Making Your Dreams Come True

I'm an advocate for making your dreams come true. It started with the dream of going to school in Paris. I'd been taking French since I was 13. I found a way to live this dream in 1992. An abroad program through my local Jr. College made it possible. It was amazing. I highly suggest living abroad and going to school. You'll never regret it.

Next, I've been working on my dream to be a writer. This has been going on since the early 90s. I started by writing adult sci-fi/fantasy and later moved to children's fantasy stories. I joined a writing organization called the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators(SCBWI). This led to fantastic opportunities for learning the craft of writing. It also introduced me into the field of writing through the business aspect. Years later, I now have a novel out, and am working on my second.

But what happens when your run out of dreams? Mid-way through life, people have what's called a mid-life crisis. You take stock of your dreams. Have you done them all? Did you maybe forget some that you need to still try? Did you run out of dreams?

This week, I lived another dream. A dream I didn't think was possible. I kept telling myself, no, you can't. There's no way it can happen. Then it did. And it was thanks to my husband.

I am the new owner of a Mini Cooper Clubman. I'd been wanting a Mini for over 3 years after riding with a friend on a weekend get-away. She convinced me it was the coolest, most fun car I'd ever been in. Not to mention the fact I love British things, music, and even married an Englishman. This seemed like a practical dream. A Mini is a statement, not to mention complete with it's own subculture.

Now factor that I do Renaissance Faires and have started my own Ren. Acting Guild. I kept telling myself, no way, you can't own a Mini. It's too small.

Then, my husband took me on a shopping trip to meet a Clubman in my favorite color, burgundy. It's a car that has more room, folding down seats, and all the style of the Mini. It was the answer to my dreams. I can fit my stuff as a teacher and for doing faires, as well as enjoy the fact it's a Mini. I was signing the papers by the end of the day, trading in my Saturn for my new Mini.

So, when you think you're out of dreams, or you keep telling yourself they are not possible, remember, it can happen. Never give up a way to make them come true. Every time I reach one dream, another appears. And someway, I make it happen. Don't give them up. Keep those dreams coming. It is what makes life, interesting.

Tiffany Turner is finishing her second book in her Crystal Keeper Series. The first book, "The Lost Secret of Fairies" is available as a paperback and Kindle Edition on Amazon.com.

Thoughts on Michael Jackson's Passing Today

I’ve had trouble concentrating on writing today. I just stopped when I heard the news at 4pm. I’ve not been able to do work the rest of the day, it’s been such a shock. So, I thought I should get some of the feelings out in my blog. At least that way, I’m writing.

I’ve been in shock for the last several hours. I think of the memories and music Michael Jackson has brought, and it brings back feelings of when I heard on the news about a guy named Elvis Presley dying.

Michael is being dissed left and right on many message boards right now. However, there are a lot of positive things to say about him. I wanted to add to the memories being shared. I think the whole world has them. I wanted to join that sharing as we remember him today.

He was a true musical hero to many. I do hope he is remembered for his music and what he brought to the world. I hope most of the negativity and bad press died with him today, and he’s remembered for the music he brought to us all.

I’m going to remember him for the memories. It’s what I’ve been doing since most of the scandals started in the mid-2000s. My favorite moment is probably at the peek of “Thriller” being released. It was the Summer of 1983. There was nothing cooler than roller skating to tracks off the album when going out as a 12 year old. Yes, you can imagine the disco ball and lights playing during the roller skating. Yes, my blonde hair was feathered. And if anything like “Beat It” or “Billie Jean” came on, it was a fast skate. It was the coolest thing to grow up with. He was truly the King of Pop.

I still have the vinyl of “Thriller” in storage along with my other records. I’m glad I held onto it.

Tiffany Turner is in the middle of doing final revisions on her second book "The Lost Secret of the Green Man". Her first book, "The Lost Secret of Fairies" is available in paperbook and as a Kindle edition on Amazon.com.

Kindle Release: "The Lost Secret of Fairies"

The new Kindle version of "The Lost Secret of Fairies" was released this week. Check it out in the Kindle store.

Here's a bit about the book:
Wanda had always read about adventure. Now she was in the middle of one. The World of Fairies is real, and she is their new Crystal Keeper, human caretaker to the World of Fairies. But the Fairy World is in trouble. The fairies are falling ill from the pollution that ravishes the world above. Wanda has to find the key to their cure, before it's too late.

But like in all adventures, there are a few unanswered questions to solve. What has happened to the old Keeper? What are Germites? And can Wanda get used to her cat giving her backtalk while trying not to get grounded for helping the fairies? Join Wanda on her adventure, while she finds out that sometimes the best solution to a problem is the one you find within yourself.



"The Lost Secret of Fairies" is listed on Amazon.com as a paperback and now as a Kindle edition. It's listed at the bargain price now of $3.19 in the Kindle store.
Book 2, "The Lost Secret of the Green Man" is in it's final revision.
Artists are feverishly working on the cover and illustrations.
It should come out in the next few months.

Start Your Child's Summer Reading List

Your child loves fairies. So why not get a challenging book for your child this summer. "The Lost Secret of Fairies" is the first book in the Crystal Keeper Chronicles. In this series, Wanda is an 11 year old girl that discovers that fairies are real. But then, I'm sure your child believes that already. If so, here is the book for them. This book is not your average fairy tale.

Book 2, "The Lost Secret of the Green Man" will be released during the summer. Get them started on the first book in the series to get them ready for the exciting release of Book 2.

St. Patrick's Day Magic-The Leprechaun

St. Patty's Day is a special day of Irish Heritage in the US and Ireland. Though it is most often associated with the famous St. Patrick that brought Christianity to Ireland, it is also famous for wearing green, leprechauns and four-leaf clovers. The pot of gold signs with rainbows may decorate the office, but where did all the leprechauns come from? Why are they connected to the Irish?

Leprechauns are one of the most famous fairies or fey in Irish myths. The legends tell of Leprechauns being solitary shoemakers. According to Sir Walter Scott's book "Fairy and Folk Tales of the Irish Peasantry", they are also confused or combined with two other fairies, The Cluricaun and the Red Man. The Cluricaun tends to drink the ale away in the cellar while the Red Man enjoys doing practical jokes. Sometimes they are considered the happy brothers of the Leprechaun.

The Leprechaun legend continues with tales of becoming rich if one can find the Leprechauns gold from selling his shoe wares. Later in legends, the rainbow became a marker for the hiding spot of the Leprechauns acquired treasure.

Whether you find gold, Leprechauns, or at least a chance to spy a rainbow on St. Patty's Day, wear green in the tradition of showing support for Irish Heritage. It's a way to share your history or even join in the fun that the Irish Culture loves to do, sing, dance, and be merry. May there be luck for you this day!

Tiffany Turner is the author of a new fairy series called The Crystal Keeper Chronicles. Her first book entitled "The Lost Secret of Fairies" is available through Trafford Publishing and Amazon.com. The second book in the series "The Lost Secret of the Green Man" will be released this summer.

References:

1. "Fairy and Folk Tales of the Irish Peasantry" by Walter Scott. Original published date 1888.
   
   
2. "Encyclopedia Mythologica: Fairies and Magical Creatures" by Matthew Reinhart and Robert Sabuda.

It's Good to Be Fey

Research can take you in different directions. Sometimes the best is when you role play. Having created my own Fairy World with my book series “The Crystal Keeper Chronicles”, I try to get into the mindset of fairies. Sometimes that can be easier if you play one. Cut to the Legends of the Fey show I participate in at different Scottish Games in Northern California. Researching and developing a Comedia Dell'Arte style fairy show gives me loads of research material to pull ideas. The show is monologue based that revolves around the message of conserving and protecting the environment. Each person portrays a fairy character presenting a monologue describing their legend and message concerning the Earth. Many ideas for the fairy show come from researched fairies in different Irish and Scottish Legends.

Standing up in front of a crowd to tell about fairies gives a different spin on my research. I‘m teaching about the legends of fairies as I do in my books, except it is a more visual perspective to research. I can see people’s reactions to my dialogue and maybe even give myself a real feel for what it would be like if fairies could be truly seen. Plus, we create our own costumes from descriptions in research or our own imaginations. This helps me picture what the fairies may look like and describe them later in my books.

Through this performance research, I find new ways to describe my Fairy World. Plus, it is a lot of fun. There is a definite feeling holding an oak staff as the Woodsprite that you can’t get through normal research methods. That feeling can be used in my writing. As I describe myself to the audience in a monologue, it gives a living breathing version of what it is to see and be a fairy. Sometimes, it’s good to be Fey or at least play one.

Tiffany Turner is researching and writing her second book in the Crystal Keeper Series: The Lost Secret of the Green Man. St. Ita’s of Cill Ide: House of Nobles is a Renaissance Acting Guild that performs at different Scottish Games Living History Areas. The Website is located at www.stitas.net.

Ups and Downs of Writing: From Deadlines to Revision

Deadlines, deadlines. They help motivate and drive you to your ending point. With the end of the second book in sight, I strive towards that ending. Finally, having started Chapter 11, I can feel the end in sight for the second book "The Lost Secret of the Green Man."
But there is more to writing than deadlines. It's all about the revision. Once that first version of the book is finally in black and white, than the fine tuning and polishing begins. Most people don't get much revision techniques taught in school. It is the hardest part of writing to teach. So, it is also the hardest to learn, because just like Math, it takes practice. But I also think the revision is the most fun, because that is where an author can add layers. The theme is brought out more, character details are added, and the manuscript is fleshed out. One of the many things I've learned from writing my first novel and now it's sequel, is that there is always more to learn about writing.
If you want to find out yourself, I've posted the first of different writing projects onto my website for new or established author's to try out. They are even encouraged for children as well. Having been a teacher for over 10 years, I have developed Writing Workshop projects over the years that I find are very effective to get those creative ideas following. My website can be found at: http://www.tiffmeister.net/writer.html Keep looking for new projects to be added each couple of months. You never know what you can create until you try it yourself.