Marley Delarose

Silent Monks

2011-11-04T09:09:00.001-05:00

If you haven't seen this, get ready. I was the 8,508,753rd viewer so perhaps you saw it before me. It's still worth another look to make you smile.

GO Saints!!

2011-10-24T09:27:00.002-05:00

Saints 62
Colts er, 7

Nuff said.

Yeyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!

Slip Box - Uncanny, Practical, and free

2011-10-21T21:59:00.012-05:00

If you’re a writer, or an academic, or just someone who has a lot of ‘stuff’’ you need a place for, there’s a cool little program for Mac called Slip Box. Originally created for academics, it’s an effortless, intuitive receptacle for any and all miscellaneous notes you need to list, categorize, and find immeditately.

My problem has always been how do I categorize my info, what topics do I use? Invariably I choose too many or incorrectly. With Slip Box you just BEGIN. All you have to know is the parts of the window and an overview of how it works. THIS is made easy by the excellent help section with searchable index and screenshots.

The designer of SlipBox created the program for his own use so don’t go complaining too much about the lack of exotic features. It’s made to be simple. And uh, did I mention it’s free. (There is also a Ipad and Iphone versionfor $9.99 and a lite version which is free.

So start with the first note. Add a few keywords by simply typing one in the keyword box, followed by a comma, type another. They are case-sensitive so if you want to be able to just type, for instance, ‘pl’ and have the program auto-complete, keep it simple. You can always change the keywords later from the scent screen.

Oh yeah, scents.
My problem was keeping track of a bunch of miscellaneous ideas, scenes, world-building issues for my paranormal. Some of it will connect, cross-over, and some not. But what does I want to be able to see the relationships between.
The beauty of SlipBox is that I don’t have to figure that out ahead of time. As I create new notes for ideas, issues, scenes, parts of my world, SlipBox figures out the relationships based on common words and keywords. It then tells me with a list which notes are connected to common keywords and which are interconnected through what the developer, Markus Guhe calls ‘scents’ and alternate ‘scents’.

In this screen you see a list of alternate scents. The same issue listed under one keyword is also listed under another and all cross-over notes can be viewed in this screen view.

Now let’s say you’ve input all your notes and you want to search for a certain keyword. Simply hit the spotlight icon in the center section of icons and go to the search screen. Set the Boolean parameters if necessary, search by keyword, scent, text, type and let ‘er rip.

Click on any result to see the detailed note. Anytime you’re in the note you can add or delete keywords, add a type (I chose to type my notes by the series or book they are listed under. I will probably create a difference SlipBox for research and another for a topic such as information about the industry.
What I love most about SlipBox is the amazing ability to find what I’m looking for after giving very little thought to the way I input information.

Even better news - Markus is running a sale this weekend. Check out the ‘sales pitch’ and information on his website at
SlipBox website
Markus' blog
(his short sales pitch)
http://bit.ly/q9plVl Twitter URL in case you want to tell your friends.

This program is so easy to use, you can’t go wrong taking ten minutes to give it a run. And then you can sync with your Ipad and Iphone versions. Never forget a thought or plot idea again!

(The program has additional features for academics, take notes, categorize, hold research, a source section where you can list websites, references.)
And there are no limits. No sign up for more capacity like some other programs.

So…
Simple
Practical
Powerful
Unlimited
And FREE!
Try it.

Too Lazy to Exercise?

2011-10-12T04:07:00.002-05:00

I think I've made my last excuse.

Maybe six or seven years ago, I watched a report on CNN about a woman who (at a certain age when most people let exercise slide for good) began jogging. On the day when this report was made she was 74. The doctors told her she had the energy, organs and health of a forty year old woman. I'm at that certain age when she began and I've been saying to myself before I pass that certain mark I am going to be exercising on a regular basis. I had a good start and then I broke my little toe. But after seeing this, I'm saying, hey, surely there's exercise you can do to meet that commitment if you want it bad enough ...

Today the news covered an extraordinary woman as she crossed the finish line of the Chicago Marathon, and promptly went into labor.

Talk about a good excuse to skip the marathon.

And the kicker, her husband couldn't keep up with her; he was actually fifteen minutes behind.

Don'tcha just love it.

Quite an inspiration and yet so many people are speaking out against what she did even though she is fit and had her doctor's support. She's run for along time and during her son's pregnancy as well.

People get a grip! You're just jealous!

What's Under Your Bed?

2011-10-11T06:36:00.000-05:00

Queue background music from Jaws…da…dum…da…dum…

dadum.. Dadum, DaDum!

Under my bed are a few dust bunnies (okay, maybe more than a few) and my first, oh, fifteen tries at writing. And Oh. My. God, were they scary to look at! Why, they scare themselves just like the fierce little monster above. (Come to think of it, he resembles me watching a scary movie... like Star Wars. Yeah, I know.)

Lately, I’ve been REcontemplating the writing process, something that happens whenever I start to doubt my ability, my story, my existence, lol. So this was the impetus to find my favorite box of writing books which I’d misplaced after the MS River fiasco. Serendipitously, a little book by Heather Sellers, Chapter after Chapter, jumped out of the box and into my hands.

I’d left off reading quite some time ago so I flipped to where the dust jacket was primed, to the chapter on Serious Writer Man. “When we’re unsure, or in quicksand, in order to deal with the fear of the unknown, we suit up and call on Serious Writer Man, but it’s fake…and always produces weak writing…When we’re driven to please, to fit in, to try to be heard, (to write for the wrong reasons) we’re prone to producing work that rings hollow. We don’t trust the greatness within us.”

Wow.

And…”Serious Writer Man must never be allowed into our writing

space.”

This was followed by advice on counteracting the “I should” mechanism.

Ms. Sellers likens writing a book to swimming across a vast lake. It’s scary and lonely. The swimmer is doing fine when she’s stroking, not worrying about the other side being far, far away, or what she should be doing. Every so often she stops and reassesses and then keeps going. She said we need to replace “’Should’ with curiosity and attention to the tiniest details. If I cup my hands will I swim faster? If I write in present tense, do things flow differently?”

Ironically, when I go back to some of my earliest serious attempts at writing, I find a fun freshness to the writing - not so many contrivances and attempts to style my writing to fit a mold or please anyone but me.

So what’s under your bed? What were some of your early stories about? Have you considered pulling any of them out to revise and submit? Which ones the scariest artistically? Did you always write in the same genre as you do currently, or did you explore your limits?

And most of all, when you re-read some of your earliest work, what do you see in those honest clueless samples of your voice? Has any of it resurfaced in the more advanced versions of your voice or style?

And readers, what’s beside your bed? Tell us what you like about what you’re reading lately? Did you ever make a stab at storytelling? Tell me about it. I hope you kept it somewhere precious, because everything we create is an opportunity to tap into our own unique soul center.

Visit Blame It On the Muse this month for a chance to win the coffin basket on the 31st filled with over $100 worth of books and gifts.

Goodbye, Steve

2011-10-06T08:09:00.005-05:00

Do yourself a favor and watch this video of his Stanford address:

Steve did us all a favor - no, not just the entire Apple world he created, the technology we benefited from, but the concept that we have but one life to accomplish our dreams.

How high is the bar he set...

you'll be missed.

Must-see Donations to Scottish Poetry Library

2011-09-15T08:31:00.000-05:00

Please believe me when I say this is not an intentional lazy post. I just could not do it justice. An author friend tweeted this link yesterday and I just had to share these extraordinary gifts to the Scottish Poetry Library.

"One day in March, staff at the Scottish Poetry Library came across a wonderful creation, left anonymously on a table in the library. Carved from paper, mounted on a book and with a tag addressed to @byleaveswelive - the library's Twitter account - reading:

It started with your name @byleaveswelive and became a tree.…

... We know that a library is so much more than a building full of books… a book is so much more than pages full of words.…

This is for you in support of libraries, books, words, ideas….. a gesture (poetic maybe?)"

Jump to this page to see these marvelous sculptures. My favorite is the Gramaphone.

Please go to the site and view the other superb sculptures.

If we all did a 1000th of what this artist is doing for our libraries, they would not be in jeopardy.

Global tributes to 911

2011-09-12T14:48:00.002-05:00

England

France (who also built two eighty foot towers to stand beside the Eiffel Tower)

Actors in Germany at the old East West checkpoint

Grieving father at the new memorial New York

India (the man in the picture was lost that day)

Japan

Spain

May we all learn to live in peace and never forget the cost.

Are you readddyyyyy for....

2011-09-08T22:43:00.001-05:00

Gotcha! You thought I was going to say football, didn't ya? Well, okay, I am a hard core football fan and the season did start tonight with our previous SB champ Saints in Lambeau field against the defending Super Bowl champ Packers. So it was like a Super Bowl on the first night of football season. And our Saints represented themselves well - the first opener where each quarterback threw for 300 plus yards with no interceptions. A 76 point game!

But back to my opening. Are you ready for me to start blogging again? Ready or not, it's time.

I am an optimistic person. I've actually been teased for being too perky. I made up my mind in January that this was going to be a good year. No, a great year. I felt it. I planned on it. Everything went as planned through April when I gave my first online workshop on Scrivener to our GIAM group, then 2011 started to go south.

On April 26th we got the news that the river was expected to hit 65 ft.

Everyone. Panicked.

Not many people believed the levee could hold 65 feet. Now we know that if they hadn't opened the spillways it may have gone to 68. Even 65 might have topped the levee. Most people didn't believe they had any choice but to move everything to Mississippi. It's a mark of how widely this sentiment was felt that absolutely all of the storage units within a hundred miles were reserved on that day, the 26th.

So between living out of a travel trailer away from home to struggling to make ends meet due to the increase in expenses and decrease in income, my muse decided to take an Alaskan cruise. Thank God, all we experienced was a loss of income and extreme inconvenience. And finally last month, my muse returned tanned and refreshed.

Last week I discovered she - my muse - is a water nymph. She communicates to me mostly when we are sitting by the bayou, in the shower or in the tub. And last weekend as TS Lee approached she geared up for a long session. But like me, she's not really into bad weather. When Lee came ashore and parked just southwest of us, dumping 14 inches in a little over 24 hours and causing an electrical blackout, Nymphy - she hasn't told me her name yet - took a long nap. (Do you get the feeling that she's very tempermental?)

Since the TS, the weather has gone from triple digits to low 80s. Just delightful. So tomorrow I'll spend the morning with her by the bayou letting her help me with my main characters' motivations. I'm revising my novella and a novel with the goal of publishing one of them by December.

With the end of snow ball season closing in, Nymphy and I are working together to make the big push on Monday, my first full day off in months except for last weekend.

Where do you do your best work? Is your muse involved or is a 'muse' an ethereal non-entity for you?

Governor visits Vidalia

2011-05-06T15:56:00.001-05:00

Okay, so I'm on my way to get crawfish again and I get a call from a friend who says, "Did you hear the governor was on TV this morning saying there was a problem with the levee at Vidalia." Like a good girl, I say, hold on, I'll call you back. As the officials said, if you hear a rumor call us. So I called the radio station and the police dept and they assured me that everything was still status quo, that we should not pay attention to rumors, the governor didn't make any such statement.

Hmm, then my writer friend who lives in Vidalia calls and says, her sister talked to someone who worked at the Corps of Engineers and he said if his sister lived in Vidalia, he'd tell her to get the hell out. This kind of jives with the other two sources who said the river would go to either 67.5 or 68, but where is it officially being reported.

On the way back with crawfish I'm passed by a governor's office vehicle, sirens flashing and I think, okay, this has something to do with the levee. I get to Vidalia and I hear that the governor has visited and on the Facebook page there are lots of pictures of a serious governor, and a bunch of politicians taking photo ops, grinning and posing. How insulting.

Then, a big black motorhome kind of vehicle passes on the road and the printed words on the side say, "Federal Marshalls Command Center."

Oh, boy. Today we will take a couple loads to Mississippi. If all it takes is effort and gas and exhaustion on my part, I will protect my possessions to the best of my ability. Otherwise, I'd be letting myself down.

ON a lighter note, I found myself thinking yesterday as I packed the bathroom, that I should go ahead and dye my hair - yes, it is my natural color but I'm one of those people who plans to never know how much grey is really at the roots. I figure if I'm sitting on top of the roof waving for rescue and CNN comes along, I'll at least have red roots.

The River 2011 - perspective

2011-05-05T20:56:00.000-05:00

It's a roller coaster of course. One day you're not even paying attention, the next the world seeems to be collapsing around you.

But...at least we are getting some advance notice to prepare, unlike the unfortunate in Alabama. The needs of your household and livelihood which seemed out of your control yesterday, dependent on the whims of a swollen river and weather north of you, and on officials with a multi-million dollar agenda - to preserve the future of the Riverwalk and the businesses there, seem somewhat more stable today.

Rumors abound and they are easy to believe as reality is all too scary on its own, but as officials deal with some of the more outragous rumors they realize the need to set the record straight and inform the public as to the truth (we hope).

As I drove down the levee, Tuesday, seeing the river nearly at eye level, I felt the sudden urgency to make a plan, find a hole to stash our belongings, somewhere safe. I was nearly shivering with it by the time I got the crawfish unloaded and began visiting storage businesses. The fear, uncertainty, lack of control and lack of a plan was the worst. Where would we go? What should we do about our businesses? disconnect and move and lose income? Stay and trust the officials when they say they have confidence in the levees to hold 65'. If the worst happened and we do flood, okay, we'd lose the house and everything left behind but suddenly friends have stepped up to offer places to store the businesses - at least they can be moved if necessary. And others have said if you get evacuated, bring everything here.

But something else - Mary touched on this yesterday in her comment - the feeling of gratitude for friends, community, our home and the serene surrounding that could be lost, suddenly appreciated more. These things I've taken for granted.
And good health.

I ran into a friend, I'll call her Bobbie, at Wal-mart yesterday when I ran in to buy more totes for packing. She asked if I was preparing for the flood. I asked if she was and she shrugged. Then I really looked at her. Beneath her ball cap, she was bald, and I knew. I saw the sadness and fear in her eyes. She mouthed, "I have cancer." I felt so humbled, so guilty for my selfishness, that I didn't see it right off. So pray for Bobbie, for her needs and her health.

Our officials and community are coming together more to stay informed. Facebook pages have sprung up for everything. The picture is of our parish surrounded by the levees, with the Mississippi on the right in blue.

Dreading and Hoping - Record flooding of 2011

2011-05-04T15:47:00.000-05:00

Two years ago, I blogged about the river rising - it was the last time I worried enough to rent a storage unit in nearby high n' dry Natchez, Mississippi. Back then I had trouble sleeping and my heart ran fast in anticipation. It went to nearly 58 feet, the third record flood year in five.

As of two days ago, we knew this year would be worse with officials saying 60 ft (flood stage is 48) on the 20th of May - just a little over two weeks. Yesterday morning on my way down the levee to pickup crawfish, I received a call from a friend asking if I thought there would be any storage units left in Natchez. I replied, oh sure. Then I met a very depressed farmer at the convenience store who said "You better be getting your stuff out. My father was on the levee board and it can't hold 65'." At the time I didn't know they'd revised the assessment. Within just a few hours, that declaration went from 60 to 65 feet, and a couple of unofficial corp engineers say likely 68'. This would be twelve feet above the river level in 1927 when much of Louisiana was under water and you could boat just about anywhere from the river to north Louisiana.

So from my somewhat lackidaisical attitude yesterday morning when I thought it was going to 60 to quiet desperation yesterday afternoon, quite a change. I tried to rent a storage unit in Ntz yesterday and they were ALL taken. Finally I found one in Brookhaven which will cost a fortune to make several trips.

I’m torn between trusting the levee officials and the levees and leaving most of the furniture and a couple appliances to seeing if we can move everything. The thing is we don’t know where the water will come from, what the result will be as far as evacuation, and if or when. So we must prepare for all, whether we know ahead or get caught in the middle of the night with no vehicles. We are also hearing that the Black River behind Monterey is rising and if it jumps that levee we may be screwed even if the Mississippi levees hold.

Is it any wonder, I heard on CNN that the only state that had a rise in anxiety in the last couple years was Louisiana - the hurricanes, the river flooding three out of the last five years, the oil spill and now this.

I’m sincerely hoping I’m going to all this trouble for nothing because the devastation will be catastrophic. We’re even planning on shutting down the crawfish business early and probably our snow ball biz if necessary and dragging them to Natchez to a safety. We’ll put stuff inside each of them as well. It will mean pulling loose from utilities and resetting afterwards, but it’s better to be safe. If we lose our house AND our livelihood, it would be difficult to recover.

Ironically, yesterday was the last day anyone was allowed to drive down the levee. If you drive it now for any reason, you'd be arrested. Here are a couple shots I took while driving with the river at 50'. Picture it at 65!

I'll be blogging each day about the process of packing up, the decision making, the questions, the fear and trembling, and the hope.
Stop by.

And if you've been through a similar situation or are one of those affected by the Alabama tornado outbreak, God Bless you.
Share your story here.

Marley

Interview with a Cover girl, er, Artist

2011-04-08T02:14:00.002-05:00

It seems that more and more writers are jumping into self-publishing every day. Whether you’re a multi-published author who wants to see that one story (you know the one everyone loved but the editors didn’t know how to sell?) or a writer with a series that’s too short, or an epic too long for traditional publishing - aside from the manuscript, you’ll all have to have one thing...

A cover.

So I've asked Laura Morrigan to come by today and the answer some questions on cover art design. Welcome, Laura!

L: Hi Martie, thanks for having me!

M: What should authors know before hiring a cover artist? What should we look for?

L: Experience working in the fiction genre and good communication skills! Also, in my opinion, your cover artist should be willing to work with you-- not only on the concept and design of the single novel, but (possibly) integrating this “look” with your blog or website etc… If you have a kickin’ website design that you love and fits perfectly with the types of novels you write, it would be silly not to consider that.
Also, authors should understand that, although the designer works for them, there is a level of trust that must be established. I've had plenty of writers come to me with ideas for their cover that would have been impossible to pull off without the help of George Lucas and an entire film crew. A cover should be a snapshot, not an epic. Trust your artist. Be open-minded and willing to listen. Your artist should do the same for you.

M: So how do I express to an artist what I'm looking for in a design without going overboard? I have pictures galore!

L:   By all means go overboard! The more I know about the book the better. Just be ready to trim the fat. And send pictures! I love it when a client has photos they used for inspiration. If your hero looks like a cross between George Clooney and Tarzan send me pics! (I can never have enough photos of George Clooney anyway…) Also, if other book covers or movie posters resonate with you and have the right “feel” send those, too.
And remember to explain why those images work. Is it the colors? The overall tone? The font?   George Clooney?   [M: My preference is Joe Lara, TV’s Tarzan and the Last Apache.]

M: What should authors expect when working with a cover artist?

L: Everyone works differently-- I can only speak for myself. I believe designing a cover is a collaboration between artist and author. I ask for synopsis, sometimes a first chapter, and for the author to make a list of any items that play a vital role in the story and any major, visually impactful moments that happen.   Once I’ve looked all this over and the author and I have come up with a basic idea, I'll design a mockup (sort of a rough draft of the cover). Typically, I send several mockups for the author to review before we settle on the right one.

M: What do you see as the biggest misconception authors have regarding cover artwork?

L: That it’s quick and painless! No, really, I’ve had a few friends who I've helped create their own covers tell me that they had no idea how long it was going to take.   Just searching for the right stock image can take hours-- even days.
Then there's the execution of the design. Even if you’re working on great software like Photoshop—tweaking, repositioning, color matching, deleting backgrounds, adding different backgrounds… it all takes time.   At least it does if you want a quality cover!

M: let's get to the nitty gritty, how much should an author expect to pay for a quality cover?

L: Again, prices vary from artist to artist. A straightforward design for e-publishing on Smashwords, kindle, nook, etc ( typically a 6x9ish rectangle) will be less expensive than a POD design which has to include the spine, back cover and calculate trim-size, bleed, etc...
For the straightforward design I'd say anywhere between $50- for a very simple image with title and name- up to several hundred for hand-illustrated work. I charge $100 plus the cost of images- usually no more than $125.
POD from some can run between $150 to close to $1000 - or more.[M: Yeah, it’s great when the publisher is paying, isn’t it.]

M: Laura will be available in the morning and late to answer your questions or check back tomorrow.
This has been so informative, Laura. Thanks for dropping in.

Laura Morrigan spends most of her time writing mystery and suspense novels. After receiving requests from friends, she started designing ebook covers and promotional material. To see some of her designs and learn more about Laura, you can visit her website www.lauramorrican.com

What Keeps You Reading?

2011-03-30T07:00:00.000-05:00

Sorry I've been absent from the blogging/tweeting/facebooking world for a couple weeks. I also haven’t had much time for reading lately but I try to dip my toe into the proverbial TBR pile once a week even if it means listening to an audible book or library CD to refresh my stale creativity.

This week on one of my six hour supply runs, I was listening to Dead Girls Don’t Live Forever by Molly Harper. Ms. Harper is the queen of double entendre. With her first person narrative you get a real sense of the heroine’s character.

The never-ending stream of witty dialogue intrigued me as I discovered I didn’t grow tired of the book and put it down unfinished.

I started looking at it in depth to determine her secret. So many books that start out strong, especially ones that rely on humor, begin to limp before the halfway point. That’s when I find myself putting them down. This book was different.

What I discovered was that this writer is an exceptional plotter. I’ll use the word effortless because I can imagine being in a brainstorming session with her where she just runs non-stop with plot ideas.

I thought of my own issues when I get stalled in dialogue – not so much a matter of how characters will react but what has happened to cause the reaction. In Dead Girls Don’t Live Forever plot threads are no problem. Molly Harper has a seemingly endless supply of quirky events and family drama that keep the characters interacting, page after page, with no let-up.

So again, I return to my theory that – “It’s the story, stupid.” Ms. Harper’s writing is top notch, but how often have you read a book where you had to know the ending even though the writing wasn’t that good? It keeps you going.

I highly recommend her books. But I’m wondering, what keeps you reading? Is it humor? Plot? Emotion? Lyrical description? Witty dialogue?

Your Most Embarrassing Moment

2011-03-07T09:01:00.000-06:00

Drop by Blame It On The Muse today and tell me about it. I share one of mine. Yes, just one.

Marley

Under the Slush Pile

2011-02-28T07:18:00.000-06:00

Ready for a good laugh?

Q:

"I write with the truth that is like a sword of two edges that can and will penetrate each reader and leave an impression lasting at least this life time. The material written has power that can unite a planet for the good of mankind and earth. It may well be the only true chance that mankind has for the long awaited evolution towards spirituality."

A: "Dear Tom Cruise, we regret to inform you that our client list is full."

This is just the latest example of what you'll see at Slushpilehell, a site I tumbled upon recently. I love this one but there are so many more at Slushpilehell.

Q:

"I just completed my 91st short story. But that’s not the email I wanted to send to you. To the point, I concede (read—Uncle! ). I don’t possess the luck required to attract an agent via query letter. But, then, I know brilliant scholars who are terrible test takers. You are a talented agent, likely overworked. Think outside the box. A single talented writer possessing eight uniquely entertaining novels and ninety-one short stories could make life easier. Call me at xxx-xxx-xxxx. A brief conversation will save you weeks, if not months, of fruitless query reading."

A:     "Great. A writer with 8 novels, 91 short stories, and the inability to write a query letter.
          "Hope you’re standing by your phone, because I’d hate for you to miss my call."

Just don't laugh too hard...

[One more]
Q:
         "I am typing you this digital letter requesting that your agency represent me in securing a top-notched publisher to produce and sell my book."

A:
         "Hey, buddy. It’s 2011. We no longer call them “digital letters.” They’re now known as “mystical airwave bulletins.”

For more of these gems, go to http://slushpilehell.tumblr.com   and let me know if you find a jewel.

Scrivener's Awesome Features - Layouts

2011-02-25T08:52:00.001-06:00

Scrivener’s Awesome Features - Layouts

In the next few weeks I’ll be posting some handy tips for those of you who are using Scrivener. If you aren’t familiar with this program, it’s one of the most popular and exciting software programs out there for writers, bloggers, screenwriters, columnists, you name it.

The full version of Scrivener has only been available until recently for Mac but a Windows Beta version has been out since November so if you want to try it, it’s free until the official release comes out. Just keep it updated.

Scrivener for Mac is up to version 2.0.4. With the upgrade from 1.54 to 2.0 there were some significant improvements.

Today let’s talk about creating a customized layout. Here are a couple I created, the one I use might depend on what the manuscript is in – simply writing forward or revising and comparing files.

This one is the standard layout with binder, editor and inspector open showing notes, labels section and synopsis.

I call this one Main split where I can view two files side by side in the editor. Notice the layouts window with other customized formats I’ve set up. You can preview the document in each of them and actually work on it before you click ‘use’.

The following format I use when I want to view some of the index cards for a stretch of scenes/files but I’m working in one file or scrivenings in the bottom.

I call it Mixed split.

To create a customized layout simply set your options the way you like them.

Do you want your binder open or closed?

Want to view the synopsis or notes?

Want the inspector closed to have more space in the editor?

Split the editor horizontally or vertically?

Once you’ve fixed your scrivener window just right, go to View|Layouts|Show layouts. Click the plus (+) sign to add a new layout, name it, and it’s done. If you need to change something or it didn’t work quite right, tweak the layout and click on the little gear to the right of the minus(-) and choose update selected layout.

After you have the layouts for different phases of your projects set up, this makes it easy to switch to another one by going to View|Layouts|All Layouts and just pick the one from the context menu.

Writers and words

2011-02-22T16:55:00.000-06:00

Words are the be all end all to a writer. The nuances of meanings can mean the difference in writing a gem and dishing out garbage.

How much do you use a thesaurus? Do you use an online version or a handy old Roget's? Are you one of the lucky ones who has all those words in your head and you just sit back and smile when I mention thesaurai? [a stab at the plural]

Sometimes when I'm searching for jusssst the right word I'll open my Mac Thesaurus which is essentially the Oxford Thesaurus. It's very handy. But I'm a visual person, color and design stimulates my creative juices. For years I've been checking out unique versions of thesaurus like Thesaurus.com, Word Menu and Visual Thesaurus. But I haven't been willing to let loose of the cash for these yet.

Well, now there's a free visual thesaurus - with a nod to Leah for sharing this with me so I could bring this cool writer's tool to your attention...

Visuwords

It shows relationships between words with the color (legend at the bottom). You can double click a word and it will open a new axis of words. Double tap and drag to spread it out over your browser. And you can choose to fill your browser with the spread of words and zoom in or out. Cool, huh?

Enjoy!

Interview with a DemonTrapper author

2011-02-18T09:08:00.000-06:00

Hey, I'm over at Blame It On the Muse today interviewing YA fantasy author Jana Oliver whose release in January was the top seller in the UK.

Jana's chatting about her writing process, cemeteries, and plotting ideas. A very cool person. And she loves Scotch and chocolate. What more can I say?

Don't Think of Yourself in 'Those Terms'

2011-02-08T08:52:00.002-06:00

Okay, it's the big day. You know that big day. The one that comes around annually. The one that when you're young you hope someone - anyone - will remember, but as the years go by you pray everyone will forget. Which has to be a lie because here I am.

My friend Cadence gave me a gift certificate to this really cool site - Decalgirl They sell 'skins' for your computer to personalize and beautify it. Last year I bought 'Hal' an image of the computer on 2001 - A Space Oddysey? Now, I'm trying to decide between these three. What do you think?

Cool pixies

Aah, my colors

Awesome, Saturn up close and...

Aren't they beautiful? I may have to have two.

A friend of mine used to say, when someone asked her how old she was, "I don't think of myself in those terms..." I've always loved that. The older I get the more I view birthdays as a new chance to get it right, to enjoy the magical mystery of what's ahead.

Here are some fun quotes about birthdays:
"For weeks I've been telling him not to buy anything for my birthday, and he still forgot to bring me something. Tanya Noe. (Tell me you haven't done that or heard it. ;))

"As one cat said to another: Birthdays are like fur balls 0 the more you have, the more you gag."
Maria Morgan. Unless you think about the alternative, Maria.

"Gray hair is God's graffiti." Bill Cosby. (Don't you just love Bill's humor.)

"Women, don't get a tattoo. That butterfly looks great on your breast when you're twenty or thirty, but when you get to seventy, it stretches into a condor. Billy Elmer (Just when I was considering it...)

"I was going to take you out to lunch on your birthday but you already are." Ouch, that hits home.

Do you have any favorite jokes or birthday stories? How you look at birthdays? Were you one of those who made fun of your parents when they were in their thirties?

We're not exempt from the Winter blast

2011-02-03T08:17:00.000-06:00

This is the outlook for today.

They are saying up to 1/2 inch of ice possible through tonight. Helloooo, we're in central Louisiana just west of the point in the ankle of the boot. People here aren't experienced with winter conditions. Ice here can be the Lake Shore Drive event on the bayou.

And speaking of Lake Shore Drive, did you see these pics on the Weather channel?

Can you imagine coming back to a car slam full of snow?

But look, how fun. Catch the wave..............

Lazy Blog - Commercials

2011-01-26T08:16:00.006-06:00

I've noticed some of the ads on TV have taken a remarkably creative turn. My top picks for the latest plain old everyday TV ads. Which one is your favorite?

Mentos Spider

State Farm

Allstate - Mayhem

With SuperBowl coming up in a a few weeks, the ads will have to come a long way to top these three. Enjoy!

Stranded

2011-01-20T08:33:00.003-06:00

I saw a show on National Geographic the other day and it reminded me of that thing that goes around every now and then…

If you were stranded on a desert island with nothing but water and sunscreen, what would you absolutely have to have with you, assuming whatever stranded you there would be accommodating enough to provide those items?

Who would you choose to share your island? (no family)

Hmm, that's a pretty small island. If you'd just die stranded there, because frankly, I would - I'm afraid of the ocean and it looks like all it would take here is a two foot wave and you're a goner - tell me where you'd rather be stranded.

I found a picture of an island I could feel a little more secure on. Lovely isn't it? Now, are you thinking of giving up the Kindle or your electronics?

Actually, I was sort of stranded once. Our our group dropped me off on the Royal Mile in a freezing rain and after I popped into a wee grocery - weeee - and purchased an umbrela, I was happy as a duck.

It felt like home and I could have slept wet in the streets.

Progress

2011-01-17T01:25:00.001-06:00

Finally, my partial and synopsis are ready to send off!

I had two hard and fast deadlines this week both January 15th, yesterday. One was a contest where I entered the revised partial and synopsis, the other my proposal for a workshop on writing software for M&M in October. I hit the send button on one Friday night and the other last night at 8:30pm after spending the day 90 miles away with a writing buddy brainstorming career choices and publishing options.

It feels good to have accomplished that goal two weeks early but now comes the query writing, ugh!

With my background in sales I ought to be able to write a helluva query but it's different somehow. Maybe I'm making it too difficult. I'll let you know how it goes in two weeks or less.

What I've Been Reading - Stanley, Nasty and Morgan

2011-01-14T14:03:00.003-06:00

First of all, because it was the cutest and most surprising thing I've read lately, Stanley Moves In by Jack Rosse, (otherwise known as Bill Kirton or crime fiction fame).

Stanley is not just another fairy; well he is, but even though Stanley's story was inspired by and written for kids, he is surprisingly cantankerous, lovingly so. There's a vulnerability to him that we love, like a hero we think we can fix or the underdog we want to see come out on top. Don't take my word for it. Let Stanley tell you.

During the Christmas hiatus from writing I read several paranormals and young adult authors but got hooked instantly on Cate Tiernan's series, Sweep, about a young doesn't-wanna-be-a witch, Morgan, who learns of her powers as she fends off the forces of darkness, attends high school and falls in love. I couldn't put them down, all 15 of them. Her newest book is not YA but the series holds a lot of promise. Just out is Immortal Beloved.

Pulled from my 'library' in the office closet where it had been buried on the TBR shelf was Susan Wittig Albert's mystery series, the first one, Thyme of Death. China Bayles is a forty something ex-defense lawyer who has moved from the rat race of Houston, to the tiny town of Pecan Springs where she runs an herb shop called Thyme & Seasons, solves murders with her sidekick Ruby who runs the New Age shop next door, and battles her attraction to ex-cop now criminology professor and hunkahunka burnin'love, Mike McQuaid. Lots of great description and community in this 16 book series (so far). An instant success with me.

What was the last thing you read? What genres do you read?

Libraries a Writer's Eutopia

2011-01-12T12:01:00.000-06:00

You may have scene the article in the Observer about libraries of the rich and famous.

I found it fascinating. Personally if I had the money mine would look iike Diane Keaton's. Although now that I look at it, it seems to be a place to walk through not to curl up and stay for a while. Maybe Rod Stewart's though his books looked faunky.

OMG!!

That's if I had a housekeeper. And if I had a housekeeper he or she would have to love arranging books. If I had to keep it up myself it would look more like Karl Lagerfeld's. The furniture would be different, okay that's what I like about Rod's the furniture.

Housekeeper or not it would not look like Oprah's. This would be impossible for me. My rooms look...lived in. I mean how could a writer create in an environment like that.

And just to prove it...

As you can see by my untouched photos, I need a library that breathes and expands as needed. At top left is one corner of my office and all the books in that corner and in the office closet are three deep.

Yes, that tub is full of books and there are more books on the floor and in boxes in the closet and in the book section of my desk and under my end table in the living room.
I made the mistake of giving up one of my floor to ceiling shelves (which I found at a garage sale for $5.00 a piece) for a closet shelf. I thought I could contain it. But hey one of these days all the walls will be lined but one, for my storyboarding area.

What about you? Why don't you post a picture of your library on your blog?

Speaking of books - What I've just finished reading…Stanley, Morgan and Nasty (Friday...)

Twelve Step Guide to Getting Published

2011-01-09T20:57:00.001-06:00

So you wanna write a book. Want to see your name in print on the spine of your book in the local Walmart or on the pages of Amazon.

Think you can be the next J.K. Rowling, Nora Roberts, Peter V. Brett?

How do you go about it?

Well, get your pad and pencil, I’m fixin’ to tell you how…

1. First, decide how much you’d like to make in a year. (This will determine how many novels you must turn in to your publisher per year.)

2. Make a projection when you’d like to quit your day job. (I suggest you give it at least three months.)

3. Pick a genre that sells. (How about men’s fiction - Crime Fiction or Thrillers. Those thriller writers make big bucks – Harlen Coben, David Baldacci, Vince Flynn, Dan Brown! Yeah, okay, men’s fiction.)

4. Next, you need a plot. Hey, here’s the beauty of men’s fiction. Just go to the Washington Post or USA Today or any local paper and pick a headline.

5. Now tweak it. Change the names, add some extra conflict - you know, fight scenes and such. Oh, and a good no holds barred love scene, or three.

6. Don’t have a computer? (It’s a great time to go get the Ipad you’ve been wanting, and hey, Peter Brett wrote his entire first book on his cell phone!) Either go buy one or simply right it long hand. You must use your very best handwriting though, for a publisher to take you seriously.

7. Get a friend to look it over for spelling since you won’t have the benefit of spell checker (which completely eliminates the need for proof reading).

8. Oh, length. It needs to be long. About 300-400 pages. (That’s about 2 composition notebooks.)

9. Just remember, if you chose Romance, to be sure to get your hero and heroine together at the End for their happy ever after.

10. Okay. You’ve finished the book and you’re ready to send it. How to decide on a publisher. Take a couple of your favorites and look at the publisher on the spine, or on the copywrite page. And before you prepare your cover letter, you might consider contacting your favorite author and asking him or her if you can use them as a reference with the publisher. Just assure them, they will NOT be sorry. Promise them a recommendation or blurb for their next bestseller.

11. That’s it. (You know a little light spray of perfume might make it stand out from the crowd in what they call the slush pile.) So, box it up, mark on the outside of the box - Attn: Next Bestseller! and mail it off. In about a month, you’ll have your answer. <Cough> Or sooner.

12. Now sit down and plan how you’re going to spend the money.

Did I miss anything?

How many times have I heard from a friend or someone in the family –

“They didn’t buy your book at the conference?”

“How long are you going to write before you give up being published?”

“Are you still working on the same book? Just send it off."

Okay, reality check here!

The truth?

Writing a book with the intent of getting it published is one of the hardest things to accomplish.

Many, many - make that three manys - of your favorite authors, the majority in fact, write into the wee hours after long hours at work and/or taking care of their families. Many published writers have written for numerous years and numerous manuscripts before getting ‘the Call’ and then…they still work, write late or on lunch hours, and take care of responsibilities. The Call (and I haven’t received mine yet ) isn’t some magical Disney ‘blinnggggg’ where life changes. Most published authors I know haven’t bought a private plane, appeared on TV, or even hired maid service.

Writing is a challenge, a dream, a passion. I’m reminded of the lyrics by Shania Twain,

“If you’re not in it for love, you’re outta here.”

The bottom line? Writing is a labor of love.

I’m curious. How does this translate into your writing experience? What part of the writing passion calls to you the most? What were your biggest misconceptions when you began your career? Have you died laughing over some question or comment about this pursuit?

Gerry Rafferty is gone

2011-01-06T08:44:00.000-06:00

I didn't know this until I saw Michael Malone's blog this morning. What a loss to the world. I could sit and listen to his "Baker Street" literally over and over and over. I don't believe there was ever a song like that for me except maybe Michael Jackson's "Man in the Mirror".

Enjoy!

Getting Lucky at Midnight?

2010-12-31T05:57:00.001-06:00

Happy New Year!!!!!

Whether 2010 was a good year or one you prefer to forget, the passing of the torch from one year to the next deserves a little pause to consider what we leave behind.

2010 was a mixed bag for me, but rather than delete the 2010 entry from the calendar of my life, I realized I want to remember every second of this year as life learned and friends loved.

Known as the most popular song that no one knows the words to.
Auld Lang Syne, a Scottish song first published by Robert Burns is the perfect choice for New Years celebrations.

We sing: 'Should auld acquaintance be forgot, And never brought to mind? Should auld acquaintance be forgot, And auld lang syne. For auld lang syne, my dear, For auld lang syne, We'll tak a cup of kindness yet, For auld lang sine!'
The song in its entirety embellishes that theme of old friends who have shared common interests in their youth, getting together for a good will drink, remembering the past with fondness and celebrating their friendships.
And surely ye'll be your pint-stowp, And surely I'll be mine, And we'll tak a cup o kindness yet, For auld lang syne!
We twa hae run about the braes, And pou'd the gowans fine, But we've wander'd monie a weary fit, Sin auld lang syne.
We twa hae paidl'd in the burn, Frae morning sun till dine, But seas between us braid hae roar'd Sin auld lang syne.
And there's a hand my trusty fiere, And gie's a hand o thine, And we'll tak a right guid-willie waught, For auld lang syne.

(The Scottish were also the originators of Hogmanay, where a popular tradition - first-footing - sprang up with neighbors visiting neighbors shortly after midnight with gifts and well wishes. One tale is that you'll be especially lucky if a tall, dark, and handsome man is the first to enter your house after the new year celebration - guess that's what they call 'getting lucky', eh? )

How will you remember 2010? How will you celebrate? Are there any traditions you've heard about that you'd like to start doing this New Years?
I will remember 2010 as the year I met some fabulous people at the Moonlight and Magnolias Conference in Atlanta - one of my best experiences in years.

Pop the cork on the best year yet to come - 2011!

What If...exercises in story exploration

2010-12-29T07:37:00.105-06:00

Writers try all kinds of crazy stuff to get the creative juices flowing. Long walks on the beach, dangerous and exciting new adventures like rock climbing, snowboarding, volcano dipping...

I haven't worked up to that yet. For the last month I've been reading from my TBR pile (more on that later), listening to some audiobooks and brainstorming plots. I picked up my old copy of What If writing exercises for writers, and chose a random exercise. (The updated version of this book by Bernays and Painter is available but the old one is awesome.)

The author suggested creating a flash card type of system with index cards. It goes like this.

With one set of cards you mark a vocation on each. I chose pink for the vocations. On another, orange, this is tougher, you place specific actions like 'running in a marathon' or ' driving a bus'. I went one step further to make myself explore more options. On one card I put, driving ________, driving a car, driving a motorcycle, so that based on the circumstances of when I pull the card I could fill it in even with 'driving him crazy'. (The authors say try not to be too mundane or too melodramatic.)

Next you ask yourself a question - "Why did char from Card A do Card B? The idea is you pull a vocation and an action, until you like the combination. Think of the scene that comes to mind as the last scene of the story. Now what possibilities leading up to that point does this exercise create in setting, behavior, and conflict?

When I was taking the Holly Lisle course on Thinking Sideways she had us do a bubble type of brainstorming divided into maps for - things I fear, things I'm drawn to, things I love, etc. This exercise works for each writer as uniquely as that one did simply because the ideas are based on your own story ideas and life experiences. So my cards won't look anything like any of my readers' cards.

What detailed actions and vocations come to mind for you?

Also, I was encouraged last year by one of my friends, Bill Kirton, to try flash fiction, those incredibly short pieces of work that require a concise use of all the elements of story in less than 1000 words. (Some sites require even less.)

I submitted my first flash fiction for the Christmas Noir post over the holidays. The story, entitled, the Right to Bear Arms written under my pen name, Skye Chase, will be on the blog Do Some Damage in the next couple days. It's a bit different than my usual...

What have you been doing to keep the momentum going during the holidays?

100 Books to Read, or Not

2010-12-26T04:36:00.003-06:00

Found a list of books and this concept at Mind Muffins.

Whether you read printed versions or electronic, listen to CDs or Audible, we all have our favorites and those we could live without.

This is a cool way to see the difference in our preferences. Try it.

My directions are thus:

* Copy the whole list to YOUR blog.
* Bold the ones you’ve read, leave ones you haven’t alone

** Put a couple of astericks by the ones you recommend.
* Highlight ten you have no interest in.
* Leave ten blank from the ones you don’t expect to read.

* It might be interesting to see if you read it in P - print, E - electronic, or L - listened to it.

Fill in the blanks with others you or a friend has recommended.

Leave a comment on this author’s site with a link to your list. Then share the love and carry on.

(I don't read many on Electronic yet, so I marked those I listened to with L, the rest are print. Personally, I love holding the book. the ones I read several times I gave details.)
So to begin....
1. The DaVinci Code L

2. Pride and Prejudice (re-read) P
3. To Kill A Mockingbird (Harper Lee) ** (It’s been too long). P
4. Gone With The Wind (Margaret Mitchell)** P
5. Flirting with Danger, Suzanne Enochs** P

6. Warning Signs , Stephen White L
7. The Lord of the Rings: (SAW THE MOVIES, does that count?)
8. Full Moon Rising Keri Arthur ** P,L
9. Outlander (Diana Gabaldon)*** P,L,L,L
10. Darkborn (Allison Sinclair) ** can’t wait for the third book! P
11.
12.
13. Nobody’s Baby But Mine (Susan Elizabeth Phillips)** L,P,L
14. Sweet Hush, Deborah Smith ** P
15. Last Man Standing David Baldacci** L,P

16.
17. The Husband, Dean Koontz*** L,P
18. The Wolf and the Dove, Kathleen Woodiwiss** P
19. Stanley Jack Rosse (surprising! And delightful.)** P
20. Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte Again, it’s been a lonnnng time P
21. Sphere of Influence, Kyle Mills *** P,L,L,L
22. Cold Day in Paradise, Steve Hamilton ** P,L
23. It’s in His Kiss, Julia White P
24. Envy, Sandra Brown P,L
25. Life of Pi, Yann Martel
26. Small Town Girl, Laverle Spencer** P

27. Peace is the Way, Deepok Chopra** Awesome P,L

28. The Watchman, Robert Crais** L
29. East of Eden (John Steinbeck)
30. Mistborn, Brandon Sanderson** L
31. Aint She Sweet? Susan Elizabeth Phillips** P,L,L
32. The Notebook (Nicholas Sparks) I can’t do Nicolas Sparks, only one happy ending – NightsnR.
33. The Heir, Grace Burrowes** her first book and it’s wonderful P
34.
35. The Mists of Avalon (Marion Zimmer Bradley) P,L
36. A Game of Thrones, George R.R. Martin** brilliant writer but a reviewer said he didn’t know why Martin’s characters didn’t just kill themselves. It’s a bleak world. P,L
37. The Power of Now Eckhart Tolle** L,P
38. I Know This Much is True (Wally Lamb)
39. Beautiful Lies, Lisa Unger** L
40. The Alchemist (Paulo Coelho) no, but I’m reading Brida L
41. The Clan of the Cave Bear (Jean M. Auel) NOoo interest
42. The Kite Runner (Khaled Hosseini)
43. Witches’ Bane (Susan Wittig Albert)** P
44. The Five People You Meet In Heaven (Mitch Albom)(didn’t even see the movie)
45. The Bible (God, with some help from his friends)** P,L
46. Romeo, Romeo, Robin Kaye ** P
47. First Degree, David Rosenfelt** All Andy Carpenter books, snarky lawyer humor, with his golden retriever soul mate he solves murders his clients are accused of. L,P
48. Angela’s Ashes (Frank McCourt)
49. Dixie City Jam, James Lee Burke** L
50. Tairel Soul, C.L. Wilson** P,L
51. The Poisonwood Bible (Barbara Kingsolver)
52. A Tale of Two Cities (Dickens)
53. Ender’s Game (Orson Scott Card)
54. Turn Coat, Jim Butcher** L
55. Lord of Scoundrels (Loretta Chase)** P
56. The Stone Angel (Margaret Laurence)
57.
58. Heather and Velvet, Medeiros ** P
59. The Handmaid's Tale (Margaret Atwood)
60. The Time Traveller’s Wife (Audrew Niffenegger)
61. Crime and Punishment (Fyodor Dostoyevsky) mostly ** P
62. The Fountainhead (Ayn Rand) **P
63. Blue Edge of Midnight, Jonothan King** P,L
64. Interview With The Vampire (Anne Rice) L
65.
66. One Hundred Years Of Solitude (Gabriel Garcia Marquez)
67. Ten Big Ones (Janet Evanovich)*** P, L,L,L
68.
69. Les Miserables (Hugo)**
70. Original Sin, Allison Brennan ** P
71. Bridget Jones’ Diary (Fielding)
72. Love in the Time of Cholera, Marquez Ugh, the title
73. Shogun (James Clavell)
74. The English Patient (Michael Ondaatje)
75. Eclipse Saga, Meyer ** P,L

76. The Summer Tree, Guy Gavriel Kay ??
77. Faeries Gone Wild, Mary Janice Davidson* P
78. The World According to Garp (John Irving) can’t remember
79. The Gift (Marianne Williamson)** P
80. Charlotte's Web (E.B. White)
81. Not Wanted On The Voyage (Timothy Findley)??
82. Of Mice And Men (Steinbeck)**
83. Rebecca (Daphne DuMaurier) (My father’s absolute favorite book.) P
84. Wizard’s First Rule (Terry Goodkind)
85.
86. Watership Down ,Richard Adams
87. Brave New World, Aldous Huxley
88. The Help ( want to just haven't gotten to it yet)
89. Blindness, Jose Saramago
90. Material Evidence, Bill Kirton **P
91. Firebrand, Gillian Roberts** P
92. Dragonfly and Amber, Gabaldon, and all the rest ** P,L L
93. In From the Cold, Nora Roberts** P
94. The Secret Life of Bees (Sue Monk Kidd)
95. When Darkness Falls (Kyle Mills) oddly prophetic, last of the Mark Beamons*** P,L,L
96. A Place to Call Home, Deborah Smith**
97.
98. Naked in Death, (J.D.Robb)**P,L
99.
100. Ivanhoe (Sir Walter Scott) and I can still remember gritting my teeth

Lots of books didn't make the list that should have. I don't know where my list of favorite books went from an earlier blog template.

A wish for you at Christmas Time

2010-12-24T07:36:00.001-06:00

I've put a few cool vids up on the Blame It On The Muse blog today.

Merry Christmas! Happy Hanukka! Happy Holidays.
Marley

So You Want to Write a Book

2010-12-20T01:00:00.005-06:00

Did you miss me? Where have I been? Well, I have been busy.

I have been blogging on Blame It On The Muse and from now on, I'll post my blog there on my Marley blog, so you won't miss a thang!

Let's see, I was going to do Nano but then decided to enter the Golden Heart. For those of you who aren't familiar with the RWA's big contests - that's Romance Writers of America - there are two. The Rita is for published writers, the Golden Heart for unpublished. Everyone says if you only enter one contest, enter this one.

My motivation for entering had to do more with timing - the deadline for the contest and the entry requirements helped me get my synopsis and partial completed to fulfill the requests from the M&M conference in October.

In the middle of those preparations I took a trip to San Diego for my cousin's wedding and got sick in Sunny - ha ha - California. That might have been part of the problem, considering I left sunny and hot Louisiana as we touched down, on the rain blown tarmac the pilot announced sarcastically, "Welcome to Sunny San Diego." I was cold for four days.

I came home, got my entry off (finishing my synopsis the morning I put it in the mail). Now it's time to get back to work, get the partial off, get Reluctant Defender, the new title, revised for the full submission. And start something new.

It is also my intention to be more active on Twitter, Facebook, and my blog.
I'm researching what the most effective use of my time and slow internet is and I'll keep you updated on what I find out. There are some great software packages, new tools for self promo. Things are changing! More on that soon.

For my writer friends. Therese Walsh posted the top mistakes writers make on queries and used this video to make her point. Amy Atwell shared it on own GIAM loop's new daily newsletter.

Don't lie. How many of these comments do you remember someone saying? That's what makes it so funny!

Decisions, Decisions

2010-11-16T08:42:00.000-06:00

So here there I was last week in the middle of NaNoWriMo, having written almost 15000 words toward a new contemporary when two writer friends said, "Why aren't you entering the GH?" (for the second or third time).

The GH for the oblivious and possibly unconcerned is the Golden Heart contest. The ONE everyone says if you can only enter one, be it the GH. The Golden Heart is for unpublished writers; the contest submission is based on a completed manuscript.

One reason I was passing was that I've been making some changes to my novel and didn't feel I'd be able to generate a polished version of the entire MS by November 15th, the deadline for entries. But I discovered the actual contest entry isn't due in Houston until Dec 2 and the submission is actually the first 55 pages including a synopsis along with one copy of the completed manuscript on disk or hard copy. I said, this I could do. I can get a polished version of my partial and a synopsis together for the GH and get it to Houston by December 2nd. They won't judge the complete manuscript just check to see if it's truly complete.

My primary reason for finally entering was to put a burr under my butt to get my partials done for the requests I had at M&M. (I'd had a setback after returning from Atlanta and found myself dwelling on the issues that need to be addressed.) Even though I forgot I'm traveling to California for my cousin's wedding on Saturday and will most likely lose four days of work, I'm still very glad I entered. The stimulus has been great to get that partial revised and polished.

I'll let you know how I come out on November 29th, the date everything must be in the mail.

Honoring our Vets

2010-11-11T18:15:00.000-06:00

Daddy on elephant in Africa.

Last year I posted these pictures of relatives who've served in the armed forces of our country. This morning I sang the Star Spangled Banner at a lovely celebration of our vets in a small town in Louisiana. Brigadier General Curtis made some excellent comments on the sacrifices our service men and their families make for the rest of us.

I was surprised with a flag that had flown over the Capitol in daddy's honor. What a wonderful gift.

On the last day of World War I, November 11, 1918, Armistice Day was created to honor our living veterans of war. It later became Veterans Day to be celebrated on the eleventh day of November.

Chad on graduation day, eighteen years ago.

There's a fantastic privately run organizatition that makes a day trip to D.C. available to all veterans to see the memorials at no cost to the vet. What a wonderful honor! This is the link for Louisiana Honor Air but it's available in other states as well. Just google them under Honor Air.

I hope you'll share any of your personal stories or memories about your family members, whether they paid the 'ultimate sacrifice', retired from service or are currently serving.

Thank you Veterans!

Joie de Vive5

2010-11-01T13:02:00.000-05:00

Shamelessly stealing this from Michael J Malone at May Contain Nuts who shared the original yessterday. I'm just a cheap sap who found herself with hair raising shivers of enjoyment as I watched the T-Mobile ad taken at Heathrow - several times.

and below, the video of the making of the ad is priceless, with singing actors coming up to unsuspecting travelers. Don't you wish you'd been there?

It's Halloween

2010-10-28T08:26:00.000-05:00

I'm blogging over at Blame It On the Muse today about your favorite halloween costumes.. Drop by.

Whew, 'wonder' what she was thinking?

Are you planning a Halloween party this year? Have an interesting costume? Post it on your blog and leave me a comment. I'd love to see it.

Great Mississippi Balloon Race

2010-10-17T09:31:00.000-05:00

Looking for somewhere to go for a weekend with the family or with your best friend? The mid October Great Mississippi River Balloon Race is a great place to go. The area has much to offer besides the balloon races - carriage rides, tour of homes, entertainment, fine food, great fishing and hunting, a quaint mini-New Orleans style downtown, rich in history, even casinos.

Balloons from the Louisiana side, near the ampitheatre.

The images below taken by the Natchez Democrat go here to see the entire gallery for the weekend.

Lots of fun at the balloon festival this weekend. Still going on today in case you're close. Yesterday morning balloons were landing everywhere in Natchez - behind the Subway, by the highway, at the Mall, across the river in Louisiana. Perfect weather for the first time in four years brought crowds, bands, MANY MANY balloons, entertainment, a fair and a flea market to the Vidalia riverfront.
This is a great three day weekend for family or time without the kids.

On Saturday Sam Edwards of Lakeway, Texas won the barge drop which doesn't always take place every year because of weather, but is a crowd favorite. Only two balloons tried ti this year and only Sam was able to toss his beanbag onto the barge to win the event. The other balloon piloted by Tom Oberheide of Cary, Illinois came within three feet of landing on the barge then rose up and flew over the bridge before the wind just stopped. They had to tie a rope to a boat and slowly tow him to shore.

“(He) got hung out over the middle of the river and had to have a boat throw him a line and take him to land,” the public relations person said.

Safety is always first with traffic on the river temporarily shut down and coast guard rescue boats on guard. I noticed a helicopter flying around most of the day as well and wondered if it was part of a location operation since the balloons flew way across the river into Louisiana. I saw one parked in several freshly cut cotton fields.

Balloons everywhere!

2010-10-15T08:21:00.000-05:00

My new website was in some way inspired by the event happening this weekend in our area - The Great Mississippi Balloon Race. Though mine is in a fantasy universe, you can see the influence it had in my choosing it.

The weather couldn't be more lovely, 78-83 degrees, sunny, hopefully light winds. People will be everywhere. This year I hope to catch the Moonglow an afterdark event where the balloonists fire up their balloons and the glow can be seen from across Mississippi on the riverfront.

There will be sidewalk sales, street dancing, live music, booths, much fun. Casinos will probably fill up early. If you ever have a chance to visit Natchez during October you can catch the festival and the October Pilgrimage of homes.

This is me headed out to enjoy the weekend. Hope yours is great, too.

Feel the Fear

2010-10-10T20:20:00.000-05:00

This is one of the best cartoons I've ever seen.

I'm blogging today over at Blame It On the Muse

On how to live in your 'essence' as Michael Hauge puts it.

Stop by.

Moonlight and Magnolias pt 2

2010-10-06T12:16:00.000-05:00

Though the draw to the GRW Atlanta conference was Allison Brennan and Michael Hauge, it was great meeting more members of this great RWA chapter. I joined GRW back in 2008 but living so far away wasn't able to go to meetings. Rejoining this year and making it to the M&M conference was a goal for 2010.

Here are some of the fabulous people who participated and volunteered to make this truly wonderful experience. (Please be patient while they load. I got some good ones and I'd appreciate it if you'd point me to some I've missed).

Jana Oliver offered her time in the pitch practice sessions. She has a new Demon Trappers series coming out soon.

Bestselling author Kate Brady and I shared an outlet! in the Michael Hauge workshop. Lovely lady. Her sequel to One Scream Away comes out soon.

I recognized Leslie Tentler from her website. She also helped with pitch practice.

Nina Bruhns who has a new series with Nocturne started out writing some of my favorites Silhouette Intimate Suspense. She was most gracious in offering her expertise.

Tamara

THe lady in pink, Sally Kilpatrick was the chairman of the conference and did a fabulous job. She teaches teenagers so often we found ourselves sitting up straighter and listening for instructions, lol. Thanks for everything, Sally.

Serissia Green has an urban fantasy series and generously offered advice on my current project. What a great picture of Serissia.

Tamara McLean has a sexy book coming out with a clever cover.

At registration we got some critical advice from Anna Steffl about our pitches and went straight to our room to work on them. Thanks Anna and Marilyn. You're the bomb!

These lovely ladies, Ava Malone and Madeleine

Suzanna Ives whose book Rakes and Radishes just came out with Carina Press, and Cadence Denton.

Elise Lee, whose book High Stakes, is published by Sourcebooks

Me and the token Scot, Mr. Kerr.

Me and GIAMer friend Walt Mussell. Yes, Walt writes romance AND nonfiction AND does parenting articles. The only one I could talk football with. Go Auburn (and Maryland)!!

Anna Steffl's sister. Don't they look alike? Cute dress!

Cadence, Brenda Davis (a very cool lady) and me.

Karen Hall (who I was really beginning to think was German she affected the accent so well) and Cadence.

And my favorite author pose of Cadence's. Now all she needs is the contract! You go, girl

We're back...from Moonlight and Magnolias, Part1

2010-10-05T10:49:00.001-05:00

What a perfect name for a brilliant event put on my the most gracious writers and volunteers I've ever met. We drove in Sunday night at 10:30 on the last of the gas, adrenaline, and euphoria. I haven't had time to get anything done, not even unpacking, except to gather a few pictures I thought you might enjoy.

Tomorrow, I'll post the majority of the pictures and links including many of our gracious GRW members. Meantime, check out the forum at the GRW site for links to other M&M blogs.

My lovely critique partner, Cadence Denton, on the first morning of our pitch appointments

and in the background on her right, Leslie Tentler, who was

one of the authors lending her advice in the pitch workshop.

In the Michael Hauge workshop with fellow writers and Blame It On the Muse bloggers, Robin Kaye, on the left and Grace Burroughs, right.

Me, and Michael Hauge at his book signing. He had to be tired but he suffered his adoring fans taking pictures with him graciously. (Lois L is in the background awaiting her turn.)

The most generous with her time toward other writers, Allison Brennan, presented her No Plotters Allowed workshop and delivered a wonderful keynote speech at the Maggies Dinner.

Cadence, a real sweetheart, Brenda Davis, and me at cocktail hour before the Maggies

Our fearless GiAM leader, Amy Atwell, who is always doing something on our behalf.

It was wonderful to finally meet her.

Oops, you caught me and Thomas. We had to have a mini break on the way to dinner Friday.

Finally, it's here

2010-09-29T07:21:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow morning we leave for the Moonlight and Magnolias conference in Atlanta. It can't possibly live up to the expectations we have or the excitement we are experiencing.

My CP, Cadence and I will be traveling together and will hopefully arrive late afternoon Thursday. Our appointments are Friday morning. Friday afternoon the fabulous Allison Brennan is presenting her workshop called 'NO PLOTTERS ALLOWED'. She is an awesome generous NYT bestselling author. And on Saturday and Sunday we'll attent Michael Hauge's screenwriting workshops. I blogged last year about his workshop and DVDs on the Hero's Journey - excellent if you've never heard him.

But the main goal this trip is networking. Several of our loop members and bloggers from Blame It On The Muse will be there as well as many other writers like ourselves. Kensington, Grand Central and Harlequin will be represented as well as three literary agencies, Marsal Lyon, Knight Agency, the Bent Agency.

Then there is the fact that it's Atlanta where I lived for three months back in 2006. I fell in love with it. I'd drive around at night just looking at the tops of the buildings with my compadre screaming, 'look at the road'. Can't wait.

Atlanta here we come.

Twenty Reasons to Date a Writer

2010-09-22T08:26:00.000-05:00

I can't take credit for this, and admittedly, it's a blatant ploy to post during a month when I'm on a deadline to get my pitches and blurbs ready for the M&M conference in NINE days. But it's very thought provoking. What do you think? Ever been that writer someone dated? married? How did it go?

Writers will romance you with words.
Writers will write about you.
Writers will take you to interesting events.
Writers will remind you that money doesn’t matter so much.
Writers will acknowledge you and dedicate things to you.
Writers will offer you an interesting perspective on things.
Writers are smart.
Writers are really passionate.
Writers can think through their feelings.
Writers enjoy their solitude.
Writers are creative.
Writers wear their hearts on their sleeves.
Writers will teach you cool new words.
Writers may be able to adjust their schedules for you.
Writers can find 1000 ways to tell you why they like you.
Writers communicate in a bunch of different ways.
Writers can work from anywhere.
Writers are surrounded by interesting people.
Writers are easy to buy gifts for.
Writers are sexy.

Better than Fiction

2010-09-19T21:03:00.000-05:00

Randy Moss who plays for the Patriots and could supply his own TV show of replays was responding to a comment made by one of the players on the Jets, their opponent for Sunday's game. Revis, a defender on the Jets team said earlier this week that Moss was a 'slouch'.

In a long running feud, Randy came back with "I'll be ready." New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan said earlier in the week that his cornerback, Revis, was fully capable of covering Randy Moss one-on-one.

But when it came down to the 'nutcuttin' , as they say in the south, in Sunday's game, Moss made a perfectly executed one handed catch in the end zone with only one man anywhere close. Guess who? Darrelle Revis. And to make it even more ironic, Revis suffered a hamstring trying to catch Moss.

A beee-autiful catch.

Who says real life can't be better than fiction?

And tonight, Saints vs 49s. (I could cry - Chase, Hawaii Five-O and Castle come on at 9 during the football game.)

Do you have an example of life being stranger than fiction?

Yes I am Ready

2010-09-09T19:50:00.002-05:00

Come on, you know what I'm ready for...

The entire 'who dat' nation is ready to break the records. We want to prove all the statistics that say most teams who win the SuperBowl don't even make it to the playoffs. We need to BE that team.

Are you with me? Yeah. Saints. Football. Finally.

(I'm not talking about the Redskins until they figure out what to do with Haynesworth. The Ravens, now, they're going to be tough. Lots of great teams this year. Should be an stellar season.)

Addendum: YESSS!

Poetic License

2010-09-02T07:35:00.001-05:00

So what is poetic license? Where did the phrase come from?

According to Wiki it's also known as narrative, historical or dramatic license, ' used to denote the distortion of fact, alteration of the conventions of grammar or language, or rewording of pre-existing text made by an artist to improve a piece of art.'

I was reading Blue Bloods by De La Cruz yesterday and found an example. The author took a figure from American history, Miles Standish, and gave him a new name for his third life as a vampire leader. Do you have any favorite examples? How about from your own work?

The reason all this came to mind? My search for a pair of silver shoes.

What's the connection?

This shoe. Made by Poetic License.

I've always loved shoes but having a very small, very narrow foot I've never found many that actually fit so I've concentrated on boots for the winter since I can buy a size six and it will stay on my foot with a sock. ;) I do have lots of shoes but mainly, okay here comes the rationalization, I get them on sale and they are half a size too big and I hope they'll work but most don't.

I can't really relate to paying hundreds or even thousands of dollars for a shoe. But this shoe... what am I to do? I can visualize myself in these shoes at the conference. Would it give me more confidence (I'm also shorter than most people I meet) to be eye to eye with writing professionals? Call me crazy but yes.

A better question. Can I walk in them?

I can't help myself. These shoes are calling out, "order me. How can you lose? There's free shipping. It's only two days pay and you should be able to wear us more than once." Arrrgh!

I'll just have to buy more grey and silver clothing to wear them with.

Just don't ask me to...

2010-08-29T14:49:00.000-05:00

gearcave.com 10 amazing high crimes

Sorry except for blogging at BlameItOnTheMuse I haven't blogged in a couple weeks due to slow satellite which I've blogged about ad nauseam. Quick update: after nine months of trying to convince the tech support people there was something wrong with my modem, they changed it out. All it cost me is $115 and reupping for another year on my contract. 'Nuff said.

~
With the Atlanta conference coming up in a month, there's a lot to be done. Besides preparing pitches I have to make sure my car is serviced.

ON THAT NOTE: I have fairly new tires but last week I was driving through a small town nearby that's had a nightmare of road construction for five years. I came back with a flat tire. On the way home yesterday, I had another and another tire was very low.

At first the car felt like it was being buffeted by heavy wind but I didn't see the tree limbs moving, and it's not a great place to pull over - four lane with small shoulders - so I kept driving. Then I heard that familiar roaring sound and decided to pull into a closed car dealership where the surface was clean, level and concrete. I knew before I popped the trunk but verified that it was indeed a flat. No sooner had I popped the truck and picked up my phone than an SUV pulled in and a couple asked if I needed help.

I gratefully accepted after he informed me changing tires was what he does for a living. His wife got out and introduced herself and said that they had driven from a town approximately 45 miles away on the way to Natchez for a night out. The reason he pulled into this dealership was not because he saw my trunk up, but because he'd received a flyer in the mail about a sale on cars and they thought they'd just walk the closed lot without the hassle of a salesman around. His words to his wife, "Let's just get out of town and go spend time together and hope we don't see anyone with a flat!" We all laughed. She said, "So you're our blessing." Certainly it was the other way around. He even had his portable air gun in the trunk. How much more serendipitous could a flat be?

It reminded me of what Michael Hauge says in his workshop (which he's presenting in Atlanta). What does your character give lip service to? What does he SAY he wants and what is he willing to do to get it? To get your character's conflict right, fill in the blank. "I'll do anything you want me to, but just don't ask me to _____."

My man, George, may have wished NOT to change a flat on his night off, but he obviously enjoyed doing a good deed for someone who appreciated his kindness. He could have kept driving or ignored me. Good good people. They are everywhere regardless of the negativity we hear on the media.

Let's Play results

2010-08-13T10:34:00.000-05:00

Well, I thought some of you might like to see what two of our bloggers came up with given those varied story parts. Time travel, two protags - one a female trucker, the other an eleven year old boy, A exmoonshiner g-man, a villainous old lady, and some bizarre key words. The first line was "I place the baby shoes on the table with a sign, "never used". We figured it was a time travel since one of the settings was 1920's. Title Love Finds a Way or whatever.

This was Hope's story.

Leo Brown, the bastard son of a bipolar Merry-maid, dreams of one day becoming a theoretical physicist. But when he and his best friend, Lola, mistake Stephen Hawkin’s A Brief History of Time, as a cookbook, their recipe sends them careening back in time. . .

. . .To a deserted road in the middle of nowhere, where they are picked up by Dove, a no-account, transgender, truck driver who runs hootch for the mysterious and nearsighted Granny Okie–the main bootlegger in East Bumdaddy, Oklahoma. Dove doesn’t love nothing, ‘cept her(his?) Tommy Gun. And she’s been slugged so many times by the men (women?) in her life that she’s slap-happy.

Soon the intrepid time travelers find themselves caught up in a dust bowl range war between Granny and the broad-shouldered, blue-eyed, holier than thou ex g-man, Meeker, who has taken up the cause of temperance.

Will Love Find A Way to help Meeker reform Dove and show her how good it is to be a woman? Will Love Find a Way to help Leo and Lola get back to the future, or will they miss the Love Boat and end up distressed and alone on an aircraft carrier in the Pacific during World War II? Will Love Find a Way to help Granny quit running hootch and go back to frying up chicken at the local diner?

Love Finds a Way is a yarn about booze, gals who are really guys, and a couple of good for nuthin’ kids. It’s sure to keep you turning pages.

and Cadence's

Dove Bartlett, long distance trucker and time traveler, has searched unsuccessfully through the threads of time and alternate worlds for the baby girl stolen from her fifteen years ago. She’s found no sign of heer daughter, Lola, and only knows that the baby had been kidnapped by an old lady in a black cardigan sweater.

In the 1920’s dust bowl of Oklahoma Dove places the last vestige of Lola – her baby shoes – on the yard sale table along with the hastily written sign: ‘Never used’. Dove was finally conceeding defeat, finally ready to move on with her life when fate stepped in in the guice of an eleven year old boy with an armload of Stephen Hawkings books.

Dove is stunned when the boy claims to know Lola and can find her, but first she must help him escape the G-man, an ex-moonshiner named Meeker Brown, who is chasing him.

There’s more to this story than the boy will tell, but Dove can’t stop now. Not when there’s the best chance she’s had for finding her lost daughter. But will she live to find her?

I'd love to know what Bill would have come up with had he not been on vacation.

We'll do it again. It was too fun not to.

Go Saints! (Yeah, it's that time again. I know we didn't win last night, but we didn't do too badly for preseason against the 'Patriots'.

Let's Play, Part 2

2010-08-10T08:00:00.000-05:00

Blogging over at Blame It On the Muse today, part 2 of our improv blog from last Monday. Come join us and show off your story-builidng talent.

The elements we came up with last week were:

A time travel by necessity.

Our first line is: “I placed the baby shoes on the table and propped up the sign: ‘Never used.’

Our first protagonist is a long distance trucker who desires freedom from all ties – emotional and physical.

The second protag is an eleven year old boy who carries around books by Stephen Hawking. He can’t understand them yet, but some day… His uncle was recently killed in Afghanistan and his Mom is pretty dislocated by her brother’s death. This leaves Leonard (he prefers Leo, more reminiscent of the Lion) at loose ends for most of the summer day. His best friend is thirteen year old girl cursed with the name Lola, whose Dad is a geologist, often on assignment…

The villain is a short-sighted old lady who always wears thick cardigans, summer and winter, indoors and out.

Antagonist is Meeker Brown, an ex-moonshiner, now G-man.

One setting: 1920’s dust bowl Oklahoma. Farms being blown away, dust getting into everything. Hobos riding the rails and bank robbers like Dillinger and Bonnie and Clyde run wild.

Keywords: slug, fried chicken, blue-eyed, distress, aircraft carrier, transgender, hootch, broad shouldered, Merry Maids, g-men, Tommy-gun, good for nuthin no account, bastard

And an additional first line – Dove leveled the shotgun at Ruben’s chest.

Create a title, a back cover blurb, or mini synopsis and share it. There are so many options.

Blatant Internet Rant

2010-08-03T16:14:00.000-05:00

Subheading
Wildblue, er, stinks!

So, I'm on the internet trying to do a quick blog because I've been blogging over at Blame it on the Muse with our other bloggers away at Nationals and have been ignoring my many fans here at the Marley Delarose blog. It takes so long to load the page I nearly fall asleep which reminds me that I never installed the little diagnostic program the representative told me about.

I'd called because as usual I went to a speedtest site to see why it was taking 30 seconds or more to load pages. It reported my download speed as 700 kbps and upload at DRUMROLLLLLL please, .03 kbps. Yes, you're reading that correctly. Now, according to them everything looks just peachy. .03 is standard but I'm not using a recognized diagnostic.

In her very sweet, very trained - have I handled everything to your satisfaction today (obviously not) - kind of voice, she says, "What you need is the Wildblue Pulse diagnostic tool. Along with the optimizer."

Me: I have the optimizer on my Macs.

Her: And we recommend the latest version of Firefox as a browser.

Me: Okay, I can do that, it's already installed, just to see if it makes any difference (I say with my best I don't believe this for a second sarcasm.) Is Pulse available for Mac?

Her: Oh, of course. (NOT, I got to the site with her on the other end of the line and we see together that it is only available for Windows.

Me: No problem. I'll install it on my PC and run the diagnostic on the internet.

So today, I boot up the stupid PC and:
Make sure I have the Optimizer installed on the computer - check.
I have the latest version of Firefox - check.
I open Firefox and go to the Wildblue site and look for the Pulse program which I'd previously installed.

It won't run. So I look at the installation instructions.
"You must run FFClickonce for Firefox to use Pulse."
So, I download FFClickonce but the message next to the download button says, "This program is not updated to run with the newest version of Firefox." Click here to see a workaround which just tells me to make IE the default, install Pulse and then make Firefox the default.

This done, I run the Pulse program with my PC on wireless internet. After the program tests ten sites and the diagnostics report comes up I notice it says there is no internet service - uh-huh. Then there's a page where there are green check marks next to items no one including WB can identify. So I click on recommendations.

Now, this is entertaining. First of all it tells me I'm not using an approved OS. 'click' here to see approved ones. Windows 7 is listed. Then it says my system isn't optimized. Right. Then it says no virus scan is installed. Un-freakin' believable. I teach computers in a world where no computer should be without virus software.

This is the service we get for $70 a month. They should just have a telephone dialog when you call tech support that says, you're screwed. There is no other internet available so either pay or go away.

What's the opposite of Joie de vive? This is driving me to drink?

Improv on Muse Monday

2010-07-26T03:07:00.003-05:00

I'm blogging today on Muse Monday over at Blame It on the Muse

Come on over and participate in the Improv experiment.

Bonnie the Wannabe Hurricane

2010-07-25T07:44:00.000-05:00

Looks like we'll get a little rain from that wonderfully pitiful hurricane wannabe that's headed this way (that's me waving hi under the top black rectangle). We need the rain desperately and the gulf didn't, so as far as this storm is concerned, the only way it could have been more perfect was if it had died out completely. Especially considering it was like a bullseye on the oil spill (the second highest dot).

So far so good. I spoke to someone yesterday who vacationed on the beach last week and said it was beautiful, workers standing by to clean it up but they enjoyed their trip. Hopefully, the marshes weren't hurt too much by the removal of the booms prior to the storm.

For once, most of the country is hotter than we are. Stay cool.

Goals ~ On target
My first re-working of FIMB is done, enough that I can work on the pitch and synopsis. Next, I plan to do the same for OTHR which should take about a week, maybe two (busy work week). Then, I'll get my notes together for re-crafting Tempest Rising and spend the time before October conference getting it revised and the sequel started. Nano begins in November, which may be good timing to write book two. I'll have to look at last year's results to see if I want to do it officially or unofficially.

Who Do you Write Like?

2010-07-17T07:08:00.001-05:00

I WRITE LIKE

I write like
Stephen King

I Write Like by Mémoires, Mac journal software. Analyze your writing!

Well, obviously not, or I'd be published, famous, and wealthy. However, I do write and play the guitar like Stephen King.

Anyway, this is a fun little program that lets you compare a segment of your writing to authors in their database. Depending on what section you send, you'll get different results. I'll keep trying until I get a more famous author. Ha!

(On second try, I got Anne Rice. Come on, be serious!)

GLEEEEE

2010-07-15T15:09:00.000-05:00

With all the talk on Blame it on the Muse about music stirring the creative juices, I decided to sit down and update my ipod with my treadmill music. This song by Queen kept running through my head then I realized I'd watched the episode of Glee where they do a great rendition of Somebody to Love. So I got pulled into YouTube and found them performing it on Oprah.

Enjoy!

Blame it On the Muse

2010-07-12T00:30:00.001-05:00

Today is launch day for our new blog, Blame It On the Muse on which yours truly is a blogger. It's a blog with twelve other writers of various genres for readers and writers alike.

Mondays will be the day we celebrate the Muse, that fickle, picky, flighty, controlling, and sometimes absent diva of our creative nature. We weigh in Muse Mondays on the trials and tribulations of becoming intimate with your Muse.

Our writers will share insights throughout the month into their characters, excerpts, info on new releases and there will be giveaways and contests for our blog visitors. This month we'll have first hand pictures from the RWA conference in Orlando.

I'll be blogging TODAY our first Muse Monday! Come, cast your blame on the Muse.

Fantasy Coup of the Year!

2010-07-07T08:23:00.000-05:00

George R. R. Martin's A Game of Thrones series, the first book of which was named, the Fantasy Novel of the Year in 1997, is coming to HBO. I'd been listening to the first book in the Song of Fire and Ice Series via my Audible subscription when I heard this news.

Home made videos and interviews with George R.R. Martin abound on YouTube, including this recent addition of confirmed cast

Here's their trailer if you haven't seen it.

Oooh, 'Winter is Coming'. Like so many fantasies with themes about the coming darkness, evil, cataclysm, etc. WINTER is the big bad here. And I suspect not just any winter.

Though some scenes are a bit wordy and if I were inclined to nodding off, I probably would, for the most part I keep returning to this book to find out what will happen next. And to listen closely to Martin's adept use of the writing craft. His metaphors and similes are smooth as silk and just as accurate. Fantasy writer wannabes probably study his work for the classics they are already becoming.

Personally I can't wait til they introduce the Dothraki and the old crone shouts, 'The babe will be the stallion that mounts the world'. (Cool.) Once again, Martin proves that the story is the thing. It takes an enthralling story to grab a readers attention and hold it but it takes great writing to give the series lasting appeal.

If you haven't read his series, here are the four books out so far with another on the way.

How about you? Ever read Martin? Any other fantasy authors? Sanderson, Rothfuss, Jordan? Who's your fav?

Productivity

2010-07-06T02:46:00.001-05:00

Just last weekend I was ruminating on how much time I spend watching sports - NFL football, golf, basketball finals, tennis, and this year the World Cup.

In February, with the Super Bowl behind me, I entered the 50,000 word challenge to get TR finished, when there was nothing but college basketball on TV, well nothing worth watching. (I say that but if the University of Maryland basketball team had made it to the sweet 16, well...)

Yesterday, after the relatively short Wimbledon final where Rafael Nadal proved why he's numero uno, I got in revisions on twenty pages of FIMB. So I'm not totally laying down the work just to watch sports. But some people obviously do. The statistics are in on World Cup loss of production in the US and Britain.

For the first time US viewers lost 175 million work hours to the World Cup, but no where close to the Brits' 7.36 billion - that's billion, folks - billions of work hours to watch a what four week tourney?

60% arranged time off
26% took time off
17% left work early
3% watched at work

Most of those watching in the US were in Miami, New York and D.C. Sounds like there's hope for Soccer in the US.

Luckily my favorite sports are on Sunday a perfect day to take a respite from working and writing. And in one month, I'll be ready for some Football!!!!!!

Happy Birthday America

2010-07-04T20:08:00.001-05:00

I love to watch the Capitol Fourth from my hometown of D.C. with all the schmalzy patriotic music and fireworks. One year Ray Charles sang America the Beautiful; that was my favorite. This year though the temperatures were hotter than even here in Louisiana it was one of the most enthusiastically attended shows.

A what if question for you - where would we be now if we'd lost to the British? The realm would have probably sold us off to the French.

Happy Birthday to US!
May we grow in unity as our forefathers intended and learn in our souls that we are truly created equal, humbly accepting a position beside our fellow man, not above them.

Bobble-heads unite!

2010-07-02T10:42:00.005-05:00

I often listen to music to obtain a certain mood or inspiration for the scene I'm in. That's not why I posted these Paul Simon vids though. Nothing says joy like the Paul Simon and Ladysmith Black Mambazo songs from his Graceland album. Enjoy, while I work out some worldbuilding details on Tempest Rising.

This one, You Can Call Me Al, has given me a pulled muscle twice on the treadmill. You might look like a bobble-head while you're listening but don't let it keep you from getting up and dancing.
Yeah!

I Know what I Know

2010-06-28T15:43:00.000-05:00

Shades of Shakira!! I love African dance and choral music. So when I was looking for a video Michael Malone had posted, I found this:

I have to have one of those skirts. It makes the dance! At first I couldn't figure out how they move their feet and hips at the same time. Apparently, they 'shake it' so hard, they lift their feet off the ground. How fun. How many calories do you reckon they generate?

Hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo, I Know What I Know.

I think I'll treat you and me both to a couple of these this week.

Oil Spill Rain?

2010-06-27T08:16:00.006-05:00

I've been quiet about my concerns so far since this is basically a writer's blog. But this writer lives in Louisiana and she has been very concerned about the global effects of the oil spill on our environment. About the possibility of the entire Gulf of Mexico becoming a dead zone. About species of fish from the size of plankton to hump back and sperm whales, who come to the gulf to breed, having their numbers drastically reduced. Already two hump back juveniles have washed up on the New Jersey coastline. Victims of the gulf spill? They don't know yet.

US Coast Guard estimated that approximately seven to ten million gallons of oil and petroleum distillates were spilled during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The losses were from various sources, including pipelines, storage tanks, drilling rigs, production platforms and industrial plants. Then, two years ago, after Gustav, I heard the rain was more toxic than usual and we saw a direct result in our gardens and fishing in the area a hundred miles north of the gulf.

How much more toxic a hurricane will a methane and oil clogged ocean produce? Reports are that the methane being produced from the dispersants in the water could be as high as a million times higher than normal. Add to that the lie factor of BP and we could be looking at much much more. Through the grapevine some have heard FEMA is making short and long term plans to evacuate 200miles from the coast which would include most of southern and maybe central Louisiana, MIssissippi, and the panhandle of Florida. http://www.freemaptools.com/radius-around-point.htm shows the radius just so:

We're not talking livelihoods, fishing, or vacations, here, people. We're talking about totally abandoning the gulf coast until it's safe to return. And have we proven how adept we are at solving catastrophes like this?

April 23, 2010 an article with videos of the rig on fire reported that fears had eased over the threat of an oil spill.

Sorry to sound like chicken little but I don't think now is the time to stick our heads in the sand...

Sports - Inspiration for Writers

2010-06-25T17:44:00.001-05:00

This was the score at darkthirty yesterday evening. I'm sure there were more people than not taking one look at that score and scratching their heads.

ESPN video of Wednesday's action

What more could we ask than a three day marathon like the record breaking FIRST ROUND match between Isner of the US(seeded number 23) and Nicholas Fahut (number 146) in a ten hour set - yes, I said, SET - which concluded today finally after eleven hours at 70-68,with John Isner winning and a full standing stadium cheering them on including the Queen.

As writers we learn valuable lessons by studying these great sports contests. Look at the great battles just this month.
~The NBA finals where two champions - the Celtics and the Lakers - went at it with the all time winningest team record in mind. The Celtics still lead, but the Lakers won't quit trying to win out.
~Graham McDowell got ahead and pretty much stayed there for his first US Open and the first for Northern Ireland. He never looked like he didn't believe he could win it.
~USA in their struggle to overcome bad calls finally won their group, for the first time since 1930, and would have won more decisively had the calls gone their way.
~This match between two warriors in fitness, talent and grit. Roger Federer said they are both winners because no one can imagine what it would take to do what they've done. And this is just the first round!
~TCU vs Florida State in the college baseball championships - Florida State was ahead 7-3 in the top of the eighth then TCU scored 8 runs to win 11-7. Never give up. Plenty more of this to come.

ESPN's Tennis results scoreboard here.

Stay tuned...epics about this Summer.

You must Believe!!!

2010-06-24T05:29:00.003-05:00

Whatever your dreams...

USA vs Algeria!

2010-06-23T19:34:00.003-05:00

YES!

Must have had a wee drinkie and excited about the win... ;))

Challenge

2010-06-20T16:54:00.010-05:00

I'm trying to get up to speed on the World Cup. I went to the internet to look up the rules and found an article on futbol rules for 'dummies'. It seems to me that soccer is called football, for obvious reasons. So maybe NFL game should maybe be called 'throw' ball. I mean, kicking the ball isn't the main focus. Possession times, changes in possession, penalties, coach/player squabbles - all that's familiar. Even bad calls. Please tell me the US should have won that last match. I couldn't see a foul.

Question: if you had the opportunity to play on a global venue for your country would you create a stink and refuse to play over what will not amount to anything more than egg on your own face and a disappointing look back in the future? Divas.

Before The U.S. and England ended up with two draws each I would have said I didn't like draws. But it's better than losing, ;) I guess if they tried to play until someone scored you could be there all night.

Speaking of challenges, I began a new one this week. It's called the 100x100. This means you put your butt in a chair and write a minimum of 100 words a day for 100 days, very effective for setting a daily habit. I hear you saying what about that planner I bought in January with a page for writing daily? No excuses. Life just happens, work and creativity go in cycles it seems.

I added an additional layer to my 100x1000x100, 100 words, 1000 seconds of treadmill, for 100 days IN A ROW - MINIMUM. So far so good. And my commitment to myself is if I miss a day of either one I start over. Want to join me? No guts, no gloreee.

What am I working on? The sequel to TR, my paranormal. I'm not trying to write the entire rough draft, just enough that I can answer some of the questions on book one that had me stumped, then on to revising. I decided today after writing it in Word the last few days that I'm going back to WriteItNow for its ability to organize ideas, character info and scenes. More PC problems, all of them Toshibas, coincidence? I miss my Mac!!!!!!

Other entertaining sporting events this week, the Lakers Celtics Final and Sunday's US OPEN in which Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell beat the field in a wild and crazy afternoon. Wimbledon is coming up and then FOOTBALL!!! Er, THROW BALL!!

I'm reaady.
(Just a reminder to pass the word. VACATION ON THE GULF COAST OR IN NEW ORLEANS TO HELP residents!)

No News

2010-06-13T11:57:00.003-05:00

NO NEWS by Lonestar

One of my favorite treadmill songs, a lively beat and fun to singalong with, actually, I think this is the one I pulled a muscle to. Even if you don't like country music you have to appreciate the lyrics.

I'd like to say I went on the road with Pearl Jam or went undercover with the CIA (hmm, or would I?) but I've just been having computer problems, running mail, and trying to stay cool in the upper ninety degree heat and humidity. Haven't I said before? - I HATE heat. After I visited Maui, someone asked how I liked it. My response, "I would have rather gone to Scotland." Snow birds have it right - spend winter months in - my opinion - Ohio and Summer in Canada. Since it seems the 90s are spread clear up to Canada this week, you'd have to go even further to get cool.

I sold my Macbook and I'm lost without it. I carried it with me everywhere and used it as my primary computer. I've got a four year old IMAC that runs like new and a brand new PC that crashed right out of the box. The store is replacing it but then I have to go through that whole process again. I know, you're probably thinking as much as I love software I'm enjoying it. NOT! I like programs to run smoothly. Macs are so effortless, so well designed, it's hard to go back to PC, even temporarily.

I guess I've become a Mac snob. At least I have my IMAC. Since I discovered OMMwriter I don't think I can give it up. Maybe PC users will get lucky when they put out the PC version.

The problem is flow. I need to get stabilized on one computer so I can get back into my writing routine. I've been back and forth between laptops.

Sports news - the US and England tied in the World Cup so we're still in it. And NFL football players are on the practice field so it won't be long before football season starts. I'm getting in the mood with my new ringtone - the Fox NFL theme.

Are you ready for some football?

I've Got Your Back

2010-06-02T17:47:00.007-05:00

Harmony
Okay, I guess you can tell I'm studying emotions this week as I work my way through OTHR.

I ran across a quote from Wayne Dyer in my notes that blew me away.

"Disharmony activates EGO."

Think about that. About all the disharmony going around right now globally - between individuals, in politics. Why are we in competition with our fellow earthlings? Why DON'T we work together for solutions? I think the main reason is because we're too concerned with being right, with casting blame, with having what our fellows have, and not nearly as sincere as we should be about finding real solutions.

On that line, CNN reported today a website A Complaint Free World which suggests that there is too much complaining going on and not enough 'shut up and search for a solution'. They propose you wear their little purple bracelet to remind you for 21 days to be positive, recognize your complaints and stop. Think about how you can be part of the solution. Are you up for it?

If you'd like to download the widget go here

.

And to get your Complaint Free bracelet, here. Good luck on your journey.

Envy

2010-06-02T08:09:00.004-05:00

Don't you wish you could relax like this? The little fella is certainly tuckered out. I'm curious - what is the caption you'd put below this picture?

It's 95 here so there won't be much lounging around by the bayou. So much to do and so few months left in the year. Isn't it crazy, we're in June already. Mother Nature's still snowing and delivering cold rain to many places.

Hope the weather's nice in your part of the world.

Tools for Revising - TypeIT ReadIT

2010-05-30T10:05:00.004-05:00

Wait, don't leave!

You'll be sorry you passed up this info. I've been revising one of my earlier manuscripts, OTHR. I like to read what I've written aloud to hear the rhythm, listen for repetitions, and anything else that strikes me. I was chatting with another writer friend, RRSmythe, yesterday morning. SHe mentioned that she does the same thing using a program called Text Aloud, which saves your file to an mp3 so you can transfer it to your ipod or whatever. Text Aloud isn't cheap, if you add the AT&T voices that read with something more than zombie doldrums.

Since I've been going to the trouble of reading a section into my tape recorder, which saves it as mp3, and downloading to my computer, this sounded great to me. So I searched for a free program that might do the same thing with an acceptable voice. Other voices can be added American, UK or foreign languages. Other languages and foreign voices are also available.

I found TypeIt ReadIt which was designed for students with reading impairments.

It is so easy to use and the voices are decent. Just copy your text into it, click save as sound and you'll have a file within minutes to listen to or drop into your ipod or on CD. Versions for Mac and PC, with choice of file type in .wav for Windows Media Player, .aiff for Itunes or other audio format. I'm heading over to get Duncan, William and Diane.

Idol Fans Not Judging Talent

2010-05-27T15:52:00.000-05:00

Once again, American Idol results prove the public picks a winner based on something besides talent. Last year, the obvious stars, Adam Lambert and Allison Ihrheta, came in second to Kris Allen, who seemed to say 'What the Hell were they thinking?' as he received the news. Yes, indeed. And this year I saw the same stunned look on Lee's face as the winner was announced. Surely, Crystal was the most polished and had the most potential to hit the ground running, seeming to be Alannis Morrisette's equal in their performance last night.

What WERE they thinking? Where did these votes come from? To vote off Michael and Casey who were clearly the better musicians...well, it makes me want to watch Dancing with the Stars next year. But it was worth it to see these talented new stars begin their careers.

My favorite performance - Michael and Casey singing, "Have you Really Ever Loved a Woman." Sigh.

Of course, you know you can download your favorite performances from Itunes.

Writers Software - Microsoft One Note

2010-05-19T13:55:00.005-05:00

In previous posts I've blogged about all kinds of software for writers - Write or Die, Writer's Cafe, Ywriter, and OmmWriter. Software for Macs. Software for PCs. Programs like WriteItNow which works on both OSs- handy even if you don't use it to write your ms. And the popular Scrivener program for Macs.

I've been hearing for some time how Microsoft One Note is being used by some writers to create their story bible and organize their research but since I've used Macs for over four years, I'd never explored One Note. The subject came up again recently when I mentioned it to a friend, Leah Braemel. She sent me to some examples another writer had posted (below).

One Note is fabulous. Set up like notebook binders with tabs across the top and sides and the notebook hierarchy to the left, it's easy to get started, fluid in its simplicity, totally integrated with the Office Suite and extremely flexible. Just click in the page somewhere and start typing or drag a link to it. You can insert text, audio or video files, web pages. Add a separate notebook for whatever facet of your life needing organization. Shoot, make one for the kids' ball schedule or set up a page for each child to track their activities.

In my sample screen below you can see I've created separate notebooks: one for each series, another called 'How to Write' has notes and links to workshops. This picture shows the notebook 'Writing Career' where I track pen names, submissions, publishers guidelines, expenses, conferences. (Just click the image to see a larger view.)

On Lady Scribes blog she posts about getting organized.

Here's a sample from her blog.

For Mac users there is a program that is shipping with all new Macs called OmniOutliner. It offers very similar capabilities but more of an outline feel. As a matter of fact, users of Scrivener may not see any advantages to OmniOutliner and the Pro version is around $60 for current Mac owners.

Give One Note a try if you want a better option for organizing your life and work.

It's my Process and I'll Cry if I want To

2010-05-18T06:25:00.007-05:00

Did you miss me? I've been... 'defining my process' - don't want to have to burn the book. I've heard the term for years but only recently have I discovered how it applies to me. How did I suddenly wind up with so many manuscripts in need of revision? You know how you set wips aside to work on much later (or bury them in your neighbor's backyard) then you have some epiphany that causes you to start thinking of ways to resurrect it?

I just finished the first pass through TR, my paranormal/romance/ mystery/ psychological crime thriller. Just kidding! Though it does have all those elements. Last week I mentioned that I've been listening to some great workshops on re-writing, revising, replotting, by any name, you get the gist.

Having arrived at a certain point in my writing - a few finished manuscripts under my belt, a couple contests entered, some submissions, (and um, rjs) I was looking for the next step. How to make those stories stronger before resubmitting to another publisher or agent. With the Moonlight and Magnolias conference coming up in October, I want to make the best of my opportunities. Some process besides just reading it and re-reading, doing line-edits, hoping for some inspiration to hit.

Writers have different ideas about rewriting the rough draft or revising stale manuscripts. Some go right at the plot, tweaking the story, scene by scene, looking at Goal, Motivation and Conflict. Some think the gramatics (is that a word?) or the prose is the key. But no matter the genre - romantic suspense, fantasy, screenwriting, inspirational - or the writer, Anna DeStefano, Michael Hauge, Jim Butcher, Lisa Gardner, Linda Hall, or Bill Kirton, I found threads of wisdom running through each of their processes and advice.

Characterization makes the plot sing. My words but that's essentially it. Anna DeStefano calls the re-working of the rough draft re-CRAFTING. 'Planning the characters in advance allows the writer to know how the characters will live the plot'. She says the secret to re-crafting the rough draft lies in understanding the characters better. 'Re-craft the heroine.' She suggests going through the manuscript for one or two features at a time like POV of the Protagonist. Read just those scenes. Do you understand the entire story through the Protag's viewpoint? She should either be in a scene or reacting to another character's scene.

Bill Kirton said 'stories rely on credible characters'. Donald Maass' book The Fire in Fiction is a study of character motivation.
Hauge talks about the Desire of the character driving the story forward and the five stages of the plot. Lisa Gardner looks at turning points, making sure the story is progressing at each point. Linda Hall says 'the story boils down to one line - The Heroine (Protagonist) has a problem.' ( CREATE MORE OBSTACLES. Know your characters' internal conflict.)

This all reflects my own gut feeling about my manuscripts - I need to know my characters better. So I'm delving back into the character work via the little Snowflake program which has a great character questionaire. Then I'll re-readn to see what other paths they take with my new understanding of their desires and motives.

One of the most encouraging things Ms. DeStefano said was, "It's all part of the process. Even a cruddy first draft. Get used to it." She said if you don't love your baby, you won't want to spend the time with it required to make it great. Again, the re-writing should be creative and not a chore - you are still in the imagination phase of the project. I like that.

Satellite Seriously Sucks!

2010-05-11T18:18:00.001-05:00

It was no surprise that as I hit the bookmark to go to my dashboard to post this blog, I got that 'your computer isn't connected to the server' message. *&^($#*@&&&$#@! Satellite is a very very small step above dial-up. At least dial-up is cheap.

We're in the process of setting up a new yahoo group and blog. Here's what happens:

I click on Visit your group on the web. Thirty-five seconds later I arrive at the group page. For someone with as many focus problems as I, that's an eternity. But I sit here, patiently, okay I lied, not so patiently, waiting. Finally, it's up.

I click on the Database. ENGHH! (That game show buzzer sound should go off.) My first of many messages indicating that something has interrupted the satellite's view of the dish. I look outside, the sun is shining but there is a little white cloud over to the south. I glance at my modem. Sure enough the little download signal is missing. I click the back arrow and my browser reloads the previous page.

Again, I click on Database. This time, I'm rewarded with the link to the database. So I hit 'Our Bloggers'. ENGHH! (Grrrrrh!) By this time, I have Wild Blue internet rage. SO I go off to type an email about why I'm delayed. Then I think of the floor in the kitchen needing a mop, the wip I was re-reading, the other computer waiting to install QuickBooks and I'm off!

Ooops, ten minutes later I remember I was trying to correct something in the database so I return to the computer. I can't call tech support because the phone is being ported and isn't working. But I've been through this so many times before...

Tech Support: "How is the weather in your area?"

Me: "Sunny with a couple pesky white clouds."

Tech Support: "I show rain and lightning in your area."

Me: "Really. That would be good, things have been really dry here. But I haven't seen any chance of rain in the forecast?"

Tech Support: "You are in Duluth, correct?"

Me: "Duluth, Minnesota?! Er, no, I'm in central Louisiana. Have I got the right tech support?"

Tech Support: "The portal for your internet is in Duluth, so when they get weather, it can affect your reception."

So in addition to the cost of the friggin' equipment, short warranty, slow bandwidth, high monthly cost and limited usage allowances, I have to worry about weather 1500 miles away! And to top that off, the government is pushing for high speed internet country wide and they consider satellite 'high speed'. There's no hope unless I move.

The positive in all this - I'm learning patience, persistence, gaining fortitude (making plans to blow up the dish) no, not really.

Distractions be Gone - Writing software

2010-05-11T01:55:00.001-05:00

While cruising the web in search of a program like Microsoft's One Note for PC (why they don't make it for Macs is a mystery), I found this marvelous little writing program called Ommwriter. PC users, eat your heart out - but not for long. They say they are going to develop a PC version. Take a look. It's sweet! This is strictly for writing, going with the flow, no elaborate formatting available as they theorize it shuts the muse down. Simply save and paste into your favorite word processor.

Ommwriter from herraizsoto&co on Vimeo.

Looks like it would make a beautiful space to write poetry as well.

My new process is taking me toward handwriting the first draft or using Ommwriter, to eliminate distractions and create a muse-friendly environment. For transferring recorded notes and inserting revisions into the text I'll use Dictate. Unfortunately that means I'm still stuck using two different operating systems as I'd like to make use of WriteItNow or One Note for the story bible/roster but my dictation and first draft will be done on the Macbook.

As long as it works.

Writers software - MacSpeech Dictate

2010-05-10T10:02:00.001-05:00

A couple weeks ago I mentioned this software I'd purchased to dictate the end of my book into the computer - the 15000 words I'd handwritten the previous week. As I said, I've had a lot of trouble with my right arm. I've tried to use it less but there's no way I can type with one hand. And if I tried to case the mail with my left hand I'd be six hours getting out of the post office. I can't imagine what a left handed mail person does to deliver the mail because I sit on the right side of the truck, drive and steer from the controls on the left with all the mail sitting behind the steering wheel, and poke the mail in boxes out of the right side window. Hmm.

Linda Faulkner suggested last week that I try writing with my left hand. I did. Here's a sample. Ugh. I know I could get used to it and might even benefit from the right brain release of cool writing creatamones or whatever happens when you use your left hand, but that will take some time.

I finished the handwritten ending on Sunday. Received Dictate on Thursday evening. After only thirty minutes of training the microphone and program to my voice by reading a boring bit of text, I began reading my messy handwriting into the mic. Amazingly, Dictate was more accurate than I was. Even when I stumbled because I couldn't read my own writing, it understood my stumbles accurately. So by mid-afternoon Friday including some training on the fly, I was done. (Because the book is paranormal there were words that had to be fine tuned along with local slang words like my favorite Southern expression - fixin' to.)

In the past I've tried Via Voice, Dragon Naturally Speaking (several versions including DNS 9.0) and IListen. This is the first time I've seen this kind of accuracy. Dictate is based on the DNS engine but Dictate is for Macs only. If you're interested in this type of product for PC you'll want to pickup DNS version 10. One of the secrets to the success of this software is the USB microphone headset.

A bonus - I expect Dictate will be handy when it comes to inserting the notes and text into the document after I've read the hard copy and made my notes. Dictate has its own little notepad from which you can copy and paste but will also dictate straight into Word. I haven't figured out how to use it to dictate all my recorded notes yet but now is the time. My recorder is full of great story ideas and I'm ready to incorporate them into the first rewrite.

Nashville Fundraisers

2010-05-09T20:44:00.004-05:00

Where are we - Miami?

You'd think all the problems are over for the Tennessee-Kentucky flooded areas if you watch the news. Some folks have said 'all they talk about is the oil disaster in the gulf'. So many people in those states have lost everything due to the flooding. The receding water left a disaster in its wake. Some of our writer friends live in Tennessee, one had to undergo surgery during the aftermath of the flooding for removal of her gall bladder.

She posted this link for an auction to benefit those affected by the flooding. Some really cool items to be found with new items being added often. Take a look.
YA Auction

Even our RWA national conference which was supposed to be held in Nashville in July, had to be relocated to Orlando, Florida because the landmark Gaylord Hotel in Opryland was severely damaged.

Help if you can.

Gulf Coast Volunteer links

2010-05-04T07:11:00.004-05:00

A member of our Goals loop gave some links in case anyone is able to volunteer for the oil cleanup efforts on the coast. Residents of the Mississippi Gulf Coast were commended for taking personal initiative to deal with the devastation from Katrina. The are doing the same in response to this oil spill with many taking it upon themselves to purchase booms, oil dispersant chemicals and organize volunteers. So far the worst has not happened though the first of the oil is expected to reach Florida's coastline today and possibly the Keys by the end of the week.

If you want to help or volunteer, Amber's blog is here.

A bizarre little known fact that is spurring salons to contribute - hair collected from customers, both humans and pets, and inserted into panty hose absorbs oil in the water completely. Collections are being made all over the country according to HLN.

Tornados and Oil Spills

2010-04-30T19:20:00.009-05:00

If you follow the straight line of the boot across to where it turns north, we are just left of that crook.

At first they said this severe weather outbreak wouldn't be as bad as last weekend when a powerful F2 devastated Yazoo City, Mississippi which is northeast of here. But it's getting pretty tough out there with Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas and Wisconsin already reporting tornados.

Dr. Forbes of the Weather channel has what he calls a Tor Con Index. This will be another night where I keep getting up and looking out the window listening to the wind and asking myself, "Is that a train?" They say a tornado sounds like a train, but I always wondered if they meant the roar, the whistle, or the train on the tracks as it passes.

Last week we were expected to get extreme weather. It didn't even rain. Our farmers are out of time. They must get a rain to plant this week or it will be too late. So what's a little severe weather stacked against the loss of their crops.

Three weeks after the oil rig explosion in the Gulf, BP and the authorities are finally mobilizing as it dawns on them that our coastlines, beaches, wildlife and seafood industries are fixing to be devastated by what they originally said was not a large spill. Who were they kidding? The original estimate was 1000 barrels a day. New information suggests 150-200,000 barrels a month are spewing into the waters of the Gulf and Southeasterly winds are blowing them straight at the coastlines of some our most popular beaches. Shades of the Valdez.

Besides all That

2010-04-28T14:08:00.002-05:00

This morning, Bill Kirton mentioned some of the hazards of being a writer. If you need a laugh, read this most surprising and thought provoking blog on having a relationship with your vitamins and toilet paper. You won't be sorry. I'd love to experience more of that particular hazard - a soaring imagination.

For the last couple of years I've had a different issue. That of the writing/typing arm hurting and going to sleep. Between, writing, using the computer, playing the guitar and delivering the mail, my write arm hurts all the time and goes to sleep very easily, staying asleep most of the night. Numb, not just nighty night. I'm using my left arm when I remember, for like, drinking coffee, brushing my teeth. It seems odd.

I asked my supervisor if the postal service would pay for me to go to the doctor because it's been much worse since the holidays. He said, nah, they will just say you can't do the job anymore, 'maybe you should quit'. I said, "Remind me again why anyone would want this job? No benefits, lots of the heavy mail days, extreme wear and tear on the personal vehicle, the necessity to be on call 24 hours a day, and very little chance of going full time (especially now that they are considering a five day work week).

I finished my manuscript Sunday handwriting approximately 15,000 words so I sat down today to start typing them into the computer. My arm went numb while I was typing so I had a brainstorm. I pulled out my Dragon Naturally Speaking program, reprogrammed it and began dictating. I will have to spring for the newer and Mac version of this software but I think this will be the solution to my problem of writing the MS twice. And for transcribing my dictated notes from my digital recorder. I'll let you know how it goes. I should have the upgrade tomorrow and will get back on the MS Friday.

Mammy's Cupboard, a Natchez attraction on my route.

Fun news! I have another singing gig Friday at a B&B in Natchez, MS across the river. Natchez has a month long event called Pilgrimage which draws tourists from all over the world. Years ago I had a tour guide job at this fabulous antebellum home decorated with antiques from all over the world, including wall paper on the dining room walls saved from some cave in Europe. They extend the March pilgrimage season with music festivals, art festivals, and tours of the antebellum homes. I'm the entertainment for one of them Friday afternoon. It should be fun!

Longwood
An unfinished octagonal multi story home is one of the favorite homes on tour.

Natchez, Mississippi - a wonderful place to visit. It will remind you of a smaller, cleaner, cooler New Orleans. Come see us!

THE END

2010-04-25T18:21:00.004-05:00

Finally!

I finished Tempest Rising.

On April 11th after being stuck for almost a month, and getting a boot from various writer friends, I turned to the pen and notebook method of writing TR. I concentrated only on creating, moving forward, not trying to project when the ending might come, not counting words, just letting it happen. I really didn't expect it to happen today. But I wrote about 6000 words. Then it was there! Done!

Yey!!! And I don't even care that now I have to type those typewritten words into the computer so I can print the whole thing out and start re-reading it.

So Much for Good Taste

2010-04-23T02:29:00.001-05:00

Amazon reviewers are coming under fire and seemingly for good reason. It's been reported by some sources that there has been a conspiracy of sorts among reviewers to intentionally give bad reviews to some books and to elevate others.

The Salon blog had an excellent article chronicling some specific infamous reviews. Go here to read the entire article. Don't miss it.

But here are a few highlights:

One reviewer wrote of the Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank:

'I didn't like this book because it was boring. That's all that needs to be said. It was very very very very very very very very very very very boring. If you have to read this book shoot yourself first.'

And of To Kill a Mockingbird one said: 'Looking for a sappy, cliched, novel to read? One predictable as most young-adult books and more degrading than harlequin romances? Well, To Kill a Mockingbird is your book. In this novel, all Harper Lee gives as a theme is "life isn't fair." I think most of us couold have figured that out without a book that should have started where the first "part" ended. Ms. Lee merely portrays a terrible, biased, southern society that seemingly places its main goal on ruining everyone elses life. Her female characters are flat, simple-minded women. Wether or not this is due to its setting is irrelevant. Lee places guilt on a group of people instead of individuals (the Ewells) as it should be. Thank God Ms. Lee only wrote this book; surely her next would degrade society even further. I'm sure it too would be deemed a classic as long as it dealt with politically correct subjects that are far too worn out to remain interesting.'

One more - on the Bible the reviewer said: 'Man, this book is boring. All this weird stuff happens and it's harder to get into than Lord of the Rings. And what's up with the red writing and the LORD says stuff. All caps = rude, peter paul and mark, whoever the heck you are. And this is just badly written. James Patterson could do better.' Whew.

Makes you want to see your book on Amazon don't it?

Pray for the Missing and Injured

2010-04-21T14:51:00.005-05:00

The sky is a dusty pale blue, with only one puffy cloud and some jet trails to mar its perfection. Normally, it would be considered a beautiful day but the dread and terrible possibilities seem to hang in the air like grey matter.

Last night there was an oil rig explosion off the Louisiana coast. Most of the men working on that rig were from south and central Louisiana. One of the seriously injured is from our wee town and three of the missing this town's sons. As of now, they haven't been found. There's a good chance if they made it into the waters they will be found by the Coast Guard as seas were low and the weather good.

This was a devastating explosion which we heard sunk the drilling barge/ship/platform pretty quickly. How often do we see reports like this on the news and not knowing the victims, we forget that someone just like us is suffering the loss or uncertainty about his or her loved ones.

Ironically, the breaking news of the Steelers quarterback has now taken over the followup of this story so it's difficult to stay on top of the progress.

I can ONLY imagine what these families are going through...

UPDATE - unfortunately the most 'local' channels to our area are at least 75 miles away and they aren't covering the explosion so we're forced to get news on the web or CNN. As of this morning, they are still searching for the 12 missing workers.

Scottish Hunks and Ear Candy

2010-04-20T14:23:00.004-05:00

Okay, I'll admit it's a cheap ploy to get some traffic since I haven't met him, but just listen to that beautiful voice... (Michael's probably blushing if he reads this, not one to tout his own horn. )

I first heard about Michael Malone's blog, May Contain Nuts, from Thea on our Scottish loop. Not only is Michael a Scot, asset number one (don't you love being cheapened, Michael?), but a crime writer and poet. He's produced two poetry books, In The Raw and Running Threads along with CD of his and some fellow poets.

Here is a YouTube Michael posted yesterday of one of his poems. If you like clever repartee, funny stories and candid opinions, you need to follow May Contain Nuts.

And now without further ado...

American women have had a love affair with Scottish accents for a long time but especially since Jamie said to Claire,

"I prayed all the way up that hill, yesterday. Not for you to stay; I didna think that would be right. I prayed I'd be strong enough to send ye away. I said, Lord, if I never had that kind of courage before let me have it now. Let me me brave enough not to fall on my knees and beg her to stay."

and

"I want to hold you hard to me and kiss you and never let you go. I want to take you to my bed and use you like a whore til I forget that I exist. And I want to put my head in your lap and weep like a child."

Oh. My. God. Now all we need is for Michael to read the quotes off this fantastic Jamieisms YouTube. Michael have you ever read Outlander? You must. When I visited Scotland in 1998 I was on the third book of Gabaldon's now seven book series. I was struck by the accurate way she portrayed the history of the area. Or at least that's the impression I got from the people I met.

Here is the Jamieisms YouTube.

Flash Fiction

2010-04-20T10:07:00.000-05:00

Truly extraordinary fiction doesn't have to be long. Check out Understanding, by Bill Kirton at Rammenas. Experience how romantic a paragraph can be.

If you like Fantasy and Scifi - I just discovered this SciFi flash fiction site - www.365tomorrows.com which is also available on their podcast - Voices of Tomorrow. Check it out.

A Frolicking Muse

2010-04-19T05:37:00.003-05:00

If you are one of my zillions of fans, you know that I'm always coming up with some new process to circumvent or streamline what's not working in my current writing process. Whether it's new software - I'm the Queen of Software, a new book, listening to and completing exercises from a RWA workshop. From reorganizing the files and storyboard in Scrivener or Write It Now to printing out calendars and using post-its to analyze my plot lines. And much more.

I've been writing on TR now for over a year. Granted it started off as a mystery romance and has morphed into a paranormal mystery romance urban fantasy, sort of. The world building took forever. Then I got the Sh$$ scared out of me as I got closer to the end and the dragging and dropping, reorganizing, analyzing (there's a reason that word starts with A-N-A-L) and thinking seemed to have taken on a life of it's own.

Last week, I posted that I was going to just go forward, no matter what and chose to do it the way I started out - with a really good gel pen and a spiral bound hard backed notebook. This is working so well, I may do all my first drafts from now on manually. Aack, ME writing without any software!

A few PROs I've noticed:
1. I'm NOT on the computer to get distracted.
2. I'm NOT in my favorite environment, software, to explore better ways to analyze, organize and format the story.
3. My muse loves working with the characters and plot on the fly. She skips ahead - yes I finally know it's a she - to figure out what directions the plot needs to go while I'm writing the current scene. SHE doesn't like creating on the computer.
4. I remember what I've written better. When I pick up the notebook again, I don't have to re-read as much. For me, handwriting notes has always helped me retain the information so that makes sense.
5. I can carry that little notebook and pen with me where ever so I'm able to make better use of those little moments of writing time.
6. It seems that when I write on the computer I'm consciously or unconsciously keeping track of word count, giving myself mental pats for wordiness. THe handwriting seems to entail less wandering around, more suitable material.

The CONs:
1. Yeah, eventually I'll have to type the whole friggin thing into the computer. But that should serve as a excellent first revision. I hope.
2. The re-writing.
3. No ability to cut and past but hey, I'm not supposed to be revising on the first draft right?

Anyway, I'm pleased that I was able to post what I intended to do and for once I can report that I did it. And it worked! IS working, gotta be careful about those blanket statements made to a global audience who may hold me to it.

TR is now at 103k. Wrote almost 10k this week - see there I go again. I'm going to stop tracking that statistic until the last couple revisions when it's necessary. My muse is skipping through a field of butterflies.

May Contain Nuts turns one

2010-04-18T13:29:00.002-05:00

Happy Birthday, May Contain Nuts!

Don't you just hate it when you miss somebody's birthday? I feel so so bad. I'm so sorry, Michael. What can I do to make it up to you?

When you discover you've missed a birthday, there's always a temptation to regift the person with something on hand. Something quick. "Here, I got this for you, but lost track of time…"

So, I think, what do I have on hand that I could give MCN for it's birthday. I know, I'll send you my old lottery numbers. No, they weren't winners, but they're probably still useful, eh? I mean the numbers are perfectly good, they just didn't happen to make it on the right lotto ticket.

And what about that lovely clock I got two years ago. It's still new. I never could figure out who to give it to. The Hartford Insurance logo on it makes it unsuitable for some but you could always paint over the logo. It's a rather spiffy little clock.

Ah, but even better there are the glow in the dark planet and stars stickers you apply to your ceiling to give your office that little extra pizzazz. Inspiration for those uninspirational writing moments. I took them down two years ago and each one still has the sticky clay stuff on the back. Handy.

What the hek! I'll send them all. You deserve it for creating such an original and entertaining blog.

Many Happy Returns…

Ruts and the Organic Muse

2010-04-13T06:05:00.004-05:00

As promised, I moved on to the business of TR's ending. I stopped analyzing, planning and organizing the scenes in advance and just began again on the last scenes. And discovered why it had been so hard to know how to proceed.

The scene I was writing is the hero's black moment. The thing he's been dreading the most is happening and the heroine is introducing him to reality. Unfortunately, the author hasn't figured out the secrets to this reality so the heroine is having trouble 'splainin' it to said hero. Now, hold on, I didn't say I quit writing. I'm still going.

Bill Kirton of Living and Writing and Other Stuff commented a couple days ago, "There's no doubt, though, that whatever technique you adopt (careful pre-plotting, wading straight in with only a vague idea of your direction, a single event or a multitude of them), you're dealing with an organic whole which will grow in whatever direction it wants, however disciplined you are. In fact, I'd go as far as to say that disciplining it too severely risks stifling it altogether"

I'd been working and reworking my redetermined ending for this book for a month. Suddenly, as if struck by the lightning bolt from muse heaven, I realized that instead of trying to make the scenes fit my outline, I needed to just start writing and allow it to follow its own path. I know. DUHHHHH, Marley. But you know, we get stuck in ruts and need a shove to get out sometimes.

So I picked up my pen and my notebook and started writing. I wrote that HARD scene with the hero and heroine and just kept writing, penning around 6000 words in two days. I believe I may finish the book by hand as the plot seems to be developing more organically that way. Thanks, Bill.

Wisdom Herein

2010-04-12T17:09:00.001-05:00

Just Do It!

2010-04-11T06:49:00.003-05:00

I spend waaayyy too much time thinking. Analyzing so that I don't waste time or words. I've wasted the last month worrying and analyzing how my book would change or how to make it bigger and I haven't even finished it yet! Sheesh. Does anyone else have this problem? Probably.

I need a Nike T-shirt to remind me to JUST DO IT! BUCHOK!

More Tools for Writers

2010-04-10T16:40:00.001-05:00

Writers will do anything to keep from writing when they hit a wall...
I wanted a word progress meter and found that several no longer work. In searching I found a couple cool tools.

Conflict Generator I asked for 8 random conflicts and this is what I got:

Ambition
Crime Pursued by Vengeance
Descension
Murderous Adultery
Rescue
Conflict with a God
Adultery
Abduction

Using the Readability Tool I pasted some of an old book into the readability box and this is the result:

Reading Levels
Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level: 3.5 grade
ARI (Automated Readability Index): 4.6 grade
Coleman-Liau 7.3 grade
Flesch Reading Ease: 88.4/100
Gunning fog index: 6.6 grade
Laesbarhedsindex (LIX) Formula: 29.0 = below school year 5
SMOG Index: 7.4 grade
Average grade level: 5.9 (mean of above grade levels)

Sentence Information
Number of characters: 1383
Number of words: 313
Characters per word: 4.42
Syllables per word: 1.27
Number of sentences: 30
Words per sentence: 10.4
Number of short sentences: 11 (37%, 5 words or less)
Number of long sentences: 4 (13%, 20 words or more)
Number of paragraphs: 1
Sentences per paragraph: 30.0
Number of questions: 6 (20%)
Number of passive sentences: 8 (27%)
Longest sentence: 31 words long
Shortest sentence: 1 word long

Word Usage
Number of to be verbs: 9
Number of auxiliary verbs: 4
Number of conjunctions: 14 (4% of words)
Number of pronouns: 51 (16% of words)
Number of prepositions: 25 (8% of words)
Number of nominalizations: 3

Sentence Beginnings
Pronouns: 13
Interrogative pronouns: 0
Articles: 3
Subordinating conjunctions: 3
Conjunctions: 1
Prepositions: 0

Interesting eh?

Worldbuilding and First Drafts

2010-04-09T15:45:00.005-05:00

I'm about three hours from the end of Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn trilogy. When a book is really really good, I have to savor it, like the best dark chocolate truffles I ever had (there were only six of them in a little bag I purchased in London). And of course, as a writer, it's fun to analyze the author's style.

I both love and hate that I can't figure out where he's going with his plots. The arcs of plot and character are so well done, the clues so patiently distributed that when they come together at certain turning points in the novels, I say, All Riiight! or Aack! A couple of times I've had a feeling of pure satisfaction at an unexpected but desired result.

This all makes me wonder about his rough draft. How much of his world and magic did he have figured out at the beginning and end of the first draft? How much developed through revisions and into the next two books? I've been trying to find some reference to this on his site.

TR now stands at 95K and I believe there's about 15 more to go. For some reason I'm still waiting to move to the end. Not sure why. Do I have that disease some writers get when they see the END coming? Fear of what comes next? I don't think so. I'm actually looking forward to the revision, to growing and deepening the story. Am I just suffering from inertia? Maybe. But honestly, I keep thinking up new paranormal characters, details, abilities, possibilities and want to incorporate them into THIS rough draft before I start over. And just maybe I'm afraid that once it's done, and I start over, the ENTIRE STORY will change and I'll be writing it over - an completely different book. Ugh! I think that's it.

You know how you read a great author's book and subconsciously you compare, okay, consciously, and it seems like David looking at Goliath in terms of dynamism. Well, you know what I'm saying.

Here's a great post by Donald Maaas on Writersunboxed that addresses this awesomeness. 'The Elements of AWE' Part I and Part II

How much do you know before you start writing? What is left to discover at the end of your finished draft?

Amended: I discover two of Sanderson's posts where he has made available the various versions of Warbreaker in two forms, one is a comparison side by side of how he made his revisions in Word 2007. I haven't gotten that one to open yet (slow internet you know).

AAHHH! Here he says "Before I wrote MISTBORN: THE FINAL EMPIRE I wrote a rough draft of a book I simply called MISTBORN. After that, I wrote a book I called THE FINAL EMPIRE. These were books set in separate worlds, completely unconnected. When it came time to do a follow-up to ELANTRIS, I looked back at these two books and remembered how fond I was of elements of both of them. I decided to combine them, starting from scratch, and using the best elements of both to create a new book. That became MISTBORN: THE FINAL EMPIRE."

Well, now I've faced the worst that can happen. I better get to it.

Out of Bagels!

2010-04-07T08:39:00.005-05:00

Sigh...

I may never write again.

Monday, I reached into my cache of Einstein Bagels in the freezer. One lonely Asiago cheese awaited me. I dug through the freezer determined that this could not be true. After all, I still had enough Jalopena Salsa Shmear for another one at least. But then I remembered I'd stretched my supply by mixing a small amount of plain cream cheese in with it.

In January I packed a suitcase within a suitcase for wall strength in order to keep my dozen Einstein bagels and cream cheese shmear from being squeezed beyond recognition. They were bent somewhat, but it didn't spoil the enjoyment of savoring one every now and then.

And now.

They're gone.

The timing is probably about right since I was fixin to go on the Nutrisystem program for a couple of months. I'd just about have to be half a country away to stay away from them. And still I'm tempted to call my friend in D.C. while the weather is still semi-cool, 85 degrees, to send me another dozen.

Suck it up, Marley. That would be a good reward to give myself in October after I lose about 15 lbs, after the Atlanta conference. I just remembered a wonderful Einstein Bros Bagels in Atlanta.

I'll come home and celebrate a request for a full with a bagel and a piece of chocolate cake - or more...

PRINT YOUR BLOG!!

2010-04-04T08:35:00.001-05:00

This is awesome! To have a copy of your blog for family or fans. Just go to sharedbook and choose your date range and get a preview of what your blog book will look like. You can order a hard copy or PDF to print yourself or view electronically.

Design your cover. Add a dedication.

Here's mine.

Joie de Vive

2010-04-03T08:11:00.003-05:00

Michael Malone posted this video on his site and I think it qualifies for my Joie de Vive category. Gary Vaynerchuk is passionate about people doing what they love and taking responsibility for getting it done. No easy answers. Michael you may have created a monster, I took Friday and Saturday off...

Do yourself a favor watch this video a couple times a month, at least.

Opinions are Like Bath Water

2010-03-31T16:07:00.000-05:00

Things aren't always what they seem...

Google
I have a new Google phone. I love Google. Google is my homepage and all my email is Gmail, Google's versatile email program. But I'm a little nervous about the depth of Google's tenacles into every facet of our lives, especially as it relates to privacy and creativity issues.

A Florida woman and her husband were attacked on the beach seemingly out of the blue. She was killed. He was shot in the chest. Police had some reason to suspect him so they subpoenaed Google for history records and found the man had googled how to survive a chest would.

It seems Google has kept every search ever entered back to their time of organization at Stanford. What does this mean to me as a writer?

I love Google but I’m still careful of what I google in my research as a writer. And I no longer use the google feature to search my own documents’ because I’m not trusting enough to believe my documents, my financial information, my stories won't end up on the world wide web in someone's search box. Call me paranoid, but these days it pays to be careful.

National Healthcare

Well, other folks around the world probably find the fight over a National Healthcare policy in the U.S. entertaining. I'm just sick of politicians, sick of this Congressional fighting and refusal to work for the people instead of for themselves. Sick of Republicans and Democrats alike. It doesn't seem to matter how honest they are when they're elected - they all seem to go South once the benefits and temptations of Washington and the lobbies get their hooks in.

And it's not just nationally. On the local level, especially in Louisiana, whether it's roads, water systems, or internet, the promises are empty and the results are only for the ones with money to grease palms. Sorry, back to the point at hand.

Who knows how the final vote will end up on the Healthcare bills, yes, BILLSSSS. If you listen to the news and either side you'd think that a) there's no way this will go through or b) it's already a done deal. Both are far from the truth. I wish our citizens would stop listening to the spokes people for one party or the other, and now they're trying to energize the TEA PARTY - OMG I dread the next election - I may be moving out - and read the news, read the house and senate bills, What an insane thought, make an informed decision on our own.

Personally, I was pleasantly surprised by what I read in the current Senate bill HR3590 which is now being attached with unlimited amendments or adjustments or hopes and wishes by either side. As it applies to me and the people I know, this healthcare bill sounds like a good thing. That said, my only reservation, which is like saying the only thing standing in the way of getting across a snake pit is a few hundred vipers, is that I don't believe the government can manage it. My experience with the government has been that incompetent supervisors wield power over their 'peons' who do all the work and have good ideas but no one listens because it wasn't their idea. The supervisors pockets get fatter, and their managers get big bonuses. There is no incentive to do a good job, only to make better bonuses. So we've engendered a government of lazy workers who have given up on input out of sheer survival instincts.

THe government, as it has become, can't manage anything. Now if they'd turn it over to a private company to manage - let Microsoft figure something out, or Warren Buffet's organization, it might work. The gov't is just as likely to do a false transfer of power to a pseudo-private company like the Small Business Adminstration or the Postal Service, where it appears to be a separate entity but is in fact unable to fail due to their close ties and responsibility to their daddy, Uncle Sam.

We've lost our ability to think for ourselves. The poor work ethic goes deep into our society. Maybe it's global, I only see the affects here. I'd like to think that a new generation of free thinkers, movers and shakers is preparing for college and graduating now. Will change come? I hope so. We need leaders who will stop thinking of one party as all good or all bad. Leaders who will create change from the ground up in our governmental processes. Do you think it's too late?

USPS vote cast

'Earlier this afternoon Postmaster General John Potter stated that five day delivery would save the postal service billions. He attributed that a great portion of these savings would be in the lay off of non career employees, 13,000 city carriers and 40,000 rural carrier associates.'

That's FORTY THOUSAND rural carrier associates. We don't matter, we're part-timers, what's the harm. I don't mean to sound like I disagree. The public supports this 5 day delivery 71%-29%. It makes sense. But people do NOT realize, those in charge, don't realize what a nightmare they are creating for the carriers who are left. Mondays and days after the holidays are already heavy but once this is in play, all Mondays will be nightmares. Good luck, I say. I'll no longer have a job. Hell, I'd rather write anyway.

'He also advocated training employees as to be able to cross crafts as well as increasing employee contributions to health benefit plans.'

My point exactly. With current government practices in place, the efficiency of the postal service is at a standstill. No one can 'cross crafts' to help someone else even if it means getting something done more quickly. THey hole mandatory meetings preaching communication but pay no attention to suggestions by well meaning employees to improve it.

Like I said, who cares about opinions. Most of us have one, then there are those who take showers.

The Mistborn Trilogy by Brandon Sanderson

2010-03-30T09:01:00.005-05:00

I might have known. Michael Malone can definitely pick a good read. A few months ago, he told me about a fantasy series, The Kingkiller Chronicles by Patrick Rothfuss. The first book, Name of the Wind, was a non-stop listen, a four parter from Audible. The release of the second book has been postponed yet again. So I asked Michael if he'd read anything else that good lately.

The good news. He'd just read The Final Empire the first in the Mistborn trilogy by Brandon Sanderson.
He read it in one day so it promised to be another winner. (You may recognize Sanderson as the author who will finish the Robert Jordan series.) The bad news depending upon your schedule is that he read the last two in the trilogy the following weekend so I knew I was in trouble.

I looked it up on Audible, thrilled to find my favorite male narrator, Michael Kramer, reading the series. He read all the Mark Beamon books by Kyle Mills, his voice lending a decidedly self-deprecating humor to them. I can still hear Kelsior's voice from the first book, oops, no spoilers.

Once you've read it you may want a copy of this poster. The signed copies apparently all sold out but there is one available for $9.99. I have the perfect place for it in my office. http://www.brandonsanderson.com/store/item/39/

I waited before starting the second book, Well of Ascension, because I couldn't afford to get sidetracked last week. But with classes over and the mail route to run, I cranked up the ole Ipod and dived back into the series. I'm two thirds finished. I know I won't be able to put off reading the last book, Hero of the Ages. I'll have to squeeze in some time this week to finish Tempest Rising so I may have to put a slot on the planner for listening to the series. (Forget that, once I started it I was dead. Now, I've got to download the third book and just eat all the chocolate in one sitting.)

If you want to read more about Sanderson's books and listen to a great podcast go here.

Today's Mistborn blog referenced an excellent podcast he did on revisions.
http://www.writingexcuses.com/wp-content/uploads/Writing_Excuses_Episode3-11-Trimming.mp3

Thanks, Michael