Saturday, December 31, 2011

Indecisive..........and BAMM..............Inspiration

If the dictionary had a definition by person of the above word, it would be me. I am the most indecisive person when it comes to everything! There are too many choices, too many second guesses, too many scenarios to analyze, and re-analyze until I give myself a freaking migraine. So when it comes to my book, I am equally annoying and long-standing wishy-washy with all of my decisions. To self publish, or not to self-publish, to edit this or edit that. To keep this name or change it, its a cycle of endless crazy-ass Ashley.




So it might come as a surprise to me, my friends and family, whenever I make a concrete decision and stick with it. It always comes as a shock to me personally, when I can put my foot down firmly and not second guess myself. So-far in this writing process it's only happened a handful of times.

1. When I finally found my schtick, the little twisted mythology that tied my protagonist in with the scary man-beast hounds. It was one of those ahhh-haaa moments, where the stars aline and the world just sings around me. I was ecstatic when I found the myth, beyond happy. And I still am, it made the story, it brought it all together like butter on a skillet. (I'm feeling particularly metaphory today, apologies in advance.)

2. After finding the Myth, or maybe it was before, really it's hard to keep track of research. Anyways, I came across information, and a poem about The Wild Hunt. The description was dark, and creepy, a little fairy-tale-esque, and I fell in love. I needed a title for my story, something better than all of the other craptastic title's I'd tried out. And so The Wild Hunt, was christianed, and I never once looked back. It was another one of those decisions that were strangely easy to make.

3. For a while now I've fought with myself, about whether or not I should scrap the prologue and just make it a Chapter. It's horrifyingly long in prologue standards, most are only a few pages, maybe even just a paragraph, and here mine was going on fourteen pages. FOURTEEN. That's not a prologue, its a damn chapter. But I didn't have a prologue. I had a poem, a simple, not horribly wonderful little poem, but a poem is not a prologue. The prologue needed to say something about the story, and the protagonist. It needed to pull the reader in, and make them want to stay for a while, make them want to find the secret, open the door, breathe in my world. For the last few months I tried, again, and again to write a new prologue. I failed, miserably, horribly, every word felt wrong, fake, forced and ugly, nothing fit. Nothing felt right. So imagine my surprise when two days ago, like the Maltynos, and The Wild Hunt, the prologue finally came. Like lightening it struck bammm, and it was beautiful. I'm hoping this lightening trend is the secret to my muse, because I never question it. It's always right.


So to make a long horribly boring story short. I have a new prologue, a short, three paragraph, feww word prologue. I'm ecstatic, it feels fantastic, and I hope that you, the reader, will love it as well.



The Wild Hunt


Prologue

~Imaginary~




When I was a little girl, I had an imaginary friend. I called her Jillie. She was my silent companion when I played dress up and pretended to sip tea. Every day Jillie walked silently beside me to the school bus. She was always there at the end of the day to listen as I whispered my secrets. Jillie was probably the best friend I had for most of my childhood. After my sixth birthday my father decided I was too old for imaginary friends. He told me my friend wasn’t real, that no-one could see her, and my childish games had gone on long enough.

For two years my father punished me every time I played with my invisible friend. Through his punishments I learned my first lesson in defiance. I grew proud of the marks that lined my skin; every mark was a snub in my father’s direction. Every welt was a helpful reminder of my father’s true face.

One day my mother begged me to forget about Jillie, and never mention her again. The funny thing was my mother looked at my imaginary friend. Not in some small way of pacifying me either. Her pale green eyes scanned across Jillie’s blood splattered dress and dirty knees, and smiled with understanding. Like she too once had an imaginary friend. I still see Jillie sometimes. A childhood ailment I never truly outgrew. But the little girl who was my imaginary friend, was never really imaginary, Jillie was……is…… a ghost.








Monday, December 19, 2011

My very short list of do's and don'ts

DO's

1. Limit the words that end in ly

2. Check word frequency, to many shrugs, and rolled eyes can be annoying.

3. Make every scene take the story forward if it doesn't scrap it, only things that move can stay, otherwise it's fluff, and unnecessary.

4. Make your character's relatable, no one is infallible

5. Cussing, limit if you must, but if it is a character trait, it obviously can't be avoided.

6. Use said whenever possible, it's clean and to the point.

7. Show don't tell, this is a little harder to explain, but instead of saying something like
         "Robert hated fish,"

say instead:
          "The pungent salty smell hit Robert's sense's and he paused. He knew that smell, could see the cold empty dead eyes in his mind."

I'm hoping that was a good example, but because I sometimes have a hard time with it, you might as well. So it's a good tip.

8. Tie up loose ends, make sure any yarn you start gets explained, or at least continued.

9. Throw out your thesaurus, I know that with the Twilight craze people believe using big words in place of small one is a Do, it ISN'T some of the best known authors, like King for instance, suggest that often the best word is the simplest one. If you can use a one syllable word in place of a three syllable do it. Pretty words are just that, pretty, they don't do anything but make a reader stutter, or break out the dictionary.

10. Do read out loud to yourself, you'll find problems with flow that way, and get rid of those silly large syllable words.


DON'T's

1. Over describe, description is necessary but as a reader I can't tell you how many times I've jumped a paragraph because it bored me to tears describing every outfit, or color in a painting. I don't need to know what the character ate for breakfast lunch and dinner, I don't need to know that they brush their teeth twice a day. Only add in meals where something happens, dialogue that drives the story forward, or action.

2. Under-describe. As a writer, we believe the reader has the same knowledge as us, and sometimes forget when they do not. Make sure you explain why someone hates such and such, especially if the hate is a core element to the story, the reader will be turned off.

3. Have too many story threads going at once, not everyone can write like J.K. Rowling, or should try to. If you can't keep your story threads straight, how can the reader, simplify. If it isn't necessary to get from point A to B then just skip to C, B needs to be important to the character development or the story evolving.

4. Use cliches, avoid them whenever possible.





Good luck!!

To edit or not to edit.......

So like anything else, anytime I write, I edit, if I'm just re-reading a particularly sticky passage I edit. When I'm thinking about the story while I cook dinner, or frost cookies, I edit. So the question isn't really do I edit, or when should I, since I do it in an obsessive controlling way anyway, it's more about should I edit names or titles.

Most of the names that I have now I picked back when the book was still a fledgling YA novel. Now that the YA part has been tossed, and the first draft burned, I wonder about some of those first names and titles.

The first few book title's were awful, and I actually really love The Wild Hunt, but now I'm left wondering if I should scrap the Series name Hounds of God, and just go with the first books title. Call it The Wild Hunt Series, it rolls, but is it right? Because I'm just a writer and not a marketing expert, editor, book designer, or publisher, I don't have the answers, I only have my gut, and it's twisted and unsure about EVERYTHING.

The writing is the easy part, it's everything else that scares the hell out of me. If I decide to self publish, (another of the many unmade decisions left to be made) then I have to make these decisions wisely. Other authors have suggestions, and blogs thankfully that help..........

The writing is easy.........I never ever thought I'd say that. I guess being as close to the ending as I've ever been has mellowed me.

The farther I get the more relaxed I become, I'm starting to let the words come without holding back or making it as perfect, as I used to stress about in the beginning. Granted I'll edit the bitch a hundred times over before I'll ever let someone read it. The perfectionist in me knows that I a writer/non-editor cannot make it perfect, but I will try like hell to do so. I've come across so many helpful pieces of advice on writing that I'm going to make a little list of all those tid-bits and compile them here, for you guys out there that might stumble across my blog, and for  me, because I'll need it for the next one.

I like what one author wrote about editing, that nothing, until the book goes to press is set in stone, everything can be changed, and a good writer, is willing to change anything to make the story better. I'll do it, I'll take that leap. But what about the Series name??????? LOL to keep it, or not to keep it, someday I'll make those big decisions, but until then I'll live by that writers wise words, nothing is set in stone, until the book goes to press!

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Inspiration Hits

So today, the day after I wrote a blog about procrastination, I sat down at my computer and typed out around 10,000 words. I don't know where this lovely inspiration came from but it's here and I'm loving the muse. Maybe admitting my short comings was like opening the flood gates. Ten thousand words.........I haven't written like that in months.
I just wanted to share my lovely news with the world. I couldn't contain it. It's been so long since I've written anything this big. Maybe that December deadline is gone, but a new one, in perhaps March, is possible. I don't want to get my hopes up, or fail again, but after a day like today. It feels like anything is possible.


Happy writing everyone, I'm going to get back too it!!



Tuesday, December 13, 2011

The Art of Procrastination

This month I have found that the best way to be a dirty little procrastinator is to blame my lack of writing  on anything and everything. The holidays, the strange school schedule, my inability to sit still and stare at the screen without wanting to kill myself. It's been one hell of an almost half of the month. I might have written a thousand words in the last two weeks, maybe, if I'm being nice to myself and lying, or trying out denial. So yes, I've been a bad bad girl. Wish the badness had been a whole lot more fun. I'm not even going to talk about the deadline I gave myself because it sure as hell isn't happening now.

After all of the good feedback, and a few good chapters, I'm still way way behind. So I'm going to try not to feel too horribly bad about it. I really hope the next book goes easier. But even if it doesn't taking a couple years to finish a book might just be my thing. Not all of us can pump them out every few months. Now I'm just whining so I'll apologize. Sorry. Seriously. With a big fat I. O. U. for this month not being done, maybe I'll insert a little snippet, out of shame. Actually that's not a half bad idea. So let's see, what about a great kill scene, or maybe a dream? Or maybe even a flashback?

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

There the time ticks by. Without further ado here's a few paragraphs of The Wild Hunt. This is a scene between Lorelei, and one of the Agent's investigating the No-Names disappearance. It is from Chapter Ten titled Hit and Run.................Enjoy!



The sun was warm on my skin and I sighed, closed my eyes, and pointed my face towards the light. I could hear the pleasant sound of children laughing behind me, and I relaxed into the bench. Maybe I could nap for a few minutes while Duncan was busy. It felt so good in the sunlight; surely it wouldn’t be a bad thing. My lack of sleep made me yawn, and I lay down gently on the bench curling my feet up behind me. I was so relaxed that I started to drift off to sleep. The dark warm embrace beckoned me closer. My body shook with a sigh of pleasure. The sound of footsteps drew near and I crinkled my nose in annoyance. Duncan shouldn’t be back so quickly. I just wanted a good ten minutes in the heat, just a few minutes to rest my eyes.

“Well, well, well, what do we have here?” Fear swelled in my stomach and my eyes flew open. Agent Brody’s voice was as clear and cocky as I remembered it.

“You shouldn’t sleep on street benches; someone might mistake you for trash. No wait; in your case it would be true.” His words were laced with venom.

I glanced past him into the window of the business across the street. Duncan was still out of sight, and Agent Brody was alone. Fear trickled down my spine but I swallowed it and smiled.

“Why Brody, don’t you know I’m a sucker for a compliment.” I said sarcastically.

Brody paled. “You should stay away from places where you could get hurt, and disappear. No one would even know you were missing at first. Weeks could go by before you were even found. Your body so abused by the elements they wouldn’t even recognize you. I would have thought the Benandanti would teach you better, being such an expert on the subject. Where is he anyway I can still smell him.” Brody sniffed the air and his face twisted in disgust. He narrowed his milky dead eyes in my direction and I shivered. I hated that I was afraid of him.

“Oh that’s more like it, I love your fear, you’re practically marinating in it.” Brody took a step closer, his legs rubbing against my knees.

“Tasty.” He practically purred the word.
I sat as far back on the bench as I could go. Something about him was terrifying, and the stubborn smart ass in me couldn’t get past it. Inside I was screaming but nothing I did could force my sarcastic comebacks to the surface. I was silent and locked in place.
“What no snide remark. Where’s the girl with fire under her skin, where’s that delicious little temper?” Brody leaned forward and breathed in the scent of my hair.
His own smell washed over me and I choked, he reeked of earth and sweat. I glanced defiantly into his face and thrust my chin out, daring him to touch me. He reached out one finger and drew a line down my cheek. A cold tendril of fear washed over me, but I refused to look away.
“It’s such a shame you were marked up by the Benandanti, such a waste, he’s a fool.” Brody’s fowl breath was inches from my face.

I sucked in my own and held it, forcing myself to be silent. A loud and angry growl cut through the air behind Brody, and he went still as a statue, his demeanor changing instantly from predator to prey. I could see the edge of Duncan behind Brody. A soft whine left Brody’s lips, and he turned. Duncan picked him up and hurled him into the street. And just like that I was moving. I jumped from the bench and ran down the cobbled sidewalk.


Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Sleeping Beauty

I unlike a lot of friends and family like Sucker Punch, to me it was a comic book-esque, adventure film with layers upon layers of interwoven story plots. To put it simply, it rocked. I enjoyed it and understood the psychological reason's behind the world the protagonist created to escape the reality of her situation. So I'm a Emily Browning fan, hence the reason for my watching the Indie film Sleeping Beauty.




I usually either hate or love Indie films. There usually isn't any middle ground, except with this film. Part of me was horrified by the things these dirty old men did to her, but another part of me felt like I was peaking behind someones curtains. I couldn't stop watching, even as horrified as I was. Here this young woman showed up time after time to be exposed to various forms of non-penetrating rape, and I just couldn't understand why she'd do it. Why? Obviously the money was good, but the curious part of me could never NOT know what was being done to me. Shiver, the film gave me the creeps, but it made me think, made me hate, made me cringe. Those are always good things, even if I wanted to throw up part of the time. I'll always be a lover of Character studies, and this was a strange, twisted, journey into the world of the unknown. Like that old question what would you do for a million dollars, this is a twisted little drama. If you don't know what's done, if you are not actually hurt in any permanent way, well then, what's the harm. I imagine a character such as Lucy would suffer irreparable emotional damage from that unknown. Wondering what someone did to you while you slept unaware of the violence, the injustice, the molestation. It disturbs me, but it makes me think.

I'm not sure if I'd give this a go ahead an watch vote, I'm not quite sure how I feel, it provokes a strange amount of mixed feelings. Curiosity as well as disgust, disturbing, probably more because I'm a woman, and I always put myself into protagonists shoes.

Like a car crash I couldn't look away. That's all I can say really, car crash, disturbing, a peak behind the curtains into a world I'll never ever want to really know.

Sunday, November 27, 2011

Update on first reader's collective criticism.

Geez, who says I can't make a whopper of a blog post title.

Now back to the good, that bad, and the ever so ugly. I finally got back all the critiques of my first half of The Wild Hunt. So far, the only really bad thing I've heard is a question about the language.

LMAO

This just in, yes I am a potty mouth, and I have a big fucking problem!

Now I don't know the steps, and to be honest, unless I'm writing about an addict in the near future, I may never know them. But I do know that admitting you have a problem is somewhere in there. The only problem with my problem is my potty mouth although bad at times, like occasions where swearing is frowned upon IE family functions, church, school meetings etc, is sometimes necessary when writing. . Also I should note that I have learned to control myself in these limited settings, I do not cuss in church God Dammit, :0), at least not loud enough for anyone other than God to hear, and we have an understanding relationship me and him, he understands and excepts me and my bad mouth completely thank you, no judging allowed!) LOL

Back to the point, I had an earlier post where I questioned my bad bad wordiness, and after I wrote I though, okay, well I'm over-reacting (which is normal) so I won't have to edit out all the baddies after all (which I did, the bad ones anyways, say goodbye to f*ck and hello to screw, flip, freak, the dirty deed, bumping uglies, frack, fudge, frumple stilkskins, etc.) I could go on but I won't lucky for you it's just the clean versions!

But mostly I've heard about the language. So bad actually that the whole family thinks I'm a potty mouth now! LOL I actually thought this was funny because you'd think after cussing my brains out for the last 18 years (I imagine I first started at the ripe round age of ten) my whole entire family would already know this. Welp Ashley the jokes on you, they didn't. Which again is fucking funny. I mean, I'm sarcastic, I'm a pessimistic (at times), obnoxious (always!), sailor mouthed, teasing, bear poking, naming calling, bitch with a couple fucking B, and I am so glad everyone else finally knows it! Who knew the big topic at Thanksgiving would be my choice of words, that, is just AWESOME.

At least the topic wasn't hey that Ashley, she's a nut job, and a shitty writer, nope, my handle was, my God that girl likes to cuss!!

It doesn't get any better than that. The book is liked, the storyline sound, and hey that makes me happy. So what if I need to clean up the language at least it's freaking read-able, understand-able, interesting. That's all this girl wants in the world, someone to read her work, and like it. The like it part isn't as important as the reading, but I can't be a writer without hoping that someone out there will end up loving what they read. Because I put my heart into this story, and I hope you see it on the pages, see it in the words, and feel it somewhere inside your own heart.

To potty mouths everywhere!!! Keep on cussing baby, don't let those stiff colorless verbal bastards get you down!

(Also on a side note, my family is neither stiff nor colorless verbal bastards, I love them dearly, and am thankful that I got feedback of such a kind, and wonderful nature. It's good to know the storyline is working, even if it is a little cussy!)

The Plot Thickens......................

The farther I get into my story, the more I question when my character's should start asking questions, and start looking for answers. They can dwindle along for only so long, before it becomes unrealistic. And considering I like to balance realism with myth I'm trying to walk that ever so thin line. Halfway through the story, right when the first big figurative skeleton is about to surface, my protagonist starts to realise that something is a miss. The bodies are starting to surface, her dreams are getting out of hand, and that edge of the rabbits hole is only one tiny step away.



My question is, is this believable?

I've read a lot of books, not as much as I would like, and not nearly enough to call myself an expert but often, when I really pay attention, and sometimes even when I don't, I can see where the story is going. Maybe it's just an uncanny ability to see between the lines, or maybe it's because I've read a lot of the same genre, and it's hard to be surprising all of the time. I'm not blaming the authors or the concept, because a lot of them are fantastic, and twisted, but when does it go from being easy to follow to surprising? Over the last few months, and well years, I've started to realise that writing is this strange balancing act, at least for me. And what I'm trying to do, write a story, create a world, is it possible that the analyst in me, the perfectionist is losing sight of the craft and just thinking about all of it too much.

Maybe that balancing act is supposed to be easier, maybe it's not supposed to be about balance at all. Other authors go through an entire first draft without editing, then when they are done with the story, the last t crossed and i dotted, they start the editing. I've never been able to do that. Every time I sit down at the desk I go over a few parts I've thought about for a couple of days, stewing really while I try to find that hitch in the gears that's keeping me from moving forward, and as soon as those pieces are right I move forward, I move on. But what is it about me as a writer that keeps me juggling all the pieces and thinking about the craft so much instead of just writing. A part of me thinks that I'd be so much better off being one of those writers that can go start to finish. And the other part, well the other part screams about fixing this, and changing that, and always wins out in the end.

Here I was planning on writing a blog about plot, and I start writing about the craft in general. No one ever said I had it all figured out. (insert obnoxious snort) Even after finishing The Wild Hunt, and a dozen more books, I don't think I ever will.

So here's to hoping those plot twists and story lines are enough to keep even the best detective guessing. Because in the end that's really all I'm shooting for, the hope that my story and characters will entertain you.

Saturday, November 12, 2011

Plot twists and over-description.

Lately while I've been editing and writing, I can't help but wonder about having too many story strands going at the same time. I know that other authors (JK Rowling for instance) have been able to use many many twists in their stories effectively, and successfully. I just wonder if I'm one of those writers that can pull it off.


See plot twists are like a balancing act you add one in and you have to make sure that its important to the story that it drives it forward, while all of my twists might be necessary, are they needed? To me, everything is needed, but for the reader, for the audience I'm not so sure that's true. Because I'm in the writing process the story can be changed, in fact until its on Amazon for sale the story can be changed, because anything is possible. I've heard writers complain about writers trying to hard to spell it out to readers, and in a way insulting the reader, and I've heard writers say that some stories with too many twists and turns can lose a reader.

So where is that balance, and how do I get it?

Hopefully by the time I have the story finished I'll know. So far, everything works, but like I said before it can always be changed.

Another thing I've come across is description and detail. As an avid reader myself, when a book gets a little too over-descriptive I skip sections, I get bored easily, and find myself searching for the next chunk of action. In my book if you do that, you'll fall behind. I try not to over describe or detail, but am I missing out by not being more descriptive?

Whether it's plot twits or description, being a new writer is nerve racking. Every writer has a different opinion and no two are alike, so finding my way through the thousands of articles, and interviews, to find my own preference is crazy hard. Writing is harder than everything I've ever tried before. I'm not sure if I'll be successful at it, I'm not sure if readers will like what I have to say. But every morning I wake up burning to tell my story, and get it down on paper. I hope it works, I hope its right, and I hope that tomorrow is another good day in this writers struggle to finish her first story.

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Sweet November

Now that horror of a month October is over (no pun intended, okay maybe a tiny giggle is necessary), life has started to get a little more back to normal. In fact, I have read five or six books in the last week, and I'm LOVING it. Suddenly the mornings are foggy, the air is crisp, and I'm so glad that fall is finally here. November 1st came around and I was thrilled!! Well after getting over my ungodly hangover that is. Ouch!!

NOTE TO SELF:

Sour Apple Pucker, Buttery nipples (butterscotch schnapps and baileys), and jello shots, not such a great mix............nope. I was dying for two whole days.
On a separate and equally annoying note, hangovers at 28 are not nearly as easy to get over as hangovers at 25, getting older sucks, and come February I'll be 29 holy shit batman, I'm going to be THIRTY soon.........


Besides the utter joy I felt on the passing of my usually favorite month. I'm overcome with the need to Christmas shop, and decorate my house for Christmas, and burn every severed head, and appendage I own. What happened to us Halloween, when did we part on such horrible terms. We use to love each other....................

Again still shocked by my hate of Halloween this year, hoping that this does not become a trend. Loving this month so far. I'm relaxing, I'm reading, and I'm writing again. Not as much as I'd like to of course, but more. And that horrible deadline I've been holding over my own head isn't looming over me and breathing down my neck, no it's quietly waiting in the corner, restless but at peace with the fact that theres no way in HELL I'll ever make it, and I'm okay. I am okay with going a little bit over my deadline. Probably a month, maybe less, who knows but the holidays are here, the leaves are falling, the wood in the fireplace crackling, and for now at least I can take a long easy breath and not want to kill myself!!!!

Overly dramatic, but that's why you love me!!! What fun would life be if we couldn't kick ourselves, and laugh at our own over zealous, crazy, controlling behaviors.

Ahhhh November I heart thee!

Monday, October 31, 2011

Resenting Halloween

I never thought I would dislike Halloween. Not that I do really either, just that I'm so very glad it's over! Next year I plan on cancelling the party, especially if I'm working on a book which is highly possible, knowing me. So long story short this year Halloween pulled me away from my book and I resented it. Usually I watch a million scary movies and love the holiday LOVE it. But this year, I was more concerned with it being over so I could go back to normal life.

I must love my book. I haven't written anything in a week and I miss it. I miss my world, I miss my characters, and I hate my Halloween decorations. If I'd said that last year, my honey would have taken me to the emergency room for fear I'd gone mad or was suffereing from a brain tumor. I love Halloween...........usually. This year not so much. So I'll probably leave up some decorations because I'm too lazy to take them all down, and part of me just doesn't care anymore. Tomorrow the sales on Halloween gear start, and I can't even make myself care. Last year I made my mom buy me the Butler that stands in my entry way as a early christmas present, this year, I don't care. I don't want anything. I wish I felt the spirit but I'd just rather write.

So tonight I'll take the kids trick-or-treating and tomorrow, I'll open The Wild Hunt file and rejoice. God I hope thanksgiving and Christmas don't interfer with my writing, I think I'll down scale everything because of how Halloween made me feel. I don't want to end up resenting Christmas. Hating Halloween is one thing, but hating Christmas is just wrong.

So Happy Halloween everyone!! I hope you enjoy it more than I did.







Here's a new artist (new to me) that I love!!

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Halloween Party Planner or Ultimate Procrastinator?

I hate excuses just like anybody, but this month has taken a huge toll on my writing. In the entire month I have only written one Chapter and started on a new one. It's Bad. It's horrible, but I have my reasons. This month is Halloween, and with this month comes all the responsibilities that fall on me before our annual Costume Party. Sadly the honey is working thirteen hour days so I'm on my own. Not only am I balancing the decorations, the boys schedules, and helping with my grandmother, I'm also "supposed" to be finishing my novel.

Am I just procrastinating?

It's possible. I don't want to think that's what I'm doing but I might. Next month will be easier I keep telling myself. But next month is Ethan's birthday, and then Thanksgiving. Then December, the month I wanted to have it finished, will be here, and so is Christmas. Am I crazy for trying to hit this deadline this time of year?? I'm starting to think I am. Seriously <-----------nut job.

Aside from my lack of working I love everything about October. I read Carrie this month, and I fell in love with it all over again. I've been watching scary movies, and eating out with family, and just being a bum. A thousand words every other day is crap though, and eventually I'm going to have to crack down on my procrastinating. If I were working for a publisher, and not just myself, a deadline is a deadline. So keeping that in mind, I'm pushing out the date for the book to sometime in the beginning of 2012. Hopefully I'll get it done before then, but life, as we know it catches up with us sometimes. I'm going to go crawl in the corner and cry now, lick my wounds, and hopefully regain my dignity.

I still haven't heard back from  my uncle or my cousin, one was sent my prologue while the other took off with my hard copy of half my book. (inner whimper) I did however get some feedback from an outside source, a writer-friend of sorts that I met on Goodreads. His feedback was very helpful, he was even able to point out some problem area's in a very gracious way. It has helped me immensely but I'm still being a bad little procrastinator. Bad Me, bad me, bad me.

Alright I'll stop my whining, I can only blame myself, and not a stupid Halloween party. So bad Ashley is going to unplug for a bit, an hopefully get this G*d Damn Book done already. I'm actually looking forward to it. I think it's killing me. How and the hell am I ever going to write ten more of these? Deep breath, I love my life, I love to write, I'm not throwing it into the BBQ, I'm not going to lite the match, I'm not going to do a dance on top of the flames and cry like a baby, no I'm going to hold my head high, grow up, and get to fucking work!!!!

There, that's better, now seriously....work......shit..........I...........AM............SO...............SCREWED.

Thursday, October 13, 2011

When life happens.....

There are days where the writing comes out faster than I can keep up with it. When my fingers are sore and stiff after hours of pressing against the keyboard. If only writing for me were always like that.

Sometimes my inspiration disappears. During which I stare at the computer screen hoping, praying that the words will come. The more I try to make it happen, the harder it is to let the words flow. It's a horrible cycle, the more I press on the more pressure I put on myself the higher the wall gets until I'm staring at the same sentence I wrote four days ago, wondering where it all went wrong. I'd like to think that as a self-proclaimed writer I have more intuition into the inner workings of my world, and what works and what doesn't. But sadly I'm just as clues less about the process as I was two years ago, or six years ago when I first started taking my want to write seriously.

That intuition is a funny thing though, and lately I've been feeling like its been screaming out at me and I was too stupid to listen. When I get stuck, when I get truly backed into a corner, it's because something is off. Something is wrong. It could be something as simple as deleting a scene, or re-writing it. But some inner voice won't let me move forward until it's right. What drives me crazy is the fact that some writers, (the far more gifted like Stephen King) can sit down and write everyday. They have hours they put in, they put down the words, and then they're done for the day. They write the whole novel then go back and edit.

I can't do that.

I can't move forward unless it's right.

I wish to God I could turn off that little inner voice because it's becoming a major pain in the ass. It will not let me move forward or shut up until the piece that was jacked up is fixed. I hate it. I despise it. But should I change it?

Is my way wrong while everyone else's is right. Or is no way any better than the other. I'd like to think that doing it all planned out and proper is great, but for some reason it's not for me. It makes me think of that saying that life happens while you're busy making plans. Maybe writing for me, is what happens when the timing and the pieces are right, not when I force them. So maybe that means I won't put out a book as often as I want to..........sigh. Maybe I'll be that annoying writer that takes three years to finish one novel. I can't change my inner voice. And sometimes I don't even want to.

That inner voice paid off recently. I was stuck, which is common, and I kept staring at that same paragraph until it hit me. I didn't need that stupid paragraph anyways. So I deleted and bam, inspiration was back and my fingers were clicking. I now have a love-hate relationship with my inner voice, and maybe as time goes by I'll figure the bitch out, and not have anymore little hissy fits or fights with her. Here's to hoping!

Friday, October 7, 2011

F**king profanity.................and sex scene's in writing

Most of the time I feel like this baby writer, this tiny ridiculous thing that knows nothing about how to get published, how to self publish or promote, what not to do, what to do well, onward etc, whine, barf, whine.

I guess the question now is, where to draw the line. Since The Wild Hunt is a book that is more adult than young, I stopped holding back the fucking, the shit, the assholes and bastards, I let my bad sailor mouth go. My mother will be horrified and probably impressed at the same time, she is the one who says most of the dirty words I know, sorry mom, you know you're a potty mouth too!

Anyways back to the point, I'm sure I've over cussed in The Wild Hunt, I know I have, I cuss too much in real life, and because Lo (my protagonist) is a little bit of me, of course she inherited her mommy's bad mouth, (Sound familiar? ha ha sorry mom I did it again!) So the question is, how much is too much in an adult paranormal fiction/romance/fantasy/actiony/horror/////// geez you get the picture. What is too much?

Is it even possible to over cuss in an adult fiction? I don't want 13 year old kids to read my book hence the reason it's an adult and not a YA. 13 year olds shouldn't read my book. It's got too much of everything, too much death, sex, smut, and fucked up shit. Yes I'm probably over cussing now because I'm thinking about it. But I don't think I can cut out any cuss words, I love when Lo calls herself an asshole, because sometimes she is an asshole.

Another thing that has popped up, because I know my genre (twenty to fifty something woman who like reading a great sex scene)  I'm wondering how much I should elude to and how much I should leave out. I don't have any restrictions in my genre, other than not to actually say penis or vagina, no using the real words sucks all the fun out of the equation. I don't want to write too much sex, I'm not sure why, maybe it's some strange sense of wanting to stay true to the story and not sale out just to sale more books. It doesn't feel necessary to the story. And I have the opportunity to write in some steamy sex, but again I'm left wondering why I don't.

So I'm a baby writer who is willing to cuss up a fucking storm, but not willing to write some gratuitous steamy over the top toe curling sex.

Why?

Who knows, I'm no prude (yes a little more me in Lo, although I never slept around to forget or be numb, I just never restricted myself from ever doing anything I really wanted, which I'm sure is common with females my age. The days where people wait until marriage are all but gone (some people do but it's uncommon), in this day and age you can have as much, or as little sex as you want, just double wrap it to be safe!) anyways again I'm going on and on, what was my point again..........................shit, oh yea why am I okay with profanity in my story, and not steamy sex?

I can't help but wonder, granted because the story isn't finished maybe that means some steamy toe curling sex can still make it's way in..................but it's not a staple, the story is. So you'll find lots of cuss words, some heavy petting but no ridiculous throbbing member, heaving breast's or any such other strange and cliche descriptions. Here's to hoping the profanity and lack of steam doesn't drive away the readers...........fingers crossed.

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

All Time Favorite Films to Watch on Halloween

 #1 The Hills Have Eyes


Shocking I know but it is a great film. I love the turn around when the lead protagonist kills them all. It's awesome. This movie also has the BEST scene where a loyal dog helps his master kick some ass!!




#2 Sleepy Hollow




It's not your traditional scary movie, but I love it. Not only is it an adaption to an awesome book, it's got Johnny Deep, need I say more!



#3 Hellraiser



Clive Barker! It's a classic, it can still hold its own in this generation of CG. I mean come on the scene in the attic when Frank the monster is regenerating, it still looks great even after all these years!



#4 Alien


Alien, one word, that's all I need to say!



#5 The Thing




Alien form that can take over your friends! AWESOME!




#6 Night of the Living Dead




Zombies!






#7 The Orphanage




Probably the only scary movie to ever make me cry.




#8 Nightmare on Elm Street


The ORIGINAL. Not that new piece of shit that will never ever live up to the original Freddy Kruger.




#9 Carrie


Stephen King's first novel.




#10 Children of the Corn


Scared the crap out of me when I was a kid.





Guest Choice (the honey suggested it)

City of the Living Dead



 
I have to admit I love zombies, and the quote on the front sounds promising. He says that this is the scariest thing he saw as a kid. So check it out, I'm adding it to our own Blockbuster queve.

Fangoria Frightfest!!

Over the last few weeks me and the honey have started to watch all of the Fangoria Frightfest movies. So far we've seen:

The Tomb: Which I thought was terrible, even though it was and H.P. Lovecraft, I don't think it did the story justice.



Dark House: Not as bad as I thought.




Grimm Love: Very disturbing, but interesting. I have a certain amount of curiousity when it comes to serial killers, although he only had one victim.



Fragile: Which is tied with Grimm Love in creepiness. Excellent ghost.





We have four more left to watch, that I'm not as interested in as I was the top four, but chances are they'll either be just as good (as the two I actually liked), or worst. I don't get the feeling these movies will be better. So next on the list:

Pig Hunt
Hunger
Road Kill
The Haunting



The Haunting sounds okay. I loved the foreign film The Orphanage. It was one of few scary movies that made me cry. Like the 4th season finale of Dexter when Rita was murdered I cried like a baby at the end of this film. It was more than a scary movie, it was powerful. Wow I think I'm going to add it to the To Watch list this year of Halloween flicks. 






Monday, October 3, 2011

Halloween

Not only is Fall my absolute favorite time of year, but every year on October 1st two things happen in my house.

1. I drag out every Halloween decoration I have, two large orange plastic bins, two or three large boxes, Jarvis (the butler guy who spouts Poe, I begged my mom to buy me last year as an early christmas present), and bags upon bags of new stuff I buy on sale at the end of the season each year.

2. I go to Spirit, Party City, the dollar store, etc. on the hunt for new stuff.


After I go through my treasures and find new ones, I decide that Halloween is the awesomest, and that I have a horrible, horrible obsession. Holy crap have I spent this much money and time on ONE holiday. Wow, just wow. I have no excuses. Also this year my youngest Ethan who is not yet three (next month) hated, absolutely hated all the loud, jumping out of shadows, light up decorations. I have decided that he must have been switched at birth despite his uncanny resemblance to his father (he's a mini me, no kidding) but how can my child, my son, one who has part of my genes, hate halloween. I'm saddened, LOL oh thats a horrifying word, but I am none the less. Here's my top picks for Halloween decorations this year. Also if you want to find cheaper alternatives, check out orientaltrading.com, shindigz.com, and any dollar store in your area, you can do a good job without spending much!

Graveyard Ghoul Spiritofhalloween.com $69



Animated Zombie hand partycity.com $16.99



Animated Zombie Prop partycity.com $49.99



Tombstone Lifting Crypt partycity.com $69.99



Clawing Zombie with Led eyes orientaltrading.com $29.99


Shaking Skeleton in Body Bag orientaltrading.com $25.00


Well I guess that's enough for now. I'm going to go to sleep now, 5:01 am, I know, no sleep is bad. Insomnia can be a bitch. Nite all!!! Happy Halloween.............well in 28 days anyway.

Saturday, October 1, 2011

Side Project

Inspiration often strikes at the craziest moments, and often when you have no time. I already have at least three projects in the air, finishing The Wild Hunt, researching The Otherside, Lilith, and The Seven Deadly, all books that will eventually be out. The Otherside following The Wild Hunt, then Lilith, and The Seven not for a while, but because it is a series of seven books will take years to research.

Anyway my point is, with that many projects, I don't need more. But then, that moment falls, that bright little burst of inspiration, and now I have another project. Prequels, and not just one, two. TWO, like I have time for all of this....UGH. I guess I shouldn't complain that the muse is speaking, giving me more ideas than I have time to write, so my question is, when you do a prequel, what should you start with first.

My first idea for a prequel, is about the first kiss. The kiss that started it all, the one that drove Caleb to insanity, and changed Lo's life forever.

The second idea for a prequel is more like a 0.75. It's all about Duncan, and being a female, its the one I'm most excited to write. Duncan is swoon worthy, and writing his story after the kiss, the five years he roamed the country is definitely a fun idea.

So I guess I should probably follow sequence but part of me is ready to throw out the kiss prequel and just jump into the fun Duncan one. As a reader which do you prefer? I personally am having a hard time deciding. Knowing how girls went nuts for the Midnight Sun debacle, I'm more inclined to start Duncan's story, but I feel that the first kiss needs to be told. I didn't put it in The Wild Hunt because no matter how interesting, I already had TOO much back story, so as a prequel, or novella, it could be short and sweet, give a little peak into Lo's teenage years, and the describe Lo and Duncan's first meeting and shocking kiss.

Too much to write and so little time. I'm hoping that The Wild Hunt will be done by the end of the year, but if I keep adding on more projects who knows if that will happen. I'll play with the prequels concept, and put The Otherside, Lilith, and The Seven Deadly on the back burners, but I wish I had more hours in the day, didn't require sleep, food, bathing, etc. ugh how time flows away. Back to work!

Friday, September 30, 2011

New NEW cover!

So after I created my last cover I started researching stock images, turns out the one I found didn't have a standard Royalty Free option, as it was created by a talented artist on deviant art. So I had to find a new image to purchase so that it was legal and all that mumbo jumbo! Long story short I found something I like, maybe not as much but enough to replace the old one. Luckily I'm allowed to keep the other as long as I don't publish with it as my cover so the oldie will stay on my blog, as a friendly reminder to other indies, to double check those stock images, and cover your butts.



So without further ado here it is...........my beautiful New NEW cover!



Saturday, September 24, 2011

Finding my voice!

It seems like everyday I'm on a roller coaster of emotions ranging anywhere from elation to disgust. Some days I think my writing is incredible. I'll write a scene that I'm so involved with I cry as I type the words on the screen. Days like that, are the best days to be a writer. You feel invincible, and your creative energy is flowing at such a fast rate you can barely keep up. Today I not only wrote some great pages, but I also found that THING that will link all my stories together.

On the bad days. I want to hit delete and throw it all away, and start over, or maybe not start over at all. Those are the days that take the most effort to not give up. It's easy to write when you're high on endorphines. It's hard to write when you feel like you're an idiot, and a dreamer that will never be talented no how hard you try, or how much you read, or how much you want this.

I don't think I'm a great writer, but I do think I'm a good story-teller, and I'm okay with that. The more I come into myself and find my writing, the more I realize that what I want to do is weave a great dream! I don't need to go down in literary history or win a Pulitzer, I'm connected to the words I put on the screen, and I made myself cry from the sheer emotion it took to write them.

Today is a great day to be a writer!!!

I learn something new about this process everyday. I'm starting to find my stride, my flow. I'm recognizing my voice in the story, a voice I'm starting to be really proud of. I worry about my work being good enough for other people, and then I remind myself I'm not writing this for them. I'm writing this for me, because I have to, because I love it, because there is no greater high on the planet than creating your own world. It's more fun then I ever thought, and more work than I would have ever believed possible. Checking word frequency is the biggest pain in the ass I've come across, because no matter how well the story flows, or how good the words sound out loud. When I find eyes seven times on ONE page, I freak out. Don't I have a higher vocabulary than that. Don't I love words like obtuse, pious, and incessant?

So after I scroll through the thesaurus, and rearrange sentences to weed out the overdone. I still feel better about my writing. I'm growing, I'm becoming better, I'm figuring out my craft. So without going overboard with the self back pats, I have to say that today I am grateful to be a writer!

And even when it seems like you'll never get there, everyday you write, you are becoming a better writer. So do that thing that makes you high, get out some paper, grab a pen or a keyboard and write!!! God knows today I will, and hopefully tomorrow too.

Friday, September 23, 2011

Waiting.............and waiting some more.

Some time ago I blogged about sending my Uncle the first pages of my novel to read. As a published professional, I was very worried, anxious even about sharing my words with him. Would he enjoy my words? Or be able to even read them. Was what I saw and felt really what other's would read?

These are hard questions. What in my mind is fantastic and an emotional journey, could be stale and boring to someone else. Stephen King said that writing was like being an archaeologist, but instead of pulling a large bone from the ground, we try to describe it piece by piece, hoping that what you see in your mind, is what we see in ours. The gift of the writer is the ability to describe this bone, this fossil in such a way that it stays intact as we expose it. Now I'm sure I don't say what King said as eloquently or as easy to understand, but what he says is important. What lives in our mind is fresh and beautiful, but what transfers to the paper can lose so much of what our feeble words try to convey.

I will always believe that writing is art. But like any painting or sculpture the beauty of said art is in the eye of the beholder.

So as I wait to hear back from my Uncle, I type some pages, and cut some more. I search my word frequency on what has already been written and then write another chapter, cutting and creating in equal time. When I'm not writing I'm spending time with my grandma, while balancing my family life at home.

Wanting to self-publish is so much harder than I ever expected, I am the writer, editor, marketing director, book cover creator, and number one fan. My job is never done. Sometimes I resent it, hating that this obsession has taken over so much of my life. Like a sickness it's under my skin, breeding and taking over all of my other cells. It's in me now, and I can't sleep if I don't write it, or express it. If I gave up now I'd never sleep again. It would eat at me, waiting to be told. I love writing. I love it more than I ever thought possible. I wish that when I started as a teenager I would have understood then how much it was a part of me, this need, this want.

I'm forgetting what my whole post was supposed to be about now. My insecurities or my anal retentive tendencies,and my obsession. I really am going crazy waiting. Waiting, for that email that says what I fear the most, that I am horrible, and I'd be better off burning my novel in the backyard.

Sunday, September 18, 2011

The late Andy Whitfield.

Last year when Spartacus Blood and Sand premiered I was all over it. I watched all the trailers, and I was hooked. It was like Gladiator and 300 had a hot sexy baby. Every episode I fell more and more in love with Spartacus. He was brutal and savage, and full of so much heart you couldn't help but want him to win, to get his wife back, and kill them all.

It probably didn't hurt that Andy Whitfield was gorgeous, with defined abs and intense eyes, no the eye candy factor was there big time. But truthfully it was something more, it was the actor himself, doing his craft, being Spartacus. For a girl who doesn't tear up often, especially during bloody television shows, when his wife died I cried with him. Man that show had me so in tuned with what was going on. And I'm a girl, maybe not the typical girl (my love of all things serial killer, and scary), but damn did I love the fighting and the blood.

So when Andy Whitfield was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, I might have yelled and cried a little. Alright if we're going to be really honest I did, and it was not a normal response for me. I loved that show, loved it so much I couldn't even watch the prequel Spartacus Gods of the Arena because it didn't have him, it didn't have Spartacus.

A week ago, the super talented Andy Whitfield passed away. I cried, not just because someone so talented was lost, not because the show would never be the same without him, but because another human being, a man on the brink of a great career lost his life to cancer, and left two children behind.

Sometimes life is crazy. Last night, feeling a wee bit sad, and a little nostalgic I went on Blockbuster.com and got my hands on a movie Andy was in before he was Spartacus. The Australian movie Gabriel.



Like I expected it was pretty good, which just made me sadder. I was looking forward to seeing this guy in more movies. Sure there are a couple more out there, and I'll watch every last one of them. But I don't think I can watch Spartacus Vengeance, it just won't be the same.

So RIP Andy Whitfield, you were an incredible actor, and you died too young, you burned bright and you burned fast but you won't be forgotten.

Friday, September 16, 2011

Sharing my Work

That all important day has come! I've sent my work to be read by an outsider..........DUHN duhn DUHN.

Okay so maybe I'm being a little over dramatic, it's possible, I mean I am extremely over-protective of my work. The honey has been reading it through, chapter by chapter , but he's not an outsider. Well and neither is my Uncle really, but he's been published, he's a professor who is well educated. So I'm nervous. Of course he's assured me he'll be gentle, and I believe him, he's a pretty good guy my Uncle. But I'm still anxious and my stomach is in knots and I hate this. I want to publish my work, but how do I get over my fear. I know not everyone will like it, heck I'll be lucky if anyone does, but wow does sharing it make me feel crazy.

I guess as a writer one of the less known necessities is developing a thick skin. So I have to keep plugging away, writing and editing, and re-editing some more, and hope that the passion I feel about my story, the need to share it with the world will come across onto the paper eloquently. And I'll share it with a few more people, then a few more, and so on, and hopefully toughen up in the process.

Monday, September 12, 2011

ART.........In word form.

Most weekends, or at least the ones when my oldest son is here. I unplug myself from facebook, goodreads, blog spot, and all of the other various forms of Internet I find myself wasting time on everyday, so that I can spend more time with the family. The only reason I'm on now is because of something profound that came over me.

That profound thought was that as a wanna-be-writer I spend half the time that should be devoted to writing, researching. I research grammar, and mythology, other Indie Authors, and what books are popular at the time. I research writing styles, and how to avoid passive voice, I research every question or issue I come across and still nothing has made deleting any easier.

Even though a line may be bad, (and believe me there are plenty) I still have this emotional attachment to every word I write. I feel like I'm calling my children ugly. LOL I can't get past it, I tweak the sentence then feel guilty, I delete another and feel sick. I know that my words are not literary genius, hell half the time it might not even be considered English, but I'm attached to them. It probably doesn't help that the first draft I wrote for The Wild Hunt (previously titled Midnight Manor, Finding Harmony, and a lot of other really BAD ideas) didn't just get gutted, I tossed it, all 370 pages of it.



Maybe my agony over editing is the residual affects of my murdering the first draft, who knows. I just find it interesting, and slightly comical that I have this strange attachment to my story. I'm dreading the moment when it's out in the world. Will people hate it (probably) will it be any good (probably not) but I want to shield it, like a five year old child's first day of school. I want to hold my books hand and pat it on the back. I want to protect it from the big mean bullies that will pick on it, and tease it, and make it feel bad about itself. It's a book, I remind myself, not a child.

So do other authors feel this way about their stories?

Are they as protective of their work as I am of my words?

It makes you think, and it also makes me realize what big bad ass balls Authors truly have. Because they aren't just walking their book to the first day of school, no they are inviting you inside their own minds. Asking you to see their world, to read their words and find the dream they are trying to weave. Like anything else some are better than others, some are so in tuned with their creation the words flow over the page, fingers tapping, keys clicking, until the screen is filled with more than just letters on a page, but a creation, a work of art. And that's what writing is really, ART. Instead of a paint brush or a piece of charcoal the artist holds the pen, or types the keyboard, and where once there was only a blank page, at the end of the day a dream unfolds, a manuscript, an idea created from nothing.

It's profound. It's intoxicating, and it's something unlike anything I've ever done before. So when I shield my creation, when my finger floats just above the delete key, hesitant to press down, I'll remember that to others it might be just a word on a computer screen, but to me it's as timeless as a symphony, as invoking as a sculpture, and as painstakingly soul bearing as a painting.

Art, in word form.

Thursday, September 8, 2011

New Cover!

I started researching Self Publishing a few months back and I remember coming across a couple of Indie Authors that said how important it is to self advertise. That being said, I've started looking into making my own book covers, and book trailers etc. So I've played with a few concepts all of which are so dang simple its sad. I used my paint to make the first one, which for me isn't that surprising since I don't have photoshop. After a while I started bugging the honey to use his Mac, and his photoshop to make me a cover. He obliged and the first cover was born (under the terrible title of Midnight Manor, ick right). Anyways this cover was not wonderful, but better than what I've built on Paint.

Today I decided to go for it and downloaded my own trial version of Photoshop, and just let me say for the record that I am hooked. All day I sat behind my laptop downloading new brushes and patterns, just cranking away. I messed with the color contrasts, and built layer, after layer, and I am proud to say I have my first GOOD cover. I probably went a little overboard (way, way overboard) but I think it's beautiful. I'll probably tweak it a bit here and there, but I'm truly proud of myself. I only screamed and cussed a few times (lie, lie, lie) so here it is. My new improved book cover!!!

Original Picture http://fav.me/d15ykd3

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Writers Block


Everyday it seems I fight a little bit of writers block. Whether its getting stuck on a particularly important dialogue, or trying too hard to perfect everything, I fight daily with writers block. I think the hardest thing about it is that its always there lurking in the shadows waiting for me to lower my guard and pounce. It's a bastard that way, always trying to get you when you're down. My biggest issue is being a perfectionist. I've spent hours before writing and re-writing the same paragraph. I don't know if any other writers find themselves doing that. Maybe that's why I'm bringing it up now.

Are the truly good writers immune to writers block? Or are they just better at working against it. I write everyday, sometimes its a lot, sometimes its a little, but I do make the effort. I've been working on this book, my book, my passion project for almost two years. I've taken a few breaks in the middle of it. Once when I tossed the whole first draft (a total of 370 something pages). I took another break early on when my grandfather passed away. He was the main reason I even started.

I've flirted with the idea of writing since I was in high school. I'd daydream about the worlds I could create and the characters that would live there. I'd start dozens of ideas and then after a while lose interest. I think I've always fought against having a short attention span. Which makes writing and finishing a book all the harder. But grandpa believed in me. He wanted me to write, and read him my story. In fact I was about to start reading my now tossed draft to him right before he died. I miss my grandpa, and I hope, no I know that I'll finish this book.

The reason I bring up how long I've been working on it is because of the research I've put into other writers formats and the time it took them to write a book. Some people like the author of those sparkly vampire stories, wrote it in a matter of months. Now I won't be too harsh or at least hope I don't sound it, when I say that it shows. It was not a work of literary genius, nor am I foolish enough to think that my book will be genius either. But, I mean the time an author puts in only makes a book better right?? I guess that's the big question, when am I done, because with the way I am about it sounding perfect, flowing perfectly, I may never finish.

So I'm going to go back to my story now and fall into its pages, but I'll leave you with a question. What makes a book good? Is it the length of time taken to write it, or the research you put into it, or is it something as simple as pure talent, because if that's the case, Lord almighty I hope I was blessed with it. :0) Cheers!

Monday, September 5, 2011

Dexter Season 6 Trailer

OMG, Okay so I've been sick lately, and kind of not been paying a whole lot of attention to the fact that the new season Dexter is starting really freaking soon!!!! HELL YEA!!!

Anyways the point is I finally started thinking about how the trailers had to be out, so I looked it up, and BAMM. Personal Jesus baby. I can't believe it. Here's the trailer.


What's really sad, is that last year I was on an ARG, serialhuntress.com, and I lived and breathed when the premiere was coming. We had it down to an hourly countdown. Sadly, oh so sadly, those days have passed and I miss my fellow hunters like crazy. So how is it I missed the premiere, how did I not watch it the moment it was launched, I blame Showtime, because if their lazy butts had gotten up and done a zombie infinity killer return, I would have known. What's worse is my fellow hunters didn't even shame me for not seeing it immediately. Why, because Showtime was again LAZY. Uh, I swear I didn't sleep for months while that ARG ran. The memories, the JC references, and Bangs Badass BBQ. The comics, (Dumbass Dee) and the crazy giveaways. I still have nightmares about electricgirl.com. And I miss the second most love able serial killer in the world, f8. You haven't lived until you've scratched and clawed your way to the top to win a crumbled piece of paper drawn by crazy Heath while he was in the institution. You haven't lived until you're fighting about who gets the urn, or the ring, or the plastic soldiers. Here's a little comic, from the archives, yes I have been de-masked I was know as Seek3r during that long ago game of chance. I also voted Kill Dee, yes, this is my alternate identity.



Sadly only about ten other people on earth will know what the heck I'm talking about. Okay maybe a couple more, but yes we loved that freaking ARG.

Now back to the number one serial killer of all time the sexy Mister Dexter. I can't wait for this season. Last season was fun because of the ARG, and seeing the fallout after the whole dead Rita, and new partner/lover Lumen. I really wanted it to work out between them. Oh well. Can't wait for the next season!!!