Musings from a One Direction Concert

I recently attended a One Direction concert. Here are some of my observations.
Harry is HOT. Like off-the-charts Hot.

I loved the show, except toward the end when Louis hit such a sour note I wanted to scream STOP! He was so off-key it was awful. Shut the mic off awful! Sorry Lou, but it was BAD.

The time between Icona Pop and One Direction was too long.
Girls need to invest in a mirror and learn what sexy is. Sexy is NOT wearing a dress so short that if you move your underwear is on view for everyone to see. Wearing clothing that is way too small is NOT sexy. Letting your asscheeks hang out your shorts is NOT sexy. And one of the weirdest trends….dying your lovely hair gray. That will happen soon enough naturally, enjoy your color while you still have it.
Liam can really sing! He was wonderful.
I would love to have a pint with Niall. The guy looks like he is genuinely having a great time and enjoying life.
IN conclusion, I amassed a ton of ideas for my writing. Getting out and experiencing life is good for a creative person. One time I went to a concert and came back with an idea for a book called Echoes of Us. I wonder what book will come from the OTRA concert?
Xo Teegan

Book Release & Tennis Tournament

What a busy week. And it’s only Wednesday. My new novel, Love Complicated, released on May 11, 2015. Tomorrow, my 7th grader takes the court as a member of the varsity high school tennis team to begin the defense of their state title at their regional tournament. Before you ask, yes, she is a starter. She’ll probably be playing #1 doubles. I’m not sure which has been more stressful: the book release or the pending tournament. Being a mom of an athlete is hard work. I can’t imagine what it’s like to be the mom of a professional athlete or any world class athlete.

So while I’m chewing my fingernails watching my kid play, you should pick up a copy of Love Complicated and see how Jalen deals with Austin Suter who is slated to become a world class tennis player.

or find the book on Amazon
All Romance eBooks

I hope you all have a joyous week.
Xo Teegan

Completing Your Novel

My book, Love Complicated, releases tomorrow. Instead of freaking out and obsessing over the numbers and everything else that comes along with a release, I figured I’d do a blog post about completing your novel. I presented this to my writer’s group last week. So here are my thoughts on how to complete your novel.

Be it one page long or over 100k words, learning how to complete a story can be a test in and of itself. So what is the secret to finishing your story?
Let’s begin with reasons NOT to finish. And no matter how many stories I’ve written these thing always creep into my mind during the process.

!. You get STUCK. How many of you are at this point? You’re deep into your story and things stop. You don’t know how to move forward. WHY? What is stopping you?

What can we do to get unstuck?

A. Start at the beginning. Reread what you have written. Sometimes getting to know your characters again will help you move forward. Rereading may also help you identify a problem area.

B. Write the almost ending so you have a clear path. Or if you use an outline, go back over the outline and write the final or close to final scene.

C. When I’m not really feeling it, I force myself to do something I call free writing. This entails opening your document and just writing. Sometimes it’s only dialogue, other times it’s moving the story forward by ending a scene. You can always go back and fill in more detail or cut stuff that doesn’t make sense. Usually this exercise helps me get unstuck and move the story forward again. Your enemy is not a badly written scene or chapter. It is the empty page.

2. Another trap writer’s fall into: You think your story sucks
I’m pretty sure this happens to every writer. No one can be so secure that they believe everything they write is a going to be a bestseller and every reader will adore and devour all the words. There is no magical formula to combat this feeling. It will always be there. As a writer you need to figure out how to get past it and fall in love with your characters and your story again.

3. You get bored and start something else
This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Starting a new story is fun. Slogging through a story you’ve been working on for months can be tiresome. But you have to keep your eye on the prize, which is a completed manuscript and the chance to get published.

4. I don’t have time to write
Uh huh. I don’t buy it. If writing is something you really want to do, you will make time.

5. ________ Fill in the blank with your excuses. What are some of the things you tell yourself?

How can we get past the excuses.

1. Set realistic goals and be accountable. Writing 500 words per day isn’t that difficult. It’s two pages. And even if you don’t make your goal, write something. The best way to be accountable is to tell someone your goal. Keep a diary of your word count. Expand by including when you write and your environment. Try writing in different places. Leave your house. Go to the library. Sit outside. Go to a coffee shop. Sit in your car with your laptop. Turn on music. Turn on the TV. Turn off the music. Turn off the TV. Turn off social media.

2. Set deadlines and give yourself a reward for reaching your goal

3. Think about the reason you wanted to write this story in the first place.

4. Use Write or Die

5. Using an outline vs. no outline

An outline gives you a path to follow and although you may veer off and end in the tall trees a few times, you can always find your way back

The only way I’ve been able to get by without using an outline is by writing my almost end so I have some sort of view of how the story will end.

One of the most important things to do when coming to the end of your novel is to tie up loose ends for main characters and secondary characters. What’s important and what can go by the wayside? Don’t forget about the secondary characters. Their stories need to be resolved too.

Don’t worry about the rules. Write the story you want to read.

I can sit hear and preach and preach about finishing your story, but ultimately it’s up to you. If you never finish your story no one will ever read it. Your characters will only exist in your mind, floundering and never changing.

Like I said, I have a release on May 11, 2015. Love Complicated is available at Dreamspinner Press
On Amazon

Xo, Teegan

The tennis boy & the music kid

So…it’s been ages since I’ve been on this blog. The posting page looks different and as usual I’m having trouble navigating all the changes. Big surprise. The purpose of this post is to introduce my new book and tell you how the story came to life. TaDa…Introducing Love Complicated. The first book of two.

Several months ago a story popped into my head involving a tennis player and a music kid who is only trying to survive high school. It’s no secret that I love sports and these days I’m around tennis a lot. My daughter started playing when she was four years old and yesterday she stepped on the court as a member of the varsity high school team. She’s only a seventh grader. She won her singles match and her doubles match, helping her team win their dual meet.
Love Complicated happened because of the countless hours I have spent watching my kid learn the game of tennis. The practices, the tournaments, and all the wins and losses. Her competitive nature and love of the game shows up in the character of Austin Suter. The book will be out on May 11, 2015 and is currently available for pre-order on the Dreamspinner website. I hope you love the story of Jalen Marten and Austin Suter as much as I enjoyed writing about them.
Xo Teegan

August 22, 2014…Re-release Day

It’s been a long journey to get to this point. Tomorrow, Frozen Hearts will be re-released into the world. Way back in March of 2013 this book saw the light of day only to have things go horribly wrong and disappear from the public. Now, with Dreamspinner Press behind me, the book will once again, come to life.
The word count has increased. Characters fleshed out and more detail added to the story.
The first time the book released I was sitting at a college hockey game watching the game I love. Today I’m waiting patiently for hockey season to start. Last I checked, I have 44 days until the puck drops for my college team. The pro pre-season starts a little earlier but still, it’s a long time to wait. And I have to watch the pro games on television. There’s nothing like watching hockey in person. And I have great seats. Third row from the ice, to the visiting goalie’s left side…it’s awesome.
Frozen Hearts is about a guy who played four years of college hockey, was the team captain, drafted by a pro team, and touted as the best college hockey player in the nation. After his team wins the Frozen Four, he quits, no longer willing or able to stay in the closet and live a lie.
Come take the journey with Erik “Foxy” Fox and see if he is able to figure out his life and get what he wants.

Frozen Hearts will be available tomorrow. You may pre-order on Amazon, Dreamspinner, or AllRomanceEbooks

Xo, Teegan

Be Still

One of the most common questions an author gets asked is where did the idea for your story come from. I know exactly how the idea for Frozen Hearts happened.

I listen to a lot of music and one night, I stumbled upon a track by The Fray called Be Still. The moment the haunting music started an idea formed in my head.I listened to the song again and the story idea roared. I grabbed my computer and started to write the almost end of a story.

Even to this day, when the music starts, I’m whisked back to the experience of writing that heart wrenching scene. I hope I did the song justice. And maybe I wrote the scene so well that the reader will know exactly where the song fits.

And if you go through the valley
And the shadow comes down from the hill
If morning never comes to be
Be still be still be still

Frozen Hearts is available for pre-order at Dreamspinner & Amazon

I hope you enjoy the book as much as I loved writing the story.

Xo, Teegan

The Completed Quest

Well, that was an adventure. I love hockey. I love watching hockey. I love skating. And I love to write about the guys who play hockey. I believe this adventure has inspired me to write the sequel to Frozen Hearts. Check out Frozen Hearts which is available for pre-sale at Dreamspinner

Now back to the quest. Got in line and stood. The first half hour no movement was recorded. Except for the two tiny children racing around and squealing. We knew the cup showed up when a loud roar came from inside the arena. We stood in the sun, melting. One hour later, we were in the lobby of the arena and air-conditioning…I got my first glimpse and internalized my loud squeal. Half an hour later of winding through ropes, I got my four seconds with the cup.

And yes, both the mini and me need a freaking haircut!

xo Teegan

The Quest

It’s freaking 8am in the morning, which is early for me since I usually like to write at night. BUT there’s a great reason I’m awake, showered, and fully clothed. Today, I’m going on a Quest… A Cup Quest. I have a book coming out on August 22nd and I figured I should blog something about the book and since the book is about HOCKEY what better way to do it than to head out on a quest.
Frozen Hearts is the first novel length book ever picked up by a publisher, granted that particular partnership failed, but now the story is back and better than ever. Thank you Dreamspinner.

I’ll be back later to do a full disclosure on the state of my quest.
In the mean time, Frozen Hearts is available for pre-order on Dreamspinner

NORTH DAKOTA Hockey

Write what you know…Yeah, well, I’ve never actually played the game of hockey unless you count games on outdoor rinks where you spend more time crawling out of snowbanks than playing the game, or maybe teaching power skating to little wanna-be hockey players count. Regardless, I wrote a book that includes hockey (make that two books. Frozen Hearts is coming out in August)
Since Picks & Pucks was released, I’ve been asked where the book is set, so tonight, I’m spilling the beans. When I was writing the book, I decided not to get specific about the location. It’s easier to be vague, but it’s easier to use real locations to get the descriptions right. And since I grew up in a college hockey town with a stellar team and beautiful arena, I went with what I know.

This is the arena I used. It’s one of the best venues in the country. It was built especially for viewing hockey and playing the game. The Ralph Englestad Arena is gorgeous, inside and out.

When I attended a game at the Joe Louis arena, where the Red Wings play, the first thing I thought was…this is a dump compared to our college arena. I didn’t say it out loud. I’m not that stupid.
The building has two sheets of ice. One regulation hockey, the other an Olympic size sheet of ice. I’ve skated on both sheets and been in the underbelly of the building. I’ve only seen pictures of the hockey locker room though. The arena seats close to 11,700 people and is regularly sold-out for the games.

So there’s the answer. I used the University of North Dakota hockey program for inspiration when writing Picks & Pucks and Frozen Hearts.

If you ever have a chance to see a hockey game up in the frozen north at the palace on the prairie, I highly recommend it.

Xo, Teegan

A Sports Bucket List

I’m watching hockey. Big Surprise. Anyway, I thought I’d post a blog I did when I was on Dreamspinner’s Blog…just in case you missed it.  Plus I thought it was cool. And I may have added a few things since I made the original post. 

Tons of people have bucket lists. I have specific bucket lists. Like a travel bucket list, a People I’d like to meet bucket list, a Sports bucket list…

 Ah, a sports bucket list. Yes, indeed, I have a sports bucket list. Some wishes are absolutely insane and will probably never happen but some are realistic and have happened. So without a drum role or the nat’l anthem, here is my Sports bucket list. 

Attend a World or US National figure skating championship … I’ve seen a ton of figure skating shows, but never a world-class competition.

Attend the Masters. Ever since Tiger Woods burst onto the scene, that tournament has intrigued me. At the beginning of his career, Master’s badges were selling for $10,000 per badge. Yes, people were paying ten grand for four days of golf. Crazy. I mean, you don’t even get an assigned seat, unless you pay someone to race for a hole with your chair in hand when they open the gates. Or I suppose you could do it yourself…

Attend all four grand slam events for tennis. Australian Open, The French Open, Wimbledon, and The US Open. I’ve attended several tennis matches and seen some of the world’s best play. My mini plays tennis, maybe she’ll get me there. 

The Olympics. I don’t care if it’s summer or winter and I would be one of those people who would attend every event possible. From the obscure to the feature sports.

Attend a Frozen Four… college hockey equivalent of the Stanley cup. To make it more special, please have my alma mater winning the event.

A world class gymnastics competition. Because gymnasts are totally insane. 

See a leg of the Tour de France, preferably a mountain time trial or a mountain stage going up Mont Ventoux

Wear a crazy hat and witness the Kentucky Derby 

I’ve had the opportunity to see some awesome competitions. I’ve seen a game 7 during the Stanley cup playoffs. Granted it was in round one, but the game was magnificent, even though my team lost. I’ve been to a Superbowl, a ton of professional basketball and hockey games. I was even on the kiss cam at Joe Louis arena in Detroit. Unfortunately, I was with my brother so the fans booed us when we didn’t kiss. Fun times. I was at a World Curling championship. And yes, I wanted to be there. I love playing the game and watching it.

I watched an all-star basketball practice where Shaq stood close to me. He’s very tall and large. During that same event, I knocked on Jason Kidd’s hotel room door to give him tickets. When he opened the door, he was in his boxers. I shoved the tickets in his hand and asked him to autograph a basketball. I’m not sure how I found my way out of the hotel after seeing a pro basketball player almost naked.

During a Superbowl pregame event, I thought Lynn Swan was a FedEX guy. We were in an elevator with the guy. Give me a break. He had on blue pants and a polo shirt and carried several FedEx envelopes. My friend laughed his head off at me. I also met Joe Theisman that same day. He’s a very nice guy. I refrained from asking about his broken leg.

A few times when I was sitting in the front row at an ice show, I found it quite difficult not reach out and grab a handful of ass. My God, those figure skaters have rock hard ass muscles and they wear skintight pants that highlight everything!

Maybe your sports bucket list involves watching your child chase after their goals. For me, this past year was filled with watching my daughter win her first “big” tennis tournament, and win her first state title in fastpitch softball. It was glorious watching her joy.

Or maybe, your bucket lists involve you competing in something? I’d love to skate with some pro hockey players… Just skate… Note: I will be wearing figure skates though. Or curl with some world-class curlers.

Or are there specific stars you’d love to meet?

Hmmm…. My list? Rafael Nadal, Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews (cuz they’re a set), Brian Boitano, Lance Armstrong (I have my reasons – okay, my journalist instincts might kick in. He fascinates me), Charles Barkley (I’ve stood next to him and got his autograph, but didn’t have a conversation with the man. I love his sarcastic sense of humor), I could go on forever.

So, give me some of your sports bucket lists? Maybe you want to see some obscure sport like the cricket world championships. Okay, I made that up. I don’t know how the world of cricket works. Badminton? Ping Pong? Beach Volleyball? I could get behind some beach volleyball. On the beach, with scantily clad guys smashing a ball.

 Oh yeah, and don’t forget to check out my book, Picks & Pucks. It’s on Amazon, Amazon Canada, Amazon UK, (Seriously I had no idea there were all these Amazons) AllRomance or click on the book cover to get over to Dreamspinner. 

Okay, back to the hockey game

Xo, Teegan