When You're Missing Out
Where Fleur has a solid case of MO, not FOMO.
This weekend, I have a serious case of MO – it’s not FOMO (short for Fear of Missing Out, in case you’re not familiar with the term), but straight-up MO - Missing Out. Left Coast Crime, one of my favorite conventions on my favorite coast, this year in San Francisco, is wrapping up right now. And I’m not there. It was a conscious choice, for cost and health and time, but one that’s hurting with a lotta MO.
The thing is, these events are choices. With my next book not out until April, it made no business sense to go. Though I have to say, it’s tough to see a good chunk of my writer friend base posting pictures.
How about you? Do you attend conventions, and ever feel like you’re missing out? How do you decide what’s worth it, and what events you’ll sit out?
Alas, there’s always next year, when Left Coast Crime is in Santa Fe. I feel a roadtrip coming on; those are my favorite.
Good News
Print proofs of Get a Clue: How to Plot, Write, and Sell Your MG or YA Mystery (it’s a mouthful, that title…) are in! She’s a bjoot, but still has a fair amount of typos, which I am fixing. Thank you to my friends who have offered to read it in advance and give the nicest reviews.
If you are interested in a PDF or print copy, you can shoot me a message by filling out this form. (Or you can just email me too)
The book is out April 7th. Preorders are rolling in. It’s exciting. I was interviewed for two different podcasts already (out soonish), and will be spreading the word about it this spring and summer. I hope it inspires some writers out there.
Oh, and lookit—it’s the #1 new release! (See: tiny banner thingy.) The category isn’t exactly huge, but I’ll take me some good news.
Where I’m Going
March is blissfully quiet, and I hope to get some serious writing done on this mystery for adults I’ve been plugging away at… I actually have some momentum on it now. I do have a few in-person school visits, but those are always inspiring. The kids are the best, and these visits make me itch to write another middle-grade book…
April looks to be the month that Fleur goes places, with three events already on the schedule: Midwest Mystery Conference, Colorado Teen Lit Conference, and the Edgar Awards. Alas, some FOMO for Malice Domestic and Thrillerfest, but this writer must also write that book.
I’m really looking forward to all these events though. Maybe I’ll see you there?
What I’m Reading
I had not read middle-grade in a hot minute (shame on me) but thoroughly enjoyed Grady Jones and the Great Detective Game by Kerry Douglas Dye. A fun mystery for kids.
While still fighting the fibromyalgia monster, I read Wreck by Catherine Newman, and it could not have come at a better time. Highly recommend for my fellow middle-aged, somewhat broken friends. I laughed so hard.
What I’m Watching
It’s not exactly high-brow television, but I’m a big fan of 9-1-1, mostly because of the ensemble cast. The show is often surprisingly progressive too, recently with Henrietta’s battle with illness that took some time to come back from. You don’t often see disability portrayed like that on TV, so I commend 9-1-1.
Also, Aisha Hinds is just an amazing actor.
Fosterfloofness
These babies are off to the mothership (Humane Society) and to their forever homes, so it’s quiet around Casa Fleur. They were already spoken for by good friends, and couldn’t have gone to better homes. Happy ending for these fosterfloofs.
For financial and mental health reasons, I have decided I cannot attend more than one local and one out-of-state writers conference a year. I do get that MO feeling, until I remind myself how much work it is to attend conferences.
That first floof photo is such a supermodel pose! They're adorable!
I listened to your interview on Writers with Wrinkles this morning. It was wonderful. I usually have FOMO when I see pictures of a group of people I know together but sometimes the effort to get away is So. Much. Work.