I love going through the blog posts of the previous year and re-read the comments and the posts. This years best blog posts - having the most comments - are the following.
Kurt, you took reigning top spot again this year. LOL!!
My First Valentine Kurt
The Double Agent Life Frankie
Ain't Love Grand Guest Blogger Dawne Domenique
When they Make the Movie Jay
Choosing a Publisher Tamara
You Know You're a Writer When... Frankie
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Finding Christmas Spirit
Or at least that's what I've heard from the stories that were passed down through the generations. It makes a lot of sense, you know. Decorating the trees in their yards to provide some brightness during dark days. Sharing gifts to remind people that they mattered.
Doesn't that just sound...right?
Why is it that the tree and all the decorations have to be perfect? Why does the mashed potatoes have to be absolutely perfect with no lumps or else they're "not worth serving"? *chuckles* What is up with all the hassle and stress of being "perfect" when it would be if we all just relaxed and concentrated on what was really important?
So, I'm here to remind you that on Christmas, Hanukkah, Eid ul-Fitr, Kwanzaa or Yule, please remember that if you're with the people you love, or the friends you adore (even if you want to throttle them more than half the time), please remember to relax and enjoy the moment.
- Let the moment still around you as everyone gathers around your over-cooked turkey and be happy.
- Make sure that those around you are okay.
- Take the time to wish bright blessings on a perfect stranger.
- Help someone out who really needs it.
- Make sure that your proverbial hearthfire is still burning and that your neighbor's is as well.
- And stop stressing! Perfection is found in the IMperfection all around you everyday.
Brightest Blessings, everyone,
and have a happy New Year.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
What Kat Wants to Be
Hi! When I heard what topic we were going to be discussing, I got totally excited and told Frankie I HAD to share. I HAD to! Had to, had to, HAAAAD to!
I want to be sooooo many different things!
I want to be a fire fighter because you can go around and save people.
And fire's pretty neat, you know. Well, except for all the burning and stuff and that's kinda bad, but not too bad because it's still pretty and you do realize that the Earth needs fire to clean out all the dead stuff, especially in the forests *nods* so that the new stuff can grow in.
Can you imagine if adults didn't die? Us kids wouldn't have a place to grow. That would just be not good. You know?
BUT! Fire is also really, really, REALLY hot. And you'd be going into buildings that are about to fall down on you.
*scared shrug* I doooon't knooooow. I think that might bad!
AND look at their outfits! *shakes head incredulously* Those boots? I've tried wearing MOM's boots, and that's bad enough! They're HUGE!
*thinking face*
Hmmm...I also want to be a ballerina. *girlie smile*
They're so pretty! And graceful! And I look awesome in a tutu! I do! I do!
But I can't stand on my toes! *sad face* I've tried. And all those ballerina stretches and exercises? They HURT! And have you seen ballerinas? They're really skinny! And I'm NOT!
I'm not fat. I'm just not skinny. Mom says I'm just right and I like that. She also says I'm due for another growth spurt, so that means I'm going to be very tall because I'm already really super gargantuanly tall.
And ballerinas should be small, skinny, weigh nothing and NOT be tall.
*pouty face*
But I look so PRETTY in a tutu!
So that leaves my LAST thing (for reals) that I want to be (seriously).
A CUPCAKE BAKER!
*definitive nod* YES! I'm going to be a cupcake baker.
And I'm pretty good at it too. Cupcakes are pretty and they're easy and they're fun and it's neat to come up with all different kinds of concoctions.
*shakes head and mutters* But that mustard carrot cake cupcake was NOT good. No, it wasn't. Don't EVER make that one again. BLECK!
*evil giggle* Yup, yup, yup! That's what I want to be when I grow up!
Now if I could just HURRY UP and GROW UP! *frustrated screech* Seriously!
I want to be sooooo many different things!
I want to be a fire fighter because you can go around and save people. And fire's pretty neat, you know. Well, except for all the burning and stuff and that's kinda bad, but not too bad because it's still pretty and you do realize that the Earth needs fire to clean out all the dead stuff, especially in the forests *nods* so that the new stuff can grow in.
Can you imagine if adults didn't die? Us kids wouldn't have a place to grow. That would just be not good. You know?
BUT! Fire is also really, really, REALLY hot. And you'd be going into buildings that are about to fall down on you.
*scared shrug* I doooon't knooooow. I think that might bad!
AND look at their outfits! *shakes head incredulously* Those boots? I've tried wearing MOM's boots, and that's bad enough! They're HUGE!
*thinking face*
They're so pretty! And graceful! And I look awesome in a tutu! I do! I do!
But I can't stand on my toes! *sad face* I've tried. And all those ballerina stretches and exercises? They HURT! And have you seen ballerinas? They're really skinny! And I'm NOT!
I'm not fat. I'm just not skinny. Mom says I'm just right and I like that. She also says I'm due for another growth spurt, so that means I'm going to be very tall because I'm already really super gargantuanly tall.
And ballerinas should be small, skinny, weigh nothing and NOT be tall.
*pouty face*
But I look so PRETTY in a tutu!
A CUPCAKE BAKER!
*definitive nod* YES! I'm going to be a cupcake baker.
And I'm pretty good at it too. Cupcakes are pretty and they're easy and they're fun and it's neat to come up with all different kinds of concoctions.
*shakes head and mutters* But that mustard carrot cake cupcake was NOT good. No, it wasn't. Don't EVER make that one again. BLECK!
*evil giggle* Yup, yup, yup! That's what I want to be when I grow up!
Now if I could just HURRY UP and GROW UP! *frustrated screech* Seriously!
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Character Dynamics - A View Inside Frankie's Head
As some of you know, after reading my Group Therapies and my post(soon to be plural) on the Character Cafe, I have some pretty interesting dynamics with my characters. In talking to a lot of my fellow writers, most people see their characters in their story, but rarely do they see them outside that story.
So, I'm going to let you see what's inside my head a little. Walk with me.
Inside the head of Frankie are hallways and caverns, but when you enter into one of the many doors, you'll find huge gigantic room after huge gigantic room. In one room down the hall, there's a solar system and in another we're watching a galaxy grow.
I have one room where I'm developing technology using different theories and different versions of the same theory to understand the growth of certain technologies.
I have one room for each world I've built.
But I spend a lot of time in this room right here. *opens door* Here, as you can see, it's kind of like a VERY large, virtual sound stage. We can pull up Alma's kitchen *Alma's kitchen is pulled into view* and you can see Alma trying to keep all of her grandkids, minus Leah and Mandy who are in school, in line as she prepares lunch.
Scroll over and you can see Leslie enjoying an afternoon of shopping without the kids. (I have a feeling she's spending more than she should. No, Les, please put down that horrible sweater. No. Seriously? You're going to BUY that thing? *shakes head* No. I don't think Paige will EVER be caught dead wearing it.)
Moving on, *scroll, scroll, scroll* You'll see Dexx is at a crime scene with Jack. The body has been carried away by coroner (thankfully. I hate tripping onto a scene when the body is still there, especially on this case. It's really GROSS!), and they're canvassing, looking for something they might have missed earlier.
*scroll, scroll, scroll* And here's Paige doing paperwork on her comput--whoops, nope. She's checking her Amazon account. *Paige shreaks and pushes me out of her office*
Now, if we back out a bit, scroll to the north a bit, there's where Ri and Kat are in Montana. Zooming in *zoom* we see that Ri and Bren are talking more than they are sculpting in art and *scroll* Kat appears to be drooling on her homework. *Kat startles awake and glares at me*
Cierra and Quinn seem to be outside of this room, so that means they're on the other world right now. In order to get there, I built a door that adjoins both worlds (they world hop a lot). However, I can tell by the *clears throat* feelings I'm getting from them right now, that I should just leave well enough alone. Sometimes two adults simply need some privacy.
*grins*
Now, for the most part, my characters stay in their own towns and with their own people. However, Kat and Dexx are BESTEST of BEST friends (did you hear Kat there?) and Paige and Cierra and Leslie like to have coffee and talk about kids and baking. Believe it or not, Paige is trying to learn how to bake. It's not going well. I'm murdering the guitar and she's murdering the cookies. Bad, bad, bad.
So I've created a backdoor into my virtual apartment where any of my character from any of my books may enter and we can chit chat.
I will tell you that we usually do NOT talk about the book, or the plot because half the time, they've already lived through it. I might need to ask them for their view of a particular scene because I was watching it through the eyes of someone else, but that's about it.
I'm also learning how to bake, so sometimes I'll have Leslie and Alma over while we discuss what makes a cookie soft. Alma has stolen @bettyviolablue's pie crust recipe and is claiming ownership, but since it's in a world of pretend that resides solely in my head, I'm giving that one to her. As long as everyone else knows that @bettyviolablue is the Queen of Pies in the real world, it's all good.
Kat is trying to learn the guitar, so I'm trying to teach myself so that I can help her out. So far, that's not going well, but Kat likes to make fun me while I'm slaughtering the poor guitar.
Ri is re-teaching me to play the piano. It also helps that I've got the kiddie books that's re-introducing the notes to me too.
I'm teaching Leah how to crochet.
Mandy is trying to teach me how to burn down my apartment...because I need that? I don't know.
Bobby barfed all over my new shoes. Thank goodness it was virtual barf. They're BRAND new shoes.
It's a party inside my head/apartment and we RARELY discuss the book.
Now, periodically, things that happen in my apartment will make it into a scene, or at least the gist of what happened does. Like, Bobby barfing in my brand new shoes? Yes, that's going to be a scene in Death and it's going to be Paige's new shoes. I just need her to discover the sexier side of being female. It CAN be fun.
So....that's what's it's like inside the head of Frankie. *cheesy grin* Hope you enjoyed!
So, I'm going to let you see what's inside my head a little. Walk with me.
Inside the head of Frankie are hallways and caverns, but when you enter into one of the many doors, you'll find huge gigantic room after huge gigantic room. In one room down the hall, there's a solar system and in another we're watching a galaxy grow.
I have one room where I'm developing technology using different theories and different versions of the same theory to understand the growth of certain technologies.
I have one room for each world I've built.
But I spend a lot of time in this room right here. *opens door* Here, as you can see, it's kind of like a VERY large, virtual sound stage. We can pull up Alma's kitchen *Alma's kitchen is pulled into view* and you can see Alma trying to keep all of her grandkids, minus Leah and Mandy who are in school, in line as she prepares lunch.
Scroll over and you can see Leslie enjoying an afternoon of shopping without the kids. (I have a feeling she's spending more than she should. No, Les, please put down that horrible sweater. No. Seriously? You're going to BUY that thing? *shakes head* No. I don't think Paige will EVER be caught dead wearing it.)
Moving on, *scroll, scroll, scroll* You'll see Dexx is at a crime scene with Jack. The body has been carried away by coroner (thankfully. I hate tripping onto a scene when the body is still there, especially on this case. It's really GROSS!), and they're canvassing, looking for something they might have missed earlier.
*scroll, scroll, scroll* And here's Paige doing paperwork on her comput--whoops, nope. She's checking her Amazon account. *Paige shreaks and pushes me out of her office*
Now, if we back out a bit, scroll to the north a bit, there's where Ri and Kat are in Montana. Zooming in *zoom* we see that Ri and Bren are talking more than they are sculpting in art and *scroll* Kat appears to be drooling on her homework. *Kat startles awake and glares at me*
Cierra and Quinn seem to be outside of this room, so that means they're on the other world right now. In order to get there, I built a door that adjoins both worlds (they world hop a lot). However, I can tell by the *clears throat* feelings I'm getting from them right now, that I should just leave well enough alone. Sometimes two adults simply need some privacy.
*grins*
Now, for the most part, my characters stay in their own towns and with their own people. However, Kat and Dexx are BESTEST of BEST friends (did you hear Kat there?) and Paige and Cierra and Leslie like to have coffee and talk about kids and baking. Believe it or not, Paige is trying to learn how to bake. It's not going well. I'm murdering the guitar and she's murdering the cookies. Bad, bad, bad.
So I've created a backdoor into my virtual apartment where any of my character from any of my books may enter and we can chit chat.
I will tell you that we usually do NOT talk about the book, or the plot because half the time, they've already lived through it. I might need to ask them for their view of a particular scene because I was watching it through the eyes of someone else, but that's about it.
I'm also learning how to bake, so sometimes I'll have Leslie and Alma over while we discuss what makes a cookie soft. Alma has stolen @bettyviolablue's pie crust recipe and is claiming ownership, but since it's in a world of pretend that resides solely in my head, I'm giving that one to her. As long as everyone else knows that @bettyviolablue is the Queen of Pies in the real world, it's all good.
Kat is trying to learn the guitar, so I'm trying to teach myself so that I can help her out. So far, that's not going well, but Kat likes to make fun me while I'm slaughtering the poor guitar.
Ri is re-teaching me to play the piano. It also helps that I've got the kiddie books that's re-introducing the notes to me too.
I'm teaching Leah how to crochet.
Mandy is trying to teach me how to burn down my apartment...because I need that? I don't know.
Bobby barfed all over my new shoes. Thank goodness it was virtual barf. They're BRAND new shoes.
It's a party inside my head/apartment and we RARELY discuss the book.
Now, periodically, things that happen in my apartment will make it into a scene, or at least the gist of what happened does. Like, Bobby barfing in my brand new shoes? Yes, that's going to be a scene in Death and it's going to be Paige's new shoes. I just need her to discover the sexier side of being female. It CAN be fun.
So....that's what's it's like inside the head of Frankie. *cheesy grin* Hope you enjoyed!
Monday, December 13, 2010
Top 10 Things I LOVE About Being a Writer!
10. Watching scenes unfold through a business meeting.
9. Interviewing people - most times informally, and most times dealing with professions I don't know.
8. Downloading music - because we all know that a GREAT writer has a GREAT playlist.
7. Twittering - how did we write before Twitter? Really?
6. People watching - sounds creepy, but its not.
5. Connecting with people
4. Talking to other writers - they really ARE some of the coolest people you will EVER meet.
3. Road trips - to do research for books I'm either writing or about to write.
2. Learning new things - because you can't write it unless you live it.
1. Seeing the world as if for the first time
What are yours?
9. Interviewing people - most times informally, and most times dealing with professions I don't know.
8. Downloading music - because we all know that a GREAT writer has a GREAT playlist.
7. Twittering - how did we write before Twitter? Really?
6. People watching - sounds creepy, but its not.
5. Connecting with people
4. Talking to other writers - they really ARE some of the coolest people you will EVER meet.
3. Road trips - to do research for books I'm either writing or about to write.
2. Learning new things - because you can't write it unless you live it.
1. Seeing the world as if for the first time
What are yours?
Friday, December 10, 2010
Christmas to Me Is...as the Grinch
...a great TV dinner (I highly recommend Marie Calendars) and a perfect time for Movie Day.
...a month long horrorfest of people trying to get other people cheerful by singing Christmas carols at the top of their lungs...because that's fun.
...having your life threatened because the cook (on non-TV dinner X-mases) lost the serving spoon. Yes. Because that was my fault.
...listening to elevator Christmas music...because Christmas music wasn't bad enough already.
...hearing everyone's greatest, most romantic moments...because they only really happen around Christmas.
...getting into a punching match over the VERY LAST TICKLE ME ELMO in the entire city and county of COLORADO!....and then losing....
...trying very hard to forget about Christmas and then realizing on the 20th that you were going to order all your gifts from Amazon because you're tired of getting your butt kicked by grannies and their canes. *sigh* Yes, hello, grannie. Your cane's name is George? Wow. That's great. Thanks. He feels wonderful against my shin.
...learning recipes for "real" cookies in the baking aisle, from people picking up a just-add-water mix.
...being set up on dates over bananas. Okay, I'll buy the bananas if you give me your grandson for free. Just don't HIT me!
Those are some of my most memorable good-time moments of the Christmas season. What are some of yours? Teheehehe! I love this!
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
You Know You're a Writer When...
...
You have nothing to say to a person, but you can email, text and Tweet them alllllll day!
When you've said, "What? No. I'm talking about my character. Yes, I know she's an invisible person inside my head," at least once this month. (Remember, it's only 12/7/10)
You can entertain yourself for hours...and there's no TV and no radio and no game station and no phone and...
A loved one says, "You seriously need drugs," and your therapists asks you why you're there. *nods*
You know more about phase guns and the size of a plasma cannon than you do about your job.
You speak Elvish.
You've created a different language.
You're working, and you're muttering to your characters. (this is probably why people think you should be on drugs, btw)
What are some of yours?
You have nothing to say to a person, but you can email, text and Tweet them alllllll day!
When you've said, "What? No. I'm talking about my character. Yes, I know she's an invisible person inside my head," at least once this month. (Remember, it's only 12/7/10)
You can entertain yourself for hours...and there's no TV and no radio and no game station and no phone and...
A loved one says, "You seriously need drugs," and your therapists asks you why you're there. *nods*
You know more about phase guns and the size of a plasma cannon than you do about your job.
You speak Elvish.
You've created a different language.
You're working, and you're muttering to your characters. (this is probably why people think you should be on drugs, btw)
What are some of yours?
Monday, December 6, 2010
Friday, December 3, 2010
When You're Whooped
As writers, it's easy to think that we need to write every single day. I mean, that's what everyone says, right? You can't publish what you don't write.
A lazy writer is a starving writer.
Right? *nods* Yes, most definitely right, but...
As you continue to progress through your writing career, as you hone your craft and get pretty darned good, you get a feel for when you should be writing, when you could be writing and when writing is a really bad idea. For example:
Writing on cold medicine: VERY bad idea. Just take your cold medicine and GO TO BED!
Writing when burnt out: BAAAAAAAD idea. Now, granted, if you're in a long burn out period, writing might be a good way to get you out, but don't try and FORCE it when you're burnt!
Writing when super stressed: We all have our own super stressed limits and levels. We do. My super stressed levels might be out of control for some, but easy-peasy for others. Know your stress limit and unless the writing is a stress reliever, don't do it. Know thyself and thy limitations.
Writing on cold medicine: Did I mention this already? Dang. Let me repeat. Do NOT write on cold medicine...even if you're feeling GREAT! Remember that "I wrote crap" sticker I offered through November? Yeah, on cold medicine, you write the kind of crap you don't GET a gold sticker for. It's BAD!
Writing should be fun. *nods* And most times it is. Writing is kind of therapeutic. I can tell when I'm not writing on a regular basis...and Boss can, too, though I don't think he's made that connection yet. *cringe* It's kinda like any other hobby you've got out there, or any other job out there, or any other task out there. There are times when writing is great and fun and wonderful and glorious.
But then there are those days, those moments, those weeks or months, when things in your life are adversely affecting your writing and that's when you get frustrated beyond belief.
So...take it from an experienced (though still not published though I AM good enough to be) writer. It's okay to take a break every once in a while.
Just make sure you get back on that horse soon so that you don't forget how to ride. Have you tried riding a bike after years of not? You nearly DIE! *hands up* Just saying.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Needing New Ideas for The Crew
I have one query for critique in the queue right now. Are there any more queries out there that need critiquing? What about your synopsis?
I'm going to be hosting the MarNoWriMo again this year. I'm trying to figure out the best place to do that and I think I'm going to try it out right here.
Also, there are a couple of workshops that would be really neat and nifty that I think you guys would like and I'm going to try and offer them right here as well. I could really use some ideas for what kind of workshops you'd like to see. Character development? If you're coming here, you're probably pretty good already, but plotting ideas? Bubble mapping? What about platform creation? We could post our platforms and see how each of us are doing and share ideas? I don't know, guys. What do you think? Let me know.
I'm going to be hosting the MarNoWriMo again this year. I'm trying to figure out the best place to do that and I think I'm going to try it out right here.
Also, there are a couple of workshops that would be really neat and nifty that I think you guys would like and I'm going to try and offer them right here as well. I could really use some ideas for what kind of workshops you'd like to see. Character development? If you're coming here, you're probably pretty good already, but plotting ideas? Bubble mapping? What about platform creation? We could post our platforms and see how each of us are doing and share ideas? I don't know, guys. What do you think? Let me know.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Keeping It Crazy!
I have been so sooooooooo busy in November. I still have NO idea why in the world they chose November for NaNoWriMo. Crazy people!
But I do have a lot to update. People, if you haven't read the updates on my site, please go there and check out the Chronicles of Ri, Tempest, and Hands of Tarot. I try - when I have access to the Net and I'm not working on other things (like Tweeting, because, really that is a job...right?), I do try to give you guys updates on how the stories are going.
ACK! I have sooooo much going on! Catch y'all later!
But I do have a lot to update. People, if you haven't read the updates on my site, please go there and check out the Chronicles of Ri, Tempest, and Hands of Tarot. I try - when I have access to the Net and I'm not working on other things (like Tweeting, because, really that is a job...right?), I do try to give you guys updates on how the stories are going.
ACK! I have sooooo much going on! Catch y'all later!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)