SNAILING AROUND

July month, has been a very slow blogging month for me so far. I am finding it hard to blog about certain topics this month, because I will only be allowed to talk about them at the end of this month, so stay tuned.

I have been doing a lot of thinking and a little bit of writing. The thinking entails what I am going to do when my contract with my agent expires at the end of this month. We have been together for a almost a full year at the end of this month and nothing to show for it...blah blah blah. The writing is taking me strange places. I am totally taking myself and my main character out of her comfort zone, doing all kinds of things that the good girl shouldn't. It has been a long while since I have been so excited about a book that I am writing.

In a strange way, the closer my contract is to expiring, the more writing I am getting done. That is just so weird. What are you up to?

SEBASTIAN FALLS AND IWSG

I am really happy to have author and fellow blogger, Celeste Holloway from Words Done Write guest posting on my blog today.

Hello, and thanks for saving me a spot on your blog!

If I had to dish on Sebastian Falls, I’d say it pulled me out of the depths. While writing SF, I was smack in the middle of a crisis, and sorrow transformed into productivity. Instead of taking my frustrations out on the world, I poured them into my characters. Now, I’m a true believer in the saying, “Something good always comes out of something bad.” No matter what happens, I’ll always be grateful for the things I don’t understand and how they serve a greater purpose in my life than what is visible.

About Sebastian Falls

A year after her parents’ death, seventeen-year-old, Meadow Parker is close to having a grave of her own.

Beyond her shrink’s false diagnosis of PTSD, there’s no medical reason for her failing health. Only she knows the cause. But if Meadow told the truth—told them what comes for her at night—they’d lock her in a padded cell.

Grasping to help her find closure, Meadow’s best friend, Casey Somner, drags her to the place her parents were obsessed with—the historical landmark that fuels Meadow’s fears and nightmares.

Once Meadow steps foot on the hallowed ground, she has a supernatural encounter that leaves her stricken with terror, but charged with power, fulfilling the legendary prophesy about the coming of The Keeper.

Both the holy and the unholy have waited over a hundred years for a new Keeper to resurface. Like it or not, Meadow’s destiny as Keeper is sealed, and the battle for her soul begins. A sharp double-edged sword, she will either save the world from Armageddon or fast track its annihilation.

You can purchase your copy of Sebastian Falls Here 

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IWSG

Writing has always been my way to vent and to express myself. I might not always have written novels, but I have always been writing in one way or another. I have this strange habit of not writing when I feel sad or upset, which is ironic, as it is the best opportunity to get rid of those unpleasant feelings.  I can definitely not imagine my life without writing. I guess it has become part of me and in some way it defines me.  Yet, whenever I talk about my writing to anyone else, I am shy and I wonder if I should change the subject, before they ask me whether I am any good and whether I am published.  

The Insecure Writers Support Group was created by the wonderful and talented author and blogger, Alex J. Cavanaugh. You guys can visit Alex over at http://alexjcavanaugh.blogspot.com. 

THAT IS WHAT I WANT

I think that there are very few things in life that truly make you feel wonderful and beaming. For me, one of the best experiences...is when you read a book that leaves you feeling inspired, happy and satisfied. Whether you simply enjoyed the story or whether you can relate to the characters, it doesn't matter. What matters is that you truly enjoyed the book so much that it influenced how you felt afterwards.

Well that is exactly what I want to do. I want to write books that touch people's hearts, draws them in, leaves them feeling happy and wanting more. I don't care if I am recognized by the book critics as a great writer or if I win writing awards. All I ever wanted was to share my work and hopefully make people feel as good as other writers and their work has made me feel. I want my work to help other people get through tough times as many great books have helped me. That is why I write.

ANOTHER LIEBSTER BLOG AWARD!

I am so happy and humbled today, as I have received another Liebster Blog Award from the fantastic and awesome Deanie Humphrys-Dunne over at Thoughts and Ideas from Deanie Humphrys-Dunne. Thank you so much!

Now I know that traditionally the award comes with rules and certain obligations. But I have decided only to answer the 11 Questions that were presented to me and to make this award available to any blogger who has not yet had the opportunity to receive a blog award and who has less than 200 followers. 

The Questions
1. What is your favorite outdoor summer activity? 
Summers get hot where I live, so I will have to say sitting outside with a cold drink in my hand.

2. What is your favorite thing to BBQ? 
As a vegetarian my options are limited, but I guess whatever soy products I have in the fridge or even veggies.

3. Do you enjoy camping? If yes, do you tent or do you have a camper? 
I have never been camping, except when I was a baby and that probably doesn't count. But my parents used a big tent when they went camping. 

4. Do you use a push lawn mower or a ride-on tractor?
Neither, the only thing that grows in my garden is weeds.

5. What is your favorite fresh summer vegetable?
It has to be corn. 

6. What is your favorite cold drink? 
Coca Cola

7. What level spf sunscreen do you use most often? 
SPF 30

8. What water sports (if any) do you enjoy?
None. I can't swim, so I avoid large quantities of water. But I will watch other people having fun.

9. What is your favorite ice cream treat?
Ice cream Sundaes with lots of whipped cream.

10. Finish this line: Sunshine, happiness...and love.

11. What is your favorite thing about summer?
Everyone just seems so much happier during summer and the sky is just so clear. 

A FUNERAL, SOME WRITING AND WORK

We went to my aunts funeral today and the whole event was sad—beautiful in its own way, but still sad. I am not going to the second funeral this weekend, as my brother and sister are leaving for the funeral tomorrow morning (because it is about 8 hours away from where we live) and I need to work. There are deadlines at work and my boss didn't even want to give me off for the funeral today, but did so because it was a close relative.

On another note, I find myself smiling a lot these days for no apparent reason. I have all these ideas for my book and I am excited about this idea or concept that I have. It is a love story, but close to the same style of what one would see in a chick flick. It is about a kind of love that is so strong that it will move through time. I am still working things out and trying to make it all make sense and match. I am going to start working on an outline this weekend and hopefully I can bring this story in my head, to life.

Work is not bad, but the people I work with are unbearable. I find myself smiling everywhere, except there. There is just not a whole lot to smile about at work. But hey, I need to earn a living right? I have applied to three different recruitment agencies to help me find a new job, so hopefully in the next few months I will find something new. I am holding out for a new job before I resign, but the other day I almost gave in my resignation after people had been awful to me. I just have to learn to stick things out no matter what. I am not used to this type of environment, but there has to be a reason why I have been exposed to it right? Who knows what is awaiting me in my future.

I am not sad right now or anything. The new book idea has me smiling. What are you up to?

THE THRILL OF IT ALL BLOGFEST ENTRY

Thank you Tara and Heather for hosting this awesome blog hop.

When it comes down to the biggest thrill that I have ever experienced, it still has to be the day that I got an email from my literary agent. I felt something close to butterflies and I felt like everything was going right. But I have to admit that to this day, I get a similar thrill whenever I see that someone has taken the time to leave a comment on my blog or has decided to follow my blog. I have butterflies, I feel humbled and happy to be alive.

GOOD NEWS AND BAD NEWS

The bad news...I am sort of in a weird spot at the moment. Two of my aunts have passed away this week and I need to attend their funerals. One funeral is in town and the other is halfway across the country. I always hate funerals because they are so sad and I never quite know what to say to the grieving family, because at my dad's funeral I hated the very fact that everyone wanted to talk to me, sympathize and hug me. I just wanted to be on my own. Of course my boss already gave me grief when I asked him to go to the one funeral and this morning we found out about my other aunt dying, so now I have to try and get off again. My boss is such an ass!

Good news is...that when I woke up this morning, I woke up with a story in my head. I feel like I have to write it as fast as possible before the urge to not want to write takes over again. I want to make sure I get it written, because I can see the whole story unfold in front of my eyes like it is a movie. Now, this has happened to me before and I had actually managed to finish writing the book. Lately I had started a book and had not finished it. Now, I am writing again and I love the feeling of the writing process, wanting to know more and watching the story unfold before my very eyes.