Eden Robins August/September 2007

Monthly Garden This Monthly Garden is about taking responsibility for and celebrating oneself... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ **NOTE: I wrote this essay back in June 2005, but I think the message is definitely worth repeating... "I read and walked for miles at night along the beach, writing bad blank verse and searching endlessly for someone wonderful who would step out of the darkness and change my life. It never crossed my mind that that person could be me." ~~Anna Quindlen~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I Think, Therefore I Am By Eden Robins      Lately I've been doing a lot of workshops on world building, character world building mostly. In other words, discussing the fact that who my characters are will affect what kind of worlds I create in each story I write.      I'm very into characterization. Finding out who my characters are, what their motivations are, why they act the way they do, etc. It’s become a mission for me, with each book I write, to determine this, as if in some small way, by discovering who my characters truly are, I will discover who I am.      Like my characters, I too am on a journey of self discovery. A path that often takes me to unexpected places and lets me meet people I wouldn't ordinarily meet. Sometimes it’s scary, other times it’s just plain fun. And then there are the times that are perplexing and thought provoking. The moments that make me sit and really think in a way that tangibly forces my mind to expand. And once that moment occurs, something clicks, some synapses that wasn't there prior makes a connection. And my paradigm shifts.      It’s these moments that I live for. When I have to stop and struggle to wrap my mind around an idea, it’s incredible. And those concepts aren't always pleasant. In fact, they are thoughts that I've often struggled against in the past, ones that my first instinct is to deny or run very far away from.      Of course those are just the kind of ideas all of us need to really focus on. The ones we're scared of. The ones that we don't want to look at too closely. Those are the meaningful concepts. They are the ideas that will change our lives forever.      I've recently come to understand just such an idea. It’s one that I'm aware of on many levels, all rational and sensible. Yet on an emotional level, I wasn't able to wrap my mind around it. I had difficulty absorbing it in a way that stuck.      I realized that the only way this idea was going to sink in at that basic, primal, emotional level I needed was to live it, to truly live it as if it were an indisputable fact which I had to face each and every day. Only in that way was I able to let my mind completely expand and absorb this thought. Only in this way could this concept become real to me.      And the idea is so simple. Yet it’s so complex in terms of the person I am trying to become compared to the world I live in. It’s merely this.      I am in control of my happily ever after. Not my children, not my family, not my friends—me. Only me. There is no magic person out there who will make me happy. I must find happiness within myself. Once I do that, I will find happiness in my life and with other people.      Not the other way around. Life and the people around me can add to my happiness, but only if I am happy with myself first. Insecurity and a lack of sense of self will affect the way I look at the world. And in turn affect my happiness.      But the only way I can truly understand this is to live it each and every day. To take responsibility for myself and who I want to be in all the choices I make as I go about my life. I need to know who I am and love who I am. And I must do this on my own, for myself.      With conviction, love and dedication comes a sense of self. And with a sense of self comes happiness. So don't wait for someone to give you the gift of happiness. It is already something you own. You hold it within yourself. And only you can give it to you. © Copyright Eden Robins

From Eden's Garden

Dear Friend,

Welcome to my August/September Monthly Garden newsletter! Things have been a "bit" hectic lately, so I had to send out a combined letter this month.

With the arrival of August and September comes a return to school and getting back into set schedules. There is always an adjustment period for me this time of year, but with several other large personal and professional projects and events looming, that transition period took on humongous proportions.

I'm happy and relieved to say that everything is finally coming together and my schedule smoothing out a bit. So I'm ready to get back to doing what I love to do best, writing. I'm working on a couple of new projects that I'm very excited about, and will tell you more about those in this newsletter and in the months to come.

News:
BENEATH A CHRISTMAS MOON: LANDER’S MOON
I'm thrilled to say that the final edits for my paranormal holiday tale, LANDER’S MOON, are finally finished and the story has officially been turned in to my publisher for publication! I'm looking forward to seeing the cover of this book and will let you take a peek at that as soon as I get it!

This modern day twist on Beauty and the Beast is part of a three story project I worked on with authors Ariana Dupre and Karen McCullough. Both are excellent paranormal authors who have also contributed fantastic stories to this fun collaborative effort. This paranormal Christmas anthology, entitled BENEATH A CHRISTMAS MOON, will be available this December 2007 through Cerridwen Press.

AFTER SUNDOWN: ILLUMINATION
And for those of you interested in the third AFTER SUNDOWN book, ILLUMINATION, I'll be starting secondary edits on those very soon, and hope to have them finished in the next few months to come. This is Jason the Gargoyle’s story, and if you think Gargoyles are nothing but stone, lifeless and cold, think again. There are words to describe this Sundown Security specialist, but cold isn't one of them. Now terms like tough, hot, sexy and dangerous on the other hand are more Jason’s style...but enough said. I'll keep you posted on this next tale in the AFTER SUNDOWN series. Also, I'll be adding more information about this story and about Jason at Vlad’s Blog at my MySpace http://blog.myspace.com/edenrobins. See more about this fun blog in my newsletter below.

And don't forget that I have a sneak peek of this story on my website, as well as more about the other stories in this series if you'd like to check it out. www.edenrobins.com.

Monthly Contest:
This month I'll be giving away a signed Cerridwen Press/Ellora’s Cave Collector’s Card Deck. Each card in the deck has various CP and EC book covers on it by some of your favorite authors. This deck features the cover of my dragon tale, AFTER SUNDOWN: SALVATION. Please visit my website to enter today. Good luck! If you'd like to know more about SALVATION, you can also check out the My Books page at my website.

Welcome to Sundown Security...
We are darkness, danger and power.
Preternatural predators, sworn to protect and help mankind. If you enter our world, expect the unexpected. We aren't the kind you want to be on the wrong side of in a dark alley...or the type you take home to mama...

NEW! I've invited guest storytellers to this forum! This month, talented, multi published author and fellow fae from the RT Faery Court, Bridget Midway will be telling her fun and entertaining version of The Three Little Pigs with her story, Blown Away, and she'll be glad to talk with you about it or other favorites on the RT Modern Day Fairytale Message Board throughout the month of July. Please stop by and chat with her!

I hope you liked my August/September Monthly Garden newsletter. Please let me know by sending an e-mail to edenrobins@gmail.com.

Thanks for your support!

Best,

Eden

Visit Eden at www.edenrobins.com for works in progress, contests, and past columns!