Fresh Air and a Brisk Walk for Me

I've really taken to walking and hiking these past few months.  There's just something about walking at a quick pace to get your blood pumping that is just thrilling for me.  I try to get out there for a long walk about five times a week or so.  Here are pictures of Wednesday's walk:

So get out there, folks.  Grab your sneakers (or trainers, if you are in the U.K.) and go and get some fresh air.  It does great things for the body, for the mind, and for inspiration, too. 



Cyndia Rios-Myers

This Writer's Words - My New Newsletter

So, I rolled out a brand-new newsletter.  I am so thrilled!  I am ever so grateful to my friends and fans who have asked to receive it.  Here's a picture of what the first edition looks like:

I know; its a picture of my laptop screen, so it looks a bit gritty.  But if you want to see more, drop me a line at cyndiarmyers at gmail dot com.  < I hope that the spambots don't catch on to my email address. 

But what I will cover in my newsletter is what I am writing, what I am reading, and what my husband and son are reading, too.  My husband is actually much better read than I am.  (I've skipped most of "the classics".)  But I am trying to remedy that with my son.  For homeschool (I homeschool him, by the way), we are reading them.  So far, we've read Moby Dick (a kid's version).  What a beautiful and tragic tale!  When he gets a bit older, we will read all of the Harry Potter books together.  I cannot wait for that. 

Other things I will discuss will be what other writers are writing, what they are reading, what the bestsellers are (and my opinion on those), and also links to free books. 

So, I will keep you all posted as to what I am doing via this handy newsletter. 

Thanks again for reading!


Cyndia Rios-Myers

Inspiration...Other Writers!!!

I think that one of my favorite things about this weekend's conference (SDSU's Writer's Conference) was meeting other fellow writers.  I enjoyed hearing about every single story they wanted to share with me. Sure, who knows which of us will get published?  Still, every single story I heard was worth hearing and learning.  I honestly hope that I keep in touch (which I am working on already) with every single one of them. 

I also learned that I have to get business cards made for myself!!  That will be the next big project. 


Thanks for reading!

Cyndia Rios-Myers

Inspiration...There Will Be A Handsome Stranger

I am attending the wonderfully education San Diego State University 30th Anniversary Writer's Conference right now.  (Well, not right now as right now I am fighting my 7 year old for computer time).  But - I am having a blast. 

But, back to the conference.  It has been such a great time. I've received such great advice from writers, marketers, and editors.  I have a lot to apply, and I am ready to do it. 

What was "on" for me was my inspiration-searching attention.  And I found it.  At my breakfast table.  A very handsome man sat down a couple of chairs away from me at the breakfast round table.  We spoke for a while.  He smiled a lot (or maybe that is just in my mind).  But my thought was this: What a handsome man that was.  (Don't get me wrong - I am VERY happily married to my husband of 12+ years, but it is still nice to see good looking people). 

I then wondered what my impression of the man would be like if I was a character from one of my books.  Would a brokenhearted woman find hope in seeing a good looking man - even if she doesn't grab his interest?  Probably.  Would a lonely woman delight in arousing the man's interest and conversation?  Certainly! 

What I found nice is the fact that one cannot predict every encounter that one will ever have.  We don't know who's walking this earth with us.  We don't know what we'll be doing when we spot someone who grabs our attention. 

This life is wonderful mystery.  There will be boredom, heartbreak, surprises, disappointments, and there will be handsome strangers.  Or as Jorgen Bauer would say (the hero in one of my books), "You don't know what is around the corner."




Cyndia Rios-Myers

Hiking for Inspiration...Arguments

I went hiking with my son and my husband yesterday morning.  I had to pull my husband away from his home reno work, but it was so worth it. 

So...the moment that was my inspiration found was the following: We went exploring by the river's edge, but stopped short.  My husband wanted to continue going down a trail that looked seriously undesignated.  I did not want to go down there, as it was undesignated.  (I fancy myself the trail expert, as I hike the trails at least twice a week while the hubs hikes them once every three months).  It was a battle of wills, and I won out.  But I feel like it wasn't a victory.  I like going down unpaved trails, but I also have to think about repercussions.  What if there were mountain lions down there?  What if our son would have gotten hurt?  What if the park rangers discovered our illegal hike and asked us not to return to the park?  Those were all consequences that I did not want to deal with, so we went the "right" way. 

In relationships, there are arguments and fights that feature no victors.  It could happen at home, at the movies, over dinner, or while hiking.  It can leave the "loser" of the argument feeling down in the dumps.  It can leave the "victor" feeling like he/she lost out on something, or made their partner feel bad. 

So, it is good food for thought, and probably something I will use in a future book.



Cyndia Rios-Myers

Books On TV (Bitten, TruBlood, Game of Thrones)

What a wonderful thing it would be to have my series of books picked up for a TV show.  I don't know if that will happen, though.

However, I do enjoy watching TV shows that have had their starts as book series. 

True Blood:  How thrilled was I that a book series that was so near and dear to my heart!  I bought the entire first season on BluRay and proceeded to watch the pilot.  My husband bailed on the very first episode.  I continued, though.  I watched the second and part of the third season until I quit it.  The casting was very good.  The effects were very good.  I even like how the deviated from the story lines just a little bit.  But it simply could not hold my interest. 

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0844441/?ref_=nv_sr_1

Game of Thrones:  I did not read the book series, so I don't know how closely it is follows them.  However, this show is awesome!  I love the writing, the pace, the characters - everything!  I even have my favorites.  The Hound, Sansa, The Wall (a character in itself)...  I can't wait for it to come back.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0944947/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

Bitten:  I watched this pilot episode just last night.  If I had to give it a rating, I would give it 2.5 out of five stars.  I read the book series on this one.  Up until book 6 or so, I loved it.  What the show does right is capture the dismal, heavy environment that makes up Canada and New York - where the story is based.  However, the actress is not capturing the distress that Elena lives under.  Maybe it is the writing.  I'll watch a couple more episodes before I make my final decision on it. 

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2365946/?ref_=nv_sr_1


Outlander:  I've got high expectations for this one (and even attended a fan even for it a couple of weeks ago: (http://cyndiariosmyers.blogspot.com/2014/01/the-outlander-fan-gathering.html).  I read the series (so far) and have loved it.  I strongly approve of the casting of many of the characters.  I LOVE that it is being filmed in Scotland.  I am excitedly waiting for the show to begin!

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3006802/?ref_=nv_sr_1


I should say that I love watching TV.  TV shows these days are made so very well.  I hope that the great shows keep coming.


Cyndia Rios-Myers

In Search of Inspiration...

Yep. Hiking again.  I love to hike.  My husband likes to hike.  My son is onboard with it.  So, we hike.  At least twice a week:

The hike was largely the same as the hike I took earlier this week.  It was also much like the hikes I took last week. 

What was different was the heat, though.  (Southern California is going through a bit of a heat wave).  We got tired earlier on.  We slowed down a bit.  I cranked up the AC as soon as we got back into our ride. 

But maybe that in itself is inspirational; a key detail that is slightly different than what usually occurs.  Maybe, I can use that in my writing.  Perhaps a protagonist takes a walk down a street in downtown Chicago when it is unreasonably hot.  Maybe she takes a lot of breaks in the shade.  Perhaps while she is standing in shadow, fanning her moistened neck, she notices something she's never seen before...

Food for thought, I think.


Cyndia Rios-Myers

Other Things I Write (Non-fiction)...Budgeting for Military Families

Hi Folks!

Here is a little something I wrote for Military Spouse Magazine. I am by no means an accounting pro, but I am in control of my family's finances.  Want a few tips on how I pull it off?  Follow the link to this fine article:

http://www.militaryspouse.com/articles/easy-budgeting/


***01/23/2014 Edit***

Here are copies of the "Bills to Pay" and "Checkbook" documents I use for paying bills myself:

I hope that these help you guys out!!


Cyndia Rios-Myers

Searching For Inspiration...

I like hiking.  I truly, completely enjoy it.  I look forward to one day hiking the Pacific Crest Trail as well as the Appalachian Trail straight through.  I am hoping to drag my husband and son on those hikes, too.

The introvert in me loves the quiet.  The writer in me loves the vistas and even the people I see there. 

Here is my "Pocket Jamie." 

 

 

 

The Pocket Jamie was a parting gift from the Outlander fan event of last weekend.  We were kindly asked to take pictures of him in odd places; after that, we are to upload them to various social media websites.  I think that I am going to continue playing along with that.

 

 

So, as far as writing inspiration is concerned, nothing jumped out at me.  Okay, not true; I'd accidently left the lid to my son's water bottle open and it then leaked onto my hoodie (which I draped around my waist as pictured above).  Maybe that will make for a good detail in a future book.

 

 

But, this is all for now. 

 

 

Thanks for reading!

 

Cyndia Rios-Myers



 



 

 

 



The Outlander Fan Gathering!!!!

Oh, how wonderful this was!!  How wonderful that I have a good friend (and reader of my books) who insisted that we take the ride from San Diego, California to Los Angeles, California to attend the Outlander Fan Gathering!

What a wonderful experience it was!  It was so wonderful to be surrounded by happy women who were more than willing to discuss anything relating to the Outlander books!  There was a long pre-line, and regular line to wait in, but still, it was worth it.

Me (on the left) with my darling friend Rachel



The gorgeous Orpheum Theater

Happily waiting in line

Such striking architecture!

 

A very beautiful blue building

We've got our lanyards and our badges!!

 

 

Hello, Jamie!!

 

Excitedly waiting

 

So thrilling!

 

Bagpipers!  Awesome FEMALE bagpipers!!

 

Ron Moore AND Diana Gabaldon!

 

Castle Leoch!  The surgery.

Clare and Frank

 

The stables!

 

Clare and Jamie!

 

Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan

 

A great smile!

 

It was Diana's birthday.

 

A fun parting gift!  A pocket sized Jamie!

 

 



 

It was a wonderful evening, tiring as it was.  I cannot say how excited I am for the premiere of Outlander on Starz this summer!!!


Thanks for reading!!!

Cyndia Rios-Myers