Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Share your flutters, win a signed copy of BELIEVE IT OR NOT

Life's been a little roller-coasterish lately. While it sometimes gives me that fun, fluttery feeling in parts of my body that enjoy feeling fluttery, there are other moments I feel the nauseating urge to call Ralph on the porcelain phone.

I need to be better at focusing on the fun & fluttery.

Here are a few of the good giddy moments from the last few days:
  • A big box showed up on my doorstep containing a buttload of copies of my next romantic comedy, Believe it or Not. That made me happy. The book hits shelves March 6 and you can pre-order right now from Amazon or Barnes & Noble or IndieBound. (You can also win a free signed copy if you keep reading and follow instructions, but I want to keep going with the fluttery list for a sec).
  • I finished the first draft of the second episode of Getting Dumped for Coliloquy. This is my "interactive fiction" romantic caper (i.e. choose-your-own-adventure), and I was thrilled to bits the instant I hit send and fired the draft off to my agent, editor, and publisher. I was even more giddy to hear back from the publisher less than 24 hours later expressing her delight with the draft. There will still be edits, of course, but just knowing her initial response wasn't, "have you been eating paint chips?" was a big relief. (Incidentally, the first episode of Getting Dumped is on sale at Amazon right now for $1.99 – get it while it's cheap!)
  • Believe it or Not received several more toe-curlingly wonderful reviews, including this one from Library Journal, which declared. "Fenske’s sophomore effort (after Making Waves) is another riotous trip down funny bone lane, with a detour to slightly askew goings on and a quick u-ey to out-of-this-world romance. Readers will be enchanted by this bewitching fable from a wickedly wise author." That one had me smiling all day long!
  • Thursday marks eleven months since I first had dinner with my gentleman friend with the idea of seeking his counsel as my divorce mentor. Suffice it to say, he's turned out to be a whole lot more than that, and I feel ridiculously, deliciously fluttery every time I think of him. Or see him. Or grope him. Or....is it hot in here?
  • I made a really excellent soup on Monday night. What? You have to celebrate the little flutters, too.

Those are just a few things I'm celebrating in my life right now. How about you? What's making you feel flutters of joy, satisfaction, or delight? Post your list in the comments. I'll review the entries at 5 p.m. PST on Thursday, Feb. 23 and will pick one person to receive a signed copy of Believe it or Not.

So how about it, guys? What's making you feel fluttery?

29 comments :

Aussiebookchic said...

That's easy, when I get a new book that I have been desperately waiting for. I scream, giggle and generally dance around the room. I loooove new books. There are other things of course, but I can admit new books are at the top of the list.

Author R. Mac Wheeler said...

1-Watching the joy on the faces of my pups as they streak across an open field.
2-My wife commenting the chops taste good.
3-Molly (my black Lab) in her doggles, grinning her fool head off in my mirror as we ride our Honda Goldwing down the highway.

Mary said...

You SHOULD be feeling flutters of delight--BELIEVE IT OR NOT is a great story. Hot and funny and oh-my-gosh I want more!

I recently got the happy flutters when I was offered a position at a brand new high school (I currently teach middle school and REALLY need a change). I'm so excited and get the flutters every time I think about my next school year!

Linda G. said...

Woo-hoo! BELIEVE IT OR NOT is real!! Gee, that right there makes me kind of fluttery. :)

Matthew MacNish said...

So that's how you spell u-ey? Good to know.

I don't really get fluttery, except on roller coasters, but I am pretty excited to have my manuscript out with two agents. I'm not really querying yet, because these two are referrals, and I want to make sure things are at least working before I start submitting widely.

Patty Blount said...

What makes me fluttery?

Patrick Alan tweeting "Good morning, sexy" to me. Okay, okay, it was to ALL his tweeps, but still...

Catching a guy's eye and because he's trying to run me off the Long Island Expressway in a fit of road rage. Extra flutters when the eyes belong to my own husband.

Hugs from my sons.

Smiles from strangers who hear I have a book coming out and ask, "Oh, you're an AUTHOR?" ("Author" gets me every time.)

Emails or tweets to me from people I greatly admire. Yeah, that never fails to get me all a'flutter.

Maja said...

My husband bought me an incredibly dorky piece of video-game merchandise that I've secretly wanted forever. ♥true love♥

Either you're screening the comments or I'm actually first. I'm never first! :D

Been writing like crazy and I can't believe I don't it after the first draft.

Finally, I am looking forward to sushi and tempura later this week.

(Maybe soon I can add winning Believe It or Not to this list?)

Julie Glover said...

I'm not at my fluttierest at the moment, having been diagnosed with mononucleosis (the "kissing disease" which means I can't kiss for a while! Ugh). But here's the list from the sick patient's perspective:
* My adolescent son comes in every day to ask if I'm feeling better and gives me a hug. Flutter.
* My sister sent me a box of chicken soup mixes purchased from Soups Online. Flutter.
* My husband does double duty as hard worker by day and Superdad by night, then crawls into bed to be my much-needed body heater. Double flutter.
* I love my current WIP. When I give others the elevator pitch, it piques interest. Yeah, me. Will flutter when published and opening my own boatload box of books.

Thanks for sharing yours, Tawna. Congrats on the book. Looking forward to reading it!

Teri Anne Stanley said...

I think it might be that live goldfish I swallowed yesterday (not really. euuwww).

How exciting...new books! Do they have that new book smell?

Jessica Lemmon said...

Oh, I had to think about this for a minute. It's been a week of ups and downs for me too. I think the thing that has made me most fluttery is the fact that I stopped the dead-horse beating that was revising my old MS and started something new. And guess what? I actually like these new people...who knew?

Sierra said...

Playing with my seven-month-old niece. She's trying so hard to crawl, and is only scooting, and she loves to talk to the world. Watching her discover the world is one of the most flutter-inducing things ever.

The man in my life is pretty darn flutter inducing, too. The thought of seeing him when I've been gone for even a half hour, the twinkle in his eye when he's trying to make me laugh, that stomach-twisting spark when he's trying to seduce me...I think I need a cold shower now. :)

Another phrase for the flutter is "the warm fuzzies." At least, that's what I grew up calling them. It's that warm fuzzy feeling inside, like you ate a cozy blanket. I think there was even a song. Best feeling ever, and I'm so happy that you have so many things that give you that! :D

erin said...

OOOOHHH... pretty new books!!!

Congrats on the new Release! I've been looking forward to this book ever since I first heard about it!

Ummm... I get the flutters... a) whenever my puppy does something cute and adorable
b) whenever my bf does the laundry or other household work
c) whenever my bf gives me a random, sweet compliment

Congrats also on the anniversary w/ your gentleman friend :)

Jolyse Barnett said...

Congrats on Believe it or Not Review in March Romantic Times, Tawna! Can't wait to read it.

My Recent flutters include...

visiting my 78 year old Dad in my childhood home filled with wonderful memories

when a beta reader for my first book referred to herself (in writing!) as my fan

that my husband gave me that look this morning that meant he was happy to be home, with me.

Have a wonderful week, and I hope all goes well with your delicious gentleman friend. ;)

Jess Corra said...

Yay for your eleven-monthaversary with gentleman friend. :) So glad you're happy, Tawna.

You know my week's been a bit off, so hoping that BION shipped early and I can snap my copy at work this weekend and read it on the train to Chicago. Which is one of my warm fuzzies, visiting a friend next week for a much needed vacation! Also, hitting halfway on a new book when I haven't written a new book since summer 2010 is sobbing-relief level flutter.

Christina Auret said...

Congrats on the review.

As to flutter causes:
Finishing things. It really is that simple. Being able to look at something and say it's done. It's better when I can say it's done well, but mostly done on it's own will do it for me.

kbradley67 said...

Congratulations on all your success! Can't wait to read Believe it or Not.
Things that make me flutter:
1. Seeing my son in uniform. Sigh
2. The thought of going on vacation in three weeks. Double Sigh
3. When critique partners finally say "This is it! What the @#%* are you waiting for? No Sigh - holla Whoop-Whoop!

Ang said...

This coming weekend is my last "me" time opportunity before my husband's deployment, and my BFF of 26 years and I are going on a winery tour! A fun & fluttery weekend is just what we both need.

Laina said...

1. A free $3 dollar lipstain from my favourite makeup company for buying a $10 giftcard.
2. Five books + swag in the mail.
3. A new Lemony Snicket picture book from the library today.
4. Having everything ready for work tomorrow.
5. Finishing the rough draft of this long story thingie I've been working on since December.
6. PINEAPPLE *noms*
7. It's warm enough to melt which is nice because a.) I hate cold and b.) it makes a sound like rain when my roof drips and I like that.
8. My google reader has less than 1000 items.
9. My hair looks nice today.
10. I *feel* happy. It's been a bit of a rough month and I like this.

Yeah :D Warm fuzzies all over here.

Susan Flett Swiderski said...

Hardly anything makes me as fluttery as when one of our grandchildren squeals with delight and runs into my arms for a kiss.

Lindy said...

Your books!! I really mean that you on my calendar for always buying your books. You and Kristan Higgins and jennifer crusie are on my auto-buy lists. Also I get flutters every night when I pick up my kids from daycare. They are everything to me. BUT what really gives me flutters is when I see my husband's truck in the driveway on Thursday nights. sigh (He works out of town Mon-Thurs) I know I know puke. LOL

Neurotic Workaholic said...

I've been going through some difficult situations lately, so there has not been a lot of fluttering for me, unfortunately. But there are at least two things: coming up with new ideas for my manuscript and the hot guys who wear shirts that show off their muscles at my gym. Sometimes I keep working out just so I can keep admiring their muscles. Does that make me shallow?

Rachell H said...

Several things make me flutter!! My hubby when he is actually in a generous mood,watching my son ride his horse or when he gives me a hug, a new book, when my family is happily doing something we love, going to the big spring branding every year, that really gets me to fluttering, great times with great people!!!

Steph Schmidt said...

That moment after running four blocks to catch the ferry and successfully outsmarting folks who work in the freaking financial district to snag a seat near the door? That first breath of relief when I'm off my inappropriately clad feet and can smell the weird but not quiet fresh but sorta salty SF bay air. That's a flutter of relief that I get thinking I have a whole thirty minutes of me time ahead. Best part is that I'm disconnected from the net and get to spend it however I want (reading, sleeping, staring out the window etc).

Mark Simpson said...

I must admit, I'm a tad fluttery over my warrior queen taking my hand to feel my unborn son kick for the first time. Roy--named for her father--represents a something that I always thought could happen in some foggy version of the future. But now that its a reality I find that I'm far more excited about it than I ever thought I would or could be.

(Plus I'm not ashamed to admit that I'm already looking forward to the first time he sees the movie "Kingpin" as a teenager, with the awkward revelation of where his soon-to-be childhood nickname "Roy-Toy" really came from... *evil laugh*)

Anonymous said...

Getting started on my goals and seeing the progress I've been making especially on the paperwork the pile of papers is finally moving. I've had this one goal for over 2 years and it's finally coming to fruition I'm applying my self and seeing it ....

Brandi Guthrie said...

My fluttery feelings usually come when my husband says something that is uniquely us, or when my puppy tilts her head a certain way and then curls up on my lap. I also get a fluttery feeling (though perhaps not the best kind) when I check my email to see if I've gotten accepted to graduate school yet.

StoriesAndSweetPotatoes said...

I feel flutters from spin class lately. I have some long term health problems and whenever I feel well enough to be active I just feel so ALIVE.

May Richard said...

Books make me Fluttery

Tacoza said...

i had an encounter with a 28yr old,,,,I am 42 and recently divorced! That makes me very fluttery. Also the fact that he is one of the sweetest men I have ever met. i flutter at every single romantic and funnier than shit text he sends me. I flutter thinking about how I finally get to see him in a week. i flutter at all of the oxytocin he makes my brain produce each day. Im also fluttery at the fact that my brother has an amazing woman in his life and that he is making her so happy:)