Intro: Welcome to my Madness

Hello World, my name is Amanda Yancey and I am addicted to the art of stringing words into stories. That's right, I am addicted to writing.

So, I had a really fantastic time writing a blog during my three months in Italy (which I still have to conclude by the way) and I wanted to keep this blog writing thing up (so articulate, I know...), but since I am not traveling at the moment I thought I would share a different story and love of my life: Writing.

I'm sure most of you are already attuned to this creative obsession of mine because it's all I ever seem to talk about on my Facebook wall--that and my insane kittens and my often demonic miniature horses that want to murder me in broad daylight.

Here is what you will find on this blog:

1. Essays and short stories that were published by Chicken Soup for the Soul. 
2. Poems I wrote during the dark times (back surgery years). 
3. Projects I am working on now. 
4. Updates on how the road to getting my first novel published is going. 
5. Thoughts of a young writer. 
6. What I've learned so far.
7. And probably some random stuff too... that's kind of inevitable. 

I'll tell you another reason why I am writing this blog. 

Prepare to laugh or just think that I am stupid.

You see, I made this deal with myself. *Rolls her eyes* In order to really push myself to get this book of mine published I decided that I am not going to cut my hair until my book is an actual book and is in my hands ready to read. That's right. That means first I need to get an agent, editor, and publishing company to take me on. I started this goal last year and my hair was a little past my shoulders at that time. Needless to say, my hair has gotten a bit longer now... (I will post pictures sometime soon)

Why, you may ask, am I doing this?

Great question!

I'll tell you why. Actually, first I'll start off by asking you a question. 

Question: Have you ever had long hair before? 

Ok, so maybe my hair isn't this long, but... 

If you answered NO, you can probably run a lot faster than me. However, if you answered YES, well then you probably know that long hair can be a real pain in the hairy buttocks and I mean that literally because your hair can get SO DANG LONG that it will start creeping down into your butt crack and let me tell you something, that is not a good feeling.  

(Warning: I can be blunt.)

Here is how my weekly (if not daily) train of thought often goes: 

1. Ewe! My hair is creeping into my butt crack! 
2. I hate my hair! 
3. Down with the beast!
4. Wait a minute...?
5. Crap!
6. I can't cut it yet. I need to get that DANG BOOK PUBLISHED FIRST!

And with that constant annoyance day after day I am reminded that I need to work on my book. I need to get that thing perfect, so I can finally chop this freaking hair off! 

So there you have it folks. I don't really want my book published all that badly, it's more like I just want my hair to be gone. Not completely gone or else I'd be bald and look like the spawn of Voldemort. 

Gross.  

I apologize for your future nightmares...

Now, that I have publicly announced this goal I can't break it.

But, let me tell you something... that will be ONE AWESOME DAY... getting the beast chopped off and holding my book in my hands. I'll make sure to get a picture for you. 

This blog will also function as a tool to keep my brain balanced. 

FYI: I HAVE to write in order to keep sane and if you think that's completely insane well thank the sweet Lord you do not have my brain (BAM! I'm a rhyming fool). 

Thanks for reading! I'm sure this will be a fun adventure for both of us.