Playing With Fire: A Writer’s Life for Me!

For anyone who would like to get to know me better, know this: I like bonfires.

Not those massively large ones that people of yore (or maybe they still do?) dance around, but a nice simple campfire-sized bonfire. Like the one I’ve made tonight:

I made it myself, I’m so proud! I spent an hour prior to this accomplishment, walking around my yard (my 2.5 acre yard…so exhausting! whew!) collecting twigs and sticks to use as fodder and feed so as to keep my fire burning well after dark.

I like to sit outside on my patio furniture, which I set up in the small courtyard out of my back door, because I don’t have a patio to use. So, I sit at my iron-wrought table and on a wooden chair (with matching benches and footrests) that my Pepere made for me and my family a few years back, and I write. I love to write outside, with a fresh pad of paper or an already in-use notebook, and a pen with ink (I’ve come to find that over time and multiple presses of pencil on paper, that pencil fades quickly and by the time I’m finished filling my notebook, the words I wrote at the start are much fainter than the ones I just finished).

I often struggle between my two passions of art and writing. Both are vying to be dominant in my life and I’m not sure which I want to make a career of, yet. I’m 25, I really should get the ball moving here….

Oh, Richard Hammond seems confused. Yes, yes, 25, still attending college (3 semesters left, but hey! I’ve been paying out of pocket, no loans please (although, I had to break down and take out a small loan a year ago…BUT, only $7,000 in debt! I can’t say I don’t pity those students who have racked up $70,000+ in student loans) …of course, that makes it take longer….)

Anyway, I like to write. I write a lot…A LOT! I prefer to write fiction, fantasy, and adventure, although, I’ve been dabbling in some sci-fi lately. My favorite things to write about are myths and legends and fables and fairytales, like fractured fairytales! Actually, fractured fairytales are some of my favorite reads nowadays! E.D. Baker is an exquisite fractured fairytale writer and my favorite, if anyone is interested in looking into the genre….

Let’s see, I really do write a lot. I always have a notebook and pen with me (one that can fit in my bag. (I usually have a backpack, though). I write while I’m standing in line at the store, or when I’m riding the bus, or am a passenger in a car. I write when I’m exercising on a stationary bike, during TV commercials, and the list really does go on from there.

Someday, I hope to be a well-established author, like E.D. Baker, Brian Jacques, or the guy who writes those “Game of Throne” books, uh…George R.R. Martin (and yes, I had to Google his name, and no, I have not read the books, nor do I watch the TV series that airs on HBO). There are other books and shows on my list that I’m trying to catch up with, so “Game of Thrones” is currently on the backburner. No worries, I’ll catch up eventually and give it a chance.

Of course, it would be nice to be as successful as J.K. Rowling and have a book I write (or a series, which I am currently working on) become a movie. Really, I think that would be thrilling! I’d want to work with the screen writer’s, though. I’ve taken classes on script writing for movies, TV, and theater. I think that’d be interesting, too.

Well, there you have it, I like to write. AND, you know a few more things about me now:

1. I’m 25 and still in college (going for a B.A. (Bachelor’s in Art. I already have an A.F.A.: an Associates in Fine Art) And I’m Minoring in French.)

2. I’ve just slipped that je parle française. Mon famille est Canadienne-Française! La plupart de la famille de ma mère parle français. J’aime parler avec eux. (Maybe I’ll do some posts in French!)

3. I like to have bonfires and write.

Look for my words again soon!

-Soleil

Time With Pepere, Life, and Top Favorite Authors!

Firstly, I am super excited that I do not have to wake up at 4 AM for the whole of next week, yay!

Secondly, I spent my day out with Pepere (my grandfather). We had a lovely lunch together at the local diner, then we went to Home Depot together with my Mom (his daughter). Mom wandered off to look at storage, and Pepere and I stuck together, finding the things he needed. Since he wants to redo his roof this summer, we gathered together roofing nails, and roofing caulk. We also got common nails, 5 new saw blades, and a pack of hook blades. I like shopping with Pepere. Actually, I like spending any time with Pepere. We talk a lot and usually have some pretty deep conversations about religion and life. It’s really nice. I like when he talks to me about it, and I’m glad that it’s stuff we can talk about together. My brothers don’t spend much time with him, so I think I’m the only one out of his 6 grandchildren (I’m also the oldest out of these 6) that he converses with this like. I feel honored.

Tomorrow, I want to take the pile of bricks to the dump that I have collected. Since I demolished our outdoor brick fireplace with a sledgehammer earlier in the week, I haven’t had time to do so, yet. So, I’ll do that in the morning. Then, I want to spend the rest of my day painting and tidying up my room. I may take some more clothes and things to Goodwill, also. If not tomorrow, then Sunday. I have recently decided that I have too many things and have been trying to slim down on my posessions. My room is just too small to have so much stuff in it. Plus, I don’t wear a lot of the clothes I’ve been giving away, anyway, and I’m sure that other people could use it more.

Jae is very far ahead of me in Naruto. About 20 episodes, or so. I tease him every time I see him watching an episode. I tell him to watch something else so that I can catch up. He just laughs and keeps watching. What a considerate brother. Aish….

Have you ever read any fractured fairy tales? I believe that I once mentioned before that Fractured Fairtytales are one of my favorite types of sub-genre. I do know that I said I am currently reading E.D. Baker’s “The Bravest Princess” which is part of the “Wide-Awake Princess” series. Aside from E.D. Baker, I also enjoy reading books by Gail Carson Levine, Cornelia Funke (my favorite book by her is “The Thief Lord”, but she’s more famous for her “Inkheart” series), JK Rowling (Harry Potter, obviously), JRR Tolkien, TA Barron (his Merlin’s “Lost Years” series is outstanding!), and Brian Jacques (I grew up on his “Redwall” series!!! Ah…brave, little Mathias — “I am that is”!)! There are plenty more authors, too, but these seven authors are my top favorites! They inspire me when I write and I hope to be as great as them some day.

I think this is it for now. I want to read some more before bed. …I feel like this is turning into a reading and writing blog, haha! No worries, it will continue to be random and chipper, I think.

Look for my words again soon!

-Soleil