Kenny Rogers and the Writer in Me

I grew up around music. I’d been singing most of my life. As you can see from this picture, my piano lessons (which didn’t quite take…too impatient) started early, too.

But music was the first art I was introduced to, and it’s what soothes my soul.

My passion, however, belongs to the written word. There’s something about telling a story whether by poetry or by prose that has always captivated my attention. It’s a world in which I have the patience and perseverance to study, to practice, to re-write (you know, the dread word–edit) until you have something of worth and beauty.

Although the first album I ever purchased was Michael Jackson’s Thriller (a classic, to be sure), it was Kenny Rogers who left an indelible mark on my life through his amazing voice and incredible skill at story telling.

The first song of Kenny’s that I recall hearing was The Gambler. The tale had intriguing characters, real life lessons, and a story you could actually see come alive if you closed your eyes. I. Was. In. Love.

Kenny spoke to the writer in me. He fired my imagination. He even made me look at music a bit differently. In fact, music actually features prominently in my writing style. While I can’t listen to it while I’m actually writing (I have a tendency to type whatever words I’m hearing), finding the right music before I start to write helps me effectively convey the correct mindset or emotion for my scene or characters.

For example, if I want to portray a heartless villainess? A song like this one (I’m a military brat, so you do a vet dirty, I’m gonna have issues) will put me in the right mindset to create a real bitch.

Or if I want to convey someone who’s had rough breaks in life, but has always done the right thing, but in his current crossroads, he has to play dirty to be the hero, I’d play something like this one, a personal favorite.

Or maybe the lovers are both dumbasses (because let’s be honest, that happens) and we need them to realize they’re about to lose everything, or maybe that they were never right for each other and it’s time to let go… This one fits the bill.

Or when I need to capture the heart of the relentless soul who dreams big and will find a way to make it happen…

And when my hero is headed the wrong direction and about to eff things up with the heroine because he’s so busy with the wrong things he takes her for granted? This song does it for me…

At the end of the day, it’s his poetry and lyricism that engaged the writer in me so strongly. He made you feel his songs, and they were so relatable.

In fact, in my latest release, A Way With Words, I shared several song lyrics I’d created exclusively for this release and can’t help but feel maybe his energy influenced me. Here’s a taste of one of them…

“Did you see me
Through the haze of desire
The passion and fire
That you shared with someone else,
Did you see me?

Was I stupid?
To believe in promises made,
The foundation we laid
When I gave you my ring.
Was I stupid?

Chorus:

Did your words mean so little
You could throw me away
Tell her you love her,
Worship her body
In the bed where we lay?
Was I so easy to betray?
I deserve more than this.

Will you realize
That my heart can be broken
I deserve more than token
Lies to make me stay, I won’t look away.
Will you realize?

Chorus:

Did your words mean so little
You could throw me away
Tell her you love her,
Worship her body
In the bed where we lay?
Was I so easy to betray?

I deserve more than this.
Did you lose me
Or did I find my rebirth?
Discover my self-worth
In walking away, not looking back
Yeah, I found me.

Chorus:

Did your words mean so little
You could throw me away
Tell her you love her,
Worship her body
In the bed where we lay?
Was I so easy to betray?
I deserve more than this.
Yeah, I found me.”

So I owe a huge debt of gratitude for all the joy and inspiration Kenny’s music has brought me “Through the Years.” (See what I did there?) LOL!

Who inspires you? Is it music? Movies? I’d love to know…

And to close out, I think it’s only fitting I share a song he did with one of his oldest, dearest friends… It’s like they knew. And besides, he felt like an old friend to me, too. Rest in Heaven, Kenny.

S.H. Timmins is Coming Out of the Shadows

Writing is an amazing thing. It can help to build all the most incredible relationships. A lot like reading can find you some amazing, like-minded friends, sharing a passion for creating stories can do the same thing.

It was actually through a Facebook book club where I met the intrepid S. H. Timmins, author extraordinaire. Heck, these days, we help admin the page together along with two other terrific book lovers.

So, of course, when I learned that her most recent book was coming out, I begged her for a chance to pimp it…and her…to my fabulous friends who follow my blog. And she agreed to honor me with an interview to introduce her to you guys.

Me: When did you start writing? 

S.H.: I have always been writing short stories for my own pleasure, and finally took the leap into independent writing as a career path in 2015.

Me: When did you realize you wanted to pursue this passion professionally? 

S. H.: When did you realize you wanted to pursue this passion professionally?
A: It was my mother who always encouraged me to pursue writing as a profession. I lacked the confidence in my ability, but she always saw the best in me. When she passed away in 2013, I channeled my pain into written words to help cope with the loss. After a year of purging my grief, I found the courage to write my first novel.

Me: I’m so sorry to hear about your mom, but I’m sure she would be so thrilled to know her encouragement made such a huge difference in helping give you the strength to pursue your dreams of becoming an author. Speaking of authors… What authors inspire you?

S. H.: So many authors have inspired my passion for books and reading. Most of my early years were spent reading paranormal and fantasy fiction. Later, I would discover a whole new world of independent authors that opened my eyes to incredible possibilities. Tara Sivec and Emma Chase were the two authors that inspired me to write my first book; a romantic comedy titled, Bent.

BTW, Bent is currently available for $.99, so go ahead and click that link! And her newest book, Lies in the Shadows, just released today! And she’s willing to share her thoughts on her characters with us. How cool is that?

Me: Tell me what characteristics you love most about your hero & heroine?

S. H.: All my heroines are independent and their own heroes. The heroine in my latest book is brave and resilient. She endures and doesn’t break. Qualities we all strive to nurture in ourselves. I’m not sure what characteristics I love about my hero, but I enjoyed how his character evolved with the story and showed personal growth in the end.

Me: What did you hate most? 

S.H.: I hated having to keep the big twist a secret until the end of the book. It’s not easy keeping a secret.

Me: What was the most difficult part to write in this book?

S.H.: The most difficult parts of any book for me to write are the love scenes. It is hard to make them realistic, yet fantastical. There are only so many words you can use before it becomes redundant and the scenes lose their luster.

Me: What was your favorite part to write in this book?

S.H.: My favorite parts to write in this book were the interactions between the characters. I always enjoy watching them come to life on the pages and how they develop their own personalities.

Me: Wow! Talk about awesomeness. Thanks for stopping by and sharing! Now it’s time to pimp away, lady!

✫
¸.•´¸.•*´¨♡ ¸.•*¨
It’s Live! Available on Amazon and Kindle Unlimited! ✫
¸.•´¸.•*´¨♡ ¸.•*¨
♡ ¸.•´✶

Lies in the Shadows by S.H. Timmins
A Darkest Needs Novel – Book Three

There is a difference between
living and existing.
Sometimes you need to
walk with the nightmares
to find your way back
to the light.
He lied to me.
He lies to everyone,
including himself.
But I know a secret.
He may want to break me,
but he is healing us both.
This is my truth.

Amazon
• US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07HCDJ261
• CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07HCDJ261
• UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07HCDJ261
• AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B07HCDJ261

And if you want to follow this awesome lady, she can be found on Facebook HERE. Or her Amazon author page HERE.

So please stop by, show Sandra some love…and share in her excitement by congratulating her on her new release!

 

The GirlBoner Goddess, August McLaughlin!

 

Hey everyone! August McLaughlin has been one of my very dear friends for quite some time now. We met through blogging and found very quickly that we had a shared passion for female emotional and sexual empowerment. We need strong, sexual, sensual women! Too often sex has been wrapped up as a weapon or as something bad or negative, and through our own experiences, we’ve found our voices to help.

So, of course, when I found out that my girl was putting out a book made for the women we love to embrace and empower, I had to show her some love. As always, she graciously accepted the opportunity to share on my blog. (BTW, you’re going to want to read to the end as there may be an opportunity for YOU there.)

Me: Welcome to theinnerwildkat, August! So glad you could join me! I’m just going to dive in and pick your beautiful brain, ok? Tell us how the GirlBoner brand came to be…(How did you get the inspiration? Where did the name come from?)

August: Like many people, I learned very little about sex and sexuality during my youth. In sex ed, I remember learning a little bit about male sexual pleasure—at least that it existed—and zilch about anything positive for gals. So as soon as I learned what “boner” meant I literally wondered, What about Girl Boners?
Years later, embracing my sexuality helped me heal from a severe eating disorder. Once I’d built a writing career, it felt natural to use my platform to shed light on the type of sexual empowerment that helped save my life and that so many people still stand to gain.

Me: What of the subjects you covered in your book were most eye opening to you?

August: One of the biggest involved the (creepy) history of masturbation—or, rather, how solo play has been viewed and, no pun intended, handled. I want someone to write a thriller about that history one day. It would make an excellent movie! 

Me: We may have to dig deeper into that subject at a later time if you’re willing. But for now, let’s keep going. What did you find most entertaining? Maybe even funny? (Heck, sex can be both amazing and funny, right?) 

August: Heck, yes! Some of my favorite kicks and giggles came from my editor’s notes. I remember one clearly: “Did you mean to say ‘ring around the peenie?’” (I guess you had to be there!) (Also, yes, I did.)

Me: What about creating your brand—between your books, your radio show, your blog, BOAW—wowed YOU most?

August: I was stunned to find that I enjoyed blogging. My then agent had suggested it, and I was like, “Write more?” I was already writing articles nearly full-time and working on another novel. But I loved blogging straight away, and far more so when I started breaking the “rules” and focusing on material I felt compelled to explore with the goal of having fun or helping others.
Another biggie was realizing how important connection is to me. Talking with people and sharing others’ stories has become a major passion of mine, and fills in emotional gaps when I’m spending a lot of time in the writing cave.

Me: 

August: 

Me: 

August: 

Me: 

August: Probably that your mission is your reward. I wrote about this on my blog recently, but in short, I initially thought my Girl Boner book would release within a year or two once I launched the blog series—which was many proposals, two agents, multiple rejections and plenty of life ago.
In that time, though, Girl Boner has taken me in directions I hadn’t anticipated and allowed me to learn so much about myself, sexuality and my audience. I’m not sure we writers can write an impactful book without knowing who we’re speaking to on a deep level, especially when it comes to nonfiction.

Me: 

August: 

Me: 

August: I’m kicking of a book launch tour with readings, live Girl Boner Radio recordings and more in Minneapolis, LA, NYC, Las Vegas and hopefully other cities, starting August 11th. I’m really looking forward to mixing and mingling with folks across the country. Between trips, I’ll be working on other-things-Girl Boner from home, with my animal coworkers.

Me: 

August: 

Me: Well said! And with that, how can we get our hands on one of your hot new books?

August: The book is available for pre-order on amazon HERE. I’m running a little sweepstakes with The Pleasure Chest for anyone who preorders, which people can enter HERE! Thanks so much for having me, Kitt. You’re spectacular. 

Me: August, you’re welcome here anytime! Congratulations and good luck! Also, thanks so much for mentioning me in the book! Sooo HONORED!

Now, it’s time for you guys! What do you think? Any questions for me? August? Feel free! Also, you should really follow this woman. She’s got a ton of amazing knowledge to share if you’re interested. 

Life’s Too Short

I’m baaccckkkk!

Ok, so many of my friends here noticed my short hiatus turned out not to be so short. And yes. There were a few adventures along the way, but really, deep down, I got stuck again. I somehow found myself living one of my favorite melancholy Manilow songs…

Ok, replace “my woman” with just plain ol’ me (or my inspiration would probably be more accurate) because the other isn’t quite an accurate fit, but you’ll basically get the gist. Once again I allowed myself to get sucked into a career that drained me of some of my most valuable commodities.

Time.

And energy.

And once again it was for people who didn’t even know, understand, or appreciate my personal sacrifices. But that’s in the past.

I took a new job that is not nearly as demanding of my time, nor is it as draining of all my mental capacities. So, despite some personal tragedies along the way that I’m not quite ready to talk about (too fresh), I’m finally getting back to me!

Yesterday was my first time in a long time to post something I’d been inspired to share in quite some time. 1. It was great to be inspired. 2. It was awesome to have time and energy to share. See the theme?

I even got the chance to meet up with a friend for lunch, then brainstorm and information gather from a friend I’ll be using as a resource for my next book! He helped me flesh out characters that would work with the plot line I had envisioned. It felt great!

As always, there’s a song that helped inspire and engage my creativity with this relationship. Apparently it’s from a movie. I’ve never seen it, but the undercurrents spoke to me…

So I’m sorry I’ve been away so long. Hopefully I’ve learned my lesson. I’ve missed you guys. Am I forgiven? What’s new in your worlds?

Checking In to Say I Haven’t Checked Out!

So things in my universe have suddenly gotten very “whirlwind-y,” but that doesn’t mean I’m gone or have disappeared. I promise. In fact, tomorrow will be my first day off in about 14 days and I’m looking forward to it with bated breath.

I also have some friends lined up to come by and visit with us all…and I can’t wait to share them with you, but in the meantime, here are some things that have brightened my smile and helped give me the energy I need to persist.

Yeah, so maybe I have a bit of a girl crush on Naya Rivera… Who could blame me? Santana’s effin’ hot! Of course, I’m equally in love with Rachel Barry’s voice, but who isn’t? Seriously, Lea Michele is uber talented, and despite her shitty ass year of losing her fiancé, Cory Monteith, she’s plowed on….continuing with Glee AND releasing a new album!

Then there’s this one… one of my all time fave musicians, Billy Joel, playing with Jimmy Fallon. Tell me this app is not badass! See, this is why I love working “in my real life” in the wireless technology biz. So many cool things.

This song reminds me of my sister and me when we’d sing together in our youth… And yes, these two young ladies from the tv show Nashville are sisters in real life, too. Oddly enough, it was my younger sister who tended to do the harmony when we sang, too. 🙂 And then there’s the lyrics… How uplifting to remind us that it’s the simple things that count!

Finally, although Christian Kane is (and always will be) my all time favorite Leverage member (and an awesome musician in his own right), there’s something absolutely enchanting about listening to Hardison (aka Aldis Hodge) play this particular Scheherazade solo. Yeah…with the hectic chaos that has been the last two weeks, I’ve found it soothing.

What about you guys? Anything new, fun, or just beautiful that you’ve discovered lately that you’d like to share? What’s new in your lives? I’ve missed you guys!

Where To Find Beautiful

With all the terrible sadness and tragedy of this last week, my heart has been a bit heavy. My thoughts have been with those in Oklahoma who are going through so much right now. My prayers have been filled with them and childhood and online friends who’ve recently been diagnosed with cancer.

I needed my heart to be soothed. To remember the good in the world. To be empowered and inspired.

Today I thought I’d share with you the things that have touched me….and hope that they speak to you, too.

Here’s some poetry from a young lady named Botlhale Boikanyo from South Africa’s Got Talent at the age of 11.

Next is Kellie Pickler and Derek Hough’s Freestyle performance Monday night on Dancing With The Stars. It brought tears to my eyes. The emotions were so clearly displayed. She bared her soul with that dance. (The song was gorgeous, too.)

My last addition is a song sung by Jotta A, a Brazilian boy. I believe he was 12 at the time of this particular recording. I think it might be from Brazil’s Got Talent. You can definitely tell English is not his first language as he mispronounces some words, but the heart of the song…the message…  He delivers that, loud and clear. He’s singing Chris Tomlin’s Amazing Grace/My Chains Are Gone.

Where do you go when you need to add a little beauty to your life? Have you seen anything that’s wow’ed you lately? If so, please share it with me!

Muses And A Comedy Of Travel Snafus

After a crazy day of travel that started way too early on less than three hours of sleep, I’m finally settled in to my new digs.

Many of you are writers or artists of some sort, so you’ll understand. Yesterday my inspiration bug bit. My problem? My house was still in shambles from our dinner party the night before and I was catching an 8 am flight the following morning.

Here’s the thing about priorities… My to do list should have been as follows:
1. Pack for my 3+ week trip
2. Clean up my messy kitchen and dining area (so hubby won’t have to)
3. Write…if there’s time.

What actually happened? I followed my muse, of course, causing #1 and #3 to flip in priority order. Since I was on a roll and wanted to finish my WIP…..that’s what I did. During my breaks I loaded the dishwasher and started to pack. I finished packing around midnight. Finished my WIP at about 2:30 am. My alarm was set for 5:30 (saved time by showering at midnight).

At 5:45 my friend picked me up for the airport. I kissed hubby and the dogs goodbye and was on my way.

I should have known today would not go smoothly when I waited more than 10 minutes for the curbside check in guy to finish with the only couple in front of me only to check in at the counter instead. At the auto check-in the lady told us TSA was busy and had an hour long wait. I was almost through the line when the couple who’d been checking in curbside finally got there. Good thing I didn’t wait. Right?

Our flight left on time, and even arrived in DFW when it was supposed to. The problem? There was still another plane at the gate. We sat on the Tarmac for over 30 minutes. My actual arrival time was 9:51am. My connecting flight began boarding at 10:10 with a scheduled departure time of 10:40. By the time I made it off the plane it was already 10:36. I did what any seasoned traveller would do. Stop at the gate and talk to the lady at the counter in an attempt to get them to hold the flight for a few extra minutes.

As The woman and I talked the gate told her I had 10 minutes. She’d already mentioned the next flight, but they’d told her to have me rush to catch the shuttle and try to get my flight. I was in D concourse and my flight was in c. Gamely I rushed to the new gate, huffing and puffing through my poor sinus infected body, bogged down with luggage and expecting to die of what might become my first asthma attack. I got there 5 minutes after the flight took off. Of course!

Next, they rescheduled me for a later flight…leaving in a little more than an hour. Sweet! Except it was all the way back where I started. In D concourse. At least this time I didn’t have to kill myself. The time gave me a chance to grab a bite of the worst seasoned orange chicken and fried rice I’ve ever had…and to take my meds.

Finally I got on my flight to El Paso at 12:45. I was thrilled! This time everything went off without a hitch. Well, till I got my voice mail saying the rental car place was giving my friend a hard time about me getting the car on her credit card. No worries, though, the hotel has shuttles to and from the airport. With Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte in hand I was ready to conquer anything. Good thing because I didn’t see my luggage on the carousel! Fortunately, when I walked into the baggage claim office, my bag was already there…waiting for me.

So here are a couple of pictures of my new home for the next few weeks…

What about you guys? Have you experienced Murphy’s law while traveling? Tell me the story… What do you do when your muse and priorities collide?

Thank You For Inspiring Me

The 16th of this month marked my 2 two month anniversary with WordPress. I’ve blogged elsewhere before (Livejournal, Blogger), but I’ve never been a part of such a welcoming community as I have since joining here.  Truly, I’ve enjoyed the diversity of people I’ve been following.

I’d like to give special shout outs to people who have really gone out of their way to include and encourage me.

Mae Clair has been wonderful. I stumbled on her purely by accident when she was talking about writing in general and her passion for it in particular. This month her book was published and she’s been busy “blog touring”. I’m so happy for her and the success she’s finding. It couldn’t happen to a nicer lady!

It was through Mae that Sheri DeGrom and I were introduced to one another. With her passion for books and her amazing reviews, not to mention her unique perspectives on things, I became a big fan. Any author should be flattered if Sheri takes the time to write a review on them. She really knows how to intrigue and attract readers. Not only does she write fabulous reviews, but her advocacy for Veterans is heart warming.

Then there’s LJ Kentowski. She recently moved her blog over to the dark side…;-) She was introduced to me when Mae reached out and asked if I’d heard of Triberr. We’ve been fast friends…and sisters of the dirty mind. If you haven’t met her, or you lost track of her with her blog move, you should check her out. She’s warm and friendly, with a sideways sense of humor.  LOL!

When it comes to TV shows, Girl Crushes and music interests, I feel like I found a soul sister in Emma Meade. Then I found out she has a racy side.  Definitely a sister of the heart. Next week I’ll be featuring her “naughty side”. She’s one cool chick! Check her out.

Phil Lanoue and his photography has an amazing way of telling a story through pictures…and really showcasing the beauty of nature. He’s also a very nice guy who always welcomes new people and comments. He always takes the time to respond.

Since then I’ve made some really awesome new friend along the way… Some really cool poets like “V” and “Ye Pirate Gunn” and some inspirational people like Katie who boldly blogs about her weight loss journey with fun and humor.

Anyway, these last two months have been awesome, so I just wanted to thank everyone…for welcoming me and for the encouragement. Hopefully I’ll be able to return the favor and pay it forward. I’m also always looking for new, interesting blogs…so if there is someone you think I should be following…share! I’d love to see who inspires you…to write, to laugh, to get healthy…whatever! Let me know who they are and why they inspire you.  Thanks again for the warm welcome!