Tales From A One Time Chipmunk

Irrational Response

jgkress@hotmail.com — Tue, 20 Dec 11 07:00:00 UT

I have been working on this novel for probably two years, maybe more, but two years with focus certainly. I have reached the climax of the story, the grand showdown, the big battle that all that writing and toil has built too.

And completely stopped writing.

I have a firm idea of what happens next. I know how this battle plays out, at least mostly. The words are there. I just can't bring myself to put them on paper.

Why? Because I'm a screaming coward. I got blindsided by the most irrational hang-up ever. What next? When I finish this, what do I work on next? Do I have any other ideas? Will then be as good?

The answers are, of course, I work on the rewrites or one of a half-dozen short stories ideas, or both. I already have ideas and they are no better or worse than usual.

I know these things. I do. Now I just need a swift kick in the butt so I can get over myself and do the darn writing. Hopefully this post will serve that function.

Back from the Dead

jgkress@hotmail.com — Thu, 3 Nov 11 09:25:00 UT

I'm not exactly a dependable blogger. This is readily apparent from the date of my last post. Then again since I think this is read by all of two people (Hi, Mom!) it hardly matters.

Still, it's a good forum for reflection and basic ranting at the world. Also, if www.magicalwords.net is correct, a great way to get myself in trouble. They have a recent post on cyberbullying and flame wars up that highlights how easy it is to say the wrong thing and unintentionally offend.

I'm good at being opinionated so this is a real danger for me. Not that it's going to stop me, but at least I go into it knowingly.

Today, I should (hopefully) be safe. In honor of NaNoWriMo, which I am not taking part in this year, I thought I'd ruminate on my writing life a little.

I am a short story writer. I like being a short story writer. I find writing a first draft to be amazingly difficult and the short form at least allows me to get to the good part (finishing the draft, revising, a sense of accomplishment) in a reasonable amount of time. Since I am also a lazy procrastinator reasonable is used in a relative sense here.

And every once in awhile a story really sings and I can finish a draft in a few days of a week and that's the awesome part.

The problem is currently I am writing a novel. This is also why I've had little to no time to post here. I know novels are expected of writers, encouraged even, but I never wanted to write one. It's all about the hard parts since that first draft takes two or three forevers. Also, I never had ideas that felt like novels. I'm a minimalist writer and nothing I came up with had the complexity to need to be a novel. My stories came in around 2400 - 2500 words.

Yet here I am.

I can't speak for other writers out there, but I get very little say about what I write. An idea, a character, or a scene will just hijack me and demand my attention. This time it was a character and he's a persistent little bugger. I've tried writing other things, putting his story on hold, quitting writing in despair of ever finishing, and he just will not leave me alone.

So, I am writing a novel and having conceded defeat have actually been diligent, writing most every day as my schedule allows.

Eventually the first draft will be completed, hopefully sooner rather than later. Here's to hoping that the sense of accomplishment scales. If so, there's a lot of good stuff coming right around the bend. `

Holy Hanna, I Have an Outline!

jgkress@hotmail.com — Mon, 23 May 11 14:37:00 UT

I write short stories. My longest completed work, I think, came in at 3500 words. I do not outline, plan, or otherwise prep my stories. I sit down and write them. (Or more often sit down and play Freecell while procrastinating writing.)

And for short stories this is okay. Granted, I tend to have to do major revisions once the story is in place, but I love revising (far more than I enjoy writing, actually) and sorting through ten to twenty pages just isn't all that taxing.

Thing is, I'm writing a novel. I want to make it very clear that this was not a choice. I am a short story writer. I LIKE being a short story writer. I never dreamed of penning the Great American Novel (and assure you I am not doing so now) nor did I ever expect to make a best-seller list. In my wildest dreams I published a story collection or two (which realistically may be harder than publishing a novel.) Everyone told me to be a success I'd need to be a novelist, and to them I claimed to want only to write the stories that came to me, and to maybe one day be able to share them with an audience. Novels were for other, more ambitious people.

Problem is, I still write the stories that come to me, and the one that's taken over my life these days happens to be a novel. Nothing to do but deal with it since the protagonist will not leave me be and seems to murder any rival ideas brave enough to come into view.

So, I am writing a novel. Without the first clue how to do so. This is obvious since a few weeks ago I hit a wall where I realized that a character I thought important had nothing to do while whole other subplots suddenly burst int relevance. Great except I had no idea those subplots existed and they'd been developed earlier not at all.

From there things rapidly spiraled out of control. I wanted to push on and finish a draft, just get it all out then revise like I would a short story.

Yeah, that worked not at all. I kept hitting points where those undeveloped things mattered and it became a more tangled mess with every word.

I despaired, I raged, I tried to quit.

Then I sat down and made a list. It started as a simple review of what had happened in each chapter written to date. Then I added those elements I knew needed to be back-filled. This led to some new bits coming into focus, and I put them in the list too.

Before I knew it I had an outline. I've NEVER had an outline before, barely know what to think of the one I'm staring at now.

Is it helpful? Absolutely. It provides direction, tools for revision, and a clear focus on how to finish my first draft. I no longer feel like I'm drowning.

But, that said, I'm glad I started without it. Because a lot of the things in the outline I never imagined when I started. Only in delving into the world and living with the characters did the pieces start to fall into place. I needed that time to find the full story. Hopefully writers luckier than I get there with a bit less floundering.

Mostly, now I see I have a lot of work to do, and so I should probably get to it rather than procrastinating with this blog post.

Stolen Moments

jgkress@hotmail.com — Wed, 11 May 11 09:49:00 UT

I've been getting more writing done in the last two weeks than the entire last three months, and I barely notice the time it's taken. This is because I have started writing on my lunch break.

Normally, I'd avoided this because it's not an easy way to concentrate, I can't get lost in the writing, etc. But truthfully these are excuses. Yes, it's wonderful when the world falls away and I can be fully immersed in my world, but that doesn't happen whenever I write. Usually it's more staring at a screen and hair pulling than fugue state. And putting off the work until I think I can create that elusive state is just a fancy form of procrastinating.

These 20 - 40 minute bursts are leading to scenes I genuinely enjoy, the novel is moving again, I am excited about the story.

Maybe it's because I feel like I am stealing time to work on it and that adds a level of excitement. I don't know. But, for the moment it's working and that's all I need.

Musings on Balance

jgkress@hotmail.com — Thu, 5 May 11 10:24:00 UT

As I am working, and mostly succeeding, to find a little balance in my life, I find that this same concept perplexes me in regards to writing. Certainly it was a contributing factor to yesterday's rant.

My mother-in-law touched upon the idea of balance in her most recent blog entry (at least it was the most recent when I looked this morning.) In her case, she pondered the balance between drama and plausibility. (It can be found here: http://nancykress.blogspot.com/2011/05/writing-dilemma.html.)

Interestingly, most of the comments fall on the side of greater plausibility, often citing that current YA is a little weak in this area. What fascinated here is two factors; 1) Many of these people commenting are writers; and 2) Few if any can qualify as actual young adults. Therefore, this might be something of a self-selecting set. Most writers I know find themselves frustrated as what they perceive as weak writing becoming majorly popular.

And yet, these stories are selling, so obviously they have something that appeals to writers. Maybe that something is more drama at the cost of plausibility.

I hope not, but I fear it may be so. And this means that as a writer the biggest thing I need to learn to balance are my sensibilities as a writer versus the desires of the most likely readers.

Sadly, this feels a lot like lowering expectations to please the lowest common denominator, an ideology I tend to have issue with when it comes up in any other context.

Realistically, it should be possible to both produce technically well-crafted writing and engaging prose. Ideally this is what constitutes "good" writing. But, there are times when choices need to be made. In Nancy's case (the mother-in-law) it was between plausibility and drama. I imagine this is a common dichotomy as most fiction tries to be believable while acknowledging most of us have relatively undramatic lives. In commercial fiction this can be more of an issue as already the fantastic, such as magic or interplanetary space travel, are presented as matter-of-fact. On the one hand, this means you get a little more leeway with world-building, but, for me, at least, the other hand is that you have to make sure the characters and situations are that much more believable to keep the story plausible. But maybe that's just me.

Related to yesterday's post, my issues were also related to this balance. Basically I felt that the author sacrificed too much plausibility and character depth for romance and, yes, for the sake of the plot, which pivoted on one of the too many men being a bad guy. For me as a reader, the balance was way off.

However, as touched on above, I am a writer. It is possible that my tolerance levels and desires as a reader differ considerably from the mainstream reader, and this book being a bestseller seems to support that hypothesis.

To explore this I read some reviews for this particular novel on Amazon. I found some support for my views on the book and some dissenting opinions. The people that agreed with me tended, by their own omissions, to be adults, though obviously I whether or not they wrote didn't come up.

Most of the positive reviews, and there were lots, came from the age group this book targeted. So, maybe the author did strike the right balance for that audience. Good for the author. However, even a lot of the positive reviews touched on craft or character development issues.

I guess, like everything else, you can't please everyone.

But, if we're going to walk a line, especially with younger readers, I think it's beneficial to aim high. just because they will read poor writing doesn't mean they should have to do so, or that it wouldn't behoove them to see better.

Let's raise the bar a bit and see if we can't bring the lowest common denominator up.

Which is all a bit of a diversion from my main point. As a writer it is necessary to balance many considerations: reader needs vs writer wants, plot vs plausibility, drama vs plausibility, story vs marketability, etc and so on.

So, how do you make these decisions? What elements can't be sacrificed? Is there any good answer? Probably not, but I'd be interested in peoples' thoughts.

YA Fiction Wish Fulfilment

jgkress@hotmail.com — Wed, 4 May 11 13:14:00 UT

I was recently reading a book in a YA urban fantasy series. I will refrain from saying which one as the following rant is largely unflattering.

In this story the main character has a boyfriend. Fine. Romance is a staple of urban fantasy and even more so in the YA variant. Then she has a different boyfriend. Again fine. However, here is where it starts to devolve. Because soon she's got them both: the guy she is dating and the guy she's supernaturally attached to and so considers herself to also be dating.

The love triangle is also a standard trope, and I can buy how she got into this situation. I don't love it, but I can accept it.

Except in the next book she had her two boyfriends and the sexy older man that she's flirting with, and eventually also hooks up with for a relationship. Because apparently every straight male character has to have it bad for her. Did I mention she is the typical over-powered, super-special, yes I'm supernatural but I'm also extraordinary even for that?

In the interest of full disclosure, I'm writing that character too. My werewolf character is exceptional amongst the werewolves. It's not uncommon.

Actually neither of these issues in unusual. But at what point does it cross the line and become ridiculous? I understand that main characters, particularly in YA have to be special. It makes them interesting, creates conflict. These are not bad things.

But, I also think taken to far it strains plausibility and the ability to relate to the character. In the case above, I found myself rolling my eyes at the introduction of guy number three. Yet, I stuck with the story all the way to the middle of the next book. Right up until the flirtation became an actual relationship and the character, who previously felt bad about having two boyfriends suddenly had no problem with having three. Plus got annoyed when boyfriend number seemed jealous and insecure. Mind you this is a guy that knew she already had one other boyfriend and tried to be understanding and that she was actively cheating on with the man Boyfriend Number 1 had a problem with. So basically the main character got mad at her guy for being jealous of someone he had every right to be worried about.

What?

And the worst part was the writing slanted it to make it seem like this was an entirely reasonable point of view. Like, because she had all this extra power she was entitled to have all the guys fawning over her and do whatever made her happy and everyone else had to deal with it.

No. Just no. I can deal with unlikeable protagonists, but not with attempts to make them seem admirable. I stopped reading.

My point here is that in a lot of urban fantasy these tropes happen and I suspect it is both wish-fulfillment on the writer and readers' parts. Most girls, particularly teens (and the large majority of urban fantasy readers are female last I heard) wants to be the one all the guys like. Plus I imagine many of us would love to be able to have it all and feel justified in doing so.

But, I don't think many people actually like that girl. I certainly didn't and it made it hard to care about the rest of the story.

So, I ask again, where is the line? When does a character stray from the balance of interesting and desirable to Mary-Suedom or plain old selfishness? How much romance is enough and how much is self-indulgence?

And, most importantly as I dive back into the novel I am writing, as a writer, how do you recognize that line?

Knocked Off Kilter

jgkress@hotmail.com — Mon, 28 Mar 11 06:37:00 UT

I have not been writing. I have been thinking about writing, revising old stuff, contemplating plot points, and cleaning out the junk room to turn it into a dedicated writing space.

Pretty much everything I can do to convince myself I am still working while not actually doing any of the work. Which is awful because I actually know what happens next in the novel, want to get it on paper, and yet can't seem to bring myself to put my butt in the chair and do the work.

Part of the problem revolves around my insane schedule. I work Monday through Friday from 7am to 6pm (if we count the commute.) On Monday nights and Saturday mornings I have my martial arts class. Tuesday and Wednesday I have standing obligations with friends (I'm a table-top gamer.) Yes, I know I could game less but each of these games includes one friend I never see otherwise. On Tuesdays it's the friend that lives in Buffalo (about an hour and a half away) and on Wednesdays it's the guy that works 2pm to 11pm and so has a schedule completely opposite me except for his days off which are Tuesday and Wednesday. He runs the Wednesday game.

Maybe it's an excuse, but I consider the people I care about a higher priority.

Thursdays are a catch-all day. Sometimes I write, but more often I clean, do laundry, etc. And Friday is date night with my husband.

This leaves very little writing time, especially as the weekends always seem to be crazy for some reason: weddings, family obligations, etc.

But I know that if I tried I could work it in. I could get up earlier in the mornings. Heck, my job is not particularly busy. I could write there in little chunks between the phone ringing. Not ideal but at least something would get done.

But, I'm not. Because for some reason every time I open that word file I suddenly find a half-dozen other things to do. Not goods things. Flash games are not a valid option, but something else.

I'm not sure where this aversion has come from. Granted, I realized recently that there is an entire subplot I will need to add to the novel and that rewrites are going to be extensive. It's daunting. Still, it won't get less so if I ignore it.

Because I'm not giving up on this novel. Not because I'm stubborn, not for the principle of the thing, not even because I think it's a half-decent story and deserves to be told (though I do.) I'm not quitting because I can't. The darn thing haunts me, lingers in the back of my mind, makes me feel guilty for ignoring it.

One of my friends told me if I didn't enjoy it to just stop writing it. Work on something else, or don't write at all.

He's obviously not a writer and fails to understand that it is not so simple, though sometimes I wish it were.

I'm not moving forward and I can't give up. The characters keep talking, the ideas keep poking me, often in the middle of the night while I try to sleep. And they care not if I want no part of it. And since they aren't going away, neither am I.

Currently it's stalemate, but sooner or later something will give. It has to. Just wish I knew what to do to hurry it along.

Kindle, Reading, and the Winter Blehs

jgkress@hotmail.com — Fri, 18 Feb 11 13:07:00 UT

For me, like most with Seasonal Effective Disorder, winter is utterly brutal. I don't like the cold and snow, the pressure changes, the lack of light. Having sinus issues and Fibromyalgia is like adding insult to injury once winter sets in.

But, what I hate most is the apathy. It's not quite depression, not that soul-crushing inability to be happy. It's more an insulating blanket of blah. I want to do things, I want to enjoy them, but everything feels washed out and lifeless. Things I love no longer fill me with joy and I end up in a loop of mindless web-browsing and doldrums.

Even full-spectrum lighting only makes this tolerable, rather than banishing it.

But today the sun is out, the snow is melting, and while I know it's not likely to last, the reprieve has banished the winter glumness for a little bit. Things seem more vibrant or less taxing.

I am thrilled beyond measure even if my sinuses are still aching and my fibro still flaring.

And my novel still tangled in a heap of unresolved 'What now?' For the first time in weeks things seem more like an interesting challenge than an exercise in futility. I'll start rewrites from the beginning, restructuring where I need to, salvaging what I can, and having a stronger story as a whole.

I'll get that baby blanket done, I'll make those calls I've put off, get the cat boxes cleaned, go for a walk...

Or, I'll get sucked back into the Kindle I got for Valentine's Day from my husband. I love this little device.

Now, don't get me wrong. I am a bibliophile. I adore books: the feel, the smell, the sounds of turning pages. But, the Kindle is something else entirely and I like it too.

For those who doubt, there is room in life for both.

Unfortunately, it means twice the distraction from my list of things to do. And as an epic level procratinator, this is not a good thing.

On the other hand, at least now I have enough energy to feel guilty about reading rather than getting on the elliptical.

An Odd Dilemma

jgkress@hotmail.com — Thu, 17 Feb 11 10:47:00 UT

I want to write, cannot stop thinking about writing, even have time to do the writing. And I have no idea how to go about it.

See, the thing is, I am about 1/3 to 1/2 through the first draft of my novel and I have discovered significant issues. There are plot knots that aren't untangling like I wanted them too, I have an entire three chapters that drag and may have to be cut completely, and in re-reading I realized that while those three endless chapters happened, I'd forgotten not one, but two major plot points.

Including a minor character that really needs to have been introduced earlier and integrated more gracefully.

Okay, so I knew re-writes would have to happen. This was not news. However, I'd promised myself that I would complete the first draft and then tear everything apart. Otherwise I'd never get all the way through a draft. I know this.

Problem is, having discovered these problems, I can't go forward. If I ignore them the rest of the story makes no sense, the elements I need to come together aren't there.

It's like discovering you're trying to build a house, but the frame is made out of tinfoil. I need the underpinnings fixed to go forward.

But, I'm not sure how to go about fixing it either. So at the moment I am stuck. Afraid to go back, incapable of going forward. I'm at that literary equivalent of stuck in the snow with my wheels spinning.

Anyone out there want to give me a push?

Magical Words

jgkress@hotmail.com — Wed, 9 Feb 11 11:36:00 UT

Things have been busy. I can't say how or why, because it seems like I am getting nothing done, but I have no time regardless.

How does that keep happening?

Trying to get back into the flow of my novel. I have a section I suspect needs massive revision. It dragged writing it, so I can only imagine reading it is going to be even less of a treat.

I'll deal with that later. I need to keep writing or this first draft will never, ever be done.

In other news, MagicalWords.net, a really nice site for urban fantasy writers, and even readers, is doing a contest to drum up word of mouth. Honestly, I should have hyped them before as their associated critique group is saving my sanity.

The site is linked above, but I'll put it here for the lazy too. http://www.magicalwords.net/

Now, back to the novel.

TANGLED: The Disney Remix

jgkress@hotmail.com — Thu, 13 Jan 11 10:18:00 UT

Recently my husband and I went to see TANGLED. We'd both been hearing good things and so were relatively excited.

I left not feeling like I'd wasted two hours of my life, but with a strong feeling of deja vu.

First, I should say, there were some charming things about the movie. Most of these centered on a horse named Maximus and a running joke about frying pans.

Also, I think the villain, while a bit two-dimensional, is interesting and perhaps a bit too realistic. She's a self-absorbed and manipulative woman which is sadly something more and more commonly seen in real life. She's also an interesting satire of the pathologically over-protective parent.

Unfortunately, the rest of the movie felt more familiar than engaging, starting with the characters. First, the princess, Rapunzel. She's a sheltered girl with big dreams to see a world she's been kept from, full of wide-eyed wonder and spunk in equal measures.

Basically, she's a blond version of Ariel from the LITTLE MERMAID living an extreme version of the Jasmine life from ALADDIN. Granted, I liked both of those movies, but they came out in a different time and both characters referenced possessed more depth, or seemed to in the eyes of my younger self. Even if they did not, they existed in a different time, a time when they were less stereotypes and more real characters.

Much like Tolkien did elves first and then they became ubiquitous and trite, the standard Disney Princess template no longer serves as enough to engage a viewer. At least not this one.

The secondary characters fared even worse. There is the required love interest who, in this case, is a dashing thief who is, of course, at his core, a good guy looking for love.

I understand this isn't his story, but even he acknowledges he's too flat with the assertion "I don't really do back story."

Neither did the writers of this movie. Instead, they grabbed Aladdin and Tramp for LADY AND THE TRAMP, blended them slightly, and glossed it all over with a bit of meta-humor.

And that tactic might have worked for this movie if it had been consistent in it's self-deprecation, but instead it tries too hard to be earnest and then uses humor to deflect from its failings. It doesn't tend to work as a strategy for self-conscious teens and it's an even less effective tactic for this film.

The supporting cast also echoes other Disney films. There are the ruffians and thugs that not only play the same role as the warriors from MULAN, but might as well be the same characters in different armor. And the chameleon, whom I liked because it's an animal and I am me, is Carpet. Not even a blending. It's Carpet from Aladdin. Or Cricket from Mulan. Really there's little difference between them and Chameleon is just another iteration on the theme of the non-speaking, intelligent side-kick.

Basically, what it comes down to is that while this was an okay movie to watch, it did nothing new. Maybe not all movies need to, but really, this one didn't even feel like it was trying. It was a paint-by-numbers Disney movie, the plug and play of animation.

My husband said, and I think he got this exactly right, "It was a movie made by someone that knew Disney movies were popular, but not why. It had the same elements but none of the soul."

For me it was like someone putting a jigsaw puzzle together in reverse. They had all the pieces, but instead of a beautiful picture, what they got was a stretch of brown cardboard.

Sad that these days even Disney is turning out Disney-clone movies.

Thank the gods for Pixar.

Reprioritizing for the New Year

jgkress@hotmail.com — Thu, 6 Jan 11 09:59:00 UT

So, I am still working on my novel, but I admit that the new job got me a little sidetracked and I haven't been working very hard. This is unfortunate as my biggest hurdle as a writer is the fact that I simply don't make enough time to actually write.

Also, I tend to over-schedule. These things are related. Granted my scheduled activities are often things like role-playing games with friends. Which, I like seeing my friends, but can be time-consuming.

Especially when it takes over all available time.

Last week my husband tried to schedule dinner and we discovered it would be three weeks before we were both free on the same night.

Something had to give.

So, in addition to the ubiquitous resolution to lose weight, I am also taking the New Year as a time to re-prioritize. More time for family and writing, less for gaming.

With that one simple change I have opened up three nights a week. Not to say I have given up my hobby entirely. Like dieting the key to success is moderation.

Hopefully this will stick and allow for a better balance in my activities and further progress on my book.

Assuming I stop blogging and get to the actual writing.

Movies That Charm

jgkress@hotmail.com — Mon, 3 Jan 11 06:45:00 UT

So, to ring in the new year my husband and I went out to dinner with friends then watched a movie at their place. And were in bed by eleven, but that's not the point.

Typically the friends in question have tastes that differ dramatically from our own so joint movie nights tend to be interesting. However, the pick this time around was a hit for everyone, and if you knew the people involved you'd realize that was a minor miracle all on its own.

The movie? HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON. Now, first, this is animated. I love animated movies. The last four movies I've seen in theaters have all been animated. However, somehow I missed this one when it was showing.

So glad I got that solved. It's a delightful little tale with a lot of charm and wit. It revolves around a rather deadpan but sarcastic boy in a Viking village plagued by dragons. He's scrawny and a bit of a screw-up and of course his dad is the chieftain and a legendary warrior. It's all a very familiar set-up.

But this movie takes in in places that you would not expect. And please be warned, here there be SPOILERS.

First, while the protagonist, Hiccup, is initially trying to be like the rest of his people without success that doesn't last much past the introduction of Toothless, a wounded dragon with amazingly cat-like tendencies. Toothless is a Night Fury, the boogieman of dragon-kind. All Hiccup has to do is kill him and he'd be a hero.

Obviously, he doesn't. Instead, he bonds with Toothless through a remarkably realistic process rather than an instantaneous understanding. Through doing so he learns tricks and tips that allow him to ace his dragon-killing class (though until the final there is no actual killing) and earns him the respect he desired.

But, he also learns that three hundred years of war with the dragons is all based on a massive misunderstanding of the creatures. Because while they do attack the Vikings and steal their food, it is not out of malice, but pure lack of choice. If they don't the epic dragon they serve will kill them. So, they, much like the Vikings, are just trying to survive.

This is one of the places where this story is a little unusual. Certainly it is not out of the ordinary for YA fiction to show adults as fallible; that's part of the appeal. However, it generally plays it a bit closer to the line of equality. Both the child and adults are right and both are wrong and it's as much perspective as anything else.

Not so in this story. Hiccup, as a thoughtful and empathetic boy, finds a truth completely hidden from the more action-oriented adults. And they fail to listen until too late.

The thing here is, while it is the kids saving the adults, which is not unheard of, the dichotomy is even more interesting. Because Hiccup succeeds where his father fails through strategy and tactics, which the movie is careful to highlight in a subtle way. It's not just a passing of the guard from the old ways to the new, but a celebration of both co-existence and intellectualism over blind divisiveness and force of arm. Not to mention it extols the virtues of working hard to establish a relationship, to earn rewards.

I may be over-thinking this, but that seems to me an amazingly timely message in our current American culture.

All of this would have been enough to win me over, in fact, the incredibly cute Toothless would have done that alone. But the fact that the movie also maims it's protagonist at the end, a show that actions have consequences and that all victories have a price--but ones that with help are overcome--well, I intend to pass this movie on to everyone I know and I hope some of it sticks.

A New Workshop for Old Workshoppers

jgkress@hotmail.com — Mon, 20 Dec 10 06:32:00 UT

This is a Facebook post by a friend and co-Clarion alum of mine. He's not the only one that's had issues after the workshop. I didn't write for a whole year once I got back. It's a great idea to help jump-start ideas and get back into the swing of things.

"I am creating a FB group to feel out the need and desire for a post Clarion/Odyssey workshop, specifically targeted to writers who have (as I have) lost their way after the six weeks of boot camp. I'm interested in meeting writers for a weekend to workshop stories and novels, particularly those who have attended Clarion or Odyssey but have not had much success since. Writers who would like to workshop for a weekend but are not at a level where they might be invited to Sycamore Hill, Rio Hondo, etc. Writers who have reached a plateau they just can't crest. Writers who want to re-ignite their passion. Writers who are in the same place James Patrick Kelly was after his first Clarion but before his second.

I am not interested in writers who have not attended a Clarion or Odyssey and have not sold stories to a reputable market. (Not professional necessarily, but not those that accept any store that crosses the transom.) Not because they don't need help or workshops, but because I don't want to be a teacher, and because I don't want to workshop with those who have not learned to workshop.

I certainly would like to have writers who have reached a professional level, but I am more interested in those who are at the 'semi-professional' level, partially because I am insecure but mostly because I think there's a need for a follow-up workshop. I have no doubt there are other writers who feel like they've lost whatever it was that got them into Clarion or Odyssey, and that they got from Clarion or Odyssey.

The way I see it working is this: Turkey City rules no more than twenty writers (otherwise it just gets unwieldy). I'm interested in possibly hosting it at my house, though at the moment I cannot offer rooms. I'm not looking to make any money. All I'd ask is that writers put a little into the coffers for home-cooked meals. Rooms are another problem. I'd be happy to sleep in someone's basement if it's more comfortable than mine. (Mine is cold concrete and maybe five and a half feet high.)

This is obviously a work in progress, not a finalized plan by any stretch.

Please post this to your FB or LJ profile or website or wherever else. I'd simply like to hear from others about the need and feasibility. (I envision a number of such workshops centered around an area where there might be multiple graduates simply looking for others in their geographical location and career level.)

If you are interested, either friend me on FB and mention this note, or email me at sean_melican (at)yahoo(dot)com."

Book Review: LILY OF THE NILE

jgkress@hotmail.com — Wed, 8 Dec 10 11:12:00 UT

Every once in awhile I will do a book review here. I think this may be the third. In this case, I will be talking about LILY OF THE NILE, a historical novel by Stephanie Dray. In the interest of full disclosure, Steph and I went to Clarion together, so this is not entirely unbiased.

Also, that tidbit above also explains how I ended up reading this novel. Not that it's bad; it's actually an engaging read with a really compelling protagonist. I just tend to avoid historical fiction in general and romantic historicals in particular.

So, by all rights I should have hated this. It's completely outside my realm of preferred reading. But, I truly didn't. Mostly I attribute this to the strong protagonist, a girl that is believable in her ability to be strong and naive at the same time.

The smooth and engaging prose didn't hurt either.

I'm given to understand that it was painstakingly researched, and knowing the author, I'd have been shocked were it not, though some liberties have been taken. It's fiction after all, not a documentary. Still, the level of depth in the history really helps bring the setting strongly to life.

This is a fantasy, and there is magic, though not the overt magic of many epic fantasies. It's a quiet and strong system that suits the protagonist well.

My only big problem was that sometimes the prose dragged a bit for me. It was well-written and sleek, but the subject simply didn't grab me. I suspect anyone who likes historical fiction or Egypt would have less of a problem.

All in all, while not the sort of thing I like, I enjoyed reading this. I recommend it strongly to those who enjoy the genre.