Monthly Archives: January 2012

Are You a Dragon?

Posted in Freelancing, The Writing Journey by

I came across this USA Today article about the Year of the Dragon and business when researching a blog for one of my clients. As I read its focus on small business, I thought about how it related to my writing career.

As many of you know, I’ve been thinking about taking the risk and moving out into freelance land. The last time I talked about this, I was very uncertain and didn’t think I could do it. Now, it is starting to feel more and more right in my gut. I have two fantastic freelance positions with steady work that I enjoy and take pride in.

So, I’ve decided I’m going to be a dragon. This is the year that I’m going to jump off the side of the building (with a safety net of course). Besides the obvious wealth that comes from the Dragon, ambition, virtue and change seem to be the most appealing virtues of the Chinese New Year for me.

I’ve been harnessing the courage to follow my dreams. I’ve been looking for more opportunities to give back to the community. And change, I’m planning a lot of it this year.

Are you are Dragon?  Gung hay fat choy!

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Journaling: Just Thoughts on Paper?

Posted in The Writing Journey by

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary has many definitions for the word journal. My favorite is:  “a record of experiences, ideas, or reflections kept regularly for private use.”

I feel that this definition is inaccurate. How many journals have we seen come to life in publication? Anne Frank’s diary may be the most famous.  What others can you think of?

I’ve been thinking about this lately as Jen and myself have been entrusted with the journal of a good friend of ours. We’ve read it and obtained a new understanding of the writer, who may I say is an excellent writer.

It may even serve as notes for me for a special project that I may be undertaking in the near future. I’m sure this task will be something I share with you in the near future.

I’m not quiet sure why we have been entrusted to hold onto something so dear and personal, but it is really an honor to be in possession of it.

Do you journal? If you do, do you do it the old-fashioned pen and paper way or digitally? Would you share you inner thoughts and feelings with others? Do you now? Let me know!

Toasting to an Already Busy 2012

Posted in New Beginnings, The Writing Journey by

Hello everyone! Happy 2012! I hope that your new year if off to the same busy start that mine is!

As I’ve gotten into the groove of balancing all of my freelance work along with my full-time job, my hope is that I will be able to post more content on this blog again! Look for more frequent posts.

I’m also looking for guest bloggers who want to share their love of writing with the world and for suggestions for my seven questions segment.  I look forward to continuing to share my writing experiences with you this year and I hope that you will continue to share your with me as well.

HAPPY WRITING!

Book Review: Admit One: My Life in Film by Emmett James

Posted in Book End Babes by

The following review originally appeared on Book End Babes, a website devoted to a love of reading and to learning about new authors.

I was looking for something different to read this new year and my friend Jen loaned me the Kindle version of this book. I’m glad she did! I loved it!

The book’s description from Amazon:

Set in Croydon, South London, in the 1980s, Admit One details how self-deprecating writer Emmett James escaped from the pains of adolescence by going to the cinema. Through wry wit and observation, the writer reflects, obsesses, and rages about film and its correlation to our pasts. Life soon imitates art, and the narrator finds that his true calling is in transcendence from one side of the screen to the other. He decides to leave England for the only place where he can realize his dream of becoming an actor–Hollywood.

We follow the narrator on his numerous adventures: as he jumps from forgery to pornography to crashing the Academy Awards under the alias of a nominated writer. All the while, the films that inspired each tale contextualize this humorous collection of stories. The narrator ultimately provides a unique insight into the fascinating industry of film, eventually himself stumbling into the biggest box-office grossing film of all time.

This book is hysterical! I laughed most of the way through it. I love that each movie captures a different growth stage in James’ life. This was an interesting way to journal his life and I thought it worked well! And for those of you who haven’t heard about some of these movies, there is a synopsis of the movie to start each chapter.

My favorite chapter is the Ghostbusters chapter. The story that surrounds it and the disappointment that ensues is comical. James’ writing style is something like I have never read before. If you are looking for something different and funny to read. Pick this one up. You won’t regret it!