Long time, no see, huh?

I've been using facebook now for my adventures in authorship.

But I'll be back here every once in awhile.

~Mattie

Pictures for my project...ignore please

Sign for Anselm, ND

Beautiful, beautiful gravel!  Road near Fort Ransom



Sheyenne National Grasslands




Scenic Theater in Lisbon, ND



Fort Ransom State Park



Viking Monument in Fort Ransom

Fort Ransom State Park

Save the Hens/Sheldon Community Center

 



Okay, I'm afraid to write on this blog. It's been more than six months since I posted. I'm in college now so that can be part of the problem. But I need this blog for a project. I am trying to do my final project on Google Earth and I need pictures from the internet only. So I'm uploading them onto my blog. Sorry if you're still reading this...

A sneak peak at "Golden Sunrise" Part 1

Well, aren't you lucky? :) I'm going to post a little sneak peak of "Golden Sunrise" for you to read if you so desire. It is still in the rough draft stage and so I don't think that it will turn out exactly like this, but it's a start. If you read any of my other books, you will "get it" more, but I will take the time to explain that the story is told through Cheyenne, a Palomino horse who is accompanying her master Jared who is a soldier defending the famous fort Alamo in Texas. William Travis and Bowie were the commanders of the Texan army that was stationed at the Alamo, if you have any other questions or critiques feel free to post them as a comment. However, just ignore the typos, as this is a lot to type out for you and I'm not the most patient editor/rereader in the world so you'll just have to ignore any mistakes if they're not too huge. I'm going to give you about half a chapter from the middle of the book, divided into two parts.

Crraaack!

The cannon let off loudly, scattering the terrified horses into the corner of the horse pen. I laid my ears flat against my head, agitated. I looked up to the main wall of the mission to see Jared standing next to the famous Davy Crockett, his rifle to his shoulder. Davy wore fringed buckskin and a coonskin cap, his rifle popping loudly every now and then to pick of the Mexicans who were advancing closer and closer to the thick walls of the Alamo. Jared did the same.

Every once in awhile the entire mission would rumble as it took a blow from a distant cannon. I paced around the place nervously. How I wished that I could be up top to see all the action! The thousands of Mexican soldiers lined up in columns, the officers in their striking bright red and blue uniforms with shiny brass buttons, the cottonwood trees that stood silently on the Texan plains, seemingly watching the advancing troops but taking no part in the action. I knew it was dangerous, but I wanted to see what was going on, at least I didn't want to stand idle; I really wanted to be of some assistance.

My nose stung with the bitter smell of gunpowder and smoke as it became stronger and stronger, and I grew more anxious. The men, however, seemed to be quite calm given the circumstances.

Santa Anna was planning to put the Alamo under siege before he attacked the mission. Why would he bother to launch a sudden attack and waste hundreds of soldiers' lives when he could simply wait until starvation and despair overcame the defenders of the Alamo, and then they would be forced to surrender. But the one thing that the Mexican officers didnt' know about was the grit and determination of the American fighters. There would be no surrender.

Not long after the fighting had begun, James Bowie collapsed in the plaza of the Alamo. Men rushed to help him up, no one knew what had overcome the tall, strong knife-fighter but he quickly became so ill that he had to be laid in his bed because he could not stand.

Bowie was so weak that he could not even help lead the men anymore. At his bedside he turned over full command to Travis.

The day went on with little firing. No one was hurt, but the men's morale had taken a direct hit. The sun set over the horizon and nightfall was soon upon us. One of the men passed steaming coffee around to the volunteers as some of them began to make preparations to get some rest.

Some of the men were wrapped in blankets as they sipped their coffee, their eyes blankly staring off into the distance, their minds contemplating the day's events. Others made their way to the barracks. A few men were stationed at each of the four sides of the Alamo's walls, watching and waiting for Santa Anna's attack.

I lifted my head and pricked my ears, my eyes searching into the darkness. What did I just hear? It couldn't be . . .

Curse Google Accounts, Now I'm Bitter

Once again I haven't been on here very often, part of the reason is because of the fact that my google account keeps getting messed up, don't know how, but it is frustrating me terribly. So, some good news, my books are now available for sale on Amazon.com!

Here is Appaloosy

and Dusty's Trail is Here

awesome, huh? I'm so glad, now people who don't know me will be more willing to buy my books. And for those of you who have had a chance to read them and enjoyed them, pass the word on, please!

Also, I have a page on Facebook for my books. Like it if you have a facebook account! Mattie Richardson, ND's Teen Author/Appaloosy Books

So, once again, thanks for reading even though I don't post very often!

Mattie

Another Update

Man I wish I had time to write on this blog. But with 4-6 people constantly using this computer, parents who won't let me have internet on my own computer, and six + hours a day taken up by that horrible chore called school, this blog always get shoved to the back burner.

I am trying to post more. Its just going to have to be occasionally instead of every day. I even started typing out a part of "Golden Sunrise" for you to read, but I won't be able to get that up for awhile until I get a good chunk of uniterrupted computer time, as its pretty long.

But I have a picture for you of something fun that I got to get. Soooo Cuuuuttee!

I was going to call them "Storm" and "Dusty" after the two characters in my book, but the little black one seemed like a better Storm to me so they are dubbed Storm and Stardust.

All for now,

Mattie



♪ So some good news ♫

  I've been invited to a convention for North Dakota Authors and Librarians only!! Yay! I'm not completely sure what it is, but I know it is to introduce North Dakota authors to the librarians in the area.

Working hard I guess on Blackberry Blossom. Thank you guys for the ideas! Golden Sunrise is getting revised right now. My mom read it. I like to have her read it overall to see what she thinks of it. I love how she circles all of the horse terms and wonders what the are. "What does this mean??" she writes. :) Lets see. Do you know them? You should. Some of the terms she didn't understand: true collection, leads, pace. haha. I can't wait to send Golden Sunrise off to the publishing house! It's got a lot of work to go though . . . .

Check out bookblogger's interview on her blog here: http://booknook4you.blogspot.com/2011/06/author-interview-with-mattie-richardson.html . Thanks bookblogger! (haha thanks for snagging that horrible picture of me. :P)

Also, my friend Lulu is hosting a givaway on her blog. I am sponsoring it with one of my books. Check it out and see if you can win a copy! http://movies4him.blogspot.com/

Any of you have facebook? My parents finally said it was alright, so maybe I can make some new friends. :)

Mattie

A bit of an update, I guess =)

Okay, so here's what's been going on with my books. Appaloosy has been doing okay, with still about 350 copies sold, but I haven't been doing anything with them really. (which I should) Dusty's Trail sales have been going well, but I really need to order more.

Golden Sunrise (my third horse story) is finished but my mom cannot find the time to read through it (I gave it to her to read about two months ago) so I might take the manuscript back and check it myself then send it off to the real editor. Getting my books published hinges on so many things, deadlines, people and money; it seems like something that wouldn't be too hard but by the time you mess around with all the details it takes forever. It frustrates me so much when I can't get things done because of other people or because of my finacial situation.

I have been working a little bit on Blackberry Blossom. It is a story about a vagrant teenage girl in the 1930's who survives by riding the rails and playing the fiddle for a place to stay, etc. I think this one is going to be a teen novel and I am adding a bit of a love interest in it. :) Any ideas for me dear readers? I seem to be stuck in a rut a little bit with the main conflict, as it seems this story is just turning out to be a long sequence of events. (arrghh.) I think the main conflict is mostly about how she didn't get along well in her family situation (the reason she runs away from home) that she will eventually have to come to terms with in the end of the book. Tell me what you think. (!)

I really need to get my act together in the marketing part though,too. I guess I have the writing part down pretty well by now, its just the selling that I need to work on. :) Let me hear your thoughts.

Thanks!
Mattie

Thanks guys

Okay, apparently people do read this blog. :) Wow. Thanks guys for the comments, they make me feel a little better. Life has been crazy, so I guess I do have a bit of an excuse for not writing, but not much. My grandma was very ill in the hospital and my family went up to South Dakota to visit her in the hospital. (there is also no internet in her home :p) We were there for about two weeks, then we came home. Two days later she died. We went back up for the funeral and stayed for another week. Then my mother and half of the siblings stayed in South Dakota and went through my grandma's things, and the other half and dad and I stayed home, so I have been busy babysitting and keeping up with our house for about another two weeks while mom was gone.

But now things are finally back to normal. Well, somewhat normal. I've got to go to work now, but in my next post I'll give you some updates on what's been going on with my writing. And btw, I love the comments and keep me posted on your writing too! I'm trying not to give up.

♥Mattie

Okay I'll post again

Hi there blogger friends
Just read the comments. Wow. I didn't know that people actually read this blog. Lets see how many people even read this post. Truth is, I'm getting discouraged. Nobody cares about teenage authors, except for other teenage authors as I'm finding out. Life has been crazy lately.

Your disappointing blogger friend,

Mattie

MIA: Mattie Richardson

Ahem. I, uh, Mattie Richardson, seem to be missing in action lately. I am sorry blogger friends, life just always seems to get in the way. I need to work on my other blog too, before I get too behind on answers. I will try to get that done today too.

Tommorrow I go to make balloon animals for kids at a party in Enderlin. It sounds fun, its the second job I've had doing it. On April 14 I will be talking to another school (this time in Minnesota) about Appaloosy. And I've been invited to be a special guest at the "Taste Of Norway" thing going on in Enderlin, I'm supposed to play my fiddle in between dances, make balloon hats and swords, and teach kids guitar chords as part of nordic challange. Boy, my planner is filling up fast.

That's what mainly has been going on, but there has been some fun things for me to do too. I am working again at a greenhouse about a mile away where I mainly enjoy the scent of beautiful green flowers and feel the glorious sun filtering through the greenhouse while outside there is still snow on the ground with a nasty 20 degree high. I would almost work there for free sometimes, but I do need money for some things.

I rolled my car on the way to fargo and now I am stuck with my huge black van again. Hey old pal, and hello teasing again. I really am going to try to get the car fixed though so we can have something with good gas milage.

Sold out of 100 copies of Dusty's Trail in less than four weeks, I need to order more but I dont have any money. The Ransom County Gazette wants to do an article on my second book but I want to make sure that I have books if I do that.

So that is what has been going on mostly. And I'll try to keep up more often. :)

Mattie

Why do I always get so nervous

when I have to perform? arrgh, I'm antsy. And it's not even that big. Today at about 2:15 I will be going to the senior citizens center in Enderlin to play violin and make balloon animals for a birthday party. I don't even really know what to expect, but there are going to be elderly people there and about 18 kindergartners. Whew!
     And I am SOO out of practice too. But I guess kindergartners can't tell the difference between bad violin playing and good playing, especially if they've never heard a violin player before anyway, so it should go okay.
     I am going to do balloon stuff too. I'm going to keep it simple: Hat, dog or sword. Hopefully the balloons will stay together with those kids bashing them around but I guess all I can do is make them. :P I'll let you know how it goes.
   
Wish me luck,

♥Mattie

Book Review--Mixed Bags (The Carter House Girls) by Melody Carlson

  "Mixed Bags" is an appropriate title for this Christian teen novel, about a teen girl named DJ who lives with her grandmother, who was a previous 60's fashion icon, in a large Victorian home. DJ's grandmother decides to open it as a boarding house to take in girls who may become models.
   This wasn't exactly my kind of story--I definitely cannot relate to fashion-crazy girls living together in one house, doing pretty much whatever they pleased for most of the time. I did relate, however, to the main character DJ's tomboyishness and desire to be her own person, but that wore off of her and she started to become a name-brand fashion model girl toward the end, with way-too-expensive clothing and bleached blond highlights to match.
   It was well-written, but the plot seemed to be rather weak and DJ's decision to become a Christian appears to be somewhat random and out-of -the blue.
     Just so you know, there are some topics touched that I don't think went overboard, but the book would have been okay without them .(drinking, smoking and some kissing a boy scenes)
    All-in-all, it is a "fast food" kind of writing in the book. It's not a good reading diet but it will keep you wanting more. It is pretty short, too, and I read the whole thing in a couple of hours. If you are interested in fashion and girl fights, and see this book in the library, maybe you could get it. But I don't recommend that you pay $9.99 for it, no matter how much you appreciate fashion.

Just another everyday adventure

In the life of Mattie J. Richardson, Author, performer, fine musician and part time grocery clerk. Haha. When your living life as a homeschooled teenager you have to find adventure in everyday things.

   This last Friday I worked Freight at the grocery store in town. I've never done it before, but one of my friends who worked was sick and sort of asked me to fill in for him. Let me tell you this, first of all: freight is at 4 o'clock in the morning!
    The truck comes at four so we are supposed to be there to open all the packages and put them on the shelves and in the freezers. So, I set my alarm for 3:30, got up and started the van to let it run for awhile, then got dressed and cleaned up and put a little makeup on.
   Another thing to tell you: Freight is for Boys Only! At least that's what my boss thinks. He was pretty surprised when I showed up. He just asked me who I was working for and sent me over with Dillion to teach me what to do. We basically opened tons of boxes and stocked the shelves. There was only 3 other boys and me, there was supposed to be one other kid who didn't show up.
    I was given aisle 4, cereal and soup aisle. I have a hard time sometimes working carryout because the top of the shelves are too high for me to reach; so of course there was a ton of stuff that had to be put up top. Hey, I wasn't going to show myself as a defenseless little girl though, so I grabbed the metal carryout cart and used it for a ladder. Not without nearly falling off and bashing my shin into it, though. I winced in pain very, very quietly. But boy, I was super glad that I was all by myself in aisle 4! It was kinda funny now that I think about it, but at least I didn't actually fall with a huge crash. That would have been really embarrassing!
We only had about three pallets of groceries so we got done by about 6:00, and it was still dark outside.
   When I got home I cooked myself a hot pocket that I bought, read blogs for awhile, then crashed into bed around 7:30. My little brother woke me up at nine and then I did school and went to work at 2 for my "real" shift. I was super tired.
    But, it's always fun to learn new things. And, I guess, I learned after all, it's always boring to work freight.

Update on The Giveaway

  Okay, so I hoped the winners of the prizes recieved them in the mail!! Here's an update on where I think they stand:

Anora got her blog featured but was unable to give me her mailing address. :( I was glad that I could feature her blog though.

Nela received her prizes! She even sent me a picture! (It's a little blurry because of my email conversion, but isn't she cute?)

                                                                            

Bookblogger's copy of Appaloosy was sent out but I haven't heard from her yet. Did you get the book yet?

Scezzle -- I am sorry. I sent your book out a week ago but got it back because a new person at the post office didn't know how to do international media mail properly. So I sent it off again on Saturday. Sorry for the delay, and let me know when you get it!

And I drew another name for the Breyer Horse + a copy of Appaloosy (sorry I'm changing the prize a little because I'm out of Dusty's Trail) and so

Sierra from Mission Cool

gets them if she's able to give me her mailing address. Congratulations!!

♥Mattie

Trying out a new blog . . .

  Okay, so I'm designing a new blog called, "ask me anything" and it is just that--a website where you can have a complete stranger answer your most puzzling question on life. :) Check it out at http://askdanielleanything.blogspot.com/ and please--ask me a question! It's kind of an experiment but we'll see how it works. I only have one post for now, but I'll post more information (and questions with their answers) later.

♥♥♥ OUR AMAZING FEATURED BLOG ♥♥♥ (and how to make little hearts)

Hey Everybody--
   I think that you should check out my friend Anora's Awesome Blog called Live Laugh Love !!
 

  Anora's blog is one of my favorite kinds--it is very cute and simple. Just one girl's blog on living, laughing and loving. The background/design is adorable. Posts are interesting, though I'd like to see them more often. (hey--I guess I shouldn't talk:) She puts up a lot of pictures too and gathers reader interaction too. So, if you want to check out a new blog by a pretty cool girl, use the link above and why not give her a follow? ;)

And also (drumroll please) the SECRET to making cool little HEARTS on your computer:

 It's really easy, it's just finding out how to do it that's hard. I'm a little hesitant to show you myself. (ha ha) All you need to do is make sure num lock is on, then press alt and "3" at the same time, exactly the same time. ♥ There's other cool things you can do to, like ☻ ♦ ◘ ○ ♣ ☺ See if you can discover more!

Mattie

Sorry I haven't posted for so long . . .

It just seems like sometimes that nobody reads this stuff, though I know that isn't really true. I have been having kind of a busy time lately --- here's the rundown on what's been happening in my life:

1. I got in big trouble. That's as much as you need to know. My parents are forcing me to quit my job at the grocery store and they're going to try to keep me at home alot. *stupid laugh* We'll see how that works out.
2. I found a bass player and a drummer. Yes! You wouldn't know how hard that is to do in this small, boring little town. Now my problem is figuring out how to convince them that a girl guitarist can be just as good as a dude.
3. I finished the rough draft of Golden Sunrise. Emphesis on "rough", as it is very.
4. I got invited (sort of) to prom at our local high school.

  I am trying to figure out what to do with my grand prize. I think I am just going to draw another name. Anora, however will get her blog featured, which I will do in the next post. I guess I'll let you guys know who wins the two books and the breyer horse the next post, too.

Your boring friend,
   Mattie

I'm Still Waiting for my Knight in Shining Armor . . .

   Sorry, it's the day after Valentine's Day, but I wrote this little chunk in my Diary one day and thought you girls might like it if I shared it with you:

                                                      ♥ ♥ ♥

     I'm still waiting for my knight in shining armor.

     My Knight will be kind, honest, and brave. Most of all, he won't be selfish. He will consider my feelings and I will consider his. He will be my best friend in the whole world and we will never let each other down. He will always love to be with me and will never be embarassed by me. He'll love to talk to me but he'll listen when I talk.

     Sure, we'll fight sometimes. But we will always make up again. He'll be able to realize that I'm only human.  He won't criticize me and maybe he'll be so amazing that I won't be able to criticize him.  We'll do simple things like bake cookies together and have snowball fights, go horseback riding and play guitars.

     He won't come to save me from dragons or castles, or anything like that really.

He comes to save me from myself.

 I don't want to be in a fantasy, in a "teenage dream"; I want to be in real life. He'll call me away from my writing and I'll actually want to go. My head will be swarming with writing projects, characters, devices, but they'll actually leave when he talks to me. He will pull me out from the deepest, darkest corners of my soul and will hold me close. He'll bring me back to life again.

     I'm still waiting for my knight in shining armor. And I may be waiting forever.

Wednesday {sorta} Writing Tip

Writing is not even half of it.

The other half I really don't like. It's the half where I market, promote, sell, talk, ask, get disappointed, get happy, sell more books, drive, walk, freeze, drive, ask, sign, sign till my fingers are numb, answer questions, ask questions, design, pay, fill out forms, and talk some more.
      *Sigh*. The real life of an author.
    Yesterday I went to Thompson, North Dakota to talk to the Elementary school there. They made this nice sign for me that you can see. I had to be there at 8:30 and it was a two hour drive so I woke up at 5:30 to leave at six. My dad drove, so I got to sleep a little. :)
     I was really nervous but the more I talked I think the better I got. I only talked for like 10 minutes, then I answered questions. Some of the younger kid's questions were funny. I got one,
    "Do you have a car?"
   I laughed. "Why . . .yes. Yes, I do. Actually it's my dad's car but I drive it all the time so I call it my car." But they did have a lot of good questions, too. After everything was over, I'd say it was pretty good. It was the second school I've been to.

   I've sent out the prizes now to the people to have given me their shipping info. Look for the package with the Appaloosa mailing labels. You should expect them within 3-8 days depending on where you live.

ANORA and SCEZZLE: I haven't gotten your information yet. Please let me know by the end of this week if you are able to participate. If not, please let me know so that I can release the reserve names that I drew. Thanks.

♥Mattie