Moving Day!

good morning, cyberspace!

Well. It’s finally here. Moving day! This is the last post that will ever be written for Smudged Thoughts; from here on out, you’ll find me over on my new blog, FeatherWick Press!

The emotions we’re currently feeling are excitement, terror, apprehension, and a wee touch of whimsy. I’m incredibly excited to keep going on this beautiful blogging adventure, but oh-so sad to let Smudged Thoughts go. As promised, Smudged Thoughts will not be leaving cyberspace, however! You can find any and all of this blog’s archives forevermore right here, since I’m far too much of a sentimental squash to get rid of this blog entirely. So even though all new content will be posted over on FeatherWick, rest assured that you will never lose original Smudged Thoughts content! (which is more for me than anyone else, I believe, but it’s still nice to know.)

If you’re following me on Instagram under Smudged Thoughts, make sure you switch over to my featherwickpress account! This is where I post behind-the-scenes content about my life and blog and writing, as well as some occasional extras…

To all the friends I’ve made through this blog: thank you. Thank you for sticking with me along this wild ride! Thank you for your support and comments and all the many stories we’ve made together! I sincerely hope that you’ll come along with me to FeatherWick Press!

Last, but never the least, here is the link to our brand new blog! Posts will be published weekly on Fridays, so keep your eyes peeled for next week, when we talk all about goal-setting–perfect for the start of a new year, amiright?

Continue The Chaos at FeatherWick Press!

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TALK TO ME, PEASANTS!

I don’t even know what questions to ask here! With Christmas fast approaching, I feel like everything is turning turtle. So go ahead and tell me your plans for this final week of December! Are you spending time with family? Sitting curled up on the couch with a good book and a mug of tea while you watch the winter storms roll through? Are you–like me–planning world domination?

Whatever your plans, let’s talk about ALL OF THE THINGS down in the comments below! And as always, until next time…

* flings cookies in the air and disappears *

TODAY IS THE DAY!

Eep! Today is the day, my friends! I’m going to keep this post extremely short and sweet, but IT’S OFFICIALLY HERE! I, Kenzie Keene, am a published writer!

am I hyperventilating? Why yes, yes I am

My flash fiction piece, I Am Not A-Muse-d, is published on Havok’s website RIGHT NOW! So if you’d like to go and take a peekety peek at it….it would legit make this little writer’s whole month.

I don’t even have enough words to say everything I’m feeling right now. This whole writing journey has been and is the craziest, most fulfilling, most splendorific thing I could ever have dreamed of. But there’s no way I’d be here right now if it weren’t for the people beside me. My heart is so, so unbelievably full today.

So thank you. To the people who have stood by my side throughout everything (you know who you are), this little story was made possible because of you.

(and specifically my mom, who is my biggest source of inspiration and the best brainstorming buddy this girl could hope for. 💛)

-kenzie:)

wow, i really did keep something short and sweet for once. Be proud of me, Carl. XD

Exciting Announcement!: I’m Getting Published, Peasants!

good morning, cyberspace!

Well, friends, I’m ridiculously awful at keeping secrets, as the title of this post clearly states, but OH MY GOODNESS. THE DAY HAS FINALLY ARRIVED AND I CAN SHOUT IT FROM THE ROOFTOPS!!!

I’M GETTING PUBLISHED!

EEP! Okay, okay, I can barely contain my excitement even as I type these words, but I’m going to try and hold myself down so that I’m at least somewhat coherent for this. XD

About three months ago, I decided to strike out on a limb and write a flash fiction piece for one of Havok Publishing’s monthly themes. I was fed up with writing and needed something quick, painless, and quirky to get myself moving again. One dining table brainstorming session with my mom (is this where all the best ideas come from? absolutely) and 1,000 words later, and I had a teeny tiny story about a grumpy muse and his nuisance of a writer. I took many pieces of my own daily delusions experiences and wove them into this story, and I can honestly say that the end product is one that I was extremely proud of.

One month, one birthday, one new job orientation, and many many screams of delight later–my story was accepted at Havok.

My dearest peasants. You are now looking at the author of a Wacky Wednesday Flash Fiction. And my teeny tiny story is set to release this Wednesday. October 12th! Yep. That’s right. In two days.

TWO. DAYS.

I’m not screaming, you’re screaming. So, naturally, I’m going to do what every good writer does and ask, if you happen to have a moment on October 12th, please consider popping on over to Havok’s website to read my smol bby story! It’s only available to non-Havok members the day it is published, so if you don’t have a membership with Havok, you’ll need to read it on publication day! Non-Members and Members alike can comment, though, so if you like the story, I’d be forever grateful if you commented on it, as well… it would legit make this little writer’s whole year, I swear. XD

Y’all I don’t even have words to explain how giddy this whole process has made me. I got to sign a contract. I went through the whole editor feedback thing… It’s honestly made me so excited and beyond ready to have a book published someday, though I know a project like that will take a lot more time to get out there. But this process has been such a dream, and the fact that I can tell people I’m a real and true published author here in a couple days is more than I could have ever dreamed of during this wildly chaotic time. I could never have done it without the wild amount of support and kindness I’ve received over the years–from my family, from my writing group (cabinnettes, yeet!), from you guys… The journey is long, yes, but I can finally say in truth and not just conjecture–the waiting and the hoping and the dreaming and the working is so, so worth it. So thank you to everyone who has stuck through it with me (and continues to stick through it) to this point. You guys make this all so much more than just a hobby or a pipedream. You make it a blessing and an honor, and I cannot wait to keep sharing stories with you all.

See you Wednesday, my friends! <3

– kenzie:)

2022 Silmaril Awards Ceremony!: Most Mischievous Imp

It was a beautiful day outside the Smudged Thoughts Studio. The Autumn sky a crisp cotton-candy blue. Tables and chairs and a pavilion (presumably for dancing later, as hobbit-folk are apt to celebrate long into the night) had been set up all over the crisply browning grass. And inside, trapped behind a towering stack of cupcake boxes that rival her in size, Kenzie was trying exceptionally hard not to lose her mind.

In Which Autumn Brings Much To Think About…

good morning, cyberspace!

With the chaos of the Silmaril Awards taking up the majority of my blogging time over the past few weeks, I’ve had difficulty finding the right time to squeeze an update post in. A lot of these have been rather update-y lately, and for that I sincerely apologize (goodness knows I’m getting sick of them, too, lol!), but it is my hope–and goal!–that this will be the last one for a while. For… multiple reasons, aha. Unfortunately, since we’re trying to get ALL of the updates out of the way today, this might be a bit of a topsy turvy kind of post. Lots to cover, little time and all that. So sit tight, friends, and enjoy (maybe?) the ride. It’s gonna be a bumpy one. XD

Silmaril Awards, 2022: The Voting Commences!

good morning, cyberspace!

Last week, we opened up nominations for this year’s 2022 Silmaril Awards Category, Most Mischievous Imp! Over the course of five days, we received over forty nominations for this category. Which means I now have 40+ Imps wreaking havoc on my little house…

*BANG!* *CRACK!* *SMASH!*

Heh… *eye twitch* Well that certainly sounded fine. Everything is definitely under control right now… Ahem.

So! With nominations now closed, it is my greatest pleasure to tell you that voting begins TODAY! The public has spoken. The top five nominees have been selected. The rest of these imps are getting sent home. And I may now share the characters who are getting sent through to the voting round!

The Return of The Silmaril Awards – Let The Nominations Commence!

good morning, peasants!

I have some very exciting news for you all today, which I’m sure will bring much enthusiastic squealing from readers of the fantastical persuasion! It is my greatest pleasure to tell you all that I am once again helping host the Silmaril Awards right here on the blogsphere! I’ve helped host this event for the past two years–housing everything from Most Nefarious Villains to the Wisest of Counselors–and I’ve gotta tell ya: nothing eats you out of house and home quite like it. (though I must admit the Counselors at least had SOME manners. Though their wisdom does wear on one after a while.)

This year, however, I shall be hosting the award for Most Mischievous Imp! Which… yeah. Pretty sure I’m going to have to get better insurance before they start coming in swarms.

August, 2022 – The Month of Juggling

good morning, cyberspace!

And just like that, we’ve entered August. I’ve put a lot of time and consideration into how I want to go about this month. There’s so much that needs done, so much I want to accomplish, and so much that’s simply happening in my little corner of the universe–most of which is unfortunately outside my realm of control–that I’ve debated whether or not to just give up on blogging entirely, shave my head bald, and become a lowly goat herder out in the Himalayas. The other side of the debate is rather convinced that we’re entering a midlife crisis, and therefore I have kept my locks and haven’t yet packed up my things for the big move.

So alas. I’m still here, still thriving, and finally sitting down to write a blog post about August. It’s taken some time, but I’ve narrowed my lengthy list of To-Do’s down to three main creative projects for the month, as well as cushioned the rest of my time with “work” work. We’re entering a heavy training period at the coffee shop, which means it’s an all-hands-on-deck sort of situation all month long. And since I’m the Director of Training, my hands are going to be on that deck a lot.

I’m excited, though. This will be a good season. I’m determined for it to be, lol.

IMPRINT by Madeline J. Rose – Book Release!

good morning, peasants!

Well, folks, the day has finally come! My very dear friend, Madeline, is releasing her very first book child out into the universe today! I am so incredibly excited to help spread the news of this delightful little book’s release, and I hope all of you will join me in congratulating and supporting Madeline in this huge, incredible step towards her author career!

Congratulations, Madeline! I am so proud of you, my beautiful friend! <333

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IMPRINT by Madeline J. Rose

I’m still in awe of this cover, to be honest. Lowkey obsessed…

the blurb

Like so many bookworms, Paige Turner loves escaping into the world of stories. However,
unlike other bookworms, she can literally escape into the world of stories through the ink on the
pages.

When two strange men set out to kidnap Paige and her friend Markus, she is terrified. So used to hiding from her problems in the world of books, Paige doesn’t know what to do when the trouble begins to spill into her real life. And when the danger looms and threatens the safety of her family, she realizes that terrified or not, she must fight back. And to do that, Paige and Markus must use the gifts to discover why these strange men are after two innocent teenagers. But the truth turns out to be far stranger than fiction, and it twists their entire world upside down. Can Paige find the strength to battle her anxiety and use her extraordinary gift…or will she lose everything and everyone she ever cared about?

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buy the book!

All right, friends, now it’s time for the links! For those of you who’d like to join me in supporting Madeline and journeying through fiction and fate alongside Paige and Markus, here are the links through which you can purchase IMPRINT!

• Amazon (currently only ebooks are available, but paperbacks will be up shortly!)
• Barnes & Noble (paperbacks and ebooks!)
• Kobo
• Chapters / Indigo

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about madeline j. rose

Madeline is an author and a believer living with her family in the town of Annandale, Minnesota.
For over ten years, she has worked on improving her craft and writing many, many stories. Imprint was one of her first ideas she thought had potential, so she decided to begin a story that she would end up working on for over nine years. Along with writing, she enjoys reading, music, and cooking. She has an A.A.S. in Multimedia Design Technology and uses her degree as a freelance graphic designer who owns her own design firm, Inklings LLC. She also runs a small sticker business on Etsy called RaspberryMilkCo. You can sign up for her newsletter to become a part of her journey here.

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Friends, I am SO excited to get this book in my hands! Madeline has been working on it tirelessly for so long, and I can’t even begin to imagine how amazing it must be to finally have her own book child out in the universe. Not to mention the immense level of pride I feel in being here to support her and her authorly dreams! I remember conversations from oh so many years ago where we both expressed our desires to someday be published authors… and now!

Madeline, I am so incredibly proud of you. You did it, girl! You did the thing! I hope you enjoy this most splenderific day to the fullest, because you deserve every ounce of happiness, rest, and–you guessed it–COOKIES! *flings cookies at your face in celebration*

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talk to me, peasants!

What’s a new release you’re excited to devour this year? Let’s talk about all of the things down in the comments below, my friends! And until next time…

* flings cookies in the air and disappears *

COVER REVEAL: IMPRINT by Madeline J. Rose

good morning, cyberspace!

Occasionally, something incredibly exciting happens in the blogging world which makes me feel so humbled and honored to be a part of this delightful community. Today is one of those things.

Today, I have received the unbelievable honor to help host a cover reveal for one of my OG blogging friends, Madeline J. Rose! Her book child, IMPRINT, is a wild roller coaster of fantasy and fiction, and I am so excited to finally have it available on shelves!

Also, can we just take a moment to appreciate how exciting it is to see the careers of my blogging friends take off and sprout wings? Madeline is such a talented, beautiful human, and it feels so right for her to be publishing this book which she’s poured years of her life into crafting. I’m so proud of her and blessed to be a part of this little book’s adventure out into the great sea of literature!

So without further ado, on to the cover reveal! *throws confetti and cookies everywhere*