Making Rivi's Costume For Cosplay

In progress:

As many of you know- I'll be attending the Novel Wine Tasting Arts and Literary Festival at September Oaks this October. (October 25th from noon till 6). My publishers will be there and both of my books are scheduled to be released for this event too!

This year I thought, What if I dressed as one of my characters? I chose Rivi from The Alien Mind. I had already designed the costume with an illustration while writing the book because I needed to figure out how to describe it. The hard part was trying to figure out how to bring it to life.

There is no pattern in the Walmart sewing department labled Rivi after all. So I found an outfit that looked close to the style elements I needed. A straight skirt and a vneck shirt. The pattern came with short sleeves so I am going to have to experiment in making the sleeves longer but here we go!

Meshing two patterns

To start off with I took the skirt and shirt pattern and layed them over the top of each other, lining up the "waist line" line. I melded the pattern lines together while cutting so the outfit gets cut all in one seamless piece. The picture is after I had removed the extra fabric from my cutting area. (I work off to the side of my living room and TRY not to impeed the flow of traffic... can't say that always works though.)

Rivi's second layer to her outfit is the same basic design but cut down the middle and trimmed so I needed two sets of everything! One in light blue and one in dark blue. Halfway through cutting I realized I didn't have enough dark blue and had to drive 45minutes away to the nearest fabric department. Thats country living for you!

Next I laid out the fabric for the sleeves and used a straight edge to continue the pattern lines. Please don't copy me yet as I have NO clue if this is going to turn out right- I've never made sleeves from scratch before. I'm good if I have a full pattern, this is out of my comfort zone!

I've sewn up the back and sides. Since this one will be the jacket piece and I'll be cutting it up the middle I won't need the zipper so that step was easy.



Now I am stuck working on the interior of the neck section. THIS part always gives me grief on any project I am working on. Oh well, I'll figure it out in the end- no worries!


Stay close- I'll post more as I get farther along!

Why I Write, Create, Build, And Ask Questions

Found on: http://teespring.com/iamauthor

My uncle shared this picture of this tshirt on Facebook with me. I love it! I think it perfectly describes why I write! 

I write because I am intrigued by the way writing removes the limitations of this earth. From an early age, I was amazed at how words strung together could create new worlds. Reading gave me new places to explore that I would never be able to go to otherwise (like other planets). I also use my writing to help convince people of all ages that they are capable of so much more. I want to inspire people to reach for their full potential, do things they've never done before, and achieve things they may not have thought possible.

I enjoy writing for middle school age students because that age is when I found myself struggling between the adult world and losing her imagination. Back then I found fewer and fewer science fiction books in the library geared toward my age level. I am a speculator at heart, I want to encourage people, especially the younger generation, to keep asking questions and try to see things from different angles. Never stop exploring the hows and whys of things around you, this is where the real wisdom and our human potential comes from!

So how did my writing career start?

How I Began My Writing Career

handwriting

I started writing small things in elementary school, poems, book reports and the like. It wasn't really until 6th grade that my english teacher Mrs. Troublefield encouraged and inspired me to write longer things outside of class work. My writing back then was FAR from being anything worth reading... but she took a look at a few of my stories that I had written for fun. Instead of pulling them apart and redlining the entire thing she told me there was potential there and to keep on working. 

I was homeschooled through the rest of my school years, but I continued on with my writing. In the evenings as I lay in my bed I would analyze the structures of  sagas like Harry Potter and Star Wars. Then I would begin creating and recreating (as in I would throw them away and start over) my own worlds in my mind and imagining what the characters would say and do.Many times my stories would bleed over into my dreams and continue developing there!

When the stories got long enough I finally sat down with stacks of notebook paper and wrote them out. (I still have those pencil and ink splotched manuscripts) Later I began typing them up. I hadn't reached 18 by the time I was finished with my first book. I was told by agents that although they liked my work they didn't want to deal with having to work contracts with parents in the mix. So, I paid to self-published my first book. My second one Visionary From The Stars was published by a publisher that shall not be named- (BUT if you find out who it is PLEASE don't take anything to them- you have been warned. I went with them in 2006 before I knew anything about Writer Beware)

In 2012 I saw all the changes in the book industry, with CreateSpace and KDP (amazon's kindle program) opening up new avenues for authors. Neither of my books were in e-book format and my publishers didn't offer those services at that time. So, I got the rights back to my first book and self-published The Alien Mind. It was from that experience that PDMI Publishing LLC found my work and offered me a contract to publish both of my books under their imprint Rara Avis with their distributors. 

I LOVED self-publishing but it was hard for me to market as much as I needed to, and without the backing of a publisher I found it very difficult to get bookstores to even consider stocking my books. More on why I have enjoyed being a PDMI author here.

In 2013 I illustrated a book for PDMI called Wiggle Worm's Shape Adventures by author twins Karen and Kathy Sills.

And in the summer of 2014 PDMI hired me on to be their Illustration and Design Department Manager. Both of my books should be published and released by them sometime this fall (stay posted!). Rumor has it that I may be able to bring both of them to the Novel Wine Tasting Arts and Literary Festival!

Why I Signed With PDMI Publishing

www.pdmipublishing.com

As many of you know, my books use to be (and one still is for now) self-published. I loved self-publishing, but there were many things that I just couldn't achieve with my limited budget as a self-published author. 

I checked out agents and other publishing houses before I chose self-publishing and decided then that what those other houses had to offer wasn't worth the creative input (and the royalties) that I would need to give up.

Then one day, PDMI Publishing approached me with a contract proposal after seeing my work on my website. I'm here to tell you that the PDMI versions of my books are not even published yet and I already have a million reasons why I love being an author with PDMI. I'll go through only a few of them here though...

Authors should be allowed to have a voice in the process of bringing their books to life. No one wants to see the books they have worked so long on torn to shreds and completely changed from how they saw their story unfolding, and yet many mainstream publishers out there change the author's story.  PDMI does not. PDMI works with the author to make sure any changes made to the book still fit within the author's intended vision of the story.

Working on my edits with the editor from PDMI was actually really rather fun! My editor was Clay Gilbert- his comments were hilarious!

Many publishers publish the author and then the author is left to do most if not all of the promoting. Now, PDMI does expect their authors to promote their books- BUT they also help on their end! PDMI has a marketing department that is constantly knocking on doors to get their authors into book events and onto shelves. They maintain an active and personable social media platform and are always looking for new ways to get their authors out there. They even help their authors figure out how to navigate social media effectively!

PDMI also has a massive professional distributing network that makes their books available through any book buying avenue out there. PLUS something else that all bookstores require for shelving that self-publishing can not offer- book store returns! Bookstores want to be able to know that they can return the book if it doesn't sell. (This was the number one reason I was always given as to why I couldn't get my self-published book into the bookstores I approached.)

PDMI even helps support their authors at events! They have represented one of their authors at a film festival when the author was wanting to drum up financial backing to get the author's book made into a movie. They even go to book festivals all over the United States to support their authors. 

When the book is released they'll even help you set up a book tour if you are game for that!

Above all, they are down to earth people that really want to make a difference in the literary world. They promote quality over quantity and strive to design and publish books that will catch the readers eye. They even strive to keep ahead of the market trends!

One of the main things I checked for before signing on with them was their book covers and interior design. If the book covers are plain jane two or three photoshopped photos thrown together you will not get that WOW response from your reader. PDMI has their own illustrators and cover designers on staff and their covers and interior designs are amazing! No other publishing company out there that I have seen publishes books with this amount of quality and thought put into the design! Here are some of PDMI's book covers.

"Yeah but I bet you have to pay for all that!" Says the cynic.

NOPE! On the contrary, they offer a 50% royalty rate to their authors (40% on childrens books), and they publish your book the way any non-vanity professional publisher would- without charging! 

PDMI Publishing is the pinnacle of what I believe a publisher should be. They have an ethics committee that keeps them honest and they strive to treat authors the way they should be treated, like family. After all, if my book sales pay to keep your company open and your company is enabling my book sales everything works out better if we work hand in hand right! To prove that, they have a group on facebook to allow their authors to interact with all the department heads as well as the owners Tc and Nessa Mckenny. We laugh, joke, share and support everyone; that group is our main hub!

Many of their authors are even integrated into their company staff as well. This further helps connect them to their authors and keeps the company down to earth.  I myself was hired to be their Illustration and Design Department Manager just a month or two ago. Speaking of which, their illustrators are even paid by royalties in order to help solidify the idea that everyone benefits when everyone works together to promote the books!

Now yes, I may LOOK a tad biased because I am now on their staff but in all fairness, I had this blog post written out on my old blog over a year ago. My blog got munched by the internet pixies a few weeks ago and I am trying to rebuild lol.

If you get the chance please stop by and give their page a like. Drop them a line and tell them to keep up the good work if you get the chance! The heads of the company, Tc and Nessa, the company director Victoria, and the rest of the staff, are all wonderful people and would appreciate your encouragement!

Speculating On How The World Sees Christians

I know I have been trying to stick to fiction- but I did name my blog speculative shorts, so lets do some real world speculating for a bit.

catd_mitchell via photopin cc

My husband brought home the movie God's Not Dead for us to watch with our kids over supper today. Near the end of the movie many of the characters were present in a christian music concert. These concerts are not just about music, they are intended to help spread the message that Jesus loves us, died for us, and wants us to believe in him. The concert seen at the end made me realize something else as well. I realized that I feel like I prefer Christian concerts over going to church. At first I was mortified to admit this to myself.

Until I took the moment to speculate and analyze why.

Everyone at these concerts is made to feel welcome and they are excited to come worship in one accord- no matter how differently they are dressed, no matter if they are in dresses or shorts, no matter if they drive fancy cars or can barely afford the 10$. No one judges, no one cares- EVERYONE is there for one purpose- to worship God.

How many times have I worried that I need to buy another "church" dress because I only had two left that fit and it would look awful to show up to church in the clothes I wore last weekend.

Why do I feel that way? (I know I'm not the only one) For as much as we preach acceptance, we still get dressed up in our "sunday best". Its been ingrained in us for generations! We still make sure our church meetings follow the same perfect pattern. The children musn't cry or they are ushered away to far off corners. The preacher and deacons must be smartly dressed (in a long sleeve suit in summer). In some cases the choir wears extra robes on top of their clothes which serves to equalize them visually but also to make them appear that much more "perfect". Everything is neat prim and proper.

A K-Love Christian Concert- If we can worship like this
 why do we doll up for church?
photo credit: thoughtquotient.com via photopin cc

 I wonder how many people have stopped short from wandering into church on sunday just because they didn't feel like they could fit in? How many were afraid they would stand out like a sore thumb or be given "looks" because they were too sloppy?

Is it possible that our traditions, formulas, and "sunday" best is actually turning away the people that really need the message. This is, of course, accentuated when we leave that afternoon and jump into our shorts and tshirts and act like normal frumpy human beings. (Ladies we all know you are dying to take those heels and stockings off!)

But WHY NOT?! God loves us just the way we are! Why shouldn't we worship him how we are? Dress decently, yes- but like you NORMALLY dress. Not some perfect china doll or perfect prince charming.

I wonder if this might make the difference in our goal to reach those who really need the message. A difference enough to realize that yes- it doesn't matter what life circumstances you are from- God loves you JUST the way you are.

You dress comfortably in your own home right? Well, since God is our father and sees us even at our worst- why do we put on a show, a facade for him on Sunday? I found I feel more connected to God when I am comfortable.

Not when I am trying to paint myself (or my children) up in uncomfortable clothes that I only use once a week.

Speculation for thought.

A Rejected Begining

This piece is a beginning I was hashing out for The White Knight. I rejected it because it started in the present, walked into a flashback and then ended right before the present. Just confusing. Anyhow, while I'm not keeping it for publication I thought you might find it interesting at the very least.

photo credit: Simon & His Camera via photopin cc

     Andrew sat down on a boulder along the side of the road blinking back tears. He hadn't made it in time to warn his brother. Now his brother and his brother's wife were both dead, and their daughter was nowhere to be found!
  Andrew sat down on a boulder along the side of the road blinking back tears. He hadn't made it in time to warn his brother. Now his brother and his brother's wife were both dead, and their daughter was nowhere to be found.

     He hadn't spoken to his brother in 5 years. When he saw the troupe of Grissom's army marching along the outskirts of Aglasia's border he knew he needed to let go of the past and headed out towards his brother's manor. Grissom's army would destroy all in their path if they were not stopped.

   But he had gotten there too late, Grissom's army had reached his brother's manor first. They executed the adults, killed the livestock and burned everything else. Andrew ran among in and out of the smoldering remains of the farm calling out for his brother's daughter. Fearing that she had been taken prisoner he had taken off down the dusty dirt road vowing to chase Grissom's army to the ends of the earth!

Mapping The White Knight

The Set Up: 

The Prince is used to ordering people around and getting what he wants but he has no direction in his life. Trying to inspire him the king puts his son in charge of the entire castle- instead of inspiring him, the prince resorts to barking unnecessary orders just to maintain an illusion of power. Angela is a slave being sold as a servant to the highest bidder. She gets sold to the king where she gets put to work in the palace grounds. She spends her few moments of free time in the evening watching the knights practice sword fighting out on the castle grounds. She doesn’t know why but for some reason their movements fascinate her and she finds herself trying to imitate them.

Plot point 1:

 Angela gets asked one day to bring some swords to the great hall. When she gets there she realizes that there is a dueling lesson being held for the Prince in the great hall. As one of the pages trips she accidentally laughs. The prince sarcastically offers for her to try her hand at it and she beats him in the duel. When the prince gets over being embarrassed that she beat him he asks her if she would practice with him to help him get better and the two become friends.

Two different groups of invaders start attacking the country side led by two men who want to lay claim to the king’s throne. Knowing the knights could use all the help they can get the prince convinces Angela to have her teacher join the knights. He does not know that Angela has no teacher so Angela disguises herself as a masked man and is daubed the White Knight. However when she gets knocked unconscious by a bad wound in one of the battles her secret identity is almost found out. One of the knights who happened to know who her father was figures out who she is and comes up with a distraction so she is not found out.

Turning point:

The prince creates the secret identity of the black knight so he can go against his father’s wishes and continue to fight with the knights in the battles. Angela starts to realize that she is beginning to have feelings for both the Black Knight and the Prince but she knows that the prince does not realize she is a knight nor does the Black Knight know she is a servant. She finds herself equally torn in worry between the two as all the other knights including the Prince are ordered to help defend one of the closest outposts. When she receives news that the invaders may have the Prince as their captive, she rushes to his aid.

Plot point 2:

Angela and the other knights invade the enemy’s camp and free the prince. When they are discovered she unveils her secret identity to throw the leader of the invaders off his element and using her skills as a duelist she manages to win their right to walk free. After they get back to the camp the prince reveals to her that he does not care that she had a secret identity it still would not change anything… However he leaves it at that and she is left wondering what that “anything” is to begin with- after all she still has feelings for two different men or so she thinks.

Turning point:

 Hoping to try to put an end to all the battles, the king announces that the prince must choose who he will marry by his birthday. The king apologizes to the prince saying that he had arranged for an easier choice by having made an arranged marriage with one of his knights daughters who then disappeared when her family was killed… when the same knight that knew Angela’s father reveals to Angela that the knight that the king is talking about was her own father Angela begs him not to tell anyone.

Resolution:

Despite not knowing who the arranged marriage was supposed to be with, the prince asks Angela to come to the celebration held in honor of his birthday. He instructs her to come as herself not as the White Lady. At the celebration when he tries to ask her to marry him she hesitates and admits to him that she can’t because she has feelings for another as well. He reveals to her that he and the Black Knight is the same person. The king objects to the prince’s choice in marriage but not after the Prince reveals all that Angela has done under the secret guise of the White Lady.

(This is just one possible mapping- I haven't quite decided which route I will take yet)