Secrets Behind The Book - NEW VIDEO!

New video! Learn the surprising (and funny) secrets behind the YA Fantasy book - A Darling Secret.

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Have you checked out my other videos? You might enjoy these too:

• Secrets of The Nightmare Birds
• Secrets of Strange Luck

First Drafts Aren't Perfect - My Guest Post on Proof Positive

I'm excited to share that I'm a guest author on Proof Positive's blog today! I discuss the favors you do yourself by taking breaks from re-reading and editing your novel. Here's a snippet:

"The words poured effortlessly from my fingertips and onto the page completely free of grammatical errors and typos, forming a perfect, succinct, and intriguing story that everyone in the world wanted to read…said no author ever."

Click HERE to check out my tips on how to edit, revise, and polish your novel.

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If you enjoyed my post on rewriting, you might benefit from these too:

• How to Write A Novel, Part 1: Let The Journey Begin 
• How to Write a Novel, Part 2: Brainstorming, Drafting, and Getting Organized 
• How to Write A Novel, Part 3: Editing Like A Pro  
• How to Be a More Productive Writer

TBT Writer - A Sparkling Dog Named Millie

It's Throw Back Thursday (TBT)! If you're a writer, I invite you to share something you wrote way back when and/or a pic of yourself. Whether you wrote a bad story, silly story, or something really promising when you were eight or thirty eight, share it. It's all part of the journey to becoming a better writer. It's also a really awesome feeling when you can look back and see how far you've come. Don't forget to use #tbtwriter when you post. If you're a reader looking for some laughs, you've come to the right place. So without further ado...

Growing up, my house was like something out of Dr. Doolittle. There were a zillion different animals running around, and yes, we had birthday parties for all of them.

Here's Elmer the iguana celebrating his birthday with a delectable fruit salad.

I especially loved our little duckies.

My brother and I feeding the ducks in our pajamas.

So when I got my first dog, Millie, I was beyond thrilled.

Meet Millie.

Millie was a part of every family event from the very beginning.

Have you ever seen a more enthusiastic dog watching someone open an Xmas present?

I guess it was inevitable that I wrote a story about her when I was in elementary school:

Millie

 

When I first got my dog I was very happy and I got to name her Millie. I took her to a park and saw her long ears fly and her beautiful skin sparkle.

Millie come back. Millie is my new dog. She is a Shaffordshire Bull Terrier. She has golden orange fur mixed with white. I like taking her for walks at the park. She's really fast. I love to watch her golden ears fly back when she runs. She is a very strong dog, fun, and lovable. I enjoy taking here wherever I go.

I've loved MANY animals since Millie, but since she was my first dog, she'll always have a special place in my heart.

Bertha the cat. I think I have more hair here than head. :P

My grandparents dog, Matty.

Gomer the pug in his Christmas sweater.

My brother, Bo, and I.

My puppy, Loki, and me.

I hope you enjoyed my writing throwback. I can't wait to post again next month.


Don't forget to check out my other #TBTWriter stories and pics:

• Good Ideas, Sometimes!
• A Nine-Year-Old's First Horror Story
• Confessions of a Sugarholic

TBT Writer - Good Ideas, Sometimes

It's #TBTWriter! Time to share some funny pics and things I wrote back in the day. If you’ve got a writing throwback, post it with this hashtag so we can all read your story.

When I was ten, we were given a class assignment to write our own short stories, draw the illustrations, and even include a dedication inside a bound book. The completed book would then be given to our parents during parent/teacher night and our parents would write us a letter telling us what they thought. Creative writing was my absolute favorite subject in school, but I had completely forgotten I made this book until my mom recently sent it to me. Now, I'm sharing it with you!

Oh la la!

Here she is. My first book! Check out the intricate hand-drawn cover art. Fancy, I know!

I just about fell out of my chair laughing when I read this. If you can't read my handwriting it says, "I dedicate this book to my brother "Scott" who helps me get good ideas for writing sometimes!" Not all the time, only sometimes! Ha ha ha. And, apparently I felt pretty strongly about this claim given the exclamation mark. This is so funny I just might have to do the same dedication in my next book.

My stories were all about sweets and animals. Big surprise! I'm curious why I starred the picture/story of the ice cream cone. Perhaps because dessert is my favorite meal of the day :) If you haven't read my TBTWriter story about an ice cream sundae, get ready to laugh.

And no book is complete without an About the Author section. Check out more of those fancy shapes and oh la la, a hand-drawn book in the middle. Aside from my last name and where I live now, pretty much all of my interests have remained exactly the same, especially the "she loves writing, music, and art" component.

Then, I came across this letter from my mom after she read my "book."

"You may become an author someday." Wow! I had no idea that my family saw that kind of potential in me back then. Writing was just something that I always enjoyed, but I never imagined I would write books one day. 

And this is me and my bro...and we're obviously up to no good.

Don't forget to check out my other #TBTWriter stories and pics:

• Confessions of a Sugarholic
• A Nine-Year-Old's First Horror Story

What did you think of my first book, or the weird dedication? Do you have something from way back when you'd like to share with the world? Post your comments below.

Video Review of Strange Luck by Christie Stratos - Best Fantasy Subgenre

I'm so excited to share an awesome video review of Strange Luck by my new favorite person in the world - Christie Stratos. Please take a moment to watch her video and like it :)

By the way, if you haven't read Anatomy of a Darkened Heart yet, which is the first book in Christie's Dark Victoriana series, seriously go and buy a copy today! I haven't been this excited about a book in a long time and I'm dying to read her next book. You can read my review of Anatomy of a Darkened Heart here. She also regularly posts insightful articles about writing and creativity on her blog as well as really neat videos on her YouTube channel. Enjoy!
 

Strange Luck Review From Spines & Covers!

Today I was blown away by a wonderful review of Strange Luck from Spines & Covers. Getting good reviews is seriously the best thing in the world for an author! Whenever I get a new review I'm on the edge of my seat as I read every word. Then I'll re-read it like 3 or 4 times. Needless to say, this review certainly made my day.

Here’s a sample of the review: "It is a funky mixture of mystery and fantasy, leaving the reader to wonder if they had actually read the book or if it was all a dream." Check out the full review here.

TBT Writer - Ooey Gooey Chocolatey Goodness

It's #TBTWriter! For the past two months, I've shared some stories I wrote back in the day. My favorite so far is my first horror story I wrote when I was nine. Don't know why I thought a bald man was the most terrifying thing in the world, but it certainly adds to the fun. Pics of crimped side ponytails, uneven bangs, and hot pink spandex do, too (gotta love the 90s). I have quite an embarrassing collection of pics that would make a nice addition to Awkward Family Photos, but I haven't gotten there yet. Someday.

Te he he he...

Anyway, since Valentine's Day is coming up I thought I'd combine the TBT concept with a delicious recipe from way back when - a recipe that I entered into my high school's dessert contest and won! If you're looking for something yummy and sweet to make for V-day, or just for yourself because you deserve it, check out the irresistible recipe below.

YUM!

Chocolate Revel Bars

1 cup margarine or butter
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups packed brown sugar

2 eggs
4 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 cups quick oats
1 1/2 cups semisweet or dark chocolate chips
1 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk
2 tablespoons margarine or butter
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

In a mixing bowl, beat the 1 cup margarine/butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add about half the flour, the brown sugar, eggs, 2 teaspoons of vanilla, and the baking soda. Beat until thoroughly combined. Beat in the remaining flour. Stir in the oats.

In a medium saucepan combine chocolate pieces, sweetened condensed milk, and the 2 tablespoons margarine/butter. Cook over low heat until chocolate melts, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Stir in nuts and remaining 2 teaspoons vanilla.

Press two-thirds of the rolled oats mixture into the bottom of an un-greased 15x10x1 inch baking ban. Spread chocolate mixture over the oat mixture. Using your fingers, dot remaining oat mixture over chocolate.

Bake at 350 for approx. 20-25 mins or until the top is lightly browned. Cool on wire rack. Enjoy with a tall glass of milk.

I've made these chocolate revel bars a couple of times since the contest and they are consistently delicious. 

High school me with my first pug puppy. RIP Gomer :(

Have an old school recipe, story, or pic you want to share? Post below :) I respond to all comments.

Criticism Sucks: Christie Stratos Shares How to Ignore Harsh Criticism

Christie Stratos, author of the Dark Victoriana Collection, just shared her thoughts on creativity and ignoring criticism. Not only is Christie one of my new favorite authors (Anatomy of a Darkened Heart is freakin' awesome by the way!), she's incredibly insightful when it comes to writing. Her blog chronicles everything from harnessing creativity to handling naysayers. What I love about her post on criticism is that she clearly defines useful feedback/constructive critique vs. destructive criticism. She empowers us to help each other by not tearing each other down. She also has some motivational pictures to build you up and encourage you to be a champion for others. Enjoy!

TBT Writer - Confessions of a Sugarholic

It's Throw Back Thursday (TBT)! If you're a writer, I invite you to share something you wrote way back when and/or a pic of yourself. Bad stories happen. It's part of the journey of becoming a better writer. Whether you wrote a bad story when you were eight or twenty eight, embrace it with laughter. :) Don't forget to use #TBTWriter when you post. If you're a reader, enjoy the hilarity.

And now...for my bad story. For those of you who don't know, I have a major sweet tooth (especially for chocolate). I could eat an entire four course meal and miraculously have room for dessert. It's a special skill, I know (*hold for applause). Anyway, for this month's TBTWriter, I thought I'd share a hilarious story I wrote when I was eight-years-old about ice cream. Hey, I was eight! What could've possibly been more important? And of course, I included photos.

Gotta love fashion in the 90s!

An editor's nightmare.

The Ice Cream Sundae Was Good

The ice cream sundae that cost $20.00 was fantastic. It was nice and cold like snow. I could almost taste all of the wonderful flavors with the hot fudge and caramel drowning the multi-colored toppings. On top of that was the creamy, white whipped cream, circling around that were bits of Reese's peanut butter cups all crumbled up. My favorite part was the ruby red cherry on top. All of this was piled high. The smell was cool and creamy. Just looking at it almost hypnotized me. Waiting still for the lady to let me eat it, I felt the hardness of the uncomfortable chair that I was sitting in. Finally it was time. I asked for the biggest spoon and I took a huge mouthful of the ice cream. The word "yes!" ran through my mind. It was the best thing that ever happened to me. Now I think you know why it cost $20.00!

Some things never change.

Don't forget to check out my other #TBTWriter stories and pics:

• Good Ideas, Sometimes!
• A Nine-Year-Old's First Horror Story
• A Sparkling Dog Named Millie

What did you think of my silly story? Do you have something from way back you'd like to share with the world?

TBT Writer - A Nine-Year-Old's First Horror Story

Throwback Thursday (TBT) is awesome! It's fun, and often hilarious, to see what people used to look like and who they were. But, for this TBT let's mix it up a bit...

Wouldn't it be kinda neat if writers shared their old pics? Maybe holding a pen for the first time or even writing in a journal? Wouldn't it be cool if your favorite authors shared some of their very first stories...like when they were in grade school? 

If you're a writer, I invite you to share something you wrote way back when and/or a pic of yourself. Don't forget to use #tbtwriter when you post. If you're a reader, let's see how many of your favorite authors we can get to share. I would personally love to see Neil Gaiman back in the day. :) 

To kick off #tbtwriter, I present mini-me and my very first horror story I wrote when I was nine (which has been edited for ubiquitous typos). Enjoy!

The House Was Old and Abandoned 

As I was walking down the street, I turned into a court. I walked to the middle house, then stopped. I saw an ugly, broken house. It was blackish and grayish, and the house had a gate circling around it that was yellowish. I stepped inside the yard. I saw an old rotted oak tree and a tire was leaning against it. The grass, well it wasn't really grass, it was a few dozen weeds. Also, I saw concrete steps that had been covered by weeds that were leading to the house. I followed the steps to the porch, then I saw a weird creature looking at me. I almost screamed cause I thought it was real, but it wasn't, it was just a statue. After that, I saw a huge door. It had a giant knocker. I knew no one was there so I entered. The door handle almost fell off in my hand, then I encouraged myself to be brave and go in, so I did.

I saw a bunch of wood chips scattered everywhere, and spiders that had made homes out of it. I also saw a Persian rug that had lost some of its color. I walked over to the staircase. It was long and twisted, with a carpet that covered the staircase. The carpet had lost its color and turned gray. I climbed up the stairs. When I got to the top I had counted 45 stairs. Where I was standing I saw hundreds of doors that were an ugly red color. I went to the second door on the right and opened it. I saw all kinds of old-fashioned furniture that was torn up and the stuffing was coming out. The floor was made out of wood that was missing a few boards. I turned my head. On the wall I saw a picture of someone that was bald and a huge Indian head dress. The wall paper had strange designs that looked like a triangle stacked on a square, stacked on an ant shape. Then I saw a table missing a leg. On it was a book. I walked over to it. It was a picture book of the people that used to live there long ago. It was weird. I even saw a bald guy.

I decided I wanted to leave and find some other interesting things, then I heard a strange noise. It scared me half-to-death (in the original I wrote half-to-deaf). I ran out the door, came to the stairs. I thought it was too long to walk, so I slid down the rail. "Boom!" I reached the bottom, hopped up, and ran out the strange door. I almost tripped going down the stairs, but I managed to keep my balance. I ran out the gate and started to walk home cause I was out of breath. Then, as I was leaving, I saw a strange thing look at me through the window and gosh, I think it was bald!