Life and Living – Rosemary Draven

Returning from Break with Jedi Mind Tricks

The first day back to school always comes with a lot of hype, and this January was no different. I let myself get caught up in the cycle of wondering, worrying, and overthinking it. But when it came down to it, I know how to do my job, and my students—bless them—are mostly good listeners.…
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Back to School and the High of Finishing a Story

Tomorrow, it’s back to school—a world of lesson plans, reading groups, and the ever-present question: “Am I doing enough?” It’s surreal, honestly. Over my vacation, I finished my novel, Riven, and got it out into the world. A friend compared it to Stephen King finishing Running Man while teaching, which is wildly flattering. I’m not…
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My Favorite NIN songs

I’m going to try to link to my playlist here. I hope it works! Let me know. Click on the image below Step into the World of RivenIn Riven, Princess Salome ventures beyond the safety of her mystical kingdom to face a world unraveling under the grip of a deadly force. With courage, curiosity, and resilience, she…
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The Truth of “Only” by NIN…

Friendship has been weighing heavily on my mind lately. Not in a whiny way, but in the introspective, pacing-the-floor way that feels like working through a tough plot point. At my age, calling someone a best friend feels like a luxury—a rare gem. I thought I had one of those. But lately, I keep circling…
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Workaholic Habits in your 40s

I’ve been thinking a lot about my dark passenger lately—my own internal whip, always at my back. It’s a concept I borrowed from Dexter, the iconic series where the protagonist struggles with an inner force that drives his actions. While Dexter’s passenger leans into the macabre, mine feeds an insatiable hunger for productivity, creativity, and—sometimes—peace.…
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How Finishing Riven Transformed My Vacation: Insights from Writing to Teaching

I was up early this morning—around 5 a.m., give or take. These are the last fleeting days of vacation, and I’m soaking them in. Bittersweet? Not quite. I thrive on staying busy, which is why finishing Riven over the holiday break was such a rewarding experience. Between writing, editing, and reworking the story’s flow, it…
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The Tribes We Carry

Lately, I’ve been thinking about the tribes we’re part of—the ones shaped by our upbringing, where we were born, or the cultures that surrounded us as we grew up. Sometimes, those tribes stay with us in unexpected ways. I was watching Jackson State University’s Sonic Boom of the South band perform recently in the Tournament…
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The Void Between Stories

Finishing Riven felt like stepping out of one world and into a vacuum. It’s the kind of loss that leaves an empty space inside you, no matter how many new ideas are waiting on the burner. I want to keep living in that world, breathing it in, letting the characters linger just a little longer.…
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Early Mornings and Creative Goals: A Writer’s Tale

Every vacation, I tell myself, This time will be different. I make big plans to relax, recharge, and maybe squeeze in some writing. But, without fail, my version of “relaxing” becomes waking up at 3 a.m., sometimes 5 a.m., and writing until late evening. I dive headfirst into my projects, and while I enjoy the…
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Category: Life and Living