Precipice: The Second Most Important Date of Your Life

Inspire. Create. Write.TM

The Second Most Important Date is...The Proposal.

Mike stood upon a precipice, the winds of change blowing through his sandy blond hair. He'd always been a hard worker, always fighting for his dream to be the best advertiser out there. If he wasn't working, he was not living. His mind aflame with new ideas and slogans, constantly rearranging them like a conundrum until they became something meaningful. After becoming the head of the advertising department at PPC. He afforded himself with maybe too much of an ego boost. In actuality his life was committed to what he was good at, nothing less, that is until this day had arrived....

"Sir, where would you like the ten thousand lilies?" Said the petite florist.

He looked down at her, puzzled and for all he was worth, he could not figure out where on the baseball pitch to put them. Jenna loved lilies, in fact, they had met at a flower shop. This proposal had to go perfectly, it had to be as perfect as the moment they shared their first kiss. The orchestra, the stadium lights, the lilies, the digital board saying ‘Will you marry me?’ It all had to gel together the way his adverts would...harmonious.

"Put the lilies in a half-circle arc around the stadium, the table in the center on the pitchers podium, then add the orchestra near the left field to utilize the acoustics there and top it all off with the ‘Will you marry me?’ appearing on the board when I actually ask the question." He told the stressed looking caterer. She scrambled off to organize his demands. He rubbed his hands together with a smile, everything should run smoothly now. Although maybe a long run on the treadmill might clear his head.

He climbed the stairs to his apartment greeting Buster on the way in. Little Buster had been the dog Mike had grown to love, he'd never been fond of pets before, that is until Jenna ‘liberated’ him from a lab and brought him to stay with them. He was a scruffy little mutt, a mutt that Mike would spend his Sunday afternoons combing through his hair to get rid of any excess. Mike sat at his desk surfing the net and checking the latest ads out. He must have fallen asleep because the next thing he knew he was at the beach with Jenna, Buster and 5 other dogs that she had decided to walk today... As they got to the beach he knew with certainty what was going to happen next. Jenna let all 6 dogs go! Unleashing them on the beach, not knowing, or rather not caring if it would be a mission to leash them all again, especially Buster. She ran with them, hair tossing in the wind, screams high in the air, she ran. The dogs followed her like a pack, barking excitement. Mike laughed, this was one of his favorite memories of her. A memory that illustrated just how free and uninhibited she was. Everything he was not, she was his polar opposite in almost every way. She was life! The very essence itself, life incarnate in all its beauty and terror. Yes, terror. Her ability to be so, so, so down to earth was unnerving. He'd never met anyone so unencumbered. With a jerk, he woke up and felt like the keyboard keys were engraved on the side of his face. He went out onto the balcony as if standing on a precipice, the winds of change blowing through his sandy brown hair. He'd reached his epiphany within that dream, that one very vivid dream. He was going to marry Jenna, he was going to get down on one knee and propose to her.

Racing down the streets, through the busy nightlife of Manhattan, Mike knew exactly where she would be. The one place she had always felt safe, the stock exchange building. An unusual choice but Jenna had once said that it was exactly that chaos and insanity that made her feel safe. She would just sit there and watch people rant and rave over the stock market, voice upon voice each trying to be heard but lost within the echoes. Trying to push through the crowd to find Jenna was impossible, he'd get lost before he made it even a quarter of the way. So he climbed on a desk and took the microphone.

"SHUrrrrrrrrrrrR UP!!!" Silence greeted him back. "Jenna! JENNA!! JEENNNAA!!!!!" There! He spotted her, the crowd parting along the way and there she was. Her hair was all scuffed up and she looked like she'd been crying. He jumped down and ran to her, gripping her against his chest.

"Why are you crying?" He asked tentatively.

"Buster ran away today," She replied into his chest.

He chuckled, "He came home baby, Abdul must have let him in.” She looked up at him with so much hope he couldn't stand it anymore. Adrenaline pumped through him, Jenna must’ve found herself a whole lot taller than him now.

He descended to one knee and looked up into her brown button eyes. "When we first met you told me that I was the most egotistical, power-driven man you'd ever met. Well, I stand before you, not as that man, I stand before you today as… your man. The one you taught how to smile, how to be comfortable in casual clothes, how to laugh at the silliest of things, how to take a day off and the one you taught how to live out his secret dream even if it was just for one night. Jenna your beauty has only one equal, your spirit. You are all that I breathe for and from this day forward you're all that I live for. I don't want money or success or even that award for the best advert. All I want and need is you. Give me an angel as sweet and lovely as you and I'll love her with everything I have. Give me a home and I'd love it with all I have. Give me you, and I will give you my heart and soul. Will you marry me?"

Jenna looked down at him with tears in her eyes, smiling, she uttered a word that galvanized at the very core of his being. "Yes!"

Their lips met passionately somewhere after that, in all the chaos that followed. Cheers and screams rang high in the building. Whether it was to something that happened in the market or to their engagement… no one will ever know.

DeviantArt Cred: LiquidTheoryInc

THE END

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Authors Note

This is a short story, Cover Reveal can be found Here

The Most Important Date can be found Here

Special Thanks to LiquidTheoryInc for allowing me to use his artwork at the end.

Enjoyed that? Share your thoughts or even better, your personal proposal stories, I love reading those. 

If you would like to join the Blog Tag fun, click on the link or the Image below. 

~Be Kind to One Another~ Ellen Degeneres

The Flash (TV Series): Review

"My name is Barry Allen, and I am the Fastest man alive."

The fastest man alive isn’t a just comic book anymore.   

Barry Allen wakes up 9 months after he was struck by lightning and discovers that the bolt gave him the power of super-speed. With his new team and powers, Barry becomes "The Flash" and fights crime in Central City. 

Barry Allen: What is happening? What is going on? 

Cisco Ramon: You were struck by lightning, dude. 

Barry Allen: What? Lightning gave me abs?

A well-adapted version of a fan-favorite comic book series, the Flash has well-rounded characters, unique plots, and twists with the right amount of spectacular superhero vs. super villain showdowns.

Although during certain fights you can clearly see, that the Flash is pure CGI, the rest of the show makes up for this. Grant Gustin as the Flash, heavily carried the show in the first season, with Cisco Ramon a close second. But since then, more characters have started to show some promise. Doctor Harrison Wells in this second season is way more entertaining and provides a much-needed depth to the character.

I was pleasantly surprised when Grant Gustin sang on the show, though too short a scene, it was still pretty cool. Only through minimal investigation (Google) did I find out that the he acted in the TV Series, Glee. More of that singing, I say. I enjoy how Barry has to use this one power of Super Speed in different ways in order to take on the baddies. To say that they have practically thought of every which way to use the speed force is an understatement. Who knew having a hero with one power would be so popular and yet there you have it.

What is it with the super powered always falling madly in love with the human women? Seriously, it’s got to stop. What do they even do for them I wonder? I was almost bouncing with joy in the new animated Justice League films because Superman wasn’t all into Lois Lane for a change. More on that in my next post.

The show was well received by critics. The Website, Rotten Tomatoes reported a 96% approval rating with an average rating of 7.4/10 based on 55 reviews. I agree.

I’m not too jazzed that so many people know this guy’s secret but I am open minded about it, maybe it is time for a change. Often when things like this happen the shows barely address it. The TV Series Chuck is a prime example, do you know the number of times Chuck should have gotten shot or worse? It’s insane. It makes the whole government assassin genre look like nerd play. Don’t get me wrong I loved the show, yet it annoyed me at how trivial they make lethal matters. It’s the same with the Flash. Hello? Someone get kidnapped already or at least show that keeping the Flash’s secret is a tough thing to do.

I love Cisco’s portrayal in this series. He’s such a fan boy when it comes to the villains and the heroes. It’s no wonder why he’s so popular. Plus if you read the comic books, you’d realize he’s one of the most powerful characters there is, in the Flash-verse. Can’t wait for him to truly discover that on the show!

Bring on the popcorn and get ready for a comic book fantasy world come to life. It’s no Superman or Spiderman but it is its own! The Flash, oh yeah.

DeviantArt Cred: marconelor

Personal rating: 7/10

In the days to come, I will add more reviews of my favorite TV shows and Movies. 

Let me know your thoughts about the show. All views are welcome.

If you enjoyed this post, I’d be honored if you’d help it spread by emailing it to a friend, or sharing it on Twitter or Facebook/Tumblr. Thank you!

~Be Kind to One Another~ Ellen Degeneres

Why Cracked Feet will Kill you.

Inspire. Create. Write.TM

Ever hear the saying, “Ain’t nobody got time for that.”?

Day to Day, with the way we consume time. It’s almost absurdly easy for anyone to say, Ain’t nobody got time for that, isn’t it?

Imagine for a microscopic second, that you’re walking up your cobblestoned driveway after a long & grueling Monday workday. The air is crisp with the freedom you feel and you cannot wait for your husband/wife, fiancé, boyfriend/girlfriend or cat to greet you. All you want in life is to shower, eat & relax. But hold on just a darn tootin’ minute, the world is wobbly, the air is now pungent with the pain you feel writhing from your feet all the way to your heart. Splat!

The horrible truth is nigh here.

The most shocking part is that, “Around 70,000 people are hospitalized with it every year.”

Now I could work out the statistical variance with a percentage value for the chances of you, Personally being involved in that amount. But, yes you guessed it, Ain’t nobody got time for that

Crazy averages aside, When you list ways for you to die:

Gettin’ shot up-side the head, being drowned in a river, finding them lumps & bumps or getting mugged in a dark alley.

Cracked Heels doesn’t sound worth it, does it?

Excellento! So let’s get with the smooth and fixin’.

Below you will find the Products on review today.

Or

How to Use:

1. Here’s the kicker, though, it’s literally 2 minutes before you shower and 1 minute after. Hardly a ridiculously vigorous routine ey? All the products above can be found in One-Stop at Clicks stores Nationwide. While there, won’t you pick up an awesome heel file, it’ll come in mad-handy shortly.
2. So the recipe for smoothness is thus folded, make sure the heel file is dry, begin to use one side to work on your right heel & the other to work on your left. The key is to find a gentle rhythm, remember you aren’t scrubbing for gold, so go easy will ya? The tiny particles of the dermis should look like white dust on your heels by now. Afterward, apply the Clicks – Exfoliating Foot Scrub in calm swirling motions with an outstretched palm. As per above mention, this should take you under 2 minutes to complete.
3. Exactly as you are (Clothing optional), hoppity hop into that sweet, warm embrace of water gushing down your body.
4. Once dried out after your shower, settle down and take out either the Clicks – Repairing Heel Balm or the Vaseline - Intensive Care Camphor Restore Cream. If you like symmetry, I would suggest the Heel Balm but if you’re product rebel, I would recommend the Vaseline.
5. Massage the cream of choice over the intended area, increase into outward strides to maximize the area of healing.

Feel Epic now, don’t you?

Make sure to wear loose fitting slippers or cuddly-wuddlies.

Personal Experience:

For years I detested my heels, it was an annoying problem I was too annoyed with to fix. Cracked & abused they tormented me, especially at outdoor functions or slumber-fiestas.

Months ago, I tried doing something. For days, I would scrub & scrub, but them damn cracks were stubborn yo! My ever-over loving mother being the Saint*ess she is, took pity and bought the above mentioned Four products for me. Within that same night of using the above directional methods, my Crack heels were no bloody more! No more slightly aching pains when I press my heels in for actions like driving, sitting at my desk or just plain kid-tastic running.

Now, I have used both the Heel Balm & The Camphor Restore but I would have to say I am partial to the sensationalizing Camphor Restore. It has the added bonus of a euphoric scent.

I would most assuredly recommend this to all. My dad is probably the perfect example of a before and after picture-spokesperson. Mom did his heels and the cracks are frickkin' inconsequential now. In One day, who can top that now?

Of course, daily or weekly use is encouraged, I know without a doubt I will never have Cracked heels again just because it’s this easy to get rid of.

BooyaHkasha!

(My New Ali G Word J+ the H)

• Beauty Product/s Review done. One day when I grow up……Can Say….Hey, I did that.
• Take Away: Write outside your comfort zone.

~"Be kind to one another."~ Ellen DeGeneres

                                          ******************************

Breaking News* The official website launched today for The Blog Tag! If you're interested in taking part, either follow the link or click on the image below which will take you to their Aesthetically Blog-tastic Website.

The Light & The Dark: Open Letters to the Anonymous

Inspire. Create. Write.TM

Dear Ignorance, lend me your Ears!

After many conversations with you, I have finally realized that nothing I say, do, write or paint will evoke an epiphany in your condescending thoughts. You, who constantly bash on the withering souls because you don’t understand what it’s like to have your heart on your sleeve and a broken heart without choice. Because you see, every time I step into the distorted play we call reality, when I enter the world, YOUR world, I refuse to bow down to your social standards, morals, and beliefs. Because I will not hide the way I feel, I will not wear a mask and sacrifice who I am so you can feel comfortable. I will no longer stand by as you torment another person’s thoughts again and again with sayings like

“Get over it”

“Have you ever tried to just, not be like that all the time?”

“Attention Seeker, that’s all you are”

Because I’ve been there. I’ve stood at the edge of insanity, and pulled myself back into sanity with sheer strength and faith in a God. Who, I am pretty sure has big things in store for me. I’ve been there, seeing someone slowly kill themselves, poisoning their body with any kind of feel-good drug to get away from the never-ending circle of lies, despair and trickery that mental illness just so happens to carry with it. But you see mental illness isn’t satisfied with being alone. No. Misery loves company, and company it will bring.

Feelings of inferiority, check. Self-hatred, check. Loneliness, check. Addiction, check. Anger, check. Anxiety, check. 

Then again maybe you are reading this saying, why? Why is she writing this to me? Maybe because I know that playing house while posting status updates with a ~LifeIsBeautiful~ hashtag and an edited picture of a sunrise, you barely took two seconds to appreciate, is not the way to find happiness. Because life is fucking beautiful, but I don’t look for it in a hashtag, I look for it in the dark. I look for it in the ashes left behind from where a Phoenix just arose. I look for it in the eyes of a human being in so much pain, that they feel they can’t even take one more breath, but they do in any way.

So maybe you won’t understand this post because there are no hashtags, no edited quotes with an inspirational saying. That’s okay. But just know, that I’ve risen from a dark, cold prison named depression. I’ve defeated my own thoughts and broken through the restraints of every instinct in my body. And I will not idly stand by to watch you break down the struggling, I won’t let you interfere with their healing anymore. Barking out your irrelevant comments and destructive criticism. I am strong enough to stand against you and your ignorant thoughts.

With not so much love,

~That person you made The Comment to, but probably don’t even remember.

Great minds think alike but fools never differ.

****************

Dear Wandering souls, lend me your hearts!

I am writing this because I believe your story Must be heard. That too many of us have become unbridled with our focus on the negative. We turn on the news and all we see is how much this beautiful earth has been tarnished. I need them to see you, I need them to feel what I’ve felt.

Remember that interview? I do, you sat in quiet peace while the ladies did all the talking. I shook your hand and that was all I thought of it. In surprise, I got hired and your wisdom was revealed. You knowingly gave authority away without attachment. Which in turn gave them a sense of purpose apart from their daily, monotonous duties. It was the first mark of a True leader if I ever saw one. Before you, I had never known what it meant to be appraised or encouraged to do anything. At most I had to previously force-feed my own ambition. In the days and weeks to come you gave me purpose, tasks that were not meant for a lowly new employee. It pushed me to do more, learn more and above all, it made me actually enjoy something that I never thought I would. 

Before you I believed everything was all about me this, me that. I should have this, or I didn’t get that because of this. Upon sideward glances, I noticed something new. No one felt lower than you, no one inherently avoided you. They gravitated to you and you shepherded them to be better. In those moments, you taught me to not be better than my fellow man but be better than my previous versions. That by helping others get what they want, automatically gets you what you want. I have carried this with me always. A number of times you pulled up your sleeves and jumped into the trenches with us was truly astounding. You didn’t need to do it yet you did. In truth, before you, I had only heard of the word Mentor. You weren’t just someone to aspire to be but someone to inspire them all. 

We would have never found that funding to help the children’s hospital without those late nights you pulled, combing through the never-ending financials. We would have never all come together as a unit of singular motivation to find homes for those that had never known of one. I shudder to think of what would have happened to all those wandering souls had you not been there. Thank you for teaching me the value in appreciating every soul, no matter the flaw. If that was what it meant to be a real man, then you rocked it in spades.

In the wake of your silence, I have written this poem.

Let the dead raise again,

And Death I shall becometh, lay your smoky ring upon my finger.

You are the entity of inevitable choice,

And from Chaos we were all born. It's what binds us, keeps us and forgets us...

There is but only one face I would condemn all of my humanity.

So I say this now. Yes, Hear Me!

Bring me the Doors of thyself,

So I may retrieve what was taken.

Lay claim to my soul and punish my sin,

But deny me none, for Death I shall becometh.

In this tiny little sphere of ours, within the ever expanding sheer mass of the World, you have done more for humanity than they will ever know. Know that in the abyss of darkness, you were that speck of light to break through and free us.

So I know now that I must continue, I must live with the legacy you created. I promise you I will never falter or fail in this mission. Every child saved will know your name, they will come to have hope again and overcome the adversity thrust upon them. They will have hearth again, I swear it against all damnation. I will live every day in honor of your greatness, bringing the Light to all those shackled with the darker parts of humanity.

In finality, I am humbled by the destiny you left me with. Yes, we will soar, we will Phoenix.

This I lay my promise, this I lay my heart.

Find peace my brother.

~"Be kind to one another."~ Ellen DeGeneres

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“The Light & The Dark: Open Letters to the Anonymous”

By

Enricoh Alfonzo & the impeccably talented, Sumarie SteenKamp.

I am so honored to have her guest blog on this post. You don’t have to guess to know that her outstanding work is the first letter.

Sumarie is a web-designer by profession with a passion for words unlike any other that I have ever met. She devotes her spare time to helping friends and promoting other bloggers (I know right? Literary Saint).

If you're interested in taking part in The Blog Tag, either follow the link or click on the image below which will take you to the Facebook group. Breaking News* A new website is also in production!

A Life without Traffic

Inspire. Create. Write.TM

Ghost Cars!!!!

Flying cars are so over-done.
Teleporters are so over-done. Try this on.

I know that might sound scary, but bear with me. This is all going to make you wish it were real.

Today was THE day, the day I could not contain my anger any longer. I just had to pull my car over, away from the traffic. Worst Case Scenario? I would’ve gotten out of my car and taken a wheel spanner to every other car in sight. Traffic is probably the worst possible frustration there is for working class citizens. From annoying zig-zaging, lane-changing drivers to motorcyclists that you both envy and detest.

I got out of my car (POLO vivo blueline metallic) and began pacing in a feeble attempt to calm my nerves. After spending almost a year working from home, being thrust back into the congested highways was not entertaining in the slightest. A lightning bolt flashed down my spine and I had a wondrous thought.

What if all cars were Ghost Cars?

Technically it would be cars that could phase through solid matter, dispersing their particles on command. A car with an “Intangible” mode, if you will. Able to transverse from locations without little to no impediments along the way.

“NO MORE TRAFFIC!” I’d imagine this would be the Headlines should such a car be invented.

“Just one big idea. One big idea, and we can change the world.”

Think about it, I have, vigorously. Especially after this morning and the building frustration, I feel everyday. If cars can phase through each other, there would be no need to ever be stuck behind a slow driver or a goliath-sized truck or a construction block. No need to change lanes, no need to swerve (*never swerve, always break) to try to avoid an accident…on that point No More Accidents! And us praying it wasn’t someone we knew.

We could drive however we want and how ever slow we want. Oooh and no more traffic fines! Seriously a bribed cop is no cop at all.

There would be Peace on the Roads!

Ever since I came back from Japan and got to see how efficient their public transport system is, I am left wanting. Even in a crowded train there, there is air conditioning and everyone has good hygiene. During peak times, there were literally about 4-5 cars on the roads. Everybody walks and uses the trains to travel. It’s splendid! If only more governments and countries could be as organized as that.

But until then the Ghost Car fantasy lives on!

And I will be looking like this should it ever be invented….

                                        Pic found on Deviantart.com – user: woodsac

So Ghost Cars, yay or nay?

Comment below on all your traffic pet peeves and woes. I look forward to hearing it all.

I’m definitely writing a short story on this. Will update this post and create a new one as soon as it’s finished.

If you enjoyed this post, I’d be honored if you’d help it spread by emailing it to a friend, or sharing it on Twitter or Facebook/Tumblr. Thank you!

What unites us as human beings is an urge for happiness which at heart is a yearning for union. ~ Sharon Salzberg

Vaya con Dios

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A fan of this post, sent me this photo:

If you would like to join in the fun of The Blog Tag. Click on the link or the picture below. 

Author Tag - 10 Questions for Authors

Here's looking at me, Enricoh Alfonzo. 



Tried to do a YouTube video, yeah that didn't....beep.
Finally, a YouTube tag I can do!

• Where's your favorite place to write?

Mostly at my desk, which gets's uncomfortable when my butt falls asleep. Might take Jenna's advice and try the bed. 

• Coffee or tea?

Hmm depends on the night really, if I need to stay up longer a potent cup of coffee is what I go for. If it's the morning and I feel crappy, green tea. If I have biscuits, like the awesome ones my mum gets, then normal tea is the way. So it's really about the moment, I don't understand why authors have to explicitly state they don't like something. It's not a requirement for being an author. 

• Favorite book of all time?

Every Harry Potter book that has now or will ever exist! If you held a gun to my head (I would laugh first) then give you that answer. Generally, though I have a few in different Fiction genres. 

• NanoWrimo yes or no?

Never done it but I've watched a lot of videos on people who have, sounds interesting. For those that don't know NanoWrimo. It's the writing challenge month of November. It's like MoVember (growing out the 'stache or beard for throughout November). Really not sure what makes November so special plus it takes forever to get here. Anyway, this year I will give it a try.

• Genre you would write if you had no restrictions.

Haha don't know what restrictions I have now. Under Fiction, I would like to write for Middle Grade/Children, Young Adult and Adult. Think Harry Potter, Twilight & 50 Shades. Without Wizards, Vampires & billionaire fetish men. Science fiction & Fantasy. I've always escaped into books so now I would like to make my readers do the same. 

• If you could have any super power, what would that be?

Whistle* this actually ties into my current completed manuscript and my next one. I would choose Telekinesis! Hands down, the coolest power ever thought up. If you go here, you will see all the possibilities and more that I have in mind for this power. I just believe we've only ever seen the bad that people do with this power. It's time to change that. 

• Favorite author?

J.K Rowling! Seriously the first consciencious book I remember reading and falling in love with is Harry Potter & the Goblet of Fire. Yes. Yes. I know it's the fourth book in the series but it was all my mum could get from the library. So I read four, then three, then two, the one. And then I went to five when it was released. She just opened my mind to the possibilities of writing. 

• What kind of music do you listen to when you write?

Back to Jenna again, I've never actually written with music. When I'm playing an RPG or surfing the net then yeah I listen. My mind just doesn't focus on the scene or chapter, if the music is in the background. But after watching her video, I came to look at it in a different perspective. For fight scenes or dramatic scenes I might just try it. 

• If you could live anywhere, where would that be?

Tokyo, Japan. Saved up and went there all on my own just after I got made permanent at work. It was the best vacation of my life. I just love the culture and people. Not to mention...Anime!!!

• What do you do when you get writer's block?

Ok sorry to disappoint, I've luckily never had it. If I am stuck on a scene or chapter it's more like I know, generally, what it's about I just need to fish out the details. So I will take an unnecessary shower or walk around my house like a military sergeant... Just so that I can think out the scene and then I sit down to write it out. Hopefully, touch wood I will never get actual writer's block, where I can't write anything. I highly doubt it, since I'm new to this and have soooo many ideas to get cracking on. 

Thanks for reading, I hope this inspires you to write or video your own Author Tag. It's a lot of fun and a really cool way for your readers to get to know you. 

Random sketch I did for my lil 'cuz:

You've Written a Novel. Now what?

The Dreamworld

Imagine What the World would be like if Martin Luther King did Not have a Dream?

After watching countless videos and reading countless blogs on writing/publishing advice, all I can say is...Huh? When did we start teaching people it's not ok to dream, or to dream but dream small dreams. When did we make that our common speak? Imagine you've just written a novel and log on the internet to look for advice, the first video you see, more or less says - don't expect anything major to happen next.
ARE YOU KIDDING ME? You just finished your very own novel! Do you know how impressive that is? I have so much Crazy Mad Respect for you! Well done! WOW.

According to Nathan Bransford here, about 15, 000+ people query an agent a year.... seriously? Out of 7.12 billion people....maybe that's just in the US but still! You wrote your book, never let anyone dim that excitement down. Yes, the hardest part might be what happens after you write your book. Yes, querying and getting published takes time. Yes, you might be rejected.
Say this with me:

Some Will, Some Won't
So What? Next!

We spend so much of our lives being told not to dream, not to take risks. I say DREAM! and dream BIG! Why shouldn't you? Why shouldn't you want massive success from your work? There isn't a reason, there's only an excuse. I've watched people both with insider knowledge and without, give brilliant advice but they always dim it with 'success is a myth' or 'don't expect the heavens to raise for you'. WHat? No. I believe in my work, I believe in people and I most definitely believe that success is solely possible by force of will.

It might have taken me only when everything shut down around me to write a book but I did and I'm insanely jazzed that I did. It flabbergasts me to think that so many words came out of my head and landed on pages. I never thought I would achieve that at this stage but I did. So I'm DREAMING now, I'm a big FAT DREAMER and I shout it to skies.

Some of the advice are based more on personal experience, but Veronica Roth or Rick Riordan can't really say from experience that massive success is not common or achievable. Yeah, they might have gotten some rejection but their epic talent and brilliant novel success far outweigh any of that. They can comment on it, yeah but they would be the people I would focus on. Because they DREAMED, they thought it up, wrote it and DREAMED.
Read this by Veronica Roth BEFORE she was famous, she dared to Dream it first.

So I'm going to listen to the advice but I'm definitely tuning out the whole, "Don't expect big things." speeches. Don't get me wrong those blogs and posts are amazingly helpful, especially on the "HOW TO" parts. I just believe that once we have written a novel, we should smile our cheekbones off and celebrate. Then with pride and hope, submit our queries.

Find Literary agents of fiction here.
Find awesome query examples here.

Have you been told not to Dream lately?
Reach OUT to me, I got your back.

Read The Story That came from a Dream

~Be Kind to One Another~ Ellen Degeneres

Novel: Behind the scenes

Question: Why am I writing this?
Answer: It's my first blog post and my first time writing a novel.

I started my novel somewhere on the 20th January 2016 and finished my first draft on the 4th February 2016, with the irrational thought that it would be polished enough. See I've had this scene playing in my head for years and some nights just before I would fall asleep, I would play out this scene. The characters would change depending on whatever I was in to at the time, i.e. teen wolf, black dagger brotherhood series, twilight, the originals to name a few. Eventually, I decided to put it down into words, the hilarious thing is that it took me Twenty chapters, that's right Twenty chapters to get to the scene I'd dreamed about. I remember I worked through the night and most of the morning when I got close to chapter Twenty, writing like a mad man because I needed to get the chapter out. That was definitely an amazing milestone, to see your scene all there... in words. Conceptualized and visualized, taking form in this fictional world you created. There's no other feeling like it, but then again I was high of no sleep. Writing the book was an amazing journey, from having the basic outline in your mind to actually going into the chapters, splitting up the plot to lead up to one another. I don't think I ever got writer's block per say, as I wrote each chapter the next one would form but there were days when the idea for the next chapter would come but the words wouldn't come with it, not so easily as the others did anyway. So I would have to walk around, lie on a bed, go outside, have more showers than is necessary (LOL). Just do anything mundane so that my mind would wander enough to figure out the next chapter or scene.

I am probably one of the kings of procrastination, heck if I wasn't I would have started this novel last year November. I was at home, I had the time. But instead, all I did was download movies and tv series, then watch them. Every series and movie I could find that I like, I got it.

I would like to say I found the will power to eventually write but it was more like I basically ran out of the stuff I like to watch and then my cat died, leaving an empty hole no movie or series could fix.

So back to the book, I finally finished it!!! Which is awesome but I dunno, I enjoyed
the climb more than getting to the peak.... I'm definitely not at
the top yet that would be once the book gets's published but writing the draft was an awesome experience. I learned a lot about myself in the process.

What's the problem then?
EVERYTHING that comes after your first draft manuscript. I submitted my story to a few beta readers, mostly the ones that offered to do it for free but one beta was generous enough to help with the first 5000 words. Whistle* what an eye opener. Firstly in my haste to finish the novel, I left out a lot of description and detail. focusing on progressing the story and dialogue.
Here's what I need to sort out:
How much of the actual street names or places do I need to include?
Some of my characters descriptions I kind of broke up through the story, is this ok?
Dialogue reduction maybe?
Location descriptions and building the world.
Do I really have to include street names? or actual distances between objects?

Anywho, she edited some of it and gave me the sample, the errors I made were grievous I should have self-edited more before giving it out to the betas. Also since I live in South Africa and the book is based in Seattle, there were some words that we use that Americans don't.
Luckily I met a girl online named Rachel and she helped me greatly understand the American way. specifically school themes like summer vacation, subjects, schedules.

There's just so much information out there about self-publishing, agents, editing, beta reading, building a following. it's insane to try and keep up. I've read many blogs and watched many author interviews, they barely talk about the insanity after you finish the novel. I promise myself that if I ever give an interview or am talking to fans I will tell them exactly what happens after you finish a novel. because it's scary business the time frame of it all. it's been 5 days since I finished the novel and I'm nowhere near sending out a query letter.

Here are some links that I'm going to be using post first draft:
https://querytracker.net/top-10-agents.php
http://veronicarothbooks.blogspot.co.za/2010/08/strive-always-for-normalness-my-advice.html
http://blog.nathanbransford.com/
https://prowritingaid.com/en/Account/Register2?returnUrl=%2Fen%2FAnalysis%2FEditor%3Fnobreak%3Dtrue%26userTextId%3D5205%26userTextKey%3Dfff08770-38a8-4dc1-a214-4418f43ec72d#
====>>>An amazing free editing site.
https://savvybookwriters.wordpress.com/category/agents/
http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/guide-to-literary-agents/young-adult-literary-agents

Now I have to go back, figure out how to creatively make the narrative more provocative, add on to character and location description then fix the dialogue tags. I'm not sure whether I should give my self a date to query with an agent.
Because I also I have the daunting task of creating a query letter. I mean how's a new writer with no writing credentials make his/her bio sound good? I can't lie, I can't go instantly get a writing credit under my name. I haven't seen any writing conferences here in south Africa to go to. Besides, all the best sellers here are mostly nonfiction or about race and a lot of historical incidents. Sigh.
I am going to believe in myself and my stories, that we will somehow change this unfairness in my country, by giving more fiction and science fictions writers a bigger market to step into.

I'll end this first blog entry now with the hope that I can get this all done in a timely manner.