Elle Stone

Most of you who read my blog know me in real life and already know my connection to lacrosse. I’ve played most of my life, including a crazy college career that I wouldn’t trade for anything. When I graduated and started the 9-5 thing, I missed the game, and in 2009 I left my job to get my MFA in writing. I went to Seton Hill University, which had an amazing program in popular fiction, and a graduate assistantship for me to coach lacrosse.

Our first season was rough. Coach T had just taken over the team, and she was the first “real” coach the team had ever had. We had players who’d never played lacrosse before, and if they won two or three games a season it wasn’t too awful. We couldn’t run a zone defense, or a clear press…we were just trying to catch the ball.

In 2010 we told the freshmen, just wait until you’re seniors. If everyone keeps working like this, the team will be amazing. That was our first winning season.

I graduated in 2011. Soon after, Coach Kristina Quigley took over the team. Under her guidance 2013 was shaping up to be the greatest year yet.

I was heartbroken when I heard about the crash. I know those girls. I coached them, recruited them, and kept following their stats after I left the team. After the shock, when I could stop shaking and crying, I stared at my computer for a numb few hours, waiting for more news. Who else was hurt?

I’m so thankful that it wasn’t worse. Even though I didn’t know Coach Quigley well, I know she’d be thankful that her girls will recover from their bruises and broken bones. Losing Coach Quigley won’t be healed so easily.

It’s a tragedy to lose such a caring woman, dedicated coach, and mother.

I’m sad for the girls for so many reasons. I can only imagine what they’re going through, and losing some or all of their season makes it that much worse. It’s trivial really, when you consider what could’ve happened, but I think the world deserves to know how hard these girls—and especially the seniors, Morgan, Rachel, Kate, and Alec—have worked. You would’ve seen all that effort on their scoreboards this year.

It’s amazing to see the lacrosse community rally around Seton Hill. It proves how tightly knit we are in the sport, and how compassionate. Too often, lacrosse receives negative attention. Go to the Play for Seton Hill Facebook page and tell me these aren’t wonderful people. It’s run by players from another school, and programs all over the country are wearing red and gold ribbons, and donating to Gavin Quigley’s scholarship fund. These are the same programs that will play games to raise money for suicide awareness, breast cancer, autism, and other charities, but no one ever hears about that.

This sport is full of amazing people.

To the girls at Seton Hill: I’m so proud of you. Always have been.

You’ve overcome so much to get where you are today…remember the tornado that hailed golf balls on our practice? Or in May 2010, that first time so many of you saw New York City, and we were on the verge of another tragedy. All of those morning practices in the snow when you were exhausted and your hands were half-frozen to your sticks. Shoveling the turf. Losing games that came so close. Winning after more overtimes than we could count.

You are so strong. You can keep going.

I can’t play for you anymore, but I will write for you. I added this to my lacrosse book. You know? The one I already stole all of your names for? Someday I’ll finish it and show the world this amazing lacrosse family of ours.

It’s been a long time and a lot of traveling, but I’m finally back in the U.S.

For now…

I’m terrible at posting regular updates, but I’ve gone to tons of amazing places in the past few months. About 3,000 photos worth of amazing places. Here are the ones that have stuck with me the most!

Sun Moon Lake, Taiwan

A peaceful oasis in the center of Taiwan. We hiked up to get this view over the lake and hills at sunrise.

Martyr’s Shrine, Taroko Gorge, Taiwan

A shrine to the workers killed during the construction of the road through Taiwan’s mountains. The waterfall cuts under the temple.

Tiger Temple, Kanchanaburi, Thailand

Playing with the baby tigers was my favorite part of the day-long program at the temple.

Kao Shan Road, Bangkok, Thailand

Just about all that needs to be said about Bangkok! Why would they bother to check I.D.’s when you can buy them at the stalls outside?

Angkor Thom, Siem Reap, Cambodia

One of my favorite photos of Angkor Thom, mainly because it is one of the few without other tourists. Every corner is packed with people during peak times.

Angkor Wat, Siem Reap, Cambodia

I went to Cambodia to see the Angkor temples, and I wasn’t disappointed. Watching the sun rise over the central temple was amazing.

Ta Prohm (the Tomb Raider Temple), Siem Reap, Cambodia

None of my pictures do it justice, but Ta Prohm took my breath away. The trees have taken over the complex, and it makes everything that much more beautiful.

Tonle Sap Floating Village, Cambodia

This one opened my eyes. The area is so beautiful and so rich in resources, but the people are so poor. You wouldn’t know it from their friendly smiles.

Choeung Ek (the killing fields), Cambodia

Thousands of people were executed by the Khmer Rouge at this site, and this tree stands near one of the mass graves where the bodies of women and children were executed. Chilling. Haunting. A terrible history. Visitors leave bracelets and tokens of memory. Most of the red yarn ones have been blessed by Buddhist priests.

Sam Mountain, Chau Doc, Vietnam

Sunset over Sam mountain, from the hammock bar at the summit. Hammock bars are one of the greatest ideas ever. You have a drink, pull up a hammock, and watch the sun set!

My Tho, Vietnam

Boating along the river. This area of Vietnam is dominated by the Mekong, where boats and the fishing industry are everywhere.

I wanted to share some pictures from my recent round-island trip of Taiwan, so I’ll be blogging them one location at a time. There is so much beautiful scenery and history to see!

Green Island was probably my favorite part of the trip. Also known as Ludao, Green Island is gorgeous and restful. The ferry ride was a little harrowing…I’ve never used a mode of transportation where vomit bags were so plentiful and easily accessible. But we survived the crossing! The island is fairly small, and circumnavigating by electric bike (recommended! So much cleaner and quieter than scooters) only takes about an hour and a half. It can be touristy, but the Taiwanese tourists generally crowd to a spot, get their pictures, then move onto the next scenic point. My friend and I hiked out a bit, and left the other crowds behind, finding secluded coves, caves, and beaches. Despite some heavy damage from the last typhoon, which shut down the hot springs, deer park, and destroyed some of the overlook pavilions, it was an amazing trip.

On the north side of Green Island. We hiked out past the tourist line and found a little cove, and some bamboo.

It’s super easy to get around the island by bike or scooter. As soon as you park and venture out a bit, you can find yourself pretty isolated. The north end of the island has some great coves and outcroppings.

Beautiful cove.

Sunset over the lighthouse.

The currents on Green Island are too strong for much ocean swimming. Our innkeeper told us we’d end up in the Philippines or Japan if we went out too far. Beside the lighthouse, there’s a sheltered cove where swimming is safe, and there’s a concrete ocean pool/jetski departure point elsewhere, but the cove is much preferable. We went for a morning swim, and had the whole place to ourselves!

The island also has great snorkeling and diving.

Taking advantage of the island’s beautiful reefs!

The island also boasts tons of fresh seafood. This steamed fish came in garlic sauce with the spicy red peppers that are ubiquitous in Taiwan.

While the sea is great, the land is lush and green. There are many scenic overlooks (most of which had their tops ripped off by the last typhoon) and cultural places of note, including a cave temple, with a famous stalactite. We visited the Little Great Wall and Sleeping Beauty Rock. We were told that Sleeping Beauty is one of the few rock formations in Taiwan that actually looks like its namesake.

Sleeping Beauty Rock. Once you find the neck (the little cove) it all makes sense.

Green Island was, and still is, a prison island. The old prison is slowly decaying, but is open to visitors and has an on-site museum telling its (rather unpleasant) history. It was the home of many political prisoners during Taiwan’s unstable period. Now the island hosts a modern maximum security prison. We had the pleasure of watching some new inmates be offloaded from the ferry.

Overlooking part of the town and abandoned prison complex.

Wandering the abandoned prison.

It was such a great trip, and the island makes for a good balance between exploration and relaxation. There’s great fresh seafood, and the town is pretty English-friendly, unlike Penghu and other Taiwanese Islands (I’ll get to those later!). We stayed at Jack’s boutique hotel, and Jack arranged all of our ferries and taxies to get us out to the island, plus arranged for our electric bikes. The place doesn’t have a website, but Jack’s English is great, so give him a call. The staff is super helpful and friendly, and carried bags, kept our bikes charged, and disposed of a giant spider that we happend upon. Their breakfasts are typically Taiwanese, but they went above and beyond, cooking me radish cakes when they realized I didn’t eat ham.

I’m definitely planning to return to the island once the hot springs are back in action!

I’m excited to announce my new position as Acquisitions Editor at Evernight Publishing! Their new YA line, Evernight Teen, will debut in January 2013, and I’m a part of the search for engaging new voices.

A new website is in the works. For now, submission guidelines are here.

We’re looking for fresh teen fiction, and are open to any sub-genre of YA (but sorry, no MG or tween). I particularly like sci-fi, fantasy, well-written paranormals, and sports contemporaries. Anything is fair game as long as the story is tight and the characters are original.

To query me specifically, follow the house submission guidelines, with an attn: Elle Stone somewhere in your query or subject line.

Can’t wait to read what you’ve been working on : )

This is my culture shock face.

It’s been three months since my ESL journey began. Throughout the first two months, I had to make a lot of adjustments, but I never lost that I’m in Asia/this is so cool state of mind.

Sometime around the end of April, the culture shock hit. I don’t know what triggered it. I missed some things at home, and realized I’d miss a lot more things as the year goes on. I accidentally ate something that might have been sauced in duck blood—not fun as a vegetarian. I got stared at one too many times.

It wasn’t any single thing, but all of a sudden I was looking at flight prices and panicking. I just wanted to walk down the street without feeling like a sideshow, and to order plain food with no surprises or language barrier.

It was even more a shock to me when I realized I was going through culture shock. I’ve lived in other countries. I did a semester in Auckland, and took classes in Paris and Prague. I know a little French, and no Czech, yet I’ve always thrived in Europe.

The difference with Taiwan is that no matter what I do, I can never fit in. If I don’t open my mouth, I can blend into anywhere in Europe. Where I live here, I’m just far enough from Taipei that Westerners are an oddity. People stare. I am not one of them, nor could I ever be.

I’ve never felt like an outsider before. It’s an odd experience, but I know I won’t be here forever, so while I am, all I can do is be myself and go about my life. My experiences in Taiwan are definitely broadening my horizons.

And as quickly as the culture shock came, so it went. A new frozen yogurt place opened near our school, I got more teaching hours, and started planning a vacation. The flow of life is the same here as it is at home. There are ups and downs. Good days and bad days.

I miss my family. And pizza. But where else in the world could I drink all the bubble milk tea that I want? Where else could I work two or four hours a day and get healthcare and all the money I need to be sufficient? Where else would I have this much time for writing?

I’m happy 95% of the time, and working on keeping perspective during the other 5%.

Wherever you live, 95% happiness is not too shabby.

I’m still a Taiwan rookie–it’s been just over a month–but there are already so many things I love about this amazing place. Here are five of them:

1. Milk Tea

It comes in a million flavors, usually for around NT$20-40, which equates to between 60 cents and a dollar and change. Oatmeal, caramel, and strawberry are just a few of the flavors available. And you can get it with bubbles. Super delicious, and so much cheaper (and more readily available) than home!

2. Shrines

These guys are everywhere. Smell for the incense, turn the corner, and there you are. Many are open air. You just don’t see this with places of worship in the U.S. Let’s be honest…they’d get vandalized. There’s so much more trust and respect here.

3. Scooters

Go down any street and you’ll see them in rows by the hundreds. They zip by, and daredevils squeeze between cars in the crazy dance that’s Taiwan traffic. Mind you, they also add to the air pollution, but they make getting around so convenient. You can actually drive your scooter into some corner restaurants. Plus, I want a strawberry helmet.

4. Umbrellas

The weather here is erratic, with lots of rain, so umbrellas are de rigueur. Everyplace you go will have an umbrella stand AND people aren’t going to take your umbrella unless it’s an accident and it looks like theirs. That isn’t likely, considering how many colored/patterned ones you can buy. Fair-skinned ladies like myself (i.e. photophobes) can break them out parasol-style as soon as the sun comes back.

5. Food

Obviously, the last one was going to be food. It is so good, and so cheap. As a vegetarian, I’m always delighted by the veggie options. Tofu is plentiful, and seasonal vegetables are always on the menu. Teppanyaki has become my favorite. For NT$50 ($1.70) I can get a full dinner with tea, soup, rice, a fried egg or tamagoyaki, and two kinds of vegetable. This time of year, it’s beansprouts and cabbage. I get mine “la” or spicy…and they mean spicy! The little red peppers are not for the weak-of-tongue.

I’m looking forward to more exploration, and many more additions to this list!!

Back in 2008, when I was doing the corporate/editorial/9-5 thing and feeling adrift, I made a list of things I wanted to accomplish. It wasn’t a long list, but it changed my life.

It went a little like:

1. Write books
2. Travel the world

I decided that these were going to be my priorities and I did what I needed to do to make them happen. First, I left my job and got my M.F.A. in fiction. It was liberating to focus only on writing, instead of trying to write around work and the headaches that followed me home.

I couldn’t stare at a computer screen all day and comfortably come home to write. People do (and props if you’re one of them), but I knew I’d make excuses not to and would never accomplish my first goal. Not to mention goal number two. It would take 30 years of earning seniority and saving before I could see the world, and though I’ve got nothing but respect for people who do it that way, I am not that patient.

Now I’m moving to Taiwan. I’ll be teaching ESL with plenty of time to write and travel, and I couldn’t be happier. In the past few months, I’ve had too many reminders that time is precious. My cousin–who was a year younger than me–suddenly passed away as I was packing for my TEFL course in Prague. As much as I wanted to be there for my family, what could I do? She was finishing her degree, had a boyfriend she probably would have married, and big dreams for the future.

Gone.

I think of her when I need to make big decisions, and remember that there’s no time to waste in life. I’m not making excuses anymore. I will do exactly what I need to do to get where I want to be.

So many people have told me they’re jealous of my move. “I want to do that!” is the most common response, usually followed by a big, “but….”

If you want to do something–whether it’s writing, traveling, getting in shape, or learning a new language–you need to start in now. The longer you wait the less time you’ll have, and the more excuses you’ll make. I don’t have a family or a house or many attachments –I value my independence too much–so it’s easier for me to turn a 180, but it doesn’t matter if you have five kids and a mortgage. Take small steps. I can’t tell you how, but if you take your goal seriously, you’ll find a way to get there. Be a little selfish and stop waiting for the things you want to come your way. You will be happier.

I don’t want to get rid of books…there’s a reason I’ve hauled them from city to city for the past fifteen years. My pack-rat instinct aside, it’s time to streamline and NOT pay to store them while I’m living in Taiwan.

It’s painful, but this is only a fraction of my shelf. The epic fantasies have been hit the hardest. I loved Robert Jordan and Terry Goodkind when I was younger, but when will I have the time to re-read such long long sagas? Sorry, book friends.

Maybe this is an argument for e-readers. All the books on my i-pad get to come on the plane.

If I don’t have a breakdown, I’ll add more to the pile. I can’t bear to get rid of the Anne McCaffrey or Tamora Pierce, and the Harry Potters aren’t going anywhere. It’s love versus space.

Either way, it’s freeing not to be so cluttered, and I know the local library will appreciate some donations. Just ignore my weeping.

My romance novella TEMPTRESS has sold to Samhain. Couldn’t be happier to work with this team!

Publication should be sometime in the spring or fall–all details to follow : )

(announcement via Publisher’s Marketplace)