Let the Writing Begin!

So it's November third and I'm deep into my NaNoWriMo story. November is National Novel Writing Month and there's an online community devoted to encouraging writers to complete a 50,000 word first draft in one month. Now this timeline is problematic for me because of the holidays that fall in November (Veteran's Day, Thanksgiving, Daylight Savings time, etc.) which means my writing time is somewhat reduced. However, I have always met my word count every time I've participated even though my books tend to run about 20,000 words beyond the requirement.
How do I do this? There are all sorts of guides and tips out there for an aspiring NaNo writer, so I won't go into those. I usually have plenty of ideas for stories floating around in my mind, so once I've set on 'the one', I start a notebook and write out my backstory, plan scenes, and write questions out that I'll need to answer as the book progresses. That starts a month before I begin writing. I also do research on the internet and with the help of the Worthington Public Library system (vote yes on Issue 53 Tuesday!).
This time around, my idea was sparked by a submission call from a publisher. Of course, this doesn't mean I'm going to end up with a book I want to submit to anyone, or if I'd even submit it to this company, but I've been enjoying writing 'on spec' for the first time.
Anticipation builds and sometimes I can't resist making note of some runs of dialogue. It's a relief when November first arrives and I can begin. So far I'm at over 5,000 words and I'm happy with where things are going and how my characters are taking shape.
I'll post more later about the story, but first I'm going to list a few of the research topics I've explored and see if anyone can guess what I'm writing about.
1. Top Chef Canada auditions on YouTube
2. Hattie Carnegie costume jewelry
3. knives
4. Daytimers

What I'm watching

Fall television season is here and I've been DVRing a lot of shows I haven't bothered to watch yet. Part of the reason is lack of time, and part is because our television is slowly dying and everyone on the screen is turning green so it's hard to concentrate. In any case, a couple of shows have managed to interest me enough to endure watching while every one in the cast look like moldy cheese while I stay up past my bedtime.
One is Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. on ABC

I'm not particularly a fan of the original source material, or Joss Whedon (gasp, horror, how is that possible? Main reason; annoying quips). But I did enjoy the Avengers movie last summer and thought I'd give this a try. Plus, I find Clark Gregg to be adorable so that's incentive enough. So far, the two episodes I've seen have entertained me. Like most of the commentary I've read, some of the characters are clunky and too predictably pretty, but they've intrigued me enough with cool gadgetry and Melinda May that I'll keep watching.  Plus, I want to find out why Tahiti is a magical place.

The other new show I've taken a shine to is Sleepy Hollow on Fox. Normally I'm not much for horror/paranormal shows. They usually require too much suspension of disbelief for me to enjoy (please, once and for all, vampires are no more sexy than leeches. Think about it!). I have to admit, the writing and acting on Sleepy Hollow has won me over. The characters are smart, skeptical, and behave as reasonably as one could hope when you find yourself confronting the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

Love the chemistry between these two and hey, Orlando Jones, John Cho, and Clancy Brown? For those three I'd watch! But I have to be honest, Tom Mison is the big surprise for me. Sure, he's very good looking, but the guy can deliver a funny line like no-one's business.

Plus he gets to play scruffy, courteous, and intelligent which are all big yes votes for me when it comes to male leads.
So there, a couple of shows I recommend only two episodes in, so take it with a grain of salt. They might fizzle out next week, but I have a feeling they'll get better.

And the usual disclaimer, I have no rights on these images, I borrowed them from the 'official' sources so if anyone cares to protest, I will of course remove.

My First...

Cyberlaunch!
Yes, today, the very auspicious Friday the thirteenth is my first ever cyberlaunch. Author Island is promoting my first book, Bent Boot Road in a couple of venues;
http://cyberlaunchparty.blogspot.com/

and on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/events/161280757403540/

Come visit, make a comment for a chance at a copy of the book or a stressball and help introduce me to the world of publishing promotion.

 

Elysium for Everyone

 

Who needs a laser when you've got a big sword and psychosis?

I managed to get away from the house and see a movie with bad words, violence, no humor, and big ideas this weekend. If you couldn’t guess from the title of my post, that movie was Elysium and I was blown away. I needed at least twenty-four hours to settle after watching before I could put together a semi-coherent blog post.

First off, the visual effects were great. I was so drawn into those worlds, so taken with the contrast between the dusty, crowded, falling-apart Earth and the spectacularly clean and wholesome Elysium I had to remind myself to breathe. Amazing work with production design and set decoration. I was so impressed I looked up the ‘visual futurist’, Syd Mead, who designed some of the sets and once I did, I realized why his work appealed to me so much. It’s because he was also a designer on two of my favorite films; Blade Runner and Aliens. Those happen to be two of Neill Blomkamp’s favorite films as well so it’s no wonder I felt so comfortable stepping into his Elysium. It reminded me of how I try to make my Sci-fi stories equally gritty and every day. Doors that don’t work right, dirt, worn-away finishes, piles of trash, all help make a world of the future more appealing to me.

The story was the typical hero quest with some ‘crushed by corporate inhumanity’ thrown in, but that’s a trope I can get behind. As far as acting goes, one person hit it out of the park; Sharlto Copley. Wow. I thought he was impressive in District 9 but in this film, he’s amazing. He plays a simply awful character so well I couldn’t look away. Normally, I’m ready for the villain to bite it about halfway through a film because their uberevil machinations bore me, but I wanted Kruger to last until the final scene because he was so terribly magnificent. It was a strange sensation to sit in a dark theatre and be simultaneously attracted and repelled by him. So Mr. Copley, I’m sorry to say, you will probably end up as a placeholder in an upcoming book of mine. Maybe a hero, maybe a bad guy or more likely both. Oh, and Faran Tahir was also in it and I always like to see him.

If you’re a fan of hand to hand fighting, this is your movie; swords, knives, blood spatter everywhere along with some really fabulous weapons that stick on and blow up. People were incinerated, radiated, decapitated, drawn and quartered, turned to flesh-mist, you name it. (Oh, flesh-mist, I like the sound of that. I called it!) I might be betraying my high tolerance for medical gore here, but the reconstruction of fifty percent of Kruger’s head was one of my favorite parts of the entire film. In fact, I could have watched that process for at least fifteen minutes.

Now I have a new facet to one of my fantasies. If one of my sci-fi stories is ever optioned, I want Neill Blomkamp to direct it. That is all.

Heeere's.....Kruger!

 

 

As always, I don't own the rights to these images, if you object to their presence, I will of course remove them.

It's A Week Away!

Next Friday is the release for my second book, Return. It’s a sweet contemporary romance with an older hero and heroine facing a lot of family history. Here’s the blurb:

‘James Winchester is content with his predictable small town life. He lives alone, helps out at his family farm, and doesn’t miss an ice cream social. His life is so neat and ordered he could use one of his accounting spreadsheets to chart his upcoming years.

Evelyn Prentiss’s world is in chaos. She’s returned to her home town twenty years after leaving and the transition isn’t as smooth as she’d anticipated. Her home needs renovated, her parents are once again too hands-on, and she only has the summer months to settle in before she starts her new teaching job.

In an effort to be a good neighbor, James finds himself stopping by Evelyn’s house more and more to help with her endless to-do list. When a mystery from their past resurfaces and opens old wounds, the two find comfort in each other. And so much more.’

Sound good? I hope so. I had a lot of fun writing this book and getting to know these two main characters. If you read it, you’ll learn about steer shows, lilacs, glass plate negatives, ice cream socials, and even more.

I also want to say a big thanks to Musa Publishing for saying yes to my manuscript and for giving me such a great cover.

Welcome Secret Cravings Publishing Blog Hoppers

Greetings visitors from the Secret Cravings Blog Hop. I hope you are having a great time visiting all the author blogs and you are discovering new books to try.
My book, Bent Boot Road, is a sweet contemporary about a young woman with a chip on her shoulder and the patient man who falls for her while they search for her missing friend. Their adventure takes place a small college town, the urban environment of Columbus, Ohio, and the forests of southeastern part of the state. These three locations make me wonder, are you a country, small-town, or city person?  Make a comment below for a chance to receive an e-copy of Bent Boot Road.
In case you get lost on the way, here's a link to Secret Cravings  http://secretcravingspublishing.blogspot.com/

Let Them Bake Cake

In my upcoming book, Return, Evelyn Prentiss bakes a chocolate cake. There are a lot of reasons why she does this. The main one is she’s trying to get on the good side of someone she hopes will develop some glass plate negatives she bought at auction. She’s a good baker but has something prove after coming in second in the 4-H competition twenty years before.

While I was writing that scene, all I could think about was how many times I’d made the following classic recipe. I found it in a magazine when I was in high school and it’s always turned out well. Without further ado, Evelyn’s favorite chocolate cake.

Hershey’s Disappearing Cake

1/4 cup butter  

1/4 cup shortening  

2  cups sugar  

1  teaspoon vanilla  

2   eggs  

3/4 cup  cocoa  

1 3/4 cups flour  

3/4 teaspoon baking powder  

3/4 teaspoon baking soda  

1/8 teaspoon salt  

1 3/4 cups milk

 

 

Directions:

1.      Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease and flour 2-9 inch round or 13x9 cake pan. Cream butter and shortening, sugar and vanilla until fluffy. Blend in eggs. Combine cocoa, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in bowl and sift to mix well.

 

2.      Add milk and flour mixture alternately to batter. Blend well and pour into pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until cake tests done. Cool 10 minutes and remove from pans if using round pans. Frost with your favorite frosting.

My suggestion is to bake the cake on September 5, 2013 and share it with your family but save a slice. On September 6, go online and buy my book Return from Musa Publishing and give yourself a double treat of chocolate and romance.

http://www.musapublishing.com/