Perfectly Unique; An Autism Anthology

Imagine that your child never speaks or can’t communicate through regular conversation. Consider that she can’t understand your perspective or sense of humor or that she doesn’t like to be held or can’t make friends easily.

These are some of the experiences that parents of children with Autism experience daily. Autism Speaks is an organization that supports families touched by Autism.

One of the most amazing things about this author journey has been the wonderful people I’ve had the pleasure of meeting.

They’re empathetic, funny, creative, generous, compassionate, and incredibly gifted. Getting to know these Creatives was a benefit I didn’t expect but one that has far surpassed every expectation.

When I began writing books, I never imagined that it would open so many doors. Recently I was asked to join a group of eighteen extremely talented authors in a collaborative project to write uplifting stories, with all profits going to Autism Speaks. Everyone involved donated their gifts, their time, and their energy to creating this fantastic project.

While the stories aren’t all Autism-related, the collection’s purpose is to bring focus to Autism, and will be released on April 1st, which is the beginning of Autism Awareness Month. The health and well-being of our children is the most important thing to all of us, with Autism touching so many of our lives. I feel privileged to have been a part of this anthology and hope that it will contribute to and benefit families who are affected by Autism’s effects.

The Perfectly Unique Anthology is available on Amazon on April 1st as an ebook and paperback.

Please grab your copy today and support this is wonderful organization! You’ll get to read eighteen amazing stories and do some good in this crazy world, at the same time. It doesn’t get any better than that. ❤️

Being a Hummingbird

Recently I’ve joined an amazing group of women, Hummingbirds, who have come together to create a place where other women can come together for inspiration and motivation.

It was formed by four incredible authors and women Tess Thompson , Tamsen Schultz , Heather Huffman, and Carolyn Ridder Aspenson who want women to feel empowered and connected.

It’s been a wonderful experience. You can also join us on The Hummingbird Charm Readers Haven (or Haven for short) where we share and talk Books and the Perch where we share our lives!

I’ll be covering posts about family and motherhood, which I’m super-excited about. There’s nothing I love more than talking about my family and being a mother. While I’m certainly not an expert, I am passionate and believe parenting is terrifying, fun, and amazing.

I recently wrote my first post, Imagining that I’m a Mom, which I was excited to write and share.

I hope you’ll join the Hummingbirds! The more I get to know these women the more excited I am to get to be a part of them. My wonderful friend JC Wing helped bring me on board, personifying what this group is all about, and I’m so grateful.

Women supporting women.

I couldn’t be more happy and proud to be such a beautiful little bird!

Jen’s Loves-JC Wing

In my last post, I featured the beautiful and amazing CD Bradley, and in this one I want to introduce to you to JC Wing.  JC is a wife, mother, author, and editor, and an overall incredible person. She’s my editor and has become a good friend and someone I consider a soul sister!  She has an amazing work ethic, is incredibly positive, is a talented storyteller, and I absolutely adore her.

I’m sure you’ll love her as much as I do!!

1. Dog or cat person? I’m both. I have a seventeen-pound cat named Mouse. He acts as the logo for my imprint, Black Cat Press. I also have two chocolate lab puppies named Phoebe and Ursula. They make sure I step away from the computer and get a little bit of exercise throughout the day.

 

2. What are three interesting/unique/fun truths about you? Many (oh so many) years ago, I was a competitive ice skater. I got to live in Germany for two years – and absolutely loved it. I also collect baseball caps. It’s more fun to wear caps from places I’ve visited, but some of my favorites have come from places I’ve never been.

 

3. What is the single most guiding principle in your life, and how does that impact your role in the publishing world? I try to show my family and my friends that I’m honest, and that if I say I’ll do something, I will follow through. I work hard to be dependable. I believe in showing respect for people, to try to find out who they are, what’s important to them and to act accordingly. I think these things impact my role in the publishing world a lot. I’m an author myself, so when I edit for someone, I’m only interested in making changes that will make their work grammatically sound. Every writer has their own style, their own voice, and keeping that intact is very important to me.

 

4. What is one big thing about yourself that you would change and what have you done about it? I think I probably try to take on too much. Sometimes I think I should change this, but ultimately, I don’t think I ever will. I love being asked to do things. I’m a pro at multi-tasking, and I usually have ten different projects going on at once. I’ve heard many times that I should try to do less, but I’m very happy being busy, so I doubt I’ll try very hard to be different.

 

5. What do you do in the publishing world? I’m an author. I’ve written and self-published four novels: The Color of Thunder, Alabama Skye, A Skye Full of Stars and Dead Beat Dates & Deities. I also own an editing company called Wing Family Editing. I work primarily with indie authors, but I’ve had the opportunity to edit content for some websites as well. I’m a blogger, and I run a writing group on Facebook called Writing Challenge Warriors.

 

6. What is one thing you want people to know about you? I’m probably the biggest dork you’ll ever meet. I’m annoyingly optimistic and I smile and laugh a lot, but I’m serious about the things that matter.

 

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/J.-C.-Wing/e/B00AZXVS1W

Wing Family Editing website: http://jcwing.wixsite.com/wingfamilyediting

Author Blog: http://jcwingandthegoddess.blogspot.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jcwing.novelist

Writing Challenge Warriors: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1638083136502522/

If you haven’t already, read one of JC’s books. You’ll be so happy that you did.

 

30 Day Writing Challenge-Books I loved and Didn’t

I’ve been holding this in for far too long. I didn’t finish The Host by Stephanie Myer. I also haven’t finished 11/22/63 by Stephen King. I hate admitting it because I wanted to love both books so much but I found myself wandering off every time I would start them. 

(Pause, so you can throw fruit at me)

Okay, I feel better now.

I really think that it’s probably all about timing with both books and I’ve had readers who dnf the ones I’ve written. I get it. We don’t connect with every book we read but I truly did want to love both of those books, and will likely try and read them both again. I respect both authors so much and love their other works, so I’m hopeful that I’ll connect with the books when I’m meant to. 

Books that I love. 

I know that the post is only about one but that’s like asking me to pick my favorite child. It just can’t be done, or it depends on the day, either way they’re all my favorites. 

I’m currently rereading The Witching Hour by Anne Rice, which I love and have read often over the years. I used to reread East of Eden by John Steinbeck often, but haven’t revisited that classic in many years. I’ve recently read Deadbeat Dates and Deities by my good friend JC Wing, that is both smart and funny. I also love books like The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis and Letters Written in White by Kathryn Perez that capture your imagination, even long after you’ve read them.

One of my favorite books is The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. I just love the story about deep love, possibility, and frustration. I love Claire and Henry and wish desperately that they could coexist in the same time period for just a little while longer than what they have, but then there would be no story. Maybe I’m a bit masochistic but the impossible love story is my favorite story of all time. 

I find that I’ve always been drawn to books that speak to me about love, loss, the unimaginable, and the impossible. Those are also the books that I love to write. I guess I’m a sucker for angsty stories, but I also love books that are clever and fun,  as well as books that will stay with me for a lifetime. That’s the beauty of books;  they comfort you, teach you, and expand your heart and mind, and if you find the right one, it’ll change you forever.

30 day challenge-Five Problems with Social Media

I’m not going to lie, I looove social media!

Since my first book was originally published in 2013, social media has allowed me to connect with so many wonderful readers, reviewers, bloggers, and artists in every avenue. My world has expanded to places I’ve never been to and to people I’ve never met in person. I’ve made wonderful friends and become aquainted with many incredible and interesting people. It has allowed me to connect with old friends, far-away family members, old and current employees, and people that otherwise would’ve been a long lost chapter in my life. As a reformed pen-pal from youth, I find that social media feeds the need within, to explore the world, from my home.

But as with anything, too much of a good thing, is not, and I do find that there can be problems with being too connected.

1. Internet Balls. Let’s get that one out of the way first. When people are tying in front of their computer, they often act as though it’s an invisibility cloak so they say and do whatever they want to whomever they want, with zero consideration. I’ve seen such ugliness on social media because there in ugliness in all of us, that sometimes begs to come out. Most sensible people push down the ugly and remind themselves that they are intelligent and sensible, then act in rhat manner. For this reason, problems arise where there were none and people get hurt for no good reason. Social media gives people with internet balls an avenue to say and do the ugly things they NEVER would in person. It gives cowards an outlet, and that’s the ugly truth.
2. It’s too easy of a distraction from life. If you don’t want to talk to your spouse, your family, your kids, or your friends, it’s a great way to avoid them. If you don’t want to face reality, spend a few hours looking at cat videos on social media. It’s easy, accessible, and available 24/7.
3. People share entirely too too much and lose their filter. There are certain things that I don’t want to see or know. I’ve seen pictures of things that I can’t unsee because it showed up on my feed. I’ve been informed about intimate details of people’s marriages, bodily functions, and personal lives … that I feel are best shared with people who know them deeply, intimately, and completely … not with me, your Facebook friend of eighteen days.
4. Creepers. Creepers. Creepers. I’m a middle-aged woman who’s had two kids and am way past my prime. I know this and I’ve accepted it. So don’t like my picture from 2011 that tells me that you just went through ALL of my pictures and don’t tell me that you want to get to know me better. I don’t even friend men anymore unless we have a TON of mutual friends and they can vouch for them, or unless I know them personally. I know that I’m Asian but I’m not your potential Internet bride. Gaaaaaah.
5. Social media makes us awkward. We sometimes forget how to interact or connect with real people. I’m friends with people on social media, but when I’ve met them in real life, I’m hesitant because I’m not sure if it’s them. I know my profile pic has an awesome filter on it that makes me look really young and awesome! 😆 Unless people are naturally extroverted, social media makes those who are more introverted even more awkward when meeting and interacting with people in the flesh. It challenges our social skills because we are often putting our best foot forward with our keyboards, but unsure of what to do about the awkward pause. It can cripple our growth and stunt our ability to truly connect with people face to face.

Despite all of these issues, I’m definitely a fan of social media. It’s expands my world, opens my eyes, and connects my heart those I would otherwise never have a chance to know. I stay away from the five negatives every chance I get and try to drive a positive approach everyday. I’ve learned through the years that you attract wonderful people by being positive and trying to make people’s lives better and fuller through social media.

Come hang out with me if you’d like. I guarantee that if we use our powers for good, we can make social media a much better place!

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