S.J. Sylvis and Books

To the first boy that breaks my daughter‘s heart, RUN. Just kidding, I’m not coming after you...even though, I want to— with some very sharp hedge clippers. What I really came here to say was, thank you. I know in  this exact moment, mothers all around the world are scrunching their faces as they read this and mumbling under their breath that I’ve lost my ever-loving mind but I haven’t. I’ve had my heart broken before. Probably everyone reading this has had their heart broken before. I’ve been lied to, cheated on(I can still remember, very  vividly, the time my best friend punched a polar pop styrofoam cup because I got a random phone call from a girl who said “your boyfriend was with me last night.” Enunciating the would “me”, of course.  Yeah, teenagers are cruel!) So, I’ve been there. I’ve felt low, ugly, and sad because of some boy. But I still want to thank them, I didn’t at the time, but I do now. Because of them, I learned how to pick myself up, I learned what I deserved in

By S.J. Sylvis Copyright © by S.J. Sylvis One Year Ago             “Stop it, Rowen.” I said through my fits of laugher. I hate being tickled but it’s one of those ‘love to hate’ kind of things. I fumble with putting my shirt back over my head because Rowen’s taking his fingers and jabbing them into my ribs.             “Seriously, stop! We’re gonna ge—” More laughter, “We’re gonna get caught, now stop!” I swat his arm playfully and he jumps back just in time to hit the broom stick; it clashes to the ground with a loud swish and bang, sending a tremor throughout the restaurant. I guess that’s what you get when you dip out of work and end up in the supply closet with your boyfriend/co-worker.             We both pause at the sound of the broom stick falling, waiting for someone to come investigate. I stare at his deep brown eyes, and he stares back at mine, both of our ears perked. We wait a few more minutes and no one comes. I quickly throw on my red polo and Rowen tucks his s

So, this week in one of my graduate classes we're learning all about publishing models. As some of you know, I went with a small publisher for my book, "Just Maybe". I have no idea what I'll do with my second book so it was really interesting reading these articles to broaden my intelligence on the different types of publishing models out there; specifically self-publishing, which appeals to me in the worst of ways! I thought I'd share the articles on here for those of you that are still deciding on what to do with those manuscripts! Enjoy! Op-Ed: Indie Publishing vs. Traditional Publishing- The Debate Goes On  http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/331773 The Benefits of Self-Publishing vs. Traditional Publishing  https://www.amarketingexpert.com/the-benefits-of-self-publishing-vs-traditional-publishing/ Traditional Publishing and Self-Publishing Are Not Mutually Exclusive  https://www.thecreativepenn.com/2012/04/26/traditional-self-publishing-not

Being a mom is so many things that I never thought it’d be. From the time I was three, I knew that’s exactly what I wanted to be. I distinctly remember carrying around my very expensive lifelike Lee Middleton dolls throughout the house, feeding them, bathing them, putting them to sleep—playing house was my absolute favorite pastime. When I found out I was pregnant, it was quite the surprise. We weren’t trying, we had just moved from North Carolina to Louisiana and were about to start the journey of recruiting duty, which meant long hours—very long hours and a lot of lonely nights for me. I remember the moment perfectly. My husband and I wanted margaritas. It was one of the first few nights in our new house. Cardboard boxes were still splayed on our dark mahogany wood floors, the kitchen was a disaster from unpacking, bare walls surrounded us. It was overwhelming and exhausting, just as every move typically is. So, we had the bright idea to get tipsy to help with the uneasy task of m