I’ve made a decision. I’m officially a Monthly Blogger. Updating by the month is what is most intuitively right for me at this time. I’ll probably bump up the blogging again after I’m settled from my move, but right now I’m focusing on FIY revision #2 and enjoying my last weeks in soggy southern California with my family.

Writing is always such a learning experience. Every draft is different, every revision an entirely new process, like hiking in the mountains for the first time. My mind is a lot more soothed and steady since I last blogged. Remember? I wasn’t working on FIY, only writing prose and poetry. I wasn’t blocked. I simply wasn’t ready to dip into the revision. It took another week of scribbling in my mole skinned journal before I was. But then the gun went off and the mad frenzy began.

Now I’ve combined the two: my novel writing and the tilted “mind’s dribble” (as dear Shola called it.) Breathing is such an easier task when I’m the midst of a revision. Life is good. I don’t snap at my family as much, and that is always a beautiful thing. The occasional rain is also very calming to me. I’m not a sun girl. I like wearing layers, seeing my breath when I walk outside, and hearing the curse of winter’s wind. Storms are realer, so raw, compared to blue skies and happy weather.

The next time I blog I’ll be writing from Colorado. I hope everyone has a lovely holiday! Stay warm. Drink lots of tea and gingerbread coffee, spend sometime with your family. Hug a tree.

I’ll leave you with a quote. In all honesty, autumn was rather rough and jagged. But this quote reminded me that it’s okay. It’s all a part of the grand journey. I made it through the different pains and I’ll make it through whatever else in store for me.

“When we can accept all of life’s contradictions, when we can comfortably flow between the banks of pleasure and pain, experiencing them both and getting caught in neither, then we are free.” – Deepak Chopra

Until next time.

As always, I’ve been writing, but not in the typical Heather Way. I’m writing poetry and lyrical passages of nothing. I’m writing a lot of odd types of artistic things, work I don’t usually do. I’ve never been one for poetry, but that has become my muse. Long paragraphs of eloquent meaningless whining. I’m proud of the writing, but they’re not novels. And therefore in my head not truly productive. I’m in between revisions. I SHOULD be working on FIY, but instead my mind is spinning with these silly fragmented passages. Poetry of sorts, but not really. I’m no poet.

And yeah, I totally just made a huge deal about being a “novelist” back in August, and not wanting to write anything but novels, but gosh, these days my creativity has just tilted. I’m not complaining. I welcome the change. Though I do need to work on the FIY Revision #2. Perhaps the ball will get rolling again once I receive my professional “notes”. No, I still have not heard from the Important Person, but I’m oddly calm about it. She’ll email whenever she emails, and you know, until then I’ll continue to work and cultivate my craft.

I got a new tattoo this weekend!

The four leaf clover was done in July 2008, when I was sixteen. I had to go to Vegas for it, but I’m so glad I did. It’s a long story, but the clover symbolizes recovery. It’s a marking of my strength, my healing, my recovery. The nod to my Irish roots and extra luck is just a bonus. The lotus is fresh and new, just scarred on this Friday. It symbolizes purity, the growth of my spirituality, and finding that spark of connection within myself.

Anyway. I’m absurdly pleased with how it turned out.

Mallory requested a photo of my new glasses. So, this photo is dedicated to her! Yeah. Not really a picture of my glasses specifically, but I’m really not a fan of close up face photos.

I’m off to bake some spelt cranberry vegan cookies for my older sister and then perhaps practice some yoga. Have a lovely week!

Okay, so, yeah. I have a FEW excuses. I’ve been incredibly absorbed in my A FEAR OF TEARS revision. So absorbed that I finished two weeks before my deadline (I’m wrapping up the copy edits now). And alright, my house has been kind of crazy. We’ve had guests staying for days at a time, I got new glasses, my twenty-one year old sister has been making more (highly welcomed!) appearances, the dogs are on crack, my younger brother (14) and sister (15) are as crazy as ever, it’s been cloudy, it’s been sunny, I was deathly ill for three days but found recovery…

See? A plethora of excuses.

But really… REALLY… I could have easily updated this poor dusty site amidst all the “turmoil”. And honestly, when is life not hectic? When are we not scrambling to stretch every last second of every last day? I guess the truth is that blogging has fallen beneath all of my real greater priorities.

Such as the AFOT revision, which I finished and am truly so proud of, or spending time with my family before I move 1000 miles away this January, and taking care of my body, or just simply enjoying the day I’m experiencing. Hell! If skimping out on blogging means a happier, more content life, then I’m going to skimp like a PRO. Because seriously, it’s been a beautiful month. And that’s what matters. Enjoying what I have, what I did do, rather then focusing on the things I didn’t. Like, er, blogging. Or making those appointments to see my hematologist and orthopedic and remembering to take all my damn medication.

Life isn’t about the endless lists of setbacks and forgotten To Do lists. It’s about the smiles we find within all of those cloudy (or in my typical case, hot) blistered days.

From the Montage at Laguna Beach, California – Featured in AFOT.

Anyhow, like I said I finished the A FEAR OF TEARS revision. I’m so pleased with my work. I finally can recognize that I have grown as a writer. I’m not sure what will happen with the manuscript – if it’ll finally be picked up, or if another revision will be needed, or if it’ll simply grow moldy in the back of my closet – but I’m proud of it. I know that I put my soul into the book, and that means so much to me.

Now I’m trying to figure out what direction I’m headed next in terms of writing. I believe a FALLING INTO YESTERDAY revision is in my near future, but I don’t want to start that until I receive my highly awaited “notes” from a Very Important Person. So, until then, I think I’ll read through the manuscript and let my mind brew. I need to figure out the sequel and clear a few questions up.

From the Montage at Laguna Beach, California – Featured in AFOT.

Whatever the case, life is good. I hope everyone has enjoyed their autumn so far! What are you all doing for Halloween? I MAY document my night, but we’ll see. All I have to say is that I’ll surely be rocking my wings.

The A FEAR OF TEARS revision is going fabulously. Even more so now that I have a real deadline. October 25th. I spent all of the summer skipping around the country and doing close to no work, so getting back to the real grind of ten hour writing days (give or take) feels so good. Like jumping into that chilled pool on a blistering hot day.

My move to the Rockies is just around the corner. It’s 41 degrees in Colorado Springs today (in September!). It’s 102 here. I think I may be in for a bit of shock come January. Snow? What’s snow? Is it something you eat? Hm. I guess I’ll have to see.

I wonder how The Agent is liking FALLING INTO YESTERDAY. I should be hearing some feedback in the next month. Scary, but exhilarating. I really adore life right now. Writing, revising, reading, moving so soon, all with some vegan baking in between.

I want to fly to Alaska tomorrow morning. Who’s with me?

Oh. No one? Well, I guess I should go make some more ginger jasmine tea and get back to writing.

Until next time!

I’m a novelist. I write novels. That is my joy, my passion, the truth of my pursuit. I’ve been suffering from an imbalance since the spring, where I focused more on marketing and blogging and getting my voice “out there”, that I neglected the actual craft of writing.

I mean, I’ve definitely been writing. Just not as much as I feel should be.

There is a time for everything and I do think that my last six months of blogging exposure was vital, but right now I’m switching gears. I’m jumping head first into A FEAR OF TEARS revisions, and soon, will probably take another look at my completed draft of FALLING INTO YESTERDAY. I’ll be getting a part time job soon, as I need income to feed my life and I’m hoping to move out to Colorado by next year.

I’ve had quite a few hopeful publishing moments this summer. In fact, I’m still waiting to hear back from a certain agent from a certain literary management company. I can honestly say that I don’t know what to expect. I’m optimistic, but who knows! The point of the matter is, I refuse to go stagnant and I’m more inspired to pursue publication then I’ve ever been.

My “blogging” is going to be slowing down. I’ll still keep this place active, with updates and whatever thoughts that come to mind, but my offline writing will be my main focus. I treat my books as my career, and now that summer is over, it’s time for me to get down to be business.

You will definitely be seeing me around, but until then…

Remember to smile.

Ironically enough, my health issues flared up the day after I returned home and in result I’ve been taking it easy. I’m not exactly certain what’s going on with my body, but I’m crossing my fingers that this is just a random rough few days. I won’t be able to get my blood work tested until August 21st, so lets hope things don’t get worse. Meanwhile, I’m happily continuing through my A FEAR OF TEARS revision.

I have an insanely busy month ahead filled with traveling (a long road trip up the coast of California followed by a week in Seattle) and writing. Combined with my recent decrease in health, I’m thinking blogging may become a bit more random. I also turn 18 on the 9th of August while in Eureka, CA. So, that will be… neat.

Basically, expect random, quick, and photo heavy entries until September, if anything. I hope everyone enjoys the remainder of their summer!

Thanks to an abundance of writing, packing, and an endless to do list, I didn’t have a chance to blog before I departed Southern California for Pennsylvania on Monday. I’m currently sitting beside my dear friend Hannah in a beautiful little town in Ohio, totally at peace with life. I’m thrilled to announce that I left my damn blues behind in Orange County.

This week has truly been incredible. I shall now go back to living it.