TBT Writer - X Never Marks the Spot

It's #TBTWriter! Time to share some embarrassing 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.

Before I started writing full-time, I explored a lot, and I mean A LOT, of career paths. One of those paths was archaeology. Maybe I kinda had an unrealistic fantasy that it would be like Indiana Jones in some sense...any sense. Maybe I thought I'd get to travel to exotic locations and find really cool things...then, a lot more really cool things would happen. Reality check! It's more like spending 8 hours in a hole in the middle of nowhere in the hot sun, and you can't sleep at night because your back hurts so much from having been hunched over all day. I really did enjoy the excavation part and not knowing what I was going to find though, but it didn't take me long to realize that archaeology just wasn't for me.

Here's me doing something archaeological.

Anyway, I was flipping through one of my old writing books and found a story I wrote in elementary school, ironically about being an archaeologist, and thought it would be fun to share. It didn't have a title, and I'm not sure if I purposely ended the story like this (you'll see what I mean), but here it is in all its glory. Enjoy!

A snapshot of this story in my first writing journal. I can't make this stuff up!

"Boy it's hot." Today is another big day for me. I'm finding dinosaur fossils. 

"Amie. Help us over here. I think we found something," my friend yelled.

"Just a minute," I yelled. I walked over to a rocky cliff and saw down below track marks. I skidded down the bumpy slope to get a closer look. I saw something amazing.

A small animal dashed out of nowhere and a giant animal headed for it, leaving track marks behind. Then I saw a circle which had millions of track marks scattered everywhere in the circle. It looked like the big animal had ran after it and attacked it (*I wrote 'attached' in the original. lol.). I think the small animal didn't survive because I saw only the big animal tracks leading away from the circle. 

I yelled, "I found something," to my friends.

They dashed down the slope and stared, for what we saw lay in front of us was very important.

What was so important? I have absolutely no idea! I don't understand this story at all. I saw the animal, then I didn't? I'm assuming I was writing about seeing real dinosaurs, but who knows. I was ten. It was still a blast re-reading this and sharing it with you. I seriously look forward to these posts each month.

Mini-me on the Jungle Cruise at Disneyland wearing an Indiana Jones hat.

If you haven't done so already, please check out my other #TBTWriter stories and pics:

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

What did you think about my story, or my shattered dreams of being an archaeologist? Do you have something from way back when you'd like to share? Post your comments below.

Disney Meets The Devil - What's on My Nightstand

Random. The only word to describe how I select books to read and the order in which I read them. I do it because it’s, well…fun. If you’re looking to read some totally random (good) books, then you’ve come to the right place. Here’s what I’ve been reading (in this order):

1) The Lurker at the Threshold By: H.P. Lovecraft: The more books I read, the more I realize that Lovecraft is my favorite author of all time. He was not only a genius with creating a complex pantheon of gods, but his style of writing has a way of getting in your head. Lovecraft never really tells or shows you anything to evoke fear; instead, it subtly creeps into the story on its own. The Lurker at the Threshold is one of the very few actual books he wrote—the rest are all short stories—and it does not disappoint. This horror story not only had me clinging to every masterfully written word, there were a few moments when I didn’t want to read it alone. I’m so sad that it’s over now :(

2. Anne of Green Gables By: L.M. Montgomery: I watched the movie and show growing up, but for some reason never read this beloved classic until now. It’s filled with wholesome, Disney-style antics and plenty of heart-warming moments, and I liked that every chapter had a different adventure. Montgomery’s descriptions of Prince Edward Island are absolutely breathtaking.

3. Meditations By: Marcus Aurelius: I always like having a non-fiction book to read, and I usually pick one that’s philosophical in nature. I’ve been obsessed with Stoicism for a few years now and have read many of Aurelius' insightful passages, so I’ve been really enjoying reading his complete insights in Meditations.

4) Lost Souls By: Poppy Z. Brite: Billy Martin, professionally known as Poppy Z. Brite is a trans man and prefers male pronouns and terms, which I will do so here. Much of his work features openly bisexual and gay characters in dark, gothic scenarios. Years and years ago, I read Exquisite Corpse and LOVED it. Then I tried reading one of his newer books, Liquor, and really didn't like it. I had completely forgotten about him until my hubby recently let me borrow Lost Souls from his library, and I’m so glad that he did. This book has me completely and totally hooked! The essence of New Orleans is effortlessly captured. Dark, twisted, and unbelievably addicting, this is the real McCoy of vampires books!

What are you reading at the moment?  Have a recommendation for me? Post your comments below. I’d love to hear from you.