So I'm being a bit of a stealer...I saw my friend Tash do a 30 Facts post and thought it was a good idea.
Link to her Blog post/blog page: http://www.tash-b-gosh.blogspot.com/
Check her out!! She is amazing :)
1.) I have lived in WI the majority of my life, but I still don't feel like a "midwesterner"
2.) I followed my dream, and studied Creative Writing and Celtic studies in college.
3.) I used to have a horse, but a few months back made the hard decision to donate her to a kids camp. Now I only have my Chinchilla named Roy.
4.) Roy actually picked me out at the pet shop. He was only 6 moths old when I brought him home on September 25th, 2009.
5.) Though people think I'm outgoing, or a "people person" I am actually more of an introvert, and somewhat shy.
6.) But on the flip, I am totally honest and what I consider an "open book" personality.
7.) I am an avid reader.
8.) My mom taught me to read, and home school-ed me for Pre-K/ Kindergarten and I think part of 1st grade.
9.) My father was in the Navy and stationed in Washington state when I was born. So I spent the first 7 or so years of my life surrounded by large evergreens, beautiful mountains, and the spectacular pacific ocean.
10.) The first "job" I wanted as a child was that of a Orca trainer. (Like at Sea-World). Orcas and Sea Otters are still two of my favorite animals.
11.) I was able to purchase my first car, a 2011 CR-V, without a co-signer and for the monthly payment I wanted as a 23 year old. Go me! (And good credit :)
12.) The vehicle that I drove until then was a '97 Ford F-150, that I still love to pieces. Someday I want to own a truck again.
13.) Speaking of which, I can pull, back up, and attach a trailer all by myself. (Impressed yet?)
14.) I have 9 piercings on my ears. And I kinda want more...but I'm running out of room. Haha
15.) Recently I have recommitted my self to being healthier which includes practicing Yoga (which I love), trying to get to the gym a few times a week, and not eating fast food.
16.) I watch and love Disney films. I don't care how old you are, Disney never goes out of style.
17.) My favorite Disney movies are: Beauty and the Beast, Pocahontas, Mulan, Tangled, Brave, and How to Train Your Dragon 1 and 2.
18.) Most of my life I have considered myself a "tomboy", even now to a certain extent. I never went through the "typical" girly phase of trying clothes and tons of makeup. But lately I've gotten interested in dressing well, and doing my make-up almost everyday.
19.) At least one day a week I wear no make-up and do not use any hair products or a blow dryer. (Something I picked up working as a Beauty Advisor)
20.) While my hair naturally turns red in the sun, I love it so much that I add red to my hair all year.
21.) And yes, my eyes really are naturally green. I am the 2% of the population, go me!
22.) I consider myself a very logical person.
23.) While my grandmother used to crochet, she had stopped by the time I came along. So I have taught myself to crochet. I've done dozens of scarves, one giant afghan, a pair of slippers, a tea cup cozy, a shawl/wrap, and am working on several other projects including a new afghan.
24.) I have officially finished my first trilogy. Which also happens to be part of a 9 to 12 book series.
25.) If I never come up with another idea for books, I could write 23 more books.
26.) And ideas never come to me in the shower. (That's just silly! They happen when I drive lol )
27.) I am pretty low maintenance. If I could live in jeans and a t-shirt I would be happy.
28.) My family used to camp 3 to 4 times a year. I miss it! We tent camped, no TV, RV or camper for us!
29.) I fell in LOVE with Scotland and the Lake District in England. If I could pack up right now, and have a job waiting for me, I would leave in a heartbeat. Something about the land and the people really captured my imagination.
30.) My dream is to live off of my writing so that I never have to get up before 5 am. I have stories and characters I want to share with others, and think that they will enjoy them as much as I have :)
So that's it. 30 Facts about Me, fun stuff right? Most of it's pretty random...but OH well!
Wednesday, August 13, 2014
Tuesday, July 29, 2014
Nightmares
Nightmares, almost everyone has had them at some point or another.
Some are more silly, like anxiety inducing dreams that include being naked or somehow dis-clothed in front of a group of people. Or perhaps darker, of some unknown figure stalking you in the night. Maybe even things that "go bump in the night."
My nightmare are different.
My nightmares usually start off like any other dream, but they morph over the length of the dream.
My nightmares are not about me being pursued, or me getting hurt; they're about the people that I love getting hurt and I am powerless to help them. The ones that really get me are when I can't stop something, or someone, from hurting someone I care deep down in my soul for. That sort of terror worms its way up and grips my heart with icy fingers.
I am not sure if that reveals a character trait of the negative or positive. I only know that it's the way that I am, and I really can't change how much I care about others, because I would then lose much of my personality.
And yes, I wrote this at 4:30 AM because I woke myself out of a nightmare from crying in real life.
Just a fantastic start to my Tuesday!
Some are more silly, like anxiety inducing dreams that include being naked or somehow dis-clothed in front of a group of people. Or perhaps darker, of some unknown figure stalking you in the night. Maybe even things that "go bump in the night."
My nightmare are different.
My nightmares usually start off like any other dream, but they morph over the length of the dream.
My nightmares are not about me being pursued, or me getting hurt; they're about the people that I love getting hurt and I am powerless to help them. The ones that really get me are when I can't stop something, or someone, from hurting someone I care deep down in my soul for. That sort of terror worms its way up and grips my heart with icy fingers.
I am not sure if that reveals a character trait of the negative or positive. I only know that it's the way that I am, and I really can't change how much I care about others, because I would then lose much of my personality.
And yes, I wrote this at 4:30 AM because I woke myself out of a nightmare from crying in real life.
Just a fantastic start to my Tuesday!
Monday, July 21, 2014
A Dreamer
So I know that this going up late for Motivational Monday...But oh well, it took me longer to find what I wanted to write about. So I was procrastinating, and on Pinterest....And I found:
"A single dream is more powerful than a thousand realities."
~J.R.R. Tolkien.
I was once accused of being a "dreamer" and that I "needed to pull my head out of the clouds".
I took it to heart, and for awhile I let it change who I was and what I did. Then I realized something.
Dreamers are the ones who come up with brilliant ideas, like logic, math, philosophy, great literature and so on. They are the ones who sat, and with heads in the clouds, made our lives better.
It was the dreamers who thought about being independent from other countries, to build better lives for others.
Dreamers and Doers are not opposites, but rather two sides of the same coin. Dreamers need Doers, or to have a tad of Doer in themselves to accomplish what they dream about. The opposite is true for the Doers, they need a Dream or a Dreamer to believe in to work towards.
Our world needs both. Ying and Yang. (Though I don't think they are truly opposites)
A dream of writing books has led me to where I am now. Studying Creative Writing in college, and finishing the first draft of a trilogy as well as planning out many more books. The dream of seeing my books in print will hold me through the grueling process of countless rounds of editing, querying agents and publishers, and getting critiques (both positive and negative) from readers. While the Doer in me will keep me striving towards that dream.
So I feel proud to count myself among the Dreamers, with a little bit of Doer in me as well.
"A single dream is more powerful than a thousand realities."
~J.R.R. Tolkien.
I was once accused of being a "dreamer" and that I "needed to pull my head out of the clouds".
I took it to heart, and for awhile I let it change who I was and what I did. Then I realized something.
Dreamers are the ones who come up with brilliant ideas, like logic, math, philosophy, great literature and so on. They are the ones who sat, and with heads in the clouds, made our lives better.
It was the dreamers who thought about being independent from other countries, to build better lives for others.
Dreamers and Doers are not opposites, but rather two sides of the same coin. Dreamers need Doers, or to have a tad of Doer in themselves to accomplish what they dream about. The opposite is true for the Doers, they need a Dream or a Dreamer to believe in to work towards.
Our world needs both. Ying and Yang. (Though I don't think they are truly opposites)
A dream of writing books has led me to where I am now. Studying Creative Writing in college, and finishing the first draft of a trilogy as well as planning out many more books. The dream of seeing my books in print will hold me through the grueling process of countless rounds of editing, querying agents and publishers, and getting critiques (both positive and negative) from readers. While the Doer in me will keep me striving towards that dream.
So I feel proud to count myself among the Dreamers, with a little bit of Doer in me as well.
Sunday, July 20, 2014
Finished!
As of this morning, (7/20/2014), I have finished the first draft of the last installment in my first trilogy!
I can't believe I've actually finished it. I first had this story idea when I was 15/16 in high school, and some of the characters journeys are at an end. In about a year I have written all three, revised the first 3 times, and the second once. I never in my wildest dreams thought that I could do something like this. I'm feel both at peace and nervous; kind of a surreal moment.
The only thing left to do is to polish them and start querying agents!
And of course if no one bites, then I will start looking into self publishing! :)
In the meantime, I am planning out the next 3 to 4 books in the series, and will be writing a romance set in Ireland for NaNoWriMo in November this year-- a very far deviation from my fantasy genre roots!
So onward and upward dragon friends! Keep those keys typing and your pens scratching!
I can't believe I've actually finished it. I first had this story idea when I was 15/16 in high school, and some of the characters journeys are at an end. In about a year I have written all three, revised the first 3 times, and the second once. I never in my wildest dreams thought that I could do something like this. I'm feel both at peace and nervous; kind of a surreal moment.
The only thing left to do is to polish them and start querying agents!
And of course if no one bites, then I will start looking into self publishing! :)
In the meantime, I am planning out the next 3 to 4 books in the series, and will be writing a romance set in Ireland for NaNoWriMo in November this year-- a very far deviation from my fantasy genre roots!
So onward and upward dragon friends! Keep those keys typing and your pens scratching!
Sunday, July 13, 2014
Motivational...Sunday?
So I know last week I mentioned writing something about motivation every Monday. BUT something happened this past Friday that I just needed to share. And it is pretty motivational.
I was at work on Friday, and my dad texted me asking for a ride home from the car rental place. (He travels for work and the car rental place is literally 10 minutes from my work.) I go down and pick him up, and I ask him, like I always do when he travels, if he had read more in my revised first novel.
And before you guys think "he's my dad" and "wouldn't give me an honest opinion", my dad is HARSH but fair when it comes to my work. He goes line by line, reading each line twice. Once for grammatical errors and the second time for content. When I get my manuscripts back they usually have red marks all over the pages. But I digress.
He said yes, that he was pleased with the added and revised scenes so far, and that the overall tone was much improved. I was excited, and we moved on to other topics. I think I got on the topic of anxiety and worrying over something and he casually says, "Don't worry about it Little One."
It was very glib and I only said, "I'm not that little".
He whipped his head around and waited for me to get it.....
MY FATHER USED A REFERENCE FROM MY BOOK ON ME!
I was so stunned! It was a cool, surreal moment to know that someone read the books, remembered a detail, and then used it correctly in a real life situation.
I literally had a fanish girl moment...except I was the one who created the entire books.
If that's not motivation to keep going I don't know what is!
I recommend finding someone in your life that appreciates your work, who supports you, and who wants you to succeed. And if you manage to find more than one person, like I was lucky to, hoard them! Hoard them like a squirrel stashing nuts for winter!
Because those critics, naysayers, and even your inner editor can be as harsh as a mid-western polar vortex wind. And those people will keep you safe, sane, warm, and motivated to continue your project.
Until next time, keep up that Creative Life!
I was at work on Friday, and my dad texted me asking for a ride home from the car rental place. (He travels for work and the car rental place is literally 10 minutes from my work.) I go down and pick him up, and I ask him, like I always do when he travels, if he had read more in my revised first novel.
And before you guys think "he's my dad" and "wouldn't give me an honest opinion", my dad is HARSH but fair when it comes to my work. He goes line by line, reading each line twice. Once for grammatical errors and the second time for content. When I get my manuscripts back they usually have red marks all over the pages. But I digress.
He said yes, that he was pleased with the added and revised scenes so far, and that the overall tone was much improved. I was excited, and we moved on to other topics. I think I got on the topic of anxiety and worrying over something and he casually says, "Don't worry about it Little One."
It was very glib and I only said, "I'm not that little".
He whipped his head around and waited for me to get it.....
MY FATHER USED A REFERENCE FROM MY BOOK ON ME!
I was so stunned! It was a cool, surreal moment to know that someone read the books, remembered a detail, and then used it correctly in a real life situation.
I literally had a fanish girl moment...except I was the one who created the entire books.
If that's not motivation to keep going I don't know what is!
I recommend finding someone in your life that appreciates your work, who supports you, and who wants you to succeed. And if you manage to find more than one person, like I was lucky to, hoard them! Hoard them like a squirrel stashing nuts for winter!
Because those critics, naysayers, and even your inner editor can be as harsh as a mid-western polar vortex wind. And those people will keep you safe, sane, warm, and motivated to continue your project.
Until next time, keep up that Creative Life!
Monday, July 7, 2014
Motivation Monday...
Hello Everybody!
(And yes I did say that like Gru from Despicable Me 1 and 2)
So today is Monday, and as such I have decided for the next month, at least, I would post something about staying motivated to live your creative life!
The quote for the day comes from Joss Whedon:
I write to give myself strength.
I write to to be the characters I am not.
I write to explore all of the things I'm afraid of.
Whoa, whoa, whoa there.
Hang on...JOSS WHEDON said/wrote that?
Awesome!
Never the less, this is an important concept that both creative people and non creative types need to understand. Not always do we "write what we know". Case in point: I have never actually seen, spoken to, or ridden a dragon...yet! But through my writing I am able to imagine what it might be like.
To create something from nothing, to explore these different personalities and situations that I would otherwise never be in, that is why I write.
And that is something powerful that all creative-types should embrace.
(And yes I did say that like Gru from Despicable Me 1 and 2)
So today is Monday, and as such I have decided for the next month, at least, I would post something about staying motivated to live your creative life!
The quote for the day comes from Joss Whedon:
I write to give myself strength.
I write to to be the characters I am not.
I write to explore all of the things I'm afraid of.
Whoa, whoa, whoa there.
Hang on...JOSS WHEDON said/wrote that?
Awesome!
Never the less, this is an important concept that both creative people and non creative types need to understand. Not always do we "write what we know". Case in point: I have never actually seen, spoken to, or ridden a dragon...yet! But through my writing I am able to imagine what it might be like.
To create something from nothing, to explore these different personalities and situations that I would otherwise never be in, that is why I write.
And that is something powerful that all creative-types should embrace.
Friday, July 4, 2014
July Camp
Hello everyone!
Today is July 4th, so for Americans it is a Holiday! Go Freedom! Fireworks, Hotdogs, Brats (midwest thing), Hamburgers and Salads galore!
At least that's what it means for most people. For me it means that it is Day 4 of Camp NaNoWriMo!
I participated in Camp back in April, and I decided to participate in the July session as well.
Though I must admit that this Camp I have not been as motivated as I have been in the past.
The seeming problem?
My mind keeps wanting to work on the next three to four books in the series instead of finishing this trilogy. I mean, at least I am working on the same series and not bouncing between projects, but still. It's very distracting.
I think the problem is that in my head this trilogy is completed. It just needs to actually be finished on paper for my readers. (And yes, my beta readers are somewhat impatiently waiting for the conclusion)
I know that I just need to buckle down and work on it, but everything is just SO suddenly distracting.
...I think I need to buckle down on my time spent on the internet/netflix/youtube and work on getting back into a writing schedule.
Thankfully this weekend there is a write in taking place with the region I am a part of. There will be plenty of other people there participating in Camp, and it will be 3 hours of dedicated writing time.
No excuses this weekend!
Today is July 4th, so for Americans it is a Holiday! Go Freedom! Fireworks, Hotdogs, Brats (midwest thing), Hamburgers and Salads galore!
At least that's what it means for most people. For me it means that it is Day 4 of Camp NaNoWriMo!
I participated in Camp back in April, and I decided to participate in the July session as well.
Though I must admit that this Camp I have not been as motivated as I have been in the past.
The seeming problem?
My mind keeps wanting to work on the next three to four books in the series instead of finishing this trilogy. I mean, at least I am working on the same series and not bouncing between projects, but still. It's very distracting.
I think the problem is that in my head this trilogy is completed. It just needs to actually be finished on paper for my readers. (And yes, my beta readers are somewhat impatiently waiting for the conclusion)
I know that I just need to buckle down and work on it, but everything is just SO suddenly distracting.
...I think I need to buckle down on my time spent on the internet/netflix/youtube and work on getting back into a writing schedule.
Thankfully this weekend there is a write in taking place with the region I am a part of. There will be plenty of other people there participating in Camp, and it will be 3 hours of dedicated writing time.
No excuses this weekend!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)