Category: 5 Things


Nov
2016

5 Things: I’m Thankful For

categories: 5 Things, Adorkable, debut, doing what you love, fun, YA

This was actually a tough one.  It’s not that I don’t have anything to be thankful for, not at all.  The hard part was narrowing it down to 5 :).

Actually, the holidays are a hard time for me, but I am thankful for so many things.  And because I watched Pollyanna last night and learned about the “glad game”–right after watching the new Anne of Green Gables, which was okay, but will never take the place of the original <3–I’m going to focus on what makes me glad.

So here are 5 Things I’m Thankful For:

  1. Green bean casserole. Yummm!  It’s my favorite, made exactly as it says on the box. The green bean goodness cannot be beat.
  2. Fall weather.  I love blankets, warm socks, sweaters, and a nice chill in the air.  Living in the South, you’ve got to appreciate weather like that.  It’s just the best.  Ooh, and warm tea…sigh.
  3. Books, the writers who write them and the readers who read them.  My week has been filled with books, books and more books.  I just wish I read (and wrote) faster lol!  As a reader, I appreciate writers so much for putting their words and stories out there.  As an author, I cannot say it enough: ADORKABLE readers, you really are the best!  Thank you so much for your enthusiasm and encouragement!
  4. Dogs.  Puppies and full grown senior dogs, young or old, long or short haired, small or large, what can I say?  I love them.  God bless all the fur babies!
  5. Family and friends.  I don’t have a lot of either, but the ones I do have are tops.  They are the best of the best, the cream of the crop, and I wouldn’t trade them for anything.

And I gotta say, in keeping with the glad game, even though I don’t have Netflix and missed the revival of Gilmore Girls (ugggh), I’m happy I got to see the new Pollyanna.  There was no Rory.  Even worse, there was no Jess :(.  But there was also no Logan, who I disliked greatly, and I suppose that’s something to be glad about lol.  But seriously, that Pollyanna had so much spirit and endless cheer.  I happy cried, and I’m not even sorry about it.

Hope you all have a great weekend!

Happy reading,

Cookie O’Gorman


Sep
2016

5 Things: I’m Loving Right Now

categories: 5 Things, Adorkable, debut, doing what you love, fun, YA

Lists are awesome, and since it is 5 DAYS before the release of the paperback version of ADORKABLE (eep!), it’s time for another “5 Things” post.  September is tough this year and not just because of the print release.  So basically, this is a list of the things that have made me happy this week.

Here are 5 Things I’m Loving Right Now:

  1.  Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs.  I started the book a couple of days ago because no matter how great the movie turns out I wanted to read the book first.  So far, I love it!  It’s odd and intriguing, and I can’t wait to get to the end.
  2. Videos of puppies and kittens.  Of course.
  3. Kilig!!!  This amazing, crazy cool Filipino word means (according to Google): exhilaration or elation caused by an exciting or romantic experience.  I also found this definition: the rush or the inexplicable joy one feels after seeing or experiencing something romantic.  Sigh…  We need more words like this!  We need more “kilig”!  I love it <3 .  Thank you, Beatrice and Henz for introducing me.
  4. Game of Thrones Season 6 (which i binge-watched last weekend).  Arya, Jon Snow, Brienne, and the Hound, all my faves are back.
  5. Sleeping in, warm socks, and nice people.

Kinda added a few more on that last one lol.  I hope your week is going well.  If you read ADORKABLE, I hope you feel the “kilig” :).  And yeah…just 5 more days until the print release!!!  Crossing my fingers that all goes well!

Happy reading,

Cookie O’Gorman


Aug
2016

5 Things: I Wish I Knew Before Self-Publishing

categories: 5 Things, Adorkable, doing what you love, self-publishing, writing, YA

Hi everyone!  I decided to do a “5 Things” post because I love lists and because I’ve always thought 5 was a good number :).  This week I’m going to focus on 5 Things I Wish I Knew Before Self-Publishing.  Just so you know, I could probably do a list with over 100 items on this topic!

So, here we go.

Before self-publishing ADORKABLE, I wish I knew:

  1. No matter how much research I did, no matter how many articles, books, guides or author posts I read, I would never know everything I needed to know.  Some things can only be learned through the process.
  2. Self-publishing is not as crazy/impossible/unthinkable as it sounds.  It is a lot of hard work (and will cause plenty of nervousness and anxiety), but it’s not impossible.  You can figure out Amazon, Goodreads, Facebook etc.  The truth is anyone can do it.  And they do, every day.  You just have to be ready to put in the work and for things (the good and the bad) not to go exactly as planned.
  3. Sometimes it’s better not to wait.  This is a personal item, but I wish I hadn’t waited as long as I did to self-publish.  After you’ve done all the research, lots and lots and lots of research, you have to put your thoughts into action.  Sometimes the people you love and who’ve shared in your dreams don’t have the time to see those dreams come true unless you act swiftly.  And there are times when, even if you do act fast, it’s still not enough.  Anyway, I don’t think anyone should self-publish before they are completely ready.  But personally, I think I was ready–ADORKABLE sat complete and on my computer for a looong time.  Despite the success the book is currently seeing, waiting for the perfect time in my case, was maybe not the best move.
  4. A bad book review can rip you heart out–but a good one can mend it back together.  Also, just try not to go crazy reading the reviews!!!
  5. Pat was right.  I can do this.  Believing in myself was the hardest part.  I always believed in my books.  I always believed in ADORKABLE and my characters.  My family always supported and believed in me and my work.  The truth was: I was the one holding me back.

Getting over that last hurdle (believing in myself) is still a daily struggle.  But I can and am doing it.  And whether it be self-publishing or traditional publishing, you do it can, too.  I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Cookie O’Gorman