Sense of Accomplishment

I dropped off my novels for the book fair in three weeks that you should definitely attend and I have updated my web-site.  I added an excerpt from Going All In aka Andy's story.  I know I promised that a while ago and I feel awful for not delivering on it.  I guess I wasn't ready to share anything yet.  Now I am because I have accomplished another awesome thing. 

Speaking of accomplishments-I have started my holiday baking.  I always start the baking season with Hershey Kiss cookies.  They taste divine as I sample a cookie from every batch, what kind of baker would I be if I didn't?  Answer: An awful one.  So my intentions are to bake sugar cookies and thumbprints.  I could be brave and try a new cookie.  I have a recipe for an orange cookie (don't wrinkle your nose, it's actually quite tasty).  My attempts at making almond cinnamon triangles failed miserably last year as my food processor started smoking and probably was moments away from bursting into flames. 

Can you believe that it is almost Thanksgiving or Christmas for that matter?  If I recall correctly, I believed I blogged about my laundry list of new year's resolutions that my husband and I made earlier this year.  I'm happy to report that most of them were accomplished- Z graduated with a master's degree, our back yard is almost filled in, and I got my shiny new job.  The only thing that will remain unfinished this year is the task of dry walling the attic.  This will give me more time to plan out my super awesome walk in closet for the attic.  :-)

Another Novel

I wrote another novel.  This accomplishment hasn't sunk in quite yet.  I have another novel and I still want to write more.  I was talking to my cousin tonight who noted that I needed a hobby to occupy my time.  I agreed with him, but I think it has to be related to promoting myself as an author.  I think I need an agent.  I'm not ready to take on this endeavor, but it's something I would like to pursue as time moves forward.  And ultimately, isn't that what writing is all about is moving forward? 

While I brush my teeth and style my hair in the morning, I think about the next novel...you guessed it, it's going to be through Mark's point of view.  Oh, I have big plans for the mature Mark.  Big plans for Andy and Anne too.  It's going to be about ten years in the future for them, which will be challenging to write because I'm not very creative when it comes to thinking about the future...what will be the latest gadget to replace the iPod?  What will the cars look like?  Will Justin Timberlake sing again?  I will stretch my mind to its outer limits to answer those questions and I dare not dream of a world where Justin Timberlake doesn't make a new album that blows Future Sex Love Sounds out of the water! 

However, a bigger question of the future looms in the distance...just what will I do when I've completed my trilogy?  I love my characters and would hate to let them go, will I be able to move on?  I hope so.  It may be necessary to remind me that writing is all about moving forward. 

Just 400 words shy

I'm just 400 words shy of the 90,000 word mark for Andy's story aka Going All In.  It feels good and I really don't know what I'm going to do with the story, but at least I know I have it.  I had writer's block pretty much the whole summer.  Even after starting my latest and greatest job, I was like "uh, what am I doing with this story."  I don't have to know the answer right now.

I changed the ending...it's still the same concept, just the characters are doing/saying different things.  I've added some things and I need to add a little bit more in the details department.  I'm pretty happy with the story.  It makes me ready for the third story!  Oh my, a third story!

6 month update

Where have I been since May? Where I haven't I been...

Well, I was working 70 hours a week until June 7ish. Then, I went back to retail full-time for two weeks, where I was then hired by a credit company working on appraisals for a huge bank. That was all well and good for a few weeks-I met some great people, the job paid my bills, but yet it bored me since I was doing the same thing day in and day out. I kept looking for school counseling jobs and was really excited when a district called for a LTS position. It was a glimmer of hope after bombing a permanent full time job interview a few weeks prior.

I celebrated my birthday on the down low because I am creepin' closer to 30 and didn't have any of my goals accomplished. I felt old and like a loser to be honest. "Hi, my name is Kim Zylinski, I have a Master's degree and no job prospects." The statement felt like it was tattooed on my forehead. I was able to write on Andy's story a little bit here and there, for the most part I had writer's block.

Then, on August 6 everything changed...I went in to meet with one of the schools that I had subbed for earlier that year. It was my favorite building and I thought they were going to offer me a public relations job. The pay wouldn't be great but it would be in a school. I was happy to be wrong. They offered me a permanent full-time school counseling job! Let me say it again...THEY OFFERED ME A PERMANENT FULL-TIME SCHOOL COUNSELING JOB!!!!!! I took it without thinking twice.

I have been there for over three months and it is amazing. I am the best version of myself in life that I could ever be and I feel like I'm going to get better. It was such an honor to get the job. I love it. I love my co-workers, the students (well, most of them), and everything I do. I'm trying to get back to writing and Rules of Vegas promotions. In fact, on December 3, I will be at the Heinz History Center for a self-published authors festival--Please come!

So that's where I've been and now I'm back. I have my life situated and I'm happy. I'm blessed that my story of job hunting has a happy ending. I hope you are well too.