Please Register if Possible!

I know that this is not normally something that I post on my blog, but it is very important that you register to vote if you are old enough. This year's election in my country is crucial to our future. We need everyone to determine truly who the best candidate is to head our country.

Register and vote wisely!

Guess whose back?!

Guess whose back? If you guessed me, you're right. I haven't been on here in about a year, so I'm happy to be back and getting into the swing of things.

Not only am I back, but I'm also doing Camp NaNoWriMo, again! (AKA I'm ruining my life) But I'm going to be posting the whole journey and the story will either be on here or on Wattpad. I'll let everyone know soon enough where it will be. And I will get a short synopsis out so that you guys can figure out if you want to read it or not. I'll try to make a journal on here of all my Camp NaNo adventures this summer, and I really want to post on here more. 

In addition to being more active on here, I was elected president of writing club, which is something that I do at my school. So once the school year starts I'll probably be talking a little bit about writing club as well. If you are interested in starting your own, I would suggest that you stick around.

I know this was short, but that's all for now.

DFTBA,

-Izzy

My Dance with NaNoWriMo

So, I thought that today I would tell you about my experience with NaNoWriMo, how Camp NaNo is going for me, and my plans for NaNoWriMo coming up.

Part 1: NaNo Experience
NaNoWriMo began, for me, with a school organization. We all decided to participate in it this past year, and I thought Why not? It began, and I didn't know how to change my word count. I was stuck on the regular NaNoWrimo with 50,000 words that month, something could not, and did not achieve.
The Young Writer's program was a very helpful site. They gave me a more manageable goal, and a site that was way easier to navigate. Though, I didn't make my goal, 30,000, it was a great learning experience. Even better, I got to do it with friends. I had noticed that I was telling my friends about what was happening, and having them read my last chapter. It was almost like it was therapeutic. It helped me to talk to friends, as well as having people around me participate. (If you enjoy that experience, I suggest Camp NaNoWriMo)
Another interesting chapter in my journey was having an internet 'fan base' involved. Though, I didn't, and don't really, have fans, it was nice to share my writing online. I used Wattpad to mainly store my writing, and read others. It was also a nice way to get used to online publishing, and feeling like I had a responsibility to someone who might be waiting for me to update. If you are planning on publishing online, that is a great way to go in terms of internet publishing. Additionally, you can get a fan base, and people can read for free. Considering that, you don't have to go to a publisher, either. If you want a professional publishing, without the publisher, publish online at Amazon.
Lastly, I was in the midst on school, which was a bit stressful. I really wasn't used to it, and was still getting into the rhythm  of school, and it was hectic. I wasn't prepared for any of it, and seemed a bit overwhelmed. If I would have done Camp before, in the summer, I could have prepared myself. I wish I would have known more.
MY ADVICE: Make sure to do your research. Know what you are handling before you do. Have your month planned out, as much as you can, and know what you have to do to keep yourself on track.

Part 2: Camp NaNo July So Far
So, yes, I am currently in the midst of a Camp NaNo. I did a Camp before this, and didn't succeed, but I feel pretty confident where I am so far.
I have been on track for most of the ride, but went on vacation this week. I am here, in Boise, and have lost track a bit. On the night before the trip, I thought that I would be writing in the car. So, I decided to take that night and actually get some sleep. Then, I was getting distracted in the car, and didn't write, even though the ride took half a day! So, I got here around 10:00, and was so tired. I wrote my share of words for that day and went along and slept. So, I have been pretty busy, barely reaching my daily goals. Right now, I'm procrastinating and writing my blog instead of working on my word count.
My Advice: Don't plan ahead when it comes to your word count. Do what you have to do now. And get your sleep, because you need it! I always seem to make more progress if I get my full amount of sleep the night before.

Part 3: Plans
Yes, I am doing NaNo.
I just, don't know. I really have to wrap this up and write. I will be doing a full 30,000 if I reach my goal this month, or less if I don't. There will be more information in the weeks ahead. Hopefully, it will be a sequel to the book I am currently writing. Look out for the edited version of that on here!

Thanks everyone!

30 Day Challenge

What do you think? I'm doing it!

Stuck

Hey there! I have some exciting news for you!
I will be participating in Camp NaNo again, in July!
So, I'm kind of stuck. I already have a book started, and plan on working through that. I have too many unfinished manuscripts, and I'm not starting a new one.
But that's not my problem.
I've been drifting in and out of planning my story. At the moment, I have 9 days to do planning, and don't feel very up to it. I really enjoy what I call 'free-range' writing.
Definition Time!
Free Range Writing: When you are left alone to randomly write, no editing, without any written plan. You may have somewhere you want your story to go, but nothing too organized that you could say to your friend, "Hey, this is my plan!"



That's basically how I roll. I'm not into organized writing. I've done NaNo two times before, and I've free-ranged it all the way. But, I didn't win either way. That's why I'm thinking that I should plan. But, all the planning that I've tried is extremely elaborate and not fit for for something like Camp. I'm in to details, and I like to have everything exactly how I like it. Camp NaNo is more about throwing something quick together and throwing yourself into the writing. It's about your momentum.

And now that I've slept on it and everything, I've come up with a plan.
I've decided to create a writing agenda. For me, this is going be useful in a few ways. 1. I will see my goals in front of me and hopefully feel motivated; 2. I will have some actual goals, which will help me control my writing and have a manageable amount of writing; 3. I can have a little bit of short term planning. And you guys can totally use this. I will be putting some of my useful tools with tutorials and examples. I will be putting up some screenshots on their and descriptions. I thought that that would be very helpful during Camp NaNo. 

Good luck with your writing. I will try to post during Camp, but no guarantees. 

DFTBA,
storyblogger77

Untitled Short Story

Author's Note: I started writing this in February, I think. I ended up finishing it in April. And yes, I did say I wouldn't be posting any short stories, I thought I would finish this one. I don't plan on writing any more this month. So, enjoy this while you can.

I sat on my porch licking a grape Popsicle and letting it drip onto the wood. I watched the kids pass on their bikes. These were the little kids swerving and wobbling on princess or Spider man bikes. I felt my skin, drenched in sweat and red hot. For the middle of May, it was really hot. My skin had blistered and was peeling off, so I went inside.

“What happened to your face?” My mom screamed when I went back inside. I felt it again, flakes of it falling to the ground.

“I don’t know, don’t care,” I said sitting at the table where a juicy plate of watermelon was sitting. I squeezed the sweat out of my hair and took of my shirt. Then, still in my shorts, I turned on the water and soaked in a cool bath. I let the water drain, then took an actual shower with water that was a decent temperature. I shook the water from my hair and wrapped my body in a towel.

“Barbecue is ready!” My dad yelled from downstairs. I realized that my cousins had come over and we were having a barbecue. I rushed around my house, trying to find a clean pair of swim trunks. I finally found a pair of blue and green camo trunks and put them on. I rushed down stairs and saw that everyone was hanging around the pool. I could smell the barbecue roasting in my dad’s grill.

“Hey, you finally came,” my cousin, Jeanette said when I came to the backyard. I felt the soft grass smashed around my feet. I didn't feel that there was a place for me here. But it was almost sundown, and we were going to start roasting marshmallows soon after dinner. Then, I was hoping that I could get out my telescope and look at the stars.

My male cousins were playing some sort of ball game in the pool. I wouldn't know, I wasn’t much of a sports fanatic. My brother, who was their age was on a lawn chair alone. He was sitting and tanning, oblivious to everyone else around him.

“Kyle, why don’t you jump in the pool with your brother?” My mom coaxed. I shook my head and backed away. But my mom motioned to the pool and I finally jumped in. When my little cousins tried to dunk me under the water, I tried to squirm away. I finally started to wade around, not knowing what to do. 

"Kyle! Do you want to play volley ball in the front yard?" Jeanette yelled. She was holding the fence gate and a beach ball. 

"Sure," I said, climbing out of the pool. As my other cousins stepped out, I saw brother on his lawn chair. Then I coached my cousins as the pried Harry off his chair. 

"Get off," he said, trying to sit back down. 

"Come on, Harry," I said, almost ready to follow Jeanette to the front yard. But he plopped back down and turned away. 

When I got to the front, my dad had already set up the volley ball net. As we all bounced the ball back and forth, Jeanette stated to talk to me. 

"So, how's school going?" She asked.

"Good," I answered.

"How about college? What are your plans for that?"

"I got a scholarship to MIT."

"Are you going to take it?"

"I don't know."

"What do you mean, you don't know?" 

"Well," I started to say. But before I could finish my sentence, the beach ball hit Jeanette in the head. Though, it still went over the net. 

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." Jeanette said. "But, you are not. Is the scholarship a full academic scholarship?"

"It is a full academic scholarship. But, everyone in the family goes or went to CU, and I want to follow the tradition. And, Harry left a legacy there, and."

"Before you finish, lets go to the backyard and sit down. Then we can talk it over." I hit the ball back to one of my cousins and we walked back. We sat down on a bench and watched everyone in the backyard. 

"Kyle, you're a smart kid. You should follow your heart and choose the college that is best for you, not the family."

"But, Dad thinks I'm going to CU and even got a special bumper sticker and, I just want to be like Harry and leave a legacy there."
"Be like you," Jeanette said before spiking the ball at me. I crouched in fear and waited for the soft touch of the beach ball. "Come on." Jeanette called, offering me a hand. I got up and we walked to the back yard. Everyone had gotten out of the pool and were lined up at the grill.
By the time we got our food, everyone had almost finished. After eating the dinner, Mom brought out small glasses of ice cream. We all dove in and smothered our faces with ice cream, a family trait. Then, when we all finished, I approached Dad. I turned around and saw Jeanette giving me two thumbs up.
"Dad, I got a scholarship to MIT. I think I want to go." And so it began, the beginning of everything at the end of this story. 

Chapter 1 Birmingham Crayon Box

Chapter 1

Magnolia

"What's that racket?" Screeched a child in my class. It was the sound of screaming, like terror. And dogs barking. But then, there was music. It was the song, "We Shall Overcome". 

"Let us see!" Said another. Reluctantly, the teacher took us outside. 

"Stay close, we need to see what's going on," she said. I could see her palms were sweaty as the Alabama humidity clung to us. We walked down the street in a tightly knit mob, looking out for danger. The source of the noise was a bunch of kids. They were all over the streets, being bitten by dogs, sprayed with hoses, the big ones which were attached to fire hydrants, but most kept singing. They kept singing "We Shall Overcome". So I joined in.

"We're on to victory; we're on to victory, we're on to victory someday; oh, deep in my heart, I do believe, we're on to victory someday," I sang. The rest of the class started to sing. We clapped our hands. As the beat carried on, I still sang. I closed my eyes and walked. I walked over.

"Wait!" Shouted one of the kids in my class. She ran towards me, I could hear her words getting closer. Then the teacher screamed something. My class's singing had stopped. Then I was tackled by one of the dogs. I put my arms to the side and fell. Its teeth sunk into the skin of my abdomen, making me bleed a Marciano-cherry-red blood. I finally opened my eyes. I looked up.

"Stupid nigger," said the police officer holding on the police dog. Then the dog lunged for my face, but I put up my hands. The German Shepard took a piece from my arm, almost biting to the bone. I willed myself to get up, then stumbled towards my class. I kept crawling, watching the giant dogs gravitate towards me. I finally got close enough to my class for my teacher to race towards me and scoop me up. I don't remember much after that. 

"Did they wash it off, already?" Momma asked, making the wash sound like whoa-sh. 

"Yes," I answered.

"How'd you get home?" She asked, dabbing a wash cloth at the wound on my arm. 

"Sam took me," I said, my southern accent almost mimicking hers. Only, mine was much higher. Then she wrapped my arm with a bandage and went to cleaning my abdomen. She wrapped a bandage on that also. Then Momma tucked me into my bed and kissed my forehead.

"How do you feel?" She asked.

"Fine," I told her. Though, I was bleeding and in much pain, I felt okay. 

"Call me if you need anything," instructed Momma. I nodded. Momma walked out of my room and went to do something in the kitchen, probably fixing dinner. Sam came in, next. 

Sam was my brother and he was 4 years older than me. He was 12, and in 7th grade, which means middle school. The middle school was right next to e elementary school. The school where Sam went was called Lakeview Middle School. During the day, I never saw Sam. But, we walked to school together.

“You okay?” Sam asked.

“Yep,” I told him.

“I saw you out there. Why’d you walk out there? It was cool, just curious,” Sam responded.

“I believe in their cause. If I believe in something, I will stand up for it. Wouldn’t you?”

Sam

Magnolia’s question was troubling for me. I wasn’t sure that believing meant standing up for what you believe in. Then again, I wasn’t sure about the differences between faith and belief. On that note, I left Magnolia there. I had to think. But, more importantly, I had homework.

 “How’s Magnolia doing?” Questioned my mother when I came over to the kitchen table. Technically, it wasn’t a kitchen table, more of a in-between-living-room-and-kitchen table.

“She seems to be doing well,” I responded. From her response, she seemed fine. But, Magnolia was a fighter; mentally and physically. But, she was also not the type to share much information about herself with anyone. When she felt sad, hurt, or angry, you couldn’t tell. She always told you she was feeling alright.

“That’s good,” said my mother. After she got back to her gumbo making, I reached for my backpack and got out my Arithmetic homework. I finished that quickly, then started on my English.

After the teacher had been notified about the whole “shooting children with water while they sang” incident that Magnolia was involved in, she told us to write our experience with it. Of course, I wrote about how Magnolia’s experience affected me. I ended up going with this.

                The incident that occurred today affected me because my sister was involved. First, she was hurt. I watched my mother clean up her wounds and checked to see if she was okay. Second, I had to pick her up. I was excused from class to bring her home because our mother was at work. Last, her experience made me think about my beliefs. Since she stood up for what she believed in, I thought about whether or not I should stick up for the things I believe in. All in all, this whole chaos was very stressful because of the effect it had on my sister.

I shoved the paper that I had written the paragraph on in my backpack and went over to Momma.

“How’s gumbo coming?” I asked. I looked at the pieces of chicken of vegetable scattered on her cutting board and dumped in the pot of broth on the stove.

“Fine, darling,” she said, as she kept adding more ingredients into the boiling concoction. I looked around at our messy kitchen. There were boxes of everything, stray pieces of food, trash, and dirty dishes piled up all over. It made the working environment, at least for me, impossible. But, for Momma, it worked. She could put food on the table and she could do it in impeccable timing. As I saw the great functionality of Momma’s cooking, I left her alone. Soon enough, it was time for dinner. Momma put out the bowls and ladled soup into them. 3 ceramic bowls were spread out around the table for Momma to ladle into. I sat down first while Momma went to fetch Magnolia from her room. Momma sat down next. Then, Magnolia slowly arrived. Dinner was slow, but fabulous. Momma’s gumbo, as always, tasted great. I was glad to see that Magnolia was feeling better. That was all I wanted for her, a better state of health, rather than the one she had.