How this girl found herself in Oz

Well, it has been a while, like two years since I have written on my blog. So much has happened… my life has been turned upside-down several times, and blogging has been the last thing on mind. 

First off, we moved! Across the country! Yep, this Arizona girl is now residing in the beautiful state of Pennsylvania. I love it here. It feels like I have been picked up by a tornado and dropped down in the Emerald City. Literally! It’s so green here.  I don’t think two states could be more geographically different.  I love the beauty of the desert, but I am taking full advantage of the beauty of the North East. 

It’s not just the green that is eye candy here. The history of this place is so cool, and you can see it everywhere, from the taverns and shops lining the main streets to the stone houses surrounded by horse pastures.  It is easy to picture carriages lumbering down the narrow roads. I live in this quant little town called Kennett Square… and it’s a dream come true for this history lover.

Kennett Square! Isn't it dreamy

Still, relocating a family of six, three being teenagers, was not an easy thing.  Shockingly, everyone has tried to embrace the change. With open minds we moved and made the best of it. My kids are THRIVING, thanks to the incredible friends they have made, and their determination to be make it work. I still catch myself worrying too much. Are they happy?  Do they resent us for moving them? Do they feel like they are missing out living away from family? Surprisingly, its my kids that are constantly telling me not to worry.  Man, I am so proud of all of them.

Also, I graduated from Arizona State University! Man, school just about killed me! I had no idea when I started this journey that going back to school was going to be as hard as it was.  That juggling family life, writing, moving, and school would push me to the brink of total shut down. Still, I pushed through, one day at a time, and finished.  I want to go back for my masters but not until we have a better idea of where we will be for the next few years. And not until I forget how hard college life is.  

I also lost both my parents within a year of moving. I am still trying to wrap my mind around them being gone. Most of the time I am good, at peace with their being together in a better place. Sometimes I am not at peace with it and am unbelievably sad to not be able to talk to them, especially now when I would really like the advice of a parent as I prepare my teenagers for adulthood.  But, life really bites sometimes and I am on my own here. I have to rely on my own instincts and Travis’ and hope we are doing the right thing.

I have sat down to write a few times over this last year, but found myself too overwhelmed with life to put words on a page. With school and the loss of my parents I had nothing left in me, making mustering up the creativity needed to write impossible.  I have wondered a few times if I would ever write again. Being someone that loves to write the thought put me into a bit of a funk. I have spent way too much time feeling sorry for myself.

Thankfully my daughter will not have any of it. She has been lecturing me on not giving up on what I love. She can be pretty persistent. Have no idea where she gets it from Plus, she is an avid reader like myself and wants to read more of my stories.   So, I am writing again. AND I LOVE IT. Going through what I have the last few years has been extremely hard, but I also see that I have a much deeper view of life and relationships. I am so much more AWARE. I can’t wait to express those feelings.

So, here I am, staring a new phase of my life, at the age of FOURTY! One would think I would be settled into myself by now. But nope, life is constantly changing, and I do love an adventure.  

My Weekend As A Travel Writer

WARNING! This post is going to be a photo overload.

Life has been a bit nuts. When I started school this last semester I had no idea what I was in for. The non-stop craziness that is my day-to-day is a bit overwhelming. I have been working on a post where I put into words my feeling, but so far it is just random thoughts. So, I am saving that until I am able to articulate myself properly. It may take me awhile.

Anyway, one of the benefits of going to college is that I have been able to gain some amazing experiences. This last weekend is a perfect example. 

Those of you who follow me on Instagram, or Facebook have seen quite a lot of pictures of me and horses. Here is why . . .

For my final project in my travel writing class, we have been asked to write a lenghty travel article. We have to actually go to the location we choose, which limits our options a bit. Then we are to  give a 10-15  minute PowerPoint presentation on wherever we went and our writing process. 

While I was brainstorming, a horse trail I took with my husband and kids came to mind. We had gone to the White Mountains last Spring. We were camping and it was snowing. It had been a crazy weekend. On our second to last day we came across a stable at the base of the Sunrise Ski Resort. There we met this Apache Native American that gave horseback tours. Despite the cold, it was amazing. 

I thought, how awesome would it be to go again, and this time interview the Native American Guide. (I need quotes for the article). 

So, I pitched this idea to my professor. He loved the idea. 

The only problem is that the stable is four hours away, and my time is limited. I knew I did not want to do this by myself, but I also knew my husband could not get off work, nor did my kids want to miss school. Yes I know, it is weird that my kids would rather be in school than go on a trip to the mountains. I have no idea where they get it from.

I have been dreading making plans, because I didn't want to do this alone. Last minute I threw out the idea to a couple of my closest friends, that maybe they should come with. I would rent a cabin in Greer and we could make it a girls night away. And wouldn't you know it, they were all in. 

And . . . IT WAS AMAZING!

First off, the weather was perfect. The fall leaves were all gone and the mountain was settling in for winter. You know, those few weeks where the air braces itself for the snow. 

The cabin was this cute rusting building, very picturesque. I wanted something I could photograph incase our guide cancelled and I needed a backup story. 

We met our guide, Kicker, Monday afternoon. I was a bit nervous to interview him, mainly because I needed good quotes, and I really had no idea what I was doing. I am not sure what he thought of me, but he was so kind. His thoughts were really quite beautiful. He seems like a humble man, and very inspiring as well. I know if I do this right, he will make for a fascinating story. Talking to him was just as much fun as going on the trail ride. 

Don't I just look so official? Too funny.

Then the horses. This was a riot. I have very limited experience. My friend Melanie has even less, and of course Heather was the pro, because that girl has done everything. For whatever reason, the horses were in a mood to trot, so my backside is still paying the price. I couldn't figure out how to prevent my tush from bouncing on the saddle. Please don't try to picture this. Kicker recommended I move like Beyonce. Then he demonstrated. He was a much better Beyonce than I could every be, hence the bruising I have sustained. 

We all took loads of pictures. 

Hands down, it was one of the funnest two days I have had in a very long time. There is nothing better than being in a beautiful place, having an adventure with two of your closest friends. I think we all laughed a little harder than normal. Our jokes were definitely funnier than they would have been if we were in Mesa. I think we were all a bit drunk on the novelty of not having to take care of anyone else. 

These ladies were wonderful sports, and I will be forever grateful for them for supporting me. Though, I am not surprised because that is just who these ladies are. 

So anyway, it's time to put this travel article together. Can you believe it? I am already getting ready for finals! This weekend gave me just enough of a breather to push me through to the end, but I am so ready for winder break.

Once I finish the article, I will publish it here. The best in the class will be submitted for publication in the Arizona Republic Newspaper, so wish me luck!

Yep, I'm going there. Let's talk about New Adult

Recently, in my writing circles we have been talking a lot about the new genre New Adult. Which isn't abnormal because it really is what many in the industry are talking about.

So, what is it? Isn't that the million dollar question?

I first heard the term a few years ago. THEN, I had it described to me as novels in which the main character is between the ages of 18 to say… 25-30.

My first thought was that this is a fabulous idea. Why hadn't someone thought of it sooner? Those early adult years are really quite distinct. There are challenges that we face during those years that are specific to that time in our lives. So, of course it should have it's own genre.

I have even thought of writing for that age. As a student at Arizona State University, I sit on the sidelines to observe those who are in the thick of it.

My current work in process has a lead that is seventeen and a love interest that is in his early twenties. I have often thought that this story would make a great New Adult book.

Well, not exactly….. and here is why.

NOW,  what has been coming out labeled as New Adult is filled with explicit sexual content, abuse, and drug usage. In an article I read recently an editor stated that if you submit your book to her, and label it New Adult, she expects your novel to have those elements in it (sex, drugs, abuse, raw content). If it does not, she assumes you mislabel it.

Also, an interesting observation that I have made is that, a few years ago, when the New Adult market was primarily self-published books, most agents and editors assumed that this new genre was just a fad, that it wouldn't last long. Their reasoning being that New Adult still fits in the Adult category. (I even went to a conference a year ago where that view was expressed by a few agents). Now, with novels like Fifty Shades of Grey (where the main character is a college student) exploding, they are seeing dollar signs.

Sex sells. How many times have we all heard this? But still! I think we are selling this young group of adults short.

I am not naive. Like I said, I am a student at ASU, ranked one of the top party schools in the country. BUT, I still feel that this time in their lives is about more that just experimenting physically. They are here to learn… with their BRAINS, after all. Yes, they are finding out who they are, what their values are, and core beliefs. They can do this without partying there brains out and being promiscuous.

You hear that students! You will only get one body in this life, so you had better take care of it. In twenty years your body will be reprimanding you if you don't treat it well.

Okay, that was a major rant, but to my credit, these are the people I spend my time with, and boy do I think they are underestimated.

I asked several students in my American Lit class today what they thought of Fifty Shades of Grey. Only one admitted to reading it (though, I am sure others had but were embarrassed to admit it). She said she could only get through the first book because the writing was so bad. SEE! these students are smarter than we give them credit.

The truth is, it is easy to write a physical relationship. A B and C happens, which of course = Love. Wrong. What is hard, is to write a relationship between two people that is based on an emotional connection. One that is felt in the words they use, or the words they don't, and in the very air around them, not in the way their bodies react on a chemical level. These 18-25 year-olds are smart, they can handle a little depth. And depth doesn't mean a novel that plays out like a bad country song.

Having said ALL that, here is my questions… What do we do? Do we sit back and let these stereotypes take over this genre. Do we only offer these types of books to our younger readers? Or, do we try to change the definition of New Adult? Because, I think this genre might be here to stay.

Honestly, I don't know the answer. There are already exceptions to the rule, but are those exceptions able to make a difference? I don't know. What do you all think? I would love to get the take from an author who writes clean New Adult novels.

Anyway, I hope this doesn't offend. this is just my opinion, for what its worth.

Jen, the Circus Lion

As summer has been winding down and school is beginning to wind up I feel as if I have been doing nothing but jumping through hoops.

This time of year is always crazy for me. My kids are anxious and needing to get back into a structured environment. I am ready for some structure of my own, too.

I don't know about all of you, but summers are lethal to my house. I have spent the last week digging through my kids closets, (being horrified by the horror!!!) throwing everything away I can. I am not a sentimental mom, so if my kids what to save anything from their childhood to give to their own children  one day they are out of luck.

Right now our days are filled with running to this school meeting for one kid, then another meeting for another.  I have been making sure the kids are up to date with their Dr. visits for shots and sports. I have an endless list of school supplies to buy (planing on being broke for the unforeseeable future). And, the fall is our crazy sports season for the kids so right now I have to get all of that ready. This is the time of year where I go, go, go. I pretty much live in my car.

Then there is my schooling. taking about hoops. It seems that ASU is struggling to believe that I have lived in Arizona for the last thirty years. Sometime today, I will be hauling myself and my kids down to the university to get that straightened out. But I am registered, and I have ordered most of my books. I am excited and nervous and a bit ill all at the same time. I go from anticipation to wondering what the heck I am thinking.

And like any lion that is asked to jump through hoops in this crazy circus, I am a bit grumpy. What I really want to do is sit on the sofa with a book.  Or better yet, write for hours on end.

I have been semi productive with my writing. This summer I did a total overhaul on my recent novel. After finishing this latest version I loaned it out to several teenagers…boys and girls. This was frightening. The one thing I know about teenagers, having two of my own, is that they are brutally honest. This is a good quality in a beta reader, yet, I was still nervous, (I didn't want to cry in front of a fourteen-year-old, which I knew I would do if they told me they hated my story.) It seems like I worried needlessly because the responses have been overwhelmingly positive. There really is something incredible about watching the eyes of a youth light up as they talk about your characters and your stories. I can definitely get used to this.  THIS is why I write.

So anyway, while I am waiting to hear back on submissions I am inching my way through the sequel. I am so busy with all of the hoops that this process is taking much longer than I would like. An hour here or there is not a fun way to write a novel, but I am progressing. (Sorry to anyone waiting to read part 2 because it may take me a while).

Sometimes you just have to trudge through and do what you can and call it good. At least that's my philosophy. I am ready to put a close on this summer chapter. It has been a blast, but all good things must come to an end, right?

Here is a few pics of the summer….

Temple Square in Salt Lake City. Yeah, flowers like this don't grow in Arizona.

Donut Falls. FREEZING!

Park City

White Mountains AZ

Snowed in!

Rockin' the roller coasters. 

Mothers and daughters

I have been thinking a lot about daughters lately, probably because I have been spending a lot of  time with one daughter in particular. Just a few weeks ago I had the opportunity to go on a field trip with her class, then she and I went to meet her favorite author… post on that here.

 Mother and daughter relationships are a complicated, fascinating thing, especially when the mother and daughter are a lot alike.  I see that in my own relationship with my mother and mine with my daughters. I also see it in my writing. (I hadn’t noticed this until recently). In my current novel my main character's mother lives most of her life trying to protect her daughter from making the mistakes she had made. She also tries to protect her from the harsh world. She does this by isolating her daughter and constantly smothering her. This obviously causes resentment in the daughter.  The daughter also does not see her mother clearly, as if her mother only exists as her mother and not as a woman with a past, life of her own. 

My oldest daughter is one of the most amazing people you will ever meet. She is my hero. At the age of (almost) 11 she knows exactly who she is, AND she really likes that person. She is not trendy or into what is cool and what isn’t. When I do try to steer her into those directions (yes, I know, shame on me), she promptly tells me that what matters are her insides. I guess, when you have insides as great as hers, clothes really don’t matter. She has a strong sense of right and wrong, along with an inner kindness that is inspiring. 

She has a lot of characteristics that I had as a girl... bubbly personality, chatty, tons of energy. On me, as a child those characteristics made me feel awkward, due mostly because of unkind words spoken by others. BUT on her, those same characteristics make her shine. At times I catch myself projecting my insecurities (or my childhood) on her. I think we all do this as parents. We try to protect our kids from our own trials… when the truth is, sometimes we need to lay off and just let them be, (kids sports come to mind. Boy, I could go on and on, on that subject, but I won't).  It is those times, when I do lay off, sit back and watch her, that I see my fears are unwarranted... and I am amazed. Amazed that this girl is my daughter.

On this field trip in particular, she was elected Mayor of a mock town. She had to give speeches, interview students and be interviewed. She did all of this as if it was no big deal. The whole times I was a mess, worried for her. I should have known better. I should have had more faith in her. 

I really should have more faith in all of my children. I have discovered recently that I need let them live their own childhood without having to live mine as well. This is a doozy of a revelation, being someone who likes to be in control. And the truth is, though they are not perfect, they do have a much stronger sense of who they are, and what matters, than I did at their age. At the age of 37 I am still trying to get to where my daughter is at (almost) 11. Like I said before, she is my hero. 

Christmas 2013, Check!

Well, It’s been a great holiday season so far. As soon as finals began I got sick and that lasted a few weeks. What is it about your body crashing as soon as it slows down? All better now, thank goodness, just in time for Christmas, which was fabulous, by the way. This year was a bit crazy since I did most of my shopping the week before Christmas… but do you know what? It didn’t matter. Everything came together despite the procrastination. Kids are happy, my man is happy, and I am happy, though a bit exhausted. I even got in a bit of editing last night, success! It’s the little accomplishments, right?

            I have not started in on my list of things I wanted to accomplish… painting, cleaning, organizing… you know, all those things I haven’t done in a semester. I figured as I watched my kids play with their Christmas surprises that it’s okay to wait on my big plans. There will be time for those things after school starts. For now, I want to just enjoy my kidos while they are all home.

I don't normally post pics of my Kids but I figured since they were incognito, it was okay. :)

I never thought I was a goal setter, not that lady who makes list. But, I guess I am. Are you? What are your goals for this next year? I would love to hear them. Maybe I will steal one or two. 

That's it for now, I have a baseball game to attend and a cousin slumber party to get ready for. So, from the Williams clan to yours, we wish you a Merry Christmas and an outstanding New Year. If you can, take time to enjoy those you love, it’s time well spent.