Happy People Are Dying

Happy people are a dying breed. I see it around me on a daily basis. No one expects the world to be in a good mood 24/7, but when you're in a bad mood all of the time, something is very wrong.

Sometimes it can be a personal reason for the unhappiness while other times it may be a business related issue. Either way it can affect everyone around you, more so when finances are a concern.

A writing business like mine is especially a concern. I strive to do the best work I can in writing because I don't ever want an unhappy client.

Now that's not saying you must do the impossible because there are limits. For example, I had a client try to request 30, 600 word articles all on the same subject due the very day she demanded them with a pay rate of $2.00 for all of them. I kindly told her I'd have to decline at such a short notice and very little pay. She was not happy at all and told me she would never refer me for work. Well, that was okay because I'm doing fine without it.

Situations like the example above are different, but when you have a customer purchase a defect item or buy something that didnt come with instructions and you refuse to explain how that product works, "It's Easier to Sponsor a Happy Customer - http://t.co/IXWJFOBHkE" rather than have an unhappy one who leaves your business and tells others about their experience.

Remember, happy customers means repeat business.

The Things I've Learned Along the Way

Being a writer doesn't require me to spend a lot of money if any, to gain clients, but at one time I wanted to open up a nightclub which meant big bucks.

Unfortunately I didn't have a major source of cash to spare and then when I was told I qualified for a business loan I was led to disapointment as in I didn't qualify all in one day.

So I took a desperate measure and talked to a friend about becoming a partner in the nightclub business. Big,big mistake.

Before I knew it my partner was trying to call all of the shots,including hiring others of his choice only. It became very frustrating to the point I decided a nightclub just wasn't worth it after all. And the friendship eventually crumbled.

Today I'm my own boss and who knows, maybe some day I'll open a bookstore or smoothie shop on an island somewhere, but for now I'm just trying to learn as much as I can with helpful blog posts like, "Questions to Ask Yourself Before Entering Into a Partnership - http://t.co/aEAfwrqNdb"

But I'm sure there's still a lot more to learn!

Using Tweets to Promote My Writing

It has been a long time since I've been active on Twitter. I've had so much going on that my time has been very limited.

Now for most, not being on Twitter is no big deal, but when you're a writer like me, it can be a very useful promotional tool. It can also be used to promote a business just as long as the tweets aren't spammy.

Twitter isn't the only tool that is great for promoting and sharing useful information. There are quite a few resources out there, but for now, I'll be focusing on Twitter.

I'll be sharing many of my posts from this blog as well as some sneak peeks of my novel, The Generation that you won't find anywhere else.

To stay connected be sure to follow me at: http://www.Twitter.com/theinsanewriter 

The Seaweed Powder

Karla walked into the little herb shop with only a simple curiosity. She was now surrounded by herbs, crystals, books and other items many religions would frown upon as unholy. She wondered why. After all, they were only items from Mother Nature and recipes meant for healing the body and soul. Nothing more. Yet it was forbidden and hushed by many. She smiled as she browsed a shelf full of various herbs and a seaweed powder that had caught her eye. Hmm.
Karla enjoyed sushi and wondered if this form of seaweed could be used as a delicious alternative in dishes that called for the ocean plant instead of for a bath. She knew its benefits, just as she knew many of the herbal items benefits that sat beside this one on the shelf. She decided this one was worth her visit and removed it from the shelf. Then she glanced at the healing crystals and other wondrous items before taking her purchase to the shop owner.
“You know, there is something very special about you. It called to you. I will not allow you to pay for the powder.” The owner smiled.
“What?” Karla asked, a little stunned at the owner’s offer.
“It is yours.” The owner said.
She looked down at the powder in her hand and stared at the label, then backed away from the counter. It couldn’t be. She must be seeing things. She blinked twice and shook her head as if it would clear up her vision, but the label had not changed. It still read, “Karla’s Seaweed Powder.”

To Be Continued…

He watched her try to smile, wondering why his best friend was acting the way he did toward her. “I’m in no mood for you to hugs or kiss me.” His best friend said.
“I’m Sorry.” She hung her head down in shame.
”You should be. You know I don’t like it.” He watched her nod at his best friend’s words and then back away from him. “And don’t start your blubbering.”
She nodded again. “I’m sorry.” Then his best friend turned away from her and smiled at him.
“Women.” He laughed. “You ready to go?”
“Maybe we should call it a night Todd.” The sudden idea of hanging out with the man he thought he knew now sickened him.
To Be Continued……

No More Mr. Nice Santa and the Celebrity Christmas Sales

Catchy isn’t it? Or maybe it’s downright madness, but by golly Santa isn’t planning to play nice this year and the celebrities are having the time of their lives making christmas sales go through the roof. You can see them in their little elf hats, sprinkling just a bit of magic on their merchandise at the North Pole, while Jolly old Saint Nick is watching and snacking on cookies I might add, as cheerful holiday music fills the air and merchants everywhere cash in on the hottest item that will be left under the tree for all of the boys and girls whose parents  can afford it. Mind you it’s not their fault, but the media tells another tale.
Whatever happened to the simple things in life. The unspoiled child who is excited at the one little gift under the tree that was made with love and care, and won’t be complaining that there are no others. Or the family get-togethers, everyone from grandma and grandpa to aunt Dee Dee and uncle Buck, and cousin Ned. And what about Merry Christmas, not Merry Xmas or Happy Holidays? Times may be changing, but I say nay to Christmas in July, August and September and yes to family gatherings and homemade gifts from the heart. What about you?

Get it Right

Mother Nature’s  bitter cold tries to chill me to the bone, but she goes unnoticed as I stare down at the woman lying in a pool of blood before me. The woman is tall and slender with dark blond hair and a tan complexion. Her eyes are closed, but I know they are brown, just as I know she is 5’11” and loves German food. I know because the woman lying before me, is me.
I don’t know how it happened. I’m not a ghost and I don’t have a twin. But somehow, someway, I’m lying there lifeless on the ground, and yet it’s not me. I know why it happened, though. They got the wrong girl. So now I’m going to have to find them so they can get it right this time.

The Motorhome

Sometimes it’s nice to take a road trip or two. It use to be that you could find a family somewhere on the road in the summer months on vacation. Now that society has tightened their belts and families are staying closer to home, I can’t find a single family who’s broke down somewhere on the road in need of motorhome repair.
It was my calling card, you know. To drive up to that family and offer my repair services even if they’d already called their own insurance company for help. Sometimes it worked, other times the father insisted they didn’t need my services. So I would have to wait until the right family came along.
Oh I know there are more than just families who travel the roads heading somewhere on vacation, but they almost always have family already who may miss them if they didn’t make it home. Families are already all together and very few people miss them. Oh there have been times when I have made a mistake and a lone relative stirs up trouble. But not this time my friend, not this time. I see that sweet ride  coming down the road and I am already ready for what is to come.

The Scars

She stood in front of the full length mirror and stared back at her reflection. She had a face that they claim only a mother could love, yet her own mother could not. The scars were hideous and her body did nothing to distract from it. Wide hips that no man saw perfect or even worth a second glance. A large rear end that was covered in stretch marks and dimples. Skin that was dull and dry to which men cringed at the very touch.
But maybe those imperfections could have been overlooked by someone had it not been for the scars upon her face. Scars left by a man she had been promised to, sold to, by her own mother. A man she could not love even when he had tried to force it upon her. Force himself on her.

Write Me a Love Story

I wonder, can someone please write this insane writer a love story and give it a happy ending? For the past few weeks it seems my life has been nothing but drama for the most part. And, if it's not drama, it;s one big mess that's landed in my lap and spiraling out of control.

I wonder, can I runaway to the islands, or Florida maybe? Sip on a cold fruity drink on a beach somewhere and just enjoy the ocean view, while I write my life away as the kids play along the shore. Or maybe I'll find myself on some adventure, riding a motorcycle around the world, spending my days in the jungles of the world.

What do you think? Want to write my life into a love story for the entire world to enjoy?


Joy Smith also known as The Insane Writer, is the author of the Sci-Fi novel, The Generation. You can email her at silent_beautie@yahoo.com She can also be found on Twitter @theinsanewriter.


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A Free PDF Writer Tool?

I wonder, does anyone know of a free PDF writer tool out there? I know Adobe is good, but I can't afford the cost at the moment, and I've been thinking about creating an E-book for one of my other blogs.

Actually, I've been wanting to do a lot of things lately, if I can ever get myself back on track. I'd like to do some research on resume writing tips, so I can update my resume for my writing career.

There's really a lot I'd like to do as an entrepreneur online, but I know it's going to be a step-by-step thing. Any suggestions or ideas from my readers? Have any of you used Guru.com or Elance.com?


Joy Smith also known as The Insane Writer, is the author of the Sci-Fi novel, The Generation. You can email her at silent_beautie@yahoo.com She can also be found on Twitter @theinsanewriter.


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Pen and Paper. My First Love.

I love the silence of pen and paper. I seem to get more done with them, than with my laptop. There are no distractions. No online games to play. No emails to check or friends to chat with. It's just me and my pen and paper, conquering the world, one word at a time. 

Joy Smith also known as The Insane Writer, is the author of the Sci-Fi novel, The Generation. You can email her at silent_beautie@yahoo.com She can also be found on Twitter @theinsanewriter.




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Our city Wants Us to Pay to Blog!

This is insane! Cities like Philadelphia, Pennsylvania are telling bloggers they must pay for a $300 business license in order to blog. Don't believe me? Check out Zack Johnson's blog post for the entire story.

The next thing you know, states will want you to get a business license just to write in a journal or write a book! And before you know it, you'll need a business license just to chat with friends online! I just wish people wouldn't get so damned greedy when it comes to finding ways to rob people of their chance to express themselves.



Joy Smith also known as The Insane Writer, is the author of the Sci-Fi novel, The Generation. You can email her at silent_beautie@yahoo.com She can also be found on Twitter @theinsanewriter.



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The Meeting. A Short to a Story I Am Working On

The muscular, balded man, put on the julbo sunglasses and pushed open the coffee shop's door. Before he'd even stepped inside, he knew were staring at him. Wondering why the sunglasses inside and why today when the sun was in hiding and Mother Nature's skies threatened rain.

He had no choice. He needed to stay hidden from the world. If the people knew, he would be shunned. Attacked. But that did not matter as much as the woman sitting in a corner booth of the shop, alone, mattered. She was waiting, hoping and as he approached her table, she looked up with a shy smile.

"I told you I would be here." He said. She nodded and traced the rim of her coffee cup that sat on the table in front of her.

"You know I can't have you interfering with my plans." He said. Again she nodded, then picked up the cup , drank its contents and slowly set the cup back down.

"So you're ready to die?"He asked with a heavy sigh. It was going to be difficult for him. She was after all his flesh and blood, his sister, his twin. He took the sunglasses off of his face and set them on the table, then revealed the blade he'd had hidden inside the shirt of his sleeve.

He watched her eyes shift to the blade and started to smile in the pleasure of her fear, when he realized she had not flinched, had not shown that fear he loved and fed on in his victims. Instead, she showed no fear, something he pondered why until suddenly her eyes shifted to her lap as she brought her right hand up to reveal her own weapon of choice. A long sword he'd recognized on the wall of their father's study.

"I'm stopping you brother. No more killing. No more victims. It ends right here." He let out a laugh that echoed through the small coffee shop. His sister stop him? Ha she was just a librarian. Scared of everything, of everyone. Scared of the world they lived in.

He had nothing to fear. But as soon as those words crossed his mind, she shifted her gaze once more and a look of pure dark hatred stared back at him. She was not ready to die.

Promoting Myself Unshamelessly

eventually when I can afford to do so, I'd like to be self-employed again with my own business. And of course when I do, I'll need to promote my business if I want to get the word out. Of on the easiest ways to promote any business is with an online printing company.

It's easy because it allows you to print business cards, postcards, brochures or anything you need to help promote your business. So, I'm thinking I could easily promote my writing with something like that and spread the word about The Insane Writer.

And it would be better than writing out my information on the back of a postcard like I did over Halloween.lol

Turning Down Paid Opinions and Going Back to Working Online

Okay so some of you may be looking at the title of my post and wondering, if she's going back to work online, why on earth would she turn down paid opinions?

One of the biggest reasons I sometimes turn down paid opinions is because it's a product I don't believe in that the company wants a positive review for, or it's just not enough money to be a part of my precious time.

At one point and time, I actually would have been happy to write a 200 word opinion for a whopping few bucks, but it takes at least 20 minutes to research the site and then write my thoughts and finalize the post. That's $4 an hour, not even minimum wage, and let's not forget that taxes haven't even been taken out of that whopping $4 an hour. It really just isn't worth it in my opinion.

However, if I can find enough work online that won't take up my entire day and will pay decently enough on a regular full-time basis, I'm going to start working online once again.

I really miss making my own hours and having the freedom to take off of work when I need to. My job away from home simply does not offer that, even in life and death situations. I actually got pointed for almost dying and not showing up to work even on doctors orders!!!

So, yeah, I would really love to start working online again.

Another Quick Peek of Yet Another Novel I'm Working On

Andy Philips grinned at Allie Trenton’s foster parents. They nodded in approval to his boyish charm and good looks as they saw it. To Allie he was an overweight college slob too horny for his own good who needed a good dose of acne lotion. She wasn’t thrilled with the choice they had made. Something suggested from a neighbor, his aunt just down the street. She was never allowed to choose her own dates or even friends. One of her parents many rules.

They were strict only because they wanted her money. She had been in their foster care since birth, Allie’s birth parents had given her up, never to be heard from again. Allie‘s foster father was a “Be back here by nine.” Her mother called after them.

He smiled and waved to them until they were gone and then turned to Allie.

“Well now, aren’t they just the happy couple.” He laughed.

“Greedy that’s all.”

“So we’re off to party.” He grinned.

“I thought it was pizza and a movie.” She said to him. He was a nervous driver as his hands shook on the steering wheel Allie noted.

“Hot babes, a few brewskies and a lot of friends. I’m a real popular man.” Wondering if he was the laugh of the party she put on her best smile and prayed the rest of the night would end quickly.



Joy Smith also known as The Insane Writer, is the author of the Sci-Fi novel, The Generation. You can email her at silent_beautie@yahoo.com She can also be found on Twitter @theinsanewriter and you visit her official website at www.theinsanewriter.com.WomenFreebies.com - Enter to Win Royal Secret II Perfume

A Quick Peek at Another Novel I Will Be Working On

“More coffee Katie Scott?”

Katie turned toward the roboserver and shook her head. “No thank you.”

“Very well.” The roboserver acknowledged then moved on to the table behind her. She was such a klutz. This would be the second shirt in less than a week that would end up in the rag pile as a result of her clumsiness. Katie let out a sigh and continued to blot up the coffee on her shirt with a napkin. She couldn’t afford another new shirt. A silly thought ran through her head. Maybe she should just give up drinking all together. No more coffee, soda, tea, no more ruined shirts.
An alert bulletin scrolled across all of the screens mounted on the tv stands causing Katie to stop and take notice at one of the screens above her.

It couldn't be. A chill ran down her spine. It was. "5 hours ago at about 1am this morning a young woman was discovered raped and murdered inside her home. At approximately 2:19am this morning two other women were discovered raped and murdered 4 blocks away. The suspect is said to be wearing black jeans and a white t-shirt. No information is available as to who the suspect is yet."

She knew exactly who the suspect was. It was twin brother and it wouldn't be long until she was his next victim.

My Next Blockbuster Novel

While I've been working on my novel, it never ceases to amaze me that I always have another story idea stuck in my head somewhere.

But, instead of just chucking them to the side like I've heard some writers do, I write them down and save them for later. That way I will never be short of an idea for my next blockbuster novel! hehe


Joy Smith also known as The Insane Writer, is the author of the Sci-Fi novel, The Generation. You can email her at silent_beautie@yahoo.com She can also be found on Twitter @theinsanewriter and you visit her official website at www.theinsanewriter.com.WomenFreebies.com - Enter to Win Royal Secret II Perfume

Working on my Novel

Last night I was actually able to edit about a page of my novel in around 30 minutes. Not too bad if I say so myself. Now, let's hope I can keep it up every night, although tonight might not happen. I still need a shower before I head to bed. But if I keep going with editing my novel at least every other night, I might actually get it finished before next year!


Joy Smith also known as The Insane Writer, is the author of the Sci-Fi novel, The Generation. You can email her at silent_beautie@yahoo.com She can also be found on Twitter @theinsanewriter and you visit her official website at www.theinsanewriter.com.WomenFreebies.com - Enter to Win Royal Secret II Perfume