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Crazy. That is the only way I know how to explain my mindset for the past year. It’s been a crazy time for me. You see, a few years ago I wrote a little book called See Me, which was a TON of fun. The problem with that story is that it defies too many YA conventions. And it’s…quirky. Different. My publisher passed on it, which I can totally understand, and I decided not to try and sell it to other publishers. Some stories are colored too far out of the lines, and not meant for traditional publishing. I decided it would be a better fit as an indie book. You can read about that decision and the story here. My friend Carrie put together some amazing cover images last summer and I got so excited when I announced it to the world (here). I knew the story still needed some major work, though. I sought beta readers, many beta readers, and what happened next still makes me cringe. To put it simply, as feedback began pouring in I became overwhelmed. I began questioning myself as a writer and doubted my ability to turn the story into the magical thing I wanted it to be. I freaked the heck out. See Me was quickly shelved and I wondered if I’d ever have the guts to look at it again. You can read about that virtual “walk of shame” here. I’m not going to lie…it was the right decision at the time, but it was hard to come back from mentally and emotionally. Thankfully I’ve had the support and urging of my home friends, writing friends, my agent, my husband, and my mom. My mom never stopped asking about See Me. She asked about it ALL the friggin’ time. The woman is relentless in her love for that story. And her love for me. My friends have been amazing, too. I recall one chilly afternoon walk in Pennsylvania with Jen Armentrout last fall while we were on break at an author event (she hasn’t read See Meyet – I pretty much refused to let anyone read it after I shelved it). She’s one of those people whose pep talks leave you laughing and feeling like you can conquer the world. But I was working on other new projects at that time and was not ready to face See Me. December and January were difficult. Along with being a writer I’m a mom and the wife of a hard working veterinarian. My family takes top priority. We had snow days in December, Christmas break, travels to see family in Texas, and more snow days in January. Lots of snow days. And cold temperature days. And ice days. And guess who gets to stay home with the kiddos and get no work done? This lady right here. And then a series of events happened at the beginning of February that opened my eyes – several random mentions of See Me from different readers on different social medias, and out of nowhere my husband asked if he could read it. Since I don’t believe in coincidences, this felt like a nudge to work on it. So with a nervous belly I opened the doc… And I fell in love all over again with Robyn and McKale. I only told a few people what I was working on. I was euphoric and grateful, but also terrified of jinxing myself. Each day I’d read more and revise as I went, and I knew. I just knew. I was going to publish it this time. The timing couldn’t be more perfect. One month from today! I am thrilled and excited, and let’s be honest…a little nervous, but that comes with the publication territory for every book. See Me will publish March 17th, 2014. St. Patrick’s Day.  For the first day the ebook will be available at a special St. Paddy’s price of $1.99. I’m planning to publish it on Kindle, Nook, Kobo, and iTunes. A print-on-demand paperback will also be made available via CreateSpace. Please keep in mind that this is a self-publication, so it will not be as widely available as my Sweet books. See Me will only be available to purchase online, and it cannot be preordered. Please don’t hesitate to email me if you have any questions! Now, a warning…if you’re looking for a book similar to Sweet Evil, this is not the one. It’s very different, BUT it still has all the elements I love. It’s a romance. It has kissing. It’s got sisters who are best friends and a family who’s tight. Prepare for something cray-cray with many giggles along the way. Making the jump from a traditional publishing to indie publishing can be a daunting thing, so I appreciate your support and willingness to take this adventure with me. I’m open to publishing traditionally again with future stories. Who knows what the future holds? For now, I’m happy to be a hybrid author. Till we meet again… 
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