Category: Uncategorized

Ladies supporting ladies

Posted March 18, 2014 by Jennifer Ellision in blog, Uncategorized / 5 Comments

I don’t pretend to be an expert on the YouTube or Wrock fandoms, nor do I pretend that I’m a close follower of either. But there’s been something of a shitstorm that’s gone down in those fandoms over the past week or so. Credible accusations of sexual assault, sexual manipulations and emotional abuse and emotional blackmail have been levied. I believe them. I’ve been quiet, wanting to express my thoughts after I’ve had time to really think about them. Here they are in one quick go: Step #1: NEVER blame the victim. Don’t support sexual abusers. Period. Being a fan of someone does not equal knowing them. Being a fan of someone DOES NOT make them have any less of an ability to hurt someone else. If you have been hurt like this, I hope that you have someone to reach […]

Threats of Sky and Sea: A Call For Street Team Members!

Posted February 24, 2014 by Jennifer Ellision in blog, Uncategorized / 8 Comments

As I move along in the publishing process for Threats of Sky and Sea, I am more and more thankful for those of you who have extended your congratulations, RTed the news, or added the book to your shelves on Goodreads. The book’s stats on Goodreads definitely show the power of social media, especially among other writers and bloggers. If, like me, you read the acknowledgements when you read a book, you know that a book is not an individual effort. It takes people to give early feedback and to edit it; to get the word out, promote it, and review it. So… now I’m asking if there are any Katnisses among you to help me with more book promotion. Okay, that was perhaps a bad metaphor. No fights to the death, folks. Just, hopefully, volunteers to join my street […]

Getting things done

Posted February 3, 2014 by Jennifer Ellision in blog, Uncategorized / 6 Comments

Starting a new book is a daunting task, but a necessary one. Threats of Sky and Sea has only copy edits to go through, and its accompanying short story is drafted as well (more on that later). But it’s the first in a series. I may be uncertain as to the length of said series, but I know this much: there’s at least a book 2. And I’d love to release it at the end of this year– or, at the latest, early next year. So that means I’ve got to write it. Here are some of my favorite, not-so-revolutionary ways to get that done. 1) The notes app on my iPhone. Occasionally, I find myself inspired about a particular scene, have a random snippet of dialogue run through my head, or have an epiphany regarding a plot twist. Every […]

A quick thank you

Posted January 20, 2014 by Jennifer Ellision in blog, Uncategorized / 4 Comments

It’s been almost exactly a week (give or take a few hours) since I announced the coming publication of Threats of Sky and Sea and I just wanted to take a quick moment to say THANK YOU to all of you. The YA blogging community has been incredibly supportive of the decision and there was a point (okay, more than one) this week where I was so overwhelmed by how WONDERFUL you all were that I teared up. I found fellow writers and authors offering their support and congratulations. I realized that I’m now a part of the self-published author community too, which has been warm and welcoming. Some kind self-pub authors who know what they’re doing far more than I do have already helped me out with some advice (shout-out here especially to Tammy Farrell and Jamie Grey). So […]

It’s a big, big, big day!

Posted January 13, 2014 by Jennifer Ellision in blog, Self-Publishing, Uncategorized / 17 Comments

I always assumed that my first book would be a traditionally published one. To that end, over the years, I spent a lot of time researching query letters, synopses, and pitch contests. And I wrote a book. I revised (and revised and revised) it. My amazing beta readers and critique partners told me that my novel about a teenage barmaid in a world filled with Elementals and royalty, was ready to meet the world. So, I began querying, jumped into pitch contests, and waited. And waited. And waited. While I waited, I closely followed the paths of Leigh Ann Kopans and Jamie Grey, who both self-published their debut novels last year. Game-changer. I saw that they were putting out quality novels. I heard about the speed of self-publishing, the control that’s available to them, the decisions that they get to […]

A look back and looking forward in 2014

Posted January 1, 2014 by Jennifer Ellision in blog, Uncategorized / 1 Comment

As 2014 opens, I’m realizing something: I’m not where I want to be with my life, and you know? That’s okay. Because all things considered, I had a pretty good year. I have my ups and my downs. Sometimes my downs are really low and it’s hard to remember the good in my life. But when I put it in a list like this, the good overwhelmingly outweighs the bad and I think focusing on the good things in my life will help when those times inevitably roll back around. I transitioned from a temp job to a permanent position, where (some days) I actually get to use my English degree. My best friend lives several states away, but we still managed to see each other for four different trips. The bevy and I talk more than ever and it’s […]

Homecoming

Posted November 18, 2013 by Jennifer Ellision in blog, Uncategorized / 0 Comments

As I so often do, last weekend, I journeyed to Orlando, home to my alma mater. Although this time, it was for Homecoming. Homecoming as an alumna is (not unexpectedly) an altogether different experience from homecoming as a college student. For one thing, Homecoming at UCF is a competition. It’s not just students concentrating on one football game and hoping that the team emerges victorious. Instead, the whole week is rife with events like Philanthropy Knight or Skit Knight. As a student, I was INTO Homecoming. I loved it. I tried to participate in every event possible with my sorority; helped write the skits and performed in them. The night before the game, participating organizations had to build a float for the Homecoming parade. I stayed up until the wee hours of the morning, helping to build our float, caught […]

November, November.

Posted November 7, 2013 by Jennifer Ellision in blog, Uncategorized / 1 Comment

How is it possible that we’re in November already? It seems like New Year’s was last month; like BEA was last week; like my trip to Virginia and D.C. to see the BFF was yesterday. And even that was already two months ago. October was a pretty calm month. I elected not to do much in the way of Halloween– I didn’t relish the idea of going out on a Thursday when I still needed to be at the office by 9 A.M. No costumes this year! My one concession to the Halloween season (besides the candy. So. Much. Candy.) was an afternoon spent carving pumpkins with my friends. Alas, art is not my calling. My pumpkin was supposed to be a graveyard scene. But my pumpkin wound up with a very odd sort of… face instead. My adventures in […]

A happy list

Posted October 18, 2013 by Jennifer Ellision in blog, Uncategorized / 0 Comments

Stuff that’s made me happy in the past week: This song: Best Day of My Life by American Authors– It’s just such a HAPPY song, and I’d be lying if I said that the band name didn’t also make me smile. Celebrating a friend’s promotion with a nice dinner at Salt. Seriously, one of the best burgers and mac ‘n cheese I’ve ever tasted. Plus I got to wear a new favorite maxi dress for the evening. On Saturday, I Skyped with Angel and Aimee to watch Itazura Na Kiss: Love in Tokyo, which is a J-Drama based on one of my favorite anime (and which I’m convinced is secretly an AU of Sailor Moon). I also grabbed lunch with a couple friends on Sunday. Friend-filled weekends are nice sometimes, y’know? This happy pink sweater which is so “me” […]

3 places in about 3 days

Posted October 3, 2013 by Jennifer Ellision in blog, Uncategorized / 2 Comments

A few weekends ago, I visited my best friend and her boyfriend for the first time since they moved out of Florida. I had to keep my trip pretty short since we all have only so much time that we can take off of work, but I had such a great time! I basically traveled to Virginia, D.C., and Maryland in about 3 days. I arrived in Virginia on Thursday night, and on Friday morning, I woke up prepared for my first trip to Washington D.C.! The leaves were just starting to change colors, and I was excited that fall was starting to inch its way in. We don’t really have seasons in Florida, unless you count Hot (spring), Scorching and Humid with a chance of STORMS (summer), Pretty Dang Warm (fall), and Downright Pleasant (winter). Suffice to say, I […]