Today my first stand alone work debuted on Amazon (which you can buy here).

It's been an incredible trip to get here, and I have a confession to make.

Today, after getting home from work, and just staring at a book cover with my name on it, I burst into loud, ugly sobbing for about thirty minutes.

Because a year ago, I didn't think I'd ever be here.

I wrote the Bone Queen while I was in my second to last semester of grad school, and I was ready to give up writing. I hated the first draft of the Bone Queen. Hated it. I was ashamed of what I'd written.

I lost all faith in myself as a writer, and resigned myself to never writing again.

And for about six months after that, I didn't write. I was at a point of exhaustion I didn't think could exist. I was past just running on fumes; I ran on nothing but spite, hate, and caffeine. Graduate school really did nearly kill me and every creative bone in my body.

It wasn't until I had turned in my thesis that I even really gave writing a try again, and I was shocked at how much just writing again helped me feel like me again. It helped me be not so exhausted, not so depressed, and anxious.

It was like falling in love with words all over again.

The Bone Queen's revisions all happened during that slow return back to words. The first few revision drafts were painful and awkward like trying to crawl through a mine field with your arms and legs bound behind your back. But by the time the third draft was taking shape, I felt confident in my own fingers again.

I found my footing, and The Bone Queen's story found its heart.

Seeing it in print, knowing that everything had paid off in the end just sent me into tears of relief, and joy at knowing that I did it, that I was much stronger and way more dedicated than I ever gave myself credit for. (and waaaaay more dedicated to writing than to say... getting up early to exercise. hahahaha)

So, here's a little bit of encouragement and hope out there for anyone whose struggling with writing, who can't see the end of the road. It's out there, and you can get there even if you have to crawl through the mud, and drag your exhausted body across coals.

I know a lot of people are starting Nanowrimo right now, so just buckled down and crawl through the fire.

You can do it.

Hi all!

Sorry the blog has been in disrepair lately, I've been hacking and editing up something I'm very excited to share. My first debut stand alone work will be available soon! Now, while I go scream and dance and flail with joy: here is the official press release.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BREAKOUT CHARACTER FROM PRO SE COLLECTION RISES SOON IN HER OWN DIGEST NOVEL- THE BONE QUEEN BY ANDREA JUDY

In 2011, Pro Se Productions, now a leading publisher of New Pulp and Genre Fiction, debuted a new character initially as a live spokesmodel to promote both the company and New Pulp in general-The Pulptress. Proving popular in the New Pulp Community, the Pulptress appeared in her own volume of adventures by various writers in 2012. One story and one character besides The Pulptress within that volume in particular captured the minds, tongues, and hearts of fans so completely that she now comes to life in her own digest novel.

Pro Se Productions proudly announces the upcoming release of THE BONE QUEEN, a digest novel by Andrea Judy. Judy, a contributor to the original THE ADVENTURES OF THE PULPTRESS collection, titled that short story ‘The Bone Queen’, but the new book is something more. It is that most hallowed of stories-The Bone Queen’s origin.

The Bone Queen-Strangely exotic, absolutely disturbing. A woman who, although hauntingly beautiful in some respects, is also horrifying, much of her upper torso missing and bone exposed. A Practitioner of Death itself, able to bring the Undead to Unholy Life by consuming their bones, The Bone Queen stands as a formidable archenemy to The Pulptress. But who was she before Fate ripped away her flesh and committed to her a most terrible, awesome destiny? Andrea Judy takes readers back to the beginning for this enigmatic character in THE BONE QUEEN.

I’ve always loved the villains in a story,” says Judy, “so I was thrilled to have the chance to tell a story from a darker point of view, showing the reader where a villain came from. It was a struggle at times to write, to remember that this wasn't a story about light overcoming the dark, but about embracing that darkness. I’ve had an amazing time working with Pro Se getting this book together, and I’m thrilled to share it with the world!”

THE BONE QUEEN is the first of two digest novels set in the Pulptress’ world that Judy will write. The second, due out in 2014, will focus on the second meeting of Judy’s villainess and the Pulptress, a follow up to the initial short story.

THE BONE QUEEN, featuring an absolutely gorgeous cover by Ariane Soares, an artist with Fitztown, is tentatively scheduled for release in November 2013.

Andrea Judy is a writer, student, and professional pixie. She makes her home in Atlanta, Georgia She enjoys causing mischief by talking non-stop about Internet memes and all of the stories she’s working on. She has had poems and short stories appear in various literary magazines. She is returning to her roots in genre fiction and is happy to have her first novella published with Pro Se Productions.

For more information or to interview the Author, please contact Pro Se Productions’ Director of Corporate Operations, Morgan Minor, at MorganMinorProSe@yahoo.com

For more information on Pro Se Productions, go to www.prose-press.com and like Pro Se On Facebook at www.facebook.com/ProSeProductions to keep up with future releases concerning THE BONE QUEEN and other Pro Se works.