Always Do The Thing That Scares You Blogfest

In SPIRAL, Nessa confronts her fears about getting close to Aron by reminding herself of her father's motto: "Always do the thing that scares you." It's probably a saying all of us could use from time to time, so for this blogfest, I asked participants to post about a time that you decided to do something even though it scared you, either to get over that fear or because you knew it would be good for you.

The thing that scares me: putting myself out there as an author and taking a risk on self-publishing.

Self-publishing is kind of like the Wild West. Or maybe the California Gold Rush. Nowhere else is this more obvious than in the New Adult genre. Some books hit it BIG, some books do okay, and many books languish. There's a ton of hope and a ton of luck involved, along with a lot of disappointment.

Why the heck am I doing this again?!?

Oh, and I don't write tattooed bad boys. I don't write the charming a$$hole guy. I don't write playboys and billionaires with a fondness for handcuffs. And if you look around, that's what's selling.

But I thought, hey, I'm going to take a risk, because I love this kind of story. It's not just with SPIRAL, either--I've written two other New Adult books that will come out later this year. I'm making sure the books are thoroughly edited. I'm investing in my covers. I'm pouring a lot into these books--emotion, time, and money.

And I'm really scared.

Like Nessa, I'm hesitant to have my heart broken. I'm doing okay--I have a job I love, an amazing family, and some awesome friends. I don't need to expose myself to failure and disappointment like this. I mean--not only am I joining a crowded ebook marketplace, but I'm entering with the kind of romance hero that *might* not appeal to all readers (I hope he does, but you never know!)

I could have cheaped it out. I could have skipped the editing and rushed to post the book. If I hadn't put so much energy and time into it, I don't think it would hurt as much if it doesn't succeed. It might not be that way for everyone, but for me, if I don't invest in something, it's not as painful to see it fail.

But if I never pushed myself and committed to trying my absolute hardest, to giving readers the absolute best of me, if I didn't risk something ... I couldn't say I'd done all I could. I couldn't say I'd really put myself out there.

So here I am, putting myself out there, and we'll see. The book's only been out for a day, so it's too soon to say what's going to happen! Either way, I'll learn something. Either way, I'm going to be glad I did the thing that scared me.

What about you? Have you ever risked your heart because you knew it might be worth it? Have you ever done something that really scared you because you knew you might learn something about yourself?

And before you go, here's my giveaway to celebrate the release of SPIRAL!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Nessa Cavanaugh, psychology student, knows how to stay on an even keel. Despite the urging of her mother and her academic advisor to get a life and have some fun, “all work and no play” sums up her plan to survive her grueling internship year at a children's hospital. She doesn't want to end up like her father, whose constant ups and downs broke her family, and avoiding unnecessary emotional entanglements is a must.

Then she (literally) runs into Dr. Aron Lindstrom in the middle of her disastrous first day on the job. The attraction is instant—and terrifying. Nessa knows she should stay away—especially when she finds out he has a reputation for being a player—but Aron is brilliant, intense, and as sexy as they come. When he challenges her to take a chance on him, her plans to stay focused on work start to crumble.

But what begins as passion takes on a dangerous edge, becoming an emotional roller coaster that’s frighteningly familiar. As things spiral out of control, Nessa must decide whether she should hold on for the ride or run … even if it means leaving her heart behind.

And here are the other participants in the blogfest--please go visit them!