I would like to commend everyone out there who live their lives working full time jobs while doing extra things with out the need for caffeine. I am 8 mos pregnant and have been trying my hardest to not drink any caffeine at all. But like any good coffee junky, I cheat. I will go for days with out any and, then in a moment of tired despair, I take in my daily allotted amount that I can as instructed by my doctor. It is an addiction that I do not wish to kick and I will happily go back to when I can. The funny part is I thought my passion for wine would be the hardest thing to go with out, but alcohol has become completely unappealing to me when I got pregnant.
For right now, I am a writer with out her caffeine whose belly is the size of a blown up beach ball. You all have been warned.
A side note, I am sure people will go back and read these posts wondering why I started the blog so early if I don't intend to publish my book right away. Well, to answer that question, I am working hard to make sure I am putting out the best work I can. Right now, I have some lovely friends who are my acting beta readers/editors. They are reading TOTEM while I work on the second book in the series Fleur-de-Lis. I love writing and do it passionately almost every day. I would rather sit on releasing my book knowing I am going to have a better product when I do than release something people would not enjoy.
Secondly, I am hoping people will stumble upon my blog/twitter/facebook/whatever and be interested in what I have to say wondering if I could in fact write a book they would enjoy. If I could interest even one person by all my mindless writing in between writing, then I would have done my job.
Also, I keep going back and forth between self publish or traditional publishing. From what I have been reading, both have their perks. There is neither a correct way or a wrong way now a days. Now it is mostly personal choice or serendipitous chance that causes people to arrive at one or the other. So please be patient while I continue my internal battle with how to release my books. Book I hope my readers will enjoy.
Until then, I will be dreaming about a Starbuck's Skinny Vanilla Latte in a Venti cup.
Sincerely,
EM
Monday, December 16, 2013
Thursday, December 12, 2013
The Art of Sex and Writing
As I am going about my writing journey working on my second book in the TOTEM series, I am haunted by one question: How much sex is too much... when it comes to writing?
I will admit, like most women my age, that I have read 50 Shades of Grey. It's a book that seems entirely dedicated to sex. Which is probably how I am 8 mos pregnant now. (Not really. My little girl was very much planned by two loving parents) But in no way, shape or form do I think it is appropriate for my target audience (YA to NA, paranormalish) to write out pornographic scenes. Nor do I think it is age appropriate for them to "just hold hands". It is impractical to think that my character, a young woman in college, would not have sex.
In my personal experience and opinion, I do not think young women should engage in sex until they are both physically, mentally and emotionally mature enough to deal with the consequences of entering into a sexual relationship with another human being. Sex is tricky. A lot of times the two individuals are not on the same page. It takes maturity to discuss what each other needs or wants. It also takes maturity and self worth for women and men to stand firm in their belief to use protection (something EVERY COUPLE should discuss before sex). So how do you express these ideals in a book?
I could skirt the issue completely and wait until marriage like Stephanie Meyers. But waiting until marriage is no longer the norm nor is it appropriate for my characters. Not only that, but New Orleans culture is all about the good times. It is a city filled with parties, bars and more parties. It is just part of the culture. In fact sex is part of college life. But how do I express that in a way that isn't too graphic?
Usually, I am sure agents and editors would step in and dictate my writing (which I would be perfectly fine with) if I thought it was a route I am going. (I would love to have an agent who lets me write then tells me how high to jump but the literary world is a cruel world my friends where few make it to the top of the hill leaving others piled below). That's why I chose to write for the love of writing where the only people I have to impress right now is myself and my lovely readers!
So here I am trying to figure out the art of writing sex. Too much pushes the boundary yet too little makes the character unbelievable. What is an author to do?
Until next time,
EM
I will admit, like most women my age, that I have read 50 Shades of Grey. It's a book that seems entirely dedicated to sex. Which is probably how I am 8 mos pregnant now. (Not really. My little girl was very much planned by two loving parents) But in no way, shape or form do I think it is appropriate for my target audience (YA to NA, paranormalish) to write out pornographic scenes. Nor do I think it is age appropriate for them to "just hold hands". It is impractical to think that my character, a young woman in college, would not have sex.
In my personal experience and opinion, I do not think young women should engage in sex until they are both physically, mentally and emotionally mature enough to deal with the consequences of entering into a sexual relationship with another human being. Sex is tricky. A lot of times the two individuals are not on the same page. It takes maturity to discuss what each other needs or wants. It also takes maturity and self worth for women and men to stand firm in their belief to use protection (something EVERY COUPLE should discuss before sex). So how do you express these ideals in a book?
I could skirt the issue completely and wait until marriage like Stephanie Meyers. But waiting until marriage is no longer the norm nor is it appropriate for my characters. Not only that, but New Orleans culture is all about the good times. It is a city filled with parties, bars and more parties. It is just part of the culture. In fact sex is part of college life. But how do I express that in a way that isn't too graphic?
Usually, I am sure agents and editors would step in and dictate my writing (which I would be perfectly fine with) if I thought it was a route I am going. (I would love to have an agent who lets me write then tells me how high to jump but the literary world is a cruel world my friends where few make it to the top of the hill leaving others piled below). That's why I chose to write for the love of writing where the only people I have to impress right now is myself and my lovely readers!
So here I am trying to figure out the art of writing sex. Too much pushes the boundary yet too little makes the character unbelievable. What is an author to do?
Until next time,
EM
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
Enter the world of writing
Not all of us begin with dreams and aspirations to become writers. Mostly we think it would be nice. I have always had a passion for writing and stories hidden somewhere inside of me, but it is recent circumstances that have allowed me to pursue my writing.
To start off, I went to college and got a completely different major in Biology. Then, I was offered a job as a research technician directly out of college as well as began coaching soccer in my spare time. Even with a busy life, I found the time to write my first book. I sent letters to agents (like most people do) but to no avail. A few responses and very little interest left my book sitting on a flash drive buried in a desk. I was not upset. It was my first writing job and people rarely get it right the first time.
So I dropped my dreams of writing opting to live life with the cards I was dealt. Then I got engaged to the love of my life and in that you must decide to pursue a career or to live with your love. So, like any hopeless romantic, I chose love. Marrying my husband in essence means marrying his career. This career is also known as the military and that meant moving a lot with out the ability to settle down into my own working career.
Our latest move has landed us in beautiful Hawaii. Not only that but life dealt me another card and I am expecting our first child! I love the cards I am holding, but one card that doesn't fit right now is a full time job. This is where my love of writing enters. A book idea three years in the making and created in my head was my setting. Now, after a year and a half of scribbling in spiral notebooks creating characters and a surreal world somewhere between reality and fiction, I have found my first book.
After reading through it making my own edits, I have now left it in the hands of a secret group of close friends to read and give me their honest input. Some would rest after this point, but I can not rest. The first book is only the beginning and the life goes on for my main characters. So I write. I write with a flourish knowing that everything in my mind must make it to paper.
I am fortunate to pursue writing. I am happy for this baby who slows me down from working out so much and getting a full time job thus allowing me to bring my book to life. Totem is the first book. With Fleur-de-Lis hopefully following shortly in it's shadows. I am looking to independently publish both to Kindle in Spring/Summer of 2014.
But now it is bedtime! Good night world!
Until I write again,
EM
To start off, I went to college and got a completely different major in Biology. Then, I was offered a job as a research technician directly out of college as well as began coaching soccer in my spare time. Even with a busy life, I found the time to write my first book. I sent letters to agents (like most people do) but to no avail. A few responses and very little interest left my book sitting on a flash drive buried in a desk. I was not upset. It was my first writing job and people rarely get it right the first time.
So I dropped my dreams of writing opting to live life with the cards I was dealt. Then I got engaged to the love of my life and in that you must decide to pursue a career or to live with your love. So, like any hopeless romantic, I chose love. Marrying my husband in essence means marrying his career. This career is also known as the military and that meant moving a lot with out the ability to settle down into my own working career.
Our latest move has landed us in beautiful Hawaii. Not only that but life dealt me another card and I am expecting our first child! I love the cards I am holding, but one card that doesn't fit right now is a full time job. This is where my love of writing enters. A book idea three years in the making and created in my head was my setting. Now, after a year and a half of scribbling in spiral notebooks creating characters and a surreal world somewhere between reality and fiction, I have found my first book.
After reading through it making my own edits, I have now left it in the hands of a secret group of close friends to read and give me their honest input. Some would rest after this point, but I can not rest. The first book is only the beginning and the life goes on for my main characters. So I write. I write with a flourish knowing that everything in my mind must make it to paper.
I am fortunate to pursue writing. I am happy for this baby who slows me down from working out so much and getting a full time job thus allowing me to bring my book to life. Totem is the first book. With Fleur-de-Lis hopefully following shortly in it's shadows. I am looking to independently publish both to Kindle in Spring/Summer of 2014.
But now it is bedtime! Good night world!
Until I write again,
EM
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
The beginning of what I hope to be something beautiful!
Hello internet world! Today I take my first step into the blogging community! What I hope to accomplish is an outlet where I can discuss my journey through writing.
As a fairly new (serious) writer (I have been an avid writer for years), I am looking to connect with people and allow people to connect with me. My blog will hopefully be the perfect outlet to let followers know what my latest writing progress is as well as works I hope to publish either traditionally or independently.
My latest writing venture and work I hope to release to the world soon is a wonderful NA fictional book titled "Totem"! The manuscript is finished and all that is left is the tedious task of editing and placing pretty little bow on top!
Ernest Hemingway once said "We are all apprentices in a craft where no one ever becomes a master."
I hope to lead you on my path to finding my passion and voice through writing in hopes that one day the few who do fall in love with my characters as much as I have will add up to many.
As a fairly new (serious) writer (I have been an avid writer for years), I am looking to connect with people and allow people to connect with me. My blog will hopefully be the perfect outlet to let followers know what my latest writing progress is as well as works I hope to publish either traditionally or independently.
My latest writing venture and work I hope to release to the world soon is a wonderful NA fictional book titled "Totem"! The manuscript is finished and all that is left is the tedious task of editing and placing pretty little bow on top!
Ernest Hemingway once said "We are all apprentices in a craft where no one ever becomes a master."
I hope to lead you on my path to finding my passion and voice through writing in hopes that one day the few who do fall in love with my characters as much as I have will add up to many.
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