Forced Change Can Be a Blessing

I've struggled a lot with jobs.  I've never been able to get into an industry that I can thrive in.  This is not to say that I didn't try.  The timing just wasn't right.  So, I've been at jobs that I don't really care for - mostly banking.  After graduating with a degree in Anthropology, I knew it would be difficult to find work but I was not aware that it would be nearly impossible to get ANY job.  This was back in 2007 when the economy in the United States was starting to crash down hard.

Nine months after graduating from university and applying to around 100 jobs with no results, I finally landed a job through a temp agency at a pretty well known bank.  Was this what I wanted?  No, not at all.  I knew nothing about banking and had no interest in it.  Yet, the other things going on in my life at the time showed me that I wanted money to be able to accomplish what I had in mind at the time.  So I took the job.

Words, Thoughts and Power

It's amazing how powerful words are - written or spoken.  In books, blogs, magazines, etc, the right words put together, can create one amazingly striking message, or evoke an unbelievably powerful emotion. As a reader, I yearn for this.  If what I am reading does not make me laugh uncontrollably, or cry out in anger or sadness, then I quickly lose interest, as do all readers.  In my own writing I strive to reach deep into my soul and pull out the most extreme emotions, turning it into what I hope is a well thought out and impactful story. One that will have readers wanting more.  The way I see it, if I don't express emotion myself as I'm writing then it's not worth it.

I still remember the day I read a certain part in the last Harry Potter book (SPOILER AHEAD).  Though if you haven't read the books by now, come on!  I have no words for you.

But the chapter where Fred dies is what got me. I ended the chapter, set the book on my bed, and balled my eyes out for a good 20 minutes.  (If you don't remember, Fred was one half of the Weasley twins, always cracking jokes.  I've attached an image below.)

Short Story - The Quirky Old Couple

Here is my second short story inspired by the song Little Talks from Of Monsters and Men.  I always imagine a quirky elderly couple puttering around the house as they grow old together but know that their time is coming soon, hence the "ship that will carry them safe to shore".  This song gives me the feeling of a bitter-sweet ending that leaves me with a feeling of slight sadness even though the song itself sounds upbeat and happy.  So, I wrote the story along those lines.  I hope you enjoy it.  It is a little lighter than the previous story and I really enjoyed writing this one!  The lyrics and video are posted below for reference.

Book Review: The Ocean At The End Of The Lane

Let me start by saying, it's been a while.  I was looking through my previous posts and saw it has been five months since my last post!  This will not do.  But I admit during those months I had a lot going on.  We just had our second child two months ago and the last couple of months of the pregnancy were physically hard on me, making it hard to focus on my thoughts and writing.  Now things are moving forward, my health is back to its normal state and we are pretty well adjusted to having another child in our lives.  Motherhood is great and amazing, but it does take a toll on personal time.  Anyhow, I'm back and ready to start posting more often again.  And I'm excited.  It feels good!

Short Story - Redemption

 Many times, while listening to music, I imagine up my own story to go with the words of the song.  It's a good way to let my imagination run free while enjoying someone else's creation.  This is another reason why I love music so much.  Creative writing comes in many forms and I believe that song writers and authors share a lot in common when it comes to creative writing.  We both experience something, whether it be a feeling or emotion, or a new experience, and we put it to paper. 

I thought it would be a fun experiment to write my own short stories based on songs I listen to.  Since music is one of my outlets, why not combine it with my writing (since I can't play an instrument for the life of me to create my own music).  Below is my first (very)short story brought to life by one of my interpretations of the lyrics from one of my favorite artists, Florence & The Machine, Shake It Out.  I've posted the video for reference.  Hope you like it :)

Get Back to Writing!

After finishing the final version of The Raven Dreams, I was ecstatic and beyond joy that I had a finished book in my hands.  Something I had created purely from my own mind.  It was an empowering moment.

I was also relieved to allow myself a short break from the computer screen before delving into the next story.  But now, nearly four months later, I feel like I should be at least considering and jotting down notes for my next book.  I will admit, the task seems daunting and (being almost 4 months pregnant with another 3 year old running around) slightly exhausting.  Yet lately I've been feeling the absence of writing in my life.  Though I've tried to keep it alive through thoughtful and contemplative posts, I feel this is not enough.

The Raven Dreams (A Small Taste)

I thought I should take a moment to post an excerpt from my novel.  This one is not very long (a couple of pages worth) but it was one of my favorite scenes to write and I think it gives a good look into my writing style as well as a small taste of the story line.  For those of you who may be wondering whether or not The Raven Dreams is of interest to you, maybe this excerpt will give you the confirmation you need! ;)

Enjoy!

Dreams Come in Many Forms

This blog is not only intended for my purposes as an author.  I want to use it as a means to share cool ideas and special people, music and art, movies and books, and probably much more.  Anything that is particularly inspiring to me at the moment or in the long term.  In my last post I shared the background behind the theme of my book and how a specific song caught my attention.  This time I want to share a very special story about someone very close to me who has pursued her dreams and is now living them.  She never gave up, even though the goal was not easy, and for that - she inspires me.

Another Inspiration

I was getting ready for bed just now, thinking about my book and what music I listened to while writing that kept me inspired, when a thought occurred to me that I had to share.  I wrote an entire post on the inspiration of music in my writing and completely left out the most important fact.  So I had to get on and write it out before it slipped my mind again.  My mind gets boggled easily anymore being the mother to a toddler.  (Any mothers out there know what I mean.)

Anyway, what I forgot to mention is this: the entire theme to my novel was inspired by one extremely beautiful and talented singer/songwriter by the name of Christina Perri. Many of you may have heard of her :)

Book Review: The Lost Symbol

Ok, so seeing as I am 'writing' a lot about writing and what inspired me to write, I thought I should start sharing some other amazing books that have influenced me as a person and a writer.  Wow, there was a lot of 'write' in many forms in that last sentence :p

My first recommendation The Lost Symbol, by Dan Brown.  Now most of you may know who Dan Brown is, and probably have ready some, if not all of his work.  He is most well know for the controversial yet brilliant novel called The Da Vinci Code.  I admit, I have not read all of Dan Brown's work, having only getting into his books with the Da Vinci Code, which is a must read!  So, once you've braved the adventurous and thrilling story of Robert Langdon in this novel, my next suggestion is The Lost Symbol.