New Story on the Horizon!

I spent the whole of the spring 2012 university at Troy University working on a story for my Science Fiction Creative Writing class, and it's taken on a life of its own.
So, I've decided to give it its own Tumblr, and I'm posting it there chapter-by-chapter. The story has gone through a lot of changes since it was conceived in January 2011. I hope it goes well.

Check it out.

College-Induced Hiatus

I know. I've been gone for a pretty long time. I cringe when I think about it. I feel guilty. But I have a good excuse. Honest.

COLLEGE IS EATING MY LIFE (AND MY SOUL)!

I'm so exhausted/uninspired. There's so much to do, and I'm sitting here staring at the wall. I'm overwhelmed and dumbstruck. How am I supposed to be a student and a writer at the same time? I feel like the creative part of me is shriveling up and dying.

Words of wisdom? Sympathy? Anything?

Anybody?

SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

For each person who registers for Fastweb (a completely free scholarship search site) via my PERSONAL REFERRAL LINK, I'll earn one entry into October's drawing for $500. Fastweb is a pretty great site that finds scholarships FOR you based on the information you give them. Trust me, it's worth joining!

A Collection of Reflections Sales

Things are going pretty well, all things considered. I have now sold 15 copies of my first book. If you're interested in purchasing a copy, please do so HERE.

Loathsome Characters

You know a writer has done a truly fine job when he or she has created a character that you well and truly HATE. Jane Austen mastered this quite well.

It is my sincerest hope that Lucy Steele (later Ferrars) and Caroline Bingley are rotting in hell together.

Review: Write. 10 Days to Overcome Writer's Block. Period.

I recently bought Write. 10 Days to Overcome Writer's Block. Period. by Karen E. Peterson, Ph.D. ecause my muse has been difficult as of late. I don't mean a little difficult, either. This has been an out-and-out war for about two months.

I felt validated from the first moment I opened this book and learned that Dr. Peterson has been an English teacher, psychologist, and workshop facilitator. I must admit, I was a bit wary when I first saw the words "bi-vocal approach to conquering writer's block," (xi). My eyebrows shot dangerously close to my hairline, but I decided to hang on for the ride and find out what Dr. Peterson was talking about.

I'm not going to blow the surprise. If you want to find out what it is, go out and buy this brilliant book. I can tell you that I learned more about the inner workings of my own mind while reading this book than I ever did when I was in therapy.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not knocking my therapist, and therapy was infinitely helpful to me. What I mean is that Dr. Peterson's way of looking at writer's block really spoke to me.

I've always been a creative person, and the two sides of my brain always seem to be at war with one another, but this book taught me how to tame the beast and get the muse back on track.

I highly recommend this book to any person suffering from writer's block.

Fun Idea to Help Conquer Writer's Block

Ever heard of the game Apples to Apples?

I happen to be in love with it, and I've found some really great ways that it helps me get the creative juices flowing.

There are a couple of ways you can play with this.

1. First, shuffle the decks, pick five red apple cards at random, choose the one that inspires you most, and run with it!

OR

2. Choose a green apple card at random (or roll the green apple die if you have the Mod version), write down the first adjective you draw (or think of if you're using the die), pull five red apple cards at rancom and find a way to use the adjective with each noun you've drawn. There should be at least one sentence per noun.

I'm fairly certain that I will come up with more variations on this, and I'm open to any ideas you all have.

Let me know what you think.