Tag: #icemaidenstale

There’s No Crying in Baseball

I’ve tried to start writing this post countless times over the past few months. I’ve struggled with where to start, but I think the best way is with a heartfelt apology for my disappearance.  If it had been a planned hiatus I would have done a much better job of keeping you updated, but I’ve just been lost under the avalanche of life and struggling to dig myself out.  In any case, I am so sorry for my unexplained absence and I have greatly missed writing to you all.

Starting a new life is like cleaning out that closet full of junk.  You had it all crammed in there, and now it’s all over your floor, and you’ve got broken things and new things, and you’ve got to dig through it, toss stuff, and find a better way to pack in what you need.  I’m still working on the latter.

This blog started as a hobby to justify my unhealthy obsession with subscription boxes, and I honestly never expected anyone would want to read it.  But a lot of you did, and companies wanted me to write about them and I was so humbled by it all and very grateful.

I’ve thought about whether I could continue this blog with my limited time, and realized that I can’t do it the same way I’ve done it before.  But that doesn’t mean I can’t do it at all.  So rather than quitting, I’m working to adapt and I’m hoping you’ll stick around for it. Enough teary revelations because

And this metaphor is actually literal, because I’m one of 10 featured authors at the Author Celebration  on August 7th at Somerset Patriots’ TD Bank Ballpark in Bridgewater, NJ.  It’s part of the Central NJ paper’s summer reading program, and I’ll be there to discuss “The Ice Maiden’s Tale”.
If any of you are in the mythical Central NJ hood please come by.

Since I’ve been gone, tons has gone down in the sub box world.  Popsugar went from monthly to quarterly, Stitchfix added on plus sizes and I’ve been trying out some new things (hello FabFitFun)!  I’m hoping to jump back into the box posts soon with some more streamlined reviews.

I’ve also done a ton of work on my 1976 timewarp house – if you can name it, I’ve painted it.  So there should be before and afters headed your way.

I hope you’ve been doing well all this time and I can’t wait to catch up with you soon.

Writer’s Shelf: On Changing Your Story

I’ll be the first to admit my story wasn’t always a happy one, (although most often pretty funny), so I’d been working for a very long time to change it.  And strangely enough, it seemed like on my 37th birthday, my fairy godmother woke up from a very long bender, looked around and said, “I’ve got a *lot* of work to do. Hold my beer.” And somehow, like the breaking of a curse, all my saved up wishes started coming true.
Dickens said, “Home is a name, a word, it is a strong one; stronger than magician ever spoke, or spirit ever answered to, in the strongest conjuration.”
And that’s exactly what I finally got: my own home.  A very strange, but charming house, that needed me just as much as I needed it.  I’ve always wanted to buy a home and fix it up, so the avocado carpet, blue toilet and yellow countertops were all screaming out my name.  Hopefully when I’m done it will be more fairy tale cottage and less disco.  I’ll be posting my home renovations over here.

Now like most writers, I have to have a day job because I haven’t yet learned how to live without things like food and electricity.  But I’ve spent the past 15 years of my life filling out government forms in a windowless basement, so I feel like I can only go up from there.  I managed to snag a new job with more money, less stress and its above ground!  My last day at work was the day before my 38th birthday, because there is no better gift than lack of responsibility.  I’ve got a couple weeks to get my house together and catch up on my sub box reviews before I start my new job, so you’ll finally be seeing all that awesome content I’ve been promising you.
And lastly, the wish possibly closest to my heart: getting published. The Ice Maiden’s Tale, a story that started almost a lifetime ago, was released on May 30, 2017, and not only is it up for sale online at Amazon and Barnes & Noble, but it’s finally in a brick and mortar store!  On my 38th birthday, The Book Garden in Frenchtown, New Jersey, added my book to their shelves.  They’ve also asked me to join them on Small Business Saturday on November 25, 2017, along with some other authors.   So you can catch me at The Book Garden from 11:30 to 3 PM, to chat and sign books.  I’ve added a handy dandy events page to the blog, for easy reference. I’ve also gotten some amazing reviews on Amazon and Goodreads, a great interview with Author Julie Whitley, and some awesome blog reviews over at Le Coeur de l’Artiste and Bookworm for Kids, plus a cool BookStop page over at the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators site.  It’s been busy and wonderful.
So to say it’s been a crazy year, seems to be an understatement.  But for once, it’s been the good kind of crazy. While I’ve been overwhelmed by the amount of work I need to do, I wouldn’t change a thing, and I feel like I learned something very important. What I hadn’t realized in all these years of trying and falling short, or killing myself to *almost* make it, is that somewhere along the way I’d stopped actually believing it would change.  I still kept trying, but I didn’t *really* think it was going to lead anywhere.   But somehow, I did what I never thought I could:  I changed my whole world.  So just because things have always gone the way they’ve always gone, doesn’t mean they will continue that way.  If I can change my story, you can change yours.  So take a minute to dust off those old dreams, and start letting out your saved up wishes.  You’d be surprised where they might take you.


THE BACKSTORY
BUY THE ICE MAIDEN’S TALE!
Visit my Author Page on Amazon!

LATEST NEWS: For the Latest News on The Ice Maiden’s Tale.

EVENTS: For the Latest Book Related Events

INSPIRATION: Some of my Inspiration for The Ice Maiden’s Tale.

GOODREADS: The Ice Maiden’s Tale on Goodreads.

If you review children’s books and are interested in reviewing mine, drop me a line about your blog/vlog/zine.

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Writer’s Shelf: Interview with DIY MFA – Writing a Modern Day Fairy Tale

One of the very best things about joining an MFA program are the amazing writers you get to meet.  Among the many awesome alumni from the New School, is the fabulous Gabriela Pereira.  While our time there didn’t overlap (we just missed each other), we ended up connecting at lots of alumni events afterwards.

Gabriela founded a remarkable site called DIY MFA that gives everyone the opportunity to learn about creative writing and work on their craft – even if they can’t enroll in a traditional MFA program.  There are so many helpful posts and interviews chock full of valuable advice that I was so so psyched when Gabriela offered me an opportunity to be featured.

This was my very first podcast interview and Gabriela was super nice and accommodating of a newb like me.  I don’t often get to discuss the details of how to craft a story so it really was a joy to sit down and speak with her.

If you’re interested in creative writing and want to hear about things like crafting a modern fairy tale, using settings as metaphors and how to handle stories inside of stories, head over to DIY MFA and have a listen.

 

THE BACKSTORY

BUY THE BOOK

LATEST NEWS: For the Latest News on The Ice Maiden’s Tale.

INSPIRATION: Some of my Inspiration for The Ice Maiden’s Tale.

GOODREADS: The Ice Maiden’s Tale on Goodreads.
Author Page on Goodreads

If you review children’s books and are interested in reviewing mine, drop me a line about your blog/vlog/zine.

Writer’s Shelf: Author Interview!

Writing is incredibly familiar to me, what’s not is all the stuff that happens after your book is published.
Publicity, book reviews, and (gasp!) interviews.
It’s all so very new and exciting that I’ve got no choice but to share it with you all.

Today, I’m featuring my author interview with the lovely Mayra Calvani over at blogcritics.org.

We discuss writing, why kids are the perfect audience to write for, and of course my fairy tale, adventure novel, “The Ice Maiden’s Tale”.
IceMaidenTale-cover-final
Head over and check it out!

THE BACKSTORY

LATEST NEWS: For the Latest News on The Ice Maiden’s Tale.

INSPIRATION: Some of my Inspiration for The Ice Maiden’s Tale.

GOODREADS: The Ice Maiden’s Tale on Goodreads.

If you review children’s books and are interested in reviewing mine, drop me a line about your blog/vlog/zine.

Writer’s Shelf: The Ice Maiden’s Tale Launch!

When the impossible suddenly becomes possible, you have no choice but to call it a miracle.  And for a very long time, it seemed impossible that my little book, The Ice Maiden’s Tale, would ever get published, but it turns out today is a day for miracles.
Stacks of Books
You can now buy my middle-grade, fairy tale, adventure novel, “The Ice Maiden’s Tale”, on Amazon! Kindle and print copies are available.

Audrey Hepburn said, “If I’m honest I have to tell you I still read fairy-tales and I like them best of all.”

There is a wonder and magic in fairy tales that no other kind of story can capture.  When you hear the words “Once upon a time…” it’s a promise that there’s an amazing adventure about to come and that whatever monsters you face can be beaten, and no matter how dark the path seems it can still lead you to a happy ending.  Fairy tales aren’t just for children.  Fairy tales are for everyone.

So if you’re with me and Audrey, I think you’ll love “The Ice Maiden’s Tale.”  It’s got adventure, monsters, magic, romance and tons of surprises.
Pick up a copy and tell me what you think!

I’ve also got a swanky author page over at Goodreads.  I’d love to see your reviews and answer any questions.

THE BACKSTORY

LATEST NEWS: For the Latest News on The Ice Maiden’s Tale.

INSPIRATION: Some of my Inspiration for The Ice Maiden’s Tale.

GOODREADS: The Ice Maiden’s Tale on Goodreads.

If you review children’s books and are interested in reviewing mine, drop me a line about your blog/vlog/zine.

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