What is your (or your character's) secret yearning? And how did you (or he or she) come to have that yearning? The phrase "Secret Yearning" makes me think of a bodice-ripping romance novel. You know, the kind that has a cover with a picture of a scantily clad man who bears a resemblance to (and may very well have been based on) Fabio. In fact, let's do a little research, shall we? Step 1: Go to Google . Step 2: Type "Secret Yearning" into the search bar. Step 3: Laugh heartily at the fact that there is, in fact, a romance novel named A Secret Yearning that comes up in the search results. The cover looks like this: Not as much bare man-chest as I'd like, but it'll do. So he's not quite Fabio, but look at those biceps. I approve. But I should get to the exercise, shouldn't I? I guess I got a little sidetracked by all of the bodice ripping. Whoops... 1,2,3, GO!!!

How long has it been since I've done a writing exercise on 52 Weeks? Let's check the good old blog post list, shall we? Oh. Mah. Gah. My most recent exercise post was on February 13th, 2011.                                                         I AM.                                                                       FAILURE in human form. Now that that's out of my system, I do believe that the best action required to alleviate this grievous failure of mine is to - yep, you guessed it - post another freaking writing exercise, Stefers!!! Without further ado, I present to you Exercise #185: "On the Verge." Describe an elegant hotel room from the point of view of a character who is on the verge (about a day or so away from) of a psychotic breakdown. 1,2,3, GO!

This is my face right this second. Angry Stefers is ANGRY! Do you want to know why? Well, I'll tell you.

I'm pretty sure that you guys have given up any hope you might have held for my return, but guess what??? Starting next week, I am going to be back FULL FORCE!! You're excited. I just know it. I am officially a graduate of Belmont University with a degree in Classical Voice Performance (woot!), and now I actually have TIME to have a life. Weird. Whatever shall I do with my time? Oh, I know! WRITE! So here I am, reminding you guys that this little blog here exists and is beginning once again to breathe with severely underused lungs. I have so much to update you guys on (a 10-day trip to freaking ITALY complete with pictures!), and I have sorely missed writing creatively. It has been truly sad; my life has been so hectic that I haven't sat down with my current work in process in MONTHS, and just admitting that fact makes my heart die a little. But worry not! I'm getting back on the writing horse, and it's going to be great. Here's to new beginnings.