Showing posts with label Afterlife of the Undead. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Afterlife of the Undead. Show all posts

22 May 2009

Embracing Freaky Fridays: Heathcliff Heathcliff

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.

22 April 2009

Mini-Blog: Embracing ADD

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...

15 April 2009

Embracing Tax Day

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!

09 April 2009

Embracing Shame

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!)

14 March 2009

Mini-Blog: Embracing Thanks

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...

13 March 2009

Embracing Tomorrow and the Who's Who of SEFEVWI

[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. =/