Betsy Horvath

Everybody has a story.

Betsy’s Blog

  • Undone

    , ,

    Previously on Betsy’s Blog….

    When last we met, all seemed to be well with Betsy.  She was happy, she was writing, and she was discussing newsletters with Harry, the white gerbil who is the Guide on her Quest.  She’s on her way, right?  Sure, there have been some bobbles, but there is no way in heck Betsy’s going to fall off her path again, not now that she is positive it is where she wants to be.  Right?  So what harm could there be for her to eat inappropriately for her diabetic condition by indulging in baked goods and ice cream?  It’s just a treat.  Just once.  Okay, just for one day.  Or perhaps two.  Maybe three…. 

    Uh oh.

    And a Dark Wind howls through Betsy’s brain.  And a Dark Voice whispers in her ear.

    Looks like we’d better go see what’s happening…..
    (more…)

  • Back To Nuts And Bolts

    ,

    nutsandboltsPreviously on Betsy’s Blog –

    In a meeting with Harry, the white gerbil who is the Guide for her Quest, and Skipper, the chipmunk who is a Habit Formulation Specialist, Betsy realizes her overarching life goal is to always choose her own Path, follow her own Guide, and seek her own Grail. Working to achieve this goal effectively changes her Quest from that of becoming a successful indie authorpreneur to that of becoming a successful human being.  Which is kind of the point of all Quests anyway, isn’t it?

    However, Harry is about to remind Betsy that being a successful indie authorpreneur is still extremely important to her and a huge goal. And these kinds of goals aren’t going to achieve themselves, are they?

    Now that the tender moment has passed and Skipper has returned to the International Muse Council, Harry wants to tackle some nuts and bolts issues. What does he want to discuss? Can he get Betsy’s head out of the clouds and pin her feet to the ground? In other words, can he get her to do something…productive?  Let’s see…
    (more…)

  • Themes Of Life

    , ,

    questPreviously on Betsy’s Blog…

    Skipper, the Habit Formulation specialist has returned.  Betsy and Quest Guide Harry  are meeting with her in Betsy’s brain to discuss how Betsy is doing in the initial implementation of her Good Habit Strategy, i.e. writing every day.  The verdict has come back – okay so far.

    But Betsy seems to have something else on her mind.  She seems to have been thinking, which is cause for concern in and of itself.  

    Join us, dear reader, and we’ll see what in the world is going on now!
    (more…)

  • Skipper Returns

    , ,

    37903_340Previously on Betsy’s Blog…

    Betsy and Harry, the Guide for her Quest to become a successful indie authorpreneur – and a gerbil – have been meeting with Skipper, Habit Formulation and Implementation Specialist – and a chipmunk.  Skipper has given Betsy lots of good advice, but when last we met Betsy was almost led astray by a Minion of Misdirection!  Egads!  Thank goodness the real Harry showed up in time to keep Betsy on her path.

    Now Skipper has returned to see what’s going on.   Has Betsy actually made progress on her assignment – to develop the habit of writing every day?  Has she already failed miserably and fallen into the pit of despair always bubbling in her mind?  Or has she just gone out for ice cream?

    Let’s see….
    (more…)

  • Intermission

    ,

    19-intermission-slide-granger

     

     

    —–Intermission—–

     

    The Muse was whipping my butt last night, so I didn’t have a chance to write up the next installment in the adventures of Betsy, Harry, Skipper, Muse, Dark Voice, Obsessia, Fake Harry, Coffee, Blogosphere, etc.  because I was actually working on my book.  However, since I hadn’t posted anything on Sunday (I was busy weeding the garden I’ve neglected all summer), I thought I’d write a quick status update for those who may (or may not) care.
    (more…)

  • Fake Harry

    ,

    Two HarrysPreviously on Betsy’s Blog…

    Betsy and Harry, the white gerbil who is Betsy’s Guide on her Quest to become a successful independent authorpreneur,  have been spending quality time with Skipper, a Habit Formation and Implementation specialist sent by the International Muse Council to help Betsy develop goals and habits.  After a long and arduous process similar to birthing an elephant, Betsy has finally set out to form a concrete habit – writing every day.

    Having worked on this habit for several days, Betsy has come back to her brain to report on her progress.  (It should concern everyone that she has to “come back” to her brain.)  However, something seems to be amiss.  Her brain seems a little dim and fuzzy, as if she is viewing it through an antique looking glass.  And does Harry feel okay?  He looks…funny.

    What’s going on here?  Let’s see….
    (more…)

  • Underway

    ,

    _full_cheerleading_clip_art_2[1]Previously on Betsy’s Blog…

    Harry, Betsy’s Guide on her Quest (and a white gerbil) has brought Skipper, an expert in Habit Formulation and Implementation (and a chipmunk), to Betsy’s brain to convince Betsy that not only are goals and habits good, but she needs some.  Betsy allows as how she doesn’t like goals because she never achieves them and that makes her feel like a loser.  And why should she make herself feel like a loser when so many people are willing to do it for her?

    But Skipper hasn’t given up yet.  After taking a quick break to do research and for some, er, liquid refreshment, she’s back and better than ever.

    Good luck, Skipper!  Let’s see how things are going…
    (more…)

  • A Rudderless Child

    ,

    skipper2Previously on Betsy’s Blog….

    Harry, Betsy’s Guide on her Quest to become a successful independent author / entrepreneur, has just done a stint at the International Muse Council to undergo psychological testing.  But he’s back!  Better yet, he brought a friend with him – Skipper the Chipmunk, a specialist in Habit Formation and Implementation.

    Betsy was a trifle surprised to find another unexpected voice chatting in her brain, but figured what the heck.  Skipper was a trifle surprised to find that Betsy doesn’t like setting goals or forming habits.  In fact, it would be more accurate to say she was disconcerted and even a little unsure of how to proceed.

    This is not an encouraging start to their relationship.  Can they recover?  Can they find their way to a partnership?  Can Skipper convince Betsy that goals and habits are actually good things and not of the devil?  Join us and we’ll see….
    (more…)

  • Skipper

    , ,

    skipperPreviously on Betsy’s Blog…

    Harry, Betsy’s Guide on her Quest to become a successful independent author / entrepreneur, has returned from a short stay with the Muse Council and he’s ready to rock and roll!  He wants to help pull Betsy out of the mire of her own neurosis, kick her in the butt, and lead her on her way down the path to success.  But to do that, he needs Betsy’s cooperation, doesn’t he?  And that means giving Betsy the tools she needs to change.  

    A whole big crapload of tools.

    Now as Betsy’s consciousness naps in the frontal lobe of her brain, a new voice enters the picture.  Who is this?  What does it want?  How can it help, if help it will?  Join us and we’ll see….
    (more…)

  • Doubt and Believing

    ,

    Harry1Previously on Betsy’s Blog…

    As you know if you’ve joined us for previous installments of The Quest, Betsy has decided to become a successful independent author / entrepreneur. Harry, a white gerbil, is her Guide on this Quest, determined to help her find her way as she navigates the confusing paths leading to her goal. Betsy is discovering (well, she already knew this, so it’s more like admitting) that most of the confusion and false starts come from within herself.

    When last we left them, Harry had fallen into a depressed and debauched state after Betsy and her Muse were attacked by a Dark Voice who lives inside Betsy’s brain. Harry felt he had pushed too hard and made Betsy vulnerable to the bad thoughts.

    Betsy pulled Harry back from the brink, but he still had to make an appearance before the International Muse Council for an evaluation. He’s been gone for a couple of weeks, but now he’s back. How did things go while he was gone? Join us and we’ll see….
    (more…)

  • The Reality of Possibility

    baby-chick-and-an-egg

     

    We come across possibilities every day. They flit through our lives like butterflies, drip through our hands like water. Possibilities can be very hard to grasp.

    This is especially true of your own possibilities – your own possible you.

    As we grow and age, we are hammered into a certain shape based on the expectations of family, friends, loved ones, society, and ourselves. Many of us make choices based on a need to fit in or escape, and then we are left to deal with the consequences of those choices.  Sometimes we feel trapped into a certain way of living based on choices we’ve made.

    But we are always running into new possibilities.
    (more…)

  • A Brainy Pig

    ,

    pig-thinking-13711362

    As a change of pace, here’s a poem about a brainy pig, courtesy of Roald Dahl.

    Enjoy!
    (more…)

  • Responsibility

    , ,
     HarryPreviously on Betsy’s Blog…

    Mavis, the ambassador from the International Muse Council, has come in search of Harry, Betsy’s Quest Guide, because he has not been answering Council summons.  She finds him in the gutter of Betsy’s brain, swilling orange juice (an intoxicant for the gerbil family, of which Harry is a member), and basically falling into the dark well of Betsy’s mental depravity.  Further investigation uncovers the incident Betsy recently experienced with Obsessia and the Dark Voice, and Mavis determines that Harry is blaming himself for pushing Betsy over the edge.

    But this cannot be!  Betsy needs her Guide!  Without Harry, she could easily fall into her dark well of mental depravity herself, and then who will pull her out?

    Mavis and Betsy have called Harry to come meet with them, and Harry has just arrived.  Let’s see if we can get down to the bottom of his behavior.  Is Harry feeling responsible and blaming himself?  
    (more…)

  • Where’s Harry?

    ,
    mavisPreviously on Betsy’s Blog…

    Although Betsy and the Muse have been hanging out regularly, Betsy hasn’t seen Harry, her Quest Guide, for a couple of days.  In fact, she hasn’t seen him since he and the Muse came to her aid when she battled Obsessia and The Dark Voice.   But Betsy’s been so busy, she didn’t notice Harry was missing until she received a summons from a familiar disembodied voice – Mavis, ambassador for the International Muse Council.

    What is Mavis, ambassador for the International Muse Council, doing here anyway? And where the heck is Harry?  Let’s see…
    (more…)

  • Status Update

    , ,

    5-intermission-slide-granger
    ~~~~Intermission~~~~

    And now a few words from our sponsor…

     

    Hi, everyone!

    Well, I haven’t seen Harry today, so I thought I would just give you a quick update on a couple of things.

    First, I hope you’re enjoying the story of my Quest to become a successful Indie Author / Indie Publisher / Indie Authorpreneur / Self Publisher / Whatever-You-Want-To-Call-It.  I’m having more fun writing the blog than, well, ever.  Plus I don’t feel like I’m being as much of a drama queen when I’m writing about myself in the third person.  And being a fiction author means there’s always voices talking in my head, so why not take advantage of them?
    (more…)

  • Swirling Storms

    ,

    tornadoPreviously on Betsy’s Blog…

    Betsy and her Muse come face to face with Obsessia.  Obsessia lives in Betsy’s brain, prodding her this way and that, directing her to travel down paths of pursuit that get her all twisted up and confused.  As Betsy realizes what’s going on and tries to follow the Muse out into more productive pathways, Obsessia calls for her boyfriend – Compulsion, aka the Dark Voice.

    Now Betsy and her Muse are trapped behind walls of ice, trapped in Betsy’s brain while buffeted by dark voracious winds.  Will Betsy succumb yet again to the whims of Obsessia and the Dark Voice?  How will she and the Muse escape?  And will she EVER get the first draft of her book typed into Scrivener?  Oh, my gosh – let’s find out!
    (more…)

  • Obsessia

    , ,
    obsessia1Previously on Betsy’s Blog…

    Harry, Betsy’s Guide on her Quest, has given her a list of things she will need to learn to be a successful indie author and she has gone off to think about them.  Betsy being Betsy, her thoughts promptly swirled into a burgeoning tornado of confusion, indecision and doubt.  But, wait – does it seem that Betsy is being prodded just a little a bit?  Could there be something – or someone – helping to stir her up?  Let’s see…
    (more…)

  • Things To Learn, Decisions To Make

    , ,

    walking into computerPreviously on Betsy’s Blog…    Betsy meets with Harry, her Quest Guide, to discuss progress on her Quest.  She tells him she has finally finished the first draft of her book, but she doesn’t seem excited about it.  Turns out she’s scared because now this whole thing is getting real.  Harry talks her down off the ledge and they end up doing a happy dance around Betsy’s brain.It turns out Harry hasn’t been idle as he waited for Betsy and her Muse to finish writing – he’s come up with a whole lot of things Betsy will need to learn and other things she will need to consider.  What are they?  Let’s listen in and find out…. 
    (more…)

  • First Drafts and Fears

    ,

    ClimbEveryMountainPreviously on Betsy’s Blog…

    Betsy is on a Quest to become an Indie Author/Publisher/Entrepreneur.  Harry, a white gerbil, is her Guide.  When last we met, Betsy and her Muse were hopped up on writing good times and heading towards finishing the first draft of the second half of the redraft of the book Betsy is writing.  While they got down to the creative business, Harry went off to find out what else Betsy is going to need to know if she wants to make this Quest a reality.

    Now Betsy and Harry are meeting to discuss progress, but something appears to be amiss.  Betsy is not bouncing around with excitement and middle-aged glee.  In fact, she seems rather subdued.  What’s happened?  Does Betsy have to make yet another feeble excuse for not getting her work done?  Let’s see…
    (more…)

  • What’s Next?

    ,
    woman thinkingPreviously on Betsy’s blog…

    Harry, Betsy’s Guide on her Quest to be an indie author/publisher, has discovered that Betsy and her Muse are almost finished the first draft of her book.  This is a good thing.  What Harry finds a little disturbing is the fact that Betsy wrote much of the second half of the first draft of the book in longhand.  Like on paper.  With a pen.  And now it will have to be typed in.

    This gave Harry a little pause (as opposed to little paws – he already has those), but he’s gotten over it.  Mostly.  Now he wants to find out where Betsy and her Muse are planning on taking her writing in the future.  Is this first draft going to be it?  Do they have any further plans?  Has Betsy thought ahead at all?  Does Betsy even have a clue?

    Let us rejoin the conversation between Betsy, Harry, and the Muse, in the lushly appointed office Harry has set up for himself in Betsy’s brain to find out…. 
    (more…)

  • Longhand?

    ,

    Writing ClipartPreviously on Betsy’s Blog…

    To sum things up as quickly as possible:  there’s a Quest, there’s a Guide, he’s a gerbil (yeah, a gerbil), his name is Harry.  The Quest is to indie publish, Betsy’s supposed to be writing and finishing her first draft, and the Muse is cranky about schedules.  Betsy’s also managed to put together a “Quest” page collecting all of the related blog posts in one place.  Although she never figured out how to put the first post first instead of last, she’s pretty impressed that she even figured out how to collect them together.

    Anyway, Harry has called a meeting with Betsy and the Muse to discuss progress.  Let’s listen in, shall we?  

    Yes, let’s.
    (more…)

  • The Muse Balks

    ,
    the musePreviously on Betsy’s Blog…

    Betsy has set out on her Quest to become an indie author with the help of her Guide, Harry.  Although in mythology, Guides for a Quest have traditionally been a white stag or rabbit, Harry is a white gerbil.  Well, that’s just the way things go sometimes.

    Thus far, Harry has proven himself to be quite helpful, not only in assisting Betsy to identify the objective of her Quest, but in pulling her out of the sugar-induced stupor she fell into after suffering a personal loss.  And it was in the dark caverns of Betsy’s temporal lobe that she and Harry encountered a mysterious and threatening Voice.  The Voice says it has been with Betsy all of her life, that it nudges her, encourages her to take inappropriate actions with inappropriate foods.  Betsy and Harry chased the Voice away, but are left to wonder if it will be back.  Will it be even more powerful next time?  Will Betsy be able to withstand its song?

    But those are questions for another day.  Now it is well past time for Betsy to buckle down and start churning out the words.  She has a schedule to meet!  How sad that her Muse does not work well under pressure and is starting to get obstreperous. (<–look!  big word!)

    Let’s join Betsy now in the spacious, well-appointed family room of her brain while she meets with her Muse and tries to figure out how to get this train moving along.  Just a little girl talk between friends.  Or something.
    (more…)

  • Some Thoughts About Failure and Success

    , ,
    primrose1One morning last week, I woke up feeling vaguely guilty and rather like a failure.  Now that isn’t terribly unusual, but I didn’t know what was wrong this time.  As I thought about it, I realized my feelings were somehow connected to the fact I had been to the grocery store the previous evening.It so happens this trip to the grocery store had gone perfectly well, but there have been many times in my life when a trip to the grocery store meant the purchase and consumption of vast quantities of inappropriate foodstuffs.  I have come to associate going to the grocery store with breaking promises to myself and feeling like a failure.I have trained myself.Last week I was also thinking about writing and wondering why I hadn’t felt like a success when HOLD ME was published.  After all, the publication of a book is the popularly accepted definition of success for a writer.
    (more…)

  • The Voice Speaks

    ,

    threatening cloudsPreviously on Betsy’s Blog…

    Harry, Betsy’s Quest Guide, is afraid Betsy has become derailed in her Quest to be a successful indie author.  This fear appears justified when he finds her lying in a slovenly heap in the temporal lobe of her brain, drowning her grief and sorrow in a sea of sugars, fats, and chemicals.  He tries to snap her out of it, and seems to be making good progress when suddenly another Voice speaks.

    Who is this Voice?  What does it want?  Why didn’t Betsy know it was there?  Why is Betsy’s mouth smeared with confectioner’s sugar?  Join Betsy and Harry as they strive to find the answers to these important questions…

    (and now, we resume Betsy’s and Harry’s conversation, already in progress…)
    (more…)

  • Sugar-Coated

    , ,

    sugarhazePreviously on Betsy’s Blog…

    When Betsy loses two of her beloved cats within six weeks of each other due to cancer, Harry, Betsy’s Quest Guide, leaves her alone for a little while to grieve.  However, when he returns to Betsy’s brain, he’s disturbed to find molecules of sugar and chemicals flying around everywhere and Betsy’s Muse sound asleep on a ratty sofa pushed into a corner.  Talking to the Muse causes more concern.  Harry knew Betsy was a wreck, but he finds out she hasn’t written anything at all since he’s been gone.  Harry and the Muse both know that writing will help Betsy work through her emotions, but Betsy doesn’t seem to know that.  In fact, Harry begins to suspect that Betsy might have gotten herself completely derailed.

    Another wave of sugar and chemicals hits, sending the Muse into a sound sleep.  Harry makes a dash for Betsy’s temporal lobe to see if he can figure out what’s going on.  What will he find?
    (more…)