Writer's Round Table!

I will begin this post with the simple and much deserved words of: libraries rock.

Let's go back in time, shall we? When books were always on paper and served as one of the best distractions around, who allowed us unreliable humans to borrow these books for FREE? Who gave us a space of our own, nay, even a chair to sit for hours on end? And further, who always provided not just a place to find books, information, and knowledge, but fun? Fun in the form of activities, read-a-longs, even games and contests; all to better our experience which we lived at the local library?

Now let's look at today. With the creation of inventive technologies such as the E-reader, Nook, I-Pad, and online resources like Kindle, good old paperbacks and hardcovers have experienced a slight drop in popularity. It's understandable, and I am not arguing the relatively new purist Vs. neobibliophile argument. Technology has now made it easier, more convenient, and faster to get our favorite books in our hands. But let me remind you of the child in you. The one who demanded a trip to the library on Sunday. The one who walked across town to borrow your favorite series. Or even just go to enjoy the atmosphere.

Libraries are, as the world has evolved, ever changing with us. But I think we've forgotten that. I think we all still think of the library as a building that let's us borrow books and charges us penalties if they are returned late. But libraries are SO much more than that now.

Throughout my life, libraries have been there. They've been a haven to me. A place to hang out with friends. Even a place to meet with like-minded people for a common and much loved cause: writing. And so, I announce to you readers that because of the awesomeness of my local library, Writer's Round Table is now born.

Not only has the library welcomed me, an amateur writer and teacher, to hold a club there but they have provided TWO rooms to pick from, a kitchen, a whiteboard, and flexible times.  You have no idea how much I wanted to hug a librarian that day. I am so excited!

I have too many ideas for the upcoming meets, but I wanted to focus on the libraries themselves in this post. Like I said, they do a lot more for us than you think. Go to your local library and ask for their upcoming events. You'll find so many eclectic and interesting clubs, classes, and meetings that you'll be amazed. So, do me a solid: don't neglect your local library.

Books are born from writing. It's only fitting to have a writing club where books call home. And it's only right to show that home some love every once in a while.

Writing Club UPDATE! AND FIRST CHALLENGE!

I have received the word from on high and unfortunately, the writing club I spoke of before shall not be given birth. YET. I am not giving up! A writer's most valuable asset is her tenacity! Her ability to bounce back in the face of adversity!

In the meantime, if any of you readers are interested, please comment below.

This post will also be the first in a start of challenges I give to you readers. And if you don't complete the challenge, you shall be hunted down by the Nagging Editor!!!  oh, you think you are safe, ha. But the Nagging Editor is no joke. Many a writer has been hounded by the sound of it's pervasive "deeeeaaadliiiiinnnesssss" howl. You have been warned.

First challenge: share me your website! Or your social network! I shall follow or like.

Your Bedside/Nightstand!!!!!

Here is an exercise everyone can do! I did it just last night quite by awesome accident. Looking at my bedside table, my husband remarked at how astutely it could speak volumes of my personality and what I'm into. So let's do it!

First thing you'll notice about my nightstand is that it has two shelves that are stacked high with books. Not just books, but notebooks, comics and novels. Let's take them one by one, shall we?

Gotham Academy. I currently have the latest comic, volume nine, next to my bed. It's a more anime-ish comic in its art style and I like the story so far. Batman, AKA Bruce, does make the occasional caped drop-in but the story centers mainly around a girl named Olive. On top of her mom maybe being a baddie locked away in Arkham, she has some memory issues and serious pyro problems. Next to this comic is Lady Mechanika, a wonderfully steam punk collection of adventures with a strong female lead. If you haven't heard of it, please look it up.

On top of the comics and taking up slightly more space is my latest volumes in the few and VERY select manga series. I am picky about what manga I allow my mind to take in, so these series represent some of the best in my opinion. If you don't like them, that's fine. (Don't hate plz.) Toradora!, Kokoro Connect, World Trigger, and a couple "one shots" make up the mix. I am quite proud of my commitment to these series. Anyone who has waited for volume seven of Toradora! understands me completely and we should be instant friends/war buddies.

And yet, above these are the special books that I have either read and love so much that I need to constantly be within sleeping distance of, or I am currently reading and have yet to finish. Of those that I have finished and love, The Thirteenth Tale, is one I will always hold dear. The ones I'm working on include Walk in the Woods and more recently, You're Never Weird on the Internet (Almost!) by the lovely Felicia Day. These are the ones by my bedside at the moment, but my collection also includes Ransom Riggs' Peculiar trilogy and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. A well rounded collection, if I do say so myself.

Then there are the prerequisite notebooks that come with being a writer. My notebooks are never just the regular thin ruled school notebooks you get from Wal-Mart. (No offense.) They tend to be the weirder shaped and more adventurously decorated types. One such notebook can be described as fake leather bound with thin paper and bendy cover. I love those ones. If I knew beforehand how much I would have loved this one, I would have bought out the store before it went out of business.

SO! WHAT DOES YOUR BEDSIDE LOOK LIKE?! If you accept this challenge, please comment below with your particulars, or a link to your website where your article is. Let's get to know each other! And not in a creepy way...

In the meantime.... here are some cute pics of my wedding!

Walking back down the aisle as husband and wife.

 Awww, and look at that dapper gentleman.

This last one is of my grandpa, who married us, and my mom. For all family seeing these for the first time, I'm SORRY! Ahhh, I know it's a year later and you have no copies! My procrastination astounds!!!

 

A WRITING GROUP!!!

Hello, all! I am supeerrr duper excited to reveal a possible writing group in the making! I was thinking of the many ways to make writing a blog even more fun when I realized: A WRITING GROUP!

Not that I'm totally not an introvert who loves to talk to a computer screen everyday, but I think the best and most coffee/donut involved way would be to get people together. IRL. So! I have recently approached a very popular awesome bookstore that many of you may be familiar with *Cough* barnes and noble *Cough cough* with a proposal. Not a get-on-one-knee type, but the kind where you email and person and then you email a bunch of other people and then things start a rollin'.

Thus, very soon, I may have the daunting task of coming up with fun ideas for this group to keep ourselves busy with! I already have a ton of ideas but I am always open to suggestions. I'll be keeping you (my meager but well-loved and appreciated readers) updated on the specifics i.e. whether or not said bookstore allows us crazy writers inside.

Hope to keep you riveted.

When Writing Becomes More

Hello, everyone. My name is Brogan Werder and I am a budding author. Like many of the budding authors out there, I am just starting out and have found that an author cannot be an island.

I am still young, but I have found one constant in my life: writing. Since I was in elementary school I have been writing stories. Fantastical adventures in far off lands, monsters who turn out to be misunderstood, and later in life, deeper stories with more meaning. In high school I had many encouraging English teachers; to the point where I almost became one. But that all changed when I finished my first book.

I recently got married to a wonderful man who afforded me the time to actually finish one of the projects I had been working on for the past two years. With the finish of something so big, something I had never been able to do before, I was suddenly asking: "What next?" 

Hopefully with this blog I can help answer that with the knowledge I have already come by. And for the things I don't know, we can help each other. That's what sharing is all about, right?

So for all of us out there who have looked back on our lives and realized what we are not. Realized that we aren't happy unless we are writing. Realized that we are authors.

Welcome.