GOING TINY AND BEING AN AUTHOR...AM I CRAZY?

Many people don't understand my love with going tiny.

I'll try and explain it to you.

First, 2016 was a very interesting year. On top of medical issues that would have sidelined most people; I was able to continue to work, write and enjoy life. (It wasn't easy but I refused to give in to the illness)

In the latter part of 2016, I came to the conclusion that I don't need lots of 'stuff' to make me happy. Sure, I still need shoes, but other than that, I'm happiest when I'm in my little reading 'closet".  I took a 2x4 closet and turned it into my reading/writing nook and found that when I was in there; I was at peace and could block out all of the negative around me.

I have been fascinated by tiny homes since 2015 and began to look more closely at them in 2016. I figured I could at least do the research and find out why people choose this way of living. 

That search ended in 2016, November 12 at 5:15 am, on my way to work. I SAW a tiny house being pulled by a truck and said..wow; that looks like me. I can see myself living there. I called my partner and told him. His words were, "wow; you sound like a kid at Christmas" and I said, "I feel like I am".

I went to work and researched that company. Later that day, I needed to go to the mall and that same company was in the mall handing out brochures about their company. That was a sign to me. Actually the second sign that I needed to be in this kind of home. The third sign came when I went to Virginia to see +TinyHomesVA in Fredricksburg, Virginia. Jessica was so helpful and knowledgeable and at that moment,  it was decided. 

I am getting a tiny home.

So the search began for a builder and about a month ago I found Incredible Tiny Homes in Morristown, Tennessee. They can build my tiny but then they introduced, "Build Your Own" university. The requirements: You must dedicate seven (7) days to be at their warehouse and you must have at least four (4) build buddies and they will help you build your own. They have already had two workshops and 13 homes have been built and are now in their owners home states. Last week you read about my love affair with Regina's tiny home. I always wanted the size that she built and after seeing hers I know I made the right choice. 

Going tiny means many things to many people. To a lot of them it means economic freedom and to others it means leaving a smaller environmental footprint. To me, it means being able to be comfortable in my own space. It means, living better and freer with less bills. It means being able to travel more and it means to finally be able to write more. Being creative in a small space is such a blessing that I couldn't see myself NOT living tiny.

I know some of you won't or don't want to live tiny but for me, it's the only option for me.

For me, its about loving life and living life to the fullest and being in a tiny home is what is going to make it all worthwhile.

So continue to read about my journey here. And just so you know. The creative process is in full swing. I have just started working on another murder/drama novel and this one will prove that love doesn't conquer all.

SURPRISE.....I'M BACK

I took the month of April off to celebrate my 50th birthday!

Yep I needed an entire month because after all; you only turn 50 ONCE in your lifetime and many of us don't make it.

But I'm back and full of it!

Yep, full of ideas and I am going to share an small excerpt of what I have been working on.

Tell me what you think?

(Untitled Mature Romance novel)

She rolled over and noticed the time on the clock. “Holy hell!” she said as she threw the covers from her thick frame. Then she heard it. Snoring.

“Hey, hey.” She said as she pushed the back of the sleeping man on the opposite side of the bed.

“What?” he said groggily.

“It’s nine o clock, you have got to go.” She said as she snatched the covers from his body. She sucked in a breath as those thick, muscular arms and broad shoulders brought back memories from the previous night.

“C’mon it was a late night.” He said as he pulled the blanket back up to his shoulders.

“No, no, no.” she said tugging at the covers. “My son will be here in less than an hour.” Although if she knew her son, it would be more like two hours but she didn’t’ want to tell him that.

“Babe, let me sleep just a little longer. I mean, damn; it’s not like you let me get much sleep last night.” He said as he turned over and grabbed her hand.

“Well, somebody had a lot of mouth and I had to make you live up to your words.” She said as she closed her eyes and let his fingers trace down her C cup breasts.

He moved towards her and brought a hardened nipple to his mouth.

“Look…” she began saying but his tongue slid lower until he was licking her thighs. “Umm, well, since you insist.” She said as she allowed him to climb on top of her and soon nine o clock became nine forty five.

He lay on her back, sweat dripping from him onto her. He kissed her cheek.

“Now that you have thrown off my whole morning, can we now get in the shower before my son gets here?”

“Yes! You want to continue in the shower.” He said as he rolled off of her and sat on the side of the bed.

“No, you shower; I’ll make coffee and then join you. But you better be half way finished by the time I get there. No fooling around.”

“If you say so.” He said as he got up and walked towards the bathroom.

She smiled and let her eyes travel down the length of him. “I’m so lucky.” She said as he turned.

“No, I’m the lucky one.” He said as he closed the door and she heard the water come on in the shower.

She righted herself in the bed and reached for her glasses. She then poured two of her arthritis pills in her hand. She got up and pulled on her robe and slippers. She passed the mirror and brushed down her unruly grey hair.

“Not bad for 57, not bad at all” she said as she continued to the kitchen.

Royalty should have it's perks, Pt.2

Princess needed a day to compose herself, but she is here to finish her post. Please welcome her back.

Like I was saying before emotions overtook me,they moved me into a much smaller castle and then they finally decided that we needed to move on. And now finally, I have taken over my new castle. It is much bigger and has lots of hiding spaces.

They insist on trying to make me behave but after what they put me through, they are lucky that I haven't "stamped" the entire castle.

The one with the spikey shoes is always making loud, annoying noises whenever I try and scratch up the carpet, so I stay clear of her. The one with the deep voice, he doesn't really care at all. So I go and give him the priviledge of petting me every now and again. The one with that likes to play with me the most, she's the push over. So I can do what I want with her. As long as I play with her ever so often, I can scratch until my heart is content. Wait..what's this. Oh No! The spikey heeled one has turned her against me. She is now making that same annoying noise!

She thinks I am going to let her continue to take my picture. I think not.

The fur-less ones are trying to stop me but I will win this battle. They just haven't seen 'all' of my work.

One size DOES fit all

What a wonderful weekend it was! I attended the LIM conference. Love Is Murder is an annual conference held over the super bowl weekend and it was a blast!

I met some wonderful people but that will be a different blog, different day.

What I wanted to tell you was that one size DOES fit all. There was a vendor who sold shoes. Imagine my giddiness but then imagine my disappointment as shoe after shoe after boot was "not available in your size".

What! What! I could hardly breathe. I'm not sure, but I think I blacked out for a second. She went behind her 'magical' curtain to see if she had more in 'stock' but she peeked her little blond head out after almost two minutes and said, "can you wear a 10?"

I wanted to scream! NO, now find me a 9 in that red/black stiletto or at the very least in the red ruffle topped boot! After five LONG minutes she finally came out and said. "Sorry hun, we only have an eight."

She then told me, "well come back in ten minutes, I'll check my stock and see what I have in a nine." Armed with that, I went to my next panel discussion; apatly titled, how to lift fingerprints; which might have come in handy. Or at the very least show me what NOT to touch. I walked happily back to the 'vendor' room and looked for the little blond haired woman, who I might add was wearing the red ruffled topped boots that I wanted. She looked at me sympathically and said, "Sorry Hun, I don't have any size nines."

It all became a blur. My eyes went crossed, my breathing quickend and I believe I was in a state of shock.

What! What! What the heck has happened to all the little feet people? Have they all grown a size larger? I used to find size nine all day, every day and now you are telling me that a size nine in your 'traveling' shoe store is 'not available." At that moment, I became a mystery author. Plotting how I could get my hands on those size nines. I innocently asked, "well do you know who bought the last size nine?" Imagine my surprise when she told me,his name and room number; "because he bought them for his wife."

Hey we are at a mystery conference, what better way to end it, than with a TRUE mystery?
Who killed the man in room 211 with a stiletto shoe to the back? Perfect crime, right? Well it would have been had I not announced, "Well, I think I can take him." Yeah, I doubt if I would have made it to the lobby with my new red/black stiletto shoes.

So I guess the saying IS true, one size DOES fit all. Much to my chagrin, but there is ALWAYS next year...

LOVE IS MURDER--or is it?

This week I will travel to the Love is Murder conference in Chicago. This conference is held every year and I have known about it for at least a couple of years. It is held on Feb. 2-5 this year and yes the super bowl is being played, but there are televisions there.
This year I finally decided, you know; I'm going and boy am I glad that I decided that. As soon as my registration was paid for I received a phone call from one of the organizers, Hanley (and yes,her name is as unique as mine)and she was so bubbly. Imagine my shock when she asked me to be on a panel and possibly a moderator. Now here is the sad part. Hanley said, "you know we are not that well attended by the African American writers". What? Are you serious? I know there are THOUSANDS of us out here and yet this conference, has literally a handful, yes her words, of African American authors attending.
Well, I will do my best to change that. I know there are some great mystery writers, romance writers and thriller writers that are African American; why aren't you attending. Is it because you think because you can't, or do you limit yourself to genre specific events. Let me tell you, she will always see my face from now on. During the first week in February, you can believe I will be in Chicago, rubbing elbows with publicists, NY best selling authors and the best that the publishing industry has to offer. How many of you will be there next year?

New book released-Ami Blackwelder

Today I have turned over BSW to Ami Blackwelder as she talks about her newest creation.

Paranormal and SciFi Author Ami Blackwelder will have two new books out soon! 

Invasion of 2020

The Invasion of 2020, the first book in the Shifter Evolutions series is scheduled to be released Sept 1st 2011, (Books 1-5 are out now)       

The Invasion of 2020 is the prequel to Shifters of 2040. The Shifter Evolutions begins with the middle book, The Shifters of 2040, and gives the reader the choice for the past or future. This release of the first book in the series, The Invasion of 2020, will allow readers to engage the series chronologically also. 

            Readers will enjoying finding out more about Uri Petrov and Dr. Samantha Croon as they discover what exactly brought the shifters to Earth and what sparked human fears. Who was the young Marn and young Raul and what molded them into who they became? 

Ami Blackwelder is a forbidden romance writer in the paranormal and historical romance genre. Growing up in Florida, she went to UCf and in 1997 received her BA in English and teaching credentials. She travelled overseas to teach in Thailand, Nepal, Tibet, China and Korea. Thailand is considered her second home now. She has always loved writing and wrote poems and short stores since childhood; however, her novels began when she was in Thailand.

            Having won the Best Fiction Award from the University of Central Florida (Yes, The Blair Witch Project University;), her fiction From Joy We Come, Unto Joy We Return was published in the on campus literary magazine: Cypress Dome and remains to this day in University libraries around the country. Later, she achieved the Semi-Finals in a Laurel Hemingway contest and published a few poems in the Thailand’s Expat magazine, and an article in the Thailand’s People newspaper. Additionally, she has published poetry in the Korea’s AIM magazine, the American Poetic Monthly magazine and Twisted Dreams Magazine.

Find out more about her and her books at http://amiblackwelder.blogspot.com