The Countdown Has Begun!

T-3 days and counting!

Yesterday, I was able to log into my classroom for the first time and print out the syllabus and have a look around.  I wouldn't say I'm the most tech-savvy person on the planet, but I can usually figure out what I'm doing and this on-line setup doesn't look too bad.  Over the weekend, I'll be working on the WSRO--Walden Student Readiness Orientation so when class starts Monday, I should be ready to go.

Can I make a confession?

I'm a wee bit nervous.  What on earth am I doing?!

Do I really have it in me to devote the next 96 weeks (yes, I did the math) to school plus work?  Yes, I did it before--I worked on my Associates degree while working full time in an office, but I was a good 20 years younger and I actually physically went to a school.  This is all on-line.  When I'm physically accountable to someone, I most always come through.  This is different...yes, there is accountability, but it's different and I'm not sure how it's going to go.  My optimist side, which, admittedly, is bigger than my pessimist side, says I can do it, but there's still that voice from the pessimist asking if I've really got what it takes.  I believe I do, so I guess only time will tell.

I have plenty of people cheering me on...my family and friends and co-workers, so I guess I'm accountable to them as well.  Their encouragement will do a lot to keep me going.  I really have only two problems. One is funding.  I'm looking into scholarships, but I'm also resigning myself to the fact that I'll need to get student loans.  The entire cost of my education is estimated around $25,000 (that's the BA & the Teaching Certification).  Not exactly chump change but not as bad as the loans some people are taking out to finance their education.  I'd hate to tell you the amount my sister had to take out to get her BA & MA.

My other problem is the cat.  Meet Willow.

That's my Kaplan Scholarships book she's laying on.  She also likes to lay on my laptop and/or the exact spot I need to put my keyboard so I can type.  Right now, in fact, she's laying on my laptop so I have my wireless keyboard is in my lap so I can type this.  When I started spreading out my papers to organize my SRO syllabus and checklist, she had to sit right in the middle of them.  She's going to be a problem.  Well, we'll work it out.  It may mean doing the bulk of my homework from the dining room table, but at least it'll get done.

Okay, enough bellyaching.  I need to get to the gym, the store, have lunch, then a little SRO before going to work.  Enjoy your day!

Hello?

Hello?      Hello?     Hello?      Hello?

Is anybody there?

I'm still here, I promise!


Yeah, it has been a while since I've updated this blog.  Truth be told, I've focused so much of my attention to my other blog, A(nother) Year in Reviews and on the other things going on in my life (job, working out, writing) that this blog has kinda (okay, for sure) fallen to the wayside.  But I have plans to rectify that situation.  For starters, I'm adding something to the Things Keeping Me Busy list.  That list consists of:

1. Job
2. Working Out (I've lost 100 lb since May 2010!  I've got 40 or so more to go, so keep cheering for me.)
3. The "other" blog
4. Writing (NaNoWriMo is coming up!)
5. "Time Wasters," namely games from Big Fish and on Facebook...Zynga, you make some great games but they sure do make time disappear!

So I'm going to work on reducing the amount of time I spend on #5 and replace it with a new #5, namely...

            Working on my Bachelor's degree.

Yep, I'm going back to college, specifically Walden University Online (since I don't live in Minneapolis, it kinda has to be online). I've finally figured out what I want to do with my life.  I've always been told I'd make a great teacher, and I enjoy English so why don't I finally get off my lazy duff and go back to school so I can become an English teacher which is something I've secretly wanted to do for, oh, maybe twenty years now? Plus, I feel I have a God-given directive to teach, an instruction I received when I was agonizing over whether or not I should teach Sunday School (let's just say God made it pretty clear that He wanted me to do it...if you ask nicely, I'll give you my testimony someday.)

HIPPA laws prevent me from giving any kind of detail about the residents at the nursing home where I work, so I really can't talk about the things that go on there except in very general detail, and what fun is that?  And though I know you'll cheer me on, how much blogging can I do regarding my work outs?  Some, but not much.  I can blog about my NaNo progress, but that's only one month out of twelve...what about the other eleven months?  And do you really want me to blog about the games I'm playing?  If you want that kind of fun, log on and start playing.

So college blogging it is...at least, I'm going to attempt it.  Like many other adults, I'm going back to school to finish my degree and change my career path.  Let's hope you find this journey as interesting and exciting as I hope I will!  


Um...and now that I look at it, I'll work on the layout of this blog...it needs some serious help!

Writing Exercises

I met with a group of writer friends and we talked about our various works in progress and our plans for this November’s National Novel Writing Month. We also partook in a couple writing challenges, taking prompts from The Writer's Book of Matches: 1,001 Prompts to Ignite Your Fiction from The Editors of Fresh Boiled Peanuts. The first line of the following two shorts came from that book. We then read our writings out loud. What was interesting was how six people could hear the exact same line and come up with six wildly different stories. Here are the two I wrote:

#1

“You’ll notice my wife doesn’t drink,” Calthrop said, waving a casual hand toward the woman seated in the easy chair. “Wise of her, considering her condition.”

He raised a delicate china cup to his lips, sipping at the hot brew he had liberally doctored with lemon and sugar. Four lumps I counted, and wondered how anyone could tolerate anything that sweet. My cup was empty. I wasn’t thirsty, much to my host’s dismay.

I tried not to breathe too deeply for fear of asphyxiation via lemon furniture polish. Like the room around us, Charles Calthrop was a testament to immaculate fastidiousness. I knew he was a college professor, lecturing in English literature with a specialization in Victorian era poetry. He looked like he belonged in that time. Every hair on his head was ruthlessly in place and his suit jacket revealed exactly one and a quarter inch of crisp white cuff. The crease in his slacks was razor-perfect and I could easily see my reflection in the shine of his shoes.

His wife’s expression never seemed to change. Amanda Winters-Calthrop sat in the Queen Anne chair opposite me, her legs crossed and showing only her lower legs and ankles, her hands folded delicately in her lap. Her face showed the same soft smile it had held when her husband introduced us, her eyes the same far-off, slightly unfocused look behind her tinted glasses. A serene, quiet woman, so different from so many others I’d met in the course of my career. She was obviously content to let her husband command this meeting, even thought she was the reason I was here.

“And what exactly is her condition?” I asked. “Her family is quite worried. They haven’t heard from her in some time, which is why they called me.” In spite of the fact that she was right there in the room with us, I couldn’t help referring to her as if she were absent.

“Are you sure I can’t get you something, Detective? Some water? Or a soft drink? I assume you won’t drink anyting hard while you’re on duty.”

“Water,” I said, giving in. Calthrop would not be comfortable unless I had fully accepted his hospitality. “Water will be fine.”

“Still or aerated?”

“Tap is fine.”

“Very well.” He set his cup down and crossed the room to the wet bar. I turned my attention to his wife, trying to gain her attention, but wasn’t successful. Was she drugged? Is that why she seemed…not quite there?

Calthrop returned with a glass of iced water. A wedge of lemon floated on the top and I could tell he had squeezed some of its juice into the water. I took a drink and set it down. The water tasted bitter, something the lemon juice should have countered.

“Now,” I continued. “Your wife’s family—“

“I will give them a call later this evening,” Calthrop said. “Explain the situation. They’ll understand.”

“Why don’t you tell me and I’ll tell them for you.” The scent of lemon grew stronger and I found myself almost dizzy with it. I shook my head, but that did nothing to clear it.

“I’m afraid that won’t do,” Calthrop said, but I couldn’t hear him. As I sank to the floor, I looked at Amanda. My dying eyes stared as a worm slowly slithered out of her still, soft, dead mouth.


#2

“You want me to believe in God? Fine. I believe he’s one twisted S.O.B.”

The smiles on the faces of the eager missionary Christians on my doorstep never faltered, but their eyes gave away their sudden attack of nerves. Obviously their training had never prepared them for someone like me. I pressed on.

“He’s a loving God, yet He smites those who oppose Him. I’m supposed to love Him and be afraid of Him at the same time. And He impregnates a virgin and then lets the resulting Child die. I’m supposed to believe in someone like that?”

The face of the young man on the left—I silently dubbed him “Lefty”—cleared and he seized the opening. “He sent His Son to die for our sins—“

“Which shows He’s in need of some serious therapy and a healthy dose of medication. Sorry. I’m glad you have something to believe in, but I can’t accept someone who’s so contradictory.”

“But He can do so much for you if only you’d let yourself believe—“

“You already know what I believe,” I said, cutting “Righty” off. “Now believe this: get off my property or I’m calling the cops.”

I closed the door in their faces, ignoring the tract “Lefty” tried to push off on me. I waited a minute, then checked the peek-hole. They were gone.

“Good riddance,” I muttered and returned to my desk so I could finish my sermon for this Sunday.

I'm not sure how I feel about this...

I write like
Dan Brown

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

...Still Kicking...

though maybe not as high as I used to...

I've kinda lost the hang of this blogging thing for a while because my new job (yay!) works me ragged. I've lost ten pounds in the month since I've started and my feet hurt like you wouldn't believe. I guess that comes from literally being on them 8 hours a day (yes, I literally do mean literally).

But other than that, nothing much has been going on with my life. My writing has suffered a bit because I don't have the time like I used to, though I am pushing myself to start it up again. The rocky sea that has been my life seems to be settling down a bit and I really don't want to do anything to start it rocking again.

So I'll try to keep all you wonderful fans in mind and start posting again, even if it's only links to things I find interesting. Until then, get away from your computers and try to get out and enjoy the sunshine!

Alive and Kicking!

Yep, still here. Sorry it's been so long, but it's been a crazy...one, two, eight, forty-two...yep, it's been a crazy seven weeks here in Virginia. Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale, a tale of -- okay, let's not go there.

For those who regularly read my blog (all three of you), you know I've been out of work since August. In early-mid January, still sending out resumes and getting no responses, or interviewing and not getting hired, I spied an intriguing ad in the classified section of the newspaper. It offered a one month Certified Nursing Assistant course at a nearby accredited nursing home, starting March 1. "Wow," I thought, "get trained for a nursing job in only a month. Could this be real?" I check it out and found out that yes, indeed, it was for real and on February 2, I attended the introductory session. I was a bit apprehensive, as I'm not that young--barely middle aged--and not in great shape, but I was not the youngest there and my shape definitely wasn't an issue. After she explained what the job of a CNA entailed and the course schedule--75+ hours classroom and 63 clinicals, now that's intense--she gave us an evaluation test. I got a perfect score (!) and we scheduled an interview.

I interviewed a couple days later and the instructor, Robin, offered me a spot in the class right then and there! It was the most ridiculously easy interview I've ever had--I was expecting questions about why I wanted to get into nursing and why they should accept me over all the other potential students (almost 100 attended the intro session and there were only 10 spots in the class). Instead, I was asked if I would have a problem with child care (no kids, so nope), transportation (got a car, thanks), cost of course (manageable), if I spoke any other languages (just English) and a few other simple questions. She then said, "I normally don't do this in the interview, but I'd like to offer you a spot in the class." Of course, I accepted and she gave me the text book as well as all the homework assignments so I could get started on studying right away.

So I spent the month of February reading this 700 page, 41 chapter text book and doing as much of the homework as I could manage. I was also still applying for jobs as required for my unemployment benefits, hoping I wouldn't get an offer so I could take this class. Luck (if you can call it that) was on my side and I was in class bright and early March 1.

So now it's March 16, I just took the final exam and I passed with flying colors! Straight "A" all the way. My lowest grade was a 95.5 on one night's homework. I have to admit, it feels great to have done so well. After feeling like a complete loser for so long because I haven't been able to land a job, I've proven to myself that I can truly accomplish something that I set out to do. Unless you've been in the same situation, you can't truly appreciate how much of a boost something like that gives to your self-esteem.

Tomorrow we start clinicals, where we hit the nursing center floor and start to put to practice what we've been learning for the past several weeks. I just hope I don't hurt someone! Those old people are fragile!!!!

Okay, I'm hooked

"It’s true that I really enjoy writing, but it’s rarely easy. That’s part of the point for me: the challenge. It’s fun, but it’s not like I sit at my keyboard, occasionally throwing my arms into the air and squealing, 'Wheeeeeee! I’m writing!'”

I came across a guest blogpost on the Men with Pens blog written by Josh Hanagarne, World’s Strongest Librarian (which is also the name of his blog)

Anyone who can make me laugh is worth my time. Check out his blog.

Too awesome

Check this site out: Steel Head Studio

They held a game party to ring in the new year and created 100 cupcakes with 100 different games represented as the toppings. How many can you guess? I didn't keep track, but I think I got at least 2/3 right.

Friends of mine are considering a game night soon...maybe I should offer to make refreshments?

Happy New Year

Happy New Year to all my wonderful, faithful readers.

This past year had its up and downs for everyone. For me, my life took a downhill slide in August and I'm still sliding down. I'm praying I hit the bottom very, very, very soon so I can start that long slow climb back up to true happiness. I'm hoping this year, this JANUARY, things will turn around for me.

I've done a lot of writing over the past two months, primarily due to NaNoWriMo, and I'm determined to keep writing. My critique group is gearing up for first submissions next Saturday and I have several scenes ready to go. My goal there is to have my NaNo novel edited and reviewed by my friends by the end of March or April. CreateSpace.com is offering all successful NaNoists a free printed "proof" copy of their novels and I want to have this one submitted before the June 1 deadline.

My hopes for everyone is that 2010 be a happier, healthier, saner year that the previous one. That we all manage to hang on to what is right and precious in our lives and that when we stand on the brink of 2011, we can look back on 2010, smile at all we've accomplished, and look happily toward the future.

It's That Time Again

Time to make the donuts?

No, time to make New Year's Resolutions.

Phhft.

What do you mean, "phhft?"

I mean, you've never kept a resolution in your life.

That's not true. For several years, I made only one resolution and that was to not make any resolutions for that year. Those were very successful years, by the way.

So now you've fallen off the "no-resolution" bandwagon and you expect me to be happy for you?

That would require more stretch to the imagination than the elastic in a fat man's pants.

Ha ha



Anyway, as I was saying, it's resolution time. I've been thinking about it, and I've decided that I will make a few resolutions this year. I'm not getting any younger and there are some definite areas of my life that need improvement. So here it is, in no particular order, my list of resolutions.

- Lose 75 pounds

I've heard that one before, folks
Hey! Shut it!

- Find a job

- Read more books

I read an interesting post on one of the blogs I read. (Oooh wait, another resolution, update favorite blog list on this blog...nah, that's a to-do list item...never mind.) This post at Romancing the Blog gave birth to this idea. The writer, Jana Hanson, mentions the number of books she read over the past year and that got me to thinking. I haven't done as much reading in the past few years as I've done in many years further past, but I do want to read more, so why not do the same? Keep a running count of how many books I've read. Okay, yeah, good idea. I can probably find some kind of widget that'll help me keep track of the number of books I've read this year.

Yeah, maybe you could find one on the same site you got that weight loss widget from last year? You know, the one you deactivated after two months?

Hush, you!

But then, I thought, why not take it a step further and post reviews of those books? I've done a couple ARC book reviews this past year for Leucrota Press and reviews on one or two books that I just liked, so why not put the two together and just do it? So that's what I'll do.

This was such a great idea, that in the middle of typing this post, I just went ahead and created the new blog! I called it, A Year In Reviews. Catchy, hunh? Come on, you know you like it!

So starting Jan 1, 2010, whenever I finish a book, I'll post a review, so go check it out, okay? I'll even transfer the reviews I did here to there so they're all in one place.

Okay, back to the list of resolutions. Let's see, we've got lose weight, find job and read more. What else...

- Finish 2009 NaNo Novel

That one is in progress and I hope to have it done by the end of January.

- Get back to writing "The Penn Chronicles"

The Penn Chronicles is what I'm calling the series of books I'm planning based around one central character named Penn. I have one story partly written and ideas for three more, so there's some work to be done there.


Okay, I'm dry. Can't think of anything else. I'm sure there's probably more, and I'm sure I'll not do as well as I'd like on some of these, but at least I'm making a list of goals, and I will work toward them and let you know how it's going.

I have some running around to do, so I have to go. And YOU have to stay here.

No, please, take me with you! I'm sorry I was so snarky. I wanna go out, too!

Okay, okay, just stop whining and get in the car.

Can I drive?

You're a figment of my imagination and you don't have a driver's license. Just be glad I don't make you ride in the trunk.

I'm an excellent driver.

No.

Man, I never get to have any fun.

Merry Christmas!

Huff, Puff...

Whew, it's dusty around here!

Yeah, guess that's what happens when you ignore your blog and don't post for a couple days--ahem--weeks.

I do apologize for my absence, but I was kind of caught up in the whole NaNoWriMo stuff. In the 30 days of November, I produced 55,814 words. (That's according to NaNo's word count validator. Per my word counter, I clocked in at 56,018.). Unfortunately, I didn't achieve my true objective, which was to actually finish the novel. I figured my story would take about 60K words to complete but when I was about 20,000 words in, I decided to start over.

What? You started over? Are you crazy?

Yes.

Let me explain. From the very first paragraph, my point-of-view was all wrong. It was third person omniscient, and that's not where I wanted to be. I wanted to be in my character's heads, telling their story from their POVs, not as some standoffish entity, hovering over their heads, revealing what's going on around them with the bland narrative quality of a newspaper. But, hey, this is just the first draft. It's allowed to be crappy. So I kept writing and it kept getting crappier and crappier. There were a few glimmers of brilliance in there, but they were hard to see, being surrounded by all that crap.

So, after talking over the plot with a friend, I decided to start fresh. And boy, was it ever fresh! I was finally in my character's head and telling her story from her POV. So I guess I really only produced 35,000 words, but I did write those first 20,000 and they count, even though they're currently on the chopping block, ready to be sliced, diced and julienned into oblivion.

November 30 came and went, and I took a couple weeks off to let my brain regenerate. Now I'm back and ready to write. My plan is to finish the first draft and then let the story sit for a while before I begin editing. While my story, "Daughter of the King" sits and gels, I'll start working on one of my other manuscripts. What I'm tentatively calling "The Penn Chronicles" is one story, 1/3 complete, and ideas for 3 more stories, so I have some work to do.

So if you'll excuse me, I'll get back to work!

Wait for the awesome!

Halloween? Bah, humbug!

Okay, okay, "humbug" is usually associated with Christmas, but you get the idea.

I don't like Halloween.

Oh, sure, I liked it as a kid, dressing up and getting lots of candy just because you were cute, but I fell out of it as a teen and I guess I just kept falling to the point that I actually kinda wish it didn't exist. I lived with someone for about 8-9 years and he felt the same about Halloween as I did, which was great. On Halloween night, we would go out to dinner, maybe do a little shopping, then usually ended the evening at Barnes and Noble or Borders, looking for and test-reading books that we would never buy. We'd stay out until 9:30-10:00 or so, then head home. All the little trick-or-treaters would be home, coming down off their sugar highs. And if someone did dare to ring the doorbell after 10:00, we didn't answer.

Now I live with my mother in a very kid-oriented neighborhood and I can't escape the madness! Mom doesn't like Halloween any more than I do, but rather than escape with me, she buys candy and gives it out because "it's the right thing to do."

Bah, humbug.

I'll suffer though it, I'll endure and then...and then...







That's right, NaNoWriMo kick off is at midnight tonight! My writing group managed to secure a meeting room at a local hotel for a couple hours (free of charge, thank you thank you thank you!) We're expecting about 20 writers to show up tonight. I missed last year's midnight write-in because...well, I fell asleep. That won't happen tonight, mostly because I know the core writers in our group (hmm...I guess I am one of those core writers now) and if I don't show up, they'll come to my house, drag my butt out of bed and make me go to the hotel and write. Probably still in my pajamas, too! I won't inflict the reality of that image on anyone, so I'll be there.

It's 9:00 am--15 hours and counting! I need to hit the shower and then go to the library for some last-minute research, then lunch, then to a friend's house to help her with a little computer work. After that, it's home to charge up my laptop battery in case I can't get an outlet at the write-in, do a little laundry, get some rest, and get ready to write!

Fabulous lettering from Daily Drop Cap

Pressing Onward

O-kay, so my call for some steampunker help went unanswered. Never mind, said I, for I shall press onward on my own and see what I can see. I picked up a copy of "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" from the library and I liked it so much, I bid and won a copy off eBay. I'm also bidding on "Wild Wild West"--the movie, not the TV show--and should have that won later tonight.

Now, I may be generalizing, but it seems like the people who didn't like "LXG" are those who loved the original graphic novel by Alan Moore. And to be fair, I also read that and can understand why those who loved the graphic novel didn't like the movie. Changes were made to the story to make it more appealing to a wider movie audience which the novel-lovers hated, but I liked the changes. It made "LXG" different...not better, not worse...just different.

Not to mention it gave me a rather interesting idea for my own steampunk novel...which will be shelved until after November. I have my NaNo novel already planned it out and it is most definitely not steampunk.

I recall seeing "Wild Wild West" when it came out and enjoying it, but I don't remember much, so I'll have to see it again before I tell you what I think of it.

And I have a small list of novels to look for next time I'm at the bookstore (courtesy of Tor.com). So I think I'm in pretty good shape to begin my slow, steady indoctrination into steampunk.

Until later, everyone. Goggles on!

Steampunkers, I need your help!

This month is Steampunk month on Tor.com and though I've never been much of a fan of historical novels, I'm finding myself drawn...hypnotically...almost magically, you might say, to the steampunk genre. So much so that I gave thought to abandoning my half-plotted NaNo novel in favor of a steampunk story that hatched in my mind.

I think I've successfully beaten that impulse down, but the interest remains. Can any steampunk afficionados recommend any good books or movies in this genre? I've never read anything steampunk nor seen any movies and I want to so I can see if this is something to pursue. Oh, I did see Wild Wild West with Will Smith and Kevin Kline. I think that qualifies as steampunk.

The story was okay, but it was all the gadgetry that captured my attention in that movie. And, see, that's what interests me the most. The gadgetry, the "inventions" are just outstanding...like these: (all images here snagged from this post on Tor.com)




LOVE the laptop! The fashions are pretty amazing, too, though the last one is a bit scary...just what is he hiding behind that mask?









This appeals to me, but I'm still not sure why...so help me out and point me toward some good books and movies so I can explore this genre some more and decide whether it's for me or not.

What if Beauty was the Beast?

Okay, I stole that title from one of the commenters, but it's sooo appropriate.

Jeffrey Thomas has created some wonderful drawings, based on the idea of "Twisted Princesses." He's taken the Disney princesses and, ahem, twisted them.

What if...

Alice drunk the wrong potion?

Mulan shed her disguise and her pet dragon really was a dragon?

Nala truly showed her claws?

Jane became a true jungle princess?

Pocahontas...warrior princess?

I think you get the picture. Or you will, if you go check out Jeffrey's site.

As a writer, I love images that spark my imagination. Jeffrey has started a bonfire in my head. Now I need to go see what I can do with it.

Argument for Global Warming

I'm the type of person who runs from trends. I've never read anything by Dan Brown, I have no desire to see Twilight or the movies that will come after, and have only seen one--yes, only one--episode of American Idol (I was out of town with friends, and in the hotel room that night they all wanted to watch, so I had no choice).

So when all the talking heads were running around headless saying the earth was going to heat up into a fireball due to global warming, I didn't immediately join them. Granted, I didn't immediately run in the other direction, I just didn't do anything. I wanted some time to gather facts and see the truth for myself before adding my voice.

Some evidence shows that the earth is warming at an alarming rate, others show it is cooling. Here in Winchester, VA, we've had one of the coolest, mildest summers I can recall in my 30 years living in the mid-Atlantic area. I read GOC's blog and he's a strong proponent for global cooling and when I read what he has to say (and do my own research!), I tend to agree with him. Here's a link to one of his most recent posts on the subject.

Where am I going with this? Let me shift gears for just a second.

One of my favorite web comics is Least I Could Do. This week, Ryan Somers and Lar DeSouza have their main character, Rayne Summers, giving an address at TED. TED stands for Technology, Entertainment and Design. It's an annual conference held in Long Beach, CA and Oxford, England where people are invited to talk about ideas. Go over to their web site and check it out.

Anyway, in yesterday's comment section, many readers have asked "What is TED?" So today, Somers has given loyal LICD readers a homework assignment. We are to go to TED's web site, watch a video, and give an oral presentation to the class about what we learned--what, no oral presentation? Oh, okay, just a post on what we learned.

So here's the lecture I watched. Click here for James Balog's lecture on Time-lapse Proof of Extreme Ice Loss.

Check it out.

Book Review #4: The Unseen

Wait. #4? What happened to #3?

If you read the post titled "Book Review #2", you'll see it was actually review Number 3, therefore this is Number 4. You are Number 6.

Don't go there.

Okay, okay.

And you said you weren't going to turn this into a book review blog.

Hey, four reviews out of over 135 posts does not make this a review blog.

Fine, then, get on with it.

Thank you, I shall.


The Unseen by T.L. Hines


It's pretty rare that I'll read a book that grabs my attention on the first page and won't let go until I've finished it, and this book joins those ranks. Have you ever read a book where you could predict the outcome after reading the first fifty pages? This book does not fall into that category.

The Unseen is about a young man named Lucas who makes his living washing dishes and spends his free time being an Infiltrator. He finds his way into buildings (office buildings, primarily), finds their hidden spots, and watches people. He's essentially homeless, living in the boiler room at Howard University, but very content with his life. He is Unseen by those around him, until the night another Infiltrator finds his home base. This chance encounter will lead Lucas into meeting other Infiltrators, or "Creepers" as they're better known, and as he learns about their activities, he can't help but get involved.

Unlike Lucas, the Creepers sneak into homes--something Lucas considers off limits to himself--and they record the activities going on in the homes. But they're not interested in the mundane, everyday activities of the homeowners (like blogging), they're interested in the violence that goes on behind closed doors. Spousal abuse, murder plots, they record it all and play it back for the others in the group. When Lucas discovers that the Creepers are only interested in recording and not preventing the violence they witness, he decides to do something about it.

The events that follow take Lucas on a journey that will make him question who he is, where he came from and will bring him face to face...with himself.


I started reading this yesterday around 8:00 p.m. and finished it around 11:40 p.m. I tried several times to stop, but within a minute or two, I was right back into it. I just could not stop reading it. I guess it's a good thing I'm not working right now and staying up that late didn't bother me.

I initially picked up this book at the Green Valley Book Fair because the plot, as described on the flyleaf, was different. A lot of the writing advice I read tells me that to become a better writer, you need to read, read, read, and not just within your preferred genre. I've heard of urban explorers, or Infiltrators, before but never really read anything about them, so that peaked my interest. Another bit of advice is to come up with your own unique twist on things to make the story stand out from all the others. The writer definitely did that with The Unseen. Plus, another bit of writing advice is that you should constantly ramp up the tension as the story progresses, putting your protagonist into more and more peril, so that the reader keeps turning those pages so they can find out how the hero triumphs in the end. Oh, my goodness does that ever happen here!

I will admit I found the character of "Swarm" to be a bit...um...unusual, and a little sci-fi'ish, which doesn't really fit the atmosphere of the story. As a plot device, it works, but it kinda threw the story a little off kilter to me. And a few times, Lucas looks back on his childhood, but it's always to one specific memory from when he was 10 years old, and nothing else which, in retrospect, is odd, but I didn't think so as I was reading. It's only until "Swarm" reveals all that I realized this.

Another odd thing is that this book was published by Thomas Nelson, a Christian publishing firm, but the story does not have an overall Christian theme. A salvation message? Eh, maybe. A moment of revelation? Yes, but Lucas did not turn his life over to Christ, as you might expect in a Christian story. So I find the choice in publisher odd, but that's really not something for me to judge.

I don't grade my reviews, but if I did, this one would get 7 stars out of 5. It truly is an awesome book, despite the one or two oddities. It's going on my Shelfari list (I read it so fast, I never had a chance to update it) with a great review and I hope to pick up some of T.L. Hines' other works very soon.

EDIT: In accordance with "new" FCC rules, I purchased this book.

A glimpse of the future...

The Promonator