Vitality Stories

Big Wins

Hi Friends,

It’s been a big week for Teri Case, Inc.

No, I’m not really incorporated but in this past week, since I emailed you last, I realized I have enough projects going on that I actually have departments to manage. It hit me that I am a career novelist.  A CAREER NOVELIST. I have a bona fide business to run, and I’m experimenting. I’m taking risks. But I digress. Back to the big wins for the TCI departments.

Tiger Drive Scholarship Update

The submitted essays are fantastic. Actually, the authors of the essays are fantastic. It will not be easy to select the winner, but there will be a winner(s). Next week, I’ll share some of the essays. The big win is for the rest of us who will benefit from these young peoples’ passion and drive to create a better America.

Several people have donated to the Tiger Drive Scholarship and a portion of the proceeds from the novel, Tiger Drive, will help fund the scholarship. Doing this scholarship has been one of the most significant rewards for writing the novel. The most significant reward for writing Tiger Drive has to do with my family, which brings me to the next department and big wins.

Tiger Drive Update

My mom remains proud of me. In fact, she lent her copy to a friend. The woman read it in two days and said, “Bonnie, this book has made me realize how unhealthy my marriage was.”

I met a group of wonderful women this week who read Tiger Drive for their book club. In more than one book club, I’ve been asked, “How does your family feel about the novel?” or “Has your family read the book?” Such questions have inspired me to do a Q&A video for readers of Tiger Drive. So my friend, if you have any questions about Tiger Drive or me or my writing process, please send me an email and I will include it in the video.

Tiger Drive is being considered for the 2018 American Fiction Awards and The Twelfth Annual National Indie Excellence Awards. My fingers will be crossed until the finalists and winners are announced in September. I’ll be sure to update you then.

In the Doghouse

Bow wow! I’m excited to share the big wins for book two. Soon I’ll be sharing the cover and announcing the premise of In the Doghouse.*

1. Zoetica Music is allowing me to use their song “Loves Gotta Look” for the book trailer:

2. DogTV has approved my message about DogTV in the novel. This is something that was important to me because while Skip, the main character, dislikes DogTV at first, he grows to love it once he starts following certain dogs like a canine reality show. DogTV has even said they will try to help promote the novel via social media when it’s ready. How cool are they?

I don’t always need to ask for permission for everything I write–I run the risk of someone saying “no” and opening a can of worms, or worse, allowing someone else to tell me what I can write about. We are all in these creative trenches together. Whether it’s designing a channel for dog therapy, writing music, or writing a book, I find it gratifying to make sure I’m conducting myself in a way that promotes others rather than hinders others success.

Now, it’s time to get back to Skip and his canine identity crisis. Any big wins for you lately? Until next time, thanks for being you.

Teri

*I know, I know, I keep saying I will and then I don’t. I’m waiting to finish this third revision and send it to the editor. Once it’s in the editor’s hands for a while, that’s when I’ll tell you all about the book. The reason for the secrecy: no matter how many people will tell a writer only he/she can tell a story in his/her voice, we all fear that our story idea will be taken and written by someone better or more famous, and we will look like a copycat. I can’t wait to put it “out there” but until I know I’m closer to publishing, it’s an unfounded fear, but a fear none the less.

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Book clubs, contact me if you’d like to do a Skype (schedules permitting)