Mrs. Rowling, how we love thee

Jen Daiker @ unedited, Melissa @ Through the Looking Glass , Lisa Galek @ Read. Write. Repeat, and Renae Mercado @ The Siren's Song, Laurel @ Laurel's Leaves, and I are at it again for the last installment of HP yummy-madness bonanza extravaganza!

Firstly, midnight show was crazy awesome. My bud got there at 7 and it was packed already so he got in line and texted me to hurry up. In my haste I got a few pictures but it was so hectic I didn't take any in line! I'm sorry! But there was a chick dressed up as....wait for it...a Firebolt! It was pretty freakin funny. Some great costumes and some...I didn't get...but whatever.

My mask, I made that thank you. My mark...I scribbled that as quickly as possible...thank you... and ME! If you saw that girl last night, HI! If not. Sucks for you. Apparently I creeped people out. Which was awesome. Sadly I was a lone death eater as far as I saw. There were a few guys in capes with white face paint which we assumed were death eaters but...it was hard to say for sure. LOTS of Dobby ears though and that was crazy awesome.

Some news crews were there as well. I had hoped to link it if there had been something cool to see for you all but I can't find anything on this blasted internet and it's 4 am so...I quit for the night. Hope you all enjoyed the movie who go to go. If not yet, I hope you will enjoy it! I won't say anything more about it than this: I was pleased. I loved it.

Today(you will probably find me snooooozing in after the midnight release) marks the beginning of the end to an amazing series. (which is soo close to being over *pout*!) And so we must honor the woman who made it all possible. Without her, we would have no Harry, Snape, Dumbley-dore, Weasley twins, or any other characters we love. (and love to hate)

J.K. Rowling had a hard start. I think her journey to being published is one every writer clings to these days. Even epic novels like Harry Potter didn't make it easily. Which is something I know I will have to remind myself every day when I set out to query. She worked her ass off for what she has. It is easy to be jealous of her but impossible to think she didn't earn it all, or deserve it all. She did. She does.

I wanted to highlight some facts about her that I thought were interesting and reflect in big and small ways in her writing.

• Did you know her parents met on a train traveling from Kings Cross? Her father was off to join the Royal Navy. Her mother the WRNS (apparently the woman's equivalent)
• As a child she lived near a brother and sister who's last name was Potter. The boy claims to be "the" Potter and his mother says they used to dress up as wizards but she says that is not true at all. I believe Mrs. Rowling. 
• Her favorite grandmother, Kathleen, is whom she took her K in JK in honor of. 
• When she was 11 she met Sean Harris who Chamber of Secrets is dedicated and owned the original Ford Anglia
• She was traveling alone on a crowded train when the idea for Harry Potter struck! (he's alone on the train in the beginning? eh? Neat.)
• Her mother died young in 1990 at only 45. Very sad...
• Sometimes, as she fought to finish Philosophers Stone before she ran out of time, Mrs. Rowling HATED the book, even when she loved it too. So. Yes that is a real thing, to hate your own amazing work and love it all at once. 
• Her name is NOT pronounced Row(as in an argument) but Row(as in what you would do in a boat.) Nothing to connect with her stories actually but I thought it was interesting...I didn't know that anyway.  

 And something I read on her site that I just loved, I don't know why exactly but I did:
"You need to write something that a publisher would want to publish (it only takes one, but it might take a while to find them. If you are turned down by ever single publisher in existence, you will have to consider the possiblity that what you have written is not publishable)." -HA! Yes. Love. 

So this weekend as you head the theater with your friends and family, spare a moment to marvel at the one mind that dreamed it all up. Because that is what this week was all about, Harry and Imagination. And one imagination has been the cause for all your fond memories that involve waiting in line to see the next HP movie and counting down till midnight to get your hand on the next book just to see what happens in the life of the boy who lived. Amazing, right?

HERE is JK Rowling's official website, if you don't already know it. And where I collected most all my info on her to guarantee its truthfulness.

Mrs. Rowling, I salute you and all the strength, imagination, and genius you possess. Thank you.

 

(you notice how I had a few pictures to finish out there? Yea...no, my supply was never ending!) 

JK Rowling texted Daniel Radcliffe and promised no more HP! Boo. But I bet he is relieved. 

Enjoy your Harry Potter weekend, all. I know I will!

Saturday I get to meet one of my newest critique partners for the first time in person! Talk about someone being psyched! Abby Minard is amazingly awesome. She is my go to when I have a whine or a question or a concern. So I really am so stoked to get to meet her and get to rave about and discuss her MS in real life!

Oh, and Christmas is coming up so...you all pitch it, K?

Finally, Don't forget to get in on my contest before Dec. 2nd.. Click the kitty head!

Harry Potter Writery Wed. with a Little Something to Celebrate

Jen Daiker @ unedited, Melissa @ Through the Looking Glass , Lisa Galek @ Read. Write. Repeat, Renae Mercado @ The Siren's Song, Laurel @ Laurel's Leaves, and I are at it again with the HP insanity!

But before we get on to Harry Potter related things I want to share that today is my and the hubs anniversary! We have been married now for 4 years! And this is the time-line of our relationship up to marriage: You can scroll down the the Harry Pottery things if you like. I really don't mind if you do!

• September, 4 years ago, I started my job as an Arby's assistant manager(yea I know, right?...) Hubs was a fry cook (my employee. Yowza!) When I saw him for the first time I wanted him. Let me clarify. Ehem. I WANTED HIM. Got it? There was no love at first sight. I'm sorry but I don't believe in L@FS. But it was want at first sight for sure. I wanted to know him. I wanted to talk to him. I wanted to be friends. I wanted to hang out. And yes, I wanted to get all up in his business.

• Some time at the end of September, or beginning of October we had our first "date" which was actually just us riding around in my car smoking cigarettes and talking.(This is pathetic, but I actually started smoking cigs so I could have an excuse to go out back and chat with him when he went for smoke breaks. *hangs head in shame* It didn't work, either. I don't suggest it. An unhealthy and poorly thought out tactic.)

• dated through October.

• November 17th, 4 years ago, we woke up, I looked over at him and said something along the lines of I wanted to keep him (Channeling Casper much?) and he said okay, I could. We went to the store and picked out the cheapest rings we could afford, went to the courthouse and got the paper work, went to the most indifferent Justice of the Peace I have ever met (total buzz kill) got hitched, went back to the courthouse to file paperwork, and sat in the car for a good...5 minutes laughing and just being pleased with ourselves. Then hubs had to get to work.

And to this day, exactly 4 years later, every time I look at him I want him all over again. I want to talk to him, put my arms around him, hear him laugh. I love him like no other. I have never regretted not having a real wedding either, just for the record. (He is so wonderful, even  though he doesn't like Harry Potter and gives me crap about reading books for 12 year olds, he still entered me in the contest to win tickets to see HP Tuesday night as a surprise! Didn't win but so sweet right?!)

On to Harry Pottery Imagination Wednesday!

So Monday I had you all think of how it would feel if Voldy had won.

Today I want you all to imagine you get THE LETTER! You are suddenly magically delicious and they want YOU. 

Does jumping up and down and screaming for joy ensue? (I would probably pass out from the one big long squeal) Do you not believe it? (nope. Mean mean joke! Has to be! Not ME! Really!?ME!?)Would your parents be the supportive kind or the Dursley kind?(shoooot. Mom would be down so long as I could get her a dragon egg! She and Hagrid would be a total match made in heaven.)

Would you call all your friends and rub their noses in it? OH WAIT you can't, it's not legal to let muggles in on the wizardy secret! (Rats... we'll never see that look of loathing and jealousy on the face of that little foursquare biotch down the street...)



FINE but you can totally rub it in your siblings face right?(can I give her a pig tail? PLEASE!)

And then your parents take you school SHOPPING!

What shop do you go into first in Diagonalley?(A wand would be the first on my list for sure!) Do you need to go in them all or just the ones that strike your fancy? Do you go to the bank? Open an account?

And you're off! You parents come with you to say bye at Kings Cross? Do you rush for an empty compartment or do you hope to find a friendly face in an already occupied one?(I would browse the pickins of occupied comp.'s, hope someone friendly and awesome looking would take pity on me!) What do you do on your first train trip on the Hogwarts Express? What sweets do you buy?(ALL OF THEM! Nom. Nom.)

What weather have you come to Hogwarts in?(Usually always rainy. I like it!)What is the boat ride like? Nervous yet?!(Bout to pee myself, so nervous!)

HERE you can take a really amazing quiz to find out your house. I highly suggest it. (Thanks Melissa!)

(Jen-Hufflepuff!, Melissa-Slytherin! Lisa-Ravenclaw! Renae-Gryffindor! Laurel- Ravenclaw! Me-Gryffindor! WOOT!)

Are you SUPER nervous, all those magical kids staring at you?!(wth are you staring at? Never seen an 11 year old girl doing the pee-pee dance before!?) Or too hungry to care after this amazing adventure that was your first day in the wizarding world?

What classes have you always wanted to take? (potions, divination, transfiguration, arithmancy, ancient runes, charms, History of Magic! All of them!) What is the first thing you want to learn? (Transfiguration! Can I be a cat? No! A bird. Yes. Make me a bird! Eagle. NO Hawk! Yeaaaa....Colene the hawk...damn straight.) Would you learn mermish(I totally would! First mermish speaking wizard bird underwater...girl... That's gonna be me!) What teacher would be your favorite? Who would you be besties with, do you think?

Would you adventure into the Forbidden Forest even though it is so dark and dangerous? Would you hang with Hagrid?(indeedy! Every chance I got. But I'd bring my own snacks.) Want to play Quidditch?(Hells yea I do!) Would you stay for the holidays or go home? Do you think you could handle the exams?(Easy-peasy lemon squeezy! That's my spell. Did it work? Am I a wizard yet!?)

What happens when it's time to say goodbye to school and hello summer? (I'd cry...Do I have to go?!)

So, again, I must ask you to let your imagination carry you off today and tell me all about your Hogwarts experience!


HERE you can find out how to take Harry Potter college courses. No joke.

Don't forget to get in on my contest and win some $$$! Okay...$$... Click on the cat head in the sidebar to enter! 

Harry Potter In Your Face Pretend Week

So...If you just pulled yourself out of a hole butt first, you may not know that it is Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows PART ONE week. And if we are just "meeting" for the first time, you will not know how I feel about this. Nor have realized that my blog will be dedicated to it.

But what is even better, it isn't just MY blog that is giving a shout out to the big H.P. and JK Rowling this week but Jen Daiker @ unedited, Melissa @ Through the Looking Glass , Lisa Galek @ Read. Write. Repeat, and Renae Mercado @ The Siren's Song , Laurel @ Laurel's Leaves, and I have all teamed up! So if you need a sextuple(sextuplet?) dose of Wizarding Magical Blog-Awesomeness then haunt us all this week!

I know many many many of you are neck deep in Nano but I ask you all to take a short break and let your imagination run away from you here this week.

BECAUSE: This week is about imagination as a writer.

And Harry Potter.

So lets all channel our 7 year old selves and take this week to pretend!

One of the best villains of all time is LORD VOLDEMORT! (Oh yes. I said your name. Bring it on Voldy)

I love him. He's terrible. He has no conscience. He has this sad past but it does nothing to make you sympathize for this guy because he just doesn't care! If he was traumatized or something, yea maybe we could feel bad for that guy but NO. He's just a mean dude!

So...What would if have been like if he had won? (SPOILER! If I ruined it for anyone, you have my permission to thump me in the forehead but I'm pretty confident everyone in the world, read the books and seen the movies or not, knows he doesn't win.)

 

Really, what would the world have been like if he won? Image it and tell me about what you think would have happened. What would daily life have been like? What would the world have become? Laws? Jobs? Schools?
 
Picture it, my friends. You are still all muggly and wake up this morning to every station playing that horrible disaster noise. They are all blaring a breaking news update: witches and wizards are indeed real and, as of last night, the most evil of all wizards owns the world.

What would your life be like now? What happens to you? Your neighbors? Family? Friends? Life?

I have my ideas. I can see it now. But I want to know what your initial response will be without any influence from me!

So imagine, pretend, and tell me about your new life!

HERE you will find video highlights from the UK Potter premiere last Thursday in case you missed it.


(Anyone else notice the Holiday Cokes are back out making the rounds? There is something about Santa on the cans that is the official green light for the holidays in my book)

Writery Wednesday's Cover Lovin'

I don't know about you guys, but I LOVE when a book cover corresponds with the contents in some way. For example: One of the ones I'm reading now, on the cover is the background art. There is a swirly thing in the middle that appears at the heading of each chapter. It's a stupid little thing that entertains me no end.

I just love when something inside the book corresponds well with the cover. If the cover is a metaphor for the theme or a character in the book, I love to figure it out. If there are swirly things all over the book and they appear in the novel itself, love it. Sabriel had those neat little signs at the heading of each chapter that were like the symbols she had to draw throughout the whole book. And how you get to see what Nix is describing when he tells us about the bells. Things like that.

On the opposite side, I HATE when the cover is wrong, doesn't have anything to do with the book, or anything! It is very very hard for me to forgive. It doesn't ruin the whole book or anything but it sure does taint it.

A book I read not too long ago described a male character and man, he was nice sounding! And generally, I overlook when a character doesn't look exactly like I picture. It's normal. BUT I can't overlook when a character is described with, oh lets say, shoulder length blonde shaggy hair, and the cover guy has short cropped, spikey hair. Ehem. Really?

You see the cover every single time you pick up the book. You relate the story you're reading to that cover every time you see it. How can it NOT correspond?

I have big dreams for a beautiful cover for INTO one day. Do you dream of your own covers too? 


< sketch I drew for INTO a while ago.



Do you have cover crushes? Some are amazing! Do you mind when a cover doesn't represent the novel well? Does it matter to you either way?


 Instead of NaNoWriMo this month, it has turned into CriParMo. Which stands for Critique Partner Month. I get the very great privileged to read not for just one writer but 2!! This thrills me.  I love it! I love to read and help and be amazed at amazingly talented people.


So that is how I will be occupying myself this month instead of working on my own stuff. Come end of November beginning of December I will be getting back to my own writing, working in the changes my own crit partner has found for me to make.

January I want to be able to send it off to a new pair of eyes. And hopefully a few months later I can be completely, 100% satisfied with INTO. SO, the tentative absolute finished date for INTO will be March. I only say that here, for you all to read, so I will stick to my plan and hopefully squash my inner procrastinator for a little while.


How's NaNo going for you so far? Are you making your own month instead of Nano this month? Editing, finishing, revising month for you?

I bought my cloak and tickets Monday. Just need a nice, quality mask for my Death Eater get-up to be finished! Unfortunately, I will be alone in my group of two as dressing up. My friend and movie partner wont be joining me. He is very tolerant of my need for dressing up (the Victoria costume for Twilight did nothing to deter him from my company.) but he doesn't participate. Boo.

 They said at the theater, they are selling out pretty quickly. So, I advise if you want to get in for the midnight show, you get the tickets soon!

And finally:


Okay, wait, this is last: So, I'm 1 follower away from having 1-freaking-hundred! I'm...flabbergasted, befuddled, woozlebanked...ok I made that one up but...whatever.

So, I don't say this to be all go me er nuttin' (that's Southern for I went to community college) I say it to wonder, what are you guy's favorite kinds of contests? Easy, mind-numbing just comment and you're in? Or an actual goal to accomplish to get entered?

AND would you rather have a gift card or straight books?

For my 100 contest, I want it to be something fun YOU guys decided on. After all, it is thanks to you I'm giving! So let me know your choices and I'll supply something great for you!


HERE is a post about Character Planning for all you NaNo-ers!

HERE is a great blog post on over-done and cliche novel stuffs by Sara @ Glass Cases(an associate literary agent at Curtis Brown, Ltd.)


Happy Writery Wednesday!

Just for Halloween Funzies

Happy Halloween all! (I would love to give credit to whomever made this picture but I found it on a google search with nothing but the picture on the page so If anyone knows, please help out.)

I dedicated an entire post to my love for this Spooky-Gouly-Creepy-Fun holiday, so I won't subject you to a second. Just wanted to wish you all a great day!

The candy is one of my most favorite parts. I get all Homer thinking about it all. YUM. So, I'll be slipping into a sugary coma and enjoying fun kids constumes, if anyone needs me.

Also getting pretty excited about Tron. So here is a new trailer featuring the amazing musical talent of Daft Punk. Don't judge me. I never claimed to NOT be nerdy


.

This is my pumpkin. It's a horrible quality picture, my phone is a sorry camera, promise it looks better in real life. But...oh well! You can see our McDonalds cups waiting for the trash too. Classy. See you all Monday!

 




HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

Funny Friday with a TWIST

Here we are, on the last day of my Getting to Know You series. It's been fun, informative, and I just love getting to know you all a little bit more! So, lets keep it rolling on a Funny Friday!

Everyone gets a hankerin for some internet comedy. And when the bug bites we usually all go to our favorite funny hot spots. Be them jokes, videos, or whatever.

So this Friday I'm taking a little break from providing you with the chuckles(No. Not because I have nothing this week. Ya' smart ass...) and I want to know:

Where do you go to get a laugh? What cracks you up every time?

So, my fine furry friends, Show Me Your Favorite Funnies!! 

Cause, I can't possibly leave you with just a blond joke:



And, because I have enjoyed this week very much, I will share with you my favorite go to video. It will always make me smile when I'm having a bummer day.Why? You got me. I guess I'm  just that easily amused.

Your turn! Show me how you get your jollies, friends.  Aaaaaaaaaand GO!

They pick, they burp, they let one fly. They're writers.

FACT: If in a book description lies the phrase: "Could be described as Twilight at Hogwarts", it is 100% guaranteed I will NEVER read that book.

I don't know about you guys, but there is a lot of hate for word verification in comments around the blog world. It annoys me occasionally but mostly it doesn't affect me one way or the other. But Monday I was given an excellent character name for my new WIP! So, my indifference for word verification has turned toward amusement. Until it annoys me again, anyway.

Continuing on our Getting to Know You...fest? I guess we'll call it.

How about you share some of your writing secrets today!
(for those of you who are book reviewers, I can't leave you out! I want to know you all too, and how you do what it is you do. So scroll down to find your sample questions!) 

WRITERS! 
How do you make you come out even in mundane things you need to write about? I have no idea. Honestly, I have no idea if I even accomplish it. I'm terrible at judging myself. To me, everything I write sounds blah and like just the same as someone else could have done. I'm told I have a decent writing voice though. That's why beta readers are so necessary!

What is the best advice you have heard/read and apply to your own writing? Said it before on here, but it's worth saying again: Back up your files! It's heartbreaking to think everything you have done is just....gone.

Where is your favorite place to write? Also shared before but I like to write at work. Weird, I know. But I get too distracted at home. Things to clean and fix, cats to bug me and get into shenanigans, naps to take...you know. And I know what you're thinking "how is work not distracting?" Honestly...I have no answer for that either. It's so much easier to tune things out there(and I don't mean that to be a bad thing toward my job b/c I love it and who I work for) but it's the truth. The atmosphere there is so calm and pleasant I can't help but write there.

How do you get into the writing mood? (little literature foreplay? little Marvin Gaye?) This is going to sound horribly unhelpful, but I'm always in the mood to write. That doesn't mean I always have something to write about, which can be the problem, but I always like doing creative things. So, if I'm in the mood to write with nothing to get out, I'll sketch or work on my blog, or do something else that can use that creative brain-side.

Do you write with the TV on, in silence, some good music? TV is the hardest distraction to write in but I can tune out anything if I try hard enough (which irritates my Hubs like you wouldn't believe, when I accidentally tune him out) but...I guess it is kind of a talent, being able to tune any noise out.

Do you have a notebook you keep on you at all times? One by the bed? I keep one in my computer case but that's it. If I don't have my notebook, I just type out a quick note on my cellphone.

Do you use dreams and incorporate them in your writing? Sometimes. Dreams can be a crazy awesome place to get inspiration for certain things/scenes/what-not.

How do you feel about dream sequences in novels? Not a big fan. I usually tend to skim over dream's in books. Not that they aren't well written or interesting, but I just don't care for the time waste. Usually dreams are used as a way for the reader to see things the writer has no other way of showing them. Feelings, foreshadowing, past. Not to say I haven't used them before, but INTO has NONE. And I'm kind of proud of that ha! I'm not trying to knock them, they can be useful and as a writer I totally get them but as a reader I don't care for them.

Do you write everything first then type it all up later? Nope, type first. I tried to write one out once and by the time It came time to type it out I was bored with the story and just quit it. It's in a notebook in the cabinet next to the-novel-that-shall-never-be-seen. Might revisit it one day though. But I will never do that again. Seems like a waste of an idea to just give it up because I don't want to type it out.

How many beta readers do you have? I have many volunteers but 2 serious ones and a few that just give me a hand here and there with certain things. I need to expand and gain a few more that I can trust and will be serious but it's hard to decide between people who you know you can trust to see it through and the ones who will flake out...

Do you schedule time for writing or snatch it wherever you can? I wing it. I decided while I'm unpublished I'm going to enjoy having a relaxed work schedule as far as writing goes and enjoy my journey. One day I will be on a time crunch, which will be amazing too just because that means I'm published, but for now I want to kick back and just enjoy and love every moment of this crazy career choice.

Do your family and friends support you or have you not told them? Yes. Or they just don't mention it. More so they don't mention it than anything else. I prefer it that way. The less attention I get about it in my personal life (because I'm not published) the more comfortable I feel. I don't want my family and friends stressing me out about it, and they don't. 


BOOK REVIEWERS SECTION!:

How do you pick your books to review? (obviously I have no answer for these)

Do you buy all your books, go to the library and stock up, or what?

Do you believe in tactful, honest reviews or are you just too darn sweet  to say much bad?

Do you set aside time to read and then time to write your reviews or wing it?

Do you make notes as you read or hope you'll just remember when it comes time to write the review?

Do you review YA, Romance, Westerns, Horror, Comedy, etc?

Do you have to be on the ball, grabbing up new releases as they come out (or before, if you are so lucky) or do you not mind being a little behind?

Do you think being behind hurts your audience numbers or doesn't matter?

Do you review books you know you wont care for, or aren't something you would ever read?

Do you get requests to review novels on your blog?


There you go!

Pick one, pick some, pick all--I don't mind, I just love to hear from you guys! This is turning out so much fun to learn all these things about you all!

Side note: My most fabulously awesome crit partner, Abby Minard@Above Water honored me with an award!!
For the award I give 7 random facts. My lordy! I'm running out, you guys!

1. I adore my husband and I's "shows". We have certain nights for certain shows(like most people) but it's such a nice, relaxing ritual after a long day at work, to come home to dinner and "our shows".
2. I hate hate hate hate being cold. I would rather be too hot ANY DAY! Snow is pretty and all, but only If I don't have somewhere to be or things to do.
3. I'd go barefoot every day if I could
4. My hubs can craft/ fix anything any handyman can, but is hopeless with electronics(I know its more a fact about him, but I'm seriously just looking around for inspiration.)
5.  I can't have any light at all in the room when I'm trying to sleep. It distracts me too much to close my eyes. Seriously. The curtain open just a crack and all I'll be able to do is stare at it. Won't be able to get to sleep.
6.  Biggest pet-peeve: When people don't put things back where they got them. Sound's totally momish doesn't it? Drives me INSANE.
7. I love a man with an interestingly different, sexy face.Normal hot is good but a guy that is sexy with an interesting face is just.......YUM.

Passing it along to 5 people: Lydia Kang who's Monday posts are probably one of my favorites! (medical monday facts. LOVE IT!) Quinn at seeing, dreaming ... writing needs this because he is blogging all this week with 3 inchish bird claws for Halloween right now.(How is that NOT versatile!) L.T. Elliot who is just so darn wise over on her blog! She's like a taller, more attractive yoda. Samantha Vérant who is either cracking me up or creepin' me out! and Misha @ My First Book who is always kind and has such a crazy hectic life, but still is able to blog and write!



Almost lastly, this gave me CHILLS! (are you getting tired of this yet? Because,  I lurv you guys and all...but me and HP met first...and that means I can't really care too much...sorry...)

And lastly:

HERE is why opening pages FAIL

Happy Writering Wed!(yes. it's gonna be a thing now)

Hang in there for Friday! My traditional Funny Friday post will need your help to succeed this week! Don't fail me now, blogger buddies! 

You want to know about my WHAT?

So. Today is the kick off for my Getting to Know You Series.(Oh God, please let them get this reference)

This week is all about interacting with you guys. I read your blogs (those of you with blogs anyway) and you all (since you are reading this now) read my dribble. BUT we (most of you guys anyways. Some of us are good email buddies) don't really interact together. You know, commenting and what not with each other and the responding e-mails = all great! But this week is all about knowing one another. What fun is it to read someone's blog when you have no idea who they are!?(correct answer would be "little to none fun" I don't like to give pop quizzes without a little hint... or big hint.)

 Today will be all about random facts about one another, Wed. is going to be about writing facts, and Friday will be (as usual) all about the funny.

Lets kick off the Getting to Know You with a bunch of generic questions! (what could be better?)

• Where you named after anyone? (nope. My aunt picked my name and my dad spelled it "funny" because he doesn't like double letters side-by-side...but I like it!)    

• Do you like to write or type better? (write. Typing, I tend to ramble as its quick and easy. Writing I make everything count cause I don't want to waste the time on rambles.)

• Do you have kids? Husband? Wife?  (Nope. Yup. Nope.)

•  In school? Live at home(with the folks)? What grade? (Nope. Nope. Did some college for my business degree but didn't finish)

• Do you work (besides writing-to all my writer buds)?(yep. receptionist)

• If you were someone else would you be friends with you? (I doubt it. We would clash with each other)

• Have you ever bungee jumped? Sky dived? (want to! Someone go with me!)

• What is your favorite cereal? (depends on my mood but Lucky Charms and Frosted Flakes are always up there)

• What is your favorite thing to do? (I could easily take the raunchy route but I'll show a little class and say: spending time with my 4 best buds is always my fav. but only happens a couple times a year. Or drawing. Always a good time too.)

• Do you like to talk on the phone or text? (text. I HATE talking on the phone)

• Do you schedule time to keep up with blogs/ write your own blogs or just wing it? (wing it, mostly.)

• What is the first thing you notice about people? (Hair then posture then cloths)

• Favorite sports to watch? To play?(HOCKEY!! But I'm too damn clumsy to play any sport)

• Favorite author? (J.K.Rowling. Can't you tell by now?)

• What book are you reading? (Currently Match Me If You Can thanks to a kick ass blogger buddy!!)

• Favorite thing about your best friend? (Her heart. The most loving, kind, and beautiful person I have ever met)

• Do you like piercings/tattoos? (YES!)

• Do you have any?(expand) (11 tattoos, 26 piercings)

• Do you have a special talent? (sarcasm? making fun of things? forgetting things? I'm good at putting on makeup actually. Wanted to be a makeup effect artist for a long while. Never worked out)

• Cats or dogs? (cats. Have 5)

• Something random, first thing that pops in your head!(1. I don't paint my nails one solid color, I just can't. 2. My hair is naturally blond(suck on that!) but I dye the underside layer black as I have the same disorder about my hair that affects my nail polish-can't be all one color. umm...I could win the eye-rollympics if challenged. 4.I don't like idle chit-chat. 5. my middle finger on my right hand is crooked from the second knuckle to the tip. No idea why.)  

• Do you have a bad habit/annoying habit? I pick my nail polish off almost as quickly as I can put it on. I just stopped biting my nails about a year ago for the first time, and picking it off helps not to bite. It drives the Hubs crazy. Hates hearing me pick my nails.

•  How do you get mad? (I tend to get really country when I get mad. And studder. Then curse cause both make me even more mad. Though I am a born and raised southern girl, I don't sound too country most of the time because I grew up with my mom mostly and she is from the north so I got this...NO accent thing going on here in the south. But get me mad I get hillbilly faster an' a pole cat skitters upa dead stump...or something.)

• Do you have a style for yourself? (clothing) I just buy whatever I think is cute. I can't follow fashion well. I'm not a shoe loving, cloths hoarding, kind of girl. If I like a certain shoe I will wear it until they stop making them. This is not always a good policy as I tend to get stuck in a very unstylish item for long after it should be shot and killed. But...I'm happy :)

• How do you see yourself? (nerd, prep, jock, punk, goth, emo, someone younger than me can add more subgenres b/c I really can't think of more. Don't feel confined to these options) If we go as how I'm seen I have been told I'm intimidating, scary, confident, goth, funny, and nerdy at some point in my life. So, we'll just go with that as I can't answer this one.) 

•  What are you going to be for Halloween? Going trick-or-treating, handing out candy, or partying?(I have no costume this year. I haven't had time, unfortunately, to put one together. But I will help my mom with her's and were just handing out candy and watching scary movies this year. Skipping the parties.)

You are all so welcome to tell me all about yourselves, anything you want to share. You can answer my questions if you like too!

If you have any questions for me as well please don't hesitate to ask! 


HERE are 5 ways to make you novel inescapable.




 HERE you can make your own Undesirable No. 1 POSTER!!!
It was fun.  (see how I waited till the post was over to give you something fun to distract yourself with? I learned!)


Check back Wed for some writery-type getting to know you questions!

Funny Friday Strikes Again

HI!! To all my new followers! Welcome and feel appreciated, because I really do appreciate you! (umm...rhyme much?)  If you haven't been here, you don't know that Friday is the day for random videos that crack me up/amuse me in some fashion. So be warned...or entertained. I'll let you decide cause that's how this gal rolls.

Original Star Wars in 2min via paper

One way to get people to take the stairs:

Why are people falling so funny? What is that? I told my husband the other day when we got out bikes(whoot!) that if he actually fell on his little bmx bike(they are small if you don't know) and busted his head I wouldn't be able to do anything but laugh. We kid cause we love. We laugh at each other falling cause...who wouldn't? So here are some people falling I stole from Ellen.





Can't NOT post something HP7 related. What kind of fan would that make me? So: NURMANGARD!!!

Are there any Disney lovers who can tell me what this is a HORRIBLE rip off of? Anyone?




LAST MINUTE HILARITY: Had to steal this from Brad Jaeger's blog from yesterday! Too good not to steal.


Asking my husband to get something out of my purse is the same as asking him to go on a safari and shoot me a platypus so that I can eat him and absorb the spirit of the platypus to become its god. Yes. THAT is the look I get. He roots around for a minute then throws up his hands like it has no bottom. I aint Mary Freakin-Poppins, okay?


Awe, what they hell. One more video? Preview of Dan Radcliffe and Hugh Laurie on The Simpsons!


Next week I'm having a Getting to Know You Week (kind of self-explanatory) so please come back and be ready to join in!

LAST CALL, ANITA M.

My winner of SPEAK is still MIA!

Today is the last call for Ms. Anita M. to claim her prize. Tomorrow I will have to generate a new random winner.

Come on Anita!

Oh yeah. And:  

Bet you thought I had forgotten. Never.

HERE, break the rules of writing? Yes or No?

Funny Friday!!

Dudes, my butt hurts today. Har har minds out of the gutter. I started exercising again Wed. It's been at least 3 months since I quit running and I am feeling it! But I love it. (though I have been walking like a 90 year old man with a walker. AH! A walker! That would have been awesome to have. My shins hurt too!)

I had an  irresistible urge to sing "You light up my life" every time I check this thang. But then, if you heard me sing, we probably couldn't hang out huh? nope. But thank you guys for just being awesome every day!

OMG!OMG!OMG!OMG! Have you all seen this!? J.K.Rowlings Plot Spreadsheet for Order of the Phoenix!!!!!!!!!!!!! I think I just peed a little.

 Better Image HERE

This isn't so much funny as killer awesome. I hope you'll forgive me for lacking funny right out of the gate so far but sometimes I get excited about cool things...
 

Anybody else think this guy gets SO many chicks? The RUN DMC T-shirt was just icing on my crush.

This makes me a nerd. And I love that. Thunder Cats Movie! (it could happen...)

In honor of Halloween (Hubs and I are so going to be these parents.)




Laurel and Hardy Meet Santana


Happy Friday!

P.S. Still have no word on my Speak winner, Anita M.
Ma'am! You have till the 14th to e-mail me your info or I have to draw again!!

Lets talk Innuendos.

Okay, not really innuendos but how about symbolism in writing instead.

I used to stress about what someone would read into what I write. What kind of things they could pick up about me or the intent of every letter I put down when I didn't actually intend more than what was there. What about all those things psychologists, philosophists, crazy people, etc see that I don't? Do writers intend on half the messages that people pull from their work?

What if they think I'm writing about the inadequacy of orphanages, the decline in society, or trying to push SIN and SEX on children.Or worse still, killing children! When none of that is what I mean in INTO, I could see validity in the what ifs. And if I can pick up on those things, surely I'm going to be put under a microscope and judged as being evil by every parent, church, organization dedicated to book-hate in the world!

What will a careful analysis of my story get? Anything? More than enough? Things I didn't intend? Probably.

Crawford Kilian wrote: "Nevertheless, as soon as you start writing, you start writing on some kind of symbolic level. Maybe you're not conscious of it, but it's there: in your characters, their actions, the setting, and the images. (Some writers are very powerful symbolists, but don't realize it; that's why authors are often poor critics of their own work.)"

I wonder if that is true. Do we, as writers,  make decisions about what goes in on a symbolic level without realizing it? I hope so. I'd feel a lot smarter, either way, if my story is deeper than I think it is.

******************This is where I stopped writing this post and put it aside for a few days. Check this junk out>*****************************************************

As I was working on my characters last Friday, sketching my MC(it helps me see her better) and wondering about them all -- if I had enough of them in my pages to be real to anyone but myself -- a song came on Pandora Radio. It hit me, like a wet hand to my face and I felt SO STUPID!

It was one line: "We lost our love somehow". And there, on that page that I scribbled that line down on was a sketch of my MC and her man. And I got it!  Just that simply!

My Story is ABOUT something! Yes, it's about what I intended to write it about but more than that IT HAS A THEME!!! Wow. I wrote and entire novel, been editing, staring at, editing some more, hating, threatening disembowelment, loving, editing it for months, almost a year, and never noticed the theme that runs through the whole thing - ties every character together! *facepalm* And it's good. I'm not bragging on myself at all. I'm not trying to be all "damn I'm awesome." Because, as I just mentioned, I never saw it. I didn't even know it was there. I just think it's cool how it worked out.


More Advice on Novel Writing by Crawford Kilian is HERE. 

Do you think your story has some deeper meaning? Did you mean it to?  What messages can you see in your own novel you don't mean to be there?

(I did warn you about random HP movie images) 



RANDOM: 



Andy over at Writing Myself Crazy has honored me with another One Lovely Blog Award! How freakin' cool is that?! 2 in 2 weeks! I feel like one special gal today so thank you Andy for that. Be sure to check him out. He is witty, smart, and always has some awesome info going up on his blog!

I try not to pay much attention to the stats of my blog, but sometimes I just get curious, like today. That's when I discovered someone/some people found my blog by searching "for private" and "for private reading". So I just wanted to give you a big 'ol one-eyebrow-raise in your honor.

The lady who checked me out at the bookstore looked like the albino from The Princess Bride. I don't mean that to be mean but...she totally did. On the plus side -- found Everlost by Neal Shusterman for $3.50.

I blazed through If I Stay by Gayle Forman this weekend while flying hither and tither. Ate up every wonderful word. LOVED this book! BUT: Never bring a book you KNOW is going to make you cry on a trip unless you are not ashamed to be a blubbering idiot in public. I cannot tell you how hard it was to master my girl-side when reading this. My eyes teared up, got sniffley, the whole bit. If anyone saw me they surely thought I was a freaking lunatic. I could just imagine people praying they didn't sit next to me. All of this I mean in the best way possible. I loved it.

If anyone missed the J.K.Rowling on Opera episode its HERE


Have you ever been eating a bowl of cereal and notice a dark speck, then worry for a moment that it could be a bug. But don't investigate farther because you just started eating and the cereal is really hitting the spot. So you just ignore it for a while until you just can't stand yourself for justifying possibly eating around a bug? Me neither. (It wasn't. It was an over-cooked frosted flake.) 



Happy Wednesday!