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!

I'm so glad! I hope you are able to publish another book, it would be wonderful. And it is wonderful to see you. I have kept up with you a little bit on facebook, but it is good to hear about everything that has been going on with you more clearly.

It's good to see you on Holy Worlds, Rachel.

Good to see you back on HW, Aubrey! Hope to see you around.

Welcome back, Aubrey/Rachel! I don't believe we've ever met, but I recognize the username and have heard good things about Red Rain (tho I haven't read it yet).

*takes a bow* Pleased to meet you.

Hope God blesses your efforts to get back into the swing of writing again, and hopefully see you around on the forums! Not that I'm the most active member around.....

Anyway.

Areth,

Ka

It's good to see y'all again, too. I've missed y'all.

Karthmin, if you (or anyone else) wants to read Red Rain (or the old edition of Peter's Angel), I'm happy to email them e-copies for free. I don't mind giving either book away for free at this point.

I'm going to start a thread in the Historical Fiction section about my Peter's Angel revision adventures, for anyone who wants to join in the fun.

Will you be revising the first book of Peter's Angel you published?

Yellow partaaayyyy!

Hi, Philli. *hugs* Good to see you around again. I've been off writing for a little while too, but am hoping to put more work into it soon. Glad to have you back!

PHILLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry. You'll always be Philly.

SO good to see you back on here! I missed your spirit and your energy around the place. Good on you for getting back to your writing! I expect awesomeness to abound.

She can give those away because my signed, first-edition print copies are the ones that will be worth big bucks when she's a really really big deal. Mhm. Mhm. It pays to co-author. *dives away before RR2 fans demand the sequel*

*demands sequel to Red Rain*

So happy to see you here, Aubrey! I am glad to hear you are persevering with your writing!

Isn't working with dogs just the best thing ever? I have a little chap called Charlie who has started coming to be trimmed, a Westie; his first groom was quite hard, as he was constantly trying to bite me, fight being groomed and etc. I groomed him this morning and it was amazing to see the progress he has made. Makes me happy to see them improve!

As you'll probably have seen on FB my niece was born about three weeks ago. She's gorgeous! The dynamics of the house have totally changed with having a baby in it though! I think I am still trying to catch up from lack of sleep.

I'm really busy at the moment with it being Christmas, all my customers want their pooches to be pampered for the big day. Lol!

Hope to see you around more in the New Year as you begin writing again!

Hi, y'all! Sorry, we were away last week in Chicago. It was mainly a work trip, but we were able to meet up with both sets of parents and exchange Christmas presents. Now that I'm back, I'm going to be catching up and setting another writing goal, and hopefully posting a bit more. (My in-laws internet was being incredibly naughty while I was there...)

It's so great to see so many familiar faces, still alive and well.

Yes, I'll be revising Peter's Angel. It won't be a complete revision--the basic plot will be the same--but I'm trimming some excess subplots and clarifying some of the motivation/backstory. I'm hoping to publish it as one volume, but it may yet be too lengthy. However, I'll still write it as one volume, so even if I have to split it for cost reasons, I'll have the remaining installments all ready to publish before the first one goes out. Won't make THAT mistake again, lol!

It's funny, people have been more curious/demanding about the "Red Rain sequel with David" (that's usually what they call it, lol) lately than Peter's Angel! I keep telling them that I have all the material and it will still happen--I should probably just finish Peter's Angel first.

Yes, dogs are the best! It's great to be doing something different and unique, and to be making money off of my love for animals! I am booking myself solid very quickly. Good news is that, because I have fixed class times, I have a more consistent work schedule. That should ultimately mean more writing time, since my goal over the next year is to adjust to my new schedule and budget my time more wisely.

Welcome back! Good to see you around again!

It's good to see that you're back and ready to write!

Welcome back!! Says the one who's posted so little in the past year he might need his own re-introduction thread ...

And in your reintroduction you didn't mention what I consider most important ... any plans for Erde in the near future?

*Squeee!* Philli's back! You know me.

*grins at Jon* I was wondering if you were still hanging out here. Peter's Angel is my first priority (so I can finish it once and for all), but I suppose, if time allows, I could write more world-building articles for Erde and share them here...

The forum software had apparently gotten confused and hadn't sent me any notification emails since early November, and I had only recently realized that, so I was going through all the forums to see what was new when I saw ... a post by Aubrey? (Why is there no "wild applause" or "huzzah!" smiley? )

As someone who's trying to finish things and clear task queues to simplify his own life, I can't argue with that But like I've said before, Erde grabbed me as soon as I read the premise ... Peter's Angel was just "the project that's keeping Aubrey from Erde" until I read the story of how it came to be written.