Brace yourselves... training is starting today. I was running around like a mad thing this morning getting everything ready for tonight, the first day back to training in waaaaaay too long. Naturally, I forgot one of the most important things. Sigh. I'm such a dolt. Hopefully it'll work out, though.
I am forewarning you of the commencement of training so that you will be all prepared for the two weeks when I feel like I've been hit by a bus. I am not shy about it. There will be much sharing of the experience. Read here: I will be complaining You have been warned.
Much has happened since I last blogged. Last time I blogged, it was a heartfelt thank you to the lovely people who liked my page and made me feel a little better after bad writing news arrived in my inbox. Well, several good friends of mine took it upon themselves to campaign to get me 300 likes. In the space of a day they managed to get me 300 likes. I was all kinds of confused and touched ans a bit shell-shocked. If you've been reading a while, you may recall my New Year's post where I said that I'd be hoping for 300 likes this year (and if I hit 400 I shall celebrate!). Well, thanks to awesome friends, and their awesome friends I managed it. So, again and no less genuinely, thank you all so much. It made me feel really good.
In other really exciting news, the Your Very Own Adventure Project is finally coming to a close. The last ever opportunity to vote for the story was written and published as scheduled on Friday. You can vote by going HERE and leaving your choice in the comments. Next Friday I wrap everything up, and then I have to go through and edit it all so that it makes a coherent story to sell for charity.
Since I was so close to finishing, I went online and started browsing pre-made cover designs to see if there was anything out there already I might be able to snap up for cheap. This is a book I'm doing for charity, with all profits going towards the charity of my choice (THIS one) and I wanted to keep costs down to a minimum. As it happens, I found something that really worked. It's beautiful. Not thinking that I'd be answered so promptly nor helped so fully, I emailed the artist and enquired about it. Well, the long and short of it is that she has agreed to place the cover on reserve for when I'm ready to publish the book and I will be getting both the print and eBook cover for a very reasonable price. I'm so touched that she was so willing to help me out and so thrilled. People can really be wonderful sometimes. Do keep an eye out for that beautiful cover. Hopefully I'll be able to do a cover reveal by the middle of the year.
Now that the Your Very Own Adventure Project is coming to a close, I was feeling lost as to what to do with my Fridays now. I think I've solved that problem neatly. I will attempt to begin recording audio books. It might not work out, depending on the quality of audio I get, but in case it does, I will be releasing my first ever audio book this year. So yay!
In other spectacular news, I got in touch with a Sami singer, whose song I heard and found intriguing. And then I read the translation of the words in the song and it was absolutely perfect for The Seraphimé Saga. On a whim I emailed Berit Margrethe Oskal and asked if I might be able to use the song for a book trailer. And she said yes! I'm really quite excited by this, actually. The song is beautiful, and I'm really excited to share it with you once the trailer is all cut together. In exchange for the use of the song, Berit has only asked that I send her copies of the books. I'm so thrilled!
Also, my quest for a second job has been answered. My Kung Fu brother, who teaches Introduction to Self Defence with out school is going for surgery to fix his knee. I am therefore taking over the class, and getting paid for it. Yay! I highly recommend getting involved in martial arts. It has helped me so much. You can check out the class I'll be teaching HERE, though I cannot recommend Kickboxing and Kung Fu enough.
Things have been really rather good this weekend and I'm feeling very happy about it all. Things seem to be flowing much easier then they have been in the past, and it gives me hope that maybe it might mean I'm on the right path after all.
Right, I must get on with my day and so must you. See you all around this time tomorrow!
In the meantime, here is a photo taken some time in the 1900s of a group of Sami. Enjoy learning more about them HERE.