tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52994863314129470002024-03-13T12:58:54.698-07:00The Amused Musings of a WriterA little peak into the chaos inside my mind.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03294255463154334771noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5299486331412947000.post-50361222461703374582015-09-05T11:01:00.000-07:002015-09-05T11:06:05.670-07:00What Genre Is My Story?<div style="text-align: center;">
After I was finished writing my first story, I was elated! I had finally done something that I could be proud of and share with others. After countless editing, countless hours, countless drafts, I finally felt it was the best it could be and was ready to send it to publishers; I was faced with a task that I hadn't anticipated being difficult for me. I had to select a genre that my story fit in. </div>
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The reason I say this was a hard task is because my story didn't just fit in one genre...it had bits and pieces from numerous genres, such as romance, adventure, and fantasy, so which one did I call home?<br />
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Determined to do this right, I researched. It turns out, there are more genres than just romance, adventure, and fantasy! In fact, I had never even heard of a few of them in my life. I figured that if I had a hard time finding a home for my story, there may also be others who have a heck of a time finding a genre that fits; therefore, I have compiled a large and lovely list of Fiction genres and sub-genres, along with a brief explanation of each. </div>
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(I realize this doesn't have every single one, but it does have a lot)</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">ACTION</span></div>
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Similar to Adventure, protagonist usually takes a risky turn, which leads to desperate situations.</div>
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(Example: Explosions, fight scenes, daring escapes, etc...)</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">ADVENTURE</span></div>
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About a protagonist who journeys to epic or distant places to accomplish something. Protagonist has a mission and faces obstacles to get to his destination.</div>
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(Example: Superhero fiction, manga)</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">APOCALYPTIC</span></div>
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A world that is in the midst of crumbling. There can be many reasons for this: famine, disease, medical mayhem, earthquakes, aliens, natural disaster, zombies, etc...</div>
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(Example: <i>The Stand</i> by Stephen King, <i>The Passage</i> by Justin Cronin)</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">BIBLICAL/CHRISTIAN FICTION</span></div>
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Fiction that uses Christian themes and incorporates the Christian world view. Both the content of the book and the religious affiliation of the author should be taken into consideration.</div>
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(Example: <i>Redeeming Love </i>by Francine Rivers, <i>The Screwtape Letters </i>by C.S.Lewis)</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">BIZARRO</span></div>
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Often uses elements of absurdism, satire, and grotesque, along with pop-surrealism in order to create subversive, weird and entertaining works.</div>
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(Example: <i>Satan Burger</i> by Carlton Mellick III, <i>Bucket of Face</i> by Eric Hendrixson)</div>
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(I have never read these books, but they were the top rated on Goodreads)</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">CHICK LIT</span></div>
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Slang for a genre geared towards female readers which deal with modern issues in women's lives, often humorous and lighthearted. Although it often includes romantic elements, it is not considered a romance sub-genre because the heroines relationships with her family or friends are often just as important as her romantic relationship.</div>
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(Example: <i>Bridget Jones Diary </i>by Helen Fielding, <i>Confessions of a Shopaholic</i> by Sophie Kinsella)</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">CHILDREN'S</span></div>
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Geared toward a child audience. Meant to be entertaining and often teaches a lesson.</div>
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(Example: Pop-up books, Picture books, Early Reader Stories)</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">CLIMATE FICTION/CLI-FI</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Deals with climate change or global warming. May take place in present day or in the near future.</div>
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(Example: <i>The Purchase of the North Pole </i>by Jules Verne, <i>The Wind From Nowhere</i> by J. G. Ballard)</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">COMEDY</span></div>
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Tells about a series of funny/comical events, intended to make the audience laugh.</div>
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(Example: Satire, scandal, parody, sarcasm, romantic comedy)</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">COMMERCIAL</span></div>
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Not mainstream fiction. Describes a daily reality familiar to many people. Meant to be entertaining, the writing is often times more pared-down and doesn't take many risks.</div>
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(Example: <i>The Shining </i>by Stephen King, <i>Obsidian Butterfly </i>by Laurell K. Hamilton)</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">CRIME</span></div>
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About a crime that is being committed or was committed. It be an account of a criminals life.</div>
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(Example: Detective story, courtroom drama, murder mystery, legal thriller)</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">CULT FICTION</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Nonfactual work that has a large following of loyal fans who are highly devoted. Often Cult fiction breaks new ground in some way. Perhaps the author uses a new narrative or brings up edgy issues. Some of the most esteemed Cult fiction may have been banned at one point.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
(Example: <i>Lord of the Rings </i>by J. R. R. Tolkien, <i>Pride and Prejudice</i> by Jane Austen)</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">DYSTOPIA</span></div>
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The opposite of Utopia (which means Paradise). Hell on earth. Often takes place in a civilization that appears perfect on the surface but is bad underneath. Sometimes the corrupt existence is known but suppressed. Often discovered and changed by the main character.</div>
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(Example: <i>Hunger Games</i> by Suzanne Collins, <i>Divergent </i>by Veronica Roth)</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">EPISTOLARY</span></div>
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Stories constructed as a series of letters exchanged between characters, diary or journal entries.</div>
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(Example: Star Trek, <i>The Diary of Anne Frank</i>, Anne Frank)</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">FABLE</span></div>
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A short tale to teach a moral lesson, often with animals or inanimate objects as characters.</div>
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(Example: Tortoise and the Hare)</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">FAN FICTION/FANFIC</span></div>
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Fiction written by a fan of, and featuring characters from a particular TV series, movie, etc...</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">FANTASY</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
About magic, gods, heroes, monsters, nonhuman characters or supernatural forces, rather than technology. The plot cannot occur in the real world; often set in non-realistic worlds or in alternate versions of the historical world. Removed from reality.</div>
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(Example: Contemporary fantasy [present day], Urban fantasy, dark fantasy, fairy tales, epic/high fantasy, heroic, legends, myths)</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">FOLKLORE</span></div>
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Deals with traditional beliefs, customs, and stories of a community, passed through the generations by word of mouth.</div>
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(Example: Greek mythology, Roman mythology, Egyptian mythology)</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">GROTESQUE</span></div>
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An effective means to convey grief and pain to the audience through character, locations and style. Often linked with satire and tragic comedy.</div>
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(Example: <i>Odyssey </i>by Homer, Myths of Monsters)</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">HIGH FANTASY</span></div>
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Defined either by its setting or by the epic stature of its characters, themes and plot.</div>
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(Example: <i>Lord of the Rings</i> by J. R. R. Tolkien)</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">HISTORICAL</span></div>
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Plot takes place sometime in the past, characterized by imaginative reconstruction of historical events or personage.</div>
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(Example: Biography, memoir, historical fiction)</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">HORROR</span></div>
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Told to be frightening to the audience through suspense, violence or shock. Horror can be either supernatural or not.</div>
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(Example: Thriller, Gothic horror, dark poetry, supernatural)</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">INSPIRATIONAL</span></div>
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Highlights people overcoming adversity or reaching new levels of understanding. Meant to uplift and entertain.</div>
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(Example: <i>Chicken Soup for the Soul </i>by Jack Canfield)</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">LABORATORY LITERATURE/LAB LIT</span></div>
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Centers on realistic (as opposed to futuristic or speculative) portrayals of scientists and on science as a profession. Set in a realistic world.</div>
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(Example: <i>Mendel's Dwarf</i> by Simon Mawer, <i>Flight Behavior</i> by Barbara Kingsolver)</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">LEGEND</span></div>
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A narrative of human actions that are perceived both by teller and listeners to take place within human history. Usually takes place in short episodes. </div>
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(Example: Urban legend, adventures, folklore)</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">MAINSTREAM/BLOCKBUSTER</span></div>
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Any type of fiction that sells well. Novels that don't stick to the "traditional" rules of genres. These novels are done in big print runs and with a large advertising budget. Often they are very long. On the cover, a famous authors name may be in bigger print than the title. (Sometimes plausibility and careful editing will take a back seat)</div>
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(Example: authors Stephen King and James Patterson)</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">MYSTERY</span></div>
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A story in which the detective investigates and/or solves a crime or series of crimes. The crime or other event may remain puzzling to the reader until the end of the story. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
(Example: Crime stories, detective stories)</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">PARODY</span></div>
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A story mocking the pretensions or weaknesses of a particular author, style, or genre.</div>
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(Examples: <i>Bored of the Rings</i> by Henry Beard, <i>The Wind Done Gone</i> by Alice Randall)</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">PASTICHE</span></div>
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A story that imitates on or more established works, or consists of episodes of such works. Unlike Parody, Pastiche celebrates, rather than mocks, the work it imitates.</div>
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(Example: <i>The British Museum is Falling Down </i>by Lin Carter, <i>Scarlett </i>by Alexandra Ripley)</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">PICARESQUE</span></div>
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An episodically structured story featuring a rogue or an antihero in low social degree as the protagonist surviving by his/her wit in a corrupt society. Often humorous.</div>
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(Example: <i>Don Quixote </i>by Migel de Cervante Saavedra, <i>Slaughterhouse-Five </i>by Kurt Vonnegut)</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">POST APOCALYPTIC</span></div>
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Set in a world or civilization <b>after </b>such a disaster that ruins the world. Focuses on how people change and evolve as time goes on. Sometimes will be many generations into the future.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
(Example: <i>The Walking Dead </i>[T.V. Series], <i>The Passage</i> by Justin Cronin)</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">ROMANCE</span></div>
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Primary focus on a relationship between two people. It must have an emotionally satisfying ending. </div>
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(Example: Romantic comedy, paranormal romance, historical romance)</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">SATIRE</span></div>
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A story that pokes fun at human shortcomings, such as arrogance, greed, and vanity.</div>
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(Example: <i>Catch 22</i> by Joseph Heller, <i>Gulliver's Travels</i> by Jonathan Swift)</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">SCIENCE FICTION/SCI-FI</span></div>
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Dealing with imaginative content such as futuristic settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, time travel, parallel universes and extraterrestrial life. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
(Example: Space travel, set on other planets, aliens)</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">TRAGEDY</span></div>
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A form of drama based on human suffering that invokes in its audience an accompanying sadness or pleasure in the viewing. </div>
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(Example: Greek, Roman, Renaissance, Western tragedy)</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">TRAVELOGUE</span></div>
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A story with a plot centering on a significant amount of travel.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
(Example: <i>On the Road</i> by Jack Kerouac, <i>Coasting </i>by Jonathan Raban)</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">WESTERN</span></div>
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Stories set primarily in the later half of the 19th century in the American Old West.</div>
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(Example: Cowboy, pioneers, bandits)</div>
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I'm sure there are many more that I haven't listed here, but who has time to write them all. haha</div>
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I hope this was as helpful to you as it was to me. Sometimes, I still struggle to find the right home for my story, but with the ever-broadening genre types, I'm sure that there is such a place for my story.</div>
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If there is a genre you've noticed I missed, I would love to hear about it in my comments section!</div>
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Happy Writing!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03294255463154334771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5299486331412947000.post-7915489891493364062015-04-26T17:15:00.000-07:002015-04-26T17:15:12.109-07:00Unhappily Ever After Preview!<div style="text-align: center;">
If you've ever tried writing a book, you know that a story takes a long time to put together and there are numerous steps that go into making it perfect. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Well, I am pleased to announce that I have (finally) finished the sequel to </div>
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<a href="http://theamusedmusingsofawriter.blogspot.com/2013/11/there-is-no-prince-charming.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">There is no Prince Charming!</span></a></div>
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It is called, <span style="font-size: x-large;">Unhappily Ever After </span>and will be a part of a trilogy!</div>
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If you have read my first one then I hope you love my second one as well.</div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">CHAPTER
ONE</span><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Lorianna’s
painfully beautiful face crinkled into a sneer as she loomed over me; a
plum-wine stain beginning to bloom like blood on the princess' white gown.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Confusion
surrounded me; as I looked around, I realized that I was dressed in a servant’s
uniform and sprawled on the ground next to a now empty goblet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">My
brows furrowed as I tried to figure out why this all seemed so familiar and
then I heard the laughter. There was a crowd surrounding us and all of them
were looking at <i>me</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"Take
Jennifer away!" Lorianna purred in sick satisfaction as two guards broke
through the crowd to seize me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"No!
No, I didn't do it!" I yelled as they each grabbed onto one arm and
hoisted me easily off the ground. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
princess' ice blue gaze followed me as the guards literally dragged me away, my
shoes scrapping the floor and all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"It
wasn't me!" I begged, my fear growing at the thought of what Lorianna
would have them do to me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Then
the guards halted and before me stood Gray, <i>my</i>
Gray! His face was full of concern and my fear seemed to vanish at just the
sight of him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"Oh
thank God! Gray!" I gasped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">However,
he wasn't looking at me. In fact, his gaze was trained just over my shoulder
and he didn't even spare me a glance as he walked by. The guards holding me (bless
their little hearts) decided that I really needed to see this and so they
turned me around to watch.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"Are
you alright?" Gray asked Lorianna, taking her slender hand in his.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">What the Hell?!</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> I thought
angrily. "Is <i>SHE</i> alright?!"
I asked incredibly as my stomach turned sour.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Lorianna,
of course, pouted prettily and allowed him to pull her into his arms. "I'm
fine...just a bit shaken up." She spoke dramatically, like a bad actor in
a badly written play.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
opened my mouth to scream that she wasn't the one being carted away like some
criminal when the guards decided to continue dragging me away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"No!
Wait!" However, no one was paying attention to me; the crowd watched the
Princess with adoration in their eyes. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I’m going to be
sick!<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Gray
tucked a golden lock of hair behind Lorianna's ear and I felt like I was going
to blow chunks. Then he pressed his forehead to hers and the room went silent,
as if to punctuate his words, "I love you".<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> ₪ ₪ ₪<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
shot up in bed, clutching my pounding heart. <i>What a nightmare!</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">With
a look at my clock on my nightstand, I groaned to find that it was only 4AM.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
scrubbed a hand over my face, trying to shake off the remains of the dream. For
some reason, I had been dreaming about Delbrook more often lately. It had been
almost three months since my... return, and still those dreams haunted me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">With
a great sigh, I swung my legs out of bed and tried to wrestle my messy hair
into something that resembled a bun; I knew there was no use trying to go back
to sleep, it never came after a dream like that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">With
a tired shuffle, I flipped the light on, squinting at the assault on my eyes. <i>If I’m not going to sleep, I might as well
clean.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Before
Delbrook, I might have filled my sleepless hours with some romantic novel or
another; however, since my return, just the thought of picking one up made me
shudder.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Maybe being
sucked into a romance novel has something to do with it</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">, I thought
sarcastically. On the other hand, perhaps it was the fact that I was now in the
beginnings of an amazing relationship and didn’t need to fill my mind with
imaginary love.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
grabbed a scrubber and went to work on the tub as my mind wandered. The thought
that Delbrook had all been a dream still haunted me; was I some sort of skitzo
who made up the entire thing in my mind?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Since
my time back, I had visited a plethora of doctors, had MRI's, CAT scans, the
whole workup and it had all come back normal...aside from the fact that I
didn't drink enough water.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">It
left me unnerved to have no logical explanation as to what happened to me. So
instead of let it stress me, I tried to chalk it up as one of life's mysteries;
a mystery that I had never shared with anyone, not even Maggie!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">A
life in a locked down facility with padded rooms did not fit in my plan for the
future and that’s exactly where I would be if I had spilled the beans.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Carrying
around a secret this big was definitely a burden. <i>No wonder I’m always dreaming about Delbrook!<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Could
it all be a dream? However, that didn't explain the Delbrook citizen lookalikes
running around New York; they were all real flesh-and-blood people that I had
never met before my time in the book, I was certain.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Nevertheless,
that was all they were, lookalikes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In
the beginning, I had thought I truly had found Gray. That somehow our love had
sucked him out of the book with me. That maybe fate wasn't actually cold
hearted and ripped me from my love just as soon as I found him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">That
night at Barry's was the turning point for me; Maggie dragged me to her
boyfriend’s birthday bash and that's where Gray became so real, even though it
wasn't actually Gray.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">After
my initial shock of finding Gray, I found out that his name was actually Ben
Knight. (The irony that I had thought of Gray as my knight in shining
armor didn't escape me.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Ben
offered to buy me a drink to make up for what was actually <i>my</i> clumsiness. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
whole time, I was speechless to see Gray, not Gray, so close and REAL!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Ben
looked so much like him, it was astounding and my heart immediately made the
connection, no questions asked…not that I could blame the poor thing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Maybe
I was still distraught from being ripped from Gray or maybe there was something
about Ben that drew me, either way, our "drink" turned into a date
the next night, and the night after that and we had hardly been apart since.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Though
they could nearly be twins, the more I got to know Ben, the more I realized he
was different.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">He
was thoughtful; through all my bouts of depression about being away from
Delbrook, he allowed me time to heal without questioning too deeply. I knew I
couldn’t tell him everything that I had gone through.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Where
Gray was almost frustratingly reserved and hard, Ben was much more open;
especially about the way he felt about me. It turns out, our connection was not
one sided.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">A
smile graced my lips as I turned my scrubbing to the shower walls.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Sometimes,
when he was around me, I would completely forget about Delbrook and for once be
happy to be living in the moment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Ben
was strong in his own right, whereas Gray had to be strong for what little
family he had left.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I'll
admit, at first it felt as though I was cheating on Gray (or at least the
memory of him); however, with no proof that Delbrook even existed, I had to
come to a place where I figured perhaps I had needed Gray for a time. I had
needed a hard man in order to break me out of my bitter shell. I had needed him
to teach me that I deserved more than what I was settling for. He taught me
that I was desirable and that I could be strong for myself; those were lessons
I swore never to take for granted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Though
I found myself longing for Gray sometimes, I found myself quickly falling for
Ben (much faster than I should be). He looked at me with his hazel eyes just
the way Gray used to; it never failed to turn my knees to jelly and make me
feel as if I were the only one in the room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Ben
had a way of pulling a smile from me with merely a glance. He made me happy.
So, why did I still have guilt about Gray? Why did I continue to dream about
Delbrook?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Turning
from the tub, I decided I needed a change of scenery and maybe that would
change the depressing turn my thoughts had taken. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">As
I loaded the dishwasher, I puzzled over the only thing that really kept me
questioning Delbrook. When Ben and I had met at the party, he said that I
looked familiar.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">How can that be?</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> I wondered.
With careful questioning, I discovered that he had no recollection of a place
named Delbrook (he only knew it as his best friends last name) and he didn't
have a sister named Andrea. I knew for certain that I had never seen Gray or
Ben before I got sucked into that book, so how could Ben later claim that he
felt as though he’d known me for years?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">There
had been a few times that I had slipped and called Ben, Gray; he never answered
the name and I'd give him the excuse that he reminded me of someone I once
knew.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">However,
Ben wasn't the only one from the book who was different; Maggie's boyfriend,
Noah Delbrook, aka Derek of Delbrook, was night and day difference to the
raging Derek who had tried multiple times to kill me for “kidnapping” his true
love Mary.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Noah
was actually...nice and sometimes he was pretty funny. He did, however, still
have the same intensity about the woman he loved; only this time his heart was
attached to my best friend. And...I was okay with that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
found myself almost growing more comfortable with him, almost. He too had never
been to a place called Delbrook, though he found it amusing that such a place
could exist since it was his last name. He also didn’t know anyone by the name
of Gray, or Demetrie for that matter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Noah
was not an exact replica of Derek either. It made sense that when we had first
met, I would make the connection; after all, they both had blue eyes to
contrast their dark hair as well as a ridiculously large build. Noah, however,
had a crooked nose from having it broken in sports. He wasn't as tall as I
remembered Derek being and he didn't have the hardened look of a soldier.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
coincidence was too close for my liking; however, with no one to question, it
would remain just that, a coincidence.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I’d
spent some time researching doppelgangers, wondering if that was what was going
on. No matter what my theories were, there would never be a way to prove any of
it. These sort of things only happened in sci-fi movies and there were no facts
to go off. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
set up the dishwasher and pulled out my kettle, hoping that tea would soothe my
mind. I made the same dizzying circles almost daily.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Ben
and I had been dating since the first night we met and our connection was
electric. I had never been the type of girl to dive head first…actually it was
safe to say that I was always the exact opposite; but, with Ben, it just felt
right. Perhaps I was a bit impulsive when I gave him a key to my apartment a
few weeks ago, I didn't care; I wanted him around.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">He'd
been gone for a few days for work. He was a firefighter and it was his shift to
stay in the firehouse. I always missed him when he was gone and worried
(because that’s what I did best), but as he explained his training and told me
stories about the different fires that he’d fought, I felt my confidence in him
grow. Besides, he looked scrumptious in his firefighting uniform.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">He'd
even taken me along to work and introduced me as his girlfriend, which made my
heart flutter at just the thought. It was another comfort to learn that the
other men he worked with were pretty cool and had each other’s backs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">It
amazed me to think we'd only been together for a few months. It was as if we'd
known each other for our entire lives.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I miss him</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">, I thought as I
waited for the water to boil. I especially missed him when I dreamed of
Delbrook. My dream had not been as serious as a few I'd had before, one that
frequented my nights was the war that I had disappeared right in the middle of.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">What I wouldn't
give to know if my friends are okay. Andrea, Beck, Claire...Gray.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Yet
another thing I had no answer for. The book that started it all was in another
language. I'd “Googled” it, asked around and even visited a linguist at the
university. All he could tell me was that it was mostly gibberish. Another dead
end, so I had safely tucked the book at the bottom of my underwear drawer for
the time being.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
kettle whistled, jostling me from my thoughts. Pouring myself a cup, I ended up
curling up on the couch, dragging my laptop with me and powering it on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">When
I had a night like is, I
eventually ended up searching the web for some kind of answers...any answers at
all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">So
far, all I'd found was that a man in Connecticut swears up and down that he
found some sort of portal to a time-space continuum. The same man had published
a book about being abducted by aliens a few years later.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
also discovered that there was no such place in the entire world, all through
history, called Delbrook. Therefore, there was no information on a war that
happened there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Nevertheless,
I opened a search window and typed in "Romance books about Delbrook".<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">After
about twenty minutes of only finding every romance novel with the word
"Brook" in the title, I gave up on that avenue.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">New search:
"Magical necklaces".<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Popular
jewelers’ from all over the world claimed, "Have a magical evening that
she will never forget. Buy our blahdy blah blah necklace".<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Growling
in frustration, I closed that search. Rapping my nails against the keys, I
tried to rack my brain for an idea.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">New search:
"Missing persons, Mary".</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> I knew this would lead to nowhere. I
had never even met the lady.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Finally
closing my laptop, I downed my now tepid cup of tea and curled up on the couch.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
laid there for a long time, my mind a constant loop of questions and as the sun
started to light the room, I finally fell asleep.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Something
gently nuzzled my neck, drawing me too soon from my blissful sleep.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"Why
are you sleeping on the couch?" a deliciously deep voice rolled over me in
waves.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Without
opening my eyes, a smile bloomed on my lips. "I couldn’t sleep."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"I
noticed," he chuckled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Now
I cracked my brown eye to look at him from beneath my lashes, attempting a
playful glare. "You only say that because the apartment is clean."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">A
sexy half grin graced his handsomely tanned face, before a more serious glint
overtook his gaze. "Are you alright?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
nodded and stretched. Right in the middle of my luxurious stretch, I felt his
lips against mine, sending pleasant tingles through me while causing my heart
to slam against my ribcage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Will
he ever stop affecting me like this?</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> I wondered. Before I could return the
kiss, he pulled away. "Mm, I missed you," his voice rumbled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"I
know," I joked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">With
a sly grin, he dropped his duffel and grabbed for me. With surprising speed for
someone who had just woken up, I darted off the couch. I was just about to
taunt him for being too slow when I got a look at the clock hanging on my
living room wall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">With
a curse, I darted into my room, our fun forgotten. "I have a meeting in
twenty minutes!" I called over my shoulder as I threw open my closet,
chiding myself for not setting an alarm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"Good
thing I came home early," he answered from what sounded like the kitchen.
Sure enough, moments later, the smell of coffee wafted through my small
apartment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"Ten
points for Ben," I muttered as I threw on some slacks and dashed for the
bathroom.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Right
on cue, my cell buzzed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"Maggie,"
I breathed as I loaded my toothbrush with paste.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"Where
are you? Meeting starts in fifteen!"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"I
kno," I blubbered around my toothbrush. "I woke ub lat."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"Are
you drunk?" she asked incredibly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"Hold
on." I spit and rinsed. "I'm getting ready and am out the door in two
seconds. I'll tell you about it later." With that, I hung up and ran back
into my room, nearly colliding into Ben, who was holding a hot thermos of
coffee.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">He
caught me easily, reminding me of how exactly we'd first met and of all the
times I’d run into Gray during my time in Delbrook.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
took the thermos, offering him a peck on the lips and then scoured the room for
my missing shoe, shoving Delbrook to the back of my mind. I dropped to my knees
to look under the bed when Ben cleared his throat. I glanced up, rear in the
air, to find him dangling the long lost twin to my other shoe that was already
on my foot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"Please,
by all means, remain as you are. I'm quite fond of this view," he teased.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
glared and blushed slightly as I stood and reached for my shoe, which he held
just out of reach, capturing my chin with his free hand and my mouth with his.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Had
I the choice, I would have stayed like this for the rest of the day; however,
the clock was ticking.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Still,
I lingered; he was a phenomenal kisser and every time, without fail, I was
dumbfounded. It wasn’t fair.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">When
he finally released me, my brain was a foggy pile of mush.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">It
didn't help that he flashed me that sexy smile again, "You should skip
work."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"Work?"
I murmured, and then finally snapped out of it. "Work! I gotta go!" I
snatched my shoe and put it on while hopping down the hall, the thermos in the
nook of my arm as I grabbed my purse. "Thanks for the coffee, I'll see you
later!"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Neither
of us had said the "L" word yet. I knew he was waiting for me to be
more comfortable with the idea. Needless to say, I was still pretty awkward
with the whole relationship thing. That didn't stop me from wanting to make
sure this love was real and not some sick replacement for the Gray-sized hole
left behind in my heart.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Ben
was more than a rebound; I knew that, but did I love him? I mean truly love
him?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Right
now, I didn't have time to think about that, I had a meeting to sprint to.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03294255463154334771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5299486331412947000.post-88653639165463715072015-03-26T00:32:00.001-07:002015-03-26T00:34:47.362-07:00I Saw it in a Movie<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-size: 13.5pt;">I absolutely<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><b>love<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></b>movies, whether they're on the big
screen or coming to me through Netflix while I vegetate on my couch, I can't
get enough of them.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div align="center" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-size: 13.5pt;">It's safe to say that I'm
a movieholic! </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div align="center" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-size: 13.5pt;">(I'm sure there are
plenty more of you out there)</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div align="center" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-size: 13.5pt;">The other day, I was
reading through some old writing I had done while I was still in high school
when I came across a vampire story (I'm pretty sure every teen goes through a
vampire stage) and as I read it, I got a strong sense of</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;"> <span class="syllable"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; z-index: 2;">dé</span></span><span class="last-syllable"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; z-index: 2;">jà vu, but
couldn't place it.</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div align="center" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><span class="last-syllable"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; z-index: 2;">A
few days later, it finally hit me why the story had sounded so familiar...I saw
it in a movie!</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div align="center" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><span class="last-syllable"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; z-index: 2;">(Not
my entire story, mind you, but just enough that I rolled my eyes and laughed at
young Crystyl.</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div align="center" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><span class="last-syllable"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; z-index: 2;">I
guess everyone has to start somewhere.)</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div align="center" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="color: white;"><br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--><span style="box-sizing: border-box; z-index: 2;"></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"></span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><span class="last-syllable"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; z-index: 2;">Well,
that got me to thinking, how much is my writing today effected by the media
around me?</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div align="center" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><span class="last-syllable"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; z-index: 2;">Probably
more than you'd think.</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div align="center" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; z-index: 2;"><span class="last-syllable"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;">Media
is everywhere now-a-days. With phones easily </span></span><span class="last-syllable"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-size: 13.5pt;">accessible,
we have media at our very fingertips; music, movies, art, books, you name it!</span></span><span class="last-syllable"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div align="center" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; z-index: 2;"><span class="last-syllable"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;">With
all that stuff flooding our world, it's no surprise to find traces of it in
your own work.</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; z-index: 2;"><span class="last-syllable"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoe6gF79D2TAc9nDSNdGX1vj5bLYw05uYzcpHT9TGO8LpKUn6ru0PBuvAqbO3kgJGuCezCxWvNCigY1TQpZ3KzRvye-Ej68Q0eeG_yKKh5o6S_j-KdiGaUKTowj9iTMerGdYOndy-wRxlz/s1600/movie_theatre.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoe6gF79D2TAc9nDSNdGX1vj5bLYw05uYzcpHT9TGO8LpKUn6ru0PBuvAqbO3kgJGuCezCxWvNCigY1TQpZ3KzRvye-Ej68Q0eeG_yKKh5o6S_j-KdiGaUKTowj9iTMerGdYOndy-wRxlz/s1600/movie_theatre.jpg" height="262" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; z-index: 2;"><span class="last-syllable"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="center" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: black; box-sizing: border-box; z-index: 2;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"></span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; z-index: 2;"><span class="last-syllable"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;">Movies
can be the </span></span><span class="last-syllable"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-size: 13.5pt;">simplest</span></span><span class="last-syllable"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;"> form of inspiration; what better way to get
an idea than by something you SEE with your own eyes?</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div align="center" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: black; box-sizing: border-box; z-index: 2;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"></span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; z-index: 2;"><span class="last-syllable"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;">The
longer I've been a writer, the more I find that I zero in on details. Doesn't
matter if I'm reading or watching something, I break down story plots and
predict outcomes (most of the time). I do this by thinking of what sort of
twist I would write into it, and most of the time it comes true. It happens
naturally now. </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div align="center" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; z-index: 2;"><span class="last-syllable"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;">(If
you've even predicted aloud...you know that people don't always appreciate your
genius). </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div align="center" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; z-index: 2;"><span class="last-syllable"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;">I
kinda think that becoming a writer has ruined a lot of things for me. Haha</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div align="center" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: black; box-sizing: border-box; z-index: 2;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"></span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; z-index: 2;"><span class="last-syllable"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;">I
don't bring this up to discourage writers from going to the movies or using any
media to influence their writing. Actually, I'm</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><span class="last-syllable"><b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;">encouraging</span></b></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></b></span><span class="last-syllable"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;">you!</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div align="center" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;">Cinema
can help give you a different perspective and tips on those little details you
never thought about.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div align="center" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: black; box-sizing: border-box; z-index: 2;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"></span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; z-index: 2;"><span class="last-syllable"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;">Nothing
really takes place of good old fashioned research; I think its safe to add
movies to the research pile.</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div align="center" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; z-index: 2;"><span class="last-syllable"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;">For
example, say I'm writing a story set during the glory of </span></span><st1:city><st1:place><span class="last-syllable"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;">Rome</span></span></st1:place></st1:city><span class="last-syllable"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;">, I would </span></span><span class="last-syllable"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-size: 13.5pt;">definitely</span></span><span class="last-syllable"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;"> want to research their culture,
clothing, social system, etc...but I could also tune into some movies for
simple character ideas and even get a feel for their </span></span><span class="last-syllable"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-size: 13.5pt;">vocabulary</span></span><span class="last-syllable"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;">. (Careful: sometimes </span></span><st1:city><st1:place><span class="last-syllable"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-size: 13.5pt;">Hollywood</span></span></st1:place></st1:city><span class="last-syllable"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;"> takes liberties with their ideas
and aren't always historically accurate) </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div align="center" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; z-index: 2;"><span class="last-syllable"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;">If my
main character was a soldier in the Roman army, there would be plenty of videos
to choose from to help me capture a soldier's passion and brutality. </span></span><span class="last-syllable"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-size: 13.5pt;">You</span></span><span class="last-syllable"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;"> can't always get that kind of emotion from
a Wiki page.</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div align="center" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; z-index: 2;"><span class="last-syllable"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;">Also,
Google isn't going to help me come up with a</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><span class="last-syllable"><b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;">wicked
awesome fight scene</span></b></span><span class="last-syllable"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;">. </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div align="center" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; z-index: 2;"><span class="last-syllable"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;">Since
I am not an actual fighter, I have to settle for the second best thing,
watching it! I can then take what I see and recreate an excellent fight for my
characters.</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div align="center" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-size: 13.5pt;">Now, I'm not saying you
should go and copy the plot and characters from the movies you watch...that is,
in fact, plagiarism. </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div align="center" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-size: 13.5pt;">BIG NO NO!</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div align="center" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-size: 13.5pt;">I feel the need
to reiterate,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><b>don't plagiarize</b>. </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div align="center" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-size: 13.5pt;">Imagine how hard you work
to write a story, well that person worked equally as hard for theirs.
(Take it from someone who's a victim of this.) Respect each other. </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div align="center" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-size: 13.5pt;">Get inspiration, but
don't steal their idea, if you know what I mean.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div align="center" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-size: 13.5pt;">Latch on to some details
and turn it into your own creation. </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div align="center" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-size: 13.5pt;">It could even be
something as simple as "I love how this bad guy cocks his eyebrow when
he's being maniacal". Then come up with an entire story with a
setting where that detail could be used. Make sense?</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div align="center" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-size: 13.5pt;">Media is an awesome
source for inspiration. Recycle, throw in details from numerous sources
(including your imagination), add your own flare and you've got a great idea.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div align="center" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-size: 13.5pt;">Don't be afraid to use
what's around you; after all, you can only recreate yourself so many times.
Eventually, you need a boost from somewhere else.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03294255463154334771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5299486331412947000.post-79481995543555687902015-02-20T09:56:00.002-08:002015-02-20T09:56:11.357-08:0010 Writing Prompts Guaranteed To Get The Creativity FlowingAs a writer, it's hard to stay motivated ALL THE TIME and sometimes your creativity is just blocked. Here are some fun prompts to help get your mind off your main project for a while and try something new; sometimes, that's all that's needed to get the creativity flowing again.<br />
<br />
1- <u>Ghostbuster for Hire:</u><br />
You've been out of work for a few months and respond to an unusual ad online that reads, "Team seeking full time associate who isn't afraid of ghosts". Intrigued, you go to their office and get hired on the spot. Moments later, there's a... <br />
<br />
2-<u>Busted:</u><br />
You went to bed, like any other night and were out like a log in minutes. But when you woke up, you weren't at home. You were in a car (that wasn't yours), wearing clothes (that weren't yours) and holding a bag full of money (that wasn't yours either). Suddenly police lights flash from behind...<br />
<br />
3-<u>Who Am I:</u><br />
A shapeshifter deals with an existential crisis after realizing it no longer remembers its original shape.<br />
<br />
4- <u>Dream Bender:</u><br />
After waking from a coma, you discover you have the ability to control the world around you as if it were a dream. The only problem is that you don't know you're awake.<br />
<br />
5- <u>The Life of a Small Man:</u><br />
Rewrite the fairy tale, Snow White, from the point of view of Bashful, one of the 7 dwarves.<br />
<br />
6- <u>Switch:</u><br />
You wake up, go to the bathroom and look in the mirror. A different face stares back at you. Begin your story here.<br />
<br />
7-<u> Ride Hard or Go Home:</u><br />
In 200 words, describe a day in the life of a Valet.<br />
<br />
8- <u>I Hope You're Happy Now:</u><br />
Fill in the blank and use this line of dialogue in your story.<br />
"I hope you're all happy, because now I have to ____."<br />
<br />
9- <u>TGIF:</u><br />
Describe each day of the week as if it were a person.<br />
<br />
10- <u>The Flip:</u><br />
Write about the dragon who rescued the Princess from the Knight.<br />
<br />
<br />
Here are some excellent resources for fun writing prompts. (These are where I found some of these)<br />
<br />
Writersdigest.com<br />
Reddit.com<br />
Creativewritingprompts.com<br />
Pinterest - Search writing prompt<br />
Tumblr - Search writing promptsAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03294255463154334771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5299486331412947000.post-90206834928323761322015-01-11T13:49:00.000-08:002015-01-11T13:49:38.457-08:00"I finished my book...but no one cares"<div style="text-align: center;">
What to do when you have friends that don't write...</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Get rid of them...</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
...I'm <span style="color: red;">joking</span>. Writing isn't for everyone, but there's nothing more frustrating than being on a high from finally finishing a book, and no one <u>seems to care.</u></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
If you're like me, that <span style="color: orange; font-size: x-large;">"book high"</span> is nearly impossible to contain and my book is all I want to talk about. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
(I figured if it's alright for new parents to brag about their babies, then it's alright for me to brag about my story (which is my baby))</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
So, what do you do when you've finished your book and none of your friends seem to understand? My advice is get yourself a group of writer friends. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
No one understands writing like another <b>writer</b>.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidzheetM8sQMov5Dk_z92JHohEcbXdXwPg525HLAoSuguGb8uLGcNsBIw40NPWPyuQPbNhfk4bGyI1oBTV4ZPh-9bAvdL4BfPpwBJCmrzXI8JZ05wRrp1O7NG_eN6S5OnmC5UX1TUsxpi1/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidzheetM8sQMov5Dk_z92JHohEcbXdXwPg525HLAoSuguGb8uLGcNsBIw40NPWPyuQPbNhfk4bGyI1oBTV4ZPh-9bAvdL4BfPpwBJCmrzXI8JZ05wRrp1O7NG_eN6S5OnmC5UX1TUsxpi1/s1600/images.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I have three writer friends who each have strengths in different aspects of writing (it just happened that way, I didn't plan it, but its very convenient).</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I talk to them about <span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">everything </span>to do with writing and they understand! </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
They know when to praise and celebrate with me or when to buckle down and help me iron out a <i>kink </i>in my story.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I go to them because it builds me up as a writer. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Not that non-writing friends are bad, I have plenty of those too, but they are not interested in the <span style="color: orange; font-size: x-large;">nitty</span>-<span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">gritty </span>that goes into the book.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Even then, your non-writer friends are not completely useless; I would use them as your <b>test audience</b>. Allow them to read your story (or at least discuss the plot with them), if they stay interested, then you've got a good story on your hands.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Use your writer friends for editing, character correction, to detect plot-holes and they can even help <span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">pump up your story.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I love "Book Talk" with those friends because I always walk away from a brainstorming session with even more ideas to bring my story to the next level. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
So, what if you don't have any writer friends?</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
First, start talking about writing with people in your life (like coworkers, friends, church peeps, club members, etc...) sometimes, there's a fellow writer <u>right under your nose.</u></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
If that doesn't work, join an online writing community. A few good ones that I've tried out are <a href="http://www.readwave.com/" target="_blank">Readwave</a>, <a href="http://www.writerscafe.org/" target="_blank">Writers Cafe</a> and <a href="http://www.worthyofpublishing.com/index.asp" target="_blank">Worthy of Publishing.</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
These sites allow you to post your writing for others to review and comment, to meet other writers and to even join into fun contests. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Or, if neither of those work for you, join a writing class. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: orange; font-size: large;"><b>Boom</b></span>, you're suddenly surrounded by more people like you!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Writing is a beautiful thing, don't sell yourself short, get out there.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03294255463154334771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5299486331412947000.post-23065939919371009162014-11-13T15:49:00.000-08:002014-11-13T15:49:34.098-08:00Spice it up<div style="text-align: center;">
Ever have a hard time coming up with good/believable characters?</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Has the bucket run <span style="color: orange;">dry </span>on your do-good-er hero and truthfully, even <b>you </b>find your own characters dull and uninteresting?</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Do you dream of creating a character that people can really <span style="font-size: large;"><u>relate to</u></span>, but most importantly, <span style="color: magenta;">fall in love with</span>?</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Here's the big secret to achieving this seemingly impossible feat...ready for it?....Got your pen and paper handy?...Here it is...give your character a <span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">flaw</span>!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
That's right, the key to the perfect character is to make them <span style="font-size: large;"><b>IMPERFECT</b></span>!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
As humans, imperfection is our middle name. Unless your character is superman, he should not have all his <span style="color: lime;">shiz </span>together.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
(Side note: Superman is actually my least favorite superhero for this very reason)</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: cyan; font-size: x-large;">Anyway</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: cyan; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="color: orange; font-size: large;">1) What to do if your character is dry...</span><br />
<span style="color: orange; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
A fun way to spice things up is to give them a weird obsession or weakness.<br />
<br />
For example, say Jim is in a street fight and its playing out like a million other street fights; its boring and it's just not doing it for you.<br />
How about you throw in a little history and weakness.<br />
<br />
When Jim pulls his knife, he's reminded of the last man he stabbed; a good friend named Tom who had been in the wrong place at the wrong time. Naturally Jim might be a little more hesitant about the knife, which could get him in some trouble.<br />
<br />
Or say we're dealing with a Vampire named Nick.<br />
Nick is hunting a human, but as he's following this person, they walk past a restaurant that cooks with strong garlic and Nick has some sorta allergic fit. The human then realizes it's being followed.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red;">Dun <span style="font-size: large;">Dun </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">Dun!</span></span></div>
Weaknesses are very important, even Achilles had his <span style="color: lime;">heel</span>.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: yellow; font-size: large;">2) What to do if your character is too perfect...</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: yellow; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
So you have a <span style="font-size: x-large;">superman </span>when you were actually shooting for a regular Joe-blow who grows into somewhat of a hero.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
A good remedy to counter all that Godlike perfection is to add a little of <span style="color: magenta; font-size: large;">yourself </span>into your character.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>(Now before you get all offended, let me explain)</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
As I said before, humans are naturally <i><span style="font-size: large;">imperfect</span></i>, so we are our best examples.</div>
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Give the character some of your own flaws. </div>
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What I like to do is ask myself these questions: "How would I solve this problem?", "How would I react?", "What would I think?".</div>
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By adding a piece of yourself, you <span style="color: cyan; font-size: x-large;">breathe </span>life into the character.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: orange; font-size: large;">3) What to do with a textbook Villain...</span></div>
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<span style="color: orange; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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Find yourself with a Villain who is so evil, it's almost textbook? <span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;">Boring!</span></div>
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(Yes, you want a villain who can be feared, but why can't they also be loved by the reader?)</div>
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<br /></div>
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My favorite remedy is to throw in a <span style="font-size: large;"><u>"tell"</u></span>. What I mean by this is adding some sort of mannerism that will clue the reader into what is happening, or about to happen.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Example 1:</b></span> Victor is an <span style="color: red;">evil </span>king who is overseeing a prisoner brought before the throne to plead his case. All of a sudden, he stands in a <span style="font-size: large;">rage</span>, having heard enough, and declares in a booming voice, <b>"Off with his head!"</b></div>
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Sure, the picture is there, but the emotion is missing. I don't feel like I know Victor, therefore why should I sympathize with him or care about him at all? </div>
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(<i>Caring about a character is not a bad thing. Make a Villain that you Love to Hate.</i>)</div>
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I'm going to write the scene again, and give Victor a "<u>tell</u>", along with more details.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Example 2:</b></span> Victor sat rigidly in his throne, his <span style="color: lime;">dark </span>eyes searing into the scraggly peasant at his feet as he begged for his life. It was all he could do to keep from lashing out at the <span style="font-size: large;">pathetic wretch. </span></div>
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However, when the man began to weep, a muscle in Victor's cheek twitched and his nostrils flared with anger. With an eerie grace, the king stood, bringing with him a crackling presence of <b>rage</b>. "I've heard enough...," he growled lowly. "Off with his head."</div>
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Ok, so I added two "tells" (<span style="color: magenta; font-size: large;">twitch and nostril flare</span>). Those moves weren't very big as opposed to the rest of the scene, but if I mention the muscle twitch or nostril flare any other time in the story, the reader will know that Victor is pissed and is probably going to kill someone!</div>
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Here's some examples of "tells": </div>
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Nervous character always rubs a hand on the back of his neck. </div>
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Liar who wont make eye contact. </div>
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Worrisome character who bites their lip. </div>
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Angry characters flared nostrils. </div>
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A fidget, a twitch, hard swallow, biting nails, stuttering, </div>
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constantly cracking knuckles or neck, trembling lip...and much more.</div>
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(Basically something someone does subconsciously, that the reader can <span style="font-size: x-large;">catch</span>.) </div>
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I wouldn't give your character too many tells; maybe two that you can use throughout the story. </div>
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<span style="color: yellow; font-size: large;">4) Don't cheat on the details...</span><br />
<span style="color: yellow; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
Sure, writing descriptive scenes may take a bit longer, but the life of a book can be in the details.<br />
<br />
Just because you may picture something <span style="font-size: large;">in your mind</span>, doesn't mean that the reader always can. Therefore, it is your job to paint them a mental picture that will make them feel as though they are in the book, watching the scene play out.<br />
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Take the examples <span style="color: cyan; font-size: x-large;">1 & 2</span> that I used for the previous tip about the King. Example 2 was much more interesting to read; I only really added a few extra sentences.<br />
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Same goes for your characters. You can describe them as "just an average old man", or "an old man with jowls that resembled that of a bulldogs".<br />
A few extra words can make all the difference. Don't be afraid to break your character down for your reader. (It doesn't all have to be in one spot in the book).<br />
<br />
Now, tread carefully; too much detail is almost just as <span style="color: orange; font-size: x-large;"><b>bad </b></span>as not enough. You can explain something to death if you have too much info. Too much to take in can practically <b>choke </b>the reader to death.<br />
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Sum up items that aren't as important. For example, when describing the room, the reader doesn't need to know the pattern of the drapes or that they were imported from Bali, unless that is going to be brought up later or is important to your character.<br />
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Best way to know if you've written too much detail is to <span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">let someone else read your story.</span><br />
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That's all the tips I have for you guys, but don't forget, your characters are among the most important aspects of your story!<br />
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<span style="color: lime; font-size: x-large;">Spice them up!</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03294255463154334771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5299486331412947000.post-65261092568957418742014-09-22T18:03:00.000-07:002014-09-22T18:20:06.000-07:00Writing Quirks<div style="text-align: center;">
I thought that since you put up with all my other rants about writing, you might like to get to know me a little better. </div>
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<span style="color: orange;">Here goes </span>(<i>no judging</i>)</div>
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One thing I've discovered about myself during all my years of writing, is that I have developed some quirks that I don't think one would consider...normal.</div>
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<a href="http://behlerblog.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/youre-a-writer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://behlerblog.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/youre-a-writer.jpg" height="254" width="320" /></a></div>
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I'm sure we've all got things that we do that we don't realize we even do. I'm sure I have some I still don't know about.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: lime; font-size: x-large;"><b>My First Quirk: </b></span></div>
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When I'm editing, I liked to read out loud (it helps you catch your mistakes). But that's not the quirk...wait for it...Not only do I read out loud, but I usually end up going into a British accent...I am not British, but that doesn't stop me from fluxing my voice like i'm from London.</div>
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<span style="color: lime; font-size: x-large;"><b>Second Quirk:</b></span></div>
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I read voices...or I should say "in voices".</div>
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While reading in a British accent, I lower or raise my pitch as if I were doing all the different character voices. </div>
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Imagine how you would read a picture book to a child and you've got it, only I'm just reading it to myself. <b>Haha</b></div>
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<span style="color: lime; font-size: x-large;"><b>Third Quirk:</b></span></div>
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When I write longhand, I write sideways. As in, when I place a piece of paper on the desk, it is not facing vertical; instead, it is turned onto its side (horizontally) and I write from bottom to top.</div>
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Yet, when you straighten the paper, my writing is straight across and perfectly legible. </div>
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(I've got skills)</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: lime; font-size: x-large;"><b>Fourth Quirk:</b></span></div>
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When writing by hand, typing or editing, I end up tilting my head to the right; so much so that I've earned myself an impressive knot in my shoulder that I like to call Javier.</div>
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I have to catch myself and consciously think of keeping my head straight. </div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: lime; font-size: x-large;"><b>Another Quirk:</b></span></div>
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My characters control the story. I just try my hardest to get it all down before they throw another twist at me. In fact, I wrote an entire blog post about it. <a href="http://theamusedmusingsofawriter.blogspot.com/2014/02/characters.html" target="_blank">Read it here.</a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: lime; font-size: x-large;"><b>Yet Another Quirk: </b></span>(I know, I know)</div>
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While editing, I like to have something noisy in my hands. For example, a clicky pen or something with a snap on it; basically something to keep my hands busy with something that gives me the satisfaction of clicking. </div>
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The sound doesn't register with me, after all, I'm editing, but it is not a lot of fun for anyone who happens to be around me. </div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: lime; font-size: x-large;"><b>Last Quirk: </b></span>(I promise)</div>
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And finally, I cannot sit in a computer chair like a normal person (with both feet on the ground and back straight). I prefer to type with one leg tucked under my other, until I can no longer feel it. Then I switch, having to bounce my foot up and down to regain blood flow, all the while squirming in my chair as i'm trying to edit.</div>
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Every time.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Well there you have it, a little glimpse into the chaos that is my mind.</div>
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Like I said, I probably have more quirks that I haven't realized yet. I think they are funny because I catch myself doing them all the time!</div>
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<br /></div>
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And I know I'm not the only one, so let's hear one of <b><span style="color: orange;">your </span></b>quirks!</div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03294255463154334771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5299486331412947000.post-34077895500767648162014-09-05T22:27:00.000-07:002014-09-05T22:27:10.357-07:00"Not what we're looking for..."<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">How to Deal with Rejections to your Queries for Publishing.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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After hours of writing and editing, grooming and beefing up your story (essentially, your <span style="color: magenta;">baby</span>), naturally the next step is to <span style="font-size: large;"><b>put it out there.</b></span></div>
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It's a little nerve-wracking to trust your baby to take its first steps and be criticized and judged by perfect strangers who hold the potential to publish you and help you achieve your goals of becoming a world renowned <span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;">author</span>!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmtZE8FYfQjNPffbj8-NJVxW4BcmkX0jxk21ncscXGDp5RCnGZyMRAP0AUbQe6u4JXTZWnOYWv7BOy_Irs9moaOp3v-9ybuQ1jDUP5VsZrZFh7dwb-qZf6DWasBVoz4hHiuwnWLc-uq-jt/s1600/NewYorkTimesBanner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmtZE8FYfQjNPffbj8-NJVxW4BcmkX0jxk21ncscXGDp5RCnGZyMRAP0AUbQe6u4JXTZWnOYWv7BOy_Irs9moaOp3v-9ybuQ1jDUP5VsZrZFh7dwb-qZf6DWasBVoz4hHiuwnWLc-uq-jt/s1600/NewYorkTimesBanner.jpg" height="144" width="640" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
But what happens when that perfect stranger reads your queries or even your story and casts it against the rocks, turning their nose up at it and <span style="font-size: large;"><b>walks away</b></span>?</div>
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Well, before you go postal, <span style="font-size: x-large;">take a deep breath</span> and realize that every big name author also started out as a nobody and went through countless rejections before their story fell into <span style="color: magenta;">the perfect hands</span>. </div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
As an aspiring author myself, there are a lot of things that I've had to come to terms with when my first query response returned as a "<span style="font-size: large;"><b>NO</b></span>".</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
First of all, I had to accept that I might not be "<span style="color: magenta;">The Shit</span>".</div>
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After all the work I had put into my writing, I was positive that it was <span style="font-size: x-large;">GOLD</span>! Everyone who had read it agreed with me and my head was approaching astronomical proportions.</div>
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There was no doubt in my mind that I would be picked up immediately and by the end of the year, signing my second contract with my agent <b>begging </b>me to write a sequel (I know...).</div>
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The simple, heartless line, "Not what we're looking for", brought my Cloud 9 dreams to a <span style="font-size: large;"><u>screeching halt</u></span>!</div>
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Surely this agent was out of their mind!</div>
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And then I received my next rejection...and then the next.</div>
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It's sad when your dream has to come down from naivety back to a reality based foundation. The magic of it all sort of <span style="color: magenta;">dims</span>.</div>
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"Failure is only the opportunity to begin again, only this time more wisely."</div>
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-<span style="color: magenta;"><b>Henry Ford</b></span>-</div>
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So, after a few days of <span style="font-size: x-large;">wallowing </span>in self pity,</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX8WOQyYras-H36rpjwOt_X8w8PpAl7aekyO0o-xIslcmKVWF5hRjCqsgkUyEVnhtlA9cFcuNi3MB8qDq83eL4uleU5CbF8yGfV5w7FFY3HQt3qXEveoggnZjH2SlGmMvHUWWXHtU4rYKg/s1600/images+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX8WOQyYras-H36rpjwOt_X8w8PpAl7aekyO0o-xIslcmKVWF5hRjCqsgkUyEVnhtlA9cFcuNi3MB8qDq83eL4uleU5CbF8yGfV5w7FFY3HQt3qXEveoggnZjH2SlGmMvHUWWXHtU4rYKg/s1600/images+(1).jpg" /></a></div>
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I reevaluated, brushed myself off and realized that just because they said no didn't mean there was anything <span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;">wrong </span>with my story.</div>
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It wasn't that my story and I were "Not what we're looking for"; </div>
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It was now, that publisher was "Not what <b><span style="font-size: large;">I'm </span></b>looking for".</div>
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Which brings me to my second point, just because one publisher didn't like my story, doesn't mean they <b><u>all </u></b>feel that way.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Agencies are bombarded by queries, so its easy to see why some publishers only want whats "hot". But who's to say you're not holding the next <span style="color: red; font-size: large;">flame</span>?</div>
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What may be less than entertaining to one may be gold to another!</div>
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Besides, the way I see it (and yes, I am <span style="color: magenta;">selfish</span>), I poured my <span style="color: lime;">heart</span>, <span style="color: yellow;">soul</span>, <span style="color: orange;">time</span>, <span style="color: red;">blood</span>, <span style="color: cyan;">sweat </span>and <span style="color: blue;">tears </span>into my work. If that wasn't enough, it took every ounce of <span style="font-size: large;"><b>bravery </b></span>to put myself out there enough to allow others to read it once it was finished and finally I believed in myself enough to attempt to publish it; therefore, I <span style="font-size: large;"><u>deserve </u></span>an agent who will fall head over heels in love with my idea and characters. I deserve a coach who I can trust not to swindle me for a pretty penny, but to be excited about <span style="font-size: x-large;">every new adventure</span>.</div>
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So, I may not be "The Shit", but I do believe in myself and my passion for writing.</div>
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And with every rejection, it's one step closer to finding the right publisher for me.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Third thing that I've realized, I'm not gonna lie, those<span style="color: magenta; font-size: large;"> positive vibes</span> are hard to keep up some days.</div>
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Especially on days when I am sick and tired of my <span style="font-size: large;">9-5 </span>job and I know that writing has the potential to offer me a sense of <b>freedom </b>if I got good enough.</div>
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On those days, when I shake my fist at the Publisher Gods for not dubbing me their golden child yet or when I read a particularly horrible book and the "how did <i style="font-weight: bold;">THAT CRAP</i> get published when I cant?" jealousy chokes me, I have to <span style="font-size: x-large;">ask </span>myself, <span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;">why </span>do I write?</div>
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(This is actually a really good question to ask yourself when you find yourself at a <b>tough </b>point in your writing process and you're thinking about quitting.)</div>
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<span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;">Why do I write?</span></div>
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If the potential for <span style="color: lime;">money </span>was no longer there, would I write?</div>
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If I did not receive complements or praise for my work, would I write?</div>
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If there was no possibility for popularity or fame?</div>
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If there was no one else to read my stories, <span style="font-size: large;"><b>would I still</b></span>?</div>
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Even if I could somehow tell the future (<span style="color: magenta;">just go with me here</span>) and I knew that I would never get published, ever, would I still write?</div>
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The answer is...<b>yes</b>. <span style="font-size: large;"><b>Always YES</b></span>.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I started writing purely because <span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;"><b>I</b> </span>enjoyed it. Creating worlds, manipulating fates, watching a hero find himself, developing a bad guy, impossible love...it all makes writing <span style="font-size: large;"><u>worth it </u></span>to me.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
When I first started writing, I would have kept all that magic to myself, only my best friend in middle school encouraged (cough...cough...<i><b>blackmailed</b></i>) me into letting her read my first story (<span style="color: magenta;">that I never finished by the way</span>), and I've been sharing ever since.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
So, when the jealousy or bitterness is on the rise, I remind myself that I write for <span style="color: magenta;">ME</span>, because its <span style="font-size: large;"><b>FUN </b></span>and I will continue to do it...probably until my <span style="font-size: x-large;">fingers fall off</span>.</div>
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<br /></div>
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The last thing that I've realized about dealing with rejection is to never give up!</div>
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<span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;"><b>Never</b></span>. <span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;"><b>Give</b></span>. <span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;"><b>Up!</b></span></div>
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I tried for three years and was just about to give up just before I got my first legit publishing offer for an e-book contract. Of course, I <span style="font-size: large;">grabbed it</span> with both hands.</div>
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When the contract fell through less than a year later due to reasons out of my control, I picked right back up and <span style="font-size: large;"><b>did it myself.</b></span></div>
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For now, I am self-published with two <b>amazingly awesome books </b>available on e-book and I have their sequels on the way! <span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;">I love it!</span></div>
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Does that mean that I've stopped fishing for an agent or publisher?</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>No</b>.</div>
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I continue to query. I continue to write and edit and better myself, </div>
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because writing is <span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>what I love to do</b></span>!</div>
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And one day, when the stars align and the Publishing Gods call my name, </div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>I will be ready!</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: magenta; font-size: large;"><b>Now Available on E-book</b></span></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-size: x-large;">"There is no Prince Charming"</span></u></b></div>
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Jennifer Carmichael, a lowly secretary and cynical romance novel addict, is ripped from her dull life when she wakes up to find that she is no longer in New York City, but held captive in a fictional world found within the pages of the strange book she discovered on the subway; a Medieval world where women do as they are told and all the men look sexy enough to eat. Jen's sharp attitude and fierce independence immediately attracts the attention of the Prince. He is everything any woman could ever want, a real Prince Charming. However, things are not always what they seem. Desperately trying to find her way home, but flung head first into the middle of a brewing war between the King and the Rebellion, Jen must choose what to fight for: the Prince, the People, or her heart.</div>
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<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/there-is-no-prince-charming-c-m-ortega/1116309559?ean=2940149594597" target="_blank">Nook Link </a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/There-Prince-Charming-Crystyl-Ortega-ebook/dp/B00IZGDBFW/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1409979795&sr=8-2&keywords=crystyl+ortega" target="_blank">Kindle Link</a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><u>"Arranged"</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;">With an uncle determined to control her life and more importantly, her inheritance by arranging her marriage, Alison Forbush sees no choice but to run from the life she knew. </span><br style="text-align: start;" /><span style="text-align: start;">Her rebellion would spark a chain reaction that would not only change her life, but effect an entire kingdom.</span><br style="text-align: start;" /><span style="text-align: start;">Discovered, captured and imprisoned by strange creatures that inhabit an underground world where every shadow holds danger, Alison struggles to maintain her independence, especially when their fierce King takes an interest in her. </span><br style="text-align: start;" /><span style="text-align: start;">She must ask herself if this strange world could hold everything she'd been looking for or, following her uncles example, was all of this Arranged from the beginning?</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/arranged-c-m-ortega/1117397976?ean=2940149594580" target="_blank">Nook Link</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Arranged-Vidarian-Chronicles-Book-1-ebook/dp/B00IZ8SNSA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1409979795&sr=8-1&keywords=crystyl+ortega" target="_blank">Kindle Link</a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03294255463154334771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5299486331412947000.post-43661087994434101772014-07-29T11:25:00.000-07:002014-07-29T11:41:41.014-07:00Where does the work end and the FUN begin?<div style="text-align: center;">
I find myself asking this question a lot, these days.</div>
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It's hard to make sure that the things we love best don't became like "work".</div>
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After all, we loved them because they took us <b><span style="font-size: x-large;">away </span></b>from work and transported us to a happier realm.</div>
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I have a confession to make...writing, sometimes, feels like work. I'm sure you all know what I'm talking about.</div>
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There is so much time and tears that go into a good book.</div>
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Research, writing the dang thing, editing, editing, editing.</div>
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So how can we turn this from <b>work </b>back into <span style="color: orange; font-size: x-large;">fun</span>?</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">1-</span> <span style="font-size: large;">Write about something you like!</span></b><br />
If you like it, the process becomes that much easier!<br />
If you like Fantasy, go ahead, write about a three headed dragon!<br />
If you're into mystery, think of an ending you would never see coming and then<span style="color: orange;"> WRITE ABOUT IT!</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">2-</span><span style="font-size: large;"> Look for inspiration everywhere.</span></b></div>
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I like to do this when I'm having a hard time coming up with Characters.</div>
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There are interesting people <span style="color: orange;">EVERYWHERE!</span> Sit somewhere and people watch for a minute. Yes, sounds creepy...just tell them you're doing an experiment or something.</div>
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If your story needs a little<span style="color: orange;"> UMPH</span>, watch youtube or read about people doing amazing things or even natural disasters; that's always a fun twist!</div>
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Enjoy yourself in the moment and plug that into your writing.</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">3-</span> <span style="font-size: large;">Give yourself some slack.</span></b><br />
I used to write with goals of 10-30 pages per day, no excuses....yeah, that didn't work out too well.<br />
Life tends to throw curve balls at you.<br />
If you miss a few pages (or days) don't beat yourself up about it, just pick up where you left off and try it again.<br />
<span style="color: orange;">Deadlines </span>are great things, but if it's too tight, your writing will become WORK (and we don't want that).<br />
If you've got writers block, try writing about something else for a while. There are a lot of fun writing prompts out there to get your mind off of things.<br />
Taking a break does wonders to an overworked mind.<br />
Most of the time when you come back to your work, the inspiration is waiting.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">4-</span><span style="font-size: large;"> Book Talk</span></b></div>
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This step is a pillar in my writing life!</div>
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Find someone who also has a passion for writing and just chit chat about your story ideas.</div>
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Two minds are better than one; that person may just be the answer to your prayers.</div>
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I can't tell you how many times I have been so stuck on a plot point with no idea how to get from point A to point B then I chatted it up with one of my writing friends and <span style="color: orange;">BOOM </span>floods of ideas!</div>
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Besides, it's fun.</div>
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Generally, people don't understand the natural high that comes when you're<span style="font-size: large;"><b> "in the zone" </b></span>or when you've completed something you can be proud of. That's why having other writer friends in imperative!</div>
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Get with people who are on your level.</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">5-</span> <span style="font-size: large;">Sleep on it.</span></b><br />
Still stuck on an idea, have lack of motivation or are super frustrated? Try this.<br />
When you're ready to go to bed, lay there and think "I will have an awesome dream with the answer and my problems will be done."<br />
I bet you really think I'm loony now. Don't dog it until you try it!<br />
I have a friend who does this and when he wakes up, he has fresh inspiration.<br />
Your subconscious will work it out for you.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">6- </span><span style="font-size: large;">Love that you do what you do!</span></b></div>
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I used to be afraid to tell people that I was a writer. I felt like I wasn't really qualified for that title...</div>
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I mean, I didn't have a degree in English or anything, but then I realize that all the work and passion that goes into my work <span style="color: orange;">DOES </span>make me a writer!</div>
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When I started to tell people that I loved to write, it amazed me how impressed they were. </div>
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Writing was just something I did...but when they wanted to read my writings and actually <span style="color: orange;">LIKED </span>it, well, I was on cloud 9.</div>
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Begin to introduce yourself as a writer. Don't let everything you've strived for, sit on the sidelines; it doesn't matter if you've been published or if you have notebook after notebook with stories written in them.</div>
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<span style="color: orange;">Love that you write</span> and let others in on your passion for it.</div>
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There are many more tips and tricks, I'm sure; however, I think I've ranted long enough.<br />
Let me know if these help you like it helps me.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03294255463154334771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5299486331412947000.post-87842154348503673192014-06-24T20:42:00.000-07:002014-06-24T20:42:28.306-07:00The Joys Of Editing...NOT!<div style="text-align: center;">
If you are a writer, you know what it is to <span style="color: orange; font-size: x-large;">edit</span>.</div>
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Yes, I am talking about that <span style="font-size: large;">dreadful phase</span> of your story where it's nearly impossible to see the <span style="color: yellow;">light </span>at the end of the tunnel (especially during your first draft).</div>
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Unfortunately, that's where I'm at now, first run through and everything. </div>
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I can see the long, treacherous road stretched out before me and just thinking about it makes me <span style="font-size: large;"><b>tired</b></span>.</div>
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zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz</div>
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You may say, "Crystyl, why not have <span style="font-size: large;"><b>someone else </b></span>edit for you?"</div>
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I know there are countless sites where you can pay someone to edit for you or if you have an agent, they can find an editor for you.</div>
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That's all good; however, I prefer to do a much as I can <span style="color: yellow; font-size: x-large;">myself</span>.</div>
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If you're like me, your first draft is hardly comparable to your final edit.</div>
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Though painful, I feel like the editing process is as much for me as it is for the story. </div>
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It helps me refine my characters to be more believable and relatable. It gives me opportunity to<span style="color: lime; font-size: x-large;"><b> beef up</b></span> the drama where I may have skimmed over it at first because I was just trying to get everything out.</div>
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Editing "my way", allows me to catch the small things I may have forgotten 100 pages in (I do that a lot with injuries).</div>
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If I paid someone else to edit for me, it wouldn't grow in character and I wouldn't be proud of it. The paid editor is not in my head and therefore <span style="font-size: large;"><b>cannot </b></span>know what I actually meant for that character to do or say.</div>
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Now, that being said, having someone else edit and read through it essential...but only after you've done four or five drafts...or even the tenth!</div>
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I can't tell you how many times I've been helping out a friend and have made suggestions and by the time I give them back their story, they've already made a bunch of changes. </div>
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I feel like editing early drafts is a waste of time. (Everyone is not like me, but no one likes to edit anyway...well maybe if you were paid to do it!)</div>
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How I edit is when I feel like I've done as much as I can do, I hand my manuscript over to a few trusted friends: I choose some that are good at <span style="color: yellow;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">grammar</span> </span>and <span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">spelling</span> </span>and others that are good at catching <span style="font-size: x-large;">story flaws</span>. Both are very helpful.</div>
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After I've collected all of their opinions (good or bad), I do yet another run through until I fall in love with it!</div>
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I would loose all of that if I just simply handed my story over after a few drafts.</div>
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So, you can see, I have a very <span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b>long road</b></span> ahead of me. Caffeine and music will help me through!</div>
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I think I can. I think I can. I think I can!</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03294255463154334771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5299486331412947000.post-56693095938493676852014-05-29T22:32:00.000-07:002014-05-29T22:32:35.145-07:00What does your Penmanship say about you?<div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;">
The other day I ran across a penmanship personality quiz. </div>
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If you're like me, I love learning about myself. </div>
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It blows my mind that someone can peg you down because of how you write. (Apparently, it's a whole study.)</div>
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I take no credit for writing the information below. In fact, I found it on this <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2380858/What-does-handwriting-say-Study-finds-5-000-personality-traits-linked-write.html">website</a>. I thought that you would like to test it out.</div>
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I started out by writing a paragraph or so of anything that comes to mind and then I went through the traits below and was shocked to find this was 95% on! Who knew!</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Give it a try!</b></span></div>
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Are you an outgoing, sceptical people pleaser? Or an arrogant, practical person who has a tendency to lie? </div>
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According to research from the National Pen Company in the U.S., your handwriting can give away clues about 5,000 different personality traits based on the way you space your letters, how you sign your name, and even how you connect the letter 'o' and 's' to other letters in a word.</div>
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It can even be used to identify potential health problems including schizophrenia, high blood pressure as well as how much energy you have. </div>
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<img alt="According to the National Pen Company, the size of someone's handwriting can determine the type of personality they have." class="blkBorder" height="286" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/07/29/article-2380858-1B0D8409000005DC-33_634x286.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="634" /></div>
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According to the National Pen Company in the U.S., the size of someone's handwriting can determine the type of personality they have. People with small handwriting tend to be shy, studious and meticulous, whereas outgoing people who love attention will have larger handwriting</div>
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<img alt="People who leave large gaps between words enjoy their freedom and don't like to be crowded, while people who write words close together can't stand to be alone and might be intrusive" class="blkBorder" height="286" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/07/29/article-2380858-1B0D8411000005DC-898_634x286.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="634" /></div>
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People who leave large gaps between words enjoy their freedom and don't like to be crowded, while people who write words close together can't stand to be alone and might be intrusive</div>
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The process of analysing handwriting is called graphology. </div>
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It is classed as a pseudoscientific because there are debates about how accurate it can be at determining psychological and even physical attributes. </div>
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Some companies use graphology during recruitment processes and the methods have also been used in court cases.</div>
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The research carried out by the <a href="http://www.pens.com/handwriting-infographic/" rel="nofollow" style="color: #003580; cursor: pointer; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">National Pen Company</a> brought together a range of graphology studies to create its infographic. </div>
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According to the graphic, the size of someone's handwriting can determine the type of personality they have. </div>
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People with small handwriting tend to be shy, studious and meticulous, whereas outgoing people who love attention will have larger handwriting. </div>
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<img alt="The type of looping created by the letters 'l' and 'e' can suggest a person's nature, for example, wide loops means someone is relaxed and spontaneous as well as open minded." class="blkBorder" height="240" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/07/29/article-2380858-1B0D83E2000005DC-890_634x240.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="634" /></div>
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The type of looping created by the letters 'l' and 'e' can suggest a person's nature, for example, wide loops means someone is relaxed and spontaneous as well as open minded. People who write narrow loops tend to be skeptical of others and may restrict themselves from certain activities, which causes feelings of tension</div>
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<img alt="If the dot of a letter is situated high about the base, it suggests the writer has a great imagination." class="blkBorder" data-track-pos="0" height="390" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/07/29/article-2380858-1B0D83DE000005DC-322_634x390.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="634" /><div class="overlay-icon mobile-gallery" style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.4); background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat; border-bottom-left-radius: 3px; border-bottom-right-radius: 3px; border-top-left-radius: 3px; border-top-right-radius: 3px; bottom: 11px; box-sizing: border-box; color: white; display: table; font-family: arial; height: 36px; line-height: 34px; margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; right: 10px;">
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If the dot of a letter is situated high above the base it suggests the writer has a great imagination. If the dot is close to the base, they are organised and empathetic. Procrastinators tend to dot their 'i's and 'j's to the left of the base letter, while child-like personality types will draw their dots as circles</div>
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<img alt="Long crosses on 't's suggests someone who is determined and enthusiastic, but also stubborn." class="blkBorder" data-track-pos="1" height="301" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/07/29/article-2380858-1B0D83D9000005DC-944_634x301.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="634" /><div class="overlay-icon mobile-gallery" style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.4); background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat; border-bottom-left-radius: 3px; border-bottom-right-radius: 3px; border-top-left-radius: 3px; border-top-right-radius: 3px; bottom: 11px; box-sizing: border-box; color: white; display: table; font-family: arial; height: 36px; line-height: 34px; margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; right: 10px;">
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Long crosses on 't's suggests someone who is determined and enthusiastic, but also stubborn. Short crosses tend to be written by someone who is lazy</div>
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If handwriting is an average size - in that the top of the letters sit just below the centre of line - the writer is well-adjusted and adaptable. </div>
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Moving onto the spacing of words, people who leave large gaps between words enjoy their freedom and don't like to be crowded, while people who write words close together can't stand to be alone and might be intrusive. </div>
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If handwriting slants to the right the person is open to new experiences and enjoy meeting new people. If handwriting slants to the left, that person tends to keep themselves to themselves. </div>
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People whose handwriting doesn't slant in either direction are logical and practical. </div>
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Personality traits are also identifiable by the way individual letters are written. </div>
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<img alt="People who write rounded letters are more creative and artistic while pointed letters are a sign of aggression or intelligence." class="blkBorder" height="311" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/07/29/article-2380858-1B0D83FD000005DC-671_306x311.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="306" /></div>
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<a href="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/07/29/article-2380858-1B0D83F5000005DC-547_306x311.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><img alt="A rounded lowercase 's' means the writer is a people pleaser, but if the rounded bottom is too wide, it suggests they may not be following their heart either in their career or other pursuits." border="0" class="blkBorder" height="311" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/07/29/article-2380858-1B0D83F5000005DC-547_306x311.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); margin-top: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="306" /></a></div>
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People who write rounded letters are more creative and artistic while pointed letters are a sign of aggression or intelligence. Connected letters mean the writer is logical. People who specifically write rounded lowercase 's' letters are people pleasers, although if the bottom is too wide, they're not following their heart in something</div>
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According to the graphic, the type of looping created by the letters 'l' and 'e' can suggest a person's nature, for example, wide loops means someone is relaxed and spontaneous as well as open minded. </div>
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Alternatively, people who write narrow loops tend to be skeptical of others and may restrict themselves from certain activities, which causes feelings of tension. </div>
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The way people dot their 'i's and cross their 't's can also be a personality indicator. </div>
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If the dot of the letter is situated high above the base it suggests the writer has a great imagination. </div>
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If the dot is close to the base, they are organised and empathetic. </div>
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Procrastinators tend to dot their 'i's and 'j's to the left of the base letter, while child-like personality types will draw their dots as circles.</div>
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<img alt="People who place heavy pressure on the pen when they write, which can cause darker, thicker handwriting, are good with commitment and taking things seriously but don't respond well to criticism." class="blkBorder" height="338" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/07/29/article-2380858-1B0D83ED000005DC-759_306x338.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="306" /></div>
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<img alt="If someone writes quickly they are impatient and dislike delays or time wasters, and slower writers are more methodical and self reliant." class="blkBorder" height="338" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/07/29/article-2380858-1B0D8415000005DC-831_306x338.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="306" /></div>
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People who place heavy pressure on the pen when they write, which causes darker, thicker handwriting are good with commitment and taking things seriously. Light-handed writers tend to be empathetic and sensitive but lack vitality. If someone writes quickly they are impatient while and slower writers are more methodical </div>
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Slashes used in the place of dots mean the writer doesn't have patience for inadequacy or are overly self-critical and are annoyed by people who don't learn from their mistakes. </div>
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Long crosses on 't's suggests someone who is determined and enthusiastic, but also stubborn. Short crosses tend to be written by someone who is lazy. </div>
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People who write rounded letters are more creative and artistic while pointed letters are a sign of aggression or intelligence. Connected letters mean the writer is logical.</div>
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When people write the letter 'o' with a loop or hole at the top of the letter, it means they are talkative and sociable, while closed 'o's indicate someone who is private.</div>
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Similarly, a rounded lowercase 's' means the writer is a people pleaser, but if the rounded bottom is too wide it suggests they may not be following their heart either in their career or other pursuits. </div>
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People who place heavy pressure on the pen when they write, which can cause darker, thicker handwriting, are good with commitment and taking things seriously but don't respond well to criticism. </div>
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Light-handed writers tend to be empathetic and sensitive but lack vitality. </div>
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<img alt="Illegible signatures, left, are a sign that the writer is private and hard to read. More legible signatures, right, are a sign of confidence" class="blkBorder" height="286" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/07/29/article-2380858-1B0D8404000005DC-463_634x286.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="634" /></div>
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Illegible signatures, left, are a sign that the writer is private and hard to read. More legible signatures, right, are a sign of confidence</div>
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<img alt="If handwriting slants to the right, the writer is open to new experiences. If handwriting slants to the left, that person tends to keep themselves to themselves" class="blkBorder" height="362" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/07/29/article-2380858-1B0D840D000005DC-964_306x362.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="306" /></div>
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If handwriting slants to the right, the writer is open to new experiences. If handwriting slants to the left, that person tends to keep themselves to themselves</div>
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If someone writes quickly they are impatient and dislike delays or time wasters, and slower writers are more methodical and self reliant. </div>
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The graph also claims that a person's health can be identified from their handwriting, for example, people with high blood pressure tend to have writing that is sometimes heavy and dark, and at other times light. </div>
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Schizophrenics tend to have writing that switches direction in the way that it slants, between left and right, and this is supposedly a sign of a person 'not having continual contact with reality'. </div>
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One of the symptoms of Parkinson's Disease is very small cramped handwriting, known as micrographia. </div>
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Handwriting with heavy pressure is also a sign of high energy levels, whereas light pressure is a sign of tiredness. </div>
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In other tests, writing the capital letter 'I' much larger than other capitals is usually written by someone who is arrogant and have a high opinion of themselves. </div>
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Writing that changes dramatically over the course of a text is symbolic of lying.</div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><br />Read more: <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2380858/What-does-handwriting-say-Study-finds-5-000-personality-traits-linked-write.html#ixzz33ApVJgdp" style="color: #003399; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2380858/What-does-handwriting-say-Study-finds-5-000-personality-traits-linked-write.html#ixzz33ApVJgdp</a><br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So now that you've read through the basics, was the information spot on? I'd like to hear what you guys thought.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03294255463154334771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5299486331412947000.post-38581931915536176362014-05-27T22:18:00.004-07:002014-05-27T22:20:01.039-07:00Preview: Escape<div style="text-align: center;">
This is the preview to the second book in the Vidarian Chronicles called<span style="font-size: large;"> <b>Escape</b></span>. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
The first book is called Arranged, the overview for that one is <a href="http://theamusedmusingsofawriter.blogspot.com/2014/03/arranged-vidarian-chronicles-book-1.html">here</a>.</div>
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<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%;"><b>CHAPTER ONE</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> Adrenaline coursed through Kiara’s
veins with such intensity her hands trembled on their own accord. She stifled
her labored breathing and prayed that she would not be found. This idea had
been foolish…and dangerous; she could see that now, now that it was too late,
now that she had been spotted. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> By breaking a simple rule, she had
placed herself and those she loved dearly in very real danger.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">With
that thought, Kiara smashed herself into the dirty brick wall, trying to make
herself smaller, willing herself to become one with the shadows. She could feel
the harsh brick biting into her back, but pressed even harder. Her eyes flit to
the dark night sky and she thanked the heavens for the cloud cover that allowed
her to disappear into the darkness; if not for that, the moon would be showing
like a spotlight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Footsteps.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Her
heart leapt with fear, someone was coming. <i>Is
it him?</i> she wondered. <i>How could he
have found me so quickly?</i> She was a fast runner, very fast; however, he had
one thing on his side, she didn’t know the city. She was completely out of her
element surrounded by buildings and brick.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The
footsteps drew closer then she distinguished another set of much lighter,
quicker footsteps joining the first. Kiara eyed the gaping mouth of the alley
with dread, wishing the wall of the building she was pressed against would open
up and swallow her whole.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The
muscles in her legs quivered, urging her to run, but she knew that movement
would only draw attention. Her safest play was to remain still. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">She
pulled in a deep breath to calm herself and immediately regretted it. The
alleyway was filthy and smelt strongly of rotting garbage and human waste.
Ignoring the taste of it in her mouth, she tried desperately to concentrate
over the pounding of her heart in her ears to listen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">There
was no way that man would be able to find her in the shadows; her dark skin was
designed for camouflage, her mind continued to try to reassure her. Then she
saw a muzzle come into view. She stopped breathing, hoping they would move on
by.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Attached
to the muzzle was a furry face. Kiara remembered being told a story about the
creature from her mother when she was much younger. It was called a…dog?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The
dog continued walking into view, being controlled by a tether; a man held the
tether and Kiara eyed the pair wearily. This was not the man that spotted her
the first time; so despite her circumstances, she relaxed a little.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Then
the dog lifted its nose into the air and sniffed. Tension made Kiara stiff. <i>Will he smell me over the filth of the
alley?</i> In her mind, she urged him onward, biting her lip to keep calm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The
animal paused, its master grunting with annoyance as he tugged at the leash.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">At
that moment, the dog turned its face toward the dark alleyway and began
growling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Kiara’s
throat went dry as she watched its hackles stand on end. Perhaps if she
remained still she would not be discovered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The
dog lowered itself slightly, growling louder and pulling back its lips to
reveal sharp, white teeth. It took a few quick steps forward, straining against
its tether and barking loudly. The sound echoed through the alley, resounding
to sound a hundred times louder than it was.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“Who’s
down there?” the owner called out. Kiara could hear the nervous quiver under
the loud show of bravado; the man was nervous. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Nevertheless,
he was human and Kiara couldn’t chance being seen by another. Finally, she gave
into the tension coiled in her muscles and turned to run the opposite
direction. The dog barked angrily, obviously not understanding what she was. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Kiara
clung to the shadows and ran as fast as she dared. The human began to tug at
the tether. “C-come on boy,” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">She
kept one eye on them and the other searched the dead end for a door or anything
she could use to defend herself. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Her
eyes skimmed across the filth-coated ground. There was a large container with
bags of smelly garbage overflowing out of it; a few bags were split open,
garbage littering the ground and filling the air with another layer of stench.
The trash bin was hardly tall enough to help her scale the wall, even with her
superior bound. A pile of cloth lay beside the dumpster.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">As
she drew closer, the pile suddenly shifted and she bit back a scream as a
withered hand came into view. She quickly backed into the shadows, trying to
ignore the smell of putrid waste that threatened to suffocate her. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The
man in the pile of cloth shifted again and she heard a haggard cough. Desperately,
her eyes skimmed the wall again; there was no way out but the way she’d come.
She was trapped by humans at both ends.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“Who’s
there?” the coughing sounded again. “I don’ want no trouble.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">She
watched the hand disappear into the pile, only to be replaced by the whole arm
and shoulder. He was coming out!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Kiara
dashed around the corner, praying that the dog was gone. To her relief, the
alley was clear. She sighed shakily, knowing she wasn’t out of danger yet. The
man from the park had spotted her and given chase and he was still out there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">If
there was one thing she knew for sure, it was that she couldn’t stay in this
alley; she’d be trapping herself with no exit and making herself easy prey. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Creeping
to the mouth of the alleyway, her violet eyes cautiously peered around. The
cobble streets were dark; only a few street lanterns glowed, breaking up the
shadows at planned intervals. She saw no one around, not even the man and his
dog. The buildings surrounding her remained quiet and loomed above her like
sleeping giants.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">She
peered fearfully. Would someone spot her from above if she ran? That was a
chance she’d have to take. She needed to get out of the city and back into the
forest. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Quieter
than a whisper, she slid out of the alleyway. Now, she was grateful for all of
the dance training she’d had that taught her to be light on her feet. Back at
home, she had grumbled at the thought of endless hours practicing the same
moves over and over. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">She
dipped carefully into the shadows, gulping in a huge lung-full of clean air.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">At
that moment, a trio of men with lanterns stepped around the block corner. Kiara
froze. She recognized the man in the lead. Even in the dark, his broad
shoulders and long bushy beard gave him away, the man from the park!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">As
silently as she could, Kiara moved to slip behind a bush for cover. However, as
if he were watching the shadows, the broad shouldered man zeroed in on her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“There!”
he said quickly, pointing directly at her and without pause, the trio began to
run. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">All
thoughts of secrecy forgotten, Kiara darted down the street. People could
explain away seeing a “creature” in the night, but if she were caught, her
entire race would be in danger of being hunted down until they were all killed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Humans
had a way of destroying what they didn’t understand; it happened out of fear
mostly. Kiara thought back to the gruesome history of her people and knew just
how violent humans could be.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">She
padded quickly down the sidewalk, thankful for the dimly lit streets because
some coverage was better than none. The sound of the three men charging after
her resounded through the air. Their breathing was becoming labored as they
tried to keep up with her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Kiara
not only had a head start, but she was used to moving around quickly as she
flowed with the movement of the street, instead of pounding against it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">She
tore around a corner and nearly slammed into an elderly couple. The woman
gasped as she was nearly trampled. The man adjusted his glasses, but by then,
Kiara was already ducking around the next corner. Her chest heaved as she
looked desperately for a place to hide. The street was bare, therefore
providing her with no cover. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">As
a last resort, she climbed up a thin tree and pulled herself into the branches,
trying to camouflage herself in the leaves. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The
tree was hardly any help to hide her; she had to do something. Forcing herself
to concentrate around her frazzled nerves, she willed the tree to listen to her
and bend. Normally, she was much kinder to nature when she wanted something
done, but time was of the essence. She flexed her jaw as the tree began to
groan and bend its branches around her to help shield her from the street
below. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">When
Kiara opened her eyes, she was more out of breath than before; nevertheless,
she was better hidden. She hoped that the men would be so busy running that
they would simply pass her by.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">She
could hear their footsteps pounding the sidewalk. The sound echoed off the
surrounding buildings. It was a miracle that no one had come out of their
houses, with all this noise.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">They
appeared below her and she held her breath, her hands gripping the branches
tightly, ready to spring if necessary. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">To
her relief, they continued past, their hard eyes scanning the shadows as they
ran. Kiara didn’t let out a breath until they were well down the block.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Coming
to the city was a horrible idea. If she survived this, her father would punish
her severely. In fact, the entire council would punish her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">She
pushed her thoughts away. Now was not the time to wallow in the consequences,
now was the time to escape.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The
trio had almost reached the corner. How long until they discovered she wasn’t
there? Wasting no time waiting to find out, she slid from her perch quietly.
Her feet touched down and she crept the opposite way of them. The elderly couple
had gone, probably deciding there was too much excitement tonight for them. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Kiara
darted back the way she had come. She hated backtracking, but the men hunting
her were headed the other way. As she rushed past the alley she had hidden in,
she shuddered at the thought of the dirt and grime. <i>Humans are disgusting.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Hurrying
past the alley, careful to stick to the shadows, she peered around the block
corner.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">No
one in sight. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Hope
began to bloom. Maybe she could get herself out of this mess.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">All
of a sudden, a dog barked in the apartment above her. She nearly jumped out of
her skin then clung tightly to the wall. It barked louder, followed by a light
turning on in the window.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Without
a second thought, Kiara rushed across the cobblestone street, just as the three
men came into view. It seemed they had circled the block. She heard a cry of
triumph as they spotted her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Kiara
picked up her speed, disappearing behind another house. Her eyes darted around
wildly for a place to hide. <i>There</i>! A
block down was the park she had originally hidden in to watch the humans. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Her
heart raced with adrenaline. If she made it to the trees, she would have a
greater chance of disappearing. Giving it everything she had, she pumped her
arms as she breezed through the short alleyway. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Footfalls
sounded behind her. Two sets. A frown stretched over her mouth, <i>wasn’t there three men?</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">She
ignored the thought and kept going. She was only a few yards from the mouth of
the alley. She launched herself over a fallen trash bin and smiled; the humans
wouldn’t stand a chance once she was in the trees.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">She
chanced a glance behind her shoulder. The man with broad shoulders and one of
his cronies weren’t far behind, but Kiara could tell they were tiring fast.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">When
she turned back around, she gasped in surprise. There, at the mouth of the
alley, was the third man, breathing heavily, but blocking her way and trapping
her between the three. By the time she realized what was happening, it was too
late to stop, too late to dodge.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Her
world seemed to slow down as she slammed into him. Immediately, his arms
wrapped around her, securing her. However, her momentum made him lose his
footing and they fell, hard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Kiara
squeezed her eyes shut; her hands flew out to brace herself. The man twisted,
trying to catch himself while keeping a hold of her. As they landed, Kiara
slammed harder into him, her palms skidding painfully into the ground. A grunt
sounded from him as he slammed his elbow into the street. As their bodies
collided, her head knocked hard into his. Pain flashed through her and at that
moment, her heart froze. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">They caught me</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">, she
thought and then her world went dark. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">There's a little teaser for you. The rest of the book is in the works. Let me know what you guys think!</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03294255463154334771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5299486331412947000.post-28573268210854011112014-04-24T00:37:00.001-07:002014-04-24T00:37:22.621-07:00Add a "Soundtrack" to your Story<div style="text-align: center;">
Ever been listening to a song that hits you so deep that you look out the window and pretend that you're in a movie? </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Come on, <b>we all do it!</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Or have you ever watched a dramatic movie and afterwards the scenes keep playing in your head and the soundtrack sticks with you for days?</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Maybe you even think about how you would have ended it differently?</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
These times are best used for your <span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;">writing</span>!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyqEeOh8AMW-c1EHD350u2VR2BE1AgczbeCvWiNOls9nsWoWMToHS17W_p6xkWaq_a6seeVIqkTRkY-kdw-t-ZaXJdkWwafE-NDf-YurmS557EzKcUPvdG99tEJH4cvPyeuDsRH1DM-aMF/s1600/future-technologies-comes-with-music-writing-its-own-tune1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyqEeOh8AMW-c1EHD350u2VR2BE1AgczbeCvWiNOls9nsWoWMToHS17W_p6xkWaq_a6seeVIqkTRkY-kdw-t-ZaXJdkWwafE-NDf-YurmS557EzKcUPvdG99tEJH4cvPyeuDsRH1DM-aMF/s1600/future-technologies-comes-with-music-writing-its-own-tune1.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
It amazes me how much music can affect your <span style="color: yellow; font-size: x-large;">mood </span>day to day. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
The same can be said about writing.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
If I have an adventurous song on with a very energetic beat, I feel like my writing comes out more <span style="font-size: x-large;">pumped up</span> and full of <span style="color: lime; font-size: x-large;">juicy </span>descriptions.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
On the flip-side, if I am writing a heart wrenching scene, I like to listen to <span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">haunting </span>slow songs. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I like to think of this as putting a <span style="font-size: x-large;">"soundtrack"</span> to my story.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I used to write to silence, but now that I've tried music, I find that I can write for longer periods of time without burning out.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;">I'M NEVER GOING BACK TO SILENCE!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Sometimes, I will find the perfect song to what I am writing and will end up playing it on a loop.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I've even...made myself <span style="color: cyan; font-size: large;">cry </span>doing this. Don't judge! haha</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
If you're not already convinced, here's another plus to listening to music while you write, it <span style="font-size: large;">cancels out</span> other noise around you.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Like the lawn mower next-door, the annoying little brother, or the sports channel on in the front room.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Use music to pull you out of <span style="font-size: large;">every day life</span> and take you to another place, one where <span style="color: yellow; font-size: x-large;">YOU </span>control what happens.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
If you have a problem concentrating on writing due to lyrical music, try <span style="color: lime;">classical</span>, or my favorites, <span style="color: red;">soundtrack music</span>.</div>
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You tube, Pandora, iTunes, etc...are full of awesome music of all genres that will help inspire your work.</div>
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If you've never tried it before, <span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;">give it a shot!</span></div>
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What are you waiting for?</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Try adding a "soundtrack" to your story, it just might give you the <span style="font-size: large;">awesome boost</span> you need to make your story <span style="color: yellow; font-size: x-large;">GREAT!</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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Here are a few of my favorite songs to write to:</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: lime; font-size: x-large;">Adventure/Action</span></div>
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Drumming Song- Florence and the Machine</div>
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When I'm Small- Phantogram</div>
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Midnight City- M83</div>
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Do I Wanna Know- Arctic Monkeys</div>
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Elastic Heart- Sia</div>
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Breath of Life- Florence and the Machine </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Intro- The Xx</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Gladiator Soundtrack</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Pirates of the Caribbean Soundtrack</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">Haunting/Love</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
My Love- Sia</div>
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Words- Skylar Grey</div>
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Hymns to the Sea- James Horner (Instrumental)</div>
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Young and Beautiful- Lana Del Rey</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Stay- Rihanna</div>
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Breathe Again- Sarah Barellis</div>
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Origami Crane- Trevor Hale</div>
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Waterfall- Enya (Instrumental)</div>
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The Approaching Night- Phillip Wesley (Instrumental)</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;">Mystery/Dark</span></div>
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Seven Devils- Florence and the Machine</div>
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Loretta Young Silks- Sneaker Pimps</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Hello- Evanescence </div>
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Jack and Sally Montague- Danny Elfman (Instrumental)</div>
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Walk the Rain- Sneaker Pimps</div>
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Sentimentos- Andres Linetzkey (Instrumental)</div>
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<br /></div>
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There's a little bit to get you going. </div>
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If you have songs that you love to listen to while writing, I'd love to hear about them.</div>
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Please comment the name of the song and I'll check it out. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">I love finding new music!</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03294255463154334771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5299486331412947000.post-38553104610321883152014-04-08T04:23:00.002-07:002014-04-08T04:24:59.235-07:00How To Start A Book<div style="text-align: center;">
I've had a few posts about writing, but what about writing with a goal in mind? </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: orange; font-size: x-large;">A book perhaps</span><span style="font-size: large;">?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiagUCrMZIIjO5VqZibZkL3OaKdcwgGWzx1pNBzkOBiuCPbrHNeYtlpD0w_E61IQXpwkwj1807-5sLKe4YLfB1X1ViJHsW6SDyGORRRYU2QQPYHoiHasXJ3kPExASeeZ3k5JsTp9KofdZVp/s1600/writing-novel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiagUCrMZIIjO5VqZibZkL3OaKdcwgGWzx1pNBzkOBiuCPbrHNeYtlpD0w_E61IQXpwkwj1807-5sLKe4YLfB1X1ViJHsW6SDyGORRRYU2QQPYHoiHasXJ3kPExASeeZ3k5JsTp9KofdZVp/s1600/writing-novel.jpg" height="142" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
The thought of writing a book may intimidate people, I don't want to fool you into thinking this is an easy task. It's not, but it's <span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: orange;">worth it</span>!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
The best place I can think to start a book is...wait for it...in your mind! </div>
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Yup, your <span style="color: orange;">imagination </span>is the key factor to get this project going.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: orange; font-size: x-large;"><b>First</b></span>: You need an idea!</div>
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Spend some time in your mind. </div>
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(For some of you, this may be a chaotic and scary place...That's alright, use that!)</div>
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Depending on if you are writing fiction or non-fiction, will factor into how deep into your imagination you need to go.</div>
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Search around in there for ideas, anything, and start writing them down. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
They could be something as simple as "I got a balloon at the park and it guided me on an adventure" to something as complex as "I fell through a portal and it took me to another dimension!"</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
The cool thing about writing your own story is that it's <span style="color: orange; font-size: large;"><b>YOURS </b></span>and the sky isn't even the limit!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: orange; font-size: x-large;">Second</span></b>: Once you've got your idea, start to plot it out.</div>
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I know a few writers who will start with a general story idea, a few character names and a pen and just go to town, making it up as they go until <span style="color: orange;">BOOM</span>, they have a story!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I work the system a little differently. I like to get the general story idea played out in my mind and start to plot things out in a bit of detail. I ,at least, like to write down the main beginning idea, something I want to happen in the middle and a general idea of where I want it to end.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Then I start to look for character names. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
A good place to get interesting names is the <span style="color: orange;">credits </span>of a movie. It sounds weird, but I've done this many times. Or you could go onto Babynames.com and look up random names.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: orange; font-size: x-large;"><b>Third</b></span>: Start writing! Grab a pen and paper or your laptop and go to town.</div>
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Don't worry about editing anything yet, just keep writing until you get to the end.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: orange; font-size: x-large;"><b>Fourth</b></span>: Now that you've finished your first draft (I call it the skeleton), you can go back to the beginning and start fixing things.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
If you're not the best at editing, do your best and then turn it over to someone who knows what they're doing. If you have a friend who writes, that's a good place to start. You can also find students in college who will edit for cheap.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Keep polishing it up (putting some <span style="color: orange;">meat </span>and <span style="color: orange;">muscle </span>on those bones! Now you no longer have just a skeleton)</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: orange; font-size: x-large;"><b>Fifth</b></span>: Keep revising until it is something you are proud of. I've been through a few of my stories 6-7 times and I still don't know if I'll ever catch every grammar or spelling mistake, but the important thing is that I am proud of it.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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<b><span style="color: orange; font-size: x-large;">Sixth</span></b>: Let others read it.</div>
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Yes, this is a scary step. </div>
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Maybe they won't like it...but <span style="color: orange;">maybe they will</span>!</div>
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The best thing to do when someone gives your criticism about your story, is to take note of it and better yourself from it. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Perhaps you are too "<span style="color: orange;">close</span>" to the story to realize a major plot hole that someone else might find. That doesn't mean you're a failure. Grab up that pen and put your thinking cap on.</div>
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<br /></div>
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After all...the story must go on! Haha</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Alright, I've given you all the guidance I know about starting your story. Now it's up to you to go out there and <span style="color: orange; font-size: x-large;"><b>do it</b></span>!</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03294255463154334771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5299486331412947000.post-72963930142864079572014-03-17T17:33:00.002-07:002014-03-17T17:33:19.451-07:00Arranged (Vidarian Chronicles Book 1)<div style="text-align: center;">
What is a writer without anything to show for it. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Earlier posts in my blog introduced my first book, <a href="http://theamusedmusingsofawriter.blogspot.com/2013/11/there-is-no-prince-charming.html">There is no Prince Charming</a>, </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
which has been met with good reviews and many purchases (yay money!) </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Anyway, during this post, I would like to introduce my SECOND book!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: magenta; font-size: large;">ARRANGED</span></div>
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkExNi5J2nJ20Jne6JidWTIdSL-9rLJDBJ2N1nQ-kxPh6xJuK3zzGPccU_d7iiyzjPRxgUGAETjWTRO5NBSP9lVB6YE3fs-ZFKLv3MGmfpz2dQdUNnccTnqAkIh1KA4y6GyzXbP5EsgEpI/s1600/Arranged-Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkExNi5J2nJ20Jne6JidWTIdSL-9rLJDBJ2N1nQ-kxPh6xJuK3zzGPccU_d7iiyzjPRxgUGAETjWTRO5NBSP9lVB6YE3fs-ZFKLv3MGmfpz2dQdUNnccTnqAkIh1KA4y6GyzXbP5EsgEpI/s1600/Arranged-Cover.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkExNi5J2nJ20Jne6JidWTIdSL-9rLJDBJ2N1nQ-kxPh6xJuK3zzGPccU_d7iiyzjPRxgUGAETjWTRO5NBSP9lVB6YE3fs-ZFKLv3MGmfpz2dQdUNnccTnqAkIh1KA4y6GyzXbP5EsgEpI/s1600/Arranged-Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
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<h3 style="border: 0px none; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;">
Overview</h3>
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With an uncle determined to control her life and more importantly, her inheritance by arranging her marriage, Alison Forbush sees no choice but to run from the life she knew.<br />Her rebellion would spark a chain reaction that would not only change her life, but effect an entire kingdom.<br />Discovered, captured and imprisoned by strange creatures that inhabit an underground world where every shadow holds danger, Alison struggles to maintain her independence, especially when their fierce King takes an interest in her.<br />She must ask herself if this strange world could hold everything she'd been looking for or, following her uncles example, was all of this Arranged from the beginning?</div>
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Great read! And not just cause I'm bias. :)</div>
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<br /></div>
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I appreciate your support. I promise you won't be disappointed.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Kindle Edition<span style="font-size: 13px;">: <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/arranged-c-m-ortega/1117397976?ean=2940149594580">http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/arranged-c-m-ortega/1117397976?ean=2940149594580</a></span></div>
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Nook Edition<span style="font-size: 13px;">: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Arranged-Vidarian-Chronicles-Crystyl-Ortega-ebook/dp/B00IZ8SNSA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395102242&sr=8-1&keywords=arranged+crystyl+ortega">http://www.amazon.com/Arranged-Vidarian-Chronicles-Crystyl-Ortega-ebook/dp/B00IZ8SNSA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395102242&sr=8-1&keywords=arranged+crystyl+ortega</a></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03294255463154334771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5299486331412947000.post-47100310900966165272014-03-10T22:38:00.002-07:002014-03-10T22:38:52.144-07:006 Reasons Why Reading Is Critical to Writing<div style="text-align: center;">
As a writer, the best advice I could give is to <span style="color: lime;">READ</span>. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Sounds strange right? </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6UbvSYzvDL9EOwO7IyRSt7375ecB-092DyZi0h_ZNmyQZoh8yrbIzcyC9B3YViVMqfXZRtZEj-RiRHM_Wrb2VX2KIazg2XMx70OLl0s5Woz2ydXcQ1n9AyfPwe2JYrhKLPL0WJeOwdJkH/s1600/library.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6UbvSYzvDL9EOwO7IyRSt7375ecB-092DyZi0h_ZNmyQZoh8yrbIzcyC9B3YViVMqfXZRtZEj-RiRHM_Wrb2VX2KIazg2XMx70OLl0s5Woz2ydXcQ1n9AyfPwe2JYrhKLPL0WJeOwdJkH/s1600/library.JPG" height="211" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Not to say that learning grammar and spelling aren't important or building your characters up, but reading is a critical aspect of writing. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
And I'm not just talking about reading/editing your own stuff either.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I've read a lot of tips on writing and everyone says the same thing, it's important to read.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<u>Here are the reasons why </u></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<u><br /></u></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
1- Reading gives your<span style="color: lime;"> mind a rest</span> from actually writing your story, but allows to you continue to be receptive to inspiration. Struggling with writers block? Take a break and read a book. It usually is enough to get those creative juices flowing again.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
2- As you read, you pick up on <span style="color: lime;">grammar </span>and <span style="color: lime;">vocabulary </span>that you can later use in your own story. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
(I've noticed with my own writing that I do this all the time.) </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
3- As you read, you learn about more <span style="color: lime;">character development</span>. If you feel like you keep repeating the same mannerisms in a character, reading may give you an idea of how to spice things up a bit.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
4- You will begin to mimic the <span style="color: lime;">flow </span>of the stories you enjoy the most, as in the flow of your words in your story. For example, you will have less awkward stops between sentences and learn to portray dialogue in a natural way.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
5- Reading many genres will expand your <span style="color: lime;">creativeness.</span> It is important to keep a constant feed of inspiration coming through, or else you will never grow. You can only recreate yourself so many times before there's nothing left to pull from.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
6- Reading is like taking a vacation, even if you can't afford one. It's a <span style="color: lime;">stress reliever</span> and stress is one of the reasons writers get the horrible disease known as writers block!</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03294255463154334771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5299486331412947000.post-51261714958594859692014-02-27T02:50:00.002-08:002014-02-27T02:50:50.859-08:00Characters<div style="text-align: center;">
I have been writing for about ten years now and there are many things that I have learned during that time. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I've had to practically learn how to use grammar all over again (I didn't really listen in school the first time around).</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I've made up my own shorthand language for when I write longhand at work.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I've learned to take, as well as give, constructive criticism.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
But most of all, I've learned that writing can be unpredictable!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
You may say, "Crystyl, if you're the author, how can your story take you by surprise?"</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
That's a good question, to which I only have one answer...my characters take over!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
If you write fiction, you may know what I'm talking about, but right now I bet a bunch of you are thinking that I'm crazy.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Yes, my characters take over. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Sometimes, it is all I can do to write fast enough to keep up with them!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I'm getting ahead of myself. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
How do characters take over?</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Well, when you write, if you develop a great character (good guy or bad guy, doesn't matter), it is easy to "fall for them". </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
If the character is believable, they become like their own living entity within your mind (like a good friend that you've known for years). You become as attached to them as the reader does, if not more.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
So, I have these "entities" in my mind while I write as well as a general idea of the direction that I'm going to guide them in, but sometimes...they throw a fast one at me!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I will have a dramatic scene worked up in my mind and as I'm writing, suddenly my heroine decides to say something that changes everything. Boom! My imagined scene is shattered, as is all the after affects to go with it.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
But this is not a bad thing. Most of the time, it adds to another layer of the story and works out to be a much cooler idea and conclusion than I had originally planned.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
So, you can see why I like to let them take over (most of the time). </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
When I write, I like to immerse myself into the world of my characters as much as I can. That way I can properly describe surroundings as well as feelings. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Not to mention, it's fun!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
It's like watching a movie (which means my hand is cramping because I'm writing so fast) and I am just as excited as any other audience member to see what happens next.</div>
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So, now my secret is out...I sound nuts.</div>
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haha</div>
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Does anyone else have anything similar happen to them or am I really just looney?</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03294255463154334771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5299486331412947000.post-55469090795283586492014-02-12T23:55:00.001-08:002014-02-12T23:55:12.668-08:00Idea Book<div style="text-align: center;">
Writing ideas on scraps of paper is great, but what happens if you lose that scrap? </div>
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<b><span style="color: red;">Poof</span></b>! Your brilliant novel and movie trilogy idea is gone!</div>
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All right, maybe that is a little dramatic, but if this has ever happened to you, you know that losing a paper with your precious idea on it can be devastating. </div>
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You can try your best to rewrite it, but it wont be the same. :(</div>
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To avoid this, I suggest you start keeping an<b> Idea Book</b>! </div>
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This is also a great idea for those whose imagination is on constant overdrive and there is no way you can write all those <span style="color: red;">gems </span>at one time.</div>
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There are times when I have so many ideas bouncing around in my mind that I feel like a schizophrenic who can't concentrate on any one thing, instead I'm always in my imaginary world because I don't want to lose the cool ideas.</div>
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My mind tends to be like a bucket full of water. If I add another drop, some of the other water falls out. Haha</div>
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To avoid this, I write down my ideas. </div>
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It's like purging the "voices" from my mind. (I really don't have schizophrenia guys) </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb5V_MLfnCBse9nMATJoOqjBtVP_EuYTddIUpKR74crLlS_ALcpboRaY7cbipfEphKjp8IBYp2IdrpTG1OaLEGk3pvLKhWYvyxcGBUFHy7ZTAAHt38P-iLR2QnZlR4xq-8v3PAwSd0xqCX/s1600/42D21D01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb5V_MLfnCBse9nMATJoOqjBtVP_EuYTddIUpKR74crLlS_ALcpboRaY7cbipfEphKjp8IBYp2IdrpTG1OaLEGk3pvLKhWYvyxcGBUFHy7ZTAAHt38P-iLR2QnZlR4xq-8v3PAwSd0xqCX/s1600/42D21D01.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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(This one isn't mine, but it's a good example)</div>
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For my Idea Book, I found a fat notebook with a strong binding so that it could handle lots of rough use. I decorated the front (because I'm like that) and made it something that I wouldn't mind using all the time. I carry it around in my bag.</div>
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Any time I have an idea, I jot it down in there and then I know that it is safe until I have time to look upon it again.</div>
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It's great to have everything in <span style="color: red;">one place</span>. </div>
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If I get a new idea and I think "Hey, this is like one of my other ideas", I can flip through my notebook and find out if my thought is correct or not.</div>
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The Idea Book also helps me when I'm feeling writers block. </div>
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If I'm working on a story and I'm just plain stuck, I turn to my book and write a little more about one of those ideas. </div>
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Sometimes, getting my mind off of what I am writing at the time and looking back through my old ideas is enough to spark my creative juices. </div>
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The book is also a good place to stick <span style="color: red;">photos </span>of something that inspired you. I cut out pictures from magazines all the time. </div>
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Sometimes, visualizing isn't enough. If I see it, I can better describe it in my story.</div>
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It's also really fun to see how many ideas and <span style="color: red;">potential stories </span>I can collect. </div>
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I'm currently a 12! </div>
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Who would have thought that I could think of 12 stories. Granted, not all of them are worked through and plotted out. </div>
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A few of them are just random <span style="color: red;">dreams </span>that I've had and thought "That's make a cool story".</div>
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Also, I keep a list at the back of my book of <span style="color: red;">names </span>that I think are cool. That way, when I write in a new character, I can flip to that page and create an awesome name that will catch the readers eye.</div>
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If you haven't started an idea book, I suggest you do. This can be used for more than just stories. </div>
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Poetry, for example, would make excellent use of an Idea book.</div>
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If you have something similar to this that you keep track of your thoughts in, <span style="color: red;">I'd love to hear about it.</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03294255463154334771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5299486331412947000.post-55840055351986409152014-02-03T23:08:00.000-08:002014-02-03T23:08:02.042-08:00"Wow" Moments<div style="text-align: center;">
Every once in a while, I like to dive into the archives and read back through an old story. </div>
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Sometimes I do it to edit, to find another story idea and other times, I do it to re-inspire myself (If you're ever having writers block, this is a great trick to help battle that).</div>
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There are times when I catch myself reading through my stories as if I had not written it. </div>
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Meaning, I am just as surprised when the characters in the book make certain choices or say things.</div>
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During these times, when I'm lost in the book, I find myself having "wow" moments. For example, I'll be reading a funny part of the book and find myself bursting out laughing; that stops me for a moment and I think "<span style="color: lime;">Wow, I wrote that</span>!"</div>
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The sense of pride that fills me during these moments is great. </div>
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I don't know about you, but as a writer, sometimes I feel like I am just kidding around and that I could never be as good a writer as other authors (you are your worst critic!). </div>
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These "wow" moments seem to seal the deal for me. When I can still impress myself and forget that I wrote what I am reading and just enjoy the story, I know I did a good job and if I can enjoy the book, so can others. </div>
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Let's face it, writing isn't easy...So, if you struggle with being your own worst critic, I suggest you read back through your story. Don't edit it, don't look down to every detail, I'm talking about just reading it, as if you picked up the book from the library and you needed a good read. </div>
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You just might surprise yourself. </div>
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Have any of you had "Wow" moments?</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03294255463154334771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5299486331412947000.post-1906834261000550112014-01-08T23:25:00.000-08:002014-01-08T23:25:21.625-08:00Humble Beginnings<div style="text-align: center;">
I've been writing since I was in high school and when I look back, it makes me laugh at all the things I've written on.</div>
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I'm talking about paper.</div>
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Depending on my occupation was the type of paper I used.</div>
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As a student, notebook paper was my pallet of choice. Then I became a cashier. During any open time I had between customers was spent taking a little advantage of the receipt tape...or a lot of advantage haha</div>
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My next occupation was a CNA, where they had small notepads at hand. </div>
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The different paper that I've collected over the years, come in so many different sizes it makes me laugh.</div>
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It would have been cool to keep all of them and bind them into a strange little book. (Of course I think about this after I've destroyed all of them).</div>
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Alas, when I got home from work, I would type up what I had written and then threw my scraps away.</div>
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For a while, I thought I was the only one to do such a thing. Then I started hearing about other authors, even famous ones who are now some of the richest people in the world.</div>
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The other day there was an article about a 60 year old woman who had been trying to get published for over 7 years. She used to write on scraps as well and now she is a New York Times Bestseller.</div>
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Just goes to show, it doesn't matter how humble your beginnings, your story can become something great.</div>
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Even if I don't become a huge author, I will always have the story to tell where I started out writing long hand on receipt tape.</div>
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I've been writing everything out for so long; I'm pretty sure, ever since I started writing. </div>
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There's something almost peaceful about taking your time to word everything correctly and write it all out. Don't get me wrong, the computer is very easy and my fingers can fly over the keys, but I tend to get so lost in the story that I skip words and lose my place.</div>
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I think it also helps that I have good penmanship. :)</div>
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You can take a piece of paper anywhere. Say you're in line at the grocery store. Instead of loosing yourself in an electronic world, let yourself travel to a world of your own creation where anything could happen.</div>
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Let your pen guide you through the amazon or into an epic battle with swashbuckling pirates. Maybe the cashier is actually a spy, waiting to take someone out, for good.</div>
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Try it, I dare you. If you've never tried your hand at writing, take a scrap and pen and try it. There's no harm in that. You may just surprise yourself.</div>
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Who knows, maybe you're the next J.K.Rowling, who by the way, wrote on napkins at her waitress job!</div>
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Does anyone else have strange things that they write on? If so, comment below, I'd love to hear about it. :)</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03294255463154334771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5299486331412947000.post-46852945264893713782013-11-28T01:08:00.001-08:002014-03-17T17:14:21.283-07:00There is no Prince Charming!<span style="font-family: inherit;">So, a few months ago, I published my first book through ebook called <b>There is no Prince Charming</b>! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">As you can imagine, when it first showed up online, I did a happy dance for at least an hour. And then I repeated that dance when I had reached ten downloads. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">When I started writing this story, it was just for fun. Little did I know, it would become so much more!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">One thing I can say for sure, writing takes time and effort. I went through countless drafts and I still feel like it's not perfect (but I'm sure that's my OCD speaking). </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">If you haven't tried writing something from first person, I suggest it. It brings a whole new life to the story and you can add so much of your own spunk and personality to it.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3eFv-qSIridgegg3UnIJnR8QFbGEjEYvYA-YFohAmN1RkdpG40z4FleB4qpVga8aeF0Sn1nkVmDj1WRRXCtIx5wgLIUconhlIcpLqtxx54SLZzmIF-CtAl737CyBZDSqhj8gb8IrWknR9/s1600/Prince+Book+Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3eFv-qSIridgegg3UnIJnR8QFbGEjEYvYA-YFohAmN1RkdpG40z4FleB4qpVga8aeF0Sn1nkVmDj1WRRXCtIx5wgLIUconhlIcpLqtxx54SLZzmIF-CtAl737CyBZDSqhj8gb8IrWknR9/s320/Prince+Book+Cover.jpg" height="320" width="210" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Summary: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Jennifer Carmichael, a lowly secretary and cynical romance novel addict, is ripped form her dull life when she wakes up to find that she is no longer in New York City, but held captive in a fictional world found withing the pages of the strange book she discovered on the subway; a medieval world where women do as they are told and all the men look sexy enough to eat.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Jen's sharp attitude and fierce independence immediately attracts the attention of the Prince. He is everything any woman could ever want, a real Prince Charming. However, things are not always what they seem. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Desperately trying to find her way home, but flung head first into the middle of a brewing way between the King and the Rebellion, Jen must choose what to fight for: the Prince, the People, or her heart.</span><br />
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If you're looking for a good read, look no further than this book. It is sure to entertain you. I can tell you this because it was such a blast to write!<br />
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NOOK LINK: <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/arranged-c-m-ortega/1117397976?ean=2940148861362" style="font-family: inherit;">http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/there-is-no-prince-charming-c-m-ortega/1116309559?ean=2940149594597</a><br />
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KINDLE LINK: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/There-Is-No-Prince-Charming-ebook/dp/B00EBE8MFG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1385628695&sr=8-1&keywords=there+is+no+prince+charming">http://www.amazon.com/There-Prince-Charming-Crystyl-Ortega-ebook/dp/B00IZGDBFW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395101569&sr=8-1&keywords=there+is+no+prince+charming</a></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03294255463154334771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5299486331412947000.post-34001433568305300692013-11-28T00:40:00.001-08:002013-11-28T00:40:46.020-08:00Free Write<div style="text-align: center;">
Sometimes the thought of writing overwhelms people and they give up before even trying. I'll admit, there are times when it gets overwhelming and writing isn't for everyone; however, like any new skill or job, you learn as you do.</div>
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Just today I was thinking about an activity that I used to do in my creative writing class and thought to share it with you. </div>
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The exercise is called Free Writing.</div>
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It helped me learn to listen to the voice in my head (or voices haha).</div>
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The basic idea is, set yourself an allotted amount of time, for example: ten minutes. Grab a pen and paper and start writing. Write for the entire ten minutes. </div>
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Start writing about the first thing that pops into your mind, doesn't matter what it is, just write it and keep writing. Your mind will go off on rabbit trails, write those too. </div>
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The idea of free write is to write your thoughts and then later you can go back and read them and see how far off the original subject you've gotten. I've done this a few times and every time I laugh because it's so random.</div>
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Sure, Free Writing may not help you get a book published or anything, but it's a fun exercise to get you into a flow. Sometimes, we hear our inner voice so often that we ignore it. Well your mind is bursting with creativity that is just waiting to be <b>unleashed</b>!</div>
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This exercise is mostly for fun, and you can just throw the paper away when your done, or you can keep it. It's up to you. </div>
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This is also a good activity if you've been struggling with writers block. Perhaps taking a step away from your project for a moment and writing about something else is enough to kick start your creative juices.</div>
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Anyway, there you go. If you do this exercise, let me know what you thought about it. </div>
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Happy Writing!</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03294255463154334771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5299486331412947000.post-50445152985424783872013-11-16T11:03:00.001-08:002013-11-16T11:03:27.852-08:00What is writing all about anyway?<div style="text-align: center;">
When I was a kid, writing meant an hour in English class learning the most boring subject known to man-kind, grammar. In my mind, I could think of a million better things to do with my time than study how little dashes or dots can change the flow of a sentence.</div>
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Little did I know, all those dashes and dots would become important to me. </div>
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During my junior year in high school, my English teacher gave us an assignment to write a short story. Deciding to write mine about a girl who gets abducted by creatures and taken underground, my short story became a longer story and longer still.</div>
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I turned in the first few chapters to my teacher and kept writing the rest for my personal entertainment.</div>
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This would be the spark that would change history as we know it...ok, maybe that was a little dramatic, but it did change the way I looked at writing.</div>
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Not to say that I'm a professional now, no way! I'm still learning. However, I do wish that I would have listened in class when we were learning about grammar, because I had to learn all those rules all over again (which was a pain).</div>
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That short story became a full fledged book and I'm proud to announce that it was published this month!</div>
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Since high school, I've written 5 books and have two of them published. </div>
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If you would have told me when I was a kid that I would be looking into writing as a career, I would have rolled my eyes at you, claiming I barely knew how to spell.</div>
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That may have been true at the time, but now that I write, I look at the world in a whole new light.</div>
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Inspiration lies behind every corner. </div>
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There is no better feeling than creating your own world where you can manipulate your characters to live out different situations such as: fall in love, fight in a war, become afraid, enjoy themselves, lose themselves and find themselves.</div>
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If you've never tried your hand at writing, I will give you the same homework that started me down this path, write a short story. I doesn't have to be long. Try writing three pages, just three and see where that leads you.</div>
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If you accept this challenge, I would love to hear about it. Comment below and tell me your ideas!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03294255463154334771noreply@blogger.com0