Monday, July 30, 2007

Tidbits and Odds and Ends

Update 20070801: At Wings Unfolding for Wordless Wednesday - Pretty Pink Petals.

I can't find a picture to use for my hero in one of the books I'm working on so I will have to draw him. I can't use pictures of actors that look like him because their personalities or personal lives are getting in the way of my image of my hero. I can't separate the person from his picture. Perhaps I shouldn’t read the tabloids.

I read this weekend that the average advance on a fiction novel is around $1,200.00. That means putting out 5 or 6 novels a year just to make a decent living. I need to write faster.

Summer is my busiest time at work, so I'm always exhausted from the stress. I still haven’t won the lottery.

There's always so much that needs to be done that if I don't do lists, I end up wallowing in my own procrastination. My head hurts. Don’t let me forget to book the pavilion for next year’s reunion. I have to call in at 7am on August 15th. Already I can’t sleep from thinking I’ll miss the deadline. I’m pathetic.

I re-read and did an edit on Storytime,
which now has a snapping new title called Divine Death. I made some very cheesy mistakes, which I fixed and I changed a few things. If by any chance you have read any of it, I will finally be continuing on with this story. This one is practice in not only finishing a word count but also in planning a story and having it make sense. I did a map this weekend for the point to where the story is now. I know who dies and who the killer is and I have pictures of all my main characters, except like I said above, my hero.

I am also reworking my NaNoWriMo 2006 novel which will be called Marriage and Murder.

At some point a person just has to either shit or get off the pot.

Thursday, July 26, 2007

Antisocial Commentary Release Party



With a different turn of mind, Diesel, the author of The Mattress Police – Antisocial Commentary will entertain you and make you think. If you have not read his site yet, the following announcements he wrote will give you an idea of what you can expect. I will be pre-ordering my signed copy today.

THE OVER-THE-TOP RAVING ENDORSEMENT

Diesel, the twisted genius behind the humor blog The Mattress Police , has announced the publication date for his first book! Antisocial Commentary: From the Secret Files of the Mattress Police, is a hilarious excursion through the mind of Diesel. From topics as varied as James Blunt and the Incredible Hulk to global politics and perpetual motion machines, Antisocial Commentary is a tour de force of satire, sarcasm, and just plain silliness. Savor such essays as “The Force is Middling in this One,” which answers the question “What happens to someone in the Star Wars universe who isn’t quite Jedi material?” and “Harry Potter and the Inevitable Slide into Satanism,” which explores the nefarious connection between the works of J.K. Rowling and the minions of the Devil.

Antisocial Commentary will be published on August 15, but for a limited time you can pre-order a signed copy at a significantly discounted price. In addition to being an all-around great guy, Diesel is quite possibly the funniest blogger on the internet. This book is a collection of over 50 of most hilarious essays. I’ll be pre-ordering my copy today, and I suggest you head over to The Mattress Police and do the same.

THE NONCOMMITTAL SUGGESTION

Diesel, who runs The Mattress Police , has announced the publication date for his first book! Antisocial Commentary: From the Secret Files of the Mattress Police, is a collection of over 50 of his best essays. These include “The Force is Middling in this One,” which answers the question “What happens to someone in the Star Wars universe who isn’t quite Jedi material?” and “Harry Potter and the Inevitable Slide into Satanism,” which explores the nefarious connection between the works of J.K. Rowling and the minions of the Devil.

Antisocial Commentary will be published on August 15, but for a limited time you can pre-order a signed copy at a significantly discounted price. Diesel is a good guy and an excellent writer. Help me show some support for a fellow blogger making his first foray into print. Head over to his site to preview the book or just check out some of his funny posts.

THE OFFHAND MENTION

I wanted to mention that one of my fellow bloggers, a funny guy named Diesel , has announced the publication date for his first book. Antisocial Commentary: From the Secret Files of the Mattress Police is a collection of over 50 of Diesel’s funniest posts. Head over to his site, The Mattress Police , and check it out. You can pre-order a signed copy, read a preview of the book, or just read some of his funny posts.

THE MERCILESS PAN WITH EXTREME PREJUDICE

Get this: A guy who goes by the name “Diesel” has just announced that he’s publishing a book. Yeah, the same “Diesel” who is so painfully un-funny on his blog, The Mattress Police . You may be wondering how in hell a hack like “Diesel” gets published. Simple. The same way every other hack gets published these days: He self-published the book through Lulu.com. You know, the place that ranks just below Kinko’s as a reputable publisher? Yeah, them.

Anyway, this book – which is mercifully only 159 pages long by the way, making it more of a breathtakingly dull brochure than a book – is a collection of Diesel’s “best” posts. Seriously. Gee, thanks, Diesel. Because I can no longer get to your website to read your interminable tripe since my anti-stupidity software flagged it as a potential hazard to my intellectual well-being. I can’t wait to get the hard copy version, because I’ve got an end table that has one short leg.

Of course, it’s going to be a while before I can fix that table, because the book isn’t even published yet. That’s right, he’s having a “release party” for a book that hasn’t been released. Supposedly you can “pre-order” a copy, whatever the hell that means. Sounds like a scam to me. He’s even offering “signed” copies at a discounted rate – presumably because anything that he scribbles his signature on immediately loses much of whatever value it started off with.

So if, for some unfathomable reason, you find Diesel’s tired, self-involved sarcasm amusing and you just can’t get enough of it on his website, head over to his site and experience one of the 100 biggest publishing sensations since the last Harry Potter book came out 5 days ago.

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Deathly Hallows Update - No Spoilers Attached

Hi All:

I loved all of your comments in my previous post, even from those of you not into Harry Potter. Those of you who are, I hope you enjoyed book seven as much as I did.

I got my book Saturday morning at eight when Barnes & Noble opened. I hosted a party Saturday (and partied), so I could not read until Sunday morning. I finished just before midnight.

I promised my daughter I would not discuss it until she is done reading, so mums the word.

Now, it's time for me to do some serious concentrating on my own writing so I can be the next J K Rowling (but I'll still be visiting blogs, of course!)

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Back and Single Minded

I have returned, as is obvious by my being here.

The weekend was lovely. The days were warm with cool breezes and the nights required blankies. I slept ten hours a night. I am now our family reunion secretary because I can not stand to see grown ups whine. My major function is making sure I call the park at 7am on a specific day in August so we get a reservation for our day and pavilion next year. We have a prayer. Of course, if I screw this up, my dad will kill me. I can't handle the pressure.

But onto more important things: I am catching up on my sleep so that 8am Saturday morning July 21st, I will have my hot little hands on Harry Potter. In between sleep, I am preparing for my husband's birthday party, so I can begin reading every free moment I have. I will forgo alcohol Saturday so I can stay awake all night until I have devoured every page and woe to anyone who tells me anything about the book. Yes, I am that excited.

Thursday, July 12, 2007

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

I saw it, I saw it, I saw it.

Yes, folks, Wednesday at 5:30pm, I saw the new Harry Potter movie. It was fabo to the extreme.

I skipped lunch so I could leave early from work. My daughter and I went to the theater as a thunder and lightening storm struck the area. We ran into the building, ending up drenched, but did we care? No, of course not, 'cause we were going to see Harry Potter. Then, lightening struck the building knocking out the sound from all of the theaters. I must say, people get nasty really quick. Several people came out of their movies like anyone had any control over the weather. Assholes.

We were early. We wanted good seats. We picked the perfect time to go. Most of the other people there to see the movie were adults. Sound came back on quickly. All was well in the world until Ole' Voldy got up to his tricks.

This was the best of the five movies so far. Obviously, nothing compares with the books, but this was good. I'll say no more as I know it's early in the movie going timeline and I do not want to spoil it for anyone going this weekend.

I am off to the mountains tomorrow. I plan on reading and writing and walking and seeing about 120 close relatives. I'll be back (said in the Terminator voice.)

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Updates...

Because I have nothing else right now due to brain fatigue.

1. Saturday, we all went on a trolley tour of Philadelphia and had our teeth rattled and our kidneys bruised. We stopped at Penn’s Landing for the Puerto Rican festival then took my Austrian Aunt to a Bavarian restaurant. The beer was good.

2. I spent the day Sunday putting together slide shows of our trips so she could take them home but when I tried to burn the CD it didn’t work, so I am still trying to finish that project. Then I drove my Aunt, my Mother and Father to the airport. My Aunt’s flight left at 8:20pm our time. She set off the alarms going through security (she has two metal knees) couldn’t find her doctor’s note and was almost strip-searched. On the upside, she said our female security guards have gentle hands (no, she didn’t really say that, she actually said they were quite mean and rough.) She arrived home safely.

3. Neither I nor anyone immediately related to me is listed in the D.C. Madame’s little black book.

4. My daughter and I are going to see Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix Wednesday, July 11, 2007 at 5:30pm. (This really should have been listed first and written in capital letters. Yippee! I’m sorry, I’ll calm down now. Yeah, right.

5. Friday, we are off to the mountains of Pennsylvania for our annual family reunion for my Father’s side. I plan on getting some good nights sleep. My Father was a little nervous yesterday, as the Governor of Pennsylvania closed some non-essential functions of the state government Monday due to budget disputes and the park we have the picnic in was closed briefly. But all is well and I will spend the day with people whose names I can’t remember.

6. Next weekend I must have a party for my husband’s birthday on the exact day that Book 7 comes out. I wish to express my deep sadness that I will be forced to take many bathroom breaks away from my guests in order to read my book. I consider this hardship and cruelty that I will be forced to suffer my husband’s birthday present. You think that’s fair, right?

Sunday, July 01, 2007

Don't Make Me

I have been tagged by the lovely Dabich from This Too Shall Pass …and these are the rules:

Each person posts these rules before their list, then they list eight things about themselves. At the end of the post, that person tags and links to eight other people then visits those peoples' sites and comments, letting them know that they have been tagged, and to come read the post, so they know what they have to do.

1. The first thing you should know is that I love rules. If you know the rules…

2. …you know how to break the rules. I love to break rules. I do it on purpose all of the time.

3. I think most rules are really stupid and are only made so someone can control someone else.

4. I hate being controlled, even by myself. It’s a nasty habit.

5. I am easily controlled, though. If you want me to do something, tell me I am not allowed to do it. Easy, peasy, see?

6. I believe in commitments. Before making a commitment, one should think long and hard. Before breaking a commitment, one should think long and hard. This is why I didn’t get married until I was 39.

7. If I play games with no stakes involved I do really well. Once money is involved, I lose. Never ask me to buy you lottery tickets.

8. I remember writing my first story when I was nine. Unfortunately, I don’t remember anything about it except that it was a story that I also illustrated.

Now, because of number two above, I am not tagging anyone.

I have learned how to use Movie Maker (free on many computers already) and YouTube (also free) over the last few days.

You can see my slide show of my trip to New York City on Thursday, June 28, 2007 or my slide show of my trip to Washington, D.C. on Saturday, June 30, 2007 or a video of my crazy dog called Mad Dog and he's crazy every day.

If you feel like it, tag yourself and let me know.