Designed to Move

After a lot of back and forth, I’m proud to say I’m finally going for my Yoga teaching certification. One weekend a month for ten months I will meet at Yama Yoga, a quaint gem of a studio, with a small group of eager minds to explore gravity-defying poses, anatomical prowess, and spiritual receptivity.

Then I will be unleashed into the world, ready to complete my new mission…Yoga’s for everyone.

No, really. It is.

I feel that Yoga is for everyone just as dance is for everyone, because we are humans, and humans were designed to move. Instead we spend the majority of our time sitting in front of a computer.

Hey, I’m guilty, too. Writing novels, manning social media fronts, and spearheading a blog make me a stationary perpetrator on the grandest scale.

More than ever it is important for us to move. Often scheduling that time in the form of a class is the only way we can commit. The beauty of a mat and bare feet? They’re portable.

The idea of Yoga may cause you to roll your eyes. I get it. I used to think the inner peace mumbo-jumbo was just a hoax myself.

I discovered Yoga about ten years ago when my mother encouraged me to take class with her in Forth Worth, Texas. Being in my early college years, there was some major eye-rolling on my part.

Despite my flexibility and agility, being a dancer actually worked against me in Yoga. No more turning out, only parallel. No more floor traveling, only stationary on a mat. It felt wrong.

And, meditation at the end of class? Talk about squirmy! My mind raced thinking about everything else but the now, and 5-10 minutes was about a century long.

Nonetheless, every time I left class I felt different. There was no denying it. Without bothering to be fully engaged, my mind, against my will, felt calm and clear.

A lifelong dancer and instructor, in recent years my body responded to dance like it was on cruise control. Movement began to lose its direction, circling around and around a cul-de-sac. In dance classes, I became antsy and wandering, just like when I was a college kid with a bad case of the Namaste wiggles.

Yet this time it was different…it was burnout.

So, I revisited Yoga. I have been consistently practicing, enjoying countless emotional and physical benefits along the way.

An impatient person, I have to work hard every day to overcome anxiety and stress. It doesn’t come easily for me. My high energy and drive are great for kicking ass, not great when it comes to sitting still. Yoga challenges me to face my weaknesses head on, cultivating them into strengths.

This is when I started thinking about sharing my unrequited love for Yoga with others. And a teacher was born.

My goals as a Yoga teacher will be the same as I have for dance: check the negativity at the door and leave inspired. Yoga is for everyone in my opinion: young or old, active or inactive, spiritual or skeptical.

Stress, whether instigated by external or internal elements, surrounds us one way or another. Yoga encourages us to search ourselves, something we don’t take the time to do when we’re rushing from point A to point B.

I strongly believe if we, as individuals, are happy and peaceful, the world will become the same way. Just as fear and negativity are powerful influences, so are hope and positivity.

If you haven’t tried Yoga, I hope you’ll reconsider. It’s nothing but good.

The Cuddle Tutorial

This week I’m shamelessly pimping out my cats, Aphrodite (the black and white one) and Hazel (the stripey one). Some of you already met Hazel during her happy dance debut.

There are a few reasons for this obligatory cuteness distraction: first and foremost, I’m knee-deep in you know what editing my second novel, therefore my brain is fried; secondly, I’m a crazy cat lady; lastly, they’re really cute.

Whether you’re into dogs or cats, furry friends teach us nonstop humans important lessons every day.

I leave you with a few quotes from famous felines. (Warning…this is intentionally silly.)

  • “The best and most beautiful things in this world cannot be seen or even heard, but must be felt with the cuddle.” – Helen Kitten
  • “If you judge people, you have no time to cuddle them.” – Mother Purresa
  • “Kindness in cuddles creates confidence; kindness in cuddles creates profoundness; kindness in cuddles creates love.” – Meow-Tzu
  • “There is no remedy for love but to cuddle more.” – Henry Duclaw Thoreau
  • “When the power of cuddle overcomes the love of power the world will know peace.” – Kitty Hendrix

So, do what Aphro and Hazel do best and change the world with a cuddle.

How do you pick a genre for life?

Last week I began pondering a cumbersome idea. And frankly, it’s been consuming me. How do you pick a genre for life?

I have a love-hate relationship with categorization.

The annoying, fastidious side of my personality appreciates the tidy attempt, providing a simpler way to choose entertainment in the form of books, music, or films—all things I can’t live without.

Lately categories have become a thorn in my side. For me, one of the hardest choices I had to make when I recently self-published Beneath the Satin Gloves all came down to that bloody categorization.

I stared at the screen for a good while and had to partake in some monumental soul-searching. What about history, romance, adventure, comedy, drama, and don’t forget…science fiction?

After biting all of my fingernails until they became unrecognizable, I made some big girl decisions. After all, the right reader may never find my book if it’s in a category that doesn’t fit. No pressure.

So, I threw my baby book into the thriller pile. When applicable I tossed my baby into the espionage heap for good measure.

I just finished the first draft of my second novel. But, the marketing elves reared their ugly heads, stifling my excitement with their shrill, no-nonsense voices of reason saying: “How are you going to define this kooky one, Britt?”

In a lot of ways, my latest work is an inspiring story about self-discovery and surrendering to love. On the other hand, there is a dark past which haunts the main character, creating suspense throughout.

I eventually realized why picking a genre for my books was so damn difficult. It’s like picking one for life.

Stories are fantastic glimpses into the lives of others. Concepts and characters don’t simply appear out of thin air; they’re based on real experiences and real people.

Life is impossible to categorize.

If it were simple to define, it would be dull as all get-out. We would walk around aimlessly, because everything would be ordinary, regulated, and colorless.

What about my life? I see romance, comedy, and adventure. Sometimes drama makes an appearance—and that’s OK, too. Perhaps my life story would be considered an indie dramedy.

When it comes to packaging up entertainment, categories bestow essential borders of interest for us to reference. Yet, there are times when I watch a comedy and I don’t laugh—in fact, sometimes it’s a downright tear-jerker.

Will readers think my books are all about hopeless criminals and serial killers, because of the thriller label? Possibly. Because we all categorize the category, don’t we?

All I know is, I rolled the dice and took a chance. Hopefully readers out there will do the same when they stumble upon my books, mere needles drowning in a haystack of millions.

So, now I have to challenge all of you. If your life story became a book or a movie, which genre would it fit into?

Beneath the Satin Gloves…News and Reviews!

Just wanted to give everyone a quick update on my recent e-book release.

Haven’t heard of my quirky spy novel yet? You can get up to speed right here.

In addition to Amazon and Smashwords, Beneath the Satin Gloves is NOW gracing the virtual bookshelves of Apple and Barnes & Noble.

A sincere thanks to my fellow bloggers, readers, family, and friends for your magnificent support as I navigate this whirlwind endeavor of becoming a novelist.

You keep me happy, sane, and inspired.

Check out the rave reviews thus far…

Spies, Sex, Glamour and…time travel?  I must begin by saying that I am not generally into reading about the WWII era, and have never before read anything about Germany during the war. I decided to take a break from my “preferred eras” to read this fun book and am I glad I did! Well-researched, with an intriguing plot line, Beneath the Satin Gloves had much to keep me glued to it on my Kindle. I enjoyed getting to know the characters and loved how some of the “bad guys” got theirs in the end. Not all, but THAT would be a spoiler. What I have to know now is WHAT HAPPENS NEXT????? Read this book and you will find yourself asking the same question at the end. I guarantee it! Enjoy!

Couldn’t put the book down…  Charming characters and vivid descriptions are what make this suspense novel a real page turner. I was able to imagine myself in war torn Germany during WWII. Britt Skrabanek is a talented writer.

Beneath the Satin Gloves – Now Available!

Several years of my adult life have passed; thousands of words have joined forces; blood, sweat, and tears (and, many more tears) have stained my laptop. Everything I have to offer—passion, commitment, relentlessness–have come to life in this little book.

To me, this is surreal and bittersweet.

I have neatly packaged up a piece of my soul in the form of an intangible e-book, so I could share a story with you, so I could entertain you, so I could hopefully whisk you away.

I am humbly proud to say my first attempt at a novel, Beneath the Satin Gloves, is now available.

A modern day woman, torn by her illusive dreams, awakens to a strange life in 1943, hurdled against the throes of destruction in wartime Berlin. Following a haphazard trail of clues, she discovers her new identity as Alina Feuer, code-named Sparrow, a famous entertainer, seducing a high-ranking SS officer to gather vital information for the Allies.

But, Alina is an amateur in these incessant spy games, relying solely on her wit and instinct to make her next move while frantically hiding her erratic behavior from the watchful eyes of her suspicious liaison/love interest and her pestering socialite gal pal along the way. A reluctant heroine, she must use charismatic glamour as her weapon of choice to fulfill her deadly mission before the week is through.

Discover Beneath the Satin Gloves on Amazon and Smashwords for $3.99.

I would like to thank ALL of you out there for your support! I would especially like to thank my husband, who I dedicated my book to…My beautiful paper weight. You kept me from blowing away. You loved me when I needed it most. Thank you.

Related blog posts…

Berlin: My Scarred Muse

Jiving in Another Time