Friday Writing Update

Sorry to report not a lot of writing went on this week. I was in more of a marketing mode; the other half of this business. I’ve had my fun writing, this week was about taking care of business.

I did do two interviews, two guest posts and a whole lot of ‘Will you review my book’, stuff. I guess that could count as writing. I plan on doing a blog post of what I’ve learned about requesting book reviews from book bloggers. I feel all indie and self-published authors should be looking into this. I have a guest post on the subject already up at Nyx Book Reviews.

http://nyxbookreviews.blogspot.com/2012/02/guest-post-darke-conteur-on-book.html

Go check it out if you haven’t.

 

Of Covens and Packs

I discovered something very interesting this week. This is going to sounds very unprofessional, but until this week, I really didn’t have a good reason why someone would try to kill Jezryall. I knew what the outcome would be; what was supposed to happen, but I couldn’t nail down the method of how it would go down or why.  Then the idea struck me, and it’s all in her head. With this new characteristic, I can get more details into the story.

As it stands, the rough copy of this book is just under 14,500, and judging by the outline, I may be ¾ of the way done. It would be nice if I could get to 20k, but I have a feeling this could be another 30k book. Mind you, I’m introducing some new characters and there’s a whole plot thingie I have to look over. Who knows…

Call of the Siren

The outline for this book is finished. 3k and six chapters long. There’s a plot revelation that I have to spread out over the third and fourth book, and it’s been a bit of a bugger trying to make it balance out. I guess that’s part of the fun of writing a series. Next week I’ll start on the outline for book five. I still don’t have a decent title for it. Right now I’m calling it Tiding of Good Friends.

So, how was your week? Did you get a lot of writing done?

Wonderful Book Bloggers!

I bet you thought you wouldn’t be seeing a post today. WRONG! I’m a guest over at Nyx Book Reviews! Go check it out and leave a comment if the mood strikes you!

 

http://nyxbookreviews.blogspot.com/2012/02/guest-post-darke-conteur-on-book.html

The Decline of the English Language?

WordPress asked the question: What slang words and phrases are overused?

This got me thinking. I was a teenager during the 80′s, and some of the things we used to say, still make me shake my head. I don’t know if it’s because I’m older now and have a teenager of my own, but when I think back to my high school day and how I used to talk with my friends, I’m amazed I’m a coherent writer.

‘Like totally’, ‘Oh mu gawd!’, ‘Gag me with a spoon!’, ‘Fer sure’,

What the hell were we saying? Two movies in particular stand out in this linguistic massacre for me; Valley Girl and the Bill and Ted movies. Now, I’m not saying these movies are bad, far from it. I loved the Bill and Ted movies, but geez, I can’t believe I used to talk like that! Seriously! I did!

To be honest, every generation has their slang. Heck, look at the 60′s for crying out loud, and the roaring 20′s had some pretty good slang as well. The next time you hear someone complain about the stupid words teenagers are using, point them in the direction of the latest Indiana Jones movie. Shia Labouf’s dialogue is ripe with slang from that era.

I think slang is meant to set apart the generations. It’s something the youth of that era can claim as their own. Teens are always trying to find a something that sets them apart from their parent; ideals and language is part of it. Not to mention it irritates the hell out of the adults, which is exactly what they’re looking for.

 So next time your teen starts spouting slang, just smile. They’re asserting their independent identities, and wonder what their children will be saying.

So, until next time, be excellent to each other.

(NOTE: Teaser poster,but I have heard they’re thinking about it!)

A Personal Observation: A little kindness goes a long way.

We were never properly introduced. I only knew him as Charlie, but his one act of kindness did more to lift by spirits one winter, than I thought possible. During a time when the devastating results of excess greed touched us all, he renewed my faith in the human spirit and showed me that there are those who do not live by the all mighty dollar; that the small things really do count. that did he do? He ploughed out my snow-filled driveway.

There’s nothing I dread more than shovelling snow. Mother Nature had so thoughtfully smothered us with a years’ worth of white over the course of a few days, and like so many, my body rebels at the sudden and demanding workout of shovelling. My lower back becomes sore, my knees ache, and if there’s any sort of wind, you can bet I’ll throw snow into it. My neighbour from across the street took pity on me and came over with her shovel to help, but even with the extra pair of hands, I knew removing the half of foot of snow from our 50-foot driveway would occupy most of the morning. It was with great relief when a four-wheeler carrying Charlie slowed down next to us on the road, and he asked if he could plow out my driveway.

My cheeks were hurting from the grin I wore each time his machine roared past us. He cleared the snow right down to the gravel, and all I could think about was how he just made my day. He accomplished in a few minutes what would have taken my neighbour and I hours. Not asking for a payment of any kind. 

The rest of the weekend went a whole lot better because of one person’s act of kindness. I was in such a good mood that I went shopping. It wasn’t a spree, but it was money I don’t think I would have spent otherwise, being too tired after a morning of shovelling.

 

Charlie, if we ever run into each other again, I’m buying you a coffee. It’s the least I can do.

They Survived!

First, I want to thank everyone who sent me ideas on how to get rid of the ash from the woodstove. I’ve dumped more in the veggie garden and put some on my climbing roses. I still have a whole burn barrel full of it. I wonder what flowering plants and bushes like it.

Second, and very important—my two tropical plants survived the winter! Both my Christmas cactus and my Stag fern survived. This is a very exciting thing! For the last few years my green thumb has been black and just my looking at a houseplant would cause it to wilt and die. Husband has never had a black thumb. I’ve seen him bring back a plant that fell off a balcony and ¾ dead. Mind you, that was a Spider plant and it’s near impossible to kill off one of those.

The weather is staying warm here, and I’m itching to get out and do some gardening. We’re not going to have as many green peppers this year. Just one plant. The four we had last year produced so much that we couldn’t keep up, and everyone around here has gardens so we can’t give the stuff away. I was thinking about a road side stand with fresh veggies for the campers. We have two campgrounds nearby with piles of tourists. Another reason I don’t like to take walks. Some of these people are real city-slickers and seeing cows or sheep for the first time is a driving distraction. If you think I’m joking, then you haven’t lived out in the country.

Whoops, sorry, kinda got off topic there…
Anyway, like I said, with all the warm weather I’m just itching to get out. I wonder what kind of summer we’ll have?

Link Addiction

*stands up, clears throat*

Hi, my name is Darke Conteur, and I’m a link hoarder.

At first, I didn’t think it was a problem. I’d save a couple links a week, no harm right, maybe a few more on the weekend because you know, I’d have a hard week and I just NEEDED that information. Then, I started hanging out with these people online and next thing I know, I was added more and more links to my Favourites.

I kept it hidden from my family as much as I could, but the hours I spent hiding out online gave my addiction away. My son was embarrassed that his mother had so many links in her Favourite folder, my husband just didn’t understand. I told them there was nothing to worry about. I had control over it, not the other way around.

Lately, I’m beginning to wonder if that’s true.

I find myself collecting links for things I don’t even like. My husband will come home from work and mention something interesting he heard through the day and I have to find out more, or my son will be watching some new show and I have to save the webpage. Hey, I’m doing it for them! I’m trying to be a more informed person! They might need that information one day. You never know!

They say collecting like this is a taught trait. My mother has a collection bigger than mine, and if the internet was around when my grandmother was alive, I’m pretty sure her collection would be bigger than my mothers.

I don’t need counselling, just more folders…

The One-off.

I got into a discussion on a forum about ‘one-off’ characters. You know the ones I’m talking about, the character that pops up for just one scene and is never heard of again. Some writers describe it as ‘breeding characters’, and that’s a pretty good analogy.

I don’t do this. If I have a character in my story, said character has a role to play, even if it’s a small one. In THE SAINTS OF BELVEDERE ROAD, I have a grocery store clerk who could appear as a one off, but he comes back later in an important scene.

Another reason I don’t create extra characters; I don’t think it’s fair for the reader to become invested in a character only to have him/her never surface again. Part of the reason a story is good has to do with how well the reader empathizes with the characters. If your MC interact with other people, the reader does as well. The reader develops a ‘relationship’ with that character in the same way they do with the MC. I feel cheated when the character is never seen again. It’s almost like it was a waste of time reading. We never learn what happens to this character, or whether his/her life was changed by the encounter.

If there is something important that has to be said/done, I always use an existing character to do it. The reader is already invested time and possibly emotion with the character, and having him/her discover something more to the plot, just adds to it.

I know this isn’t for everyone. I’ve had people tell me that they feel the one off character adds realism to their story, but I want you to try something for me. Next time you’re working on your WIP, if you have a ‘one off’, take a moment and see if whatever this character does, could be done by someone else. Does it change the feel of the story? Does it add or subtract from the plot?

If you do decide to try this, let me know how it went

It’s Not What You Write About

Reblogged from A Storyteller's Musings:

I’m pretty sure most of us have heard that old saw, “It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it.” Well with that in mind, because it is true more often than not, let’s apply that to writing. It’s not what you write about, it’s how you write it. Let’s face it. Ebook publishing, and POD publishing, has made it easy to get a story out there to the public. For serious writers who sweat and toil over their craft, trying to turn out the best product they can, this is damn good news. The downside, (There always …

Happy Birthday Sithboy! With Pictures!

Yes, happy birthday. You survived your first year of being a teenager, despite the fact your father and I wanted to strangle you half the time. Yet we refrained, knowing that one day you will have a child of your own and will know what it was like to live with a teenager.

On that day, I expect a phone call with an apology.

 I’m not going to make this very mushy, that’s not me. Instead, I want to tell people what it is that makes you so special. With pictures.

We knew right away you would be a child with a good sense of humour. You showed us time and time again just how comical you could be.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You have a good sense of style, and know who you are.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You are a friend to animals, showing them kindness and love.

 

 

 

 

 

An intelligent child, you easily grasps the ever changing technology.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You are your own person, and never bow to follow others in your personal style.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You’re kind and respectful and always there with a smile.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So happy birthday, kid. You made it. 

Question of the Week: Can you wait to lose weight?

WordPress asked the question; What form of exercise do you enjoy the most?

For those of you who don’t know, I struggle with my weight. I’m 5’2″ and 150lbs, but I should be round 125-130. I needed to get rid of that extra weight but the problem was finding something that kept my interest. I’m not a fan of fad diets and those programs where you have to buy their food. Some weeks we barely have enough money to buy the groceries we need.

At first, I tried walking every day for half an hour, but no weight came off. Then we bought an elliptical and I used that every day for thirty minutes. No weight came off, but I did come up with some great story ideas. Then I found a DVD. It’s a sixty minute workout that mixes cardio segment with strength training and sculpting.

And it worked. I went from 170lbs down to 145. I was so happy and the best thing was, this DVD was fun to do. I have another DVD for belly dancing, and I do that when the other workout feels to strenuous. I think when it comes to losing weight, you HAVE to find something that makes the process fun, otherwise you won’t stick to it. It doesn’t matter what it is, as long and you’re enjoying yourself, eating right and moving, you will accomplish your goal.

Now to get the last twenty pounds off…