IWSG Real Quick...

Oh man, I've been so busy with end of the school year stuff and vacation planning that I didn't realize it was the first Wednesday.

So, happy Insecure Writers Support Group Wednesday, everyone. :)

(Check out the awesome IWSG creator, Alex J Cavanaugh. Then make sure to check out the IWSG website)

My days are extra packed lately, today is no exception. I'm going to just give a quick little what's happening and what not and then I'll be on my way for this time.

I've caught up on crits, group and one on one. I've been editing and started posting chapters for my crit group again. I've found time to do these things plus read, play, clean, and all the other crap I've got to get done every day. I'm going on a weekend vacation this weekend and then my kids have end of year stuff at their school next week all the way to the last day. But once all this craziness balances out a little (hopefully in a couple weeks), I'll be back to visiting blogs, posting more on my blog, and acknowledging those of you who come here and visit me.

So, it's safe to say I'm secure for the moment. I may crash, but fingers crossed that I've finally balanced out and everything will keep going this way. If nothing else, my crazy all over the place ups and downs give any other writers plenty of comparisons for whatever they're feeling at the moment, or at least almost anything. :P

Btw, I do see all the comments from everyone who stops by. I appreciate each one even though I haven't been able to really find the time to return them. I'm going to work on that soon.

Now I've got to run. Have an awesome week and weekend, I'll see y'all soon! :D

Take A Moment...Or Ten

Well, it's time for another IWSG post. Check out the awesome Alex J Cavanaugh. And then go check out the IWSG website and all the other awesome people on the list.

I've fallen behind on crits once again. A mixture of life and technical issues caused me to not be able to get online long enough to do much so I've been away from most online things for about two months. But, I'm back on and should be able to catch up within a few days.

If I can offer any advice, I'd say find a way to give yourself some time away. I'm sad about falling behind on crits and that I haven't done much in the writerly way, but I got to spend more time with my kids and their activities. I've played outside, went bike riding, told silly jokes, laughed, and just in general worked on enjoying my life outside of all the online/computer things I do. I even made a friend outside of the internet who actually lives here-something I haven't had in a very long time (not that I don't love and appreciate my online friends). There were moments when I had guilt in the back of my mind that I was falling so behind on crits and writing, I didn't dwell on it for the first time in a very long time. It was nice.

It gave me time to re-center myself and really decide where I want my life to be, to go, and how I can make it happen. I don't want to let my group down, so I hope they don't feel let down. It wasn't really my choice, but I could've probably tried harder to find a way to get online and to critting. I chose to go the unplugged route though and I can live with my choice even if I lose the awesome cps I've gained over the last few years.

So, make some time to step back from it all. Life and responsibilities can become hard, heavy, and it will weigh us down. Cut out as many responsibilities as possible, for even a few days, and it will help ease the burden. Because even though the responsibilities are still there when you come back, the breather makes things fresh. Now, go on and visit some other blogs that I'm sure know how to make awesome points in a lot less words than mine and then take some time to just relax and enjoy.

Have an awesome day everyone. :)

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. :)