Writing Wednesday!

Hello again! How is everyone's week been? Mines been busy, of course. The kids are keeping me insanely busy but its been fun! Even with them driving me insane, I got a lot done this week! So I'm super excited too!I am still tired, and I've been trying to figure out ways to hide from the kids and husband for at least 10 minutes more of sleep, but it doesnt work! lol.

When I'm not writing, I am playing Lego Harry Potter with my little bit. We love it, and we are about to have a huge Harry Potter Marathon since he hasn't seen any of the movies :) Makes no sense how he hasn't. Me and Michael's first date was to see Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. We live Harry Potter, its me and Michael's thing, and I CAN NOT wait to share this with my little bit.




But overall, its been a good week. I went and got my 6th tattoo this week with my baby brother. He got Link from Zelda and I got Link's hearts. Its super awesome, and I love it so much! But the good always comes with some bad, I went to the Zoo with my family this weekend and someone stole my phone. I cried for hours because not only did I lose all my pictures and stuff of my kids and family, but I lost ideas for upcoming books. The only good thing is I got a sexy new phone that backs up everything I do. Plus, my wallpaper is just to die for...lol..So yippee for that. My husband had two hockey games this week. I am so lucky to be able to go to those cause if I wasnt able too, I'm pretty sure I would loose my mind. LOL. I dont know why I act like I acutally watch the whole game, I mostly have my laptop out and I'm writing...hehe. Michael doesnt mind, he supports it, and always ask how much I got done. He's such a great guy!

THE BEST THING EVER DID HAPPEN THIS WEEK THOUGH! Since I am a little over half way done with the book, and I plan on being done by August, I asked my husband if we could go on a vacation as a 'Way to go for finishing your 3rd book' gift. It was either that or season tickets to the Preds, but since we are buying a new house this December, I figured a vacation would be more cost effective. Well, we decided and omg, I am so excited because we are going to DISNEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! in October!!!!!!!!!!Now I know your probably like huh? But you dont understand. I LOVE DISNEY! Its amazing, its magical and I cry every time we go! lol So excited! The only thing I'm not excited about is the diet I am going on. I have developed a tire around my waist the last couple months and I refuse to have it when I'm in Disney. I wanna look good beside Flynn Ryder! lol.

Now, onto book stuff. Taking Shots and Trying to Score are going to be all over the place this summer. I am signed up for two different blog tours. When I get the banners, I will post them in the Tour section. Taking Shots is up to 121 reviews with a 4.3 star rating. Trying to Score is at 56 reviews with a 4.4 star rating both on Amazon. We only need 44 more reviews for the first chapter and cover of Empty Net to be revealed. So PLEASE GO LEAVE ME A REVIEW! :) The only bad thing that happened this week with my book was that I got a horrible horrible review and it hurt my heart but I promise guys, I've gotten better. I used to cry and omg it was horrible, but now I just shrug my shoulders. Its all I can do. People arent going to like me all the time.

This isn't book related but I am super excited about it! My blog will be getting a blog lift from Tabby over at Insightful Minds design studio. I'm super excited because she has some FANTASTIC ideas! So make sure to keep checking back and also check her out if you need graphics or a blog lift. She does everything for me. I would never go to anyone else!



Okay, Empty Net time!! Hehe! I am ahead of schedule!!!!! AHHH! I wanted to be to chapter 16 today but I am well into 18!!!! I am sooooo excited and so proud of myself for getting this done! I sent out chapter 6-10 to my beta readers but I havent gotten much feedback. I am so impatient! lol, but I know people have lives and that they cant write me back the minute I send off to them! I wish they could though! lol! haha. That would be a dream come true, but I am even lucky they are reading the book for me and telling me honestly what they think.
Anyways, I am super in love with Audrey and Tate right now. Omg, I wish y'all could read it. I think I posted a Facebook status last week about how I got chills during one chapter and its was so true. Its soo amazing, I swear, I have the HIGHEST hopes for this book. I already feel that it is better than Taking Shots and Trying to Score, and y'all know how in LOVE I am with Elli, Shea, Fallon and Lucas, but Audrey and Tate...sheesh...lol. I just can't wait to get a release date and a cover and all that fun stuff! It makes everything so much more real for me! I just hope that all this excitement I have will be worth it! I can only keep my fingers cross I guess! :)

So on with the stats!

I am on Chapter 18.
The ending word count is: 90,732
My goal is to have Chapter 20 done by next Wednesday.


When I get to Chapter 20, 5 more chapters will be sent out to my beta readers.

Editors are done to 10, but have 11-14. Critique partner has chapters 15-17, but she has been sick! Feel better Tara!
Last line I wrote, its a text and it says:

I seriously: Can. Not. Wait.

Music from this Chapter:
Thinking of You - Dierks Bentley
Only Girl - Boyce Avenue
Thats all so far!!!




I am a BIG Dierks Bentley fan. He plays hockey with my husband and I've met him a few times. This is my ALL TIME FAVORITE song, and when he had his daughter come out and sing it with him, I bawled my eyes out. Just a little spoiler, it is for Shea and Elli in this chapter. Its a special song, and I love it so much, so here is the video!

So thats it! Did I bore y'all? lol, I swear, it takes me two hours to do this because I have no clue what to tell y'all! I am extremely boring! lol. I hope you enjoyed this, and please go leave a review for Trying to Score!! Thanks so much and have a great week! Dont forget to leave me comments and questions! They let me know y'all like this! :)

Winners pick!!!

The winners have been chosen!!!

Copy of Trying to Score goes to: Maria Fasano-Palminteri
The winner of the $20 amazon gift card goes to: CarolinaSpain - please email me at toni.aleo@yahoo.com
The winner of the biggest prize ever goes to: Corinne

Thanks everyone that entered!!!!

Writing Wednesday!

Hello all my Assassins' fans! How are you? How is the start of your summer going?
Mine is positively insane! hehe!
I feel like I am losing my mind, honestly!


When I wrote Taking Shots this time last year, my schedule at work was different, now I work 12am to 8am, and I am always tired. Mix that with two rambunctious children, a writing process, and keeping a house hold going...yeah, I really don't know how I'm gonna make it! I've seemed to put myself in a bubble, only letting the kids in. Its my Empty Net bubble, where Tate and Audrey are living their story. While trying to entertain my kids I find myself stopping, and writing stuff down in my notebook or my computer, if its close. When I'm driving, I'll stop and write, its insane. I am also starting to find out who my friends really are too. The ones that understand my insanity tend to be there when I need them, the ones that don't have wrote me off. 

This time around its worst, I dont know if its because of the pressure of wanting to write a great story or what, but like always I find myself second guessing my work. Like this:

Oh no! Is Audrey stupid like people said about Elli?! or stubborn like Fallon?
Will people connect with Audrey?
What about Tate? Am I writing them right?
Crap! Am I making them believable!
Freaking A, do men do that?
Does that happen in Hockey?
For the love of God, please let people love this book.

Add in my kids tearing up the house or arguing and that is my world right now. Tate and Audrey are always there. I see people do something, and my head will cock to the side, and I'll think that Audrey and Tate would do that. So I write it. My husband and I will argue or be cute about something and I'll write it. Everything around me inspires my Tate and Audrey, all I can do is write them and hope I do them right. I don't write cookie cutter romances, I've accepted that I'll never be a Nora Roberts or Kristin Higgins, and I have to stay true to me.



I love the book so far, I think it is amazing. Along with Taking Shot and Trying to Score, I am proud of what I've done. I sent off to my beautiful, amazing, super great, beta readers,(no I am sucking up to them, I honestly love them for taking the time out to read my book and tell me what they think!) and so far all of them LOVE it and I've only sent off 5 chapters! So I am super excited about that! My critique partner is hard at work, trying to decipher my mind and make my book shine. She is fantastic and doing a fantastic job. Then you have my two amazing, awesome, sweet editors, that I know have the hardest job out of everyone. It has to be hard to catch all my errors because God knows there is a ton! lol!

Now thats I'm done talking about my life kind of stuff, lets go onto Empty Net. There are no spoilers or anything like that, I dont want to spoil the the book for anyone, I'm just letting y'all into my life.


So here we go!
I just finished Chapter 13.
The ending word count is: 67,380
My goal is to have Chapter 16 done by next Wednesday.
When I get to Chapter 15, 5 more chapters will be sent out to my beta readers.
I think the editors are done with chapter 1-8 and my critique partner is right there with me, waiting on 13. I havent finished reading it over yet, so she hasn't gotten it yet.
I don't know if you could consider this a spoiler but this is the last line I wrote:

“Yeah, Audrey, I know. Friends.”

Music from this chapter:

Too many Fish: Karmin

Knock you down: Keri Hilson

Grenade: Boyce Avenue

We found love: Boyce Avenue

I hope you enjoyed this post. If you have any questions or suggestions for next weeks Writing Wednesday please let me know! I feel like I've done nothing but bore y'all! Sorry if I have!

Thanks so much!

busy, busy, busy

I havent had a blog post in a while, so here I am!

Things are well in Toni Aleo land. My son is a second grader now, and my daughter is kindergartener, yes I cried all morning. hehe. The end of school year has came really quick and now I have two little people to entertain while trying to write Empty Net. I know, exhausting right? Since I know I am going to be beyond busy, I wanted to see what everyone would think about a Writing Wednesday. 

I thought of it the other day while I was writing..it was a Wednesday, anyways, I thought I could post what I'm doing with the book. Like what chapter I'm on, or something like that. 

I really dont have anything else to post but reviews and links to other blogs when stuff comes up. With Preds hockey season over...a moment of silence please.....I really have nothing, I promise I'm a really boring person. lol! So what do y'all think?

Thank so much, and enjoy your weekend!

Don't forget to enter the contest! It ends tomorrow!

Finally out of mourning.

A lot of you have noticed that I haven't mentioned my loss. I was mourning for my Predators and today after watching Shea Weber's final interview I am finally able to make peace with our loss and look forward to a summer of writing. I will miss my boys, Shea Weber the most but above all, I will miss his beard.  

 

Party went great!

The party was beautiful last night! thanks to all my friends and family that came out to support me! My camera died though (I think I dropped it too much at Disney..opps?) so all the pictures are from camera phones. Stupid me for forgetting to hire a photographer! My head is so deep in Empty Net, I forget everything! Here are some pictures from last night:

Also, MOMMA NEEDS A WIN !! LETS GO PREDS! I believe boys!!!

Hello all!

Hey everyone! Just wanted to post and let y'all know what is happening in my life! 

Tonight is my book release party here in Clarksville, Tn. I am really excited for all my friends and family to come out to celebrate the release of Trying to Score! I will be sure to post pictures of the whole night for everyone to see. I feel so blessed and loved to have some many people that love me and my books so very much! So thank you guys! 

 

 

 

Predators play tomorrow. 

We have to win. 

please let us win.

 

 

Tomorrow also starts my one day blitz of Taking Shots and Trying to Score through Reading Addiction Blog Tours! For more information of where I will be click here. I am doing interviews, guest posts, and basically just promoting my book! I'm pretty excited about it! Thanks to Cami for all her amazing help! She has been a blessing!

That's it! Don't forget to enter the contest for all kinds of stuff! Don't forget to check out Empty Net's tab! We are at 45 reviews! only 55 more for the first chapter and cover reveal of Empty Net! Thanks so much guys! From the bottom of my heart! Y'all at fantastic! 

GO PREDS!