As Promised! Here are a few Halloween Snapshots! More later!

Happy Halloween!

As I type this, my friend is strategically curling my deviant, less than compliant, annoying straight hair! Why? Because today, I am pulling out the wings and resorting to my natural fairy state (at least for a few hours)! Yes...it is that wonderful time of year when children (both young and ahem* older) can full-fill their biggest dreams and dress for one day as something they normally cannot! For me, I truly believe that in my previous life, I was a fairy!

So you may be wondering, why a 20 year old is dressing up...well I actually have a good reason this time around! I am helping out at work for the Children's Halloween Trick-or-Treat Parade. We will be handing out candy to little goblins, witches, ghost and other assorted costumed kiddies! I am rather excited to say the least! I am hoping that the other person who is supposed to dress up (as a gypsy) doesn't chicken out! :0)

Now for the comedy part of this day (as if me dressing up as a fairy isn't funny enough)! I am helping with the parade at 9:45. Class starts at 10.... meaning... I am going to class as a fairy... no trick! I don't have time to change.... unless I want to be insanely late! Which isn't an option today! So I will be stuck in this fairy outfit until 1! Meaning...it's going to be an interesting day! Real Life....I'm a college fairy! Furthermore.... I cannot get out of this outfit by myself! I am pinned, sipped, and squished in this thing! So I may be stuck until I can find someone (who I trust) to help me get it all undone!

Needless to say, this day is going to be incredibly memorable! I will take pics of this amazing day! How could I not! ;0)

Happy Halloween all of my creative friends! I hope this day is fun and spooktacular in it's own ways! Regardless of whether or not you are dressing up! Have some fun, enjoy a treat or two... and maybe a trick! Whatever you do...have fun!

Creatively yours,
Kat...the fairy in blue!

Oh come on...we have so all done it!

We have all been there....boredom. The hours drag on, and the minutes seem to crawl by like a glacier! How do we entertain ourselves at moments such as these? Hmmm...why not google yourself? Now don't say you haven't tried it, beacause most people have! But it can be rather fun! See what is out there for the world to discover about you! I googled myself and this is what I found! Other than the fact that I have the same name as a famous reporter!

From High School:
http://www.arkcity.net/progress2006/042906/pro_00010.shtml

http://www.arkcity.net/stories/030705/com_0003.shtml

http://www.arkcity.net/stories/050705/com_0001.shtml

From my current life:

http://www.emporia.edu/libsv/services/departmentdir.html

From college at BCC working on the newspaper ( there were way to many links from this, so I just a few):
http://media.www.lanternonline.com/media/storage/paper297/news/2008/02/05/News/Envisioning.Change-3186752.shtml

http://media.www.lanternonline.com/media/storage/paper297/news/2007/11/06/Oped/Quote.Inspires.Those.To.Keep.Trying-3082250.shtml

Um...idk!
http://www.masterseek.ru/id/48778180/Kopy-Kat-Krafts.htm

Random...literally!
http://www.helpothers.org/story.php?op=print&sid=4233


So as you can see, it can be interesting! My name is hard... with a last name of Callaway, I compete with the Callaway Golf Company! But hey, it's a good way to widdle the empty minutes away between class, etc!

Just for Fun!

This has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with writing...except possibly an example of one of the many reasons I don't ever get any writing done.... because someone invented sites like Facebook and YouTube that promote ADHD without a doubt! Whatever the case, and whoever is to blame... I would like to share this insanly awesome video! They say that we all must grow up, but that it is important to hold on to our inner child. This shows a group of people doing just that! So I share with you a video of the largest (and freaking coolest) beach ball!

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=45484551

Building Character: New Writing Exercise

Sometimes the hardest part of writing a story is not figuring out what your characters will do, it is finding out WHO they are! Anyone can jot down a story, but it takes a talented writer to give that story meaning, soul, and life! Doing so takes having strong characters...after all, it is there story! So how do you as a writer go about do this? That's the beauty of being a writer. The techniques you choose to use are (and should be) as unique as your style! But from time to time, it's good to take tips from one another. Which is why I am sharing with you my newest and best technique so far for the novel I am working on. My Space! Yes, you read it write! I rarely use my own My Space, but I noticed a favorite author of mine doing the same thing I had thought of a few months ago and decided it was worth a shot. I created a unique My Space for each of my characters in my novel. Each girl, Molly, Hannah, and Claire; have their own page, uniquely made to match their personality. They are friends with each other, and (of course) me! What makes this so great is that I can actually play out scenes in the book to help me build character. No, I don't plan on using everything word for word, and I don't plan on playing out the entire book through the web! But it helps me gain background for each of the girls.

Because this exercise is new, I can't really write much about it as I myself continue to learn as I go along. But what I can tell you is that it has been an extreme help in getting to 'know' these girls. It sorts out a lot of the thoughts in my head, and so far has helped me get rid of the infamous writers block we are all faced with at times in our careers!

If you would like to know more, just message me! So far this is a fun process and very helpful!

Creatively yours,
Kat

Proud to Announce.... :0)

As promised months ago, I am releasing the names of my characters for my Untitled novel! For those of you who keep up and remember a few months ago, I actually had a dream where one of my characters demanded that I re-name her! I then went on to realize that the reason I was having so much trouble writing was in fact because the none of the character's fit their names! SO, I started a quest in search of names! I looked high, I looked low, I bought baby name books, searched the Internet, and asked person after person "what is your name!" There were days I thought I had it, and I would write it down and sleep on it, and when I woke up it still was just not right! The process has about driven me insane, but today, everything finally clicked and in the moment I said the three names out loud, my heart seemed to fall in sync with three young ladies who's story I am telling. With that, I am very proud and honored to introduce to you:

* Molly Grace Conner
* Claire Marie Ballard
* Hannah Renae Sawyer

The feeling I have now is of pure excitement as I can now focus my full attention on their adventure that continues to un-fold before me!

Creatively yours,
Kat

It is a miracle! It has to be!

I am very very VERY happy to be able to post the great news that my computer is finally back up an running! For a little while there, I thought I was going to lose my last nerve and start pulling out my hair! But everything is up and running! New hard-drive, new programs, and updated virus software. She is all ready for me to get back to work... which means I now have to full-fill the promise I made! If my computer ever got fixed, I was going to quite dragging my feet and hop on the writing express! I have spent a lot of time working on the small details and little things that do have a large part to do with my career, but not enough time writing and perfecting those amazing stories! SO, starting tonight, I will be working hard-core on my novel and a few other little secret items I have in the works! I am sad to announce that I lost a few manuscripts over the course of this computer crash. :0( Normally I save every little thing to my jump drive, but was pressed for time and hadn't saved the little series of Bigfoot stories and the Halloween manuscript yet. When the error popped up on the screen, I was frantically trying to get everything transferred, but wasn't fast enough. In the end, I did save a few Bigfoot stories, but lost a great deal of them and the Halloween manuscript. It broke my heart because the bf stories are actually a gift for someone, and the Halloween manuscript took a lot of thinking! HOWEVER, on the bright side, I have a few printouts of versions of a few and I have confidence that I will be able to re-write it all and have them ready to go in a few months. I am just thankful I didn't loose more...such as my mind!

Other than that (which is rather large news really), not much is going on! I have been working and trying to keep up with class. Tomorrow I find out what classes I will be taking next semester. I also have to decided if I want to take more or stay with the same hours this time around. I think I will remain at 9 as I don't want to overload. But it will depend on the level of classes I look into tomorrow. Got to have time to write! ;0)

I shall now duck out and get some work done, but until I write again..as always...stay creative!

Creatively yours,
Kat Callaway