Myla Stauber's Blog

I'm about to send a copy of Country of Unknown Origin to five people who won the giveaway on Goodreads!

I'll get those books in the mail probably on New Years Eve. How wonderful to reach people in that way.

Thank you to all who have shown an interest in me and my writing!

We are approaching the 2nd anniversary of the Newtown school shooting, a day that changed my life forever. 12/14/12.

To honor the wishes of the parents of Newtown to "go out and do good" in the world, I am donating 100% of the profits from my books from now until January 15th to the following non profit organizations:

http://www.benslighthouse.org/

Started by a Newtown family to provide for the ongoing comfort and theraputic care of the children of Newtown

http://www.sandyhookpromise.org/

To provide for ongoing education about mental illness and responsible gun ownership.

If you are interested in purchasing one of my books, know that the entire amount will be donated to these great organizations.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_nos...

I thank you....

Lately, two friends have entrusted me with their first novels...asking me what I think.

Wow, what an honor. Truly.

I have a lot of joy in my heart right now knowing that my opinion mattered. I always wrote, I never asked anyone what they thought, and didn't think my opinion mattered much. So when someone puts their baby in my hands and trusts that I care for it... I think that's beautiful.

I am not a person who has sought opinion and I am careful when I am asked to give one. I travel in the company of myself as a writer but it feels really sweet to think even I could have some company in that place I always thought of as completely solo.
Thanks friends...

I wouldn't say I'm "like" anyone but I definitely have a lot of artistic heroes, each one of them painted, wrote, danced or made exactly what they wanted, how they wanted, when they wanted.

On the death of the painter Andrew Wyeth, aged 91, by Jamie Wyeth:

“Andrew Wyeth was my best friend, my teacher, my mentor, and my father. His death left a gaping hole in my life. Among his legions of admirers and battalions of critics, the question remains: Was his heart an intellectual challenge, or was it sentimental pap? To me, that misses the point. Wyeth was not a Realist painter; he was quite simply, an outsider. His work was utterly untouched by any style, fashion or movement. His world was a magically airless, crystal lit microcosm, of which he was the sole inhabitant, and his art will forever remain, by his own design, elusive.”

It's funny to love a new story and feel so invested in it while at the same time, I just put a new book out...also full of stories I felt the same way about when I was immersed in carving them.

This shows me that the artistic process is not to be "rationalized" but simply enjoyed or at least... surf those waves!

I'm already thinking of the best way to show off my new story since I have two more compilations in the works!

Crafting a story is like carving from clay. Bit by bit you craft and hone until you have the exact likeness you were trying to create. Then... you're on to the next one, and the next one..

May we authors never run out of clay!

Mugged by a new story this morning. There I was, minding my own business when a story entitled "High" came into my mind.
This is cause for a celebration, party of one! I love this phase of writing a new story, probably hand written, messy, flowing, let it rip. This isn't about editing and perfecting, this is about creating. Yes, it's my favorite part although I have learned to respect the other parts of the writing process as well.

Never am I happier than when I am being mugged by some new fragment, title, chapter, or character that is clamoring to be born.

It represents a return to basics: just write. To be held captive, mugged by a story to the point where you have to pull over while driving to write something down or be awoken in the middle of the night by its insistent pull to get itself written.

"High" is about a child growing up in a war torn neighborhood. Seeing the war through his eyes one way and then another once he is given pills to help with his night terrors brought on by bombings and shootings in his neighborhood.

I don't set myself up to be a victim of another mugging! I'm actually quite busy with other things. These muggings... they just happen. Don't go anywhere without a pen...

Hi readers! If you like gritty, imaginative stories that can be read in one sitting, my compilations are for you.This is the second book that I've put on Goodreads... I'm figuring out how to not only make my words visible on the page but those pages visible to would be readers!

My next book is already halfway to completion...cover done, stories being edited.

My first book, Billy's First Ride is a short but sweet ride (if you like your rides sweet like cyanide.) There is an audio version of Billy's First Ride available on audible, it's really a fun listen. http://www.audible.com/pd/Fiction/Bil...

I'm happy to present my second book of stories, Country of Unknown Origin with multiple new rides... trips to New York in the 70's, post- war Vietnam, the Great Salt desert after a child has died and back again, an ill fated trip to a red couch with no return ticket...

Take a trip with me...

In an effort not to offend anyone please note that my writing does contain adult language in some stories and themes from the darker side of life.