WE DON'T KNOW THAT WE DON'T KNOW:)

 It's been a while since I posted, but that's because I've been in the midst of making some huge changes in my life. When you're bogged down with a lot of responsibility, it's hard to stretch yourself any further than you already are. That's been the case with me. BUT....I must say that the changes being made in my life are awesome!!

I have people ask me all the time how I dare do the things that I do, so I will share some thoughts on that very subject.

The name of my blog is, "Dare to Dream" and I named it such because I think that it's important to have dreams, but I also believe it's important to pursue them. Why I say pursue them is because your dreams change and the reason for that is because WE change.

My kids joke and tell me that when I die, they're gonna put on my headstone; "When something in your life isn't working anymore, stop, regroup and head in a new direction!" I learned that early on in my career. You can work hard to make things how you want them and everything will seem to be running smoothly, but there will come a time when things aren't working anymore and changes need to be made. That's when you accept the fact that you need to stop, regroup and head in a new direction:)

When we want and need to make personal changes, it doesn't mean that it's gonna happen right away...it's a process. I remember hearing the phrase, "If you keep doing what you've always done, you'll get what you've always got." Another one; "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." How many of us do that...keep doing what we're doing, expecting different results? If that's the case, trust me...it's NOT gonna happen! It's up to US to make it happen.

I know what you're saying...How? I'm stuck in a rut, I'm stuck in a job or a bad relationship (or whatever it is.) How can I make it happen?

Here's a few things to think about...

One change in my life is that I'm studying to become a Master Educator in the cosmetology field. I was reading about how strong personal desire and self-motivation are key ingredients of making one great as apposed to average. It explains that desire creates what has been defined as unconscious incompetence. This theory states that we don't know that we don't know. A perfect example of this is the bumble bee because scientific evidence, based on aerodynamics, has proven overwhelmingly that the bumble bee cannot fly. Its wingspan isn't wide enough and the wings are far too light for it's heavy body weight, and therefore it is impossible for it to fly. BUT...the bumble bee has unconscious incompetence. It doesn't know that it can't fly and since no one has told it that it can't...it flies!! How cool is that!!

 So to make changes, first of all you need to have strong personal desire. Desire is something longed for or hoped for and it becomes the foundation of self-motivation. A motive is a need or desire that causes a person to take action, so motivation is that internal drive that will help us fulfill our desires. I also believe that we need confidence in ourselves and our abilities. We need to not be afraid of failure. We actually learn more from our failures than we do our successes. We need to realize that the trials we encounter will introduce us to our strengths so in essence, failure can actually be a positive thing:) One of my favorite sayings is, "If you never try, you'll never know." I think I've posted that before, but it's true! If you don't ever try anything because you fear the end result, you will never know if you could have done it. So....don't know that you don't know...and do it...FLY!!

I'm not saying that you should continually chase wild dreams. You need to be realistic and smart about what you desire. There is a time and a season for everything and if you have other people in your life, you need to make sure that the changes you want to make affect them in a positive way also. Remember:

• If you're not happy ... make yourself happy. You can't expect others to do that.
•  Don't sit on the sidelines watching and waiting.
• Don't stagnate and let your life slip into discontent and unhappiness. Life is too short.
• If you need to make changes ... assess your needs and desires and do what you need to do to accomplish your goals.
• Learn to change and grow with your dreams.
• Grow from your mistakes.
• Don't know that you don't know...and it will happen:)

Talk soon:)xo

PS...Feel free to comment or join my site. You will receive emails when I post:)

NEW WEBSITE!

My website has changed from darkstarblog.com to www.mydarkstarworld.com...check it out!!

www.mydarkstarworld.com

DARKSTAR VIDEO RELEASE!

Well, last night Matt Lande and I officially released our two DarkStar music videos and it was awesome! I had butterflies all day thinking about sharing what we have worked toward for the past year. I won't chatter much...the videos speak for themselves:)

  Talk Soon:)

BITTER SWEET...

Bitter sweet is a good description of what I'm feeling.  

Sweet... because a huge dream of mine has recently been fulfilled with the making of the 3 song EP which, Matt Lande did for my DarkStar novel and the filming of a couple of the DarkStar music videos. We just edited the third draft for the "DarkStar" video and it will soon be released. Can I just tell you have awesome it is to watch Matt sing as scenes from my novel bring my characters, Alec & Amrie, to life in the very settings they take place in in my book...so cool!!

Bitter...because this phase of our project is almost complete.

It's been a fun ride....

A year ago, I became associated with, Matt Lande, someone who I had no clue would become such a big part of my life. When he read my novel, I don't think either of us was aware of what a great venture we had in store for both of us. We teamed up on our Kickstarter project; Magic...when word & song collide, and was fortunate to be successful because of the amazing people who believed in what we were trying to accomplish. With the help of those backers, (you know who u are...TY!!:), we were able to move forward, complete the 3 song, DarkStar CD, (almost) complete Matt's "Welcome Home the Child" CD and connect with, Daniel Webster, the awesome, Park City, cinematographer who shot our DarkStar videos in Logan, Utah.

When Matt flew into Salt Lake on July 7th, believe it or not, it's the first time we had actually met in person. We've been working together for a year now and had planned on meeting sooner, but it never happened. It's amazing how technology has made it so you can associate with people so closely...without meeting. Matt & I actually met on Twitter, so I'm grateful for the social networks. It's kinda funny, because at the time we met, I had just barely become acquainted with Twitter and hardly knew how to use it.

Matt & I bonded instantly as we headed to City Creek to shop for him some new "British" clothes since he was playing the part of my main character, Alec, in our music video.  I have an awesome friend from England, Sharon Cairney, (my UK mentor and correspondent:) who advised me as to what Matt should wear since, Alec was considered born of Royal Blood. Nothing like breaking the ice with a shopping trip...oh yeah...and sushi. Matt loves sushi so I told him we would have it while he was here. It was the first time for me, but I gotta say, Matt did a great job choosing what we ate cause I thought it was pretty dang good.

That night we had the opportunity to do our very first, ( hopefully the first of many) joint book/music signing at Hastings Book, Music & Video in Logan and Matt also did a few sets and mesmerized everyone with his intriguing voice. I fell in love with Matt's voice the first time I heard it, but I gotta say, hearing him first hand and watching him when he goes into his "zone" when he sings was pretty sweet. What amazing talent!

 Daniel did such an awesome job shooting the videos. He was so organized and had everything figured out before we even began. We planned on being at the Wind Caves trail head at 6:00 a.m., but when everyone stayed up until the wee hours of the morning...no one was too spry when we began our hike. Two miles doesn't sound far, but since you're climbing up... it's a bit of a "kick butt" hike, and carrying all our gear made it even more so. You should've seen the reaction of people when they saw us carrying all our stuff all the way up there and especially, Matt's guitar...too funny. I wish I could tell you all the hilarious details of the day:)

 The Wind Caves are awesome! You don't even know they're there until you come upon them and once you're there...wow...amazing! When I hiked it the first time with my daughter, Brittany, I knew they needed to be part of my book and when planning the music video, filming there was a must. Daniel and I spent a day in June, going to all the places I wanted the video shot so he knew what to expect, but Matt didn't....lol. He got a first hand taste of our "Rocky Mountain High," coming to the high mountain elevation from sea level. He loved it though:)  Haley King played, Amrie and we knew she & Matt wouldn't even be able to get ready until we reached the caves. Everyone was such troopers, making the hike, changing clothes in the bushes, hanging mirrors in the trees to put on makeup & do hair, dodging rattle snakes...classic! I'm so glad we did the shoot there and so was everyone else....turned out pretty sweet...you'll see!!:)

We were able to shoot the videos in one day because of Daniels expertise, organization skills and his awesome film crew, Russ & Kinzie:). We shot footage at Second Dam, First Dam and on the summit above Bear Lake. It was a beautiful day, but very hot. For those of you who have read, or will read, DarkStar, you'll know that the scene at the Wind Caves was in the late fall, after the frost hit the foliage, but the scenery was so beautiful that I just wanted it left as it was. When you see it, you'll know why. Utah is an extremely beautiful state!!


I think that there is a stigma that follows Utah as many people think that, because we are a predominate "Mormon" community, we aren't cultured and that we don't know how to have fun. I think that Matt will beg to differ, as for four days, we shopped, ate sushi, Colombian, Indian, Mexican & Italian foods, hiked the beautiful Rocky Mountains and shot a music video in some of the most breathtaking scenery you'll find. He loved the serenity he felt here and I know he's excited to come back this fall to do more book/music signings and acoustic shows. I will keep you all posted as to where and when they will be.

I didn't think taking Matt to the airport would be as hard as it was. When you anticipate something for so long and it comes and goes in a flash...it's difficult. Dropping him off, so he could catch his flight to Florida, meant that we were finished with this phase of our project.Given, he will be back and we have a lot more planned in the DarkStar world, the filming of the DarkStar music video will always be near and dear to my heart. We have an awesome team in place and anticipate the music Matt will write for my next book, Wizard...and the fact that the music video's will be done in England!

No more bitter...just SWEET!!

Talk soon:)xo

DarkStar is a semifinalist in The Kindle Book Review's Best Sci-Fi/Fantasy of 2012!!

 I received this email today...just thought I'd share! I'm really kind of excited about it!!

 My novel DARKSTAR was chosen as a semifinalist in the Kindle Book Reviewer's Best Indie Books of 2012!! How cool is that! 

Check it out:)

 

 

 

The Following Books are Semifinalists in The Kindle Book Review's Best Indie Books of 2012 Contest.

Only 5 of these will reach the TOP 5 (Finalists), announced on September 1, 2012. And only one will be the category Winner, which will receive the title: The Kindle Book Review's Best Sci-Fi/Fantasy of 2012: Winner.

All semifinalists will receive a KBR semifinalists gold-star badge.

These books were chosen because they hooked us in the first few pages, were well formatted and well edited. These titles also had above average star ratings!

Title & Author:

Aristeia: Revolutionary Right by Wayne Basta 

Bells and Blades: A King's Assassin Novel by M.M. Brownlow

Birthright: ILONA THE HUN by Erika M. Szabo 

Burn in Hades by Michael L. Martin Jr. 

Bypass Gemini by Joseph Lallo 

Caged by Amber Lynn Natusch 

Contract of Defiance by Tammy Salyer

DarkStar by Carol J. Hansen 

Dremiks by Cassandra Davis 

Endless by Matt Bone 

Fezariu's Epiphany by David M. Brown 

Kings, Queens, Heroes, and Fools by M.R. Mathias 

Lunara: Seth and Chloe by Wyatt Devenport 

Marlowe and the Spacewoman by Ian M. Dudley 

On Unfaithful Wings by Bruce Blake 

Osric's Wand: The Wand Maker's Debate by Jack D. Albrecht Jr.

Particle Horizon by Selso Xisto 

Seven Point Eight by Marie Harbon 

The Boy Who Lit Up the Sky by J. Naomi Ay 

The Darkening Dream by Andy Gavin 

The Day of First Sun by Sheryl Steines 

The Grimoire: Lichgates by S.M. Boyce 

The Last King of Shambhala by Daniel Grant Newton 

The Prodigal Hour by Will Entrekin 

The Sorcerer's Promise  by Susanna Morgan

The Tears of Elios  by Crista McHugh

The Tube Riders by Chris Ward 

The Universal Mirror  by Gwen Perkins

Vixen by Nic Silver 

Whispers of a Legend, Vol. I by Carrie James Haynes 

Windigo Soul by Robert Brumm 

Wool  by Hugh Howey

Zero Time by T.W. Fendley 

Congratulations, authors!

 Here are the links where you can get DarkStar...if you haven't read it and would like too:)   

www.createspace.com/3538868 

www.amazon.com 

I also have the 3 song EP finished that goes with my novel and will be going with Matt Lande to Logan, Utah this weekend to do the music video for one of the songs.

Things are coming along nicely:)

Talk soon:)xo

DarkStar EP & Music Video....Who will play ALEC & AMRIE???

Thanks to all of the wonderful people who backed us on Kickstarter, Matt and I have been able to make some awesome advancements on our project!

Matt finished our 3 song DarkStar EP and I have it in hand! So exciting!! Now we're just waiting for his Welcome Home the Child CD to be finished so we can get them out to our backers before we release them to the public. I will be marketing the DarkStar EP with my novel, but will sell them separately for those of you who have already purchased my DarkStar novel. At some point, I hope in the near future, the 3 song EP will turn into a full album!! Pretty sweet! I'm working on setting up a new website so I can sell all my DarkStar stuff as well as Matt's:) I will keep you posted on that.

And...an exciting day!! I booked Matt's flight so he will be coming to Utah on July 7th to get our DarkStar music video filmed:):):) Matt and I have been talking about what we want to see happen in the video and I'm so grateful for his knowledge and expertise on the subject. He has been involved in making and being in music videos so if you haven't watched my favorite, his "Walking with Ghosts" video, I added it to this post so you can check it out! Love, love it!:)

We hired a cinematographer from Park City, Utah to do our video. He is currently reading DarkStar and he and I will be going to Logan on June 16th to scout out the areas I want the video filmed and spend the day hashing out what we will do. Then the three of us will make the final decision as to what will take place.

I'm excited to announce that Hayley King graciously accepted the opportunity to play Amrie in the video along side, none other than the amazing Matt Lande...my Alec! I am so excited to have these two play my main characters:):):):) Since we haven't decided on which scenes we want to use from DarkStar, I don't know if we will be adding other characters from my book, but I hope too.

I really hope that you all have read DarkStar and if not, will. You will be able to relate to the music and the music video through the words in my book. Matt and I called our Kickstarter project, Magic...when word and song collide...and that's just what is happening...my word and his song!!

 Click on the "JOIN THIS SITE" button on this page and you will receive all my posts to follow our amazing venture:)

For those asking, buy my book at www.createspace.com./3538868  or e-book at www.amazon.com   The DarkStar EP will be available soon:)



Talk soon:)xo

I'm an 18 year old grandma:)

Sometimes it's good to sit back and reflect and there's nothing that makes you do that more than when Heavenly Father sends you a new life... a beautiful, healthy grandson. That was the big event in my life last week. My daughter had her third child and my sixth grandchild.

Yep...that's what I said...six grandkids!

 When did that happen? It was just yesterday that my own three children were just little munchkins, and now, they're married...with kids of their own. Really doesn't make sense because, in reality, I'm not old enough to be a grandma to one...let alone, six!

At least in my mind.

When you hear the word, grandma, you automatically think of an older woman right?  Wrong! Who said grandmas are old anyway?? Grandma is a just a really cool name that you have the honor of proudly bearing when these cute little munchkins get old enough to say it:):)! Now...that's a happy day!!

Grandma's old???...na, I think not:)

I've decided that "old" is just a word and "age" a number that describes the realm our body is in.  Our spirit is housed in our body and it never ages.  From infancy it matures -- but it doesn't age. As each year rolls around, you add a number to the year you were born and it just means that you've enjoyed life longer than those who were born after you or less than those born before you. It means that every year on your birthday, your spirit gets to celebrate all the awesome and sometimes not so awesome, experiences you had during that year.

In thinking about it, I'm not sure how you're suppose to feel when you turn an age; given, when you turn 16, 18 and 21 -- they are happy, happy, happy ages...but, to turn 25, 30, 40 etc., how are you suppose to feel?

 It isn't a feel...it's an attitude:)

I know a lot of "younger" people who are really, really old  -- because of their attitude. I know a lot of people who are much "older" than I am who are very, very young -- because of their attitude! I actually have a client who is 82 years old and she still barrel races horses!! True story! Her attitude is amazing, her spirit is young.

If you ask any "mature"person, they may tell you that they're wore out or tired, but they will tell you that they can't believe they're as "old" as they are because they don't feel old, they still feel like they did when they were a teenager. That's the spirit talking.

I LOVE having six beautiful grandchildren and my "age" number may be getting up there, but spiritually, I'm an 18 year old grandma...and that's never gonna change. I sure hope I have many more years to act my (spiritual) age!

Life is good:)

Talk soon:)xo