Jaime Theler

Coming Out of the NaNo Shell

2011-12-02T16:55:00.001-07:00

Whoa. *blink blink* Is it December already?

Because I still have the November Turkey/NaNo hangover, this post will be short and sweet. And most likely include bullet points. Because I like them (those cute little black circles).

November Update

I did participate and succeed in NaNoWriMo, and here's my shiny new blog swag to prove it. (Ooooh, Aaaaah.) But some of my writing buddies pwned NaNo with vengeance! Way to go NaNo gurus!

Words written on brand spanking new book: 50088
Number of those words that are not total garbage: I'm going to say roughly 50%
Also in November, I worked on revising another project. About halfway through the month it got shoved to the side, but I dusted it off today and am back at it.
I am continuing to query. For those who are curious, have I gotten rejections? Yes. Have I gotten partial requests? Yes. Have I gotten full requests? YES!!!!!!!! (Exclamation points just don't do justice to the happiness in that one word.)
Have I sent out a query to one of my top agents with the wrong name even though DUH I know her name? And then had to send out another query immediately after, which said, "Ha ha *weak laugh* I really do know your name. Honest." (subtext = I'm really not an idiot, really, so please believe that I have more intelligence than a rock and give my book a chance, PLEASE). Unfortunately, yes, I did this too. *headdesk*
I also managed, with a fantastic committee on my side, to get registration up and running for THE most awesome writers conference on the planet. (If I do say so myself, and I do.) Registration for the 2012 LDStorymakers Writers Conference opened yesterday and it is going to be EPIC! (Check it out here.)

So, how was your November?

Self-publishing: Why I'm Not Doing It

2011-11-07T07:00:00.000-07:00

If you dabble in the writing and publishing industry, unless you've gone blackout the last two years, then you've heard about the surge of self-publishing (or Indie publishing) as things go more digital. And since you've likely heard all the pros and cons and predictions from a whole bunch of people with more credentials than me, I'm not even going to get into that discussion. What I do want to say is that I've decided not to pursue that direction right now.

Before I share my reasons, I want to first make it very clear that I have many good friends and acquaintances who have chosen to go this route. And I truly wish them all the best. I hope they become wildly successful and their books get a gazillion fans, because the more good books we have, the more readers are looking for good books to read. And that's fantastic news for every book lover and author out there. Yes, there will be some good Indie titles, some that could have used some more editing, some that make people who like the written word go all twitchy, and some that will blow traditional books away. It's called a bell curve and it's apparent in just about every group of anything in life (yes, I took statistics in college).

So, now that I've established I am in no way anti-Indie, there are two big reasons I'm not doing it.

1) I want my butt kicked by an editor/agent
2) The work involved

The first reason, because it's the biggest one, is that I want to be edited. I want to go through the process of a professional revision letter. I know it might sound masochistic, but I want to be a better writer than I am now and though I'm doing everything I can to improve, I want that experience.

The second reason is that unless you already have a solid reader base, making self-publishing work for you is a lot of work. You have to format your book, design your cover and make sure it isn't shudderingly horrible, upload your book to Amazon/Smashwords/whatever other places there are, and then do the initial marketing push -- all by yourself. You could hire professionals to help you with these different aspects, of course, but then you are the one footing the entire bill.

I found a fantastic guest blog post by Tracy Marchini on Nathan Bransford's blog called "The Real Skinny About Indie Publishing." To quote her, Indie authors have to be:

-- excellent writers and moderately good marketers
-- moderately good writers and excellent marketers
-- zombies who don’t ever sleep, and are both excellent writers and marketers

(Image from "Plants vs. Zombies" game.)

And I'm not ready to do that. In fact, just writing about it makes me feel tired. So hats off to all you indomitable spirits tackling that monumental challenge.

And hey, zombies are "in" right now you know.

Concept vs. Character Death Match

2011-10-19T07:00:00.000-06:00

Yes, the kidlets have been watching a lot of Homestarruner lately and I've been inundated with Strongbad, hence the DEATH MATCH. *cue cheesy dun dun dun..* What started this was a review I saw the other day of Incarceron, by Catherine Fisher.

I just finished this book a couple weeks ago, and it is sort of a sci-fi, dystopian, fantasy, quasi-historical.It has two POV characters, and the story alternates between the two. It took me a little time to get into the groove of the book, but once I did I enjoyed it. The person's review that got me thinking was that she didn't like it because she couldn't become really invested in the characters.

As I thought about it, I realized that sure enough, I was pretty ho-hum about the characters too. But I still enjoyed the book because the concept was intriguing. And since I'm a writer-type, and like to mull about this sort of thing rather than pay attention to the football game I'm watching with my hubby on TV (shh, don't tell him), I started pondering about what is more important to me as a reader, concept or character? I thought back to some books that stand out in my mind.

I enjoyed the Twilight series (until book 4, which I threw across the room) because of the concept. Some of the characters I liked, others I wanted to slap silly. *cough* *Bella* *cough* So in that case it was concept over character.

Concept = 2 (including Incarceron), Character = 0

In Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins, I'm going to say the concept won me at first, and kept me long enough to get into the characters. So it was concept hook, then character reeled me in. And in a death match, I have to choose one over the other, so...

Concept = 3, Character = 0

In Scones and Sensibility, by Lindsay Eland, it was all character. The concept wasn't super-different, but boy, I loved the characters.

Concept = 3, Character = 1

In Paranormalcy by Kiersten White, it was another case of character trumping concept, although the concept was pretty good.

Concept = 3, Character =2

Then comes Soulless by Gail Carriger, which was a super fun read (the whole series), and all about the concept for me.

Concept = 4, Character = 2

The Artemis Fowl series is another of my top favorites, and this one has the knockout combination of a fantastic concept AND great characters.

Concept = 5, Character = 3

Scott Westerfeld's Uglies, Pretties, and Specials stand out among books I've read, and that was for the awesome concept.

Concept = 6, Character = 3

Almost every Jodi Picoult book has a foundation of great characters, and my favorite, My Sister's Keeper, is no exception. Jodi always adds a nice concept twist, but the characters carry the book.

Concept = 6, Character = 4

Another favorite, I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith, is very much a character book too.

Concept = 6, Character = 5

So, the result of our Death Match is . . . concept wins by one! (Not exactly a death match, but still.)

**Revision: For those who visited earlier and my math was off (pathetic when you're only counting to 6, right?), I have learned not to write a blog post while helping kidlets with homework. Doesn't work so well.

But what I learned from it is much more exciting. I think a story needs to have either a killer concept OR killer characters. Of course, as a writer, it is best if you can knock both out of the park, but either your characters or your concept need to really shine, and then the other has to be pretty good, or at the least not turn people off. (I'm thinking in particular about a book I read with a really intriguing concept but I couldn't stand the main character, so I couldn't finish the trilogy. I even gave the story a chance in Book 2. Nope, still couldn't stand the MC.)

How about you? Do you prefer concept over character, or vice versa? Perhaps our Death Match can be revived...

Awesome Quote

2011-10-10T07:00:00.000-06:00

Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm.

Winston Churchill

Everyday Courage

2011-10-05T07:00:00.000-06:00

I've been thinking about courage lately. What we often consider "courage" is really the sum total of a series of little steps that someone takes, even if sometimes they don't want to.

Today I read this in Holly Lisle's "Mugging the Muse" e-book, which eloquently explains the nebulous musings wandering around in my brain:

My definition of courage is nothing more than taking one step more than you think you can. It has nothing to do with feeling or not feeling fear, with doing great deeds (though sometimes courage accomplishes great deeds), or with conquering life-and-death situations (though in such situations it is certainly helpful.)

Courage is a form of tenaciousness, a refusal to quit when you want to quit because you're tired or humiliated or broken, and it is as necessary in everyday life as it is in moments of great upheaval. In fact, I could easily say that everyday courage is more important than the "great deeds" sort because every one of us will be in everyday situations, while not all of us will be called upon in our lifetimes to perform great deeds.

Courage is as essential to the writer as oxygen, no more and no less. The writer who lacks courage will never succeed.

Courage is working on your goals, step by dogged step, even if you don't feel like it. Courage is venturing out of that "safe" zone, where you put a little bit of your soul on the page. Courage is pushing through the "my writing is total crap" stage. Courage is handing your writing over to a critique partner. Courage is clicking "Send" on that query letter email. Courage is looking at a hill ahead, cringing, and running up it anyway, because sometimes the harder you work for something, the more it's worth it.

(Aside: I love Holly Lisle's workshops, and even though she has an affiliate program, I do not participate in it. I simply share the good stuff I find.)

So, now that we've looked a little closer at courage, I have a question for you. Where do you find your courage?

On the Nightstand

2011-09-30T14:09:00.001-06:00

Since I'm a writer and addicted to books, I figured that once in a while I should not talk about running and actually discuss what I have read/am reading.

Recent reads I really enjoyed:

House Rules, by Jodi Picoult

This woman is a master. I only dream of one day being able to write characters like her. I have enjoyed a number of her books, and have had to stop reading a couple because the subject matter was too disturbing. She gets into her characters' heads so well that in a few cases I just couldn't take my heart being ripped apart.

Synopsis:

HOUSE RULES is about Jacob Hunt, a teenage boy with Asperger’s Syndrome. He’s hopeless at reading social cues or expressing himself well to others, and like many kids with AS, Jacob has a special focus on one subject – in his case, forensic analysis.

He’s always showing up at crime scenes, thanks to the police scanner he keeps in his room, and telling the cops what they need to do…and he’s usually right. But then one day his tutor is found dead, and the police come to question him. All of the hallmark behaviors of Asperger’s – not looking someone in the eye, stimulatory tics and twitches, inappropriate affect – can look a heck of a lot like guilt to law enforcement personnel -- and suddenly, Jacob finds himself accused of murder. HOUSE RULES looks at what it means to be different in our society, how autism affects a family, and how our legal system works well for people who communicate a certain way – but lousy for those who don’t.

My opinion: Phenomenal.

Michael Vey: The Prisoner of Cell 25, by Richard Paul Evans

I have a confession. I don't do sappy stuff. So I usually try to stay as far away from Richard Paul Evans books as I can, but when kidlets 1 & 2 completely devoured the book I just had to read it. I almost hate to admit that it was pretty good. This ain't no Christmas Box.

Synopsis:

To everyone at Meridian High School, fourteen-year-old Michael Vey is nothing special, just the kid who has Tourette’s syndrome. But in truth, Michael is extremely special—he has electric powers. Michael thinks he is unique until he discovers that a cheerleader named Taylor has the same mysterious powers. With the help of Michael’s friend, Ostin, the three of them set out to discover how Michael and Taylor ended up with their abilities, and their investigation soon brings them to the attention of a powerful group who wants to control the electric teens—and through them, the world.

My opinion: Very good.

Blood Ninja, by Nick Lake

It's vampires. And ninjas. And not a single one sparkles.

I couldn't resist. I can't give you my opinion yet, though, because it's place on my nightstand got bumped by the next book.

Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

I was hooked from the start and right now this book is buried under my bed so I will stop reading it and get some other things done. So far, it's pretty awesome and fast, fun ride - a perfect escape.

So, what's on your nightstand and should I add it to my huge TBR pile?

Boston, Here I Come

2011-09-27T08:45:00.001-06:00

Email today: "This is to notify you that your entry into the 116th Boston Marathon has been accepted."

Ohmygosh.

**For those of you who are not insane-runner-types, the Boston marathon is freaking hard to get into, and you get serious bragging rights.

Find a Way

2011-09-26T09:03:00.003-06:00

Don't Be a Bumble Bee

2011-09-22T10:49:00.001-06:00

The other day I was taking a break from brain-melting revisions and eating my lunch outside on my front porch. I left the front door open to get some fresh air inside and was enjoying the sun when a loud, buzzing noise came from around the corner of the house. A monster bumble bee flew toward me. (How do those things fly, anyway? You'd think they'd drop out of the air.) I ducked (they aren't that fast) and the bee took a turn and headed right into my house.

Well, we immediately had a problem. I didn't want the bee in my house, and since there is a dearth of pollen-rich plants in my living room, the bee didn't want to be in there either. So I ran inside, intending to keep an eye on the bee from a safe distance--i.e. cowering around a corner. I figured the bee would just fly back out the front door. Well, the front door kept drifting closed, and the bee kept buzzing around like a very confused, fuzzy, Godzilla insect with a stinger that would feel like a crochet needle puncturing my skin if it decided to sting me.

I dashed toward the door and propped it open, then retreated to cower once more around the corner. After five minutes the stubborn bee decided it would go check out this large rectangle of sunlight, but it must have gotten turned around because it kept bumping against the open door, rather than making a 90 degree turn and heading outside. I crept forward and oh-so-slowly closed the door, gently guiding the bee to the great outdoors in the most humane manner.

Well, just before the door closed, the bumble bee darted back inside. I ran away. I might have even squealed, but since no one else was here, you can't prove it. Perhaps the squeal that may or may not have happened startled the bee, because this time it flew up . . . and found the large window above my front door. Eureka!! Sunlight!

The bee then proceeded to fly at the window, bounce off, land on the window ledge for a second, shake off the collision, and give it another go. Hit the window, bounce off, land on ledge. Repeat.

For the next 10 minutes.

It completely ignored the wide open front door just 2 inches below it, and kept hitting its head against the window. I watched - in my safe cowering spot - and expected the bee to figure things out after a couple minutes and head out the door. After several minutes passed and the bee kept flying into the glass, I wondered if the bee had sustained brain damage. I finally got sick of waiting, got a cup, captured the monster bug, and released it into the wild. Then I finished my now cold lunch.

I've thought about that experience a little, since I'm a writer-type who tends to analyze little things and file them away for future character development, and can see parallels to how people behave. How many times have you acted just like that bumble bee, butting your head against the same obstacle again and again and again, so focused on doing it this way that just doesn't work that you don't even see the easier path just inches away? How many times have I done it?

My husband often tells our kidlets, "If you keep doing what you're doing, you're going to keep getting what you're getting." Just like that bee kept flying right at the window.

I started looking at my own life and things that aren't working the way I'd like them too, and seeing if I'm acting like that bumble bee. And you know what, sometimes I'm more like a big, fuzzy insect than I'd like to admit. Sometimes I keep doing the same things, thinking that if I only did them faster or slower or more intensely they'd work this time, even though they haven't worked in the past. And sometimes I just need to slap out of my tunnel vision and change up what I'm doing.

I hope I'm not the only one who does this. Anyone else sometimes act like a bumble bee?

Warning: Too Stupid to Live

2011-08-31T10:08:00.003-06:00

So I’ve been thinking a little about movies and some of the stuff writers can learn from them. Disclaimer: There is SO much that correlates between screenwriting and writing novels that I promise I will make barely a tiny scratch on the surface. For one thing, I’ve learned to make sure you don’t leave things in your stories that are “too stupid to live” (phrase stolen from Holly Lisle).

What do I mean by "too stupid to live?" Unfortunately for the Transformers franchise, those movies are front and center in my example.

My hubby has been working insane hours the last 8 months, but the last month in particular. That means we haven’t seen many of the newer movies. (Not even Harry Potter. Oh, the humanity!) One of the summer movies that my boy kidlets really want to see is “Transformers 3,” which, according to all their friends who have seen it, is “nothing but 2 ½ hours of action and blowing stuff up.” Yes, 11 and 13 year-old boys are real movie connoisseurs. The hubby and I missed “Transformers 2” when it came around (partly because we were busy and partly because we heard it was as bad – or worse – than “GI Joe,” which made me lose IQ points when I watched it) and we noticed it was back at Red Box, so we decided to give it a shot.

Let me clear something up before I lose your respect: I did not finish the movie. I figured I lost enough brain cells giving birth to three children to voluntarily give away IQ points.

“Transformers 2” was riddled with bad dialogue, overt and gratuitous innuendo that was in really bad taste, and a whole bunch of “too stupid to live” examples. It did have giant, kick-butt space robots, but even the cool factor couldn’t override the other stuff. Here’s just one example of “too stupid to live.”

Sam goes to his first astronomy class and pulls a “Beautiful Mind” stunt. He runs back to his dorm, freaking out, and calls his girlfriend (biting my tongue on the stupidity involved in that relationship/dialogue/casting) on the way. She says she’ll catch a plane and be there that afternoon. Sam starts writing symbols all over the walls of his dorm, and his roommate, who was in astronomy, shows up after class (classes last about an hour – I’ve been to college) to check on him. Also with roommate is psycho hot chick who is really a space robot in disguise. Hot robot chick throws herself at Sam (literally), and his girlfriend walks in on them kissing.

Now, the time frame from “Beautiful Mind” freak out to girlfriend catching Sam is probably around an hour. Heck, I’ll give it two hours just to be nice. Ummm… Last time I went to the airport it took me at least an hour to GET THROUGH SECURITY. There is no way in this day and age that the girlfriend could pack, buy a ticket, go through security (not to mention get a box with tiny space robot with an accent and street slang - hello, more stupid – through security in the first place), get on a plane, get off the plane, pick up baggage, catch a cab to the college, find the right dorm building and Sam’s room, and walk in on hot robot chick kissing Sam in TWO HOURS!

*beating head on wall*

This is not the reaction you want your readers to have when reading one of your books. This is the sort of thing that gets books thrown across the room at my house. (Or if you spend 4 books building up to a vampire smack-down and then having the two armies agree to disagree and walk off. The book gets thrown and yelled at if you do that. Name the series, anyone?)

Moral of this blog post: Avoid “too stupid to live” mistakes in your writing at all costs. Or make sure your books have really soft covers so they don’t hurt anyone when they are used as projectiles.

Anyone else want to share in my rant? Other "too stupid to live" examples are welcome!

Childish Wanted

2011-08-29T10:00:00.004-06:00

I remember reading certain books as a kid, like the Anne of Green Gables series (more particularly the later ones when Anne is a mother) and Little Men & Jo's Boys, and deciding I wanted to be like those characters when I grew up. I would have fun and play and see the joy in simple things. As a mother I would play with my kids, and listen to them, and come up with creative - and effective - ways of disciplining, and never make my kids feel like they are less important than other things and that they only ever get a fraction of my attention.

Fast forward several years and three kidlets of my own later, and I'm chagrined at how often I fall short of the type of grown up I wanted to be. I am now the mom my boys tease because she never gets her hair wet (my tomboy younger self shudders). I don't smile as often as I should and sometimes act downright boring. Yes, grown up responsibilities like paying bills and managing a household and working on a career can leave limited time to get in touch with my inner child, but I realized a while ago that I was becoming at times downright curmudgeony.

I needed a quick dose of childish, and I needed it STAT!

I'm not talking about the childish half that quarrels or whines or is selfish or procrastinates. (I seem to have little problem channeling that childish Jaime.) But have you noticed how often kids smile? How frequently they laugh? How they get so excited about something that they can't help but move because they can't keep it in? They use their imaginations (if video games haven't dumbed it out of them) all the time and can find the wonder in things around them. They haven't become so cynical that they immediately dismiss things as impossible - like I've caught myself doing. THOSE are the childish characteristics I need to work on, because they're atrophying under grown up crankiness.

In an effort to rejuvenate my childishness, the other day I took five minutes and sprawled in the grass under a tree and just stared at the sky. If there had been clouds I would have found shapes in them. (Next time.) And it was wonderful. Yesterday one of my kidlets was moving slower than molasses and had left his giant teddy bear in the living room. I checked my initial reaction to holler about him being responsible for his stuff, and instead made the teddy bear sneak up the stairs and pounce on my son, and in a goofy teddy bear voice I had the teddy bear shower him with hugs and kisses and tell him the things he needed to get busy doing. I have gotten more traction with him from that little bit of play than I ever imagined. He jumped up and got to work, and talked about it the rest of the day. He asked to have the teddy bear wake him up this morning.

So, if I can be more less grumpy old woman *and* have my home a happier place, you better believe I'm after a little more childishness. I love writing and reading children's & YA books, but I could love it even more if I peel back some of the adult layers. Today I think I might play hopscotch or basketball with the kidlets when they get home from school.

Querying and Flashbacks to High School

2011-08-18T07:00:00.002-06:00

That's right, ladies and gents, I'm officially querying again.

*gulp*

When I hit "send" my heart was pounding like I was back to age 16 and asking a boy to a girl's choice dance. (And, for the record, I got turned down. So yeah, not a good heart pounding thing going.)

So not only am I catapulted back into high school - and not the best parts - I now must battle the compulsion to check my email every 5 minutes. Even though it's been only hours since I sent out my first few queries. It also means I suffer from bouts of temporary insanity where I actually think things like, "It's been almost six hours. They must hate my query, or my sample pages, or both. Because if they liked it I would have gotten a reply by now, right? RIGHT???"

I need to go pick weeds or clean something. Or.. or... or maybe work on something else. Yeah! That's it! I can channel this new neurosis. Get in touch with my teen self, even though I've worked oh, 15 years, to leave the teen me behind. The one whose first Homecoming date was forced by his dad to go...

STOP! Don't think like that! You are a capable, confident writer. And your book is good, gosh darnit! Just breathe... it's okay... you're not 16 again.

Thank goodness.

*breathing deep*

Sorry about that, everyone. I'm better now. Excuse me while I check email again. It's been 7 whole minutes...

Words of Wisdom

2011-08-11T13:28:00.003-06:00

It's very hard in the beginning to understand that the whole idea is not to beat the other runners.
Eventually you learn that the competition is against the little voice inside you that wants you to quit. - George Sheehan

I wish I'd seen this quote before I wrote the last blog post, since it sums it up my scatterbrained thoughts pretty good. And that little voice speaks up very often in writing, too. Down with the quitting voice!

Blog Comeback - sputtering to a start

2011-08-10T07:00:00.001-06:00

Question: Is it a comeback if you've had to come back 4 or 5 times?
Answer: Maybe the sixth time is the charm.

So, here's blog comeback number six-ish. It's good to be back. Hopefully it will stick this time. ;)

I've been up to a lot while I've been away, not the least of which is a moment of insanity that is spelled m-a-r-a-t-h-o-n. Many of you would follow that with a word spelled like this: c-r-a-z-y. And my husband would agree, even though he ran it with me.

It was an incredible experience, but I don't know if it was until recently I really figured out the core reason why it moved me so much. Yes, it was a goal, and I achieved it, and of course that feels good, but it meant more than that. I've started and stalled on several blog posts on how running a marathon is like writing a book, because I could feel connections, but I ended up not able to finish those posts, and it's because this was the one I needed to discover.

First, I'll summarize some of those tossed posts for you. ENTER BULLET LIST (Yea for lists!!)

I spent 4 months of hard training to get ready, showing the importance of proper preparation--and persistence.
There were many days I didn't want to run, but the race loomed ahead, so I got up and did it anyway, proving the importance of goals.
At mile 24 I was ready to stop, but I just kept going--put my head down and gutted it out, showing the grit your teeth and endure to the end moments of writing (and life in general).
The cheer I remember the most was a lady I'd never seen before and probably never will again who shouted from the sidelines a block from the finish, "Look how strong you are!" and I thought about how tempting it is to limp to the finish your story.
I thought I knew about nutrition, but I had to relearn what worked for me, and it wasn't what worked for my husband, who was following the exact same training regimen. That's an easy analogy for finding out the meat and drink of what keeps you going through the long haul as you write, and it's very individual.
The satisfaction of doing something hard is worth the pain and not being able to walk afterward, and the revised, finished book that finally lives up to the magical idea you had before you slaughtered it with a crappy rough draft is worth all the torment to get it there.

See, those are all good takeaway analogies, right? But here's the takeaway message I needed for me. In running this marathon I learned some things about what makes me tick and matters to me. And those are things that I need to tap into to make my writing mean something to me, no matter what genre, what characters, or what plot I am working on.

Through training for and running 26.2 miles, I learned that I push myself to touch the potential that is inside every person when things get hard and you do it anyway. I am amazed and awed by those who are up against a wall and through sheer will, determination, and digging deep (usually by leaning on faith in something) they overcome and often succeed brilliantly. I think that perhaps we can't truly understand our own potential - the potential that resides in every human being - until we are pinned right at the boundary of what we think are our limits, only to push past that boundary and discover we are capable of so much more than we thought. But stepping through the boundary is a personal choice, and not something you can make someone else do.

*moment of deep thought*

Hopefully that makes sense to some of you. It was an epiphany for me, and now I can see that "theme" in what I write. Not in a preachy way, mind you, and no one else may ever catch it, but I know it's there, and it matters to me that it is.

So, that's what running a marathon did for my growth as a writer.

And here's the obligatory picture. This is about mile 16, I think.

FINISHED!!!!!

2011-07-13T11:48:00.002-06:00

That's right, ladies and gentleman, I have FINISHED my massive, almost-complete rewrite of my 2009 NaNo train wreck. My MG novel "Villainish" is now polished, pretty, and 7/8 brand-spanking new. I figured if I could revise THAT book, I could revise ANYTHING.

The manuscript is now going out to readers (including my toughest readers--my 11 year old and 13 year old). I'm polishing up my query letter to send off to the 3 agents who have expressed interest in the story, and I will now, once again, join the blogosphere.

Because I'm FINISHED!!!!

(And a few exclamation marks for good measure. )

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

10 Things I Learned While I Neglected My Blog

2011-05-25T07:00:00.000-06:00

10. The Grand Canyon is really, really BIG. I know it's called the Grand Canyon for a reason, but it's mind-blowing how big it really is.

9. (Related to #10) Driving with three kidlets in a car for 12 straight hours will reveal your true character and patience right quick and in a hurry.

8. When you have kidlets tell others that their mom is *always* on the computer, then you know it's time to step back a little, since you're not raising a computer.

7. Change can be good, after all.

6. People who do what they say, when they say, and as well as they say they will, are worth their weight in gold.

5. You are not obligated to answer the phone. Especially when you're writing, because the universe will interrupt you. Oh yes, it will.

4. "Thank You" can help relieve headaches almost as well as ibuprofen. And those people who say it hold a special place in your heart.

3. Running 20 miles takes a loooong time. And it gives your hubby plenty of opportunities to remind you that signing up for the marathon (and doing 4 months of torturous training for it) was all your idea.

2. The writing community holds some of the nicest, most generous, and genuinely interesting people. That includes agents, editors, and authors. They are definitely my peeps.

1. You can get addicted to the shivery, giddy feeling inside when you are *that close* to finishing a story, and you know it's good. It's like Christmas Eve when you were a kid.

Have any of you learned anything while I was away?

She Lives!

2011-05-11T20:01:00.000-06:00

Yes, I know. It's been forever x2 since I've blogged. But this is why:

It was last weekend, and it was EPIC!

We're talking almost 500 attendees, 60 presenters, 3 agents, 3 editors, and an small army of volunteer staff epic. The 2011 LDStorymakers Writers Conference was 3 days of sheer awesome. And, frankly, as co-chair, it took all of my spare time to organize my fantastic committee to make the awesome happen.

I have experienced and learned all sorts of things since I started neglecting my poor wittle blog, and I will share it all with you, my dear, neglected readers. Today we'll just stick with some pics.

First, the best chair EVER!

My co-chair gave it to me because I agreed to co-chair the conference for a third year (temporary bout of insanity, I know). I joked around with my committee that I didn't want the title of Conference Queen. I wanted the title of Conference Empress. So now I have a throne. :)

Unfortunately, I haven't been able to use it. My children have commandeered it. You see, the wheels work reaaally well. I had to force kidlet #3 off the chair to take pics, but she required I take some with her first.

The real empress of the house.

Second, the best hat EVER!

(the tiara part lights up)

T
his was given to me because at the conference I was the queen constantly on the run to put out all the fires behind the scenes. And I was on the run, that's for sure. I even wore my running shoes.

Third, the flowers another hotel sent us.

Oh, yeah. They got our attention. We put it on the registration desk.

If any of you attended, I hope you waved or stopped me as I ran by and said "Hi." I can't wait to get back to the blogosphere.

Hysterical Baby Laughing

2011-03-11T20:02:00.003-07:00

Today has been a little sober, with all the news out of Japan. I could use a little laugh, so I thought I'd share this great little video. I dare you not to laugh too.

I'm alright

2011-03-10T16:13:00.002-07:00

My last blog post may have come across as a little down. Okay, it was a little down. But that's what blogs are for, to foist our thoughts, emotions, challenges on others, right? ;) I appreciate the kind thoughts and comments, and I want to let you know that I'm alright. I bounce back pretty quickly, but I didn't get around to blogging that I had bounced back.

So, as proof that I'm alright:

*I am oh-so-close to finishing my massive rewrite of the 2009 NaNo train wreck. *holding thumb and pointer finger 1/4 in. apart* I'm serious. So close. And I am really stoked about the result. (In a total self-serving aside: let me know if any of you are interested in reading a MG, slightly quirky fantasy involving twists on villains and heroes, let me know.)

*My check book is balanced, I'm working on saving for retirement, and I've even used a few coupons in the last week.

* My email inbox has been cleaned out to under 1000 emails.

* I have actually watched TV a couple times.

* I signed up for a marathon, so I'm back on the racing wagon. (Always a good thing.)

* My basement is still a disaster, but I'm much closer to actually organizing it. (That's progress!)

* I'm back to blogging with parentheses. :)

How about you? Who here is doing alright?

**Bonus points for those who can guess the movie and why I have this picture up today.

When Things Change

2011-03-01T13:31:00.003-07:00

Did anyone else blink and lose the entire month of February? I don't know why February seems to fly by so fast. Maybe it's because January always seems to take forever, and after that any month feels faster. It's one of those mysteries of the world, I guess.

You may or may not remember my epiphany that I'm addicted to productivity, and the realization that I don't relax very well. (Post is here.) Well, let me warn you that you might want to be careful what you put out to the Universe. The last month saw a few big changes for me and my family. My husband got a wonderful job opportunity, which in public education means that he gets to do double the work for the same pay. Two days later he was asked to take on another pretty hefty project. And now I no longer have one responsibility that used to be a good-sized time commitment.

So now our roles are somewhat reversed. My dear hubby, who jealously guards his free time, no longer has any, and me, the workaholic list addict, suddenly has my To-Do list cut in half.

I should be excited to have more time to write, more time to dedicate to the kidlets, and time to actually sit, but to be honest I'm feeling a little lost. You'd think I'd keep up the frenzied productivity that I love and just fill it with all those things that got put on the back burner. Instead, I check the email account that suddenly doesn't have anything coming in, look at the phone that isn't ringing off the hook, and continue to ignore the basement that I still have to organize.

My hubby insists I'll feel relief and enjoy less responsibility. I'll just go sit in the sun for a while and wait for it to happen.

Sometimes change stinks.

Word of the Week #122

2011-02-15T07:00:00.000-07:00

eleemosynary \el-uh-MOS-uh-ner-ee\, adjective:

Definition:
1. Of or for charity; charitable; as, "an eleemosynary institution."
2. Given in charity; having the nature of alms; as, "eleemosynary assistance."
3. Supported by or dependent on charity; as, "the eleemosynary poor."

Usage:

**The definitions actually gave us examples, so I'm going to be lazy and not do another one.

WIPpet

2011-02-10T09:08:00.003-07:00

I thought I'd share a snippet of the book that's keeping me away from regular blogging. This was one of my favorite scenes. I hope you enjoy!

“Bradley Lewis Pendergast! What exactly do you think you’re doing?”

Bradley jumped. Vanessa stood over him, her hands on her hips. A muscle near her jaw twitched. How had she found him? He discovered the answer when he tried to stand up. His stupid cape—the one she had made him put on because it was tradition—was snagged on the bush, like a flag.

He was in for it now. Anyone that got in Vanessa’s way when she wanted to make a good impression saw the wicked side of the spokeswoman for the Wicked Stepmother Finishing School.

She ripped the cape free. “First you abandon your responsibilities, and then—“ Pounding sounds coming from the direction of the driveway interrupted her.

Horses galloped around both sides of the house and to the backyard. The riders waved swords and whooped as they bore down on the guests. Every rider was incredibly good-looking, with chiseled features, square jaws, glossy hair, white teeth, and model bodies.

Vanessa threw up her hands. “Heroes! How in the world did they get in?”

The Heroes raced around the yard. Chunks of the previously attractive lawn scattered as the horse hooves ripped up the ground. Some of the Heroes reined in their horses and struck poses, as if they expected a photographer to pop up and take their picture. When no one did, they went back to wreaking havoc, but not actually attacking anyone.

One Hero tore through the string quartet, sword waving. The musicians dove out of the way, but the Hero’s sword caught in the strings of a violin. He swiveled to chase more people with his violin-tipped weapon. Another Hero steered his horse right into the pool. Dishes went flying as minions dodged horses and their crazy riders.

Bradley felt sick to his stomach. The Heroes shouldn’t have made it through the security system. Had he accidentally turned off the whole thing?

A horse struggled around the house, and it was clear why it got left behind. Its rider wore a full suit of medieval armor. It had to weigh a ton. The lowering sun hit the metal just right to shine in Bradley’s eyes.

“Evil villains,” the hero shouted through his visor, “we have come to vanquish you, once and for all!” He brandished his sword. “Surrender now and we shall spare your lives.”

No one paid attention. The Heroes were too busy galloping around making heroic poses. Those on the ground were too busy getting out of the way.

The knight’s horse finally decided it had had enough and stopped, its sides heaving. It plopped its backside to the ground. The knight yelled and flailed his arms, but it didn’t keep him from sliding backwards off the horse. With a sound like pots and pans hitting the floor, he crashed into a tent pole. The pole snapped. In slow motion, the tent shuddered, listed to the side, and toppled, burying villains and heroes alike.

Vanessa screamed as her perfect event descended into total pandemonium.

Houston, I Have a Problem

2011-02-09T13:00:00.002-07:00

So I've been working on my New Year's Resolutions. Yes, I realize we're over a month into the new year, but it's taken me this long to wrap up 2010. As I've been writing my really looooong list of all I want to accomplish/improve on this year, I had one of those self-epiphanies.

I'm addicted to being productive.

I like to accomplish things. I usually have a long list of things to get to. I feel fulfilled when I am productive. I work hard. I like being competent and dependable.

That doesn't sound so bad, does it? In fact, it sounds like something you'd say to your kids when they would rather play video games than clean their rooms.

But as I've thought about it, I realized that it can be one of those things that pulls me out of balance. And balance is good. Balance helps us do lots of cool things, like walk without falling over and ride a bike. Without balance we run into walls, stumble, and look like my kidlet after spinning around and around and around for 5 minutes.

When you're addicted to productivity, you don't relax very well. (At least according to my husband, who informed me I don't relax very well.) You also sometimes get busy juggling so many balls that you might neglect your blogs for a few months. You might have lists upon lists scattered throughout your house. You might neglect your writer friends' blogs for months on end. You might even start a New Year's Resolutions blog in January and not finish it until February.

Hello, my name is Jaime, a.k.a. Bookmom, and I'm an addict.

I might just need an intervention.

I can fit it in two weeks from Thursday, at 10:00, but I'll have to double check my schedule...

Warning: Hilarity Ahead

2011-01-26T07:00:00.000-07:00

Confession: The Science Fair is in 2 days, so it is taking up a lot of my spare time. So yes, that's why you're getting a video. But it's a good one, esp. for writer-types who love a good story. I suggest you not drink anything while watching, unless you want to shoot it out your nose.

Word of the Week #121 - scurf

2011-01-24T18:16:00.001-07:00

I just realized that this Word of the Week never got posted. So we're back-posting to make sure we have a Word of the Week #121.

scurf - [SKURF] - noun

Definition:
1. The scales or small shreds of epidermis that are continually exfoliated from the skin.
2. Any scaly matter or incrustation on a surface.

Usage:
A desperate vacuum cleaner salesman tried to scare me into buying his freakishly expensive product with tales of the horrible amount of scurf mounding up in our mattresses. I told him that I grew up in a farming community, and there were a whole lot worse things to be sleeping on. Trust me.

Favorite Reads of 2010

2011-01-18T12:10:00.002-07:00

In the interest of full disclosure I have to admit I am shamelessly copying this post idea from Jolene Perry. I'm not going to give you plot summaries or long reviews. You can find those all over the internet. I'm just sharing some my favorite reads from 2010. (Not all, or else it would be the never-ending blog post.)

Matched, by Ally Condie

This book has romance (without Harlequin-style gushing), drama, and characters that worm their way into your heart. In a YA book world where characters are often in your face and their dilemmas are larger than life, Matched is much more subtle, but perhaps more effective for that subtlety. And Ally Condie does a *fantastic* job of worldbuilding through a character's mind and eyes.

The Blue Sword and The Hero and the Crown, by Robin McKinley

After embarrassing myself by gushing on Twitter that I was now following Robin McKinley and how much I loved The Blue Sword trilogy only to have her reply that there were only two books, not three (yeah, I make a great first impression *facepalm*), I decided to reread these favorites from too-many-years-than-I'll-admit-ago. I still loved them, although I do like The Blue Sword better. It's good to revisit old favorites from time to time.

The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan

This was a definite favorite of 2010. It builds on the Percy Jackson series, but better, with constant doses of mythology and the "coolness factor." This is a book for those who love a plot that keeps moving. My boys each read it in a day or two.

Thirteen Reasons Why, by Jay Asher

With nary a supernatural creature or magic battle, this book still haunts me. I read it based on the recommendation from the author's agent. She gushed about this book and I had to see for myself why. And now I'm gushing. The concept: two weeks after a girl commits suicide, the boy who had a crush on her receives a box of tapes from her in the mail. In the tapes she reveals the 13 people who drove her to kill herself and why. And the fact that the main character got the tapes means that he's one of the 13. Great concept, right? It didn't hurt that the book was also masterfully written.

The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson

Another excellent YA SciFi, I would recommend this book to anyone. It's through books like this one that I am learning how to really tell a story through a character, not inserting a character into a story I want to tell.

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

One of these books is not like the other,
One of these books just isn't the same...

Forgive the flashback to Sesame Street, but this book isn't like the rest on my list because: 1) it isn't YA/MG, and 2) it's women's fiction, which is not my normal reading fare. However, my sister-in-law handed me a copy and insisted I had to read it. So I did. And I really enjoyed it.

Blackbringer by Laini Taylor

I'd seen this book at the library and around the web, but hesitated to pick it up because of the bird on the cover. (Stupid and shallow, I know, but I didn't want to read about talking birds.) Then I picked it up for my oldest son, who reads like he breathes oxygen, and he inhaled it in one day and begged me to get the next in the series. I was curious, so I started reading it and was totally hooked. This book does a great job of introducing language that transports you to a different world. I'm not talking Tolkein with a whole new language, but the way the characters talk and the slang they use is perfect for the setting, and was different than anything I'd read before.

The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams

This book is heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time. It's also haunting. The inside look into a polygamous cult is tastefully done without whitewashing some of the horrible things that tend to happen in these cults.

Soulless by Gail Carriger

I think this cover takes the cake for the most uncomfortable character pose. (I mean, can a woman actually stand with her back like that? ) I read this book because somewhere I saw that the author talked about how she got the idea for the series. She said it was almost crazy that a tiny little island country (Great Britain) could become a superpower, and what if the reason it happened was because GB was using supernatural beings to help them stay in power. And voila, this concept was born. It is very, very fun.

I'm going to stop now because I could keep going. What were some of your favorite books of last year? I might as well add more to my leaning tower of Piza to-be-read stack.

Word of the Week #122 - autoschediastical

2011-01-17T07:00:00.000-07:00

I picked this word just because it drips awesome. I dare you to use this in conversation today. Do it!

autoschediastical - [aw-toh-SKEE-dee-az-tik-uhl] - adjective

Definition:
Something improvised or extemporized.

Usage:
I can't listen to "Bring It On" by Seal without being transported back to my college Modern Dance final, when I ran out of time to prepare and had to dance an autoschediastical final to that song, and just about died from stage fright while doing it.

Capturing the Magic: 2 Questions You Must Answer About Your WIP

2011-01-11T13:08:00.010-07:00

As some of you may know (since you commit all Jaime trivia to your long-term memory, right?) I took a kick-butt, 5 month writing course which has taken me over a year to complete. It's Holly Lisle's "How to Revise Your Novel" and it has been eye-opening in about a hundred ways.

In the course you take a completed book (like my 2009 NaNo train wreck) and go through a grueling, step-by-step revision process where you spend the first 8 lessons (in theory, one lesson a week) dissecting your book so you know exactly what doesn't work and why. This was excruciatingly difficult, because by the end you are ready to burn the thing because it obviously is complete trash. BUT, it is one of the best things I've ever done with my writing. And it's also not the subject of today's post. (Soon, my young padowans, soon.)

The very first thing this course had you do, before you rip your own work to shreds, is to answer some questions. The two I want to focus on are:

1) What was the idea that made you want to write your story in the first place?
What was that magical, shiny idea that struck you while you were driving/eating/showering/chasing kids/watching TV/etc. that made you stop and go, "Oooo! I want to write that!"

My answer: The idea of a boy in a family of villains who wasn't any good at being bad. A villain coming-of-age story.

2) What was the story you originally wanted to tell?
Not your plot outline, but what made you start and keep going on this particular story? How did you envision it before you hit the sagging middle and got sidetracked by that one walk on character that hijacked your story?

My answer: I wanted it to be funny, but have some resonating truth in it because all kids (and even adults) struggle to live up to expectations. I was going for a "Shrek," spoof-y feel with characters you really like. I wanted to take classic villains kids could identify and twist them in entertaining ways.

My answers may not seem that earth-shattering to you, but by writing this down, I was able to recapture the magic that made me start writing this book. Now as I get close to finishing an almost total rewrite, it is exciting to know exactly what I wanted and see how I'm finally getting it. (And yes, I'm a little misty-eyed even right now thinking about it.)

I will now do this at the beginning of every book, so that I make sure I stay faithful to the magic that first motivated me.

Something magical made you start working on a particular story--a nebulous combination of character, concept, and emotion that ached for the words to live and breathe and share with others. Remember it. Find it again. Write it down so you don't lose it.

Then go make it happen.

Random Things About Me You Probably Don't Want to Know but I'll Post Anyway

2011-01-06T18:50:00.005-07:00

I just cleaned up my Christmas decorations TODAY. Huzzah!

After playing the Ghost of Christmas Past in "A Christmas Carol" my son started saying "huzzah" all the time, and it's contagious.

I can't stand sitting/laying on bumpy surfaces, like an unmade bed or a bunched up blanket on the couch. My husband laughs at me when I get out of bed so I can remake it to get back in.

My family calls me "Coldilocks." Isn't 80 degrees everyone's comfort zone?

I handle lack of sleep as well as a toddler. I don't need my beauty sleep, I need my not-snap-everyone's-head-off sleep.

I don't like ice in my water. Room temperature, baby!

I close one eye when I put on blush. I don't know why.

I also put one hand on my hip when I brush my teeth. I don't even realize I'm doing it.

Kidlet #2 once told me he falls asleep best to the clicking sound of the computer keyboard. I didn't know my writing habit would become his lullaby.

I am a human static electricity conductor. I shock at least one of my children every day when I kiss them goodnight.

I hate the smell of crispy scrambled eggs. You know, when they start to go brown in the pan? *gag*

I think green peppers taste like laundry detergent. (Don't tell me you've never accidentally inhaled the little powdery particles while doing laundry!)

I like to play in the dirt. Since I'm a grown up now, it's called "gardening."

I am solar powered. Cloudy days make me sluggish.

I love to sing along with songs in the car.

I haven't been able to get the song "Grenade" by Bruno Mars out of my head for over a week.

I love, love thigh-high boots. (But I don't actually own a pair.)

That's probably enough randomness about me. I dare you to share a random tidbit about yourself in the comments. (You own thigh-high boots, don't you?)

#1 Writing Epiphany from 2010

2011-01-05T09:11:00.002-07:00

I learned a lot in 2010, about life and about my writing. The number one thing I learned in my writing was this:

Anything is worth sacrificing to get the story you want.

Any character, any subplot, any chapter, any paragraph, any sentence, any word is worth tossing--if doing so will get your story where you want it.

But it can be so hard, can't it?

How about you? What is your #1 Writing Ephiphany from 2010?

New Year's Resolutions for Everyone Else

2011-01-04T08:35:00.005-07:00

Happy 2011! It's only taken me 3 days to finish catching up on 2010, but I think I'm finally ready to face the next year.

Right now many people reflect on their life and resolve to make some changes/improvements, i.e. they make New Year's Resolutions. In fact, I'm sure there are a gabizillion blog posts from everyone and their hamster sharing those resolutions. That's all well and good, and if you're one of those gabizillion blog posts, then I send you my best wishes on finding success in those resolutions. But I'm not going to do that today.

I've decided that I'm going to make New Year's Resolutions for everyone else. Aside: This is not because I think I'm perfect and don't need any improvements. *laughing hysterically at the thought*

So, without further ado...

New Year's Resolutions for Everyone Else

1. For society in general: Resurrect the idea of an "accident."

Sometimes things just happen. Sometimes you slip on a patch of ice and fall, not because someone was criminally negligent and didn't scrape every iota of ice off their sidewalk, but because... get ready... ice is slick. *gasp* It's called life, people! Can we please, for all that's good in this green earth, get a grip and realize sometimes stuff just happens and quit blaming everyone for everything?

2. For Kia: Ditch the creepy hamster commercials.

*shudder* They don't even make sense. For example, last I checked, you can't drive a toaster. (See below) Unless maybe there's a new iToaster in the works? Apple could probably make one that would drive.

These commercials don't want me want to buy your car, they make me have hamster nightmares, which I'm guessing isn't the connection you're looking for with consumers.

3. For those who think because a person is a celebrity their opinion counts more than anyone else: Get a clue.

Just because a person can act (or can't act but pretends to *cough* Robert Pattinson*cough*) doesn't mean their opinions (on politics, economics, etc.) count more than anyone else's. Now if the celebrity has something more than an expensive haircut to back up the opinion, like common sense, then give it the weight it deserves.

4. For Apple: In 2011 make your own stimulus package and give out iPads to struggling writers.

Me! Me! Me!

5. For people who take up the treadmills at the gym to walk and shoot the breeze with each other: Get off the treadmill and use the track 50 feet away.

You can walk and talk on the track. I can't run hills on the track and outside is ice-covered and treacherous. (Guess what happened at the gym this morning?)

6. For the teenager contemplating jumping his bike off the 8 foot rock wall onto the terrace in my backyard and down the 5 foot ramp surrounded by more rock wall: Don't do it. I'm telling you.

7. For movie makers: Just phase out the 3D.

8. For beverage drinkers: Get off the Diet Coke.

Run away! Diet Coke is evil. It's the cocaine of soft drinks.

9. For politicians: Less talking and more listening across the board.

10. For everyone: Chill out, quit taking offense at everything, and smile more.

How about you? What resolutions would you like to make for other people?

Longer break than planned

2010-12-27T07:53:00.002-07:00

So... um... you might have noticed that my week off has turned into more like a month off. It's been a crazy month and I'll be back with you soon. Pinky Promise! Just a few more days to take care of things...

I hope you all are having a great holiday season.

Happy Thanksgiving

2010-11-22T07:00:00.001-07:00

To all those that are celebrating Thanksgiving this week, have a wonderful holiday. For those who are not, have a wonderful week!

I will be taking the week off and will join you again next week.

NaNoRevMo Report

2010-11-17T14:11:00.002-07:00

Thanks for the comments on my "I'm not doing NaNo pity party" post the other day. With your encouragement I decided to try and report some of my stats. I am revising like a madwoman, and that's worth some stats, isn't it?

Yesterday: One chapter polished. One sick kidlet taken to the doctor and fussed over. One dinner cooked. Several homework assignments completed needing my ~~nagging~~ encouragement. Well over 50 emails sent and received.

Today: One chapter polished. One chapter revised. Word count on the revised chapter stayed approximately the same, but half of those were new words. It's much better now but still has a couple spots needing some major fixage. A bunch of emails taken care of.

I am 7/10 finished with my major revision. And I'm liking it, I'm really liking it. *celebration*

How are you doing with your projects of the month? (Even if they're not NaNoWriMo.)

On the Outside of NaNo, Looking In

2010-11-15T08:50:00.002-07:00

Happy halfway point of NaNoWriMo for those of you doing it! How are you holding up? How are the areas of your life that you're neglecting to write holding up? :)

I told you last month that I'm not doing NaNo, and I'm not. I still stick with my decision to focus on revising my current project, but as I see the NaNo camaraderie and drama (i.e. "I didn't get my wordcount in because my dog died!") on Twitter and Facebook, I'm feeling a little left out. I want to post wordcounts, or participate in a 1K in an hour sprint, or go to a NaNo writer's retreat.

*Envision Jaime outside a store, her face pressed against the display window as she gazes longingly at the inside.*

Solution: I don't have to stay at the window! I'm going to start reporting my revision progress.

I think.

Revision is tricky, because I do a lot of it longhand (so counting words would be a beast). Plus, the train wreck I'm fixing requires tossing entire chunks (we're talking entire chapters sometimes) of my rough draft. So in a day I might have tossed 10 pages and written 4 pages, which would give me a negative total.

I still want to participate in the writing frenzy, though. Now I just have to figure out how.

Keep writing all you NaNoers!

Word of the Week #120 - saccade

2010-11-11T11:15:00.000-07:00

saccade - [sa-KAHD] - noun

Definition:
1. The movement of the eye when it makes a sudden change, as in reading.
2. The act of checking a horse quickly with a single strong pull of the reins.

Usage:
Sometimes keeping an eye on my kids tests my saccade abilities to the maximum. They are rarely still.

Using the Right Words

2010-11-10T07:00:00.002-07:00

A rose by any other name might smell as sweet, but when it comes to interacting with people (especially kids), presentation is as important as the words. Sometimes simply changing the way you use the words changes everything. A movie announcer voice doesn't hurt, either.

My kidlets have started tuning out when I talk, so I've decided it's time to get in touch with my inner movie announcer and awesome-up my presentation skills. These skills can easily transfer over into my writing. My plan isn't complicated. It merely involves slight changes to the way I talk, mainly by adding "-inator" to the end of words (which automatically rockets the coolness factor).

For example:

My car is no longer a van, it's now the Family Transportinator.

It's not doing the dishes, it's loading the Eating Utensil Scrubbinator.

We're not spraying wasp nests in the rock wall, we're wielding our Evil Stinging Pest Eradicator.

When it's raining, you open the Rain Repellinator.

Forget homework, it's time to work on the Future Education Placinator.

I'm not wasting time on Twitter, I'm becoming a Networking Informinator.

And, just for my boy kidlets, they have to take turns cleaning the Flushinator, because they're contributing Poopinators.

**Note: I actually used the last example when helping Kidlet #2 study the suffix "-ator" which means "that which."

**Note 2: Since I wrote this post, I have discovered that the villain in the Disney cartoon Phineus and Ferb adds "inator" to all of his evil genius inventions. However, I came up with the idea first.

Here's a short, less than 2 minute video on how presentation can make anything cooler.

Have you had any experiences where presentation mattered almost more than the words?

PERILOUS review and Win a Kindle

2010-11-09T09:15:00.002-07:00

While reading the book Perilous, by Tamara Hart Heiner (pause for a cover shot),

I started thinking about some of the perilous things that have happened in my life, like:

Getting caught in waist deep mud in an irrigation canal while going after my favorite toy mermaid. I didn't drown, thanks to an older brother who pulled me out. But I didn't get my mermaid back. *sniff*
Being run over by a car when I was 3. I remember getting woken up in the middle of the night in the hospital by the nurses shining flashlights in my eyes. Rude!
My sister and I slid several times on our butts on the cement slopes underneath a freeway overpass. It wore holes in the seats of my jeans.
Pretending to be characters in a story that were magically transported to another world. Of course, the paranoid neighbor's yard was much more otherworldly than mine. They called the cops on me for peeking in their windows. (It was a castle! And I was, like, 9 years old.)
Getting completely and inappropriately screamed at for throwing those red berries on decorative bushes at passing cars. I figured out after several unsuccessful attempts with my friends that in order to hit the car, you had to throw the berries just before the car passed. This psycho guy slammed on his breaks, backed up, and chewed me out up one side, down the other, and then repeated. My friends all bolted and I stood there taking it. To the psycho man: it was a child-size handful of red berries on your windshield. Go get some help for your road rage.
Exploring several derelict buildings that were probably on the verge of collapsing. As a mother I have nightmares my kids will "explore" in their mother's footsteps.
Having the police called on us because we discovered that super rubber balls bounced incredibly awesome in the post office (off all the PO boxes) and it was the perfect place for a rubber ball bounce off. Not so much.

Now compare my perilous experiences with real peril, like in Tamara Hart Heiner's book.

From the back cover:
Jaci Rivera has plans for her sophomore year: go to regionals with the track team, make the honor roll, and eat too much pizza with her best friends, Callie and Sara. Her biggest concern is Amanda, the pushy girl who moved in a few months ago. What she doesn't plan for is catching a robber red-handed, or being kidnapped. The desperate thief drags her and her friends 2,000 miles across the Canadian border. They escape from his lair, only to find that he has spies and agents watching their path home, waiting to intercept them and take them back. Then Jaci finds something out about her family. Something which irrevocably connects her to their kidnapper, and makes her question their chances of escape.

My perilous experiences don't hold a candle to what the girls in the book go through. Kidnapping, murder, escape, trekking across the country, corrupt law enforcement, etc. Perilous is a true YA suspense that will keep readers turning pages to find out what happens. And there are rumors of a sequel/series to help tie up some loose ends.

Confession: For some reason I had in my mind that this was a paranormal. Once I realized I was completely mixed up, I enjoyed the book much more since I wasn't waiting for a vampire/werewolf/demon/angel/witch/psychic to show up. This is no way a criticism of Perilous, it's more a confession of my own airheadedness.

Overall I enjoyed the book and recommend it to those who like suspense.

That being said, there were a few things that marred my enjoyment of the story.

I would have liked to know the other girls that were kidnapped along with the main character. I almost started thinking of them as sidekicks, and sometimes had to stop to remember who was who. If some chapters had been from their point of view, I could have connected with them more as individuals. For example, after a particularly traumatic thing happened to one character, it would have further invested us in the story to show in her own thoughts how her experience completely changed her outlook and approach to circumstances. I wanted more about the characters and how they changed, rather than just the events happening.

The girls also spend a lot of time on the run in wilderness areas. I think there needed to be more set up at the beginning showing that the girls actually had survival skills. Even just mentioning one went camping all the time with family, or something. If you dump your average 3 teenage girls in the wild--even with a few supplies--there's no guarantee they even know how to start a fire or find shelter. That pushed the believability envelope a little for me, but I wanted to know what happened so I suspended my disbelief.

Perilous will be out Nov. 16th, but I think you can get it now on the Kindle. You can find out more about Tamara, her books, and her blog tour on her website, at tamarahartheiner.blogspot.com. You can also read the first page of Perilous on her site.

BIG NEWS: Tamara is doing two giveaways in connection with her release.

First, anyone who comments on a blog tour post is entered to win a copy of her book. That giveaway begins October 15 and ends November 15.

Second, ONE person will also win a KINDLE.

The Kindle giveaway is point-based. It begins October 15 and ends December 15. Whoever gets the most points during those two months wins.

Ways to get points:

1 point: blog comment (can comment on all the blogs, multiple times, on the tour)
1 point: follow Tamara's blog
1 point: retweet
2 points: blog about the blog tour
5 points: purchase the book (For the ebook or paperback, email Tamara the confirmation email as proof. If you actually buy the book in the store, which is not possible until November 16, mail her a copy of the receipt.)

Add up all your points and gather your proofs (links, etc) and email it all to to Tamara at the end of the blog tour (tamara at tamarahartheiner dot com). There's no limit to the number of points you can earn.

Winners!

2010-11-08T07:00:00.001-07:00

Some of you may not know when you were commenting the last 2 weeks that you were being entered to win the last 3 of my October giveaways. If you are one of the lucky winners, then... surprise!!

I used Random.org to randomly pick 3 random numbers. (Did I mention it was random?) And then I matched those numbers to the comments from the last 2 weeks. Give the winners a round of applause.

The winner of a copy of Graceling is...

Comment # 19 -- Shallee

The winner of the Manic Bloom CD is...

Comment #11 -- Crystal

The winner for a copy of Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side is...

Comment #18 -- Elana

Congratulations!!

Tomorrow you'll want to stop by for my late book review of the book Perilous, which you won't want to miss because the author has some of her own awesome giveaways, including... I kid you not... one of these.

I want I want I want I want!

*Just for the record, I hate being late, and so not meeting the deadline for this book review has made me twitchy.

Wednesday we shall return to regular bloginess, which in my case means posts on writing & books, running, stuff that makes me laugh, words of the week, and a smattering of everything else.

I'm a Slacker

2010-11-05T08:26:00.003-06:00

It is best to finish a book before you review it.

Explanation of my sentence:

Today I am supposed to post a review of Tamara Hart Heiner's book, Perilous. She contacted me ages ago and sent me the PDF. Unfortunately life and Halloween got in the way, and before I knew it November was here, the kidlets had major projects due that required use of the computer, etc. (No one else has that problem, right?)

So I haven't finished Perilous yet (Oh, to have an e-reader!) and I don't think it's fair to review it until I reach The End. I shall finish it this weekend and post a review next week, so come back then. Perilous will be released Nov. 16th, but here's a sneak peek at the cover.

Have a great weekend, NaNo-ers!

Analogy woes

2010-11-03T11:29:00.002-06:00

Oh, for an analogy better than the craptastic "as out of place as a grandma in a boys locker room."

(I know. Gak.)

Revising: When You Have to Fill In "all the cool stuff"

2010-11-02T09:03:00.001-06:00

Revising can be tough because it's when you have to actually write those tough parts you marked in the rough draft, like "Get character to this place without boring the pants off readers" and "Something really cool happens here."

One Sentence Week

2010-11-01T16:54:00.002-06:00

It's the beginning of Nano, which means all of you writer-types may only have time for one sentence blogs. So here goes. Don't forget that every comment enters you to win my giveaways of last week.

Today's sentence:
If ignored, emails can bury you faster than an avalanche, and are just as hard to dig out of.

Not NaNo-ing sniff but Another Giveaway

2010-10-29T11:24:00.004-06:00

Welcome to the last weekday before insanity! Most of you know that I'm referring to NaNoWriMo, which begins next Monday. I did NaNo last year and killed it, in several different meanings of the word, but I'll have to sit it out this year.

Instead of NaNo, I'll be doing ReviseMo of my last year's NaNo. :) I'm over the halfway point of massive rewrites and I've gotta get this puppy finished. My goal is to do it by the end of November. So while thousands of you will be cranking out 50,000 words in a month, I'll be finishing the polishing of 50,000 words. And then it's on to querying and the fun fun of the agent hunt.

GOOD LUCK to all of you NaNo-ers! Stop by once in a while when you need to take a break because your brain is oozing out your ear and your fingertips have gone numb from pounding on the keys. And because I think so many of you are frantically getting ready for the start of NaNo this week, I'm going to extend the deadlines for this week's giveaways and add one more.

Comment on any posts this week and next week for the chance to win a copy of Graceling, a Manic Bloom CD, or the book Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side, by Beth Fantaskey.

Confession: I have no idea if this book is even any good. I picked it up purely for the sheer awesomeness of the title (title=win.) and the back cover copy. I haven't actually read it.

From the back cover:
Marrying a vampire definitely doesn't fit into Jessica Packwood's senior-year "get a life" plan. But then a bizarre (and incredibly hot) new exchange student named Lucius Vladescu shows up, claiming that Jessica is a Romanian vampire princess by birth and he's her long-lost fiance. Armed with newfound confidence and a copy of Growing Up Undead: A Teen Vampire's Guide to Dating, Health, and Emotions, Jessica makes a dramatic transition from average American teenager to glam European vampire princess. But Jessica has never even been kidssed--how can she possibly commit herself to a long-term relationship? Or an eternal relationship, for that matter?

It sounds exactly my kind of romance: tongue-in-cheek and no moping for several months. The story could be pure cow's tripe, but I really hope not. If you win it we'll have to both read it and compare notes.

Good luck with your last weekend of freedom!

Word of the Week #120 - noctivagant

2010-10-28T11:15:00.000-06:00

noctivagant - [noc-tiv-A-gant]- adjective

Definition:
Pertaining to going about in the night; night-wandering.

Usage:
My husband suffers from insomnia, so lately he's taken many noctivagant trips to work at 4:00 a.m.

Another Giveaway

2010-10-26T12:00:00.000-06:00

That's right, girls and boys. Another day, another giveaway for this week. Just comment on yesterday's post or today's post for a chance to win a copy of Graceling, and the thing I'm going to talk about. But first, Dragon Wrangler is giving away a copy of The Replacement.

Is it not the best Halloween-y cover? I can see a Tim Burton film opening with this very image. I want to read the book, so I even entered the contest. But if you don't want to enter that's okay. More chances for me to win. :) If I'm eligible.

Last week I talked a bit about music and how it goes hand in hand with the creative process for a lot of writers. It only makes sense that I would give away some more music, right? Right.

I love a lot of popular music, but I also listen to a lot of less-known or independent artists. And there's some good stuff out there, let me tell ya. Like Under the Influence of Giants (favorite "Mama's Room"), Jem (favorite "24" or "They"), and Broken Iris (favorite "A New Hope" not on player but the ones are there are good). The links are to Myspace pages or places you can listen for free.

One of my favorite bands-you-may-not-have-heard-of is Manic Bloom. This is some seriously awesome music. I won't write an in-depth music review, mostly because I don't know enough to do that. Just imagine me speaking with a nasal voice and an English accent: "The tonality of the main singer's voice mixes perfectly with the harmonics of the guitar, all pushed by the syncopated beat of a mixture of drums which showcases the classical pedagogy of the keyboardist. Blah, blah, blah." (Don't ask me what that means, cause I have no idea.)

Here's my review: I love their music!! And so I'm giving away a copy of their latest EP, "In Loving Memory." Free music...

You can listen to some of their songs at www.myspace.com/manicbloom. The song that I first fell in love with is "Running to the Scene." You can also learn more about them at www.manicbloom.com.

If you want more than one chance to win the CD, Dragon Wrangler is giving one away this week, too, and so is Lori Cunningham on her blog (she also tells more about them, since she's one of those knowledgeable music-types, minus the English accent.)

Have a happy Tuesday, all! I'm off to fight with the midpoint of my book. What I planned isn't going to work, but I think I've finally figured out how to shuffle, shift, and adjust. Now to do it and see if it works.

Awesome Giveaways All Week Long!

2010-10-25T08:15:00.003-06:00

Don't look, but it's the last week of October, and I've been saving up some of my giveaways to finish the month with a bang. But first, the winner of the Lori Cunningham CD from last week is...

Stephanie McGee

Congratulations!! I'll be in touch to get your address and get the CD in the mail.

That means it's time to announce the giveaway of today. (Oh, yes. You heard me right. This isn't the giveaway of the week, this is the giveaway of today.) Everyone knows I'm a book addict, and so we have another of my favorite books to give away: Graceling by Kristin Cashore.

From the back cover:
Katsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eight--she's a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme skill. As niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the king's thug. When she first meets Prince Po, Graced with combat skills, Katsa has no hint of how her life is about to change. She never expects to become Po's friend. She never expects to learn a new truth about her own Grace--or about a terrible secret that lies hidden far away...

There is a companion book, Fire, that is more recent, but I liked Graceling more. And it's my blog where I have all the power (Muah-ha-ha), so this is the book I'm giving away. Comment on any posts this week to be entered to win.

If I were Graced with a skill, I think I'd like to not need sleep. Or maybe the skill to make anyone I talk to feel better. However, being Graced could have a downside. Maybe if I had the Grace of no sleep I would yearn to dream and withdraw from consciousness. If I had the Grace to make others feel good just by talking to them, maybe I would be constantly barraged by others and not want to uplift them anymore. Hmmm...

What Grace would you like to have? And if you want to take it one step further as a writer thinking exercise, what would be a downside of that Grace? (Inherent conflict, baby!)

*Pop on over to Dragon Wrangler's blog for a chance to win a book from her. I might even try to win because I want to read the book she's giving away. It's very Halloween-y.

Set Goals...Sort of

2010-10-20T10:41:00.004-06:00

As November and NaNoWriMo draws near, many in the writing world start thinking about GOALS. For NaNo the goal is 50,000 new words in a month. Or maybe it's 50,000 words while sleep deprived because it also happens to be Thanksgiving when family comes to town and everything else in life seems determined to eat away the writing time you optimistically thought you'd have when you considered doing this crazy thing.

I'm a big goal proponent. I have my own goals for various aspects of my life, like my goal of reaching a certain 10K pace in my running. Then there's my goal to focus a minimum of 2 hours a weekday on writing--not blogging, not Twittering, not emailing, but actual writing. I have the goal of biting my tongue instead of barking at my children like a drill sergeant. I also have the goal of really listening when I talk to people, rather than planning my response. One of my goals is to finally decorate my bedroom (we've lived here 7 years and the master bedroom is still the second-hand-stash-everything-here room). I also should probably clean out from under my refrigerator--eventually.

I've had a goal for the month of October, and I even told 3 or 4 people about it (accountability and all that). My goal was to finish the rewrites on my MG fantasy so that I could begin querying in November. And how am I doing? With 11 days left in the month, I am just shy of the halfway point in my book. Unless I totally ignore the rest of life and my family, it's probably safe to say I'm not going to make it.

And that's okay.

I'm loving how the rewrites are turning out, and if it takes me longer to get the book I want and that others enjoy reading (including an agent and publisher) then that's okay. That's the more important goal anyway.

I think sometimes we focus so much on OUR GOAL (yes, it's capitalized for a reason) that we choke out all possibilities for flexibility. And then when we fall behind in OUR GOAL, we feel like a failure. One of the techniques teachers learn is to monitor and adjust. That has stuck with me ever since I heard it.

Set your goals. Work toward them. Periodically monitor and adjust. Then keep working toward them.

Life usually doesn't go as planned. Things get in the way, you lose sleep and can't think, your kidlet gets sick, you get sick, the car breaks down, etc. If you are so cemented into doing things one way, then you're just setting yourself up for failure.

So by all means set goals, but keep them flexible enough that you can actually reach them.

What goals do you have? And how are they going?

Word of the Week #119 - mussitate

2010-10-19T08:07:00.000-06:00

mussitate - [MUHS-i-teyt]- verb

Definition:
To silently move the lips in simulation of audible speech.

Usage:
It's amazing how my children can technically not talk back; they mussitate back.

Awesome Giveaway #3

2010-10-18T08:19:00.005-06:00

It's Monday, so that means it's time to announce the winner of last week's giveaway, I Capture the Castle.

L.T. Elliott

Random.org kicked out the random number of 7, and L.T. had the 7th comment of the week. I'll be in touch.

Let's keep the fun going with Awesome Giveaway #3 in the Month of Giveaway Awesomeness. But first, make sure to check in often in the next 2 weeks, because we will be giving away more than one thing a week. (Oh, yeah. Sprinting to the finish, baby!)

If there's one thing that writers love almost as much as books (no, I'm not talking about chocolate) it's music. And often that's because music and writing go hand in hand. Many writers have certain music to go with specific stories. It helps get them in the right frame of mind and kick start their muse.

When I'm doing heavy revising, like right now, I tend to listen to movie soundtracks, like from the "Bourne Supremacy" and "King Arthur," or keep things silent. But I have written entire scenes to single songs put on repeat, like a final, climactic battle scene to "Sahara" by Nightwish. And this song is my YA Paranormal. All I have to do is listen to it and I am instantly transported into the story. (Ack! I have to quit listening to it! I have to finish my MG first.)

There is also a music genre out there that is less known but is a great muse catalyst for me. It's called Electronica, and it's often dramatic and lyrical at the same time. Groups such as Delerium, Blue Stone, Conjure One, and Balligomingo are big. (Raise your hand if you've heard of them. No?)

Because I love and listen to Electronica A LOT when I write, I want to introduce you to the sound, and what better way than to give away a CD!

*cheering**applause*

I have, in my very own possession, the Unseen Album from up and coming Electronica artist Lori Cunningham. All you have to do is comment on any blog this week to be eligible to win.

“Unseen” features thirteen beautiful original works ranging from soaring vocalizes set in soothing soundscapes to complex instrumentations that interweave driving beats with Lori's intricate vocal style. While each song is unique, they all invoke you to experience emotions unseen by most.

You can find out more about Lori and listen to samples of the songs on the Unseen Album on her website, www.Loricmusic.com, but here's a sampler of her angelic voice. Emeria is her latest project and isn't out on CD yet, but this video gives you a great feel for the electronica genre.

What music do you listen to when you write?

Obscure Supernatural Heroes

2010-10-15T08:02:00.003-06:00

Since it's Fall Break at my house (which means I have kidlets under foot, clamoring for constant entertainment) today's post is a little light and fun. Over on agent Lucienne Diver's blog is a guest post by Michele Lang called "To All the Ghouls I've Loved."

Michelle talks about how Halloween is a great time to consider the possibility of the more Halloween-y (my own word) potential heroes out there. She lists her Top 5: Angels, Demons, Werewolves, Vampires, and Zombies.

Those are all great, and they are also the ones that easily come to mind. So that puts the onus on me (onus = great word. Go look it up and use it this weekend, I dare you!) to come up with at least 5 different supernatural heroes. I'm up for the challenge, though. And for my list I'm digging into my research for my first MG novel, "The Spear of Victory."

Obscure Supernatural Heroes

1. Cat Sith/Cat Sidhe

A fairy creature from Scottish and Irish mythology, said to resemble a large black cat with a white spot on its breast. Some common folklore suggested that the Cait Sìth was not a fairy, but a transformed witch. Just imagine the possibilities! Especially if it's a shape-changer (even better if it's a hot guy shape changer).

2. Bean-Fionn/Water Woman/Jenny Greentooth

This faery is very protective of children and a kiss from her renders a child almost indestructible. She has also been known to give directions to lost travelers. She will however, drown those who displease her or who hurt and abuse children. What a heroine! What if your MC is abused and gets help from this supernatural creature? (Just throwing out ideas.)

3. Blue men (not the Las Vegas group)

These supernatural sea creatures were said to live in underwater caves in the Minch, a straight between Lewis, Long Island and the Shiant Islands near Scotland. The Blue Men looked like humans with blue skins. They where infamous for swimming alongside passing ships, and attempting to wreck them by conjuring storms and by luring sailors into the water. If a captain wanted to save his ship he had to finish their rhymes and solve their riddles, and always make sure he got the last word. Some think the Blue Men may be Fallen Angels.

4. Mimi

Mimis are fairy-like beings of the Indigenous Australians of northern Australia. They are described as having extremely thin and elongated bodies, so thin as to be in danger of breaking in case of a high wind. To avoid this, they usually spend most of their time living in rock crevices. They are said to have taught the Aborigines how to hunt, prepare kangaroo meat and use fire. Believed to be trickster spirits, the Mimi disappear into the rock walls of caves and shelters and sometimes leave their shadows behind, which appear as paintings.

5. Kelpie

A supernatural Water elemental which takes the form of a horse, malevolent. They are Scottish water faeries. Usually they are seen as young horses, but sometimes they appear as hairy men. They haunt rivers and streams, letting men mount them and then riding off into the water, dunking them.

There's my list of obscure supernatural heroes, and yes, all of them are in my book.

What about you? Which supernaturals are your favorite?

Word of the Week #118 - quaggy

2010-10-13T09:49:00.001-06:00

quaggy - [KWAG-ee] - adjective

Definition:
1. Marshy; boggy.
2. Soft or flabby.

Usage:
When people wonder why I get up at 5:00 a.m. to go to a weight class, I tell them it's to avoid getting the old woman quaggy arms.

Sense and Sensibility... and Sea Monsters?

2010-10-12T10:34:00.003-06:00

If you thought they were done with the Jane Austen horror fusion (Pride and Prejudice and Zombies), you thought wrong.

Oh, yeah. Where can I get an idea like that?

You have to watch the book trailer. ROTFLOL

Don't forget that any comment on a blog this week will give you an entry into the Awesome Giveaway #2.

Awesome Giveaway #2

2010-10-11T08:13:00.005-06:00

It is time for the next Awesome Giveaway in my Month of Giveaway Awesomeness.

Oh, wait. You want to know who won the delciously mouthwatering yummilicious caramel apple of delight from last week?

Mmmm. So tasty...

Well, I had 29 comments on the blog that were eligible for the giveaway. I used random. org to generate a random number from 1 to 29, and it spit out the number 4, which would would be Yamile!

*applause*

She commented, "I will eat one of those babies even with my braces! So delicious looking." (Just promise you won't tell your orthodontist I'm the one who gave it to you.) I'll be in touch.

Let's keep up the giveaway fun by giving away something you'd expect from a blog called Bookmom Musings. And that would be...

A Book

One lucky commenter on any of my blogs this week will win their very own copy of one of my favorite books, but one I'm not sure a lot of you have read.

I fell in love with the book, I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith, in the first two sentences.

"I write this sitting in the kitchen sink. That is, my feet are in it; the rest of me is on the draining board, which I have padded with the dog's blanket and the tea-cosy."

I Capture the Castle relates the adventures of the Mortmains, an eccentric family struggling to live in a decaying English castle in the 1930s. Narrated through journal entries of the intelligent and delightful teen-aged girl, Cassandra Mortmain, we meet her extraordinary family. First, there is her eccentric father, a writer who had one literary masterpiece published years ago, but has been unable to write since. Then there is her sister, Rose - beautiful, vain and bored - and her stepmother, Topaz, an artist's model who likes to be dramatic and commune with nature. Finally, there is their neighbor Stephen, incredibly handsome and hopelessly in love with Cassandra.

Cassandra records events and her feelings with humorously insightful honesty. The result is a book both marvelously funny and genuinely moving. It made me smile, chuckle, laugh, and even stop and think.

Any comments on any of the blogs this week gets you in the drawing for this. Don't forget to pop on over to Dragon Wrangler's blog for her giveaway of the week, too. Good luck!

(And just so you know, I'm toying with the idea of doing a second giveaway this week, too. But for the moment I haven't decided. I'll let you know when I make up my mind. )

Write Your Own Rejection

2010-10-07T14:31:00.006-06:00

"I couldn't identify with the characters, the plot was hard to follow, and the world didn't live up to it's promise."

Ouch. Anyone else cringing at the words of this rejection? Yeah, it's pretty harsh. But it's honest. I know, because I wrote it to myself.

"Whoa! Back up. You wrote your own rejection?"

Yes, I did. It was part of a lesson in a a monster-load-of-work-but-completely-worth-it course on novel revision. After two excruciating months of reading and re-reading my rough draft without TOUCHING it (which was like dragging myself up a hill in a hailstorm by papercut-covered fingertips) and taking copious notes on what worked (10%), what didn't (90%), I could finally look at my book objectively and know what needed to be fixed and why.

Before we actually started figuring out specifically how to fix our books, the teacher made us write our own rejection letter. We had to try and see our book with the eyes of an agent or editor, and make it brutally honest. You've now read part of mine.

After the gut-twisting "Oh my gosh, I totally suck!" faded away, I knew that I wanted to make sure no editor/agent/reader ever thought that about my revised novel. It gave me direction and motivation. I now keep it where I can see it while I'm revising.

Try it. Look at your current WIP, not with the eyes the author who ripped out bits of your soul with each keystroke, but as an editor/agent who will look at it totally objectively. Then write a rejection letter--with specifics--to yourself.

Once you have it, read it over and over. Then vow to yourself that you will never actually get that letter, because you *will* fix those things.

And go do it.

Word of the Week #117 - jape

2010-10-06T07:00:00.001-06:00

jape - [JAYP] - noun, verb

Definition:
1. A joke or jest.
2. A trick or prank.
3. To joke; to jest.
4. To make fun of; to mock.

Usage:
The funniest comedians are the ones that jape about the normal aspects of life in a new way.

Brian Regan is a master of this.

Awesome Giveaway #1

2010-10-05T08:12:00.002-06:00

Since I'm a writer and voracious reader, I know that you're probably expecting something bookish for the first giveaway in The Month of Giveaway Awesomeness.

Nope.

Don't get me wrong, this blog is about writing and books, but it's also about whatever else I feel like. And for the kickoff giveaway of the month, I feel like giving a lucky blog reader something from Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory.

"WHAT?!" say those of you who know me and know I don't like chocolate. No, the world hasn't ended. You see, Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory also sells Caramel Apples.

Like the Apple Pie Apple: "This is not your ordinary apple pie. We take a large Granny Smith apple, apply a thick coat of fresh, creamy caramel, then dip it in sweet white confection. Then, while still hot, we roll it in brown sugar and cinnamon. Like Grandma used to make, only better!"

You get 8-10 slices of delicious goodness that will send your taste buds on a frenzied journey to ecstasy! Sigh.

One lucky commenter will win one of these babies this week!

The actual logistics of this giveaway are a bit tricky, since I can't really mail one to you. ("Oh, look, I got apple pie mush with a stick in the mailbox.") I can place an order for you, but then you have to go to a Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory location to pick it up, and there may or may not be one near you. The other option is to send you a Cold Stone Creamery gift card, because many Cold Stones also have Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory products, and there are a whole lot more Cold Stones around the country than Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory locations. (You would have to pinky swear you'd use it for an apple, though.) Once we have a winner, the two of us will figure out the best way to get you your apple of yummilicious awesomeness.

And for those of you who *must* have something involving chocolate, Dragon Wrangler's got your back. (Just give her a little time to get the blog up, since she probably tore her rotator cuff the other day and typing is painful.)

Happy commenting to fight for that apple!!

A Month of Giveaway Awesomeness!

2010-10-04T08:18:00.004-06:00

By a raise of hands, do we have any Lord of the Rings fans out there? How about any that became fans once they saw Orlando Bloom in the movies?

I'm a LOTR fan, but not a LOTR fantatic.

**Confession: I didn't actually read LOTR until I had my first child. My brother was/is a LOTR Fanatic (yes, with a capital "F") so I think I rebelled against it for a while. Either that or "The Hobbit" cartoon traumatized me for 20 years. (Oh, the horror!)

What does LOTR have to do with October? Well, dear readers, I shall tell you. In the hobbit culture, when someone has a birthday they give gifts rather than receive them. For those who don't know, I just had a birthday. And I thought that rather than dwelling on the fact that I am *old*, I would celebrate it all month long by giving away things to YOU. And then I got 100 followers and that just makes the idea even more perfect!

"Great!" you say, "Now what crazy hoops do I have to jump through to win?"

Sometimes blog giveaways can get a little...complicated. In order to get an entry you have to become a follower, blog about the contest and link to it, tweet every other hour on days that begin with an M, T, or S, put a placard on your dog while you walk him in a parade, answer a bunch of questions, play a game of Twister where every time someone has to put a body part on a yellow circle you have to chant "I will win the blog contest," etc.

In case you can't tell, sometimes that annoys me. So, because this is my blog and my Month of Giveaway Awesomeness, I'm gonna make the rules. In order to be entered to win any of my giveaways you have to...

Wait for it...

Comment on my blog.

That's it.

Post a comment--any comment--on any of the posts for the week (except this one), and you are entered to win the giveaway(s) of the week. Now, if you want to blog about my giveaways, become a follower (and I hope you do), tweet about my blog, or put up a billboard, that's great! If you tell me about it, I may arbitrarily grant you anywhere between 1-100 extra entries, depending on my mood, how much my kidlets are fighting, and the phase of the moon.

And if that wasn't awesome enough (which it is), I also talked Dragon Wrangler into doing some giveaways, too, although I think she's doing it just because October is her favorite month. So you can mosey over to her blog and get double the chances to win something in the... drum roll and reverberating echoey movie announcer voice...

Month of Giveaway Awesomeness!!!

Writing! Links! For! You!

2010-09-30T08:13:00.003-06:00

There are loads of good things out there for writer-types on the intranets lately. Here are some I found particularly worth reading.

On Pitching (not baseball)

11 Questions for Crafting a Pitch by agent Rachelle Gardner

The Last Thing An Agent Wants to Hear From You on Storyfix.com

On the Craft of Writing

12 Dos and Don'ts for Introducing your Protagonist on Anne R. Allen's blog

250 Chances (or the importance of a strong opening for your book--and tips on what NOT to open with) on author Janice Hardy's blog

How do you HOOK a Reader? Understand Great Beginnings by Kristen Lamb

5 Things A Writers Always Overlooks: chaos, lag, flab, overkill and anticlimax. by Victoria Mixon

Middle Grade Vs. Young Adult on the Invincible Summer blog

5 editor’s secrets to help you write like a pro on Remarkable Communication

Conflict--Why Should We Care by Nicola Morgan

Inception's 4 Rules for Ultimate Influence by Jeff Sexton
**I put this on because I loved Inception so much. Brilliant layered storytelling! I left the theater thinking, How can I do that? Of course, the group we were with gave me that "Oh she's just doing the crazy writer thing" once I started talking about playing with multiple yet simultaneous time lines.

"Leonardo Di Caprio looked nice," one of them said.

"Oh. I didn't notice," I replied.

So there are just a few things to keep you busy for the next hour. Did I miss any good posts you came across?

word of the Week #116 - regnant

2010-09-29T07:00:00.000-06:00

regnant - [REG-nuhnt] - adjective

Definition:
1. Prevalent; widespread.
2. Reigning; ruling (usually used following the noun it modifies): a queen regnant.
3. Exercising authority, rule, or influence.

Usage:
She fixed them with a no-nonsense stare. "Listen up, children. I am the mother regnant here, so you have to do it because I say so!"

Holy 100, Batman!

2010-09-28T08:15:00.000-06:00

Last weekend, Bookmom Musings hit a major milestone:

Wowsers! To celebrate I'm going to... to... to...

... post this celebration picture.

Rayna M. Iyer (Hi, Rayna!) is my 100th follower. *applause* If I were in India I would shower her with confetti and give her a prize.

Wait a minute... that's not such a bad idea. (Not the confetti.) Giveaways are always fun. But I can't just throw out any old giveaway. I have to plan. *rubbing hands together* I'll get it all put together and let you know about it soon.

Thanks for following my blog. :)

A post inspired by Moi

2010-09-27T08:00:00.000-06:00

My post last week about author photos was so inspiring that it lead to this post on Flavorwire, "Against Promotional Author Photographs." Then agent/blogger extraordinaire Nathan Bransford's linked to it last Friday on his blog.

That makes me, like, 2 degrees of separation from fame and glory!

It's such an honor! *waving hands in front of eyes* *sniff* Really. I don't know what to say.

And no, it's not just coincidence. (Let me have my moment of delusion, okay?)

Writing Compelling Characters

2010-09-24T08:15:00.001-06:00

Elana Johnson asked for volunteers to help her with The Great Blogging Experiment today, which is having several bloggers blog about the same topic on the same day, and then seeing how very different and valuable the different blogs can be. I am experimentee #114.

How to Write Compelling Characters, a la Jaime at Bookmom Musings.

1. Riddle them with weaknesses, flaws, and a behavior tendencies that seem to get them in trouble. As human beings, we all have weaknesses, flaws, and tendencies that we wish we could erase the minute we do them. As readers we can empathize with that because it's part of life. This will make your characters more real to your readers. And more real to you (which is important as you write them).

2. Give them at least one character strength that you admire. Maybe it's persistence. Maybe it's kindness to others who might not deserve it. Maybe it's the ability to laugh at oneself.

3. Make sure you have some plot problems that stem directly from your characters' weaknesses and strengths. Stick with me here. Sometimes our strengths get us into trouble too, and the true test of someone's mettle is if they stick to that strength even when it hurts.

4. Make your characters grow and change as a result of events in your story. Even better if it is by overcoming a particular weakness that a character gets the girl/beats the bad guy/saves the world/saves the whales/becomes the popular kid/etc.

5. Make your characters sparkle in the sun. (Kidding, kidding.)

All of this is easier said than done, but it can be done. I also suggest looking at some of your favorite characters in books with an eye towards why you found them compelling. I bet you'll see some of the things I mentioned. (Except the sparkling.)

Music for the Word Nerd's Soul

2010-09-23T08:00:00.000-06:00

I may not do straight poetry, but put it to music and you've got me. There are some songs that just thrill me as a writer. I'm not talking about the muse-stirring songs, but ones whose lyrics make the Word Lover in me jump for joy.

Some Word Nerd gems:

"Paralyzer" by Finger Eleven. I <3 style="font-style: italic;">pretentious in the lyrics.

"Now or Never" by Josh Groban. Not even mentioning his divine voice, just this line should do it: The tattered thought balloons above our heads sinking in the weight of all we need to say. Sigh. (If you click on the YouTube link the song actually starts at about the two minute point.)

Several songs by Sting/The Police are wonderful, but what do you expect from a man who was an English teacher before a musician? I like "Wrapped Around Your Finger." Caught between the Scylla and Charybdis. A literary reference even! *squee*(Be kind to the video. Remember it was from the early 80s.)

Or Fortress Around Your Heart which has some great lyrics, including the word chasm. That's just a fun word to say: chasm, chasm, chasm. It's almost as fun to say as schism.

Then there's One Week by Bare Naked Ladies, which is pure fun wordy randomness. My favorite line might be I'd like a stinkin' achin' shake I like vanilla, it's the finest of the flavors Gotta see the show 'cause then you'll know The vertigo is gonna grow 'Cause it's so dangerous You'll have to sign a waiver. (Technically it's more than one line but yousayitalltogetherwithoutbreathingsothatmakesitonephraseright?)

The song 25 or 6 to 4 by Chicago holds a special place in my heart because they managed to make a whole song about trying to think up a song. Oh, if only I could write a book about trying to write a book. (Forget the video, just listen to the song. They had to make some sort of story to the video or else it would be 4 minutes watching the group sit on the floor in the middle of the night. 25 or 6 to 4 is the time and I think they just plugged it in the chorus.)

I know I'll think of more songs after this post is published, but I'm always open to adding to my Word Nerd playlist. What are your favorite writer songs?

Word of the Week #115 - quiddity

2010-09-21T07:00:00.000-06:00

quiddity - [KWID-ih-tee] - noun

Definition:
1. The essence, nature, or distinctive peculiarity of a thing.
2. A hairsplitting distinction; a trifling point; a quibble.
3. An eccentricity; an odd feature.

Usage:
I want to thank you, dear blog readers, for putting up with my quiddities and coming back to read my posts anyway.

The Great Author Photo Dilemma

2010-09-20T07:00:00.006-06:00

There comes a time in every author's life when they have to pass that coming-of-age moment in their writing career: the author bio picture. The process usually begins with hours staring into the mirror trying out various ways of holding your head, positioning your shoulders and/or hands so that you look intelligent, approachable, and attractive while downplaying your large nose that makes you look like a camel. Or like Tim Curry, according to a certain online Celebrity Look-a-like program which has in no way traumatized me, thank you very much.

I know most authors hate to get their bio pictures taken. A friend went through the whole sordid experience only to have her editor tell her that it looked too much like a yearbook picture.

And there's no way you want that.

(This isn't me. Though I swear this girl went to my high school. And kept Aqua Net hairspray in business.)

There's the life or death decisions of what to wear, which accessories, how to do your hair, whether to leave the hobo beard or go clean shaven, do your own makeup or hire someone else to do it who will cake it on so thick you wipe it off and end up doing it yourself anyway, etc. And then there's the all-important decision of the general feel of the picture--the mood you want to evoke.

There are so many options:

Thoughtful. (Make sure to stare into the distance.)

Amy Tan

Intense. (With a hint of I'm thinking of a hundred ways to incapacitate you.)

Jim Butcher

Other-worldly. (A good choice for paranormal authors.)

Yasmin Galenorn

Successful. (I'm surrounded by all the books I've published, which is, like, 5,000 more than you.)

James Patterson

Distinctive. (With curly hair that others can't resist pulling just to watch it bounce back. Yes, I have read Ramona the Pest.)

Jodi Piccoult

Scary. (Which is really unfortunate if you write for children.)

Shel Silverstein

Relaxed. (Because we all know writing a book is a breeze, right?)

J.K. Rowling

Leaning against something. (Argh! Should I lean against a wall or a lamp post? I can't decide!)

Jeffrey Deaver

With an interesting background. (I think this photo was doctored. I hope.)

Rachel Caine

Or, there's always this option.
That one sounds good to me.

Write This - Or Not

2010-09-15T14:29:00.002-06:00

I just had to watch this video again. And maybe I'm crazy (don't answer that) but sometimes own brain plays both parts of this eerily-realistic skit.

Tuesday Confessions

2010-09-14T07:49:00.004-06:00

They say confession is good for the soul, so here goes:

When I was young an older lady who knew my love of reading gave me about 50 Barbara Cartland books. I read them all, and to this day I get a little twitchy about ellipses in dialogue because every heroine in Barbara Cartland books talked like a half-wit. "Oh, I... don't know... about... that..."

I eat around the chocolate chips in chocolate chip cookies. Along the same vein, I leave all the M&Ms in the trail mix.

I sing along with songs on the radio, often very loudly (much to my children's embarrassment).

I was on the drill team in high school and I still have my sequined outfit and pom poms.

I know all the words to the song "Ice Ice Baby" by Vanilla Ice.

I switched majors four times in college: business, commercial art, dance, and physical therapy. I finally graduated with a BS in pre-physical therapy, a minor in composite dance, and enough random credits to have graduated twice.

Orlando Bloom is hawt, esp. in Pirates of the Caribbean. Just saying.

I once dressed up as a cholera victim for Halloween. We had a class presentation in my Microbiology class on Halloween and I decided to kill two birds with one stone. I was told it was quite a realistic costume.

I can't make myself burp. Various boyfriends tried to teach me, but I'm belch-challenged.

I don't like slow songs. *gag* My husband says I'm not quite natural.

My non-writer friends sometimes don't get my humor. I guess they don't find atrocious typos in marquees as funny as me.

I don't watch TV. Sometimes I go weeks without seeing a single show.

I used to play the drums.

I have an extra ankle bone. (Technically, it's a tilted navicular bone, not an extra one, but it means I have a really prominent second bump on the outside of my ankles that makes it painful to wear ice skates or high top shoes.)

Anyone else feel like sharing a random confession? I know at least some of you also know all the words to "Ice Ice Baby."

Word of the Week #114 - tantivy

2010-09-13T10:39:00.001-06:00

tantivy - [tan-TIV-ee] - adjective, adverb, noun, or interjection

Definition
adjective:
1. Swift; rapid.

adverb:
1. At full gallop.

noun:
1. A rush, a gallop or stampede.

interjection:
1. (used as a hunting cry when the chase is at full speed.)

Usage:
I would rather sleep today, but life is coming at me full tantivy.

WIPpet

2010-09-09T08:34:00.002-06:00

Just for fun, here's a little snippet of my WIP:

“Are you lost, little human?”

A girl, maybe two and a half feet tall with dark skin and curly black hair stood a few feet away. She had bare feet and wore a short dress the color and texture of spring leaves. A flicker behind her revealed a set of translucent wings that opened and closed like a butterfly’s.

He sagged in relief. A harmless fairy; she’d probably help him.

She tilted her head and stroked the trunk of a nearby tree. Her small hands had fingers too long to look right, topped with claw-like nails. Some instinct deep in Bradley snapped into alarm-mode. The fairy watched him with a predatory intensity, like the tiger at the zoo that had always made him uneasy. One day it escaped its enclosure and mauled several people in the crowd before being shot.

He straightened as much as he could. Slowly. Cautiously. “I’m not lost.”

She curled her fingers, scraping gouges in the bark of the tree. “Yes you are.” She smiled, revealing pointed teeth. “You’re in the forest.”

She leapt at him, graceful and lightning fast.

Bradley scrabbled in his pocket. Found the charm and yanked it out.

The fairy stopped just beyond the reach of his outstretched arm. The charm swung back and forth, just spelled leaves and acorns in a vial dangling from a silver chain, looking too small to offer much protection.

She fluttered back and forth in the air, like an animal pacing its cage, her wild eyes fixed on him. He kept the charm between them, holding her back. She tried several times to get to him, but an unseen force stopped her every time. Bradley silently sent a quick prayer of gratitude to the universe, Aunt Claudia, and the impulse that made him grab the charm at the last second.

The fairy hissed. Her face looked gaunter than it should, with sunken cheeks and protruding cheekbones. Almost skeletal. They stared at each other for long moments. He couldn’t move, and she couldn’t reach him. His arm trembled.

Bradley started when she laughed. It wasn’t the uplifting, tinkling laugh of a normal, sane fairy. “That bauble will only protect you so far,” she said. She waved a hand. The branches around his leg bent, making the hole wide enough to pull his leg out. The fairy circled him, then flitted away through the trees and out of sight.

Bradley wrenched his leg out of the trap and gingerly put weight on his aching ankle. It didn’t buckle, thank goodness.

“This could be quite entertaining.” The fairy’s voice seemed to come from every direction.

Made for You

2010-09-08T08:40:00.002-06:00

I tend to go in cycles where I love a song/group of songs and listen to them over and over. (I'm ignoring the chanting of "OCD, OCD, OCD," coming from some of you.) This is my most recent song obsession. I love it because it has a great beat, awesome piano, and is very catchy, but I also love it because of what it says to me, which I'm sure is not even close to what the artist intended. But one of the great things about art is how the reader/listener/viewer makes it their own.

Here are the lyrics, interrupted by my thoughts (in red).

Made for You
by One Republic
(You can listen to it on YouTube here.)

I was writing
Thinking with my long hand
Put pen to paper
Everything was sinking
**At this point I'm hooked. I think better when I write, as the long letters I composed during rough spots in relationships throughout my life will attest. And when I hit that sweet spot and really get going in my writing, it is a lot like sinking and getting lost in the words.**
Then start to wonder
How you gonna handle me
When I'm under
Swimming in the darkest sea
**Sad as it is, my writing imaginary life bleeds over into my real life. I can be grumpy when characters won't work with me. I can be elated and on top of the world when a scene or chapter comes together in a dazzling way. So when I'm swimming in the sea of my own world, those around me have to "handle" me a bit.**

Everybody wants you to make it
Its all yours
Everybody wants you to take it
Its all yours
Everybody wants you to make it
Its all yours
Everybody wants you to T-t-t-take it
**I think the writing community is one of the most selfless, giving group of people I know. You can't turn around without tripping over dozens of authors/writers/agents/editors who sincerely want you to succeed and spend energy sharing information to help you do it. All of us book lovers want more great books. If you've got a great book in you and the drive, determination, and bull-headed persistence it takes, I want you to make it. When I listen to this I flip it and and think that it's all mine, if I can put in the work to take it.**

Can you feel all the love
Can you feel all the love
Can you feel all the love
Can you feel all the love
Like it was made for you
Like it was made for you...
**One of the reasons I keep writing is so that I can see the light in the face of someone who reads my books and has connected with something in them. It's an emotional connection and bond that's almost like a spark of love, because I have given a bit of myself to the book, and a reader has accepted it and enjoyed it. I hold that motivation in front of myself, like a carrot, to keep going when it gets difficult. It's a motivation made for me.**

Tell me something
Something that can move me
Don't tell me lies
Or I swear you're gonna lose me
**I have to move my readers, and be genuine. If it's fake or contrived then I will lose them. This also applies to me as a reader.**
Begin like an ocean
Jealous of the fish it feeds
Your devotion
Swimming inside of me
**I'm afraid I don't have anything profound for this part.**

Everybody wants you to make it
Its all yours
Everybody wants to take it
Its all yours
Everybody wants you to make it
Its all yours
Everybody wants you to T-t-t-take it
[Can you feel all the love
Can you feel all the love
Can you feel all the love
Can you feel all the love]

Like it was made for you
It was made for you
Like it was made for you
It was made for you

Can you feel
Can you feel
Can you feeeel
**Ultimately writing is about feeling. Intellectual writing can never touch people like things that make them feel, because emotion is such a vital part of the human existence. I have a tendency to try and divorce myself from my feelings, so I have to make a conscious effort to not push it away, and just feel. So the words "Can you feel" has special significance for me.**

Like I said, I'm sure what I get from this song is a universe away from what One Republic envisioned when they wrote it. I have music that works for different characters, scenes, or stories, but this song is just for me.

Do you have songs that inspire you?

Mind the Perishables

2010-09-07T07:00:00.001-06:00

I'm not talking about these perishables. (Though they do look mouth-watering.)

I'm talking about perishable skills. You've heard the phrase Use It or Lose It? Perishable skills are ones that you lose if you don't use them.

Reading is not a perishable skill, but I contend that thinking is. (Not the oh, look, that cloud looks like a rhinoceros thinking, but problem solving, analytical thinking. Just try to do advanced algebra after not doing it for several years, even if you used to be a whiz at it. Go ahead, try it.)

Riding a bike is not a perishable skill. Running, on the other hand, is. If I take time off from running, then I have to spend several days playing catch up to even feel like I'm back to where I started. Having experienced this phenomenon several times, I now make sure to run at least a little every week.

Writing most definitely is a perishable skill. The more you write, the more you feel like writing. And when you take a break from it, the harder it is to start up again. Some of the things I learned from participating in National Novel Writing Month last year (besides the fact that yes, I can produce a shocking number of words that are mostly crap) is that 1) I could write consistently, day in and day out, 2) I discovered my best output per day (I was mostly coherent to a certain number of pages, but if I had to go beyond that you could kiss decent writing goodbye), and 3) when I wrote consistently it was easier to write consistently.

So mind your perishables, because it's easier to maintain your groove/habit than to get it back.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go do some advanced algebra.

Word of the Week #113 - beek

2010-09-06T07:00:00.001-06:00

beek - [BEEK] - verb

Definition:
1. To bask or warm in the sunshine or before a fire.
2. (Of wood) to season by exposure to heat.

Usage:
I'm trying to beek as much as I can before fall.

Note: That sentence is just funny! And yes, it's just a coincidence that beek rhymes with geek.

Good Books

2010-09-03T13:30:00.001-06:00

Do you find yourself languishing in post-Mockingjay blues?

It took me a week to get my copy and by then it felt like everyone else had already read it, including my 12 yr. old who stole it out of my hands and devoured the whole thing while I did things that couldn't be put off like making dinner, picking up children from school, etc. I threatened him with the removal of all he held dear if he uttered a single spoiler.

I'm happy to announce that I've finished it now (Yea!) and recommend it. But only if you read Hunger Games and Catching Fire first, or else you'll be soo lost. I might even review Mockingjay, but not today. Today I'm going to share another good book.

Any girl who loved Anne of Green Gables and/or Pride and Prejudice will feel at home with Scones and Sensibility by Lindsey Eland.

It's a middle grade book (grades 5-7) but I loved it. (No need to comment on what that says about my maturity.) I went through an Anne of Green Gables phase (though not to this degree) and loved meeting the younger me through the pages of the story.

From Booklist:
Growing up in a cozy seaside community above her family’s bakery, 12-year-old Polly has always been a romantic. After she reads Pride and Prejudice, though, her yen for successful love stories spills over into daily life, and she determines to spend her summer matchmaking among the locals. Of course, everything goes horribly awry, and Polly is forced to confront the impact of her meddling: “This isn’t your dumb Green Gables or England or whatever. This is real life!” says her furious best friend. To better emulate her favorite book’s “enchanting heroine,” Polly narrates in a mannered, archaic voice (“I vow to call you on the morrow!”) that may try some readers’ patience but provides comedic moments in her mixed metaphors and the curt responses she receives: “Put a cork in it,” growls her sister. The plot is as light as pastry filling, but young romantics may recognize themselves in Polly and in her puzzlement over the way love and attraction happen in the twenty-first century, beyond the pages of books.

When I saw Scones and Sensibility at my library I scooped it up, not because of my love of Jane Austen (I'm a "meh" Austen fan) but because I had read in other blogs about the great character voice. And sure enough, it lived up to the hype. You can't help but love Polly, and she is most definitely a unique character.

I had a blast reading this book. Unfortunately I can't share it with my sons, because it's not really up their alley. They wouldn't be able to get past the pink cover. But when my daughter gets older, I'll be happy to get it for her.

word of the Week #112 - nitid

2010-08-30T08:30:00.001-06:00

nitid - [NIT-id] - adjective

Definition:
Bright; lustrous.

Usage:
I wonder if Lady Gaga is visually impaired or if she just likes nitid clothes, makeup, eyelashes, headgear, footwear, and accessories--all at the same time.

Sweet, Blessed School

2010-08-26T09:44:00.002-06:00

All my kidlets are in school today!!!

Excuse me while I go write. Or celebrate. Or maybe just sit and stare at the wall in the glorious non-bickering quiet.

The Next Big Thing

2010-08-24T07:00:00.001-06:00

As writers we all dream of catching the wave of the next big trend. If you had a romance between an obsessive teenage girl and a moody vampire ready to go about the time Twilight hit it big, then you got to ride the Stephenie Meyer wave.

Unfortunately, the trick with getting in on the next big thing is that you have to be in on it before it actually becomes the next big thing. Enter the past time of trend predicting. I've seen several comments to the effect that "Zombies are the next vampires," which may be true, but that means it's too late to ride the zombie wave. Unless you have a smoking idea. (See idea #2)

I've decided to throw my own ~~guesses~~ educated, well thought out predictions on some possibilities for The Next Big Thing.

1. Were Jack Rabbit - A fresh take on the ever popular were-legends. A lovable guy with protruding ears that transforms into a crazed desert animal with a thirst for blood. Or carrots.

Michael Phelps would be a shoe-in for the movie. He has the ears and the speed. Although I'm not sure how much jack rabbits like water...

2. Zombie Pirhanas. A family on the verge of collapse takes an extreme bonding vacation to the Amazon Basin. The inherent conflict of this idea almost takes my breath away. So easy!

And the movie from the novel can always be in 3D.

3. Hindu Mythology. The Greek gods are so the last big thing. Imagine picking up a book with the title Aarushi and the God of Many Arms. Aarushi could team up with a holy cow to save the world.

4. Ghost Hunters. You've got supernatural and cool gadgets in one place. Like petticoats and blue eyeshadow, it's about time for Ghostbusters to come back in style, right?

5. Cell Phone Horror. Something like "Tron" where people get sucked into an alternate dimension through accidentally texting a secret code. I bet Dean Koontz is already working on this one as we speak.

I hope you all enjoyed this sneak peek into the future and The Next Big Thing. Feel free to make your own predictions in the comments. Then when it happens you'll get all the credit and glory.

Word of the Week #111 - gormandize

2010-08-23T07:52:00.001-06:00

gormandize - [GAWR-muhn-dahyz] - verb

Definition:
To eat greedily or ravenously.

Usage:
Teaching my sons to eat like civilized human beings, rather than gormandize their meals monkey-style, is an uphill battle.

Using What Moves You

2010-08-17T09:01:00.003-06:00

A couple weeks ago I wrote a post on What Moves You. I listed some of the things that reach a deep part of me, and that do so time and time again. If you haven't taken any time to think about some of the things that move you, I suggest you do so, because that knowledge can add depth to your writing (or any other creative work).

Getting through any creative project can be gut-wrenchingly hard sometimes. I think the biggest reason it can be so hard is because what you are producing during the project is so much less than the vision you carry in your mind. You have this amazing, epic book with characters that wring out emotion from readers all envisioned in that creative spot that's a merging of your mind and soul. And then you read the words you've put down and it has as much excitement as Hamburger Helper instructions. That's discouraging.

Note: Perhaps this is only unique to me and my writing. If it doesn't ring a bell with you, will you please share your secrets in the comments? K Thx.

To get through that discouragement and push on, there has to be something in your work that really matters. If you've somehow incorporated something/some things that move you, then that will help you keep with it. Let me give you some examples from my list and some comments from the post the other day.

What moves me:
People who rise above the unfairness life has dealt them.

How to use it:
Make my protagonist matter to me, by throwing them in unfair situations, and then going through the growth with them needed to rise above those circumstances by the end of the book. Voila! Instant character arc that matters to me.

What moves me:
Children's laughter.

How to use it:
Don't hold back and really play with the absurd in my story so that when children read it, they will laugh.

What moves Jennifer:
People who show unbelievable amounts of forgiveness.

How to use it:
Give your antagonist a prime opportunity to show forgiveness, and they choose not to. Or have a mentor, friend, or family member of a character show that forgiveness near the beginning of the book. Have the protagonist look down on that other character for being "weak" but eventually come to understand that forgiveness takes much more strength than holding grudges.

What moves Cathy:
Beautiful scenery.

How to use it:
Bring depth to setting by describing the scenery not in how it looks, but how it makes a character feel.

How do you use what moves you?

Word of the Week #110 - absquatulate

2010-08-16T07:00:00.001-06:00

absquatulate - [ab-skwoch-uh-leyt] - verb

Definition:
To flee; abscond.

Usage:
Do you ever feel like absquatulating from a situation?

Note: Sorry for the blog silence with no warning. A situation arose that required every bit of my spare time and attention.

What Moves You?

2010-08-03T13:49:00.002-06:00

As I get older I've realized that one of the most precious parts of being alive is being moved, emotionally, mentally, or spiritually. Those are the moments that stay with you, and the moments that connect you with others. As writers we want to move people. I'm not talking about the changing the world crusader type of moving people, but making a connection between your words and a reader in some way.

The first step is realizing what moves you. Here are some things that move me:

People who rise above the unfairness life has dealt them.

Dawn.
I'm solar-powered and so love all parts of the day, but first light speaks to me like no other time.

Certain music.

This song is THE song for my current YA paranormal WIP. I put it on repeat when I'm working on that book.

Moments of great kindness.

Nature.
Especially those moments when something is so beautiful it's like time freezes so your soul can soak it in.

Children's laughter.

Running outside.(Actual photo from my last relay race.)

Determination.
(Click here for more info on Team Hoyt.)

What moves you?

Word of the Week #109 - busticate

2010-08-02T12:13:00.002-06:00

busticate - [BUHS-ti-keyt] - verb

Definition:
To break into pieces.

Usage:
When my computer runs slower than a tortoise on a 5K race I have to resist temptation to busticate it.

Work in Progress Wednesday

2010-07-27T14:09:00.004-06:00

It's been a really looooong time since I did a Work in Progress Wednesday, and since I know no one has anything better to do than hang on my every word, I thought I'd do another one. ;) But just rambling on about my progress can be a bit boring, so I decided to stretch my creative muscles and do things a little differently.

WIP--in haiku
Words, so hard to find,
Searching my brain for meaning,
And the "wow" factor.

WIP--in Twitter hashtags
#runoutofdishestocleanguessIbetterwritenow
#WIPedout
#kidsleavemealonesoIcanwrite
#willthisbookEVERbefinished
#nowfocusingohlooksomethingshiny

WIP--in sentence fragments
I bang. Bang my head. Against life getting in the way. And my own procrastination. Have the sneaking suspicion. Suspicious of too much complexity. Thrown in everything and the kitchen sink. Simplify. Cut. But what? Catch the fun.

WIP--in sound
AAAARRRRRGGGGHHHH!!!

So, yeah. That's how things are going.

Word of the Week #108 - threnody

2010-07-27T07:00:00.000-06:00

threnody - [THREN-uh-dee] - noun

Definition:
A poem, speech, or song of lamentation, esp. for the dead; dirge; funeral song.

Usage:
In the church I attended while growing up, one of the organists always played at the same tempo, making every hymn feel like a threnody.

Reminder

2010-07-26T07:00:00.001-06:00

Every so often I need a little reminder to realign some of my priorities. This was the latest reminder for me, so I wanted to share. If you can, take 5 minutes to watch.

Why I Do It Anyway

2010-07-23T07:00:00.001-06:00

I love this picture, because it captures a moment of pure joy. The pain, the frustration, and the doubt pale when the story flows, when our characters surprise us, when our muse throws us an awesome twist, or, for me, when a kid reads my words and laughs out loud.

And that's why I keep writing.

When the Right Words Won't Come

2010-07-22T14:21:00.001-06:00

What Hitting the Middle Looks Like

2010-07-21T07:00:00.001-06:00

Whether it's writing a novel or running a 28 hour relay race, you hit a point in the middle where you start asking yourself, "What on earth was I thinking?!"

What Rewriting Sometimes Feels Like

2010-07-20T07:00:00.000-06:00

I'm the one on the table, and the nice physical therapist is performing torture...er...working out a bad cramp. And in case you can't tell, yes, I'm crying.

Word of the Week #107 - brannigan

2010-07-19T12:46:00.002-06:00

brannigan - [BRAN-i-guhn] - noun

Definition:
1. A carouse.
2. A squabble; a brawl.

Usage:
"Just for fun" wrestling matches in my house usually evolve into full-blown brannigans; that's why wrestling is outlawed.

Word of the Week #106 - sidereal

2010-07-15T10:00:00.000-06:00

sidereal - [sy-DEER-ee-uhl] - adjective

Definition:
measured or determined by the daily motion of the stars; of or having to do with the stars or constellations.

Usage:
Maybe I need more sidereal knowledge, because my children's behavior is so mystifying sometimes that it has to be linked to the stars.

Geektastic

2010-07-13T17:30:00.003-06:00

I turned on Twitter for a little while yesterday (*cue orchestra in the background for an emotional reunion* I know, dear Twitter, it's been a while) and found myself sympathizing and chuckling with several tweets marked by the hashtag #geektastic.

Aside: There is a book out called Geektastic: Stories from the Nerd Herd, that prompted the twitter geek-fest. You've gotta love the title. In reading the book summary it isn't exactly what I expected, but still sounds fun. You can find out about it on Amazon.

The fact that I loved the #geektastic tweets reaffirmed that I secretly harbor an inner geek. Now I know some of you are laughing, because I probably harbor an outer geek, who only thinks my geekiness is hidden. Believe it or not, I have pondered on geekiness. And it went something like this: all my friends were likely geeks in high school, because former geeks make the most interesting adults.

To prove my point, here are some of the fun tweets celebrating geekitude (with my comments because I can't resist):

@hollyblack: i also had a huge crush on Jareth from Labyrinth...but who didn't. Also Tim Curry as Darkness in Legend.
**OMG Jareth! *swoon* But David Bowie normally? Like, ick. And I had no idea Tim Curry was Darkness! I have mixed feelings about Tim Curry ever since a Celebrity look-a-like site declared that he's the celebrity that I resemble the most.

Yeah... not exactly flattering. I avoid those sites now.

@jimhill: Teaching my son table manners by saying, "Use the Fork, Luke".
**Ha ha ha ha!

@espelumm As a child, I used to dress up as Wonder Woman and stick a rope in my pants.
**I used to dress up as a gelfling from The Dark Crystal. Not nearly as cool as wonderwoman, but probably geekier.

@margaret_crymes Corbin? Corbin Dallas? You green? Corbin, Corbin my man? AWESOME.
**Looooove that movie! Love it. Watch it every time it comes on TV. And own it.

@erez_s Wanting to name my first daughter "Seven" after Seven of Nine from Voyager
**The most well-endowed quasi-Borg around. And spandex gets a bad wrap, because the enlightened Federation wears it for everything.

@RaceMercaldo Okay #DoctorWho fans and #Geektastic peeps... just so you know, Amazon has a Dalek cookie jar
**Dude! What a great idea for a Christmas present! Oh, wait. $90. Never mind.

@maureenjohnson: In honor of #geektastic, a confession: sometimes I say things to my agent like, "So, if this was Settlers of Catan and I had three ore..."
**I want her agent.

@Maria_Disidoro: Getting back to fictional crushes, I've JUST remembered my love of Capt Malcolm. Right? Right. #Firefly #Serenity #geektastic
**Another all-time favorite movie/series, discovered after it was cut. :(

Now for some personal geek confessions.

I went with my hubby to see the latest "Star Trek" when it came out, and after turning to him for the tenth time and saying, "Oh! That's ______ from the series" and getting blank looks, I started exclaiming with the rather overweight Trekkie-guy sitting a couple seats away on my other side, because he got it.
My brother tried to teach me Klingon.
I watched "The Hobbit" cartoon several times. You know, the one with The. Worst. Singing. Ever. (If there was such a thing as "Curse by Vibrato" that guy had it.)
I used to sneak in my brother's room to play with his Voltron toys.
I can do the vulcan "Live long and prosper" --with both hands.
I still have my Elfquest book, which can thank it's continued existence to packing tape. Lots of it.
My family used to play computer games (on cassette tapes) for hours at a time on our Commodore 64.

That's enough geekiness today. Embrace your inner geek and share in the comments so I don't feel so alone.

I'm a Guest!

2010-07-09T09:11:00.002-06:00

That's right, I'm a guest blogger on another blog. (Someone loves me! *sniff*) Pop on over to the Day Dreamer blog to read my thoughts on conquering hard things in your life. Writing it yesterday inspired me to get back to blogging, and to go out on a 10 mile run this morning. Woot! I'm feeling pretty good right now, but that could likely change in a few hours. I'll ride this high while I still have it.

Reclaiming My Groove

2010-07-08T09:04:00.003-06:00

One of my favorite animated movies is The Emperor's New Groove.

If you haven't seen it then you need to remedy that. Like, today.

In the beginning of the movie, the Emperor Kuzco is dancing around his palace with all his attendants as backup dancers/singers. He collides with a tottering old man and the music screeches to a halt. Exasperated, Kuzco says, "D'oh! You threw off my groove!"

A beefy guard steps up to the old man and says, "I'm sorry, but you've thrown off the Emperor's groove." The old man is then thrown out of the palace window.

I haven't had a collision with an old man, but life has thrown off my groove recently. I love summer, with the warm weather and long hours of sunlight, the hiking, biking, and running, and the swimming, but summer throws off my groove.

I'm gathering up my attendants and inner rhythm to reclaim my groove. Soon I'll be back to writing, blogging, and some of those other groovy things that have slipped lately. And if I break out in a spontaneous Riverdance once in a while, then so be it.

Word of the Week #105 - eminence grise

2010-06-29T07:00:00.000-06:00

eminence grise - [ay-mee-nahn(t)s-GREEZ] - noun

Definition:
A person who wields power or exerts influence behind the scenes.

Usage:
J.R.R. Tolkein excelled at characterizing the classic eminence grise with Wormtongue.

word of the Week #104 - guerdon

2010-06-22T07:00:00.000-06:00

guerdon - [GUR-duhn] - noun

Definition:
1. a reward
2. to reward, pay back

Usage:
Offering guerdons for good behavior isn't parenting by bribery; it's positive reinforcement.

The Best Intentions

2010-06-16T21:08:00.002-06:00

I have had the best intentions to get blog posts up regularly the last couple of weeks. I also planned on getting several written and scheduled ahead of time for when I am out of town all next week. I neglected to take into account the kidlet-factor--my three and the 3+ friends that are often here at any given moment.

And so, I'll be back the week after next, except for some Words of the Week that I already had lined up. Have a fabulous time and may it actually be summer wherever you are (unlike here).

Word of the Week #103 - oleaginous

2010-06-15T07:00:00.000-06:00

oleaginous - [oh-lee-AJ-uh-nuhs] - adjective

Definition:
1. Having the nature or qualities of oil.
2. Containing oil.
3. Producing oil.
4. Unctuous; fawning; smarmy.

Usage:
I'm getting a little tired of the oleaginous news these days.

*Take that however you want. :) I thought a word pertaining to oil was quite apropos right now.*

Word of the Week #102 - suspire

2010-06-09T09:00:00.002-06:00

suspire - [suh-SPAHY-uhr] - verb

Definition:
To utter with long, sighing breaths.

Usage:
A prerequisite to being a heroine in many romance novels is the ability to suspire while conversing with the hero. (After all, how else to draw attention to her heaving bosoms?)

Handwriting - a poem

2010-06-08T08:49:00.001-06:00

I had a different blog post planned for today, but I had to put it aside for this little gem. During the summer I make my kidlets do schoolwork, stuff like math, reading, and handwriting. Today for his daily handwriting assignment, Kidlet #2 (a.k.a Turbo) wrote a poem.

Handwriting
by Turbo Theler

Handwriting O handwriting,
I hate you, you stink!
I wish I could wash you away in the sink.

Handwriting O handwriting,
I hate you, you stink!
I'd rather take baths with a man-eating shark,
Or pet ten porcupines,
Than wrestle the handwriting my mother assigns.

Handwriting O handwriting,
I hate you, you stink!
I wish I could wash you away in the sink.
Handwriting O handwriting,
I hate you, you stink!

It's actually quite catchy.

Jaime Theler

Coming Out of the NaNo Shell

Self-publishing: Why I'm Not Doing It

Concept vs. Character Death Match

Awesome Quote

Everyday Courage

On the Nightstand

Synopsis:

Boston, Here I Come

Find a Way

Don't Be a Bumble Bee

Warning: Too Stupid to Live

Childish Wanted

Querying and Flashbacks to High School

Words of Wisdom

Blog Comeback - sputtering to a start

FINISHED!!!!!

10 Things I Learned While I Neglected My Blog

She Lives!

Hysterical Baby Laughing

I'm alright

When Things Change

Word of the Week #122

WIPpet

Houston, I Have a Problem

Warning: Hilarity Ahead

Word of the Week #121 - scurf

Favorite Reads of 2010

Word of the Week #122 - autoschediastical

Capturing the Magic: 2 Questions You Must Answer About Your WIP

Random Things About Me You Probably Don't Want to Know but I'll Post Anyway

#1 Writing Epiphany from 2010

New Year's Resolutions for Everyone Else

Longer break than planned

Happy Thanksgiving

NaNoRevMo Report

On the Outside of NaNo, Looking In

Word of the Week #120 - saccade

Using the Right Words

PERILOUS review and Win a Kindle

Winners!

I'm a Slacker

Analogy woes

Revising: When You Have to Fill In "all the cool stuff"

One Sentence Week

Not NaNo-ing *sniff* but Another Giveaway

Word of the Week #120 - noctivagant

Another Giveaway

Awesome Giveaways All Week Long!

Set Goals...Sort of

Word of the Week #119 - mussitate

Awesome Giveaway #3

Obscure Supernatural Heroes

Word of the Week #118 - quaggy

Sense and Sensibility... and Sea Monsters?

Awesome Giveaway #2

Write Your Own Rejection

Word of the Week #117 - jape

Awesome Giveaway #1

A Month of Giveaway Awesomeness!

Writing! Links! For! You!

word of the Week #116 - regnant

Holy 100, Batman!

A post inspired by Moi

Writing Compelling Characters

Music for the Word Nerd's Soul

Word of the Week #115 - quiddity

The Great Author Photo Dilemma

Write This - Or Not

Tuesday Confessions

Word of the Week #114 - tantivy

WIPpet

Made for You

Mind the Perishables

Word of the Week #113 - beek

Good Books

word of the Week #112 - nitid

Sweet, Blessed School

The Next Big Thing

Word of the Week #111 - gormandize

Not NaNo-ing sniff but Another Giveaway