First of all, I want to say I adored Uncle Lauran. I just had no idea… Today, someone asked a question on social media about using multiple pen names…
Ode to an Uncle I Didn’t Appreciate as Much as I Should Have Before Becoming a Writer
I’m not technically there yet. Still 14 months to go. But I did it! I made the hard call to the boss Thursday.
The day job was really wearing me down, like to the point of fearing I might not make it to the finish line. The thought of commuting through another hard winter was wearing me down. Not being able to focus more on my passion was wearing me down.
So… I retired early!! I need to shout it out and celebrate! Going out before my pension kicks in is still retirement, right? Even if it is scarier?
Lot’s of changes in our lifestyle ahead, which means… It’s Time to Simplify!
I’m already going through my accumulated junk (aka, treasures). Here are a few precious things I’m memorializing before I toss them out.
Living in the same place for 25 years can make anyone a hoarder, right? (That’s my excuse, and I’m sticking to it.) We’ve purged things every time we made a big move, but this is the longest stretch between bouts of purging. One of those moves included living in a travel trailer for half a year, which meant I really had to purge. Still, I managed to hold onto things from my childhood, high school, starting out in life…
Each decade in this home I became obsessed with a new hobby. My craft room is brimming with stuff from my mixed media art days, knitting and crochet days, scrapbooking days, journaling days, and cross stitching days. Did I really think I would use up all that stuff? I never gave a thought to what I would do if I had to clean it out. It’s oddly both exhilarating and deflating.
Getting rid of favorite books and LPs, hordes of yarn, and other precious stashes is really hard. The labor to sort through it all (without loosening precarious piles on top of my head or flooding my floor space) is hard.
After a summer of all that bittersweet labor, you might find me like this by next winter.
I’ll keep you posted on how it goes.
Not only will we get to dive into some blistering hot sci fi fantasy romance this month with South African author, Sevannah Storm, but a member of my writing community, Canadian-born, Finnish American fantasy author Jorma Kansanen, is engaging in an exciting relaunch of his epic series, A Pendale Tale. Find out how these two get so much done in a day in the life of a writer.
My conversation with Sevannah will be up Sunday, February 12, just in time for Valentines Day.
Jorma will be chatting with me Sunday, February 19.
The year is flying! I can’t believe I’ve already had two amazing guests drop by. If you haven’t met Madeline or Isa yet, visit their posts for inspiration and two super enjoyable conversations.
I thought I would blog a bit about my Spotlight feature. The joy and inspiration I get from engaging in this process has turned out to be the biggest surprise in my writing journey.
I have had the privilege of interviewing members of the writing community and other creators I meet along the way, mostly fantasy and sci fi writers like me who are new at it and working hard to get their stories out in the world. I also interview editors, book reviewers, artists, and photographers. Even an old high school friend is dropping by in March who is an award winning filmmaker.
My guests are from around the globe, including Australia, Canada, the U.K., Nigeria, Portugal, Texas, Seattle, Hollywood and my own town, Carson City. I’ve got more lined up from South Africa, New Zealand, Scotland, the U.K., Montreal, Vancouver, and Seattle. This is inspiring in an of itself.
Every one of my guests has been a delight and so generous with their time. And this is an opportunity to thank them all for participating. Drop by my gallery where all conversations are housed for continued inspiration.
This month, my two guests proved again how supportive the writing community is. Madeline and Isa spent a lot of time and effort on a robust Q&A. These two are phenomenal at supporting and inspiring others, and it really comes through.
My interviews center around a creator’s life; what inspires it, the highlights and lessons of the journey, and how to balance all the things, and every one of my guests has something different to offer, yet every bit has been relatable and translates to all of us who are endeavoring to grow and succeed through creative expression.
So what did I do instead of write? I stitched. I have been writing nearly every day for a year and a half. But I once enjoyed other crafts before the…
My Pod People Went on Vacation this Weekend.
January Madeline Davis – Harpist, Scholar, U.S. Fantasy Writer Madeline and I met in the Fantasy Sci Fi Writer’s Alliance and enjoy helping each …
My Spotlight Guests for the New Year are Lining Up to Meet You – Here is a Little About Them
“You could hear the shrieks of women, the wailing of infants, and the shouting of men; some were calling their parents, others their children or …
A Civilization Buried | Pompeii: Witnessed By Pliny the Younger
This year has been a very quick one. 2022 swept by in a blink of an eye and I can barely believe that we are about to enter 2023. Today will be a …
The Chronicles Of History – A Year In Review: The Top Ten Post of 2022
First off, I live in a state where these are legal to own. My husband is a blade expert. And he’s the best story collaborator any writer could have. …
Now tell me…Whose Husbands Give Them a Badass Knife for Story Inspiration? Mine Does…
Click on the first pic for The Fantasy Sci Fi Writers Alliance’s very first blog post by author Isa Ottoni, How Finding a Writing Community Changed My Life. The second photo will introduce you to Isa and preview our interview coming up in January. The third photo will take you to the Alliance’s home page created by the talented and industrious E. B. Hunter.
Follow Eric for more about his writing and enjoy his free horror stories. You can learn more about the alliance on my page.
The best part is you can sign up and become a member to enjoy amazing support among a diverse group of writers.
Once I realized the “real world” was largely in my head, it became infinitely easier to interact with the reality of others.
Musings
Check out our conversation and meet this sci-fi author who gives us more on his insights.
Joey came off a mammoth peak to chat with me. Come meet him Sunday and get a glimpse into the lifestyle of a lifestyle adventure photographer. See you September 25!
By D. L. Lewellyn 