Come one, come all WIP's! As mentioned last week, I will be untangling my present WIP with the help ofNaNoWriMothis November. 30 days and nights of wild writing abandon, how can I resist. And what can I say, my WIP needs the extra attention after the physical neglect I have given it.
Now I didnt say emotional neglect. Maybe I havent been stroking my fingers up and down the keys in a age old dance--writer and filling a blank screen/page. But my story and its characters are always on my mind. I have a steno pad and a computer full of bookmarked info and images to prove it.
I just need to write!!!!!!!!!!
So if ya have a neglected WIP or would like to take the NaNoWriMo challenge, 50,000 words of original story in 3o days, JOIN ME!!!!!!
First, thank you all for your well wishes. I am feeling better. Thank you and I shall be catching up in the blog world this week. I will not bore you with the details of having a cold or sinus issues, but I will say I started feeling sick about a couple weekends ago.
The Sunday before, I attended my first International Woman's Writing Guildmeeting of the season. It was great to be back with the gals. Pot luck treats and writing prompts abound for our season starter.
Unfortunately, I felt the 'walking dead' feeling on and off through that day and by Monday I so knew I was sick. This did not bode well for the rest of my week. Aside from my other obligations, I was in the final stages on getting ready for a area craft show, my first.
So what do WIP's do when they are sick? They improvise and soldier on.
Welcome to my tent at the 34th annual Boardman Rotary Oktoberfest! Sad to say, the day was cold and rained part of it. Not good for getting over being sick. Happy to say I did enjoy the experience, the people and made my space for the day with a little extra. All of this let me ignore the whole wet and cold thing.
The tent is Jim and I camping pavilion when we go to the astronomy field. The pretty little table up front is my great grandfathers. The photos of my wares and said wares are of my creation of course. It was Jim's idea for me to place some of my pics out to advertise (good hubby) and the displays are of my creation. And if you ever wanted another use for a old type drawer, try it as a craft and jewelry display. Just $5 at my local junk store.
And some of my crafty neighbors and patrons milling about old Boardman Park.
Now, be sure to take a card before you go. All not sold at the show will be up onetsy soon enough.
Now, as for my sick WIP Ghost Mountain, I have found some good medicine. A lovely writing pal of mine, Eliza, reminded me that National Novel Writing Month is upon us and NaNoWriMo may be the perfect chance to untangle my WIP while pushing a steady word count towards completion.
I say it sounds like just what the doctor ordered.
Sooooo. Have ya ever recycled bits of one WIP to feed another WIP? I assume you have. This 'recycling' is often what sparked the new WIP in the first place. A scene or a character didnt quite fit the project you were working on, but you liked it. So you kept it like the treasure hunting magpie that writers are and at some point it began to germinate into it's own story.
But what about using a piece of WIP from a Fan Fiction you wrote? I know the disclaimer--the characters and the story do not belong to me....blah blah blah. But what if the story bit was out of story cannon or non-specific of the original characters created for the original work of fiction? It's your writing right???? Writers find inspiration in others works all the time, don't they?
It's a topic that has crossed my mind now and then. I was wondering if anyone else has come across a similar dilemma?
BTW, Napoli (pictured in his favorite hiding place--my grocery bags) say's "Reduce. Reuse. Recycle. And remember my cat treat."
Below is a bit from a Mentalist Fan Fiction I am hoping to recycle into my present WIP, Ghost Mountain. It would not be word for word do to the many differences in the characters and works, but the gist would be there.
"Just the slightest touch from him was beginning to feel like the biggest leap into the unknown.So many voices of reason and experience told her to take her hand away, but so much of what she needed—what she knew he needed, was allowing his fingers to entwine with her own and hold tight.She simply needed to trust…"
As for this past week and weekend--and the reason I've been off the grid more than usual. Jim and I headed off to Cherry Springs PA, about 3 hours from our home in Ohio. Once again we enjoyed some camping, hiking, stargazing and a whole bunch of astrophotography (i.e. half our gear consisted of astronomy, computer and photography equipment).
We stayed from the 1st to the 6th. A long hall this time but worth the stay.
These are just a few images I took of our camp site on the astronomy field, the valley below our elevation (2,300 feet), and a few misc photo's including a engineered image my husband took of the Milky Way last trip.
photo by Jim Murray
And then, when we got home Monday, we unpacked some of our gear and headed off to the county fair...
Come one, come all! Welcome to the 164th year of the Canfield Fair!
For every year I have been alive I have gone to this mainstay of Mahoning County. One would think I'd tire of the giant pumpkins, row after row of animal barns, craft barns and exhibits, rides, funnel cakes and tractor pulls but alas I have not nor do I see this happening anytime soon.
The fair represents something to me--something pure and happy and unchanging in its way. And after 164 years, it is nostalgia of the very best sort for this country girl. And the best way to say so long to Summer and greet the Fall.
And these last few years, I have found a way to participate in this event. By entering the Fine Arts and Photography exhibit with my husband Jim.
My entries this year...
I hope all of ya had a great Labor Day weekend and I'll type at ya Friday!
Again, I recommend entering one of these bits of entertainment, socialization and dare I say challenge to your writing skills.
While reading through many of the other entries, exchanging messages with other participants and browsing others blogs, I was reminded of what a great comfort having this creative outlet has been to me. I know I am not alone in my creative journey. That I have all of you--most I have never met face to face but found something in your entries that talked to me and made me a follower of you. You give me thought provoking articles, links, words of wisdom and folly. I enjoy or am moved by your stories and pictures. And I am given warmth when I get a personal message outside the blogisphere, showing me you have become more than a follower or followed, but a friend.
Having a blog, having followers (and I do not care if its just 5 or 500) has provoked me into being more aggressive with my writing schedule and my writing goals. Now that I have others eyes on me (paranoid much?) I feel more compelled to finish projects on time. 'Gettin er done' has taken on a more professional vibe for me--a good thing for a procrastinator.
And having this blog has sorta become my own version of mom's fridge. I cut, paste, link and write here, the things I have accomplished, things of pride and things I see as solid stepping stones on a right path.
So I raise my fresh brewed to you from under the steps and thank you for reminding me that I am not crazy! I am just a writer...
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BTW, a few upcoming blogfests to enjoy. If you have one coming up or know of one I do not have, drop me a line. I think when I hit my 100 mark, I will toss one of my own. *thinking*
Welcome! First, a shout out to Jen at unedited, for throwing this wonderful Blogfest, the Guess That Character Blogfest. What a great way for all us to introduce our characters to the blogger world AND test our own view of what we want our characters to be.
Today will be the introductions to our characters. Just a bit of story to give ya a taste. Please take a peek at mine below and then tell me who you think my character is. What does he look like? How does he see himself, his world? And then check out all the other wonderful entries listed here.
Tomorrow, all participants in the fest will unveil our take on the characters in question and give you a visual of the faces that haunt our imaginations.
Have fun and happy reading folks. Thanks for stopping by!
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And now, may I once again introduce Wyatt Paxton from my WIP, Ghost Mountain...
Down went the wood gavel in fast and furious succession. “Folks, we need to start this meeting…”
Wyatt closed his eyes before he had the chance to roll them. Mayor Jenkins attempt at order had rapid fired through his skull one too many times tonight. So quickly Wyatt stepped from his inconspicuous vantage point outside the crowd and stealthily moved to the front of the meeting hall, and then took the small stage in one leap.
A shrill whistle rented the air. Wyatt lowered his fingers from his lips. The roar of the room quickly faded to a few whispers and coughs from his friends and neighbors.
“Mayor.” Wyatt nodded to his flustered but relieved Major, knowing and not caring that the man was annoyed at his assist.
Mayor Barney Jenkins had been Deputy Mayor only five months before. But after Mercy Corners much loved Mayor Branagan passed on unexpectedly of a heart attack during a fishing trip, the job fell to Jenkins to finish the remainder of the term. It didn’t take a rocket scientist or a leader of men to see that the new title was chafing the less experienced man in spots that were bound to make Wyatt and the rest of the town uncomfortable for the next six months.
“Thank you Sheriff Paxton.” Mayor Jenkins acknowledged through tight lips without looking at him. “Now lets begin this meeting by introducing…”
Impervious to his Mayors slight, Wyatt made to step down from the low stage, forgetting all eyes had fallen obediently to him earlier, including Mary’s…
‘Damn, she’s still beautiful.’
In that moment, Wyatt felt like his boots had been nailed to the steps and at some point between restoring order to the room and finding his old high school sweetheart staring up at him, his heart had stopped along with his motor skills. Wyatt felt like he was falling and he didn’t like it one bit.
Maybe if he'd been thinking strait, he would have noticed just how struck Mary had been seeing him too. It had been fifteen years. But then again, Wyatt's sniper vision had always been a bit blurry when seeing himself through others eyes.
What does a Work In Progress get happy about? What made me happy this week?
2,000 more words added to my WIP Ghost Mountain yesterday. (Check out the simple but happy little word counter on the left column. Watch her climb!)
My Focus on Fiction Group at my local B&N is this Sunday. A WIP--or at least this WIP, always looks forward to my writing groups.
Two jewelry pieces picked to be on Etsy Treasury this month. HERE and HERE!!!!!! It's nice being noticed by your creative peers. The newest pick was my Regal Beach Pearls and Crushed Velvet Multi-Strand Necklace.
Here is a BIG ;-D for the week. I won a $15.00 Gift Certificate for Barnes and Nobles for my entry and advertising of DL's High Drama Blogfest at Cruising Altitude. THANK YOU DL! And a big congrats to the other six winners! It was a blast!!!!!
How about the opportunity to join in on another wonderful Blogfest in the VERY near funture! Remember Jen at unedited, is throwing the Guess That Character Blogfest August 19th and 20th. That's tomorrow kids!!!!
I am thinking I may use that new bit of WIP that I was going to use for the Weather Blogfest but then said I was going to use today for WIP Wednesday. That will work.
I have also enjoyed new blog designs and Etsy Widgets this week. The Blog header was a pic I took of some of my things lain about--WIP sorts stuff, and then I used Adobe to play with the image a bit. And I do like the wider look of this new blog design a lot better. And the Etsy Widget can be found just under my followers and traslator. Cool, compact and useful I think. I know a few of you who follow have a Etsy shop, so check it out and see if ya want one for your own.
So what got the WIP in you all geared up and cheery. Share! It's good for the creative ego. Ya know ya wanna!
Welcome to my entry to DL's High Drama Blogfest and thank you DL for holding such a fest with so many possibilities. I urge all to stop by his cool blog Cruising Altitude and read all the other high drama entries!!!!!
I am still working through some plot issues in my own WIP, so I found this bit of fan fiction drama to fit. I wrote the original draft of this piece a couple years ago. It was for my ‘Chapters Series’, a Jericho Fan Fiction. My first multi-chapter anything. The below scene was originally 3,000 words, so it took a bit of editing to get it down around 1,000. That sort of heavy editing of story material was a learning experience all on it’s own, let me tell you. And DL, I am so glad you raised the number to around a 1,ooo. I like to build drama and that takes a few more words.
Now, when I wrote this bit, the show was still on its way to being canceled outside its first season. I made Jake become Sheriff, I had him talking with his dead granddad and father for closure purposes, I paired him with Heather and not Emily (do not get me started), and I made it a point to allow Jake and Heathers characters to grow. (REMINDER: Disclaimer, the show and characters are not mine...)
Months later, the show got another chance but was canceled in its second season (due to bad writing). They did make Jake the Sheriff and had him talk to his dead granddad, but they paired him with Emily and still had him acting like a half cocked gun.
Can ya tell it bothered me?
SO, my entry...
The MC of this story and this scene is Jake Green. He was once a rebel without a cause, but after the apocalypse, he becomes his town’s hero. He had a lot of baggage and in this scene he finally comes to a point where he wants to tell someone. That someone is Heather Lisinski , the town good girl and his love interest.He is telling the story from a hospital bed after once again saving the day through his own sacrifices.
~ENTRY~ENTRY ~ENTRY~ENTRY ~ENTRY~ENTRY ~ENTRY~
“Going overseas—it was like nothing I had ever known. If the situation had been better, it would have been one of the most amazing experiences of my life. Everything seemed so different. The places I went, the cultures I was submerged in...”
Jake leaned into his hospital bed, leveling his eyes on the emerging moon. It was getting more difficult to look at Heather. He wondered if she would have the same problem with him after his story was told.
“I’d made alot of local contacts in Baghdad. A man named Ahmad was one of our most trusted information peddlers. He was Sunni Tajik, wanted change, wanted peace, or whatever was passing for it. He believed the US could help…”
Jakes eyes narrowed at the moon outside his window.
“I liked him.” Jake finally spoke. “Ahmad had this twinkle in his eyes, like he knew something the rest of us didn’t. Something that made everything else bearable. I think that thing had been his family…” Jake trailed back into silence, thinking of the old widower and his six children; five sons and a girl…
In Jake's silences, Heather watched him. Her lover may as well have been on the moon the way he stared at it now. She felt him distancing himself and all she could do was listen and watch him go.
“We were waiting for our transport back to the airstrip with a group of US officials. Our transport was late—had to change route when fighting intensified on the southern end of the city…”
Thing about waiting, it left time open for situations to go wrong.
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“Fuck!” Jake irritably spat, taking one last drag off his cigarette, snuffing it out in the sand.
Rapid gunfire echoed out over the eastern corner of the city, making the newbie beside him jump. Jake shook his head while eyeing the surrounding buildings with the barrel scope on his riffle; only getting a view of vacant eyed windows and an unsettled feeling that they were not alone.
He’d told Ahmad about the buildings having eyes earlier in the week, when the elder man had invited him to his home. They’d just finished lunch with Ahmad’s extended family before sitting to watchthe younger children play ball in the back courtyard.
‘Shadows have eyes here, Jake Green.’ He’d said. ‘Make sure you do not blink.’
“You’ll get use to the sound.” Jake told the newbie without looking away from the buildings on the other side of the square.
“Get use to it!” Freddie raised a questioning brow to his unaffected superior. “When’s that happening?”
Jake smirked while he continued his watch, the sound of gunfire could be heard peppering the air several blocks from their position.
Jake was use to the gunfire. It was as common place to him as birdsong back home. But the sound of explosions still made him hold his gun tighter, his head dip down lower and his feet move.
“Green. Ready to roll. Transport in five.” Jake nodded to his communications officer then shouldered his weapon.
“We’re getting out of Dodge, Freddie.” Jake smirked. “Not a moment too soon.”
Jakes eyes drifted back across the street while he stepped towards the square. Something in the shadows caught his eye once more. It was small and moving quickly.
“Shoma?” Jake yelled in broken Farsi at the approaching form.
“Amal!” He heard Ahmad yell at the small figure and Jake realized it was the old mans daughter. “Amal stop!”
The roar of truck engines could now heard coming through the neighborhood.The girl continued her walk out to meet them in the square.
Amal had not come to see her father, but the men he was helping. Her oldest brother believed this action took honor away from their family. She was told, by doing this—she would be saving her family and her beloved father from great ruin. She was a good, obedient girl.
Jake yelled the girls name, now recognizing her, as the first truck cleared the street corner into the square. She had turned to her father and then to Jake; he would remember those frightened brown eyes for the rest of his days.
Jake followed her wide eyed gaze to the center of her small body and felt his insides burst with a numbing cold when he traced the outline of a bombers belt just under the young girl’s robes.
Jake watched her hand trail down to her side and he felt his gun rise as if in slow motion. Without hesitation, Jake made a choice…
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“Everyone hit the deck.” Jake’s voice was weak, a lifeless whisper. Heather kept her stunned silence. “None of it—what I had done, hit me till Ahmad ran into the square…”
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“She would not have done it!” Ahmad’s voice rose in anguish as he cradled his daughter’s lifeless body in his arms. “I could have talked to her—my Amal!”
The old man’s words trailed out into a howl of misery as he tore the belt off his daughters limp form and threw it into the gutter, not caring if it exploded on impact.
Jake stepped closer, but stopped when he could see the girl’s lifeless face when her father layed her small body down to the bloody sand.
“You killed my girl!” The old man yelled.
“I had no choice…!” Jake screamed his only defense, dropping his weapon onto the street.
In that moment the old man charged down upon Jake, brandishing a dagger, consumed in a fathers rage.
“Nooooo!” Jake screamed as another gun shot rang out through the square.
Ahmad stopped within a few feet of Jake, his eyes wide with surprise. His knife fell from his hand. Before he could take another step, he fell dead in the street.
“He was gonna kill ya, Jake!”
“No choice…” Jake fell to his knees in the sand.
Time would pass after that day and he’d wish that Freddie had been a worse shot....
(End of entry but not of story. BTW, Heather didn't turn away after the story.)
FIND:I was catching up on my blog reading (still am) and found a FREE On Line Conference mentioned on the lovely Lydia Kang's Blog, The World is My Oyster.The WriteOnConis an online writer's conference for kidlit writers, but all are welcome, since many of the programs will deal with writing in general. For more details you can check out this page. It's being held next week.
Now you lovely folks now need to pay forward this pretty bit of blog bling to 5 other lucky bloggers you know and love. AND everyone else, stop by and check out these fairly new bloggers to the blogisphere.
As for Sharde, she is presently trying out a bit of a “social experiment” she is calling, I Write to You From…A very cool letter writing campaign this coming week. Check her out!!!!
And some reminders (who are friends)...
DL at Cruising Altitude has a prize filled High Drama Blogfest August 7th! So come one, come all!!!
And Roland at Writing In The Crosshairs continues hisstory, Ghost of a Chance. A wonderful tale about a writer and his amazing adventures through fictional worlds of his own making, while accompanied by the ghostly embodiments of his many writerly muses. At present, he is being accused of killing ghosts and on the run!!!
Today I'm making timely use of Donna Hole's Milestones Blogfest! A chance to toot your or someone else's horn! I plan to do both and very simply.
As of this week, I now have 50 followers. I like to think of that as a milestone in bloggerland. And I want to thank all of you who have stopped by, read my rambling prattle and decided it was interesting enough to stick around to read more of said prattle. Again, thank you so much for stopping by and staying.
I would also like to send a shout out to all the lovely bloggers who have and will be holding blogfests in the near future...
* DL at Cruising Altitude has a prize filled High Drama Blogfest August 7th!
Hello folks. First, I figured out how to work my new Net Book Webcam this morning (Does that look like a morning face or what?). I am happy that my Net Book bits work, but taking my own pic this way felt kinda--oh, I don't know? Vain?!? I really am a young old fuddy duddy.
Anywho...
This Friday Under the Steps I have a award to pass on to some nice folks and a update on any Blogfests you might not have found on your own. (If you have one I missed, lay it on me and I will add it to the list. Thanx!)
Not long ago The Words Crafter at The Rainy Day Wanderer awarded me The Versatile Blogger Award. Thank you my blogger buddy. And with this particular award comes a few rules:
Thank the giver(s) and link back to their blog(s).
Share seven things about yourself that others probably don't know.
Pass along to eight (originally fifteen) bloggers. Criteria: Adaptable, Flexible, Multifaceted, Resourceful, Multi-talented, and Versatile Bloggers.
Comment on their blogs to let them know about their award.
Again, thank you Words Crafter!!!!!!! And now a little bit about me...
I grew up poor. As in lived in a trailer, grandma had a outhouse till I was 12, rural poor.
I worked in the Mental Health field for over a decade. Started while I was still in college.
I have 3 cats. Napoli, Angelina, and Isis (or Issy The Flying Cat)
I really do enjoy being married.
I wrote fan fiction under the name Ann Pendragon.
I once chased off a group of drug addled teenagers trying to steal my car with a pair of scissors and a whole lot of obscenities. It was at a job site. The car was a piece of shit, but it was my POS.
Up until I was a pre-teen I wanted to be a paleontologist, a archeologist or a cop. A secret agent on really energetic days. I switched up these dreams about every other month. ;-P
NOW, the 8 lovely bloggers I shall pass on The Versatile Blogger Award... (And I hate picking people for these things because I know I have left someone out that I also enjoyed very much!)
Come one, come all WIP's! As mentioned last week, I will be untangling my present WIP with the help of NaNoWriMo this November. 30 days and nights of wild writing abandon, how can I resist. And what can I say, my WIP needs the extra attention after the physical neglect I have given it.
