On Author Pages & Being Homesick

I have been weighing the options for a couple weeks now. And after much consideration, I’ve decided that I like venting about all the daily stuff on my Facebook profile too much to get rid of it and got to a solely professional presence. So, I took the time to put up my author page this week. More precisely, I took the time to revamp the page I started a long time ago when I wasn’t sure what to do with the platform.

My reasoning?

Well it is never too early to start thinking about readers. And with the planned release this summer, I need to get the platform working. For all my research, I still feel woefully unprepared to call anything I do for marketing a platform but, I figure it is best to muddle along and let it build and get better as time goes on. So, you’ll find a nice little like box here on the blog that will take you to a page that looks like this. If you want to follow my personal page, feel free to look me up, or drop me a message, I’ll be happy to point you in the right direction. I’m far from my limit on people who can follow me. I can only hope that will be an issue as time goes on but, for now, it’s all good.

In other news? I’m feeling pretty homesick at the moment. Well, homesick for Florida. I’m overdue a visit to the Tampa Bay area. I have family down there that I haven’t seen in years. My grandparents are there along with aunts, uncles, cousins etc. I got to see my grandparents at Christmas when I took my trip to Kentucky but it still wasn’t enough time with them. I’m blessed with an awesome family and some of them just happen to live near one of my favorite places: the beach.

Lately, I’ve been craving some sand, sun, and rum. Hey, even writers need a vacation once in a while. Somehow my Coconilla Dream candles, tanning sessions, and my stepdaughter’s efforts to turn my office into a beach bungalow have only made this craving worse. Of course, I’m feeling pretty good the last few days. That could be because of all the exercise and better food. Maybe its the sixty pounds I’ve lost. I’ve been working hard on multiple fronts after all. And I just got a new haircut which always makes a gal feel good. I associate feeling good with the beach so, I guess it is a logical progression. Who knows what triggers these things, all I know is I want to go and I’m kinda stuck geographically speaking.

So, how do I bring the beach to me? Candles, music, rum, and this nature sounds mirror-lighted-beach scene- thing that is hanging in my office. Tonight, I turned on the Jimmy Buffett, Zac Brown Band, steel drum music, and poured myself a couple glasses of Captain Morgan and Dr. Pepper. I don’t drink often but, tonight it seemed appropriate and now, I’m sufficiently mellow. Though, I realize now, writing this that there is an element of cabin fever to my ramblings. I seriously need to get out more often. And with the hubby working all weekend, I’m looking at two weeks of being housebound with my thoughts. Maybe I’ll write about the beach. That might help, of course, it could just make it worse. I suppose we’ll see.

I’ll be posting a bit of a teaser from the new book for you later today as well so, stay tuned. If you haven’t subscribed yet, make sure you do so you won’t miss it.

Where Do You Get Your Story Ideas?

I’ve been sort of lost in the my office working on several projects for the last few days. The weekend actually gave rise to more work than I thought that it would when last I posted. So, much to my delight, I am a bit ahead of my self-imposed schedule for production. I’m sure that it will be ahead for a while but, inevitably I’ll get off schedule somewhere with a snafu or two in this process.

I did take a break from editing in order to work on some actual composition for Adventure Two of Martius Catalyst. The gears keep turning over there and we’re close to announcing some exciting things about the upcoming adventure. If you’re one of the many who have been following Penny and Maggie on their adventure, let’s just say you’re in for a real treat as we forge full steam ahead.

As a side to that, I’ve also got two new book projects as irons in the fire. Though, I’m thinking that I may test drive one of them as an exclusive series for a select group of beta readers. Maybe more information will be coming across the blog and my facebook page about that in the near future as I get the details ironed out. I’m just full of possibilities lately.

I was recently asked about where I get ideas for stories. It is a classic “ask the writer” question that we all end up addressing at some point. So, I thought that I might answer it in part on this post as it pertains to the upcoming release. That being said, it must be made clear that this is by no means the only method of finding inspiration that I’ve found. And I think that many of us have a difficult time answering that question because we just find the ideas or, in some cases, the ideas find us.

So, how did I come up with the idea for The Secret of the Storm?

Well, I spent a lot of time traveling in my younger days. I know, I’m not exactly old, but, the days of traveling around like a gypsy seem very long ago for me now. I actually miss seeing new places. But, I don’t miss the seemingly endless hours on the bus trying to get from one place to the next. I still wonder how my best friend Amy and I  ever made it through the three hour layover in Los Angeles. The guy selling watches out of his overcoat was more than just a little disturbing for me. In reality, I think that it was more to do with the type of people the bus station attracts because I’m not exactly comfortable even at the one in Longview. But, I digress.

I was in high school when I made my first trip to New England. And I remember seeing some pretty amazing houses. We didn’t have houses like that back home in rural Kentucky. At least there weren’t any in my hometown. The Victorian styling made a lasting impression on me. Houses like the one pictured here.

The history in New England was something that I fell in love with. Touring the places where our nation’s ideals were birthed and where people fought and died for the freedom to be who and what they were was very inspiring. Seeing all of this made me think about the various stages in American History and what people went through. And it struck me that those people, who lived in these beautiful homes were building not just a house but a homestead for their families, something that could be passed on as a legacy for future generations.

In fact, I came upon this picture or artwork later on but, it really got me thinking about the lives of the people who might have once lived there. I started thinking about it and then I gave them names and personalities, interests, and relationships. Then before I knew it, the story was playing out in my head and all I needed to do was put it to the page. The idea was born from the house though and that is why it plays such an important part in my story.

I would be lying if I told you that I wasn’t very anxious about this little venture. I mean every author has to make decisions about what to do with their work. Either you let it sit on a hard drive, and in back up, for years taking a hack at it from time to time and sending it out to Agents and Publishers who may never publish it; or you bite the bullet and give it to the public and hope that those who read it will enjoy it. If you’re really lucky, you’ll hear from some of them and they’ll want to read the next story that comes to you. I suppose we shall see what the reading public has to say about my work.

Whatever the public verdict, I will keep writing because it is what I love to do. It is as much an escape for me as it is work and I think that is what keeps me enthralled with the whole process. And I’m certainly not naive enough to think that my writing is perfect. There is always room for improvement and as long as I am improving and working toward writing better and more then I think I’ll be okay.

Happy Friday! Tidbits of info…

It has been a week of formatting, editing, and even putting together details on another super secret project that I’ll be announcing in the weeks to come. Yes, yours truly has been one busy bee buzzing about my office trying to get a handle on things to prepare for a release of a book.

I’ve done a lot of reading on marketing for Indie-Authors. I’ve also been trying to get back into the habit of using social media more. One of my hurdles to overcome is actually being more social on the internet in a way that helps me connect to my potential readers. So, no time like the present to get that habit started. It is a challenge though. What the heck does a person post that gets people involved on the facebook page or twitter feed? I know that I tend to get into a hermit mode when I’m working on things. Of course, when you don’t get out of the house much either it is difficult to find things to post about that are interesting. But there are people who do so successfully and I suppose it is all a matter of finding tricks.

So, in other news, I’m happy to make an announcement on the title of the book that will be released in the next little while.

The Secret Of The Storm is planned to release before the Summer season rolls around if I can get all the ducks in a row for it. There is no doubt that the manuscript will be ready but I’m concerned about cover formatting and artwork for it as well. There are also some concerns with formatting if for ebook sale as well via kindle and a pdf version. So, I will be updating everyone as I go along in this process.

All in all, I’m excited about this process and look forward to hearing from readers. I’m feeling that this is a stepping stone to bigger things for me as a writer. In this day and age we have to come up with creative ways to get noticed and on the radar for potential readers. I just want to see things take off more. I’m tired of being at a stand still in all of this.

There are so many awesome things going on in my head at the moment. My desk is a complete jumble of notebooks, notes, and all the usual clutter. At some point this weekend, I need to clean in here and try to organize a bit of this so that I can make more precise plans for some of this. And of course, I want to plan a rather informal soiree for the release of the book. I definitely need to get my address book in line for that.

 

For this weekend though, I’m going to relax somewhat and enjoy some time away from the computer and editing. I’ll be making plenty of notes and working on things in my head, but I think that a little time away is going to be a recharge for me. A couple days of watching movies and maybe playing games on my tablet will be good for me.

As Promised… Announcement Time

I promised you all an announcement. Didn’t I? Well I certainly have no plan to disappoint anyone. So, allow me a somewhat rambling post to get to a big point.

There has been a lot of talk in the publishing industry about all the various ways to publish one’s work. That there are multiple sides to the issue is clear enough to anyone who undertakes the effort to look into it. But, it seems that there will always be a clear division on a best avenue for new authors to get themselves established and move forward with a career in print. There are a million different viewpoints and people giving advice on the subject. For months I’ve been looking at the numbers, researching the marketing aspect, and trying to get a more clear picture of what the obstacles to publishing are regardless of how I decide to do it.

In my opinion, it is important to embrace the changing world of publishing. We see fewer brick and mortar stores these days thanks to the economy. The truth is, without those buildings with their staffs of college kids and the occasional avid reader, the need for distribution houses, big publishing houses, and traditional literary agents is creeping out the door. The internet has completely revolutionized this industry making it more accessible for writers to be independent and artistic while readers have an easier time finding them. And it gives the reading population multiple choices in how they should get their information and entertainment. With Print On Demand technologies, you negate the need to print tens of thousands of books at a time, ahead of orders. We can eliminate the need to have bookstores returning unsold books by printing a book when a reader orders it instead.

I don’t think that books will completely cross over to digital formats. However, I admit that, as much as I love to feel the weight of a leather bound volume in my hands, I do greatly enjoy the portability of my Android tablet with its Kindle App. I can change my mind when I please on what to read at any given time. Going on vacation I don’t have to agonize over which of the five books I’m reading at any given time to take with me in order to save space. I can load a library of hundreds on my tablet and have them at my disposal without the hassle of a suitcase just for my reading. However, for yours truly that won’t eliminate the need for a case for my laptop for writing.

So, the big announcement?

Yes, I am taking the leap into self-publishing. I hope that many of you will join me on this journey. It is my way of rolling with the punches of this economy and getting my work into the hands of the people who matter the most to any writer. That means the readers and not some publishing executive looking to make a buck off of my hard work. No, if I’m subjecting myself to scrutiny then I would rather it be the reading public.

These manuscripts certainly aren’t doing me any good sitting on the shelf so, I am in the process of ironing out the details of a production schedule. I’ll be making a release date announcement sometime later in the week. And will be promoting on my facebook and twitter feeds like mad. My goal is to have it all set and ready to go by May 20th. But we’ll see how the formatting process goes.

And yes, I shall be posting teasers over the next few weeks.

Changes On The Horizon…

Life is ever-changing isn’t it?  I know that my life has been a serious journey. I’ve been the nomadic gypsy, the performer, the hermit, and even at times the socialite. If I am honest, there are days when I miss being the socialite. I was never particularly popular but, at least I felt like I had a social life. But that’s not why I am writing this particular night. So let me not digress too far from my intended topic for this post.

Now, many of you may recall that I started a rather long journey to better health just before the holidays. Back when I started this I weighed in at 425lbs which is pretty scary at any age. So, I suppose it is time for a bit of a progress report since I’m trying to hold myself accountable for all of this.

I am nowhere near where I wish I were. However, there has been some progress. My latest weigh in had me at 369 lbs. Which means I’ve lost 56lbs so far. But to give myself a bit of a pat on the back, I did reach the milestone of being able to weigh on a regular scale at home so that is awesome for me.

Yes, that’s me back before I started losing. I don’t look much different at this point. I’m sure this is mainly due to the fact that I still have so far to go. The numbers are starting to reflect the changes that I’m making and that’s a good reward in and of itself. And I am starting to feel better about myself which is a good thing.

In fact, this whole journey has given rise to a lot of issues not just with my physical  health but with regards to my spirituality, my mental state, and how true I have been to myself in the past few years. And I realized that there are a great many things that needed to be addressed in conjunction with this focus on my physical state.

There is a concerted effort going into getting back to my spiritual roots. I’m not giving up on my personal studies and I still think that all religions have their place in the world. But, there comes a point in your studies that you have to decide what is really working for you on a more personal level. I admit that I’d practically stopped meditating. I’m amazed at what just reinstating that practice has done for me thusfar. But there is still more work for me to do. Trying to fit all the things I know I should do into my day is a challenge but, I think if I can somehow get past all this fatigue and get a schedule down, then I could do it.

Good news is that, while I haven’t been able to go to a doctor in several years, the hubby finally gets on permanent next week at the new job. This means that we should have insurance again on both of us in no time. So, I will get to find a doctor and see about getting my horomones checked and see if there is some underlying medical reason for all the weight gain. We’ll just have to see what the doctors say. I know it isn’t going to be an instant fix for all the issues but, it is an important part of this process.

There is more news though. After many delays, and discussions with fellow writers, I’m at a crossroads with the work in progress that I am about to make a decision and announcement on. I have to line up a few pieces of this particular puzzle before I do that though. I don’t want to jump the gun on it but I also don’t want to just let it sit on the shelf either.

Summer is going to see a lot of new things from me including a new online project of a steampunk nature. Maybe even a book out there since I’m seriously considering the route of self-publishing at this point.

So, this journey continues and I’ll keep updating here as things seem to progress. Maybe some pics will show up once I hit the 100 lbs lost mark. I’m getting there so it may be sooner than you think.

Hello Again…

Has it really been this long since I last made a post? Time flies. I swear it does. It seems to me that the days and years just keep getting shorter. Especially since it seemed like it took FOREVER for a holiday to get here when I was a kid. Now, I’m always asking, “Didn’t we just do this?” The only real conclusion I can make on this point is that the universe is somehow conspiring against me to keep me from being as productive as I want to be.

Yep, I know, that’s a real laugh.

Bohemian Bazaar Products

The truth is I have been incredibly busy lately. An overhaul has been in order for Bohemian Bazaar for a while now. Marketing as it was really wasn’t working so, I forced myself to get busy and do the work to get us put onto etsy. I have to say though, having a sister-in-law who is a photographer is an awesome thing. She made my piddly digital pics of the products look great. As you can see.

So for shameless self promotion moment do me a favor and consider buying from us for Mothers Day. We have a wonderful giftbasket special going on right now and will always customize something to fit your needs.

Our Shop is at  Bohemian Bazaar Candles & Gifts http://www.etsy.com/shop/BohemianBazaarCandle

I’ll also be adding some artistic projects to the shop in the coming weeks as they are finished. I’m back in embroidery mode lately and have several projects that I am finishing up to post for sale. I mean, what else am I going to do with them? They will just collect dust around here otherwise.

In other news work continues on two manuscripts and I’m even working on the starting elements for a more immersive story of the steampunk variety. I know that this contradicts much of what my writing profile states but, I think that in the last couple years I’ve had a bit of an epiphany on what I am writing about.

I am not going to tell you that I don’t love good horror stories. I certainly do. Stephen King and Anne Rice will forever be among my favorite authors of all time for that reason. But, working on Martius Catalyst in conjunction with working with an editor on the rewrite of Tempest has been a bit of an eye opening experience for me.

I have enjoyed working on Martius Catalyst more than I can say. The result of which has been my own ideas morphing into something lengthier that I may produce on my own in a similar fashion to that. I’m certainly not inclined to steal the thunder of this original project. I have to admit that writing about Penny’s world both for the project and as a matter of research for the character has given me even more fuel for wanting to bring more oppulence into my writing. Maybe that didn’t make sense with the storyline for Tempest but, I think I want to focus not on the thriller or supernatural elements of the work and instead bring in more romance and elegance.

Since working on Martius Catalyst, I’ve become completely enthralled with steampunk culture. There is that elegance and yet, beyond the aesthetic there is a sense of grand adventure that I think lends more to my personal tastes. And in that culture I am able to weave all of the research that I’ve done for the occult, supernatural, and even bring the romantic in me more to light. In other words, I think I blend much better there naturally than I ever have in the gothic subculture. (Friends always said I was too perky and bubbly for that anyway but I loved the aesthetic for so long because of the Victorian influence that I just went with it.)

That being said, I think I’m going to attempt a revamp my style a bit. My voice is still the same but, I think it is time to branch out and see if I find better reception in another audience pool. I have to say that I feel like I’m spinning my wheels the other way. So, maybe it is time to take on a pen name and delve headfirst into a new genre. It is time for me to pull out the stops and let the imagination run wild for a bit. After all, if you’re not setting a story in reality then you can certainly imagine whatever you want. And alternative history seems to be more my speed.

 

 

In every life…

I would love to tell you that my whole life has been spent diligently working toward one purpose. I wish I could tell you that I had been driven to write fiction my entire life with that as the focus in everything else that I have done in my thirty-three years. I have done many things, some because I wanted to and some out of sheer necessity. But, I have to say that a plethora of experience is part of what drives me to do what I do now.

I’ve always had dreams of an artistic life. My mother will tell you that from a very young age, I was making up stories, doing arts and crafts, and singing (always singing). I’ve always been an odd person. Not odd, as in crazy cat lady odd, but rather eccentric. I grew up loving science fiction television; in particular Star Trek: The Next Generation and The X Files. My bookshelves were lined with not only books related to those series (as was popular amongst the geeks of my day) but also Brittish Literature classics like Charles Dickens, The Bronte Sisters, Mary Shelley, Jane Austen, and Edgar Allan Poe. My mother is fond of telling people about how, unlike most kids, when we made our usual family trip to the local Walmart, if I went missing they rarely ever found me in the toy section. No, my ten dollars was typically spent on notebooks, pens, paper, or some other ephemera for my room. In that regard, I’m not much different today. I still prefer to go to an office supply store than to shop for clothes, though I think I have other reasons for that as well. I think the only real change from finding me in school supplies at WalMart is that I now prefer to go to specialty stores and local shops instead of big chains. Though Hobby Lobby and Michaels are two of my favorite places to spend a Saturday afternoon getting ideas.

I’ve held many jobs. I’ve been an assistant to a health inspector, a “sandwich artist” at a Subway, I’ve worked in call centers, hotels, and done my stent in the malls as a retail worker. We all have to make a living somewhere. I’ve built websites, sang in bands, been the housewife, and now I spend my time between a hundred different things to find what works for me. Writing just happens to be one of those things that is working for me.

Jobs aside, I’ve been through a dozen phases in life. There will always be a place for some elements of those phases but, life seems to take on a bit of a different meaning. There will always be a part of me that longs for the intellectual adventure that I’ve grown accustomed to. I get that through my fiction these days. I’m not exactly the wandering gypsy nomad I was in my twenties. Settled down, married, and wanting a kid of my own makes life’s priorities a little different.

I was all about the theater and music growing up. I performed in musicals, sang at sporting events, and was a part of a county-wide choir program. Then I shifted more to academics and that is when I truly started focusing on writing. With that shift, I started to move from the popular spectrum of tastes into a more gothic culture. While I still enjoy aspects of it, I find that now my tastes gravitate more toward steampunk and neo-victorian culture. I can’t be weighted down by depression angst and the emo-crowd anymore. This does not mean however, that I will ever stop loving good horror movies or fiction. The work of Stephen King, Anne Rice, and Neil Gaiman will forever be among my favorites of all time. But I crave something more refined by its very nature but also adventurous. And I know that steampunk at least gives me the illusion of both when I am ready to partake.

Let’s be honest. Life is dull enough with the mundane necessities of paying bills, dealing with drama, and finding ones self in a hovel of sorts churning out words. There is a need for escape sometimes. And it is only natural to seek out others to escape with.

I feel like recent events are leading me to really take stock of my life and find the things that are important to me. Not my friends, not my family, not my husband, but myself. What do I want in life? What sorts of people do I want to be around? Where is this path I am on taking me? And what can I do to change the circumstances to make it better? All of this may be some sort of process of self-realization or even a reinvention of self. But, I find myself looking ahead with some apprehension as well as excitement to the next chapter of this life.

The Cat In The Box

My cat is crazy. She has been going through this phase of being all cuddly one day and the next she wants to claw your eyes out. If you have a cat, I’m sure you understand. She’s cute but she can make me go through the roof sometimes. And don’t take that to mean I would trade her for anything, I wouldn’t. Tonight was one of the reminders of why I love her so much though.

Meet Mariska

Meet Mariska; a precocious little feline barely over a year old who enjoys satin ribbons, catnip, and the occasional bite of muenster cheese. The most lively member of the Tiner household, Mariska spends her days sunning in the front window of the two bedroom brick duplex when she isn’t running around the house bouncing off walls, furniture, and her family’s heads. Otherise she enjoys daily kneading of her little cat bed that stays perched on a trunk and chasing the occasional treat across the living room. That is to say, she enjoys these things unless her mommy (yours truly) is trying to write.

When I am in the office she is never far behind. I wanted her primarily for the company anyway, so this part is a good thing. But, this little bundle of fur cannot just find a quiet spot in the window or on top of my hutch and stay put. No, she sits in the doorway meowning and cooing until I pay attention to her. Try and pick her up and she goes all ninja-cat. She’ll immediately try to bolt from my grasp or, if I am able to pick her up, she will start to wrap her paws around my arm and gnaw on my hand. Obviously, in her world, I’m supposed to ignore her demands and leave her be or pick up her ribbon and play. But, the meowing becomes more than just a little distracting. Of course, when she finally does calm down it tends to look something like the following picture.

Mariska’s I’m Content In The Office With Mommy Pose

Let’s forget that she has a little bed on top of the hutch and a leather wingback chair to lounge in. Nope, she has to be right between me and the keyboard.

Then again, some nights (like tonight) she has me laughing so hard I could honestly fall off my chair.

Once again she was twirling around my feet, trilling, meowing, and her usual “pick me up”  signals. Lately, she has been rather cuddly. But when I pick her up she gives me the “kitteh hug of doom” in which her paws go around my hand and wrist, she starts gnawing on my hand and then rabbit kicks ensue with the back feet. Now, usually, I just ignore this until she decides to let go. Eventually, enough is enough and it was time to put a stop to her scratching my arms until they’re covered in minor scratches and whelps. Seriously, my hands and arms often look like I’ve been in a briar bush because of Mariska.

Our preferred method of correction is that hot pink thing in the background. It is a spray bottle with some distilled water. Typically a squirt with that will, at least temporarily, stop her from doing whatever she is at that moment. Tonight, I didn’t even get to pull the trigger on the bottle before she was reared back, paws up, and hissing and batting at it like she could really hurt it. A few swats at it and I was laughing at her so hard I had to let her jump down.

Sometimes she is just too much and today was one of those days. In addition to her battle with the squirt bottle she also has developed a fascination with a rather small box and managed to get stuck inside the loveseat. Cats find the smallest openings and then squirm into them. I now understand the cat being stuck in the tree. Once they get there, you’re supposed to get them out of trouble.

Oh to live the life of a housecat. Yes, my cat is crazy. Isn’t everyone’s?

Truth is, I’d be lonely without Mariska. Writing is a fairly solitary thing to do. Sitting in my office day in and day out, tapping away on the keyboard, she’s usually a welcome distraction. And yes, I certainly run the risk of becoming the crazy cat lady at some point in the future. I must confess to having a certain soft spot for dogs as well though. Life wouldn’t be the same without the animals in my life. Sometimes, I think they keep me sane.

My Absence Is Not A Mark of Laziness, I swear….

For those of you reading who have not friended me on Facebook; you’re probably wondering where the heck I’ve been for the better part of three weeks. So, consider this post an update on the state of things in my neck of the woods.

Writing time, on the novels anyway, has been fairly lax lately since I’ve had to step up and really take on more duties cleaning than what we typically do in a week. The reason for this is simple. Back in November, my hubby contracted some sort of infection. Because of this, we’ve been in and out of doctors trying to cure the issue and he ended up being on disability because of it at the end of December when they finally ran cultures and found out it was Staph. So, he’s been at home dealing with this. We’ve had to sterilize everything possible and keep it as sterile as possible. Considering that he’s taking at least two showers a day right now there’s the sanitation that goes with that and then the laundry.

Laundry Basket

I have done approximately thirty-two (32, count em) loads of laundry in the last two weeks. Add a few more to that number by the end of today, as well. It is like working in a laundry facility right now. But, it has to be done if we want him to get better. So, I do it.

The writing I have been doing is having more to do with the classes that will be starting in March for me. Tomorrow night I’m doing a registration event for my first session of a course designed to help people build a working spiritual practice with their individual needs in mind. I am hoping that it will prove useful to some who would like to lead a more spiritual life. It is also in the works to offer an online version of the course in the coming months.

In addition to this starting in March I’m going to be giving a few lectures on the research that I’ve been doing for the last twelve years into the paranormal. I’ve planned a lecture on Electronic Voice Phenomena, one of field ettiquette for the professional investigator, and another on electromagnetic fields. There are other ideas for different topics but, I will remain open to suggestions from readers. Feel free to leave it in the comments or to email me with your ideas and I may even do a blog post about the ideas presented and attempt to answer your questions. I feel it is imperative to give those who would come to hear me speak something that they are interested in hearing. Since I can’t exactly take an accurate survey of those people until I get the ball rolling with these lecture events, I’ll choose to use an open forum like this to garner some insights.

In the meantime I have a host of things I would love to turn into blogs in order to let you look into my world a bit. And I might even start a small video-blog to post from time to time. I have to admit that I spent some time today watching an interview with one of my writing “idols” Anne Rice. I am looking very much forward to getting her latest release The Wolf Gift and being able to sit down with it. It is one of many books that I am hoping to add to my library this year. Hearing Anne speak at length about her work and some of the pitfalls that writers face with regards to their work being interpreted into film was really quite an eye-opener for me. And the news about film rights being bought for Tale of the Body Theif was excellent news to me.

I pray that they don’t botch it like they did with Queen of the Damned. While I enjoyed the acting on the part of Stuart Townsend and Aliyah, I was appalled by the major misinterpretations of not only key characters in the story but in the serious lack of attention to Anne’s original storyline. I am glad however, that it has not deterred her from allowing additional films to be made from what, in my honest opinion, are some of the best vampire fictions written thusfar.

But, more about Anne and the inspiration that I draw from her work and her work ethic in another post. For now, I feel it is time to get back to the business of plotting fiction.

Then Again…

Sometimes, it just clicks. Doesn’t it?

A funny thing happened to me the other day. When I finished posting that quasi-rant about platforms, I checked the stats on my dashboard only to see everything near the bottom of the board. That was exactly what I expected because, to be honest, I haven’t exactly posted much since the holidays. (You can chock that one up to all the drama that life has thrown my way recently.) To my surprise, after it posted, I realized that this little corner of the web has over 200 followers.

Now, that may seem like a small number to my other blogosphere cohorts. It is a milestone for me though. Considering that I’ve not really put the blog out there on major blog boards or advertised in any other capacity than my Twitter feed and Facebook, climbing upwards of 250 is a momentous occasion for me.

Seriously, advertising on my Facebook isn’t saying much. My mother has more on her friends list than I do. I think it is because I spend more time in the writing cave than I do out in public thus, my life is pretty boring. But, with things looking up all around, I’m hoping to change that in the next few months. Between classes starting in March, the anticipation of taking part in writer’s groups here locally, and more work with Luminus Veritas, I’m pretty sure life is going to get fairly busy for yours truly.

Artist Unknown

Somewhere along the way, something just clicked. I don’t know about other writers out there but, for me, knowing people are reading what I’m writing is a huge motivator. It makes me want to hunker down in my little cave here and work like a little worker bee to produce more word count, edit, and keep posting here. What kills me about this all is that this blog is really just about my life. It isn’t some how-to writing blog or commentary on political and social news. It is very simply about my life, what I’m thinking, my opinions, the people in my life, and all the nonsense that everyone has going on.

I have to remind myself that all the writers and celebrities that I read or follow online started in much the same way I am. They are all just people. While the rest of the world gets starstruck by them, I’m the type that just wants to get to know them through their blogs and tweets. Maybe, somewhere amidst all of this social networking mumbo jumbo there is a glimmer of truth in how their mind works or the secret formula for their well-earned success. Maybe someday some aspiring author will be reading this with that very thing in mind. That is, of course, if I ever get that success going for myself.