Friday Fun/Camp Nanowrimo Day 3

~ tahenryauthoress ~ Leave a comment

I think by some strange gift of positive typing, writing my spy novel has become marginally fun. I still find myself getting really angry, like when I forget a scene I am supposed to weave in that the rest of the novel hangs on. sigh. But the last two days have gone well. I am even toying with the idea of killing one of them off. I’ve already written the ending, true, like three years ago, where they all survive. But it’s not too late for a rewrite. LOL

I wrote 1035 today. Bringing my current total to 2879/1500. I’m still ahead. At this rate I will finish July 16. Wow.

Excerpt:

The interrogator had worked herself up into quite a little temper tantrum. She had resorted to slamming the chair out of her way, then picking it up and slamming it into the table moments later as she went on ranting at Galatea who had yet to say a word.
Someone rapped on the glass behind the interrogator and she glared at Galatea for a long moment before stomping out of the room without a word.
Galatea did a few mental calculations. It had been long enough.
When the interrogator returned she seemed to have calmed down. “You’re being transferred to (british federal agency). This is your last chance for me to help you.”
Galatea smiled.
“Do you want to go to prison for life. They’re saying you’re a terrorist.”
Galatea snickered at the preposterousness of the situation. Many countries in the world probably would consider her a terrorist. But as far as she could remember she had not done anything terrorist worthy in England or even Greater Britain for that matter.
“Whether or not you talk, they will prosecute you. Tell me something I can use to help you.” She implored.
Galatea shook her head. “I’ll wait.”
“Where have I heard that accent before?”
Galatea returned to her bland smile.
There was a rap on the door this time and a head popped in, “They’re here.”
The interrogator shook her head. “I wish you had let me help you.”
Galatea stood and moved to the door with no further response. The gentleman took her arm and directed her along the hallway. At the office area Talon was waiting.
“Are you sure just one of you can handle this?”
Talon flashed a look of scorn and reached for Galatea. “Her belongings?”
As the man turned around Talon reached down and unlocked her handcuffs. He took the bag and tossed back the the cuffs. “Thanks.”
Without further ago, he walked out the door with Galatea in one hand and her bag in the other.
As they cleared the airport door and crossed the side walk to the waiting Rolls, “Took your sweet time.”
Talon chortled. “Because getting someone out of security is such as easy task.”
“You did it now didn’t you?”
Talon exhaled harshly. “Try to find a little gratitude.” He opened the door and used the arm he had to propel her into the backseat. She slid in and found herself face to face with Penelope. “Good evening.”
“Good evening to you.” Penelope took a long look at Galatea.
“Do I have you to thank for my release from that boredom?”
Penelope nodded. Talon slid in after stowing Galatea’s bag in the trunk. “I had a bit to do with it.”
The two women looked to each other and burst out in laughter. Talon swallowed and tried to prepare himself for a long ride to ops headquarters.

Camp Nanowrimo Update Day 2

~ tahenryauthoress ~ 2 Comments

Good morning, I have written 1118 words already today. Kiddo is at camp and I am in an air conditioned and blissfully quiet library. Hence the word flowage. According to the Nano stats page I will finish on July 17th if I maintain the rate of work. I don’t think Nano has ever predicted I would finish early. LOL.

Officially I have written 1844/1000 words. That’s +844 words. Nice to be me today.

I share a snippet I wrote this morning. Keep in mind I know it’s rough. It is a nano after all.

They landed at Heathrow, Talon breezed through customs, he assumed Gareth was not far behind. Galatea he could see loitering to the back of the foreign nationals line. He moved on straight out of the airport without a backwards glance. He grabbed a cab and headed straight to the office, hoping to catch Penelope before she left for the day.
She was on the curb about to step into her butter yellow Rolls Royce.
Talon leaned forward to the glass partition, “Lay on the horn, eh? I need to get my mother’s attention.”
The cabbie complied.
Talon smiled to himself, the mother card worked every time. Penelope glanced up at the cab which slid to a stop just behind her precious Rolls. Talon tossed the obliging man some cash (whats appropriate?) and leapt out. “Mom.”
Penelope’s eyes narrowed. She hated when the agents did that. She smiled at the cable driver as he pulled back out into traffic.
“Sorry bout that.”
“Let’s just get in shall we before anyone else wants to be adopted.” Talon took her arm and slid her into the back of the car. The door barely closed behind Talon when the driver pulled away from the curb.
“How was your sight seeing trip?”
“Interesting. But I can’t get into that right now. We ran into a little snag on the return part of our journey.”
“Is that so? You seem to be in all one piece but your decision making skills do seem impaired.”
Talon smiled, “Next time I’ll tell the cabbie you’re my mistress.”
“Milo Sterling, you will do no such thing.” Penelope sounded shocked with a small dash of flattered.
Talon laughed and attempted to kiss her hand but Penelope was having none of that.
“What do you need?”
“The mossad agent on our team, she ran into a little trouble with her passport upon entrance at Heathrow. She’s being detained and we need her back.”
“We need her back or you need her back?”
Talon studies Penelope for a moment. “Does that really matter? You’ll help me.”
“I will.”
There was silence as they say at a stop light, then Penelope slid forward and directed the driver to reroute them to Number Ten Downing Street.
“The PM?” Talon was surprised.
“Big problem calls for a big solution.”

Wednesday Writers Cafe

~ tahenryauthoress ~ 4 Comments

Just got home. Why am I posting once I am back at home you ask? Because once again the internet was inaccessible at the cafe. Bleh. I got 688 words written for my spy novel tonight, but I bet at least 200 of them are notes to research things once I have an internet connection.

Tell me how does it help me to pay good money for a baby sitter so I can go and work in peace if I can’t do any work while I am there?

Sigh. Quiet night at the cafe, for writers anyway. We talked about life, love, and the pursuit of movies that make you want to talk about them after you watch them. smiles.

If only the internet had been working it would have been almost idyllic.

Tomorrow is July 1

~ tahenryauthoress ~ 3 Comments

No, I’m not turning into a calendar app.

July 1 kicks off Camp Nanowrimo. I was excited when I remembered that just a few short minutes ago and I ran off to check out my cabin. Oh dear god, they are all children. Literally, the average age is young enough to be my child, and not even like I had them in high school, could be my child but….AGHHHHHHHHHHHH

The question is not can I be the adult here and over look their young young young status.

I think it might be can I be enough of a child to play nicely with others….

Monday Book Review: the sociopath next door

~ tahenryauthoress ~ 4 Comments

I just finished reading the sociopath next door by Martha Stout, Ph.D. on the recommendation of fellow writers. It sounded interesting and I was hopeful it would prove useful for my nano novel this year.

I did take a lot of notes. I did find parts of it interesting. However, when my husband came across me reading it this weekend he took one look at my face and said “bored out of your mind?”

well kind of honey.

The problem is dear Doctor Stout repeats herself, a lot. I understand the definition of conscience, in fact I understood it very thoroughly after her third description. The problem is she explained it multiple times a chapter.

In addition, she used a lot of the same sentences over and over. Did you know 4% of the population are sociopaths, that’s one in every 25 people. Don’t worry you might forget that statistic, she tells you several times a chapter, just in case.

Given that she is a therapist with twenty plus years of experience, specializing in PTSD of survivors of sociopaths, I really expected a lot more case studies. She used a few, but several she made up as amalgamations. I wanted less pontificating and more hard stories. More tales from the dark side on how these people really function.

Towards the end she talks about asking her patients “If you could be completely free of conscience, no moral scruples or guilt at all, what would you do with your life?”

My answer? Not feel guilty. I love my life. I live it in a way that meets my own moral compass.

What about you? What would you do?

Weekend Workshop Sunday Edition Chapter 2

~ tahenryauthoress ~ Leave a comment

I had initially planned to complete these exercises on one of the novels I had read recently but Friday night my husband came home and complained “I wish I was a sports guy.”

This was intensely confusing to me, since his lack of love for televised sports is one of the many things I adore about him, hence my answer of “huh?”

“Well then I could flop on the couch and have something to watch on the tv, it’s just too damn hot for anything else.”

ahhhhhhhhh. “Buffy?” I replied.

“The musical episode?”

I nodded and we got up and went to the living room. If you have not watched Buffy the Vampire Slayer, that’s cool. It wasn’t for everyone but and I say this with an entirely straight face “Once More, With Feeling” is an episode everyone should watch. Even my six year old, who came into the living room as we were starting up, stood there for 30 seconds and then said, “This is…kind of …awesome.” Then climbed over the back of the couch and joined us.

I will be writing the exercises on that episode.

1. Describe the episode’s(novel/short story/etc) frame. How does the frame help to tell the story?

Set in Sunnydale, CA, built on a hell mouth which is a portal where demons and other nasties can cross over from their realms into ours. A large portion of this episode is shot in the small town center, the magic shop, or the home of several of the main characters. The small town setting helps bolster the fifties nostalgia way they filmed this one episode including a black and white opening sequence, fifties costuming for the characters, and of course the singing and dancing.

2. Summarize the story concept and the event.

Someone has summoned the “fun demon” hoping to make things turn out well. This demon causes people to spontaneous break out into singing and dancing.

3. Define the problem being tracked. How long did it take for the problem to assert itself? What is the basis of the problem?

The singing and dancing starts almost immediately with the reveal that it is the entire town with in the first few minutes. The deeper portion is that what you sing about is the dark truths you don’t want to share and if your will is strong enough to keep you from singing about the truth you will dance until you internally combust. The combustion is revealed within 24 hours in the show time.

4. Who is the hero and what is this person trying to achieve? What motivates the hero and the villain? Why does the hero conflict with the villain?

Obviously Buffy is the hero. It is her show after all. And she wants to stop the villain because that’s what she does, that is her lot in life. Her whole martyr syndrome is a discussion for another post.

I would argue the real hero of this episode is Spike. After all he is the one who saves Buffy from burning (he sings a little bit about how he hopes she fries because he’ll be free if she dies, then cuts himself off to remark I better go help her.) He is motivated by love to save his lady fair.

5. What is the crisis in the story? How does the crisis relate to the dramatic problem of the story?

The big crisis would be the kidnapping of Buffy’s younger sister by the demon who insists he will take her back to his realm unless Buffy comes to rescue her. This forces Buffy to confront the demon and sing her truth, which she desperately does not want to reveal.

6. What interrupts the status quo in the film? How soon does this interruption occur? Is a new status quo established when the problem is solved? How? Describe the new status quo and how it differs from what went before?

There are multiple status quo interruptions. First the singing and dancing which is very different from the normal dark tone of the show, occurs immediately, 30 seconds in. But along the way many things are revealed that will break the status quo in the basic functionality of the show. Her mentor sings about how he feels he is holding her back and intends to leave. Another relationship is clearly about to dissolve. And a new relationship is formed at the very end. All of which either hint at or deliver yet a new status quo from the one before the episode or the one in the episode.

7. Describe the hero’s internal and external problem. Describe how the two problems interact and how they influence the conflict.

Buffy’s internal issue is that she died, went to heaven, and was brought back to life by her well meaning friends. They all assumed she was in some sort of hell dimension. She has not told them the truth.

The external problem is how to banish this demon who is causing the death of innocents.

The two collide when Buffy must confront the demon and sings about being in heaven.

8. Describe the conflict in the episode. How and why does the climax solve the problem tracked in the film?

The demon leaves peacefully when he discovers it was not the pretty young girl who summoned him but a guy. He is willing to waive the bride clause in this situation. External handled.

Everyone now knows the truth about where Buffy was and why she’s been so cranky since her return. Many other truths have been revealed as well and it’s left for you to anticipate how those things will play out in the next episodes.

9. Define the thematic statement of the episode.

Don’t lie to your friends. LOL. I don’t know. Perhaps one should not mess about with forces bigger than yourself that you do not completely understand.

A little about the episode: incredibly well done musically. the layers of complication in the interpersonal relationships are fabulous. The reaction when a character just starts singing out of the blue is brilliant, not over done but readable, by both the character who is singing and those around. And really this might be the only bad guy in the history of the show to come to Sunnydale, cause some mayhem, and leave completely unscathed. Awesome!

So think about answering these questions for your favorite novel and then for your own. It might help to spot some of the issues you are having or weaknesses you didn’t even know were there.

Weekend Workshop Saturday Edition Chapter 2

~ tahenryauthoress ~ Leave a comment

Is it hot enough for you? I just saw a weather alert that said we were on our 6th day over 85 this month. We only average ten days above 85 a year normally. Which explains why I am so stinking happy here. Except this week, this week sucks. LOL

So onto Chapter Two of Story Sense by Paul Lucey.

This chapter focused on ways to expand your story idea using seven values defined as frame, event, story concept, problem conflict, dramatic crisis, and theme.

Frame

Conveys the style and setting of a story. It’s the background your characters are operating on.

Research, research, research.

Carefully marble your research into the novel. Don’t brain dump, use the characters to throw in the bits that lend authenticity.

Event

The ultimate occurrence of the story, what happens after everything else happens.

This may seem simple but guiding your work to the conclusion you want gives you the direction you’ll take your work in.

Generating a list of possible events can be done by speeding writing anything and everything you could possibly have happen for a set period of time, 15-30 minutes. Do it a few days in a row if you need to. The weed your garden. Something will stand out for you.

Story Concept

The idea plus the dramatic problem. It’s the over all suggestion of what will happen in your novel. Drama is the reaction of the main character to the problem.

The problem should interrupt the status quo and eventually lead to a new status quo.

The problem also reveals the secrets and emotional truth of your characters.

Problem Conflict

Internal conflict is the emotional baggage the hero must overcome to meet the external conflict which is the problem.

Some examples of conflict structures: hero vs villain, hero vs nature, hero vs the system, hero vs the self.

The main cause of weak conflict is a weak villain. Your characters need to be dangerous, they need to be well rounded, they need to believably scary/powerful/threatening. Give them an agenda.

Don’t skip the hard moments. When you promise conflict, deliver it in spades. Don’t leave the reader to imagine it.

Dramatic Crisis

Create a life threatening or life shaping situation then put your characters through the wringer.

Theme

The message you want your readers to take away with you. It could be worked subtly into the tale or you could chose to hit them over the head with it. But be careful that you don’t end up sounding preachy or or propagandizing.

In the general three act story structure the hero takes on a problem in the first act, seems to be defeated by the problem in the second act, and then pulls out a win in the third act with a big climatic scene. Not everyone follows this. Not everyone needs to. But if you’ve never written a novel before, it can’t hurt to learn the basic three act structure, if only so you can more effectively break it next time.

What do you think? Three act useful or a waste of time in today’s reading market?

Tune in tomorrow where I will work my way through the exercises at the end of this chapter.

Friday Fun

~ tahenryauthoress ~ 4 Comments

So I’ve decided to update you all about my spy novel on Friday and call it Friday Fun in the hopes that repeating Fun will leak into my brain and make me think writing on my spy novel is fun again. I know it’s a crazy thought process, but I’m a writer, crazy is where I’m at. LOL.

So this week I wrote only 212 words on my spy novel, which puts me like 6000 words behind. I know I have the rest of the day to write on my novel but I have doubts that I will get much more done today. The dog still needs to be walked. I need to go to Costco. And we have a play date this afternoon. So in light of this I have bit the bullet and signed up for Camp Nanowrimo starting July 1st. I have set my goal at 15000 words, which will put me back on track for my 2K a week goal and catch me up for all the weeks I am behind. Hopefully that momentum will carry through August and September and I can wrap up in time to prep for Nano proper this year. Here’s hoping for a good cabin.

So last night I sat down and played with the color on the pic everyone else likes.

IMG_2710 (3)

What do you think? Better in color play? or Black and White?

Wednesday Writer’s Cafe

~ tahenryauthoress ~ 5 Comments

I bailed.

I know, I know. I never miss unless something major has gone down. But really I didn’t get anywhere near enough sleep the night before and when I tried to grab a nap my kiddo was incapable of letting me. Plus I didn’t have a sitter. And the other mom who brings her kids to write in (they play with mine super well), told me they weren’t coming. AGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Does that qualify as major?

It did to me.

So I stayed home. I didn’t even write. I didn’t even write my bog post for Wednesday. I watched documentaries and painted. I needed that break though, let me tell you. Yesterday felt almost as long as the drive back from Park City, Utah, which I did in one day, all 850 odd miles of it, with my kiddo.

So onto the photo situation. I promised you a reveal this week and I will.

The problem is…..

Everyone seems to like one photo and I really like another. I posted the photos to facebook because I wasn’t getting enough meaningful feedback here. And I got a full slew of friends who swear this is the best photo ever.

Image One
Most voted for.

I like it. I do. It needs some photo shopping, like the shadow and lines on my neck.

But personally, I feel pulled to this one.

IMG_2612 (2)

Yes, it needs the shine fixed on my lip gloss. I’m thinking about maybe bringing it up from black and white to a tonal shot, not full color but playful. It could be interesting given how much of my hair is on display and is blue and green.

Sigh, what’s an author to do. Tell me, please?

Monday Book Review: Star Wars Jedi Academy

~ tahenryauthoress ~ Leave a comment

I know, it’s a kids book, but I am up to my eyes in multijediacaple grown up books that I haven’t quite finished so I can review them. So instead you get the book I read to my kiddo. Kiddo is a HUGE Star Wars fan and his back neighbor friends gave him Jeffrey Brown’s Star Wars: Jedi Academy for his birthday. We read this so fast. And to be honest, (I can’t believe I am admitting this in public), when my husband would read to my son at night I would grab the book after so I could go back and catch up on what I missed before I read on to kiddo. LOL

Done in half cartoon and half personal diary, with a smidge of other printed materials, Jedi Academy tells the story of Roan who wants nothing more in his life than to get into the Pilot Academy like his older brother, so he can be a pilot like his Dad. He is crushed when he doesn’t get in, visions of Farming Academy give him nightmares. Instead he gets a letter advising him of his admittance to the Jedi Academy. Given the choice, he goes to be a Jedi but he is not happy about it.

Brown really blends the usual trauma of being a child and getting through school with the unusual additives of constructing a light saber, learning to use the force, mandalorian poetry, etc. It’s adorable. It really is. It would be a quick read for an adult; a beach read or Sunday afternoon by the pool read. I can’t wait to get my hands on more of Jeffrey Brown’s books, to read to my son of course. wink wink nudge nudge.