Passion Writer

In 2011, a clever entitled song, Honey and the Bee, was released by Owl City AKA Adam Young. One line from it sums up my latest novel in both contempt and theme. Young sings, “There’s something about you that makes me feel alive.” I get chills even reading this to myself. How did he know this will be the emotions I would portray to my two main characters in Ambience as they juggle life, choices, and the discover that life is worth living till it’s fullest when you find that love is real?

Though Ambience was something first imagined back in August 2009, through many revisions and death threats from me to end the project, I saw it through. Along the way, I grew up and can honestly admit after much thought, I found that I learned more from writing three novels about writing then I ever did receiving my four year degree, in English Literature nonetheless. I read and wrote, read and ignored. Yes, lots of ignoring. Lots of, ‘I just want to give up because who will ever want to read this’.

But then I thought, Wait!? I want to read this. I discovered that the most important reader a writer will ever have is themselves. Writers write what they would like to read, if not what are you doing trying to write a book not even you will read? Its true and the moment you figure that out, your doubts start to drift away. Though they’ll always linger around, look those Christmas tree pine needles that show up months after the holidays has past and no matter what you do they stick around. So I say embrace them, maybe even have a good cry with them.

Writing and life are a journey, a lone adventure only you can see through to the end. It’s hard when you see others doing what you know have the right to be doing as well, but don’t give up. If you really want this life, see it through. Explore the world, discover your fears and relish in the impossible. Be fearless and weak. You’re only human and one that knows that zeal takes years to mature, that growing up must happen in order to be the person you daydream about.

Be a Passion Writer.

College and The Writer

Back in 2007, I could never imagine that journeys I would take and places I would visit or the person I would become. Coming from a sheltered upbringing, where church life was a 24/7 lifestyle, I started college wanting a new identity. Much to others pointed looks and cold words I took off in a new direction. To this day, I’m glad that I have. Without a doubt, I knew my life would have been bipolar opposite. Leaving behind the part of myself that I disliked so much, I found myself in this world for the first time with real eyes. I found the person I was denied of becoming. My love for reading and knowledge grew the more distance I placed between myself and the past.

 

Then in February 2009, I found my future. I discovered one novel that would forever change the direction my life was heading towards, and honestly that was nowhere. I was a sophomore at my local college, taking literature and music classes, trying to figure out what to do next. Had just left my job at a bookstore to work in a shoe store *cringe*. Than Beth Fantaskey’s YA novel, Jessica’s Guide to Dating on the Dark Side, was released. I read it in less than a day. That day I knew without a doubt that I wanted to spend the rest of my life crafting novels like the one she had written.

 

Four year later, three novels written, two laptops and one degree received, I finally found the type of writer/person I had longed to be back in 2007 and 2009. I found the Christina who smiles at the silly tourist who invades her new town every day of the year that don’t know it’s history correctly and found a place in the business world she never thought she could co-exist with.

 

So my advice to both writers, readers and everyday people, is to be free. As the end of the year comes to a close, look forward to the future. Embrace the parts of yourself that others say you can’t be. Be that butterfly and find the YOU that you always daydream about. With a new year, let the years past be taken away with wind. You’ll be glad you did. :)

 

Music and The Writer

Back in 2009 I heard a song on the radio that not only changed my views of life at that moment, a confused sophomore in college but also of my writing in general. I’ve always had a special relationship with music that goes back to the time I was a kid, just ask my family. I love to sing and write my own music, guess that’s where my love for novel writing came from. I didn't grow up dreaming of being a writer. I grew up dreaming of becoming a famous singer, though stage fright always got the best of me.

Well, the song I heard on that Florida summer heated day was Fireflies, by Owl City, aka Adam Young. Instantly I felt like I’d found a long lost friend who got me, understood my sleepless nights and candy coated daydreams. It truly was a magical meeting of the minds.

In that same year, I decided that I wanted, needed to be a writer and hearing any one song from Adam just spurred me on, still does to this day. Hearing his lyrics and wonderfully arraigned music puts the M in motivation for me. Nearly a hundred song and 3 concerts later, I still get chills when I hear a chord of the song that is to come. His lyrics lets me daydream of the possibilities of knowing that simple dreams don’t turn to dust or that sometimes walking amongst the greenery of the forest, it’s better to waltz then to just simply walk on by, ignoring the simple beauties my generation takes for granted.
So next time a new pop hit comes on the radio and you start to bop to the beats, listen to those lyrics. Do they inspire you? Make you want to be the best you? Settle in your soul like a long lost friend? Chances are, most properly won’t.

Music in the 21st century seems to be losing the charm our grandparents and even our own parents use to hold like their own breaths. Sure, music changes over time as do people, but only true musicians and lyrics can stand the true test of time.

Shooting Star

“Let your mind start a journey thru a strange new world. Leave all thoughts of the world you knew before. Let your soul take you where you long to be...Close your eyes let your spirit start to soar, and you'll live as you've never lived before.”

It’s a year to the date when I came to the city I now share my zip code with when the story that started to form in my mind two years prior was reawaken.... Now a year later as I wrote the last words and now begin months of editing the heck out of it, I get this strange sense of completion. Sure I've felt this before in other novels I've written, but this time it’s different. Walking the streets of Old Saint Augustine yesterday and looking into the eyes of the locals and tourist alike, I felt a sense of obligation to do this city right and do my best to make this book as powerful as possible for both myself and them.

To My Dreams and Beyond :)