Archive for April, 2010
A Must Read From Jennifer Hudock
April 30th, 2010 | 
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One of my goals in life is to help other’s find success and see their dreams realized. It’s important to me to pay good deeds forward, so that is one I’m doing today.
If you’ve never read a Jennifer Hudock story, you don’t know what you’re missing. She is one of the most talented and gifted people that I know, and I’ve been hooked on her writing since the first time I read one of her short stories. I’m not ashamed to say that I’m a huge fan of hers and will do what I can to support her.
If you’re looking for something new and exciting to read, then here is your chance! Ms. Hudock just added Dark Journeys #6 ‘The Faerie’s Kiss’ to Amazon and Smashwords for $.99. If you purchase a copy of ‘The Faerie’s Kiss’ and take a snapshot of your receipt, she’ll even grant you access to the podcast version of the upcoming seventh installment in the Dark Journeys series.
If you would like more information on the Dark Journeys short story collection, please visit Ms. Hudock’s site where you’ll find links and information on the previous installments in the collection.
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A Big Thanks to the Folks at The Creative Alliance
For as long as I can remember, I’ve struggled to find a place to fit in — a place free of ridicule, where I can relax and not worry about what others are think about me.
I’ve struggled to find friends that understand me and accept me for who I am. Over the past 27 years, almost 28, I’ve been lucky to find a few people that I’ve been able to call true friends — kindred souls — but distance and circumstance have pulled us in opposite directions, which sucks, but that’s life. Some people are only meant to be in your life for a limited amount of time.
Over the past six months I’ve faced a lot of heartache and uncertainty, and I haven’t had a lot of people to talk to, lean on or encourage me to not give up on the things that I want from life. It’s been lonely and exhausting, and I often wished there was a place that I could go that would offer me a respite that I desperately needed — an escape from the chaos around me.
Things are finally changing, and for once, I don’t feel so alone or like I don’t matter. A friend, thanks to one of her many thought provoking blog posts, made me realize that I’ve been making excuses for why I can’t work on accomplishing my dreams. I was always too busy taking care of the kids, the house, etc. I never forced myself to take time for ME, which was wrong. I deserve attention too!
Shortly after my epiphany, I joined The Creative Alliance, which the above mentioned friend is a part of. TCA was the best thing that could have happened to me at this time. I finally think I’ve found a place where I can find friendship and the support that I need to forge on and chase my dreams down.
The Creative Alliance has given me extra motivation because I’m surrounded by like-minded individuals who are all trying to be successful and accomplish great things with their lives. Their successes make me realize that mine are attainable too, but I have to be willing to work hard and not give up. I need to take time for ME and focus on what I want.
I’ve never been a part of such a diverse group of people. All of the TCA folks are incredibly smart, funny and inspiring. And if you’re one of those folks, THANK YOU! You’ve made this mom realize it’s okay that I to want to chase after my dreams. It doesn’t make me a bad or neglectful mom. It does, however, make me a good role model because I’m teaching my children how to have ambition and fearlessness and that’s something every child should be taught.
I truly hope that TCA is around for a long time and helps other creative types see their dreams come into fruition.
Where Do Your Ideas Come From?
Over at The Creative Alliance site, there is a discussion going on about where creativity comes from. Many of us have contributed to the conversation, offering insight into the origins of our own ideas. The sources vary from person-to-person, and it’s always interesting to see what provokes creativity in others.
For me, inspiration comes from all around me. Sometimes an idea will come to me when I’m spending time with my children. In fact, my daughter inspired a series of children’s stories that are based on things she did as a toddler. I’d actually like to see them published one day, but as we all know, that’s easier said than done in these tough economic times when less books are being published.
Another source of inspiration for me is my dreams. There are nights when I go to bed, and I’ll dream about things that are so off the wall and crazy that they inspire short stories that often leave me questioning my own sanity or whether or not I’m receiving ideas from someone else.
I do sometimes feel as though my stories are not my own and that they come from someplace outside of me, like a muse, of sorts. It’s almost as though someone’s channeling ideas into my mind, down through my arms and into my fingertips where I release the idea onto paper or a computer screen. While that may sound a bit kooky to those who don’t write, to those who do, it makes perfect sense, at least for some of us.
I also find inspiration in my own personal teenage experiences. There were aspects of my teenage life that were hard to deal with. I often wondered if I’d make it to adulthood, and as you can see, I did, but not without my share of heartache.
I feel that many of my experiences would inspire younger generations, especially teenagers who are struggling to find themselves and where they fit into this world. So I look inward and find experiences that I’ve had that I could work into a story in some way while delivering a positive message about hope and perseverance.
Some additional ways that I gain inspiration are from observing others and from reading articles from various news outlets. In fact, the first novel I ever wrote was inspired by a murder of a young woman that took place in the town next to mine.
So in closing, my question for all of you is this, where do YOUR ideas come from? Feel free to post them here or you can head over to The Creative Alliance and share with everyone.
"The Lapsing Years"
Since someone posted and asked where “The Lapsing Years” was, I’m sharing it with all of you, but please don’t post it anywhere else unless given permission. Thanks!
The Lapsing Years
A little girl sitting on my lap,
Smiling, giggling and full of laughs.
Since then many years have passed,
Leaving us with many moments of silence that last.
With these years our interests have changed,
Resulting in times when we don’t know quite what to say.
With all the differences in our lives
Many things remain the same.
The love I feel for you grows everyday,
The need of your presence, or your own caring way.
Even though many days it doesn’t show,
I love you, just wanted you to know.
© Robert Normandeau
Dad, you should really consider working on those novels you’ve got tucked away. They are great and don’t deserve to be stuck on a dark shelf, collecting dust.
Where Would I Be Without My Parents?
Tonight, I was sorting through some old writing of mine, and I came across a poem that my dad wrote to me when I was 15, called “Lapsing Years.”
At that time, he and I were constantly at each other’s throats. More often than not, the words we said to each other were laced with anger, and on my part, sometimes hate. Rarely did I say “I love you.” I was so angry at the world and everyone in it, and there were parts of me that wanted to wound him — to make him feel the pain I was feeling and couldn’t express.
Despite all the crap I put my parents through, especially my dad, they loved me, even when they probably shouldn’t have. When I read what my dad wrote to me, I can feel the love hidden within his words — the love that never wavered.
As I sit here tonight, thinking about those turbulent teenage years, I’m more thankful than ever that they never gave up on me. They held me up and kept me going when I didn’t want to — when I wanted to curl up in a ball and let the darkness consume me. Had they not done that, I wouldn’t be here today.
I’m also thankful that my dad gave me the same love that he has for the written word. He’s one of the most talented writers I know, and I hope that I turn out as half as good at him. The one thing I wish is that he would share his writing with others, so they could experience what I already know.
In closing, here’s a special message for my mom and dad:
Mom and dad, if you read this, please know that I am grateful for everything that you have given me since you brought me into this world. You’ve sacrificed so much, and I feel like I’ve given so little in return. I’ve been difficult to deal with, and we don’t always see eye to eye. I know the past couple of years have been especially trying for me, and for you both, as well, but you’ve stuck by me, yet again, and have seen me through the rough times. Thank you and I love you both! ~Nikki
New Blog in the Works
It’s been a bit since I last updated, so I wanted to take a minute before I hit the hay for the night and post an update.
First, I’ve been working on an ending for a short story that I started a couple of months ago. It’s actually based on a dream that I had that scared the daylights out of me. The dream left a lasting impression that I thought I could turn into a really interesting story. So over the past two months I’ve been waiting for some sort of sign on how the story should end. I figured the answer would come to me in time, and it did. Of course, when the correct ending finally came to me, it sent shivers up my spine and kept me up half the night. I suppose that’s a good sign. Hopefully once the story’s finished, it will cause the same reaction in others.
Second, I’m currently editing a short story that I wrote last year. There’s a few parts to it that I would like to expand on, so that’s what I’m doing. I want the story to be just right since it has a strong message behind it.
Third, I’m currently working on a new blog that will hopefully help some of my fellow Maine residents. I plan on putting my writing skills to good use and hopefully change some people’s lives for the better. That’s always been a goal of mine, and I firmly believe that the new blog I’m working on will do just that. I’ve yet to see anything like it pertaining to Maine, so I think it stands a great chance at being successful. Time will tell though.
Well, that’s it for tonight. It’s been a busy day, and my bed is calling my name.
Happy Easter!
Happy Easter! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday. I know I did. It was beautiful outside, so we spent the day outside with the kids, raking and working on our compost pile. I can’t wait to start planting some grass and flowers.
I know I have not updated since the 27th, and it’s because things are crazy busy around here. There’s never enough time to get everything done. I would seriously clone myself if I could. Imagine how productive I would be then?
As far as my writing goes, I have had some time to work on my current work-in-progress, so I’m happy about that. I also have been brainstorming a new idea that popped into my head the other day. I can’t wait to see if it works out. You can never tell for sure until you begin writing. Hopefully it leads somewhere and not to a dead end.
Other than that, I don’t have much to say. I’ll check back in a few days.
-Nikki
