Introducing, MVF beta: Jules

Posted by Susan in Blood Donors (guest blogs) | 3 comments

So here I am, Julie aka Jules, writing an introductory blog for MVF. 

I could write pages upon pages about how I ended up here but I’ll try to keep this to the point.

Growing up, I read all sorts of books.  They provided an escape to different worlds.  I can remember reading the “Little House” series by Laura Ingalls Wilder and wishing I could be her running along the “Shores of Silver Lake.”

Not only did I love to read, I also loved to write.  My sixth grade English teacher encouraged me to become a writer, to follow my dream, sending me letters throughout high urging me to do so.  I should have listened.  The closest I came was keeping journals, especially when I traveled.  I also wrote poems to express my emotions.

I did not confine myself to any one genre of literature, but as I entered into my teen years I found myself obsessed with Christopher Pike and, to a lesser degree, Stephen King.  The books chilled me to the bone and had me turning page after page, devouring every word, seeking the conclusion.

Enter life.  During high school my dad was diagnosed with a terrible disease and my beloved passion for reading was put on the back burner in lieu of my other coping mechanism, music.  I would get lost listening to songs of all types depending on my mood, vacillating between everything from Nine Inch Nails to the Beatles to The Doors to Sarah McLachlan.  During my dad’s illness, I certainly lost a part of myself and my direction. 

Desiring escape, on a whim I moved four hours east of my family, to get away, find myself again.  Little did I know it would take me fifteen years to rediscover that which brought me so much enjoyment.

Don’t get me wrong, I never stopped reading all together, but I did stop writing.  I just didn’t make either of those things a priority.

Nearly eight years ago, I was presented with an opportunity to become a part of a company and start up two brand new divisions.  I threw myself into the work and dedicated myself to making the company a success.  I was wholeheartedly devoted, ignoring my own needs and wants in order to succeed.  Almost a year ago, the walls closed in as the economy went downhill and business decreased.  Despite my dedication and being the most tenured staff member, other than the owner himself, I was laid off. 

It needed to happen.  Despite the struggles that have come since, the rewards, although fewer in number, have enriched my life in ways I never expected. 

Two of my other coworkers, who are also dear friends, were laid off as well.  One of them had been infatuated with Twilight since its publication.  She also was a devoted Robert Pattinson fan and even had his picture hung on the wall at work.  I had, along with our other friend, made fun of her, giving her a good ribbing when she would spend her breaks trying to squeeze in a chapter in ten minutes; sighing when her break was over, reluctantly putting the book away. 

Then one night I got a call from my teasing cohort.  The message she left simply said “I have a new boyfriend.”  When I called her back she had just finished watching Twilight and was gushing over R.P. And making no apologies, insisting I must see the movie immediately. 

I borrowed the book from a friend and read it in one day.  I was completely hooked and couldn’t wait to get my hands on the next three.  I watched the movie the following day with my friend and damn it, I had to eat my words.  I was a complete goner.  I read all four books in the span of ten days, including the time it took for copies to find their way to me in the mail. 

I was devastated that the series was done, and began Googling, trying to find something other than Midnight Sun that indicated there would be some sort of continuation.  That ultimately led me to find Twilighted. 

I was seeking something specific, a post BD canon story that would provide me with the drug I needed to ease my withdrawal from the story. 

I read a few stories that disappointed me (in part due to the ideas I had floating around in my head) and I decided to take a stab at writing one.  It took six weeks for my story to be accepted.  In the mean time, I found a post BD story I really enjoyed, Supernova by MVF’s very own Susan Ashlea.  Breaking out of my comfort zone, I contacted her on the Twilighted message boards explaining how much I loved her story and shamelessly asking her to check out mine. 

A few weeks later she asked me to post on another site and I literally jumped off the couch.  I felt so honored, so excited that anyone would ask me such a thing and it just spiraled from there.  Sue, I will be forever grateful to you for doing that.  FOREVER.  When that site went down, I felt immediately lost.  That was until I received an email about the MVF forums.

I signed up immediately, desperate for the community that I felt so at home in.

Having no other friends that embraced the genre with the same gusto that I did, My Vamp Fiction gave me a place where I could just be me and relish in my love of all things vampire with other like minded fans of the genre. 

MVF has broken me out of  hard shell that had formed around me over the course of a decade and a half.  I’m putting myself out there more than I ever have. The most important thing?  I’m writing again.  I feel like a hole that had been opened long ago has finally been filled, thanks to the wonderful community that is MVF.

Since I joined My Vamp Fiction I have expanded my library with the Black Dagger Brotherhood books (just finished book 5) and have watched True Blood and The Vampire Diaries.  I plan to read the House of Night Series and Blue Bloods after I’m done with the available BDB books.  I would love to chat with any and all of you in the lair about these incredible series.

I also must agree with Saluki’s recent post about Drops of Mercury.  Lasting friendships can be formed via the internet.  We are fortunate to live in a time that makes this a new reality.  I got butterflies the first time I went on Skype to talk with my new friends.  They make me feel whole and…normal. It’s a wonderful feeling to come across friends that share common interests and “squee” together. 

I can’t end without a big shout out to the creators of MVF. 

Sue, Heather, Sarah, Meesh- you girls rock my world in ways that words fail to describe.  I can’t frickin’ wait to meet you all in Vegas.  I’m thankful to be included among all of you in the vampire fiction world. 

Make sure to stop by The Lair and say hello to Jules! Or leave a comment right here. We love Jules and are excited to have her on the MVF team. =)