BOOK CLUB FRIDAY -- GUEST AUTHOR SUE ANN JAFFARIAN

Today’s guest author at Book Club Friday is Sue Ann Jaffarian. is the bestselling author of the award-winning Odelia Grey mystery series.  The first book in this series, Too Big To Miss, has been optioned for TV, while the fifth, Corpse on the Cob, was recently released.  Sue Ann also writes the Ghost of Granny Apples mystery series. The second book in this fun paranormal series, Ghost in the Polka Dot Bikini, will be released February 2011.  Coming in September 2010 is Murder In Vein, the first book in Sue Ann’s new vampire mystery series. In addition to writing, Sue Ann is a full-time paralegal for a Los Angeles law firm, and is sought after as a motivational speaker. Visit Sue Ann at her website and her blog.

Sue Ann will be giving away a copy of Murder in Vein to one lucky blog reader who posts a comment this week. -- AP 

IN DEFENSE OF PLAN B

I recently saw this quote on a poster:

“The most successful people are those who are good at Plan B.” – James A. Yorke, Mathematician

My first reaction was to chuckle, then I gave Mr. Yorke’s words the consideration they deserved. 

It’s true, those who are good at Plan B (or Plan C, or Plan D, or even Plan E) do eventually succeed.  Why? Because success is not about having multiple plans, it’s about having persistence and flexibility when your original plan doesn’t go as you had envisioned, or even explodes in your face.

Then I got to thinking about my plans for my writing career.  Originally, I thought I’d simply write my Odelia Grey series and the occasional stand alone novel and my career would soar like an eagle. That was Plan A.  Not that my Odelia Grey series hasn’t done well. It has. But when given the opportunity to write a second series two years ago, I quickly saw the numerous benefits of having two very different mystery series running simultaneously. Enter Plan B – write Odelia Grey and the Ghost of Granny Apples and the occasional stand alone novel.

Okay, now where in my Plan B do you see anything having to do with vampires?  You don’t?  Well, don’t feel bad, because neither do I.  Yet here I am, writing a vampire mystery series, along with the Odelia Grey and Ghost of Granny Apples books.

You see, somewhere along the line, Plan B became Plan C when I realized that now was the right time to write the vampire series kicking around inside my head, even if it meant juggling my already packed schedule.  Yet it wasn’t the right time to shove aside one of my already thriving series. If I wanted to take advantage of my particular twist on the vampire genre and reach my goal of becoming a very successful mystery author, I would have to adapt and roll with the special opportunities that came my way.

Changing plans doesn’t always mean your prior plan burst into flames. Sometimes we have to change plans simply because new choices present themselves. In those circumstances, it would be easy to say, “No thanks, I’m fine with Plan A.” Had I said that, I wouldn’t have known the joy of writing about ghosts or the fun of writing about vampires.  And my writing career would not be as steadily growing upward as it is now.

Although we’re trained to think of Plan A as the top of the heap – the ideal golden first choice – when it comes to career tactics, Plan B isn’t always a step down. Neither is Plan C.  Subsequent  altered plans can turn out to be the best and most successful of the bunch. At least I feel that way about my decision to chuck my original design for my career and revise my plans.

When Murder In Vein, the first book in my new Fang-in-Cheek mystery series, comes out in September 2010, remember, it was never in my master plan. It was an add-on. A glorious Plan C.  Makes me drool to think what opportunities Plan D may offer, if and when it presents itself.

So when faced with your own Plan B, be open and ready to embrace it. It doesn’t necessarily mean that Plan A failed, just that Plan A wasn’t the road you were meant to travel.

Thanks for stopping by, Sue Ann! So what do you think, readers? Any of you moved on to Plan B? I certainly have, but you’ll have to wait to Assault With a Deadly Glue Gun comes out to learn why. And believe me, it’s not pretty! Let’s hear from you. Remember, post a comment to be entered to win a copy of Sue Ann’s Murder in Vein. -- AP