Finishing up, Starting New, and Trekking on.

Finishing up the last bit of my MT certification, finishing up the last bit of Tredecim, and starting a new book.  Although the title isn’t set in stone I am really leaning towards the title “The Mountains Forged by Laithe Sinclair.”  I am loving the storyline so far, and I am doing something new with the mapping out and planning for the book before I start the main aspect of writing. I am excited to see the end result of the new techniques.

2017 is going to be the year of success for all of us!  We are all capable, funny, and going to forge our own happiness! Just like Laithe, we learn a lot about our past, our presents and our futures, it is a trip with the ups and downs of mountain peaks.  We are all the climbers of our own destinies and we are the foragers of our own futures.  Here is the inspiration, character name, and fun quote of one of the characters in my new book.    Much love to all of you! ❤

 

“Life is an unusual thing. A thing that goes without rules, regulation, or thought. Life runs it’s course without consideration of direction. A beautiful thing is our existence, with all the ups and downs of triumphs and failures, like the rolling mountains… though just a sight for only once a lifetime.” -Sybil Jones. 1902

 

 

Buzzfeed!

I’m not sure how it happened, but my book was mentioned in a great Buzzfeed article about Indie Authors, and how the rules of publishing are changing.  I am beyond excited about it!

We all go through lulls in life, me included.  Recently I have felt pretty down about a lot of things going on in my person life, and to see recognition for my first book published has been a true game changer.

Everyone likes a pat on the back and a “good job”.

So with renewed vigor, Tredecim is underway, halfway finished, and on the way to being publishing shortly after the 1st of the year!

 

Love the life you have, and go for your dreams! ❤

Back into the swing of life.

Studying, trying to get back in better shape, eating healthier.  I feel like I am getting back into the swing of life.  It is easy to let yourself slip,  keep thinking that what you want to do can wait until tomorrow.  In reality, though,  there is no time like the present.  So get to it, people!

 

Making a list, checking it a million time, marking off errands as I finish them.  I feel great!!!!!!!

These characters are getting out of hand.

Not a lot of writing getting done today, but lots of fun planning, ideas, and outlines!  I haven’t done outlines before with my writing, but something about this book has me mapping out and planning everything. The outcome?  I am so absolutely pumped about what these characters are doing!  They are wild, secrets are the norm, and there are so many new characters in this book that are going to make a massive difference in how we view the original ones!

Seriously! These characters are the best!

 

I can’t even put into words how great of a day today was (not) writing wise.  Tredecim is going to be the best book yet!

Find me on Twitter @AshyWilson13  #TheNihility #TheVolitionSeries

Character Development.

I love learning new things.  Something new that I have discovered is that sometimes in writing, the character that you imaged cannot exist.  

 

In your mind, you have this story, with these people that exist within the story.  No matter what anyone says, they are real!  Without them, you wouldn’t have a story at all!  

Just like people that you meet every day sometimes people that you think are nice aren’t nice at all.  Sometimes people are just downright mean, jealous, and/or hateful.  They do things that you can’t explain, they say things just to hurt you, and they sometimes try to justify themselves by calling you crazy.  Let’s just honest here for a moment; some people are just better not being in your lives. 

The same can be said for fictional characters too.  Sometimes when you first think up a story, you think of these great people and how they will be within the story, but when you start writing them you realize they aren’t nice at all.   They are horrible people, with evil thoughts, and cause issues with those around them.  However, unlike real life jerks, stories need these characters.  There has to be friction and distrust in a story for it to be a story worth reading. (In my own opinion at least.) 

It’s happening right now.  Someone that was unknown is now getting a voice of their own, and they aren’t that nice.  They are angry and confused.  Taking out all of their issues on everyone else around them. This was NOT what I planned for this character, but the more that I write it.  The more that I see how the character’s grown into themselves even if it isn’t what I expected.  The more that I like this character.  

I see big things in this character’s future, and the possibility to grow back into the character that I thought that they would be.  For now, though, I am having a blast writing a jerk! 😀 

 

happy writing! -Ashton

Enemies Born from Friendship.

I am pretty sure that we have all lived it at some point.  A good friend suddenly has different views, opinions, or desires from life. Most of the time people will just cope with these differences and remain friends, or they will grow apart slowly and just fall out of touch.  Then there are the friends that turn on you.

Suddenly everything that was good about your friendship is used against you in a fashion that you can’t even begin to wrap your head around.  Name calling, social media bashing and other forms of abuse follow.

My best advice is to leave it be.

My grandmother always told me that the more that you stir in crap, the more that it stinks.  She didn’t lie with that statement either.

I have dealt with this recently.  It was a good friend that I could see myself being friends with for a long time, but… differences came, bonds and promises were broken, and the friendship deteriorated overnight.  Am I sad that I lost a friend?  Of course.  I thought that this person was truly my friend, but looking back I am sure that I was talked about the same way that she talked about everyone else behind their backs.  Was she a real friend? No. Will I lower myself to her standard of name calling, bashing and putting down? No.  I will not say her name, what she did to me, or any personal details of her situation.

I will say this to her, though.

I want you to know that I am happy for you.  I am glad that schooling worked out for you, that you suffered through a bad situation and got the result that you wanted out of it!  I am proud of you!  You have accomplished something wonderful for you and your family.  As for me?… My path took me another direction.  I never said you were stupid, and you should know that. I never said that you wouldn’t accomplish what you desired.  I never tried to put you down or make you feel inferior in any way, shape, or form.

I wish nothing, but the best for you and your family.  I hope that the future is kind to you.

I have no hate for you. I am free from ill will, and your words and actions don’t mar my life.  I am continuing my journey without you, and that is all right. Things happen, life changes and then it moves on.  I hope and pray that you find the same peace in your life to go on without the need to lash out in your anger and frustration. I hope that one day you will locate the source of your anger so that you can deal with it appropriately.

 

 

 

 

When did we become this?…

It was a morning like any other when I turn on the TV to listen to the news while I made my morning cup of coffee.  I never imagined that this morning would be different from any other morning that I have, but this morning was different.
It was the morning that all the horror on the news suddenly looked like a movie reel and nothing that could be happening in real life.  Police officers dead,  color once again separating people, dead overseas, war, terror attacks in multiple countries.

This was the morning that I stood in my living room, watching the news casters talking about the different losses around the world and an understanding washed over me.  No one is safe or exempt from all of this.

People have lost their minds.  There will always be a select few that don’t like someone for their color,  there will always be that one officer that isn’t an officer for the right reasons, there will always be someone with mental instabilities that will try to hurt people…. but when did the world turn into this?  Where the actions of the few define the many?

Most police officers are there to protect you!

Most people could care less what color, gender, weight, height, nationality someone is,  they like you for your personality!

Most people can agree to disagree.  I’m not sure when our society turned into a “if you don’t think just like me then you are wrong and I can’t like or be civil to you.” But it is wrong!  People are supposed to have different views, different likes and dislikes, different opinions.  What a boring place the world would be if everyone liked the same things, people, ect.

When did the freedom of speech become muted?  Where you are condemned, bullied and attacked if you say the wrong thing.  Where ever thing that comes out of your mouth becomes twisted into a wrong for someone else’s agenda.

A society where people are more comfortable spreading hate through their computer screens instead of lifting one another up and helping encouraging others.For just one second  imagine a world where all the hate that is spread in social media was changed to encouragement.   Imagine what kind of place that would be…. but we will never get there.  Because everyone feels entitled to their own opinions to the point that they can’t be open minded and kind.

This morning I stood in my living room watching the news feed and I cried.  My coffee forgotten on the table behind me.  I mourned for the country that we are loosing.  The state of humanity that is slipping through our fingers.  The hope that was once our strength, that is now been twisted into something that is smothering us.

We are no longer great.  We are an embarrassment. We have created a mess for ourselves and our children.  We have tampered with and destroyed something that we could have improved, if we would have only stayed civil.  We have fallen where others have stood.  We have regressed our country, our thoughts, and our lives back to an era where status, color, and nationality dictate and rule….and for what?

Is the dead that we bury honored? Remembered in any way? Is the unlawful and unjustified killings worth anything?  NO!  They are just unlawful and unjustified.  A waste of life where it didn’t have to be wasted!!!

Why is this happening?  When did we become this? When did this nation slip and fall along the way?

But more importantly…. What are we going to do to fix it?

 

 

 

 

 

When it rains it pours.

I never understood this until adulthood, but it is entirely accurate.  If one thing goes wrong, you better be bracing yourself because more mishaps are sure to follow.  Not only is this exhausting physically but emotionally this takes a toll on a person as well.  You find yourself being less motivated, not wanting to be social, and you just can’t seem to catch up on sleep.

Unfortunately, the only way to combat this when the “rainy day blues” hits is also the most difficult.  It won’t get better until you get up and do something.  You won’t find energy until you use some, you won’t find motivation if you are always feeling behind on things you need to do.  The only way to fix it is to do something, complete something!  Even if it is something as small as just finishing the laundry or putting away the ever growing pile of clean laundry, these little accomplishments will fuel larger goals that you will find yourself setting for yourself.

Don’t allow yourself to be any less than what you want yourself to be.  You can do anything, all you have to do is put forth the effort!

🙂

 

 

New Year, New Start? The Truth to Starting Over.

Everyone tells you how starting over in life is actually a good thing.  A fun adventure full of new possibilities and opportunities.  Where this is true to a point it isn’t the whole truth.  Everyone always seems to leave out the dirty little secret to starting over.  You might be sitting here wondering what exactly that little secret is… well, I can tell you.  The secret is that starting over is HARD!
“Oh buck up!” I have heard it a million times, but starting over is difficult.  There are trials and errors and in hindsight, every decision you make for yourself is never quite the right one.  You often wonder, are you on the right track, or have you missed one of these fantastic opportunities that everyone keeps talking about; because at the end of the day you crawl into bed exhausted both mentally and physically, and you feel like a failure.
This is, unfortunately, the way you should be feeling. Before you stop here saying, “What are you talking about crazy lady?”  Hear me out!
Starting over doesn’t make a clean slate like everyone portrays. It will give way for changes, don’t get me wrong, but there is no way to erase the past and its repercussions completely. That is the difference between starting over and hiding.  With hiding, you choose to ignore the past, and in doing so, you hinder your future, because you take so much of your energy trying to cover up the past that you don’t make a future. You just weave lie after lie and then at the end of the day you don’t’ really know who you are, what you are doing, or how long that you will be able to keep the charade up.  Hiding isn’t the answer to any of your issues in your life.
Starting over, on the other hand, can start at any time.  It could be because of a major event in your life.  A death of someone close,  a divorce, graduating college to find yourself unable to get a job with your degree; or starting over could be just a personal choice. One day you just wake up, and you don’t like where you life is or where it is going, and realize that you need a fresh start.  Either way starting over is something that once you initiate the process you better finish it. If you don’t then you find yourself in life’s cruel and unforgiving limbo where you wonder around lost, unsuccessful with anything and more than likely in a financial downfall because you’re not doing anything truly constructive for yourself.
In my life, I have found that my starting over has come in waves.  First it was a divorce, then it was school, then it was changing my mind a million times putting me back where I started, then I decided to write a book, then I decided that the book sucked so I wouldn’t do anything with it, then back to where it started again with the book isn’t that bad, and it is alright, then I have some days I love my cosmetology school, and then there are days I hate the drama that comes from being around so many women all the time, and then there is family stuff, and financial woes and just life!!!!
Starting over suck! But the process isn’t what counts.  You pretty much have to turn your pride, emotions, and expectations off for the duration of the process.  If not you will flounder in indecision and then realize that you still haven’t made it anywhere.
Starting over is hard WORK!  It is starting and finishing something even if you think you have changed your mind in the process.  It is overcoming the fear of failure because what you are doing is something new.  It is getting out of your comfort zone and doing something that in your mind you could see yourself doing, but not thinking that you would ever be able to get there. It is not accepting failure!  Pushing yourself through the imaginary limits that you have put on yourself; you have NO LIMITS!  You can do anything!  Is it easy? Absolutely not! You have to work and work hard and push through the doubts and just accomplish what you need and want for you!
The honest truth of the matter is starting over is a nerve-wracking wreck of an adventure… you will be exhausted throughout most of the process, you will feel scared majority of the time, and what you think things will be like probably won’t be what things are like at all, because once you start the process of change and going forward where you end up will be nothing you could have even fathomed in the start.
Don’t be afraid of change. Don’t hold yourself back.  Stop making excuses.  Go out into the world, start the process, make the changes needed to make you happy! Be no one other than yourself and at the end of the day… one day in the future… you will find yourself laying in bed realizing that you just aren’t as tired as usual.  You will notice that you have been smiling more throughout the day, that you have friends who make you happy, and that you are just being yourself.  At that moment you will realize that your process is not over yet, but you are getting there, and that my friend is about all that we could ask for out of life.  The moment where you are proud to be you, proud of your accomplishments, and happy to be yourself.
“Life is good.”  Some people don’t believe that, but I do. I feel that life is what you make it, it isn’t instant; it isn’t going to be handed to you or easy… but if you are willing to put in the work needed and take the chances needed, life will be more than you could ever imagine.

 

It’s Been a While!!

It’s been a while since I have posted in here, but this year I have decided to give my hand at NaNoWriMo!  I signed up yesterday and uploaded word count! Let’s see how this all works out with my crazy life! So looking forward to the new story that have in my mind and then new adventures and mishaps of Evelyn and Zathan!