I went with a friend to see the movie This Is Forty. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised. The film was a laugh riot from start to finish.
It goes along with the equally funny Knocked Up. That one was a tough act to follow. Nevertheless, the all-star cast pulled it off in spades.
Find a sitter for the kiddos, tuck them into bed and settle in for a night of good writing and hilarity. Although this one isn’t a wise choice for your children, it isn’t one you’ll one to miss.
I give this movie a definite five stars! I recommend it for the adult crowd and for anyone who loves a good belly laugh. Warning! The muscles in your abdomen may experience soreness after viewing this movie. Watch at your own risk.
Sunday, December 30, 2012
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Clandestine in Audio Update
First off, I would like to say I'm sorry for neglecting this blog lately. Things have been very busy and honestly, a bit crazy around here. I will try to keep up in the future.
Now, I'd like to let you know that the production of Clandestine is well under way. Things are going great! Melissa Strom is a fantastic narrator and I think you will all love her work.
The past few day she and I have been discussing the music for the book that will play during the opening and closing credits. There is a lot of talent out there, but I think we've found the artist that will best match the Bound In Blood series. When I've nailed down the details and make it all official, I will post a sample of the music for all of you to check out!
Melissa says that she is down to the editing process of her recording. That's right... that means we are almost there folks! Are you seriously as excited as I am??? I can hardly stand it.
The series will be available for your download on Audible, Amazon and iTunes! When things are closer to being finalized, I will let you know more about price and what not.
Stay tuned for my next post. I am going to give you a Divinity update. I will tell you that you will be able to buy it in January! I will also be revealing the cover in the next post as well. If you can't wait that long you can find the cover as well as book description on Good Reads. Hope on over and add it to your "To Read" shelves:)
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox
Now, I'd like to let you know that the production of Clandestine is well under way. Things are going great! Melissa Strom is a fantastic narrator and I think you will all love her work.
The past few day she and I have been discussing the music for the book that will play during the opening and closing credits. There is a lot of talent out there, but I think we've found the artist that will best match the Bound In Blood series. When I've nailed down the details and make it all official, I will post a sample of the music for all of you to check out!
Melissa says that she is down to the editing process of her recording. That's right... that means we are almost there folks! Are you seriously as excited as I am??? I can hardly stand it.
The series will be available for your download on Audible, Amazon and iTunes! When things are closer to being finalized, I will let you know more about price and what not.
Stay tuned for my next post. I am going to give you a Divinity update. I will tell you that you will be able to buy it in January! I will also be revealing the cover in the next post as well. If you can't wait that long you can find the cover as well as book description on Good Reads. Hope on over and add it to your "To Read" shelves:)
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox
Friday, October 19, 2012
Down On My Hands And Knees Beggin For Help:)
I know that donating to a project or cause that you have no guarantee will be a success can be intimidating. Maybe you think your pledge won’t make a difference. Maybe you are leery of giving money to a stranger. No matter what the reason, I hope you will reconsider.
I assure you that every dollar earned will be going to this book project. My fans want it so much that it is crucial for me to get it done. That being said, there is no way I would ever back out of my end of the deal.
Kick Starter is a crowd funding website that aims to help connect people with creative projects with possible investors. A person has a limited amount of time to reach their goal. If their goal is not met, no money exchanges hands. That’s right, your money never leaves your wallet.
Second, if you decide to pledge, you will receive prizes for your generosity. Therefore, it’s kind of like purchasing something. Once the goal date has passed, all the people who supported the project will receive their items.
I plan to send people who pledge emails updating them on the progress on the production of the audio book. I am producing my books through a company called ACX. The narrator I have chosen is Melissa Strom. She is a well respected and very talented actress. She has agreed to stay on for the entire series which is anticipated to be four novels.
Again, I know it seems risky. Just know that I will never receive any of your financial banking information. All transactions are completed through Amazon Payments. This is a secure way to ensure your financial protection.
The reason it is so important to me to have my books done in audio is because… well, I myself am blind. I know what it’s like to look for a novel on Audible and have it not be there. That is one of the most frustrating things a book lover can go through. Additionally, as mentioned earlier, fans have written to me wanting to know when the series will be available in audio.
The only reason I haven’t done it by myself is because I haven’t had the money. My first book only just came out in August and the second will be out in December. Therefore, right now my funds are limited. I would never ask strangers for funds if it wasn’t completely necessary. This is the only way I can carry out this portion of my dream in a somewhat timely fashion.
I am a single mommy to two great little girls. I want them to be proud of their mom. Most of all, I want to build a career that will give them a better life. Yes, money can’t by happiness, but it is a big part of life.
I don’t want to depend on Disability income anymore. I want the pride of standing on my own two feet knowing that I’ve worked my buns off to get there. When I received my first royalty check of fifty dollars, you would have thought that I had been given a mountain of diamonds and gold ripe for the picking. I cried, knowing that this was my first real pay check. I earned it all by myself and not because of something that was beyond my control.
The town I live in is a difficult one for finding regular employment, especially when you have a disability. I have tried on numerous occasions to get a job. On all of those occasions I was turned down. They of course couldn’t tell me the real reason, but I knew what it was. They were intimidated by my blindness. They didn’t think I could handle the job, though I was more than qualified. I was never given the proper chance that I deserved and wanted so desperately.
You see, I have never been someone that enjoys getting something for nothing. That’s why it took me so long to decide on creating a Kick Starter project. I finally decided that it wouldn’t hurt to try. If someone didn’t want to pledge, they didn’t have to. If they did, then awesome.
I didn’t want to wonder for the rest of my life if it would have worked. It’s the what if’s that keep you up at night and kicking yourself in the end.
The great thing about a Kick Starter project is that you can back out at any time if you change your mind. The minimum pledge is one dollar, so breaking the bank is not a problem. You will have comfort in knowing that you helped in making someone’s dream come true. Someday when I’m as famous as James Patterson or any of the other great authors out there, you can say you helped me get to where I am.
I don’t plan to take your money and run. As I’ve said, you will get some really cool prizes for each of your donations. I will send you update emails and I’d like to keep in touch with you long after the project is completed. I want you to know that your contribution means a lot to me and I will never forget it or you. I will also be happy to respond to emails anytime, even if the project is done and the productions complete. After all, if it wasn’t for all of you, it wouldn’t be possible.
I only have until November first to reach my goal. That is less than two weeks away. So I am before you on my hands and knees begging for your support. Pretty please consider helping me achieve my dream. It would mean a lot and I’d be eternally grateful.
I assure you that every dollar earned will be going to this book project. My fans want it so much that it is crucial for me to get it done. That being said, there is no way I would ever back out of my end of the deal.
Kick Starter is a crowd funding website that aims to help connect people with creative projects with possible investors. A person has a limited amount of time to reach their goal. If their goal is not met, no money exchanges hands. That’s right, your money never leaves your wallet.
Second, if you decide to pledge, you will receive prizes for your generosity. Therefore, it’s kind of like purchasing something. Once the goal date has passed, all the people who supported the project will receive their items.
I plan to send people who pledge emails updating them on the progress on the production of the audio book. I am producing my books through a company called ACX. The narrator I have chosen is Melissa Strom. She is a well respected and very talented actress. She has agreed to stay on for the entire series which is anticipated to be four novels.
Again, I know it seems risky. Just know that I will never receive any of your financial banking information. All transactions are completed through Amazon Payments. This is a secure way to ensure your financial protection.
The reason it is so important to me to have my books done in audio is because… well, I myself am blind. I know what it’s like to look for a novel on Audible and have it not be there. That is one of the most frustrating things a book lover can go through. Additionally, as mentioned earlier, fans have written to me wanting to know when the series will be available in audio.
The only reason I haven’t done it by myself is because I haven’t had the money. My first book only just came out in August and the second will be out in December. Therefore, right now my funds are limited. I would never ask strangers for funds if it wasn’t completely necessary. This is the only way I can carry out this portion of my dream in a somewhat timely fashion.
I am a single mommy to two great little girls. I want them to be proud of their mom. Most of all, I want to build a career that will give them a better life. Yes, money can’t by happiness, but it is a big part of life.
I don’t want to depend on Disability income anymore. I want the pride of standing on my own two feet knowing that I’ve worked my buns off to get there. When I received my first royalty check of fifty dollars, you would have thought that I had been given a mountain of diamonds and gold ripe for the picking. I cried, knowing that this was my first real pay check. I earned it all by myself and not because of something that was beyond my control.
The town I live in is a difficult one for finding regular employment, especially when you have a disability. I have tried on numerous occasions to get a job. On all of those occasions I was turned down. They of course couldn’t tell me the real reason, but I knew what it was. They were intimidated by my blindness. They didn’t think I could handle the job, though I was more than qualified. I was never given the proper chance that I deserved and wanted so desperately.
You see, I have never been someone that enjoys getting something for nothing. That’s why it took me so long to decide on creating a Kick Starter project. I finally decided that it wouldn’t hurt to try. If someone didn’t want to pledge, they didn’t have to. If they did, then awesome.
I didn’t want to wonder for the rest of my life if it would have worked. It’s the what if’s that keep you up at night and kicking yourself in the end.
The great thing about a Kick Starter project is that you can back out at any time if you change your mind. The minimum pledge is one dollar, so breaking the bank is not a problem. You will have comfort in knowing that you helped in making someone’s dream come true. Someday when I’m as famous as James Patterson or any of the other great authors out there, you can say you helped me get to where I am.
I don’t plan to take your money and run. As I’ve said, you will get some really cool prizes for each of your donations. I will send you update emails and I’d like to keep in touch with you long after the project is completed. I want you to know that your contribution means a lot to me and I will never forget it or you. I will also be happy to respond to emails anytime, even if the project is done and the productions complete. After all, if it wasn’t for all of you, it wouldn’t be possible.
I only have until November first to reach my goal. That is less than two weeks away. So I am before you on my hands and knees begging for your support. Pretty please consider helping me achieve my dream. It would mean a lot and I’d be eternally grateful.
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Help Make A Dream A Reality
click HERE to donate a small piece of your time and consider supporting my dream.
It has been requested by many of my fans in the blind community that my Bound In Blood series be made available in audio. I found a site called ACX that can make this happen. It distrubutes books to sites such as Audible Amazon iTunes
To produce a professional audio book it takes considerable ammounts of time, energy and of course money. Unfortunately, since I am a fairly new author, the funds are a bit of a problem.
So, I turned to Kick Starter to help make my dream a reality. It is a great crowd funding website that allows people an opportunity to turn to the public to gain funding for their creative projects.
I know my series would be great in audio and have already found the perfect narrator. Melissa Strom is an amazing talent and is willing to work with me on my series. The next step... funding.
My project will be open until November 1, 2012. There is less then a month left! I already have six backers, but am hoping to find some more. When a person makes a pledge and becomes a backer, they will receive great rewards and prizes as well as the good feeling of knowing they've helped their fellow man... or, woman in my case:)
I'm asking you to please visit my Project Page and consider what you can do to help. Remember the the pledge can be as low as one dollar. Also, if I don't reach my goal, no money ever exchanges hands. This protects YOU the potential backer from funding a prject that will never see completion.
Not convinced yet? Don't have the money, but still want to help?
That's great too! All you have to do is spread the word about my project in any way you can. Word of mouth, email, Facebook, Twitting, Good Reads, Tumblr.... just to name a few. Are you a blogger? It would be great if I could find bloggers willing to post an interview or info about my project, or even a guest post. The key to reaching my goal is getting the project out there in front of people like you. So lets get spreading!!!! :)
Anyway, I'm done plugging now. Well sorta:) I will let you go think this over. Check out the page and give it a read. There's also an adorable video for your viewing pleasure that my two amazing daughters did to try and help mommy out. It is really cute.
So one more time... pretty pretty please please consider doing anything you can to help this project. It would mean more to me than you would ever know.
Did you miss the link? Here it is one more time
Click
HERE and help make this happen!
u
It has been requested by many of my fans in the blind community that my Bound In Blood series be made available in audio. I found a site called ACX that can make this happen. It distrubutes books to sites such as Audible Amazon iTunes
To produce a professional audio book it takes considerable ammounts of time, energy and of course money. Unfortunately, since I am a fairly new author, the funds are a bit of a problem.
So, I turned to Kick Starter to help make my dream a reality. It is a great crowd funding website that allows people an opportunity to turn to the public to gain funding for their creative projects.
I know my series would be great in audio and have already found the perfect narrator. Melissa Strom is an amazing talent and is willing to work with me on my series. The next step... funding.
My project will be open until November 1, 2012. There is less then a month left! I already have six backers, but am hoping to find some more. When a person makes a pledge and becomes a backer, they will receive great rewards and prizes as well as the good feeling of knowing they've helped their fellow man... or, woman in my case:)
I'm asking you to please visit my Project Page and consider what you can do to help. Remember the the pledge can be as low as one dollar. Also, if I don't reach my goal, no money ever exchanges hands. This protects YOU the potential backer from funding a prject that will never see completion.
Not convinced yet? Don't have the money, but still want to help?
That's great too! All you have to do is spread the word about my project in any way you can. Word of mouth, email, Facebook, Twitting, Good Reads, Tumblr.... just to name a few. Are you a blogger? It would be great if I could find bloggers willing to post an interview or info about my project, or even a guest post. The key to reaching my goal is getting the project out there in front of people like you. So lets get spreading!!!! :)
Anyway, I'm done plugging now. Well sorta:) I will let you go think this over. Check out the page and give it a read. There's also an adorable video for your viewing pleasure that my two amazing daughters did to try and help mommy out. It is really cute.
So one more time... pretty pretty please please consider doing anything you can to help this project. It would mean more to me than you would ever know.
Did you miss the link? Here it is one more time
Click
HERE and help make this happen!
u
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Help Support An Author
Do you love books? Seriously can't get enough of them? Have you ever wondered how you could shout from the roof tops about your latest favorite author? This post will give you some ideas.
If it wasn't for authors, you wouldn't be able to sate your craving for good literature. They are what feed your addiction and give you amazing books to charish.
Whether an author is new or an established celebrity of the literary world, they still need all the support they can get. One of the best ways for them to market is through their readers.
Let's just say Jane reads a book. When she's done she loves it and wants more. So she jumps on her computer writes a review on Amazon raving about the novel. This will show other readers the book is worth picking up. Many people trust the word of a fellow consumer over the word of a top notch reviewer in a big name magazine.
So... there was way number one to support an author. Review... review.... review! If you loved it go write a few sentences about why. What was your favorite part? Who was your favorite character? Did you enjoy the plot and dialogue? What about the writing style?
Next Jane figures if she's going to write a review on the retail site where she purchased it, she might as well keep going. So, she clicks on through to Good Reads and puts her fabulous review there. Good Reads is one of the widely used social networking sites in regards to books. If you haven't been their yet, what are you waiting for? It is a great community of authors, readers, reviewers, bloggers, etc. It's basically like Facebook, but for books.
There are other great sites that are similar to Good Reads. It's all a matter of preference. Choose one that's right for you and sign up. They are a lot of fun.
This of course was way number two...
Next Jane decides to hit up all her other favorite social networking sites. She logs into places like Facebook Twitter Tumblr Dig and of course the list goes on and on and on. There are oodles of networking sites out there. Jane decides to plug the book on all the one's she's registered with. She tells all her friends to check out the book.
Well, if Jane has a hundred friends, she just marketed the book to all of those people. If even one person likes or shares Jane's post, then they've just marketed it to all of their friends. It turns into a chain reaction and suddenly the word gets out to thousands. Now, all of these wonderful people can enjoy the book Jane loved and help an author at the same time.
That was way number three...
Along the same line of logic... An authors page on Amazon, their blog, Barnes & Noble, etc all will more than likely have some kind of social networking button. You can like it, share it, pin it and lord knows what else. If you're not a social networking goo-roo it will probably have an option to send it to friends in an email. This is a great way to show your support. Authors will love to see you are a fan and in some cases, will even chat with you about the book if you like.
This was way number four...
Last but not least, use your words. When your at work, a coffee shop or grocery store, tell people. Spread the word. I'm constantly telling people about my favorite books.
Hopefully I've given you a few ideas. Even if you don't want to go as far as Jane, hop on over and press the like button on a book or author page of your favorite retail website. It only takes a second and it would mean a lot to that author.
Not sure you can? How about we practice?
My Amazon Author Page
My Facebook Page
If you can master these two... you can do anything:)
But seriously though, I really would appreciate the help too. Thanks for reading and I hoped you enjoyed this:)
If it wasn't for authors, you wouldn't be able to sate your craving for good literature. They are what feed your addiction and give you amazing books to charish.
Whether an author is new or an established celebrity of the literary world, they still need all the support they can get. One of the best ways for them to market is through their readers.
Let's just say Jane reads a book. When she's done she loves it and wants more. So she jumps on her computer writes a review on Amazon raving about the novel. This will show other readers the book is worth picking up. Many people trust the word of a fellow consumer over the word of a top notch reviewer in a big name magazine.
So... there was way number one to support an author. Review... review.... review! If you loved it go write a few sentences about why. What was your favorite part? Who was your favorite character? Did you enjoy the plot and dialogue? What about the writing style?
Next Jane figures if she's going to write a review on the retail site where she purchased it, she might as well keep going. So, she clicks on through to Good Reads and puts her fabulous review there. Good Reads is one of the widely used social networking sites in regards to books. If you haven't been their yet, what are you waiting for? It is a great community of authors, readers, reviewers, bloggers, etc. It's basically like Facebook, but for books.
There are other great sites that are similar to Good Reads. It's all a matter of preference. Choose one that's right for you and sign up. They are a lot of fun.
This of course was way number two...
Next Jane decides to hit up all her other favorite social networking sites. She logs into places like Facebook Twitter Tumblr Dig and of course the list goes on and on and on. There are oodles of networking sites out there. Jane decides to plug the book on all the one's she's registered with. She tells all her friends to check out the book.
Well, if Jane has a hundred friends, she just marketed the book to all of those people. If even one person likes or shares Jane's post, then they've just marketed it to all of their friends. It turns into a chain reaction and suddenly the word gets out to thousands. Now, all of these wonderful people can enjoy the book Jane loved and help an author at the same time.
That was way number three...
Along the same line of logic... An authors page on Amazon, their blog, Barnes & Noble, etc all will more than likely have some kind of social networking button. You can like it, share it, pin it and lord knows what else. If you're not a social networking goo-roo it will probably have an option to send it to friends in an email. This is a great way to show your support. Authors will love to see you are a fan and in some cases, will even chat with you about the book if you like.
This was way number four...
Last but not least, use your words. When your at work, a coffee shop or grocery store, tell people. Spread the word. I'm constantly telling people about my favorite books.
Hopefully I've given you a few ideas. Even if you don't want to go as far as Jane, hop on over and press the like button on a book or author page of your favorite retail website. It only takes a second and it would mean a lot to that author.
Not sure you can? How about we practice?
My Amazon Author Page
My Facebook Page
If you can master these two... you can do anything:)
But seriously though, I really would appreciate the help too. Thanks for reading and I hoped you enjoyed this:)
The Autograph I'll Never Forget
I went to a concert with Princess. It was for a country singer named Craig Campbell at the local fair in my small hole in the wall town. He’s a down home country boy with an adorable southern accent.
Even not being able to see, I thoroughly enjoyed myself at the concert and would go and see him again no questions asked. He sang not only his own awesome songs but also those by artists such as Alabama, Merl Haggerd, Tracy Bird, etc.
He was a very personable entertainer that had the crowd laughing on several occasions. What was more powerful still was the way everyone cheered for the songs they knew and even for those they didn’t. They stomped there feet loud enough that at times it sounded like thunder rolling through the stadium and often clapped in time with his beats.
The crowd on the ground worked hard for Craig’s attention and some were lucky enough to get a free T-Shirt or in the case of one young lady a story to tell. She had purchased a pair of Craig Campbell sunglasses from the merchandise booth and she handed them up to the singer while he was performing. He gladly took them and even wore them through part of one of his songs. He used her camera and took a picture of himself wearing her glasses. This of course gave me an idea.
I leaned over and asked my friend, “Do you think he would sign my cane?”
She thought there was a decent chance of it so she led me as well as Princess down on the ground in front of the stage. We were close enough to it that I could touch the floor of it. Every time he started our way my friend had me raise the cane up high tilted towards the stage. She attached a sharpie pen to the elastic band that is connected to the handle. Unfortunately though Craig didn’t see our efforts because that was around the time he was tossing out T-Shirts to people.
After the concert he was kind enough to stay long enough for everyone who wanted an autograph could get one. The line was gynormous and I thought we would be there for hours. It moved fairly quickly though once it got going. I bought Princess a shirt that she could have signed and excitement was vibrating off of her as we moved through the line. She wanted me to get in a picture with him and her when we got up there but I admit I was apprehensive. I don’t normally like pictures even on a regular circumstance. So… you can imagine my predicament when little Miss Princess wants me to pose with a celebrity.
When we got up for our turn with Craig he signed my daughter’s shirt and was very friendly. I felt silly directly asking him to sign my cane and started to lose my nerve. My friend however, did not.
Once she asked he accepted of course with no issue. The smart ass in me came out in full force and I said…
Me: I tried to get you to sign it while you were singing but you didn’t see it.
Craig: I saw you… you were the one over there
Me: Well than why didn’t you sign it?
Craig: I didn’t know you wanted me to
Me: I was holding it up to the stage with a pen attached
Craig: Oh I’m sorry
This is when he starts signing my cane
Me: It’s alright dude, I didn’t see it either (totally dead pan and yes I’m a nerd and said dude)
Silence for about five seconds where I assume he was trying to gage my seriousness or maybe if I am even really blind. Once the evaluation was properly calculated he burst out laughing exclaiming “I love it.”
For a split second I thought about taking the opportunity that had presented itself and asked him if he would buy a copy of Clandestine How cool would that have been to have a famous person agree to check out your very first book. Then I could be like “hey Craig and me are “like this” (this is where I’d cross my fingers) and he even owns a copy of my book.” But the book isn’t technically out yet since the release is of course set for next month. That would be wicked cool though but I didn’t think it was appropriate. Lol I wish I would have had a copy with me I could have just gave it to him… DANG IT! If only the concert was after it was out! lol
But seriously, Princess and I had a wonderful time at the concert and the conversation after is something I will never forget. I’m going to have to get a new cane now though but it’s completely worth it. I will keep this one forever. Craig Campbell is a sweetheart and very down to earth as well as good natured to my corky sarcasm. I had a blast and can’t wait for him to come to town again.
PS… I really wanted a 2012 tour shirt for my daughter but unfortunately they were out of her size by the time we got up in the line. If anyone from Craig’s crew ever reads this I would love to know where I can get one for her. She really wanted that one because it had Longview WA written on the back as one of his many tour stops. She still got a different one but still really wants that one. I would really appreciate it and since we are “like this” and all… lol Just kidding
I went to a concert with Princess. It was for a country singer named Craig Campbell at the local fair in my small hole in the wall town. He’s a down home country boy with an adorable southern accent.
Even not being able to see, I thoroughly enjoyed myself at the concert and would go and see him again no questions asked. He sang not only his own awesome songs but also those by artists such as Alabama, Merl Haggerd, Tracy Bird, etc.
He was a very personable entertainer that had the crowd laughing on several occasions. What was more powerful still was the way everyone cheered for the songs they knew and even for those they didn’t. They stomped there feet loud enough that at times it sounded like thunder rolling through the stadium and often clapped in time with his beats.
The crowd on the ground worked hard for Craig’s attention and some were lucky enough to get a free T-Shirt or in the case of one young lady a story to tell. She had purchased a pair of Craig Campbell sunglasses from the merchandise booth and she handed them up to the singer while he was performing. He gladly took them and even wore them through part of one of his songs. He used her camera and took a picture of himself wearing her glasses. This of course gave me an idea.
I leaned over and asked my friend, “Do you think he would sign my cane?”
She thought there was a decent chance of it so she led me as well as Princess down on the ground in front of the stage. We were close enough to it that I could touch the floor of it. Every time he started our way my friend had me raise the cane up high tilted towards the stage. She attached a sharpie pen to the elastic band that is connected to the handle. Unfortunately though Craig didn’t see our efforts because that was around the time he was tossing out T-Shirts to people.
After the concert he was kind enough to stay long enough for everyone who wanted an autograph could get one. The line was gynormous and I thought we would be there for hours. It moved fairly quickly though once it got going. I bought Princess a shirt that she could have signed and excitement was vibrating off of her as we moved through the line. She wanted me to get in a picture with him and her when we got up there but I admit I was apprehensive. I don’t normally like pictures even on a regular circumstance. So… you can imagine my predicament when little Miss Princess wants me to pose with a celebrity.
When we got up for our turn with Craig he signed my daughter’s shirt and was very friendly. I felt silly directly asking him to sign my cane and started to lose my nerve. My friend however, did not.
Once she asked he accepted of course with no issue. The smart ass in me came out in full force and I said…
Me: I tried to get you to sign it while you were singing but you didn’t see it.
Craig: I saw you… you were the one over there
Me: Well than why didn’t you sign it?
Craig: I didn’t know you wanted me to
Me: I was holding it up to the stage with a pen attached
Craig: Oh I’m sorry
This is when he starts signing my cane
Me: It’s alright dude, I didn’t see it either (totally dead pan and yes I’m a nerd and said dude)
Silence for about five seconds where I assume he was trying to gage my seriousness or maybe if I am even really blind. Once the evaluation was properly calculated he burst out laughing exclaiming “I love it.”
For a split second I thought about taking the opportunity that had presented itself and asked him if he would buy a copy of Clandestine How cool would that have been to have a famous person agree to check out your very first book. Then I could be like “hey Craig and me are “like this” (this is where I’d cross my fingers) and he even owns a copy of my book.” But the book isn’t technically out yet since the release is of course set for next month. That would be wicked cool though but I didn’t think it was appropriate. Lol I wish I would have had a copy with me I could have just gave it to him… DANG IT! If only the concert was after it was out! lol
But seriously, Princess and I had a wonderful time at the concert and the conversation after is something I will never forget. I’m going to have to get a new cane now though but it’s completely worth it. I will keep this one forever. Craig Campbell is a sweetheart and very down to earth as well as good natured to my corky sarcasm. I had a blast and can’t wait for him to come to town again.
PS… I really wanted a 2012 tour shirt for my daughter but unfortunately they were out of her size by the time we got up in the line. If anyone from Craig’s crew ever reads this I would love to know where I can get one for her. She really wanted that one because it had Longview WA written on the back as one of his many tour stops. She still got a different one but still really wants that one. I would really appreciate it and since we are “like this” and all… lol Just kidding
Even not being able to see, I thoroughly enjoyed myself at the concert and would go and see him again no questions asked. He sang not only his own awesome songs but also those by artists such as Alabama, Merl Haggerd, Tracy Bird, etc.
He was a very personable entertainer that had the crowd laughing on several occasions. What was more powerful still was the way everyone cheered for the songs they knew and even for those they didn’t. They stomped there feet loud enough that at times it sounded like thunder rolling through the stadium and often clapped in time with his beats.
The crowd on the ground worked hard for Craig’s attention and some were lucky enough to get a free T-Shirt or in the case of one young lady a story to tell. She had purchased a pair of Craig Campbell sunglasses from the merchandise booth and she handed them up to the singer while he was performing. He gladly took them and even wore them through part of one of his songs. He used her camera and took a picture of himself wearing her glasses. This of course gave me an idea.
I leaned over and asked my friend, “Do you think he would sign my cane?”
She thought there was a decent chance of it so she led me as well as Princess down on the ground in front of the stage. We were close enough to it that I could touch the floor of it. Every time he started our way my friend had me raise the cane up high tilted towards the stage. She attached a sharpie pen to the elastic band that is connected to the handle. Unfortunately though Craig didn’t see our efforts because that was around the time he was tossing out T-Shirts to people.
After the concert he was kind enough to stay long enough for everyone who wanted an autograph could get one. The line was gynormous and I thought we would be there for hours. It moved fairly quickly though once it got going. I bought Princess a shirt that she could have signed and excitement was vibrating off of her as we moved through the line. She wanted me to get in a picture with him and her when we got up there but I admit I was apprehensive. I don’t normally like pictures even on a regular circumstance. So… you can imagine my predicament when little Miss Princess wants me to pose with a celebrity.
When we got up for our turn with Craig he signed my daughter’s shirt and was very friendly. I felt silly directly asking him to sign my cane and started to lose my nerve. My friend however, did not.
Once she asked he accepted of course with no issue. The smart ass in me came out in full force and I said…
Me: I tried to get you to sign it while you were singing but you didn’t see it.
Craig: I saw you… you were the one over there
Me: Well than why didn’t you sign it?
Craig: I didn’t know you wanted me to
Me: I was holding it up to the stage with a pen attached
Craig: Oh I’m sorry
This is when he starts signing my cane
Me: It’s alright dude, I didn’t see it either (totally dead pan and yes I’m a nerd and said dude)
Silence for about five seconds where I assume he was trying to gage my seriousness or maybe if I am even really blind. Once the evaluation was properly calculated he burst out laughing exclaiming “I love it.”
For a split second I thought about taking the opportunity that had presented itself and asked him if he would buy a copy of Clandestine How cool would that have been to have a famous person agree to check out your very first book. Then I could be like “hey Craig and me are “like this” (this is where I’d cross my fingers) and he even owns a copy of my book.” But the book isn’t technically out yet since the release is of course set for next month. That would be wicked cool though but I didn’t think it was appropriate. Lol I wish I would have had a copy with me I could have just gave it to him… DANG IT! If only the concert was after it was out! lol
But seriously, Princess and I had a wonderful time at the concert and the conversation after is something I will never forget. I’m going to have to get a new cane now though but it’s completely worth it. I will keep this one forever. Craig Campbell is a sweetheart and very down to earth as well as good natured to my corky sarcasm. I had a blast and can’t wait for him to come to town again.
PS… I really wanted a 2012 tour shirt for my daughter but unfortunately they were out of her size by the time we got up in the line. If anyone from Craig’s crew ever reads this I would love to know where I can get one for her. She really wanted that one because it had Longview WA written on the back as one of his many tour stops. She still got a different one but still really wants that one. I would really appreciate it and since we are “like this” and all… lol Just kidding
I went to a concert with Princess. It was for a country singer named Craig Campbell at the local fair in my small hole in the wall town. He’s a down home country boy with an adorable southern accent.
Even not being able to see, I thoroughly enjoyed myself at the concert and would go and see him again no questions asked. He sang not only his own awesome songs but also those by artists such as Alabama, Merl Haggerd, Tracy Bird, etc.
He was a very personable entertainer that had the crowd laughing on several occasions. What was more powerful still was the way everyone cheered for the songs they knew and even for those they didn’t. They stomped there feet loud enough that at times it sounded like thunder rolling through the stadium and often clapped in time with his beats.
The crowd on the ground worked hard for Craig’s attention and some were lucky enough to get a free T-Shirt or in the case of one young lady a story to tell. She had purchased a pair of Craig Campbell sunglasses from the merchandise booth and she handed them up to the singer while he was performing. He gladly took them and even wore them through part of one of his songs. He used her camera and took a picture of himself wearing her glasses. This of course gave me an idea.
I leaned over and asked my friend, “Do you think he would sign my cane?”
She thought there was a decent chance of it so she led me as well as Princess down on the ground in front of the stage. We were close enough to it that I could touch the floor of it. Every time he started our way my friend had me raise the cane up high tilted towards the stage. She attached a sharpie pen to the elastic band that is connected to the handle. Unfortunately though Craig didn’t see our efforts because that was around the time he was tossing out T-Shirts to people.
After the concert he was kind enough to stay long enough for everyone who wanted an autograph could get one. The line was gynormous and I thought we would be there for hours. It moved fairly quickly though once it got going. I bought Princess a shirt that she could have signed and excitement was vibrating off of her as we moved through the line. She wanted me to get in a picture with him and her when we got up there but I admit I was apprehensive. I don’t normally like pictures even on a regular circumstance. So… you can imagine my predicament when little Miss Princess wants me to pose with a celebrity.
When we got up for our turn with Craig he signed my daughter’s shirt and was very friendly. I felt silly directly asking him to sign my cane and started to lose my nerve. My friend however, did not.
Once she asked he accepted of course with no issue. The smart ass in me came out in full force and I said…
Me: I tried to get you to sign it while you were singing but you didn’t see it.
Craig: I saw you… you were the one over there
Me: Well than why didn’t you sign it?
Craig: I didn’t know you wanted me to
Me: I was holding it up to the stage with a pen attached
Craig: Oh I’m sorry
This is when he starts signing my cane
Me: It’s alright dude, I didn’t see it either (totally dead pan and yes I’m a nerd and said dude)
Silence for about five seconds where I assume he was trying to gage my seriousness or maybe if I am even really blind. Once the evaluation was properly calculated he burst out laughing exclaiming “I love it.”
For a split second I thought about taking the opportunity that had presented itself and asked him if he would buy a copy of Clandestine How cool would that have been to have a famous person agree to check out your very first book. Then I could be like “hey Craig and me are “like this” (this is where I’d cross my fingers) and he even owns a copy of my book.” But the book isn’t technically out yet since the release is of course set for next month. That would be wicked cool though but I didn’t think it was appropriate. Lol I wish I would have had a copy with me I could have just gave it to him… DANG IT! If only the concert was after it was out! lol
But seriously, Princess and I had a wonderful time at the concert and the conversation after is something I will never forget. I’m going to have to get a new cane now though but it’s completely worth it. I will keep this one forever. Craig Campbell is a sweetheart and very down to earth as well as good natured to my corky sarcasm. I had a blast and can’t wait for him to come to town again.
PS… I really wanted a 2012 tour shirt for my daughter but unfortunately they were out of her size by the time we got up in the line. If anyone from Craig’s crew ever reads this I would love to know where I can get one for her. She really wanted that one because it had Longview WA written on the back as one of his many tour stops. She still got a different one but still really wants that one. I would really appreciate it and since we are “like this” and all… lol Just kidding
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Princess's First Day Of School
Hey everyone:)
I just wanted to drop you a quick note about how Princess's first day of school. It went off without a hitch! She totally loved it!
She made new friends and reunited with friends from her old elementary school. She has at least a few friends in each class. All the teachers apparently were very cool and fun to listen to.
The only complaint that she had was about lunch. She said that it tasted stail. I personally don't see how since it is the first day of school and everything should be fresh. I think she's just picky. lol
Believe it or not, so far she is in love with school. She can't wait for tomorrow and I hope the good feeling train keeps rolling through.
I just wanted to drop you a quick note about how Princess's first day of school. It went off without a hitch! She totally loved it!
She made new friends and reunited with friends from her old elementary school. She has at least a few friends in each class. All the teachers apparently were very cool and fun to listen to.
The only complaint that she had was about lunch. She said that it tasted stail. I personally don't see how since it is the first day of school and everything should be fresh. I think she's just picky. lol
Believe it or not, so far she is in love with school. She can't wait for tomorrow and I hope the good feeling train keeps rolling through.
My Baby's Growing Up
Today my Princess starts her very first day of Junior High. She will have eight classes, a locker, lunch in a cafeteria and will be riding the bus. I can't help the tears as I get ready to send her off.
I know that growing up is a part of life. I get it, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. I want to keep my girls little bundles of joy forever. I want them to need me and never leave the nest.
She is very excited and scared all rolled into one wild mixed emotion. She got ready way earlier then she needed to and watched out the door for other kids to travel down to the bus stop.
I want such good things for her today. I hope that she loves her classes. I pray that she doesn't have trouble with her locker combination. I wish that she will make several hand fulls of new friends and lasting connections. I antisipate that she will miss recess, but think she won't mind.
I send with her strength, courage, warmth and love. I send with her a little bit of spit-fire tangled with consideration. I send with her the ability to know that a thick skin is required, but not necessary because she will do just fine.
My baby is a tower of strength at times you wouldn't think she'd stand. She is brave even when she is petrified. She's funny in times of great apprehension and she knows the difference between right and wrong.
For the entire second half of summer I anxiously awaited this day and couldn't hardly stand the need to enjoy the silence. Now that the day is here staring me in the face, I'm craving the noise and will miss her all day.
PS... I write later and let you know how it goes when she gets home:)
I know that growing up is a part of life. I get it, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. I want to keep my girls little bundles of joy forever. I want them to need me and never leave the nest.
She is very excited and scared all rolled into one wild mixed emotion. She got ready way earlier then she needed to and watched out the door for other kids to travel down to the bus stop.
I want such good things for her today. I hope that she loves her classes. I pray that she doesn't have trouble with her locker combination. I wish that she will make several hand fulls of new friends and lasting connections. I antisipate that she will miss recess, but think she won't mind.
I send with her strength, courage, warmth and love. I send with her a little bit of spit-fire tangled with consideration. I send with her the ability to know that a thick skin is required, but not necessary because she will do just fine.
My baby is a tower of strength at times you wouldn't think she'd stand. She is brave even when she is petrified. She's funny in times of great apprehension and she knows the difference between right and wrong.
For the entire second half of summer I anxiously awaited this day and couldn't hardly stand the need to enjoy the silence. Now that the day is here staring me in the face, I'm craving the noise and will miss her all day.
PS... I write later and let you know how it goes when she gets home:)
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Ratings are Rolling In
So I know it's a little corny, but I just don't care. I'm so excited! I'm starting to get ratings on Good Reads!!!
Clandestine has only been out for a few weeks and the ratings are already starting to roll in. I loged into Good Reads this evening and discovered that I had gotten a couple more FIVE STAR ratings from readers!
So far I haven't gotten anything lower than FIVE STARS! Granted I only have seven ratings total, but still. That's not the point.
The book is available on both Amazon and Barnes and Noble in paperback and in formats for your Kindle and Nook. The cover is amazing so a paperback is the best option for your viewing pleasure. You can get it at the online stores already mentioned, or also directly from my Create Space eStore by clicking HERE I would very much appreciate it if you all helped support my dream and pick up a copy today. It's a great book and if you love paranormal you will love this series.
The other request I have is simple. Will all of you please visit the book pages at Amazon, Barnes and Noble as well as Create Space and press the like button. It would really help me get the word out and I would be eternally grateful.
Don't forget to sign up for my Clandestine Give Away on Good Reads There's still plenty of time and entering is as easy as one click!
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo
Clandestine has only been out for a few weeks and the ratings are already starting to roll in. I loged into Good Reads this evening and discovered that I had gotten a couple more FIVE STAR ratings from readers!
So far I haven't gotten anything lower than FIVE STARS! Granted I only have seven ratings total, but still. That's not the point.
The book is available on both Amazon and Barnes and Noble in paperback and in formats for your Kindle and Nook. The cover is amazing so a paperback is the best option for your viewing pleasure. You can get it at the online stores already mentioned, or also directly from my Create Space eStore by clicking HERE I would very much appreciate it if you all helped support my dream and pick up a copy today. It's a great book and if you love paranormal you will love this series.
The other request I have is simple. Will all of you please visit the book pages at Amazon, Barnes and Noble as well as Create Space and press the like button. It would really help me get the word out and I would be eternally grateful.
Don't forget to sign up for my Clandestine Give Away on Good Reads There's still plenty of time and entering is as easy as one click!
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo
Friday, August 31, 2012
You Are What You Write
I was told of an interesting theory recently. It is that when a reader is enveloped in a book, they tend to take on the characteristics of the people in the story they are emerged in. If this is true what does that say for an author?
If the simple act of reading can alter your personality even if only temporary is it more true for an author. A writer has to put themselves into the mind of a character to develop them into reality. They are submerged into the traits, language, personality, mannerisms, etc. In some ways they become that person, at least while they are writing.
When the computer clicks off signaling the days end do the characters stay with them? Are they able to set aside a person who is in no way anything like they are in real life? What would that mean for a writer of something less than flattering?
For instance, do some crime novelists take on the mentality of their villain once the writing day is done? When a person takes on the task of writing about a murder of a famous celebrity, to they bear the burden of that horrible mind set?
Obviously for the majority of cases the answer is no. Maybe in some ways we all take on a little of who we write. We also put pieces of ourselves into our projects.
In order for a person to write a multifaceted three dimensional character that appears they could walk right off the page and enter today’s world, they have to become one with that person. Writers have a wonderful job. They get to embark on endless journeys down the fictitious path of their imagination and creativity. For some this can be a very individualized process and one that can be considered a great learning experience.
Anyone whether they are an author or not can learn a tremendous amount about themselves when they put pen to paper or their fingers to a keyboard. The simplistic art of journaling can be quite beneficial for a person’s soul. Our mind can unlock the key to an infinite number of possibilities if given the chance to breathe and take form.
Does this sound like a lot of gibberish? Well, may it is. Or maybe it’s a profound morsel of knowledge to be passed down through the ages. Okay so probably not that last one, but you get the idea.
If the simple act of reading can alter your personality even if only temporary is it more true for an author. A writer has to put themselves into the mind of a character to develop them into reality. They are submerged into the traits, language, personality, mannerisms, etc. In some ways they become that person, at least while they are writing.
When the computer clicks off signaling the days end do the characters stay with them? Are they able to set aside a person who is in no way anything like they are in real life? What would that mean for a writer of something less than flattering?
For instance, do some crime novelists take on the mentality of their villain once the writing day is done? When a person takes on the task of writing about a murder of a famous celebrity, to they bear the burden of that horrible mind set?
Obviously for the majority of cases the answer is no. Maybe in some ways we all take on a little of who we write. We also put pieces of ourselves into our projects.
In order for a person to write a multifaceted three dimensional character that appears they could walk right off the page and enter today’s world, they have to become one with that person. Writers have a wonderful job. They get to embark on endless journeys down the fictitious path of their imagination and creativity. For some this can be a very individualized process and one that can be considered a great learning experience.
Anyone whether they are an author or not can learn a tremendous amount about themselves when they put pen to paper or their fingers to a keyboard. The simplistic art of journaling can be quite beneficial for a person’s soul. Our mind can unlock the key to an infinite number of possibilities if given the chance to breathe and take form.
Does this sound like a lot of gibberish? Well, may it is. Or maybe it’s a profound morsel of knowledge to be passed down through the ages. Okay so probably not that last one, but you get the idea.
Friday, August 24, 2012
The Taste Of A dream Come True
My book is out… My book is out... YAY YAY My book is out! The time has finally come and Clandestine is finally out! I can hardly wait to see what everyone thinks of it. It really is a great book and the start of an amazing series.
I have wanted to write for seriously as long as I can remember. My lovely Gram still has a million poems that I wrote back in the nineties. I admit that I never thought in a million years that I would one day have a book that someone could purchase, hold in their hands and hopefully fall in love with.
Guess what??? That day is finally here!!!
My book can be purchased at Create Space Amazon Barnes & Noble
It is available as a paperback or eBook for your Kindle or Nook.
For a synopsis check out Clandestine
The amazing cover art was done by Joy at Dreamscape Covers If you check her out be sure to tell her that Nicole sent you and tell her I said hi.
Connect with me on: Good Reads Be sure to sign up for my book give away and join my Q&A group while you are there.
We can also chat on: Facebook
I have wanted to write for seriously as long as I can remember. My lovely Gram still has a million poems that I wrote back in the nineties. I admit that I never thought in a million years that I would one day have a book that someone could purchase, hold in their hands and hopefully fall in love with.
Guess what??? That day is finally here!!!
My book can be purchased at Create Space Amazon Barnes & Noble
It is available as a paperback or eBook for your Kindle or Nook.
For a synopsis check out Clandestine
The amazing cover art was done by Joy at Dreamscape Covers If you check her out be sure to tell her that Nicole sent you and tell her I said hi.
Connect with me on: Good Reads Be sure to sign up for my book give away and join my Q&A group while you are there.
We can also chat on: Facebook
Saturday, August 11, 2012
If I Knew Then What I Know Now
It’s less than two weeks from the release of my first book Clandestine
I’m so excited, nervous, scared and happy, all rolled into one overcrowded package. There are so many emotions running through my head that I am not completely sure what to do with them all. This has been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember and it’s finally becoming a reality.
When I first became blind I never would have imagined I would have been an author. It’s not that blind people can’t write, because obviously they can. It’s just that I was in such a different place back then mentally, that I thought anything I desired was unattainable. I was so bitter, angry and negative that I truly thought I’d never accomplish anything bigger than making a sandwich.
Looking back on that version of me, I think… wow, what the hell was I thinking? When something in life happens to you that alters life as you thought you know it, the road can seem treacherous. I was such a Debbie Downer back then and I wish my present day self could have had a heart to heart with the me of the past.
I would have said” Guess what, your life isn’t that bad. You still have your health and people who love you. You still have all of your other senses. Yes this is hard. It’s probably the hardest thing you’ll ever go through, but it’s not the end of the world!”
Then because the me of the past wasn’t an agreeable person, she would have said, “Bite me.”
I still have my bad days when it come to my vision, or lack there of. The difference is that now I have learned to cope and accept the things about myself that I can’t change. Being blind has taught me so many things that I wouldn’t have otherwise learned and I’m eternally grateful for that.
If I had it to do over again, would I choose to have never gone blind? Honestly, I have no idea. The bigger part of me is screaming DUH!! OF COURSE YOU WOULD CHOOSE NOT TO BE BLIND!! The smaller part knows that if I hadn’t gone blind then several things that I’ve accomplished might not have happened.
For instance, I would have never started my blog Playing The Blind Card I may have also given up on the path of writing for a different career. Would I have been as happy as I am now? I don’t know.
I have been written about in the newspaper twice. I’ve gotten the opportunity to have a guide dog and meet several amazing people at the school where I met her.
I get the opportunity to appreciate the sound of my children’s laughter way more. Granted, the flip side of that is that I also get the ear splitting pleasure of listening to them fight and argue with me, but still.
I’ve always loved the expression “Go big, or go home”. It’s finally happening to me where I get to officially say “I’m going big!” Clandestine will be the first of many books to come. It is the first book in the Bound In Blood series. It’s a great Young Adult Paranormal read. I love it because it has the suspense of vampires that people love, but also has a humoring banter that will hopefully keep you laughing. It’s dark, but has a deeper message and it truly is a coming of age, rite of passage kind of story. People of all ages will love it and I hope you will all give it a go.
In the beginning, it will only be available online but hopefully soon you will find it in book store shelves everywhere. If you have a book store near you, request it. The more people that do will help get it on the shelves.
Once I have the exact book page links from the websites where it will be sold, I will post them here. So be sure to keep checking back!
I’m so excited, nervous, scared and happy, all rolled into one overcrowded package. There are so many emotions running through my head that I am not completely sure what to do with them all. This has been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember and it’s finally becoming a reality.
When I first became blind I never would have imagined I would have been an author. It’s not that blind people can’t write, because obviously they can. It’s just that I was in such a different place back then mentally, that I thought anything I desired was unattainable. I was so bitter, angry and negative that I truly thought I’d never accomplish anything bigger than making a sandwich.
Looking back on that version of me, I think… wow, what the hell was I thinking? When something in life happens to you that alters life as you thought you know it, the road can seem treacherous. I was such a Debbie Downer back then and I wish my present day self could have had a heart to heart with the me of the past.
I would have said” Guess what, your life isn’t that bad. You still have your health and people who love you. You still have all of your other senses. Yes this is hard. It’s probably the hardest thing you’ll ever go through, but it’s not the end of the world!”
Then because the me of the past wasn’t an agreeable person, she would have said, “Bite me.”
I still have my bad days when it come to my vision, or lack there of. The difference is that now I have learned to cope and accept the things about myself that I can’t change. Being blind has taught me so many things that I wouldn’t have otherwise learned and I’m eternally grateful for that.
If I had it to do over again, would I choose to have never gone blind? Honestly, I have no idea. The bigger part of me is screaming DUH!! OF COURSE YOU WOULD CHOOSE NOT TO BE BLIND!! The smaller part knows that if I hadn’t gone blind then several things that I’ve accomplished might not have happened.
For instance, I would have never started my blog Playing The Blind Card I may have also given up on the path of writing for a different career. Would I have been as happy as I am now? I don’t know.
I have been written about in the newspaper twice. I’ve gotten the opportunity to have a guide dog and meet several amazing people at the school where I met her.
I get the opportunity to appreciate the sound of my children’s laughter way more. Granted, the flip side of that is that I also get the ear splitting pleasure of listening to them fight and argue with me, but still.
I’ve always loved the expression “Go big, or go home”. It’s finally happening to me where I get to officially say “I’m going big!” Clandestine will be the first of many books to come. It is the first book in the Bound In Blood series. It’s a great Young Adult Paranormal read. I love it because it has the suspense of vampires that people love, but also has a humoring banter that will hopefully keep you laughing. It’s dark, but has a deeper message and it truly is a coming of age, rite of passage kind of story. People of all ages will love it and I hope you will all give it a go.
In the beginning, it will only be available online but hopefully soon you will find it in book store shelves everywhere. If you have a book store near you, request it. The more people that do will help get it on the shelves.
Once I have the exact book page links from the websites where it will be sold, I will post them here. So be sure to keep checking back!
Monday, July 23, 2012
A Little About New Projects And A Little About Clandstine
I just got back from camping today and it’s been a very productive writing day. My kids have been absorbed in activities that they haven’t been able to do much in the last week or so which has allowed me to be very efficient with my latest project.
I am super excited about it because the main character of this one is a totally blind person. It isn’t as easy as you would think to write a character like that. Sure I can’t see so I can easily get into the person’s head to write them that’s true. But a reader (especially a sighted reader) wants description. A blind reader wants description too but for a different reason. I live by the saying that an audio book is a blind person’s television. This is because you don’t miss anything when you read like you do when you listen to your favorite show or movie.
Anyway as always I’m veering off track. In order to make a blind main character work affectively I have decided to make her someone who became blind rather than someone who was born that way. She has only been blind for a year so she is still in the stage where she is pretty much a Debbie Downer on the subject. It hasn’t dawned on her yet in the book that blindness isn’t the end of the world.
I went through a lot of mixed emotions when I lost my sight. I have also had gobs of people ask what that was like and how it felt. I thought it would be a good element to add to the story of such a multi faceted character.
The book is still in the beginning stages so I don’t want to give away much but I will tell you that I’m only at chapter 4 and I’m already falling in love with it. Don’t get me wrong I love Clandestine too but in an entirely different way. The Bound In Blood series is fun to write and I have put a lot into it. But with this project I’ve really delved into my soul and put a piece of my soul into it.
I hope you adore this story as much as I do. I am unsure yet if it will be a series but can definitely see the potential for one with the plot that is unraveling.
I promise to keep you up to date on that and also with the second book in the Bound In Blood series Divinity whenever possible. I know I have been neglecting my blogs lately and for that I’m sorry, I truly am. But its summer time so both kids are home full time, we’ve been camping a bunch and also been devoted to the new books I’m working on coupled with getting Clandestine out for your viewing pleasure.
There have been a lot of questions about whether or not Clandestine will be made into an audio book. When it is released it will only be available in print and EBook. BUT I promise that an audio version will be made available as soon as that is possible. Unfortunately, the production of an audio book is very expensive. I looked into hiring a narrator but the cheapest I have found is five hundred dollars and right now that is just not an option for me. That is definitely one down side to self publishing, accessible formats take a while if they come at all.
I have been looking into finding someone I know read it for me but that isn’t as easy as it looks either. I have to be sure the person has the right quality and tone to their voice to portray Emily as well as the rest of the slayer gang. It will be done I promise. I’m just not sure when.
I will write again soon and let you know how things are going. PS… I will be posting this same post on both my blogs so all of you will be equally informed.
I am super excited about it because the main character of this one is a totally blind person. It isn’t as easy as you would think to write a character like that. Sure I can’t see so I can easily get into the person’s head to write them that’s true. But a reader (especially a sighted reader) wants description. A blind reader wants description too but for a different reason. I live by the saying that an audio book is a blind person’s television. This is because you don’t miss anything when you read like you do when you listen to your favorite show or movie.
Anyway as always I’m veering off track. In order to make a blind main character work affectively I have decided to make her someone who became blind rather than someone who was born that way. She has only been blind for a year so she is still in the stage where she is pretty much a Debbie Downer on the subject. It hasn’t dawned on her yet in the book that blindness isn’t the end of the world.
I went through a lot of mixed emotions when I lost my sight. I have also had gobs of people ask what that was like and how it felt. I thought it would be a good element to add to the story of such a multi faceted character.
The book is still in the beginning stages so I don’t want to give away much but I will tell you that I’m only at chapter 4 and I’m already falling in love with it. Don’t get me wrong I love Clandestine too but in an entirely different way. The Bound In Blood series is fun to write and I have put a lot into it. But with this project I’ve really delved into my soul and put a piece of my soul into it.
I hope you adore this story as much as I do. I am unsure yet if it will be a series but can definitely see the potential for one with the plot that is unraveling.
I promise to keep you up to date on that and also with the second book in the Bound In Blood series Divinity whenever possible. I know I have been neglecting my blogs lately and for that I’m sorry, I truly am. But its summer time so both kids are home full time, we’ve been camping a bunch and also been devoted to the new books I’m working on coupled with getting Clandestine out for your viewing pleasure.
There have been a lot of questions about whether or not Clandestine will be made into an audio book. When it is released it will only be available in print and EBook. BUT I promise that an audio version will be made available as soon as that is possible. Unfortunately, the production of an audio book is very expensive. I looked into hiring a narrator but the cheapest I have found is five hundred dollars and right now that is just not an option for me. That is definitely one down side to self publishing, accessible formats take a while if they come at all.
I have been looking into finding someone I know read it for me but that isn’t as easy as it looks either. I have to be sure the person has the right quality and tone to their voice to portray Emily as well as the rest of the slayer gang. It will be done I promise. I’m just not sure when.
I will write again soon and let you know how things are going. PS… I will be posting this same post on both my blogs so all of you will be equally informed.
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
YAY FOR INDEPENDENCE DAY!!!
It’s only a few hours away from officially being the 4th of July. I must confess that this is probably my favorite holiday. I have always loved it and even now without my sight I feel like a kid again every time all the big booms start.
Of course the gorgeous illumination of the sparkling lights is lost on me but I can still imagine them in my mind. I can still feel the rumble of the really big ones and still jump every time they go off.
I enjoy listening to my girls get excited every time a new color pattern brightens up the sky after dark. Peanut of course loves all of them but especially gets a kick out of the green ones since that’s her favorite color. Princess is mainly after the bomb style hold on to your butt explosions. She especially loves that starting last year she got to light some off on her own. PS there was an adult with her the entire time. Mommy’s a little paranoid just sayin
Tomorrow we will be spending the day with family for a fun day of barbeque and fireworks. Even though the whole family won’t be in attendance I know the day will go off without a hitch.
I hope you all have a happy and say 4th. May all your pyrotechnic dreams come true… lol
Of course the gorgeous illumination of the sparkling lights is lost on me but I can still imagine them in my mind. I can still feel the rumble of the really big ones and still jump every time they go off.
I enjoy listening to my girls get excited every time a new color pattern brightens up the sky after dark. Peanut of course loves all of them but especially gets a kick out of the green ones since that’s her favorite color. Princess is mainly after the bomb style hold on to your butt explosions. She especially loves that starting last year she got to light some off on her own. PS there was an adult with her the entire time. Mommy’s a little paranoid just sayin
Tomorrow we will be spending the day with family for a fun day of barbeque and fireworks. Even though the whole family won’t be in attendance I know the day will go off without a hitch.
I hope you all have a happy and say 4th. May all your pyrotechnic dreams come true… lol
Sunday, July 1, 2012
Nicole's Revolution
So I’ve been seriously considering lately that I need to start a revolution. The only problem is I don’t have any ideas. I know I could totally start one, no really I could. I don’t have any super powers and I’m not as exciting as some revolution starters but I still think I got what it takes.
I was thinking the first step should be to start a petition to abolish the production and sale of Marshmallow Peeps. I know that might seem small in the big scheme of things but sometimes it takes baby steps to win the war. Those weird little things are disturbing and they have to go.
Maybe next I could politely inform stores that the woman’s department should change their sizing practices. For instance, a large could actually say small on the label. Honestly, that’s just good business sense. Ladies would much rather purchase a dress that made her feel smaller and better about herself. Plus, who wants to say they are a large when they could say they are a small. If the stores banded together and made this dream a reality then when someone said they were a small they wouldn’t get the strange looks implying they were nuts. Just sayin…
The third step should be something less obvious. Maybe it would look as though I’m doing nothing but that’s the beauty of it. In reality I would be behind the scenes making something happen. It would be glorious and wonderful you just wouldn’t know what it was.
Okay, so it looks like I have the start of a good plan. I of course would love all the support I can get. That being said… WHO’S WITH ME????
LOL: Stay tuned for the next ridiculous installment of Nicole’s Revolution.
I was thinking the first step should be to start a petition to abolish the production and sale of Marshmallow Peeps. I know that might seem small in the big scheme of things but sometimes it takes baby steps to win the war. Those weird little things are disturbing and they have to go.
Maybe next I could politely inform stores that the woman’s department should change their sizing practices. For instance, a large could actually say small on the label. Honestly, that’s just good business sense. Ladies would much rather purchase a dress that made her feel smaller and better about herself. Plus, who wants to say they are a large when they could say they are a small. If the stores banded together and made this dream a reality then when someone said they were a small they wouldn’t get the strange looks implying they were nuts. Just sayin…
The third step should be something less obvious. Maybe it would look as though I’m doing nothing but that’s the beauty of it. In reality I would be behind the scenes making something happen. It would be glorious and wonderful you just wouldn’t know what it was.
Okay, so it looks like I have the start of a good plan. I of course would love all the support I can get. That being said… WHO’S WITH ME????
LOL: Stay tuned for the next ridiculous installment of Nicole’s Revolution.
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Series Name Conundrum
So I really love the title of my book. It has been Clandestine for a very long time. I am however, still kind of unsure about the whole “Slayer Saga” thing.
That being said I am looking to all of my readers for there opinion and advice. I would really appreciate it if you could leave a comment under this post letting me know your thoughts.
The book will be coming out next month but there is still time to make that last minute alteration. Keep in mind that the book is about vampires but from a slayer stand point. I am trying to think of something that will make the book stand out amongst a sea of other paranormal books on a search engine. I want it to be something catchy but not over used.
Some ideas have been thrown out there in the mix. They are:
“When Blood Calls”,
“Her Blood Calls”,
“Birth Right”,
“A Trail Of Blood”,
“Inheritance”,
“True Calling”,
“Blood Calls”,
“Blood Calling”,
“Blood Oath”,
“Bonded By Blood”
“Blood Bond”
Blood Bonded”
“Legacy Calls”
“Blood Unity”
“Blood Promise”
“Darkness Calls”
“Crimson Calling”
Another idea was to make Clandestine the series name and create a new title. Do any of you like that idea? I am torn personally. I have loved Clandestine as a title for so long it’s hard for me to think of it as anything else. But if it will work better as the series title instead, I am open to that. If so, I would kind of prefer to keep the main title as a one word thing. The reason why is because the second book in the series is called Divinity and so I kind of wanted to stay in the same one word pattern. But creativity means change and I’m open if necessary.
Do you like any of those? Whether your answer is yes or no why do you feel that way? Do any of them seem like something that you could see picking up and reading? So I guess what I’m really asking what title would have you wanting more?
As mentioned before if you have any ideas please don’t hesitate to leave them in the comment section of this post. If you need some inspiration you can click HERE to read a brief synopsis of what the book is about.
Thanks for your consideration and opinions. I’ll let you all know what I decide.
That being said I am looking to all of my readers for there opinion and advice. I would really appreciate it if you could leave a comment under this post letting me know your thoughts.
The book will be coming out next month but there is still time to make that last minute alteration. Keep in mind that the book is about vampires but from a slayer stand point. I am trying to think of something that will make the book stand out amongst a sea of other paranormal books on a search engine. I want it to be something catchy but not over used.
Some ideas have been thrown out there in the mix. They are:
“When Blood Calls”,
“Her Blood Calls”,
“Birth Right”,
“A Trail Of Blood”,
“Inheritance”,
“True Calling”,
“Blood Calls”,
“Blood Calling”,
“Blood Oath”,
“Bonded By Blood”
“Blood Bond”
Blood Bonded”
“Legacy Calls”
“Blood Unity”
“Blood Promise”
“Darkness Calls”
“Crimson Calling”
Another idea was to make Clandestine the series name and create a new title. Do any of you like that idea? I am torn personally. I have loved Clandestine as a title for so long it’s hard for me to think of it as anything else. But if it will work better as the series title instead, I am open to that. If so, I would kind of prefer to keep the main title as a one word thing. The reason why is because the second book in the series is called Divinity and so I kind of wanted to stay in the same one word pattern. But creativity means change and I’m open if necessary.
Do you like any of those? Whether your answer is yes or no why do you feel that way? Do any of them seem like something that you could see picking up and reading? So I guess what I’m really asking what title would have you wanting more?
As mentioned before if you have any ideas please don’t hesitate to leave them in the comment section of this post. If you need some inspiration you can click HERE to read a brief synopsis of what the book is about.
Thanks for your consideration and opinions. I’ll let you all know what I decide.
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Hollow Land By Amanda Hocking
I recently read Hollow Land by Amanda Hocking Well, technically because of the whole blind thing I listened to it via download from Audible I think I would give this book 4 *’s. It’s a Young Adult read that even the grown ups will love.
I must admit that I don’t normally go for this type of book. I love paranormal and the supernatural but this book falls more under the Sci-Fi category. It’s a tale of the end of the world brought forth because of a virus outbreak plaguing the world and turning its citizens into zombies.
Before I get started talking about the book in more depth I have to warn that my spelling of some of the characters names might not be accurate. Thanks to having only read the audio version you are stuck with my interpretation of how their names are spelled.
The main character Remie King is a strong brave nineteen year old who is a survivor at her core. In some aspects of her life she is guarded and maybe even a little jaded but honestly who could blame her. She has spent the entire last year dodging and fighting zombies to protect herself and those she cares about.
The book starts out with her in a Government quarantine meant to be a safe haven for those citizens who have not yet been infected with the virus. When zombies overtake the high school that they call home Remy and a couple friends are forced to flee. Before she goes she discovers that the soldier who had been watching over her and her kid brother has been bitten. That means he is destined to become one of the monsters. He informs her that her brother had been the first evacuated from the quarantine when security was breeched. Max is only eight years old and the only blood family that Remie has left.
She sets off to find him. This means traveling across the country mostly on foot. The only trouble is zombies are everywhere and food and weaponry are scarce commodities.
For those reader seeking a little Romance this book has that too but in a subtle way. Remie meets a rock star named Lazlo. He clearly has a thing for her but at Remie doesn’t want anything to do with him. She things he’s an idiot who wouldn’t have made it as far as he had if it wasn’t for his companion Blue. Also, getting close would mean giving a part of herself that she has had closed off for a long time. Even when she starts to come to terms with her feelings for him she pushes them back and ignores them. No matter what she does Lazlo isn’t detoured though.
Remie refuses to give up on her quest for her brother even when the odds are stacked against her and the friends she meets along the way. It’s a race against time. The zombies want live food and Remie and her friends are the main course.
Hollow Land is the first book in The Hollows series by Hocking. It’s an action packed thrill ride that will leave you wanting more even if it’s not your typical genre choice. If you don’t mind a little gore and you love suspense this book is definitely right for you.
If you want to connect with me on Facebook you can do so HERE
I must admit that I don’t normally go for this type of book. I love paranormal and the supernatural but this book falls more under the Sci-Fi category. It’s a tale of the end of the world brought forth because of a virus outbreak plaguing the world and turning its citizens into zombies.
Before I get started talking about the book in more depth I have to warn that my spelling of some of the characters names might not be accurate. Thanks to having only read the audio version you are stuck with my interpretation of how their names are spelled.
The main character Remie King is a strong brave nineteen year old who is a survivor at her core. In some aspects of her life she is guarded and maybe even a little jaded but honestly who could blame her. She has spent the entire last year dodging and fighting zombies to protect herself and those she cares about.
The book starts out with her in a Government quarantine meant to be a safe haven for those citizens who have not yet been infected with the virus. When zombies overtake the high school that they call home Remy and a couple friends are forced to flee. Before she goes she discovers that the soldier who had been watching over her and her kid brother has been bitten. That means he is destined to become one of the monsters. He informs her that her brother had been the first evacuated from the quarantine when security was breeched. Max is only eight years old and the only blood family that Remie has left.
She sets off to find him. This means traveling across the country mostly on foot. The only trouble is zombies are everywhere and food and weaponry are scarce commodities.
For those reader seeking a little Romance this book has that too but in a subtle way. Remie meets a rock star named Lazlo. He clearly has a thing for her but at Remie doesn’t want anything to do with him. She things he’s an idiot who wouldn’t have made it as far as he had if it wasn’t for his companion Blue. Also, getting close would mean giving a part of herself that she has had closed off for a long time. Even when she starts to come to terms with her feelings for him she pushes them back and ignores them. No matter what she does Lazlo isn’t detoured though.
Remie refuses to give up on her quest for her brother even when the odds are stacked against her and the friends she meets along the way. It’s a race against time. The zombies want live food and Remie and her friends are the main course.
Hollow Land is the first book in The Hollows series by Hocking. It’s an action packed thrill ride that will leave you wanting more even if it’s not your typical genre choice. If you don’t mind a little gore and you love suspense this book is definitely right for you.
If you want to connect with me on Facebook you can do so HERE
Thursday, May 31, 2012
You're Just Sayin That Cuz You're Old
I keep thinking this morning about time and how quickly it passes. When I first became a mommy everyone around me told me not to blink because I would miss something.
I scoffed, “Yeah right. You’re just sayin that because you’re old.”
Now I’m twenty-eight with two kids that are soon to be eleven and three and a half. I find myself telling one of my cousins who just ad a baby not to blink. Then I shudder inwardly at the revelation that the statement I just made condemned me to being old too. That’s right I Nicole Rae am old, or at least getting there fast with no end in sight.
AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!
So I know I’m not truly old. Obviously, I’m not even thirty. But I’m pretty close. I have Princess going into Junior High this fall. The other day she brought home a slip where she got to pick her elective and we both had to sign it. As cliche and old as it makes me sound I still remember the day I brought that same slip home for my parents to sign. I thought I was the coolest thing alive. It felt like a right of passage in my life.
Then I of course got to Junior High and realized the reality. I was a little fish in a big pond. I had to learn to swim harder and faster than I ever thought possible in order to keep up. But it was good. Junior High taught me a lot. Of course that always isn’t a good thing but hey, lessons learned are lessons learned.
I worry about Princess going to a bigger school with bigger kids and bigger homework loads. She is a very smart kid but the pressures can be overwhelming for anyone and hope that she is strong enough to not succumb to them. I have every confidence in her though. Sure there will be bumps along the way but that is to be expected when embarking on any new adventure.
Peanut will be starting Pre-School in the fall. My youngest baby is going to school. I am somewhat sad to see this milestone reached so early but am excited for her. Everyday she watches Princess go to school and wonders why she doesn’t get to go. Soon though, she will be getting on a school bus and headed to her new classroom and she can’t wait. Even as I write this she is standing at the coffee table practicing writing her name and playing with a book she was given at her school intake appointment.
Did I mention that in the fall I will have four days a week of me time??? A tiny part of me can’t figure out what I am going to do with myself. The bigger more rational part of me says…
HALLELUJAH!!!
Like most moms I don’t get very many days off. Being a single parent I don’t have a spouse to share the joys and pit falls of parenting with. It is all on my shoulders and boy are my arms tired. Sorry bad joke lol.
I am eager to have a few hours a day with utter silence. No TV, No booming stereos, no fighting, no crying, no tantrums, no mommy can I’s… NOTHING. Just me and me alone to relax. It will be nice to be able to clean up and not have the entire task ruined when one of them comes behind me. It will be nice to be able to put my full concentration into writing. Hell, I will be able to nap all by myself if I want to. I will be able to get errands done without another million mommy can I’s.
I totally adore my girls and wouldn’t change a single hair on their head. I love spending time with them and that is a fact. But I am also looking forward to the much deserved, long awaited for me time.
Please show your support and “Like” my Facebook Page. It’s fairly new and doesn’t have a lot of supporters yet. It will only take a second and you’d be helping spread the word about an emerging author. Don’t forget Clandestine comes out this summer so I need all the help I can get. To visit and like the my author Facebook Page please click HERE
I scoffed, “Yeah right. You’re just sayin that because you’re old.”
Now I’m twenty-eight with two kids that are soon to be eleven and three and a half. I find myself telling one of my cousins who just ad a baby not to blink. Then I shudder inwardly at the revelation that the statement I just made condemned me to being old too. That’s right I Nicole Rae am old, or at least getting there fast with no end in sight.
AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!
So I know I’m not truly old. Obviously, I’m not even thirty. But I’m pretty close. I have Princess going into Junior High this fall. The other day she brought home a slip where she got to pick her elective and we both had to sign it. As cliche and old as it makes me sound I still remember the day I brought that same slip home for my parents to sign. I thought I was the coolest thing alive. It felt like a right of passage in my life.
Then I of course got to Junior High and realized the reality. I was a little fish in a big pond. I had to learn to swim harder and faster than I ever thought possible in order to keep up. But it was good. Junior High taught me a lot. Of course that always isn’t a good thing but hey, lessons learned are lessons learned.
I worry about Princess going to a bigger school with bigger kids and bigger homework loads. She is a very smart kid but the pressures can be overwhelming for anyone and hope that she is strong enough to not succumb to them. I have every confidence in her though. Sure there will be bumps along the way but that is to be expected when embarking on any new adventure.
Peanut will be starting Pre-School in the fall. My youngest baby is going to school. I am somewhat sad to see this milestone reached so early but am excited for her. Everyday she watches Princess go to school and wonders why she doesn’t get to go. Soon though, she will be getting on a school bus and headed to her new classroom and she can’t wait. Even as I write this she is standing at the coffee table practicing writing her name and playing with a book she was given at her school intake appointment.
Did I mention that in the fall I will have four days a week of me time??? A tiny part of me can’t figure out what I am going to do with myself. The bigger more rational part of me says…
HALLELUJAH!!!
Like most moms I don’t get very many days off. Being a single parent I don’t have a spouse to share the joys and pit falls of parenting with. It is all on my shoulders and boy are my arms tired. Sorry bad joke lol.
I am eager to have a few hours a day with utter silence. No TV, No booming stereos, no fighting, no crying, no tantrums, no mommy can I’s… NOTHING. Just me and me alone to relax. It will be nice to be able to clean up and not have the entire task ruined when one of them comes behind me. It will be nice to be able to put my full concentration into writing. Hell, I will be able to nap all by myself if I want to. I will be able to get errands done without another million mommy can I’s.
I totally adore my girls and wouldn’t change a single hair on their head. I love spending time with them and that is a fact. But I am also looking forward to the much deserved, long awaited for me time.
Please show your support and “Like” my Facebook Page. It’s fairly new and doesn’t have a lot of supporters yet. It will only take a second and you’d be helping spread the word about an emerging author. Don’t forget Clandestine comes out this summer so I need all the help I can get. To visit and like the my author Facebook Page please click HERE
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Walking Into Editing Blindly (Pun Intended)
I love to write. It is my honest to God passion in life. It is the one outlet in life that I have and can call my own. It is no one else’s but mine and no one can take it away from me. Well technically, if my computer breaks or gets stolen it could be taken from me but that’s beside the point.
Now don’t get me wrong, I of course have my girls, my dog, my house and my health. When I say it’s the only thing I have to call my own I mean outside of home life. It’s something I can get lost in even if only for a little while. It’s more than just a hobby for me. It’s my dream. Even if God forbid not one copy of my book ever sells, at least I know I did it. I created something that I poured my heart, my soul and my time into and put it out there for the whole world to see.
For the most part I can write about anything. The hardest part for me though is the editing. I never used to mind editing and still don’t for the most part. But since I have lost my sight it has gotten so much more cumbersome.
The fun aspect of editing that has always been for me is content editing. You know when you move into a new house and you get to unpack the boxes and decide where everything is going to go? That’s how I feel when I do content editing. It can be a totally enjoyable experience to rework sentences and add things you had forgot about. It’s cool to be able to dig in and develop characters and really put yourself into their head and see how they tick.
The great part about getting into their head is that what’s inside it is whatever you want. You are the mastermind. It’s up to you how a person or a scene is formed. It is puddy in your capable hands. However you decide to shape it is all on you.
Okay, so now that the fluffy side of editing is taken care of it’s down to the nitty gritty stuff. Now you have to check and see that all your paragraphs are indented properly, commas are where they should be and you didn’t run any words together as one in your haste of finishing the story.
Seems fairly easy right? WRONG! At least when you’re blind it’s wrong anyway.
Sometimes the all mighty spell checker doesn’t pick things up. For instance if you spelled the word “right” but you meant to say “Write”, it might not be picked up.
When you can see, this isn’t a problem because you can give it a once or twice over and say to yourself… “Hey, that isn’t supposed to be like that”. When you are blind, you hear the voice of your computer say the word “right” and assume it is the right spelling. It doesn’t sound any different if something is spelled wrong or not. If you don’t have someone to check your work for you then the task becomes quite tedious. You have to go sentence by sentence, word by word and in some cases even letter by letter to fix problems. That is not a fun or enjoyable process.
Luckily, with Clandestine I have the privilege of working with my beloved Gram. She has been a God send in the editing dilemma. Without her I wouldn’t be as far as I am with the book. She has been amazing at picking up on the natty gritty that makes me want to pull my hair out.
I have a tendency to type pretty quickly when my creative juices are flowing. I get all the words out in a rush of pages before they overwhelm my brain into explosion. There’s nothing wrong with that except for the fact that it’s easy to forget spaces between words or have the problem mentioned about where you type one word but mean another. For whatever reason when you run two words together it isn’t always caught by the spell checker. The reason for this astounds me. The word clearly is spelled wrong. It is two words that have been smushed together that in no language or context make a new word.
Well, that’s not totally true. I am thinking of compiling my own dictionary of words that I have created. Some of them are kinda cool actually. Just saying
Anyway, I am over half way done editing for Clandestine I can hardly wait for its total completion when I can sit back and enjoy my handwork. Well, at least for like five minutes because then it’s on to marketing it and fully jumping into Divinity.
Not to mention the other million and five half finished projects and tid bits that are floating inside my computer waiting to be crafted. I am fully committed to finishing each and every last one of them. Or more accurately, I have to finish them or I will probably be committed to a rubber room. Not that there’s anything wrong with that for those readers who are scanning this post from the comfort of their straight jacket.
But I digress. I really appreciate all of my readers and those of you who have supported me from the beginning when my only publicly viewed writing was on Playing The Blind Card. Oh, and also my family who have been forced to read all my writing since the beginning of time when I first learned what I Haiku was and scribbled my first story down with my super cool metallic ink pens (thanks mom and dad).
Until next time remember…
Write write write and just when you think you can’t write anymore, do some typing. xoxoxoxoxox
Now don’t get me wrong, I of course have my girls, my dog, my house and my health. When I say it’s the only thing I have to call my own I mean outside of home life. It’s something I can get lost in even if only for a little while. It’s more than just a hobby for me. It’s my dream. Even if God forbid not one copy of my book ever sells, at least I know I did it. I created something that I poured my heart, my soul and my time into and put it out there for the whole world to see.
For the most part I can write about anything. The hardest part for me though is the editing. I never used to mind editing and still don’t for the most part. But since I have lost my sight it has gotten so much more cumbersome.
The fun aspect of editing that has always been for me is content editing. You know when you move into a new house and you get to unpack the boxes and decide where everything is going to go? That’s how I feel when I do content editing. It can be a totally enjoyable experience to rework sentences and add things you had forgot about. It’s cool to be able to dig in and develop characters and really put yourself into their head and see how they tick.
The great part about getting into their head is that what’s inside it is whatever you want. You are the mastermind. It’s up to you how a person or a scene is formed. It is puddy in your capable hands. However you decide to shape it is all on you.
Okay, so now that the fluffy side of editing is taken care of it’s down to the nitty gritty stuff. Now you have to check and see that all your paragraphs are indented properly, commas are where they should be and you didn’t run any words together as one in your haste of finishing the story.
Seems fairly easy right? WRONG! At least when you’re blind it’s wrong anyway.
Sometimes the all mighty spell checker doesn’t pick things up. For instance if you spelled the word “right” but you meant to say “Write”, it might not be picked up.
When you can see, this isn’t a problem because you can give it a once or twice over and say to yourself… “Hey, that isn’t supposed to be like that”. When you are blind, you hear the voice of your computer say the word “right” and assume it is the right spelling. It doesn’t sound any different if something is spelled wrong or not. If you don’t have someone to check your work for you then the task becomes quite tedious. You have to go sentence by sentence, word by word and in some cases even letter by letter to fix problems. That is not a fun or enjoyable process.
Luckily, with Clandestine I have the privilege of working with my beloved Gram. She has been a God send in the editing dilemma. Without her I wouldn’t be as far as I am with the book. She has been amazing at picking up on the natty gritty that makes me want to pull my hair out.
I have a tendency to type pretty quickly when my creative juices are flowing. I get all the words out in a rush of pages before they overwhelm my brain into explosion. There’s nothing wrong with that except for the fact that it’s easy to forget spaces between words or have the problem mentioned about where you type one word but mean another. For whatever reason when you run two words together it isn’t always caught by the spell checker. The reason for this astounds me. The word clearly is spelled wrong. It is two words that have been smushed together that in no language or context make a new word.
Well, that’s not totally true. I am thinking of compiling my own dictionary of words that I have created. Some of them are kinda cool actually. Just saying
Anyway, I am over half way done editing for Clandestine I can hardly wait for its total completion when I can sit back and enjoy my handwork. Well, at least for like five minutes because then it’s on to marketing it and fully jumping into Divinity.
Not to mention the other million and five half finished projects and tid bits that are floating inside my computer waiting to be crafted. I am fully committed to finishing each and every last one of them. Or more accurately, I have to finish them or I will probably be committed to a rubber room. Not that there’s anything wrong with that for those readers who are scanning this post from the comfort of their straight jacket.
But I digress. I really appreciate all of my readers and those of you who have supported me from the beginning when my only publicly viewed writing was on Playing The Blind Card. Oh, and also my family who have been forced to read all my writing since the beginning of time when I first learned what I Haiku was and scribbled my first story down with my super cool metallic ink pens (thanks mom and dad).
Until next time remember…
Write write write and just when you think you can’t write anymore, do some typing. xoxoxoxoxox
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Birthday Cake Revelations
Sometimes I wonder why adults don’t look more to kids for advice. Their simplicity and innocent little natures can be quite insightful at times. Maybe if we took a more simplistic approach in certain matters the world wouldn’t be so corrupt.
The old saying that “kids say the darndest things” is so incredibly true. In one phrase a child can solve a problem, calm you down and make you take a step back and reevaluate a situation.
In my household that is common place. My three year old Peanut always makes me stop and have a “huh moment”. I find myself constantly asking did she really just say that?
Last night was no different. Princess, Peanut and I were hanging out watching American Idol. That is my Princess’s favorite show and has been since she was like three or four. I was working on edits for Clandestine and trying to decide who I thought should be kicked off this week.
Peanut came up to me like usual toting a delectable treat for me to pretend eat. This time it was on a coaster. The food was still of course a Lego but this time it was my birthday cake. Of course my birthday isn’t until September but I was still completely appreciative.
I started to pick up the Lego confection when she stopped me and said…
“Mommy, you gotta blow da candles out.”
I said, “Oh I am so sorry. What was I thinking?” I then proceeded to suck in a deep breath to blow out the candles on my yummy pretend cake.
Peanut stopped me again. “Mommy you gotta make a whish.”
I smiled and apologized again. I closed my eyes real tight and pretended like I was thinking of the perfect wish.
“Mommy, tell me your wish,” chortles Peanut.
“I don’t know peanut, what do you think I should wish for?” I asked her.
She got really excited and said the following. “Say what I say…”
*Keep in mind that I’m repeating her after each sentence.*
Peanut continued. “When I’m sixteen… I wanna drive a car… so fix my eyes…”
I couldn’t even repeat the last part when she said that. I never would have realized that my three year old would have enough insight to know that driving would be a wish for me but that I would need my eyes fixed in order to do so. I must admit that tears swelled my eyes and I laughed a laugh that was happiness mixed with sadness.
I love my two daughters so much and truly don’t know what I would do without them. They remind me every day that life is worth living. Without them I wouldn’t be me. They are honest to God Blessings. They drive me insane and I’ll probably go prematurely grey but they are mine and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
The old saying that “kids say the darndest things” is so incredibly true. In one phrase a child can solve a problem, calm you down and make you take a step back and reevaluate a situation.
In my household that is common place. My three year old Peanut always makes me stop and have a “huh moment”. I find myself constantly asking did she really just say that?
Last night was no different. Princess, Peanut and I were hanging out watching American Idol. That is my Princess’s favorite show and has been since she was like three or four. I was working on edits for Clandestine and trying to decide who I thought should be kicked off this week.
Peanut came up to me like usual toting a delectable treat for me to pretend eat. This time it was on a coaster. The food was still of course a Lego but this time it was my birthday cake. Of course my birthday isn’t until September but I was still completely appreciative.
I started to pick up the Lego confection when she stopped me and said…
“Mommy, you gotta blow da candles out.”
I said, “Oh I am so sorry. What was I thinking?” I then proceeded to suck in a deep breath to blow out the candles on my yummy pretend cake.
Peanut stopped me again. “Mommy you gotta make a whish.”
I smiled and apologized again. I closed my eyes real tight and pretended like I was thinking of the perfect wish.
“Mommy, tell me your wish,” chortles Peanut.
“I don’t know peanut, what do you think I should wish for?” I asked her.
She got really excited and said the following. “Say what I say…”
*Keep in mind that I’m repeating her after each sentence.*
Peanut continued. “When I’m sixteen… I wanna drive a car… so fix my eyes…”
I couldn’t even repeat the last part when she said that. I never would have realized that my three year old would have enough insight to know that driving would be a wish for me but that I would need my eyes fixed in order to do so. I must admit that tears swelled my eyes and I laughed a laugh that was happiness mixed with sadness.
I love my two daughters so much and truly don’t know what I would do without them. They remind me every day that life is worth living. Without them I wouldn’t be me. They are honest to God Blessings. They drive me insane and I’ll probably go prematurely grey but they are mine and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Furthering Site Accessibility Furthers Your Reach
I have discovered the coolest feature that can be added to a blog. Thanks to the site Odiogo bloggers can now make their blogs more fully interactive and accessible for all readers. It makes every blog post you write or static page you create an audio file that can be listened to. The service is free and easy to incorporate into your site.
I found it via another blog on blindness. It is called Beautifully Blind It is ran by a creative and insightful woman named Robin. The only thing I had to do to sign up for the awesome service was enter my site address and Email address. After that it prompts you to implement an Odiogo widget to your site to finalize the set up. That process took just a few minutes. Once all that was done check your site!
Depending on the amount of content on your site, it might not be completely done. But chances are you will be able to at least see that some of the audio files for your blog posts are done.
Sure it is a compute rated voice reading my words to the world. But, it is a voice that in my opinion is much better than the voice of JAWS. I think readers will like this option very much.
The other cool aspect is that people will have the ability to subscribe to the audio files. HA how cool is that? Now not only you are a blogger but you are a podcaster too! Once they subscribe they can have access to your blog posts off the computer. For instance, if a person subscribes to your podcast via ITunes, every time they sink their device to the computer your latest masterpieces will be available to them.
This means your readers will have yet another way to enjoy your words on the go. Thus, furthering your message to the world.
I am so excited to have found this feature and hope that my readers will love it as much as I do.
To subscribe to my podcast simply look under the heading “Subscribe to My Podcast” and follow the link. It will take you to the page that will allow you to do so. If you run a blog and are interested in the service you can check it out at Odiogo
I found it via another blog on blindness. It is called Beautifully Blind It is ran by a creative and insightful woman named Robin. The only thing I had to do to sign up for the awesome service was enter my site address and Email address. After that it prompts you to implement an Odiogo widget to your site to finalize the set up. That process took just a few minutes. Once all that was done check your site!
Depending on the amount of content on your site, it might not be completely done. But chances are you will be able to at least see that some of the audio files for your blog posts are done.
Sure it is a compute rated voice reading my words to the world. But, it is a voice that in my opinion is much better than the voice of JAWS. I think readers will like this option very much.
The other cool aspect is that people will have the ability to subscribe to the audio files. HA how cool is that? Now not only you are a blogger but you are a podcaster too! Once they subscribe they can have access to your blog posts off the computer. For instance, if a person subscribes to your podcast via ITunes, every time they sink their device to the computer your latest masterpieces will be available to them.
This means your readers will have yet another way to enjoy your words on the go. Thus, furthering your message to the world.
I am so excited to have found this feature and hope that my readers will love it as much as I do.
To subscribe to my podcast simply look under the heading “Subscribe to My Podcast” and follow the link. It will take you to the page that will allow you to do so. If you run a blog and are interested in the service you can check it out at Odiogo
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Enter To Win A $15 Gift Card!!!
I have never done a contest before so I hope everyone will bear with me on this one. I’m a contest virgin and will do the best I can I promise.
So, my debut novel Clandestine will be coming out this summer as some of you may already know. I have been doing everything humanly possible to get the word out and gain interest for the series. I see that a lot of fellow authors on Twitter host contests on their blogs. I’ve decide to take the plunge and join the fun.
So what is the contest you might ask? It’s simple actually. Since I don’t have a copy of my book yet to offer as a prize I’ll go with the next best thing. MONEY! Well, a gift card but that’s still like free money right? The winner of the contest will be drawn at random and given the choice of several different gift cards equaling $15.
All you have to do to qualify is sign up to follow this blog. Yep that’s right and it will just take a minute of your time. Follow the few easy steps to become an official follower of Nicole Rae’s Blog and you’re in.
The winner will be drawn on May 25th. You have until seven O’clock pm pacific time to enter.
The winner will be announced on May 26th on this site. I will also post the results on Twitter. The winning party has two days to claim their prize or a new winner will be drawn and given the gift card by US mail.
This contest will ONLY be for US participants. If you are a fan from somewhere outside of the US I am super sorry. There will be more contests in the future that will be open to everyone. So keep checking back for your chance to win.
By the way: you must be at least thirteen years of age to enter this contest. If you are a minor I do ask that you ask your parents permission before entering. They might not like you giving out your address to strangers even if you would be receiving a gift card.
What are your gift card options? The following is the list of stores you have to choose from. Remember you may only have one gift card so choose carefully.
The stores are: ITunes, Wal Mart, Target, Fred Meyer, Safeway, Pet Co, Bed Bath & Beyond, Lowes, JC Penny, Sears, Macy’s, and Starbucks
Remember you only have until May 25th to enter. So take a sec and sign up to be a follower of this blog and enter to win a gift card from one of the stores listed above. Don’t worry, if you’re already a follower of the blog then your golden. It counts as an entry. You’re just one step ahead of the game. IMPORTANT: If you were a follower of Nicole Rae’s Blog before this contest was announced please leave a comment on this post to confirm that you would like to participate. If you do not leave a comment you will forfeit your entry. This is because I don’t want to put someone’s name in the drawing that does not wish to participate. That would make things less convenient because that would mean a new name would have to be drawn and more time the winner has to wait. Thanks for your understanding.
WANT TO INCREASE YOUR CHANCES????????
All you have to do to increase your chances of winning is sign up to be a follower of my other blog Playing The Blind Card. If you do, you will have your name in the drawing twice. It won’t take long and it will double your odds. You can find Playing The Blind Card at http://www.playingtheblindcard.blogspot.com or, you can use the direct link that is listed on this site. People who are only members of Playing The Blind Card must be members of Nicole Rae’s Blog in order to qualify.
Be sure to tell your friends and give them the chance to enter too. I hope you all decide to take part in the contest and of course… GOOD LUCK!
So, my debut novel Clandestine will be coming out this summer as some of you may already know. I have been doing everything humanly possible to get the word out and gain interest for the series. I see that a lot of fellow authors on Twitter host contests on their blogs. I’ve decide to take the plunge and join the fun.
So what is the contest you might ask? It’s simple actually. Since I don’t have a copy of my book yet to offer as a prize I’ll go with the next best thing. MONEY! Well, a gift card but that’s still like free money right? The winner of the contest will be drawn at random and given the choice of several different gift cards equaling $15.
All you have to do to qualify is sign up to follow this blog. Yep that’s right and it will just take a minute of your time. Follow the few easy steps to become an official follower of Nicole Rae’s Blog and you’re in.
The winner will be drawn on May 25th. You have until seven O’clock pm pacific time to enter.
The winner will be announced on May 26th on this site. I will also post the results on Twitter. The winning party has two days to claim their prize or a new winner will be drawn and given the gift card by US mail.
This contest will ONLY be for US participants. If you are a fan from somewhere outside of the US I am super sorry. There will be more contests in the future that will be open to everyone. So keep checking back for your chance to win.
By the way: you must be at least thirteen years of age to enter this contest. If you are a minor I do ask that you ask your parents permission before entering. They might not like you giving out your address to strangers even if you would be receiving a gift card.
What are your gift card options? The following is the list of stores you have to choose from. Remember you may only have one gift card so choose carefully.
The stores are: ITunes, Wal Mart, Target, Fred Meyer, Safeway, Pet Co, Bed Bath & Beyond, Lowes, JC Penny, Sears, Macy’s, and Starbucks
Remember you only have until May 25th to enter. So take a sec and sign up to be a follower of this blog and enter to win a gift card from one of the stores listed above. Don’t worry, if you’re already a follower of the blog then your golden. It counts as an entry. You’re just one step ahead of the game. IMPORTANT: If you were a follower of Nicole Rae’s Blog before this contest was announced please leave a comment on this post to confirm that you would like to participate. If you do not leave a comment you will forfeit your entry. This is because I don’t want to put someone’s name in the drawing that does not wish to participate. That would make things less convenient because that would mean a new name would have to be drawn and more time the winner has to wait. Thanks for your understanding.
WANT TO INCREASE YOUR CHANCES????????
All you have to do to increase your chances of winning is sign up to be a follower of my other blog Playing The Blind Card. If you do, you will have your name in the drawing twice. It won’t take long and it will double your odds. You can find Playing The Blind Card at http://www.playingtheblindcard.blogspot.com or, you can use the direct link that is listed on this site. People who are only members of Playing The Blind Card must be members of Nicole Rae’s Blog in order to qualify.
Be sure to tell your friends and give them the chance to enter too. I hope you all decide to take part in the contest and of course… GOOD LUCK!
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Technology Bites But Daddy's Rule
Okay, so I seriously almost had a complete and utter meltdown yesterday. I went to get on my computer to continue the fantastic work of editing my book and… NOTHING!
Now first I should mention that when you’re blind and an error message comes up when you start up your computer, it’s a little difficult to know they are there. I didn’t know what was wrong with the lap top but I new something definitely wasn’t normal. The usual comforting start up music just wasn’t playing. My text to speech program (JAWS) wasn’t loading telling me to enter my password. I gave it a while and still… NOTHING! I took a deep breath and decided it wasn’t time to panic yet.
I waited for my ten year old daughter Princess to get home. when she arrived she let me know that there was a message on the screen that she had never seen before. It said that my computer could not be started up and measures could be taken to restore my computer. It went on to promise that none of my personal information would be tarnished. I let my daughter click the “OK” button and we waited.
It said the process could take up to a few minutes to complete. Thirty minutes later a new message popped up. It said that my computer was unable to be restored. It said that if I had recently plugged in an external device to unplug it and restart the computer. If the problem persisted then I would need to contact the manufacturer of my computer. There was just one little problem…
My lap top is a declining hunk of machine that I love because it’s all I have. But, the USB ports are broken and the CD drive won’t open. Therefore, I had nothing plugged into it that could have caused this problem. So my mind automatically turns to mush and I’m paralyzed. If nothing was plugged into it to cause the problem then there must be something else wrong! My youngest daughter Peanut rushes to my side and says, “Oh mommy yer puta… what’s wrong with yer puta?” I pat little Peanuts head but don’t realy respond. My mind is too busy spiraling downward like a broken elevator plummeting twenty floors to the bottom. My stomach began tying itself into a million and five double and triple knots.
This just can’t be happening. I have a book that I’m nearly finished editing and several that I’m working on. The Universe must be out to get me. I couldn’t save them to outside sources because of the USB port and CD drive complications. Basically in a nut shell, I am screwed! I hate this day! So I did what any reasonable, mature and fully independent woman would do.
I made a frantic call to Daddy…
After work he came over. I admit I wasn’t very hopeful. I was already crushed and resigned to the fact that my work was gone. I didn’t want it to be true of course but come on… you heard what that error message said to me and Princess.
My wonderful dad turned on the computer and again we waited… Before I knew it, the normal comforting start up music was coming on. I sucked in a breath. Could it be true? My dad punched in my password and we crossed our fingers. The desktop loaded up as per usual. Everything seemed to be in working order. He did an update that was flashing at him and then shut down the computer as requested. When he restarted it the glorious machine powered right up again.
It took everything I had not to leap into my dads arm screaming things like “YOU MIRACLE WORKER!” Or things like “YOU ARE THE WIND BENEATH MY WINGS!” I did ask him, “Are you kidding me?” I had been in a state of emergency all day and that’s it?
We have no idea what caused the error message or what made it start working again. I maintain that my daddy’s got the electronic touch and that he’s like a Shawmen reincarnate. But he wouldn’t agree with me. He’s sorta modest.
The moral of this story is BACK UP YOUR WORK! It doesn’t matter if your USB ports and your CD drive are broken. It doesn’t matter if you already saved it with the normal parameters of Microsoft Word. BACK UP YOUR WORK! Attach it to an Email and send it to yourself or someone you trust. Don’t be like me and hope and pray your daddy can swoop in and save the day. This time that worked. Next time, I might not be so lucky.
If you like this post please be a dear and sign up to be a follower of this blog. I would really appreciate the support. Also, don’t be shy leave comments and share the post with your friends on Facebook and Twitter.
Thank you for reading and I hope you come back soon!
Now first I should mention that when you’re blind and an error message comes up when you start up your computer, it’s a little difficult to know they are there. I didn’t know what was wrong with the lap top but I new something definitely wasn’t normal. The usual comforting start up music just wasn’t playing. My text to speech program (JAWS) wasn’t loading telling me to enter my password. I gave it a while and still… NOTHING! I took a deep breath and decided it wasn’t time to panic yet.
I waited for my ten year old daughter Princess to get home. when she arrived she let me know that there was a message on the screen that she had never seen before. It said that my computer could not be started up and measures could be taken to restore my computer. It went on to promise that none of my personal information would be tarnished. I let my daughter click the “OK” button and we waited.
It said the process could take up to a few minutes to complete. Thirty minutes later a new message popped up. It said that my computer was unable to be restored. It said that if I had recently plugged in an external device to unplug it and restart the computer. If the problem persisted then I would need to contact the manufacturer of my computer. There was just one little problem…
My lap top is a declining hunk of machine that I love because it’s all I have. But, the USB ports are broken and the CD drive won’t open. Therefore, I had nothing plugged into it that could have caused this problem. So my mind automatically turns to mush and I’m paralyzed. If nothing was plugged into it to cause the problem then there must be something else wrong! My youngest daughter Peanut rushes to my side and says, “Oh mommy yer puta… what’s wrong with yer puta?” I pat little Peanuts head but don’t realy respond. My mind is too busy spiraling downward like a broken elevator plummeting twenty floors to the bottom. My stomach began tying itself into a million and five double and triple knots.
This just can’t be happening. I have a book that I’m nearly finished editing and several that I’m working on. The Universe must be out to get me. I couldn’t save them to outside sources because of the USB port and CD drive complications. Basically in a nut shell, I am screwed! I hate this day! So I did what any reasonable, mature and fully independent woman would do.
I made a frantic call to Daddy…
After work he came over. I admit I wasn’t very hopeful. I was already crushed and resigned to the fact that my work was gone. I didn’t want it to be true of course but come on… you heard what that error message said to me and Princess.
My wonderful dad turned on the computer and again we waited… Before I knew it, the normal comforting start up music was coming on. I sucked in a breath. Could it be true? My dad punched in my password and we crossed our fingers. The desktop loaded up as per usual. Everything seemed to be in working order. He did an update that was flashing at him and then shut down the computer as requested. When he restarted it the glorious machine powered right up again.
It took everything I had not to leap into my dads arm screaming things like “YOU MIRACLE WORKER!” Or things like “YOU ARE THE WIND BENEATH MY WINGS!” I did ask him, “Are you kidding me?” I had been in a state of emergency all day and that’s it?
We have no idea what caused the error message or what made it start working again. I maintain that my daddy’s got the electronic touch and that he’s like a Shawmen reincarnate. But he wouldn’t agree with me. He’s sorta modest.
The moral of this story is BACK UP YOUR WORK! It doesn’t matter if your USB ports and your CD drive are broken. It doesn’t matter if you already saved it with the normal parameters of Microsoft Word. BACK UP YOUR WORK! Attach it to an Email and send it to yourself or someone you trust. Don’t be like me and hope and pray your daddy can swoop in and save the day. This time that worked. Next time, I might not be so lucky.
If you like this post please be a dear and sign up to be a follower of this blog. I would really appreciate the support. Also, don’t be shy leave comments and share the post with your friends on Facebook and Twitter.
Thank you for reading and I hope you come back soon!
Monday, April 16, 2012
How To Create The Copyright Symbol
Have you been pulling your hair out trying to figure out how to create the ridiculous little copyright symbol for your book? Have you stared at your keyboard for infinite amounts of time only to find that the only character similar is the @ symbol? Well have no fear Nicole is here! I am going to show you how unbelievably simple it is to create the © symbol for the copyright page of your masterpiece.
You don’t need any special programs or any specific gadgets. It’s not even a matter of copying and pasting. All you need is a standard computer keyboard. Just make sure you are using a keyboard that has a number pad. This is the numeric key pad to the right of your keyboard. NOTE: The number keys directly above your letter keys will not work for this!
Have you breathed a sigh of relief yet? Do you have the proper keyboard? Great! Now follow these easy steps…
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Make sure your number lock key is turned on. This allows you to press the numbers on the num pad and actually achieve numbers.
2. Press and hold the ALT key. You can find this key on either side of the space bar key at the bottom of your keyboard.
3. While still pressing the ALT key, press 0169 on your num pad. REMEMBER, it has to be your num pad and NOT the number keys at the top of the keyboard!
4. Release the finger that’s pressing the ALT key
!****TUH DAH****!
Hopefully you are now looking at your very own © symbol. ENJOY!
If you’ve followed these steps and you still have questions please feel free to leave them in the comment section of this post. Don’t forget to read about my upcoming novel Clandestine that will be released in the near future. Stay tuned more teasers for Clandestine!
Please show your support by signing up to follow my blog. If you do and you too have a BlogSpot blog, I will sign up on yours. Just let me know in any of the comment sections on this page where I can find your site.
You don’t need any special programs or any specific gadgets. It’s not even a matter of copying and pasting. All you need is a standard computer keyboard. Just make sure you are using a keyboard that has a number pad. This is the numeric key pad to the right of your keyboard. NOTE: The number keys directly above your letter keys will not work for this!
Have you breathed a sigh of relief yet? Do you have the proper keyboard? Great! Now follow these easy steps…
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Make sure your number lock key is turned on. This allows you to press the numbers on the num pad and actually achieve numbers.
2. Press and hold the ALT key. You can find this key on either side of the space bar key at the bottom of your keyboard.
3. While still pressing the ALT key, press 0169 on your num pad. REMEMBER, it has to be your num pad and NOT the number keys at the top of the keyboard!
4. Release the finger that’s pressing the ALT key
!****TUH DAH****!
Hopefully you are now looking at your very own © symbol. ENJOY!
If you’ve followed these steps and you still have questions please feel free to leave them in the comment section of this post. Don’t forget to read about my upcoming novel Clandestine that will be released in the near future. Stay tuned more teasers for Clandestine!
Please show your support by signing up to follow my blog. If you do and you too have a BlogSpot blog, I will sign up on yours. Just let me know in any of the comment sections on this page where I can find your site.
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Just A Few Pearls For Newbie Authors
There are a lot of things to consider when you decide to publish a book. Do I want to go traditional or Indie? This is an important question a lot of authors find themselves pondering these days. The taboos of independent publishing are long since gone.
Back in the day an author who decided to go the Indie rout would submit there text and graphic material to a printing department. They had to pay a fairly hefty price up front. They would receive a truck load of their books that they had to find a way to sell. For a lot of authors this meant umpteen boxes of their masterpiece sitting in the garage next to the Christmas decorations collecting dust. This can be a very gut wrenching prospect for some. This book is something you put your heart and soul into. Not to mention all the sleepless nights you spent finishing and fine tuning it to the sheer perfection that it is. Many gave up and went back to querying. Others may have given up all together deciding it wasn’t worth the hassle.
Don’t worry my friends, those days are over. Self publishing a book is easier and more affective then ever. Thanks to companies such as Create Space and Smashwords (just to name a few) it is actually possible to get your book in front of public eyes for purchase and consumption for nothing. That’s right notta, zilch ZERO DENERO.
Of course, this is assuming you can handle every aspect of the publishing world all on your own. This means you are not only an author, but a graphics designer, editor and marketing expert.
Don’t let this throw you off the trail though. There are several ways around this problem if you are currently a starving writer as most are when they first start out.
Editing: If you know someone who is proficient in the editing process you can see if they would be willing to scour your manuscript for all the nitty gritty errors. If you know of an amazing English teacher that inspired you tremendously growing up, it’s possible they would be willing to take a peak at your work. There are editors for hire but in SOME cases, they can be quite costly. I looked into one that said they would be happy to edit my manuscript. They gave me the figures and when I worked it out on a calculator, it was going to end up costing upwards of $1000. This isn’t the going rate for all editors though. A search on the internet or advice from a friend could bring to your attention a diamond in the ruff. I have heard there are editors that can cost as low as a few hundred dollars. While this is much better then the price I was given it still isn’t in my budget. I am doing the best I can on my own and having as many people as I can go through my manuscript with a fine toothed comb.
Graphic Design: The cover art for your book is probably one of the most important parts of getting a sold sign on your book. While it might be true in other life situations that you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, the publishing industry just isn’t that way. Your book is going to be up against big name authors with a solid reputation. Let’s face it, if your cover doesn’t catch someone’s eye when perusing the shelves or results page on Amazon your sunk. You could have written the most eloquently written piece of literary art imaginable but people aren’t going to take a chance on it if the cover is mediocre. A lot goes into designing a book cover. It’s really not as simple as finding some clip art attaching a title and author name and calling it good. Graphic design is a very detailed intricate process. This is the one thing I decided to find a professional for. I am a BLIND writer. I’m pretty sure my cover art wouldn’t appeal to most except maybe my fellow Blindy’s. Some cover artist charge an arm and a leg… literally. This really is a problem for newborn Indie authors. Most aren’t going to have $500 or more to fork out on cover design. Have no fear newbie’s there are cover artist that cater to new independent authors and no what it’s like to be just starting out. I personally found an amazing cover artist and for my particular cover am being charged $100. Of course not all of her covers are that price. Nevertheless, she doesn’t have any covers that are outrageous at all. They look just as good if not better then the high priced designs and the customer service is phenomenal.
Marketing: Many companies promise that if you hire them you will be a best selling author. I have one word for those companies… HA! No one can predict or manipulate book sales to make you the next James Patterson or Stephanie Meyer. In my personal opinion, the best thing you can do is WORK WORK WORK! This means be the King or Queen of social media. Network daily. Utilize Good Reads and other book related sites. Get as many of your friends to tell their friends. Have book marks made and pass them out to local book stores and libraries. Know who your target audience is and reach that target. Do contests on your site or blog with your book as the prize. Once sales start rolling in do book signings. Find a way to connect with your readers and build a relationship with them.
Getting a store to purchase your book on face value alone is tricky. Many are put off by a self published book. In the past, they didn’t look quite as professional as they do now. Some will give your title a chance but prefer to do so on a consignment basis. This means they sell your book and then they get a cut and give you a cut. They don’t give you any money up front. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It is possible that once their customers realize what a brilliant author you are that they will tell their friends and then you’re golden. The store will be happy to do more business with you and you’ve just established another networking relationship that will hopefully last for when your future books are released. Try and make your book look and feel as professional as possible. If it looks like one of the big boys hopefully it will be picked up as many times as the big boys.
Book Description: Many people pick up a book for its cover. From there they flip to the description on the back to see if it’s something they want to read. Make sure your description is perfect. Make sure it’s catchy and doesn’t give too much away. If your description tells all the major events then people will lose interest. If a book description tells them everything it will leave them feeling like they’ve already read it. If that’s how they feel, why would they want to buy it? They’ve learned all they need to know by reading the back. The key is to keep them wanting more. Give them just a taste. Leave them feeling desperate to know what happens.
All of these tips are things I’ve been learning through out my own publishing experience. I’ve done a lot of research and talked to a lot of people to compile this wisdom. Honestly, I’ve probably learned a lot more but this post was getting never ending so I’ll bless you with those pearls another day. I am getting ready to publish my first book Clandestine very soon. It is book one in the Slayer Saga series for young adults. If you haven’t already, please check out the description by clicking the link “Clandestine” to the right under the heading “Pages”.
Stay tuned for future posts where the topics you found here are discussed in more detail. There is also a post coming up next that will teach you to make your own copyright symbol (©) using nothing but your own keyboard. This will make your copyright page look more official and professional.
I hope that you all found something helpful in this post. I also hope that you will decide to sign up to be a follower of this blog and show your support of a newbie author. Please use the share links below to show your friends on Facebook and Twitter this post.
Thanks for dropping by and I hope you come back soon!
Back in the day an author who decided to go the Indie rout would submit there text and graphic material to a printing department. They had to pay a fairly hefty price up front. They would receive a truck load of their books that they had to find a way to sell. For a lot of authors this meant umpteen boxes of their masterpiece sitting in the garage next to the Christmas decorations collecting dust. This can be a very gut wrenching prospect for some. This book is something you put your heart and soul into. Not to mention all the sleepless nights you spent finishing and fine tuning it to the sheer perfection that it is. Many gave up and went back to querying. Others may have given up all together deciding it wasn’t worth the hassle.
Don’t worry my friends, those days are over. Self publishing a book is easier and more affective then ever. Thanks to companies such as Create Space and Smashwords (just to name a few) it is actually possible to get your book in front of public eyes for purchase and consumption for nothing. That’s right notta, zilch ZERO DENERO.
Of course, this is assuming you can handle every aspect of the publishing world all on your own. This means you are not only an author, but a graphics designer, editor and marketing expert.
Don’t let this throw you off the trail though. There are several ways around this problem if you are currently a starving writer as most are when they first start out.
Editing: If you know someone who is proficient in the editing process you can see if they would be willing to scour your manuscript for all the nitty gritty errors. If you know of an amazing English teacher that inspired you tremendously growing up, it’s possible they would be willing to take a peak at your work. There are editors for hire but in SOME cases, they can be quite costly. I looked into one that said they would be happy to edit my manuscript. They gave me the figures and when I worked it out on a calculator, it was going to end up costing upwards of $1000. This isn’t the going rate for all editors though. A search on the internet or advice from a friend could bring to your attention a diamond in the ruff. I have heard there are editors that can cost as low as a few hundred dollars. While this is much better then the price I was given it still isn’t in my budget. I am doing the best I can on my own and having as many people as I can go through my manuscript with a fine toothed comb.
Graphic Design: The cover art for your book is probably one of the most important parts of getting a sold sign on your book. While it might be true in other life situations that you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, the publishing industry just isn’t that way. Your book is going to be up against big name authors with a solid reputation. Let’s face it, if your cover doesn’t catch someone’s eye when perusing the shelves or results page on Amazon your sunk. You could have written the most eloquently written piece of literary art imaginable but people aren’t going to take a chance on it if the cover is mediocre. A lot goes into designing a book cover. It’s really not as simple as finding some clip art attaching a title and author name and calling it good. Graphic design is a very detailed intricate process. This is the one thing I decided to find a professional for. I am a BLIND writer. I’m pretty sure my cover art wouldn’t appeal to most except maybe my fellow Blindy’s. Some cover artist charge an arm and a leg… literally. This really is a problem for newborn Indie authors. Most aren’t going to have $500 or more to fork out on cover design. Have no fear newbie’s there are cover artist that cater to new independent authors and no what it’s like to be just starting out. I personally found an amazing cover artist and for my particular cover am being charged $100. Of course not all of her covers are that price. Nevertheless, she doesn’t have any covers that are outrageous at all. They look just as good if not better then the high priced designs and the customer service is phenomenal.
Marketing: Many companies promise that if you hire them you will be a best selling author. I have one word for those companies… HA! No one can predict or manipulate book sales to make you the next James Patterson or Stephanie Meyer. In my personal opinion, the best thing you can do is WORK WORK WORK! This means be the King or Queen of social media. Network daily. Utilize Good Reads and other book related sites. Get as many of your friends to tell their friends. Have book marks made and pass them out to local book stores and libraries. Know who your target audience is and reach that target. Do contests on your site or blog with your book as the prize. Once sales start rolling in do book signings. Find a way to connect with your readers and build a relationship with them.
Getting a store to purchase your book on face value alone is tricky. Many are put off by a self published book. In the past, they didn’t look quite as professional as they do now. Some will give your title a chance but prefer to do so on a consignment basis. This means they sell your book and then they get a cut and give you a cut. They don’t give you any money up front. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It is possible that once their customers realize what a brilliant author you are that they will tell their friends and then you’re golden. The store will be happy to do more business with you and you’ve just established another networking relationship that will hopefully last for when your future books are released. Try and make your book look and feel as professional as possible. If it looks like one of the big boys hopefully it will be picked up as many times as the big boys.
Book Description: Many people pick up a book for its cover. From there they flip to the description on the back to see if it’s something they want to read. Make sure your description is perfect. Make sure it’s catchy and doesn’t give too much away. If your description tells all the major events then people will lose interest. If a book description tells them everything it will leave them feeling like they’ve already read it. If that’s how they feel, why would they want to buy it? They’ve learned all they need to know by reading the back. The key is to keep them wanting more. Give them just a taste. Leave them feeling desperate to know what happens.
All of these tips are things I’ve been learning through out my own publishing experience. I’ve done a lot of research and talked to a lot of people to compile this wisdom. Honestly, I’ve probably learned a lot more but this post was getting never ending so I’ll bless you with those pearls another day. I am getting ready to publish my first book Clandestine very soon. It is book one in the Slayer Saga series for young adults. If you haven’t already, please check out the description by clicking the link “Clandestine” to the right under the heading “Pages”.
Stay tuned for future posts where the topics you found here are discussed in more detail. There is also a post coming up next that will teach you to make your own copyright symbol (©) using nothing but your own keyboard. This will make your copyright page look more official and professional.
I hope that you all found something helpful in this post. I also hope that you will decide to sign up to be a follower of this blog and show your support of a newbie author. Please use the share links below to show your friends on Facebook and Twitter this post.
Thanks for dropping by and I hope you come back soon!
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Character Q&A With Emily From Clandestine
Today you will have the pleasure of reading a fascinating interview with the main character of the highly anticipated paranormal fiction novel Clandestine. This will give you a deeper look at the character that you are bound to fall in love with once you read the book after it’s released. She is a multi faceted girl with an intriguing story to tell.
Me: What is your name?
Emily: My name is Emily Jameson, and I’m eighteen years old.
Me: Where do you live?
Emily: I live in a small hole in the wall town called Lakeview. It’s really boring there. Well, it used to be.
Me: When you say, “It used to be”. What do you mean by that?
Emily: It’s hard to explain, but I can tell you a little. Lakeview is a town where everyone knows everyone. They all are pretty friendly for the most part too. I can’t even walk to work without at least three people saying hi to me. But lately, it’s like the town of the dreaded sundown or something No one really talks to anyone anymore. They seem like they’re just goin through the motions or something.
Me: Has anyone else noticed the odd behavior?
Emily: If they have they’re not talking about it. The only one I know of for sure is my best friend Lucy. She has really heightened senses about things because of her disability. Plus, she’s just freakishly intuitive anyway.
Me: What is Lucy’s disability?
Emily: Oh, sorry I forgot to explain. She’s blind. I’m so used to it now I forget other people might not think of it as second nature like I do.
Me: That’s really interesting. What’s it like having a blind person as your best friend?
Emily: She acts like anyone else so it’s not really like anything having a blind friend. It’s honestly no different then having a friend who can see.
Me: So, do you have any theories on what’s going on in Lakeview?
Emily: I don’t know but I’m going to find out.
Me: You seem like a very brave young lady. I bet your parents have influenced that trait about you.
Emily: Who Sam? Yeah right. No, my dad hasn’t influenced me to be anything. We aren’t… close.
Me: Why is that?
Emily: Well, ever since my mom died he’s been in a funk. His drinking is out of control. We’ve never really been all that close but now our relationship is nonexistent. Well, unless you count him telling me when he wants dinner done and how I did the laundry wrong.
Me: I’m sorry to hear about that. And your mom… that must be so hard for you to have lost her at such a young age.
Emily: It’s really hard. I miss her every day but I’M still moving on. She got sick about five years ago and the next thing I knew she was gone. Before she got sick she was totally healthy. It still doesn’t make sense to me. The doctors couldn’t figure it out either. Sam wouldn’t let them do an autopsy though.
Me: Didn’t he want to know what really happened?
Emily: Apparently not. He said that an autopsy wouldn’t bring her back. I get that but it would have at least given us some answers. He’s the one who still can’t let her go but then in the same breath he’s all the past is the past. Now that I’m older, I told him if nothing else it would have let us know if she had some disease that I might be predisposed to inherit. He just told me some nonsense about not letting my future be tainted and then he left.
Me: Wow, it sounds like you do have a lot to figure out. For an eighteen year old you seem to have a good head on your shoulders. I’m sure you will get it all sorted. Do you have plans for your future?
Emily: Right now? I’m trying to figure out what’s taken over my town. For the future? Yeah, I’m getting the heck outta Lakeview as soon as possible.
Me: Hopefully things will get straightened out soon.
***This has been a fictitious interview with Emily Jameson from the paranormal fiction novel Clandestine. This interview as well as the book is written by Nicole Rae. None of the things talked about in this interview are based on true events or people. Anything resembling true events or people is simply a coincidence. NO ONE has the author’s permission to use part or all of this interview for profit. Plagiarism is strictly prohibited! In other words, these are Nicole Rae’s words not yours so don’t steal them. ***
Me: What is your name?
Emily: My name is Emily Jameson, and I’m eighteen years old.
Me: Where do you live?
Emily: I live in a small hole in the wall town called Lakeview. It’s really boring there. Well, it used to be.
Me: When you say, “It used to be”. What do you mean by that?
Emily: It’s hard to explain, but I can tell you a little. Lakeview is a town where everyone knows everyone. They all are pretty friendly for the most part too. I can’t even walk to work without at least three people saying hi to me. But lately, it’s like the town of the dreaded sundown or something No one really talks to anyone anymore. They seem like they’re just goin through the motions or something.
Me: Has anyone else noticed the odd behavior?
Emily: If they have they’re not talking about it. The only one I know of for sure is my best friend Lucy. She has really heightened senses about things because of her disability. Plus, she’s just freakishly intuitive anyway.
Me: What is Lucy’s disability?
Emily: Oh, sorry I forgot to explain. She’s blind. I’m so used to it now I forget other people might not think of it as second nature like I do.
Me: That’s really interesting. What’s it like having a blind person as your best friend?
Emily: She acts like anyone else so it’s not really like anything having a blind friend. It’s honestly no different then having a friend who can see.
Me: So, do you have any theories on what’s going on in Lakeview?
Emily: I don’t know but I’m going to find out.
Me: You seem like a very brave young lady. I bet your parents have influenced that trait about you.
Emily: Who Sam? Yeah right. No, my dad hasn’t influenced me to be anything. We aren’t… close.
Me: Why is that?
Emily: Well, ever since my mom died he’s been in a funk. His drinking is out of control. We’ve never really been all that close but now our relationship is nonexistent. Well, unless you count him telling me when he wants dinner done and how I did the laundry wrong.
Me: I’m sorry to hear about that. And your mom… that must be so hard for you to have lost her at such a young age.
Emily: It’s really hard. I miss her every day but I’M still moving on. She got sick about five years ago and the next thing I knew she was gone. Before she got sick she was totally healthy. It still doesn’t make sense to me. The doctors couldn’t figure it out either. Sam wouldn’t let them do an autopsy though.
Me: Didn’t he want to know what really happened?
Emily: Apparently not. He said that an autopsy wouldn’t bring her back. I get that but it would have at least given us some answers. He’s the one who still can’t let her go but then in the same breath he’s all the past is the past. Now that I’m older, I told him if nothing else it would have let us know if she had some disease that I might be predisposed to inherit. He just told me some nonsense about not letting my future be tainted and then he left.
Me: Wow, it sounds like you do have a lot to figure out. For an eighteen year old you seem to have a good head on your shoulders. I’m sure you will get it all sorted. Do you have plans for your future?
Emily: Right now? I’m trying to figure out what’s taken over my town. For the future? Yeah, I’m getting the heck outta Lakeview as soon as possible.
Me: Hopefully things will get straightened out soon.
***This has been a fictitious interview with Emily Jameson from the paranormal fiction novel Clandestine. This interview as well as the book is written by Nicole Rae. None of the things talked about in this interview are based on true events or people. Anything resembling true events or people is simply a coincidence. NO ONE has the author’s permission to use part or all of this interview for profit. Plagiarism is strictly prohibited! In other words, these are Nicole Rae’s words not yours so don’t steal them. ***
Friday, March 30, 2012
The Princess And The Peanut VS Writing
When you’re a mommy it’s really hard to have a writing routine. Neither job can be mutually exclusive. Nevertheless, both are important. It’s pretty much inevitable that both activities will run together.
I have two beautiful daughters that I will refer to as Princess and Peanut. The main reason for this is because my oldest daughter (Princess) would have a fit if she knew I was talking about her.
Anyway, Princess is ten and Peanut is two. Obviously, Princess goes to school five days a week, so that should make it easier for my writing. However, little Miss Peanut isn’t in school yet so she’s home with me every day. She will be attending Pre-School in the fall and is super siked about it.
Because she is home all the time, she of course demands the majority of my attention. I will say though, she is really good about entertaining herself for a bit if Mommy needs to get some work done. Now don’t get me wrong, there are interruptions… Lord there are interruptions.
I am sometimes in the middle of an intense plot point of a book I’m working on when Peanut decides she wants to take my order. This usually means I need to stop what I’m doing and tell her I want a milkshake and a carrot, or some other random combination I come up with at the time. Peanut will then rush to her pretend kitchen to fill my order. When she returns she has my delectable treat presented on a sparkling tray. Now by treat I mean Legos that she calls my food and drink. By sparkling tray, I mean one of her hard cover story books which do sparkle thanks to the glossy cover.
I then have to pretend to consume her creations and give her a rave review at which time I hand her my pretend money. After that, she takes my finished items back to her pretend kitchen and does the dishes. She’s really quite an efficient little thing isn’t she?
PS… If you ever play this game with her don’t ask her for change when you pay her. That’s where she scams ya.
Needless to say this some times makes for a non-eventful work day. For the most part I’m fine with it. I have learned to schedule my work stints in conjunction with naps, movie time or after both Princess and Peanut are tucked in at the end of the day. The only problem is sometimes you can’t schedule when an idea will take form. In order to let the creative juices flow and get the thought out, I will make a note of it on my computer or on my IPhone. For all of you sighted mommies, you can substitute computer for pen and paper if that’s more convenient.
Someday Miss Peanut will be in school full time and I’ll be able to have a normal work day with my writing. I am excited for those days but will miss my Lego and story book treats dearly. Yes writing is important and my future but it is only a piece. It’s easy to get wrapped up in writing your next book but always remember to cherish your little Peanut. They are only little once.
Please sign up to be a follower of this blog. If you do, you will get an Email message delivered to your Inbox letting you know when I’ve posted something new. If you are reading this and you are a Mommy and a Writer, leave a comment on this post. What’s your writing routine? Do you have a schedule too?
I have two beautiful daughters that I will refer to as Princess and Peanut. The main reason for this is because my oldest daughter (Princess) would have a fit if she knew I was talking about her.
Anyway, Princess is ten and Peanut is two. Obviously, Princess goes to school five days a week, so that should make it easier for my writing. However, little Miss Peanut isn’t in school yet so she’s home with me every day. She will be attending Pre-School in the fall and is super siked about it.
Because she is home all the time, she of course demands the majority of my attention. I will say though, she is really good about entertaining herself for a bit if Mommy needs to get some work done. Now don’t get me wrong, there are interruptions… Lord there are interruptions.
I am sometimes in the middle of an intense plot point of a book I’m working on when Peanut decides she wants to take my order. This usually means I need to stop what I’m doing and tell her I want a milkshake and a carrot, or some other random combination I come up with at the time. Peanut will then rush to her pretend kitchen to fill my order. When she returns she has my delectable treat presented on a sparkling tray. Now by treat I mean Legos that she calls my food and drink. By sparkling tray, I mean one of her hard cover story books which do sparkle thanks to the glossy cover.
I then have to pretend to consume her creations and give her a rave review at which time I hand her my pretend money. After that, she takes my finished items back to her pretend kitchen and does the dishes. She’s really quite an efficient little thing isn’t she?
PS… If you ever play this game with her don’t ask her for change when you pay her. That’s where she scams ya.
Needless to say this some times makes for a non-eventful work day. For the most part I’m fine with it. I have learned to schedule my work stints in conjunction with naps, movie time or after both Princess and Peanut are tucked in at the end of the day. The only problem is sometimes you can’t schedule when an idea will take form. In order to let the creative juices flow and get the thought out, I will make a note of it on my computer or on my IPhone. For all of you sighted mommies, you can substitute computer for pen and paper if that’s more convenient.
Someday Miss Peanut will be in school full time and I’ll be able to have a normal work day with my writing. I am excited for those days but will miss my Lego and story book treats dearly. Yes writing is important and my future but it is only a piece. It’s easy to get wrapped up in writing your next book but always remember to cherish your little Peanut. They are only little once.
Please sign up to be a follower of this blog. If you do, you will get an Email message delivered to your Inbox letting you know when I’ve posted something new. If you are reading this and you are a Mommy and a Writer, leave a comment on this post. What’s your writing routine? Do you have a schedule too?
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
If You Like To Write... Then Write
When you are a writer the most important part is of course… writing. You can’t be a writer if you don’t write regularly. They say to write everyday but for some this just isn’t possible. Life tends to get in the way. My only suggestion to those writers is to do it as often as you possibly can without giving yourself carpal tunnel and or arthritis.
When I was in High School, an amazing teacher named Mr. Fogus told us to write continuously without stopping for fifteen minutes. We were aloud to write anything we wanted and it wasn’t required to make sense. He said even if you have to jump from topic to topic it doesn’t matter just write.
I have to say Mr. Fogus was one of my favorite teachers. The other was Mrs. McIntyre. Ironically enough they were both English teachers.
So I did the assignment and was really excited about it. I loved anything to do with writing especially when I got to purge my creativity in any way my mind struck me. It really is the greatest and I recommend it for anyone experiencing writers block. Anyway, he set his timer and we all got started. At the end of the fifteen minutes I had written almost a complete story.
Side note: I didn’t do that every time. Sometimes my paper was a jumble of thoughts that made little to no sense.
It was a story about a family of lawn gnomes that were trying to live a normal life in the regular world. The main conflict was that a cranky old man obsessed with his yard kept stealing their son to decorate his garden. At night they would have to sneak through a hole in the fence and past the cranky old man’s yippy Pomeranian to retrieve their son. By the end of the story they worked out a deal with the cranky old man and they got to live in his garden. He promised them that if they stayed in perfect position when ever he had visitors he would keep them painted and polished. Once they had agreed the cranky old man wasn’t so cranky anymore.
Yeah I know totally silly story but I was a lot younger when I wrote it. Not to mention, people clearly like stories involving lawn gnomes look at the movie Gnomeo & Juliet that was really popular. So there!
The main point of this post is that if you love to write then write all the time. It doesn’t matter if it makes sense. Just get all of your thoughts down on the paper. Afterward, you can examine the material and who knows? It’s possible that you have a workable story or maybe even fragments for multiple stories.
If you’ve done that and still don’t know what to write then just write what you know. Starting to a topic you are familiar with is easy. You can base a character on yourself or someone you know and fill in the blanks with experiences you’ve gone through. Anyone’s life is interesting enough to want to read if it’s written well.
PS… The cover to Clandestine is coming along good. I am using a company called Dream Scape covers. The artist is super nice and does awsome work. I'm excited to see what people think of the cover when it's done. I will post it on the site when the artist is finished. I’ve also decided to tweak the ending a little bit and I’m working with someone to do a final round of editing before it’s released. As it gets nearer and nearer to being finished I can’t hardly stand it. I am so excited and I hope everyone loves the story as much as I loved writing it. That being said I hope that all of you reading this will subscribe to this site. You can do so by going under the heading followers and clicking the link. Signing up is easy and only takes a second. If you’re on Twitter you can follow me there too and get updates about the book and normal life ramblings.
When I was in High School, an amazing teacher named Mr. Fogus told us to write continuously without stopping for fifteen minutes. We were aloud to write anything we wanted and it wasn’t required to make sense. He said even if you have to jump from topic to topic it doesn’t matter just write.
I have to say Mr. Fogus was one of my favorite teachers. The other was Mrs. McIntyre. Ironically enough they were both English teachers.
So I did the assignment and was really excited about it. I loved anything to do with writing especially when I got to purge my creativity in any way my mind struck me. It really is the greatest and I recommend it for anyone experiencing writers block. Anyway, he set his timer and we all got started. At the end of the fifteen minutes I had written almost a complete story.
Side note: I didn’t do that every time. Sometimes my paper was a jumble of thoughts that made little to no sense.
It was a story about a family of lawn gnomes that were trying to live a normal life in the regular world. The main conflict was that a cranky old man obsessed with his yard kept stealing their son to decorate his garden. At night they would have to sneak through a hole in the fence and past the cranky old man’s yippy Pomeranian to retrieve their son. By the end of the story they worked out a deal with the cranky old man and they got to live in his garden. He promised them that if they stayed in perfect position when ever he had visitors he would keep them painted and polished. Once they had agreed the cranky old man wasn’t so cranky anymore.
Yeah I know totally silly story but I was a lot younger when I wrote it. Not to mention, people clearly like stories involving lawn gnomes look at the movie Gnomeo & Juliet that was really popular. So there!
The main point of this post is that if you love to write then write all the time. It doesn’t matter if it makes sense. Just get all of your thoughts down on the paper. Afterward, you can examine the material and who knows? It’s possible that you have a workable story or maybe even fragments for multiple stories.
If you’ve done that and still don’t know what to write then just write what you know. Starting to a topic you are familiar with is easy. You can base a character on yourself or someone you know and fill in the blanks with experiences you’ve gone through. Anyone’s life is interesting enough to want to read if it’s written well.
PS… The cover to Clandestine is coming along good. I am using a company called Dream Scape covers. The artist is super nice and does awsome work. I'm excited to see what people think of the cover when it's done. I will post it on the site when the artist is finished. I’ve also decided to tweak the ending a little bit and I’m working with someone to do a final round of editing before it’s released. As it gets nearer and nearer to being finished I can’t hardly stand it. I am so excited and I hope everyone loves the story as much as I loved writing it. That being said I hope that all of you reading this will subscribe to this site. You can do so by going under the heading followers and clicking the link. Signing up is easy and only takes a second. If you’re on Twitter you can follow me there too and get updates about the book and normal life ramblings.
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
A Little About Me and A Little About Book News
I am a twenty-eight year old mommy. I have two daughters that are ten and three. They are a hand full but I wouldn't have it any other way. They are my life and without them I wouldn't be me.
I am blind. I have Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP), COATS disease, Glaucoma and Nystagmous. I wasn't born blind but I've always been legally blind. When I was a kid I could get around without the use of a cane and could do everything other kids did back then. I have only been like a bat for about ten years or so. I have another blog and it's main topic is the brighter side to blindness. It has funny stories of times in my life that I promise you are all true. It also has educational information and videos about Blind People Doing Big Things. You can find it on my profile or at http://www.playingtheblindcard.blogspot.com
I am pretty sure that I have chosen a cover designer for my book Clandestine. I never thought in a million years I'd be able to afford a designer for my first book but here we are. She is more than affordable and from what my friends say does fantastic work. I am so excited to see what she does with Clandestine's cover! Right now we are just bouncing ideas around but I hope to have plans finalized soon:)
I am using Create Space and Smash Words to publish my book in both Print and Ebook formats. I really want to publish it in audio for my blindy following from my other blog Playing The Blind Card but holy crap is that expensive! The cheapest I've found is still over TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS!!! If this book takes off like I hope it does I will look into audio options but for now there's no way I can afford it.
When you are reading a book do you ever analyze the style and development and think wow! I am currently reading the Immortal Instruments series again. I am so in love with the language of the books. It might be a young adult series but I know several adults who get just as much enjoyment out of it.
I'm excited about this new blog and hope after reading the this post you will deside to subscribe. Don't forget to click on the "Clandestine" link to read a little description about the book. I plan to upload the first chapter soon so keep an eye out!
I am blind. I have Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP), COATS disease, Glaucoma and Nystagmous. I wasn't born blind but I've always been legally blind. When I was a kid I could get around without the use of a cane and could do everything other kids did back then. I have only been like a bat for about ten years or so. I have another blog and it's main topic is the brighter side to blindness. It has funny stories of times in my life that I promise you are all true. It also has educational information and videos about Blind People Doing Big Things. You can find it on my profile or at http://www.playingtheblindcard.blogspot.com
I am pretty sure that I have chosen a cover designer for my book Clandestine. I never thought in a million years I'd be able to afford a designer for my first book but here we are. She is more than affordable and from what my friends say does fantastic work. I am so excited to see what she does with Clandestine's cover! Right now we are just bouncing ideas around but I hope to have plans finalized soon:)
I am using Create Space and Smash Words to publish my book in both Print and Ebook formats. I really want to publish it in audio for my blindy following from my other blog Playing The Blind Card but holy crap is that expensive! The cheapest I've found is still over TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS!!! If this book takes off like I hope it does I will look into audio options but for now there's no way I can afford it.
When you are reading a book do you ever analyze the style and development and think wow! I am currently reading the Immortal Instruments series again. I am so in love with the language of the books. It might be a young adult series but I know several adults who get just as much enjoyment out of it.
I'm excited about this new blog and hope after reading the this post you will deside to subscribe. Don't forget to click on the "Clandestine" link to read a little description about the book. I plan to upload the first chapter soon so keep an eye out!
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