So...due to conflicting schedules, I will not be a guest at Ravencon this year...but I will be there. There were a lot more panels for my husband (read his blog) than me. So I will not be a guest but I will be there to hang out/visit...and attend panels!
Actually, there turned out to be quite a few panels/workshops that I'm hoping to attend. And anytime I'm not in the panels, I'm hoping to be writing and finishing the novel!
I got some good advice from Faith Hunter over at Magical Words. I'm taking it to heart and so really tweaking some aspects of the story to tie them in better. Misty Massey (also at MW) gave some good advice on using the 7 sins/virtues as examples of flaws. I think I've kind of got Ella's main flaw as "fear." She is terrified of losing her sister and the courier business. She's also still dealing with the loss of her parents (who died somehow??).
Anyway, that's the news from the writing end.
Like the willows in the wind
Or the cliffs along the ocean
I will quietly resist
~Rush, Faithless
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Friday, March 2, 2012
At Stellarcon this weekend
So I've been meaning to write this all week...
I, along with the husband, are the Fan Guests of Honor this weekend at Stellarcon 36 in High Point. When I'm not on a panel, I'm going to try to be writing. I really want to get some work done on the novel.
Anyway, if you get a chance, stop by and say hi!
I, along with the husband, are the Fan Guests of Honor this weekend at Stellarcon 36 in High Point. When I'm not on a panel, I'm going to try to be writing. I really want to get some work done on the novel.
Anyway, if you get a chance, stop by and say hi!
Monday, February 20, 2012
Shevacon and Inspiration Strikes!
So...as always, I return from a convention excited and energized about writing. Of course, it would be helpful if I had my thumbdrive with me...but I'm sending myself emails so I suppose that is close enough.
I attended Shevacon in Roanoke, VA as a guest this past weekend. James has a good review of the con at his blog here. The only addition I'd have is that if you only have 1 guest on the panel...cancel it and put something else in its place.
For example, I was scheduled to be the only person on a panel about Steampunk costuming at 3pm on Saturday. The room was quite full and I would have been in a full panic if not for the wonderful Janine Spendlove, who was kind enough to not only step in and help me talk about costuming but also distracted the Geeklet who wanted to be part of the panel too. (Note to self: if Geeklet wants to be part of a panel - need to get her better costuming!) However, I would have been utterly terrified to speak in front of such a crowd if she hadn't been there. Particularly on a subject that I am only passingly familiar with.
I also sat on a very good panel about new authors with Betty Cross and Robin Sullivan. Robin, as a small press publisher, gave lots of good advice on contracts and the pros/cons of traditional vs Self vs Small Press publishing. I will eventually have to make that decision but I'm not quite there yet.
Otherwise, the con was quite fun. Didn't know a lot of people other than Janine, the Zahns, Allen Wold and Todd Lacey of the 501st/Mercs but still managed to have a pretty good time. The programming/guest staff were all very nice and incredibly understanding when we had to run out early Sunday morning to beat the snow! The Geeklet had a blast coloring in the art room. I wish every con did that! Though next time, I'll carry my laptop and let her color while I write!
Con being over, I've got about 2 weeks before Stellarcon where James & I will be Fan GOH's. I'm not sure how much "writing" panels I will be on but I'm still hoping to get some writing inspiration from the con. I'd also like to get to 50,000 words over the next two weeks so I'm putting that as my goal for before Stellarcon.
I also got some good ideas/thoughts on promotion...though I don't know if I'm brave enough to start using twitter! ::shivers::
In other news...beautiful new book cover for Spells and Swashbucklers is up on my website.
Of course, outside of a chance to promote my stories, the best thing about cons is feeling energized and creative about writing. I've already got more questions and ideas around the Mystery and have some thoughts on a prequel/2 sequels. So now it's a matter of getting my Butt in Chair!
~T
I'm old enough not to care too much /About what you think of me
But I'm young enough to remember the future/And the way things ought to be
~Rush, Cut to the Chase
PS: Did anyone catch the Kevin J Anderson is writing the story to go with Rush's Clockwork Angels? So can't wait!
I attended Shevacon in Roanoke, VA as a guest this past weekend. James has a good review of the con at his blog here. The only addition I'd have is that if you only have 1 guest on the panel...cancel it and put something else in its place.
For example, I was scheduled to be the only person on a panel about Steampunk costuming at 3pm on Saturday. The room was quite full and I would have been in a full panic if not for the wonderful Janine Spendlove, who was kind enough to not only step in and help me talk about costuming but also distracted the Geeklet who wanted to be part of the panel too. (Note to self: if Geeklet wants to be part of a panel - need to get her better costuming!) However, I would have been utterly terrified to speak in front of such a crowd if she hadn't been there. Particularly on a subject that I am only passingly familiar with.
I also sat on a very good panel about new authors with Betty Cross and Robin Sullivan. Robin, as a small press publisher, gave lots of good advice on contracts and the pros/cons of traditional vs Self vs Small Press publishing. I will eventually have to make that decision but I'm not quite there yet.
Otherwise, the con was quite fun. Didn't know a lot of people other than Janine, the Zahns, Allen Wold and Todd Lacey of the 501st/Mercs but still managed to have a pretty good time. The programming/guest staff were all very nice and incredibly understanding when we had to run out early Sunday morning to beat the snow! The Geeklet had a blast coloring in the art room. I wish every con did that! Though next time, I'll carry my laptop and let her color while I write!
Con being over, I've got about 2 weeks before Stellarcon where James & I will be Fan GOH's. I'm not sure how much "writing" panels I will be on but I'm still hoping to get some writing inspiration from the con. I'd also like to get to 50,000 words over the next two weeks so I'm putting that as my goal for before Stellarcon.
I also got some good ideas/thoughts on promotion...though I don't know if I'm brave enough to start using twitter! ::shivers::
In other news...beautiful new book cover for Spells and Swashbucklers is up on my website.
Of course, outside of a chance to promote my stories, the best thing about cons is feeling energized and creative about writing. I've already got more questions and ideas around the Mystery and have some thoughts on a prequel/2 sequels. So now it's a matter of getting my Butt in Chair!
~T
I'm old enough not to care too much /About what you think of me
But I'm young enough to remember the future/And the way things ought to be
~Rush, Cut to the Chase
PS: Did anyone catch the Kevin J Anderson is writing the story to go with Rush's Clockwork Angels? So can't wait!
Monday, February 6, 2012
Back to about Writing
So I am faced with an interesting conundrum in my novel. As I wrote the story, the medical examiner was a women. Then I started reading and doing my research. First off, it would have been a coroner in the Victorian time period. Second, women were just beginning to come into their own as nurses and certainly were rare as doctors.
So...now I am trying to decide do I go the "easy way out" and make the coroner a man? Or do I keep my female and explain/show somewhere that she is rare, frequently challenged and has to fight for respect?
On one hand, I certainly like the idea of a strong woman coroner (being a huge fan of Rizzoli and Isles), however, I don't know that I want to add the complication of another woman in a typically male dominated field. The Heroine is a courier and owns her own business, which is definitely unusual enough.
On the third hand (!?), it's alternate history, I've already made tweaks to history and had things created earlier than they really were...so would it break the "suspension of disbelief" if I had a woman in a typically male dominated field for that time period?
It's an interesting challenge that I'll have to play with. If I keep her, it could provide an interesting subplot within the overall story.
It's not as if this barricade/Blocks the only road
It's not as if you're all alone/In wanting to explode
~Rush, The Pass
So...now I am trying to decide do I go the "easy way out" and make the coroner a man? Or do I keep my female and explain/show somewhere that she is rare, frequently challenged and has to fight for respect?
On one hand, I certainly like the idea of a strong woman coroner (being a huge fan of Rizzoli and Isles), however, I don't know that I want to add the complication of another woman in a typically male dominated field. The Heroine is a courier and owns her own business, which is definitely unusual enough.
On the third hand (!?), it's alternate history, I've already made tweaks to history and had things created earlier than they really were...so would it break the "suspension of disbelief" if I had a woman in a typically male dominated field for that time period?
It's an interesting challenge that I'll have to play with. If I keep her, it could provide an interesting subplot within the overall story.
It's not as if this barricade/Blocks the only road
It's not as if you're all alone/In wanting to explode
~Rush, The Pass
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Musical Influences
So this is technically not a writing post...but I have been thinking recently about Music and how it influences us and by default our writing.
Houston by the Gatlin Brothers - "Houston, Houston means that I'm one day closer to you." My dad was in the Air Force and travelled a lot. My mom always started her letters to my dad with "Houston." It was a reference to the song and how they were always "one day closer." When I was a kid, I thought it was incredibly romantic. Older, I still think it's romantic but I think it also spoke a lot about my parents relationship and their willingess to wait for each other.
Presto by Rush - "If I could wave a my magic wand..." These were the first words I ever heard from Rush. I was a sophomore in High School. The bassist in our marching band introduced the band to me, and I was hooked from the first moment. The drummer, Neil Peart, has a way with words that I wish I had so I'm influenced in that as well. Rush has been one of the bands whose music and lyrics have inspired me, kept me going through difficult times. Other songs by Rush...
Coldfire - "I'll be around if you don't push me down." My license plate!
Totem - "I believe that what I'm feeling changes how the world appears." Reminds me that we all see the world through our own perceptions.
Time Stand Still - "I'm not looking back but I want to look around me now." Being in the present moment. Enjoying the time and friends we have now.
Ghost of a Chance - But I believe there's a ghost of a chance we can find someone to love and make it last." - There is so a romance novel in this song!!
....and the list goes on.
Story of my life by Bonjovi -"This is the story of my life and I write it everyday." This is kind of my writing theme song. I tend to use it as inspiration when I'm struggling to write.
Bonjovi is also my "Screw you" go to band. Whenever I reach my limit of negativity or people who don't like how I do things...Bonjovi is the band whose music I go to.
Have nice day. - "Standing on the ledge, show the wind how to fly."
Bounce - "Call it karma, call it luck, me I just don't give a ...bounce, bounce nothings going to keep me down."
Sing for the Day by Styx - "Hannah you're my inspiration, my fountain of youth." Obvious here....it's where my daughter got her name. To me it's also a song about enjoying youth and again...being in the present moment.
Other Styx songs...
These are the times - "These are the times we find out who we really are." The theme song for one of the best D&D games/characaters/groups ever. I've been playing D&D for a while and no group has ever epitomized that song better than Del, Ian, Raven and Rozhena. And though we try, capturing that feeling has never quite happened again for me either. At some point, I want to write a short story using those characters that captures the feeling of that song.
Boat on the River - "And all roads lead to Tranquility Base." - My one attempt at SF is based on this line. Tranquility Base being a moonbase set in the middle of the Tranquility Bay on the moon.
The men in my little girls life by Tex Ritter - If my dad danced, this would have been our father/daughter song...It's a storytelling song about a little girl and her boyfriends from the boy next door to her prom date, from the man she marries, to the grandson. It's incredibly touching and I thought somewhat prophetic given the final boy in the song is "Jim" and I married James. :)
In high school, I don't know that there were "iconic songs" but there are songs that I hear now and they remind me of high school?
Billy Joel's We didn't start the Fire came out in 1989, sophomore year in HS. And while I realize it's more geared toward my parents generation, I think it became kind of the "song" for our generation because "we didn't start the fires" and so many of us wanted to do things to end them.
(Speaking of Billy Joel, I can no longer hear In a NY minute without thinking of 9/11.)
Wilson Phillips - Hold on in 1990 - So loved this band. The songs were simple and catchy and just seemed right for a 16 year old girl.
U2's Mysterious Ways came out in 91. So wanted this to be my theme song. Never really was but I still love it.
For some reason, Jake Owen's Barefoot Blue Jean Night reminds me of High School..."Never gonna grow up/Never gonna slow down/We were shining like lighters in the dark in the middle of a rock show." Everytime I hear that I flash back to hanging outside my window talking with friends in the middle of the night.
Bowling for Soup's 1985 is another fun one. And the irony (?) there is that I was 10 in 1985 but I can completely relate to most of the lyrics. I was a U2 and Madonna fan. I am not a Nirvana or Limp Bizkit fan. And of course '85 is still my defining year of "me." Came out of shell - got introduced to Shakespeare and theatre, starting reading the Dragonlance Chronicles, got introduced to music that wasn't country (Prince, Michael Jackson), Dad was in Korea, Mom slipped disks in her back, moved into our first real house (ie, not base housing), walked to school, learned to cook, clean, take care of my little brother. That year kind of became my defining year so I think that's another reason I relate to the song. Even if my kid is not in HS!
James and I have three songs...
Breakfast at Tiffany's by Deep Blue Something, All for you by Sister Hazel, and I'll Stand by You by the Pretenders. The Pretenders song was our weddding song. The other two kind of just became us while we were dating. Breakfast came out in 96 and All for you came out in 97. One of my favorite new memories is going to Disney when the Geeklet was 2 and Sister Hazel was playing Epcot. We heard that song and ran forward and she started dancing to it. Loved that moment.
In 2006, George Straight's I Saw God Today came out. For whatever reason, the first time I heard the song...was the day in 2007 when I found out that we were having a little girl. So that is and will always be the Geeklet's song for me.
When writing, I've found that TSO's Christmas music and their two non-xmas albums provide the high energy and drive of music that I really need to write to. I also enjoy Celtic music from bagpipes to Celtic Women for music to soothe my soul or settle me down when work is getting crazy.
So...what music influences you? How?
Plays that song that's so elusive/
And the magic music makes your morning mood.
Rush, The Spirit of Radio
Houston by the Gatlin Brothers - "Houston, Houston means that I'm one day closer to you." My dad was in the Air Force and travelled a lot. My mom always started her letters to my dad with "Houston." It was a reference to the song and how they were always "one day closer." When I was a kid, I thought it was incredibly romantic. Older, I still think it's romantic but I think it also spoke a lot about my parents relationship and their willingess to wait for each other.
Presto by Rush - "If I could wave a my magic wand..." These were the first words I ever heard from Rush. I was a sophomore in High School. The bassist in our marching band introduced the band to me, and I was hooked from the first moment. The drummer, Neil Peart, has a way with words that I wish I had so I'm influenced in that as well. Rush has been one of the bands whose music and lyrics have inspired me, kept me going through difficult times. Other songs by Rush...
Coldfire - "I'll be around if you don't push me down." My license plate!
Totem - "I believe that what I'm feeling changes how the world appears." Reminds me that we all see the world through our own perceptions.
Time Stand Still - "I'm not looking back but I want to look around me now." Being in the present moment. Enjoying the time and friends we have now.
Ghost of a Chance - But I believe there's a ghost of a chance we can find someone to love and make it last." - There is so a romance novel in this song!!
....and the list goes on.
Story of my life by Bonjovi -"This is the story of my life and I write it everyday." This is kind of my writing theme song. I tend to use it as inspiration when I'm struggling to write.
Bonjovi is also my "Screw you" go to band. Whenever I reach my limit of negativity or people who don't like how I do things...Bonjovi is the band whose music I go to.
Have nice day. - "Standing on the ledge, show the wind how to fly."
Bounce - "Call it karma, call it luck, me I just don't give a ...bounce, bounce nothings going to keep me down."
Sing for the Day by Styx - "Hannah you're my inspiration, my fountain of youth." Obvious here....it's where my daughter got her name. To me it's also a song about enjoying youth and again...being in the present moment.
Other Styx songs...
These are the times - "These are the times we find out who we really are." The theme song for one of the best D&D games/characaters/groups ever. I've been playing D&D for a while and no group has ever epitomized that song better than Del, Ian, Raven and Rozhena. And though we try, capturing that feeling has never quite happened again for me either. At some point, I want to write a short story using those characters that captures the feeling of that song.
Boat on the River - "And all roads lead to Tranquility Base." - My one attempt at SF is based on this line. Tranquility Base being a moonbase set in the middle of the Tranquility Bay on the moon.
The men in my little girls life by Tex Ritter - If my dad danced, this would have been our father/daughter song...It's a storytelling song about a little girl and her boyfriends from the boy next door to her prom date, from the man she marries, to the grandson. It's incredibly touching and I thought somewhat prophetic given the final boy in the song is "Jim" and I married James. :)
In high school, I don't know that there were "iconic songs" but there are songs that I hear now and they remind me of high school?
Billy Joel's We didn't start the Fire came out in 1989, sophomore year in HS. And while I realize it's more geared toward my parents generation, I think it became kind of the "song" for our generation because "we didn't start the fires" and so many of us wanted to do things to end them.
(Speaking of Billy Joel, I can no longer hear In a NY minute without thinking of 9/11.)
Wilson Phillips - Hold on in 1990 - So loved this band. The songs were simple and catchy and just seemed right for a 16 year old girl.
U2's Mysterious Ways came out in 91. So wanted this to be my theme song. Never really was but I still love it.
For some reason, Jake Owen's Barefoot Blue Jean Night reminds me of High School..."Never gonna grow up/Never gonna slow down/We were shining like lighters in the dark in the middle of a rock show." Everytime I hear that I flash back to hanging outside my window talking with friends in the middle of the night.
Bowling for Soup's 1985 is another fun one. And the irony (?) there is that I was 10 in 1985 but I can completely relate to most of the lyrics. I was a U2 and Madonna fan. I am not a Nirvana or Limp Bizkit fan. And of course '85 is still my defining year of "me." Came out of shell - got introduced to Shakespeare and theatre, starting reading the Dragonlance Chronicles, got introduced to music that wasn't country (Prince, Michael Jackson), Dad was in Korea, Mom slipped disks in her back, moved into our first real house (ie, not base housing), walked to school, learned to cook, clean, take care of my little brother. That year kind of became my defining year so I think that's another reason I relate to the song. Even if my kid is not in HS!
James and I have three songs...
Breakfast at Tiffany's by Deep Blue Something, All for you by Sister Hazel, and I'll Stand by You by the Pretenders. The Pretenders song was our weddding song. The other two kind of just became us while we were dating. Breakfast came out in 96 and All for you came out in 97. One of my favorite new memories is going to Disney when the Geeklet was 2 and Sister Hazel was playing Epcot. We heard that song and ran forward and she started dancing to it. Loved that moment.
In 2006, George Straight's I Saw God Today came out. For whatever reason, the first time I heard the song...was the day in 2007 when I found out that we were having a little girl. So that is and will always be the Geeklet's song for me.
When writing, I've found that TSO's Christmas music and their two non-xmas albums provide the high energy and drive of music that I really need to write to. I also enjoy Celtic music from bagpipes to Celtic Women for music to soothe my soul or settle me down when work is getting crazy.
So...what music influences you? How?
Plays that song that's so elusive/
And the magic music makes your morning mood.
Rush, The Spirit of Radio
Monday, January 16, 2012
Short Story Away!
So thanks to the wonderful first reader that is my husband, I sent off my submission to the second Fortannis anthology last night. It's the story of knight coming to terms with a world that isn't shades of gray. I hated to miss Illogicon but I really needed to finish the story...and I did!
I don't know if it will be accepted into the Anthology but I'm still pretty proud of the story itself. Writing in a world w/o religion is a bit of a challenge but I think I'm getting the hang of it.
I also got the contract for Anne Bonny's Child over the holidays so that is signed and ready to go. Publication date is more likely April than March now, but still Spells and Swashbucklers should be out soon!
Time to dive back into my novel. I need to finish adding the red herrings and the second POV. Then its off to the husband for first reading. By the time I'm done with his suggestions and changes, it should be close to needing a copyeditor/editor. I'm trying to have it finished by Stellarcon so I can start submitting it to agents/publishing houses in April.
Ambitious goal, I know with work starting to ramp up. I've got a massive training session to plan and then the internship program to start and run.
We don't have to talk/We don't even have to touch
I can feel your prescence/In the silence that we share
~Rush, Speed of Love
I don't know if it will be accepted into the Anthology but I'm still pretty proud of the story itself. Writing in a world w/o religion is a bit of a challenge but I think I'm getting the hang of it.
I also got the contract for Anne Bonny's Child over the holidays so that is signed and ready to go. Publication date is more likely April than March now, but still Spells and Swashbucklers should be out soon!
Time to dive back into my novel. I need to finish adding the red herrings and the second POV. Then its off to the husband for first reading. By the time I'm done with his suggestions and changes, it should be close to needing a copyeditor/editor. I'm trying to have it finished by Stellarcon so I can start submitting it to agents/publishing houses in April.
Ambitious goal, I know with work starting to ramp up. I've got a massive training session to plan and then the internship program to start and run.
We don't have to talk/We don't even have to touch
I can feel your prescence/In the silence that we share
~Rush, Speed of Love
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Happy New Year
May love and laughter light your days, and warm your heart and home.
May good and faithful friends be yours, wherever you may roam.
May peace and plenty bless your world with joy that long endures.
May all life's passing seasons bring the best to you and yours!
Happy New Year!
PS - I'll try to get up a real post later today!
May good and faithful friends be yours, wherever you may roam.
May peace and plenty bless your world with joy that long endures.
May all life's passing seasons bring the best to you and yours!
Happy New Year!
PS - I'll try to get up a real post later today!
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