I’m Now Officially a Published Author!

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Adventure, art, Author, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, book, books, Circus, Circus of Chaos, Creative Writing, Freak Show, happy, Horror, Life, life journey, my life, New Update, Novel, personal, reading, Scary, Spooky, Story, Suspense, The Circus of Chaos, Update, Work, Writer, Writing

Hi friends.

I realize that it has been a while since I’ve been on here, but I promise that I’m not dead yet. I got a new job in writing and am a lot happier now. I just needed some time to adjust. On top of that, I have an important announcement:

I’M NOW A PUBLISHED AUTHOR!!

Yes, you heard me right. I have finally published my first book. If you’re interested in checking it out, especially since it is spooky season, here’s the information:

The cover of my novel.

AVAILABLE NOW:
On the Lulu.com Bookstore
The Circus of Chaos Book 1: Freak Show by S. S. Greene

For those who are fans of Steven King, Dean Koontz, and the horror/thriller genre: The Circus of Chaos Universe presents Book 1: Freak Show. When conjoined twins, Lena and Paulina, find themselves being sold off at a young age to a traveling circus as a part of their freak show, they find a sense of community and family in their new home…until, one day, tragedy strikes. Feeling most vulnerable after a tragic “accident,” a visit from a stranger turns the twins’ lives upside down as he offers one of the sisters the deal of a lifetime. When the promise of a new life with a body of their own is dangled in front of one of the sisters, will they take the deal of a lifetime, or will the deal be their ultimate demise as destruction and chaos continue to unravel around them? Will the sisters make it out alive?

Available as an e-book, paperback, and hardcover.

Please Note: This novel will be mass distributed to Amazon, Kobo, Apple Bookstore, Google Play, and Barns & Noble Nook Store soon.

DISCLAIMER The hardcover and paperback copies HAVE NOT YET been proofed by me for cover formatting. These versions are considered “PROOF COPIES” until approved by me. CHANGES MAY OCCUR.

Link to the e-book: Click here

Link to the paperback version: Click here

Link to the hardcover version: Click here

AVAILABLE NOW!

If you are interested in checking out my website, here’s the link to it: Click here

If you are interested in following my instagram account, this is the handle: @s.s.greene.author

Thank you for all of the patience and support!

-NotYourAveragePerson

Writer’s Block

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Advice, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Creative Writing, Help, Life, my life, personal, Tips, Writer, writer’s block, Writing

I’m having a bit of writer’s block while writing blog posts recently. I know I’m not posting as often as I used to, and I’m only posting on an “if I have time” basis, but I’m really stuck.

So, I have some questions:

Have you gone through writer’s block before?

What did you do to help with writer’s block?

Do you have any advice for me on how to get out of this slump?

Do you have any suggestions for topics that I can write about?

Thank you all for the advice and help in advance, and until next time, Happy Trails!

-NotYourAveragePerson

Why I Want to Pursue Writing as a Career

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Adventure, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Creative Writing, happy, job searching, journey, Life, life journey, my life, Novel, personal, reading, Work, Writer, Writing

I know that with the amount of people who are becoming authors today, the market is becoming more and more saturated and competitive. Even so, I’m still determined to chase my wildest dream of becoming an author and writing as a career.

I’m not worried about “making it” as an author. To be honest, I wouldn’t care if my books were a flop. Why? Because it’s something that I’m doing for myself so that I can be proud of myself for getting this far.

Does this mean I won’t try? Absolutely not! I am going to try. I am going to advertise and market my books, but I’m also not going to be disappointed. I’m not allowing myself to be disappointed.

This is the most exciting career pivot that I’ve ever made. Since I was young, I’ve always wanted to be a writer!

Freak Show by S. S. Greene is going to be launched later this month/early August 😊

Thank you for reading this reflection, and until next time, Happy Trails!

-NotYourAveragePerson

The Supernatural and Paranormal: to See or Not to See

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Animals, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Dog, fun, haunted, interesting, Life, my dog, my life, Paranormal, personal, Spooky, supernatural, Writer, Writing

It’s no secret that I believe in ghosts. I’m not talking about the “put a sheet over your head with eye-holes” kind of ghost, but I’m talking about spirits.

Since I was young, I was gifted with the ability to see spirits. I can’t speak to them, but I see them. They range anywhere between orb to detailed apparitions. If one had a message, I would be able to hear it through my dreams. They would appear and say something to me, then leave before I’d be able to say anything back.

Today, there are orbs that appear in my apartment and around my dog. I took a picture of him through an orb by accident once. There are a few other pictures of my dog that have been tampered with by spirits. I believe there is a spirit following my dog and a couple that are haunting the apartment.

The picture I took of Churchill through an orb.

I know my dad is still with me and looking after me. He likes to play with the plush bear that he gave me that has looked out the back window of my car since 2016 when I got the car…it likes to move and look out the different windows in the back of my car when I’m stopped at red lights exactly the way my dad used to play with me when I was little.

I know you all know my stance on these things, and I would love to hear yours! Do you believe in the supernatural and paranormal? Why or why not?

Until next time, Happy Trails!

-NotYourAveragePerson

To Make a Website or Not. Is it Really Necessary?

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Advice, aspiring author, Author, author journey, author website, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Life, Novel, Tips, website, Work, Writer, Writing

As you all know by now, I’m incredibly close to publishing my debut novel hopefully by the end of this month or early next month. There has been one thing on my mind: should I make an author website for myself or not?

I was leaning towards “no” for a while, but after talking to a friend who is an author, they said to do it. The biggest plus is reaching more readers who might be interested in my novel. The biggest downside that I see is cost because I’m on a budget.

I like the aspect of having an email that is not my personal one for fans and inquiries, especially because I do not like to mix work life with private life. I also like that I have a place to show everyone the novels that I have written, and if I really deem it unnecessary, then I can just cancel the domain name subscription.

I know, I know…I guess it’s a “yes” to the author website, but I was so unsure of where to buy my domain, then I realized that WordPress sells websites, domains, and personalized email addresses for said websites. Since I know the interface better than anything else, and it’s within my price range, I think I’m going to be sticking to WordPress.

My only real big concern, I guess, is what else I would put on my website. I know my books and updates on new releases and a contact page are a must, but what else would go on the website?

What do you guys think? Do you think that having an author website would be a “must have” for me? I’m trying to make novel writing a career for me. It’s definitely not a side-gig. It’s something I’ve always dreamed about making my career.

Thank you for reading! Until next time, Happy Trails!

-NotYourAveragePerson

The Long Hiatus is Over

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Blog, Blog Post, Blog Update, Blogger, hiatus, Life, Long Hiatus, Novel, Novel Update, Update, Writer, Writing

Hello everyone!

I’m sorry that I was gone for so long. A lot has happened in my life recently, and I had to take a step back from writing my blog posts.

I do have some good news: my first novel is gearing up to be published soon late this month or early next month. I’m so excited! It’s been almost a year since I started writing Freak Show. I cannot wait to see it blossom into fruition.

Just an update to my blogging: I will most likely just write two posts a week for the time being, but once I get more time on my hands, I will start blogging more often.

Thank you everyone who has been supportive and has stuck with me through this long hiatus. It’s really appreciated.

Until next time, Happy Trails!

-NotYourAveragePerson

Why My Name is S on My Blog

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Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, fun, Game, interesting, Life, my life, personal, Scary, Stalker, Writer, Writing

A lot of my blog followers wonder why my name is only S on my blog. Well, it’s simple: I don’t want the wrong people to find me. For something so simple, it is a very long story…

I won’t go into detail because, as stated before, it is a very long story, but essentially, I have a stalker. I also do not wish to share the full story in fear of drawing their attention to me on here. As far as I know, they do not have a WordPress account, but who knows nowadays…

What did I do to deserve this? I simply stopped talking to them after I realized what type of person they are. When I moved my horses from the same place that this person was at to a different place, they contacted the barn that I moved to in order to “warn” them about me. I kept silent. They did this two more times whenever I moved my horses. The crazy thing was that I had blocked them on all of my social media accounts and blocked their number too by this time, so they had to have either made a fake account to stalk me or have someone else stalk me. My privacy settings are set to high on my social media accounts.

What action did I take? I took screenshots of the messages that she had sent to these barns (the barn owners would send them to me, then ask me about the person) for evidence just in case, then I deleted my Facebook account, cleaned out my Instagram account, and put my Instagram account on “private” mode. I haven’t heard a word since.

Why haven’t I taken further action? Easy. They are all bark and no bite. They talk a lot, but there has not been any action to harm me or any of my horses. It’s just been annoying, demeaning gossip that I do not wish to have in my life or have my horses’ lives threatened. Plus, legal action is expensive! I’d rather not deal with it for someone who is just running their mouth.

If you really would like to know my name, you are more than welcome to guess it. Better yet, I will give you a hint: it is a name that was in a famous one-hit-wonder song from the late ’70s. If you guess it right, I’ll let you know, but don’t be alarmed if the comment is not put on “public” display.

I hope that you have fun with this name-guessing game, and until next time, Happy Trails!

-NotYourAveragePerson

You Win Some and You Lose Some: January 2023 Gymkhana

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Animals, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Competition, equestrian, equine, Fail, fun, Gymkhana, horse, Horse Competition, Horse Owner, Horse Show, Horseback Riding, horses, Life, My Horse, my life, My Pony, personal, POA, POA Pony, ponies, pony, Riding, Show, Show Time, Treasure, Writer, Writing

To say the Gymkhana on January 21, 2023 was a shit show would be an understatement. We had so many odds against us including not being able to ride for two weeks due to rain, me throwing my back out the day before, and only having a 10min warmup.

We had three really good rides: Poles I (we got such a good time that it was a higher division AA time), Speed Barrels, and Single Stake Race. We got a 6th in AA division for Poles I, 6th in A division for Speed Barrels, and 5th in A division for Single Stake Race.

Poles I

Speed Barrels

Single Stake Race

We had two rides that were absolute shit: Big T and Quadrangle where we go “no times” on. I’m deciding not to post the videos on here because I’m honestly embarrassed by my mistakes. Please don’t judge…

So what happened if everything started off so well? Let me explain this to you: this was 100% my fault and not Treasure’s fault. I probably should not have ridden in the Gymkhana what with having my back out and having scoliosis…the scoliosis exacerbated every little pain. For those two events that we got “no times” on, I went into the first turn, landed in the saddle in such a way that it made my back spasm, resulting in my right leg clenching onto Treasure’s sensitive spot on his side, which in turn, caused him to run out from beneath me and start bolting. Both times, I brought him back to the finish and told the gate person that we were done. My poor pony was traumatized and was so worried that he did something wrong to cause me to clench onto him even though I kept telling him that it was not his fault.

This goes to show that we are not perfect. I probably asked too much of him way too soon too. This was only our fourth Gymkhana.

What our gameplan is for the next Gymkhana is to just slow everything down. Maybe trot the turns and canter the straightaways. I want to gain his trust again and boost Treasure’s confidence as well as mine. We may not be competitive next time, and that’s okay. The most important thing to me is not the ribbons, but that Treasure has fun and feels like a little king again. Speed will come with time. I also plan on practicing for the next Gymkhana three times the week before (weather permitting) like we used to. He’s going to be fitter, we both will also be more confident that way. I’m also not going to do any heavy lifting the day before so that my back is nice and happy.

Though this Gymkhana didn’t go as well as planned, I am still so proud of Treasure, and I call it a success in that I learned something valuable. We also had three really good runs out of five. Proportion-wise, that is a success for us!

As the saying goes, you win some, and you lose some. This experience has just made me more determined to do things right next time.

I hope that you all are having a great start to your week, and until next time, Happy Trails!

-NotYourAveragePerson

The Temperature Blanket

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art, Artist, artists, Arts and Crafts, Blanket, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Craft, Crafting, Crochet, DIY, fun, interesting, Life, Natural, Nature, Temperature, Temperature Blanket, Writer, Writing

As most, if not all, of you know, I’m an artist. Not only do I paint and draw and write, but I also crochet.

This year, I started on a new project for the new year: a temperature blanket. What a temperature blanket is it coincides with the temperature outside. So, every day at noon, I check and record the temperature for my area of residence, then I color code it to the yarn that I use for that day.

Here is the color guide that I made up:

Temperature:

35-45 degrees- white

46-55 degrees- light blue

56-65 degrees- purple

66-75 degrees- pink

76-85 degrees- yellow

86-95 degrees- red

96-105+ degrees- sheer maroon

The temperature is recorded in Fahrenheit. This project is a fun one because once the year is over, I can see how much the temperature changed throughout the year. Southern California weather has been very strange this year with a lot of cold fronts and rain storms. I have not seen anything like it in all of my 28 years of life (I have never moved from Southern California).

Here is my first project picture. This was taken on January 15th, 2023 and had 15 lines completed. You can see how drastic the weather has changed already. The next update will be in mid February.

15 lines of the temperature blanket completed. Apologies for the awful lighting. I don’t get home until after dark.

I hope you all have fun crafts of your own, and until next time, Happy Trails!

-NotYourAveragePerson

New Endings and New Beginnings

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Adventure, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Excited, Excitement, happy, Job, journey, Life, life journey, Marketing, Marketing Coordinator, my life, New Job, New Update, personal, Update, Work, Writer, Writing

On January 31st, I will be saying goodbye to my job at Riverside Temple Beth El and will be embarking on my new journey on the career path that I’ve always wanted to have: Marketing.

You are now looking at the newest Marketing Coordinator for American Consumer Shows (ACS). I am so incredibly excited about this opportunity.

ACS is one of the biggest event planning companies in the USA currently. I will be working remotely from home and will have East Coast hours, which is exactly what I wanted because I am an early bird. I will start working at either 5 or 6am and will be ending at 1:30 or 2:30pm.

The thing I like the most about ACS is the fact that there is a lot of growth opportunities within the company and a lot of mobility throughout the company. Good work is also rewarded. This is HUGE for me!

I put in my two week’s notice to the temple yesterday, which was bittersweet. There were many tears (not mine), but I promised them that I would continue to be a congregant and would help support them remotely until they find another office assistant. This isn’t goodbye or farewell, it is merely a “see you later.” I made a lot of meaningful friendships at Riverside Temple Beth El that I plan on continuing to keep. I’m not the type to burn bridges, and I am still very thankful for the time that I spent there with them.

Without further ado, if it takes me a bit to respond to comments, and if I’m not as active in reading and commenting on others’ posts, it is because I have been super busy with filling out the paperwork and onboarding for my new job. I start on my birthday, February 7th. Please do not take it personally! I will be back in full swing soon!

I hope that you all are having a wonderful week, and until next time, Happy Trails!

-NotYourAveragePerson