Lynnie Purcell's Blog
October 15, 2016
Updates
Hi, friends!
I know it's been a while. September has been a hard month. School started and all the learning has distracted me, but it's also refocused me in a lot of ways. I feel like I'm finally gaining some traction on my life again, and wanted to fill you all in on what's happening with projects.
I want to start out with saying goodbye to my good friend Jack. He was my puppy. If you've read any of my books, you can be sure that it was written with my dog curled up against me. He was there for every single heroic moment of Clare's, every bad choice by Julie Aim, and every moment of magic by Ellie. Jack helped me through writer's block and through hard moments when the characters just wouldn't talk to me. He will be missed more than I can say. His passing has taught me a lot about grief - and maybe when I'm not still so sad I'll share some of those thoughts here.
That was perhaps the hardest part of the past month, but it's not been all bad. I've been getting progress done on the sequel to Controllers. I have only a few chapters left until it is done. I'm really excited to start the editing on it and get it out to you guys. Once it's done, I'll be back to the world of Julie Aim. I'll let you know when the Controllers sequel, Interface, is finished. Another thing that I'm excited about is the podcast I started. It's about television shows, books, movies, whatever you can think to fan about, and I'm doing it with my buddies Lyra and Lizzie. They are brilliant, and I feel really lucky to have them embarking on this new adventure with me. You can find us at @stopandfangirl3 on Twitter and Instagram. And our podcast is FREE!!! on Itunes and Soundcloud. You can find that here: StopAndFangirlPodcast
Please be aware that the podcast does include some cursing. Listen at your discretion. We talk a bunch of fun things, and we always have recommendations for new things to check out. If you like it, come leave a message here or let us know on Twitter.
I will let you all know when I'm done with my book so we can throw a party. As always, thank you for your love and support. I love you all more than I can say as well. Happy Saturday!
I know it's been a while. September has been a hard month. School started and all the learning has distracted me, but it's also refocused me in a lot of ways. I feel like I'm finally gaining some traction on my life again, and wanted to fill you all in on what's happening with projects.
I want to start out with saying goodbye to my good friend Jack. He was my puppy. If you've read any of my books, you can be sure that it was written with my dog curled up against me. He was there for every single heroic moment of Clare's, every bad choice by Julie Aim, and every moment of magic by Ellie. Jack helped me through writer's block and through hard moments when the characters just wouldn't talk to me. He will be missed more than I can say. His passing has taught me a lot about grief - and maybe when I'm not still so sad I'll share some of those thoughts here.
That was perhaps the hardest part of the past month, but it's not been all bad. I've been getting progress done on the sequel to Controllers. I have only a few chapters left until it is done. I'm really excited to start the editing on it and get it out to you guys. Once it's done, I'll be back to the world of Julie Aim. I'll let you know when the Controllers sequel, Interface, is finished. Another thing that I'm excited about is the podcast I started. It's about television shows, books, movies, whatever you can think to fan about, and I'm doing it with my buddies Lyra and Lizzie. They are brilliant, and I feel really lucky to have them embarking on this new adventure with me. You can find us at @stopandfangirl3 on Twitter and Instagram. And our podcast is FREE!!! on Itunes and Soundcloud. You can find that here: StopAndFangirlPodcast
Please be aware that the podcast does include some cursing. Listen at your discretion. We talk a bunch of fun things, and we always have recommendations for new things to check out. If you like it, come leave a message here or let us know on Twitter.
I will let you all know when I'm done with my book so we can throw a party. As always, thank you for your love and support. I love you all more than I can say as well. Happy Saturday!
August 30, 2016
A Quest for Whimsy
At some point between being born and getting our first job, or maybe our second, we lose our whimsy. Whimsy, joy, and excitement become curse words, signifying childish behavior, and those that experience these things, who celebrate it are childish, weird, and maybe even a little crazy.
Somewhere along the way we forget what it means to celebrate our lives.
When we’re little we ask questions, we look at the world and ask why. When we’re small we create fairy tale lands, dragons to slay, and adventures to go on. We laugh without inhibition, and we sing without fear that we’re doing it wrong. As we grow older people tell us to quiet our laugh, to be silent a little more, to speak only about the things the adults want to hear, to get out of our heads, and move away from play. We are told to work, to study, and we are given nervous breakdowns by the time we’re 15.
There is nothing wrong in hard work, and in working for a living, but, contrary to what we are told over and over again, this hard work does not negate whimsy or the ability to laugh loudly or adventure boldly. Being an adult does consist entirely of ignoring what it means to be a child.
The majority of our learning happens as children. We can take a lesson from this and allow ourselves to return to this from time to time. Getting excited about things, finding joy in the simplicity, or even laughing loudly are not things that prevent us from being an adult.
I cannot tell you the number of times I’ve encountered people who believe that being mature means being serious all the time. They talk about portfolios, their work, and their achievements, searching for approval, searching for something intangible. And while I’m proud of them for working so hard, for putting their backs into the effort, the utter lack of imagination or interest outside of their lives is a sad tribute to society that encourages humdrum over a reconnecting with their spark.
There is nothing wrong with going on adventurers, even if we’re broke and can only adventure on our streets or our backyards. There is nothing wrong with finding whimsical things and celebrating it. There is nothing adult about being incurious. There are always things to see and excitement to feel. We just have to stop looking at our world like we've got it solved. There are so many possibilities and joyful moments, but we have to be open to them. Luckily as adults, we have the capacity to adventure as we please.
The serious moments will always find us. The moments where we have to face things with courage and fortitude will always creep up when we least expect it. These adult things will always be there. They are a given, a certainty. We have no choice in them; they are part of growing up and growing old. We do have a choice in approaching our lives with the same joy that had us playing in the mud as children or singing a made up song of which the lyrics are intelligible. Growing up is hard, but that doesn’t mean we have to let it dull us.
Be ridiculous. Stomp in those rain puddles. Be whimsical. Yell into a rainstorm. Be adventurous. Explore your world. Be excited. Love that show, or novel, or art, or whatever as hard as anything – talk about it loudly, enjoy it fully. Absolutely do not let anyone ruin your fun. Do not let them tell you that your joy is childish. It is yours. You own it. Live it.
There will always be people who judge for this. Who think that you are less adult than they are – but, really, what fun are they anyways?
All we are given is time. Strip away all the things we think are important and we are left with a clock. This can either be depressing or it can be a challenge. I don’t know about you, but I would rather spend my time feeling joy, feeling adventurous, feeling whimsical, feeling happy – laughing too loud, being a little too silly, getting excited when I see a dog on the street, turning left instead of right and finding something new, these are all explorations that I can choose to take.
There is nothing childish in joy. It is only our perceptions of it that need to change.
Somewhere along the way we forget what it means to celebrate our lives.
When we’re little we ask questions, we look at the world and ask why. When we’re small we create fairy tale lands, dragons to slay, and adventures to go on. We laugh without inhibition, and we sing without fear that we’re doing it wrong. As we grow older people tell us to quiet our laugh, to be silent a little more, to speak only about the things the adults want to hear, to get out of our heads, and move away from play. We are told to work, to study, and we are given nervous breakdowns by the time we’re 15.
There is nothing wrong in hard work, and in working for a living, but, contrary to what we are told over and over again, this hard work does not negate whimsy or the ability to laugh loudly or adventure boldly. Being an adult does consist entirely of ignoring what it means to be a child.
The majority of our learning happens as children. We can take a lesson from this and allow ourselves to return to this from time to time. Getting excited about things, finding joy in the simplicity, or even laughing loudly are not things that prevent us from being an adult.
I cannot tell you the number of times I’ve encountered people who believe that being mature means being serious all the time. They talk about portfolios, their work, and their achievements, searching for approval, searching for something intangible. And while I’m proud of them for working so hard, for putting their backs into the effort, the utter lack of imagination or interest outside of their lives is a sad tribute to society that encourages humdrum over a reconnecting with their spark.
There is nothing wrong with going on adventurers, even if we’re broke and can only adventure on our streets or our backyards. There is nothing wrong with finding whimsical things and celebrating it. There is nothing adult about being incurious. There are always things to see and excitement to feel. We just have to stop looking at our world like we've got it solved. There are so many possibilities and joyful moments, but we have to be open to them. Luckily as adults, we have the capacity to adventure as we please.
The serious moments will always find us. The moments where we have to face things with courage and fortitude will always creep up when we least expect it. These adult things will always be there. They are a given, a certainty. We have no choice in them; they are part of growing up and growing old. We do have a choice in approaching our lives with the same joy that had us playing in the mud as children or singing a made up song of which the lyrics are intelligible. Growing up is hard, but that doesn’t mean we have to let it dull us.
Be ridiculous. Stomp in those rain puddles. Be whimsical. Yell into a rainstorm. Be adventurous. Explore your world. Be excited. Love that show, or novel, or art, or whatever as hard as anything – talk about it loudly, enjoy it fully. Absolutely do not let anyone ruin your fun. Do not let them tell you that your joy is childish. It is yours. You own it. Live it.
There will always be people who judge for this. Who think that you are less adult than they are – but, really, what fun are they anyways?
All we are given is time. Strip away all the things we think are important and we are left with a clock. This can either be depressing or it can be a challenge. I don’t know about you, but I would rather spend my time feeling joy, feeling adventurous, feeling whimsical, feeling happy – laughing too loud, being a little too silly, getting excited when I see a dog on the street, turning left instead of right and finding something new, these are all explorations that I can choose to take.
There is nothing childish in joy. It is only our perceptions of it that need to change.
July 28, 2016
June 1, 2016
Writer Thoughts and Bullying
Howdy, friends!
I hope your Wednesday is magical! I wrote a thing for another website I sometimes contribute to and I thought it was relevant to the love I feel for you guys. The overall message is that art is dependent on fans like you, I love you, and being kind to one another is a wonderful thing.
Here's the Link
Thanks for reading!
I hope your Wednesday is magical! I wrote a thing for another website I sometimes contribute to and I thought it was relevant to the love I feel for you guys. The overall message is that art is dependent on fans like you, I love you, and being kind to one another is a wonderful thing.
Here's the Link
Thanks for reading!
May 6, 2016
Keep in mind...
Keep in mind that when you see someone’s artistic success, you are seeing the finished product.
You were not there for the failures, the moments the person felt like crap because they couldn’t do what others did so effortlessly, or the tears of frustration when something wouldn’t come together - the moments of hope met with dejection as another thing got in their way.
You are simply witnessing years of effort finally come to fruition at last. You did not see all the failures, because no one puts that on the news. They do not get advertise the way success stories often do. You are seeing the middle of the story, not the beginning.
That’s good news for you. It means there’s hope for your projects, your art, whatever that may mean. It means that your failures are not the end. Keep producing. You’ll get there.
I can’t wait to see what you come up with.
You were not there for the failures, the moments the person felt like crap because they couldn’t do what others did so effortlessly, or the tears of frustration when something wouldn’t come together - the moments of hope met with dejection as another thing got in their way.
You are simply witnessing years of effort finally come to fruition at last. You did not see all the failures, because no one puts that on the news. They do not get advertise the way success stories often do. You are seeing the middle of the story, not the beginning.
That’s good news for you. It means there’s hope for your projects, your art, whatever that may mean. It means that your failures are not the end. Keep producing. You’ll get there.
I can’t wait to see what you come up with.
April 25, 2016
An Ask
I don't typically do this, but I'm going to fangirl for a second, and you're going to let me because you love me.
So, one of the people I really admire as a human person is Aisha Tyler. She works hard, she's got a great sense of humor, likes a lot of the same movies and video games I do, talks sense, and is just genuinely interesting. She is always working, with a work ethic I have mad respect for, and she's doing something really cool currently.
She's making a movie, and she is super duper close to her goal. I'm asking you to help me help her. All you have to do is donate. You can get rewards for donating, perks, and be involved in the film making process. Her page explains everything as far as the rewards go, and I really think the story is interesting and she'll do a great job with it all.
I'm going to link below. I ask that you check it out, donate, even if it's five dollars, and help her raise the additional 31,000 dollars she needs to fund this sucker.
The first five people to donate and share with me a screenshot of the donation will also get a book of mine free. Your choice which book. Doesn't matter how much you donate, just link me the screenshot on Twitter @lynniepurcell. If you don't have a tweety tweet, send me a quick email with the screenshot @lynnie.purcell@gmail.com. Limited to five people, and I'll be going by when you send it to me.
You guys are and will always be the most awesomest of awesome, and I love you dearly. Thanks for reading!
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/axisfilm/axis
So, one of the people I really admire as a human person is Aisha Tyler. She works hard, she's got a great sense of humor, likes a lot of the same movies and video games I do, talks sense, and is just genuinely interesting. She is always working, with a work ethic I have mad respect for, and she's doing something really cool currently.
She's making a movie, and she is super duper close to her goal. I'm asking you to help me help her. All you have to do is donate. You can get rewards for donating, perks, and be involved in the film making process. Her page explains everything as far as the rewards go, and I really think the story is interesting and she'll do a great job with it all.
I'm going to link below. I ask that you check it out, donate, even if it's five dollars, and help her raise the additional 31,000 dollars she needs to fund this sucker.
The first five people to donate and share with me a screenshot of the donation will also get a book of mine free. Your choice which book. Doesn't matter how much you donate, just link me the screenshot on Twitter @lynniepurcell. If you don't have a tweety tweet, send me a quick email with the screenshot @lynnie.purcell@gmail.com. Limited to five people, and I'll be going by when you send it to me.
You guys are and will always be the most awesomest of awesome, and I love you dearly. Thanks for reading!
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/axisfilm/axis
March 30, 2016
Updates
Hello, friends!
I've missed you. You're all so lovely, and my life is a little darker without having you around me daily. This is entirely my fault. Life has been a little topsy-turvy of late, trying to figure some things out, conquer some anxiety, create art, and find time to settle and be happy. It's been difficult, scary, and has resulted in the experience of a lifetime. It's not what I expected six months ago, and it has meant tearing everything down and having to redo, re-learn, and hopefully improve for the better.
But excuses don't matter. No, what matters is the reason you're all on my page. It's all the same reason for you all, I assume. Books! I write them. You read them. (Thanks). And I'm guessing that you would like an update on what I am currently working on so that you have a solid understanding of what to expect and when. It's all very logical, and I would love to address this logic for you now.
Let me address the two main questions that I seem to be getting of late.
Currently in progress is the sequel to Controllers. It's called Interface, and it's coming along nicely finally. It's taking longer than expected, but the writing gods have graced me with inspiration again, so it's being written again and not left to waste on the shelves of my brain space. I have no dates yet, though, just inspiration and the desire to write to the end. I will let you know my progress and dates when I get closer to the end.
Also, yes, there will be a sequel to the latest Dreamer Chronicles book. I am, in no way, planning on leaving the series on such a cliffhanger. I can be mean, but I'm not sadistic, people. (Maybe a little.) Julie Aim has more stories to tell, and I will definitely get to her after Interface is written and made pretty. She is next on the list, and a top priority for me. The next book is planned out, just needs to be written, which will take time that I hope to have as soon as Interface is done.
I think that's all for now. I'm sure I'm forgetting something, but you can let me know below if I have.
As always, thank you for reading. You are my heart, and I love you all.
Happy Friday!
I've missed you. You're all so lovely, and my life is a little darker without having you around me daily. This is entirely my fault. Life has been a little topsy-turvy of late, trying to figure some things out, conquer some anxiety, create art, and find time to settle and be happy. It's been difficult, scary, and has resulted in the experience of a lifetime. It's not what I expected six months ago, and it has meant tearing everything down and having to redo, re-learn, and hopefully improve for the better.
But excuses don't matter. No, what matters is the reason you're all on my page. It's all the same reason for you all, I assume. Books! I write them. You read them. (Thanks). And I'm guessing that you would like an update on what I am currently working on so that you have a solid understanding of what to expect and when. It's all very logical, and I would love to address this logic for you now.
Let me address the two main questions that I seem to be getting of late.
Currently in progress is the sequel to Controllers. It's called Interface, and it's coming along nicely finally. It's taking longer than expected, but the writing gods have graced me with inspiration again, so it's being written again and not left to waste on the shelves of my brain space. I have no dates yet, though, just inspiration and the desire to write to the end. I will let you know my progress and dates when I get closer to the end.
Also, yes, there will be a sequel to the latest Dreamer Chronicles book. I am, in no way, planning on leaving the series on such a cliffhanger. I can be mean, but I'm not sadistic, people. (Maybe a little.) Julie Aim has more stories to tell, and I will definitely get to her after Interface is written and made pretty. She is next on the list, and a top priority for me. The next book is planned out, just needs to be written, which will take time that I hope to have as soon as Interface is done.
I think that's all for now. I'm sure I'm forgetting something, but you can let me know below if I have.
As always, thank you for reading. You are my heart, and I love you all.
Happy Friday!
February 8, 2016
What Not to Say to a Writer - Vlog
Here's another vlog for you guys. I'm having fun trying to get my thoughts across as spoken words instead of this written thing. Thanks for watching, and I hope that your day is splendiforous.
February 2, 2016
February 1, 2016
Updates
The site has been down for a couple of days. You may have noticed. Been doing some minor work on it, trying to get rid of some of the buggy things. If any of notice anything buggy, please let me know in the comments below. Trying to make everything a little nicer. I would also like to remind you that Redemption is now for sale. The first book is currently on sale. It will not be on sale for too much longer, so get it while you can! Thanks for reading, and I hope that these changes will make things easier on you guys (and me).
