Oct19

Romantic Comedy

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So, the crazy story continues and segued again last night. I think I’m going to say it’s a romantic comedy because it really doesn’t fit any other genre. It’s weird because I usually have some element of suspense or a theme of that nature.  I do have a dead body and the heroine is a medical examiner but I find myself not really caring if the case is solved because I’m having so much fun with the dialogue between the main characters.  I may just call this a writing exercise and never submit it anywhere- it has at least amused me and kept  me out of trouble for a couple of days.  Always a plus.

Oct18

Started a Crazy Story

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I’m gearing up for NaNoWriMo beginning in November and don’t really want to start anything new writing-wise until then as I don’t want to get wrapped up in characters and then change gears in two weeks.

I had nothing to read in my car yesterday so I took my alpha writer to lunch and started a short story, thinking I was going to submit it to a place looking for fantasy romances. I wrote 365 words with a plan (sort-of- not really) for a fairy to  be part of the story.

So, today, I picked it up and worked on it at lunch again and added about 700 more words. It has now turned into a sort-of-not-really Valentine’s Day story. 

I have no idea where it’s going and when the hero asked the heroine if she knew who the murder victim was, she said no and asked him to tell her.  I was just as eager as she was to know the answer. 

Hurry up, November, so I can focus. Please. 

 

Oct12

The News That Interests Me Most

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BB We can has games crossword puzzle

It’s not so much the news that interests me. I’m a crossword puzzle hound. My paper has two crosswords a day and that’s the first thing I turn to and do. AND, yes, I live life on the edge, I do them in pen. I hate, hate the sound of pencil on newspaper- it’s worse to me than nails on a chalkbord, but not as bad as someone sharpening a knife on a whetstone- yeah, you can call me weird if you want. I embrace it.

After the crosswords are done, I do the word jumble and then read the comics with my favorite being MUTTS. I love those critters.

So, the newspaper is more like a game-paper to me. And that’s all right with me.

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Oct9

New Christmas Anthology Coming Soon

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Whortleberry Press is at it again. Their Christmas 2011 anthology will be out soon and they have outdone themselves this time on the cover. I think it’s absolutely gorgeous and is going to really appeal to a lot of folks.  My story in this one is called Christmas in Venice.  The theme was Christmas Angels and my angels are a little unusual. This press always has themes of stories with scifi, fantasy or horror elements.  Mine is along the fantasy lines this time although there is a scifi element as well.

I can’t write dark so I don’t really do horror. There may horrific things that happen to my characters but they always keep their sense of humor intact. My main character in this story has a tough experience but she bucks up and gets on with things. I like characters who don’t give up. Probably because I’m such a non-quitter in my own life. Sometimes I stick to things way past time to forget it and move on. Write what you know? Right! 

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Oct5

Me, In a Nutshell

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Check out the overachieving dog- that’s me

Overachiever

Five words to describe me are:

1. driven

2. intelligent

3. caring

4. loyal

5. over-achiever – oh wait, that may be the same as #1.

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Sep28

On Luck

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Life’s Not a Four Leaf Clover

Four leaf clover in red hair

I don’t believe in luck. I believe you make your own luck by working hard and trusting yourself to do the right thing. If you make the best of your circumstances, good things will come to you.

Bad things happen to everyone. It’s part of life. We’ve all experienced loss and frustration. If I thought luck played a part in everything that has happened to me, what would be the point of trying to better my circumstances? If what will be will be and I have no control over my life, what’s the use in striving for happiness?

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Sep24

International Travel versus Space Travel

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Let’s see, free international travel for life vs. a space trip? Easy for me to answer for two reasons. The first one is that I have zero interest in going into space. My superhero name (which is not very super at all) is Claustrophobia Girl. Even though Outer Space is supposed to be vast and unending, to me it seems like a dark place that would make me feel enclosed in a dark coffin. It would press down on me and cause me great angst. I also could never be in a rocket for the same reasons. Too close quarters. I even freaked out once in the IMAX theatre over a space movie and left in the middle of the show. If I was up there for real, I couldn’t dash out, now could I?

International travel, on the other hand, is something I love to do. I’m all about discovering new cultures and taking in the amazing sights and sounds of different places, so yeah, this one is easy. Give me that permanent boarding pass, even if I have to take a nap to get through the flight with all those people pressing in. Airplanes aren’t roomy enough either but the travel time is shorter than a space trip and there’s always the layovers to help with the claustrophobia.

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Sep19

Now Available – Music Hall, Music Hell

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The anthology I’m in with my story called Music Hall, Music Hell is now available.  I’m excited about it – I really do love my story – it was fun to write and came together very fast. It’a tour of the music halls and bars in hell with a personal escort, Mephistopheles himself. I hope if you check it out, that you’ll let me know what you think.

For ordering info: http://whortleberrypress.com/

Sep18

Art I Appreciate

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I want it all!

This is a super hard prompt for me to answer. I have no way to say which I appreciate most. I was a dancer for many years and love ballet, ballroom and tap dancing the best. I could watch the ballet all day.

I’m also an avid amatuer photographer. I’ve been told I have a good eye and I love to take pictures from different perspectives.

My son has an architecture degree and we love to look at buildings everywhere we go. Anytime we traveled when he was a kid, we had to check out all the various architecture in the area. Houses, businesses, churches, statues, we love it all.

I’m also a major film buff. I adore all the old ones as well as good storyline modern ones. I’m not much on the stupid ones but I like a good story. In fact, as a writer, some of my best inspiration comes from the scenery, costumes and cinematography of films.

So, I guess my answer is, give it all to me. All except what they call modern art. I like my art to look like something concrete I can identify. LOL!

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Sep15

Customer Service Winners and Losers

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Piles of Money

Customer service? How about no service! I just went round and round with my credit union the other day. My son moved to England for grad school and we called the credit union ahead of time and told them he was moving and we even changed his address. This is an international credit union that does business with people all over the world.

Sure enough, he went over and the first thing he tried to buy was a cell phone over there since his wouldn’t work internationally without huge charges. Guess what? The credit union wouldn’t honor the charge and cut off his card for “suspicious activity.” WTH? Crazy.

So, I called them as I’m the joint owner of the card. They would not listen to me about the charges being okay. They wanted HIM to call- what part of “He can’t get a phone because you cut off his card” didn’t they understand? He needed credit to get the phone and they cut off his credit because he was in a foreign country. It was one of those things called a vicious circle, right?

The only way I had to communicate with him was by email. He tried to email the credit union but they ignored his request to allow the charges. It was ludicrious. I went round and round with them, finally, exasperated, I told them they needed to look at my other accounts because I was coming to take ALL OF MY MONEY out as soon as I got off work. Guess what? They took the freeze off the kid’s card. GEEZ. How crazy was all that?

I’m still debating taking the money and leaving. If I hadn’t been a customer since I was 16, I might.

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