I'm ready for love with the year 2010




Two-Thousand and Ten…I won't let you down
I know for twelve months you'll only be around
The things we'll do together will be so profound
You drop the ball on me, make my heart start to pound


Body, mind & soul start to race, a new physique of me breaking through
We haven't yet met, yet I can already say I love you
To that dude 2K9, I'm saying 'bye'.. adieu!
Cuz month after month you're what I'm gonna pursue


You're gonna make me happy, I'm gonna reach my goals
If I do really well, I'll bring in that New Year bankroll
Cuz I'ma run this year, forget going for a stroll
I'm working on this novel, striving to make my own payroll


So cheers to us, 2K10, cheers to you and I
Things gone, good & bad, I gladly say goodbye
Cuz better days with you are so close, so nearby
Gotta love each other right here, right now…get on that spiritual high
Give me my faith, my health, my loves…I want a really grand year
Cuz I know you'll love me…& then be gone… as quickly as you appear


******2010 is at the door… Remember Life is short, break the rules, Forgive quickly, love truly, laugh uncontrollably, and never regret anything that made you smile!!!!************

Urban word of the week

Harajuku Barbie

fly b.ishes who are about gettin money. term was made popular by nicki minaj. it's what she calls herself and others who are into her music and her style.

Ex. "carter called lemme get tha car key. you don't want it wit tha harajuku barbie" -nicki minaj


Don't be a strawberry shortcake, all my HB's know what that is, lol! Visit Urban Dictionary's site for more more urban words...definitions of our world

EVERYDAY IS CHRISTMAS FOR ME! :)

A lil v-post about my view of christmas growing up as a Jehovah's Witness since age 5. Please leave your thoughts, comments, questions...! Love ya!
P.S the quality isn't perfect,friggin windows live movie maker.....

I’m a survivor!

Martin Luther King,Jr
"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy"-
Writing is a war. I recently just watched the superb Tarantino film…Inglorious Basterds and realized that my road to becoming a successful novelist has no Nazi political party or Jewish-Americans on it (at least not yet) but it's basically the same battle. Becoming an author definitely has its ups and downs. And lemme tell you the early part of last week I was on cloud nine! I mean if someone would have yelled 'up up and away' I would have been so far up already I wouldn't have heard them. I was reaching my daily goal of writing 1,000 words. I had great blog post ideas. Friends were saying they loved my work. Other writers were saying they loved my work. Even some publishers were giving me rave reviews on some writing I had shown them. Like I said, your girl was on a high. This writing and blogging and being a social network butterfly mixed with my day job was EASY…piece of cake. I was winning!... and then….
BAM! A missile got launched at me. Right from the mouth of someone whom I considered a new, but dear friend.
"You got pipe dreams little girl. You ain't nothing and you ain't never gonna be anything. Writing a book? Huh, get a REAL job! You're a fool! A stupid byt*ch!"
Yep. That's what he said.
It was the first time that someone actually wasn't cheering me on over the fact that I said I was writing a book, especially one of my friends. We had gotten into a small spat over plans for New Year's and the argument got personal. Too personal.
He had stepped on my dreams harder than Beyonce stepping on stage in stilettos. I mean it was a fierce set of words he swung my way.
And they hurt.
At first, I tried to ignore it. Then, I was sad for a while. And then I started to wonder if there was any truth to what he was saying.
I had tried my pursuit to being a writer through reporting. And I discovered that I wanted more control over my writing career. But was writing my book an excuse, a denial of the fact that I was no longer reporting for the news?
Deep down I wondered. Was I really ready to be a novelist? Could I perform under the pressure of all this writing? Would I fail? Was I truly prepared for this test? I had studied mass communications, specifically broadcast-journalism, for four years at USC and one valuable lesson had stuck with me….have tough skin…and fight for your dreams. But what good was all that training if I wasn't able to execute it when it really counted?
I was losing my focus. My head hurt. My heart hurt. I even think I panicked myself into getting pink eye.
Despite that loser's lame words and my insecurity eating me up inside, I nearly hit the bottom but discovered something while I was down there.
Bottom line…I WAS ready.
When I reflected on all of my training and journalism preparation, my garden of confidence started to grow again. I started to read again. I started to write again. I even started to twitter about my experience as a way of encouraging others who may have been going through what I was going through. Everything I had learned up to this point, everything that made me
ME was what would allow me to win in this writing World War. I didn't need to be afraid.
I discovered that winners work hard and they plant seeds of success long before the enemy strikes. To be a winner you have to W.I.N. That means you have to walk, you have to imagine, and you have to do it now. Winners walk with faith, they imagine their acts of success, and they don't wait to do it. That is what separates the good from the great.
How we deal with the missiles of life will ultimately decide if we can block those trying to block on us…trying to defeat us…make us defeat ourselves. You see, Dr. King was right, it's not the easy times that make us great, but the down right nitty gritty bloody, sweaty, all teary-eyed times that make the true character of winners. When your character is getting tested, business won't be popping, sales may be down, the competition may be doing better, and people may laugh at you, mock you, and tell you to grow up and give up.    
But I'm not going to do that. And you won't either (my pretty little self won't let you).
Here's a few hidden jewels(or grenades, whatever you prefer) that you can put in your treasure box of success:

Polish your plan everyday.
Get up earlier, schedule your writing time, reduce or eliminate your TV time, sign up for a writing retreat, submit your manuscript. Get focused on the preparation fundamentals that lead to writing success.

Surround yourself with positive, successful soldiers.
I think that it's best to eliminate the player haters and attract those running the game. The leaders of your field will have the confidence to help you shine too and will lend you their diamonds of knowledge, but who will also hold you accountable for your actions.

Be a Jacob the Jeweler. Help others. Remember, there are folks like you who are struggling (personally and financially) in battles of their own. Find a way to help ease their suffering with your skill, connections, and compassion.

Be thankful! Appreciate all your blessings and take literal and mental notes where your life is going well, and don't focus on the negative. This one was especially important to me because my 'naysayer' tried to diss the fact that I don't have a luxury vehicle and he even called a pair of my shoes cheap and ugly. (My ultra FAB Charlotte Russe black suede, peep toes that sorta look like these ....(which I'm so going to order)










Anyhoo..remember, the road to success ain't easy. It's a war. They shoot so many soldiers. They shot down Dr. King. And people will try to shoot you down too. And they'll do it when you least expect it, right when you think you have it under control.
BAM!BAM!BAM! Just like that more missiles get launched at you.
Don't resist it. Rather, accept it as a challenge to upgrade yourself and become strong. I thank God for what that boy said to me because it made me a stronger writer. I'm going to be the best d.amn writer this world has ever seen. And I'm going to work hard and build great relationships so that I'm ready before all this hater ish is thrown my way again.


Because people who have great character are people you can count on.


And the writing world can definitely count on me.
So c'mon lets get our WARFACEs ON! GAME ON HATERZ...we're Ready!

Urban Word of the Week

Immaculate Congestion

When traffic is backed up for miles on a highway, crawling along -- and then suddenly everyone returns to normal high speeds without passing an accident, stalled car, or road construction.

Ex. Mischa needed to get to the hospital in 5 minutes or he would die without seeing her one last time, but traffic was bumper-to-bumper on I-20 for no reason! It must be immaculate congestion, Mischa thought with panic.

Visit Urban Dictionary's site for more more urban words...definitions of our world

Chris Breezy would make an AWESOME book character

Soooo Chris Brown is like totally 'I'm so pissed off, I'm gonna cuss the world out & then delete my twitter page' angry over feeling blackballed on his album sales.
1. I didn't think his album sales were doing that bad, in fact, I expected them to go through the roof. I hear he was doing better than his pop-star ex-girlfriend, Rihanna, who recently released her fourth album, Rated-R.
2. Is this the same young man who said he was never an angry person?
SMH.
Ok while I was enjoying a glass of Pinot Noir I had a chance to glimpse @ his twitter rage….
Chris: I'm tired of this s**t. major stores are blackballing my CD. Not stocking the shelves and lying to customers. What the f**k do I gotta do?...
Chris again: "WTF…yeah I said it and I ain't retracting s**t.
He doesn't stop there: "I'm not biting my tongue about s**t else…the industry can kiss my a*s"
I take it he's a little (just a little) upset that the criticism for his attack on Rihanna,21, following a pre-Grammy Awards party has not blown over in time for his album sales. He was found guilty of assault and ordered to carry out 80 hours of community labor, undergo 12 months of domestic violence counseling, and he received five years probation for using Ri Ri as his personal punching bag. He was ordered to stay at least 100 yards (10 yards at public events) away from her for the next five years.
Chris vowed to "learn" from his transgressions. He released his third studio album 'Graffiti' and all seemed well in the world.
And then outta NOWHERE the Twitter rants began.
Sounds like some conflict going on to me.
Three common conflicts in literature I always look for are:
Man vs. Man (ex. My Chris-like character fighting against another hip-hop artist to see who could do the best M.J moonwalk)
Man vs. Society (ex. My Chris-like character not being able to get a bank loan because of flopping album sales & bad credit)
Man vs. Himself (ex. My Chris-like character having to fight his urges to beat his girlfriend in order to save his love for her)
Sounds like Mr. Brown to me.
Instead of Chris Brown, I think I would name my character Chris Blackballed(no pun intended.)


Pic Source: RashaEnt.

N-I-P Excerpts, Prologue

After many, many months of brainstorming, starting a story, editing a story, stopping a story, nearly throwing my laptop against the wall because I had writer's block on a story…I've FINALLY completed the first prologue and chapter of my urban romance fiction novel. Now I'm a total perfectionist, but in order to get past chapter 1 and actually finish the novel...I have to ease up on the OCD editing (so forgive me on tech/grammatical errors…definitely won't be in the final version)

I've decided to post some excerpts from every chapter (or every few) from my NIP/novel-in progress. My title is in working mode, as I'm waiting for it to come to me naturally or until I actually complete the novel.

So *insert my novel title here* is about Mischa Brown, 24, and her beautiful family, beautiful, at least, to the outside world. The Browns seem to have it all…money, power, respect,…until life's grandiose picture slowly starts to become not-so perfect forcing Mischa and her family into a battle of obstacles with friends, parents, careers, even total strangers. The characters are going to be pushed beyond their limits in the streets, in the office, in the bedroom… as they struggle to find out if the love amongst them can conquer all the drama or if it just isn't enough. It's about finding purpose from and within God, facing your past, and realizing that no one can make a testimony to living the good life until you've gone through the test.

We start with good girl, uber-successful, Mrs. Mischa Brown who's out enjoying the night celebrating, having a few drinks with the girls, when things with the bartender start to heat up a bit.

Enjoy and please leave your thoughts!

PROLOGUE

Barton's NightClub..Atlanta,GA

 

Hampton tasted strong and pure, like unadulterated chocolate. His flavor was deep—maybe he would get deep inside of her. They were going to have to take this back to his place, for sure. Mischa was certain his home was big, among other things.

Dear God. Home.

Mischa instantly pulled back from her lip locking charade, a slight smile still permanently tweaked on Hampton.

"I am so sorry, but I can't let you do this", she said.

"Baby, really, the bar tab is not a big deal. Kiss me like that again & Barton's will never charge you."

He reached in once more, pecking her lightly on the corner of her mouth.

"No, you don't understand" Mischa said, her whole body tense, refusing to look up and face him. "Hampton, I'm, m-, um, I'm sorta kinda married."

Hampton glanced down. He stared at the 5-carat rock engraving her left hand. His expression proved this was his first time seeing it.

"I'm so, so, sorry," she said. She quickly looked back over her shoulder. Had any of her girlfriends seen? She tried to remember if Kristen had walked all the way out of the club. She glanced back over at Hampton, a forced smile on her face.

A small frown flickered across his as he leaned into her again. His breath was as cool as his demeanor as he set his lips close and whispered.

"I love you Mischa", he said.

Mischa said nothing and struggled to stay firm. Those words hit deep inside her chest, absorbing her being deeper than the kiss. His hands tensed, as he interlocked his fingers through hers. She had sipped on about three drinks tonight, but Mischa knew this feeling wasn't just related to the liquor.

"I love you too", she answered softly.

Only God could explain this feeling.

His eyes stared into her soul, looking for more. But Mischa didn't have anything left. At least not right now. He was her love at first sight and Mischa would never be able to be with him.

"I have to go" she said.

Hampton sighed as he withdrew his hands from hers. Their silence drifted like a boat lost at sea. The only sound that followed was the light clicking of Mischa's pumps as she left the bar and headed towards the club's exit. He had stolen her heart in a way that no one ever had, including her husband, but as Mischa walked away, she couldn't help but wonder why she felt like the thief.

So much for thinking anything in this world was free.

©opyright 2009. http://ahiddenjewell.blogspot.com/

 

 

Let me know your thoughts, tips, & how excited, or not excited, you are for the Chp.1 excerpt.

 

 

 

Contact Me:

washinjc@yahoo.com

washinjc@google.com

BlackBerry Msngr PIN: 30817B11
www.twitter.com/CROWN_JEWELL

www.facebook.com/jewell.washington

Sexy, sleeping giant

Dear diary (what I'll refer to as DD so as not to sound like a total 10yr.old),

DD,

The world is calling and I want to be a part of some of the noise.

Ironically, I have to have total silence when I write, but it's something about being around all the sights, sounds, and muses of life that gives me true inspiration for writing stories. It's telling the tales of my life and those around me that has always been a deep passion of mine. Ever since I was a little girl, just 9 years old, I can remember inspiring just myself at the time, through writing. I had a floral, blue diary where I would let everything in my head and in my heart loose. And being a little fashionista in the making…I commonly wrote down what my outfits for the week were or would be. Brown pants with a white turtleneck on Wednesday. The black & pink windbreaker outfit for the weekend. My fave pink jeans with my blue Minnie & Mickey shirt on Friday. Outfit disasters? Yes. Ugh…lol...if the fashion police could have taken a little girl to jail.

Anyhoo, I never really thought words would become such an instrumental tool in my life. I hadn't discovered the power of them yet. At the time, all I knew is that when I put letters that turned into words that turned into feelings on paper it made me more powerful. If I was sad…I felt surprisingly better. If I was angry...it kept me from hitting anyone. A victim of childhood emotional and sexual abuse, I commonly felt a stinging hole in my chest…a void…that hurt…a lot. Writing helped me deal with that pain. I wrote constantly in my bunk bed and then hid it under the mattress so my two sisters couldn't pull it out and read it (although that was the FIRST place my younger sister looked and I constantly had to look for new hiding places.)

But all that was 15 years ago. In about one month it will be a new year. 2010. My year to be great or give up. And I DON'T give up. At least not without a good argument in cute heels and skinny jeans, at the least. I mean, a girl has to at least battle for what she wants. And call me 'color purple' but I've had to fight all my life for what I wanted. I'm not about to let my dream go now. Although I must admit it's been slightly resting in the back of my mind and heart for a while now.

That is until I read this article entitled Sleeping Giant on socialmediasistas.com. Today I signed up to be a writer for the site and came across the short, inspirational piece. It talks about the internal conflict of the 'appearances' of black women living the good life and the internal struggle within us, poking at us…telling us while we put on our heels and do our makeup and our hair and go smile at men, work like a slave for our bosses, laugh with our girlfriends, birth our babies…that we're not really living the good life God set for us to have. The author, Tangie, calls this conflict a sleeping giant. It's a giant dying to be awoken.

Women who are gifted & beautiful and talented, like myself, who feel they have a higher purpose or call, have for whatever reason not made real moves on that calling. And, yes, many of us are college graduates. But we're stuck in dead-end relationships, dead-end jobs, dead-end situations…clueless as to how to get from where we are to where we think we should be. The article just called to my spirit. The extraordinary Jewell hidden inside me filled with a life of personal, financial, and spiritual fulfillment, grace and peace has been hidden behind the nice, just okay, sorta laid-back, cool Jewell. But, I refuse to settle for anything less than what God has set in place for me. I refuse to accept that I will not finish and publish novels…and write songs…and motivational pieces, and articles and just live a life filled with words. The little girl inside of me would be so disappointed if I gave up now. She struggled too hard to get me here. So, YES, I refuse to accept that I will not have financial freedom. Not have a luxury car, a big house,…*takes deep breath*…never have a fabulous pair of authentic, Italian red-soled high heels in MY walk-in closet(my heart breaks to even think it.) I refuse to accept that I will never become happily married and have a family.

Hell, I refuse to accept that I won't continue to blog about all the things I refuse to accept for my life.

I know the world is ready to read my novels. I know the world has been waiting for my blog. I know the world is ready for me.

I'm ready too….

Xoxoxo,

Jewell

 

ABOUT ME: The Woman Behind the Writing

JEWELL WASHINGTON, a native of Denver, Colorado, now lives the life of a rocky mountain chick turned southern belle, in sunny South Carolina. After moving to Columbia in high school, she got accepted to both the newspaper & school TV staff, but was forced to make a choice when her teacher told her she couldn’t write for both print and broadcast. She chose to anchor, report, and edit for Cavalier News, her school’s daily on-air show & never looked back. Jewell went on to earn a B.A. in Broadcast-Journalism at the University of South Carolina, and plans to pursue her Masters Degree in Fiction Creative Writing at a low-residency graduate program in 2K11.


A lover of written word since age 9, she hid her craving to make it into a career, when others told her to find a more practical, lucrative thing to love in life. Her college major boosted her confidence and she applied for a writing internship her first semester in. Laughed out of the studio and told to come back as a senior, she fought her way into writing internships, determined to craft her skills and network herself with other reporters. Her excitement to learn from others landed her first paid-gig at a local TV station, just before her senior year of college. After graduation, she competed against hundreds of other writers for a prestigious apprenticeship covering state political news. With no knowledge or experience with politics, she was later told her ‘passion for success’ landed her the full-time job. She loved working with political leaders, but still felt compelled to her first writing love: freelance. After a year of brainstorming ideas for a blog, A Hidden Jewell: Beauty Beyond the Writing was finally launched in December 2009. The very first words of her first post were aptly written “Dear Diary”, her inner child somewhat reborn inside of the now 24 year-old. Since then, she’s poured out her thoughts on love, life, and inspiring logic for her readers.

In addition to connecting with her readers, she also keeps them updated while writing and probably over-editing her first fiction NIP (novel in progress) set for completion and publication by year’s end.

She checks her twitter daily, wears makeup occasionally, cooks as an avocation, watches innumerable romantic comedies, collects LA Lakers memorabilia, is an avid devotee of Charleston King Crab legs and maintains a hidden collection of yoga/pilates videos. Her favorite film is Forrest Gump; her favorite song is “Dangerously in Love;” her first taste of NY Pizza was nothing like she expected; and she is a firm believer in positive affirmations and that God "only allows you to bear what you can endure" She has a big heart and is willing to share her Twilight books with anyone that asks to read them (but no, really, only if you’re Team Edward.)

FAB FOLLOW

COMING SOON: Bi-weekly interviews of young professionals making big things happen who may not be 'famous' by industry standards but who the world NEEDS to know about! Pretty much anyone I consider totally fab from a business standpoint! (Fulfilling the reporter fetish in me)

*If you consider yourself a FAB FOLLOW, get @ me! I'd luv to interview you!






FAMOUS FAB FOLLOWS:

Portofolio

COMING SOON! Writing Samples & virtual comp card(yes, I model too!)

REVIEWS: Books & ♫♫♫

MUSIC & READING THIS MONTH IN MARCH

NOW READING: Michele Grant's "Heard It All Before"; (well actually I finished this in two days, but it's a real page-turner, I HIGHLY recommend! Grant simply perfects great, contemporary REAL fiction writing!






NOW PLAYING: Paramore's "Brand New Eyes", this is the band's 3rd album. Their music is beautiful, complex, & on some tracks down right intense...you'll love every song!






♥♥♥♥♥♥ LINK LOVE ♥♥♥♥♥
African-American Literature Book Club
City Stone Publishing