tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80708846611058389712017-08-26T20:25:14.819-04:00Shelia Taylornoreply@blogger.comBlogger791125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8070884661105838971.post-78478817735583526982014-03-04T16:03:00.000-05:002014-03-04T16:47:26.021-05:00

As I soon start draft 2 of The Sound of Madness, I am reaching to friends, family, and strangers on the ol’ interwebs to be beta readers. What’s a beta reader? A beta reader is this:      A reader who will read your work that looks for typos, grammatical errors, continuity issues, critiquing/commenting on plot, plot issues, characterizations, what could use improving, etc. Basically, I need

Shelia Taylorhttps://plus.google.com/118393859297880492338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8070884661105838971.post-51039508937512531602014-03-03T09:18:00.000-05:002014-03-03T09:18:02.410-05:00

On March 1, 2014 around 10:17 pm I completed the first draft of The Sound of Madness. It took me 68 days total from December 23, 2013 to March 1, 2014. Of that 68 days, I spent 30 days actually writing. On the 38 days I didn’t write, I was probably staring at the monitor with self doubt. On my lowest word count day, I reached 120 words. On my highest word count day, I reached 7302 words. When I

Shelia Taylorhttps://plus.google.com/118393859297880492338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8070884661105838971.post-11241122033010149922014-02-28T17:17:00.000-05:002014-02-28T17:17:00.460-05:00

I don’t have a lot of love February due to the snow, but I took a much needed road trip down to NC to reset and warm my soul and the first 6 songs reflect that as they were gifted to me during the road trip. February definitely ended on a high note. Parts of my past reentered my life in various and unexpected ways and as I reflect on what gifts they brought to my life, I realized it was

Shelia Taylorhttps://plus.google.com/118393859297880492338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8070884661105838971.post-90720698037659813122014-02-27T17:40:00.001-05:002014-02-27T17:41:57.689-05:00

This email from one of the partners I work with made my day. I really enjoy working with this group. They work hard and just get it. They are so easy to work with and are accommodating for the simplest, hardest, and most insane needs/request/last minute crap moments. As my duties in my big girl job do include event planning, I try to make sure I am not in their way when they're doing an

Shelia Taylorhttps://plus.google.com/118393859297880492338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8070884661105838971.post-8035204098303278472014-02-19T11:13:00.002-05:002014-02-19T11:13:35.110-05:00

As I see the finish line in the current WIP in the distance, I started contemplating on if I could truly call myself a writer even if I am currently not getting paid to do so. If I honestly respond to to the 8 statements to the left, then the answer is YES. But do I call myself a writer? I am not a published author by any means. I don't count the several poems published in various

Shelia Taylorhttps://plus.google.com/118393859297880492338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8070884661105838971.post-86016286447263140352014-02-16T15:20:00.000-05:002014-02-16T15:20:00.601-05:00

Sometimes the past comes back into your life, not to haunt but to inspire. This message to me from someone in my past did just that. Inspired me. Being a writer is a lonely job. You may have the cast of characters you talk to in your head and who accompany you on your journey, but the do not replace the live human interaction. Your friends and family won't always understand the social

Shelia Taylorhttps://plus.google.com/118393859297880492338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8070884661105838971.post-58128085429202052262014-02-15T15:12:00.000-05:002014-02-15T15:12:00.044-05:00

There are days that test your patience. The days that make you want to take out the frustrations on others, yourself, or both! I had one of those. And as frustrated as I got, I realized that my frustration weren't really mine. I did everything right. I did my job and I helped out and that the end result was putting out a forest fire with a solo fire extinguisher. Yeah, I was aggravated a

Shelia Taylorhttps://plus.google.com/118393859297880492338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8070884661105838971.post-64703430353819988652014-01-27T22:03:00.003-05:002014-01-27T22:06:47.419-05:00

I have some big targets to hit for 2014 and was excited to start January and 2014. 2014 started with a new moon...a clean slate...and this month has been an amazing journey for me on a personal level because I have found my writing voice again and the desire to write. The Muse came back and ninja kicked me in the face. I'm glad she's back in my life. I've missed The Muse and I've missed writing.

Shelia Taylorhttps://plus.google.com/118393859297880492338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8070884661105838971.post-59821390542634841012014-01-21T21:47:00.001-05:002014-01-21T21:47:21.795-05:00

As I write The Sound of Madness (aka in my work in progress (WIP), I had to take a week off of writing in it. It's a cardinal rule in my writing world to write a minimum of 500 words a day in whatever current WIP I am on, but there I was taking a week off. I needed to sort out my head and detach myself from my main character's headspace. Bottom line was her headspace was making me depressed. I

Shelia Taylorhttps://plus.google.com/118393859297880492338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8070884661105838971.post-1069516300794060472014-01-12T19:30:00.001-05:002014-01-12T19:30:47.616-05:00

For the team, but mostly for the one he lost. Tomas Tatar lost his father on Friday but I am 100% positive his father was with him as he scored the game winning goal on Saturday. (Detroit 3. Kings 1) "That game and that goal was for him. I felt he was with us the whole game." - Detroit Red Wings F Tomas Tatar

Shelia Taylorhttps://plus.google.com/118393859297880492338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8070884661105838971.post-80082592010509630752014-01-05T11:07:00.000-05:002014-01-05T11:07:10.770-05:00

When the pesky Muse strikes, she strikes hard and without warning. On December 23rd, I was casually singing "You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are gray. You'll never know dear, how much I love you. Please don't take my sunshine away..." to Nick da Dawg. I was channeling my mom really. She sang the song to my nieces when they were babies and she would sing it to

Shelia Taylorhttps://plus.google.com/118393859297880492338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8070884661105838971.post-63932610248216659682014-01-04T14:34:00.000-05:002014-01-04T14:34:42.448-05:00

My friend Amy is turning 40 years awesome this year and she is doing 40 Random Acts of Kindness in the months leading up to that awesome day (more at 40RAOKProject.blogspot.com) and I had quietly set that as a target for myself in 2014 and started it on NYE when I had funds left over on a gift card. I had just purchased a pizza for myself and when the cashier handed it back to me, I told him to

Shelia Taylorhttps://plus.google.com/118393859297880492338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8070884661105838971.post-92172617616969102352014-01-02T09:00:00.002-05:002014-01-02T09:00:13.249-05:00

I'm not saying goals this year. It's such a horrible word because if you don't reach your goal, you feel like a failure. BUT if you miss a target, one can step back, realign and shoot again. See how much weight has been lifted off one's shoulder already!! Here are my LUCKY 7 targets for 2014! 07. Spread more positivity and Universal magic, love, and luck to my family, chosen family, friends,

Shelia Taylorhttps://plus.google.com/118393859297880492338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8070884661105838971.post-35780958854667384832014-01-01T00:00:00.000-05:002014-01-01T00:00:03.357-05:00

May 2014 bring you Universal love and luck. May 2014 fill each day with Universal magic. May 2014 be a glorious and wonderful adventure with family, chosen family, and friends. May 2014 be filled with love, living each moment to the fullest, and so much laughter that your face and sides ache. May 2014 find you healing from hurt, heartache, sadness, depression, and sickness. May 2014 find

Shelia Taylorhttps://plus.google.com/118393859297880492338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8070884661105838971.post-74952714119029148812013-12-29T13:42:00.000-05:002013-12-29T13:42:13.033-05:00

2013 started on a low. Maybe the lowest I've ever been in a long while. I sat in the darkest depression I had ever been in since I was in my late teens/early twenties. I wasn't use to the hibernating weather or the sad colors of winter in Detroit. In the months of January-March, I cried on a daily basis when I got home from work. Not because work was stressful or I had a bad day. I just couldn't

Shelia Taylorhttps://plus.google.com/118393859297880492338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8070884661105838971.post-60762467411299160902013-12-28T21:20:00.000-05:002013-12-28T21:20:57.764-05:00

27 items on top and 4 pairs of shoes & 1 bag on bottom3 drawer container holds bras, underwear, socksOn top of container, the black sweater I need to patch up for this What is Project 333? From the Project 333 website: Project 333 is a minimalist fashion challenge that invites you to dress with 33 items or less for 3 months. And I just accepted the challenge. Me, the Queen of more hockey &

Shelia Taylorhttps://plus.google.com/118393859297880492338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8070884661105838971.post-10255765105103756692013-12-27T10:58:00.000-05:002013-12-27T10:58:35.940-05:00

There was a lot of great music released in 2013, but here are my 5 favorite albums of 2013. Favorite Albums (in alphabetical order by artist) Arctic Monkeys - AM      I am a fare weather Arctic Monkeys fan. Some of their stuff I love, some of their stuff I don't, but AM is an album I love. The B-sides on the singles should have been on the album as well. This is a solid album through and

Shelia Taylorhttps://plus.google.com/118393859297880492338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8070884661105838971.post-16938241583526964132013-12-26T18:49:00.000-05:002013-12-26T18:49:20.656-05:00

Oh, December...you frozen tundra. Not of emotion, but of landscape. Most of my December remained hidden underneath a white veil of snow. It dampened my spirit and sent me hiding underneath the covers, begging for Spring to make haste and arrive. Music was the saving grace for me. Lifting me when I was down, warming me when I was chilled to the bone, and inspiring me when I stared at a blank

Shelia Taylorhttps://plus.google.com/118393859297880492338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8070884661105838971.post-73827031619459353502013-12-25T19:13:00.003-05:002013-12-25T19:13:26.385-05:00

I have a love for Australia. I don't know where it came from or exactly why it's that beautiful country, but I want to expatriate myself there (like yesterday). This is one of my favorite Christmas memories. Byron Bay, 2011 with Heather and Suzanne. I've been reminiscing with both gals today on our trip two years ago and it made me happy to share these memories with them again and I felt a

Shelia Taylorhttps://plus.google.com/118393859297880492338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8070884661105838971.post-24127463224833376932013-12-24T10:08:00.000-05:002013-12-24T10:08:27.847-05:00

Phoenix Coyotes' goalie Mike Smith scores on himself. The most bizarre play I've ever seen.

Shelia Taylorhttps://plus.google.com/118393859297880492338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8070884661105838971.post-54689875118095394582013-12-23T18:31:00.001-05:002013-12-23T18:31:30.117-05:00

It's not that I'm Scrooge or The Grinch, I just don't like the fact that society starts Christmas before Halloween even ends. As a child, Christmas started on Thanksgiving Day. After all the food was put away and the dishes were clean, the aunts and the uncles would drag out all the Christmas decorations and decorate my grandparents tree and we'd watch those silly family home movies. At home, my

Shelia Taylorhttps://plus.google.com/118393859297880492338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8070884661105838971.post-48707413517073529452013-12-19T22:46:00.001-05:002013-12-19T22:46:28.240-05:00

Oh, this is brilliant. Players have to spell their teammates last name. They can play, but can they spell? (And what is up with the Canadians pronouncing "z" as "zed")     

Shelia Taylorhttps://plus.google.com/118393859297880492338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8070884661105838971.post-36503952633509762832013-12-19T22:03:00.001-05:002013-12-19T22:06:01.452-05:00

Ian Watkins, the lead singer of Lostprophets, a band I really dig was sentenced to 35 years for some seriously heinous crimes, but as much as I am shocked and disgusted by his actions, I cannot and will not fault the rest of the band for his crimes. What Ian did, he did as an individual and not as a band. Personally, I will still listen to the Lostprophet albums. Except for

Shelia Taylorhttps://plus.google.com/118393859297880492338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8070884661105838971.post-63249448676262002292013-12-17T20:19:00.000-05:002013-12-17T20:43:10.124-05:00

This post is for Heather. She tweeted on Monday she needed "...a something to make me feel better. #sadtweet" You can see our conversation  ---> But I wanted to do something more for her than a few tweets and though it wasn't immediately, I hope this brightens her day now and this might be the something to make her feel better. It's a little late Heather, but timing is everything in our

Shelia Taylorhttps://plus.google.com/118393859297880492338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8070884661105838971.post-19862930489323423762013-12-17T12:55:00.000-05:002013-12-17T12:55:00.349-05:00

Not only am I celebrating you Mama, it's also a full moon tonight, which I find very fitting if I do say so myself. Luna and all her might shining down with you on this glorious day. Simply amazing and a sign of the power you still have in my life. You've been gone four years now. It seems like yesterday but it also seems so long ago because I sometimes feel that time has slowed. There are

Shelia Taylorhttps://plus.google.com/118393859297880492338noreply@blogger.com0