The Memory Project

Hello all. I am super jazzed to tell you about an upcoming project that I am hosting on my blog. It's called "The Memory Project" and here is the gist.

I asked a few of my fellow wonderful and talented writer friends if they would be interested in contributing to a short story collection in the tradition of the great Josh Hewitt. Actually, after World's End…well…ended, I was depressed. I had so looked forward to seeing what all my friends (and some new at the time) had written that when it was over, I kinda had the same sads as when LOST ended. YEAH! FOR REALS! IT WAS ALMOST AS BAD!

So, it wasn't long after that I decided to do something similar. It might not be as epically awesome as Josh's, but I could put together something. So I enlisted Josh to help me brainstorm some ideas. I think what I came up with (and he approved of) was pretty damn intriguing. But even cooler, is how it became something completely different after all was said and done.

Here is the premise:

A girl finds a scrapbook in an old abandoned house, opens it, and she looks through it, and we as readers get to experience the things that happened in those pictures, through this girl flipping through pages. BUT then I thought it would be cool to have objects, and these would be held in a suitcase, along with the scrapbook.

So every writer was given a picture or an item that they would write about. The only rule was that it had to be about the picture somehow. Other than that, I left them to their own creativity.

Then I read Josh's story. And I knew it would be good, but I did not expect the twist and turn that it took me and thus altered the direction of the project. Add to this that the writers I asked to participate are all so completely different in scope and genre, that this project soon took on a life of its own. No longer was it about the scrapbook, but the suitcase that held it and the rest of the contents.

I don't want to spoil it, but I will say this: it will take you readers on a journey through space and time, between worlds both within our realm and out. It will make you laugh, cry, fear, and tense. All good, hearty feelings that make you feel alive.

It's what would happen if Twilight Zone and Ray Bradbury had a baby who grew up to be a Twilight Vampire but met Eric Northern and Sookie Stackhouse. With a little Cameron Crowe thrown in for some sweetness. So, basically epic.

So, if you are waiting for when it will go live…

Why Friday? Because what better night then on a #writeclub night? Right? I thought so, too. Then a story along with the picture it was inspired by will be released every other day after that.

Here are the talented writers that agreed to join this project. Follow them all on twitter for awesome.

Beau Barnett               @INukeYou

Julie Elizabeth Hill   @jlizhill

Megan Paasch            @MeganPaasch

Trisha Schmidt          @seeredwrite

Andrew Patterson     @M_A_Patterson

Megan Orsini               @morsini

Josh Hewitt                  @the_j_hewitt

Reggie Scott Whitley@societyofsix

Dee Romito                  @writeforapples

Julie Marcinek            @jmarcinikglsd

Jess Montgomery      @JessyMontgomery

Julie Hutchings           @HutchingsJulie

Kristen Strassel           @KristenStrassel

Angi Black                     @AngiNicole722

Suzan Teall Headley @WhiteGardenia27

Darci Cole                      @darci_cole

Amy Trueblood          @atrueblood5

Amanda Aszman         @AmandaShayne

Kasey Leavitt               @thedharmadiva

Jessica Meyers            @mixeduppainter

Follow the hashtag #TheMemoryProject and me, @CareyTorg for more information!

Lates. xoxo

Excuse Me, But I Think I Got My Feelings On You

Emote: 
 intransitive verb \i-ˈmōt\
Portray emotion in a theatrical manner.

I haven't posted a blog in some time, so now that I have my summer free, I hope to update this more often.

On that note…wow. What happens in one year is pretty amazing. My life has changed dramatically. Last year I was just querying my first finished manuscript and learning about the business. I hadn't even tweeted yet. Strange. Now, I'm a newly divorced single mom trying to figure out up from down, I have an agent intern gig, my second novel is almost complete and still searching for an agent. But I am wiser about all of these things in many respects.

Weird thing is, this year has presented me with many emotional challenges. My feelings are raw and out there, and I'm finding that writing has become quite difficult. And it sucks. Because I hear so many people say "Write your feelings on the page" and "get those feelings out" and as much as my feelings really would like to be set free into the cosmos, I can't. I have a hard time letting go. I have a hard time not getting caught up in my feelings. Both good and bad.

Many people have asked me this year, "Are you happier now?" I really don't know how to answer that question. In many respects, yes. I can be more true to myself. I no longer need to apologize for what I want and need in my life. But in some ways, I struggle still. Loneliness has a way of eating at your soul, small bite by bite. And there are days, that I'm quite lonely. Like today. And then, blessed be, there are days when I feel loved and cherished.

So why not pour my emotions into writing?

I realize, like with most things in life, there is a sweet spot. Even for writing. I can get caught up in happiness and joy and the feeling of "YES! My life has finally arrived!" and then I'm too giddy to really write seriously. Then there is the feeling of complete sadness and the feeling like I want to crawl under my covers and never come out. And when I feel like this, my writing suffers for it, because the only thing I want to feel is better.

So there is this place where contentment and realism resides, and that is where I do my best writing. I can call on the memories of the strong feelings and write them into my pieces, but I'm unattached enough that I don't find myself wanting to dive into a vat of Haagen Daaz. And I think that's ok. Because if I wrote when feeling all my feels, I would stop midsentence and drink whiskey or eat cake and then my novels would NEVER be finished. It's a fine art, this writing thing. And takes a delicate touch, much like surgery. I guess you could say writers are the surgeons of words.

 I have always been convinced I truly feel things stronger than many others. And I think many writers have this tendency. I don’t know why that is, but for me, I suspect it was because of losing my brother (who was my best friend) at an early age. I learned from the get go that life isn't easy or fair, and that bad things happen. So every sunset is extra beautiful, every dawn is priceless. Every wind, lap of a wave, falling leaf, ember of a flame is so brilliantly beautiful and I love every second of every day. When you realize every moment is a gift, you tend to see things differently.

So by all accounts, I should take things in stride, right? Wrong. Instead, like that sunset or a snowfall that's been untouched by tracks of any sort, I drink in all my emotions because those too, are what it takes to feel alive. And happiness and pain are part of the wonderful journey of life, even when it's excruciating. And I have certainly had some of those feelings lately.

And these feelings are the very things that drive us as writers. We need these feelings to understand the depth of our characters. Because what are books if they aren't stories of the human experience?

So, I think sometimes, we have to take pause. Revel in both the joy and the sorrow: the butterflies of a new love, a first kiss, the dreams and hope of what may come next. Conversely also: the silent breaking of a heart, the wound of unrequited love, the devastation of loss. Because these are what our worlds are built upon.

So I won't feel guilty for taking a break and letting my emotions envelope me as they tend to do. I won't consider it a personal failure if today, or tomorrow, or a month from now I need to stop writing for a bit, because my characters deserve the best of me and my full attention. Otherwise they lack their own depth and passion. That's unfair to them. That's unfair to the reader.

So, to all those writers like me who can't (for their own reasons) just "write it out", you have permission to feel. To emote. To cry. To do a cannonball into the ocean if that's what you want.
And when your feelings aren't as consuming, write again.  Because the world needs your words.

Interview with ANGI NO E!

My first author interview! I really would love to start spotlighting the wonderful writers both newly pubbed and not yet pubbed on a regular basis. I figured everyone of us can be both teacher and student, sharing our knowledge with others while we soak in their wisdom at the same time.

So, with that idea in my mind I asked the wonderful Angi Black aka Irene Rose to answer a few writing questions. I first met her as we began going back and forth writing while tweeting. It was the early manifestations of what is now a phenomenon: #writeclub. You can follow the hashtag or follow @FriNightWrites on twitter. Angi also happens to be one of the time keepers for Write Club. Now we have an amazing friendship and she is someone who is not just someone I tweet with, but someone who's critique and feedback has become important to me. She's amazing and so real and I am super glad to have her featured here on my blog. So without any further ado...

Meet Angi Black:

Tell our readers a little about you.

I'm Angi. Hi! And I dance, I sing, I act, I write. I teach at a performing arts school and holy cow, I'm a Renaissance woman. Heh. Who knew? I also spend far too much time solidifying my hippie ways greening up the Earth and volunteering.

My background is that I've been in theater since I was a wee tyke. I'm not Irish. I don't where the came from. Anywho, I have always written. Since I can remember, I've been that girl with a notebook and pen, jotting stuff down. I journaled and wrote short stories, usually romance with naughty bits. :) But I love mysteries too. I'm just not as good at writing them. Yet.

For fun - I write. LOL What a horrible answer. I dance and have singing parties at my house during the day. I love movies and select TV shows. But my number one thing to do for fun is travel. I love to travel and roadtrip and all the things like that.

Also - I'm southern, so if you come to my house I will feed you. Plan accordingly.

(I am on my way. No. Seriously. Packing my bags as we speak.)

What was the first thing you ever wrote?

Like ever? Well, in elementary school I wrote a book called 'What's in the Trunk?' I had to bind it and illustrate it too. It was a school wide contest, and I won! So far it's my only one-run publication.

 Have you ever gone back to it?

No, I haven't ever revisited it.

But if you mean real books, the first thing I ever finished was LOVE IN REAL LIFE. I have gone back to it. I can't leave it alone. it's my book baby and I'm planning a series around it as we speak.

What is your preferred genre to write? Read?

I love to write about kisses. I love first kisses and ...other things. I love the smexy times. But about that, I love the interaction of relationships, the little things that happen when you know someone. Like the first time someone remembers how you take your coffee. That's a big moment.

I love to read - well, lots of things. I love YA, NA, Adult. I love contemporary to paranormal and back again. My favorite two books are The Vampire Lestat by Anne Rice and The Great Gatsby. My tastes vary, but what I love are the characters. I want to fall in love and make a new friend. I want my heart broken and someone who makes me believe in love. I'm a very greedy reader, I need to be moved.

What inspires you? Where do you find your ideas for your writing?

Music is my number one inspiration. But really, the day to day stuff does too. I try to guess people's backstory or even in my own life, what if I had just made one different choice. BUt the number one thing that inspires me is the chance to be someone I'm not. It's the same thing with theater and dance. I can write about anything I want and that character takes on a life of her, or his, own. and since there's a bit of me in each character, a little piece of me gets to become them. And I love that so much.

Walk the readers through your writing process.

I used to pants everything. Just sit down and write. And it works. I'm a fast drafter. But for Nano last year, I plotted for the first time. Holy cow. It worked so well. I had to go back and fill in after, but the story came together so much better for me. I've plotted out my book since and they feel much more coherent.

I still have an affinity for pantsing though. So through the week, I work on my plotted manuscripts. But during Writeclub on Fridays, I pull out one of my pantsed projects and go to town. It keeps my mind fresh and makes it not get dreary.

The other thing about my writing process is that I write everyday. I try to write 1000 words everyday. Even if they're complete crap, I at least did some writing. It never leaves me a time when I think, oh god, it's been a week. I'll never get back to it now. If I've done a little bit, it keeps me moving.

Have you ever gotten "stuck" in your WIP? (I am currently going through this) What has helped get the writing flowing again?

Oh yeah. I wrote a historical romance last year and there is a very big, dramatic scene at the end. I had the worst time getting to it. It sat open for two months. I wrote another entire MS in the meantime. Finally, I just knew I had to finish it. And the first draft was complete trash. I mean the ending was unbelievably bad. She did this. Then this happened. His reaction was this. Just terrible, all passive.

But when I went back to revise and read through, it was done and the inspiration came. I was able to fix it and it's actually my favorite part of the book now.

My advice, just push through. Most artists start with a sketch and and the color later. There's no reason writing can't be any different.

If you became the next JK Rowling, how would your life change? How would it stay the same?

Oh, it would change a lot. First, people would say - you write for kids??? Second - monetarily, my kids would get to have a different life. I would have a different life. I would travel more and my house would get the love it needs. Oh, and I'd have a housekeeper! All win.

(And build a huge writer's retreat in her backyard where all of her writer friends would be invited and hang out. Ok, she didn't actually SAY that, but I am pretty certain she was thinking it. I got that vibe anyway.)

The ways it wouldn't change is that I would still teach dance for basically no money. I would still volunteer. I would still write and spend inordinate amounts of time on Twitter with my writing family. I'm me. I worked had to figure out who I am, I don't see any reason that part of me would change, no matter how much money is in the bank.

Oh, but I would only shop for clothes at ModCloth.

What has been your favorite character to write? Why?

My favorite character to write has been...wow, that's a hard one. I think it's the male MC in my NA book from my pen name. His name is River and I simply adore him. He's brainy and beautiful but completely awkward. But even with all that, he tends to be a bit smug. He's witty and completely googly in love with Ellie. He's sensitive but still a man. Know what I mean? (oh yes....yes...I do)

He's a tie with the LI in my book SUGAR-COATED DECEIT, Jason. He's is so confident and cocky, but a good guy. He's also sexy as hell and knows exactly what he wants. I wish I had his confidence. He was so much fun to write because I knew he was bold, but still, the things he said sometimes surprised even me. And I think those are the best kind of characters.

(I can attest that Jason is definately the best kind of character. You want to read this book. You just DO! And you will need to keep a fan nearby. TRUST ME!)

Thanks for interviewing me, Carey. I feel like I rambled and I sound a bit crazy, but it was my first interview. :)

xo, Ang

You did a fantastic job! It was so fun getting to know you a bit more. You are a doll! Love you. *muah*

Be sure to follow Angi on Twitter and read her fabulous blog here.

You Just Keep Me Hanging On...

Hi all. It has been a while. For many things. For my writing. For my inspiration. For my blog. All of it. Even my tweets have become less writing centered and more life focused. There’s a good reason for that. Because right now, life is taking more center stage right now. Yeah, life. What can I say? She’s a spotlight hog. Anyway, even though she is doing her damnedest to throw every conceivable object my way, I am sitting here dodging them like someone moving from left and right hooks. Hopefully, I can keep up before I get a nasty shiner.

And these blows are not just coming for me personally. But in my writing as well. I have really tried to be inspired to write. I am standing in the middle of Inspiration Avenue trying to get hit by anything at all. At this point, even bird poop would be something. It’s not that I don’t have ideas. I have them. Lots of them. It is that I simply have no desire to write. And I think it has a great deal to do with the fact that my MS, the one I am currently querying, has reached a stalemate.

I am sitting on two full requests (for over a month now) and just sent out a partial. And I think it has me stuck because I don’t want to move on. Because I love that story so much. I believe in that story. And dammit, every single time someone reads it, they all say the same thing…”This is really good. This will get published.” And yet, no agents seem to agree.

Every time I try to explain my situation and my frustrations, people always ask the same things.  First, many repped writers regale me with stories about how they queried x amount of agents (usually way less than what I have) and how they tried x amount of months. Then I hear about pubbed authors like JK Rowling or Stephenie Meyer (who both were flukes so they are really bad comparisons) and people say “They queried 13-16 publishers (respectively) until their yes. Then I want to laugh. Are you kidding? Like 15 queries is a lot? That’s comparable to a lottery winner saying I bought fifteen tickets and won a kajillion dollars…so you buy 15 tickets and you could win too. 15 is NOT THAT MANY. I know they are trying to be helpful and tell me how long it took them, but it sometimes makes me feel worse. And that’s not what either one of us want. Then come the inevitable questions.

 Are you querying agents?

 How long have you been trying?

 How many have you queried?

Have you had any requests?

 

How many?

Do they give you feedback?

Here are those answers.

                       67 queries (plus some in contests/online crit)

43 rejections

18 requests (7 partials to fulls)

24 no response

That is a percentage of about 20-24% request rate. Which is pretty damn good. So, saying that there is no interest is not the issue. Many would argue that if you sent out that many queries and you haven’t been picked up or that you aren’t getting much feedback, regroup and re-read because there may be an issue. But with a 20%, which is a great request rate, and I have been getting feedback. And it has pretty much said that the writing is strong and they enjoyed reading the story, it just wasn’t something they LOVED. And there really is nothing to do about that. It isn’t a case of needing an R&R to fix something. It’s that for whatever reason, they are just not excited enough to rep it.

The feedback is similar: couldn’t connect, don’t love it enough, sweet but I’ve seen it before, funny but not what I am looking for.

And that's it. Nothing much more than. At least if there was something horrible and they told me I could fix it. I can’t fix anything because there is really nothing to fix. Which should feel good, but makes me feel awful.

And what is worse is that I read agents blogs, tweets, etc and most say the same thing. If it is good enough, if they love it enough and believe in it enough, they will offer. And no one does. So it leaves me in this strange place.

 

Do I keep writing, even when it is quite possible that all my ideas are plain and simple. Virtual vanilla on a page? Or do I leave the writing to those that have the million trillion ideas oozing from their pores. Thing is, I write what I love. And what I love is the everyday. I grew up watching romantic comedies and sweet contemporary movies with witty sarcasm and a dose of sugar. So that’s what I enjoy writing. Love and romance and real women with the pressures of every day societal expectations thrown on them. I love exploring the question of “What does it mean to be a woman today?” My writing is cynical because I am a touch cynical. But it has hope, because I have a lot of that too. But that isn’t exactly “cutting edge”.

I love writing romance because secretly, I hope one day I will have a romance like my characters do. I write the stories that I hope will happen to me, and women like me, one day. And maybe that’s what I’m doing wrong. Maybe romance isn’t enough anymore.

Maybe it has to have bondage or vampires or evil villains plotting to kill all humans. Or sad stories that end in tragedy. Or witches. Or superheroes. Or steampunk. Or zombies. Dear Lord I hate zombies.

I don’t know. But it makes me sad every time I think about it. My poor book. My heart in 85 thousand words. Never to really be seen. My voice never really to be heard.

And so, when I sit down to write, instead of the inspiration of a new story, my heart hangs heavy remembering the story that may never see the light of day. To never grace a bookstore shelf.

And people will say self-publish. And I consider it. Really, I am. But there’s something in me that says, “If it isn’t good enough to be picked up by people who really know this business, and really know what they are doing, then I need to accept that and move on.

I am pretty sure this is why I am stuck. This is where my head is at. Rejection is tough. Whether it was that time I tried out for Arsenic and Old Lace, auditioned for the lead part in choir, asking the cute guy I crushed on forever to prom, or asking an agent to read and love your story.

At the end of it all, I will keep trying. Because that is what is in my nature to do. But sometimes, I just want to feel the pain of it all. I need to. Because without that pain, I wouldn’t understand how amazing good feels.

And I really pray, someday, pertaining to my writing, good and I will meet. And we'll have coffee. And she'll stay awhile. We will see...

Chick-lit? Chicklet? Chick, let me tell you…

 

Okay. So I have been hocking my manuscript, The Princess Paradox, for quite some time now. I know what people say, “chick lit is dead”. And if you look up the term chick-lit, you will find dozens upon dozens of women and reviewers hacking at the genre like Freddy frickin’ Krueger. And you know what? That pisses me off.

So, in what may be my last ditch effort, I have been trying to research small presses that publish what was once called chick-lit. Now, the covers have been taken back, burned in a fiery pit of bubblegum pink ash, and repackaged with new titles, new colors, and a new genre label. New Adult? Maybe. Lighthearted Women’s Fiction? Possibly. Commercial Fiction? Book Club Fiction? Contemporary Romance?

At this point, I'm not even sure how to market this thing. What I do know, is it is hard to find someone, whether it be agent or press, to actually take my book or me seriously as a writer. And I have a million and one problems with this that I have no qualms about sharing. It doesn't help that recently there have been a slew of articles admonishing chick lit for making women feel fat. (see Telegraph article here) Uhhh, news flash, it is not chick lit that makes women feel fat. If you really want to know what actually does make women feel fat, first look at magazines and Hollywood and the fact that people always focus on how women look. (My co-worker just came in and told me the new trend is teenage girls measuring the empty space between their thighs as a measure of attractiveness. They have not read chick lit by the way) Not to mention, how women judge other women. But this is not a post about that. Maybe another time. This is a post on chick lit.

For me, these next few things are what I am going to call “common myths of chick lit as a genre”.

Myth 1: All chick lit contains vapid main characters.

No. No they don’t. What they show are real women. Real women who are insecure, who compare themselves to others, who are stuck in a misogynistic society where characters like Christian Grey and Edward Cullen can be shallow and into their looks and money and it’s considered sexy but when women give a concern about how we look, we're called vapid.

What about the fact that most of the character arc of these women are going from a woman who is insecure with themselves or their situation to being confident and finally taking initiative? What about the main characters who are muddling through major life decisions? Wives, mothers, daughters? It’s only because these books are typically narrated through first person so that the reader sees the obvious flaws in thinking that allow us to view these women for who they are. People who judge these characters need to get off their sanctimonious high horses and for a moment consider what they may sound like if a constant recording of their most intimate and personal thoughts and doubts replayed for everyone to hear as they order their triple-organic -venti-nonfat-soy latte in a carbon neutral cup. My guess is they would either end up looking just as insecure and flighty as any chick lit heroine OR a pompous assmunch. Either way, they wouldn’t be faring too well in the chick lit version of themselves.

 

Myth 2: All chick lit is about friendships, fashion, food, drinking, shoes, and boys.

Show me a woman who does not somehow in some way appreciate most of these things and I will show you a woman who is a man. That didn’t come out right. But you get the idea. What the hell is wrong with a great pair of high end shoes? Sure, I don’t have the money, but if I did, I would buy some Louboutins or Prada and wear them proudly. I love hors d'oeuvres  and a nice, crisp chardonnay once in a while. Hell, who doesn’t? And if chick lit is truly looking at life of a modern woman, then these things SHOULD be in there. Because it’s what we do! Especially when we are together or lamenting our sad love lives. But these are things that HAPPEN in chick lit. Things that build the world.

Fantasy has dragons and shapeshifters.

Science fiction has space and nanotechnology.

Historical fiction has…history.

You don’t hear anyone say, well science fiction is just lame because those darn writers can’t write about anything other than science. These mystery writers should stop putting dead ends, dark nights, and train rides in their novels. That’s because whoever says that would sound stupid. Wrap your head around that, chick lit naysayers.

Because these “dumb materialistic things” that are in chick lit, build the world of our characters. And it's as important as any wrecked future and totalitarian government entity in a dystopia.

Myth 3: Chick lit is always around girl loving the wrong guy, but ending up with the nice guy.

First, not always true.

Second: HOW IS THIS DIFFERENT FROM LIFE?

Enough said.

Myth 4: Chick lit is unintelligent writing and is the plague of good literature everywhere.

Can this sometimes be true? Sure. Is all chick lit comparable to the work of Leo Tolstoy or Harper Lee? No. But you know what? I have read some pretty bad science fiction, or mainstream fiction. I am not a fan of all the classics. And some best sellers, I just don’t get. Some have every bit of cliché plotline in them as well. But you don’t castrate a whole genre because some books may be considered “fluff”.

Chick lit can be viewed as it is or perhaps it is in more complex terms a commentary on society and women in general. Or perhaps it is a reflection of who we are and how far we have come. Gone are the wild rebellious women of the 60’s and 70’s who are searching so hard for their role in the workplace. Gone is the winner take all mentality where women fight and claw to the top, sometimes risking their family all for the sake of equality. (I would argue at that time, we were not necessarily looking for equality, we were looking for superiority)I believe chick lit focuses on the women of today, balancing work and love and family and friends. And that is not unintelligent. Is it life.

So…as we sail into the OPI colored sunset, I’d like to end by saying:

I am tired of people (most who are so called authors or reviewers) ripping apart a book, genre or author because they are successful. Mark my words, if chick lit hadn’t exploded in the market a decade ago, no one would be even discussing it. And as the sequel to Bridget Jones grows closer and closer, I predict the negativity and backlash against chick lit will worsen. Because heaven forbid, we women look to Bridget Jones’ as a role model. We wouldn’t want women to go thinking that bigger, beautiful women with some insecurities and a bangin’ sense of humor is the norm. Heavens no.

Let’s stop hating on a genre. If you don’t like it, don’t read it. Yes, you have a right to your opinion, but don’t forget others do as well. And just like opinions, chick lit is not going anywhere.

 

I'll Stop the World and Melt With You

Hi fellow writers and whatnot,

Sorry. I don't mean to be rude by calling anyone who does not write a "whatnot", but I was trying to be succinct, which now I'm not because of this lengthy explanation. But I digress, a few months ago a wonderful man and human being sent me an email asking of I would participate in this great idea he had. He wanted to create a collection of short stories for his blog all around one central idea.


What if an unstoppable fate was to befall Earth? What if we knew the date of our ultimate demise? What would we do? What would I do? What would you do?

Thus was the beginning of the end, so to speak. Well, he calls it World's End.

This was a hallmark time for me for many reasons.

One: it was the first time I had ever been asked to do something for someone else's blog. To say I was flattered is an understatement. Because this person is Josh Hewitt, a most gifted writer who has poignant things to say. Also, he is funny as hell. Also, I adore him. Also, he is cute. So there. (By the way, not to shamelessly pawn myself off on anyone, but I would TOTES be willing to do this again, should the situation arise. And I would say really nice things about you. And call you cute. Just sayin'.)

Two: this was the first short story I have ever written. Mostly because I was scared as hell. I mean, to develop character and plot and theme all in less than 5000 words...well that's plain difficult! But what can I say? Josh inspired me. As well as events in my own life. What I have created I am super proud of. I really do think it is some of my best work.

Three: This was also the first time I wrote in third person limited as well as from a male POV. So scary, really, on many levels.

So, it all begins with Josh's story. It is amazing. He is amazing. And I cannot wait to see what all my friends have come up with themselves. Did I mention some of the best and most talented writers I know are in on this too? Yeah. You will all want to read all of these. I will definitely keep you updated when new stories come out. Especially...ahem...yours truly.


So here it is: WORLD'S END

So what would you do if the world were to end?

What the Vlog???

Okay, folks. Here is my first attempt at vlogging. Actually, that is incorrect. This is my bajillionth attempt and finally just you tubed it. Ugh, if any of my students get a hold of this, I'm dead. And if you are a student watching this...I WILL GIVE YOU AN F IF THIS GETS OUT!

:) So, my topic is the awesome that is Twitter. Watch. Be amazed. Okay, not amazed, but you can laugh. It's okay. I laugh at myself often. 

Without further ado, and with far too many ums and ands...here it is. (I have no idea why I am voluntarily doing this, but there you are.

It was pretty amazing, wasn't it. I know. Well, that's my foray into vlogginess. Watch for next time when I talk about LOST. Just kidding. I reserve that for twitter. Lates.

BTW: if you would like me to vlog again, GIVE ME IDEAS!! In the comment section. Down below. BUT NOT YOU SPAMMERS!