A glimpse into my process & A CHANCE TO BE A CHARACTER IN BOOK 3 of MYTHIC:PSION

I love easter eggs in tv shows and in books. Hidden little secrets that may be for a special person or for a group to get an inside joke or giving a nod to someone special. So when I write I don't intentionally set out to put things in a specific place but when an opportunity presents itself I shove the plastic egg in that hidden nook ever so gently.

One of my favorite parts of writing but also one of my well thought out is name selection. I have read books where authors use old phone books or name generators. But I like to use not so random selection for some of my characters as a way to give some love to people throughout my life that may never get a book dedicated to them but they are in my thoughts or in my facebook feed enough that they are in thoughts even as I write. Each for different reasons too. *I should add none of the names are exactly this people's names they are fantastical versions of themselves. They will know it's them but the public would never. It is all in my love and positive vibes for them all I do this*

I have a Chef Kitsune in the Mythic: Psion book 2 Life, Liberty And the Pursuit of Ginnie named for a guy I went to Antioch College with whom I haven't seen since we graduated but his anime drawings and amazing food porn on facebook lights up my days.

I have named the four demon victims for a random reason, One for a friend from Antioch that became a lawyer and I am so proud that she went all the way and is using her powers for good. Then there are the redhead twins I went to college with whom I love watching their families grow and they are still the most amazing sister team I have ever encountered. I gave Mackelmore a shout out because his first mainstream album really was motivational and got me pumped on days when I barely wanted to get out of bed.

There is a werewolf named for a cousin of mine who loves books and devours them like I used to.

There are other personal nods to people I love and have others I have lost. Some need no acknowledgment here, they know who they are.

Other names like Virginia, has two amazing ladies. One is a second cousin but I call her my aunt and another is a long distance bestie's middle name.

Would you like your name or a name of your choosing in the final book of this series? The one I am penning right now? Then comment below and we will pick a random number for the winner from the names below.

The other part of my muse beside names of friends and family is music. I love having a soundtrack to what I am writing. Sex, Drugs, And... Vampires? found me mused by the song "All Right Now" I listened to the song whenever I needed to get myself back to that time and place of the story. It was my time portal and it also pumped me up with my muse dancing in my head like a ninja at a drag ball.

Well enough reveals into my psyche for now...

Please Remember to leave a comment of your favorite Halloween costume ever to enter my contest to be a character in book 3.

And a bonus for new readers...SDV is free until the 17th...https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074F378XF

Not my circus, not my monkeys... Unless I'm a monkey's uncle

Part of my growth has been to identify what are my issues, what are other people's issues and what I really need to be involved in; particularly when it comes to my stress, emotions, and my time. We are raised to think that we should do anything and everything for our family. Family first. But in a day in age when family members could steal your Care Bear or dance costumes for some herion those ties that bind really get reevaluated by the younger generations, I think. I am Generation X and I do not think blood is thicker. I have seen shit behind peoples backs and it sickens me. Then again I have had friends old and new that have been truer to me than those with my same red life-force. What makes loyalty? What earns trust? Not a last name. Not blood. Not always.

It is the interactions each time you are with that person. We all have friends or family we can go years not seeing and pick right back up like no time has passed and no love has been lost, just time. Because most interactions with them are good, happy and not negative. So getting back to the title of this blog-- who do we count as our monkeys?

My monkeys first and foremost are my kids, then my siblings, nieces, nephews, cousins, parents, grandparents and Meena. She is like the Y. She counts in all categories. Friend, family. Consonant, vowel. Meena is all things. Then a few select friends and few select aunts and uncles, but not all. I have one cousin that has been loyal to me since he could talk, literally since he was a toddler he has been loyal, loving and one person I know I can call for anything. He would ask me when he was little, 'Sissy, can we talk?' And we would sit at the kitchen table and talk for hours. And we still do.

I realized in the last year that the drama and negativity of some family and friends do not have to be mine. That was hard to say no to. It is hard to separate yourself from family especially when you realize they are toxic to you and happy living. Now I am learning to find the happiness in everything which will help in dealing with these toxic people in new and happier ways that don't leave me reeling for hours later in their and my own negativity over the situation.

I thought the only way was to cut them out of my life, but that is not always possible. New ways, new life, new view.