Laina Turner-Molaski

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1) How did you first become interested in writing?
I have been passionate about writing ever since I was old enough to read and write and wanted to put the stories in my head on paper. Being an only child probably contributed as I had many imaginary friends to keep me company.
2) How long have you been actively writing?
I finished my first book in second grade with my friend Michele and have been working on something ever since.
3) Do you write now as a profession?
Yes actually of this year. It’s do or die time.
4) If so, what titles have you put out and where can we find them?
My first fiction book Stilettos & Scoundrels will be out March 2nd, 2010 and my first non-fiction book But It’s My Business, will be out late March/early April 2010.
5) Are you an avid reader?
Yes. I love to read and write (not so much the ‘rithmetic) and I often reward myself for hitting my page count goal by reading a few chapters of whatever book(s) I’m reading at the moment.
6) Who are your favorite Authors?
John Steinbeck, Margaret Mitchell, Janet Evanovich, Nora Roberts, Sohpie Kinsella, Tom Clancy, and Dean Koontz just to name a few. You can see I have diverse tastes.
7) What is your goal in writing?
To entertain myself and others.
Would you rather write a book that sells millions of copies, but have it be “Celebrity Fluff” – or write an award winning novel that no one reads? And why does it matter?
I want people to have fun when they read my books. I read all genres, depending on my mood and what I’m looking to get out the book. I feel there are many people who are the same way. I want to entertain no matter how that may shake out.

Do you write in the first person POV? And why?
I have written in both. It depends on the type of story I want to tell which is my preferred method.
9) If you couldn’t ever write again, what would you be doing?
The only way I wouldn’t be writing is if I landed a gig as a trophy wife and was out spending my husband’s millions.
10) Have you ever worked with a professional Editor or Editorial Service? Was it worth the money?
The best money I ever spent. I have no patience for the detail. I just want to write the story.

….but then I realized it’s not and I am one day closer to the weekend than I thought. Not that weekend days are much different than week days but it is something to talk about. So I got the galley proof last night on my soon to come out fiction book, Stilettos & Scoundrels, and WOW!! it seems so real now. I will be overnighting it back to the printer today and then in about 10 days the books will be shipped. The ebook will be out next week and then the really hard part will start – selling.

Thinking about having to actually sell this thing made me think about goals and how important it is not only to have goals but to have the strategies in place to attain those goals. As we approach the middle of February how many of us have already abandoned our New Year’s resolutions. Is it because our goals were too lofty or we failed to have a solid strategy to attain these goals. Usually it’s the failure to have a solid strategy of daily actions needing to be executed to achieve those goals. So look back at the last few goals you have set and not attained. Take the time to think about what steps you need to take every day to make those goals a reality.

Today’s MS awareness piece is about a study done looking at how drinking milk during pregnancy can reduce the risk of MS

Don’t forget that when you purchase a pre-sale copy of Stilettos & Scoundrels 20% goes to MS.
Peace-
Laina

Wasn’t that a song from the early 90’s? The phrase was stuck in my head this morning. I have decided that this blog needs to be a form of therapy. Considering I get it hosted for free (thanks Wiredground) and I sort of have my own personal web dude with wicked programming skills (thanks Chris) it costs me nothing. Nothing is much less than the $85 an hour I pay my therapist. And those who know me might say I am not a good poster child for her as I seem to just as crazy now as when I started:)

All kidding aside my goal for the last year, or more, was to blog on this site daily (hasn’t happened), get my fiction book published (it’s being released March 2nd, 2010) and actually sell enough to keep me afloat (I have sold 2 copies), and pursue personal happiness (and that sure as hell hasn’t happened). However, I have been rather a stick in the mud. We all know that saying that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over yet expecting different results. I know that and fully admit I must be insane.

So I decided baby steps. I will post daily on this blog even if it is one sentence. It’s all about building a habit. Anyone want to take that challenge with me and commit to the daily pontification of all our nuggets of wisdom?

As my count down to MS week staring on March 8th I will be posting links and information I hope you will find informational.

Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Week March 8th-14th 2010

Have a great day!!!!
Laina

Anyone besides me want to stay in bed today? I enjoy the pretty snow but I would enjoy it better if it was 70 outside.

So I have sold 2 pre-sale copies of Stilettos and Scoundrels I only have 298 more to go this month to pay my mortgage. In case you thought I was joking in my post from last week. I’m not. Now some of you might think I am really nuts, and you would probably be right, but not because of this decision alone. For a lot of personal reasons which I will spare you the details, I don’t much care anymore if the bank takes my house, so really it’s not that much of a gamble to loose. What will be worse than losing the house however, is not selling any books. I need that affirmation that I’m a marginal writer, at least for my first attempt. I promise to get better.

The other reason I didn’t want to get out of bed today is that I have a bit of a dilemma with my other book. I have a business book that to be honest I didn’t really want to write, I just was somewhat pressured in to it and I did see the point everyone was trying to make. I then came up with the bright idea to have a online companion and an iPhone app. Kind of a nice, tidy package that would make it seem fabulous. Well on Thursday I discovered a fatal (no I am not being dramatic) error in the website design that negated all the time I had spent thus far (time I don’t have) and now I need too find an alternative solution and I’m not sure what that is. I’m also on a tight deadline to figure it out if I want to meet my publishing deadline and without the online “stuff” I am not sure the book standing alone is positioned correctly. Does that even make sense???

So option A- Scrap the entire project. About $1500 wasted, not including my time, but wouldn’t be wasting any more $$ going forward.

Option B – Just do the book and iPhone app and don;t worry about the online companion. Would required some sort of major adjustments to the book but is doable.

Option C – Use my secret ninja powers to find a online solution ASAP (the issue here is I don’t really want to spend the time rebuilding the site from scratch when I need to promote my fiction book to make my house payment).

A little help from my friends would be appreciated:)

Peace-
Laina

PS Today is the start of the 30 day count down to MS week!!!!!!

You know if you would have asked me this a few year ago I may have had a different opinion. I was a little more conservative back then and might not have thought that the pay off out weighed the risk. But I’m in a different mind set these days and think more along the lines of “Hell, why not?” If I believe in myself, and I do most of the time, it should be a no brainer.

To put my money where my mouth is I will admit I have done just that. Now there is no better motivation to sell than to know you have your house on the line. While my kids like camping I’m not so much a fan.

My book doesn’t release until March 2nd, 2010. My goal is to make back my mortgage payment with pre-sale copies, which 20% of all pre-sale copies also goes to fund Multiple Sclerosis research. To meet that goal I have to sell roughly 300 copies in the next 3 weeks. So I need your help. If you know of someone who enjoys reading romance/mysteries pass this post to them and maybe they might want to help me out. In more ways than one.

Stilettos & Scoundrels

All my appreciation,
Laina

Doesn’t it seem like just as you have everything under control life throws you a curve ball? That’s what has happened to me this weekend. But you have to persevere. At least that is what I’m telling myself. You have to find solutions to problems. Not just sit and complain about them while doing nothing. Although that can be fun for a short time. Sometimes when it seems like life just sucks you have to think about all the people less fortunate that you. Yes I know that’s cliche but it’s so true.

Have a great day!
Laina

Say no to Money Maker

I am determined to have a great week this week. I had a productive weekend and so far it is continuing through today (yes I realize it is only 9:30am) but let’s celebrate the small successes.
I pressed the “confirm” button on my fiction book, Stilettos & Scoundrels, to send to final printing. The book will launch March 16th, 2010. I haven’t yet decided if I’m freaked out by this or excited. I have a lot financially riding on this (hence the freaked out part) but surely all my friends will take pity on me and buy it therefore increasing my perceived greatness as an author to my agent and potential publishing houses. I am also having it formatted for Kindle, Sony reader, and Amazon reader. 20% of all pre-sale purchases go to the Indiana MS Society. You can purchase on my website www.lainamolaski.com so help out the MS Society and get your book now. If you’re local you will be able to pick up your copy at any one of the several book signings I am organizing right now. A list will be published within the next couple weeks.
I am waiting for my non-fiction book, But It’s My Business, to come back from my editor any day now so I can put the finishing touches on it and send it off. This book will be out March 30th and will have a companion website with tools and resources (available now) and an iPhone app. This book also will have 20% of all pre-sale orders to the MS Society.
In the meantime I actually need to sell these books and set up some speaking engagements for the non-fiction book. So back to work!!!

Laina

Really what? I have no idea it just sounded good. I would like to report that after my depressing, I have no idea what to do post from yesterday, that I found my groove and got focused. Ummm…not so much. Laina has not got her groove back, though maybe I could if I went to Jamaica like Stella (yes I know bad joke).

I shouldn’t be out of my groove. I have 2 books coming out, working on a companion website for my business book AND an iPhone app. Ain’t that fancy!!! Maybe I’m crabby because it’s so grey out.

So friends…give me some mojo…Please!!!

Laina

Do you ever have those moments where you know you have a lot to do but are so overwhelmed that you don’t do anything and instead just sit feeling sorry for yourself? So I decided as I was sitting here wasting time trying to figure out where to start I would at least write this blog. As I don’t consider it work and get quite cranky when I can’t post the way I want to. Like last week. Now I was working on my books so at least something I like took me away. My fiction book is now out of my hands at the publisher. For better or worse it is done. My non-fiction book went to the editor after a 2 week delay. I just wasn’t happy with it. Still am not. But I can’t obsess forever. Now I have to jump on the marketing bandwagon. Maybe that’s why I’m a bit locked up. What if I have put all this work into these books and they don’t sell? I’m not at that moment of truth. I can’t say anymore I’m working on a book. They are almost out there for public consumption. I feel I may be in a place where by not doing anything saves me from potentially failing. Instead I can come up with excuses to hide behind. What the hell am I supposed to do with that? Any advice folks??
Laina