Staying Creative to Beat the Blues

Some of you know that I take a lot of pretty photos, mostly of Oregon seeing as how I live here. A few of them are on @OregonIsGross on Instagram.

Last year, my creativity took a nose dive. I had no direction. I was struggling to publish even one book, let alone work on my other ones. I distracted myself with video games, and then I fell in love with running. At first, running was also a distraction. I needed something to do because my mind was restless. I wasn't being creative anymore, and frankly, I was more than in a "slump."

As I started to run farther, I explored more and more just in my own neighborhood. I started to find trails. I started to look for new places. I started to find beauty in everything. The first creative spark I had in ages was back, and it was because I wanted to jump back into photography.

Staying active helped keep my health up, but I still wasn't all that motivated to go back to sitting in a chair to read or write. It was when my back finally gave out (probably months of running without properly stretching mixed with stress mixed with a terrible snow storm that got me trapped in a car for three hours) that I realized there has to be a balance in life. You can't be active all the time. There's a time and a place for everything.

Since it is winter, and it somehow keeps snowing in Portland, I have hung up the running hat until it warms up a bit. I've started doing yoga, which I can do from the comfort of inside my warm house, and have picked up reading and writing again. Obviously, I'm also back to blogging with a vengeance. It has been too long since I've seen the creative side of myself, and I'm determined to make 2017 the year that I figure out how to balance work, life, and play.

I'm also really excited to start doing little photo updates for you all. There are some amazing shots I've managed to take throughout the year, and I plan on going on more hikes and adventures once the weather is warmer.

What do you do when it's cold outside? How do you stay warm and beat the January blues?

Cat Life and Writing Updates

Morris - on hold!

Guys! Guys! I have this amazing job with incredible coworkers and bosses. One of the perks is being able to photograph these fabulous beauties during the day, since we're also part adoption house. So... this writing update will come with lots of photos of cats. Because I'm a bookish cat lover, that's why.

Twilight - adopted!

Being surrounded by furry felines has actually taken slightly away from my writing time. I'm just so darn relaxed, why should I stress myself out by doing work?

But I love writing (editing and I are still fighting as all of you probably know). So here's the update you guys have been waiting for!

I completed In a Blue Moon and sent it off to beta readers for feedback. My mom did the proofreading edits with her retired English teacher skills, and she encouraged me to seek traditional publishing. So, I moved back the publication date to give myself enough time to shop for agents / publishers and see if I get any bites. If I don't get any bites, then In a Blue Moon will be released in late May of this year!

Princess Miko - adopted!

The in-between novella for the Blue Moon series is about halfway done at 9,000 words. Greener on the Other Side is shaping up to be quite a decent little story, and I'm really happy about it.

I'm about 1/4 of the way through Conscious, so I am expecting to publish the first book in the series this year.

I would like to edit No Sugar Coating and Good Criminal Heart for publication this year as well, but I've been taking things a bit slower

My Munster Cat

because of the job and my own mental well being. I don't want to stress myself over writing (something I love to do). One book at a time; I'll get there.

Anyway, that's the shenanigans! Let me know how you guys are doing! Hope you are reading loads of awesome books, watching good movies and shows, and enjoying time with friends and family!

And if you like purry friends, I hope you have one close by to cuddle! It is still winter, after all. Better use those warm blankets and drink plenty of cocoa, since spring is just around the corner.

NaNoWrimo: The Finish Line!

The finish line is just up ahead, and I haven't reached it yet, but I'm about 3,000 words and a good glass of wine away to finishing NaNo - but that doesn't mean the novel is finished.

I might have to stop writing consistently for awhile and start editing every other day, writing every other day once NaNo is over.  Terrance still remains to be finished - and The Unanswerable is no closer to getting done.  At least I will then start making progress on new, and old, books.  Because editing all the time is too hard, and writing all the time makes me want to edit!

However - I do have some awesome, unrelated NaNo news.

To celebrate the whole "Holidays are coming!" thing, I'm going to be doing a big giveaway.  I have quite a few books that have been lying on my shelves - and I feel like they need new homes.  While I love my bookshelf, and I think it's great that I have a nice little library, it makes me sad when books get dusty and never get revisited.

I know it doesn't earn the author any money to give away books myself - but at least I'm spreading the word and the love of the book around.  I wish I could do both, but at least there's love - and giving!


Check back - because the giveaway is coming!

Self-Publishing

I am working on a marvelously long short story.  So far, I haven't really finished a short story that I'm proud of, and technically, this one isn't finished either... but I'm proud of it - and that stands for something.

Over the next month, I hope to finish the short story, get beta readers, line edits, and critiques back from people.  By the end of the month, I hope to have the editing completely, with a perfectly polished (or to the best of my capability) piece in my hands.

Sometime in October, I want to publish it.

It's going to sit a little over 10k, or so I imagine with the number of words I have and how much of the plot I have yet to write.  And I'm going to publish it for a small fee of .99.  I figure I'll go by the standard of .99 for every 10k.  It seems reasonable.

Now, I'm still seeking the traditional publishing route for the rest of my novels, and I still have to get them polished and send them out there into the world.  This isn't a novel, and I feel like it will be a steal for .99, but we'll see how that goes.

Over the next two months, I hope to keep my blog updated with specifics about self-publishing.  I understand the concepts, but I have yet to put them into practice.

And the lovely cover is above - and probably isn't changing (unless someone has some super awesome amazing idea that I haven't thought of yet).

Stay tuned for more information on "My Summer Vacation by Terrance Wade" by RADesilets (I know, it's a total mouthful).

Life Update

Don't forget to check out my giveaway!

I was inspired by 1000th.monkey to do an update on just my life (and goals, I suppose).

My husband and I are gearing up for our Honeymoon! On April 21st, I know it is still awhile away, we will be leaving for a bit. Destination: Hawaii. I’m pretty excited about it. Neither my husband or I have ever been, and it is about time that we go on a proper vacation. We’ve saved for so long (we got married in July last year), just so that we could take this trip without worry about going into debt.

And it’s finally right around the corner!

In the meantime, we both really want to fix up our yard. We came to the conclusion that we can’t purchase chickens… And I wanted to own my own chickens – so much! But you have to have their coop 20’ away from your own house AND 35’ away from the neighbors. While I don’t think anyone would report us, we still don’t have enough proper room for them. Maybe someday, when we get a bigger yard…

We finally sat down and did our taxes – yay refund! Which is awesome since we’ll be able to fix the car and get new tires.

I got a new job. I’m now working as a Communications Editor. It is actually the perfect position for me. It is enough creative work that makes my mind move every day, and enough logical work that I am focused. I actually am in love with this position.  And something additional amazing?  My cohort at Adorning Schemes also got a position at the same company, different department!

In other news, we are planning a trip down to San Diego to visit a good friend and finally see the city. I’ve never been to any other major city in California, so I’m really excited to go urban-exploring. Also, we’re trying to plan a mini-vacation for my birthday (the 25th!  It's my "golden birthday"). We are thinking of just spending one night cozy-ed away in a hotel and seeing Charlie Brown Farms the next day (which is ridiculously kitschy, but should be really fun).

As far as writerly things go, I posted a recent update on that as well, but here's another one. Rioss passed the 50k mark. I’ve made a plan for myself, which seems easy enough. Once Rioss is done (compliments to WIP500 for helping me through this), I will edit at least a chapter a day of Ruhe, then Soul Therapy, then come back to Rioss. I’ll find beta readers for Ruhe, and then secondary readers as well. Same goes for Soul Therapy.

If anyone wants to volunteer. I’m not looking for you to “rate” my writing – but I am looking for honest and critical feedback. They are all YA stories, so if you aren’t interested in YA, you probably shouldn’t volunteer ;)

I know what 1000th.monkey is up to, but what about the rest of you? It is actually rare that I see updates from the blogs that I follow – and I’m curious to see how everyone else is doing.