Guest blogger Jennifer Wylie

One of my favorite things about being an author is how many other cool authors I meet online. So one of my goals this year is to introduce a few of these lovely people to others.

Last week I was lucky enough to have Lois Winston stop by, and this week I have Jennifer Wylie. Take it away, Jen!




Secrets and Lies: The story of an author mom.

I am a stay at home mom for my two darling boys. This year they now both full time in school. You'd think I'd have a lot of time to write. Not so much. Though I do try. There seems to always be a million things to do. I'm known to be a very organized person, yet still things get away from me.
My morning starts with a very cranky me in search of coffee. My husband, the boys, and even the dog stay clear until I reach the pot. Our mini australian shepherd will wait a few feet away, butt wiggling and waiting to be taken out. Coffee in hand we head to the back yard, we have a five foot fence , it was high enough for our last full sized aussie. This one jumps it. So I must stand there and wait to ensure she doesn't escape. Though we live in the country our road is busy and people drive too fast. In the summer I don't mind so much. This time of year when its snowing and -20 out I wish she'd learn to pee faster.
Back inside I fill up my cup and if its a school day the orders start. Get dressed, eat your breakfast. No, do NOT leave your jammies in the middle of the floor! Brush your teeth, did you go pee? I am weaving through our horribly small kitchen now. (I really hate it. It's literally 3 feet wide. You can't have more than one person in without bumping into them). Hub is trying to get his breakfast and coffee, I'm trying to get sandwiches made for lunch, do breakfast dishes, ensure all school paperwork and homework is in backpacks. Now the cranky moments of trying to get kids in snowsuits and out the door.
Finally a moment of quiet. Time to check emails, sigh at the amount, tweet good morning. Take dog out again, get more coffee. I spend a few hours tweeting, emailing, facebooking, checking various forums and lists and blogs. Not all for fun, as an author you have to maintain that internet presence. I also have a work from home job which involves working with other authors, reading, editing etc.
During the day I rotate the laundry, pick up toys, do dishes (no dishwasher!), take the dog every hour, make beds, sweep floors. Oh, did I mention I have over 50 birds? A hobby which got a bit out of control. We can't forget the hour or so feeding and watering and checking on all of them. If I'm lucky I get a short nap.
The kids get off the bus at 4. Hubby is home before or after, who knows. Where has the day gone? Time for checking journals, cleaning out bags, doing homework and starting dinner. Eat fast. Do dishes, more laundry, more tidying, bath the kids, get them in jammies and teeth brushed and lunches made and tucked into bed. I feel like collapsing but I've yet to do any writing. Sometimes I manage. Luckily the boys go to bed at 7.
Where are the secrets and lies? My house is clean. (Snort! Do not look in the corners, or too closely) Of course I sit around eating bon bons all day and watching soaps. (TV? What is that? I don't have time for TV! Okay yes I do eat a lot of chocolate though :P) How often to I sit down to edit or write and just get started... and then am called away. Yet I still say, yes I'm editing, yes I'm writing.
The classic of course... What did you do today?
Oh, not much.
On the other hand, there are those days all I do is edit or write, but I'll whisk around the house just before everyone gets home and when asked I say I cleaned all day. :D Shh. That's a secret.

Being a published author is fun and exciting and also a lot of work. With the marketing, edits on upcoming work and writing new stories my brain sometimes start to spin.
My debut short story Jump came out Dec. 15th. March 1st my next short story, The Forgotten Echo will be released, and my novel Sweet Light is coming out in May. I've two other shorts and another novel submitted, four novels in progress and a few I need to clean up before submitting. I just signed on with my publishers to do a minimum 6 part short story series. One due each month.
I might be insane.

Jump

If you were told to jump off of a bridge would you?

Perhaps it would depend on who was doing the asking. Our heroine has spunk and a sense of humor, however suffers from an extreme case of inappropriate clothing. When things take a turn from dangerous to worse what will she do when fantasy becomes reality? Warning: May include hot leather clad men, singing and demons.

Available at:
OmniLit http://www.omnilit.com/product-jump-493574-234.html
Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Jump-ebook/dp/B004FPYT4O
Barnes & Noble http://search.barnesandnoble.com/books/product.aspx?ean=9781590807354

My website: www.jenniferwylie.ca
My blog: http://jlwylie.wordpress.com/