Rae Jones's Blog, page 7

Monday? Glad it is over.

Monday’s don’t usually faze me, but this one was a doozy.

Thanks to the Mama’s and the Papa’s, the Carpenters, Boomtown Rats and, my personal favorite, the Bangles, I just might make it through.

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p.s. Perhaps it was the transition back to the ‘real world’ after being in the heaven called Lopez Island which made it so tough…. either way, I’m glad I get to start over tomorrow.

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Published on June 18, 2012 20:02

Until further notice…

I am in the San Juan Islands until further notice.

Sequestered with very limited internet access and hardly any cell phone service to finish the second draft of my memoir.

I am staying at the most magnificent place imaginable (here are a few tasty tidbits of the natural beauty of the place:

Thank you to everyone for your support, encouragement and patience with me as I move through this process. Writing this memoir has been the hardest and yet most satisfying thing I have ever done. I promise it will be something you will be proud of. I love you all very much and couldn’t do this without you.

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Published on June 12, 2012 13:38

How Anne Germanacos Became a Writer

Reblogged from ph.d. in creative writing:

As writers, we live double lives: lived once in the world of others, and again, in the quiet of our own minds. It takes a certain amount of will and courage to leave with regularity the circle of humanity in order to enact a kind of theft, which is one aspect of what the writing life seems to be.

Anne Germanacos…

2nd Draft

The second draft of my upcoming book is due on Saturday. It is coming along nicely, but yet I always seem to push it until the last minute. I flirt dangerously with the deadlines. Apparently I like the thrill of the pressure. But I have to tell you, there have been a thousand times while writing this that I have wanted to quit. A thousand times I have wanted to throw my laptop out the window and get a desk job because it would be easier. Because a desk-job would pay my bills. Because a desk-job would give me some sense of security and immediate gratification.

Then I think…. NO.

I couldn’t do that.

Why?

Because of you.

You believe in me. You have supported me and loved me and encouraged me and bought my silly little books to keep me going. You have challenged me to pursue my dream. You text me at absurd hours of the day with random thoughts of encouragement and take me out for food or drinks when I’m being a little crazy. You have sacrificed and loved and been loyal. You are near and far.

Thank you.

I COULD NOT DO THIS WITHOUT YOU!

and…

I will never quit.

I promise.

xoxo

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Published on June 07, 2012 12:05

I’m writing a memoir…

I’m writing a memoir….

It’s the hardest, most difficult, most obsessive, most time consuming thing I have ever done.

But it also means, I am reading a lot of memoirs, and watching a lot of interviews about people who have written memoirs…

Like this one (which, by the way, I love Storm):

Anyway…. I’ve set a release date (so hold on to your socks).

It is:

November 11, 2012

I am talking to an amazing photographer (Micah Reese) about a book cover and an awesome film crew (and stunt team – , Jason Lowe and ) about doing a book trailer. As soon as I have something, I will be sure to share it with you.

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Published on June 03, 2012 18:16

Ghosts and Writing.

I’m writing a memoir and nothing gets to to confront your ghosts of Christmas past like a memoir. It’s been a fun and exciting experience to go through old memories and tie them together with an undercurrent of theme.

And yet, as quickly as ghosts pop up from my past, ghosts are popping up in my future.

I’ve been ghostwriting.

I’ve been helping people write the books that they want to write but just either don’t have the time to do it, or just can’t seem to get the words and story from their minds onto the paper. I help them organize their thoughts and walk with them through the entire process.

The bonus for them is, they get all the credit.

The bonus for me is, I get to continue to write (on my own schedule) AND I get to help others find their voice.

If you are considering hiring a ‘ghost’, there are a ton of really great resources online of things you should know. Like this, here, are four excellent questions. Be sure you have a non-disclosure or confidentiality agreement (with retainer) in place before you start talking about the scope of the project. That protects both you and your ghostwriter. Then decide what you want help with. Do you want help with just the outline or proposal? Do you want help writing a full manuscript? Or perhaps you just want help with the editing and publishing process. All of these things a ghostwriter can help you do.

Basically, a ghostwriter is like a ‘life coach’ for publishing. They work hard behind the scenes so that you can shine your best.

To date, I have published eight of my own books, with three more on the way. This doesn’t include the four other projects I have been silently and secretly working on with others. I am beginning to know this process of writing, editing and publishing intimately and am very proud of the work I put out.

If you are interested in hiring a ghostwriter, but have some questions, feel free to shoot me a note. I also have a basic ‘price sheet’ which outlines services and costs I would be happy to send over.

Everyone has a story to tell, it is just a matter of finding their voice.

xoxo

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Published on May 19, 2012 09:30

Solar Eclipse: 'Ring of Fire' Coming Sunday

Reblogged from NewsFeed:

Don’t look directly at it (not to sound like your elementary school teacher), but plan on checking out a “ring of fire” partial eclipse on Sunday, May 20, if you live on the West Coast of North America.

In this weekend’s annular solar eclipse, the moon will slide in front of the sun and block 94 percent of its light. But because the moon is near apogee — the point in its orbit when it’s farthest away from Earth — it appears smaller to us, and will only cover most of the sun — leaving a ring of fiery light blasting the edges.

Happy Birthday Title IX

I was a Title IV baby. So was my sister. We grew up in a family where we were encouraged and supported in the ‘girls can do anything’ idea.

Title IX (for those who don’t know) reads in part like this:

“No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance…”

We (and countless others) are the daughters of the Title IX revolution: Young women running and swimming their way through college, often with the help of athletic scholarships. My sister and I both got athletic scholarships to college which would not have been possible if it had not been for the passage of Title IX. We both have benefited greatly from our opportunities of post-secondary education due to Title IX and equal opportunity in the classroom, in the gym and in the pool. We have benefited greatly from the belief and confidence we received early on to ‘Do or Be anything you want!’ and innately know that we had the opportunity to make it happen.

and … Title IX is coming up on it’s 40th Anniversary of legislation (June 23rd). 40 years of federally mandated equal opportunities for women in athletics and financial opportunities.

Title IX has changed the landscape of society, empowered girls at a young age with the belief that ‘they could do anything’ and who grew up to be strong women. Even as controversial as it was (and has continued to be) I do think that the benefits far outweigh the costs. Why? Because it gives young girls an opportunity to engage in something other than America’s ‘celebrity culture’. Sure, not everyone is built to do a ‘sport’, but because of Title IX there are a thousand other after-school activities which have been opened up to girls/women which otherwise would not have been.

It is these after-school activities that encourage young people to stand strong in the face of adversity. It is these programs which introduce young people to role-models and leaders in the community, and it is these programs which help build confidence in an age where celebrity sex-tapes and drunken collapsing on a Hollywood sidewalk at 3 a.m. is blasted at young girls 24 hours a day, pinging from TV screens to computer screens to smart phone screens. The future of these young people is a constant fight between empowerment, encouragement and confidence and the gluttonous nutrition-less sleez-ebrity culture.

I understand deeply the positive effects that Title IX had on my life. I also understand that not every girl is an athlete. Which is why I am passionate about giving these young people an opportunity to do something more with their spare time than obsessively watch their twitter feed for the latest on celebrity culture.

Which is why I have put my energy and effort behind the SEEDs program. It was started in 2001 in New Mexico as a mentorship program for young girls and has since blossomed and spread, like seeds often do.

In Seattle it is offered at Skin Deep Dance, and poignantly this inaugural year of Deep SEEDs is also the 40th anniversary of Title IX.

One program — or 20 — won’t stem the tide. But with a shared and wide commitment to present — and, if we’re lucky, to be — the real role models, we might lift young girls above this empty celebrity culture.