Yup, I'm what I could call a "hobby blogger." Meaning: I don't earn a living off my blog.** Everything you see here? I do it all for the love of reading, writing, cooking, baking, and talking with you all on a regular basis. And, I'm totally okay with that. But...it took me awhile to get there. When I launched the Tart in July 2018, it was mainly to showcase my writing for literary agents. I'm trying to get my novel published, and I wanted to...
So, YEAH. My writer life has taken a little bit of an unexpected turn. I had originally planned to use January to write the rest of my second novel, which I started working on in the fall. I'd been making steady progress on it, but once the holiday season hit, there was just no time for writing. Since I was "taking off" from the blog in January, I figured I'd devote the month to writing the rest of my foodie fiction/rom-com story. But, that's...
After I finished writing my first novel, the advice I received most often -- along with "don't query everyone at once" -- was "Keep writing. Don't wait to get an agent or get published. If you have another novel in you, start writing it. Now." I've read various interviews with published authors conveying the same sentiment, and several authors I've corresponded with directly stressed this, as well. Whenever I receive this advice, I usually...
I was driving home from work when I saw the email ping through on my phone. I had stopped at a red light, so I hungrily grasped the phone and opened the preview screen, eager to see the reply. I only managed to glimpse a few (positive) sentences before I realized I should probably wait until I was out from behind the wheel before reading the entire message. I sighed, then closed the screen and sat back, waiting for the light to change. It was...
YOU GUYS. Right now.... as we speak... (erm, type? Read? Whatever!) ... and, quite possibly, at this very moment... A LITERARY AGENT IS READING MY MANUSCRIPT!!!!! *squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee* I can't believe I'm finally, finally writing these words. I thought this freakin' day would never come. You all remember the query quandary I was in last year. Writing my first novel turned out to be the easy part, while crafting the "perfect...
Are you a blogger? Then you should absolutely, positively, 100% read How to Blog for Profit (Without Selling Your Soul). My husband is wonderfully supportive of my blogging lifestyle, and he bought me this book for Christmas to encourage my dreams of becoming a full-time writer and blogger. After launching the Tart, I quickly learned that there is SO much to learn about the blogging world. Luckily, there are a lot of articles online to help you...
Be careful what you wish for, people. I’d been saying for awhile that I needed a break. Since starting my blog in July 2018 and rediscovering my love for writing earlier that year, my everyday life has become quite overwhelming. Although I love what blogging has brought into my life, balancing it with a “day job,” a long commute, and spending time with loved ones is a little tricky. So often, I’ve thought how nice it would be just to get...
One of the things I look forward to every month is getting a Stitch Fix delivery. Stitch Fix basically changed my entire confidence level, as well as how I shop for clothes. Maybe one of these days I’ll post about that, but, for now, I’m merely mentioning it in passing since Stitch Fix is how I acquired The Sweater. You can find out more about Stitch Fix here if you’re interested, though. My personal stylist at Stitch Fix knows I’m into...
Exactly one year ago, I decided to become a writer again. I know, I know -- one doesn’t really ever stop being a writer. It’s a feeling and talent that, once discovered, exists within you forever. However, after barely putting pen to paper (or fingertips to keyboard) for many years, and after repeatedly shoving my creative side down into a deep, dark corner in favor of other pursuits, I think it’s safe to say that, during those times, I...
So, I think I'm in the middle of a mid-life crisis. AND IT'S BEEN AWESOME. Mostly. Mostly awesome. There are definitely some down sides to this whole thing I'm going through. Aging, obviously. I'm not thrilled with the fact that the elasticity of my skin no longer defies gravity like it used to. There are some less superficial reasons why riding through my mid-life crisis has been difficult, though. We'll get to those in a little bit. First, I...
