The Wait is (Almost) Over!

After eight years of writing, two rewrites, three complete edits, four separate pairs of eyes, and one tired writer, Summer's Hollow is OFFICIALLY in publishing mode! Now I know you all are thinking: that I'm the girl who cried wolf here after what happened this past May. This time though, it's for real! I can't thank my friends and family enough for their support (especially my fiance who dealt with my breakdowns and torching my failed attempt at publishing).

As it turns, out my failed first attempt was probably the best thing that ever happened to Summer's Hollow. During the last rewrite I got to know my characters better, had the chance to scare the readers more, and added some essential pieces that were missing to the back story. All in all I am even more proud of how great it has turned out and can't wait for you all to read it! (Seriously I'm bouncing in my seat right now while typing this). So without further ado I give you the OFFICIAL release date of my first full length and print novel, Summer's Hollow:

                           Friday, September 13th, 2013!

Spirit Journal

As a writer, I have many journals with ideas for stories, lists for things for school and work, and wedding planning. Perhaps my favorite of my journals is my spirit journal (yeah yeah I know it's a little cutesy but I like the bones). This is the journal that I write down every spirit encounter that I have. Lately I've been writing in it practically every other day. I'll write anything from doors opening and closing by themselves to full bodies apparitions like the one I experienced last night. As part of the Samhain's Sirens Blog Party in October I will be writing a post about these spirit encounters. Today, I want to give you all a preview.

As Fall approaches and the weather changes I've found that spirit activity tends to pick up. The past couple of days I've seen a influx of spirits around me. Last night was the icing on a cake. I encountered one of the more creepier of spirits that even gave me the chills. Yesterday was the annual Corn Roast at my Grandparent's church which is the church we're getting married in.

It's a very old church built in the mid 1800s so it has its share of ghost stories. The most popular is of a young girl who hung herself in the basement because she didn't want to be married off. I've seen her once before when I ran the haunted house at the church when I was younger - thought she was one of the kids who was going through the haunted house. Of course once I followed her to scold her not to venture into the closet in the basement hallway and she disappeared as soon as I went to touch her shoulder. Last night I believe saw her again; it left me with a chill that I still feel this morning.

The bathrooms of the church are in the basement and are kind of creepy all by themselves but last night they were even more so. I had finished using the bathroom and was washing my hands when a coldness settled around me. Usually it wouldn't be that odd for the basement to be cool but just moments before it had been humid and sticky; I almost welcomed the coldness until the next thing happened. As I leaned up from washing my hands I saw someone dart behind me but I felt no movement. The bathroom is pretty cramped so if someone was there they would've brushed against me.

This figure went into the last stall and I heard a bang as the door shut. I dried my hands off and slowly crept down to the stall looking beneath to see if there was anyone. I saw nothing so I just shrugged it off and started to leave. Then the door banged back open, hitting the old radiator, and I looked to see a dark figure standing parallel to the open door. I couldn't tell if it was a girl or a boy as the features weren't very defined and the hair was shoulder length. The figure moved forward and just stared at the wall. I stood there not moving just watching as the figure kid of teetered on the spot.

In my mind I was reminded of the scene in The Ring 2 when Samara stood by the wall scratching the paint off. This caused me to half expect the figure to turn and make some creepy face at me. She (I'm assuming it was the girl) turned around to face the wall that the radiator was at and then promptly vanished. I walked over to where she had been and peered inside the stall. There was nothing and that chill in the air was gone, replaced by the sticky air.

Sadness washed over me during the encounter and only left after I climbed the steps back up to the fellowship hall. Whoever that child was seemed in a lot of pain which is something I don't remember those years ago when I had encountered the girl in the basement hallway. This of course is one of many of my regular encounters that will only double with the approach of Samhain.

Conversations with Mug People

Yes I know, the blog has been very mug-centric lately but I'm just having way too much fun with The Mug Project! Not only do I get to see inside people's cabinets but I'm meeting new friends and having great conversations. One new friend in particular is Kaz, the woman may all know as the Cheeky Witch. She actually designs mugs (and other merchandise) and sells them. 

She had some great insight on the project. We've been corresponding through email and yesterday she was talking about her giveaway on her site. Here's what she had to say not only about mugs, but about her mug giveaway:

I cannot believe the response I have had - over a thousand so far - so many people want to win the mug. That particular mug is definitely the favourite one of all my designs (closely followed by "Hell Hath No Fury Like a Menopausal Witch"!)

Interesting maybe for your mug project? Why are so many people desperate to win it? Is it because so many people identify with the saying on the mug? Or because everyone likes the chance of getting some for free? Or because they share my sense of humour? Is it a 'statement' drinking from a mug that tells everyone else that they are a witch? Or a coffee addict??

Just a few thoughts!

These are some really interesting questions and they're things that I have observed while doing this mug project. I've seen a handful of mugs (including my own) that bare humorous sayings. How many of you have mugs that say something funny or state that you are a coffee addict? If you don't have any head on over and visit Kaz's many sites to see her "cheeky" work:

FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/TheCheekyWitch

Websites: http://www.cheekywitch.co.uk  and http://www.cheekywitch.com (zazzle store which is running a 50% off promotion using the code: BTSMUGCANPOS)

She even has a blog too: http://thedailydivination.blogspot.co.uk/

(picture above is my mug for the day)

The Mug Project Update

First I want to say how awesome it is to have my email inbox, Facebook wall, and Facebook inbox flooded with pictures of mugs! I feel like I'm getting a tour of everyone's cupboards and I'm loving it! Currently still in data gathering mode so continue to send me all your mug pictures! I'm planning on compiling them all into a album to go along with a blog post with the notion that I'll use it in a future Grad School project.

I've realized that there's so much more that goes into this than meets the eye. When my friend Kara first brought up the notion that you can tell a lot from people's mug designs I thought that that alone was an awesome project idea. However, from the data that I've gathered so far I've realized there are TONS of variables that go into telling who a person is from their mugs. I've narrowed it down to a couple of variables/characteristics of people's mugs from what they've told me about them:

• Mugs used for coffee vs. tea or other beverages (or even food as Grant uses his mugs for cereal)
• Mugs that never get used
• Mugs that only that person can use
• Mugs that are used by company
• Holiday Mugs (been getting an in flux of Halloween mugs)
• Work mugs vs. home mugs
• Travel Mugs 
• Gift Mugs used around the person that gave them to you

All these factors are extremely intriguing and add more to the fun of this project. Plus, as Danni over at The Whimsical Cottage said, we just like to be nosy and see people's mugs. So fuel my nosiness and lend to the project continue sending me your mugs! If you feel the call to blog about it send me the link! I leave you with the coffee mug I'm currently drinking out of! Happy mugging ;)

Techy Tuesday

Most of you know that I detest math. I use it a lot in everyday life, work, and school but I still can't stand it. That being said, I love numbers; I love being able to quantify things. This especially applies to working out. I have never been one to work out without no how much, how far, or how long I have gone. Before I used pedometers, google maps trails, the counters on elliptical/bike, and other tools to measure my workouts.

Two weeks ago I got a new gadget: a FitBit. It is a wireless device (seen to the right) that connects to an app on my phone and records my activity. It tracks everything from how many steps I take, calories I burn, how many miles I've walked, how many calories I can eat, and even my sleep pattern.I can set goals for myself for how far I want to go each day and how much weight I want to lose. It then comes up with a "plan" for me and then tracks me to make sure I'm staying with my goal.

It's also a great tool for tracking my food consumption as well. It has an endless database of food that I can look up and add to my daily intake. It then calculates how many calories I've eaten with how many calories I have burned and let's me know how many more I can eat in that day. It is very cool! On the flip side though it shows me when I go over like on when we go out. Grant and I went to Chevy's (Tex-Mex) one night and I had the seafood enchiladas. Yeah... I went about 1,000 calories over my daily goal.

The other part that I really like about this gadget is how it tracks my sleep. I can set it to go into "sleep mode" when I lay down and then press "I'm awake" when I wake up (it even has it's own vibrating alarm to wake me up). It monitors my movement when I sleep, how many times I wake up, and for how long I'm asleep straight. Have to say that even I was a little taken back by how restless my sleep is. Last night for example I said I went to bed a 10pm but I didn't fall asleep until around 10:30 and I woke up about 18 times.

All in all I'm so happy that I spent the money ($99 through amazon and got free shipping) to get my Fitbit. It is a great tool to be able to see those numbers and outputs that I crave. It's also really fun to see how much I do just on a daily basis. If you have the money to get one I'd highly recommend it! There is also two other models that they have all ranging in price. To learn more or to order your own visit their website: http://www.fitbit.com/. Happy tracking ;)