Hello, friends! It’s been a…long while. About a year ago I announced I would be switching over from a Wordpress-hosted site to a brand new self-hosted site, which would allow me to use plugins, more templates and themes, and just overall more control over the site. Web design and the messy backend of website management is a huge learning curve, despite a great class in grad school, so it’s been a long time coming as I’ve tried to work it in between a busy work schedule.
Excuse The Mess; I’m Moving!
Over the next few weeks you may notice an uptick in backposting and eventually some out of place web ads you didn’t notice before. That’s because I’m working on updating my portfolio and transitioning away from WordPress’s hosting plan. Once my site finds a new hosting service, I’ll be able to finally install plug-ins and additional features my personal WordPress plan didn’t provide—and I’ll eventually get my own domain name! Switching hosting shouldn’t affect you all, and if you continue to follow my site, you’ll stay with me through the transition. You may just notice me backdating some projects over the next few days as I catch you up on projects I’ve finished this year. I started this site in college to keep track of school and freelance projects, but it’s time for a facelift that accommodates my cover design work and writing endeavors more clearly for potential clients and publishers. If you’ve been here for awhile, stick around! If you’re new, stay tuned!
Life Update: Post Graduation
The last year and a half has been a constant churning of life’s ocean waves when set on a giant spin cycle. Between COVID and finishing up my master’s degree, I barely have an internal clock or a solid sense of time (as if I had one in the first place). But now things are finally getting back to normal (well, as normal as post-graduation adult life can get), and therefore it’s probably worth giving a life update.
The Mandala Blog: Assateague Island
Assateague Island, a 48,000 acre vacation oasis, is shared between Virginia and Maryland, and is relatively untouched by human civilization.
The Editing Process for PCC’s Fountains Publication
Every year, the Copy Editing II class works hard to produce PCC’s annual literary publication, Fountains. This year, I had the fantastic opportunity to be one of two Senior Editors, and it wasn’t until this year did I realize the awesome process of creating such an incredible product.
Published in East Region Emerging Writers
I had the privilege to publish two more stories in the America’s Emerging Writers series this year, a new publisher now nominating its best stories for Pushcart nominations. I’ve never written a horror/campfire story until the first semester of my freshman year, but staying several nights in a large Portofino resort on the end of a Pensacola island got my creative juices flowing. Four years later, the story is finally available for others to read in the East Region’s horror anthology, and anyone familiar with the island resort will notice the story’s resort bearing remarkable resemblance. The other story, published in the East Region’s literary publication, is a story I wrote as a college sophomore, and a version of it can be read here. Since penning it, the manuscript has evolved and developed, so be sure to check out the updated version in the paperback edition.
Published In “America’s Emerging Writers” National Edition
Earlier in 2018, my short story, “Fruits of the Spirit Daycare” was accepted by Z Publishing and printed in their Florida’s Emerging Writers, which makes up their national series, America’s Emerging Writers. It was a great experience, and I really enjoyed seeing my name printed alongside so many other talented writers representing the state of Florida. Little did I know that there would also be a national copy set to print just in time for Christmas — and my story made the cut. While 2,000 entries were accepted for the state-level publishing, making up all 50 states, only 136 of those 2,000 were selected to make up the national edition: America’s Emerging Writers. You can buy a copy on Amazon, or click here to buy from Z Publishing’s website. Note that there are two volumes to this book. You can find mine in the first volume.
The Writer’s Block Syndrome
This past month, I’ve been struggling with severe writer’s block. I almost never succumb to it’s cold, calloused embrace, but this month has been a doozy for my writer’s mind. What’s worse? I had a paper due; a long paper. In an attempt to conquer this…impediment…I wrote this short soapbox rant for my nonfiction class: Today, I have a problem. A real, big-time problem. It’s a problem every writer faces, a problem every writer fears. It comes with no warning, but strikes a quick, agonizing blow to your self-esteem, your peace of mind, and your overall sanity. I’m talking about writer’s block. The wicked, wicked illness of every writer.
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