The blogging journey begins.

THE RANDOM PART

So, I write.  I write a lot.  I even write things that I want other people to read.  Of course, I’m talking about writing fiction.  With that, I can at least pretend the content has no direct correlation with my own thoughts and feelings.  However, a blog is different.  It is all about my own thoughts and feelings.  I’m supposed to wow you with my deep insights into the meaning of life and make you laugh with my awesomely funny commentary.   Um, yeah.  I don’t think I’m up for that.  However, I’m told that future fans might eventually want a place to get to know me, the actual person behind some of the stories they’ve read and enjoyed.  I just hope meeting the woman behind the curtain doesn’t turn out to be a disappointment.

I plan on posting about my writing journey–that’s probably the main reason someone might be visiting.  However, besides reading, my main form of entertainment is anime.  I will most definitely be talking about, reviewing, and generally fangirling over my latest anime discovery.

 THE WRITING PART

In January 2014, I was sent a contract by Dreampinner Press for my novella, His Familiar Scars, the first contemporary romance I’d ever written, the first male-male romance I’d ever written, and the first teenage romance I’d ever written.  Also, it had *gasp* sex in it, which I had adamantly avoided writing for many years.  It was definitely a change-up from the norm for me, and I will be forever thankful to my best friend who encouraged me to stretch out of my comfort zone and write it.  Flush with success, I decided to see what other publishers were out there.  I ended up writing for an anthology themed “twisted MM fairytales” for Torquere Press.  I wrote Sugar Rush, a riff on Little Red Riding Hood set in a cyberpunk world.  While I was not chosen for the anthology, they asked me to expand the story to novella length to publish it separately.  I was freaking thrilled since I had taken out a lot of story elements in order to fit it into a 10,000 word limit (I’m not yet good at estimating how my plot ideas will expand out into actual story).

So, less than two months after the first contract, I found myself signing another with Torquere.  Two novellas in two months after 15 years of writing without ever having an agent or publisher even glance in my direction.  I still don’t know what to think, though I’m bravely soldiering on, filling out W9 forms, picking out cover artists, and now, writing a blog.  The first wave of edits will be coming soon, and I definitely feel like hunkering in the bunker while that particular bomb drops.

THE ANIME PART

Spring is in the air…spring anime, that is!  Wheeee!  Here’s my to-watch list at Crunchyroll!

• Brynhildr in the Darkness
• The Irregular at Magic High School
• The Kawai Complex Guide to Manors and Hostel Behavior
• Baby Steps
• Haikyu!! (I need something to tide me over while I’m waiting for more Kuroko’s Basketball)
• The World is Still Beautiful
• Kamigami no Asobi
• Majin Bone
• Blade and Soul
• Rowdy Sumo Wrestler Matsutaro
• Black Bullet
• The Comic Artist and Assistants
• The File of Young Kindaichi Returns

Simulcasts I’m continuing with:

• Nisekoi
• Ace of the Diamond
• The Master of Killing Time
• Yowapeda
• Nobunaga the Fool
• Hunter x Hunter (one of my all-time favorite squee-worthy shows)

I have no idea how many of the new shows will last on my watch list.  It all depends on my free time and their individual levels of awesomeness.