Category Archives: On Writing

August 4, 2014 · 7:34 pm

A Dragon Dream Come True…Cover Reveal!

When I was about 14, my brother gave me a copy of The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley for my birthday.  It was my first foray into fantasy novels, and the beginning of an incredible stage of my life.  I absolutely fell in love with the genre, and for many years would read almost nothing else.  There have been other genre addictions (historical fiction, chick lit, and that time where if it didn’t say “Stephen King” on the cover I wouldn’t touch it), but fantasy has got to be the longest running and most influential one for me.

Shortly after my addiction started, I decided I would write a fantasy novel.  I had always loved to write and had notebooks full of poetry, so this wasn’t so much of a stretch…except that I hadn’t written anything of that length before and really had no idea how to go about it.  I wrote the first chapter, and there my dream died for many many years.

Earlier this year I decided to revive that old dream.  I have long since lost that first chapter, which might be a good thing because I’m sure it’s terrible.  The story has evolved quite a bit, but nevertheless I am thrilled to be releasing The Wanderer’s Guide to Dragon Keeping at the end of this month!  Be sure to visit my Facebook page to pre-order!

Now here’s a special treat for my fantastic followers:  COVER REVEAL!

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Welcome to The Wanderer’s Guide to Dragon Keeping. You no doubt have stumbled upon this book due to a great need, whether realized or otherwise. You are a very select individual, placed in a very exclusive position of responsibility. Dragon keeping is not for the faint of heart.

 

Aubrey Goodknight is alone. Orphaned at a young age, she long ago stopped believing in the fantasies and mythical creatures she had so loved as a child. When she’s diagnosed with breast cancer, she’s certain things couldn’t be more desolate. That is, until she stumbles across The Wanderer’s Guide to Dragon Keeping, which changes her life completely. Raising a baby dragon in a modern, non-magical world isn’t a challenge she’s sure she’s up to. Now, Aubrey must learn that seeing isn’t always believing, but believing can be the most powerful kind of magic.

 

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July 28, 2014 · 8:19 pm

A Special Reward for my Followers

I want to thank my wonderful fabulous followers with a very special present:  you are the very first to know about my new release at the end of August!  The Wanderer’s Guide to Dragon Keeping is set to come out August 31st.  I can’t tell you how excited I am about it…well, actually, I’ll be doing just that in an upcoming post, because this book really means a lot to me.

Here’s what you need to know with this exclusive insider information:

-Throughout August, I’ll have oodles of dragon and fantasy posts on my Facebook page, as well as a giveaway!

-Also on Facebook, I will have the ultimate pre-sale!  You can order AUTOGRAPHED paperback copies of The Wanderer’s Guide directly from the Product tab on my page, before they are available on Amazon!  (And because I love you, the autographs are free!)  Stay tuned for more details!

Coming up next:  cover reveal!

Old open book with magic light and falling stars on wooden table

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The Most Interesting Reader in the World…

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July 14, 2014 · 8:12 pm
July 7, 2014 · 7:06 pm

Signs You’re Addicted to Blogging

Even though I’ve always loved to write, it’s been a little over a year since I started blogging.  It’s been an interesting roller coaster of writerly emotions so far.  You know, you start out, get your page all set up and think “Now what the hell am I going to write about?”  You get a few posts under your belt and realize, “Hey wait a minute.  Is anyone ever actually going to read this shit?”  This is swiftly (you hope) followed by getting your first follower and first “like” on a post and you think, “Holy crap someone actually read my shit!”  It’s all down hill from there folks.  You start hankering for likes and follows like a drunk needs his cheap beer, lurching along and pretending to be a functional part of society.

Are you a blogging addict?  Here are some signs you just might be:

1. You find yourself saying things like, “Wow, that was so fun!  I can’t wait to blog about it!”

2.  You take a college level English composition class, with the thought that it will improve your blogging skills.

3.  You think of a weekend getaway as an opportunity to catch up on your blogging.

4.  Your spouse says things to you like, “You aren’t going to blog about this, are you?”

5.  You take a picture of your adult beverage on girls’ night out so you can blog about it later.  (Addiction is severe if you go ahead and do the blog from your phone.)

2014-02-22 17.20.18Proof of my addiction.

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June 30, 2014 · 8:06 am

Top Tips for Writing

It’s difficult to get all my work done sometimes.  There are so many distractions.  I need to be on my computer a significant part of the day if I’m actually going to have a successful freelancing business, but somehow I find myself outside weeding the garden or playing a rousing round of Go Fish with the kids.  I’m getting a little better at focusing, though, so here are my

TOP  TIPS FOR WRITING

6. Rig up some sort of system that will send you some nasty electric shocks every time you wander off to Facebook.

5. Encourage your spouse to play video games.  Then you won’t feel guilty about not spending time with him/her. Plus he/she will lose track of just how much time you’ve spent on that computer today.

4. Wear a hoodie, so you can put snacks and candy in the pockets.

3.  Wear earbuds.  These will deter people who may try talking to you, as well as drown out the sound of the kids watching the same episode of Phineas and Ferb for the umpteenth time.  Also very effective for pretending you didn’t hear, “Honey, what’s for dinner?”

2.  Get super comfortable.  My dad’s rule when I worked for him as a kid was to always get comfortable first, and I still abide by this.  The more comfortable you are, the less likely you’ll be to get up and run just one more load of laundry.

1.  Get a cat, and make sure it’s on your lap.  This kind of goes along with “get super comfortable”, because when you have a cat on your lap you can’t get up.  That’s the rule.  Really.  Just ask the cat.

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And yes, I was supposed to be writing when I made this.

 

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June 9, 2014 · 10:04 am

Call Me SpongeBob

While I can’t say I was ever a huge fan of the cartoon, I want to be like SpongeBob.  No, I don’t want to live in a pineapple or have a snail for a pet, but I love his attitude about work.

Every day that I went to my former job at a financial office I felt like Squidward.  I had this great creative urge that I was just dying to nurture, but it was often stomped flat by the gray office walls and exhaustive grindstone of the everyday.

Now, I’m doing what I love, and I really do feel like SpongeBob.  “I’m ready!  I’m ready!  To gooooo to work!”

Spongebob_and_gary_by_NiGHTSfanKevin

(Photo Credit)

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April 7, 2014 · 9:31 pm

Jumping off the Cliff

I consider myself a writer first and foremost, but I do have a day job.  A pays-the-bills(ish) job.  A well-crap-the-kids-gotta-have-health-insurance job.  And while in some ways that takes the pressure off of my writing (I’m not going to live in a cardboard box if my latest book doesn’t sell well), there are other pressures that it adds.

For instance, when I’m at work I can’t be blogging.  Torture!  There are so many good blog ideas that go floating through my head when I’m there, and there’s nothing I can do about it.  Okay, okay, so I’m not completely helpless since I can jot them down in my note app on my phone.  But sometimes the gibberish I put in there doesn’t make sense three days later, or even three hours later, and I’m left with the agony of a good idea that’s died.

I’ve considered jumping off the cliff of workdom and seeing if I can fly.  Quitting my job is scary, but trying to build up a side business while working full time, going to school, and raising three kids is freaking insane.  I was thinking about all of this earlier today (at work), and it made me question myself:

Why didn’t I save a nice little chunk of money so I could freelance full time?  Well that one’s easy to answer:  I have kids, therefore I have no money.

What was I thinking buying a brand new car and burying myself under payments?  That one took me a minute, but I realized the car purchase came about six months before I remembered I had dreams once, and that it was time to live them (or at least start to).

Why haven’t I been blogging longer?  I didn’t think I had anything to say.  And right at first, coming up with blog post ideas seemed impossible.  Now that I’ve become more comfortable with it, the floodgates have opened!

Where am I going with all this?  Well, stay tuned.  I can tell you that I’m close enough to the edge of the cliff that my toes are dangling.

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Photo courtesy of papaija2008 on freedigitalphotos.net

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February 20, 2014 · 10:33 pm

5 Strange Movie Terms—Explained!

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February 15, 2014 · 9:36 pm

On Sale this Month!

My Heart in my Hand:  A Collection of Poetry is on sale this month for $.99.  It’s available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Smashwords.  Please help me share the good news!

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