Simple Recipes from Rita

Today I am going to share two recipes with you; one is for a slightly more prosperous holiday gathering, the other for a poverty-stricken meal.  

CANDIED SWEET POTATOES

2 30 oz cans sweet potatoes, drained

8 ozs mini-marshmallows white or multi colored

1/2 C brown sugar

1 large egg

1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Pour the sweet potatoes into a large casserole dish. Pour in egg, sugar, and spice Whip at medium speed until light and fluffy. Gently fold in marshmallows so that a few remain on top. Cover.   Bake in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Serve with your turkey or ham. Enjoy. Serves 6

FOOD STAMP Chicken Soup

2 chicken thighs.  Don’t worry if they are frozen, They’ll thaw as they’re cooking.  

1 small package frozen peas or green beans.  Actually, you can use any vegetable you fancy.

2 packages Chicken flavor Ramen.  There are 2 or three brands on the market, but I believe the most popular brand is Top Ramen, the 2nd most popular is Maruchan Ramen.  

Cook chicken in a 3qt sauce pan in 1 quart water and the contents of the flavor packets from the Ramen packages.  Cook it until the meat falls off the bones, stirring occasionally. Take out the bones and gristle from the chicken and discard.  Add vegetable and noodles, simmer until a bean or pea is hot all the way through 3-5 minutes, and the noodles are al dente. Add pepper to taste and serve.  Serves 2.

I used to take the thighs, ramen, and frozen vegetable in a waterproof bag to my friend’s apartment on the bus, and the frozen ingredients would thaw while I rode the bus to his place.  Ramen has plenty of salt in it, so I only say to add pepper.

Are we truly alone?

The notion of an author sitting in a small, cramped space pounding out word after word in near darkness is one we have come to recognize. Perhaps, its one we have even come to accept and expect from those who take up the pen.

But is there any truth to it?

Isolation is a single part of being a writer. When writing we don't typically surround ourselves with other people. It is a mechanism to ensure success, and it lends itself to some misconceptions. Writers do not do it because we are anti-social but because it is the natural path to productivity and meeting the goals we set. After a period of time, it becomes second nature, and we simply continue it.

The word, isolation, however, does not necessarily mean we are sitting in a cramp, dark little room with endless cups of cold coffee and crumpled paper. No, there are times when we are sitting in a crowded space working on our projects, our focus on the story. Segregation does not require one to be separate from others, it can be a state of mind.

I have met several authors who find working around others to be too distracting. They are often drawn from their craft by other conversations, interruptions, and other distractions. Isolation, for them, is the only way to write and it is a truth they've learned the hard way. For these authors, it is a vital part of ensuring success, but for others, they find success in a different form of separation.

For example, J K Rowlins wrote The Harry Potter books - in a coffee shop. Being a public space, it is safe to assume she was not alone. Yet, her ability to meet the quotas and deadlines she had set for herself within the limits of her location and time is truly impressive. Her environment was noisy, crowded, boisterous and yet she managed to create an amazing story we can all recognize. Physically, she was part of a crowd, mentally, she was isolated and focused.

There are moments for each of us where we are writing while we are engaging with others. Even in the most minute way. For some of us, however, true isolation is needed. Where we set aside the time to write when the house is quiet, the day is done, and perhaps we are alone while everyone else sleeps. Every author is different.

You may say, there are some writers who spend their time in a crowded office working on their writing, and this is a prime example of isolation whilst included. As a professional one needs to understand their writing habits and curate healthy mechanisms to ensure deadlines can be met. Those who spend their time surrounded by others in the office setting have learned how to work within the confines of their environment. It is not something you can simply do, you have to learn how to recognize distractions and how to tune them out to ensure you're able to work.

Interview with a Character: Kaguhi Maimun-Cheng

Rita:  This week we’re interviewing Kaguhi Mainmun-Cheng, Takel’s older sister, and Takuhi’s daughter.  Like her mother, Kaguhi is a Kulturologist. Do you have to be bred for this work, Kaguhi?

Kaguhi:  Our DNa is designed for it, yes.  But when the Order was first started, over 2 millennia ago, having the right qualities and traist was a matter of chance.  Many girls washed out of the Order before people were able to genetically design their babies, and then, it was largely a matter of who would be willing and able to raise these children until they would be able to join the Cloister at the age of 7.  

Rita:  You mean love and care for a child, knowing she wasn’t truly “yours.”

Kaguhi:   My grandmother did it, and so did my mother.  But Grandmere did it as a kind of second career.  She had raised two sets of three before my mother, my uncle, and aunt came along, and raised two more sets after them.  She liked her children in sets of three, for some reason.

Rita:  I think it’s interesting that you have chosen to carry on in your career as a Kulturologist, instead of living full time in the palace, leading the life of a Compirial Princess.

Kaguhi:  Of course I must.  Can you think of any life more deathly dull than that of a princess?  Oh, please, give me a break! And that silly wave we’re supposed to do when we’re out in public!  That’s strictly yawnsville.  

Rita:I can see where you would grow weary of that life, as active a young woman as you are.  But when you do have to spend time at the palace, in between missions, what do you like to do for fun?

Kaguhi:  I like to dance.  Do you have any idea how huge the rooms are in that place?  Why, the refectory at the Cloister would fit in my bed chamber, with room left over for my brother’s workout room.  So in my bedchamber, I have plenty of room to dance, really stretch out, you know? I think there used to be a lot more furniture in the room, but my mother had it moved out, because she knew how much I love to dance.

Rita:  Which styles do you do?

Kaguhi:  Oh, you name them, I’ll at least try it.  Nearly all the styles of old lost Erth, plus a few of the world out here.  I even learned one from the Cat people, you know, one of our allies in the war against the reptilians and the bugs.  By the way, Rita, do you know why Kujlturologist is always spelled with a capital K?

Rita:  I think I did know once upon a time.  Oh, do tell us. I’m sure our readers are dying to know.

Kaguhi:  It comes from the German word das Kultur.  German was one of Erth’s languages. It means the arts, the humanities.  I went to the German planet UberAlles after graduation to check whether their society had developed any unfortunate tendencies, like fascism, you know.  But it was a freewheeling happy society. I developed a taste for microbrew beer there. Great place, and great sausages.

Rita:  What is your favorite treat or food?

Kaguhi:  I am a confirmed chocoholic, and when it’s cold out, I like to snuggle up with a big mug of Mexihot chocolate with lots of foam on top, and just the merest touch of rum to deepen the chocolate flavor.  That’s one of the few luxuries I love about hanging around my mother’s palace. Her chef Henri makes the best hot chocolate I have ever had. And I thought the hot chocolate at the Cloister was good. It doesn’t even hold a candle to Henri’s.  I don’t know how he does it. He won’t let me in the kitchen to observe. If there’s snything we SIster love to do it’s observe how people do things/  

Rita:  Thank you, Kaguhi, or should I call you Your Highness?

Kaguhi:  You do, and get ready to be throttled.  

Rita:  That was most enlightening.  Until next week, Bright Stars!  

Maintaining your Mental Health

I am not a medical professional and do not make any diagnosis or recommendations for treatment. This post is a direct connection to my own experience and thoughts. 

Writing a book is a horrible, exhausting, struggle, like the long bout of some painful illness. One would never undertake such a thing if one were not driven by some demon one can neither resist or understand - George Orwell!

The above quote carries such a weight of truth. It is a struggle, a fight to get the proper words down in the face of a nameless demon we often times never understand. But just as writing is a struggle, maintaining our health can prove to be a challenge. 

I know of some authors who write with an added challenge, an added burden on themselves and it is far too easy to lose ourselves into the dark abyss of something we can neither see nor share. To be honest, pushing through when a writer suffers from anxiety or depression can be quite hard. 

With over 322 Million people worldwide suffering from Depression alone, it may be a safe assumption there are writers out there who are struggling with their mental health and meeting the challenges of their chosen career. It is even more important, knowing the statistics, we as creative beings take the time to maintain our mental health regardless of what we do. 

I have and still suffer from bouts of depression and anxiety. It has been an incredible battle to keep motivated and energized to write, to engage in the creative process to write. More so when one understands, when in the depths of our mental health issues, it can feel as though the world is sitting upon our shoulders and there is no motivation, no interest in the things we would normally take comfort in. 

When it feels like work to simply get up out of bed, the last thing one wants to do is sit down at the computer. However, if one is serious about their writing career, then pushing through the negative energy is necessary. Speaking only for myself, I can say it is incredibly powerful and destruction when dealing with anxiety and depression. One almost feels alone and isolated even in the embrace of those we are closest to. So, how do I deal with these issues and maintain some semblance of my mental health?

Having checks and balances in place are the first step in overcoming my anxiety and depression. Recognizing the signs of a downward spiral before it becomes too late has allowed me to reach out for support. Now, I do not mean having someone hovering over me, checking in to see if I feel okay, or ensure I'm not doing something harmful. No, I oftentimes will implement a system of rewards, breaks, and adjusting goals can and have all helped. Allowing myself to accept me is a major part of it. It allows me to meet my goals, and accept when I cannot. There is a certain positivity to it, a certain self-awareness and confidence I have found. 

I have sought professional help, and giving myself permission to do so has been a huge step to helping to overcome the shadows and demons. My writing has in its own way, become a major part of maintaining my mental and physical health. It has given me outlets for emotion, and a chance to disconnect from the stark realities which drive the darker thoughts.

We as a society need to understand and respect there are issues we cannot always see with a person. Respecting in ourselves and in each other allow society as a whole to heal and better recognize we are all human, flaws, scars, and all. 

Newletters - Are they still relevant

I'm certain we're all familiar with popping onto a website and getting a 'Hey sign up' form in our face. Its become the first line of drawing in new readers and visitors to our websites. A way for those with a product or service to connect with prospective leads.

Those subscription boxes which we all have a love/hate relationship with are the first line in an author's battle to attract new followers, readers, reviewers, and fans. Without an active list of followers, it becomes even harder to sell our work. Our books get lost in the ever-deepening sea of other releases and can be forgotten. So how can we as an author generate the leads, and grow our following?

Newsletters are one of the easiest and most cost-effective methods. You can start one for nothing, build your list and expand with relative ease. Growing your list is like anything else one begins...it takes dedication, determination, and time. Once you decide to start one, there are a few things one needs to know to begin.

Firstly, consistency is the best advice I can offer. Regardless if you have one subscriber or a thousand, posting the newsletter on a clear schedule, creates a sense of expectancy from your followers. Perhaps, you're thinking, I haven't got that much to say for a newsletter. Even if you don't have anything pertaining to your work, there are other ways in which to fill the newsletter. You can spotlight other authors, cover artists, a publisher, even a character. You could engage the reader with other tidbits such a recipe, seasonal information, or something about your likes or hobbies. Doing this engages the reader on a deeper level than "Buy my Book". Its a way for your reader to connect with you on a personal level, and makes them feel more important.

Secondly, when you're looking at doing up a newsletter, don't be easily discouraged. You won't have thousands of followers immediately, but you can build your list using newsletter swaps, cross-promotion, and offering 'sneak peaks' on social media. It's about engagement and visibility, I believe; and focusing on informing your followers and attracting new ones. Be prepared to put out a number of newsletters with little response, or no opens or clicks. This is, in all honesty, normal and once you are more established you will learn what your readers want to read in your newsletter. Personally,  I put out my newsletters with the mindset I've got tons of readers,  even if I don't. Keeping a positive attitude helps.

Thirdly is finding the right program for you. There are a lot of newsletter programs out which range from free to expensive. In this post, I'll touch on the ones I've used in the past and continue to do so. Let's start with the easiest and cheapest.

Email: If you have a sign-up sheet or something similar you've amassed, you can do a basic email newsletter with ease. It is in my experience a basic, clean look with only the limitations of your provider to act as a guide.

Newsletter Programs: Depending on what you use for a website there are built-ins features that can create a beautiful email campaign. Free, quick, easy. and readily accessible. There is no coding required,

Myself, I use Mailchimp. It offers me the development I want/need and has various levels of service ranging from free to full service depending on the number of subscribers you have. The free one has some limits and you can have up to 2000 subscribers, but if you're just starting it is an excellent program to use.

Regardless of how you do a newsletter, the value is putting one out. The return on investment for your time and energy is ultimately going to be invaluable when you have readers who wait for the next book to come out to snap it up...and thus tell others who can potentially become followers and fans.

My Newsletter

Elise Whyles Newsletter

Interview with a Character:Lt. Herm`es Gorsuch

Rita:  Hello, this is Rita Trevalyan with another character Lt. Herm`es Gorsuch.  He started out as a Master Sergeant, but received a battlefield commission between the 2nd and 3rd book of my accidental trilogy. Hello, Lieutenant.

Gorsuch:  Hello, Ma’am.  

Rita:Which planet are you from, originally?

Gorsuch:  Zyeho IV. It’s a lovely world.  You really should visit it sometime.

Rita:  I shall, when I get the chance.  I don’t often get out of this Solar System, you  know. But back to you: Are you married?

Gorsuch:  Yes, Seven years now and have 3 kids, 2 boys and a girl.  Really sweet, well behaved kids. Smart, too.

Rita:  Who is your wife?  What does she do?

Gorsuch:  Strangely enough, she has the same first name as you, Rita.  She works from home. She’s a digital librarian for our town library.  She has a very capable chemdroid watching the kids. My eldest is in school.  We expect he’ll either go to the Stellarman Academy or the Feldmar Institute next year.

Rita:  Where do you see yourself in five Galactic Standard years, Lieutenant?

Gorsuch:  Well, if I survive the next war, and we’re fixin’ to have one, Ms. Trevalyan, don’t kid yourself, with their allies the Oraspighi at their sides, having taught then how to do away with the need for females completely, the Koinonians are going to attack the Inner Worlds, and when that happens, all Hral will break loose.  You watch.

Rita:  Whooee!  Another war!  I’ll bet the Empress won’t be real happy about that..She hates war.    You say they have no females? How did they do that?

Gorsuch:  Well, as my daddy used to say, “Beats me, Lieutenant, I’m not the regular crew chief.”  I come from a military family, you know. But Daddy never liked base housing. He reasoned, that with transmats everywhere, a soldier can be on duty in a matter of nanoseconds, no matter where he is in the Compire.  And I can train for the battlefield better if I live close to a wilderness, so that’s where I’m bringing up my children. I’ve been on leave there for the past couple of lunations.  

Rita: do you have any pastimes or hobbies no related to fighting?

Gorsuch:  In my copious spare time, haha, I put together models of battle starships.  Other than that, I’m training, always training. Gotta stay battle ready, you know.  It wouldn’t do at all to let myself become soft.

Rita:  Do you have any pets?

Gorsuch:  I don’t know if you’d really call them pets, per se, dogs.  But I raise fighting dogs. They can sniff out explosives and warn us human soldiers.  They also warn against other kinds of booby traps. They’re not ordinary regular dogs. They’re mutants, genetically designed like we are.  And my wife, she has a cat that can talk. The chemdroids clean the cat box, but mostly the cat uses the toilet like we do.

Rita:  Are your parents alive?

Gorsuch:  No. My dad got killed in the war against the Koinonians and the aliens, those bugs, they’re so disgusting, you know?  Mom’s still alive, though. She takes a rejuve bath every 5 years, you know, to stay young. She has a not a boyfriend, that’s so jejeune, Significant Oth, I think you’d call him.  Nice guy, and he really thinks a lot of Mom, treats her right, you know, like a lady should be.

Rita: And we’ll close with what is your earliest memory?

Gorsuch:  I think I was about three Galactic Standard Years old.  My dad took me out in the woods to experience nature. He was going hunting, but I just sat on a fallen log and observed all the creatures.  They were all curious about me. They knew to avoid my dad, because he had a gun, no, not a gun, this is your weapon, this is you gun, your weapon is for killing, your gun is for fun.  They came up and sniffed me.

Rita:  Thank you, Lieutenant.  That was very enlightening.

Want to meet my Irish Heroine?

Writing Master's Mistress really allowed me a chance to fall in love with Ireland and its rich history. Its a land of lush beauty, fierce people, and the perfect setting for romance. I've taken up the pen again and am working on a new Irish Celts romance set in 7th century Ireland.

I thought what better way for you, my readers, to get a glimpse of this novel than to share some tidbits about the characters. So without further delay, lets meet our heroine: Oonagh (pronounced ) Una!

The youngest of thirteen, she is the eldest twin, her brother born a short time after her is the only son. Fiercely independent, intelligent, Oonagh is a born leader. She puts her peoples needs above her own, and though a woman, she is skilled in defence. Untried on the battlefield, Oonagh makes no secret of her thoughts on the prohibiting of women in war. After all, a woman can perish upon a blade as easily as a man.

When war comes to call, Oonagh must figure out a way to save her clan, and her crown in the face of an unseen enemy. I recently asked her what she thought of the current situation she finds herself in.

"It tis a bloody shame, no woman should be refused the chance to protect her people. And that fool Jarlath, he be no better than any of these other fools. I'll do whatever is needed to see my clan safe...even if it means accepting his proposal. Course when I find that twit of a brother - he'll be thankful I don't take a sword to his behind."

For more sign up for my newsletter on my website (www.patriciabates.com) for updates in my monthly post!

Author Spotlight!

Welcome to everyone who is joining me today. Today I'm going to be spotlighting an author. 
Author Raven Moon is an indie author, with five books available now. I had the pleasure of reviewing her book Black Mountain recently on Distinct Authors Podcast Channel as well as Youtube. You can catch the podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Spotify now. 

Check out her books on Amazon today! 


Abandoned as a young child, Jade Sierra lived on the streets in the small town of Golden Pond, Ky. But after a Vampire attack, she was left for dead until a thousand-year-old Vampire named Jewel found her.

Jade has spent her life living with Immortals and Shapeshifters. She has hidden her true identity from the human race. But when suspicions rise in the small town, Jewel moves her Immortal family to Black Mountain, NC.Just when Jade thought being uprooted was the worst that could happen, she learns she is dead wrong. When she stumbles upon a dead body, she is in for a rude awaking. Now with Black Mountain starting to grow suspicious of the newcomers, Jade must learn everything about the murderer before they strike again.Jade must help the first murder victim get justice so she can be rid of him. But is she strong enough to go against something she knows nothing about?

Interview with a character:Takel Maimun-Cheng

Rita:  This is Rita Trevalyan, and today I’m interviewing Takuhi’s and Kaga’s son Takel Maimun-Cheng.  How are you today, Takel? You are the son of the new Empress, right?

Takel:  Right. And let me tell you, being the son of royalty is a real challenge.  It’s like you’re in a fish bowl. Everyone can see what you’re doing, and everyone can comment on how you’re doing it.  It’s the toughest gig I’veever had.

Rita:  But you never tried to talk your mother out of assuming that role, did you?

Takel:  Oh, Hral no!  I’d know she was going to do the Empress gig one day since shortly after I was decanted.  And you don’t even try to dissuade Takuhi Maimun out of something once she’s made up her mind.  She’ll just dig her heels in even harder. Besides, she said it would be educational for us kids.  

Rita:  And has it been?

Takel:  I’ll say!  And how! Has it been!  I’ve had so much to learn.  When we got the word that the old Empress was dead, Kaguhi and I looked up all the Empresses there have been for the past 2200 Galactic Standard Years.  There really haven’t been that many, because of life extension, you know. I think she was over 300 years old when she died. A rare old bird. I never met her,but I’ve seen holovids of her.  But she kept the Compire on an even keel all of her reign, and Mom has been working very hard at continuing Annabelle’s legacy.  

Rita:  Excellent!  And what do you do for a living?  I know that neither you nor your sister are content:to laze around the palace all the time, drinking out of lotus petals.

Takel:  Indeed we are not.  I was a Stellarman, like my uncle, but after getting wounded and PTSD in the war, I switched career paths.  After mediating and ending a feud between my aunt and my Significant Other, I went to school to become a mediator.  And I think I’ve become quite good at it. I’ve ironed out some feuds that could have gone on for generations if they hadn’t called on the services of a mediator.  I’m also a notary public, so I can witness the signing of papers officially ending the feud.  

Rita:Excellent!  My oh my, you have been a busy boy, haven’t you.  You mentioned a Significant Other. Who is she?

Rita”  She is a very beautiful young lady who I met on my parents’ land.  They have a nature preserve, you know, on Sogdien III. They wanted to sock a little land away so that no matter how modern and industrialized the planet got to be, there would always be a piece of it kept wild.  But they needn’t have worried. The settlers Sogdien has attracted are interested in keeping as much in its original wild state as possible. Some industrialists have tried to exploit it for minerals and fuels, but we’ve all worked to keep them out of the place.  Why, just the other year some tried to go big game hunting, but no one would supply them with a guide, and the forest killed every last one of them. Since then, there’s been no more talk about bringing mining and industry to the place, since the men who were killed were the loudest voices in favor of exploiting the place.  If you know what you’re doing, and take proper precautions, it can be your own little slice of Paradise, but if you don’t, it’ll kill you quicker than [snaps fingers].

Rita:  What are your future plans?

Takel:  To persuade the lovely Rabia to settle down with me, at least for awhile, until she feels the need to go gallivanting off on one of her missions.  She’s a Kulturologist, same as my sister, same as my mother was.

Rita:Thank you for talking with us today, and good luck in all your endeavors.    

Mariah Albright - New Author

Hello dear readers,

Welcome to today's post, please extend a warm welcome to Ms Albright, a new author just starting on her journey to publication. She's been very gracious in stopping by to be grilled!

Welcome Mariah and thank you for coming in. Lets just jump right into the questions, shall we?

1. 
   
2. What is the first book that made you cry?

Anne Frank

3. 
   
4. Does writing energize or exhaust you?

Energize

5. What are common traps for aspiring writers?

Telling and not showing.

6. Does a big ego help or hurt writers?

It hurts the writers.

7. Have you ever gotten reader’s block?

No.

9. Did you ever consider writing under a pseudonym?

Sometimes I've considered it.

10. Do you try more to be original or to deliver to readers what they want?

Deliver readers what they want

11. Do you think someone could be a writer if they don’t feel emotions strongly?

Possibly

12. What other authors are you friends with, and how do they help you become a better writer?

I help them by reading over their writing and giving them construction criticism.

13. Do you want each book to stand on its own, or are you trying to build a body of work with connections between each book?

Work a connection between each book.

14. If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?

Write down your ideas

15. How did publishing your first book change your process of writing?

Haven't published anything yet.

16. What was the best money you ever spent as a writer?

I haven't made money from writing.

17. What authors did you dislike at first but grew into?

J.K Rowling

20. What’s your favorite under-appreciated novel?

Diary of Helene Berr

22. As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal?

Flamingo

24. How many unpublished and half-finished books do you have?

3

25. What does literary success look like to you?

Having at least 100 readers 

26. What’s the best way to market your books?

Popular places and sites

27. What kind of research do you do, and how long do you spend researching before beginning a book?

I spend a week or two researching if I don't already know about it.

Right now I'm researching Planet X.

28. Do you view writing as a kind of spiritual practice?

I view it as a copying mechanism

29. What did you edit out of this book?

Names for personal reasons

30. Have you read anything that made you think differently about fiction?

Not yet.

32. How do you select the names of your characters?

It has to fit my story whichever sounds best and goes with the time period I'll use it.

33. If you didn’t write, what would you do for work?

Teaching

34. Do you read your book reviews? How do you deal with bad or good ones?

Haven't published a book yet.

35. Do you hide any secrets in your books that only a few people will find?

No, but I've thought about it

36. What was your hardest scene to write?

A scene about ptsd experience

37. Do you Google yourself?

I have before.

39. What is your favorite childhood book?

Missing Mrs. Nelson

40. What is the most difficult part of your artistic process?

Not getting distracted

41. Does your family support your career as a writer?

         Yes

42. If you had to do something differently as a child or teenager to become a better writer as an adult, what would you do?

Always use writing prompts to improve my writing.

43. Do you believe in writer’s block? 

No

Am I driven by my muse...or by the mainstream?

I've often heard from friends and family the question: How do you pick what to write about? Do you write from inspiration with the book being something you'd read...or do you write for the more mainstream fiction reader?

This may seem to be an obvious question, yet there are ways to muddy the waters with it. Are they referring to blog posts? Books? Articles? Being aware of exactly what the question refers to is helpful, but still can leave one unable to answer it.

Every time I hear this question, I am left with the urge to laugh wildly and a little manically. After all, as an artist, how do we decide what we are going to do? Explaining how I write is like asking how someone studies.

In all honesty, the answer is the same regardless of what the asker's intent is. For myself at least, I write what I am driven to. Be it a blog post, an article, a vlog, or a novel.

The topic isn't decided as one would decide whether to look at this or that, but rather what my muse is calling on me to do. I keep several notebooks on hand, as well as paper and pen all over the house, and vehicle, because I often times will get an idea while I'm doing the regular tasks we all do.

Keeping track of the ideas my muse hands out is an excellent way to ensure my creativity is flowing. An abundance of plot ideas, notes, and character information is very good. Still, it does mean as an author I have a decision to make. Beyond just which project to work on, but to actually decide how to write is a key point.

Muse it up or mainstream it down. Do I stay true to myself and my writing creativity or do I write for the more mainstream ideology? Every author must make that choice, for myself, writing within the mainstream has always proven to be a challenge. I can't find it in me to write what I'm told. I want to be free to express myself, to explore the world as I see it. Does this set me apart from others? Maybe, though I can't speak for another.

I'm happy being able to write as my Muse directs me. Writing is intensely personal and as long as my readers are enjoying what I am putting out, then I consider this to be a success.

May the muse be with you!