Jan 22, 2009 | Auctions, Writing |
Is it Thursday already? I've been a bit, um, mired in the writing lately. The good news is that the mountain is being scaled. The bad is that I haven't reached the top yet. *sigh*
So, not a lot of coherent thoughts today. Just working like a dawg and trying to get to the magical end of the book. There comes a point in every book for me where I think I just can't pull it off, can't manage to make the whole thing into a coherent tale, and that I'm just writing a series of unconnected scenes that I make up as I go along. That's where I am now.
But it usually works out, so I can only hope for the same result this time around. What are you working on?
Don't forget about the auction to help a homeless teen and her mother! You can bid on a one chapter + synopsis critique from me. Or many other cool things! Click here. Information about the auction in general is here.
Jan 21, 2009 | Auctions, Life |
My academic minor is history (naturally, English is my major!) so I tend to get a little caught up in the historicity of events. And there is no doubt, no matter where you land on the political scale, that yesterday was an amazingly historical event. I watched far more of it than I should considering how my deadline is approaching at light speed (I like science, but that's not my specialty so don't analyze that analogy).
What struck me: the crowds. I attended Clinton's first inauguration because I was living in DC at the time and wanted to see it. Um, it was so darn cold I went home again before the parade and watched that from the warmth of my living room. I remember walking over half the Mall that day — and the crowd wasn't *anything* like the one yesterday. I also don't remember jumbotrons anywhere. There were loudspeakers, and we could hear everything, but no television screens that I remember (I could be wrong).
But you know what I remember most about that day? Maya Angelou. Yep, the English major in me remembers her poem above all else. Of course! 🙂
I also remember buying a button that had Clinton on it and a little saxophone hanging from it. I'm sure I still have it somewhere. 🙂
I did not attend the second Clinton inauguration (by the time Bush was inaugurated, I no longer lived in DC). And while I understood why all those people would want to be in DC for Obama's, I highly doubt I'd ever attend another one. Too cold! I see more in my house than I do in the audience. And I get to stay warm while I do so.
Historically, what a day. I love being witness to history. My father-in-law drove a Greyhound bus to Martin Luther King Jr's “I have a dream” speech. He brought a group from Buffalo. But he said he didn't hear the speech. I think that's a shame. Still, to have been there on that day — wow. Can you imagine?
What's the coolest historical event you've attended? I can't think of a specific event, but I did once stand on the front row during a speech Reagan gave at the Vietnam Memorial. I have pictures of him and Nancy. It was cool, but OMG, it was 21 years ago…..
Don't forget about the auction to help a homeless teen and her mother! You can bid on a one chapter + synopsis critique from me. Or many other cool things! Click here.
Jan 19, 2009 | Auctions, Writing |
See the post below. The auction is live today!! You can bid on some terrific things, including a critique by moi. 🙂
Jan 16, 2009 | Auctions
Hey, everyone! I'm participating in this auction which begins on Monday. You can check out the site here. The links for the items up for bid aren't finished yet, so don't panic if you can't see what's there. Just keep checking back to see what will be sold.
I'm offering a critique of a first chapter and synopsis (synopsis no longer than 5 pages), so if you'd like me to have a look at your work and give you suggestions, go bid for me. The proceeds go to help a homeless girl and her mother. Here's the quick story:
Katy is a sixteen year old avid reader and aspiring author and illustrator who has won local awards for her artwork. Just before Christmas, Katy and her mother became homeless. They were evicted from their apartment and have been living in hotel rooms (when they've been lucky) or their car (when they've not been so lucky) since then. Katy has been blogging about life on the streets, and you can read all about how this incredibly sweet mother and daughter ended up in this situation here: http://destinationanywherebuthere.blogspot.com/ As Katy states on her blog, “Homelessness has many faces. And sometimes it happens to have a computer.” Both Katy and her mother seem to have very positive outlooks, but it's clear they're in some real trouble.
That's where this auction comes in. All proceeds will go toward helping Katy and her mother get back on their feet. This is a pair that are actively looking for ways to improve their situation, and just need a little push to help them get there. So, please bid generously and know that you're doing a wonderful thing to help two wonderful people.
Jan 16, 2009 | Heroes, News |
A US Airways plane with 155 people on board went into a chilly Hudson River, apparently after striking at least one bird upon takeoff from New York's LaGuardia Airport, according to officials and passengers.
No doubt you've heard of this. I was so into my WIP yesterday that I didn't know until the hubby came home and told me. And then I had to go read about it. When I read that the captain came on the intercom and said, “We're going down, brace for impact,” it made me cry. How terrifying must that have been for everyone?
Thank GOD they all survived, thank God the pilot was so well trained, and thank God it wasn't any worse. I'm just amazed. Talk about the right man at the right time. He is truly a hero.
I already don't care for flying, though I will still do it. But I wonder about people who are in accidents like this. When my car got hit in Hawaii, I was terrified to drive in traffic for the longest time. I can't imagine what something like this must feel like. I'm just so happy it didn't turn out the way these things usually do.
