Day 92 of 90: Writing is good for you #ASMSG #IARTG #IAN1 #SupportIndieAuthors!

I keep telling you guys that writing is good for you, but I don’t think I’ve given you all any solid examples. I thought I would take today to talk with you all about the skills writing has helped me learn to cultivate.

The first thing writing taught me was focus. I suffer from Attention Deficit Disorder, which makes it hard to concentrate on one problem at a time. I want to focus, try to focus, but my mind jumps and starts on it’s own timing. The simplest of things pull me away from whatever projects I’m working on, and I have to work hard to get back on track. Writing helped by making it so that I had to focus. The ordered thought process of figuring out a character, or a scene, really helped me to keep myself on track.

Next is vocabulary. While I have always considered myself a bit of a talker, I never realized how few words I really used until I started to write. That’s not to say I didn’t have a vocabulary, or that I didn’t know how to use it, just that I didn’t. Not until I became a writer anyways, then I had a reason to call myself a verbose philanthroper of locution.

Last, it taught me to have patience, which has never been one of my strong suits. But the patience an author needs, with himself, and the world around him, is just as important as the patience I needed when I worked as a certified nurses assistant.

Writing can, and will, help you grow. It’s all in if you choose to pursue that avenue, or take another path to become a better person than you were yesterday.

Day 55 of 90: Autism Awareness #ASMSG #IARTG #IAN1 #SupportIndieAuthors #AutismAwareness

I don’t know if I’ve ever mentioned this to you guys before, but Sara, my lovely wife, has Asperger’s Syndrome. She came to me yesterday, and after informing me that today is World Autism Awareness day, asked me to dedicate a post to it. Now how could I possibly say no to my sweet loving wife?

Everyday I wake up with Sara is a struggle. While I usually wake up bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, I cannot always say the same for Sara because I usually have to kick her in the butt to get her out of bed, and remind her of simple things on a daily basis. Things that some of us just do. Sometimes, it could be turning off the stove, and other times, it could be a case of unplugging her curling iron. She is sometimes a bit scatter brained.

I have no problem with this, because I love my wife, and I have my own struggles with short term memory. When I do these things, she can get quite upset and argumentative, focusing on one aspect of something I’ve said instead of the whole picture.

This can lead to a whole new set of arguments, as I try to get her to absorb the entire subject, and she wants to focus on one step that seems out of line. It’s so interesting living with someone who’s such a concrete thinker, when I am such an abstract thinker.

I’ve been doing a lot of inspirational writing lately, we’re on day 55 after all, and I’ve had a few people ask me how I can do it. How can I maintain the upbeat attitude that I seem to convey with most of my posts? How can I find something to write about every single morning?

It’s all because of Sara. For all her faults, for all the things I have to do to help her, she is the brightest light in my life. Loving and caring like no other woman I’ve been with, I have watched Sara repeatedly sacrifice the things she wants in order to help others without a second thought. I’ve seen her take a treat that she bought for herself, spot a homeless man all the way across the parking lot, and walk over to give him her special treat. It may not seem like much, but I see so much of that missing from the world nowadays.

Sara has been so many things to me, but a constant companion and rock is the best way to describe her.

For all her faults, Sara shows me the best side of humanity everyday. She doesn’t think about herself first, she thinks of others. She opened my eyes to the differences between people, and yet how similar we all are. I continuously watch Sara struggle to be kind to herself, yet spread her compassion to the world. Maybe one day, she’ll learn to turn that compassion towards herself a little more.

When we first got together, Sara was very much an isolationist. She hadn’t left the house by herself in almost two years, and when she was home, she spent most of her time in her room.

Then her mother joined a Certified Nurses Assistant class, and Sara was intrigued. In one short month, her curiosity took her from being someone who would NEVER go outside alone, to someone who would walk to the store on her own. I have watched her grow from someone who struggled to put two words together when speaking face to face, into someone who voices her opinion as loudly and fiercely as anyone I know.

Sara is easily one of the bravest people I know. I hope one day she sees what I see, and she learns to accept what life has given her, and see she has gifts that some people will never understand. But that’s a battle for another day.

In short, my woman with Asperger’s Syndrome is a warrior. I watch her persevere everyday, and see the small improvements every day. Sara is what gives me inspiration, because I’m watching her evolve right before my very eyes.

Day 31 of 90: #Inspiration Origin #ASMSG #IARTG #IAN1 #SupportIndieAuthors

Where does inspiration come from? How do you start to build an entire world, populate that world with different people, express those different personalities and views all while coming from your own perspective? You live life. You go out and experience a sunset, you stop to smell the flowers. You let the wind rustle the leaves overhead, and listen to their beautiful music. Or you crank up your favorite tunes, and take the story where you will.

There’s a million different ways to draw on inspiration. Mostly it involves doing something that relaxes you, puts you in the state of mind to write and see your work be read. Some people it’s as simple as staring at videos of cats on the internet, to others it’s listening to their favorite television show while they work. Another person will drink themselves silly. The point is, relaxing. I’m not saying you can’t write under stress. Some of your best writing could come at a point of crisis specifically because you’re at a crisis. With emotions heavy in your mind, your writing may convey an aspect that you want with greater authority.

Every writer has a different way they write, a style or plan that leads to their voice coming through in their works. Like how I view mine, they are characters on a role playing board. I literally picture the old style D&D maps in my head, and plan where I want my characters to go. I plan their actions, or leave it random to the gods. The only thing I know is the general direction I want the story to go. The tone, the mood, the world should be conveyed in your writing, and it makes it easier for me to slip into old style habits.

Whatever your ritual is, it’s best for you to own it. Just as the saying goes about other people’s trash, what works for one person may not work for another.

#RileyAmosReviews, Good books up today edition, part 2!

Nascent Decay by Charles Hash

Wonderfully written, full of aliens and twisted psychological situations. It definitely makes you thankful for the things that surround you in this world. I would recommend this to anyone looking to read a good adventure story with a powerful female lead. 5/5 *I received a free copy for review, and am glad that I did. Wonderful read*

#RileyAmosReviews, Good books up today edition, part 1!

Plague of Equals: A science thriller of international disease, politics and drug discovery J. Oestreicher and D.R. 

Oestreicher

It is well written, with good editing. Normally outside of my typical Genres, I finished the book, and that’s saying something. Most of the time when an authors asks for a review, and it’s outside my genres, I have a hard time completing them. This one I had no problems, it just didn’t catch me. If you like this genre, you’ll probably like this book. It was pretty good. *I received a free version from the author in return for an honest review.* I would say 3/5, entertaining, but not my typical tastes.

Cruisin’ through books cause books make life worth living with Aly #RileyAmosReviews 6/16/2015 part 4!

Fallen by Emily Clarke

I think this Paranormal romance was a good book.  I believed the characters had real typical teenager problems.  I didn’t move around at all when I was younger so I have nothing to compare this too.  But I did feel I was going through what these characters were going through.  * I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review*   4/5

Cruisin’ through books cause books make life worth living with Aly #RileyAmosReviews 6/16/2015 part 3!

Helen the Transartist by Anita Stairs-Oberlick

I thought this book was great for any age.  I enjoyed a change in what I usually read.  This book kept me reading to the last page.  I think my niece would enjoy this book.  I will have to tell her about it!  I thought the main character was smart, kind and someone my niece night enjoy reading more about.  * I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review*  4/5

Cruisin’ through books cause books make life worth living with Aly #RileyAmosReviews 6/16/2015 part 2!

Dying Embers by Glenn Trust

I was not around in the 60s but I can tell by this book times were sometimes tough for all.  This book is about racial tension in the 1960’s usually from teenage boys point of view.   I don’t really understand the times myself having not lived them but I did and still do feel bad for some of America’s past.  I think we are working every day to help improve racial attitudes.  * I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review*   4/5

Cruisin’ through books cause books make life worth living with Aly #RileyAmosReviews 6/16/2015 part 1!

Lunar Rampage by Samantha Cross

I enjoyed this book.  The main female character was my favorite. I like to see my “real” characters in these book.  I think I relate more to them. I am a big animal lover myself so I already have some things in common with the character of Cora.  I’ve been to my Grandma’s house many times and nothing this strange has ever happened.  You should check it out.  This book is fun to read and enjoy.  * I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review*

Cruisin’ through books, cause books make life worth living with Aly #RileyAmosReviews just the one today!

Autumn in the City of Angels by Kirby Howell

I enjoyed this book very much.  I would read book 2 for sure.  I think the descriptive and articulate was the author wrote was a breath of fresh air.  This book seemed to me a mixture of YA and post-apocalyptic.  I can’t say enough great things about it!  Check it out for yourself.  * I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review*  5/5