Summer wave of online writing courses, including my new Elements of Editing course!

I’m launching the next wave of professional writing courses, along with a BRAND NEW “Elements of Editing” online course. I‘ve been teaching online writing courses since 1997 and many of my students have gone on to become part-time or full-time freelance writers and editors — as well as published authors. If you or someone you know would like to take a course (they cost roughly $20 to $25 per week), contact me and I’ll get you set up.

You can pay for your course in weekly increments if you need to. Again, courses range from $30 for a weekend to $20 or $25 per week for a maximum of four weekly lesson presentations, handouts, instructor feedback and homework/exercises. You will get one-on-one instruction (yes, personalized instruction with me — not sharing time with others in a virtual classroom). I will bill you in weekly increments if it helps. I accept PayPal, credit cards, eChecks, regular checks or money orders. Doesn’t matter.

Even if you don’t want to take a course, you can give one as a gift and pay for someone else. Just let me know who you’re paying for. I will accommodate in any way I can. Here is the link for my course listings: http://www.abraxasediting.com/contact.html

Let me know which course you want to take and I will send you the outline and instructions for setting up your payment options. You can fill out the contact form at the end of this post or email me at bev@nocturnalmuse.com. If you are ready to enroll, select your course and register via PayPal by sending your payment to bev@nocturnalmuse.com. Once your registration is received, I will send you a confirmation and instructions for beginning your course. It’s that simple! Your course will start right away.

“Elements of Editing” is a NEW course (and one I’m VERY EXCITED ABOUT!), so ask for the syllabus for that one as well. It’s four weeks long and costs only $25 per week. If you want to self-edit or are looking to break into professional editing, this is the course for you. Email me and I’ll send you the syllabus.

I’m working to update the website tonight & tomorrow. I’ve spent last evening writing articles and now I need to do site updates to include updated content, including the NEW editing course.

Thanks for taking the time to read about and/or sign up for one of these courses. Courses begin on the day you sign up. You have up to 90 days to complete the course, so it’s easy to fit into your schedule. If you sign up within 48 hours I will send you a free copy of Sun Signs for Writers AND Secrets of the Professional Freelancer as my thanks to you. :-)

Finally, I am currently open for any and all editing jobs. If you have a written document, sales copy, website copy, short story, book manuscript, academic paper or anything else, I will do a professional edit for you with a quick turnaround time for only $2 per double-spaced page (allowing for 12 pt Times New Roman font in MS WORD or similar). Email me at bev@nocturnalmuse.com or fill out the contact form below and I can get started right away on your project!

If you don't "get" me, this post is for you

To those of you who don't "get me" or are frustrated at trying to connect with me. Please read and, perhaps, you'll understand. Or not. At any rate, this is how things are with me, and you can accept them or not. You cannot change the person I am or erase the issues I've had all my life. I'm pasting a conversation I had with sister Aspergirl friend, Thorne. In hindsight, I think it was meant for a blog post.

First and foremost, I am an Aspie female. I did not have a clue until last year. **And this is where I pick up from Thorne's conversation**: "After going through life and wondering what was wrong with me, and learning how to 'act' in order to get along with others (the best I can) and cope with my surroundings, it was a relief to find out there was an explanation for it. Now I just wish that some people I know would take the time to understand why I am the way that I am and not ask me to change for them.

My biggest pet peeve is when someone who is not me and who has NOT lived my life tries to tell me I'm THIS but NOT that -- and they try to act like they know who I am inside. I think I know myself better than anyone else, quite frankly, and I am most assuredly a female Aspie. I'm also very smart and I have learned to shift my behavior and I've had to learn to cope by mimicking others or learning how to respond (there are still situations where I mess it up) throughout my life. I know (Thorne) you've had the SAME problems with such things. It's very annoying! Pretty arrogant for someone else to act like THEY know you better than yourself, isn't it? Grrrr! I think I've lived in this body and with this mind for 48 1/2 years and have had a lot of experiences that they don't know about, so they can either accept that this IS me or they can pound sand. They don't get to tell ME who I am, know what I mean? I'm just thinking of the stuff you and I have discussed privately. People can be soo annoying over stuff like this. I'm glad Nan posted it and shared with me!

Like you said, this will definitely come in handy; it would be even handier if you could have a sheet that you carried around and handed out to people when they "just don't get you." You could say, "Here, read this!" They probably wouldn't, because most of them don't care enough to bother. But still, it's tempting."

I always find it interesting that people who would push, scream and cry against you trying to change them or tell them who they are seem all too eager to change YOU or tell YOU who you are or are not. What arrogance! I know who I am, I know all kinds of shit I've been through (that YOU know nothing about) and I think I'm more of an expert on ME than you are by far.

I love when I tell people I have PTSD and they try to tell me I couldn't possibly have it (like my oldest brother did). Hey, why not talk the psychiatrist who diagnosed me (along with several other issues)-- how about that? Who the hell is ANYONE to tell ME they are a bigger expert on me than I am MYSELF?! I wouldn't EVER dare do that to someone else. It's not my place, and it's not anyone else's place to do that to me.

So, the bottom line is that I'm who I am am for a reason, and if I do not fit into your tidy world view or you don't know how to "deal" or "connect" with me, that's your issue and not mine. If I cannot "deal" with someone or cannot "connect" with them (and I can be nice and congenial to most people, but I rarely feel a true and deep connection with them -- just being honest), I simply decide to keep walking my path and if we find a way to relate, that's great. If we don't, I'm not interested in forcing it into being something it's not.

I will say this -- if you have publicly insulted or embarrassed me in the past, there is very little chance I will allow you an opening to do that again. Rude, tactless behavior directed at shaming someone in front of others by drawing attention to their physical appearance is NOT a cool thing to do, and if you truly had compassion, you wouldn't think of doing that to a so-called friend.

Okay, a long post, but I needed to get it out of my system. If I've offended anyone, that's your issue. You're welcome to stay, but invited to leave if you do not understand that this is my virtual home and sanctuary and I post whatever I want on my blog without any permission needed. This place is primarily for MY expression and thoughts. You have your own place for YOUR expression and thoughts.

Also, a warning: if you are combative or mean in the comments, you will be removed and blocked. I don't think anyone will be, but just in case. :-) This is a statement I needed to make in a firm, yet authentic, way. It is NOT a post that's up for debate or examination. Now, back to our regularly scheduled programming. ;-)

Witches, vampires and daemons doing yoga together? Really?!

I’m reading A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness. I’m enjoying the story and the writing, but when I got to the part about witches, vampires and daemons doing yoga together…well, I had a hard time getting past that.

Folks, can we remember that vampires and daemons are not supposed to be mundane beings doing mundane things? I long for the days when vampires and daemons were terrifying (and rightfully so). I want magick and mystery when it comes to supernatural beings, not banality and the commonplace.

I like the author’s writing and I will finish the book and begin the next one…but a yoga session with witches, vampires and daemons? I can’t go for that. As Paul said, “Let’s take something extraordinary and terrifying and make it mundane (insert sarcasm here).” Exactly. Just…let’s not, okay? Please?

One of my latest blog posts as a guest contributor for Sue Scheff's internet safety blog. Please go check it out. :-)

Pointers for Setting Up Computer Guidelines for Your Kids
http://www.suescheffblog.com/pointers-for-setting-up-computer-guidelines-for-your-kids/

Ten daily questions to ask yourself

To help focus and clarify what's worthwhile to spend my time on and to strive for more meaningful and positive experiences, here are questions I'm going to ask myself:

1. Will this bring you happiness and laughter?
2. Will you get peace of mind from this experience?
3. Will this advance your purpose in life?
4. Is this in alignment with your personal or professional goals?
5. Will this help you be a better or more evolved person?
6. Will this be worth investing your time and energy?
7. Does this add value to your life?
8. Is this educational?
9. Have you picked a worthwhile battle to fight?
10. Have you practiced discernment and/or restraint?

After considering these questions and the number of "no" responses, I can then decide -- clearly and wisely -- if investing my time and energy in something is beneficial for me. I will then decide whether to engage, participate or walk away/withdraw. I'm over the halfway point in my life.

Time to train myself to be more selective and discerning about people, events, causes and attention. Must close the circle and separate the wheat from the chaff.

You do not get a free pass for mercy or forgiveness if you are wretched and evil

No, I do not love everyone, forgive everyone or have mercy/compassion for everyone. Examples: serial killers, rapists, child molesters, etc. People do not get an automatic free pass for my love, compassion, forgiveness or mercy if they have committed heinous and/or evil acts. I'm not Jesus, Gandhi or Mother Teresa. And that's fine by me. You have to deserve such things -- and some evil human beings DO NOT.

This is why certain spiritual ideas resonate with me, and others do not. This is why, though I love Taoist thought, I am not a Taoist or a Buddhist. I am not enough of a pacifist. What I am cannot be put into a box or labeled in a tidy way. My belief system/spirituality is unique to me, and me alone. I take what works, and leave what doesn't.

I don't give a shit about the boxing career of the Boston Marathon terrorist, Tamarlan. I care more about the young boy, Richard Martin, that the spineless cowards murdered, along with the others maimed and killed. THEY deserve compassion, mercy and love.

If those two cowardly terrorists were my sons, I would never speak to them or of them again, I don't care if I'd given birth to to them. I would feel shamed, repentant and devastated. They have brought dishonor to their families because they were selfish, immature pricks. I would reach out to the victims' families, instead of spouting defiant bullshit. Their mother should get on her knees and apologize for saying she thought the bombings were a lie and the blood was red paint.

All terrorists are spineless cowards. They are usually too weak to fight face to face. Instead, they prefer to lurk in the shadows and in crowds and attack innocent people and children. They are dickless wonders without honor. Doesn't matter the country they're from or the religion they follow; Christianity has PLENTY of blood on its hands, so I'm not singling out one religion (don't start bashing Muslims on here or I'll bounce your ass for being ignorant and uneducated).

In fact, I have a strong dislike for organized religion overall, as you may suspect. My main point is this: I have infinite compassion, mercy, forgiveness and love for those who deserve such human graces. Some people do not.

Yes, I am a liberal, but I'm damn sure not the fluffy bunny type.

Embrace your divinity

Most of you know I'm not Christian. However, I am spiritual. Very much so. It is a strong fiber in my being...I am connected to the universe and beyond.

I believe there is no separation between science and the magick of existence and ALL THAT IS. Paranormal events are normal...not paranormal. We just haven't the experience and knowledge to explain or understand them yet.

You do not have to invent magickal or wondrous events...it is all around you...and it's in every single thing you touch, see or feel. The fact that you are here, living and breathing and thinking with your brain is a calculated expression of science, divine mathematics and logical evolution.

Divinity, to me, is immanent (in other words, inherent). This is why Taoism (道) makes sense to me.

As I told my brother, Jan, "To everything there is a time and a season, as the saying goes. There is a time to let go -- this was that time. It's two sides of the same coin. Her work here was done. Now she is on to another plane of existence...but I truly believe the soul reincarnates...and if so, her spirit will be born again once more. Rejoice in the time you had with her...and know you were of comfort to her during her last days, Jan."

You must remember this: energy never disappears or ends -- it simply transforms. One day, we will all transform. It is the the way of our existence and our irrefutable destiny. It is, in fact, your birthright. Until that time, you are here for a reason; find out what that reason is and live your purpose!