Romance Through Time and Age

Blogging

2011-04-21T08:18:00.000-07:00

I blog over at the Grand Rapids Region Writers Group once a month on the 21st. Today, I'm blogging about how changing scenery can help with writing and creativity.

Oops - Bad Blogger

2011-03-23T04:24:00.000-07:00

A year and a half between posts is bad. Really bad. I knew it had been a while - but wow. Ooops.

Since then - I've graduated from college - yeah. I work. I write a blog once a month for Grand Rapids Region Writers Group (GRRWG) on the 21st of each month. My Joy is a tween. There are hints of boys. What there hasn't been is a lot of writing. Which is more than a little depressing and slightly disturbing. So, here are my goals:

1. blog every Wednesday
2. 2500 words a week

I know my schedule and right now there isn't enough time to carve out me time, so 2500 words a week means that on breaks or lunches or that odd time here or there, I can write. I will, however, have to go back and read what I've written and look at notes so that I can figure out where I am and where I am going.

School's Out - Almost

2009-08-12T18:59:00.000-07:00

I took summer classes this year - Microbiology and American Lit. Both were interesting, but the lit class didn't cover some of the writer's I wanted to cover. Micro was fun - sort of. I have one of those profs who says right in the beginning it's your responsibility to study and learn this, not mine. Which after having professors who have strict attendance policies and do a lot of hand holding, was definitely different.

My friend Simone, sold her book - Finding Love - and it comes out September 7th. Since, I'm waiting to hear from an editor and an agent about Gateway, I started working on a different book - more of a Sci-fi/Space Opera sort of deal - blood, guts, explosions, betrayal, deception, sex, and a happily ever after - it has a way different feel to it - pacing and world wise, so it's been a nice change. With September though, I'll go back to the Gateway books. Need to polish it up and send it out.

Promises and Smart Ass Kids

2009-07-27T20:41:00.000-07:00

I can see this happening - (me being a writer and gifted with an imagination - besides it's my blog)

Prof: For today you were to read FBR, one of the most popular books by Caley Greene. Aside from vivid imagery, exciting characters, and three-dimensional cultures, the book is full of symbolism that can be applied to real life.

Kid (back of class out of 60 kids): Bull shit.

Prof: Care to explain your comment?

Kid: sure - your claim of symbolism in FBR is bull shit. FBR is one of Ms. Greene's best books, but there is no symbolism. It is entertaining.

Prof: Entertaining yes, but there is plenty of symbolism present.

Kid: I can back up my claim, can you?

Prof: It is well proven that 21st genre fiction is full of symbolism, and Ms. Greene's books have some of the best examples.

Kid: Bullshit. There is no symbolism. And I quote "There was no symbolism real or otherwise stuck into FBR or any other book. Genre fiction, especially anything I wrote was meant soley as a basis of entertaining and escapism. Anything more than that was picked up by the reader themselves and I am not responsible for that. Nor do I want to be."

Prof: Where did you hear that?

Kid: I asked.

Prof: Who did you ask and when?

Kid: Caley Greene herself, over the weekend. She just about had a fit when she found out I was reading it for class.

Prof: It is well known Ms. Greene stopped making public appearances years ago. So, again, how did you speak with her when she doesn't make appearances.

Kid: Well, duh.

Prof: And you know all this how?

Kid: I was at her birthday party.

Prof: How did you manage that?

Kid: She's my grandma and she'd have been pissed if I wasn't there. I'm not active duty anymore, so I'd better be there. She can be bloody scary.

Prof: she's your -

Grandkids - gotta love 'em. :) lol

Seriously though, this was prompted by a conversation I had with my Sister-in-law's mother, who thinks my books could be on Lifetime Movie Network. I looked at her, laughed and said no, probably not. I don't write literature - anything that would ever be in Oprah's book club because they aren't real-to-life stories of depression and misery where a happy ending is a rarity but extreme personal growth and sacrifice or learning is a requirement. I write genre fiction - science fiction, fantasy, and romance. My only hope is that for the 400 - 500 pages you've invested with me, you've escaped whatever is bogging you down and vanquished whatever bad guys there are to fourth realm of never because you know that with out a doubt at the end of those 400 - 500 pages the good guys will win and there will be a happily-ever-after. Any preaching, soul-searing revalations, or mystical symbolism you've uncovered is completely your own doing, because without a doubt, I didn't put it there. At least not intentially or consiously.

Bad Timing

2009-07-25T03:08:00.000-07:00

Ever have one of those days when you realize that the person you've been talking with and consider one of your greatest friends is the person you love? Maybe not until the end of the world love, because you haven't actually explored that part of anything, but you love him none-the-less. And then you learn he's taken. You have to give him your best wishes for happiness right. He's your friend, he's been hurt before, he deserves to be happy right? Of course, right. And that part doesn't hurt as bad because you really haven't explore the until-end-of-eternity-love that you and Hotstuff could actually have between each other. So you wish him happiness, pray for his safety, and give honest helpful suggestions on things concerning him, the chick he's seeing, and their relationship.

Memorial Day

2009-05-25T06:42:00.001-07:00

THANK YOU VETERANS AND MILITARY
FOR YOUR
DUTY, SACRIFICE, AND HONOR!!!!

FREEDOM ISN'T FREE, IT IS PAID BY THE BLOOD OF SERVICE MEN AND WOMEN.

THANK YOU!!!!

Simply Amazing!

2009-05-12T04:22:00.000-07:00

My Joy and I are moving this week, so things are more than a little chaotic. I have found stuff that I'd been looking for and other stuff that I never knew I had. It's amazing how much stuff you can accrue in a matter of a couple of years.

And as we are taking box after box out of the apartment and hauling it to storage, since the new place isn't ready but the lease runs out before hand, I am simply amazed by the sheer number of boxes and amount of stuff we have in this place. My kitchen alone is about the size of a full bath in the average home, but I love to cook, so I found ways to get everything I needed into it.

Now the next part of this of course is the fact that we have unpack everything at the new place and try and find room for it. Yeah. The fun never ends. :) Actually, I don't mind moving. I just prefer a bit smoother transition.

School's Out!

2009-05-05T03:56:00.000-07:00

School's out until July 1st-ish. I finished the semester about where I thought I would. I'm still waffling over what I want to be when I grow up, but I figure it's okay since a) I'm paying for it and b) I'm too far into this degree not to get it. It's a bachelor's, I can use it.

My summer entails summer classes, motorcycle rally, the beach, a lighthouse, a couple of ren faires, and hopefully some more genealogy.

And writing. Plenty of writing! I'm excited for my summer.

The Hard Part

2009-04-06T11:29:00.000-07:00

I've been so wrapped up with school, I've hardly had time to write, which is bothersome to say the least. So last night, after a fraternity event, I sat down at my friend's place since My Joy is with her Godparents for an extended visit, and wrote. Or tried to. Not edit, but write. And not to start anything new, for which you have (well, I do) the built in excitement of starting something completely new. No, I pulled out something I've been working on and started to pick threw it again. I erased and changed a few things, and admittedly there is a bolded line that says "insert description here" because my internet was down - again - and I didn't have the necessary details. I did however manage to write 1,036 words - completely new from where I stopped the last time. Doesn't include the edits in previous paragraphs or pages. And the hardest part of the whole thing, the first 500 words. It was almost easier to take the GRE than to write those few pages. Ugh. But I did get them done, and I will try to hit at least 500 words tonight, so that the first few pages aren't that hard again. Not that I'm not going to go back through and cut about half of it, but this run is to write it ugly, not pretty it up. That's what revisions are for.

OOps...Again?

2009-03-30T08:47:00.001-07:00

So I said I would participate in this writing challenge of Brynn's, and I said I would write 5K words a week, which isn't even 1000 a day. This should have been easy. It was suppose to be after mid-terms and major projects. Not so much. And then what did I do this weekend since I didn't have gobs of homework and projects that needed to be done? Visited friends in the hospital, participated in Relay for Life with Teams Med-Head and Phi Sigma Pi, and took My Joy to the school carnival where among other things we have acquired a new goldfish named Goldie - that was Saturday. Sunday, I was supposed to go a movie night, but didn't. Instead I spent several hours Saturday night and most of Sunday working on my genealogy. I did find about forty new people and tons of info and several dozen brick-walls for my effort though. Today, was meetings with my advisor and financial aid and classes. I'll write tonight. After the last meetings. I only have a one thing due tomorrow and a quiz, so that's good to go. Now I'm battle school burn out and trying to find a job to salvage lost hours. Small steps. Submission to agent. Letter to editor. 2 NEW pages. Yes the new is important, since I'm editing right now too. Or trying to. Did find out grad school is only 24 months at one of my schools of choice not 36 months.

Soap Box

2009-03-13T08:37:00.001-07:00

The Chris Brown - Rhianna story is all over the tv right now, and everyone is condemning Rhianna for returning to the man who beat her. It's easy to sit here, on the other side of the table and say leave, and destroy cd's, remove posters and songs, and say "because you're a star, you're suppose to think of me and the message you're sending me first" or "leave, he's never going to change, just leave". THe thing is, if you've been there - think about when you were there, would those things have worked on you? Why would you think they would work on anyone else? And why are you only now saying something about your abuse? Why not work consistantly towards educating people?

I am a survivor of abuse. I am no longer a victim, but I was. And I didn't leave and I didn't leave and I didn't leave. I was told by the church, by society, by my family, that good girls don't get a divorce. That divorce is always wrong. My child and I will go to hell because I failed at my marriage. I. I failed it. Not him, not his actions, but me. I failed because I wasn't good enough. The thing is, I would never have been good enough. Never. And I still didn't leave. These same people would have turned a blind eye to the motherless child who would have been raped and abused by the person who should've protected her unless presented with her image. And then they would have scorned and shamed and condemned my dead body for not leaving this same man.

I finally got the courage to leave when my child was threatened. It took that threat to finally get me out of there. His indifference to her severe illness. I couldn't leave for me, I could leave for her. And I did. It's taken years for me to work through things. I have deliberately chosen abuse as a topic in speeches and papers for school with the hope that the signs will be recogonized, that behaviors will be seen, that courage will be gained and help saught. I hope it has helped, I think it has. It will make things uncomfortable, because it's a dirty little secret that everyone will know. But, it's time. Just as soldiers should no longer be punished for seeking help for PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), abuse survivors shouldn't hide in closets, afraid to speak out because they don't want to continue to be seen as a victim, or are ashamed, or whatever.

When the abuse just happens, you aren't necessarily capable thinking about anyone else and what their perception of you and your situation is. Yes, Rhianna, needs help, she needs counseling.

Another Friday Night ---

2009-02-27T20:29:00.000-08:00

But this time ---

I'm in Chicago.

And what am I doing? Sitting at the hotel, surfing the Internet for a few more minutes before I go upstairs to my room and write. All of the homework that needed to be done before I went on Spring Break, is done. I do have several papers and projects to do, but I don't want to do them, even if I had brought them with me, which I didn't. Well, aside from the paper that was due at midnight last night. :)

Why am I in Chicago? For a MidWest Regional Conference for the SVA. My university sent me as a delegate, and while my fellow vets are still out and about, I returned to the hotel a couple hours after dinner. It was loud, and I need to keep what remains of my hearing.

There are differences in conferences, I guess I knew that, but I didn't really think about it until after we were here. I packed for a business conference, a writer's conference, which is mostly business all of the time. Not so much here. Not that it's a bad thing, it's not, it's the best way to network for us, and to discuss the highs and lows of what was heard throughout the day. It's different. At a writer's conference, aside from still milling around whereever we were at, if I wanted to bring my laptop down to the lobby, I was guarenteed to find at least one writer, usually three or four hanging out, writing, brainstorming, or just talking about anything and everything. Now it's quiet. My Joy is safe with Grandma, and I feel a little lost and a bit lonely. It's just a different feeling. Again, not one I thought I'd be feeling, but life is nothing if not an adventure. This to will pass, and all will be well. Needless to say I didn't pack exactly right, but not bad.

As far as the writing goes -

I'm .... inspired. :)

A lot.

NEW LOOK!!!!!!!!!

2009-02-17T06:27:00.000-08:00

Spring is almost here - hey it's trying - and with it a new look. Less plain, and very cool. Many, humongous amounts of thanks to Brynn Paulin for the cool new design.

I'm feeling re-energized and can't wait until spring break where I think I'm going to try writing 20 pages a day, since I will have very little homework - yeah - gotta love this semester. I listened to a woman speak the other day at one of the meetings I went to and she was a single mom from a blue collar family like me when she started med school, and it made me realize, I could probably go to med school and become a doctor. There is a group of people I would like to work with specifically, but we'll see.

Enjoy the site, I have a paper to write. Sigh. Again. Still. But this one is interesting, perhaps controversial, but interesting none-the-less - the effects of the Contemporary American diet on different races.

Numbers

2009-01-30T13:07:00.000-08:00

Numbers are a funny thing - liberating and restrictive, forbidding, wavering and demanding. They freak us out if we think we aren't in the right size or weight (like there is one). They break down the day into bits and pieces we think can control, but are controlled by. They break the cycles of earth down into months and days marking the passing of time. They remind us how little time we have had or will have with those we love. They mark milestones.

A lot can happen in nine years. Parents and friends die. Children are born. The Towers were destroyed. False security implemented. Fear mongering increased. The state economy tanked.

1.30.2000. A normal day - the second to last day of January of the new century depending on your view of when the centuries and millennium shifted. In nine years jobs have been won and lost. WArs have started or continued. People are born and others have died. Some, sadly, have done both. People have married, others divorced. Abuse has happened. And it has stopped.

On that day, nine years ago. It stopped. At 5:30 that dark morning, I bundled up my recently declared "in good health" 15 month old daughter and took a cab to a Podunk airport and flew out of Florida. I had $25 in my pocket when I left that house. It all went to the cab driver. I had the cloths I'd packed and whatever food and formula was in the diaper bag. And a car seat. Nothing else. We missed the flight. The airline gave us a voucher for food and a seat on the next flight out. It was after 11 that night when we flew into the city. My family met us.

I was condemned. How dare I take a father's child away from him. How dare I leave him. I was going to hell. HOw dare I.

How dare I? HOw dare I? Yes, how dare I take a child away from an abusive man who looked at his child with contempt and scorn and thought of both of us as objects he could control, own, and step on. How dare I take a child away from a father who thinks it's okay for his infant daughter to be taught to be submissive in ALL ways (that includes sex). How dare I? How dare they judge.

Nine years later. I have money - a little. I'm in college. I'm succeeding. I'm happy. I've got friends - real friends and I'm following my dreams - all of them. Teaching her to go after hers.

She doesn't remember him. She knows what he looks like - or looked like on our wedding day. He never calls. Never visits. It's his choice, only his. He made it clear that he never wanted kids - after she was born, when I nearly lost her. I've been condemned. How dare I want my child to survive, to thrive, to live, to love. How dare I want my child to succeed and be a wonderful woman who can stand on her own feet with out standing on anyone. How dare I want to live. How dare I.

Numbers are funny. It's the anniversary of my escape into freedom. She is My Joy. We are happy and succeeding. And that is the best revenge.

Happy Holidays

2008-12-24T15:10:00.000-08:00

A Soldier's Christmas

Twas the night before Christmas,
he lived all alone,
in a one bedroom house made of
plaster and stone.

I had come down the chimney
with presents to give,
and to see just who
in this home did live.

I looked all about,
a strange sight i did see,
no tinsel, no presents,
not even a tree.

No stocking by mantle,
just boots filled with sand,
on the wall hung pictures
of far distant lands.

With medals and badges,
awards of all kinds,
a sober thought
came through my mind.

For this house was different,
it was dark and dreary,
I found the home of a soldier,
once I could see clearly.

The soldier lay sleeping,
silent, alone,
curled up on the floor
in this one bedroom home.

The face was so gentle,
the room in such disorder,
not how I pictured
a United States soldier.

Was this the hero
of whom I'd just read?
curled up on a poncho,
the floor for a bed?

I realized the families
that I saw this night,
owed their lives to these soldiers
who were willing to fight.

Soon round the world,
the children would play,
and grownups would celebrate
a bright Christmas Day.

They all enjoyed freedom
each month of the year,
because of the soldiers,
like the one lying here.

I couldn't help wonder
how many lay alone,
on a cold Christmas Eve
in a land far from home.

The very thought
brought a tear to my eye,
I dropped to my knees
and started to cry.

The soldier awakened
and I heard a rough voice,
"Santa don't cry,
this life is my choice;

I fight for freedom,
I don't ask for more,
my life is my God,
my Country, my Corps."

The soldier rolled over
and drifted to sleep,
I couldn't control it,
I continued to weep.

I kept watch for hours,
so silent and still
and we both shivered
from the cold night's chill.

I didn't want to leave
on that cold, dark, night,
this guardian of honor
so willing to fight.

Then the soldier rolled over,
with a voice soft and pure,
whispered, "Carry on Santa,
it's Christmas Day, all is secure."

One look at my watch,
and I knew he was right.
"Merry Christmas my friend,
and to all a good night."

Back Through The Gateway

2008-12-21T13:23:00.000-08:00

So, I took the semester off from writing so I could concentrate on my studies and graduate in the spring. Well, things being what they are graduation will probably be postponed until next winter and at least finals are done. And I'm thrilled with that fact!

Either way, I pulled Gateway to Faerie out to polish it up and work some of the kinks out. When I started writing it, it was one story. THen it became two - because well, the heroine's sister didn't want to remain on earth and then there was this hot prince of the fae who refused to leave me alone and then it became 4. I wanted to make them stand-a-lone, because I don't like having to start at the beginning of the series for the current story to make sense.

But then, I got smacked upside the head from either the muse or one of her harem (male harem) and figured out a tie in for all of them, that still doesn't require the books to be read in order because it shouldn't be obvious - well it might be know. And it only requires a few extra lines here and there while I'm revising. WHich needs to be done anyway.

I'm back in faerie with that ancient book in my hands just waiting to be opened.

Temporarily Interupted By Life. Again.

2008-12-09T06:31:00.000-08:00

It's finals week. Find me next week. Right now I'm buried under text books, papers, tests, pop bottles, water bottles, chips, and chocolate. Finals need to end soon. I'm almost out of chocolate!

World Building

2008-11-25T21:31:00.000-08:00

Since this is supposed to be a writer's blog, and while life influences writing, some time should be devoted to well...writing... So without further ado....

Depending on the genre you write, world building can have different meanings. When I attend conferences, usually romance oriented, because I write mainly romance - with my own twist, but romance nonetheless, there is sometimes topics about world building and giddily I go, hoping to learn the secrets of quick, sure fire techniques of world building, but invariably these 'world building' workshops are actually focusing on the complete setting of your novel...for example - if your novel takes place in Battle Creek, Mi near Fort Custer during WWI, then the world is all the pieces and parts of the setting - the place(s), language, clothing, expectations, assumptions, and characteristics that are accurate for that story at that time.

On the other hand, the 'world-building' in the Sci-Fi books (because I have not attended one of these conferences) is literally world building - deciding on planet size, class, moons, gravitational pull, suns, and atmospheric content - among other things. Which is fine, and it could be considered a more accurate definition or example of world building, though both are technically correct, as the setting in any book is the world in which your characters live, regardless of the actual scope or milage of the world. The entire world in a novel could be the three acres that make up the grounds/compound the characters live in or it could be several hundred galaxies as the characters zoom from one place to another in some attempt at something or other.

However, to me, world-building is more than the physical plane on which the story takes place, it is building a new culture. Not just extrapolating what future earth society will be like or taking an ancient society and modernizing it or taking that into the future, but creating from scratch a new society - a new culture. This where it gets complicated - think of everything a culture includes - just the major things - books, art, music, entertainment, religion, law, government, family units, currency, medicine. And there is still minor things like dialects, history, myths, legends, their creation story, gender roles, education, family roles, traditions, and architecture. This is the part that makes worlds come alive. Face it, Lord of the Rings would have far less of a following if all of that and then some hadn't been created. So much detail went into Tolkein's World that there are compendiums, and histories and books of legends that we can read -- imagine what never got published. Or try a more modern example such as Harry Potter by JK Rowling. The wizard world is a world within a world that must co-exist peacefully with the mundane world of the muggles who know nothing about it. As Harry walks into the world of the wizards we see the details she created for him, the backdrop for all that would happen. The language, the traditions, the creation stories, myths, histories, and legends. Little details like not needing computers, email, or phones, because there are magical quills that will write as you talk and you can use magic and a fire place for a face to face interactive phone call. That is the type of world building I enjoy doing, and why it takes me time to build a world. There is no quick way to do it, but I would love to attend a workshop on getting those finite details to work, or just a peek into the notebooks of those world-building geniuses to see how they organized everything. Each world must be unique, vibrant, and real to the reader, but it'd be great to have a cheat sheet of all the things to think about while creating that world.

Cooking --

2008-11-22T20:10:00.000-08:00

--- with kids --

It's a fear that chased my SIL's mom instilled in her -- Her mom didn't want to clean up a mess and so neither does she.... This was not a terrible or messy experience. It doesn't have to be. It helps if someone, preferably the adult, in the kitchen knows how to cook. :)

It's nearly winter here, and the snow will pile up (especially if you listen to Poor Richard's Almanac) to the roof tops -- well not that bad -- but still -- I'm not driving if I don't have to. Couple that with the nice winter breeze coming through the windows and doors (it's a rental, eh) and it's the perfect weather to bake and cook. So Thursday night I made bread, an Amish White Bread, - mine did NOT turn out like the picture (bit denser) - but it's still good - especially if it's toasted with some homemade apple butter. (yum!).

Tomorrow, I'll make some more and maybe knead it less after the first rising. But tonight, I promised My Joy that we'd make cookies. She chose one and I chose one. We used a mixer, but she did do most of the work. It takes longer this way because we had read the recipes, gather all of the equipment and ingredients and then discuss how things were used, why we use a knife to level off dry ingredients, how to crack eggs (she'd done this before and this time there no egg shells!!), which setting to use on the mixer, how to use the mixer, why we preheat the oven, and why she needed to taste molasses (the face she made was one I hadn't seen before :) )

So we made chocolate chip cookies - which turned out wonderful and snickerdoodles - which are still baking. She did do most of the work - except the part that deals with the oven and hot cookie sheets - and there was the repeating of a couple of steps because she wanted to do more. Then I got to break it to her that we used lots of math and science while cooking. She was introduced to mixed fractions. I'm still smiling. And overall it was a great experience. We cleaned as we went, followed the directions, learned a little bit, and didn't have a flour fight, which is probably a good thing, especially if you saw the size of my kitchen. Not quick, but painless and fun.

Veteran's Day

2008-11-11T11:43:00.000-08:00

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier - Dept. of Defense Photo
(Guarded Every Hour of Every Day Without Exception)

In Honor of Veteran's Day -

Thank A Veteran.

Remember those who have gone before, pray for those who serve today, and for those who serve tomorrow.

Guilty -

2008-11-07T03:28:00.001-08:00

I did it. I don't have the time. I haven't been writing up to this point, but it's NaNoWriMo - National Novel Writing Month - and in the end, I couldn't and didn't want to resist. So, I acquiesced and signed in. In my defense I managed to wait until the 3rd before joining. I've done NaNoWriMo since 2002, I couldn't not do it.

My goal is not the 50,000 words by the end of the month, and I was hoping to at least beat my total for last year, but really, I'll be happy if I get to 500 words this semester - ah year -

I am working on something completely new - which is always exciting. I like this book, and I will finish the one I put aside at the beginning of the semester in December, when things go back to abnormal are less harried for me.

The graphics of the stats between me and everyone else are sad....my measly ten words (it was a boring lecture, but I did need to take notes) and the thousands by everyone else.....there is always next year.

Backpack of Doom - Adventures Through Idea Land

2008-10-24T08:35:00.000-07:00

Well, it's more of a bright orange bag, with long shoulder straps. I am having around eight 9 and 10 year-old girls over tonight for My Joy's birthday and so I cleaned, which given I have had two weeks of midterms needed to happen (I so need a maid - or other cleaning person - ohh -- look another story -- I'm in trouble now - anyway) and came across the bag of doom, and out of curiosity I dumped out the contents and found out where I had stashed my medical dictionary; The Complete Writer's Guide to Heroes and Heroines - Sixteen Master Archetypes by Tami Cowden, Caro LaFever, Sue Viders; The Writer's Journey by Christopher Vogler; two copies of RT; two copies of RWR; a copy of Archealogy; several dozen pens and pencils; a thumb drive; a cookbook; two notebooks; a journal; and a couple of CD's. Everything a writer needs. Ideas everywhere - I can't wait to delve into them.

Enough Already

2008-10-21T08:18:00.000-07:00

My Joy is sick. Again. She was sick last week too. I'm worried. Still. It's not random, it's not viral - unless its a weird viral, and I'm not being hysterical. But I'm worried, and I don't want to be. I'm on the verge of emotionally losing it. And that's not good for anybody.

With or With Out the Muse

2008-10-17T09:16:00.000-07:00

So, I'm pretty sure that someone, probably Brynn or Bronwyn, once told me not to wait for the muse to strike, but plant your butt and write anyway. So, I did. I got a couple of pages written before life intervened. But it was a couple of pages - on fiction! It was fun. I'm glad I did it. And I transferred some of my character stuff to my hard-drive so that I can work on it, when the lectures get boring and I need to stay awake.

To Write or Study ....

2008-10-16T09:36:00.000-07:00

That is the question - at least for the moment. My Joy is sick, again, (and listening to We Will Rock You by Queen on repeat), and my internet is up, and the first round of mid-terms is over. I still have three mid-terms and a paper to go, but really, the better part of my stress is over. So, now the question is do I want to write or study. I've been studying just about every waking minute for the past few weeks and really, I want a break. Now, I should be studying for the GRE that I'm taking on Saturday and completely forgot about, but I don't want to do that quite yet either. I want to write - need to write - miss writing - but my muse is on vacation - someplace exotic probably, so I'm up in the air about working on Gateway some more or work on something completely new - either 1000 Deaths or Blood, they're both in a different direction than Gateway, infinitely darker and new worlds. But since I can't make up my mind, I'm surfing the Internet and answering the "Mom, I need you!" call.

Children

2008-10-10T17:10:00.000-07:00

I've been talking quite a bit about past events, so much so, that it probably borders on whining, but there are few events that will shake a parent like nearly losing a child. I nearly lost My Joy when she was an infant, and now I sit here, watching her sleep trying to not freak out or fall into the trap of worry about what might be. She's sick. A UTI, nothing major, unless it was an that same sort of thing that alerted doctors that a kidney had died and the other was potentially in trouble, and then it has the potential to become downright terrifying. So for now, I'm going to bury myself in Lyn Hamilton's The Xilbalba Murders, which is an excellent read if you are interested in history and archaeology, which I love.

Retreat, Writing, and Midterms

2008-10-10T08:27:00.000-07:00

It's Friday, I'm in the office this morning, which means I have 2 1/2 hours of quiet time all to myself, and the internet reading blogs and answering email. So, am I writing, because its quiet, I have deadlines, I should be writing? Nope. Any deadlines I had or have are on hold. I'm in school and this semester I took on Human Physiology, Microbiology, and Biochemistry and the labs, so there is no extra time to write. I know - I know - a writer writes - they must write - it is in their soul to write - yes, but my muse is on hiatus - I know because I asked her to go - so that I could concentrate on my studies. I need A's and if I spend my writing, I can't study. I'm not whining, it's a trade-off.

Next semester - my last as an undergrad - is way easier even though I have more classes, so there will be time to write. And there is time after this semester is over - and it's half over - I know because mid-terms are next week and the writer's retreat I was suppose to go on this weekend with my writer's group, I had to decline because I need to study. I will go to the next one, because it's a great way to recharge, regroup, and be supported by people who understand what it's like to be a writer and the amount of time and energy needed to put the right words down in the right order so that you get the story your characters are demanding you tell in a way that makes sense and doesn't come out like dribble.

I could write and study and work and raise My Joy at the same time, but I'm sure the reader would not like it at all if my sword wielding heroine is just about skewer the evil villain with a flaming loop of bacteria yelling "No, you have to finish your homework and read before you can go outside and play and turn the TV off." And I don't know if my proffessors have enough of a sense of humor to understand how a flaming arrow lodged in the throat of the major bad guy while the hero and heroine scale the fortress wall is the example of DNA and RNA synthesis. But it might work. Maybe.

Or, I'll just bide my time, keeping notes of anything newsworthy or the snippets of information that my characters are sending me and using my papers due as a way to further my research on my books, so that if the heroine is dealing with a rare and antique book, she's not carrying it under her arm or shoving it haphazardly into her backpack, even if doing that would partially accomplish the hero's goal of destroying it.

That being said, I still want to participate in NaNoWriMo, because it would be the first time in years that I haven't. My goal wouldn't be 50,000 words but more like 3,000. Which isn't much, maybe 15 pages. But it's 15 pages. And I'd be writing. But then again, I could end up with my heroine skewering the bad guy with a flaming loop of bacteria.

OMG! It's Here!!!

2008-10-03T11:54:00.001-07:00

It's here! And I couldn't wait to say anything. The long days and nights of combing through 6000 pictures and 20 hours of video to widdle it down to 120 pages of photo's and a 1 hour DVD for the 25th Anniversary of the Pontiac Fiero have paid off. The video is done and the first shipment of books have arrived from the printers. Bias aside, they turned out excellent. And I now get to add "Head Photographer" to my name -- as opposed to or in addition to - one or the other - photographer and wearer of way too many hats. Check out Doodle Doll Productions website for more information on the books and dvds.

Another Day of Memories

2008-10-03T11:37:00.000-07:00

No, I don't plan on making a habit of walking down memory lane, but it's significant, and I have time right now. I'm in my senior year of college, with two years of grad school to follow and this semester I have Microbiology, Biochemistry, and Human Physiology - with labs. That sucks.

But, in 6 days My Bug - My Joy - my one and only baby turns 10. She's a tween and wants a mixture of the seemingly typical things - a guitar, baby brother, music, movies, and a webkinz. She doesn't like reading, it's tough for her, so she'd rather I kept the books, and doesn't ask for clothes because she wears a uniform to school. 10 - the start of that weird assed awkward time between child and teen. She swims and likes to cook and while she hates going to her school she likes going to mine. That she'll have to go to college sometime hasn't entered her mind yet.

I could've sworn I brought her home from the hospital yesterday. She rolls her eyes and says in the appropriate exasperated tween voice "But mom, I'm 9, not a baby." I have friends whose boys are in high school, one of my nephews is in college another is a freshman, and there is no doubt in my mind that not only does time fly, but they grow up way to fast.

Stroll Down Memory Lane

2008-08-20T16:43:00.001-07:00

Today is one of those days where I am reminded about what almost wasn't. Fourteen years ago today I put on this fluffy, white dress with lace and beads all over it and walked down the aisle of a church and said "I do" knowing I shouldn't and did it anyways. Now, I can't have any regrets = I have learned a lot and I have the light of my life - my joy - my bug. Her's was a life that was almost over before it started. That was when I woke up and decided I'd had enough and took a plane from one end of the country to the other.

Since then, I have realized - yeah, I have - I almost said nearly realized - but that isn't quite the truth - I have realized some dreams - I am a writer, I have gone back to school - I have two associates and will graduate with my Bachelors in April, I earn my own money, and I carry my head high. Along the way there have been highs and lows. I have lost loved ones, welcomed new ones into the family, and met some wonderful people. A few of whom are fellow writers (Brynn, Bronwyn, Cheryl, Leslie, and Jen - to name a few) and helped me to grow as writer and go for my dreams.

Every once and a while - on days like today - I wonder if I'd still been a writer if things had gone different. They didn't and I'm glad. But, the answer is yes, I'd still be a writer - I've been a storyteller since I can remember (much to the dismay of parents and teachers) but I'd have been ashamed and unable to grow and learn and get better.

Me - I love being a writer. Sure, there are easier things to be, but why?

Monday

2008-08-18T18:57:00.000-07:00

It's Monday, I can't think of a really good post, so I bring you National Geographic's Photo of the day.

The photograph is of a Buddhist Temple in Lhasa, Tibet and was taken in 2003 by Galen Rowell.

You know, there just might be a story there. Either way, it's beautiful.

Tea Lights and Time

2008-08-15T12:37:00.000-07:00

In the span of time that it took for the tea-light I lit in order to melt the Witches Brew tartlet from Brown Bag Candles, to go out, I listened to the soundtrack for Gateway (which was 34 songs) 2 and ½ times, wrote 4 pages that equal 694 words,answered a half dozen emails, researched three different topics, and printed out articles on food and kids, archaeology, anthropology, medicine, a chocolate cake recipe, how peasants had more holidays and breaks than today’s office workers, and two travel articles – one about the upcoming color change season and one about some rocks in a park in Utah that collapsed. I have friends there, and meant to get out there – I’m hoping I can get him to teach large format photography – and go visit some of the vista’s they’ve talked about. I haven’t gone yet, but I’m thinking that when I go on that book tour I’m planning, which will probably self-funded, because it’ll be a first book, and I won’t get THAT much money for promo’s, I’ll tack on a day or two and go travel and photograph all the places that will feed my inspiration.

And now if you'll excuse me, my tea lights and music await.

Self - Promotion

2008-08-10T20:42:00.000-07:00

I love promotion tables and the free goodies that are piled everywhere at events. It doesn't matter if it's a writer's conference or a health fair or rally. When I first heard of self-promotion and all the things that you as the writer have to do, because it is after all, your book, I was skeptical on the whole name on everything idea.

But, I've come around, and I'm finding out what I like and don't like.
I'm forever using and losing my pens, so having a supply of them, is a great idea. I'm forever jabbing my pens into and yanking them out of my scrubs which means if I'm not careful, I have ink stains because somewhere over the course of my day I lost the cap to my pen, which also means the pen won't work at all after a while. So, I like the click-y pens. No extraneous parts to lose. :)

I also love the postcards, book marks, and magnets with the bookcovers on them - when I was in Chicago and I was book shopping for my friend in Az (which was a lot like - one for me - one for her :) ), I picked up postcards and book marks for her and her daughter - who is also a writer - they were author's she hadn't read yet, but might because of the cool promo stuff.

So now I'm looking at the promo stuff and going - yup, I like those and those, and I think they'll work out nicely. :)

Writing Support

2008-08-10T20:06:00.000-07:00

There is something inherently off kilter with writers and artists, at least according to several of my family members, which really is okay, and may even have a grain of truth in it, because really, don't you have to be looking at something from a different vantage point in order to glean an idea or different meaning from it?

I love weekends like the one that I just had. Friday I met with my critique group and got some great feedback which gave me a kick in the pants out of my creative slump (really really tired from 2 major events in 10 days and 17K photos) and then that was followed by my RWA chapter meeting on Saturday with the coolest speaker who answered lots of questions we had and gave us a glimpse of a behind the scenes look into her job and a handful of ideas and helped out with situations some of us had dreamed up and gave them real weight.

My critique group and my RWA chapter are filled with wonderful women writers who aren't afraid of supporting each other, teaching, sharing, or showing. Writing is one of those competely solitary careers - most of the time - unless you go out of your way to make it otherwise. And you should. The support and rallying cries from my friends and fellow writers (published and pre-published alike) can provide enough umphf to get out of a slump or dare to try something new. These are people who completely understand the desire and necessity to tell a story, who have also argued - and both won and loss - with their characters, who completely understand comments like "Oh my gosh! That's why HERO did this! And now the HEROINE is doing this which will piss him off, and the VILLIAN is all for it, and oh wow, that's a great way to get rid of them." Comments that can startle others. It's amazing where inspiration comes from. :)

School is coming up fast, work is hectic, there are photo's to sort, captions to write, and my muse has returned from her vacation. I'm thinking she went to the tropics or maybe to the Pocono's. Yes, my muse is female, but the harem surrounding her and 'helping' me is male. Go figure.

SInce I'm not moving until spring now, I have to unpack my house and redecorate my cave. I'll have to get pictures of that soon.

And the photo - that's Cape Hedo, Okinawa, Japan. I came across the photo during research. I'd forgotten how gorgeous Okinawa was. They have some the best diving, and crystal clear waters there. :)

It's Coming!!!!!!

2008-08-07T01:46:00.000-07:00

Soon - I hope. I"m so excited. By the end of this month my website should be up and running and no longer saying that it's parked by go-daddy. Woo Hoo!! I'm excited. But, really, who knew looking at templates would cause your eyes to roll backwards. They pretty much all look the same to me.

Oh, today's picture - that's an in work map I drew using Microsoft paint, because I still can't figure out how to use some of the other map making programs, and because I started it before I knew there were map-making programs. This is a part of the world where my fantasy romance (it has a happily ever after - eventually) "The Chalice of the Mystics" takes place. Since I'm working on it as I go, I know more about where they start then where they'll end, and really I'm alright with that.

I promise to update you with pictures of my time away - notice I didn't say vacation - which unlike Bronwyn's are of motorcycles and Fiero's. And eventually, I'll get around to posting some pics from Derbyshire. Eventually.

For now, I'm going back to writing, looking at more templates, and be the un-fun mom and make sure my joy is reading and working on her math.

I Did It!

2008-07-12T20:48:00.003-07:00

Today my RWA chapter had it's meeting and I decided that I was going to do a presentation on something that sounded really good.

I had hand outs.
I had visuals to refer to.

I forgot to write the bloody speech, so I winged it. I think I sounded like a babbling buffoon. However, everyone was nice and clapped and said I sounded good.

I wanted to do a hands on part of it, but no one seemed really interested in that. I'm thinking about working on it a bit more - and writing a speech or at least having note cards present and maybe doing it again. But, we'll see. I may get the - please don't ever speak in front of people again - letter too. :)

I don't know about anyone else but speaking in front of people makes me rather be in school taking 5 exams that my grades hinge on and I haven't studied for - because wow, that's nerve-wracking and sucks. I wasn't sure which was worse - speaking in front of strangers or speaking in front of a room full of people you know. Really, it's speaking in front of people you know, because then everyone knows how bad you did and they all talk about it. And even if you did great and they aren't saying anything - you still feel that way. Talking in front of strangers is easier - because you probably aren't going to see them again.

So, I did my first workshop and I survived. So, it wasn't all bad.

Where I've Been --

2008-06-07T21:10:00.000-07:00

I haven't been writing a lot, but I have been busy and I brought pictures.

The Lake

Sunset on Lake Michigan

The temperature of the lake is a balmy 37F
(it may reach the 60's by August, but there will be swimmers as soon as school is out for the summer)

My joy

The Faire

There were Knights.

There was a gargoyle --

-- inquisitive and pouted and was hurt when the kids wouldn't smile at him.

There was a fire eater --
(don't try this at home)

A sword wielding, Gypsy Dancer

And Vikings --

The Viking encampment was there both weekends, all week, and they were as authentic as possible, and gave demonstrations to anyone who stopped by. Hand dyed yarns, weaving, pottery, and leatherwork were among the crafts represented.

They helped themselves to the Queen's 'Ale'

The wandering path

The Fool --

Swordsman and Warrior -

Flamingo came back from Iraq for the first weekend of Faire, and returned to Iraq on the next Monday.

Swords, Kilts, and Music

2008-05-21T22:08:00.000-07:00

The surest signs that summer is here are when meandering wooded paths become lined with canvas tents, sections are corded off for the encampments, the clang of steel intermingles with the melodies of the wandering minstrels, some in armor and some in kilts.

It's faire season - Renaissance Faires - there is much food, music, drinking, and merry making, but it is also a great place to do research. The photo is one taken by me of a live steel combat fight at the Derbyshire Faire a couple of years ago. The fighters are highly trained members of the Swords of Valour who will fight in almost any weather. These are unchoreographed sword fights which make for great watching and breath taking moments like this one (yes, he really bent backwards in nearly half to miss getting his head sliced off) but you can get a since of the abilities, knowledge, and reflexes your charecters need in order to pull these fight scenes off. (Flamingo, the man in the yellow shirt - is now in the army and fighting in Iraq.) Being called "My Lady" doesn't hurt either.

Last weekend, the Mayfaire Ren Faire opened it's gates and I went back and saw several of the sword fights, paying attention to the weapons used as well as language and actions when members of the 'nobility' were present. And I came away with more story and character ideas and another fight scene.

Balance

2008-05-08T05:35:00.000-07:00

There is almost always talk among writers and artists about how you (we) can fit in time for our creative endeavors with life looming about. I have forgotten the number of times that I've been asked how I fit in school, work, writing, hobbies, and my daughter. My answer - I just do. But this week I'm finding out the necessity of some of those things. Per doctor's orders I'm off work (and there is no school) because of an inflamed Achilles Tendon (which when I first wrote it came as an inebriated Achilles --- hmm) so, I'm getting a lot of work done, but missing adult interaction and finding out just how many distractions there are. :) So it seems that I am one of those people that need the balance between science and creativity and between busy and bored. I'm also figuring out that I need deadlines within deadlines, since I work better under pressure. Who knew? *shrug* Happy Writing. Happy Reading. I'm off to do some world building.

Spring Fling!

2008-05-01T20:50:00.000-07:00

I spent last weekend in Chicago for Chicago North's Spring Fling and had an absolute blast! We left around 8am Friday morning for Chicago and arrived around 1pm, which considering an hour of that was in Chicago traffic, not bad. It is spring in Chicago, which means there is construction everywhere.

After registration and check in, we went up to the room, rested and changed before heading down to the first workshop. I went to one given by Patricia Rosemoor on Writing Crossover Fiction, which was extremely informative. Her concentration was on Urban Fantasy which was Dark Fantasy, but that wasn't all that discussed. After that was the Headliner Q & A with Debbie Macomber, Eloisa James, and Christie Ridgway - which was fun and informative. There was a pizza dinner, which was Chicago Style Pizza, I was disappointed in that all the pizza looked like cheese pizza, but it was still good. After dinner were more workshops, I went to the Editor Panel Q & A, which again was informative and fun, and eased some of the fears I'd had. That was followed by a Chocolate Reception, which was great - chocolate - chocolate - chocolate everywhere.

Saturday started with breakfast, which consisted of Baked Praline French Toast Casserole (yummy), with a talk by Christie Ridgway - I skipped the first workshop of the day because I had an Editor Appointment - I pitched Gateway - my nerves were frazzled for an hour afterward. While I was sitting in the atrium waiting for my appoint and reviewing my pitch with a couple of other women, we met Barbara Vey from Publisher's Weekly and did a Drive-By Video with her, which was fun and got us all laughing an relaxed for our pitches. Really who knew that seven minutes could be that stressful! I did go to the next round of workshops - this time an agent panel discussion. Lunch was tomato soup, bread, and a salad. The soup and bread was good. The salad was a salad, but at least it wasn't iceburg. eh. The speaker this time was Eloisa James, and learned quite a bit from what she said, some of which hit way too close to home for my sanity. It was a teary free for all. Afternoon workshops consisted of Promotion for Newbies and Taking It, Making It, and Faking It. Both were fun and informative. There was a book signing that night, and book shopping, which my friend gave me $50 to go buy books for her - which I happily did and then got those and others signed. Then back to the room to change for the Mardi Gras Gala - there were no costumes or formal gowns but there was much fun with Debbie Macomber as the speaker. After the Gala and the silent auction - I won a basket of Jenna Petersen books. So now I have plenty to read over the summer, which is steadily growing with new releases coming from Brynn Paulin and Jen Armintrout.

I have been busy working on Gateway, which had to be recovered from a dead laptop, because pop and keyboards don't mix well on any level. School is out until fall, so there will be plenty of time to write and read! Yeah!

And in other news I have begun world building a new sci-fi series - chronicles - adventure. There will be a happy ending - eventually - I promise, but it'll be a while. In the meantime - the heroine is dynamite and kick-a$s!

Sweeney Todd!

2008-04-23T22:33:00.000-07:00

Finals are done! Yeah!!!

I finally got to see Sweeney Todd! Fantastic movie! I love Johnny Depp's voice! Beyond that, the story was good and while I was terrified that the ending would be sad and horrid - of which I'm not a really big fan - it was truly the only ending that would fit for this story. And it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. And there was a chance for a happy ending for his daughter, though they never got to meet each other.

Memories.... Studying... Procrastinating....

2008-04-23T06:04:00.001-07:00

I'm one of those people who has to have background noise to study otherwise my muse takes over my brain and starts morphing what I'm studying into what I want to be writing and then nothing gets done. So I was playing random movies and music that I've seen enough times that I'm not endanger of being sucked into them, and I came across "Ketchup Justice" a ketchup commercial we did for the first Heinz Ketchup contest (we didn't win - it was won by an entry that we're not completely positive was posted before the deadline and used child actors completely reminiscent of nearly all their commercials, but we had fun, we were asked to participate in the second one - along with everyone else I'm sure, we didn't) and thought I'd share the carnage with you. This is what's left after the battle with Heinz vs. the other guys.

Yes, I should be studying. Yes, I'm procrastinating. I want to be writing! I have business cards printed for this weekend and ideas for Gateway!

Finals Relaxer

2008-04-22T15:31:00.000-07:00

The campus is a lot like a mall the week before Christmas... people everywhere... students who are taking 10 minute catnaps where ever they can in order to hopefully think some what clearly for the exam they just spent the last 24 - 48 hours studying for. The coffee shop opened its doors to nearly 24 hours a day keeping a ready supply of caffeine pumped into veins, staving off drooping eyelids. The campus activities board has arranged for about fours of relaxation in between studying tonight or down time if you're lucky enough to be done with finals. Add to the frenzy of needing to pack in order to be out of dorms and apartments on time, and arriving visitors for those who graduate on Saturday. I have one more final and I'll be done. I have another year before graduation and even then I may or may not have to move depending on the answers to my grad school applications.

I took a break from studying to eat dinner (and type this up) and came across a cool article that made me wonder what kind of culture would you need for this to happen? I can't wait to play "what if" and see where it leads me.... I won't now, since there is studying that must be done, and I'm certain my critique group skin me alive if I don't finish something this year!

And for my finals relaxer -- I'm heading to Chicago for Spring Fling, hosted by Chicago North RWA. I'm excited. I can't wait. However, I do need to get back to studying! And then school's out for the summer! Lot's of writing ahead!!!!

Colliding Worlds

2008-04-09T12:26:00.000-07:00

I find it both entertaining and disconcerting when I have an idea for a project and then while doing research for something else, discover that my idea has a base in fact, and here I wanted to make it a fantasy. I suppose I could throw the idea away or shelve it indefinitely until I forget about the new discovery, but instead, I'll end up digging further, seeing what I can dig up that will add an air of realism to the civilizations that I'm creating. The most interesting part of this for me, this time, is that the opening words go something like = "Camera's rolling - Ready - and Go!" with lots of visuals and no inner thoughts or emotions. Can't wait.

And while going through a book on costumes through the ages, I found out what the heroine in HA is wearing. YEAH.

Sometimes school, research and writing slam together at the weirdest times and come up with the best combinations.

I'm Back!!!!

2008-04-07T21:43:00.000-07:00

Mostly. FInals start soon, so nothing is guaranteed.

Hard to believe that the semester is almost over! I'm looking forward to it. I graduate from college next April with a Bachelor's!!!! Yeah!!!!!!!!!! I will have 2-3 years of grad school after that, but for now, I'm looking at this degree, because applying for grad school is a terrifying!!!!!!!!!! I am writing still, although not nearly as fast as I had hoped. I don't know how much of my goal list I'll accomplish this year, but I'm gonna keep at it! I recently dug up a fantasy I'd started, which reminded of the reason why you write down in one place every single thing relevant to a story. Minor things like the goals, motivation, conflicts of the characters, and how it all ends, aside from the HEA! But before I get to much farther into that, I have made a commitment to finish Gateway and TCMT. All in due time.

Heroes, Guardian Angels, and Doughnuts

2008-01-21T08:55:00.000-08:00

As a writer it's normal for us to put parts of ourselves into our characters. And just because I may want to jump from a perfectly good airplane (it's on my list of things to do before I die) doesn't mean I'm an adrenaline junkie. That is one trait I haven't imparted to my characters. That one belongs to them.

Let me explain =

It's January in Michigan which means the roads are covered with ice and snow. That also means driving stinks, especially if you're not from here. I had to go pick up my daughter from her grandma's house Sunday morning, all along the highway there were cars/trucks/SUV's in various conditions in the ditches and medians. At one point there is an SUV on it's side in the median, a State Police Officer pulled off to the side (south bound) - I'm heading north bound - the two cars in front of me slow down to see the accident and I'm forced to tap my brakes. All well and good. Right? Wrong. Ice and snow. Black ice - which is another way of saying that just because the roads look clear and dry doesn't mean they are, because the layer of ice on top of it can't be seen. At 50 mph, I hit the ice -- my car starts to fishtail, then the front end starts to go back and forth, and then I end up doing two 360's (doughnut) spins in the middle of the highway before coming to a stop across two lanes of traffic. The cars behind me stopped about 150 yards back, so nobody got hurt. Thank God for Guardian Angels.

So while my hero, any number of heroes I'm sure, would have been thrilled by the ride, and I might have to, if they'd been at the wheel instead of me, it was another 10 miles before I stopped shaking.

While I'm reasonably sure there is a story there somewhere, much like the fallen angel books by Total-E-Bound, I can't quite see it yet.

Into the Bog...

2008-01-16T13:22:00.000-08:00

I'm at that point in Gateway where the newness of the project has worn off and the work begins - especially to keep the middle from sagging any lower than possible. So procrastination is a really good friend of mine. I hid out at a restaurant this afternoon for a couple of hours while I wrote - got a few more pages accomplished. Forgot to transcribe the notes off my wipe board so that I had an idea of where I was going, but it worked.

(These waterfalls empty into a large pond a half-day's journey from where his clan gathers (lives))

On a good note = I'm making progress on the soundtrack -- on several titles. I'll listen to a song and go "oh, that works for this book" and copy into the folder. The flip side - I'm still several pages behind my goal. But I'm still working on it, so I'm happy. I'm making some progress, which better than none. :)

(This is her world - specifically, the street where she lives)

School's Back In Session

2008-01-08T20:28:00.000-08:00

I don't know about anyone else's kids, but yesterday when mine had to go back to school after two or so weeks off for the holidays, it was temper tantrum central complete with tears, stomping feet, and throwing of self onto bed. Meanwhile, I stood at the end of the hall saying "I have class in twenty minutes, are you done yet?". This morning there was grumping and whining but we got out of the door on time. As for my classes, two classes so far and both times the prof's did a no-show. Hopefully their grading isn't attendance based.

Anyway, on the writing front, I've got several pages written for Gateway, much less than I wanted, but I still have time, so I'm okay with it. I am putting together the soundtrack for it, which is hard because I have a lot of the same types of music and there are times and places that I need something more or less dramatic or darker or happy or just different, so that is a challenge. Especially since the first time I put music to book it was a couple of CD's that usually listen to. The good news is that with all of the music 'screening' I've been listening to I've already begun to put the soundtracks together for other projects. And thanks to Bronwyn's playlist in her article, I've been introduced to some new and wonderful musicians.

2008-01-04T05:12:00.000-08:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!

I've set some goals for the new year. I did try to take into consideration that for at least 4 weeks of the year, turning on my computer to do more than see if there are notes from the profs is more than likely a reality. I set them down in writing, with reasonable deadlines, though my critique group mentioned lots and optimist when referring to them. :) I do get rewards for making them, not all of them, because I followed some advice from Brynn Paulin and set up a lot of little goals to help me reach the big goals. I'm trying to lose weight this year, so my rewards revolve around music and activities. I'm not sure what I'll do, besides celebrate, if I make them all, so we'll cross that bridge when we get there. :)

Here's hoping 2008 was better than 2007!!!

This month, besides about 4 chapters, I need to get the character sketches out of my head and down on paper and the soundtrack for Gateway done -- those are some of the little goals leading up to the big goal - Gateway finished by the end of July.

Baby News

2007-12-20T09:53:00.001-08:00

My brother (by another mother) and his wife had their first child. Connor Joseph was born at 5 in the afternoon. Weighed 7lbs. 7 oz. and was 19 inches long. Mom and baby are fine. And baby is adorable.

Finals. Vacation. Holidays. Oh My!

2007-12-20T09:43:00.000-08:00

Finals are done!!! And I passed with fairly descent grades, so it's not all bad. I'm officially out of school on semester break until Jan. 7. And the only thing I'm reading ends with a happily ever after! Thank the writers for those! :) It's a week before Christmas and days before Solstice, so Happy Holidays, may they be blessed and bright no matter which one(s) you celebrate!

I have started on Gateway again, and I'm very excited about it. Have to get my hero and heroine back together again, but I think it's working out. :) I'm expanding my dragon story from the just over 10K words up to somewhere around 75K, since for the life of me I can't pull out any more words or scenes -- but I can add them! :)

School. Work. Writing. Oh. My.

2007-12-08T19:58:00.000-08:00

It’s final’s week next week – which means that since I’m working and writing and going to school, I should probably be bald or at least invest in stock for places like BBQ Pringles (late night snack food of choice) and most of the chocolate companies. And not to forget Coke, since I’m pretty sure the only thing in my veins is caffeine right now. It also means, I haven’t written anything new.

I do, however, have a new idea. And while my critique group, among others, will hold my muse hostage, shoot me, or take away my chocolate, if I don’t finish another project first – Gateway – I’m excited about it. To the point where I’m getting ideas for the soundtrack (see Bronwyn Green's article about music for books -- http://novelspot.net/node/2033). It starts out dark, and already one of the characters is asking for redemption for another one. Considering who it is and their background, I think they just might get it. It’s another fantasy, taking place on a world that I haven’t seen before, so I get to play with world building again – one of my favorite activities – keeps me awake :)

So, at the moment, I’m going to finish the Gateway book, which is really a contemporary paranormal with world traveling, and the new futuristic, which is I hope the beginning of a series of rogue heroes – which incidentally arose from having to download after having way too many finals in way too short a time and I allowed one character access to my keyboard, by the end of the day, sixteen characters had appeared, another sixteen would soon follow and over 600 emails to sort through and reclaim the tidbits of information they had dropped here and there. And then I can’t wait to work on the new fantasy and the new futuristic. Oh, the new futuristic, the inspiration that can hit in the elevator at the end of a seemingly endless day at work. That one too is exciting. So, okay, I want to finish four books, a couple of short stories and work and go to school this next year. I have the summer to just write and work, and I think I’ll get a fair amount done.

Hopefully, by November 30, 2008 I will have Gateway to Faerie, Rogue Hero #1, New Fantasy 1, and futuristic-paranormal-world traveling done. I’m full of grand ideas and inspiration, and an itch to write. Next Friday I can write again. I can’t wait. Though, I may procrastinate studying in favor of writing. I mean a girl has to have her priorities? Right?

For 2008 -

2007-11-26T09:17:00.000-08:00

I promise to finish the book about the gateway and the one about the dragons. I also promise to get my website up and running. :)

Inspiration for the gateway book -->

Giving Thanks --

2007-11-26T08:57:00.001-08:00

Sorry -- I'm running late this year -- I worked Thanksgiving Day. My DD spent the weekend with her Grandma.

I'm thankful for my daughter, who is the light of my life, my friends and family, my job, school even if it is a pain - because I get to go. I'm thankful for the soldiers, marines, seamen, and airmen who are spread all over the world trying their best to ensure peace, tranquility, and safety so that I can say whatever I want without feeling threatened. I'm especially thankful for the ones dug into foxholes surrounded by sandbags, camel spiders and scorpions missing their holidays and families so I don't have to. And just as importantly - to their families for letting them go. I'm thankful for the police, firemen, and medical people and everyone else who work all the holidays and horrible hours so that we're safe and can count on them. I also thankful for the mundane things like Ren Faires, e-mail, cars, phones, sewing machines, books, and all the things that make my life easier, whether I want them to or not. :) You, for stopping by. And to my critique group who are at all times my friends, my greatest fans, and my harshest critics == and I wouldn't change it a bit. THANK YOU.

Gateways

2007-11-13T21:36:00.000-08:00

Books are often described as gateways to other worlds or times or imagination. But in this case, the book provides the clues to a gateway leading to another world, where beings such as faeries, elves, sprites, and nymphs really do exist. A world where humans are not only a minority, but strive to live in harmony with their world. When the gateway is breached by unscrupulous business men from earth, both worlds are in mortal danger.

Word Counts and Idea's

2007-11-05T10:22:00.000-08:00

I did bring my word count up to 988 last night, and plan to work on it some more tonight! An idea I toyed with some time ago is now starting to form more completely. And in Decemeber, I will start fiddling with it again. In the mean time, I need to find picture's of my newest hero and heroine.

NaNoWriMo

2007-11-04T12:07:00.000-08:00

So, it's the 4th of November - 4 days into NaNoWriMo and my word count should be upwards of 6,668 words and I'm sitting at 532. And it's not because I don't want too. I haven't had time. So, I have a new strategy - I'm going to bring a print out of the last 2 pages that I wrote and a note pad with me, that way I can write where-ever I am and depending, I can fold them up nicely and shove them into the pockets of scrubs next to the pens, gloves, and hand sanitizer. :) But I like the story. I have more research to do later and I have to lay out the setting and get some of the finer details down, but those don't have to be done now. Good thing too. And yup, a new character for the series --- loverly. :)

It's That Time of Year...

2007-10-31T21:35:00.000-07:00

Turkey, Pumpkin Pie, and NaNoWriMo.

In short NaNoWriMo is one of those months where the whole idea is to 'write ugly' meaning write as much as possible as fast as possible on one NEW project. :) My focus - untitled

Ghosts and Goblins

2007-10-31T13:10:00.000-07:00

Ghosts, Goblins, Witches, Warlocks, Princesses, and Knights abound.

Happy Halloween!!!!!!!!!!

Happy Samhain

And now for something new...

2007-10-30T08:47:00.000-07:00

Critique groups are wonderful. Mine is excellent. They keep me grounded and occassionally give me idea's for a new story or series. We were talking about characters and tv and a whole host of other things, most of which has escaped me, when the idea of a futuristic ME was brought up.... I'm mulling it over and trying to figure out my characters and the world or worlds they inhabit...

Welcome --

2007-10-21T21:10:00.000-07:00

-- to my home on the web --

Or another one, anyway. :)

Blogs are excellent places to work through ideas and let everyone know what projects I'm currently working on. Projects -- many at one time -- generally this is an excellent way for me to work -- good for me and you.