Keelie's Journal

Drunken Romance Karaoke and other stories....

2005-10-20T02:55:55Z

So, exciting news since I have last posted. I went to the writer's conference in Bellevue and had a blast! I also got to meet a lot of famous writers like Susan Anderson, Cherry Adair, and one of my favorite authors, Katie MacAlister. She was funny and really helped me a lot with understanding the writing business.

Anyways, I had a couple of meetings with an agent and an editor. The agent went really well and I was invited to send in the first three chapters of my manuscript. YEAH! The meeting with the editor wasn't as good but I was still invited to send in my first three chapters too. The editor meeting could have gone better but she wasn't given my index card with my pitch on it so she wasn't prepared with questions for me. When I pitched it to her myself, I got the feeling that she enjoyed it but from what the other people had and from what I had, which is contemporary humor, I think she was veering more towards erotica. Something I don't do. I'll send her the chapters anyway and see what happens. It definitely wont hurt.

As soon as I came home on that sunday, my writer's block was finally gone. Man, I never would have thought that going to a conference would really help get the creative juices flowing. The workshops that I went to were so helpful and really got me pumped to finish my manuscript. Speaking of finishing my manuscript, I have a deadline on when I'm going to get it done. I chose July 17th as D-Day so hopefully I can make it. I'm going to try to get it done by the time of the next Emerald City conference in October 2006.

I'm also going to try to go to nationals in Daytona in May, but it's so expensive. Maybe I can convince people to send me there as a christmas present or something. Laurell K. Hamilton, Sherrylin Kenyon, Rebecca York, Heather Grahm (AKA Shannon Drake) are all going to be there so I'm really going to try to go. I think it's like $400 per person plus Hotel and food expenses. I guess there are over 2,000 people that go there as opposed to the couple hundred that go to the Emerald City Conference. *le sigh* We'll see. Too bad it wasn't after the Oregon shows, otherwise I'd be able to pay for it all then, plus the ECC in October.

I'm such a nerd.

Anywho, I have started on my third chapter. Double yeah! I'm close to getting those done so I can send them out and see if I get a bite. If not, I wont be disappointed because I was really able to talk to a bunch of published authors at the conference and they gave me a lot of helpful information and let me know that for a lot of us, our first manuscript will never be picked up. That doesn't mean that we're bad writers, well, for most of us, it just means that our story isn't selling right now. Maybe it was about 2 years ago. Always keep sending stuff out!

Dear Lord, I think I've found my calling.

*cue super hero theme music* Librarian by day-----writer by night----It's Wonder Keelie!! Da dadaDA!!!!

Either that's my calling, or drunken romance Karaoke is...hmm...let me think on that.

hmmmm.......

2005-09-10T18:19:13Z

You scored as Paganism. Your beliefs are most closely aligned with those of paganism, Wicca, or a similar earth-based religion. You may also follow a Native American religion.

</td>

Paganism

75%

Buddhism

71%

Hinduism

67%

Satanism

67%

agnosticism

33%

atheism

29%

Christianity

29%

Islam

25%

Judaism

25%

Which religion is the right one for you? (new version)
created with QuizFarm.com

The Muse Is Stirring...mwah!

2005-09-09T06:58:49Z

So, today I found out that I won a critique of the first 10 pages of my manuscript at the Emerald City Conference in October!! SSSSSOOOOOOOOOO EXCITED!!!!!! UNfortunately, I'll get the response of my critique on the last day of the conference which will be after I have my meeting with an agent and editor. Fortunately, I'll be able to meet the gal doing the critique face to face instead of all through e-mail. That way I can gage her reaction to what she has read so far.

Geez....I just realized that he conference is going to be in like three weeks....man...time flys when you're having fun, eh? Pff.

Other good news, in just a few days I'll be moving to the dorms. Can't wait. It's funny how things seem to be finally falling into place. It's been so long since I've really had that wonderful feeling of everything being right in the universe. Today, in an attempt to further my good Karma, I returned a dollar that someone had left in the money thingy at one of those self serve express lines at QFC. It may not be much but every little bit counts, right? I like to think so.

Well, gonna go now...sleepy...*yawn* I want to stay awake enough so that I can read a wee bit before I go to sleep. I know, I know...NERD! To further my nerd status I told my dad tonight that one of my favorite Twilight Zone episodes was when an old crabby man ends up being the only man on earth and he gets so excited about it cause he's alone and can read his books. He sits down to do just that but ends up somehow breaking his glasses. The poor bastard can't see a damn thing without them so he ends up utterly alone without even his beloved books to keep him company. Since first seeing that episode, I've been waiting for the day when I'd be able to get contact lenses and a back-up pair of glasses. That reminds me that I need to schedule an appointment with an optometrist.

Ok, no more writing, sleep now...bye....

And Behind Curtain Number 3....

2005-09-06T03:52:34Z

You scored as Bomb. Your death will be by bombing. You will probably be an innocent bystander, not doing anything wrong and not a person who was targeted at, just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

</td>

Bomb

67%

Suicide

60%

Natural Causes

53%

Disappear

53%

Gunshot

40%

Posion

40%

Disease

33%

Stabbed

33%

Accident

33%

Drowning

27%

Cut Throat

27%

Suffocated

20%

Eaten

13%

How Will You Die??
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hmmm.....after the depressing post I put up earlier it doesn't quite bode too well that suicide came in 2nd....But, apparently I'll be blown to smitherins first so I'm not too worried about it. ;)

With A Strut Into The Room...

2005-09-06T01:22:52Z

Have I mentioned yet how extremely bored I am?

Well, I am.

I can't even really bring myself to read anything and get into that mode. I figure that now would be as good as time as any to get into that reading zone since my time now is endless. That is until school starts.

With all of this free time, I've had a lot of time to think about friends. When I left Washington, I really got to know who my real friends are. The same when I graduated from High School. The users went along on their merry little way dropping you like the bag of shit that they thought you were and leaving without so much as a by your leave. The keepers stuck by you when this happened.

I'm probably going to start sounding like I'm wallowing in self pity right now but I don't really care.

I had a really good friend, or so I thought at the time, who was my best friend all through middle school and up to senior year in high school. I have a tendency to focus a lot of my attention on just one person when it comes to friends. I know that I should really "spread the love" if you will, but I just have a hard time doing so. As I've mentioned before, I'm a loner most of the time so when it comes to sharing my affections with friends I tend to only do so on one person. I'm a very friendly person so that's not what the problem is. I have a lot of friends but I should really spend more time with them.

Ok, back to my orginal train of thought...

This friend I had was someone that I had looked up to and really respected. I thought her wise, funny, and just all around wonderful! Senior year hits and she becomes popular, ya know, part of the ASB and whatnot. So, I start seeing less and less of her and more and more of her in the high school "spotlight". I'm not one of those people who thinks that my friends can't have other friends sooooooo that wasn't the issue. I actually liked a lot of her new friends. The problem with it all was that she just....dropped me. I'm sure that I'm not the only one this has ever happened to. I'm not that conceited. I probably just sound like a pathetic person who's dwelling on the past. I'm not. I've just had a lot of time recently to think about things that had bothered me in the past and I never confronted them.

I can honestly say that I hadn't even thought about the whole incident until just the other day. It doesn't even hurt that bad anymore. All I feel now is a little sadness and pity for that person. I mean, she's probably going to go through life dropping people around her and grow to not have any real friends. Eventually, I think she'll just be surrounded by sad people who mean nothing to her but are just there to serve as self esteem boosters.

I ran into her once a few years ago on Halloween at a Pragmatic show and all she could talk about was herself and who she was fucking. It was pathetic. Whatever. I ran into her again a year or so later at my sister's wedding, don't ask me why she was invited cause I wouldn't be able to tell you. Anyways, it was the same deal. I'm just so through with people like that. I'm tired of being used and thrown away when it's convienient for someone else. At least I'm learning from my mistakes.

I'm still not perfect, no one is, but I'm learning to become a stronger person. I guess I could thank her and everyone else like her for that.

"...I dig my heels into the dirt cause this one's gonna hurt. Wont let the waves wash me away is what I always pray..."---"On Your Shore" Charlotte Martin

It's Good Enough For You, It's Good Enough For Me

2005-08-08T01:36:46Z

WELL!!! I'm back and in Washington. Woo Woo. Finally I am able to sit down and write in my dearly beloved Live Journal. Hmm...sounds like I have just officially married us. *shrugs* There could be worse things. Anyhoo, I just have one more show to go to for the summer and then I'm done. The show's in Munroe so I get to stay at my sister's place during it. Which is very nice because I was getting a little bit tired of sleeping in a tent, but then again, I can't even really sleep on the couch here because I'm so used to sleeping on the ground. Meh.

So, I had a lot of fun this summer. Met some new people as well as old people and it was just great. Yeah I worked too but my job is really fun. Yes it can get really stressful at times especially at the end of each show but there could definitely be worse things. I just bought a laptop the other night, my first real purchase with my video money. There isn't a whole lot left because I had to go and get myself out of debt first before I went and bought things. A lot of the money goes to being on the road for nine weeks too.

Good news: 1) My mom got moved over to Washington just a few weeks ago so we are now officially out of the Bible Belt, Thank you God.
2)I got my financial aid for college and it is more than enough! YEAH!! So excited! With the money left over I'll be able to put it towards living expenses.

My parents decided to move into a little fifth wheel so that doesn't really include me, which is perfectly fine with me. So, in conclusion, that means that I have to try to find a place to live. Argh....that sucks. But! (and yes there is a but) I'm thinking of staying at the dorms at the college just until I can find somethig that I can afford. Granted, I'm going to be living with some other girls that I've never met before, it's only going to be like $350 a quarter with utilities included. I figure, this will give me the chance the start saving some money, on rent and gas and such, and also give me the chance to look around at some places that I'll be able to live at by myself. I know you must be thinking, Why don't you just get a roommate? Well, been there done that. To give you a better picture let's just say that I no longer speak to those roommates. And yes, they were friends before hand. Ick. Never again.

At least at a dorm I wont have to fight with the other girls about paying bills and the like. That's just one song I've played too many times. Now, don't be thinking me such a complete ass that I'm completely writing off the possibility that I could have participated in the unpleasantness of each living situation. That is precisely one of the reasons why I can't live with anyone. I'm a loner of sorts in the sense that I have to have my space or else I'm just not the sweet adorable me that everyone has come to love. ;) I live off of my solitude and I don't think that there's anything wrong with that. That's one reason why I'm still single. I'm so selfish with my own time at this point in my life that I wouldn't be able to handle someone calling me up all the time wanting to go do something, or come over blah blah blah. A boyfriend on my terms would suit me just fine right now. A man on the side that would be there when I wanted him to be. *le sigh* But alas, I know that that isn't all too realistic or fair so I've chosen to stay by myself for the time being. .........Okay, that and the fact that I haven't met that right man yet also contributes to my very single status. >P Pleh! And who knows, when that someone decides to move his way into my life then maybe I'll be more willing to share myself. *shrugs* We'll see. In the loverly words of Ms. Lauper, "It's good enough for me."

*KiSs KiSs*

Keelie Awn

It's a writing crazy day!!

2005-06-01T22:19:42Z

Soooo......I have discovered a wonderful and extremely helpful site today. It is the Romance Writers of America organization. Talk about getting you pumped up to write! I also found one for the greater Seattle area. I figure that it's pretty much a given that I'll be moving back to Washington so what I'm going to do is join the Seattle chapter. I'm so excited to be part of something that's going to really help me to get published and grow as a writer. There is also going to be a convention going on in Oct. that will have Katie Macalister (One of my fav authors) and they'll also have some agents and editors there. Granted, the con is going to be $200 a pop but that doesn't really bother me since I'll be making a lot of money doing the horse shows this summer. I told my mom that while I'm gone, she needs to start writing again. She used to write poetry and short stories when she was younger and also used to be a member of the RWA. I also told her that I'd buy her a ticket for the con and we both could go. SOOOOOO EXCITED!!!

Now, I just need to figure out a title for my book......

I'm thinking of just waiting to title it until I'm done with the thing in the first place. Like I've said before, I'm more of a write by the seat of your pants person so I really have no idea what is going to happen next. When I'm typing, I let the ideas flow out onto the screen and later touch it up. I do, though, have some ideas for later in the book but I'm just not exactly sure when they're going to come in. We'll just have to see.

*KiSs KiSs*
Keelie

keelie_awn @ 2005-06-01T07:41:00

2005-06-01T12:01:28Z

Soooooo....it's now June and that means that I leave in just 3 days. As I'm sure you well know, that is both a good thing and a bad thing. Can't wait to work with Maverick again this summer and see my friends but I just can't helping worrying about my mom. I know it's kinda of old hearing me go on about leaving my mother alone while I go and do this, but hey, it's my journal, right? Right. I wouldn't have such a bad time if my mom was taking it better. I mean, she's been really restless these last couple of days and I can tell that she's really worried about being alone. I talked to her yesterday about the whole thing and she mentioned somethign to me that helped with my leaving a bit. She said that she was going to think about trying to get the house moved to Washington earlier than August. She was thinking more of in July, which would be wonderful! One, I wouldn't have to spend the money to fly back to Ohio (I only bought a one way ticket) and two, it would get my mom to Washington faster. Well, we talked to my dad last night over the phone and he actually had a better plan. She gets a truck to ship our stuff to WA, then my mom goes to Arizona to her old job (which they've been calling her begging her to come back) and work there for the summer to gain some more money. That way, she can work in an environment that she is comfortable in and also work with her friends. To rent a little place is really cheap there so we would actually be saving money since it's a lot more expensive to live here. I thought that this was a good idea and she agreed. Just to make sure, I gave her a reading too and the cards also agreed.

OK, now, a change of subject. I just turned 21 on Sunday! Yeah! I had a lot of fun going out and drinking with my mom. I also met a gal in one of the bars that's getting a degree in Library Science. I grabbed her e-mail addy so I can get some info from her about the degree. Another yeah! Also, I talked to my really good friend, Nichole, and she agreed to come pick me up from the airport since she lives in Seattle already. So excited to see her!!

Another off topic subject: I found a new author! Her name is Rachel Caine and she writes wonderful stuff. Her new series is exactly what I have been waiting for in a book for awhile, let me tell you. It's called the Weather Warden series and they're really really great! I read Ill Wind in about two days tops and I'm now almost done with Heat Stroke. I would have been done with it yesterday, when I started it, but I had to put it down so that I could clean the house. Blah!

Alrighty, I'm done being all blabby now so I'm gonna go and lay down. This was exhausting! hehe

*KiSs KiSs*
Keelie

Final Countdown!..

2005-05-25T13:47:55Z

Alrighty....

So I have about another week 1/2 before I leave for Washington. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm really excited to go and see everyone, but, I feel really bad leaving my mom here for a few months. Ummm...let me elaborate.

My dad left a week ago to Washington for a job interview. He is staying with my sister and her family. Well, he got the job so it now looks like that we will be moving back to Washington. This is all good news.

Well, I'll be leaving June 4th to go to Washington for 10 days then I'll be meeting my friend in Oregon on the 14th to go do my summer job. (I tape Hunter/Jumper horse shows and make about $100 a day...weeeee!) I'll be done with that about mid-August and then I'll come back to Ohio.

Now, the sad thing about this is that my mom will be stuck in Ohio with her job until I get back in August. At which time I'll be helping her move and such. I just feel really bad leaving her here all alone. It wouldn't be such a bad thing if she actually liked her job and had some friends from work. Unfortuantely, the people she works with aren't very nice people.

I talked with my sister the other day and she mentioned that she might try to make it over here to stay with her for a couple of weeks. That depends on her money situation though.

*pulls hair* AIEEE!!! I gave my mom a tarot reading the other day and it pretty much confirmed what she was feeling: Like everyone was leaving her, as if she were treating it like a death. It also said that it was temporary (which we know) but that she'll become a stronger person from it. She's going to take up a hobby of some kind and become creative. So, it's all good. Right.

Anywho....on a happy note, I'll be 21 in just 4 days. Not including today of course. ;)

*KiSs KiSs*

Argh! The troubles of writer's block!

2005-05-16T00:26:47Z

So, here I am now writing and trying desperately to commit to this online journal. I've been thinking, though, that maybe instead of writing things that just happen to be in my head, things that other people probably wouldn't even begin to comprehend, maybe I should post up my story that I've been writing? Well, I really like the idea because 1: it might help me to get back on track with writing my story and 2: I would like other people to read it anyway. But, to be honest, I've also had reservations about it. What if someone wants to steal my ideas? Well, I should copyright it. Right. I know that but I'm still pretty worried about the whole thing. I think that it is just the fact that I'm pretty protective about my "baby". You know, my story which I have nurtured and watched grow into a possible novel that I've been trying to get finished.

I really should get back on track with that. I just got a block on what I was going to do next and stopped to take a break and that was the end of that. Now I'm having a hard time getting back. It's like reading a book, you know? When you're in a pretty boring part and you just want to put it down so that you can go to the bathroom or something and you just never end up picking it back up until months later and at that point you have to go back and read the whole thing over again. *le sigh* But like I said before, maybe doing it so that other people can observe my progress I will be more apt at getting it done.

Hmmm.....

Anywho, I'm going to think on that a little bit more.

Today's the day we break free....

2005-01-20T18:44:04Z

Ahhh.....It is yet another beautiful day in Arizona, just a touch chilly but not quite as bad as Washington. Like my mood indicates at the bottom, today I feel...well, contemplative. Not exactly sure why, but there ya go. I also feel like I should be doing something other than fiddling on the computer. Oh well.

To be quite honest I'm a little bit lonely but not exactly alone. When I came to Arizona just a few weeks ago, I had to leave my dog, Beatrice, with my sister just until I get settled and can have her shipped over to me. I wont be able to have her with me again for about another month. I've had her since she was born, which was about 9 years ago. I'm sure a lot of you are thinking, "Not another person who is obsessed with her dog." No, I'm not obsessed. She's just a big part of my life. She's part of my family. So, when I finally move over to Ohio, which will be in another 2-3 weeks, I can have her with me. Until then, I'll just have to wait.

New beginnings........

2005-01-20T05:52:13Z

Well, the first entry. You know, I'm a bit disappointed in the appearance of my journal area. I've seen some of what other people have and to be quite honest I'm a bit envious. I'm sure I'll figure out all the cool little things I can do to make it all better, but until then I'll just have to deal with my very stark page. *sigh* Such is life... ;) I'll just make this short and sweet since I've become very tired all of the sudden. Well, tomorrow, as they say, is another day. Sleep well....