I went to Boston and All I got was...

freezeburn.  JK

So.. I'm back from Boston and well...

I'm exhausted!!!!

Boston was great! 
Amazing! 
Wonderful! 
Exciting! 
AND COLD! 
Really, mother f'n COLD! 

And I was INSIDE!  lol

First of all, I need to THANK all of you who stood outside for literally hours on end to wait your turn to come inside and meet us. I can only hope that you maybe made new friends with the people in front and behind you and made the outdoor experience fun in some way. Maybe you took pictures of guys abs?! Maybe you yelled "VAGINA" at strangers driving by in their cars?! Or maybe that only happened on Saturday night? lol

Have you seen the video of the line? It's pretty amazing. You're all pretty freaking amazing.
https://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?v=10200820626068141

Also, I heard that people were turned away from standing in line and didn't get to come in at all, but I haven't seen that online anywhere. Did that really happen? Because I'm telling you that all the other authors and myself were fully willing and prepared to head outside in the cold with y'all and sign your books. Personally, it hurts my heart to think that people planned to come and didn't get in. Maybe it was all a rumor. I'm sincerely hoping so.

So, while in Boston a group of us decided it would be a good idea to take a talking historical tour of the city. Um, first mistake...trying to keep a group of rowdy authors and their friends quiet during a TALKING tour.  Apparently we're a bunch of "dicks." At least that's what we were told.

Dicks in action:


Me and Tara Sivec aren't dicks. We're just silly. Although in Tara's books, those two words sorta go hand in hand. Maybe once we were called dicks, we all should have started talking in Pirate speak?! Arrrr matey, we're a buncha dicks arrrr! (read seduction & snacks people) Ps- tara, what the hell are you cupping in this pic?!  My ribs?


Do you read C&C book blog?!  Well it's run by this here gorgeous and amazing person, Christina. She's crazy, which only makes me love her more honestly.


I got to meet so many of you on Saturday that I knew from facebook, instagram and twitter. That was super fun for me!  I freaking love you guys!  And really, y'all give me the COOLEST dang gifts!!!  Thank you so much to Pushy Girl Paintings for bringing me this one of a kind painted baseball!  I adore it.


And I also got this awesome mug filled with chocolate quarters and chocololate baseballs. It was so rad!  Thank you Candice for doing that!  I love it.  :)

How are your favorite authors in real life?
Pretty damn cool, I must admit.

I mean, I've always been in love with Tarryn Fisher (my angsty little nymph):


And Rebecca Donovan (my real life fairy- she just hides her wings):


And S.C. Stephens, Tara Sivec and CJ Roberts!

But this time I got to meet and fall in love with people like Kyla Linde (I sort of want to turn this picture of her into a christmas ornament and hang her on my tree)! 


And Jessica Park!


And Katie Ashley!


And Raine Miller! And Emmy Montes!  And so many other people who were simply awesome!!  It's so cool when an amazingly talented and creative group of women can be in one room together and all get along!

I have some crazy story to tell y'all about the drunk guy named Soup who almost got his ass kicked by Sterling, but i'm tired. Maybe tomorrow (definitely not tomorrow).  lol 

I'll leave you with the shirt I wore in Boston.  Loving some Jack F'n Carter.  :)  <3


Thank you again to everyone who came out! You made the whole day worth it. You're the best group of freaking readers I could ever ask for. Thanks for always making me feel so good about what I do (and WHO I do it for).  Love y'all.  Hard.  :)

Ps- if you were in boston and you posted a recap, link it in the comments! I'd love to read them all if I can!!  :)

You want to write a book PART 3

Cause it's so much fun to piss everyone off, I figured i'd just keep verbally vomiting so you don't have to.  lol

This one will be short.  But it's still the truth.  Well, MY turth anyway.

You need to have integrity as a writer. 
And you need to stay true to yourself and the stories you choose to tell.

I know you want to write a book that connects with people. And i'm sure by now you've read all the "popular" self-published books just trying to figure out what those books have that yours doesn't. But what you don't realize is that it's all a crap shoot. I'm not kidding. Timing, what's trending, who is buying and reading books, exposure, what else is out there, how over or under saturated the market is, what people want, what they're sick of reading, where the moon is aligned in your sun sign, etc.  Whatever sold two weeks ago might not sell two weeks from now. Readers are fickle. You shouldn't be when it comes to your writing.

The biggest thing for me personally is- I know that I could take the route of writing in a certain manner, or about certain topics for shock value simply to make a buck, but that would be completely disingenuous of me. I'm a smart person. I know what sells in the same way that marketing genuises learned that sex sells in advertising. I could do all sorts of things to ensure that people will talk about my books once they've read the last chapter. But I can't do things that don't feel real to me. That doesn't mean that my stories won't break your heart, or have painful topics in them... because they will. But what it does mean is that you can rest assured that the story came from my heart and not my wallet.

Listen, I want readers to love what I write, but I want to know that my story came from the right place. I don't write for the money. I write because of the way it makes me feel to put my story on paper. And for the way that people react to it. No matter how few or how many the number- the genuine feeling you get as an author is the same.

So my advice to future writers out there:

Just be you.

Write the stories that make you FEEL like you are being true to your calling.
You will find your groove. You will hit your stride. And you won't feel like you sold out to do it.

There's nothing more beautiful than being successful doing something you genuinely love to do.

Now go do it.  :)

Happy 2 0 1 3 !!!

It's New Years Eve... like RIGHT! NOW!

And i'd be lying if I didn't tell you that new years was pretty much my most favorite holiday ever.  There's just something MAGICAL about new year's eve.

I don't know if it's all the promise of what's to come... or if it's the hope, the excitement, the unknown, or all the chances we seem to give ourselves at the start of a new year... but whatever it is, I FREAKING LOVE IT!

You already know that the beginning of 2012 saw a lot of struggle.. the loss of my home, still no job, and my books not really selling enough to make me feel "worthy."

BUT, the end of 2012 has pretty much rocked. I released The Perfect Game in October and since then it's hit the USA Today Best Seller's list, been a Barnes & Noble best seller, a Kobo Best Seller, along with being an Amazon Top 100 Best Selling Book for OVER 60 days (and it's only been out for like 70 something)!!!! That surpassed even my wildest hopes and dreams! I never expected to have the longevity I am having with this book.  :)

But I am so freaking thankful. 

AND HAPPY.

Sincerely.

2012 brought me an agent.

It brought me deals and offers...

It brought me audio versions of ALL THREE of my currently released books! I never expected that. In all honesty, I'd never even thought about it. So that was such a nice surprise. Thank you Audible.  :)

2012 has blown my mind.

YOU have blown my mind.

But as I sit here writing this blog post, I'm honestly hoping and praying that this is just the beginning. I find myself wishing with all my heart that the end of 2012 is just the beginning of what's to come for me in 2013.

I want to continue to grow my team, my business, my brand, my name- I want people behind me (or beside me) who want the best for me, my books and my readers... and who understand how the indie world works (or at least are willing to listen and try to figure it out). It's different coming onto the scene as a traditionally published author versus going from being a self pubbed one to a traditionally published one. I want all sorts of brilliant people around me who want to help me rise to the top. Positive, good, smart and ambitious people. Here's to hoping my team grows in just that way in 2013 because I want to continue being successful.  :)

Because honestly...being a successful author feels really fucking good. The fact that I am making a living from writing now... I cannot even put into words how absolutely mind blowing it feels. How I finally feel like I am doing the right thing- I'm on the right path- I'm following my heart and it's finally paying off. And I can stop beating myself up for being a non-income-bringing-in-loser-mcloser-face.  lol  You know what I mean. It doesn't feel good to contribute NOTHING to your household.

But now I am! And it's been so FULFILLING!

THANK YOU.

Because I've said it a million times before, but it bears being repeated... I can't do this without you. 

I could have never had the year I just did without every single one of you who gave my book a chance- who fell in love with the story I told- and who recommended it to other people.

Your word of mouth is my best friend. And I can never tell you "thank you" enough for it. Just please know that I never take you for granted.  And that I honestly do try my best to answer every email, tweet, facebook post, etc.  Because you mean the freaking world to me. You're not just "a reader"... I consider you a friend.

So kittens... Here's to a freaking amazingly MAGICAL 2013! 
For all of us! 
I hope you follow your heart and it leads you to true joy. Thank you for inspiring me with your words, your emails, your posts... and i'll do my best to keep turning out books that make you proud.

Remember when I released The Perfect Game I talked about getting a tattoo if it reached the Amazon Top 100?

Well I did it.

Just a little while ago. By a Giants fan, but let's not talk about that part. (hi tito's vodka, you are amazeballs)

This is what I hope I do for every.single.one.of.you.

Is it bad if I already want to add to the tattoo?  LOL

Happy New Year everyone! I love you! 
xoxoox

wow!!!

well the downloads yesterday were a HUGE success!  i had over 15,000 downloads of Chance Encounters in a 24 hour period. That included ALL five of Amazon's sites in varying countries!  Pretty exciting stuff!

Thanks to everyone who helped spread the word.  Thanks to everyone who enjoys my books and tells people to read them. I appreciate it so much.

pillow talk

no really, i need to talk about pillows.

i swear we've had this conversation before- but it was probably 5 years ago.

people, i'm freaking dying at night. i don't want to go to bed because i know how uncomfortable i'll be. my pillow- IT HURTS MY HEAD AND MY NECK. i have a tempurpedic mattress topper, and i have 2 pretty expensive pillows to choose from.

they both suck.

they both hurt.

i wake up with splitting headaches i can't cure. literally.

i sleep on my back and my side.

HELP ME! do you sleep on your back or your side? lol what pillow do you use? do you love it? have you ever had pillow issues and you had to get a new pillow because your head hurt every morning????

for reals people- this is a huge problem. if i can't sleep throughout the night and then wake up in pain all day- well, i'm going to be a really miserable person to live with at some point. lol

suggestions?

win a signed copy of my book!

enter to win a signed copy of my book on goodreads! :)

Goodreads Book Giveaway

In Dreams

by J. Sterling

Giveaway ends November 14, 2011.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter to win

kristabella came to cali

and all you got were these stupid pictures of us at wineries!

ha! you know you're jelly! :)

this is us at MUMM.. i drank some sparkling something or other. i liked it so much i bought a little, tiny bottle. HA
(just curious, but um.. why does my face look oompa loompa orange in this picture?!)


and here we are at sutter home, where my new favorite wine (BUBBLY MOSCATO!!!!) was born (much thanks to sarah and geo for intro'ing me to the fab new flave)


i think we were at ruthorford here. have i mentioned how NOT FUN wineries are? everyone is sooooo stuffy and blahhhhhhhh.


thank god we had each other!! (and baby 24 year olds who just moved away from their mommy from delaware to harrass!)
kristabella has the blurry pics of them! HAHAH!

am i not good enough?

i love blogher.com i truly do. i love the community that has been built from the ground up, and how it brings everyone together and believes in supporting one another. i love what the ladies did to create and grow this incredible site.

but i do have a question- because i feel like most people aren't talked about. most bloggers aren't known, etc. and i need and want the support of my community right now. can't we support the bloggers/authors who self publish their books? i feel like we support, shout out, blog post each other to death, publicize, etc any blogger who is LUCKY enough to get a publishing agent and deal. but what about the bloggers who didn't get an agent to bite? what about the bloggers who still wanted to publish their story because they believed in it, and loved it, and wanted it out there for public consumption?

is my book not good enough because i published it myself? isn't there room for everyone to get the same kind of help? i always thought so. and so i'm asking you guys- can self published authors get the same kind of respect, and shout outs as the other ones?

just because my book wasn't picked up by some big wig agency, doesn't mean it isn't worthy of your attention or time. if we are supporting the women who do what they can to achieve their goals, see their dreams a reality, try to make a living doing what they enjoy doing- then i want to be included in that.

you know? it just feels like the same bloggers, all the time, getting all the attention, all the perks, all the publicity, etc. that is great for them and i'm happy for them and want to SUPPORT them- but i want to be supported as well and i just don't see it.

prove me wrong.

significance & japan links

when things like the earthquake and tsunami in japan happen, it really reminds me how much of an asshole i am sometimes. i mean, really...
"i can't get a book agent." wah.
"no one wants to publish my book." wah.

it's just so ignisificant in the grand scheme of things. and when i think about what TRULY matters in life- at least to me- big fucking boo hoo that i haven't published my book (yet). i understand that i have dreams and goals and those things are important to me. and it's completely okay to want things, want to accomplish things..... but i'm just saying that for me, what really matters is that the people i love are safe.

that all the people i care about are okay.

and by the way california.... do you have your earthquake preparedness kit ready? i have one in the car, but i really need one in the house. or under my bed. or something. and i always freak that i don't have enough water (cause um, i sort of always drink it all).


so here are some links that i think are important.. how to help japan if you can... and other nifty links.

Maki is a blogger who has ties to Japan and she is blogging, tweeting and updating news that she gets. she also has an incredible list of how to help and organizations that you can donate too.
Japan Earthquake: How to help, personal update

Sachiko is from Japan... and although she is not living there currently, her family is still there. she is deeply affected by everything going on there right now (obviously) and her blog posts are moving and touching.

yahoo has a great list of links for how to help.

the sf gate has a great post on what we all need for emergency preparedness kits.. it includes food, water, first aid, clothing, etc. it's pretty detailed, but we should all try to make something to keep in a backpack or in something easy to grab in a hurry.

love. xoxo

so, i might be crazy

and maybe that's why i don't update this blog enough?! or maybe it's the fact that i have FOUR.. no wait, make that FIVE websites!

wait.. is that right?
1. cupcakes
2. writing
3. main site
4. blog
5. photography..

yep.. that's 5. who in their right mind has FIVE WEBSITES?!?!?!?

so um.. i've posted some really pretty and sexy boudoir shots i took on my photography blog. and i posted some oscar cupcakes on my cupcakes blog. and of course i'm constantly updating my writing blog.

maybe i should update all the sites in one place? no, that won't work. but i can't send y'all to FIVE freaking websites all the time, right?! but i can't also expect myself to update 5 different websites every single day. good lord, how do people do it?! advice from the multi-taskers out there?! advice from any of you who have multiple websites that you update often? or at least try too???

for the love.. maybe i will update them individually, and also post some here?!

this really shouldn't be this hard. lol

ok, here are some of the pics i took:








and here are the oscar cupcakes.








okay. that's it. you're up to date now. lol but you should still probably check the other websites.. you know, just to be safe.

okay. really.

this whole website redesign thing is getting ridiculous. lol my eyes.. they hurt people. like i want to put ice packs on them everynight. or cucumbers? cause what if all this designing is giving me EYE WRINKLES! i don't need to LOOK old!!!!!

i have been busting my ass, and working pretty much day and night on all of these sites. my author/writing website is FINALLY completed! as of late friday night, i could not be happier with how pretty and rad the website looks! do me a favor and check it out? and thanks!!! www.j-sterling.com

next on the list? my super delicious and fastactically yummy cupcakes!!!! just a few more changes to the main navigation and that will be all updated and cute and fun! www.PhatBottomCupcakes.com

i need to work on the blog here a little bit (have you noticed the banner looks like it's on a crash diet?!) yeah. resizing is a bitch.

so that's why i haven't been here. or anywhere. because i can't step away from my laptop long enough to STOP.DESIGNING.BUTTONS (boyfriend is going to hurt someone if he hears me talk about these flipping "buttons" one more time).

www.jennster.com is what i'm about to work on RIGHT AFTER I HIT PUBLISH on this post. so then... everything should be up and running (including a nifty new photography section)! which is exciting! because clearly, i can't get a real job, so i'm going to do my damndest to try to get paid doing all the things i really enjoy doing for people. :) what makes a better life than that really? doing things you like doing. and not just doing ONE thing, but doing all the things you're good at? all the things you love? i'm really excited at all the possibilities. i'll be even more excited if they all start bringing in money to live off of. lol

xoxo

jennster.com

my head... it hurts. i always say that huh? it's still true though. for about a week now i have been working on a complete and total redesign for jennster, as well as all the projects i constantly have in the fire. ot is beyond time consuming. mostly i think because i dont really know what i'm doing so everything takes me days to code, design, and build. i am hoping that with the help of the awesome emily (at left shoe media), my new website will be spectacular and everything i want it to be! i am beyond excited..... but still nowhere near done.

so that is where i've been this entire week (aside from some interviews and working on a baseball fundraiser)!! i have been staring bleary eyed at my laptop..desperately searching for ideas and how to make what i want work. i think my brain is only so creative....everything i envision looks the fucking same.

i sent out 4 queries yesterday to book agents with a whole new hook. we'll see what happens! i really love my characters and the story they tell, so hete's to hoping i get to share them with you soon!

xoxo

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