Life isn't like what you read in books...

Life has been...well, busy lately. I've still been working a whole lot. Yes, this job keeps me busy and so do all of my online friends. I roleplay a good bit and that keeps me entertained. I'm writing a book - well, still working on finishing a book is more like it. I'm just about done - just need to get the plot finished. And I'm working on a story for an eBook an online friend is collecting stories for - well stories to consider. I hope mine makes it, but I don't have high hopes right now. There are people out there far more talented than I am.

My writing has gotten much better in the past few years. I think roleplaying helps a good deal - getting to write a story with someone else and seeing yourself in that character doing every action they do is really fulfilling. If I can just get a beta for my short story and a good beta that I trust for my book, I think I'll be on the road to being a real author.

I'm proud that I wrote 50k in 30 days, but I know I'll be even prouder when I can have it finished to start sending to publishers. I really want to have something I'm proud of in book form - even if very few people will actually read it. I've always been a dreamer. I've always had things in my head - pictures of events and people and I know that's why I've always been writing. Journalism was just another way to write, but I want to be creative when I write. Sure, being a reporter can help with that, but you've got to make it interesting and hook in your readers - and trust me, there are NOT any journalists here at the paper now that can do that - well save maybe one (our copy editor). Human interest. Features. Telling something isn't how to hook someone - you have to SHOW them what happened so they can picture it. Yes, that's the way to go.

Okay. I'll stop being a writer now and let you guys know I'm still alive even if I'm getting a little bit sick right now. I know it's because I've been driving around in my car without heat for over a month and because I go from a heated room to a colder room every night. Plus, allergies aren't fun right now with all the weather changes. Here's hoping the weather will make up it's mind for the next few months. But hey, who knows. We could have snow in south Alabama! lol

I hope all of you are doing well. My resolution for this year is to keep in touch with more people by reading their blogs or whatnot. So I'm going to strive to get on MySpace more and try to check Blogspot better. I really have enjoyed catching up with everyone that blogs. I find it's really nice to be able to write about your day and let people read about the things you're doing. It's a great way to get encouragement and communicate.

Esther is very bored...lol

Here I am bored at work again and I know there's about 10 things I'd rather be doing or should be doing. I should be working on my book or the short story I started to submit to a friend for an ebook. Of course, those things are on my personal computer at home and I'm at work so I can't do anything with them right now.

I know I should probably update my journals on LiveJournal and InsaneJournal, but I'm not in the mood. Besides, there's not much new with me anyway, so I figure I'll save people the trouble of reading "blah, blah, blah" all over again.

Don't get me wrong, I love that I have a job, but sometimes it's not all it's cracked up to be. Especially the pay and all the things I usually have to do in my day before I get to go home around midnight or 1 a.m. I'm grateful that I can get out of bed and come to work and that I do have some pretty amazing people to work with. But sometimes I just have those days where I look at my life and think "why am I still here?" or "why am I still doing this?" Come Saturday the 16th, I will have my 3rd anniversary with the newspaper. Yep. 3 whole years I've been here. Who knows, I may be here another two years or I may find my niche in the writing world in two months. No one knows. I go wherever life takes me. I let God guide me and hope for the best.

As inauguration day draws nearer, I still wonder if this country is ready for the changes Obama is proposing. I wonder if they are for the best - if these changes will take us deeper into depression or if we will come out of it quicker in the long run. Will our health care really be reformed? Will we have free clinics and free insurance for those who don't have it? Will the government give us more money back when we file our taxes? Will other nations look at us and be proud or are we giving them a reason to attack us by our choice in president? These are the questions still floating in my mind as the day draws nearer and we will put our 44th president into office. I can only hope and pray and put my faith in God that our country will go forward instead of back.

Now, I've found something to occupy my time until something else comes in. I hope all of you are doing well. I spoke with Karen last night for a few minutes and it was good to catch up with old friends. I'm doing my best to keep in touch with everyone, but with my work schedule it's become very hard to socialize at all. Take care all!

Blogging for the sake of bloging

Wow. Two blogs in one day?! Esther must be bored - and yes, I am by the way.

I always seem to be stuck at work these days, so hey, why not make the most of it by blogging, eh?

I spent the day today in Pensacola with my cousin, Jonathan. I am as proud of him as I would be of a brother - we're that close. We talk often and he's the most amazing 22-year-old I know right now. He's going into the Navy in March to work with the Department of Defense or at least that's what I think he said. (Will clarify if I'm wrong in a future post.)

Jonathan is a very smart and articulate person. He plays the piano and organ. He's held a job since he was fifteen and though he dropped out of school at sixteen, he went to LBWCC and got his GED. Now, he's almost finished with PJC after several years of trying to finish up two years of college. I'm so proud of him and his GPA is more amazing than mine was in college. He's part of a business honor society and is hoping that he can get his associate degree before he ships off for basic training. But he still has to find out if it's possible.

I know I will miss him while he's gone, though I will be able to write him letters. Jon has been the one constant person in my life. Even though Mary Ann (his sister) and I have been friends since we were children - we have drifted apart and Jon is the one who has come in to take her place. I can talk to him when there is no one else to talk to and it makes me feel good to know he's there when I need him.

As for my book, it is going to take more time than I thought. Maybe not the finishing up bit, but the editing enough to send to publishers is going to take a great deal of time. For those of you who are curious, it is a paranormal romance - dealing mostly with vampires and a bit with werewolves. There is a love story going on throughout the entire thing, which is written in first person. I have dreamed ideas that came from mythology - Greek and Roman and I have probably confused myself more than once on the idea of gods and goddesses and God. One of my heroes, who will have his own book is deeply religious (in the Christian sense). And the tale of how the vampires came to be is a little confusing to him because of his faith. I am sure I deal with a lot of things that people sometimes don't want to deal with - losing the one you love to someone else, finding out a shocking truth, and then there's always the big betrayal. Sometimes these come out of my experiences and sometimes I simply dream them up. I think the series would be great since it's pretty different than anything I've read before. We will see what happens. I've got an idea for a teen novel about a boy who travels back in time to save a girl from dying. It might come to life at some point. I'm simply proud of myself for writing 50k in 30 days.

Well, it's back to work or back to finding something to do around here while I wait on sports to get finished so I can go home. :) I hope you all are having a wonderful Friday and that you have a wonderful weekend! RTR! (if we can win the Sugar Bowl!!!)

Happy New Year!

Just nine years ago we were frightened about going into the new millennium, but now here we are in 2009 and we're still going strong. Our nation may not be the most secure place to be right now, but we're still here - even through a recession. Our nation is still one of the best places to live and with a new president-elect going into office in just 18 days, we're going new places we've never been before.

I'm excited about this year. Mostly because I hope it's a new beginning for me and because I know we are taking a new turn in our nation with the first African American president. I'm anxious and excited to see what Obama will accomplish in this great nation we live in. I know it can't be worse than the last 8 years with Bush - which weren't all bad - we did get a stimulus check that we all desperately needed.

Mostly I'm excited about this year because I will attempt to be a published author by the end of the year. I'm really hoping to finish my novel by the end of January since I have been slacking this December. It's something I've been working on since I was 15 and something that has taken many turns and twists as the characters have come alive on the page. I have simply let them guide me and take me on this journey and I have come through NaNoWriMo with over 50k and still going.

Sometimes I do have my doubts about being a writer, but then I sit here and think about what else I could be doing. There's nothing else I would rather do if I'm completely honest with myself. Sure, I could be an English teacher, but I'd much rather be a writer. I'm no journalist - I'm no Lois Lane by a long shot - investigative reporting is still alive in the bigger cities, but in Andalusia, there's no use. The biggest story we've broken was the money scandal in the probate judge's office. Wow.

Let's all try our best in 2009, no matter what resolutions we've made. My only resolution is try to keep in touch with everyone a little better than last year. I want to make time for friends and family instead of keeping to myself so I can get back into the world a little more.

Here's hoping 2009 is the best year yet!

Things about me and the holiday season

Hi guys! Now that I have some new followers, I suppose it's time to write a regular blog.

I ran into Lori, a friend from high school, at Corner Market tonight and found out she and a bunch of my other high school friends have blogs on here. So, I'm attempting to let you guys know what's going on with me - which, by the way, is a big nothing.

I'm still working at the Andalusia Star-News and I fear I will be there for may more years. I have been working on finally writing a book and I am over halfway finished with it. I simply have to finish up the ending and wrap up the plot. I wrote for NaNoWriMo last month and wrote over 50,000 words. I'm rather proud of myself for doing this. This is the first time I've written anything over 11,000 words. I'm just hoping my plot works out - so far I've simply let the characters carry me wherever they want to go. It's worked out well. I'm hoping to be in the stage of editing by January - that is, if I can finish writing by then. I'm hoping to get a series deal, but I'll cross that bridge when I get to the point of sending off samples to publishers.

Mostly, my life revolves around work, sleep and writing - which is kind of sad, but that's what it takes to get by right now.

If you guys need get in touch with me, send me an email or leave me a comment. I check my email often - and have it open at work.

The holidays are coming closer. Just a week off and I'm not sure where I will spend it this year. My cousin and best friend, Jonathan, has joined a government program and I am not sure if he will be coming home for Christmas or not. I hope so. I would like to see him before he goes off to train because he will be out of contact for at least 6 weeks. I will get to see Mary Ann, Doug and Ally this Christmas at least. I have not seen Ally since she was around three months or so. She just had her first birthday last month and I am looking forward to seeing my niece and my cousin for Christmas. Presents aren't even in the plan this year - except for what I get for Ally. All of us are suffering from the economy and low paying jobs. Hey, at least mine pays more than minimum wage, but without insurance it's a bit hard to do much of anything still.

In the coming year, I am hopeful that I will either find a better job, get something more out of the job I have or become a published author. Any of these will make me happy and that's all I want for the new year - to be happier than I am right now.

I wish all of you the same - a Happy and Bright New Year and a wonderful Christmas!

Acceptance and Defeat in the Presidential election

First off, I want to say that this blog is not meant to offend anyone, it is simply my opinion on the recent presidential election. Secondly, I did not get to watch debates from either of the candidates as I was working. So, this is based on commercials, coverage I got to see of the race, and the things I have read online.

I just read John McCain's concession speech and I find it uplifting despite the loss for the Republican party. McCain was very gracious in his defeat, but his supporters did not seem to take it as well as he did.

My hope is that after the dust settles, all of the McCain-Palin supporters will rally to the side of our new president. Because it is a historic event. And we are all a part of it no matter who our vote was cast for. The American people spoke and this was their decision - that Barack Obama be our first black president.

Barack Obama's acceptance speech proves that he is an excellent speaker - perhaps only saying what the American people want to hear. I don't say this because I do not believe in him as president. I say this because I know over the past years that I have been able to vote - we have not seen change. We have not had a president in office who has kept his word. That took his campaign platform into office and started making things better. They have all waited until the end of their terms to try to change things for the American people.

My biggest question and concern is: Will Obama be able to make sure all of his promises happen?

Broken promises are always a part of electing a president to office. And, though I did vote Republican in this election, I do have hopes that our country will be better for the Democratic leadership.

I agree with most of Obama's policies and I would like to see these things happen once he claims the office of president. Health care, energy, taxes and the economy are big things on thing minds of almost every American.

My prayer for this country is that we will all unite and stand firm in what we believe in. We have the right to disagree with the choice of president elected to office, but in the end we must accept it and move on.

Petty differences and over the top acceptance or denial will not remove this man from office. Together we must go forward and look to the future of this good nation. We must be proud to be Americans with freedoms that other countries still do not have.

We have the freedom of press - the freedom of religion even if ours is not the same as that of our president. We have the freedom to give our opinions to everyone.

We are truly blessed. And we should never take it for granted.

Wishing to be a published author

As most of you know, I'm working on writing a book. This is a big undertaking on my part.

I want to be known for something other than what I don't do for a living - yes, here I'm taking a hit at the newspaper business. I loved writing feature stories. Writing articles about people is the best thing to do in a newsroom - in my opinion. There are so many people out there - and they all have a story to tell if you let them.

I'm 28 years old and I know that's probably young for an author, but it's what I've always wanted to do since I first knew I could write. My writing style has changed a good bit over the years, developed and molded by my English teachers and creative writing professors. It's also changed because I role play online at LiveJournal a good bit as well. Playing out a story with someone else gives you so much more freedom to write one character instead of two or more.

I haven't always loved reading books, but recently I find reading nearly anything to be good. I read all sorts of things - history and romance to classics. And though I haven't been reading much lately, I still enjoy it.

It's a really important part of the creative process for me - reading my favorite authors and watching my favorite shows. Inspiration comes in many forms for me. And I can only hope that through writing this first project I can be one step closer to my dream.

Presidential candidates disappointing

I have not really followed this election as well as I would have liked, but with my job I'm not able to see any of the presidential debates. So far, I believe both candidates are a bit disappointing.

Now, let me explain. The campaigns and the mudslinging of this election have been far beyond any of those in past years. No wonder people are unsure who to vote for. As for me, I am still wondering which would be the lesser of two evils. McCain and Palin - who seem to have decent views on things - or Obama and Biden who simply like to trash talk their opponents from what I've seen on the news.

What happened to "if you have something to say, say it to my face?" Does it matter if the ads that are running paint them as hypocrites for saying something in the first place?

Last election, I did vote for the Democratic party and I know this country needs a change from Republican views. I just hope and pray that every voter will really think about what this country needs before they go to the poll. They shouldn't just vote for a candidate because of race, religion or sex. They should consider what this country needs - and right now our biggest and most urgent concern is the economy.

With the stock market still fluctuating and loosing more and more each day - will we hit rock bottom and never be able to get back up? Or will we bounce back from this and be stronger for it? Will gas stay under $3 or will we be forced to carry on as it goes back toward $4? Will health care reform come into play? Will all Americans get the health care we so desperately need in times like this? Will any of these things get done if Obama or McCain are in office? Will they just screw up even more than George W. Bush did? Will our troops come home in the next two years? Are the promises being made on the campaign trail and in debates empty? What can we as voters and Americans do to make sure our new president takes these things and does what he has promised?

These are all questions we need to ask ourselves before we pick a candidate - if we haven't already. And honestly, are we going to be better off than we were under the last president?

I'd like to hope so.

Excitement abounds in book reading

Two hours and 33 minutes and counting. Breaking Dawn hits shelves at 12:01 a.m.

How exciting is it for some one who loves to read as much as I do?

It's really thrilling - just as thrilling as waiting for the final book of the Harry Potter series.

I just hope that my ideas will start to flow more after I finish this book. And I'm absolutely excited about Acheron by Sherrilyn Kenyon coming out on Aug 5. I will more than likely buy it from WalMart.com this weekend if it will get here on Tuesday.

I've got things to finish up at work so I can leave around 11 and go by the movie place.

Expect to see a review here when I'm finished and have thought about it.

Meyer's Breaking Dawn release set to come out this weekend

The countdown to Stephenie Meyer's final book in the Twilight series has already caused quite a stir. Facebook groups, LiveJournal communities, and websites including Meyer's own (updated and put together by her little brother, Seth) are pumping fans up as they anxiously await the Breaking Dawn release.

Two days and counting. The spoilers start coming out of the wood works and people try to ruin the fun for other Twilighters. Most moderators try to be helpful - telling people not to post spoilers or to post warnings behind a cut. Some even warn readers where spoilers can be found so they can stay away. But of course there are always a few that can't help but give into temptation.

Since the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, fandom has slowed to a crawl. Events set in stone by J. K. Rowling have fic writers trying to come up with new ideas. And new ideas begin to become more and more alternate universe than the main dream of Rowling's series.

With the announcement of the Twilight movie - some fans became rather upset in the choice of actor put into the role of Edward. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire co-star, Robert Pattinson, dives into his first American movie role as the dark, mysterious Edward Cullen.

When asked by MTV news how he learned how to do an American accent, Pattinson said he "grew up watching American movies and stuff" so he "learned how to "act" from American films."

"I think it's turned around now," Pattinson told MTV news about how it was received that he would be playing Edward Cullen. "I remember when I first got cast, that was quite funny. It's kind of the same reaction I would've had if I were a little girl: "What?!?" I looked at the "Twilight" [message boards] the other day, and it seemed like it turned around. But for a while, I was staying inside and I kept my doors locked. I watched a couple of these YouTube videos of people who were complaining about the casting. I don't know. They should have been given parts in this movie."

Most fans seem to have accepted Pattinson and rising star, Kristen Stewart (Jumper, The Messengers) as Edward Cullen and Bella Swan.

As the book release date draws closer, most gamers and fanfic writers are starting to cut themselves off completely from anything that will spoil the book for them.

Meyer, a graduate of Brigham Young University, has a bachelor's degree in English. She lives with her husband and three young sons in Phoenix, Az. With the publication of her first novel, Twilight, booksellers chose Meyer as one of the "most promising new authors of 2005".

Breaking Dawn promises to be one of the most waited for books since the final Harry Potter novel. Most fans of the Harry Potter series have eagerly searched for something fill their time with. This series gives them a first person view of a young girl and how it feels to fall in love, have a broken heart and make new friends.

Hopefully the end of the series won't be disappointing to fans - and since Meyer's next project is the companion novel to Twilight, Midnight Sun, fans won't have to let go of Edward Cullen just yet.