SUMMER is HERE!!!

Finally it's summer! Finally I get to take a break and relax. I get to read if I want to. Write !if I want to. It doesn't really matter.... Because it's SUMMER!!! I'm so excited for this break. I'm already making way to many plans and dreaming of book accomplishments as well. Oh to be one of those stories about the woman who write her entire book in the summer while she was teaching. Ah, a girl can dream right? So I begin to dream and dream.
But as I dream, I am constantly looking at this 50 ways to take a break. I found it on Facebook or Pinterest, can't remember which now. But the ideas were so me that I couldn't resist saving the picture and dreaming of the summer. Yippee!!!! Summer is Here!!

One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

One of the most hardest things is to put on foot in front of the other when you feel like you haven't made a step forward in awhile. I admit it, I have been so busy lately that I haven't made the time to write. The time to write anywhere... My book hasn't been touched in a month or more. My journal hasn't been touched in about a month. My blog I have been slacking on. I have been writing enough on one day and then scheduling like crazy. 

I apologize. 

It's not me. It's my motivation. It's my dedication. It's my frustration. It's me out of a habit. 

They say everywhere you read, JUST WRITE. Do it daily. Do it as much as you can. I just finished Do Over by Jon Acuff. He said "When you refuse to practice today, it makes it harder to practice tomorrow. Weeds often grow strong the longer we wait to hustle." He is completely right. I mean look at my hustle on my writing and other areas of my life. 

Here is the first step, yet again. 

Here is one tiny waddle forward toward my dreams! 

April Read

Awhile back maybe two years ago or so, I went to Barnes and Noble and said I want a book like Night Circus... The book she brought me was Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children... I questioned the weird pictures, but went ahead and bought it, hoping for something amazing. Well, life happened and I forgot about it for well... way way too long. Then all of a sudden this month, I picked it up. Oh my! I couldn't put it down. I couldn't stop reading. I wanted to know if Jacob's grandpa's stories were true. I started to dream with the characters. The sad part is in the middle of reading this, I realized there are TWO more books! I fell into another series again! Oh well, to find them I go....

And they are coming out with the MOVIE coming out THIS YEAR!!!! I am so excited! I can't wait for it... As I was looking up a movie picture for this post, I noticed that the main character, Jacob, looks like the kid who played Ender in Ender's game! He is so perfect for this role! Sometimes, I dread the movie after the book because I have so many pictures in my head of what I assume what the characters look like and what they should be wearing etc. That when the movie comes out, it's frustrating. It's short. It's missing parts. It's not the book. It's not the details or the full plot of awesomeness! I guess that is the joys of the movie. But this one looks like they got some good actors and actress. At least I don't have to wait long for the movie. I wonder? Will they do another one?  Better hurry up and start on the second book!


Who else is excited for this movie?

Journaling

It always says in the writing help books that you need to get in a habit of writing daily. One good way to do this is by journaling. I love journaling but I have never been able to turn it into a daily habit, weekly, monthly yes, but never a daily habit. I love getting a chance to write in my journal. It's the place were I can write all of my thoughts down without feeling like I'm going to get in trouble for one mean thought or one hurtful word. It's the place that knows me completely. It knows my struggles and triumphs...
But sadly in the last year, I have neglected it. I have let it be the last thing on the list of things to do. The one that could get pushed off til the next day and the next and the next. Yesterday I picked it up for the first time in forever.  When I picked up my pen, I felt stuck. I felt so lost in a new place. It didn't feel like my safe place anymore. It felt like a new person I was just getting to know.
I forced myself to sit there with nothing else better to do for a couple of hours and just wrote. There is just something about remembering the past and what all has happened. I am who I am because of all of the different things that have happened to me, good or bad. If I forget them, who am I?

Romance when You need it

While I was thumbing through my Facebook Feed this week, I stumbled upon the cutest video ever. When I pick up a romance book, it truly is like this. For a few moments I'm whisked away by someone. Just for those few moments.

Read more about Romance when you need it deal here...

Dreams of Traveling

 I have read many different places that the more you travel and do different things, the more you write. The more story ideas that come to you.  The more you dream. My hubby and I went to Canada about 3 years ago and it was so memorable and lovely.  I dream of going back and living in a cabin in the mountains just til a book is written.
There will be definitely flairs of Canada in my books -- whether mountains or their accent. (I wonder how you right that!)
This picture is one I took on the way through Jasper National Park in Alberta, Canada! It was so pretty and then the last day in the mountains, it started raining. It was so peaceful and beautiful. I wished desperately that we could have just gone out to the mountains and dreamed for a while. I guess I will make that into the plan the next road trip!

I keep looking at the pictures and dreaming... Maybe that is why hiking has become my newest love! 

Traveling

 Now that my birthday is over and done...  I can't help wanting to go on a long road trip. I don't know what it is about spring and my birthday that makes me want to jump in a car and take off. It might be the promise to myself to do something new every year. Something meaning about anything! A tattoo is on the list for sometime..
When I was 18 or 20, I told myself that by age 23, I was going backpacking into Europe for as long as I wanted to. I was going to pick up random jobs and just enjoy my time overseas. I had decided to just go for it. I started to save. Then one opportunity hit to go overseas with some family as a chaperone. I jumped at it. Canceled. Then I got to go live in New York for 4 months doing Metro Minitries Internship. Money went to it. When I came back, it was back to college.

It all sounds like an excuse, but life happened and now here we are 10 years later. Still no trip to Europe, two trips to Canada...  But a girl can still dream right? Now to go plan something amazing for this year! Oh where to go? Where to drag my hubby along with?

February Reads

 Welcome to my February Trip to the Library... well at least part of it. I need to schedule my trips a little better during the beginning of the month and not the middle of the month. Go figure. This was about 3/4 of my books I grabbed. Two failed to get me interested past the first 10 pages.

Twist by Dannika Dark -- Wow
Impulse by Dannika Dark -- Amazing
Gravity by Dannika Dark --  When is the next book?

I am loving this series seriously! I started it last month learning about Silver and the crazy world around her. It continually keeps me guessing and makes me question how hard it is to write a series. It might be easier at some points but yet very hard at others. I don't want to spoil anything for you, so all I'm going to say is  GO GET THEM, ALEADY!!!

Moonglow and Winterblaze were two more in the Kristen Calihan... Only this time the women in the story had a different give than fire. One sister had the gift of earth and brought in werewolves to the story. The other sister had the gift of freezing things and used it to save her husband and win him back. They were such an unique set of books. I am not sure if Calihan has any more books in this series. I am going to be on the look out for more books by her. Her writing style was very unique and easy to read.

Sadly majority of the other series I started in January were not available when I went back to the library this last time. Maybe the next time...

Series -- Love them or Hate them?

When I ventured out to the library last month, I stumbled upon several books that were in series. In the past, I have not been a huge fan of series. Mainly because unless you buy them all, you don't know if and when you are going to get the next one in the series. I could go to the library and find 1,2, 4, and 6, but none of others. And when you are trying to save money, purchasing books is not very high on the list ... sadly... If I could only own my dream library or a book nook! (Like the one pictured from here and here)
 I know, I know I should spend more money on buying books.  One, I need to slow down with buying them... My bookcases are getting overly filled.  Two, how do you know if the next one in the series is as good as the one you are reading? Three, what if I stop in the middle of 3 and then never go back to them? (Like how I'm stuck on the Game of Thrones book 3, keep getting distracted!)
I know silly problems.
I have been continuing this month with a series I started last month by Dannika Dark. (Love her books) The first book left me wanting more... Much more.. Her second -- Amazing!! (ooh, Logan Cross *drools*) Her third -- Even more amazing... Now to find the next two...


This has been the first series that I can't wait to read and finish in a really long time... I just found out when I went to the library that the last two books of the series are not there... So to buy I will go!

Birthday...

It's that day... That I love and hate at the same time... The day that I recognize that another year has passed and new one is starting... It's my birthday!!!! It's not a big birthday or a different birthday but it's still mine. It's my 33rd :-) Yup that's how old I am...

In typical fashion, years ago I wondered at what my life would be at 30 and on. Well, let me just say none of it is exactly what I thought would have happened. I still don't have a full-time job that I love to pieces. I still have not submitted a book to be published. I still have not traveled that much.

But I have found a guy that means the world to me. We have gotten a house that is super sweet. Our creatures are unique and so different... (I guess that is why it is Yahtzee the dog and Squirrel the cat.)  I have a photography business and I haven't given up on my dreams, yet.

However, since it's my birthday, I'll let you in on a secret. Life doesn't figure it's self out by the age of 30 just because you want it to. It doesn't get easier as an adult. In fact, I'd say it's harder.... So here's to another year of figuring life out and doing the best I can!

November 2015...

This last November, I decided to dive into National Novel Writing Month.
NaNoWrMo is basically you trying to writing a full book from start to finish in 30 days. No editing allowed! I didn't make it this time, but November 2016, you are mine!!!
I had a small plan, but nothing amazing. I took the first week or so trying to get the plan together.  It started to come together. It started to seem like I was just going to run through the whole story in under a month. And then I realized how easy it was to get boggled down with everything that was going on. Everything that would happen in one month time. How many plans interrupted writing plans.          
 I wrote with a vision in my head and a dream of a photoshoot.  I dreamed of a romance suspense novel. I dreamed of ex-boyfriends and a sinfully sexy detective that made every female want to be next to him.  My main character --a woman who reminded me of me just in a different life with different plans. A woman who didn't need a man, but finds a reason for this one.
Throughout the entire month, I would write and then occasionally tweaked my outline. I tried to figure it out. I guess you could say that November was my creating a plan month. But it was also my writing month. With the amount of writing I did during the month, I didn't feel like I had actually gotten anything accomplished. But as I look back now, I can see that I did accomplish a lot. This was my first story that I took the time to make up an outline. It was the first one that I created an outline and then stuck by it. It was my first story in a long time that didn't end on the first page, because I didn't know where it was going. I'm pretty impressed at myself.
The dream is Harlequin. The dream is to do this full-time... but before I can dream that big, I have to dream of finishing this story and another and another.  

So Bathtubs and Murder will be completed before this NOVEMBER 2016!!!

It must be!!!  

(oh, no I just announced it, oh man, now I have to really work on it..Maybe they won't read this post..Oh, wish me luck... I'm scared..) 

Real Life

You know one of the things I don't like about real life is that it interferes with my writing time. When I make a schedule for built in writing time weekly, there is always something that comes up. I dream about writing on this blog and then something comes up.
Currently in my life, I have a full-time job, a part-time job and a photography business on the side. I mean seriously when something comes up, usually I can't control it. I swear when I have good idea to write or want to write on my story, I am either at work or going to work. It can be so frustrating. Especially when the ideas come fast and furious.
One night before I had to video-tape something for the school I work for, I sat in my room and wrote out an idea. The ideas poured out. It was so amazing. Then when it was time to go and tape, the ideas kept coming and I couldn't answer them... That is frustrating and definitely not the type of thing you can just push off til you are done typing... But man, do I wish I could just push it all off to write.

Real life.... while most of us wish wasn't there, is there. It is something we have to work around whether we write full time or not. We have to make it work. That is why National Novel Writing Month is something that many people do. Sadly I'm still working on my novel. I didn't finish it, but more on that another day.

I dream of a day where I can just write novels full-time and get paid for it.   I dream of being a published author. Watch out world I have a goal! Whether real life wants to fight me or help me!

Writing Mood

I read something the other day that suggest you make the "MOOD" for your writing... I never really believed in that until the other day. We had a snow day from work and I wanted to write while I had time. However when I went to write I had nothing... Not just nothing, but NOTHING...
So I went to Pinterest (yes, I know I'll never get anything done) and started reading about writing inspirational tips... One tip was to turn on music that inspires you. Another was light a candle. They said over and over to create a comforting atmosphere.  Whatever blog I was on said writers need to create a comforting atmosphere because they are exposing their soul when they are writing. The more comfortable to area, the easier it is for words to come. Not going to lie when I read this, I scoffed at it. Then I shrugged my shoulders and found a candle. Then turned on one of my favorite XM station, The Coffee House (all acoustic music). I also refilled my water and grabbed some comfort chocolate to munch on. When I sat down to write again before I even touched my keyboard, I felt the ideas coming to me. After NOTHING, I had something running through my brain. I knew where to start/continue. I knew where I was at in the story.  I sat for a moment just listening to the music softly playing and smelling my pumpkin spice candle. I thought about every other time I have been writing on this story. I have tried to write with silence, because I thought that was one of the things I should be doing. I have tried to write in a separate room. I have tried to write on the couch, at the table and at my desk.
After all of that, I have figured out where my comfortable spot is. I have also figured out that I have to have music playing in the background. I have to have a candle that smells yummy. I have to or the words don't come as quickly or as nicely as I hope they will. And strangely enough, I need my cat in the same room... As you can imagine, it doesn't always work that easily. However when she's near, I can pet and let my mind drift. (I so need to add her to my story!)

Writing

Did you know that at some times about anyone who is anyone who writes gets to a point in their story where they don't know what to write? The creative "gods" or "muses" just aren't there and all you have is a blank page. A page that demands to be written on. A page that demands that you continue your unfinished novel. Somedays I skip ahead and work on another part, which causes me to use other parts in different ways. Revision if when I ever get that full stage will be difficult.

Many people swear by writing the novel all the way through, no stops. No revisions. I don't think that is in my blood. I don't think I can do that, at least right now. I'm following my first novel outline EVER! And man, is it rough! It is just a few ideas thrown onto the page. Ideas kinda put together to resemble a hopeful story. But you know what it's the thought that counts. I'll be lucky if I manage to continue following it... 

I read something the other day that suggest you make the "MOOD" for your writing... I never really believed in that until the other day. We had a snow day from work and I wanted to write while I had time. However when I went to write I had nothing... Not just nothing, but NOTHING...

January Reads

What is it about going into a library? I walk in and I feel like I can read a ton of books. So I pick up about 8-10 books or more... Then I get home and start to read them. After three books, I question whether I will get done by their due date. So I keep reading... Then either renew all of them or just the ones I want to keep and head back to the library to drop off... If I walk in, I feel like I need more books... Then the vicious cycle starts again...

Welcome to my January Trip to the Library...
I have been on a sci-fi book trend lately ... I think it is because of the new TV series Shannara (which is based on the Shannara book series.. however for the life of me I can't figure out which one is the beginning to read them!!)  Plus one of the books, I've been working on forever has a sci-fi feel to it.  Research, man, research.


Would-be Witch by Kimberly Frost --- Not a bad read, quick. It read a lot like a Harlequin book, not a bad thing. It was about a woman who didn't think she had witch powers, but can talk to a ghost because of a locket. The locket gets lost and she has to find the locket before time runs out. Along the way she meets up with a worlock that helps her and werewolves that are after her. I am going to look for the next two in the series... Wish me luck!

Ghost Seer by Robin D. Owens---This one took a little bit longer to grab my attention, but once it did, WOW!! Clare has inherited the gift of seeing ghosts and needing to help them. She has to learn to trust her gift and believe in it. At the same time, a former deputy sheriff arrives in the picture and well sparks! What a unique book, I believe Robin as a few more with this same character that I'm tempted to find.

Wicked and Dangerous by Deborah Blake --- So unique and different... Definitely one I'm going to continue the series. This book follows the tales of Baba Yaga, a legend from Russia. Deborah writes about one of the many Baba Yagas that are in the world. It had romance, intrigue and mystery.

Naamah's Kiss by Jacqueline Carey --- It was so dry starting out. I'm still debating whether it will be truly finished or not... It's about a younger that is searching for her place in her world. She is a love child from two different tribes with two different beliefs.

Firelight by Kristen Callihan --- Hmm... Wow! What a story... Love, mystery, intrigue, super natural... All of the things needed for an awesome romance in my opinion! Can't wait to read more her books!

Flight from Death by Yasmine Galenorn --- Still in the process of reading this one... It's a little hard to get into so I'm going to try it one more time and then try another book by her next month.. Wish me luck!

Sterling by Dannika Dark --- Oh my goodness! What a book! The book started out a little unique but within the first two chapters, you are like WHAT THE HECK!!!  I guess I didn't read the back of the book as well as I should have. This book follows Zoe as she starts to accept her Mage, her new immortal self.  It is the beginning of a series so I'm super excited to find the rest and continue them on...

Conference: UTOPiAcon

Wondering through Facebook this morning and one of my favorite book cover designers/photographer was posting about her favorite conference to attend... Something called UTOPiAcon. You should probably know that I'm super curious and I totally have been researching it all morning long...
It sounds like such a neat conference! A three day event in Nashville, TN (which I have never been to and is close-ish). Full of amazing moments and tons of workshops. There keynote speakers are Myra Mcentire and Alex Flinn...
I'm totally going to have to check this out!  It's June 22-24, so I might have enough time to save some money!!! Wish me luck!

The Writing Process somedays

 I write something and then I erase it... I write again and yet again erase it... You think I would remember the statement -- Just write it. As easy as it sounds, it is not that easy. The words come sometimes and then again they don't. Sometimes the words just sound like the worse non-fiction book I can never make it through. You think it would be simple. ...
I can be drawn into so many books so I know others have figured out how to make it work, but me? Nope... Not at all... I'm still working on it. Just give me time.
This picture describes my writing process to a T. Every few seconds... I will go back and read stuff I have wrote. I have to re-read it again to make sure  really wrote those words. I can't believe yet I did.

Today as I work on blog posts, the words are coming so much easier. Maybe this is something my soul needed. Maybe.

Books are my passion...

Books are my passion... Reading is my passion... Without either, I am not myself.
Have you ever felt like that? With me, it's my books. But it's more than my books. It's my writing and my dreams.
I have dreamed for years about becoming a writer. A writer. A full-fledged writer who had her name in print and books on shelves. Books that people would buy want to buy.  Books that would continue to call people to them even after the print date was gone. Books that would continue to inspire and cause others to dream. I have held my dream so close and yet so far from myself. I have refused to acknowledge it in front of people. Afraid to finish a book, afraid to write and then be rejected.
That is the true fear.... Rejection....

Oh but the dream demands to be brought to life. It demands to not be slumbering any longer. So I start to dream again...

Dream with me.
P Ayres