Crazy is My New Normal: ROW 80 Check In

"I wish things would just get back to normal," I'll hear myself say to my husband as we pass each other and split up the kids to make all the events. I need to accept crazy as our new normal and be done with it. Even my writing comes in crazy spurts, rarely under my control.

I posted earlier today about my experience with a Web television interview, one of the highlights in a crazy couple of days. I'm so glad cameras don't follow me around on a regular basis. I don't know how reality stars handle it, even for fame. Fortune, maybe?

I'm taking a brief moment in the eye of the storm to post about my A Round of Words in 80 Days progress:

Writing
Results: Did I mention my new normal? I wrote, everything from blog posts to book reviews, but my WIP suffered. I'm having a hard time mentally jumping from the Depression Cookies follow-up to my YA novel.
Reaction: Ugh!

Any advice on switching between projects? I don't want my teenage character in my young adult novel to start sounding like the teenage character in my follow-up.

Depression Cookies blog
Results: Daily blogging.
Reaction: Cruising.

Mom in Love with Fiction blog
Results: Two posts already this week, planning one more.
Reaction: This blog is finally get the attention it deserves, and I'm enjoying it. Finished another Rebeccas Reads book, but decided to wait and start posting those once I can link directly to the review online (there's always a lag).

Miscellaneous
Results: I cracked open Becoming a Writer.
Reaction: But only cracked open. A few pages in, but it's a start.
Note: Really enjoying visiting and commenting on various ROW 80 updates. An amazing group this round!

Hope everyone is doing well and writing with ease.

Reality Television, Am I Sitting Too Close?

I admit to a fascination with some reality shows. I'm addicted to Food Network and thanks to my preteen daughter, shows like So You Think You Can Dance and American Idol. I'll occasionally turn into the train wrecks of more personal reality television shows like Keeping up with the Kardashians.

After wincing and squirming my way through personal revelations for the sake of entertainment, I usually turn it off. Same is true when I turn on Supernanny, but that's because I live moments of that show everyday. Too much reality!

Recently, I attended career day at my daughter's middle school and talked about writing and editing in today's marketplace. I discussed the difficulty of getting a traditional publishing contract, unless a famour person like Sookie. Well, I guess she's called Snookie. Who knew? I'd rather watch True Blood anyway, so you can understand my faux pas.

The thought of someone coming in and taping my day-to-day life is terrifying. We'd be a mix of Supernanny-style theatrics, Food network challenges (and not in a good way), and me sitting at a computer. Worse than that... seeing myself on camera constantly. I always feel so sorry for the famous people on the front of magazines with their faces blacked out and a title, "Who's This at the Beach." Poor things, even a mid-day pooch starts rumors of pregnancy. I'd be pregnant all the time!

Yesterday, I got a taste of reality television when the lovely Ann Marie featured me on her Mom Advocate Web TV show. Please click here or on the right sidebar to watch. She's lovely and so enthusiastic about moms and following your passions. But, I've never felt so awkward. Web cameras suck, to be frank. Do you sit back and seem small, or sit too close and come across as a huge head? Do you look at the person interviewing you or that small camera at the top of your computer? Calgon, take me away...

Note to others considering web television interviews: there is no amount of makeup to make you look like you are wearing makeup through a web camera. Just so you know. I went heavier than I feel comfortable with, and I look like a ghost. A big ghost face!

Still, I'm happy with what we talked about, and that's the point, right? Plus, now when people meet me in person (you know at all my swanky events!), I can hear the standard, "You look so much better in person." Who wouldn't!?! Actually, I'll be hurt if they don't tell me that.

Also, in case you missed Ann Marie interviewing me on her Mom Advocate radio show back in August, please click here to listen. Radio is so much kinder, my voice I can handle.

Thanks so much to the lovely, Ann Marie, for featuring me on her shows. I hope you take a minute to stop by and listen/watch.

What do you think of Reality television? What would your show be like?