The Face Of A Hero

  Ladies…  I say ladies because if you are a man you may want to tune out of my rambling today. I’m just forewarning you. So, ladies… I would like you to meet the face of the hero from my two short stories I just wrote.  You may recognize him from television shows such as Lost, or The Vampire Diaries. I just found him to be… dreamy.

  Meet Ian Somerhalder. I ran across this picture one day while looking for… Well I don’t know what I was looking for, but when I came to this picture there was no way I could ignore the fact that he was a hero looking for a story. I mean look how he is looking at me! Er… Well I guess he is looking at you like that now too. Those come hither eyes drew me in. They started telling me things. I quickly found a perfect heroine for him and as soon as I started dabbling with them they came to life. They have so much life in them that I will pursue their story more in the near future. I cannot wait!

  You may wonder how I used him for two stories. Well, they were very short stories. In one story the characters faces were descriptive. In the other story the characters were kind of given general characteristics, like hair and eye color, etc. Now, both stories I wrote were romances, so Mr. Somerhalder’s body may have looked a little fictitiously like this…

  I’m just saying! J I try to have some fun in my little world! It is fun to make things up and know that I am not totally losing it! My short stories are due this week, so wish me luck! Now I am going back to my other book, where I have now worked myself into four broken hearts. It will be tough to put the pieces back together for these characters, but part of the fun is just that… figuring it out. Oh yeah, and I’m just about done with an article I will try to get published in the local newspaper.

   So if you would like to wish me luck I would gladly accept it, and let me know if I can send you some!

  Do you have any suggestions for a future hero? Do you care if your hero/heroine have descriptive features, or would you like it left up to your imagination? Are you familiar with Mr. Ian? Doesn't he look like he has a story to tell?  

A Walk In The Park

  If you know me, or have read some of my rants, then you know I really don’t care to leave my house. I consider myself somewhat of a hermit, although in reality I am far from it. I blame it on my location. Sadly, I had to leave the house the other day. The dogs (my girls) had to accompany me, so I decided to make it a little adventure.

  I started out with a couple of simple errands, and then we headed to a nearby park. I had been there once, but only to drive through and check it out. It is on the outskirts of town so I didn’t know if it could get a little… er… seedy. As I pulled into the parking lot two vehicles sat in the shade outside the parking spaces of the lot. Hmmm. With the vehicle in park and my wild imagination drumming up reasons why those guys were parked there I observed a car pull up. I watched as a woman got out, opened the back door of her car, and two children spilled out. They quickly ran to the grassy tree filled park and chose the swings as their first victim. I smiled to myself and got the girls out. My wild thoughts were laid to rest.

  We walked…

  We rested…

  And rested some more… (I read.)  

  The weather couldn’t have been better. I was in shorts and a tee shirt. The sun was filtered through the trees…

  We found a path that led along the woods. A well worn path led me to this…

  I smiled when I noticed a rope swing that kids must have made. I could just imagine a group of teens running along and swinging half way out into the river, letting go, and letting the cool water refresh them.

  Finally we came to the end of the path. The girls were exhausted, and I was a little warm. All in all it made for a great day!

  Tell me about a good day you’ve had lately. What is your favorite season? Do you get a chance to enjoy local parks?

W.P.I. - Leaves act as a mulch. They blanket and insulate the soil, which keeps the soil temperature from varying. As they decompose they add their nutrients and goodness to the soil.

Facing Those Fears

  Earlier this year I discovered that I had a fear I was not aware of. Actually, I found out the very hardest way possible. If that story rings a bell, thanks for following along. If it doesn't sound familiar then let me fill you in with just a few words. Okay, vacation, lighthouse, many stairs to get to top, view from said top was beautiful, suction cups on hands, loss of breath, need to feel ground under my feet asap! Confused? Well, if you are interested here’s the link!

  http://kellyryanwatson.blogspot.com/2012/02/im-afraid-of-what.html

  So yes, I discovered I had developed a fear of heights. I don’t know how it happened, or when, but I found out while I was at the top of a lighthouse. I can assure you it made for an interesting time. Is that my only fear? NO. Again, if you follow me regularly then you know that thanks to a certain brother I have a very healthy fear of snakes. I won’t go into the whole story with this either, but a few word summary would look like…getting off a school bus, brother yelling from house to check the mail, I open said mailbox to find a very unhappy garden snake hissing at me. That night the nightmares began, and have never really left me.

  I find myself befuddled still about this heights thing, and I try to prove to myself that I can overcome this one. (I reside to the fact I will never overcome the snake thing.) In my mind I know that when I really do get to Ireland I will walk right up to the ledge at the Cliffs of Moher and not think for one minute how far down it is. I sit out on the balcony of hotels even though I am uncomfortable doing it.

  The other day we took a day trip to Grandfather Mountain. The leaves are starting to turn here in North Carolina so we decided to enjoy it while we have it. Grandfather Mountain is a beautiful destination in the Blue Ridge Mountains. There is one spot that is exactly one mile above sea level that makes it the highest point east of the Rockies. To get to this point though I had to face my fear…

   That’s right; the exact spot is about in the middle of this swinging bridge. I've heard horror stories about this bridge, but I swallowed the fear, took a big breath, and started to cross it. Needless to say being that high up the wind is always blowing, so the bridge is always swaying. GULP. The feeling of that bridge moving under my feet sent my hair on end. Baby steps were not an option. I would've run but that would mean more movement. It is funny how the brain works. All I could think about was getting to the other side and falling to my hands and knees. I needed the solidness of stable ground under me. I needed to feel that if I fell it would only be a couple of feet, and not forever. Because of this fear I had to prove wrong, I crossed that bridge, and then came to the realization that I had to go back across it to get back to the real world. Although at times I think I am smart, other times there’s more air in my head than a tire.

  The views were breathtaking, and I did not regret one minute of my discomfort. Fighting the fear was worth it, and I’d do it again. It made me feel just a little bit stronger.

  What do you fear? Have you ever fought your fears? Was it rewarding? Would you do it again, if circumstances called for it? 

The Way To Not Review A Book

  I just finished reading a book on my Kindle. I have a Kindle on my PC, and I have a Nook as my e-reader. I do believe I have the best of both worlds. That way if Amazon has a sale on a specific book that the Nook does not then I read it on the PC, or my phone. (It came with a Kindle app that I recently started using and LOVE it!) I think of that man for the Dos Equis commercials, only it’s me and not him saying… “I may not be the smartest, but when it comes to being able to read a book I’ll always find a way.” Instead of him saying, “Stay thirsty, my friends,” I then say, “Read more, my friends.” At about that point I realize that I will never be an actress. And at about that point I wonder about a future writing career, as well.

  I recently tried my hand at a review. That’s right. I wrote my first review of a book on Amazon. It was for an author I really admire, and thankfully I did not use my real name. I love the star rating, you know, the rate this book on a scale of one to five stars, five being the highest. Apparently on Amazon you can’t do that, you need to leave at least a twenty word review as well. So, I did it. Then I looked at the other reviews for the book and about let out a scream. Mine didn't look anything like the others. I gave a quick yada dada about the author, a few word babble about the characters, and that was about it. Almost all of the other reviews went into depth about the plot, characters, and whatever else constitutes a real review.

  Why did I bother to leave a review in the first place? I think I've heard along the way that reviews help to make that book more visible in the vast array of books that Amazon sells. Make sense? The more reviews and star ratings the more likely it is that that book will turn up when someone searches for something similar. I’m sure someone else can explain it better than me. Needless to say I am pretty sure my reviews will get better.

  With that being said have you ever been to goodreads.com? Goodreads is a neat little site that I don’t spend nearly enough time on. Today I reviewed nineteen books that I had recently read (via the star rating). I’m sure it works the same way as Amazon or Barnes and Noble, so I am confident a written review would have been better. Something very sad occurred to me there. I have no friends! EEK! Haha. I don’t know how that happened! I felt lonely! J

  So I know that I will never be an actress, or a reviewer. I think I will stick with what I know, but it’s always fun to dream, isn't it?

  Now, if you are a part of goodreads, and would like, I would be happy to become your friend! You can find me under Kelly Watson. If you pin on Pinterest, or tweet on Twitter, you can also find me under Kelly Ryan Watson. Just sayin!

  What is the job that you know is just not for you, yet you’d like to try it anyways? Do you review books after you read them? What are you reading right now?   

W.P.I. - Bring tender plants, such as tropical’s and containerized plants, inside for overwintering. Replant in pots if necessary and place them in a garage, heated garden shed or indoor room. Take cuttings of annuals, such as coleus, and begin propagating new plants for next season.

A Trip To Ireland

  The clouds are looming low and the coolness of fall has settled in. The day has me feeling lazy. I watch a game, read a little, write a little. Then I fall asleep a little. I dream a little dream of traveling and where do you think I ended up? I'll give you a hint... Here's the view from the airplane!

    That's right! I flew to Ireland. My anticipation grew as we flew over the island a couple of times waiting for the okay to land. When we finally did my trip started in a city I couldn't wait to see... Dublin.

  After spending a couple of days learning the history of Dublin, shopping, and experiencing some of Ireland's pubs I headed out to my next destination.

  I went from Dublin to County Cork. The sights were wondrous,  the cuisine was fabulous, and the Blarney Castle was absolutely tremendous. Honestly how can you be in Ireland and NOT visit it? 

Blarney Castle grounds.

  After kissing the infamous Stone I drove to the next destination. I enjoyed every curve, every field and every sheep I saw. Driving along Ireland's countryside was everything I thought it would be. 

  My next stop was the Dingle Peninsula. It left me feeling like a little of my heart may have actually come from Ireland, and now I am digging into my heritage even more. 

  From there I stopped in a local bar (not the first time I did this I might add) and thoroughly enjoyed listening to the musicians and sipping a Guinness. Everyone I met was as friendly as can be and guided me to the best eateries and inns. 

  I actually stopped on the way to my next destination to take pictures of this...

  Before I made my way back to Dublin I had one more thing I had to view. I had seen pictures of the Cliffs of Moher, but they didn't do justice. This is something one has to see with their own two eyes. The Cliffs was one of the most jaw dropping sights I have ever experienced.

  Shortly after getting back on the road I was eagerly anticipating the next stop when suddenly the Charmed One started yelling. Apparently the team threw an interception at the end of the game which could have been disastrous. I gave the Charmed One a look that will not be forgotten anytime soon. I cannot tell you the last time I had such a great dream!

  Did you enjoy the trip to Ireland? Where do your dreams take you? What destination would you like me to dream of next? 

Very Superstitious

  I seem to title my blogs to song titles. Did you ever notice that? Hmm. I wonder what that says about me. It probably says nothing about me, but in my pea-for-a-brain I think it means something. Maybe the songs that run through my head have something to do with what I am subconsciously thinking about. That sounds good. I’ll stick with it. So, without further ado, what do you think I’m rambling about today? That’s right, superstitions. But I am not going to talk about the regular don’t walk under the ladder type.

Trust me, mine did not look this good!

  When I was younger I never really thought about being superstitious. I personally thought it was a bunch of hooey. I mean really? Come on seven years of bad luck for breaking a mirror? Isn't that extreme? What if you are just a klutz? I heard all of them when I was younger. Yet even though I may not have believed them they ALL scared the living daylights out of me. Rest assured I walked around every ladder, and handled any mirror with two hands. I don’t even remember what I did if I spotted a black cat. As I grew older those superstitions left me. They've been replaced by really wacky things that I call my own superstitions.

  Years ago when I was young I played sports. I don’t think I realized it at the time, but I used to eat the same meal before every game. I guess I believed that if I were to eat any other food then I was for sure to have a lousy game. I cannot disprove this because I don’t recall eating anything other than linguine with butter sauce before games!

  There’s also the wearing of the clothes. I have to wear certain clothes to different events. I don’t know what it is but different functions call for certain clothes. At least in my mind they do. Heaven forbid I wear my job interview clothes to a dinner function. Oh my… I would be all sorts of discombobbled.

  Are you starting to see how my crazy mind works? I call these my superstitions because I don’t know any other way to explain it. Here is one final one. A couple of weeks ago I visited a blog. The author talked about never being sick, then getting sick, and self diagnosing. I knew better than to respond to that blog. But I had to, right? I didn’t want to be rude! So I did. And ever since then I have had a nagging pain in my abdomen. Finally, after two weeks I made myself go to the doctor. Guess what? I have an unknown illness. That’s right, who knows what it is. It’s one of these, “If the problem gets any worse call me,” types. Ah well. I knew better than to touch that dang blog!

  So yes, that is how my pea brain works. By my thinking I am very, very, superstitious!

  Are you superstitious? Do you go out of your way to avoid carrying mirrors? Do you have your own superstitions about clothes, or food? Or anything?

Please people! Don’t make me think I’m the only one!!!

W.P.I. - In addition to being the best time to plant most springtime flowering bulbs (e.g. tulips, daffodils, crocuses, irises, etc.) as well as trees and shrubs, many perennial plants and vegetables can be divided in autumn. Dividing most perennials – once they're sufficiently mature – will both make them healthier and create multiple plants out of a single one, all for the cost of nothing more than a little light labor.

Bumps In The Road

  I seem to have hit a bump in the road to the career of my dreams. That is no surprise, because we all know that nothing is easy. When I started out writing my first book I had no idea it would turn into a full fledged book. Actually I have now learned it probably has too many words, but we’ll deal with that at another date. I have taken classes here and there to try and give myself a better chance of getting published and there is one major thing I have learned… I have a better chance of getting published if I have already had something published. J Are you scratching your head yet?

  Let me break it down for you. An agent or publisher has two query letters on his/her desk. One of the query letters is from an already published author, the other is not. Which one do you think the agent or publisher will look at? So, how do I get something published to give my query and book a better chance? There are a few ways. One could try and get something published in a newspaper or magazine. Even a letter to the editor would count. One could also publish a greeting card, and that would count. And finally, another option could be to enter and win a writing competition.

  I have a problem with the newspaper thing. Right now just about everything is political, and I have a serious problem with politics. A letter to the editor is probably out. Often times while shopping for greeting cards I say, “I should write greeting cards, these all stink!” I haven’t done it yet. So that leaves writing competitions. I entered one last year. It is probably one of the biggest in the states. Needless to say I didn't win. Most competitions have a word count. The one I entered is 4000 words. YIKES. Do you know how hard it is (for me) to tell a story in so few words? Well, guess what I have been doing?

I never said I didn't swear, right?

  These past couple of weeks I have been writing more short stories. That same competition is here, and I am entering. Again! This time though I have a little more time on my hands. I’m smiling as I type this because I am loving every minute of these shorties! As a matter of fact one is on my mind in a big way and I hated to stop to write this blog, but I did, because I love you guys! The first one I wrote could easily be a novella, and I am looking forward to making it into one. The characters made me fall in love with them in a big way, and their whole story needs to be told. I need some finger crossing here!

  So now you know what the holdup is with book number one. I have not abandoned it. That book is a part of me, and I will try my best to get it published. Until then I continue to look for my opportunities for some publishing credits to make a stronger query letter. I am out there trying! No, nothing is easy, but I do believe that all good things come to those who wait!

  What have you had to work extra hard for in your life? Was the reward worth the wait? Has anything made you scratch your head lately?  

Epic Failures

  We all have those days where things just don’t go right, right? Come on, I know it’s not just me. Those days where you trip over the curb because you didn't see it? Or the lock your keys in the car days. Luckily I haven’t had any of those in a while, but now that I bring it up I’m sure something wacky will happen. I visited a blog recently where the author wanted the readers to tell something they had failed at so that it would pick up the authors spirits. (She had a bad day in the kitchen, so naturally Kelly tells a story of something wacky that happened to her in another part of the house. I’m not much of a kitchen person unless there’s coffee involved!) It got me thinking. Today folks I’m telling of a couple of my epic failures. There will be no picking on anyone but myself. Well, for most of this rant anyways!

  The story I told on that blog was this one. Keep in mind that this happened many, many moons ago. One day I wanted to take a bath. My body ached and I thought a nice long bath would soothe those aches away. I went in and started the water for a steaming hot bath, knowing that as soon as I got in it would ease all of my problems. I left the bathroom and landed in the living room. Where I got caught up in a television show. And forgot about the bath. About fifteen minutes later I heard the water running and ran to the flooded bathroom. Sadly it wasn't just the bathroom that flooded. I managed to flood the basement as well. Did I mention this happened at my parents? Yea. Just one example of Kelly’s epic fails. (On a side note… Apparently my self diagnosed ADD happened way back when too!)

  I don’t know why my major failures happened at my parents, but here’s another one. I was weed whacking in preparation for a family get together. My parents have a full basement with sliding glass doors leading to the outside. Can you see where this is going? Yea. I got too close to the doors; hit a stone with the weed whacker, and said stone went into the glass door. It was the prettiest shattered glass you've ever seen. All of the cracks made such a pretty mosaic.  It sure caught everyone’s eye! I cannot believe it stayed in one piece.

  Again, sorry mom and dad!

  Here are some epic sign failures that I found to make me feel a little better.

Eek!

Sheesh!

Hhmmm.

Is it really a question?

  Now it’s my turn to ask. Do you have an epic fail story that you care to share? Have you ever flooded your house?  Has one of your children about driven you to drink?

W.P.I.- One certain way to fail a plant is to not water it. So often people think that once it’s in the ground that’s all that needs to be done. The more water that plant gets in its first year the better chance that plant has to live a long life. Water ensures good root growth which is essential for a plants development. After planting water deeply two to three times a week during the growing season if Mother Nature is not providing us with rain.

  

Snarky Man Crush

  Do you have a touch of snark in you? I believe we all do at times. Honestly though I think the word snark was created after these two guys hit American television. To me they are the kings of snark, and I love them. What comes out of their mouths doesn't bother me, because I believe they speak the truth. They are sarcastic, they are moody, and they are critical. It doesn't hurt that they both happen to have an accent that I adore. That’s right; this is where you find out just how crazy I am! I’m rambling about two of my crushes today, and after I’m done I hope you don’t hold it against me.

  Snarky man crush number 1: Simon Cowell.

  Honestly, is there another person in America that tells it like it is like Simon does? I mean, come on…

  “If your lifeguard duties were as good as your singing, a lot of people would be drowning.”

  Or how about this one?

  “That was terrible, I mean just awful.” He said that referring to a contestant in season one of American Idol.

  Even better yet…

  “If you would be singing like this two thousand years ago, people would have stoned you.”

  That last one really cracked me up. Bad. It just brought pictures to my head! Have you had enough of him yet? I had been going through Simon withdrawal so I’m glad to see his happy face on the X Factor. I mean, I could go on, but I do want you to come back and visit again. Now, whether you love him or hate him this next picture should soften your heart a wee bit.

  Snarky man crush number 2: Gordon Ramsay.

  I believe the first time I saw Gordon I raised an eyebrow. I heard him talking to some wanna-be chef and every other word was bleeped out. Instantly a corner of my mouth turned up. My curiosity was peaked, and so my love of Gordon began. Born in Scotland Gordon also commands my attention with his accent. His snark is sometimes as bad as Simon’s, but there is just something about Gordon that gets to me. If you are unfamiliar with Gordon his television shows include Kitchen Nightmares, Hell’s Kitchen, and Master Chef. Often times he can be heard on Hell’s Kitchen with such snark as…

  “You stupid donkey!”  (I love donkeys!)

  Or…

  “If you sauté scallops in a non-stick pan, they won’t stick. That’s why it’s called (bleep) non-stick. I didn't know what non-stick means in Texas sweetheart but (bleep) me.”

  I guess if I were giving the winner a job salaried at $250,000 I’d make sure they knew what they were doing and could handle snark from people too.

  Yes, both of these guys are snarky to the hilt, and I love it. Their snark makes them who they are in a way. Both of them have a certain something that makes me all warm and happy! Could they be that successful without the snark? Probably, but it wouldn’t be nearly as entertaining now, would it?

  Are you a fan of snarky people? Do you love or hate my snarky man crushes? Do you have a snarky side?