Grown-up author things

It’s way past time…but I’m ready now

I have lost track of how many times I have said this.

I have lost track of how many times I have prayed for this.

I have lost track of how many times I have asked the universe about this

And then I dropped the ball. And then I dropped it again. And again. And again. And again. And again. And again.

Now I have my projects in color-coordinated file folders.

A file cabinet that is “almost” put together.

I have my domain name michellesodaroauthor.com purchased.

I will start my website over again.

I have my business account.

I have my inventory ordered.

I have my first audio book 1/2 recorded.

I have started a podcast on you tube. (Please like and subscribe)

I am posting more to my author pages on Facebook and Instagram.

I am going to try to conquer my fears and start to promote my books on tiktok.

I have a Kindle Scribe that I can write my notes in (and potentially write my novels in) to help streamline my process.

I have consolidated the “stuff” around my home that was just clutter and less useful to my authoring and mental health.

I am claiming my author career…and it’s about damn time.

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Get it together, Sodaro

When I get frustrated with myself, I tend to refer to myself by just my last name (a nod to what some of my favorite people used to and still call me). As I get my author stuff going again, I have to keep saying, “Get it together, Sodaro.” Turns out…if you want to be an author and all the good stuff that goes along with it, you have to put in the work and keep that going. I dropped the ball. I dropped all the balls. In fact, I dropped all the balls, the baskets the balls came in, and the shelves that held the baskets that the balls came in…

I could blame 2020…it’s legit…I had more of my ducks in a row before all of the weirdness that was that year.

Regardless of what caused it…it is way past time that I fix it. (Oh, and I do apologize for the mixed metaphors with baskets and balls and ducks.)

But I am happy to say, I have finally gotten some of my ducks to bring me some of the balls to put in some of baskets to have on some of the shelves.

🙂 I now have a new PO BOX 12627 North Kansas City, MO 64116

🙂 I have copies of all of my books and am looking forward to selling them and promoting them.

🙂 I have my business bank account re-opened.

🙂 I have my business cards.

🙂 I have my address labels.

🙂 I am rebuilding my website.

🙂 I have ordered my proof of the first book of a 3-book series.

🙂 I have started writing stories for my 2nd volume of short stories.

🙂 I have started planning events where I can sell my books.

🙂 I am working with a friend as she builds her business as well.

Finding my way back

When I logged back in to my blog, I didn’t look back to see how long it had been. I have a general idea, but I don’t really need to see the date in black and white to know that it’s been, as they say, a minute…There are a thousand “reasons” which all boil down to excuses and we can’t move back the hands of time, so let’s just not play the “I wish I would have” game.

The truth is, I have been lost. A lot of us have. the last two years have been, to put it mildly, off. I, like many others, was in survival mode where it is hard to do more than the bare minimum and harder still to do that without a nap or twelve.

In 2020, I had so many goals, as I always start out each new year…and then when every thing happened and the world shut down, all of my goals boiled down to one goal. Hit 20 books out. If I accomplished nothing else, I would get to 20 books out. So I did. I got Making Sunbeams (an edition of Making Sunshine for younger people) and Don’t Let Go to proof status with their copyright dates of 2020.

The problem is, that those two proofs stayed in in proof status, and that caused a bit of a blocked drain in the production line of Sodaro world. I couldn’t get new books out, I didn’t want to create more proofs to just further clog the drain, and I put my author goals on a shelf until I could get it all sorted out.

When I quit teaching to focus more on authoring, I tried different jobs to find my place outside of being Ms. Sodaro. This job wasn’t right for this reason or that job wasn’t great for that reason, though I met amazing people every where I went. The job I have now is just right, and the Goldilocks fit of the job I have, which allowed me to get the loft I have always wanted, and I can finally say I am finding my way back to my author life, which has been patiently waiting for me (mostly because there was no other choice than to wait).

I am recording audio. Starting with Dear Teaching: I Want a Divorce.

I have Don’t Let Go out into the world.

I will redo (again) my website.

I am updating my inventory to have a book signing and get people excited about my book again.

I have plans for a 3-book fiction and a 3-book non-fiction series to have out this year.

I am, my friends, finding my way back.

Getting to 20 in 2020

So this has not been my favorite year, but I made a goal to get my 20th book out this year.

Kindle sale

First Down (Lucky Charms Book 1) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0714NR5JT/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_sMMzFb7275JFM

Check out the first book of my Lucky Charms series, where Josh, Dillon, and of course, Lilly, kick off the adventures of the whole crew.

Making Sunshine

Making Sunshine Journal

Kindle copies are now available!!!

Paperback copies available soon

Making Sunshine:  A Journal of Gratitude and Positive Energy https://www.amazon.com/dp/B088F65QGL/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_i_tsjUEb4BZRZWH

Last day of sale

Whatever you Make of It

Kindle sale

If you ever wanted to talk to the characters in a novel, check out the first novel I ever self- published. This book changed everything, and I have enjoyed the joy of getting my books out in to the world.

Whatever you Make of It https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079CBKL28/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_i_Kc6AEbJD39XEM