Travel in the Springtime

This spring, my husband and I embarked on the longest road trip either of us had ever been on. We drove from Greenville, SC to Austin, TX to attend SXSW and exhibit at Renegade Craft Fair. The events that brought us 1,100 miles each way were exciting all on their own, but I have to be honest, the drive and all of the pitstops were quite memorable as well. 

Every time we travel long distances like this, it does good things for my brain. After the playlists get old, and the scenery gets monotonous, that's when my mind starts working. During our long drive west (and back), I developed about 5 new jewelry product concepts, fleshed out 2 new novel ideas, and decided on some major business changes I wanted to implement for my craft biz, Once Again Sam. I owe so much of my inspiration to being utterly bored! 

Seeing new things is also quite inspirational for me. We stopped in New Orleans, made a run out to San Antonio for a day trip, and saw as much of Austin as we could manage in the better part of a week we were there. Here's a little glimpse of some of the sights that have stuck with me long after our return home. 

< Click photo below to view album >

Art & Literature Collide: The Days Lost

Writing can be a lonely sport. It’s rare that I get the chance to talk to others about it in depth, or compare publishing experiences. For the longest time, I only knew other readers, not other writers. When I first met my friend Shannon McCrimmon, she was working on her first novel, just like I was, and I quickly discovered how helpful and inspiring it can be to have a fellow writer to relate to and discuss ideas with.

Since publishing her first novel, The Summer I Learned to Dive, Shannon McCrimmon has published 2 more, The Year I Almost Drowned, and most recently, The Days Lost. She has self-published all 3 on Amazon.com, and I was lucky enough to be a beta reader for The Days Lost. It was an honor to get a sneak peek at her new book before its release, and I enjoyed the fact that I could read along and think about what I might adjust, since it wasn’t set in stone just yet. I really had to dig deep for comments or suggestions - The Days Lost was a great story, even as a work-in-progress! It’s a YA must-read, and it’s completely different from her first two books so be sure to check it out. 

The Days Lost by Shannon McCrimmon

Even more awesomeness about The Days Lost: Shannon McCrimmon has a love for the arts, especially local. She came up with the idea of having an art show where Greenville artists could contribute work inspired by her new novel. The Art & Literature Collide show opened this past weekend at Art & Light Gallery in conjunction with the book signing, and my husband and I each made a piece for the show. I typically stick to making leather and wood jewelry or needle felted fiber art, but I was inspired to make something completely out of my comfort zone for the show. I sculpted a life size copperhead snake out of clay and cut out hundreds of tiny leather scales for its skin, then mounted the whole thing on an antique wormy chestnut plaque. What part of the book inspired this 3D piece? You’ll have to read the story to find out!

Shannon made a story, I made a snake. 

Work by Tim Speaker, Sheila Lutringer, Teresa Roche, and Annie Koelle

Work by Chris Jones, Teresa Roche, Josh Mandell, and Sarah Mandell

Work by Kent Ambler, Paul Flint, and Annie Koelle

Behind the Scenes

When writing inspiration hits, it takes a house fire to tear me away from my keyboard. It’s all I can do to remember to blink every now and then, once my fingers get to typing and the storyline is flowing out one word at a time. I rarely outline my novels, I almost always have the majority of the plot and characters developed in my mind alone, so when the whole thing comes together, it’s time to get to writing before I forget anything.

I write from my home office in Greenville, SC. Well, it’s not just MY office, my husband and I share the space. He’ll be developing graphics or catching up on his favorite woodworking blogs on the other side of the room, while I’m weaving together words and what-ifs just a few feet away. Sometimes I’ll listen to music to help me stay in character or set the mood for the scene I’m writing, but I’m not afraid of silence either.

Everything I’ve ever written was written on the same iMac. It’s been with me a long time, through a lot of rough drafts! Staring back at me from atop my computer is a small pewter statue of Holger Dansk, a miniature model of a red Mini Cooper, and a tiny porcelain alpaca. Each of these random doo-dads mean something different to me, and I consider them good luck charms. What do a Viking, bitty little car, and sweet-faced pack animal have in common? Nothing. I just like them. The viking is something I've had since I was 8 or 9, back when I lived in Denmark and visited castles on the weekends. My life was much cooler then. The mini Mini has been around since before I got my real life Mini that I enjoy driving a little too much. The alpaca was a gift from my husband because despite my begging, he wont let me have a real one in the house. Or the backyard. Maybe one day ;-)

My Worlds Have Officially Collided

I write. I make things. This is the first time I’ve written about making things.

My worlds have officially collided! For the first time ever, I’ve combined my love of writing with my addiction to all things handmade. Once Again Sam, my indie craft business, is where most of my time and creativity are invested. I enjoy working with my hands from sun up to sundown, all the while letting my mind dream up my next novel. Though I may be lost in the clouds thinking up new stories to write about later on, I’ve got a story right in front of me, in my hands. Each piece of jewelry I make has a story behind it, but I’ve never shared that until now.

My very first article was published in GreenCraft Magazine recently, and it tells the story of how I turn thrift store clothing into funky suede cuffs. In the article, you’ll get a little glimpse into how I started making jewelry with repurposed materials, as well as a step-by-step tutorial.

Now, for the story behind the story:

I never dreamed of writing for a magazine. Pitching my article to an editor and getting this kind of national press for my small business seemed way out of my league. It was a lot more daunting than when I first started shopping my novel around to literary agents and publishers. Fortunately, with just the right mix of information and motivation, it all came together beautifully.  

Last February I attended The Makers Summit here in Greenville, SC and heard all kinds of amazing advice from a wide range of industry experts. One speaker in particular, Amy Flurry, author of Recipe for Press, really stuck with me. She had so much to share about her experience in the magazine world, and what editors are looking for in a pitch. I purchased her book, read it 3 times through, and took a step I never thought I could take. I crafted my first magazine pitch, submitted that, along with a step-by-step how-to for making a suede cuff out of thrift store clothing, and sent it off to GreenCraft Magazine. I never expected to hear back from them. This week, I held the winter issue of GreenCraft Magazine and slowly read through my 4 page spread. I cannot express how amazing that felt! 

Fragments of Life

I'm thrilled to be featured on Fragments of Life! Check out the author interview & deleted scene, and don't forget to enter to win a copy of my ebook Celia on the Run: http://shusky20.blogspot.com/2013/10/ya-unscene-giveaway-celia-on-run-by.html