I can't believe this is my 400th post!
Thank you to my 100 readers, also. You make me want to keep writing SOMETHING. lol
That said, I think I know where I'm going next in blogging, and I'm kind of excited about it.
I'd mentioned flash fiction posts, and while I was kind of leery about it, I wondered how I could tie them into my WIP The Crystal Bearer. A tidbit about my story, my main character loves to read. So, why not do flash fictions based on tales that would be written in the world my story? I'm already writing a story based on one of the series she's reading, so why not take it a step further, you know? I think it would help keep my mind fresh.
They'll most likely be on Tuesdays, so I can call it Tuesday Tales. I'm obsessed with alliteration, I know. That said, I'd also like to sometimes do a Final Fantasy Friday (and bring back Wednesday Words). That's why I call myself the Write Mage, and the games are a big influence in my life as well as in The Crystal Bearer, after all. While I'm more knowledgeable about the mid-to-later games in the franchise, they are something I'd love to share with you all, too.
So, I believe that is where I'll be headed in November. Heads up: these 400 posts may be under a new blog link and title then, so I can shift the focus.
Thank you again for being here to read the craziness that comes out of my head. :)
Greetings
- Debra Renée Byrd
- Delaware, United States
- Deborah Hawkins, penned Debra Renée Byrd, began writing after a blank book project in elementary school and never stopped, fashioning stories based on her favorite TV shows and movies before creating more original works. She studied at the University of the Arts and Florida State University before settling down and graduating from Temple University. She now resides in her hometown of Dover, DE, where she spends most of her time at work or at church. She loves fantasies, superheroes, is a trekkie and a brown coat. She loves television and lives for Final Fantasy video games, having collected most of them. She has read a myriad of authors, and her favorite authors change whenever she finds a new book that changes her life... "When you can't run, you crawl. When you can't crawl...well, you know the rest." -Tracey, Firefly, "The Message"
Showing posts with label blogging. Show all posts
Showing posts with label blogging. Show all posts
Friday, October 23, 2015
Tuesday, October 13, 2015
Mmmeh Blogging and Names
I preface this by saying I have to remember that Fall is my favorite season because of the beauty of the trees changing, the cool walking weather, and the smell of burning firewood, and that it's not about the utter destruction it causes to my health. I've been coughing for about 24 hours, and I want to lie down until I stop.
So, I remembered today is Tuesday, and I thought, "I really don't want to blog a thing...like ever again." This is, first off, typical of me. I start something with gusto and eventually get tired of it. It's most likely my topics. I realize I almost don't even talk about writing, so maybe I should work on that, because, you know, WRITE Mage. Maybe I need to shift my blog focus. Is it LG Keltner who does flash fiction posts? Maybe I can start that, get my head back in the game. So if I disappear in November/December (except on 1st Wednesdays), that is most likely what I'm doing. Also, be prepared if my posts become sporadic for the rest of the month.
This next piece is sponsored by the latest controversy of verbal diarrhea from Raven-Symoné and "ghetto names." While even as a black girl born in the mid 80s, I cringe at some of the names I hear around me and have often called them made up. Someone on Youtube once said to me, "All names are made up," and I didn't have a valid argument for that, so I didn't respond. My and many parents born in the 50s/60s (and were given "normal" names) also groan when they see the names parents born in the 70s/80s have named their children. And while some names are just plain unforgivable (did you ever hear of the mom complaining that the teachers couldn't pronounce her daughter's name La-a, pronounced LaDASHa? *scowl*), I understand that some people are trying to either be unique or reach back to an Africa they never had the chance to experience. For instance, my classmate Nyeisha, who has always hated her name, learned that Nye is Swedish for "truly golden" (and one of her middle names actually IS Golden), and Isha is Hebrew for "woman" and Indian for "protector/lord". Even if her mom didn't mean to do that, I think that's pretty powerful.
Nyeisha also shared this poem by a young woman whose name I imagine is spelled Shakandria (shu KAHN dree uh). If you have a Facebook, search Cassandra Whitlock McClary, who posted the poem. It even made me think twice about cringing at some names. Also, there's a writing project in the back of my head featuring warrior sisters, and maybe, just maybe, to help empower little girls out there whose names don't sound like my Hebrew first name, French middle name, British last name, that they can be great with something as simple as having MCs with names like theirs.
So, I remembered today is Tuesday, and I thought, "I really don't want to blog a thing...like ever again." This is, first off, typical of me. I start something with gusto and eventually get tired of it. It's most likely my topics. I realize I almost don't even talk about writing, so maybe I should work on that, because, you know, WRITE Mage. Maybe I need to shift my blog focus. Is it LG Keltner who does flash fiction posts? Maybe I can start that, get my head back in the game. So if I disappear in November/December (except on 1st Wednesdays), that is most likely what I'm doing. Also, be prepared if my posts become sporadic for the rest of the month.
This next piece is sponsored by the latest controversy of verbal diarrhea from Raven-Symoné and "ghetto names." While even as a black girl born in the mid 80s, I cringe at some of the names I hear around me and have often called them made up. Someone on Youtube once said to me, "All names are made up," and I didn't have a valid argument for that, so I didn't respond. My and many parents born in the 50s/60s (and were given "normal" names) also groan when they see the names parents born in the 70s/80s have named their children. And while some names are just plain unforgivable (did you ever hear of the mom complaining that the teachers couldn't pronounce her daughter's name La-a, pronounced LaDASHa? *scowl*), I understand that some people are trying to either be unique or reach back to an Africa they never had the chance to experience. For instance, my classmate Nyeisha, who has always hated her name, learned that Nye is Swedish for "truly golden" (and one of her middle names actually IS Golden), and Isha is Hebrew for "woman" and Indian for "protector/lord". Even if her mom didn't mean to do that, I think that's pretty powerful.
Nyeisha also shared this poem by a young woman whose name I imagine is spelled Shakandria (shu KAHN dree uh). If you have a Facebook, search Cassandra Whitlock McClary, who posted the poem. It even made me think twice about cringing at some names. Also, there's a writing project in the back of my head featuring warrior sisters, and maybe, just maybe, to help empower little girls out there whose names don't sound like my Hebrew first name, French middle name, British last name, that they can be great with something as simple as having MCs with names like theirs.
Wednesday, September 30, 2015
Lost a Follower
Aww man. I was staring at my "99" followers hoping for the one to break me into 100, and I noticed today, I'm down to 98.
I know I'm not the most interesting of bloggers, and like me, maybe that person just got bored and didn't want anymore notifications. I can see that. I also kind of wish I interested more people...or that I interested people more? Yeah, that one.
I get many views but few comments even when I ask a question. In my real life, I'm used to being the one who goes unheard, so it's not particularly new, but man. I don't know. I guess for now I can only be me, and eventually, I'll catch on.
(Late post. I was at a workshop all day yesterday.)
I know I'm not the most interesting of bloggers, and like me, maybe that person just got bored and didn't want anymore notifications. I can see that. I also kind of wish I interested more people...or that I interested people more? Yeah, that one.
I get many views but few comments even when I ask a question. In my real life, I'm used to being the one who goes unheard, so it's not particularly new, but man. I don't know. I guess for now I can only be me, and eventually, I'll catch on.
(Late post. I was at a workshop all day yesterday.)
Wednesday, August 5, 2015
IWSG: Changes
Happy...whoa, *ctrl+B* Happy August! lol Welcome back to the Insecure Writer's Support Group, created by the blogfather himself, Alex J. Cavanaugh.
I went through a few changes for my blog and myself while on my 2-month blogosphere hiatus, and I think it will help refresh my writing energy and query trials.
Blog Schedule. While I was on my hiatus, I returned to express my desire to change my schedule, so I did. After 1st Wednesdays, I'll only be blogging twice a week. This will help me free up some more time for writing and revisions.
Pen Name. You may have noticed (maybe not lol) that my real name is sitting up in that little space by my face now, because I wanted to change my pen name. Partially because I feel like Debra McKellan no longer fits me, despite the awesome reason I chose it in the first place. Partially because I picked it for reasons of neutrality (just like when women writers choose initials because it comes off less female), but in the world of We Need Diverse Books (and all its various social media) and Write Inclusively, I decided I need to be me sans any inclination that I'm someone I'm not.
There's not much about my birth name I'm cool with, to be honest, but nothing else really fits. On Twitter, I expressed that I may just go with my first and middle name (Debra Renée) and went on a spiel from there. Even wrote out my signature to see if I like it (I love it). So, I believe that will be it. Of course, now when I list publications, I'll have to say "Origin" was published under Debra McKellan, but well, I believe other people have done that before. Blah. Still stoked that it was published.
An Opening that Hooks an Agent. I expressed just yesterday that I planned on adding a new scene to my opening. I basically added a whole new chapter from bits I mention later in the story and a short prequel that may or may not ever see daylight. I'm hoping this new opening will wow more than my previous opening so I can stop getting depressed when I check my inbox. Two agents I was pretty nervous about querying and finally did passed. That hurts.
It is now midnight, and I said I would be going to bed 2 hours ago. Fail. Have a happy IWSG Day!
Monday, July 6, 2015
I'm Brainstorming Some Things
I know I said I'd be taking a break in July, too, but this is the only place where I can get my thoughts out in more than 150 words, so I thought I'd drop by to think.
My Blog:
I want to revamp my blog topics. My current schedule is:
Tuesdays (blog hop)
Wednesdays (what I'm reading/IWSG)
Fridays (blog hop/potpurri).
I might condense it to:
Tuesdays (what I'm reading/something writing related)
First Wednesdays (IWSG)
Fridays (blog hops/something writing related)
So then I'd only be writing twice a week and thrice on that first week, and having more content on less days might keep my mind open to my writing.
My Pen Name:
So, I have this issue where after a certain amount of time, I want a new e-mail address. I never thought that I would be looking at my pen name and thinking, "Do I still like this name?" Especially after all the brainstorming I went through just to get to this name!
Maybe, I'll use different pen names for different genres. Speculative, this name. Contemporary, maybe my own name. I hate my name, though. It's so boring. I'd use my mom's maiden name if she hadn't "not" named me after my aunt. I'd rather not add to the confusion. For poetry, I almost committed myself to S.B. Hawkins (a lady at church calls me Songbird, and I love that), but something in my head said, "Isn't there a Sophie B. Hawkins?" There is, and why do I know that? (Googling, Googling...Oh, right. "As I Lay Me Down").
My Unofficial Sequel & My one Beta:
My little sister has been my one steady beta reader since like 1994. I couldn't get her to read my Fantasy, but she made a deal to read my unofficial sequel to Octavia Butler's Fledgling, which I named Birthright. Honestly, I thought she had forgotten to read it, and I was losing faith, but out of the blue this weekend while we were sitting on the couch at 1 a.m, she said, "So, I have questions about Ruby [the original name for it]." I was bursting with glee that she had actually begun reading it. She's halfway through (it's a novella, only 100 pages), but she noted some good things that I need to fix, one of which being (and as someone who reads sequels sometimes before I read the first book, it's very important) that I have to consider the fact that the reader may not have read Fledgling, so things I left out that I knew because they were explained in Fledgling, I have to explain in Birthright.
I'm just glad she started reading it. Now, I'll have to go through and flesh it out more so I can start the process of finding out from whom to get permission to actually publish it.
So that's it. See you later!
My Blog:
I want to revamp my blog topics. My current schedule is:
Tuesdays (blog hop)
Wednesdays (what I'm reading/IWSG)
Fridays (blog hop/potpurri).
I might condense it to:
Tuesdays (what I'm reading/something writing related)
First Wednesdays (IWSG)
Fridays (blog hops/something writing related)
So then I'd only be writing twice a week and thrice on that first week, and having more content on less days might keep my mind open to my writing.
My Pen Name:
So, I have this issue where after a certain amount of time, I want a new e-mail address. I never thought that I would be looking at my pen name and thinking, "Do I still like this name?" Especially after all the brainstorming I went through just to get to this name!
Maybe, I'll use different pen names for different genres. Speculative, this name. Contemporary, maybe my own name. I hate my name, though. It's so boring. I'd use my mom's maiden name if she hadn't "not" named me after my aunt. I'd rather not add to the confusion. For poetry, I almost committed myself to S.B. Hawkins (a lady at church calls me Songbird, and I love that), but something in my head said, "Isn't there a Sophie B. Hawkins?" There is, and why do I know that? (Googling, Googling...Oh, right. "As I Lay Me Down").
My Unofficial Sequel & My one Beta:
My little sister has been my one steady beta reader since like 1994. I couldn't get her to read my Fantasy, but she made a deal to read my unofficial sequel to Octavia Butler's Fledgling, which I named Birthright. Honestly, I thought she had forgotten to read it, and I was losing faith, but out of the blue this weekend while we were sitting on the couch at 1 a.m, she said, "So, I have questions about Ruby [the original name for it]." I was bursting with glee that she had actually begun reading it. She's halfway through (it's a novella, only 100 pages), but she noted some good things that I need to fix, one of which being (and as someone who reads sequels sometimes before I read the first book, it's very important) that I have to consider the fact that the reader may not have read Fledgling, so things I left out that I knew because they were explained in Fledgling, I have to explain in Birthright.
I'm just glad she started reading it. Now, I'll have to go through and flesh it out more so I can start the process of finding out from whom to get permission to actually publish it.
So that's it. See you later!
Wednesday, July 1, 2015
IWSG: Enjoying This Break
Hello.
I'm writing this on Tuesday night with a little bit of red wine in me, so I don't have much energy for my normal greetings. I will say thank you to Alex J. Cavanaugh and co-hosts because they deserve it.
I decided at the end of May that I wanted to take a break in June. July was also on my mind, and to be honest, I'm for it. I know blogging is good to build networks etc., but it's exhausting and sometimes tedious to me. I have actually written a LOT this past month, and I feel like a lot of it is BECAUSE I haven't been blogging.
I'm also back to querying agents. One said she was drawn by my query but not hooked by my first pages, so I know if I get the same sentiments from the next couple of agents, I need to do something about those first pages...AGAIN. I have friends getting their songs on tv shows, other friends getting into the careers they want. My cousin is finally branching out and doing solo performances at churches. I'd really like to be one of the successes soon. This life of working jobs I don't love just to get by is draining my soul.
Tuesday, December 30, 2014
Express Yourself: Favorite EYM
This week, they ask what our favorite question was from the series this year.
(Side note: I've FAILED all my goals from the new year except for seeing The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey! Now I'm mad at myself.)
Let's see, my posts about Firefly or Final Fantasy...Decisions, decisions...Just kidding. lol I will have to say the 3rd week of August question: what we would bring back with us if we could go back in time.
Time travel is such an interesting concept, and it's one I actually use in my fantasy story. There's also the question of would things change, or would things still turn out the way they did. I always love those "What-If" episodes of tv shows. According to Friends & Grey's Anatomy, some things are meant to be. According to Futurama, you could turn out to be your own grandpa. hahaha
Have a Happy New Year!
Tuesday, December 23, 2014
Express Yourself Weekly: Ideas
Welcome back to Express Yourself! This bloghop was created by Dani @ Entertaining Interests and Jackie @ Bouquet of Books. Join us all to answer questions to get to know each other better!
This week, the ladies ask us what EYM questions we would like to see next year.
Sheesh, what haven't we already done? lol Um....who would narrate our lives in a movie, maybe? I think we did who we would want to play us, but I don't remember having a narrator, so...let's go with that. :-D
Merry Christmas! If you're on Day 7 of Chanukah, Happy Happy Chanukah!
Friday, May 30, 2014
Friday Freeday: Free Day
Hello! Happy Friday.
Today is the reveal of the Query Kombatants, and I'm stalling to open the blog posts to see if I made it or not. lol But I'm stalling in a good way, because I'm reading the blogs I forgot to check throughout this maddening week.
And today, I came upon my writer forum's blog with an entry from Matt Sinclair, President and "Chief Elephant Officer" of Elephant's Bookshelf Press, about a Free Day the company is doing for a debut author. So, click the following phrase to check it out. The Power of Free.
Today is the reveal of the Query Kombatants, and I'm stalling to open the blog posts to see if I made it or not. lol But I'm stalling in a good way, because I'm reading the blogs I forgot to check throughout this maddening week.
And today, I came upon my writer forum's blog with an entry from Matt Sinclair, President and "Chief Elephant Officer" of Elephant's Bookshelf Press, about a Free Day the company is doing for a debut author. So, click the following phrase to check it out. The Power of Free.
Thursday, May 29, 2014
A rant on TYPOS.
Typos are the bane of my existence!
I thought I'd share this because I saw a typo in a blog post I did last week. Yes, last week. I will look at an old blog post from yesterday or last year and hit Edit because of a typo. I will delete a Tweet or a Facebook post and send a follow-up text with the correct spelling followed by an asterisk because of a typo. I'm an English major. I will send YOU (well, at least people I know like that) an IM or Tweet or comment with the correct spelling if you have a typo. I HATE TYPOS!
And yet, because I type and think at 98 WPM but my reflexes move at about 70 WPM, they're always there! Because often times I get a bout of dyslexia, I will mess up an entire sentence!
I know it's because I'm only human, but...I HATE TYPOS!
That is all.
I thought I'd share this because I saw a typo in a blog post I did last week. Yes, last week. I will look at an old blog post from yesterday or last year and hit Edit because of a typo. I will delete a Tweet or a Facebook post and send a follow-up text with the correct spelling followed by an asterisk because of a typo. I'm an English major. I will send YOU (well, at least people I know like that) an IM or Tweet or comment with the correct spelling if you have a typo. I HATE TYPOS!
And yet, because I type and think at 98 WPM but my reflexes move at about 70 WPM, they're always there! Because often times I get a bout of dyslexia, I will mess up an entire sentence!
I know it's because I'm only human, but...I HATE TYPOS!
That is all.
Monday, May 12, 2014
Changing My Look
Hi guys.
So I think I'd finally like to venture into a better looking blog. lol Everyone else is doing it, and as the system I need to use to actually do my job is down for the day, I figure now's as good a time as any. How do I go about that? Is there a website or something? You all have very nice looking blogs.
Thanks in advance! lol
So I think I'd finally like to venture into a better looking blog. lol Everyone else is doing it, and as the system I need to use to actually do my job is down for the day, I figure now's as good a time as any. How do I go about that? Is there a website or something? You all have very nice looking blogs.
Thanks in advance! lol
Wednesday, May 7, 2014
IWSG: How to Make Time?
It's that time again! I feel like it's been ages!
Welcome back to the Insecure Writer's Support Group, created by the fabulous Ninja Alex J. Cavanaugh and co-hosted by awesome gurus every month. Visit Alex and The Insecure Writer's Support Group for the co-hosts and tens of tens of participants!
I'm in a weird place at the moment. A month or so ago, I couldn't really find the motivation to do any writing type things, and now, in a good way, I'm too busy during the day and tired by the time I get home! New job feeling. lol
So I think I need to make myself a schedule. I want to get back into blogging, and I need to write more. AND I need to read faster. lol I might not be able to control that one, but the other two I can do, I think.
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
IWSG: My 200th Post!
Monday, July 29, 2013
The Big 5-0
No, I'm not 50; I just turned 29 afterall.
But I have reached 50 followers! A big thank you to everyone who has subscribed and reads my whacky, sometimes non-sensical, sometimes blabbermouth, sometimes I-forgot-to-post posts. It means a lot that someone is "listening".
:)
But I have reached 50 followers! A big thank you to everyone who has subscribed and reads my whacky, sometimes non-sensical, sometimes blabbermouth, sometimes I-forgot-to-post posts. It means a lot that someone is "listening".
:)
Thursday, May 16, 2013
This is Fitness Week?
I pay no attention.
A blogger mentioned "we" were talking about fitness this week, and I think I remember someone saying that about the whole month, so I can go ahead a talk about it a little bit. ;)
I became a Zumba instructor March of last year. Here's my official web page: dhawkins.zumba.com. And yes, that is what I really look like. I've always had an issue with sticking to one exercise regimen, but exercise has been on my life as early as 5. Did anyone else wake up early in the morning to do Mickey's Mousercise? How about getting your calves in shape with Tony Little? I have legs like a horse because of genetics and Tony Little. What 7-year-old did this?! lol
There was also Aerobics with Soul, featuring a little Tanzanian woman, Jane Fonda's Aerobics, Step Aerobics, then later in my teen years, Belly dancing with Neena & Veena, and my very short-lived stint with Yoga (HATE IT). So when I learned about Zumba, dancing and exercising to Latin rhythms, as a lover of many things Latino, this one stuck. Also NYC Ballet's Exercise, which is MY yoga, but I love teaching dance fitness. It's fun, and when you get tired, you can do whatever you want. lol
This week, I've pushed myself to exercise every day (except today and Sunday), and I have a 2-hour Zumbathon tomorrow before I hit up a party (for maybe an hour because I'm highly anxious around crowds).
Does anyone else have a fitness regimen?
A blogger mentioned "we" were talking about fitness this week, and I think I remember someone saying that about the whole month, so I can go ahead a talk about it a little bit. ;)
I became a Zumba instructor March of last year. Here's my official web page: dhawkins.zumba.com. And yes, that is what I really look like. I've always had an issue with sticking to one exercise regimen, but exercise has been on my life as early as 5. Did anyone else wake up early in the morning to do Mickey's Mousercise? How about getting your calves in shape with Tony Little? I have legs like a horse because of genetics and Tony Little. What 7-year-old did this?! lol
There was also Aerobics with Soul, featuring a little Tanzanian woman, Jane Fonda's Aerobics, Step Aerobics, then later in my teen years, Belly dancing with Neena & Veena, and my very short-lived stint with Yoga (HATE IT). So when I learned about Zumba, dancing and exercising to Latin rhythms, as a lover of many things Latino, this one stuck. Also NYC Ballet's Exercise, which is MY yoga, but I love teaching dance fitness. It's fun, and when you get tired, you can do whatever you want. lol
This week, I've pushed myself to exercise every day (except today and Sunday), and I have a 2-hour Zumbathon tomorrow before I hit up a party (for maybe an hour because I'm highly anxious around crowds).
Does anyone else have a fitness regimen?
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Friday Freeday: Reflections (A-to-Z)
Every time I think of the word, I hear the Mariah Carey song from Glitter. I loved that movie. Don't judge me. Some of you loved Twilight. :-P
(How are these cold openings working for you? How many know what a cold opening is? lol)
Anyway, FIRST OFF, I had 7 followers for this thing! You guys were great support. I didn't expect any because I never have time to really look at other blogs past the ones I follow, so that 7 people found their way to my page, thanks!
Secondly, I've already picked up the posts and put them into my new April blog, http://debmcksapril.blogspot.com. This is for when April rolls back around. You will find last year's Poetry-A-Day there, too.
So, for those who have read the A to Z posts and the few I put up here while April was happening, you know already that I could not WAIT for this thing to END. I couldn't just quit, so I fought my way to the finish. I think I actually only forgot to post one day, surprisingly.
So why did I start in the first place if I didn't like it? Because I wouldn't be me if I weren't impulsive. I decided on April 1, approximately 9am that I was going to do this. I didn't think for a second about doing it any day prior, and thinking my April wouldn't be as busy as it was, I thought I'd want to do it. By, like, G, I was wondering how long April would be. I hate when I half-ass posts because people actually come to see what you're saying. I'm also a rambler, so showing the world that, bluh.
But at least I finished. That's what I have to focus on. My goal was to get through it, and I did. I will most likely do poetry again next year, or if I change my mind (which I'm wont to do), I'll actually brainstorm a month in advance! So many people had great themes! We'll see what happens in 2014. ;)
Click HERE for the other participants in the A-to-Z Reflections.
Click HERE for the other participants in the A-to-Z Reflections.
Monday, April 22, 2013
I Miss You
This A-to-Z thing is wiping me out!
I wanted to stop by to say hi to everyone, and express how much I miss keeping you posted. Fortunately, May is next week, and my weekly posts will return!
I return Wednesday, May 1, with my Insecure Writers Support Group post.
Every Tuesday, I will post my Express Yourself Meme.
I will also be on the lookout for two more permanent posting days! Thursdays seem good. I might even do an early morning Saturday post. I'm almost always awake by 8 anyway.
Is anyone else participating in the A-to-Z Blog Challenge? How has your April been so far?
I wanted to stop by to say hi to everyone, and express how much I miss keeping you posted. Fortunately, May is next week, and my weekly posts will return!
I return Wednesday, May 1, with my Insecure Writers Support Group post.
Every Tuesday, I will post my Express Yourself Meme.
I will also be on the lookout for two more permanent posting days! Thursdays seem good. I might even do an early morning Saturday post. I'm almost always awake by 8 anyway.
Is anyone else participating in the A-to-Z Blog Challenge? How has your April been so far?
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