Stepping Away

I'm writing this post because I have something I need to get off my chest.

Within the last six months or so, I've been struggling with something I've never faced before. My current health situation aside, something inside me didn't feel right. I was uninspired. My drive to write and the motivation I needed to be creative was not there. I didn't understand it at first, but after talking it out with a lot of different people, it's clear to me now what I need to do.

When I first embarked on rereleasing The Mind Breaker Accounts, I had two motivating factors in mind:

1) This is the type of story that will sell
2) I'm going to put all of my money any resources into this series and see what happens

Both thoughts haunted me while writing the first two books, but they didn't latch on and cause damage until I got to the third one. Don't get me wrong, this series will always be dear to me. Don't read this and think I'm intending to hate on the story, because I know there are people out there that are fans of these books. I started this series when I was in high school, and it was my way of testing the waters when it came to writing and becoming published. I learned a lot through them, but even so, I was never attached to them. This type of book - the paranormal, science fictiony stuff - it's never been my forte. I enjoy reading it from time to time, but my heart truly lies in the contemporary world. Those that have read my novel, Small Circles, should realize this to be true. It took nothing for me to write that book, and yet I poured my entire soul into it. It was easy and it felt right, because that story is the type of thing I'm passionate about. Without a shadow of a doubt, it's what I'm MEANT TO DO.

I love telling stories about teenagers. I love exploring their struggles and reminding people how important the small things used to be. YA isn't just about being a young person. It's about embracing the fact that your entire world is ever-changing and wide open. For those that are my age or older, it might seem like petty drama to you now, but when you were 16, if that boy you liked didn't talk to you, it felt like the end of the world. Despite experiencing first loves and everlasting friendships, I learned so much about myself when I was in high school. The experiences I went through shaped me into who I am now, and I wouldn't trade it for anything. That time in my life was so important, and I feel like it's my job to share that with others.

This brings me back to my point...
Because I finally understood my true passion, I realized that I was stuck. I had committed myself to something that I didn't really care about. I was writing something that I didn't love. I was writing something for the sake of making money, and I had conformed to the idea that I could write anything for anyone, when in reality, I should have been writing it for me.
I have to write the book that only I can write, and right now, INSTEAD OF THIS is not that book.

I'm sure this is disappointing to those of you that have been anxiously awaiting the third book in the series, but I wanted to be honest with you, and I wanted to do what's best for me. I don't want to give you something that I'm not 100% proud of. I don't want to write a book that has no backbone. When I write something, it's got to come from my heart. I'm not saying that INSTEAD OF THIS will never be finished. All I'm saying is that I'm planning to step away from it for a while, until I feel confident in it again. One day, when the time is right, I'll come back to it. But only when I'm ready.

What I'm going to do now is focus all of my energy into something that I've been dying to get my hands on. I'm going to start working on the Small Circles short stories full time, and I plan to get it out to you by the end of the summer like originally planned. I'm confident that this is the best decision for me, and I hope you will all agree that it's better than forcing something just for the sake of making a sale. Working on Instead of This made me start to despise writing. And I love writing, so I never want to feel like this again.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me.
Your love and support has gotten me this far, so I hope you can stick with me through the rest of my journey. Scratch that. Let's make it OUR journey, because I couldn't do any of this without you.

xx

-Megan.

Happy Valentine's Day! (here's what's happening...)

It's been a long time.

Sorry for neglecting my blog, but things have been intense lately. The past several weeks have been tough, and most of you reading this will know why. I'm doing slightly better when it comes to my health, but as far as my drive... I'm still trying to get it going. Dealing with all of this personal crap has really thrown me off my game. I'm tired all day every day, and 70% of the time my body is in pain. On bad days, writing gets placed on the back burner, and my priorities lack any creativity. There are some days, however, when I feel confident. The past few days for example, I've been hanging out at Barnes and Noble and plowing through accounts for INSTEAD OF THIS. If I've got enough Americanos running through my system, I can usually get several thousand words out. It's the motivation that's killing me.

My plan was to have the third Mind Breaker book published on March 1st, and I'm really REALLY hoping that I can do that. But here's the catch. There will not be advanced copies available for street team members this time around. I will have 5 review copies that I'm sending out to a pre-selected group of bloggers later in the month after it's been released. After IoT is released, I will be working full time on Negative Spaces. That is slated to be released in June. If all goes well, my next plan is to start writing a secret project that I will be querying to agents. That's right, folks. I'm picking back up on the querying game! This particular story might be familiar to those of you that are signed up for my street team newsletter. I sent out the premise for this story several months ago, and most of you got back to me with great feedback! Contemporary is big right now, and we ALL know that contemporary is MY THING, so hopefully we can make something happen.

I'll try to keep you guys updated on the status of everything as much as I can, but just know that the dates I've given you are not set in stone. These are my goals, and I'm crossing my fingers that nothing hinders me from being able to release all of the books coming out on time. Thanks for your patience as always. You are the very best! xx


-Megan.

Instead of This COVER REVEAL

It seems odd to be revealing the final cover in The Mind Breaker Accounts, because it's been YEARS since I first started this series, and I NEVER thought I'd EVER get to the end of it. Haha. It's been a struggle guys. No joke. Seeing that I had already written the first two and merely revised them for re-release this year, I'm actually having to sit down and write the third book. I've always had the notes for it, and the timeline was planned out fairly early, but along with the revisions certain things have changed. I'm very excited about those changes, and honestly, I believe I was meant to be stalled with this series. If I would have kept writing it 3 years ago, it wouldn't be the same. It would never have turned into the incredible story it is now. Writing four books in the Small Circles collection has really allowed me to grow and develop as a writer. I'm incredibly thankful to have those experiences, and I have no doubt that it will show in this final installment to the Mind Breakers trilogy.

Well.... here we go!

HOW GORGEOUS IS CHANDLER, GUYS???

Chandler Dollahite is the model posing as Alivien, if you haven't guessed that already. 

If you want to know a little more about her and the fabulous photographer behind these striking covers, Vania Stoyanova, check out these blogs for interviews. 

Chandler: The Book Lioness

Vania: Ana Loves

Can we just admire for a second how beautiful they all look together???

And, as announced by Sarah earlier this week on Always and Forever Fangirling , the lyric video for my song "Fade" IS COMING! It really is, I promise. It's been in the works for a while, but I just haven't had the time to dedicate to it. Welp. Now I finally pulled something together and it's taken 3 DAYS to upload it! My computer can't handle it. I don't know why. I'm still trying, so I'll let you all know when it's up, but I'm really anxious for you all to be able to listen along with the lyrics. I wrote and recorded this song with Lauren Lyle, and it's pretty much one of my favorite things I've ever done. The experience was amazing, and it really brought out my love for singing. It's not something I'll ever pursue, but remembering how fun it is was great :) "Fade" is the official song for The Mind Breaker Accounts, so I'll let you guys read into it what you will.... 

I think that's all I have for now. I don't have any new updates on the release date for Instead of This. I will be posting a link on my website for pre-orders starting December 1st. If you'd like a signed copy, this will be the best way to reserve one. And it's easier for me to know how many I need to print ahead of time. I'm still writing and taking my time, but as always I'll keep everyone informed with the latest news. Thanks for all the patience and support! You're the very best readers I know!

-Megan.