Adventures in Farming

This post is going to go a bit off the usual path, but not far. At times I think farming life is so odd that it very well could be considered something paranormal.

When I tell people I'm a farmer's wife, I often get a bug-eyed stare in return, or a round of laughter. It doesn't offend me by any means as most days I find it rather amusing myself. Even though I was raised in a small farming community (but lived in the heart of town), both sets of my grandparents were farmers when I was little, and I've been with the same farmer for over twenty years, the actual act of farming is still pretty much foreign to me. And I guess you could say I'm a girly girl. YES spiders make me scream and jump a mile, YES I hate having dirt under my fingernails, YES I hate being covered in sweat unless I'm working out, and YES I'd rather be shopping than doing any outdoor activities. And this farm girl prefers hard rock and rap over country western any day. But I know how to drive a tractor, and I own a pair of expensive work boots, so I'm slowly adapting.

For many years I kept my own full-time desk job while trying to juggle four children, so the farming was for my husband to worry about. Now that I work at home doing writing, photography, book cover design, and just about any other odd job I can get my hands on while trying to get the two kids still at home to their activities, my husband has been asking me to help more around the farm. Today's adventure involved cleaning out corn bins. During a heat advisory.

As I walk you through this, keep in mind that I have a healthy level of claustrophobia.

First I had to put on this annoying mask to keep out harmful corn dust that can do a real number on your lungs if you don't (this is coming from the same person who has panic attacks when wearing a snorkeling mask). It basically feels like sticking a heavy, damp blanket on your face. Not only does it make breathing normally a difficult task, but it produces buckets of sweat. I kept thinking if I didn't get to breathe in fresh air soon, I was going to pass out, or drown in my own fluids. I even wondered if my will is up to date.
Once the cotton Vader mask was in place, it was time to get inside the bin. To do so you have to enter through a very small opening that would make Malibu Barbie squeamish (middle of the three spaces on the left). While I'm considered "average" for my height and size, I must've stared at this hole for a good minute before I convinced myself that I'd fit. Once I made it in, my work boots immediately filled with corn. I soon learned that not stopping to empty them every time this happens is the equivalent of stepping on Legos barefoot.


The main objective in cleaning out a bin is to keep pushing the auger into the corn, keeping in mind that it spins fast enough to rip off your arm, foot, or any other appendage you would accidentally touch it with. You do not want to get a pair of jeans caught in that baby. I almost had a heart attack when the broom slipped from my hands and nearly dropped into the spinning metal disk of death.

Of course the auger doesn't pick up every grain, so you have to constantly shovel and sweep the stuff that's left behind while remembering not to touch the side of the bin as it feels as hot as a blazing fire from the intense sun beating on it from the outside. Plus I'm watching the mound of corn three times of height of me as it tumbles down the giant golden hill, wondering if it all kept coming if I would eventually suffocate to death. My husband assured me this wouldn't happen, and proceeded to tell me our 11-year-old son was in there with him the other day, climbing the ladder on the side and jumping into the pile.

What.

In the end, I walked away from today's adventure with two thoughts: (1) I'm way more excited about my career as a writer than I am a farmer's wife, and (2) in today's technology where tractors and combines are able to drive themselves, why in the hell haven't they invented a better way to empty out grain bins (i.e. one that crushes itself like a pop can until every last kernel is gone)?

Writer Wednesday: London Cole

So this week I felt compelled to introduce all of you to one of my favorite Twitter friends. He's witty, charming and a big fan of rum. Plus he's really good at telling paranormal stories that involve ghosts, sexual tension and a dystopian world unlike any other. His book Whisper Walker just underwent a major redo, getting a new title (Splinter), cover (see below) and some scene rewrites.

In honor of London's new release, he's giving away one digital copy (ePub or Mobi) of Splinter! Enter on Rafflecopter giveaway below. Winner will be announced on January 30th.

Tell us about your new release, Splinter.

Ahh, straight to the point. I like that. Ok, that’s not entirely true, I don’t mind a little beating around the bush on occasion. Splinter is a New Adult Post-Apocalyptic novel with elements of romance and paranormal set around eighty years after WWIII. It's a story told from two points of view of two best friends, Kelsie and Drake, as they stumble onto a paranormal mystery and threat that will impact their entire existence.

What's your favorite scene in this book?

That’s a hard one. That’s like asking a Star Wars fanatic to pick their favorite Han Solo action figure. I’d have to say (even though it’s a few scenes) that the second chapter is my favorite. It’s the introduction to Kelsie and some of her dirty little secrets.

Were any aspects of the story brought on by either personal experience or inspiration?

Whoa. The answer to this question is quite extensive. I’ll try to keep it brief. I grew up on a large island in Washington State. Every inch of that island was fodder for how my imagination works. There are many haunted locations on the island, including two seriously creepy and awesome old concrete forts left over from the World Wars, as well as some heavy woods where some completely inexplicable things have happened to me over the years. The very first scene is quite similar to something that happened to me while I was playing night games with some friends in high school at one of the forts. I fell into a pit at the bottom of an ammunitions lift without a flashlight and scene one was more or less born. There are many more scenes inspired by actual locations on Whidbey Island, but I don’t want to spoil the book.

What are some of your personal favorite books?

The whole Harry Potter series. The Iron Druid Chronicles, The King Killer Chronicles, Poison Study, The Emperor’s Edge series, dude, I could keep going. I love reading.

What music do you listen to while writing?

I normally opt for silence or a really loud room full of people, such as a pub. But sometimes I listen to A Day to Remember or Four Year Strong when I’m writing action scenes. Yellowcard is a good all around one for me, too.

What's the most satisfying thing about writing?

Having a reader come up to you and shake your hand, saying how much they loved your book, how much they could relate to one of your characters. It’s surreal.

Hardest thing?

Editing and revisions. Revisions always make my head get turned inside out! If I could write the first two drafts and then let someone else do all the intensive revisions, I would totally do that.

What are you working on next?

I’m working feverishly hard on another NA book that’s paranormal. I also have the outline for the coolest Santa Claus book ever.

What’s your favorite scary movie?

Cabin in the Woods was pretty awesome. Other than that, I’m not really into scary movies. I have been to the house that’s in The Ring though, which was totally cool.

If you could shake the hand of anyone you wanted, who would that be?

That’s tough. Maybe J.K. Rowling. She has done so much to help bring the younger generations into reading and I have the utmost respect for her.

Ways to follow London: Twitter, Goodreads, Facebook, his website

Where to find his books: Amazon, Barnes and Noble

London Cole is the author of Paranormal Young-Adult novels and novellas. He resides in the large and highly over-heated state of Texas, though he's not originally from there. He was born in the Pacific Northwest, growing up on an Island very near Canada. That means that he slips up and occasionally uses words like “ehh” and pronounces “about” like “abooot”. He's also told that he unknowingly slips into a light accent on occasion and says “dude” in an odd fashion.

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Writer Wednesday: Danielle Sibarium

Welcome to the second installment of Writer Wednesday, where I introduce you to a new indie author and ask them 10 questions to get to know more about them.

Today we meet with Danielle Sibarium, who just released her second young adult romance book, Heart Waves. As with almost all of my writer friends, I first met Danielle on Twitter a couple of months ago. I really enjoyed her first book, For Always, and look forward to reading more from this talented YA author!

Tell us about your new release, Heart Waves.

Heart Waves is the first book in Heart Waves trilogy. It centers around Jenna Kingsley who picks up information from energy left on jewelry or objects. The night she meets Reece Walton she predicts like Romeo and Juliet, you’re going to break my heart. As much as she tries to fight her attraction to Reece, she falls helplessly in love with him. Heart Waves is about first love, and all the feelings and insecurities that go along with it.

What was your favorite scene to write?

I had a lot of fun with any scene Reece was in, but my favorite scenes are by the pool in Jenna’s backyard and one at night on the boardwalk. These were the scenes that made me laugh while writing them.

Were any aspects of the story brought on either by personal experience or a certain inspiration?

I actually got the inspiration for Heart Waves a long time ago when I started writing For Always. I thought it was really Heart Waves I wanted to write, but as it turns out they were two very different stories.

What are some of your favorite books and/or authors?

Of course the Harry Potter and Twilight series’ are among the favorites, as well as Bram Stoker’s Dracula. As a young adult sneaking her mother’s books, I fell in love with John Saul. That probably explains the dark edge in my writing.

When did you first realize you wanted to become an author?

I’ve always loved books and words! Always. Sixth grade is when I knew I had to make sure writing was a part of my future.

What music do you listen to while writing?

It depends on the book. For Heart Waves, I listened to a lot of upbeat, fun music. The first part of Breaking Waves (the sequel to Heart Waves) I listened to very solemn, depressing music. VERY depressing music. The second half of Breaking Waves I stopped listening to music altogether while writing.

What's the most satisfying thing about writing?

For me there are two incredibly satisfying aspects of writing, the first holding a completed novel in my hands. Seeing the whole work as an actual book gives me a sense of pride unlike anything else I’ve ever done. The second is hearing from readers that the enjoyed my books or connected with a character or characters.

Hardest thing?

The hardest thing is waking up the characters and getting them to talk to you when they decide to take a break or go on vacation. That and actually finding time to write.

What's your current work in progress about?

Breaking Waves, which will be available later this month, is the sequel to Heart Waves. From the moment they met, Jenna knew Reece would break her heart, but she never dreamed it would happen like this. Jenna is left shattered and broken. When life becomes too painful to deal with and she feels completely alone, there’s only one person to help her pick up the pieces and move on - the one person she doesn’t want to turn to. The one person she promised to stay away from - Tyler.

Can Jenna put aside everything she knows about him and let Tyler help heal her broken heart?

If you could shake the hand of any person in the world, who would that be?

Since I already got to meet some impressive people; a presidential candidate (Rudy Giuliani) and a sports hero (Derek Jeter) I’d want to shake hands with a true hero - Captain Sully who landed the Miracle on the Hudson. He showed bravery and true leadership with his calm, clear thinking under strenuous circumstances and in doing so saved many lives. He is a true hero!

Ways to follow Daneille: Twitter, Goodreads, Facebook, her website

Where to find her books: Amazon, Barnes and Noble

Danielle Sibarium grew up as an only child of divorced parents in Brooklyn, New York. Books were the gateway between her play world and reality. On any given summer afternoon she became Snow White sweeping and cooking for the dwarves, or Cinderella waiting for the prince. Danielle graduated from Farleigh Dickinson University with honors, and currently lives in New Jersey with her husband and three children.

Writer Wednesday: Maria Monteiro

Welcome to the first installment of Writer Wednesday! Each week I hope to introduce you to a new indie author and ask them 10 questions to get to know them.

First up is my friend Maria Monteiro, who just released her second book called Letting Go. I first met Maria on Twitter back in April when we were both releasing our first books. I commented to her that I have a tattoo the same as the title of her book (Hold on Tight) and we hit it off right away. We even have a (somewhat neglected) blog together. In addition to being a concert junkie and kind hearted, Maria can write a mean romantic triangle.

Tell us about your new release, Letting Go.

Letting Go is the squeal to Hold on Tight. At the end of Hold on Tight, Emma is still left confused about who she wants to be with. She’s starting to get feelings for Court again while still holding on to her feelings for Nash. In Letting Go, Emma decides who she wants to be with, but there is a secret she has to tell and issues with her parents she has to deal with. The second book is not only about choosing a guy, it’s also about dealing with curve balls life throws at you.

What's your favorite scene in this book?

It’s a scene she has with her mom in her parents' room. I have a very close relationship with my mother, so anytime I wrote about Emma’s relationship with her mother, I got a little emotional.

Were any aspects of the story brought on by either personal experience or inspiration?

Yes. There is a scene in which Emma goes to the Bowery Ballroom to see her one of her favorite bands and the lead singer makes eye contact with her. That actually happened to me and I reacted the same way Emma does in the book. I also love ice cream just as much as Emma does. I seriously could eat it all day long.

When did you first realize you wanted to become an author?

In the fourth grade, when I wrote my first story. I remember thinking wow, this fun to be able to control people like this. In a weird way I felt like I was playing God with my characters. Little did I know, sometimes they control me. I know that sounds crazy, but I’m sure authors out there know what I’m talking about. 

What are some of your personal favorite books?

My all time favorite book is Going Too Far by Jennifer Echols. I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve read it. I wish John After was a real person and I could find him.

What music do you listen to while writing?

While I was writing Hold on Tight and Letting Go I listened to O.A.R, Lifehouse, Parachute and Yellowcard. For the book I’m writing now, I’ve been listening a lot to Dave Matthews, Beastie Boys, Foo Fighters, American Bang and of course O.A.R.

What's the most satisfying thing about writing?

That feeling you get when your manuscript is done. It’s amazing when you have accomplished something you started. It’s a moment of great pride. It’s a beautiful feeling.

Hardest thing?

Having to promote your work. I’m not good at it at all. I wish I knew the secret to it, but I don’t. It’s also hard to say goodbye to the characters you worked with for so long. You find yourself missing them, even though they drove you crazy towards the end. 

What is your current work in progress?

Right now I am working on an adult romantic comedy titled Facing Home. It’s about a girl who has to move back home after being away at college because she cannot find a job. She has to deal with everything she left behind including her ex-boyfriend who is about to marry one of her best friends. I’m having a lot of fun writing it.

If you could choose to shake the hand of any person, who would that be?

Okay, quick story before I tell you. Three years ago I was walking around feeling dead inside. I wasn’t writing or doing anything creative. I felt so blah with no motivation. One day my husband came home and said let's do something this weekend. I said okay what? He told me about a concert near us with a band I had never heard of. I love concerts, so I agreed to go. I didn’t know anything about this band and their name made me think they were a boy band. I went without knowing anything about them (I wasn’t in the mood to Google them). Little did I know they were about to change my whole life. I don’t know what it was about their music, but it woke me up creatively again. They made me feel like I had a purpose. Since then they have become my favorite band, I have all their albums, not a day goes by that I don’t listen to at least one of their songs and I go see them in concert every chance I get. For that reason I would love to shake the hands of Marc Roberge, Chris Culos, Richard On, Beng Gershman and Jerry DePizzo the guys from O.A.R (Of A Revolution) and thank them for saving my life.

Ways to follow Maria: Twitter, Goodreads, Facebook, her website

Where to find her books: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, iBook and Kobo

Maria Monteiro was born in Chile and moved to America when she was only three years old. She was raised in Sleepy Hollow New York, but no, she's never run into the Headless Horseman. She got her BA in English and her Masters in Literacy. She became a preschool teacher, and though it’s been fun, it has never been her dream to teach. She has always wanted to write.

NaNoWriMo 2012 - Major Success!

Once again this year, I made the commitment to participate in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). What's this madness you ask? For the sane people out there, NaNoWriMo is a free for all in which hundreds of thousands of writers commit to put 50k words into a new story during the month of November. Although I hit the magic number about a week ago (not surprisingly, I'm still waiting for the champagne and confetti), I kept on charging ahead. While technically I still have today to keep working on it (and I plan to, believe me), my word count is over 68k.

My friends on Twitter have been saying how amazed they are that I have such a high word count. You have to take in consideration, however, that I did leave my office job over a year ago to write full time, so it's not the great feat it was last year when I had to steal every second of my social life to finish. Still, it's not as easy-peasy as one would think. Writers face many obstacles like gaping plot holes, a drive to delete and self-edit, and the dreaded writer's block.

One of the rules of NaNoWriMo is that you can't go back and rewrite/edit/delete at any time during the month. When I first participated last year, this about killed me as I was infamous for going back and rewriting when something bothered me. But once I got past it and kept moving forward, I was able to finish my first novel in over a decade. Keep in mind, dear reader, that a story is not done by any means just because you've written 50,000 words. My first published book, What I've Done, was a product of last year's NaNoWriMo. I continued writing it for a month or two after NaNoWriMo was over. Next it was sent to my editor for ideas, then I engaged in some major rewrites. By the time the story was finished in March, the total word count was over 75,000.

But the great thing about NaNoWriMo if you're a full-time author is that it really gives you a boost on your next novel. The new story that I'm working on involving mind control (title still in progress) has just exploded out of my fingertips and taken on a life of its own. The tale begins with a girl named Kianna having strange things happen to her on her eighteenth birthday. It gets out of control to the point where she actually entertains the idea that there is such thing as a birthday fairy (as Kianna says in her own defense, "Like mind control is any more believable?"). I hope you will see this story come to live early spring of 2013.

To all the fans who have been razzing me about writing sequels, The Day Zombies Ruined My Perfectly Boring Life is up next and the sequel to Shymers will be one or two after that. I truly appreciate the great feedback and reviews I've been getting on these books and apologize for leaving you hanging with the giant cliffhangers! But be patient, my friends, and hopefully you'll be blown away by what happens next!

So what exactly is the prize for NaNoWriMo you ask? Nothing. Unless, of course, you count a whole world filled with shiny new characters for readers to enjoy and an unbelievable feeling of accomplishment. As a writer, I can't imagine anything better (well, other than maybe a movie deal or an around the world signing tour).