Baby Showers, Queries, Stephen R. Lawhead and Packing? XD

Tomorrow I have a Baby Shower to attend for a friend, so today I went shopping for a gift. A bit last minute, I know, but I think I did a good job. Being a Disney fanatic, I got her this:




















It's such an adorable book to keep track of your child's firsts. Like when they lose their teeth, their immunizations, what reactions they may have gotten, their first birthday and a few more birthday's after that, holidays and so on. I thought it would be a good thing to get for my friend, since she'll be a new mother.

But shopping for this kind of stuff made me realize I can't wait to do this kind of stuff for myself. Eh, I'm young, I've got some time, but I do look forward to having my own kids some day, which just makes me feel happy, haha.

Anyway, I have sent out my 8th query letter. This time I queried Literary Agent Matthew Bialer. He is pretty cool and was an agent to an author who has written books that I enjoy.

Perhaps you've heard of the author. His name is Stephen R. Lawhead. Check out his site! =)

His newest book right now is "Tuck", which is the third book in the "King Raven" series. I read the "Dragon King" trilogy and found it amazing! So, if you like adventure, evil warlords, and a lost kid finding his place in the world, definitely check out the "Dragon King" trilogy. However, feel free to also check out his other books, as I'm sure they are just as good (and I will be looking forward to reading them as soon as I get the chance. =)

On a side note, I am practically packed and just about ready to go! =D

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Just dropping by....

Tonight, I don't have much to write about. I finished a painting I was working on for someone and have been packing. It's been busy this week, with work and all the stuff I must do to prepare for the move, but it has not been bad. I leave Sunday, so wish me luck! Don't worry, I'll still post. =)

Anyway, I'm debating on making a page on my blog here to post the first chapter of the first book in my trilogy. Any thoughts on that? Let me know! =D

-Tara

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The Fantastic Life Blog Hop!

Hello everyone!

So, I'm Tara. Hi! I am an Art Major and an Author. I write mainly fiction fantasies dealing in magic and the likes. I've been working on the same book series for the past (almost) 5 years now? With the first two books done in the trilogy, I have been working on getting some query letters out. =)

I work at an amazing place and love my job and the people that I have met and meet while I get to work there. It is an awesome experience. Really. It is. =)

I like to think of myself as an upbeat, positive, optimistic person who looks at the glass as half full, or even all the way full! XD I love people, so feel free to drop by and get to know me. =)

-Tara

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Fruit Carving

Have you ever watched the Food Network, and come across the show "Food Network Challenge"? Well, I have. In fact, I watched the "Fantasy Fruit Sculptures" Episode last night and felt inspired to try my hand at carving fruit myself. Luckily, we had a watermelon lying around. However, since I caught the show at the end (when they were judging) I missed seeing how the chefs actually carved the magnificent designs into the watermelons, pineapples and other fruits, so I had to search for directions on-line. Of course, when you type in instructions for carving, almost everything that pops up is for pumpkins. XD

Anyway, I finally found an instructional video on YouTube by ChefChang. He joined YouTube on June 14, 2008 and since then has uploaded 73 videos simply on how to carve different sorts of fruits with all sorts of different designs! If you are someone who loves to try new things, I really suggest you take a try at fruit carving. Not only is it entertaining, but it is also tasty afterwards, haha! Plus, you can make your creation a pretty centerpiece at a celebration, like a graduation party, birthday party, wedding, or so on.

So, that all being said, I guess I should post the pictures of my first attempt at fruit carving. As I said, I chose to do a watermelon and I watched ChefChang's video on how to carve a Rose.

First, you carve off the green rind.

Second, you cut a circle out on the top. Don't go all the way through if you've hollowed out the edible part, or you'll have a hole.

Keep going....

It sort of looks like a Hurricane swirl here...XD

And, the final product...my rose! =D

So, yes. If you'd like to give it a try at fruit carving, I highly recommend checking out ChefChang's YouTube website. =)

Later! =D

Tara


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Agent Nathan Bransford and Molly Ford's "Smart, Pretty and Awkward"

So, apparently (according to Justin, anyway) I don't use my blog enough? Odd, since I have more posts then he does and started before him. Beside all that though, you should still check out his blog, "In My Write Mind". Of course, he has more followers then me and doesn't promote me, but that's okay. XD

Anyway, today I queried Mr. Nathan Bransford of Curtis Brown Ltd.. He is an avid blogger and his advice and tips are helpful. If you'd like to check him out, here is the link to his blog. Just so we're clear, the word "blog" is a link. Click it! Now! Seriously, Nathan Bransford is pretty cool.

And, since I'm kind of on the topic of blogs, this is one that I seriously LOVE! Molly Ford is this amazing girl who gives three tips a day (at least she tries for per day). Her tips? Well, they're on how to be "Smart, Pretty and (a bit less) Awkward". Back to that word being a link thing, yeah...click it!

I love Molly's posts, especially how she uses quotes for her titles. That is really very clever and something that I would like to try with a different blog, but I think I would pick just one topic instead of the range of quotes that she uses. They are so interesting. Plus, her tips and tricks are pretty helpful, too. This is definitely a blog to check out and it's even all right if you're a guy, too. This advice is for anyone who is interested on different points of view.

Molly is also on Twitter, if you would like to follow her, I'm sure she would not mind. (Ahem, click "Twitter")... In a recent messaging session that I had with her, I asked where she finds her fabulous quotes and she told me that,

"[I] usually just browse google for quotes on whatever topic i am interested in that day :)"

Yes, she even included a smiley face! This girl is really very cool and nice and someone who is easy to get along with, so please make sure that you check out her blog.

Also, please make sure to check out Nathan Bransford's site as well, since he his posts are also interesting and helpful.

Thanks so much!

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What to Pack

So, as the arrival date for my awesome experience looms closer, there are things that I must consider. Of course, packing is one of them, but there are always other things to think about when one is going away. One should think about the people they are leaving, and how to plan to keep in touch with them. Family, of course, is a big deal to me, so Skype, phoning them, and perhaps even handwritten letters will be involved (just like last time). Another thing to consider is what to bring besides the necessary amount of clothes (and when I say necessary amount, I literally mean that. Don't pack your whole closet unless you're actually moving...permantly. Otherwise, you'll just waste space, time, and have more laundry to do.

Now, as for what else to bring, besides the necessities. I plan to bring a few of my favorite books because as Richard de Bury said in The Philobiblon:

"In books I meet the dead as if they were alive,

in books I see what is yet to come...

All things decay and pass with time...

all fame would fall victim to oblivion

if God had not given mortal men the book to aid them."

Or, as Charles Lamb said in the Last Essays of Elia, 1833:

"A book reads the better which is our own, and has been so long known to us, that we know the topography of its blots, and dog's ears, and can trace the dirt in it to having read it at tea with buttered muffins."

Let's just say I really like books. =D And that is why I will be packing a few of my favorites along.

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A Good Place

There are things that I miss about Florida and as the count down draws to an end I can only continue to wait a bit more.

Suprisingly enough I miss the thunderstorms. Ironic, as I am not a big fan of them, but with today's rain (and its absence of thunder and/or lightning) I was only a tad bit disappointed. Even with the thunderstorms we get here at my home, they are not the same. I find that after living in Florida for some time, I miss the strength of the storms there. How, during a really bad storm, the sky can turn black and the lightning, you can actually see it streak and split across the sky. It's really something. Really. And it isn't so bad, to listen to the storm as it rumbles in or as it rumbles out. I prefer the sound of the rain pattering against the stone and windows, and the dull echoes of thunder in the distance, but when it's all up and around, well...I guess it depends. =)

Another thing I miss is the heat. I am not a fan of the cold, and I love the weather in Florida (even when it rains in the middle of the day). Sunshine and heat, that doesn't bother me. Even when there is humidity. As long as it isn't freezing or below freezing (like in the Winter) then I love it. Don't know why, just do.

I miss my friends down there, I miss getting to see them every day. I miss seeing one person in particular. I miss our strolls "around the world" every day we had off (practically). I miss the fireworks we would watch together (even though we had seen them every other night before). I miss the rides and the pushes and shoves I would get just to go on one I wasn't a fan of. I enjoyed trying new things and meeting new people. I miss the company we shared, haha.

BUT! ...Soon, very soon! I will see this person again, and a few other friends I have not seen in almost a year. I think that it will be a very good time, and I cannot wait.

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3 of 5...XD

Ah, day 3 of a solid 5-day work week. Today felt like it went by pretty fast...I guess. Someone in the drive-thru told me I should stay away from kids as long as I could, they cramp your style. =( This makes me sad because I love kids so much. XD All I did was ask if she had any kids she would want to give a free plate to that I was handing out for my job. XD

Well, if anyone ever reads this thing, or has been paying attention to the progress bar on the left side of my blog page here, I've updated it and have gotten closer to that goal (though I'm pretty sure that it's going to exceed 100k, haha!

Hm...waiting for Friday (and not just because it's my last day of work at Fast Food before next week. (I do work on Sunday into Monday for my other job, but that one's fun so it's okay. =D ...) Anyway, Friday...=)

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Independence Day

Well, hello! Today is the 4th of July! Now, who had a blast? =)

Today was a bit easy and laid back for me. My Pepere came over for lunch and then we went food shopping, haha. It was kind of a normal day until night fell and then we heard fireworks going off. We even got to catch some and it was really cool. =D Then we watched (well, we caught the end of it) the fireworks going off in Philly on our television.

Of course, I can't help but think back to this time last year when I was in Disney and watching the 4th of July fireworks at Epcot with Aaron and Triana! Those were some AMAZING fireworks!

Now, I should probably mention that I LOVE fireworks! But, especially, Disney's fireworks. I love how they co-ordinate them with music. But fireworks have always been fascinating. Every time I'm at Disney I try to go and see them every night that I can. No matter how many times I see the same show, it never gets boring because I just love them that much, is that silly? Haha, but I don't care one bit. It's just something that I love to do. Someday I'd like to be able to go and see some fireworks on a beach. I think that that would be pretty neat.

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