Yep, I'm back in Myrtle Beach. I've actually been here since Saturday evening and while I've had several chances to blog, I just haven't had much to blog about. You can only describe the weather (hot) just so many times before you my readers and I your writer get bored with the subject.
I went out yesterday and scoped out a couple sites where I have scenes planned for my current WIP. I walked by the house that I've decided belongs to my protagonist and took several photos of the street plus of Ocean Boulevard and of the public beach access point just one street over. And man, I have to tell you, it was hot. And humid. I went swimming and didn't go near the water, the air was so thick. I wasn't walking more than fifteen or twenty minutes and when I got back to my car I was all flushed and sweaty. I drank some water (thank goodness I had some in the car) and headed straight home to cool off and relax.
Okay, well, thinking back, walking through the high school field and then climbing to the top of the Doug Shaw Stadium bleachers to take pictures in the blistering sunshine/humidity and then taking the aforementioned pictures was a bit much. Yeah, yeah, I brought it on myself. But I'm doing much better now.
Today I chilled at home, watched TV, played some games on the 'puter, met a friend for shopping after lunch then came back home. A nice relaxing day. Hey, it's my vacation...I'm allowed to relax!
Anyway, I just got done watching a movie and I've come to realize something about myself. The movie was "August Rush" starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Keri Russell and Robin Williams...and the-cute-kid-who-plays-the-lead-don't-remember-his-name. As I watched it, I realized part of me was disecting it as a writer might. Here are the main characters, here's the backstory, here's where they are today, present subplots one, two and three, introduce sidekick & bad guy/antagonist, great music, conflict, resolution, conflict, resolution, more great music, conflict, wrong choice, ramp up tension, conflict, resolution, tension, even more great music, resolution, happy ending. I could see it, I tell you.
I wonder if this means I'm starting to evolve as a writer. I do the same things when I read books. Maybe not all the time---oh, heck yeah, all the time. I just realized I finished reading a Cait London book today and I was irritated with her because it seemed like she kept going over the same points over and over again, and some of the conversations jumped from subject to subject with no logical transition (that I could see) and it just seemed to take forever to resolve the conflict. And, in my opinion, it didn't live up to the hype. It was the first book in a three-parter and frankly, I don't think I'll bother with the other two. Which is a bit of a pity because I do like her writing, but perhaps not this story. I'll put it on my Shelfari below (scroll to the bottom of the page, okay? thanks) and add the book I'm about to start.
Oh, and the part of August Rush was played by Freddie Highmore. Don't be too impressed...I checked IMDB.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Friday, June 26, 2009
Want a free book? Part 2
Leucrota Press is giving away another ARC!
Click here for more information.
I'm going to take a pass on this one. Partly because of my history but mostly because this is Fantasy and I've always had a hard time reading fantasy. So I probably wouldn't enjoy it, even if it turns out to be a great read.
If you're interested, head on over to their blog and enter. Read the rules and post a reply (don't forget your e-mail address).
Good luck and happy reading!
Click here for more information.
I'm going to take a pass on this one. Partly because of my history but mostly because this is Fantasy and I've always had a hard time reading fantasy. So I probably wouldn't enjoy it, even if it turns out to be a great read.
If you're interested, head on over to their blog and enter. Read the rules and post a reply (don't forget your e-mail address).
Good luck and happy reading!
Wow...
Just...wow.
Who could imagine losing two icons in one day?
We all knew about Farrah (or at least, I'm sure most of us did...those of us with televisions and internet access, that is) and her death did not really come as a surprise. I saw her documentary "Farrah's Story" last month and was really touched by the story it told. You see, I lost my sister to breast cancer almost nine years ago and while I wasn't there with her every minute of her battle, Farrah's story brought home to me some of the struggles I know my sister went through.
Probably the one thing that touched me the most was what Farrah did when she started losing her hair. She had her friend Jose Eber shave off all that signature blonde hair (leaving a bit in the front) and she seemed perfectly content to be bald. My sister was the same way. When she started to lose her hair, she had our mother (I guess Jose wasn't available) cut off all her auburn hair. Mom cried buckets, but Linda said she felt liberated, because it was her choice to lose the hair, rather than the cancer taking it. And I really understood that when Farrah did it to her own hair.
So when I read about Farrah's passing yesterday, I was sad for her and her family, but having watched my sister's struggle, I knew that Farrah and her family were finally at peace.
But the shock was when I heard about Michael Jackson. That was a "wait...what?" moment. I was at my computer, loading up my iPod for my trip when I heard my mother yelling in the other room. I had the ear-buds in so I couldn't hear her, so when I went to see what she was yelling about, she told me. I couldn't believe it. While he wasn't exactly the picture of health, I certainly didn't know about any problems he was having. He was preparing to do 50 shows in London, for goodness sake. But there it was, on the television, "King of Pop, Dead at 50."
I sat and watched the news with her, which, of course, didn't have much to say at that point and the first thought that came to my mind was "heart attack." The second thought, "aneurysm." Those were the only two things I could think of that can kill you suddenly without any indication that there was a problem. Now it looks like my first assumption might be the correct one...but we'll see.
Say what you will about the craziness of the last 10 years or so, the man made an impact on the music business the likes of which are rarely seen. I remember singing along with the Jackson 5 hits, watching the Jackson 5 Saturday morning cartoons (remember?), dancing to songs from "Off the Wall", watching the fluid way he moved and danced and the amazement I felt the first time I saw "Thriller". That's the Michael Jackson I choose to remember.
And I loaded his songs onto my iPod because I'm sure I'll be thinking about his music as I drive to South Carolina.
Rest in Peace, Farrah and Michael.
Who could imagine losing two icons in one day?
We all knew about Farrah (or at least, I'm sure most of us did...those of us with televisions and internet access, that is) and her death did not really come as a surprise. I saw her documentary "Farrah's Story" last month and was really touched by the story it told. You see, I lost my sister to breast cancer almost nine years ago and while I wasn't there with her every minute of her battle, Farrah's story brought home to me some of the struggles I know my sister went through.
Probably the one thing that touched me the most was what Farrah did when she started losing her hair. She had her friend Jose Eber shave off all that signature blonde hair (leaving a bit in the front) and she seemed perfectly content to be bald. My sister was the same way. When she started to lose her hair, she had our mother (I guess Jose wasn't available) cut off all her auburn hair. Mom cried buckets, but Linda said she felt liberated, because it was her choice to lose the hair, rather than the cancer taking it. And I really understood that when Farrah did it to her own hair.
So when I read about Farrah's passing yesterday, I was sad for her and her family, but having watched my sister's struggle, I knew that Farrah and her family were finally at peace.
But the shock was when I heard about Michael Jackson. That was a "wait...what?" moment. I was at my computer, loading up my iPod for my trip when I heard my mother yelling in the other room. I had the ear-buds in so I couldn't hear her, so when I went to see what she was yelling about, she told me. I couldn't believe it. While he wasn't exactly the picture of health, I certainly didn't know about any problems he was having. He was preparing to do 50 shows in London, for goodness sake. But there it was, on the television, "King of Pop, Dead at 50."
I sat and watched the news with her, which, of course, didn't have much to say at that point and the first thought that came to my mind was "heart attack." The second thought, "aneurysm." Those were the only two things I could think of that can kill you suddenly without any indication that there was a problem. Now it looks like my first assumption might be the correct one...but we'll see.
Say what you will about the craziness of the last 10 years or so, the man made an impact on the music business the likes of which are rarely seen. I remember singing along with the Jackson 5 hits, watching the Jackson 5 Saturday morning cartoons (remember?), dancing to songs from "Off the Wall", watching the fluid way he moved and danced and the amazement I felt the first time I saw "Thriller". That's the Michael Jackson I choose to remember.
And I loaded his songs onto my iPod because I'm sure I'll be thinking about his music as I drive to South Carolina.
Rest in Peace, Farrah and Michael.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
In the Interest of Full Disclosure...
Ran across an interesting post on Brian Clark's blog, Copyblogger.
Click here for more info.
So, just to cover myself...
1) In return for my reading and reviewing The Kult by Shaun Jeffrey, I received no compensation. My payment was the book itself.
2) In return for my reading and reviewing One if by Heaven, Two if by Hell by Rick Maydak (which I haven't received yet but hopefully will by Friday before I leave town on vacation!), I will receive no compensation. As above, my payment is the book itself.
3) My bookshelf below is linked to my Amazon Associates account, which, theoretically, could bring me some income, but to date, has not. I believe this is due to one of two factors: a) no one has bought anything based on my recommendation or b) I messed up in setting it up. Given my history, probably "b".
That should keep the FTC off my tail for a while...
Click here for more info.
So, just to cover myself...
1) In return for my reading and reviewing The Kult by Shaun Jeffrey, I received no compensation. My payment was the book itself.
2) In return for my reading and reviewing One if by Heaven, Two if by Hell by Rick Maydak (which I haven't received yet but hopefully will by Friday before I leave town on vacation!), I will receive no compensation. As above, my payment is the book itself.
3) My bookshelf below is linked to my Amazon Associates account, which, theoretically, could bring me some income, but to date, has not. I believe this is due to one of two factors: a) no one has bought anything based on my recommendation or b) I messed up in setting it up. Given my history, probably "b".
That should keep the FTC off my tail for a while...
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