%%USERNAME%%    %%ACCWORDS%% %%ONOFF%% |
 |
How once woman went from being a SAHM of four to a published freelance science journalist |
|
I'm revising this intro after more than 15 years to better reflect my intention When I started this blog in 2004, I was a stay at home mom to two small children, a college graduate with a degree in English and Astrophysics. By 2007, I had four small children, ages newborn, 2, 4, and 6. For several years, Writing.com was how I kept my sanity. This blog began, first as a way of staying connected. Later, when I worked on a novel, I used it to stoke the writing fires as I plotted out short stories and the next step of my novel. Ultimately, I moved my writing preparation to "Invalid Item"  In 2010, I became a single mom who had homeschooled her children for several years. I had a 2, 4, 6 and 8 year old and had never had a "real" full time job, since I was married while in college. Everyone told me that I would have to buckle down and take on a "real" job. Instead, I decided to attempt to live my dream: to make it as a writer. I knew that if I didn't try then, I would never really dive in. I counted my money and set a deadline. If I hadn't began making a decent (defined) amount of money after so many months, I would suck it up and get a J-O-B. After some thought, I decided to play to my strengths. I served an internship at Sky & Telescope magazine while in college and enjoyed writing about space and astronomy. With an astrophysics degree, I thought I would be able to sell myself more easily, and a small niche should be easier to penetrate. It's been about ten years since I was first paid for an article on Space.com. In that time, writing - journalism - has been my primary moneymaker. I've often thought about setting up a blog on my website - www.astrowriter.com - but just haven't gotten around to it. There are a few things I would like to share for those who are interested in scientific journalism in general. Now that I'm back on WDC, there's no reason not to combine the two and use the site blog for that sort of interaction. There are certainly plenty of folks on this site interested in the publication process. So while I'll probably meander around some, that's the intention of of this blog: to share some of my struggles as a published journalist and to help answer oft-asked questions. |
Hi all! Can't believe I've been gone for so long! Sorry!  It's been hectic around here, moving in, going back and forth to Georgia (ugh) for our furniture - TWO TRIPS! - and a couple other things. We've all been sick lately, which has made things even worse.But that's not why I'm writing. I'm dropping you a line to share the news - I decided that I am going to work on my novel today. I've been procrastinating it for, um, a couple years because of the research I need to do. See, it's a time-travel book, that takes place in not one but several periods of time, and of course I have to do research on each era. I haven't had much time for extended research, with four little kids, so I haven't done anything with it. I can't take it anymore, though. Lately, the story has gotten back into my head. Or, rather, I've gotten it back into my own head. I'll tell you a secret...when I was a kid, I used to pretend I was in a story that I would tell myself when I was supposed to be going to bed. It was an interactive bedtime story!  It used to help me fall asleep.I've had some trouble sleeping lately - it actually started while I was pregnant with my now almost-one-year old (hard to believe!). A couple months ago, I started 'imagining' a story again to help me fall asleep. In the last few weeks, though, I decided to make the 'bedtime story' my own, and so I've really been visualizing my novel. Now I'm aching to write it again. There have been some exterior pushes that have encouraged me, which probably made me include said story in my bedtime head. So I'm going to start work on my novel. I had resolved to start today (Monday) with writing it while the kids were napping. This means I would only get an hour, maybe two, to write each day, and would have to neglect the cleaning I usually do during those hours (not that it makes much difference, the house is always a mess, I'm a lousy housekeeper). The 1-2 hour/day limit is another reason I have put it off. I'm a little nervous, too, because once I get started, I know I'm going to hate stopping when my little ones wake up. I thought about trying to write at night, as well, but honestly, if I don't take the time to just relax and unwind, I'm going to commit violence upon someone - children, husband, mailman, or some random pedestrian. So I'm going to continue using post-bedtime to relax, although if I have a regular spurt, I might have to force myself to write (or, rather, to stop between nap and bed time). I'm going to do my research with little ones running around, which will be harder, I'm sure. We'll see how well that goes. I might do some regular stories set in each time period, just as exercises, and post those on-site. I'm really excited about the novel, and I'll keep you posted with the results. I have an outline around here somewhere, and I'm going to flesh it out. I struggle with whether or not to have a secondary problem running through each temporal location, along with the main problem of the novel. We'll see how it goes. Anyway, the reason I am not starting today is because we are leaving bright and early on Wednesday morning and going to Georgia for the week. I won't have a chance to write much while we are down there, so there's no point in starting; I'll be even more obnoxious for having to wait. Maybe I can do some research while out of town. I have a few books requested from the library; hopefully I can get them in time. PS I meant to tell you, our motorhome is available to rent now! If you know anyone in the Philadelphia area who wants to rent one for the summer, send 'em by! http://rvmemory.com/ Ours is the very top one. I'm going to be emailing over some suggestions for changes on the webpage soon, LOL, the editor in me won't let me avoid it. |
| Alright, I am checking in, after too long away. I have been terribly slack in my writing, despite my already-failed New Year's resolution. I had an idea for a book of short stories that I thought might be marketable - still think it might - in the LDS publication world. As a friend told me, that's not a huge market and so the quality of many things out there leaves something to be desired. Not that it is bad, it is just not always great. I mean, there are some greats, but not alot. So (she said) if I could write something great (and she expressed nice things, I think she read one of my stories but not sure), she says I would be a shoe-in. That said, I had a good idea but lacked motivation. And then...the other night, I dreamed a dream. I had a great idea - still have it - and am very excited about it. I've been hitting plot points, trying to figure out what I want to do. The only thing keeping me from formally pursuing it right now is that I am not certain about one tiny thing...what exactly is the nefarious scheme of the 'bad guys', which the protagonist is out to stop. You know, little things. So I will continue working on that one. Otherwise, not much going on in "real life". I've gotten back into couponing, both bad and good. Had some great scores - last week, grabbed about 60 boxes of Count Chocula at 1.5c a box, and another ~50 boxes of Multigrain Cheerios (.25/box) and 50 boxes Wheaties (.15/box). Big scores. Bundles of Cottonelle - 5 4 pks or 20 rolls - for somewhere around $1/bundle. I snagged 15 of those, so we're good on tp for awhile. Been really into CVS lately, making my extra care bucks roll. I've spent very little OOP (out of pocket) and have about $250-300 in ECBs ready to roll into February. All generated from maybe, maybe $50 in cash, but I doubt it's that much; probably closer to $25. And a whole bunch of stuff, and about $300 in rebates I need to mail off. So that's all been keeping me busy. I am going to have to sit down and seriously make this novel work. I think I might take a little 'easy' time, getting the kids to sleep at naptime, and then I am going to have to spend at least an hour writing. And, really, I should do a minimum of another hour at night. It's late now - 10:30 - so maybe I will just do some brainstorm writing to get these thoughts out, and maybe it will help me figure out that little problem. So I'm not writing, really, but I am gearing up for it. I am really excited about this story. In fact, I'd probably have done more if I hadn't had to plan DS's birthday party today. He will be 3 tomorrow. This is my 3rd kid, and it is hard to believe he is so "old" already! Okay, off to brainstorm. |
Hi, all, just checking in. Kåre Enga in Montana  sent me an email, I've been so out of it so long. I finished up my crocheting, but alas, between moving, in-laws, and genergal holiday anxiety, not until about the 22nd. They are still waiting to be mailed. I am pathetic. Pray I never draw your name for Christmas. I am ready to give up on the name-drawing tradition. I'll probably come back and vent to you about that later, since it is a sticking point. The short version: my kids are sending presents to my husband's cousin's kids...isn't that a little too extended to be drawing names for? It is IMO. Also, on the sad side, my dad called me on the 23rd just before I put the kids in the car and we left for church. My grandmother passed away that morning. So it has been a bit of an odd holiday; I've alternated between enjoying the time with my family, and just sort of a startlement that my (favorite and closest) grandmother was gone. The good side (if there is one) is that, when I die, I hope I go basically the same way. She was 81 years old. She was diagnosed with cancer about four months ago, so everyone knew it was coming, and we were all able to get together for Thanksgiving. She decided not to do chemo, so she wasn't in a lot of pain; my dad said she was uncomfortable, but not hurting really bad. She slipped away in her sleep. After talking to her, I think she was pretty ready. My grandfather passed in '85, so she had been alone for a long time. She was cognitive right up to the last 3 or 4 months, lived alone. Alright, off to spend more time with my husband's family. I am so ready to go back to PA. I miss the snow! I hope everyone is having a great Christmas/holiday season, and a happy New Year. |
| As you can tell by my tag (maybe), I have been crocheting like a crazy person lately. Do you know it's almost Christmas? We have six presents that have to be mailed, for names we drew. I think we are going to opt out next year. Four of them are kids, all young, so they are getting this: http://www.allfreecrafts.com/crochet/pony.shtml except without the saddle and bridle. Two of them are brothers; they are getting BYU colors. One is blue with white accents, and one white with blue accents. I will try to post a picture of my stable before I send them. I am anticipating completion by the end of the week, assuming I can get another thing of yarn by then.Otherwise, ick.I am tired and worn out. We drove down to GA for Thanksgiving, after stopping and spending Thanksgiving day with my dad's family in VA. That was kind of depressing. My grandmother - who I have always been very close to - was diagnosed with cancer in October, and they are giving her 6 mos to a year to live. She is 81. It is hard to believe she is that "old". She never used to look it. Unfortunately, she does now.  We got in VA on Wednesday and left right after Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday. In GA we packed up all of our things and then drove back up. I actually left on Saturday and stayed in VA until Monday. I took the baby and we visited my Memaw without the three rambunctuous kids. We got home on Monday night and then Tuesday we had several friends from church came over to help us unload the truck. We had a full-sized Penske truck unloaded in - no kidding - an hour. Maybe a little less, actually. So many people came over! The youth came over for their activity to help us, but they got there just as we finished. They helped me unpack my books and linens. Poor kids. The youth leader said it was okay that I was neurotic, so I had them put my books on the bookshelf alphabetically by title, then author (which is how I always have them). Those were my more 'serious' books; I have seperate shelves for my religious books and my 'fun' books. I know they think I'm nuts. I think I am still missing a few boxes of books, but there you go.In two days, I unpacked pretty much everything except for a) the books that need me to buy new bookshelves and b) the Christmas decorations. We will be decorating for Christmas this week. I think we will buy a tree on Saturday. We would have done it sooner, but my in-laws were in town, and I kind of wanted it to be an 'our family' activity. So anyway, between traveling, unpacking, and hosting my inlaws for several days, I am beat! And I still have some crocheting to do! Aack! |
| Hi, all. Okay, I thought about deleting the previous blog but I'm so mean I'm just going to leave it. Actually, when I woke up Saturday morning I was going to come down and delete it but then he got all snotty so I left it. The honest truth is that my husband is a good man. He works really hard, and is on the road alot. And he is working hard right now because I asked him to do so while we get out of debt. When we first started discussing getting out of debt almost two years ago, he was working 40 hours a week. He didn't want to take a part time job to help us get out of debt because he didn't want to miss seeing his kids grow up, even for a short time. Then he was laid off from his job, and managed to work enough odd jobs to keep our bills paid, he was working so hard. Now he is working somewhere around 80 hours a week, driving about 1300 miles a week, waking up early and going to bed late. He is tired, and rightly so. He is tired because I asked him to work hard. And we are living very frugally as a result - 99% of what we brought home in terms of money has gone to paying off our debt, so that we are almost done. He also has relationship issues. This is not because we are LDS. In the LDS church, we are taught that the husband and wife walk side by side. He has talents and I have talents, and we are supposed to work together. His problem stems more from the fact that his dad is, um, not a very nice guy. His dad is rude and lazy, and expects his wife to wait on him hand and foot. My dh is disgusted by this attitude and is trying - and succeeding - to be a better husband than his dad. And a better father than his dad. He works really hard at this. But it is hard for him. Still, he has come a very long way in the 7 years we have been together. He really has. But when I get upset, I always have a hard time keeping that in perspective. And I am not without my failings, either. My mom is thrice divorced, and told me basically from the beginning of my marriage that if everything didn't go the way I wanted it, that I should get a divorce. Of course, that is not how a marriage works, but my mom thinks everything is about her. So I have a not-so-good example I am trying to recover from. I think I am doing better than I was seven years ago, but I'm still not where I want to be. Honestly, I don't think dh's parents love each other; his dad told dh that he wonders sometimes why they stayed together. So my dh doesn't have a good example of showing a wife love and respect. He knows that his dad is wrong but doesn't necessarily know what is right, KWIM? Finally, I will say that as the oldest child of a usually-single mom  , I do know how blessed I am to have a husband around. He is a good man. He has his weak points. They tend to grate on me most when HE is tired AND I am tired, all at the same time. I need to do a better job of letting go and forgiving, and he needs to work a little more at being sensitive. I am fortunate that he also recognizes that there are a couple of reasons we need marriage counseling, and he is willing to go. Some people are just too stubborn to do even that. He realizes that we both have changes we need to make. We really do have a good marriage. We just need to work on it a little. And probably not blog on the bad days. Now, about that cellaphane... |
| Okay, so this is pretty not-nice, so be warned. Husbands are jerks. At least, mine is. All he does is complain. I try hard to make our house a nice place to be, and he comes home and has to be such a total jerk. Yeah, jerk, I replaced the word I originally wrote. I spent FIVE FREAKING HOURS cleaning the stupid motorhome, making it shine. Yes, I had help; some wonderful women from our church came over, for a total of 14 (wo)man hours between the three of us. He couldn't even say "wow, it looks nice." He couldn't even just say "it looks nice" without the wow. Stupid <insert bleeps here>. This is crap, too, because I try not to complain. I don't gripe to my mom, because that is dangerous. When I know I really need perspective, I gripe to my dad, who has oddly enough become my husband's greatest admirer. He reminds of how hard dh is working. Well, you know, I'm working hard too! Do you have any idea how tough it is to keep a house clean with four little ones running around? I have done all of the unpacking, all of the moving, all of the cleaning. He comes home and gripes because it isn't perfect. Poor thing spent three days training and eating steaks his company paid for, got a nice dinner, while I cooked and cleaned up leftovers. Do you have any idea how long it has been since I've had a nice meal? Especially one without tiny interference. He came home and now he's up in bed. I unpacked the groceries, and now I get to clean up the afternoon destruction because we had to leave right after dinner. For a function I had to make a cake for. (Well, I didn't have to, but we were all supposed to bring something.) He griped because I asked him to change the baby's diaper. I try to be all content and supportive, to express appreciation for how hard he works. Because I will give it to him, he works hard at his job. But that seems to be the only place he works hard. And he never bothers to express appreciation or kind words or any of that crap. One time I sat him down and told him that I needed to hear that on occasion, just a "you're doing a good job" or "you look pretty tonight" (I didn't even ask for beautiful, just pretty). You know what he says? "I can't make up lies like that." <insert more profanity> Yes, folks, my husband can't even lie and say that I am attractive to him. And I promise, I am not some five hundred pound person. I weight maybe - maybe - 140, and that is six months after having a baby. I try to do my hair and makeup and crap to look nice for him and he tells me I look "weird." So there it is, folks. My husband doesn't like the way I look. He doesn't like the way I act. He doesn't like anything I do. He doesn't want to talk to me. He doesn't want to be with me. Then he wonders why I get depressed. I try to keep reminding myself that the problem is not completely me (I am certain I play a part in it, but I don't think it's 100% on my shoulders). I shouldn't even post this entry, I should just delete it. This sucks. So we keep saying we need to talk to the Bishop at church about marriage counseling. I keep saying I'm going to do it. I am. I can't handle living like this. This sucks. So, how was your day, guys? LOL |
| I want to write something, but I don't know what. I am hitting a wall of non-inspiration. I am trying to jazz myself up, but I keep getting distracted by cold feet. Literally. I should probably turn up the heat. Anyway, I came to my blog so I could get something done. To be fair to myself, I have at least churned out a couple of content-type articles. Nine in the last two or three days, I think. Maybe six in the last two days and then I just posted three. I don't know. I want some more broccoli soup. LOL. Maybe I could write a content article on broccoli soup. I'm not sure what I would say. It's all the big money, I know, ha ha, but everything helps. Hmm. Maybe I can check out the requests and see what is wanted. My goal for the month is 17 articles, so I am over halfway there. I think the soup is the problem. Or maybe it is my kids, slamming things around upstairs. I guess it is time to get them up anyway. Bums. If anyone wants to write a content article for me....LOL. |
| Hello! I did it, I wrote a story. I mean, okay, I've been writing stories for the Dialogue 500 (wrote two, actually), but this one was a long and good one. I could use some good R&Rs if anyone wants to help me out! (We need a 'hopeful expression' icon here, LOL)
Okay, so enough of that self-plugging. I am just excited to have written a "real" story! So, I'm looking at some ways to pick up some cool stuff for Christmas. I thought about, you know, doing a WDC Christmas, cuz I have lots of gps, but alas, I can only find a few things I would like. It would be kind of cool if the aforementioned story could place in the WDC Contest, with the Amazon.com gift card. And I have some other content articles to churn out. Think I'll work on those. Too bad I can't use WDC gps on Amazon.com! LOL. On the other hand, have ya'll browsed the store lately? I am loving that padfolio. Has anyone purchased it? It looks really cool. I think that is going to be my new "for me" thing. Alright, I have to go spread some birthday cheer. It's my fourth WDC birthday! Hard to believe! I can't believe I've been here for four years. !!! ![Merit Badge in Reviewing
[Click For More Info]
Ranked # 1 Public Reviewer for the month of June 2005 . For more details, please see [Link To Item #614925] .](https://images.Writing.Com/imgs/writing.com/writers/badges/general-Reviewing-2180.gif) ![Merit Badge in Success
[Click For More Info]
For being the Number One Reviewer at the end of the EnduReview II contest in December of 2004! Congratulations.](https://images.Writing.Com/imgs/writing.com/writers/badges/general-Success-1150.gif)
** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** ![Merit Badge in Attention to Detail
[Click For More Info]
From [Link To Item #861549] Job well done!!! Keep up the good work!!!](https://images.Writing.Com/imgs/writing.com/writers/badges/general-Attention_to_Detail-125.gif) ![Merit Badge in Editing
[Click For More Info]
For the best review I've ever received!](https://images.Writing.Com/imgs/writing.com/writers/badges/general-Editing-2180.gif) |
Hi all! I am ready, set, racing! Good news all around! We bought our house! Closed on Halloween, of all days. Woohoo! So I'll be touch and go for the next little bit; not a surprise, since I've been mostly "go" for the last year, eh?  I am struggling with a massive dose of inspiration. I am just relishing the freedom that being able to take a few minutes (not to mention sitting at a table!) gives me. Last night, I decided to enter "The Dialogue 500" [18+], and so I wrote "Invalid Item" . Very spur of the moment. Well, sort of. I saw the prompt the day before, but I didn't think about it at all. I just decided last night to write something. So that was a quick and easy write. BUT, it's not what has me excited. See, it was so much fun (I forgot how much fun fun writing is!) that I clicked over to the Cramp to see what the prompt was. Then I checked my email. If you checked yours today, you'll see that SM sent out a new notification for a monthly contest. That's what has me all a-flutter. The contest is "Short Shots: Official WDC Contest" [ASR], but don't go check it out. The less entrants, the better! Maybe I can win by default! J/K. Anyway, first prize is a $100 Amazon gift card. Ooh, doesn't that sound like fun? So I figured, hey, I'll take a look. I like the picture. I have lots of ideas swirling around in my head. And I also have the song from Jaws stuck in my head...."Show me the way to go home/I'm tired and I wanna go to bed...." LOL. Anyway, I have to think a little bit about how I want to write this one. On top of that, lately I am having thoughts about another book. Okay, a series. (Yeah, I wonder if I can swing that one!) It's all Trixie's fault. I have been re-reading good ole Trixie Belden who, if you don't know, is an amature detective just a little younger than Nancy Drew. Where Nancy is suave, beautiful, and always so well put together you have to hate her, Trixie is more like George - tomboyish and fun. She's also a little younger. So anyway, I was thinking about a mystery series...but of course that is following my short story collection! I have a lot of great ideas to work on. The short stories will probably be harder to sell than the series (or, at least, the first book in the series). On the other hand, it will give me a good starting point! So we'll see. Don't ask me why I keep thinking about series lately. I don't know. And don't ask me why there are so many ellipses in this entry. No clue on that one, either. Alright, well, everyone is actually asleep. I am going to go take a two hour bath and maybe even go to bed before midnight. It's a struggle to resist the temptation, though. I could stay up all night, typing and pondering a story...Hmm. Maybe I will! |
| Alright, we're going to try to get this done. Would you believe that someone tagged me? I don't know what they are thinking! THE RULES: Link to your tagger and post these rules. List 8 random facts about yourself. At the end tag 8 other people. Let them know in their blog comments they’ve been tagged. Texas Belle  and her dog should get some points for trying to add to them! (That is, of course, who tagged me "Invalid Entry" .)Okay, so now I have to try to come up with 8 random facts. Hmm. I see it doesn't say we have to stick to writing.comers. 1. I am writing this while watching TV. My Tivo is backed up and won't record tomorrows shows if I don't veg out for a few hours today and clear some space. It's a hard life, isn't it?2. I have a very vivid imagination. This manifests itself in two ways. First, if a scene is described to me, I can visualize it. So I really hate when people tell me about eye or tendon injuries, because I can almost feel it. The other side is that, when I watch the news or even TV (and sometimes when I read, but I am usually more drawn into the book than the television), I ask myself, what would I do in that situation? Even if I would never get into that situation. For instance, we were listening to some news report about someone who got caught stealing people's identity and I thought, if I were going to do that, how would I do it and not get caught? But I would never steal anyone's identity. 3. I am a Supernatural junkie (that's a TV show). It is the only show that I would be really upset to miss if we lost cable. Thanks to our beautiful Tivo, I don't even turn it on until after all of my kids have been asleep for at least 30 minutes, so they don't wake up and bug me. I love Jared P. and Jensen Ackles; I think they are great actors (okay, and they're hot. And Jensen, at least, is my age). I have always been a big sci-fi buff, and I liked the first season best, when they kept everything pretty mild and nongory, but still creepy. They are creeping up further, which worries me, because if they get much more graphic, I will have to stop watching. I about died last week when I saw the rabbit foot episode. It was hysterical! 4. I am too cheap for my own good. Especially when I'm on a get-out-of-debt goal. And if I know I have something, I'm hardpressed to buy it. Right now, our new baby is "suffering" the most. I know we have a box of baby toys around here somewhere, but I can't find it. And I know we have baby clothes, but I also can't find it. So she is stuffed into clothes that are about 3 months to small. But never fear. With the cold snap, she needs some warm clothes, so sometime this week I'm going to go pick her up some winter clothes in her size. Thankfully, several folks from church have given us clothes, so we only put her in too small ones when we are at the end of the laundry cycle. 5. I am fairly close to being balanced in terms of math and English skills. I scored something like 40 pts higher on the English part of my SATs in high school than I did on the math. Hence the Creative Writinig/Astrophysics major. A few weeks ago, one of the teens I teach in Seminary came in with some geometry homework, and I was all, I miss geometry! (I helped her, too!) Then I was talking to another mom whose daughter was struggling in Algebra, and I *really* miss Algebra. I love spreadsheets and running the numbers. 6. When I was a kid and couldn't sleep, I used to tell myself bedtime stories. Now my 6 yo daughter does it! And I didn't tell her that I used to! 7. I am a serious chocolate junkie, especially in times of stress. The last two or three months - maybe longer, maybe since the baby was born - I have been buying several six pack of individual Reeses peanut butter cups from the store and eating ONE six pack almost every day. I think I'm switching over to straight chocolate Hershey bars right now, though. I keep promising to eat better once we are out of this motorhome. Some days I think that will never happen! 8. I have been AWOL from writing.com so long, I'm not actually sure I can come up with eight people to tag... Okay, now I have to see if I can come up with 8 folks to tag. We'll see how many carry on! Tagged: karabu Kåre Enga in Montana jessiegirl sultry SB Musing  Okay, I can't find three more folks who I know who haven't been tagged, and I don't like tagging folks I don't know. So I hope you are having fun! |
View Portfolio
Visit Notebook
Send Gift Points
Awards
Badges
Send Email
Community Newsfeed
General Discussion
Sponsored Items
Book of Trinkets
Static Items
Books
Groups
Interactive Stories
Audio
Campfire Creatives
Community Notes
Crossword Puzzles
Documents
Folders
Images
In & Outs
Madlibs
Photo Albums
Polls
Product Reviews
Quizzes
Survey Forms
Web Pages
Word Searches
