My Name Is Kela and I'm (In)Secure

Hello All. Welcome to another Insecure Writer's Support Group Wednesday. If you don't know him already, make sure you jump over to Alex J Cavanaugh and say hello. Also, check out the IWSG website and hosts for this month.

I wrote my title as (In)Secure because I am both, have been both, will continue to be both, and have now accepted it fully. I'm making an effort right now to not apologize for many things not happening around my little blog here. It's actually quite hard for me. But I've realized I need to stop apologizing for things I haven't done yet and just get to getting them done.

And that brings me to what all I've been working on this past month. I got caught up on crits and since I was really freaking behind, it took a lot of catching up. I've been reading, a little editing here and there when I can squeeze it in, a few too many doctor appointments, way too much non-writerly work...but most of all, I've been working on regrouping, refocusing, rethinking, reinventing. I needed to decide where I'm at, where I've been, where I want to be and what I did right and wrong in all those stages (or what I need to do).

I've realized a lot about myself, things I lost and for the good, things I lost for the bad, and things I lost, found, and need to lose again.

I don't know how many people really still pay attention to my blog, but I do know there are a good handful that have stuck around through all my crazy ups and downs. I've met a lot of people by stepping out into the social part of writing, some of those were nothing but a light breeze that came and went. Some came and stayed until they ended up lost themselves (if only I could figure out how to pull them back on track with me).

And some of you came, stayed, and support me through it all. I appreciate that. Those who are still here, are the ones I look up to. I aspire to find the awesome balance you have. I dream to one day be as awesome as Alex, as involved as SC, and as kind as TJ. Those are just a few people who come to my blog through all my flakiness and talk to me on Facebook, AQC, and Twitter. I truly do admire everyone who finds time to be socially active, hold regular jobs and/or go to school, be mother/father/wife/husband/spouse/significant other/etc, and still write/edit/publish/crit/etc--And all while managing to keep yourself from completely losing it. It's difficult, and anyone who accomplishes all of it is really something special. I applaud you, truly.

To wrap up this post and bring it back to the IWSG, I'm a little bit of both right now, insecure and secure. I know what I want and what to do to get there, but I also hate that I'm not there already.

Hope you have an awesome day full of securities and possibly some insecurities that still work out okay for you. :)

-Edit-
So, I just realized my post didn't post. Idk if I did something and can't figure out what, or if it's because Windows 8 hates blogger...or maybe it's blogger hates Windows 8. Whatever the reason, it's posted now. So, hope you had a wonderful day and are having a wonderful evening/night. :)

Mention Monday

Today I bring to your attention...

Writer, dragon lover, and overall awesome woman, E.M. LaBonte.

I mention her because she's been working at getting her author page 'like's up there and she wants to hit 400. I think she needs more than 400 because she's awesome enough that she should have more. She's one of the main people who posts things that jump out at me every day on Facebook. A hard worker, good writer, a kind friend, and great mom. Can't wait to see her published, she really deserves it for all the hard work she puts into everything.

So, go check her out. Plus, if she hits 400 likes, she's giving away a $10 Amazon gift card. Woot!

(Now, there's a chance she's hit the 400 already by the time you're reading this, but still go like her please. She's worth it. :)  )

You can find E.M. LaBonte on:

Facebook
Twitter
Blog (She does interviews(as a group w/ four other writers). The Blog Ring of Power, so make sure you check that out if you haven't already)

Now, go like and follow and whatnot. And happy Monday, Happy Martin Luther King Jr day for those who recognize it, and in general happy week. :)

Writer Wednesday

First review of the year. I wanted it to be a different book, but I've got plans for the week I do that one and I'm not quite ready yet.


So, I wanted to tell you all about this book and the author because the book is awesome and the author is one of my favorites.


I'm not doing a full on review because I've got some other things to talk about, but here it goes...


Through The Zombie Glass by Gena Showalter


4.5/5 Stars


This is book two in The White Rabbit Chronicles and I loved it more than the first. It takes a lot for me to really feel a book and get into a character. I can love them, hate them, envy them, etc, but to actually FEEL them, very rare. Alice, the main character in this book, made me feel. I felt for her, felt things she should feel, but couldn't. She needed to be strong in this story and couldn't let her emotions come through properly. It's okay though, I had those emotions for her. I wanted to cry when she needed to, yell when she should've, and open up to the people who cared most when fear for them and herself kept her closed off.


I've read many books from Showalter and every time I love them. Even when I don't love them love them, I still love them. I can't explain what it is exactly, but the worlds she takes me to are the best thing ever. I want to build a home there, or at least rent a room from one of the characters. In her angel series, I want to buy a cloud and meet a nice but ruthless angel to settle down with. In her Lords of the Underworld series, I want to live in their fortress and await a demon cursed warrior's attentions to find me. And in her White Rabbit Chronicles, I want to see into the spirit world, see the zombies, and fight them.


This is what an author should do, it's why I love reading and what I hope to one day achieve myself. I wanted to write this semi-review as a mash up of Mention Monday and Writer Wednesday. So, if you haven't read Showalter, I highly recommend checking her out. And if you have, you should check out the White Rabbit Chronicles. And if you've read her books and don't care for her, then, let's move on :P


I'm working out some details that will involve some giveaways. I'm not sure exactly what all I'll be giving away or when, but it will be soon. I'm mentioning it now, so you'll know to keep an eye out.


Also, I'm working on getting my Talk (To Me) Tuesday all planned out so that I can get some interviews going. I'm planning on more than just authors too, but I'll wait until details are smoothed a little better before I put it out there.


Other than that, I'm just editing and working on getting my stuff together to try submitting soon. I'll have another post soon. Until then, have an awesome day (or days) and I'll see you soon. :)

Happy IWSG New Year

So, first blog of the new year for me. I debated when I would get back to posting. Part of me wanted to do it before now, part of me said I should wait. I waited and here we are.

I've made a ton of resolutions for this year and I plan on keeping at least most of them. I can admit that I resolved to not do or to do a lot of things this year that in reality just aren't going to happen. But, there are a few things that will happen and I'm working towards my top few right now.

I'm currently rereading my first book to make sure it's query ready. Then I'm going to write a query and synopsis and sub it. It's funny actually, I'm only subbing to one place. I know I could sub a few places, someone may request more and then I won't be as down if no one requests. But, I'm not because if it doesn't work out at this one publisher, I will be self-pubbing. It's going to cost and give me a little more of a struggle, but I will get there.

I'm starting my new year off with a positive foot forward and I'm planning to have many more positive posts for the first Wednesday every month, all year.

Don't forget to hop on over to founder of the Insecure Writer's Support Group, Alex J Cavanaugh's site and see what he's got going on. He's a truly wonderful person and you should definitely know him.

Hope you all had wonderful holidays, are having a wonderful week, and great writing days ahead. :)

Until The New Year

Well, I was all set to start posting again and then the holidays caught up to me. Once I realized I hadn't even done an IWSG post, I decided it was time to break until the new year. It'll give me time to deal with all the busy things until January and then I can start my year, fresh and ready to go.

I'm planning on coming back completely in 2014. I've got  lots of things I want to do and work out, and I want to stop with the roller coaster of getting things going and then not...It's time for fresh and once I come back, fresh is what I'll be.

So, until the new year, Merry Christmas(or just Happy Holidays, for those who celebrate other things and not Christmas) and Happy New Year. I'll see you in a few weeks with a clearer head and ready to get back to normal.

I hope you all have a wonderful few weeks. :)