Dear Diary, my secret fear is...

Little Monster bought a Hello Kitty diary with her own money the other day.  She saved up allowance and tooth fairy money to buy something on her own.  (Btw- apparently the tooth fairy is doing well for herself in the recession because she gave LM 5 bucks for her first lost tooth.)

Anyway, so she picked out this diary and when we get in the car she starts writing in it.  Her first entry:
Dear Diary,
My secret fear is lightning bugs.

She's terrified of lightning bugs.  Runs screaming into the house like they're evil invaders of Planet Firefly out to install little lights on all of our butts.

(She's actually terrified of all bugs.  When we leave our house to go out, she runs clear out into the middle of the lawn in this huge wide circle to stay away from the flowers in the garden in front of our house because there are bees on them.  I don't have the heart to tell her there are probably a ton of bees out on the clover in our grass. )

Little Monster then decided no one can read it, except Mason, Kenzie, Hunter, Ava, Chandler, her whole summer school class, and pretty much the entire neighborhood.  So she needed to hide it from the poor soul who isn't included in her list of people that are allowed to read it.  Which may in fact be me, now that I think about it.

So she told me she was going to hide it where NO ONE can find it.  And then showed me where she hid it in our closet.

So that got me thinking: do you have a secret fear?  Maybe an irrational one that seems silly, but is SO not silly to you?

Go ahead, spill it.  I'll make sure no one sees your answer.  Except maybe Mason, Kenzie, Hunter, Ava, Chandler, the entire neighborhood and the whole blogosphere.  But NO ONE else.  I swear.

Here's mine: My secret fear is walking on those sewer grate thingies on sidewalks in the city.  No matter how big or how wide, I have to veer completely around them, even if it means walking in the street to possibly get hit by a bus.

Banned from Blogger

Hey everyone!  Sorry for my absence last week.  Hubs and Little Monster were out of town so I took the opportunity to crank out the rest of my edits for my WIP.  So after hours of editing, possible hallucinations, and a sore butt my first round of edits are officially done!!

BUT

Yes, there's a but....

Now it's on to my 2nd round of edits from my 3 crit partners....le sigh....

SO

I am on a Major Editing (Salute -- Major Editing) roll right now, and don't want to lose steam, so I've banned myself from blogger until I can crank out at least the first part of my 2nd round of edits.

My attendance will be sporadic at best, but please know I still love you guys!  But a book won't publish itself on it's own, so I gotta take some action here.

I will leave you with some pearls of wisdom: When you are home alone for a whole week, you may want to maintain contact with the outside world.  By the end of the week, I'm pretty sure I had a Girls Night with two of my main characters.  Complete with pillow fights in our underwear, consuming mass quantities of cookie dough, and watching Beaches.

Aspiring Author Interview with JE Fritz

Look, even her picture is mysterious-
we can't see her face very well

Hello to everyone on this beautiful sunny day!  (at least, I hope its beautiful and sunny in your neck of the woods!)  My interview today is with JE Fritz of Still Writing...  I'm keeping her first name a secret because she doesn't list it on her blog, so I'm keeping the mysteriousness that surrounds her in tact. (although if you look hard enough, you just might find it)  We all could use a little mysteriousness in our lives.  For example: you have no idea what I'm wearing as I write this.  I could be wearing a prom dress, or a big bunny suit.  Or I might not be wearing pants (little known fact: lots of authors don't wear pants).  JE was one of my first followers when I started almost a year ago.  She's smart and funny and finds really great tips and information on writing.  So, here she is!


     Tell us the scoop on how you got into writing novels.

‘Scoop’ makes it sound interesting. I just wanted to write a novel…and I did! It wasn’t a very good novel, I admit, but for me, it was wonderful to be creating something with words. I’ve wanted to be an author for years (I think high school is when I first went “Hmmm. Can I do this?”).

What genre do you write?

YA, although that’s more of an audience I’m trying to reach. I like speculative fiction (dystopian, post-apocalyptic) and urban fantasy/paranormal. Most of them just seem to come out YA. 

What authors inspire you?

Stephen King definitely inspires me in his raw output of prose. Mark Z. Danielewski is amazing in terms of voice and skill. 

How often do you write?

I try to every day, even if it’s just a paragraph. Having a blog really helps keep me writing, even if I’m in the middle of doing non-writerly tasks.

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

Pantser, at least for the first draft. When I’m done, then I outline, move things around, make sure everything is how I want it. But I never know the details when I type that first word, so that definitely makes me a pantser.

Where do you write best, and do you listen to music while you write?

I write best in my room, where I have a comfortable chair (or can stand comfortably; sometimes I do this, too). I definitely go for music when I’m writing, cranking up the most depressing and/or angriest music I have. It really helps!

What is on your TBR pile?

World War Z, The Water Wars, The Hunger Games (again)

If Stephanie Meyer and JK Rowling got in a cat fight, who would win?

JK Rowling, and thus, society. 

What is your “day” job?

Right now, just some researching for a tech company. 

What can you not leave home without? (cell phones are off limits)

My flashdrive. Just in case someone breaks into my house and steals my laptop. Because you never know and paranoia is right sometimes. 

Mac or PC?

PC. I’ve heard Macs are better, but I doubt I have the skills to use one. Me and computers = not good.

Favorite dessert?

Chocolate pudding cake. 

Favorite desert?

The ones I made up in my book! Shameless plug-y enough? Of course, those were inspired by the deserts of the southwest. I’ve only seen them in pictures, but they’re beautiful. As long as you bring enough water. 

Where is your dream vacation?

Hawaii. I’ve always wanted to go there and see the volcanoes and the Pacific.

Finally, link us to your website, blog, fb, twitter and anything else you might like to shamelessly plug for yourself 

Blog: http://jefritz.blogspot.com/ 

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/jefishere

It's a twista, it's a twista!

For some people, tornadoes conjure up fun memories of watching The Wizard of Oz, all cozy in their houses eating popcorn and huddled under their snuggies.  Dorothy's house gets swept up in a twister and brought all the way to the land of Oz, where fun and magical things happen like dancing scarecrows and her hair magically changing length a million times.

Photo Credit

But for most of us, tornadoes mean death and destruction, plowing their way through towns with no mercy whatsoever.  As much as I love weather, (my first semester of college I majored in broadcast journalism and wanted to eventually be a meteorologist) I know we have no control over it, and know that the damage it can cause can be devastating.

A couple weeks ago a town very close to mine was destroyed by an Ef-5 tornado.  The highest rating a tornado can get.  It was 3/4 mile wide, and traveled 6 miles straight through the center of town, destroying huge businesses and homes alike.  The death toll is still rising and is somewhere in the 140-range. Right around that same week, tornadoes also destroyed cities in Arkansas, Oklahoma and Alabama before that.  There were many more in other states as well.  This has been the deadliest year for tornadoes since they started recording them sometime in the 1950's.

Joplin Tornado: photo credit

Joplin Tornado: photo credit

I'm listing some links if you'd like to try to help in any way.  I know many towns are hosting areas to drop off donations, and of course the red cross could always use blood.  You can give a monetary donation (which is what they prefer, so they can quickly cater to the victim's needs.)  It doesn't have to be much- every little bit helps.

A friend is holding an auction for her photography that she will give 100% to the Joplin tornado victims (the picture is beautiful!):
http://ksimephoto.blogspot.com/2011/05/i-hadnt-realized-devastation-that.html

Latest news on the Joplin tornado, and ways to donate sponsored by the United Way (also if you live close, you can sign up to help with cleanup):
Rebuild Joplin

For the Joplin, Missouri tornado victims:
https://gkccfonlinedonations.org/joplin/joplin.asp
An article with lists of ways to donate:
http://yourlife.usatoday.com/mind-soul/doing-good/kindness/post/2011/05/how-to-help-victims-of-the-missouri-tornado/171501/1

For the Tuscaloosa, Alabama tornado victims:
 donatetuscaloosa.weebly.com
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Tuscaloosa-Tornado-Donations/163861390342295

For a general disaster relief donation to the Red Cross:
https://american.redcross.org/site/Donation2?df_id=4993&4993.donation=form1


I know author Maureen Johnson had an auction up last week to help raise money for tornado victims, the Chiefs donated $35,000 to the Joplin victims, and Home Depot donated $1 Million to direct relief to the Joplin victims (the Home Depot in Joplin was completely leveled, killing numerous people).

The response to all the devastation our country has experienced in the past months has been overwhelming!  It's nice to know that even a country that is so divided in many ways, can come together for a cause like this.  It gives me a shred of hope that maybe someday we can come together in other ways to make our country stronger.

This article made me smile: Paying it Forward

Thanks for all the prayers and help- those communities will survive because of you.

                                                                    

New Joysee part 2

So I've decided to be totally un-original with my title because I'm tired.  Sorry for the utter lack of coolness on my part.

But, you want to know what dripped with coolness this weekend?  My trip to New Jersey! (okay, it actually dripped with sweat because it was like, 90 degrees)

We went down the shore one day

I got to see a plethora of relatives from aunts and uncles, to cousins, my Godmother and of course, Grandma.

I wanted to put a fascinator on her,
but she opted for the wide brimmed straw hat

Ahh, my Grandmother.  We had hours of enjoyment at the nursing home.  Let me just say, even though she's lost most of her short term memory, she has not lost her spunk and ability to talk dirty.

She regaled us with songs in Polish, informing us that one particular song she liked was about a tramp.  She then turned to my mom (her daughter) and asked very innocently: "Are you a tramp?"  Naturally my mom said, "No not for a while now."  And my grandmother very sweetly but very knowingly said, "Well, you've got some smears on your shirt there, Honey."

She liked to tell us about all her boyfriends, and that they were waiting at her mother's house for her.  Then she lowers her voice and says, "And you know, we weren't really able to do much lovemaking until just last year."  Not skipping a beat, she remarks on how beautiful the trees are, and how she hadn't had a chance to climb them yet this year.

These are the trees she was facing-
every other minute she'd remark on how breathtaking the trees were.
Every. Other.  Minute.

After a few more laughs, we wheel her back into the nursing home so she could hang out with the elderly priest who is apparently her boyfriend.  It's okay- he blesses everyone he sees, so we're good to go.

As I left, I just had to get a picture of her roommate.  She's 107 years old!

She kinda stared at me blankly when I asked her if I could take her picture.
  I took that as a yes.

We are so lucky that my grandmother is happy where she is, and even though she knows who Abby is, I don't look like her Abby.  She still thinks of me as a little girl.  And you know what?  That's totally fine with me.

Quick promo: I'm posting as my alter-ego Abby Gabby for the Thestral Gazette over at Laurel's Leaves today!  Head on over there and read my advice column for Hogwarts students.

New Joysee

Isn't it funny when you tell people you are from Jersey or traveling there, someone always says, "Oh, New Joysee?", in what I can only guess is their version of a New Jersey accent.  But I've never heard a native actually call it Joysee.  True, New Jerseyans can have a pretty thick accent depending what part they are from, but it doesn't quite go that far.  But we all have our interpretations of what accents are, for example: when I skype with one of my crit partners who is from Canada, I always imagine she says "eh?" after every sentence, and says "aboot" quite frequently.  Obviously she doesn't (much...).  I just assume she loves Hockey and the movie Strange Brew.

I'm not saying to give up your perceptions of people (because it's kinda funny) and I'm not at all offended when someone talks about New Jersey like that, or that the Midwest is full of hicks and meth addicts.  Now if you let it interfere with your judgement of someone, that's going a little far.  You never know who they really are until you  meet them and find out more about them.

Anyhoo, I'm leaving my meth lab smack dab in the middle of the country to travel to New Joysee to visit my relatives.  I'm excited because I haven't seen my grandma in 2 years, and this'll be my only chance this year to see the ocean.  And I get to eat REAL New York pizza.  YUM.

I won't be back until next week, so there won't be a post on Monday.  Have a lovely weekend everyone, and I'll see you when I get back!

Aspiring Author Interview with Donea Lee

I don't want to take anything away from Donea's spotlight, but last night a town 30 minutes west from me was leveled by a tornado.  There were many injuries and fatalities and the hospital there was hit badly.  Thankfully it moved south of my town, so we just got the storm.  But in the wake of all the devastation was left this:

I know there are a few double rainbow jokes in your head right now (trust me, we got it all out on facebook last night) but to me today, it symbolizes hope for those who lost everything last night.  My thoughts are with them as they start to pick up the pieces and rebuild their lives.

Now onto cheerier things:

Donea and her daughter

Donea Lee's interview!  Donea is an aspiring writer who loves Buffy The Vampire Slayer just like me.  Need I say more on how awesome she is?  She has a segment on her blog on Fridays called Find the Story Friday, that she's been doing for a long time.  She posts pictures and asks the readers to create a story about the picture.  It's fun to see what people come up with!  I've known Donea for a while now, and in a year I've watched her readership grow and it's so awesome to see a friend do so well in the blogosphere.







Tell us the scoop on how you got into writing novels.

I really AM that girl who’s written/told stories for as long as I can remember.  Several of them got me into trouble when I was a kid.  Who knows, maybe I’ll write about that someday.  When I was a teen I wrote silly novellas, usually about the shy girl (me) who got the cute popular boy (my latest crush) in the end.  In college and my twenties, I wrote lots of novel starts, but usually got stuck somewhere in the middle.  It was later in life, when I discovered Harry Potter and I started creeping up on the age J.K. Rowling was when her first book came out, that I decided I needed to get serious about my writing.  Yeah, well…I’m still working on the “serious” part.  But, I get a little closer every day!

What genre do you write?

I dabble in a little bit of everything.  I’ve written poetry, women’s fiction, a murder mystery or two, and I’ve got (what is, I believe) a great idea for an MG novel, but my focus lately has been a YA magical realism trilogy.

What authors inspire you?

I love the epic-ness of Tolkien, even if I did skip over most of the songs…(in my defense, so did Peter Jackson…just sayin’).  I LOVE the magic of Harry Potter.  Rowling created a world I wish with all my heart was real and characters I would love to know.  I love Shannon Hale’s lyrical phrasing, so beautiful, especially in her Goose Girl series.  And then I’ve got to give props to the creative geniuses/authors behind some of my favorite television shows:  Joss Whedon and Bryan Fuller – for their witty dialogue!  I wish I were that clever.

How often do you write?

My procrastinating ways still get the best of me from time to time, so I can’t say I write daily.  But, I do write several days a week. 

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

A sporadic pantser with aspirations to be a fantastically focused plotter!

Where do you write best, and do you listen to music while you write?

I don’t really have a favorite place to write.  When I need to get the words down, I get them down- be it in the car, at work, at home.  And I don’t necessarily need music to write.  I don’t mind having it on.  Often, it gets lost in the background of my thoughts.  But, I can say that certain songs have spurred story ideas.

What is on your TBR pile?

SO many great books!  It makes my head swim sometimes.  But, I’ve got The Liar Society, The Scorch Trials, Beautiful Darkness, Cassastar and Matched on hand at the moment.

If Stephanie Meyer and JK Rowling got in a cat fight, who would win?

JK – no question.  However, if we’re talking about their fans…well, let’s just say I’d feel much safer at a HP convention than in the middle of a Team: Edward vs. Team: Jacob rally…

What is your “day” job?

Is “glorified peon” an acceptable answer to this?  Actually, I’m an administrative assistant/office manager, wishing I could answer “full-time writer” to this question.

What can you not leave home without? (cell phones are off limits)

My daughter tells me I should answer, “my daughter” to this question, so I’ll go with that.  

Mac or PC?

I’m not cool enough for a Mac yet… and I kind of want to throw things at my home PC right now.  I’ve got plans to buy my very first laptop anytime now.  Yep, I’ve never had a laptop.  Which explains the “not cool” comment pretty well, right?

Favorite dessert?

Baked goods.  All of them.

Favorite desert?

Ack!  I hate the heat.  But, if I have to pick one, I’ll say the desert area around Bouse, AZ, in the spring when the cacti are in bloom.

Where is your dream vacation?

I LOVE to travel!  I don’t get to do it as often as I’d like, which – let’s face it – would be 350 days a year (taking out holidays and my birthday, when I’d want to be home and close to family, of course.)  Well, maybe not that many days, but A LOT.  And to make this long explanation longer – my ultimate dream vacation would be a nice long European Tour visiting the old castles in Ireland, Scotland and Germany, I’d have to visit every place in Austria The Sound of Music was filmed, visiting the café’s and museums in London and Paris, a spa retreat in Tuscany, ballroom dancing classes in Barcelona, ending with mythology/ancient ruins and pizza/gelato tours in Italy and Greece.  I’m sure I missed something, but that’d be a good start!

Finally, link us to your website, blog, fb, twitter and anything else you might like to shamelessly plug for yourself 

I most often lurk around my blog, which you can find here: The Queen of Procrastination @  http://www.itwillhappenoneday.blogspot.com

Thank you so much, Abby!  This is my first official aspiring-author interview and I couldn’t be happier that it will be featured on your blog.  I enjoyed answering these awesome questions.  This is such a wonderful feature on your blog.  It’s so great to get to know a little bit more about all the amazing writers/bloggers in this great writing community of ours.  I don’t forget that you were one of my first followers, and I really appreciate all your thoughtful blog posts, your wonderful comments on my posts and your friendship.  Thanks, again!  

*One little thing – a lot of people out there know me as Donea Lee.  Lee is actually my middle name.  Donea Lee Weaver is what they might see on a book someday, if I’m lucky!