I.E. Castellano's Blog, page 16
March 16, 2012
Independent Thinkers
I was reading an article in the Christian Science Monitor today about "boomerang kids" – adults who move back home with their parents after living away for either school or work.
The article says that the move back home is an upward trend. And it claims, "surprisingly, most ... don't mind living with mom and dad." The trend, according to the article, has taken hold because of poor employment options and economic situations. Adults without families of their own move home to save money, not live in squalor and to stay off the government doll.
Then, the article takes a more sinister tone. It says, "it also means young adults are caught in a murky phase between adolescence and adulthood." They ended the article with a quote from the co-author of Not Quite Adults: Why 20-Somethings Are Choosing a Slower Path to Adulthood and Why It's Good for Everyone, Barbara Ray. Ray states, "'If the "launch" feels blocked for too long, will this generation's optimism curdle into bitterness and skepticism? .... Will a ding to their wages at an important juncture haunt them for years? Will a generation that has been told they can be and do anything – without many challenges as of yet – be resilient enough to withstand this setback? .... Only time will tell.'"
After reading this article, I felt bothered. Whatever happened to adaptation? In nature is the rule not, those who do not adapt to their surroundings die? Why should these adults choose a path that has led others to financial ruin?
I am mixed into a generation who have been told that you go to college (usually with a loan or two), get a job, and if that job keeps you where your parents live, you get a place of your own with a roommate or two. Then, you begin to pay back those student loans and use all those credit cards that you signed up for in the student union to fund your living habit of buying "entertainment" like expensive clothes, going out on the town, etc. Once you get into your late twenties/early thirties, the only roommate you should have is a live-in whatever (if you're not married). Don't forget the car with the exorbitant payment too.
Those who do not follow that model get shunned. Funny thing is is that many of the above wouldn't be able to find independence in a paper bag.
As someone who did not follow my peers down a path most of them later regretted, I applaud these adults. They are thinking independently of the institutionalization that was force fed to them.
Multigenerational households are more prevalent in other cultures than in this modern American culture. Some cultures live with their parents during their married lives as well. Does this make them less of an adult? Are they not able to be responsible for themselves and the decisions they make? To suggest such things is preposterous. Even in America, somewhere in our distant memories, multigenerational homes were commonplace. Today, this practice lives on among many of America's "old families."
What this article failed to recognize is that independence begins in the mind. Living with your parents as an adult is completely different than it was as a child. The dynamic has changed. You are now a group of adults who share living quarters. Adolescence is more commonly found in middle aged men, single or not, who play video games to their hearts' content. Even if these "kids" contribute very little financially to the household, they are ahead of the curve.
In this economy, it may take a while for adults young and old to be financially independent. However, intellectual independence already has taken hold. Survival of the fittest is the way of the world. The generation about whom Ray expresses concern will be better off in the long run because they found sufficient shelter to weather this storm.
Money, like news articles, comes and goes with the tide. Decisions stick with you. Think independent – therefore you are.
The article says that the move back home is an upward trend. And it claims, "surprisingly, most ... don't mind living with mom and dad." The trend, according to the article, has taken hold because of poor employment options and economic situations. Adults without families of their own move home to save money, not live in squalor and to stay off the government doll.
Then, the article takes a more sinister tone. It says, "it also means young adults are caught in a murky phase between adolescence and adulthood." They ended the article with a quote from the co-author of Not Quite Adults: Why 20-Somethings Are Choosing a Slower Path to Adulthood and Why It's Good for Everyone, Barbara Ray. Ray states, "'If the "launch" feels blocked for too long, will this generation's optimism curdle into bitterness and skepticism? .... Will a ding to their wages at an important juncture haunt them for years? Will a generation that has been told they can be and do anything – without many challenges as of yet – be resilient enough to withstand this setback? .... Only time will tell.'"
After reading this article, I felt bothered. Whatever happened to adaptation? In nature is the rule not, those who do not adapt to their surroundings die? Why should these adults choose a path that has led others to financial ruin?
I am mixed into a generation who have been told that you go to college (usually with a loan or two), get a job, and if that job keeps you where your parents live, you get a place of your own with a roommate or two. Then, you begin to pay back those student loans and use all those credit cards that you signed up for in the student union to fund your living habit of buying "entertainment" like expensive clothes, going out on the town, etc. Once you get into your late twenties/early thirties, the only roommate you should have is a live-in whatever (if you're not married). Don't forget the car with the exorbitant payment too.
Those who do not follow that model get shunned. Funny thing is is that many of the above wouldn't be able to find independence in a paper bag.
As someone who did not follow my peers down a path most of them later regretted, I applaud these adults. They are thinking independently of the institutionalization that was force fed to them.
Multigenerational households are more prevalent in other cultures than in this modern American culture. Some cultures live with their parents during their married lives as well. Does this make them less of an adult? Are they not able to be responsible for themselves and the decisions they make? To suggest such things is preposterous. Even in America, somewhere in our distant memories, multigenerational homes were commonplace. Today, this practice lives on among many of America's "old families."
What this article failed to recognize is that independence begins in the mind. Living with your parents as an adult is completely different than it was as a child. The dynamic has changed. You are now a group of adults who share living quarters. Adolescence is more commonly found in middle aged men, single or not, who play video games to their hearts' content. Even if these "kids" contribute very little financially to the household, they are ahead of the curve.
In this economy, it may take a while for adults young and old to be financially independent. However, intellectual independence already has taken hold. Survival of the fittest is the way of the world. The generation about whom Ray expresses concern will be better off in the long run because they found sufficient shelter to weather this storm.
Money, like news articles, comes and goes with the tide. Decisions stick with you. Think independent – therefore you are.
March 14, 2012
The Traveller
Since the day he was born
it was always there
ingrained in the deepest part of his soul
the instinct that drives him
To be all alone
in a world that rejects him
going against the grain
the most important thing to him
To be accepted by himself
in order to love
what he does
in his mind, heart, and soul
Living, learning and teaching
he, himself all his life
without knowing
but finally understanding
Something he feels
his heart knowing
his head spinning
his legs moving
Never stopping
not complaining
finally telling
his never-ending story
--IE Castellano
it was always there
ingrained in the deepest part of his soul
the instinct that drives him
To be all alone
in a world that rejects him
going against the grain
the most important thing to him
To be accepted by himself
in order to love
what he does
in his mind, heart, and soul
Living, learning and teaching
he, himself all his life
without knowing
but finally understanding
Something he feels
his heart knowing
his head spinning
his legs moving
Never stopping
not complaining
finally telling
his never-ending story
--IE Castellano
Introducing Poetry Wednesdays
Every Wednesday I'll be posting a poem written either by me or from a submission. See the Poetry Submission page for details. Enjoy!
March 11, 2012
Signs of Spring and Sunday Brunch
Like the swallows returning to Capistrano, the robins have returned to my little area. My cats are having a field day watching them peck at the morning grass from the safety of a window ledge.
On a gorgeously clear Sunday, like today, the motorcycle brigade roars down Main Street off to some point in the mountains. Over the low rumble of engines, church bells call their congregations inside their stained glass houses.
Inside my late Victorian, butter bubbles brown in a pan over a low flame. The robust aroma of coffee permeates the kitchen before escaping down the hall. Ham is sliced off the bone waiting to be reheated in a pan. Eggs, fresh from the farm, are cracked into the bubbling butter.
My family and I sit around the table to eat. Soft butter melts into toasted bread while the pulp floats on top of the orange juice. My dad and brother crack open the egg white allowing the golden yellow yolk to run all over their plates. My mom and I savor well fried ham slices as well as solid eggs through and through. The dogs congregate around the table just to be with us. Over our large meal, we discuss springtime projects.
When will it get warm enough to paint the kitchen cabinets? The first of our seeds will be planted after the rain tomorrow and the next day. Then, we can liberate the grills from storage under the house. And even though it is a month away, we start contemplating Easter dinner. What fun we have.
I revel in the change of the seasons and all the little things they bring. And yes, I know that the seasons change every year. That doesn't deter me. I enjoy noticing all these things. Besides, each year they are different, even if only slightly. The key is to know where to look.
On a gorgeously clear Sunday, like today, the motorcycle brigade roars down Main Street off to some point in the mountains. Over the low rumble of engines, church bells call their congregations inside their stained glass houses.
Inside my late Victorian, butter bubbles brown in a pan over a low flame. The robust aroma of coffee permeates the kitchen before escaping down the hall. Ham is sliced off the bone waiting to be reheated in a pan. Eggs, fresh from the farm, are cracked into the bubbling butter.
My family and I sit around the table to eat. Soft butter melts into toasted bread while the pulp floats on top of the orange juice. My dad and brother crack open the egg white allowing the golden yellow yolk to run all over their plates. My mom and I savor well fried ham slices as well as solid eggs through and through. The dogs congregate around the table just to be with us. Over our large meal, we discuss springtime projects.
When will it get warm enough to paint the kitchen cabinets? The first of our seeds will be planted after the rain tomorrow and the next day. Then, we can liberate the grills from storage under the house. And even though it is a month away, we start contemplating Easter dinner. What fun we have.
I revel in the change of the seasons and all the little things they bring. And yes, I know that the seasons change every year. That doesn't deter me. I enjoy noticing all these things. Besides, each year they are different, even if only slightly. The key is to know where to look.
March 4, 2012
March into Somewhere
Ah, March. Spring is well on its way. Of course some of us could argue that winter never really made an appearance. This morning, the snow jokingly played in the air only to melt on contact. However, this evening snow blankets with a vengeance.
I missed the snow this winter. I missed the entire month or so of days in the 20s. Some would call me crazy. They loved the mild winter. These will be the first people to complain about our extra buggy spring. Every action has at least one reaction. Sometimes good, sometimes bad and sometimes a mixture of both.
The whims of March can bring us snow, rain, sun, warm, cool and pretty darn cold. It can fake the trees into early bloom only to encase the flower show under a coating of ice. Reports of crocuses blooming have sprung around the area. I have pretty lemon yellow daffodils planted by a previous owner that have yet to show their green leaves.
Regardless of what the weather brings, this is the time of year I anticipate planting my garden. Over the coming weeks I will collect seed packets and plan my trip to the various local nurseries. My family and I plant vegetable favorites of previous seasons and a few experimentations. This year's garden experiment will be turnips, long beans and perhaps onions grown from sets.
After all the hard work of tilling and amending the soil, serenity finds me as I watch what I planted grow.
I missed the snow this winter. I missed the entire month or so of days in the 20s. Some would call me crazy. They loved the mild winter. These will be the first people to complain about our extra buggy spring. Every action has at least one reaction. Sometimes good, sometimes bad and sometimes a mixture of both.
The whims of March can bring us snow, rain, sun, warm, cool and pretty darn cold. It can fake the trees into early bloom only to encase the flower show under a coating of ice. Reports of crocuses blooming have sprung around the area. I have pretty lemon yellow daffodils planted by a previous owner that have yet to show their green leaves.
Regardless of what the weather brings, this is the time of year I anticipate planting my garden. Over the coming weeks I will collect seed packets and plan my trip to the various local nurseries. My family and I plant vegetable favorites of previous seasons and a few experimentations. This year's garden experiment will be turnips, long beans and perhaps onions grown from sets.
After all the hard work of tilling and amending the soil, serenity finds me as I watch what I planted grow.
Tidbits
For all those who missed my birthday ebook coupon, I am participating in Smashwords' Read an Ebook Week. The coupon code you need is on my book page. The site-wide promotion runs until March 10th.
My next book, a dystopian science fiction, is coming along well. The projected release date is sometime in late April. I am trying to push to make that happen, but it might get moved into May. When the date gets closer, I will set a more concrete release date.
My next book, a dystopian science fiction, is coming along well. The projected release date is sometime in late April. I am trying to push to make that happen, but it might get moved into May. When the date gets closer, I will set a more concrete release date.
February 27, 2012
What I Learned from My Debut Novel
My first published novel started with notes about a man learning about a woman who lived a world in-between reality and fantasy. Before I knew it, I had names, places, a plotline and subplots. I never intended to write a series. Yet, I had.
My initial draft was penned on unlined printer paper. When I finally sat to type it, I needed to learn how to format a manuscript. Title page, slug lines, double spaced true type font all stuffed into a tidy package.
The easy part was over. I had to write query letters to agents who I thought might want to represent my baby. The hook was written and re-written. My author bio drove me crazy. The synopsis haunted me. Still, I wrote them. And out they went.
I waited and I waited. Some had the courtesy of sending a reply, even if it was a canned one. Many did not. The noes poured in. The most heart wrenching replies were the ones who said that they enjoyed my work but, it wasn't a good fit for them.
Onwards I pressed. I believed in my work. Finally, I decided to self publish. I started with one e-book only publishing platform in which I could publish my book myself.
The hardest work then began. I had to take my book from my neat manuscript format and transform it into an e-book format. The book needed a cover. I had to write a blurb and have an about the author page.
Honestly, from the beginning, I had dreamt about what my cover would look like. But, the question remained of how I would achieve it. Fortunately for me, I know someone who can make art with a push of a button. My brother has an incredible artistic eye. When I take a picture it is merely a picture. When my brother takes a picture he creates art. We put our heads together to get a rough idea. An early morning outing into the surrounding mountains with a digital camera started it all.
He, then, worked his magic turning the outing into my book cover. With butterflies in my stomach, I uploaded the cover and the painstakingly formatted insides. Once it hit live, excitement could not begin to describe my state.
Later, I found that I could broaden my e-book market. Off I went reformatting my original manuscript document for these new venues. Then, I decided to put my words into print.
That daunting task took much more time. Formatting is nuanced and tested my knowledge and skill with Word. I needed a cover that wrapped around a real book. My brother magically added trees to the spine and the back. Once the full cover was added, I ordered my proof. The proof wasn't a complete disaster. The page numbers were off and not every chapter had a drop case at the start. But it looked good. I ran around town showing everyone I knew.
Writing and publishing were only half the battle. Promotion is the other half – an uphill battle of the steepest sheer cliff. How do I let people know that my work is out there and it is worth reading? My brother created a book trailer and placed it on YouTube. There is a learning curve. And the learning does not end.
With my next book on its way out into the world, there is much I would do differently. For a start, I will bypass the query letters to agents and publishers. Then, I am going to format for e-books in Word and leave it there. The print version will be my first priority. When I get my proof, I will not be afraid to go through it with a pencil and write in it. Then, if there are any changes to be made, do so. Only after I approve the proof will I upload it to the various e-book venues. It will take a few days before the new book to be live everywhere, but so be it.
For every book hereafter, I will first ink on unlined printer paper. I will continue to type it into a double spaced Word document. Each book has its own folder, physical and electronic. After each paper manuscript gets eaten by the keyboard, the large pile of paper gets stacked neatly into a sturdy box for safe keeping. My brother, who has since started his own graphic design business (more about that in another blog post), will continue to create my book covers and book trailers. All finished products will be promoted in both new and tried and true ways.
Sure, some of this may change with each new creation. But I promise to cherish every one.
My initial draft was penned on unlined printer paper. When I finally sat to type it, I needed to learn how to format a manuscript. Title page, slug lines, double spaced true type font all stuffed into a tidy package.
The easy part was over. I had to write query letters to agents who I thought might want to represent my baby. The hook was written and re-written. My author bio drove me crazy. The synopsis haunted me. Still, I wrote them. And out they went.
I waited and I waited. Some had the courtesy of sending a reply, even if it was a canned one. Many did not. The noes poured in. The most heart wrenching replies were the ones who said that they enjoyed my work but, it wasn't a good fit for them.
Onwards I pressed. I believed in my work. Finally, I decided to self publish. I started with one e-book only publishing platform in which I could publish my book myself.
The hardest work then began. I had to take my book from my neat manuscript format and transform it into an e-book format. The book needed a cover. I had to write a blurb and have an about the author page.
Honestly, from the beginning, I had dreamt about what my cover would look like. But, the question remained of how I would achieve it. Fortunately for me, I know someone who can make art with a push of a button. My brother has an incredible artistic eye. When I take a picture it is merely a picture. When my brother takes a picture he creates art. We put our heads together to get a rough idea. An early morning outing into the surrounding mountains with a digital camera started it all.
He, then, worked his magic turning the outing into my book cover. With butterflies in my stomach, I uploaded the cover and the painstakingly formatted insides. Once it hit live, excitement could not begin to describe my state.
Later, I found that I could broaden my e-book market. Off I went reformatting my original manuscript document for these new venues. Then, I decided to put my words into print.
That daunting task took much more time. Formatting is nuanced and tested my knowledge and skill with Word. I needed a cover that wrapped around a real book. My brother magically added trees to the spine and the back. Once the full cover was added, I ordered my proof. The proof wasn't a complete disaster. The page numbers were off and not every chapter had a drop case at the start. But it looked good. I ran around town showing everyone I knew.
Writing and publishing were only half the battle. Promotion is the other half – an uphill battle of the steepest sheer cliff. How do I let people know that my work is out there and it is worth reading? My brother created a book trailer and placed it on YouTube. There is a learning curve. And the learning does not end.
With my next book on its way out into the world, there is much I would do differently. For a start, I will bypass the query letters to agents and publishers. Then, I am going to format for e-books in Word and leave it there. The print version will be my first priority. When I get my proof, I will not be afraid to go through it with a pencil and write in it. Then, if there are any changes to be made, do so. Only after I approve the proof will I upload it to the various e-book venues. It will take a few days before the new book to be live everywhere, but so be it.
For every book hereafter, I will first ink on unlined printer paper. I will continue to type it into a double spaced Word document. Each book has its own folder, physical and electronic. After each paper manuscript gets eaten by the keyboard, the large pile of paper gets stacked neatly into a sturdy box for safe keeping. My brother, who has since started his own graphic design business (more about that in another blog post), will continue to create my book covers and book trailers. All finished products will be promoted in both new and tried and true ways.
Sure, some of this may change with each new creation. But I promise to cherish every one.
February 21, 2012
The World In-between on Indie Snippets
An approximate 300 word snippet of The World In-between is available on Indie Snippets.
Read the excerpt here.
Read the excerpt here.
February 14, 2012
A Generous Birthday Gift
Tuesday the fourteenth was my birthday. To celebrate, I wish to share with you a coupon for my debut novel, The World In-between.
Leap into a hidden world known only to those who have been there. Fall in love. Battle for magic. Find your inner strengths.
Take 34% off (makes it $5.93). This offer is good only through Smashwords. Smashwords offers every format for whatever e-reader you have or in an easy pdf format to read on your computer.
Find the ebook on Smashwords here.
At the checkout, enter coupon code: VY67U (not case-sensitive).
The coupon expires February 29th.
Happy Reading!
--IE Castellano
Leap into a hidden world known only to those who have been there. Fall in love. Battle for magic. Find your inner strengths.
Take 34% off (makes it $5.93). This offer is good only through Smashwords. Smashwords offers every format for whatever e-reader you have or in an easy pdf format to read on your computer.Find the ebook on Smashwords here.
At the checkout, enter coupon code: VY67U (not case-sensitive).
The coupon expires February 29th.
Happy Reading!
--IE Castellano
February 10, 2012
Writer's Workshop – Trends: Chocoholics with fangs
With Valentine's Day right around the corner, we are bombarded with chocolate. Commercials entice you to buy chocolate covered strawberries. Cooking shows feature chocolate in every recipe. Stores sneak chocolate candy into aisle after aisle. All because of a cliche or a very clever marketing scheme.
Women love chocolate. We want to eat nothing but chocolate. Bathe us in chocolate then enrobe us in more chocolate. At one point in my life, I enjoyed chocolate. Now, the Mayan food of the gods bores me. Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy a tasty piece of dark chocolate on occasion. It is just the onslaught of the chocolate trends has pushed me into chocolate doldrums.
Trend weariness happens more often than we like to admit. People see something popular and grab. What started as something lovely, morphs into a barrage of garbage. Those who contribute to the trend can find success before the inevitable happens. Often the problem with riding trends is that we are left with a gaping hole of nothingness once the wave has ebbed.
We see this in the book scene. The tsunami of vampires has finally ceased. When the water emptied back into the ocean, agents and publishers had nothing on which to fall. What is the new literary trend? Who cares? Not this author. To me, following trends has always been for people who have no original thoughts. Authors, on the other hand, should.
Writing about something because it is trendy sells yourself short. Write what you love. If an aspect happens to be a trend, then so be it. Once that trend fades, you will still have words to bring alive. Passion for your writing gives you substance, which in turn, enables you to transcend trendiness. As fiction authors our job is to entertain through our art. As artists, we need to constantly invent and reinvent.
Like the extolled cocoa bean, the written word's versatility excites people. What trends will emerge after chilies in chocolate? The crystal balls do not show. At least a superbowl commercial does not need to kill all the habenero chocolate bars to help signal the end. Literarily speaking, the sun has set on the vampire, unless your surname is Rice. Nightfall has yet to break. Keep true to your loves. Perhaps you will set the next trend.
Women love chocolate. We want to eat nothing but chocolate. Bathe us in chocolate then enrobe us in more chocolate. At one point in my life, I enjoyed chocolate. Now, the Mayan food of the gods bores me. Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy a tasty piece of dark chocolate on occasion. It is just the onslaught of the chocolate trends has pushed me into chocolate doldrums.
Trend weariness happens more often than we like to admit. People see something popular and grab. What started as something lovely, morphs into a barrage of garbage. Those who contribute to the trend can find success before the inevitable happens. Often the problem with riding trends is that we are left with a gaping hole of nothingness once the wave has ebbed.
We see this in the book scene. The tsunami of vampires has finally ceased. When the water emptied back into the ocean, agents and publishers had nothing on which to fall. What is the new literary trend? Who cares? Not this author. To me, following trends has always been for people who have no original thoughts. Authors, on the other hand, should.
Writing about something because it is trendy sells yourself short. Write what you love. If an aspect happens to be a trend, then so be it. Once that trend fades, you will still have words to bring alive. Passion for your writing gives you substance, which in turn, enables you to transcend trendiness. As fiction authors our job is to entertain through our art. As artists, we need to constantly invent and reinvent.
Like the extolled cocoa bean, the written word's versatility excites people. What trends will emerge after chilies in chocolate? The crystal balls do not show. At least a superbowl commercial does not need to kill all the habenero chocolate bars to help signal the end. Literarily speaking, the sun has set on the vampire, unless your surname is Rice. Nightfall has yet to break. Keep true to your loves. Perhaps you will set the next trend.
