The flip side.

If I am to be fair in my blogging, I feel I have to write about the flip side of what I spoke about last time.

Having the right people in your life is very important even on small levels. The other side of that is those people that seem to suck the life out of you.

We have all had them in our lives or maybe still do. 

They are the people that always know whats best for you and endlessly give advice that is more about their own self-gratification than actually helping you.

They are the people who have no real ambition for their life, but still want to tell you how to live yours.

There are also the ones that only bring negativity to you. Sometimes it is drama from their own life, or talking down about anything you do.

These people are a constant in life and they don't appear to be going away anytime soon.

I think sometimes we feel obligated to stay with people even when they are toxic. Sometimes we don't realize they are toxic until way too late.

My advice on this is to take stock of your life. Look at the people around you, find out who makes you happy, who lifts you up and then find the ones who are doing the opposite and create as much space as possible between the two of you.

Life is short and you are the only one responsible for making yours a happy one. 

Anyway not the lightest blog I have ever written, but I know that we have to be active in our own lives. As always, have fun and keep writing.

Writing analogy.

Hey everyone, back from the holidays. Hope everyone had fun. 

I enjoy working out. It comes in ebbs and flows, and I am not always the healthiest person, but it is a pretty constant in my life. I have worked out solo before and can manage, but I have found that having a partner can greatly improve what you are trying to do. 

It is interesting that writing is much the same. Most see being an author as a solitary thing and often times it is, but there are very good reasons why you should surround yourself with the right people. 

Pushing yourself.

When I work out alone I have my goals and I try hard to meet them. The problem is, it is so much easier to make excuses when I get tired or things become hard. Having that person there that is on your level truly helps because if they do the set and finish it out it pushes you to put the extra work in.

Writing is the same. That is why Critique Partners are so great. They can push you and give you the drive to push that story a little farther. They can be there to offer encouragement when you feel like you are failing. 


Getting help.

Sometimes when you are trying to grow in an area while working out, asking a trainer or other people in the gym for some advice can really help take your game to the next level.

Again writing has the same thing. Editors and beta readers are important because they are outside people who can see what you are doing and offer their opinions on things that are working and things you can improve. 

In both it isn't necessarily that you can't do the work, but having someone on the outside that can see the things you may be too close to will always be a benefit. 

Helping others.

I love working out with people who are new to it. It can help my confidence and also help me understand why I do things the way that I do them.

Pretty much word for word this applies to writing. Giving advice can help us put into words our writing process and it can give that little boost when we are feeling down.


Writing is often a solo activity. Working out and trying to be healthy will always come down to you making the right choices yourself. Still, the people we choose to have around us will often have a large hand in whether we succeed or fail. 

Anyway, it is great to be back I hope everyone is doing well. As always have fun and keep writing!!

Busy month.

Hey all this is a pretty busy month so the blog post have slowed down. I am sure all of you understand. I just wanted to wish everyone a Merry Christmas or a happy whatever else. I hope everyone is enjoying the season.

This will be my last post for this year. It has been an interesting one, but I truly can't wait for 2016, lots of big things. 

Anyway, wishing you all well, see you next year!!

IWSG

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds! To join click HERE!

I am not sure of other people's experience with "new" writers. When I say that it isn't from a place of looking down on them, I mean it as someone who has yet to finish a piece of writing fully. Someone who has written, but maybe is not clued into the writing world. 

I've had several times where someone has come to me and asked me opinions on writing. I remember what it was like for me when I had asked others for advice. Sometimes their words were not so much helpful as  they were overwhelming and sometimes crushing. 

I always managed to push past and I think that is probably true for most people, but I tend to keep it in mind when I dish out advice. To me it is very important to keep the person writing, it is the only way they get better. I try to point out the good things and fun things and the stuff about writing that can really make it worth it.

The other day a friend came to me and I have known them for quite some time. They have mirrored my journey through writing in a lot of ways, only they have not made that step to really dedicate themselves to it.

This person made some comments about writing that were basically alluding to the fact that they might as well do that because it would be easier than what they were doing with their life. Now anyone who does this seriously knows one thing is never said about the writing process—"It is easy". 

It is pretty grueling at times and can take a lot out of you. Not even just finishing a piece of work, but getting it out there and keeping yourself and your work relevant in people's minds. I was torn between 'setting them straight' and what I normally do. In the end I decided that I knew this person well enough to give a little hard truth. 

I guess my question for this month's IWSG is, how do you go about giving advice and when do you take the kid gloves off?

As always, have fun and keep writing. 

Update Post!!

UPDATE

The Book

So as you may or may not know, I had a "working" copy of my third installment to the Light Bringer's Saga a few months ago and I trashed it, or at least most of it. It didn't work and I was rushing myself and trying to force it. Well I have been working on it pretty steadily and feel I am about 70% done with my draft. I might even have it finished by December 1st. I have wanted to get this story out for quite some time, but it is the resolution to many things that I have built over the course of the series and it had to be right. 

Having said that I have have another book waiting in the wings and can't wait to start work on it. I already have about 30k words done on it so really I am just waiting to jump back in. If you are interested in learning more jump back to 2013 by clicking HERE. 

The Store

So I have post about my wife's store before.

 She makes really cool jewelry. 

I have also talked about my clay figures before. 

Well they are all in the same shop now. 

Anything from rings and necklaces, to Dragon's and Batsy Cats. Also because I know people :D if you enter the coupon code Bax20(caps don't matter) you can get 20% off your order, good until Dec. 15th. So if you like handmade, unique jewelry and figures or know someone who does. Click here and check out the store. Layla's Trinkets.

Something Cool

So if you are not following S.K. Anthony's blog...get on that lol. But also something really fun happened over there. I personally love watching YouTube for anything about books. Discussion, author interviews, book reviews, anything really. So it was really cool to see S and her friend and fellow author Raymond Esposito bring us Writer's After Dark. A fun new YouTube channel dedicated to all things books. Go see them argue over which is better, Romance or Horror?!

Something Inspiring

This may be slightly hard to hear, but I thought it was pretty cool. Alan Moore( Watchmen, From Hell, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen ) talks about writing and publishing. 

Anyway I hope you guys found something in there you liked. How is your writing going? Did you need some gift ideas and found the store to be that fix? Planning on checking out Writer's After Dark? I hope everyone is enjoying their November. As always, have fun and keep writing.

Chest of Awesome!!

A new feature on the blog where I want to present awesome things from my month that I want to share with everyone. Could be anything, but I want to try and do it at least once a month.

ROUND 1

The first is this awesome book. Anyone who knows me, knows I love Harry Potter. I also love reading to my kids. My oldest read for themselves now, but my youngest I get to read to all the time. He is still a little young for this book, but when I saw it I had to buy it. 

It is actually the full book, but it is filled with awesome little pictures of the world and the characters. I can't wait for my little buddy and me to read it together. 

ROUND 2

The next awesome thing is this book by Raymond Esposito (<--click me). I actually won this in a contest a while ago, but my reading pile is massive and I just got around to reading it. I will admit that I am not a huge consumer of all things Zombie. I love the Walking Dead, comic and show. I also love the comedic movies about zombies like Shawn of the Dead and Zombieland. 

Still even I can tell that this book was a refreshing take on the "zombie" thing. I put that word in quotes because...well go read and find out. Honestly the book was really great and I enjoyed it thoroughly. This is the first book in the Creepers Saga and after reading I am thinking of rearranging my to-be-read pile to read the second one sooner. 

Find the books here

BOOK 1

BOOK 2

BOOK 3

ROUND 3

The last thing in this post is something I am getting back into. Writing is my first love when it comes to art, but it is not my only love. Many times when I get deep into a book I need some kind of artistic palate cleanse. Sometimes I paint, sometimes I draw, but I also started to make things out of clay. It is actually really fun, but I had to stop to focus on my writing. Well last night I got the itch and so I made this new little green dragon.

  Anyway, what do you guys think of the HP Illustrated book? Do you like zombies? Anyone got some art to share? As always have fun and keep writing. 

IWSG

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds! To join click HERE!

Derivative. It is a word with pretty negative connotations. When people say it, you can just picture the person rolling their eyes and scoffing.

I understand to a degree. I know that as you read more, it becomes harder to find that original thing. I do have a problem though condemning books for being similar to other books.

I have two major points on this subject. The first is this. No matter what idea you have it has to conform to a story and doing so will change it. I mean as long as you are not specifically plagiarizing something your story will be different because it is yours.

You could grab three writers give them the same story idea and get three completely different stories. We are the greatest resource of a story because the information is filtered through our minds and our experiences. 

My second point is that everything is new to someone. 350,000 babies are born a day, trust me I Googled it. So just think of how many new readers we get all the time. There are people who read Inheritance Cycle and it made them lifetime readers. Does it matter than that The Dragonriders of Pern series came first? I don't think so. I think what is important is that a writer finds their readers. Maybe a younger writer will bring a new perspective to an old story.

At the end of the day being a great writer is more important than what you are writing. If you love vampires and feel you have a great story to tell then tell it. Zombies? Go for it. Post apocalyptic story with a female lead? Hey you are brave, but go for it. 

At the end of the day writing trumps all. There are readers waiting for you. You just have to get good enough to reach them.

Anyway, I hope everyone is doing well, Thanksgiving is coming soon. As always have fun and keep writing. 

Reading/Writing

I was reflecting today on what got me into this writing thing. It is probably the same thing that gets most writers into writing. Books. 

I can be in the worst mood and walk into a book store or a library and instantly feel happy again. 

After I got my first book out there I started the road that is marketing/getting the next book out. Between that and personal stuff I made a huge mistake. I stopped reading. I think I went a solid 8 months with no reading and for me that is a long time. 

It is strange really because it isn't like I am getting ideas from what I read. I think it is more so that I am resting my brain and enjoying myself. Of course if I enjoy a really good scene I will sometimes reread it and try to figure out what made me love it. Still, I am a better, more productive writer when I read. 

This last month I have finished reading three novels and my writing output has never been better. Life is balance, mixing work with something you love can be very healthy.

Anyway just some of my musing for today. What are you guys reading? As always have fun and keep writing. 

P.S. I added an about the author tab and something else up there I can't wait to share more on. 

Interview with Karen Helen Walker!

Hey guys I am super happy to be part of Karen's book release for The Wishing Steps. If you would like to visit Karen's blog click HERE.

I was lucky to get to interview Karen about her writing and her novel. Below is that interview, hope you all enjoy.

B: What started you on this journey to being a writer?

K: I was always a writer professionally. I was in public relations and communications, so wrote lots of articles and essays, but never with my name on it. Always the client’s name.

In 1999, I quit to write full-time and worked for years on a memoir, Following the Whispers, which was published in 2009.

B: Is there a certain genre of book you like to read more than others?

K: I mostly read novels, historical fiction, mysteries, women’s fiction. But I also read a lot of nonfiction: self-help, spirituality, metaphysical, memoir, biography

B: Do you tend to be a big outliner with your stories or more of a free writer (or like me somewhere in the middle)?

K: Oh God, I never outline. I’ve hated outlines since school days. My stories flow from my heart. Then, once the first draft is done, I go back and work out plot, characterization and other issues out.

B: Do you have a 'writing spot' or a certain routine you like to follow before you start writing?

K: I just write on my laptop in my living room, but I do get myself into a meditative space before I begin writing.

B: What was the inspiration for The Wishing Steps?

K: That’s a bit of a story. I was on vacation in Scotland, standing in the midst of a 2000-year-old burial site when an unfamiliar inner voice said, “Tell my story.” I’d never heard voices before, other than my own inner voices, and wasn’t even sure what I heard, so I said, “I’m on vacation. Sorry.” Then, in Ireland a few days later, I was standing on what they called the wishing steps in the forest surrounding Blarney Castle, when the voice once more said, “Tell my story.” Once again, I ignored it. But I couldn’t ignore it once I got home. The Wishing Steps is the result.

B: Robert Jordan said, when asked if he had a favorite character, that his favorite was the one he was currently writing. Do you have a favorite character that was easier or more enjoyable to write?

K: This is my first work of fiction. I’d written nonfiction for three decades. I guess my favorite character from this book is Brighid from Part I because she lived in primitive times and had to figure things

out for herself when that was so much harder to do without the resources we have today.

B: What are future plans past The Wishing Steps?

K: Sigh! Brandon, I’m sixty-six. I’d like to be retired in the full sense of that word, but I have other books in me wanting to come out. There’s another novel, a companion piece to The Wishing Steps, and more essays and articles.

Thanks again Karen for an awesome interview. And good luck on your release and future endeavors.

Here is some information on The Wishing Steps out now.

Brighid, Ashleen and Megan: Bound through time by a curious light, a mysterious voice and a call they dare not ignore. Yet in obeying this strange force, the women not only see their lives alter beyond recognition but must navigate the violence and scorn of a world that cannot accept their unorthodox ways. 

Can Brighid find a way to sustain her fragile, new beliefs in the face of rape and abandonment? Can Ashleen survive the brutality of an Inquisition that has burnt her mother as a witch? Can Megan defy her family and rise above the derision of an intolerant community?

The women can and do, but not before facing soul-searing trials that call into question everything they know and believe — about themselves and about the world around them.

The Wishing Steps is more than the journey of three women across the ages. It is the journey of all women through all ages…a journey of courage and defiance, trust and acceptance, revolution and transformation. The Wishing Steps is more than a story about three women’s discovery of Goddess. It is a story that all women have lived as they have sought, and fought, to claim their wisdom and express their power. 

There are other novels about women’s empowerment but only The Wishing Steps blends fact and fantasy to wrap it around the story of Goddess, a matriarchal way of life that predates all major religions.

There are other novels about the Goddess. Only The Wishing Steps spans the millennia from prehistory to contemporary times to explore themes of enduring import to women of all ages and backgrounds.

And while The Wishing Steps will attract readers of women’s and feminist fiction, the story of Brighid, Ashleen and Megan will appeal as well to lovers of myth and fantasy and followers of visionary and metaphysical fiction.

Here is a bit about the author.

Karen Walker is a writer who has published essays in newspapers and magazines, as well as in an anthology series. Her memoir, Following the Whispers, was published in 2009. The Wishing Steps is her debut novel. She completed a Bachelor’s degree and graduated Summa Cum Laude in 2005 from the University of New Mexico’s University Studies program with a major emphasis in Creative Writing. When she isn’t writing, you may find Karen singing and dancing with Sugartime or The Sophisticated Ladies at nursing homes and retirement communities, singing and playing guitar with friends, traveling with her husband of 20 years, Gary or relaxing with a good book at their home in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Here is where you can find the book.

Amazon

Barnes & Nobel

Hope everyone is having and amazing day. As always have fun and keep writing.

The Ethereal vs the Real!

I have been writing steadily since I was fourteen years old. I have published two books and have been writing as a published author for over two years.

In that time I have been asked by writers just starting out for advice on how to get started or what they should do.

I think about that question a lot because I don't think any of us really know. I mean even big time authors can give examples, but often say things like, 'that worked for me' or 'this may help you'.

The fact is sometimes things just click and through a lot of hard work, perseverance and a bit of luck some of us find success. 

I think there are many mistakes people make when starting out, but tonight I got to thinking about a big one. 

The idea. 

When you get that good idea and it just really hits you. It is like falling in love. You want to hold it close to you and just live in it. 

This is not a bad thing, it is an integral part of all great stories.

So what is the problem?

Well, the problem is this love is a lie. 

It is like falling in love with someone you have never really met. They can seem amazing and everything you want, but the truth is they don't live in the real world with you. They don't go through the stress of everyday life with you. They are this ethereal idea of love. 

This idea you have for a story is the same. 

The reason is a book has to have order to make it work. You have to tell a story. It has to make sense and be told in a way that is compelling. When you take this amazing idea and start bashing at it to conform to a book, it stops being this perfect thing.

The result of this is we feel like the idea is bad, or worse that we are not good enough for the idea.

Both of these things can be true. The problem comes when we cling to the idea and keep it from letting us go forward. I spent ten years doing this. To think where I would be had I just let that idea go sooner. 

There is a lot of merit to letting yourself just write for yourself. Just sit down and start telling a story that no one will read. When you're done tell another and another and another until you have the confidence to say, "This is good, someone should read this."

Ethereal is great, but real is better. Real is what you have when you complete something and if you do it enough you will be good at it. If you stay stagnant even the best ideas will turn into this bitter old thing that will drag you down with it.

Anyway, these are just some thoughts I had. I hope all is well. As always, have fun and keep writing.

IWSG

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds! To join click HERE!



So it has been a few months since I did one of these and I am glad to be back. I don't have too many insecurities today so I figured I would talk about something that has really helped me. 

I think a common problem with writers is the inability to make writing a habit. Ask any successful writer how they got there and though the advice may vary one thing stays the same. WRITE EVER DAY!!

This can be hard for someone who is self publishing and may or may not be seeing much return for their effort.

So I found a cool way to help myself with this. See my wife likes to make list. And plans. And graphs and...well if it involves a piece of paper and figuring something out, she likes to do it.

So I came up with an idea. On a regular writing day I do about 1 to 2k words. On a good day I can get about 5k before fatigue sets in. The problem is with three kids, one of them a toddler, the day slips away faster than you would think. 

So I came up with a rewards program. For ever thousand words I get a point. My wife wrote up a list of things I may want or do, like go see a movie and added a point value to it 10 points for smaller things, 75 for bigger and then so on. So instead of just doing those things I have to earn them through writing.

This really only works if you have to be accountable to this person so make it someone who will actually cares to talk about your writing and ask about your words for the day. 

Anyway I am enjoying this new thing and thought some of you might like to try it. I hope everyone is well. As always, have fun and keep writing. 

Fun on the net.

Like most people I get stressed out. Being stressed is not conducive to making art. So for me I turn to humor and music and other things found on the net to cheer me up.

I figured if it makes me happy then it will probably help others. 

So here is hopping some of these brighten your day.

I saw this one today and couldn't help but smile. I can just picture the happy thoughts of this bird.

Okay babies just make me happy and these are funny.

Okay here is a more inspiring vid. For anyone feeling like they are getting no where in their writing, I have post this vid before, but I always go back when I am feeling down.

And I will end this with a song I have been listening to lately. It isn't a new one and isn't necessarily happy, but I just feel in the zone when I listen to it. 

Anyway I hope these can inspire and cheer you guys up today. I am going to get back to writing. As always, have fun and keep writing.