Generated by All in One SEO v5.0.0.1, this is an llms.txt file, used by LLMs to index the site. # Sugar & Ink Tech Girl, Author, Baker, Personal Trainer, Dog Lover ... and then some! ## Sitemaps - [XML Sitemap](https://www.cyndera.com/sitemap.xml): Contains all public & indexable URLs for this website. ## Posts - [\'Cause in This World of Trouble, my Music Pulls me Through](https://www.cyndera.com/2014/12/05/cause-in-this-world-of-trouble-my-music-pulls-me-through/) - Just got to your desk, got your coffee but still need an extra boost? Here\'s my \"Feel Good and Get Rocking at Your Desk\" playlist for today. You may take the rocking literally :D For those of you who want to try something new, sign up for the 60-day Google Music trial. It\'s totally worth - [A Writer\'s Thanks](https://www.cyndera.com/2014/11/25/a-writers-thanks/) - With everything that is going on in this world and in our lives, it\'s sometimes easy to forget that there are plenty of things we can and should be thankful for. Like First-World problems. Yes, we consider those problems, but think about it: Would you rather deal with famine or the fact that you have run - [So ... You Want to be Funny?](https://www.cyndera.com/2014/12/03/so-you-want-to-be-funny/) - So do I. Really. I\'m just ... not. Not when I want to be, anyway. Every now and then I end up in situations where my friends almost choke because they thought I was so hilarious. Those situations usually involve some joke I didn\'t understand and thus provoked a ridiculous reaction. I could tell you - [Conjured in Gold - Part 4](https://www.cyndera.com/2016/02/13/conjured-in-gold-part-4/) - Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 Arlia hastily wiped the moisture from her eyes and squinted. Her eyes widened when a tiny little head emerged from the flow of gold. Two blue eyes looked up at her curiously. \"Na\'Ral\" she whispered, half a question, half realization that it had worked. The tiger raised a paw - [Conjured in Gold - Part 3](https://www.cyndera.com/2016/02/12/conjured-in-gold-part-3/) - Part 1 | Part 2 Arlia’s skin started to tingle again, and her hands were freezing cold when she slipped out of her white robe and let it drop to the ground. The sunlight shone on her body as she received the golden robe from Muthra. The fabric felt warm, almost alive, and when the young - [Conjured in Gold - Part 2](https://www.cyndera.com/2016/02/03/conjured-in-gold-part-2/) - Part 1 can be found here. As Arlia stepped into the bright sunlight, she tried to slow down her heartbeat. She was excited. She had dreamt about her incantation day for what seemed to be an eternity. She pictured herself in beautiful golden robes that were customary for this day, her hair framing her face - [Conjured in Gold](https://www.cyndera.com/2016/01/29/conjured-in-gold/) - A while back, I started working on a short story that was inspired by a dream. Don\'t laugh; that actually happens quite often. Inspiration comes from all kinds of places (music being the biggest one for me), and my dreams are usually quite vivid, so I took the basic idea and wrote \"Conjured in Gold\". - [Silent Scream](https://www.cyndera.com/2016/01/26/silent-scream/) - Sometimes, all you want to do is scream but no sound crosses your lips. The pain you feel is too much to bear, And the scream dissolves into a thousand tears. Fire burns inside your heart and mind, and all you want to do is die. You’re not sure how to survive the despair and - [Books Alive! 2015 - Washington Writers Conference](https://www.cyndera.com/2015/04/27/books-alive-2015-washington-writers-conference/) - This past weekend I attended Books Alive! 2015, the Washington Writers Conference in Bethesda, MD, and I had a blast! Full disclosure: Since I am working on my own novel, the most important thing for me was the fact that I could pitch my manuscript to four agents in person. However, attending the panel discussions, - [[Off-Topic] ASCAP Licensing Fees](https://www.cyndera.com/2015/01/26/off-topic-ascap-licensing-fees/) - Not related to writing, but very dear to my heart. Please share! I totally support paying artists for their work, but we are talking very small venues here (local bookstores) and events that draw crowds of like less than fifty people. ASCAP: Don\'t kill local music by demanding fees from small venues for hiring local - [Forever Young, my Unborn Soul](https://www.cyndera.com/2015/01/21/forever-young-my-unborn-soul/) - Some blog posts make me happy. The ones that achieve this most often are those rare ones that offer a glimpse into the writer\'s mind. What she was thinking when writing a particular scene, how she came to invent a certain character, or what gave her the idea for a particular plot development. When I - [My First Time](https://www.cyndera.com/2015/01/13/my-first-time/) - First off: Happy New Year to all fellow writers out there! May 2015 be a good, productive, creative and successful year for all of us! I spent Christmas and New Year\'s with my family in Germany, and despite my best intentions I didn\'t do anything but eat and sleep. I didn\'t do any revising or - [Your Audience is King. Or Queen. Or Your Main Source of Funding.](https://www.cyndera.com/2017/08/14/your-audience-is-king-or-queen-or-your-main-source-of-funding/) - Most of the time, writing projects are fun. And then there are projects that are, well ... not ...really. Don\'t get me wrong, writing is never just all fun and games. It doesn\'t matter how much you love writing, how much you are interested in and excited about a particular story you are writing, you - [Writing Class with James Patterson](https://www.cyndera.com/2016/02/19/writing-class-with-james-patterson/) - A few years ago, I\'ve participated in an in-person writing workshop with Orson Scott Card, which was just plain awesome. So I was intrigued when I came across a online writing class with James Patterson yesterday. Aside from it being a cool experience, he will also pick one student to co-author his next book with. - [Conjured in Gold - Part 6](https://www.cyndera.com/2016/02/17/conjured-in-gold-part-6/) - Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 That night, Arlia slept uneasy. Where am I? At the edge of the war-torn land. At the edge of flames. A farmhouse in the distance. A withered field. Why is it so difficult to walk? Na’Ral, where are you? A low moan. “Hello?” “I fell, - [Conjured in Gold - Part 5](https://www.cyndera.com/2016/02/15/conjured-in-gold-part-5/) - Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 Two year later \"You can\'t be serious!\" Arlia sighed. Would her father ever take her seriously? \"Father, I made up my mind. Na\'Ral is one of the greatest advantages we have in this war.” She saw Magra cringe but carried on. “I won\'t let him sit here - [Holy Sh**, That\'s [Insert Name of Character Here]!](https://www.cyndera.com/2014/11/14/holy-sh-thats-insert-name-of-character-here/) - That exact thought flashed through my mind the other day when I was waiting for the metro in D.C. to go home after a night out with some of my girlfriends. I look to the left, and there\'s this guy, and he looked EXACTLY like I picture Nathaniel, one of the main characters in my - [Nobody is Perfect ... Or: Everybody Creates Disaster Zones](https://www.cyndera.com/2014/11/03/nobody-is-perfect-or-everybody-creates-disaster-zones/) - Happy After-Halloween! I hope you all handed out lots of chocolate and ate a fair amount yourself. With my current doctor-prescribed month of \"avoid EVERYTHING that has soy in any way, shape, or form\", I did not participate in the snacking ... yes, a very sad thing indeed *sigh*. To distract myself from all the - [Thief of Hope to be Republished](https://www.cyndera.com/2014/10/27/thief-of-hope-to-be-republished/) - I am very excited to share an update from my co-worker and fellow author Cindy Young Tuner! Her book Thief of Hope is about to be republished. If you like fantasy, you should definitely check it out. It will be available as an e-Book for various readers as well! - [Writing Series: Blogging for Work, Blogging for Life](https://www.cyndera.com/2014/10/21/writing-series-blogging-for-work-blogging-for-life/) - Description: Why blog? Blogging can help you build your presence in the professional community, grow your expertise on topics of professional and personal interest, expand your career options, develop professional connections, and satisfy your creative spirit. Our three panelists will share their blogging journey and what they’ve learned along the way. Whether you’ve never written - [Make it Meaningful, Part 1](https://www.cyndera.com/2014/10/12/make-it-meaningful-part-1/) - On September 2, I\'ve started my new job as Knowledge Management/Monitoring & Evaluation Specialist for The Demographic and Health Surveys Program (if you really want to know what I do, shoot me a message :P). Trying to wrap my brain around the myriad of new things that I will have to know and work with - [For The Love of Learning: The Kid Experiment](https://www.cyndera.com/2014/08/30/for-the-love-of-learning-the-kid-experiment/) - Like many people, I go through each day with the goal to learn something new: a new expression/word, a new fact, the title of a new book. These experiences and -more importantly- how we make use of them shape who we are. In other words: They shape our very own story. As writers, I think - [A Tasty Surprise - Guest Post for Timewalkerauthor](https://www.cyndera.com/2014/08/26/a-tasty-surprise-guest-post-for-timewalkerauthor/) - This week, I wrote a short guest post for Timewalkerauthor, so hop over there and enjoy (and don\'t forget to check out his stuff as well). - [Every Story Needs a Voice](https://www.cyndera.com/2014/08/16/every-story-needs-a-voice/) - One of the hardest parts on my journey to finding the writer in me is to find my very own writing voice. I\'ve often found myself wishing (and sometimes still do, I suppose) that I could write as humorous as Bill Bryson, as captivating and realistic as Donna Leon, as fascinating as Michael Crichton - [Location, Location!](https://www.cyndera.com/2014/08/08/location-is-well-not-everything-but-pretty-important/) - When you are about to embark on a journey towards a new story —no matter of what length—, you have a lot to think about. 
 If you are like me, ideas for new stories pop up at the most random times: while taking a shower, while trying to go to sleep or already dreaming, - [The Dreaded PP](https://www.cyndera.com/2014/08/02/the-dreaded-pp/) - While I was taking a break from editing my novel manuscript the other day, I started working on another story that is part of a project I am working on together with Timewalkerauthor. After give or take 6000 words, I came across the oh-so-dreaded ... [pause for dramatic effect] ... PP: the Plot-Problem! We\'ve all - [A Novel in The Making](https://www.cyndera.com/2014/07/31/a-novel-in-the-making/) - I am super-excited to announce that I have just finished the second draft of my (yet still untitled) novel ... the very first I\'ve ever brought to paper (err, screen). If you like SciFi, stay tuned; I will post little snippets now and then while doing some more editing ... hopefully you\'ll like them and - [Simple Talks: The Date](https://www.cyndera.com/2014/07/31/simple-talks-2-the-date/) - “No.” “Not that one.” “Ew, THAT?” “That’s itchy!” I growled, rolled my eyes and threw the three dresses I had in my hand on the bed. “Really …?” I asked and thought briefly about smacking myself upside the head. “Don’t even think about that, you’ll give me a concussion!” my brain said. I fell down - [Simple Talks: All we Need is Love](https://www.cyndera.com/2014/07/20/simple-talks-all-we-need-is-love/) - “Hey. Hey there. Wake up!” I slowly opened my eyes, looking around my dim bed room and then at my clock. Eight in the morning on a Saturday. I closed my eyes again. “Hey, right over here!” I looked to the left, where my dog Dutch was curled up next to me. He was still - [Of Grief and Happiness](https://www.cyndera.com/2011/08/08/of-grief-and-happiness/) - Today, during my lunch break, I read two more essays from the book \"This I Believe II\" ... personal philosophies of remarkable men and women; famous and normal alike. The two essays I read were, as the headline gives away, about grief and happiness, which are two emotions I currently struggle with. As some of ## Pages - [Rivers of the Mind](https://www.cyndera.com/) - Available as Ebook & paperback at your favorite bookstore Paperback on Amazon Kindle edition Print ISBN: 979-8-218-63740-8 | Ebook ISBN: 979-8-218-63741-5 They will look into every nook and cranny, they will strip you of everything you have and are, and you will stand before them naked in the most intimate of ways. And then they will - [Body, Brain, and Me: The Date](https://www.cyndera.com/2-the-date/) - “No.” “Not that one.” “Ew, THAT?” “That’s itchy!” I growled, rolled my eyes and threw the three dresses I had in my hand on the bed. “Really?” I asked, and thought briefly about smacking myself upside the head. “Don’t even think about that, you’ll give me a concussion!” my brain said. I fell down on - [Body, Brain, and Me - Hello there!](https://www.cyndera.com/simple-conversations-all-we-need-is-love/) - “Hey. Hey there. Wake up!” I slowly opened my eyes, looking around my dim bedroom and then at my clock. Eight in the morning on a Saturday. I closed my eyes again. “Hey, right over here!” I looked to the left, where my dog Dutch was curled up next to me. He was still snoring. - [About me](https://www.cyndera.com/about/) - Cyndera has been my online identity for many, MANY years, and now it's way too late to change it ^_^ My real name is Aileen. Born in Germany, I now live in Columbia, MD, and am a Technology Strategist by day and gym rat by night; you can find me in the free weights section - [Get in touch](https://www.cyndera.com/contact/) - [Sincerely Yours](https://www.cyndera.com/sincerely-yours/) - You know that there’s something wrong with the government reading your emails. But do you know what to think when they respond to an email? Even more, to an email that wasn’t even sent to them? That’s right: You don’t. That was exactly my problem. But let me start from the beginning. It was a - [Library Services in Correctional Settings](https://www.cyndera.com/publications/marshall-a-2011-library-services-in-correctional-settings-information-outlook-151/) - SLA members may access the article at http://www.sla.org/io/2011/01/962.cfm All others: Read on :) Library Services in Correctional Settings ALTHOUGH THE WORK ENVIRONMENT IS CHALLENGING, CORRECTIONAL SETTINGS OFFER LIBRARIANS AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A PROFOUND DIFFERENCE IN PEOPLE’S LIVES. BY AILEEN M. J. MARSHALL, MA Although the United States is home to fewer than 5 percent - [My Alter Ego](https://www.cyndera.com/just-for-fun/my-alter-ego/) - Written in 2001, this is the story of Cyndera, my character in Star Wars Galaxies (yes, I am a geek, and I play video games). That world eventually came to an end, but her story lives on in other galaxies … I was born in Tyrena as a daughter of a noble family. My mother - [This I Believe](https://www.cyndera.com/this-i-believe/) - This I Believe is an international organization engaging people in writing and sharing essays describing the core values that guide their daily lives. Over 125,000 of these essays, written by people from all walks of life, have been archived here on our website, heard on public radio, chronicled through our books, and featured in weekly - [Silent Scream](https://www.cyndera.com/silent-scream/) - Sometimes, all you want to do is scream but no sound crosses your lips. The pain you feel is too much to bear, And the scream dissolves into a thousand tears. Fire burns inside your heart and mind, and all you want to do is die. You’re not sure how to survive the despair and - [Just 4 Fun](https://www.cyndera.com/just-for-fun/) - Non-professional stuff that I have written or otherwise come up with :) Essay: This I Believe Poem: Phoenix ## Categories - [Uncategorized](https://www.cyndera.com/category/uncategorized/) - [Announcements](https://www.cyndera.com/category/announcements/) ## Tags - [#feelgood](https://www.cyndera.com/tag/feelgood/) - [announcements](https://www.cyndera.com/tag/announcements-2/) - [at work](https://www.cyndera.com/tag/at-work/) - [background story](https://www.cyndera.com/tag/background-story/) - [being funny](https://www.cyndera.com/tag/being-funny/) - [being thankful](https://www.cyndera.com/tag/being-thankful/) - [beta-readers](https://www.cyndera.com/tag/beta-readers/) - [Bill Bryson](https://www.cyndera.com/tag/bill-bryson/) - [blogging](https://www.cyndera.com/tag/blogging/) - [Books Alive! 2015](https://www.cyndera.com/tag/books-alive-2015/) - [character development](https://www.cyndera.com/tag/character-development/) - 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