Getting to know me

[KatYares]

A bit about me.

Fulltime freelancer who writes what ever comes her way. Published several dozen short stories in the horror/dark fantasy genre. Wrote confessions for years to support myself and the kids. (And am eternally grateful you don't get a byline for those).

Happily married for the last seven years. Along with the marriage came four more kids to add to my three. We live a back to basics lifestyle in the backwoods of the Arkansas Ozark mountains. Our nearest neighbor is over a mile away and the closest town is twenty five (pop. 3000). Half of the distance to town is dirt road.

Currently I'm spending my days writing for WFC, here and just became the Natural Living editor at Garden and Hearth. I also query the bigger print mags hoping for a nibble. I still dabble in fiction from time to time. I've got a novel that is in completed second draft form but still needs editing and rewriting. I've got a screenplay that I've been trying to interest an agent in. I also occasionally write erotica under a pen name (and no, don't ask, cuz I won't tell )

Well, reckon that's about it. Anything else you want to know...just ask - I might even answer.

Kat

[another_mother]

I hope you don't mind me joining your thread, Kat, but I thought maybe we Arkies could share.

I moved to AR about ten years ago from the "big city" with my husband who is also my best friend. We have four beautiful kids, and the closest town has a population that can be counted on both hands (but don't worry, it's not as remote as it sounds... we're only ten miles from the nearest Walmart ).

I have dabbled in writing -all kinds- for several years. I am certified by the Institute of Children's Literature, but I mostly write non-fiction. Go figure.

I've got two books and a novel in the works, that I might actually finish someday. I currently work for assorted content sites and online venues. I've been published a few times in print (mostly fluff), and I do some volunteer writing for my pet causes, like child protection reform.

Nice to "meet" everyone.

~Sherry

[KatYares]

Sherry

Before I moved here 12 years ago, I lived in Los Angeles. Got to tell ya, living there is one of the reasons I chose to be so remote here. We occasionally trip up to Fayetteville and the number of people and cars there overwhelm me now. I've only been to Little twice since I've lived here - once to pick up someone at the airport, the other when our oldest daughter was in a car accident and we had to rush to UAMS.

I hope never to have to live in a city again. I don't think my psyche could handle it.



Best
Kat

[Kate Sheridan]

I've been so interested reading your info, as a get-outta-the-big-city gal myself. May I ask both of you, though, how you manage to get connected to the Internet with regular dependable service -- without impoverishing yourselves? I've been fighting this battle up here (rural Michigan) for years! Just went to a meeting last night where people in an even more populated township about 15 miles from here were also tearing their hair out over the problem. How do you do it in the Ozarks??
kate

[KatYares]

I've been so interested reading your info, as a get-outta-the-big-city gal myself. May I ask both of you, though, how you manage to get connected to the Internet with regular dependable service -- without impoverishing yourselves? I've been fighting this battle up here (rural Michigan) for years! Just went to a meeting last night where people in an even more populated township about 15 miles from here were also tearing their hair out over the problem. How do you do it in the Ozarks??
kate

Regular? Dependable? No such thing. Out here in the boonies I have two options - dial up or satelite. At close to $100 a month, satelite is not really an option at all.

There are three service providers in town (no dsl, no cable, no aol, earthlink, netzero, etc). I probably reconnect no less than 20 times during an eight hour period on line. Much of this is caused by the way the phone company did the phone lines - for some reason everytime the well pump comes on - I lose the connection.

While this drives me batty at times - I just accept it as part of the way things are. If I do have to upload or download - I make sure my better half doesn't use the water until I'm done.



Best
Kat

[Sheryl Nantus]

wow...

now THERE'S a well-trained man!

[KatYares]

wow...

now THERE'S a well-trained man!

it works both ways - when he's working online - I have to 'hold' it too

[PJEwriter]

I love this thread! We moved to small town Maine from San Diego 6.5 years ago - huge life change. I thought living in a town of 7000 was remote - and it was at first, but now it's feeling too big for us. We're looking to get more rural - - but the whole internet connection is an issue. We JUST got cable for the first time, and wow, it's easy to get spoiled very quickly.

... but I love being in the country - originally a Colorado girl - I don't need close neighbors.

[Sheryl Nantus]

I moved to Brownsville from Toronto five years ago - no bus service, nothing closer than a good halfhour walk...

we used dial-up for the first year and when the cable company announced that they were going to be supplying cable modems I literally chased the van down the street to get the flyer of info and book an appointment.

pathetic, but I can't live without my internet connection...

[Kate Sheridan]

I love this thread! We moved to small town Maine from San Diego 6.5 years ago - huge life change. I thought living in a town of 7000 was remote - and it was at first, but now it's feeling too big for us. We're looking to get more rural - - but the whole internet connection is an issue. We JUST got cable for the first time, and wow, it's easy to get spoiled very quickly.

... but I love being in the country - originally a Colorado girl - I don't need close neighbors.

I hear ya! We've got a town of 7,000 about 20 miles away and everyone considers that the big city!
But we really don't expect to get cable or high-speed if we live in an area where there are, according to the Comcast gal at the meeting Monday, fewer than 30 homes along a one-mile stretch of road. That's their "density minimum" here, at least. So we're NEVER going to get it out here where there is so much wetland and forested ridges that no way can you fit even 10 homes along a mile stretch. And that's fine with me. I'd much rather put up with the hassles of connecting than ever live again amongst the harried masses!

[Kate Sheridan]

Regular? Dependable? No such thing. Out here in the boonies I have two options - dial up or satelite. At close to $100 a month, satelite is not really an option at all.

There are three service providers in town (no dsl, no cable, no aol, earthlink, netzero, etc). I probably reconnect no less than 20 times during an eight hour period on line. Much of this is caused by the way the phone company did the phone lines - for some reason everytime the well pump comes on - I lose the connection.

While this drives me batty at times - I just accept it as part of the way things are. If I do have to upload or download - I make sure my better half doesn't use the water until I'm done.



Best
Kat

That is hilarious! Out here, in addition to the undependable phone lines and no cable anywhere, it's the power going out all the time. We are superb at doing without heat, lights, stove, etc. but doing without the computer is a true burden.

[KatYares]

That is hilarious! Out here, in addition to the undependable phone lines and no cable anywhere, it's the power going out all the time. We are superb at doing without heat, lights, stove, etc. but doing without the computer is a true burden. [/quote]

Our dirt road is 12 miles long - only six families live full time on the road. There are several more houses but they are hunting camps for deer season (when the population of my side of the mountain swells from 15 - 150). We, too, have the electricity problems, but one of our neighbors is the lead man at the power company, so our lines usually get fixed first. Heat is not a problem since we heat with wood and can also cook on the woodstove in the winter if needed.

Thunderstorms are the worst, I can't count how many modems we've blown out over the years. Phone line spikes are common. Now at the first rumble in the sky, I run around to shutt down and unplug all the computers. Then start jonesen to get back online.

But with all that, I'm perfectly happy here - I'd much rather have to put up with the small problems than the bigger problems you have in larger cities. My only real complaint is the snakes in the summer, but then again the poisonous ones can be shot - while you have to work hard to stay away from the two legged ones in the city.

[another_mother]

Yep... internet connection sucks, power used to go off every time it rained causing the loss of some well loved appliances (better lately, knock on wood), we've also lost at least two modems and one phone, and that's WITH surge protectors.

There is no DSL, cable, etc., and like Kat, satellite is out of my price range. There are also no public forms of transportation, taxis, etc.

I do like the fact that my neighbors -God bless them- are not close enough to reach out their kitchen windows and knock on mine...

I consider this country living at it's finest.... most of the modern ammenities, remote enough to have a peaceful, private existence, but not 50 miles from a gallon of milk and a loaf of bread. Nope! Don't milk cows or grind my own wheat.

I'm just a city girl living in the country, and the internet is my link to the outside world.

[KatYares]

Don't milk cows or grind my own wheat.

I've been known to milk cows and goats, with goats being the easier of the two. We haven't had either for the last few years, but are thinking about getting a few nannies again later in the spring. There is nothing like fresh ricotta and motzerella cheese.

If we had more acreage, we would grow wheat because I still make my own bread almost daily. From scratch without a bread machine.

[KatYares]

Don't milk cows or grind my own wheat.

I've been known to milk cows and goats, with goats being the easier of the two. We haven't had either for the last few years, but are thinking about getting a few nannies again later in the spring. There is nothing like fresh ricotta and motzerella cheese.

If we had more acreage, we would grow wheat because I still make my own bread almost daily. From scratch without a bread machine.