Anything that doesn’t automatically or completely fit into another one of the ToiBox categories.
Just wanted to let everyone know that I’m still here if you happen to access this post. This site has been experiencing a lot of outages and glitches, which I am working to resolve. It has put a delay on me being able to visit other blogs, but I plan to start doing that today. It has also delayed me putting out new content I’d been planning.
Thank you to those of you bearing with me while I figure all of this out.
Created and hosted by the Ninja himself, Alex J. Cavanaugh, the Insecure Writers Support Group posts the 1st Wednesday of every month. Click here to learn more or sign up.
This post contains affiliate links. If you click through to make a purchase, I may make a small commission at no additional cost to you. Any amount I make goes towards my dream to host a book fair in Hampton Roads, VA. Please see my About page for more details. Thank you for your support.
Optional Monthly Question: How do you deal with distractions when you are writing? Do they derail you?
I feel like I’m distracted all the time, which is probably why I don’t write as much as I’d like. Still, there are times when I’m determined to write, and I find a way to deal. I’ve learned to put on headphones and play white or pink noise. I can sometimes face away from people or distracting things and that’s enough to help. Soft music can be helpful sometimes, but I find that I use music to help set the mood when I’m writing something specific, so it’s not always helping with distractions.
Ideally, I’d love to be able to write mornings but I’ve learned to get words in whenever I can. The only time I can recall being derailed by a distraction is when I have to tend to my dog or someone’s child. I’m never going to try to split my attention between writing and tending to the needs of a living being. Sometimes, I have to take my dog for a walk knowing that I’ll only have 15 minutes to write because her walk will take 20-30 minutes. It is what it is.
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Speaking of my dog…
New Release!
Book Description
Margie is a bit skittish. She’s a hunting dog who doesn’t know how to hunt, but she loves a good walk. Living in a shelter with other dogs, she has no idea that she could have a home and a set of humans all to herself. This is the story of how Margie “The Scaredy Dog” Finds a Home.
Amazon.com
eBook $2.99
Print Book $12.99 (for a limited time)
I’m so happy to share Margie’s story with the world.
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If you’d like a chance to win some Margie Merch, share your pet story below. Be sure to visit this link http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/0e47765341/ or enter the giveaway below to validate your entry. Open internationally. Ends May 31st at midnight ET.
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And now, on to the personal updates…
I just came back from a wonderful vacation. I spent a few days at a cabin to unwind and then attended Raven Con as one of the guest speakers. It was a lot of fun. I’ll be sharing a wrap-up video soon on social media.
I’ve been writing more than usual, but that is mostly due to being on vacation. (Hey, I’ll take what I can get.) I’m excited to update my Patreon community with more installments of my ongoing projects as well as adding some items to my shop.
Don’t know if I’ve mentioned my food memoir here much, but it’s really coming along. I’m so proud of what I’ve done with it and am excited to begin incorporating contributions from others who’ve agreed to share their stories.
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How do you handle distractions when writing?
It may take some time, but I promise, I will eventually stop by your blog.
My response time has gotten slower but I’m still making my rounds.
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After hanging out with Alex, be sure to stop by and visit this month’s co-hosts:
Victoria Marie Lees,
Kim Lajevardi,
Nancy Gideon, and
Cathrina Constantine!
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Click here to visit other IWSG blogs and sites to receive and share more inspiration and support. (This month, I’m #27).
Did you know you can join my community for FREE over at Patreon to receive a monthly update on the creative projects I’m working on? I tell you the truth, it’s better than a newsletter!
Thank you for making it this far down the virtual page. Kudos to you! I’d love to know what you thought of this post in the comments below. Stay safe and be blessed.
Today is Juneteenth. It’s a day of celebration and cultural awareness for black people in the U.S.A. It’s the day we recognize when the last slaves were finally set free two years after the Emancipation Proclamation.
While I will be celebrating with friends and family today, I will not be spending much time in the blogosphere. The blogging community has been a mixed bag for me. Some of the communities have been extremely supportive and served as a safe space for me as a writer, but the jury is still out as to whether it’s a safe space for me as a black woman.
Someone recently took it upon themselves to open up old wounds of racial trauma for me without considering how it might affect me. While I’m sure hurt towards me wasn’t their intent, that’s how it turned out.
I’d like to say that’s the most negative thing I’ve encountered lately, but it’s not. People seem to enjoy reaching out to me to share all their weird, twisted, and sometimes, oppressive views with me and don’t seem to get it when I don’t agree with them. I’m too old to be justifying the decisions I make to preserve my mental health and racial dignity. Other people can either accept this or not.
I will be taking a break from blogging until August.
Wherever you are in the world, hold tight to those who accept you as you are and that are willing to hear you out, even if they don’t agree with you, and you don’t agree with them.
Stay safe and be blessed.