Trisha Jones' Blog

We have had our tree up for 3 weeks now, I have most of the Christmas gift shopping done. I have to finish the shopping. Life is kind of stressful, I am not getting much writing done but that's ok I like the holidays. The only thing missing is the snow, and I hope the snow holds off til after next Monday so I do not have to get the kids all bundled up to go to school( they will be on winter break starting next week). I hope to get some writing down while they are off school, just have to see how it goes. I hope everyone has a great holiday I may not post again until after the new year. Happy reading Happy writing

My kids have been off since Wednesday and will be going back tomorrow. They were off for thanksgiving, we spent thanksgiving with my inlaws. I have not had a ton of time to write but that's ok I have been spending time with my hubby and kids, which I love doing. Tomorrow is the last practice of the year and will start back up the first Monday after the new year. We will find something to do on Mondays til practice starts back up, I am hoping to get back to a good writing schedule while the kids go to school til Christmas break. I am hoping to finish my wip before the end of the year. Well I need to get a few things done before dinner Happy reading Happy writing

Today has been really cold and kind of windy, so we had to bundle up to go to the bus stop this morning. I have spent most of my day wrapped up in my fuzzy throw to stay warm while I read or wrote. Until I had to bundle back up to go wait for my kids at their bus stop( actually near their actual bus stop they don't want their friends to see me waiting for them after school) and I was reminded how hard it is to turn the pages of a book with gloves on. This evening has been a cozy kind of evening where everyone has been reading or quietly playing games. The rest of this week into next week will be just as cold if not colder than today. This weekend the weather people have said the evil "s" word will be falling. The evil  "s" word is snow, we are not looking forward to snow not yet. Well I guess I better go get some cuddles from my kids before the decide to hide in their rooms before bed. Happy reading Happy writing

Halloween we a chilly, windy day and my kids did not want to do a lot of trick or treating which was fine with me. Than yesterday we went to a Halloween party for the dance group my kids are in. It was a fun evening/night, we played games and eat good food it wa really fun. My kids won a few prizes and my daughter won best costume. I decided not to do nanowrimo this year I have too much I need to be doing. I do plan on doing it next year tho. I better get going Happy reading Happy writing

  That is the question, at leasts it's my question. I have been so busy the past few weeks I am not sure I am going to take part in national novel writing month or not.  I like having daily goals and I try to set my own but life is always getting in the way. I know it cause me more stress then what I need, but I get a lot of ideas and something written in the month. But very few ideas or stories are worth keeping. It's a very lonely time, but writing is a thing that can really only be done alone. They do have writing meet ups, but I am not always able to making to them.   I really do enjoy doing it, but I don't even have a story idea. I would love to hear what you all think I should do? All you need to do is comment to this blog. I am off to get some stuff done. Happy reading Happy writing

Today is a gloomy drizzly day, the kind of day you just want to curl up and nap the day away. Today is also my 35th birthday, most of my friends and family have wished me a a happy birthday. My wonderful sister inlaw gave me a sweet little penguin she painted and a lovely card. I am also taking the day off from writing I will get back to it tomorrow :)  As some of you know I have a small zoo of animals (2 cornsnakes, 2 cat, 2 bearded dragons, and a hedgehog) well yesterday evening my cornsnakes has tried to make my zoo bigger my female snow cornsnake ( we found out yesterday evening she is female) laid eggs I thought both of my cornsnakes were female or male I was wrong as I said my snow is female and my brown cornsnake is male. I was unsure what to do so I call a local reptile pet store and they said to bring the eggs in well at that time she had one so we took it up with both snakes( the snow in case she was going to lay more and to have my brown one sexed) and was informed th...

   Archon is over, I had fun. I met all kinds of great people, I didn't go to mant of the panels that I wanted to. I did go to the writing critique, and one of the professional authors rewrote the first three pages. Then informed me that's how it's supposed to go, ok I know my story read a bit clunky but he has no idea how it's supposed to go by any means. I almost allowed him to fuck up my archon fun. We went to grand masquerade and watched some amazing preformances and saw awesome costumes. We got to see some friends we hardly ever see. All in all it was a good weekend. As soon as I get some pics I will post a few. I am off to write Happy reading Happy writing

Tomorrow is the start of Archon 38 it runs until Sunday evening. I have my outfit done and have my writing stuff ready. Now I just need to get batteries for my cat ears, I plan on wearing them all day Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. I will post pics as soon as I can so you all can see my outfit. If any of you are going I hope to see you there :) I need to get my house work done so I can write Happy reading Happy writing

This weekend there is Archon 38, I am taking part in a writing critique workshop Saturday. On Friday as well as Saturday there are a bunch of writing stuff happening. I am sooo excited I LOVE going to Archon. This year my sister in-law is going to come with me Saturday to go to some of the writing stuff. Hubby and the kids are coming with me of course and I will be dressing up Saturday night for masquerade. 😆 I can't wait! I hope some of you that know of it or have gone before will be going. I think it's going to be a great weekend. Well I need to run and finish up my outfit and get some other things to get done. Happy reading Happy writing

Today I feel like I should give up on my dream because I can't seem to get anyone to follow my blog or even comment on anything I post on my blog. Heck I am not sure anyone but my hubby reads my blog posts. Which makes me kind of sad that people I thought supported me following my dream( not money wise) will not even read my blog. But I am not giving up on my dream and I will keep blogging about my writing and my day to day life. Maybe I will make it big one day maybe I will only make it so I can pay some bills with my writing. Anyway I just thought I would vent alittle. I think it's time I get to bed Happy reading Happy writing

Sometimes I wonder if becoming a  published  writer is worth all this work. This is something I think about from time to time like most aspiring writers do. I believe that is worth all the work I put into my writing and I do send query letters out to agents, I work on promoting my self published book. But sometimes I get down and think maybe I should give up, but I take a day or so off just to get some fresh air and clear my head some before I allow myself to give up a dream. I did not post this to get pity from you, I am posting this to show all the dreamers that are having a hard time getting to their dreams that they are not alone. I have days were it seems like I will never make it but I refuse to give up on my dreams. I want everyone fight and work hard to make their dreams come true. Because one day the dreams will come true, I know it's hard I know it gets frustrating. The reason I think they(in my case agents but they is anyone you need to get to your dream) make i...

I have a treat for all you wonderful people who take the time to read my blog. I am going to post a small part of the manuscript I am trying to find an agent for. Please enjoy and let me know what you think please. From The Were I Have Become I turned on the TV and heard the new caster say “there was another vicious animal attack that brings the total to fifteen in the last six months”   Then the phone rang, tiredly I answered the cordless phone that I had sitting on the coffee table “Hello” “Hi Ann how are you feeling” a female voice said “Hi Sue, I’m ok I guess, just a little sore” I said. Susan Miller has been my best friend for years.  She is a lawyer two towns over and is a little taller than me. She has strawberry blond hair that falls to her shoulders, brown eyes and she is curvy like I am. Susan is happily married to fellow lawyer, Matthew, he is a stockier guy but not fat, he is about 5’8, brown hair and eyes, with wire rimmed glasses perched on his round no...

Lately I have been getting some mean and some really nasty messages about my writing and my wanting to become a published author. I have a few things to say about the messages and to say to those wonderful people. One did your parents not teach you " if you have nothing nice to say, don't say anything at all" Two if you do not like what I write or that I am trying to be a published author don't read what I write, don't follow me on all the social media I am on, and stop reading my blog. Three I know you want to to get angry and send you nasty messages back so you can say " see I told you she's a........" ( I will let you fill in the blank) I will not do that I am not a mean or horrible person. The most you will get is " I'm sorry you do not like my writing and/or me as a person please do not allow myself or my writing interrupt your life" Now that I have said this you will not hear me say ( or write) this every again. Have a g...

First we have a new hedgehog her name is luna, she is a sweet little hedgehog and very active when she is awake. School started Monday (August 11th) which my kids are very happy about which means I will have more time to write during the day as soon as we get used to the school schedule again. I know my blogs can get boring for some of you and I am trying to keep it from getting boring, but I am a stay at home mom as well an aspiring writer. So there is not a lot of the fun or excitement to post about as an author who has been traditionally published with book signings and book tours. I do my best to post things that might be interesting to you as well as posting the progress of my writing, querying and what not. With that said I will update you on my writing and such. I have been writing late at night when I can't sleep. I do have 3 stories I am working on, I am trying to get one finished before really working on another so I don't get the story lines mixed up. So far al...

  I am not sure if I ever really told you all the writing advice I have been given over the years. So today I have decided that I would try to list all the advice I have gotten share a link to a post I think is really good advice.        Let's start with the blog post I read on Laurell k Hamilton's blog here's the link  http://www.laurellkhamilton.org/2014/07/new-blog-show-dont-tell/   It gives some very good advice. Some other advice I have gotten from her is that you will get enough rejections to wall paper your office before you get an acceptation, so don't give up.     Now I had some advice which is awesome but I have to say this first. I do not remember who gave me this advice or where I read it so please do not repeat this and say I am the first person to say it. I am not the first person to think of it or say it.    Ok here is the advice, just write everyday even if it's on a page, a paragraph, a sentence, a...

My office is done I just have some organizing done and a little cleaning but it's all done and I am soo happy. I now have a place I can go and write with out being interrupted too often:) I posted some pics of my office. Please excuse the mess these pics were taken before I got stuff straightened up.

I thought I would give a preview of what I write. This is from Nirvash, a Vampire's Tale                                                                      Chapter  1 ‘ Why are all the best places t o eat in the worst parts of town? ’ ,   I thought as I walk ed  under one of the                                                                                                                     few street lights  still working to  li ght  the road  and sidewalk .   I sm iled w...

Today I am not having the best day, yes I am human and I am allowed to had bad days. But today I am really upset. Why is every time I get to sit to write the flipping phone rings or someone comes to the door. And it's not a quick convotion it's one of those talk your ear off for an hour talking about nothing important. And when you do get to say something you are accused of being bitchy or snotty when you inform them you where writing and you really need to get back to it while the story is still hot and flowing.  I want to know Why is that I query EVERY agent that works in every genre my book would fit into and I can't get more then then general cookie cutter "No thank you" rejections I know they get hundreds of query letters every day. I honestly think they never read more then 3 or 4 day and the rest get the " No thank you" reply or no reply at all. I would take the "No thank you" email or letter over no reply. I just want some idea if my ...

If some of you do not know my husband is building me an office in our finished basement. Well it is closer to being done, the wals are up, they have installation and are dry walled. The ceiling is in need to be don then the mudding and taping will be done. Then I can paint and get my stuff in there, so I am thinking another month before it's all done. Then hubby will be able to do the other stuff he wants to do. I am looking forward to writing in there. I will keep you all updated Happy writing Happy reading

My kids are on summer break, their last day was the 28 of May so last Wednesday was the last day. They are not complaining about being bored yet. But  I know that will come sometime soon. Yesterday which was may 31st was my kids' birthday party, none of their school friends showed up. But most of their dance group did so the party was really good and the kids loved it. I felt bad none of their school friends were there but they missed out on a lot of fun and good food. This weekend all in all has been good, now if my writing could get moving my weekend would be awesome. Happy reading Happy writing

  This week the weather has been a little odd for spring. It started Monday with a misty kind of rain which is not all that bad. Then the following days it's rained harder and got cooler then normal. Now today it's cool about 50ish to 60ish and windy as all get out.  My writing is going ok, I am not working on my current wip. I had a couple different story ideas yelling to get written. One of the stories kind of fizzled out, but the other seems to be wanting to run free. The only thing I am having trouble with is coming up with a good name for  a magical world it am writing. I need to go get my kids Happy reading Happy writing

   Life has been a little hectic here, school will be ending soon (the 28th), I have been working on my new hedgehog cage for when I get a new hedgehog. So something's got put off for a little while.   I finally got some writing done but not on my WIP like I was hoping. I was writing some ideas I had just floating around in my head. I'm hoping that will help with my WIP if not I was just try something else.   I got yet another rejection but that's ok I know there is an agent that will want my novel. I am just happy they replied, some never did.    I sold to more copies of Nirvash, a Vampire's Tale so I think the total is up to 35 books sold since I self published it lol. Well I need to get the kids ready for supper at my mom inlaw's Happy reading Happy writing

I have started writing again, tho it is still really slow, hard going right now. I am trying to get back to normal, so I am in contact with a hedgehog breeder to get another hedgehog. I am also building a new cage so the new hedgie will have more room to run around. I have most of what I need, I just am having a little trouble finding the corrugated plastic sheets( it's like cardboard but made of plastic and not paper.) but I will find them or a suitable subsatute for it. I better get back to writing Happy reading Happy writing

Well this week has not been great, after the emergency vet visit Monday and getting meds to possibly help my hedgehog. I had to take her to a special hedgehog vet Wednesday because the meds did not seem to be helping. She could not get to her food and water so I was feeding her chicken baby food and syringe feeding her water every few hours. After the vet was told about my hedgie's symptoms and told what meds she was on with no change for the good the vet determined that it was wobbly hedgehog syndrome(WHS) and the kindest thing to do would be to put her to sleep. So with a sad heart I held my little hedgehog while she was given the meds to stop her heart. I cried a lot that day, I still cry some everyday. But my family and I have decided that we are going to get another hedgehog soon to help heal our hearts and the emptiness of our home. We are not replacing her she can never be replaced. As for my writing I am attempting to get back to writing today. I just don't know how m...

Yesterday was Easter and it started out great we had a wonderful day the kids hunted eggs and we had a BBQ. All in all it was a good day, until last night I went to get my hedgehog out and noticed she was laying on her side and was trying to move. I got her out and she was not acting like herself, so I call the emergency vet and they do not handle hedgehogs. I waited til my normal vet opened this morning and called them. They said bring her in and I took her up there, the vet is not sure what's wrong it could be anything from an infection to cancer or wobbly hedgehog syndrome. He gave me meds that might help and I have to syringe feed her food and water. If she does not get better I have to take her back up to the vet. Needless to say no writing is getting done for a few days. Happy reading Happy writing

Today I have been feeling like the world has been trying to crush me. I have been so busy with so much for my family and a few friends that my writing time has been limited.  Which is causing me a bunch of stress, to top it off I have a nasty cough.  I am hoping this week will be better on time so I can write. I am going try to find time today to de-stress some, just sure how well I will be able to or not. Well I need to run and get the kids ready to run to some errands. Happy reading Happy writing

   I have been thinking about my writing and I have been getting kind of hard on myself. Since I have not been writing a lot the past couple weeks. I know I had a bunch of stuff going on but I should have make time to write like I tell others that ask for writing advice.    With the rain my mood sucks and I have been getting migraines a lot since it's been raining more. Both of which is bad for writing, I also have been querying agents and so far I have gotten back all rejections. But I will not give up I am sending more queries, it only takes one yes to make it.     I need to get my stuff together to get the kids and get them ready for practice tonight. Happy reading Happy writing

 So far it has been raining since yesterday off and on, this morning the thunderstorms were bad enough that the weather people thought there was a tornado. I woke up to the tornado sirens, I got a little wet getting my kids to school today. With the storms there is not a whole I can do other than write.  I know April showers bring May flower, but I am already tired of the rain. I better get to my writing Happy reading Happy writing

We woke up to a light blanket of snow this morning, we were not to happy with it. But it should be gone since it is about 37 degrees outside right now. I have been writing a bit but there seems something not quit right going on with the story. I have to see if I can find what's wrong and fix it,  I did not get any writing done yesterday due to all the extra stuff I had to get done before practice last night.  I am going to have to go get my kids soon. Have a great day Happy reading Happy writing

It will be spring around noon but right now it's still cold winter it's only about 36 degrees here. But it will be in the 60's when I get the kids from their bus stops this afternoon. Today will be a good day to write some which has not happened the past few days due to life getting in the way.... Again. I better get going I need to get the kids ready for school have a great day everyone Happy reading Happy writing

 I handle constructive criticism pretty well, if it's about grammar,spelling or what not I make the needed changes and thank you pointed them out to me. If it's about my plot  or how I ended it I think about what they said and if I believe it would help to change a few things I do if not I tell them thank you but I am leaving it they way it is.  Now if they get personal I usually go to my hubby and talk to him about what was said and how I feel. He can normally calm me down enough not to lash out at the negative comment maker. It helps a lot to have supportive people around you. It is alway hard for them negativeity to get to you but you always need to let it go. I am off to write Happy reading Happy writing

Today is a cold rainy day which kind of sucks. It makes me sad that it was so nice the last couple days and now it's cold. My hubby our daughter and I are sick with head colds. It just makes us feel kind of crappy but nothing too bad. I will be trying to write some today just not sure how much I will get done. I better get going Happy reading Happy writing

First it looks like spring is fighting free of winter. Today it is going to get to about 50 outside which is great and the next few day will be warmer too. My family is very happy about this :) we like springtime. I think I found away to help keep me on track with my writing. I have set a goal of 500 words a day and to keep me accountable my writing group is helping keep track of every writer who set a daily word count goal. I think this is really helping I have aright have almost 3,000 more words then I did the beginning of last week. I am really excited. I might actually get done by the end of the year. :D

It is looking very nice out but it's still cold. But my writing is doing better I decided that my word count needed to be raised to give myself a challenge. That has been helping my writing come along really well. Now if I can remember to charge my laptop I would not have to stop so often. I am off to see if it's charged enough to turn on Happy reading Happy writing

I am starting to think that we will never get out of the nasty cold yuck of winter. I do know we will but it may take another few weeks maybe longer to get out of winter. But today is one of those day that it seems like winter will never end. Yesterday we had freezing rain then sleet then snow (yay!...... Not) now it's maybe 13 outside with wind chills below zero. So it's a little to no writing day. Happy reading Happy writing

I posted earlier with a chat conversation I had with a younger writer who finds that he must use big words where simpler more understandable words would do.  He refers to writers that don't as "lesser writers" in other posts to other writers.  I would like your opinions on this. Are writers that write so almost everyone can understand what they are say a lesser writer to a writer who use the bigger words?  Please comment I would love your input

Yesterday or the day before I was on goodreads and in one of the groups I am a part of I came across a post by a Mike about his blog post on how to handle criticism. I tried to read his blog and I made a suggestion, well here's what happened. What do you think The post I made and the rants that follow Me: My advice to since I had to get the dictionary to understand your blog is to stop using all the 50 cent words and talk like a normal person. There are simpler words for the big words you used. I am not saying your blog was bad just hard for me to understand. Mike: I'm aware that my writing can be a bit esoteric at times; that's just my style. You can call it whatever you wish. I don't mean to be anything more than what I am. Your advice has been heard and considered, but I've understood that to be just what it is; apparently, you're just not within my demography. Mike: Also, "normal" is subjective. I would think a fellow writer to know bett...

I have found out that when I am really stressed out that it's hard to write any fun scenes in my novel. I can write fight scenes and battle scenes with ease. It seems that when I am stressed I want to fight and easily angered. I am hoping to become unstressed soon but not so sure I will with everything going on in my life right now. I need to get going Happy reading Happy writing

Last week we found out my daughter needed glasses which is fine we were just kind of shocked that she needed them. My son had to have his prescription tweeked alittle, well yesterday they got their new glasses. They both look very good in them and they are soo happy to have their glasses.   The only bad thing is my daughter has begged me not to post any pics of them until she can show my parents tomorrow. After the visit I will post the pics on Facebook. It's just soo different to see her in glasses. I am glad to see they are happy.

 This winter has lasted way too long and it looks like it will finally be ending very soon. Which will help with everyone's cabin fever by allowing us to be outside enjoying the weather. I will finally be able to spend some time just enjoying the sunshine, something I have not been able to do for soo long.  Last week I took my kids to the eye doctor, my son is getting new glasses and for the first time my daughter is getting glasses. She was soo excited she has wanted glasses since her big brother got them 5 or 6 years ago. ( my son is 11 going to be 12 in June, my daughter is 9 going to be 10 in May) Well I better be off I have to get my son to school before I start writing today. Happy reading Happy writing

Today is the one day of the year where you are suppose to give your love ones stuff to show how much they are loved. I can understand why a lot of people hate it there is soo much pressure to be in a relationship of some kind. So I try to tell EVERYONE in my life that I care about them and wish them all a happy valentine's day. I do this because I do care very much for my friends and family, I just hope it helps make them feel happy today. I find it hard to write on valentine's day I keep getting the feeling I should be writing lovey dovey mushy stuff. But sometimes I am not at a point in the story that it would make sense to have it there. Today I am alone at home like most Fridays because my kids have school and my loving hubby is at work. I plan on trying to write a bit even if it's not lovey doveyness. Happy reading Happy writing

  I have been reading and doing research on writing and what other writers have done. In my research I read about some writers find it relaxing and helps with stress and others say it causes stress and drama in their lives and they love every minute of it. I found myself thinking about how writing is effecting my life and my family's life. I enjoy writing I always have, I do find that if I am stressed that writing helps me relax. But on the other hand my writing has caused a lot of stress drama in my life but that's ok. It's ok because my writing is my own little world and everyone I write about are my friends and family. Everyone has stress and drama with friends and family once in awhile, and if I have friends in my world that are nothing but drama and stress I end the friendship like I do in my ral life.   I also found that my bad moods can royally screw up my writing (I know 'well duh') and I have to find ways to put myself in a better mood to be able to write...

It's not super cold out but it is cold, so the kids and I had to be bundled!!!!! Up!!!! To go out to the bus stops. It is 28 degrees out right now which is better and for some reason I have had a sinus headache since yesterday. So needless to say writing has not been going so well, I know I need to rest and see if I can get rid of this damn headache. In other news(I have always wanted to say that lol) I and done with the edits of TWIHB( it's the first letter in each word of the working title) and formatted it so it's correct. I formatted TWIHB book 2 and I have over 30,000 words done so far on that one. I am work thru some awful scenes but they are important to the story. I need to do some research to make sure everything is right in some of the scenes I was not sure how to write. Well I am off to see if a warm shower will help my head Happy reading Happy writing

Today is Martin Luther King day so I have my kids at home with me. I have been writing I have been hitting snags but been able sofar to work through them. I will work on my writing in a few hours I need to spend time with my kids and do some chores. Happy reading Happy writing

For some reason that I am unaware of I have been up way too early for well over a week. I have making the best of it tho, I have cleaned the public rooms of my house, I have even got my edits done and started work on my wip(work in progress). I will figure out why I have been up so early it will just take some time. Today I think I will straighten up my bathroom and around my desk some. Then write til I have to get the kids up for school. Today is the last day for this week, they are off tomorrow for a teacher learning day and Monday they are off because it's Martin Luther King jr. Day. So the next four days I may not get any writing done but that's ok I will make it up if I continue to get up way too early lol. I am off Happy reading Happy writing

That's what it's been yesterday and this morning, needless to say school was cancelled yesterday and today. We have been very lucky that we have had no other issues then it being too cold to go outside at all. Tomorrow should be warmer according to the weather people on the news, so the kids will hopefully have school tomorrow. I have been doing some editing when I can, which is not as often or as long as I need with the kids home. They have been keeping me busy. I will be working on the edits as soon as I get done here til the kids get up and going. I am off Happy reading Happy writing

I am up before the sun for some reason that I do not know yet. So I finished putting the Christmas stuff away for another year. Now I am sitting here wondering why I am up so early, I am thinking about working on my edits so I am doing something productive. Happy reading Happy writing