Writing is Like...

Writing is like...

An old friend. You have great days together. You have not so great days together and there are times you don't speak at all, but your bond can never be broken.

Writing is like...

A beautiful sculpture. Every curve of stone that makes up an entire masterpiece reminds me of the words, sentences, paragraphs grouped together to create a finished work.

Writing is like...

Your life...a journey that requires growth, change, courage and tenacity to raise above the bumps in the road.

Writing is my touchstone, my own personal playland where anything is possible!

How cool is that?

~AN

Take Nothing For Granted...

I'm so happy the weather is finally warming up. There's nothing like warmer temps and a little sunshine to brighten one's mood! The beautiful weather here is like a gift, but I can't help but think of the people in Japan battling the aftermath of Mother Nature at her fiercest. My heart and prayers go out to that nation.

It's hard for me to concentrate or be creative when such terrible things happen. I feel guilty for enjoying even the simplest pleasures when so many are barely making it through the day. Writing has always been an escape, a wonderful escape that makes me happy...no fulfills me in ways I never expected. Tragedies like the one unfolding in Japan make me pause even more frequently to appreciate the good things in my life.

My family is whole, safe and happy...nuts some days, but there's a lot of love to get us over the bumps. We are not suffering for the basics: Shelter, water, food, medicine and love. I wish that were true for every single person on this planet.

We all deserve the basics and so much more. More than anything, I'm realizing to take nothing for granted...cherish the people in your life and appreciate even the tiniest conveniences.

~AN

Spring is Coming!

I know it's only middle of February, but today it got up to almost 60 degrees! Do you have any idea how warm that is compared to the frigid temps we've had here in the Windy City? I've got Spring Fever bad. I can't wait to drop the boots in the back of the closet and don a lighter coat. Autumn is my favorite season, but Spring is a very close second.

I love seeing the stark barren look of winter melt away as Mother Nature awakens once more, turning the Earth green. The colors of spring truly renew one's spirit and I for one can't wait for pleasant weather, sunny days and beautiful butterflies. ;-)

~AN

Brrrr!!!

Well, the Windy City is bracing for blizzard like conditions. The snow is suspected to hit in full force tomorrow afternoon, but I just came back from looking out the window and it looks like Mother Nature is getting the party started early.

*sigh*

I said in another post that I don't mind winter and I don't...well, not for the first few weeks anyway. It's okay, I can deal with more snow, especially with so many other crazy things happening all over this planet. But, I'd still like to whine about snow days to look forward to with my kids and the fact that I'm still trying to get rid of this unimaginably tenacious cold which my son now has. Booooo!

What's a girl to do? Vacationing now is not in the plans so, I'm listening to ChillOut on the Beach and imagining I'm somewhere warm...not super hot...just warm and sunny. With a Mai Tai in my hand and my lap top on my lap. I so want a vacation.

Take a listen and I promise you feel like your on the beach somewhere fabulous too!

~AN

Love Is...

I'm still trying to get over my cold and my winter blahs. The best way to do that for me besides writing is music. Today's pick, Chrisette Michelle's ballad, Love Is You. This song is so beautiful with the piano and moving harmonies. Her voice is perfect, unique and heartfelt and the lyrics melt my heart every time I listen to the song.

Yesterday was Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and I spent the day with my kids thinking the answer to so many of our problems in this world is LOVE. Loving one another is the key to true peace and harmony in all aspects of our lives. When we get to the place when we can appreciate, disagree and still love our fellow man, we will finally have grown as a human race.

The greatest lesson I can share with my children is that...to love themselves and those around them even if it's never reciprocated. Not an easy thing to do, but Martin Luther King, Jr., and many others have shown it's not an impossible feat.

Here are the lyrics to Christette Michelle's ballad, Love Is You:

What's your definition of it?
How does it make you feel?
Tell me what you say that truly makes it real
Kings and Queens, Philosophers have tried so hard to find
Tell me what it means to you dear, nevermind

Love is kind when the world is cold
Love stays strong when the fight gets old
Love's a shoulder to lean on
Love is you
Love's like the water when the well runs dry
Quench my thirst, keep me alive
Just need once too baby
Love is you
Love is you, love is you,
Love is you, love is you

Is it possible, there is a kiss that's so divine
Or am I just a fool, is it all in my mind?
Is there something chemical
A scientist might say
Well love must be a drug
To make me feel this way

Cause love's my permission to be who I am
No inhibitions cause you understand
Freedom to breathe oh baby
Love is you
Love's like a kiss when the sun goes down
Holds me tight when no one's around
Love's what I want to hold on to
Love is you

Love is you, Love is you, Love is you,
Love is you, Love is you,
Love is you, Love is you,

Love is kind, it makes me stronger
I don't have to look no longer
You're the one I cling to
Love is you
When the chips are down
Love will stick around
I'm so glad I found
Love is you

As much as I've tried to clarify
Love's quite simple, he's just my guy
Perfect definition
Love is you
Love is you, love is you
Love is you... is you...

Goodbye 2010, Hello 2011!

I really can't believe how fast this year flew by. Tomorrow is New Year's Eve and I've been thinking about what the highlights of the year have been for me. The first one has gotta be my daughter sleeping through the entire night. She just turned four and I wondered if she'd ever do it consistently for long stretches of time and at the beginning of this year it finally happened!

I wondered if I'd ever say goodbye to pull-ups with her. She wasn't interested in potty training until shew as two and half! The upside...she was potty trained in like a two week time period which was amazing to me. When she was ready to learn she mastered it very quickly. I was worried she'd passed some critical timeline on mastering the potty, but she was just on her own timeline. So, no more diapers, breast-feeding, pull-ups or inconsistent sleeping for me! Yay! What a milestone in mommyhood! 2010 has been the year I've finally gotten part of my life back.

I'm so happy to see my writing career growing. I've been writing feverishly this year and I'm proud to have published one novella, one novel and contracted two other novels for 2011 under my pen name. I wish I had more time to write, but I'm grateful to have the windows of time that were non-existent before this year.

2010 has shown me that the sky is limit to what I can do as long as I believe I can do it. The old sentiment "believe in yourself," isn't new, but I think each of us reaches a moment when it really, really, clicks.

2010 was a tough year for my family, but it also held a lot of lessons learned. The hard times showed me how much my husband and I laugh to get through the rough patches. This year has shown me that no matter what is going on in your world that sucks, someone else is having a harder time of it. I'll admit knowing that didn't help me from wallowing in self-pity, but I didn't wallow for very long.

So, I say goodbye to 2010 with a little sadness (my babies are no longer babies) and welcome 2011 with open arms. May the New Year bring us all many more smiles, love, peace and joy!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!

~AN

It's My Birthday!

Today's my birthday! I'm so thankful for seeing another year. I'm thankful for my family, friends and so many other little things I never want to take for granted.

Like my health. I'm laying on the couch as I write this with a cold that has me feeling icky. I've got a crazy cough that will not stop! Not the best way to celebrate a birthday, but I'm still going to celebrate with a glass of Theraflu and a nice long nap! lol

I can't believe my age, but my body likes to remind that I'm not the spring chicken I once was. Still, I'm so thankful for my knee that squeaks and the last ten or twenty pounds I've been trying to get off since Kai was born. 

She also just celebrated her fourth birthday! Her due date was my actual birthday, but I had her on the 8th. I will never forget being in the hospital with her when she was born and I'm looking forward to celebrating our birthdays together when she is much older.

Christmas is only nine days away! I'm excited for my kids and looking forward to wrapping presents and indulging in good food, laughs and of course drinks! My only prayer is that everyone would experience the same joy and happiness I'm truly grateful for!

~AN

Top Five Reasons the Orignial Clash of the Titans is Better Than the Remake!

Clash of the Titans is one of the movies I remember seeing as a child and it stuck with me. I believe it sparked my interest in Greek mythology which I still love to this day. I recently saw the remake and although the special effects were better, I left the movie disappointed by the lack of story, the lack of heart. Here are my top five reasons you should see the original before viewing the remake.

5. More mythology- The original shares so much more of the real mythology within the movie. When you finish watching the first one you'll have a basic understanding about some of the more famous myths the Greeks told.

4. Calibos- A worthy opponent for the handsome Prince Perseus and a great actor. And what incredible makeup for 1981. Wow! I can't believe this movie was made almost thirty years ago?!! I'm getting old.

3. Harry Hamlin- He may not be as sexy as Sam Worthington, but he's a much better actor. I felt his passion to save Andromeda. He wasn't all brawn and muscle, he exhibited a heart worthy of his princess.

2. The Kraken- I'm sorry, but when I saw that sea monster come up from the frothy waves I was really afraid. Ok, I was 11, but still, it was moment of movie magic...CGI be damned!

1. The Love Story- In the remake, I didn't feel the love between Perseus and Andromeda. In the orignal, it's hard to miss. Andromeda, played by Judi Bowker is radiant in her gentleness and virginal love for her demi-god savior. I held my breath wondering if Perseus would reach her in time to destory the Kraken. I also loved how she didn't scream. Not when they led her up to her would be death, not when the monstrous sea creature erupted from the sea! Now that's something. Plus, the theme song is so majestic!

In conclusion, the orginal 1981 version of Clash of the Titans is a much better story with characters you can believe in and root for until the very end!

"RELEASE THE KRAKEN!!"

~NG

Top Five Reasons I Love Fall!

This is the time of year I always love when the year begins to wind down and most of us start looking forward to the holidays right around the corner. There's nothing like watching the leaves fall from the leaves like rain or hearing the sound of them crunching under feet.

I love the colors of this season! I love the wild mix of warm and cold days. This past weekend it was in the eighties! Today, it's going to hit just below eighty too, but then it's going to cool down. That's fine with me too. I've already pulled out my favorite hoodies and sweaters! Ok, I digress. Here's my top five reasons for loving fall:


5. Apple Cider - Mmm...I can't wait to have a warm mug of it tonight.
4. Honey Crisp Apples - seriously, if you haven't had one, you haven't had a really apple yet!
3. Decorating for fall/Halloween
2. Weather - usually moderate temps
1. Sharing the increasing excitement for the upcoming holidays with my kids!

I'm going to enjoy every day because I know snow is right around the corner. *sigh* I'm so not looking forward to that!

~AN

Take the Target Pledge!

photo by bizior

Reading has always been a great escape for me. I remember going to the library as a child and being so excited about picking out new books. I loved Sweet Valley High, Nancy Drew and many more. When you read to a child you spark their imagination! I believe every child should be exposed to the wonderful world of reading.

Target has pledged to donate a book for every adult who pledges to read 15 minutes a day to a child in their lives, giving me one more reason to love this store!

Take the Target pledge with me!
Find out how here: http://reading.target.com/pledge/

~AN

From the Beginning to The End...

"The End," there's nothing like writing those two words at the end of a story. After months of writing, plotting, editing and re-editing a WIP, it's such a relief to finally be done. And yet, I always feel a little lost after I've submitted the work. It's hard letting go of the characters that have consumed your world for so many months. I've taken almost a week off from writing and now I'm ready to start my next story. I'm looking forward to immersing myself in my current project. I need the creative distraction as I await word from the publisher!

Now, I just have to decide which story to tell. I've got several tempting ideas. I think I'll let the characters in my head duke it out. The loudest heroine's voice wins! I will set up a very brief plot outline and dig in. I love the slight uncertainty of how the book will shift and change as the story unfolds while I write. Most of all I just love being creative. I'm so happy I've found another way to express myself and my passion for, well, passion, love and romance!

~AN

(photo courtesy of Kriss Szkurlatowski)

Summer Heat = Summer Storms!

You can't have summer heat without crazy thunderstorms. Last week, we had a couple and one in particular took out our power for a few hours. I actually enjoy watching thunderstorms from the safety of my window. There's something unexplainable that comes over me when I see trees swaying in the ferocious wind as lightening and rain pound the pavement and windows. I imagine scenes for the paranormal WIP's I'm working on and marvel at the awesome power of nature.

I'm always humbled during a black out by the immediate reminder of how dependent I am on electricity. I'm sure it's not just me, but most of the world. It takes moments like experiencing a black out to remember just how vulnerable we would be if we were without ANY power for a long period of time.

I'm addicted to my laptop, but I can always settle in with a good book. Still, I couldn't help thinking how far we've come in this technological age. Many of us would have to totally regroup in a world without DVR, blackberries, cell phones and oh, you get the idea.

I empathize when I see other countries in war or devastated by natural disasters. I marvel at the resilience of humankind in the face of such tragedies. How do we move towards the future without forgetting some of the critical survival techniques of yesterday year? Should we even worry about it? I never truly think about something happening so huge in America that could take away our power indefinitely, but when the lights went out last week, I thought it was a question each of us should consider.

~AN

It's Unofficially Summer...

It actually felt like summer last week and of course as soon as the weekend hit...rain and 60 degree temps. I can't wait for more consistently warm days, but in all honesty I'm not crazy about summer time. I don't like the super hot humid days. When the humidity gets past 50 percent, I'm done with outdoor fun. Here in the Windy City it can get pretty sticky indeed.

Now, my son is done with preschool and I've got to plan things for him and my daughter to do to keep them from driving each other crazy and me. What's amazing to me is no matter how many fun things I plan as soon as we get back home or finish a project without fail about ten minutes later my son will come to me and say: "Mommy, I'm bored."

Oh, well, it'll be Autumn before you know it.

~AN

(photo courtesy of Duchessa)

New Contract, New Publisher!!

Over the weekend, I found out my work will be published with another publisher! I'm really excited and happy. This was just what I needed to refuel my heart and hunger to keep reaching for my dreams as a writer.

I wish I could say more, but this contract was for my pen name and I've decided to keep the two separate. I love having the freedom to pen what I want, but using a pen name is also challenging. Just last week, I accidentally posted something for my personal page on my alter ego page! I'm realizing more and more that it might be impossible to keep the two completely separate. Plus, I want to shout the news of my new publisher to everyone I know, but of course I won't . . . or at least, not yet!

~AN

No more babies!

Today, I signed my daughter up for preschool. She's 3 1/2 and even though some of the breast-feeding days and nights seemed sooooo long (between both, I breast-feed for over four consecutive years), I can't believe my littlest baby is about to go to school. With my son getting ready to go to Kindergarten in the fall, I realize once again just how quickly they are growing up. I'm happy on one hand and nostalgic about first steps and sweet baby coos in the other.

My daughter vacillates between being super excited to copy her big brother's transition to the classroom and clinging to me saying, "I don't wanna go to school!" Of course, I soothe her fears and tell her all the wonderful things she'll being doing in class but my heart goes back and forth between being excited and sad too. These are the years they really come into their own with new friends, new teachers telling them the coolest things in class and classmate opinions trump all else.

*Sigh* Am I ready for all of this? Yes and no. I'm excited to see both of my kids growing up and moving to the next phase of childhood but I can't stop looking at the cutest baby clothes when I'm at the store. No, I don't want another baby...just wish I could hold my two as babies one more time.

~AN

Starting Over...

I hardly watch SNL but last Saturday, I saw the rerun of Jennifer Lopez hosting and I was moved by her second song, Starting Over. I listened to her sing those words and my heart clenched. Jlo answers the question: Why is it so hard to break up with someone who's all wrong for you? The reasons are endless from kids to pride but the bottom line is "nobody wants to be the one breaking up." It's true. We all want to love and be loved. Most of us will put up with junk and overlook the signs telling us things are going array instead of facing the reality of our relationships.

When do you know it's time to say goodbye? That's a hard question but the truth is most of us know it within ourselves long before we ask a friend for advice. I'm happily married now but I was involved with a guy I thought was one way and even when I knew I was wrong about him and our relationship, I still held on. I was convinced he would change or I'd change but one way or another we had to work. I didn't want to be alone. I didn't want to be the one breaking up and staying in that relationship cost me big time. Changed my life for what seemed at the time for the worst and even now I look back on my choices back then and cringe but now I see that bad relationship had a purpose.

Starting over is never easy and helps if you've got a friend or family to call and cry to but essentially the healing has to start on your own. No one can help you or hold your hand. You have to decide for yourself that starting over is the best thing to do and then step by step, day by day....do it.

~AN

Hear Jennifer Lopez sing the song Starting Over here!

(photo courtesy of Gendali)

One Disney Classic That Always Inspires Me...

Today, I watched Pocahontas for the third time with my kids. Now, they don't like the fight scenes but whenever Pocahontas is on screen, singing and interacting with John Smith they're entranced and so am I.

I love this movie for so many reasons. First, the music is incredible! The songs have heart and soul and I can't hear them without feeling goosebumps. The Color of the Wind's lyrics are so beautiful and poetic I truly think it's one of the best Disney songs ever created.

The imagery of Pocahontas and John Smith running in the forest, jumping into lakes and rolling around in the grass are amazing. This isn't in 3D or Pixar's new animation but it doesn't matter this film delights the eye.

Pocahontas, for me is the most beautifully drawn Disney character. She's sexy and shy and her eyes . . . my goodness! The looks shared between her and John Smith take my breath away. No words are needed, you feel exactly what the two of them are feeling by their intense gaze. If you've seen the movie, you know what I'm talking about. The first time John catches a glimpse of Pocahontas makes the movie for me.

This is a movie I don't mind watching over and over again. I love the challenges these two lovers face. I love the wonderful depiction of her people and her determination to find her own path despite possibly displeasing her father. Above all this story had magic from beginning to end and it makes me disappointed and sad The Princess and the Frog didn't grab my heart in the same way.

~AN

Ahh! Spring is Coming!

This weekend it reached almost 50 degrees in Chicago and after the cold we've had it felt like a summer heat wave! I can't wait for the warmer, longer days coming ahead. The kids are itching to go outside and play and I'm ready to shake off the winter chill too. It seems like someone in my family has been ill since Halloween rolled by. Yep, this was the worst winter as far as colds go in our household and as the snow melts outside, I'm hoping the lingering sniffles around me disappear too.

Spring is one of my favorite seasons because of what it symbolizes...Renewal! Who doesn't need a new beginning in at least one area of their life? I love hearing the twittering birds chirping in the morning, watching the trees bud and the flowers slowly emerge into the warming sunlight. Birds and butterflies begin to take flight and I'm ready to spread my wings with them!

~AN

(photo courtesy of Tinneketin)

Book Trailers 101

Last week I figured out how to create my own book trailer! This is something I did not think I could do on my own. I'm lucky to have a sister who is a professional graphic designer and willing to lend her awesome talent to design my web pages, banners and logos. I'm extremely thankful for her help and I know she'd pitch in and do more but I wanted to see what I could do with this book trailer business solo.

I hadn't a clue where to begin. I knew of software I could purchase, looked up a few to see what they offered and at what cost but spending extra money wasn't an option right now. So, I goggled how to make a book trailer and came across another author's blog in which she talked about using Windows Movie Maker. I blinked and realized . . . "hey, I've got that!" I read about her experience using the program and immediately opened up the application.

At first I was apprehensive if I could figure out the details and make a trailer that would be worth my time and decent enough to share with the world. I plowed through the instructions but soon decided to simply dig into the process and I'm happy to say after several attempts and a few technical glitches, I made my first book trailer!

Better yet, I enjoyed this new creative outlet. I am a heart a creative person and finding just the right photos and text to go with it all was fun albeit a little time consuming. Both me and my husband are musicians and creating the music for the trailer together was something I'll always remember and treasure. He created the music and I improvised on the vocals and when it was finally finished I was happily surprised with the end result.

The book trailer for Cupid's Arrow ended up being just as important as the story itself. I worked hard on it and I'm proud to say, well, I'm proud of it. I'm looking forward to making many more in the future, honing my craft and maybe investing in more sophisticated software in the months ahead.

See the trailer for Cupid's Arrow!

Quirky Queries

I love writing. I hate writing queries! It's amazing how long I can stare at one waiting for the just the right phrasing and tone. Each one is different and each one takes work. I keep thinking the process will become easier but it hasn't.

Maybe that's a good thing. I know queries are super important and because they take so much effort to write, I respect the work needed to write a good one. And I'm not even sure I do know how to write a good one. But I'm determined to become multi-published, so I will keep chugging away at these queries and hopefully find the right home for my stories.

The following links are great resources:

http://www.sfwa.org/2005/01/the-complete-nobodys-guide-to-query-letters/

http://www.charlottedillon.com/query.html

(photo courtesy svilen001)