RED (The Music Single)

YES! I've wanted to let this out for literally months now and I can finally say it! RED is the the first ever novel to have a music release to go along with it (just like movies and soundtracks). 

A very dear friend of mine was kind enough to write and record a song for the novel and it's AWESOME!!!!!!! It'll be available on iTunes eventually but for now take a listen on YouTube! 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGyALBK5LJ0

Tears of a Clown (R.I.P. Robin Williams)

"You're only given a little spark of madness. You mustn't lose it." Robin Williams

I think it's safe to say we all felt like someone kicked us in the gut when we found out the news about Robin Williams passing away. It wasn't expected and a lot people didn't think it would feel like it hit so close to home. My night was ruined when I heard the news because I couldn't shake that heavy feeling and nothing seemed normal. How do you feel this way over someone you didn't even know? Someone you never met? The answer is: Robin Williams gave us all a piece of his madness and while we laughed and thanked him, he was hurting. Do you feel guilty yet?

Of course there was no way of us knowing what he was feeling but the idea alone that he was feeling it enough to end his own life is tragic in itself. He was a good guy and he had a big heart. Most of all, he should be here right now but he isn't because of something most people can't even begin to understand. Depression is evil. Point blank.

While most are mourning this loss, some are criticizing his actions. Those who are obviously has no idea what it's like to be that down and depressed. Depression is like carrying a car on your back that just keeps getting heavier and heavier everyday until the thought of being in any other position seems better...even if that position is lying on your back six feet under. No one has the right to criticize Robin for what he was feeling. No one.

We all know what hard times are and we've all been sad for days but in the words of one of my favorite male vocalist, Patrick Stump, "Depression is something that they just don't teach." No one gives a guidebook on how to deal with depression and those little pamphlets at the doctor's office are much too generalized to help. Everyone's depression is different which means that depression is something that we can't teach. The only thing we have is hope that things will get better but if we're not careful, depression will snatch that away too. That's exactly what happened to Mr. Williams. Depression snatched his hope away and I'm so sorry it did because there were new memories he was supposed to create with his family and friends. There were new movies he was set to star in and continue to make history. He had a lot more inspiring to do but depression cut it short.

I thought maybe if he knew how much the world appreciated him and how much he was loved maybe he would have stayed. Maybe he would have fought through the feeling. Then I remembered what that feeling felt like and that thought doesn't help at all. Depression doesn't allow you to feel loved or even think that you are. Depression is designed to be a killer just like any other disease; but just like any other disease, it's not the medicine that works, it's a spark. 

It's a spark of madness that we all have to fight and to live. It's a spark of hope, even if it is the last of it. What Mr. Williams didn't know is that he still had his spark, it was just buried deep somewhere inside. I'm sure it seemed impossible to find, but it was there nonetheless. It was in all of his movies and even if he was just "acting" happy, it was there in his personality. See, when he said we mustn't lose our little spark of madness, the thing about it is we can't. We can't lose it because we're born with it. That spark is who we are and it's inside of everyone. Some people just need to do more digging to find it.

Anyone born in the late '70s, the 80s, and 90s always known Robin Williams to be the hero and the funny guy. He was the center of most our childhood films that we loved so much. To those late 70s and 80s kids he was Popeye and a teacher who taught his students about passion and poetry. To us 90s kids he was a genie who granted wishes, a babysitter, and someone who fought creatures and obstacles as a result of a board game coming to life.It's kind of like when you look back he was there all the time. That's why this one hit so close to home. Whether we knew him or not he was a part of us and our childhood. Who feels like their childhood has just committed suicide? I do. 

When I told my mother the news she was upset like everyone else and the first thing she said was "Tears of a clown." Of course, naturally I thought of the 1970's, Smokey Robinson song of the same name but thinking about it, the song is just too relevant right now. Smokey basically said that no one cares about the tears of a clown; but Mr. Williams we all cared...

Thanks for your spark. Rest In Peace.

No One's THAT Beautiful In High School!

 "Perfection is a disease of a nation"-Beyonce (Pretty Hurts)

This may come as a surprise to some of you (the high schoolers out there) but no one looks the way the high school students in movies look! Okay, so maybe you sort of knew this but I want to put things in a realistic perspective.

So, I was hanging out with an old high school friend last night (the only person I still talk to from high school) and we settled for watching movies from Redbox at my place. We decided on This Is 40 and Carrie (the remake). The movie I would like to talk about today is Carrie and the portrayal of young adults in high school.

First off, no one looks that good in high school! Like, seriously, come on! These kids had flawless skin, bleached white teeth and everything was tight and proportioned. Who looks like that in general but in HIGH SCHOOL?! It was something that we both had to point out and talk about throughout the movie. We reminisced on how awkward everyone looks during those years and the people who we thought were good looking was well....not as good looking as they are now (just a taste of honesty).

I'm not writing this to judge but I am writing this as a way to shed light on something: teen movies and shows are fake! Just like the rest of Hollywood. Thinking back during my high school years when I watched One Tree Hill and other shows that were targeted toward teenagers, everyone was gorgeous. I mean, did any of you go to school with someone that looked like Sophia Bush or Chad Michael Murray? ...Didn't think so...

The portrayal of teenagers onscreen are so unrealistic, no wonder why so many young adults have self-esteem issues. I hated everything about the way I looked because I thought I was supposed to look like Brooke Davis or Peyton Sawyer. Now that I'm out of high school (almost 5 years now), I'm able to see high school students clearly for the first time. They all look like kids trying to transition into adulthood. They have acne and glasses and braces. Their bodies aren't fully developed and looks like they could use a couple of more years of growing. This is what you're supposed to look like in high school. These movies and shows make us believe that we're supposed to be supermodel status by the time we're fifteen. NEWSFLASH: NO ONE IS SEXY IN HIGH SCHOOL!

The ones in the movies and television programs who look like normal teens are always the ones who get teased or bullied. They're known as the geeks or outsiders. Realistically, This Is 40 had a more accurate portrayal of a teenager. Although the children were only in middle school, it seemed more likely. That's what I remember everyone looking like growing up.

Let me give you a run down: Pretty Little Liars is fake! One Tree Hill...fake! The Vampire Diaries...uh uh! Gossip Girl, Mean Girls, and all the rest are just a load of BS!

I'm here to tell you all that no one looks like Regina George, Elena Gilbert, Aria Montgomery, or Brooke Davis in high school!  Now college...that's a different story!

Red City Review of A Tragic Heart!

Here is a review from Red City Review on A Tragic Heart. I'm really grateful and excited about all of the positive feedback my first novel has been receiving. It makes me proud to know that I wrote something good when I was only 18 years old and it only took me one month to do so. I believed in this book for years now (and I still have some convincing to do) so it really means a lot. Reviews like these gives me a reason to continue writing and dealing with the stress of trying to become known. I just really want to share my stories with the world...plain and simple.

My favorite line from the review is, "The characters created in this book are the kinds that will be remembered, as they are realistic and raw, the kind you will either love or hate." This is just what I wanted when I created the book and hopefully someday we can see these characters play out on a big screen. That just takes a few more people to believe in this book the way I do. Thanks to everyone who read and also took the time to review A Tragic Heart.

A Tragic Heart by S. Elle Cameron

A Tragic Heart by S. Elle Cameron tells the story of Taylor Caldwell, a sixteen year old girl who has been struggling with depression. Her unfortunate hardships change and evolve when she starts a relationship with her high school crush, Mason, and they eventually decide to get married, even though Taylor’s family strong disapproves. For a short time, her life dramatically gets better and she finds happiness with the man of her dreams at her side. Unfortunately, the good times do not last for long, as unforeseen dramatic events cause her world to crumble all around her.

This novel follows a young girl trying to find meaning in life, while she tries to understand her true self and conquer her inner demons which often seem far too much for her to overcome. Cameron explores the usual themes that are so often present in a teenager’s life, and also adds in the typical elements of love triangles and the struggles of growing up. Switching back and forth between good times and bad, the author takes the reader on a roller coaster of emotion, as she crafts this tale of a troubled teenager coming of age, offering twists and turns on many pages to keep the story fresh and engaging. The characters created in this book are the kinds that will be remembered, as they are realistic and raw, the kind you will either love or hate. For a young adult novel, the subject material is rather dark, and is not to be taken lightly; especially as the ending itself is rather tragic. Nevertheless, this is the kind of tale that will stay with you after the book comes to its conclusion.

To purchase a copy of the book, click here to find it on Amazon.