Ready for the Next Level

Hey everyone! While I hope you’ve been doing well, I gotta be honest and say, I’ve had a lot of things working against me.

It’s fine, I know it’s just time to level up and hit my stride with the next era of my life. And I’m feeling overall good about it. But what no one tells you in the aftermath of a breakup or losing a writing gig (as both of those things happened to me recently) is that it’s perfectly normal for emotions to fluctuate.

Meaning, some days I feel great like I want to take on the world, pouring myself into my new blonde attitude and motivating myself to meet my goals. Other days, I’d rather just sit around and scroll through Instagram. If you relate to that feeling, I wanted to take a moment and share what I’ve been doing to combat that sluggish, icky, “why me?” energy that does more harm than good.

• Get out and about more! For me, that meant joining a gym. The way I see it, this has two, very crucial components to it: both feeling good and meeting new people.
• Refocusing my short- and long-term goals. Kinda hard to make progress in any one direction when you don’t even know where you’re going, isn’t it? That’s why investing even a little bit of time in knowing exactly what you want out of your life is going to pay dividends. Or, if you’re not sure yet, that’s totally okay. Just think about the general direction of where you want to end up, and take concrete steps to get that momentum going.
• Changing up my look. Now I’m not asking you to go crazy and pierce your whole face or something radical, but if you’ve been craving a particular new sparkle, I say go for it! I’ve had my nose pierced for a couple years now and it’s pretty much my favorite decision I’ve ever made. That plus changing my hair color gave me a much-needed new perspective on life and all the messiness that it brings.

While these ideas aren’t guaranteed to change your mood permanently, they’ll certainly help you find your stride again, so I highly recommend giving them a try.

I also believe that once you look at challenges at opportunities to grow and better yourself, your whole outlook changes. Suddenly, the things that snuck up on you out of nowhere don’t feel so bad. Once you learn that you control the mindsets you move into, you’ll be unstoppable.

As for the concept of leveling up, it’s something that I’ve been thinking about…

… for a while as I wrote the second book in my virtual reality coming-of-age duology, Forgiving What I Couldn’t Change, a couple years ago. While Vera quite literally has to survive the game to get out alive, she’s also got to level up her mindset to make her life better. I’m so proud of this book, and if you liked Maze Runner, Sword Art Online, or Jumanji, it’s safe to say you’ll love it too.

Read the full Rewind Duology on Amazon HERE.

Thank you for being here, and best wishes as you hit your stride on your next journey. Exciting, isn’t it?

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Hello Summer, Goodbye Free Time.

As we approach the official-unofficial start to summer, I was just thinking the other day how I used to look forward to this time of year more than any other. I’d be out of school (no more homework – yay), away from the bullies (duh), and could wear whatever I wanted (no dumb private school dress codes at home). Given how amazing this time of year typically is for me, I’m actually going into it this year feeling a bit stressed.

Wait no – that sounds depressing.

I don’t mean this to sound like a total downer, but there are so many different things happening this summer that I didn’t have to juggle back in my school days.

Things like…

• Freelance blogging
• Editing
• Crocheting art for my vendor shows
• Training to teach guitar
• And somehow still carving out time with my boyfriend (yep, that’s new – read this post for more on that)

They’re all good things of course – but I’ve learned that not all stress is something negative. In fact, sometimes the best things in life freak us out for totally normal, human reasons. And that’s totally okay! But these particular things are requiring a fair amount of adjusting, so I better step it up and reorganize if I ever want to make any headway on my next book.

It’s not what you do with your time so much as the habits you form.

If you’re like me and plan on nixing your habit of laying in bed until noon, that’s naturally going to free up a lot of your time. So sometimes the little changes you apply to your life make all the difference. Don’t be afraid to celebrate those! I’m learning to listen to my body. When I’m tired, I sleep. When I feel motivated to work, I work. Simple as that! Of course, sometimes there are hard deadlines that I have to hit, either for clients, or for a scheduled art show. But aside from those caveats, I let me body and mind lead the process.

Productive rest is also something I want to get a lot better about.

You know, doing something restful besides mindlessly scrolling through Instagram for the umpteenth time that day. Watch your favorite movie, cook something yummy, go out with friends. There’s so much more to life than what you can do. Instead, think about what you can be.

“Be a human being, not a human doing.”

My Quantum Energy Healer, Dr. Mark Mincolla

This particular mantra has always been the toughest for me to master. But I’d wager that’s largely due to societal pressures that make us feel worthless unless we’re actively producing something. But you’ve gotta remember that there are so many wonderful things you bring to the world just by being yourself. Don’t forget that.

Hopefully you’ll be able to have a restful and productive summer. If you have any tips for striking that perfect balance, feel free to reach out to me in the comments. I’d love to hear what you’ve managed to accomplish despite feeling burnt out like I often do!

Happy summer, everybody. Let’s roll.

P.S. – Add my books on Goodreads if you’d like. That would be pretty cool 😉

Girl Bossing to the Highest Degree

I’m exhausted just writing this post, but I wanted to check in with you guys before I buckle down for the remainder of the holiday season.

You know those memes about Girl Bossing too close to the sun?

That’s me right now. I’ve literally got a few different paid gigs to juggle, alongside my art business (Custom Crocheted Critters on Instagram if you’re curious). And I’m on the board for my author association (you know, the Association of Rhode Island Authors) coordinating their volunteers for the big expo THIS WEEKEND (December 11th). And on top of that, I’m also mentoring a couple high school seniors interested in the writing and journalism fields. So short answer: that’s a lot. I love all of it, but it’s got me pretty stressed lately.

What I’m doing to mitigate the effects of such a packed schedule is the following:

Me at one of my recent book signings – a nice warm up for next week’s ARIA Author Expo!

• Listening to my body: When I feel tired, I rest. Sounds simple, but it’s way underrated. And rest doesn’t always mean sleep! Sometimes it’s as simple as curling up with a good book instead of working myself to exhaustion.
• Minimizing my carb intake: This is something I’ve definitely spoken about before, and I don’t do it perfectly. But small changes like swapping out a midnight bag of chips for a protein shake are huge.
• Advocating for what I’m worth: Yes, in the freelancing world, there are countless smaller gigs that are fine for beginners who need to pad their resumes. But you know what? I’m now an expert in my field with a resume a mile long. And this is because I spent the last few years post-grad honing my skills. I’ve learned a lot, and now I’m quite literally, worth more. So I charge accordingly.
• Constantly working on myself: This is as simple as tracking my mindsets and fixing them. Not that it’s necessarily easy, but there is so much you can do to enrich your life by taking up journaling. Self-awareness is where it’s at, so start creating the life you want instead of complaining about it all. My faith in Jesus has also been a major part of this. Feel free to reach out anytime if you’d like to know more about that!
• Exercising regularly: Okay, this is one I’m actually still working on, but I typically love going to yoga class weekly. And walking the dog counts, right? Lilly appreciates the chance to sniff around the neighborhood and handle her outdoor business.

These aren’t one-size-fits-all suggestions, but I do believe they can help you live your best life.

Over time, you’ll create new habits – and what better time to do that, than at the end of the year? That’s right – I too keep forgetting that 2021 is virtually over. But that’s kind of perfect, since my book is called Forgetting What I Couldn’t Remember. And no – it’s not about senility. I’m only 24, after all!

It’s actually about the intriguing way that trauma affects how memories are stored, and the way we have to work through that to be our best.

My character, Vera, deals with all of this alongside time travel, old bullies, and new romance. Want to dive in?

Read more about this book (and all my other ones) on my website.

Wherever you find yourself this holiday season, I truly hope you take time for you! There is so much to be grateful for, as long as you take the time to remind yourself.

If you’re still shopping for any readers in your life, may I suggest some books? Mine are somewhere in between sci-fi and romance, with a dash of sass and sparkle.

Have a very Merry Christmas and a lovely holiday season!

“Diamond Heart” x The Rewind Duology

“The most beautiful things can come from the hardest times.”

Madilyn Bailey

Just like you may have seen in The Rewind Duology, the idea of a character interacting with her younger self is present in Madilyn Bailey’s new music video. Of course, this is a bit more voyeuristic of a style, in that she’s more watching over her younger self – but the nostalgic feeling is the same! Just like my character, Vera, Madilyn was an outcast as a kid, but that didn’t stop her from accomplishing amazing things later – namely, being a semi-finalist on America’s Got Talent (in addition to garnering millions of views on YouTube).

I love seeing art like this that directly relates to my work, because it becomes a great tool to layer my own writing up against. It also proves to me that the things I’m working on matter to people, because other people are writing about issues like bullying too. What it comes down to, is that you cannot ever let people put you in a box – break out of that shit and get moving. You’re better now than you’ve ever been!

This song is so powerful, seriously – check out these lyrics:

“I took all the sticks and stones
All the blows and bricks they throw
Everything that ever gave me scars

All the hurt and bridges burned
Every word and lesson learned
And turned it into art
And in time built a diamond heart.”

As cliché as it may seem to say, it is those experiences that are tough at the time, but they make us who we were always meant to be.

In my books, Vera has to grapple with her past alongside her present moment to be her best self – and that includes going head to head with her old bullies, but now as an adult. The Rewind Duology is something that I am incredibly proud of, and I’m so humbled to be able to give a portion of the proceeds to KIND Campaign to prevent bullying in school. Might as well do some real-world good with my pain, right?

My new business cards, signifying the new era of my freelancing career! And I am SO EXCITED.

But honestly, I’ve already healed so much. I am so grateful for the lessons I learned. If I wasn’t forced to make due with being by myself for as long as I did, I probably wouldn’t have been half as motivated to make something great of myself. That’s why I’ve really thrown myself into freelancing more recently – and that has been so incredibly fulfilling for me!

So case in point – even if life ends up looking different than you originally expected it to be, you can still make something beautiful out of the cards you’ve been dealt. Don’t believe me? Watch “Diamond Heart” by Madilyn Bailey HERE.

If you’d like to read or listen to The Rewind Duology, you can access it on Amazon / Audible HERE. And if you’d like to meet me at one of my upcoming events, you can view those on my website!

Rolling with the Punches – How to Cope When Plans Get Derailed

My biggest dreams are to be a bestselling author and a world-renowned music journalist. Of course, I’m well aware that the first thing is probably about as likely as becoming a pop star and the second thing takes years to accomplish.

Since those ideas obviously fell through (shocker, I know right?), I’ve been looking for remote work through all the typical job finding sites, preferably for something like copywriting or marketing. And due to probably a bunch of different variables, that just hasn’t happened for me yet either.

And I’m not giving up, but I’ve come to the realization that I might have to accept that there will be detours in my professional planning. No matter what happens in the future, I gotta be okay with where I am now (very zen-like of me, isn’t it?).

So here’s where I’m at, and what I’ve been doing lately to make the waiting productive and not a waste of time:

#1: I’ve embraced freelancing as a legitimate option.

At least for now, working for myself has been really really great, and I’ll be able to pad my resume for later. Hopefully the world stops imploding soon enough, and at that point, I’ll land a full-time gig. Or hey, if the freelancing thing goes well enough, maybe I won’t even have to at all! As my uncle put it once, I could work for someone irritating and make less money, or work for myself and make more money. The choice is pretty obvious!

As far as what kind of freelancing I’ve been doing, it varies. Sometimes it’s an article for Motif Magazine, Inkitt Writer’s Blog, or an edited manuscript for a client. No matter what it is, I’m totally busy enough with whatever I find and it’s actually really fun! I’ll attach some links to my work below if you’re curious about it.

Motif Magazine: https://motifri.com/author/angelinasinger/

Inkitt Writer’s Blog: https://degfhkjgfjhf.inkitt.com/author/angelinasinger/

I’ve also still been working on my latest book, Forgiving What I Couldn’t Change (Book 2 of The Rewind Duology), but I’m not expecting that to be a full-time venture anytime soon necessarily. So I’m diverting my attention to these gigs full time (for now).

#2: Trust God.

‘nough said, right? My faith in Jesus plays a massive role here, because it helps me remember that even when I’m convinced my life is spinning out of control (or worse yet, not going anywhere at all), He’s got it covered. It’s a pretty good feeling, once you retrain yourself to think through struggles that way. So just hang in there best you can until things start to change 🙂

#3: Be nice to yourself.

Lilly’s not worried – you shouldn’t be either!

Don’t blame yourself for not having a job yet (especially these days). There are so many totally valid variables that are making the job search harder than it’s ever been. Maybe the company you want to work for isn’t hiring right now. Or the one that is being extra picky in their hiring process because as it is, they have a shoestring budget. But the overwhelming consensus us that it’s not you. Everything is just tough right now, and that’s okay.

In the meantime, fill your time with productive action steps that could lead to getting out of your rut sooner versus later. As for me, I took a leap of faith and joined the Editorial Freelancers Association – a paid database that connects freelancers with people who need their services. It was a bit more expensive to join than I typically would have been okay paying for, but I think it was a smart investment. Point is, do things that are productive, even if it feels like a tangent.

In my limited experience, sometimes side quests end up leading you right back to the main path anyway 😉

#freelancing #writers #writerlife #selfcare #blogging #articles #music #authors #reading #fiction #breathe #staycalm #thistooshallpass #pray #trustGod #faithinJesus #focus #grace #kindness #businesses #investments #mindset #taketherisk #leapoffaith #gethired #opentowork #workforyourself #copywriting #editing #clients #rollingwiththepunches

Technology Dependence and Writing – How to Survive Without Devices

I had to get my laptop battery replaced the other day, because it was dying on me way too fast and that obviously isn’t cool (especially when you’re a writer with heavy dependence on your tech). Anxiety around keeping your work safe is real, and I for sure was not enjoying gambling with my battery percentage before my computer would die on me.

So naturally, I made an appointment at Apple and got that fixed up. The tech people there are always super nice and professional, but I was still SUPER nervous. If you’re in the same boat as me and need to invest in some new hardware or a quick fix, read on for my tips on what to do while you’re waiting to get your device back.

#1: Ask any questions you may have.

Seriously. Like while I was there getting my battery replaced, I asked about some issues I was having with storage maintenance on my MacBook Air. The technician was able to help me sort through that, and thankfully warned me that even though I now had space to download the latest operating system, I should probably wait because it would change the formatting of my super-old Microsoft Word software (as an author, that’s a BIG deal, so I opted to wait until I finish my current book duology so that everything stays consistent). The point here is, asking those other questions helped because I had a plan of action, and a good reason to wait before stupidly downloading a thing that would create a massive headache for my formatting consistency.

#2: Plan to be without your device for at least a day or two.

If you’re a freelance blogger, journalist, and copyeditor like I am, you’ll know how important it is to follow through with your deadlines. Early is always cool, but late is not. So since I knew I’d have an album review due this past weekend, and a blog on Inkitt due on Wednesday, I went ahead and wrote those ahead of time. That took a lot of the pressure off, because I knew that when I handed off my computer, I’d be all set for essentially the rest of the week.

You can find my latest album review for local Rhode Island Motif Magazine HERE: https://motifri.com/jelly-side-down/

The only thing I wouldn’t be able to do was work on my story draft, but I figured a little break from that would be good for me anyway (and if I got really desperate, I could always write a scene on my iPad, iPhone, or even an old-fashioned notepad to add in later). And if blogging here called my name, I downloaded the nifty WordPress app and logged myself in. Finding other ways to stay on task even without my laptop relieved a lot of my anxiety, because I realized I wasn’t so limited without it.

#3: Invest in some YOU time!

If you’re a workaholic like me, use the time while waiting for your repair to be finished by doing things you might not typically have time to do. You already worked ahead, so there’s no need to worry. Maybe you want to spend time with family more, or pick up a dormant hobby that you’ve been missing. Or maybe you’ll just curl up with a new book (shameless self-promo here, but here’s my latest time-travel coming of age book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B084QK6DFW/ref=nav_timeline_asin?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1)

Regardless of how scary it can be to leave your beloved tech in the hands of someone you don’t know, it helped me to remember that these people are trained professionals. The odds of them breaking it or something are extremely low. I mean yeah, it’s good practice to still back everything up before you go, but you’re not likely to really need it.

And as for my repair? I literally got my laptop back within twenty-four hours (yes, I was shocked too). They told me it would probably be a few days, but they replaced my battery super fast and I was beyond grateful. So don’t worry about timing so much – I’d wager they’re often faster than they tell you.

#laptoprepairs #technology #devices #writers #batteryreplacement #copingwithanxiety #selfcare #indieauthors #timetravel #sciencefiction #loveyourself #hobbies #newideas #blogging #freelancing #freelanceblogging #freelancecopyediting #copyediting #writerslife #lifeofawriter #authorlife #youngadultbooks #college #newadultbooks

Coping With Anxiety – 3 Tips That Keep Me Somewhat Calm

Yours truly, one of my recent selfies because I was feeling cute the other day 😉

Life happens – there’s just no getting around it. And lately, I’ve been so off-beat that I haven’t been able to work on my latest book (the time-travel coming-of-age sequel to this bad boy right HERE). And in my case, there have been some specific things that just threw me off my game in the past few weeks. Coping is key, and so I thought I’d share below some things I’m learning in my writerly journey that have really helped me as I cope with the curveballs that life has been throwing at me:

#1: Find your faith

For me, my faith in Jesus has really grounded me substantially while I’m trying to cope with the uncertainty of life (i.e., relationships, looking for writing jobs, finding a good work/life balance, etc.). Just knowing that God already has everything all mapped out for me, and that there’s nothing I can possibly do to derail that, is really comforting. I was literally crying out to Jesus last week and I opened up to Psalm 46: 5 in my Bible which says “God is in the midst of her, she will not be moved…” and it was basically the most amazing thing ever because I just got through asking God for a sign that I’m really going to be okay – if not today, then someday very soon.

Anyway, all I’m saying is, if you have any questions about what I’m talking about here, I would be more than happy to share my faith with you. Just drop a comment below or reach out to me via my author Instagram HERE.

I’ve also been chatting with trusted friends that I know will lead me on the right path closer to Jesus, even when life feels stormy and scary around me. Leaning on others when you feel weak is a massive help, because if you’re anything like me, you just want to feel heard and validated. People you trust can do that for you from a very holistic point of view – and I bet they’ll appreciate you even wanting their help in the first place. See? Everyone wins.

#2: Find creative outlets that make you feel good

In my case, I channeled my conflicted feelings and frustrations into a song (and no, I’m not sharing it anytime soon, if at all. It exists, and that’s enough for me right now). This was especially impactful to me because I’ve been studying music and playing guitar for twelve years now, but I’ve never been able to write a coherent piece of music until the other night, when I was literally just getting ready for bed, and this incessant melody just started repeating in my head. SO I did the only rational thing and saved it into a super embarrassing voice memo in my phone so I could play around with it more the next day.

Oh, and I wrote out a bunch of lyrics too. It was a wild feeling – having my thoughts presented so emotionally on paper and in a sonic medium made me feel so much physically lighter. Just overall, really surreal and it felt so healthy. So I might keep writing songs, now that I’ve gotten the hang of it (and it also really helps to have sort of a stylized role model. For me, musically, that’s Taylor Swift, because her music has resonated with me deeply since I was a kid).

But if you’re not musically inclined like me, why not take up something totally new and different? Paint a picture. Try out origami. Or maybe even crochet or knit (I’m a big fan of amigurumi crochet myself, with even a digital shop on Instagram HERE).

#3: Amp up your self-care habits

If you’re feeling overworked and exhausted, this is CRUCIAL. Do some yoga, take a long walk, eat less sugary carbs and more fruits, veggies, and healthy fats. I know a lot of that is common sense, but when you’re feeling bogged down and unable to function as usual, this is such an easy fix to get you back on track to being your very best self.

In my case, I’m anxious to get my mojo back because I really want to make serious headway on my next novel before the end of the year, so that I can maybe swing a mid-2021 release (and hopefully, in-person events will be back by then too). Overall, an author is only as good as their health habits and body allows them to be, so fuel your creativity with the right foods and habits, and you’ll be feeling better before you know it!

If any of these tips helped you, feel free to sound off in the comments below! I’d love to compare notes and hear about how you’re doing, and if there’s something you’ve discovered that helps you, I’d probably be game to try it too!

#wellness #stressmanagement #anxietycoping #writers #authors #indieauthors #creatives #fuelingcreativity #leaningonfriends #faithinJesus #growinyourfaith #bereal #beyourself #embraceyourfeelings #itsokaytonotbeokay #publishing #writing #songwriting #beingcreative #music #copywriting #jobsearch #anxietystruggles #beinghuman #copingwithlife #lifeisabattlefield #fiction #sciencefiction #localauthors #amazon #goodreads #reviews #blogging #newideas #selfcare #healthyeating #Jesuslovesyou #prayerlife #churchfriends