#IWSG I'm Still on Earth!
My Update
I'm back from my (almost 2 year) disappearing act, and it's been a bit crazy. Here's the short story:
- We took in a foster child and had to deal with the department of child services (which is more time consuming than I ever imagined...and it was easier dealing with the child than it was dealing with them, which was also a lot more than I imagined).
- Covid...need I say more.
- House hunting for over a year (and failing to find a place) and ending up homeless (we're still living in a tent after almost seven months) because the owner of the house we were renting wanted to move back in and there is a housing crisis in Australia at the moment (20+ applicants per rental...it's insane).
- Homeschooling a child who doesn't want to do her work (high school level work).
So yeah, you can say life really got in the way and I'm just now getting things back to somewhat normal.
Since we've been homeless since April, the foster child who was with us had to be moved to another home (and he has since bought himself a plane ticket and gone back to his mother who was more than capable of caring for him for years, but the team looking after him had a personal grudge against his mother and prevented it from happening...long story there). I'm still in contact with him and he's doing very well. I'm also friends with his mom so we keep in touch too.
As of this writing, we have received out first Covid injection and as you're reading this we're getting our second. So we're all immunized now (thank goodness).
Though we're still homeless, we do have a plan to move to New South Wales. My husbands father owns a fairly large property down there and their family home is sitting empty right now, so he's letting us live there and we'll be taking over the rates payments for him as well as helping him do some remodeling. I'll also get to have the hobby farm I've always wanted and my husband is going to build a forge with his father and learn blacksmithing. So it's all good! We just have to wait for the borders to open (December 17th at this point) so his dad can get up here and help us with the move (he's going to drive the moving truck for us).
My daughter has dropped out of school, but it's not as bad as it sounds. She was tired of doing the same stuff over and over again and wants to focus on her career. So she's going to finish high school at TAFE and take courses that will help her with the things she wants to do. TAFE has programs that will help kids with learning disabilities, so I think it will be better for her. We're waiting until we move to get her enrolled, so she's getting a bit of a break from school for the time being (which gives me a lot more time as well).
Of course, as I was getting back into things, I noticed my cloud storage was hacked and someone had erased all of my books, book covers and other book graphics. None of my other stuff was touched. What made it worse was when it synced with my computer, it deleted everything I saved on my computer as well. On top of that, the USB drive I had used as a backup has gone missing as well. So everything I've ever written is gone!
It's not so bad with the books I've already published. I can download copies of those files from Smashwords, but the stuff I was in the process of writing (including Episode 24 of Shadow Stalker which was in the editing process) is completely gone and I'll have to do all that work over again.
I'm going to be taking part in NaNoWriMo this year to get myself back on track. Not sure if I'll hit the 50k mark, but as long as it gets me in the writing habit again, that's all that matters.
Wish me luck!
Oh and if you're participating this month, feel free to send me a buddy invite so we can cheer each other on!
Question of the Month
What's harder to do, coming up with your book title or writing the blurb?
Definitely the blurb. The titles usually just come to me as I'm writing, but the blurb takes a lot more work. I did have a formula I was using to make it a bit easier, but I can't seem to find it (since the hack job).
IWSG News
Please visit and show your support to the co-hosts for the November 3 posting of the IWSG: Kim Lajevardi, Victoria Marie Lees, Joylene Nowell Butler, Erika Beebe, and Lee Lowery!
For some excellent quick pro tips,
The Novelry shared some of their Top Writing Tips
Need some direction from a retired pro?
E. Seckman shares advice from retired pro, Dixie Browning, The Write Life
Want to know how to add conflict through your setting?
Angela Ackerman explains in Story Need More Conflict? Look to Your Setting
First, I want to thank you so much for featuring me this month. I really appreciate it.
I joined Literary Rambles as Casey McCormick’s blog partner on March 7, 2011. She founded the blog in 2008. Her involvement in the blog decreased after I joined, and she left the blog in 2015.
We're so happy you stuck with the blog. And even happier you joined the IWSG. Do you remember when you joined?
I’m not sure the exact date I joined, but it was within two to three years of starting to blog. When I began blogging, it was the heyday of blogging, and I had a lot of followers who regularly commented on my debut MG and YA author interviews and guest posts.
But blogging quickly dropped off when writers moved to Twitter and Facebook, and I noticed that I had less comments on my posts because of this. I was looking for a group of dedicated bloggers to follow who loved blogging like me and saw that a few of my followers were part of the IWSG. I joined to make blogging friends and get support as a writer. I find that this group has been very supportive, especially when I lost my husband in 2014.
More cyber hugs. I've seen the blogosphere step up during hard times in ways that restore my faith in humanity! Hopefully our blog buddies stick around. Speaking of which, what are your future goals/things to share as a writer/blogger?
As a blogger, my goal is to continue in my mission to help aspiring writers and authors on their path to publication whether as a traditionally published, hybrid, or self-published author and to share my love of books with readers. I plan to continue my agent spotlight interviews and agent/author guest posts with query critique giveaways to help writers find agents and to strengthen their all-important query letters. In addition, I’m updating my agent spotlights as I see changes are needed and all of them every three years so that they are up-to-date. I also will continue to feature MG and YA debut authors through interviews and guest posts and promote other books through my giveaway hops, which I do twice a month now.
I added a Follower News feature a few years ago to help authors who I’m blogger friends with promote their books. I got the idea from the IWSG founder, Alex Cavanaugh, and he was very supportive of me starting this feature, which is similar to his.
Once a month in a regularly scheduled post, I share Follower News about my followers’ recently published books. I have a lot of silent followers who read my posts over time, and these posts may be read by anywhere from 500 to 2,000 people who will learn about these books. I hope all of you who follow my blog regularly will take advantage of Follower News.
My writing goals are to write consistent four to five days a week for 30 minutes to an hour. I’ve been doing this since the summer of 2020, and I’m within about five to six chapters of completing a first draft. I’m not sure whether I’ll ever try to get published given my caregiving responsibilities and the ups and downs of publishing. I’ll make a decision about it after I finish revisions.
As a writer who has benefited from your Follower News, I thank you! I'm glad to hear you're down to your final chapters. Remember to keep us in the loop. The IWSG loves to add shout outs for members. Now, for our final question! Since we're all about books, what was the first favorite novel?
As a kid, I loved the Boxcar series, Nancy Drew series, and Shadow Castle, a MG fantasy by Marian Cockrell, which is still in print.
Many thanks to Natalie for dedication to helping fellow writers. Be sure to visit Natalie!
Literary Rambles: http://literaryrambles.com
Twitter: @NatalieIAguirre
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/natalie.aguirre.56
Natalie Aguirre is the blog host of Literary Rambles. She is an aspiring middle grade and YA author and a member of The Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. She is a retired attorney and part-time contract writer. Natalie is also a widow and mother of a wonderful young adult daughter.
Broken Angel by Sylvia Ney:
Lyon's Legacy: Catalyst Chronicles by Sandra Ulbrich Almazan:
Insecure Writer's Support Group
A database resource site and support group for writers and authors. Featuring weekly guests and tips, a monthly blogfest gathering, a Facebook group, a book club, and thousands of links – all to benefit writers! #IWSG
(((HUGS))) Renee! You've definitely gone through the wringer and hopefully are now out on the other side. Sounds like everything is set up and just waiting for the tip off to get you where you need to be. Hang tough! We're cheering you on!!
ReplyDeleteYeah, we're doing much better now and looking forward to the move. We're just waiting for state borders to open because the state we're moving to is a Covid hotspot at the moment. Shouldn't be more than a month though.
DeleteHi Renee! Welcome back to the internet, and welcome (back?) to IWSG! I give you serious props for maintaining the time and energy to write, given what the last couple of years have been like for you. Good luck with NaNoWriMo :).
ReplyDeleteHi John, thanks so much.
DeleteWow! You've had some challenges these past couple of years. I love your spirit and am glad you'll be settled soon.
ReplyDeleteBlurbs are definitely more difficult for me. Like you, title just seem to come from the idea. And I have lots of ideas! 😆
Hi, Lee. Thanks!
DeleteAnd yeah, I have a lot of ideas too. I have to keep writing them all down so I don't get overwhelmed.
Welcome back! Sorry you've had such a rough couple of years. But good to hear you'll be settling into a new home, I hope things get back on an even keel.
ReplyDeleteI winced when you read all your work was hacked. I'd never even thought about that happening in the cloud, and the fact they didn't touch anything else raises a flag that it was stolen... Don't want to add fuel to the fire, but can that be reported or investigated in any way? I sincerely hope NaNo goes well for you. Good luck!
Hi Nick. Thanks so much, and yeah things are getting better now.
DeleteI didn't think it would happen with the cloud either, but apparently it does. I don't think the person who did it stole my work because most of what they deleted has already been published. They can try to steal it, but I have other proof that I'm the original author (like notes and stuff that was never deleted). I honestly think it was someone who has a grudge against indie authors. There are a lot of them out there.
Wowzers, that's a lot going on. I think the loss of stuff on the cloud is the 'bitchiest' thing and I'm sorry and I know it would be a monstrous loss to me if it happened. Sounds like you have the housing sorted. I don't know you personally, but 'love' being sent.
ReplyDeleteHi, Helen. Thanks so much! I was upset about the stuff being deleted, but I can't change it, and I'm not the wallowing type. I just get on with things.
DeleteOh my goodness, never summarizes a few years into one post. It's too scary. LOL. You've done marvels, Renee. I've read your post and now I'm off to have a nap because I'm exhausted for YOU. Take care. You'll soon be out of the tent and enjoying the farm. Best to you.
ReplyDeleteHi, Joylene. Thanks. I can use a nap about now as well.
Deleteps. Welcome back.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Renee, for jumping right back into NaNo and IWSG and hosting that lovely interview with Natalie Aguirre. I just finished reading her post and am always amazed at what she accomplishes. The challenges you've faced over the last year seem almost insurmountable (even losing your writing as Hemingway once did), but you are persevering. Congratulations on getting those vaccines, and I hope your upcoming move brings you a sense of home and a place to continue writing. PS I'll try to 'friend' you for Nano!
ReplyDeleteHi, Beth. Thanks so much!
DeleteWow! If you wrote that as a story, no one would believe you. Sorry about your house and losing everything. I hope you can get to that ranch soon.
ReplyDeleteHi, Alex. Thanks! Yeah, it is quite a story. At least things are getting better now though.
DeleteOh my goodness! N wonder you took a hiatus! That was a lot to deal with. You're a heck of a trooper to be able to keep your spirits so high.
ReplyDeleteI work in social work, so I understand too well the red tape nonsense. Glad that situation got sorted out. Fingers crossed you're in a home soon!
Hi, Elizabeth. Thanks, but believe me, my spirits were not always so high. I've had quite a few breakdowns over the last couple of years, but I've mainly been trying to hold it together for the kids. I'm just lucky we're a very close and supportive family. I think that's what's been getting me through all this.
Delete