Love at First Sight

Does it exist?

Occasionally, I get comments on my books. Some people complain that the love is too fast. That my main characters fall in love too quickly. That real life isn't like that.

So, I ask you, do you believe in love at first sight? Why or why not?

I do. I've lived it.

My husband does. He's lived it.

He will tell you how he fell in love with me the moment he laid eyes on me. He will tell you how he knew that day that I was "the one"! He will tell you that his love for me only grew from then on.

And I would tell you that I felt that connection on our first date. I held back my feelings. I wouldn't believe that he was the one because I had been hurt before. It didn't take long for him to break through the wall around my heart. I loved him from the the first day, but admitting it took a little longer.

When people said that we wouldn't last because we fell in love too fast...well, we showed them! We're still going strong over a decade later.

Why don't some people believe in love at first sight? Have they just never experienced it? Have they never had that connection?

Just because it didn't happen to you doesn't mean it never happens.


On another note, I write YA. Teens fall hard and fast when they like someone.

New Book Ending

I'm working on this one book that I originally wrote way back in high school. The characters were bugging me a few months ago, so I took out the book. It was horrible. Really bad. But, the storyline was good, the characters were good. It just needed a lot of tweaking.

Basically, I grabbed the character's names and personalities and wrote a whole new story, keeping some of the same story. But, now I'm getting to a part where I could go a few different ways with it.

I could keep the original type of ending - happy, predictable.

I could make the ending sad and not so predictable.

I could make the ending not what I wanted, but probably more realistic. Happy, yet not happy.

I read so many people get tired of predictable, happy endings. But, how many readers are like that? Most? Some? Only a few?

And I LIKE the happy endings. So, should I just write what I would want to happen even if it's predictable and happy?

I'm sure I'll write whatever comes to me at the second I get to that crossroads. But, right now, I'm kind of conflicted about what to do.

This Week in Talia News

Sorry, little late in posting news... well, for the whole month I guess.

Michelle Muto interviewed me for her blog: Michelle Muto. While you're there, check out her book.

I finished the first draft of book #5. I put it aside for a few weeks. Then I'll go back to it and do my first edit, send it out to some readers, and do another edit.

I've been brainstorming more on book #6 and #7.

I'm also contemplating hiring an editor, but so far the prices are way too high.

Damaged still out sells any of the other books. If I Die Young comes in second. The Ultimate Sacrifice continues to come in last, but I'm hoping that since 80 people downloaded it using the coupon, maybe - just maybe - I'll get some more reviews, feedback, and word of mouth.

In the meantime, when the sales are up, I'm skipping around the house and when they're down, I remind myself that I write for me. I like telling stories, even if I'm the only one that ever reads them :)

G'nite World!!

Superstar!

This is what it must feel like to be awesome!! I got 4 sales in less than an hour. I usually don't check my sales that much. But, for some reason, I did, and one book jumped up in sales. I was elated!! I'm sure famous authors get much more than 4 sales in AN HOUR, but this must be a fraction of what they feel!! I'm skipping around the house, I let the kids have ice cream, nothing is going to get me down now.

I feel like Jack on the Titanic... I'm QUEEN of the World!!! (At least for another 5 minutes!)

So, to you, my fans... Thank You!

This Week in Talia News

It's the beginning of a new month! Hello May, please bring lots of sales. My BBoS (brown bar of shame) is gone on Amazon US. Yay!! I love when that bar disappears the first day of the month.

Lots of cover news this week. I have three covers finished now. I will be revealing a new one for an old book tonight. I am very happy with Streetlight Graphics!

I also went back and edited - AGAIN - the old books. I don't think I'm ever done editing. I walked away for six months, pulled the book back up and found things wrong. Even with people editing for me, I still found mistakes! Hopefully, I fixed all of them... doubt it, but maybe most of them :) Please do not hesitate to let me know if you see mistakes in my books. I will go fix them.

My fingers are itching to write an edgy book that I started in high school - which was a LONG time ago. I actually finished the story way back then, but it's not realistic now. So, I'm taking the character names and some of the story line and completely redoing it.

Guess that's about :) Cover reveal to follow.

This Week in Talia News

I'm going to try to keep a weekly update of how things are going. So, here is the first edition of 'This Week in Talia News'.

I was interviewed on two blogs:

Adventures In Writing

David Cleinman's Works and Writings

The article I was interviewed for in a local publication came out - however, there were a lot of spelling and grammar errors in the article. I'm worried that people will think that's how I write.

I received a good review for Damaged: Natalie's Story on Goodreads. I love it when I get good reviews. I love seeing that people are enjoying my books.

I finished the second draft of my third book and sent it to a couple people to read and review.

Next week's goal: I haven't decided for sure. If the reviews come in quickly, I'll get to work on them. If not, I'll do the first edit on my fourth book. Lots of promoting - I slacked a little the past two weeks trying to finish a couple of things.

Author Interview

Time for another author interview. Find out more about me here:

David Cleinman's Works and Writings