Merry Christmas

Yeah, yeah. Here's the obligatory Merry Christmas post. Where's that clip art of a Christmas tree?

Not a Nano Winner This Year

Well, I didn't make it to 50,000 words this year. In fact, I think I had fewer words this year than last year. I like the general idea that I was working on, but a couple of the story points need major reconstructive surgery. I'm going to put the book away for awhile -- at least until March when NaNoEdMo kicks off. Until then, I'm just going to work on a few short story ideas that have been brewing.

Thursday Thirteen #5

Thirteen places I’ve been on vacation:

1. Seattle and Auburn, WA – Went with friends to visit (their) relatives and see a couple of concerts. Saw Gwen Stefani up close…then my ears rang for two days. Not kidding.

2. Los Angeles – Visited a cousin. Got to sit on the patio at a Starbucks on Sepulveda, drinking coffee and watching planes landing at LAX every 20 seconds or so – right over the road. OK, so I was only one impressed with this… Call me a tourist.

3. Yuma, AZ – In November, Yuma was 80 F, and Missoula was in the middle of a winter storm. Glad I was in Yuma. Toured the old Territorial Prison, which is now a museum, and drove out to look at the sand dunes.

4. San Diego – The Zoo, Sea World, Balboa Park, Point Loma, and a harbor cruise past an aircraft carrier. What more could you ask for? Oh yeah, balmy 75 degree weather.

5. Boston and Haverhill, MA – Visited a friend. Being a pedestrian in Boston is scary. Enough said.

6. Hampton Beach, NH – We rented an apartment right on the ocean for a week. Since it was December, the town was deserted, which was cool. On our last morning, I got to see the sun rise over the Atlantic Ocean.

7. Freeport and Lucaya, Grand Bahama Island – Another winter vacation that rocked. Beautiful blue sea, balmy temperatures, delicious food, and live music at the marina each night. They were filming Pirates of the Caribbean #2 and #3 while we were there, and we could see them in the distance from the public beach at the “national” park – ship goes out, ship goes back in, ship goes out, ship goes back in, rinse and repeat.

8. Alaska, Canada, and a whole bunch of U.S. States – We took a ferry up the coast of Alaska then got off and drove across Canada and then back across the U.S. to get home. I was four, and I remember very little of it except for losing a little toy car on the ferry. I was quite upset. My sister was two. I think my parents were very...patient to attempt this trip.

9. Michigan – I have relatives there. As much as they love me, I think the mosquitos love me more.

10. Jacksonville, FL – Sort of a working vacation. Oh boy, can it rain in Florida.

11. Sacramento – Hot, hot, hot. It hit 108 F the day my BFF and I went to the State Fair, and (because of the heat) the guys running one of the beer tents let us stay there most of the afternoon even though we were underage. It was so hot the asphalt was uncomfortable to walk on.

12. Yakima, WA – A wedding (yay!) without alcohol or caffeine (boo!).

13. Anacortes, WA – My sis and I needed to get out of the smoke one summer and this area came highly recommended.

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

1. Beth
2. Beth
3. Susan
4. Linda

Nano Update: Making Some Headway

Just a brief post today. Last night, I managed about 2000 words on the Nano novel. That's 330 more than the required average daily pace of 1670 words, so I've made a slight dent in my word deficit. Yay!

NaNo Progress

I got off to a slow start this year on Nanowrimo. I've had the cold from Hell for the last five days, and I found that I can't write on Sudafed (that's right, the real stuff -- not that pseudo-Sudafed that came out the real stuff was relocated to behind pharmacy counters, but that's a rant for another post). I had about 500 words before our first write-in on Sunday, but by the end of the day, I was up to 3200. And I did 200 more this morning before work.

I want to update my user profile on the Nano site with my book title and a genre -- except that I haven't figured out a title yet and the genre list provided by Nano doesn't have romantic suspense (I chose "other genre" *sigh*). I did post a very short excerpt of the WIP.

Tonight doesn't bode well for more writing either. I have kickboxing after work.

OK, So I'm Not Completely HTML-Impaired

I played around with posting images this morning, and I think I've fixed the problems with the simultaneous-image-and-text formatting. Unfortunately, I did two different things to two different posts. Hmm...

The Hound Dog is underfoot at work with me today. He's been off his Diazepam (i.e. Valium) for a week now, and I think he needs to go back on it. Someone fired up a lawn mower (i.e. spawn of Satan) on Saturday. Since then, he's been tip-toeing around listening intently to ever single sound from outdoors. His mind works in odd ways:

Sound of someone raking leaves -- bad

Sound of Skil-saw -- fine

Sound of someone shovelling snow. -- really bad

Sound of nail gun (the framing nail gun!) -- fine

Sound of motorbike that sounds like a lawn mower -- bad

Sound of thunder, fire works, etc -- fine

Sound of airplane that sounds faintly like a lawn mower -- bad

Sound of trains banging together -- fine

NaNoWriMo Kickoff

So today was the Nano kickoff meeting. It was great seeing some familiar faces as well as some new ones.

Unfortunately, it also means that the time has come for me to pick one of my several ideas and develop it enough over the next few days that I can start writing come November 1. Two of the ideas are relatively more complicated; the third has what I believe will be a simpler plot and it will be set in locations that I am (mostly) familiar with. I am leaning towards that idea right now because I think I will have a better product at the end of the month.

Bad Writing, Bad Writing, Bad Writing....Arghh

I'm currently reading "At The Edge" by Cait London. It's romantic suspense with a bit of the paranormal thrown in. The book recieved a decent review somehere on-line (sorry, my brain isn't recalling exactly where), and the local library had it. So I decided to try it. I'm half way though now, and jeez, it's been quite a slog through story-killing prose.

Let me count the ways in which the writing annoyed me:

1. Bad dialogue. Claire, the heroine of this story, is one of triplets. She lives apart from her sisters, but she has many telephone conversations with them throughout the first part of the book. Most of the conversations consist of the sisters telling each other things they both already know ("As you know, Bob...") in stilted language. Real people do not talk to each other like this. Later, I'll post an example. Also, some of the characters must have been abused by contractions when they were young, such is their fear of using them in their speech.

2. Talking to oneself. The two main characters -- Claire and Neil -- and Claire's mother all talk out loud to themselves about how they are feeling. And not just short exclamations. These charcters ramble on for a long paragraph while staring out at the ocean or at a picture. I didn't find this realistic. I did find this clumsy.

3. Needless repetition. The reader is treated like an idiot and told the same bits of information over and over and over and over again. Claire lost a baby; Neil lost a child; Claire lives in "rural Montana" (a phrase I am quickly coming to hate); Neil makes tear-drop shaped campers; etc.

-----------

I'll finish the book because I want to know who the villian is, but to be honest, I'm skimming.

Reading Update

Yeah, I haven't updated the 2007 book list in ages. I plan to do it this weekend before Nano starts. But here's a mini-rundown of what I have read recently:

"Don't Look Down" and "Agnes and the Hitman" by Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer -- Loved both of these. Romantic comedy at it's finest. I'm even more of a Jennie Crusie fan girl after reading this two books.

"Heartsick" by Chelsea Cain -- An odd little noir-like story about a tortured cop and an unreliable reporter. The characters were interesting, and the writing was good. The police work (the mystery/thriller aspect of the story) seemed a bit light, though, because I got to the end and couldn't remember what police work actually led them to the bad guy.

"The Mephisto Club" by Tess Gerritsen -- Another in the Jane Rizzoli/Maura Isles series. Great book. Angels and devils and crazy people, oh my.

"Moonshine" by Rob Thurman -- This is the sequel to "Nightlife", which I originally heard about on Lynn Viehls' blog. Brothers Niko and Cal are back, along with a vampire named Promise and a puck named Robin Goodfellow, and taking on the werewolf mafia. I could have done without the several page long info dump at the beginning of the story (got the reader all caught up on what happened in "Nightlife"), but otherwise it was a fun story.


I know there are more, but that's it for now.

On Trying New Things...er, Genres

I've never been much of a fan of westerns -- either movies or books. But last night, I let a friend talk me into seeing "3:10 to Yuma". Russell Crowe was in it, and I think he's pretty damn sexy. So what the heck. If I hated it, I was only out eight bucks.

Well, I loved it.

The movie worked for me because it wasn't just horses and guns and stagecoach robberies. The core of the movie was the relationship between the two main characters (and the teenage son of one of the characters). The villian, Russell Crowe's character, isn't just a one-note bad guy. He's got layers and reasons for the things he does. He's a bad-ass, but not completely bad. The "good guy" has layers, too -- things he hasn't been completely up-front about (I can't say more 'cause that's a spoiler) -- but his morality is a bit more straightforward. Or perhaps, I should say, it's closer to what we, today, would call morality.

The day job is calling, but I'll come back and expand upon this more later.

Oh, a little trivia about me and horses: I've fallen off two horses. The first time was (mostly) my fault. The second time, the way-too-smart-for-my-good horse did it on purpose; in my defense, though, I was riding bareback - no pad, no stirrups. But I've also ridden a horse in the ocean. Way cool. That makes up for the falling off times.

It's Finally In

I just got an e-mail from the library. "Agnes and the Hitman" is back in and is waiting for me to pick it up. This is the second Jennifer Crusie/Bob Mayer book, I believe.

I just recently finished "Don't Look Down" (the first one) and loved it -- although I need to re-read the last chapter because I'm still a bit confused about who was conspiring with whom.

It's Been Slow Around Here...

and as much as I'd like to blame someone -- or something -- else, it's been all my fault. I've let life get in the way of writing for a while now, but I'm hoping that after one more personal situation is cleared up, I'll have a good winter of writing ahead. My Muse has been lonely. She talks to me, but I haven't been able to respond.

Not that I'm ready for winter.

Or NaNoWriMo.

Spring Has Sprung

It hit 72 F here today according to the thermometer in my car. It was balmy and beautiful. That says it all.

I've Been Doing Some Housekeeping

As you can see, I've upgraded to Blogger Beta and made some other changes. I like this template better because it automatically adjusts the main column width to fit your browser window. I'll also be adding tags and playing with other features in the next few days.

In the meantime, I've been tagged with a meme by Anni. I'll be wandering over there shortly to just what she got me into...

Catching Up

It's been a slow morning here in the north. I'm at work, and it's quiet because two of my colleagues are at a training seminar. Outside my window, the trees are like skeletons in the thick fog that has blanketed the town this morning. I can't even see the traffic on the nearby street. My favorite radio station has chosen to play mostly slow melancholy music.

*sigh*

I tinkered with the blog last night. My 2007 Book List has been perma-linked (is that a word?). I've also updated the "Now Reading" section, which hadn't been touched in....oh...many moons. The next project is to find or make a new header for the whole blog. Something more interesting than a green block with my name in it.

I've also started outlining my next book. The first two books died because of poor plotting, and even though I recognized the weaknesses, I plunged into the writing thinking that I could force the plot to fix itself. It didn't work. Both books irreparably died around 35,000 words (and I was shooting for about 65,000).

This time, I have a much better conflict between the protagonists and the antagonist. The characters have clearer and more realistic motivations for their actions. I'm hoping to have the basic outline done by Sunday. Then I'm going to expand it into a synopsis, from which I'll eventually start writing.


And that's all for today. Tomorrow's post will be Thursday Thirteen Edition #5.

Books I Have Read This Year

I've decided that I'm going to keep track of all the books I read in one year. It will be fun to pull up the list on January 1, 2008, and see where I've been literature-ly speaking. I’m going to link to this post in the sidebar (if I can figure out how to do that) and update this post as time goes on. To date, to the best of my memory, I have read the following books since January 1, 2007

1. “Endurance” by Lynn Viehl, science fiction
2. “Shockball” by Lynn Viehl (reread), science fiction
3. “Eternity Row” by Lynn Viehl (reread), science fiction
4. “Rebel Ice” by Lynn Viehl (reread), science fiction
5. “Plague of Memory” by Lynn Viehl, science fiction
6. “Talyn” by Holly Lisle, fantasy
7. “Demon Angel” by Meljean Brook, paranormal romance
8. “Eternally” by Maureen Child, series paranormal romance
9. “Cry of the Wolf” by Karen Whiddon, series paranormal romance
10. “Working for the Devil” by Lilith Saintcrow
11. “The Huntress” by Crystal Green, series paranormal romance

Thursday Thirteen - #4

Thirteen plants you'll find in my backyard:

1. Iris
2. Pansies
3. Tulips
4. Peonies
5. Russian almond
6. Bee balm
7. Oriental poppies
8. Day lillies
9. Lilacs
10. Mint
11. Wild rose
12. Raspberries
13. Dandelions


Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

And from the comments:

1. Anni

2. Leslie

3. Ancsweetnsassygal

4. Mama Kelly

5. Molly

6. Indigo

Write What You Know

Romance writers who write about guns should either a) know what they are talking about or b) ask someone knowledgeable to vet their writing. Otherwise knowledgeable readers will be treated to such silliness as this (From “Cry of the Wolf” by Karen Whiddon, Silhouette Nocturne, January 2007):

[Heroine talking to hero about buying a gun] “I’d like you to help me choose the right one, if you don’t mind. I’d like a pistol, a revolver, I think.”

OK, so far so good. Technically a pistol is different from a revolver, but common usage by people unfamiliar with guns -- as the heroine is -- doesn't always distinguish the two.

One hand on the wheel, he guided the boat with a quiet confidence. His gaze was cool and clear and gave none of his thoughts away. “Why not an automatic? They’re much easier to use.”

To answer the hero’s question...well, for one thing, it’s illegal for most people to own fully automatic weapons -- even in Texas (where this story takes place). I think what the hero means is a semi-automatic pistol. And pistols are not necessarily easier to use than revolvers; you just get more shots before you have to reload.

She gave him the only explanation she could—the truth. “Because silver bullets don’t come in cartridges.”

WTF? Assuming the heroine is using the term cartridge correctly (meaning the assembly of the bullet, powder, primer, and casing), what does that have to do with whether she wants a pistol or a revolver? In either case, you would still need to put the bullet (meaning only the silver or lead projectile) into a casing along with powder and a primer in order to use it. Now I might buy this as the heroine being clueless, but the hero doesn’t correct her.

Later on, the hero -- after buying the heroine a .45 caliber revolver (for a beginner who is just learning to shoot?? I have a good grip and can shoot pretty well, and I still choose to shoot a 9 mm not a .45) -- says the following to the heroine:

“Now squeeze the trigger and be ready. There’s a bit of a backlash when it fires.”

No kidding. And it’s called “kick”, not “backlash”.


Silliness like this pulls me right out of the story...and off to write blog posts like this one.

Reading Meme

I guess I tagged myself with this one because I asked a question over at Lynn Viehl's blog this morning. So here goes:

Contemporary, Historical, or Paranormal? Paranormal. I’ve only read two or three historicals, and I just can’t get into them. Butt-kicking, beastie-fighting heroines on the other hand…

Hardback or Trade Paperback or Mass Market Paperback? Mass market. I can trade them in at the UBS if I don’t like them.

Heyer or Austen? Austen

Amazon or Brick and Mortar? Brick and mortar. I have patience issues.

Barnes & Noble or Borders? Since there are no Borders anywhere hear me, it’s Barnes & Noble.

Woodiwiss or Lindsay? Who? Am I missing some good reading here?

First romance novel you ever remember reading? The first romances I read Harlequins from the early or mid-1980’s. My mom was really into them (and still is *g*). I can’t remember the titles, but they were much skinnier, faster reads.

Alphabetize by author Alphabetize by title or random? I put all books by the same author together, with any series books in order. Other than that, there’s no pattern.

Keep, Throw Away or Sell? Keep the books I know I’ll want to reread. Trade in the others at the UBS. Any that the UBS won’t take, go to Good Will.

Read with dustjacket or remove it? Remove it. I put it back on when I’m done, though.

Sookie Stackhouse or Anita Blake? Early Anita Blake. I gave up after Obsidian Butterfly (which rocked!), though, because I can buy cheaper and better-written erotica from Ellora’s Cave.

Stop reading when tired or at chapter breaks? Stop reading when tired or I get interrupted.

It was a dark and stormy night or Once upon a time? Snoopy or Snow White? Neither.

Crusie or SEP? I have to say Jennie Cruise, because I don’t who SEP is.

Buy or Borrow? Buy – some new, some used. Hey, it helps my book budget go further.

Buying choice: Book Reviews, Recommendation or Browse? All three. I read the reviews from a few on-line sites that I like, and I consider these the same as recommendations. I also like to browse, particularly for books by authors I like.

Tidy ending or Cliffhanger? For a standalone book, it had better be a tidy ending. Otherwise the book is likely to be fed to my lives-to-shred-paper dog. For a series, cliffhangers are OK.

Morning reading, Afternoon reading or Nighttime reading? Nighttime for me. I like to curl up on the sofa with my dog after dinner and read. He keeps my feet warm.

Series or standalone? I’m partial to series if the characters are good. I like watching characters grow and change over several books.

Favorite book of which nobody else has heard? Hm, I’ll have to think about this one…

Thursday Thirteen - #3

Thirteen reasons I use to procrastinate at writing:

1. The sun is out, and I can go for a run.

2. House is on.

3. My home office is cold (big windows + below zero weather = cold room)

4. I just made a haul from the book store, and I have to read at least one chapter of one book.

5. I know I can beat my last Bejeweled score if I just play a little longer.

6. The toilet needs to be cleaned.

7. My fingers don’t work well after two glasses of wine.

8. The neighbors are mowing their lawn, and my terrified, 65 pound dog is literally sitting on my lap (which makes it hard to type).

9. My desk chair needs to be replaced.

10. I need to practice my pool game.

11. My muse decided to take an extended vacation – without me.

12. Pier 1 is having a big sale.

13. I’m out of coffee.

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

From the comments:

1. Fence

2. Ms-teacher

3. Amy