Writerly Wednesday ~ Do you Writeoncon?

Happy Wednesday, everyone!!!

Well - I've been busy with a little event this week...  Umm, maybe you've heard of it?

Yeah - it's AWESOME!!  If you haven't been by - I HIGHLY encourage you to check it out HERE.  Even if you don't participate in any of the live events/forums, there's a plethora of queries, 1st 250 words, 1st 5 pages critiques going on.  Industry agents are EVERYWHERE!  It's so interesting to see what everyone thinks.  What new story idea are out there.  What agents like and why. 

If you struggle with querying or the beginnings of your novels - maybe there's some agent-picks posted that will give you an idea of what you can try to make it better?  As I said - a plethora of writerly goodness at Writeoncon.  Check it out.  Stat!  :)  Must run now - more Writeoncon-ing to do!!

Find the Story Friday ~ Bear-ly there?

Happy Find the Story Friday ~ :)

Here's my pic of the week:

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Tip of the Day:  If you happen to be driving through a National Park and you see a bunch of cars off to the side of the road?  PULL OVER!  :)  You just might see something like this.

We had the lucky fortune to catch a mama bear and her cubs strolling along a stretch of road as we drove through Kootenay National Park in British Columbia.  There's a third cub you can't see in this pic (I was driving...my husband and daughter got the better views...), but it was just so amazing to see, in person and (more or less) up close.

And it got me wondering about animals in stories.  Do you have any in yours?  I mention a neighbor's dog in passing in my current WiP, but that's about it.  But, if you think about it...they're kind of everywhere.  Chances are...your MC would run into an animal/bird/fish/etc. at some point.  Right?  :)  Some find the story Friday food for thought.

And with that ~ hope you all have a WONDERFUL weekend!!  I just found out that I get to meet fellow blogger and sister-from-another-mister Donna Weaver at my crit bootcamp tomorrow.  Woo hoo!

Writerly Wednesday ~ Crit Bootcamp!! Hoo-ah! :)

Happy Writerly Wednesday to all my bloggy friends!!  How's it going, today?  Good?  Nice. (yeah, taking a cue from Jag here...)

So ~ I'm participating in a writing workshop this weekend (PUMPED!) put on by my local Precision Editing Group, llc.

I'm just a little excited about it... :)  You know, just a little.  I mean, it's just an editor or two and fellow writers pouring over my first 15 pages for 5 hours.  No big.  

UMMMM - kidding, of course!!  This is an EXCELLENT opportunity and one I will take FULL advantage of!  In case you don't know - I'm a HUGE proponent of workshops, conferences, anything and everything that keeps me and my writing up-to-date and on my toes.  Blogging is also excellent for this.  You guys/gals offer me inspiration and all sorts of writerly goodies on a daily basis.  I <3 you.  :)

But, it's nice to connect with other writers in person, too.  This critiquing bootcamp will be fun!

What about you?  Do you have opportunities like this where you live?  Do you participate?  Do you LOVE it?  Please, share!

And HAPPY WRITING out there today!

Find the Story Friday!! In which I give you some Poutine... :)

Happy Friday, everyone!!

So...clearly, if you're portraying real life in your novels...your characters are going to get hungry from time to time.  You are feeding them, right??

And if your character happens to be in Canada...he/she might enjoy a nice big plate of this:

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POUTINE!!  Nummy...fries, cheese and graaaavvvvyyy... :)

And when you do give your characters a little something to gnaw on...do you think about making it region specific?  Or time specific?  I'm sure a 12th century warrior in a fictional Kingdom would ultimately enjoy a bag of french fries, but...

So, tell me?  How well are you keeping your characters nourished?  Oh, really?  Prove it.  Give me a line from you current WiP/published novel that's all about the food.

And Eat well and prosper this weekend!

Writerly Wednesday - The 5 ESSENTIAL Story Ingredients!!

Again, I stumbled upon an article in Writer's Digest, written by Steven James about the 5 essential story ingredients.  You can (and I HIGHLY encourage you to) read the full article by clicking HERE.  He boils his idea down to this:

Story Trumps Structure

What do you think about that?  Can you throw your ideas of structuring a story with a beginning, middle, and end and/or predetermined plot points and bake a cake instead?  Have I lost you? 

OK, so this story of yours/mine - should have these 5 essential ingredients:

Ingredient # 1:  Orientation

Ingredient # 2:  Crisis

Ingredient # 3:  Escalation

Ingredient #4:  Discovery

Ingredient #5: Change

And like baking a cake....

(source)

We can all start out with the same basic story ingredients, but end up with a wonderful variation of the final product.  Of course - like cake, if you leave an essential ingredient out, the cake falls flat.  Granted - you can tell me that a "recipe" has a beginning, middle, and end.  But, the choices you make with your ingredients are going to have a MUCH bigger impact on your cake/story than the fact that you can follow a recipe from point A. to point C.

Read the article.  It explains these essential 5 ingredients much better than I can.  And then tell me what you think?  Go on ~ I'll wait.  :)

Happy Writerly Wednesday!! 

My Favorite Books-to-Movies Adaptations!

The lovely Madeleine at Scribble and Edit is hosting the Novel Films Blogfest!!   I'll admit - I've slacked a little in putting together my list.  My mind isn't working with me lately.  So, rather than list ALL the movies/tv shows I've seen, based on novels that I've also read - I thought I'd give you my TOP 5:

#1:  Harry Potter (this should be on EVERYONE's list, imho!)

#2: Lord of the Rings - EPIC!  'Nuff said:  (oh, except - can't wait to see what they do with The Hobbit!!!!)

#3:  Stardust - Oh, dear Robert DeNiro...  (a lot of people didn't like this adaptation...or so I hear...but, I loved the film better than the book, personally!)

#4:  The Mists of Avalon - the mini-series didn't really touch the darker/heavier themes of the book, but I still find it enjoyable!

#5: Wicked - Ok, now I know this isn't a film or tv show, BUT it has been adapted to a medium I can VIEW - so it counts!!  Saw this on Broadway in London - LOVED IT!!  The book is A LOT darker - I'll have to say the play wins out for me, but still a must see/must read.

Tell me - what are some of your favorites??? 
And don't forget to check out the link above for Scribble and Edit and check out the other participants.  It might jog your memory about a book or a movie adaptation you've been meaning to read/see!! :)

Find the Story Friday!!! It's all about the Atmosphere....

Happy Friday, everyone!!  I've got another pic for you from the illustrious Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel... :)  It was interesting to read every one's reactions to the other picture I posted last week (if you're into ghosts - please click here).

The "orb" was up for some debate... a speck of dust, instead?  Maybe.  (of course - you haven't seen my pics from the Salem cemetery...in the rain...)  Some said they hadn't heard of ghosts appearing as orbs in pictures.  Really?  I hear that all the time, actually!  :)  And I think everyone missed the creepy face that appears on my  niece's arm.  Oh, yes.  Look closely.  It's there.

But, whether or not the hotel is actually haunted - I have to say that part of its charm is the atmosphere.  There's a certain feel to things/places that make you sit up and take notice.  Is it a joyful place?  Peaceful?  Creepy?

And do you create this appropriate atmosphere in your stories?  If you're writing horror - are you using the right words and descriptors to set the scene?  To get that certain feel?  I sure hope so! 

And that's why I took this pic and decided to post it here today - it's TOTALLY atmospheric!

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Do you agree?  What kind of story does this atmospheric picture evoke in you?  Please share!!

And I hope you all have a fabulous weekend - in your atmosphere of choice!

Writerly Wednesday ~ I have written a fiction novel!!!! (ahem...10 query no-no's)

Happy Writerly Wednesday, all!!! 

I stumbled upon some query NO-NO's as I was trolling through the vast WD if-you-read-this-you-might-like-this links today.  I'm sure these are probably no-brainers, but...just in case... :)

10 things you NEVER want to do in a query (from WD - thank you Ann Rittenberg!):

The ultimate #1:  (hint: it's in the title)   A novel, of course, is fictional by definition

#2:  If you're having trouble reading this...so is the potential agent.

#3: Deer Agent,   (typo = no no)

#4:  --> query continues on page 2.

#5: Sorry, no nuggets of wisdom to start.  Such as "Every step in life we take moves us in a direction."  Wow, really?

#6: "Thanks for your time.  I look forward to hearing from you.  But, only if you contact me between Sept. 5 and Dec. 1 at the following number.  Otherwise, you can e-mail me at this address until 5pm on Wednesdays.  Or call at this # between the hours of 9am and 9:05am on the third Friday of every month.  Thank you."

#7: No generic photocopied letter, please!

#8:  "I worked very hard on this novel."  (Ummm...K.  But, does hard work = great writing?  Maybe...)

#9:  "I know you're busy.  I don't want to take up too much of your valuable time."  (Uh - too late!)

#10:  "My novel will appeal to women in general and since we make up the majority of the population in the world - I will sell a bazillion books!!!"  (do I even need to explain this one?  Seriously.)


Anything you want to add to this list?  :)  Happy Query Writing out there today!!

GUTGAA - First 200 words contest!!

Deana Barnhart's GUTGAA blogfest is coming to a close - thanks so much for hosting, Deana!!  The last challenge/contest is on the first 200 words of your (my) novel.

You may have read this before - but here's the first 200 (or 189) words of my YA Magical Realism novel, THE GLASS PRINCE:

Strange images started to pop in front of my face, as if some phantom turned page after page of a photo album too close to my eyes. I shoved my head back into the chair cushion and scanned the room for this personal-space invader. I wanted to see how he managed to juggle those images in one hand, while whacking me senseless with the other. My head ached something fierce. But, I was definitely alone in the living room. I still heard Mom tinkering in the kitchen. I tried to blink the images and the pain away.

Blink one. The leather chair I curled up in turned into some gaudy four-poster bed.


Blink two. I sat in my chair again.


Blink three. I recognized the white-steel front door. Mom’s ugly dried-flower wreath hung from it.


Blink four. The door changed to a gray plank with a nail sticking out of the middle, and dipped candles on a string hung there.


I clenched my eyes shut and rubbed my temples.


“Mom,” I yelled.


“Honey?” she called back. Her voice sounded small, muffled, as if I had cotton in my ears.

 
 
Feel free to comment!  Or not.  Or just say "hello!"  It's all good ~ :)  Happy Monday, everyone!!

Find the Story Friday!!! Do you believe in Ghosts?

Dun, Dun, Dunnnnnn.....

:)  Happy Friday, all!!

So, on my recent trip to Canada, the fam and I took a drive up to the town of Banff in Alberta.  For my Utah followers, I would have to say that Banff is akin to Park City.  Adorable little resort town in a beautiful setting.  The main draw to Banff, however, is that it is home to one of the world's top ten haunted hotels:  The Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel.

And even if you're not into the whole haunted scene...the hotel is just INCREDIBLE to go and see anyhow.  It was built in the 1880's, it's GRAND (ummm....yeah, thought about staying there a night, but it was $400 a night and that was for the cheap, non-peak season room!!!!!), and heck!  Marilyn Monroe stayed there.  Seriously - they've got pics!

But, I went for the ghosts.  I can't say I'm a 100% believer.  I get the occasional creepy feeling.  I think I might have seen things in the past.  But, still - I've never seen anything move of its own accord.  I've never had an actual apparition float up to me and say "BOO!"  Still...I think my belief stems from my fascination about any supernatural anything and the possibilities that it might all be true. 

So, we went to the hotel.  We strolled.  We took pics.  And a voice recording... :)  Which, I haven't listened to yet...come to think of it.  And here's the one pic I got that might make me a true believer:

I hope you can see what I see.  The picture quality looks so much better on my camera...but, if you look at my niece on the right...big, fat ORB!  And if you look above the orb at her arm...well. 

Tell me - do you see what I see??  What's your best, possible ghost sighting?  Do tell.