To Colorado and Back

Yippee-ky-yay, cowpunks!

If you can tell by the title, the reason I didn't post anything last week was because I was visiting my dad, who lives in Colorado Springs. It was a week long mini-vacation, and it was awesome. I had delicious food, went to a Rockies baseball game (which was fun despite the fact they played as well as the Kansas City Royals, aka they played VERY badly), got to see my sister and my dog (I've missed the both of them very much), did some shopping, went to a wedding, went on a 20 mile bike ride (and survived), and got to go to the very top of Pikes Peak. Pikes Peak was the best; the view was absolutely beautiful.

The last picture has quite the story to it. When my dad and I first got to the top, there was a guy (black t-shirt man) flying one of those drones around. Just as we walked away, Dad heard an, "Oh, shit!" Drone Guy had crashed his drone thanks to the wind blowing about. After some time exploring and taking pictures, we were going back to the car and saw this: two yahoos (to use Dad's word for them, in the gray and red shirts) trying to get the drone back for Drone Guy. Nice gesture, but incredibly stupid, and Dad suggested we get out of there before we watched one of these idiots kill themselves.

So yeah, Colorado was fun.

Little change on the book/job front. I STILL haven't resumed working on my latest manuscript, but I have been doing some writer's work as a beta for an author on a story website I visit daily (a beta is basically the same as an editor). She's really good, despite being a bit wordy and having many incomplete sentences, but who's perfect? Anyway, I hope this gives me the edge I need to start writing again. As for jobs, I have started applying to other places besides where I know family, and I even have an interview tomorrow at one of the local Barnes and Noble. Pray hard and keep your fingers double crossed!

Bi-Weekly (Dis)Likes

Like 1: My sister, mom, and grandma all got back safely from London. They went there to celebrate Maggie's (the sister) graduation from high school (so proud of her), and not only did they have a good time, they got back safely.

Like 2: The souvenir they brought back. It's a lovely Cath Kidston wallet: black with a pink, taupe, and blue flower pattern. It's beautiful and big enough for all my cards, cash, and phone, and it was a good gift considering how my old wallet is patched and dirty. Thanks guys!

Like 3: My trip to Colorado. See above.

Like 4: My interview tomorrow. See above again.

Like 5: Shopping for and cooking dinner the past three nights. I was gone for a week, but Maggie, mom, and grandma were gone ten days, so I was in charge of making sure Grandpa had something for dinner. We had pork chops, chicken quesadillas, and pasta. I was very proud of myself, and so was Grandpa.

Dislike 1: Mosquitos. I HATE THEM. You know one good thing about Colorado? They don't have skeeters. But the first full day I'm home, Grandpa leaves the back door open when napping on the porch for 10 minutes, and now I've got like nine bug bites on my legs, AND THEY WON'T STOP ITCHING!!! I'm doing my best not to scratch, but it's really hard not to.

And quote!

"Defeat is not the worst of failures. Not to have tried is the true failure." -George Edward Woodberry

Bye,

Colleen

Moved In

Hi, everybody.

Again, it's a rather slow week at the personal office. I still haven't gotten back into the swing of things concerning my latest manuscript. I'm still job hunting. I haven't heard back from Spencer Hill to see if anyone's free to take BURN IN LIGHT.But at least I'm still writing this blog, right?

And the good news is I've moved out. Moving is all done, and I have officially taken up residence in my grandparents' house until I can find something more permanent. The stress and hard work that comes with moving is over! This equals more time to be spent on writing.

There's also good news on the job front. I got one of the pre interview calls from my local Barnes & Noble some days ago. They asked me a few questions, and if everything checks out with the boss (who's away on vacation), then they'll call me for an actual interview. I hope they do, but I'm still surfing job sites daily and calling in.

But to book stuff, let me talk/write about the characters from BURN IN LIGHT. We have the main character, Enid, who's a tough as nails high school senior and part time exorcist. In this book's world, exorcists are naturally born between the union of a ghost and human, but Enid's parents are both out of the picture, so she lives with her Uncle Vincent, who's a priest and a Viewer, which is the term used for non exorcist people who can see ghosts. Her best friends are two guys. Thad is a Viewer goth who's from a rich family and has been by Enid's side since first grade who's sweet and loyal. Al, her other friend, even longer, since her day one. He's a ghost of a British immigrant who died in a failed mugging over 100 years ago, to this day he still acts like a perfect gentleman. He also serves as Enid's 'guardian', which is basically the same as a guardian angel. All three make a kick ass evil ghost busting team. There's also a handful of minor characters, such as the gangbanger ghosts who Enid uses as info brokers, an occult shop owner who supplies Enid's hunting needs, and a particularly annoying poltergeist. All of them made this manuscript fun to write.

Weekly (Dis)Likes:

Like 1: The end of moving. See above.

Like 2: The Barnes and Noble call. See above again.

Like 3: My somewhat new flat screen TV. I say somewhat new because it was my mom's first, but now it's all mine!

Like 4: I had lunch with an old friend of mine yesterday. I saw her apartment (which was cool), and we had lunch at the farmers' market. We haven't seen each other in ages, but we clicked so easily; I hope to see her again soon (and the tomato curry I had was delicious).

Like 5: As a treat for the move, my mom and I got pedicures. With all the lifting and carrying, my feet hurt, so it was well worth it.

Dislike 1: The heat. You know it's summer when ten minutes outside leaves you swimming in sweat. >_<

And quote!

"Man is free at the moment he wishes to be." -Voltaire

See ya,
Colleen

Free Job, Anyone?

Guten tag!

It's another slow week at my imaginary office. There's only a bit of book news this time, and that is that Leticia is trying to see if someone else from Spencer Hill Press who isn't as busy as Rich-the-editor can take on BURN IN LIGHT. So far, I haven't heard back from her yet about anything, but I'll tell you when I do.

The job hunt hasn't changed much. I'm still looking and applying for jobs while trying to work up the courage to actually call hiring managers to say I'm still interested in what I applied for a week ago. It's all incredibly nerve-wracking (I hate talking on the phone), but I know I need to do it, and I will. I only wish this and job sites were easier. Isn't there a job site out there that works like one of those "For Dummies" books where everything is outlined clearly?

But enough about me whining. Time to make productive conversation, i.e. I tell you more about BURN IN LIGHT. Unlike SWAMP ANGEL, I don't remember the inspiration for this particular book. Maybe it came from me wanting to make my own twist on the classic ghost story, or maybe it started with the main character and involved from there (like the manuscript I'm working on now happened). I don't know. What I do know was that I started it in, ironically, the city the story is set in, Philadelphia. It was the summer before my senior year, and I was doing a month long residential art camp at Moore College. This worked so well, being in the city and working on a new book, really getting a sense of the surroundings and what city culture could do to the story. Not that I got a chance to work on the manuscript all that often, taking college-level art courses. But once it ended, it was back to school, which meant a return to the same typing schedule as SWAMP ANGEL: me typing on the ride to and from school while my sister did the driving. :P

But enough for now. On to the Weekly (Dis)Likes!

Like 1: Happy belated 4th of July everyone. I had a good one. My grandparents have a vacation house in the Ozarks, and I spent my 4th there watching fireworks from the dock. Our cove is the best when it comes to fireworks, because other than having firework-loving neighbors, there's a bed and breakfast in our cove that puts on a huge display every year. This time they did not disappoint!

Like 2: Blueberry pie. We had some at the lake, and it was goooooood!

Like 3: Wretched and Divine: The Story of the Wild Ones. I FINALLY got around to listening to this CD which I got back in December, and it was amazing! Black Veiled Brides, where have you been all my life!?

Like 4: Got a reply from my German penpal. Her name's Elisa, and I met her while she was studying abroad at Knox half a year ago. She's very pretty and friendly, and despite being back in her home country and knee deep in exams, she has graced me with a reply. It's always nice to hear from her.

Dislike 1: Talking on the phone with strangers. Enough said.

Dislike 2: Those fireworks that sound like cannonballs being shot. Never fails to make me jump and/or give me the beginnings of a heart attack.

Dislike 3: MOVING. I'm currently moving out of the house, and though I know all the packing's necessary, it's also driving me NUTS. Can't wait until this all settles down and I get my own place (because I'm still living with relatives, just not the parents).

And quote!

"Silence is one of the hardest arguments to refute." -Josh Billings

Auf Wiedersehen,
Colleen