I set fire to the rain!

Love that song :P


Ok, so I didn't set fire to the rain... It was my kitchen...

I guess I will be doing my kitchen a little sooner than expected.

Friday I managed a nice kitchen fire when I tried to turn my tea kettle on and instead turned the burner under the pan of oil on. I'm out one set of cabinets, a stove hood, a set of curtains, blinds, and a faucet, but no one was hurt... except my pride of course.

My Mom said if I wanted my kitchen redone, I didn't need to go to such extremes. To which I replied, had it been intentional, I would have included the living room carpet so I could finally have the hardwood floors I want. We have been planning a remodel for a while now, and although this isn't the best time for it, I now have very little choice. With NaNoWriMo right around the corner I was hoping, and trying, to get my house super clean so I could devote most of my time to writing, but now it looks like I will be painting.

Yay.

It's times like these that you just have to laugh at yourself and move on.

Moving on now...

No More Bullies!

October is bully prevention month, unfortunately someone forgot to tell the bullies. I found out this morning that my nephew was a victim of bullying recently. Some kid thought he could push my nephew around and humiliate him, but that ended when the kid threw the first punch. My nephew was willing to walk away, until the bully tried to hit him. Now my nephew is suspended for defending himself.

I understand the school has a policy of no fighting, and my nephew was found with the kid in a choke hold, but I still think it's unfair he is being punished for something he tried to walk away from. Whatever the school says, he has his family backing him. I'm proud of him, as is his uncle.

I suffered bullies all through school. I think I may have been a better student if it weren't for the fact that I hated getting up everyday and returning to my own personal hell where I was constantly tormented by kids who hardly even knew me, and it was impossible to say anything about it, because they were the popular kids, the teachers pets, the kids that ruled the school. Even when I tried to fit in, I was ridiculed.

I had the pleasure of talking to one of my bullies after high school, and I asked her why she did what she did. You want to know the answer?

Because I was different, and she didn't understand me.

So here is my plea to help stop bulling. Take that one person you don't understand, and get to know them. Have a conversation with them, ask them what they are passionate about, and who knows, maybe you will find they are not so different from you, that you could be great friends.

Don't leave anyone to sit alone in the corner suffering daily a world that refuses to understand them. Be the hero, and rescue them from the torment of others.

Have you been the victim of bullies or were you a bully? Share in the comments. I would love to hear your story, and how it affects you today.

NaNo take me away...

With book one officially out of my hands, I am now in full outline mode. I have my note cards, my outline templates, and a hoard of outline writing books. Now, where do I start?

Truth is, I never outlined before. I'm a pantser (write by the seat of your pants) and just the thought of having everything pre-thought kinda gives me the willies. I know where the next two books are going, I know what needs to happen, and I know the obstacles my MC will have to face, so why do I need an outline to tell me what I already know?

Because once again I'm going to try NaNoWriMo, and I think this time I may actually succeed if I have a little road map to guide me.

I'm hoping to have my second manuscript done and ready to critique and edit by the time the first one comes back. Should keep me from rocking in a corner going insane from terror of failure. I think it's a writer thing. Insecurities and all that.

I'm hoping to get a writing group together here in Abilene during this Nano season. Hopefully meeting more like minded people will get me out of the house more often and will help with stress I've been feeling the past few months.

If you are joining the NaNo fun, be sure to add me. I'm looking forward to word wars, and write-ins! If you're not a writer you can keep track of my word count on the Counter in the side bar over there ->

Happy NaNo, Y'all!

*Tap tap* Hello?

Hello? Is this thing on?

Surprise, I'm back! If you haven't noticed by my total lack of posts, even missing this months IWSG, I have been super duper busy finishing my last round of revisions, and as of Sunday at 1am I am done.

If you have been keeping up on Facebook, chances are you already know, but for those just joining the class, let me tell you why this is so exciting. First off, I have been writing/revising/learning the craft for over 3 years now, and finally feel I have something to show for it.

Am I 100% positive my writing is all it can be and more? Absolutely not, but that is why this next bit is so freakin amazing.

Last month I won an edit from K.M. Weiland!!!

So now I'm formatting my MS and trying to get the guts up to hit the send button...

Yeah, I'm just a bit nervous o.0 But in the end, I know her advice will help me grow as a writer.

While my MS is off getting shredded  edited, I'll be busy with outlining book 2, coming up with my 5 year plan as a writer, and getting my poor neglected house back in order. Hopefully that will keep me from ripping my hair our in fits of nervousness...