I planned on setting up automatic posts for this week, but the weekend got a little crazy. I'll be out of town in the swamps of Loo'siana for the next few days. So as long as I don't end up gator-bait, I'll see you all next week!
~VK
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Monday, August 9, 2010
Friday, August 6, 2010
Feelin' Lucky Friday!
Ashley over at "Books Obsessions" made my Friday a lot easier by posting a few book giveaways. Check it out!
And "Adventures in Children's Publishing" has a nice Contest & Giveaways section on this exhaustive wrap-up post.
Last, but certainly not least, is a massive query critique contest sponsored graciously by Joanne Volpe as part of WriteOnCon next week! Should be an amazing couple of days!
Good luck and have a great weekend!
~VK
And "Adventures in Children's Publishing" has a nice Contest & Giveaways section on this exhaustive wrap-up post.
Last, but certainly not least, is a massive query critique contest sponsored graciously by Joanne Volpe as part of WriteOnCon next week! Should be an amazing couple of days!
Good luck and have a great weekend!
~VK
Thursday, August 5, 2010
The Crazy-Filled Center of My Brain
People often ask me where I come up with my ideas, or how I have so many ideas, or what the hell is that crazy idea all about?
The truth is, I don't know. Sometimes it's just a spark from an environmental clue. A couple of posts ago I talked about an evening spent observing people at a mechanic's shop and letting those observations work their ways into a cohesive story. My current WIP was completely kickstarted by an ad for a watch that had no second, minute or hour hands. It just had a metal ball that rolled around a circular groove to tell time. From that simple advertisement, an entire parallel world was born, complete with characters that sprung out of my head like a Greek god.
Sometimes, like today, I just get odd thoughts. I was sitting in a meeting at work (and let me just say: the more boring the activity, the freer the creative mind!) and I got this sudden feeling. The feeling was "Fall" or "Autumn" if you prefer. I don't know any other way to put it. One minute we're discussing a production order and the next, my mind is full of footballs and raked piles of leaves and tailgates and crisp breezes and jack o'lanterns and earthy tones. No idea where it came from, but it was very pleasant.
I'm sure you've all had cravings and yearnings. They come out of nowhere! It could be chocolate or pickles, maybe it's that favorite movie you haven't seen in years or it's a friend you suddenly have to call. Cravings tend to be food related. Yearnings tend to be people related. (Am I missing any others?) So I thought, what could I call the feeling of Fall? Why, a Seasoning of course!
After I'd experienced my first ever "seasoning" (and once I stopped laughing at the name I'd given it) my brain rolled into full-ahead creative mode. Long story short, I ended up with a title of "Drive-By Seasonings," a story about a motorcycle-riding Grandma who shows up unannounced to salvage last minute culinary disasters. I pictured a Thanksgiving meltdown worthy of a National Lampoon spin-off movie, saved by a "Mrs. Doubtfire meets Gordon Ramsey" character.
Bizarre, right? And it'll probably never in a million years be written to completion. But I never know, so I write it down. It doesn't hurt to write down your craziest ideas. One of them might be the one to hit it big. Or, years later when I look back over my scattered pages of random story ideas/notes, I'll just laugh and wonder what the hell I was thinking!
~VK
The truth is, I don't know. Sometimes it's just a spark from an environmental clue. A couple of posts ago I talked about an evening spent observing people at a mechanic's shop and letting those observations work their ways into a cohesive story. My current WIP was completely kickstarted by an ad for a watch that had no second, minute or hour hands. It just had a metal ball that rolled around a circular groove to tell time. From that simple advertisement, an entire parallel world was born, complete with characters that sprung out of my head like a Greek god.
Sometimes, like today, I just get odd thoughts. I was sitting in a meeting at work (and let me just say: the more boring the activity, the freer the creative mind!) and I got this sudden feeling. The feeling was "Fall" or "Autumn" if you prefer. I don't know any other way to put it. One minute we're discussing a production order and the next, my mind is full of footballs and raked piles of leaves and tailgates and crisp breezes and jack o'lanterns and earthy tones. No idea where it came from, but it was very pleasant.
I'm sure you've all had cravings and yearnings. They come out of nowhere! It could be chocolate or pickles, maybe it's that favorite movie you haven't seen in years or it's a friend you suddenly have to call. Cravings tend to be food related. Yearnings tend to be people related. (Am I missing any others?) So I thought, what could I call the feeling of Fall? Why, a Seasoning of course!
After I'd experienced my first ever "seasoning" (and once I stopped laughing at the name I'd given it) my brain rolled into full-ahead creative mode. Long story short, I ended up with a title of "Drive-By Seasonings," a story about a motorcycle-riding Grandma who shows up unannounced to salvage last minute culinary disasters. I pictured a Thanksgiving meltdown worthy of a National Lampoon spin-off movie, saved by a "Mrs. Doubtfire meets Gordon Ramsey" character.
Bizarre, right? And it'll probably never in a million years be written to completion. But I never know, so I write it down. It doesn't hurt to write down your craziest ideas. One of them might be the one to hit it big. Or, years later when I look back over my scattered pages of random story ideas/notes, I'll just laugh and wonder what the hell I was thinking!
~VK
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Punctuation Celebration: Ze Umlaut!
So you've probably heard about or seen or maybe even read Stieg Larrson's "Millennium Trilogy." (It's definitely on my "to be read" list.) If you're familiar with it, then you've probably seen this fella around: ö
"Is that a surprised omg emoticon?" you ask. No! It's an example of today's Punctuation Celebration! Mr. Umlaut was kind enough to stop by the office and answer a few questions, with the assistance of his interpreter.
*The following should be read in a stereotypical Swedish-ish accent:
I know you're very busy with your world tour, but do you think you could answer a few questions?
Ya, that would be just fine.
Should I call you Herr Diaeresis or Trema or do you prefer something else?
Herr Diaresis is my father. I've tried to get away from that name all my life, sounds like an intestinal disorder. Just call me Umlaut.
OK Umlaut, so tell us a little bit about yourself?
Oh alright. Well I was born in Germany. I lived there for a while but eventually traveled all over the world. Everywhere I go people treat me just wonderfully. Except the Americans, they threw me out of their language and insist on pronouncing me with a terrible German accent.
Well I apologize for that.
It's quite alright. I've found a lovely home in Sweden. They try to work me into every single one of their words.
Speaking of Sweden, how is the Millennium Trilogy tour going?
Oh it's just wonderful. Mr. Larrson's books have been great for my popularity. Over 30 million copies sold! Just think, there are billions of little Umlauts just like me out there all over the world!
Umlaut, do you think I could have your autograph?
Of course, here ¨
Is that it? It looks like a vampire bite...
I know! It's wonderful, the Twilight kiddies just love it. I'm the most popular punctuation in the world!
Well I don't want to hold you up any longer. Mind if I ask a few closing questions?
Go right ahead.
What's your favorite brand of ice cream?
Häagen-Dazs, obviously.
Oh, of course. And your favorite band?
It's a toss up between Mötley Crüe and Spın̈al Tap.
How are things with your ex-wife, Schwa?
We don't get along very well. We're in a custody battle for the kids... [mumbles to interpreter] We have no comment on that at this time.
Well, thank you very much for visiting with us today. Good luck on the rest of your tour!
*If you giggled at this, then check out Nora Ephron's "The Girl Who Fixed the Umlaut" in the New Yorker!
~VK
"Is that a surprised omg emoticon?" you ask. No! It's an example of today's Punctuation Celebration! Mr. Umlaut was kind enough to stop by the office and answer a few questions, with the assistance of his interpreter.
*The following should be read in a stereotypical Swedish-ish accent:
I know you're very busy with your world tour, but do you think you could answer a few questions?
Ya, that would be just fine.
Should I call you Herr Diaeresis or Trema or do you prefer something else?
Herr Diaresis is my father. I've tried to get away from that name all my life, sounds like an intestinal disorder. Just call me Umlaut.
OK Umlaut, so tell us a little bit about yourself?
Oh alright. Well I was born in Germany. I lived there for a while but eventually traveled all over the world. Everywhere I go people treat me just wonderfully. Except the Americans, they threw me out of their language and insist on pronouncing me with a terrible German accent.
Well I apologize for that.
It's quite alright. I've found a lovely home in Sweden. They try to work me into every single one of their words.
Speaking of Sweden, how is the Millennium Trilogy tour going?
Oh it's just wonderful. Mr. Larrson's books have been great for my popularity. Over 30 million copies sold! Just think, there are billions of little Umlauts just like me out there all over the world!
Umlaut, do you think I could have your autograph?
Of course, here ¨
Is that it? It looks like a vampire bite...
I know! It's wonderful, the Twilight kiddies just love it. I'm the most popular punctuation in the world!
Well I don't want to hold you up any longer. Mind if I ask a few closing questions?
Go right ahead.
What's your favorite brand of ice cream?
Häagen-Dazs, obviously.
Oh, of course. And your favorite band?
It's a toss up between Mötley Crüe and Spın̈al Tap.
How are things with your ex-wife, Schwa?
We don't get along very well. We're in a custody battle for the kids... [mumbles to interpreter] We have no comment on that at this time.
Well, thank you very much for visiting with us today. Good luck on the rest of your tour!
Adjö så länge.
*If you giggled at this, then check out Nora Ephron's "The Girl Who Fixed the Umlaut" in the New Yorker!
~VK
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
The People You Meet
Inspiration can strike anywhere. I'm amazed by people who have true writer's block, because I've never gone a day without experiencing some sort of inspiration. It could be passing a strange billboard or something that annoys me during the commute or just the way a person is dressed or talking that day. It's all around us!
So yesterday as I was sitting at my local Pep Boys for some unscheduled vehicular maintenance, I had little else to do but wait and be inspired. And boy was I!
Nothing spectacular happened, just those day to day events that people take for granted, the countless little interactions among people that no one pays attention to. The way the guy at the counter answered the phone and talked with customers, the way the mechanics talked to each other, the customers interacting with everyone else, pretty interesting stuff if you ask me.
Then, while I was getting some awful fake Mexican food at the Qdoba across the street, this random guy started talking to me. Turns out his car was in the shop too and he'd also come over to kill time and his taste buds. Guy's name was Terry. In the few minutes that I talked to him, I learned that he bought a Volvo (the one that was in the shop) after a car accident wrecked his other vehicle, that the Volvo had 220,000 miles on it, that he served in Vietnam for 2 yrs teaching soldiers who couldn't read, which got him interested in education. So Terry did his undergrad at Penn St and his grad work at Pitt. Then he worked at a prison in Ohio and started an accredited program for inmates there. Then he took up pottery and ended up finding work doing terra cotta restoration for buildings in Pittsburgh. (This is why I remember him as Terry "Potter" or the Terry cotta warrior...)
You can probably tell that Terry was a talker and was really interested in telling his story (not so much listening to mine. And he was probably trying to pick me up, which failed for a vast number of reasons.)
Point is, the night would have been far less interesting without these interactions, especially the conversation with Terry. Last night's events may find their way into a short piece of fiction, possibly submitted by myself to Glimmer Train's upcoming round. Hopefully they'll find Terra Cotta Terry as interesting as I did!
~VK
So yesterday as I was sitting at my local Pep Boys for some unscheduled vehicular maintenance, I had little else to do but wait and be inspired. And boy was I!
Nothing spectacular happened, just those day to day events that people take for granted, the countless little interactions among people that no one pays attention to. The way the guy at the counter answered the phone and talked with customers, the way the mechanics talked to each other, the customers interacting with everyone else, pretty interesting stuff if you ask me.
Then, while I was getting some awful fake Mexican food at the Qdoba across the street, this random guy started talking to me. Turns out his car was in the shop too and he'd also come over to kill time and his taste buds. Guy's name was Terry. In the few minutes that I talked to him, I learned that he bought a Volvo (the one that was in the shop) after a car accident wrecked his other vehicle, that the Volvo had 220,000 miles on it, that he served in Vietnam for 2 yrs teaching soldiers who couldn't read, which got him interested in education. So Terry did his undergrad at Penn St and his grad work at Pitt. Then he worked at a prison in Ohio and started an accredited program for inmates there. Then he took up pottery and ended up finding work doing terra cotta restoration for buildings in Pittsburgh. (This is why I remember him as Terry "Potter" or the Terry cotta warrior...)
You can probably tell that Terry was a talker and was really interested in telling his story (not so much listening to mine. And he was probably trying to pick me up, which failed for a vast number of reasons.)
Point is, the night would have been far less interesting without these interactions, especially the conversation with Terry. Last night's events may find their way into a short piece of fiction, possibly submitted by myself to Glimmer Train's upcoming round. Hopefully they'll find Terra Cotta Terry as interesting as I did!
~VK
Monday, August 2, 2010
Urgent Message from Author Erica Orloff
Came across this post on "In Search of Giants" and thought it needed immediate re-posting. If I'm lucky enough to place in the Clarity of Night contest, I'll be donating the prize to the cause. If not, I'll find another way!
~VK
~VK
Distillation
Adventures in Children's Publishing has the usual weekly wrap-up of writerly goodies.
Pimp My Novel has an extra special MONTHLY review, featuring July, the summeriest of months.
And Nathan Bransford's usual weekly summary. Lots of exciting e-pub/e-book/e-reader/e-verything news lately. Plus a second helping of Jane Austen's Fight Club, even though I'm not supposed to talk about it...
Finally, we're only about a week out from WriteOnCon so get familiar!
~VK
Pimp My Novel has an extra special MONTHLY review, featuring July, the summeriest of months.
And Nathan Bransford's usual weekly summary. Lots of exciting e-pub/e-book/e-reader/e-verything news lately. Plus a second helping of Jane Austen's Fight Club, even though I'm not supposed to talk about it...
Finally, we're only about a week out from WriteOnCon so get familiar!
~VK
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