Insecure Writers Support Group

I love being part of the Insecure Writers Support Group. Once a month, we can let all our insecurities hang out and someone (many someones) will offer suggestions, support, and understanding. A big THANKS to Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh for starting this group and keeping it going.

How did I go from detail oriented to OCD? 

When writing a resume, you really can’t say you’re a nit-picker or anal retentive. They sound so negative. Detail oriented sounds so much better and, depending on the job you’re going for, that could be just what’s needed.

Do you remember “Monk” on television? I used to laugh at his eccentricities—signs of a serious condition taken to extremes. Although laughter was the point of the show, it's not so funny when obsessive-compulsive disorder takes over your life.

As a kid I never won spelling bees, but I'm a pretty good speller. So it drives me crazy when I see words not spelled correctly—on signs, in the newspaper, online. I’ve never gone so far as telling the source that they needed a spell-checker, but I've been tempted. Then there’s the mixing up of homophones like its and it’s (don’t depend on Microsoft’s spell check, it’s wrong), they’re, their, and there, or to, two, and too. Typos happen and as often as you read through your manuscript, the minute it’s in print, you see a glaring mistake on the first page. Gaa. The biggest complaint I hear/read about self-published books is the lack of proper editing. As nit-picky, detail oriented as I am, I have to have someone edit my manuscripts before self-publishing.

Does that make me OCD?

Following rules was another bug-a-boo for me. Notice I just wrote “was” not is. I would point out that an organization had to follow its own by-laws and/or policies and procedures. While correct, it sure didn’t win me a lot of friends. Now that’s OCD.

How to overcome? Relax. Don’t sweat the small stuff (and it’s all small stuff). What other clichés can I come up with? The fate of the planet does not rest on paying attention to every detail. You’ve probably figured out that I can laugh at myself. I’m just a slow learner.

                                     GREAT NEWS

On Friday, The Wild Rose Press will release my romantic suspense One Red Shoe worldwide in all ebook formats and in print. Whoo-hoo. Please come back and celebrate with a giveaway.

Blurb for One Red Shoe:

Wannabe writer rescues wounded spy while risking her heart.

Daria Mason’s life is too predictable. Nothing ever happens in her small Iowa town where everybody knows everybody else. But when she travels to New York City looking for a little excitement, she never expects to bring home a wounded spy.

From the moment agent Sam Jozwiak steals intel vital to US security from a Russian Mafia kingpin, Murphy’s Law takes over. No matter how he covers his tracks, the kingpin’s assassins find him. What’s worse than getting shot in the butt? Accepting help from an Iowa tourist.

Sam and Daria flee cross country with the assassins right behind them. Sharing danger and excitement—and a few kisses—with Sam soon has Daria convinced he’s the man for her. He thinks she’ll be better off once he’s out of her life for good. With their lives on the line, can she convince him they belong together?

Buy links (current):

The Wild Rose Press: http://www.wildrosepublishing.com/maincatalog_v151/index.php?main_page=index&manufacturers_id=1082

Amazon: http://amzn.com/B00FDXRHZA

Click here to find others on the Insecure Writers Support Group Blog Hop. Or go to IWSG on Facebook to see who’s blogging today.