I signed off most of the internet for a while because I was in the midst of a job hunt and didn't want to say anything until it was over. I was afraid I would jinx myself or put my foot in my mouth, but that doesn't matter now:
I am officially the new high school English teacher at Cossatot River School District! (Which means another move is in my future.) I'll be teaching 10th and 12th grades (and possibly an ACT prep class) my first year with potential for some other responsibilities in the future (I'd love to do concurrent and AP!), and I am super excited. I was trying to keep it quiet and I still told people before things were official, haha, so staying offline was for my own good. Now that it's out in the open, though, I'll get back to communicating with all you lovely people on a regular basis.
I'm looking over my book list and debating which books I want to tell you guys about, so get ready for informal reviews because I've been busy. If you have any genre requests, do let me know, and please feel free to tell me what you've been reading. I love good book recs. :)
Tea Tree is going well, just slow, and that's all me. I've been fighting with formatting trying to get everything perfect and am almost finished; the differences between print and ebook are infuriating, just for the record, but I can't wait to have a finished book to show off.
Anywho, that's it for now. Be back soon!
Monday, June 27, 2016
Friday, May 6, 2016
...
I am a terrible blogger. In my defense, life is crazy, but I never can seem to stick to my intended schedules, especially since I don't have a set work schedule or anything. I had these big plans of reviewing regularly on here, and then I came to the realization that I don't really care for writing reviews any more and that I couldn't make a big enough difference doing that anyway, so yeah. I may write to tell you guys about books I've read recently, but I don't think I'll do formal reviews any more; it just doesn't feel right.
In other news, I have done absolutely no writing. Because life. I don't have a place to write (yes, I could go to the library, but I already work there and it isn't conducive to writing for me), not even at home (because there are three people and three cats in a two bedroom apartment...), so that's been frustrating; it's even made it hard to work on Tea Tree things. Ugh. I'm still in school but switching programs to one that seems to fit me and my goals a bit better; of course that means that I've basically wasted the last year because those classes now count for nothing. WOO. So I'll start this new program in the fall, and then in about two years when I'm finished with that, I'll start a program for school library media. I think it's official that I'm going to be a profession student.
But for now it's summer, which mean working as many hours as I'm allowed and reading every book I can get my hands on. I'm currently at 14 books for the year, but that's pretty much just February and March. I've got some catching up to do on that front and need to buckle down for Tea Tree and my own writing. Hopefully I can make it back here regularly and form some new habits. We'll see; no promises this time. (Because I'm seriously bad about breaking them.)
Also, Captain America is pretty awesome, so go see it.
And Happy Mother's Day to all you beautiful women who make the world go round. <3
In other news, I have done absolutely no writing. Because life. I don't have a place to write (yes, I could go to the library, but I already work there and it isn't conducive to writing for me), not even at home (because there are three people and three cats in a two bedroom apartment...), so that's been frustrating; it's even made it hard to work on Tea Tree things. Ugh. I'm still in school but switching programs to one that seems to fit me and my goals a bit better; of course that means that I've basically wasted the last year because those classes now count for nothing. WOO. So I'll start this new program in the fall, and then in about two years when I'm finished with that, I'll start a program for school library media. I think it's official that I'm going to be a profession student.
But for now it's summer, which mean working as many hours as I'm allowed and reading every book I can get my hands on. I'm currently at 14 books for the year, but that's pretty much just February and March. I've got some catching up to do on that front and need to buckle down for Tea Tree and my own writing. Hopefully I can make it back here regularly and form some new habits. We'll see; no promises this time. (Because I'm seriously bad about breaking them.)
Also, Captain America is pretty awesome, so go see it.
And Happy Mother's Day to all you beautiful women who make the world go round. <3
Friday, January 29, 2016
Lacking Inspiration
Today would normally be a book review post, but 1) I haven't been feeling well so I didn't schedule one, and 2) I haven't posted anything but reviews the last two weeks and want to change that.
I said before that I was going to get back to writing regularly, and I haven't. But it's not that I'm being lazy or getting in my own way or even that I just haven't had the time. No, I sit down to write, and I stare at a blank page. After so many minutes I open one of my in-progress stories (lately that means the shorts I wrote at Hollins this summer and intended to turn into a story cycle), but even with those I hit a wall. I read them over and over again and wonder what to do next.
Do I change things? Start adding to it? I don't even know.
All the ideas I have suddenly seem all too close to the books I've been reading. It's like all the words I had have simply shriveled up. Like I'm creatively constipated at the moment and all I can do for now is just wait it out. But it's been long enough, I think. I didn't write for months because I was "too busy" and now I'm not writing because I can't think of what to say, so I'm just going to start. I'm not going to stare at the page any more. I'm going to fill it. Even if it's crap. And I'm going to keep at it.
I've got three short stories set in the same world that I want to flush out. I've got two different stories I started ages ago and a third not too many moons ago, and the novel that I want so desperately to get fixed one day.
I have stories to tell, I just have to start.
I said before that I was going to get back to writing regularly, and I haven't. But it's not that I'm being lazy or getting in my own way or even that I just haven't had the time. No, I sit down to write, and I stare at a blank page. After so many minutes I open one of my in-progress stories (lately that means the shorts I wrote at Hollins this summer and intended to turn into a story cycle), but even with those I hit a wall. I read them over and over again and wonder what to do next.
Do I change things? Start adding to it? I don't even know.
All the ideas I have suddenly seem all too close to the books I've been reading. It's like all the words I had have simply shriveled up. Like I'm creatively constipated at the moment and all I can do for now is just wait it out. But it's been long enough, I think. I didn't write for months because I was "too busy" and now I'm not writing because I can't think of what to say, so I'm just going to start. I'm not going to stare at the page any more. I'm going to fill it. Even if it's crap. And I'm going to keep at it.
I've got three short stories set in the same world that I want to flush out. I've got two different stories I started ages ago and a third not too many moons ago, and the novel that I want so desperately to get fixed one day.
I have stories to tell, I just have to start.
Friday, January 22, 2016
Book Review: THE MARTIAN by Andy Weir
Title: The Martian
Author: Andy Weir
Published: October 28th, 2014 by Crown/Random House
Format: Paperback, 387 pages
Genre: Science Fiction
Description:
Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars. Now, he's sure he'll be the first person to die there.
After a dust storm nearly kills him and forces his crew to evacuate the planet while thinking him dead, Mark finds himself stranded on Mars' surface, completely alone, with no way to signal Earth that he’s alive — and even if he could get word out, his supplies would be gone years before a rescue could arrive.
Chances are, though, he won't have time to starve to death. The damaged machinery, unforgiving environment or plain-old "human error" are much more likely to kill him first. But Mark's not ready to quit. Armed with nothing but his ingenuity and his engineering skills — and a gallows sense of humor that proves to be his greatest source of strength – he embarks on a dogged quest to stay alive, using his botany expertise to grow food and even hatching a mad plan to contact NASA back on Earth.
As he overcomes one seemingly insurmountable obstacle after the next, Mark begins to let himself believe he might make it off the planet alive – but Mars has plenty of surprises in store for him yet.
Grounded in real, present-day science from the first page to the last, yet propelled by a brilliantly ingenious plot that surprises the reader again and again, The Martian is a truly remarkable thriller: an impossible-to-put-down suspense novel that manages to read like a real-life survival tale.
Friday, January 15, 2016
Book Review: READY PLAYER ONE by Ernest Cline
Title: Ready Player OneAuthor: Ernest Cline
Published: August 16, 2011 by Random House
Format: Hardcover, 372 pages
Genre: Science Fiction, Dystopia
Description:
In the year 2044, reality is an ugly place. The only time teenage Wade Watts really feels alive is when he's jacked into the virtual utopia known as the OASIS. Wade's devoted his life to studying the puzzles hidden within this world's digital confines, puzzles that are based on their creator's obsession with the pop culture of decades past and that promise massive power and fortune to whoever can unlock them. When Wade stumbles upon the first clue, he finds himself beset by players willing to kill to take this ultimate prize. The race is on, and if Wade's going to survive, he'll have to win—and confront the real world he's always been so desperate to escape.
Tuesday, January 12, 2016
Hello?
I know this blog is mostly just me talking into the void, but I'm back. Again. Man, I've got a horrible history with this. Life's fun that way, I guess.
Six months ago I was in Virginia attending Hollins College for an MFA in Children's Literature. Only I spent a lot of money that I didn't have and felt like I was doing nothing but wasting everything: time, money, energy. I met some great people, but Hollins itself just wasn't a good fit for me, especially not for the price tag. So I came back to Arkansas, again, though VA was only ever a 6 week thing to begin with.
Still, it was rather disappointing to chase after a dream only to have it wither and die. And then come home to a sick cat and a $200 vet bill that I couldn't afford.
Yay!
Now I'm back at Tech, yet again, and working on yet another degree. This one's for teaching, so now I can at least be eligible to teach at the secondary level, not that that's what I really want to do with my life, but it's allowing me to work at the library again, which is currently paying my bills, so. Although, I do love teaching, especially literature and writing. It's just not the dream.
In dream-related news, I'm still working with Dr. White to get Tea Tree Publishing off and running. We've been working on our first manuscript and should have it ready to go before too long. Exciting! Everything's been taking longer than we anticipated, but that's more because this is our first go of it and we're still learning the ropes. I love it. I just need to find more time to dedicate to all of its social media accounts. I need to reconnect with the world, which is sort of why I'm here. I'm setting a new schedule for myself, and part of that time includes writing and reading. And that always brings me back to talking about it.
Meaning new reviews! And new stories! And me actually posting regularly about things instead of popping in every few months to promise that I'll be back. I'm getting my life together, and this time I mean it. I'm not going to let anything get in my way this year, especially not myself. So, if you're reading this and there's something you'd like to see in the content, let me know. I'm rededicating myself to the things that I love, so I'm also up for recommendations on just about anything: blogs to follow, books to read, tricks to try...
Reviews will resume shortly, and I'll probably tweak the site layout a bit and update, but I'll be back soon, lovelies. With regularly scheduled posts and everything. ;)
Six months ago I was in Virginia attending Hollins College for an MFA in Children's Literature. Only I spent a lot of money that I didn't have and felt like I was doing nothing but wasting everything: time, money, energy. I met some great people, but Hollins itself just wasn't a good fit for me, especially not for the price tag. So I came back to Arkansas, again, though VA was only ever a 6 week thing to begin with.
Still, it was rather disappointing to chase after a dream only to have it wither and die. And then come home to a sick cat and a $200 vet bill that I couldn't afford.
Yay!
Now I'm back at Tech, yet again, and working on yet another degree. This one's for teaching, so now I can at least be eligible to teach at the secondary level, not that that's what I really want to do with my life, but it's allowing me to work at the library again, which is currently paying my bills, so. Although, I do love teaching, especially literature and writing. It's just not the dream.
In dream-related news, I'm still working with Dr. White to get Tea Tree Publishing off and running. We've been working on our first manuscript and should have it ready to go before too long. Exciting! Everything's been taking longer than we anticipated, but that's more because this is our first go of it and we're still learning the ropes. I love it. I just need to find more time to dedicate to all of its social media accounts. I need to reconnect with the world, which is sort of why I'm here. I'm setting a new schedule for myself, and part of that time includes writing and reading. And that always brings me back to talking about it.
Meaning new reviews! And new stories! And me actually posting regularly about things instead of popping in every few months to promise that I'll be back. I'm getting my life together, and this time I mean it. I'm not going to let anything get in my way this year, especially not myself. So, if you're reading this and there's something you'd like to see in the content, let me know. I'm rededicating myself to the things that I love, so I'm also up for recommendations on just about anything: blogs to follow, books to read, tricks to try...
Reviews will resume shortly, and I'll probably tweak the site layout a bit and update, but I'll be back soon, lovelies. With regularly scheduled posts and everything. ;)
Sunday, June 28, 2015
Hollins! And Short Story #4
I've spent the last week settling in at Hollins University in Virginia, where I'm officially working on an MFA in Children's Literature (because I apparently like to collect degrees). I'm still sorting out my schedule, but I promise reviews are coming. In the mean time, I wanted to share a short story I just wrote for my genre study in fantasy course, which was supposed to be a retelling of Hans Christian Andersen's "The Little Mermaid." I'm sharing it here because the stories I post on the blog are written and posted sans revision, and in this class we're supposed to be handing in first drafts, so I thought it fit the bill. So, without any further ado, I give you "Song of the Sea."
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