Month: July 2016


Jul
2016

Be Yourself

categories: Adorkable, Be Yourself, debut, doing what you love, writing, YA

People say it all the time, and you hear it again and again, maybe especially if you’re a young adult.

“Be yourself.”

It’s a great message, the idea that if you just “be yourself” everything will work out–and even if it doesn’t, you’ll be okay.  It’s powerful and empowering…and potentially very scary.  I mean, think about it.  Imagine, putting yourself out there like that, being who you are regardless of what people think, what they may say, how they may react.  You also have to know who you are in the first place, and that is tough for most adults let alone a teenager who is still trying to figure out her place in the world.

Like I said: powerful yet scary stuff.

I work with young kids, and school is about to start.  I was having a hard time deciding what to write this week when I saw all the back-to-school posts.  That got me thinking about how daunting starting a new school year can be.

And then…I thought about Sally :).

One of the things I love best about Sally Spitz (the main character of ADORKABLE) is that she is completely herself.  She loves what she loves and who she loves wholeheartedly.  Whether it’s quoting Yoda, wearing Harry Potter memorabilia, re-enacting her favorite scene from a movie that almost no one knows, or admitting to her best friend that she needs a fake boyfriend, Sally is who she is.  Unapologetically.  Like a proud author-parent, it’s also one of the things I’m most proud of.

That doesn’t mean she isn’t insecure sometimes.  Sally definitely has doubts.  Those are a part of her, too, and they make her human.  The important thing is that despite those insecurities, despite those doubts, she doesn’t let that stop or change her.

Like it or not–like her or not–it’s okay, and here’s why:

Sally likes herself.

She is loyal to her friends, her family and her fandoms :).  She’s a smart girl who loves books.  And she will be herself no matter what.  If you think about it, what “be yourself” really means is: Be brave.

As school starts back, I hope all the young adults out there (and the adults) can be brave.  I hope I can be brave.  I hope it’s one of the things people take away after reading ADORKABLE.

Be yourself.  It’s one of the hardest and most important things you can do.

Happy reading,

Cookie O’Gorman


Jul
2016

We have a winner…and a Gryffindor :)

categories: Adorkable, debut, doing what you love, fun, Geeking Out, giveaway, Harry Potter, Pottermore, YA

At midnight, a winner was randomly chosen for the ADORKABLE 3 Month Anniversary Giveaway!!!

And…

her name is…

Natasha!!!

Huge congratulations to Natasha, and thank you to everyone who entered.  There were quite a few entries, and again, just thank you so much for helping me celebrate ADORKABLE.  It really made the three month anniversary special :-).

Also, I went to Hogwarts and was sorted!  Okay, so I didn’t really go to Hogwarts, but I did join Pottermore.  I took the test–unfortunately, there was no sorting hat.  I answered all of the questions as honestly as possible, without any expectations.  Not going to lie, some of the questions were pretty deep and took a lot of thought.

But now, I can officially say: I am a Gryffindor.

My main character Sally would be so proud lol!  It came as somewhat of a surprise but a very welcome one :).  Go Gryffindor!

In writing news, I have been working on getting everything ready for the print version of ADORKABLE as well as editing Ash’s book.  More on that later, but in case you were wondering what I’ve been working on, there you go.  Hope you have a great weekend!

Happy reading,

Cookie O’Gorman


Jul
2016

Pottermore

categories: Adorkable, doing what you love, fun, Geeking Out, giveaway, Harry Potter, Pottermore, YA

Full disclosure: I have taken several Harry Potter quizzes (ones to determine: the house I would be in, which HP character I am, what my patronus is, what I would teach if I was a teacher at Hogwarts etc.).  BUT I have yet to actually go onto J.K. Rowling’s official site, Pottermore, and be sorted.

I know!  It’s crazy, and I can’t, absolutely cannot, believe I’ve waited this long!

And now, apparently there is an American wizarding school :-D.

My goal for this weekend (one of many, but an important one!) is to finally find out which house I will be sorted into.

Hogwarts

From past quizzes, I’m fully expecting a Hufflepuff-ian outcome–but maybe not.  I’ve always considered myself more of a Gryffindor, but heck, I love books and reading.  Ravenclaw qualities, but Hermione loved those things, too, and she ended up in Gryffindor.  Severus Snape was my favorite HP character.  Hands down.  Always.  So maybe, I’m actually Slytherin at heart?  Though I also loved Neville and Harry, Ron and Hermione, of course.  Oh, and Luna!  Something also draws me to the Malfoys–I’m pretty sure it’s the hair lol!

Anyway, the point is I really don’t know what the sorting hat will say.

I will also be taking the quiz for the American wizarding school, Ilvermorny.  But let’s just be honest, Hogwarts is really the thing!  I also can’t wait to find out what my wand will be made of.  Yes, I am completely letting my geek flag/Harry Potter fangirl side have free reign right now lol!

I’m nervous and excited to see where I end up.  I mean, it’s Hogwarts!!!

Have you been sorted?  Did you get the house you thought you would?

Hope you have a great weekend, and I’ll let you know how everything goes :).

Happy reading,

Cookie O’Gorman

P.S. ADORKABLE was #1 in Germany and Canada this week in one of its categories!  Huzzah!

P.P.S.  There’s still time to enter the ADORKABLE 3 Month Anniversary Giveaway!  You can enter here.  Good luck!


Jul
2016

Bittersweet

categories: Adorkable, debut, writing, YA

“So, how’s the book doing?”

People ask this sometimes, and I always answer, “It’s going really well.”  In reality, the book is doing great in my opinion.  As far as success goes, I reached and surpassed my goals for the first few months following the book’s release.  My debut novel has done far better than I ever hoped.

But when someone in my family asked how many copies I sold, and I told him, he was…unimpressed.

The response (and yes, I’m paraphrasing): “Oh…is that good?”  Then after my explanation that yes, it was very good, “Well, I hope you sell a million copies.”

Me, too.  Absolutely, me, too–but seriously, it’s only been three months!

And I get it.  I know where he’s coming from because until I looked up the standard sales for a self-published debut author (there is no real number; however, you can get a good idea if you read enough posts/articles) I didn’t know how good my book was doing either.

I mean, yeah, I was happy–ECSTATIC!!!–but I would’ve been happy if the book sold 10 copies.  You probably scoffed, but I’m completely serious.

When I started, I had little to no author platform.  This is still basically true lol.  ADORKABLE is my debut novel.  I read and read and read some more about ALL of the many things I needed in place before the book even came out and scrambled like crazy to get everything set up.  I’d worked for years writing books and wanted to give my debut the best chance possible.  The fear of not finding readers (and therefore not selling any books) was always what held me back.  Well, that and the fact that self-publishing seemed like such a daunting task.

Plus…I’m going to tell you a secret.  It may just apply to me, but I’m pretty sure it’s universal.

Just because you write happy books, it doesn’t mean that your life is free of sadness.

No one’s life is perfect.  Crap happens to everyone.  In fact, if my life was a book, I’m pretty sure it would be one of those sad contemporaries that end in tragedy. Yeah, that’s why I can’t write those books and do not often enjoy reading them. No need to remind me of how bad life can be.  I know it, I believe it, and I can never forget it.

But at least, I can (and will) try and make my characters happy.

That’s one of the things I love about books like ADORKABLE.  It’s like a pick me up, an escape, medicine for the bad times life throws at you.  It is hope that things can get better.  Anyway, I promised to write about the “sweet and (bitter) times” on this journey.  This point in time is definitely bittersweet :).  Hope you have a great weekend!

Happy reading,

Cookie O’Gorman