Back to Basics

Today marked the official day of rest after thirty days of unfiltered and (hopefully) uninhibited writing. Today is the day that most writers, whether they finished their objective or not, take a breath and ask what the hell just happened?

As you're re-assimilating back into the "real world", let me extend out a congratulatory round of applause for those of you who made their goal target of 50,000 words or more! Woohoo! I too know that thrill of finally sitting down and writing out that damned illusive novel. There's nothing like that high of accomplishment that makes you feel like you can take on a grizzly bear Wyatt Earp style and win. So whether it's a complete novel or a good chunk of something larger, bravo my fellow writers! Bravo!

While I sported my participation badges on my facebook accounts, I alas could not jump on the novel writing bandwagon. My original zombie apocalypse story idea that I've been sitting on for a while just wasn't ready to hatch yet. While I did get a good portion of the world and the characters fleshed out, mostly it felt like I was beating my head against a cement wall. I finally walked away when all of my writer's block symptoms matched my "put it back in the oven" checklist.

I was sort of bummed and depressed by the whole situation. I thought writing my [Zombies!] story would be a great way to sort of test out self-publishing and make an extra dollar or two. I now realize I was pushing myself to write it for all the wrong reasons. That and every time I sat down to think, plot, and create for my nano project my science fiction story would some how emerge into my thought patterns. Which was ironic considering I had told myself that it wasn't ready, that I wasn't ready, and that we needed more time to sit on it.

Instead of fighting with it, I let it flow. For weeks I felt blocked and stunted with my [Zombies!] story. Almost to the point where I started even questioning my own ability to write. Had I lost it to episodes of "My Little Ponies" and little girl giggles? Maybe I should go back to work and sink back into the world of technical writing... These self-defeating thoughts plagued me until I finally stopped and just went with these little nudges from my [Space!] story.

I'm so glad I did! Instead of running, I'm addressing the reasons why I thought the story was too big for my writing capabilities. I've researched story structure and dissected I don't know how many books, movies, and television shows. I'm going back through the snowflake outline I did for my story and editing it. I finally found my spark again and my reason for writing. :-)

Got to love those crises of faith. ;-)

I'm SO Sorry!

Dear blog,

I hope the title of the blog says it all. I truly and most sincerely sorry that I have neglected you so! I've been so focused on my novels and jump starting my freelance clientele that I have left your pages unwritten. Like a sorely neglected friend, I have left you behind in our special place on the interwebs. If you will have me back, I would so love to resume our friendship.

The Saddest Blogger in the World,

~Me

Dear Meatbag,

Get bent.

Signed, 

~An Angry, Neglected Blog

Dear blog,

:( :( :( I'm so SOOOOOORY! Please find in your heart (do blogs have hearts?) to move past my horribleness. I am a horrible person for under utilizing you and not helping you live up to your fullest potential. Can we ever be friends again?

The Most Horrible Blogger on the Interwebs,

~ Me

Dear Flesh Puppet,

I sincerely doubt that our friendship will ever be the same again. You should just move on and create some other blog to abuse. I'm tried of your shit. Also, YES WE HAVE HEARTS! And they happen to be a reflection of the owner's. So if you find me crappy, you only have yourself to blame.

Signed,

~Screw you, I'm going home.

P.S. There aren't enough sad faces in the world to earn you enough pity. Please stop at three. KTHXBAI.

Dear Blog,

Are you breaking up with me??? Ok. Fine. Yea. I deserve it. I guess I will just make another blog on wordpress. Something that looks professional and an actual website. Not google's horrible attempt to be "cool" and "relevant" on the web. Yea, I said it. G+ suxs!

Screw you too!

~Me

Dear Two Timing Blogger,

I cannot believe you would give up so easily on our relationship. Have I meant nothing to you? Do I still mean nothing to you? Why? Why would you say something this horrible to me?

Signed,

~A Crushed and Lonely Blog

Dear Blog,

*Sighs* I'm sorry. I seem to be saying that a lot lately. I said those things out of anger. I truly do like your platform and ease of use. It's why I chose you instead of that other site. Please, let's just forget about all of this and let's be friends again. I truly am sorry.

~Me

Dear Human Face,

<(^_^<) <(^_^)> (>^_^)>

Signed,

~A Forgiving Blog

Dear Blog,

Yay! I promise to stay more active on your site and post twice a month. I won't neglect you again!

Love,

~Me

How to Keep Sane with Tribal Survival Food

Happy February! I do not know how that happened but it did. Seems my crazy life of 2013 has decided to make 2014 it's sequel. I totally meant to make at least one other blog posting in January- something catchy and would keep me motivated to post a blog at least twice a month maybe once a week. However, life swept me away and had other plans for me.

So if you've been following me along so far, I made mention of a list of things I would like to achieve/accomplish in 2014. One of those things is to travel more. Well, I literally just got back from an impromptu trip to Hawaii a couple of weeks ago. Now before you roll your eyes and sarcastically mutter "poor girl", it was not for the best of reasons.

Have you ever heard that saying about how God or the Universe laughs at any plans that you make? I know I am paraphrasing it horribly but it still holds sway here.

So the original plan was for us to take a family vacation to Kauai and visit my family for my grandfather's 90th birthday in May of this year. The universe looked at that, liked part of the plan and said, "Sure, why not?" What the Universe failed to read was the whole going home under good circumstances and making it so that we could all go.

Instead, the Universe laughed and said, "Go now! Because your grandmother fell, broke her hip, had a heart attack, and is in the hospital."

Now, I'm not saying that the Universe took it's mighty pointer finger and pushed my grandmother over causing her to fall while scarring the crap out of her which then caused her heart attack. All I know is that any plans we had made were moved up quite a bit due to this incident.

So my mother, me, and baby Alice flew to Hawaii and helped the family take care of grandma during her homestay hospice care. It was a great trip in that we spent a lot of quality time with family.

Mom and Alice reading on the plane

Now when I say that we spent lots of quality time together it was usually at the dinner table over a bowl of what my Uncles like to call "Survival Tribal Food." I guess that's what my family does. We cook, we eat, we talk stories while we eat, and we heal.

I don't know how many times my uncles came over and cooked something for my grandma and us and we spent the evening talking and having a good time. It just made it easier to deal.

Alice hanging out with TuTu G.G.

The food, the company, it took away the awkwardness and tragic state my grandma was in. Even if my Uncle Butchie made jokes about her looking dead (nothing is sacred when it comes to his sense of humor and wit), it helped. It was easier to sit in the living room while my grandma lay delirious in bed or was moaning in pain. We could all lean each other in serious times, fun times, and sobering times.

The mung bean soup, chicken adobo, chicken shoyu, Hawaiian lobster, Samoan crab, Niihau fish, chicken papaya, and all sorts of goodies kept all of our spirits up. Especially my grandma. It was like tribal food for the soul exploded all up in my grandma's house.

Chicken Papaya

Hawaiian Lobster

The trip was great overall. We did tourist stuff during the day and took care of my grandma at night. I had fun getting to know my family and introducing them to my awesome baby and I also got to eat some amazing Hawaiian and Filipino grub. Surprisingly enough, I actually lost weight. Who knew tribal survival food was healthy? That and all the walking and bicycle riding at the beach we did.

Alice and I cycling the coastline in Kapaa

All that to say, yes, I went to Hawaii. No, it wasn't the best of circumstances but we made the best of it. I'm just sad I had to go home. If this whole writing thing pans out in a way that I end up like J.K. Rowling or even do half as well as she did, I am totally opening up a writer's retreat in Kauai. I will live there 6 months out of the year and write like I have never written before. :D Maybe I'll even invite my writing friends and we can have writing parties or something. :-) Definitely something to think about.





Either way, I would be happy with a shack of a house next to Hanalei Bay.

Until then, I shall keep writing to you from my desk in sunny Southern California.

~V.M. Flower

Our feet enjoying the sands of Hanalei

Alice in her adorable sun hat. :-)

Another Year Past, a New Year Begins

Happy New Year!

Welcome 2014! I greet you with much enthusiasm and optimism. Not that 2013 was a bad year for me- it was actually pretty great. More like, I can't believe it's already complete! A lot happened for me, both personally and professionally.

Spacex!

J- captured his dream job working on space rockets. We sold our house in AZ. Moved to Los Angeles.

Newly birthed epic pout baby!

Had a baby.

MMM.... Red Velvet Bday cake!

 Turned 28.

Us at the Giant Bean!

Traveled with said baby via airplane to Chicago. Had a blast.

Yeah buddy!

 Buckled down for Nanowrimo. Won Nanowrimo! (Woo!) Had the winner's shirt misdelivered twice. (Still haven't gotten it lol)

Tyr with his bandage :-(

Had one of my corgis almost die. (Tyr was diagnosed with diabetes and is doing better)

Alice waiting patiently by the tree

And somewhere between those last four things, the holidays hit. Man oh man! Last year was a whirlwind of personal growth, achievement, and just plain and sleepless craziness. I am still recovering!

So welcome 2014! I get the feeling that the flurry of crazy life events is not even close to completion. In fact I know it's not. (More on that later.)

To blog or not to blog!

As I look back through my sparse and sporadic blog postings, I see I failed to make my 10 posts last year. :-( Oh well. Life happens. Lol. This year I can't promise will be any different but I know I will definitely try harder. The more my resolve and determination grows to go after my dream of becoming not only a published author but making writing my life long career, the more important it is for me to stay in touch with the blogging sphere. Yes, it markets my "brand" but I see it as more than that. This blog is an outlet. Not a total and complete outlet as I should keep some kind of semblance of professionalism. (As best I can at least. ;-) ) But it definitely is a place that helps to give me perspective and motivated. With that said, let's move on to that!

A list of my goals this year! Woo! Here goes!

Personal Goals

• Run (jog/walk is more like it) a half marathon- Yep, I'm going for it again! This time laziness or being pregnant will not get in the way of this goal. I will accomplish it this year and if I like it, will probably try to tackle another one or at least a mini triathlon next year.
• Travel!- I've always wanted to travel and so I'm gonna! As to where? You and I both will have to see this year. :-)
• Mommy/Special Interest Groups- Now that Alice is no longer a newborn, we both need to mingle and grow roots in our new community.

Professional Goals

• Publish some short stories- Definitely lacking on recent publishing credits. I've already started the search for an editor to help polish and get my stories ready for submission. :-)
• Get into the Scifi/Fantasy Writers Guild of America- This is more to help with potential legal issues and networking more than anything else. Plus, it doesn't hurt in building up my writer credentials.
• Find an agent for my fantasy novel if I decide not to epublish- Still on the fence about tranditional/independent publishing vs. epublishing. I'm definitely thinking this needs to be a blog post since I've come across other budding novelists who are facing the same question.

So that was last year for me in brief bursts of sentences and pictures. I'm hoping to accomplish these goals and more. I've broken them down into easier steps but that's the general idea I have going.

What are you wanting to accomplish this year?