Wee bit of Wednesday

“Every day I discover more and more beautiful things. It’s enough to drive one mad. I have such a desire to do everything, my head is bursting with it.”

—	Claude Monet

—

Claude Monet

I guess I'm happy where I left my novel. I was inspired perhaps by Monet. Its hard to say. But I so love that I found this quote.

This came in the mail some time ago. Sorry, I haven't posted it yet. But I do love this prize from Julep and Cafe Fashionista. Once you try their product you aren't going to want to go back to your nail old polish.

This is Julep's Michelle. I've had this on for quite a while. I love the color Toni, as well. Julep is on Oprah's Favorite Things list!

Some days, it feels that winter is really around the corner. Naked tree. The crisp air. A chill in the wind. But we are definitely in a drought these days. I think we are aching for snow.

“Everyone discusses my art and pretend to understand, as if it were necessary to understand, when it is simply necessary to love.”

—	Claude Monet

—

Claude Monet

I've been thinking winter hats. Usually, Gossip Girl can be very inspiring!

My Movie Monday

Cruise of the Undead : Fifteen-year-old Charlie is P.O.'ed that his parents have wasted a perfectly good Christmas break by forcing him on a cruise with a bunch of oldies. But the old people are a piece of cake compared to the dead people. Some late night sneaking around by Charlie and his brother Jack convince them that the unimaginable is really happening: the recently dead are walking the ship. After a gruesome attack at the Death by Chocolate Buffet, Charlie recruits cool and confident Savannah and Jack's new friends Nolan and Truman. Together, they take on the zombie crew in a struggle to save themselves, their families and the other passengers from an ugly undeath.

Chase Ellison as Charlie "Charlie is a old soul in a fifteen-year-old's body. He was flawed and impatient but he was a self-sufficient go-getter that got things done!"

Elle Fanning as Savanah

*Jack, Charlie's younger brother, is witty and hilarious and having a little brother of my own I could totally relate Charlie feeling like Jack was always right under his feet." (Jake Short as Jack)

Recently, I met local author Laura Hansen who was selling her book at the high school craft show. She said her sons were interested in the Walking Dead and she decided to write a book with their help. Unfortunately, her boys only brainstormed with her one night, and left in a pout. She was then inspired to write about a very moody fifteen year old by the name of "Charlie" and has had fun writing the series ever since.

I finally tracked down the book and downloaded a copy to my Kindle. The story definitely has an interesting start. It definitely has a Disney or Nickelodeon feel to it (in a good way). She has two more books in the works with this series.

Find it at Amazon!

Cruise of the Undead

quotes from Busy Book Logger.

Just some time to kill

Day 14 - Is the sexuality of your characters a large part of your novel’s story?  If so, are there characters who deviate from the heterosexual “norm”?  In what way?
There are Lori and Tobey, my hetrosexual couple. There are Carter and Barry, my gay couple. Tia and Jared have a love hate relationship.

Day 15 - Do any of your characters have a disability or mental illness?  If so, how does that affect their development throughout your story?
Tobey's parents might have some sort of problems. His Dad is a professor. They are hoarders, and a bit disfunctional.

Day 16 - At around the half-way point, it bears mentioning that most of us wrimos have other obligations beside simply hitting that elusive word count.  What else do you have going on in your life (work, school, children, neurotic pets, etc.), and just how much are you shafting it to win NaNo?
There is work. And I have felt lately that I'm rather perturbed with co-workers. I can tell they don't take me seriously. They think I should drop what I'm doing and go out with them. Or make pies or some such thing like that. And there are the run of the mill chores. And Lars, who is understanding, but he wishes Nano was over. Also Thanksgiving is coming up, and blogging....so lot of misunderstandings there, too.

Day 17 - In what time period is your novel set?  Is it in this world or another?
Its a story in the present about everyday people. Its a young adult novel.

Day 18 - Who is the antagonist in your novel?  What drives their actions?
I'd put Jared in the antagonist seat. He's kind of a hot head. He thinks he is so great. So popular, but I think he starts to realize how fake his friends are.

Day 19 - Which authors or books have inspired your own writing the most, and why?
Stephanie Perkins, Kelley York, Stephen Chbosky, Ned Vizzini to name a few

Then I find the good times Liz used to have with Eric Nelsen on Tumblr when they made the musical 13.

“Success seems to be largely a matter of hanging on after others have let go.”

—	William Feather

Where is the month going?

easy and cheesy!

Oh, if I could just make myself work harder on the writing part. Its turned off so nice and warm here. If feels more like mid September at the moment. Hard to believe we've got Thanksgiving this week.

Hopefully, I'm off to see Breaking Dawn part 2 Wednesday. We'll see.

But the writing is like pulling teeth. Yet, I know what I want to happen. I'm feeling the stress!

  Tobey stood there just as silent as he did in school. He thought he might be invisible. He was invisible until Lori showed up.
She was looking her typical soured self.  Actually, she was quite normal in her black lipstick and black nail polish. This must have been her night to be her very dark and dreadful self. Of course, she walked around not giving a damn about anything nor anyone.
He kind of liked watching her unhappiness. But he wasn’t going to ask what was her problem. He knew. It was her best friend Tia.
He was certain Lori could find better friends, but Tia seemed to be the type who needed an extra around, at all times. Naturally, it had to be someone her boyfriend wouldn’t be attracted to. Maybe Tia hoped Lori never had a boyfriend.
Tobey was beginning to think Tia couldn’t share Lori with anyone, but then Tia was the one who left Lori all alone at the party.  Tia went upstairs with Jared.
Tobey couldn’t help but watch Lori from afar. She looked quite dreadful, but he didn’t mind. And when she joined their spin the bottle game, he knew she’d had enough of Tia. Maybe she was done with her.
It was a slight happy thought in his head. Although, he knew he shouldn’t care because she didn’t even know he existed. Until the old beer bottle wouldn’t stop spinning and pointed in his direction.
Oh, the laughter in the room. He could sense it. She was doomed. Going to the closet with him.
As they got up and neared the closet door, he heard the snickers. Some of these people didn’t even know who he was.
“You don’t think he’s a psycho killer, do you?” He heard someone say. Tobey clinched his fist tight as his lean face looked over his shoulder.
Of course, he looked toward Lori, even in her heavy platform boots. He guessed she was a rocker girl, after all.
She opened the door first and turned on the light bulb.
The closet wasn’t exactly empty. There were old coats hanging about. It smelled of old shoe polish. It was a rather tight closet. And it felt as if it were closing in on Tobey.
Her eyes looked up at him as he followed back the flem in his mouth.
Perhaps they’d stand as still as possible. He’d possibly sway into her and she’d topple over.
But as soon as the lights were out, he couldn't help to let a curse word slip. Not that he felt any magic to the sound of the bad word. Still it was a comfort to express what he was truly feeling at that moment. This had to be the worst scenario of his life.
Toby never kissed a girl. He didn’t know what to do. The words poured out of him like a fountain of some sort. Angry words. Maybe frightening words. Tobey couldn’t help himself.

He didn’t even know where they came from. His brain, of course. He usually had to have a fit like this before a big test. Sometimes, even afterwards.

And he couldn’t help it now, either. The words kept coming. Maybe he was actually scared.

When she kissed him, he was sure she did it to shut him up. Lori wasn’t afraid. Tobey was in total shock. The words stopped. All was calm. He could feel his heart beat in the quietness. She kissed him again as if to show him she was still there. Tobey couldn’t help but smile.-NEVER NEVER EVER

More Nano Days which is kind of a daze by now

truly my downfall! Mac n Cheese

Now if I could only get Lars to do something like this for my cat so he could have a cat bed. However, the cat would probably not stay in it.

More Nano Days

See what you can do with all that left over Halloween candy! Chocolate Candy Pie!

“I can’t believe you like me.” His words were quiet. Yet, it made his throat ache to actually say it.

“Well, maybe I can’t believe, you like me.” She softly said as her fingers intertwined with his. He touched her dark plum nail polish on her thumb with his thumb.

It was dreamy being here, close to her softness, yet he sensed her strength too.

I dunno why but Nick makes me think of my cousin. Perhaps "Tobey" is more like my cousin. He's a very quiet fellow. Actually, its become a problem between him and his sister. And I got a bit caught up in it. Anyway, when I write, people I know do show up in my stories. Although, its not that I'm trying to write about them, but more along the line of remembering certain ways about them-ellie

“This is our life and it’s not going to last forever. There isn’t time to talk about someday writing that short story or poem or novel. Slow down now, touch what is around you, and out of care and compassion for each moment and detail, put pen to paper and begin to write.”

—	Natalie Goldberg

More Nano days

I love the simplicity of this, but I'm sure even this would be too hard for me to make. The ultimate grilled cheese!

Honestly, I feel my writing is a slow grind right now. I'm wanting to get back to my usual Ellie Characters. I want to know what is next for them. Although, I have plenty of different stories going on with this cast. I still want things to happen. I need a lot more to happen.-ellie

(I have several male characters in this novel. I haven't talked about Jared. Nor Jake. There is also Carter's brother Sam. Oh, and lets not forget Lori's three year old nephew Benji. Which one will I talk about?)

Day 13 - Name a male character from your novel. Describe him through the point of view and words of the female character you introduced in question 3 (if they never interact, pick another female character). 

Jared- "Honestly, I dunno what Tia ever saw in this guy. He's a total ass. For all I know, he's the guy who mooned all those Freshman girls on the way to that last Twilight movie. He's such an idiot. But he can play football. And he honestly thinks everyone wants him. That is so not true."

Sam- "I have not met him yet, but evidently my sister must know him really well. We just aren't sure how well. Sam is rather unpredictable. He's one of the reasons why Carter doesn't even live at home now. His brother is or was on drugs. Anyway, my sister who's married to Jake, but lives at our house, went off to Denver with Sam. As if that's all I need right now. The upside, Carter might be Benji's uncle."

Jake-"OK, he's kind of dork. I mean, honestly, I think he loves my sister and Benji very much. He's just so totally laid back that it must be the weekend everyday. I mean, he's got a fairly decent job working at this security place. He doesn't have to dress up or anything. Even on their wedding day he didn't dress up. He wore a stoking cap. Yeap, every wedding picture there he is in that cap. I dunno what went wrong with him and my sister. I guess she wanted to get back with Sam. Honestly, I'm so glad I'm much better at meeting someone so fantastic like Tobey. Thank God, its not like a family curse or something about ending up with the wrong guy. Honestly, she's more like my Mom than me. Saying that, I really don't think I'm like my Dad, either. After all, he left us some time ago."

Benji-"Honestly, he might have been a dog in another life. The way he likes to chew on things. But he's so darn cute with that blond top of his and those big blue eyes. I can't help but love him, even if half the time he's with me when I'm with Tobey. I've learned a lot for him. I've learned I do not want to have kids for a very long."

More Nano Days

It just isn't Thanksgiving at our house without Pecan Pie!

Extremely down right now, because nothing works today.
Wanted to continue my novel, but can’t come up with something.
Wanted to make a T-Shirt design for Dan and Phil and didn’t come up with anything either.
I think this is mid-NaNo-burn-out or something.
Maybe I should just go to bed.-Careline

Procrastination, usually..my destination. The mathematics of crochet is always baffling to me generally. I need pictures like this for inspiration to crochet a hat. And I'm always inspired by Sweet Edge. I love this artist's work. Although, I'm certain many of you would not consider it so much an art. Yet, if you do get something from this crafter..she sends it in such an amazing package with love and care. For the hat, I'm imagining making this backwards by starting at the brim part first then working back to the crown. Unfortunately, this does not always work. I did make a brown hat for Lars..last year I think. And it was basically an accident that it turned out as well as it did. But did he wear it out on our windy date this weekend? Of course not. He says its because he doesn't want to lose it. Actually, he doesn't know where he put it.

My Tobey..which I want to keep calling Alex in my novel is complicated too. Each character has their own story, of course. What is he hiding? His homelife. Which I think more people may deal with than we know out there. Its not that he hates his parents, but they seem to be more eccentric with age. Its not as easy to live with an artist as you think.

Look who found Nick?

More Nano Days

Its heavenly but not for vegans nor diabetics. Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cakes

Oh, the things you find yourself doing that has nothing to do with writing. Like nail art...I wish I could dream of doing.

Words of advice....☺

Use the bathroom BEFORE you do your nails,even if you think you don’t have too… I’ve messed up so many pretty manicures like that. 
A fresh coat of topcoat every other day on your manicure, and once a week on your pedicure will keep the polish from chipping. 
If you do get a chip buff that sucker fill it in with polish and put a topcoat over the whole nail.
Don’t file nails after a shower, when they are soft, wait a few hours after or until dry and hard, then file in one direction only to prevent tears. (glass ‘crystal’ nail files are best for your nails)
and most importantly DO WHAT YOU WANT!  I’m tired of seeing people saying “Oh, nail art, that’s tacky.”, or whats ‘in’ and whats a ‘faux pas’…. If I want ‘squoval’ shaped nails, or french tips on my toes I do it, I don’t give a damn about what anyone says. Do what makes you happy… You are the only one who matters. Give them the the finger, and make sure it has glitter AND rhinestones on it! 
Stay lovely ♥-Dori

Find out more HERE

Sheexit

More from Sheexists

Hitting the wall with my NaNo.

Lots of brainstorming this morning with a buddy. Backstory for the most part is all untangled and figured out. Plot is still… in development, but its more clear in my head than it was before. I know what I need to write next, I just can’t feel it. Debating if I should try to brute-force my way through it now or see if inspiration hits me on later in the day. 
Blhfwsacdsvbduiewadsnhbjn
NaNoWriMo will be the death of me, I swear it.-M

Nano Days

I’ve always wanted to do NaNoWriMo, but I never have an idea/motivation/time to do it. And especially now, when all I want to do today is take photographs, read, listen to music, and sleep, I find myself dreaming up snippets of characters and plots. I have a grand total of two incomplete stories buzzing around my brain that I had hoped to transform into graphic novels, but I cannot bring myself to face the confinement of comic panels. So they will stay stagnant until I can find a better use for them.
But wait. What if I were to choose one and turn it into a novel—in the classic sense, like what NaNoWriMo is about! That would make the storyboarding process a million times easier!-Jess

NaNo Moment #2

When you realize the purpose of that random character that showed up earlier.

Mark L. Young..my Carter

 I'd like to think of that character as Carter. He is kind of a friend of Lori's. They don't know how much they are really friends until she sees him once night at a concert. His indie band is performing. Its a chance for Lori to break away from her regular school friends. I think its a chance for her to look at her own creativity more.

Lori wasn’t exactly sure if she were happy or sad as she climbed up the stairway to her room. A part of her imagined living all alone in Paris or some big city. Unfortunately, it wouldn’t be much different from the real deal. She wouldn’t have any fabulous friends. In the end, wouldn’t she be alone, anyway?-never never ever

“Sorry to hear, about Andy.” He was the only one who was sad that she didn’t make it to the concert.

Lori slid the books out that she needed for science.

“Thanks, Carter.” She watched him put a stringy piece of his hair behind his ear. Sometimes, she thought they should go out. Maybe a real date, but when he did things ever so femine like this, she wondered then if she was even his type. Still she liked being his friend. “I went to Jared’s Halloween party last night.” She had to get  that in before he started talking about what indie band was in town.

“It didn’t suck?” He winced as if he was hoping it would.

“Not exactly.” She couldn’t help but smile. “It could have, if..if it hadn’t been for Tobey.”-never never ever

Nano Days

30-Day NaNo Challenge Q & A

Day 1 - Have you participated in NaNoWriMo before? If so, which years and what end result? 
Yes, 2010 and 2011. I reached the goal both times
If not (or even if so, for that matter), what’s your connection to writing?  Why do you want to participate this year?
To challenge myself. See if I can do it better. Enjoy it more.
Day 2 - What’s the title of your story?  Why did you choose the name you did?
Never Never Ever which is inspired by a Taylor Swift song. Basically, it was from an idea of a Flash Fic I wrote.
Day 3 - Pick one of your female characters.  Introduce your readers to her, from her point of view and her words only.
Lori Anderson
"I don't think of myself as a popular person. I mean, I know popular people. Its something my best friend thinks I rebel against. Maybe I do. But I would have never had the courage to be myself if it hadn't been for meeting Tobey Jones at a Halloween party.

Day 4 - What genre is your novel?  Why did you pick it?
YA is usually my favorite genre. I do enjoy writing Young Women's fiction. I don't really see myself as a romance writer.

Nano Days

“What did you do?” Tia wanted to know as soon as she found Lori sitting on the hood of her car.

“Nothing.” Lori’s makeup was smudged, a great deal. She looked as if she’d been put through an obstacle course of some sort.

“I leave you alone for thirty minutes and you’re nowhere to be found.” Tia eyeballed her as she unlocked the car door.

“More like three hours, Tia.” Lori said so bitterly as she jammed her fists deeper into the thermal black jacket that was not her jacket. Tia knew.

“It wasn’t that long.” Tia didn’t think so.

“So did you make up?” Lori got in the car. She couldn’t wait for Tia to get the heat going.

“I suppose.” Tia sighed. (from NEVER NEVER EVER, my NaNoWrimo novel)

NaNoWrimo Problems

Sat down at 2pm, ready to write.
Gave the NaNo forums a quick look.
Lost 4 hours.
NEVER AGAIN.  I will now stick to my ‘no looking at the forums unless 100+ words ahead’ rule.-Hattie

Now she was stuck with her Friday night date with Jared. She needed Lori to keep her company. But Lori had to babysit. A likely story, Tia guessed as she hugged herself.

She didn’t believe Lori was telling her everything about Halloween night. Something had happened. She could sense it.

Nano Days

Lori and Tia by elliewriter featuring a floral skirt

nanowrimo tip #8: 

you need to spend as much time as you can writing so cut out unnecessary tasks like bathing, clothing yourself, leaving the house, etc.

Honestly, I do feel Tia is important to the story. Sometimes, I feel maybe her story is more important than Lori's.-ellie

I love how my Nano novel is a mix between ‘I planned this all ahead’ and ‘I make this up as I go’.
Because I don’t strictly follow the scenes I pre-planned. Of course, that looks like it’s putting all my planning to shame … but I like it this way. There are some flaws in pre-planning scenes and I don’t mind correcting them while actually writing the scenes. Like now, I had a problem figuring out how to get Gavin to go somewhere alone.
Now I know how I’m going to do it without starting some major drama.
Yay. :D
(To be fair, most of the stuff I planned is only vaguely written down in my notebook and I think I’ll shift a scene that is up next because in hindsight the timing doesn’t seem right.) 
Btw, almost 10 pages of pre-planned plot amount to 42 760 words now. There are some scenes though that are not in my notebook but that’s alright because like I said: I make some stuff up as I go. <3 - Sparrow

Featuring pictures of Kristen Alderson. She plays Starr Manning on One Life to Live and General Hospital.

Nano Days

How some people do it. A good bottle of wine and some very drunk writing. Thus, I have not done this. Not since the time I started a pirate story and thought I might smoke my Dad's pipe while I was writing. I threw up shortly after and have never tried it again.

cast by elliewriter on Polyvore

My Nanowrimo novel in progress. 1. Nick Hoult as Tobey. 2. Mark L. Young as Carter. 3. Liz Gillis as Lori.
4.Kristen Alderson as Tia 5. Steven Kruger as Jared.



It hasn't been a fantastic start on writing. Well, I did reach 10 thousand words over the weekend, so that was great.

That awkward moment when you’re writing a chase scene, and you start typing really fast, get breathless, and need to take a break to drink some water.
And my poor characters still haven’t gotten a break. More trouble is coming their way.-E

Still, I managed to delete about six thousand e-mails. Yeah, I know, who lets stuff like that pile up? Me, evidently.

2012 NaNoWriMo Problems

#1:
My Main Character preferes having wine with his sister to advancing the story.

Funny, how I began to procrastinate. When houseworks starts to sound fun. Well, not really. I have never really enjoyed housework that much. Although, I swept the basement stairs which is not so delightful. On the downside (or depending how you look at it) I've been in my PJs all weekend long.

Anyway, I've decided I'd write the story a lot like I do my blog stories. Let it be character driven and with a lot of characters. I went with my NEVER NEVER EVER flash fiction. So the story is from a lot of point of views.

Although, I had one friend hound me about how he thought the flash fic was about a closet in a corn field. And over the weekend, I did have two people point out to me in my MAX episode with Crosby that they thought he had a gun. It was only a price gun, something he uses at work. Although, a friend of mine got in trouble once because he brought his box cutter from work to school. Not a good thing.

I've been tempted to crochet. But I have made two hats already in the last few weeks. One too big, and the other too small using the Twilight Barret pattern from Crochet Today.