C.J. Galaway's Blog, page 3
April 12, 2018
J is for Journey
J is for Journey, but not the rock band Journey, as awesome as they might be.
This journey is a little more about life ones and less to do with even actual ones. See I believe life is a journey, with lessons to learn along the way. Granted some of the lessons aren't exactly pleasant, but they must be learned. The fun ones, of course, are few and far between (at least it seems like that to me).
Most people though see a journey as a means to a destination. But the journey itself can be fun if you let it. You get to find out more about not only yourself, but those that you care about as well. And if you're anything like me, you will take detours and little side-trips which will sometimes frustrate you but I promise they will be well worth it in the end.
If this seems a bit rambly it is meant to be. I tend to ramble on and jump from topic to topic...much like my journey through life.
After all the journey should be fun too.
This journey is a little more about life ones and less to do with even actual ones. See I believe life is a journey, with lessons to learn along the way. Granted some of the lessons aren't exactly pleasant, but they must be learned. The fun ones, of course, are few and far between (at least it seems like that to me).
Most people though see a journey as a means to a destination. But the journey itself can be fun if you let it. You get to find out more about not only yourself, but those that you care about as well. And if you're anything like me, you will take detours and little side-trips which will sometimes frustrate you but I promise they will be well worth it in the end.
If this seems a bit rambly it is meant to be. I tend to ramble on and jump from topic to topic...much like my journey through life.
After all the journey should be fun too.
April 11, 2018
I is for Imagination
I've always believed an imagination is a wonderful thing to have. Growing up I was always told that I had an over-active imagination by everyone except my mom. She encouraged me to feed min through reading. To her reading was that great escape to places and things that wasn't too expensive because you could explore them all from home through the written word.
Now that I've grown up, I enjoy escaping within the pages of a good book, though I don't get to as often as I want to. But I get to do something even more exciting by writing stories that hopefully feed others' imaginations.
But what do I feed mine with while I'm writing?
Music is always on while I'm writing...well most of the time anyway. Or else I'm streaming a series I've seen a few times on Netflix so that it doesn't distract me too much, lol. If Netflix is on it's more than likely Charmed, Grey's Anatomy or something similar.
Tell me how you feed your imagination? Hopefully I'm on the menu.
Now that I've grown up, I enjoy escaping within the pages of a good book, though I don't get to as often as I want to. But I get to do something even more exciting by writing stories that hopefully feed others' imaginations.
But what do I feed mine with while I'm writing?
Music is always on while I'm writing...well most of the time anyway. Or else I'm streaming a series I've seen a few times on Netflix so that it doesn't distract me too much, lol. If Netflix is on it's more than likely Charmed, Grey's Anatomy or something similar.
Tell me how you feed your imagination? Hopefully I'm on the menu.
April 9, 2018
H is for Halestorm
All right, anyone who knows me knows music is my sanity...seriously it is. As much as I love books and the written word, music speaks to my soul and soothes me and motivates me like nothing else.
I love music across all genres, but my main love is rock and metal. There's something about loud music that just ...calms me down in ways I can't explain.
Recently my music of choice is from the band Halestorm. They have a song called I Like it Heavy that explains how I feel about music, especially theirs.
Some like beautiful, perfect and pretty
I see the good in the bad and the ugly
I need the volume one louder than ten
I put the pedal to the metal, needle into the red
If the windows ain't shaking
Making my heart race
If I can't feel it in my chest
I'm in the wrong damn place!I got a demon in my soul and a voice in my head
It's saying go, go, go! I can sleep when I'm dead
There's a sonic revelation bringing me to my knees
And there's a man down below who needs my sympathy
I got a ringing in my ears getting ready to burst
Screaming "hallelujah, hallelujah take me to church"I like it louder than the boom
Of a big bass drum
I need it harder than the sound
Of a guitar grunge
I love to crank it up
Make it thump
And evil to the core
Headbanging in the pit
And…
Their music speaks to me a fuels my imagination to be able to feed yours.
Here is the link to the first song I heard by them. It's called Amen. Have a look and a listen.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGchl...
I love music across all genres, but my main love is rock and metal. There's something about loud music that just ...calms me down in ways I can't explain.
Recently my music of choice is from the band Halestorm. They have a song called I Like it Heavy that explains how I feel about music, especially theirs.
Some like beautiful, perfect and pretty
I see the good in the bad and the ugly
I need the volume one louder than ten
I put the pedal to the metal, needle into the red
If the windows ain't shaking
Making my heart race
If I can't feel it in my chest
I'm in the wrong damn place!I got a demon in my soul and a voice in my head
It's saying go, go, go! I can sleep when I'm dead
There's a sonic revelation bringing me to my knees
And there's a man down below who needs my sympathy
I got a ringing in my ears getting ready to burst
Screaming "hallelujah, hallelujah take me to church"I like it louder than the boom
Of a big bass drum
I need it harder than the sound
Of a guitar grunge
I love to crank it up
Make it thump
And evil to the core
Headbanging in the pit
And…
Their music speaks to me a fuels my imagination to be able to feed yours.
Here is the link to the first song I heard by them. It's called Amen. Have a look and a listen.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGchl...
April 8, 2018
G is for Grafton
That would be Sue Grafton, one of my literary heroes. She passed away late last year and fans of o good mystery lost a brilliant ind and creative genius.
I remember finding a copy of A is for Alibi in a thrift store and thinking this looks interesting. So I found a comfy chair and started reading. (my mom liked to take her time shopping so I would sit and read) I was hooked instantly by Grafton's easy storytelling style and the believability of her characters.
I had to read more and busted tail to get caught up in the series, which meant finding B-K which I managed to do.
Then I had to wait on L is for Lawless like the rest of the mortal world...but her books were always worth the wait.
It will be so weird not to wait for a new book from her.
She has influenced my writing style in many ways I may never realize, and for which I will be forever grateful.
I remember finding a copy of A is for Alibi in a thrift store and thinking this looks interesting. So I found a comfy chair and started reading. (my mom liked to take her time shopping so I would sit and read) I was hooked instantly by Grafton's easy storytelling style and the believability of her characters.
I had to read more and busted tail to get caught up in the series, which meant finding B-K which I managed to do.
Then I had to wait on L is for Lawless like the rest of the mortal world...but her books were always worth the wait.
It will be so weird not to wait for a new book from her.
She has influenced my writing style in many ways I may never realize, and for which I will be forever grateful.
April 6, 2018
F is for Fireworks
Yes, you read right I said fireworks. As in the kind that are set off on the fourth of July, at amusement parks, concerts, sports events...you get the drift.
I love fireworks as much, if not more than most people. They seem to call to me, if that is possible, with their beautiful colors and sparkly lights. Even the boomers are fun when they explode and you feel more than hear them.
Though as of late they seem to be used at any event, I'm still completely fascinated by them. A reminder of my childhood I guess when simpler times prevailed.
What are fireworks for you?
I love fireworks as much, if not more than most people. They seem to call to me, if that is possible, with their beautiful colors and sparkly lights. Even the boomers are fun when they explode and you feel more than hear them.
Though as of late they seem to be used at any event, I'm still completely fascinated by them. A reminder of my childhood I guess when simpler times prevailed.
What are fireworks for you?
April 5, 2018
E is for Excellence
Excellence...what an unusual thought, or is it?
What is your level of excellence? We all have one, wouldn't you agree? At least I hope you do anyway. I know I try to strive for excellence in all I say and do.
Go ahead and laugh...get it out of your system...I'll wait. Because that does sound slightly arrogant and completely silly.
Ok now seriously. I strive for it but a lot of times I miss the mark, like completely. The only time I come close is in my fiction because I think outside the box and try my best to be unique as I can be. After all, feeding your imagination is serious business.
So tell me how you strive for excellence?
What is your level of excellence? We all have one, wouldn't you agree? At least I hope you do anyway. I know I try to strive for excellence in all I say and do.
Go ahead and laugh...get it out of your system...I'll wait. Because that does sound slightly arrogant and completely silly.
Ok now seriously. I strive for it but a lot of times I miss the mark, like completely. The only time I come close is in my fiction because I think outside the box and try my best to be unique as I can be. After all, feeding your imagination is serious business.
So tell me how you strive for excellence?
April 4, 2018
D is for Dreams, Desires, and Destiny
The letter D has a lot going for it today, but these three tend to go hand-in-hand I do believe. After all your dreams fuel your desires and I am a firm believer in creating your own destiny.
One would think my dreams are easy...becoming a published author. Which is true. I love writing the stories that feed your imagination. But there is more to live than fame and fortune and while that is a major dream, finding love and building a life with the one true love is important also. It is something that I work on daily as I have found my partner in life.
Then comes the challenge of balancing body, mind, and spirit...but that's for another blog post.
My desire is a simple one. I would love to go to a movie made from one of my books. TO me the coolest thing would be seeing the following words on a movie theater screen.
based on a novel by C.J. Galaway
It's good to have desires fueled by your dreams.
Now let's not forget destiny now. That thing people think is beyond their reach and out of their control. I say it is not. I am the master of my destiny and I control my fate...as do you.
What will you do once you take control of your own destiny?
One would think my dreams are easy...becoming a published author. Which is true. I love writing the stories that feed your imagination. But there is more to live than fame and fortune and while that is a major dream, finding love and building a life with the one true love is important also. It is something that I work on daily as I have found my partner in life.
Then comes the challenge of balancing body, mind, and spirit...but that's for another blog post.
My desire is a simple one. I would love to go to a movie made from one of my books. TO me the coolest thing would be seeing the following words on a movie theater screen.
based on a novel by C.J. Galaway
It's good to have desires fueled by your dreams.
Now let's not forget destiny now. That thing people think is beyond their reach and out of their control. I say it is not. I am the master of my destiny and I control my fate...as do you.
What will you do once you take control of your own destiny?
April 3, 2018
C is for C.J. Galaway
C is for...well me today.
As I was making the list for this blog challenge, it hit me. What do my readers truly know about me and how I create the fiction that feeds your imagination?
Writers by nature tend to be a reclusive lot, none more so than me since I use a pen name to share what I create with the world. So I guess we will stare there: why do I use a pen name? Pen names have always fascinated me as it gives an author a certain air of mystery and anonymity even in today's times. They simply fascinate me, I guess. One of my literary heroes uses a nom de plur, if you will, even though it is the world's worst kept secret. Of course I speak of Nora Roberts and her alter ego J.D. Robb. I grab her books new when finances permit and used otherwise. I love getting lost in one of her tales.
I digress, which sadly I seem to do a lot of when I am writing, if I use technology to write. So I've reverted back to the method I used in school...pen and paper. I find the distractions of a computer and the internet fade away as I sit and write. Plus the fact that my typing is horrendous and very slow. I've a good friend by the name of Earla who has graciously consented to type for me.
Outlines, outlines, oh how I hate outlines. I was super delighted to find that another literary hero of mine, Stephen King, doesn't use them either. Not to say anything against those that use them; if you're that organized more power to ya! To me there is something exciting to know bleep all about what happens next.
To me the coolest thing about being a writer is getting to know the people who read your books. Nothing excites me or humbles me more than to hear someone say that they loved my book and lost a night's sleep because they had to find out what happens next.
So what happens next? Let me feed your imagination and let's find out together.
As I was making the list for this blog challenge, it hit me. What do my readers truly know about me and how I create the fiction that feeds your imagination?
Writers by nature tend to be a reclusive lot, none more so than me since I use a pen name to share what I create with the world. So I guess we will stare there: why do I use a pen name? Pen names have always fascinated me as it gives an author a certain air of mystery and anonymity even in today's times. They simply fascinate me, I guess. One of my literary heroes uses a nom de plur, if you will, even though it is the world's worst kept secret. Of course I speak of Nora Roberts and her alter ego J.D. Robb. I grab her books new when finances permit and used otherwise. I love getting lost in one of her tales.
I digress, which sadly I seem to do a lot of when I am writing, if I use technology to write. So I've reverted back to the method I used in school...pen and paper. I find the distractions of a computer and the internet fade away as I sit and write. Plus the fact that my typing is horrendous and very slow. I've a good friend by the name of Earla who has graciously consented to type for me.
Outlines, outlines, oh how I hate outlines. I was super delighted to find that another literary hero of mine, Stephen King, doesn't use them either. Not to say anything against those that use them; if you're that organized more power to ya! To me there is something exciting to know bleep all about what happens next.
To me the coolest thing about being a writer is getting to know the people who read your books. Nothing excites me or humbles me more than to hear someone say that they loved my book and lost a night's sleep because they had to find out what happens next.
So what happens next? Let me feed your imagination and let's find out together.
April 2, 2018
B is for Books
All right, let's get one thing out of the way...I am a loud and proud bookworm. Obviously as a writer, I love books and words. Otherwise why write?
Books to me have been the perfect way to escape reality if only for a little while. To me there is nothing like a well told tale with believable characters and a storyline you could get lost in. After all, that is the purpose of a good book.
I will read any genre if the story holds my interest. I'm serious, I'll read anything I can get my grubby little paws on. From smut to science fiction it all fascinates me.
I love a good hardcover book. The feel of it in my hands is just so nice. Paperbacks are cool too but they have to be of a bigger size for me to completely enjoy them. And yes I also enjoy e-books. I have a Kindle Fire and a Nook Color. My Kindle and Nook help me to discover new authors along with trying a different genre of book. My favorites get bought as real books to add to my library.
When I was younger it was nothing for me to read a book in a single day...oh how I miss those days. Sadly real life rears its' ugly head with all kinds of adult responsibilities and reading gets set aside. But I do my best to read because it relaxes me.
Oh I almost forgot! I also have a library card and support my public library, which everyone should do.
Go grab a book! A new world awaits!
Books to me have been the perfect way to escape reality if only for a little while. To me there is nothing like a well told tale with believable characters and a storyline you could get lost in. After all, that is the purpose of a good book.
I will read any genre if the story holds my interest. I'm serious, I'll read anything I can get my grubby little paws on. From smut to science fiction it all fascinates me.
I love a good hardcover book. The feel of it in my hands is just so nice. Paperbacks are cool too but they have to be of a bigger size for me to completely enjoy them. And yes I also enjoy e-books. I have a Kindle Fire and a Nook Color. My Kindle and Nook help me to discover new authors along with trying a different genre of book. My favorites get bought as real books to add to my library.
When I was younger it was nothing for me to read a book in a single day...oh how I miss those days. Sadly real life rears its' ugly head with all kinds of adult responsibilities and reading gets set aside. But I do my best to read because it relaxes me.
Oh I almost forgot! I also have a library card and support my public library, which everyone should do.
Go grab a book! A new world awaits!
April 1, 2018
A is for Adventure
Hey there everyone! Long time no talk to! I promise to do my best not to let so much time go in between entries...but we know how big a procrastinator I am o we shall see.
April is upon us once again and it i time for the A to Z blog challenge, which I have jumped into with both paws yet again, as you can see by the title of this blog entry. To honor the memory of an amazing mystery writer, Sue Grafton, all of my titles will sound like her book titles.
Adventure, what does that word mean to you? Is it going out and doing something daring and completely outside of your comfort zone?
See for me adventure is dong something new and fun, but also doing it with friends and your chosen partner in life if you have been lucky to find that person.
Sometimes just hanging out with friends and doing whatever pops into someone's head can be an adventure as well...as long as you keep it legal, of course.
Adventure doesn't mean cost either. There are plenty of things do do out in the big, bad world with little to no cost. I bet your town has a park that you didn't even know about!
So get out there and have some fun and find your own adventure!
April is upon us once again and it i time for the A to Z blog challenge, which I have jumped into with both paws yet again, as you can see by the title of this blog entry. To honor the memory of an amazing mystery writer, Sue Grafton, all of my titles will sound like her book titles.
Adventure, what does that word mean to you? Is it going out and doing something daring and completely outside of your comfort zone?
See for me adventure is dong something new and fun, but also doing it with friends and your chosen partner in life if you have been lucky to find that person.
Sometimes just hanging out with friends and doing whatever pops into someone's head can be an adventure as well...as long as you keep it legal, of course.
Adventure doesn't mean cost either. There are plenty of things do do out in the big, bad world with little to no cost. I bet your town has a park that you didn't even know about!
So get out there and have some fun and find your own adventure!
