Kristin Albright's Blog, page 2

Highlights of 2014 - camping, publishing, steam mopping and more!

This is more of a personal post, so if you're looking for book updates or writing info, this is not that post! Anyway, as we approach New Year's Eve I find myself thinking about the last year. Back when I was in school, each New Year's Eve, I used to write down all the things I did for the first time that particular year. I would draw pictures within the list and it would say things like "went to indoor state track and field competition" and "learned how to windsurf."  I am admittedly less cool as an adult. My 2014 list would have things like "started a half-hearted twitter account" and "used a steam mop for the first time." Hahahahaha! Oh and the accompanying drawings would just be sad. But in all seriousness, 2014 was a great year! I could have also added "tried hoop dancing" and "published a book" (after all, both of those are much cooler than steam mops and twitter). Here are 14 highlights of 2014. Here they are in no particular order:

1) Camping trip to Wyalusing State Park with my in-laws. Of particular greatness were the hike to Big Sand Cave, and canoeing on the Mississippi.

2) Publishing my first book - OC Me.

3) Getting into a good fitness routine (for about 7 months) - Goal for 2015 is to keep up the routine every month.

4) Upgrading my car (now I have a 10 year old car instead of a 12 year old car)  I just wish I hadn't hit the deer - because really, the "new" car could have waited.

5) Bonding with a great group of ladies (Hi Gems!) while being on the street team for one of my favorite authors.

6) Finally riding the Elroy Sparta trail! The train tunnels were so cool!

7) Beginning the homeschool journey with my daughter. She is creative and stubborn just like her mother, but we are having a good time. (FYI I am not anti public school - I used to teach in one)

8) Finally completing a fast draft (2014 Nanowrimo). I can't wait to start editing and publish the project that I created during that month!

9) Trying out hoop dancing! And seriously it is fun - I need a smaller hoop though - I ordered based on a chart online and it is huge!

10) My husband and I own a photography studio. We re-located our home/photography business in 2013 so this was our first full season back at it. We really enjoyed the wedding season this year and hope to meet even more seniors next year for their graduation photos.

11) I followed a much stricter diet this year and only had 2 migraines all year - which is amazing after 17 years of migraines. 

12) We went on an awesome camping trip with my best friend and her boyfriend on the shores of Lake Michigan. I could see him being "the one" for her - we'll see :D

13)  Watching my daughter's face as she opened her ukulele at Christmas and then learning the instrument alongside her. (Super fun for a former music teacher).

and finally....

14) Purchased my first steam mop. Because yes, they really are that cool.  

I hope all of you are in for an awesome 2015. I am hopeful that Totem, Summit, and My Heart will all be released in 2015 and that I will write a draft for the current story that is beginning to wander around in my head. Be safe and enjoy your New Year's festivities!!

 

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Happy Holidays - Last OC Me freebie kindle days!

As of January 2015 I will no longer be exclusive to Amazon. That means that OC Me will become available on ibooks, nook and kobo again as well as remain on Amazon. I've decided to use up my final promotional free days on December 23rd and 24th, 2014. Please share this post widely - I'd love for more people to read my debut novel!

For those unfamiliar, OC Me is a young adult coming-of-age novel where protagonist Amy deals with the onset/diagnosis of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. I've heard from many readers who have OCD themselves, and the reaction has been  positive. The novel is appropriate for high school readers and has been recommended by teachers - so feel free to share with your favorite high school bookworms. Much love and happy holidays to all of you! 

Here's the link to the book on amazon! Double check the price before clicking "buy" it should be free on the 23rd and 24th but hours will likely vary based on your time zone!

OC Me







By Kristin Albright

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NANOWRIMO, a November of Silence, and a teaser from my newest novel!

Hello Everyone!

How is it almost Christmas? I've already been feeling like life has been passing by in warp speed, but I think Nanowrimo (National Novel Writing Month) made November go even quicker. The good news?  I wrote over 50k words in 25 days and have a brand new manuscript saved on my computer. I wrote with an outline for the first time and the experience was awesome. I felt like I was able to keep a good eye on the arch of the story without being constrained creatively. The book was really fun to write, and I hope will be equally fun to read.

I'm forcing myself to stay away from it for a little while, but as you can imagine this is hard. Instead I'm working with my beta readers on Totem and Summit. I still want to get those books polished and published next, and then I will pay more attention to my newest book baby. But just for being awesome readers, here is a little teaser from my Nanowrimo novel - which I think I am going to title, My Heart. It is a YA contemporary romance.
 

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OC Me - Free on Amazon October 16th-18th 2014 / International OCD Awareness week

As I announced earlier this week, OC Me will be available as a free download on kindle from today (10-16-14) until Saturday (10-18-14). Use the link below to take you directly to my book. Check that it's still free - the hours are based on Pacific standard time.

OC Me







By Kristin Albright

Please share widely - I'd love to get this book in as many hands as possible. It is probably most suited for readers 15 and up. While I wrote OC Me for the young adult audience I've been delighted to be reminded that the young adult audience doesn't appear to have an age cap - I've heard from readers in their 20's, 30's, 50's and 80's. I'd love to hear from you too. If you read OC Me, please consider leaving an honest review for me on Amazon or Goodreads. By sharing your experiences you can help other readers decide if OC Me is the right fit for them and help me to grow in my writing.

If you share this post today on twitter or facebook you can help spread OCD awareness too - and that's a pretty awesome thing to do :)

International OCD Awareness week - OCD Slam Poetry by Neil Hilborn

Sometimes hearing things in someone else's words makes my own experiences easier to understand; and sometimes, it just makes my heart hurt.

The first time I heard this poem, I froze. I took in every vocal inflection and pained nuance on  Hilborn's face. While each person's experience with OCD is unique, I think that anyone with OCD can relate to Neil's words, I know I could. Although mine is very different than the poem describes, I saw myself reflected back at me in many ways. 

I first stumbled across this poem on http://www.OCDThoughts.net - a great new website that is connecting people with OCD from around the world. As we head into OCD awareness week I'd love to challenge each person who sees this to think of the people around them that have OCD. There are many of us, approximately 1 in every 100 adults. We are everywhere - our thoughts are always "on." Sometimes we are exhausting to be with, and sometimes we are exhausted ourselves; but we aren't that different from anyone else. 

If you've read my young adult novel OC Me, you can probably see some characteristics of Amy and Matt in the above poem. I wrote the book because I wanted to read a story of an average girl with OCD. I didn't want to read about someone with the worst case ever, or the funniest case ever (which is what tends to be the standard portrayal of OCD in the media); I wanted to read a story of of someone who struggled but would ultimately figure things out. If you haven't read OC Me yet, you're in luck. It will be free on kindle on October 16th-18th 2014 in honor of OCD awareness week. Tell your friends and spread some awareness. 
 

Elroy-Sparta State Trail / Bucket List!

Once upon a time, when I was 16 years old, I dated a boy from my school who did a lot of cycling with his dad. One day we went out on the local bike path and logged over 30 miles. Two things happened after that first ride. 1) We went to the bike store where I bought my first pair of cycling gloves. 2) I checked out  a pile of books from the library about cycling and routes to ride in Wisconsin. 

One of the trails that appealed to me the most was the Elroy-Sparta Bike Trail. It went through these gorgeous old train tunnels and I immediately wanted to see it in person. As high schoolers we lacked the transportation to get to the trail, so we spent the rest of our summer cycling around the south eastern part of the state instead. 

Somehow it took me 16 years to make it out to the Elroy-Sparta Trail. Back in high school I hadn't imagined bringing a husband and young children on my ride, but that's exactly what we did the day before my 32nd birthday. For any cyclists wondering, it is a BEAUTIFUL trail, with rolling hills and gorgeous scenery; BUT the trail has long sections up upgrade and downgrade. We started in Kendall, WI and it was all upgrade until we reached to the first train tunnel. Then it was downgrade to Wilson. Then from Wilson to the 2nd tunnel it was upgrade again. We turned back at the second tunnel. Obviously we made good time on the way back to Wilson, but then it was 5.5 miles of upgrade back to the 1st tunnel. With the amount of weight we were carrying, this tested our endurance.  At several points we swore the tunnel had to be, "right around the bend;" several times we were wrong.  

Cycling between Kendall and tunnel #1 - towing a Weehoo trailer



























Tunnel #1



























little guy entering tunnel #1



























Looking back - tunnel #1



























Obligatory bucket list selfie!



























Crossing one of the bridges



























Looking the other direction



























Tunnel #2



























Wilson information station



























#2
















































Family walking ahead
















































Tunnel 2 has block walls to help with water



























Shadow fun

However tiring, the added weight of the kids proved worthwhile when we reached the tunnels - they were so excited to go inside. The tunnels are very cool and damp inside; they are also quite dark. I could not see my bicycle or even my family walking next to me without our flashlight. With the first and second tunnels you can at least see the entrances from end to end - however small and distant.  While the tunnels don't look terribly long, they are in fact, a decent length (1694 feet for tunnels one and two). The third (which we didn't reach on this trip) measures 3810 feet). You can hear the water trickling down the walls, and the general ambiance inside the tunnels is rather cave-like. The trail signs ask that you don't wear anything into the tunnels that you may have worn in other caves to protect the bat population from fungus. We looked carefully at the ceilings hoping to observe some roosting bats, but we didn't see any.

All I can say is that I'm SO thankful that the last few miles of our trip were at a downgrade. We arrived back at our car physically tired and a bit cold, but happy with our adventure. I'm guessing we rode about 22 miles overall. (We didn't have our computer on for part of the trip.) It was an awesome way to end my 31st year and check the bike ride off my bucket list.

Coming full circle - "We read to know we are not alone." ~ William Nicholson

One of my absolute favorite quotes is, "We read to know we are not alone." ~ William Nicholson.  How profound is that? What draws us to to stories? What pulls us in? What makes us curl up on the couch and immerse ourselves in someone else's world for hours on end. While I love books that take me to new and exciting places, when I can recognize even a tiny bit of myself inside of a character or a story, it fascinates me. That sliver of recognition makes me feel connected - less alone.

Writing is the most solitary art form I've ever taken part in. I used to play French horn in both a wind ensemble and symphony setting. I was pretty good at it; not professional symphony good, but strong enough that I won a music scholarship for college. I enjoyed it immensely. One of the most rewarding parts of playing, was watching the conductor's reactions. I knew instantly when I was on the right path, or if I screwed the whole thing up. The rise, the fall, or narrowing of a particular pair of eyebrows from across a room answered every question I had.

In writing...not so much. I work night after night in the quiet of my living room. Stopping to check on a little one, or take the dog out. There are no eyebrows telling me if what I wrote was soulful or a complete cliche. This is why the idea of publishing was so scary to me, because it was SO hard to know if what I'd written was any good. I'd told several people before I published OC Me, "If my novel resonates with even one person, if I find out that it made the difference in even one life, it will have been worth every minute." And I can now say, that it was worth every minute.

I've been so privileged to get reader feedback from not just one, but a handful of people. They've taken the time out of their busy lives to let me know how OC Me touched them. How they related to Amy and her story. Some shared their own anxiety stuggles. A couple even said that the book helped them understand their anxiety better - made them see their own thought patterns in a different way. And I am so honored; not only that they took the time to read the book, but that they took the time to share their personal experiences with me. I can now say with full honesty that when a reader steps out of their comfort zone and reaches out to an author, it means the absolute world. 

So thank you. I just want to say that for those that have written to me, your words have made the Nicholson quote come full circle.  As I read YOUR words, I can say, "I read to know I am not alone." And perhaps I should add, "I write to know I am not alone."

A weekend unplugged in Wyalusing State Park / Inspiration gathering

A planned camping trip landed at the absolutely perfect time for me. Four days after my book came out on Amazon, I left my laptop behind and went with my husband, in-laws, and kids to Wyalusing State Park. We spent the weekend hiking around the park and canoeing on the Mississippi. It. Was. Awesome. 

Being 100% unplugged from internet/social media was such a blessing. It was so nice to not have anything book/blog related to do. I brought my kindle for reading at bedtime, but other than that it was a low tech weekend.  For anyone wondering, Wyalusing is a beautiful state park in the Southeastern corner of Wisconsin. It rests on the bluffs above where the Mississippi and Wisconsin Rivers converge. We really loved the 2.4 mile hiking trail that went down to Big Sand Cave and Little Sand Cave. Big Sand Cave is large enough that you can actually climb down into it, while Little Sand cave is more of an overlook to a little waterfall. I love all the gorgeous colors in the sandstone.

Photographs © Jeremy and Kristin Albright
Top row: Little Sand Cave, Look out on the bluff trail, Hiking trail  to Big Sand Cave. Horizontal photos: canoeing on the Mississippi, climbing up to treasure cave. Bottom right: Big Sand Cave

Another worth while hike goes along the bluff down to the Keyhole rock formation. If you are not afraid of ladders or heights (and are not traveling with little ones) you can climb down one ladder and then climb up another into Treasure Cave. My mother-in-law stayed with our children while my husband and I climbed up to the cave. I remember making this hike in my childhood, and I think I must have been braver back then . (For what it's worth, the cave was every bit as high as I remember.)

I think the highlight of the weekend for the whole family was the six mile canoe trip on the Mississippi. I was nervous because I have a toddler, and I didn't know how well he would do being contained in the boat. Luckily, he and his big sister sat side-by-side behind me - mesmerized the entire time. We saw turtles, blue herons, and bald eagles. There were piles of empty shells along the shore that we guessed were left by river otters. We watched trains, river barges, and houseboats. They loved every single "big wave" that came from passing motor boats. Despite the dark sky we stayed warm and dry, and ended the trip with everyone in good spirits. 

The pair of books I am currently editing (Totem and Summit) take place in Wisconsin. This camping trip not only served as a much needed weekend "off," but also as a "world building"/inspiration trip. The caves, pools, valleys, and trails are all part of Ellery's world. If you ever get the chance to visit I'd recommend taking it; Wisconsin is a beautiful place :)




 

OC Me paperback giveaway on Goodreads! / Young Adult Fiction

My young adult novel OC Me will be available in paperback shortly! To celebrate I am doing a Goodreads giveaway! Due to high international shipping charges the giveaway is for US residents only. For my international readers I will be doing some ebook giveaways in the near future so keep an eye on my facebook page for that!! 

For those readers on Goodreads I'd love it if you add OC Me to your "to read" list! 

Goodreads Book Giveaway








OC Me


by Kristin Albright

Giveaway ends September 27, 2014.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter to win


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It's my debut novel's book birthday!!! / OC Me - a young adult fiction novel

Just after breakfast this morning I experienced the surreal moment of seeing my book on Amazon for the first time. I decided not to do a big launch for OC Me because I had no idea how long things would take. I'm not a gal who likes to over-promise anything. This past week has been a whirlwind of communication with my formatter (Polgarus Studio), the US copyright office, and Amazon. I've read more small print than I ever wanted to, but it's finally done. I'm an author! Yay :)  
As of now, OC Me is just available as an ebook on Amazon.com.  My formatter is hard at work designing the print version of the book and the files for other ebook platforms. I will update when it is available on ibooks, nook and print. 

Thanks for following along in my writing journey. I hope you enjoy OC Me.