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May stats and June goals

By DayleJune 1, 2014Publishing, Writing

I think I missed a month or two of reports. Oh well. Onwards!

May Stats

Short Stories:

wrote “The Madness of Survival” for Magical Motorcycles
wrote and submitted “Casting the Net” to S&S29 (rejected, and mailed elsewhere)
wrote “Old Loom, New Tapestry” for the Valdemar anthology

Publishing:

uploaded SFF stories to Omnilit
published “The Sound of My Own Voice”
designed ebooks for two short stories, “Lost Souls” and “Penny Dreadful”
worked on the ebook and POD for my mom’s first book, The Mystery of Woodcliff Hall

Other:

Lucky Bat Books work
sold “Blame It on the Dog” to To Love a Soldier
dealt with contracts for “The Scent of Amber and Vanilla” (Pulse Pounders)
reviewed proofs for “Pool Girl: California Dreamin’” (Nine-to-Five Fantasies: Tales of Sex on the Job)
continued to scheme on the Uncollected Anthology Series
OWN cookbook work as needed
read The Valdemar Companion in preparation for writing short story
signed up for the California Dreamin’ 2015 conference

June Goals

I’ve had a wee epiphany that I don’t do well making word count goals. I think in terms of project (this short story, this novel scene), plus sometimes the beginning of a project is slower because I’m figuring things out (with a recent short story, I found the actual beginning on the fourth try). I know, in the back of my head, how long something should take to write, so there is kind of a word count thought in there, but…it’s better if I don’t make the number of words The Goal.

Novels:

Ghosted: do some brainstorming, order the random scenes, and write 10-20K to patch it all together…and then get it out to the beta readers
finish Love, in Stitches (the next Sophie Mouette book): with Teresa
possible novellas: On Her Lips, Under Her Skin, The Lord of Wildwood (not sure I can write all three—we’ll see how the month progresses)

Short Stories:

there are a couple of possible anthologies I might write for, but I need to focus on novels and novellas, so only if I feel there’s time.

Publishing:

PUM print book
Woodcliff Hall print and ebook
set up Little Kisses Press account at ARe and upload Sophie stuff
learn Audible and get one novel set up

Other:

two copyediting jobs
Lucky Bat Books work
prepare to launch the Uncollected Anthology Series
OWN cookbook work as needed
read and do exercises: Who Dares Wins, Bob Mayer

Look what Ken made for me!

By DayleJune 1, 2014Uncategorizedherbs, house, Ken, kitchen

We had a big blank wall in our kitchen, and I’d been finding various examples of pegboard herb gardens on Pinterest (you can see my board here).

Every time I’ve tried to grow herbs outside, I’ve killed them. I forget to water them, or I think “Eh, I’ll go out and water them tomorrow,” and then they’re dead, Jim—dead, I tell you. I had some success when I put the pots on the back steps, because they were close and I could just open the door and water them, but Ken doesn’t look where he puts his big ol’ feet, so that resulted in multiple broken pots scattered around the stairs. The only herb I’ve successfully grown of late is a basil, because it was in the kitchen and I saw it every morning.

I still need to get more pots and things (and I have to figure out how to do that without spending much money). Right now the pot above has a regular basil and a purple basil, but they’re still in their individual wrappings. I think I’m going to just put regular basil in that pot to let it spread out, because we use a lot of basil.

Gardener peeps: Would I line the bottom with small rocks for drainage?

The rest of the herbs, currently on the utility porch, waiting to be transfered when I have proper pots of some ilk. Well, except for the lemon geranium, which I’ll plant outside. And that big pot with the French red chard in it is too big for the pegboard, so I’m not sure where that’ll end up. Maybe it’ll live on the utility porch, and I’ll take it to visit the other herbs in the kitchen every so often.

Dayle is…

By DayleMay 30, 2014Uncategorizedrandomness

I don’t usually repost me-me type things, but I kinda love this one: you go to Googlism.com and type in your name and see what the Internet thinks of you.

It didn’t find my full name, nor Cyfarwydd, but here are some of my favorites from my first name. It’s like philosophical existential truths. Or something.

dayle is no dreamer (liars!)
dayle is a 1985 (I do love the ’80s…)
dayle is more than 200m up the other side before i reach the bottom
dayle is an island located in the ocean between east and west faleone
dayle is a savvy detective who knows how to navigate the mind of a criminal
dayle is his treasure
dayle is the author of the best
dayle is the only living protege of world
dayle is an impressive woman and a role model
dayle is one of the strongest people on the planet
dayle is known for her creativity and pizzazz
dayle is a well
dayle is “twice exceptional”
dayle is joyful that
dayle is a victorian baroque design dating from approximately 1830 to 1850
dayle is able to use her psychic talents to find missing people
dayle is self
dayle is a beautiful
dayle is supposed to make her appearance at the very end
dayle is committed to innovative
dayle is enjoying a fun
dayle is this
dayle is being horribly whiney and i don’t know why (me, neither)
dayle is far from picture perfect (true)
dayle is still in my room (muwahaha)
dayle is a good

Happy Mother’s Day

By DayleMay 11, 2014Uncategorizedfamily, mother's day

In honor of Mother’s Day, I present to you a series of pictures of my mom and I. Many of these were taken during my 15-year “awkward phase.” (Some would argue my “awkward phase” continues to this day.)

Look at the expression my oldest sister Debi’s face. She knows this isn’t going to end well. My mom clearly is still on the good drugs the hospital gave her.

I hated this bedroom with the passion of a thousand fiery burning suns. The walls are pink, the carpet is PINK, the bedspread is pink, and dear gods my nightgown is effing pink. We moved into this house when I was 7 and both my sisters got to choose their bedroom colors, but I did not. As an adult, I asked my mother why, and I swear on all that’s holy that she actually said “All little girls like pink.” This little girl would like to point out that “pink” and “puke” share two letters, and that she is not, and has never been, like “all little girls.”

The only things I loved in this picture were my leopard print woobie (which I still have) and my mommy (which I also still have).

I am amused how everything in the photo is tilting: my mom, myself, the picture above us, and the lampshade. And that my mother and I have the exact same facial expression.

My mother looks rather smug in this picture. Given that it was the 1970s, were prescription drugs involved?

Why am I even posting this picture? This is also 1978, and I wanted a Dorothy Hamill haircut, and that is a bowl cut, which is not what I requested. I’m also unhappily wearing pink. I hate the world. My mother’s expression clearly is “Yeah, I don’t know what happened with this one, either.”

Halloween 1978, which would make me an insane 12. Insane because of the look in my eyes. Then again, check out the glazed look in my mom’s eyes, and refer back to that note re: the ’70s.

That there is a pumpkin-shaped cake. Did I make that cake? I’m either really fond of it, or about to swipe it onto the floor. (This is like a Choose Your Own Adventure Game photo. What do you think happened next?)

With my sister Donna, in 1982, so I’m a disaffected 16-year-old who would rather be elsewhere. (“Elsewhere” likely being Narnia or Middle Earth.) And I would rather not be wearing those awful coulottes that I did not choose for myself. I did love that brown courderoy blazer, though.

That fuchsia color looks great on my mom, and I’m not just saying that show off that I know how to spell fuchsia.

Note that we are standing on a slope, which is why I look the same height as my sister and my mother, who are significantly shorter than me. I suspect they orchestrated that while I was being disaffected. Dammit!

I didn’t mean to make this about me, but this is 1990 and my hair is freaking awesome and it’s the Sunday of a writers’ conference and I’m exhausted. Clearly my mother got more sleep than I did. I’m glad she finds that amusing.

I’d forgotten about that ring on my thumb until now. What happened to that ring? I really liked it. Crap.

I’m not in this picture (I may have taken it, though). 1985, and look at my mom being that badass waterskier! Go Mom!

Happy Mother’s Day, Mom. I love you despite the pink, and that’s saying something.

Brain weasels and cosmic two-by-fours

By DayleMay 9, 2014Life, Writingbrain weasels, cosmic two-by-fours, life, writing

Recently I’ve been struggling with what my friend Lisa calls “brain weasels”: those insidious negative thoughts that chew on your brain and make it near-impossible to feel good about yourself or (in my case, at least) get anything done.

Because I’m an idiot sometimes (I’m saying that in an affectionate way, mind you, not in a brain weasely way), I occasionally forget what works for me and stop doing it. For example, I’ve been reading Julia Cameron for years, but only in the last year or so actually tried doing morning pages, and they did help focus my goals and intentions for the day. Then I stopped. Why? I have no freaking clue.

A few days ago I started a new habit, which is to read a book on writing or creativity or some other nonfiction in that vein, while I eat breakfast. This has so many advantages over watching HGTV or reading fiction* or a random magazine, I can’t even begin.

I’ve been dipping in and out of an amazing book for writers and other creative types who want to make a living at their art for some time: Managing Your Inner Artist/Writer, by my friend Matt Buchman (he writes award-winning romance and teaches on many subjects). In it, Matt talks about setting goals (as opposed to having dreams, which are also important but not in your direct control). I’ve written down my goals (and dreams) before, but this morning I realized it was a good time to do it again.

Cosmic Two-by-Four #1: Writing things down makes them real. I know this about To Do lists, but forgot it when it comes to really thinking through what I want and need to do, and making that intent real but writing it down.

I wrote down both goals and dreams (and moved some goals to dreams because I realized I wasn’t quantifying them properly, although that was because I’m already in the middle of doing them). The goals are do-able if I apply myself. Some of the dreams are pretty achievable if I stick to my goals; some of them are outrageous ones that hell, could happen, but certainly not if I don’t apply myself, and even if I do. But if you don’t dream it, I believe you’ll never achieve it.

And then, for some reason, I got hit with the second revelation, which was powerful enough that I grabbed a second sheet of paper because it needed to stand on its own.

Cosmic Two-by-Four #2: Every time you compare yourself to someone else and feel like a fraud**, remember that there are people who look up to you and are trying to get to your level. Be the person they think you are.

Despite my revelations, I’ve still been pharting around this morning, so I’m’a gonna post this and actually look at getting some work done. You know, those there goals!

—

*Reading fiction is essential for writers. But reading fiction first thing in the morning for me results in hours lost in the book. If I look up, blinking in confusion at the real world, four hours later, that’s…not the kind of productive day I was planning to have.

**This was the first time I identified my feelings of inadequacy as feeling like a fraud. Possibly this is Cosmic Two-by-Four #3—and it’s definitely something I need to consider further.

The Sound of My Own Voice now available!

By DayleMay 7, 2014Dayle A. Dermatis, Fantasy/SF, Short Stories, Soul's Road Press

I know, I know, I always say that I’m chuffed or delighted or excited, or whatever, but really, one of the best parts of my job is saying “Lookie here! I made this! Squee!”

And that’s how I feel about this latest story available for sale, “The Sound of My Own Voice.”

I had a blast writing this story. I wrote it at a workshop, and it was the first time in a long time that I just flat out had fun writing a story. And then Kerrie L. Hughes accepted it for publication in Hex in the City, and being the astute editor she is, she pushed me to make the story even better.

When I went to publish it through Soul’s Road Press, I had the joy of finding the perfect cover art—and the whole experience made me relive how much fun the story was to write.

Yeah, Annalee will get her own novel someday. Maybe a series of them, even. Because she’s a siren, and she’s a snarky, opinionated one at that…she’s unlikely to shut up anytime soon.

I hope you all enjoy “The Sound of My Own Voice.”

Her parents taught Annalee to never sing, that she had no talent, despite her pop star half-sister. Then a drunken night of karaoke releases Annalee’s power—a power her parents had desperately sought to contain…a power that causes government agencies to perk up and take notice. Dammit.

Originally published in Hex in the City, “The Sound of My Own Voice” shows why USA Today bestselling author Dean Wesley Smith calls Dayle A. Dermatis “one of the best writers working today.”

Available at many online retailers:
Kindle | Nook | Kobo | Omnilit | Smashwords

And coming soon from iBooks as well!

“Blame It on the Dog” sold to For the Love of a Soldier!

By DayleMay 5, 2014Andrea Dale, Erotica, Sales, Short Stories

The best part of being a writer: stumbling to your desk, opening your email, and finding a story acceptance!

My story “Blame It on the Dog” (yes, I wrote another story with a Welsh corgi) will appear in For the Love of a Soldier: Military Erotic Romance, edited by the prolifically wondrous Kristina Wright.

Here’s the Table of Contents:

Introduction: Love in Uniform
Penelope Pending, Axa Lee
Drifting Toward You, Kathleen Tudor
Duty, Cat Johnson
True North, Annabeth Leong
Home for Supper, Geonn Cannon
For the Love of George, Victoria Blisse
Blame it on the Dog, Andrea Dale <– Hey, that’s me!
Special Love, Sidney Bristol
Stones, Tahira Iqbal
Lexie’s Arrow, Martha Davis
Jersey Boy, Tina Simmons
Failure to Launch, Lucy Felthouse
The Aid Station, 1916, Victoria Janssen
Fair Game, Lynn Townsend
Lucky Charm, Lea Griffith
Long Time Coming, Kristina Wright

Okay, gotta sign the contract and mail it back, and get back to work!

Under Her Thumb wins a Silver in the Independent Publisher Book Awards!

By DayleApril 30, 2014Andrea Dale, Cleis Press, Kudos

I’m thrilled to announce that the anthology Under Her Thumb: Erotic Stories of Female Domination, edited by the amazing D.L. King and containing my story “Fear Not,” has won a Silver in the Erotica category of the 2014 Independent Publisher Book Awards! Congratulations to D.L. and the ever-awesome Cleis Press!

Spice up your life!

By DayleApril 13, 2014Andrea Dale, Erotica

I can’t really list this book in my bibliography because I don’t have a story in it, exactly—it includes snippets and quotes from a varity of my stories. But I think the book is a tremendously fun idea, so I wanted to let everyone know about it!

Never Say Never: Tips, Tricks, and Erotic Inspiration for Lovers by the phenomenally talented and most awesome Alison Tyler:

“Monogamy does NOT have to equal monotony and eroticist author Alison Tyler has made it her life’s mission to make sure it never is with Never Say Never! Half of a very happily married duo, Tyler’s advice is that couples can build a trust level that makes experimentation truly possible and posits that uninhibited, really exciting, and highly imaginative sex happens best with lovers who just happen to be couples, too. This follow up to Tyler’s bestselling Never Have the Same Sex Twice blends her wisdom, expert advice, and favorite erotic scenarios illustrating myriad sexual techniques and fantasies designed to liven up the bedroom.”