IT'S ALIIIVE!!!
(Sorry, we just saw Victor Frankenstein yesterday...)
Howdy, y'all! Remember me? No? That's okay, I wouldn't recognize me either!
Let me start over. For those of you that don't know, I'm actually a veteran member of this site. I was head moderator and an admin about 3 years ago. My username was originally Philadelphia (after the MC in my first novel), but I was also known as Philli, the Cupcake Queen, and Leah. My official penname at the time was Aubrey Hansen. (If you're not confused yet, you probably actually do remember me.)
But let me introduce myself today with my real name: Rachel Greene.
I've been writing since I was 14, and a few years later I found Holy Worlds. During my time here I was published in several anthologies, had a few scripts produced, and self-published my first two novels. The first was a sci-fi novella called Red Rain, and the other was the (lengthy) first installment in an alternate history trilogy, Peter's Angel. (Both are still available on Amazon under the penname Aubrey Hansen.) Neither books would have been possible without the endless support of everyone on the forum at the time, and I am forever grateful.
However, after I released Peter's Angel, I feel into hard times "in real life." I was struggling with depression, and the emotional trauma ground my writing to a halt. I took some time off from writing and got my life back on track. I spent a few years moving out on my own, changing jobs, getting married, and moving cross-country--boring adult stuff.
I'm now twenty-four, happily married, and living in the Kansas City area. Dog training is my "day job." Even though I haven't done much writing of my own, I have had another short script produced. My husband and I have also stayed involved in the indie author industry through our business Penoaks Publishing (http://penoaks.com), where we offer services (editing, cover design, interior layout) to authors who are self-publishing. It has been expanding rapidly, and we both hope and expect to be fully self-employed through it within a few years. Being able to help other authors make their books a reality has given me a way to keep my love of books alive even when I felt I couldn't put words on paper.
Well, luckily for the world, my husband is a creative/author himself and considers it his God-ordained duty to get me to write again, particularly to finish Peter's Angel. The dust is settling and I'm slowly starting to pick up the pieces... and I know I can't write--ESPECIALLY can't write Peter's Angel--without my friends, so... hi!
I don't know how much I'll be around until after the holidays, thanks to work, but writing needs to happen next year... so no better time like the present!
It's good to be back.
How are you all? If you're new, please introduce yourself. If we're old friends, please catch me up on your latest happenings!
Welcome back!! 
You know me. 
(Why is there no "wild applause" or "huzzah!" smiley?