Videos Every Thursday!

Hey everyone,
This is going to be brief. Just wanted to make an announcement. I've been working on trying to get regular videos up on my channel on Thursdays. Here is the link. I already have 2 planned. One for tomorrow and one for next week. I may not always film on Thursdays. All depends on my work schedule. But, I have plans and I'll be working on posting them on Thursdays. I even figured out how to schedule videos. I'm so excited to do this. I feel like I've been slacking in the video department and I am sad about that. I have so much fun making videos and sharing my life and my passions for books and writing with you.

Check it out and please subscribe if you like what you see.
Thanks!
~Care

Holiday Shopping Rant

So, while finishing some of my shopping today, I was in my favorite little shop getting some last minute items. It's the Friday before Christmas and there was a long line. I was tired but I dealt with it because I had nowhere to be right away. What I couldn't deal with were the people complaining behind me.
Someone behind me blurts out "These lines are ridiculous. Where are all the workers?" Now, this particular store only has 4 registers. 4 people are working that I could see. One was trying to help all these people and make sure no one gets stupid and 3 are on register trying to get people out as fast as possible. Where do you think? They're working with what they have. It's not like going to some big stores with 150 registers but only 5 cashiers.
Working in retail myself, I guess I have developed a certain tolerance when it comes to certain things. I know that managers can't just schedule however they want. There are certain restrictions if workers are under 18, for example. Or, budget limits them on how many hours they can have per week and they have to divide those hours among available employees. That's not even considering people getting sick and calling off. Or, people who know it's going to be busy and don't feel like showing up. Then, there's a scramble to cover that person and that's like pulling teeth.
And, (Pardon me if I let slip some words. I'm trying to keep it clean) most people in retail bust their asses on a daily basis just to be b*tched at about things beyond their control. Cashiers and clerks do not make the prices. They do not design the store layout. They do not control when and what product gets delivered to the store. They're just there to do their job. Sometimes it's their second or even third job. They have families to support. They don't want to work weekends or holidays. But, they do so they can pay the bills just like everyone else. Under paid, overworked, and, heaven knows, under appreciated.
So, when you are doing your last minute shopping, keep these things in mind while waiting in line. (And this close to Christmas, there WILL be lines so plan accordingly.)
Happy holidays. Merry Christmas. And, be nice to retail workers.
Thanks for reading!
~Care

Story Sneak Peek

This is from my current story. Takes place in the middle of the book. When I originally wrote this, I thought it was missing something. And then, I had a dream and had to capture it in this story. It's only a first draft but I think it turned out pretty sweet.

 

The aching from hunger began to ebb away as time went on and her body adjusted to not eating. She spent most of the day attempting to sleep. She doubted she would have the strength to stand anymore since she remained chained to the cot. She started to sob but there were no more tears left for her to cry.

She may not have been hungry but she was viciously thirsty. Whatever they gave her, she could not get enough of it. It was the one thing sustaining her in this miserable period.

Not long after her arrival, she was unsure of how long time was passing but it was maybe a week if she had to guess, the nightmares began. Not the kind she would occasionally have as a child. She would wake up, call for her mother, and, once she realized she was in her room and safe, everything would be fine. No, these were beyond terrifying. Waking up screaming, crying, clutching the thin blanket to her chest and nearly hyperventilating for at least fifteen minutes.

The worst part about it was, these were memories. Her memories, or at least they seemed like memories. They featured people in her family, members of her father’s council, her brother’s friends. So, they had to be her own memories. And, they were horrible. They started with little things. Her father ignoring her when she wanted to show him a new song she learned on the piano or criticizing a poem she had stayed up half the night writing for her mother’s birthday.

Then, they gradually began to worsen. Her brother and his friends chasing her in the garden and pushing her into a rose bush. Being laughed at by the whole court when she forgot her lines during a court play. Her father and mother criticizing her when she was not successful in her lessons like her brother. “Why can you not be like your brother?” “Thank the Gods, you will not be queen. The nation would be doomed.” The insults and criticisms became gradually worse each time she recalled them in her half sleep. Until it came to the memory she wanted to forget the most. Kneeling before her father, in tears, begging him not to make her marry Duke Scumdart.

“Father, please,” she had cried. “Anyone else but him. Father, if you have any love for me at all, I beg you.”

“Oh, get up, child,” her father demanded. “Why must you create a scene about everything you dislike? The world is not going to end because I wish you to finally be wed.”

“But, Nicholas is older than me and he is not married yet,” she argued. “Why must I and not he?”

“SILENCE!” he shouted. He stood and she shrank back as he stepped toward her, glaring and continuing to shout. “I am your king, first and foremost. It is only by some unhappy accident I am even remotely responsible for your miserable existence. You will do as I say. You will marry the Duke within the month and you will be out of my hair at last. Once you are his wife, you will cease to be my daughter and become merely my subject.”

She turned a pleading gaze to her mother, who sat in the throne next to the king. “Mother?” But, she would not meet the girl’s gaze. “Do as you are told,” was all she said in a blank tone.

Trying to gather whatever dignity she had left, she staggered to her feet and bolted from the room. When she reached her bedchamber, she dismissed her ladies and servants, threw herself on the bed and sobbed.

With each time she woke from one of these nightmare visions, she found the feeling of sadness slowly fading away. For a while, she felt nothing. She, sometimes, did not even scream when she woke. She was merely short of breath from her heart racing at the emotion she recalled at the time. Then, the emptiness began to fill. With pure and utter hatred and loathing. She hated them all. She realized that her life was full of misery and despair. They never loved her. They only acted like they had until she was old enough to be married off and then they could pretend she never existed. She vowed that, if she ever got out of this hell hole they had shoved her in, they would regret everything. They would know her torment and she would be the one standing over them as they begged for the mercy they never gave her.

NaNoWriMo 2015- Day 2

Word Count:
My Total- 4985
Daily Goal- 3334

Oh my gosh. I did so surprisingly well in the word count! When I take my story to work with me I think of my break as a word sprint. By the time I sit down, I have maybe 10 of my 15 minutes left. I set my alarm and just go. I don't know what my count was. Maybe I should keep track tomorrow. Write in another color or something. But, I definitely well exceeded 3,000 words and now I'm so close to 5,000 it's ridiculous! Tomorrow I have work and then I go watch my boyfriend bowl. I'll have to really make sure my phone is charged so I can listen to music. Helps drown out the bowling noises but sometimes it doesn't last the whole 3 or 4 hours we're there. I should have grabbed my iPod while I was at my parents' today... oh well.

Can't wait to see how I do tomorrow!

NaNoWriMo 2015- Day 1

Word Count:
My Total- 2978
Daily Goal- 1667

Wrote the prologue in the wee hours of the morning, taking advantage of the extra hour with Daylight Savings and just finished chapter 1 to put me at a spectacular 1st day lead! So excited! Shutting down now, though. Early day at work and then dinner with my dad. Going to try and write as much as possible before work and on break and when I get home again.

It's been a while...

Wow. Have I really not touched this blog since June? Eeek! This has to change! And, what better time to change that than with the start of yet another NaNoWriMo attempt!

That's right. It's that time again. I will be attempting my 3rd consecutive NaNoWriMo... Well, it's more like a NaNoReWriMo. I am rewriting my 2013 novel that I had lost shortly afterward. This was before I learned the importance of backing up my work in multiple locations. I'm handwriting, tying, saving it on 2 flashdrives, and thinking of posting private blog posts of each chapter.

I do not think I'll be able to do daily videos. I just don't have the filming time anymore and I don't feel comfortable filming when my roommates are home just yet. If I had a private space, then I could set up my camera and do what I wanted. But, for now, I have to wait until no one is home. So, I'll try to post here every day with my word count. There's also my Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. And, there's always my Patreon.

I'll also try to share snippets of my first draft. This month is going to be crazy, as per usual. But, I think I'll be able to succeed again. I'm going to attempt my usual insane goal of before Thanksgiving on the 26th just because I'll be so exhausted with work.

More information to follow!

June 30 Day Writing Challenge- 24

Prompt of the Day-If you have ever been on a diet, write about your experiences with it. If not, make up a story in which you had to go on a diet for medical reasons. What would you have to cut out and how would you cope with those changes?
Source- "1000 Creative Writing Prompts" by Bryan Cohen

I've mentioned my various health issues and this has caused me to adjust the kinds of food I can and can't eat. I should have started it sooner but, after my blood clot last year, I had to go on a low sodium diet. Salt is a tremendous inflammatory. It causes you to retain water as well. You need some salt in your system but too much can be bad and cause high blood pressure. It hasn't been easy. I love peperoni pizza and Chinese take-out food. Both are very salty. When I have too much, my knees swell up and I can hardly walk.

I also have to watch the processed and frozen foods. This means I have to make an attempt at a lot of home cooking. It takes more time but it's worth it so I can move. Some of the things I make I like better and they're kind of fun to make. One of my favorites, and I make it A LOT, is pasta sauce. I get big cans of plain, no salt added tomato sauce. I dump it in a pot and can add whatever seasonings I want. I add garlic, Italian seasonings, black pepper for a kick, and a little sugar to cut the bitterness and acidity. I also found, but have yet to try, a low salt taco seasoning on Pinterest.

I cheat once in a while. Like I said, I like peperoni pizza and Chinese food. Oh, and chicken wings. So, I have to make sure I have the next day off or drink lots of water so I'm not in as much pain.

This is one diet I've managed to get my family to go along with, which helps me a lot. If I have other people with me, it keeps me accountable. I think that's why my soda pop ban has worked so well.

June 30 Day Writing Challenge- 23

Prompt of the Day-Sleep deprivation. It happened during school and it still happens in life. Talk about your attempts to survive on very little sleep and how effective they were/are.
Source- "1000 Creative Writing Prompts" by Bryan Cohen

Every year my family hosts a New Years Eve party. I usually manage to have New Years Day off, even if it means working the night before. It's okay, though, because my store is only open until 9 so I'm usually home before the crazies hit the streets. But, when I first started there, I couldn't get the day off like I wanted. I was scheduled to start at 6 a.m. and get done at 1 p.m. Our guests usually stay well into the night so this was a problem.

I ended up going to bed around 3, but I probably couldn't fall asleep until about 3:30/4:00, which gave me maybe an hour and a half of sleep. At the time, my room was in the basement. At 5:00, my alarm went off and I struggled to get moving. I heard laughter upstairs. I dressed and went into the kitchen to see my sister, her boyfriend and 2 friends, and my mom sitting around the kitchen table playing cards and still drinking.

"That's not fair!" I teased. "You started the real party without me."

My mom offered as a joke to take me to work but, of course, I told her I'd be fine driving myself. I went to work, struggled really hard to get through. I kept messing up transactions and I think my cash drawer was short. I couldn't wait to get done.

Finally, 1:00 arrived and I drove home. Didn't even change out of my work clothes. I lay down on the couch and conked out until my mom woke me up for dinner.

It was one of the hardest days of my life. I don't like being that exhausted and I was scared when I was driving.



Announcement: Keep an eye out on my YouTube channel. Some big news is coming this week!

June 30 Day Writing Challenge- 21

Prompt of the Day-Write a scene that portrays your ideal writing conditions.
Source- "1000 Creative Writing Prompts" by Bryan Cohen

First, sorry for the jump from 18 to 21. I had a busy weekend and could not write. But, I'm still going to try and finish the month out! So, let's get started.

My ideal writing conditions would have to be a nice big office with room for my book shelves so I have lots of inspiration on hand. I want my OWN office. Right now, Boy is really nice and sharing his but I feel like I'm invading his space so whenever we move somewhere else I can have my own space.

I'd need a big desk because I keep lots of handwritten notes as well as hard copies of drafts. I would want a big window that can get light in most of the day. I wouldn't have to turn on any lamps and it would be good filming lighting because I'd want to continue my vlogs. Sometimes I don't want to sit at a desk when I write so a big, comfy chair or a 2 person sofa is a must as well. And, I can't just sit all day. I have to get up and move. So, maybe a treadmill or an exercise bike for when I'm taking breaks or just want to work out for a while. I'd also have a Keurig coffee maker and a small fridge for coffee and goodies and a closet to keep all my craft stuff hidden away for minimal clutter and distraction.

The walls would be pretty filled with book cases so there would be little room for posters except around the desk. I'd have some fandom posters, pictures of my friends and family, and a bulletin board for inspiration. And, of course, I'd have my fandom nik naks that I've collected over the years at conventions and comic book stores. They'd be scattered about the room because being a fangirl has heavily influenced what and how I write. I need all my inspiration surrounding me. And, I like being a great big geek. ^^

Pretty basic. Nothing too extravagant. Just my own space to write and vlog and read. And, the ability to have coffee on hand whenever I want.

Thanks for reading! Tell me about your ideal space?

June 30 Day Writing Challenge- 18

Prompt of the Day-Have you ever feared for your life during an injury or illness? Talk about those feelings... What happened and how did you make a complete recovery?
Source- "1000 Creative Writing Prompts" by Bryan Cohen

Caution: I'm going to try not to get too graphic, but if you have a fear of hospitals or blood, you should probably skip this post.

I've talked many times about my battle with Rheumatoid arthritis and plan on starting a blog devoted to just that. But, last summer, I had the scare of a lifetime. It was mid July and I had been suffering from severe swelling in my right leg. Not just swelling. It was also bright red and warm to the touch. I just thought it was an unusual flare of my RA symptoms. It was kinda hot out, being summer and all, and I just kind of dealt with it. I would be seeing my rheumatologist soon, anyway. I'd just bring it up to her. But, while I was ignoring it, my family was growing more and more worried.

Finally, my mom woke me up early in the morning and said, "I've already called you off work. Either make an appointment or I'm driving you right to the ER." So, I spent the next hour on the phone trying to find a doctor who could admit me. My doctors were either off or full but I managed to find someone at a nearby office and made the earliest possible appointment that day. Mom drove me and he just had to look at my leg and say, "You have a blood clot." O.O A what? Seriously? He quickly sent me for an ultrasound and the radiologist sent him the results immediately. He called me while I was still in the office and told me to go to the Emergency Room. I'd have to be admitted for treatment. Now, I was really scared. Mom called my dad and I texted my sister and boyfriend to fill them in.

The vascular resident came in and told me how bad my situation actually was. The clot ran from below my knee all the way to my abdomen. I had no idea they could get that big! I just thought it was a little blockage like the size of your fingernail at worst. I told him I'd had symptoms for over a week and I was trying to stick it out to see my doctor. He said if I'd have done that, the slightest wrong move could have detached part of it and sent it to my heart or lungs or my brain and I could have died. O.O At age 30! I was absolutely terrified now. They admitted me to a room and put me on bed-rest, thinking I couldn't get into surgery for a couple days. But, then, the surgeon came in and said, "I want to do it today. Just sign for permission." Uh... what? I signed, figuring I could get it over with sooner and on to recovery.

The vascular surgeon was wonderful. He could, obviously, see how scared I was and explained what would be happening. That night they would scope my leg through the back of my knee and run a medication known as a clot buster through my system. This would break up the clot and dissolve some of it for easy removal the next day. It wouldn't be all gone but, with treatment, my body's natural defenses could take care of it in time.

The first surgery took about 4 hours. They also had to put an IV in my neck which, actually, scared me more than the clot. There are a lot of important veins and arteries in your neck and I just don't see why pointy things need to be inserted there. Plus, it was hella uncomfortable. I had hair stuck in the bandaging and I could hardly move my head. They wheeled me back to my ICU room and I was met by my aunts, uncle, 2 cousins, and my sister and her boyfriend. One of my cousins is terrified of hospitals and faints at the sight of blood so I was really happy she came and proud of her. They visited for a while and I had a small dinner because I was starving.

The second surgery next morning they removed some of the clotting. I was still scared so the surgery staff put on a Pandora station for me to focus on to calm me down. That one took about 5 hours. When they were done and cleaned me up a bit, my family was able to come in. My mom was talking to the surgeon so my dad came into the operating room to see me. And, who was right behind him? My boyfriend.

Oh, what a sight he was. And, I was even more grateful the doctors had changed my hospital gown because I had blood around my neck from that stupid IV line and the way I was laying on it. He held my hand all the way back to the room and I found out later that he was pacing the halls while I was in surgery. One of my aunts was there, too, and she went with my parents to get coffee so we could visit alone for a bit. He told me how much I had him worried and made me promise to take better care of myself from now on. "I love you and I want you around for a long time, babe," he said. "I've never been so scared for anyone in my life." I started to cry at this. Not that I felt I was being lectured, but the meaning behind it. I had figured it already but that really confirmed that I had found the man I want to spend my life with. He'd hold me accountable, and he does.

Already long story short, I was able to go home Monday evening. Had to use a walker because of my leg. I was purple from having powerful blood thinners pumped through me and being poked and prodded. Biggest relief was getting that line out of my neck. The doctor took it out and I had to have a sandbag on my neck to keep pressure on the wound. I fell asleep and had my first non-narcotic nap in days.

Treatment going forward required compression stockings when I work and being on blood thinners for the rest of my life. I also have to make a point to move more. Aside from the clot being a side effect from a medication, (I'm no longer taking) sitting at my computer for hours on end didn't help my circulation. So, when I have days off where I can write all day, I set a timer on my phone for every hour. I take 10 minutes and walk around the house, get a light snack, stretch, then I can come back and work some more. Or, I give myself a goal. Edit one chapter, stretch, walk around, then come back and it in the new draft. I also have to be on a low sodium diet and I'm nearly 90 days without soda pop which has helped me lose some weight.

I'm still going to have a risk of clotting for the remainder of my life. That's just how things will be for me now. But, as long as I'm careful and my family and friends keep me honest and accountable, it won't happen again and I'll be around for a long, long time.

June 30 Day Writing Challenge- 17

Prompt of the Day- Talk about a time in which someone praised your writing and how it made you feel. Describe the scene and the reactions of anybody else in the room upon hearing these words.
Source- "1000 Creative Writing Prompts" by Bryan Cohen

When I was working on my first novella, Witches of Coolersville, I had done 2 drafts and edited them myself. I had also posted the story on fictionpress.com but I wasn't getting a whole lot of feedback on it. So, I decided to turn to some of my writer friends for help. I asked one of my friends to be my beta reader. She didn't know me too well and would, hopefully, give me a critical yet helpful opinion of my work so I could continue editing and, eventually finish. I broke up my draft into individual chapter files and sent them a few at a time, or as I finished them. She was the first person outside my close circle to really judge my work and, while we were friends, I was nervous.

I think I sent 5 chapters in the first batch. I waited a few days and finally got a reply email. I was so happy with her comments! The detailed stuff was noted in the documents themselves but she would give me an overall opinion in her email. She said she was really interested in the story. My detail and early character introduction had her interested right away and she was excited to read the next batch of chapters. I couldn't believe what I was reading! With each group of chapters I sent, more and more praise for the story over all. It was getting me more and more excited to keep working on my story. I even changed some before I sent them to have intentional cliffhangers to see how she'd react and she would beg me to hurry up with what happened next.

It was such a thrill! Every time I got an email from her, I was so happy. I had to read some of them to my family and friends. They were happy as well that I was receiving this feedback. I could only imagine once my book was published and other readers finding it with the same kind of enthusiasm. It's why I continue to work and write. I love to share my ideas with people and being published will help me reach so many more people. I can't wait to finish. I'm so close to my first publication and it's insane.

June 30 Day Writing Challenge- 16

Prompt of the Day-If you had grand control over time, space, and money, how would you change your life to suit your writing? Talk about a day in the life of this new writing-structured existence.
Source- "1000 Creative Writing Prompts" by Bryan Cohen

Going from current situation to my ideal writing life, first I would give myself a big, fat raise so I can start saving money a bit more. I need the funds to travel and order copies for events. I'd find a way to speed up time while I was at work so my day would fly by and I could get home to write and then I would slow that time down to maximize productiveness. I'd need to factor in some time for procrastination because all writers do that.

I would make my house like the TARDIS. Bigger on the inside with a big library/office. The room would be split in 2. One side for me, the other for my boyfriend. We could both work from home and hold each other accountable so we don't procrastinate too much. Yay! No more day job! Full time writing! Yes, please!

I would also have all the writing/social media essentials. I would buy a brand new computer with video software for my YouTube channel and Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator to create my own covers. I would have a new video camera for vlogging and the latest phone and fastest internet connection to keep up with all of my followers on social media.

June 30 Day Writing Challenge- 15

Prompt of the Day-You have been granted the ability to fly! I mean, like Superman! Where do you travel with this new found ability now that you don't need to save up frequent flyer miles?
Source- "1000 Creative Writing Prompts" by Bryan Cohen

I had to go with this prompt. I could have so much fun if I could fly like Superman! I could travel wherever I wanted, whenever I wanted. I would just be in heaven. I have friends and family who live out of state so, instead of planning for months and saving money, I could just call them and say, "Hey, can I stop by and hang out?" And then, WHOOSH! Off I go to Vegas, or Eugene, or Key West. I could go to Europe! Fancy a weekend in Venice with Boy? WHOOSH! Where's the nearest hotel? Got a book signing in California? WHOOSH! Dramatic landing in front of the book store and back home in time for dinner. Sick of Cleveland winters? WHOOSH! Off to Key West for beach time to relieve stress. I'd also never have to drive anywhere ever again so the money I save on gas would go towards hotels and shopping.

I think other people should have this ability as well. But, you'd have to have a license. And we'd probably have to submit a flight plan like the airlines do. But, it would be great. Like, next year we're going to New York City for my sister's bachelorette party. Having to not spend big money on a flight would be fantastic.

But, until that somehow happens or we get jet packs, I'm content to dream.

June 30 Day Writing Challenge- 14

Prompt of the Day-If you could pick 5 languages to learn, what would they be and why? How would you go about learning them and what would you do as soon as you knew them?
Source- "1000 Creative Writing Prompts" by Bryan Cohen

5 Languages I Want to Learn:
1) Polish- My mom's family is mostly Polish and I want to visit there one day. I only know how to call someone a dumb a$$ and I heard that from my boyfriend's mom one day.
2) Japanese- I met one of my closest friends when she tried to start an anime club in college. She tried to teach me but I only know a few words.
3) Spanish- I took 3 years of it in high school. Don't remember it at all.
4) German- Also a language of my ancestors.
5) Gaelic- I think I have some Irish ancestry as well and it's such an ancient language. I think it would be fun to learn.

How:
I could probably find most of these in Rosetta Stone. I know those programs are insanely expensive but the investment might be worth it. Not sure if it includes Gaelic, though. Probably not. I'd have to find someone to teach me.

Oh! I'll throw in a 6th. American Sign Language. I actually have a few deaf customers at work and it would be nice to be able to communicate a little with them instead of smile, nod, point.

June 30 Day Writing Challenge- 13

Prompt of the Day-What is your dream job? Talk about how to get it and what you do when you have it. Go into enough detail and maybe it will come true. :)
Source- "1000 Creative Writing Prompts" by Bryan Cohen

Oh, this is easy. And, for anyone who's been following my blog for more than a month, obvious. My dream job is being a published author! Being able to write full time, travel the country (maybe the world) doing book signings, promotions, and conventions, and not standing for 6-8 hours a day, busting my rear for little to no appreciation and recognition and not enough pay like at my day job! (I'm not frustrated about being overworked and underpaid and coming home in pain every day. Why would I be? XP)

Ever since I was little, I've loved writing and telling stories. Whether it was writing in my journal or my sister and I taking our Barbie dolls on wild adventures, I've had a passion for stories. I've been working so hard on my books. I'm trying to get back into regularly blogging, which is why I've been doing these challenges for myself. Writing is what I want to do. And the ability to travel and promote my writing would be such a huge bonus because I love to travel. I'm actually trying to get a table at Cleveland Comic Con next year. I've been playing phone tag with a sales rep for a week now. I hope I can do it, though! How amazing would that be? Not only having a table at ComicCon but in my hometown! Woo! Local girl!

So, it's a short, sweet, and obvious answer but, there you have it. :)

June 30 Day Writing Challenge- 12

Prompt of the Day-You have been roped into cooking for 100 people! Describe your day from the trip to the supermarket all the way through the interminable clean up.
Source- "1000 Creative Writing Prompts" by Bryan Cohen

I want to do this someday because I love to entertain but 100 people sounds so intimidating! But, I'll give it a go. I'll come up with a pretty easy menu. Rigatoni with tomato sauce, veggie tray, sandwich tray, chicken tenders, scalloped potatoes, big salad. Easy and cheap. If it's during the winter, soup. So, first we need a list. I won't mention quantities. Just items.
*Rigatoni noodles
*Cans of No Salt Added plain tomato sauce (I like to add my own seasonings because I have diabetics in my family and we're all trying to watch our salt intake)
*Frozen chicken tenders
*Panko breading (again, watching the salt and panko has a really nice, light flavor)
*Oil for frying
*Potatoes
*Cheese
*Salad mix
*Veggies
*Dip
*Bread
*Lunch meat
*Fruit (whatever is in season)
*Bottled water
*Tea mix
*Soda pop
*Juices
*Paper plates
*Plastic ware
*Plastic cups
*Assorted spirits
*Garbage bags
*Ingredients for my mom's yummy salad dressing
*ingredients for Grandma's bbq sauce
*Assorted dressings

2 Days Before:
Shopping- get everything except fruits and veggies so nothing goes bad
Start on Grandma's barbecue sauce. It's an all day project. I've yet to try it for real but my dad promised he would teach me.
While that is cooking, I'll start cleaning the house. I assume I'll have a huge house by then. Say this is a family reunion of some kind. My family ends up bringing more things. My list just contains major essentials I would provide as hostess.

1 Day Before:
Finish shopping.
Keeping with the family reunion theme, start setting up the back yard. Tables, chairs, tent, maybe I'll have a pool so I have to clean that so we can swim.
I'd also make Mom's salad dressing and drinks. I've been getting into fusion waters and those are best when left sitting overnight. I could try the same with tea as well. Cuts the amount of sugar and will give the tea a fun, interesting flavor.

Day of:
Get up ungodly early.
Start cooking. Make the chicken and potatoes and everything else. If this is a family reunion, then I have to have room for more food that will likely arrive because I have a large Eastern European ancestry and I swear they invented emotional eating so there must always be a cray-ton of food at family get-togethers. Whether it's a wedding or funeral or anything in between.

Around 2:00, people start to arrive. I have a huge table set up for desserts and more sides arrive and appetizers. So, until the main meal is ready, people nibble and chat. Maybe some people jump in the pool or start a baseball game.

4:00- Dinner is served. People get in line. We always serve buffet style. Some family members help direct traffic and change out empty trays. I start on dishes. (There will be a dishwasher in this situation) I recruit some muscle for the trash beginning to pile up.

Fiinally, I'll say around 7:00, I can eat whatever is left and have a glass of wine and visit with people. It's a tradition to set up a table, either in the garage or backyard, for beer pong. People nibble on the vast amounts of desserts and we talk and drink and laugh and visit well into the night.

When the guests leave at last, I take care of some of the clean-up. If I haven't been able to get people to take leftovers, I pack food away in the refrigerator and take out the trash. Breakdown of chairs and tables and tents can be after I pass out for a few hours.

Day After:
Time to get the house back in order. Break down the tents and tables and chairs. Return them if they're rented or borrowed. And then, after everything is cleaned up and returned, take a relaxing dip in the pool to reward myself for a job well done. :)

June 30 Day Writing Challenge- 11

Prompt of the Day-What was your scariest nightmare ever? Talk about who is in it with you and why it was so frightening.
Source- "1000 Creative Writing Prompts" by Bryan Cohen

When I was in 8th grade, we took a class trip to Washington DC. We toured the Holocaust museum. It was one of the saddest, most moving experiences of my life. If you ever go, bring Kleenex because you will need it.

That night, I dreamed that I was in the museum again, except it was probably closed for the night because I was the only person there. I'm walking through the halls and they have TVs all over playing old news footage and propaganda videos. Suddenly, the TVs turn to color and Nazi soldiers start crawling out of the screens. Kinda like that movie the Ring with the creepy little girl in the well. (I've never seen the Ring. I just saw the Scary Movie 3 parody version but I got the idea) Someone starts screaming in my dream version of what I think German would be and they start chasing me through the halls of the museum.

Now, it's been a long time since I've been to this museum but, from what I remember, there are a lot of twists and turns. You take an elevator to the top floor and work your way down. There are side halls with displays and video monitors. It's a fascinating place... until you're dreaming about being chased by Nazis. So, I keep running and get a little ahead. (That's how I know it's a dream. Because, even in 8th grade, I was not a good runner and in real life they would have caught me within about 5 minutes.) And, I duck into a corner to catch my breath. I feel a hand on my shoulder and a hand clamps my mouth when I start to scream. I turn to see Anne Frank and other people in this darkened side hall. So, not only do the soldiers come to life, everyone does. She tells me to be quiet and we hear the soldiers run past. Then, she and the other people lead me out of the museum and onto the streets of Washington DC. I run out the door and turn to see if they're following me and she gives me a sad look and says, "Our place is here now. If we leave, we can't share our story so this never happens again." I thank her and run off. I woke up crying in my hotel room. Woke my friends up.

I suppose some wouldn't think it's that frightening. It did have a happy ending. But, it's definitely a dream I'll never forget. And it would not deter me from going back.

What about you? Any dreams, scary or otherwise, stand out? I rarely remember mine so it's significant if something stays with me like this.

June 30 Day Writing Challenge- 10

Prompt of the Day-Talk about a book that your had the hardest time getting through in school. Why do you think you had such a hard time and how did you do on any subsequent tests? How did you learn enough to get by with it?
Source- "1000 Creative Writing Prompts" by Bryan Cohen

One of the hardest books for me to read in school was Lord of the Flies. It's about a group of boys who crash on an island and form a tribe to survive. I hated this book. The writing, the pacing, everything about it. I refused to read it.

Some of the assignments was group work so I managed to squeak by with those by staying quiet and nodding. The rest I think I just half-assed and bombed. It was my senior year of high school and it was only a small percentage of our grade so as long as I worked on everything else I managed to pass so I could graduate. It wasn't easy and I was called out a few times by the teacher because she could tell who was reading and who wasn't. But, she was nice enough not to embarrass those who were not reading. She would pull us aside and talk to us.

And, I tried. I really did. But, for whatever reason, I could not finish this book.

June 30 Day Writing Challenge- 9

Prompt of the Day-Write a story about a time that you were injured, whether it was a small injury or a more serious one. How did you deal with the problem and what kind of medical attention did you receive?
Source- "1000 Creative Writing Prompts" by Bryan Cohen

Since my birthday was a few weeks ago, this topic is perfect. Just before my 18th birthday, I was hit in the head by a line drive hit by my sister. It was a complete accident but it hurt and I did have to go to the hospital.

It was a nice spring day and she and I were playing outside for a few hours before I had to go to work. She wanted to practice a little because she was joining a summer softball league that year. All I could do was slow pitch but it was a nice day so I agreed to help. Our neighbor, and her friend since she was about 2, was baby sitting this brat of a boy and he stood across the street calling us names. We ignored him but I could tell my sister's blood was beginning to boil. I pitched, she hit, and clonk! Knocked me right in the forehead on the right-hand side of my head. I dropped to my knees, crying. She ran over to me, crying and apologizing, and she helped me into the house. I had a huge lump on my head so my parents got me an ice pack and drove me to the local Emergency Room.

I had to get x-rays to make sure I didn't have a concussion. We waited for what seemed like forever before being finally admitted. I was told to call off work that night and the next day to be safe and to keep ice on my head.

The swelling took almost a week to completely go away. But, this was a plus because when I went back to work 2 days later I forgot my medical note. The manager where I worked was a bee-yatch and yelled at me about it. I got mad, pointed to my, still swollen, head where you could see the seams from the ball, and said, "Is this enough of a note for now? I'll bring it next time I work." She just kind of gaped at me and I went back to work.

Years later, we laugh about this. But, I know it was an accident. I'm just a little more cautious when I play ball with her. :)

June 30 Day Writing Challenge- 8

Prompt of the Day- Reality TV dominated in the 2000s with shows like Survivor and The Hills. Do you think you'd ever want to be on a reality show? If so, which show would you pick and why? If not, why do you think reality shows are so popular?
Source- "1000 Creative Writing Prompts volume 2" by Bryan Cohen

I don't think I could survive a reality show. I'd probably run my mouth and get kicked off. I think they're stupid and they're not real at all.

But, I think a reason they're so popular is the same reason movies and other television is popular. It's a temporary escape from life. When you're having a bad day, you watch people struggle on an island or try to get through Hell's Kitchen and you think, "Okay, my life isn't so bad." Or, in the case of movies or a good book, you can temporarily place yourself in a fantasy world and leave the stress of your life behind for at least a few hours.

I don't understand the draw of some reality shows, really. And, unless it's a competition show, I usually don't watch it.

June 30 Day Writing Challenge- 7

Prompt of the Day- You have been given a magical ability to heal various wounds and illnesses. How do you go about implementing your power throughout your family and community?
Source- "1000 Creative Writing Prompts" by Bryan Cohen

This is easy. I would cure all autoimmune diseases. No more rheumatoid arthritis. No more fibromyalgia. No more MS. And the list goes on. These "silent diseases" are painful both physically and emotionally, mostly because they are so misunderstood. A person, for example with RA, does not have many visible symptoms. At least, at first. But, the fatigue and pain are evident and it is very hard to deal with some days.

And, the thing with autoimmune diseases is they can strike at any age. Even children! I'm on a few Facebook groups and I've seen parents post about watching their child in pain and not being able to help. Or, having to give them treatments that cause horrible side effects just so they can go to school. It's one of the reasons I'm so terrified about having children of my own. What if I pass this on to them? I know it can't be helped but I would feel so horrible.

I would also cure cancer. I've had several relatives die of cancer. It is a devastating and wasting illness if not caught in time and treated. And, sometimes, it can't be treated. I never want to see people go through that.

June 30 Day Writing Challenge- 6

Prompt of the Day- Summer Bucket List- Top 5

Since it's June, that means summer! I came up with a list of things I want to do/places to visit/goals to accomplish by the end of summer.

1) Finish publishing "Witches of Coolersville"- This is top priority. Need to do it. I've been planning this since January. Gotta get on it.

2) Visit the beach... a lot- I love the beach! Once Lake Erie is warm enough, I'll be there and swimming as often as I can.

3) Go places I've never been- Even though I've lived in Ohio my whole life, there are many places I've never seen. My boyfriend wants to show me where he went to school. There are area wineries I want to try. I need to get out in the world more!

4) Get healthy- About a week ago, I started walking with one of my friends. We started with a mile and a half round trip and are slowly working our way more and more each time. It's so much fun. We walk and talk and laugh and the more I do it the better I feel. I want to be able to get in shape to dance at my sister's wedding next year and not be in pain the next day. I can do this!

5) Keep writing- It's been a slow start to my sequel book. But, July Camp NaNoWriMo is coming up and I'll be ready... hopefully.

That's my top 5 summer goals! I'll probably talk about more as time goes on. But, that's what I came up with for now.

June 30 Day Writing Challenge- 5

Prompt of the Day-How does writing fit into your life? Is it a hobby, a profession, a dream, or something else? Write about this priority and if you would like to shift it at some point.
Source- "1000 Creative Writing Prompts" by Bryan Cohen

Writing is currently a hobby and a dream to be able to do it professionally. Every time I ever changed my mind about what career I wanted, I always circled back to writing. It's what I really love to do and I've always done since I was little. Between my novels, blogs, and private diaries, it seems I'm always writing something or thinking about writing. Sometimes I can't fall asleep until I write something. Even if it's just notes or rough ideas about something. My muse will not rest until I get it on paper or screen.

I am in the process of publishing my first novella. My friend and I are making final touches to the cover and then I can upload to CreateSpace and complete the process. Not going to lie. This terrifies me. I've been thinking about it for so long and now that it is finally happening I don't know what to do with myself. I know the work of promoting it begins. I've been doing that for a long time. I just hope people haven't stopped taking me seriously that this will actually happen. I've had so many delays.

I will continue to write. For the simple fact that I love it and want to share my stories and thoughts with the world. But, if I can make a living off it, bonus.

June 30 Day Writing Challenge- 4

Prompt of the Day-If time is money, what do you deserve to be paid per hour and why?
Source- "1000 Creative Writing Prompts" by Bryan Cohen

How about if stress is money? That would be a much more accurate statement. Since my day job is grocery retail, I deal with people all day long. Most of them are pretty good. I have a few regulars. But, at least once a day, you get that one person that tends to spoil your whole day because they are rude, unsatisfied with something insignificant, or just plain stupid and lacking in common sense. I'm surprised I haven't needed therapy with some of the crap I deal with.

After deductions, I come home with about $8/hour. This barely covers bills and living for me sometimes and it's certainly not worth the headaches and aggravation I have to deal with on a near daily basis. And, I am not alone in this. I know many of my coworkers feel the same. I think we should make at least double what we make now. It would not only help with minimal expenses, but people would have money to spare to go shopping, save to buy a house or rent an apartment, buy a car, invest in maybe going back to school. Or, better yet, take a much deserved vacation to recover from daily insanity.

But, that's just my opinion. :)

June 30 Day Writing Challenge- 3

Prompt of the Day- "When I was a child, I wanted to grow up to be..."
Source- Pinterest.com

When I was a child, I wanted to grow up to be so many things. I wanted to be an ice skater because my Grandmother was always watching it on television and it looked like fun.

I wanted to be a teacher. I had an English teacher in 7th grade who I just adored. She kept the class interesting and introduced me to "To Kill A Mockingbird" by reading it to us for fun when we got our work done.

I wanted to travel for a living. Not sure what I'd do, exactly. Or, maybe it was from that same teacher because she had posters of all the places she traveled on school breaks plastering her walls.

I think, at one point, I thought of being a doctor but I'm not good at science... or math.

But, every time I changed my mind, something always brought me back to writing. And, here I am, writing this blog and working on my second novel while my first is in the process of being published.

June 30 Day Writing Challenge- 2

Prompt of the Day-You have been given a huge raise. I'm talking double the money you're making right now. What do you do with your new found cash flow?
Source- "1000 Creative Writing Prompts" by Bryan Cohen

If I could make double what I'm at right now, life would be so much easier! Oh, the things I could do making $16 compared to $8/hr.

First, I'd start paying off my medical bills. My little stint in the hospital last summer cost quite a lot, even after insurance. Throw in any more tests and doctor visits since and upcoming, and I'm pretty deep in the red. I probably couldn't do it all at once. It would take time to pay it all off. But, at least I could do something more than I can now and feel more at ease about bills being sent to a collection agency.

Next, I'd help my boyfriend fix up the house. I could help with rent more once I move in completely. This will help with the house renovations. His back deck is falling apart and the kitchen needs an upgrade. (Like a bigger oven so I don't burn my hand again when baking) Or, better yet, we could look for a new house of our own. Then, I could have my own office with lots of shelf space!

I could save for more traveling! ComicCon in September, going back to Oregon, Boy and I going to Washington DC, maybe a weekend long bachelorette party for my sister next year.

I'd get a gym membership- somewhere with a pool and open 24 hours. There's one by where I used to go to school and it's nice but very expensive.

I could work on marketing and attend arts festivals to promote my books.

Best of all, I could go shopping! Clothes, music, books, new computer and filming equipment.

Sadly, at the rate I get raises at my current job, it would be another 32 years before I make that much.

June 30 Day Writing Challenge- 1

Prompt of the Day-What is your favorite birthday and why? Who was there? Did you have a party? What presents did you get? Be very specific about what made it so special.
Source- "1000 Creative Writing Prompts" by Bryan Cohen

Turning 25 is a milestone we all want to remember. You've hit a quarter of a century. You feel pretty secure in the direction of your life. Some of us have already started families by this time. Some have a great career. While others are getting over having their heart ripped out of their chest and stomped on.

That was me. Two days before my 25th birthday, I had broken up with a guy I had been with for nearly 3 years. Good times. I came home, cried in my dad's arms, and then my sister and our mutual best friend, Carrie, took me out. We went to Applebees and I had my first Long Island Iced Tea and we boy bashed for most of the night. As we talked, I realized the break-up was going to happen anyway and it was for the better. Had I known then what I know now, I would have realized that I would find someone so much better that I want to spend the rest of my life with, who actually respects me, and shares the same values. Sometimes you need those lows in life to help appreciate the highs even more.

On the day of my birthday, we went to a Chinese buffet with my family. My mom's 2 best friends joined us, too, which is always a great time. My friend, Kate, also joined us. And, so did Carrie. After dinner, we went back home for cake and presents. Carrie and Kate came along and we lit a bonfire. This is where the fun started. I had spent the previous day gathering scrapbook pages and pictures of that former relationship so I could burn them. I also had a sweatshirt of his from high school he had given me so that was burned as well.

After we burned that stuff, it was time for cake. I wish I still had pictures but they were lost because of a virus but the cake was an interesting sight. It was warm that day so the icing was melting and it looked like a waterfall. Because I had so many candles, my dad pretended he needed a blow torch to light them all. Ha ha. -__- I got some pretty amazing presents. New laptop, which is now my old laptop because I still have it but, hopefully, not for long. Beautiful digital camera that I still use because it takes wonderful pictures. I have to get the ultimate lithium batteries because it eats through regular ones like Santa eats cookies but it's worth it. I also got a photo editing program similar to photoshop but I no longer have it because I never reinstalled it after my laptop got a virus earlier this spring. That will change when I eventually get a new laptop. I want Adobe Illustrator so I can work on my own book covers. And, Photoshop as well.

A few days later, I had a party with all my close friends. An acquaintance of my dad had a shop where he sold DJ equipment. He also had party rooms that people could rent out and have karaoke parties. That's what I wanted for my birthday that year. May is an unpredictable weather time here in Ohio so anything outdoors is hit or miss. I wanted something different so I booked a room and invited a bunch of people and it was so much fun. What's nice about having parties like that with just friends is people are more inclined to grab the microphone. If it's just a group you know and you're just goofing off, then you're more comfortable.

So, despite the rough start to the week, it turned out pretty amazing. I cried, I laughed, I learned I can move on with life because I have the support of my friends and family and 6 years later as I continue in the newest decade of my life I still have friends and family backing me. I'm with the real love of my life. And, I'm pretty happy in the direction I'm headed.

June Writing Challenge

I've been going through prompts I've collected, either in books or online, and created another 30 day challenge for myself. Every day in the month of June, I will post a blog based on the chosen topic of the day. I like doing these challenges. They keep my mind going so I can work on other projects. This will also get me in a better habit of writing for Camp NaNoWriMo in July. I can work on my sequel then. Working on the outline now.

Most of these will be pretty brief, depending on the topic.

Just giving you all a heads up! Thanks so much for reading.

"Witches of Coolersville" Cover Progress

Hi, everyone!
Just wanted to fill you in on my book progress.Started getting together with an artist friend of mine and we were working on ideas for my book cover, at long last. I had mentioned before that my sister was going to do it for me but, as can happen, life got in the way and she has a few bigger priorities to focus on right now. So, my friend offered to give me a hand. We spent a good 2-3 hours playing with fonts and colors. I am happy to reveal the background image. I created it myself before the whole RansomWare incident and, fortunately, it was backed up so I didn't lose it when I had to wipe my hard drive.

And so...








Here it is...











Ready?










This is exciting!









Wait for it!









3...




2...




1...




Ta daaa!

Yup! This is it! This is the background of my cover. Cool, huh? This represents a dream scene my main character has early on in the story. The photograph is mine. It was taken at a friend's house when she was having a party and a big bonfire in her backyard.

Now, we are still playing around with ideas. (And, currently, our work is on hold because my friend needs some new parts for her computer and I do not have Adobe Illustrator to continue working on my own) So, if anyone has any suggestions to help us along, that would be great. Maybe font type? I did end up selecting a few that I liked but I'm open to other options. Colors- Right now we're thinking green and black in some form. Should I tone down the opacity of the image itself? Maybe to make the title stand out.

I've been watching a lot of YouTube videos on covers for self-published authors. (Helps that I was sick for 3 days and had little strength to do much else but watch YouTube. Stupid bronchitis and allergies.) And, I've been making notes on what they suggest. But, since you are (hopefully) my future audience, your opinion is greatly appreciated.

What do you like in a cover? What books do you have in your collection that stand out? Even, which did you buy only because it had an awesome cover? Also, since this is the first in a series, what can I do to have once element that brings the series together. Even if the image is different, what's the defining characteristic that would make you say, "Oh, yeah, that's a "Witches of Coolersville" novel. That's a good series. I'm going to get the next installment."?

If all goes well, I should have a finished cover ready to upload in, at most, a matter of weeks. By the time I get a proof to review, and make the necessary arrangements, I am now thinking an August release date. Possibly mid-August since that is my second vacation from my day job and I can focus on release events. I'll be getting in contact with a local book store soon to see what I have to do to set up a release party or a signing event. I'm looking at attending an arts festival in my hometown late summer/early fall. So much to think about!

I'm so sorry this keeps getting pushed back and back. But, now, things are on track once more for publication and I'll be able to share my story with all of you.

Thanks so much for sticking with me all this time. And, I'll keep you updated on what's to come.

Bye!
Carey

More Blogging- I promise!

Hey guys,
I know I've been pretty absent on my blog and on YouTube in recent months. So much has been going on. Work was insane with the Easter holiday. Winter just never seemed to end so my arthritis symptoms were going crazy and sending me into an everything slump. I'm slowly moving in with my boyfriend so it's awkward to film unless no one is home and I'm still not connected to his Wi-Fi so I can't upload videos until I get back to my parents' or go to Starbucks. I was frustrated with my lack of a book cover pushing my anticipated release of my novella back and back and back! And, I've been blocked.

But all that is about to change!!!

The weather is getting nicer and warmer. Although still rainy but, hey, there's some progress. I've got a few more weeks until the bathroom renovation is done and then I can officially finish moving and be connected to Internet. (I've bought books in recent months that I want to show off in a video) And, one of my friends who is a really talented artist is going to help with my book cover TOMORROW! So, I'll be able to better judge a time frame for a real release date! And, I just bought 4 prompt books that I've been going through and getting lots of ideas for short stories and blog posts so I think I'll set myself up with another month long blog challenge.

I don't think I'll do it for May. I've got a lot going on throughout the month. My dad just got a new Church assignment so his first Mass is this Saturday. My niece is making her first Communion Sunday. A guy my sis and I went to school with is being ordained as a priest. I'm a sponsor/mentor for a woman at Church making her Confirmation. I'm on vacation the week of my birthday so that might be moving week or, if not, finally finishing my sequel outline. (Another reason why I bought prompt books. I'm having a hard time with this next story.) But, I will try to be more active in the blogging at least. And, I might put together a short story collection if I get enough ideas and like what I come up with. With over 3000 prompts in these books, I better come up with something or I'm in trouble!

So, that's what's been going on with me. I'm going to get some rest (aka watch YouTube) and get lots of writing done tomorrow. More updates to come! Byye!

Carey

Boleyn King Book Review- no spoilers

The Boleyn King, by Laura Andersen
Book 1 Boleyn Trilogy
Star Rating- 3

I just finished this really fascinating book and I'm well into book 2. It's an alternate history, asking the question of "How would history be different if...?" This question being, "How would history be different if Anne Boleyn had never been executed and had a son and heir for Henry VIII?" The answer is 1) Not all that exciting for Henry. He, apparently, still dies fat and sick. 2) Not that exciting for Anne, either. While she well outlives her husband, she is pretty quiet in this story. 3) Pretty intriguing for her children and their friends. I'll try not to get spoilery in this review.

The story, first of three, centers around William (also known as Henry IX), his sister, Elizabeth (the real life Elizabeth I), and their friends Dominic and Minuette. Dominic is one of William's gentlemen and also childhood friend. Minuette is the daughter of one of Anne Boleyn's former ladies, born the same day as William, and Elizabeth's closest companion. I really like the friendship between these 4 at the beginning, and a good majority, of the book. Since they're all relatively young, by modern standards anyway, their bond kind of reminds me of a group of friends in high school or college. They vent to each other. They tease each other. There are times when they try to show each other up in little things. But, William is king so things are a little different and more complicated.

The story begins with William in the last year of his minority. He's 17. There's been a regency council put in place since the death of his father when he was 10 and when he's 18 he will be able to rule in his own right. But, there are issues. A courtier ends up dead, seemingly of a suicide but there are sketchy circumstances surrounding why she might want to kill herself. There is still the religious divide between Catholics and Protestants that was begun when Henry VIII divorced Catherine of Aragon to marry Anne Boleyn. (We all know that story and what really went down there) The Catholic citizens see Mary, Will and Elizabeth's half-sister, as the only true heir to the thrown and there is a plot to prove that either Will is illegitimate or not even Henry VIII's son at all.

So, the 4 friends band together to try and solve these issues. Chaos and intrigue ensue. Feelings change. There's a love triangle and lots of excitement and drama. I am definitely excited to keep reading.

Why did I give it the rating I did? Well, I enjoyed it but I went into it thinking it was one thing and it turned out to be not quite as I expected. I guess it's from watching The Tudors on Netflix and reading Philippa Gregory books. I thought it would be more romance novelly. The romantic tension in some scenes are fantastic. But, it's all build up or just implied or mentioned that there was sex. As a fan of Nora Roberts-type books, this was a bit of a let down. Like I said, The Tudors and Philippa Gregory are to blame for this expectation in fiction based, however loosely or speculative, on this time period. Also, the pacing is pretty slow. The writing is enjoyable. The premise is fantastic. I love the characters and the varying dynamics between them. I was interested and I'm going to continue on in the trilogy but the pacing is making it a longer reading process than anticipated.

But, if you're interested in alternate history fiction, getting someone's answer to "What if...?" then, I recommend giving this book a shot. If you have read it, let me know what you think. I'd love to discuss other opinions. Maybe you noticed something I didn't. Or, you know another book in a similar style you loved and want to recommend. I'm always looking for new reads.

Thanks!
Carey

No Pop Day 4

So, on Wednesday, my friend Kate and I decided we were going to give up soda pop. I figured I'd hold myself more accountable if I talked about it here. Today will be 4 days if I succeed. Surprisingly, I am not overly craving pop. I've managed to find different things to drink which helps. I bought a bunch of juices and sparkling waters to try.
We'll see how I do . I'll keep writing about it.

February 2015 Wrap-Up

Hello! Welcome to another wrap-up post. I read one book, started one book, and listened to an audio book for the month of February.

First, I completed Throne of Glass! It took me longer than I would have liked but it was so worth it! The sleepless nights I experienced were worth it! The writing was amazing. The characters were incredible and stand out so much in my memory. The plot was mind-blowing! I did a full review on my blog here. It starts off with no spoilers and gets more in depth with a few spoilers.

Next, I began a reread. I am rereading Scarlet by AC Gaughen. I did a video review on my YouTube channel so click here if you want to watch it. I am reading this a second time because I want to continue on in the trilogy. I have the second book, Lady Thief. I've had it for months. And book 3 comes out in May so I wanted to catch up and after reading Throne of Glass I wanted to tone things down a bit before diving into more fantasy. I was unable to complete it in February but I will for March and I will also read Lady Thief in March in order to stay on track with my reading challenge. I am about 2/3 complete and I will probably go read some more before bed. This was another book that cause me many sleepless nights but in that good, exciting way when you read books you love and don't want to put down. But, I wanted to refresh my memory so I can continue the series.

Suddenly, it was February 26! Only two days left in the month. How the heck am I going to read a book in two days with my work schedule? I don't want to fall behind in my reading challenge because that starts the whole domino effect and I end up reading 5 books all year.

Solution- Audio book! I listened to the Resurrection Casket. It's a Doctor Who book read by David Tennant. It is basically a Treasure Island in space story and it's so cute. I really enjoyed it. I've listened to it a number of times.

For March, I will complete Scarlet and read Lady Thief. If I can squeeze in a 3rd book, at least to start, bonus.

I'm off to read another chapter before sleep.

Happy reading!
~Carey

Throne of Glass Book Review (With Spoilers)

Title- Throne of Glass
Rating- 4.5 Stars

I just finished reading Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas! I loooved it! I was disappointed every time I had to put it down.

First, let me just say, look at how awesome that cover is! It is so beautiful. Even more so in a physical hard back copy. I squealed when I saw it on the shelf at the store because it is just so pretty.

I had heard so many people talking about this series. I know it's been out a while so I'm just kind of jumping on the bandwagon now. There are 3 books out in the series, not including a bind up of prequel novellas. According to Goodreads, there are supposed to be 6 books. This book is hugely popular among the BookTubers that I follow on YouTube. So, I figured I would give it a go.

The book takes place in this wonderful fantasy world ruled by a corrupt king who is very clearly bent on world domination and through the most brutal methods possible. Anyone who stands against him gets sent to a death camp. This is where we meet Celaena, our main character. She is the world's most notorious assassin. The crown prince comes to her and tells her he wants her to compete in a competition. The winner will work for his father, the king, for a period of time as his personal assassin and then she will win her freedom. Of course, Celaena jumps at this opportunity and agrees. She has to compete in a series of tests and survive to the final duel and the winner is crowned the King's Champion. Who wouldn't take that chance? Her competition is chosen by other members of the nobility. There are other assassins, thieves, former soldiers.

So, off she goes and there's drama and romance and intrigue and magic and the tasks are incredible and Celaena is just a bad ass and amazing and I just love her! The writing is incredible and fast paced. I actually would get upset every time I had to put the book down. I kind of had a Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire meets Hunger Games kind of feel as I read it. Goblet of Fire in terms of the tests they had to accomplish and Hunger Games because she's battling for her life and her freedom.

I highly recommend picking this up. I already got a coworker hooked on it. She saw me reading it on my break one day and asked about it and went to borrow it from the library. She came to me today and said, "Oh, my gosh. Carey, what did you get me into? This book is incredible!"

That's all I think I can say for the non-spoiler part. Now I'm going to get more in depth with the characters and the plot.

Bye non-spoiler people!

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Okay! So, who agrees that they already don't like the King of Assassins and we never officially meet him in the book? I've seen this in other reviews. At first you think, awe, he's actually kind of nice. Takes in this orphaned 8 year old and takes her under his wing. You can almost forgive the fact that he's training her to kill people for a living. But then, little by little, Celaena reveals the amount of crap she has to go through and you think, "Oh, my gosh. This guy is a rotten dirty bastard!" He forces her to break her right hand so she can gain skill in her left? Makes her stand on top of a building to overcome her fear of heights? Whaaat? That would be like sticking me in a room full of spiders to cure me of arachnophobia. Kill me now. And, she has to pay him back for food, training, and having a roof over her head. A touch of Memoirs of a Geisha there, how Sayuri has a debt to repay to Mother for raising her.

The love triangle- Oh, where to begin with that? First, I'm Team Dorian. I like Chaol. I think he's really cool and has his moments where he's really charming but Dorian I really love. And, not because he's the prince, although that is a perk. The way I picture him is like Jonathan Meyer in the first season of the Tudors. Dark hair, striking eyes, drop-dead-gorgeous looking. He's mischievous and charming. He is so nice to her and tries to give her confidence. Even though, his initial reason for asking her was just to piss off his father. But, I think he's trying really hard to find his own place and make a mark in the world that is better than the king's and it's not easy to do. And, he's not sure how to stand up to his father which makes life a little harder. Then, there's his mother who is constantly pushing him to get married. She's one of those moms who means well and tries to come across as being concerned for the future but just ends up being a pest.

Then, there's Chaol. He's the Captain of the Guard. He also trains Celaena for her tests. We don't get too much information on his background, aside from he's close friends with the Prince and he gave up some kind of title in his homeland. The name escapes me right now. Sorry. He takes his job very seriously. He doesn't trust easily. It takes him time to warm up to Celaena and see her as anything but "an assassin," especially when he sees that Dorian might be developing feelings for her and tries to say that nothing could come of a relationship with her.

The other characters I'm going to be pretty brief about because we meet a lot of people in this book and lots of them I still can't figure out yet. The King, Dorian's father, terrifies me. Every time he appears in this book I get the chills. Had this book been written 50 years ago, I could see an actor such as Vincent Price playing him. He is just mad for power and will do whatever it takes to get it. No matter how many people have to die.

Princess Nehemia I eventually came to like. I got the feeling she knew more than she let on about the Wyrdmarks and it was so cool that she has powers! (Magic has been banned by the king) I love how Celaena was able to have a female friend who is just as bad ass and cool as she is. They relate to so much from their prior life experiences. I hope we see plenty more in upcoming books.

Lady Kaltain annoyed me. This is a horrible comparison, I know, but she's like the popular cheerleader in high school who has to have the captain of the football team because of his title. That's how she goes after the Prince. She doesn't actually love him. She just wants him because she's the prince, which means one day he'll be king and she will be queen if they get married. But, I can't figure her out either. She gets these head aches and these voices about needing more power and reaching her ambition which she treats with opium. And, at first, I thought the opium was causing the voices. As part of her addiction. If she goes so long without it it's like a withdrawal symptom or something? But, then that last conversation between the King and Duke Perrington made me realize they're using her as a pawn for something. But we won't find out until further on in the series!

The description of the death camp where we meet Celaena was incredible in an awful and frightening kind of way. I wonder if they were inspired by the Nazi camps and the atrocities that took place there. (Hmm, something to Google later)

I love that even though magic is supposed to be banned from this country, there are still hints of it throughout. When Celaena is first released from the camp and is traveling with Chaol and the Prince, she can still sense the fairies and the spirits in the forest. The markings that she sees at the palace we find have an ancient power to them. The first queen of this land was part fae. Great set up for the rest of the series where I hope magic will be restored.

One of my favorite parts was one that just made me laugh so much. As Celaena is training, she's getting healthy again and this means her body is returning to normal. And since she is a young woman, this means she gets her period back. Any girl can sympathize with this. Apparently, she gets cramps so bad that it makes her physically sick. Chaol can't deal with this. He's just like, "Ugh! Girl stuff! Keep me away!" Dorian isn't phased by it and comes to talk to her anyway. Celaena being Celaena practically tells him where to go because she has cramps and doesn't want to be bothered. Their interaction is so funny!

As I've mentioned, the tests give me a Goblet of Fire feel. Some are pretty simple and just barely mentioned. Some are intense and exciting. I love when they have to spar against each other and Celaena takes down her opponent ridiculously fast. She tells the weapons master to "find her a real man" and maybe she'll make more of an attempt next time.

I wish the big bad didn't turn out to be Cain. It was pretty obvious. He was the biggest and best of the group of other competitors. It seemed like the obvious choice to make him the cause of the other opponents dying. If it was someone who was smaller and seemingly less significant, it would have been more of a twist. But, that could be just me.

The final battle. Oh wow. That had to be some of the most intense reading ever! I finished it in a few hours one morning. Had the day off and just woke up and read and read until I was done. At first, I thought it was too much. There was too much going on! I can't take it all in! But, when it was done, I was awestruck.

I'm starting to ramble now and I don't know what else I can say because there's so much to this book and it's only the first! Um, whaat?

Can't wait to get Crown of Midnight! I need to know what happens next!

Fifty Shades Movie Review

SPOILER WARNING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I can't believe I'm writing this. I can't believe I paid $7 to see this movie. I can't believe my legs wouldn't move when I was really uncomfortable and wanted to walk out. And, I REALLY can't believe part of me is morbidly curious for the next one.

Yes, I went to see Fifty Shades. I don't know why. I had writers block, I was bored, and it's frigid outside. So, I figured go see a movie. I wanted to see the third Night at the Museum film but it's already out of theaters. So, instead of going somewhere to force myself to write, I spent money on a Twilight fan fiction film. The two girls who sat next to me were talking with me before it started and they had read the books. After they said it was waaay toned down from the books. Which made me even less inclined to read them because I was waaay uncomfortable during most of the film.

The first part of the film was mostly me giggling about how similar it was to Twilight. The characters were all too obvious. Anastasia= Bella; Christian= Edward; Jose= Jacob; Kate= Rosalie; Mama Steele= Bella's mom; and so on. When he rescues her from getting hit by the cyclist, that was the truck rescue scene. Christian talks about him not having a heart- Edward talking about not knowing if he has a soul. I could not stop laughing every time a Twilight reference came up and I wasn't even a huge fan of that franchise! But, I had seen them enough times (and read the books once) to remember them.

However, I would have preferred the sparkly vampires and shape-shifting wolf people to the other stuff. Christian Grey is messed-the-hell-UP! Many of the scenes were incredibly cringe-worthy. The "play room" for example. I don't want to sound like I'm judging or I could sound like a total prude but I don't see how being beaten and restrained is enjoyable.

I do want to make it clear to all those who say this film glamorizes rape. Ana gives consent to everything. It does make very clear that this is an abusive relationship. And, I can see how it can get confusing to people. One minute he's wining and dining her, taking her on plane and helicopter rides, dinners with his family, buying her incredible gifts like a new MacBook and a very nice car. The next, he's cold and over-dominant. I don't even think I'm properly describing it. I hate to think that people actually consider this romance. The emotional and verbal abuse is there so clearly.

At the end, the scene I could not watch was the part with the belt. She continued to question him and he takes a belt to her. He hits her six times and I was ready to cry right along with her. I was very glad when she firmly tells him to never touch her again. But, if there are more books, then the story doesn't end there and she'll go back to him.

I don't know how to rate this film. It was uncomfortable to watch about 95% of the time. I think Christian Grey is a complete psycho for taking pleasure in such things. (Okay, yes, I'm getting judgy there. But, I don't understand it) And, I'm so glad I'm not in a relationship anywhere remotely close to that.

I will say that the actor who plays Christian is incredibly good looking. And, considering what he was given, he is not a bad actor. I'd like to see him in a much better role. It's like my opinion of Liam Hemsworth who plays Gale in the Hunger Games. I think he's incredible as an actor. So gorgeous. But, I hate his character. (Team Peeta)

Like I said before, I have not read the books and I do not plan on it. Ever. It was too much for me. Plus, I heard the sex scenes are very badly written. I know there's only so many ways to describe things. I've been reading romance novels since I was about 17 so I know how cliche they sound and some I couldn't finish because they get pretty raunchy pretty quickly. To the point where there's no story anymore. But, this takes it to a whole other level. And, if this made me uncomfortable at an R-rating in the film, I can't begin to imagine the book.

At the same time, the movie just stops. It's build up, build up, and then black screen and credits. So, part of me is curious to see where the next part of the story goes. Probably equally cringe-worthy but nonetheless, the characters have fascinated me. I can't explain why. I'm surprised I've been able to talk this much about it because all I could say when the movie ended was, "That was... interesting."

I mentioned on a review someone posted on YouTube that this is what can happen when it is possible to self-publish. Even fan fiction can make it on the shelves. I'm not knocking the process. I'm self-publishing my own work and there is nothing wrong with being able to self-publish. If you have a story, you should be able to share it any way possible. It's just amazing that this series became as popular as it did. So, I've certainly got a shot with mine, right? :-)

I can't think of much more to say so I leave it to you as to whether or not you want to see it or read it. If you do leave comments, please be nice. I know a lot of people hate this movie and I can see points all the way around. I gave my opinion. Please don't slam me for it.

Have a great day!
Carey

What I Read In January 2015

I was going to do a video about this but many of my books are not currently at home. I'm slowly moving and my book collection is at my future home.
For the month of January, I read 2 books which keeps me on track for my Goodreads goal of 24 this year. I started 3, 1 of which I completely abandoned until later in the year and I'll explain why. 1 I think I have to be really in the mood to continue. And the other I'm so mad I left it because I'm dying to continue!

First book I read was The White Queen by Philippa Gregory. This book is the first in the Cousins War series. I reviewed this book in a previous post so I am not going to go into much detail but I enjoyed it and gave it 3.5/5 stars. I really enjoyed the concept of the story. The characters were wonderful and since it's based on history, I want to know more facts. There's just a touch of the supernatural in it for me to really love and, if you're a dreamer like me, you almost want to believe things happened like that. My problem was the pacing of the story was off. There would be all this action and romance and then nothing for several pages. But, I do want to finish the series. I just wasn't blown away enough to say, "Oh man, I have to read the next one now!" like I have with some of her previous books.

The next book I read, and the second I completed was Witch Child by Celia Rees. I first heard about this from the lovely Dawn Kurtagich. She did a Top 5 Historical Books video in December and mentioned it. It is the story of Mary who is a young woman living in England in the late 1650s and she is a witch. She was raised by her grandmother and practices healing. Her grandmother would tell peoples fortunes along with being a healer herself and tell supernatural stories but then she is persecuted as a witch and horribly killed. Mary flees to the New World with a Puritan community and has to try and blend in. The book is told as her diary so you see her thoughts and opinions about these people. Some she likes and some she doesn't and usually those people feel the same. What I liked about this book was similar to White Queen. The writing is amazing. I was so enthralled in her journey and her struggle to be the meek little Puritan girl when she is really very outspoken and not like the others at all. There was just enough magic to make it believable. Sure, there were the cliche witch trial scenes with the screaming girls that you just want to smack in the face but witch trial stories are like romance novels. There's only so many ways you can describe certain scenes so they're going to sound hokey and cliche. But, it's not overwhelmed with it like in the Crucible. This book got 5/5 stars from me.

The book that I abandoned was called Ouija by Katharine Turner. This was an on-a-whim buy for me. I don't really go for scary stories and certainly will never watch the movie because I heard it was a gawd-awful adaptation. But, this is not a book to be read at night. I picked it up one night because I was too lazy to go in the other room and get Witch Child out of my purse so I grabbed something within reach in the bedroom. I read about 3 chapters. Maybe 4? Don't remember. Had to put it down because I just started feeling weird and there was already a death. *Sorry, spoilers* And then that whole rest of the night I couldn't sleep and when I did sleep I had weird dreams. So, this will be a day time only read closer to Halloween and then I will watch lots of Disney movies before bed. But, I included the Amazon link if you are interested anyway.

Another book I began but is on hold is Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins. I thought with Valentine's Day coming up I'd go for a cute contemporary and I had heard a lot of great things about this book and the 2 companion/sequels in the trilogy. But, I just couldn't get into it that much. I don't mean it's bad. It's an interesting story and I'm starting to like the characters. Anna's awkwardness is definitely something I can relate to because I was a very awkward teen... and 20-something... and 30-something. ^^; But, I just couldn't stay hooked yet. So, I will try again down the road.

Finally, the book I'm really enjoying but I left it at my future home and won't get to read it again until Friday. It is Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas! I already know I want the next books. There are 2 out plus the prequel novellas and there are 3 more still to come according to Goodreads! I haven't gotten too far into it yet but I'm loving everything so far. The writing is awesome. The characters are fascinating and some you either one to love or hit. Some, like our lovely main Celaena, you can't quite figure out. I love how it's mostly from her story but then you get glimpses into Prince Dorian or Chaol (pronounced Kale as I found out from a review video). I had a heart-stopping moment and this shows what a geek I am. Chaol is giving her a tour of the castle and they find the library and he tells her it contains over ONE MILLION BOOKS! Oh! I read that at work. My heart stopped, I nearly fell out of my chair. I actually sighed out loud and had to set the book down to process that. People were probably staring at me but I didn't care. I can't wait to keep reading and I need to get my hands on the rest of the series!! I'll do a proper review either here or on my YouTube channel when I'm reading.

So, that's my January 2015 reading wrap-up. I'll have another at the end of February. In the meantime, keep an eye out for writing updates and other posts. Check out my social media and YouTube. Have a great night. Hope where you're at is warm and wonderful because here it's sub-zero and snowing. But, hey, book and a blanket weather!

Bye! ^.~
Carey

Story Snippet from New Witch On Campus

Here is a snippet from the first draft of my second book in my Witches of Coolersville series, New Witch on Campus. I'm having so much fun writing this and I've definitely turned up the drama level as this scene shows. Enjoy!

“You didn’t have to be so rude back there,” Tara continued. “You embarrassed me in front of my friends.”

“Oh, your new boyfriend?” Henry demanded.

“He’s not my boyfriend, you idiot,” said Tara. “You are. Michael’s just a friend.”

Henry let out a short laugh that sounded almost like a bark. “Oh, is he? He seemed to be getting pretty cozy over there. Applied for the same school as you. You and Marissa suggesting he work for your grandma. I saw the way he was looking at you. He’s got more than friendship on his mind. He might even be in love with you.”

Tara was taken aback at this statement. She tried to will herself to keep her expression indifferent but she felt the heat rise in her cheeks. “And, how do you know that, Henry James?” He winced when she used his first and middle name. “Are you psychic all of a sudden?”

“I know because it’s the same way I feel about you!” he shouted.

Tara glared at him. “Well, aren’t you just…” Suddenly what he said hit her. “Wait… what?”

Henry sighed. “That’s not how I wanted to tell you. But, I love you, Tara. And, I’m pissed at you at the same time.” He waited for a minute. “Well, don’t just stare at me. Say something, damn you!”

Tara just gaped at him. Her mind was screaming a thousand different things but she couldn’t get her voice to work. Henry rolled his eyes and turned to go and she forced herself to speak. “Don’t get mad at me. You freakin’ blindsided me! I don’t know what to say. You can’t blame me for that.”

“Whatever,” grumbled Henry. “Let me know when you have something to say. See you in class.” He walked away and she stood rooted to the spot for what felt like an eternity.

Book Review: The White Queen

Book- The White Queen
Author- Philippa Gregory
Goodreads Rating- 3 Stars
Actual Rating- 3.5 Stars

Oh, hey! This is my 100th post on my blog! Woo!

I love Philippa Gregory books so when I saw this series, nearly the whole thing, at Half-Price Books, I grabbed it and couldn't wait to read it. Her telling of historical events, obviously embellished because it's fiction has always interested me and the facts she uses gets me interested enough to research the time period more.

This first book in the Cousins War series was no exception. I have read and watched plenty of things about the Tudors but I just sort of glossed over the people before them and the story behind their rise to power. This first book focuses on Elizabeth Woodville, the mother of Elizabeth of York who became the wife of Henry Tudor or Henry VII. It's a beautiful tale with love and court drama and huge battles with a touch of fantasy. Elizabeth's family have a tradition in her mother's side where they believe they are descendants of a water goddess and practice magic. This, of course, is forbidden during this time but they pull it off by being discrete and the high position Elizabeth eventually rises to helps shield her from question... for the most part.

I read in the author's not that in Philippa Gregory's research, this was a fact and so she capitalized on it in her story in a way you'll have to read for yourself because I don't want to give too much away.

Elizabeth Woodville is a historical figure who seems to be a footnote in a lot of sources. I'm interested to read some more about her and find out why. I like the way she is portrayed in this story. A highly passionate, highly ambitious woman. She had a great love for her husband and her family. Much mystery still surrounds the fate of her boys, known now as the Princes of the Tower. This story mixed fact with fantasy enough to peek my interest in her and her family.

There were parts in this book that did get slow and boring. It took me a while to finish it. (I also started it around the holidays so that didn't help either) But, despite that, I am still interested enough to continue reading in the series and I can't wait to see what book 2 has in store.