Monday Mishmash 9/11/17

Happy Monday! Monday Mishmash is a weekly meme dedicated to sharing what's on your mind. Feel free to grab the button and post your own Mishmash.

Here's what's on my mind today:

1. Editing  I have three books to edit by the end of the month.
2. Scholastic Book Fair  I'm helping out with the Scholastic Book Fair at my daughter's school this week. 
3. The Lost Island  Ayla finished writing her second book, and we are editing it now. I'm so proud of her for finishing this one. She found out how difficult it can be to write a sequel.
4. Book Formatting  I have three books to format for a client this week.
5. Writing Break  I had to take a break from my WIP because the next three months are crazy booked with client edits and filled with releases of my own.
6. 9/11  Don't forget to take a moment today to remember those affected by 9/11. It's still a day I remember quite clearly.
7. Weather  Lately, I feel like Mother Nature is out to get us. Hurricanes, earth quakes, fires, tornadoes... It's scary. Please stay safe wherever you are.
8. Huge Giveaway this Wednesday!  On Tuesday, the authors of Hot and Sinful Nights are hosting a huge giveaway! You can win a Kindle Fire and tons of other prizes. Be sure to check back tomorrow to enter. 

That's it for me. What's on your mind today?

Writer Wednesday: Trial and Error

One thing I've learned in this industry is that most things we do are done by trial and error. We try different POVs or tenses. We test new methods for promoting books. Trying different things and seeing what works can be brutal at times. Especially when those efforts require spending money, and let's be honest, they usually do.

I've mentioned before that 2017 is about trying new things for me. I'm taking part in two ventures (I can't really tell you about either just yet) that are completely new to me, and I'm nervous. Very nervous. Excited too. I feel like I'm walking into a dark room, waiting for someone to turn on the lights so I can see if my new efforts will pan out or not. But here's the thing. Even if they don't work out the way I hoped, I'm glad I'm testing the waters. I'm glad I'm doing different things, because I know what doing the same things looks like. I know what the results are. So in order to make changes in my writing income, I have to make changes to the way I put out books. 

I'll keep you posted on what exactly I'm doing as I'm able to speak more about the projects. Until then, what have you done differently this year?

*If you have a question you'd like me to answer from the other side of the editor's desk, feel free to leave it in the comments and I'll schedule it for a future post.

Monday Mishmash 3/20/16

Happy Monday! Monday Mishmash is a weekly meme dedicated to sharing what's on your mind. Feel free to grab the button and post your own Mishmash.

Here's what's on my mind today:

1. Editing  This month and next are packed with client edits for me. I'm loving it though because my clients write amazing books!
2. YA Fest  I had a great time at YA Fest on Saturday. I met so many amazing authors and readers. Here are some pictures: 

   

   Kimberly Giarratano and me (Kim and I have talked online for years, but this is the first we've met in person.)

   
   

   

   Dianne Salerni and me (Dianne and I have also talked online for years, but didn't meet until Saturday. I grabbed up her book The Eighth Day.)

   
   

   

   Me with Jennifer Murgia (Jen is absolutely awesome and a total sweetheart. Love her!)

   
   

   

   Holli Anderson and me (Holli and I shared a table. It was very nice meeting her.)

3. School Signing  I have to schedule a day to go back to the elementary school I visited during Read Across America so I can sign books for the kids. I love this part!
4. Revision  If I can squeeze it in, I'm going to revise my Ashelyn Drake hot romance title. This book has a high heat level!
5. Happy Spring  Now let's hope the spring weather gets here soon!

That's it for me. What's on your mind today?

Writer Wednesday: Boxed Sets

One of the new things I'm doing in 2017 is joining forces with other authors in boxed sets. One of them released yesterday.

Demons, Angels, Vampires, and Witches…
What do they all have in common?
If you want to survive in their world…you must be GIFTED.

Will they find you? Most likely.
Will you survive? Maybe.
However, one thing is certain, if and when you come across their radar…developing your GIFT is necessary!


7 FULL LENGTH novels by USA today, International, and Best Selling Authors.

Authored by:
Cassandra Fear
D.A. Roach
Nykki Mills
Jen Wilde
Kelly Hashway
Tawny Stokes
Apryl Baker

For this boxed set, my publisher made the decision to put seven of us together. I was very excited about the idea because multiple authors means multiple fan bases to pool. It also means sharing promotional ideas and the work of promoting. When one of us (or in some cases more than one) lost power and/or wifi during the preorder, the others picked up the slack. We shared in multiple newsletters, Facebook groups, and on all our social media platforms.

I love having the support system of other authors who want the set to succeed as much as I do. Writing and publishing can be lonely at times, but I didn't feel alone at all with this release. As a group, we talked, shared ideas, and supported each other. The experience definitely makes me excited for the next boxed set I'll be part of with an Ashelyn Drake title. More about that coming in the next couple months. ;)

But the really cool thing about boxed sets is they don't just help authors. They are HUGE deals for readers. I mean 7 books for $.99! That's crazy, right? Readers can grab up several books for very little cost and potentially find new authors to love. It's a win all around if you ask me.

What's your opinion of boxed sets? Do you love them as a reader? Have you ever been part of one? 

If you're interested in grabbing Gifted for only $.99, you can do so here.

*If you have a question you'd like me to answer from the other side of the editor's desk, feel free to leave it in the comments and I'll schedule it for a future post.

Writer Wednesday: Crunching Numbers

When I made the decision to go indie, I knew it would mean putting out more money for my books. So far, that's definitely been the case. I'm purchasing covers, which are gorgeous by the way. I'm paying editors. I'm purchasing different promotional services. In a word, it's expensive!

But my hope is that my books will reach more readers. I've been lucky that my editing jobs are covering my expenses for my books. I just hope I wind up with a little extra spending cash in the end. That would be nice, right? It's scary not knowing if you'll make back your investment, but that's nothing new for the world of publishing. 

In the meantime, I'll just stare at my pretty covers and hope others see them and scoop up these books!

Does the idea of putting out money before you see any in return scare you as much as it scares me?

*If you have a question you'd like me to answer from the other side of the editor's desk, feel free to leave it in the comments and I'll schedule it for a future post.

Writer Wednesday: Building a New Platform

Last Wednesday, the lovely Kai Strand asked me about building a new platform for a genre or age group you are branching out into writing. When I started writing romance as Ashelyn Drake, I did so without telling anyone I was Ashelyn. The reason is that I wanted to make sure Ashelyn could stand on her own two feet. To be honest, Ashelyn blew Kelly out of the water in sales! Romance is like that, though.

I set up accounts on social media for Ashelyn and started following romance authors I loved, interacting when them as often as possible. I also looked at their followers because those people could potentially be Ashelyn's fans. I followed those readers and tried to interact with them, too. I joined Facebook groups for romance authors and readers as well. I also promoted Ashelyn on my Kelly accounts (still not telling anyone I was both authors).

Well, last year I decided it was too much to have two separate platforms, and after seeing so many other authors who use pen names joining their accounts, I made the decision to do the same. This is tricky, though. I have one street team for both names, which means some members are only there for my Ashelyn titles or only there for my Kelly titles. The same goes for my newsletter.

You have to decide if you want to keep your names separate, join them completely, or link them but have separate accounts. Whatever you decide to do, check out what your favorite authors in those genres/age levels are doing and who they're following. Don't be a copycat, but learn from them.

I hope that answers your question, Kai. If anyone else has some helpful advice, please feel free to leave it in the comments.

*If you have a question you'd like me to answer from the other side of the editor's desk, feel free to leave it in the comments and I'll schedule it for a future post.

Monday Mishmash 2/6/17

Happy Monday! Monday Mishmash is a weekly meme dedicated to sharing what's on your mind. Feel free to grab the button and post your own Mishmash.

Here's what's on my mind today:

1. Lies We Tell Cover Reveal  My cover reveal is set for this week! I can't wait to share it with you all. :)
2. Editing  I'm editing for a client this week. It's the first book in her new series, which is always exciting.
3. Ebook Formatting  I haven't officially announced this yet, but I'm now offering ebook formatting, so if you're in need of that, feel free to contact me using the form here.
4. Sad Weekend  On Saturday, my fifteen-year-old cat took a very sudden turn for the worse. My husband rushed her to the vet to find out she had cancer and it couldn't be treated. She was suffering and according to the vet, the only humane thing to do was to put her down. RIP Zoe. We love you.
5. Revising  I'm revising a few key scenes in It Was Always You this week. This book was selected for a really exciting opportunity, which my street team knows about, but I can't share publicly yet. More news on that to come!

That's it for me. What's on your mind today?

Writer Wednesday: Making Smarter Choices

No, I'm not talking about things like what you eat or how often you exercise. I'm talking about marketing yourself. 2017 did not start off on the right foot for me. I didn't make the best choices as far as marketing my YA title, Fading Into the Shadows. What I did was follow my marketing efforts for my previous release. My previous release went really well. The problem is that my previous release was an Ashelyn Drake new adult romance. That's quite a difference from a Kelly Hashway young adult paranormal.

You can go ahead and ask, "What were you thinking?" I asked the same thing of myself. You can't market a YA paranormal the same way you market an NA romance. You just can't. I mean, you can try, but you will fail. So from now on, I plan to spend 2017 analyzing the best ways to market for specific age groups and genres. No more being lazy and repeating what I've done in the past with the hope that it will work again. Most of us hate marketing, but we shouldn't make it that much harder by not putting in the time and research to figure out what works best for each book.

How about you? Are you looking closely at how you promote and market yourself?

*If you have a question you'd like me to answer from the other side of the editor's desk, feel free to leave it in the comments and I'll schedule it for a future post.

Monday Mishmash 1/23/17

Happy Monday! Monday Mishmash is a weekly meme dedicated to sharing what's on your mind. Feel free to grab the button and post your own Mishmash.

Here's what's on my mind today:

1. Lies We Tell  I'm getting really excited for my April release, Lies We Tell. Just a reminder or in case you missed it: If you'd like to help me get ready for this release, you can sign up for the cover reveal, release week blitz, and/or to receive an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. Huge thank you to all who have already signed up! :)
2. Pocono Writers Conference  This past Saturday, I attended the Pocono Writers Conference. I had a great time and even won a book with a title very similar to my upcoming release:
   
3. Editing  As always, I'm editing for a client this week.
4. Scholastic Book Fair  I'll be helping out with the Scholastic Book Fair at my daughter's school this week. You know that means I'll be buying books, books, and more books!
5. Revision  At the writers conference, Megan Hart gave me some great advice for my psychic mystery, so I'll be working on revisions soon.

That's it for me. What's on your mind today?

Writer Wednesday: Failed Author Moments

On Monday, my daughter and I went shopping. I bought a pretty new dress for YA Fest, and when I brought it to the register, the woman asked my daughter if she had a dance coming up. I told her the dress was for me. (Note: I'm not that much bigger than my daughter any more, and because of my small size, I have to shop in the juniors section if I don't want my clothes to fall off me during the course of the day.) What happened next had me wanting to smack myself.

No, the cashier didn't make fun of me for shopping in the juniors department. I told her I'm an author and I was buying the dress for an upcoming book signing. She looked at me in amazement. Then she proceeded to tell me how cool it was that I'm an author and asked what I write. Here's the part where I wanted to smack myself. I told her the book released that day and it was for teens. That's all I said. She looked at me like she was expecting me to say more, which I should have, but I paid my bill and left the store.

Here's the thing. I'm not comfortable talking about being an author to people I meet under normal everyday circumstances. I tend to dodge the subject. If I'm at a book signing or a school visit, it's a completely different story. But put me with people who don't know what I do for a living and I clam up. Why? I could say I don't know, but that's not true. I do know why. I'm not a best seller. I'm not a name people recognize unless you know me. Should I be embarrassed because of that? Of course not! Yet I don't talk about my books unless I'm in a book-related setting.

I've published 23 books, 3 novellas, and over 200 short stories. Why shouldn't I be proud of that? I'm sharing this today because I suspect I'm not the only author who acts this way—thinking less of him/herself because he/she hasn't hit the NYT best-seller list. We need to stop acting this way. I look at my daughter, who couldn't be more proud to have her book published and available for free. She gets it, and she's nine. Maybe we all could learn something from her.

*If you have a question you'd like me to answer from the other side of the editor's desk, feel free to leave it in the comments and I'll schedule it for a future post.

Writer Wednesday: 2017 At a Glance

2017 is the year of taking control of my career. Here's what I plan to do this year, though this is just a rough outline and isn't totally filled in yet:

January:

• Edits booked for the entire month
• January 16, 2017  Release Fading Into the Shadows (YA, paranormal, Kelly Hashway) 
• January 21, 2017 Attend the Pocono Writers Conference

February: 

• Edits booked for the entire month
• Final proof of Lies We Tell (Adult suspense, Kelly Hashway)

March: 

• Edits booked for the entire month
• March 18, 2017 Sign at YA Fest

April: 

• Edits booked for the entire month
• April 10, 2017 Release Lies We Tell (Adult suspense, Kelly Hashway) 

May: (Still booking edits)

• Write the second book in my adult psychic mystery series.
• Proof It Was Always You (Adult romance, Ashelyn Drake)
• Tentative date for local Book Expo signing

June: 

• Write book two in my Sapphire Springs series (Adult romance, Ashelyn Drake)
• Considering opening up to ebook formatting services

July:

• July 10, 2017 Release It Was Always You (Adult romance, Ashelyn Drake) 
• Take a blogging break

August: 

• 1 Edit booked so far
• Proof Unseen Evil (YA paranormal, Kelly Hashway)

September: (Still booking edits)

• Send Evil Unleashed  (YA paranormal, Kelly Hashway) to my editor

October: (Still booking edits)

• October 9, 2017 Release Unseen Evil (YA paranormal, Kelly Hashway) 
• Send Love on Hold (Adult romance, Ashelyn Drake) to my editor

November: (Still booking edits)

• Proof Secrets We Keep (Adult suspense, Kelly Hashway)
• NaNo? Probably unofficially this year.

December: (Still booking edits)

• Get adult psychic mystery #1 ready to send to my editor.

So that's how my year is starting to take shape. I'm sure I'll add a lot to this, and as you can see, I didn't list everything. Marketing is ongoing, so I didn't put that on here. I also didn't put cover design or cover reveals on here. I'm considering this outline a work-in-progress, much like 2017. ;)

What does your year look like?

*If you have a question you'd like me to answer from the other side of the editor's desk, feel free to leave it in the comments and I'll schedule it for a future post.

Writer Wednesday: Author Websites

Today's topic comes from Sheena-Kay, who asked:

What is the best way to create an author's website? How can you do it yourself or affordably without it looking cheap and do expensive looking sites really sell books?

Great question, Sheena-Kay. My answer may seem confusing at first, but I promise I'll explain. First, I don't think websites sell books. However, you need to have one. ;)

Okay, here's what I mean. A reader comes across your book title or name in conversation or on Amazon. You want to make sure that if that reader googles you, they find something. So you need a website that has all the information they might need about you: 

• your social media links
• your newsletter
• information about your books
• buy links for your books
• a press kit with your author bio
• contact information

The danger with having that information on sites that sell your book, like Amazon, is that some retailers (AMAZON!!!!) will check to see who follows you on social media and will not allow that reader to review your book because you're "friends." Don't even get me started on this. Don't link your social media to your Amazon account! Just don't! But do put those links on your website. Also, you don't really want to give out your email to the world, right? Maybe if you have a separate email for fans, but otherwise, I wouldn't. Websites offer contact forms for readers to get in touch with you without giving out your email address. I love this feature. Many will also offer an email address attached to your website to keep it separate from your personal email.

So, how do you set up a website now that you know you need one. (You know that now, right?) I'm a huge proponent for doing it yourself. Yes, this takes more time, but it also takes less money, so it evens out. You should know how to operate your own website though because you don't want to have to run to your website designer every time you need to update the site. Find a website host that seems relatively easy to use. Some people love Wordpress. I hate it! Truly hate it. You have to go with what works for you. So look around and take tours of the sites to see what will work for you. Then take the time to get your site looking professional (with all those things I mentioned above) before you publish it. You want the site you create to be something you're proud of, not something that you're still fiddling with and that looks amateurish. 

Sheena-Kay, I hope that answers your question. If anyone has tips for creating a website or website hosts you can recommend, please feel free to share!

*If you have a question you'd like me to answer from the other side of the editor's desk, feel free to leave it in the comments and I'll schedule it for a future post.

Writer Wednesday: Were Writers Ever Just Writers?

Lately I've been wondering if writers were ever just writers. Sure, I guess we could just write books, send them to our agent, who submits to publishers, and let the chips fall where they may while we write the next book. But would we really find success if we ignored all the other jobs writers have?

Today more than ever, writers have to be great at marketing. I'm talking getting your books out there by identifying who your fans are and making sure your book is seen by those fans. Everything from interacting on social media, joining Goodreads and FB groups, setting up book signings, creating teaser images, maintaining a website, blogging, offering free content... The list goes on and on. 

Sometimes I'm left wondering when I'm supposed to write. I'm getting one book ready for production and another ready for my editor, and what I noticed is that some parts of these books are foreign to me. I'm so far removed from when I drafted them that I don't remember writing certain parts. That's not necessarily a bad thing. Distance gives you perspective and can really help during the revision process. But I actually have to schedule writing time. Part of me finds that crazy. I used to just write. Nothing else. Now I'm writing, editing, marketing, and self-publishing. I feel like I wear a thousand hats each day.

So I'm wondering, was it always this way? Or has it gotten worse with time? What do you think?

*If you have a question you'd like me to answer from the other side of the editor's desk, feel free to leave it in the comments and I'll schedule it for a future post.

Monday Mishmash 7/25/16

Happy Monday! Monday Mishmash is a weekly meme dedicated to sharing what's on your mind. Feel free to grab the button and post your own Mishmash.

Here's what's on my mind today:

1. My Laptop Works Again!  I'm jumping for joy because my laptop is finally working again. I ran a huge update and now everything is good. It took forever, but I'm happy. :)
2. Proofing After Loving You  I'm doing the final proofing for After Loving You (Ashelyn Drake NA romance) before it goes off to the formatter.
3. Fun Story! Last week the contractor who put in our new windows told me his wife asked what my first name was and when he told her she realized she recognized my name because she had read one of my books. How cool is that?
4. Editing  My editing schedule is booked into next year already. Just wow!
5. Updating My Website  I've been updating my website after a few people asked how to order signed copies of my books. There's now a store! I don't have payment buttons because shipping costs are different depending on where you live, but all my books are there with prices.

That's it for me. What's on your mind today?

Writer Wednesday: Broadening Your Reach

As authors, one thing we are constantly trying to do is broaden our reach. You need people to know you and your books exist. So how do you do that? Here are a few ways you should take advantage of:

• Interviews ~ Never say no to someone who wants to interview you for their blog, newspaper, podcast, etc. I recently did an interview on Super Teacher Worksheets, and it was great. This gets your name out there to readers you may not have otherwise met. (If you're interested, you can read my interview here.)
• Guest Blog ~ Again, this gets you a new set of readers if the blog you are appearing on has a different following than your own. So reach out to some blogs that you love and see if you can do a guest post for them.
• Multi-author Giveaways ~ These are fantastic because readers love giveaways. When authors join forces, they join readerships too. That's a very good thing.
• Blog Hops ~ There are some big blog hops out there. I mean BIG. Getting involved with those will get your book and your name in front of tons of people.
• Follow Other People's Followers ~ That was a mouthful! What I mean is check out authors you admire and see who they are following and who is following them. Then start following those people too. This is a great way to meet new readers. (This works for Twitter, Instagram, etc.)
• Use Different Blog Tour Companies ~ We all have those tour companies we love to work with, but they have a base of bloggers they work with. That means using them repeatedly only gets you in front of the same pool of readers. Try other companies as well to find new readers.

These are just a few ways to broaden your reach. Do you know of others? Please share in the comments so we can learn from each other.

*If you have a question you'd like me to answer from the other side of the editor's desk, feel free to leave it in the comments and I'll schedule it for a future post.

Writer Wednesday: Two Become One

In my Monday Mishmash and all over social media last week, I announced that I'm merging Ashelyn Drake and Kelly Hashway. Why you ask?

When I initially launched the pen name, Ashelyn Drake, I wanted to make sure I could stand on my own two feet as a romance author, separate from Kelly Hashway. Once I did that, I revealed Ashelyn Drake and Kelly Hashway are the same person. And since then, I've been using this banner to show that I'm still one person even though I write under two names: 


The problem is, I wasn't acting like one person. I have separate Facebook pages, Twitter handles, and blogs for Kelly and Ashelyn. Why? My website, newsletter, and Instagram are for both names, so why aren't my other social media accounts?

From now on, they will be. I'm moving Ashelyn over to Kelly. You'll notice my Facebook page now has both names listed. As does my blog. Twitter won't allow enough characters to display both names, but you'll see this banner and Ashelyn's name appear in my bio.

Very soon, Ashelyn's accounts will disappear, so make sure you're following the new links below to stay up to date on my Ashelyn Drake romance books as well as my Kelly paranormal and upcoming mystery/suspense/thrillers (Yes, I'm branching out!):

Facebook
Twitter
Blog
Google+

Look at that. Kelly and Ashelyn are truly merging into one author with two names, just like the slogan says. :)

*If you have a question you'd like me to answer from the other side of the editor's desk, feel free to leave it in the comments and I'll schedule it for a future post.

Monday Mishmash 5/16/16

Happy Monday! Monday Mishmash is a weekly meme dedicated to sharing what's on your mind. Feel free to grab the button and post your own Mishmash.

Here's what's on my mind today:

1. Ashelyn Drake is merging with Kelly Hashway  Last week I made the decision to fully merge my Ashelyn Drake accounts with my Kelly accounts. That means pretty soon the Ashelyn FB, Twitter, and blog will all be deleted. My Kelly accounts will be for both names now. If you follow Ashelyn, make sure to follow the Kelly accounts to stay updated on Ashelyn's work. Connect with me on Facebook and Twitter. (You already know this blog, and might have noticed it has both names on it now.)
2. Drafting  I'm working on an Ashelyn Drake contemporary romance right now. I'm going to call this adult, but the characters are in their mid-twenties so it's teetering the line of NA/Adult.
3. Balance  I'm really proud of myself because I've been balancing my days with editing in the mornings and writing in the afternoons. I'm so much happier! Balance is good, guys. :)
4. Field Trip  I'm chaperoning my daughter's field trip to the Adventure Aquarium tomorrow. I'm dreading the two and a half hour bus ride (each way!!!) but I love aquariums.
5. Cover reveal for MORE by Keren Hughes Check out this gorgeous cover for Keren's July 19th release, More. I love it.

Drake Anderson is all the man Annalise Duncan ever wanted…

Annalise has it all. The perfect husband. The perfect son. The perfect life. After the father of her son Ayden abandoned her to be a single parent, she finally felt like she hit the romance jackpot. Her boss, Drake Anderson, turned out to be more than just a friend. He’s the love of her life, and an amazing stepfather to her son.

But the picture perfect marriage is merely an illusion…

After seven wonderful years, Drake leaves. He doesn’t give her a reason, or even the courtesy of a return phone call. Six months go by without even a single acknowledgement. Annalise is devastated. Her heart and soul belonged to Drake, and he was the only father Ayden ever knew. She’d dedicated her life to him and the family they built together, and she isn’t willing to let that dream go easily.

When Annalise spots Drake out at a café with a woman, her heart shatters all over again. But it’s not what Annalise thinks. He isn’t cheating on her. There are things about leaving that Drake just can’t or won’t explain. Some things should remain a secret. 

He wants his old life back, but Annalise won’t accept anything but the truth…

Drake has to find a way to convince his wife, his Cariad, to take him back, but it may mean facing a truth he wanted to keep hidden. He must prove to Annalise that despite his past, he wants her…

More.

Add it on Goodreads.

That's it for me. What's on your mind today?

Writer Wednesday: Famous For A Day

It's no secret I love doing school visits. They're my favorite form of promotion because I love talking to kids of all ages. I recently did a school visit at Blairstown Elementary School that involved three presentations and it was such a rewarding experience. It reminded me of something very important, something writers tend to forget. Famous doesn't have to mean you're a NYT best seller. 

When I walked into the school, people knew who I was. That baffled me at first. Especially when kids were whispering in the hallway, "That's Kelly Hashway." My first thought was, "They know my name?" That's when I discovered why. The librarian had purchased all of my children's books and had been reading them with the different grade levels. 

I saw this bulletin board of my books and the students reading them:

And then there were these displays in the library:

But the truly awesome thing was what wallpapered the sides of the librarian's desk. The kids had written to me and illustrated their favorite parts of my books:

I gave three presentations to encompass grades Pre-K through sixth, and while I was losing my voice, I'd do it all over in a heartbeat because these kids made me feel like a superstar for the day. They reminded me that even if you don't make millions from writing, you're still touching lives. Every "I love your books" I got was like someone handing me a big sack of money. No, it was better because it meant more to me.

So thank you, Blairstown Elementary School for letting me visit and making me feel so special.

*If you have a question you'd like me to answer from the other side of the editor's desk, feel free to leave it in the comments and I'll schedule it for a future post.