Half a day. This is what I get every day, but it is not really half a day. It is 3 hours max. My son goes to half a day kindergarten. He goes to school at 11:30 am and returns with his sister at 2:40 pm on the bus. This my friends...is my half a day. I have three hours to do what I want, three hours to run errands, three hours to clean, three hours to pick my nose if I want (ha) and three hours to ... write. It is a lot, it drives me crazy, it is my half a day. How on earth can I choose what and/or when to do everything?
I currently have a list of about 15 items to do today during my three hours. I checked off one thing and now I am here...writing. I WANT to write so badly, but finding the time is hard, to say the least. I want to write all day long, I dream of writing in a quiet AND CLEAN house typing away with endless ideas flowing and flowing. Ha Ha Don't we all? The thought of it makes me take a long deep breath, in through your nose - out through your nose; as if I was doing yoga for the first time in months. It relaxes me, it excites me. I JUST ...WANT... TO...WRITE!
I also want to be an excellent Mom, a wonderful wife, a great chef and a decent housekeeper. Ha But in reality ALL of these things being pushed into my three hour half a day time window are wearing on me. Oh, I also need to lose about 15 lbs. It is A LOT.
My newest realization is that I need to be networking myself. After attending my first writing conference I was told to get out there, get online, start your social media quest and start writing. Not on your book, about your book. The book you have not completed yet, that does not have a title, but about THAT book! Please chime in here to help!
So I started. It is about the only thing I can do while my son is here in the morning. I research web pages, websites and blogs to follow, people to read about, books to read, the latest trends and yadda, yadda, yadda. I have read the online pages, researched it, read it again and now I have started...social media?
I am overwhelmed again. Where do I start, where does it end? When on earth do I ACTUALLY work on MY BOOK(s)?
I guess it is good I have been writing- I have set up this new blog, but I also have a family blog that I have kept since 2008:
It has been months since my family blog has been updated. Why you ask? Because I have been setting up this new blog. I have also just moved here from Zimbabwe. :)
I have set up many boards on pinterest, including a Writing Children's Books board that I continually update.
Writing Children's Book Pinterest Page
And just now, I opened a tumblr page. Why again you ask? I don't know, because all the pinterest people were pinning from it and someone said if you were of the "creative" type, you should use this site as well. I don't get it!! Again, I am overwhelmed.
But if you want to check out my tumblr page...go right ahead.
My Tumblr Page
What am I doing...who knows? However, like I said on my new fascinating (not so much) tumblr page... I am writing...and I am jumping in feet first. But with a background in competitive swimming, I have a feeling I should be diving in with my hands and head first. Knowing this, it may be a bumpy and very wet ride ahead.
Monday, December 2, 2013
Saturday, October 26, 2013
I went to the SCBWI Fall Conference!
I went, Woo Hoo! I attended my very first writing conference a few weeks ago- it felt like yesterday and months ago at the same time. It was inspiring, emotional and for me ... perfect timing. I am not a shy person, I get nervous of course, but not shy. I like meeting new people, learning new things and asking questions and this was everything I hoped it to be. Most people attending the conference had serious goals, meetings with agents, and one on ones to review their writing. I couldn't imagine. I have so many stories, so many books I have written- how would I even choose which one to bring? None are quite finished or where I want them to be, but they are written. This my friends, is my problem. I have quite a few stories, quite a few ideas- I get it, Im lucky- but I just can not figure out where to focus all my energy? Which project, which idea?? But this is for another blog.
What the conference did for me, was exactly what I needed it to do. It made me excited, it got my tummy rumbling inside, it made me feel like I was finally in the right place at the right time, exactly where "I" needed to be at that moment. I am a fatalist kind of person and believe we are all meant to do something special and where ever we may end up, for whatever reason...was absolutely supposed to happen. I may not understand it, but it was meant to be- I am certain of this.
And this is the way I felt at the conference; excited, emotional and nervous and exactly where I needed to be.
On a side note - me getting to this conference was not the easiest of tasks. My husband has a new job where every day he is doing something different. He works on the weekends at times and he works crazy hours. So, about a month prior to this date- I kept saying...will you be working this weekend of the conference...I NEED to know! But he did not know. He had no idea. So, I asked my Mom to fly up from Atlanta that weekend- just in case. Unfortunately, she was sick and was unable to come and I found this out about two weeks prior. Now you must remember that we have just moved to Virginia from Zimbabwe, we are new to the area but we do have a few friends and family close by- luckily. They are spread out but at least we are all in the same state, right? So, I had it all figured out. I stepped out of my comfort zone and asked for HELP! I asked some people I did not even know that well, but offered to help - to do just that, help. I had it all figured out, I had time tables, dates and times all spread out- my day and a half I needed for me, just ME- was going to work out. IT HAD TO! My new wonderful neighbor would watch Chase, my five year old, Friday morning and get him on the bus at 11:30 as I had to be at the conference by 9 am. This was perfect. It ended at 12, so I was home by lunch. That is of course until Hannah, my 7 year old, was up all night on Thursday night- the night before the conference- sick as a dog. She was coughing and sneezing and just plain miserable.
As I laid there next to her, my heart began to sink, my soul began to question wants...from needs. I had a feeling I would not be able to make the first day of this conference on Friday and tears filled my eyes. Hannah needed me and there was no way on earth I would send her to my new wonderful neighbors house - SICK. It was bad enough I had her watching my son all morning from 8 am -12 pm, I definitely could not ask her to watch my sick child and have her chance getting her four children sick. So, I knew what I had to do. I had to skip that first day of the conference and take care of my baby. As I crawled into bed early that morning, after sleeping with Hannah most of the night, my wonderful husband squeezed me so tight and just said...are you OK? I wasn't sure why he asked me that, but tears filled my eyes yet again and I began to cry. I said, I am OK. He said, are you going to have to miss the conference? He knew how I was feeling and he was feeling it too. He felt guilty he could not take off work as he is in a special training class at the moment and he truly empathized with me. It was a surreal moment for me because it was as if he finally understand how much this meant to me- or I finally realized that he understood, either way- it was a touching moment, even though it was a bit sad.
The kids woke up not but an hour later and we went down for breakfast. I still got showered and dressed and ready to go...just in case- I had to. She looked OK, not awful, but not great. I asked her how she was feeling and she said...not good. Then, as I cleaned up the kitchen and the kids waited around- I realized they were downstairs wresting and playing. I immediately called Hannah upstairs and asked her what was going on- she said sorry, but she still did not feel good. So again...those darn tears. They filled my eyes and I said to her desperately, if you can go to school today, I NEED you to go to school. I would not ask if I didn't really need this. There is no fever, it is a cold, a yucky cold and I understand. But, I NEED you to go to school today. She said...OK. I said are you sure, she said yes- as long as you pick me up after lunch. It was a promise I would definitely keep.
I had so much guilt driving to the conference after I dropped her off, I asked a friend to be her- #1 call if she needed anything, and she said no problem. I was feeling awful, like a horrible Mom for doing this and questioning my intentions wondering if it was worth it. My friend then sent me a short text that I will never forget. She said " I'm home all day, so no worries. Have a wonderful day and fill your soul with what your passion is today." Once I read this, the tears began to flow- I am sure you can imagine. But this time, they were those big deep breath, sigh of relief, so so happy tears. And all the guilt of dropping my sick child at school, and all the anxiety of passing my children around with four different people- just for me to go to this conference ...went away. THIS truly was my passion and I was finally taking the steps to fulfill my dream.
My point of telling this story was of course the crazy emotion I had to go through to get to this conference. But also that I had finally found something important for "me" and realized I needed to fulfill it and most importantly, I was finally ready.
The conference became just that for me...my first step toward doing something I was passionate about- it was great! This is truly what I was meant to do and I could not be more excited.
So I write in this new blog, not just about writing nuances- because there will be plenty, but about passion and following your heart and making dreams come true. This truly was an amazing first step for me and a journey I am beyond ready to take.
What the conference did for me, was exactly what I needed it to do. It made me excited, it got my tummy rumbling inside, it made me feel like I was finally in the right place at the right time, exactly where "I" needed to be at that moment. I am a fatalist kind of person and believe we are all meant to do something special and where ever we may end up, for whatever reason...was absolutely supposed to happen. I may not understand it, but it was meant to be- I am certain of this.
And this is the way I felt at the conference; excited, emotional and nervous and exactly where I needed to be.
On a side note - me getting to this conference was not the easiest of tasks. My husband has a new job where every day he is doing something different. He works on the weekends at times and he works crazy hours. So, about a month prior to this date- I kept saying...will you be working this weekend of the conference...I NEED to know! But he did not know. He had no idea. So, I asked my Mom to fly up from Atlanta that weekend- just in case. Unfortunately, she was sick and was unable to come and I found this out about two weeks prior. Now you must remember that we have just moved to Virginia from Zimbabwe, we are new to the area but we do have a few friends and family close by- luckily. They are spread out but at least we are all in the same state, right? So, I had it all figured out. I stepped out of my comfort zone and asked for HELP! I asked some people I did not even know that well, but offered to help - to do just that, help. I had it all figured out, I had time tables, dates and times all spread out- my day and a half I needed for me, just ME- was going to work out. IT HAD TO! My new wonderful neighbor would watch Chase, my five year old, Friday morning and get him on the bus at 11:30 as I had to be at the conference by 9 am. This was perfect. It ended at 12, so I was home by lunch. That is of course until Hannah, my 7 year old, was up all night on Thursday night- the night before the conference- sick as a dog. She was coughing and sneezing and just plain miserable.
As I laid there next to her, my heart began to sink, my soul began to question wants...from needs. I had a feeling I would not be able to make the first day of this conference on Friday and tears filled my eyes. Hannah needed me and there was no way on earth I would send her to my new wonderful neighbors house - SICK. It was bad enough I had her watching my son all morning from 8 am -12 pm, I definitely could not ask her to watch my sick child and have her chance getting her four children sick. So, I knew what I had to do. I had to skip that first day of the conference and take care of my baby. As I crawled into bed early that morning, after sleeping with Hannah most of the night, my wonderful husband squeezed me so tight and just said...are you OK? I wasn't sure why he asked me that, but tears filled my eyes yet again and I began to cry. I said, I am OK. He said, are you going to have to miss the conference? He knew how I was feeling and he was feeling it too. He felt guilty he could not take off work as he is in a special training class at the moment and he truly empathized with me. It was a surreal moment for me because it was as if he finally understand how much this meant to me- or I finally realized that he understood, either way- it was a touching moment, even though it was a bit sad.
The kids woke up not but an hour later and we went down for breakfast. I still got showered and dressed and ready to go...just in case- I had to. She looked OK, not awful, but not great. I asked her how she was feeling and she said...not good. Then, as I cleaned up the kitchen and the kids waited around- I realized they were downstairs wresting and playing. I immediately called Hannah upstairs and asked her what was going on- she said sorry, but she still did not feel good. So again...those darn tears. They filled my eyes and I said to her desperately, if you can go to school today, I NEED you to go to school. I would not ask if I didn't really need this. There is no fever, it is a cold, a yucky cold and I understand. But, I NEED you to go to school today. She said...OK. I said are you sure, she said yes- as long as you pick me up after lunch. It was a promise I would definitely keep.
I had so much guilt driving to the conference after I dropped her off, I asked a friend to be her- #1 call if she needed anything, and she said no problem. I was feeling awful, like a horrible Mom for doing this and questioning my intentions wondering if it was worth it. My friend then sent me a short text that I will never forget. She said " I'm home all day, so no worries. Have a wonderful day and fill your soul with what your passion is today." Once I read this, the tears began to flow- I am sure you can imagine. But this time, they were those big deep breath, sigh of relief, so so happy tears. And all the guilt of dropping my sick child at school, and all the anxiety of passing my children around with four different people- just for me to go to this conference ...went away. THIS truly was my passion and I was finally taking the steps to fulfill my dream.
My point of telling this story was of course the crazy emotion I had to go through to get to this conference. But also that I had finally found something important for "me" and realized I needed to fulfill it and most importantly, I was finally ready.
The conference became just that for me...my first step toward doing something I was passionate about- it was great! This is truly what I was meant to do and I could not be more excited.
So I write in this new blog, not just about writing nuances- because there will be plenty, but about passion and following your heart and making dreams come true. This truly was an amazing first step for me and a journey I am beyond ready to take.
Thursday, October 3, 2013
And so it begins...
It is October 3rd and I am attending my first writing conference in just a few short weeks. I am nervous, I am elated, I have written only what I feel are a few GOOD pages. :/
I feel like I would of written more, but as most of you know, I have been a little busy. ha ha
I have just moved from Zimbabwe to Virginia less than three months ago. There has been time spent with family in Atlanta, Georgia and exhausting house hunting trips to Virginia. Just recently, we were all in my sister in law's wedding one weekend and the next weekend attended their Indian reception. Oh, and we even bought a new car, closed on a house, drove eleven hours up to Virginia with that new car, they day after we bought it from Georgia. OH yeah, the day before the Indian reception and all in less than two weeks.
Tom arrived a month and a half after us from Zimbabwe. This was less than three days before walking his beautiful sister down the aisle. An amazing moment I might add, and one we will never forget!! With Zimbabwe elections- we had no idea if he would even make it back in time. Thankfully, he did and it was an incredible moment! After the celebrations, and the visiting with all of the relatives, we drove up to Virginia and stayed a week or so in a hotel. We had the new house painted and carpeted and we were then finally able to move into our new home. During this time unfortunately we also found out about the passing of my father in law. This was a not so happy time. The last three months have been nothing to yell and scream about, unless its an enormous amount of tears needed to fill up a room. Some happy tears and some not so happy tears.
We have unpacked boxes again...for the, I don't know, what feels like 50th time in eight years- it is two times with each move and we have now had seven moves in eight years of marriage. Its crazy to think about, isn't it? But yet we sit here in our new house, finally in the USA, in just a little over a month and it feels as if we have been here for quite some time. Don't get me wrong, there are boxes to be unpacked, piles of clothes, books and toys in some of the rooms, and we do not even have a sofa yet for our living room, but we are here, we are home. We are in our now new, and personally OWNED home for the very first time since we have been married. It is exciting, it is fun, it is freaking expensive!
I never want to complain about the adventures we go on, because how can I really, right? We have had so many wonderful journeys, we have been so very blessed, and have seen more than people could ever imagine in a lifetime; but honestly- it is A LOT. It is so much, that sometimes you can barely take the time to reflect on it all. You feel that you are constantly on the move and once you arrive in one place, you are thinking of where you will be next. It is overwhelming to say the least.
We are now in a place that we should be for a minimum of three years, and possibly longer. And most importantly, we are finally back in the USA!!! This is exciting and scary at the same time. Three years? Tom and I have never lived anywhere more than TWO years in our eight almost nine years of marriage AND never in the USA as a family. Crazy again, right? It is a truly blessed life and there is so much to reflect on and I am hoping this is the tour we can actually take the time. So far however, I am not sure how all of that will turn out. Tom has now started his new training for the job in Virginia that will last until February. Sadly, he has only been in this house for one week of the six weeks we have actually lived here. In case you wondering, this life style is not for the weak hearted. It is day after day of adjusting and re-acclimating. It is a crazy life.
I have however decided to make this tour different. This is going to be My Writing Tour. I have wanted to write for a long time, but especially since the day I walked into Barnes and Noble, months before Hannah was born (seven years ago), searching for a traveling book for kids. I wanted a book to read my precious baby before we moved to Israel after she was born and through the years. I could not find one. I searched online, finding a few- some that are still my favorites today, like Granny Goes to Market, but there is still not that one book. This is why I am now going to write...all of them. :)
There are many books I want to write and have written since that day. So many! This is something I have talked to my family about on occasion, but not much more, and it is something I knew in my heart I always wanted to do but honestly, was not quite sure how to admit it to myself. For me, it was just finding the time and finding that story. I needed a story I was truly passionate about, I just needed that "idea"! Well, I have finally found it, I have actually found many ideas! With this newly found passion and a million resources to guide me now that I am finally back in the US, I am finally starting this official writing journey. I am overwhelmed.
Over the years as I occasionally mention that I am working on a book or writing a book, I get many responses. Some might say, wow, that's great- can I read it? Or better yet, oh, that's easy, I just wrote a funny children's book last night. I understand your thoughts, thank you for them all (there are so many). But what I need my family and friends to understand is that this, for me, is different. I understand this road will not be easy, and I know that I will personally have many challenges. My goal however is not just to write a small little book, my goal is to become a writer and I want to be published! This may take years, it might take months (ha) and it may never happen. But, I am at least going to TRY!! It will not be easy and I am prepared (as much as one can be) for the challenges ahead. And you know what, I am ready. So... bring it on!
With boxes to unpack in our house and without a sofa for our living room, I sit here writing for the first time in what seems like years. This is my motivation; sharing and telling stories, and writing about my adventures with my family. This is one story I can not wait to share and I look forward to starting this wonderful journey with all of you.
I feel like I would of written more, but as most of you know, I have been a little busy. ha ha
I have just moved from Zimbabwe to Virginia less than three months ago. There has been time spent with family in Atlanta, Georgia and exhausting house hunting trips to Virginia. Just recently, we were all in my sister in law's wedding one weekend and the next weekend attended their Indian reception. Oh, and we even bought a new car, closed on a house, drove eleven hours up to Virginia with that new car, they day after we bought it from Georgia. OH yeah, the day before the Indian reception and all in less than two weeks.
Tom arrived a month and a half after us from Zimbabwe. This was less than three days before walking his beautiful sister down the aisle. An amazing moment I might add, and one we will never forget!! With Zimbabwe elections- we had no idea if he would even make it back in time. Thankfully, he did and it was an incredible moment! After the celebrations, and the visiting with all of the relatives, we drove up to Virginia and stayed a week or so in a hotel. We had the new house painted and carpeted and we were then finally able to move into our new home. During this time unfortunately we also found out about the passing of my father in law. This was a not so happy time. The last three months have been nothing to yell and scream about, unless its an enormous amount of tears needed to fill up a room. Some happy tears and some not so happy tears.
We have unpacked boxes again...for the, I don't know, what feels like 50th time in eight years- it is two times with each move and we have now had seven moves in eight years of marriage. Its crazy to think about, isn't it? But yet we sit here in our new house, finally in the USA, in just a little over a month and it feels as if we have been here for quite some time. Don't get me wrong, there are boxes to be unpacked, piles of clothes, books and toys in some of the rooms, and we do not even have a sofa yet for our living room, but we are here, we are home. We are in our now new, and personally OWNED home for the very first time since we have been married. It is exciting, it is fun, it is freaking expensive!
I never want to complain about the adventures we go on, because how can I really, right? We have had so many wonderful journeys, we have been so very blessed, and have seen more than people could ever imagine in a lifetime; but honestly- it is A LOT. It is so much, that sometimes you can barely take the time to reflect on it all. You feel that you are constantly on the move and once you arrive in one place, you are thinking of where you will be next. It is overwhelming to say the least.
We are now in a place that we should be for a minimum of three years, and possibly longer. And most importantly, we are finally back in the USA!!! This is exciting and scary at the same time. Three years? Tom and I have never lived anywhere more than TWO years in our eight almost nine years of marriage AND never in the USA as a family. Crazy again, right? It is a truly blessed life and there is so much to reflect on and I am hoping this is the tour we can actually take the time. So far however, I am not sure how all of that will turn out. Tom has now started his new training for the job in Virginia that will last until February. Sadly, he has only been in this house for one week of the six weeks we have actually lived here. In case you wondering, this life style is not for the weak hearted. It is day after day of adjusting and re-acclimating. It is a crazy life.
I have however decided to make this tour different. This is going to be My Writing Tour. I have wanted to write for a long time, but especially since the day I walked into Barnes and Noble, months before Hannah was born (seven years ago), searching for a traveling book for kids. I wanted a book to read my precious baby before we moved to Israel after she was born and through the years. I could not find one. I searched online, finding a few- some that are still my favorites today, like Granny Goes to Market, but there is still not that one book. This is why I am now going to write...all of them. :)
There are many books I want to write and have written since that day. So many! This is something I have talked to my family about on occasion, but not much more, and it is something I knew in my heart I always wanted to do but honestly, was not quite sure how to admit it to myself. For me, it was just finding the time and finding that story. I needed a story I was truly passionate about, I just needed that "idea"! Well, I have finally found it, I have actually found many ideas! With this newly found passion and a million resources to guide me now that I am finally back in the US, I am finally starting this official writing journey. I am overwhelmed.
Over the years as I occasionally mention that I am working on a book or writing a book, I get many responses. Some might say, wow, that's great- can I read it? Or better yet, oh, that's easy, I just wrote a funny children's book last night. I understand your thoughts, thank you for them all (there are so many). But what I need my family and friends to understand is that this, for me, is different. I understand this road will not be easy, and I know that I will personally have many challenges. My goal however is not just to write a small little book, my goal is to become a writer and I want to be published! This may take years, it might take months (ha) and it may never happen. But, I am at least going to TRY!! It will not be easy and I am prepared (as much as one can be) for the challenges ahead. And you know what, I am ready. So... bring it on!
With boxes to unpack in our house and without a sofa for our living room, I sit here writing for the first time in what seems like years. This is my motivation; sharing and telling stories, and writing about my adventures with my family. This is one story I can not wait to share and I look forward to starting this wonderful journey with all of you.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)