I'm outta here

Zombie gingerbread cookies...heh. Love it. One time I made lady part shaped sugar cookies for the cast of a production of "The Vagina Monologues" I was in during college. I was worried people would think I was insane, but they were well received....we even decorated them with...um.... You know what, I'm NOT going to share that. Moving on!

I'll be heading out of town tomorrow to take my son to visit his bio dad in California and then sneak in a little beach vacation while I'm at it. The hubs and I got a great deal on our hotel...probably because it's still freezing on the beach in California, but whatev! I wasn't wild about getting in my bathing suit right now anyway considering I'm at the "is she pregnant or just really weirdly shaped" phase of my pregnancy. Not quite big enough for maternity clothes, way too big for anything remotely cute from my closet. I've given 13 free reign to steal clothing as needed since I certainly won't be wearing any of those size 2s for quite awhile.

So I'll be out of pocket for the next 8-9 days. I'll be online some, but probably not updating the journal. I'm feeling the need for a rest after the intense line edit for my YA book and finishing another 75,000 worder for another publisher. I have to jump into writing again very soon, and I may very well work on vacation, but I'm going to cut way down on online time. I need to get out and experience the world, man...and do some major shopping. I used to live in L.A. so I know all the places I'm going to hit on our last day there. Whee!!

Have a wonderful weekend and next week. Be back soon!

Stacey Jay

Torn between two guys?

Can that work in YA? I can't say I've seen it done lately. Even in a series, there is usually one "hero" who is the focus of our heroine's attentions...which seems a little...odd to me.

Don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of one guy/one girl--just ask my husband--but for teenagers? I spent most of my teen existence troubled by all the options. I mean, how did I know the guy I was with was "the one", even the one for a few months? When you've just started the whole dating thing, it makes sense to sample a few of the flavors, that's all I'm saying.

This has been on my mind a bit since I'd sort of like to introduce another possible love interest in the follow up book to "You are So Undead to Me". But then, Ethan and Megan had such a nice romantic ending, I hate to ruin it...so I'm torn. I guess I'd just like Megan to have "thoughts" about someone else (someone I already have in mind). If this does end up being a series and not simply two connected books, it would be nice to have some options to explore.

Okay, hope that was reasonably coherent. Me and the Roo both have colds and I feel like my ears are going to explode,

Stacey Jay

Promotion Talking today!

Gah...promotion. Just the word makes my stomach cramp.

I've never been very good at selling things. My brief careers as time share salesman and telemarketer tanked within forty eight hours (I quit because the agony of pestering people while they were trying to have dinner was too awful). Even my acting career suffered because I hated sending out headshots and resumes with notes talking about how fabulous I was enclosed. Call me old fashioned, but I really feel someone else should be doing that kind of talk. I mean, first of all, my ego isn't that huge so there are times when I'm all insecure and not really sure I'm fabulous. But even if I were a egomaniac, how can anyone take what I say about myself as a legitimate reason to hire me for an acting job...or buy my book? I mean, hello? Obviously I'm biased.

The only thing I was ever good at selling was food. I made top sales every shift at my waitressing job because man I BELIEVED in that product. I could sell me some dancing shrimp appetizers, bottles of nice red wine, and key lime pie from the dessert cart. It was so much easier than any other kind of sales I'd done. The product wasn't me or in any way affiliated with me, so the pressure was off.

But at least now I get to hide behind a book cover, pimping a story instead of my self. (Acting is a brutal job, ya'll. Sounds all glamorous I know, but eh, not so much. If you have the slightest urge to do something else, I'd advise it.)

And maybe it won't be so bad...I mean, at least this time I'll have help, other people who believe in my book. I'm chatting with my editor at Razorbill and my agent, Caren Johnson today. I'll let you know how it goes!

Stacey Jay

I have a release month!! Line edits are done!!

YOU ARE SO UNDEAD TO ME will be out in April 2009! I am so so excited. It's the perfect time frame for me. My first adult book of 2009 is out in February, so this will give me a month to to relax before I jump back into hard core promo. It will also give my little ankle biter time to *hopefully* start sleeping through the night. He/she will be four months old and change by then so it should be happening.

Of course, my son didn't sleep through the night consistently until he was about 8 months old so I don't take anything for granted. I still haven't recovered from his non-sleeping-ways. Ambien was my new best friend until I got pregnant again. Now I just...don't sleep much. It's fun. If you don't have kids you should really try it. It's an excellent and fun way to age prematurely. (That is true, but I wouldn't trade any of these turds for a thousand nights of uninterrupted sleep. Being a mom is an incomparable job.)

In other fantastic news, my line edits are done!! That means copyedit-ville for me. What a load off my back. With that edit finished and the fact that I'm nearing the finish line on my next adult project that's due, I'm feeling downright capable. I WILL meet all my deadlines and not lose my mind in the process!

Yeay!! Let's add a few more exclamation points just to be really irritating!!!

Later!!!

Stacey Jay

Not much to say

So I thought I'd post a picture I took this weekend in my mom's rock garden. That's my kind of garden, man. Nice and low maintenance, lol. Since my writing work has picked up, I haven't been able to keep anything green alive for long. Though we do have one beautiful Iris that survived mine and the hubs lame ass bulb planting last fall. I took a picture of it yesterday....maybe I'll share that next week if I continue to be soooo boring.

I wouldn't blog, but I made a vow to blog Tuesdays and Thursdays over here come hell or high water or incredibly boring stretches in which I am doing nothing but work and therefore have no deep thoughts on life or anything else to share. Or shallow thoughts, really. Or funny thoughts.

Hopefully my sense of humor will rally once the hubs and I get our little mini break at the end of the month. We're going to the beach for a few days so I can lounge in my bikini and show off my looks-like-I-lingered-too-long-at-the-buffet 1st trimester pregnant body. Exciting stuff. I'm working hard on a nice batch of cellulite down the back of my thighs. Ben and Jerry are helping because they know no girl can go it alone :).

Happy Thursday and Have a great weekend!

Stacey Jay

Mooonnniiitttoooorrs

Instead of "brains", get it? :)

Happy Tuesday, hope your work day is productive and zombie free.

Stacey Jay

Middle Grade zombie book subbed

My new middle grade zombie book has been subbed by my agent, so now comes the nail biting! I really hope this one sells. I had a blast writing the partial and would love to finish it despite the fact that I have more than enough to get done before November. I still need to finish up all the final edits for "You are So Undead to Me" for Razorbill and final line edits for my adult historical urban fantasy. Oh and then there are those three other partials to finish up before the munchkin arrives and all that new baby business sucks my will to do anything but sleep when not baby tending, lol.
But whatev! I'll just keep plugging and hope for the best (ahhahahahah....hyseterical laughter ensues).

And now, your daily dose of zombie goodness.


The Zombie Food Pyramid. Mmmmm....yummmy. I especially like the Intestine group, lol.

Actually my food pyramid has been reduced to anything made with bread and cheese--grilled cheese, cheese dip and chips, cheese quesadilla, english muffin with cheese melted on top. It's the only thing that doesn't make me want to yack.

:) And on that note, I bid you good day!

Stacey Jay

Ugh...

I feel like this teddy bear zombie, like my entrails have been ripped out and all I have left is a nubby bone for a right hand. My kids were home for 14 days straight for Spring Break. And now today, on the way to school, my thirteen year old tells me they have no school on Friday for "teacher development"...

*(&*(%%##$##$$$@%&*&^!!!!

We work at home people need to WORK!!! And that doesn't happen with three kids at home wanting to go "do something". I mean, I feel their pain. I don't want to be trapped in the house either, but the work must get done or we won't be doing a vacation this summer. With the price of gas being what it is, we need my income to afford the extras. Like...clothes. Sigh....

What a whiney pain in the butt I am, huh? Lol. Whatever. I'm pregnant and first trimester exhausted and I reserve the right to be cranky so :P.