Julia Benally's Blog, page 13
March 9, 2020
Can't Sew For Beans: My Weekend Disaster...Project
I broke my needle, tangled up my thread, sewed a meandering river across the hem and then destroyed it while pulling out the threads.
My mom said, "Use your sewing machine."
Me: "That WAS my sewing machine!"
If I were making a map, I'd sew in straight lines.
I used the worst kind of fabric. Of course, of course. Somebody told me fabric was important, but I'd already bought this one. I ended up hand-stitching it because...
Kill me now.
And there it is. You can't take it anywhere. First Halloween costume I've stitched that actually fit a person.
My mom said, "Use your sewing machine."
Me: "That WAS my sewing machine!"
If I were making a map, I'd sew in straight lines.
I used the worst kind of fabric. Of course, of course. Somebody told me fabric was important, but I'd already bought this one. I ended up hand-stitching it because...
Kill me now.
And there it is. You can't take it anywhere. First Halloween costume I've stitched that actually fit a person.
February 19, 2020
Dancing With Irish Monsters: WIHM Interview With A Boss of Horror Iseult Murphy
Hello everyone! This is a historical day for me. Not only am I conducting my first author interview, but it's my first Women In Horror Month Interview. I'm so pleased and excited to be interviewing such an interesting person. So without further ado, let's hop in.
Hi, I’m Iseult. I love writing, reading and watching horror, fantasy and science fiction. I have two collections of short stories available for purchase on Amazon. I post book reviews and writing updates on my blog, and I love connecting with others on twitter. I’m so excited to be collaborating with Julia for Women in Horror Month.
Julia: What influence does your part of Ireland have on your stories?
Iseult: I live on the east coast of Ireland, north of the capital city, Dublin, in an area historically called the Pale, where English rule was strongest during colonial times. I also live very near the border with Northern ireland. I have ancestors who had to hide in the mountains from the Black and Tans, and I know people who were held hostage by the IRA. Traveling to Northern Ireland with my father when I was a child was a terrifying experience. The car would be surrounded by soldiers with huge guns, and I could see snipers hiding at the side of the road. When you are a child, all these things seem normal. You don’t realize that people have different experiences. Perhaps it is only natural with this background that I’ve always been fascinated with mythology and horror. I think this has had a huge influence on my writing. There are a lot of monsters in my work, especially characters being rescued from one monster by an even worse one.
Julia: Are there any scary folk tales from Ireland that have influenced you? Will you tell one most people outside of Ireland don't know about?
Iseult: There are lots. Growing up, my mother used to tell me scary ghost stories that left me wanting to see a ghost! A lot of folk tales concern the witching hour between midnight and one in the morning, and how unwise it is to venture out on the roads during that time. My favourite tale is the Amadhan, who apparently walks the roads at night during the month of August, laughing. He wears a black suit and a black hat. Anyone who sees him goes mad. I always found that terrifying.
Julia: Why do you like to use animals in your stories? What are their significance?
Iseult: I love animals! I’ve always found them easier to understand than humans. In fact, for at least four years in my childhood I tried to live as a wolf. I’m very drawn to the wolf and the panther or lion. I couldn’t understand why being a werewolf was a bad thing! In my stories, wolves are the pinnacle of love, loyalty and intelligence. Horses are strength. Eagles are freedom and rebellion. Lions are power that is hard to control.
Julia: What circumstances do you need, if any, to write horror? Ex: Does it need to be daylight? Do you need to feel safe first? Does it even bother you?
Iseult: Great question! I find it very easy to write horror. It is how my brain works. I see the horrific potential of every situation, and at night I have nightmares which often make good horror stories!
Julia: Many people say all subjects can be tapped in horror, but for you, are there any that are taboo? Why?
Iseult: For me, horror is a way to better understand life. I think that is where horror and mythology intersect for me. Myths and fairy tales and folk tales are all ways to understand real events and universal truths of the human condition, and my interest in horror is connected to that reality. How do you act in extreme circumstances? How do you handle the darkness within you? How do you cope with the preternatural? These are all important topics for me, and I use horror to explore these topics. So, in that sense, there are no taboo subjects. However, I’m not interested in horror that fetishizes torture or misfortune to others. Horror that has no deeper meaning or brings greater understanding to life, that is just to titillate or disgust, is dangerous to me, because it can become an addiction and then more and more extreme steps must be taken to be satisfying.
Julia: Bonus question! Do you believe in malignant spirits? If so, what steps do you take to protect yourself?
Iseult: Yes, I do. I am a Catholic, so I rely on Sacramentals such as Holy Water and the Miraculous Medal to protect me, as well as prayer. I have been protected many times from malignant spirits by calling on my guardian angel and the benevolent spirits.
Julia: This has been an extremely riveting experience, Iseult, thank you for coming on my blog today.
Readers, Iseult has interviewed me, too. Click here to reach it. She's asked me about mythology and we talk about monsters.
Be sure to read her works, which are as smooth as skating on ice. Happy Women In Horror Month!
You can click on Iseult's links up top, or you can stay down here and visit her pages.
Amazon
Iseult's Blog
February 5, 2020
Publication Announcement! "Beautiful Dream"
First publication of 2020!
"Beautiful Dream" has been reprinted. It was first in Hellbound Books' "Graveyard Girls" anthology, in which you had to pay to read it. Now the story is available for free.
I was forced to study philosophy for a little bit. Since a person can't do anything with it, except question reality, I decided it could make itself useful in "Beautiful Dream."
Read it here and enjoy! May it twist your senses like it did mine.
Happy Women In Horror Month!
January 29, 2020
Funky Road Trip, Magic Portals and Nut Houses
I was supposed to take my sister to get tested for autism. It was difficult to find a place that tested adults for it. My mom called everywhere, and finally, one place said they did it. She made the appointment and we drove two hours, using a GPS to find this prestigious facility.
The GPS took us through winding streets and past a broken down building claiming to be the high school. The roads started breaking up and cracking. Nobody was around. We crossed rail road tracks I didn't even know existed in that town.
We ended up in a tiny community crawling with cops. It was like, is there a prison here? Is there a killer running around? The place reminded me of a nightmare I had several months ago. The road sloped up just like in the dream, too.
Killing the car's alignment on some bumpy, broken road, we passed a narrow, bushy footpath. It had a name like it was an actual street. We reached a group of isolated buildings and squeezed down a dirt road only a truck could traverse. I swear those ruts were three feet high.
I parked the car in front of a squat, bleached building and we got out. A man appeared in the cement hallway as we headed for a metal door. He was gray. His skin, hair, shorts, jacket, socks and shoes. He asked for 75 cents, but we didn't have any.
We got through the screeching door and entered a sad, little room with a squeaky, wooden bench. It was probably pilfered from the ruins of the high school. I bet the ghosts missed it. Gross, white linoleum covered the floor. As my mom and sister filled out an inch thick stack of paper work, the gray man repeatedly walked in and out of the room. Pretty soon, all I could smell was un-wiped butt. The two women at the front desk didn't care. I started wondering if the man lived there. WHY would he live there?
A woman came in and said she would see us. She took us outside, through another metal door, and down a pale, narrow corridor and walked into a tiny cell. I don't even know how they managed to fit her desk in there. The door locked from the inside and there was a small window on it, like you see in the nut house in Terminator 2.
Here, she told us we were only consulting and wouldn't be testing. That was weird, because my mom clearly set up an appointment for testing. The woman started asking bizarre questions, because she thought my sister was sexually active, on drugs and that we were there to admit her to the madhouse. My mom said, "No! She's here to be tested for autism!" The woman got confused and left to talk to her adviser. She came back and said their institution didn't test adults for autism and we were "misinformed." Punks freakin' sent us to a funny farm!
We high-tailed it out of there, bumped by the nightmare footpath, and ended up at the top of a hill. Where the heck was the main road? How'd I get to the top of this sky-scraping hill? If anybody tripped, they'd roll all the way to the bottom. We reached a drop with no fence, and houses were up against it. You could parachute down there. Best sledding hill ever, until you fly into traffic at the bottom. The thing was nearly vertical.
We took the roller coaster ride down and ended up back on the main drag, and realized that not only had we popped up at the top of a hill, but were on the opposite side of town from where we were in the first place, but had never crossed the main highway. I'm either made of magic, or we passed through a secret portal created by aliens.
Anyway, we decided to eat lunch in this new dimension. I was at the Speedway, but my mom said let's go to Taco Bell across the street. I drove on over the sidewalk and parked in front of it. I know I looked nuts, but there was nothing I could do about it. I'd just come from a nut house, you know.
The GPS took us through winding streets and past a broken down building claiming to be the high school. The roads started breaking up and cracking. Nobody was around. We crossed rail road tracks I didn't even know existed in that town.
We ended up in a tiny community crawling with cops. It was like, is there a prison here? Is there a killer running around? The place reminded me of a nightmare I had several months ago. The road sloped up just like in the dream, too.
Killing the car's alignment on some bumpy, broken road, we passed a narrow, bushy footpath. It had a name like it was an actual street. We reached a group of isolated buildings and squeezed down a dirt road only a truck could traverse. I swear those ruts were three feet high.
I parked the car in front of a squat, bleached building and we got out. A man appeared in the cement hallway as we headed for a metal door. He was gray. His skin, hair, shorts, jacket, socks and shoes. He asked for 75 cents, but we didn't have any.
We got through the screeching door and entered a sad, little room with a squeaky, wooden bench. It was probably pilfered from the ruins of the high school. I bet the ghosts missed it. Gross, white linoleum covered the floor. As my mom and sister filled out an inch thick stack of paper work, the gray man repeatedly walked in and out of the room. Pretty soon, all I could smell was un-wiped butt. The two women at the front desk didn't care. I started wondering if the man lived there. WHY would he live there?
A woman came in and said she would see us. She took us outside, through another metal door, and down a pale, narrow corridor and walked into a tiny cell. I don't even know how they managed to fit her desk in there. The door locked from the inside and there was a small window on it, like you see in the nut house in Terminator 2.
Here, she told us we were only consulting and wouldn't be testing. That was weird, because my mom clearly set up an appointment for testing. The woman started asking bizarre questions, because she thought my sister was sexually active, on drugs and that we were there to admit her to the madhouse. My mom said, "No! She's here to be tested for autism!" The woman got confused and left to talk to her adviser. She came back and said their institution didn't test adults for autism and we were "misinformed." Punks freakin' sent us to a funny farm!
We high-tailed it out of there, bumped by the nightmare footpath, and ended up at the top of a hill. Where the heck was the main road? How'd I get to the top of this sky-scraping hill? If anybody tripped, they'd roll all the way to the bottom. We reached a drop with no fence, and houses were up against it. You could parachute down there. Best sledding hill ever, until you fly into traffic at the bottom. The thing was nearly vertical.
We took the roller coaster ride down and ended up back on the main drag, and realized that not only had we popped up at the top of a hill, but were on the opposite side of town from where we were in the first place, but had never crossed the main highway. I'm either made of magic, or we passed through a secret portal created by aliens.
Anyway, we decided to eat lunch in this new dimension. I was at the Speedway, but my mom said let's go to Taco Bell across the street. I drove on over the sidewalk and parked in front of it. I know I looked nuts, but there was nothing I could do about it. I'd just come from a nut house, you know.
January 13, 2020
The Ruins of "Embers"
I've always enjoyed abandoned areas as settings. They give me a kind of creepy joy. This is partly why "Headlights" is one of my favorite short stories.
For "Embers," I wasn't sure what the setting would be, because I thought of moving Zhin's band elsewhere. I didn't like the settings of these places, though. Finally, I alighted on the one idea that made sense: the ruined Sirix city. Everybody's jacked up from the first book, and this abandoned city is perfect to recover in.
Note: Ilings are tougher in make-up than Earthlings. I had written this in during the first drafts and the beta readers had no problem not reading it in the final, but it seems some people are confused. So here it is. I say this, because some people will definitely ask how they could recover without a hospital, or in the Visserian tongue, a vozhrith.
These pictures are the closest I could come to what the place looks like. First, the abandoned library, which is in good condition since it's underground and was closed up.
I thought this was near perfect, but there are more floors and there are no windows. Just beautiful.
Outside, there are multiple towers and bridges connecting other towers. This thing just lacks the white stone the towers are made of, and the multitude of green vines and yellow flowers festooning it.
Then of course, there's the entrance to the library. It's a pot similar to this one. Just stick it in the middle of a stone courtyard and add about thirty or so feet to its size.
"Embers" is due out this year, even if it murders me. The cover design is underway and the book is in its final stages. Quite as exciting as being pounced by a retsinist, I dare say.
For "Embers," I wasn't sure what the setting would be, because I thought of moving Zhin's band elsewhere. I didn't like the settings of these places, though. Finally, I alighted on the one idea that made sense: the ruined Sirix city. Everybody's jacked up from the first book, and this abandoned city is perfect to recover in.
Note: Ilings are tougher in make-up than Earthlings. I had written this in during the first drafts and the beta readers had no problem not reading it in the final, but it seems some people are confused. So here it is. I say this, because some people will definitely ask how they could recover without a hospital, or in the Visserian tongue, a vozhrith.
These pictures are the closest I could come to what the place looks like. First, the abandoned library, which is in good condition since it's underground and was closed up.
I thought this was near perfect, but there are more floors and there are no windows. Just beautiful.
Outside, there are multiple towers and bridges connecting other towers. This thing just lacks the white stone the towers are made of, and the multitude of green vines and yellow flowers festooning it.
Then of course, there's the entrance to the library. It's a pot similar to this one. Just stick it in the middle of a stone courtyard and add about thirty or so feet to its size.
"Embers" is due out this year, even if it murders me. The cover design is underway and the book is in its final stages. Quite as exciting as being pounced by a retsinist, I dare say.
January 7, 2020
Haunted School
Back when I worked as a substitute teacher, I often subbed at a school lurking in the bushes 45 minutes from home. There was a river nearby, where teachers took their students on spur-of-the-moment field trips.
One day, I was subbing for a class I particularly liked. They didn't have psychotic issues. After I sent them off to the computer lab, I returned to the class room alone to look over the day's schedule.
The class room was set up so that the teacher could view all areas of the room from her desk. The one hidden spot was a corner where two bookshelves faced each other.
While I reviewed the schedule, I heard a sound in front of the desk, like somebody letting out air after holding their breath for a long time. Immediately, I looked over the desk's edge, but saw nobody. The books in the shelves began to shift, so I took a look. Nobody there, either. I returned to the desk, wondering what to do.
The teacher had a stuffed green dragon sitting on a microwave next to the desk. For some reason, my eyes were drawn to it. The toy turned on the microwave until it faced me. And then it slid to the edge and hit the floor.
Picking it up, I placed it back on the microwave and got my butt out of the room. As soon as I stepped into the hall, I ran into the secretary. She said the teacher for my class was returning and they had assigned me to another one. A teacher aid would take my spot. This new class wasn't as well-behaved, but better them than what haunted this creepy chamber.
After I received my new assignment, I had to pass that room. The teacher aid was sitting inside alone, so I recounted the tale to her. When she discovered the incident had occurred not five minutes ago, she followed me out. The principal never called me to teach in that room again.
January 4, 2020
Bananas Gone Squish!
I'd heard about fried bananas. They sounded pretty good. My mom thought so, too. We'd never had them. The recipe seemed easy. What could possibly go wrong?
We bought regular yellow bananas at the store, chopped them up real nice like the recipe said and dropped them in the pan. We waited for them to fry. And then we tried to turn them over.
Have you ever walked down the road after it rains, and all the inconsiderate people have just stepped on the worms that suddenly couldn't tell the difference between dirt and concrete? Well that's what bubbled in the pan: a mass of squished worms and sticky banana guts. I felt like Willie Wonka trying to eat the mashed caterpillars in the wooden bowl the oomp loompa gave him. We almost had to throw the pan away. Who knew underripe bananas could melt so thoroughly?
I don't know what went wrong. We must have done some kind of transmutation. Those bananas turned into worms. What did I get out of this experience? A disgusting new recipe for my people back on planet Ilo.
November 20, 2019
Infernal Exclamation Points...!
Hi! I'm Julia! I'm writing a blog! I'm so excited! I want to bring awareness! It's not just for you and me! It's for the world! Here's why I write!
1. I want the world to know about how I can't cook donuts!
2. I want to teach the world what it means to lose a sunflower after months of hard work!
3. They have to know about all of my dead fish!
4. Don't pour your money into dating sites!
5. There's nothing we can't do!
If your writing looks like this, you sound like a chicken!
Banish those exclamation points to the abyss. They're like sugar. Please use sparingly. Nobody wants to catch writing diabetes. Exclamation points can render the most serious of writing pieces idiotic. Add the extra kick only when needed.
Example:
Kara skipped home from school. She couldn't wait to see her chicken. She and Mrs. Hopper were the greatest of friends. She forgot to feed Mrs. Hopper most of the time, but it was okay. Mrs. Hopper survived no matter what happened.
When Kara reached home, her mom stood at the door with arms folded across her stomach. A frown tugged at the corners of her mouth.
"What's the matter, Mom?" said Kara.
Mrs. Addison placed her hands on her daughter's shoulders. "I'm sorry, Kara, but Mrs. Hopper is dead."
Kara's muscles tensed. "What?"
"I found her..."
"No!" Kara shoved out of her mother's grasp and rushed to the backyard. Mrs. Addison tried to stop her, but failed.
There was Mrs. Hopper, walking around without her head.
Moral of the story: erase your exclamation points, or you too can sound like Mrs. Hopper penned your piece.
1. I want the world to know about how I can't cook donuts!
2. I want to teach the world what it means to lose a sunflower after months of hard work!
3. They have to know about all of my dead fish!
4. Don't pour your money into dating sites!
5. There's nothing we can't do!
If your writing looks like this, you sound like a chicken!
Banish those exclamation points to the abyss. They're like sugar. Please use sparingly. Nobody wants to catch writing diabetes. Exclamation points can render the most serious of writing pieces idiotic. Add the extra kick only when needed.
Example:
Kara skipped home from school. She couldn't wait to see her chicken. She and Mrs. Hopper were the greatest of friends. She forgot to feed Mrs. Hopper most of the time, but it was okay. Mrs. Hopper survived no matter what happened.
When Kara reached home, her mom stood at the door with arms folded across her stomach. A frown tugged at the corners of her mouth.
"What's the matter, Mom?" said Kara.
Mrs. Addison placed her hands on her daughter's shoulders. "I'm sorry, Kara, but Mrs. Hopper is dead."
Kara's muscles tensed. "What?"
"I found her..."
"No!" Kara shoved out of her mother's grasp and rushed to the backyard. Mrs. Addison tried to stop her, but failed.
There was Mrs. Hopper, walking around without her head.
Moral of the story: erase your exclamation points, or you too can sound like Mrs. Hopper penned your piece.
November 11, 2019
Book Two, Title Reveal!
Even before Pariahs was ready for publication, I'd started working on book two. When I finally came up with a title, I was thrilled, because usually my titles are the last to arrive. Well, last week a different name showed up and said, "Hi, I'm the official title!" It didn't even apologize.In thinking about book two's name, I realized it revealed too much.
For the Ilings series, I want each book to have a mystifying title encompassing the novel's heart. When the complete series showcases, Gorgeous, Elegant, and Majestic can't be grouped with Bumpkin Town. The titles need to mesh together.
I slept on this title for several days. Something wasn't right, but last night around midnight, I got it. Make the title plural. Bam, the chills struck me in the gut. This is what the title should be.
Without further ado, let me introduce the sequel to Pariahs.
Embers.
November 1, 2019
LETME
With me today on this beautiful first of November are Sean L. Brown and April Emerson, two exceptional people who wish to open your eyes to the beauty of the world.
Anyone that has met the two of us at a signing, an event, or simply walking around exploring knows that we are not quite your typical pair. So when Julia invited us to guest blog here and talk a little bit about #LETME, we jumped at the chance to have a little fun. Now, we have been interviewed in the past, yet this time we looked at each other via video chat and said, “Hey, if we don’t have an interviewer, why not interview each other?” In true Team Sean’s Thoughts: why not, indeed..
APRIL: Sean, let’s go. What is LETME? And, how did it get started?
SEAN: LETME stands for “Live Every Tiny Moment Exceptionally.” After I had been writing online what I called “Sean’s Thoughts” for several years, I wanted to show people that the best things in life could be found in the small things. I thought that this message would resonate and domino and snowball, reaching more and more people. I didn’t think of it as a movement. It was first created as a message, a way to help people who were reading my social media posts to reframe their thinking. It was originally about each individual creating his or her own path, and realizing that if a person is happy they spread happiness. There’s no way to avoid it. LETME became a movement over time, as our social media presence, our books, and our personal growth workshops took off.
What about you, April? You joined up with me in 2016 to work on Just a Thought, the book. Why did LETME resonate with you?
APRIL: Well, the first time I heard of LETME was in the editing process for Just a Thought. The idea that we can choose to live every single moment of our lives appreciating the simple beauty and joy around us, to me, is the best and only choice. So when I kept reading the passages in your book, as I edited, I felt as though the messages were speaking directly to me and the way I prefer to live each and every day. In fact, my children’s book Apononoko and the Lonely Tree was actually inspired by the idea that every moment is a gift and should be cherished. LETME, for me, is less of a movement and more of a mindset. That being said, I still hope to share this way of living in the world with as many people as we possibly can because like you said, when we are happy we spread happiness.
Now that it is taking on a life as a movement, where do you see it going next?
SEAN: We have created the YouTube show LETME the Journey. It is in its infancy yet we continue to grow. Through social media, I hope people share their moments of joy, with us, with each other, with strangers. I hope that people take the best part of LETME and share it. Share what they love: Our cultures. Our races. Our economics. Our laughs. Our loves. So, for us, we have the love of water. We take lots of pictures and videos of the water. Because we love it, we share it. On Twitter. On Instagram. And, now, we have people sharing what we post. We have people posting their own moments and sharing them. We want people to share their joy with strangers. As one person does it, another person does it more. Eventually LETME will connect us all. So, April. How do you see it moving forward?
APRIL: I can see it growing everyday. There isn’t a day that goes by where I don’t see a post with the #LETME. Some are friends we know. Some are strangers. It’s the latter that really proves to me that this movement is taking hold. When one person you don’t know, and then another, and then another shares one of their exceptional and joyful moments online without prompting from us, then I know this is real. We continue to do things to spread the word. From our website, to your blogs, to our social media, to our workshops, our books, our newest addition: our LETME merchandise. All of it inspired by the message. We are reaching people in many ways. It’s surreal at times.
It all started with one message, one book. Speaking of our books, how does your writing connect to our movement?
SEAN: When I first wrote about it, LETME was about perspective changes. As LETME evolved, The people who heard the messages were happier. I was happier. I was reaching people with my words, my thoughts, and my photos. All of this came from a place of healing and help. LETME is about moments. After the writing, we took on the LETME merchandise so people could share that they are living every tiny moment exceptionally. Now, we have photos, postcards, shirts, and more is coming. We did this to show people all the different ways this movement is expanding and reaching people. For us, we continue to explore and share. The places close by, and some much further away. And, we have dreams to take this movement global. Over the past few years, we have a much bigger list of places we want to go and see.
APRIL: How will you know that you have achieved what you wanted to achieve?
SEAN: That’s easy. I already have. I go by thinking that when you have a goal, success is reaching that first goal. My first goal was to change one person’s day for the better with just one message. For you april. For Julia. And then hoping and encouraging them to share with others. Success is changing one person's outlook. When people find something that brings them joy, we want to share it. That’s how I see this growing. Ultimately, LETME starts with the individual.
...It is our hope that we piqued your curiosity, answered some of your questions, and maybe even inspired you to come join us for a little adventure to, well, Live Every Tiny Moment Exceptionally. And, when you do, let us know. You’re bound to find us on social media or through our website. And, if you tag us with the #LETME, we will find you and strike up a conversation. Until then, be amazing, our friends.
One more thank you to Sean and April for guest blogging today. You can reach them at these sites, and check out their work.
Our websitehttps://www.seans-thoughts.com/
Sean’s Blogs https://www.seans-thoughts.com/blog
Our Merchandise Shop https://www.seans-thoughts.com/etsy-shop
Just a Thought https://www.seans-thoughts.com/etsy-shop/en/product/id/738137249
Just a Thought Too https://www.seans-thoughts.com/etsy-shop/en/product/id/738137939
Just a Thought Tree https://www.seans-thoughts.com/etsy-shop/en/product/id/738139115
A’pononoko and the Lonely Tree (April’s Book) https://www.amazon.com/Apononoko-Lonely-Tree-April-Emerson/dp/173262982X
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/seansthoughtz/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/seans_thoughts/?hl=en
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0Z_rG-pVzliT909DLKq80w?view_as=subscriber
Twitter https://twitter.com/seans_thoughts
April’s Instagram https://www.instagram.com/aprilee22/
April’s Twitter https://twitter.com/Rosie_2222
Anyone that has met the two of us at a signing, an event, or simply walking around exploring knows that we are not quite your typical pair. So when Julia invited us to guest blog here and talk a little bit about #LETME, we jumped at the chance to have a little fun. Now, we have been interviewed in the past, yet this time we looked at each other via video chat and said, “Hey, if we don’t have an interviewer, why not interview each other?” In true Team Sean’s Thoughts: why not, indeed..
APRIL: Sean, let’s go. What is LETME? And, how did it get started?
SEAN: LETME stands for “Live Every Tiny Moment Exceptionally.” After I had been writing online what I called “Sean’s Thoughts” for several years, I wanted to show people that the best things in life could be found in the small things. I thought that this message would resonate and domino and snowball, reaching more and more people. I didn’t think of it as a movement. It was first created as a message, a way to help people who were reading my social media posts to reframe their thinking. It was originally about each individual creating his or her own path, and realizing that if a person is happy they spread happiness. There’s no way to avoid it. LETME became a movement over time, as our social media presence, our books, and our personal growth workshops took off.
What about you, April? You joined up with me in 2016 to work on Just a Thought, the book. Why did LETME resonate with you?
APRIL: Well, the first time I heard of LETME was in the editing process for Just a Thought. The idea that we can choose to live every single moment of our lives appreciating the simple beauty and joy around us, to me, is the best and only choice. So when I kept reading the passages in your book, as I edited, I felt as though the messages were speaking directly to me and the way I prefer to live each and every day. In fact, my children’s book Apononoko and the Lonely Tree was actually inspired by the idea that every moment is a gift and should be cherished. LETME, for me, is less of a movement and more of a mindset. That being said, I still hope to share this way of living in the world with as many people as we possibly can because like you said, when we are happy we spread happiness.
Now that it is taking on a life as a movement, where do you see it going next?
SEAN: We have created the YouTube show LETME the Journey. It is in its infancy yet we continue to grow. Through social media, I hope people share their moments of joy, with us, with each other, with strangers. I hope that people take the best part of LETME and share it. Share what they love: Our cultures. Our races. Our economics. Our laughs. Our loves. So, for us, we have the love of water. We take lots of pictures and videos of the water. Because we love it, we share it. On Twitter. On Instagram. And, now, we have people sharing what we post. We have people posting their own moments and sharing them. We want people to share their joy with strangers. As one person does it, another person does it more. Eventually LETME will connect us all. So, April. How do you see it moving forward?
APRIL: I can see it growing everyday. There isn’t a day that goes by where I don’t see a post with the #LETME. Some are friends we know. Some are strangers. It’s the latter that really proves to me that this movement is taking hold. When one person you don’t know, and then another, and then another shares one of their exceptional and joyful moments online without prompting from us, then I know this is real. We continue to do things to spread the word. From our website, to your blogs, to our social media, to our workshops, our books, our newest addition: our LETME merchandise. All of it inspired by the message. We are reaching people in many ways. It’s surreal at times.
It all started with one message, one book. Speaking of our books, how does your writing connect to our movement?
SEAN: When I first wrote about it, LETME was about perspective changes. As LETME evolved, The people who heard the messages were happier. I was happier. I was reaching people with my words, my thoughts, and my photos. All of this came from a place of healing and help. LETME is about moments. After the writing, we took on the LETME merchandise so people could share that they are living every tiny moment exceptionally. Now, we have photos, postcards, shirts, and more is coming. We did this to show people all the different ways this movement is expanding and reaching people. For us, we continue to explore and share. The places close by, and some much further away. And, we have dreams to take this movement global. Over the past few years, we have a much bigger list of places we want to go and see.
APRIL: How will you know that you have achieved what you wanted to achieve?
SEAN: That’s easy. I already have. I go by thinking that when you have a goal, success is reaching that first goal. My first goal was to change one person’s day for the better with just one message. For you april. For Julia. And then hoping and encouraging them to share with others. Success is changing one person's outlook. When people find something that brings them joy, we want to share it. That’s how I see this growing. Ultimately, LETME starts with the individual.
...It is our hope that we piqued your curiosity, answered some of your questions, and maybe even inspired you to come join us for a little adventure to, well, Live Every Tiny Moment Exceptionally. And, when you do, let us know. You’re bound to find us on social media or through our website. And, if you tag us with the #LETME, we will find you and strike up a conversation. Until then, be amazing, our friends.
One more thank you to Sean and April for guest blogging today. You can reach them at these sites, and check out their work.
Our websitehttps://www.seans-thoughts.com/
Sean’s Blogs https://www.seans-thoughts.com/blog
Our Merchandise Shop https://www.seans-thoughts.com/etsy-shop
Just a Thought https://www.seans-thoughts.com/etsy-shop/en/product/id/738137249
Just a Thought Too https://www.seans-thoughts.com/etsy-shop/en/product/id/738137939
Just a Thought Tree https://www.seans-thoughts.com/etsy-shop/en/product/id/738139115
A’pononoko and the Lonely Tree (April’s Book) https://www.amazon.com/Apononoko-Lonely-Tree-April-Emerson/dp/173262982X
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/seansthoughtz/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/seans_thoughts/?hl=en
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0Z_rG-pVzliT909DLKq80w?view_as=subscriber
Twitter https://twitter.com/seans_thoughts
April’s Instagram https://www.instagram.com/aprilee22/
April’s Twitter https://twitter.com/Rosie_2222
