This shouldn't need to be said. 

Kids shouldn't fear going to school. Kids shouldn't die at school. The fact that there was another elementary school shooting, is beyond words. 

My thoughts and condolences go out to the families who have lost a child or a family member and loved one today.

Rest in peace dear child. 
Rest in peace saviors who tried to protect them. 
Rest in peace. 

Research first... or so I thought. Let's write a book!

To continue our talk on writing, the first part of researching is taking the first step to being a writer. To do this, I needed to research what type of writer I wanted to be. I want to write books, but I'd also like to see what other careers in writing I can do to support my book income. That way, I could write a book as well as continue writing. 

I started with the first place everyone goes, and that's Google. (Thankful for Google!) A basic search of "what type of writing jobs are there" provided many results, especially compared to 15-20 years ago. There are many more options today than there were back then. A social media content writer for Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok ( I'm sure Myspace would have been on there when it was more active.) Social media content writers didn't exist long ago. Blogging is still huge, and even this blog has technically been in existence for almost ten years, even if there isn't ten years worth of content. 

There are quite a few jobs that were either not well known or not in existence, without word of mouth, twenty years ago. It makes resources much easier to find these opportunities with the internet as it is today.

So as I'm trying to narrow down what interests me and be what I feel I would be proficient in, it occurs to me that I am starting almost back at square one. It feels like I have no idea what I'm doing now, specifically on knowing where to look for jobs. I've been looking up writers for beginners, whereas when I was in college, I was making top marks, was very proficient, and said I would go far. Time has passed at almost twenty years since I've been out of school, but the amount I have written is slim. I would write in papers, write poetry constantly, write songs from the top of my head, and even role-play scripts with friends that I'd make up at the drop of a hat. 

Currently, I write transcripts where I work and write curriculums for my kid's homeschool. I will write short stories here and there when I have the time between everything else I've been doing, but I haven't made it a priority. I realize that I can still write. It's just not the same genre. I now remember where I started, which is scary, so I sit down and look up children's books that I want to write, but for what age group? 

Most of the genres of books that I want to write are in the teenage young adult fantasy area, but I also love young children's books. But why? What is appealing about young children's books that attract so many people? The colors? The characters? The lessons? Does the child realize that they are learning a lesson? A moral. There's almost always a "moral of the story" in every book that you read. So I sit down at the table and write. Within the hour, I've written a children's book; aimed at children aged between two to six. I remember why I love to write. Don't get me wrong, there are probably a few things that need fixing, but now I remember why I love to write. Now my mind is going a mile a minute thinking of a whole series of these children's books that I could create just based on this character. I'm suddenly thinking of other children's books that I could write. More and more and more! Now my mind doesn't stop: I have a set of characters for each one and a whole layout of books. I need to slow down when the first book doesn't even have an illustrator yet.

That still leaves one problem. It doesn't help me figure out what type of writing job I want. Now I know I want to be an author. That dream has never changed. Unfortunately, though, at this moment, that dream won't pay the bills, and until it does, I need a job. I currently have one, but not on my career path.

I want to be a writer. No, correction. I am a writer. That's the perspective I need to have and continue to think. 

I am a writer. 

Say it with me; because I know that the people who are reading this blog right now are also trying to start a career in writing or are on a different career path. Start by saying what you are.  

I am a writer. 

That is what I must ask you.

Are you a dancer?

An artist? 

Say: I am a dancer. I am an artist. 

I am a writer. 

Again, what are you? 

Butterbeer Fudge Recipe that tastes similar to Universals!

We travel to Universal Studios quite a bit because I am a big fan of Harry Potter. I have tried all but the potted cream Butterbeer, but replicating them at home is a task. 

I have made a recipe that is almost a replica of the fudge you can get in the parks and I'm here to share it with you! 

I must warn you though. It is VERY sweet. So cut it into tiny squares. It is gluten free as I am gluten free. It is NOT dairy free and definitely not sugar free. I do not know the nutritional value. 

I typically only make this twice a year. Christmas and my birthday. 

Here you go. Enjoy! 

Butterbeer Fudge
INGREDIENTS

•    BOTTOM LAYER!

•  3 cups butterscotch chips

• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar

• 1/4 cup butter

• 1/4 tsp rum extract
  
  TOP LAYER!

• 1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips

• 2 tbls butter

• 1/2 of a 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk

• 1/4 cup powdered sugar

• 1/4 tsp vanilla
  
  INSTRUCTIONS

1. Prepare a 9x9 inch pan with wax paper

2. In a large microwave safe bowl combine butterscotch chips and butter. Heat in microwave for one minute and stir until smooth. Continue to heat in 15 second bursts if needed. Stir in milk, sugar and extract.

3. Pour mixture into prepared pan and place in the freezer for 30 minutes to start to set up.

4. Meanwhile, in a separate microwave safe bowl combine the white chocolate chips and butter. Heat in microwave for one minute and stir until smooth. Continue to heat in 15 second bursts if needed. Stir in milk, powdered sugar, and vanilla.

5. Let cool slightly and then pour gently over the top of the first layer. Place in the refrigerator to finish setting up.

Returning to the lost world.

Would you believe it's been years since I created a blog post?

I can.

In all honesty, I never took my writing career seriously after graduating from college and having realized journalism is not the path I wanted to go down. I did an internship for a local paper. I wrote a few articles for the paper and hated not having the creative freedom that came with writing a book or poetry. It felt like all my dreams had come crashing down after that career was no longer an option for me. I could write a book or go into a job I knew I would hate. Have you ever gone to spent thousands of dollars on something, then realized how much you truly didn't like it? In my heart, I knew if I stayed in journalism, it would make me hate writing forever.  In writing books, you needed time and a publisher. I was about to be a mom. I knew I wouldn't have time to write a book or go on tour if it got to that point with a newborn. Then, life gets in the way.

 In the last couple of years, I've had some time to think about what I wanted in life. I ran a couple of MLM businesses and a business of my own (in which I only ended because, again, my heart wasn't in it) over many years. The answer always came back the same thing.

I want to be a writer.

Recently, I had an extreme realization that there wasn't any job or business in my life that was going to bring me happiness. That I would always be searching for "the next thing." So I wrote down a list.

What I'm looking for in a job:

Time with my family.

Be my own boss.

Something that I enjoy.

Something that pays the bills.

Wow, I am looking for a miracle, huh? At least, that's what it sounds like on paper.

After talking to my husband, I said, "ok. I'll come up with a business plan. If I can make a business plan in 24 hours, I'll return to the business scene. If I can't, I'll figure out something else to do with my life." 

Well, everything I kept coming up with involved writing of some sort:

Writing a curriculum;

Writing a blog;

Writing a book;

Writing a meal plan;

Writing. Writing. Writing.

Or vlogging.

I said to my husband, "Our kids are older now. I want to return to writing." He told me to go for it.

So I did!

I took the first step, and I did the first thing any other person would do! I sat at the computer and I..

BLANKED.

What am I supposed to be writing? 

What kind of writer do I want to be? 

Who is my audience?

Where do I want my work seen? 

I am re-entering a world I am now completely lost in. Technology has advanced our world tremendously, and only for the better. 

To the drawing board, I went to do the research. Only to find out: technology really has advanced our world tremendously, especially for those in my field. My possibilities in writing are endless. Reading article after article, blog after blog, and week after week, I came to the main conclusion. 

I need to sit down and WRITE.

I'm still lost, I'm still overwhelmed, and I'm still learning, but I'm writing again. 

I hope you'll join me on this journey along with a few others.