A blog tour

Today I'm doing something a tiny bit different.

A few weeks ago, AnneMarie (of Chemobrain Fog) reached out to me to see if I'd be interested in writing about how I write.

Well, initially I was hesitant. I didn't really think I had much to say about my writing, but it was AnneMarie asking and I knew there had to be more to the story. So, I replied "um, I would"

You see, when I was first diagnosed with breast cancer, AnneMarie was one of the first people who reached out to me. She reached out on twitter, where she figuratively held my hand, listened as I vented, worked out the what if's, and became a shoulder to cry on. I can not even adequately put into words just how much she was there for me.

So, when AnneMarie asked, I said yes. Because I knew she would have done the same for me.

So. Here I am today. Participating in this blog tour. Or chain. Call it what you will, but I agree with AnneMarie that chain doesn't feel like the right fit, so a tour I shall call it. On this tour, each blogger answers the same four questions and then passes the torch (metaphorically) to a couple of other bloggers, with the hopes that my readers will go read some new blogs and maybe make a few new friends!

And now, on with the Q&A session:

What am I working on now?

So, um, yeah. Aside from this blog not much. Sometimes I sit down and wonder "do I have a book in me?" Someone once asked me this question and I didn't know how to answer then. I still don't know. Some days I think I absolutely have a book in me. Most days I think, um, maybe a small pamphlet. And the rest of the days I think not at all.

Someday I hope to actually figure it out. Until then, I will continue to write on this blog as life and time allows. If some more writing opportunities come up, and they feel like a good fit, I would consider jumping on them.

How does my writing differ from others of its genre?

My writing is different, I believe, because this isn't a niche blog. I write about pretty much anything and everything. This blog started as way to document the things I had made ... so often the items I hand make are given as gifts, but I wanted to have some record of them. When I started this blog (which was not my first or second one) I didn't even think of myself as a writer at all. I imagined it would be a lot of pictures with a little writing. But I quickly began writing more - more descriptions about the pictures, then I started to post when I didn't have pictures. It still took my a long time to think of myself as a writer. In fact, it was just this calendar year that I said for the first time, when asked what I do, that I write. And what do I write about? Well, everything!

I don't consider my writing scholarly, or researched. It is more of what I think blogging was born out of: web log. Yes, the word blog comes from web log, a log of things on line, that was shortened to blog. This is my log, of how I'm feeling on any given day, of what I'm making on any given day, what I've cooked, what I've read, what I'm watching on tv, where we've been, where I want to go, etc, etc.


More on the side of diary, without being a here's-my-deepest-darkest-secret-diary, but just what's going on at that moment.

Why do I write what I do?

Um, mostly, I write what I write because I can. Does that make sense?

It's kind of however the spirit moves me when I sit down. When AnneMarie first asked me to write about my writing process, I told her I would (as I said above) but added "But my writing process isn't so much a process as throwing up words."

It's what I consider a pretty accurate description of what I do. There are all these thoughts bouncing around in my head, and I come here to get them out. As a said about, this is my log. Some days it's wordy and moving. Some days it's "I ate today. The end."

How does my writing process work?

Can I say, see above, because if so, guys, see the above answer.

In that vein, and because this is not academic work, I do not usually proofread my work. Most days I forget to spell check it.

It's probably something that drives people reading this crazy. Occasionally, someone will point out when I've made a typo that makes it hard to understand what I'm trying to say. I am immensely grateful for this! I know I should proofread, but on the same vein of thinking of this a a log, a dairy, etc, I wouldn't spell check my diary, so I don't think to do it here.

That said, and kind of a side note, I LOVE (and I mean REALLY love) to proofread other people's work. I'm really good at it. I used to love that part of writing for academic purposes. Actually, I loved all the parts of writing a research paper. I've often said that I could handle doing research for other people. Especially if I got to use note cards. A lot of them. Arranged just perfectly. But, I digress ...

I'm okay with being really relaxed on here. It's me. This is my space. My home so to speak. And while you are here, you should feel free to take your shoes off, kick your feet off, and relax with me!


And with that, the Q&A session is over.

Now, I get to introduce you to some bloggers you might not have read before. This was hard because I know a LOT of bloggers. How do I just pick a couple? I'd highlight them all, but, I'm guessing you don't have a million hours to spend reading this!

First I'd like to introduce you to Carol Anne. Carol Anne and I first met on twitter. Then I read her blog. Then we became friends on facebook. We've never met in person. I've never been able to give her hug - though I hope someday I can. Carol Anne is an amazing friend ... always there, always kind, always so caring. She's given me a lots of awesome advice and been a great person to vent to.

Carol Anne also is a phenomenal photographer. I LOVE looking at her pictures. (Go, and look at this awesome frozen bubble picture she took) And she has such a wonderful way of writing. You should go and check her out!

The second person I'd like you to meet is Angie. Angie and I also became friends over twitter. {side note: I do have friends outside of twitter, but I'm so grateful for twitter's ability to connect me with so many wonderful people}. Angie writes so beautifully. She writes openly and honestly about life - the struggles and the moments that just make you smile. She shares poetry and photographs. And, as cheesy as it is to say it, she shares a piece of her heart.

And of course, don't forget AnneMarie, who I mentioned up above and tapped me to be a part of this whole thing. She did this tour last week, and you can find her responses here. Carol Anne and Angie will play along next week, and if I can remember, I'll link you to them!