Bad days... but good books!

I will take this day as an opportunity to point out that I cannot write on bad days. Which, this day has turned out to be! I have been doing really well lately staying positive and bouncing back from things that would normally make me take a step back. Yet today.... was just a day! There are many things that contributed to it not being good... things I am not going to even get into! But I will say that any day that begins with a trip to the dentist is not out to a good start ( I have a huge fear of dentists)! So, needless to say, that after an hour and a half... close to two hours... of sitting in the dentist chair, being poked, prodded and cleaned... I was not in the best of moods (though the fact that they ran out of regular bibs and had to use a Finding Nemo one did make it a little better, just for kicks)! All of which, ended with a payment plan that I cannot afford yet and the doctor telling me that he thinks I would benefit from braces next year! To which I laughed... before realizing the man was serious! I left with my free toothbrush, toothpaste, and a headache!

The rest of the day, despite my desperate attempt to change its course, has fallen behind the mornings trail. My bike tire popped, I spilled half a glass of milk on me, and my mood is rather foul! Granted... things could be much worse! I could have so many other bad things happen in comparison that make this day seem like.... well... spilled milk! But I didn't; and for that I am thankful. But that doesn't stop it from being a pretty crummy day!

One thing that tends to help me when I am feeling low is being around friends.... but I am at work and they are all busy! So, the second best is books! Children's books to be exact! And what luck it is that I work in a library, and the entire fourth floor is dedicated to that genre! So this evening... when I was on the verge of tears, I decided to take my rounds a few minutes early and headed to the Children's Book Level. There, I found myself at home! Because while I am unable to write on a bad day.... my ability to read remains a constant!

Books have always served as an escape for me; ever since I can remember. I learned how to read at a very young age, and since then have never been too far without a book! In middle school and high school I was, to say the least, a "bookworm." I read in-between classes, through my lunch period, on the bus-ride home...I was even was able to read while I walked (which may be where my clumsiness developed)! In college I slowed down a bit, but I never went without at least one book in my room at all times. Mostly books on how to write right, how to illustrate, how to get-published, and list after list after list of publishers. Nevertheless, it was reading! Now, I have graduated from college, and.... re-entered college... and work full-time as a Librarian Assistant and declare myself "little miss independent," I am back to hard-core reading. Throughout all these life changes, the thread is reading and it has, (as I mentioned), served as an escape. When things are too much, or the world I am in isn't properly "functioning," I can escape into another. One that lies between front and back covers, and nestled in-between the pages!

Reading is a wonderful thing... and it goes hand in hand with writing! I have been asked before how I ever have time to write my own things if I spend so much time reading! The answer is simple; by doing both you learn how to appreciate the other. I make time... when the time is right. After all, there is always a right time to write and you'll know when it's right for you! For me.... it's a day to escape into someone else's world!

Children Serve As Inspiration: My little "co-workers!"

I think one of the biggest aides in becoming a Children's Author is having children to help you along the way! I have been blessed with little brothers, nieces, and nephews that I use as testers for my stories! It's during these times that I find myself being the most creative. Especially with my niece and nephew! They love to be read too, but even more so, they love when they visit me because they know if they beg enough, I will tell them stories!

Many nights we have laid next to each, snuggle up... lost in the world of the stories I tell. You can see in their little faces that they are imagining themselves in the magical worlds I create. It's an amazing experience as a writer to be there for that... to watch them hold on to every word that escapes from your mouth. To witness the sudden fits of giggles break through the air! All of it serves as inspiration that I wish I could capture in a jar and save for later... for the moments when inspiration runs low. But instead, I store away the memories... grateful for my little co-workers. Grateful for those moments... because in that time... we are all three away on an adventure... discovering roads that we create as we go along. And when their eyes grow heavy with sleepiness, and soon they are off in their own dreamlands... I remain there, thinking of how easy it was to tell a story on the spot!

After I am sure they are sleeping, I sneak out, tucking them in before I go… and I record my evenings “work.” If you can call it work! To me, children are my biggest inspiration; after all, they are your best customer in the end!

COMING SOON: Children's Book Reviews

I have decided, for more than one reason, to add Children's Book Reviews to my blog! It's a good excuse to read more books (not that you ever need an excuse ;) to read a children's book); and it is something I need to be doing anyway for one of the workbooks I am currently working from! So, soon there will be new additions to my page, posted just as I would any other entry! I am going to try and have at least one book a week. More if I have adequate time! It is important to note that the reviews I list are written by me, and are solely my opinion! Therefore, if you disagree with me, that's fine! In fact, feel free to respond and we can start a new forum! I will not be harping on any author (as I feel that is cruel), but looking closely at what makes that book appeal to it's audience, if the illustrations fit, and the overall plot-line. I'm doing this... to learn! There are so many different styles of writing and ways of presenting a story... studying someone's work is a good way to widen your horizon...even if it isn't the normal genre you work with (or read)!
So, look for the reviews here within the next few day's! Who knows, maybe you'll find a book you hadn't heard of and in doing so, enrich your reading list!

Recorder brings new method to the creative table!

Between living out of Rubbermaid tubs, to using them as a dining room table, to using them as bookshelves: I have not had a lot of room to spread out my creative materials! It has been somewhat of a pain, but I recently picked up a technique that I used to use and had forgotten how useful it was! Recording: it saves time and requires little space!

Working a full-time job and getting settled has proven to be a handful! Furthermore, getting used to living alone and all the other changes that come along with it has also been a bump in the road of creativity! I have noticed that things are starting to flow more smoothly as each day passes, but one thing remained the same! It seemed like I had a writers block that was firmly in place until the least opportune moment! For example, in the middle of cooking, or on a quick break from work... or during the last few minutes until I fell into a deep sleep! Not good moments to abandon everything to pick up a pen and paper! That's when I remembered recording! When I first started this I was in high school! It started out as a tool for my journalism work; but one day I found myself babbling off a story that had popped into my head. Since then, it has helped me in many time crunches. As luck would have it, I even have a brand new recorder that I received as a graduation gift from some very close friends. So, about a week ago, I found myself running for it in the middle of a creative explosion! It gives me a way to make sure I have recorded the thoughts that I have... either word for world or simply the idea. After that, it is as simple as the click of a button to save the recorded file and it is there until I have adequate time to translate it to my computer or a story board!

While this practice is one that may not work for some, it is one that works extremely well for me! I now carry my little recorder with me wherever I go! It's kind of an added bonus that it was a gift from two of the people I love the most, because it inspires me as well. I think these two things alone.... finding a way to manage your work-life and writing-life and grabbing hold of inspiration.... are key to being a successful writer. Either way, they make me smile and it gets the job done!

Toothaches, Book Ideas, and Other Things That Fill the Hours!

Here I am, once again apologizing for not writing for a few days! But this time, I truly have a good excuse! Shortly after posting my last blog, my lower, right wisdom tooth decided to become a huge pain in my mouth! I made a dentist appointment and the soonest they could get me in was Thursday, by which I was in extreme pain. Long story short, I went in with a painful tooth, and walked (ok stumbled) out with no tooth and loopy as all get out! The dentist claimed it was an emergency and before I knew it he was hooking me up the the laughing gas (first time experience), and I had needles coming at me. Many shots, nurses and two hours later... my tooth was out of my mouth and I... I was out of my mind. Luckily, the laughing gas wore off pretty quick. Then, I headed to work. That night, after I left work four hours early because of the unmeasurable amount of pain, I had almost fallen asleep when the tornado sirens went off. Needless to say, the rest of the evening was... hectic... and painful.

So, the last few days I have been laying low and, so far (knock on wood), seem to be healing pretty well!

I did come up with a cute idea for another book one of the days while I was laying in bed! It's a cute one! But, as always, I refuse to share until it is further developed! I have the basis of it plotted out but as far as characters being named I am not quite there. With me, I either have a character pop into my head and I try to tell their story; or, I have a story and I try and locate the characters who best portray what I am seeing in my head! This time around it was the story!

Other than that, I am on kind of a dull road as far as my writing goes. It is always this was when there are numerous changes happening. It takes awhile for me to settle into a creative environment. I think once I get my desk and set up a special area that things might start popping. I was excited to come up with the idea this last weekend because it's a sign. Nothing huge, but a start is a start!

Well, off I go into librarian mode! Until we meet again, stay creative and out of trouble!

Truly,
Kat