Building A Platform

I did it! I joined Rachel Harrie's Third Writer’s Platform-Building Campaign!

I’m so excited about meeting new people, sharing ideas, and learning more about what I do.

I heard about the Campaign on Sommer Leigh’s blog a couple of days ago, but I wasn’t sure if I was ready to sign up for something so big (well, it’s big for me, anyway). I’ve always struggled with social interaction on the Interwebz, thanks to Internet Stage Fright, so I put off signing up until the last minute (today). I finally decided that it’s probably going to be an awesome experience and I would be a dummy to pass it up.

The best part is that participants get to join genre-specific groups to help direct them to like-minded writers. I’ve decided to join the Young Adult, Dystopian/Post-Apocalyptic, Urban Fantasy, and Beginner Bloggers groups. There’s a good chance I’m going die of blog overdose in the next couple of months because of this, but I don’t care. It’s going to be fun and totally worth it!

I’m really looking forward to meeting everyone!

Character Development Through An Artist's Eyes

Being an artist, I tend to understand things better through visual representations. Because of this, I sometimes like to describe my character development through color.

Here’s how my main character in Brilliant Idea #2 develops throughout the plot. It only covers the beginning, middle, and end, because I don’t want to give away too much of the storyline just yet, but I think you can probably get a general idea of what’s going on.

1) Softer tones represent naivete and youth.

2) Bold dark tones represent chaos, discomfort, and discord.

3) Bright colors represent growth and new life.

Something about that last one reminds me of Cake Wrecks and really makes me want to eat a cupcake.

Why You Should Back Up Your Work

Around this time last year I was just about to finish up on the very first edit of my very first manuscript. (Yay!) I was only a few chapters from the end and (Ack!) the hard drive on my laptop died. I lost all of my edits and the last three chapters of the manuscript. (Boo!)

Lego Twitter Fail Whale by tveskov

By then, I was so over my manuscript that I didn’t care that it disappeared into hard drive heaven. I didn’t lose any sleep because I was in the loathing stage of our relationship and, as I’ve said before, that usually occurs about the time I really start digging into the editing process.

Honestly, I was happy to move on because Brilliant Idea #2 was pounding on the door and I was raring to get started on it. In the end, I’m glad I decided to forget about the lost manuscript. I was able to take a break from obsessing about it for a good long while and, because of that, I’m completely over the loathing stage and back to being infatuated. Right now, though, I’m forcing myself to finish editing Brilliant Idea #2 before I get side tracked again. It’s so easy to get sidetracked and I NEED a finished manuscript like a pirate needs orange juice.

So now that I’m back on board with my first manuscript, I’m having some serious regrets about losing all those hours that I spent slaving away on my manuscript. Can’t believe I let something that like that slip through my fingertips.

I think it goes without saying people, back your stuff up.

I Think I Have Editor's Block

The last couple of days have been like a giant traffic jam of workflow. I haven’t gotten nearly as much accomplished as I intended. I like to blame it on Netflix for adding four seasons of Mad Men to Watch Instantly, but I know it’s my fault for getting distracted so easily.

I think I’ve figured out my problem, though. I’m pretty sure I have editor’s block. I’ve never had a problem with writer’s block, but I’ve always had issues with editing. I would almost rather have the flu than edit my manuscripts. One of my biggest pitfalls is taking a look at the big picture and getting bogged down in the details. I tend to do that quite a bit and it's about then that I start despising my work and getting burnt out.

Also, I tend to get bored when I’m not constantly exploring my characters and their journeys. That’s my favorite part. Let’s face it though, I can’t do anything to change the writing process. Editing is a very necessary component.

Every once in a while, though, I come across something I wrote and I think, “Did I write that? Holy cow.” Those little moments inspire me to keep slogging through the mud, and give me hope that, in the end, I’ll have a sparkling manuscript that I can call my own and be extremely proud of.

Do You Love Zombies, too?

If I could be someone else I would be a superhero zombie warrior:

I would live in a post-apocalyptic world.

I would never be bitten.

Biohazard by Francisco Javier Argel

I would defend myself with ballpoint pens.

Pen Attack by illustir

I would live off of acorns, pecans, and blackberries.

Pecan Grove Field by Proleshi

I would carry a bow and a sword.

Link by Dunechaser

I would use hairspray and a lighter in a pinch.

I would live in a treehouse.

Wolkenkukucksheim by glasseyes view

I would ride an electric car because it’s so quiet.

Melex 212 by Karwik

I would ride a vintage enduro when the battery in my electric car died.

1972 Yamaha RT-2 360 Enduro by twm1340

I would ride my moped when the vintage enduro died.

I love zombies. Sometimes I imagine what I would do if a zombie outbreak happened in my town. I live near a nuclear plant so sometimes I think that’s not too far fetched an idea, but until the nuclear reactors go, I’ll settle for writing about them.

Is News Media Fiction?

Last night I had an interesting conversation about news media.

The topic came up and eventually led to a long discussion about whether or not news media is a form of fiction.


Arguments included:

News is Fiction: Most news doesn’t affect you in an immediate capacity.

News is Fact: It doesn’t matter if it doesn’t affect you personally; emotional reaction matters, too.

News is Fiction: Emotional reactions don’t produce anything tangible.

News is Fact: There is value in emotion.

News is Fiction: The only things that are real are the things you experience in person.

News is Fact: It doesn’t make sense to disconnect yourself from the rest of the world because you don’t experience everything personally. Eventually, some events will trickle back to you.

News is Fiction: News isn’t always accurate.

News is Fact: News is how I learn about what happens in the world.


We traveled down the rabbit hole for a few more hours and in the end, we decided that both ends of the argument carried some legitimacy.

The interesting thing about the discussion is that while news is based on factual events, it isn’t always accurate and unbiased. It tells a story, though, and stories are what draw an audience. There are people working behind the curtain that are really good at making this happen. Take reality TV and the Casey Anthony trial, for example.

More than anything I think it’s important to understand the mechanism and use sound judgment when deciding how to react.

Books Made Into Movies

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about books that were made into movies so I’ve made a list of my top twenty favorites. Let me start by saying that I’ve seen a bazillion books made into movies so in order to keep this list short I’ve only included the ones that I’ve read.

Also, be warned. There’s quite a bit of chick lit. (What’d you expect? I’m a girl.)

20. Starship Troopers
So the movie is a little cheesy. Okay, it’s very cheesy. The thing that I like about it is that it’s kind of an homage to Robert Heinlein’s sense of humor. Sure, there are a couple of made up subplots, but the thing you have to remember is that there isn’t much of a plot in the book to begin with. They had to do something to make it flow a little better.

Funny thing is, the first time I watched the movie I hadn’t read the book so I turned it off after twenty minutes. However, after I read the book the movie seemed completely different. Don’t get me wrong. It’s still cheesy, but at least now I get it.

19. Twilight
This is one where I read the book after seeing the movie. I love how indie-cool it is and how everyone is so pale and rosy-cheeked. I love the awkward piggyback scenes, the cool music, and the low-budget feel.

18. Brick
Really love this movie. It kind of came out of nowhere and blew me away. And so did Joseph Gordon-Levitt. That was the first time I’d seen him since his role in 3rd Rock from the Sun. He was all grown up.

17. Northanger Abbey (2007 TV)
This one is a good example of how a film gets it right by capturing the spirit of the book. I can still see Catherine looking up at Henry with those large innocent doey eyes. Jane Austen is smiling down on from heaven right now, I’m sure.

16. Mansfield Park (1999)
Okay this one’s a little strange, I’ll admit. The movie has subplots in it that come out of nowhere. They weren’t in the book, but boy do they make the movie dramatic. I still like it, though. It’s one of the grittier novels that Jane Austen wrote and it still has all of the trappings of a good romance.

15. The City of Ember
I loved the costumes and set design for this movie. As often happens with books made into movies, things were different, and maybe in this case it was for the better. It’s still a great movie, though, and I love Saoirse Ronan and Bill Murray.

14. Wuthering Heights (2009 TV)
Oh, the tears. So many tears. Good grief the Bronte sisters knew how to make a person cry. P.S. I love Tom Hardy in this role. Made me love Heathcliff even more.

13. Jane Eyre (2006 TV)
Out of all of the actresses that have portrayed Jane Eyre I empathize with Ruth Wilson the most. Her confusion, frustration, and passion ooze through the screen.

12. Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (2005)
This is another one of those movies that people thought didn’t do the book justice. I disagree. Of course the movie wasn’t perfect. They never are, but I think it captured the spirit and humor of the books perfectly. Plus, puppets. You can never go wrong with puppets. Look at Labyrinth.

11. Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince
This is the first time I really thought of Harry as grown up. It touches me in a way that the other movies don’t. Of course, by book six, the stories had gotten more and more character driven. I feel like this one really hit the nail on the head, though. It was a perfect set up for The Deathly Hallows.

10. Harry Potter and the Prizoner of Azkaban
Two words: Time Travel

9. Lord of The Rings
New Zealand, vistas and hobbits. What more is there to say? Oh yeah. Elves and wizards.

These movies are so epic. And I have to say (and you will judge me for this) I think I might like the movies better than the books.

8. Clueless
Ah, Cher. If only I had a fancy closet like you.

The directors, writers, producers, etc. did a good job of recreating an Emma that modern girls can understand and relate to. Although, I hate to think that modern girls can’t understand Austen’s Emma.

7. Emma (1996)
I don’t care what people say I love Gwyneth Paltrow as Emma.

6. The Princess Bride
I loved this movie so much growing up that sometimes I watched it three times a day. I even quoted it in my highschool yearbook even though everyone else quoted Thoreau and Nietzsche. Who doesn’t love this movie?

5. Sense & Sensibility (1995)
Wow. Merchant Ivory. ‘Nuff said.

Some of the best actors of our time are in this movie: Sybil Trelawney, Severus Snape, Poppy Pomfrey, and a couple of other famous people that weren’t in Harry Potter: Rose Dawson and William Thacker.

4. Anne of Green Gables
There’s no one quite like Anne Shirley. Megan Follows is perfect as Anne.

When I was younger I connected with Anne so deeply that I felt like I knew her. Thanks, Lucy Maud, for teaching me about kindred spirits.

3. Pride & Prejudice (1995)
Swoon. Seriously. That Colin Firth. Love him. And doidn’t Jennifer Ehle have eyes just like the ones that Mr. Darcy talked about in the book?

2. Pride & Prejudice (2005)
Double Swoon. Matthew Macfadyen and Keira Knightley. I love the cinematography in this one. And the costumes are incredible. They did a good job of showing how grimy everything was back then, all the way down to the greasy hair, cracked walls, and bugs flying around.

1. Wives & Daughters
This is my all time favorite. I could watch it over and over again. I love Justine Waddell as Molly. She was so innocent, good, and pure. She had me rooting for her character the entire time and secretly wishing I could claw Cynthia’s eyes out.