Carey Burns

I'm writing with tired, dried-up eyes caused by the Arctic Breeze that whips through my office all day...every day.  One of these days, I'll learn NOT to wear contacts to work.  I've been squirting eye drops in to no avail and here's hoping I can remove them tonight without causing permanent damage to my eyes.  Although, I do have two eye patches, so I'm prepared. With my impending July Challenge , I'm anxious and excited to avoid social media for an entire month.  I'm sure I'll miss birthdays and adorable cat photos and the endearing rant or two, but for the most part, I think it'll be freeing and less negative.  To help stay away, I've even decided to write solely on paper or on my mini because the battery drains way too fast if I have an internet browser open.  Sneaky girl. Before I go, let me mention a review I left on Amazon for Michael S. Gardner's Ruination: A Short Story .  This story is so very good and so VERY gory (beware if yo...

Well, June is nearly over and I'm sitting here wondering what to share on Ye Olde Blog.  Let's see...  I had quite a few rejections come through and most (again) say things like "well-written" and "strong voice" but my work just don't fit what they're looking for.  Someday!  *shakes fist at the sky*  Someday they'll want me! So now, I have to get back to work sending out stories to new markets and writing fresh material and working on those big novel-sized projects that keep collecting dust.  And that takes time.  Which brings me to my next topic:  My July Challenge.  What is it?  Well, it is just me on a mission to write a lot without distractions like Facebook and Twitter and YouTube and online shopping and well, even the blog.  If I post anything, I think I will allow myself to post word counts and maybe paragraphs from works in progress.  Maybe.  Those could be "gateway posts" leading to hours of my life wasted watch...

If you've been following my blog *pauses to listen to the crickets* you know I'm big about doing new things and being 'brave.' In keeping with this quest of mine, I agreed to read my poetry in front of someone other than my cats and my husband.  And it was fun!  The initial quivers I had over reading my work to strangers with my...unique voice just melted away after the first poem.  I think it might have been the intimate atmosphere that really helped.  If you're a writer and/or poet, I would recommend finding small poetry readings in your area as a testing/proving ground for yourself. Also in line with 'new things,' I mowed our grass last night.  No big deal, but I haven't mowed a yard in over twenty years.  I think I surprised the heck out of the hubby by stepping up and offering to do it and I did a very mediocre job of it, at best.  But, I tried.  Will I mow again?  Hmm...the hives I'm enjoying today make me say no, but you never know...