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| Blakely Chorpenning -writer in progress |
I live in a cozy North Carolina town with my crazy beautiful
family. We bustle, we hustle, and I write in between. When I'm not writing
paranormal and urban fantasy, I enjoy controlled chaos, anything shiny, soft,
or fuzzy, and have a knack for breaking electronics...with my mind.
I started writing a manuscript about supernatural shenanigans one evening eight years ago. I had just sat down to write at first. Write what? I wasn't sure. But it turned into a novel -something I've wanted to accomplish since middle school. This endeavor changed my life. When everyone used to ask what I wanted to be when I grew up, I said, "A vampire, of course...and an anthropologist...and maybe a librarian...and a classical guitarist...and a mortician...and a professional rollerblader (*sigh*)...and a skydiver...and some type of arts & crafts guru. Is there such a thing?" But it didn't take long to realize that through writing -something I've always had a passion for- I could have it all.
Having an agent, publishing house to call my own, and successful writing career, however, are not as easily obtained as other dreams. Over the years, I've used that first manuscript as a stepping stone of learning curves; my 'what not to dos' and 'HOLY GOD, why did I do its!' Everything I know now has been hard won through many mistakes and hours spent researching the correct ways to go about things. I'm nowhere close to being a publishing maven who has ALL the answers, but I stalk agent blogs, stay up-to-date on trends (moreso to avoid pitfalls), strive to make my writing the best it can be and, maybe the most important of all, practice good karma with fellow writers and authors. If I can mention a good Indie read in a Tweet, I'll do it. If I can support someone's blog by participating in conversations or link them to my page, why not? And, coming soon, I plan to post monthly (or bi-monthly) interviews of writers and Indie authors.
Throughout my publishing endeavor, I've also written numerous short stories, have a novelette in the works for blog installments, and recently finished a shapeshifter novella. If you've read my novella blogs, you know where I stand with that. I've been turned down for more than just low word-count issues, though. There always seems to be an element in my writing that leaves agents asking for more and then saying, "Thanks, I almost took it, but here's the reason why I can't..."
So this is where I am in my quest: I still foresee working with an agent and/or small publishing house in the future. However, I'm thinking self-publishing is the way for me. There is something wild about it that draws me in. We have been flirting from across the room for some time, and that's why I've decided to close the gap.
So why not come along? You can watch me make an ass out of myself, fall on my face, and hopefully -just hopefully- create something meaningful.
