Author C. B. Dixon
Books. Life. Wonder.
Reading List?
We’re halfway through the year in one more week… have you hit that stack of books that’s sitting over there begging to be read?
My reading list hit the back burner. I added so many more books over the lat few months that it’s become a daunting mountain of monsters. I’m hope to dig in without adding to the heap. My birthday is coming up…that means a bookstore gift card might make it’s way over to me. If that happens then I will have no choice but to add more. Oh the life!
I have found a new fascination in books about organization. I can’t recall when it happened this year but I have taken a break from the fantasy world and dove in to the nonfiction side of the bookstore. The shift was strange. I did have a challenging time trying to rad the first book because it wasn’t an epic battle or solving a mystery. The books were factual with a bit of dry humour thrown in to spice up the words, like taking a bite out of a day old biscuit that sat out on the counter. It’s good in a hard stale way…
The second book was dry… better, but still stale. It took me back to the days of school where my teacher would tell us to read the textbook ahead twenty page. The information was educating but lacked that exciting thrill of adventure.
Cue the amazing audiobooks. I truly believe that this is the future on nonfiction books for me. I will be able to soak in the information as well as get my chores done. I find keeping my hands busy helps me take in the knowledge of the author. My focus is heightened to the words that flow from the page into my ears, enlightening my mind.
What are your preferences in books, learning new tasks, and ways of reading?
Let me know in the comments.
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5 Year WordPress Anniversary
That is incredible. It’s been a crazy five years. I know deep in my heart that my writing has flourished since I have started. I still have to work on my timely manner and get blog posts out on time. Maybe that will be my five year goal. I will make a plan and stick to it. A goal that I might have to try out very soon.
In the past five years, I have gone through many mini projects. I had tried to start a youtube channel about our adoption and found that it wasn’t for me. I didn’t want to make my child’s story public. I attempted many different writing styles that lead me to start a new blog so I could slap down thoughts about life things. This blog doesn’t really correlate with my writing life. In short, I had spread myself thin trying to find my voice. My presence online became a scattered mess over the five years I’ve been on this blog.
Time for the cleanup crew. I am still in the growth of my voice. I know now that I should be me and only me. Through doing that I will find people that are like me. I will always learn from the greats but I will never be exactly like them because they are not me and I am not them. I can still be one of the greats. I will do it my way. It’s terrifying that it took me five years to crack out of my shell.
I am here. Here is now.
Let us begin.
Youtube is a great resource for me to grow as an author. I love watching other authors give their opinion on how to develop a book. The same goes for podcasts. I don’t think those are in my cards at the moment. As much as I want to keep my dive in personality. I have to think realistically…can I continue to produce great content and deliver in a timely manner. The answer is… not right now.
I’m okay with that. These past five years have taught me one important thing. I can’t be everywhere at once. If I had a million arms and cloning abilities, then… maybe. Unfortunately, I’m not in one of my books. I can’t snap my fingers to complete a task.
It takes time. It takes effort. It takes drive.
On this anniversary of my five years of this blog, I want to say thank you for popping in and being here with me.
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Discover the New
Dear Journal,
There comes a time in a writers life where the story ends. That amazing feeling that follows. The phrase, “I just finished a book!” It’s bliss. The power that pumps through the veins after creating a world is addicting.
And then…
The next phase of writing begins. The oh-so-loved revisions. I have talked about revisions before. For those of you that read it know that I don’t like them. The self-edits can be a touch dry. Extremely frustrating. And, downright horrible!
There is something neat about them that I discovered last night. I can tell if I wrote the story late at night. I can tell if I was hungry. There was also a point where I was sure the writer in me was sleeping. I typically have music playing while I write out the stories. This is also shown in my writing. The layers of emotion that’s laced into a story is mindblowing. When I read I try to pick these things out in other peoples works with no avail. I wonder if I can pick these parts out because I wrote it. This is something I will study a bit more.
I finished the second last set of revisions this morning at two AM. A few cups of tea, one bowl of popcorn, and a drive to finish! That’s all I needed to complete that round. I’m going to do one more quick read through before it goes to the beta readers. It was a neat feeling to finish Mortal Soul Ascension. This book challenged me as it pushed me to try new tricks in my writing.
It’s time to do my last read over. The beta readers are waiting.
Take care,
C. B. Dixon
Wicked Soul Ascension
Want a read that will get your heart pumping?
Available in paperback.
Link: Chapters
Link: Barns & Noble
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5 Things to do When You’ve Lost Your Groove
Ever feel like a snail going uphill on a hot day?
I’m sure every person that’s ever had to get something done has felt this way. I’ve been editing Mortal Soal Ascension all week. It was going great until today happened. I’m sure I’ve filled my coffee cup up everytime I’ve had a sip. I’ll stare at the page to edit out all those annoying mistakes… And, all I see is black and white. I can no longer see the words. I’m sure I fried my brain.
I know I’m not the only one to hit a brick wall. It comes to us all in an unexpected slap in the face. I wanted to share a few things I do to get my brain back into the groove.
- Take a Walk.
The fresh air seems to stimulate my mind with new ideas. The exercise gets the blood pumping that wakes me up. Sometimes it’s that break from the house that gets things rolling again. If I’ve locked myself up in the studio/office day after day my mind goes stale. With a nice refreshing walk away I don’t feel so cooped up. - Work on Something Else.
For me right now I am working on this blog post. I have been doing the same thing over and over. Correcting grammar and rewording sentences. I have to admit it’s not my favourite part about writing. I love creating. Like I’m doing with this post. A fresh screen that gets manipulated by my voice. It’s hard to beat that feeling. Sometimes all it takes is a fresh start of another project that makes the more undesirable parts worth it. If your an artist or halfway through an assignment for school or work then take a break, work on another project you’ve put to the side. You might just find the inspiration to continue, plus you’re getting something else done. - Read.
I read. The mental break is a blessing. Plus, it helps me with creating my sentence structure, grammar, and gives me new words. It’s like studying without the textbook. I set a limit to how many chapters, or a time that I will finish by. I know working at home can sometimes get carried away. When you go to a job breaks are scheduled. There you get a coffee, a snack, and maybe a conversation or two. At home, these fifteen-minute breaks are forgotten. We need to remember that these are important to keep our mind from becoming overworked. - Shower.
I know. This one is a touch weird. Give me a moment to explain. In the morning I make my coffee, grab an apple, and sit at the computer… before I know it, it’s 3 o’clock. By this time I’m hungry and mostly brain dead. I’ll have a quick shower. The fresh feeling of water perks me right up. I’ll make lunch to move around, getting that blood pumping. Fed and fresh, the project has become something more alive. - Stare at the Project.
This is the least favourite. This is the one I do when I know I’ve made up one to many excuses to walk away. You’d be surprised how well it works. We have to admit to ourselves that we are not inspired every hour of every day. Life doesn’t work like that. We need to schedule in time for our craft. It’s one of those things we need to do or it will never get done. Push through the lack of inspiration. Quit the negative thoughts and work through it. Remind yourself that it’s part of the job. We are stronger in our craft when we find the strength to overcome these moments. Stare if that’s all you can do. You’ve given the project that time of your day and you must see it through. Even if you get nothing done.
I hope this list of odd things help you when your groove has left the building. I find that these little actions help me when I feel drained and unmotivated. These things happen to us all, you’re not alone. It doesn’t matter if your a songwriter, a potter, architect, business person, glass blower, digital artist, or YouTuber. We all have days where the ideas just don’t come. And that’s okay. Let that day become the day you look back and say, “if I could do it then, I can do it now!”
Your work is a gift.
Keep doing what makes you happy.
It will all be okay.
Cheers!
Wicked Soul Ascension
Want a read that will get your heart pumping?
Available in paperback.
Link: Chapters
Link: Barns & Noble
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Bookstore Change-Up
I had to change where my books were sold last month. It was a heart-wrenching decision but I’m hoping that the outcome will be much better. I’ve been on the fence about Amazon lately. It’s nice to have whatever I want available at my fingertips. I’m a local shopper. I like to buy local first, then provincial, Canadian, and then worldly. It’s part of my plan to help out my neighbours first. I know lots of local artists, farmers, and weavers. I want to lend them a hand because I know how hard it is to become noticed.
While I was remodelling my blog and website, combining them into one, I got thinking about how I was contributing to the local stores here with my book. I have Wicked Soul Ascension in all the local bookstores in town. It’s great walking in there and seeing that one sold. I was working on the Book section of the site when I noticed that I’m contributing to the Amazon take over.
Don’t get me wrong, I think Amazon is amazing and useful. I love Chapters/Indigo/Coles. This is the Canadian bookstore that is widely known across the country. I then found that Barns and Noble is the equivalent in the USA. I have now put more attention into brick-and-mortar stores. Maybe you can call me old fashioned or Millennial. I’m just wanting to do my part in helping these companies with their businesses because I love walking into their stories. I love how lost I become in the worlds they shelve.
What is your favourite bookstore?
What country is that store in?
Wicked Soul Ascension
Want a read that will get your heart pumping?
Available in paperback.
Link: Chapters
Link: Barns & Noble
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Books
Wicked Soul Ascension: The Ascension Trilogy Book One
by C.B. Dixon
For Blaze Nemasa there is no escape from the nightmares that hunt her. Hope maybe the only one who can save Blaze’s human soul.
Demons lurking in the shadows are only myths, or that’s what Blaze’s parents told their adopted child before she fell asleep. That all changes when Blaze finds out the truth about her family which burned alive in a house fire on her third birthday. A book of Sin drags her deep into the underworld where Blaze learns the truth about her wicked nature.
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About C. B. Dixon
Wicked Soul Ascension is C.B. Dixon’s first book published. She grew up with her husband in the small town of Leduc, Alberta Canada. C.B. Dixon is currently working on Book Two of The Ascension Trilogy, Mortal Soul Ascension. C.B. plunges into nightmares to bring out heart pumping adventures.
Email:
cbdixonsbooks@gmail.com
Wicked Soul Ascension
Want a read that will get your heart pumping?
Available in paperback and eBook.
Link: Amazon.com
Link: Chapters
Link: Barns & Noble
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Let’s Catch Up…
Welcome to the website of C. B. Dixon the author of Wicked Soul Ascension. At the moment she is in the process editing Mortal Soul Ascension, book two of The Ascension trilogy. Currently, she lives in a small town on the Sunshine Coast of British Columbia, Canada. She was born and raised in Leduc Alberta.
Well, that’s a few of the fact stuff. Things you’d read about in the back of the book. Let’s get down and deep with C. B. Dixon to find out more. We’ll start easy by asking the most asked question on this earth…
What is your favourite colour?
Blue. I’ve always loved playing in the water as a child; lakes, pools, and when I had a chance to frolic in the ocean. I know, water isn’t actually blue, I was a child when I deemed blue to be my favourite colour.
Do you have any pets?
Yes. Two cats. One fluffy monster named Taz. She snores louder than anyone I know. And a tiny black thing named Midnight. She plays fetch.
What was your favourite show as a teenager?
I loved Anime as a teen. I got hooked in with Dragon Ball and then fell into watching Sailor Moon, from there I was a lost cause. If I had to pick a favourite it would be… Inuyasha. I was pathetic when it came to missing an episode. I’d cry and whine. Now, I have better taste in the Anime I watch.
Here’s a writing question, what is the hardest part of writing?
I find turning off the analytical brain to just get the story out of my head. If a red squiggly line pops up or the words aren’t quite making sense it’s hard to keep up with the story that’s unfolding in my head. I typically will save a half hour at the end of my writing spree to go over any easy errors.
I would love to know more about you, my reader. Take the first three questions and run with them. Take the last one and tell me about your hobby, job, or whatever you’d like.
Comment in the section below.
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Internet Closet Clean Up
I decided to keep with this weeks theme during my Random Friday post. I worked on my personal goals in June and this has made me look into many aspects of my life.
In this age, most of us have an online self. For me, I have a blog, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. I had almost forgotten about my website. While I wrote in my morning journal all of this came up as I reflected on my future.
Where did I want to go with my online presence? Why was it there?
I came up with these personal goals that you might want to think about. These goals are like house cleaning, but its the internet.
Your cleaning your internet closet.
1. Remember all the Accounts
I have accounts all over the internet. I have a Tumblr, LinkedIn, YouTube, Goodreads, and on and on and on… The list feels endless. The passwords have become a problem since I change them so often. I wish I could access half of the accounts my name is linked too.
2. View The Profile
Holy crap! Look at how young I am in half of these pictures… and that spelling… damn! I must have been 16 when I created this account. You’re going to be as shocked as I was when I was reading all the about pages and descriptions linked to all these accounts. For example, my personal Facebook page was created when Facebook was born! Same for my YouTube account. I was the generation that got to experience these beautiful sites before ads and all the extras. I never changed the intro and about portions of the profile. I had an old website that I made in grade 8 attached to one of them. It was horrible.
3. Make a List
List out all the accounts you think you have. Access them, this is the hardest part, and delete the ones you no longer want. Sometimes it’s better to start fresh. I created a fresh YouTube and Google+ account because they had all my childishness attached to them. My personal Facebook isn’t for the public eye so that’s fine. With your list written, write notes beside the site what you need to fix. Might be the profile picture, the cover art, website, intro, or a good freshen up to the home page.
4. Delete!
Delete what is no longer useful to you. This is more for entrepreneurs, freelancers, or people in the public eye. I started with my YouTube channels. They weren’t helping me progress with my writing. I found that they were blocking me from doing what I enjoyed. I felt free when they were gone. The same goes for other accounts that you might have spread out. If you’re not checking your message you upset someone that might be reaching out to you. I currently have three emails. A personal, business, and junk email. These are all linked together so I can keep an eye open for people reaching out to me. For my other social networks, I make time during the day to respond. If you can’t make time for that account. Delete it. Build a strong bond with what you love. Don’t let the others drag you down.
5. Update
Is your photo a current photo? Do they all match? Are you a teen in one of the photos? Is the cover photo showcasing the newest item you have for sale? These are great questions to ask yourself as you go through each account to update it. Make sure your email is spelt right, the website is current, and your blog is attached somewhere. These will all help you reach out with a fresh new look.
These are goals I have in place for August. I plan to have a fresh website and a current photo of me plastered all over the internet. Beleive it or not, my hair is down to my waistline. It’s time to freshen up my accounts. I feel the need to utilize my Tumblr account as well. I have some plans written out for what I would like to have on that platform.
Do you have accounts out there that are outdated? What is the oldest account you have still running? I’d love to know what you find as you peek into your internet past.
Wicked Soul Ascension
Want a read that will get your heart pumping?
Available in paperback and eBook.
Link: Amazon.com
Link: Chapters
Link: Barns & Noble
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Thin Butter on Stale Toast
I’m beginning to feel like thin butter on stale toast. Why? Well, I’ve begun to venture on many paths. This might be something that you’ve felt before or maybe your feeling it right now. I am currently on my blog, Two YouTube channels, Two Facebook pages, and writing my second novel. I also work a full-time job. Balancing life with all these tasks have been challenging. Even with the extra time I have given myself in the day. I’m beginning to think I should mould all of it together in one. I fear that I will piss people off when all they want is to read about when my next book is coming out. Or maybe they’re only interested in learning more about adoption. This blog is a blend of all those things and has been doing well. It helps that in the past few months I’ve been giving it love.
This came to my mind as I did my morning journal. I wrote, half asleep, about what was making my days feel drained. Was it waking up at the crack of dawn, maybe I needed to go to bed earlier, or maybe I was all over the place with my projects?
Audience is key. To get the right viewers or sales you need to know your audience and feed them their favourite foods. People love to get what they’re interested in or else they stop coming around. Am I giving them that? I know the audience of my book is those that like to read darker tales, watch horror films, and love the paranormal. My blog is far from that. My vlogs are far from that. And my Facebook pages don’t feed that fan base. I’m banging my head against the wall. I have created a fluffy platform because I’m a nightmare dress up like a unicorn. There will be changes to this in the future. I would like to grab a fresh warm piece of bread and spread on a thick layer of butter. No more of this thin stale crap.
I don’t think I’m going to keep up with my vlog. I will be deleting my adoption vlog and my vlog that’s connected to this blog. This blog and my Facebook page will become my main focus. I don’t know what will become of me in the future. That’s okay. I will continue doing my morning journal and find the weaknesses in my days, platform, and productivity.
I am human. I am change. I am growing.
Every day that passes I am focused on my goals for the future. My writings and books are my main passion. This is where I want my life to take me. If I eliminate the things that are blocking the path then I will become stronger in my craft. I will have more time for research. I will have more time to study. These are the things I am looking forward too.
I would love to hear from you in the comments below. Tell me if you feel like you’ve taken on to much? What do you plan to do about it?
Wicked Soul Ascension
Want a read that will get your heart pumping?
Available in paperback and eBook.
Link: Amazon
Link: Chapters
Link: Barns & Noble
