Category: debut


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

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


Jun
2016

It’s Giveaway Time!

categories: Adorkable, debut, doing what you love, fun, giveaway, YA

Today is the 3 Month Anniversary of ADORKABLE‘s release!!!  I really can’t believe my debut novel has been out in the world for three whole months.  Sally and Becks are out there, being discovered by readers.  The book has ratings and reviews and people who actually enjoyed it.

That is just…incredible :).

It has been a while since I’ve done a giveaway.  So, since today is a very special day, let’s celebrate!

The ADORKABLE 3 Month Anniversary Giveaway is open to anyone and everyone in the U.S. and internationally.  The prize up for grabs is a $30 Amazon Gift Card.  The giveaway will run from June 30 (midnight) till July 21 (midnight) at which time the winner will be announced.  There are several ways to enter, so what are you waiting for?  Check out the Rafflecopter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank you to everyone who has supported my little YA romance.  Whether you’ve read the book, reviewed or offered an encouraging word, I am so grateful!  Good luck with the giveaway, and I hope everyone is having a great summer!

Happy reading,

Cookie O’Gorman


Jun
2016

Sally & Becks

categories: Adorkable, book cast, casting call, debut, doing what you love, fun, Uncategorized, YA

The time has come!  I got a couple of great suggestions for the ADORKABLE cast (from a family member lol), and I liked all of her picks.  Well, I didn’t like the person she picked for Sally because she chose a picture of me.  Ugh!  Even though we are very much soul sisters, I do not physically resemble Sally at all.  If Sally was a real person, however, we would totally be friends, twinning in our Gryffindor jerseys :).

I had fun looking through pictures of actors, models, athletes etc.  Trying to figure out the right search terms to get exactly what I wanted was…interesting.  Yes, you detected a hint of sarcasm there, but it’s all good.  Google and I became very close frenemies during this time.

Luckily, I ended up finding some great choices for Sally and Becks <3.

Here are my picks:

Sally

Beautiful inside and out, Emma Watson would make an awesome Sally Spitz.  And no, I didn’t just pick her because she played Hermione :).

Sally2

Another great choice for Sally, I think Abigail Breslin is blonde now, but she’ll always remind me of Olive, the underdog in Little Miss Sunshine.

Sally3

And another great choice.  After seeing her as Alex Dunphy on Modern Family, I think Ariel Winters could definitely be Sally.

So, those are my girls!  Each one is adorkable in her own way, each somewhat Sally-esque.  I really could see any of them playing her.  Annnd without further ado, here are my guys:

Allow me to introuce Yoann Gourcuff, a real live French soccer player.  Yes, I’ve also developed a sudden interest in French soccer lol!  But seriously, this guy could totally be Becks <3.

Becks3

Liam Hemsworth.  No explanation needed.

Becks4

Gorgeous and giving off some serious smoulder, I think Tyler Hoechlin would make a great Becks.  Yes, I’m a fan of Teen Wolf, and yes, I am patiently waiting for Derek to rejoin the show :).

That’s my ADORKABLE dream cast!  It took me forever to find Sally and Becks, so I guess all of the other characters will just have to remain in my imagination for now.  Did you like my picks?  Do you have some of your own?  If you do, I’d love to hear about them!

It’s been a while since I’ve done a giveaway, and I’m going to try and set one up for tomorrow.  It’s to celebrate ADORAKBLE‘s 3 Month Anniversary!!!  As long as I can figure out Rafflecopter and how to get that setup, we’ll be good to go.  Wish me luck lol.

Happy reading,

Cookie O’Gorman


Jun
2016

Casting Call: ADORKABLE

categories: Adorkable, book cast, casting call, debut, fun

Calling all fangirls and fanboys of ADORKABLE, I need your help!

If you’ve read the book, I would really love to hear who you’d cast if ADORKABLE ever became a movie.  (Note: This is not even in the realm of possibility lol.  There is no actual ADORKABLE movie–but a girl can dream!)  Like Sally, I love movies and TV shows and everything pop culture.  Plus, I’ve seen other authors do this, and it looks like a lot of fun.

Truth: it’s hard for me to visualize what my characters look like.

*gasp, wince, runs to hide in a corner*

But honestly, it is so much easier for me to know a character’s inner-workings: heart, mind, thoughts, likes and dislikes etc.  Eventually, I do get a handle on what they look like physically, but I sometimes have to add those details later.  You have no idea how much I wish I was one of those authors who just knew.  Maybe one day I’ll try finding a picture on Pinterest and then working from there.  Hmm…

Anyway, back to the casting :).

Who would be your Sally?  Who would be your Becks?  What about Ash and the rest of the ADORKABLE cast?  Please, don’t be shy.  I can’t wait to hear/see your ideas!

Happy reading,

Cookie O’Gorman


Jun
2016

My Favorite Things

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

I wasn’t sure what to write this week, so I decided to share a bit about my writing process.  Boring, you say?  No way!  Okay, okay, it may be boring, but I’m going to try and make it as interesting as possible lol :).  Here it goes.

A few of my favorite things (to write) are:

1) Dialogue:  I love, love, love writing these scenes!  There’s nothing I love more than when characters talk to each other.  The banter, jokes, back and forth, the flirting, those scenes are my favorites.

2) Character names:  What can I say?  I love naming my characters.  I have a lot of fun with this (maybe too much fun) and even write it down when I hear a great name.  No really, I have a list.  Some of my favorite authors come up with the best character names.  Gail Carriger, Suzanne Collins and J.K. Rowling come to mind.

3) Titles:  I’ve read that a lot of authors have trouble with this.  Believe it or not, this is usually the first thing I come up with.  Even before I have a concrete idea for the story itself, the title just pops into my head and stays there.  Typically, the title informs me what the book should be about, and I take it from there.  (Note: ADORKABLE has always been the title for Sally and Becks’s story.  It started that way and never changed <3).

4) Kissing scenes:  A great kiss can make or break a book for me.  I love reading them.  I used to be hesitant about writing them, but now, I just try and let the characters have their moment.  First kisses in particular can be earth-shattering.  The kiss factor is very important in any romance, and I will continue to work hard to deliver the swoon.

5) The Real:  I love it when characters show their true colors.  Whether it’s geeking out, freaking out, having a good cry or confessing their love for the first time, I love being there with my characters when things get real.

And there you have it, a few of my favorite things!

Writing can be frustrating at times, but these are parts of the process I really enjoy.  Also, I wanted to say thank you to everyone who helped me get the word out last week!  Thank you for the support and for making the ADORKABLE Kindle Countdown Deal a success.  I truly appreciate it and hope you all have a great weekend!

Happy reading,

Cookie O’Gorman


Jun
2016

So…I did it!

categories: Adorkable, debut, doing what you love, Kindle Countdown Deal, promotion, YA

Hi everyone,

So…I did it!  I was able to set up the Kindle Countdown Deal, and it was actually easier than I thought it would be.  You may be asking yourself, “What’s a Kindle Countdown Deal?”  This was me about a week ago.  It means that ADORKABLE, my debut YA romance, will be available at a deeply discounted price for a limited time.

Starting tomorrow, you or your bookish friends can purchase ADORKABLE for just $0.99 cents!!!

The deal will run from June 7 at 8:00 am PST until June 13 at 12:00 am PST.

If you’re friends with a bookworm you think would enjoy the book and would like to gift it to them, please take advantage of this promotion!  If you’d like to help me spread the word about this deal, I’d definitely appreciate your help!  I would love for readers to benefit from this limited time deal, so the more people who share, tweet, facebook about it, the better.  I still don’t know how to do those pre-made tweets or I would post some here.  But if you wouldn’t mind, I’d love your help in sharing this news.

Again, thank you to all of the readers who have already read ADORKABLE and to those who will read it in the future!

Happy reading,

Cookie O’Gorman


Jun
2016

The Next Step

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

Here’s a secret: I don’t really know what the next step is.

That’s probably normal (I hope).  I definitely shouldn’t stress about it, and I’m not…much.  Everyone’s journey to publication is different.  I have been trying to post on my blog every week–and yes, I missed one week, but I’ve stayed pretty true to that goal…even though sometimes I ramble…like now lol :-).

I know that you’re supposed to be constantly writing/working on your next novel.  Actually, the novel I’m currently writing is my next-next novel.  In other words, the novel I will release after ADORKABLE is actually complete and undergoing edits.  Yay!  I still have to work on formatting, cover, making absolutely sure everything is as good as it can possibly be before it’s ready to be published.

But I am excited because a lot of readers seemed to like Ash.

And I love him :).

I am currently trying to figure out how to set up a Kindle Countdown Deal.  It seems like an awesome opportunity to thank people for reading my book and also to make the book available to more people because it would be even more affordable.

Also, in case you didn’t know, you can read ADORKABLE for free if you have Kindle Unlimited!

I’d like for the deal to run next week, and I just need to figure out how to set it up and then how to promote it so that readers can know about and benefit from the deal.

Sounds easy, right?

Here’s hoping I can figure it out in time and spread the word.  Wish me luck, and I hope you have a great weekend!

Happy reading,

Cookie O’Gorman


May
2016

Crazy Amazing Stats

categories: Adorkable, debut, doing what you love, Goodreads, writing, YA

If you’ve found this page, I think you probably already know this, but ADORKABLE is my debut novel.  It is the first book I’ve ever published.  When I hit the publish button, I hoped there would be readers.  I hoped there would be people out there who loved Sally and Becks as much as I do.  But I never thought that in almost two months so many readers would have already found it!

Now, to some authors, these stats may not seem that great.  There may be people who hit it out of the park every time they release a book.  But I’m a debut author with little to no social skills and an introverted-ness that nice people would call “awkward” and others would just call “weird.”  Self-publishing for the first time was scary.  My deepest fear was that no one would read my book, that it would be lost in Amazon oblivion.  I’ve heard that this happens a lot.  I’m still afraid it may happen to my book(s)–but right now, I’m amazed by how well my little debut has done, and I thought I’d share some stats with you :).

ADORKABLE was released on March 31, 2016.

As of right now, it has:

91 reviews on Amazon

Reached #1 in three of its categories on Amazon.

141 reviews on Goodreads

706 people rated it on Goodreads.

1,529 people added the book on Goodreads.

Over 1 million pages have been read this month.

The book is even doing pretty well in Canada and Australia!  Again, it may not seem like much, and I may be making something out of nothing.  I really have no comparison.  But to me, these are some crazy amazing stats!  I am very thankful to every reader who has given ADORKABLE a chance and to those who liked it enough to tell their friends.  I can’t tell you what it means to me to hear that someone read and loved the book.

Happy reading,

Cookie O’Gorman