Category Archives: Life

When Real Life Interferes With Creativity

Posted on June 10, 2013 by Shykia

 This is an oldie, but goodie originally posted on my former WordPress blog in August 2011. Over the course of the past year or so I’ve experienced an increase of abhorrent behavior on the part of some of my neighbors. … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog, Life, Writing & Publishing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Reflection and Metamorphosis

Posted on June 3, 2013 by Shykia

  As demonstrated in nature, sometimes isolation is a necessary part of the developmental process. There’s nothing wrong when a person chooses to occasionally go into seclusion (unless they’re doing so for criminal reasons). The danger, however comes when the … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog, Life, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

My Opinion on the Gun Debate

Posted on April 11, 2013 by Shykia

  Watching the back-and-forth exchange of the whole gun debate I cringed upon witnessing how nasty people have been treating one another for simply having conflicting opinions. It’s absurd that so many people have the mentality that “I respect your … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog, Life, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

6 Reasons Why I Avoid Black Friday like the Black Plague

Posted on November 23, 2012 by Shykia

While recovering from yesterday’s Thanksgiving feast I saw one of several reports about the Black Friday craze. I shook my head as I witnessed the antithesis of the true concept of holiday spirit, which seems to have all but faded away … Continue reading →

Posted in Life, Non-fiction | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Survivors of Cruelty Pt. 4 – You ARE a Survivor!

Posted on October 17, 2012 by Shykia

  (Cont’d from Survivors of Cruelty Pt. 3) You are alive for a reason, even though that reason might seem elusive at this point. You might find it tough to figure out for a while, but keep in mind, it … Continue reading →

Posted in Life, Non-fiction | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Survivors of Cruelty Pt. 3 – Rediscovering Hope

Posted on October 17, 2012 by Shykia

  (Cont’d from Survivors of Cruelty Pt. 2) Things were somewhat different in high school. I still faced some struggles with bullying, but it wasn’t nearly as rampant as it was in junior high. In addition, I gained the support … Continue reading →

Posted in Life, Non-fiction | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Survivors of Cruelty Pt. 2 – My Story (The Abridged Version)

Posted on October 17, 2012 by Shykia

  (Cont’d from Survivors of Cruelty Pt. 1) From early childhood through my mid-teens, everything about me was up for scrutiny; my skin color, my name, my voice, my clothing, my quiet demeanor… Little did my bullies know or even … Continue reading →

Posted in Life, Non-fiction, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Survivors of Cruelty Pt. 1

Posted on October 17, 2012 by Shykia

  After a few years of borderline denial, I’ve decided to come clean. Though my novels are a work of fiction, they are my attempt to gain redemption from the painful choices of my past. In addition, I hoped to … Continue reading →

Posted in Life, Non-fiction | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Coping with Rejection in the Literary World — Dos and Don’ts

Posted on September 26, 2012 by Shykia

  Rejection is not fatal. I don’t remember where I heard that phrase or who coined it, but the power of those four words resonated with me from the moment I heard them. I agree, rejection isn’t fatal…but it can … Continue reading →

Posted in Life, Uncategorized, Writing & Publishing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A Special Anniversary Message

Posted on August 14, 2012 by Shykia

Love has a way of finding us when we least expect it and when we need it most. It seeps into the fractured heart and reinforces it with hope, strength and joy. That has certainly been the case for me … Continue reading →

Posted in Life | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment