A Winter Update

Well after my last post, I did exactly as I said I'd do- I tried that 'something new' and it worked out so well that not only was I able to finish the chapter, I was able to move on to the next one! Though with Christmas around the corner for me it was difficult to continue and write much at all. Today will be no exception. Somehow my supposedly wide-open winter break has turned to multiple days-long celebrations of my birthday, moving right into Christmas prep, moving right into New Years prep. Boy am I keeping busy! I just want a day (hell, I'll even take late nights at this point!) to sit down and get back into the writing flow before I forget everything that's happened and start straying from my goals. Yes, it's been known to happen before, especially when it comes to needing consistency regarding a new language, a different type of writing, and stringing together a rather complex story line.

Well, that's about all I have to say for now. Hope I'll be able to post more on my blog and/or finish my current chapter- IV: A Very Muddled History Revealed, but there you have it- my current winter update.

So long and hope everyone's having a good safe winter! And just in case I don't get the chance to say it later, have a great new year!  

Trying Something New

I'm currently stuck on a section in my newest chapter (V: The Dreayded Day Arrives Early), but I already know what's going to happen as a result of the situation the characters are in. Thus I believe I'm making the mistake of trying to push through the sticky section and get to the final result, so right now I'm going to take a new approach: I'm going to just write in that I don't know what to do with the middle part and I'm going to skip right to the part of the chapter I already have written out in my head. I have never done this before, so we shall see how this works out. I will keep ya'll posted as to how this goes, however.

Also, in further news, while I have since completed the previous chapter IV, I have not yet posted it as I'm working out some copyright kinks as to how posting my chapters should go. Will keep ya'll posted as to how this is going to work out; hopefully I'll get things squared away soon(ish) so that way I can start posting my completed chapters as I go. But that must come in due time, I suppose. Still, I'll try to get a good run at this issue soon enough.

Well, I believe that's all I've got to say for now, thus on that note, happy 12/12 everyone!

Smooth Sailing - A Writing Update

It's funny that when I started writing chapter IV (4) I really thought I was going to have to scrap it. At first I did, fortunately making the good decision to have a copy before I trashed the original. Then I went straight into another idea. Turned out that halfway through, I realized to make it work, I actually did need the original IV, and made the updated version chapter V (5). I'm so surprised that this work is going along with very few hitches, and in fact, I feel like I have a better grasp on all the details revolving around not just the people, but the new settings I've placed the characters in, and all the gadgets they've been offered, and so forth. I'm really excited with what I'm doing! I just hope tat it comes across to my readers as well as I think it will.

Fortunately that's why I've created the teaser chapters blog.

Now I know I said I'd put up chapters II and III, but I'm thinking instead I might just skip right into chapter IV as it's been harder to work through this one, and I want to make sure it flows smoothly. Plus copyrights are an issue, and I fear that if I just go ahead and post my entire book to the blog, I could wind up having some issues to work around.

So on that note I'm going to go right back to it. And remember, keep an eye out for Ch.IV- it's almost done!

Another Post?!

I have been dreading posting stuff recently, and I just can't figure out why. Maybe because I'm in the balance between Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram...and this? Or because I'm dealing with so much (being a socail butterfly, being a student, being a writer and a blogger and a twitterer and an instagrammer and a mother to 2 fur babies and- no, I'll stop there).There should be an easier way to connect with my readers outside of my blog. Or perhaps I should stick to using my blog? Granted I don't want to overload it with useless pictures of food, my fur babies, and random life things from random life moments. Any suggestions, ya'll?

On another note, I just started chapter four of my book, though I won't lie: It's coming roughly along. Sometimes writing certain scenes is just meant to be filler. But then I ask myself: What's the point of filler crap? After all, if it's boring ME, it's certainly going to bore you, dear readers. Though I believe this chapter is about to serve a purpose.... Guess I'll find out when I'm done and get to post it on my Changing Kathryn blog site. And SPEAKING of...! Check out Ch.2 coming soon to the teaser chapters blog! Can't wait to hear what ya'll got to say, good or bad :D

Thanks!
-Kay R.

Freeze Frame

I'd just like to take a minute to express how awesome this truly is!

Thank you readers <3 

I love you all!

FLOP!

This is exactly what I want to do right now- just flop down on my laptop in front of me and sleep. NEvermind I'm in the library & this is the last thing I want to do when srrounded vi peple.

Good lords i'm tired.
i have to et osmething to eat I think.

Bey!

ps.: i'm sor tired i'm starting to go all crossey-eyed trying to stya awake....I NEED TO WAKEY THE EHLL UP (tho this may not be possible....oh, and hwo goode is it hatt i'm starting to want to laguht? - entirely uncontrolably mind you........)

It's November Time!

I am writing, as promised, and with a legit announcement: To celebrate the first day this wonderful late fall month, I am formally and cordially inviting YOU, dear readers, to test-drive (or should I say read?) my first teaser chapter of my book-in-progress. There are many new words, comments I have written for myself, and well, a lot of plot details to keep track of, and thus I have to know: Does it all work? Is it more confusing than entertaining? Is it too easy to get bogged in all the "newness"? These are necessities for me to know so that I may succeed. Also, as I have been using GoogleDrive/Docs so there will be many errors as GDocs doesn't catch everything that word does (but I have my reasons for using this; at least for now).

Now, if you are familiar with my blog, you might have seen what's below from "Requesting All Readers". If not, then here's the deal: If you're just reading this to read it, that's fine. But in the way of critiquing, if you so wish to do so but have never done this before, here are a few ideas for what to comment on:

• Errors
• Legibility (hard to read/understand v. easy to read/understand)
• Likability (hated it v. loved it) 
• and please explain WHY (instead of "I hated this" explain "I hated this because..." - if you can't think of anything super explicit, still give as best a reason as you can)
• Things to elaborate on 
• Things I should detract from
• Things to delete
• Things I should add
•  Whatever else you wish to focus on

Well, that's it. Email me if you don't wish to post publicly. 

--- UPDATE @ 10/05/17---

This is now a closed discussion. No more changes will be accepted at this time. Sorry for the inconvenience and thank you for all the help!

Happy Halloween!

Well, it's been a long Halloween weekend that started for me on Friday and went through Monday, and now it's about to come to a close.

It's been a great week/end and I'm so glad that I got to celebrate in this city, where apparently Halloween is a really big fucking deal. Even got extra credit for dressing up (and in a class I really need it for. I'd explain why, but it'd totally ruin my good mood.)

Well, on that note, I'm going t get writing my book, perfect for finishing up the last two hours of this "spooktacular" night, and then I'm going to watch some Supernatural and some Dark Matter and iZombie. Wait, no. Crap. I forgot I finished that show...and it only took me a week to blow through it. Damn you, Netflix and your amazing-as-balls shows! Granted I could always start it back from the beginning.

There's a lot of other news I'd mention, but now's probably not the time. I just came home from a party and my brain's a bit dysfunctional right now ;)

So that's that. Good night, love ya'll, and I'll write in the morning on a fresh new month :D
Hope everyone had a great happy ending for October.
Peace!

Procrastination At It's Finest

I really should be studying and reviewing my reading material from over the weekend for my WGS (woman gender studies/queer theory) Class, which happens to be in ~2 hrs. But instead I wanted to take a rather undeserved break and write on my blog instead.

With that, I think it's time for an update on my life.

I'm thinking it's about time I publish my 1st teaser chapter from my new version of "Changing Kathryn" for people to review. Free editing, baby! And also early critiques so I know if I'm going anywhere successful with this new version. It'd be good for me and my book, I believe. One would think I'd be nervous (especially considering all the rewriting I've had to do, and that's the last thing someone would expect I want - and it is, believe me), but I have held on steady and fast to this damn book and I'm ready for it to start getting some sunlight (or rather screen light I should say - sorry for the lame puns, by the way. It's been a long few weeks.)

How I'm going to go about making this happen:

1. This is my announcement to you, dear blog readers, that this is going to be a thing.
2. I'm posting an announcement on my facebook page that this will be happening
3. That's about the extent of my announcements so there is really no number three
4. Scratch the above. Word of mouth.

That's it.

I should also start on getting my book cover finalized too...but I suppose that can be a continued work in progress considering I'm only now entering chapter 2. That one's probably going to need even more work than the first. But then maybe not. I'll roll with it until I post it. Depending on the feedback, it may not need any work at all.

Now onto school, I suppose.

I'm in sort of a surreal mode of life, currently. I'm doing quite decently, but that's being modest I suppose. Decent for my standards, might be more accurate. And my social life is at an all time high. Granted balancing all this is proving to be quite the interesting struggle as this has never been something I have had to juggle before. Not in the realm of college, I should add. And I've been doing this whole "college-thing" for four-going-on-five years now. Now I'm grateful that I'm "stuck" here. Stuck being cynical of course. I have never been happier anywhere else. Thank you Eugene! Thank you UO. And to think this all happened when I went to a single meetup. Funny how life may steer you in a direction you might never have otherwise thought twice about.

Currently I'm only majoring in English. I dropped my Creative Writing minor for now as I did not want to have to repeat poetry, not to mention I didn't have the best poetry professor either. But then maybe that's because I was already taking 17 credits and felt as if I was drowning already...that certainly never helps any. Still, with all the writing/work writing experience I have under my belt, I'm thinking I may be able to find a loophole around the system and get the CW minor without having to take the prerec, in which case I'd be able to jump right into their fiction writing classes, which is what I really want! (Obviously.)

Well, I think that's it for now. Correction: that should be it for now. I really do need to go back to reviewing my WGS readings considering we may (which means we more than most-likely will) have a test today - in one hour too, I might add.

And with that, dear readers, I'll catch you on the flip side!

The Drive Idea

I'm going to warn you I am incredibly tired and thus I'm going to write, post it, and hope there aren't any errors. Why not just edit it after wards, you might ask?

Because that's not how I'm doing it, that's why.

NOW!

I have taken up to doing a new thing with my reworking version of "Changing Kathryn" and that is this:

I'm writting it out via Google Drive and splittling the chapters up into different files. This way I can comment on sections that don't make sens or that I ahve questions about, and not get over logged with comments, and getting lost and so forth. There's also the fact that i I go back to my original editor I can send her small files instead of a giant overwhelming big one. I think just in general this will prove to be a good idea. And as for the comments: It's a brilliant way for me to leave myself editora notes without getting bogged down with nitpicking when I'm supposed to just be writing and letting the idea s flwo and so forth.

Well that's abotu it. Don't know why I felt that was so mandatory to share, perhaps so you could feel as if you've learned soemthing for ideas on writing via google drive too. Btu there it is. Asbolutely arbitrary mundane facts about my writing.

But actually, I really am excited. Maybe NOW I'll fianlly be abel to get this novel going soemwhere. Then again, maybe not. It's not looking too hopeful after seven+ years of me saying the same damn thing over and over. But who knows? Maybe the being 23 will be my lucky charm somehow....

Nevermind that probably didn't make much sense.

Okay. Good night!

Hello, World!

First off, sorry for the corny title. Couldn't think of anything else in the moment.

With that said: It's been ten days since I've posted anything, but it feels more like a lifetime. So, for anyone who wants to know what's been up with me, I'm about to get personal and here it is:

I'm currently enrolled at UO and LOVING IT! I'm part of an accapella group titled "Euphonics", and I'm part of a really cool meetup group, plus I've also started a Latin study group. I've thus been gaining a budding social life, and rapidly, I should add, while taking 14 credits. I never thought this would be my life, never in a million years! And I'm absolutely in love. Not with a person, no, I am happily single in that department (hoping to keep it that way too, for awhile).

It has been so amazing living in Eugene, and I am so grateful I took the leap to move here. I have honestly never felt happier, or more at home than I do here. So, with that said, thanks Eugene and my many, and much loved friends here. It's been so great and I can't wait to see what other adventures are going to unfold :)

Quote of the Moment:

I thought this up last night and liked it so much I decided to post it; I think it's an important message for people to consider:

"There are two ways to handle the horrors of life: You either free yourself of its talons, or you let it devour you" -Kay Regan

My "Favorite Links List" Is Gone!!!!

I just discovered as I was going through my blog that my FLL has disappeared when I updated my new arrangement.

I will be sure to get this back up and running as soon as possible (though I must say I will not be able to get this back up in a single day). However, it will be different than what you may remember. So please, if there was something useful that you liked and you can't find it, email me or comment below with a description and/or a title if you can remember, and I'll go on a search for it and add it.

For added benefit, I will be changing things up a bit and having the link list go alphabetically instead of the random chaos it once was. But again, this will take awhile. So to get me a helpful head start, I'm going to add some of the titles of links to this post that I remember well, just as I cannot get to this right away, but I'd still like to get a head start on this.

Thank you for your patience! And feel free to correct me on any (most likely) inaccurate links I'm adding below if you remember any of them in their original forms.

Best regards!
- Kay R.

P.s.: My opinionated articles have also been accidentally deleted from my blog page too, so those will be going up again soon, as well.



Remembered Links/Titles:

• "Cute Boys" (blog)
• "Chicago MLA Format" (I have to double check on this...I think it may be in my list of helpful pages instead)
• "CreateSpace"
• A writer's blog on successful writing blogs, publishing, etc. I think his name is Ryan? Or Olly?....I should have this in my mailing list
• Freelance Editor (Chang?)
• My original blog 
• Information on publishing houses
•         "           "   becoming/finding a freelance editor
•         "           "   self publishing
• Em-Dashes vs. En-Dashes (this might be in my helpful pages though)

Starting Over

Sometimes the best thing to do when you're stuck, is to completely erase everything you've just worked on and start over from scratch with a new, well, everything.

That's exactly what I'm doing with "Changing Kathryn". I've deleted the book (I've saved and kept all original copies) and now I'm starting over with an entirely different beginning, with a whole new outlook, and so forth. I think I'll post the original copy to my blog once I'm done with the new one, just for the hell of it. But that won't be for a long while!

I'm so excited (once again) to see where this novel could be going, and to see if I'll successfully finish it after all. Of course I'm now dealing with a 16-credit homework work load, but I don't think this will hinder me too much. Then again, we shall see.

Well so long. I have my first essay to write...and it's due in < 4 hours!

Got to get on it...
Bye!


(p.s.: see my "Helpful Tip #16..." for more info on starting over)

The New Look!

Remember that book-ridden background, atop which a busy look was splattered over it? If so, then this new look is probably a shock to you, and it is to me too. But I'm trying out a new design to see if I can't fall in love with something new, and perhaps more fitting than endless rows of untitled books. Which yes, was most fitting to me, but at the same time I was growing tired of such a mundane and busy background. And while I love times new roman (probably more than even the next person), I thought a more "calligraphic" style would be better suited for this new design.

(Apparently "calligraphic" is a word...and here I thought I was making something up! Imagine that.)

This happened after I was playing around with blogger last night, during which I realized all the stuff I can do with it! Thus I've decided to switch out my original look with this new, updated one. It might not stick, or I might just fall entirely in love with it. We'll see how it goes.

Any input on this new look would be much appreciated :)

(Note that all navigation systems are still the same as they were with the original system).

Montana!!!

This is utterly non-writing related, but I wanted to post something  because I haven't in awhile. I'm currently in the big sky state, charging my phone sitting in a Starbucks in Safeway, but this isn't your a stage run-of-the-mill kiosk. It's a complete lounge area with a fireplace and plug-in outlets along the booths in which I'm sitting.

Well I am going to take lots of photos, though I probably won't be posting much of anything. At least not for awhile!

I have also been seriously blog-deprived. I didn't post it before because I didn't want to jinx anything, but now that everything has been finalized I would like to officially announce I am changing universities and will be transferring to UO (University of Oregon) and will be minoring in Writing, while simultaneously duel majoring in English and Journalism. I am so super stoked!!!!

Moving to Eugene from Monmouth has been a bit of a culture shock. And for anyone who doesn't know Oregon, it's important to note that for starters Eugene is there times the size of Monmouth. And filled with progressive/liberal thinkers. And homelessness. And there's actually stuff to do!! Oh, and I'm going from a university of 6000 to 25,000 (and UO is apparently considered to be one of Oregon's smaller achools haha).

And on that note, I think I will bid this post adieu...though I'm thinking in investing the time to make a new travel blog of our journey, and all other travels. Hmm...certainly something to consider.....

#awesomeMontanaSafewaylounge

New Month, New Changes, and a New Post

This is my announcement-

I will not be posting on my blog for quite a while as I am making a rather big and somewhat extreme change my life. This will mean a prolonged absence until this change has settled and I have settled. Is possible I will be checking in here and there but that is not a guarantee there want people to know that I am not abandoning my blog or my writing group but that I must take time off from both these things currently.

Thanks for understanding and I hope to get back on it soon, but until then: Adios dear readers 

My Mobile Blogger Account

I'm so psyched!!! I just got the blogger app for my phone. Now I can write posts wherever I go :)

However feel I should forewarn all of you that my phone does a horrible job at auto correcting spelling, and the keypad is slightly broken so it doesn't do a great job at spelling anyhow. So do expect errors, though I will do everything I can to keep these errors down to a minimum, and when I see them I will correct them as soon as I possibly can. 

Thanks!

Writer's Block is Over!!!

I've been so consumed by recent writer's block I've stayed away from all things writing. But I've recently 'recovered' so now I'm back on the writing horse so to speak; I'm finally able to get back to the manuscript, and blogging, and just writing in general.

Yesterday was when the wall broke down at long last and I wrote what I think is something beautiful. I'm really proud of it, and I'm not going to share the whole thing yet as I need to edit it first, but here's the last line that I won't let anyone tweak unless they offer some absolutely great advice I just can't turn down it (yes it is that important to me). 

From Changing Kathryn 70,000 first serial rights 2016:

"An eye for an eye makes a whole world blind. A life for a life only leads to extinction.” -Jake Michaels

Well that's all I'm going to say for now. I really want to get back to working on my book; I am absolutely jonesing!!!!

Oh, p.s.:

I think it goes without saying, but because I was avoiding writing-stuff I haven't checked my blog email, and I haven't done anything on Pen Guardians in a while. I will get back to that this evening, but right now I'm too determined to continue working on my book for the afternoon. 

The URL For Reading About Editing

I found this link about editors and what they do so I'm posting it here so that I can read it later, or that you can peruse this for yourself. I'd write more on this, but I'm running out of time (I have places to be) so there you have it-

http://theeditorsblog.net/2011/02/01/duties-of-an-editor-how-editors-help-writers/

Page Count Update!!!

I'm super psyched-

Just checked to see my page count for the heck of it: 139

That's incredible (to me). I'm so happy! And that's with all the new stuff I've added. There's still some stuff I have to delete, and just a chapter or two I have to add and then I'm done. But 139 is excellent!!!! (especially compared to the original 805 count that was so overwhelming I could hardly even breathe)

Tuning Out Criticisms

Currently I'm in Eugene visiting my parents and I went to a face-to-face writer's meet up this morning where I've figured out why I've been having so much trouble finishing my book.

I've got it exactly where I've wanted it to go, despite minor errors and slight new additions and things that should be deleted. So I've been struggling with why the heck I can't finish my book. The meetup helped me break it down:

I'm currently an editor (in training) so I'm looking at everything through my writer's eye, but also through the eye of an editor. In order to accomplish anything (in my book), however, I have to just get my writer's voice out and going, then once that's out the critic has to come out and the writer's voice has to be silent.

In other words only one voice at a time should ever be speaking.

This is going to help me tremendously!

From The Rabbit Hole

Man, I have been so busy with my writing class and my novel that I have completely forgotten about my blog! I didn't even think twice about it- that's horrible! At least from where I stand, as I always try to make an effort to at least post something, even if it's just to say hi. And moreover, I'm usually obsessed with my blog! Oh the life of being a writer. I often find myself down what I like to call 'the rabbit hole'. I think I'm there now- though at least I'm popping up for air.

Hi!

But in all seriousness, for those who don't know what I'm talking about, the rabbit hole is a serious phenomenon. As defined very aptly in the show scorpions, this is when you  get "so deep into your thoughts that you forget to function. You get dehydrated, you lose your sense of time, you exhibit antisocial behavior" -Walter O'Brien (Scorpions). However, it is a phenomenon I know well, so anyone else who understands this, well, just be careful. Fortunately I'm not so far down that I'm being antisocial, and (hooray!) I'm still eating haha. But I just thought I should go and explain why I've neglected posting. Writing is taking up so much of my time, though I really don't want it to take up all my time.

Scheduling.
Scheduling is key.

My Beautiful Cover Mock-Up

I am literally posting this everywhere as I'm really excited for this announcement!!!

I have just created the "Changing Kathryn (Book 1)" cover mock-up for what I want the end result to look like and here is the lovely result. I personally and honestly don't think I could have asked for a better result if I tried!!!!

I spent hours searching for the right thing and then...then I got this beauty as a result:

 © 2016

I'm so happy and I think it's absolutely beautiful! I can't wait to see it when it's in it's final cover form, and has a proper DPI (the above was put into Paint so the original DPI was shrunk and thus pixalized). But again, I think this is absolutely stunning for a 1st time mockup!

Novel Length

Ever since I pumped out an 800 paged novel (biggest regret, though it would have been an even bigger regret if I had officially published it), I've cut ti back. But now I've been terrified I'm going to pump out another really long book. Fortunately one thing I've just looked up is an average novel length as well as a word count and got these numbers: 240 pages/60,000 words is the typical length for most mainstream novels (from: Writing Fiction: How Many Pages Make a Novel? - Writing for the Web). Fortunately I'm only on page 170 (not including glossary section). However I am at 67,000+ words. Still, I feel like I'm doing well, and there's also a lot of stuff I've deleted on my manuscript that hasn't yet been transferred to the actual word document, so those numbers are sure to decrease...until I start redoing and adding in the new ending. But I feel like I'm in a pretty good safety zone right about now.

Granted My Own Wish

I have created a writer's group that is—as of now—up and running! I'm still making little changes to it, but I thought I should share this wonderful announcement. You can join the "Pen Guardians" here at http://groupspaces.com/PenGuardians/. This group allows you to converse with other writers, in addition to critiquing the works of other writers, share your own ideas, and post your own creative pieces for others to critique. I'm super excited, so please come check this out!

Thanks, and I hope I see you on there!
Kay R.

--- Update 5/19/19 ---

This group has been updated my recent name change: Dylan Sabrina

--- Update 6/23/19 ---

This group has been updated with my most recent penname change: Dylan K. Regan

--- Update 2022 ---

This group has been dismantled. To get a new meetup going, please contact me via this blog

I Must Have A Writing Meetup!!!

I've gained so much insight from this class I'm in, and it's really important for me to continue the work I'm doing, and gain more knowledge into this world of writing hence I'm considering starting my own writing meet up on my college campus using my current writing class a way in. Or better yet, trying to convince the professor to oversee us as a class we can get credit for. I also really want to use my spare time to start an online meetup via this blog, too. Anyone interested in joining? If so I'll start working towards ways to get this going. It would be on a separate blog, like my articles & short stories are, and I'd create a way so people could submit their own stuff on their, and allow others to comment. I'm not quite sure how this would work yet, I'll have to do some creative blog designing...ooh! I'm really excited just thinking about this. But first I need to know if anyone would do this with me.

Let me know what you think!

Thanks,
Kay R.

Internet Dilemmas & Distractions

I don't find myself scrolling through the internet very often. Generally it's for writing purposes to look up a word, or fact checking. Sometimes to post something on my facebook page or my blog. Very basic stuff. But there are those other times when I think I'm just going to check facebook to see what other people are doing...just for a minute. And I know it's not going to be for 'just a minute'. However I'm always shocked when I start getting what I like to call 'internet dizzy' which is what happens to me when I sit mindlessly scrolling through stuff. It's during these moments I look down at the clock and realize I've wasted an hour and my poor novel has gotten shoved to the side. It's moments like these where I wish I had a typewriter to avoid this.

Then again, without spellcheck I would be absolutely screwed.

"The Fruit Race" - Dream

Fruit. A fruit race. I don’t think I’ve had a stranger dream, or perhaps a more vivid one, than dreaming of about five girls (but no one I know in reality), and me, dressing up as fruit–and a radish (which I was wearing, though it somehow counted as a fruit in my dream)–then racing each other. The most vivid fruit-and-one-veggie-race costume I still have from my dream, aside from my own, is the banana. The mesh tent on her back…and it was supposed to be a pop-up tent she was wearing. The six of us were training for a race. We started on a very green, buttercup-ridden field with nothing around us but a few trees, and ran miles in bulky costumes, our arms, like little T-Rex arms, were flailing left and right, all of us serious as we ran miles all the way into a city, and then into what I can only assume was supposed to be a WinCo. We had to cut through the ribbon in order to make it past double swinging doors inside. It was a close race. Caralin or Corrine or Caroline (whatever her name was I can’t remember; but she was banana girl) won the race, with all of us ‘fruits’ cheering her on. Not a split second later came the plum then I think the orange, or perhaps it was the peach…I don’t remember the order, but it was so close we were lined up like the AT&T bars. I, the radish posing somehow as a fruit, was last to the doors. I was the only non-runner of the group, and decided I did well considering my lack of training. When the six of us entered ‘WinCo’ there was no one around except our coach who was waiting for us in the dairy aisle with a clipboard and a timer, wearing very blue and incredibly stereotypical gym-coach style short-shorts. We all cheered as we gathered around him, excited that we had finished the race and with such a small winning distance between us. He announced to us we were ready for the 38–or was it 48?–Love of Health run, and plum girl (Bea, or Becka or whatever her name was in the dream) ran and grabbed something for her feet that said ‘Foot Love’. “It may be 48 for the Love of Health, but let’s just hope the same isn’t true for the love of feet,” she said with a snicker beside me, showing me the foot care kit. My mom appeared then behind us and laughed out loud, and when we all turned she disappeared behind one of the aisles with peach’s mom, the two of them laughing quietly together by the ketchup. And then I woke up.

I went online to find an apt picture for an idea about how we looked in the dream, so now, with further ado here it is, from a scene in a movie I saw as a kid, “Confessions of Georgia Nicolson”:

Needless to say something must have been in the tea I drank last night! Perhaps a touch too much sugar? And obviously far too much fruit!

(Originally posted on Tuesday, January 26th, 2016 at 4:20 pm from "The Blog of an Unpublished Writer")

Back Online! (For Now....)

So I just happened to check in with my old blog as I generally like to do, and discovered for once it's working again. But because I don't use it anymore I decided to go ahead and steal some of the stuff from there and post it here so people can actually read it as I found a lot of useful items that would have otherwise been lost I'm sure. Helpful tips, personal quotes, and more. These are going up like, now!

Requesting All Readers:

How would you like to help an (unpublished) author by editing an book? Or at least a scene for one I should say.

Here's the background:

For my summer writing course we were asked to pick a scene and show it to the class. I picked my scene, showed it, and now I'm supposed to turn in the final draft. But it's not that simple for me considering this is much more than an average homework assignment. I chose (as we were allowed) to use a scene from my sequel to the first book I'm working on. Originally this scene was in the first novel, Changing Kathryn, but I cut it and am currently in the process of moving it to my sequel (in progress). Now I'm posting this scene to my blog, though now I ask that if you are so willing, to read it and critique it, too. No rush as this scene is due tomorrow and it is as good as I feel it will get for my final draft. But when it comes to being in my book, I want to make sure it works.

At the very least, I do request of your own free will of course, that if you would be so kind as to leave a simple comment about it on the scene's site that would be awesome. Or at the very very least, please click one of the "reaction" buttons below THIS current post (the articles/short stories I post separately do not have such buttons).

Now, here's the deal: If you're just reading this to read it, that's fine. But in the way of critiquing, if you so wish to do so but have never done this before, here are a few ideas for what to comment on:

• Errors
• Legibility (hard to read/understand v. easy to read/understand)
• Likability (hated it v. loved it) 
• Things to elaborate on 
• Or things I should detract from
• Things to delete
• Or things I should add

If you have any questions, leave a comment comment, or you can email me here: kaysregan@gmail.com 

--- UPDATE 10/17/17 ---

This is now a closed discussion. No other edits or changes will be received. Thank you for understanding, I apologize for the inconvenience. And I have certainly appreciated all the help! 

New Blog Addition!

I have made it possible for you to now know whenever I put up a new post via my "Follow Me by Email" system. It's simple! If you want to know whenever I post something just type in your email address and click submit. It's literally that easy! And then you won't always have to keep checking back to see if I'm keeping up with my blog, as that can get very tedious very quickly. And besides, it's fun to stay up to date so you don't get bogged down trying to catch up, either.

Happy readings!
Kay R.

P.S. (7/1/2016 @ 7:24 p.m.) - Thought I should also add I just finished making a few changes. I renamed my list of pages from just "Pages" to "Helpful Pages". I then moved several posts I had originally added to my blog's homepage over to it's own page, listing them under the "Helpful Pages" section to help clean up the look of my blog a bit. I then removed some posts that were originally under this section to the homepage as it made more sense this is where they would be. So if there's anything that you read originally that you want to again but it's not where you thought it would be, that's probably why. Fortunately I have a detailed blog archive, a clean list of "Helpful Pages", plus the "search my blog" tool, so hopefully now it won't be hard to find a specific post again.

Figuring it Out

I'm finally beginning to feel solid in my manuscript again. It's so helpful that I'm in a writing class over the summer where we get to spotlight our material for each other and help everyone out with ideas, and making sure we're staying on track with what we want from our books.

Once this version is done I'll be going through and editing out the minor errors, fix some stuff that my editor and I were working on, then do a mass send-out for anyone who wants one. I'm super excited about this final part as this will feel like this is really it. I'll then gather up the feedback and from there group all the manuscripts I sent out together and go through a mass revision process this way. I think this will really help so I can see what worked for some, what didn't work, and ultimately this will be the best feedback system. Unfortunately the hard part will be finding people who can really take time out of their schedule to really do this seriously. But I'll figure out how to get a system together that works.

Fortunately I've got time, and a lot of interested readers, and most importantly: a manuscript that feels solid once more. Now how to keep it down way below 300 pages is proving the be the tricky part! But like everything else, I'm still figuring it out.

"The Brutals" - Dream

Between my novel and too much Star Trek (as if that's a thing) I had this rather odd dream and decided to write it down:

Kathryn had just been told she had to go through something called 'the brutals', a trying challenge that would prove her strength, abilities, and stamina, while also increasing these as well. For her(a magical being), it was also about increasing her magical abilities and seeing what they could do. This main event was not just for her, however, but for the entire Unity crew (undercover agents) she was working with, as it was to get everyone to 'level up' so to speak. (Apparently this was part video game too?)

Leading up to this event: food stands, carnival games and more lined the gray stone tunnel through which the agents would be tested down. Music was playing loud and cheerfully; many were dancing, agents and starfleet members alike. Lt. Commander Worf was working as a hot dog vendor wearing a blue and yellow krispy-cream-like-hat, head-banging behind the counter as he served up hot dogs, giving Kathryn (me in the dream), a thumbs-up as she passed by to meet up with Wesley Crusher. Wesley gave her a large hug and told her she would do just fine and not to worry; he'd be with her because he had been assigned to go through the brutals as well.

Soon a horn rang out and the music stopped as the announcement came that "the brutals are to begin shortly". The music started up again, a techno-like bouncy beat, and almost immediately after it began it was announced over the music that "the hobbits are going to Isengard" (apparently in this moment it became part of the brutals to catch them.) Soon the announcer began to shout louder and louder, repeating himself: "The hobbits, the hobbits, the hobbits, to Isengard, to Isengard..." (I'm sure you know the song. If not here it is: "They're Taking the Hobbits to Isengard remix", and sorry in advance it's blurry. I just posted it for convenient reasons, not for the graphics).

Anyways, back to the dream: so everyone starts running because they need to catch the hobbits but the second they started down the tunnel I woke up; the song got too loud and eventually I realized that this was my alarm going off. (Yes, my alarm is from a part of this famous Hobbit remix. Don't judge!)

And that's the dream of 'the brutals'.

Flowing Well

I've gone and written out a very simple yet detailed outline for what I've wanted for my current novel and posted it above my desk so I can look at it while I'm writing. It's made the current writing process go very smoothly now, as it keeps me on track regarding what needs to be written so I don't stray from my goal/s.

Currently I'm doing more jigsaw work with my novel as I cut pieces that don't work, and paste in others from various places that do. This is the rewarding process, if not utterly complicated, but now I can feel as if I'm now accomplishing something rather than panicking that I'm not going to be able to do anything with the story I've worked years to create.

Questioning the Manuscript

This is a writer's natural conflict, granted I'm still terrified I have to redo the final portion of the manuscript again. As good as I believe it already is, the final outcome isn't going anywhere I really wanted it to. In the beginning my main character is a social advocate, a phenomenon that fades as the manuscript goes on, which is not what I want as this aspect of hers is far too important to me to lose that in her. Alas she's also got a fighter's spirit and that also doesn't remain strong throughout, and inconsistencies like that do NOT make for good stories as they flatten the character and don't make them believable. I also wanted to focus on the mystery of her bloodlines, as well as her purpose in life. Currently both of these don't get focused on until the 2nd book but I want to push up the 'deadline' on these (don't think that's the word I'm looking for but it's the one I'm using for now). The second book is going to be based mostly around the aftermath of Kathryn finding out the truth behind everything she's learned from the 1st, and how she has grown from it or how it affects her otherwise.

It's going to take more constructing and reconstructing, but I'll get there. Slowly but surely, one word at a time :)

Writing in the Library

Finals are coming to a close so I thought I'd give the update now that I've got some time on my hands right. I just finished doing some Earth Science HW & review; I've still got a little ways to go, but after tomorrow I'm a free little bird! I am super stoked about this, of course, but this means I'll have all the time in the world to get to finishing my manuscript. FINALLY!!!! It's a long and tedious process, and currently I'm thinking of doing some rewriting and I'm a little terrified it's going to change the entire thing AGAIN. But I'm just going to change one section, and then if the rest needs to be redone, so be it. But I'll wait for my editor to help me decide on that one.

Ah, the joys of writing....

Delayed

There's been a delay in posts, especially since my last little opinionated spiel "Advocating A Seeming Crude Industry". Today I'll be posting another opinionated article later on, assuming I'll have the time for it, that is. With finals coming up I don't have the free time that I used to, and I apologize in advance for all new stuff being delayed as a result.

Thanks for understanding!
Kay R.

Short Stories, Separate Blogs and Other New Changes

Oh I feel like a genius! I've been wanting to post any longer short stories or opinionated articles so they can stand alone, separated from this blog so that they're not condensed down and can have more room for better visibility and legibility. Apparently a beautiful aspect of blogger is that you can have more than one blog and you can sync these together, which I'm doing via my "Link List" at the bottom of my blog.

You may have noticed too, but I also made my home page a little less intimidating post-wise as now only 5 posts will show at a time instead of 7. I know it doesn't seem like knocking off two posts will do much, but I think this small action already cleaned up my page a bit. I personally think 5 is a good number, I was actually considering going down to 4, but then I thought it wouldn't look like there was even much there. And 6 didn't seem to affect the page at all. So 5 it was. Not that this is particularly exciting news to anybody except me, perhaps.

Another thing I've added that you might have noticed is a reaction bar to my post, similar to Facebook's reaction bar. This is a work in progress and the reactions may change until I feel they have been perfected, so you might see a reaction on there today that isn't there tomorrow. But use these because they're great automatic sources for me as I can get immediate feedback and see how I'm doing.

And two final and particularly cool things I've just added in the last few minutes is a search bar, which I think could come in handy. You can type something in and search my blog, or even the web. I've also added a way to highlight a post that I feel is particularly interesting or important, but may have gotten buried by a newer post. I'm currently using my "Shout Out to...'Stuck'" post as an example to see how this particular feature 'reacts' with my blog to see if it works and how it looks.

Anyways, that's my blog's news.

Don't forget: keep your eyes peeled and check back on the "Link List" occasionally to see if there're are any new short stories or articles that appear.

Scratch that. While those things will appear there, I've made a new and even more accessible area specifically for my separate short stories and articles which will appear right between the search bar and my list of other pages; it's aptly titled "Short Stories and Articles". I've added my latest story, "Inside Sophie", which I wrote last year, I think it was.

So keep your eyes peeled because I guarantee you there will be some other new stories and opinion-based articles coming up very soon. Which I'm super stoked about! And remember, don't be afraid to react and/or comment on them. Feedback is how a writer grows, whether negative, positive, or it's just neutral critique.

Thanks!
Kay R.

A Shout Out to My First Short Story: "Stuck"

I wrote "Stuck" last term after getting inspired by all the short stories we were reading in my English class. At first I posted it to my original blog, but I made a few changes over the last few days and even though it's not exactly brilliant work, I've still gone ahead and decided to post it again as it's still something I'm proud of. I had never written a short story before this one, and I'm going to stick with it as I thought writing this one was fun. Granted there's not a lot to it, but I just wanted a way in; to get my foot in the door, so to speak. It's going to be a new page on my blog, not a post and I encourage you to read it, critique it, and tell me what you think. You can find it under the "Pages" section on the right hand side of my blog as I didn't think it was long enough to need it's own separate thing.

Thanks for reading!
Kay R. 
Dylan Sabrina 

Sabrina S.K. Regan

Dylan K. Regan

P.s:
I need to make a correction as I've just moved "Stuck" to it's own blogging section after all; you can find it under my "Short Stories and Articles" segment.

Thanks!

--- UPDATED: 5/23/19 ---

This post has been edited/updated to reflect my new author penname: Sabrina S.K. Regan. These changes will be reflected in my short stories and all other posts from here on in

--- UPDATED: 6/7/24 ---

This post has been edited/updated to reflect my new author penname: Dylan K. Regan. These changes will be reflected in my short stories and all other posts from here on in

Goodbye Home Blog

It's official: my original blog is no longer my home blog. Even though it's working I just said goodbye to it as I've realized I just couldn't hold onto something that was going to be down so often and thus my home blog has become the new side blog should anything ever happen to this one I'll always have that blog to go back to. Unless the site's down.

Even though my side blog will now be home to my permanent blogging account, I cannot change the domain without potentially screwing up access to this blog thus it sticks as the side blog. Which I suppose is fitting considering it was created after the original. Besides, I think it looks cute to be called "thesideblog" in the URL. Or maybe that's just me. But alas it is now time to bid my original home blog goodbye.

On this note here's "The Final Post" I put up on my first blog:

There's a lot of extraneous information that pertains only to my original blog, but there's one point I'd really like to highlight that comes from the final paragraph:

"I admit it's sad to let this one go; I've loved working on this blog so much, and I love the background! But as I've learned in my yoga class: Change is inevitable and in order to achieve greater things we have to let go and succumb to the change so that we can be happier in the long run." 

Funny thing is, I went back to the site's dashboard to try and get a better picture of this as it's a little blurry, small and a little pixelated (sorry about all that by the way; this was the best I could do. And this was the 4th rendition of it. Though it's by far the best, which is really saying something), or to at the very least copy and paste the text so I wouldn't have to squint as I typed it out. But wouldn't you know it! The site was already down again. It's a good thing I wrote and published this goodbye when I did.

The final words from my post to my original blog:

"So long, little bloggy. I will never forget you (seeing as you're in my bookmarks bar)."

My Home Blog Is Working

Enough said. I checked it when I went to the park and discovered my home blog was up and running again. Checked it just now to see if the trend was continuing and it is. Even so despite all the site's brownouts I think I might be done posting to my home blog as this is far more convenient. Now I just have to learn how to access my blogger account from my phone as it doesn't want to sign me in. But I'll figure it out: I'll just have to beat technology at its own game. Mwahaha

Written Last Term in WR 135

A Little Background:

My writing has always lacked description as showing not telling has always been something I've had trouble with. But I ready some very descriptive short stories in my English class, and now it's starting to become a little clearer to me, and a little bit easier. One major thing I learned is that the key to good description is about getting in touch with emotions and of course understanding the concepts of metaphor, personification, and hyperbole too. Currently what I write, especially in regards to my fiction, is still cliched, but I think I'm finally straying away from being overly technical and/or mechanical and finally getting a step closer to being poetic. So here's a little practice work, to make sure I'm actually succeeding in this process....

Wet Winter:

I stare out the small hole in the dull, dusty white wall, watching as rain drops cling to feather needles, weighing them down as if the burden of the dreary weather is too much to handle. Even the moss seems heavier, as it morphs into a depressing wet sponge, one that's been used too many times but has yet to be discarded.

The wind occasionally whips through the branches fast and furiously, dragging the rain down sideways, each drop lashing at the trees without their consent. It will surely be a rough walk home for many, and a blinding ride for others, but for now we're in class, blocked from the brutality of the harsh February storm. Here we can appreciate the gloom-ridden skies as they cast everything in eerie green tones so natural, yet look utterly surreal.

Once we step out the doors of this building we'll be forced to face nature; though we won't do so bravely. Instead we'll duck our heads as the wind wildly blows back our hair, the cold burning our ears and foreheads as nearly-freezing rain penetrates our eyes. Clothes will become wet and heavy, forcing us to slow to an unwanted sluggish crawl no matter how fast we'll want to seek refuge in our own homes.

We'll be too preoccupied trying to save ourselves; we won't think about those who can't get away--those who are stuck getting assaulted by the rain, stuck to live at the mercy of whatever nature may bring. We'll only know that we're desperate to seek safety in our heated homes where once inside we'll lay back and rest with relief, watching as the trees continue to hunker down, their branches flailing helplessly around. But on our couches with hot chocolate in our hands, how the storm will seem miles away....

My Shout-Out for Something I Wrote Last Term

I tried to post a little short paper I wrote last term to my home blog but due to the constant "504 Gateway Error" messages I wasn't ever able to. And then I thought I lost it. But as I was cleaning my apartment I found it, and while it's a little dated seasonally as it was written for the winter months rather than the beautiful Spring we've been having, I've decided to go ahead and post it next. I just wanted to give this little shout-out to it before I 'published' it as I'm quite excited to finally post it up on one of my blogs. Granted after I post it I'll be done for the day as I think three posts is enough to satisfy my blogging needs; though I'll be working on my blogs for the future as I can't wait to get more posts published!

It's Been Awhile

I didn't realize how busy I would be between trying to clean my apartment and get ready for Mother's Day over the weekend to studying for an upcoming test in Earth Science, and other unexpected life stuff. Unfortunately I didn't account for these time consuming factors and thus my blogging got shoved to the side. I'm sorry for that. But I'm back in blogging action ready to start buckling down so get ready for the onslaught of blogs as I can already tell I'm about to get overly post-happy. But I'll try to refrain from posting everything at once and maybe save a few posts as drafts so as not to completely overload the system. Or your systems.

Here's to happy writing!

Side Action

No, this isn't something inappropriate I'm about to write about. It's my new side blog!

Here I'll add posts when my usual site http://sabrinar.blog.com/ isn't working as it's host server is often down and thus I can't post anything, and this generally happens A LOT, and it is very VERY frustrating. Especially as I love posting, and I also don't want to lose any readers/viewers. Generally these down-periods are short lived, never more than a day or two, but it's been a month since my last post, possibly longer, and I've gotten fed up to the point where I realized I needed a new place to write just in case. This will be that place.

Because this particular blog is just starting to see some use there are several changes I feel need to be made, though I think the background is rather fitting. Even so, this side blog may go through many different stages before I feel it has been perfected, so what you see now may look different even five minutes from now. But I'm certainly excited to put these new changes into action once I'm done writing this, as I wanted to get this first post of the "new" site up before I did anything.

I happen to post almost everyday, and sometimes even three or four times a day, but because this is only what I will call a 'side blog', a supplement to what I will refer to as my 'home blog', it should be noted that if you are checking back regularly and suddenly notice there doesn't seem to be any new posts, go check out my actual blog. Granted I will try and remember to post a notice that my home blog is up and running again, but it is very possible I will forget.

Now for people who are just now finding this blog and have never heard about my home blog, welcome and let me introduce myself: I only go by my pen name Sabrina K.R. for security reasons, and I'm a long-time author, but I've never been published hence the title "The Secret Writer", even though it's no secret that I love to write. Ask anyone and they'll tell you the same thing: That I've been writing for as long as anyone has known me. I actually started at the age of 4, before I could even form letters or numbers and could only use squiggles and scribbles to get my ideas from pen to paper. 18 years later and now I have books that I'm the process of publishing, and thus I started a blog to get my name out there so that when people see my name they can associate me as being an actual someone rather than just a name on a book cover. If you want to know more, I will be adding an "About Me" page because even though this may be a side blog, I still want it to be as successful as my other one, which was getting fairly good ratings. That is, until I started losing people due to the site crashes. 

I have used my home blog to share helpful advice, tips, rules, along with outlines I've created for books, class work, and more. This side blog will be no different. And if there's anything on here you want to see or that you have questions about, or you just want to talk about how much you love writing, email me at kaysregan@gmail.com, and yes I check this email regularly.

I think I'll leave it there. But please, if you like this post, even though it's only the first post and there's not much to it, stick with me if you will, as I continue on my journey to become published and please share my blog if you like it. I will be forever in your debt! 

Thanks,
Kay R. 

Sabrina S.K. Regan

---UPDATE: 5/18/2019---

The information on this page/post has been updated to reflect personal life changes that I've recently made involving updating my name: Dylan/penname Dylan K. Regan. This includes the link to my original blog site (http://kayr.blog.com/) and original email address (kaysregan@gmail.com) neither of which are active any longer. Thank you for your understanding 😊