Keeping it Real

So, there's this thing out there in the author world about 'over sharing' information about yourself. I've been heavily criticized for talking openly about my life, the things I do and the people in it. Basically, I over share. (According to some critical others.) But what they call over sharing and TMI, I call keeping it real.

I'm sorry, but the world has enough stuck up, holier-than-thou assholes in it. I am not going sit up on some NYT Bestselling throne looking down my nose at all the little peons come to worship at my feet, keeping the air of mystery, playing the entitled diva. Frankly, I'm not entitled to squat unless you, the readers, feel like giving it to me...and I am grateful enough as it is for your pocket change when you decide to buy my work. If you go beyond that, if you come to me with an email or follow me on Facebook or any of that stuff, I assume you are doing it because you want to get to know me a little better. You want to know something other than if I can write a good story.

So, I am happy to give you...me. My weight loss journey. My boob job. My struggles with my kid. My puddles of insecurity, my tears when I see someone trash talk me...the list goes on. And I'm not going to give you a shinier version of me. Just the me of me. Now, mind you, I will keep things to myself in certain ways. Like, my real name. Where I live. Some of ya'll are freaks (if you are offended by that reference, then...urm...you're probably a freak. Clearly even you think so!)and I am going to protect my kids and family.

There are those who say it's a matter of professionalism. It's unprofessional to talk about how, ever since you hit forty, you have the worst time trying not to fart in public. Oh c'mon. You're all women out there! (Men have never cared about when and where they fart, so...)You all have bodies! And frankly it always gives me tremendous comfort to know someone else goes through this and is willing to talk about it! What would be unprofessional is if I tried to put that tidbit into a conversation between one of my heroes and heroines. That is not romantic. (Although, it's funny shit so another writer who does comedic romance might get away with it). You come to my writing to suspend reality. You come to me to keep it real. If you don't like what I have to say, stop following me! Resign from the blogs and mailing lists and etc. Right? If you want mystery between us, by all means. I can do that. So long as you don't read my blogs or my Facebook posts. I call it the 'head in the sand' approach. I don't cope well with bad reviews, so therefore I avoid them like the plague. I stick my fingers in my ears, shut my eyes and yell "La! La! La!" Voila! As far as I am concerned, I never get a bad review. (Okay, well, I do come across them accidentally once in a while. In which case, I need a fifth of scotch to fix the problem. And don't get me started on reviews. Did you know there are people out there with NOTHING BETTER TO DO than to go on Amazon and trash talk other people's books in order to raise up the authors they like?? Can you believe that?? Oh, but we're not supposed to talk about that, too. And we're not supposed to answer back. I am not making that up. According to RWR magazine, that is known as 'shooting yourself in the foot' professionally.)

I understand. It serves no purpose to waste energy engaging an idiot in a battle of wits...especially when the poor dears are so unarmed. It's basically grade school all over again. Bullies. The popular girls make themselves feel better by whipping others to shreds. Oy. Grow up and get a life. But the fact is, it still wounds you if you are a sensitive human being. I am not going to pretend otherwise because, frankly, I am proud of being a sensitive human being. I am proud to over share. I love nothing more than when a reader writes to me and says how 'down to earth' I am. How real I am. How much they appreciate my touchable approach. I will be ashamed of myself the day I look down my nose at someone and deem myself too good to be honest with them.

If I want to be professional, I call my agent and cry hysterically with her or get mad and stomp my feet with her and then let HER call my editors or publishers or whoever has ticked me off and communicate my...erm...discontent with the current situation. Unprofessional would be to call them directly and curse them out like the New York gal I am with no regard for my future contracts. That, after all, is why she earns the big bucks. She is a tool. A buffer. An ambassador. A very talented one. A priceless one. What, are you shocked to hear I can behave like a child on occasion? You mean you don't? Not even deep down on the inside? If you are able to keep that under wraps, I envy you. Perhaps it is because I am bipolar, perhaps it's because I never learned how to suppress all of that emotion...perhaps I'm a child now and forever. Flaws. A ton of them. And I have them like crazy!!

Don't you?

Hugs and Kitties
Jacki

New Website Has Launched!!

Hi all! Welcome to my new website!! We worked really hard to make this hugely user friendly and to make it easy for you to get answers to all your questions. Where am I signing? What is AAD? Who is JAX? Are you coming out with a new Nightwalker book?

You can write me easily right from the website. Sign up for alerts to these blogs and a newsletter if I release one. You can see what is scheduled. What hits the shelves when. You can read first chapters or teasers from the backs of the books. I have fancy little flashes to entertain you and oh so much more!! Come. Play around. Have FUN!

Hugs and Kitties
Jacki

Happy Holidays!

I just wanted to wish everyone a happy holiday, whatever you may celebrate! I have my beautiful daughter with me for the holiday and I am so thrilled. I hope all of you are curled up warm and cozy with someone you love, drinking egg nog or hot cocoa, wishing for snow and Santa to come.

I wanted to take this opportunity to update you on the goings on in my world. My new Gatherers series debuts December 29th with the arrival of HUNTING JULIAN. It's pictured here below with it's lovely revised cover. I think it's beautiful.

This new series travels to worlds you won't expect and for reasons you have to read to believe. It's a departure from my Nightwalkers and Shadowdwellers, but I hope you enjoy it equally.

Then, this spring will be the follow up story, book 2, STEALING KATHRYN. I have the cover art for that as well and it is equally beautiful. :)

So, my dears, I wish you a prosperous New Year, a Christmas full of riches, a festive Yule or Kwanzaa. Whatever way you celebrate, whatever it is that gives you family comfort and and that warm special spirit of the season, know that I am wishing it for you in spades.

Hugs and Kitties
Jacquelyn Frank

Authors After Dark Paranormal Weekend

Well, not to toot my own horn or anything, but I heard people had a really good time!! YAY!! Although, some of you may have heard that a certain author *cough cough* tripped over her own feet and gave herself a concussion. Alas, much to my dismay, I missed the entire last half of my own weekend! I was in a crappy hospital where all the bathrooms smelled like pee and my roommate was a total nosy mouthbreather. I ended up with a headache that lasted a bajillion (okay, so it was sevenish) days. Needless to say that part of the weekend totally sucked...for me anyway. But the parties went on without me and the pictures say everyone had a great time! I admit, though, I feel horrible and so guilty for those who came so far for the signing only to find out I was flat on my face in the hallway getting carried away by some uber hot EMTs. Sucks to be all of you who didn't have their hands all over them! Sucked to be me with the exception of those five minutes of EMT dreaminess.

Anyway, I do have some pictures to share of the event. This first one is of the tables before everyone was let in. Yes, those are green cobwebs on the chairs and tables. Our first party was the pajama party/candy and ice cream party. Those cauldrons are full of candy plus the tables were covered in treats. I gave away brand new sleep shirts for the Gatherers series and the first of the tons of books we were giving away.

These next pics are of the many baskets we raffled off for Pets Alive and the Animal Compassion Network!
















There were something like ten tables filled with this stuff. And thank you SO much for the authors and others who donated these excellent gifties and helped us to raise a total of 1,400 dollars to be split between the two charities! I am so delighted!!

Even though I wasn't there, I do have some pictures of the masquarade. They are a little dark! The little red queen is my B!


Anyway, I wish I had more. It wasn't perfect because of the accident and me missing such important parts of the event, but I hope everyone had a fabulous time. I promise to be more careful next year!! Although, Tilly Green's husband said I fell quite gracefully. :) Personally, I felt myself bounce. One of the pleasures of having a nice rack. I come with my own airbags!!

Kate Duffy

Kate Duffy died today. I hope with all of my heart that she knows how much she meant to me. If not for her not a single word I write would be seen by another living soul. She was more than just an editor at Kensington to me. She was the roof over my head, the bed I sleep in, and all these other comforts I now enjoy just because she saw something in three little pages of sample work from me and thought I was worth a closer look. I can't help but feel an era has just passed by and I didn't get to enjoy it nearly as much as I could or should have.

I will miss you so much, Kate. I know you're up there having a smoke with the goddess and kicking back with a good book.

All my love,
Jacki