I wanna make people cry

This is my newest goal. I feel this is something I need to learn...or practice...or maybe I'll never be able to do it. Maybe it really is talent when an author completes a ms that can tear my heart out through the entire story before finally giving me that Happily Ever After.

My story isn't going to do it. I'm positive that bringing that kind of emotion to the story would mean way too many revisions.

Will I finish this story?

You bet I will.

Will I sub it out?

Oh yes. Without a doubt. This story is going places.

And it's good... Don't get me wrong. I love this story...

It just doesn't pack a punch like the novel I just read did. Am I too close? do I just not see it? *shrug* I don't know. When I'm finished with these revisions, we'll see.

What's in a story that makes you cry?

Me? It's definitely the misunderstandings... the old school third party monkey wrenches that end up keeping the H/h apart for another entire segment of story.

I love it when a heroine THINKS she knows the hero. And he graciously gives her that illusion.

It's hard to write characters that aren't attractive. Sometimes, the H or h are not attractive at first! I've hated and squirmed in my seat over a snobby, spoiled heroine who becomes a beautiful, gracious woman. And it's heartwrenching to see the change.

Emotion has to be behind every issue. That's my lesson this week. It's what I learned by reading Joyce's Bragg Saga. I know, I mentioned it earlier. It's old-school, but it hurts to read it! It's so fulfilling to reach the happily ever after because until that point there has only been emotion and conflict.

There's a precipice here and I'm standing on it...

Updates--end of Spring

Sunday morning, June first.
I realized just this moment that I'd wanted to have my revisions done by now. That goal has morphed as has my story. The revisions are coming along wonderfully, and my story [depending on how you count it] has reached 49,750words. Heh. *sigh* Not such a short story anymore. The story is basically the same... I've deepened it in some spots, clarified it in others. I'm rewriting Mark's scene in France. Which will hopefully add a few more words. HOnestly, though, it's more likely to subtract words.

In short, i'm halfway to my goal on this, my goal date.

I've decided to enter a contest, deadline August 2nd(I think), allowing my goals to be pushed back a little. I'll start subbing to agents/publishers as soon as my ms ready as well. I'd like to go PRO at RWA. Technically, I think I've reached that status...only I haven't because that first sub a long time ago might have been before I was a RWA member. LOL.

I'm still comfortable with where I am. I'm writing/editing consistently and I'm keeping up with the critiques I've agreed to do...want to do, really. In June I might be able to help out and judge a contest. So that'll be different and fun. And it'll keep me busy.

Otherwise, no new news.
Happy Writing!
and don't forget,
show don't tell.

A little blip for old time romances...you gotta have conflict, right?
From when days were simpler than being kidnapped by Indian savages or being caught amidst military espionage and terrorism: :D

Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen Photos of Darth Vader Baby Darth Bottoms UP! Use your imagination! Yes, even Darth has to go. Helloooo Kitty! Are those pinstripes?!? Any good man will strut. Give me Liberty... Poignant? And a man of action. In Honor Darth Dana and her one year Anniversary.

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Blowing off steam

Do you have Women's Liberation tendencies?

I DO!!!!

Every once in a great while, I wonder what it would feel like to never need to do anyone else's laundry or iron anyone elses pants. Tonight I completely forgot and while I stood there, mouth hanging open, willing my eyes to not cross at the 4 foot high laundry pile, I asked DH, "if you didn't get married, you'd be an accountant, wouldn't you?"

It seemed to me that men whether married or not would pursue the same interests. Granted, if my DH wasn't married, he'd already be living in Wyoming and guiding people on hunts... See, my issue here is, I don't want to do more laundry tonight. I don't like ironing.

The way I see it? If i hadn't gotten married, I wouldn't be doing these tedious chores.

Where's the balance? I know it's out there because I love my family and I wouldn't give them up for anything!!! Some nights I just gotta let off some steam...

And thankfully, I have a husband who lets me then makes me laugh when i'm through.

Tagged 3 Times

I'm foregoing any Thursday Thirteen this week.
I've been tagged THREE times since yesterday evening by
Kaige at Impulsive Hearts,
Kelsey Simmons, Normally Paranormal, and
Ally Kendall who is tangled up in words...and life.

Meme #1

Sponsored in part by Kaige and Ally

Here’s the scoop. It’s called 1-2-3 tag and it goes like this:

1. Pick up the nearest book.

2. Open to page 123.

3. Find the fifth sentence.

4. Post the next 3 sentences.

5. Tag 5 people.

Funny thing, I just yesterday recieved a contest prize from Coffee Time Romance, a book called Bride of Shadow Canyon by Stacey Kayne

The day he'd watched her run headlong into gunfire, he realized he'd failed miserably.

"Imp is not Malika."

Jed met Running Bear's piercing stare, and quickly averted his gaze.

I may have to pass on the tagging part...

I all of you ladies for thinking of me.

{{{DIVAS}}}

Meme #2

We’re playing Telephone again, only this time Alice is calling it “Whisper.” So you can’t pound the keys–type lightly or the spell will be broken.

The rules:
1. Make a change in the paragraph below. It can be as little as a single word or almost every word, so long as we can still recognize the paragraph you received from the person who tagged you ( me, Bethanne), not the original paragraph (by Alice).

The paragraph I wrote based on Kelsey's:

He came from America, a leather jacket on his shoulders and a scarf around his neck. His name was Mark. She said he could buy her dinner. Instead of feeding her, he flew her in his plane where capturing the moon seemed all too possible.

2. I love you too ALice Audrey so I'm going to link you AND visit you. [again with the *mwah*]. Oh Fine, I'll tag someone! Esmerelda Bishop, MJ Fierstein, and Lauren Murphy.

3. Also link to the person who tagged you ( me ) so the chain will not be broken.

4. Go to the original paragraph at Alice’s Restaurant and let her know you did it so she can link back to you. For extra credit, head over to http://AliceAudrey.wordpress.com around June 9th for the contest based on this meme.

You could win a $20 gift certificate! <--that is a little cool. :D

This Day in History

Grant at Vicksburg

May 19, 1863

On May 19, 1863, General Ulysses S. Grant attempted to take the Confederate stronghold at Vicksburg, Mississippi. After making a daring run past Confederate batteries, Union naval forces joined troops several miles down river. Working together, they detained Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston in Jackson, preventing him from assisting General John C. Pemberton at Vicksburg.

A major turning point in the Civil War, Grant's victory returned control of the Mississippi River to the Union and geographically divided the Confederacy. Coming just a day after Northern triumph at Gettysburg, the capture of Vicksburg restored faith in Union victory and dispirited the South.

To me, this is another great story of Southern will. In spite of disappearing food supplies, people survived the seige... and they did it in good humor, too. They never wavered in their mission continuing to fight for the cause for two more years.

Cedar Grove was the home of Alexander Klein. He lived there with his bride, Elizabeth Bartley Klein. During the war, the estate was used as a Union Hospital, one of the main reasons it still stands today. There is a cannonball lodged in the wall of the parlor. :D

Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen things about Edelweiss

1. First and foremost, of course... The Song.



2. (Leontopodium alpinum), one of the best-known European mountain flowers, belongs to the sunflower family (Asteraceae).

3. Flowering stalks of edelweiss can grow to a size of 3–20 cm (in cultivation, up to 40 cm).

4.


5. Edelweiss is a protected plant in many countries, including Bulgaria, Croatia, Switzerland, France, Italy, Germany, Spain (Ordesa National Park), Slovakia (Tatra National Park), Slovenia (in Gorizia and Gradisca since 1896, in Carniola since 1898), Austria (since 1886) and Romania (since 1933).

6. The Edelweiss flower has since time immemorial been valued as medicine against the ailments of men and their beasts, as powerful Talisman to ward off evil and of course as the "Ultimate Love Charms" of the mountain.

7. Love struck young men would try to endear themselves by collecting Edelweiss from those hard to access crags and ledges in the High Alpine of Europe.
During these quests many died from falls, or succumbed to exposure, insufficiently prepared for sudden weather changes.

8.

9. Edelweiss was a badge of Edelweiss Pirates (Edelweisspiraten)—the anti-Nazi youth groups in Third Reich. It was worn on the clothes (e.g. a blouse or a suit).

10. In its bid for the 2014 Winter Olympics the city of Salzburg uses an Edelweiss flower as the emblem.

11. Established 1907 by the Austrian-Hungarian Army for their alpine troops, the sign was used in WWII by the Wehrmacht Gebirgsjäger—here as Edelweiss cap badge.

12. The story goes that once, long, long ago, the Alps were far taller than they are these days. In those days, atop one of the snowcapped, precipice filled mountains lived an Ice Queen. She was said to be fair as snow and hauntingly beautiful. She was served by faithful gnomes, who lived with her on those slopes.

The Queen would sing melodiously and her sound would lure many a shepherd to lose his way in the mountains and come upon her abode. However beautiful she was, she had a flaw; her heart was frozen cold as if it were made of pure ice.
[Now isn't that interesting???]

13.

For more information about Edelweiss, visit www.edelweissgrowers.com

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Fast Draft--National Novel Writing Month

I think I've had a mental block on this issue. An if-I-play-dumb-it-won't-notice-me mentality. But I read something this morning at Romance Divas forum:

I wrote my first novel over a period of a year and a half. And it will never see the light of day, that's for sure. Trust me, it was so stale, I had to keep rereading it so I'd know where I was going with it. And that led to wanting to edit the crap on it before I could move forward.

I wrote the first draft of my second novel over a 6 week period. MUCH better. Because it was written in such a short period of time, it was much more coherent, and I was still excited about it and didn't forget where I was going.

I will always draft fast now. Editing and revisions take a lot longer, but that's where the story will come alive. But when I draft slowly, I lose the magic.

~Amanda Brice, author, dancer and lawyer

For some reason, that totally got me. Squinting at my computer in wonder, I considered each manuscript I'd started. Certain Suspicions, finished in one month but needing so many edits it was a year [at least] before I started something longer than a prompt [500 words or less]. Of course, I didn't know anything about writing then.

Since I know so much now [insert sarcastic tone], I wonder if I could successfully combine a Fast Draft with that dose of knowledge [and not call it internal editing]. Because isn't that the point of a Fast Draft? To lose all that internal editing--the very voice in your head telling you not to move forward until you've fixed it?

I want to, so badly, do a quick writing exercise like that but I REALLY like that, although not perfect, my manuscripts have become more readable. I do spend time editing as I write. It's almost impossible for me not to, but my revisions seem surmountable at the end. Like Amanda stated, I can enjoy the revisions for the creative quality they lend, yet after several weeks, i'm not being driven crazy by the tedium of what seems to be common mistakes. I.E. using words like that, just, and almost, or words such as was, or even the dreaded tellings of heard, saw, felt...

The editing is more reasonable but certainly not nonexistent. I'll forever be removing unnecessary punctuation, adding description, or fixing typos--that's a big one, though. I can not, have never been able to get past a typo without going back and fixing it. I use the shift key to start a sentence and because my Word is screwy, i'm often tabbing my paragraph starts. I'm thinking I might be a lost cause.

I really can't imagine getting it done.

But I think I'm going to try. Starting in November with the Novel in a Month.

That's my goal. Now I just have to figure the rules. Make sure I'm not breaking any.

What is your motivation in a Fast Draft?

Lady

This really is one of my favorite songs.

Not the best performance I've heard, but the words are the same. ;)

Happy Mother's Day!

Poetry

Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen Things the kids loved about The Science Museum 1.... The Hamster Wheel - is really hard to get that human size wheel to turn! 2. The bathrooms - the tiles were really cool! rocks in the boys, water in the girls. 3. Elevator number one - a glass one, you could see everything! 4. Elevator number two - had psychadelic patterns in the metal surface. 5. The drinking fountain - what is it about a water fountain, anyway? 6. The twirly coin toss - of which they emptied my pockets before we left. Oh right... 7. There was the big Dinosaur that moved. Scared the crap out of Thomas but he got over it. 8. The Tornado - very cool 9. The computer games - after this exhibit, I was hardpressed to get Thomas interested in anything else. 10. The really gross vidoes of transplanting organs, a heart - EW. 11. A walk across I64 - standing on glass while cars zoomed under. 12. We ALMOST built an arch - we were just too short! 13. The kids LOVED knowing how much it cost to send them to the moon - it was appropriate for Thomas as I was ready to. LOL. Love that kid, he's just three that's all. Oh, and I have to do one more... 14. Standing under the ledge of the roof as water poured off. Fun, lots of fun.

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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!

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Family Ties and Other Oddities in Writing

Or, my take on it, anyway.

Earlier today a fellow writer contacted me. She wanted to know if I knew a David Strasser from Ramsey, NJ. Of course, I married a Strasser, so what do I know, right? The name wasn't familiar so I sent out an email to the clan asking, Does anyone know a David Strasser?

My sister-in-law replied,

There was a doctor at Rainbow Babies and children's who was a David Strasser from NJ, the rest of his family was from Erie....... he and I spoke about the fact that we were probably 32rd cousins 4th time removed.

How odd, I thought. This world is really small!

Which led me to think of World Building. [don't ask. I'm not sure how my brain works, either.]

Do I consider myself a World Builder? No, I suppose I don't. I don't write Science Fiction or Fantasy or Paranormal. I write contemporary [usually, with some vintage thrown in for good measure]. But Gosh Darnit! I want credit for the things I've created!

I'd like to point out the fact that readers and writers alike, we all have some sort of family. Traditional or not, we have people we relate to on a daily basis [okay, not you, Hermit, but most of us].

I world build when I create family.

I think Nora Roberts would agree [and if I could get her to comment on this, wouldn't that be cool?]. Her stories contain an element that will always draw me back... Relationships. I can't think of a single story that doesn't involve some family. I love this about her books.

Creating relationships, settings, conflicts... all part of a story that wouldn't exist without the characters, the family.

What do I ask of my hero and heroine when I create their world?

~Do they have siblings?

~How many?

~What are their professions?

~Do they have parents living?

~Where do they live?

~Who gets along?

~Who doesn't get along?

~Do they resemble their families?

~Do they have friends in common?

~Where did they meet?

~If they've known each other long, how have their impressions of each other changed?

What do YOU ask of your characters when creating their worlds?

Born Today

Celebrating OUR INDUSTRY -- Publishing, Writing, Journalism... The people who came before us.



1715 - Richard Graves, English Poet and Novelist



1772 - Friedrich Arnold Brockhaus, German publisher
Now, that's the face of intimidation! So, bring it on Mira!

1852 - Alice Liddell, family friend of Lewis Carroll and possible character model for The Alice in Wonderland

Alice, in costume, dressed as a beggar.

1916 - Jane Jacobs, American-Canadian author and activist

1938 - Carlos Monsivais, Mexican writer

1956 - David Guterson, American novelist

Fiction Friday

I'm not actually linked to Romance Round Table this week, but feel free to stop over there for more great excerpts!

A bit from Morgan Lawrence's story.
He's a loner.
Scarred by the unthinkable.
Samantha, returned home to start a new life.
Strong by necessity.
Can she love the man who broke her heart so many years ago?
Will his hatred for her father stand between the first love he ever had?

~~~~~~~~~

Samantha's smile was soft and warm on her freckled face. Her brown hair, with hints of blonde, mahogany and gray, was conveniently cut very short. It highlighted her long neck and high cheekbones. She was stunning but rarely saw what others did when she looked in her mirror.
None of that mattered now as she felt the heat of embarassment rise on that very same neck.

She always waited until very late to go to the store with her WIC coupons. Although, she was more than grateful for the extra help the state program lent, she hated swallowing her pride in front of her peers. Okay, so it was usually only Sandy at the cash register who ultimately would, by any means necessary, avoid making eye contact with her. Sam wanted to stand up on her soapbox and yell for all to hear that, yes, she was on welfare. She was using any help she could get to keep her baby healthy and safe. She felt her embarassment recede only to be replaced by indignation.

She would do it again, too, if it meant security for Olivia.

This is temporary, she thought to herself. Jeez.

Samantha had a job, a place to live, a healthy beautiful daughter and, most importantly, a credit card balance that was slowly diminishing. In another five months she would be eligible for benefits at work and would be completely debt free. That is, if nothing went wrong. Sam closed her eyes in a silent prayer for just that. A break please.

When she opened her eyes, Olivia, who was standing next to the shopping cart, was studying intensely the person in line behind them. It made Samantha smile to see her daughter's usually serious face bloom into a smile. With her strawberry blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail Olivia actually looked carefree.

Too many changes, too quickly had taken its toll on Olivia. She had become a subdued little girl who struggled to make new freinds. But Sam couldn't help her own smile that overrode those worries. Seeing Olivia smile like that was more than precious. It was God given.
Without being obvious, Samantha took her receipt and glanced at the person behind her with a grateful smile. She didn't catch how the man's face went from goofy to grownup in that fraction of a second. Olivia giggled.

Morgan watched as the woman's smile faltered. He smiled back in encouragement. "You have a beautiful daughter, ma'am." He saw her hesitation and wondered what he had done to cause her to be so trepidatious.

"Thanks."

With a quick smile Samantha pulled on Olivia's arm and dragged her out of the store.
Morgan watched and grinned when the little girl twisted in her mother's grip to glance back at him. He chuckled softly as she screwed up her face to stick her tongue out and cross her eyes. Ahh, love at first sight.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Dannie McGarry rolled over and draped her arm across her husband's sleeping body. Her hand found his curled up close to his chest and she entwined their fingers. Her cheek rested on his smooth bare shoulder. She loved when he slept without a shirt on. As the sun stretched across the foot of the bed, she disengaged her hand from his and ran her fingers across his abdomen. At her touch he turned onto his back and pulled her into the crook of his arm.

He slept lightly knowing that she would eventually speak to him. It was a habit that at first had driven him crazy. Still did occasionally...

"Samantha Anderson is back in town."

"Hm."

"Her daughter is five. They're living with her father."

"Hmm." He lifted one eyelid.

"What the heck is she doing over there? Doesn't she remember being a kid in that house? How could she possibly want to relive that time?"

Jim rolled into her and rested his head on his arm when she spoke again.

"I'm worried about Morgan... "

"He's a big boy now."

"I know that! I just... I can't stand what seeing her again might do to him. He's been so off lately. Have you noticed how moody he's been?

"When he came to the house the other day, it was the first time in over two weeks. Two weeks, Jim! That's not like him."

"I think, honey, that you're going to have to let Morgan figure things out for himself." He silenced her protest with a kiss. "Here's an idea. Why don't you give Sam a call? Find out how she's doing? No matter what her reason is for moving back in with her Dad, she could probably use a friend."

"Do you think he is still violent with her?" Her question tugged a spot in his heart.

"I don't know, Dannie. He's worn out now and doesn't look well."

As was her routine, she changed topics without warning. "I heard from Kevin last night."

"Hmm."

"He wouldn't say where he was."

"...couldn't."

"Right." She shrugged. "He couldn't say where he was located. He sounds well, though. I just wish the Navy would let him tell us what he was doing. He must be overseas." Jim listened to her speculate on her brother Kevin's career as a Navy Seal.

"Do you think he stills carries a torch for her?"

"Huh? Kevin? Who... he hasn't carried a torch for anyone. He's still playing the field as far as I know. Not that he has all that much time to do even that."

"Not Kevin!" She slapped at his arm. "Morgan. I was talking about his thing for Samantha Anderson when he were in high school."

"Oh." Jim wrapped his arms around Dannie. "You lost me there. I think I fell back asleep." He pulled her to himself. "That's enough talk, woman."

Dannie laughed as Jim rolled her under him. "What makes you go a mile a minute one morning and slow as molasses the next?" She was unpredictable and he loved that about her.

She shrugged her shoulders with a smile. "Will you talk to him and make sure he's okay?"

"If I agree to do this will you stop talking?" He nuzzled her neck, a particularly soft, sensitive spot just behind her ear.

"Mmm. I think I could be persuaded."

She rubbed her lips over his and turned his caress into a long, slow, easy kiss.

"I'll do it than."

~~~~~~~~~~~

"You wore those pants yesterday, Olivia."

"But, I don't have anything else in my drawers!" Olivia hated mornings. She hated arguing with her mom. Why couldn't mom just let her wear whatever she wanted to wear?

Exasperated Samantha turned toward her own bedroom. "They don't even match."

"But... "

"Look. You want to wear them today? Fine. But I'm sick of seeing the same clothing on you everyday. You need to wear all the clothes that I buy for you not just the one shirt and pants that are your favorite."

"Fine." Olivia stomped down the stairs dejectedly.

"Don't stomp you feet and pout, Olivia."

Without revealing herself, Olivia put on an over-enthusiastic grin. "Okay mom," her voice sang as she rolled her eyes.

"And don't roll your eyes, either."

Not quite THE END.