So, I had decided to take some time off, sort of speak for the month of November to rethink a few things, make some outlines, make a few lists and just a general plan for the next few months now that I’m not in the safe, cozy and familiar isolation that was my solitude.
I think it would be tactful to go without mentioning though that the break was much needed in the sense that I was sort of grappling with that reoccurring feeling of being spun around in this uncreative void. This break was not only on my blog, but it was also on all of my social media platforms, and it even included a slight step back from interacting with a few of my friends on occasion because I felt so incredibly and embarrassingly lazy.
So, I’ve moved a lot in the past six and a half years, but none of those experiences were enough to prepare me for last month’s move. 😐 Not only did I have to pack and split up all of my stuff for two different destinations (and make multiple trips over the course of three days). Not to mention settling in with a new dog whose internal setting seems to be permanently notched at crazy and wild. Whatsmore, following the move, I unfortunately was put in a position where I simply didn’t have the space or time to sit down and enjoy the books I put aside and planned to read for August.
I was so stressed and upset that I didn’t have time to read that when I was finally able to sit down and dive into the stack my stack of books, I found that I really only wanted to immediately get started with certain ones. It was in that moment that I realized it was time to stop doing the #2016TBRpile reading challenge and the #2016audiobookchallenge. While I enjoyed finally getting to that large stack of books that have been just sitting on my shelf, not all of the books were making me particularly giddy or excited to get through them.
Not like the books I’ve read for the tours I’ve been apart of or the books authors have actually reached out to me with and asked for a review. And reading should be fun. It is fun! Reading the material and books that only I want to was the main reason I began book blogging in the first place and I’d like to get back to that feeling of excitement and thrill of sharing great stories and authors with all you lovely people ^–^.
Of the books I’ve read/started that I’ve enjoyed and had so much fun getting into in August were:
True Colors Of Betrayal by: JC Kang ( Book #3 of Daughter of The Dragon Throne) Even though I’m only over the half way mark with it, I think this might be my favorite of the series. It’s soo good.
Just to name a few. I’ve also read a few kids books with my cousin now that school has started back up, but I don’t really think that they count for this particular list. 🙂
All in all, Willow and I are finally feeling more settled and I’m already starting to feel like my natural, reader self ^__^ Let the wave of book reviews commence!
Thanks so much for reading and sticking around with me.
Did the post title grab your attention?? Good. ^__^ So this is just a quick update post. There will be a massive amount of reviews going live in the next few weeks, due to a backlog of notes that took a while to type up. Also because of a few book promos scheduled for this month on top of a few things that will keep me away from my computer for a little while.
Like the Penny & Sparrow concert I’m going to this Friday at World Café!! 🙂 I AM SO EXCITED FOR THIS SHOW, GUYS. Just a few words aren’t enough to convey how ecstatic I am about this show. I absolutely love them <3. I’ll be sure to post pictures on me instagram for everyone to see, so if you aren’t following me yet, I suggest you hop to it 😀
Back to the topic at hand, since my birthday is at the beginning of May, I will try to have my Reading Challenge update post up as soon as possible, but since I’m not sure if I will be surprised with anything by the fam, I can’t say that anything is set in stone.
I also wanted to mention that a few days ago, inspiration struck for a new mini-flash fiction series (YAY!) and I’ve been inspired to write new material for my Protectorseries as well (DOUBLE YAY!).
Unlike the Protector series, this new one is a five-part serial drama titled, Balloons with a handful (4-5) main characters who will be between the ages of 7-13 years old. I plan on using Medium for this series as well but I might switch it up and have parts of them posted here as well. At the moment, I’m still just working on the story structure.
Balloons will have bits of a few different genres, paranormal, thriller, comedy and drama, so stay tuned guys and stay classy. ^__^
P.S. If you haven’t done so already, be sure to check out my latest review post for That Thing Between Eli & Gwen. It was such a great book :-).
I Don’t Feel Like Writing Because… (A Writers Write Prompt)
Because I don’t want you to see me fumble for my words when I (try to) describe something I love or find totally and completely awesome and I just want you to fall in love as much as I have.
Because no matter how many times I practice it, memorize it or look it up, I will always spell the word “*insert any word ever* “ wrong.
Because I have a love/hate relationship with commas, the listing comma in particular, but I think anyone could understand that.
Because for some odd reason my brain always likes to randomly include “Subsequently” in every other paragraph I write when discussing something, even though it never fits.
Because as much as I love/know about writing, story and characters, there are a million and one things I still want and need to learn, so I don’t often want to drudge on and on with my opinion when I could be spending my time learning something new. (Might be the worst one)
Because I prefer to hand-write my thoughts before typing them up—this prompt not excluded—but when your notes are three pages long (front and back) well…
Because 99% of writing is intimate, regardless of what I am writing, these words are an extension of my mind, my thoughts, my perspective, my opinions, and me. What if someone doesn’t like what I have to say? What if they find my short stories and advice naïvely tedious, cumbersome, and subsequently lame?
Because sharing it with anyone has and always will be painstakingly nerve racking, but I am always happy when I do share.
I must admit that I did not imagine getting back to my posts or my Writer Updates would take quite this long. I was unfortunately recovering from an accident back in June and before I knew it I was drowning work projects and just trying to catch up with myself at one point.
Really bummed that I was not able to complete and upload my final Orphan Blackepisode review when it aired I still have my notes however and I will complete that series of reviews. The same goes for my Daredevil reviews. If it weren’t for buffer, I don’t even think my tweets would have stayed so current.
In case you do not remember, I did a post like forever ago about not letting the outside world steal you away from your Writers’ Realm and boy was I not only snatched away, I was deflected; still trying to figure out the direction I should be heading in next.
I’ve been fortunate enough to have quite a few books to throw myself into over the summer and they’ve been great at guiding me towards a new re-charged and motivated mode. So, that’s the reason for the new review addition to the site, also who doesn’t enjoy a good book review or recommendation every once and a while, amiright? 😉
My taste for a good solid book floats all over the board, so expect a wide range in material with the book reviews.
In addition, I have a number of new pieces for myProtector Seriesthat need to be edited and dressed up a bit with specific banners/covers for each story. So, expect to see more of that soon.
As you will see below, I will try to promote & share interesting webisodes, cool music, or pieces of art that I come across for you guys as a bout of inspiration boost. I believe it’s important that we always laugh, love, think, learn and inspire one another in life. And sharing–as they say–is caring ^__^. And I am happy that I’ve been fortunate enough to come across a few good things to share lately 🙂
Last, but certainly not least on my list of updates, is I will be introducing a Character Study portion to my site in late Autumn/ Early Winter. This addition will not be limited to shows and characters in the US only. I intend for it to be worldwide, as to introduce and spread the word about memorable and unique characters and shows that deserve a bit of attention.
This weekend’s promote & share is a Comedy Web Series written by Paul Carganilla, Jared White, & Stephen Young titled Winners.
Short synopsis of the show: It’s a group of ‘artists’ who lived together with their manager in his house trying to make it in Hollywood.
More info can be found on their Facebook page & the show’s website here. If you like it too, then please go and check it out. I’ve watched these episodes a zillion times ^__^.
NOTE: I do not know these people at all, I just enjoy their work and this is strictly an appreciation post from fan.
And, without further ramblings, I give youWinners 🙂
Thanks for reading & Happy Saturday. Until next time,
Just another Writer Update here, which will be brief. I have a number of tasks to get back to but I wanted to post this up date because it is centered on one of the main things I have been struggling with the last two weeks—my scheduled writing hour blocks. Yes, I do have a valid enough reason for the lag in my schedule (birthday weekend +sister’s graduation + Mother’s Day) but I drive a hard bargain when it comes to my writing schedule and to any novice writer who comes across this post I think it is important that you do as well.
The Importance of Boundaries & Space When You Commit to Writing: The Writers’ Realm
On any given day, friends, family and the rest, will demand your time and attention. As they simultaneously disrespect, disregard and dispute with you over the relativity of you (as a writer,) needing to take or have x amount of time to write in silence and be on your own to formulate your thoughts, or enter that special Writers’ Realm space that we writers enter where our styles and stories materialize. And this space, my friends, is important. This space is vital. This space means the world, the universe and the next galaxy over times two. Sounds a bit over the top? Well, it’s not.
“Why?” You Might Ask.
Because, these snippets of time help us writers to better our craft, our voices and our developments as creative, mystical creatures and I do mean mystical creatures. I’m always astonished by how much work I get done when I’m in that writers’ zone at the eleventh hour on a personal piece or an assigned piece that took ten (or so) hours of not-so-good-and-often-really-bad writing before I stumble upon an overflowing stream of creative gold. Like the Writers’ Realm, I am sure the same can be said for other like-minded creative individuals who prosper and evolve when they are able to enter their creative spaces, or Fortresses of Solitude when working.
The reason I bring up the importance of the Writers’ Realm is because I had the misfortune of falling into the toxic, near fatal trap of letting the outside world not only steal me away, but keep me away from my own writer’s realm two weeks ago during my birthday weekend. As a result, it set a portion of my scheduled blog posts off by two weeks, and boy has it had a cumbersome affect.
Closing Thoughts:
I love writing; I always have and the fact that I missed my personal deadlines because I permitted others to steal my writing time is disconcerting. I am quiet literally in the middle of the final week for my Masters program, with a list of (awesome) books to review coming up and a spec script to outline and now I have to add post catch up to that list. It may sound like a lot to try to paddle through, but it retrospect it isn’t, or it wasn’t if I did not lose that time.
Developing an active practice to write everyday has been proven to aid writers to write; like a steady flow of water that trickles down from a mountain side you—hmm, I feel a manifesto coming on, which is my cue to wrap up my ramblings. 🙂 My overall point is, do not let any outside forces take you or keep you from your writer’s realm.
A few new creative updates for you though, a new installment for The Protector Series, Declan is now live and can be found on my Medium profile. And although this flash fiction pieces are episodic, be sure to check out the other two installments, Bella and Carmen as well. In the last two weeks, I have started reading three of my ARCs books, the full list is here, and all three have been off to such an exciting start. I cannot wait to share more with you all after I have finished them. Keep your eyes peeled for book reviews down the road ;-), but until next time, as always:
I am super excited about the next few weeks I just feel like dancing and for so many different reasons. At the top of the list, I will be finishing up with my Masters degree. Following that, I will start working on my first Television spec script while I start work on a few book reviews. I have been fortunate enough to have a few ARC (Advance Reader Copies) copies a few books in the last two weeks:
1) Waiting for the One by L. A. Fiore
2) If I Could Turn Back Time by Beth Harbison
3) Orient by Christopher Bollen
4) Fate’s Crossing (The Black Blood Legacies Series Book 1) by J. R. Smith
5) The Warded Man by Peter V. Brett
It may be crazy to think, but last Saturday, May 9th was my birthday and I kind of feel like these ARCs were gifts from the cosmos because all I asked for this year from my family was to have gift cards to buy non-school related books to added to my book shelf ^__^. Look out summer, this bookworm still lives. Moreover, with The Flash, Jane The Virgin,Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and Revenge (gone for good) coming to an end until the fall, I need more sources of entertainment.
I also have to create a shorter-short list for the show I plan to spec over the summer, (there are just so many -___- ) but the next installment for The Protector Series, Carmen, is now live and available to read here. Much lighter than the first installment, Bella, Carmen tells the story about a college student who catches a few classmates plotting to seek revenge on their college professor and decides to take matters into her own hands. With that being said, I hope you all have been well and that you all are enjoying the re-emerging of the sun (for those in the Northern East cost area).
So until next time, Readers, as always stay creative.
Happy Sunday, Clone Club and happy mother’s day to all the moms out there. I’ll make this brief; it has been a long, long last few days and I do apologize for this week’s regularly scheduled post being delayed. On top of Mother’s Day, today was my uncle’s birthday, yesterday was mine & my brothers’ (we’re twins) as well as my sister’s college graduation from IUP. Most people don’t know about IUP and that’s okay, but know this–it is a long drive. Needless to say, typing up all my notes and getting my thoughts organized have been a bit exigent. On top of this weekend’s events, I also work and have just entered the last month of my MFA Creative Writing program.
Gif thanks to Alwaysthecoolkids from tumblr.
Anyway, this is just a quick writer update, I’ll have much, much more news for you later this week ;-). I also wanted to take a second to say how excited I was when I found out our Orphan Black has been picked up for a fourth season by BBC America! Yes! #Cloneclub members, we can rejoice! ^__^
Gif from BBC America’s Orphan Black’s website.
We’re only on episode four of season three and to learn that we’re definitely getting more from these characters was just so amazing. You can read the official word, released on May 7th, from BBC America here. I have a few hours of sleep to catch up on, but I will have a new, clean, mean, nail biting review post up tomorrow.
I still have my notes however and I will complete that series of reviews. The same goes for my 
G. Jacks Writes (About Everything) 
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