September Sneak Peak

Hello to all of you who are still sticking around! Summer is drawing to a close, and I must say it has been a busy one. I'm back at school for my senior year (although I still can't believe it), and the business continues.

Autumn is my favorite season for many reasons, and I'm anxiously awaiting the days of colored leaves and sweater weather and hot drinks. And as an added bonus, I have several new posts planned that will start going up soon!

BOOKS

As we all know, summer is almost over. And that means it's almost time to start discussing and reviewing the Summer Book Club books! I'll be honest, even I haven't finished all of them since my library doesn't have them all. Regardless, I'll be sure to let you know what I thought of the books I did finish, and if you've read the others, you're perfectly welcome to discuss them in the Book Club forum tab!

LIFESTYLE

For many of us, fall means back to school. To me, that means waking up early, doing homework, and submitting college applications for next year. But thankfully, it also means shopping for new clothes, organization items, and stationary. You can expect to catch a glimpse of the things I've bought (or DIY'ed) to get my room and my backpack organized this year!

BEAUTY

Fall and winter fashion are definitely my favorites, and I'll practically live in a sweater and a pair of boots once the weather gets cold enough! I'm hoping to share with you a few of my favorite outfits that might hopefully help you through the transition into cooler weather. Also, I've been trying some new beauty and skincare products out over the summer, and I'm looking forward to giving you a review of those soon!

MUSIC

At least for me and my hometown, the return of autumn also means the return of marching band. While this certainly keeps me pretty busy with rehearsals, football games, and competitions, it also gives me some fun new things to write about and share with you!

I hope you're as excited about fall as much as I am! What are you looking forward to most? Let me know in comments!

Guest Post: My Escape

Hey guys! My name is Isabelle and I am Shannon’s friend from school. I have known Shannon for five, almost six years now. We have been in band together for a while, since seventh grade actually. I am a flute player and as of last year, a drum major. I am also the author of the blog Major Treblemaker. If you like my guest post (and even if you don’t) please check it out here! :)

Have you ever wanted to escape? Just pick up and leave life behind you? Whether it is for a short time, indefinitely, or forever, everyone has. Whether it is from excessive stress, exhausting drama, or an overwhelming situation, everyone has wanted to at least once, maybe more.  Now, I’m not advocating for running away from your problems forever, but sometimes taking a little break is necessary for staying sane. Some days it is necessary and completely okay to get in your car, get on the interstate, and drive, or set up a hammock in the woods and read a good book, or take a long nap and ignore your responsibilities for a couple hours. 

My personal favorite is reading. When I crave an escape from reality, I set up a lawn chair, grab some ice water, sunscreen, and my swimsuit and get some sun while devouring a book. There is something about immersing yourself into a story—losing yourself in the words on page after page—that makes life a little more tolerable, at least for a little while. There is something about driving by yourself at night on a seemingly endless road with the radio blasting that completely revives and rejuvenates a defeated spirit. 

Escaping isn’t always what it sounds like. It doesn’t have to be jetting off to a tropical island or moving to a new state or country. Escaping can be something as little as sitting in a warm, scented bubble bath. 

The common underlying factor is time to take a deep breath and unwind. Wherever you find that is your escape. Breaks are healthy and breaks are necessary to prevent a stress overload. Take a deep breath and relax, because you’ve earned it!

Kisses,

Isabelle <3

http://majortreblemaker.blogspot.com/

Follow me on social media and please check out my blog. Have a great day! :)

Stress and Anxiety

Hey, guys! So this is definitely going to be a more personal and a bit less happy post than usual, so just bear with me for a bit. I'm not writing this to complain or whine or anything like that, but I think it will give you some good background information and who knows, maybe it'll help someone out there as well.

For a few years now, I've been dealing with stress, anxiety, and panic attacks.

I didn't always know what was happening. I've always been a bit anxious around new people and I've never been the best at socializing or making friends, but I always just thought "Oh, I'm an introvert (which I am), and I have a few good friends and that's all I need (which it is)." But getting panicky when I'm stuck in a group with no one I know isn't exactly the best for me. The first panic attack I can actually remember as a panic attack happened almost two years ago now, but my mom thinks I'd had them before even that.

But on this particular day, we had one of our biggest football games to play at, and I hadn't been able to find my marching band shirt for my uniform that morning. I'd already been panicking at home about this since I was new and didn't want to be that one kid that made everyone wear uniform jackets in 90-degree weather because I couldn't be bothered to be in proper uniform. My dad finally just took me to school and said he'd find the shirt and bring it to me before game time. Then, I get to school-- and realize that in my panic, I had forgotten my instrument.

I lost it. I was already shaken up and sticking out like a sore thumb in my yellow shirt, and as a new marcher, I was rather intimidated by the band director. I couldn't stand the idea of telling him I didn't have my flute and couldn't rehearse on the day of the biggest game.

I started crying and hyperventilating and shaking. My head was pounding and my heart felt like it was going to bust and everything was suddenly too loud, too bright, too much. As a person who already hates being put in a spotlight, this just made me feel like everyone was staring at me, the weird girl freaking out in the corner.

I remember thinking oh my goodness, I'm having a panic attack. I knew what was happening, but of course, I had no clue how to stop it. I just panicked and panicked more about panicking. Finally, I did manage to make it to the nurse's office, where I sat and drank water and calmed down until my dad brought me my shirt and flute and I was able to rejoin rehearsal.

I can clearly see now that there was never a huge threat. It was plenty easy for my dad to bring me what I needed in time for it to matter. But that there was nothing to panic over didn't matter then, and it hasn't mattered in any other panic attack since.

The panic attacks were very infrequent at first, and so I didn't really worry much about them or having another one. I don't know what happened recently-- I'm guessing just general junior year stress-- but the attacks came much more frequently. When I had multiple within a few weeks, that's when the worry kicked in. (Now you understand why I didn't post much in April.)

I didn't have to worry what was wrong with me-- I knew what panic attacks were, and thanks to AP Psychology, I knew a good bit about panic disorder as well. But I worried about when the next attack would come, who would see, what I would do. I worried more about panicking during my AP exams than about the exams themselves. I almost didn't want to go to my friend's birthday party because I was afraid I'd have a panic attack in the puzzle escape room and feel trapped and ruin her party.

I did finally talk to my mom about it, and I've been getting help. I wish I could tell you everything is fine now, and I wish I could tell you exactly how to deal with this problem, but I can't. Maybe at some other time, I'll go over a few techniques I've learned for controlling breathing and trying to calm down.

But for now, I just want to say that if you deal with anxiety or panic attacks, you are certainly not alone, and don't be afraid to talk to someone.

And if you do know someone that deals with anxiety or panic attacks, just be there for them. Understand that it's not easy to control and we didn't ask for this and we know it's nothing to stress over. Don't be dismissive or tell them to "chill" or "calm down"-- it's not that easy, believe me, I wish it was. Just be supportive and understanding and listen to them. If they want you there, great, if they want to be alone, that's fine too. Just be their friend.

Anxiety and panic attacks are more than normal stress, and they're a very real problem. I really hope that at least maybe this will eventually help at least one person out there, and I hope it helps someone understand.

If you can relate or if this has helped you in any way, feel free to let me know in comments below. And even if you don't relate, please just try to be respectful of anyone who does deal with this issue. Thanks :)

New School Year Resolutions

Hey guys!

Thankfully, school let out for summer holiday a week ago, so I can hopefully have more time to write! I was planning on working on this post a few days ago, but I ended up on a mountain "retreat" with no WiFi or cell signal. Now, I'm not as addicted to my phone as a lot of people my age (as well as younger or older), but I didn't exactly appreciate my phone basically being reduced to an ultra-expensive brick with no warning.

That said, I've finally got a chance to work, and I wanted to share something that I've been thinking about-- rather than making New Year's Resolutions, those of us who are still students (or teachers for that matter) might be better off making New school year resolutions.

I talked a bit about New Year's Resolutions in a post earlier this year (if you haven't read it already or don't remember it, check it out here!) Basically, I was saying how we don't have to change everything to make a new year a good year. That being said, sometimes there are changes we need to make.

In a few months, I'll be heading into my last year of high school. Which is intimidating, for a lot of reasons. One huge reason is that there is really a lot of pressure to make senior year the best year. I wrote a lot about how to succeed in school earlier this year, but I don't think it showed the whole picture for me.While my grades would generally show that whatever I'm doing in school is working, I think that my overall stress level would say that it definitely wasn't working.

I ended up being terribly disorganized-- my desk and my backpack and my room are all a mess-- and procrastinated about everything. You'll know I haven't posted that often, and this is why. Honestly, I kind of procrastinated writing this post, about procrastination.

So with a lot of stress on my back coming out of this past year, and a lot of pressure to make the next year fantastic, I've decided it's time to set some goals.

It would be really easy to write down lofty ideas like "stop procrastinating," "be organized," "stop being late to things," or "get in shape." But one thing I did learn in my extra early Student Leadership class was that your goals have to be SMART.

What are SMART goals? Simply put, they're goals that are specific, measurable, attainable, rewarding, and timely. For example, "stop procrastinating" isn't very specific or measurable, whereas something like "start my homework as soon as I get home" would be a better goal.

If you're a student like me, I would suggest setting goals for this school year. It really makes more sense than setting goals for the calendar year, since for us things really start over in August, not January. And we get the added bonus of a whole summer to work on our goals before we get back to school. If you're not a student, don't feel left out. Goals are always a good way to get things done.

That said, my goals for this school year are:

1. Start my homework as soon as I get home, if at all possible.
2. Clean and organize my backpack and school materials about once a week.
3. Use a good planner and actually keep up with it. 
4. Leave home in time to be at school, meetings, or events a few minutes early, if at all possible.
5. Post once a week, if at all possible.

If you're setting any goals for this school year or just goals in general, let me know in comments! I'll try to keep you all updated on how it's going, if you're interested, so maybe we can help each other stick to it!

If you have any good tips for staying productive and organized, suggestions for planners or organizational materials, or books you'd like to reccommend, feel free to let me know as well!

Guest Post: Bullet Journal

Good morning Shannon, it’s Monday.

First off, thank you for giving me this opportunity to post on your blog. I don’t typically have much to say, but I have plenty to say on this particular topic.

For the rest of you, hi, I’m Jessica, one of Shannon’s really close friends and ideally a future neuroscientist. I usually have a lot on my plate when it comes to school, and like most other people I need to write things down in order to remember everything I have to do. Throughout my school career I’ve tried keeping track of using several different planners and random notebooks, but I’ve found that none of them really worked for me. I’d still find myself forgetting assignments, missing important meetings, and having to go searching through the four notebooks I always have on hand just to find one idea I wrote down earlier that day. Basically, I was a mess.

Then last summer, I discovered the Bullet Journal.

The Bullet Journal is, simply put, a journal full of lists. The original idea was developed by Ryder Carroll as an alternative to normal planners and journals, because it’s a system that the user creates themselves. Think of it as a DIY planner. All you need is a notebook!

Okay, you’re thinking, why is this any different than any other planner?

Well hypothetical questioner, it’s different because you can do literally whatever you want with it. You can go strictly by Ryder’s method (link here), or you can mix it around like many Bullet Journalists on the Internet do. It gives you the ability to use what you want and only what you want, unlike with store-bought planners.

For one thing, Bullet Journals typically have an index and a key at the beginning so you can keep track of what all the bullets and other markings mean as well as where all of your important pages are. It’s also an ever-changing thing; if you decide to tweak something, like add color or a tracker for developing habits, then you can do that at any time you like. There’s no pressure for you to use the same system for a year straight. You can even add extra stuff around your daily planning pages, like random grocery lists or sketches. 

Really, the Bullet Journal is more than just a DIY planner. It’s a companion for the whole year. You’ll carry it around all the time so that you can copy down assignments, cool sayings, book ideas, a new book for your to-read list – the possibilities are endless. And you’ll never have to worry about running out of space.

If you want to know more about the Bullet Journal system, check out Ryder Carrol’s website at http://bulletjournal.com/get-started/, and follow me on Tumblr at http://butterflywingsit.tumblr.com/. I highly recommend it if you’re tired of store-bought planners too. And Shannon, I’ll see you the next time you post.

What to Do When Dreams Don't Come True

So I'm pretty sure we've all had that experience of getting our hopes up for something, only to be let down when it doesn't work right or live up to what we imagined. Maybe it's thinking a new job will fix everything, or getting out of high school and into college, or getting out of college and into your career.

Honestly, it could even be as simple as finding some perfect piece of clothing, ordering it online, and then it doesn't fit when it comes in. 

In my case, it's been prom. Namely, my prom dress. I was having a dress custom made, and it was going to be perfect. It was just the style I wanted, and it would fit me perfectly, and the color was exactly what I imagined. I loved it. I felt like a princess in it, and so that's how I imagined prom. 

I really built the whole thing up in my mind as being the perfect ball at the end of a Cinderella story. I was going to wear my blue ball gown and my perfectly matching shoes and I was going to match so well with my date. We would take cute Cinderella pictures, and I really would be a princess, if only for the one night, and the whole thing would just be perfect. 

But with less than two weeks to prom, there was a complication with the dress. So, in a last minute back up plan, we ended up buying a dress, this one pink and definitely not a ballgown. Although I liked the dress we bought, it wasn't my blue Cinderella dress, and I was really still holding onto the hope that we could get it fixed in time. 

Hearing the seamstress say "no time" as she looked at my dress kinda felt a little bit like that moment when the stepmother rips the first piece off Cinderella's dress. I could just feel all my dreams of having that Cinderella moment just crumble. I had put so much into this fantasy in my head that I just couldn't cope with the fact of it not happening. 

And for some strange reason, no fairy godmother showed up to wave a wand and say "bibbidi bobbidi boo" and make all my dreams come true again. Who knows why that didn't happen.

I think I've finally adjusted to the idea of wearing pink instead of blue (what a Cinderella story in reverse, right?), and getting my blue dress fixed and saving it for next year. But since life unfortunately isn't a Disney movie and every wish you make doesn't come true, I think I've come up with a few tips that might make it easier when things like this happen.

1.  Watch cute animal videos to cheer yourself up. No, just kidding on that one, but doing something else you enjoy isn't a bad idea. 
2. Wait. I know I'll get to wear my blue dress next year, for my senior prom, and it'll probably be all the more special because I waited for it. Sometimes we just don't get what we want right away, and that's okay. Delayed gratification, and all that.
3. Change your mental ideal. This thinner pink dress may not be my blue ballgown, but at least I can say it's fitting to wear a pink dress first, if I really want to be like Cinderella. Not to mention the dress has a bit of Downton Abbey style to it, and I love Downton Abbey, so that's always an idea as well. Looking at things from a new perspective can change how you feel about it.
4. Don't put so much hope in things that won't last. Let's face it, life is going to let us down sometimes. I know when it all boils down to it, this is a dress I'll wear maybe once, and it's not like it's a wedding dress. Will I remember my dress in 50 years? Will I still be upset about it? Maybe, but I honestly doubt it. My time would be better spent worrying about things that will still matter. 

I wrote these mostly thinking about my dress, but they can apply to a lot of other things as well. Have you had a similar experience? What did you do to get through it? Let me know in comments!

Secrets of a Straight A Student

So part of the reason I didn't post much last week is because I had a bit of a breakdown when some of my teachers put in zeros for work that I had done or hadn't had time to make up yet, which dropped my grades down to a D and an F.

And when you've always been a straight-A student like me, seeing the letter D, or, heaven forbid, the letter F on your grades is downright terrifying. Dreams of perfect grades and a stellar GPA go flying out the window, you wonder how low your class rank will drop, you wonder what all those colleges who have been pestering you will think of you now.

Thankfully, I did all of the work and my teachers put the grades in, and I'm back to A's. But this just goes to show that it can be really stressful trying to maintain all A's in school, and it can be really scary when something you're used to and take pride in suddenly isn't there anymore.

I'm not calling this post a list of study tips, because it's not. If I'm telling the truth, I don't study as much as people might think I do, and I don't study as much as other people may have to. And that's okay.

I also don't slack off all the time. I don't skip class every day, or sleep through every lesson, or never turn in my homework. That said, I may slack off from time to time. I'll text in class sometimes, or read a book, and yes, I have fallen asleep once or twice. I may get my homework done at the very last minute, but hey, I get it done.

Honestly, I think the biggest secret to doing well in school is knowing what works for you.

I know when I need to be in class, I know when I need to pay attention, I know when I need to review the material at home. I know when I need to ask for help. Knowing how you learn best is much more important than following any sort of list of study rules you can find on the internet.

This kind of goes back to my last lifestyle post as well. Just like being healthy means doing what's best for you, so does being a successful student. And the two can really be linked as well. If you're studying so much that you never have time to have fun and you're completely stressed out about school, that's not good for your brain or your grades.

Unfortunately, keeping good grades really can just boil down to doing the work. Which, I know, is super boring. There's a lot of things I would rather do than my homework. Even just right now, I'm writing a blog post instead of doing my homework. But I know that eventually I will get it done. And yes, there's other things to think about like test scores and essays and projects and all of that, but really, just doing your assignments makes a big difference.

Going along with that, you actually have to be able to find your assignments when they're due. Now, I'm not perfectly organized by any means, but if your backpack looks more like a garbage dump than notes and homework, you might want to clean that up a bit. It won't help to do the assignment if you lose it in a black hole before you can turn it in.

The other big part of maintaining good grades is being motivated to make good grades. If you really just don't care if you barely pass, then you're probably going to barely pass. I know that personally, I'm motivated by my success. When I do well at something (e.g., keeping straight A's this far), then I'm a lot more motivated to keep doing well (e.g., keeping straight A's until I graduate).

That said, there's internal motivators like what I just described, and there's external motivators. These may include money for getting good grades, or getting into the college you want, or getting the job you want, etc, etc, etc. Different people may be motivated by different things, and that's okay too.

I wish I could give you some secret tip that would instantly make you a top student, if you're a student at all. I just wish there was a tip that existed that would do that.

So, in summary, here's a few tips for how I keep my grades up in school.

1. Know what works best for you. Know how much you need to study, and what ways you need to study. 
2. Don't stress yourself out. Prolonged stress hurts your performance in school.
3. Do the work. You can't expect to just pull an A out of a hat, you actually have to earn it by completing your assignments. 
4. Stay reasonably organized. You don't want to lose papers before you turn them in.
5. Find what motivates you, and stay motivated to succeed. 

If you're a student (or were), how do you study for school? Do you have any tips for maintaining good grades? Let me know in comments!

Why I Blog

Hello readers!

So I'll tell you up front, this won't be that serious of a post. (I do have some more real post ideas in the works, so you'll be seeing those soon!) It's really just me letting you know what's going on with TSM at the moment, but there's a part for you all to get involved, so really, it's worth the read.

I started this blog a little over a year ago, and at the time it was just something to do for fun and for a bit more writing practice, honestly. As you can probably tell by the fact that I only wrote 32 posts all year, I didn't take it that seriously.

However, lately I've thought a little bit more about the possibility of blogging becoming more than a hobby, and it's made me think a bit more about why I blog and what I want to say.

Let me be the first to tell you, there is a plethora of information out on the web about how to start a blog, what sort of posts to write, how your blog should look, how to make money blogging, etc etc etc. I've read a lot of those articles. And I've ignored most of them.

Yes, maybe doing some of those things would make me more popular or get me more subscribers. But then what would set me apart from every other blogger in the world that read those posts and did what they said? What's left to make me original or interesting?

Honestly, I don't like being told what I can and can't do when it comes to things like this. For example, one big tip is to find your niche or topic, and focus on that. I could call myself a book blogger and make that my focus. But is that the only thing I care about? No.

As I think I've mentioned before, I don't like being put in a box. I don't like being labelled. So while the internet tells me to pick one topic, what do I want to do? I want to branch out and write about more. Of course, I'll still write about books. I love books. But I want to write about music, beauty, lifestyle, art, etc etc etc. I want to have variety. That said, I don't want to write about these things because they might get me more page views. I want to write about them because I enjoy them.

So why do I blog? I want to write. I want to combine writing (which I love) and all the other things I love. I want to write about things that are important to me and things that are important in the world. I want to have a voice and I want to have a message. Of course, a message doesn't matter much if no one listens.

And that's where you all come in. You're the ones listening, after all. I have a few post ideas that actually involve hearing from you. I'm planning to start a few Q&A style posts, and so, obviously, I need questions! I'm certainly not an expert, but I'm planning to write about beauty/style, books, and music, so send in your questions on those topics! You can comment below, or contact me using the links in the side bar.

And as a bonus, it's in the works to do sort of a collab/guest post type thing with a Julliard flutist, so if you have any questions for her about music, Julliard, or anything like that, send those in as well!

The Lie Society Tells Us: Valentine's Day

As you all probably know, Valentine's Day was this past Sunday. This is a day that can be both good and bad for a lot of people, as it is generally regarded to be all about romance. This is great for those who are in romantic relationships and have someone to spend it with, but not so great for those who don't, and may end up feeling lonely or even depressed. And a lot of this has to do with a few key lies our society tells us about love and romance.

LIE: Romantic relationships are more important than platonic ones.

This is a really common misconception our society has, and it's pretty well exemplified by things like the "friend zone" or being "just friends" or wanting those two friends on that TV show to finally be a couple, among other situations. And yes, romantic relationships are understood to be a bit more than friendly, most of the time, and yes, they are important. However, that doesn't mean they are more important. Friendships may often be longer lasting, deeper relationships than the dating relationships our society favors.

That said, romantic relationships are also not less important than friendships, since romantic relationships should also be friendships to begin with.

LIE: You need a romantic relationship to be worth something.

Society makes quite a big deal out of this one, too. People act like there is something wrong with a person if they "can't get a date" or "can't keep a relationship." People feel that because they are single, that they are undesirable or flawed in some way. And that's just not true. There are plenty of people who have never been in a relationship who are wonderful people. How many dates you've been on is not a way of measuring how good of a person you are. Value is not defined by love life.

LIE: Love, like everything else, is disposable.

Honestly, our society has a very conflicting perspective when it comes to love. One one hand, we throw around the word like it means absolutely nothing. We love food, music, celebrities, lots of things that we don't really love.

But on the other hand, we can be so afraid of telling people we love them, either because it seems weird (particularly in the case of telling friends we love them), or because our society is so afraid of committing to anything. That's what love is, or what it should be: a commitment, and we live in a throw-away society.

So, in the days following Valentine's day (or single's awareness day, as some people like to call it), don't be upset by the things society tells us because so many of them are lies.

2016: New and Improved?

Alright, so posting once a week didn't happen. Sorry about that, and if you've stuck around this long despite all of my failed promises to write, thank you. And also wow, your loyalty is impressive. You are a true Hufflepuff, my friend, and you should take that as a compliment.

With the new year now just two days away, the holiday season is drawing to a dramatic close, complete with parties, fireworks, ball drops, and parades. But when all of that fades away, we're left with simply a new year. Scientifically, it's only the start of another of earth's revolutions around the star we call the sun. But to us, it's a fresh start, another chance.

In order to take advantage of this sparkling new year, full of hope and possibility, many of us will make New Year's resolutions. Maybe to lose weight, or make better grades, or save money, or actually keep up with a blog for more than one post a month. And, undoubtedly, many of us will find ourselves in February, wondering where all of that resolve went.

And that's why I'm not making any resolutions this year. Or last year, or probably next year. We feel pressured to make some sort of change in our lives because it's a new year. We think we have to be a new version of ourselves, too.

But new doesn't always mean improved. That's not to say that 2016 can't be better than 2015, it certainly can, and sometimes change is great. But I think many of us will know and agree that change isn't always for the better.

I think I had a great 2015, honestly. I've got great friends, great family, a great new house. I've read some wonderful new books and some old favorites. I've learned new things, and reviewed things I already knew. I've met new people and formed new relationships, and my best friend is sticking around for a tenth year. (I think. Honestly I've lost count.) There were plenty of new things this year that were fantastic, but there were plenty of things that stayed the same, and they were no less wonderful for not being "new and improved."

So while maybe I do need to maintain good grades next semester (three AP classes- yikes!),  or save money for my trip next new year, or make a goal of improving my ACT score, or actually post on this blog once in a while, those things aren't what's going to make 2016 a better year.

Appreciating the things I already have and love, as well as accepting and adjusting to new things that may come my way, is what will make this year fun. You know, maybe you've heard that old kids' song, "Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver and the other's gold."

New things are great, but let's not forget to appreciate what we have.

November is Coming!

As evidenced by the constant flood of everything Halloween, November is rapidly approaching us. Yes, that means (hopefully) cold weather, sweaters, boots, pumpkin pie, turkey, football, and crazy shoppers. But do you know what else it means?

If you guessed NaNoWriMo, then you'd be right! Woo hoo!

If you don't have any idea what NaNoWriMo is or why you should be excited about it, I'd suggest you go read my post from March here.

Anyway, with only three days left before the mad race to 50,000 words begins, I obviously don't have time to plan a whole new novel. That said, I have four decent unfinished novels from years past, and I need your help to figure out which one to work on! I'll post synopses and possibly excerpts from all four, and then you can use the poll in the side bar to let me know which one you want me to work on! 

Also, if you're working on a novel of your own, please let me know! I'd love to be your writing buddy! Check me out on nanowrimo.org and campnanowrimo.org as thestrangemusician! 

Story 1: Victoria's Cross

Synopsis: London, 1940. George and Katherine Knight die in a bomb blast, leaving behind their five children- James, Arthur, Anna, Robert, and young Peter- in the midst of a war. When James and Arthur end up drafted a year later, they learn that the war is much more than they ever read about in the papers. Meanwhile, Anna, Robert, and Peter discover that the war extends much further than the battlefield- it reaches right into their own family.

Excerpt: First, there was scraping all the leftovers off the plates and storing them carefully in the fridge. Every bit would be needed, especially with the rationing now. It seemed like portions kept getting smaller and smaller, but in a house of boys, it was hard to tell.

 Then came laundry and mending. Everyone needed new clothes, but no one was getting them. Peter wore hand-me-downs from Robert years ago, and some of the clothes were a bit threadbare, but at least they fit him. Robert’s trousers were all too short, and she couldn’t think of any way to make them longer at this point- they’d already been mended and let down too many times. He can’t just keep wearing Arthur’s trousers either, she thought, setting aside the trousers. Arthur’s clothes fit him alright, but the shirts were worn soft and thin, especially in the elbows, and likewise in the knees of his trousers. James, as the oldest, had the newest clothes, but even they were worn and he’d have to pass a few on to Arthur or Robert soon enough. Anna’s own dresses were worn, but she had the opposite problem of Robert- they were becoming too loose. The needle moved quickly and fluidly between her fingers and the fabric, sewing patches onto sleeves and sewing up seams and taking in her own dresses.

Finally, there was cleaning. Making sure everything was being used. Collecting the boy’s laundry for washing and mending. Washing the dishes. Dusting. Even going through the trash to see what could be reused. In this time, every little thing had some sort of purpose, and if it didn’t, it was a luxury the Knight’s didn’t have. Scrap metal or glass could be donated, and would be paid for. Paper could be written on again. Anything could be reused.

Done with her chores- for now, at least- Anna sunk, exhausted, onto the couch, knitting in hand, a cup of tea on the table, and the radio on. The yarn wove around the needles fluidly, stitch by stich creating a sweater, desperately needed with fall and winter coming. All of a sudden, the yarn stopped and the needles fell limp.

“A draft has now been issued. All men of suitable age and health for war are to enlist in the army by the end of this week, or so be arrested for treason.”

The voice on the radio crackled, but there was no mistaking what had just been said- and what it meant for the Knight’s. The knitting slipped out of Anna’s thin fingers, and one bony hand reached up to cover her mouth in surprise.

That means James and Arthur! The only income we have. Robert needs them, Peter needs them, I need them here! Robert and Peter are in school. I can’t work and keep up with the cooking and housework and take care of them! What will we do? They’re… they’ll be going to war. If they… no. I cannot afford to think like that. They’ll be safe. We all will. We’ll all be safe and sound… we have to be.

Story 2: Masquerade

Synopsis:   After the famous Consulting Detective Sherlock Holmes is called in to solve the murders of young Charlotte Keene's parents, her interest in forensic science, medicine, and criminology is sparked- an almost unheard of interest for a growing young woman in Victorian society. Ostracized by her adoptive family- her aunt Margaret and two cousins, Bennet and Emmeline- she is forced to hide her interest, studying, and dream of being mentored by Sherlock Holmes himself. At the age of 18, her secret is outed and her books taken away. Desperate, Charlotte disguises herself as a homeless boy names Charlie and flees to London, in search of her freedom and her hero. There, she is quickly sucked into an investigation of serial killings that shakes the foundation of everything she knows about herself. 

Excerpt: “Charlotte Ann Keene…” She started tersely. I restrained a shudder at the use of my full name. “Charlotte. I remember…” she stopped pacing and looked at me. “I remember when you were interested in science!” she scoffed. “You were nine, only a child. You said you wanted to be a doctor, or detective-” she had been speaking as if the words left a bitter taste in her mouth, but she said detective as if it were especially sour. “Inspired by that ridiculous fellow named Holmes! I explained to you, that it wasn’t proper. It was not your place. I thought you understood. You told me you would give it up. You’ve become such a lady, a beautiful, smart, accomplished, well-bred young lady. You could be a bit more social... But this-” she held up the book she’d taken from Ben. “This, cannot be in your future. It is not ladylike. I am also very angry that you have lied to me, for these nine, almost ten years, and I am angry that you have continued with these preposterous studies.” She tossed the book ungracefully back down on the desk. I winced at the thump it made.

“I’ve had Rosalind search your room. She brought me all of your books on this subject. I am confiscating them as of this evening. She also found a few journals of your own writings on the subject. I am taking those as well. This must end, immediately.”

I leapt to my feet. “My books? My journals? You’re taking those away?” I yelled it in a voice that was certainly not “ladylike,” but at this point I was too angry and hurt to care. “They’re all I have, all I care about! This-” I gestured to the room, and to my own dress, which was far too formal for my tastes. “This isn’t me! This is not who I am, or what I’m interested in, or what I care about! I do not want this life. All I want, is to learn, and to do something with my mind. Is that really so wrong?”

“Charlotte!” Aunt Margaret fumed. “How dare you speak to me in that manner! It isn’t proper. You will cease your studies, and you will be more respectful. Now, leave me, you have quite vexed my poor nerves.” She put a hand daintily over her forehead as she waved me away dismissively with the other. She was quite clear that she was through with me. In all the thirteen years I had lived with her and my two cousins, I had never been this through with her. After all of this hiding and lying, I was done, and not in the way she wanted me to be. I felt the anger bubbling up in me, like a pot on the stove about to boil over.

“Darn your nerves!” I exploded, relishing briefly in the appalled look that crossed her features before I stormed out of the room, my heavy footsteps and the slamming of the door punctuating my final words perfectly.

Story 3: Currently Untitled! 
Synopsis: Michael is a relatively normal 17 year old. 
Except, most normal 17 year olds don't spend most of their time in the hospital. And most 17 year olds go to school, get a job, learn to drive, hang out with friends. Michael, on the other hand, does none of the above. He's an amputee, so on that hand I guess he really isn't that normal. 
Oops, sorry, poor choice of words. 
Oh, and me? I would say I'm relatively normal too. I'm Olivia. I do go to school and have a job and know how to drive. When I met Michael, I was looking for a story. 
And boy, did I find one.
Excerpt: None yet! This one's still in planning stages

Story 4: Anchored 
Synopsis: Abby, a high school senior haunted by the events of her junior year escapes with her struggling single mother to a small beach town called Bayview for the summer. 
Riley, fresh out of high school and still unsure of what life holds for him, is anxious to see what might lie outside Bayview and beyond the grip of his strict, business-mogul father. 
Can Abby come to peace with her turbulent past? Can Riley find his future? What will the present hold for them both?
Excerpt: The van jolted to a stop, and I jerked awake. I would have gone flying except for the fact that I was glued to the seat by my own sweat. I glanced out the window groggily, attempting to determine our approximate location.

“We’re in Bayview. I thought we’d stop and eat before going to the condo.” Mom gestures to the barbecue restaurant we were parked in front of.I nodded numbly, and hopped out of the van.

The door chimed cheerfully as we walked in, and at first, we too were cheerful. The prospect of working air conditioning and a full stomach after a long car trip was definitely nice. That is, until we saw the prices. It was too expensive for us, I knew, but mom sighed and ordered us both the pork plate- the cheapest thing on the menu at $8.00.

We ate in silence, with only the sound of our plastic forks scraping on the styrofoam plates. It wasn't until we were done that mom said anything.

"You can go next door and look around if you want. It's a music store."

I just nodded and got up, throwing away my empty plate and nearly running out the door as the bell chimed. The music store was vintage, with whole sections of old records along with the new albums. Old guitars hung from the high ceilings, and others lined the rough-hewn walls. There were racks of sheet music scattered randomly, and the help desk at the back was a semi circle bearing the store's name- Rhythm and Blues- in vintage blue neon sign. Come to think of it, the whole place was blue, and exuded a calm, almost retro feel.

I walked over and picked up a ukulele and strummed a few bars. The high, almost twangy sound was comforting, and almost put me in the mood for spending the summer at the beach.

"Need any help?" A deep tenor asked from behind me. I spun around to face him.

The guy was tall, much taller than I was. My head came up to about his nose. His hair was dark, curly and reached his ears. He was tan, with bright blue-green eyes, and looked like he spent all his time on the beach. Which he probably did. Judging by his "Rhythm and Blues" t shirt, he was staff. I knew it was his job, yet my stomach involuntarily fluttered at the idea that he was talking to me. My voice caught in my throat as I tried to respond.

"No, just looking," I managed to squeak out. He just grinned.

"Okay, let me know if you need anything. See you around.”

I nodded silently, not trusting myself to speak. He turned with a wave and disappeared between the shelves. I ran out of the store before I could do anything else stupid.

Mom was waiting, sitting in the driver’s seat of the old van. I dreaded getting back in after so long in that sticky leather seat, but I was desperate to get to the condo, and it’s not like I could just walk. So I hopped in, and we turned back onto the road towards the coast.

My Top Five Writing Methods

In case you haven't heard about it, National Novel Writing Month, aka NaNoWriMo, is a month long event in which writers try to complete the insanely difficult task of writing a 50,000 word novel in 30 days. It occurs chiefly in November, but there are also other events during the year.

I will be participating in the April session of NaNoWriMo this year to work on my new novel, which I'll probably talk more about when I have more of the details worked out. If you have a story idea or a story in progress, I encourage you to participate sometime during the year. It really is a lot of fun, and writing is a great skill to build.

In case you're thinking you can't possibly write 50,000 words in a month, consider a few things:

• It doesn't have to be a huge planned out idea. Maybe you just have a character. Or one scene. Or a setting. Or nothing but willpower. That's fine. Just plant the seed, nurture it, and it'll grow. 
• You can make your word count goal whatever you want it to be; you don't have to write 50,000 words. I do encourage you to challenge yourself; however, you should also be realistic for your schedule. 
• You now have my 5 suggestion to help you along! 

Of course, this is a matter of what works best for each individual, and what works for me may not work for you. I'm not calling them "tips" for that very reason. But if you don't already know what works for you, this is a good starting point. So here we go!

1. Planning. I personally, am a planner. I like to know everything about my story before I begin. Outlines are my best friend during NaNoWriMo, and I really love the free story-boarding program Storybook. You may be what's known as a pantser—you like to jump right in and figure it out as you go. Even if this is you, I encourage you to flesh out your characters and at least have an idea of the climax of your plot, so you have some idea of the momentum of the story.
2. Editing. Don't edit as you go. It can be really hard not to, but remember: first drafts are supposed to suck. No one is perfect on a first draft, and you have plenty of time to edit later. Unless you're making a major change and really need to edit, don't. When I try to edit as I go, I never get anything done. 
3. Music. I love listening to music when I write, and what I listen to varies from Celtic folk songs to Taylor Swift to Pirates of the Caribbean soundtracks to Classical. I pick music that fits the setting, characters, era, and tone of my novel to help keep myself in the right mindset, but it's really what works for you. 
4. Technology vs. Paper. I know people who hand-write their novels. There are those of us who use a computer. And then there's those who use typewriters. This one is also entirely up to you. I am more productive at a computer for several reasons: I can type faster and more comfortably than I can write, it's easier to edit later, I never lose pages, it's easier to track your word count, and it's easier to research and share your novel. Personally, I use Google Docs to write because it auto-saves and can be accessed anywhere with internet, so it's safe if your computer crashes. 
5. Time. It is surprisingly hard to fit time for writing 50,000 words into a month, since most of us have school and/or jobs, homework, housework, family, etc. etc. etc. The best solution is to actually schedule it out and make time for writing. I work best between the hours of 9 PM and midnight, because my brain tends to think more creatively right before bed, and it's after I'm done with homework and band and everything else I need to do. Find the time that works best for you, but don't forget to take a break every now and then!

If you haven't already figured out what works best for you, then I encourage you to take some time this year and participate in NaNoWriMo. It'll give you plenty of experience! If you have any questions about the program, you can ask me in comments or check out the website. 

If you have figured out what works for you, comment and tell me about it! 

If you are participating in NaNoWriMo at any point this year, comment and let me know! I'd love to hear about your ideas and chat with you on the website! 

6 Things I'd Say in a Letter to My Younger Self

Dear (younger) me:

There's a lot I could tell you about your future. I could go on and on, but you don't need to hear all of it. You do, however, need some encouragement, because your life is going to be difficult at times. That's just how life goes, but bad things don't make the good any less, well, good. So here I am, to tell you six things you need to know.

1. Don't get too excited about high school. It's not the dream you think it'll be, but it's not a nightmare either. Your classes will be hard, but you'll survive. You'll make friends, don't worry. But there'll be plenty of annoying people too. Which brings me to number...

2. Don't let those people get to you. People are going to say terrible things about you and your friends. Society itself will say terrible things too. You'll end up hating yourself. Don't listen to anyone who doesn't love you for who you are. Most importantly, love yourself.

3. Don't think you need a boyfriend to love you. High school romances are a long shot at love, if anything, and really cause more drama. You'll see it happen, there's no reason to experience it too. Be happy on your own, because you're great.

4. Don't be too proud. Yes, you're great. But don't forget that other people matter too. Always try to be kind, even when you don't want to. I know it's hard. But never stop.

5. Never stop being you. Don't change yourself into someone you're not comfortable being. Be everything you are and want to be. Accept yourself as a complicated, beautiful mess.

6. And no matter what, never ever give up. Classes will be hard, and you won't have much motivation. Don't quit. You won't want to do anything but lay around. But your future is so so bright and all your dreams are within your reach. So don't quit.

Good luck, and never ever forget to be extraordinary. I believe in you.

Love, me.