The Tattler's Studio #1

 

Hiya snappers! I am happy to announce a new series called The Tattler's Studio. Once a week starting this week, we will be picking a blogger who hops at the Tattler Thursday Blog and Social Media Hop, to be featured on the following week's Tattler Thursday Hop Post.  Then once a month, one of the featured bloggers will be chosen at random to be featured on The Tattler's Studio. How do you qualify to be chosen as a featured blogger of the week? You comment on one of the three hostesses blog pages with a funny, gross, or crazy kid story.  Everyone with a confirmed comment will be eligible!
 Our first featured Hopper is Alexandra Harris who blogs over at The Undead Journals. She participated in this weeks Tattler Thursday Blog Hop! She is an amazingly talented writer at only 21! I hope you enjoy the inaugural edition of The Tattler's Studio!

What inspired you to write about zombies?
I’m a very fearful person. I’m afraid of germs, afraid of eating food other people prepare, afraid of all sort of things like that. I’m afraid of getting sick. So when I would watch scary movies, movies about zombies and illness, it really scared me. Those were my greatest horror topics. So, I guess that’s part of what inspired me to start writing about zombies. I like to scare people, I love to tell scary stories and get a rise out of people, so when I recognized something that really scared me, I felt like I was really able to connect with people who would, like me, be scared of that kind of thing. So I guess the reason that this genre is the one I landed on was because I felt like I could efficiently scare people like myself.

Do you have a specific writing style?
  I think I do. I can tell my writing apart from other people’s writing. I try to write in the same way I remember things, if that makes sense. There’s a constant narrative in my head of everything I experience, so I try to imagine that what I’m writing is my own experience and I try to write it in that way, so hopefully it feels a little more real or natural to read it.
How did you come up with the title? Well, the Undead part is pretty self-explanatory… The Journals bit was because the main character is supposed to be a researcher. My original idea was to have it actually be a weekly publication like a scientific journal. That didn’t happen, so it turned into more of like a personal journal or diary type of thing. The web address, studyingtheendofthworld was because TheUndeadJournals was taken by some spambot account. I was going to try to watch TheUndeadJournals til it opened up, but now that I’ve got some traffic with my current spot I think I’ll probably keep it.

Is there a message in your story that you want readers to grasp?
Pay attention to the people and places around you. Everything can change in the course of a day, nothing lasts forever so you have to hold on to the things you love. And pay attention to the people around you. Cherish everything, because it’ll never the same as how it is today.

How much of the story is realistic?
A lot of the emotions and life events line up with my own. If you retrace my life and hold it up against the relationships Dahlia has, you’ll see some mirrored events. I try to make as much of the science in the story as realistic as possible—I read a biology book, and I hate biology! I also read up on things like bdelloids, different animals and theories and I try to use as much popular culture science as I can (yes, there is pop culture science!)

Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?
  Yeah, I try to put myself in Dahlia’s shoes. I try to see her world through her eyes. So I guess that what happens in her head is what’s happening in my head under a different context.
What books have most influenced your life most? To be perfectly honest, if you have read few enough books to pinpoint which ones have changed your life, in my opinion you haven’t read enough books. Every book you read, every good book you read, is going to have an effect in your life. I’ve learned empathy, the ability to see life through the eyes of others, I’ve seen the world and so much the beauty and horror that exist or could exist within it.

If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor? Oh, gosh, again, how to choose? Ellen Hopkins, I think. She addressed a lot of things that I was curious about, afraid of, in beautifully poetic, very honest and open way. She addressed a lot of topics that teachers and parents were misleading about with honesty. She showed the power of drugs, not just their destructive power, but also their beauty, their appeal. Her writing shows the ability to know and trust teenagers as if they were actually adults and able to make their own decisions about life and I strive to be able to connect with my readers, to write with that kind of poetic realism.

What book are you reading now?
  Currently I’m reading The Android’s Dream. It’s about a sheep. It’s a little bit slow, but it’s started getting interesting. It’s picking up speed. I rented it from the library because the first paragraph was about farting. Don’t judge me.

Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?
What, like contemporary writers? Yes, I love Scott Westerfeld, Neil Gaiman, Ellen Hopkins, Neal Shusterman… A few others, whose names I can’t recall at the moment.

What are your current projects?
  The Undead Journals, a mini book called The Corridor, a story about a boy who kills his family and tricks the world into trusting him. I’m also working on a lot of art projects. I like steampunk art, and I like horror art (big surprise, right?) And I think I may have just started a story about a young fashion designer with my cousin. I also work full time and have a lot of ongoing projects there at any given time. I’m also in school right now, so that’s a bit project, too. I like to stay busy.

Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members.
  I consider all my friends as family in that respect. Everyone I’ve trusted has been very supportive. I’ve got some loyal fans who I’ve never met in person, but I think that the person who helped me out the most so far, outside my family, would be Sarah Taylor. She dedicated a section of her own website to the blogs, and got the first few chapters in chronological order. That was really awesome, and it helped me get a few more people hooked who weren’t very blogger savvy. So shout out to Sarah, if I haven’t mentioned it today, you ROCK! Do you see writing as a career? I have a lot of careers right now. I’m an artist, a graphic designer, a writer, then a manager. I love all my jobs so much, I’m so lucky to have found a lifestyle that supports all my facets of personality! But yes, I do consider writing part of my career. I also consider it part of my personality, part of my therapy. It’s an integral part of my life. I can’t live without it.

If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest story?
  I made a vow when I started the journals that I wouldn’t edit after I posted. I wanted it to be raw, real, as if a real person really was writing her diary. I like that aspect of the blogs. I’ve had a lot of complaints about it, and if this were a book, I would understand. You don’t want to pay a lot of money for a book with a bunch of mistakes. But you’re not paying for this, I’m offering it out for free. So, I get to do my own project in my own style. Human beings make mistakes. As far as stories go? No, I didn’t really have control of how Dahlia’s world fabricated itself in the first place. I just record what happens there.

Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?
I’ve been writing stories since I was a wee thing. I was going through old mementos in the attic a few years ago and came across “the cat that climbed the hill” which was a very horrible story, written on notebook paper, bound in construction paper, glue, paperclips, and yarn, about a cat who climbed a hill. Complete with illustration. There was also the illustrated series I created for my young sisters, Amber and Sarah, called the flying spaghetti monster. I don’t remember why I started telling stories, it’s just always been part of who I am.

Can you share a little of your current work with us?
  Sure, if you want to visit The Undead Journals ;)

Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
  Sometimes certain stories are difficult to tell. I have a lot of trouble letting go of characters, just like I have a lot of trouble letting go of real people. Sometimes I think the hardest part about writing is stopping for a break, for a breath. I get really involved in these stories, and sometimes it gets hard to remember to differentiate reality and fiction. Like my stories or don’t, but for me they’re very real.

Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?
  Again, I don’t really have a favorite. I think the stories that most challenged my emotional and mental view of the world came from Orson Scott Card in the Ender series. I know, with the current controversy around that name, that It’s pretty dangerous to mention him as an influence, but regardless of the author’s personal views, the stories themselves had a massive influence on the way I look at history, war, and the ‘grand scheme’. I read those books many years ago, before I knew anything about Card or his religion or moral views. The man is gifted, although possibly a bit misled.

Do you have to travel much concerning your story?
No, the scenes are all places I’ve been, viewed through an apocalyptic lens.

Did you learn anything from writing your story and what was it?
I’ve learned about a lot of scientific things. Like I’ve said before, I would definitely NOT suggest reading the journals to study for your upcoming biology test, but I have tried my best to only use accurate information. My grasp of the subject of biology is sadly limited, but I try to use legitimate sources for anything I do include.

Do you have any advice for other writers?
  Read, read, read! You can’t see what the pros are doing differently from what you’re doing if you’re not studying them. Enjoy your reading, enjoy your writing, and do it at your leisure. Find what inspires you and indulge. Like Ernest Hemmingway said, “Write drunk, revise sober.” Whatever gets your engines running, you need to indulge in that and record everything.

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?
  I love you all so much! I love logging on and seeing that little line chart get all zig-zaggy with activity throughout the week! Also, I’m sorry I don’t update regularly. I’m trying, I really am. Again, thank you, you have no idea how much it means to me that you read my work and I love everyone who comments, good or bad responses, I love to hear from you all! And if you ever want to talk to me, I’m a pretty chill person. Just send me a message, or comment or what have you. I would love to meet every single one of you!

Hope you enjoyed our first Hopper of the week, my oldest daughter, Miss Alexandra Mallory! Go visit her at The Undead Journals .

Guest Blogging Opportunity? Anyone?

Good afternoon Whipper Snappers!  We are fast approaching another huge milestone here at W3G! 5000 page views! 54 more views and we are there! My little blog is rolling right along!  Huge deal to me! HUGE! Thank you Whipper Snappers, for coming back again and again! So, in honor of our milestone, I am putting out a call for guest bloggers! Those who would like the opportunity to guest post for me, to grow your blog, gain new readers, or simply to speak your mind in a different forum!  New bloggers, this is a great way to get your voice heard!

I was recently chosen to write a guest post over at The Sadder But Wiser Girl , for her week of guest bloggers. I thoroughly enjoyed reading some of her favorite bloggers, and have started following quite a few of them! I would like to do the same for you, extend the opportunity, and have a week's worth of guest bloggers to write for your enjoyment!

 My first guest blogger was Miss Cristyl over at CHill Thoughts , who was featured when my little bloggy blog hit the 4000 page view milestone! If you missed her post, here is the link! And My First Guest Blogger Is.... .

So think real hard.......... and when you decide you are my next featured blogger, to guest post during my featured blogger week, email me at gingerssnaps32@gmail.com ! I am super excited! 

The week will be April 7-April 13, 2013. I cannot wait to hear from you!

 

 

And My First Guest Blogger Is.....

 In honor of my page hitting 4000 page views, I decided to have a guest blogger for you!  This little gal and I have known each other since we were twelve, and I am very excited to have her as my very first featured, guest blogger in honor of our milestone!

 

My name is Cristyl and I write over at CHill Thoughts (www.mychillthoughts.blogspot.com).  I haven’t been blogging very long; in fact, it was just over a month ago that Miss Gingersnaps herself asked me when I was going to post on my blog.  You see, I had commented on a post on W3G and Ginger noticed I had a blogger profile and a blog I had set up in 2008 but never actually posted on!  Her encouragement to write was just the prod I needed to get my fingers clicking on the keyboard and my thoughts on the screen – CHill Thoughts was born!  I write about my life and pretty much anything that comes to mind; I’m currently wallpapering my desk in post-it notes with ideas for my future posts!  I’m excited to be chosen as the guest blogger to celebrate W3G’s 4,000^th page view!  I’ve known Ginger since we were just wee 12-year-olds; I enjoy reading about her adult life, her family, their adventures and I thoroughly appreciate her wicked sense of humor!

**********
 

I’ve been spending a lot of time lately thinking about happiness.  How do you achieve it?  How do you keep it once you achieve it?  How do you share your happiness with others?  Can you be happy most of the time, or is it just a fleeting emotion?  How do you keep others from destroying your happiness?  Can you be happy even when life is difficult?  How do you teach your children to be happy people?

That last question is important to me.  I desperately want my children to know how to be happy.  I want them to be able to be those people that everyone looks at and thinks “Wow! He/She is so happy!  They must really be doing great.”  During my childhood I really wanted to be that person.  You know the one:  bubbly, cheerful, helpful, uplifting, fun to be around, friendly and just good to the core.  Unfortunately, being happy isn’t something I learned how to do well as a youngster.  And as most parents would agree, parenting is about giving your kids the leg-up you never had.

So, how do I teach my kids to be happy people?  People who look at the pile of lemons life sometimes throws at you and see lemonade.  With much thought and many hours spent reading parenting articles I have come to the conclusion that the best, maybe the only way, to help my children develop a positive outlook is to model it.  And I’ve been spending a significant portion of my “free” time working on learning how to model happiness and a positive outlook.

I joined a new website called Happify that operates with the belief that being happy is a skill that you control.  Happify uses scientifically proven data to build their interactive online activities that help you learn the skill of being happy.    Their activities are grouped in tracks that allow you to choose an area that you want to focus on; from reducing stress to enjoying parenting more.  Many of the activities are completely customizable; so each Happify experience is unique.  To add to the lure of the site, as you complete activities they are published as posts that other Happify members can see; this social aspect of the site is sort of a cross between Pinterest and Twitter, you can choose to follow the progress of other members and encourage them by commenting on their posts. I know it sounds weird, the skill of being happy, but I’ve been working the Happify activities for the past three weeks and I can honestly say I feel happier!  I feel more optimistic!  I feel like my future may be brighter than I ever imagined!

And while I’m feeling all of this and building my happy skills, I’m showing my kids, too!  Well, to be fair, my two older kids aren’t seeing as much of it as my Little Man simply because Little Man is the only one living at home these days.  But, when I talk to Baby Girl on a crappy day, and she’s had more than her fair share lately, I’m able to be a better listener.  I think I do a better job at hearing her complaints and empathizing without feeling the need to swoop in and fix everything for her and I hope that she would agree I do a better job at encouraging her to find the positive in most situations.  Not every situation, because sometimes crappy stuff happens.  But I hope that my older children are seeing that I’m a happier me these days, because I’ll freely admit that I haven’t often been a glass half full kind of gal!
 

 

I’m determined to keep exploring this big world around me and finding my happiness.  I’m determined to be a happier person for the rest of the years I have left!  The first step on this path was accepting that this is totally up to me, the rest of the journey is mine to determine as well.  I plan to enjoy the journey!

If you’re interested in Happify or joining me on this journey to happy, I invite you to stop on over at CHill Thoughts.  I can’t promise it will all be optimistic and pretty, but it will always be with the goal of happiness!

 

 

Thank you Miss Cristyl, for being my first featured blogger! Hope you enjoyed her post, I know I sure did! I just love this little gal and her optimism! I am excited to follow along on her journey!
Be sure to stop by her page,  CHill Thoughts ,and say Hi! Tell her Gingerssnaps sent you!