End of Summer Update :)

Summer is quickly coming to an end and it has been a mad dash to get things done! My work schedule has been weird due to the switch from summer hours, to interim, and soon the fall hours; so things have been a bit jumbled. Regardless, when I am not at work I have been focusing as much as possible on writing. As September creeps closer I am getting excited (yet slightly stressed) about the deadlines! I cannot believe how quickly time has flown and that September is mere weeks away. For instance, this weekend I will be registering for conferences and booking the hotels. Has it really been an entire year?! All my calendars confirm that almost 365 days have gone by, and what a busy year it has been! Glancing back I realize just how much has happened during that time and it makes me smile. Life has really turned around since last August/September and I can honestly say that while things may be hectic, I’ve been more inspired and flat out happy since then. I’ve got multiple projects going on, the most exciting one being the manuscript for “Confessions of a Frog-a-holic” (yes, that’s right, the secret is ‘toad-ally’ out)! Working with numerous girls to collaborate their frog stories with the main characters has been a lot of fun and certainly humorous! Currently I am working on a blog to go along with this and hope to release it to the public soon, but I am tweaking things at the moment. Look back here for updates in the following weeks.

In other news, I have also taken on the project of re-decorating my apartment. When I moved into my new place, I simply moved in what I had and although I was able to do a little bit, I didn’t have the time or money to go as crazy as I wanted. Things have settled down now though and I have picked things back up. As much as I want to focus on the writing studio, I am going with the bedroom and living room first. They are rather bland at the moment and there is way too much white going on! This is an annoying problem, but the solution is as simple as taking some of my excess creativity and re-directing it!

I have been spending a lot of time in random places writing lately. Recently it was Barnes and Noble; a rather humorous site I imagine. I picked an area in a corner and sprawled my work space out on the floor. This included my giant red notebook and piles of dating and relationship advice books. I am in the middle of researching stuff for “Confessions of a Frog-a-holic” (which if you hadn’t already guessed it, is a compilation of stories that are interwoven with the story of the main character that has spent most of her life kissing frogs and decided to do something about it. It’s a romantic comedy that I am going out of the way to make sure it defies the cliche’s and puts humor back into and takes fear out of the process of looking for that wart free relationship). I am attempting to set this novel up a bit differently than the average book and it is proving to be a challenge. I have approached this project a bit differently than those I have started in the past. It’s really helped to get me out of my writing comfort zone and learn a few new techniques and that is always good.

There is life beyond writing, though I doubt it sounds like this in the above blog! Things have been going well, and lately it’s been kind of hard to stop smiling, as cheesy as that sounds. The end of summer has turned out to be wonderful, and I even find myself thinking that I might actually be ready for school to start. Having said this, let me counteract myself by saying “ask me again in a few weeks when I am up to my eyeballs in Spanish homework.” I may have changed my mind!

Editing Manuscripts

This week I have been editing manuscripts and getting them ready to send; a process that is far from my favorite thing to do! I have found that separating it into manageable parts helps the process go a little smoother. Sitting down to a pile of over 200-pages with a pen doesn't always pump me up! Yet this needs to be done, and it will be!

In the mean-time, things are going really well with the newest project! It's not quite ready to reveal, but look for that in the coming weeks! I have had an amazing response from girls of all ages and from all over all over sending their stories for this special compilation. It's been fun seeing how everything is falling together!

As far as life outside of writing, things are going very well ;) I have been spending a lot of time with friends the last several weeks and enjoying summer. It's hard to believe that we are well into July! Though taking a walk outside into the boiling heat is always a good reminder! I use this as a good reason to stay in and write! Not that you need a reason!

Creatively yours,

Kat

Update: Settling Down and Happy

As some of you may know, I have been writing more on the new blog as I continue working on the new Confessions... manuscript, but I am still planning on keeping this one updated at least a few times a month! Once conferences start up again there will be more to write about!

Currently I have eliminated most cardboard boxes from my life! There for awhile I was wondering if it would ever happen, but it has. Things have calmed down and I am loving the new place and very much enjoying the new writing nook. I didn't realize how much a change of scenery could motivate me, but it really has. Of course, there have been minor setbacks, such as my computer's power cord breaking, but I have been lucky enough to have a computer genius on hand to help me out :0) I pay him in baked goods so it all works out!

Writing has come rather easily lately as I have been very inspired through these last several months. My newest project has been a lot of fun to work on and I am looking forward to completing it. I still have a few fast approaching deadlines but nothing that can't be met. Most of what I am writing at the moment is captured on paper or a voice recorder that I transcribe later when I have computer access. It takes a bit longer but has been working rather well! Especially the use of the voice recorder as you can take it anywhere!

As far as everything else is concerned, life is going really well. It's truly amazing how quickly time can pass. School starts back up next month! Let's hope that this last month goes slowly!

I will continue to keep you updated, and until then...

Creatively yours,

Kat Callaway

Saying goodbye.... or hello?

Just like that, there it will be; a new beginning clevery disguised as an ending. A chance to start over, turn to a fresh page, and start a new chapter...

Sunday I locked the door to Sommerset Apartment #6 for the final time and said my goodbyes before hopping in the car with my final load of stuff. It was a weird feeling to be leaving, but simultaneously a wonderful one.

I am in my new place now, and loving it more with every second I am there. I am slowly but surely whittling away at the number of cardboard boxes. The writing nook is also beginning to take shape. I'm ready to be able to get in there and start writing!

Until then!

Creatively yours,
Kat

So much stuff... so little time!

I thought I would pop in and send out a quick hi! Life has been a swirl of cardboard boxes and packing tape for approximately a week now. It's been chaotic, but exciting nevertheless! Last night I finally started packing up my writing area and realized just how attached I am to what I do! It is killing me to have my writing materials tucked away in the large brown boxes that hold them captive. I know that I won't have time to sit down and work on my writing for another couple of weeks, but knowing it is there if I have a sudden rush of creativity is always nice. Nevertheless, in a few weeks I will be in my new place with a new writing studio and the cardboard and crumpled bits of newspaper will be nothing but a memory!

Things are going really well right now in pretty much every aspect. Work has slowed down a bit as summer has fallen upon us (finally), and I am not taking summer classes as I decided that I needed to spend more time this summer focusing on the deadlines for manuscripts that are slowly but surely approaching. I'm looking forward to this! I even got a new chair for this ;0)

I have spent a large part of this week looking at furniture and sat in over 26 couches in a day! I had a very hard time picking a couch, but went over to this overstuffed chair and plopped down. Let's just say in less than 5 minutes a red sold sticker was placed on the tag and I was the proud new owner of a marshmallow chair! It is the softest, and most comfortable thing. My theory is that everyone needs there special chair and beyond that, it is perfect for sitting in while writing! As for the couch, this took a little longer. However, after recruiting a little help, we were able to slap a sold sticker on a sage green, three-person couch. It's definitely different than what I would have ever imagined myself buying (especially the color); but I like it and can't wait for it (and my marshmallow chair) to be delivered to my new place in about a week!

First though, I have to finish packing and cleaning. Then of course, tomorrow before the sun even comes up, I will be setting up for my garage sale! I am hoping it goes well and I can make a little profit to help with moving expenses. One thing I know for sure though is that I plan to find a nice shady spot and spend the afternoon writing in my journal.

So things are going well. There is so much more going on but time is short so I will have to catch up on another day. I will mention that I did not get the scholarship and won't be headed to California for the summer conference, but that is ok. There is enough going in here it will keep me busy. Then, lickety-split, September will be here and it will be time for the Fall conference (I'm already excited)! Much to do, and even more to write! But until then...

Creatively yours,

Kat Callaway