Wuthering Life

They're Called Goals, Not Resolutions

2011-01-03T13:27:00.000-05:00

It's that time of year, and as a person who is too easily seduced by things like lists, I'm not going to start 2011 off with a list of my own. But I can't help the fact that the start of a new year makes people think of all the things they'd like to do in the upcoming year, or the fact that I'm one of those people.

My major goal, as relevant to this blog, is to resume my writing with vigor. To that end, I've added a little motivational tool to my blog to help me stay focused. As you can see from the progress bars to the left, I've got a new untitled work in progress -- a YA supernatural thriller. And I'd also like to have finished my rewrite of ANJIDIA -- which I've decided to break up into three separate novels -- by the end of this year.

Four full drafts is a mighty tall order considering I'll also be job-hunting and relocating, and whatever else life throws at me, but I'm more excited than intimidated. We'll see what the year brings. But I'll be working hard to bring the things I want to myself.

So what's your major goal for 2011? And how are you going to stay motivated?

Here's to 2011

2011-01-02T15:24:00.008-05:00

Well, well, well. Look who's back.

It's been a while, but trust that I never forgot about you all! My time in Korea was an intense experience -- one I wouldn't necessarily want to repeat, but am glad that I had. I'm hoping it'll only serve to help my writing (and job hunting) as I move forward. Only hindsight will tell.

I can't guarantee that my posts will be as regular as we'd all like, but I'll try to post some tidbits and photos of my time in Korea as well as updates about my job hunt/relocation. God-willing, you'll find them amusing. In the meantime, have a safe and happy New Year's weekend.

Oh, and here's a special message from my babies:

Virginia Sue and G.B. say, "Happy New Year!" or "Snap this picture fast, Mom, or we're out of here."

Much love,
Sam

New Year...

2011-01-02T12:54:00.002-05:00

New look.

Stay tuned. I'm still getting my act together.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Embracing Stress

2009-10-31T02:34:00.000-04:00

Hello from the Land of the Morning Calm!

Over the past week, I've been put in some pretty stressful situations (not the least of which was navigating a two-day airport adventure), and it made me think about stress -- specifically how people act when they're stressed.

Some people lash out, becoming irritable and rude. Some people crack and curl up in a ball to cry. Others spiral into depressions and resort to lethargy and solitude to get by. Still others bottle up the stress, seeming to thrive under the pressure only because they are adept at compartmentalizing.

None of this is news. But, it's important to remember that not all of these reactions come from the people you'd expect. The toughest of men become weepers, and the meekest of children become terrors. Too often, I think, authors fall into the trap of stereotyping (or worse, completely ignoring) the reactions of their characters to stressors -- which, lets face it, are the majority of the elements that make up a story.

No two reactions are created equal, and sometimes the diversity of humanity comes from the surprising ways people have of coping with various situations. Keep that in mind the next time Jane Protagonist goes out on a date the same week she finds out her dog died and then has to give an important presentation at work the next day. I know I will.

Super-Mini-Blog: Embracing Travel

2009-10-25T13:20:00.000-04:00

I just wanted to let you all know that I'm alive, and I'm moving to Korea today!

We'll be back to the regularly scheduled program before long. In the meantime, check out my updates regarding Korea over at Dear Korea...

Ciao for now!

Or rather, Annyong kyeseyo!

Super-Mini-Blog: Embracing Random Quotes

2009-09-24T15:56:00.001-04:00

It is not necessary to change. Survival is not mandatory. ~W. Edwards Deming

Embracing a Whole New World

2009-09-14T17:10:00.000-04:00

Since returning from my blogging hiatus, I have alluded to something big happening in the non-writing-world-of-Sam. Finally, I am able to share the news with all of you...

I am moving to Korea to teach English!

Let me preempt one question I know you're all wondering; I don't know when or where I'm going, as I have not yet secured a teaching position.

However, I do know that I've given notice at work, I've told my apartment complex that I'll be out by October 31, and I've told my family.

What does this mean for Wuthering Life? Nothing. I will still be here, and I'll still be writing. If anything, this experience is only going to make my writing life richer.

If you are curious about my Korean adventures, please feel free to stop over at my new blog, Dear Korea..., and check out my letters to the land I will soon call home.

If you're not interested, I'll see you back here for more adventures in Wuthering Life.

Embracing My Five

2009-09-11T15:44:00.001-04:00

I'm hoping to get back to Freaky Fridays before long, but I thought that this dreary and oh-so-important Friday could use some positivity and hope.

What better day than the anniversary of a national tragedy to begin my journey to making a positive difference in the world?

So after much delay, I present my five:

Encourage others to pursue their dreams. Of all the things that I'm grateful to my nearest and dearest for, this is the one that tops the list. Having the faith and support of those around me has made a greater impact in my life than almost anything else. I know that I would not be where I am today with encouragement and kind words. I want to do that for others, and to do it more often.
Lead by example. It may not seem like a particularly philanthropic goal, but it might very well be the hardest of my five for me to live by. As Mahatma Gandhi said, "Be the change you want to see in the world." Too often, we forget that it's only by allowing ourselves to be happy and prosperous that we can even begin to help others to achieve the same.
Pay more attention. When I begin to think about what I can do to help – to help the world, to help the impoverished, to help the distraught, to help the hopeless – I realize how little I know. Because of the pessimistic, never-point-out-the-good-in-life nature of news (particularly American news), I avoid it almost completely. But if I want to make a difference, I can't tune out the bad. I have to pay attention in order to spot an opportunity to act.
Be mindful. Every day I ignore opportunities to reduce, recycle, or reuse. I know all of the little tricks that can lead to less energy or water consumption, to less pollution, to less waste. It's time for me to take those extra few minutes to take my recycling out. It's time for me to find places to donate old clothing/equipment/furniture/etc. instead of throwing it out. It's time for me to do what I know I should be doing anyway.
Reach out. Whether it's an e-mail from a long-lost friend, a phone call from a relative on a non-holiday, or a compliment from a perfect stranger, it feels good to make connections and be acknowledged. I don't do that nearly enough, and I plan to change that.

How can you change your life, and the world, for better in five ways?

Super-Mini-Blog: Embracing Thought Provocation

2009-09-10T15:18:00.004-04:00

Kimberly over at Oceanside Praise posted a very interesting question on her blog today, and I'd like to pose it to all of you:

Are dreams just the opposite of our deepest fears?

(Check out her blog comments for my thoughts, but feel free to discuss wherever.)

Embracing What's Come Before

2009-09-09T07:06:00.002-04:00

Merriam-Webster defines original (adj.) as "not secondary, derivative, or imitative" or as "independent and creative in thought or action".

M-W defines an archetype (n.) as "the original pattern or model of which all things of the same type are representations or copies".

When we look to the ever-helpful Wikipedia for guidance, we learn that Tolkein's beloved Gandalf is an archetypal figure himself, the wizard-as-advisor, of the likes Merlin — who himself was quite possibly modeled after religious authority types (like Odin).

Hold up, JRR Tolkein, the father of modern fantasy, was unoriginal? His main characters had been done before? His venerated series is allegory?

You may be wondering why the Hell I'm giving you a vocab lesson. The truth is, I think that we (writers, agents, etc.) can use the reminder. There is a big difference between the use of an archetype and a lack of originality.

The goal of a work of fiction, as far as I am concerned, is to pull something new and exciting out of those old stories and characters – out of the familiar. That balance of new and old is what makes a great story great, in part at least.

We've got to move past the anything-with-a-school-is-like-Harry-Potter and anything-with-a-butt-kicking-female-protagonist-is-a-Buffy-rip-off reactions. See stories for what they are, and if they're good enough, it won't matter how many tropes the author used.

Embracing Author Interviews: E Van Lowe

2009-09-01T16:06:00.010-04:00

Uh, in lieu of my five and in celebration of Zombie Week, I have brought you a peace offering:

E Van Lowe and his debut YA novel, NEVER SLOW DANCE WITH A ZOMBIE !

A Little About E:

Bronx-born, LA transplant, E Van Lowe, began writing at the age of 10 and hasn't stopped since. A graduate of Lehman College and the University of Southern California, E sold his first short story to a romance magazine while still a student. He has gone on to write for many award-winning TV shows including: The Cosby Show and Even Stevens. He also co-wrote the Academy Award nominated short film, Cadillac Dreams.

A Little About the Novel:

NEVER SLOW DANCE WITH A ZOMBIE is E's first teen novel, but it won’t be his last. E still has lots of important, and weird, thoughts to share with readers. It hit shelves August 18!

The Blurb:

On the night of her middle school graduation, Margot Jean Johnson wrote a high school manifesto detailing her goals for what she was sure would be a most excellent high school career. She and her best friend, Sybil, would be popular and, m

ost important, have boyfriends. Three years later they haven't accomplished a thing!

Then Margot and Sybil arrive at school one day to find that most of the student body has been turned into flesh-eating zombies. When kooky principal Taft asks the girls to coexist with the zombies until the end of the semester, they realize this could be the perfect opportunity to live out their high school dreams. Now all they have to do is stay alive...

The Assessment of Yours Truly:

Margot is awesomely horrible!! Maybe she deserves a PhD in Horribleness?
Translation: As a protagonist, Margot is an incredibly refreshing twist on the shallow, but unnoticed, teen who wants nothing more than to have it all. Instead of being empty and "what adults think unpopular teens are like," Margot was conflicted about her increasing bad girl behavior almost from the start. But she did horrible, mean girl things anyway – a sad, but true fact about some teenaged girls, and executed very creatively.
Lovelovelove the relationship between Margot and Syb!
Translation: While Syb is the basic sidekick, less-dominate character, the genuine sweetness and goodness about her was the perfect compliment to Margot's increasing selfishness and self-delusion. They worked together very well without feeling over-the-top or like a "because I said so" relationship. (Sub-translation: When an author decides that things "just are" and never really shows the hows or whys.)
Very, very bizarre, but in a good way!
I wasn't sure what to expect, but with a title like NEVER SLOW DANCE WITH A ZOMBIE, I suppose I shouldn't have been surprised by some of the things Margot did. It read a lot like a situational comedy, and that was something I wasn't used to. It's something I love about television and didn't realize was missing from books...until now!
All-in-all, I couldn't put it down, and that's really the litmus test for books as far as I'm concerned. E surprised and delighted me, and really, what more can a girl ask for? Except maybe a zombie boyfriend. ;)

The Interview:

Writing...is the elixir that keeps me young and vibrant.

My favorite part of the publishing process (so far) has been...seeing my first copy of the ARC. I was on cloud nine.

My least favorite part was...rewrites. I can't tell you how many times that danged book came back. At times I thought it was a homing pigeon.

Without my agent...I wouldn't be a published author. That's for sure.

The best thing my editor suggested was...the summer camp story from the book. It's something that really happened to her. Capturing her pain helped me with Margot.

My greatest writing asset is...my computer? Why do I suddenly feel like I'm back in high school, taking a test, and failing? LOL. That's my answer, and I'm sticking to it.

NEVER SLOW DANCE WITH A ZOBMIE is like...Mean Girls meets Shaun of the Dead.

Margot's biggest problem is...that she hasn't gotten over a past hurt. The pain is what shapes who she is in the story, and until she gets past it she can't become a better person.

Don't read this book if...you are a hard core zombie fan, or don't like light-hearted stories.

If I were a zombie and had to choose between brains and flesh, I'd eat...brains. I'm not a meat-eater.

The best zombie movie EVER is...28 Days Later!

Come zombie apocalypse time, I won't be able to live without...books and movies, and pizza.

If I had to be back in high school, I'd...hopefully realize that others are going through exactly what I'm going through. That definitely would make it easier.

If I had to be back in high school, with zombies, I'd...probably try to find a cure. Zombies are not fun, and I like fun!

Zombies...represent the ultimate in getting along and tolerance. Margot says: "...they don't snark at each other, or gossip behind each other's backs, or get jealous when their friends like a cute boy. They have one thing in common–they're zombies. But we kids have a whole lot in common, shouldn't it be easier for us to hang together?" We humans can learn a few things from zombies.

****

For the record, I would like to state that, though this blogger believes in peace and harmony, if forced to choose: UNICORNS RULE, ZOMBIES DROOL!

Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed having E here as much as I did. Class, say, "Thank you, Mr. Van Lowe!"

If you want to know more about E or NEVER SLOW DANCE WITH A ZOMBIE (in stores now, people!!), his Web site and blog are great places to start.

Please stay tuned for more author interviews in the future, and don't forget to pick up your copy of this hilarious book today!

Super-Mini-Blog: Embracing Beautiful Art

2009-08-31T09:57:00.004-04:00

I will post my five today. But in the meantime...

Kat Kuhl, a dear friend of mine, takes amazing photos. (See below.)

In order to pressure her to "takez moar fotoes plzkthxbai!" I would like you all to visit her Flickr gallery and pester/encourage her.

That is all.

Mini-Blog: Embracing Living Your Five

2009-08-26T11:49:00.003-04:00

Living Your Five is an amazing initiative I stumbled across today thanks to Alyson Noël, whose Immortals series is keeping me very entertained at the moment.

In a nutshell, "Living Your Five is about making the world a better place, one person at a time. It's about understanding what you care about most and how you can make a positive difference in the world."

I think this is a fabulous idea, and I'm writing out my list as soon as I've finished the post. (You can expect it to be up in the next day or two.)

What are the five most important things to you?

How can use those five things to change yourself, or the world?

Are you living your five?

Super-Mini-Blog: Embracing Essays

2009-08-25T13:30:00.003-04:00

Sarah Rees Brennan posted a very interesting essay about how female characters are represented and perceived in literature. I'm not sure I agree with all of the points, but she makes some very fine ones.

Read it!

That is all.

Mini-Blog: Embracing the Unforgettable

2009-08-20T09:34:00.005-04:00

As summer shows come to an end, I've started thinking about what keeps me coming back for more, and what keeps me thinking about characters long after the shows have gone on hiatus or ended. But, most importantly, I'm wondering what allows me to let them go.

Or, in book terms (since this is a writing-related blog), what is it about Cathy and Heathcliff or Atticus Finch that makes them so memorable, but doesn't have me clamoring for TO KILL ANOTHER MOCKINGBIRD or RETURN TO WUTHERING HEIGHTS?

...Wait, you mean someone actually had the nerve to write a sequel to Brontë's masterpiece? *vom*

Ahem.

What I'm talking about is a truly incomparable literary moment, a figure we can't shake no matter how hard we try, but for whom we are never left wanting. Those are the types of characters, and stories, I aspire to create — their authors the ones I aspire to emulate.

Now if only I could find that magical formula...

Embracing That Damn Cake

2009-08-19T18:00:00.003-04:00

You can't have your cake and eat it too.

I was thinking about that oft-confusing adage recently while perusing the Emmy award nominees list, which got me thinking about all awards, which got me thinking about publishing...and here I am.

How did I connect the two? Well, it was a very complicated train of thought, but here's the gist:

We all want to win awards and become famous and find fortune, but we want to achieve all that while doing whatever we want. I believe we call it "expressing ourselves."

But, there are certain genres, certain styles, certain concepts that are award-winning material (or have mass appeal, or make tons of money), and those that aren't (and never will). For the Oscars it's gain-thirty-pounds-and-sob-on-camera performances and make-the-audience-think-while-depressing-them-to-the-point-of-needing-a-therapist storylines, mostly. And no matter how beloved the "Ocean's" movies and Brad Pitt's Rusty were, they were never going to win Oscars.

Does that mean Soderbergh should have turned the projects down? That Angie should have threatened to leave Brad if he reprised his role for the nth time? Yeah, right.

My point is: why do authors (and creative types of all kinds) so often feel the urge to complain when their "thing" isn't given its due credit? Like short story authors who complain that they're just under-appreciated, or YA authors who bemoan the negative stereotypes that accompany the genre.

To those authors, and to comedians and indie rock bands, I say this: you can either do what you love and roll with it. Or you can do what is loved and be awarded.

Have your cake, or eat it, people. You can't do both. There's no sense in arguing with physics, and I really don't want to hear you try.

PS - Yes, I fully intend to ignore the fact that my last post was almost three months ago. Except for this post script, which is acknowledging it...

Embracing Freaky Fridays: Heathcliff Heathcliff

2009-05-22T08:44:00.008-04:00

Before agreeing to participate in a Freaky Friday, I poked around on this blog. The emphasis everyone here seems to place on choice intrigues me. Never before have I seen such a concentrated amount of optimism in one place. And it is optimism that has this group thinking that people, fictional or otherwise, have free will. There is no "choice" in life; people simply comfort themselves with the illusion of options.

From birth, each person is set on a path—one path—that leads only to his or her final destination. Along that path, there appear to be forks, but just the one path exists.

Imagine a traveler reaches the his final destination and reflects back on his life's journey. Though he may want to believe it, our traveler was never going anywhere other than where he went. As he passed each fork, making a "choice" about his path, he only reinforced the next "choice" he would make, until his life reached its end.

I, for instance, was always going to become Heathcliff Heathcliff. I remember my mother reading WUTHERING HEIGHTS to me around Christmastime every year when I was a child. I never forgot the fascination she had with the character I abhorred, or the words she used to describe him. She said, "Poor Heathcliff. If only he had been able to give up the life he imagined was supposed to be his..."

That vague sentiment came back to me clearly the day I joined the ranks of the Undead. What other name would I have "chosen" for my new life when Miss Xavier asked me to supply one?

Think about it, and you'll realize that all the things you've convinced yourself were choices in your life weren't. You wouldn't be you if you had chosen anything other than what you did.

Your life, your path, already stretches out in front of you. The best you can hope for is that you like it even part of the time.

Embracing Free Will

2009-05-19T07:46:00.006-04:00

Now that the maniacal laughter has subsided... I thought we could discuss free will and our characters' abilities to act on their own. Because I believe that by providing our characters specific personalities governed by specific laws and by allowing them to reside in our subconscious minds, we hand them that proverbial apple.

For non-writers, it's hard to grasp the idea that characters have the ability to act on their own. We've all heard a writer say something along the lines of, "And then Sally decided she wasn't going to break up with Tom, and I had to rethink my entire ending," only to hear non-writers respond with something like, "Sally's not real. You control her. Just write her breaking up with him."

If we embrace reality long enough to be honest with ourselves, the reason behind this behavior can be boiled down to one sentence: the author didn't have a firm grasp of the character when planning that scene/plot point and discovered at the last minute that it was no longer in-character.

If we're avoiding reality, the reason is equally simple: our characters lash out against us for complicating their lives (no matter how well we have it work out in the end) and do things to intentionally mess up our master plans.

Aryli and her Anjidian companions most certainly fall into that latter category, reality or no.

Throughout the course of the novel, various characters have:

stormed out of rooms when I wanted them to stay and have a conversation;
gone to one locale when I wanted them to go to another;
revealed things I didn't want revealed;
betray characters I didn't intend for them to betray; and
killed characters I didn't intend for them to kill.

I often found myself wondering who was actually telling the story. Based on how much the characters changed my pretty little outline, I'd say it wasn't me.

What have your characters done that messed up your game plan? Or improved it?

Mini-Blog: Embracing Turning into Our Mothers

2009-05-18T16:24:00.002-04:00

I am God.

Thank you, Litgirl01 and Beth, for helping me realize that this morning.

I can create. I can destroy. I can shape destinies and control lives. I am the ultimate mother. I can say, "Because I said so."

Remember that, Aryli, when you want me to explain how you traveled from Point A to Point B.

Remember that, Draven, when you insist on monologuing about your troubled childhood.

Remember that, Sam, when you start letting the characters walk all over you...

Embracing Freaky Fridays: Ilyra

2009-05-15T23:55:00.002-04:00

Despite the fact that Sam almost forgot about me... I have agreed to pop by here and share whatever I want with you.

So I've decided to talk about advice—more specifically, knowing when to listen to the good advice of others, who obviously have more common sense than you, and knowing when to show a little spine and make up your own mind. If you were wondering, no, I'm not directing this at any one in particular, Aryli.

Let's take Sam for example.

She just entered the first 250 words of Aryli's story into some contest for something. If you don't know what I'm talking about check a couple of posts ago, because, frankly, the whole publishing thing confuses me. Besides, I'm still not sure how exactly Sam got her hands on that story in the first place. I mean, don't you people have rules about using other people's lives without their permission to tell stories? And don't think I don't see through that whole calling it "a novel" thing. Please.

Where was I? Oh, right... Sam as an example. She's gotten all this feedback on the opening, and she's printed it out. Now what?

On the one hand, books are written for readers. These commenters are readers. But, just because some anonymous Internet reader thinks she's an authority on all things pertaining to first pages, does that mean Sam should start changing everything blogposter1 didn't like?

(By the way, Sam, obviously the answer is no. I'm not sure how well my sarcasm comes through on this thing, but I was rolling my eyes. This is why in-person conversation is SO much better. Ugh.)

On the other hand, clearly these people don't know what Aryli's story is about, and they don't know were it's headed—like Sam does. Does that means she should just laugh at their ignorance, call them fools, and burn their comments in a trash can?

(Okay, Sam, not only is that dangerous, but I've never heard you mention winning any of those fancy writing awards you people crave. It's not like you're so much better than other writers that you get to sneer down at them from your ivory tower. Plus, this is Aryli's story. You damn well better make it the best it can be, especially the parts with me. Speaking of which, I've got a bone to pick. See me after, young lady.)

Anyway...where does that leave Sam and her helpful (or not) comments? Should she just continue staring at them and ANJIDIA hoping they magically address themselves?

...

No, really, that was a question. If I told you the answer, then this wouldn't be a post about advice. It'd be one about answers. Obviously.

Fine, I will say this: If a majority of readers are saying the same things, then it's no longer "one person's opinion"; it's crossed over into public opinion territory. I'll let Aryli or Miqqal tackle a conversation about public opinion some other day. But even I know that you can't ignore public opinion if your goal requires it to succeed. And you can't argue with it. All you can do is locate its source and start making changes, which will always take time.

Have fun with that.

Embracing Identities

2009-05-14T13:45:00.005-04:00

The writing blogosphere has been abuzz after Nathan B's post about writing as an identity. I read it, found it interesting, and then avoided the comments section of that post like I avoid having to sit next to the smelly guy on the bus in the morning. ("Yes, I realize there is an empty seat, but just look at that view...I think I'll stand, back here, far away.") Anyone who's ever met a writer would know that post was going to call them to arms.

And then I saw people tweet about it. And then I saw people blogging about it. And finally, I collected my thoughts to respond to my dear Captain Monkeypants' post about it, only to realize that my "comment" had rambled on to the length of a blog post. So here we are.

My thoughts on the matter are this:

I got from Nathan's post that he was referring more specifically to writers' attitudes toward themselves re: rejection once they cross the line into identifying themselves as "Writers"—as in they respond to "so what do you do?" with "I'm a Writer."

I think that, sadly, unless you have a paycheck coming in to back that claim up, you're messing with fire (which is why I don't tell people I'm "a Writer"). At the end of the day, a paycheck is validation. I am an Office Manager. Every other week, my boss pays me to validate that as my role.

When an unpublished author, or even a struggling published one, claims to be "a Writer", he is fundamentally tying his validation to that fact in the questioner's mind, at the very least. The questioner will undoubtedly follow up with "oh, really? what do you write?" meaning "is it in bookstores? have I heard of it? how much have you sold?"

When the implied questions go unanswered due to a lack of impressive details, the questioner becomes a skeptic. She gets that face—the one all writers have seen on some family member, friend, or coworker at one time or another. The conversation fades out into an awkward silence. And the "Writer" feels like crap. (Ditto when critters slam their work. Ditto when agents reject them. Ditto when editors pass.)

Unless I'm wrong about him, I believe that was Nathan's point. Tying your identity to something that so very often has no tangible pay off is a very risky move. Others need to see some results to validate your claim, and identity requires validation.

I could bring some philosophical theory in to this, but I hope you all know what I mean. I'll just leave you with two examples-for-thought.

If I said I was "a Astronaut" and read everything I could about being an astronaut, and trained like astronauts do, but had been rejected by NASA and had never been to space, would I be an Astronaut? Would you think me one?

Would you consider Nathan an agent if he loved repping books—ate, slept, and breathed repping books—but had never sold a single one? Or would you be laughing his reality tv-obsessed @ss right off the internet?

Embracing Secret Agent (Wo)Man

2009-05-13T09:11:00.002-04:00

Authoress is busy posting Secret Agent entries. Exciting, no?

I will be depositing my two cents on as many of the entries as I can, and it'd be cool if you all would do the same. If, while you're there, you happen to stop by Post 12, please feel free to leave your inarticulate and excited "OMG"s and "FANTASTIC!!"s. (The more caps locks and exclamation points, the better! ;)

Seriously, though, it's a great chance to see what's floating around out there in the Queryverse. Those are the first 250 words YA-repping agents are seeing right now. What do you think?

Embracing Linkspam

2009-05-12T12:27:00.004-04:00

If you don't know about Miss Snark's First Victim, click don't - wow, that analogy really doesn't translate well to Internet-speak - um, just go over there and check it out. There, you'll find not only a fantastic blog and a very kind and generous blogger, but also a very supportive community of authors and great contests and other ways to get feedback on your work.

Speaking of contests, this month's Secret Agent contest will feature yours truly. Yes, after a few months of watching these things roll by and never matching being the right fit for ANJIDIA, finally an agent has stepped forward (masked, for now, in anonymity) and called for YA fantasy entires.

Mine will be Post 12, so feel free to stop by tomorrow and offer your feedback on ANJ's 243 words. (Just don't point out any of my flaws in front of the SA, okay? ;)

Boy am I glad that I'm set to wrap up my last run-through for typos and whatnot tonight! What perfect timing...and, yes, this does mean that poor Bassak is gone. We'll always have the first draft, my removed friend.

In other Authoress-related news, her lovely husband just finished a trailer for her book, AGENT: DEMYSTIFIED. I thought it'd be fun to share. It's awesomely ridiculous — the way book trailers ought to be:

Know of any cool book trailers I should check out? Know of any Godawful ones? Man, I saw one last night that took itself WAY too seriously. I wish I could remember the name, but then I'd have to try and remember the trailer itself and...*makes retching noises, very maturely*

Ahem, I have to go back to work now.

Ta!

Embracing Loss

2009-05-11T09:02:00.003-04:00

My excitement about (finally) finishing up "one last" editorial run through on ANJIDIA is back. I actually think having Vituya stop by here helped with that.

Anyway, the return of this excitement led to a very interesting and productive conversation with my beloved roommate and beta reader. I think I may cut one of my tertiary characters from the novel entirely. It will be the most major revision I've made since the second draft. I like the character, but she suggested (and I agree) that divvying up the role this character plays between a couple of my secondary characters will strengthen them without adding unnecessary words. It's brilliant, really.

Alas, farewell, my dear Bassak. You were a good character, and friend. I'm afraid your time has come.

RIP

Embracing Apologies

2009-05-08T13:47:00.004-04:00

So sorry about that.

Vituya is... Well, Vituya was not meant for the blogosphere. Perhaps we'll have more luck with another of the dragon species. Or, maybe I'll see if someone socially inclined will take the reins next Friday.

For the record (and since Vituya was too rude to introduce itself), Vituya is the dragon who saves Aryli when she arrives in Anjidia at the beginning of the novel. Vituya only refers to itself in the third person (as is dragon custom). And, Vituya doesn't have any social skills.

Yeah... choosing it as my first character blogger was really not an inspired choice...

Embracing Freaky Fridays: Vituya

2009-05-08T07:35:00.004-04:00

Vituya does not understand the purpose or utility of blogs and will, therefore, not be participating in this experiment.

The need for humans to be so completely connected to one another completely defies reason. Then again, humans are highly unreasonable, and Vituya has long be unable to make sense of their follies.

Embracing Creative Stimulation

2009-05-07T09:26:00.004-04:00

I think Big Brother Blog has tapped my brain and is syphoning my ideas.

Last night as I was laying in bed, willing my brain to shut down, I had an idea for a weekly blog post. I decided that it would be fun and incredibly helpful for me (and hopefully entertaining for you) if I have one of my characters write a blog post each week — say Fridays.

Well, this morning whilst perusing the blogs I follow, I noticed that something similar is already happening over at Carpe Mousa. It's not that inventive of an idea, but I was still a little disappointed. Why does the universe keep proving to me that there really is no such thing as an original idea?

(A little backstory: Some of you may remember that Nathan B. posted my post about originality the same day I was going to, and then yesterday I was catching up on his blog and discovered that last Thursday he hosted editor/author Rakesh Satyal's post on finding time to write. Sound familiar?)

Anyway, I've dismissed my angst (for now) and will be moving forward with the posts. Regardless of how much of a copy-cat I am being, I like the idea of bringing out my darlings to speak to you about...well, whatever comes to them.

The only decision left is who will be my first victim...er, I mean participant.

Any requests?

Embracing Names

2009-05-06T16:42:00.006-04:00

What's in a name? That which we call a rose

By any other name would smell as sweet."

~ Juliet, Romeo and Juliet (II, ii, 1-2)

There are some names against which I am already biased. There are some names that have associations for me that may never be able to be broken. But I believe that a name is everything, especially in literature.

We can talk about originality all we want, but names are the most basic way by which we irrevocably tie our characters to a gender, or a nationality, or an image, or a feeling, or a persona.

Juliet, for instance, will always be a simpering, apparently brain-dead, 14-year-old girl who gets what she deserves. And, I'm even friends and colleagues with a very smart, mature, and capable Juliet. Still, "Juliet" can't escape it's association with a stupid, impulsive teenaged girl.

Another perfect example is my name, Samantha. In everything I've ever read or seen (on television or in movies), Samanthas are one of two types of people: extremely bitchy and self-centered sexoholics, or tomboyish, but kind-hearted Sams. I can't think of a single exception to this rule (but please share them with me if you have them!) — oh, except (ha!) Samantha of American Girl fame, but I strongly believe she would have grown up to be one or the other (and can make a case for both if you've got time).

What are some names that strike nerves with you? Or always seem to be associated with particular traits or stereotypes? How do you choose names when you create a character? Do you try to honor or oppose the traits typically associated with the name?

Come on, don't be shy!

Embracing Hermitism

2009-05-05T15:32:00.004-04:00

When I wrote ANJIDIA, I had a virtually non-existent social life. I vaguely registered the fact at the time, but I chalked it up to a lot of things — the least of which was a dedication to my writing. That was in Washington state.

Now that I'm back in D.C., and back in the land of the living, I have friends who consider interaction a caveat of continuing said friendship. Instead of a part-time job at which I can write, or at least plot and daydream, I have a full-time job that requires the full atention of my mind and often pushes to 10-hour (even 11- or 12-hour) days.

One of my beta readers, Kat, was in the same position I am now back when I was living on Easy Street. I used to admire her ability to work 40 hours a week minimum, go out with friends, and still make time to read my stuff and write her own. Only now do I realize that I did not give her (or any of you full-time-job-having, non-reclusive writers) the proper amount of awe and worship.

I am tired all the time. I feel guilty choosing to hide in my room typing away instead of talking to my roommate. And, when I finally get the mental energy to pick up my WIP or revisit ANJ, I get slammed (which is what happened last week and why I'm not proudly telling you about how well the new, and still untitled, story is going) and actually don't have the time to write — unless I give up my four hours of sleep.

So you tell me, what works for you? How do you do it?

(Please note: "Suck it up" is an acceptable response, as I realize that I do, indeed, need to suck it up.)

Mini-Blog: Embracing Nursery Rhymes

2009-04-29T10:57:00.002-04:00

Rain, Rain, go away,

Come again another day.

Sometimes I feel like a little girl again. I want to wear my hair in pigtails and splash in puddles and pout when I don't get my way and giggle.

I don't think I ever grew up.

I hope I never do.

Embracing Beginnings

2009-04-28T09:35:00.009-04:00

I'm still toying with the beginning of my latest, and still title-less, WIP. I've already written two different beginnings. Neither of them really sat well with me, but I think (after talking with my ever-supportive roommate) that I've settled on a new way to open the story.

I don't know about everyone else, but openings are the most important part of my writing process. I have never been the type of writer who could "just start" and then go back and revise the beginning. I might cut things (as I did with ANJIDIA), but those first few sentences set up my narrator and his/her/its voice...for me.

That first sentence, first paragraph, first page — they're like a first date. "Hi, I'm your narrator. Here are my attitude, diction, the things I notice, the things I don't." It's a familiarizing process that takes place over time, but all begins the moment I move that blinking cursor with my words.

Anyway, with writing and starting a new story on my brain, I thought it fitting to share some beginnings with you — a few of my faves, a few of my own, and a special commentary by yours truly.

"I have just returned from a visit to my landlord—the solitary neighbour that I shall be troubled with." ~ Emily Bronte, WUTHERING HEIGHTS

Brilliantly establishes two things: 1) This story is not going to be about the narrator, most likely. The focus of this sentence is on someone else — this "troubling" neighbor. 2) This narrator dislikes his landlord and isn't afraid to say it. It also begs a few questions: A) Why is the narrator renting? B) Who is this landlord? C) What's his problem?/Why is he troubling to others?

"Alice was beginning to get very tired of sitting by her sister on the bank, and of having nothing to do: once or twice she had peeped into the book her sister was reading, but it had no pictures or conversations in it, 'and what's the use of a book,' thought Alice, 'without pictures or conversation?' ~ Lewis Carroll, ALICE'S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND

Breaks almost every rule in the book, but also brilliantly sets up that Alice is a curious and shallow type of girl. It also hints that she is the type to get into trouble.

"Geoffrey Barnes prides himself on being a practical man." ~ Sam Elliott, THE ROSE

Opens a short story I had published in college, and hopefully leaves you wondering what's his deal and what does that even mean?

"Instead of enjoying the comfort of the plush private jet smoothly slicing its way through the clear morning sky, Kate Stephan was on the phone, arguing with the President of the United States of America." ~ Sam Elliott, SPIRITS OF CHANGE

Sets up two things: 1) Kate is a badass. 2) This is the type of book in which key players can argue with the leader of the free world and be annoyed by the inconvenience of it — hinting that the scale is going to be VERY large.

"When I returned to Anjidia, I was naked (save for the towel vainly shielding me from the biting wind), standing in ankle-deep mud, and being drizzled on." ~ Sam Elliott, ANJIDIA

Intended to achieve two things: shock and curiosity stimulation. Bam, just like that she's there? We've started? Why yes, dear reader, yes. And that's exactly how she feels. Where's Anjidida? Exactly. Who is she? Exactly. Where is she coming from? Exactly. Why is she back? Ding, ding, ding.

Any thoughts? Wanna share a few of your firsts with the class?

Embracing How I Used to Be

2009-04-27T09:05:00.005-04:00

As the bus pulled up to my stop today, I couldn't bring myself to put the book I'm reading, PRINCESS ACADEMY, into my bag and give it up for the morning. I thought, 'I still have a five minute walk, why shouldn't I keep reading?' And then I walked down the street with my nose stuck in a book, like my beloved Belle.

I used to do that all the time as a child and teen. I would read while walking, while in the car (until I got sick), while in bed until the wee hours of the morning. I don't do that anymore — at least, not with the same frequency.

I have a bachelor's degree in literature. I am an author. Still, I don't read nearly as much as I did when I was 10. I tell myself that I have a (more than) full-time job, a social life, responsibilities. But the truth is that I've changed, not my circumstances.

I had a full-time job back then too. (Don't even try to tell me that school isn't a full-time job. I was far busier back in elementary, jr. high, high school than I've ever been since.) I had friends and after-school activities to contend with. Yet, I managed to read several books a week.

The fact of the matter is that I had my priorities straight back then. I don't know how or when they got crooked, but somehow I lost sight of the things that mattered most (and I'm no longer just talking about books).

Maybe that's why I'm drawn to YA and MG fiction? Maybe there's something inherently wise about a world free of the crap we adults think matter? Maybe that's why less savvy readers dismiss YA and MG as "simplistic" or "less complex"?

Thoughts?

Mini-Blog: Embracing the Good in People

2009-04-24T08:40:00.003-04:00

Not everyone believes that people are fundamentally good. But I'm reminded on a daily basis that it's possible, and those reminders are often the littlest and simplest of things.

For instance:

On my daily walk to the office, I pass a youngish man (late twenties to early thirties) who looks like a lunatic — or worse a peeping tom — to the untrained eye. In reality, he's just got a ritual that looks bizarre if you aren't paying attention.

Every day, as he leaves for work, he exits his townhouse and then steps up to the window and says goodbye to his adorable little son, who's probably about 2. He waves, he makes faces, he blows kisses. And the boy just laughs and laughs.

People are fundamentally good.

TGFI!

Mini-Blog: Embracing ADD

2009-04-22T17:24:00.004-04:00

The universe, as I've experienced it, is not known for its subtlety.

In the past two months, I've had three new story ideas bombard my brain — the latest showing up on my cranial doorstep this very afternoon. I've been largely putting them off so that I could give ANJIDIA the attention it needs to be presented to the publishing world once again. I don't have to tell you all how well that's going.

I fear that soon my mind will become overcrowded to the point of needing to implement some sort of population control. As you may imagine, this idea terrifies both me and my as-yet unwritten characters. (Imagine that camera commercial where the photo-people argue over who'll be deleted this time.)

My latest idea, untitled for the moment, actually seems like a project that could be undertaken in spite of my current schedule, and energy levels. So I'm going to do it.

Those of you reading this blog for more than a week undoubtedly are staring at your computer screens thinking, 'ANOTHER one? How did this chick ever focus long enough to write a novel?!'

My answer is simple: I have no idea.

But, I do know that things cannot continue as they have been and that AFTERLIFE OF THE UNDEAD and SHUT UP AND KISS ME, CUPID (have I mentioned that WIP by name before?) are no where near developed enough to be the catalysts for change I need so desperately.

Wish me luck and continued obsession with this new idea!

...oye...

Embracing 25 Things

2009-04-21T17:36:00.015-04:00

It has recently come to my attention that I may need to cheer things up here at Wuthering Life. (Although, to be fair, the blog's name is pretty depressing. No one should be coming here expecting sunshine and kittehs.)

Considering that, I thought I'd do a lighthearted, fun meme. You know one of those things people are always pestering you about on Facebook and whatnot?

Several potential topics tickled my fancy. 25 Ways I'm Awesome was a top contender, but then I thought it might come across as a tad bit vain. I ruled out 25 Things that Make Me Happy for the same reason. 25 Ways I Don't Want to Die seemed a little too morbid. 25 Reasons Why I'm Doing a Meme Instead of Writing an Original Post seemed a little too obvious. And, 25 of My Favorite Letters seemed unfair to poor U.

Instead, I settled on something more faithful to the original meme.

25 Random Facts about ANJIDIA:

(in no particular order)

I wrote the first draft in 4 weeks.
A hand-drawn map of Anjidia, gifted to me by beloved beta reader, Kim Bowen, hangs in my bedroom.
Earliest beta readers formed two vehement camps regarding Aryli's love interests.
I hoped one of those camps would blow the other to smithereens, because I couldn't decide who Aryli should end up with.
In the end, the characters made the decision for me.
Two of the main secondary characters were never supposed to exist.
Another of the main secondary characters was supposed to be a redshirt.
My mom took news of the death of the character named after her fairly well.
I cut the original opening and rewrote the original ending of the novel.
No one other than those early beta readers will ever read that first draft.
The Redwood National and State Parks, which I visited after I finished the first draft, inspired one of the locations in Anjidia.
I'd written off ANJIDIA six months before I started writing it in earnest in favor of a story that has since been shelved permanently.
The names of the protagonist and antagonist began as placeholders and were an inside joke between one of my best friends and myself; they wound up fitting.
I've planned a prequel and a sequel to ANJIDIA.
Both the prequel and sequel would explore the stories of secondary characters.
My first query for the novel garnered a partial request.
Flyleaf's debut cd, Flyleaf, was a key source of musical inspiration for the novel.
There are 37 songs on my ANJIDIA playlist, and they range from Josh Groban to Metallica.
One of the major plot twists originated from a conversation I had with beta reader, Kat Kuhl; I don't think I would have had that "D'oh!" moment without her.
I only pulled two all-nighters while writing ANJIDIA — one while writing a key climatic scene, and one while writing the last three chapters.
The amazing Sci Fi (excuse me, I mean SyFy) mini-series Tin Man greatly influenced ANJIDIA conceptually and visually (in my head).
One of the secondary characters who was never supposed to exist is named after a character from a poem (styled after medieval lais) that I wrote for my Medieval Lit class in college.
My favorite line from the book is probably: "Blind faith is an incredible thing — an incredible, scary thing."
One plot twist earned me death threats from beta readers (though I'm sure they were issued in jest...probably).
Star Wars is referenced three times in the course of the novel.

So there you have it. Surprisingly, 25 non-spoilerific things were incredibly difficult to think up. The goods news is that climbing through the dusty cupboards of the novel and its history brought up some really great memories. Sadly, it's easy to become so focused on the destination that you forget what you loved about the journey.

If any of you decide to take up the task yourselves, please let me know. I love knowing the Behind-the-Scenes stuff!

Mini-Blog: Embracing Cosmic Irony

2009-04-21T13:38:00.002-04:00

For the past two days, I've been struggling to draft a blog post about originality versus archetypes. I could never quite get the tone right. (I didn't want to come across like a whiny, self-indulgent author.)

Today, just as I'd decided to shelve that blog post and write about something else, Nathan B. tweets that he's updated his blog, which today discusses...original concepts.

WTF, universe? Even my blog post ideas aren't original?

Balls.

Back to the drawing board...

Embracing the Ideas of Others

2009-04-16T15:27:00.007-04:00

In the Twitterverse, it's called re-tweeting (RT). In the "real" world it's called plagiarism, or borrowing if you're being generous.

For the sake of argument, I'm going to call it "guest blogging" (someone else's idea, by the way).

Over at Words, Words, Words, blogger Litgirl01 posed a very interesting question. One I thought worth repeating here at Wuthering Life.

"If you could bring to life a character from one of your stories and hang out with him or her for the day, which one would it be? Why? What advice would you give them? (Include name, personality traits, etc.)"

I commented that I would like to hang out with Kobos, the kind-hearted, intelligent gryphon prince from ANJIDIA. But, in many ways I feel that picking Kobos was a cop-out. Not because he wouldn't be interesting to hang out with, and not because he's not human.

I picked him, because when I started imagining spending 24 hours with the main main characters of my stories, it wasn't pretty.

Though it's hard to think with the indignant shouts of protestation coming from the now offended characters in my head, I'll try to explain.

Most of the central characters in my stories exist for me like children exist for mothers (or so I hear) — as precious newborn babies running around in the world before they've evolved and learned lessons. Spending an extended period of time with them (Sight-seeing? Touring the monuments and museums? Playing Rock Band 2 and eating take-out?) would be a bit...unfun.

No offense to my beloved characters, but really?

If I chose Aryli, the protag of ANJIDIA (an amnesiac would-be ruler), I'd have to spend all day explaining things to her and helping her figure out who she is. Not. Fun.

If I chose Gabrien, the indecisive Captain of the Honor Guard (henchmen of the usurper of Aryli's throne), all he'd care about would be the technology of Earth. It'd be like hanging around with a smart, but very ignorant tech nerd. Not. Fun. (Though, the eye-candy would be nice!)

Draven, rebel-leader extraordinaire, is another great candidate for eye-candy. But, he'd be the worst wet-blanket EVER, and I'd have to resist being very spoilerific.

Miqqal, Aryli's drunken hobo of a father... enough said. Really, Miqqal would be high on the list, because he's a very fascinating man. I feel like he'd be the best conversationalist, were it not for the aforementioned drunkenness and poor hygiene. But, something tells me he wouldn't like me very much. I kind of destroyed his life for the sake of "story". Whoops.

Last, but not least, there's Arybin. Oh Arybin. You are a truly psychotic person. I'm way too scared to ever wish to meet you for reals. Not. Fun. To the extreme.

There are, of course, a plethora of other viable candidates, but I feel that dragons might stick out a little in D.C. (hey, I said might!), and all of my characters from other stories are a little too nebulous for me to trust meeting them right now.

Now, if we're talking about other people's characters... Someone sign me up quick!

DeanWinchesterDeanWinchesterDeanWinchesterDeanWinchesterDeanWinchester. Talk about "fun".

What about you all? Which of your characters could you stand for a day? Etc., etc.

Mini-Blog: Embracing ABNA Top 100

2009-04-15T12:36:00.002-04:00

The next round has been announced.

Stop by the ABNA site to read and review the submissions of the Top 100.

Congratulations to all!

Embracing Tax Day

2009-04-15T09:24:00.006-04:00

There are some things in life that will always be viewed as pains-in-the-butt to be slogged through and resented — like taxes. Very few people (and I withhold any judgment of them) enjoy sitting down with dozens of receipts and forms to enter financial information into little boxes.

I certainly don't. In fact, I put it off for months (completing them only two weeks ago), despite the fact that I received all of my necessary tax documents by the end of January and the fact that I was going to be getting a decent refund. Yes, the IRS owed me money and all that was stopping them from returning that money to me was my own reluctance to fill out a few forms (which only took about 20 minutes, by the way).

What? Is? Wrong? With? Me?

Who drags their feet on receiving money? Apparently, I do. And I know I'm not alone.

It made me start thinking about what else I've been dragging my feet on that could be great for me. And why.

I'll give you three guesses, but I bet you'll only need one.

Writing. And more specifically, revising/editing ANJIDIA so that I can start the query process again and more forward with AFTERLIFE OF THE UNDEAD. The worst part is that it's just like dreading filing my taxes; it can only lead to good things — good things that won't happen if I don't get the editing done. So what's the holdup?

Frankly, it's a frame-of-mind problem. Much like query writing and pitching and really every part of the publishing process that isn't awe-inspired, frantic writing, most writers treat editing/revising like the bane of their existences, like a chore, like something they just have to get through, like a necessary evil.

Were I an author on a deadline, maybe that attitude would make sense. But, considering ANJIDIA has not yet been picked up, this time really provides me a chance not only to improve the manuscript, but also to hang out in a world I love with characters who fascinate me for a little while longer.

I think a revision of my thinking is what's really in order. The question I must ask myself when approaching any task henceforth should be: do I want my refund or not?

To which I shall forever more respond: Yes, please. Thanks!

Embracing Shame

2009-04-09T08:36:00.005-04:00

As an extreme optimist by nature, I have a tendency to see the empty glass as full. Some people might call me delusional, but they've been drinking too much haterade. Please ignore them.

My point is that while most people choose to think of shame as a negative feeling — one to be avoided or overcome — I choose to think of it as a great motivational tool. Take, for instance, this blog entry. It is the byproduct of shame, and a bit of extra energy this chilly April morning. (The ratio is something like 85:15.) Score one for shame.

While I'm here, I suppose I should assure you all that I haven't been dead, just a bit too stressed to go home and get on the internet. However, I have been working on TWO new stories. I'm not very far along on either (and, in fact, I'm currently rewriting the opening of AFTERLIFE OF THE UNDEAD — my VWI novel), but I'm writing. I consider that a pretty big deal, especially since I've been in a writing dry spell since finishing ANJIDIA.

That reminds me, I'm also revising ANJIDIA based on general feedback from ABNA and will be sending out more queries soon. For the record, the "expert" reviews I got for making it past the pitch stage of that contest were possibly the least helpful feedback ever. Apparently, I got reviewers who weren't fans of the YA fantasy genre. It's a shame, but I'm embracing shame. It works out in the end, you see?

Until later... (Although, hopefully a sooner later than last time!)

Mini-Blog: Embracing Thanks

2009-03-14T23:01:00.004-04:00

To everyone who made SEFEVWI a fabulous success, THANK YOU!

It was great to hang out with other writers and feel the metaphorical burn on my long-neglected writers' muscles. You guys are a great group, and I'm glad to get to know you all.

I got over 3,000 words written on my new WIP, AFTERLIFE OF THE UNDEAD. And I couldn't have done it without all of the encouragement and peer pressure. I hope you all feel as accomplished and motivated as I do.

I will definitely be doing this again. So stay tuned!

Until then...

Embracing Sam Elliott's First-Ever Virtual Write-In!!

2009-03-14T08:19:00.003-04:00

Goooooood morning, writers! It's a great day to get some serious writing done.

If you are writing today and want some camaraderie, come join us!

We'll be here from now until late tonight/early tomorrow (depending how well it goes):

http://www.chatzy.com/152176461776

Just remember that if you are going to participate in the madness, manners and kindness are a must! I'm not afraid to use my administrative powers for good.

See you on the other side of several thousand words.

...now if only my roommate would wake up and volunteer to go on a Starbucks run...

Embracing Tomorrow and the Who's Who of SEFEVWI

2009-03-13T09:01:00.008-04:00

[Insert Annie-wannabe singing "Tomorrow, Tomorrow" at the top of her lungs here]

That's right, folks, Sam Elliott's First-Ever Virtual Write-In is almost upon us.

If you're joining in late, details concerning that the heck I'm talking about can be found here and here. Or, if you're a rebel, you can just scroll down and read my posts from a couple of days ago.

Also, after some fiddling around on the Interwebs, I've decided that instead of Meebo, we will be using Chatzy. It seems like much more like what we need for this to go smoothly.

First thing tomorrow morning I will post a link to a private chatroom here on Wuthering Life. Feel free to direct your friends here to have them join us. Come one, come all, right?

OH!

If you are thinking of joining me tomorrow, don't forget to stop by Wednesday's post and give us a little taste of what you're working on, or simply drop a comment on this post saying you're in.

Until then...I have to go figure out the setting to AFTERLIFE OF THE UNDEAD. =/

Mini-Blog: Embracing the Wisdom of Others

2009-03-12T10:04:00.002-04:00

On the multiple personalities of writers:

http://www.frostwriting.com/issues/article/were-just-a-writer/

We couldn't have said it better ourselves.

Embracing Whose What of SEFEVWI

2009-03-11T07:23:00.000-04:00

Okay, VWI participants (or those who might be participating), now's the time to come forward and share a bit about your What (or work in progress, aka WIP) and, if you'd like, yourself.

Since I've heard that you should never ask others to do what you are unwilling to do yourself, I'll go first.

Oh, and if you missed it, don't forget to read yesterday's post on What's What with the VWI.

(A.N. I came up with the concept for this WIP, with the help of my amazing co-plotter, yesterday. I haven't written a word and haven't worked out all, or most, of the details yet.)

Name: Sam

WIP Working Title: AFTERLIFE OF THE UNDEAD

Synopsis: Eighteen-year-old Alice is one of the Undead--clones whose originals have "returned from the dead" (aka awakened from their comas, been found after they've gone missing, returned from war after being listed KIA, or in Alice's original's case, been reunited with her parents after surviving two years of captivity).

With her identity repo'd, Alice is taken in by Mr. Xavier (Mr. X to her), a man working for the company that manages the cloning process and the few Undead in existence. Given that she really has no other interests or identity, Alice decides to follow in her adoptive father's footsteps and become a Handler--one who manages the Disenfranchised Clones, as they are officially known.

Her first assignment: Heathcliff Heathcliff, an Undead whose reported threat level is Alpha, which basically means that he wouldn't hurt a puppy. But, when (plot elements needed) start happening, Alice worries the company's shrinks may have miscalculated, that Heathcliff may be the greatest threat the company's ever seen.

Problems/Areas In Need of Elaboration and Further Thought:

The setting: Near-future? Alternate universe? Contained to Earth (or Earth-like world)? Inter-galactic?
The company's name
What is happening at the company/to the company? What causes Alice to suspect Heathcliff is behind those things?

Etc.: [Insert whatever other information you feel like sharing, pertinent or not, here]

Embracing What's What of SEFEVWI

2009-03-10T12:10:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the What's What of Sam Elliott's First-Ever Virtual Write-In!

I'm going to answer a few What questions regarding the VWI. Hopefully, I'll cover everything, but if you have a What question of your own, just leave it in the comments. I'll make up an answer as soon as possible.

Without further ado...

What's a VWI?

VWI stands for Virtual Write-In. It is a virtual writers' retreat for writers unable to get away from it all physically.
Any writer interested in participating will find a link to the private chatroom I will create by 9am on Saturday, March 14 via Meebo here on Wuthering Life that morning.

What's Meebo?

Meebo.com is a Web site that allows people to sign in to whatever instant messenger platform they use and communicate with users on other platforms. If you're participating, you might want to check out the site beforehand to avoid technical difficulties (as I just found the site last week and won't be able to offer any advice or know-how). But, it seems simple enough.

What's the point?

The point of participating in the VWI can really be whatever you want. Although I can be a bit dictatorial at times, this will not be one of them. However, there are a few reasons that I'm doing it. Feel free to borrow them if you'd like.

I've been stuck in the ruttiest of ruts for the past...many months, and I need something different and extreme to jump start my WIP (work in progress).
I find that writing with other writers present (if only via Internet magic) activates the competitive and prideful areas of my brain, which prevents me from procrastinating or losing focus.
I like making new friends.
I don't have the money/time to go write in a castle in Ireland like some YA authors I could name.
I need to distract myself from the fact that I'll be finding out if I made the ABNA quarterfinals on Monday.

What do participants have to do?

Write. If you choose to participate that's really the only requirement--that you give up a Saturday to put your nose to the grindstone and write for a (mostly) uninterrupted 12-hour period.
However, if you want, you can encourage, challenge, and support fellow participants by answering questions, offering suggestions, and seriously abusing emoticons and exclamation points. I mean! :D

What do participants get out of it?

Um, quality time with yours truly? Sadly, I don't even have the design prowess to create cute little widget/icon that you can post on your blogs and Web pages. BUT, that doesn't mean that the VWI isn't worth your time or that you won't be getting anything out of it. It just means that what you're getting won't be...material. Here are a few things that you could get, though:

A novel - If you write 10,000 words per hour for the whole 12 hours, then it's absolutely possible.
A soul mate - Hey, you never know who might be joining us!
A cookie - Just send me a request with your preferred type of cookie along with an SASE...

All joking aside, you'll be getting to have the minds of however many writers join us at your disposal (temporarily, of course). If you get stuck on a new character name and need a suggestion, we'll be there. Not sure if a description will give readers the correct impression? We'll be there. Work well under tight deadlines and need a push? My word sprints will be there. As I've said before, this VWI will be what we make it.

What happens if a participant invites some friends over to join him/her in person as well as online?

I'll send my hitman after you.
OR I'll send you an extra cookie per friend you bring aboard, provided you send me the extra SASEs of course. ;)
Seriously, I can't say this enough: SEFEVWI is open to one and all. Tell as many of your writing buddies as you'd like, and feel free to meet up with them in person if that works for you. Just don't let them distract you!

I think that's about all the Whats I can think of. Feel free to bury me in questions.

Tomorrow, or (as is more likely) Thursday, I will post the Whose What of SEFEVWI --a chance for participants to introduce each other to their WIPs so that we can dive right in on Saturday morning.

Until then...

Mini-Blog: Embracing the Accomplishments of Others

2009-03-10T07:22:00.005-04:00

Happy Release Day, Carrie!!!

Don't forget to pick up your copy of THE FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH today! Borders will definitely be my first stop after work. Click the book cover to buy it from Amazon.com.

Critics are saying...

"...reminiscent of the paragon of the genre, George Romero's 1968 film Night of the Living Dead...Ryan's vision is bleak but not overly gory; her entry in the zombie canon stands out for how well she integrates romance with flesh-eating."
—Booklist

"Mary's observant, careful narration pulls readers into a bleak but gripping story of survival and the endless capacity of humanity to persevere...Fresh and riveting."
—Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

"A post-apocalypse romance of the first order, elegantly written from title to last line."
—Scott Westerfeld, author of Extras and Leviathan

"Intelligent, dark and bewitching, The Forest of Hands and Teeth transitions effortlessly between horror and beauty. Mary's world is one that readers will not soon forget."
—Cassandra Clare, author of the Mortal Instruments trilogy

"Opening The Forest of Hands and Teeth is like cracking Pandora's box; a blur of darkness and a precious bit of hope pour out. This is a beautifully crafted, page-turning, powerful novel. I thoroughly enjoyed it!"
—Melissa Marr, bestselling author of Wicked Lovely and Ink Exchange

"Dark and sexy and scary. Only one of the Unconsecrated could put this book down."
—Justine Larbalestier, author of How to Ditch Your Fairy

Mini-Blog: Embracing Decision-Making

2009-03-09T15:49:00.005-04:00

Happy Monday, my peeps! (<--No good, you say? Being addressed like that makes you feel like a pastel marshmallowy treat? Okay, I'll try again...)

Happy Monday, everyone!

I'm interrupting this regularly scheduled work-day to bring you a quick VWI update.

Sam Elliott's First-Ever Virtual Write-In is on!

I've decided that I'm going to hold it this Saturday, March 14, beginning at 9am EST, and if it works out, I will hold another later in the month or in early April. I'm a dedicated enough author to give up more than one Saturday, right? Right!

I will post more details here on Wuthering Life as I make them up...I mean, as I...no, I meant make them up. Tomorrow you can expect a What's What post on the VWI, and Wednesday or Thursday you can expect a Whose What post (and feel free to pester me if they don't appear!). There might be a Who's Who post on Friday, but only if you all seem interested. Some of you might prefer to remain semi-anonymous, which is totally fine by me.

Just remember a few things:

The VWI is meant to be a time for productivity, fun, and camaraderie.
The VWI is open to anyone--BYOWF, remember?
The VWI is like a toddler just finding her legs. Be prepared to catch her if she stumbles.

Until tomorrow...

Mini-Blog: Embracing Friday

2009-03-06T09:49:00.002-05:00

I don't want to jinx myself, but today's looking pretty good. I thought I'd share a few of the reasons why my mood is ridiculously good right now.

Free Bagel Friday at Einstein Brothers Bagels
No need to wear a scarf, gloves, or a hat for my morning commute
A place for me to sit on the bus
Casual Friday at work
It's FRIDAY!

Thank you, that is all.

Embracing Virtual Write-In Logistics

2009-03-05T21:35:00.005-05:00

I just learned that Carrie Ryan, Ally Carter, and 8 other YA authors are going on a writers' retreat, to Ireland, to a castle, for a week.

...

In addition to the intense feelings of utter jealousy this information causes, I feel a renewed drive to make the Virtual Write-In happen. My apartment's den may not be as scenic as an Irish castle, but it's not as drafty or as dusty either. :P

Anyway, my resolve has led me to make a few executive decisions.

Because I'm an "early-bird", SEFEVWI will last from 9 a.m. EST until the last participant crashes on an upcoming Saturday/Sunday, date to-be-determined. (See the poll to the right.) Participants are welcome to join when they are able and leave as-needed, though the idea is to spend the day writing.
I'll create a private (password protected) chat room on Meebo.com, which allows for people to sign in and join rooms using AIM, MSN, Yahoo!, ICQ, gtalk, Myspace, and Facebook instant messengers. Hopefully everyone interesting in joining us has at least one of those, if not more *coughlikesixoutofsevencough*. If not, it takes about 5 minutes to create an account on AIM. Suck it up, people.
A few days before The Big Day, I'll post a blog entry listing the pertinent details about the WIP (work-in-progress) that I'll be working on during the VWI. You all can then share yours via comments, and then we'll all be on the same page the day of and not have to waste time explaining the details. (Thanks for the great idea, Kage!)
Sometime soon, I'll post an entry about the VWI's etiquette and "rules", which you all should feel free to contribute to. But, to ease your minds, I don't think that this thing is going to need to be moderated as much as it will need some direction.
This VWI is BYOWF (Bring Your Own Writer Friends). The more the merrier, as far as I'm concerned.

I think that's it for now. Thoughts?

Embracing a Virtual Write-In

2009-03-04T18:46:00.009-05:00

I have an idea, prompted by this blog post by my new friend E. Van Lowe, and it's an idea that requires audience participation--specifically writers-in-my-audience participation.

E. was discussing social media and its negative affects on his word counts. Over at the ABNA forums, besides imploding (or perhaps because of it), people have begun discussing ways to pass the time until we get the first round of results.

Now, I don't know if its just me, but I have been having the hardest time trying to close the world off long enough to get to it already with my next novel. So I started thinking that maybe that's exactly what I need--to get away from it all. But maybe I don't have to get away from it all by myself. Maybe some of you feel the same?

What I'm proposing is this: Sam Elliott's First-Ever Virtual Write-In.

The SEFEVWI would consist of anyone (and everyone) interested in joining equally desperate and dedicated writers to put in a solid day's worth of serious writing. Starting bright and early, say 9 a.m., on an upcoming Saturday or Sunday, we would all "unplug" (except from each other via some instant messaging tool--I'm accepting ideas) for 12 hours (coming and going as necessary of course) and offer each other support, and maybe a little peer pressure, to write as much as possible. We could also share word counts and/or excerpts, bounce ideas off each other, call for prompts, whatever we want and/or need.

Basically, I'm envisioning a writer's workshop and lock-in combined and hosted on the interwebs. If you (and any of your writing partners, critique partners, grandmothers) are interested, leave me a comment/e-mail me to let me know which weekend(s) you'd be available and which IM platforms you use. (I'm thinking that'll be the best way to communicate with each other, but again, I'm open to other ideas! But, please don't say web cams...they freak me out.)

This idea is very rough and came to me today. Please don't be shy about offering up suggestions/insights/etc. I just think it'd be great to get together with other writers (some new faces, and some old) and use our collective voices to call forth the muses and "get 'er done," as Larry the Cable Guy would say.

What do you think?

Mini-Blog: Embracing...Holy Moly, is it Wednesday already?

2009-03-03T23:25:00.001-05:00

I was thinking that it was about time to update my blog (Thanks again for joining us, Carrie!!). And then I realized that it's been almost a week. What happened to the last five days of my life?

I feel as though I've been in a fog or something for the past few days, going through the motions and not really registering anything. The strangest thing is, there was no catalyst. I just went on autopilot last week and didn't even realize it.

Très bizarre.

I think all of this interacting with zombie authors (authors who write about zombies, not authors who are zombies...then again...) is starting to rub off on me.

Anyway, I just wanted to say that I'm back among the living and should return to my regularly scheduled madness soon.

Embracing Author Interviews: Carrie Ryan

2009-02-27T10:42:00.025-05:00

I promised you something special, and I am here to deliver...an interview with 2009 debut author, Carrie Ryan!

A Little About Carrie:

A Greenville, South Carolina native, Carrie is a litigator-turned-writer. (Come now, we here at Wuthering Life don't hold the past against people. What matters is that she's better now!). She and her fiancé currently live in Charlotte, North Carolina with their two fat cats and one large puppy. And apparently, they are not at all prepared for the zombie apocalypse. (Tsk, tsk!)

A Little About the Novel:

THE FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH is Carrie's debut young adult fantasy. It arrives on bookstore shelves March 10, 2009.

The Blurb:

In Mary's world, there are simple truths.

The Sisterhood always knows best.

The Guardians will protect and serve.

The Unconsecrated will never relent.

And you must always mind the fence that surrounds the village. The fence protects the village from the Forest of Hands and Teeth.

But slowly, Mary's truths are failing her. She's learning things she never wanted to know about the Sisterhood and its secrets, and the Guardians and their power. And, when the fence is breached and her world is thrown into chaos, about the Unconsecrated and their relentlessness.

Now she must choose between her village and her future, between the one she loves and the one who loves her. And she must face the truth about the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Could there be life outside a world surrounded by so much death?

The Interview:

(Note: When I asked Carrie to complete the following sentences, I gave her explicit instructions to not upstage me on my own blog. She disregarded those instructions. I'm currently trying to think of ways to get back at her.)

Writing...makes time stand still.

My favorite part of the publishing process (so far) has been...seeing people excited to read my next book and liking it when they do read it.

My least favorite part was...waiting. LOTS of waiting and not being sure what comes next.

Without my agent...I'd be utterly lost and confused!

The best thing my editor suggested was...to add contractions to the book (I'd originally written without any). It was a tough decision, but ultimately I think it reads better.

My greatest writing asset is...being in the scene I'm writing, seeing what the main character sees and feeling what she feels (hopefully!).

THE FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH is like...The Village meets Dawn of the Dead.

Mary's biggest problem is...trying to figure out how to go after what she wants.

Don't read this book if...you're expecting "Buffy" but with zombies.

If I were a zombie and had to choose between brains and flesh, I'd eat...brains, though then I'd have to crack the head open, which could be a pain.

The best zombie movie EVER is...(Trick question! They all rock!)

Come zombie apocalypse time, I won't be able to live without...JP, my fiancé. And some sort of weapon.

If I had to be on a reality TV show, I'd choose...Amazing Race, that way I'd be able to really see some cool places!

If I had to be on a reality TV show with zombies, I'd choose...Man vs. Wild — that Bear Grylls could have everything under control in a heartbeat! Or Top Chef, for two reasons: lots of cutlery to use as weapons and a way to cook the brains!

Zombies...rule, unicorns drool.

(The opinions and views contained in this interview are not the opinions of the blogger...particularly since said blogger's own novel contains unicorns, and everyone knows that flesh is better than brains! Wait, that came out wrong...)

Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed having Carrie here as much as I did. Class, say, "Thank you, Miss Ryan."

If you want to know more about Carrie or THE FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH (on sale March 10, people!!), her Web site and blog are great places to start.

Please stay tuned for more author interviews in the future, and don't forget to buy me...I mean yourself...a copy of FHT a week from Tuesday!

Embracing Criticism

2009-02-26T07:11:00.000-05:00

As you may well remember, I have posted Chapter One of ANJIDIA on CreateSpace in conjunction with ABNA. It's open to any and all comments, and I've been pleasantly surprised by the feedback. Most is incredibly helpful, and the rest is incredibly encouraging. Knowing how cruel people can sometimes be, and fearing for my ego, I was a bit hesitant at first. But, apparently the gods of criticism have been on my side and kept away anything that wasn't constructive.

Since I've always been a temptress of Fate, I have decided to post another part of my baby for public dissection. The venue is Miss Snark's First Victim, and the piece is the last 250 words of a chapter, a "strong chapter ending." I understand that some of you may not like spoilers, and if that's the case, I'll understand you not wanting to pop over there to read and leave comments. But, if you don't have that objection...

Visit my submission (Post 43).

Please also feel free to browse and leave comments for others. I'm sure they'd all appreciate the feedback. That is, after all, why we all submitted.

Mini-Blog: Embracing Recommendations

2009-02-25T16:09:00.004-05:00

I want/need/covet a good author Web site.

As I'm becoming more active in the writing community, and redoubling my "getting published" efforts, I'm giving serious thoughts to creating my own site. I think it's a good idea. And I've even got a design team on board.

The question now becomes: What should it look like?

Since I have no idea, I'm going to shamelessly use you all as my research minions...uh, that is... I value the input of others and would like to know what you think.

So, let me have 'em!

What are your favorites author sites? Or Web sites in general?

What works? What doesn't?

What would you like to see?

PS - Stay tuned for more on the ANJIDIA front tomorrow, and a special guest star here at Wuthering Life on Friday! It's been a busy week for Miss Sam.

Embracing the Power of the Interwebs

2009-02-18T21:45:00.001-05:00

Tweeting, podcasting, friending, pinging, blogging, e-mailing, message boarding, jazzercising... So many ings, so little time. Sometimes it can feel a bit--no, scratch that. Sometimes it can feel very overwhelming, especially for people who think of themselves as "computer illiterate" or even "non-technologically minded."

As someone who knows what a powerful ally the Internet can be, I try to stay positive. I try to make time for all the social networking necessary to keep up in Web 2.0 world. It's not always easy.

But, one of the things that I do to help myself stay focused and motivated is to remind myself of the success stories, the people who made the Web work for them. I thought I'd share a few of my more mainstream/public examples, in case you're feeling overwhelmed too.

PotterPuppetPals: These award-winning videos got me through many all-nighters in college. I'll always have a soft spot for 'Bothering Snape' and 'Trouble at Hogwarts.'

Tila Tequila: Myspace success story if ever there was one. I wouldn't want her life, but I'm hoping it's working for her. She's certainly achieved fame.

Red Versus Blue: This series has provided me hours of mindless entertainment and owes its success largely to YouTube and Internet word-of-mouth (er...fingers).

Colbie Caillet: Myspace success story number two. Colbie's music soared as her Myspace numbers did the same.

Marie Digby: I love her music, found her on YouTube, actually. She was just a girl with a camcorder and a YouTube account back then. Now she's got a CD out, and I regularly hear her songs play at restaurants and movie theaters.

Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog: If you don't know about this, take some time and watch it now. This is possibly the best musical I've ever seen. It's funny, smart, well-acted, and sounds great. And it is provided for free online. Thank you, Joss Whedon.

Do you have any Web successes (personal or otherwise) that you'd like to share?

Mini-Blog: Embracing Kindness

2009-02-18T07:11:00.005-05:00

I'm not a Twitterer in the true sense of the (fake) word. (Though I do tweet, sir.) ((Ahem, sorry, bad Shakespeare allusion...))

ANYway, I feel that Twitter can be a slippery slope and must be treated with the respect due to it (which is not to say that I haven't seen it used very effectively). As such, I post when I have something to say, but otherwise lurk. And I'm an expert lurker. In fact, while lurking today, I noticed a theme: people can be jerks and/or sweethearts. Behold the human condition.

So, I came up with 7 days of random acts of kindness, effective immediately. I hope it's self-explanatory, but the point is that I'm try to be proactive in my randomness, and less self-absorbed and selfish, by doing at least one randomly kind thing for someone else with no end-game other than making someone else's day better (and maybe feeling good about myself afterward).

I'll be sure to keep you posted on what I come up with. In the meanwhile, please share the random acts you've done or had done for you. It might help give me, or others, some inspiration. I just get tired of hearing bad news all the time. Don't you?

Embracing Stereotypes

2009-02-16T22:44:00.005-05:00

A discussion today on the ABNA message boards got me thinking about stereotypes. I'm fairly well-versed in both sides of the stereotype debate: their role in community-building and their detrimental effects, which can lead to prejudice. But, I thought I'd open the floor to you all on the topic. What say you?

First, though, here I am. Sam Elliott reduced to stereotypes.

I am so blonde that: I got stabbed in a shoot-out; I put lipstick on my forehead to make up my mind; I told someone to meet me at the corner of 'walk' and 'don't walk'; I tried to put M&Ms in alphabetical order; I tried to drown a fish; they had to burn the school down to get me out of third grade, I tripped over a cordless phone; I took a ruler to bed to see how long I slept; I studied for a blood test... and failed; I thought Boyz II Men was a daycare center; I thought Meow Mix was a record for cats; I thought I needed a ticket to get on Soul Train; and I sold the car for gas money.

[Fiction! Boys II Men was the first CD I owned. I scored very well on my SATs, ACTs, GREs, ABCs (okay, maybe I made that last one up). I graduated Valedictorian of my high school class a year early and with an honors lit degree from a top 50 university.]

As a Southerner/Texan, I'll never say:

We don't keep firearms in this house.
You can't feed that to the dog.
I thought Graceland was tacky.
No kids in the back of the pick-up, it's not safe.
Honey, did you mail that donation to Greenpeace?
We're vegetarians.
Do you think my hair is too big?
I'll have grapefruit instead of a bowl of gravy.
Honey, these bonsai trees need watering?
Deer heads detract from the decor.
Spitting is such a nasty habit.
I just couldn't find a thing at Wal-Mart today.
Trim the fat off that steak.
Cappuccino tastes better than espresso.
The tires on that truck are too big.
I'll have the arugula and radicchio salad.
Little Debbie snack cakes have too many fat grams.
Does the salad bar have bean sprouts?
I believe you cooked those green beans too long.
Elvis who?
Checkmate.

[Fiction! I played (and won) my first game of chess when I was in 3rd grade. I LOVE bean sprouts and regularly have granola and yogurt for breakfast. I lived in Italy--don't even joke about coffee. My hair has never been higher than an inch off my scalp of my own accord. And, I think spitters should be slapped.]

And as a woman, I: am crazy, like really bad entertainment, don't understand sports, am impractical, want to settle down, and am like the Incredible Hulk while under the influence of PMS.

[Fiction! The voices tell me I'm as sane as the next woman. I only watch Gossip Girl (or GG, as I like to call it) for the great character development and attractive actors. David Beckham's totally hot! My latest shoe purchase was only $75, and they were on sale!! Aww!!!! Babies!!!! WHAT DID YOU JUST CALL ME?!!? That's really mean.... *sniff*]

Ahem.

If you'll excuse me, I need some hot tea to treat this scoffing-induced soar throat of mine and some ibuprofen for the constant eye-rolling.

Embracing Me

2009-02-13T23:53:00.000-05:00

I'm back for another ABNA-related update.

Today I thought I'd share a little about myself. You see, the entry form asked that we include biographical information with our entry. I believe that the information is intended for use with our excerpts on Amazon.com, should we get that far. But I could be wrong.

I know, I know. Yes, it does happen occasionally.

Anyway, for your reading pleasure, I give you...my bio (plus the added bonus of personal anecdotes and local interst).

Enjoy!

By the way...you'll get to see my book's description when it's posted on Amazon, or here if I don't make it past Round 1. Let's all be selfless and pray for the former, okay?

*******

Biography: I am a graduate of American University with a Bachelor's degree in Literature, and ANJIDIA is my first novel. However, my short story, THE ROSE, was published in American University's literary magazine, AmLit, in the fall of 2006.

I currently work as the office manager/Jill-of-all-trades at a small, woman-owned PR firm just outside of Washington, DC. My position there allows me to listen and learn and experience as many varied peoples, places and things as possible--as have every opportunity in my life. My aim is to soak up as much of our world and this life as is possible and then to use my creativity and education to share it with others in the most unexpected and entertaining ways imaginable.

Personal Anecdotes: ANJIDIA was a labor of possession. Aryli's voice, personality, and even look invaded my mind while I was working on another novel. I had to write the beginning of her story (about 5 pages) before I was able to return to my previous work. Then, 5 months later, Aryli was back. Within 4 weeks (to the day), I had told her story in its entirety. And I even showered, slept, and ate regularly in the meanwhile. Amazingly, very little of the story was changed throughout the editing process. Aryli knew what she wanted to say.

Despite my typically elitism-creating degree and the fact that I've been trained to read further beyond the page of any given text than is probably necessary, I adore young adult fiction. I proudly house my YA series on the same shelves as Shakespeare, Bronte, and Steinbeck. I even wrote my senior thesis on Lewis Carroll's Alice stories and managed to convincingly relate them to the theories of Freud, Lacan, and de Man (at least enough to get an A).

I had an amazing teacher in 3rd grade. In addition to my multiplication tables, she taught me taught me to have faith in myself and never think that I was too young or inexperienced to do anything. I firmly believe that children will rise to whatever heights we allow and that their failure is our failure to expect greatness. And that includes YA fiction.

Local Interest: I was born and raised in Texas, and I came to the DC-metro area for college and stayed. As much as I can imagine that those settings have influenced my work, ANJIDIA and its locales are a work of pure fantasy.

However, I travel as much as possible, and the places I've been are invariably incorporated into the landscapes of the stories I tell. In ANJIDIA, that includes the majestic Redwood Forests (inspiration for the Old One, aka Owan--the wise and mysterious tree Aryli meets soon after her return to Anjidia) and the beautiful, seaside town of Dubrovnik, Croatia (inspiration for the Arymarnia--Aryli's ancestral home and stronghold of Josthene, the murdering usurper).

My writing network (an incredibly helpful group of plot troubleshooters, readers, and editors) consists of respected college friends and acquaintances.

Embracing Putting Yourself Out There

2009-02-12T20:16:00.005-05:00

I come bearing a gift, whether it's a metaphoric "Cosby sweater" or a metaphoric (and iconic) powder blue box is completely up to you. Alas, I seem to be unable to compel people to love what I want them to love. I think I may have slept through "Get Your Free Superpower Day".

What's all the fuss about? I created a CreateSpace preview for Chapter One of ANJIDIA. You can read and review it here.

It's a very scary step, having it out there for anyone/everyone to read and say whatever they like about it. It's one thing to hear agents' opinions, it's another to actually be reviewed. But, I decided that if my pitch carries my ABNA entry through to Round Two, my excerpt will be reviewed. I might as well get used to it now.

Here's hoping people don't show me all the ways I could have made it better...now that it's too late for this contest. Then again, advice is advice, right?

Are all things better late than never?

No, seriously, are they?

Mini-Blog: Embracing Web 2.0

2009-02-12T17:22:00.003-05:00

Starbucks tweets!

I love my current job, but...

I. Want. That. Job.

Embracing ABNA

2009-02-11T21:42:00.005-05:00

In case you haven't been over to the Web site of ABNA (Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award), here's the gist of the contest:

How the contest works

Enter your unpublished, English-language, fiction manuscript until 11:59 PM EST February 8, 2009 or until 10,000 entries have been received, whichever comes first. The contest consists of four judging phases by expert reviewers, publishing professionals, and Amazon.com customers. The winner will be announced on May 22, 2009.

Initial Round: Expert reviewers from Amazon select 2,000 submissions from the 10,000 initial entries based each novel's "pitch." The 2,000 entries are then rated and receive two excerpt reviews from Amazon Editors and Amazon Vine Reviewers.

The field narrows to 500 entries...

Quarterfinals: Excerpts of the 500 are displayed on Amazon.com along with the reviews from the previous judging round. Publisher's Weekly now reads, rates, and reviews the 500 remaining full manuscripts.

The field narrows to 100...

Semifinals: Penguin Group (USA) reads and ranks the 100 semifinalists, taking into consideration the reviews from the two previous judging rounds.

Penguin chooses three novels to move to the final round of judging...

Finals: The three remaining manuscripts receive reviews from industry experts, including authors Sue Grafton and Sue Monk Kidd. Amazon.com customers select the Grand Prize Winner for 2009.

Exciting, no?

Well, considering that right now some reviewers could be reading my pitch after finding out about the death of loved ones or breaking up with their significant others...or being drunk out of their minds, I thought I'd share my pitch with you.

If nothing else, this will have come out of the contest. Uh, maybe I'm the one who needs the drink. Excuse me.

********

By blending the rich world-building of high fantasy with the edgy chick lit voice of its protagonist (seventeen-year-old Aryli), ANJIDIA modernizes the "hero[ine]'s quest" and makes it accessible to gossip girls and magic-obsessed muggles alike. It is coming-of-age, thriller, adventure, romance, and fairy tale all in one uniquely contemporary mythical journey.

There may be a smart-mouthed phoenix that cries healing tears, but she also acts as Aryli's metaphorical spirit guide and, when needed, as her "reality check" giver. There may be talking dragons that breathe fire, but they also discuss politics and make great personal sacrifices to support Aryli. And Aryli may fit the mold of a flawed, journeying heroine trying to win back her throne, but she also relates her story, her flaws, and her pain in a raw and accessible way unlike any other. And then there's the fact that she's literally incapable of harming any other living being, can talk to trees, ages years in mere days...

In this "golden age" of YA literature, teens are a consumer force to be reckoned with. The creation, and success, of imprints like Razorbill Books and HarperTEEN attests to that. But gone are the days of short, formulaic novels that underestimate readers.

Today's YA fans crave originality and savvy; think OCTAVIAN NOTHING: TRAITOR TO THE NATION and CRANK. They want stories that reflect their struggles (finding the right clique, figuring out who they are, and just trying to make it to graduation). But they long for stories that temper that reflection. ANJIDIA does just that through high fantasy and the struggles of Aryli (deciding if it's better to trust the inexplicably helpful man working for the enemy or the resentful fairy-tale creatures joining your cause, having total amnesia, and literally trying to save the world).

Embracing Mini-Blogs

2009-02-11T06:51:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to pop in to say a quick hello. I've been very sick and tired lately (and that's not a euphemism). So I apologize for the absence.

I'll be back to my regularly scheduled program tonight, with sneak peaks from my ABNA entry.

Stay tuned...

Embracing the Incredibly Unexpected

2009-02-03T02:18:00.007-05:00

This post is going to be short and sweet as I have to be up for work in four hours. But I wanted to update you all on the progress of the Quest for Publishing! (Is it just me, or should their be trumpet blasts whenever one reads that?)

As you all know, I've been agent-hunting (sans the gun) for my novel, ANJIDIA, for several months now, sometimes more actively than others. Lately, I've been on an active kick (7 queries this weekend and 5 mid-week last week). Well, that culminated today in my entering my baby in its first contest.

What's the prize of this contest, you ask? A publishing deal with Penguin Group.

What's the contest, you say? Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award.

I thought very seriously about the potential ways entering this contest would affect my long-term career. And in the end I decided it was a good choice for me. If any of you lovely vistors are unpublished authors with a spare manuscript and several hours of time lying around, then by all means, join me in the deep end.

If not, there may come a time in the not-so-distant future that I call on you all to rally behind me, to write Amazon reviews raving about my book (so long as you believe it rave-worthy), and eventually to vote for on Amazon.com.

Until then...

I'll definitely keep you posted. I'm slated to hear about the quarterfinals around March 16. Please wish me luck.

Oh, and because I think it worth mentioning, Penguin and Amazon have partnered with CreateSpace.com to sponsor the award. I'd never heard of the site before, but I find it intriguing. Though, the idea of self-publishing still terrifies me.

Embracing Contest Linkspam

2009-01-29T07:52:00.000-05:00

It must be something in the air (or water?). Several blogs I follow seem to be hosting giveaways lately.

Carrie Ryan's pimping someone else's autographed book.

Saundra Miller's also giving away said book, along with lots of other goodies.

My friend Tonya Bacon, and local fashion diva extraordinaire, is offering up a Valentine's Day beauty bag.

And, Nathan Bransford and Colleen Lindsay held contests for query critiques.

So if you're looking for some free stuff, I suggest you mosey over to those sites and/or take a look around the blogosphere for yourselves.

As for me, all of this good will has got me wondering: What do I have to give?

You tell me. What would you like me to hold a contest for? I've got a few ideas, but I'm taking suggestions. Speak now or forever hold your peace.

Embracing Cliches

2009-01-27T19:04:00.004-05:00

In lieu of a "real" post today, I'm going to talk about personal mantras--a few of my favorites and a few that make me cringe.

The ones that tickle my fancy:

If you can't say somethin' nice, don't say nothin' at all. (Courtesy of Thumper.)
What goes around comes around. (Courtesy of Justin Timberlake. Okay, maybe I heard it somewhere before him. But if it's before JT, who cares?)
C'est la vie! (Courtesy of French.)

The ones that rub me the wrong way:

If you love something, then set it free. (Seriously? Who's bright idea was that? If you do that, then it's gone.)
The early bird gets the worm. (So what?! I'm not a bird, and I don't want a worm.)
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. (First, what is WITH all the bird allusions? Second, what?! What does this even mean? Yes, I googled it too. So? It still makes no sense.)

And now that I've shared mine (please forgive the commentary and senseless linkage), tell me yours!

Embracing the Good, the Bad, and the Unexpected

2009-01-25T09:57:00.004-05:00

Before I even opened the e-mail, I knew it wasn't good news. It wasn't pessimism exactly. It was something more akin to a crisis of faith...in myself. As you may recall, I'm not the type to let these kinds of things get to me. But considering the state of the rest of my life at the time, the fifth and final rejection of as many queries hit me particularly hard (especially considering that two of them had come within 24 hours of sending them).

Now, I'm proud to say that true to form, after allowing myself a beer and 15 minutes of pity partying, I embraced the bad and determined to focus on those thing in my control instead of out of it. Thus was a major breakthrough in the plot of ANJIDIA: THE FALL arrived at. In turning my lemons into lemonade, I've discovered a character I didn't know existed and realized that she ties so perfectly into the story of ANJIDIA that I'm almost ashamed I hadn't noticed her sooner.

In summary, I'm ready to begin writing this novel in earnest.

Then, just as I was embracing the good, along came the unexpected in the form of a thoughtful gesture from blogger e. I suddenly had a new opportunity to go with my new attitude. You don't need to guess whether or not I embraced it (and a couple more while I was at it). And even if it doesn't pan out, which it very well may not, I've come out of this particularly dark and dismal tunnel no worse for the wear.

What more could I ask for?

Embracing the Unconventional: My Goals

2009-01-22T22:08:00.000-05:00

The third part of my 'Embracing the Unconventional' series has arrived. Now you get to see those things I've decided that I will do from the 50 unconventional things to do in your lifetime list of Lyved.com.

As always, don't be shy. I'm still waiting to hear a few of your unconventional things!

Will Do (as soon as I'm published):

5. Be in a movie, whether as an extra or as the star. If Stephen King can do it, then why the heck can't I? When my fabulous books are inevitably made into amazing movies, I plan to negotiate a cameo into my contract each and every time. I think I would make an excellent Coffee Shop Woman #2.

12. Have a credit on IMDB.com. See previous. Sam Elliott had better move over!

27. Create a website. What kind of author would I be if I didn't have a website? One day there will be excerpts to post and book tours to promote, and I'm sorry Blogger, but a blog just won't cut it.

36. Travel for a full year. This with either happen because A) I'm fabulously wealthy and can afford to take a year off to sail and backpack and hike to every corner of the globe, or B) I have so many book tours and events to do during the simultaneous launch of my fifth book, second movie and new fragrance that I just don't make it home for a year. (I won't mention the third option, which may or may not involve the word homeless.)

44. Be on a TV news program for something positive. Besides the obvious talk show circuit when my memoir wins a Pulitzer, I plan to use my fame and fortune to promote an amazing cause, which will of course be covered on your nightly news cast.

45. Watch a movie being filmed. Again, see the first thing on this list. How could I be in a movie and not watch it being filmed?

48. Get your name and biography on Wikipedia. Oh man... The day I have a wiki page I will freak out. IMDB is cool, but wiki...is Wiki!!

Embracing the Unconventional: My Hopes

2009-01-21T22:06:00.000-05:00

Welcome to part two of my Embracing the Unconventional series. Hopefully you know that yesterday I decided to tell you about the things I'd done from the 50 unconventional things to do in your lifetime list of Lyved.com. Today, it's all about wish fulfillment. Today, I give you the things I hope to do.

By the way, don't be shy. What do you hope to do in your lifetime?

Hope to Do:

14. Help someone help himself/herself. I've been thinking about teaching a man to fish. But, that requires learning myself...

15. Adopt a pet from a shelter or rescue group. I'm envisioning this as a joint venture - a couple's first serious commitment sort of thing. As I'm not part of a couple, you can understand how this is currently a hope for the distant future.

16. Inner tube down a river. My family is big on tubing trips to the Guadalupe River in Central Texas to pass the hot summer days. When I was in high school I missed several of these trips. I plan to rectify that one day. Or, one-up them and tube down the Amazon. You decide.

20. Help family members achieve their goals and dreams. I try to do this every day in every way possible, and I hope that my family sees me as a resource they can depend on.

21. Watch all the top rated films of all time. My ex-roommate actually has a list. As soon as I make a copy of it (or print my own), AFI's top 100 are going down!

26. Work at a zoo or aquarium. I have no idea why this made this list, or why it is something that I have always wanted to do. But it is, and I have. Even if it's only as a weekend volunteer or something, I really hope that I get a chance to help bathe an elephant or feed a baby cheetah. Awwww, baby aminals are sooooo cute.

31. Confront at least one of your big fears. As soon as I figure out what my biggest fears are, I am so on this. I don't believe in letting myself hold me back. Then again, everyone fears something. If I can't think of at least one major fear, then I'm probably living in my own special palace in Denial. So much for self-awareness.

32. At least attempt to tackle every dream and goal you’ve ever had. Again with the self-awareness. I have made an attempt to go after most things I've dreamed of and made goals toward. I still need to live in a cute little apartment in Paris. And I guess I should start saving up for my campaign if I'm going to try to be the first female president of the U. S.

38. Read all your favorite books again. Forever and always. Cathy + Heathcliff = True Love

39. Work less, live more. Word.

46. Stomp grapes at a vineyard. Ideally this would happen on my sprawling grounds in Italy. But I'll take it on a week-long wine tour of Napa.

49. Learn how to drive a tractor. My grandparents live on a farm. My grandfather owns several tractors. I just need to ask. And while I'm at it, I think I'll ask him to teach me how to shoot a rifle. Hunting's cooler than fishing anyway!

50. Do all your favorite things from childhood: skip rocks, build a tree house, go fishing, whatever, but have fun! Seriously, why are fish stalking me today? Alright already. I'll go camping this summer and catch me some dinner (and lunch and breakfast). Anyone have a portable air conditioner I can borrow?

Embracing the Unconventional: My Past

2009-01-20T21:47:00.010-05:00

In honor of today's historic and unconventional events, I've decided to kick off a three-part series that shares a bit about a few of the items from the 50 unconventional things to do in your lifetime list of Lyved.com -- some of the things I have done, some of them I hope to do, and some of them I will do...as soon as I'm a published author.

Today, I'm going to share my past with you, and I invite you to share some stories of your own.

Things I Have Done:

2. Go on a ghost tour. The time: Spring Break '04, Freshman Year. The place: New Orleans, LA. The people: me, my mommy, and a really hot tour guide (oh, and those other people). We did all sorts of tours--ghost, vampire, and voodoo--but my favorite was the ghost tour. It's a shame that I don't even remember which one it was.

6. Pan for gold in a mountain stream. Who hasn't? I've panned at Six Flags, Disneyland, a creek in several of my backyards and at several rivers across the country. Sadly, like most prospectors, I went broke and got syphilis from the local saloon...wait, that's not right.

7. Watch the sun rise and set in the same day. I have one word for you: college.

8. Go outside and dance in a rainstorm. Not surprisingly, another college memory. It wasn't so much romantic as it was cold and sopping, but my friends and I had a blast.

19. Go camping somewhere that has no contact to the outside world. When I was a kid, this was a pretty regular occurrence. I can't believe that I was alive when there were no such things cell phones and Blackberrys. Man, my kids are going to think I lived in the stone ages.

22. Take a spontaneous road trip. Ah, Spring Break '06. That trip is the winner of the "best spontaneous road trip of Sam's life" contest, but there have been several. I like to drive, and I grew up in Texas. Some people would consider the one hour it took me to get to a mall a road trip...

23. Write an article for a newspaper or magazine. I wrote movie reviews for my college paper, The Eagle, and I was published in the school's lit mag, AmLit. So there.

24. Fail several times at something. Ha. Does this really require elaboration? I'd say I do this daily, several times daily.

28. Work a job you hate. I don't really hate things. I don't believe in wasting my energy like that. But there have been several times when I hated aspects of some of my past jobs, and therefore was not too fond of the job itself.

29. Get to know yourself and those closest to you. I hope that I've done a pretty good job of this so far, but it is an ongoing process that I'm sure I'll still be working at on my deathbed.

30. Hunt for treasure. I do this everyday if we're being metaphorical. If not, I'll confess that I did have a beach-combing period when I was a girl.

33. Befriend an enemy. Enemy is a strong word. But I've made friends with rivals and people I initially disliked before. I hope I never have a true enemy.

34. Make friends with very successful people. I consider several of my friends very successful people, all in different ways. I know some people who are successful in business, love, self-actualization, humanitarian efforts. And I try to learn a little more from them every day. Besides, it's all about networking, right? :D

35. Take one day to just watch the clouds and take one night just to watch the stars. How I miss those lazy days of yore. Trampolines will forever be synonymous with stargazing and cloud-watching thanks to my neighbor from junior high school. "Oooh, was that a UFO?" "Nope, I think it was a satellite." "Damn."

41. Find what you were meant to do. Hi, my name is Sam Elliott, and I'm a writer. *waits for the chorus of "Hi, Sam"s.

42. Live without email, IM, or your cell phone for a week. If I'm not counting those crazy years from my childhood, which I shall henceforth refer to as "those days," then I still have achieved this amazing feat. I lived for two whole weeks in Rome, Italy without them. Although, I caved after that and began using all three. What does that say about these days?

43. Join a peaceful protest for a cause you support. Italians aren't only good for amazing foods, good looks, relaxed ways, and historical landmarks. They are also incredibly apt to protest. During my time in Italia, I was invited to participate in a protest against the cancellation of a fine arts budget, and I did. It was empowering and powerful, definitely a memory and experience I'm glad to have.

Embracing Life Imitating Art...or not

2009-01-14T20:14:00.007-05:00

Based on the comments to yesterday's post, it seems as though the 'yeas' have it thus far, not a dissenter in the bunch. One should and can with free conscience write from one's personal experiences was the consensus.

Write what you know.

I'm not buying it. At the risk of alienating what little audience I have, I strongly believe that the idea of "writing what you know" is one of the most overused and under-considered ideals of the literary community.

What does it even mean, to write what you know? How much does Stephen King really know about killer clowns or surviving the apocalypse? Can Meg Cabot know what it's like to be a princess, a mediator, or a psychic? What does Ann Coulter know about anything? I mean... no, actually I did mean that.

My point is that if I wrote only what I knew, well let's just say that I'm not going to limit myself like that. I think that a more appropriate adage would be "write what you can imagine knowing," because in the end, I believe writing comes down to imagination, not knowledge.

Let me put it another way.

I don't know what it's like to run for my life. However, I've had moments where I thought that I was about to die, and I've seen movies and read books about, and witnessed firsthand, how people behave when they fear for their lives. Using that information, I was able to imagine what it'd be like for my character to run for her life--how she'd feel, what she'd be thinking, etc.

I could probably write a dissertation on the subject so I should probably do the smart thing and walk away. But let me leave you with this: I can make a very persuasive argument for one of the leading causes of writing failures being a lack imagination used properly.

Maybe another day.

Food for thought: What makes or breaks an "author" in your opinion? That is, what allows some people to a complete story (and even write them well) while others fall short?

Embracing Inspiration

2009-01-13T21:48:00.002-05:00

I had just begun drafting a post that was going to be entitled "Embracing Anxiety" when I realized that I was feeling exactly how one of the main characters for the novel I'm currently stalled on would be feeling at this point in the story. Struck by inspiration, I've decided to retool my anxiety to be used as the opening to chapter one, which I haven't written a word of in the month since I finished the prologue.

As a general rule, I don't intentionally use my life as fodder for my fictional canons, but in this case I think that it may be the jump start that ANJIDIA: THE FALL needs. I prefer to keep Mary Sue as far from my stories as possible, unlike some authors I could mention.

Which begs the question: do you let your art imitate your life? If so, how do you draw the lines? Does it even matter?

What say you blogosphere visitors?

We interrupt this broadcast with a special (not-so-breaking) news bulletin:

2009-01-07T00:00:00.000-05:00

Imagine, if you will, an aspiring YA writer.

Imagine that she has returned from a long day at the office and chooses to unwind by catching up on her blog reading.

Imagine that as she's browsing the blog of debut YA author Carrie Ryan she finds this post linking to this article.

Imagine how she feels.

Embrace rage.

And now back to your regularly scheduled program...

Embracing Focus

2009-01-06T20:03:00.006-05:00

As promised, I'm here to talk about focus - how I focus, what helps me focus, etc. I wish that I knew. I've been trying to focus long enough to write this entry since I got home from work and have been unable to. Go figure.

In the past, the best way for me to focus was to set a very clear and realistic goal for myself, put on some headphones (even if I was by myself) with music suited to the task, and be sure that (above all else) I kept my eyes from wandering. While that plan had a success rate of about 85%, I realized tonight that it has a major flaw: it necessitates me having the energy or the will to embrace the focus methodology. That energy is what I find myself lacking tonight.

When coffee (two cups) and food (stir fried turkey sausage, veggies, and rice) and all else (returning missed calls, checking e-mail, watching Beyonce's atrocious video for All the Single Ladies) fail, one is left only to choose self-indulgent defeat or begrudging determination. I have been choosing the former predominantly of late. It's gotten me nowhere. In fact, while it used to at least produce a cleared household chores to-do list, lately it hasn't even done that.

As a result, I find myself embracing the latter instead, dragging myself forward like a wounded soldier on the Front. Obviously the results are mixed. Sometimes you capture the flag, and sometimes focusing for focusing's sake leaves you with nothing more than incessant ramblings and bizarre metaphors.

My apologies.

Until next time...

PS - No updates regarding ANJIDIA and ANJIDIA: THE FALL, as if you had to ask.

January 5, 2009

2009-01-05T19:40:00.012-05:00

You might not be able to put your finger on the reason, but it feels like something is shifting in your energy field. You are ready to show your creative stuff and are hoping that the world is ready to see you in a positive light. Luckily, it may be easier for you to find the happiness you seek in the weeks and months ahead without much extra effort on your part. Trust your instincts and be ready to gratefully accept the admiration heading your way.

So read the horoscope that (instead of the Sun) greeted me this morning. I can only pray that it was handed to tarot.com by the Fates themselves, because I recently began my quest for an agent anew, and, well, I can use all the good karma and support I can get.

That said, I will be chronicling my exploits in publishing and writing in the coming months for the amusement of all, particularly me. I guess we'll be able to see if this forecast proves accurate. By the way, I say "chronicling exploits" instead of "sharing insights," because if I've learned anything about writing, it's that it spawned the word subjective. Everyone's process differs. Everyone's tastes differ. And, most importantly, everyone's story differs.

Still, I'm willing to share mine...for what it's worth. Let's start with the bare bones facts about where I stand in the publishing process and go from there, shall we?

ANJIDIA
Genre: YA Fantasy
Status: Revisions complete, in query
No. of Rejections: 16

ANJIDIA: THE FALL
Genre: YA Fantasy
Status: First draft in progress

UNTITLED PROJECT (WHICH REVOLVES AROUND CHARACTERS WHOSE STORY WAS SCRAPPED)
Genre: Unknown
Status: Plaguing me

I think I'll leave it at that for now, or rather that and a question: What kinds of tricks do you employ to keep yourself motivated and on-target? I'll share mine next time!

Until then...

Embrace

2009-01-01T20:23:00.001-05:00

em⋅brace

verb, -braced, -brac⋅ing, noun –verb (used with object)

1.	to take or clasp in the arms; press to the bosom; hug.

2.	to take or receive gladly or eagerly; accept willingly: to embrace an idea.

3.	to avail oneself of: to embrace an opportunity.

4.	to adopt (a profession, a religion, etc.): to embrace Buddhism.

5.	to take in with the eye or the mind.

6.	to encircle; surround; enclose.

7.	to include or contain: An encyclopedia embraces a great number of subjects.

–verb (used without object)

8.	to join in an embrace.

–noun

9.	an act or instance of embracing.

Embrace is my word for 2009.

I found the concept of choosing a word, one single concept, and living a year with your mind, body and soul focused on that word intoxicating. I decided to...embrace it.

I will embrace those who mean something to me as often and joyously as possible. I will embrace the countless things that go right in my life every day, and those that go wrong. I will embrace every minute I get to spend at the job that I love. And I will embrace the long, hard road down which my passion for writing leads me.

I will embrace my life, my hopes, my dreams, myself in 2009.

FIOS has arrived...

2008-11-15T09:25:00.008-05:00

And that means that I should (please note the emphasis on "should") be able to renew my pledge to make this blog more than a passing fancy. I make no promises.

In case my prolonged absence had you scratching your noggins, let me ease your minds. I've been busy procuring an apartment (and all of the necessary accoutrement) with a long-time friend recently returned to the US of A after serving overseas. I hadn't seen her in years and suddenly we're living together. It's magnificent. And the place is really coming together, which always helps any transition.

But this new arrangement got me thinking about long-term (long-lasting)/long-distance relationships (of any kind) and why some succeed where others fail. I don't really know why this topic was the station my train of thought decided to break down at, but here I am. And I'm wondering: Is it really as simple as dedication (even one-sided dedication)?

If I were to compile two lists of my relationships (friends, romantic interests and even family), with one list containing the names of people who "made it" and the other a list of those who didn't, I believe the only thing the folks on the first list would have in common would be that one or both of us decided that we were going to make it work and stay in touch, and did. We may have had/have our up and down and periods of extended silence, but in the end an effort was/is made. The end.

I've run it over and over in my brain, and there was invariably a moment in each of my long-term and/or long-distance relationships when one of us made the effort to bug the other person into staying attached. Sadly, most of the time the driving force came from the other person...but that's a topic for a shrink's couch, not my blog.

My point is that my various familial and congenial relationships capable of withstanding the tests of time and space do not succeed because of some inherent trait somehow encoded into the relationship. The people who bothered to email, call or see me with some sort of regularity and sticktoitiveness are the ones with whom I've remained connected.

Am I the only one for whom this holds true? Does it matter?

In the end, I know that I have a network of people to whom I really matter and who really matter to me. What more could I ask for?

Then again, if effort is all it takes, why would any of my relationships fail?

At this, an historic hour in America...

2008-11-06T11:02:00.004-05:00

Anything I could say would pale in comparison... to the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Barack Obama, the junior Senator from Illinois, is going to be the 44th President of these United States of America. But, he is more than just a man. He's a fulfillment of a Dream, a Dream that I shared and am incredibly moved and pleased to see come true.

Maybe change is possible after all.

BKF: Once a bridesmaid...

2008-10-22T22:33:00.004-04:00

I know that the post about my trip back to Texas for my friend's wedding is long overdue. However, I have been revitalized (in spite of recent dramatic events in the Quest for Housing 2008) with regard to giving my beloved blog some much-needed attention. Therefore, I would like to discuss my latest BKFs (Big Kid Firsts, for those of you new to Wuthering Life):

Being a bridesmaid
Catching that oh-so-prophetic bouquet
Being a chauffeur for a day

With regard to the first item on the list, I found it almost exactly as I expected it. As the surrogate younger sister to the bride and best friend of the maid of honor, I made mad dashes to various stores for various forgotten items, convinced the bride that she deserved to take a break and get a manicure, and stood at the front of the church to witness her blessed union under the watchful eyes of Jesus and a bunch of people I'd never even seen before.

It felt like what I imagine (as it is all I can do) being in the homecoming court but not receiving the crown must feel like. On the one hand, it was a honor to be nominated, yadda yadda yadda. But the day wasn't about me. So why did I have to get up that damn early to make my hair do things it never ever does in real life? Well, it did give me an excuse to buy an incredibly hot pair of Guess pumps that I would never have allowed myself for everyday use and to wear a fancy gown, with tool and boning and a cute little bow. Oh yeah, and did I mention that it was an honor?

Moving on to item number two... ugh, must I? How about I keep this short and sweet. Oooh. Bullets!

There were a grand total of SIX single girls at the reception (including the nine-year-old flower girl).
We left the tossing bouquet (yes, there was a special bouquet made solely for this purpose and we forgot it) in the trunk of the car.
I was the only bridesmaid to bring her bouquet to the reception.
My bouquet got tossed.
It headed right for the very small group of single girls.
Everyone else leaned away.
Some stupid, treacherous, traditional (did I mention STUPID?) part of me saw the bouquet falling and felt that it must certainly be horrible bad luck to just let it fall.
I reached out and caught it.

For all of the reasons listed above, I feel very strongly that catching that bouquet means NOTHING. Strangely, I'm not sure if that's a good thing or nothing.

Finally, I was a chauffeur for a day. I drove the bride and groom around all day. There really isn't much I can say about this BKF other than to pose a question. Have you ever tried climbing in and out of a driver's seat with yards and yards of satin and tool layering your body? It. Is. Not. Fun.

And that, in a nutshell, was my trip. But it was great to see the area again (in the "oh look, I almost forgot about that place/thing/person"). Maybe that's another BKF...

Quickly before I go to Texas...

2008-10-09T10:17:00.001-04:00

I know that it is election season and that you've probably been innudated with "VOTE" campaigns, but I have another vote I would like you to participate in.

A friend of my company--Liz McCartney, the co-director/founder of the St. Bernard Project--is a CNN Hero Semi-finalist for 2008. She won $25,000 and is now one of 10 who will be honored in Hollywood on Thanksgiving night at 9:00 p.m. (EST) at a red carpet event. Through a voting campaign, a grand winner will be announced at the November 22 event. This person will win $100,000. Needless to say, Liz has already donated her $25,000 award to the St. Bernard Project and will do the same if she wins the $100,000.

I would greatly appreciate it if you would go check out the CNN Heroes Web site and cast your vote (preferrably for Liz and the great work she is doing to help victims of Hurricane Katrina!)

Character Profile: Kainin Demouban

2008-10-04T11:40:00.002-04:00

The character profile series (started by this post) continues with a request from my Kage-chan, to take a look at Kainin, the villain of a fantasy novel, which I worked on several years ago, that is dead (as opposed to shelved like SOC). Sad, no?

About Kainin: Kainin was a genius inventor and scorned ex-cop of the Intergalactic Police Force in his mid-thirties. He was the universe's most wanted criminal, and he had used his evil genius to create a time machine that would take him back to medieval Earth, where he could rule as a God among men because of his superior technical knowledge. His perfect plan was complicated by the tenacious protagonist, but they both wound up in an unknown world had had to forge a very shaky alliance to survive.

a. What initially prompted me to write about him. I needed an antagonist to get my protagonist to this other world. When my protagonist walked into Kainin's laboratory, Kainin was just...there.
b. One of his best traits. He was a genius--one that was capable not only of understanding scientific and technical things, but also of reading and manipulating people. It was a very useful tool in his arsenal.
c. One of his worst traits. He was a self-serving, manipulative jerk. I'd say that was worst.
d. How easy/difficult I find it to write him. I found it difficult, only because I didn't want him to come across as cliched or archetypal. He was easy to understand, but difficult to get across uniquely.
e. The moment where I feel that I truly captured him. I wrote very little of this story. I don't know that I ever truly captured him.
f. My plans to write him in the near future. Unfortunately, Kainin will not be coming back to the world in this form. Kage-chan has adopted him and is using a mutated version of him in her manga. Kainin also served as an unconscious model for the main villain of ANJIDIA. So, I suppose that he will be with us in spirit always.

Character Profile: Draven

2008-09-30T22:44:00.013-04:00

To continue the character profile series that stemmed from this post, I will be discussing Draven, the fan favorite and rebel leader of ANJIDIA (the novel I am shopping out now), as per my lovely Bow-Tie's request.

NOTE: Because this work is currently unpublished, answers may be intentionally vague to avoid spoilers.

About Draven: As the leader of the rebellion, Draven is charming and take-charge. He also has a tendency to keep things very close to the vest. Age isn't a fixed concept in Anjidia, but Draven has matured to what would be the equivalent of a man in his late twenties in our world.

a. What initially prompted me to write about him. I knew that Draven was going to exist from the moment that I first thought about ANJIDIA beyond the first scene that came to me. But he changed quite a bit throughout the writing process. In fact, Draven began his journey through my mind as a prince! (For those of you who haven't read the story, there are no princes in my book.)
b. One of his best traits. Draven takes everything on himself--the rebellion, responsibility for his family, et cetera. He will go to any lengths to take care of those obligations.
c. One of his worst traits. Draven takes everything on himself. What can I say? It's a great liability as well. A lot of pressure is associated with carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders, and Draven knows that better than most.
d. How easy/difficult I find it to write him. Draven isn't difficult to write, per se. However, he did change quite a bit. I think it's most accurate to say that he is surprising to write. He is one of the characters whose scenes changed (if only a bit) during the editing process, as his character had changed so much throughout.
e. The moment where I feel that I truly captured him. I think that I truly captured the "essence of Draven" when I rewrote a scene between Aryli (the book's narrator and protagonist) and Draven that happens toward the end of the book. I had originally envisioned the scene unfolding like that, but in the first draft, it wasn't right. Happily, that wasn't the case for the revised versions.
f. My plans to write him in the near future. It is very conceptual and theoretical at this point, but I am vaguely planning to write a sequel to ANJIDIA that features Draven as its narrator. We'll see how that pans out, but I would love the opportunity to bring him back.

Another reason I write

2008-09-28T17:36:00.007-04:00

Did you know that in 1931 China banned ALICE'S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND, because the story portrays animals and humans on the same level? It's true. Hm. I guess that it's too bad that I not only read it, but also wrote my 50-page thesis on it.

In celebration of ALA's Banned Book Week, I thought that I would share my brush with the dangerous world of banned books. In addition, I found this list of books that have been banned at some point in the United States. Aren't you glad that we have that pesky First Amendment to keep things like this from...oh wait. Just as an experiment, I've marked those I've had the pleasure of enjoying.

A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle (6th grade)
Annie on My Mind by Nancy Garden
As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner
Blubber by Judy Blume (3rd grade)
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
Canterbury Tales by Chaucer (college)
Carrie by Stephen King
Catch-22 by Joseph Heller (9th grade)
Christine by Stephen King
Confessions by Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Cujo by Stephen King
Curses, Hexes, and Spells by Daniel Cohen
Daddy's Roommate by Michael Willhoite
Day No Pigs Would Die by Robert Peck
Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller
Decameron by Boccaccio
East of Eden by John Steinbeck
Fallen Angels by Walter Myers
Fanny Hill (Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure) by John Cleland
Flowers For Algernon by Daniel Keyes
Forever by Judy Blume
Grendel by John Champlin Gardner (college)
Halloween ABC by Eve Merriam
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling (7th grade)
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling (9th grade)
Harry Potter and the Prizoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling (9th grade)
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling (10th grade)
Have to Go by Robert Munsch
Heather Has Two Mommies by Leslea Newman
How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell (4th grade)
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
Impressions edited by Jack Booth
In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak
It's Okay if You Don't Love Me by Norma Klein
James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl (6th grade)
Lady Chatterley's Lover by D.H. Lawrence
Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman
Little Red Riding Hood by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm (um....my grandmother read it to be before I could read)
Lord of the Flies by William Golding
Love is One of the Choices by Norma Klein
Lysistrata by Aristophanes
More Scary Stories in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz (6th grade)
My Brother Sam Is Dead by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier
My House by Nikki Giovanni
My Friend Flicka by Mary O'Hara
Night Chills by Dean Koontz
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
On My Honor by Marion Dane Bauer
One Day in The Life of Ivan Denisovich by Alexander Solzhenitsyn
One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey
One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Ordinary People by Judith Guest
Our Bodies, Ourselves by Boston Women's Health Collective
Prince of Tides by Pat Conroy
Revolting Rhymes by Roald Dahl
Scary Stories 3: More Tales to Chill Your Bones by Alvin Schwartz (6th grade)
Scary Stories in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz (5th grade)
Separate Peace by John Knowles
Silas Marner by George Eliot (10th grade)
Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
The Bastard by John Jakes
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger (college)
The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier
The Color Purple by Alice Walker
The Devil's Alternative by Frederick Forsyth
The Figure in the Shadows by John Bellairs
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck (college)
The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
The Headless Cupid by Zilpha Snyder
The Learning Tree by Gordon Parks
The Living Bible by William C. Bower
The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare (college)
The New Teenage Body Book by Kathy McCoy and Charles Wibbelsman
The Pigman by Paul Zindel
The Seduction of Peter S. by Lawrence Sanders
The Shining by Stephen King
The Witches by Roald Dahl (5th grade)
The Witches of Worm by Zilpha Snyder
Then Again, Maybe I Won't by Judy Blume
To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee (9th grade)
Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare (college)
Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary by the Merriam-Webster Editorial Staff
Witches, Pumpkins, and Grinning Ghosts: The Story of the Halloween Symbols by Edna Barth

I've read 22 of these titles, seen all of the Stephen King books in their movie form, and have several of the others on my To Be Read list. Apparently, I am a fan of the forbidden fruit. Who would have guessed?

Character Profile: Kate Stephan

2008-09-25T21:47:00.021-04:00

My first response (to this post in which I called for requests for character insight) was by the lovely Kat Kuhl. She wanted to hear more about Kate Stephan, one of the main characters of my currently shelved SPIRITS OF CHANGE.

About Kate: Ms. Stephan is an unmarried, 56-year-old fierce businesswoman. She is the CEO/majority shareholder of Stephan Enterprises, and she is pretty much the most powerful woman in the world--think a female Lex Luthor. She acts as the financier and gatherer of the heroines in SOC.

a. What initially prompted me to write about her. I knew that I needed someone to act as a the magnet to draw all of the leads (there are five) into the story. I also needed someone to get in on the ground floor and become a believer who could actually do something about her beliefs. Thus, Kate was blinked into existence.
b. One of her best traits. Kate may be a hard-nosed, savvy businesswoman, but she's not closed-minded or ultra-conservative. Her open-mindedness is by far her best trait.
c. One of her worst traits. Kate suffers from that familiar ailment that most commonly afflicts the rich and powerful; she will do anything to get what she wants, because she believes that the rules don't apply to her. As a result, she can be somewhat amoral and manipulative.
d. How easy/difficult I find it to write her. Despite my obvious lack of both money and power, I found Kate really easy to write. She has enough of the stereotypical traits of a financial juggernaut that I could use familiar tropes, but she's also soft and caring (in certain ways) enough that I liked her. In fact, I'd say she was my favorite character in the entire SOC cast.
e. The moment where I feel that I truly captured her. I feel that Kate was alive to me from the moment that I started writing, and in the opening scene of the book (told from her point of view) she has this AMAZING conversation in which she essentially tells the President of the US to take a hike, because she's Kate Stephan. She wasn't being malicious, just...Kate. From that moment, there she was.
f. My plans to write her in the near future. Sadly, SOC has been scrapped for the foreseeable future. I had this great cast and realized that they just weren't going anywhere. But I haven't given up on Kate, and I'm certain that I haven't heard the last of her.

Oh the shame!

2008-09-25T17:19:00.006-04:00

I can't believe that it has been almost a month since I last updated. At least I made it in under the wire, no? You're right. My apologies.

Sure, I was out of town for a few days over Labor Day weekend. Sure, I was working at a temp job, interviewing for permanent jobs and finally securing one. Sure, I was busy querying more agents and sinking into a subtle depression with each passing rejection. And sure, I was editing my first novel (again) and have been outlining my second.

Clearly I have no excuses. Oh look, there they are. Amazing.

My point is that I regret my absence and am going to try to be better behaved. I make no promises, however. I start my new job on Monday, and I hope to start writing on my next novel this weekend. It will be impressive indeed if I am able to balance all three. Then again, I like challenges.

In the meantime, I thought that I would post this meme for you all to comment on. I will dedicate a blog entry to whatever character you pick. However, you may only choose one. So make it your favorite.

Name a character that you know I write or have written, and I'll tell you:

a. What initially prompted me to write about the character.
b. One of the character's best traits.
c. One of the character's worst traits.
d. How easy/difficult I find it to write the character.
e. The moment where I feel that I truly captured the character.
f. My plans to write the character in the near future.

If you aren't familiar with my characters, enjoy learning a bit about them. And because I'm always on the look-out for good entry topics, you can ask a question of your choosing about my writing process.

A lesson in time

2008-08-26T19:24:00.000-04:00

This morning, 7am found me sweating it out in the gym. Yes, my lovely roommate and I reached deep down within ourselves, found the strength to turn off Season One of Gossip Girl at a decent hour, and resolved to get up at 6:30 for a morning quickie (cardio session, you pervs). We didn't make it until seven, but we considered it a successful morning nonetheless. And then, we looked around.

It seems that the nice retirees who reside in our building are not all of the sit in a rocker all day persuasion. In fact (and I am loathe to admit this), a few of them seem to be considerably more active than their younger neighbors. Every day, I see this bent-over, hobbling old man taking walks around the grounds with his nurse. Those brave souls at the gym with us so early were working out at a pace and dedication that made my routine look positively lazy. And, there was even an older couple sparing with the building's personal trainer.

I've given this phenomenon considerable thought today, and I've concluded that I will not be ashamed but that I will work harder. I am not-yet 22 and am certainly capable of putting forth an effort comparable to that of those some forty, fifty, and sixty years my senior. If I want to be in the kind of shape at their ages that allows me to put twenty-somethings to shame, then the time to work hard and develop the correct habits is now.

And I do want to be able to put those twenty-somethings to shame!

Who says the young don't appreciate the wisdom of their elders?

What's in a name?

2008-08-24T13:28:00.008-04:00

Friday's discussion of names led to a few interesting follow up questions from my enigmatic blog stalker, and I thought that a good way to spend my Sunday afternoon would be to address them. He/she asked:

When naming a baby, do you pick out the name before the baby is born or do you wait to see the personality of the baby? Do people 'grow' into their names?

As I am not a mother, nor have I ever experienced the joy and discomfort of incubating a living being in my uterus, I can only respond to the first question in the hypothetical and based on conjecture. If past experience is any indicator, I can safely assume that I will be the type of expectant mother who names her baby beforehand. I say this, because I have what some might not-so-kindly refer to as an obsession with naming things. Personally, I prefer to think of it as a penchant for naming things.

My iPod has a name (John Boy), my teddy bear has a name (Teddy - creative I know), even my laptop has a name (My Love - don't ask). My point is that I name everything, and I can't imagine that I would go 40 weeks with a living being growing inside me and be able to refer to it only as "the baby." Besides, I've heard that fetuses demonstrate quirks and respond to outside stimuli, which can arguably be considered personality, and anything with a noticeable personality needs a name as far as I'm concerned.

That being said, I do think that people grow into their names (or nicknames as the case may be). I think that there are certain stereotypes and personality traits accompany names, and more than acting a certain way because your name "makes you," I think that people are treated a certain way based on their names, and that can affect how a person develops. For instance, a Mary Lou is treated much differently than a Victoria. And, that's not even getting into the pop cultural association with certain names, like Scarlett, Marsha, et cetera.

If authors have to be particular about choosing character names, then I think parents should be equally responsible for choosing people names.

A Rose by Any Other Name, Particularly Stephanie

2008-08-22T18:25:00.007-04:00

Samantha Elise Elliott, that is my name. It's a beautiful name, in my humble (okay, maybe not-so-humble) opinion. It has been my name for well over 22 years now, and the only nickname I ever really go by is Sam, much to my chagrin (but that's a post for another day).

My point is that at no point have I ever gone by any other name (though I'm sure I'd smell as sweet), especially not, say, Stephanie. Not, of course, that there is anything wrong with the name Stephanie; it too is a beautiful name. But, it's taken by my sister, and as such, when I am called Stephanie, it brings back memories of being a very frustrated little girl who couldn't understand why her family couldn't seem to remember that she was Samantha.

Finally, I think I have the answer. It has presented itself to me before, and I noticed it then, but I never really put two and two together. Four, the answer is four.

You see, I always assumed that the mix up was caused by the fact that my sister and I are close in age, looked similar when we were younger, and both had an uncanny talent for driving people nuts. Then, when I was nine, I went to Disneyland with my father et al. On the plane to California, the six of us were forced to be seated separately. I was seated next to a very nice, older woman named Rose (yes, I still remember her), who was on her way to visit her recently-born grandson for the first time. Anyway, during our flight, we chatted quite a bit, and when she was exiting the plane in San Diego, she said, "It was nice meeting you, Stephanie. Have a good trip." I was amazed; it was the first time that I had ever noticed (though I'm sure it had happened before) anyone calling me by my sister's name, and she didn't know I had a sister called Stephanie!

As the years wore on, the same scenario would replay itself, and I always remembered Rose and that flight, but I never thought much about it beyond alternating between amused and perplexed. And then, in the past week, I have been called Stephanie three times by three different people - none of whom know that my sister exists, let alone her name.

Two of the three of those people had seen my name in print several times in the form of correspondence and my resume, and still, they got it wrong. As I was thinking back on Rose, again, and remembering other instances when it has happened, I realized that there was most assuredly a correlation between the reason that strangers remember Samantha as Stephanie and the reason that my family did - probably the same reason that my mother chose those two names as the names of her daughters.

Thus, I have come to the conclusion that I should just get used to it, because (for no apparent reason) Samantha and Stephanie go together like peas and carrots, and biscuits and gravy, and...why are all of my analogies about food? I think it's time for dinner.

Until later!

"Mommy, wow! I'm a big kid now!"

2008-08-21T18:09:00.000-04:00

Remember the days when every little thing was a milestone? You know, when speaking and walking and using the potty were all causes of major celebration? Or even later, when brushing your teeth on your own, dressing yourself, going to the movies without a chaperon, driving - all these things were monumental occasions?

I miss those days, and I don't understand why, as we get older, we stop celebrating life. Gone are the days when every first is something special, as are the seconds, thirds, and so on. Why is it that as we "settle down" and "grow up" we're expected to do certain things, pass certain landmarks, but 95% of them go unnoticed, or at least aren't celebrated?

I apologize for the randomness of this post, and the origin of this train of thought is so convoluded that I won't bother to explain. But, that's what I was thinking about in my far too quiet, temporary office today, and I thought I'd share.

Speaking of sharing, here are a few "Big Kid Firsts" that I have yet to properly appreciate:

First Independent Move - There was no school requiring me to be somewhere and no Mommy relocating me; it was just me making a decision and striking out.
First Time Using a Bathroom Key at a Workplace - Keys at convenience stores I get, at work...not so much. I feel like I'm being forced to use a hall pass.
First Time Reading Through the Entire Express During a Single Train Ride - I wasn't even reading particularly fast, either!

So, those are some of my most recent BKFs. Be sure to keep a lookout for more. Also, I'd love to hear a few of yours. After all, I'm not the only one who should be celebrating!

Time is Money

2008-08-20T12:11:00.013-04:00

I love America. The country is breathtakingly beautiful, and I appreciate the lifestyle and the security that being born and raised here has provided me. However, my time in Rome allowed me to gain a different perspective, and though I didn't come back home thinking that American culture needed a complete overhaul, there was one significant difference between the two cultures that really affected me, made me take pause, if you will.

Time.

I don't mean to say that the construct itself was different. Although, if you listen to Einstein... but that's another topic altogether. No, I'm referring to the way that the Romans treat time, and the way I felt about time while I was there.

I lived about a 15-20 minute walk away from my school and quite a distance from the Forum, the Colosseum, and all the other touristy landmarks that make Rome such a popular destination. My friends were spread out around the city, as well. Regularly, I would find myself walking for hours or waiting for buses that had no schedule. But, the important part of this story is that I would do it willingly and that I didn't care that things took so long, that there were practically no such things as schedules. I didn't care in the least.

In fact, I would laugh at tourists who complained and think not so kind thoughts about my fellow study abroad students who seemed to never get over their American obsession with time. For me, letting go of that particular hang up was the best part about my time in la Città Eterna. Well, maybe not the best, but it certainly ranked highly.

You see, I felt more productive, was more productive, while in Rome than ever before. Being a Type A, overachieving, people pleaser, I have been molded by my American upbringing to operate with the attitude that the more pressure I'm under, the more proverbial balls I am juggling, the better I'll perform. But, while that may be true, paradoxically, the same holds true of the opposite circumstance; I lead a happier, fuller, more productive life when there is no pressure, no time constraints, and just the right number of proverbial balls.

I bring this up, because, as you know, I have been job hunting for the past two weeks. Recently, an entire day was ruined for me due to the fact that I'd had to invest a large chuck of time in jumping through hoops to get a position with a temp agency. It was successful, and in about an hour, I will be leaving for my first temp position secured for me by them.

However, my day was ruined because of the fact that I felt my time had been devalued. I groused and pouted and was in a particularly rotten mood for the simple fact that I had been kept waiting. Time is money, I told myself, and since you're not worth anything right now, no one values your time. Boy, did that rub me the wrong way. And, all my friends agreed.

Looking back on it now, I realize that had that experience taken place in Rome I wouldn't have thought twice about it, especially considering the fact that I didn't have anything else to do that day. Did I forget to mention that? Well, I didn't. My day was completely free, and still, I was insulted. Time is money.

That's my problem with American society - that phrase, that ideology. If that much value is placed on time, if it is used as a means of demonstrating respect, then people necessarily become more apt to throw tantrums when their time is devalued, when things don't go the way they planned. And that makes for a nation full of tempestuous toddlers running around in grown up bodies. I should know; I'm one of them.

Say WHAT?

2008-08-15T10:27:00.007-04:00

Yesterday while in Books-A-Million, I had the profound displeasure of being seated next to a young man who didn't realize that I could hear his phone conversation over my iPod. Like me, he is apparently homeless and living off of the generosity of his friends. Like me, he apparently attended American University. Unlike me, he apparently is a despicable human being. I will let the evidence speak for itself.

Direct quote that I felt compelled to write down as soon as the words left his mouth: "I met this chick, and I'm thinking of falling in love with her to move into her place. The thing is, she has this great place all to herself..."

No, I am not kidding. I did not make that up. As much as I like to think that I'm creative, I don't think that I could make that up.

I'm not sure if that is the most off-putting conversation on which I have ever accidentally-on-purpose eavesdropped, but at the moment, it is all that comes to mind. To make matters worse, as of late I have had a tendency to think less than fair and balanced thoughts when it comes to the male gender, and guys like this tool are not likely to make that tendency lessen.

His behavior is wrong on so many levels that it's like the Tower of Babel of Jackassery. I can only pray the poor girl sees through his charade. Here's hoping you do, anonymous girl.

Fresh Starts (A Blog Entry Written by Hand in Books-A-Million)

2008-08-14T16:00:00.003-04:00

On my way out of my interview today, I was caught in an afternoon thunderstorm (oh, how I missed them). Having possibly just started down the path to a new job and watching the city be washed clean by the rain, I started to wonder about the idea of "starting fresh."

People try to do it all the time. They "reinvent themselves" in the hopes that they can start anew; they get new jobs, new housing, new friends or lovers all in an effort to capitalize on that ever-elusive tabula rasa. Now, I don't intend to delve into the debate about the existence of such a concept. Thinking like that is best left to philosophers and can lead to nothing good in my life, as far as I'm concerned.

Instead, I am deciding how best to make use of my personal clean slate. I've been given the incredible gift of a quadruple fresh start - a new city (albeit one I've lived in before), a new place to live (with the inevitable new roommate[s]), a new job (in addition to my burgeoning writing career), and new companions (in the form of said roommate[s] and new coworkers). Therefore, I'm thinking that now is the time to devise a strategy for best making use of this period in my life. I love the freedom and hope that comes with the future being wide open in front of me, and I can't wait to see what happens next or where life leads me.

Rejection is...

2008-08-13T14:54:00.004-04:00

...not the four-letter word that people make it out to be. I promise.

Granted, I am one of those glass half full, silver lining, true love does exist, everything happens for a reason types. Still, I don't feel that disqualifies me from making such a bold statement.

You see, unfortunately for me, I have dealt with my fair share of rejection (in all its various disguises) during the course of my almost twenty-three years of life, and as of late, I have had that rejection amplified due to the fact that I am putting myself out on two limbs at once. Not only am I scouring a job market that I don't believe anyone would refer to as encouraging, but I also am attempting to procure an agent for my first book.

On the one hand, I am being told (without the use of words or a response of any kind, in fact) that I am not right for this or that job. On the other, I am being told that my book (my baby, the fruit of a grueling month of hard work and reclusiveness - not to mention the never-ending editorial process) is not right for this or that agent.

The way I see it, I could view the rejections as some sort of value judgment - you're not good enough, your work isn't good enough, your skills aren't good enough, et cetera. BUT, I choose to take the rejections at face value. What the prospective employers and agents actually are telling me is that they don't want me/my novel. Before you start wondering how that is different from despairing interpretation I just denounced, let me explain.

They don't want me. Sit with that for a second.

I don't know about you, but I certainly don't want someone who doesn't want me, for whatever reason. I wouldn't want to stay in a romantic relationship with a man who didn't want me. I wouldn't want to be friends with someone who didn't want my friendship. And, I'm not going to beat myself up because a Company X or Ms. Agent doesn't want me as an employee or a client.

Of course, the why does matter, but it's secondary. I approach the why almost clinically with an emphasis on "what can I do better" not "what did I do wrong." As my friends in the PR industry would tell you, it's all about the spin. I find that there is no better person to spin for than yourself.

Another trick I use to deal with rejection is to focus on the moments (however rare) that have gone right (been exceptional) rather than on all the bad ones. For instance, I remind myself that with my most recent jobs, the interviews have been more of a formality than anything because my employers were that impressed with my resume (and I felt very appreciated by those employers the majority of my time with them). In terms of getting my book published, I keep in mind the fact that I have only queried a grand total of FOUR agents out of a pool of approximately 400-450. And, my first query letter ever resulted in a request for a partial.

Those small things can seem like nothing if I'm feeling particularly self-indulgent and down-trodden, but most of the time I see them for what they are - impressive accomplishments. I'm sure that if you use your energy to sort through your life with a filter of positivity (even you pessimists) you'll find that you have a few gems of your own that you can polish and wear proudly as you face rejection and look gorgeous while doing it.

Larger than life, or maybe an accurate representation...

2008-08-12T15:31:00.003-04:00

Say "Hello" to Babe the Big Blue Ox, everyone! Yes, he is the guardian of the gates that lead to the Trees of Mystery in Klamath, California. And thus begins the long-awaited, much-anticipated California vacation recap. It has arrived, indeed.

Unfortunately, I have been writing all day long (first on a cover letter draft for a friend and then on a query letter), and I'm not sure how insightful and moving this post will be. Nonetheless, I wanted to share with you the grandeur that is the Redwood National and State Parks of Northern California. I believe that the scale truly is something that you have to see to understand, and I know from personal experience that pictures may be worth 1000 words, but they are not worth one real-life encounter.

That having been said, I borrowed a few pictures from my mother and am posting them for your viewing pleasure.

Here I am with a tree called the Brotherhood Tree, and just to give you some sense of scale, I am 5'9".

Isn't that outrageous? Again, and I can't stress this enough, you really have to be there to "get it." Now, this tree is one of the larger trees in that part of the forest, but they are all huge by any normal standard. It's not one big tree; it's an enormous forest full of them.

When I was standing among them, I couldn't help but imagine what the world must have been like hundreds (and in some cases, thousands) of years ago when those trees were saplings. Were there even bigger trees shading them? Can you imagine it? I know I can, and it's an amazing sight.

In summary, size does matter. The bigger, the more awe-inspired I'll be.

Thank God I'm a City Girl?

2008-08-11T14:14:00.001-04:00

Recently, I was asked if it was weird to be back in the city. Now, let me set the scene for you. I was standing on my balcony just after sunset and was staring out to the west of my Rockville apartment. For those of you not familiar with the area, that basically means that nothing but trees stretched before me as far as I could see. Of course, there are a couple of office buildings and a couple of apartment buildings, but mostly, it's trees, trees, and more trees.

My automatic response to the question was, "It's actually not much different from Washington [state], only instead of a few mountains there are a few buildings." I realized today that although that statement was true for what I was seeing, it didn't answer the question that had been put to me. The fact of the matter is that in the week since I've come to DC, I've actually only spent about three minutes in DC proper (when I took the Metro to a friend's apartment, which is located at the edge of the DC/Maryland border in Chevy Chase).

That same friend (the one I went to visit) and I talked about how I was going to readjust to city life not too long ago. At the time, I proudly proclaimed that I was a city girl at heart and that the suburbs were not for me. In fact, when I actually lived in the city (Downtown even), I loved it. I adored the convenience of being able to walk almost anywhere I wanted. The constant exposure to hordes of strangers suited me just fine. And, I had a habit of going up to my roof to have telephone conversations so that I could watch the lights of the city sparkle under the canopy of orange that blocks the night sky from every city dweller's view.

However, after having spent a year in what can only be referred to as pseudo-suburban hell, I am starting to wonder if I have been ruined. That is not to say that I don't think that I could hack it if I were to find a place in the city. On the contrary, I know that I would be ecstatic. But, I'm not hating my current suburban location. It's peaceful and clean and upscale in a way that the city never really can be. And, I like it. That's the rub.

I suppose that the point is moot considering that my tenure here is going to be very short-lived, but still, it makes me wonder: does the fact that I am becoming increasingly comfortable with the settled, easy, and uniform (the suburban) lifestyle signify that I have lost something? And, if so, should I care and try and get that something back? Up to what point will I be too young - too ready-for-adventure and too eager to live out loud - to be settling in the 'burbs?

It's said that youth is wasted on the young, but I don't intend to follow that particular trend. Still, what exactly constitutes wasting? And, am I doing it now?

I'll let you know when the jury reaches a verdict, but please, lend me your two cents in the meantime.

Oh, and I haven't forgotten about the California recap! Don't worry. It is on its way. Remember: Patience is a virtue.