Whispers in my ear: Secrets from a writer's muse.

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https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jennifer-Crowfoot-Author/598974793449358?ref=hl

• 15 May 2013
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A Sad Tale of a Finished Tale.

Empty. Floundering. Strange.

I never expected to feel this way when I finished my latest stories. Sad and totally lost.

 I have a huge empty hole in me which started when I typed THE END. And, I’m not sure how to handle it, I didn’t want to leave the characters or their world…crazy eh?

They were constant companions for quite awhile and the thought of leaving them behind and saying goodbye — was painful.

It’s hard to explain this feeling as I didn’t have it when I finished my other works. I was happy to finish them, let go of their hands and send them out into the wide, virtual world. But, this time it’s different.

It’s not that I don’t want to have others read them, au contraire. I want people to read them, love them and take them to their hearts….

So…*shrugging* I don’t know. I know that once I start on another story, this feeling will pass. But at the moment it’s like I’ve lost a piece of me with the completion of the two books.

Is it wrong/crazy/silly to become so attached to your characters?

They are tiny facets of yourself, so I suppose it’s only natural to care about them and worry about them. You want them to be liked, loved even. You don’t want to see them teased or hurt or friendless, just like sending your kids off to kindergarten on that first day.

You only want the best for them…. 

Le sigh…

 

 

• 4 May 2013
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Ouch! When butts hit the ground.

Ok, odd title I know, but there is a method to my madness, um, rant, *scratching head* ah, yes that’s it, wee story. Actually, now I think on it, I’m fibbing, there probably isn’t.

Right well, let’s get on with it then. Today’s story is brought to you by the letter F and the word Clutz. Let me explain, when whoever is in charge of sending out the memos regarding safety around the house was on the job they forgot to either;

(a: send me one, or

(b: more to the point I forgot to read the damn thing. *shrugging*

This little cautionary tale began yesterday. It started off a normal day, like any other monday: washing(laundry), writing when I should have been hanging said laundry out and drinking my weight in coffee.

Anyhoo, back to those memos, at an age where I should know better but for some reason I don’t I skipped out into my laundry to duck outside for a smoko break and of course I was skipping with a full and freshly-made cup of scalding coffee. Well, to cut a long — and painful — story short….I slipped.

Now if you had of been a fly on the wall I’m sure you would have been highly amused by what occured in those next few moments. My slippered feet hit a particularly slippery  nasty patch of shiny, treacherous tiles and *kapow*, *boom*, *crash*… thar she goes.

My lovely green outrageously slippy feet decided they didn’t want to hold me upright anymore and next thing I know I’m sitting on the tiles, my now much emptier coffee cup held aloft in my hand; how I managed to hang on to it I don’t have the foggiest idea.

You can fall over, but don’t you dare drop your coffee you mad woman!

Back to the sad story, one of my jean clad legs was covered in coffee (yukky) and I was sitting in a puddle of the stuff (even yukkier), the rest had exploded from out of the depths of the mug and sprayed in a delightful brown gush over every surface in my laundry that was possible to coat.

With my mouth hanging open in a perfect O and squeaking like an overexcited (terrified?) rodent I sat there stunned and wondering to myself, what the hell just happened?

Well, after I finally managed to clamber to my feet(slowly and with more squeaks) — my Land-Down-Under feeling like it’d been dropped from out of a helicopter into a gravel quarry — I then proceeded to execute a weird penguin-like waddle outside and contemplated my clumsiness whilst finishing off my actually less than half cup of coffee.

Take if from me dear readers, skipping like a empty-headed dreamer on tiles while your feet are clad in slippy slippers is not a very good way to start your day!

• 9 Apr 2013
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Couldn’t have said this better myself.

enchantedink:

okay is it just me who gets wildly attracted to fictional characters and then wildly jealous of their fictional girlfriends?

hands off my fictional man, ladies.

• 19 Mar 2013
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L’Automne de l’ Australie. An Australian autumn.

 

Dear Tumblr,

                Please forgive my absence from your pages these past few weeks, my life has been crazy hectic and finding the time to jot you a few lines has been at best rather awkward and at worst, impossible. Until now…. 

 I’ve been putting the finishing touches to the follow up to ‘Tainted Magic’, my latest novel published through Smashwords. Oh how silly of me, I didn’t tell you did I? I finally published it, it’s been a long time coming and I was so excited to witness its foray into the world without me hanging onto its hand. A rather scary thing I don’t mind telling you, a little like sending your only child off to school for the first time. You want them to be loved and feel safe, but there comes a time where you must let go and trust that they’ll be ok without your constant watch.

In other news Autumn has finally reached us here in Australia. I can’t tell you what a treat it is to have the change of season after such a hot summer. You know, this magnificent country really does take my breath away at times with its contrary nature.

As you may have heard dear Tumblr, we had shocking fires down south in Victoria, and whilst this was causing countless heartache, up north in Queensland and northern N.S.W, the land was buried beneath raging torrents of brutal floodwaters after suffering torrential rains, the remnants of cyclones. Overnight whole communites were swallowed beneath wild swirling muddy waters or burnt to a crisp, depending on whether or not you lived north or south of N.S.W.

Here at home the rains were very welcome, the landscape has been transformed from parched to a beautifully woven carpet of varying shades of green. The crevasse-like cracks which scarred the dusty ground have been replaced with thigh-high lush feed. Unfortunately, the kangaroos have since vanished back to their own feeding grounds now that the grasses have been restored, there is no need to feed so close to town when your own backyard is just as plentiful.

I did enjoy watching them, but they’ll be back.

I’ve noticed that twilight arrives quicker now, and the evenings are cooler as well. Autumn is really my favourite time of the year. Of a morning the valley is shrouded in mist, the mountains hiding their faces behind veils of white like blushing brides, so pretty. Large spiderwebs strung up between the trees and roses twinkle with a coating of sparkling faerie’s dust — there had to be a faerie reference, as you know!

And the trees! A feast for the eyes, they’re starting to show me hints of the magnificent plumage to come, like strutting peacocks who give you the merest flash of their splendid tails. But instead of shimmering irridescent blues and aquas, their displays will be fashioned in shades of burnished coppers, bronzes, russets and gold. But, it’s not yet too cold that my flowers stop blooming, so my garden is still a symphony of floral displays, the roses are really quite lovely at the moment.

Well, I’ll finish off this wee note here and post it off to you. I’ll try not to let so much time pass before my next one. Have a Happy and safe Easter if we don’t speak before then.

With my fondest regards,

Jennifer.

Photo of a Late Australian Summer’s Evening Sky, author’s own.

(C) Jennifer Crowfoot. 2013.  

• 18 Mar 2013
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Harden up Sweetie. My publishing path, the ‘Lara Croft’ way.

Ah, La petite Mademoiselle Lara Croft; that curvaceous feminine explorer of the ancient and unknown, the feisty destroyer of reanimated mummies, monsters and just plain-old baddies.

After much contemplation I realised that my path ahead needed a ‘Lara-approach’ I knew that I needed to follow her no-nonsense way of just barging in with all ‘literary-guns’ blazing and smoking up and heaven help whoever walked/ran/slithered/fell or jumped in my path.

I refer not to exploring vine-covered and arachnid stuffed temples or even journeying to the Underworld and slaying undead warriors….No, I refer to the even mightier challenge of getting my stories out into ‘The Wonderful World of The Mighty Reader’.

Fear not gentle readers, I’m not losing my marbles, there’s a reason behind my references to this lithe athletic heroine and I will fill you in on the secret in…3….2….1 Now!

After finishing off a short story which I’d been writing in small installments I decided to give self-publishing a whirl. I figured it couldn’t hurt and it could quite possibly help me to build up a name for myself. With my decision made and my jaw set in a determined line, I started researching my options, of which there are myriad by the way.

Finally, I came across a reference to Smashwords.com, et voila, I discovered my pot ‘o’ gold. My hidden temple brimming with untouched artifacts, gold, gems, ancient knowledge and cranky hissing serpents — of which I bravely cut a swathe through….

*Author’s Disclaimer: Actually it doesn’t contain any of those last things and I certainly didn’t harm any critters or steal any jewels, but in my head it looks shit-hot written down on the virtual page.

Anyhoo, on with my tale. This was the ultimate home for my stories that I’d been searching high and low for. Smashwords is perfect for my needs, and the needs of my work. Now to make it crystal clear so there’s no misunderstandings between us, I don’t recommend self-pubbing or even traditional publishing to anyone, that isn’t my place, or right. 

How you choose to get your books out there is an individual choice, and everyone must do what’s right for them. But for me, it’s been a godsend and I’m so grateful to this wonderful place for the opportunity which it has presented me with. 

• 16 Jan 2013
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My Author’s page at Smashwords.

The address for my author’s page at smashwords is: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/JenniferCrowfoot

Here at this address, you can learn a little more about me and also view my work. I look forward to having you come visit.

Jennifer

• 14 Jan 2013
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