaming that my radio interview went horribly, because I got up to the microphone and forgot how to speak in English, everything I said came out in Italian and DJ Old Skool thought I was having a stroke and looked at me like I was from another planet.

I hate when that happens, but I will say that whilst I was mortified by my lack of being able to speak English, my Italian was quite beautiful.....I was so fluent, and while on one hand it was a nightmare, on the other hand, it was so awesome, because I've been haphazardly trying to learn Italian for years.

So far I can say: "che è una macchina"

Which means, "that is a car"....exciting huh?!?  Can't wait to get to Italy and point and say "che è una macchina!"

Naturally the Italians will look at me like I'm an escaped mental patient, or a great lover of the obvious, and then I'll say the other Italian phrase that I know:  "la pizza per favore"

Which means "Pizza Please"

I figure if I can point out a car, and grab some real authentic Italian pizza, I'll be just fine over seas.  Right?!  Yeah, I'm sure it'll be ok.

Well, that's enough about me.....hope your day's started out better than mine....have a Happy Thursday everyone.

Buongiorno,

~Signora Heather Lynn~

As many of you know....

I think:  

I really do.  I think there's a right way and a wrong way to treat people.  I think it IS possible to keep it classy when something pisses you off, and I think that sometimes, the madder you are, the less control you have over your behaviors only makes you look like an ass.....all the while, hurting, belittling, and upsetting those around you.

Today, was a perfect example of that....So this morning I wake up at Jerimy's....like I normally do, and E's getting ready for school...I'm stumbling around looking for my keys and realize I don't have them.  At this point, total and utter fear sets in at the thought that I may have locked them in my car!  Which makes you say multiple expletives in your head as you run out the door to check.

"DAMNIT DAMINT DAMINT!" you exclaim when you see your bundle of keys hanging in the ignition, with a locked door between you and your main mode of transportation.

I call Jerimy....he's at work by now and doesn't answer.  I call my mom...."Mom?!  Did my car come with a spare key when we bought it?"  She can't remember, I was thinking it only had one, but she said she'd go home and check....I'd already called the Delphos Police Department to ask them if they got cars unlocked, but they said "no" and gave me the name and #'s of a couple local guys who did.  So I called the first one on the list and he said he couldn't get to me for twenty minutes.  So I told E to see if anyone could pick him up and take him to school...while I got Jerimy's car unlocking tools out of the garage.  I basically read the manual, and was going to go try and attempt to use said tools when the lock guy called me and said he was outside.

So I tell him.."Be right out" and I go out to meet him....when I walk around the corner of the house, I see my mother's jeep, and then I see my mother, UNLOCKING my car....she'd found a spare, and came right over....I had no idea she was coming or that there was a key....I looked at the guy in the truck behind her and made a very apologetic face and mouthed "Sooooorry" to him, but before I could get over there to him, he threw it in reverse, peeled /squealed his tires and was gone!  I called Jerimy to tell him what happened, and while I was on the phone with Jerimy, the guy called me and left me a voicemail.  I told Jerimy when I got off the phone with him, I'd call the guy and apologize.  I didn't listen to the voicemail, i just called him back....he answered and I said "{insert name here}, I'm so sorry, I didn't know my mom had a key and I didn't know she was coming....I didn't even know if my car came with a spare key...." He just said, I don't care, you have really pissed me off....normally I charge people for coming out.....but forget it! and he hung up on me.

So I texted him and asked him to send me an address where I could forward the $20 to, I'd be more than happy to pay him for coming out, after all I had used his time, and it's only fair to compensate him for that....

No reply.

So I got a shower, got dressed, went to the ATM machine, got out $20.00 and I went to the place I thought he worked at.  I wasn't entirely sure.

I walked in the front door, and a man walked around the corner to meet me.  He looked angry...

"are you {insert name here}?" I asked.

"Yes" he said while recognition spread across his face.  He looked at me, he looked at the $20 dollar bill in my fingers and said, leave, I don't want your money!"

"But sir, I'd like to pay you for your time, you came, and I'd like you to take this for your trouble"

"I don't want your money, just leave."

"I didn't know my mother was coming with the key, I didn't even know there WAS a key....I wouldn't of ever intentionally wasted your time, I swear it"

"Well SOMEONE called her!?!?!?"

Yes, I did, but she was simply going to LOOK to see if there WAS a key, I didn't know there would be one!"

He contemplated it a moment....I could see the vision of him physically throwing me out on my ass and/or taking my money flashing across his face....

I spoke up once more, "I really am sorry...I don't want there to be hard feelings here, it was just a mistake.  If I'd of known she found a key, I'd of called you and told you not to come!"

He ended up taking my money, NOT throwing me out in the snow on my ass, but once I was in my car, oohhh boy did the tears start bubbling up.  Damnit!  He made me cry I thought.  I didn't want to, but I was so upset by the fact that just one little mistake could make a total stranger hate me, refuse my money, curse at me....all while I continued to make it right with him.  I was trying to put my best foot forward and it was like being hit in the forehead with a sledge hammer talking to him.

Granted, I will never again step foot into his business, I will never send anyone else to his business, but I wanted to have things square between us.  I called him for a service, I paid him for said service.  Now we're even.

But it sure was a lousy start to the day, to be berated and for what?!  $20?!?!  

Meeting men like the one I met this morning, sure, sure, sure make me appreciate the kind, gentle men you come across in life.  My Grandpa Rollie was a gentle soul.  You know, the more I think about it, even if I'd made that guy mad, he didn't have to treat me like he wanted to murder me, and then bury my body where nobody would ever find it.

So, while it took all that I had to not treat him the way he was treating me...I'm glad I could manage to keep myself from being a person LIKE HIM.  I don't ever want to be "that guy"....

And to the guy who made me cry today, I hope you enjoy the fact that today you made someone's daughter cry, someone's sister, someone's cousin and someone's girlfriend.  I have a really big family....REALLY big, and the ones who've asked me who made me cry....they said they'd never bring their business to you ever again.  In a small town, your name, your reputation is everything....customer service is THE reason people come back time and time again....based on what I saw today, treating people the way I was treated, I feel sorry for the good people you'll continue to lose because you're unable to be kind, when things don't go your way.  Gotta roll with the punches...and in business....you have to be able to handle yourself, because YOU are the face of your company....if the face of your company goes around making people cry....I worry for your company's longevity.

I now know who to NEVER call when I need help.

Chevy Garage is going to get my business from now on.  Those guys out there have been great to me in the past, and I wish I'd of called them this morning instead.

Lesson learned.

Oh and while I'm talking about Local Delphos Businesses, to end this on a very happy note, I want to tell you guys of just a few of MY favorite Delphos Businesses....#1 Fischer Plumbing & Heating....those people are so fantastic, I cannot tell you how wonderful they have been to me....SUPERB customer service.

#2 - Baked to Perfection.....Talk about a enjoyable experience each and every time I go there!  <3 them!

#3 - Schrader Realty - Krista and her team are by far one of the most helpful, protective of their people, hard working group of agents to ever walk into a realty company.  They really are amazing at what they do, and they really CARE about the people they do business with.

Just to name a few...

There are businesses in town that make the "America's Friendliest City" sign that is posted on our town's borders no lie.

~Heather Lynn~

A good story is a treasure....a good movie, pure entertainment for the senses

Growing up, I think I was just spoiled, we had such good movies.....I mean, we had E.T., Sixteen Candles, the Breakfast Club, we had Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan Movies, we had Sleeping with the Enemy, we had Adventures in Babysitting...Fight Club, Forest Gump, Anything with Robert Redford in it, Karate Kid, Point Break, Dumb and Dumber, Super Troopers, Bridges of Madison County, Pretty Woman....we had so many quality movies, it was awesome!

This weekend, while trying DESPERATELY to stave off the horrible case of S.A.D. (Seasonal Affective Disorder) I'm apparently suffering from, also known as Cabin Fever, I rented three dvd's from Family Video, hoping to get comfy on my big red couch, while wearing my flip flops and shorts and tank top (because I'm trying to remember what summer feels like) and enjoy some time at my house.

See I spend an enormous amount of time at my boyfriend, Jerimy's, so sometimes, a weekend at my own home, is almost like staying in a hotel....minus the bedbugs and the possibility of picking up athlete's foot from the guy who showered in your hotel shower before you.

So the movies I got were these:

1.  Argo

2.  The Five Year Engagement

3.  Abraham Lincoln the Vampire Hunter

So here's what I knew going in.

#1 - I heard Argo was very very good from a Co-worker.  Plus there were all those awards it was up for, so seemingly it was a hit.

#2 - The five year engagement looked funny in the previews...and I generally like Jason Segel.

#3 - I love Abraham Lincoln, he's my favorite president and he's an amazing poet, and I just think there's so much to him, that any chance I get to learn more about him, to dig a little deeper into his era/life, I'm generally more than willing to do so.  Admittedly, going in I figured the whole Vampire thing would be fairly unrealistic, but I was open minded.

Now, after having watched all three movies, I can say this:  "meh."

Is it just me, or do movies just "lack something" in today's day and age?  It's like you watch the whole thing, and you say to yourself, "alrightee....well there you have it."

It's not that they are terrible, it's just that they are just "missing something"....that thing, that MAKES you love them, that thing that makes them "classic" and something people want their kids to watch someday....like the Goonies, and the original star wars movies....and E.T.....you think they are going to make a Disney Ride out of Abraham Lincoln the Vampire Hunter?  Nope.  I'm guessing not.

As a writer, I do so enjoy a good story, characters that you love so much that they feel like your friends...and you talk about them like they are real life people....but movies today they just don't have the "heart" anymore....a good story will last the test of time, great characters resonate in our hearts for a lifetime....I'll NEVER forget the first book I read and LOVED, I'll never forget Richie Valens (Lou Diamond Phillips) from Labamba....I mean, I can close my eyes RIGHT NOW, and see the scene of Richie and his brother, running up that hill, with the song "Sleepwalkers" playing it's sad sad melody, both smiling...a scene of happier times....upon the news of Richie's death....THAT my friends is a testament to a movie worth watching, it becomes a part of your mind...you absorb it into your being...and you take it with you for all time.

I would like to FORGET "The five year engagement" as quickly as possible and never think of it again.

Argo was good, historically a smart film.  Great actors and great performances, but like any "historical" movie, sometimes it felt more like a documentary, or "re-enactment" than a blockbuster movie...if you know what I mean.

And as for "Honest Abe...the Vampire hunter"...ummm....it seemed like two DIFFERENT movies to me.  The beginning was very vampire-ey folklore-ey...while the ending then became the history channel's depiction of Abraham's presidency, and then the very end went back to the first feeling....not a horrible movie...but I'll forget it before the week's out....and likely never think of it again.

I would say the best two "romantic comedies" of the last 5 years have been....(for me)...

"It's Complicated" and "The Proposal"....

Those two had me laughing so hard I couldn't speak and had tears coming out of my eyes, and I'm STILL quoting them regularly to this day....and THAT my friends is a damn fine movie.....

Also I still quote "Old School".....it was dumb, but worthy of my adoration.

As I writer, I try so very hard to write things WORTH reading....I want to, and work really hard to give you characters you can love, characters you can hate, and characters you're not sure if you should love OR hate them....but it's not an easy task always, if HOLLYWOOD can't make you fall in love....can't make you lose yourself in a movie (and they are freaking professionals!), so you know how hard one must work, when you have only your spare time and a laptop.....to "capture" a reader, "give" them something to love, "take" them to another place and time...and "MAKE" them fall in love.

I LOVE trying....I LOVE that all of you (my readers) have taken a chance on me...have given me your time, your imaginations, and have trusted me with them.  I am ever so honored.

All my love and gratitude,

~Heather Lynn~

The Big 3-5.

Me and my birthdays have always gotten along....I'm a big fan of them.  In our family growing up, aside from that one year that my parents forgot my birthday, they were always a big to-do in the Osting house.  We always made a cake, there were always presents and well, it was just an "event" that we could all enjoy.

I loved getting to a new age, I loved blowing out the candles and making a wish, I never once in my life was "hesitant" about a birthday until this year.

Even turning 30, I was so excited....quite frankly, to have survived my 20's was such an accomplishment, I thought, YES!  Finally I'm moving to a new bracket...but now, as my thirty-fifth birthday is staring me in the face...only a mere three days away now...I'm all feeling conflicted and icky and nervous and reluctant to accept the fact that I'm about to turn 35.

How is it that being 34 is awesome and 35 is torture is beyond me, but the fact remains that for the first time in my life, I'm not looking forward to my birthday.  Now, I'm not a mope, I'm not a whoa-is-me kinda girl, but I'm also NOT a lie-about-my-age kind of girl either, so naturally I WILL HAVE to look 35 in the eye and just grit my teeth and take it on the chin, but I don't have to "like" it do I?

A lot of you may not know this, but just as I was about to turn thirty, I was informed that I might not live to see another birthday.  What started out as a scratch on my eyelid from a eyeshadow brush turned into a staph infection so terrible and out of control due to receiving the wrong treatments from my then family Dr., that I wound up in the infectious disease ward of St. Rita's medical center with people in yellow HAZMAT suits attending to me while I was quarantined from the outside world.

But that wasn't the worst of it, the worst of it is when my Dr. first checked me and said, and I quote..."Well Ms. Osting, I'm not sure if you're going to make it", and I was like "Whoa, what!?!?"  I mean, I know thirty's not a young age, but it's way too soon to die!

Dr. then says, "If you pull through this, and we can get the infection under control, there is the possibility that due to the intense swelling, you may loose your eye, or eyesight, also you are at high risk for meningitis, so we're watching for that as well.

This was me in the emergency room as they checked me in:  I hope I don't frighten you too much!

So why are you so scared of THIRTY-FIVE you're thinking....and you're right, I SHOULDN'T.  I LIVED to see my 30th, and damnit, I'm going to probably LIVE to see my 40th....I just have to swallow 35 first.

They say that, or maybe it's me who says this....but anyway, they say that everything tastes better with cheese on it, so I'm going to put some cheese on 35, and I'm going to swallow it whole.  And then I'm going to smile for the damn camera....because my mother is basically the paparazzi at birthday parties, and I'm going to say cheeeeeeese!

At my age, there's no going back, there's no room for fear....and on a happy note, someone at the nursing home the other day told me that I didn't look anywhere near 35 years old.  Which makes me happy, but I also think that compared to people in the nursing home, I probably DO look young....*laughs*

To remind myself to be thankful this year, regardless of my age, I want to add to this post, my valentines day post from 2008, which I wrote from St. Rita's.....all alone in the pre-dawn hours.

----------------------------------------------------------------

VALENTINES DAYS AND HOSPITAL STAYS:  (February 14, 2008)

(written while at St. Rita's)

It's 7:10 am on a snowy Feb. morning. As the world awakes and begins their busy day, I lay here in a hospital bed on the 8th floor of St. Rita's Medical Center.

What started out as a simple scratch on my eyelid has now turned into a very costly medical emergency.

Everyone here is really nice. I'm surrounded by flowers and balloons from my family and friends, but it's still a hospital. no amount of pretty plants or floating messages can make you forget the tubes hooked to your body or the ever changing nursing staff that constantly are coming around to check your vitals and hang a new bag of antibiotics.

I've tried to sleep as much as possible. I figured I could sleep these days away, but the body can only sleep so much and my body is on sleeping strike.....no more sleeping it SCREAMS!

Last year on Valentines Day I was set to get divorced. Valentines Day 2008 and here I lay in a hospital. I really hope this isn't the start of a pattern. I won't EVEN ask..."What's next"...or I won't live to write to you next year I fear! Ya know, it's hard enough being SINGLE on Valentines Day, but being single, sick, swollen/ugly and in a hospital on Valentines day, c'mon now....that's just too much!

Rachel told me last year that while we both had a rather tumultuous 2007, 2008 would be OUR year! So far, lil Ms. Fortune teller Rachel has been a little off her mark with that prediction! *smiles* Hey maybe she's just a year off, and 2009 is more our style.

Anyway, my eye hurts, it's beginning to get light outside.....it's the international day of love.....and it's going to be a long road to recovery when you measure it drip, by drip, by drip of the IV.

Happy Valentines Day!

Luv,

~hl~

The View from my hospital window

The world doesn't stop moving at the speed of light just because you're laid up...it just keeps right on going.....

Tales from a Book Signing

This is the sign that was there to greet me upon entering Baked to Perfection Saturday morning for my "book signing and breakfast" event that they hosted.  Made my heart go a'flutter.

My editor and partner in crime Rachel was there along with Mike, my IT guy/business adviser whom also makes my world a much nicer place....Jerimy, my wonderful and indispensable boyfriend, my mom, my aunt's, my cousins...we all showed up an hour early to partake in a pre-book signing breakfast.  I ordered my favorite egg and sausage sandwich on wheat bread texas toast with colby-jack cheese, and a large glass of milk, with a glass of ice to pour it in...I know, weird, but I like my milk super cold....it's divine, it really is.

Breakfast had a feel of excitement and electricity...as we all had no idea what to expect, this being our first REAL book related event, but we were optimistic.  Or should I say, I was optimistic, Mike was confident, and Rachel was supportive!  God bless em!

I could barely eat my sandwich....Rach smiled reassuringly reminding me that everything was going to be fine....and by the time I moved over to the table we'd had reserved for us, I was almost believing her...everything WOULD be just fiiiiiiine.

UNTIL....I saw him!

"Him" being the reporter from WLIO Lima.

I gave Rachel an accusing look and said "Who called the Press!?!??!"

I'm quite certain all the color went out of my face, my stomach began to boil with nausea and all my muscles went stiff... simultaneously, which I have to tell you is NOT an awesome feeling to have on such a glorious Saturday morning.

Rachel looked fairly innocent as she said 'Hey, don't look at me, I didn't!"

I looked at Mike, my mom....Jerimy...they too looked totally as surprised as I was.

He introduced himself and started to set up his camera's tripod....

I swallowed back buckets of fear and partially digested egg sandwich.

He told me how he thought this would make for an interesting new story and had come on his own fruition to do the story, that nobody had called him, and I felt honored and yet equally woozy.

By this time, people had begun to trickle in....two of my beloved teachers from High School...

Mrs. Baker and Ms. Yoder were seated a few tables away from where the reporter sat up to tape the interview, and they too had wide eyes and smiles....it seemed like everyone was in as high of spirits as I was...you know, minus the vomit in my throat... *smiles*

Here's the interview:

Hometownstations.com-WLIO- Lima, OH News Weather Sports

------------------------------------

The highlights of the day....

I finally got a hug from Mr. Dillworth, a local hero of mine...

If you read the last blog, you would understand why this particular hug was ever so gratifying! 

*laughs and blushes*

I'm still a dummy over that whole deal!

But HIM...he's awesome...if you haven't hugged a cop today, I highly recommend it!

Betty Dillworth...thanks for sharing yours for hugging purposes with me! I am honored!

{and 'no' my hair and eyes aren't usually so black! :)  But those smiles...they were genuine!}

I had one reader come up to the table and say "Ok, which one of you is my new favorite author?"  Talk about a compliment....I nearly fell out of my chair...especially when she, and her fellow reader pals started talking about MY book's characters by name, "Knox is my new Christian Grey"....I mean, can you imagine better compliments?  I was absolutely joyous to hear people talk about my book's characters like they knew them personally....completely awesome it was.

It was just so so so very wonderful to have met the people who came up to get a book or to get their book signed, and so many of my friends (who knew I'd be nervous) showed up to show their support and to be a friendly face in the crowd I would need to see....

Jerimy sat patiently and probably bored stiff the ENTIRE signing like a champ along side of my mother who was happy to interject here in there with factoids readers would be interested to know...

I really could not of asked for a better day, a better turn out, better readers or a better community to have had my first book signing in!

Rachel and Mike and I left that day with such a wonderful high from all the positivity...I dare say it bordered on giddiness!

Thank you everyone who came

Thank you WILO guy for making my pale skin ever paler, momentarily. *winks*

And thanks Stacy and Alex and everyone at Baked to Perfection for hosting us ever so graciously!

I never 'really' felt like an "Author"....

but now, because of all of you....

I feel it!

THANK YOU!

Truly Yours,

~Heather Lynn Osting~

Special thank you's also to:

Rachel Graham

Mike Graham

Deborah Grothouse

Diane Boratko

Susan Spears

Rebekah Boratko

Stacy & Sami Klint

Stephanie Stemen

Kathy Newland

Patti Calvert

Beth Huffman

Sheri Miller

Mrs. Betty Dillworth & Officer Gary Dillworth

Linda Baker

Arnita Yoder

Kim Hodgson
Amy Wannemacher
Donna Klinger

Ashley Wannemacher

Mary Meyer

Michelle Bayman

Amber Kruse

and

Jen Vonderwell

An old Facebook post but worth a re-share!

{Borrowed from Google Images}

This one's for you Betty Dillworth!!

Wanna Laugh at my expense? Every day should start off with a smile, so hopefully this gives you one: (Read Below)

So the other day, I had to testify in court, I go to the courthouse, I put my metal objects, keys, cell phone, etc. into the tray and as I'm about to go through the metal detector, I see the head security guy, Mr. Dillworth, he's from Delphos, super nice guy, so I smile at him, he smiles at me and gives me a wave as he asks how I’m doing....the younger guy manning the machine says "go ahead ma'am go on through", so I do...

and the dang thing beeps at me...I look at the guy, he says "it's ok, go ahead" he gives me an approving head nod and I begin to collect my things, shoving them into my pockets and whatnot...when here comes Mr. Dillworth, he's smiling and looks like he wants to chit chat for a moment. I'd desperately late for my hearing, so I'm a wee bit frazzled...but I'm anything but rude, so I smile at him and as he approaches, he puts his arms out like he wants to hug!

I'm like, wow! I always felt we had friendly encounters when we would see each other, but this, this was really stepping it up! So we're hugging now I guess! I thought to myself, so I did what anyone would do, I threw my arms up and moved in to throw them around him, when TO MY COMPLETE surprise, he pulls out his metal detector wand and I realize what's happening, he didn't want to HUG me, he wanted to WAND ME!!! OMG!!! I was so embarrassed, I nearly hugged the man like "c'mere you ole lug you"...(like you would a golden retriever or something where you pull their head to your chest and stroke their fur/hair! I mean, wtf is wrong with me!??!?!

Why would I think the head of security at the courthouse would want to HUG ME!?!??! Thank GOD my hugging of strangers follow-through is sluggish, because if I'd of threw my arms around him, he would of likely threw me to the ground, cuffed me and hauled me to some back room for further inspection....and I'd of missed court entirely! *shakes head at myself*....what was I thinking!?!?!? Needless to say, I was SOOOOOOO embarrassed!

So moral of the story, security guards, don't want to hug you. Just a little tip from me to you! Happy Friday Everyone!

~Heather Lynn~

I have no idea what I'm doing....

Nobody ever tells you that being your own publisher is like so not glamorous!  Yesterday, truth be told, I finally confessed that all this "book stuff" has really got me stressed out.  There were tears and don't tell anyone, but I can't deny there might have been some sobbing, blubbering and nose blowing to the point of having a raw nose! Yeah, not my finest moment.

"Dead in a Ditch" has become like it's own entity and I want so badly for it to get to where it needs to go, but I'm just not a promotions person, I'm not a salesman, I'm not an agent....and there's a reason big publishing houses don't take a chance on most authors, and that's because it is such a gamble and it's extremely time consuming and difficult.  You don't know a book's going to do great until it does!  And the only one's who can MAKE it great are the people who buy it and read it and say "HEY THAT WAS GREAT!"  Which to my absolute delight, so far everyone who's read the book and reported back to me has said just that!  So according to my readers, I think I can safely say that the book is good.  I don't go saying that by the way, I've never been so bold as to publicly announce in my own opinion that I think my books is good.  It just never seemed OK to me to put my two cents in about it.  I've only ever conveyed what others have said about 'DIAD' in hopes others might want to read it to see if they agreed.  And don't get me wrong, I'm not saying I think my book isn't good, I've just always believed that the only person who has a right to judge a book, is the person who reads it.  Everyone's a critic once they open the cover and begin to read....

Book sales have been better than I'd expected and I'm so so so grateful for all of you who's purchased the book!  But what now?

And that m'friends has my stomach in knots.  I want to do my very best to ensure the success of 'DIAD', but as a average ole person, I haven't got Hollywood connections, fancy literary agents and publishing moguls to reach out to.  All I have is determination, a little spare time after work, and you guys.  If it weren't for my friends, neighbors, family and community, I'd be nowhere.

Today 'DIAD' has been featured on Goodkindles and Addicted to Ebooks .com and I'm super excited that perhaps some new readers will see it and find it worthwhile to purchase.  *crosses fingers*

I've often thought of this whole book thing like a lottery ticket.  You can't win if you don't play...and this whole publishing thing was a fun little dream-like venture me and Rachel set out to try, but I've found out, this dream is now a reality, and the reality of the publishing world is that you have to work your EVER-LUVIN-@SS off in order to make a go of your dreams.  Otherwise, you let your own dreams down...for lack of dedication to them.

You think you just write a book and viola, there's your lottery ticket.  But it isn't the case, your writing the book is frankly just a starting point in the process.  The real ticket, is not the $1 you invest to get the ticket, it's the hours and hours and blood sweat and tears you shed to make your book as successful as earthly possible.  Hard work and relentless dedication is the ticket.

Rachel (my editor) said to me last night....this venture is basically like starting your own business.  And you have to put in a whole whole lot up front, if you ever want to see the rewards down the road.  And I don't know WHY it never occurred to me that this book business would actually BE a business, but it is.  I'm opening bank accounts to keep things separate  I'm making spreadsheets and tracking numbers and ordering books and planning book functions!  So many people have said to me "OH, Isn't this Exciting!?!??!"  And mostly, all I can think is, "If exciting is like standing on the edge of a cliff....and contemplating jumping on the off chance that MAYBE you can fly and just don't know it...yet"...then yes, I suppose this is very exciting and probably the most terrifying thing I've ever done! *laughs*

{this could NOT be any more spot on...I never feel like it's SAFE to call myself a writer...or say my book is amazing....for what if I'm wrong?}

In the last couple weeks, I've had to become an accountant, a financial analyst, a small business owner, a number cruncher, a sales tax calculator, a promotions director and an Author who's got a book in the hands of at least 200 people!  I have never been so wide eyed, slack jawed or head a'swirl in all of my life.

So to those of you who know me, if you see me, hug me!  A LOT!  I need it even if my face doesn't show it. If you are an accountant, financial analyst, small business owner, number crunching, sales tax calculating promotions director....and you have some advice for me so I don't drown in the sea of all my new job titles, I'm all ears!  I'd LOVE to have and absorb any and all advice you might have for me!

This would all be so much easier if my Rolodex had George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts, Robert Redford, Steven Spielberg, Jerry Bruckheimer and company in it....but you know, nothing makes a story of success MORE successful than to know that you started with NOTHING....no advantages, and you make something out of it.

I believe that good things are possible...and if you believe in that too....say a quiet prayer for me to keep my head above water....and find a way to really make something, of nothing.

~HeatherLynn~

I started writing a new book this week, I've written 8 pages.  I'm happy to have it started, but a bit distracted and feel like I'm not giving it the attention and "heart" it deserves....

Every notice that some days, words don't express a sentiment quite like music does?

I started my day off today with some super strange dreams....then on my way to work, I sang...and I don't mean a little, I sang a lot!  Loud!  and with gusto!  I sang this..

...this little tune just makes my heart happy...you know...that kind of song that just gets in your blood and is like fizzy happy bubbles coursing all through your veins?!  This song does that for me.  Also it kind of reminds me of "The Notebook"...when the chorus belts out "you're my sweetheart" I could just hear "Noah" telling "Alley" she was his sweetheart.

I love how a great novel/movie, makes characters real.  Like Alley and Noah are real people, and I know them.  Their voices are familiar to me, their story a wee little bit part of my own because of how well I know it and have connected with it.

I love Nicholas Sparks for writing it.

Did you know that the very first novel I ever read by Nicholas Sparks was "Message in a Bottle"?!  Yep, I bought it, I read it and then upon completing the last page, in a rage, I threw the book across the room and into the trashcan.  I don't believe I've ever been so mad at an author in my entire life. 

*laughs to self*

(No hard feelings Nicholas Sparks, but you broke my heart that day!)

I mean, what's the point of a great love story if one of the beloved's dies and leaves the other broken hearted?  

What was the point?  

Is pain the point?

I guess for me, Nicholas Sparks points out the cold hard truth that nobody gets "forever" with their loved ones.  One day, we all die.  Some people get 50 years together, while others only get 5....while others are taken away before it even gets a chance to get started.

Just something to think about....

Squeeze your loved one a little tighter today, bet they'll love ya for it!

Enjoy the video I've posted here...I hope it makes your soul sing the way it does mine.

Happy Friday.

~HeatherLynn~

It's a dark and dreary day in Northwest Ohio today....it's pouring down rain, then going to turn to snow, and it's going to be windy, and possibly tonight, between the wind and the snow have "white-out" conditions....

Welcome to Ohio in December.  40 Degrees today, White-out tomorrow.  My sister in Wisconsin said they were calling for 16 inches and BLIZZARD conditions where she lives, all of this and the apocalypse on Friday apparently....but enough about the weather.... *smiles*

Lets kick things off with a Television recommendation:

I've found a fantastic new television show that I am loving, and am quite addicted to and that's 

Downton Abby on PBS!  

I just love how addictive this show is!

It is set in 1912, England.

The mansion depicted in the picture is Downton Abbey.

The people in the picture are the family that live there, and the caretakers of the family and the estate.

One thing I love about watching this show is that immediately following or while watching the show, I cannot help but to talk in an English Accent and my text messages are oh so proper sounding!  I love it! *laughs*  Now not everyone loves English time pieces quite like I do, but I truly believe the show has a lot to offer any type of television enthusiast.

This concludes my television recommendation.

Lets see now, I've covered the weather...

Current Events....

Now what?

Love life?

Hmmm...what can I tell you about that?

Well the good news is, I STILL think my boyfriend of 3 years, Jerimy is the greatest thing since sliced bread....and it's not because I think he's perfect, or because I've put him on a pedestal so high that if he were to fall off of it, he'd die from the impact of the height of the fall.

No..no....I think he's the greatest thing since sliced bread because he's my person, ya know?  He's the guy that no matter what comes between us, eventually....he's always willing to reach across it and pull us back together....or willing to allow me to reach across and pull him back to me.

These sorts of statements used to be really scary to me to profess to anyone, much less an audience of whomever might me reading here.  It would scare me to death to be sitting here saying how wonderful he is, and then BAM, the next day he dumps me, or I'm swooning and he's thinking of ways to get away from me? I unfortunately have had the experience of loving someone who just never loved me back....WORST FEELING IN THE WORLD IT IS!

Nobody likes to look like a complete idiot, and nothing makes you feel like a complete idiot MORE than being head over heels with someone who doesn't know you're alive! OR someone, who doesn't or is incapable of treating you with love and respect.

To profess your love for someone is a sentiment you cannot retract once it's out there.

However, one thing I learned over the past three years of being with Jerimy, is that...I have to trust and believe in him, in us, and in love that everything's gonna be OK even when the FEAR of it grabs ya by the throat and starts squeezing the life out of you.  Does fear ever do that to any of you?  Just get you by the throat and make you act a little nuts every once in awhile?  

I'd like to think I'm not alone in this phenomenon.  Am I?

As a divorce' and a child of divorce, and in world where all my favorite couples are getting divorced all around me...it's easy to be a scared-ey cat when it comes to love, and commitment, etc.

And God knows I used to be!!  

When I got divorced, wow was I sketchy! *laughs to self*

THE LAST thing I wanted was to FALL IN LOVE....

What a scary notion.

I was just never going to do that again.

I was no masochist, no way was I going to give my heart away and have it ground up in a meat grinder again!

And then years later....years of not allowing myself to be committed to ANYTHING or ANYONE....

My little old, now deceased dodge neon needed a timing belt.

Easily an $800 job, and I was a single broke girl living pay check to paycheck like most single broke girls.

So my friend Jim says to me one day...."hey, I bet my friend Beef might be able to do it for you cheaper!"

and I said "Beef?  Like the Beef I went to school with?  My classmate?"

"Yeah, that's him....I'll ask him"

One timing belt later, and oh, like 400 text messages later, yeah, I was feeling that twinge of un-explainable joy every time I got a text from him.

I'd not seen the guy in years, and when I finally went to pick my vehicle up, and I saw him for that first time after so many years had passed, yep, I was done.  Right then.  Put a fork in me, it was over for me then and there.  As crazy as that sounds!

It didn't happen over night for him though however, it took MONTHS, nearly A YEAR to finally start DATING the stubborn mule of a man, but eventually, I think I grew on him, and we've been together ever since.  THANK GOD!

We have our share of discord with each other, we've had our ups and downs, but what makes this relationship different than any other I've ever been in....I always love him MORE than whatever bothers us.

And I always ask myself in every situation, "if you did this to him, how would you want him to react to you?" That seems to really help keep me on a good track.

Plus it helps that he has THE MOST AWESOME smile in the whole world, so I do my best EVERY day to keep that smile on his face....and surprisingly, that NEVER gets exhausting to me.  Challenging sometimes, but never exhausting.

If we would break up tomorrow, I'd never regret a single moment we had together, and that's not fluff, that's the God's honest truth.

So there you have it, the weather, an apocalypse, love....what's left?

Oh, BOOKS...OMG, I nearly forgot, ya'll don't care about my love life, the weather or that we all might die tomorrow....I'm supposed to be writing about "book stuff" here....

Um, lets see..book stuff.....book stuff....

*rubs temples thinking*

Um, I don't know if you've heard,

but I wrote a book.

Yeah, no joke!

It's getting good reviews on Amazon

and

it's cold outside, good time to read probably...

So yeah, maybe uhhh....buy one today?

To Amazon we go! {just click here}

That's all I got.

I'm so not a salesman!

<3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

~HeatherLynn~

Being an Author

BEING AN AUTHOR.....is a scary thing.  It truly is your heart and soul and sweat and tears on paper for all the world to see...and to put it out there knowing that you're opening yourself up to unknown response, well, to say the least it's frightening.

I've had people stopping by the house all this week to pick up their book orders and they all want to know "so how does it feel to be a published Author"....and somehow I feel that telling them I'm scared shitless is likely not the answer they're looking for.

Granted "Scared shitless" isn't the only feeling of course, you go through a ton of different emotions, excitement, joy, RELIEF every time someone you know is reading it tells you that they enjoyed it instead of hated it, giddiness, you have HOPE that the little novel will find itself in hands of unknown parties who also enjoy it and then pass it on to someone they know and love.  But to know that so many people have MY story in their hands and heads, well it's humbling to say the least.

My main goal, when asked by my Chief Editor what my goal for publishing the book would be, I said, I'd like to sell one book that wasn't to my mother.  She laughed.  I revised and said "ok, ok, I want to sell enough books to buy a Jack's Pizza"....again she laughed and said "seriously, what do you hope to get out of this?  Big picture?"

And honestly  I had no idea how any of this would go, so me being me, I said "seriously, I want to sell ONE book, that's not to my mother!"  And folks, I've done that.  From here on out, if I don't sell another book, I can say that I met my goal.  I accomplished what I set out to do.

Now you might say, but wait, that's not exactly a very hefty goal....ah, but yes, I assure you it is....let me explain, in order to sell ONE book to someone that wasn't my mother, I had to first write a novel, and then re-write it in some parts.  And then fix anything wrong with it story wise...check for congruentcy, edit it at least five times myself, before passing it along to my chief editor Rachel, who then edited it at least 279 times before passing it to my second Editor Deb, who then meticulously went over each and every word 421 times.  I had to come up with a concept for the cover photo, drive around on my motorcycle for miles looking for "ditchy" type locations, find the perfect location, obtain a model, have a photo cover shoot, find a make-up artist to rough her up, drive 17 miles to Bloody Bridge, throw my model on a bunch of rocks on the canal bank and then get "THE PERFECT SHOT", followed by at least 8 hours of photo editing.  Then Theresa my graphic artist spent her precious time editing my edited pictures to make them into cover quality finished products and formatted into a print ready cover!

There were approximately 3,000 emails that got exchanged, 100 hours of phone calls and meetings, 400 cups of coffee consumed, 23 hours of sleep lost, 15 panic attacks, 46 forehead bangs on desktops and walls, Rach must of lost her voice 5 times in the course of all of this, Deb lost five pounds from the stress....Mike (my IT/publishing guy) likely cursed my name and 'diad''s name 29 times over the course of 3 hours and my poor dog "Chubs" probably had 2 accidents in the house because I was so enthralled with "book stuff" that I forgot to let him out in time!  And I might as well not lie, I might of missed a couple hair shampoos in there as well!

All of that, to sell one copy.....or enough to buy one pizza. *laughs*  yeah, I wasn't expecting much when it came to sales, but if I made one sale...just one sale...I would feel like a success.

Mike, Rachel, Deborah, Theresa, Sami,...the other Rachel....we all have something to be proud of, because we did better than sell one copy...in under two weeks, we've sold close to 200 books!  Now maybe those kind of numbers will NEVER make the New York Times Best Sellers list turn and look in my direction, but who the heck cares, we have sold nearly 200 books in a week and a half!  that's not just awesome, it's miraculous!  MIRACULOUS I tell you!

The holidays are a magical time, full of love and laughter, warm houses, cold noses and the spirit of giving is everywhere...and I cannot tell you all how thankful I am for each and every one of you who purchased the book, and made not just mine, but Rachel's and Mike's and Deborah's and Theresa's and Sami's and the other Rachel's hard work....SO VERY WORTH the effort!

With warmest wishes

and the holiday spirit,

I thank you.

~HeatherLynn~

Day #2

It's 6:51 a.m. ... I cannot sleep.  Excitement and nervous happy energy is coursing through my veins.  Yesterday 23 people bought the e-book....enough to get me on the New York Times best seller list...no, who cares about best sellers lists when 23 new people are reading my heart and soul on paper!  That's just, so...., so.....well it's the kind of thing that makes a writer unable to sleep in like she wanted to, up at six in the morning, typing feverishly away to you all because if she doesn't, pacing my begin to occur.

For those of you who've left me a nice comment, or have bought or ordered a copy of the book, I want you to know that you have single handed-ly given me something to be so happy, so ecstatic about that I may not stop smiling until 2020!  I so sincerely hope you know that I take each and every one of your comments, emails, texts, whatever the form, and I cherish the kind words and encouragement you've given me.

It will be these warm words and encouragement that I will need to re-read when I get my first bad review....everyone gets bad reviews, and I must prepare myself for the first "I HATED THIS BOOK, THIS WRITER SHOULD NEVER WRITE ANYTHING AGAIN" comment that I'm bracing to receive.

In the meantime though, I'll share with you the review/text message I received on my phone this morning:

"I'm finished and the only question i have is when does book #2 come out???  I honestly don't think I've ever read an entire book in one day...def. not with two kids running around!  But I could not put it down!  Best book I've ever read and I'm not just saying that because you wrote it.  Great Job!  Love you!!!"

So yeah, after reading that, i was so giddy, there was no way I was going back to sleep when Jerimy left for work, leaving me laying in his bed, unable to control my enthusiasm.  So here I sit, writing to you, contemplating coffee.....checking email to find I have a new twitter follower and feeling sorry for him because I'm not a savvy twitter-er....I checked my amazon account and see that I sold two additional books last night!  Couldn't be happier to see that.  And in a few hours, I'm meeting nearly the entire female population of my family on my mom's side at Baked to Perfection for breakfast, where to celebrate the wondrous week I've had I'm going to order a thick wheat toast egg, colby cheese and sausage sandwich, and a tall glass of milk on the rocks!  And who knows, due to it being a celebration, I may get wild and get me a chai tea latte too!  Why the hell not!!?!? :)

Yesterday, I put the order in for all the paperback books you guys requested, and they are saying that they should arrive here to me, by December 20th!  I close my eyes and think about what it's going to be like to open that box, and see 85 of my little baby diad's bundled up in there...I'm not going to lie, I will probably cry..and then tell everyone or anyone who might witness this that my allergies are really acting up again!  That one always is a go-to excuse of choice when I get weepy around people at my job.

Last night my old classmate and friend Eric sent me a facebook message and said congrats on the book and that he hoped I was out celebrating the occasion...I said "Does sitting on the couch watching Jerimy do the dishes while also watching a dvr'ed old CMT Top Twenty Countdown count as celebrating?"

I'm kind of holding off on "celebrating" until the books arrive and I can hold one in my hand...ya know?  Like hold it, smell it, touch it, feel the paper between my fingers....perhaps THEN this will seem real to me.  As of right now, it still seems like "is this really happening?  Is my book really on Amazon?"  If someone pinched me, and POOF, I woke up to realize that this was all just a dream, it wouldn't surprise me.  Not that I'm a pessimist by any means, but seriously, how often do you dream your whole life of doing something, something that you feel is extraordinary....and far above your capabilities, and then actually just do it!??!  When I told my cousin Rachel I was writing a book, and she said, you should try and get it published, I was like all, "no....it's not good enough for that...it's just something I was messing around with for fun, I'm not Dean Koontz or Stephenie Meyer over here...."  But Rachel wouldn't take no for an answer, she assured me that it would be fun, it would be just a little project of ours that we'd use as an excuse to drink coffee together and talk book/shop, like real writers and editors do! *smiles*...

Hey Rach, um, our little project's on Amazon!!!  I know, I know, I don't believe it either! ahahhahahhah

Ok, ok, enough rambling, I think I'm going in the kitchen to make coffee now....my dog Chubs is up and sitting next to me really looking like he needs some petting...so I better hop-to!

{you cannot ignore a face like this}

It was so nice spending my morning with you, Have a great weekend everyone!!

Hugs & Luv,

~HeatherLynn~

The day Has finally arrived:

Dead in a Ditch

is

officially

for 

sale

on

Amazon

as

an

E-book!!

Click Here to go to Amazon's Order Page

I look forward to hearing your thoughts on the book should you decide to read it!

And thank you thank you thank you for all of your support, love and encouragement over the last couple years of working on this project!

It means a great, great deal to me!

All my Love,
~Heather Lynn~

From the Editor's Desk:

Hello everyone!  My name is Deborah, and I am one of the editors for Dead in a Ditch.  I am somewhat new to the project, but I have been working very hard at getting the manuscript ready for publication.  Publishing a book is something I have dreamed of since I was a little girl, and I could not be more proud to have my name in Dead in a Ditch.  This fictional novel will keep you on your toes, wanting more, as it is not limited to one genre.  Readers will be engulfed in an explicit and mysterious thriller that is also entangled with a passionate love story.  The main character is not only struggling with keeping her existence but is also battling a lust/love for one of her potential killers.   

When asked to be on board, I was given orders from my boss to read the entire book first without editing anything.  That was honestly one of the hardest jobs to do, because I was so urgent to dive in on editing.  Once I finished reading, less than 24 hours later, I was finally able to get started!   Although this process has involved several days and nights of research, hours of phone calls/meetings with the author and other editor, and even talking to myself out loud to verify the sentences are perfect…I have truly enjoyed every  minute of it.  I am thrilled to be a part of the team and cannot wait for publication in December.  What a great way to kick off the holidays, so don’t miss out!

Deborah