2023: Be Vewy Vewy Quiet

I see posts on Facebook and Twitter and Instagram claiming 2023 as their year. That they’re manifesting good things and positive change after what feels like decades of global trauma.

Not me, though. I’m approaching 2023 as Steve Irwin would approach a crocodile. With cautious optimism and a healthy dose of respect. Granted, Steve Irwin died on one such escapade so the metaphor is somewhat flawed. But we’re going to ignore that and focus on my point, which is that we will enter the new year as though it is a minefield that we are confident enough to navigate so long as we don’t get cocky.

The only thing I’m ‘claiming’ for 2023 is the spirit of maintenance. I’ve gotten to a solid place in my mental health. Maintaining it. I’ve gotten to the best place I’ve been with my weight in over a decade. Maintaining it. I have a great relationship with an amazing guy. Maintaining it. I’ve been paying off debt at a steady rate. Maintaining it.

That’s the energy I’m putting into the universe for the upcoming circuit around the sun and I am hoping that energy is rewarded with what I’m asking for – homeostasis.

bye for now!

It’s Like A Reward

Well, it’s here. Almost. Six days from today, many fortunate people around the world roll out of bed to presents and silly Christmas outfits and love. For me, as the year comes to a close, Christmas has been a bit of a finish line. A goal post, if you will.

This year has, as has consistently been the trend lately, been a bit of a ride on the struggle bus. There were highs, absolutely there were highs! Triumphs and core memories and victories hard won but won all the same. I made new friends and found new people to include in the favorites section of my phone’s contacts. And as is part of life, there were failures and attempts that didn’t come to fruition, disappointments and set-backs.

I had a conversation with a co-worker last week where we discussed spiritual wellness. She said that when she is depressed, it is often because she is not doing the things that fulfill her. In this case, she takes some time, makes herself a cup of tea, and engages in self-reflection to find out what part of her is not being nourished.

November 21st I posted that I was getting ‘Back on Track’. That I was renewing my pursuit of my passion – writing – to further my career as an author. Ten days later, I was admitted to the hospital for four days and then on bedrest until the twelfth. I’m back to work but still recuperating and, as you may imagine, my lofty writing goals for the rest of the year were a bit derailed.

My agent, in her infinite kindness and patience, has never rushed me or pressured me. I’ve done that enough for both of us, truth be told. But in 2023 I plan to exercise kindness, forgiveness, and understanding. The reason I started putting my ideas down and creating characters and worlds was not to publish books or make stupid amounts of money – though you wouldn’t have to twist my arm to accept either of those things should they come to be. I started storytelling for the simple fact that I love it. It brings me joy. I need to get back to that core idea. While an end goal is never a bad thing to keep in the back of one’s mind, it shouldn’t be the primary focus, and I lost sight of that.

I have a lot of hope and optimistic dreams going into 2023.

It’s up to me to live up to them.

See you in 2023 and

bye for now!

Back On Track

I’ve been in a weird headspace this year. I don’t remember when it started but I’m sorry to say that I allowed it to diminish my passions.

Reading? Have gone through maybe a handful of books, if that. TV? My TV has been on for a total of roughly 5 hours this year. Writing? Hardly at all. Crafting? Nope.

I’ve made excuses and dismissed it as laziness and procrastination when I had an epiphany Friday afternoon, gazing outside at the snow globe taking place. As I watched the fluffy snow swirl around before settling gently on the ground I realized that, as Taylor Swift recently sang:

It’s me. Hi. I’m the problem, it’s me.

No one is going to stand behind me with a baseball bat to coerce me into getting my writing done. There are no mercenaries I could hire to hold a gun to my head till I meet my word count. If I want to live part of my life in the blissful world of make-believe I have to get there on my own.

So that’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to finish editing The Last Seer, I’m going to send it to my agent, and then I’m going to get on my knees and beg for mercy after watching so many self-imposed deadlines pass me by this year.

Wish me luck.

bye for now!

1,339 Miles 3 Adventures – 1 Amazing Week

Hi and Hello Everyone! Sorry for going MIA. Last week was crazy busy!

October 16th – Motor City Comic Con

Motor City Comic Con – aka MC3, took place October 14th – 16th in Novi, MI at the Suburban Collection Showplace. Met Jim Beaver (Bobby Singer from Supernatural) and got his autograph and had an absolute blast!

October 17-20 – Erie, PA

Monday Morning I hopped on the road and drove almost 300 miles to Erie, PA for work. I trained with someone at that satellite office and drove back Thursday.

October 21st – Traverse City

Last, but definitely not least, Friday morning I got back in the car and made the hop/skip/jump to Traverse City for the wedding of my dear friend Nic (Nicole). I was a bit worried as I knew the ceremony was outdoors and it was the third weekend in October in Michigan. So Mother Nature herself clearly blessed their union as it was a gorgeous, cloudless, 65 degree day.

bye for now!

Truth Hurts

And so does my throat after all the screaming I did at the Lizzo concert last Thursday at Little Cesar’s Arena! When I tell you Lizzo puts the show in showmanship? She’s amazing!

In other spectacularly fantastical news, my baby sister is in town!

Laura, my younger sister, is the focal point of an entire album in my camera roll. I am so proud of the woman she’s become and am so grateful to have her as a sister.

That being said, she moved from the UP – a 10 hour drive away – to NEW MEXICO. So now instead of a day long road trip, if I want to visit her I have to hop on a 5ish hour plane ride and then drive two hours. So suffice it to say, I’ve been going through severe sister withdrawal.

We went to Target and Olgas and the mall and Parmenter’s Cider Mill.

All in all, a stellar week!

bye for now!

America’s Next Great Author: Yay or Nay?

This past weekend was the announcement of who was chosen to participate in the filming of the show’s pilot and it was nerve wracking to say the least. Full transparency, I checked the application status page multiple times a day. Like…double digits.

But Saturday finally came and with it, the announcement!

Drumroll please….

It’s a no from the judges. And honestly? I’m a little relieved. Opportunities like this will come up again, but when I’m ready. The universe knew I wasn’t at this juncture and so, didn’t make this available to me.

Next time for sure!

bye for now!

Another Year, Another Ren Fest

I celebrated my birthday (belated) this past Saturday. the 24th, at the Michigan Renaissance Festival in Holly, MI. I was fortunate enough to spend it with two of my favorite people, Sam and Amanda.

Fun, faire, and food (in the form of turkey legs). What could be better?

It rained on and off with an average of 60 degrees throughout but at least, for the first year in a good long while, I didn’t have to worry about heat stroke!

This Saturday I learn whether or not I need to start saving to fly out for the filming of the America’s Next Great Author pilot. I’m of two minds about it to be totally transparent. The part of me that wants to excel as an author and broaden my horizons is raring to go at this opportunity. The part of me that likes cuddling in a blanket with cocoa on a rainy day would be ok not getting selected.

It’s in the hands of the judges now.

Wish me luck and

bye for now!

Lights, Camera, Application Submitted!

Well I did it. I wrote a 10 pager of one of my many works in progress, I filmed (with my bestie’s help) an audition video, and I wrote a pitch and author bio. The deadline was this past Thursday and, in true Emma fashion, I just barely made it.

I did my best to stand out in the video and be my genuine, quirky self while still getting my pitch across in the 60 seconds allotted. Of the thousands of authors that I’m sure have also applied, only 20 are going to be selected. So the odds are hardly in my favor and yet, hope remains alive within me!

The book I pitched for the application is a personal favorite called Phantasia. Phantasia is what happens when Inception and Alice in Wonderland have a baby. It’s very trippy and fun and I am lowkey obsessed with the possibilities available to me.

bye for now!