My mom still asks for a gift list. I am 35 years old. I always make one for her though. I know how much they enjoy giving us gifts. (and I do enjoy receiving them too!) I just wish she could give me what I really want this year :)
No one can give it to me. It's something I have to get on my own, but it seems no matter how hard I work, it's just not happening. This year my wish list really only has one thing...the same thing that's been on the list for years: an agent.
I know an agent is not the be all and end all and having one doesn't necessarily guarantee success, but it sure would help.
So what's on your list this year? Is it something someone can physically buy you...or something less tangible?
Where's cousin Eddie when I need him...to go to an agent's house and deliver them to mine with a big red bow wrapped around?
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Friday, December 14, 2012
Tis the season!
Today I'm blogging over at Sandra Sookoo's blog, all about Christmas and one of my favorite things!! Come check it out here, and sign up for an awesome giveaway!!
Monday, December 10, 2012
Posting in the heat of emotion
We all have done it. We've posted something in the heat of the moment, whether it be anger, hurt, sadness...and come to regret it later.
I like to think I've gotten better about it and have been proud of myself for pulling away from the enter key. There have been times I've read a blog post or Facebook comment, Tweets too, and really wanted to speak my mind or defend myself, but didn't because it wasn't worth the fall out that would come after. But sometimes my fingers still operate faster than my brain. I hate when it happens. And there's little you can do to fix it afterward, other than offer an "I'm sorry" and an explanation of not distancing myself before typing away.
I try not to be a hypocrite, but it happens. I think it happens to everyone now and again. And most times without even realizing it. I'm not perfect. I make mistakes. All I can do is learn from them and try to be a better person in the future.
I like to think I've gotten better about it and have been proud of myself for pulling away from the enter key. There have been times I've read a blog post or Facebook comment, Tweets too, and really wanted to speak my mind or defend myself, but didn't because it wasn't worth the fall out that would come after. But sometimes my fingers still operate faster than my brain. I hate when it happens. And there's little you can do to fix it afterward, other than offer an "I'm sorry" and an explanation of not distancing myself before typing away.
I try not to be a hypocrite, but it happens. I think it happens to everyone now and again. And most times without even realizing it. I'm not perfect. I make mistakes. All I can do is learn from them and try to be a better person in the future.
Been so long...I gotta start from the beginning
I think I can finally get back to my work in progress...that is almost finished. And has been "almost finished" since the middle of October.
It's been a busy couple months in my world. And I hate that I have not been able to finish when I'd originally wanted. The plan was to have this baby done by Halloween and completely edited by Thanksgiving. We left for our trip the week after Thanksgiving. I'd wanted to have it done and even sent out on submission before our plane took off. I hate that I did not fulfill that goal.
This book has been really tough to write. I really don't know why. The last one I outlined (a first for me) and it made the process so easy that I wrote the entire first draft in 35 days. It was a good first draft too! So when I prepared to write this new one, I did another extensive outline and went at it. But it just did not flow this time. And I found myself veering from my outline a whole lot more than in the last book. It's been about 3 months and the thing still needs about 15 K to be finished.
But now that I've been away for it for almost a month, I need to go back to the beginning and read it. All of it. To get my head back into the story and actually remember everything that has happened. I'm hoping I fall in love with these characters again and maybe the ending will flow right out of my fingers tips! Wish me luck!
It's been a busy couple months in my world. And I hate that I have not been able to finish when I'd originally wanted. The plan was to have this baby done by Halloween and completely edited by Thanksgiving. We left for our trip the week after Thanksgiving. I'd wanted to have it done and even sent out on submission before our plane took off. I hate that I did not fulfill that goal.
This book has been really tough to write. I really don't know why. The last one I outlined (a first for me) and it made the process so easy that I wrote the entire first draft in 35 days. It was a good first draft too! So when I prepared to write this new one, I did another extensive outline and went at it. But it just did not flow this time. And I found myself veering from my outline a whole lot more than in the last book. It's been about 3 months and the thing still needs about 15 K to be finished.
But now that I've been away for it for almost a month, I need to go back to the beginning and read it. All of it. To get my head back into the story and actually remember everything that has happened. I'm hoping I fall in love with these characters again and maybe the ending will flow right out of my fingers tips! Wish me luck!
Monday, November 26, 2012
Be free to love what you love!
Today I'm over at Sandra Sookoo's blog talking about one of my most beloved places on earth!!! Come check it out!!
Monday, November 5, 2012
At what point do you let go?
Parenthood is a never-ending cycle of not knowing what the absolute right choice is. Ever. Or maybe that's just me. But I struggle almost daily with what the right choices are. Some are easier than others, but some decisions are really hard. And at what point do you have to just step back and let them make their own decisions?
I feel I was very fortunate as a kid. My parents trusted me and trusted I was making the right choices. And I think it was pretty early on...like my senior year of high school when I was only 17. I had goals, I went after them, and they never told me I was doing something stupid. I graduated, went to college, got engaged, graduated, got a job in my field, got married, bought a house. Never once did they say "that's a stupid decision." Even now, as a 35 year-old adult with my own children, they never tell me what to do or that my decisions are wrong. Never once when my kids were babies did they try to tell me how I should take care of them, or how I should parent them.
I hope they know just how thankful I am for the way they've trusted me.
'Cause I see other parents who are parenting their 19-year old child like they are 5 years old. And me and my husband are the bad guys because we believe a 19-year-old "man" should be able to make his own decisions in regards to his education and career.
Doesn't there come a time when you really need to step back and hope the child you raised is smart enough to make the right decisions? And if they do make a mistake, as adults, they need to learn how to be responsible for that mistake and learn and grow and understand what it means to be a mature responsible adult.
I try real hard not to judge other parents....everyone has their own ways. But to me, this just seems like a way to hinder a child/adult's way of learning how to be an adult. And hindering a child's growth and development just seems wrong.
I feel I was very fortunate as a kid. My parents trusted me and trusted I was making the right choices. And I think it was pretty early on...like my senior year of high school when I was only 17. I had goals, I went after them, and they never told me I was doing something stupid. I graduated, went to college, got engaged, graduated, got a job in my field, got married, bought a house. Never once did they say "that's a stupid decision." Even now, as a 35 year-old adult with my own children, they never tell me what to do or that my decisions are wrong. Never once when my kids were babies did they try to tell me how I should take care of them, or how I should parent them.
I hope they know just how thankful I am for the way they've trusted me.
'Cause I see other parents who are parenting their 19-year old child like they are 5 years old. And me and my husband are the bad guys because we believe a 19-year-old "man" should be able to make his own decisions in regards to his education and career.
Doesn't there come a time when you really need to step back and hope the child you raised is smart enough to make the right decisions? And if they do make a mistake, as adults, they need to learn how to be responsible for that mistake and learn and grow and understand what it means to be a mature responsible adult.
I try real hard not to judge other parents....everyone has their own ways. But to me, this just seems like a way to hinder a child/adult's way of learning how to be an adult. And hindering a child's growth and development just seems wrong.
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Face your fears!
I so wanted to do this post as a vlog...but I have no make up on, and no real desire to go do it right about now. I am all snug in my electric blanket! :)
So anyway, yeah...a VLOG! I've wanted to do one for some time, but there was always that fear of the video camera thing. I've never been good talking to a camera. I've only had to do it a few times in my life, and it was always a monotoned mess. I'm sure it looked completely hilarious...but so not the goal.
But then a month ago I signed up to do Pitch Live....which was a pitching event hosted by Brenda Drake. (If you don't know who she is, go to her page NOW! She is so so awesome!!) So she organized this event where you had to record your elevator pitch in 2 minutes or less...post it on youtube and your blog, and the judges picked their favs to move on the the agent round. Yeah...pretty damn nerve-wracking. Only 49 people signed up, and only 38 actually posted videos.
And I was one of them!
So many times after I signed up I thought of chickening out. But I told myself- "This might be your big chance! Don't let it slip away because of fear!"
I did it. I made my corny little video and posted it for the world to see. And it was pretty damn liberating. I faced a fear and did a pretty darn good job. I even made it to the agent round! That was the end for me, no requests, but I took away something almost as good. I conquered a fear. And now I feel like I can do it again...do it better....do other things that are similar.
My advice today is to face your fears...no matter what they are...and just do it. Life is far too short to live in fear.
So anyway, yeah...a VLOG! I've wanted to do one for some time, but there was always that fear of the video camera thing. I've never been good talking to a camera. I've only had to do it a few times in my life, and it was always a monotoned mess. I'm sure it looked completely hilarious...but so not the goal.
But then a month ago I signed up to do Pitch Live....which was a pitching event hosted by Brenda Drake. (If you don't know who she is, go to her page NOW! She is so so awesome!!) So she organized this event where you had to record your elevator pitch in 2 minutes or less...post it on youtube and your blog, and the judges picked their favs to move on the the agent round. Yeah...pretty damn nerve-wracking. Only 49 people signed up, and only 38 actually posted videos.
And I was one of them!
So many times after I signed up I thought of chickening out. But I told myself- "This might be your big chance! Don't let it slip away because of fear!"
I did it. I made my corny little video and posted it for the world to see. And it was pretty damn liberating. I faced a fear and did a pretty darn good job. I even made it to the agent round! That was the end for me, no requests, but I took away something almost as good. I conquered a fear. And now I feel like I can do it again...do it better....do other things that are similar.
My advice today is to face your fears...no matter what they are...and just do it. Life is far too short to live in fear.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
