Tag Archives: My journey

A bulging disc, edits and few days in the country.

About five days before I was due to fly to Sydney to spend a few days in the Hunter Valley with bestie Nic Starr and N.R. Walker, my back started playing up. I took a few pills and went to bed. The next morning I couldn’t move. I couldn’t stand, sit, move about. Nothing. Lucky for me, I’m good friends with my physiotherapist so I explained my symptoms to her on a Sunday afternoon. I was ordered to not sit. Ever. Avoid sitting like the plague, she told me. So how was I supposed to survive a four flight to Sydney then another two hour drive to wine country?

I don’t know how I did it, but I did. I did all the right things to get my spine moving again and within a few days I was up and about. Special exercises, stretching and absolutely no bending or sitting. I got on the plane, but it was a tough flight and I still don’t know how I managed to do it. I arrived at the Hunter sore and in desperate need of a lie down and some pain meds. Lucky for me my problem was contained before it started to affect my legs.

I spent 5 days with Nic and Walker and while they were both tapping away at their keyboards while sitting at the dining table, I lay on the couch and chatted. I had a wonderful time away, I just wish I was a little more mobile and a little less pathetic. However, our little writers retreat in the country was well worth the pain of getting there and it was filled with lots of laughter, gossip and great gourmet food prepared by Nic. Walker and I were more than happy to help her eat it.

Nic’s driveway

While in the country I managed to get the first lot of edits done for True Blue. They took me the entire 5 days I was away to do because I wasn’t able to sit down for long stretches of time. They normally would’ve taken me a day, but at least they’re done now. (Release is scheduled for mid May.)

So, now I’m back home and trying to get on top of things again. I’m still not allowed to sit down for any longer than an hour, which is making writing this blog post a little difficult, plus I’m attempting to get the arc’s ready for As the Leaves Fall and As the Ice Melts. They’re coming, I promise. Does this mean the release is pushed back? Not at this stage. I should be okay to get them ready for publishing. Ever tried using a laptop whilst flat your back? Not as easy as you might think.

Anyway, the point is, if you’re waiting on something from me, please be patient. I’m working through my very long list, but it’s taking me longer than it should.

Hope everyone is having a great week!

Much love
RJ
❤

Pre GRL. I’m traveling…

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By the time you read this, I’ll be on a plane making my way to San Diego and GRL! YAY!

Traveling truly sucks although I should have a good trip this time as I’ll traveling with my bestie, Nic Starr, she’ll ease my nerves just by being there.

I spent three weeks in California a couple of years ago and we stopped by San Diego for three days. It is a great place and it’s a lot like my home city of Perth so I’m looking forward to spending more time there.

GRL should be exciting as well. I’ll be meeting and mingling with authors and readers alike. Even though most people don’t know me, I know there’s at least one person who’s looking forward to meeting up. I’m looking forward to the fun and games and I know I’ll have a good time. Just being able to meet some of my favourite authors is going to be a blast.

I’ll post some pics when I return. In the meantime you’ll have to be satisfied with this guy. I do like a nice back.

❤
RJ

What I’ve been working on and what you can expect to see…

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I thought I’d take a small time out to let you know what you can expect to see coming up.

First, I have a small short story that was published in Wayward Ink Press’s Encore Anthology. The One That I Want will be released as a standalone on Oct 9th with a short sequel Hopelessly Devoted released on Oct 23rd. Both are sweet reads that you can enjoy while having an afternoon cuppa. I hope you like Jason and Paul as much I do.

Late November, early December will see the introduction of Josh and Alex in the release of Indigo Road, a full novel where two best friend take a year off to travel the country after graduating from college. While both MC’s may not consider themselves gay, they’re a long way from straight when they realise their feelings for each other run deeper than they first thought.

That rounds out 2015 for me, but I’m far from finished.

2016 will see the release of True Blue, #3 in the Out of the Blue series with Mason finally getting his man and Brandon realising he’s not as straight as he first thought.

Sometime in the year I’ll introduce you to Aiden and Noah in As The Leaves Fall, my gorgeous British architects who try very hard not to have an office relationship. I won’t have a release date for them for a while as I’ll be relying on the publisher for that one rather than publishing it myself, that’s if they accept it, of course. (I’m so excited for this one, I could burst!)

I’m hoping to round out 2016 with Bluheprint, #4 in the Out of the Blue series. I’ve had quite a few of my readers asking for Jet’s story and to be honest, I love him so hard, it was difficult trying to tame him in Black & Bluhe as the little shit thought it was his story, instead of his brothers. LOL.

I have a couple of others that have been started but have been shelved for various reasons. One I’ve titled Solid Rock and is a story about an Australian tour guide working at Ayres Rock/Uluru. He meets a shy British boy who comes to the rock to scatter the ashes of a father he never really knew. The other is a series of BDSM novella’s which I’m not sure will ever see the light of day, but we’ll see. I don’t like to see a project unfinished so it may surface one day.

Till next time, here’s another hot man to keep you company. :)

❤

Happy Valentine’s Day…

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This Valentine’s Day finds me at home alone with the kids. Hubby has gone away for work and won’t be home for two weeks. I’m not upset, really. The house will stay more or less clean and there’ll be less washing and cooking to be done. Don’t get me wrong, I miss him. Just not as much as I probably should.

But he did melt my heart when I got these lovelies delivered. Even after all these years he still surprises me with the romance.

Whatever you’re doing today, I hope you’re doing ~~someone~~ something you love.

❤
RJ

Love your Aussie Authors? Check us out here!

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I’m proud to be part of this showcase with Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words.

Want more from your favourite Aussie Authors? Follow the fun throughout January.

Want to know more about me and my upcoming release? Make sure you stay tuned. I’m not featured until Jan 31, but there’s lots of fun to be had along the way!

January is Down Under Author Showcase Month!

How many trips of a lifetime begin by opening a book or turning a page? Are Australia and New Zealand at the top of your “most desired vacation” destinations? Well, beginning in January, you can begin your journey to these faraway places through the books and stories of 28 Down Under writers.

For the entire month of January, Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is showcasing 28 authors from Australia and New Zealand. Journey by way of these authors stories and settings through the mountainous regions and rocky coasts, and cities of New Zealand, or the vastly different and beautiful territories of Australia! Get to know the authors and let them act as your travel guides, introducing you to faraway countries, places they call home.

Think everyone in the US, CAN, AUS, and NZ all speak the same English? Oh the joy of discovering what an “esky”, “chilly bin”, “jandals”, “mozzie” or even a “woop-woop” is. Each day brings a new author, new books, new giveaways and, yes, new surprises.

In addition to these wonderful authors and their novels, Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words
has multiple event prizes to be awarded to readers who participate in the Down Under Author Showcase Scavenger Hunt. Visit each author’s page in January, search out the Scavenger Hunt word or phrase, and then follow the directions on the Showcase page at our website.

For all the details and information for our first January Down Under Author Showcase, visit http://scatteredthoughtsandroguewords.com

Don’t forget to enter the contest to win some awesome Aussie prizes!

Click here to find out how.

Down Under Showcase Authors:

1/1/2015 Christian Baines
1/2/2015 Nicki J. Markus
1/3/2014 Anne Barwell
1/5/2015 N.J. Nielson
1/6/2015 L.J. LaBarthe
1/7/2015 Michelle Rae
1/8/2015 Renae Kaye
1/9/2015 John Wiltshire
1/10/2015 N. R. Walker
1/12/2015 John Terry Moore
1/13/2015 Beany Sparks
1/14/2015 A.B. Gayle
1/15/2015 Lisa Henry
1/16/2015 Meredith Shayne
1/17/2015 Pelaam
1/18/2015 Penny Brandon
1/19/2015 Toni Griffin
1/20/2015 Lisa Harris
1/21/2015 Isabelle Rowan
1/22/2015 Maggie Nash
1/24/2015 Lily Veldon
1/25/2015 Bette Browne
1/26/2015 Nic Starr
1/27/2015 Barry Lowe
1/28/2015 Cecil Wilde
1/29/2015 Lisa Henry
1/30/2015 Jack Burnes
1/31/2015 RJ Jones

It’s gonna be a real thing… Out Of The Blue is coming!

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I’ve finally made up my mind what I’m doing with “Out Of The Blue.” Oh My God, she’s made a decision!

It may have taken me longer than most but I was tossing up between submitting to a publisher and doing it myself.

In the end I wanted control of what I was putting out there. If I subbed to a publisher I would be given one of their editors, but who’s to say that editor would be right for me and my story? I don’t know much about editing, so how would I know if I’ve been given the right one?

Answer is, I wouldn’t. So I’ve hunted and researched and asked for sample edits. I’ve done the same with cover artists. But that’s a different post.

Out Of The Blue is happening, I’m just not sure how long the process will take before it becomes a real, live, living book. I’m hoping for Jan or Feb 2015.

I’ll keep you posted on what’s happening. In the meantime, cross your fingers and wish me luck.

❤
RJ

A word on patience…

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It would appear that I don’t posses this virtue, which I thought, for the past umpteen years I did.

I can sit at a cafe and wait patiently for my coffee, happy to people watch and view the sights around me.

I can sit at a train station and patiently wait for my ride to the city, again, happy to people watch.

If I have my Kindle with me, I could patiently wait all damn day.

Sometimes while waiting patiently for a doctor’s appointment I have waited patiently all damn day.

My kids often ask me ‘when’s Dad coming home? When are our cousins coming? When’s the bus coming?‘ to which I always reply, when he/they/it arrive. Have patience.

But it would seem when waiting for a reply from the publisher to see if my book is going to be contracted, then I have no patience. Their submission details state X amount of weeks for the review process on all submissions. I’m currently at the end of week 3 and I know I have at least another X amount of weeks to go. But does this stop me from checking my email everyday, just on the off chance that the publisher has nothing better to do than review my submission? No.

It’s stupid. I know this. I keep telling myself to have patience. My husband says ‘suck it up, you’ll just have to wait.’ And he’s right. I can’t do anything but wait, and hope it gets accepted. And if it doesn’t? Then I guess I’ll submit to another publisher and start the whole waiting patiently game again.

❤ RJ x