Plot Monkeys

Today The Plotmonkeys are thrilled to host the hilarious, USA Today Bestselling author JULIA LONDON!
I (Carly) first met Julia one hot summer day on the Levy Tour Bus while traveling the great state of Ohio in pursuit of Walmarts and books to sign. Our joint friend and Julia’s agent, Jenny Bent, called me and said, my client Dinah needs someone to hold her hand on the tour. Will you help her? Dinah turned out to be Julia London (gotta love our pseudonyms that confuse people) and I needed much more help and hand holding than she did. But we had fun and signed books and once authors spend hours on a bus together, they can turn to each other for anything. Please welcome the talented Julia London!

These Books Do Not Write Themselves: a Day in the Life of a Professional Writer:
I am very stoked to be at Plotmonkeys! It’s such an honor to share my book with everyone here. So much work goes into writing a book that when it is published, I feel like I need to get out there and shepherd my baby through all the noise to the readers who want to read it. It’s like I tell my husband—this is a tough business. He always rolls his eyes when I say that, but I remind him of my near melt down over deadlines associated with The Perils of Pursuing a Prince. But he doesn’t understand—life hands you so many obstacles that sometimes, it feels like you are trudging through knee-deep mud when trying to write a book.

Consider an average day in my writing life (as scientifically recorded one Wednesday in March):

7 am: Wake up to dog head-butting the bed because he is hungry and/or needs to go out. (Warning: When considering obtaining a cute puppy with sweetsweet puppy fur, be forewarned: Puppy will grow into stinky, smelly old dog who demands his breakfast at daybreak every day).

8 am: Dogs fed, coffee made, letters Carolyn Hax laughed at (losers), horoscope scrutinized for hidden indication of impending career suicide.

9 am: In p.j.s, in front the computer, surfing email, celebrity news, obscure little links to funny You Tube videos.

9:30 am: Dogs demanding walk. Inner Martha Stewart demanding you get off your fat ass and sweep up the dog hair. Inner you thinking maybe you ought to at least brush your teeth.

10:30 am: Dogs walked, dog hair swept (miGOD how can they shed so much!), teeth brushed. Now screwing around in the back yard watering plants and thinking about swimming.

10:45 am: Swimming.

11:15 am: Snack time!

11:30 am. Email checked again for any late-breaking info. Internet horoscopes surfed for something a little more exciting than the one in the paper.

12:30 pm: Blogging for the day completed. Except for periodic check-backs to see if anyone commented on my comment so I can comment on their comment.

12:31 pm: Lunch time!

1:30 pm: Lulled into false sense of security and believe there is plenty of time to complete WIP. Do a little research into next project. Why waste time on the project they’ve paid you for? They’ve paid you for it – what’s the rush?

2:00 pm: Force legs numb from sitting to get up and move to gym.

3:30 pm: Back from gym, showered, refreshed, ready to start the day. Okay. Chapter One.

3:31 pm: Snack time!

4:00 pm: Quick check to see if Oprah has any child molesters, cheating spouses or Jennifer Anniston.

5:00 pm: Chapter One. He saw her across a crowded ball room, her hair shining beneath the glow of one hundred beeswax candles in crystal chandeliers. Her eyes sparkled with amusement… Anh. Lame opening. Wonder how other authors have hooked readers. Surf the net to find out.

6:30 pm: two paragraphs written. Husband wondering what is for dinner. Inner me has been wondering since last snack. Time to investigate.

9:00 pm: Panic sets in. Not enough pages accomplished today!!! Cannot make deadline at current rate of production!!! Ohmigod must check into hotel to be away from these constant distractions and interruptions!!! No one understands how hard this job is!!!

10:00 pm: Finish surfing email. Okay, back to work. …Her eyes sparkled with amusement and he…and he….AND HE…..

12:00 am: Vision too blurry to see. But two hours of solid work—not bad, considering all the stuff that had to be done today. But tomorrow…tomorrow I will really get on it. No, seriously.

12:01 am. Snack time!

Now see? If you pick up a copy of the THE PERILS OF PURSUING A PRINCE (on sale April 17), you will know how hard I worked. That book was practically written with my blood, sweat, and tears. You can actually see blood on page 162. Or maybe it’s ketchup.

Want to know more about the book and series and see a cool book trailer? Go to Want to enter a drawing to win cool gifts and free books? Check it out my contest page.

What is your greatest distraction when writing or working? Office mates? TV? Snackspetskidshusbands? What do you do to get away from the constant distractions and interruptions!!?