Oh goodness! It feels odd to be typing up a post for MY blog again. A warning to all you good people out there: if you have a website, make sure you have a backup somewhere. This isn’t just for your files, people. Your entire website should be backed up. Don’t know how? Contact your webmaster or web-hosting company, they can tell you.
Back to the FUN!
May was quite the exciting month for me.
- I celebrated my birthday!
- I semi-finaled in the ACFW Genesis contest.
- I bought a new van.
- I ran a birthday sale for my editing and social media services and found a few new clients I am excited to work with.
- I reached 5,000 followers on Twitter and 1,500 followers on my Facebook page.
- The couple that designed my website last year helped me to fix my new website so I can now relaunch everything! (Need website help, go visit Master Design Solutions!)
I’m so tickled that my birthday month was such a success, that I don’t even mind that allergies had me down for half of it and then had me scrambling to get work done before the end of the month.
I’m even more grateful for all the love and support you all have shown me over the last couple of years.
Even though May is gone, I’m still in the mood to celebrate. What better reason to celebrate than all of you guys? So it’s my turn to give back to YOU.
BLOG LAUNCH AND SWEEPSTAKES
So, here’s the deal:
One person will receive a FULL COPYEDIT on one of their projects
AND
Another person will receive a $50 Amazon Gift Card
To be eligible, you must sign up for my newsletter! (Anyone already on the newsletter list will be given 1 entry.)
[mc4wp_form]
You can earn an additional entry by leaving a blog comment, telling me where in the writing process you are and what you hope to accomplish in your writing before the end of 2015.
You can also earn an additional entry by filling out the quick survey below. (Leave a blog comment letting me know you filled out the survey!) If you can’t see the survey, click here to take it.
Create your own user feedback survey
The sweepstakes will run from today (Monday, June 1) thru Friday, June 5. I will announce the winner on Monday, June 8.
Hi Ralene! I’m in the middle of a new series that feels so different from my first MS that I’m questioning everything I write. LOL. First beta reader said it’s good so far…so that keeps me from burning it 🙂 My goal for this year is to finish this MS and do a complete edit on my second MS in my first series. Dream would be to have this new MS edited before the ACFW conference in September.
Thanks for the shout out! And what an awesome giveaway! 🙂
No problem! You guys are fantastic–I’m going to tell everyone!
I filled out the survey!
What an amazing giveaway, Ralene! I’m excited for your new website and blog.
Currently I’m working on my third book for Enclave publishing. By the end of 2015, I hope to have that book pretty much polished and another book started, along with a proposal for it. May not sound like much but…phew! I get tired just thinking about it!
😀
Thanks, Nadine! I’m glad you stopped by!
Hey finishing and polishing a book by the end of the year DOES sound like a lot of work to me. Even though my goal is pretty much the same.
Great idea for a giveaway. Currently at work on my fourth novel, my first tip toe into the genre of fantasy.
I really enjoy your positive, upbeat messages on twitter. This is my first time on your site though. You’ve got really nice digital digs!
Thanks for stopping by, DJ! I’m glad you like the digs–it’s all thanks to my friends at Master Design Solutions. 🙂
It was my 4th novel, too, that was my first venture into fantasy. It’s so much fun, don’t you think?
Congrats on your launch!
Hi. I am just playing around with the idea of writing something more than blog posts. I have been encouraged in this direction a number of times over the years. 2015 might be the year to explore that further.
I also took your survey!
Joined your mailing list and filled the survey 🙂
Congrats on your blog launch
Signed up for newsletter – check
Took survey -check (only worked on my laptop. Couldn’t see the quiz on my phone or scroll on my iPad – FYI)
And now am leaving a comment…
I’m a little over half-way through the first draft of an MG portal fantasy. I hope to have that finished and ready to shop for Realm Makers. Then I want to make heavy revisions on my 2013 Genesis finalist WIP. The beginning is good, but the end needs major cosmetic surgery. 😉
Lisa, thank you for letting me know. Usually Survey Monkey is better at allowing their surveys to be used over different types of electronics. Maybe I’ll insert the link so if others have issues. But thank you for being persistent and taking the survey!
Saw your tweet. Congrats on your new website. Finished book 1 of my Urban Fantasy. Hoping to have book 2 well underway by the end of the year.
I also filled out your survey 🙂 Love and prayers.
Thanks for stopping by, Julie! When I see you, you’ll have to tell me about your urban fantasy!
Hi, Ralene! Saw your awesome giveaway on FB, and I really enjoy your stuff, so I ran right over. I have one book out indie published, and am somewhere in post-draft-1 world with book 2. My big goal for 2015 is to get that puppy launched so I can get onto #3, which is burning a hole in my pocket. Thanks!
P.S. I also did the survey.
Aw, thanks, Ellen! I appreciate you stopping by. I hope you’re able to get book 2 out!
Hi! First, congrats on your ACFW Genesis Semi-Finalist success! That’s fantastic news! I’m a contemporary christian writer, finishing up the edits of my latest WIP and hoping to send it off to the publishing universe by the end of 2015. Fingers crossed!
Thanks, Nicole! And happy editing!
Hi!
I took the survey and signed up for your newsletter. 🙂 I have published a novella and a couple of articles. My goal for this year is to finish book one of my fantasy series and have it polished and ready to send off to agents.
Have a great day and congrats!
Hi Ralene!
Can’t find the survey, but I did sign up for the newsletter!
Where am I in my writing journey? I am still editing my dystopian WIP and probably will be for awhile. My goal was to get it done by Sept in time for the ACFW conference, BUT it might take a miracle at this point to make that happen.
By the end of 2015, I would love to have my WIP complete and to have sent out a bunch of query letters, maybe even get some requests for my MS.
We shall see…
It’s really all in God’s hands.
I’m starting edits on my second series (self published). I’ve learned a lot in the last year and a half from editors and authors. What an encouraging group.
Hi Ralene! I’m starting into deep editing my latest novel, and by the end of this year I want to feel confident in beginning to pursue publishing.
Cool giveaway! I’m currently in the middle of draft 5.3 of my trilogy’s first book. I’m not quite sure what my goals are for the rest of the year, since my 2 goals were to get a flash fiction piece published (which I did! Havok Magazine accepted my flash piece “Fall Like a Stone” for their 2015 April issue!) and to finish writing this draft, which may or may not happen now that I have a new baby in the house. We’ll see!
You can do it, Orrie!
I don’t see a survey. 🙁 I see a link to create one’s own survey on the survey site, but no survey from you. How odd, since I see others have found it just fine.
I’ve added a link now for those who may not be able to see the survey!
Hey Ralene–you didn’t have a category for Traditionally Published then Unpublished then Republished Indie, so I went with “self-published.” Lol.
Your site looks great, and I’m thankful to have you to learn from!
Not everyone is as unique as you, Becky! 😛 Which is one of the many reason I like you. Thanks for stopping by!
Awesome giveaway, Ralene! I signed up for your newsletter, took the survey, and I’ll be tweeting/sharing this post, too. 🙂
Where I am in the writing process: wrapping up an uber-draining revision on my latest novel and hoping my agent is going to fall head over heels for it when I send it to her. *fingers crossed*
Hi Ralene!
I’m so excited for your re-launch!
I’m currently working on the first book in what I hope to make a trilogy. It’s my hope to be completely through edits by the end of the year. Being published – poetry or flash – is also on the to-do list. 🙂
(Oh – and I filled out the survey.)
I am writing again after a season of dealing with a health issue so I feel like I’ve already accomplished so much. I am working on a new book I hope to have finished before Sept. Also refocusing my blog – in next few weeks on something I’ve been passionate about for a while. I hate social media and platform building and that we even have to as writers. It feels so unlike God… but that may be the one thing I have to change if I’m going to stop ghostwriting and start writing under my own name.
Nick, you’ve just given me an excellent idea for a future of social media posts. Thank you!
I’m glad that you’re finally able to get back to writing–I bet that feels good in and of itself.
Hey Ralene, awesome prizes!
I took the survey too.
I’m currently editing one of stories and writing the second book in my 1st series. By the end of 2015, I’d love to hear back from my proposal with the good news of a contract. 🙂
I’m curretnly editing one book and getting ready to re edit another. Also keeping busy with writing new material. 😀
I just finished two novellas and a short story, so I guess I’m back to the novel I put on hold about a year ago. 🙂
Ralene, I had no idea you lost your website. Yikes! That is scary.
Currently, I have a contract with LIS and my novel will be released in January. In the meantime, I’m putting out a novella series leading up to the January release (nothing to do with the suspense novel). I have 4. The third will go to subscribers (like all the rest) for free for a limited time before going on sale at Amazon (July 2015). Book four sometime before 2015 is over. 🙂 I’m hoping Novemberish. I’m all signed up for your newsletter and did the survey. Yay!
I completed the survey!
Okay, where I am. I’ve completed 2 novels in my first series, (Fia’s journey; original adventure fantasy) 2 novels + 1 origins novella in a second series (Thaw; which is leading to a continuation of fairytale retellings) & hosted a Space Kitties Anthology.
Marketing is where I’m at, and with what we’ve got at this point, I feel this is really my biggest obstacle at the moment.
I’m also in hoping to complete A: #3 of Fia’s books, B: #4 of Thaw, C:(1-2 of the fairytale retelling spin-offs) as well as D: host the second annual Space Kitties contest.
I’m half-way through C, 3/4s through B, just starting on A (after document loss that is is disheartening) and still need to move on D.
Suggestions? 😉
If I win the edit I’d put it toward the ongoing project of readying my e-books for print, hoping to get those all available in both mediums before possibly moving on to even offering audio versions.
Yep! Busy schedule!!! 🙂
Take care,
Elizabeth
I am finished with my first ms, which is a YA paranormal. I’m up to my elbows in edits and just trying to chug away with 5 kids and a deployed spouse. Love the blog!
Thanks for stopping by, Cayce! My husband was military, and I did the whole deployed spouse thing several times. I empathize with you. Hang in there!
Hi Ralene! Congrats on your blog launch. As for my publishing journey….I have self published 2 novellas in a series and am working on the third. My big project is a full length christian romance and I’m currently editing it. I filled out the survey too! God bless. -Rachel
I filled out your survey and I’m so excited at the possibility of winning an editing package from you. I am in the editing phase of my first manuscript. By the end of this year I hope to have it completed, moving on to the next book, and in the process of finding an agent and/or editor.
Hey! Excited about your blog launch!! 🙂
Took the survey! Where am I in my writing journey… I am currently editing a YA/fantasy/scifi novel, the first in a three book series. My hopes before the end of 2015 are to self-publish either this novel or another that’s already written. God bless!
Hey! Congrats on your blog launch!!
Took the survey. My writing journey— I’m currently editing a YA/fantasy/scifi, the first in a three-book series. My goals for 2015 are to self-publish either this novel or another that’s currently on the back burner. God bless! 🙂
I’m starting to wire a spiritual memoir, and I’ve got a middle grade mystery that needs editing.
Thanks for the giveaway!
I’d actually just be in the research phase.
I’ve done the survey!
Love the new site!
I think I’m a day late on the entry, but wish you all the best in this launch.
Aw, shucks. Looks like I missed the deadline. Oh well. I’m a new subscriber. Look forward to whatever you put out.
I just wanted to thank you all for making this blog-relaunch and celebration such a fantastic success. Your support is overwhelming, and I look forward to getting to know you all better over the coming months!
Thanks for a chance to win and I took the survey