This was one of the most unexpected things to happen in my life. I fell in love with a show called Supernatural. I remember some friends telling me about it years ago, but I hadn’t been interested at the time. I’m very afraid of paranormal […]
How Lindsey Stirling Inspired Me
Lindsey Stirling, sometimes known as the dancing violinist or hip-hop violinist, had a huge impact on my life that I never expected. Back when I first had depression, one of my cousins showed me a video of a girl playing a violin while dancing in […]
My Publishing Dreams
My publishing dreams for the Sparks Shall Rise series is to first publish all the books and short stories that I want to write in the series. Publishing just one book was a dream come true, and I look forward to the day when I […]
How I Made the Map for My Book
When I published the first two iterations of “Reawakened Flames,” there was no map. I couldn’t draw one myself that would be good enough, and I didn’t even know where to go to have one made. I previously mentioned this in Writing Journey Part 4, […]
How I Got My Book Cover Designed
I love the cover for “Reawakened Flames.” I love looking at it and knowing that it’s the cover for my book. Getting a book cover designed was more difficult than I thought it would be. I wanted a beautiful fantasy cover like others I had […]
How I Deal with Writing Anxiety
I never had significant issues with writing anxiety before I published my first book. When I wrote fanfiction or other stories, the activity was enjoyable. I could do it for hours and be completely relaxed. “Reawakened Flames” flipped a switch in my head. It may […]
My Vision for the Series
The foundation of the Sparks Shall Rise series is main characters having mental illness or some other struggle, and they are also the heroes of the story. The books will combine epic fantasy tales with the main characters trying to simultaneously deal with their struggles. […]
My Second Self-Publishing Attempt
Once I decided to return to self-publishing, I took a hard look at my book. There was a lot that needed to be changed. I wish I had done everything more correctly the first time, but that’s the nature of self-publishing. When you are trying […]
My Attempt at Traditional Publishing
I came to the conclusion that if I couldn’t get “Reawakened Flames” going with self-publishing, then maybe I had to publish it traditionally. I thought I wasn’t cut out to be a self-published author. So, I started learning about traditional publishing. I prepared a query […]
My First Self-Publishing Experiences
Early in 2018, as my life was consumed by health anxiety and depression, I had the nightmares about the wierllings and the girl trapped on top of the tower. You can find a detailed account of the nightmares in “Reawakened Flames.” The dreams stuck with […]