SO I just finished reading Dan Wells' debut novel, "I Am Not a Serial Killer"
What a great read! I found myself staying up, and skipping writing time to finish this book. Very "cleaver" Ha Ha.....N-E-Wayz...just read the book.
Seriously though, I had heard that it was a great book, but hadn't had the opportunity to read it until now. I bought it at Borders - it was in the Mystery / Thiller section, not the young adult - and I truly couldn't put it down.
So for those of you who have already read this book, I know I know, what took me so long, right?
But if you haven't, you are missing out on a truly entertaining and clever story.
I can't wait for more, John Wayne Cleaver!.....
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
I'm almost there!
I can't believe it~
I am 3 short of having 25 followers! And when I started this blog I didn't think I would have any followers other than my mom, and I bet she hasn't read it yet! LOL
I'm getting a bit more comfortable with this blog thing. I have always been a journal writer, with the occasional chunk of time missing, and I was hesitant at first to write a blog. I see my journal as such an intimate and personal space for me, and blogging was pushing that line in my mind.
But as I have come to follow other blogs, I have come to realize that it is ok to let people see a little bit of who I am, and where I going.
I'm on this weird and crazy journey into the world of writing and storytelling and some of you who know me might not think it is that cool. But for me, it is fascinating and terrifying at the same time. I feel like I'm getting stronger with each passing week. I'm discovering something that makes me feel good about myself again, which is something I haven't had since I retired from coaching youth cheerleading.
So how about you? Have you found something in your life that makes you feel good about yourself?
Let us know!
Love Always,
Kris
I am 3 short of having 25 followers! And when I started this blog I didn't think I would have any followers other than my mom, and I bet she hasn't read it yet! LOL
I'm getting a bit more comfortable with this blog thing. I have always been a journal writer, with the occasional chunk of time missing, and I was hesitant at first to write a blog. I see my journal as such an intimate and personal space for me, and blogging was pushing that line in my mind.
But as I have come to follow other blogs, I have come to realize that it is ok to let people see a little bit of who I am, and where I going.
I'm on this weird and crazy journey into the world of writing and storytelling and some of you who know me might not think it is that cool. But for me, it is fascinating and terrifying at the same time. I feel like I'm getting stronger with each passing week. I'm discovering something that makes me feel good about myself again, which is something I haven't had since I retired from coaching youth cheerleading.
So how about you? Have you found something in your life that makes you feel good about yourself?
Let us know!
Love Always,
Kris
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Consorting with the Enemy!
In the authors group of which I am a member, I read about a writer who is dealing with a negative and very unsupportive family when it comes to her passion for writing.
I, fortunately, have never experienced this within my own family. My parents and extended family of siblings and various in-laws have been so supportive and excited about my yearning for following this dream of writing. But it has never been just one thing. I am the oldest of five children, 33 to 22, and no matter what avenue any one of us at any time has pursued from sports to music to writing, there is unconditional support from all of us.
Over the last 17 years, I have coached cheerleading at all stages from youth leagues to high school to all stars. I have had the incredible honor of being a small part of so many girls, and a few boys, lives. Many of them I still keep in contact with to this day, though they are parents themselves. One of the things I learned over the many years of coaching is that I'm one of the luckiest people in the world because of the family dynamic. Of course, we fight and argue just like every other family. However, at the end of the day, there is no question in my mind as to whether or not my family loves and supports me. No matter how many times I screw in this life, big or small or HUGE! They will always be there to pick me up again. Another thing I have learned is that my family and I seem to be the weird ones, in today's society. We are the anomialies.
Yes, I can say that I don't know from experience what this writer is going through with her family.
BUT, I can say that I DO know from experience about letting someone else tell you whether or not you are good, or beautiful or worthless or untalented or wasting your time because you could never accomplish that goal. I know what it is like to have someone making you feel like you are worthless, and not good at anything. I know what is it like to fall in love with someone who loves someone else, and what it feels like to internalize the pain and rejection and letting them dictate your self-worth.
I have dealt with this someone for years. I am unable to win them over. I am unable to shake them off. Where ever I go, she goes. It is like we are unseparable. Because we are! I am truly my own worst enemy.
It is my own words telling me I can't do it. It is my own eyes staring back at me telling me that I'm worthless. It feels like I'm two completely different people trying to live two different lives with the same body. Each one struggling for control. Most of the time, it is easy to keep her at bay. But it is at those weak moments where her negative doubts and feelings can create such havoc and destruction.
So, how do you fight the demons inside? How do you look them in the face and laugh?
How do you turn the negatives into positives?
I wish there was a magic potion I could bottle and sell. But there isn't. It is simply this.
Pray. Stay close to the Lord, and never let your praying knees get lazy.
I, fortunately, have never experienced this within my own family. My parents and extended family of siblings and various in-laws have been so supportive and excited about my yearning for following this dream of writing. But it has never been just one thing. I am the oldest of five children, 33 to 22, and no matter what avenue any one of us at any time has pursued from sports to music to writing, there is unconditional support from all of us.
Over the last 17 years, I have coached cheerleading at all stages from youth leagues to high school to all stars. I have had the incredible honor of being a small part of so many girls, and a few boys, lives. Many of them I still keep in contact with to this day, though they are parents themselves. One of the things I learned over the many years of coaching is that I'm one of the luckiest people in the world because of the family dynamic. Of course, we fight and argue just like every other family. However, at the end of the day, there is no question in my mind as to whether or not my family loves and supports me. No matter how many times I screw in this life, big or small or HUGE! They will always be there to pick me up again. Another thing I have learned is that my family and I seem to be the weird ones, in today's society. We are the anomialies.
Yes, I can say that I don't know from experience what this writer is going through with her family.
BUT, I can say that I DO know from experience about letting someone else tell you whether or not you are good, or beautiful or worthless or untalented or wasting your time because you could never accomplish that goal. I know what it is like to have someone making you feel like you are worthless, and not good at anything. I know what is it like to fall in love with someone who loves someone else, and what it feels like to internalize the pain and rejection and letting them dictate your self-worth.
I have dealt with this someone for years. I am unable to win them over. I am unable to shake them off. Where ever I go, she goes. It is like we are unseparable. Because we are! I am truly my own worst enemy.
It is my own words telling me I can't do it. It is my own eyes staring back at me telling me that I'm worthless. It feels like I'm two completely different people trying to live two different lives with the same body. Each one struggling for control. Most of the time, it is easy to keep her at bay. But it is at those weak moments where her negative doubts and feelings can create such havoc and destruction.
So, how do you fight the demons inside? How do you look them in the face and laugh?
How do you turn the negatives into positives?
I wish there was a magic potion I could bottle and sell. But there isn't. It is simply this.
Pray. Stay close to the Lord, and never let your praying knees get lazy.
Friday, July 16, 2010
Didn't Do So Hot :(
Okay, well my goal month ended on July 11th at midnight, and I can say I didn't do as well I wanted.
Let's recap: GOALS
#1 - Daily writing goal of 30 mins a day, except Sundays
#2 - Weekly writing related post
#3 - Compose two more chapters in WIP MS. (Work In Progress, Manuscript)
Update -
#1 - Totally blew this one. I was lucky if I got in an hour each week.....I was able to get some plotting done.
#2 - I think I only made 2 of the 4 weeks on this one.
#3 - This one I think I may have almost completed. When I started plotting, the two chapters that I had originally have now been expanded to a prologue and 4 (unfinished) chapters.
So overall, though I didn't complete each goal entirely, I believe setting the goals actually did help me move forward in the last month. If I hadn't researched the "How to plot" weekly post, I wouldn't have made the progress I did on my MS, which did consist of re-writes and re-structuring of chapters. It wasn't daily writing, but it was writing that moved my story in the right direction.
So I'm going to focus on the success of this experiment and try it again. SAME GOALS! ONE MORE MONTH! Starting today...ending on August 13th at midnight. Which is a perfect ending, because it will give me the opportunity to update you on my progress and also a breakdown of the WriteOnCon Conference August 10-12th. I'm Excited!!!!
Wish me luck!
Love Always,
Kris
Let's recap: GOALS
#1 - Daily writing goal of 30 mins a day, except Sundays
#2 - Weekly writing related post
#3 - Compose two more chapters in WIP MS. (Work In Progress, Manuscript)
Update -
#1 - Totally blew this one. I was lucky if I got in an hour each week.....I was able to get some plotting done.
#2 - I think I only made 2 of the 4 weeks on this one.
#3 - This one I think I may have almost completed. When I started plotting, the two chapters that I had originally have now been expanded to a prologue and 4 (unfinished) chapters.
So overall, though I didn't complete each goal entirely, I believe setting the goals actually did help me move forward in the last month. If I hadn't researched the "How to plot" weekly post, I wouldn't have made the progress I did on my MS, which did consist of re-writes and re-structuring of chapters. It wasn't daily writing, but it was writing that moved my story in the right direction.
So I'm going to focus on the success of this experiment and try it again. SAME GOALS! ONE MORE MONTH! Starting today...ending on August 13th at midnight. Which is a perfect ending, because it will give me the opportunity to update you on my progress and also a breakdown of the WriteOnCon Conference August 10-12th. I'm Excited!!!!
Wish me luck!
Love Always,
Kris
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Holy Moly!
"Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in awhile, you could miss it! ~Ferris Bueller
Boy, I've let 'life" get away with me and I've neglected my blog. Bad Bad Blogger..(Hand officially slapped)
My month long goal is coming to an end and I've been doing terrible so far on the daily goal, and I missed last weeks weekly post. I'm getting some writing in, but more plotting and outlining than actually writing.
My last post talked about The 7 point plot structure. This is helping me SO much. I'm really starting to see a road map of my story and it is helping me see where I need to fill. I'm hoping to have 3-4 chapters ready at least for the WriteOnCon Conference in August.
My struggle is making myself write and finding my confidence. I mean really write. Just go with the flow and not stop to edit. But I'm hopeful that I can do better.
I'm going to exit for now, since I haven't written my 30 minutes today...shame shame..
Talk to you guys later,
Love, Kris
Boy, I've let 'life" get away with me and I've neglected my blog. Bad Bad Blogger..(Hand officially slapped)
My month long goal is coming to an end and I've been doing terrible so far on the daily goal, and I missed last weeks weekly post. I'm getting some writing in, but more plotting and outlining than actually writing.
My last post talked about The 7 point plot structure. This is helping me SO much. I'm really starting to see a road map of my story and it is helping me see where I need to fill. I'm hoping to have 3-4 chapters ready at least for the WriteOnCon Conference in August.
My struggle is making myself write and finding my confidence. I mean really write. Just go with the flow and not stop to edit. But I'm hopeful that I can do better.
I'm going to exit for now, since I haven't written my 30 minutes today...shame shame..
Talk to you guys later,
Love, Kris
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