The Amazing Me

Warning: Sappiness ahead!

So... I have been feeling a little down this week. It might have something to do with the fact that I just got back from an amazing vacation in Texas, and I am really missing it.

So yesterday I thought - I should blog about how awesome I am!

I normally don't usually praise myself. But here are a few amazing things about myself.

• Just had my mid year review at my day job - and got no negative feed back. Score!
• I finally finished my query letter for Shadowed Stones. Yea!
• I started tackling the outline for Shadowed Stones. And although I am a little overwhelmed by it - I am pushing forward.
• I decided to cut my 5 book series to 3 books for Three of Ivory - because I think it will give the series more impact.
• I have amazing friends! (Stay tuned for tomorrows post because I got an award and will be passing it on to some of these friends!)
• I have read two books this month and am trying to read 4 more.

So yes I am amazing! But you know what - there is something else. After going to the monthly meeting of my local writers group. I realized something important. When I am feeling down thinking of how amazing I am does not lift my spirits as much as thinking of how amazing the people I know are.

My writers group is amazing. They make me feel so.... welcome. Like I belong. That is a BIG deal for me. My family moved about every 2 years when I grew up. So I never really felt like I belong anywhere - except for my family and with my husband. So fitting into a group and belonging is huge for me.

Not only that! But I have a great group of followers here on my blog. Connecting with all of you has really helped me realize my worth as a writer. Thank you so much for your support!

So now I have a request. Check out the other people that follow me, and the other authors in my local writers group and see just how amazing they are!

Thanks for letting me be sappy for a bit! It has been that kind of week for me. What kind of week are you having? Tell me how you, or someone you know is amazing - I would love to hear it!

P.S. Want to join my blog roll? Just leave a comment!

Maps and Stories

Okay, so I still don't know if I won the writing contest I entered yet. Sigh. I am not good at waiting.

Maps

So yesterday I found a map building program called AutoRealm - which is free and lets you create maps of fictional worlds. I played around with it a bit yesterday and I like it. There is a little bit of a learning curve. You need to play around with it a little bit before you get the hang of it - but it is way cool. Here is a screen shot:

The best part is being able to use fractal lines which are all squiggly so they look like real coast lines and stuff. So if you need to build a map for your fantasy world I suggest you check it out (you can download from the link above). I would also recommend doing a Google Search for tutorials.

Maps

The other thing I promised to post today is the story of how I met, and became engaged to my husband.

When I was in college I visited my sister one weekend and we went shopping at the JC Penney's she worked at then. My sister hates standing in line so when we had our purchases selected I started looking for the shortest, fasting moving line. My sister ignored every single one I pointed at and headed clear across the store. We ended up in the longest, slowest moving line. Standing at the register next to the one we were waiting to checkout at was my husband. Oh my gosh, I thought he was so cute! My sister, knowing him from work struck up a conversation and I got shy.

The next time they worked together he came up to her and said something to the effect of - You did not tell me your sister is 10 times as pretty as you are - and asked for my phone number.

My sister coordinated a time when I could come to visit again and we could go out.

We went out three nights in a row and it was amazing! Throughout my dating life I had always been able to tell in three dates if someone was a potential husband. But it still surprised me when after two dates I knew that this guy was the kind of guy I wanted to marry.

I had this idea in my head of the perfect man for me. Yeah, that guy was a bum, my husband blew him out of the water!

I went back to college and we commenced a long distance relationship (bad idea! don't do it!). On my next visit two weeks later he proposed and we were married three and a half months after that.

I know you are thinking that was fast and I must be crazy. Well I am a little. But six years later my marriage is still going strong, so maybe not all that crazy.

So how did I know he was the right one and that everything would work out. I didn't. And excuse me for getting a little religious here. I did not make the decision alone. I counselled with God and He told me everything would be okay. I have come to trust God without reservation. So I did it. I got married to a man I hardly knew. And you know what - it is the best thing I have ever done. I never knew a person could be so happy!

So there is the story in it's briefest form. Some day I may give more details. I have always thought it would be fun to write it out in story format for our kids to read.

How did you meet your significant other? Or if you haven't met that special someone yet, what are you looking for?