Author: Sydney Aaliyah Michelle

Contemporary Romance writer, voracious reader, movie watcher, tattoo lover & enthusiastic traveler.

My Weekly Update – Books and Beginnings

Published on by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle10 Comments

Books

I read a book last week. I know what you saying. “Sydney, you are a writer, your supposed to be reading books.” Let me clarify. I read a real book, last week.  No. That’s not the right word. I read a physical book last week.

It had paper, a soft cover on the front and the back and I never had to recharge it.  I read it in bed and didn’t have to worry about breaking my nose.  Am I the only one this has happened to?  (Imagine lying in bed holding your iPad/Kindle over your head and you loose your grip and from that distance it landing smack dab on your face) I can’t be the only one and it hurts.  I read in the tub and didn’t have to worry about dropping my life in the bathtub and loosing all my information.  And, I read on the train and didn’t have to worry about the shady guy eyeing my most prized possession and think, that could easily belong to me.  (Just kidding, there are no shady people on the Hong Kong train).

Regardless, it was quite a thrill.  I didn’t tap it, flick it or swipe it and accidentally turn to many pages.  I read a page and manually turned to the next page. I used an old receipt as a bookmark and there was no question whether I was in the right place.  I spilled some coffee on it and still kept on ready.  It was so much fun.

I haven’t read a real book in about 6 months.  Don’t get me wrong, I love my iPad with it’s iBook and Kindle app.  But, really there is nothing like reading a real book.

What do you prefer?  Your Kindle or the real deal.

Beginnings

Spring is considered the season of new beginnings, but it appears the end of summer is inspiring me and others to begin new stuff as well.

I began to edit my June novel and at this point it is a lot of work.  But, I found these articles very helpful in getting my head organized to tackle this new writing task.

How to Use Brainstorming to Edit from Ava at Writability
What is It Like to Read a First Draft? from Becca at Inspiration for Creation
 

Roxie’s Blog is beginning a series on effective editing on September 14th. She will feature a weekly post on her editing process.  I can’t wait.  Her post are informative and always funny.

Sevestian Winters began a new blog: The Homeless Gazillionaire.  It you haven’t read it, I would suggest you do.  It is fascinating and sad and inspiring and heartbreaking and life altering all at the same time.

AM has returned to My Weekly Update.  I am sure he is thrilled.  But, this is legitimate. His site had a new beginning last week; a new look and a new focus and I think it is pretty cool.  I also wanted to help him introduce a new feature;  Wired Writers Wednesday, for all those coffee drinking writers out there.  I was inspired to take this lovely photo:

 

 

New Follower – they began following me this week (it works).
Baz McAlister
Tyson Carter at Head in a Vice – Movie Review Site
Meghan Elisabeth at Book Nerd
Patrick Latter at Canadian Hiking Photography
Miranda Hardy – Future New York Times Bestseller! – I love that. 
 
Next Weeks Schedule
Monday – What’s Your Chocolate Bloghop
Tuesday – Tattoo Tuesday
Friday – Sydney Quotes the Movies – The Bourne Legacy
Sunday – My Weekly Update

Summer: Fact or Fiction? – The Big Reveal

Published on by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle16 Comments

It is time for the big reveal in the What I did Last Summer: Fact or Fiction? Blog Hop.  Thanks so much to all the lovely  people who stopped by and casted their votes.  I was thrilled with the response and appreciative of all those who where concerned about my health and those who enjoyed the Universe setting things back in balance (You need to read the stories to get what I am talking about).

Taking a walk down memory lane and putting these two story on paper was a great experience for me.  I truly enjoyed it and discovered I have many of these types of stories rolling around in my head.  I can use them in my WIP, might be fun.  You know – – –

Oh, all right. I will stop stalling.  Here is what you all have been waiting for:

Broke Back in Three Places – FACT

Roller Coaster Karma – FICTION

Thanks again Emily R. King and Melodie Wright  for a cool Bloghop.  I had a blast.

Make sure to stop by the other participants and see if you guessed correctly.

Have a great weekend!

 

 

IWSG and Summer: Fact of Fiction Bloghop

Published on by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle43 Comments

Ok. Busy day here at Sydney Aaliyah.  Let’s start with my Insecure Writer’s Support Group post.  I kept it short.  Then, stay to enjoy story #2 of the Summer: Fact or Fiction Blog Hop (Don’t forget to vote in the comments which story you think is true;  this one or that one).  

 The main area of stress and insecurity for this month is showing my work to other.  I am super excited to have formed a critique group with two talented writers.  We haven’t started, yet and I am scared to death to show them my work as a whole.  Introducing characters, excepts for blog post, no problem, but the entire work at one time.  Wow, scary stuff.  Now, I know I will get over it and I understand to be a published author the goal is to get others to read my work, otherwise what’s the point.  But, the initial idea of it is making me nauseous. But, I am really looking forward to the critiques, so go figure.  What am I scared of?      How did you feel the first time you let some else read your work?  Does it get easier?  
Story #2 – One summer when I was 13 and my brother was 16, our parents bought us and our friends (two each) season passes to AstroWorld in Houston, Texas.  They were trying to keep us out of trouble I guess.  The only rule, stick together.
Well, as you can image, 16 year old boys don’t really want to hang out with 13 year old girls.  Besides, my friends and I were really silly.  We broke out in song at the most in opportune times.  I still do.  It wouldn’t have been so bad if we could carry a tune.  So, as soon as we entered the park, we all went out separate ways.
On one particular beautifully hot and muggy day in Houston.  we were in line for the roller coaster.  One of my friends hated roller coasters, but we were able to finally talk her into riding it with us.   It just so happened, my brother and his friends were a couple of spots ahead of us in line for the same roller coaster. Seeing how nervous she was, one of my brother’s friends who was really obnoxious started teasing her and trying to scare her even more.
We ened up on the same ride and we started the slow, agonizing crawl to the top of the roller coasters first hill.  Even I had that feeling in the pit of my stomach.  But, that coupled with  my brother’s stupid friend yelling “We’re going to get stuck, We’re going to die.” Even I was getting nervous.
The roller coaster creeped, creeped, creeped up the hill and it got to the top and started over and then it stopped.  We were in the back so we had not made the crest when it stopped.  The obnoxious friend, he was in the second car and was hanging over the edge.
Everyone was quiet for a moment.  Thinking this was part of the ride, but after about a minute, we knew we weren’t going anywhere.  We were stuck.
The park operators had to walk up, show us all how to unhook ourselves get out and walk down.  My friend was handling it all pretty well.  But, my brother’s friend.  He was terrified.  It was hilarious.  First he refused to get out of the car.  Then, when the park workers and my brother finally talked him out of the car, he held on to the guy in front of him and cried the whole walk down.
We all made fun of him the entire ride home.
Now, did that really happen?  Let me know what you think?

I Know What You Did Last Summer – Fact or Fiction

Published on by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle19 Comments

I would like to thank Emily and Melody for allowing me to relieve a painful and bitter sweet summer memory.

This particular memory occurred quite a few years ago, but it still makes me cringe every time I think about it.

My best friend and I had earned some extra money working in my dad’s warehouse.  We did this a couple times per summer and it paid a lot; 10 whole dollars a day.  That was a lot for a couple of 12 years.  We decided to put our money together to revive my friend’s old fish tank.  But, we were way to mature for fish.  This time we were going to construct an terrarium with frogs, snakes and lizards.

Her mother had stored her old aquarium in the attic and we decided to go look for it.  The attic was on the second floor or her house.  It wasn’t a finished attic, but it looked safe enough.  It had exposed beams that criss-crossed to make a floor and exposed insulation.  I knew not to walk on the insulation.  Plywood covered half the floor and several boxes were stacked along the walls on the plywood.  It was August in Houston, Texas, hot and sticky.  We wanted to get out of there as soon as possible.

“You look over there in the corner,” I looked in the direction my friend said and spotted it.  Way in the back.

Only a couple of boxes were in my path.  I stepped on a beam and moved the boxes blocking my way.  I took another step and then another and then

CRASH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I fell through the floor.

Now, I don’t remember falling and I don’t remember landing.  I remember hearing the crash, but the next thing I saw was my friends face looking down at me through the hole in the ceiling.  Her head looked so small and at that point we were both kind of confused.  Then it registered to us at the same time what had happened.  She started screaming, I started crying and then the pain hit.

My best friends mom came out to see what all the noise was and she sees me lying on the concrete floor.  She starts screams.  But, not at me. No, she is screaming at her daughter whose’s head is still sticking out the hole in the ceiling.  “What the hell are you doing up there?” her mom said.

Thankfully she had the phone in her hand.  She called 911 while now yelling at us both.  “I told you I would get the damn thing?” “Why don’t you ever listen?” “You could have killed yourself.”

She was right.  I had fallen between a patio table with a glass top  and a bar b que pitt.  If I had been off just 6 inches either way, I would have been hurt even more or worse.  So, I guess you can say I was lucky.

I ended up breaking my back bone in three pieces.  My doctor said I fell perfectly. I liked that.  I felt pretty blessed.

Now the bitter sweet part, I had to spend the rest of the summer in bed.  But, I watched movies, read books,  and annoyed my mother to entertain me when I was bored.  Oh yeah, and I got to keep the terrarium in my room for the summer.

Now, did this really happen?  Come back on Wednesday and read another summer memory and let me know which one you think is true.  

My Weekly Update – Reflections on Campnano

Published on by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle12 Comments

Well another writing challenge done and another win.  Yea me.  Not an enthusiastic win, but a win, nonetheless.  It was not as easy or as successful content wise as June.  But, again, I won.  I have to keep reminding myself there are more words on the page today then there was 30 days ago.

I learned a few things about myself as a writer during this challenge.  I learned I can write even when I’m not 100% certain whether the story will work, not 100% certain that the story even makes sense and not 100% certain there is enough content to even be a story.  Those concerns were rolling around in my head all month and still I won.

I missed not having the daily connection and support from other challenge participants during the process.  I just felt more connected to other writers during Junowrimo.  You could always go online and find a sprint to participate in.  It wasn’t as easy to nail down writing groups this month.  I also enjoyed getting to know the other participants during June.  My cabin mates were not the most talkative people.  I guess they were busying writing.

But, I now except the fact my mind seems to like deadlines.  And, the 50K in one month challenge is still the best opportunity to get a novel written in one month for me.  Now I am looking forward to finishing this story in September and on to the next one in November.

I have to admit, after November, I hope no one creates another monthly writing challenge.  I think I will need a break until Junowrimo starts next summer.

Here is a small excerpt from my 2nd novel.  Enjoy, because that’s all you are going to get:

“Be careful getting up.” When the blood rushed back to the rest of my body and I was pretty sure I wasn’t going to pass out  I walked over to the mirror. I couldn’t speak. And, I couldn’t take my eyes off of it.  It was beautiful. I looked beautiful.
“I look fucking hot.” The shop started howling. I turned to Thomas. “What do you think?”
“Wait, what the hell are you asking him for?” Sebastian said.  He looked defeated, like I kissed his best friend.
“You don’t like girls with tattoos.” Bass scrunched up his face and shook his head.
Two of the shop guys high fived, laughed and pointed at me. “She’s got you down, Bass.”
“Shut up,” Bass said and walked over to me. “Who told you I don’t like girls with tattoos?”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you.” I was enjoying myself. “Ok, what do you think?”
Bass was standing to close behind me. To close for someone who I just meet and I realized I was standing in the middle of shop with no shirt on and my bikini top tapped on.  “This tattoo was made for you.  You look beautiful.”  We held each others stare in the mirror to long for two people who really didn’t know each other.  But, I wasn’t going to look away first.

Post to Watch

Ironic because two posts that caught my attention this week were on people watching.  It is one of my favorite past times.  When I move to a new city, I always scope out the best locations to people watch.  It gives me such insight into characters, dialogue and even the nonverbal way people interact with each other.  Plus, I am a nosey person by nature.  You can learn a lot about people just by watching them.

Snotting Black is one of the first blogs I started to follow and last week she posted an interesting letter to the guy whose date she observed from a distance. Check out Notes I Took While Watching Your Date.

Carol Kilgore wrote an interesting guest post on My First Book blog about people watching, event watching and names that as a writer I found helpful.

My New Followers
I hit over 4,000 followers on twitter last week.  How cool is that?  Thank you to my tweeps and to my new followers; The Inner Wild Kat & E.K. Espinoza.
 
Next Weeks Schedule
Monday – Summer:  Fact or Fiction – Post #1
Wednesday – Summer:  Fact or Fiction – Post #2 & Insecure Writer’s Support Group
Friday – Summer: Fact or Fiction – Reveal Post
Sunday – My Weekly Update
*Tattoo Tuesday will return next week.