Tiffany Rambles

Over at Triple R, I went through a 1-2 month unofficial reading break. Yes, I'm aware that the site is called Triple R: Read, Rate, and Review, and I probably should have been focusing more on those main aspects, but I did get wrapped up in a number of events (the events below are only what I can remember off the top of my head too):

1.) Guest Appearances
2.) Rhemalda requesting the full manuscript of Savior of the Damned
3.) Facebook Marketing Series
4.) General fatigue and scholarships

So, why am I putting this post here, on my personal blog, instead of Triple R? Well, the days I generally post on Triple R are being taken over by the Facebook Marketing series. >.<

The good news is that I feel like I'm back to normal with my reading, and I want to make it known that me slowing down with my reading had NOTHING to do with Andrea Kane's 'Drawn in Blood.' I am currently reading Walter Rhein's 'The Bone Sword,' and I feel like I should hopefully get through it by this week. It's not as long, nor is the font as small, as Drawn in Blood (once upon a time, this never played any part in my thought process about reading a book. I used to always be able to finish a book 300 pages or under in one day. Oh, how things have changed.)

So, earlier today, I had this whole blog post generally planned out in the magical notepad within my brain. Now I can hardly remember what I was going to originally talk about because I'm SO EXCITED ABOUT WHAT HAS HAPPENED TODAY. (Yes, I haz caps raped, and for good reason this time!)

I think, at first, I planned to ramble on about why I haven't really been reading the books for Triple R, and how bad that makes me feel, but how I do plan on getting back on task when life stops continuously throwing surprises at me. I'll probably blog about this next Thursday unless something else gets me, like my upcoming scholarship attack.

Anyway, back to me being SO EXCITED and raping my poor caps lock. Rhemalda Publishing, my dream publishing house besides all those big houses, contacted me this morning about my manuscript submission to them. Here's the first paragraph of their wonderful and informative e-mail:

"Ms. Tiffany Cole,
Good evening, this is Emmaline Hoffmeister, Vice President of Rhemalda Publishing. I am writing to you regarding your manuscript submission Savior of the Damned. It has been reviewed by our manuscript submission team who have requested to read the full manuscript. I am sure you are very excited right now, and I want you to hold onto that enjoyment as I go over a few things."

I know I'm not some writing prodigy, and my sincere devotion (I love everyone associated with that house!) to everyone on that publishing team played some part in this decision, but that's all good. I have major intentions to work my absolute hardest, to make sure they don't regret making an exception of sorts for little old me. And the ideas for Savior of the Damned have just been pouring in!

I'm so excited, as I've said before!


1.) Guest Post/Jamie DeBree: Over at Triple R, my Every-Saturday-Guest-Post-Series is still going on, of course! Webmistress and author of steamy, suspenseful romance Jamie DeBree will be guest appearing with her helpful post on characterization. Drop by on February 19th, and please don't be afraid to comment.

2.) Triple R's Big Book Giveaway Contest: The contest where you can choose up to 7 books if you get first place is still going on. Look at the book list and see what you'd like!

"Would you like me to give you a formula for success? It's quite simple, really. Double your rate of failure. You are thinking of failure as the enemy of success. But it isn't at all. You can be discouraged by failure or you can learn from it, So go ahead and make mistakes. Make all you can. Because remember that's where you will find success."
- Thomas J. Watson

I'm one of those people who thrive off of goals and to-do lists, off of any steps that bring me a little bit closer (or a lot closer) to my main goals. As a writer, it's the same. I apply a bunch of scenes and side quests that will bring my main character to the point of the story, the main plot. When I'm not applying myself to my limits, I get lost and worried. I feel like I'm falling far behind. In a sense, being goal-oriented is my way of fighting depression and anxiety and unease. I need to feel like I have a place in this world, however small that be. I need purpose.

Basically, I fight for success. My idea of success is a mixture of conventional ideals of success and my ideas. Before I die, I want to be a published author; I want to have a website or two capable of income with committed followers; I want to enter into many writing contests and actually win some of them; I want to get a Ph.D.; I've even grown into liking the idea of having a husband and a family at some point.
But fighting for success can be really overwhelming, and when there's a setback, boy does it really set me back. I have to take a considerable amount of time silencing all of the negative thoughts in my brain, telling myself loads of positive things.

So, what's the setback? Do you remember that playwriting contest I blogged about and when I said I won that? Well, I just got a message today from them saying I DIDN'T win. I've asked about it, but I'm certain it wasn't a mistake and that I really didn't win.

Sure, I'm only 18 and I can enter in many other contests, but the knowledge that I was a semi-finalist in the Ypip contest is what renewed my desire to pursue script and playwriting! I was really looking forward to the opportunity to travel to Indianopolis with my best friend and watch my first play get performed, but now that opportunity has been randomly snatched from under me.

It's saddening, but I know I can't waste time being saddened. To reassure myself that this doesn't make all of my writing endeavours a failure, I had to vow to try harder, to really get ahead in the writing world.

One day, you know; one day!

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On March 1, 2011, Rhemalda Publishing will either reject or accept my novel 'Savior of the Damned.' They are the first publishing house I've ever submitted to, and I respect Rhett, the man-in-charge, as well as all the authors. They've been extremely influential and helpful, and I'll still talk to them regularly even if I don't get accepted. Also, you should look at the unveiling of the covers for the upcoming titles! It really is beautiful and of such high caliber. In the meantime, while I wait for their answer, I'm working on other writing projects. To figure out what I'm doing in the informative, nonfiction realm, check out this post at Triple R: Read, Rate, Review. Below is very general info about what I'm doing in the realm of fiction. Except for the script idea, I hope to actually find a journal and make actual cash off of the two short stories! I'm very excited about this new step in writing. Right now, I'm in a free phase, and I suppose I'll be in a free phase for a while (free phase = everything I do in the writing world is to get my name out there. I'm not getting paid for my contributions.).

Title: Gap Year
Format: Script
Genre: YA; Romantic Comedy (Oh my god, two genres I equally suck at)
Summary: It's the summer before the odd, nerdy, interracial couple go off to college (I don't know their names yet, or that much about them but stereotypical terminology). They're both the epitome of outlandish, what with their interest in anime, books, web sensations, and foreign music. The female decides that she and her boyfriend should take off a gap year to do a bunch of stupid stuff that will inevitably bring them closer, like in romance books, and maybe actually do something educational to satisfy their parents. I want it to be an awkward type of humor with somewhat believable events and an actual point by the end, sorta like Juno.
Note: I plan on writing this during Script Frenzy in April, even though April is the busiest month for me (I have to perform a story at the Blue Island Public Library, Go to Indiana University Bloomington (IUB) for a campus visit mandatory for all Groups Scholars, compete for the Academic Super Bowl, and have most - if not all - of my registration stuff for IUB complete.) However, I feel it's important that I write my first true script through Script Frenzy, just like I wrote my first actual book through Nanowrimo. It really helps me out, to have all of that support and contest exhiliration.

Title: When Darkness Grows
Format: Short Story (The way it's going, it may be a novelette).
Genre: Horror
Summary: Sydney wakes up one morning and sees disgusting black goo that looks like black maggots when she squints above her window. At first, she wants to shrug it all off as insignificant, but, as time goes by, she realizes she can't just do that. Nate, an outlandish and compulsive reader of the Dark Intent Series, believes he can rid her of the Darkness. As the days go by, though, the goo keeps growing and Sydney realizes she is running out of time. Whatever happens when Darkness grows certainly can't be good.
Note: I'm very confident that, once I finish and edit this story, I can publish it in some journal or anthology. I really like the story! The characters always surprise me, and it's the type of psychological horror I pursue. The story happens within the span of five days. So far, I'm six pages in and starting on the second day. I can't wait until it's finished!

Title: No Fourth Wall
Format: Short Story
Genre: Horror
Summary: I only have a premise for this. Basically, what happens when a character in a story is fully aware she is in a story, that some author is writing the tale?
Note: I feel like this is a hard story to portray. I have to be careful with the point of view I choose, with how many characters, with the content and the ending. I once tried to start this story a year ago, but I got too lost in how I should deliver the tale, but I REALLY want to write this one.