Category: Uncategorized

Student Spotlight of the Week

Posted on by Jennifer Gregson

Hey readers….I hope you enjoy this fun mock interview I did featuring Carl and his buddy from the paper, Melanie – characters from my latest YA novel, Etta and Gina.  If you liked this, join my newsletter to receive the first four chapters of Etta and Gina here!

Melanie: So I’m here with Carl Templeton, who is a member of five after school clubs. How do you keep everything straight Carl?

Carl: I color code my calendar and have multiple alarms on my phone, which shows up on my smart watch. Basically, my tech keeps me running.

Melanie: Smart, but how do you find the time to do your homework? Do you ever sleep

Carl: Yes, I get the recommended eight hours a night. I use my time on the weekends to get homework done mostly and the after school clubs I’m a part of don’t require much extra time. We play chess in Chess Club, speak french and practice our conversation skills in French Club for example.

Melanie: What do you do for fun

Carl: Build robots, play chess – I’ve been teaching my Dad – and helping my Mom with the garden. We created a whole hydroponic tomato growing station in our backyard, they taste amazing! 

Melanie: Ever think about joining the paper?

Carl: Yes, I’ve thought about it, but I’m not sure I have time for that. It does look fun and I love writing. 

Melanie: Do you play sports?

Carl: No, but I watch the baseball teams here because of my sister, Gina. Or well, I did, but she’s now in the Spring musical so I guess I’ll go to that. But I don’t play anything, unless you think Chess is a sport?

Melanie: Not really.  

Carl: Yeah, I didn’t think so. 

Melanie: Well, this has been our student spotlight of the week, thank you Carl for being here with us. Hopefully we can catch up as you’re running from one place to another again soon.

Carl: Thank you for having me.

NaNoWriMo 2022: My Favorite Technique for Starting a Novel

Posted on by Jennifer Gregson

Do you fear the blank page when you sit down in front of a new document? Starting a new novel can be terrifying, but I have something that might just make the process less scary – even, dare I say it, fun!


Let me introduce you to one of my favorite Tarot spreads for starting a novel.  I created it a few years back and it’s been super helpful for me and my own writing. It allows me to get clear on my main character’s actions and motivations, who else is in the scene and what their motivations are, and any conflict or problems that need to be addressed within the scene.

 

If you’d like to see me go through the process using my own NaNoWriMo novel, click here to watch this week’s YouTube video.

 

Before you start, grab your outline and notes so you have that information handy. Grab your favorite Tarot deck, something to write on, and a beverage!!  Let’s go…

 

Once Upon A Time Tarot Spread

  1. What is your main character doing in this scene?
  2. What is your main character’s motivation in this scene?
  3. What is the problem or conflict that your main character is going to encounter in this scene?
  4. Who else is in this scene?
  5. What is their motivation?

 

 

Things to think about

 

If you already know who’s going to be in your scene, you could skip over question 4 and pull multiple cards for question number 5, one for each other character in the scene – that totally works!

 

And the beauty of this spread, it can be adapted to work with other scenes.  Yes I created it as a beginning your novel spread to help with that blank page issue, but if you get to a point in your outline or writing and you don’t know what to do, grab your cards and ask who’s in the scene, what’s their motivation, and what’s the overall conflict or problem and see what comes up

Unpacking The Privilege I Have In Being Able To Say I’m Not Political

Posted on by Jennifer Gregson

After weeks of watching protests, listening to people on my Instagram feed, and reading articles and books I have realized how privileged I’ve been to be able to say I’m not political, or I don’t like to discuss politics – or the even more cringe-y worthy one, I hate politics, how boring. 

 

I have been thinking long and hard over these past few quiet weeks about where I stand, what values I hold, and how I think about the world…and I just assumed you, my lovely readers, would know some of these things but that’s not necessarily true. So, let me say very clearly – I stand in solidarity with Black people and I truly believe that all lives can’t matter until Black Lives Matter in this country (and in larger part, all over the world). 

 

What is happening to innocent black men, women, and children in this country is very wrong.  If all lives mattered, as I have heard people say time and time again, then we should have cared so much earlier about our citizens getting gunned down while driving, while sleeping, while jogging, or while playing in the park. 

 

Saying I’m not political or I don’t like to discuss politics shows my privilege. I should have cared sooner, I should have paid more attention, I should have been doing this reading and listening much, much sooner and for that I’m sorry.  But, I know better and from now on I will do better.

 

Writing these truths and being this honest is scary, because I don’t know if I’m going to say the right thing, but I also know that I didn’t want to say nothing at all. I am not a front line person – although I think the protests are needed, but I have been signing petitions, sending emails, adding new authors to my TBR list, reading books, listening to people’s stories, and sitting with how I can make a difference.

 

For starters, I’m going to get more involved in my local elections. I have always voted in the big Presidential elections every four years since I was old enough to vote, but I’ll be honest – I very often skip the little elections because I assumed they didn’t mean that much to everyday people.  Again, I was very wrong.  They affect my neighbors, they affect my friends, and they affect me and my family.

 

I vow to start researching how my tiny part of Queens does things, who is in control, what kinds of elections can I get involved with here – closest to home. Then expand that to Queens as a large borough and then on to New York City and finally, New York State as a whole. 

 

Once I’ve learned and explored and done that work, I’ll move on to the US government. I know from High School how things work as a general rule – or how they should work – but I want to expand that knowledge.  Like: Who are the Senators for NY? I’m embarrassed to say, I don’t know. I know our Mayor and our Governor and I assumed that was enough.

 

I plan on sharing what I’ve learned, how the research is going, and what it takes to get involved – mostly on my Instagram stories if you’d like to follow me over there.  But I can definitely write an update in the next month or so and share any links, books, podcasts, etc. that I have used. 

 

And, if you’re a lovely reader in a country outside of the US and would like to share resources with me to share with my larger readership – send me an email and when I do my next roundup, I’ll include them with your name and social media handle (if you’d like).  

 

I believe that together we can make this world, this country a better place for everyone!!  

Lunar Planning: Using The Moon To Help Me Achieve My Goals

Posted on by Jennifer Gregson

Awhile back I came out of the broom closet about my new found witch title. I’ve had a few friends and family look at me with wide eyes and wonderment, but the thing is – I am still me, just with a slightly different spiritual journey. One where I am connected to nature, Mother Earth, and the Moon.

I love the moon and have been fascinated with her since I was a small child. Now I use the phases of the moon to help me achieve my goals. I use her cycle to help plan my month and my weeks. How? Let’s start at the beginning of the cycle – although, it’s a circle so there’s technically no BEGINNING, but since today is the New Moon I thought it would be a good place to start.  

New Moon

When the sky is dark and the moon isn’t visible.  It’s the perfect time to set new intentions. It’s when I journal, use my tarot cards and sit with what I want to accomplish for that cycle.  I usually set 1-3 intentions using present tense language. For example, I want to create a fun, easy, Instagram strategy where I can connect with others and enjoy my social media time.  

I personally make this a small ritual for myself.  I have a tall white candle that I light while laying out my tarot cards and journaling about what I want to achieve that month.  Then I write my intentions down on an index card and place them into my Universe box – which is just a cute gift box that has some pretty tissue paper and my offering – for me, it’s one of my birth year quarters.     

First Quarter 

About a week later, I look over my intentions and set one action for each one that I want to work on that week.  Again, using our Instagram example – I might write down in my planner: Set aside one hour this week to make fun, colorful images for the upcoming posts.  That’s it, just one action 

Full Moon

Letting go, releasing what no longer serves me and setting another action for the week.  Again, I do a small personal ritual with journaling prompts, my white moon candle, and tarot cards.  I will write down what I’m releasing on tissue paper and flush it away (as burning stuff in our apartment isn’t always safe).  So, again, using my example I might write: I am releasing self-doubt and worry. Down the toilet it goes!

Last Quarter

About a week after the full moon, I one last time look over the intentions and choose a final action for the week.  At the end of this week is usually the dark moon where I will review my month before starting over. Now, this can be debated (is it different or the same as the new moon) but for me, I like to take a small moment for the dark moon, ending one cycle before beginning a new one.  

And that brings us back to the New Moon again.  I usually have some ideas of what I want to work on, but I use the tarot cards and my journal to guide me and I set 1-3 new intentions (or I’ll revamp an old intention for the new cycle – depending on the goal and what I want to work on).

For me, this works – it gives me time to pause, connect back to my goals and my desires and what I want out of life.  It gives me a chance to slow down, take time for myself and connect with others either online or in my New Moon Circle that I go to here in Queens. Going forward I hope to continue this practice, deepening it even more, connecting with the moon’s powers to transform me in ways I can’t even imagine right now.

Do you use the moon as a guide? Do you have any questions about the process? Would you like to see sample questions or even a tarot spread? Let me know by commenting below and then, come over and join me on Instagram to see me in real-time share my process via Stories for the next month (maybe longer if people seem interested).

I hope you have a magical day – now go and set some New Moon intentions of your own!

 

The form you have selected does not exist.

Goodbye 2018, Hello 2019

Posted on by Jennifer Gregson

Baby New Year is about to make his appearance again as we say goodbye to 2018 and ring in 2019.  Every year around this time, as I’m scrambling to buy Christmas gifts (seriously, why do I always wait until the last flipping minute?) I’m also thinking, planning, and gearing up for new goals, new dreams, and new experiences.

Goodbye 2018

2018 saw so many of my big writing goals come true – I started a newsletter/mailing list (psst…if you haven’t signed up yet, you get a FREE short story anthology eBook and awesome notes from me twice a month – sign up here ) and I self-published my debut novel, The Art of Lying (available from Amazon), in April!  I started working on my 2nd novel and started outlining my 3rd novel. I took classes, started working with my writing coach, and wrote more words than I have in the past two or three years combined!

2018 also saw us taking a non-Disney vacation and having a great time – we went to Great Wolf Lodge and did all the big water slides and enjoyed the lazy river! We spent time with family, we hung out with friends, and my kid started second grade (how is that possible?!?!).  This past year I also quit working for the VA company I was working for and went out on my own – and immediately got two kick ass clients (swoon!).  It’s been a pretty good year, and next year looks to be just as amazing!

I always choose three words to help guide my year – this year it was Courage as my main word and Magic and Open as my support words.  I definitely called upon my inner courage to achieve my goals and to quit the VA company and have faith in myself to go out on my own.  I started reading and studying and practicing witchcraft and using magic to manifest my dreams and I was open to ideas, people, and things that came into my life – seemingly from nowhere – to help guide me toward my big goals.  So this year, I sat and I thought and I journaled and I came up with Joy as my main word and Sacred and Balance as my support words.

Joy 

The past few years have been filled with grief and sadness and I want to enjoy the little moments in every day, I want to write with joy every day, and I want to enjoy my time on Earth for as long as I’m gifted.  I want to enjoy hobbies, friends and family, and my day job.  I want to feel lighter, happier, and be more pleasant to be around.

Sacred

I want to treat my body and my apartment and the Earth as sacred places.  I want to treat myself with kindness, find movement that’s fun and helps me feel like my best self. I want to clean up and organize our apartment so I can have friends over and know where things are – not be so frazzled.  And I want to continue finding ways to treat our home planet with love and understanding and that includes the people that inhabit it as well.

Balance

I want to have time for everything, including myself, every week.  My son, my husband, my parents, my family, my friends, my hobbies, my writing, my day job, etc and so on and so forth.  We all wear so many hats and I want each hat to get its time during the day, week, or month.  I want to feel whole and centered throughout the day knowing that each thing will get its time.

Hello 2019

And with my words come my big goals…and this year I decided to be a little loose with things.  I want to have certain areas of the apartment “finished” by mid-year.  I want to have Etta (book #2) done and up on Amazon by the Fall. I want to have started Circus (book #3) by end of year – meaning, first draft done and to my editor and possibly starting the edits by this time next year so we can self-publish in early 2020.  I want to have a rotating list of fun movements that I can do every day depending on energy level and weather.  

I want to have a rotating list of activities that bring me joy that I can do at least once a day.  I also want to learn to play my guitar so I can actually play one song by this time next year.  I want to attend a real life NYC planner event and make some planner girl friends.  I want to be consistent with Instagram (I have a whole plan for how to do this – but I don’t want to bore you – just know I want to post every week day, do some stories and engage with other writers and YA readers online).  

I also want to take another vacation this year – most likely over the summer – with my husband and son.  We just need to see if we can swing Disney or if we need to branch out and try something else.  I have a ton of dreams, plans, and mini goals to help me with these steps – but I’m not being super rigid.  I mean, this past year I had to throw out 78K words of a first draft because my story idea completely changed and I need to make sure that I have space for those kinds of things, because life happens.

Now, it’s your time — do you choose a word for the year?  Do you big goals for the new year? Or do you do 90 Day or Quarterly goals?  Do you have a vacation or ideas already in the words for 2019?  I want to hear from you, so share in the comments below. And have a safe and happy Christmas and New Year’s Eve!!!  

See you next year!