National Book Awards

Didja hear about the results of this year's National Book Award? One of the winners was Jaimy Gordon.

Yeah. That's my Fiction Workshop teacher. :) I'm surprised more people aren't all over this because her novel was picked as the underdog, but look. It won. It's like every nerd's fairy tale.

Just saying.

Best writing advice I've ever heard.

"Sit down, shut up, and write."

Can't remember where I heard it now or even if that's the exact phrasing, but it gets the point across, doesn't it?

For those of you who want a less harsh-sounding pep talk... go here. :)

And into week three!

Wow, week two was rough. Seemed to be that way for a lot of people. Hang in there, guys! :)

Currently rewriting the first chapter at the moment. I know, I know, wait until December, but I've never been one to follow that rule. So here's the new intro:

--

Time worked like the Domino Effect meeting the Six Degrees of Separation, and one wrong move could make the whole of reality collapse. They learned that the hard way the day the sky cracked open.

It started in Reims, France at seven in the morning. A thunderous SNAP like the sound of a bone breaking startled everyone, and more snaps followed in quick succession. People gathered to the windows and ran outside to see what was going on. Lights filled the sky, and it almost looked like billions of fireflies were coming in through the clouds. The lights formed a jagged line that pulsated and buzzed. It could have been fireflies taking over the earth.

It took four hours and twenty-three minutes for the cracks to cover the whole of the sky. By then, they didn’t look like cracks anymore; it was as if the atmosphere turned light yellow. Meteorologists tried to find records of this ever happening before, but such records did not exist.

Around midday, the lights suddenly went out, and nightfall blanketed the earth. People began to panic and worry that this was the end of the world.

--

And here's the song it was written to:



Dunno what that says about this story.

In character news, Rhemy is supposed to be the MC, but Oliver keeps trying to steal the spotlight. It's kind of hilarious, too:

--

Oliver didn’t answer because the elevator dinged again and the doors opened. They both ran right, seeing as running left would have them jump out a window, and kept running until they reached a large atrium where a young man, probably just out of school, was playing with some wires.

“STOP!”

“And shut the dooooooooooor!” crooned Oliver, clapping his hands over his heart and closing his eyes. “You’re the one that I’ve been fighting fooo-OOOOOO-oo-o-o-or… sorry. Couldn’t help myself.” He grinned at Rhemy’s exasperated expression. The would-be bomber looked more alarmed than anything.

--

Anybody else's characters behaving hilariously?

Week one.

Blog's been quiet this week. Most of that was because of NaNoWriMo, and also because of homework, of course. Had a paper due on Thursday.

It's been a bit of a struggle, but I've finally got my inner critic to shut up. Also, everybody needs to check out Your Heart, especially the Summer album. The music is just fantastic. In other unrelated asides, I doodled this picture of Rhemy and Oliver today:

Oliver is saying very quickly, "I figured out how to convert Cheetos into ROCKET FUEL! I AM AWESOME!" And Rhemy is thinking, "ADHD or just Evansly?"

Not much I can say about that.

So how's NaNo going for everybody?

Oh look, another person criticized NaNo. *Yawn*

Tonight's Late Night Clickable comes to you in two parts.

If you're like me and love NaNoWriMo, this first part will inspire wrath. But don't worry, the second part will inspire joy.

Here are the parts in summary:

Laura "Stuck On Her High Horse" Miller: NaNoWriMo is pointless and consumerist. Read novels, don't write them!

Carolyn "Voice of Reason" Clogg: You make as much sense as an elephant in a bikini. And a crabby elephant at that. These are the reasons you're being a wench... [epic post here].

The Night Before NaNo

It was the night before NaNo, and all through the cafes
Every writer was stirring, preparing for the next day

Every plotter had a plot line; every pantser had pants
Each one hoping to win, and then they would dance

The forums were hopping with all the new threads
While visions of purple bars danced in our heads

My friends and I with our costumes and pens*
Had just finished trick-or-treating again

Then I realized November was mere hours away!
I shouted, “Let’s go to a write-in! Right now, I say!”

We grabbed our computers and our drivers of flash
Tore down the streets in a frenzied dash

When what to our eyes should come into sight
But a small café, with people ready to write

They looked so nervous, but raring to go
I knew in a moment they must be Wrimos

We joined them inside and talked about plots
And how all this candy would make our teeth rot

More rapid than eagles, midnight it came
And on our computers, we wrote our first 1K

Then when our eyes could take no more
We shut it all down and left through the door

And for now, that's really all I can say
But Happy NaNo to all, and to all, 50K!

--

*Pencils are still better. :P

Yes, it's been done before. Yes, some of the rhymes aren't perfect. Yes, it's way shorter than the real Night Before Christmas. But it's just for fun. :)

Happy NaNoing, everybody!

Why NaNoWriMo is better than Halloween and always will be.

1) The rush you get from finishing is way more thrilling than a sugar rush.
2) NaNoWriMo actually helps you accomplish something.
3) The scariest part about NaNo is the 30Ks.
4) It actually has proper theme songs.
5) You make new friends. Inside your head and outside your head. :P
6) It lasts a whole month instead of only one day.

Anybody else got anything?

NaNoWriMo 2010. It approaches.

Here we have a crappy picture of the main characters, Oliver Evans and Rhemy Starrett. Now. There's a NaNo thread where you can post your characters' PostSecrets, so I made a few of the biggest secrets/driving forces behind my story for this.

Character #1:

Character #2:

Character #3:

This can be a really great way to figure out your characters' motivations and get inside their heads. So I really encourage you to think about what your characters' deepest secrets are. :)

Also, can anyone believe that November is less than a week away? INSANITY.

Because I'm too busy to write an actual post.

Working on a short story for Fiction Workshop at the moment. Here's something brilliant from YouTube.

NaNoMeme thieves are on the loose...

AT THE START: DO YOU:
Have an outline? Oh yes. Goodness yes.
Scene-by-scene? More or less.
Know how it starts? Yup.
Know how it ends? EPICALLY.
Have your climax in order? After some very intricate plotting, yes. I've been working on this since April. ^_^
Know your main characters yet? Rhemy "Les Rhemes" Starrett (my main-main) and Oliver "Evansly" Evans!
Have a particular tone in mind? Kind of. Just gonna go with it.
Plan to draw on your own experiences? No.

IS YOUR WORK GOING TO BE:
Funny? For sure, to balance out the seriousness.
Serious? Oh yeah, definitely.
Sad? The opening scene is at a funeral. So...
Semi-Autobiographical? You caught me. I am from the future.
Based on another story? No, but I've been using Oliver forever. Like since 2006.

HOW HAVE MUCH YOU PLANNED? HAVE YOU USED:
A paper journal? Yes.
Pens? No... I really, really hate pens.
Multicoloured pens? Even multicolo[u]red ones.
A computer? Where most of the planning is done.
Index cards? Nah, too easy to lose.
Bulleted lists? Yes!
Plot charts? Haha, yes.
Character charts? Nope
Character formulas? ...What?
Favourite writing resource? Write or Die.

ODDS AND ENDS:
A line you would like to use: I've been saving them on Facebook. TECHNICALLY, it's not writing if it's Facebook.

“Ah, Y2K. I love this time in history. Apocalypse theories, the Amish secretly gloating, people gathering supplies for the end of the world. They’re like little squirrels!” *Sees a lady loading an obscene amount of groceries into her car* “Crazy, crazy squirrels.”

“This is our weird-o-meter! It goes bloop-bloop when something’s wrong.”

“And this is my watch!” *Power pose!*
“What does that do?”
“…It… it measures time. What did you think it did?”

“It’s always been about the past with you and me. When’s it ever going to be about anything else?”

“We’re brilliant!”
“We’re adverbs!”
“Let’s save the universe by playing the six degrees game!”
“WOOHOO!”

A scene you would like to include: Oliver and Rhemy making fun of everybody in the year 1999. Oh wait. That's a different plot point!
A concept you would like to explore: The future.
A cliché you would like to avoid: Part of the story takes place in Germany 1944. You would think someone is going to try to kill Hitler. OH NO THEY AREN'T!
A character you would like to use: All the characters I have for the story?

FORWARD THINKING:
Do you expect to be able to complete it? Yes.
Do you intend to complete it? Yes.
Would you ever try to publish it? After a lot of polishing.
What do you expect to get out of this month of frantic writing? AWESOMENESS.

I promise...

...to write well.

...to write badly first.

...to be honest.

...to not be preachy.

...to not take myself seriously.

...to not write for trends. Trends change.

...to not get so caught up in words that I lose sight of the story.

...to not care what people think.

...to remember why I'm doing this.

...to make people laugh.

...to make people feel good.

...to make a difference.

...to never stop.

OK, now it's your turn.

(PS: WMU's literary magazines, The Laureate and Third Coast are accepting submissions!)

That nonfiction piece I was working on.

It's amazing what you can finish when you have an hour to do it. :) Anyways, this is about my paternal grandpa who passed away a few years ago. It's called "Some Other Monument".

--

It’s May, and we’re bicycling to the church. I could ride ahead of Laura if I wanted, but it’s easier keeping watch if she’s in front of me. As if there’s ever anything to watch out for.

The church is just around the corner from home, behind some houses and trees. When the entrance is in sight, Laura decides it’s time to race, as always. “I’m going to beat you!” she cheers. Her three-wheeler protests how fast she wants to go.

We’re blurs as we spin into the parking lot, sashaying around the rock islands and speed bumps. We cut across to the edge of the playground that’s next to the memorial. Laura laughs triumphantly; she wins this round.

Two white arches stand guard at each end of the small memorial that’s next to the playground. Red bricks trace the patches of purple flowers. In the northwest corner, there’s a grave marker that time hasn’t worn. It doesn’t say much. John Hanson. 1923. 2007. There are two engravings on it: one of the cross, and one of two evergreens. Today there’s a small flag standing over it.

Some people add nice sentiments about the departed on their grave markers. Most people have room for exact dates, but not the ones here. Names and years are enough. How are you supposed to sum up a life in a few well-meaning words anyways, especially one that lasted 84 years? Grandpa would remain an enigma to future generations.

He was always like that. Quiet, a bit serious, but once in a while he would catch you off guard with his odd sense of humor. While Grandpa McNees made sure we all knew beans are a magical fruit, he taught us about Yon Yonson. My name is Yon Yonson. I come vrum Visconsin. I verk in de lumberyard der. And all de people I meet as I valk down de street say, “Hallo der! Vat’s your name?” And I say, “My name is Yon Yonson. I come vrum Visconsin. I verk in de lumberyard der.” To be said with a horrible Scandinavian accent. To be repeated endlessly. To make everybody laugh at how Danish we are.

And we are Danish, no matter what the people at Ellis Island would lead you to believe. They’re the ones who put the “o” in our name when it should be an “e”. They’re the ones who inadvertently gave Grandpa his nickname – Swede. People called him that his whole life. Grandma once told me about a time when they were dating and she called him that. He said, “Mary… I have to tell you something.”

He looked so serious that she thought he was going to break up with her. “What is it?”

“I’m not Swedish.”

Grandpa had the chance to visit Denmark back when I was 13 and Laura was 11. That was the year he was diagnosed, I think. He brought me back a copy of some fairy tales by Hans Christian Anderson. Then Laura took it and wrote her name all over the cover page.

There were so many pictures when he came back, even of little things that most people wouldn’t think to record. That was Grandpa, always noticing the insignificant details. And he took pictures of the big things, of course: the cathedrals and Legoland and the Little Mermaid statue and everything. When he went on a trip with a camera, you could always be sure that you got a fair representation of what happened.

That’s what he always did anyways. I was under the impression until I was seven that he was literally attached to his camera. Everywhere he went, he was taking photos. It didn’t even matter if there wasn’t an occasion.

One of the home videos he took when he had a video camera – one of those big clunky things – is after I was just born and trying to sleep. Grandpa was asking my parents, “Can you get her to open her eyes?” He took a lot of pride in his amateur photographs.

What really tickled me was this letter he sent to his parents when he was serving in the Navy. He sometimes wrote about how he missed his camera equipment, and in this particular letter, he told them about how he was put in charge of taking pictures of everybody on deck. He loved that job.

I actually found one of his old war photos when I was nine. I had no idea he had ever been in the military up until then. When I asked him about it, he told me that he had served in the Navy during World War II. There are three other things I know about his experience serving. One: he fought in Okinawa. Two: he didn’t believe it when he first heard that the war in Europe was over. Three: he really was homesick. And those are all from his letters that we found after his death.

Now there are dozens of boxes filled with pictures organized by date because that was the way he liked it. Grandma thought it would be better if they were organized by who was in the picture. She still organizes them by date.

“Grandpa, she… he died.” Laura doesn’t understand what this fully means yet. She seems to think that if you’re a very, very good person, then you won’t die. We go through this conversation every time we come here.

“Yeah.”

Laura sighs. “Poor Grandpa.”

It would be easy to think that way. It would have been easy for Grandpa to let himself think that way. But not once did he get depressed, even when his 16-year-old granddaughter had to virtually babysit him while Grandma went to get groceries. He cheered right along with us when he managed to sit down or stand up. He made jokes about his constant shaking and how long it took him to get from one end of the room to the other. He may not have been graceful in motion, but he was in spirit.

He died on his favorite day of the year: Christmas Day. It was around 11 PM. He couldn’t get out of bed by then. The only person who could sometimes understand him was Grandma. My family had left around 9 o’clock. Laura had said, “Bye Grandpa! I love you!”

I had waved and said, “See ya later, Grandpa!”

The shock came on slowly. When we told Laura, she thought of our second dog who died seven years before. “Grandpa died?” She looked confused. “Shiloh… she died.” She’s had a hard time understanding it. Even now.

Before I can tell Laura that no, it’s OK that Grandpa’s gone now, she’s distracted. “Hey, what’s this?” Someone has left a poem written on a plastic square standing on two thin wires over the grave for another veteran. Someone else’s grandfather.

“It’s a poem.”

Laura kneels down and examines it for a second. I look over her shoulder and spot several words that she won’t know how to pronounce. She reads as if the words were fragile. She reads like she once did to Grandpa. It’s not an amazing poem. It’s clearly meant only to comfort, but Laura’s bringing something new to it.

When she finishes, we’re quiet for a while. Laura stands back up, but keeps looking at the poem.
“Laura, that was perfect.” I’m not entirely sure what just happened. There was no way Laura, who loves to read but always struggles with it, could have read that. Every syllable, every line was in perfect form. What just happened?

“Tank you.” Laura lets out a big sigh. “Well, Sister Sue, we better to get going. It’s getting awfully late.”

I nod. She’s probably right – the sun’s already starting to set. “Yeah.” As we walk back to our bikes, I ask, “You know what that poem meant?”

But whatever compelled her to read that poem is gone because she answers, “It’s about… hey I know! Let’s sing a pirate song!” And she proceeds to belt out Disney songs at the top of her lungs.

--

Oh, my sister. She's moderately autistic, by the way. So that explains a lot, doesn't it? :)

Um... Late Afternoon Clickables?

This is honestly amazing. It's called the Nine Stages of Dating a Novel.

I think you'll enjoy it.

Another piece for Fiction Workshop.

I have been horrible on catching up with the blogs I'm following lately because of all this HOMEWORK. And outside stress. Stupid stress-inducers. Errrgh. Just ten weeks left... ten weeks.

So for Fiction Workshop this week, we had to write a fragmentary flash fiction, and I've been in a Halloweeny mood, plus I told my friend that I would write something along those lines for her local TV show event thing. So what came out was "A Ghastly Tale of Horrifying Horror. Or Something." That's honestly the whole title.

--

One Thing The Neighbor Said
“Stupid kids with their crazy rock music.”

Two Things The Kid (Who Isn’t As Funny As He Thinks) Said
“Huh indeed. The ghosts are totally jamming to Still Alive. The cake is a lie, anyone?”
“That is the worst possible thing you could do. Now I’m going home because the funny guy is always the second to die. Peace!”

Three Things The Natural Leader Said
“Don’t give me that crap about the suicide. Since when are you superstitious?”
“Hey, uh, if any ghosts are gonna show up, might as well do it now! Haha, lighten up, dude. Nothing is… huh.”
“I’ll be right back; I’m just gonna see where that’s coming from.”

Four Things The Genre-Savvy One Said
“This is a good idea. This is totally not dangerous or stupid at all. I mean, forget other-worldly happenings. There are noooo such things as, oh, trespassing laws. Let’s do this.”
“It was a dark and stormy night when the spirits beat Portal… it really writes itself.”
“That’s a super good way to get yourself murdered in the most appalling way ever. Or the most hilarious. But I’m talking closed casket here.”
“That was definitely the ghosts dragging Cal into Hell. Time to leave.”

Five Things The Homeowner Said
“What the hell?!”
“OK, stop screaming! Kid, kid, stop frickin’ screaming!”
“How did you get in?”
“Ugh. You’re the ninth person who thought this place was haunted. You’re looking for the house next door.”
“Yeah, yeah. Hey, can you toss over the Cheetos? Thanks.”

--

Completely not scary at all. But Halloweeny! :D So sad...

And now for something that's sure to put a smile on your face: The Yodeling Veterinarian of the Alps.



This blog really doesn't make much sense at times, does it?