Ignorant Historian

So, as my publication date approaches (2 weeks, Lord willing!), here is the blurb for my novel:

“It is 2102. On one of the worst days of her life, Amala makes a discovery that will change her life forever. In a world with little use for paper books, she finds tucked away behind a dusty bookshelf the journal of a teenage girl written in 2001. Although over 90 years separate the two teenage girls, Amala soon learns that navigating the difficult waters of adolescence and life transcends time, but more importantly, she uncovers a valuable story about faith in an uncertain world that resonates with her own experience.

Young adults are certain to appreciate the fresh, authentic writing style taken from actual teenage journals and the candid way challenging, relevant issues are addressed.”

I submitted the FINAL and complete copy for printing yesterday. So close to being done!

Every Monday in December I’ll be giving more information about my upcoming novel (culminating with the official publication on December 26th!).

So, today I have for you the cover:

Come back next Monday for an official blurb! Also, I’d love it if you’d “like” my author page!

My I-know-I'm-being-laid-off-so-I'm-at-least-going-to-look-good outfit

Today I’m being featured over on SITS!  I was featured 3 years ago, back when I was still blogging at Tale of a Kansas Girl.

Not that I’m not still a Kansas girl at heart. But I have lived in North Carolina for the past 6 years and am losing my girliness, as I’m turning 29 in two weeks (for the first and only time).

This year has held a lot of surprises and changes for me. I moved into an apartment of my own this summer and then Halloween was the last day on the job that I’ve had since I’ve lived here.

The next coming months are bound to bring more changes as I find a new job and gain a niece for the first time (due December 26th!). Also due December 26th is my self-published novel. If you enjoy young adult or futuristic books, I hope you’ll like The Journal. I’ll be revealing the cover on Monday and more details over the next few weeks.

That not enough about me? Here are a few posts that give more:

30 Before 30 – My list of 30 things to do before I turn 30 next year (3 down, 27 to go)!

With Prince Charming or Not – I’m unintentionally single, though it does have some perks

Children, Pneumonia, and Tornadoes, oh My! - The story of the longest week and a half of my life

I Choose to Hope – I’m battling to have the right attitude about my unemployment, and how I’m actually thankful that it’s made me recognize that I may have been too comfortable

When I dyed my hair last week, it started me thinking about how little of my 20s I have left. I don’t mean that in a “poor me” way, but as a motivation to make the most of the days I do have, however many or few I have left on this earth.

That said, I’ve decided to come up with a list of 30 things I want to do before I turn 30 on December 15, 2012. That happens to be 6 days before the “end of the world,” so it’s a good deadline, right?

I have no idea how many of these I’ll actually accomplish. I tried to make them realistic, but I know that when I have a lot of goals, some seem to fall by the wayside. That’s okay…the point is not to be perfect, but to challenge myself in a healthy way.

All that said, these are 30 things I’m working to accomplish before my clock hits “30.”

1. Read the Bible twice through.

The way I read the Bible, I read through different sections at different paces. But I want to read every part at least twice in the next 16 months. Will continue to keep me in the Word, which is a good thing.

2. Memorize Colossians.

I actually want to finish memorizing the disciplined eating questions and verses as well as Romans 6 and 7 before I get to Colossians. So yeah, this is a challenge. Memorizing isn’t hard for me, but it takes dedication and consistency, which I want to work on.

3. Lose 50 pounds.

Okay, this goal sounds HUGE. It is huge. Fifty pounds is a large bag of dog food like those I had to lift too many times as a cashier because some customers insisted on putting them on the belt, though I told them not to.

But, 50 pounds is a pound a week, with about 18 weeks of forgiveness. Incredibly doable if I stick with my eating and exercise regimen.

And yes, I definitely have 50 pounds to lose. In fact, I will still have another 40 on the other side until I get to a healthy weight. Yes, I want to look better (who doesn’t?), but I want my chief motivation to be to better honor God with my life.

4. Save $2,000.

With the move, my emergency savings got cut into a lot. I want to bounce back, for sure. I can’t find security in money, but I do want to use it wisely.

5. Publish The Journal.

It’s still my goal to self-publish my debut novel at the end of this year. Need to get working on editing though, especially if I want to do NaNoWriMo again, which I’m not sure I will this year.

6. ________________.

This goal will remain private. I have no problem being open, but there are things that are not wise to talk about in such a public forum.

7. Pay down my student loans to $XX,000.

I really wish I get these down to 4 figures by the end of next year, but it’s not going to happen unless I stumble onto a pile of cash. But I am pushing myself…I really don’t want to be paying them until December 2019 as I’m scheduled to do.

8. Write What about Emotions (working title).

This is a non-fiction book that is in its infancy. When I have a final product with my novel, I want to get back to this project.

9. Read 160 books.

Perhaps not much of stretch, as this is my current pace (actually, I read a bit faster than that, usually). That’s okay…I have to have some super-realistic goals on this list, right?

10. Read 5 classics.

I don’t read these very fast. I almost always enjoy them, but they take a lot of work.

11. Swim a mile (again).

I want to get back in the pool. There’s just something about swimming that I absolutely love. I think this will be a big part of goal #3.

12. Work a polling place during an election.

Actually, this is on my schedule for next month. I’m looking forward to it. I’d totally do it for the experience, but I’ll be thankful for the financial compensation, too.

13. Celebrate our 30th birthdays with Dana.

Not sure what we’ll be doing, but we’ll be doing something, alright.

14. Cut caffeine down to only one Diet Dr Pepper a week.

I had been down to 2-3 a week earlier this summer, but it has creeped back up with the move and the work craziness. I’m working on slowly getting this back down. I like the stuff, but I don’t want to have it all the time.

15. Sell 100 copies of The Journal.

I’m not planning on this being a moneymaker, but it’d be nice to make back the little bit of money I’ve put in it. I have no idea if I’d even sell 100 copies, or if I’m totally low-balling myself.

16. Make an author website.

I hope to have this done soon. I guess that means I have to get started on it, huh?

17. Fast 16 days.

Not in a row, for sure. But I’d like to take a day a month to fast and pray.

18. Pray through Operation World.

I want to pray for every country throughout the next year.

19. Spend time on Yom Kippur fasting, praying, and thinking.

I’m not Jewish, but I do want to take this holiday God gave His people to remember what He has done for me.

20. Decorate my apartment for Christmas.

I’ve slowly been collecting Christmas decorations through the years, but this will the first year that everything will be my own.

21. Meet my niece.

This is kinda a big deal and should happen well before my 30th birthday…

22. Write in my journal 100 times.

That works out to about every 4 or 5 days, which isn’t really a lot. But it’s more than I’ve written in the past year or two. Journaling is a great way for me to process.

23. Make a baby blanket for Bean.

This is a late addition. I just learned how to crochet (well, I learned a simple stitch in college, but didn’t really do much with it). I learned on a whim (because others were doing it), and I’m glad I did, as I really enjoyed it.

24. Have an empty to-read shelf.

I have no idea if this is possible. I don’t necessarily have to read everything on the shelf, but if I choose not to read it, I need to get rid of it.

This would be easier if I didn’t ask for any books for Christmas, but that’s not likely to happen…

25. Write 70 encouraging letters or emails.

I’d actually like to write more, but this is a good goal number.

26. Bake bread.

I’ve been wanting to do this for a while. I do plan on doing this in a bread machine, though.

27. Make my own laundry detergent.

This is slated for whenever I finish my current bottle. It takes a while for a single girl to go through detergent, though…

28. Finish recording the Chronicles of Narnia for my niece.

I’m halfway through The Magician’s Nephew which is going faster than I expected. 6 1/2 books to go…

29. Walk 4 miles on the treadmill.

Not like that’s very far (I’m pretty sure I’ve walked around the streets of Turkey for at least that far), but I’d still like to do it.

30. Read the Qur’an and the Book of Mormon.

They’ve both been sitting on my shelves since college. I started reading the Qur’an this summer, but I’d like to finish both by some time next year.

It’s been a while since I’ve posted a writing update, but it’s been a pretty boring few months, writing wise. Editing is like that, I suppose. Don’t get me wrong, I actually prefer editing to writing, but editing doesn’t allow the same kind of breakthroughs.

Actually, finishing my 2nd draft, I feel even worse about my novel than I did the day I finished it.

Yes, you heard that right…I finished a complete edit of my novel Tuesday. It feels good to have that done, especially since I will now be setting down my NaNoWriMo novel for a few months to work on something else. During this time, I’ve also asked a few people to read my novel and provide some valuable feedback…it desperately needs a fresh set of eyes on it!

To be honest (and not because I’m the self-deprecating type, because I’m not), I don’t think I have what it takes to be a professional novelist. I believe that I can hone my fiction-writing skill through practice and guidance, but I don’t think I’ll ever have “what it takes.” I lack an eye for detail and the natural art of storytelling.

That’s okay, though. Becoming a professional writer was never my goal. It will hopefully continue to be a hobby that I enjoy.

I’m still on track to have this self-published in time to be under the Christmas tree for my family. The Journal–that’s the official title, as the working title referred to 2 journals, one of which never existed–will be available to you on Amazon in paperback as well as in ebook format on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.  It’ll definitely take a few more edits before then, though!

So what’s next for me? Non-fiction. I’ve always wanted to write a Christian living book, but couldn’t think of any area that needed yet another voice. But one came to me when I was talking to some friends Monday, and I’m going to run with it. I might run into a wall with it in 2 weeks, but it’s a worthy pursuit to see where the trail leads.

And yes, I realize my full name is in that picture. Not like it was hard to figure out before…how many Ronnicas do you know? But now that I’m publishing, It will be a detail that will obviously be out there.

I mentioned Tuesday that I think self-publishing might be for me.  Of course, I’m open to changing my mind, but this is the path that I’m heading down at the moment, and I’m excited about it.

I love that self-publishing is so easy to do.  Especially with eBooks–a few clicks, and you can offer your book worldwide for any price you want.  But even with print books, it’s not too difficult.

Another plus of self-publishing? I maintain control over how it’s branded.  Though my book clearly presents my beliefs, it makes me a little sick to think of my novel that I love dearly branded and marketed as “Christian fiction.”

Sure, I likely won’t make as much going this route, but that was never a goal of mine.  I’d never want to quit my day job for writing…the thought of “having” to write is not appealing at all.  Writing (whether blogging or writing novels) is a hobby for me, and I want to keep it that way.

But why don’t I consider going through traditional publishing channels first?

I’m not opposed to it, and may do a both/and sort of thing (it’s possible to quit self-publishing at any point), submitting queries while getting my novel ready for self-publishing.  At this point, the next step is the same either way: I’ve got a lot of editing to do.

Just take a look at this sentence I found in my novel:

“Then I’d have to tell him that I really liked to look and touch stuff that was older than me, even my grandma.”

Umm, yeah.  I definitely have some work to do.

This week for Top Ten Tuesday, the topic is the top 10 bookish/blogging resolutions.  I already told you last week my daily goals for the year (which I’ve been okay at, but would like to be better!), but here are 10 bookish and bloggish things I want to do this year:

1.  I want to read 120 books.  So far I’ve read 4, so I’m on my way.

2.  I want to focus more on my blog.  In 2010 I let it run on it’s own momentum, so now I want to inject more of my own energy back into it.  I have some ideas on how to do that, but I’ll leave you in the dark for now. =)

3.  I want to fix the back-links on my blog (they still link to posts that I’ve since moved to my current blog location).  I’ve been very slowly fixing them since my move TWO YEARS AGO, but it’s time to be done.

4.  I want to comment more on others’ blogs.  I’ve been reading, but have been slacking on the commenting.

5.  I want to read off my TBR shelf, as it’s full.  I only put non-biographical nonfiction on that shelf, so that needs to be my focus.  I love reading theology and more academic books, but it does require more of me, so sometimes I go with the easier options instead of these books.

6.  I want to continue to listen to a lot of audiobooks.  I think they’re awesome, and it’s a great way to “read” when your eyes are otherwise occupied (driving, putting a puzzle together, cooking, etc.) or just tired.

7. I want to read even more young adult books.  It helps me get in that frame of mind for working on my own young adult novel, reminding me of all the emotions of that time of life.

8.  Speaking of writing, I want to self-publish my novel this year.  I know self-publishing is not for everyone, but I think it might be for me (still investigating my options).  I like to write as a hobby, but I really don’t want to write as a profession.

9.  In order to self-publish by the end of the year, I need to finish my second draft by the end of March (or at least that’s my goal).

10.  I want to do NaNoWriMo again this year.  It was great last year not only to get back into writing, but to be a part of a writing community.

1.  What is one thing you always have with you?

Anyone who knows me in real life could probably answer this one, as I frequently pull it out or have to go get it if I’m at a social function: my Lipsmacker (well, one of them!). I can’t even begin to think how much I’ve eaten in my lifetime…

2.  What did you last use a sticky-note for?

For Christmas I got these slightly-wider-than-a-post-it ones that are perfect for editing.  When the margin is too small for me to add what I want (and I have been adding a lot), I stick a Post-it and write on it.  So far I’ve edited most of the first chapter of my NaNoWriMo book, and I’ve used several of those Post-its.

3.  What’s your favorite kind of sandwich?

I’m actually not a big sandwich person.  Actually, thinking about sandwiches reminds me of when I’d make ham, cucumber, and onion sandwich (with ranch, of course) on croissants the last summer I lived at home.  I so need to do that again…so delicious! Mental note: make sure to plant enough cucumbers this spring!

I don’t like most traditional sandwich ingredients, only the concessional roast beef or ham sandwich (light on the meat and heavy on the onion and ranch). I do like a good peanut butter and honey sandwich on wheat every now and then, but I rarely make those either.

All this talk about sandwiches makes me think I should plan on taking sandwiches to work next week instead of the usual leftovers.

4.  When did you most recently turn on your vacuum cleaner?

I plead the fifth.  Okay, truthfully, I have never vacuumed upstairs at the new place (though it’s been vacuumed a time or two by slave labor helpful children earning a few bucks), though I’ve vacuumed the living room rug a couple of times.  My mom can attest to how much I dislike vacuuming stairs, and I tend to avoid thinking/looking at floors.  Just one more of my weird things.

I have been planning on vacuuming the upstairs this weekend, though.

5.  Some people read the endings of books before they invest time, energy, and emotion into the rest of them. What are your thoughts about this practice?

I wouldn’t even think to do that (how do you know if it’s a good ending if you don’t yet know the story and characters?).  I think the only time I’ve done it is when there are a lot of characters at the beginning of the book, and I take a peak at the book as a whole to see what names are actually important to the story.

Happy New Year’s!

What else should I do for my first post of 2011, but talk about resolutions?  While choosing to write about resolutions on January 3rd isn’t creative, it is what everyone is talking about, so I’m jumping in.

This year, I’ve decided to make goals that can be measured daily.  I’ve made a small calendar (that I can keep in the cover of my Nook, hehe) to track which days I’ve done these 6 things:

1.  Read 10 chapters of the Bible.

2.  Work on Scripture memory. Specifically, I want to read or recite five times the chapter I’m working on memorizing, or if it’s just a verse or two, read or recite them 20 times.

3.  Read 100 pages (with 2 minutes of audio book equally one page).  This will keep me on track to read 120 books this year.  Definitely the most pleasurable thing on my resolutions list (and probably would get done anyway).

4. Exercise 20 minutes. By far the hardest thing on this list for me!

5. No unnecessary eating out. “Necessary” eating out is when it’s with friends or when I don’t have time to stop by home on my way to something.  Basically, I want to stop eating out (especially since it’s usually  junk that creates a lot of trash) when I’m just being too lazy to make something.

6.  Write or edit for 30 minutes. I really enjoy it, but if I don’t make time for it, it’s easy to ignore.  But this is important for my future goals (more information about that coming soon).

Sundays are free, so I get a break.  Each thing I complete earns me one “X” on that calendar date.  Every 125 Xs earns me one reward. That would be 3.5 weeks of perfect behavior or, more realistically, a month of good behavior.  I think my first reward will be a bottle of nail polish, and I have a list of other ideas, including dinner out, books, MP3 albums, jewelry, a purse, and trips to the beach or the cabin.  I’ll decide these as I go, as I’ll likely think of other things as I go along.

Will I be successful?  Perhaps.  History says “not quite,” but I’m not aiming for perfect.  I am wanting to maintain, establish, and re-establish good habits in my life.  In the short term, none of these seem too monumental, but they’ll help me get to my long-term goals and dreams.

Continuing the birthday-eve tradition of 26 things and 25 things, here are 27 things that I’ve done at the age of 27:

1.  Saw Phantom of the Opera.

2.  Saw my baby brother marry the best woman for him.

3.  Was a bridesmaid (and a maid of honor) for the first time(s).

4.  Got buried in snow in North Carolina for the first time.

5.  Watched Gone with the Wind.

6.  Added a second tax site at work.

7.  Met a US congressman…who got voted out in the most recent election.

8.  Read several books that really influenced me.

9.  Started making serious progress on making my life better for creation.

10.  Saved a (very small) emergency savings, and kept it.

11.  Left apartment life behind (though I was sad to part ways with my roommate of 3 years).

12.  Grew my first vegetable garden with moderate success.

13.  Went on my first overnight work trip.

14.  Got my car wrecked by an anonymous drunk, angry driver.

15.  Went to kids’ camp for the first time as an adult and loved it.

16.  Have finished my 5th year at my job…by far the longest I’ve worked anywhere.

17.  Helped my roommate through the first homeowner’s crisis I’ve ever dealt with: the death of a water heater.

18.  Vlogged for the first time.

19.  Got my game on, competing with friends in a diet and exercise competition.  The first time was helpful, the second time, not so much.

20.  Switched from teaching Sunday school to kindergarteners to helping with the 5th and 6th grade class.

21.  Had my first solo vacation and loved it.

22.  Voted for my first Democrats.

23.  Helped with the first ever Readathon for Hunger.

24.  Wrote a novel.

25.  Decorated my first full-sized Christmas tree not in my parents’ home.

26.  Read 164 books.

27.  Traveled to Atlanta, Wichita, Myrtle Beach, Norman, Charlotte, Roanoke, Denison (Texas, 2x), Kansas City, small town Kansas, and the middle of nowhere.