December 7, 2011:
I apologize for my absence to everyone who has read my work and sent me PMs. I am not ignoring anyone. I have gone through a divorce and an employment lay-off, both within a month. While this may prompt some people to find time to write, I am pressed for time to get new employment, apply for college (yikes, at 37 years old!), and scramble for health care for my child and I.

I miss writing terribly, but until real life can back off enough and give me space to breathe, no new stories will be coming forth. I hope you all enjoy everything I have done so far, and perhaps one day, I will return to this amazing art form.

To all my FanFiction.net friends and acquaintances, I miss you all terribly, and I wish you the best in all your writing endeavors. Perhaps if time ever allows again, I will start reading stories and offering words of encouragement so that you may be inspired to take your works much further than I ever had with mine.

Thank you for reading my work (and if you reviewed, thank you for your enlightenment)!

A little old note about me...

I'm a 37-year-old kid-at-heart. In reality, I wear the hats of mother, cat owner, cancer survivor, and one of the many laid-off workers in the US. I've been writing since ninth grade when I was encouraged by my basic writing skills teacher to keep at it. She made a real difference in my life, and I wish I could have been able to tell her one day how she gave me the confidence to keep trying ideas and just "write, write, write!" Over the course of time, writing became my solace from reality and a coping mechanism for what I cannot control. Writing is my escape, and my imagination is my safe harbor. My stories are the results of introverting to a place where I can make things happen that will never exist in reality. One of my favorite quotes comes from Adam Savage of Mythbusters fame: "I reject your reality and substitute my own." That is my daily mantra. :-)

Simply stated in regards to my stories, I paint with words and nothing I ever write is scrapped. My teacher called these random notes brainstorming sessions. I call them my palette, and I use it to draw upon ideas for scenes, dialog, and emotions.

I always feel I can learn more, and I gladly accept Reviews and Critiques for my work. The only way I can become a better writer is by the comments of others who offer me insight into parts of my stories that I may have overlooked or parts that have made an impact positively. I don't believe in flames because even the least experienced writer needs a place to start, and it's through the wisdom and guidance of the more experienced writers, that they can eventually learn this craft, too.

I found this quote in a recent Sunday paper, and I think it's fitting for any writer and/or author:
Sit down and put down everything that comes into your head, and then you're a writer. But an author is one who can judge his own stuff's worth, without pity, and destroy most of it.
- Colette

Sanity is a waste of creativity.
- Ms.MaraJade 4-23-09

April 4, 2009:
daennika, I want to thank you for hosting the MandoBoard (http://www.mandoboard.com/) and for being supportive with getting our kinds of stories a broader audience. You've done a fantastic job with it all!

After the 2007 Votes had finally been tallied, I only received Nominations, but I was thrilled to list my recognized accomplishments in the Voltron Fandom:
Nomination: Best Dramatic Author, 2007 Voltron Fandom Awards
Nomination: Best Overall Author, 2007 Voltron Fandom Awards
Nomination: Best Dramatic Tale for "The Waltz Continues," 2007 Voltron Fandom Awards
Nomination: Best Series for "Midnight Interlude," "The Dance Begins," and "The Waltz Continues," 2007 Voltron Fandom Awards
Thank you to everyone who read my stories and followed my hard work! These nominations were because of you!

Lastly, for everyone who enjoys my work and hopes to see more soon, I promise I am trying to work on things as I can. My baby boy has grown into a preschooler, and I am forever amazed by him every day. I will keep posting and updating as time allows and as my inspiration strikes. My son will always be the reigning Sunshine of my universe, and I simply had no understanding of life before he came into mine.

For more about me, feel free to look at my Homepage as noted above.