Jessica Samuels's Blog, page 31

Busy…Busy…Busy

I have been so busy between work and school that I
have barely had any time to write at all. It shows at times when I don’t write
since writing is something I have to do in order to stay sane. I was kept up
late at night last night thinking about my characters Scarlet and Anubis. I
thought about where they came from, and who their parents are realizing I need
to do more research on ancient Egypt to understand where Anubis came from. I
applied to Virginia Commonwealth University because I really want to go there
to get a Bachelors in Mass Communications in Journalism. I plan on minoring in
Creative Writing because I love to write. It is more of a have to versus write
when I feel like it since if I don’t write I feel emotionally bad. It is a
thing I have learned about myself since I use my writing as a way of therapy.




I also plan on using my Reviews for Writers blog to
talk about a writing book I have been reading called Book in a Month by
Victoria Schmidt. It is a good book, and I will be doing an experiment to see
if I can write a book in a month. I also plan on reviewing The Writer magazine since I get it all the time. Of course I might just do it during the
summer. I have been working more on the second killer novel, and at one point I
was trying another way. It did not work out, and I kept the original version
instead. I might be putting the first few chapters in the paperback, but I will
have to see meanwhile I am waiting for the editor and working on editing the
retail story to send it off to a proofreader before I send it to an editor. I
am going to get another laptop when I start vcu as a way of making a fresh
start.




I will be turning my blog Survey of Popular Culture
into a blog for reviewing movies, television shows, and video games since I
watch a ton of tv shows and movies in my spare time. I know I should use it to
review books too since it falls in the realm of popular culture too. I will be
free during the summer for the first time, so expect me to post way more than I
do now since I will be free from school. That leaves me time to write more too,
and play video games. I am thinking for my first review that I will review Bioshock
Infinite, and I do have the Samsung Galaxy S3 review done so expect to see that
when I find all the pieces to it since my room is so messy I only found a few
pages. As always I will keep you guys up to date when I re-release the first
killer short and the first retail ebook.




Until Next Time,




Wolfdreamer25

#GuestPost Lust and the Editing Process by Darlene Steelman

 I love having other writers on my blog talk about the writing process, and when Darlene Steelman asked I could not say no. I am back in school now after a long break from school thanks to Spring break, and now I will be back to blogging.



Take it away Darlene...







Lust and the Editing Process







Writing.  It's
difficult, thankless most of the time and can have us sweeping up giant clumps
of ripped out hair in less than an hour. 
If you are a writer, you can relate to this.  If you're thinking of becoming a writer,
don't let that description scare you. 




While writing is not easy (like most of the non-writing
population seems to think) the rewards are bountiful if you're in it for the
right reasons. The first being you love to write.  The second being you can take a beating like
a champ.




This morning, I read a fascinating post on Writer's Digest
titled “The
Seven Deadly Sins of Self-Editing.” 
These deadly sins can be applied to any facet of writing.




Today I am going to talk about the first deadly sin on the
list:  LUST. As writers, lust can be
great if done in moderation (ha ha!  Good
luck).  However, lusting for our name
plastered all over the window and shelves at Barnes & Noble or front page
of Amazon can have an admonishing effect on our writing.




In this day an age of savvy technology and pretty much half
the world population resorting to self-publishing, I have to be honest.  A lot of the stuff I am reading these days is
total crap.  Some of the work is very
good but a lot of it is just garbage. 
And I sit there and think, “how is this person published and I am
not?  This book sucks!”




I get wanting to be published, famous, or just getting the
manuscript in print so we can forget about it and go back to the daily grind of
alarm clocks and yelling at traffic.  I
really do.  However, putting out a
half-cocked book will lead us to an empty cave of sorrow and assumed failure. 




I have one suggestion to offer you as a writer:  get someone else to edit your work.
Don't get your sister, your best friend or your cat to edit the thing.  If you're serious, get someone reputable that
will tell you like it is (much like that angry chef on the food network).  Yes, it will most likely cost you money.  In the end, however, you'll have a great
novel, book or memoir and the gains (both financial and egotistical) will far
outweigh the cash you spent.




Writers who don't write for the right reasons have this
narcissistic self-absorbed idea that their work is awesome and needs no
editing... what?  Yes.  They edit their own work before final
publication and then in a sea of haste they publish it themselves. Go ahead,
blast me if you must.  But remember, I am
a writer so I speak for myself as well. I used to edit my own blog posts after
I wrote them in haste and threw them up. 
“Bah, this is good enough.” Good enough?Now, I get someone else
to take a look at them because there is always... always something wrong.  Always. That goes for novels,
screenplays, short stories, poems and anything else in between.




So go ahead and lust after that book contract, your name in
lights or a seat at the table for your book signing. Use that lust to make sure
your work is pristine. Trust me, you'll build a name for yourself and sleep
better (with or without the stuffed bunny).



And if you want to here more from her then here is the link to her blog: www.thedailywoman.wordpress.com

Her Twitter: @DarleneSteelman.

Facebook Fanpage link: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Darlen...










I hope everyone enjoyed the post.




Until next time,

Wolfdreamer25

Writers have to write:

This picture above is a picture of my editing process. A notebook for notes in the middle, character notes to the left, and to the right is the document.




I just
discovered this lately about being a writer that I really cannot go that long
without doing something creative at all. I really can’t stop writing period end
of story I have not been writing as much, and once I stop I start to not really
feel like myself. I get so much joy from writing that I am really in a better
mood once I get some time in since I love doing it. I love creating worlds too
I have been world building with my stories, and crafting the world they live in
deciding to have two realms for all my stories The Canama realm which is a
realm for humans. The Melodian realm is for supernatural creatures, and I plan
on exploring different regions and cities in both the Melodian and Canama realm
in fact the Canama realm is where the Killer Contract Agency is located since
some of the operatives and hits are human. I am loving the world at times
wishing it was real. I used to think my thoughts and the characters in my
worlds are the same it is not the case at all.




Paperback
update: The paperback is expected to be out by August 1st. And the ebooks will
be out once I am done getting them back from my critique buddy, and then I am
letting a professional editor edit it before publishing it. Why so far for the
paperback? Well, it is my last semester of community college, and I work part
time too. I have Mondays free, Tuesdays and Thursdays after 3:45. With time in
between working on the weekends. I am busy going out places, and I want to give
myself time to properly edit my book before unleashing it on the unsuspecting
world. I plan on getting another paperback out too, but it will be sometime
after I get done with getting settled in my new college. I plan on having these stories in the first one:




The
Killer short starring the first operative of The Killer Contract Agency, and it
pretty much has her getting even with the group who tries to bully her to the
point where she winds up in the hospital almost dead until she is rescued, and
able to get her revenge.




Retail 1
Vampires in Retail Sucks where Scarlet Summers the star of the second killer
book goes undercover as a retail employee working for Fiona's Corner and Cafe
to solve the case of the girls that went missing from a local werewolf pack,
and the first chapter of the Second Killer novel will be in it too.




Boyfriend
Missing Ex is a Zombie which is abot a girl that gets revenge on her ex with a
spell only to have it back fire on her. Boyfriend goes missing after he spends
days going over metaphysical books to look for a solution.




Donnie's
Demise where we meet Sapphire a shapeshifting witch, and her psychic vampire
Storm, and on her day off gets called into her detective agency to go
undercover as a waitress at a strip club to clear Hanna's name, and solve the
crime of who killed her evil ex. Then I am including the first chapter of
Psychic Vampires, and Witches oh my.




The last
story going in is Obsession Spell which is about a girl named Jenna who is a
witch who broke up with her ex Jerry, and is now going as far as to break up
his current relationship to get him back into a relationship with her.   




It is urban fantasy, and I loved creating the
story. I had issues with the fact that stories feature girls, and first loves
with no mention of second loves. I have stories that focus on exes and what
happens if it does not work out, and ones that involve getting even with the ex
sometimes him dying. I have come to terms with the fact that I love revenge and
violence more then anything with strong language not to be vulgar, but my
characters are sassy pottymouths with attitudes.




The last thing is I restored my Reviews for
Writers blog, and the link is here:





http://wolfdreamer25reviewsforwriters.blogspot.com/





I have so many writing books and ebooks that I
decided to write a review about a book once a month or more depending on how
much time I have, and how fast I can read it with everything going on. I love
reading!




Questions? Comments?




Until next time,




Wolfdreamer25 

Second Love makes you better

They say people never
marry their high school sweethearts, and sometimes that is true some people do
marry them. The majority of people don’t because let’s face it people change. I
always wonder why relationships don’t work out when both parties could have
worked on it, and distance does not mean anything at all when there is love. I
think about this as I write one of my characters, and see everything she has
been through in her eyes. Sometimes things don’t work out because one decides
to give up, and honestly if it does not work out with your first love then they
obviously could not handle it at all. I now know what a real relationship is
like, and it means having them around enjoying their company. It means fighting
is healthy, and if it does not happen then something is wrong. It means working
out no matter what, and no giving up when the relationship gets rough. Relationships
are hard sometimes, and you have to have compromise in them. Relationships
involve trust and telling the truth even when it hurts. It is like that with
friends too, and it means communication. I am really happy in the relationship
I am in now since we communicate, we talk, we tell each other the truth even if
it hurts. We enjoy spending time with each other, and I hate being away that is
one of the key elements in the second killer novel I want to put in. People always
write about first loves, but maybe they should think about it the second time
around too. Each relationship prepares you for the next, and learning and
loving is what life is about.




What about second love?




Until next time,




Wolfdreamer25  

My Weekend at Katsucon

I left at 4am Friday morning to ride to a hotel to
stay at with my boyfriend, and then make a 10 minute drive to Maryland for
Katsucon:






A convention for people who love Japanese animation,
movies, tv shows, and films even people who love video games, swords and
knives, and graphic novels.

Here is my knife:






I loved all the knive booths, and there was a gaming
room, Artists Alley, Merchant Room, and various events going on throughout the
day. 

I even picked up new gauges and a key Chain:









I loved it there it was so much fun! The most
amazing thing about it was inside the hotel there were two cool water fountains:











I loved going inside since it looked like a mall too
will all kinds of shops, and tons of conference rooms.








The best part of the trip though was the amazing
costumes, and this is mine:









Here are all the Costumes I took picture of and
with:




Lee as Alucard..








The back of the tall bumblebee costume it was a person on stilts!









Here is the front.









This is a picture of my friend Jessica as Queen
Chrysalis.






This is me with a guy from Fallout.









This is a guy from Halo.









This is a picture of Jason and the Rae gang.









And this last picture is of Jason and the Scotsman.









All in all I really enjoyed being at the convention. 




I also ate at McCormick&Schmicks for the first time. I really loved their
Clam chowder it was the perfect thing on a cold day. I even shared the Ultimate
Mixed Grill: Stuffed Shrimp, Grilled Shrimp, Seared Scallops,
Grilled Salmon. It was not that bad, and I even loved the Scallops when I don’t
mind them. The second restaurant I tried was Public House. I ate the Maryland
Crab Cake sandwich, and it was so good I could have asked for another!




Oh boy was it cold to the point where I wore jeans
for the last two days. I am hoping to go back this time to Otakon with friends
to make the experience more enjoyable then it already was, and I made friends
there too. I talked to a book reviewer with her own channel on Youtube, a few
screenwriters who are filming a movie, and a few cosplayers.




That is all for now until the next con. I will be
getting back to writing blog posts, and find the Samsung Galaxy review too.




Until next Time,




Wolfdreamer25

Patience is the key!

I have not
worked on the edits for the killer short which might turn into a novella at
this point or the retail one since I am waiting for my critique partner to give
me his feedback. After I get it back then work on the edits I will send it to
an editor to go over a few times then get the cover, and publish it still it is
not a short process at all. Not by a long shot in fact it can be downright a
waiting game, but it will pay off in the long run. With the writing process you
learn to be patient when it comes to waiting like things get in the way like
for me work and school can make writing be temporarily put on the back burner
thanks to it being my last semester there is even more pressure to make sure
school work is done before I even think about writing. I am still set on a
Summer release for the paperback, and the re-edited killer and Retail story. It
just takes time to produce a good book, and I am working on the second killer
novel too while doing research for the Fang and Fur of Love book. Writing the
world I am doing takes time, and I am self-publishing my ebooks and paperback
which means I do all the work by myself. I really love being able to control it
by myself to an extent which is why I did it by myself. I will write on more
topics in the future since I plan on reading several Indie books about writing a
novel, and how to survive in the world.




Until next
time,




Wolfdreamer25 

Stress Sucks

I took a class called Stress and Stress
Management I am glad I did take it since I have been feeling it more and more
lately. I have school, work, writing, and making time for friends and family,
but sometimes it feels like there is not enough time to do everything I want to
do at all. After seeing what it is doing to me by making me physically sick for
two weeks I want to change my ways.




One of the exercises I have learned is
Diaphragmatic breathing thanks to the book Managing
Stress: Principles and Strategies For Health and Well-being by Brain Luke
Seaward, and it even comes with a workbook called The Art of Peace and Relaxation workbook by Brain Luke Seaward with
a bonus CD in the first book to help with the exercises.




On to the exercises there are three steps to it:

1.  
Get in a comfortable position to do
the exercise in like sitting down or lying down.

2.  
Concentrate: Make sure everything is
turned off, and find a quiet place to do this technique.

3.  
Visualization:  “From Brian
Luke Seawards  book Breathing Clouds: To
begin, close your eyes and focus all your attention on breathing. Visualize the
air that you take into your lungs as being clean, fresh air; pure and energized
air; clean air with the power to heal and cleanse your body. As you breathe in
this clean, fresh air, visualize, and feel air enter your nose (or mouth),
travel up through the sinus cavities to the top of your head, and down your
spinal column to circulate throughout your body. Now, as you exhale, visualize
that the air leaving your body is dirty air---dark, cloudy, smoke that
symbolizes all the stressors, frustrations, and toxins throughout you mind and
body. With each breath you take, allow the clean, fresh air to enter,
circulate, and rejuvenate your body, and expel the dirty air to help you rid
your body of its stress and tension. Repeat this breathing cycle for 5 to 10
minutes.” (Seaward 364-365)   




It has really helped me calm
down, and I love using it whenever I also add music and incense like Lavender
and Chamomile since they have calming properties.




I also wrote an article for the
paper about stress and here it is:

Stress Relief

Stress comes in many different
ways from many different things. Whether we worry about practice, acing the
essay, or a first date..it is everywhere.




There are many ways to get rid
of stress. One of them is relaxing and meditating. Doing so allows you to focus
your mind and concentrate on breathing.




Taking a hot shower or drinking
a hot cup of tea can also help you relax. You can try a new relaxing hobby or
listen to music that is soothing and relaxing. You can take any of these
suggestions or come up with one of your own.




There are many more ways to
reduce stress and here are a few other people’s opinions and what they do to
reduce stress. Katie Hickman, junior, replied with “I turn on my mp3 player and
turn the music up.” And that is also the case with David Claypoole, also a
junior. He said, “I prefer to sit and sing to my music, loud!” Mr.Nothnagal,
Theater and Theater Production teacher, replied with, “I get on my soap box and
vent to my students.” So, there are various ways you and other people can deal
with stress. Find yours.




I hope you have enjoyed it, and
what other ways do you use to get rid of stress?




Until next time,




Wolfdreamer25





Works Cited

Seaward, Brian Luke. "Visualization Exercise 1:
Breathing Clouds." Seaward, Brian Luke. Managing Stress.
Burlington: Jones & Barlet Learning, 2012. 364-365. Article.

Life and Ways to get over Heartbreak:

I finally got over the past completely yesterday.
That is a huge accomplishment for me considering I used to torture myself over
what could have happened, or what I should have done when I should be moving
on. I should be focusing on the now like I am going to graduate in May then go
to VCU. I will have an Associates and then go to VCU to get a Bachelors in Mass
Communications in Journalism. It is exciting that I am graduating after 4
years. Of course there is still the planning to be done for next year like
turning in my application. I am taking an Improvisation 1, Introduction to
Theater, College Algebra, and a Stress and Stress Management course. I am still
working on Killer Edits, Retail edits, and then making a paperback which I want
to have done by next Fall or earlier.




I have to tell people that everyone goes through
heartbreak, and when it comes to their first loves it is hard to get over it at
first. I just recently got over all the times I was hurt period because of
friends, exboyfriends you name it. I have been in a relationship for 3 years!
Let me tell you the second time is better then the first since you now know
what to expect.




Here are ten tips to dealing with heartbreak:






1.  
Admit it is over and done with.

2.  
Curse the guy or girl just let it out
nothing is worse then holding it all in.

3.  
Chocolate believe me your body will
thank you.

4.  
Exercise by running while listening
to music.

5.  
Get rid of everything they gave you
because if you don’t then feelings will remain forcing you to not get over it
as quickly.

6.  
Don’t contact them because nothing
makes things worse then trying to convince them to stay with you. I did that,
and it hurt more then him punching me in the gut.

7.  
Keep busy, hang with friends, and go
to the mall. It gets you out of the house and makes you realize there is more
fish in the sea.

8.  
Take your time and let yourself feel
things before moving on.

9.  
It may hurt at first when you know
they are married with a kid on the way in the future, but when you have someone
better then them in every way. Well, you will not really care because there is
a reason why you guys did not work out.

10.              
If the relationship did not work out
then it was not meant to be, and there is someone out there better for you to
be with in the future. Good things maybe right around the corner.













Until next time,




Wolfdreamer25 

Another Year Down time to plan 2013 Goals:

As the year comes to a close I
think about my life as of right now. I have wasted time thinking about the past
more this year letting stupid drama affect me to the point where I get sick
because of it. I have rewritten my first young adult novel over, and I have a
smartphone and an iPad now to help me on the go. I have gotten more rewriting
in too working on getting the retail novel in shape. I have contacted an editor
for the first time to make my work polished for publishing a paperback, and
redoing the first short story. I found an editor who is affordable to me since
I am a college student on a tight budget, and it required time and effort in
between work and school.




I have learned how to procrastinate
now more than ever, and in turn it made me put off studying to the point where
I have to repeat math 158 since I pretty much failed tests since I did not
study as much as I should have. I will do better in school this semester since
I know what to expect for math 158 and I have two online, and two in person as
well as working part time. I have also come to the conclusion that I need to
take better care of myself by getting enough sleep, eating right, and staying
in shape. As 2013 hits it marks a new year with me starting a new college in
August since I will be going to a four year school after I graduate in May. I
am redoing my short story of the Killer Contract Agency by having another peer
review of it, and then after doing the changes giving it to an editor to polish
it then republishing it with the new version as well as a new cover. I am
editing the retail novel then sending it to be critiqued then after an editor
and the cover is done I will be publishing it. I am going to put out a
paperback sometime this year too, and finally focus on my blog more I know I
plan on reviewing writing books too. I am starting classes next Monday so I
will have time to read and write in between.




I will just have to see what
happens because I know there will be changes in 2013 for me I just hope I can
finally make the ones I want this time. I will be taking a Stress and Stress
Management Class online too I cannot wait to start that class because stress is
the one factor getting in the way of my goals!!




Any goals you want to accomplish in
2013?




Until next time,




Wolfdreamer25

Drama Never Ends Part 2

Drama never ends even when you graduate high school. Even in college and work there will still be people who cause drama in your life for the fun of it. Talking to them does not solve the issue either considering they will try to turn it on you. I have tried to reason with a drama starter but no luck her reply "Oh I don't f!@##$ bully people because if I did I would have kicked your a#$." Nice huh? There are some ways of dealing with those people especial ly in the workplace,  and the best one is to ignore them. Sometimes they are just having a bad day, and then your best bet it to leave them alone. Starting stuff will only make it worse.

Is there another way you have dealt with a drama starter if so how?

Until next time,

Wolfdreamer25