This is the process that goes through my head when it starts snowing:

Oh my GOD! It's snowing. I have sneakers on. If this turns into a blizzard, I die. I will absolutely die. Okay, calm down. You're going to the supermarket. It's 2 and a half blocks away. It will be okay. I'm sure it won't get heavier. It better not get heavier. Not while I am out here. Better not.

Walks at a moderate pace to the supermarket, already looking for patches of ice.

At the supermarket:

Okay, so let's hurry this up because it's snowing. I don't need much. Maybe some almond milk and some ice cream. Hmm ice cream, maybe if the ice from snow was ice cream, I wouldn't mind busting my ass in the snow. Snow should be ice cream. Oh yay! They have Peppermint Wonderland ice cream. I hope it's not a snowy wonderland by the time I finish. Maybe I should get more stuff. It would be great if it snowed enough for work to be closed. I don't think I am that lucky though. They would want us to come in, even with ten feet of snow on the ground. I know I wouldn't make it to work. The way they don't shovel around here, I would die from just walking down my driveway. Forget about the rest of the block. If I was a cat, all of my lives would be done. Okay, is Dad ready yet? I want to get back in the house. I knew I should have put on my boots. Not that they are magic boots and will stop me from falling, but I should be least likely to fall with them on versus sneakers. Okay, about to check out. Yay, the ice cream was 3.34. That's really cheap for special edition ice cream.

Steps out of the supermarket.

OH MY GOD IT'S HEAVIER! Okay okay, we can do this. Just two and a half blocks...NO DAD I AM NOT GOING WITH YOU TO THE CORNER STORE ON CORONA SO YOU CAN GET YOUR CIGARS. Just give me the bags. Argh, what does he think? That I am going to go an extra three blocks with him so he can give himself lung cancer, while I'm wearing sneakers IN THE SNOW. Nope, not me. I am not the one. Okay so I can do this. Just take your time Chris. Take your time.

A block and a half into the journey, while looking at the accumulations in the cracks of the sidewalk.

Oh lordy just take me now! These bags are heavy and I feel like I am walking so slow that I'm going nowhere. I shall stop right here and let the snow overtake me. I have food with me. I'll just eat this raw meat that we just acquired and let it sustain me until rescue comes. Dad is bound to notice that I didn't make it home. But what if it gets worst in the next ten minutes? They may not be able to find me. Just keep going. Keep walking. OMG now this car might run me over because I am not crossing fast enough. Ugh, what did we buy? My ice cream isn't THIS heavy. Okay I am almost home. I wonder if Dad got to the store yet. I hate those damn cigars he smokes. Wish they would die in the snow. Let's cross this street carefully. I think all is clear. OMG why does that part of the sidewalk look icy already?! Okay you are just a few houses away. Wow Mr. Chinese Food Delivery guy on that rickety ass bike, how do you live so dangerously? Your ass and all of that food can slip on the ice on that thing. Though if you fell right now in front of me, I wouldn't mind a free eggroll.

Stops at driveway and takes in the falling snow seen through the street lights.

You're so pretty you evil little ice balls. I wonder where...oh there he is. Thank God because I wasn't going to attempt the basement steps with all of these bags in my hand. He needs to walk a little faster though. Not too fast because if he falls down the block, it's going take me five minutes to walk 30 feet with this damn snow falling. Okay, two bags for you. I really hate that we get puddles along here. This is definitely going to turn into ice by morning and it's going to take me 10 minutes to walk down the driveway. Alright, take it easy now. These steps aren't slippery yet, but just go down a step at a time. Both feet. You got it. You're almost there. Oops, almost! No, you're okay. OMG I AM HOME AND I MADE IT DOWN THE STEPS. Hurry up with the keys Dad. I want to get inside. Okay yes!!! Survival.

Kicks off sneakers and puts down the bags. Continues to walk straight to the room.

Dad: Chris, where are you going? Aren't you going to help unpack?
Me: I'm going to go have a heart attack now. Maybe later.



Welcome to the beginning of snow season!

Hello My Write Queeners,

The first week of December is filled with many poetry treats! First up is a feature on The Body Narratives. In collaboration with The Digging Deep, Facing Self course, The Body Narratives presents a week filled with poetry from incredible women. I was asked to be a part of this wonderful week. I am extremely honored and I am having a mini dance party in my head all day to celebrate my post, which came out today, December 4. 

In addition to that, I am performing as one of the featured acts for the River of Honey's cabaret showcase on Friday, December 6th. This show happens every first Friday of the month. The theme for their last show of the year is Offerings. This is definitely going to be a new exciting, but scary experience. Come out and support the show if you can!

Finally, I have another mini e-book for you...and I mean mini! When You Down A Margarita is a series of haiku (about 24 in total, I think.) about my experience of falling for a woman during college (If you didn't know this about me, now you know. If you got a problem, you know what to do - we don't tolerate any intolerance here!). 

I previously published this on Smashwords, but now with my Creative Book Builder app, I wanted to give it a little facelift. To download it, head over to my "Store" page.

That's it for now my loves. I have a couple of blog posts coming up soon. Be on the look out!

Hello Write Queeners!

I want to take you back to way over a year ago. Remember the Late Night Feelings blog? I know you do. It's the Book tab. 

Remember when I was promoting a sampler called Bitten In The Wake of Dusk: Anticipating Late Night Feelings? Of course you do! I told you to print, fold, and go! 

Well now, for those that don't have the time or ability to print, fold, and go - I am happy to tell you that it is available as an e-book. Eight delicious morsels you can sample of Late Night Feelings. 

Ever since downloading Creative Book Builder on my phone, I have been making plans to turn many things into e-book format. They make it so easy!

Bitten, made available on Payhip, is free with the option to pay as you wish if you would like to donate to The Write Queen blog. Funds go towards publishing Late Night Feelings, Home Sweet Home, Sweltering Sugar and other projects.

Bitten is available in .EPUB and .MOBI format (ie iBooks and Kindle). It is also available in its print, fold, and go PDF via the Late Night Feelings blog.

Don't forget to spread the word and if you haven't already, subscribe to the blog!

Hello Write Queeners!

Yes, you are reading it right. An e-book! In a decision to self-publish my work, I decided to start with a little experiment titled Beloved. The reason I call Beloved a mobile e-book is because everything was written on my phone AND the e-book was created on an app via my iPhone. The app is called Creative Book Builder by Tiger Ng, who not only has this wonderful little app, but a few more that help you create interactive e-books on the go! I do promise that you will get a review of these apps within the week.

Beloved is an e-chapbook of poems and musings about opening, swimming through, and drowning in floodgates. This is a mobile e-book creation and experience that was complied between the condensation of Summer and the chill of Fall. It's FREE for a short period of time (or indefinitely...still deciding!). You can also pay-as-you-wish, where the funds would be used to put out Late Night Feelings, Home Sweet Home, Sweltering Sugar and other projects. Beloved is available in .EPUB and .MOBI formats (i.e. iBooks and Kindle) and a special edition web app for the iPhone and iPad.  

Be on the look out for a post on the Late Night Feelings blog about the process of creating Beloved.

Don't you just love the cover? The photo I used for the cover is by my wonderfully talented best friend and business partner, Alshawn Rushing. He is the Head of Photography and co-founder of EAT Media. If you want to use his awesome skills, head over to EAT Media's website or check him out on his website NerosisMuse Photography.

Look out for an update on the link to the web app. Still working on getting that up!

Don't forget to subscribe to the blog so you can receive updates like this and more!

Hello my Write Queen loves,

Today I have another recommendation, but I'll keep it short and sweet. This time's Write Recommendation is Lady Chaos Press. It's not just because the lovely Shannon Lynette and Andrea Bonacci, the editors of this press, choose my work to be in their anthologies, but because they aim to give talented poets the exposure they deserve.

Founded earlier this year in February, they already have two anthologies under their belt. You can check out their deliciousness and support the press by following the links below.

Skeletons just came out today so make sure to start your autumn by buying a copy and curling up with some secrets on these coming chilly nights.

Till next time my loves, enjoy this beautiful fall weather.

Hello Write Queeners!

Now we know that I am not a fashionista. Give me some leggings, a cute shirt, and comfy shoes and we are all good to go! However, I do have a slight passion for accessories. When your clothes are okay, accessories can make a difference. 

I had the pleasure to tag along with my fashionista blog buddy Simone Danielle of FashionRunsTheWorld.com, where we stopped in at the NYFW Accessory Showcase hosted by Untapped PR at The Carlton Hotel and to the one year anniversary event at Christian Siriano's store on Elizabeth Street. Of course I was representing myself and E.A.T. Media, something that Simone is a part of anyway, but this was her day as a fashion blogger to go out there and do her thing!

She did a fantastic job rubbing elbows with the best of accessory kings and queens, fashion bloggers (like Naty of A Love Affair With Fashion - witnessed such a nice moment between them that I almost cried!), and more. I had tons of fun with her and meeting all of these fantastic people. 

I definitely give a Write Recommendation to Simone and FashionRunsTheWorld.com, plus to all of the people we met and their goods.

Make sure to read her blog and to keep looking out for her posts on NYFW. She still has a lot of events to go to! 

Check out the pictures I took of the night below!

Hello Write Queeners,

I am starting a new section of the blog called The Write Recommendations. This is where I'll recommend my favorite books, music, websites and more.

I have two websites that I would like to start off with.

The first one is World Liberty TV, an online TV network that covers events, conferences, and trade shows, plus reviews products. Their website was under hiatus for a bit while they were redesigning it, but now they are back and better than ever. Honestly I also recommend them not only for their great content, but because I am a copy editor, blogger, and book reviewer for them. So a little bias with this recommendation, but if you want to check out videos that showcase the world with a multicultural understanding, I highly recommend it! 

The next website I would like you guys to check out is Organic Melinda. I cannot write an intro that does Melinda Gonzalez justice, so I am going to take it right from her about page:

Now I am not a super health person. I eat a lot of things that aren't good for me. But as a part of trying to make my life a little healthier, I like to see my options. I connected with Melinda through a writing course that I also highly recommend. I started to read her blog and found out a lot about eating organically. Which is why I pre-order her new cookbook, coming out on September 4, 2013. It's called L.I.V².E. (Latin Inspired Vegan & Vegetarian Eats) Local & Organic Recipes to Encourage a Healthy Lifestyle. This book also features a recipe from a lovely young lady who has also taught me a few things through her own page, Miss Priscilla Deleon (the stuff she makes is food porn, just from looking at it, I swear).

As a Latina woman, I appreciate that there are recipes out there that cater to healthier eating without losing Latin flavor. I'm certainly glad that Melinda is using her knowledge to educate not only people within the culture, but anyone who enjoys food from Latin culture. Definitely puts a spin to Vegan/Vegetarian living. But hey, check out her site and order the book to find out for yourself. 

So you actually got two websites, a book, a couple of Facebook pages and a course that you can go and inquire more about. You'll always get a little more than what you bargained for when you check out a Write Recommendation.

Think The Write Recommendations is a good addition to the site? Leave a comment and let me know!

Hello my beautiful Write Queeners,

I want to share something very special with you. If you haven't had the chance  to look at my previous post (Open Letter to Sonia Sanchez) from earlier, you should do so now to understand what's going on with this post.

But first I want to share a little story.

This morning, I had a case of the Monday Blues: The Writer's Edition. I felt that I was not being true to myself and the writer in me. I was upset that I did not have the time to write because I was rushing to work. When I realized that I would have no time to draft any of my thoughts, the first thing that popped into my head was: Don't quit your job today. It was a little unsettling. But it continued to drum through my head like a mantra. I had to keep repeating it. To calm this thought, I treated myself to Starbucks, despite my recent vow to save money. This is how low I felt.

Now let's back track a little. My previous post from the twilight hours, which is a letter to Sonia Sanchez, was a part of an assignment from an online writing course that I am currently taking called Digging Deep, Facing Self (whew, run on much?) I had to send a message, along with a poem to someone I greatly admire, but have never met or spoken to.

So I chose Sonia Sanchez.

I sent this to the publicity team of her publisher, listed on her website. I sent it with a quivering hand and let the universe have a go at words she may never see.

After having a mini breakdown in my head, I posted these thoughts in the course's super secret online meeting place. Feeling a little better about sharing these thoughts, I signed into my personal e-mail on my phone, since I was about to take lunch.

I found something that shocked me into almost a crying mess at my desk. There was a response to the e-mail I sent to Sonia Sanchez!

I read it...and then sat at my desk whispering Oh my god, over and over again.

Then I had to go into the bathroom and cry.

As I told my cousin earlier, I have never felt so blessed to receive an e-mail. I didn't even know what to do with myself.

Here's what was said (parts of the e-mail omitted for privacy):


From: Nicholas DiSabatino
Sent: Monday, July 22, 2013 9:16 AM
To: '[email protected]'
Subject: Sonia Sanchez

Christina,

My name is Nicholas DiSabatino and I’m the publicity assistant at Beacon Press. Thanks for the lovely words regarding Sonia and her work. I’ll make sure she sees your note. Thanks again.

　
Nicholas DiSabatino

Publicity Assistant

Beacon Press

25 Beacon Street

Boston, MA 02108



Then there was a second e-mail:

On Jul 22, 2013, at 12:08 PM, Nicholas DiSabatino [email protected] wrote:

Hi again Christina,

Sonia Sanchez was very touched by your message. She asked me to send you the following response (Ms. Sanchez unfortunately does not use email). Here is her message as dictated to me below:

Sister Christina,

Thank you so very much for your beautiful words and your beautiful haiku. Please continue to write. We need your young words. We need your beautiful words, moving in the light that is peace, love, and justice. I would love to send you an autographed copy of Morning Haiku and one of my other books. Please email us your address .

In love/struggle/peace,

Sister Sonia Sanchez

-
Thanks.



To this I responded:

From: CRod Online <[email protected]>
Date: July 22, 2013, 1:06:32 PM EDT
To: Nicholas DiSabatino [email protected]
Subject: Re: Sonia Sanchez

Hi Nicholas,

Tell her thank you from the bottom of my heart. Her words mean more to me than you ever know. 

I can't stop saying oh my god. People in my office must think I am nuts. 

My address is: Omitted

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

---

Christina D. Rodriguez

Now I want to quit my job because Sonia Sanchez said to continue writing, haha. I kid though. This is such a humbling honor for me, for her to have sent that message. I know I will carry this with me for a while. I wanted to share this to prove that if you take a risk and put yourself out there (whether someone gently pushes you or not), that the return can be pretty incredible.

Let's start taking more risk together Write Queeners. The journey is going to be wild.

EDIT:

This evening I was listening to my voicemail as I (sometimes) do and I just discovered that she left me a voicemail!!! Ms. Sanchez wanted to make sure that I reached out to them with my contact information for the books! And she thanked me again for my words. Oh my goodness!

I cried for 20 minutes after I heard that. I am trying to find ways to save the voicemail now. I am in awe and incredibly touched. 

ANOTHER EDIT - 7/23/13:

I called the number she left this morning, thinking it was the number to the press. It wasn't the number to the press! It was hers! I spoke to Sonia Sanchez on the phone! We had a seven minute conversation (according to my job phone).

What we talked about, I would like to keep to myself because this last surprise in this adventure was totally unexpected and amazing. All I will say is that if I can be an ounce of who she is when I grow older, my life would be complete. She is a beautiful run-on sentence - that's the best way I can describe the experience of speaking with her.

Be blessed!

Dear Ms. Sanchez,

...or may I call you Sonia? I hope that you will call me Christina, if we shall ever have the pleasure to communicate. 

I have long admired you quietly, but thought it time to take the risk and reach out to share.  

I have heard your name for years among the greats. As a foolish, unwise lover of poetry, I did not always pay attention. One day, I was wandering in a bookstore and I saw your name. Attached to your name was the title of a book called Morning Haiku. Knowing that most haiku I have read lacked something I found in my own love of haiku, I proceeded with caution. 

I flipped to the middle of the book. And I was blown.

For the first time in my life, I saw part of myself reflected in a living, breathing writer. Most writers who I admire are no longer on this earth. Have you read Clarice Lispector's Stream of Life? That explains a core I am still trying to scribe everyday. Anais Nin's House of Incest? Scary and beautiful language. Similar thoughts without the whole incest aspect. But I digress. This is about you. 

...and what I have found in you, your writing. Your haiku. I was once told by a fellow writer that he did not care for my short pieces of writing. With this in mind, I've been scared to turn to the simplest form of thought. I thought to myself Who writes haiku these days, especially the way I write it, what I write about? Then I found Morning Haiku.

Your book taught me it was okay to be myself. I am a love poet. A haiku poet. Sometimes I am long and drawn out, but most of the time, I am flashes of light.

I turn to Morning Haiku when I need to be breathless, to study form and format for my own book of haiku, to share with a man who I may want to look into my soul.

Your words are water, sin, light, cupcakes, and kisses. I can dip into your writing and find a prayer to life every time. 
 
Before I was able to buy the book, I would make trips through train and bus to the bookstore and read random pages from it. Afraid to fall in love with something I could not have, I did not read it cover to cover. 

The day I was finally able to purchase a copy, I read the introduction, haikuography as I was slowly making my way to the register, and knew exactly what you were talking about:

from the moment i opened that book, and read the first haiku, i slid down onto the floor and cried, and was changed. i had found me.

I stopped for a moment and did just that.

Thank you for being the epitome of greatness.



P.S. Inspired by greatness and attached with offering & love:

Woman

i.

shy smile
tugs the hearts
of my lovers
 
ii.
curves dragging
eyes from door
to edges of seats

iii. 
caramel sticky
skin wished
for cupped hands
 
iv.
laughter of bells
down to earth
bangle adorned wrists

v. 
ease of lips
etch-a-sketched
in hearts instantly
 

vi.
warm fleshed out
rib cages heave
in tune to banter

vii.
coiled lock
& finger around
the base of your neck
 
viii.
balmy, loose
air of her comfortably
leans into your frame

ix.
i can see why she's perfection. i can nearly love her too...
if it wasn't for you.


Always,


Christina

---

This course is making me braver everyday. I would have never written something like this and then actually send it. I wanted to show you guys what I said. I like to share sometimes, sue me. 

Here's to digging deep and facing myself in more ways than one.

Hello my Write Queen readers,

Another month has passed with new writing adventures!

I've had the chance to write a couple of posts on my latest book publishing adventures. It felt good to blog. I really have to make it a regular thing no matter what's going on.

Actually I will have to make it a regular thing because I am helping out World Liberty TV as a copy editor and contributing blogger starting this month. World Liberty TV, a division of Humanitarians of The World, Inc. promotes the news and events of entertainment and culture happening around the US, especially events in New York. Based in Elmhurst, Queens, World Liberty TV aims to be one of the top news channels online. 

I was an intern for their Liberty News Online Network site once upon a time. I am delighted that they asked me to help out with such an important role. I look forward to seeing where this goes. Definitely breaks the monotony of the 9 to 5 life.

Speaking of the 9 to 5 life - this month, my writing skills were showcased in a big way. A promotional piece that I designed and edited for my department made its debut throughout the company this past week. Since its for internal use only, I cannot show the piece but I can show a picture of the announcement.

The last thing I want to mention is the fact that I applied to my dream job at my favorite magazine this month. Just in case they are looking into my stuff, I will not be mentioning the name.

I would like to ask everyone to send me their good vibes, energy, prayers, whatever it may be and hope that I land an interview and the job. I have been checking my e-mail and phone constantly during the week for three weeks to see if I would hear anything. I like my job and I am grateful to have it, but who wouldn't want to get their dream job?

I just keep hoping for the chance. We'll see what I'll have to report next month ; )

Until next month - it's exactly one month today until my 27th birthday!