All posts tagged friends

You Can’t Choose Your Family…..

“You Can’t Choose your family but you can choose your friends.”

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I think Tessa would completely agree. Everything that has gone on in her life and afterlife has proven that exact point. It made her what she was and I think it made her stronger. She chose who she wanted around and even attempted to repair a rift or two. In the end it all came down to who those to have her back when times were rough.

To me this quote rings so true and loud that I’m getting a little reverb from it. I’m not saying that being family is essentially bad because in all honesty there is a lot of love going on and there are those what will stick with you through thick and thing. Your friends, on the other hand, they have the harder task. The CHOOSE to be with you in not just the awesome moments but in the tough times as well. They know your intricacies, what makes you hurt, and what makes you feel better. I would do anything for my best friend, even if it is acting a fool creating an alter to a bar of soap (you’re going to have to believe me on this one).

There are certain friends that I have to admit are so close to me that I consider them super family. I’ve got a few intentional brothers and sisters that I would do anything for and they would go to the moon and back for me if I ever so needed it. This is not to deface the actual family but to redefine it as Tessa has done.

Although Tessa is a completely made up creation between myself and a friend, there are many aspects that I mirror.

My family is a rather complicated manner ; the passing of ones truly loved and the suffrage of those who really don’t have my best interest at heart. Everyone in my life is there on purpose. When I pour my heart out it means I trust that person with the utmost sincerity and I know that when the time comes I will feel safe in their arms or feel better with their kind words. They also happen to be the ones that I enjoy numerous shenanigans with whether it’s a wild few days in Vegas, a super awesome concert to remember for ages, a holiday weekend memory, attending a geeked out wedding, or being comforted for the loss of a loved one. What could be better right?

Tessa has chosen her family. Not all of them are by blood (ha I said blood. get it? Vampire?…*mic check*) but they are completely loyal and that is exactly what she needs to be able to survive in this last book of The Vampire Realm series. From everything you’ve learned so far I’m sure you would come to the same conclusion.

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by JS Riddle on May 27, 2016  •  Permalink
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Posted by JS Riddle on May 27, 2016

https://jsriddle.com/2016/05/27/you-cant-choose-your-family/

What I did after launch day…

Actually launch day, as eventful as it was leading up to it, I took a major breather.  I slept, I did family and friend things and most importantly did not ONCE look at my sales ticker.  I didn’t want to be overjoyed or depressed.  Understanding that I’m an Indie Author I realize there are things that go with that.  First….I don’t have a big name.  Second….I don’t have a big publishing house behind me.  What does this mean for me?  A lot more work, but ultimately the traditionally published author and I have one thing in common….our chances of success.  They don’t have a huge marketing team behind them either; it makes no sense but that’s the gosh darn truth unless they are a huge household name.  Of course I would choose Indie over the other because I like knowing what I’m getting into and not be let down by a house meant to protect me and show me off.

This is my second go-round and I am quite certain I’ve figured out plenty since the first.  If you have read my blog from the beginning or checked through the archives you will realize marketing/social media and I have had our time in the ring.  I’m stubborn and confused.  You can throw numbers around and TELL a person what works, but in actuality there is no algorithm on current human behavior so it’s a crap shoot.  Your determination plus lots of luck is what gets you places.  We’ll use Instagram and things of the like as an example.  The interaction/follows/likes don’t add up, especially on Instagram.  I can post the exact same thing on my author accounts as I do the private ones (really, Is Instagram really private though?) and a funny thing happened.  With the same exact picture, caption, and hashtags I get more interaction on the private one.  On there I have twice as many followers and I can honestly say it’s not because they’re all friends I’ve met in real life.  So what gives?  Logically speaking they should be identical but they’re not.  That is why I give up on trying to mathematically figure out what in the world is going on in people’s minds.  The best I can do is keep trying to figure things out.

I would LOVE to get the word out.  I would LOVE for people to enjoy my work and even be a bit more fantastic by leaving a review.  I’m obviously not in it for the money, I do it because I love it.  The biggest thing I would LOVE???? More interaction; I’m a people person not someone destined to be the only voice in the room.

SO BACK TO WHAT I DID ON LAUNCH DAY….by the end of the day I was in the company of two fabulous friends sitting around the table drinking pumpkin spice coffee (yes I’m one of THOSE) and enjoyed myself.  I think I’ll leave the stressing for another day don’t you think?  There’s only so much confusion I can handle.

Now to keep interacting with everyone and I’ll be right as rain.

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by JS Riddle on October 9, 2015  •  Permalink
Posted in Indie Author, Launch Day, new release
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Posted by JS Riddle on October 9, 2015

https://jsriddle.com/2015/10/09/what-i-did-after-launch-day/

The Rise of Me through technology,and a look back at the growth

As this is Tuesday, I have realized I haven’t truly blogged in a while, and maybe this won’t be much of a blog, who knows.  Driving is quite….tiring, especially after an exciting weekend.  

As much as I loved Atlanta and the exciting radio opportunity; I think I thoroughly enjoyed seeing a good friend as well, or even better.  He’s been like a brother to me, and if you heard on the radio, you can catch our odd introduction to one another, when the internet was a tad less browsed and complex as it is today. How amazing things have changed since 2000, right? Yahoo groups/message boards (I saw the switch-over then finally the disappearance of Groups altogether) .  Then there was the messenger or email, only way to get involved and speak with people.  It seemed crazy back then to consider anybody met over the internet as a friend, but now it is more than acceptable.  I watched the rise and fall of Myspace, and through that more friends I found.  Facebook came around and BOOM, not only did I keep up with current friends and the ones I met online through other means, but I became reunited with friends from high school and my favorite time of my younger years when I was in Germany.  I am very grateful for the internet for my friends.  As many as I do have in real life, having lost a few and gaining a few, it seems those I keep in contact with the most are the ones I hold near and dear and it doesn’t matter how I came about doing so.  As I realize the area I live in doesn’t have as much of a place for me as it does elsewhere, staying to myself and working on my writing is a great option.  I can be by myself when I want but enjoy everything people are saying and doing.  And as my book is on the virtual shelf and in a nice little paperback that I control completely, I have learned so much.  Blogging seems to have revitalized a little bit of vigor into my life and the new people it has brought me.  I never was one for personal journalism into a nice bound book, and I have tried; just of thinking, pondering, questioning, and just speaking, and writing obviously. Isn’t it funny how that is the opposite of Tessa?

(Back to my weekend for one second) What is even more interesting was the mini-reunion I had with someone who was quite dear to me when I lived overseas thanks to the military.  Now THAT was a different time.  Until maybe a year ago finding each other on Facebook I haven’t seen him since we left Germany in ’92.  The moment we met up, we hugged and talked as if we had never parted.  It is amazing how one can pick up where one has left off.  To think I will be doing the same with quite a few more old friends in a little less than 2 months.  Amazing opportunities rise ahead of me and I take every moment I can to cross promoting my book with enjoying time with my friends.  That will be something interesting indeed.  Maybe I can get some knowledge from one of my old friends who is a bigger tech person than I can ever assume to be.  

 

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by JS Riddle on April 23, 2013  •  Permalink
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Posted by JS Riddle on April 23, 2013

https://jsriddle.com/2013/04/23/the-rise-of-me-through-technologyand-a-look-back-at-the-growth/

I went Cliche the other day

and went to a coffee shop down the road.  I grabbed a tall caramel latte, laid out my notebooks, my laptop, pens and turned on the ipod.  I was a writer in a coffee shop.  See? Cliche.  I got some great work done, although my wallet cannot support me each and every time, and I finished up a chapter.  Then the fun started.  

What’s better than one writer in a coffee shop?  TWO!!! (Thanks to a 3rd writers comment on my first one) Two great friends sitting together and catching up over long due news and events.  When you have good friends around you it makes a very huge impact on how a person can feel about themselves, and I do so enjoy having friends with things in common.  Sometimes we forget that there are people out there.  It is quite easy to crawl into a hole to ding out what might be your next best section and forget everything that goes by.  How much do we miss doing that?  I know I miss a lot.  So the reality check is there saying  “Hello, remember me?  I’m your social perspective and you need to get out some,”  And that I did.

There is one thing that I have learned as I feel somewhat hopelessly stuck where I am at is that I actually do have friends.  What makes these friends great?  We all march to the beat of a different drummer, heck a few of us have our own bands.  Some of them literally, but no name dropping.  But somehow, between all of it we can still sit down to have a nice cup of coffee and talk. Just talk.  Music, movies, tv geekiness (yes I showed off my sonic screwdriver pen, you all probably just laugh or don’t believe me, but I’m thinking there should be a photo at the end of this) and life that just likes to give us a nice swift kick up the wazzoo to remind us to keep on truckin’.  I can honestly say that yesterday was a good day for me and cannot wait to do it again.

ImageMy very first autograph in what could only be considered wanna-be doctor writing (hey, I get that as double-speak now).  The new thing you learned about me is that I’m left handed.  Anyone willing to hold up a hand to be able to interpret my words into digital format?  I didn’t think so, but it’s always worth a shot.

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by JS Riddle on April 5, 2013  •  Permalink
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Posted by JS Riddle on April 5, 2013

https://jsriddle.com/2013/04/05/i-went-cliche-the-other-day/