...filmaking! With the launch of my production company "Beginning of Heaven Studios" I'm able to dedicate time and resources to my passion for film, which rivals even my passion for writing.
My first project is a paranormal dramedy called "Ghost Sniffers".
"Ghost Sniffers" is a wry dramedy or all ages staring nine-year-old Faith DiMarco as Faith Forge, a paranormal investigator with an inborn ability to sniff out ghosts and other spooks. Aided by a slew of wacky assistants including a secret agent, a tech geek, a sea captain of questionable gender and, most importantly, a brilliant older brother with the ability to morph into animals, Forge takes on jobs through her company "Ghost Sniffers Inc." and fearlessly seeks out the truth wherever the client sends her.
But sniffing ghosts isn't Faith Forge's only power. Faith, like the actress who plays her, has Type 1 Diabetes. She will never get better, even if she eats the right foods and exercises. She will always have to do blood checks multiple times every day or she will die. This has made Faith strong. The inner strength Faith DiMarco brings to her character shines every moment she's on screen, making her an empowering role model for other children living with Type 1 Diabetes.
Working beside Faith is her genius brother, Maxo Forge, played by Faith's real-life brother Maxwell DiMarco (who also plays Maximilian Forge, Maxo's lifestyle-blogging twin). Maxwell has Autism. Through Maxo Forge, Maxwell is able to showcase the special abilities he and many other autistic children share: he has a photographic memory and the ability to instantly tell when people are lying. He also has a kind heart and an honest soul. The fact that Maxo Forge can morph into animals is just icing on the cake.
Through Maxwell and Faith, "Ghost Sniffers" sets up a new kind of super hero for our children, especially our children with Diabetes and Autism, to look up to: positive and brilliant kiddos with special abilities that far outweigh the challenges and diseases they were born with.
Check it out :)
http://www.ghostsniffers.com
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Areane Is on the Kindle!
I'm thrilled to announce the new editions of my first three Areane books, now available on the Amazon Kindle for... wait for it... only $2.99! The kindle editions have new covers and are edited differently than the print editions. Check them out!: http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=sr_nr_i_1?rh=k%3ALauna+Sorensen%2Ci%3Adigital-text&keywords=Launa+Sorensen&ie=UTF8&qid=1320572725
I'm also nearly ready to launch book four, "The Enemy's Vow," for the very first time! Check back in here for more updates :)
In the mean time, check out the new book covers! (I designed them myself ;) )
I'm also nearly ready to launch book four, "The Enemy's Vow," for the very first time! Check back in here for more updates :)
In the mean time, check out the new book covers! (I designed them myself ;) )
Friday, August 12, 2011
A New Beginning
(This blog was originally posted at the Dolphin Dance website. Check it out for cool blogs from my fellow teachers, too!: http://dolphindanceexotic.com/aboutus/blog/
I'm working 65 hour weeks right now, so the blog has definitely fallen behind. I figured if I'm writing elsewhere, I might as well fold it in here so the pieces can do double duty. Enjoy!)
Last night I stood in the empty Dolphin Dance studio staring at a wall. My students had just left, it was already dark outside. I was half in yoga gear, half in my street clothes. The power of seeing the blank wall caught me off guard. It was the first night I’d taught a class since the owner, and my friend, Emily had moved across the country to South Carolina. There used to be a large portrait of her on the wall directly facing the front door. It had been created by Winifred of “Photos in New York” and it has greeted me every time I’ve entered the studio since I nervously tiptoed in as a student more than a year ago. It seems strange and lonely to see a blank wall.
When I started training at Dolphin Dance I was new, physically and emotionally. I write novels as a profession and had been commissioned to write a novella about circus performers, many of whom were acrobats and aerialists and pole dancing was the closest I could get to trying aerial arts for myself. It was only going to be a one time thing. At least that’s what I told myself aloud. The truth was I was intrigued. I wanted to feel sexy, but like many young women I had been raised to think sexy was almost a dirty word. It was something to avoid or at least keep very private. It took me a month to gather the courage to join a class.
I had spent my entire life in a bubble. I had horrible self esteem. I had struggled to lose more than 100 lbs and, though I was finally near my goal weight, I had very little muscle tone and even less confidence. I remember I hardly smiled in my first class. I couldn’t look myself in the eye in the mirrors while dancing. When Emily asked us to close our eyes and just move to the music, I stayed completely still, my arms crossed tight over my chest, stiff with fear and my guilt from own audacity at thinking I could ever be “sexy.” It was one of the most vulnerable and emotionally terrifying days of my life. But at the end of class I could feel the seeds of something amazing stirring in my heart. To this day I don’t know what made me come back for a second class. Maybe it was as simple as I’d prepaid and was so desperate for money I didn’t want to waste a cent. Maybe I just knew I’d come to love it. But for whatever reason, I kept returning.
I burst into tears three times in the first six classes. Things I didn’t know I’d face emotionally at all, let alone in a dance class, would rise suddenly to the surface and Emily was always there to keep me from feeling stupid. To validate that doing anything that requires us to evoke emotion, tap into our hearts and seemingly lay them on the dance floor, can leave us vulnerable. And asking a woman, especially one who was raised very conservatively, to tap into her inner sexy beast? A few breakdowns are expected.
I learned to channel my insecurity into work. I fought to master new moves until I ingrained black bruises the size of dollar bills across my feet and legs. My self esteem rose, followed by my muscle mass. The first day I forced myself to slow down and execute a body roll (something I’d always wanted to do but felt too stiff and uncoordinated to pull off) a spark went off in my mind. I fell in love with exotic dance. I realized I could mimic the angles and curves I admired in other female dancers and, eventually, tweek them and make them my own. I watched myself in the mirror first for form and then because I genuinely liked what I saw. And the first time I got up the nerve to play on a pole in public? It was magic. I was dead sexy and I knew it. Eventually, it even became okay with me that other people knew it.
Dolphin Dance changed my life. No… Dolphin Dance saved my life. The focus we put on self esteem, confidence, sexiness and the pure love we have and express for all women, no matter their age or shape, is powerful. All women deserve to feel sexy. Right now. Not when they lose that last ten pounds or dye their hair or when they were 20 years younger. Now.
For the first time in my life I love what I see when I look in the mirror. I feel strong. I feel capable on my own and with others. I feel sexy. I feel like the me I always saw in my mind but couldn’t physically express.
I became a teacher at the beginning of the year because I wanted to share my experiences with other women. Shy wall flowers walk into my class and leave standing a little taller, shining a bit brighter, falling in love with themselves. Every day I feel like I leave the world a bit better than I found it, but the truth is I don’t do anything but give women a safe place to express themselves. They make the magic. I’m honored to be in their presence. I never expected I’d feel this way teaching pole dance.
Looking back, I attribute so much of what Dolphin Dance helped me achieve to Emily. I suppose it’s natural to put your teacher on a pedestal, but my teacher is literally the Aphrodite in my personal pantheon. I’ll never forget the first time I saw her dance in public. With her ponytail, freckles, glasses and inconspicuous tee shirt and jeans she was hardly the first person you’d expect to toss her hair and slide down the pole rolling her hips and twisting her body in a way that makes her look like she’s floating. For the first time I really started to realize the almost innocent joy that can come from letting your inner sexy goddess come out to play. After all, women are made of paradoxes, contrasts and mystery. They’re beautiful and powerful by nature. How much a woman chooses to share of her inner self is entirely up to her, but to hide out of shame is a crime. In a single dance, Emily removed the stigma from “sexy” for me forever.
When Emily told me her husband was being relocated across the country because of the military I didn’t hesitate to volunteer with my fellow teacher Marie to manage the studio. I couldn’t stand the thought of a world without Dolphin Dance.
It’s no surprise, then, that Emily moving could leave me staring at a blank wall trying not to cry. But the strength and skills Emily left me and the “Dolphin Power” I found dancing with my girls has made me confident I can help carry on Emily’s legacy here in Washington. I’m excited, honored and a bit terrified.
I put a large bulletin board on the wall where Emily’s picture used to hang. I want to use it to display pictures of my students doing moves they’re especially proud of because those moves are more than sexy displays of buffness; they represent new beginnings, overcome challenges, the power of womanhood. Dolphin Power. They’re a record of my girls blossoming and I couldn’t be a prouder mama. I pinned a mini print of Emily’s portrait in the middle of the bulletin board for good measure. Mama Dolphin watching over us all.
Charleston is lucky to have Emily. I’m sad to see her go. But more than anything, I can’t wait to see what the future will bring.
Launa
I'm working 65 hour weeks right now, so the blog has definitely fallen behind. I figured if I'm writing elsewhere, I might as well fold it in here so the pieces can do double duty. Enjoy!)
Last night I stood in the empty Dolphin Dance studio staring at a wall. My students had just left, it was already dark outside. I was half in yoga gear, half in my street clothes. The power of seeing the blank wall caught me off guard. It was the first night I’d taught a class since the owner, and my friend, Emily had moved across the country to South Carolina. There used to be a large portrait of her on the wall directly facing the front door. It had been created by Winifred of “Photos in New York” and it has greeted me every time I’ve entered the studio since I nervously tiptoed in as a student more than a year ago. It seems strange and lonely to see a blank wall.
When I started training at Dolphin Dance I was new, physically and emotionally. I write novels as a profession and had been commissioned to write a novella about circus performers, many of whom were acrobats and aerialists and pole dancing was the closest I could get to trying aerial arts for myself. It was only going to be a one time thing. At least that’s what I told myself aloud. The truth was I was intrigued. I wanted to feel sexy, but like many young women I had been raised to think sexy was almost a dirty word. It was something to avoid or at least keep very private. It took me a month to gather the courage to join a class.
I had spent my entire life in a bubble. I had horrible self esteem. I had struggled to lose more than 100 lbs and, though I was finally near my goal weight, I had very little muscle tone and even less confidence. I remember I hardly smiled in my first class. I couldn’t look myself in the eye in the mirrors while dancing. When Emily asked us to close our eyes and just move to the music, I stayed completely still, my arms crossed tight over my chest, stiff with fear and my guilt from own audacity at thinking I could ever be “sexy.” It was one of the most vulnerable and emotionally terrifying days of my life. But at the end of class I could feel the seeds of something amazing stirring in my heart. To this day I don’t know what made me come back for a second class. Maybe it was as simple as I’d prepaid and was so desperate for money I didn’t want to waste a cent. Maybe I just knew I’d come to love it. But for whatever reason, I kept returning.
I burst into tears three times in the first six classes. Things I didn’t know I’d face emotionally at all, let alone in a dance class, would rise suddenly to the surface and Emily was always there to keep me from feeling stupid. To validate that doing anything that requires us to evoke emotion, tap into our hearts and seemingly lay them on the dance floor, can leave us vulnerable. And asking a woman, especially one who was raised very conservatively, to tap into her inner sexy beast? A few breakdowns are expected.
I learned to channel my insecurity into work. I fought to master new moves until I ingrained black bruises the size of dollar bills across my feet and legs. My self esteem rose, followed by my muscle mass. The first day I forced myself to slow down and execute a body roll (something I’d always wanted to do but felt too stiff and uncoordinated to pull off) a spark went off in my mind. I fell in love with exotic dance. I realized I could mimic the angles and curves I admired in other female dancers and, eventually, tweek them and make them my own. I watched myself in the mirror first for form and then because I genuinely liked what I saw. And the first time I got up the nerve to play on a pole in public? It was magic. I was dead sexy and I knew it. Eventually, it even became okay with me that other people knew it.
Dolphin Dance changed my life. No… Dolphin Dance saved my life. The focus we put on self esteem, confidence, sexiness and the pure love we have and express for all women, no matter their age or shape, is powerful. All women deserve to feel sexy. Right now. Not when they lose that last ten pounds or dye their hair or when they were 20 years younger. Now.
For the first time in my life I love what I see when I look in the mirror. I feel strong. I feel capable on my own and with others. I feel sexy. I feel like the me I always saw in my mind but couldn’t physically express.
I became a teacher at the beginning of the year because I wanted to share my experiences with other women. Shy wall flowers walk into my class and leave standing a little taller, shining a bit brighter, falling in love with themselves. Every day I feel like I leave the world a bit better than I found it, but the truth is I don’t do anything but give women a safe place to express themselves. They make the magic. I’m honored to be in their presence. I never expected I’d feel this way teaching pole dance.
Looking back, I attribute so much of what Dolphin Dance helped me achieve to Emily. I suppose it’s natural to put your teacher on a pedestal, but my teacher is literally the Aphrodite in my personal pantheon. I’ll never forget the first time I saw her dance in public. With her ponytail, freckles, glasses and inconspicuous tee shirt and jeans she was hardly the first person you’d expect to toss her hair and slide down the pole rolling her hips and twisting her body in a way that makes her look like she’s floating. For the first time I really started to realize the almost innocent joy that can come from letting your inner sexy goddess come out to play. After all, women are made of paradoxes, contrasts and mystery. They’re beautiful and powerful by nature. How much a woman chooses to share of her inner self is entirely up to her, but to hide out of shame is a crime. In a single dance, Emily removed the stigma from “sexy” for me forever.
When Emily told me her husband was being relocated across the country because of the military I didn’t hesitate to volunteer with my fellow teacher Marie to manage the studio. I couldn’t stand the thought of a world without Dolphin Dance.
It’s no surprise, then, that Emily moving could leave me staring at a blank wall trying not to cry. But the strength and skills Emily left me and the “Dolphin Power” I found dancing with my girls has made me confident I can help carry on Emily’s legacy here in Washington. I’m excited, honored and a bit terrified.
I put a large bulletin board on the wall where Emily’s picture used to hang. I want to use it to display pictures of my students doing moves they’re especially proud of because those moves are more than sexy displays of buffness; they represent new beginnings, overcome challenges, the power of womanhood. Dolphin Power. They’re a record of my girls blossoming and I couldn’t be a prouder mama. I pinned a mini print of Emily’s portrait in the middle of the bulletin board for good measure. Mama Dolphin watching over us all.
Charleston is lucky to have Emily. I’m sad to see her go. But more than anything, I can’t wait to see what the future will bring.
Launa
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Longing
Here's my latest piece. Inks and graphite on wood and the last in my wood frames series. It's more like my comic book work than any other piece I've done so far and it's definitely one of my favorites.
I'd post progress pics, but the computer they're stored on died and I have to extract my files before I can post them so look for an update in the future.
Launa
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
New Paintings!
Recently I've been in love with the idea of painting on wood. There's something about the colors and the wood grain that adds something to a painting that canvas never can. Recently I found a project that allowed me to explore the medium, creating custom frames for poems written by a dear friend. Admittedly I don't like working with oil paints. I like things water soluable because I tend to make a mess, but I'm never as satisfied with skin tones as I am when I'm working with oils. I think, looking at the final products, I've fallen in love. Enjoy! :D
I'll post progress pics later. They're currently stuck on my other computer, which caught some crazy virus that I got rid of, but it took a chunk of my operating system with it. Once it's fixed, I'll post more.
Just so you know, the black squares are where the poems will go :)
I'll post progress pics later. They're currently stuck on my other computer, which caught some crazy virus that I got rid of, but it took a chunk of my operating system with it. Once it's fixed, I'll post more.
Just so you know, the black squares are where the poems will go :)
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Storytime Saturday: Starting a New Book
Intro: This is the book inspired by my short story, "Electric Reality." It happens well before that story, but the moment I wrote about Gizmo and her family I was hooked. I hope this turns out well. If the way I felt writing this opening is any indication, it will be :D
~*~
Project Name: Personal Sky (I give all my unnamed books code names :D In this series, my personal code names for the books each come from poems written for an art series ("Poetry in Blue") I bought a while ago by Jennifer DiMarco of Blue Artisans. www.blueartisans.com)
One. The street lights flew past in a blur. It was at least an hour 'til dawn, the winter sharp and brusque against her face as she sped down the street.
Two. The rough, sharp zoom of the wind as it whipped around her helmet, the rumble of the motorcycle engine, the silence of early morning in the suburbs.
Three. The smooth glide of the pavement beneath her wheels. The stiff leather of her gloves. The vibrations of the bike against her body.
Four. A deep breath, the blood rushing past her ears, the tension and release in her muscles. The pound of her heart beating against her skin. Sweet anticipation.
Five.
She smiled, wide and feral, absorbed the electricity from five street lights and one power line into her skin and her heart stopped.
The smell of clean air and pre-dawn dew was replaced with singed flesh. She was barely able to keep the bike steady as her eyes rolled and she felt herself burning to pieces. She screamed, loud and wild, until the electricity burned away the sound of her voice. She knew she should be dead. She knew what she was doing was impossible. But she didn't question it as the electricity split her apart. Just before she lost all control of the motorcycle, as the thrill of electrocution and the transcendent high of the pure energy shooting through her veins overcame her, she shot the electricity back into the sky where it flashed like lightning in the clouds. Within seconds her skin had healed, her senses returned and, in just over a minute, it was like nothing had happened. The only sign that she'd nearly electrocuted herself to death was the burnt smell that clung to her leather jacket.
Her parents thought she smoked. They had no idea.
She didn't know how she could sense and pull electricity into her body. She didn't know why the pain was never unbearable or the electric heat didn't overcome her. She didn't know how she could heal so quickly. But she didn't think about it. She was a super hero. A mutant. An alien. Invincible. Whatever she was, it was the epitome of cool. And she had no intention of sharing her secrets with anyone.
It'd been four years since the electric fence on her grandparent's farm when she was twelve. She hadn't walked into it. The electricity had shot out at her like she was a lightning rod, sending enough voltage through her body to fry her like a piece of chicken. But it didn't. Since then she'd been on a constant quest to see what else she could survive, but no thrill could beat that first near-death experience. Electricity. It burned her and remade her, all at once, just like the dawn remade the world. She was a phoenix. Reborn from the flames.
The smell of scorched skin still lingered when she heard the first car pull from a driveway on her left. And there it was. The rest of the world was waking. Her mom would be calling soon. She'd stopped paying attention to when her daughter came home years ago, but she always called if she was still away by morning.
She rarely came home anymore. She couldn't stand the tiny apartment with the narrow, paper-thin walls and the musty smell of rooms that had been closed off from fresh air all winter to preserve heat. She needed that wild, that passion that was becoming harder and harder to find as the things that had once sent chills across her skin became so painfully vanilla she could do them with her eyes closed. She needed to find that thing that would make her scream. She needed the thrill of jumping along rooftops or speeding down the highway so fast she knew any mistake would kill her. She needed the electric charge, burning her from the inside out. Without it, everything seemed to slow to a stop, dead and unbearably fake and pointless. She had to keep the circuit moving, had to keep her blood pumping.
She glanced at her phone. Still no call, but school would be starting soon enough. She hated it. Hated the monotony, the endless rules and routines that seemed determined to pound every creative and unconventional cell from her body, but she had learned one truth very early in life: if she wanted to be free, to do what she wanted without her mother getting in her way, she had to at least appear to follow the rules. Most people wanted to believe the easy answers. If she could put up a convincing enough front, they wouldn't question her. They'd look the other way. They wanted to.
She chuckled, the sound harsh and tense, already the awful pointlessness of her day bearing down on her. People were so quick to ignore reality. But she wouldn't complain. It ensured her freedom. Still, she couldn't help but laugh and feel sorry for everyone. There were so many fascinating things they'd miss by closing their eyes and keeping things light and easy. They'd never know what it felt like to hold electric fire in their veins. To feel the wind against their skin, so fast and hard they could barely breathe. They'd never know what it felt like to really, truly scream.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Updates on New Paintings!
Here's a progression for my latest piece, based on the book I'm currently writing. (You may recognize it from the opening chapter I posted a while ago) The piece doesn't have a name yet, but my project name for it is "Selkie." This piece is of the character Kaliegh.
Original sketch on canvas:
Base paints:
"Selkie" is a 16x20, full-wrap acrylic on canvas.
Another piece I'm working on has only been sketched and the idea is still evolving. It's a stand alone, 16x20 (probably acrylic, though I may toy with some watercolors, too) called "Divine Wish."
Original sketch on canvas:
Base paints:
"Selkie" is a 16x20, full-wrap acrylic on canvas.
Another piece I'm working on has only been sketched and the idea is still evolving. It's a stand alone, 16x20 (probably acrylic, though I may toy with some watercolors, too) called "Divine Wish."
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
I've been saying it forever...
illegally downloading ANYTHING, especially books, is bad. It can literally put your favorite books out of print. You need proof? Read this blog by fellow teen writer Saundra Mitchell (below).
Again, I DID NOT WRITE THIS! But I know a lot of people won't read it if they have to click a link and I think this is so important. If you want to read more by Saundra, click here.
Launa
Again, I DID NOT WRITE THIS! But I know a lot of people won't read it if they have to click a link and I think this is so important. If you want to read more by Saundra, click here.
Launa
I’m so frustrated.
This morning, I woke up to one of my best author friends deeply upset. A “fan” on Twitter had cheerily informed her that she illegally torrented a copy of that author’s book since the mean old publishers in her region hadn’t made it available. Never mind that it WAS actually available in that region; I hear that a lot.
They don’t sell your book in my $location, so I downloaded it.
I also hear, I will buy it later, and I don’t have any money, but I want to read it. Authors should make publishers print in $region! and I hate DRM. I download it, but then I recommend it to other people to buy!
I’ve been very open about the money I’ve made and not made, to help give the writing community some perspective. So I’m going to be very open about money today. I’ve told you before that I made a $15,000 advance on SHADOWED SUMMER. In two years, I’ve managed to earn back $12,000 of that.
It’s going out of print in hardcover because demand for it has dwindled to 10 or so copies a month. This means I will never get a royalty check for this book. By all appearances, nobody wants it anymore.
But those appearances are deceiving. According to one download site’s stats, people are downloading SHADOWED SUMMER at a rate of 800 copies a week. When the book first came out, it topped out at 3000+ downloads a week.
If even HALF of those people who downloaded my book that week had bought it, I would have hit the New York Times Bestseller list.
If the 800+ downloads a week of my book were only HALF converted into sales, I would earn out in one more month. But I’m never going to earn out. And my book is never going to be available in your $region, not for lack of trying. My foreign rights agent is a genius at what she does, and has actively tried to sell it everywhere- UK, AU, China, France, you name it, she tried to sell it there.
SHADOWED SUMMER will only be coming out in Italy, because that’s the only place there’s a market for it.
And let me tell you guys… the sales figures on SHADOWED SUMMER had a seriously detrimental effect on my career. It took me almost two years to sell another book. I very nearly had to change my name and start over. And my second advance? Was exactly the same as the first because sales figures didn’t justify anything more. I don’t blame my publisher. There’s weak demand for my books, according to my sales figures.
Meanwhile, 800 copies of my book (worth about $1200 toward my advance, if everyone paid for a copy,) are being downloaded a week.
And now, one of the top search terms on my website for THE VESPERTINE, a book that won’t even come out until March is, “download vespertine +saundra”. They have to put my name in because otherwise, they’re looking for a way to illegally download Bjork’s album.
Guys, seriously. I know it sucks to have to wait. I know it sucks when a book isn’t available in your region. Seriously, I know. I just paid a friend $15.00 for an $8.00 paperback, so I could get a copy of RJ Anderson’s ARROW. A book, I might add, that I read last year when RJ sent me the manuscript.
I know DRM sucks. I know region-limitation sucks. And I know being poor sucks (as I just told you, I’ve made 30k over the course of 4 years now, that’s like $7500/year. I totally know being poor sucks.) But when you illegally download a book, you’re simply guaranteeing that a publisher will look at my royalty statements next year and decide not to publish the next one. Promises to recommend my book to other people never seem to pan out- sales still drop, downloads remain steady.
If you really love books, find a way to pay for them. The WORLD wide web is, in fact, world-wide. I bet you know someone in the region that sells the book you want. I bet even if you don’t, you can connect with a fellow book-lover in that region on Twitter.
If you REALLY can’t afford books, ask your library to order them. I love libraries. I love them so much- they buy lots and LOTS of copies, and will rebuy them if they’re very popular. Many are even starting to buy digital copies, so you can read them on your e-reader. When you check my book out from the library, you’re paying for it, just indirectly.
If you really, REALLY can’t afford books, and live in a mushroom village that has no library, then write to my publisher’s publicity department. Ask them for a review copy. And by god, if you get a free review copy- review it! Send that review to my publisher so they can use it! Post it on bookseller websites! Give the review copy away to other readers when you’re done. Pay for it with sweat equity- spreading the word is buying my books.
And honestly? If you’re just going to download it illegally anyway, don’t tell me. I’d rather not be personally acquainted with the people pushing me out of the publishing business because the book they want isn’t available at the price, or the format, or the region they want it in RIGHT NOW.
Because that’s what it boils down to is convenience. People who illegally download books are more interested in their convenience than in supporting the authors they want to read. It’s not hard to go to the library, it just takes time. It’s not hard to buy a physical copy and convert it to a personal digital copy if you’re willing to make the time and effort. It’s not hard to buy a legal digital copy and convert it to the format you want. Dear Author has tutorials. It’s not hard to ask someone in the $region to post you a copy.
You simply have to want to. So if you were inclined to illegally download anyone’s book, if you’re one of the people trying to find an illegal download of my brand new book that’s not even in stores yet: please buy it. Or check it out. Or ask for a review copy.
Or please read another book that’s instantly, and legally, available to you so that books continue to be instantly, and legally, available to you.
Thank you.
-Saundra
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Want to Get to Know Me Better?
I love answering questions, especially about myself. I think it's a vanity thing but I'll pretend it's because it leads to introspection. Anyway, people have been asking questions about me personally so I figured I'd fill out a survey, just like I do for my characters when planning a book :D Enjoy.
1. What time did you get up this morning?
12:30. Went to bed at 6AM
2. How do you like your steak cooked?
If a team of highly skilled surgeons could bring it back to life, I don't want it.
3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema?
Tron: Legacy. Kickin' soundtrack.
4. What is your favorite TV show?
Hmm. Currently "Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex". It sticks with me no matter how many times I see it.
5. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be?
La Push, WA. My heaven.
6. What did you have for breakfast?
Didn't eat breakfast.
7. What is your favorite cuisine?
Currently Indian, but I also love Italian
8. What foods do you dislike?
Lima beans, homony, liver
9. Favorite Place to Eat?
Don't really have a favorite place to eat, but I love the german hot chocolate at Global Bean in Silverdale.
10. Favorite dressing?
Don't eat dressing.
11. What kind of vehicle do you drive?
Dodge Shadow Convertible. If I have my way, I will only ever own convertibles. I like the wind in my hair and driving at night with the stars shining directly over my head.
12. What are your favorite clothes?
Off the shoulder tops (because I love my shoulders), tank tops, blue jeans and tall boots with a heel.
13. Where would you visit if you had the chance?
Hong Kong or Petra. Though I want to travel the world. I'd go anywhere.
14. Cup 1/2 empty or 1/2 full?
Why is it always a cup?
15. Where would you want to retire?
I can't imagine retiring right now. Do artists get to retire?
16. Favorite time of day?
Early, early morning. 2AM to Dawn.
17. Where were you born?
Bremerton, WA at 10:42 AM in the middle of November. High noon Scorpio for sure.
18. What is your favorite sport to watch?
MMA and dancing.
19. Favorite song to dance to?
Don't have one. But I did just help Emily with a routine to Rhianna's "Only Girl" so that's been pretty stuck in my head. Fun to dance to.
20. Favorite board game?
Candyland. Though I rarely play it the way it's supposed to be played. I like to make up stories with it.
I also love twister, even though that's not a board game ;D
21. Dominant or Submissive personality?
I never want to dominate. But I am *not* submissive by any stretch of the imagination. I am in complete control of myself at all times. If I give in to you, it's only because I absolutely wanted to. And I get ticked when I'm not obeyed or things don't go the way I planned.
22. Are you satisfied with your life?
*shrug* I could be a lot less satisfied. I'm a selective perfectionist. Can a perfectionist ever *really* be satisfied?
23. Are you a morning person or a night person?
Night owl in the extreme.
24. Do you have any pets?
A cat. One day I want chickens bad.
25. If you only had one day to live, who would you spend it with?
I live every day like it's my last day. So if I'm talking to you, feel honored. XP
26. What did you want to be when you were little?
A warrior princess. No lie. And I think I'll get there one day.
27. What is your best childhood memory?
Playing in the back woods of my old house near Silverdale. It was magical, even if I did have a permanent stinging nettle rash from trying to run barefoot.
28. Are you a cat or dog person?
Cat. Most definitely.
29. Are you married?
No.
30. Always wear your seat belt?
Yes.
31. Been in a car accident?
A few of them. The top of my spine is wonky because of one.
32. Any pet peeves?
Selfishness and carelessness. People being rude to women. People abusing children. People getting in my space or touching me without my permission. People hurting the people I love.
33. Favorite Pizza Toppings?
Meat. I'm such a carnivore.
34. Favorite Flower?
Roses. Monkey faces (pansies). Forget me nots. Morning glories. Any kind of chaotic patch of wildflowers.
35. Favorite ice cream?
Super chocolatey kinds
36. Favorite sport to do?
Boxing and dancing.
37. Favorite play?
"Cyrano de Bergerac" or "At the Edge"
38. Favorite material?
Leather and silk.
39. Favorite compliment?
Once I went in for a job at a club. The staff was nervous I'd be too nice to work night shifts, since you gotta be kinda mean to kick out drunks. I guess one of the lead bartenders just tossed her hair back and laughed at everyone and said "Nice and sweet? On the outside maybe. I bet you anything that behind closed doors that girl's a super freak." I always liked that. And I got the job.
Recently someone also said I look like I could be a stripper. I don't think it was meant as a compliment. But I loved it.
40. Greatest personal achievement this year?
Being able to look in the mirror and say with complete confidence that I love who I am, I wouldn't trade places with anyone for an instant. Feeling confident, beautiful, capable and free. Feeling truly like me.
Monday, January 10, 2011
New Painting: "With Bated Breath"
A painted version of my most popular sketch. My first full painting using both acrylics and watercolors.
Interested in purchasing this piece, either the original or a print, visit my shop! my shop!
Interested in purchasing this piece, either the original or a print, visit my shop! my shop!
"With Bated Breath"
8x10, full wrap Acrylic an Watercolors on canvas.
8x10, full wrap Acrylic an Watercolors on canvas.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
"Virtuosas" Series Completed!
My latest completed art series, "Virtuosas" is finished! Check it out!
Interested in purchasing any of these pieces, either the originals or prints, visit my shop!
"Juliet"
16x20 Acrylic, full wrap on canvas.
Juliet, from the ballet "Romeo and Juliet" is probably one of the best known tragic female leads in history. The idea of "star-crossed lovers," two people who are deeply in love but fate constantly seems to be trying to rip apart, is one that used to keep me up at night as a child (and, to be honest, still does now). I've spent much of my life pondering over such stories. Cyrano and Roxanne (from my favorite play of all time), Tristan and Isolde, Guinevere and Lancelot... the list goes on and on. And, while I have a whole slew of opinions about how in love Juliet really was, I can't help but be in love with the tale of Juliet and her Romeo. It breaks my heart and inspires me to this day. I wanted to honor her in my paintings. I gave her royal violet slippers, my favorite slippers of the entire series and she is the only woman actually dancing in the set, moving with all the grace of a ballet virtuosa, because true love never rests. My tribute to star-crossed lovers everywhere.
"Odette"
16x20 Acrylic, full wrap on canvas.
Before I even knew it was a ballet, I loved the story of Swan Lake. I wore out a cartoon version of the story (An old one, not the musical one most people know about). In the ballet, Odette is the white swan, a captured princess who is everything a classic princess should be: pure, innocent, beautiful, gentle. But the interesting thing is, Odile, the daughter of the villian of the play, is played by the same dancer. Odile is the black swan, seductive and bold, passionate and tricky. This dual nature to the same dancer is fascinating and, whenever I look at this painting, I think of how every woman has a little princess of light and a little sorceress of dark in her. And I think both should be celebrated.
"Giselle"
16x20 Acrylic, full wrap on canvas.
One of the things I love about ballet is that there are many stories that just would not be as powerful if told any other way. Giselle is one of those stories. A big part of the ballet involves Giselle's spirit protecting her lover from a horde of vengeful ghosts who want to kill him. The dark tones and Giselle's loyalty and fearless defense of her love, even after death, was both haunting and powerful to me.
"Cinderella"
16x20 Acrylic, full wrap on canvas.
I've loved the story of Cinderella since I was a little girl and I wanted the famous Cinderella ballet represented in my series. The classic story of a woman who finds herself and her confidence and uses it (and a little magic) to pull herself out of a life of servitude has always been powerful to me. I think, in this day and age, when money is so tight and the world seems so dark, this message, that we can direct our lives and take ourselves out of situations we don't want to be in is crucial.
Interested in purchasing any of these pieces, either the originals or prints, visit my shop!
"Juliet"
16x20 Acrylic, full wrap on canvas.
Juliet, from the ballet "Romeo and Juliet" is probably one of the best known tragic female leads in history. The idea of "star-crossed lovers," two people who are deeply in love but fate constantly seems to be trying to rip apart, is one that used to keep me up at night as a child (and, to be honest, still does now). I've spent much of my life pondering over such stories. Cyrano and Roxanne (from my favorite play of all time), Tristan and Isolde, Guinevere and Lancelot... the list goes on and on. And, while I have a whole slew of opinions about how in love Juliet really was, I can't help but be in love with the tale of Juliet and her Romeo. It breaks my heart and inspires me to this day. I wanted to honor her in my paintings. I gave her royal violet slippers, my favorite slippers of the entire series and she is the only woman actually dancing in the set, moving with all the grace of a ballet virtuosa, because true love never rests. My tribute to star-crossed lovers everywhere.
16x20 Acrylic, full wrap on canvas.
Before I even knew it was a ballet, I loved the story of Swan Lake. I wore out a cartoon version of the story (An old one, not the musical one most people know about). In the ballet, Odette is the white swan, a captured princess who is everything a classic princess should be: pure, innocent, beautiful, gentle. But the interesting thing is, Odile, the daughter of the villian of the play, is played by the same dancer. Odile is the black swan, seductive and bold, passionate and tricky. This dual nature to the same dancer is fascinating and, whenever I look at this painting, I think of how every woman has a little princess of light and a little sorceress of dark in her. And I think both should be celebrated.
16x20 Acrylic, full wrap on canvas.
One of the things I love about ballet is that there are many stories that just would not be as powerful if told any other way. Giselle is one of those stories. A big part of the ballet involves Giselle's spirit protecting her lover from a horde of vengeful ghosts who want to kill him. The dark tones and Giselle's loyalty and fearless defense of her love, even after death, was both haunting and powerful to me.
16x20 Acrylic, full wrap on canvas.
I've loved the story of Cinderella since I was a little girl and I wanted the famous Cinderella ballet represented in my series. The classic story of a woman who finds herself and her confidence and uses it (and a little magic) to pull herself out of a life of servitude has always been powerful to me. I think, in this day and age, when money is so tight and the world seems so dark, this message, that we can direct our lives and take ourselves out of situations we don't want to be in is crucial.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Update! (With Pictures!)
A few updates about my books and Art. You ready?
Update One: New Display for "The Areane Journals!"
Recently I announced that my first book series, "The Areane Journals" will be coming out in hardback later this month. In honor of the release, I comissioned a custom display from Jennifer DiMarco of Blue Artisans Design and it's freaking gorgeous! Check it out! (I'll post more pictures when I have it at my house loaded with books... and of course when it's set up in the store!)
The Stand
It lights up!
The stand in the dark. So cool!
Update 2:
My second series of paintings, "Virtuosas," is finished! You can find out more information about each piece here
Update 3: I did a handstand last Monday!
Okay, so not a work update. But I was proud of it. ;D
Launa
Update One: New Display for "The Areane Journals!"
Recently I announced that my first book series, "The Areane Journals" will be coming out in hardback later this month. In honor of the release, I comissioned a custom display from Jennifer DiMarco of Blue Artisans Design and it's freaking gorgeous! Check it out! (I'll post more pictures when I have it at my house loaded with books... and of course when it's set up in the store!)
The Stand
It lights up!
The stand in the dark. So cool!
Update 2:
My second series of paintings, "Virtuosas," is finished! You can find out more information about each piece here
Update 3: I did a handstand last Monday!
Okay, so not a work update. But I was proud of it. ;D
Launa
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