And So We Come to the End

This is the last post I’ll be making here at The Bluestocking Blog.

But never fear. This doesn’t signify an end to my writing or blogging for that matter. I’m just switching over to a new domain:

laurencteffeau.com

When I first started this blog, I had no publication credits and no real clue to what I was doing. All I knew is that I wanted to write and blogging seemed like a good way to plant my flag, so to speak.

But my ever-present insecurity demanded that I do so under an alias. I started posting, was pleasantly surprised as I made connections with other writers, and slowly built a platform for myself.

Now, however, that identity is starting to chafe. I’m not a beginning writer anymore. I still have things to learn, mind you, but I’ve progressed to a point where I feel comfortable with what I do and the skill level I’ve achieved. I’ve made two pro sales in the last two months and had accrued a respectable number of credits before that. It’s time to fully own my identity as a writer, and I feel I can best do that with my new site.

But first, a look back.

The Bluestocking Blog Stats:

1,452 days active (just over four years!)
214 posts
over 69,000 hits
over 7,000 unique visitors
10 short story credits
4 novels written

Top posts:

Nefarious Narrative Distance
Resource Roundup Part 1 – Finding the Right Word 
Resource Roundup Part 4 – Opening Your Story
Resource Roundup Part 2 – Conjuring Up Titles
Coffee Shop Etiquette 

Not bad for an alias.

So please follow me to my new site at laurencteffeau.com or stay connected with me on twitter. And, as always, happy writing!

Photo courtesy of Olivander of Flickr

A Time for Thanks

Regardless of what you believe or how you choose to celebrate, taking a moment once a year to take stock and say thanks is a wonderful thing. And after spending the last few months caring for a sick family member, it’s a good time for me to reflect on the wonderful things in my life.

I’m thankful for…

1) All the projects I’ve been able to draft, revise, and complete (in some cases all three!) especially since my writing time of late has been drastically reduced. I’ve started or completed five short stories, and tinkered with a few more that haven’t found homes. My short stories routinely make it to the second round at markets, which has built up my confidence in my work even though it doesn’t always translate into sales.

2) The fact my story “Resonance” found a home in The Future Embodied anthology. Should be out sometime next year, and I can’t wait!

3) My growing community of writers. I went to Worldcon this year and was thrilled to catch up with some of my friends from Taos Toolbox and meet new ones. I also just got back from Paradise Icon, a neo-pro writing workshop in Cedar Rapids (which you can read more about here), where I met more talented writers. The workshop was a great break from my caregiving obligations and provided me with some much-needed inspiration. If you are looking to expand your own community of writers, applications to the 2014 Taos Toolbox workshop open December 1st.

Image courtesy of hotblack of the Morgue File.          

4) That my latest novel project will be in this year’s Baker’s Dozen Auction on the Miss Snark’s First Victim’s blog. Cross your fingers for me and see if you can guess which entry is mine!

5) My husband for supporting me in everything I do.

 Image courtesy of menstatic of the Morgue File.

What are you thankful for this year? Happy Thanksgiving!

 

A Secret Vacation from Social Media

I’m baaack…

If you’re wondering what I’m talking about, that’s a good thing. Because I worked hard to make it seem like I was here even though I wasn't.

I’ve taken time off the blog before—a week every now and again for vacation, the holidays, or whenever real life gets too crazy.

But when I found out I’d be joining my husband for a three-week trip to Germany and Spain, I was left with a tough choice. Either let the blog go dark for an obscenely long time or work harder than I’d like to keep the blog up-to-date.

I chose the later option while I spent the majority of this past month in Europe. And here’s how.

Get Organized

I was lucky in that I had advance notice of our travel dates. So I created a list of priorities that I wanted to accomplish before leaving town. Everything from reaching certain milestones on my various projects, ensuring all my critiquing obligations were met, and preparing blog posts in advance.

Knowing what I needed to run when was hugely beneficial. In my early blogging days, I always had a blog post or two ready to go in case I needed it. However, that fell off as my writing obligations increased. But it was good to remember just how smoothly things could go with the right preparations in place.

Get Tech

The post scheduling feature on Blogger (also available on Wordpress) also helped tremendously. Although we were told we’d have internet access at the hotels we were staying at over the course of our trip, who knew how that would work out in actuality (Spain had the worst internet b-t-dubs). That combined with the time difference and the fact that I would be more focused on having a fantastic time in Europe instead of micromanaging my social media, it made sense to have my posts ready to go in advance.

The other tool in my arsenal? Tweet Deck. Some of you are already familiar with it, I’m sure, but I just started using it this Spring, and it’s “schedule tweets” feature was hugely helpful in creating the illusion I was still around in the digital ether. Took the spontaneity out of my tweet stream, yes, but it was a big help keeping my Twitter profile active.

Get Help

But in the end, I didn’t do it alone. When I found out I’d be gone, I solicited help from a few of my writerly friends. I staggered their interviews between regular posts, which lessened the burden on me to create new content.

In case you missed them, be sure you check out the interviews with some great fellow writers I have the utmost respect for:

May 22^nd – Catherine Schaff-Stump

June 5^th – Lori M. Lee

June 19^th – Fran Wilde 

I was happy I could keep the social media machine rolling while I was away, even though it required a lot of work. What techniques or shortcuts do you rely on to stay on top of your social media obligations?

Potpourri to Start 2013

So it’s been awhile. Between the holidays, houseguests, and a mystery illness during the majority of December, I haven’t had a whole lot of energy for the blog. But it’s a new year and a new beginning for all things writerly.

A few announcements to get me caught up:

• First, applications are now being accepted for Taos Toolbox 2013. I found it to be a great experience and made a lot of writer friends through it. So if you want to take your craft to the next level, expand your network, and spend two weeks in the mountains of northern New Mexico, get your application in. 

• I’m now reading slush for Masque Books, Prime Books’s new digital imprint. So if you have a great speculative story, check out the submission guidelines and send it in! 


• Duotrope is no more—at least not in a format I can support since they now charge for access to the most useful parts of the site. This is disappointing, as I was a heavy user and proponent of the site, but such is life. If you are looking for a Duotrope alternative, check out THIS POST for your options. Happy subbing! 


• Finally, be sure to check out L. Blankenship’s Kickstarter for the continuation of her hard fantasy romance series. After successfully funding Disciple, Part I, you can pre-order Part II. I was one of L.’s betas on this project, and I highly recommend it! Samples are available through the Kickstarter page. 

I hope 2013 is off to a fabulous start for all of you. Happy writing!

Rebuilding Momentum

I’ve been a bit of a slacker lately. At least as far as my blog goes. I haven’t been able to post for the last couple of weeks. In fact this place would be a ghost town if I didn’t have comments from spammers to keep me company. Thanks, guys. Or, umm, bots.

But although the blog may not show it, I’ve been rather busy this last couple of months. Lots of writing going on, and there’s also been an uptick in my critiquing responsibilities. Then I had family in town for Thanksgiving. I basically spent the week before the holiday cooking and cleaning like a madwoman and the week of trying to stay sane. I survived, but just barely.

And now? Now, it’s back to the writing routine and my much-abused blog. I’ll be dusting off the cobwebs so to speak these coming weeks, so please bear with me.

In the meantime, here are some helpful links to help you stay productive:

• Necessary Tasks Doesn’t Mean Productive Ones by the Daring Novelist
• When Bad Things Happen to Productive People from 99u
• 10 Tips for a Productive Writing Day by the Blood Red Pencil
• How to be Productive and Still Get 8 Hours Sleep from Work Awesome
• Adapting your writing routine for the holidays and, in a related way, kids’ summer vacations,  both by Elizabeth Spann Craig

Happy writing, and see you next Wednesday!

Kreativ Blogger Award

Last week, I was awarded the Kreativ Blogger award.

Yay! But the award comes with a price.

RULE 1 – Thank and link back to the awarding blog.

Thanks goes to Elizabeth Twist, a blogging buddy of mine, who has been equal parts entertaining in her posts about some of the more esoteric and creepy parts of our world (check out her A to Z challenge series) and inspiring in her ability to take some of the weirder calls out there and make story magic.

Thanks so much, Elizabeth!

RULE 2 – Answer the following seven questions:

1. Name one song you listened to over and over as a teenager.

George Gershwin's Cuban Overture. I'm not kidding. In fact, I listened to only classical music until my freshman year of high school. That's when my friends had an intervention, and it was alternative and indie rock from then on out. Now I listen to just about anything that's not super hard-core rap, metal, or country *shudder*

2. What's your favorite dessert?

Anything chocolate. This is usually a good place to start (and it's as good as it sounds). Though now that summer is less than a month away, there's nothing better than a slice of key lime pie on a warm evening.

3. What do you do when you're upset?

That depends. Are we talking upset-sad or upset-mad? The former involves some sort of alone time where I read or listen to music to distract me. The latter usually involves me playing a shoot-em-up video game so I don't bite someone's head off.

4. Which is your favorite pet?

Umm...I have just the one. And how could she not be my favorite?

5. Which do you prefer? White or whole wheat?

Whole wheat. Unless it's Thanksgiving. My family's traditional stuffing calls for white bread. Nom.

6. What is your biggest fear?

Failure. That and spiders.

7. Do you think it is better to help people or leave them alone?

My initial thought is that people should have the freedom to fail (or succeed) on their own terms. You learn a lot more that way. And some things can't be taught, only experienced. That said, there's a greater potential for karma points when you help others. So it depends, on both the person needing the help and the situation.

RULE 3 – Provide ten five random factoids about yourself.

• I really hate talking about myself.
• I can crack my jaw.
• I only get pedicures for the calf massage.
• I was born on Good Friday.
• I am allergic to cats. Plus they take over your mind.

***
Thanks again, Elizabeth, for the Kreativ Blogger award! Be sure to check out her blog or on twitter.

Unforeseen Cirucmstances

Today’s post has been indefinitely delayed because I found this in my house this morning!

That's a 10in diameter glass bowl btw.

I must make sure this isn’t a sign of the impending apocalypse and is just a hazard of living where I do. Needless to say this has derailed my plans for the day.

Brownie points to anyone who can id this…thing. (PS, I had to call the county extension office for help with that.)

Until next week!

Odds and Ends

Sometimes there are no themes, no ways to organize life. Things just are. Kinda like this post.

The Seven Year Pen – The Seven Year Pen from Seltzer Goods is just flat out amazing. I bought one the other day, since I’m a big fan of ballpoints and writing longhand. According to the packaging, “100 million pens are discarded every day,” and this pen is designed to write 1.7 meters a day for 7 years. Sign me up! Um…literally.

Local Writing Group Resumes – Today, I’m meeting with the ladies in my local writing group for the first time since November. I’m really looking forward to reconnecting with everyone and getting back into the rhythm of critiquing and exchanging work. Taking December off was great for personal reasons, but now it’s time to get back to writing.

Fat Girl in a Strange Land ARC Giveaway – Crossed Genres Publications is offering three advanced reader copies of the Fat Girl in a Strange Land anthology (which includes my story “The Tradeoff”) through Goodreads. Go here for your chance to win. I'll also have an interview with the editors when we get closer to the anthology's release in February.

Another Resource Roundup Forthcoming – I’ve just started to pull together a post on querying, which should be ready to go next week. Fingers crossed. I’ve been putting it off since these types of posts are so time consuming, but hopefully it will be worth the effort!

Taos Toolbox – I found out this week I was accepted to this year’s Taos Toolbox, a two-week master class in science fiction and fantasy writing this summer. It’s led by Walter Jon Williams and Nancy Kress, with Daniel Abraham as a guest lecturer. I’m really excited for the workshop, but now I’m already paranoid about what projects I’ll be workshopping, whether I’m well-versed enough in the genre (I’m not), and other feelings of unworthiness. There’s still time to apply to Taos and other SFF workshops this year – check out this great post by John Joseph Adams for Inkpunks breaking down the different options.

That’s it for me this week. Happy writing!

Digital Archaeology and More About Me

I was bestowed two blogging awards last week thanks to Laura Marcella of Wavy Lines and L. Blankenship of Notes from the Jovian Frontier. I meant to post this on Friday, but life got in the way as it is wont to do. Anyway, here we go.

Laura gave me the 7 x 7 Link Award. Laura posts writing prompts, inspiring quotes, and other factoids that help keep you motivated. The 7 x 7 award asks the winner to sort through old posts that match the criteria below. Kinda like digital archeology. Thanks, Laura!

MOST BEAUTIFUL: Anatomy of a Story - Not beautiful in a traditional sense, but it was one of my better early posts and the ideas I put forth in the post still resonate with me.

MOST HELPFUL: My Resource Roundup posts, hands down: Finding the Right Word, Conjuring Up Titles, Crafting Dialogue, Opening Your Story, and the NanoWriMo Edition.

MOST POPULAR: Best of the Best: The Writing Blogosphere’s Major Players - A little dated now, but still has some good resources here.

MOST CONTROVERSIAL: Social Media Guilt - Not controversial per se, but I got a range of comments and have long-term plans to explore this issue in greater detail.

MOST SURPRISINGLY SUCCESSFUL: Coffee Shop Etiquette - Thought this was a silly post at the time, but got tons of traffic (for me).

MOST UNDERRATED: A Case of the Not Enoughs - Still relevant. At times it seems no matter what we do, what we produce, it won’t be enough.

MOST PRIDE-WORTHY: Acknowledging My Fears of Submission - This is particularly poignant as I plan to query my novel (again) later this fall.

***

L. Blankenship gave me the Versatile Blogger Award. She writes both science fiction and hard fantasy and blogs about writing, with particular attention to worldbuilding. Check her out. For the Versatile Blogger Award, I must share seven facts about myself.

1. The only states I’ve never been to are: Alaska, Hawaii, Oregon, Montana, Idaho, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Utah, Florida, Wisconsin. 39 out of 50 ain’t bad.

2. My parents took my sister and me to Paris and London for a two-week vacation while I was in high school. It was an amazing time. A London cabbie made us blush and we learned that drunken dirty old men in Paris aren’t stereotypes. The only international trip I’ve ever taken (so far).

3. My husband and I never had a proper honeymoon because he was still in grad school. We spent a couple days at my family’s beach house, but that doesn’t really count. So we are saving up to a trip to Peru to see Machu Picchu.

4. I run with my dog at least three times a week and I make her wear these because of the terrain. She’s not a fan of them, but she loves the activity.

5. I hate getting dressed up. Skirts and dresses and suits and dress slacks are the bane of my existence. I’m eternally grateful I never worked in a profession that required business dress all time.

6. I hate bananas. The smell, the taste… gives me the heebie jeebies.

7. I love seafood, but I’m starting feel guilty about it after doing research on overfishing for one of my specfic stories. It doesn’t help that a lot of the tasty fish are labeled as “do not eat” in many guides like this one.

Thanks again to Laura and L. for the blog awards! Happy Writing!

First Campaign Challenge and Blog Award

For the first challenge as a part of the Writers' Platform Building Campaign, hosted by Rach Writes, we were asked to do the following:

Write a short story/flash fiction story in 200 words or less, excluding the title. It can be in any format, including a poem. Begin the story with the words, “The door swung open” These four words will be included in the word count.

If you want to give yourself an added challenge (optional), use the same beginning words and end with the words: "the door swung shut." (also included in the word count)

For those who want an even greater challenge, make your story 200 words EXACTLY!

So that's what I did. Behold:

The door swung open as Mrs. Fawcett took the rattling tea service out to the parlor. Bright bursts of laughter invaded the kitchen before the door cut it off, swinging back on well-oiled hinges.

Kitty caught the sickly-sweet whiff of roses from the funeral home bouquets, set out like trophies in the hall. They would need to throw them out, but Madam enjoyed her life as a widow too much to destroy the evidence just yet.

Kitty couldn’t blame her. The Master was not well-loved in life, nor would he be sorely missed in death. The increase of afternoon teas was the only impact his death had below stairs. But talk of gambling debts and unrealized investments made Kitty wonder just how secure her placement at Bethany manor was.

She had gotten better at interpreting Madam’s imperious tone, knew how to avoid the son’s roving hands, and which cook didn’t mind her sneaking a bite here and there. She didn’t want to start over. Not again.

Mrs. Fawcett pushed back into the kitchen with a look that said “Mind yourself, Kitty.” The only thing she knew how to do.

More laughter. More roses.

Kitty shuddered as the door swung shut.

200 words exactly. Boo-yah!

***
Also, I learned today that Gail Shepherd who blogs at Paradoxy gave me the Versatile Blogger Award. I met Gail through the campaign and have been impressed with her series of interviews with other writers. Thanks so much for the award, Gail!

In accepting the award, I must share seven random facts about moi:

• I'm a big fan of tennis and I've been trying to catch US Open matches this week in between my writing and reading time.
• I have a freckle smack dab on top of my right foot. Growing up, my parents used to take a marker and put a polka dot in the shoe intended for my right foot, so I'd know which one went on which foot -- just connect the dots. I contend that this is why I still have trouble distinguishing between right and left today.
• I got a little verklempt last week when I went to my local Borders to buy books for the last time. I've been going there since middle school and have fond memories of the place despite all that's happened.
• I tripped getting out of the limo at prom. I tripped and nearly fell on my first date with my now-husband. I tripped and fell on a run with my dog last year. I fell off the sidewalk walking around the neighborhood with my husband and my dog. Clumsiness is a constant in my life. The good news is I know how to fall without hurting myself. Usually.
• I love spicy food. Not so hot I can't feel my tongue -- no hot wing eating contests for me -- but I love a little heat and bold flavors in my food. So bring on Mexican and Thai food.
• I'm allergic to cats. The only thing that I know of that I'm allergic to.
• I have never broken a bone in my body. Pretty amazing given #4. Let's hope it stays that way.

Thanks again for the award, Gail!

Happy writing!

Liebster Blog Award

Thanks to Caitlin Vincent at Musings of an Ordinary Mind for bestowing upon me the Liebster Blog Award. Liebster means "friend" in German.

This award is intended to connect bloggers, specifically those with less than 200 followers. In accepting the award, I must:

• Show my thanks to the blogger who gave me the award by linking back to them.
• Reveal me top 5 picks and let them know by leaving a comment on their blog.
• Post the award on my blog.
• Bask in the love from the most supportive people on the internet—other writers.
• And best of all – have fun and spread the karma.

And behold. Here are my blogging buddies I am happy to share this award with:

1) Anonymeet of By Anonymous Writer
2) Jen McConnel at Carolina Yankee
3) Sophia Chang at Sophia the Writer
4) K.B.Owen, Mystery Writer
5) M.E. at Sticking to the Story

Have a good weekend and happy writing!

Seriously Cute Blogger Award

Thanks to Heather Hellmann for awarding me the Seriously Cute Blogger Award! Be sure to check out her blog Pen, Paper, Lots of Coffee.

In order accept the award, I must list five books/films/tv programs I’ve watched recently, so here we go:

Book – Delirium by Lauren Oliver – I read this on vacation and enjoyed it. Look for a more comprehensive review soon as I’m woefully behind in my reviews for the Speculative Fiction Reading Challenge!

Film – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 1 – Yep. I was one of those who went to the midnight showing. And I’m planning to do it again in two weeks. We already have our tickets for the Thursday night double feature with parts 1 & 2. Won’t dress up or anything – that’s a bit much for my tastes.

TV – Burn Notice – I originally started watching this because of Bruce Campbell (of Evil Dead and Brisco County Jr fame) and stayed for the spy tricks and explosions. Also my husband’s favorite.

Book – Linger by Maggie Stiefvater – Bought the paperback version just last week. After reading it, I’m not sure I’m going to be able to wait for the paperback release of Forever. Grr.

TV – Bleach – The anime bug bit me a few years ago and there’s no going back. Sorry manga purists, but I only watch the show – too much of a time commitment if I started that up…

After looking over my choices I realize they read more like the interests of a high schooler. Must work on that :)


Thanks again, Heather, for the award!

Housekeeping and a Meme

I’m finally back from my psuedo vacation – it was jam packed with things like weddings and rehearsal dinners and bridal luncheons and binge drinking and rich food and awkward conversations with relatives. And also the beach and bug bites and sunscreen and bike rides and laughing and reading.

But, alas, no writing.

I did manage to eek out some time for reading blogs, but commenting went by the wayside. I have a ton of things to catch up on, so please bear with me as I recover from my two-and-a-half weeks of non-writing.

In the meantime, I want to thank my blogging pals Laura Marcella, Lori M. Lee, and Julie Dao for tagging me for a blogging meme. I won’t be tagging anyone else, but here are my answers nonetheless. Enjoy! (And sorry for the lateness.)

Do you think you are hot?
Umm… awkward.

Upload a wallpaper you are using at the moment.
I’m so cliché, but it’s a picture of my dog. We rescued her as a puppy and were told she’s a mix of Australian Cattle Dog and Australian Sheppard. But in any case, she’s adorable, and having her on my desktop made it easier being away from her while we were on vacation.

When’s the last time you ate chicken?
A chicken cesar wrap at the airport on Monday just before we were informed our flight home was cancelled and had to be rescheduled for Tuesday. Talk about buzzkill.

List the songs you listened to recently.
Blur’s Think Tank
Radiohead’s The King of Limbs
Sufjan Steven’s Michigan
And before that, too many wedding songs to count.

What were you thinking while doing this?
I need to hurry up and post this before heading to my new writing group.

Do you have nicknames?
Yes, but if I shared them, I'd have to kill you. :P

Tag eight blogger friends.
Not going to, but be sure to check out my blogging buddies who tagged me:

Laura Marcella at Wavy Lines – With posts like Monday Quote Day, Wednesday Writing Workout, and Fun Fact Friday, how can you go wrong?

Lori M. Lee at You Are the Unicorn of My Dreams - Monday posts focus on writing craft, Wednesday posts are writing excerpts, and you never know what you are going to get on Fridays.

Julie Dao at Silver Lining - Thoughtful posts about the writing life and staying inspired with some whimsy thrown in for good measure.

Happy Writing!

Slow Blogging

Lots of theories abound when it comes to social media and how blogging should be utilized:

• Post every day.
• Respond to each and every comment.
• Read and comment on other blogs indiscriminately.
• Flaunt yourself as much as possible.

Trouble is, I’ve never been much of an exhibitionist. Admittedly, blogging is a bit of a contradiction for me. Every time I post, I put myself out there in the ether for public consideration – except I do this under an alias because I’m not ready to own up to being a wannabe writer unless I make it. So why do I do it? Because the benefits of writing practice and engagement with the larger writing community far outweigh the nuisances of blogging.

That said, I’d rather be working on my WIPs instead of putting together my next blog post. But when I do blog, I want my posts to be as strong as possible. I’ll revise, research, and let them sit until they’re ready. This takes time. I guess I’ve always preferred quality over quantity.

When it comes to commenting and interacting with others, it’s all about the content for me. Not the brown nosing, the contests, the polls. If I feel I can’t add to the discussion on someone else’s blog, I don’t bother to comment. Blasphemy, I know. I’m just not comfortable saying something for the sake of saying something. I like to think about things, and I don’t want to rattle off the first thing that comes to mind. Especially when it is so easy to follow things back to the source. I don’t want to be haunted by half-assed comments years from now.

So when I heard about the notion of slow blogging, I felt relieved that it wasn’t just me who took issue with the time pressure of producing content and interacting with others. The concept has been around for awhile now. Anne R. Allen provides a great overview of the movement with respect to writers, which I stumbled upon thanks to a post by Elizabeth Craig. If you want to know more, you can read the Slow Blogging Manifesto and a New York Times article on the movement.

So from here on forward, I will aim to post once a week – usually on Wednesdays.

Before, I loosely coupled my posting schedule to the number of trips I took to the coffee shop to write – roughly two times a week. It was an informal schedule at the best of times before it was utterly destroyed during the big move and subsequent babysitting of contractors over the last two months. But weekly blog posts? That I can get behind. People have talked about the benefits of having a posting schedule before (Elizabeth Craig again comes to mind), so we’ll see how it goes.

I see this move to slow(er) blogging as:

• a way to help me handle the time pressure of blogging,
• a justification of the pace of posting I’ve already unconsciously set,
• a way to reinforce the quality over quantity criterion I’ve always valued,
• a formal acknowledgement of my accountability to myself and my readers, and
• a way to ensures I have time to do justice to the topics I post about.

Hurrah.

And if this builds in extra time for writing, who am I to complain?

I’ll also be tinkering with some of the labels and tags this week, so apologies for any inconsistencies on that front.

The Joys of Home Ownership

(or Writing Life, Interrupted)

My husband and I closed on our first home last Wednesday. Then, before we had a chance to let that thought sink in, my sister and her fiancé came to town for Fourth of July – a four-day weekend of wine, fine dining, and sightseeing.

When I returned to my apartment yesterday after dropping them off at the airport, I wanted to collapse in my chair and take a nap. Or pull out that short story I needed to edit. Or keep hammering away at my SciFi novel. All the writing activities I couldn’t do while my sister was in town. But as I looked around my apartment, it was clear that the only thing I should do was pack.

So I assembled boxes, filled them, and humped them over to the new house. That barely scratched the surface, and I’ll need to repeat the process every day this week. Friday I’m borrowing a truck from a friend to speed things along, and Saturday we have reservations for a moving van to transport all the furniture and appliances. Sunday the apartment needs to be cleaned and vacated. It's only Wednesday and I’m already tired.

Today, as I write this, I’m camped out at the new house (I’m literally sitting on a camp chair in the middle of an empty room), waiting on a roof contractor to inspect the rear porch the previous owner was supposed to have repaired before closing but didn’t. Then there’s the windows guy I need to meet with to review which windows are being replaced. Then the plumber, the painters…

I knew buying a house (a fixer no less) and then all the moving and unpacking and organizing would be time-consuming. Or at least I thought I did. Now that I’m in the thick of things, I realize just how much I underestimated how all consuming this process is. There’s no time for writing, let along blogging.

So if I go MIA for the next few days, you’ll know why. As happy as I am to finally own my own home (and to be able to make it ours), I can’t wait for the dust to settle. I want to be writing. I just have some things to take care of first. A lot of things...

Forthcoming…

Things are a little hectic this week, and the blogging life has taken a bit of a back seat because of it. But here’s a rundown of what you can expect in the posts to come:

Resource roundup – a new series of posts I’ll be preparing that examine the different writing resources that I have encountered while writing.

My first writing conference – my impressions, my disappointments, and how networking got me my first full request.

My new writing group – first impressions and how I’m going to get the most I can out of it.

In the meantime, be well.

Declaration of Intent

Bluestocking - a woman having intellectual or literary interests (from Merriam-Webster)

If you are reading this, I can only hope you share my interests in writing, reading, and exploring the intersection of mass media and society. On this blog I intend to document my musings on these and other related topics.

Who am I to presume authority on these subjects? Well, you could read my profile but that does not give you the whole picture. Briefly, I have always loved learning. In seventh grade, I was called the human dictionary. Senior year, I was named salutatorian and most intelligent female in the yearbook, in addition to serving on our school’s quiz bowl team. I came into college with over 30 credit hours thanks to my AP test scores. I graduated with an undergraduate degree in English (with honors) and went on to get a masters degree in Mass Communication.

After a brief stint as an academic researcher, I am at a point in my life where I can take some personal time and be utterly selfish. That does not mean I sit on my couch and watch the boob tube while scarfing down all varieties of carbohydrates. No indeed. Instead I am trying to realize my dreams of becoming a writer, as cliché as that sounds. I am in the process of honing my craft, creating content, and looking at the world through the lens of my accumulated experiences.

Won’t you join me in trying to make sense of the chaos?


I can promise what I hope to be engaging, intelligent explorations of the writing process and all the interests and influences that go along with it.

I can’t promise timely posts (though I will try), perfect prose (though I will try), or the disclosure of my real identity.

After all, everyone needs a little mystery in his or her life.