It's that time of year again. The mark of the holiday season. When that magical time arrives it's suppose to be joyful and exciting and fun. You get to put of your wonderful decorations, whether they are for the tree you have had set up since Thanksgiving or even Halloween (Yes some people do.) Or they are for the outside to spruce up your home. It's all good and fun but in reality it's all stress and craziness. From the madhouse shoppers who get up at the bewitching hours to shop till they drop and to get those fabulous door busters on that shopping day to rule out all others. None other than Black Friday. Then of course there is Cyber Monday with all the hip online deals but then again this year we might as well have called Thanksgiving Cyber Thursday with all the deals that went on.

And don't get me wrong, I give hats off to those people who brave the crowds and the cold and the getting up (or never going to sleep). I have been there and done that. But I'm not here to criticize or even applaud those people. The ones I am really giving appreciation to are the people who have to work during this crazy madness of a holiday season. Believe me I am one of them now. My hat goes off to all the retailer who work the malls and the stores up until Christmas Eve and then of course will come in on the 26th of December to do it all again as people come in the redeem their gift cards or return something that Aunt so and so gave them and didn't like. It wasn't until I joined the retail working force (working at Barnes and Noble) that I really knew how hard these people work. We work our butts off the get the customer want they want in the store or even going as far as ordering or tracking it down in another store. I really give appreciation now. I'm coming up on two years at Barnes and Noble and I really love it. I will stay there for awhile maybe work my way up the ladder. And we deal with all sorts of customers from the rude to the crazy to the very nice.

And some appreciate us and give us the common courtesy that we deserve and others don't. But remember all we are trying to do is make sure the customer is satisfied. That's what having great customer service is for.

So a little advice this holiday season: Be nice to us retail extraordinaries because we are the ones who can make or break your holiday this year. So don't complain when we are just trying to do our jobs, instead when we have spent our precious time finding that one item you need for Christmas, say thanks, we appreciate all you do and if you want you can wish us a Merry Christmas too.

So Happy Holidays to you. Don't forget to Smile. A smile does go a long way.

So I know it's been awhile but I really haven't add that much to say. But know I do. And I think it may be time to delve into the deep moments in life. I keep a journal on my computer and that's where all jot down stuff when I have those moments where nothing seems to go right and I just hate where I'm at right now but anyway . . .

I actually may have pulled it together and know where I want to be and know what I want in life. Maybe. I used to think that I knew what I was going to do and that my life was on the right track but as soon as I neared graduation from college I became uncertain that the path I was on wasn't the right one and I have been like that ever since. Don't get me wrong I love my job and I don't mind not being as busy as I used to. But I just didn't know what and where I wanted to go in life.

My life was an enigma.

Well, just recently it seems that I was struck with inspiration because of where I work (at Barnes and Noble) And said to myself 'why not do what you've always been good at: books'. I mean I worked in a library for almost 8 years and now I'm going on 2 years at B&N. That's 10 years of experience dealing with books. And then there's the little thing about that published book I did awhile back :) (Remembrance: Check it out if you haven't already). So that's what I'm going to work on achieving. I'm going to go on and get my Master's in Library Science and work in a library (and of course remain at B&N: gotta love the employee discount) I have always been seen reading and always have a book on me.

Now I just have to see it through. Oh and I'll definitely keep writing my books and seeing to get them in the stores.

I might even just join an organization that focuses on getting my books published and edited and the works.

Well that's all for now. Until next time.

So I mentioned I was on MySpace right? Well anyway, MySpace has these apps (applications) that you can get and some are games and some are just random things you can join. Well I joined this one called MafiaWars and I have become really addicted to it. I mean really (not kidding) I will play for hours on end. It's really sad. I got addicted when a friend from college (not naming names Brenda Gilmar :) ) sent me the request to come be apart of her Mafia. So I'm thinking yeah why not. It will give me something to do and I'll at least log into MySpace hopefully once a day or I'll gradually drift away from it and forget it's there. Yeah right. I play every day almost all day when I can. I am truly addicted.

You start out doing menial jobs for small amounts of money (Fake not real but I wish) and build up your stamina and health and energy so you can keep doing more. You visit the Godfather when you need more things but you have to have the right amount of gold coins or you can't. And some of the weaponry and armor and other things that you can get and "own" is just down right awesome. And now the people who have created it allowing you to start out in New York have taken it further and have you venturing into Cuba and now Moscow and later it will be Asia (mostly likely China or Japan) and even Western US (Probably L.A.) But I can't get enough. It's actually dangerous to play because time can just pass by with out you noticing. I have to force myself to stop playing and do some of the stuff that I need to do. But boy is it fun. I highly recommend joining and playing. And if you know I'm on MySpace look me up and then come join my Mafia. But heed my warning :). You have to know when to stop.

Okay, I know it was really been awhile since I last did a post. But I have good reasons. Of course. I have been busy with my job and every time I want to get online for some reason my Internet has been crapping out on me lately. I think it's time to change providers. :)

Anyway, I have finally gotten online as you can see and needed to tell you all about what I did for my birthday this past week. I turned the big 25 on Thursday the 24th of September. Boy isn't that old. Lol. Okay to me it is. Where have all the years gone.

But even being a big mile stone, which to me it just seems not to be I did celebrate in a big way. I went to Disneyland. Yep. I went with my best friend Manda and we had a blast riding just about every ride at least 5 times each. The only drawback was that the Haunted Mansion and Space Mountain were closed :( because they were decking them out for the start of Halloween when for them started the day after as in the day we left. We drove over Wednesday and came back Friday. The only reason I went was because I was able to get in free. I mentioned that in an earlier post when I went with Manda for her birthday in June.

But now that we are back it's back to the same old stuff. Work Work Work. I am still working on my writing. Most of the time but now I am 25. I don't feel like it and as some say I don't look it either. I'd say I look about 20 or 21 now. But sooner than you think I'll be 30. Whoa... that is actually kind of scary. But enough for now. September is rolling right along and soon it will be 2010 and the start of a new year and in May for me anyway another adventure to the open spaces of Montana.

Oh and here are some pics from our trip. Enjoy.

Also the funniest thing. On our way home we stopped at the dinosaur museum thing where there are these really big life size dinos. Surprisingly it was cheesy and neat at the same time. For 5 bucks you can wonder along a path and learn about different dinos from the T-Rex to the Stegosaurus to the Triceratops. Then at the end you can climb up into a big T-Rex and go to the top and look out it's mouth. That was kinda cool except for the really freaked out bird that was trapped up in there and flying insanely around the head trying to get out. All in all it was something to do and we pass it every time we go to Cali so we had to check it out.

So I have to mention that I play softball. Okay well I sorta do. I know what you're think. What does she mean buy sorta. I am on a team don't get me wrong and we do a pretty good job for our wide variety of experiences between us. It is a city league in Chandler and it's co-ed. And it is actually kind of fun once you really get into the mood.

Anyway, when I say I sort of play I really mean that I am the back-up when the back-up can't play. That's pretty much how well I play. I suck when it comes to playing. And I'm not afraid to admit it. Everyone on the team is definitely way better. I am getting better at throwing the ball and catching it with thinking that I may get hit. But there are sometimes when it's being flung at me so fast I'm like crap it may hit me and I might duck out of the way. That's usually in practice. I don't do that during a game, only because when I do play I am usually the Catcher. And I am okay with. And I can be a pretty good one once in awhile. Like our last game I got two of the outs during one inning. And I was proud of myself. And since I can't hit worth crap during a game (I'm lucky if I even hit the ball) it made up for it, at least to me it did.

So what do I do when I am not out on the field you ask? Well I am the official scorekeeper of our team (Which is called the Oneders). Weird name I know but as my best friend, Manda, who came up with the name said it you have seen the movie with that in it you would get it (I think it was from That Thing You Do..... Maybe? I know don't know) We have had many names and many players come and go.

Okay back on topic. I take my score keeping job seriously. I'm not kidding. I am that good. SO in fact that the umpires all know I'm fantastic and come to me if something is array and the other team (if they are keeping score) messing things up. Which happened at one of the games. I also give order the chaos that sometimes happens and Manda (Our coach) isn't prepared or is stressed.

As I said we have done fairly well depending on what division we are in and right now we are 2-1. There are sometimes I don't feel up to playing and think of quitting the team but when I'm there I get into the spirit and know I love being apart of the whole thing. And I like the people on our team if sometimes most won't commit to things like practices or aren't on time to games and make us worry that we might have to forfeit.

But all in all it is a good thing that I am doing and will do for a while.

So as I said before, I thought I should have at least some posting for the month of August before it has come and passed me by. This year has gone by so fast. Wow.

Anyway, here is another from my MySpace page that deals with how I decided to use a pseudonym (Pen Name) instead of my own.

When telling anyone that I have published my first book, I get the usual congrats and awesome wonder that I have achieved that accomplishment. They then ask what the book is called and I tell them Remembrance. But then I say it's not under my name but a different one. Paige Lewis. They usually look at me as if I were crazy. Like why would I use a different name other than my own. Sounds crazy doesn't it.

Well I really don't think so. Lots of well known authors have written under pen names or are still. My favorite author of the moment Nora Roberts writes as J.D. Robb to write her mystery books.

I just have chosen to do so also. Why did I do this? To be honest I just wanted to. And if you really think about it: would you rather by a book written by Allyson Bullock or Paige Lewis? It just sounds more distinct and unique. The name flows and just sounds right.

And many have asked how I came up with this pseudonym. Well Paige just happens to be my middle name and Lewis was my mother's maiden name.

It just seemed right in writing under the name Paige Lewis. And I hope to write and publish more under that name. Maybe eventually I'll write under my real name but for now just know me as Paige Lewis author of Remembrance. My first published novel.

All right so now you know why it says Paige Lewis instead of Allyson Bullock. This will probably be all I write for August and i hope that there will be more in the coming months. I will write about my trip to Disneyland for sure. I know it will be a blast.

Okay, it's been awhile since I last posted anything substantial but then again nothing exciting or fabulous has happened to warrant writing about. That's usually how my life is. But enough of the dullness that is me. Anyway I figured that before August is finally gone till next year I thought I should at least have something that I posted during this dismal month. (As you can see I don't really like the month of August, even though it means its only one more till my birthday month.)

So I took some blogs that I wrote on MySpace and I am posting them here. The subjects deal with Remembrance (My Book) and go along with how I came up with the idea for the story and how I am using a pen name instead of my own.

The first is as followed:

When always asked what inspired me to come up with the idea of my novel Remembrance and why I chose to write about what I did. All I literally tell people is that it was an idea I pulled right out of my head.

It was actually a dream I had when I came across the idea to write about a young woman who returned home to play town doctor and runs into her high school sweetheart who hurt her badly by what he did. Then I just started playing with the idea, adding the kidnapping of Kathryn and how Zach would save her and they would eventually get back together, putting the past behind them and finally start their future.

After toying with that aspect, I decided that why don't I add some sadness to the mix and actually have Kathryn reliving this memory while going through another change in her life like battling cancer. And that by remembering this moment and a few choice others, she will in fact be helping those who love her, deal with the thought that she may not have any time left. And that they need not grieve for her but remember the happy times they all had together. Or even the bad and how they pulled through stronger then they were before.

I thought it was a great little story to write and started piecing it together. I had originally written it in the first person while having the flashbacks in the third but because of how my story ends (Sorry even I won't give that away. You'll have to read that for yourself.) I realized the first person wasn't going to work out. So while I was typing it on to my computer, (I had actually written the story first with paper and pencil) I changed everything to the third person. All in all, I thought the story line turned out pretty well.

I will let you in on something. Though none of this is based on any true events in my life or anyone else's, there is a bit of realism in it. The playground where Kathryn runs to, to get away from Zach and how it's set up is based on a real place in my hometown of Chandler, Arizona. The setting for that particular scene was inspired by the playground at my elementary school.
So in a way there is a bit of truth in the book even if it's only just a place where I went to school.

So now you know how I came up with the idea. Now if you haven't gone out to buy it. You should. ;)

Well I have a new website. I hope it works outs. It's not as snazzy as my old one but it will work for now. And hopefully all you will have to do it look up allysonbullock.com and it will take you right there. It through filedby.com it's free so that's a plus. And I'm hoping in the some what near future to have a real website and not one that is linked to anything else. But since I only have the one book right now it's all right. Anyway check it out.

http://www.filedby.com/author/paige_lewis/3030322/

It's pretty basic right now but I'm still messing with it so hopefully it will be better in the future.

Now totally off topic again. I'm going bowling today and it should be a blast. I haven't done it in a few months but it's like riding a bike right? You never forget. Lol. Well that's all for now I may add later. I may not but I will say this if I don't. Happy August. (Since tomorrow it August).

This year has gone by so fast. Where has the time gone? It's almost August and here the summer is near done. Not that I have anything to complain about. I mean I don't have to get ready for classes to begin or not wanting these lazy days of summer to be over. I am glad that I am not in college anymore. I will eventually go back for my Masters. Whta it will be in I have no clue. Most likely Library Science but I have been leaning towards a business degree. But anyway right now and I guess I could be considered out in the real world. I have a job though it is retail but I love what I do and where I work. I love being surrounded by book. I know I mentioned that before but I do. But anyway 2009 is half over and soon it will be 2010 or even closer it will be my 25th birthday. Boy am I looking forward to that one. Yeah right. I guess on the plus side i will be doing something awesome on it. I will be going to Disneyland with a couple of friends and my mom. So that will be cool and plus I get in free on my birthday. All one has to do is go to the Disneyland website and register and they send you an email you print out and take with you and show upon entering.

It's really neat. Back in June I went with my best friend for her birthday and we had a blast. So I recommend it if possible.

These are from last year but you get the idea.

But back to the subject at hand. It seems like yesterday I was glad to have graduated from ASU and was looking forward to doing nothing but working at Barnes and Noble for a while until I got my priorities straightened out. Have I done that? Not really. I am relying on my constant contempment that is working and as I told a friend of mine earlier, doing nothing on my days off. Oh I do the menile stuff that doesn't require effort like laundry or the dishes or vacuum but otherwise I just sit around and read or watch TV. It's kinda pathetic but sometimes I like my solitude. So I don't mind. And it gives me an excuse for makeing myself get back into my writing. Which, I am so happy to say, I have begun again. So no more writer's block. YEA!!! For now anyway. I will work on getting writer's cramp. ;)

They say a picture is worth a thousand words and I'd say that's about right. I have been going through things trying to prioritize and simplify what I have and that has not been going too well. I never realized all the stuff and I do mean stuff that I have. And some of it I haven't used in ages. I'm pretty sure that the reason I'm doing this is to do the same to my life. I'm trying to simplify it but of course it has it's stuff that been there for years. And some things you just can not get rid of no matter how hard you tried or thought you wanted to.

Anyhow, to back up from the serious stuff. I was going through all my old photos back when I was in high school or even young and I just can't believe that that was me in some of those pictures. I look at them and think how much I've changed (and how much I haven't). It's weird seeing a picture of me without glasses because for as long as I know I had glasses. I got them in 8th grade (I think). It was so long ago that I can't even remember. And the ones where I was just a cute kid with short hair and bangs. It's so unreal. And to see some of my friends way back when to. It's funny and strange at the same time.

Okay to totally go off topic. On Tuesday July 7th, Cardinal's Quarterback Kurt Warner came into my work. First I should let you know if I haven't all ready that I word at Barnes and Noble at the Tempe Marketplace. I love it there because since I'm a bookworm I'm surrounded by the one of the things love. Anyway, he and his wife wrote a book and were promoting it with a signing. Now I'm not a die hard fan of the Cardinals or football for that matter (I mainly follow the DBacks and Phil Mickelson). So I wasn't like overly excited and ecstatic when he arrived. He's a really cool guy. So down to earth. I even chatted with him and his wife and publicist while I was on lunch for about 10 minutes. It was pretty cool. Anyway the signing went really well. I hope the book does well to. It's called First Things First and is about the family and how they put that first.

Since I gave you a little about me in my last post I thought it time to give you a little info about my book Remembrance. Here's is a little synopsis about it.

Waiting to die isn’t an easy thing to do especially without any possible chance or hope for a cure for the kind of cancer that Kathryn was diagnosed with and the very same that claimed her mother and grandmother as well. When she is stricken with a painful memory of a time when her life and those of her closest friends changed, she decides to relive it. And even though her best friend and a little girl battling Leukemia, which she has taken under her wing, believe a miracle may still happen; Kathryn knows the bitter truth. That her time is running out but not before she has the chance to tell her tale.

The memory of coming home to her hometown of Rosewood after being away at medical school was a life altering moment for Kathryn Caplynn. Her life was good and where she wanted it to be. She thought sure she was ready to step in as the town’s faithful doctor and marry the man she thought she loved until she stepped off the train and ran into her high school sweetheart.

Zach Matthews’s only reason for headed back to where everything fell apart because of a drastic mistake that caused him to lose the love of his life, was to see if he could right a few wrongs. Seeing Kathryn again, only affirmed his love for her and made it stronger. The only trouble: she wants nothing to do with him. Ever.

After an intense emotional argument leaving Kathryn in tears, they part ways. The next time he hears about her, Kathryn has been kidnapped. Now it’s a race against time to find her before something dreadful happens and to reclaim the love they had before it’s too late.

That memory has a special place in her heart as do a few others, but Kathryn hopes that when her time does come, that her family and friends find a way of coping with her death and that remembering the happy times is what matters most.

Well that's pretty much what my book is about . . . hope you are moved enough to go and get a copy for yourself. ;)

I guess it's time to tell you a little about me. And for those who already do just ignore this post entirely (unless you see something new that I haven't told you :)).

Hi, I'm Allyson Bullock, aka: Paige Lewis and I'm the author of Remembrance. Here in this author bio I will tell you a little bit about myself.

I have actually been writing stories since I was little, probably around the age of seven or eight. Maybe even earlier. I would write these short stories about anything or any idea that popped into my head. In seventh grade I decided to try my hand at writing a novel, even if it turned out to be a short one, when I got my idea for it. It took me three years to write it, another few to edit and type it and then finally in 2006 I decided to get it published which it was at last on April 16, 2008. (Boy was I excited!)

Anyway, a little bit a about me now. I'm going on twenty-five (Big mile marker there) and graduated from ASU (Go Devils!) with my B.S. in Biology with a minor in history. As to what I'll do, who knows. I still haven't really chosen a career path. It was either Marine Biology in Florida, Forensics (Gotta love C.S.I) or a librarian but I'm in no rush. Maybe I'll stick with my recent job working for B&N (Barnes & Noble in case you didn't know). I love working there and continue writing and publishing my other novels. I do have many in the works.

Right now I'm content with living in Chandler writing my books, working at Barnes and Noble and surviving our summer heat. Which can really suck sometimes when it's 110 or higher.

Hope y'all enjoy reading about me and please read my book too. Keep on the look out for more to come.

Well that about wraps it up. It's short but I can't give it all away in the beginning. Then there would be nothing left to talk about.

You ever have one of the days or perhaps in this case nights when you just feel absolutely restless. Your just wide awake and can think of nothing to do or want to do because it all sounds blah . . . I had one of those nights Saturday night. I didn’t want to do anything even though I made a million things I could have been doing. But I just didn’t. I know I could have been or should have been out since it was a Saturday night and usually people go out and play if you will but that’s not who I am usually. I’m the kind of person who likes spending nights in curled up with a good book or watching a little TV especially SNL, who doesn’t like SNL, and would stay up until one or two in the morning, unless I had to work the next day. Working on a Sunday, you say. That’s what retail does to you. You don’t have weekends with a job like that but I’m not complaining mind you. I love it. Working in a bookstore (Barnes and Noble), being surround by the one of things you love (books). It’s wonderful. But back to my nighttime dilemma. I hate being restless. I want to do something but don’t know what. Nothing sounds good. At last, I just sat myself down and made myself do some writing while I watched SNL. It’s kind of light writer’s block but that’s another story for another day.

So I went out with my cousin Melissa Thursday (6/18) night because it had been her birthday the week before and she wanted to celebrate with her friends and family here in Arizona since she was in Cali at the time. Her brother, Matt had gotten married on the 6th of June.

Well this was the big one. She turned 21. So obviously we went out to drink. We went to a few bars but one in particular was fantastic. It's called the Big Bang Bar and it's an underground bar in Tempe on Mill. But what was cool about it was the band. It wasn't just your ordinary band. There were two pianos facing each other so players could face off and duel. It was awesome. The fun part was that the audience choose the songs, any song for these guys to play. and they totally went with it having fun and doing silly things like dancing on top of the pianos or getting people to come up on stage and dance.

I totally recommend it for anyone just wanting to have a good time. So if your ever in AZ head over to Mill Ave in Tempe and look up the Big Bang Bar w/ dueling pianos. I know you'll get a kick out of it. I know I did and I will definitely go back.

Well I never thought I'd see the day when I would become part of the blogging world. To be honest I never really thought that much about it when blogging came around. I just thought oh I'll never do that. What would I have to talk about anyway? I said the same thing with joining MySpace (that I never would) and now look where I am. I have a MySpace page http://www.myspace.com/authorgal, but hardly log on anymore as it is. It was fun in the beginning choosing the background and layouts but then it got a little old. But hopefully that won't happen here.

Since this is all new to me I hope you'll bare with me and FYI . . . I'll tell you now that I probably won't kept current with this unless I have news to share. But I will promise to update as often as I can.

I guess one of the reasons I did this is to help along my new found struggling career (if it can be called that. Lol.) as a published author. That is why I did the MySpace page. To promote the book I got published back in April 2008. It still doesn't seem possible that it happened until I hold the book in my hands. Also I was looking at my cousins blog "The Deitz Duo" and thought to myself . . I could probably do one of these. And I had been thinking about it anyway. I was actually going to start one so that I could tell the journey I took to being a published author without the hassle of going through with it in the traditional sense . . . meaning writing a query letter to send to numerous agents hoping they like the idea you have and want to see more than try and sell it to a publishing company and so forth. Who know how long that takes.

Anyway maybe I'll still do that, give some info and advice . . . Who knows.

So welcome to my world . . .