If you haven't been following the hashtag #WIPjoy this month, I am terribly sorry for your loss. But no worries, you can still spend wonderful hours scrolling through the feed! Let's all give Bethany A. Jennings a round of applause for cooking up this creative way to reconnect with your WIP! Responding to the prompts every day made me take a close look at my story and characters, and I got a glimpse into others' works in progress.

There are still four days of #WIPjoy happening, so check out the feed and/or jump in! If you've missed the previous 26 days, call it a loss or play catchup. We won't mind you taking over the feed for a minute.

Now, for your viewing pleasure, a compilation of all my #WIPjoy tweets! (and a sneak peek of those to come)

A few weeks ago, I read Ethan’s post, Living More Than You Exist. In it, he talks about his recent health issues and how living “on borrowed time” has affected his perspective as a person and as a writer.

​As writers and artists, we are always learning about ourselves through our writing and through our experiences, each of which affect the other. I have always believed that reacting in a positive way to negative experiences is the strongest thing a person can do. It helps us to grow and to learn, and as writers, it helps us turn life into stories. But it’s also difficult. When you’re standing in the middle of a storm, it can be damn hard to see anything but black clouds.

That’s why I was so inspired by not only Ethan’s story, but by his tone and his outlook. He has the sort of strength and energy that makes me want to work harder, be stronger, and use every gift I am given. I hope his story and this Q&A does the same for you.
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Without further ado, Ethan Michael Carter!

​Let’s be honest, traveling with a writer is an ordeal. Most people pack swimsuits and sunscreen for the beach. Writers need a swimsuit, sunscreen, twelve books, three notebooks, fifteen blue million pens, devices, chargers, E-readers, bookmarks, headphones… These are necessities. A writer is always writing. Even if the view behind their notebook is perfect white sand and salty waves, words wait for no scribbler.
 
I recently received the Christenberry Award from the Big South Conference. It was a fantastic honor, and I was very excited. But I’m not going to lie, I was far more excited about traveling to Hilton Head, SC for the awards dinner.
 
A few days before the dinner, my mom and I packed up the rental car and headed east. We stopped at Isle of Palms for a night, soaked in some rays, and then hauled it over to Hilton Head.
 
But let me back up. Packing.