Tag: updates

Posted in Dungeons&Dragons, updates, Writing

A Lot on My Plate

Posted on by Kassandra Carrillo

I’m happy to announce that I’m still breathing. It’s been a hectic week that hasn’t given me much time to post anything. The good news is that I finally started my classroom observations and that taken up so much of my time. It’s great to see teachers with Kindergartners and second graders. I’ve learned so much by just observing. Everyone has a different teaching style and there’s definitely strategies that I want to use.

Of course this was all after GateCon 2 where I spent all weekend (Wed. – Sun.) playing Dungeons & Dragons last week. This was for, uh, research purposes. Sometimes, the best dialogue is through role playing at the table. Plus, it’s so interesting to see other players role play so many different personalities. I’ve heard some of the best insults at the table too. It’s dialogue gold. Not to mention that I think I’ve had my fill of large social gatherings. This sort of excitement will keep me going for the next few months until the holidays.

Despite my busy schedule, I have had time to write. This is mostly done during work (don’t tell my boss) when I can. At this point, I probably have Google Docs open on all computers. So far, my co-workers don’t seem to mind. I’m just trying to make this all work somehow. This probably means that I have to get better at organizing and managing my time. But I think there’s hope for me yet.

Even though I’m getting my teaching certificate, I still haven’t given up on writing and I don’t think it will. Since I was a child, I’ve been interested in being a teacher. I didn’t discover my love of writing until much later. However, I realize that writing isn’t going to pay the bills anytime soon. Sure, I got a content editing job on the side and that’s super great but, in essence, it’s not enough. At least, it isn’t right now. I know that I have to do what I have to do.

My goal is still to become a published author. After that goal is accomplish, I just want to keep publishing and share my stories to whoever wants to read them. My wattpad story is coming along nicely and that’s almost finished. I’ve decided to rewrite it so that I can say that I like it as oppose to just being my fans. I’ll end up self-publishing this story I think. I won’t think about that until I’m closer to a finish product that I’m proud of.

For now, wish me luck. I have a lot of my plate.

 

 

Posted in Gamernation News, updates, Writing

D&D Article, Updates, and Writing

Posted on by Kassandra Carrillo

I am happy to announce that my article on dice superstitions has been posted on Gamernation News. You can check it out here. I’ve included pictures of my dice and those of my fellow players but most of them are my dice. It was fun collecting all the information and hearing all the quirks and superstitions out there.

Lately, there’s been a lot of writing going on. From lesson plans, articles, Camp NaNoWriMo, and posts, I can’t seem to catch my breath. Of course let’s not forget running my own D&D sessions. I’ve been so busy lately. Somehow, I’ve managed to have everything under control. Let’s hope it stays that way.

I have to say that staying busy and writing is a good feeling. I feel very productive. Although I’m a few hundred words behind my daily goal for Camp NaNoWriMo, I think I’m doing well. I haven’t run out of inspiration. The story seems to be writing itself. Plus, getting into the mentally that it doesn’t have to be perfect is really helping me. Honestly, I think that’s the hardest part about writing.

If I had to say anything that I was dissatisfied with is probably the time I sent my posts out. I usually try to get them out between 3 and 5 but lately that hasn’t been working out. I’ve had to cover weird shifts at work that doesn’t allow for all that. School hasn’t made it easy yet. I’ll try to keep to that timeframe next week.

While it’s been a short update, I’ll cut the post short. I have to finish typing up my daily word count for Camp NaNoWriMo. For those who are participating, how’s it going? Have you run out of steam or still going strong?

As always, good luck.

 

Posted in updates, Writing

Red Flags

Posted on by Kassandra Carrillo

After a busy week, Friday has finally come. Something interesting happened this week. As many of you know (or don’t know), I have a couple of stories up on wattpad. These stories were written for fun and I might even edit them enough to self-publish them. Crimson Queen is actually one of those stories that I wrote on Wattpad first. FYI a lot has changed from the original manuscript.

Anyways, so a couple of days ago (like two days ago), I received a private message from an editor from FicFun. I handle that situation already on wattpad. The message was basically a solicitation to have one of my stories on their website exclusively. There was a payment included and the message talked about a contract, etc.

Red Flags immediately went off in my head. Not only do I not like the story this editor wanted to display on the website (and it is against wattpad policies), but I had no interest in removing the story from wattpad. I like my fan base too much for that. I actually had never heard about FicFun before so I had to do some research on the website.

I looked through forums and even wattpad had nice threads for me to read through. All in all, I decided to report the message and just ignore it. While at this point, it would be nice to be paid for my writing, I didn’t like the terms that I read through. Plus, I’m not that desperate. I’m going to take this one step at a time. Perhaps if another offer comes my way and everything checks out, I might jump at the opportunity, but for now, I’m content with working on my craft and improving.

Posted in updates, Writing

At Long Last

Posted on by Kassandra Carrillo

This is a bit late but better late than never. Recently, life got in the way with moving furniture and getting the new place situated. However, today I like to say that everything has been moved with only the exception of a box spring for the bed. Other than that, we’re officially moved in.

This past week, I’ve been working on character development in Crimson Queen. I haven’t mentioned that story in a while but I have been working on it bit by bit. My focus, I’m ashamed to admit, has been all over the place since getting a new place. However, now that that is over and done with, I can focus more on what I like to do. For my female lead, Lucinda, specifically, I needed to change her personality a bit.

Previously, it was more geared toward rejecting ‘female’ tasks like sewing and all that but I realized that that outlook on life wasn’t working out. Instead, I changed her dreams, so to speak. Lucinda wants a family but she also wants to follow in her father’s footsteps of mastering the way of a sword. In this way, Lucinda became a more 3-D character as oppose to being a ‘cliche’.

I will still continue to tweak her a bit to stay true to her character but I think I’m on the right path. At least, I hope I am. Plus, since ending Camp NaNoWriMo earlier this year, I have the majority of the store already in the third arc. After some more revision, Crimson Queen should be finished soon. Fingers crossed.

Posted in NaNoWriMo, Writing

A Battle Between Ideas AKA Focusing AKA Balancing

Posted on by Kassandra Carrillo

As April comes winding down and Camp NaNoWriMo is on its last legs, I have begun thinking about my next writing project. Even as I work on Crimson Queen, my mind refuses to focus on it. Instead, it wants to write something else. It’s a battle between ideas and I don’t like it.

I want to stay ‘true’ to Crimson Queen because Camp NaNoWriMo is almost finished. May 1st is only three days away. I know this. My brain knows this and yet it refuses to even wait. It is between two writing projects. Both are fantasy ideas. Both have a plot to them and a world built. All that is left is to iron out minor details and to write them. However, let’s not forget all the other ideas I have in my drawer for a rainy day.

To make matters worse – maybe – I’m sending out query letters and starting ‘school’ again. This time it will be for a teaching certification which I’m really excited about.

A lot is going on right now. Perhaps it’s best to also include balancing somewhere in herr. With life happening e.g. moving to a different place, taking classes, and work, there’s not a lot of time left to write. It sometimes gets so overwhelming, my brain refuses to work.

While this doesn’t happen often to me, it has happened before.