This Isn't Goodbye

Hey y'all!  I know it's been a really long time, but I hope that if you're stumbling across my blog for some reason (you were researching a topic and came across a post from here, you used to follow me back in the day when I was a super cool blogger lol, or you just plain missed me) that you'll see that I've started writing contemporary romance novels!

I no longer blog here, as I'm sure you can understand, but if you want to talk to me about something, I'm still available via email and would love to hear from you! Please, email me anytime, about anything. What does being a Self-Published/Indie author mean? In a nutshell it means that I'm in charge of handling every aspect of my career from branding, to marketing, promotion, publicity, advertising, etc. All my time is spent working on my books and making sure people like you know that they even exist. It's a lot more time consuming than you might think!

So with that being said, I hope you'll follow me over on my author page and support me there the same way you've always supported me here. Being a blogger for so many years afforded me the opportunity to meet so many amazing people and it opened my eyes to so many possibilities. We, as women, are pretty damn powerful and determined (Blogher ring a bell?). 

Being an author has done the same- I'm still surrounded by powerful women who are driven to succeed and refuse to give up on their dreams. They constantly amaze me and I am honored to be in their company. 

Thank you again for always loving me. I truly hope you'll head over to my author website and check out what I've been doing for the last 4+ years. I think you'll be proud of me.  :) 

xox jenn

Website     www.j-sterling.com
Facebook  @AuthorJSterling
Instagram  @AuthorJSterling
Twitter      @AuthorJSterling
Pinterest    @AuthorJSterling

Teaser! :)

Busy busy busy!  A writer can't make a living writing if she doesn't WRITE!  So... I'm trying to hit some self imposed deadlines and I. WILL. MAKE. IT!  :) 

I'm really super excited about the book i'm working on right now. It's giving me all the feels. I haven't been THIS excited for a book since I wrote The Perfect Game! I'm loving it so far. The two main characters are awesome and i'm enjoying getting to know them better the more I write. :)

Anyway, I wanted to introduce you to Dalton Thomas. He's hot. I love him. At least I do right now.. it's still early in the book. lol

Dalton:
"I remember the day she stopped talking to me, the look in her eyes letting me know that I had done something so completely unforgivable. I don’t even know what the hell I did to make her so upset, but I planned on finding out. I might have been a stupid young kid back then who allowed her to walk away, but I was a man now. And a man rights his wrongs, admits where he screwed up and goes after what he wants.
And what I want is her."
...

10 Years Later... coming soon



Get excited!  Cause I sure am!  :) 

Nine things you might not know about me

I posted this on facebook and figured i'd post it on my blog as well. Why? Cause it's fun!  :)

Nine things you might not know about me:

1- I used to work for Disney. Not DisneyLAND, but Disney- the company. I worked in the building that the dwarfs hold up in Burbank. I LOVED working there. It was pretty f'n magical.

 

2- I was a DJ... on the radio during college at the campus radio station. I played music that scared the living piss out of me because it was dark and angry and filled with screaming lyrics i couldn't understand. So there would be all this YELLING and then i'd be all chipper and happy like "HI! It's jenn here! And that was... uh.. holy crap, i can't even pronounce their name or song title. My bad." lol

 

3- I love to take pictures and I love having my picture taken. What can I say? I'm sort of a ham.

 

 

 

4- I was born and raised in Southern California and I hate the fact that I don't currently live there. I can't wait to move back. CANT. WAIT. 

5- Pretty much every job i've had in my adult life has been in the entertainment industry. Disney, Lucasfilm, Casting Agencies, Talent Agencies, Radio Stations, etc. 

 

 6- I love the rain. Absolutely freaking love it. I especially love it when i'm at the beach. There's something about water falling on water...it soothes me. 

 

 7- I prefer odd numbers. I don't know why, I just don't really like even numbers. I'm all about the odds. 

 

 8- I got my very first tattoo last New Years Eve. By myself. That was sort of sad. I want a couple more, but I haven't decided exactly WHAT or WHERE yet.  

 9- I totally believe in past lives, soulmates, and that we can talk to the dead. And sometimes my dreams come true. Like the ones I have when i'm sleeping. (I love that by the way). I also love astrology. I'm a Virgo. Classic Virgo.

 

 

Pretty amazing giveaway happening on my other blog!

If you love books, you have GOT to head over to my author blog and enter this contest!!!!  It's unbelievable!!!!

http://writing.jennster.com/2013/07/10000-facebook-likes-celebration.html

The Game Changer and a GIVEAWAY!

The Game Changer is coming out in two months people!  TWO! MONTHS! I know you all hate waiting, but it will fly by and be here before you know it and then we'll all be sad that we aren't looking forward to it anymore. Right?!  That's how I felt about Reckless by S.C. Stephens!  Counting down like crazy... waiting, waiting, waiting.. and then BOOM!
It was here.
And now it's gone.
And it's sad. 
(I love you Shannon)

Anyway, I've started celebrating!  Why?  Because i'm really freaking excited! :) And I also want to showcase some talent I've come across since writing The Perfect Game (I love supporting people who are working hard to create their own businesses and become their own boss! You go girls)!  :) 

The first rule of business? I've put TPG on sale for .99 cents for this weekend only (April 12-14)!  Let's get some hype going for the next book!!!!  WOO HOO!!!  See? I told you I was excited.  lol

To share in all the fun, I've decided to have a giveaway. There is a rafflecopter thingy - mabob at the end of this post where you can tweet, facebook, gift a copy of TPG to your friend, pre-order the game changer, like Bzbisdakbiz (that's who made the prizes) on Facebook,  etc. 

And then you'll be entered to win 1 of 4 prizes!  There are FOUR winners total (maybe more if I go crazy by Monday morning).  You can win:

A Perfect Game Inspired Keychain!  I have this on my keys and I freaking LOVE it!  And everyone who sees it thinks it's the cutest thing ever!!!

 

A Perfect Game Inspired Charm Bracelet. It's so cool, with all sorts of charms to represent Jack & Cassie individually, as well as together.  <3 this!

A "Kitten" Necklace inspired by Cassie's nickname given to her by Jack F'n Carter.  :)  Too cute!

And This one is new!!!!  This is the first time i'm seeing it and I love it!  It's so cool!!  Pandora bracelet inspired by The Perfect Game!  This is awesome.  :)

 

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Links to TPG:
THE PERFECT GAME- US KINDLE

UK:
THE PERFECT GAME- UK KINDLE

Links to TGC Pre-Order:
THE GAME CHANGER- PRE ORDER

UK:
THE GAME CHANGER- PRE ORDER

Per usual- thank you so much everyone for your support and general, all around awesomeness!  I freaking adore you!  :)

The Game Changer- now available for pre order

Amazon has the pre order link live for THE GAME CHANGER.  Please remember that this book is a follow up story to The Perfect Game.  :)

So basically, it's MORE Jack F'n Carter!  And Cassie!  And Dean!  And Melissa! 

And it comes out on JUNE 25th!!!!

I'm really freaking excited. And nervous.  It's true. 

Alright, the pre order link.  Here it is!  :) 

http://www.amazon.com/The-Game-Changer-Novel-ebook/dp/B00BYEGSQQ/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1364396253&sr=8-3

In the UK:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Game-Changer-Novel-ebook/dp/B00BYEGSQQ/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1364397439&sr=8-8

For all other Amazon sites, just search "The Game Changer J. Sterling" and scroll through until you get the correct book and link.  :)

Thanks everyone for your continued support and all around general awesomeness. 

I Signed a deal with AMAZON!

You have been waiting for sooooooooooooo long to hear the release date for THE GAME CHANGER, right?!  I am sorry that it's taken me forever to announce this, but as these things tend to go, publishing deals take time and there are contracts and points and things to go over and deadlines to meet, etc. 

Did I say publishing deal?

I DID! 

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:) 

The Perfect Game and The Game Changer will be published by Amazon Publishing in New York!  I am SUPER excited (and super scared).  lol Okay, i'm not really super scared.  I'm way more excited!!!!

As long as we meet all of our production deadlines, etc...

THE GAME CHANGER will be released on

JUNE 25, 2013

Which means that it will be released in time for Book Bash in Orlando and I WILL have paperback copies there for sale!!!!

So to celebrate this awesome announcement, The Perfect Game is on sale for .99 ! 
http://www.amazon.com/The-Perfect-Game-ebook/dp/B009OMPKTG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1363202004&sr=8-2&keywords=the+perfect+game

Go meet Jack and Cassie and get ready for the next installment of their relationship (which I truly hope you'll LOVE)!

Questions and answers:
Does this mean that TGC and TPG will no longer be available as an e-book on Itunes, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, etc?
Yes. Unfortunately at this time, once June 25th hits, TPG and TGC will only be available as an e-book on Amazon.

So how will I be able to read it then?
You can either order a paperback copy (which should be available on all sites), or you can download the kindle app on your Ipad, PC, phone, etc and purchase the kindle version to read. I really am sorry about that.

Will your other books be amazon exclusive?
No. My other two books will remain available on all sites and on all platforms.

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!!  :)

My heart

My <3 is="" made="" not="" of="" p="" s.="" up="">
If you were to take my heart out of my chest and hold it to your ear, you would not hear the sound of coins jingling around the sides. Nor would you hear the crumpled sound of paper dollar bills brushing up against the edges.

No.

If you held my heart up to your ear, you would hear the sound of my Love, my Joy, my Pain, my Heartache, my Heartbreak, my Success, my Failure, my Triumphs, my Laughter, my Tears, my Hurt, my Losses, my Past, my Future, my Words, my Hopes, my Dreams...

My heart is missing pieces of itself that I've lost along the way. Some i've given freely. Some i've wanted back. But it's my heart, my journey and I wouldn't change a thing.

Every story I write is a piece of myself that I choose to share with anyone who chooses to read it.  I write FROM the heart, WITH my heart.

It's just who I am.

And dear readers, I can promise you this:  I will never write for the money. I wouldn't even know where to start. 

<3

I love and appreciate it every single one of you. Thank you for being the raddest freaking readers on earth.  :)

Book Paintings!

Book paintings?!

What the heck is a book painting you ask? 

Many moons ago in a land called Instagram there lived a painter, an author and a reader.  One day the reader tagged the author in a sketch of The Perfect Game and the author proceeded to ask intelligent questions like:

OH MY GOD!  WHAT IS THIS?!?!?!?
IS THIS A SKETCH?!?!?
AND THEN IT BECOMES A PAINTING?!?!?
ARE YOU GETTING THE PERFECT GAME AS A PAINTING??!?!!
OMG, CAN I GET TPG AS A PAINTING?!?!?!?
CAN I BUY SOME PAINTINGS FOR MY AUTHOR FRIENDS?!?!?
WHAT IS THIS MAGICAL LAND I HAVE STUMBLED UPON?!?!?!??!

And thus, my Perfect Game painting was born.  :)

And so were these other two paintings I bought for my author friends, S.C. Stephens

 

And Samantha Towle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aren't they freaking cool?

 

I think so too.  Obviously.

 

So anyway, Danielle (that's the painter from the land of Instagram) has set up shop on facebook where you can go and order your own painting!  From whatever book you loved- although if she hasn't read it yet, you'll have to help her out and make sure you tell her what elements you want on it.

 

They're pretty unique gifts and they are even more awesome in real life if you can believe that!  Not to mention that they are affordable as well! I just wanted to give her a little shout because I believe in her talent and I want nothing but great things for her. 

 

If you're looking for a cool, one of a kind painting, look no further than Pushy Girl Paintings.  :)

 

http://www.facebook.com/PushyGirlPaintings

 

 

 

New Adult Books

I have a question for all you readers out there (and authors too)... What does the term "new adult" mean to you?

I classify my books as New Adult when the main characters are either college aged, or in their early 20's. The story may not necessarily appeal to the true YA audience because the characters are doing things they can't relate to yet (interning, working full time, living with their bf's, etc). It's about a period of time in our lives when we're not necessarily sure where we're headed. We're still figuring things out. It's that in-between stage between high school and true adulthood. We've all been there.

Now my characters in In Dreams are in college, but I wrote that book in a younger voice, with no sex, very little swearing, etc. I classify it as YA because it reads as YA, even though the characters are no longer in high school. I felt like the situations the characters go through was appealing enough to a younger audience that they wouldn't feel like they couldn't relate.

I honestly think that if your main characters are in high school, then your book is Young Adult. At least that's what i've always just assumed as a reader. Young Adult = high school aged stories. No matter if they're having sex, swearing, doing drugs, etc- high school kids have sex, swear, do drugs, etc.

But i've seen some high school aged books being called New Adult. So i'm wondering, are we classifying that category based on subject matter of the book, the way the book is written, or the age of the characters?!

I honestly don't know.

I honestly am asking.

If we want the category to be taken seriously by publishing houses, readers and bookstores, then it needs to be consistent, does it not?

So I wonder- what does New Adult mean to you? When you're a reader and you grab a New Adult book, are you assuming the characters are at least college aged, if not older?

Talk to me people. :)

ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND COPIES SOLD!

You guys!!!!

YOU GUYS!!!!!!

YOU GUYS!!!!!!!

Can you hear me YELLING?!?!??!?!?  :)

The Perfect Game has sold over 100,000 copies!!!!!

One. Hundred. Thousand. Copies.

*please send some hot guy over with a fan and grapes cause i'm about to faint*

Just shy of being released for 3 months and we've reached this HUGE milestone!  I'm so flipping blown away.  I have never been here before!  I've never been anywhere close to this before so I'm at a loss for words.  (not really, it's just that The Game Changer is taking all my words at the moment). 

I wanted to celebrate because this truly is a freaking enormous event for a self published author. Hell, I think it's an enormous event for ANY author.  :) 

So I was sitting here this morning, trying to thing of a way that I could THANK all of my readers. I thought about doing another giveaway but quickly tossed that idea aside.  I'm sorry, but too many giveaways start to feel disingenuous and like i'm trying to buy your readership. Which I totally am, dur.  :) 

Then I realized that the perfect way to tell you all THANK YOU would be for me to post another teaser from the upcoming follow up book, The Game Changer! 

Right?!

RIGHT!!!!!! 

So here you go:
(and by the way, THANK YOU SO MUCH for reading my book. And for telling other people to read it. I know it probably seems like I say that a lot- or say the same things over and over again, but it's just that you don't understand. The only way I can do something as freaking unbelievable as this... is with YOU.  Because you read it and loved it and then told your friends to buy it-  i'm in this place.  This amazing, beautiful, mind blowing place.  So yeah, I may thank you a lot. I may say thank you for the word of mouth. For writing reviews on Amazon. For telling people on Goodreads to give the book a chance. For gifting copies of it to your friends. For posting about it on Facebook. For tweeting on Twitter.  For ALL OF IT.  Hell yes I tell you THANK YOU a lot. Because I mean it.  Because I am thankful. And because you guys are the best freaking readers in the whole entire world and I FLIPPING APPRECIATE YOU. Okay?  Okay. :) 

So here you go!

TEASER #2 from THE GAME CHANGER- Coming Someday in the Future lol

I closed my eyes, drinking in his vow. Part of me cringed, acknowledging the vulnerability that coursed within me. I needed to be stronger than this. But as much as I wanted to believe that Jack's mistake with Chrystle was a one time major screw up, I’d be lying to myself if I said I wasn’t fearful.

I was.

And I wasn’t sure how not to be.

“Do you believe me?” he asked, his expression filled with worry.

I fought back the tears that formed in my eyes, “I want to.” I longed to bottle my anxiety up and put it on a shelf where it only came out for special occasions, but I didn’t know how. Right now it lived on the outside of my skin, like an extra layer of warmth I couldn’t shed no matter how hot I became. My emotions had taken full control over every other part of me. I’d become victim to my own insecurities.

“I’ll show you,” his forehead pressed against mine as he continued. “I’ll never lose you again.”

“What if I want to be lost?” I teased with a serious tone and watched as he pulled his head from mine.

“I won’t let you.”

“You won’t let me?” I mocked, secretly loving the way he wanted me.

Jesus Cassie, you’re a fucking nutcase right now. Pick an emotion. Pretend like you’re in charge here.

“No. I won’t let you. End of discussion,” his mouth remained stoic.

“That wasn’t really what one would consider a discussion.”

“Because there’s nothing to discuss. I’m not leaving you ever again. And you’re not leaving me. No matter how pissed off I make you, or how frustrated. I fucking love you and I’m not going anywhere.”

I attempted to fight back the smile that formed. “And I love you. But really, if you ever cheat on me again I’ll cut your nuts off and hang them from the Empire State Building.” 

Why it takes so long to write a dang book!

I know that some of you don't understand WHY the heck it takes so long to write a book!  Some other authors seem to bust out a book a month- which is awesome for them... unfortunately, i'm not one of them.

I thought i'd tell you the two biggest things that take up my time because you've probably never even thought about it before. 

#1-  RESEARCH!  Even the stupidest, smallest detail needs researched if I don't know anything about it. For example-  Jack & Chrystle splitting up... what are the laws in Alabama for an annulment?  Can you get one? If you can, for what reasons? How do you file one? How long does it take to process? Seriously. I look up all that sort of stuff before I write about it so that the picture I paint is as accurate as possible. Sometimes I'll find that i've spent hours researching things for ONE paragraph (and sometimes ONE statement or sentence) in the whole story!  It's crazy town!  :)  Research is time consuming, but I don't know a single author that doesn't do it. Writing about a jail scene? They're researching what the person wears, what the rules are, who can visit and when, etc. Writing about a baseball player heading to the major leagues?  They're researching where the minor league teams are located, making a list and then going through the list to see which Major league team makes the most sense. I look up everything if I don't already know. EVERYTHING! I reach out to my friends in the business for a more realistic approach (had to reach out to a big LA publicist friend the other day for some questions). I researched Cassie's major and compiled a list of all the classes she could take and then I chose the ones she did. I have the college schedule printed out so I know when they break for Christmas, Spring Break, when school ends, starts, etc.  I have the Mets schedule printed for game dates, times, days off (ha), etc. 

#2- THESAURUS.COM  i.am.not.joking.  God I wish I was. But I seriously suck at vocabulary. I write the way I talk. 100% the way I think, talk, my friends talk, etc. So I tend to repeat the same things over and over and over again. I swear I spend half the day writing and the other half looking up words in the freaking thesaurus.  And even then my editor still has to make it all better.  lol

So there you have it. Those are the two biggest things that "take away" from my writing time and suck up my days. If you're a writer, what are yours? 

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.  :)

After Christmas The Perfect Game SALE!

Okay!  So in celebration of all the new kindles, ipads, ipad mini's and nooks out there... i've lost my freaking marbles and made The Perfect Game only 99 cents!

99 pennies.

50 cents (you'll get the reference after you read the book) and 49 more.

seriously?

99 cents!?

Yeah.  SO GO GET IT!  please?  

Have an amazon gift card burning a hole in your pocket?  Let's spend 99 of those cents on this book!  LOL

But really, tell your friends... tell your neighbors... tell your enemies.  unless they really suck  :)

AND THANK YOU!  Thank you so much for helping me have the most successful year i've ever had in my professional life.

And if we rock TPG back up the charts, who knows what will happen in the future!  

Links?  Here you go.

the amazing amazon

http://www.amazon.com/The-Perfect-Game-ebook/dp/B009OMPKTG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1356485200&sr=8-2&keywords=the+perfect+game

the bombastic barnes & noble

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-perfect-game-j-sterling/1113324003

Thank you for spreading the word. I can't do it alone and I really can't do it without you. I appreciate your help, your amazingness and your general awesomeness so much. I hope you know that.  :)

ONE DAY SALE! 99 authors, 99 books, 99 cents!

Seriously!  This is happening RIGHT NOW!  For ONE DAY ONLY we have 99 BOOKS from 99 AUTHORS for only 99 CENTS!!!!

http://buymereadme.com

What book do I have on there?  Chance Encounters!  For 99 cents!  For 1 day!  :)


http://buymereadme.com

AND YOU CAN WIN ALL SORTS OF PRIZES!!!!!!!

GO!


NOW!!!

HTTP://BUYMEREADME.COM

do i have a favorite book i've written?

Someone asked me that last night... which one of my books was my FAVORITE!?!?!?!?!?

At first, I just sat there staring at her like "how the hell am i supposed to answer that question?!??!!" 

But then I realized...
I absolutely do have a favorite.

I told her that I was most proud of The Perfect Game. That i'd worked so hard to learn, grow and become a better writer and storyteller that at this point... that's the one that i'm the most proud of.  :)

But the truth is...
The book that is my favorite is the one that started this whole journey. The original story that I couldn't get out of my head. The dream that haunted me for over ten years. The boy I've never met who will always own a piece of my heart.

I'm talking about In Dreams.

That book is my favorite because it's my guts, my heart and my soul. It's a part of me in ways I only wish you all understood. It's my favorite because it represents so many aspects of life that I believe to be true; like soulmates, reincarnation, past-lives, talking to the dead...

And I was pulled to write it. It called to me so strongly I could no longer ignore it. It HAD to be written. Even if it wasn't written very well, it was a story that demanded to be told. In Dreams is more personal to me than anything else i've written- probably because I didn't just let you into a couple years of my life, I brought you into my heart, into my dreams, into my soul and my beliefs. I brought you into MY ENTIRE LIFE.  In Dreams isn't a simple story about love. It's a story about love that spans lifetimes. A love you can't get over or move past. It's about a love that pulls you in so tightly- even if you don't get why- you know you don't want to let it go.

So my answer to her?
"My favorite book is the one that's written the worst and that people hate the most. How ironic is that?" 

PS- so many of you have found In Dreams lately and have fallen in love with it. I want you to know how much that means to me.  I know it's rough and not written as well as I would like, but we all have to start somewhere right?  :)  THANK YOU for giving it a chance. I am thankful. 

Boston Book Signing!

Hey all!

So my next official book signing will be in BOSTON in MARCH.  I know it's still a few months away, but if you're planning on going, you need to register.

Don't worry, it's FREE- but they need a head count. 

If you're in the Boston area, please come by. I'd love to meet you, sign your forehead, or whatever else you'd like me to sign.  :) 

Go here for details:
http://bostonauthorevent.blogspot.com

you want to write a book?

I can't even begin to tell you how many emails I get from various people who tell me that they want to write a book. (this also happens in person A LOT. and I do mean, a.lot.) They all ask me the same questions... do I have any advice for them? What should they do? How should they begin? etc, etc.

I honestly NEVER know what to say. Basically, the only thing that comes to my mind is- sit your ass down and start. I don't know what to say beyond that. Writing isn't necessarily something that you plan from start to finish like a meeting with bullet points (although maybe for some writers it is). Things start to evolve as you write... characters take on their own personalities and want to do their own things... where you thought your story was headed may completely change direction. You have to be flexible. You have to be willing to deviate from your plan. You have to let your story grow branches, sprout leaves, become this beautiful tree with roots and depth and strength that you didn't anticipate or plan for.

Writing a book is hard work. It's not easy. It's freaking torture at times. You will want to rip all your hair out. You'll be so in love with your story and your characters one minute, and think it's the most boring, piece of shit story you've ever read the next. There will be times that you'll feel like if you have to read one more word of your story ever again, you will throw your laptop off a bridge. You'll get stuck. You'll have writer's block. You'll get frustrated. You'll be on the most beautiful, flowing roll ever and then something will happen to interrupt you. And no matter how hard you try to get that groove back once the distraction is over, you won't be able to. To write a story, any story, becomes a very personal journey. And that personal journey suddenly becomes extremely public when you hit the publish button.

I know that it seems like everyone and their mother f'n dog is writing a book these days. And they're hitting best seller lists and getting publishing deals, etc. And so I know that there are some of you who want to cash in on that. You think that it's a get rich quick scheme. I'll write a book and then i'll be rolling in the dough! If that's you, please do us all a favor and don't bother. I'm not kidding. Trust me when I tell you that writing and self publishing is NOT a shortcut to fame and fortune. If you want to get rich quick then play the lottery. There is nothing quick about self publishing. And more than likely, you will not get "rich" doing it. At least not right off the bat. You'll be lucky if you make enough money to cover your editor and cover designer.

I started writing because I had a story that wouldn't leave my head. As my time working for someone else neared its end, that story called to me louder and LOUDER. It was all I could think about until I started writing it. And at the time, I honestly thought I just had this one story to tell. And I used to joke around and say, "who the hell just writes ONE book??" But I wrote anyway- because it called to me. And once I started writing that book, it was like I opened this floodgate of creativity within me. Suddenly, I had a whole bunch of ideas for stories I wanted to write! And I feel blessed to have found something I truly enjoy doing. But I followed my heart (NOT dollar signs). And it's led me here.

I think the best advice that I can give to anyone considering writing a book is:
Don't write for the wrong reasons. You should want to write a book because you have a story, or an idea that won't let you go. You feel passionate about the story you want to tell. You're driven to write. Writing feels like a part of you...an extension of who you are.

And if that sounds like you, then I say go for it! Write that book! And good luck!

But if you're one of those people who wants to write for all the wrong reasons, I suggest you look elsewhere. People will see through your intentions.

Being an author is about trudging through the hard times. Writing when you don't think you can write anymore. Pushing through the roadblocks in your story because you're determined to find an outcome. And writing new stories when you've just finished your last one.

We don't write for the money. We write because we're passionate about the stories we tell and we want to connect with people through our words. We love what we do, even when it's frustrating, hard and tear inducing.

We don't write simply because we can.
We write because we simply can't imagine NOT writing.

:)

the post where i show you my heart

kittens...

I love you. I really do. And I hope you know that everytime I tell you "thank you" or that "I appreciate you"... I really, really mean it.

I want to give you a little background on me so that you can hopefully get a better understanding of just HOW thankful I truly am.  :)

I got fired from my job about two and half years ago. It was funny because at the time I was so convinced that I'd be jobless for probably a whopping whole 2 weeks before someone else scooped me up and I was working my ass off again. And the thing was, at the time, I really needed a break. I can't even begin to talk about what went on in that work environment and what I had to deal with, but to say it was one of the most challenging experiences of my life would be a true understatement.

Anyway, I couldn't have been more wrong about my ability to find a new position with ease. Holy shit, i'd never been here before. I'd never been jobless. I'd never been tossed into an environment that was filled with so many under and over qualified people looking for work all at once. So I bought a laptop and starting writing almost immediately.  But I was still looking for work and applying to numerous jobs daily.

I could barely get an interview- and when I did, I ususally left there in tears because I had just come from a miserable work environment and the last thing I wanted was to be tossed into another one. I didn't want to do something I hated. I wanted to enjoy how and where I spent my days. Life is too short.
Nothing felt right anymore.
All the interviews- THE MERE THOUGHT of working for someone else- it didn't sit well in my guts. It's like I knew somewhere inside me that that wasn't what I was supposed to do anymore. It didn't feel right to work for someone else. It felt like I was taking a step backward when I was handed this gift to move myself forward.

But how do you explain that kind of "logic" to a family who needs your income? 

Thankfully I have a very supportive family.  :)

Not like it would have mattered- I honestly don't think I could have found a job if my life had literally depended on it.  It's HARD out there. It's crazy competitive and the people hiring like to make the decision for you before they've even given you a chance "I think you'll be bored in this position." "You're way too overqualified for this."  "Why would you want to do this job, when you've been doing this sort of job the last 10 years?"

Moving on... 
I couldn't get hired (obviously lol). And I released my first book (in dreams) not knowing really anything about this business. I just knew that I had a story I wanted to tell and no one was going to stop me from telling it. So I did. And then I wrote another. And i'm working my ass off to try to make a name for myself in the Indie/Self Published author world. And it's a lot freaking harder than it looks. There's A LOT of indie authors out there. And sometimes things seem so hit or miss- the moon lines up and the stars align just right for some people and not for others. And it's frustrating because i'm sitting there trying to sell books so i don't feel like such a worthless non-income-bringing-in loser (ahem), but nothing i'm doing is working- and my books are being ripped apart and people are hating them and the comments are freaking mean and they tell me I suck and write like a 12 year old and i'm sure i'm supposed to be offended, but I know some pretty cool 12 year olds out there, so whatever.

But of course that leads to the inevitable question of- am I supposed to be writing books at all?  And if i'm NOT supposed to be writing books, then just exactly what the hell am I supposed to be doing because NOTHING ELSE FEELS RIGHT! 

Sorry.

I'm calm now.  lol

So I'm writing books, but not really making any money. I'm looking for a job, but I can't freaking get one. 

And what happens next?

We lose our house.  After trying to refinance and get help with the mortgage (all of which the bank said no too)- we were in the middle of a short sale when the house went to auction. The bank didn't stop the auction and I went and watched it get sold to the highest bidder. We had to move a month later. (that was all this past may/june)

And really?  It's okay. I mean, I truly believe that everything happens for a reason and i'm perfectly fine with how everything turned out- but that doesn't mean it was horrible and hurtful and really fucking sad to get to this point.  You know?

Holy crap, do I have a point?  Yes, I do.  My point is that if you fast foward to now... right in this moment... right this second... I want you to know that you've made a difference in my life because you're enjoying something that i've written. You're telling your friends and family to buy my book. You're recommending The Perfect Game to friends, strangers, neighbors, in coffee shop lines, on facebook, on twitter, etc.  You're CHANGING my life. 

I'll say it again.

YOU
ARE
CHANGING
MY
LIFE


Let it sink in. 

Please.

Just for a moment.

Or two.


Because I could never be where I am right now (an Amazon best seller, having made the USA Today and Barnes & Noble Best Seller list) without each and every one of you. And I would be lying if I didn't say that I wish this could last forever! Because honestly, I wish it would. :)

But as for now-  you've made my dreams come true. You've rewarded my hard work by believing in me, encouraging me, supporting me, and wanting MORE from me. For the first time since I started this crazy journey, I feel like a success. I feel like i'm doing something right. I feel like i'm right where i'm supposed to be.  And I AM SO THANKFUL for every one of you. Because I feel that way BECAUSE of you.

So, thank you... for every email, every facebook post and every tweet.  Thank you for everytime my book pops into your head to recommend to someone. Thank you for spreading the word about my little book that could. You believe in it, which means you believe in me. 

And that is more inspiring than I can ever put into words.

I appreciate you. 

xo