Corn muffins and fairies.

This morning I had a craving for corn muffins, and less than half an hour later I had my muffins, warm and steamy. While enjoying my breakfast with butter and milk, something hit me, and I started writing a poem about a fairy. In just a few minutes it has grown into quite a tale. Now, I am not naive, I know how saturated the market is with fairy theme, yet I have a strange faith in this piece. I am submitting it tomorrow to Barefoot Publisher (as I think they would pick out just the right illustrator for this), and maybe will research a few others, but I swear… this is good. This is different. I rarely have this much faith in my writing, but this time it’s simple, and yet it feels right. Even if Barefoot doesn’t want it, I see it getting in print one way or another. 

Send me your good luck thoughts! 

One might wonder, how does the original manuscript about Lily and Renoi, and the little prince Danko benefit from this? The muffins have inspired me to be more particular about the food in the Dragonfly Island. That’s for another post though.

And even the bonsai trees…

I feel like a little kid that can’t pay attention. I am not writing much, but when I am writing, it seems whatever surrounds me in my life jumps straight onto the pages. For example: a Dwarf Jade seed made its way into my life. And now, as I’m trying to make the little thing grow into a respectable bonsai tree, my hero Renoi is sharing his knowledge on the topic with Lily. 

I can’t be the only writer that allows real life to spill in such a shameless way into my story, eh?

So, instead of writing, over the past four weeks I…

• Suspended two avocado pits and watched them shoot roots (yay!).
• Started packing at work (I’m switching rooms).
• Helped my one year old niece I’ve met for the first time to put on her socks and shoes.
• Almost finished reading Pippi Longstocking and Angels and Demons.
• Cried over family loss.
• Began to attend yoga-pilates class on a regular basis.
• Visited a doctor over my back problems.

Hm… that’s a lot of things that have nothing to do with writing, eh? So what did I do relative to my projects? I added dogs. That’s right. All of a sudden my Dragonfly Island has a popular pet, hounds, to be exact. Something between borzoi and Irish hound. The people keep them for protection, hunting, and companionship, often in large groups as a symbol of high rank in society.

Writing – it’s like a job.

Some days you love it, and other days you simply have to do it. Today, I’m having to do it. I’m telling myself, “I can, I can, I can”, and forcing the fingers to type something, just ANYTHING that advances the story. I have a few choices: I could work on the middle part where Lilly, Renoi, and little prince Danko stop at a lonely tower, or I could move on to the scene with centaurs, closer to the end of the book.

If I choose the first route, I’ll be exploring as I go. Right now all I know is that there is a tower on the path that my characters are following. I don’t know what’s inside, but I think a hermit lives there. So that could be fun to explore.

If I go the second route, I’ll be in the place to think up and establish the rules around a whole nation of centaurs. A lot more complicated, a lot more thinking, which might end up in less word count and just a lot of notes. 

I want to be at 40K by the end of this long weekend, and it includes my sister’s birthday party and a game-day with guests over on Monday.

Good writing vibes to me and all those in need of writing vibes!

Scaring the reader – what’s the secret?

From mushy romance I’m jumpting into scary images. It’s a part dream, part twisted image drawn out of Wizard of Oz. This scene actually fills in one of the voids I left in the very beginning of the character’s journey. It feel so good to connect the dots that were left open.

The chapter plunges into a nighmare field, of sorts. I want to make your skin crawl with fear! You know, one of those chapters that you force yourself to read really fast just to get to the end of it? Just for it to be over? I am working on finding the right words to relay the heebejeebies to you, the reader. Wish me luck!

Oh, and if you kow any good secrets and tricks on the topic, feel free to share. I’m always hunting for good writing tips.

Reclaiming Austen, and finding refuge with Scarecrow.

Nothing Like Austen no more.

I’m back to my original title. I have to thank everyone out there that encouraged the change back, because you are so wonderful and kind. You want to know a funny thing? It actually makes me write more. Go figure. 

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On a side note, the end of the school year is near (I teach), and I feel like too many things are happening at the same time. But Lily and Renoi have not left my head, and as I reread Wizard of Oz with my fourth graders, it actually encourages my confidence in my the original story setup. Each chapter takes characters through almost complete circle of a mini-adventure on their way. As Scarecrow is stuck in the middle of the river, and the chapter gives a satisfactory resolution before opening the next part of the story, so are my characters receive one problem at a time, solve it, and move on. I think vampires are the only ones that slow them down for two whole chapters. 

I worried that it will be too simplistic, but I’ll see where it takes me before making any changes. Yay for Scarecrow!

Sprinkling romance

That’s what I’m doing. Because I want to. Granted, now that I’m reading Angels and Demons (and who isn’t these days?), I might be inspired to take up conspiracy theories. I’m not quite there yet. I’m in the romance zone. I want it to send tingles down your spine, with every touch, kiss and giggle. I want it to be sweet and permanent. This is not just a crush, this is forever!

The challenges? To keep writing every day AND to avoid cliches. Which means, even if I’m allowing myself “gazing into his eyes”, it is only with full awareness that this c$@p will have to be edited out later. Oh, and in case you are curious, my hero, Renoi, does have ocean blue eyes (although, my beloved is the one that gets credit for it. I swear he has the most beautiful deep blue color you can imagine).

I’m in love. This must the side-effects.

I want to know: here comes a poll!

Please tell me…

I’m very curious to see the results.

I’m back. Ashamed, and newly inspired: Abelard and Heloise.

I’m going through a mini crisis, but I think I’m now on the other side? I doubting my skill. So there. Anyone that posted “that” week can send me a passage, and I’ll be happy to comment on it. Here is a place to send it to: LAM_15@yahoo.com (if you sent a passage, and I didn’t reply, it could have gone to the spam folder, so check in here as well).

As per my writings, as I mentioned before, they’ve been put on hold, and until today I was completely slacking. What got me back on track is a story of Abelard and Heloise. I am a sucker for love stories and love letters, and if you’ve never heard of it, well you should read up on it, at least on Wikipedia!

I loved it so much, that now I’m trying to work it into my Dragonfly Island. It shoved some confidence back into my fingers, and I picked up desire to write again. Let’s hope this will last for another 30K, at least. 

So what are my characters doing at the moment? They are at the beach. And Lily telling Renoi about Abelard and Heloise. If you asked me what the heck are the doing at the beach, and where is little Danko, I couldn’t tell you. I’m just doing a scene that I want to do, and here is a little excerpt…

The sand was warm and kind. We carried our sandals in our hands, as we approached the water.  Red disk dipped into the horizon, as we sat down, watching the waves.

“There is a story, that I knew in my past life.” I let the lump in my throat sink in deeper. “It is about a man called Abelard and a young woman Heloise.”

CONTEST: of interest to beginner-writers, like myself.

Don’t get me wrong, I do not pretend to be an expert.

I am not published.

My own projects are still in the works.

I can’t even make edible dinner rolls! (ask me later)

All I can brag about is the fact that for two months now, I am writing without a break, doing my research, and trying to reach out to other writers like myself.

What do you have to do: make at least two comments on this blog from April 21 through April 25, and leave a way for me to contact you (either an e-mail, or a link to your own blog).

What you get: You will be entered into a draw for my honest opinion on your piece of writing. It cannot exceed 1,000 words, but I will spend some time breaking down what I think of your voice, topic appeal, and clarity of sentences.

Why am I qualified to judge your writing? I’m not. Really. My credentials come down to “I like to read, and I have an opinion.”  If you dare to enter anyway, then comment away!