August is for Writing and Balance

I've struggled over the last year to get back into writing, as my jewelry business has become central in my life.  And its not that I dislike that, but writing is at the center of my heart.  Jewelry Design is special but not AS special.

At the end of July, I had listed over 200 items in my Etsy store, had close to 100 more made and not yet listed [due to fees] and was trying to save/raise money for a big trip at the end of September.  No shows or real plans for August at that point. I was out of a lot of supplies, so making things wasn't going to happen without funds and in general, the business would end up going on a sort of 'nap'.

I'd also received an email from the lovely Gabriela over at DIY MFA (Do It Yourself Master of Fine Arts) about an upcoming project/challenge they were doing called 'Conquer the Craft'.  For the first 29 days of August, you would receive a daily prompt meant to help challenge yourself in writing.  Most should only take about 29 minutes to do, but longer was ok.

The main goal was to push yourself AND get into the norm of writing.  I saw this as a godsend, since I wanted badly to write and just needed a push.

And there it was.

So I happily put aside the jewelry.  I had a few events at the start of September I could plan for, and figured I'd just deal with them when they happened.

But as we've passed the halfway point, I see that I was only half right.

I need to find balance in my muse.  Balance will help me to move on into the next few months, with 4 shows of various lengths, and keep my writing a thing.  A normal thing.

August is about balance.

Despite having no actual funds to buy supplies, I need to strive to build even pieces of jewelry or plot out designs, so when I can make that order I'm not floundering.  I need to work on my stories, even just background and time lines.

Instead of 30 min on my writing, I need 30 min on writing, 30 on the business, 30 on promotion and 30 here... TWO HOURS A DAY!!!

That's all my heart says I need to stress over.  Spend the other times cleaning, running errands, researching, do what needs to be done.

Grow past this broken place you've been in for too long.

August is about balance.

I'm not naive enough to know there won't be times when one overshadows the other.  Try as we might, total balance isn't in our control.  But I also know that I am tired of giving up halfway, tired of feeling trapped with one or the other and tired of barely getting by.

Tired of being only a WOULD BE Somebody.

Kristy C

A new start...

I hope.

This has been sitting here, unused and long forgotten for some time now.  And I am sorry about that.  Went through some pretty bad spots in my life and I'm only just now starting to get back on my feet.

Oddly enough, I feel a desire to start this up again.

I can't promise it'll be daily, my goal will be at least once a week.  The content will be a mixture of daily living, writing and jewelry design, because that's what my life consists of right now.  I hope it attracts some people along the way.

For now, hello and welcome to a new start, complete with a new name.

The Life & Times of a Would be Somebody.

Kristy C

Review: The Rule of Four

The Rule Of Four by Ian Caldwell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Just before reading this book, I read The Lost Symbol. Before I reached the end, I'd researched the ending. While I sometimes do that with a movie that I don't really care about, this was the first time I'd done it with a book.

As I listened to The Rule of Four, I have several books on Audio that I listen to while driving, I was confused by the plot. While I knew that the Hypnerotomachia Poliphili was central to the story, the jumping back and forth in time was odd at times and I couldn't grasp what I needed to care about this old book.

Than I reached the end, I smiled not only at the actual ending, but in understanding.

The confusion I felt was due to everything being shown from Tom's point of view, who spends almost all of the story being confused by his past and future colliding. So much of his life was filled with a love/hate relationship with the Hypnerotomachia Poliphili, that became melded with the death of his father AND a sense of both wanting to finish what his father had started, but not BE his father.

As an adult who's lost a parent before 30 [older than Tom was, but in many ways still in a developmental stage], I understood the sense of being torn between who they wanted you to be and who you are...

I was saddened when I finished and came over to write the review and saw so many negative reviews. This isn't in the same caliber as a classic, but in my eyes... Dan Brown could learn a thing or two on research from this book.

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IWU Interview with Lorne Oliver

This is my first ever blog interview.  I am so happy to be here.

Can you tell us a little bit about your book?

Red Island takes a look at both sides of the hunt for a serial killer.  The main character is Sgt. Reid who won’t let anyone know his name, is confused about the state of his marriage, and is haunted by something he did in his past.  He wakes from a dream at the same time as being called to the scene of the first homicide in Prince Edward Island in the past twenty years or so.  Reid and other members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police begin an investigation that churns up more victims with no clues. 

On the other side of the coin Ben Cooper has grown up on the island destined to be a killer.  You get to see from when he was 8 years old being picked on and forming his own world in his mind to when he starts peeping, raping, and now killing.

What about this story made you have to write it?

I liked the idea of showing how someone could become a serial killer and what is in his mind without having him be the hero.  Police officers have a hard job, especially since many people can see it from their view with all the red tape they have to go through.  I don’t think the bad guy should be the hero, but a lot of times they are seen that way.

What was one of the most surprising things you learned during the creation of this book?

I had the opportunity to interview members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police so I learned a lot of what real police do compared to the TV and movie cops. 

What was the hardest part to write?

The hardest parts were the fine details.  The locations are real.  There is actually a Blooming Point beach with a wooded area and a rough bush trail cutting through it where the first victim is found. This is an old abandoned house where another victim is found.  Keeping everything as real as possible within the world of fiction took a lot of notes.

What do you like to do when you are not writing?

Honestly I am constantly writing.  No matter what I am doing my head is always working on what comes next until I am ready to explode and I have to sit and write.  But when my mind actually rests I like watching movies, though my mind is looking for new ideas, cooking, and playing with my two wonderful kids.  They are getting to the age where they don’t need Dad around any more so I take the time I can get.

Can you share a little of what you are working on now?

Right now I am working on the second book in the Sgt. Reid series.  The tentative title for this one is, Forever Screaming.  It is going to be a little darker.  The crime is a little more heinous than the brutal killing of young women like in Red Island.  It is a subject that is actually hard to write personally, but it’ll be well worth it once it is done.

What advice would you give a new writer?

For anyone who is thinking of publishing online for the first time to do their work long before they actually publish.  I couldn’t wait and just wanted to get it out there.  Now, 2 months later, I have realized how much work should have been done before hand:  building a following on Twitter, guest blogs to get the name out, finding reviewers ahead of time so that there are reviews right away.  Do the work, do the research, then publish.

Link to my blog:  http://redislandnovel.blogspot.ca

Review: Troll or Derby by Red Tash

Troll Or Derby by Red Tash
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow... Its been a while since books have yanked me in so far, that I almost have to pull myself back into the real world. Between Lady of the Veils and Troll or Derby, I've been reminded of why the very idea of Urban Fantasy, by my definition, appeals to me.

The reader is in for a unique, one of a kind trip out of the world we know and into a world filled with variations of the fairy world we all know and love. The trip Red Tash takes the reader on is fast paced and filled with action. Each switch between Deb and Harlow leaves you wanting to know more of what you'd left, before trapping you in where you're going. While different, I enjoyed the approach of switching back and forth, as the first person view gives you insight into both of these interesting characters that wouldn't be possible in any other writing style.

I picked up the book last night and started it this morning in bed. Each time I put it down was only because I had to be pulled to other things, literally forcing me to put the book down. Being out and about didn't stop me however from finishing it up when I could.

To say I enjoyed the book is putting it lightly. I truly loved this story.

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