Help on Writing

In between school, chores, defending my homework from my cat, and other things, I have been immersing myself in this book and taking a sabbatical to try and better my writing technique. It is amazing, Story Engineering by Larry Brooks gives you way more info on structure, theme, and character than other writing blogs, books, and various other things that I have read.
He uses something called the Six Core Competencies. It's a list of things you combine to make good stories.
First is concept, then character, then theme, then structure, then scene execution, and finally writing voice.

He describes concept as a tool to help you involve that initial idea into a rough outline. He says to take your idea and morph it into a "What if?" question that could lead to more what ifs and eventually the beginnings of a fantastic story.

He also talks about the "three dimensions" of a character. The first layer is what we see on the outside: habits, appearance, quirks, and attitudes. The second layer explains why that character does what it does - in other words backstory, which is also connected to the third layer. The third layer is the true essence of a character. For instance, you have a person who is a bit messed up. Made a lot of bad decisions in life (I E drugs, alcohol, etc...) and that character is faced with two choices, one of which is the better choice and the other a very bad choice. Now, despite all of the things this character has done, he or she could take the better choice showing his or her true character.

This is a wonderful book that covers practically everything you need to know about how to write a piece of fiction. ^_^

Until next time~

Bloody Mary

One of the most famous ghosts of them all: Bloody Mary. 

The tale varies from place to place - even the person who was thought to be the original Mary varies greatly. I began digging into this myth because of my own story and found that if you're writing a paranormal, you could morph this ghost into whatever you need it to be. It can be a good or bad depending on which stories you hear.

Of course we all know the one where you call out and she's supposed to rip your face off or do something equally terrible - but, did you know that Bloody Mary could be referring to the Virgin Mary? In this case, she does not harm you and may offer protection of some sort. Then, there was a legend where you'd stand in front of a mirror holding an apple after brushing your hair 100 times and Bloody Mary would reward you with a peak at your future husband.

Then there are other versions where an animal appears instead of Mary - such as the Donkey Lady or Mary Wolf.

There's many many legends about who she was. "The loony woman next door", a young woman named Mary Worth whose child was killed or murdered and the people thought she was the one who did it (in which case you're supposed to say "I believe Mary Worth" or "I don't believe in Mary Worth" or "I hate Mary Worth" or "Bloody Mary I killed your baby" or "Bloody Mary I have your baby".) the bloody English queen Mary herself, Mary queen of Scots, Mary Magdalene, an ax murderer, a child killer and many more.

Sure, most of stories end badly after you've called to her but in some cases, she can give you toys or candy, sometimes you just get to see what she looks like, you can ask her questions, harmless scratches appear on your skin, or the bathtub water turns red.

If you're writing a story, it can go either way - good or bad - depending on how you want it. I found most of this information at this site: The Face in the Mirror, Looking at Bloody Mary, Mary Worth and Other Variants of a Modern Legend
And also at wikipedia though, the site above gives the most information I could find.

Hope I could help!
Until next time~!

Shmoo

I came across this funny creature when paging through my book, Giants, Monsters & Dragons by Carol Rose. It states that this lovable creature is the sweetest thing around. He's always smiling and happy, and is self-sacrificing. He can produce milk, eggs, and butter when needed and if looked at by a starving man would die of happiness to be eaten.
He taste like chicken if you boil him, steak if grilled, his hide was the finest leather, he multiplied quicker than a rabbit, and his eyes could be made for perfect buttons.

I read here: http://www.deniskitchen.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=bios.shmoo that he was so good that the people stopped working and became dependent upon them. So the American government took them all to try and get the people to work again but one managed to slip away and start his own colony in Dogpatch's Valley.

If you're in need of a creature sidekick in your story, he would probably be a good one. Until next time~

Water Leaper

The Water Leaper does exactly as it's name states - it hops on top of the water like a crazy beach ball.

Its image varies but, what is consistent it that it is round and winged with a tail that has a stinger and looks like a large toad-ish bat, except no legs. It uses its wings to skip across the water's smooth surface and with its sharp teeth cuts fishermen's lines and eats their bait. Sometimes, when it's fed up with fish bait and livestock and decidedly feeling adventurous, it lures the fishermen themselves to the edges of their boat and gobble them instead.

You don't have to worry about this little devil popping up and eating you while leaning over the rail of your cruise ship to ogle at the sunset. That is...if that cruise is stopping by Wales. Then you should be worried. So, if your cruise ship just happens to be chugging by Wales on the Irish Sea, stay in your cabins folks.

Until next time~

Spot Light! Help for Character Development

Recently, I stole a few books on psychology from my mother and have been whispering to them at night in hopes of learning the secret to the universe. No such luck - but! What I did divine from this particular beauty could be of help to writers who are having trouble with body language gestures or a signature something their main character frequently has a habit of doing.

I've only breached the first chapter but, I've already learned quite a bit. Elizabeth Kuhnke talks a lot about things people may do subconsciously; such as micro expressions. Those of you who have seen the show Lie To Me know what I'm talking about. To those of you who don't: Micro expressions are bits of emotion that flash across our face for a split second. Now, you may be able to hide your feelings by way of specific gestures and serious mental discipline but, no one is capable of hiding micro expressions. You can use that to your advantage as a writer.

For instance: You could have a heroine that is very observant and is a natural Emotion Detector and then have the princely cool guy whose suave and is one of those 007 types who never lets his real feelings show.

Then she goes on to talk about gestures that are signature to us as a person. How we all have something that defines us. Some are stronger than others. She makes an example of the tennis player who used to yank on the back of shorts just before a match. It was something he did a lot of and people began to mock him in the locker room.

It'll help with identifying what gesture goes with what emotion and how we react to certain things. It has whole chapters for our hands, legs, arms, and lips.

I hope this will help ^_^

Uilebheist

The Uilebheist is a Nordic/Scottish sea monster that has multiple heads and is sometimes called a Draygan. They came to the remote Orkney and Shetland Islands by way of Norse invaders. Instead of tearing apart ships and gobbling sailors, this beast is more akin to the title of protector. He guards the rocky coasts and the islands' inlets.

Because the Uilebheist's second name, Draygan, is so similar to the English word Dragon, they may have at one time been thought of as watery cousins to the fire breathing ones that storm castles and take the princesses locked up in towers.

It says vaguely in very old Norse text that there was some sort of being that watched the coasts. They were probably what sparked the idea for the Uilebheist.

Until next time!

Liebster Award

I got nominated for the Liebster Award by the awesome Amanda at BornBookish! Thank you Amanda! 

My first ever award.... (sniffle, sniffle) Thank you! I'm so happy!

The rules of this award are:
1: thank the person who gave you this award and link back to their blog
2: Reveal your top 5 blog picks for this award and let them know by leaving a comment on their blog
3: Copy and paste the award onto your blog
4: Have faith your bloggers will spread the word
5: And most of all, have lots of fun!
The key is to nominate bloggers with 200 or less followers.......That's gonna be tough. I just sort of started blogging a little while ago and I don't really know a lot of bloggers...the ones I do know are way over the 200 mark....So, the list may be short one.

I choose you!
SearchingLife  For your creativity and humor

A Writerly Pensheep For your wonderfully animated personality

Anarchy on the Allotment For your witty remarks

Angeline Trevena For your insight and sheer awesomeness

The Bookshelf Muse For your always helpful tips that help us lost authors find our way

Thank you so much! This will be a much admired award. I will polish it and love it forever.  

Wednesday Mysteries.... Stolen Birthday Cake Conclusion.

The Conclusion: 

Unexpectedly, I couldn't find ANY evidence linking my parents, myself, the cats, or the sneaky neighbor kid to my missing cake.

All that's left is the empty cake plate....

T_T my caaaake..... Oh well, I'll just have to bake another. ^_^

What really happened? Why is there no evidence? Who's the culprit? And how could anyone eat an entire cake in one night without going into a diabetic coma? These questions have yet to be answered.... Perhaps, we have a fairy in the house.... a very greedy, chocolate loving, sneaky, chubby fairy.

Wednesday Mysteries....Stolen Birthday Cake!

My birthday was on Monday... I'd made a cake with my dad that looked suspiciously similar to the photo above - except I'd doodled a smiling cow on top. Now, you wouldn't think and ENTIRE cake could go missing by Wednesday morning....but it DID. O_O

I'm as shocked as you are and maybe a tad hurt... I should have known better than to bake a chocolate cake in a house full of choco-nuts!(me included)

It started out like this: On Tuesday night, I ambled down the stairs to the kitchen. There, I sliced myself up a piece of the decadent chocolate cake. At the time, it wasn't even half gone. The next morning......

T_T MY CAKE!!!! (**Sniffle, sniffle. Sob, sob.**) That's just not right. How can an almost whole cake be reduced to THIS?! Surely the cats didn't eat it? Well...they might've (they'll eat just about anything you give them) but it would be awful hard for them to open the refrigerator door and pulled the protective plastic lid off. It had to be human. Since there are no children in the house, I'll have to point the finger at the two Big Kids - my cake eating parents.

I suppose they'll look like this when I find them.

 But, I think the more likely culprit of the two would have to be my mother. Then again, I can't underestimate my father either. Or...maybe I did it in my sleep.... First things first, I need to find the evidence. It could have been none of us and the cats really did eat it or it could have been that nasty kid across the street. Who knows? I guess I'll have to step into the shoes of my own detective characters to solve this baffling mystery....

Next week I'll tell of the conclusion!

Spot Light! Music Bands

Howdy! Here's yet another installment of Spot Light! Today, I'd like to share with you some song that I found.

I was recently re-watching the awesome TV series Haven when I heard a song called We All Fall Down by Sweet Talk Radio. It appeared at the end of season one's episode Ball and Chain. It's a mysterious song with a baroque air and yet laid back. If you'd like to listen to it, here's the link -Sweet Talk Radio's We All Fall Down 

And while I was listen to that, I came across another song by accident. It has some very uplifting lyrics. It's Karmina's Walk You Home.  

 It's acoustic and soothing. The lyrics suggest it's being sung by a friend who's worried about someone close. That they don't need to bear the burden alone and that, "I'll walk you home." It's a very beautiful and sweet song. Here's the link if you'd like to listen -Karmina's Walk You Home 

Until net time~

Gremlins

Do not be fooled by this adorable face! This Hollywood dramatization couldn't be more wrong..... Because, gremlins are evil little creatures that look like this!!!!!

This is also the face of the creepy thing hiding under your bed. 

Gremlins, according to my fairy dictionary, didn't start causing mayhem until WWII when airplanes came to be in use. They would attach themselves to plane wings and hitch-hike. That is, if they didn't sharpen their claws with them or ice them first. They'd also appear out of nowhere in the pilot's windshield as a cruel joke. These happenings only occurred over Europe. It says that many pilots experienced the torture of these little devils. The Allies nor the Axis wanted to believe these claims...but they kept happening. Eventually, they felt they had to log them in the flight records.

The gremlin of the 1943 Bugs Bunny cartoon

Most pilots who complained of Gremlin attacks had, had their wire pulled out of the engines, holes poked in their wings, gas leaks, spontaneous combustion, wing ice even though they were no where near freezing temperatures, and of course, they'd pop in front of the windshield.

They are little body builders, for, they can tear through metal without a sweat. They don't need food, air, or water for longs periods. They also range from the sizes of a child to an adult and are very hairy and have a grin like the Cheshire Cat, supposedly. I can't say for myself since I've never seen one - and hope to never see one.

I hope this helps you in some way if you've got writer's block. All of this information came from my beloved book - A Witches Guide to Faery Folk by Edain McCoy. Until next time!

Wednesday Mysteries... LadyBug Invasion

After the Computer Malfunction, nothing really strange has happened (not that you could count that particular incident strange since it was my fault to begin with)... Unless you count the strange appearance of ladybugs.

This is exactly what the computer room looks like....

Now, my desk where I do my homework and serf the web, is up on the second story of the house. I spend most of my time here writing and studying and this room also has a window air conditioner which means the over abundance of bugs is normal. Well, have I ever told you about my bug phobia? Yes, every little thing bigger than a spider (which have also been appearing a lot lately - though that's not strange) or ant makes me nervous and gives me the impulse to run. Even butterflies and caterpillars. Not that I don't like butterflies and caterpillars, I find them very cute and pretty - but, just as long as there's a ten foot pole between us. That goes for everything that buzzes, chirps, crawls, or flies. Cockroaches though, I'm especially freaked out by.

 Anyway, you get the idea right? Well, recently I have seen more ladybugs in my entire life than I ever have in the span of a month. My mom told me ladybugs were a sign of good luck but, that doesn't mean anything if you're freaked out squealing and crawling helplessly on the floor trying to dodge their incoming assaults. To me, that's BAD luck.

"There she is! Dive-bombers at the ready!" says the Red Ladybug  Baron

HaiiiiiiYA! There's no escape!

But, my question is, why the heck are there so many? Every time I muster up the courage capture one and take it outside, another one appears! Immediately! So far, I have yet to figure out this Wednesday Mystery...

Until next time!

Spot Light!

Howdy! Here's yet another installment of Spot Light!
I'd read this post a while ago and it struck me as inspiring: How to Get Your Blog Post on Google's First Page

The author tells of her success story with her blog with the help of Kristen Lamb. To writers out there that feel like they want to crumple their blog into a ball and toss it over their shoulder - don't! Stick with it! And most of all, try reading a daily post or two from Kristen Lamb's blog (here's her blog post Deadly Sin of writing #6-Drifting in the Doldrums) She is witty and gives advice both in the blogging and story field. She makes a valid point and has helped people achieve their goal to be self-published authors.

Until next time~ ^_~

Wednesday Mysteries....Computer Malfunction

This one is not exactly a mystery... Mostly because it was my fault to begin with.

See, last night, after dinner and homework, I sat in front of my computer writing. I'd written the first chapter in first person and was painstakingly trying to change to third while adding bits and pieces here and there. Well, after a while, I heard a loud crash behind me. I got up, thinking the cat did something, and hurried to toward the site of destruction. Apparently, she'd managed to cram her fat fuzzy body into a space that was much smaller than her. It was a shelf that had a few CDs on it, and in the process of climbing up there, she'd pushed all of them out creating the crash I'd heard.

She was stuck. I could tell because of the loud growls and meows echoing out of the shelf when I'd tried to pull her out. I went an got the parental kitty un-sticker and while pulling her out, a few more CDs fell and knocked out the power cord for my computer.

After I'd painstakingly cleaned up her mess, I flicked my puter back on. Guess what happened. (nods solemnly with tears prickling in eyes) I hadn't had time to save part of my progress and Auto Save chose that exact moment to stop working. I lost ALL my fixed and added data.

Me agonizing over my computer. 

 Now, the funny thing is, I thought I'd saved it before running in like a knight in shining armor to save Princess Puss stuck in Too Small Tower. I also don't understand why Auto Save didn't kick in. I guess that thing they say about breaking mirrors is true...

 T_T Oh why, dear mirror, did you have to break?! Why couldn't you pick something else besides my story to pick on?

Until next time~ ^_^

(I do not own the picture by the way.)  

The Water Mannikin

Water Mannikin is a guardian fairy that inhabits the figurehead of a ship. This creature is of German origin and reportedly invisible. Another name is the Klaboutermannikin. Sailors believed that for the fairy to want to choose to inhabit their figurehead, the figurehead would have to be very lifelike. Only the oldest and most precious woods would be used to carve the figurehead. Supposedly, the Water Mannikins guarded the ship from ill health, rocks, troubling weather, and fearsome winds. If the ship went down, the fairy would guide the sailors to the Other Side. The Dutch thought that if you went down without the Water Minnikin it meant you would be forced to stay in a watery eternity.

I found this quite interesting when I'd read it from the dictionary at the back of A Witches Guide to Faery Folk by Edain Mccoy. It has many interesting things listed back there. If you're a fairy enthusiast like me, I encourage you to get it. The dictionary at the back is very helpful if you're writing a story involving the fae.

Until next time~ ^_^

Wednesday Mysteries... Kidnapped Homework

Welcome to another installment of Wednesday Mysteries where I tell my creepy middle-of-the-week experiences around a digital campfire!

As you know, to escape the jelly-afying effects school (I blame math) has on my brain I like to let my imagination run wild. 

Today, I came home and, as usual, went straight into the dining room to start on my homework. Quickly unzipping my backpack, I flipped it upside down and let its contents thrown up in a messy pile all over the surface. Organizing them into piles (i.e. hardest to easiest) I went in hard on the my most illusive subject - duh, duh, duuuuuuuh.... (drum roll please?) math. After tackling it and coming out of the fight beaten, bruised, and lightheaded I stood up to take a break.  I went into the kitchen for a Gatorade. 

Pookah

Pookah, my fat and fluffy dinosaur of a cat, sauntered in and promptly sat on my left foot and began licking my right. This stalled me for about a five minutes, because every step I took I was assaulted by a pink tongue. 

When I'd gone back into the dining room, my organized stacks were tossed and dumped all over the floor. Grumbling, I then sat my glass of Gatorade on the table and bent to pick my papers up. Upon closer inspection, I noticed my math homework was missing. Going through each pile several times, a rising panic began doing a jig in my stomach. 

"Oh no...no, no, no...." I whispered  desperately. 

I looked under the table, in the kitchen (thinking maybe I'd brought it with me when I'd taken a break), and re-checked my backpack. Slumping in the dining room table's chair, my was face ashen and sickly. Sucking it up, I worked on my other pieces. My only thought the rest of the evening was, "What am I going to tell the teacher? My cat ate my homework?" 

Jujubi The Culprit

This mysterious unexplained phenomena went unexplained until next Wednesday when it turned up in the bathroom behind the door in the corner all crinkled with little holes all over the sides. It was if someone had sat there with a pencil and stabbed the sheets repeatedly. I noticed one sheet was missing. Looking around the bathroom and the hall, I heard the unmistakable sounds of paper crunching. Following the sound, I came upon my other cat Jujubi with a piece of paper in her mouth. Yes, you guessed it, my other sheet of homework. 

Do you have animals that steal your stuff to? Have you had something go missing one day then reappear the next day - or even a week later? Tell me! I'd love to hear from you!

(I do not own the campfire picture by the way. But, the cat pictures are entirely my own ^_^)

Spot Light! TV Shows For Writers?

Hello! Here's yet another installment of Spot Light!

Today, I'd like to draw your attention to a post that I thought was both funny and had a point to it. This person brings to mind reality TV shows for writers: Here's what they have to say

They made a very valid point that there are no TV shows out there for writers. Why I wonder? They have TV shows for just about everything else, why not writing? It would be cool if they'd come out with something that  instead of following celebrities but followed the big names in the author world - like, Jim Butcher or J. K. Rowling. It almost seems a little unfair that we don't have a say in reality TV or any type of TV show for that matter.

What do you, the writer, think? Also, what are your suggestions as to what TV shows you'd like to see about the writing community? I'd love to hear your opinions!

Anime Marathon(part 2)!

Here's another installment of anime marathon!

Hello and good day.

Kagome (the heroine) and Inuyasha (the hero) in the hit series Inuyasha

Now, I will recommend an anime that will keep you occupied for a couple of weekends. If you haven't heard about Inuyasha, there is something seriously wrong with you ^_^

About a normal teenage girl who falls down her family's well and gets transported back to the past in feudal era Japan where she accidentally breaks a half demon free from a curse and fragments a sacred jewel in which she must go out and re-collect the pieces. It has over a hundred episodes and is full of action, drama, and hints of romance. The last season came out recently and has been licensed by the U.S. but they have yet to release it. It's one of my favorites and is an oldy but goody.

Until next time~

Wednesday, School, and...Ghosts?

Ah yes, Wednesday. How are you my dear? (No, I'm not talking about Wednesday Adams) That time of the week that marks the middle mile stone you have to get past before.... THE WEEEEKEEEND(echoes in a mysterious voice). For me, who is a student that grinds her forehead against a cheese grater at the mention of MATH, Wednesday was always hard to get through because Friday was just looming on the horizon, its hand beckoning toward me making kissy noises. So I've learned to try and trudge through with my head down and my arms pulled in to protect my vitals from the bombarding equations and scientific garble. Not that I don't like scientific garble, but after a while, it begins to sound like, "Blah, blah, blah, blah - test next week - blah blah."

But, another way I've learned to deal with this torture was to let my imagination run wild: Shadows in the corridor - could it be a ghost? Unexplained laughter - could it be a fairy? You get the idea.

So, this Wednesday, I was taking my lunch break and as I was walking down the hall to the cafeteria, I heard what sounded like crying. Stopping, I looked around. The bathroom was right there so, curious, I went in to see what poor soul was crying a river. It was louder in here and the unmistakable stench of dirty water burned my nose and made my throat close up.
"The janitor needs to get in here and figure out why it smells so bad..." I mumbled to myself.
I set my bookbag down on the sink and approached the stall that seemed to have the tearful occupant.
"Hey, are you okay?" I asked softly.
The sobbing just got louder and more intense, like the girl was gonna have a nose bleed if she didn't stop soon.
So I said, "Um, I know this may seem strange to hear from somebody you probably don't know but, whatever your sad about will get better. I promise. I'm Belle Knight.What's your name?"
She paused in her river-making and hiccuped, "Stephanie McComber..."
"Hi Stephanie, what's got you so sad?"
She hesitated but responded, "My boyfriend."

Ah, yes. The source of all teenage girls' troubles.

I nodded and stood there a few minutes talking with her and giving some friendly advice. Not once did the stall door open.
When I asked her if she'd like to come to the cafeteria with me she refused and said she'd like to stay behind and fix her makeup. Shrugging, thinking that nothing was not out of the ordinary, I left to join my friends at our usual table. Well, I'd kept them waiting a while and my lunch hour had been reduced to fifteen minutes. Scarfing down what little food I'd chosen from the lovely (note the sarcasm) choices the lunch lady had provided, my friend asked me why the heck I took so long. In between bites I told her about Stephanie. When I looked up to take a sip of my lemonade, my friend had blanched. She told me that a Stephanie McComber had killed herself in that restroom two years ago.

Okay, so I'm a little freaked out. I just had a conversation with a ghost. Wouldn't you be a little shaky? So I asked one of my teachers if they knew this Stephanie and they said the same thing and that, to their knowledge, no Stephanie McComber was enrolled at this school currently.

Yup. That was my Wednesday. So, tell me, how was yours? Any creepy ghost stories to share? Heck, it doesn't have to be a Wednesday ghost story, it could be a Monday ghost story! I'd love to hear from you~

I bid you Adieu ^_~        

Spot Light!

Howdy folks!

I thought I'd try something called Spot Light for Tuesdays which highlights things like books, blogs, stories, and TV shows I'd like to share with you guys!

A year ago, I came across a TV show called Haven. Watched the first half of an episode and thought it might be good so I went out and borrowed a copy of the first season from a friend. Well, it only had thirteen episodes for the first season and I wanted to wait until I was in the mood to handle cliff-hanger withdrawal before watching it. So it sat on my dvd player for a long long time. Until this weekend. I originally had the intentions of having my anime marathon but a little voice nagging me said, "Look, you see that dusty DVD over there? You said you'd watch it and you didn't. It's been sitting there for weeks! Why re-watch Saint Tail (which you've already seen twenty times) when you can watch one that you haven't seen? It's already into its second season. Come on. What's stopping you?"

Ah, yes... the little stinker went on like that through my morning coffee and my shower so I finally gave in so I could have my thoughts to myself.

After the first few episodes I was hooked. The people out there that watched the X Files, Supernatural, and Fringe may enjoy this one too. I love the characters and the plot twists. Allow me to give a small synopsis (read at your own risk!!!)

FBI agent Audrey Parker is sent to a small town in Maine called Haven to find an escaped convict. When she gets there she meets Nathan Wuornos who is with the local police department. As she goes further into the case she soon finds that Haven isn't a normal town and that her birth mother (Audrey is an orphan) could have possibly lived there years ago. Haven has been plagued by something called the "troubles" since 1983 when her mother was there. And people who have been effected by the troubles are called the "afflicted". The afflicted have supernatural powers that they can't control sometimes and it's her job to help them and uncover why her mother was in a newspaper clipping of a mysterious murder that was never solved called, "The Colorado Kid". (Based on Steven King's novel The Colorado Kid)
It can get a little gross but it has hint of humor and small moments of a possible developing relationship between Nathan and Audrey (I'm rooting for them to get together!) The plot is masterfully written and the characters are well developed and played by good actors. Unlike Syfy's other TV shows, Haven isn't quite as hokey or low budget so the special effect look okay - not great but, better than some.

I recommend  it to those who enjoy mystery and the paranormal! It is truly an awesome series in my opinion.       

Anime Marathon!

Hiyah! How are you folks today? It's almost the weekend and I'm pretty exited. You know what the weekend means? Anime Marathon!
Yup, yup.
I don't know how many of you are interested in these things but I thought I'd rattle off an anime or two that would be good weekend material - especially if you've got a bowl of popcorn and a plate of brownies in your lap. ^_~

Kaicho wa Maidsama is great if you're looking for a funny chic-flic. Here's a link that gives you the basic story plot - Kaicho wa Maidsama!

Another that'll keep you on the edge of your seats is Shinrei Tantei Yakumo. A mystery series that focuses on the spirit world but, it has hints of romance too. Here's the link to read more - Psychic Detective Yakumo

Until next time!

Magical Moments

Words are gushing forth and it seems like magic. I have to stop and wonder why I didn't try this before!

My soul is lit with the flame of my inspiration and is dancing with joy. This sort of joy reminds me of those warm summer nights up at my grandmother's house. I'd sit on the porch with her watching the fireflies and getting bitten by mosquitoes while she told funny and inspiring stories about my family. Listening to the chirp of the crickets and the wine of the cicada...that really was magic. Especially if I had an ice cream sandwich in my hand.... You know what i mean? 

Then there's the magic of reading a book and having the words just come alive. One really good story I've read recently that made me laugh and smile until my cheeks hurt was on a site called www.fictionpress.com by an author by the pen name of woodstock1969. Her wit, sarcasm, descriptions, and characters really lit up the page. The particular story of which I'd read was a teen romance called Six Weeks With Satan about a girl in her senior year of high school going on a six week trip to Europe with her choir. Kurt Mathews who is her arch enemy is also in choir. Can you imagine being on a six week tour with your nemesis? Funny and charming, and a very sweet story line, I highly recommend this. Besides, Kurt's not so bad once you get to know him ^_^.

READ IT. It's fantastic. Here's the link: Six Weeks with Satan  (If the link doesn't work, highlight this into your web site bar: http://www.fictionpress.com/s/2318926/1/Six_Weeks_With_Satan)

So what are your favorite magical moments? What stories have you read that have been magical to you?Please feel free to comment! 

(I don't own the picture by the way...)

Writing is Hard Sometimes...

   I am an author who royally sucks in the organization department. Six long years have passed - wait, no seven years. Please excuse my mental fart. Let's try this again... Seven long years have passed since I tried my hand at writing; painstakingly building and refining my craft until today and I still suck at organization. Which, is very very crucial to plot. No organization, no plot. But, my point is, don't be discouraged. Everybody has their weaknesses. Keep working through it and eventually you'll be able to surpass it. I'm almost there but I still need help. Practice makes perfect right?
 
   My main problem seems to be not only my organization problem but I also feel the need to edit. Most people will tell you that editing is a story killer if you do it too early on. Well, in some instances, I disagree. Editing is necessary if, for instance, you have a brainstorm. This brainstorm gives you this brilliant idea, like a scene or a character that would add to the plot or some sort of crucial idea that fixes the flaw you had, but it happens somewhere near the beginning. Then you have to edit.
 
   My problem is I have a brainstorm, I edit in the part that I thought of, but then I can't stop there. Suddenly I see all these little flaws in the plot. Little things that bug and gnaw at me if I don't fix them. Soon I concentrate so hard on NOT making any flaws that I burn myself out and my inspiration shrivels and dies away. Have you ever had that happen to you before?
 
   So, don't be discouraged. Don't give up. Don't let what other people say about your work get you down. I know it may seem hard sometimes but hold your head high; even in the ugly face of scorn and defeat. There are people out there who will support you and I'm sure will read your work.

Don't worry! Be happy! (*fat grin*)

So tell me, do you have trouble with organization too?  If not, what troubles do you have? I'll try to help all I can!

(I don't own the picture by the way...)

White Magic and Black Magic

   

How is it that the minute we wake up in the morning, it's as if our mood tends to interpret how our day will go? For instance, if we wake up on the wrong of the bed and our mood is fowl and venomous our day seems to be just that. But on rare occasions, something happens to brighten our day. Make it seem as though you didn't wake up on the wrong side of the bed at all. I had that happen to me today. I felt grumpy and really didn't want to get up but, I got a call from my friend who told me some awesome news that lit my world right up. It's sort of like a kind of magic that is cast over us. We hear some words and then bam! We're happy again. :)

   And then there are days when you automatically are so bright that nothing can bring you down. And most of the time, this emotion stays constant through the day unless you get really bad news. Then it's like a curse has begun to seep into the darkest corners of your soul. And it's then that's when you ask the Lord for guidance. 

   I try very hard not to snap at people. When i'm grumpy I immerse myself in my writing and that usually helps to takes the edge off of whatever I have ill will towards. What are some things that you do to keep yourself from going on a rampage? Have you ever had a magical moment where all seems lost and then someone casts  a magical spell that seems to make everything alright? I'd love to hear from you!

Until next time~ ^_^ 

(I do not own the picture by the way.) 

Help for Writers

Today I'd like to share with you an awesome blog for writers. It has helped me in so many ways and I hope it helps you.
It is, http://thebookshelfmuse.blogspot.com/
It has an Emotional Thesaurus which gives you a list of actions the emotion is listed under, a Character Thesaurus which gives you the basic pros and cons of each stereotyped character, a Setting Thesaurus which gives you basic descriptions of what you might see or hear in specific location, a Weather & Earthy Phenomena Thesaurus which is a lot like the Setting Thesaurus but slightly different, a Color Textures & Shapes Thesaurus, and a  Symbolism Thesaurus. It's great if you're stuck and in need of help. 


Another great blog is http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/
Written by a woman named Kristen Lamb, she helps writers who are unpublished become published with daily tips and tricks. Check her out! She's awesome. 


That's all for now! I bid you adieu....^_~


(I do not own the picture by the way.)

Sponges, Mops, and Brooms Oh My!

Sometimes I find myself wanting one of these because my house is THAT messy....   

Ah yes... how is it that we say we're going to do spring cleaning and then it never happens? It's probably because we are too caught up with our things and our lives to go through that old musty attic of Christmas Presents Gone Wrong. But, at some point, you hit rock bottom. Something happens and you throw your hands up in the air and say, "THAT'S IT! I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!" And that is when old mister mop and old misses feather duster get to come out of the broom closet and pat you on the back and say, "Don't worry, we're here to help."  

  

Also, why is it we tend to skip the "spring" in spring cleaning and instead do it in the summer? I asked myself that question today when I found myself battling the kitchen floor with my trusty side-kick Scrubber Mop in ninety degree heat. "Why couldn't I have done this in the spring when it was COOLER?! OH THE HUMIDITY!!!"

Yes, i actually said that... 

Anyway, my point is.... How in the heck do those spots end up on the floor? You go out and when you come home a new spot has magically appeared on the floor... 

"Hmmmm..." (glances at little fuzzy cat in the corner) "Could it be?" I ask myself. 

Then the little voice inside my head says, "Cats don't eat popsicles." 

I say "I know that, but, how do you explain the little red puddle that smells suspiciously like cherry and the trail from the puddle that leads to the popsicle stick?"

"Okay, I may be your smarter half but, I have no idea on that one..."    

"Some help you are." I replied.

 After I'd cleaned the spot I noticed everything around it was dirty except for the spot I cleaned, and being the excessive-compulsive person I am... I ended up cleaning the whole floor and then some. So it started with the little puddle and then it ended with the entire floor and the carpet and the bathrooms....etc.

That was my rock bottom. So tell me, what was yours? What made you decide to clean that heap of stuff piled in the corner? I'd love to hear from you! 

Until next time....^_^     

(I do not own the picture.)

What's REALLY Under That Pile in My Bedroom

Today, I said to myself, You are going to clean up this mess. Have you ever walked into a room and just screamed? I do it all the time... I don't know how it get's this messy, it just does somehow. Really! I didn't do it! ....Okay... stop giving me the evil eye...it was me... 

Anyway...Heaps upon heaps of books, papers, (old smelly forgotten sandwiches...), clothes I didn't even know I owned, pencils and pens sticking up just waiting to be stepped upon, and maybe even the occasional cat-toy all held together with a mix of hair gel and lord-knows-what.

One of the little voice inside my head said, "Why not just leave it and hire a cleaning lady to do it? Or you could ask your mom..." and then my other little voice shrills, "Her mother?! ARE YOU INSANE?! The minute she looks at this mess we're ALL dead. Including you George." "Shut it Martha." that first voice grumbled. Then the second voice directs her tone at me and says, "Please, for your sake and mine, (maybe even George) please clean up this pig pen." 

Yes, i know. I'm weird. 

 Charging in, clad in a toxic waste bio-hazard suit equipped with my own breathing apparatus (it's amazing 

what you can find on the internet), and in my hands was every cleaning tool known to man. For three whole 

hours I battled grime, mold, and smelly socks (who knew socks were touchy? They really didn't want to go... 

I know this because the first one i picked up shouted a curse and began gnawing on my gloved hand) and 

finally I could see the floor. After a few more hours it was presentable. 

Why, you ask me, made you decide to clean it? Well I'll tell you... The aliens made me do it!

Okay, okay, stop looking at me like that! The REAL reason then... 

Actually, it's better if you use your imagination ^_~

What horror cleaning stories do you have? Tell me! I'd love to hear from you ^_~

(I do not own the picture by the way... it just looked a lot like what i had)