So many minor characters in stories are simply a walk-on cardboard characters, but every now and again, the reader comes across quirky secondary characters who take over the story. I love quirky characters, but too many quirks tend to dilute out the primary character, which in turn, leaves the reader ambivilent about the H/H and their potential relationship.
I finished judging a contest about a month ago that had so many secondary characters which were more interesting than the heroine. It could be the author was trying to show the reader how reticent the heroine was, but quirk took over the story. I connected with the quirk, NOT the main character. And if this story was published, I'd be tempted to read it for the quirky secondarys and not the main love story.
The problem is to keep the secondary characters in their place. The author doesn't want the secondaries to take over the story. I've listened to many authors grip about this phenomena where the characters insist upon a starring role when their job is of the supporting actor.
--promise them they will get their own story and shove them into a cardboard box and duct tape it closed until you have the time to write their story.
End of Story. :-) That's how to deal with the quirky characters who insist upon taking over the story.
So, what about the boring, cardboard secondary characters?
The key is to give each secondary their own agenda.
It doesn't have to be much, but it adds depth to their responses to your MC.
Everyone has an agenda from the bartender who flirts with the frumpy old woman to the unhappy teenager working at Incredible Pizza. There is always a reason for the way a character acts and reacts. It doesn't have to be much, but its like adding a touch of seasoning to dinner. A little thought goes a long way.
Write on!
7/16/10
7/14/10
Updates
I've been writing on Demon Connection this week, since the kidlet is in 1/2 day bible camp this week. So far, I've written 3884 words. Not as much as I would have liked, but better than last week.
Demon Connection total word count: 12,364 words. Goal: 90,000 words
Pool update: Hubster opened a can of 'whoop-ass' on them. The pool still looks like milk, but at least they are making steps to fix the problem. They still have not admitted to fault--and we have numerous websites that state 'no more than 5 lbs of soda ash' at a time--they had us put in 50 lbs. Ten times the appropriate amount and they still don't think they did anything wrong?? Will keep you updated, but I suspect it will be two weeks before we can use the pool again.
95 degree sunny weather + no pool = suck-o-rama.
Maggie the puppy: I need to post more puppy pictures. Our puppy is just under four months of age and weighs 40 lbs. I keep telling people she's 'fluffy, not fat', which is true. Old English Sheepdogs have the softest, fluffiest coats around. The puppers has been sleeping a lot and today I noticed that she's already lost four incisors. The vet said she'd lose the vicious canines last--Yee-ouch! *sshhh!* we've had a week without an 'accident'. She still doesn't bark on command, but has figured out how to 'train' us. :-)
Watering system: Last month I finally got the one thing that I wanted when we moved into this house fifteen years ago--an automatic watering system. Now, it was just in the front, but the good news is we are having our backyard destroyed to put the pipes in! YAY! Hopefully they will get started within two weeks as they have other jobs lined up. If it is the same crew as it was for the front yard, I'll be very happy as they exceeded our expectations with their work ethic.
Since we won't be swimming this weekend, I guess we'll have to go to the movies! We saw DESPICABLE ME last Friday--it was wonderful!. The kidlet and I are planning to see THE LAST AIRBENDER today, after church camp. And the family will go to THE SORCERER'S APPRENTICE on Friday.
I should be able to write at least 2000 words Wednesday and Thursday, but Friday camp gets out early so I'll shoot for 2000 though I don't know if I'll make it, but I'll do my darndest to hit my count.
Write on!
Demon Connection total word count: 12,364 words. Goal: 90,000 words
Pool update: Hubster opened a can of 'whoop-ass' on them. The pool still looks like milk, but at least they are making steps to fix the problem. They still have not admitted to fault--and we have numerous websites that state 'no more than 5 lbs of soda ash' at a time--they had us put in 50 lbs. Ten times the appropriate amount and they still don't think they did anything wrong?? Will keep you updated, but I suspect it will be two weeks before we can use the pool again.
95 degree sunny weather + no pool = suck-o-rama.
Maggie the puppy: I need to post more puppy pictures. Our puppy is just under four months of age and weighs 40 lbs. I keep telling people she's 'fluffy, not fat', which is true. Old English Sheepdogs have the softest, fluffiest coats around. The puppers has been sleeping a lot and today I noticed that she's already lost four incisors. The vet said she'd lose the vicious canines last--Yee-ouch! *sshhh!* we've had a week without an 'accident'. She still doesn't bark on command, but has figured out how to 'train' us. :-)
Watering system: Last month I finally got the one thing that I wanted when we moved into this house fifteen years ago--an automatic watering system. Now, it was just in the front, but the good news is we are having our backyard destroyed to put the pipes in! YAY! Hopefully they will get started within two weeks as they have other jobs lined up. If it is the same crew as it was for the front yard, I'll be very happy as they exceeded our expectations with their work ethic.
Since we won't be swimming this weekend, I guess we'll have to go to the movies! We saw DESPICABLE ME last Friday--it was wonderful!. The kidlet and I are planning to see THE LAST AIRBENDER today, after church camp. And the family will go to THE SORCERER'S APPRENTICE on Friday.
I should be able to write at least 2000 words Wednesday and Thursday, but Friday camp gets out early so I'll shoot for 2000 though I don't know if I'll make it, but I'll do my darndest to hit my count.
Write on!
7/12/10
It's Monday!
The pool still looks horrible. We can see parts of the bottom again. I HOPE that it will be clear by this NEXT weekend.
--still very ticked off about it, but trying to stay chill.
The kidlet is going to 1/2 day camps this week. I'm pretty sure she'll have fun.
I WILL write. There I said it. I also promised to workout. I'll do both, but I really want to do the writing part of the equation. If I make headway on this story, I'll start posting my stats again. Maybe I should add my weight goal as a sample of humiliation. NAH, I won't do that. I need to lose more than I'd care to admit.
I have two possible blog topics: character motivation and POV, but I can't seem to get them written the way I'd like.
Later gators!
Write on!
--still very ticked off about it, but trying to stay chill.
The kidlet is going to 1/2 day camps this week. I'm pretty sure she'll have fun.
I WILL write. There I said it. I also promised to workout. I'll do both, but I really want to do the writing part of the equation. If I make headway on this story, I'll start posting my stats again. Maybe I should add my weight goal as a sample of humiliation. NAH, I won't do that. I need to lose more than I'd care to admit.
I have two possible blog topics: character motivation and POV, but I can't seem to get them written the way I'd like.
Later gators!
Write on!
7/9/10
Mini Rant!
Earlier this week I took my swimming pool water in to be tested. It was crystal clear, but I needed the general chemicals and decided to test it.
The pH was low, seriously low, as in 6.2, whereas the normal pH for pool water is between 7.2-7.6.
I've known and worked with Elizabeth at Fiesta Pools for a number of years. We had a pretty good relationship. So when Elizabeth suggested we use soda ash since we haven't been able to raise the pH by the 'routine' methods, I went with her recommendation.
Not just soda ash, but 50 pounds of soda ash. Granted we have a large pool (32,400 gallons) so this didn't seem too out of the ordinary. I trusted her. mistake #1
I broadcast the stuff over my pool, and the stuff puff and billows like thunderstorms building in the West. mistake #2--should have done it in small doses regardless what she recommended.
The next day, I take a sample of pool water, it was cloudy--the pH is a touch high (7.9-8.0), but we were expected to have storms and it would lower the pH.
Again, I was reassured that my filter will take care of the cloudiness.
We did have serious storms! So far, we've had to backwash the pool twice to keep it from flooding the yard--roughly seven inches--and we need to drop it two more inches.
But, did this get rid of our 'cloudy' problem?
HELL NO!!!
It's worse than EVER! I could have a dead body in there and wouldn't know it--uh, no one dump a body in there please. . . We can't swim in it. Heck, we can't even see the Kreepy Krawly, or the second or third step or the bottom!
So now, I'll have to spend $$$$ to fix this problem that stemmed from 'fixing' another problem.
If I can prove that she miscalculated then I'll have Fiesta pay for the clean-up, but I have a feeling that I'm SOL.
--Let's just say they've lost our business after this debacle.
Hope your week was better than mine.
Maybe I'll try to . . .
Write on!
The pH was low, seriously low, as in 6.2, whereas the normal pH for pool water is between 7.2-7.6.
I've known and worked with Elizabeth at Fiesta Pools for a number of years. We had a pretty good relationship. So when Elizabeth suggested we use soda ash since we haven't been able to raise the pH by the 'routine' methods, I went with her recommendation.
Not just soda ash, but 50 pounds of soda ash. Granted we have a large pool (32,400 gallons) so this didn't seem too out of the ordinary. I trusted her. mistake #1
I broadcast the stuff over my pool, and the stuff puff and billows like thunderstorms building in the West. mistake #2--should have done it in small doses regardless what she recommended.
The next day, I take a sample of pool water, it was cloudy--the pH is a touch high (7.9-8.0), but we were expected to have storms and it would lower the pH.
Again, I was reassured that my filter will take care of the cloudiness.
We did have serious storms! So far, we've had to backwash the pool twice to keep it from flooding the yard--roughly seven inches--and we need to drop it two more inches.
But, did this get rid of our 'cloudy' problem?
HELL NO!!!
It's worse than EVER! I could have a dead body in there and wouldn't know it--uh, no one dump a body in there please. . . We can't swim in it. Heck, we can't even see the Kreepy Krawly, or the second or third step or the bottom!
So now, I'll have to spend $$$$ to fix this problem that stemmed from 'fixing' another problem.
If I can prove that she miscalculated then I'll have Fiesta pay for the clean-up, but I have a feeling that I'm SOL.
--Let's just say they've lost our business after this debacle.
Hope your week was better than mine.
Maybe I'll try to . . .
Write on!
7/7/10
Do OVER!
Demon Connection: New words: 1339 Total word count: 8480
This week is definitely not going like I planned.
1) I've only written 1339 words on my new story when it should have been over 6,000 words
2) the pH in the pool was so low that I had to put 50 lbs. of soda ash in it--and now it's so cloudy a body could be laying on the bottom --or even second step--and I'd never know!
3) kidlet is a whiny pre-pubescent boil on my butt
I'm sure I could come up with more, but guess what? I forgot to write my Wednesday blog! So this is it.
I'm scrapping the entire week. It sucks, but what can I do?
I'm starting from scratch, just like I did with my new story. Demon Connection had 75 pages written and I've been trying to skim over the scenes before I rewrite the 'new' scene. I don't cut and paste--tried it once, NOT a good thing--so I thought to take the general idea and rewrite it.
Well, it's not working. Oh, I have some gems that I'm leaving behind, but they aren't part of THIS story. THIS story is different and when I come to terms with that life will get better.
I'm tossing this week and starting over.
How about you? Or are you simply going to . . .
Write on!
This week is definitely not going like I planned.
1) I've only written 1339 words on my new story when it should have been over 6,000 words
2) the pH in the pool was so low that I had to put 50 lbs. of soda ash in it--and now it's so cloudy a body could be laying on the bottom --or even second step--and I'd never know!
3) kidlet is a whiny pre-pubescent boil on my butt
I'm sure I could come up with more, but guess what? I forgot to write my Wednesday blog! So this is it.
I'm scrapping the entire week. It sucks, but what can I do?
I'm starting from scratch, just like I did with my new story. Demon Connection had 75 pages written and I've been trying to skim over the scenes before I rewrite the 'new' scene. I don't cut and paste--tried it once, NOT a good thing--so I thought to take the general idea and rewrite it.
Well, it's not working. Oh, I have some gems that I'm leaving behind, but they aren't part of THIS story. THIS story is different and when I come to terms with that life will get better.
I'm tossing this week and starting over.
How about you? Or are you simply going to . . .
Write on!
7/5/10
Emotional Baggage = Internal Conflict
Wrote another 811 words over the weekend when I edited the words I had written on Thurs and Fri, 23 pages worth.
Total Word count for DC= 7141 words, pg 24.
Everyone has baggage. And everything we encounter can become potential baggage depending on who we are and what is going on with us at that particular time in our lives.
Baggage can be from our own internal fears (fear of the unknown, for example) or very real fears (fire, due to being in one, etc) or foisted on us by others (their fears affect how you act/react to them).
Baggage is a pain in the butt to deal with in real life. For the most part, we work through our baggage issues and move one. Our goal is not to let our baggage rule our lives. We want to achieve equilibrium and, with that, happiness.
Baggage is conflict.
When we write characters without baggage, we write boring stories. No one wants to read about someone who has the perfect life, unless it's simply a facade to cover up something horrible (Stepford Wives, abuse, Mafia Princess type stories, etc.). And if we write those 'perfect' characters we better be writing some narrative in their POV to show the conflict.
Our characters need to have serious issues, issues they have to come to terms with and resolve throughout the story before they can grow. I don't care what type of books you write, whether it is picture books, MG or YA, genre novels (romance, Sci-Fi, westerns, horror, etc.) or literary fiction, it is your characters and their trials that keep the reader reading. Of course, plot has something to do with it, but internal conflict had better be present to show how the experience the character had changed them--for the better or the worse.
Good internal conflict doesn't tell the reader that the character had a horrible life, instead it shows the reader through the character's actions, reactions, and dialogue.
In other words, conflict drives the character who in turn drives the story forward. That character's choices, whether the choice is good or bad doesn't really matter since the character will learn from that choice.
Conflict is inherent in your character. It is YOUR job as the writer to keep the character and reader guessing until the character is forced to face the facts of the conflict that has been repressed.
There's a reason your character is a loner (or whatever), but don't spill the beans in the first couple of pages as to WHY.
Until later. . .
Write on!
Total Word count for DC= 7141 words, pg 24.
Everyone has baggage. And everything we encounter can become potential baggage depending on who we are and what is going on with us at that particular time in our lives.
Baggage can be from our own internal fears (fear of the unknown, for example) or very real fears (fire, due to being in one, etc) or foisted on us by others (their fears affect how you act/react to them).
Baggage is a pain in the butt to deal with in real life. For the most part, we work through our baggage issues and move one. Our goal is not to let our baggage rule our lives. We want to achieve equilibrium and, with that, happiness.
Baggage is conflict.
When we write characters without baggage, we write boring stories. No one wants to read about someone who has the perfect life, unless it's simply a facade to cover up something horrible (Stepford Wives, abuse, Mafia Princess type stories, etc.). And if we write those 'perfect' characters we better be writing some narrative in their POV to show the conflict.
Our characters need to have serious issues, issues they have to come to terms with and resolve throughout the story before they can grow. I don't care what type of books you write, whether it is picture books, MG or YA, genre novels (romance, Sci-Fi, westerns, horror, etc.) or literary fiction, it is your characters and their trials that keep the reader reading. Of course, plot has something to do with it, but internal conflict had better be present to show how the experience the character had changed them--for the better or the worse.
Good internal conflict doesn't tell the reader that the character had a horrible life, instead it shows the reader through the character's actions, reactions, and dialogue.
In other words, conflict drives the character who in turn drives the story forward. That character's choices, whether the choice is good or bad doesn't really matter since the character will learn from that choice.
Conflict is inherent in your character. It is YOUR job as the writer to keep the character and reader guessing until the character is forced to face the facts of the conflict that has been repressed.
There's a reason your character is a loner (or whatever), but don't spill the beans in the first couple of pages as to WHY.
Until later. . .
Write on!
7/3/10
DC story update
Demon Connection--July 2,
3055 words, total= 6445
It was a hard fought battle, but I think I'm winning . . .
Will need new title
Write on!
3055 words, total= 6445
It was a hard fought battle, but I think I'm winning . . .
Will need new title
Write on!
7/2/10
Summer Doldrums
I started a new story yesterday, well, taking an old partial story, keeping the core concept and rewriting from scratch. I wrote 3375 words on Demon Connection, a paranormal romance. I haven't given up on MG, but I'm taking a break from it for a month or two. I'll update my progress on the blog. Since I write only during the weekdays, with rare exceptions, I have to get my word count higher (4000-5000 words/day) if I'm to complete this story by the end of July.
*I love challenges!*
Talk about scatterbrained. I don't know what it is with this summer. Is it the heat? The kidlet out of school? The total upheaval of my nice and boring schedule? The mindless chauffeuring of kidlet to and from various camps, playdates, parties, etc? Or is it the constant chattering of the aforementioned kidlet?
Personally, I think it's all of the above. Plus the knowledge that we can't schedule a vacation until September, due to . . . .
Puppy watching. No, I don't stare at the little fuzzybutt all the time, but I try to be on alert when she's awake. We have Maggie contained to two rooms: kitchen and family room. It's easy to keep these rooms blocked off from the rest of the house until we feel confident she can hold her pee. The kitchen is tile and the carpet in the family room is due to be replaced, especially if we can't clean out the 'accident's smell.
Our last accident was Sunday.
I went upstairs to iron clothes, leaving the kidlet in charge. Mistake #1.
Kidlet had the television on. Mistake #2.
Puppy was asleep when I went upstairs, so I told hubster AND kidlet to take the puppy out when she woke up. Mistake #3.
Maggie doesn't know how to tell us she needs to go out . . . yet. We're trying to train her to bark when she needs to go outside like we had trained Katie. The system worked well, until Katie got older and she would sit and stare at you until her psychic demands were known. I hate yappy dogs, but in general, sheepdogs don't bark, therefore training her to bark is tough. Plus #1
Believe it or not, sheepdogs LOVE to get the paper! We just started training her to do this and she is totally stoked about it. I need to video tape her excitement. Plus #2 Once training is complete I won't have to go outside in the heat, rain, snow or freakin' cold to get the paper.
Maggie's paper-fetching excitement also translates to getting the mail. Plus #3 But I still have to go out and open the mailbox, hold the mail (appropriately sized, magazines don't work) for her to take and then chase her back to the house.
Once we overcome the hurdle of Maggie telling us she needs to go outside, then life will get better.
But until then.
Write on!
*I love challenges!*
Talk about scatterbrained. I don't know what it is with this summer. Is it the heat? The kidlet out of school? The total upheaval of my nice and boring schedule? The mindless chauffeuring of kidlet to and from various camps, playdates, parties, etc? Or is it the constant chattering of the aforementioned kidlet?
Personally, I think it's all of the above. Plus the knowledge that we can't schedule a vacation until September, due to . . . .
Puppy watching. No, I don't stare at the little fuzzybutt all the time, but I try to be on alert when she's awake. We have Maggie contained to two rooms: kitchen and family room. It's easy to keep these rooms blocked off from the rest of the house until we feel confident she can hold her pee. The kitchen is tile and the carpet in the family room is due to be replaced, especially if we can't clean out the 'accident's smell.
Our last accident was Sunday.
I went upstairs to iron clothes, leaving the kidlet in charge. Mistake #1.
Kidlet had the television on. Mistake #2.
Puppy was asleep when I went upstairs, so I told hubster AND kidlet to take the puppy out when she woke up. Mistake #3.
Maggie doesn't know how to tell us she needs to go out . . . yet. We're trying to train her to bark when she needs to go outside like we had trained Katie. The system worked well, until Katie got older and she would sit and stare at you until her psychic demands were known. I hate yappy dogs, but in general, sheepdogs don't bark, therefore training her to bark is tough. Plus #1
Believe it or not, sheepdogs LOVE to get the paper! We just started training her to do this and she is totally stoked about it. I need to video tape her excitement. Plus #2 Once training is complete I won't have to go outside in the heat, rain, snow or freakin' cold to get the paper.
Maggie's paper-fetching excitement also translates to getting the mail. Plus #3 But I still have to go out and open the mailbox, hold the mail (appropriately sized, magazines don't work) for her to take and then chase her back to the house.
Once we overcome the hurdle of Maggie telling us she needs to go outside, then life will get better.
But until then.
Write on!
6/30/10
Outdoor Fireplace is Complete!!
Without further ado, our new fireplace:
Well, actually it was complete Friday night, but I didn't take pictures until yesterday. Of course, I posted the pictures EVERYWHERE, except my blog. And yes, I had to include fuzzybutt Maggie at roughly 3 months old. :-)
Here are a few more pics.
This was taken from the bottom of our deck steps. Just to give you an idea of the distance, our pool is 40 feet long.
The bothersome contractors still haven't finished cleaning up their crap: plywood, buckets, and stuff. I'm giving them until the end of this week to remove it or it goes out with the rest of the trash.
Behind the fence, which is next on the replacement agenda, is the kidlet's school.
We bought the chairs from Wal-Mart online. They will ship to the store closest to you for free. What a deal! It's a two chair, one table (we put it next to two recliners) combo. I'm not talking money, but let's just say that the entire thing was cheaper than ONE chair at any of the local outdoor furniture stores. Yee-aahh . . .
Next to the firebox is a dwarf Alberta spruce, and to the right of the hearth is a weeping blue spruce, a Neon Flash spirea. The rest of the color belongs to a couple of flats of zinnias. I want to find a large flat planter to put on the firebox to break up the stone.
And that's it for now.
Write on!
Here are a few more pics.
This was taken from the bottom of our deck steps. Just to give you an idea of the distance, our pool is 40 feet long.
The bothersome contractors still haven't finished cleaning up their crap: plywood, buckets, and stuff. I'm giving them until the end of this week to remove it or it goes out with the rest of the trash.
Behind the fence, which is next on the replacement agenda, is the kidlet's school.
Next to the firebox is a dwarf Alberta spruce, and to the right of the hearth is a weeping blue spruce, a Neon Flash spirea. The rest of the color belongs to a couple of flats of zinnias. I want to find a large flat planter to put on the firebox to break up the stone.
You can see the weeping blue spruce better in this picture.
And that's it for now.
Write on!
6/25/10
Oopsie!
Oops, forgot to post a blog. . .
I don't fish, so taking mental health day.
See you Monday.
Write on!
I don't fish, so taking mental health day.
See you Monday.
Write on!
6/23/10
First Lines
Everything is cyclic and first line contests seem to be making a comeback. Some contests just offer feedback, while other contests are judged by published writers, agents, or even editors.
Now, I don't have a problem with first line contests. Heck, I've advanced in a few of those contests with some of my first lines, BUT not every first line is meant to be riveting. AND I'm tired of first lines used as shock value (usually graphic in nature)--it's overdone and boring. Trust me.
First lines are just as subjective as any other part of writing.
In general, first lines should convey the tone of the story. Sometimes they are dialogue, narrative, description, or whatever. They can be first person, third person, omniscient, the protagonist's POV, the antagonist's POV, or a casual observer. The first line should work for your story, not against it. Don't use a first line as a shocker unless you can back it up with a story that keeps the reader on her toes.
Here are a few first lines that I've read recently or are from the books are in my TBR pile:
1) "Got the Old Prune, Sid?" asked the grave robber.
2) Buckingham Palace, Rebecca Marshall still couldn't believe she was going to be living there.
3) "They are what?"
4) Henry, Kansas, is a hot town.
5) Irony was fickle, messed-up bitch, Angela thought.
6) I sat down next to Michael and said, "I think you're in danger."
7) He couldn't sleep.
8) "One day, he's going to kill me."
9) "There is nothing complicated about our little arrangement, Mr. Batt."
10) Sunday morning began with the awful realization that I'd made the biggest mistake of my life.
For me, some of the lines work, but others leave me flat. I'm intrigued by # 1, 4, 5, 6, 8, and 10, considering that's more than half of them I'm a little surprised. Of course, I chose these books for a myriad of reasons and just because the first line doesn't draw me in isn't any reason not to keep on reading.
1) The Mummy's Mother by Tony Johnson, a middle grade novel
2) A Rogue of My Own by Johanna Lindsey, a historical romance
3) Changeless by Gail Carriger, steampunk (historical paranormal in Victorian times)
4) 100 Cupboards by N. D. Wilson, a middle grade fantasy adventure
5) Enemy Lover by Karin Harlow, paranormal romance
6) The Warrior by Jim Butcher, UF novella
7) Ten Things I Love About You by Julia Quinn, a historical romance
8) Skeleton Bayou by Melanie Atkins, a romantic suspense
9) Zinnia by Jayne Castle, a futuristic romance
10) Philippa Fisher's Fairy Godsister by Liz Kessler, a middle grade novel.
It's all subjective and I bet many of your favorites aren't mine. In other words, don't beat yourself up if you don't make the cut in a first line contest.
It's just one person's opinion.
Write on!
Now, I don't have a problem with first line contests. Heck, I've advanced in a few of those contests with some of my first lines, BUT not every first line is meant to be riveting. AND I'm tired of first lines used as shock value (usually graphic in nature)--it's overdone and boring. Trust me.
First lines are just as subjective as any other part of writing.
In general, first lines should convey the tone of the story. Sometimes they are dialogue, narrative, description, or whatever. They can be first person, third person, omniscient, the protagonist's POV, the antagonist's POV, or a casual observer. The first line should work for your story, not against it. Don't use a first line as a shocker unless you can back it up with a story that keeps the reader on her toes.
Here are a few first lines that I've read recently or are from the books are in my TBR pile:
1) "Got the Old Prune, Sid?" asked the grave robber.
2) Buckingham Palace, Rebecca Marshall still couldn't believe she was going to be living there.
3) "They are what?"
4) Henry, Kansas, is a hot town.
5) Irony was fickle, messed-up bitch, Angela thought.
6) I sat down next to Michael and said, "I think you're in danger."
7) He couldn't sleep.
8) "One day, he's going to kill me."
9) "There is nothing complicated about our little arrangement, Mr. Batt."
10) Sunday morning began with the awful realization that I'd made the biggest mistake of my life.
For me, some of the lines work, but others leave me flat. I'm intrigued by # 1, 4, 5, 6, 8, and 10, considering that's more than half of them I'm a little surprised. Of course, I chose these books for a myriad of reasons and just because the first line doesn't draw me in isn't any reason not to keep on reading.
1) The Mummy's Mother by Tony Johnson, a middle grade novel
2) A Rogue of My Own by Johanna Lindsey, a historical romance
3) Changeless by Gail Carriger, steampunk (historical paranormal in Victorian times)
4) 100 Cupboards by N. D. Wilson, a middle grade fantasy adventure
5) Enemy Lover by Karin Harlow, paranormal romance
6) The Warrior by Jim Butcher, UF novella
7) Ten Things I Love About You by Julia Quinn, a historical romance
8) Skeleton Bayou by Melanie Atkins, a romantic suspense
9) Zinnia by Jayne Castle, a futuristic romance
10) Philippa Fisher's Fairy Godsister by Liz Kessler, a middle grade novel.
It's all subjective and I bet many of your favorites aren't mine. In other words, don't beat yourself up if you don't make the cut in a first line contest.
It's just one person's opinion.
Write on!
6/21/10
What's in your TBR (To Be Read) pile?
I try to keep my TBR pile contained, but every now and then it doesn't submit to the whips and chair and roars into a mongo pile. The box in my closet is under control, but the pile on my desk has just grown by five new books . . . oops, recount--six (one of them snuck out of my box and into the pile).
--and this doesn't count the two library books sitting on the other side of my desk.
Two of these books have been in process for over a week. And if you simply looked at them you wouldn't find anything in common about them.
1) How to Speak Dragonese by Cressida Cowell--this is a middle grade novel. Yes, Cowell is she who wrote How To Train Your Dragon, the blockbuster movie that isn't anything like the book, so sayeth my daughter, and I have to agree simply by the information that I've garnered from this other book. Toothless is small and not rideable. Bummer. But this book has more problems than that, one that kids seem to enjoy, but these tired eyes find it tough. This book has numerous different fonts of different sizes and sometimes in all caps. It's wonky and hard to read. But since it's due on Wednesday, I'm going to fight my way through it.
2) A Rogue of My Own by Johanna Lindsey--a historical romance. I've been reading JL for YEARS, but she hasn't had any new books out in a very long time, or at least any that I've been able to find, and it does resemble those books from an older style--many more backstory dumps and narrative clumps. Clumps and dumps slow the reading down to a standstill--get on with the story all ready!
Two stories with different issues, resulting in one problem--lack of reader attention.
In the interim, I managed to read another middle grade story yesterday, Jennifer Murdley's Toad by Bruce Coville. EXCELLENT story. He wrote a few books involving a magic shop that moves around to where it's needed. And yes, there is a moral to the story, but I think it's hidden well enough to fool most children.
After I finish these two books, I have another MG library book to read and then I can't wait to grab Changeless by Gail Carriger, two Jayne Castle's (reissues from 1998 with her futuristic world of Harmony and their 'dust bunnies').
But the fun reading will have to wait since I have a contest to judge--historical category.
I hope they are juicy new reads. I can't wait!
Write on!
--and this doesn't count the two library books sitting on the other side of my desk.
Two of these books have been in process for over a week. And if you simply looked at them you wouldn't find anything in common about them.
1) How to Speak Dragonese by Cressida Cowell--this is a middle grade novel. Yes, Cowell is she who wrote How To Train Your Dragon, the blockbuster movie that isn't anything like the book, so sayeth my daughter, and I have to agree simply by the information that I've garnered from this other book. Toothless is small and not rideable. Bummer. But this book has more problems than that, one that kids seem to enjoy, but these tired eyes find it tough. This book has numerous different fonts of different sizes and sometimes in all caps. It's wonky and hard to read. But since it's due on Wednesday, I'm going to fight my way through it.
2) A Rogue of My Own by Johanna Lindsey--a historical romance. I've been reading JL for YEARS, but she hasn't had any new books out in a very long time, or at least any that I've been able to find, and it does resemble those books from an older style--many more backstory dumps and narrative clumps. Clumps and dumps slow the reading down to a standstill--get on with the story all ready!
Two stories with different issues, resulting in one problem--lack of reader attention.
In the interim, I managed to read another middle grade story yesterday, Jennifer Murdley's Toad by Bruce Coville. EXCELLENT story. He wrote a few books involving a magic shop that moves around to where it's needed. And yes, there is a moral to the story, but I think it's hidden well enough to fool most children.
After I finish these two books, I have another MG library book to read and then I can't wait to grab Changeless by Gail Carriger, two Jayne Castle's (reissues from 1998 with her futuristic world of Harmony and their 'dust bunnies').
But the fun reading will have to wait since I have a contest to judge--historical category.
I hope they are juicy new reads. I can't wait!
Write on!
6/18/10
Is YA too graphic?
Piggy-backing the topic on Wednesday, I started wondering if YA was becoming too graphic. Now, I've only read a few YA books since I hang in the middle grade section more often than not. I had read WICKED LOVELY by Melissa Marr a few years ago. It was okay, but I didn't think it was 'all that'. So when I was talking to the older sister (12) of my kidlet's friends, she mentioned that she needed to do a book report on a current novel. I said I had one that she might like.
When I took the book over to their house, I felt obligated to inform the mother about the level of sexuality in the book. Yes, I did mention that they got to second base. It was up to the mother to decide whether or not she allowed her daughter to read the story.
She did.
The daughter got an A.
The B&N clerk, as I mentioned, was in her mid-twenties and she described one of YA's biggest seller's books as 'nasty'. And I asked if it was very graphic--her answer was yes, too graphic and sexual. Which brings me to the question, who monitors the type of stuff that goes for YA these days?
--editors?
--publishers?
--authors?
--or, my best guess, none of the above.
--I've seen second graders carting around TWILIGHT. And no, I don't think it's age appropriate, but it's the responsibility of the parent to . . . well, parent.
--I've seen girls who were in their tweens (12-14) shopping in the YA section. Normally, that wouldn't bother me, but now I'm wondering about what exactly they are picking up to read.
How graphic should the author write/editor edit/publisher buy for YA?
. . . well, publishers only look at the bottom line. They don't give a rat's patootie about morality. All they want to do is make a profit. And if writing stories that feature a 16-19 yo sells, then they want to make as much money as possible. So adding sex to the mix increases the odds of selling well.
So who oversees morality if not the parent? The problem arises when the parents don't read or acknowledge what the child is reading.
True, it's a parent's job to teach their child right from wrong, etc. but many parents don't bother doing their job and expect someone else to do it for them. And yes, I've mentioned this before, but I wonder if there should be some warning labels for some books. Or will it simply make the teen go out of their way to acquire the 'naughty' stuff--like they do with nasty lyrics in music, or graphic nature of some video games.
I don't advocate the morality police charging in and taking a hatchet to all the published material out there, but maybe there needs to be a line drawn somewhere.
The person to draw the line has to start with the author. Look at HARRY POTTER. It was originally published as a middle grade story, but all ages have read and enjoyed the book--AND THE MOST GRAPHIC SCENE IS A KISS.
I've said it before and I'll stick by it--A good book is a good book.
I'm quite happy writing middle grade, but when I wrote TROLL something surprised me. My 11 yo character noticed a young male elf, and I wondered if I was pushing the envelope with her awareness
--but then my kidlet (9) saw this face shot of Hugh Jackman and said, "Whoa, he's hot."
What can a mom do?
I had to agree.
I guess my little problem in TROLL is a moot point.
Write on!
When I took the book over to their house, I felt obligated to inform the mother about the level of sexuality in the book. Yes, I did mention that they got to second base. It was up to the mother to decide whether or not she allowed her daughter to read the story.
She did.
The daughter got an A.
The B&N clerk, as I mentioned, was in her mid-twenties and she described one of YA's biggest seller's books as 'nasty'. And I asked if it was very graphic--her answer was yes, too graphic and sexual. Which brings me to the question, who monitors the type of stuff that goes for YA these days?
--editors?
--publishers?
--authors?
--or, my best guess, none of the above.
--I've seen second graders carting around TWILIGHT. And no, I don't think it's age appropriate, but it's the responsibility of the parent to . . . well, parent.
--I've seen girls who were in their tweens (12-14) shopping in the YA section. Normally, that wouldn't bother me, but now I'm wondering about what exactly they are picking up to read.
How graphic should the author write/editor edit/publisher buy for YA?
. . . well, publishers only look at the bottom line. They don't give a rat's patootie about morality. All they want to do is make a profit. And if writing stories that feature a 16-19 yo sells, then they want to make as much money as possible. So adding sex to the mix increases the odds of selling well.
So who oversees morality if not the parent? The problem arises when the parents don't read or acknowledge what the child is reading.
True, it's a parent's job to teach their child right from wrong, etc. but many parents don't bother doing their job and expect someone else to do it for them. And yes, I've mentioned this before, but I wonder if there should be some warning labels for some books. Or will it simply make the teen go out of their way to acquire the 'naughty' stuff--like they do with nasty lyrics in music, or graphic nature of some video games.
I don't advocate the morality police charging in and taking a hatchet to all the published material out there, but maybe there needs to be a line drawn somewhere.
The person to draw the line has to start with the author. Look at HARRY POTTER. It was originally published as a middle grade story, but all ages have read and enjoyed the book--AND THE MOST GRAPHIC SCENE IS A KISS.
I've said it before and I'll stick by it--A good book is a good book.
I'm quite happy writing middle grade, but when I wrote TROLL something surprised me. My 11 yo character noticed a young male elf, and I wondered if I was pushing the envelope with her awareness
--but then my kidlet (9) saw this face shot of Hugh Jackman and said, "Whoa, he's hot."
What can a mom do?
I had to agree.
I guess my little problem in TROLL is a moot point.
Write on!
6/16/10
Things that I'm Pondering
A friend and I were e-chatting the other day and she asked me if I had read a particular book yet.
Uh, no, you should see my TBR (to be read) pile, I responded, plus I haven't made a B & N run in a few months. I had errands to run, so I thought I'd purchase that book along with several others and start reading.
I happily troop through the store to the romance section.
It wasn't there.
Science Fiction and Fantasy had been put in place of romance in the center of the store. I looked down the next row--More SFF. The next row--Anime, Manga, Graphic novels. The next row--mystery. And the final row--true crime on one side and YA filling the wall that separated the adult and children's section.
Imagine my surprise when I HAD TO ASK WHERE THEY MOVED THE ROMANCE SECTION!
It was to the far, far right in never, never land, the dark hole of the corner behind the coffee shop. And there were less shelves than before. Hmm. I decided to do a totally-unscientific study. What I am calling a 'shelf' is roughly five feet tall and four feet wide with six(ish) rows.
Romance--15 shelves
SFF (NOT including graphic novels/anime/manga 12)--16 shelves
Mystery (NOT including True Crime 2)--12 shelves
I didn't count YA, though they had at least12 shelves of 5' high racks, BUT they also had shelves that were roughly 7 feet high. They did account for a huge amount of space and I would definitely say they were in the similar amounts as these other sections
Many of the authors shelved in the SFF and Mystery sections were familiar to me as they used to write Romance.
Does this mean more writers are branching away from romance?
I wondered about this because I've noticed a trend in Romance that I find slightly disconcerting. The language and graphic nature of the 'act' (I'm using this term because I don't want to get tagged by freaks and have to delete their comments) has become more prominent along with the ability for authors to explore various cross-genres, especially paranormal, while I feel the true romantic aspect of the story is becoming less and less.
So are the authors that are being shelved in other areas of the store still including romance in their stories?
I'd have to say, probably yes, but romance isn't taking the lead role that it once did--at least not in their stories. The mystery, Urban Fantasy, steampunk, etc is at the forefront.
Is it is because romance is becoming too erotic? Do authors want to tone down the sexual aspect of the story to write a plot that doesn't focus on how many times your characters hop into bed with each other? On a side note: Two of the three romances that I bought were re-issued Jayne Castle (Jayne Ann Krentz)) books from 1998, while the other was a newly issued book.
I won't get into what the clerk said about YA (And yes, she named a particular author who is shelved in SFF, Romance, and YA areas), but let's just say she's very upset that they are also very graphic in nature--in other words, not really suitable for most fourteen-year olds. And yes, I know many of you snuck your mother's romances and read them, but I KNOW I wouldn't buy them for my kidlet.
As I said, this is a very unscientific study, but it did make me curious.
What do you all think about the topic?
Write on!
Uh, no, you should see my TBR (to be read) pile, I responded, plus I haven't made a B & N run in a few months. I had errands to run, so I thought I'd purchase that book along with several others and start reading.
I happily troop through the store to the romance section.
It wasn't there.
Science Fiction and Fantasy had been put in place of romance in the center of the store. I looked down the next row--More SFF. The next row--Anime, Manga, Graphic novels. The next row--mystery. And the final row--true crime on one side and YA filling the wall that separated the adult and children's section.
Imagine my surprise when I HAD TO ASK WHERE THEY MOVED THE ROMANCE SECTION!
It was to the far, far right in never, never land, the dark hole of the corner behind the coffee shop. And there were less shelves than before. Hmm. I decided to do a totally-unscientific study. What I am calling a 'shelf' is roughly five feet tall and four feet wide with six(ish) rows.
Romance--15 shelves
SFF (NOT including graphic novels/anime/manga 12)--16 shelves
Mystery (NOT including True Crime 2)--12 shelves
I didn't count YA, though they had at least12 shelves of 5' high racks, BUT they also had shelves that were roughly 7 feet high. They did account for a huge amount of space and I would definitely say they were in the similar amounts as these other sections
Many of the authors shelved in the SFF and Mystery sections were familiar to me as they used to write Romance.
Does this mean more writers are branching away from romance?
I wondered about this because I've noticed a trend in Romance that I find slightly disconcerting. The language and graphic nature of the 'act' (I'm using this term because I don't want to get tagged by freaks and have to delete their comments) has become more prominent along with the ability for authors to explore various cross-genres, especially paranormal, while I feel the true romantic aspect of the story is becoming less and less.
So are the authors that are being shelved in other areas of the store still including romance in their stories?
I'd have to say, probably yes, but romance isn't taking the lead role that it once did--at least not in their stories. The mystery, Urban Fantasy, steampunk, etc is at the forefront.
Is it is because romance is becoming too erotic? Do authors want to tone down the sexual aspect of the story to write a plot that doesn't focus on how many times your characters hop into bed with each other? On a side note: Two of the three romances that I bought were re-issued Jayne Castle (Jayne Ann Krentz)) books from 1998, while the other was a newly issued book.
I won't get into what the clerk said about YA (And yes, she named a particular author who is shelved in SFF, Romance, and YA areas), but let's just say she's very upset that they are also very graphic in nature--in other words, not really suitable for most fourteen-year olds. And yes, I know many of you snuck your mother's romances and read them, but I KNOW I wouldn't buy them for my kidlet.
As I said, this is a very unscientific study, but it did make me curious.
What do you all think about the topic?
Write on!
6/14/10
Ugh, Contractors . . .
What is it with contractors?
For the most part I'm a lucky gal, my hubster does a tremendous amount of stuff around the house that most normal people would have to hire out. He finds a need, searches for the 'cool' tool he can buy and then does what needs to be done, but recently he hasn't had enough 'free' time to do all the big stuff he used to tackle. There were two big projects he wanted to do on his own, but . . .
Sometimes you just have to hire a contractor.
Recently we resodded the front yard (we, as in me and hubster--the kidlet is worthless when you mention the word 'work'. Oh, they'll participate for an hour or two, but that's it then they get on your nerves and you send them off to play with the kid down the street) after we hired a crew to put in an automatic sprinkler system. They were awesome, though none of them spoke English and they could have used a string line along the property boundary to set the pipes on a straight line. Oh, well. Three days and they were done. It would have been two days, but we got deluged with rain, turning the 'yard' into a muck hole.
Job one finished.
For over a year now, hubster has been pestering me to have an outdoor fireplace put in. He wanted it up on the deck, but I said NO! The deck isn't large enough and it would crowd the seating area, plus it would block all our hard work last year when we landscaped the side yard. We discussed putting the fireplace by the far end of the pool in one of my small garden beds; it had the added advantage of blocking the fence surrounding the pool pump equipment.
I caved.
We hired the contractors. Hubster was the one to choose them. They figured out the contract, payment methods (three: beginning, middle and when finished), design, and paid the first installment, etc. . . . and then, one of them walked off the job on the first day.
Well, crap.
Michael stayed. We also found out that the contract wasn't written in their company name, but in the name of the guy who walked off the job.
Well, crap.
Amended the verbal contract. Poured cement. Rain happened. Then we had to write another check.
*wait, you asked, what happened the the nice payment schedule that was lined up?? Those of you who have had to deal with contractors are probably laughing up your sleeve right now.
More work happened, though their work ethic isn't mine. They arrive most days between 9:15 and 9:45. Oklahoma in JUNE. It's HOT by 9:15. I fully expected them to get started by 7:30 daily, but I failed to voice my expectations. Sometimes they work late, sometimes they quit at noon. I don't get it.
Last week, they requested more money. *sigh* I wanted a timeline. This was bogus. Yes, I handed them a check, but wanted to know when it would be finished because one of my brothers was coming to visit--THIS WEEK!
Oh, and then they promise to work all day Friday, but one guy gets ill (bad Margaret suspects too much partying on our money, good Margaret sympathizes--which Margaret won that one?? If you didn't choose the bad Margaret, then you don't know me very well) and they both quit for the day. Michael promises to work all weekend, but forgot to clear it with the wife. She wasn't happy. No work after 10 AM on Saturday.
Sunday they did worked. Too bad it was on the wall and they forgot to use the little tool called a LEVEL. Hubster was NOT happy. The boys had to rework the stupid wall to remove the dip in it.
And Michael promised this work would be finished by the end of Tuesday?
Trust me, that ain't happenin'! I look at him and told him not to lie to me. He continued to promise, but wouldn't look at me when he mouthed those words.
And then hubster decided to let them add a firebox next to the fireplace ( Add $500 more dollars) and timeline extended to 'this weekend'. I said, 'so by Friday night you will be done?" His response, "Uh, no, this weekend, as in Saturday night."
Right, like I believe that--NOT. I'm just shooting for the darn thing to get done by the end of June, but I'm not about to tell them that! I'll still push for this weekend.
I hate dealing with contractors. Hubster and I would have real tough time building our own house. There is too much crap that goes on and I'd much rather be oblivious to it.
On a side note: They have managed to kill a large portion of our lawn with rock chips, equipment, rocks, boards, lime, etc, but guess who spends at least an hour every night sweeping up their mortar mess, rearranging their rocks, removing the boards from the grass where they haphazardly flung them? And who also taped off the kool deck to keep from destroying it with cement?
Not me. Hubster has been going above and beyond to straighten their mess, pick up after them, and cover their tools when it rains--and we've had a lot of rain. In fact, that's why I'm up so early writing this blog. The rain started at 3:17 and I couldn't go back to sleep.
I wanted to start my serial blog today, but I couldn't concentrate to finish the first installment. I might have to wait to start it until next week. After all, Hubster's birthday is on Tuesday, my bro is arriving on Wednesday, we're celebrating our anniversary (June 20) and Father's day on Saturday, plus we'll have the family over this Sunday for burgers and swimming, whether or not the fireplace is finished!
Please share your contractor stories! Though I suspect my story is pretty much the norm for those beasts!
Write on!
For the most part I'm a lucky gal, my hubster does a tremendous amount of stuff around the house that most normal people would have to hire out. He finds a need, searches for the 'cool' tool he can buy and then does what needs to be done, but recently he hasn't had enough 'free' time to do all the big stuff he used to tackle. There were two big projects he wanted to do on his own, but . . .
Sometimes you just have to hire a contractor.
Recently we resodded the front yard (we, as in me and hubster--the kidlet is worthless when you mention the word 'work'. Oh, they'll participate for an hour or two, but that's it then they get on your nerves and you send them off to play with the kid down the street) after we hired a crew to put in an automatic sprinkler system. They were awesome, though none of them spoke English and they could have used a string line along the property boundary to set the pipes on a straight line. Oh, well. Three days and they were done. It would have been two days, but we got deluged with rain, turning the 'yard' into a muck hole.
Job one finished.
For over a year now, hubster has been pestering me to have an outdoor fireplace put in. He wanted it up on the deck, but I said NO! The deck isn't large enough and it would crowd the seating area, plus it would block all our hard work last year when we landscaped the side yard. We discussed putting the fireplace by the far end of the pool in one of my small garden beds; it had the added advantage of blocking the fence surrounding the pool pump equipment.
I caved.
We hired the contractors. Hubster was the one to choose them. They figured out the contract, payment methods (three: beginning, middle and when finished), design, and paid the first installment, etc. . . . and then, one of them walked off the job on the first day.
Well, crap.
Michael stayed. We also found out that the contract wasn't written in their company name, but in the name of the guy who walked off the job.
Well, crap.
Amended the verbal contract. Poured cement. Rain happened. Then we had to write another check.
*wait, you asked, what happened the the nice payment schedule that was lined up?? Those of you who have had to deal with contractors are probably laughing up your sleeve right now.
More work happened, though their work ethic isn't mine. They arrive most days between 9:15 and 9:45. Oklahoma in JUNE. It's HOT by 9:15. I fully expected them to get started by 7:30 daily, but I failed to voice my expectations. Sometimes they work late, sometimes they quit at noon. I don't get it.
Last week, they requested more money. *sigh* I wanted a timeline. This was bogus. Yes, I handed them a check, but wanted to know when it would be finished because one of my brothers was coming to visit--THIS WEEK!
Oh, and then they promise to work all day Friday, but one guy gets ill (bad Margaret suspects too much partying on our money, good Margaret sympathizes--which Margaret won that one?? If you didn't choose the bad Margaret, then you don't know me very well) and they both quit for the day. Michael promises to work all weekend, but forgot to clear it with the wife. She wasn't happy. No work after 10 AM on Saturday.
Sunday they did worked. Too bad it was on the wall and they forgot to use the little tool called a LEVEL. Hubster was NOT happy. The boys had to rework the stupid wall to remove the dip in it.
And Michael promised this work would be finished by the end of Tuesday?
Trust me, that ain't happenin'! I look at him and told him not to lie to me. He continued to promise, but wouldn't look at me when he mouthed those words.
And then hubster decided to let them add a firebox next to the fireplace ( Add $500 more dollars) and timeline extended to 'this weekend'. I said, 'so by Friday night you will be done?" His response, "Uh, no, this weekend, as in Saturday night."
Right, like I believe that--NOT. I'm just shooting for the darn thing to get done by the end of June, but I'm not about to tell them that! I'll still push for this weekend.
I hate dealing with contractors. Hubster and I would have real tough time building our own house. There is too much crap that goes on and I'd much rather be oblivious to it.
On a side note: They have managed to kill a large portion of our lawn with rock chips, equipment, rocks, boards, lime, etc, but guess who spends at least an hour every night sweeping up their mortar mess, rearranging their rocks, removing the boards from the grass where they haphazardly flung them? And who also taped off the kool deck to keep from destroying it with cement?
Not me. Hubster has been going above and beyond to straighten their mess, pick up after them, and cover their tools when it rains--and we've had a lot of rain. In fact, that's why I'm up so early writing this blog. The rain started at 3:17 and I couldn't go back to sleep.
I wanted to start my serial blog today, but I couldn't concentrate to finish the first installment. I might have to wait to start it until next week. After all, Hubster's birthday is on Tuesday, my bro is arriving on Wednesday, we're celebrating our anniversary (June 20) and Father's day on Saturday, plus we'll have the family over this Sunday for burgers and swimming, whether or not the fireplace is finished!
Please share your contractor stories! Though I suspect my story is pretty much the norm for those beasts!
Write on!
6/11/10
Blather
Hm, Friday. What shall I write about today?
I don't have pet peeves that are bothering me. So that's out.
I don't have my new serial blog cogitated yet, though I have had some wonderful suggestions. It just isn't popping out at me as something that I HAVE to write. A wedding isn't motivation enough. I need a kidnapped bride. . . or maybe I need a groom with cold feet. I don't know. Right now, all the ideas are too passe and overdone. Must think on it more.
I have been having to deal with that new puppy smell . . . of urine in the carpet. She's getting better, but she's still a puppy. Personally, I think she's in a growth spurt. She's eating like a horse, playing hard and sleeping it off. And yes, she's pretty darn cute and cuddly . . . if you can evade the teeth.
So, in other words, what on earth did I even do this week?? Well, that's a toughie. Not much. I got a rejection, but then I got a request for a full manuscript of GNOME. So, it's all good. Yes, I'm a Virgo and I had to read over it one more time. It's what we Virgoans do. And I have to say that I fell in love with the story all over again. And I have to admit that this is the first time it happened to me. Usually, when I'm finished with a story, I'm done in more ways than one, and don't want to look at it again. This story simply brought a smile to my face. I hope the publisher who requested it loves it as much as I do, but, deep down, I think it's a little too young for their imprint, but if the publisher comes back and says, "Can you make the protagonist older?" I'm game and can always give it a shot.
My kidlet had basketball camp this week so I was chauffeur mom, plus I did a lot of reading. That's one thing that I do when I'm not writing--I read. Next week is basketball camp again. This time the techniques are passing and defense, so I'll be doing a lot of driving.
I need to get a firm plan together because this no-plan or list to accomplish stuff is just KILLING me! I need to work on the second draft of FAERIE and TROLL, maybe I'll get started on it.
Until later,
Write on!
I don't have pet peeves that are bothering me. So that's out.
I don't have my new serial blog cogitated yet, though I have had some wonderful suggestions. It just isn't popping out at me as something that I HAVE to write. A wedding isn't motivation enough. I need a kidnapped bride. . . or maybe I need a groom with cold feet. I don't know. Right now, all the ideas are too passe and overdone. Must think on it more.
I have been having to deal with that new puppy smell . . . of urine in the carpet. She's getting better, but she's still a puppy. Personally, I think she's in a growth spurt. She's eating like a horse, playing hard and sleeping it off. And yes, she's pretty darn cute and cuddly . . . if you can evade the teeth.
So, in other words, what on earth did I even do this week?? Well, that's a toughie. Not much. I got a rejection, but then I got a request for a full manuscript of GNOME. So, it's all good. Yes, I'm a Virgo and I had to read over it one more time. It's what we Virgoans do. And I have to say that I fell in love with the story all over again. And I have to admit that this is the first time it happened to me. Usually, when I'm finished with a story, I'm done in more ways than one, and don't want to look at it again. This story simply brought a smile to my face. I hope the publisher who requested it loves it as much as I do, but, deep down, I think it's a little too young for their imprint, but if the publisher comes back and says, "Can you make the protagonist older?" I'm game and can always give it a shot.
My kidlet had basketball camp this week so I was chauffeur mom, plus I did a lot of reading. That's one thing that I do when I'm not writing--I read. Next week is basketball camp again. This time the techniques are passing and defense, so I'll be doing a lot of driving.
I need to get a firm plan together because this no-plan or list to accomplish stuff is just KILLING me! I need to work on the second draft of FAERIE and TROLL, maybe I'll get started on it.
Until later,
Write on!
6/9/10
Need Help!
I want to do another serial blog story.
Since it is wedding season, I thought that might be a good story idea. So I got to thinking, who has gotten married recently? Last year a neice got married, but that went off without a hitch.
Well, in my virtual world, that would be Rory Leafhopper, gnome extraordinaire.
Okay, so I have a gnome wedding to plan and, of course, something MUST go awry, but WHAT??
I looked online for top wedding disasters and most of them seem to be from the bride and groom's own stupidity (drunk, ill, left at alter, getting arrested, etc). I need something to jog my brainpan, people. Weird stuff. What are some good/bad things that can happen to a wedding?
Any and all suggestions are appreciated!
Write on!
Since it is wedding season, I thought that might be a good story idea. So I got to thinking, who has gotten married recently? Last year a neice got married, but that went off without a hitch.
Well, in my virtual world, that would be Rory Leafhopper, gnome extraordinaire.
Okay, so I have a gnome wedding to plan and, of course, something MUST go awry, but WHAT??
I looked online for top wedding disasters and most of them seem to be from the bride and groom's own stupidity (drunk, ill, left at alter, getting arrested, etc). I need something to jog my brainpan, people. Weird stuff. What are some good/bad things that can happen to a wedding?
Any and all suggestions are appreciated!
Write on!
6/6/10
PUPPY PICS!!!!!
For those of you who don't know--Maggie is an Old English Sheepdog, otherwise known as part of the fuzzybutt brigade.
Bath day 6/6/10
probably the last time she'll fit in the kitchen sink
Last day of school 5/25/10
we had Maggie for three days now
The kidlet with Maggie on Memorial Day weekend. Doesn't she look like a stuffed dog?
Office time with Daddy
These pics were a little out of order, but I'm just excited that I got them posted!!
6/4/10
Puppyology 101
Ah . . . the joys of Motherhood.
Having a puppy in the house is like experiencing labor and delivery all over again. After it's over and done, you vow NEVER AGAIN, but then you conveniently forget the horrors and step right in the pee piddle all over again.
I knew I would be the main person dealing with house training of the little fuzzybutt, but for some reason I miraculously forgot all the whiz that I cleaned up when we first got Katie . . . trust me, Maggie is bringing it all back. It's not that she's a bad puppy, it's just that she's A PUPPY. They're little, with tiny little bladders, and they like to chew on EVERYTHING. Right now, we have her contained to the kitchen and the family room and she won't be allowed to roam the house until we totally train her.
Due diligence is the key here to training a puppy.
We've had Maggie for twelve days and I've lost track of how many 'accidents' I've had to clean up--only one poop, though, nope make that two--see how forgetful you get?? I've washed her bed towels daily since she can't hold her pee from 10-6. And though I've cleaned up numerous accidents by using supreme amounts of 'anti-marking' stuff, the house still smells like doggy whiz. Trust me, we will be renting a steam cleaner when she's more reliable and if that doesn't get rid of the smell then we plan to replace the carpeting.
But I have to say that having a puppy is fun, with their little needle-like teeth and their open mouth greetings as they try to chomp on everything and their endless appetites.
Next week the kidlet has basketball camp and I hope to start editing my stories. So, until later--
Write on!
Having a puppy in the house is like experiencing labor and delivery all over again. After it's over and done, you vow NEVER AGAIN, but then you conveniently forget the horrors and step right in the pee piddle all over again.
I knew I would be the main person dealing with house training of the little fuzzybutt, but for some reason I miraculously forgot all the whiz that I cleaned up when we first got Katie . . . trust me, Maggie is bringing it all back. It's not that she's a bad puppy, it's just that she's A PUPPY. They're little, with tiny little bladders, and they like to chew on EVERYTHING. Right now, we have her contained to the kitchen and the family room and she won't be allowed to roam the house until we totally train her.
Due diligence is the key here to training a puppy.
We've had Maggie for twelve days and I've lost track of how many 'accidents' I've had to clean up--only one poop, though, nope make that two--see how forgetful you get?? I've washed her bed towels daily since she can't hold her pee from 10-6. And though I've cleaned up numerous accidents by using supreme amounts of 'anti-marking' stuff, the house still smells like doggy whiz. Trust me, we will be renting a steam cleaner when she's more reliable and if that doesn't get rid of the smell then we plan to replace the carpeting.
But I have to say that having a puppy is fun, with their little needle-like teeth and their open mouth greetings as they try to chomp on everything and their endless appetites.
Next week the kidlet has basketball camp and I hope to start editing my stories. So, until later--
Write on!
6/1/10
Getting into the Rhythm
Wow. I feel so out of sorts.
School is out. I finished writing two stories in the last two months and I'm not actively writing anything. I don't know what to do with myself.
It is so weird.
I haven't started editing, but that doesn't mean I'm not thinking about my stories. Since I finished TROLL, story #3, I started thinking about changes that I need to make in GNOME, story #1.
Why?
Because I've learned so much about my characters since I started writing them. I know I want my protagonist to suffer a deep, deep betrayal and I know that I can set it up better than it is currently written--because when I wrote the first story I didn't think her best friend would betray her. So, of course, I'm thinking how I can deepen the emotion and hidden motivations in story #1.
Luckily, no one has bought the silly story, so it doesn't matter what changes I make to it!
Starting this next week--after I crit a full manuscript for my friend--I'll be writing synopses, queries and revising three middle grade novels, while thinking about #4 and #5. Yes, I do have an idea for two more stories.
Until later . . .
Write on!
School is out. I finished writing two stories in the last two months and I'm not actively writing anything. I don't know what to do with myself.
It is so weird.
I haven't started editing, but that doesn't mean I'm not thinking about my stories. Since I finished TROLL, story #3, I started thinking about changes that I need to make in GNOME, story #1.
Why?
Because I've learned so much about my characters since I started writing them. I know I want my protagonist to suffer a deep, deep betrayal and I know that I can set it up better than it is currently written--because when I wrote the first story I didn't think her best friend would betray her. So, of course, I'm thinking how I can deepen the emotion and hidden motivations in story #1.
Luckily, no one has bought the silly story, so it doesn't matter what changes I make to it!
Starting this next week--after I crit a full manuscript for my friend--I'll be writing synopses, queries and revising three middle grade novels, while thinking about #4 and #5. Yes, I do have an idea for two more stories.
Until later . . .
Write on!
5/28/10
Welcome Summer!
I was going to say, "Gone Fishing", but I don't fish. And I'm not going to be gone this weekend, as we will be having a fun filled weekend of yardwork!
Okay, just today actually. It's SOD LAYING TIME!!
A couple of weeks ago, my hubster and I were trimming a very ugly tree (the top growing spike had died so it went out instead of up) that we had up front and we decided to cut it down. There starts the saga. Chainsaw and his bro, took out the tree, we went to a tree farm about 20 miles away and picked out a tree and scheduled a couple of stumps to get ground when they planted the tree. We expanded our flower beds, planted a few new shrubs and annuals, and added dirt to the lawn. This was when hubster called the Rain Man--a company that installs watering systems. We've lived in this house 15 years and my only request was . . . you got it--a watering system. I finally have one in the front--YAY!
Well, they proceeded to dig up the rest of the yard that hadn't been trenched yet. So today, hubster is renting a roto-tiller and tearing up the rest of the sod . . . so we can lay more sod.
Yeah, it sounds stupid, but have you ever tried to lay sod and join it to existing sod??
We have. And it isn't worth it, trust me. Tear up the whole yard and start over.
And the backyard? Well, we revamped one small bed and I'm keeping a firm hand on everything else until I convince hubster that we need a watering system back there. Last year, we revamped the weird side of our yard--a narrow area between our double deck and house to the neighbor's fence. This is also the side with our two air conditioners. Instead of grass, it's one huge bed with a rock walkway.
Oh, yeah, and we are having an outdoor fireplace built near the far end of the pool. I'll have to take pictures and post them.
Once I get the puppy house broken and sleeping all night, life will be good--for some reason, she thinks that 3:14 AM is the time to start yapping and howling--IT'S PLAYTIME . . . NOT. She shut up at 5:30. Yeah, we listened to her the entire time while our kidlet slept blissfully.
Where is the justice??
Write on, Peeps!
Okay, just today actually. It's SOD LAYING TIME!!
A couple of weeks ago, my hubster and I were trimming a very ugly tree (the top growing spike had died so it went out instead of up) that we had up front and we decided to cut it down. There starts the saga. Chainsaw and his bro, took out the tree, we went to a tree farm about 20 miles away and picked out a tree and scheduled a couple of stumps to get ground when they planted the tree. We expanded our flower beds, planted a few new shrubs and annuals, and added dirt to the lawn. This was when hubster called the Rain Man--a company that installs watering systems. We've lived in this house 15 years and my only request was . . . you got it--a watering system. I finally have one in the front--YAY!
Well, they proceeded to dig up the rest of the yard that hadn't been trenched yet. So today, hubster is renting a roto-tiller and tearing up the rest of the sod . . . so we can lay more sod.
Yeah, it sounds stupid, but have you ever tried to lay sod and join it to existing sod??
We have. And it isn't worth it, trust me. Tear up the whole yard and start over.
And the backyard? Well, we revamped one small bed and I'm keeping a firm hand on everything else until I convince hubster that we need a watering system back there. Last year, we revamped the weird side of our yard--a narrow area between our double deck and house to the neighbor's fence. This is also the side with our two air conditioners. Instead of grass, it's one huge bed with a rock walkway.
Oh, yeah, and we are having an outdoor fireplace built near the far end of the pool. I'll have to take pictures and post them.
Once I get the puppy house broken and sleeping all night, life will be good--for some reason, she thinks that 3:14 AM is the time to start yapping and howling--IT'S PLAYTIME . . . NOT. She shut up at 5:30. Yeah, we listened to her the entire time while our kidlet slept blissfully.
Where is the justice??
Write on, Peeps!
5/26/10
Dis and Dat
For Whom The Bell Trolls: Rough draft FINISHED at 55,094 words!!
So many topics to choose for today's blog:
--LOST--loved it! I followed it from the beginning, though I confess that I didn't care for the alternate future year. To me, the ending was wonderful and beautiful. I suspected from the beginning that this was some sort of plain of purgatory and these people were souls with unresolved issues. I love that it started with Jack and ended with Jack. The part that really surprised me was how some writer friends didn't get it. They couldn't get beyond the unrealistic idea of a plane crash and people surviving, but if they had moved beyond the first fifteen minutes to 'believe' that this disaster happened and then they would have realized this wasn't simply a plot story, this was a story about CHARACTERS who grip you by the heart. Yes, I, Margaret, bawled during the finale of LOST, soaking 5, yes, FIVE tissues as I cried my eyes out. I cried as I lived the series all over again in each flashback. *sigh* I will miss it and the actors who made those characters come to life.
--Starting and finishing a middle grade novel by writing 19 non-consecutive days. Only on the first weekend did I write 1500 words, after that I didn't write on the weekends. As I mentioned before, I'm a pantser and this was the epitome of pantsing my writing. All I had when I started this story was a title, a logline (sucky, but it worked to keep me on track), and the momentum from finishing Faerie a few days earlier. If I subtracted those first two days, the one weekend that I wrote, then I wrote 53,500 words for seventeen days, Monday-Friday. My goal was to hit 3000 words every weekday, which would give me 15000 words/week. The lowest count for those days was this last Monday with 808 words (LOST finale on DVR, new puppy to the vet and then to visit my kidlet's class). The highest count was 4304 words on Wednesday 5/21. Most of my days I averaged pretty darn close to my 3000 word average, most days I went over.
--I learned a lot about myself as a writer as this was my mini-NaNo challenge. Speaking of NaNo, I'll never be able to participate as I have too much going on (kidlet's birthday, family coming, and Thanksgiving), but then again, I KNOW that I can do it with a little planning and LOTS of incentive. I know that I can produce a product in a time crunch.
--Which leads me to topic #3. What type of writer are you? Yes, you. Do you edit every word until you get it right? Some best selling authors do that, and they turn in a first draft that is ready to go. Or do you write down crap, because you know you can fix crap. Other best selling authors do that. Or do you write somewhere in between? It's all about discovering what works best for you. My method might not work for you, heck, my method might not work for the next book! But I enjoyed the process, and I haven't enjoyed the process in a very long time. It helped validate me as a serious writer. I gave myself a task and without very much notice, I pulled it off. One writerly friend commented on my FB that she wondered how many words are usable words. Some authors write 25 K only to use 5 K. Actually, I think all my words are usable, but I'll allow myself to change some of them as needed.
Until next time. . .
Write on!
So many topics to choose for today's blog:
--LOST--loved it! I followed it from the beginning, though I confess that I didn't care for the alternate future year. To me, the ending was wonderful and beautiful. I suspected from the beginning that this was some sort of plain of purgatory and these people were souls with unresolved issues. I love that it started with Jack and ended with Jack. The part that really surprised me was how some writer friends didn't get it. They couldn't get beyond the unrealistic idea of a plane crash and people surviving, but if they had moved beyond the first fifteen minutes to 'believe' that this disaster happened and then they would have realized this wasn't simply a plot story, this was a story about CHARACTERS who grip you by the heart. Yes, I, Margaret, bawled during the finale of LOST, soaking 5, yes, FIVE tissues as I cried my eyes out. I cried as I lived the series all over again in each flashback. *sigh* I will miss it and the actors who made those characters come to life.
--Starting and finishing a middle grade novel by writing 19 non-consecutive days. Only on the first weekend did I write 1500 words, after that I didn't write on the weekends. As I mentioned before, I'm a pantser and this was the epitome of pantsing my writing. All I had when I started this story was a title, a logline (sucky, but it worked to keep me on track), and the momentum from finishing Faerie a few days earlier. If I subtracted those first two days, the one weekend that I wrote, then I wrote 53,500 words for seventeen days, Monday-Friday. My goal was to hit 3000 words every weekday, which would give me 15000 words/week. The lowest count for those days was this last Monday with 808 words (LOST finale on DVR, new puppy to the vet and then to visit my kidlet's class). The highest count was 4304 words on Wednesday 5/21. Most of my days I averaged pretty darn close to my 3000 word average, most days I went over.
--I learned a lot about myself as a writer as this was my mini-NaNo challenge. Speaking of NaNo, I'll never be able to participate as I have too much going on (kidlet's birthday, family coming, and Thanksgiving), but then again, I KNOW that I can do it with a little planning and LOTS of incentive. I know that I can produce a product in a time crunch.
--Which leads me to topic #3. What type of writer are you? Yes, you. Do you edit every word until you get it right? Some best selling authors do that, and they turn in a first draft that is ready to go. Or do you write down crap, because you know you can fix crap. Other best selling authors do that. Or do you write somewhere in between? It's all about discovering what works best for you. My method might not work for you, heck, my method might not work for the next book! But I enjoyed the process, and I haven't enjoyed the process in a very long time. It helped validate me as a serious writer. I gave myself a task and without very much notice, I pulled it off. One writerly friend commented on my FB that she wondered how many words are usable words. Some authors write 25 K only to use 5 K. Actually, I think all my words are usable, but I'll allow myself to change some of them as needed.
Until next time. . .
Write on!
5/24/10
Blog Interruption
For Whom The Bell Trolls: 52,048 words. I crossed the 50 K mark on Friday and kept on writing. Of course, I have about 5,000 words to write to 'finish' this first draft.
Sorry about the late and teen-insy blog post, but life has thrown me a huge ball of fluff. Her name is Maggie. I'll post more pictures as soon as I can . . . probably for Wednesday's post.
Sorry about the late and teen-insy blog post, but life has thrown me a huge ball of fluff. Her name is Maggie. I'll post more pictures as soon as I can . . . probably for Wednesday's post.
5/21/10
Pet Peeve Fridays-Beginnings or Endings
For Whom the Bell Trolls: 48,645 words. I'll hit my goal of 50 K today, but I have a feeling I'll need to write more than that to 'finish' this middle grade story.
I always thought beginnings were the toughest part of the story. I know I waste a lot of paper just getting into the character and what's happening, but this story was different. I already know the characters and the location. Oh, trust me, I still wasted a lot of paper, but it isn't necessarily in the beginning of the story.
This story is the third in a series that I haven't managed to sell story #1, but that's okay. I like the stories and the characters and I'll still write it even if it never sells.
Why?
Because it's fun. I'm having the same adventure my protagonist Rhee is having. I love pitting her against various obstacles and seeing how she comes out in the end.
This story is different than the other two because of the twists I discovered along the way. I wanted to kill a particular character, but when the time came, I knew he could do more damage to Rhee by betraying her trust . . . and kidnapping her mother who is her last remaining family.
The problem I'm having right now is finding the particular motivation to make this work. I'm powering through this story because school is out on Tuesday and I want to have a rough draft to edit over the summer.
So today's pet peeve is Endings. How to tie up the loose strings, rescue the mom, kill the evil troll, and get everyone back home with the minimum of damage.
But then again, maybe I need a good hook for the next story in the series. Maybe I need to leave one string untied. One part of the puzzle unresolved.
Hm, something to think about, but until later. . .
Write on!
I always thought beginnings were the toughest part of the story. I know I waste a lot of paper just getting into the character and what's happening, but this story was different. I already know the characters and the location. Oh, trust me, I still wasted a lot of paper, but it isn't necessarily in the beginning of the story.
This story is the third in a series that I haven't managed to sell story #1, but that's okay. I like the stories and the characters and I'll still write it even if it never sells.
Why?
Because it's fun. I'm having the same adventure my protagonist Rhee is having. I love pitting her against various obstacles and seeing how she comes out in the end.
This story is different than the other two because of the twists I discovered along the way. I wanted to kill a particular character, but when the time came, I knew he could do more damage to Rhee by betraying her trust . . . and kidnapping her mother who is her last remaining family.
The problem I'm having right now is finding the particular motivation to make this work. I'm powering through this story because school is out on Tuesday and I want to have a rough draft to edit over the summer.
So today's pet peeve is Endings. How to tie up the loose strings, rescue the mom, kill the evil troll, and get everyone back home with the minimum of damage.
But then again, maybe I need a good hook for the next story in the series. Maybe I need to leave one string untied. One part of the puzzle unresolved.
Hm, something to think about, but until later. . .
Write on!
5/19/10
The Secret
For Whom the Bell Trolls: as of Tuesday night, I've written 42,110 words!
I'm going to spill THE SECRET.
No, it has nothing to do with the book, though in a sense it has to do with the attitude that the book inspires.
--and no, I've never read THE SECRET.
It's all about positive attitude and hard work. This is my secret to sitting down and cranking out the words. And yes, it's simple to say and far harder to do and I have an slight advantage over those people who put in an eight to ten hour day at the day job. This is my job.
I'm not a writer who can write a consistent amount of words (for example, 100 words per day for a 100 days). I need my down time with my family in the evenings and on the weekend. Since April, I've treated writing as a job--a Monday-Friday type of job. As soon as I walk my kidlet to school, I get myself settled and I pop open my goals group chat room. And I write until I hit my goal for the day, 3000 words. Most of the days, I manage to write more. And today, I wrote 4000 words.
On the hour and the half hour, I speed write for twenty minutes with a ten minute break. I don't edit my work. I don't check for a better verb. I write the linear story. Sometimes I have to add notes to myself. NEEDS MOTIVATION TO GET BOOK. but I simply get the story out. Sometimes I play alone, but sometimes I have someone or three to play with. And it's far more fun playing with others. I like to try to get the high count (my competitive nature coming out) and I usually manage to write 3000+ words in roughly three hours. I need the breaks to walk around, check the pool, feed the fish, go to the bathroom, get more water, etc. I also use that time to think about my next scene.
I had to do this challenge because school is out on May 25th, and though my kidlet will be attending a few camps, I won't have the quiet time to write. I know this and adjusted my goals, BUT I will have time to edit. That was why I finished one story and within a few days I started writing another story.
And the perk--I'll have two rough drafts to edit over the summer.
So, peeps, until Friday. . .
Write on!
I'm going to spill THE SECRET.
No, it has nothing to do with the book, though in a sense it has to do with the attitude that the book inspires.
--and no, I've never read THE SECRET.
It's all about positive attitude and hard work. This is my secret to sitting down and cranking out the words. And yes, it's simple to say and far harder to do and I have an slight advantage over those people who put in an eight to ten hour day at the day job. This is my job.
I'm not a writer who can write a consistent amount of words (for example, 100 words per day for a 100 days). I need my down time with my family in the evenings and on the weekend. Since April, I've treated writing as a job--a Monday-Friday type of job. As soon as I walk my kidlet to school, I get myself settled and I pop open my goals group chat room. And I write until I hit my goal for the day, 3000 words. Most of the days, I manage to write more. And today, I wrote 4000 words.
On the hour and the half hour, I speed write for twenty minutes with a ten minute break. I don't edit my work. I don't check for a better verb. I write the linear story. Sometimes I have to add notes to myself. NEEDS MOTIVATION TO GET BOOK. but I simply get the story out. Sometimes I play alone, but sometimes I have someone or three to play with. And it's far more fun playing with others. I like to try to get the high count (my competitive nature coming out) and I usually manage to write 3000+ words in roughly three hours. I need the breaks to walk around, check the pool, feed the fish, go to the bathroom, get more water, etc. I also use that time to think about my next scene.
I had to do this challenge because school is out on May 25th, and though my kidlet will be attending a few camps, I won't have the quiet time to write. I know this and adjusted my goals, BUT I will have time to edit. That was why I finished one story and within a few days I started writing another story.
And the perk--I'll have two rough drafts to edit over the summer.
So, peeps, until Friday. . .
Write on!
5/17/10
What is appropriate for Middle Grade?
For Whom The Bell Trolls: 35,000 words written as of Friday afternoon. I don't write on the weekends, and let me tell you I don't think I would have HAD the energy to write. Last week, I added 18,221 words to this manuscript. And yes, this is still the story where all I had was a title and a logline. I should hit 50K by the end of this week, but I have a sneaking feeling that this story will end up being closer to 60K. Will have to wait and see.
This last week as I was writing, I introduced a new character. He'd been held prisoner (hunky elf in his prime, well, not quite hunky but anorexic and stanky, but you know what I mean) in the dungeon and Rhee was searching the dungeon for her buddy, Mike. Rhee is supposed to be 12ish, but she acted a little more precocious than I think she should have. I don't mean that she was panting after this dude, but she was aware of him.
--Was this pushing the line? I don't know, but when I edit it I'll have to decide if I need to actually make her older or tone down her comments. Any ideas or comments are welcome--I don't care if you read or even write MG, but do you know 12-yo girls? Would this be normal?
That's it for today. My brain pan is dried up and I need to write at least another 15,000 words this week to 'win' this 50K challenge.
Until later!
Write on!
This last week as I was writing, I introduced a new character. He'd been held prisoner (hunky elf in his prime, well, not quite hunky but anorexic and stanky, but you know what I mean) in the dungeon and Rhee was searching the dungeon for her buddy, Mike. Rhee is supposed to be 12ish, but she acted a little more precocious than I think she should have. I don't mean that she was panting after this dude, but she was aware of him.
--Was this pushing the line? I don't know, but when I edit it I'll have to decide if I need to actually make her older or tone down her comments. Any ideas or comments are welcome--I don't care if you read or even write MG, but do you know 12-yo girls? Would this be normal?
That's it for today. My brain pan is dried up and I need to write at least another 15,000 words this week to 'win' this 50K challenge.
Until later!
Write on!
5/14/10
Pet Peeve--restaurants
For Whom The Bell Trolls: At the time I wrote this blog on Thursday, May 13, I'm at 31,221 words. I'm plugging right along, discovering interesting things about my characters and new secondary characters. I wanted to kill someone, but he would do far more damage to my character if he betrays her. Woowhee, does he cut her heart out!
Today's topic--restaurants.
I don't know what is going on, but it seems as if every time we go out to eat something goes wrong. And we eat out a lot. For years, there might be minor issues, but nothing major. I don't think I've become intolerant or anything, but I have noticed restaurants requesting customer feedback more often and I've provided it.
Or maybe my family is simply attracting the wrong mojo. And yes, I will be naming names.
Case #1 Red Robin (early dinner with the family on a Friday night)
Over the months, we had simply stopped eating there. I don't know why, but I'd guess it's the $9 burgers. But we decided to go there one Friday and I had my chops ready to dig into an A-1 Peppercorn burger.
--they didn't have it.
But it's on the menu again, I argued.
--sorry, we don't have the ingredients for the sauce, but we can still make the burger.
No, thanks. What's the point of it if you don't have the sauce?
--why don't you try our new Bleu Ribbon burger? It's half the price.
Sold.
I didn't like it. I left over half of it on my plate. And was glad that it was half price.
Our waiter started off pretty good, but he got overwhelmed. Plus it didn't help that we had a screaming kid at the next table. It echoes in their restaurants due to the high ceilings and just the fact that we were eating in the five o'clock range, which comes with the territory.
I filled out a survey. A few days later, the store manager calls. I didn't blame anyone for the problems. Plus I found out the ingredients to make the sauce had been recalled. Good to know. Shoot, stuff happens.
A couple of days later, I got two $10 coupons in the mail.
Case #2 On the Border (lunch date with hubster)
We knew we were in trouble when they stuck us in the black hole of tables. On the very edge of the serviced area and the waiter has to walk the farthest to get drinks or go to the kitchen. We'd been there before and service ALWAYS stunk. It was worse than normal.
Don't you just hate it when the waiter has the tea jug and fills the glasses at the next table, but then walks right by your table as you pleadingly hold your glass out to be filled? Yeah, Add to that cold food, tasty, but cold, poor handling of the bill--took FOREVER to flag her down to GET the bill, much less pay it. We usually pay by credit card, but it took so long for her to come back that we were scrounging in the seats for loose change so we wouldn't have to wait.
--on an aside, I timed how long it took OTB to clear a table near us--OVER 7 MINUTES!
I filled out their survey. I suggested they visit Ted's Cafe Escondido to see how to turn a table. Again, I timed it. On a busy Friday night, Ted's busboys turned a table in 15 seconds!
A few days later, I got a phone call. A couple days after that a $15 card.
Case #3 P. F. Changs (had family reservations, Friday during prom season)
Waitress was slow. Seemed she wasn't able to multi-task. We were okay with it. No place to go, so no problem.
She messes up the appetizer. We ordered Crab WonTons-excellent and nothing wrong with them, but then she comes to the table with Spring Rolls. Chang's ate the cost of the additional Spring Rolls. We get our dinner--delish, btw. And she had a 8-10 person table leaving (multiple tabs) a new four-top and us. We were forgotten. Did you know the waitstaff are expected to bus their own tables? Clearly this system wasn't working. Fifteen minutes later and she still hadn't gotten our ticket or cleared the other tables. Miss Thang from up front tried, but I think she was afraid she'd bust a nail. Our waitress struggled. Of course, I made her life miserable by needing my Mu Shu Pork boxed--Hey, I got three meals out of it!
I filled out the survey. One of the questions: Did the manager stop by your table?
Uh, no, he was too busy flirting with the pretty little things manning the front. And yes, I really did say that, because he was when we got there and when we left. I also suggested they pry open their wallets and spring for some busboys!
Doncha love the honesty of a middle-aged woman who doesn't give a $hit anymore!?
Cha-ching! A $40 gift card.
Case #4 McGills (fancy restaurant--date night--had $100 gift card)
The only reason that I'm including McGills is to point out that even fancy restaurants could use a dose of improvement. And no, I didn't fill out a survey, nor did anyone ask my opinion, but I feel the need to vent. And yes, I did order a bottle of wine.
1) spend some money to refinish your tables when the stain is worn off
2) yes, it looks exceedingly tacky that you have a 24 oz. cardboard container of sea salt on the table, and a 12-inch tall pepper grinder. Spend some money and make it a set.
3) for God's sake, order new menus! I expect salsa on my Mexican menus, don't like it, but it is what it is. This is supposed to be a NICE restaurant, act like one!
4) don't tape the vinyl seats--replace them!
5) dusting regularly would be a plus
6) use a little ingenuity with your menu. Yes, garlic mashed potatoes are passe.
We were going to go to the Cheesecake Factory and take a couple slices home with us, but one of hubster's biz contacts bought two desserts.
All told, I think we only had to pay $20 plus tip.
Case #5 Rib Crib (hubster out of town, early dinner with daughter)
Service-Okay
Atmosphere--smoky as hell. this particular restaurant has serious venting issues. we've complained, filled out surveys, etc. but obviously the franchise owner doesn't care.
Food--not good. The ribs were awesome, but the non-fried sides were NOT good. My daughter ordered corn on the cob. It was brown. Yes, brown. And the waitress actually served it to us. I sent it back. The baked potato wasn't a whole lot better to tell you the truth. Oh, I know they have to cook these things ahead, but the food items on the same day would be ideal.
Filled out survey. Do NOT expect to hear from them. Will boycott that particular restaurant in the future.
Case #6 Applebees (today, lunch, daughter off school, so hubster took both of us out)
Normally, we stay away from Applebees as the service ALWAYS STINKS. The kidlet loves it and we usually boycott her suggestions, though they have the BEST boneless hot wings. Today we went. Yeah...
We were seated and served our drinks and ordered the 2 for $20, which has an appetizer. The meal starts off well... but that's it. Five minutes later, the table behind us is seated. Parents ignoring child who hangs over seat. I watched. Hubster makes pointed comments, dude behind him ignores him. The mom isn't even tuned into her kid. Thirty minutes later the table behind us get served OUR BONELESS HOT WINGS! Try flagging waitress down.--she's in ignoring mode. Finally, comes over and confesses that another waitress served the wrong table. Manager arrives with order--we don't have to pay for it.
I cut apart my second wing--RAW. I stop eating. Show it to waitress. Manager comes over and our meal is free. We pay for kid's meal and drinks.
These cases have been in the last month and a half. What is going on?
And as always.
Write on!
Today's topic--restaurants.
I don't know what is going on, but it seems as if every time we go out to eat something goes wrong. And we eat out a lot. For years, there might be minor issues, but nothing major. I don't think I've become intolerant or anything, but I have noticed restaurants requesting customer feedback more often and I've provided it.
Or maybe my family is simply attracting the wrong mojo. And yes, I will be naming names.
Case #1 Red Robin (early dinner with the family on a Friday night)
Over the months, we had simply stopped eating there. I don't know why, but I'd guess it's the $9 burgers. But we decided to go there one Friday and I had my chops ready to dig into an A-1 Peppercorn burger.
--they didn't have it.
But it's on the menu again, I argued.
--sorry, we don't have the ingredients for the sauce, but we can still make the burger.
No, thanks. What's the point of it if you don't have the sauce?
--why don't you try our new Bleu Ribbon burger? It's half the price.
Sold.
I didn't like it. I left over half of it on my plate. And was glad that it was half price.
Our waiter started off pretty good, but he got overwhelmed. Plus it didn't help that we had a screaming kid at the next table. It echoes in their restaurants due to the high ceilings and just the fact that we were eating in the five o'clock range, which comes with the territory.
I filled out a survey. A few days later, the store manager calls. I didn't blame anyone for the problems. Plus I found out the ingredients to make the sauce had been recalled. Good to know. Shoot, stuff happens.
A couple of days later, I got two $10 coupons in the mail.
Case #2 On the Border (lunch date with hubster)
We knew we were in trouble when they stuck us in the black hole of tables. On the very edge of the serviced area and the waiter has to walk the farthest to get drinks or go to the kitchen. We'd been there before and service ALWAYS stunk. It was worse than normal.
Don't you just hate it when the waiter has the tea jug and fills the glasses at the next table, but then walks right by your table as you pleadingly hold your glass out to be filled? Yeah, Add to that cold food, tasty, but cold, poor handling of the bill--took FOREVER to flag her down to GET the bill, much less pay it. We usually pay by credit card, but it took so long for her to come back that we were scrounging in the seats for loose change so we wouldn't have to wait.
--on an aside, I timed how long it took OTB to clear a table near us--OVER 7 MINUTES!
I filled out their survey. I suggested they visit Ted's Cafe Escondido to see how to turn a table. Again, I timed it. On a busy Friday night, Ted's busboys turned a table in 15 seconds!
A few days later, I got a phone call. A couple days after that a $15 card.
Case #3 P. F. Changs (had family reservations, Friday during prom season)
Waitress was slow. Seemed she wasn't able to multi-task. We were okay with it. No place to go, so no problem.
She messes up the appetizer. We ordered Crab WonTons-excellent and nothing wrong with them, but then she comes to the table with Spring Rolls. Chang's ate the cost of the additional Spring Rolls. We get our dinner--delish, btw. And she had a 8-10 person table leaving (multiple tabs) a new four-top and us. We were forgotten. Did you know the waitstaff are expected to bus their own tables? Clearly this system wasn't working. Fifteen minutes later and she still hadn't gotten our ticket or cleared the other tables. Miss Thang from up front tried, but I think she was afraid she'd bust a nail. Our waitress struggled. Of course, I made her life miserable by needing my Mu Shu Pork boxed--Hey, I got three meals out of it!
I filled out the survey. One of the questions: Did the manager stop by your table?
Uh, no, he was too busy flirting with the pretty little things manning the front. And yes, I really did say that, because he was when we got there and when we left. I also suggested they pry open their wallets and spring for some busboys!
Doncha love the honesty of a middle-aged woman who doesn't give a $hit anymore!?
Cha-ching! A $40 gift card.
Case #4 McGills (fancy restaurant--date night--had $100 gift card)
The only reason that I'm including McGills is to point out that even fancy restaurants could use a dose of improvement. And no, I didn't fill out a survey, nor did anyone ask my opinion, but I feel the need to vent. And yes, I did order a bottle of wine.
1) spend some money to refinish your tables when the stain is worn off
2) yes, it looks exceedingly tacky that you have a 24 oz. cardboard container of sea salt on the table, and a 12-inch tall pepper grinder. Spend some money and make it a set.
3) for God's sake, order new menus! I expect salsa on my Mexican menus, don't like it, but it is what it is. This is supposed to be a NICE restaurant, act like one!
4) don't tape the vinyl seats--replace them!
5) dusting regularly would be a plus
6) use a little ingenuity with your menu. Yes, garlic mashed potatoes are passe.
We were going to go to the Cheesecake Factory and take a couple slices home with us, but one of hubster's biz contacts bought two desserts.
All told, I think we only had to pay $20 plus tip.
Case #5 Rib Crib (hubster out of town, early dinner with daughter)
Service-Okay
Atmosphere--smoky as hell. this particular restaurant has serious venting issues. we've complained, filled out surveys, etc. but obviously the franchise owner doesn't care.
Food--not good. The ribs were awesome, but the non-fried sides were NOT good. My daughter ordered corn on the cob. It was brown. Yes, brown. And the waitress actually served it to us. I sent it back. The baked potato wasn't a whole lot better to tell you the truth. Oh, I know they have to cook these things ahead, but the food items on the same day would be ideal.
Filled out survey. Do NOT expect to hear from them. Will boycott that particular restaurant in the future.
Case #6 Applebees (today, lunch, daughter off school, so hubster took both of us out)
Normally, we stay away from Applebees as the service ALWAYS STINKS. The kidlet loves it and we usually boycott her suggestions, though they have the BEST boneless hot wings. Today we went. Yeah...
We were seated and served our drinks and ordered the 2 for $20, which has an appetizer. The meal starts off well... but that's it. Five minutes later, the table behind us is seated. Parents ignoring child who hangs over seat. I watched. Hubster makes pointed comments, dude behind him ignores him. The mom isn't even tuned into her kid. Thirty minutes later the table behind us get served OUR BONELESS HOT WINGS! Try flagging waitress down.--she's in ignoring mode. Finally, comes over and confesses that another waitress served the wrong table. Manager arrives with order--we don't have to pay for it.
I cut apart my second wing--RAW. I stop eating. Show it to waitress. Manager comes over and our meal is free. We pay for kid's meal and drinks.
These cases have been in the last month and a half. What is going on?
And as always.
Write on!
5/13/10
New Puppy Pics!
Heeerrrrreeee's Maggie! Seven weeks old and only one more week before we pick her up!!!
5/12/10
Puking it out!
For Whom The Bell Trolls--23,190 words written as of 5/11/10. My goal is 50,000 words for a first draft on a middle grade story. In non-writer terms: Almost 1/2 the way through. :-) How did I do it? I sat my butt in the chair M-F and wrote roughly 3000 words a day. Writing sprints are awesome. 20 minutes writing, 10 minute break.
I have to admit thatpuking, er, powering through this manuscript is wonderful. I'm in the story. I'm feeling it. I usually figure out what happens next when I take a shower the next morning and then I write the scene(s). Well, that's on a good day. This last weekend, I was really stuck. Oh, BTW, I don't write on the weekend. I might write my blog, but not my manuscript. I need peace and quiet--something that will be in short supply starting May 25th, thus my powering through this manuscript.
Anyhoo, I realized that I was freaking stuck. I knew I needed to get an object to a certain place, BUT didn't have any motivation for my character to do it. Remember, GMC? Goal, Motivation, and Conflict? A character has to have the motivation to do something--usually something stupid--and all of a sudden I came up with the motivation.
AND the double blind-side. Hehehe *rubs hand in glee* Oh, I know I'll still have issues and problems to iron out, but I'm getting there.
My goal is to have a rough draft of #3 finished by the time school is out. Then I can edit two stories over the summer while the kidlet is home. Editing is so much easier to do when you have distractions to deal with. Who cares if you're in the middle of the scene when the kid has to tell you something so important, only for you to find out it's simply an early Christmas hype on a toy, or a movie that you already know is coming out next week, or there's a spider in her room. The scene is already written down, so no problem.
Don't get me wrong, Editing isn't easy for me, especially having to go through the same story NUMEROUS times! Boring.
That's all I got for today, Peeps. My brain juice is dun dried up for the night. But I'll rest, this will post and tomorrow, I'll . . .
Write on! At least, 3000 words.
I have to admit that
Anyhoo, I realized that I was freaking stuck. I knew I needed to get an object to a certain place, BUT didn't have any motivation for my character to do it. Remember, GMC? Goal, Motivation, and Conflict? A character has to have the motivation to do something--usually something stupid--and all of a sudden I came up with the motivation.
AND the double blind-side. Hehehe *rubs hand in glee* Oh, I know I'll still have issues and problems to iron out, but I'm getting there.
My goal is to have a rough draft of #3 finished by the time school is out. Then I can edit two stories over the summer while the kidlet is home. Editing is so much easier to do when you have distractions to deal with. Who cares if you're in the middle of the scene when the kid has to tell you something so important, only for you to find out it's simply an early Christmas hype on a toy, or a movie that you already know is coming out next week, or there's a spider in her room. The scene is already written down, so no problem.
Don't get me wrong, Editing isn't easy for me, especially having to go through the same story NUMEROUS times! Boring.
That's all I got for today, Peeps. My brain juice is dun dried up for the night. But I'll rest, this will post and tomorrow, I'll . . .
Write on! At least, 3000 words.
5/10/10
New Name, Old Format
Okay, I had planned to have a new blog and new addy, with a whole new look. But difficulties arose.
The voting was a horse race between GOBLIN GIBBERISH, A GNOME KNOWS, and the write-in GNOME DE PLUME. Numerous voters changed their votes (from which title your guess was as good as mine!) and I had numerous Facebook comments about the title instead of blog comments. So GNOME DE PLUME was chosen. Heck, it's my blog and I liked it the best, :-) plus my first middle grade story involves a gnome, Rory Leafhopper.
BUT I did change the header to the winning blog title. *see, see* though I was unable to change the address since the abandoned blog from 2004 was still in existance. AARRGGHH!
So what happened?
--I forgot it was Mother's Day weekend . . . AND I'M A MOM!
Saturday, we went to a premier-type showing of Iron Man 2--Loved it! Then we chainsawed down a tree--let me qualify that--my BIL chainsawed and my hubster helped, while I dragged limbs and stuff to the trailer. I did a little more garden clean up, but then we went to a tree nursery (Rutherford's in Catoosa) about 20 miles away. We buy all our trees from these guys. The trees are nicely priced and shaped well, plus they plant the trees AND guarantee them! Can't beat it. The problem was the county is doing some serious roadwork (one lane traffic, bumper-to-bumper for MILES) and shut the off ramps for the road we needed to turn on--drive one extra mile, turn around to drive one mile back and then exit from the opposite side of the road.
Gotta love progress!
Afterwards, we ate an early dinner and watched a stupid movie, Land of the Lost.
Sunday was a lazy day--well, lazy for me, since the hubster cleaned house--until we realized that we needed to get something for my MIL--oops. So we went shopping and visiting, and ate a late lunch--Ron's--the best greaseburgers in town! Add Spanish cheese fries (fried jalapenos and onions, with pepper jack cheese) and I was a heart attack waiting to happen! The hubster and kidlet are playing video games while I blog hop before I sit down to read.
Now before you think this was a lame Mother's day, it wasn't. We had date night on Friday night with dinner at McGills--a very nice restaurant. I had a Manhattan steak, medium rare, veg, and mashed potatoes, with a very nice Coppola Merlot. We planned to skip dessert and hit the Cheesecake Factory for some take home, but one of hubster's biz contacts bought us dessert, Key lime pie and French silk pie. Yum! Uh, we rolled out of there and watched Zombieland--funny as hell, though I think it helped that I had a buzz going. Rule #4 *double tap!*
And no, the kidlet was on an overnight so we didn't even have to spring for a sitter!
Hubster was planning to make Chicken piccata for din-din Sunday night, but I think we'll put it off until Monday night. If I ate anything else, I'd probably blow.
Hm, methinks I need to add exercise to my daily writing. I'll start tomorrow after I get my 3000 words in. Until later . . .
Write on!
The voting was a horse race between GOBLIN GIBBERISH, A GNOME KNOWS, and the write-in GNOME DE PLUME. Numerous voters changed their votes (from which title your guess was as good as mine!) and I had numerous Facebook comments about the title instead of blog comments. So GNOME DE PLUME was chosen. Heck, it's my blog and I liked it the best, :-) plus my first middle grade story involves a gnome, Rory Leafhopper.
BUT I did change the header to the winning blog title. *see, see* though I was unable to change the address since the abandoned blog from 2004 was still in existance. AARRGGHH!
So what happened?
--I forgot it was Mother's Day weekend . . . AND I'M A MOM!
Saturday, we went to a premier-type showing of Iron Man 2--Loved it! Then we chainsawed down a tree--let me qualify that--my BIL chainsawed and my hubster helped, while I dragged limbs and stuff to the trailer. I did a little more garden clean up, but then we went to a tree nursery (Rutherford's in Catoosa) about 20 miles away. We buy all our trees from these guys. The trees are nicely priced and shaped well, plus they plant the trees AND guarantee them! Can't beat it. The problem was the county is doing some serious roadwork (one lane traffic, bumper-to-bumper for MILES) and shut the off ramps for the road we needed to turn on--drive one extra mile, turn around to drive one mile back and then exit from the opposite side of the road.
Gotta love progress!
Afterwards, we ate an early dinner and watched a stupid movie, Land of the Lost.
Sunday was a lazy day--well, lazy for me, since the hubster cleaned house--until we realized that we needed to get something for my MIL--oops. So we went shopping and visiting, and ate a late lunch--Ron's--the best greaseburgers in town! Add Spanish cheese fries (fried jalapenos and onions, with pepper jack cheese) and I was a heart attack waiting to happen! The hubster and kidlet are playing video games while I blog hop before I sit down to read.
Now before you think this was a lame Mother's day, it wasn't. We had date night on Friday night with dinner at McGills--a very nice restaurant. I had a Manhattan steak, medium rare, veg, and mashed potatoes, with a very nice Coppola Merlot. We planned to skip dessert and hit the Cheesecake Factory for some take home, but one of hubster's biz contacts bought us dessert, Key lime pie and French silk pie. Yum! Uh, we rolled out of there and watched Zombieland--funny as hell, though I think it helped that I had a buzz going. Rule #4 *double tap!*
And no, the kidlet was on an overnight so we didn't even have to spring for a sitter!
Hubster was planning to make Chicken piccata for din-din Sunday night, but I think we'll put it off until Monday night. If I ate anything else, I'd probably blow.
Hm, methinks I need to add exercise to my daily writing. I'll start tomorrow after I get my 3000 words in. Until later . . .
Write on!
5/7/10
Honesty, thy name is kidlet.
Votes are being tabulated. Stop by Monday to see the winning blog title!
Kids are disgustingly honest. They don't understand the concept of the 'little white lie'.
And my kidlet (9) is no exception to the rule.
The other day she brought home a book and said, "Mom, you've got to read this book. It is sooo funny!" The book was called FALLING IN by Francis O'Roark Dowell. I glanced inside it, but didn't really get much further than that. It was a school library book and she turned it in the next day.
Anyhoo, I had to ask, "So was it as funny as my stories?" She'd read LOST LEPRECHAUN LOOT the serial blog story I had written for St. Paddy's day.
"Mom, your stories aren't funny."
Ouch. That hurt. After I yanked the knife from my heart. Blood gushed all over the place because the worst thing you can do with a penetrating object is to remove it. :-) But not only that, I realized that I had just failed with my targeted audience. Even at this age, their opinion of writing is subjective. Some will like certain styles, some will not.
Lesson learned. Never ask your kid whether your stuff is funnier than a published authors. But I will always treasure her comment after she did read LLL. "Mom, I forgot that you wrote this."
As of this posting, I've written 13,622 words since May 1 on book #3 in the series. A series that I don't seem to have a hope of ever selling. *shrugs* Oh, well, I'm enjoying writing it.
Write on!
Kids are disgustingly honest. They don't understand the concept of the 'little white lie'.
And my kidlet (9) is no exception to the rule.
The other day she brought home a book and said, "Mom, you've got to read this book. It is sooo funny!" The book was called FALLING IN by Francis O'Roark Dowell. I glanced inside it, but didn't really get much further than that. It was a school library book and she turned it in the next day.
Anyhoo, I had to ask, "So was it as funny as my stories?" She'd read LOST LEPRECHAUN LOOT the serial blog story I had written for St. Paddy's day.
"Mom, your stories aren't funny."
Ouch. That hurt. After I yanked the knife from my heart. Blood gushed all over the place because the worst thing you can do with a penetrating object is to remove it. :-) But not only that, I realized that I had just failed with my targeted audience. Even at this age, their opinion of writing is subjective. Some will like certain styles, some will not.
Lesson learned. Never ask your kid whether your stuff is funnier than a published authors. But I will always treasure her comment after she did read LLL. "Mom, I forgot that you wrote this."
As of this posting, I've written 13,622 words since May 1 on book #3 in the series. A series that I don't seem to have a hope of ever selling. *shrugs* Oh, well, I'm enjoying writing it.
Write on!
5/5/10
Title + Logline = Story
Still time to vote! Three days left, and we have two front-runners: A Gnome Knows (in honor of my first MG story, To Gnome Me is To Love Me)and Goblin Gibberish, BUT I had a write-in title: Gnome de Plume (which I love BTW)
Onward to today's blog . . .
If you've been following my blog, you will know that I finished book #2 in my middle grade series, THE FAST AND THE FAERIEOUS. YAY!! And I had every intention of letting it rest for a week or two before diving into editing this rough draft.
BUT--I started book #3 in the series, FOR WHOM THE BELL TROLLS.
Why?
1) my writing group has a sub group called, Tour de Force, which hosts mini-NaNo's throughout the year. And May 1 started the second one of the year. All I need to do is write 50K, or in the case of middle grade novels, finish the story.
--And I'll never be able to compete in the real NaNo as November is too busy for me to spend that much time writing.
2) School lets out on May 24th. Though the kidlet will be doing a few camps over the summer, I know I won't have concentrated time to write without interruptions.
3) I can edit TWO stories over the summer. For me, editing is easier especially when I know there will be numerous interruptions.
And in case you're wondering, I've written 7027 words between May 1-4. Not too shabby, considering I won't be writing on weekends, though I did write 1500 words this last Saturday and Sunday.
Oh, and I don't have anything to go with this story, except a title and a twenty-two word logline.
So this should be interesting to see how this story turns out!
Later, peeps!
Write on!
Onward to today's blog . . .
If you've been following my blog, you will know that I finished book #2 in my middle grade series, THE FAST AND THE FAERIEOUS. YAY!! And I had every intention of letting it rest for a week or two before diving into editing this rough draft.
BUT--I started book #3 in the series, FOR WHOM THE BELL TROLLS.
Why?
1) my writing group has a sub group called, Tour de Force, which hosts mini-NaNo's throughout the year. And May 1 started the second one of the year. All I need to do is write 50K, or in the case of middle grade novels, finish the story.
--And I'll never be able to compete in the real NaNo as November is too busy for me to spend that much time writing.
2) School lets out on May 24th. Though the kidlet will be doing a few camps over the summer, I know I won't have concentrated time to write without interruptions.
3) I can edit TWO stories over the summer. For me, editing is easier especially when I know there will be numerous interruptions.
And in case you're wondering, I've written 7027 words between May 1-4. Not too shabby, considering I won't be writing on weekends, though I did write 1500 words this last Saturday and Sunday.
Oh, and I don't have anything to go with this story, except a title and a twenty-two word logline.
So this should be interesting to see how this story turns out!
Later, peeps!
Write on!
5/3/10
VOTE for New Blog Name!
When I started this blog I was writing romance, but enjoyed the fantasy aspect of the equation, thus the FANTASY part of the story. The CRAP SHOOT has to do with the business, as in getting published is a total crap shoot. It all depends on a good story, luck, perseverance, and having the roll of the dice fall on the right number at the right time. Oh, and I suck at playing CRAPS--blackjack is more my game . . . or poker (when I'm playing with virtual money).
I'm not married to the title of my blog, never had been, as I came up with it at the spur of the moment and it's outlived it's usefulness.
Fast forward a year. I've found a new genre to write: Middle Grade.
I'm happy with this genre, even if I don't sell a story, as it fits my juvenile mindset and writing voice. So, I need a new header. And yes, I'm well aware middle graders won't read my blog, but their parents might.
To that end, I've set up a poll with a number of titles. And yes, my hubster came up with one of them and informs me that he will skew the voting--SO PLEASE VOTE FOR THE ONE YOU LIKE THE BEST.
--uh, my hubster came up with one of the names--guess which one!--and has vowed to skew the results. Please don't let that happen. . .
And if you don't like the selection, add your own in the comment section of this blog. Feel free to use any form of: rambling, blather, chatter, jabberwocky, gibber-jabber, hot air, etc.
And though I just finished #2 book in a series, I've started #3 as a writing challenge to see if I can write 50,000 words in the month of May! If I can figure out how to make one of those counting gadgets work, I'll keep it updated!
Write on!
I'm not married to the title of my blog, never had been, as I came up with it at the spur of the moment and it's outlived it's usefulness.
Fast forward a year. I've found a new genre to write: Middle Grade.
I'm happy with this genre, even if I don't sell a story, as it fits my juvenile mindset and writing voice. So, I need a new header. And yes, I'm well aware middle graders won't read my blog, but their parents might.
To that end, I've set up a poll with a number of titles. And yes, my hubster came up with one of them and informs me that he will skew the voting--SO PLEASE VOTE FOR THE ONE YOU LIKE THE BEST.
--uh, my hubster came up with one of the names--guess which one!--and has vowed to skew the results. Please don't let that happen. . .
And if you don't like the selection, add your own in the comment section of this blog. Feel free to use any form of: rambling, blather, chatter, jabberwocky, gibber-jabber, hot air, etc.
And though I just finished #2 book in a series, I've started #3 as a writing challenge to see if I can write 50,000 words in the month of May! If I can figure out how to make one of those counting gadgets work, I'll keep it updated!
Write on!
4/30/10
Pet Peeve-Snide comments or Does Length Matter?
Okay, I have to admit that I'm usually one to make snide comments. And I'll also confess that I usually don't do it to your face. Most of the time they stay in my head.
I said, most of the time, but every now and again something slips out and gets taken wrong way. As writers, our job is the written word, but that doesn't mean we are infallible--why do you think we write so many drafts?
Well, this time I DIDN'T make the snide comment. I was the recipient. And to be truthful, I doubt if this person realized she made an untoward remark as it was written in a blithe hand as a FB comment. And remember, the written word is just as powerful as the spoken one, which means we don't always think before we write or read our comments before we click send.
Here's the sitch:
A writerly friend who writes inspirational romance announced a book release. It wasn't her first, but I think it is somewhere around the tenth, and I congratulated her on her new release. It had been awhile since we touched base and she inquired about my writing. I told her that I switched from writing romance to writing middle grade, and that I thought I'd found my niche.
Her comment (yes, I searched FB archives to find the quote): ..."Great. And to (the) books are shorter."
My mental response: HUH?? (Uh, I didn't respond. YAY, me!) Trust me, I have no problem writing a 100,000 word book--ask anyone from my old romance crit group. Okay, much of it was dreck, but still . . .
1) MG books are NOT necessarily shorter. There are bunches of MG novels that are 60,000 words and above. And anyone who has read any of the Harry Potter books knows those suckers are LONG.
2) quality of the story does NOT depend on length--Many of Harlequin romance category lines have been shortened dramatically, to 50-60 K words--does this mean that they aren't as good? How about Dr. Seuss? Or any number of stories written for young people. There are quality books out there varying in length from 100 words to 100,000 words.
3) Shorter books have to work harder to show character arc, plot, dialogue, etc. with a finite amount of verbage--just ask anyone who has been writing 75K word category novels only to have to cut 20K from them due to the changes in the line.
--Marilyn, feel free to add your two cents to this. I know you had to do a lot of cutting and condensing to fit HQ's new criteria.
Yes, I will admit I was offended. She judged me and my genre choice with those poorly chosen words. And I will also admit that I don't think as highly of her as I had in the past. All because of a few mis-written words.
So think before you write. And don't criticize or denigrate someone else's choice of genre until you try to write it yourself.
I think I learned my lesson.
Until next Monday . . .
Write on!
3)
I said, most of the time, but every now and again something slips out and gets taken wrong way. As writers, our job is the written word, but that doesn't mean we are infallible--why do you think we write so many drafts?
Well, this time I DIDN'T make the snide comment. I was the recipient. And to be truthful, I doubt if this person realized she made an untoward remark as it was written in a blithe hand as a FB comment. And remember, the written word is just as powerful as the spoken one, which means we don't always think before we write or read our comments before we click send.
Here's the sitch:
A writerly friend who writes inspirational romance announced a book release. It wasn't her first, but I think it is somewhere around the tenth, and I congratulated her on her new release. It had been awhile since we touched base and she inquired about my writing. I told her that I switched from writing romance to writing middle grade, and that I thought I'd found my niche.
Her comment (yes, I searched FB archives to find the quote): ..."Great. And to (the) books are shorter."
My mental response: HUH?? (Uh, I didn't respond. YAY, me!) Trust me, I have no problem writing a 100,000 word book--ask anyone from my old romance crit group. Okay, much of it was dreck, but still . . .
1) MG books are NOT necessarily shorter. There are bunches of MG novels that are 60,000 words and above. And anyone who has read any of the Harry Potter books knows those suckers are LONG.
2) quality of the story does NOT depend on length--Many of Harlequin romance category lines have been shortened dramatically, to 50-60 K words--does this mean that they aren't as good? How about Dr. Seuss? Or any number of stories written for young people. There are quality books out there varying in length from 100 words to 100,000 words.
3) Shorter books have to work harder to show character arc, plot, dialogue, etc. with a finite amount of verbage--just ask anyone who has been writing 75K word category novels only to have to cut 20K from them due to the changes in the line.
--Marilyn, feel free to add your two cents to this. I know you had to do a lot of cutting and condensing to fit HQ's new criteria.
Yes, I will admit I was offended. She judged me and my genre choice with those poorly chosen words. And I will also admit that I don't think as highly of her as I had in the past. All because of a few mis-written words.
So think before you write. And don't criticize or denigrate someone else's choice of genre until you try to write it yourself.
I think I learned my lesson.
Until next Monday . . .
Write on!
3)
4/29/10
I'm FINISHED!!
Yesterday, I wrote 3811 words and COMPLETED MY STORY!! The first draft clocked in at 49,105 words, smack dab in the middle of the word count range for Middle Grade (40-60 K). At this point it is a totally ugly baby with notes written all over it. I think I have my work cut out for me to make it pretty.
The first draft of The Fast and The FAERIEous might be finished, but the work is far from ready. I'm letting it rest for a week while I try to plot out book #3 in this series, plus I'm going to look at the last 100 pages of Gnome one more time. I have a title for book #3, FOR WHOM THE BELL TROLLS, but nothing else.
My online goals group is holding a Tour de Force challenge, which is basically a NaNo in May. The challenge is to write 50K during the month--its doable. School is almost out and I won't have the freedom to write whenever I'd like during the day over the summer. So if I can have TWO rough draft manuscripts to work on, then I can sporadically work on revisions, write synopses and queries, over the summer.
Until tomorrow, I don't intend to . . .
Write on! :-)
The first draft of The Fast and The FAERIEous might be finished, but the work is far from ready. I'm letting it rest for a week while I try to plot out book #3 in this series, plus I'm going to look at the last 100 pages of Gnome one more time. I have a title for book #3, FOR WHOM THE BELL TROLLS, but nothing else.
My online goals group is holding a Tour de Force challenge, which is basically a NaNo in May. The challenge is to write 50K during the month--its doable. School is almost out and I won't have the freedom to write whenever I'd like during the day over the summer. So if I can have TWO rough draft manuscripts to work on, then I can sporadically work on revisions, write synopses and queries, over the summer.
Until tomorrow, I don't intend to . . .
Write on! :-)
4/28/10
The Road Keeps You Moving Along
We buried Katie last Thursday.
We had her cremated so she was returned to us as a cupful of ashes in a plastic box, placed in a velvet bag. Hubster wanted to sprinkle her ashes in the ground, but practical me thought the pH might make the soil too alkaline. She's in a beautiful garden bed. A lavender crepe myrtle tree stretches fifteen feet in the air, shading her with it's magnificent blooms in August. Two rose bushes reside on either side, one of them, a Garden Carpet shrub rose, will guard her fiercely with its vicious attack thorns, while the other, a mini called Moonlight Scentsation, will bath her in its sweet fragrance, a deep rose peony bush hovers over her along with Batik iris, and during the heat of the summer day lilies will bloom. Everytime I look out the window adjacent to my writing desk I will see her.
She will always reside in my heart.
No one will ever replace her because she was as unique as she could be. Hubster and Kidlet are making plans for a copper cross they will make to grace her grave. She will be remembered.
But to live in the past, the 'what if's', and second guessing our choices will only lead to more heartache. And it isn't anyway to live your life. We are moving forward with our lives. I know some people wonder at our seemingly sudden decision, but we are filling the hole in our heart the only way we know how . . . we are waiting for a new puppy.
Her name is Maggie.
I'm almost finished with THE FAST AND THE FAERIEOUS, so until later . . . Write On!
4/26/10
What do you want to see here?
I forgot to write my post. Oops, sorry. I was busy this weekend: cooking, cleaning, gardening, plant shopping (I suppose that goes before gardening), laundry, AND I actually wrote on Friday night and Saturday getting about 2500 words for those days. YAY!
On an aside:
I know I don't have many followers, but to those who do read my blog I will ask this question, What do you want to read about?
Are there topics not addressed that you would like to see?
Writing, home life, how to get grass stains out of your kid's shorts?
Do you really care?
Sometimes I got nuthin'. I'm struggling for topics, be it the weather, writing-related stuff, or windsong . . . it stays on your mind, ya know. :-)
If there is something near and dear to your heart and you want this humble person's opinion, comment. If not, then y'all will be stuck with my ramblings.
My only request--keep it clean. I don't want to write or post pictures of hunky guys (enough authors do that ad nauseum)--it was fun at the beginning of my blog hopping, but it's so passe now.
Now, I have a story to finish, so I'll just . . .
Write on!
On an aside:
I know I don't have many followers, but to those who do read my blog I will ask this question, What do you want to read about?
Are there topics not addressed that you would like to see?
Writing, home life, how to get grass stains out of your kid's shorts?
Do you really care?
Sometimes I got nuthin'. I'm struggling for topics, be it the weather, writing-related stuff, or windsong . . . it stays on your mind, ya know. :-)
If there is something near and dear to your heart and you want this humble person's opinion, comment. If not, then y'all will be stuck with my ramblings.
My only request--keep it clean. I don't want to write or post pictures of hunky guys (enough authors do that ad nauseum)--it was fun at the beginning of my blog hopping, but it's so passe now.
Now, I have a story to finish, so I'll just . . .
Write on!
4/23/10
Pet Peeve--ME
I had hoped to say that I FINISHED WRITING MY STORY!
But, I can't. :-(
I started off the week really, really well by writing 2000 words on Monday. I finished up last week with just over 10,000 words and thought, 'Kewl, I can finish this puppy!'
My Monday was good, but when I came home from running errands on Tuesday I had an unexpected email--a request for Gnome. Now, don't get all excited on me, it was only a partial request (synopsis and 30 pages), including query letter. I had filled out an online form at this one agency (even forgetting when I actually filled it out since I stopped keeping records) and was expecting a NO answer. Remember, 99.2% of my stuff gets rejected. I'm used to it.
And, of course, I can NOT send something out without going over it again.
And it was a good thing I did. It wasn't big stuff, but a lot of little stuff can trip you up. And this was how I spent the rest of the day Tuesday. All three parts were shiny and pretty--with each section having it's very own personalized header (something I just learned to do), and with a pat on it's head, I pressed send.
Wednesday was my day to write up everyone's recap in my goals group for the last week. I actually love writing the recap--I can get very wacky and totally enjoyed it, plus I wrote recaps for five people who didn't even post theirs. Here's an example:
Recapper is a little later than anticipated as she was harvesting her virtual farm and had to field a question from a friend who offered her some real manure for her virtual farm. Recapper had to politely refuse due to the fact she was busy slinging enough shit around without those road apples getting in the way.
Recapper belatedly realized that threatening various non-recapping or late reporting members would result in more work for herself. Recapper is NOT known for her rapier synapses this week—she blames the pollen. We have legit recaps mixed in with the invented ones.
Challenge of the Day: Figure out which ones are fake!
Onward to the ‘real’ recap:
MARGARET had an outstanding week by writing 10026 words! Wowzers! Recapper is amazed at her tenacity to get over the 10K mark! Alas, she doubts if she will be able to do as well this week due to an unforeseen circumstance. Recapper discovers the reason for an impressive word count—she blew off working out AND gardening! She does plan to finish FF this week if it kills her or her family. Keep checking the obits and be ready to dial 911.
It was fun. I wrote stuff for 28 recaps, all personalize--none of this stinkin' cutting and pasting for me! No way! But 3250 words later, I had nuthin' left for my story.
On Thursday, I woke up early with the last plot point of my story figured out. I jotted it down and by the time I was able to write, I got nuthin'. I thought "Hmm, maybe I should finish looking Gnome over. Yanno, just in case the agent requests the full." I pull it up. I got nuthin'. I look outside and decide to do some gardening.
Now, I'll be the first to admit that I'm not in my prime anymore, but I'm not totally over the hill--that's when I turn fifty in a little over a year. :-) but my back can't handle too much of the bending, yanking, and digging that goes on with gardening, at least for very long stints of time. I came inside when I heard Aleve calling my name.
I have just under two hours before I have to pick the kidlet up from school. So what do I do? Do I edit Gnome or work on Faerie? No, I write tomorrow's blog.
Hopefully, on Friday I'll be able to . . .
Write On!
But, I can't. :-(
I started off the week really, really well by writing 2000 words on Monday. I finished up last week with just over 10,000 words and thought, 'Kewl, I can finish this puppy!'
My Monday was good, but when I came home from running errands on Tuesday I had an unexpected email--a request for Gnome. Now, don't get all excited on me, it was only a partial request (synopsis and 30 pages), including query letter. I had filled out an online form at this one agency (even forgetting when I actually filled it out since I stopped keeping records) and was expecting a NO answer. Remember, 99.2% of my stuff gets rejected. I'm used to it.
And, of course, I can NOT send something out without going over it again.
And it was a good thing I did. It wasn't big stuff, but a lot of little stuff can trip you up. And this was how I spent the rest of the day Tuesday. All three parts were shiny and pretty--with each section having it's very own personalized header (something I just learned to do), and with a pat on it's head, I pressed send.
Wednesday was my day to write up everyone's recap in my goals group for the last week. I actually love writing the recap--I can get very wacky and totally enjoyed it, plus I wrote recaps for five people who didn't even post theirs. Here's an example:
Recapper is a little later than anticipated as she was harvesting her virtual farm and had to field a question from a friend who offered her some real manure for her virtual farm. Recapper had to politely refuse due to the fact she was busy slinging enough shit around without those road apples getting in the way.
Recapper belatedly realized that threatening various non-recapping or late reporting members would result in more work for herself. Recapper is NOT known for her rapier synapses this week—she blames the pollen. We have legit recaps mixed in with the invented ones.
Challenge of the Day: Figure out which ones are fake!
Onward to the ‘real’ recap:
MARGARET had an outstanding week by writing 10026 words! Wowzers! Recapper is amazed at her tenacity to get over the 10K mark! Alas, she doubts if she will be able to do as well this week due to an unforeseen circumstance. Recapper discovers the reason for an impressive word count—she blew off working out AND gardening! She does plan to finish FF this week if it kills her or her family. Keep checking the obits and be ready to dial 911.
It was fun. I wrote stuff for 28 recaps, all personalize--none of this stinkin' cutting and pasting for me! No way! But 3250 words later, I had nuthin' left for my story.
On Thursday, I woke up early with the last plot point of my story figured out. I jotted it down and by the time I was able to write, I got nuthin'. I thought "Hmm, maybe I should finish looking Gnome over. Yanno, just in case the agent requests the full." I pull it up. I got nuthin'. I look outside and decide to do some gardening.
Now, I'll be the first to admit that I'm not in my prime anymore, but I'm not totally over the hill--that's when I turn fifty in a little over a year. :-) but my back can't handle too much of the bending, yanking, and digging that goes on with gardening, at least for very long stints of time. I came inside when I heard Aleve calling my name.
I have just under two hours before I have to pick the kidlet up from school. So what do I do? Do I edit Gnome or work on Faerie? No, I write tomorrow's blog.
Hopefully, on Friday I'll be able to . . .
Write On!
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