JOSIE MAX - Blog

When I'm not writing.

Mon, 17 Apr 2023 12:54:20 GMT

There are times when I don't write. I know, it's shocking that an author doesn't write at times. Like when I'm sleeping or eating. I'm human not just a writing machine, lol.
But seriously, When I'm not writing I like to do stuff with my kids and friends.

Like this past week. I got all dressed up and went to lunch with an author friend. I can't tell you how happy I am to have an author friend. It may sound childish, but I was always jealous of other authors when they talked about messaging or hanging out with another author.
It's a very lonely business being an author. There's no watercooler or office kitchen to discuss work or personal stuff with other co-workers. Being social for an author usually happens only online or at the occasional conference (if you can afford to attend).
The general day-to-day work happens alone surrounded either by pets or a cup of coffee.
That might seem like a dream to some people. And it would have to me a decade ago when I worked a crappy job with some people that would be considered toxic (and I'm being nice here). And it's still a job that I would fight to the death to keep doing. But, it does get lonely.
When I met Elizabeth O'Roark several months ago at an author meetup where no one showed but us, I was nervous. But then we realized we had soooo much in common. Not just about our author career, but personal life too.
We made plans to meet up again and it kept getting pushed due to writing deadlines. We finally got together this past Wednesday. We had a blast and thought Steve Carell sat in the booth behind me. It really did look like him but we have no idea as we were both too nervous to get a better look or ask.
But I like to think he was there enjoying overhearing our conversation and all the juicy details of our fabulous author lives, lol.
Over the weekend I took my boys to a few parks. It was really nice out and we took advantage.

That's a picture of my oldest throwing rocks into the water. I live near the Chesapeake Bay and there are many waterways that flow into it. That's where we are in this photo. We could have taken a pedal boat out (they were renting them further down, but it was raining off an on. Not a lot of rain but enough that I didn't want to be in the water.
The trees covered us enough that we didn't get wet.
This weeks personal indulgence is another book. I may be an author but I love to read too.
And yes, I'm going to recommend one of Elizabeth O'Roark's books because not only am I her friend, I'm also her fan. If you like steamy contemporary romance then you NEED to check out her latest release:

I have been reading it and it's sooo good. Oh, and it's kinda angsty, so if you like that type of book then you drool over The Summer We Fell.

Finding the Time to Write

Thu, 16 Mar 2023 17:43:49 GMT

This week has been hectic as I’m trying to do all the things. I’m trying to write my mafia romance. Work on getting The Dirty Funhouse up and running (which I polled everyone about in the previous newsletter). I’m also working on changing some things with my other pen name (just background things but require a lot of work to make happen).

All this while my oldest is having a lot of problems of his own. He needs a lot of help (mentally) and I am running around trying to get him that help. But, it’s not so easy. Since the pandemic trying to find mental help for kids (and to a degree adults too) is almost impossible. I got him into a therapy group with boys his age. I found him a psychiatrist, but we just got this stuff going. So, the effects of everything haven’t really happened. We’re (his father and I) are still struggling to get him to go to school in the mornings (only successful half the time). He’s still saying he wants to end things (which he’s talked about for two years). He’s only 11 years old.
And then there’s my youngest, who’s 10 years old. He has more special needs than his brother. He suffers from more severe autism and physical disabilities. He also has severe ADHD and sensory processing disorder.
His younger brother is a lot like dealing with a two or three-year-old in a 10-year-old body. So, when his big brother gets upset, he gets upset too. We spend our time trying to calm down two boys at once.
Let’s just say when I’m not writing, I’m usually mentally and physically juggling a lot. And it eats away at my time spent writing books.
Why am I telling you all this? I don’t know. Maybe I just needed to vent. Let it out.
I’ve found ways to make sure I get my deadlines met, which sometimes means I have to book a room at a local hotel to write. Yes, taking a mini-vacation from my family is all about working. Just last weekend I his upstairs in the bedroom and my husband thought I was sleeping. I wasn’t. I was writing.
That’s what I do for fun. Yes, I realize that makes me kind of sad, but I love it. And I am soooo excited to share with you about what I am working on. Once I get The Dirty Funhouse up and running, I’m going to share all the things.
This week’s personal indulgence are books. I wanted to keep this part of the blog post a book-free zone, but I love reading too much to make that happen, lol.

Have you read the Rochester Trilogy by Skye Warren? It’s soooo good! If you love dark, brooding heroes, then you love this. And I am a sucker for Ms. Warren’s books.
It’s actually a modern take on Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte. That gives you an idea of the level of brooding Skye Warren’s hero is going to be on.
It’s a cliffhanger trilogy, so start with book one: Private Property. But, if you’re like me and will one-click Skye Warren’s books without a second thought, then grab the whole trilogy now.
That’s it for this week. I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

These boots were made for writing...

Thu, 09 Mar 2023 20:05:33 GMT

I am creating a special service just for my readers that want even more. These are readers that love my books but want to know more about my characters or what I was thinking while I wrote a scene or want access to exclusive content and items.
Since it won't be offered anywhere else and you won't be able to find it on retailers, I am providing this service for you. But it’s so much more than a service.

It’s more like a community. A gathering of people that get access to stories and book related items they love. And I’m there with you.
I'm creating a subscription service only for the readers that want more than what retailers like Amazon offer.
If you want a chance to read my books as I write them, read my notes on each chapter AND comment on each chapter that I write, then you might consider joining The Dirty Funhouse. You will have a say in what I write!
That’s just the beginning.
I’ll also offer polls, early teasers, ARCs, and exclusive giveaways.
If you want to start having a say in what I offer, please fill out THIS FORM.

Today, for my personal indulgence, I am going with the boots I love the most. My green Naturalizer boots.

I LOVE THEM SO MUCH!!!
They were a birthday present from my mom two birthdays ago. I told her how I saw them and instantly fell in love with them, that I was willing to pay full price to get them.
Look, I rarely pay full price for anything, especially shoes. Most people would call me a cheapskate. I’m still mad at my husband for leaving a red cardigan (that I got at a discount store for $3) at the laundromat where it was stolen. That was 15 years ago. I still longingly think about that sweater.
Also, I rarely wear heels on shoes. If I can avoid anything higher than an inch heel on a shoe, I will. But as you can see from the picture, these are very high heels.
But these boots were so gorgeous that I wanted them, anyway. My mom bought them for me because she knew they had to be great if I was willing to pay full price.
And they are even better than I thought. With the thick sole, the heel doesn’t feel that high. And, much to my surprise, they are very comfortable. Even for someone who doesn’t like heels, I love wearing them.
I was talking to my neighbor about them the other day and thought these were perfect to put in my weekly blog post.
If you like boots that are stylish and comfortable, check out these Naturalizer boots (they come in other colors but I like the green).
I hope you have a wonderful week!

What to wear while I write?

Fri, 03 Mar 2023 15:23:35 GMT

I am deep in it now. The writing, I mean. I can’t tell you how excited I am to share about Domenick and Selena with you. More on that soon, but I am in the research phase. That’s where I get inspired by where characters will go and what they wear and even what food they may eat.
I know it’s weird, but I look that stuff up.
It’s early in the writing so I am just getting the feel of what the characters like and dislike.
One thing I made Selena wear is a skirt. Not just any skirt, but something I’ve worn too.

This is where my personal indulgence is going to blend with what I write.

As you can see from the picture, I have this skirt. I’ve had it since 2018. I actually have two more in different patterns.
Why? Because they are great in the summer. Instead of wearing shorts that may or may not flatter me or ride up my ass, I just wear this skirt. It’s comfortable, stylish, and keeps me cool.
When I was going to put Selena in something that Domenick picked out for her, this skirt popped up in my head. I went on a search on Amazon (where I originally bought the skirts) and was shocked it was still there. Even two of the three patterns that I have were still being offered - the lemon flower and the green flower (which isn’t green but more of a light blue color).
For Selena, I went with the White Blue Flower.
Unfortunately for me, I’ve gained some weight since I first bought the skirts and am losing the weight so I can (cross-fingers) fit into the skirts when summer arrives. I refuse to let go of these skirts because I can’t fit in them. I know from the picture it looks like it fits, but you can’t see the back where it isn’t zipped up - lol.
The best part of these skirts… they have pockets! Real pockets that can hold things and not just tiny pockets that are useless.
I hope you enjoyed my look at what I think about when I write characters. I’m even thinking about creating special blog posts just for each character so you can get to know them more.
I hope you have a great weekend!

Scratching My Head while Writing

Thu, 23 Feb 2023 15:14:59 GMT

I’m going to get a little deep with you all. If you don’t already know, I have another pen name. Her name is Elizabeth Lynx. She writes steamy romantic comedies. They are ridiculous, sometimes over-the-top, and just fun to write.
This month was my 9 year anniversary writing for her, so I have published her books for a long time. When I came up with Josie Max, it was because I had so many ideas for stories in my head that wouldn’t work for romantic comedies. They were too dark, twisted, or the characters were devastating.
I am the two sides of the same coin. My heads is Elizabeth Lynx while my tails is Josie Max. I enjoy being able to write both. But some personal things have happened that have made me choose between the two.
While this is only a temporary choice, it’s still - to me - like choosing between your children. An impossible task.

But I chose Josie Max. I have had to put Elizabeth Lynx temporarily on hold so I can focus all my attention on writing Josie Max's books. If you are here because you are an Elizabeth Lynx reader and found out I also wrote for Josie Max, then you probably know why I had to make the choice.
In a nutshell, my marriage has fallen apart, and I needed to make some tough decisions both personally and professionally. I went into more detail with my Elizabeth Lynx readers, as they were more affected by the decision.
And hey, if you like steamy romantic comedies and didn’t realize I wrote them, check out her books HERE. Elizabeth Lynx also sells her ebooks on her website at a discounted rate but full-price on retailers like Amazon.
Why am I telling you all this if it doesn’t really affect Josie Max readers? Because I want you to know how serious I am with writing and publishing her books. I am focusing all my attention on her for the foreseeable future.
I also have something in the works that will happen in March that will give some people a chance to be in on the writing experience from the beginning. I had been waiting for word from a company if I could use their platform for what I was planning and worried it might not be until May that I could make it happen. Well, I just got word that I can start in March. Yay!
Super excited and plan to tell you more next week.
It’s now time for my personal indulgence.

What the hell is that thing on my head? It’s the most amazing thing in the world. I am not exaggerating when I say that.
That claw like thing is a head scratcher.
And it is one of the best purchases I ever made. Like I mentioned above, my marriage has fallen apart. Therefore, for Christmas I bought my own presents. This was one of them.
It’s so good that my 11-year-old steals it from me all the time to use it to scratch his head.
If you’re like me and love messages and head scratches and that sort of thing, then you’ll love this head scratcher.
If you’re more of a back scratcher sort of person, I did also buy a back scratcher, as I’m not flexible enough to get to every itch on my back. It is so good and works perfectly. Plus, it’s hard enough my kids can’t break it if they try to use it.
I hope you all have a great weekend.

Luv Ya,
Josie Max

Writing with a Pillow

Sat, 11 Feb 2023 20:27:30 GMT

I wanted to do something fun for my readers, so I started a blog. Something that goes beyond what I can give you in a newsletter. It’s also a way to let me share parts of my writing process and my personal self.

Basically, it’s free therapy, lol.

As I mentioned in the newsletter, Savage Devil is FREE for a very limited time. I went back and reviewed when was the last time I made it free and I realized it was March 2022! Almost an entire year ago.

The reason I was looking up information for Savage Devil is that I’m writing another series. Specifically, a mafia series. I know, that’s not a bully romance, but I’ll be honest. The Green Hills Academy Trilogy drained me. I want to write about Knight and Violet’s friends so badly, but I know I need time to figure out what I should do with the next Green Hills series.

As I was thinking about them, another couple popped into my head. A completely different story. It made my heart race, and I got the same excitement I did when I first thought of Savage Devil.

I’ve started writing it, but I want to involve you all in the process. It’s something I am going to be talking to you about over the coming weeks.

Now on to Valentine’s Day. I’m a big believer in showing affection to your loved ones any time you can. As long as they are comfortable with signs of affection (some people are sensitive to touch).

As I am writing this post, my youngest son is sitting next to me and it makes me so happy to have my boys in my life. That I am lucky enough to do what I love (write) and have the people I love surround me as I do it.

I really don’t need anything for Valentine’s Day except for them. And besides, if I ever want to indulge in something, I usually just buy it for myself.

That’s why, for each post I make, I want to add a personal indulgence part. Where I share something I love (or really want to get - saving up for). Share something that has nothing to do with my writing or books.

Today, I’m sharing about my pillowcase. That’s right, the thing I sleep on every night. Here’s the thing, I love to sleep. If I’m tired, it’s best to leave me alone and let me get some shuteye.

That’s why I indulged myself and got a silk pillowcase. Not just because I deserve it (I so do, lol). But it’s also good for your hair. Did you know that cotton pillowcases can snag your hair and cause breakage? I didn’t realize it until I was on YouTube looking for ways to make my hair fuller. I have thin hair so anything to make it not look like a wet rag I’ll do.

I found this silk pillowcase and was shocked that it wasn’t that expensive (I thought it was good deal for a 2 pack). I thought for sure silk would mean it was pricey. But, no. Also, I can wash it in the washing machine. As a mom, I really don’t have time to be precious with my clothes and linens. I need something I can just throw in the washing machine and not put too much effort into keeping clean.

Even if you don’t have thin hair like me, I’d suggest checking out a silk pillowcase. I can now tell the difference (when I stay in a hotel or am a guest in someone’s home) and look forward to getting back home to my silk pillowcase now.

Wow, that was a lot more than I expected to write about a pillowcase. I may need to talk to someone about my obsession with it, lol.

I hope you all have a great Valentine’s Day and get to hug the people you love.

Luv Ya,
Josie Max