By Kyonë Morris…
My name is Kyonë. I refused to do this initially, especially since I wrote the first version. I have my own projects to get on with and anybody could have modified my words – I don’t mind – but then Ileandra visited my house. Let’s just say I’ve been reminded of the depth of our friendship.
So… these are my thoughts, revised and updated.
Ileandra Young is a *mumbles* year old chronic liar with the following obsessive and unhealthy fascination complexes:
- The colour purple (not the film)
- Vampires
- The number 12
- Cats (particularly cute and fluffy ones)
- Bo Burnham
- Strong cheese
- Mc Donald’s apple pies
- Polyhedral dice
Geology was an odd degree choice, but that’s what she did; studying at the University of Leicester with a level of doggedness usually reserved for mules (she is Taurean, so I just call it stubborn), even though her first and truest love is writing.
With a degree tucked under her belt, she then proceeded to work in finance for seven excruciating years.
Idiot.
The birth of her twin sons yanked her from that job which, though she enjoyed it, was no real outlet for her creative diarrhoea (if you think that’s an ugly image, imagine keeping it all in. Yeah . . . there you go.).
Now Ileandra bimbles through life, making no secret of the fact that most of her ‘knowledge’ is made up babble.
“The trick is, just to say things firmly – and loudly – as if you know what you’re talking about. Do that and people generally just assume that you do. The second trick is not to tell people the about the first trick!”
~Ileandra on ‘how she knows so much.’
Since Ileandra publicly ‘came out as a writer’ in 2010, she has written thousands of words. Some may never see the light of day, though others, in the not too distant future, will become books that you can hold, read and enjoy. That, more than anything else is all she wants.
Besides writing, Ileandra enjoys sleeping and eating (doesn’t sound exciting, but young children can, so I hear, make you appreciate the small things). When not exhausted or hunched over a keyboard, Ileandra is also a keen reader, geeky gamer and aspiring sketch and cell-block-colour artist. She also occasionally fumbles with an acoustic guitar, though she has made no more progress with that than the last time I checked in on this blog in 2011. Oh well. More recently she has also taken up roller derby, because, you know, running after twin boys day in and day out isn’t physical punishment enough.
Her goals, other than the completion and publication of her ELWIP (excruciatingly long work in progress) the Saar’s Legacy Trilogy, include visiting Skegness (again) and/or Blackpool, completing her driving lessons, swapping her Wii for a Wii-U, teaching her sons that scratching is wrong, understanding the male obsession with breasts and bums (nice though they may be!) and the swift acquisition of a kitten that she might then name Squishy, or, if she is feeling slightly more merciful, Bubbles (please note, that this is nothing to do with Michael Jackson’s famous monkey; instead, both are references to the fabulous Disney film Finding Nemo).
Regardless of these peculiar eccentricities, Ileandra Young remains perpetually cheerful, open, keen and determined. You’re invited to subscribe to the RSS feed or her mailing list, allowing you to keep up with her blog entries and future plans. You can also use the comment boxes at the bottom of these pages to leave your words of support/amusement/confusion/irritation/bafflement/enjoyment of her work.
Writing: A Conversation Without Interruptions 
This about me page is great! One of the best bios I’ve ever read, perhaps.
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I’ll be sure to tell Kyonë! She’ll be pleased to hear such a response to her words. ^_^
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How can you be in possession of an “undergraduate degree”? If you have a degree, then you’re not an undergraduate. Surely, you mean “first degree” or just “degree”?
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I think she mean to differentiate from a Master’s degree. BSc which is what I have, versus MSc which I could have had if I did the extra year. Its just talking about what level of degree it is, rather than the pass mark, which would come from first/second/third etc…
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Greeting, Ileandra!
Thank you for stopping by my blog today and liking my current post. It’s always wonderful to make contact with a fellow writer! We are definitely a different kind of folk. Wow, 3.5″ disks…yes, I’ve used them; actually, I’m afraid to say that I’ve used 5.25″ foppies too. 😛
Good luck with your writing adventure!
Cheers!
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And good luck to you too! ^_^
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Nice bio–you have a great voice.
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^_^ thank you!
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I just nominated you for a versatile blogger award! http://erinbradypike.com/2012/05/11/im-versatile/
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Squeeeee! Thank you. ^_^
I’ll check it it as soon as I can when baby-crazy calms down.
x
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LOL! I totally knew it was a Finding Nemo reference. Even in my crazy head I said the lines from the movie as I read the words. You left out you speak whale, I’m sure I’m not the only one. 😉
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Lol, ace! Another Nemo fan! Yes, Dory is my absolute favourite character – she’s nuts! – but so, so sweet.
Oh and I discovered this morning that the kids can speak dolphin. :-p they’ve not even seen the film yet!
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I’m not surprised, I think traits such as dolphin speak are inherited lol! I can’t wait until my little guy is old enough to watch that film. Its one of my favorites and Dory is the best!
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Ditto. And now I have an excuse to buy even more Disney films. 🙂
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Hello! I just wanted to let you know I’ve presented you with the Kreative Blogger Award. If you’d like to join in the fun, you can find the details at http://jmmcdowell.com/2012/06/19/awards-accepting-awkwardly/
As always, there are no obligations to accept. I simply enjoy bringing potentially new blogs to readers who may not have seen them. 🙂
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Oooo, thank you very much. I do feel warmed when someone gives me an award. I also love the way it draws my attention to other blogs out there.
I’ll be sure to check them out!
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I’ve come to you by way of Ms. Jodi. I, too, am enamored with the color purple. (I also love your theme. wink wink)
I look forward to exploring your blog. :>
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Well hi and thank you.
Us purple lovers must stick together ^_^
Great to have you looking around.
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Hi, Ileandra, I’m tagging you in the “Next Big Thing Tour” in a post on 12/26. The tour is designed to post on Wednesdays, and I know this is a heck of a time of year for it. So please don’t feel obligated to do up a post for 1/3/13! If you’re interested, I can send you the questions so you have time to prepare. Hope you have a wonderful holiday season!
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I would absolutely love to be part of it. ^_^ Please do send me the questions and I’ll get involved. Sounds like fun!
And thank you for thinking of me!
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Yay! Here are the questions:
1) What is the working title of your book?
2) Where did the idea come from for your book?
3) What genre does your book fall under?
4) Which actors would you choose to play in your movie rendition?
5) What is the one sentence synopsis of your book?
6) Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
7) How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
8) What other books would you compare this story to?
9) Who or what inspired you to write the book?
10) What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
Then you nominate some bloggers (4 or 5 seems to be average) who would do their interview posts on 10 January 2013.
I always enjoy reading these because I like to see what fellow writers are working on!
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^_^ Thankies.
If it looks like I’m not going to find time, I’ll let you know well before, so you can pick someone else. But I’m looking forward to answering these Qs!
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Hey Ileandra! It’s Alexa, we spoke last week in the New Walk Museum at the Ancient Egypt event? How are you 🙂 I just wanted to know if you have any tips on how to make a good blog? Or is everything I need to know mentioned on the site’s tutorial? You have an awesome sense of humour btw XD
Also, are degrees necessary for becoming a published author? (Sorry for the silly question, complete noob here!)
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Hi Alexa! So good of you to get in contact, I’m glad you did! I’m very well thanks – working hard on the sequel to the book I gave you 😉
In terms of a ‘good blog’ I guess it’s the same as I mentioned before, find something you want to talk about and do so with as much passion and honest as you can. Be consistent and regular with your posts (even if it’s only once a month, people will come and find you that one time in a month if they want to read what you have to say). Visit other blogs and be an active member of the community (or as I call it, ‘the blogosphere’). Reply to your comments (even if only to say thank you) and be helpful and friendly. That’s it really!
Oh, and as for the degree, I reeeeeally hope they aren’t ‘necessary’ because mine was awful and, as you saw, nothing to do with writing! Haha.
No, you don’t need a degree. You don’t even need a qualification (IMO), though some folk believe it helps.
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Nice to e-meet you Ileandra, I took one geology course in college. And that was enough for me.
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Hehe, I liked what I learned, I remember that. I think it was more the organised teaching aspect I’d grown bored of. 😉 Oh, and exams. Hated those.
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ahhh…..!
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