Tag: #publishedauthor

Chocolate Chip Cookies And Pink Nails, Writing Corner

Getting Chocolate Chip Cookies and Pink Nails publish-ready | Step Three (September Checkup)

Cassandra Meaker

Hey! Hello! Hay! Hoi!

I know it’s been a while. I’m sorry for disappearing. Life just hit a bit too hard and I had to go into survival mode for a second there. But please know that even if it might not seem like it, writing is very important to me. This book is important to me. I just figured I will quickly pop in here to give an update on the process and the plan for the next few months.

August was a good writing month. The best one I’ve had for a while. It went downhill around the middle point but those first two weeks were chef kisses for this book. The plan of working on the book for at least 15 minutes every two days worked really well. (Say that three times fast!) I’ve noticed that sitting down and working on the book is the easier part of the two, but getting started was a whole different problem. I struggle to do that just by myself. So, the timer system on a schedule did the trick. I marked 6 days in those two weeks and was finally able…drum roll please…TO FINISH A CHAPTER. That’s right. You read that correctly. Slow poke over here finished her first chapter in MONTHS. I finished chapter one on the 22nd of May and only finished chapter two on the 9th of August. Urgh, that hurts a bit. And because this system worked so well in August before shit hit the fan, I want to give it a good old college try in the month of October. So, I will be right back. I’m going to open my book for the first time since the 12th of August and set a 15-minute timer. Just for fun, it’s 11:30. Let’s see when I finish…

I’m back. It’s 30 minutes and a little over 500 words later. I had to reread chapter two to figure out where I left of. I kind of got into the groove but then the laundry machine finished and reminded me of the very long list of chores I need to get through after being overwhelmed for a bit there. So, I’m going to that and come back to this update a bit later tonight. I want to set another 15-minute timer tonight and see if I can pump out a bit more before I post this update. What can I say? I’m definitely overcompensating. But as extra overcompensation, here is a tiny little expert of chapter two. This is something I use all the time in real life because of one TikTok I saw I don’t even know how long back. It has become a personality trait.

   “On a scale from one to ten, one being you would rather shave your head in a Dr. Phill haircut and ten being genuine joy, how much are you looking forward to tomorrow?” Zack hummed as he pondered over my question.

Many moons have passed since I’ve last opened this document. I’ve transcended into another life form and I’m now the ultimate something majestic. It’s been two days and it took me an embarrassingly amount of time to find this document on my computer. Am I being overdramatic? Yes. Did I immediately find it? No. Was it right in front of me on my desktop? Yes. I also needed to Google transcend because my first instinct was “tresented’’ but pronounced trans-scented. I whole heartedly promise I’m a very professional author… Let’s just say, I really appreciate my girl auto correct or the little suggestions word recommends when I spell like my dog’s asshole. I’m completely off track so let’s steer this puppy back onto topic. The little proud chuckle I did at my own joke is something I’m not ashamed of.

Anyway…it’s been two days since I’ve started this update so that means two things. I’m procrastinating and it’s time for another 15 minutes on the book. I’m going to quickly do that after being distracted by another task and come back at ***insert time later*** and…okay I will stop. See you in second. It’s 14:35. It’s 15:06 and I’m back. That went well. I’m a bit uncertain with the next bit. Originally this book was going to be a quick short novel but the number one feedback I got was that the book went too quick and it needed more breathing moments as in fillers to help build the storyline. And I’m now a bit insecure with the number of details I’m adding. It’s a struggle that has popped up before and I’m willing to put money on the fact that it will continue to come up every single chapter. But regardless of this tiny little thing I need to sort out, I’m happy with what I wrote down today and what I have up to this point so that’s something I’m going to cling onto. Future Cassy from two days from now can sort out this little kink.

This has been my very long update. I will come back at the end of the month to check in and update how things are going. My goal is to have chapter three and four complete. Even better if I get to say chapter five and six is finished but that’s my overcompensating voice speaking. I hope everyone is well and until next time.

Thank you so much for reading and I will see you in a click!  

Blog, My Alpha Mate Got Me Pregnant And He Loves It

A Year Ago Today, I Published My First Book

Cassandra Meaker

Today, one year ago I published my first book. My husband surprised me with a hard copy today and let’s just say I’m incredibly emotional. It’s been a rough and heartbreaking week, and holding and seeing it in my arms reminded me that I need to celebrate my achievements more. It’s been a year and it never quite sunk in through my thick skull what I did and how much it meant to me. I’m a published author. I wrote something that I should celebrate more. I wrote something that I shouldn’t shy away from. I wrote something I’m proud of. I took something I wrote as a teenager who was obsessed with Wattpad werewolves’ books, and turned it into something I’m proud of today.

A lot happened after a published the book. I mentioned it here and there, but well…there was an incident just after the launch of the book. I didn’t handle it correctly and I’ve come a long way since then…but I will be lying if I said it didn’t have a massive impact on me. I couldn’t write for months. I was able to sit down and write for the first time just the other day. This incident, where I had triggered someone, stuck with me and instead of celebrating my hard work, I felt immense guilt. As I’ve grown as an author and tend to enjoy writing a bit more intense content, as in, sensitive subject matter that will trigger people. I realized that it’s probably going to happen again but I’ve done what I could. At some point, it’s the consumer’s responsibility to do research before purchasing a product. I know it might sound rude and it definitely might raise some eyebrows, but other than telling the customer that hey chapter x is intense so if you’re triggered by this and that, then well don’t read it, what more can I do? As a writer, who spend hours of work building up to that moment, it doesn’t sit well with me. I’m not going to smack the biggest spoiler ever before you even read the book. Nope, but saying that, I will make it clear that the book in general contains sensitive subject matter. I found that it was a good middle ground for all parties. The months after I published the book, the incident was all I could focus on. I lost my confidence as a writer and felt terrified to write anything. With the help of my therapist and surprisingly enough one comment from my father in law, I managed to find my voice again. But I still never celebrated the achievement that it was.

This book means the world to me. I wrote it when things were very intense and I was barely coping with life. It was my escape and what started it all for me. It wasn’t my first book ever, but it was the first book that I shared with others. It was the book where strangers became my friends and cheered me on my darkest of days. In a way, this book saved me. I always knew that if I ever took that big step towards following my dream and publishing a book, this book had to be it. And then last year as I was working on the final version you see today; it became my escape once more. As just two months before publishing the final version, my dad had flat-lined on the operating table. The doctors were able to bring him back and for that, I’m incredibly grateful, but the fact remained that I wasn’t handling the news very well. I had realized the horrible reality that even if I left the very second my dad said he didn’t feel so hot, I never would’ve made it on time to say goodbye. It’s something I had no choice but to accept.

Today is the first time that I truly celebrated that I published a book. Today is the first time I realized that it was good enough. I have a long way to go when it comes to my insecurities and doubts, but today I took a step in the right direction. Somehow, this book always manages to save me when I need it the most. It saved me from the abuse, it saved me from the heartbreak of nearly losing my father, and today it saved me from…me. This past week was intense and I’m still mourning for the loss…I don’t mean to be cryptic. A blog is going up tomorrow. I’m just not in the place to talk about it. I can’t quite wrap my head around it. But before my brain slips into that depressing never-ending black hole, I’m going to focus on the simple fact that I’M A PUBLISHED AUTHOR. I worked hard and made my dream come true.

I made a TikTok in the moment and a part of me hates it – I don’t like being on camera – but I look so happy. I’m going to force myself to keep it up. Here is the link to the TikTok as I’m pretty sure the music is copyrighted.

I just want to take this moment to thank my readers. I don’t think I can ever quite express how much your support meant to me, then and now. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Please take care and stay safe.

Much love,

Cassy xxx