It's Official!

I have huge news.  First, though, I want to just remind everyone of this post and ask you to read my big news in light of the word I chose to live out this year: dream.

On January 7, 2013, two big things happened to me:

I came home from the homeschool drama and speech class at the library, opened my email account, and in the very big stack of virtual envelopes saw TIME SENSITIVE.  So, naturally, I opened it first.
The Huffington Post - a real news report! - wanted little old not-even-published-yet me to webcam in their 20-30 minute HuffPost Live video interviewing teen author Anna Caltabiano of All That Is Red.  (I haven't read it, but they wanted me to talk with them/her as a fellow teen writer.)  I was shocked and amazed and very, very nervous, but you can see my first official appearance in video on the web.  I have a small bit mostly in the middle.  But still.  The News!

Not even two hours later, even more good news heralded my inbox.  Lo and behold, the same day A Real News Report invites me to their video, I win a poetry contest!  My poem, "Reasons," was one of about one hundred to be chosen for publication in an anthology coming out in March entitled Inside of Me - entirely written for teenagers, by teenagers.  As if that wasn't amazing enough, my poem was also one of about twenty to thirty poems that went on to the scholarship contest (which was the original reason I entered).

That all leads me to the title of this post, "It's Official!"  Because as of this month, this year, January 2013, I can no longer hide behind insecurity or the odds or even the fact that technically, I'm now an official poet, not a "real author."

As of my seventeenth birthday, I. Am. A Teen Author.

To all my wonderful, amazing, lovely followers and readers - thank you, first of all, for getting me to this point.  Trust me, you were very important in my writing journey the past two years, especially during this time.

I plan to reflect this change in my life by changing my blog address and title.  Maybeteenauthor.blogspot.com will redirect old readers, but I will be blogging at a new site from now on.  Please pass the word on!  AND - I need help choosing a new title and address!  Ideas and feedback are appreciated!

I'm Thankful For...

{via}

~turkey

~cranberry sauce

~free sunday afternoons

~netflix

~pinterest

~thunderstorms

~my laptop

~a pretty room

~nail polish

~internet

~online writing communities

~electricity

~twinkies

~lip balm

~october in georgia

~ballets

~disney

~spotify

~blogger. gmail. google translate.

~critique partners

~kindle

~html code

~sleepovers

~library cards

~paper

~quality ink pens

~postal workers

~spray-on detangler

~kleenex

~double-sided tape

~calendars

~radio

~bookshelves

~large purses

~hot glue gun

~flip-flops

~long walks in spring, wax paper, and heavy books

~seashells

~camera

~inanimate, unconcious plastic

~air conditioning

~fuzzy blankets

~hot chocolate

~chocolate frosting

~chocolate truffles

~dipping chocolate melts

~all other chocolate

~hats

~bath&body works signature sets

~cheap long-distance phone service

~refillable water bottles

~pretty jewelry

~used book stores

~scrapbook paper

~trees

~airplanes

~freedom

~Bibles

~favorite childhood movies

~amazing soundtracks

~really good dreams

~facebook freebies

~butterflies

~wildflowers

~movies as good as their books

~yellow houses

~ice cream

~nights with a parent all to yourself

~blog giveaways

~long pillows

~fluffy cats

~beach vacations

~free samples

~old dolls

~lists

1 Corinthians 11:15

My (mostly)strawberry-(just slightly)blond hair is my favorite feature.  I would say it's my best, but there are people reading this who would disagree.  So we'll stick with "favorite."

I recently received a postcard in the mail.  That in itself is not exactly a big deal... except this was my Locks of Love donor recognition postcard!

Actually, it was my second LOL postcard.  I have donated hair on two occasions - once right before I moved to Oki, when I donated 13 inches.  (People, that is a crazy lot of hair.  I had what was left turned into a layered bob that was *so* not right for my face shape.)  This time, I donated 12 inches - still a ton of hair - and had much better results.  For one, I grew it out longer beforehand so I would have more to work with after the cut.  Also, I did a lot of internet surfing to find the perfect cut for my hair type and color, face shape, and morning styling time.

Before:

After:

Now I guess I'll just let it keep growing until I donate again!  I mean, I've been "growing it out" practically all my life - why stop now?  Besides, my hair is a really unique color that a ton of women pay hundreds of dollars to get with color treatments.  (Or so my hairdressers have told me.)  Since I'm blessed enough to have it naturally, I figure the hairpiece recipients at LOL would be happy to have it too.

Have you ever donated something unique - like hair! - to a charity?

30 Day Challenge - Day 15: A Person You Admire

Lately life has been nuts.  I've been helping my friend Kathryn; getting ready for my part in my church's Easter drama; planning a Mad Hatter tea party for some girls at my church; and trying to catch up on homework.  Therefore, I apologize for my sparse blogging in March and the fact that I totally dropped the 30 Day Challenge.  It'll take more than my planned 30 weeks, but I still intend to finish this thing!

Today's topic would seem obvious.  After all, anyone who's read this blog could figure out I admire Bailey.  She's such an encouragement and role model to me.

But today I'd rather talk about a few people that I admire for their impact on my life.  When I sent out my first-ever query letters a few weeks ago, I started to wonder who I'd want to dedicate my first book to.  (I'm nowhere near actual publication, and yet I'm already writing my dedication in my head.  Sheesh.)


Lately I've come to terms with the fact that I might not be a published author, ever - or, if I am published, it may not be until after graduation.  It's a little sad for me to realize that my dream may not happen the way I want, but it's a fact of life.  Maybe God has different dreams for me.  But whether I'm published at sixteen, sixty, or never, I want those who have been influential in my life as a writer to know I appreciate them.  Without further ado, the dedication I hope to print in my first book...

To Mrs. Rose, who taught me the love of story

To Mrs. Wolfanger, who taught me the art of story

To Grandma, who encouraged me to finish what I start

To Dad, who gave me Black Beauty and a notebook and told me to write what I think

And to Mom, who trained me in life and language class.  Without you this book and this girl would not be.

I love you all.

Guest Post at Just Us Girlz

Hello lovely readers!  Just wanted to tell you that I guest posted at my friend AnnaKate's blog, Just Us Girlz, on Sunday.  Topic?  The parallels between America and the Hunger Games. :)

"Why is the Hunger Games so popular outside of the young adult world?

This series teaches the reader. It makes a person think about topics like freedom, government, choice, and the morality of humans and humans' entertainment. It pushes you to wonder about the things we've been desensitized to today in the real world. Whether or not Suzanne Collins started out to write a critique of today's world into her books, she ended up with one. Not to mention the characters are nothing like any stereotypes - every single one has a life story, weaknesses and strengths, and reasons for every action that are true to life and believable."

You can read the whole post here: http://godlygirlz.blogspot.com/2012/04/emily-russell.html

Thanksgiving's Overrated

Now before you lovely readers shoot me or hastily unfollow, let me explain: Thanksgiving is overrated.  Thanks-giving, on the other hand, is not nearly as pushed as it should be.

Allow me to get my point across.  Have you ever played this game?  I say a word, and you say the first three words or things that come to mind.  No hesitation, editing, or thinking allowed.  Just blurt the first three words out.

Here we go:

Thanksgiving.

My guess is most of you think along the lines of turkey, football, family.  Not necessarily in that order, but that's probably what came up.  Maybe some of you thought Pilgrims or no school or cranberry sauce... you get the idea.

Usually, though, the word "thanksgiving" does bring up the topic of thankfulness... after food and family and friends and football and school plays and history class.  There's nothing wrong with those things; I just find that I personally prefer to celebrate Thanksgiving during the rest of the year, too.  (Minus the turkeys and colored-paper Indian feathers.)  I call it Thanksgiving of the Heart.

This isn't a rigid schedule or an absolutely-must-do-this-daily thing, but every day I think of something I'm thankful for.  I don't make lists or write a thank-you note to God or someone who has touched my life, and after several weeks of this I don't even have to try.  It will just hit me.  I'll be texting or talking to someone and suddenly think, "I'm thankful for you - for our relationship."  I could be just waking up on a Saturday morning, lying in bed still sleepy, and think "I'm thankful for a non-leaky roof" or "I'm thankful for my own room."  Then, sometimes, I start really thinking about that.  You know how many families around the world have a dozen or so people living in a mud hut the size of my bedroom?  And I get it all to myself!  You know how many people - how many kids, too! - live off of a single cup of rice a day?  Not just a cup per meal - no, a cup per day!  And I have about thirty choices in the cupboard at snack time alone.

It's moments like those that I consider my Thanksgiving.  The actual holiday may revolve around Macy's parade, family football games, and a giant turkey, but when the decorations come down and the Christmas preparations are in full swing, I tend to find myself more thankful when I'm not trying too hard.

What has happened upon your life that you value?  That you could say you're thankful for?

Friendlight Friday

I was invited to join this weekly posting link-up.  While I already have bloggy plans (and NaNoWriMo to work on), I wanted to share it with you.

Erin from Courage Through Christ

and

Rebecca from Blessings Every Minute of My Life

I am hosting a weekly blessings themed blog challenge along with Rebecca from Blessings Every Minute of My Life!

Here is how the challenge works. Each week, there will be a theme or topic such as family, friends, Bible verses, etc. Both Rebecca and I will each do a post on a way that God has blessed us through the particular weeks theme. For example, if the theme is family, we would do a post about a family member that has been a blessing to us over the past week. Now here is where it gets fun. You all will then have a whole week to do a post of your own that follows the challenge theme and link it back to either my blog or Rebecca's using the challenge button located either on my sidebar or Rebecca's sidebar. The challenge will be once a week for the month of November.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

This weeks theme is

"How has the Lord Blessed you in some way this past week??"

~Well, the Lord gives me a LOT of blessings, which I don't deserve. But I guess what I was most thankful for this past week was the fellowship that my family had with two of my favorite preachers. We have known these preachers for a few years, but it seems like forever, because both of them would do anything for my family..

We just started talking, and talking, then somemore talking.. And we just sat there talking about the Lord and church, and what we had all been up to lately. These two preachers are {in the process of} starting a Bible College, and they were sharing updates with that. And it was just a really fun time of fellowship:)~

Read the rest of these posts here and here...

Visit Erin here...

Visit Rebecca here...