Road Trip Spectacular!

Just taking you on a tour of Greece today. Some of these photos were taken by my sister Allison when she visited over a year ago, and we went on a road trip together. I just have to say, it was one of the best times of my life. She's my half sister, and haven't spent much adult time together. The last time we spent quality time together, we were kids. So it was a wonderful, wonderful opportunity to bond; to learn more about each other. And what better way is there to do that than embark on a road trip spectacular!?

Words that follow us like little lambs ... Let's flick them off the page! Here's how.

As an editor and a writer, I get nit picky with words that are used too often. And, believe me, I USE THEM TOO, they're common, easy to materialize, and they get the message across without much thought/effort -they do their job. Well, for the first draft, anyway. But, it's a good idea to get into the habit of highlighting them after you complete each scene/chapter, so you can immediately locate them during edits, and change the little buggers to something with more substance.

The words that follow me around like little lambs during the first draft are:
smile
frown
sigh

Now, I know you're going to think it's time for the thesaurus, which, I agree, is a great source to diversify your vocabulary, but ... um ... while we're on that subject, let me interrupt with a few common alternate words for the words I've listed above. I too believe we should use these sparingly. I'll show you how in a minute.
Alternate words are:
smile: grin, laugh, giggle, smirk, guffaw (I love this word)
frown: grimace, pout, sulk
sigh: exhale, breath heavily, groan, murmur

Right ... back on track. What I was planning to say here was, that there are other ways to get these kinds of actions across by describing emotional responses. Let's take a look at some quick examples I'm just going to make up on the spot here. They're not very thought out, but they get my point across:

Example One:
"I got the part!" Jon cried, smiling enthusiastically. (ooh look, I added an adverb to make it even more taboo ;o)
or
"I got the part!" Jon jogged on the spot with impulsive fervor.

Example Two:
"I got the part," Jon frowned.
or
"I got the part." Jon ran his fingers through his hair, put his hands in his pockets and shook his head at his shoes.

Example Three:
"I got the part," Jon sighed with relief.
or
"I got the part." Jon bent forward and let his arms swing, loose like a chimpanzee, before flopping on the couch and switching on the TV.

See how much better a picture we get of how Jon is feeling? I mean, I know, these are rough, but you do get to see how Jon's emotion is significantly clearer in all the 2nd descriptions, right?

So now it's your turn. Choose one of the following and revamp it with a detailed emotional response! Looking forward to see what you come up with! ;o)

Options:
"The cat's dead," Jon smiled.
"The cat's dead," Jon frowned.
"The cat's dead," Jon sighed.

What is this concrete you speak of? Oh! ...

Ever heard of concrete poetry? No? I hadn't either. But it's fun! This is my first attempt at one. What do you think? Click image to read.

PS: I'm SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO relieved. The deadline on the Writing Skills book I have to write has been pushed back a WHOLE month! Woot! Ah ... relief ...

Have you ever tried to write an unusual form of poetry? Or if you don't write poetry, do you dabble in any other abstract art?

Disappearing Behind My Mushy Brain!

My brain is a bit mushy. But mushy in an awesomely GREAT way. This year, it seems, is going to be my year.

This morning I got word that a short story of mine was accepted into 100 Stories For Queensland. I also had a telephone interview with FirstEditing.com, and I got the job! I'm now officially an independent contractor with them, and will be working approx. 25 hours per week editing fiction manuscripts. I can't believe it. So much better than ELT! Food for thought, and money for food! ;o)

I'm a little stressed out today, but it's okay. I have about 60 pages left to revise on String Bridge, and I'm done. I need to write a new edition of a Writing Skills book for Hellenic American Union before the end of the month, and I have to start doing work for FirstEditing next week. Argh! I'm also writing poetry for that collection I spoke about last week. Too many things going on, but ... I think I'm coping. I am. I'm coping. Because I HAVE to. Come end month, I can relax my shoulders which I think, right this minute are hitched up to my ears as I try to type up this post real fast.

Do you ever have so much on your plate you wonder whether you might just disappear underneath it all? What do you do to relax?

Poetry is giving me a mental illness and cramps. Is there such a thing as POCD (Poet's Obsessive Compulsive Disporder)?

I'm an unhealthy writer as of late. Last night was the final straw. I have to get myself away from the computer! I'm totally addicted to poetry, and I'm giving myself cramps!

First, I woke up around midnight, after being asleep for maybe only an hour with a crazy need to write a poem. Thank God for the notepad and pencil by my bed. But I didn't just write one poem, I wrote four.

Then I couldn't sleep, because I couldn't stop thinking about how I was going to edit them the next day. When I did fall asleep (at 1am), I had a dream about a poem. I wrote it in my sleep, recited it over and over while I was sitting in an electric chair, my mother standing over me, giving me a lecture about something I couldn't hear because I was reciting the poem over and over while she was speaking.

Then I woke up. At 4:30am. I couldn't get back to sleep. Had a horrible cramp in my side. So I got up. And you know the first thing I did? I typed up the poems, and edited them, and made them into precious gems, that I'm going to read over and over all day and wonder if I have any more in me, or whether I can remember the poem I wrote and recited in my dream. HELP!

I can't even go out and take a walk to clear my head. It's raining fat cats and dogs. Well ... wish me luck guys ... pray I don't write myself to death over the weekend ...

Do you ever become obsessive about your writing that you fear you might be doing yourself psychological damage?

I do not read and comment, just so you comment back. I'm actually INTERESTED in what you have to say. How about you?

This blogging community is awesome and I'm amazed at the amount of support there is from you all on a day to day basis, but there is something ON TOP of this that I'd like to address today. I know that there is this general rule that we should comment on what we read, and should try to make the rounds to as many followers as possible to maintain a readership. But there's something about this, that only recently, due to my follower count growing, that is giving me a very painful stitch.

I follow all who follow me as a general personal rule. But there is no way that I am going to be able to read and comment on 500+ blogs daily, or weekly, or even monthly for that matter. And I hope you understand why. So, since achieving this wonderful amount of followers, which I appreciate IMMENSELY, I can only read and comment on posts that spark my interest - and that includes having a good title to make me want to click on your post in the first place.

I have to say though, I really do adore all my new followers (and old!), and I'm having an amazing time getting to know as many of you as I can. Unfortunately the pressures of getting my novel ready for release this year is really restricting my ability to keep up as much as I used to. I hope you can understand I'm doing the best I can, and I love you all.

This is really hard to admit to, but I'm just trying to be honest and realistic here. I don't want you to think I'm a one-sided blogger. I'm not. I LOVE INTERACTION. And if you have your email attached to your profile you're bound to receive personal replies from me. But I'm just not super woman! (Though, I wish I were.) So what I've been doing lately is scrolling down my dashboard to see what takes my fancy, from the titles alone. Then I'll read the blogs of my VERY GOOD friends. (Mind you, sometimes I don't even have time to do that.) Then, if I have time later in the day, I'll have another scroll to see if there's anything else I might want to read. That's all I have time for anymore. Unfortunately. Now, I'm praying - PRAYING - that admitting to this isn't going to make some of you disappear. Because it's not personal. It really isn't. All it has to do with is TIME.

So, I'm going to let you in on a secret. This is what I like to read:

All posts that deal with the craft of writing that offer a unique slant. By a unique slant I mean opinions from you - your own experience with the craft - not something you are reiterating from a book. I also love to read anything that reveals your true personality, no matter what the subject. What I love most about blogging is learning about all of you. When I go to your blog, I want to read about how YOU deal with things. How YOU live, love, learn, write, cry, plead for a helping hand. I want to KNOW ABOUT YOU. If I wanted to know about another author, I would go to their blog to find out about them, not yours.

However, if you have a post, you wish for me to read, or you need my help or support plugging a contest, blog fest, guest author, interview, whatever, send me an email saying, "Hey you, get your butt over to my blog, pronto!" And I'll be there.

And remember, it's all in the title. If you've got an appealing title, I'll click on your post, then it's your responsibility to keep me there with your wonderful way with words. And I'm sure this isn't just the case with me, it's the case everywhere. Why do you think newspapers have such teasing headlines? It's all in the title, folks. Best tip I ever received. :o)

What makes you want to read someone's post? Do you believe it's all in the title? Do you read and comment merely for the reciprocation, or are you  genuinely interested in what your fellow bloggers have to say?

Chains, Velvet, Twisted Grace; Help me out with this small case?

As well as working on String Bridge revisions, I'm also compiling a poetry collection. Yeah, call me crazy, but I can do it. And sometimes it's nice to take a break from my novel, let's say for 15-20 minutes to scribble down a poem. I can do them pretty fast as I have life long practice with lyrics. A little completed gem, that I'll come back to later to tweak. I've scrapped my memoir project. I just can't do it. Not my style, and I'm not going to force it. But. This poetry book is inspired by childhood memories, so in other words, it's going to be a glorified version of my memoir in verse.

So, I need help with a title.

Consider that my style is very dark, experimentally lyrical free verse and prose with rich, vivid and stark imagery. And all the poems are based on my experiences as a child growing up with a drug addicted musician as a mother.

These are some possibles:

Chains
Velvet Chains
Twisted Velvet Chains
Twisted Chains
Velvet Steel
Twisted Grace
Fit For A Coffin
Still Holding My Breath

If you need to read a sample to make a better decision, go HERE to read a short flash fiction piece which reflects the style of my collection.

Of course, any other title ideas you have that aren't listed here are welcome too! :o)