The problem with windows 8 and writing...

Today I logged onto my computer, in hopes of doing some writing and editing, only to discover that the writing program that had come with the computer had expired. If I wanted to keep it I could have paid 6.99 to subscribe, but I decided that I couldn't afford 6.99 a month. I took to eBay and found a writing program that I think should work. This delays my writing even more, but once I finally have it I will be back to where I was before.

Picking an author picture

As a self-published author, there's a lot you have to do for yourself. The things you have to do go beyond just writing a book and releasing it to the world. You also have to market the book. Part of marketing is picking out your picture for your author bio. A traditional author has a team helping them pick this, but you don't. The picture above is not the picture I've picked for my author picture, but the only picture I actually had on this new computer. I have been using this picture to represent me on other mediums though. It's a more updated picture than the one I use on here. So why did I pick the picture I use as my author photo? The answer is a bit amusing: It got the most likes on facebook.

Casual Friday: My Christmas wish

It's only November 14th, and there are already Christmas decorations everywhere. I'm not complaining, since I love Christmas and it is more lively than Thanksgiving, but there is something that's been on my mind. I've been dreading the holiday season. Why? Well, I work retail for the time being. I'm not looking forward to hunting for a parking spot that's all the way on the other side of the mall, or being pushed around by the crowd. I'm not looking forward to the long lines in the food court, or the lack of places to sit in the food court. I'm not looking forward to staying late so the customers can have extra time in the store, even staying after the store is closed in some cases. I'm not writing this blog to complain, since I am grateful that I have a job, but I do feel that I have to address my Christmas wish. My Christmas wish is that people would be nicer to those who work in the retail stores, or waitress, because you never know when they had a break, or got to eat. You don't know how long they've been standing in uncomfortable shoes, or how long they've been waiting for a bathroom break. You also don't know their situation. Some people pick up an extra job for additional Christmas money, but some pick one up to feed their families.

Laziness

I realized that lately I have a real problem: laziness. I want to write and self-publish my work, but I can't seem to find the time or energy to sit down and do it. I'm going to, I just need to push myself harder. Maybe work on my writing when I get home, or when I finally have a day off.

About the weekend review

I have decided that I want to take submissions for my weekend reviews. I'm a writer first, but I also enjoy reading and reviewing. I think it would be a good idea to figure out a way for people to submit books for me to review on my blog. I would prefer self published novels, since I'm about to step into that world and I know I will need all the help that I can get. I hope when I finally decide to release my novel into the world that there's someone there to help me. Now, if I do decide to review self published novels, that does not mean they will get a positive review. All novels will get the review they deserve, which is what I would want for my own book. If you're interested please find a way to contact me.

Weekend Review: Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire

I decided to do something a little different for this week's weekend review. I normally review books, but I thought it would be cool to download a game that I was able to play a demo of. I'm already a big fan of the Pokemon game boy games, so when I got an email giving me a free code for a demo I downloaded it as soon as I got the chance.

The demo is very short, and basically showcases the graphics and fighting style. You start off by meeting Team Magma, and learning about Mega Evolutions. You have to fight almost as soon as the demo starts and are told to pick one of three starters. I picked the fire type, which defeated my enemy with a single hit.

After fighting you can explore a little, which has always been my favorite thing about Pokemon. I love exploring and catching Pokemon. You aren't given any pokeballs until the end of the demo, where you catch your first Pokemon. 

You don't even get to pick your character for the demo, which is okay, it's a demo, but I enjoy picking a character and leveling up my own Pokemon. I'm also not sure what the news thing on the bottom screen, since I didn't use it. I don't know if it will be a big part of the game, or if it's just something to give you hints or tell you where to go. I didn't really get to explore much, since all the doors were locked and there was only a few patches of grass to explore, but I did notice a few familiar faces among the Pokemon that I encountered. I just hope Pikachu is in this one, since Pikachu has always been my favorite. 

The graphics were great, about the same as X and Y. The fighting system was the same, and the mega evolutions were the same. Although the demo was short, it made me more excited for the full length game. I plan on picking up Sapphire (probably because I like the color blue more than red). 

The thing about deadlines...

Sigh...it's November already. Time to put away the Halloween decorations and start thinking about turkey or turkey alternatives (I'm a vegetarian). It's also the time where I realize that I've missed the deadline that I gave myself. When I decided to become a self-published author I knew that I had to set deadlines for myself. I also know how hard it is for me to work with a deadline. I was doing well until life got in the way. Now I am more than two months behind my deadline. I'm not as organized as I would like to be. If I was more organized I may have been able to finish editing by now. I'm a bit angry at myself for not having my novel finished by now. It's my dream and I'm letting it pass me by. I'm not sure how things would have gone if I would have actually decided to go through a literary agent. I guess I would have had someone pushing me, but I'm not sure if that matters. I've never been good with deadlines. I remember waiting until the last minute to finish school assignments. Now that I'm juggling work, school, and writing I will have to find a balance. I have to push myself to edit, write, and work on pushing my work out to the public.