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Reading, (non)Resolutions, and Hypercritical Gremlins

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“When you are stuck in a spiral, to change the aspects of the spin you only need to change one thing.”
Christina Baldwin

 

Here we are, first workday of the new year, and I’m still not sure what I’m doing. Yesterday, Housemate and I took a two hour road trip to visit friends who host an annual New Year’s book swap. It’s been my favorite holiday gathering for years, and this time was no exception. Several hours of talk with old friends and new, copious amounts of food, and an eclectic assortment of books free for the taking.

I came away with a hardcover copy of  The Tenth Circle, by Jodi Picoult, which I highly recommend. Her voice, her unusual structure of this story, the imagery, use of time and perspective and :fangirl flail: I’ve read it before, after I saw the TV movie, which I found by accident, and want to read it again, in its time, at my leisure, possibly with sticky notes and highlighter in hand so that I can study and rip it apart and put it back together and take something of it into myself on a deeper level than before. I also got two cookbooks for Real Life Romance Hero, of which I know nothing other than that they are cookbooks.

New Year’s resolutions are not my thing; easily made, easily set too high, easily disappointed and left by the wayside, so I’m not going to do that, but I am paying attention to what I do and don’t like about life in general, and the writing life in particular. My two guiding phrases, Clean Sweep and More Layers, come into play here. According to Goodreads, there have been several instances over the past year when I have technically been “reading” one book or another, over a period of several months, when that isn’t exactly what happened.

What really happens is this: I start a book, with all the best intentions. I want to discover this new voice, dive deep into a favorite author’s latest, finally get around to reading a book I’ve had forever. Then the book or reading device ends up in the wrong purse, or in the bedroom when I’m not, or the battery runs down, or I left it at home, etc, etc. I need to read something by date X to write about it for one blog or another. There’s recapping to do. There are domestic tornadoes. I’m too bloody tired. I feel guilty. I feel angry. I don’t deserve to read if I’m such a horrible reader. If I’m that horrible a reader, I’m an even worse writer.

Oh, hello,  Hypercritical Gremlins.

HI, ANNA! CRAPPY NEW YEAR!

That’s Happy New Year.

NOT FOR US.

Why am I not surprised about that?

IT’S WHAT WE DO.

To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?

TRADITIONAL NEW YEAR VISIT.

Oh, okay. That makes sense. Anything specific you wanted to talk about?

READING. YOU BROUGHT IT UP FIRST.

What about reading? (As if I didn’t know?)

YOU STINK AT THAT, TOO.

Uh huh. Do you have any critiera about that?

YOU ALREADY SAID.  CAN WE  TAKE A SCREENSHOT OF YOUR CURRENTLY READING GOODREADS PAGE?

:blushes: No.

HA HA! BUSTED!

Okay, look, we’re not going there.

MAYBE YOU’RE NOT.

Fine. Reading is one of the things I want to change about this year, and both Clean Sweep and More Layers play into that.

WHAT ABOUT THE BOOKS YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO READ? YOU’RE SO FAR BEHIND IN THE BOOKS EVERYBODY IS TALKING ABOUT THAT WE SET ASIDE SPECIAL TIME EVERY WEEK TO POINT AND LAUGH AT YOU.

:shrugs: Well, I guess you can. It’s your time. First, it’s not possible for me to read all the books other people think I should read. Second, I don’t want to; there are enough books I want to read that I couldn’t fit the should-reads into my schedule. The average female lifespan is only so long. Okay, I don’t smoke or drink, stay reasonably active, but my genetic history is a giant question mark, so I am going to use my time wisely and read the books that appeal to me, when they appeal to  me. Reading for pleasure is something I do to feel happy, not guilty. That would take away too much of the pleasure.

BUT YOU’RE MISSING OUT ON ALL THE TRENDS THAT WAY. DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY SERIES YOU WOULD HAVE TO READ DOUBLE DIGITS WORTH OF BOOKS TO KEEP CURRENT? NOT TO MENTION SPINOFFS AND SUBSERIES?

If I want to read those books, I will. My natural inclination is for standalone stories, and always has been, so that’s what I’m mostly seeking out at present.

BUT EVERYBODY ELSE LOVES SERIES, BECAUSE THEY ARE SERIES.

How wonderful for them. They must have a lot of books from which to choose. Sometimes, including right now, I want to read one story, about one couple. Nothing at all wrong with that.

EXCEPT THAT YOU ARE WEIRD. REMEMBER HOW IT WAS YESTERDAY WITH ALL THE SMILING AND NODDING -SERIOUSLY, YOU LOOKED LIKE A BOBBLEHEAD- WHEN OTHER GUESTS TALKED ABOUT THE MAINSTREAM AND/OR LITERARY BESTSELLERS THEY WERE ALL  READING. ALL OF THEM BUT YOU, OUTLIER.

I hear you saying “outlier” like it’s a bad thing.

BECAUSE IT IS.

Interesting perspective. Can you tell me more about that?

WE’RE REALLY BUSY RIGHT NOW.

Doing what?

PICKING ON YOU.

Why am I not surprised there? No, no, don’t answer. That was rhetorical. What I’m getting at here is that it’s not possible for one person to read every book there is, so best to whittle it down to those that catch the individual reader’s interest. Anything else feels too much like a school assignment. Last time I checked, you guys are not my teachers.

OBVIOUSLY, WE CAN’T TEACH YOU HOW TO READ LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE.

I don’t want to read like everybody else, and if you insist on pressing the matter, I am an RWA member. I can whip out statistics on exactly how many romance novels were read last year.

WE’RE GOING TO GO BACK IN OUR CLOSET AND TAKE A NAP NOW. WE HEARD YOU’RE MEETING WITH A LOCAL WRITER FRIEND TOMORROW. GOT TO GET OUR REST, YOU KNOW.

Unfortunately, I do. You guys go rest, and I’m sure I’ll hear from you later. For now, I have some writing to do, and then the last few chapters of a delicious historical romance I would actually classify as women’s fiction, but that’s another story. Pun intended.

 

 

 

 

 

Typing With Wet Claws: Happy Mew Year Edition

annabowling Leave a comment

Hello, all. Skye here, for the first Feline Friday of 2016. This is the day when Anty usually moves into a new planner, if she has not done so already, but this year is different. Anty does not have a new planner. I am not entirely convinced she will not end up buying one after all, but in the meantime, she is making her own, out of a notebook she has only partially used. Anty’s two words (well, really, phrases, because they each have two words in them) are: Clean Sweep and More Layers. Making her own planner could be considered a way of combining both at the same time.

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Plain notebook, pre-hacking

When Anty was thinking of getting a Moleskine planner, she thought she might get a red one (and she still might; I am not sure she won’t) so she will be using this red hardcover Picadilly notebook instead. It also reminds her of the red Moleskine in  Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares, which was one of her best reads of 2015.  Anty likes it when things she uses every day remind her of things she loves, so this fits in there nicely. She had used about half the notebook before moving on to others, but she did not want it to go to waste. Now it will not.

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Anty liked the layout of the other planner, so she used that as an inspiration, and used a vintage office supply stamp to put in the dates. It is so old that it does not have 2016 on it, so she will add that later.

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Here is the same layout, with a different color added for each day. With different colors, Anty can tell at a glance which day is which. If they are all the same color, her eyes see it as one big block, which is not helpful. This experiment also reminds her that it is time to get some new highlighters.  She may try adding color with another medium, because highlighters are very bright, and that is not always restful for her eyes.

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After Anty counted out fifty-two pages, so that each week would have its own page, she remembered that other planners also have monthly grids. She had not accounted for those, and she had already started the first weekly page, so she could not put those in the front, or she would have to re-count pages. She does not like counting things, so she put the grids in the very back of the book (or next to the back of the book. Her last page is always her ink test page.)  She used rubber stamps to make the grids. This process has a learning curve, but Anty is smart. She used masking tape to cover the really messy grids and then stamped over that. She thinks she may actually like that better, so she may go back and re-stamp them all that way. This is a work in progress.

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Remember when I mentioned that Anty does not like counting things? Well, this is why. She got the grids all stamped out, some on masking tape, and then counted to make sure she had everything. She did not have everything. One year has twelve months, not ten. Maybe she wanted to leave out summer, because it is her least favorite season? I do not think seasons work like that, but I cannot fault her for trying. Here is a picture of what she used to make the grids, in case you are curious. The clear block lets her see exactly where she is putting the stamp, which is very useful, as her depth perception is sometimes, ah, creative.

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Starting over fresh and adding multiple layers makes Anty very happy. This year, she wants to challenge herself and take better control of her time. Having a planner that is tailored to her individual needs and tastes should take care of both of those things. She will likely change her mind several times and maybe even re-do the whole thing a time or two, but that is how she learns best, so she does not mind. She will probably share pictures of how things progress  on the planner front. If this works well, then she can make another one for next year. She also has a pocket sized version of the same red notebook, but she has not done anything to that one yet, as she has developed more of an affinity for the 8×5 size over the past year. She still has a lot of pocket sized books, though, so we will see what she does with those. Hm. Maybe they are really kitty-sized books and are actually for me? I wonder what I could do with those.

Anty needs the computer because she has to get back to work, so that is about it for this week.  I wish all of you a happy mew year and remain, as always, very truly yours,

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Until next week…

Skye O’Malley Hart-Bowling
(the kitty, not the book)

 

 

Plannering 2016

annabowling

Here we are, only two days away from a brand new year, and I do not have a planner yet. Neither do I have a wall calendar. I stopped using desktop calendars a few years back, because, well, I didn’t use them in the first place. I had grand ideas about using the daily pages in art, but I very seldom did, so phased those out, and don’t miss them.

Being without a planner, though, that makes me itchy. For the last two years, I’ve used pocket sized planners by Paperblanks. which are, hands down, the most gorgeous exteriors I’ve found on any planners (or notebooks, for that matter.)

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Green book is last year’s planner, black and silver was for 2015, and I would be happy to get another Paperblanks for this year, though I haven’t seen any at the Barnes and Noble where I usually get them. My original plan in going for the pocket sized planner was that I could then carry it around in my purse and/or computer bag, to have it at the ready at all times. That did not happen, either year. Each time, the book lived on my side table, next to my comfy chair, with occasional sojourns to my office desk. So, I’m thinking larger planner for this year.

Before I started with Paperblanks, I liked spiral bound planners with lots of images and quotes inside them. A New York themed planner turned into one of my first art journals, and an Irish themed planner, the last spiral bound (I think) one I purchased, is still waiting for its next use.  I’ve looked at a few of those this year, but haven’t found anything to my liking. The closest I’ve come is a Walking Dead planner, and even that registers meh on my planner scale.

Though I love Moleskine notebooks, and have an as yet unused hardcover (purple!) hanging around, I’ve never used a Moleskine planner, which may be something to consider. Thinking about Moleskines also got me thinking about their cousins, Markings and Picadilly, of which I have several hardcovers. Add to that the brave new world of the dot grid softcover Moleskine I like a lot more than I thought I would, and I’ve started thinking of potentially DIY-ing my own planner from one of those.

Do I have any idea how that would work? Not a clue, though if I’m going to DIY a Moleskine, I could as easily DIY a larger Paperblanks, thus getting the gorgeous cover. Problem there is that I’ve only seen lined Paperblanks, though the website says there are some unlined. With my lack of depth perception (truly, it could have its own show on the comedy network) I need some guidance if I’m going to mess around with the format of a page. The dot grid in the softcover Moleskine is perfect for that, letting me divide the page into whatever boxes I need for a particular use, while not cutting through the words and images (because I am learning to use images now.)

I’ve found I am far more visual than I had previously thought, and I really do need something going on with the page for my brain to stick with it. Much as I love the Paperblanks, if I do go with another of those, I’ll need to alter the innards in some way. Which means I get to tinker with my existing supplies and expired planners to see what might work. A light wash of color on each individual day, so my eyes can easily pick them apart should do the trick. We’ll see how that goes.

For now, I’m still in the discovery stage. Maybe this year will be a different sort of planner, a fresh start to which I can apply more layers. Maybe I will find a way to DIY an existing notebook into a planner (have any of you had experience with that? I’d love to pick your brains) and maybe I’ll find the perfect premade. While I am antsy that I’m not moved into a new planner already (a perfect tucked-away week activity if ever there was one) I’m also pleased that waiting until after the first of the year means getting exactly the same planner I could have purchased before Christmas, at a hefty discount. I have fond memories of the other Barnes and Noble we used to frequent (now closed) and the Moleskines we’d often find on clearance there. I have to admit I almost got a Peanuts Moleskine planner, on sale there, a couple of years back, but couldn’t commit to a whole year of Peanuts. If the planner is themed, it has to be something I love-love, not merely like.

As for wall calendars, I’ve learned that those often have to wait even longer. Last year, I lucked out early and found a calendar by a photographer whose work I admire (and frequently appears on Studio Oh! notebooks) but have not seen this year’s version, so no clue what I’ll eventually pick. Real Life Romance Hero has asked for an Old New York calendar for the kitchen, which Housemate and I both second (and third?) so that’s likely what we’ll be getting for family use. I’ve made some halfhearted attempts at making my own wall calendar from blank versions bought at craft stores, but have never made it past January with one of those, so not pinning my hopes on a homemade calendar this year.

Maybe this is all part of where I am creatively as a whole. I’m much more focused on keeping the camera, as it were, on the romance when I write, because that’s what makes me happiest. No matter when or where, it’s the love story that counts the most. Everything else has to serve that, from setting to tone to supporting cast. Getting to that point took me several years, and novels-that-wouldn’t, so maybe it’s the same thing with planners this year. Maybe it’s time to kiss a lot of figurative frogs before I hit upon The One this year. Maybe I’ll stumble into something I never thought about before, and find it’s a perfect fit. Kind of ironic (cue Alanis Morrisette) that I’m not able to plan my planner purchase this year, but it’s also fitting for the creative life, so I’m going to go with whatever comes and see where that takes me.

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Random Skye shot for readers (:cough: RLRH :cough:) who said they missed “the writing cat.”

Treasure Box

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We’re a few days into what’s usually my favorite week of the year, that tucked-away week between Christmas and New Year’s. Jury is still out on this year’s version. Normally, going to the Laundromat is a lovely pocket of time, and doing so during my tucked-away week would make it doubly so. This time? Not so much.

We’ll start with the fact that I had to put laundry in and take it out of four machines before hitting one that would actually h0ld everything and did not have any mystery detergent residue that would play havoc with sensitive skin. Add in a quick dash back home to collect more quarters, because I ended up using the industrial sized washer. On the plus side, clean bedding.  On the minus side, there was the person who asked me if I was taking the week off, and, when I said that was my plan, answered that they didn’t think that was possible. Since I work for myself, my whole life is apparently “relaxing” and I do whatever I want, whenever I want. Yeah, not the way it works, person. Seriously not. Add in another unwanted interaction,  and I was in a foul mood by the time I got home.

I’m not sure what drew me to the small cardboard box in the hallway closet, but I figured I could use some diversion. I knew it had some of my dad’s art supplies -now my art supplies- in it, and art time is usually a good de-grumper. I noticed the paint first, four small tubes of watercolors. Some pencils, of varying vintage and purpose, some tools that look like they’re for carving clay (can check with a friend whose husband is a sculptor) and then there was the pen. Which I may want to call The Pen.

 

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Rather plain at first sight, black cap and silvery barrel, but still a pen. I took the cap off.  Either a fountain pen or dip pen, though I can’t see where I could get the pen apart to check for where I’d refill if it’s a fountain pen. That’s when I examined the nib and found the words that caught my attention. Mont Blanc. Huh wuh? That’s a good pen, isn’t it? Quick check online and my suspicions were confirmed.

White snowflakey/star thing is present on top of cap and bottom of barrel, as well as the clip. “Mont Blanc” is on the otherwise plain nib, and “Mont Blanc Germany” is on the cap, below the clip. I’m not finding what model this is, and not sure where/how to continue the search, but when a fabulous pen falls into my lap, I’m going to take it. Whatever ink may have been in there at one time is completely gone now, and if it’s a dip pen (though I don’t see any evidence of Mont Blanc making any dip pens) then that would explain the lack of ink. This is going to require more investigation. The closest Mont Blanc store I can locate is in White Plains, which is a road trip in itself, but Westchester and tracking down the identity of a super cool pen? This may need to happen.

 

The paints, I think I like on their own rather than together, but this is only my smush them on the page and see what they do stage, so it doesn’t count. That’s still something hard to accept, that I can put something on a page, whether words or colors or shapes, and it doesn’t have to, and as a matter of fact, probably won’t be perfect the first time around, but treasure boxes like these are helping me deal with that.

It’s highly unlikely that I’m going to haul a box out of the storage unit and find it’s full of words, characters, plots, etc (apart from old manuscripts or boxes of books) but that same spirit of playing around, tossing something on the page and seeing what it does -What  color is this, really? What mark does this make? What happens if I get this wet? Can I scratch into it for some texture?- that can only infuse new life. Time to take a few risks again and see what comes out. There may not be gesso for the written page, but there is a delete key. First drafts are meant to be messy, same as laying down a background color; that’s only the base. Many more layers are yet to come before the finished product is ready to be seen.

 

Typing With Wet Claws: Christmas Edition

annabowling 2 Comments

Hello, all. Skye here for a special Christmas edition of Typing With Wet Claws. We have our tree up and lit and there are presents underneath it (I helped wrap them.) Anty and Mama are having tea. Uncle is still getting some rest, because he worked very hard last night, making sure people had a good time at the restaurant where he works. When he gets up, we will open presents, so this is a good time for me to write this entry. For those of you who are celebrating Christmas, like we are (Anty says nobody celebrates Christmas the same way we do, but I think you know what I mean. Anty always says readers are smart.) I hope you are having a good one. If you do not celebrate Christmas, lovely weather we are having this Friday. (Though Anty would prefer less sunshine, colder weather and some snow. Maybe she will get that next year.)

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Anty went with a black and white wrapping scheme this year.

 

Anty says it does not feel quite like Christmas yet. It is still early, though, so she has plenty of time to make it all come together. She is still deciding if she wants to put the Yule Log on her computer, or play her Christmas playlist. She will probably alternate between the two, or see if she can do both. That will probably help. She is cranky that there is no eggnog, but there is cinnamon stick tea. That might work. It is still early yet.

Part of the reason for Anty’s not-really-feeling it is because it is very warm for the part of the country where we live. Anty met Uncle out in California, where Christmases are always warm like this. She did not like that. She did, however, like Uncle, very much, which is how he got to be Uncle. Anty is used to Christmases where it is colder, and preferably, where there is snow on the ground. Her Anty S preferred green Christmases, so she would have been very pleased with this one.

Right now, Anty is listening to “Fairytale of New York,” by The Pogues. This has found its way onto her Christmas playlist on Spotify. Anty says that song is dysfunctional and has lyrical dissonance. Some of the words are not nice and the characters in the song are, shall we say, going through some things. Anty as a few songs like that on her playlist, which is here. Some of them are about the spiritual part of Christmas, some are about the other parts, some are mini stories, and one is even about Hannukah. Two are actually about New Year’s Day. Anty has interesting musical tastes. That would be all year, not only at Christmas.

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Anty will probably spend part of the day attempting to get her Sims 3 game reinstalled.  She has had to uninstall and reinstall the game a few times now, so she is used to it, and starting over can be its own sort of fun. Anty especially likes creating her Sims and then seeing how they breed. Starting over from the base game means she can add expansions as her Sims move through generations. At least that is her plan.

Anty’s friend, Miss Carol, thought I might answer these questions a friend of hers sent her on Facebook. I am not on Facebook, so I will put my answers here. It was meant for humans, not kitties, but I will do my best.

Three names I go by:
1. Skye
2. Baby
3. Mountain Lion

Three places I lived:
1. the woods
2. the shelter
3. our apartment

Three places I have worked:
1. the woods
2. Mama’s old apartment (I caught mousies)
3. our apartment now (where I am a mews)

Three things I love to watch:
1. birdies through the window
2. Anty painting her claws
3. cooking shows with Uncle

Three places I have been
1. under the bed
2. on the landing (only once; I am not allowed there)
3. the vet

Three things I love to eat
1. cat food
2. treat
3. I only eat cat food and treat.

Three people I think will respond
1. Bailey
2. probably a human, though
3. Then again, only Anty can post here so this is a tricky one.

Three favorite drinks
1. water
2. I only drink water
3. unless cat food juice counts

Three things I am looking forward to:
1. food
2. treat
3. scritches

Since it is about time to get ready for our company, that will be about it for this week, and maybe even this year, unless I need to fill in for Anty during the tucked away week. I wish everybody a very happy holiday (or regular day.) Until next time, I remain very truly yours,

 

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Until next week…

Skye O’Malley Hart-Bowling
(the kitty, not the book)

Christmas Eve Rambles

annabowling Leave a comment

Well, we made it. Christmas Eve. Early afternoon, though, so maybe too soon to call it, but things are coming together. Considering that I forgot I had a cup of tea right next to me (and I am not one to forget smoky chai) this is a pretty good indicator of where my head is at present. I noticed the tea after completing my daily pages that I credit to yesterday (as I didn’t get to them until now; yesterday was not my favorite) and it was still acceptably warm, not to mention delightfully strong (I have not yet encountered this thing people call tea that is too strong.) Today’s morning pages will happen later this afternoon. For right now, I’m concentrating on this blog entry and then get to dive into some story stuff.

This is the time of year when I shift into Aunt S mode, because Christmas was Her Thing, and that imprinted on me at an early age. Gifts, both wrapped and to-be-wrapped are in my office, which is Christmas Present Central, and more off limits than usual. The fact that the ceiling fixture is out of order may have had a hand in enforcing this rule. Wrapping will happen later this afternoon. If I can’t make it to the Christmas Eve celebration at our church, there is a shot at Mass at Real Life Romance Hero’s tomorrow.  (One of the perks of an interdenominational family, right there.)  Even pet-to-pet present has been purchased, fits within the color scheme, and Housemate gets extra points for picking out Christmas cookies from the supermarket bakery that look very close to the cookies my Italian aunts (mom’s side of the family; these gals could BAKE.) used to make every year.

It’s an odd mix of rushing to get holiday preparations in place -we’re having company this year- and the peace of knowing the real reason for this holiday, for our family, is going to be observed no matter what else happens, so, really, what could go wrong? I consider that some decent perspective. Today, I brought three different notebooks to the coffee house with me, three different projects that need my attention today, because tomorrow is not going to be a work day at all. (Okay, I will probably write something. I know myself well enough, but it’s not a work-work day. Theoretically. Plus we have company, so they will keep me honest. Ish.)

In case you missed it, the third part of Heroes and Heartbreakers’ best reads of the year post is up, recommendations from yours truly included. To borrow Skye’s method, it is here and it looks like this:

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While The Highwayman is on my TBR list, my own recommendations for the year’s best reads include two old school historicals and one contemporary YA that relies on the romance of the written word. My part looks like this:

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Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares gets extra points for being a Christmas story…after a fashion. Extra-extra points for featuring a notebook prominently. Red hardcover Moleskine, to be exact, which this book made me want. I do not actually own a red hardcover Moleskine, but I do own a red hardcover Picadilly, which my brain figures is close enough. Not putting it on a shelf for random strangers to find, but it is an intriguing idea. Wonder how that would work in a historical context. Maybe I’ll have to find out. Need to water that seed and let it germinate for a while.

For now, there’s this blog entry to wrap, pun intended, and then the challenge of wrapping family members’ presents while those particular family members are not present. For me, that’s part of the fun, especially if I can harness the power of DVDs to manipulate things in my favor. Mr. Magoo’s Christmas Carol seems to work well as Housemate repellent, and anything featuring Hugh Grant has the same effect for Real Life Romance Hero. Skye, so far, doesn’t have any movie preferences, and finds the entire process of wrapping fascinating.

Skye, by the way, will be posting tomorrow, with her own perspective on holiday preparations. This will hopefully not entirely come from under the bed, but one can never be too sure when it comes to cats and changes in daily routine.  Speaking of routine, time for me to move on and play with my imaginary friends for a while, so I will wrap this for now and wish you all a wondrous Christmas Eve, or a happy Thursday, whichever applies.

 

 

 

 

Hypercritical Gremlin Interview, Part One

annabowling 3 Comments

Welp, four more days until Christmas, not nearly ready, but I did watch A Charlie Brown Christmas last night, so that’s a start. By Real Life Romance Hero’s and my reckoning, we have gone over one solid month with somebody in our family sick. Not always the same person, thankfully -there were a few days there where I was the healthy one- but mostly it’s been me, which is weird, because I am the Energizer Bunny, and tend to keep on going, no matter what. Which may explain things right there. Sometimes, when the brain won’t allow for a break, the body overrules and takes what it needs.

BUT IF YOU’RE SO BUSY, WHY AREN’T YOU RICH, OR AT LEAST HAVE A WHOLE BUNCH OF NEW RELEASES, YOU SLACKER?

That would be the voice of my hypercritical gremlins. They, along with my characters, live in my head (though in a much dodgier neighborhood) and are a talkative bunch. They have extremely high standards, keep excellent track of what everybody else is doing, and offer advice unsolicited. Today, they get blog space, because “blog entry” is next on my list, and I am determined to get everyday things out of the way so I can concentrate on Christmas preparations.

ALSO, YOU WANT TO PLAY SIMS.

:ahem: Yes, yes, I do. I assume you guys have a problem with that.

OF COURSE! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MANY THOUSANDS OF  WORDS YOU COULD POUND OUT IN THE TIME IT TAKES YOU TO PUT IN ALL THOSE FRIVOLOUS THINGS LIKE MODS AND CUSTOM CONTENT?

Probably not many, because I don’t work that way at this stage of the game, but I do usually have a legal pad next to my computer and jot down ideas and dialogue while I play. I find it relaxing.

SO YOU ADMIT YOU’RE A LAZY SLACKER!

No, I admit that I am finding what works for me. Sometimes, I’ve sketched out entire scenes while doing that or cracked character issues that had me puzzled before. Do you guys always shout everything?

YES!

Do you always shout it in unison?

YES! ! ALSO, YOU ARE BAD AND STUPID AND IRRELEVANT FOR NOT SEEING THE NEW STAR WARS. OR EVEN PLANNING TO SEE IT.

If Real Life Romance Hero wants to see it for date night, I’ll go with him, but I’m more of a Merchant-Ivory girl, when left to my own devices.

YOU DO KNOW ONE OF THEM IS DEAD, RIGHT? THERE WILL NEVER BE A NEW MERCHANT-IVORY PRODUCTION. ALSO, MOST HISTORICAL MOVIES ARE FICTIONALIZED BIOGRAPHIES THESE DAYS BECAUSE NOBODY WANTS OR CAN RELATE TO OLD TIMEY DRAMAS, YOU RELIC. HAVE YOU SEEN THE SALES OF HISTORICAL VERSUS CONTEMPORARY ROMANCES THESE DAYS? WRITE WHAT SELLS.

:drinks tea: Ah, the bunny trails. Okay, Richard Curtis, then. I saw About Time this weekend, and it was wonderful. Emotionally effective, intimate, made me cry more than once, and reminded me why I write romance, though it isn’t a romance (but there is a romance in it.) Also, Bill Nighy can do no wrong. He seriously can’t, at least acting-wise, though I am certain he has hypercritical gremlins of his own, who would tell me otherwise.

HE DOES. WE FOLLOW THEM ON TWITTER.

Gremlins are on Twitter?

GREMLIN TWITTER, WHERE WE CAN TALK ABOUT ALL YOU TWITS. WE NOTICE YOU DIDN’T ANSWER US ABOUT THE HISTORICAL VS CONTEMPORARY THING.

That’s because I am not having that conversation.

:HUFF: OH ALL RIGHT. THEN AT LEAST WRITE REGENCY. EVERYBODY LOVES REGENCY.

That’s not true.

YES IT IS!

No, it’s not. Regency is a very popular setting, yes, but that doesn’t mean it’s the only one out there, or that I am suited to write in it. Remember all that time I spent trying to write Regency already?

:CLINK GLASSES AND HIGH FIVES: GOOD TIMES!

No, not good times.

GOOD TIMES FOR US! WE ESPECIALLY LIKED ALL THE CRYING AND HEADACHES.

I didn’t.

WE KNOW! THAT’S BECAUSE YOU’RE AN OVERSENSITVE WUSS.

Really? You’re going there? I thought you had better ammunition than that.

EXACTLY WHAT ARE YOU IMPLYING?

Mostly, that you must not know me very well.

WE’VE BEEN LIVING IN YOUR HEAD SINCE YO UKNEW YOU HAD ONE. MAYBE BEFORE.

So? Look, I get that you guys probably aren’t moving out, anytime soon. You like the décor –

THERE COULD BE MORE ART ON THE WALLS. REMEMBER THAT TIME YOU SOLD ONE OF YOUR PURSES AND THE PERSON SAID YOUR HOUSE MUST LOOK AMAZING WITH ALL YOUR ART ON THE WALLS, AND YOU WERE ALL CRINGEY BECAUSE YOU DON’T HAVE ANY UP? NOTE WE USED PRESENT TENSE, AHEM.

–as I was saying, you mostly like the décor, the food is good, and you like petting my bookshelves when you think I’m not looking–

ALSO GOING THROUGH YOUR OLD PRINTOUTS AND FINDING GRAMMATICAL ERRORS. REALLY HAD A THING FOR GERUNDS THERE IN THE LATE NINETIES, DIDN’T YOU?

Okay, you guys need a hobby. Playing Sims is fun.

YOU DO KNOW THAT’S ONLY PIXELATED BARBIES, RIGHT?

I do know that the original game was pitched as a virtual dollhouse simulator, so what’s your point?

THAT YOU ARE CHILDISH.

Obviously, you haven’t been paying attention to my saved games, or any of my stories.

THANKS FOR THE REMINDER! YOU’RE NOT NICE, EITHER. WHAT ARE PEOPLE GOING TO THINK ABOUT YOU IF YOU HAVE CHARACTERS DO THINGS LIKE YOU DO?

Hopefully, that I can tell an emotionally compelling story. Are you guys about done now?

NOT EVEN CLOSE.

In that case, we’ll have to continue this conversation later, because it’s time for me to move along with my day. Any parting comments for this session?

YES. YOUR ART JOURNALING IS AMATEURISH AT BEST AND NOBODY WANTS TO SEE IT. COVER REVEALS, THAT’S WHAT READERS LIKE. ALSO, YOUR DISLIKE OF THE WORD, ‘JOURNAL’ MEANS YOU ARE NOT A REAL WRITER, IN CASE YOU WERE WONDERING.

Actually, I wasn’t, but thanks for sharing your opinion. I need to go write and send off an invoice now, so we’re done for the day.

FINE. WE’RE GOING TO HANG OUT HERE AND PICK ON YOUR READING CHOICES.

As long as you do it quietly, knock yourselves out.

 

 

 

 

Typing With Wet Claws: Christmas Crunch Time Edition

annabowling 2 Comments

Hello, all. Skye here, for my regularly scheduled Feline Friday. Anty is feeling much better, but that also means she is very busy, because it is now one week until Christmas. Anty loves Christmas. Normally, she will spend the whole month between Thanksgiving and Christmas, getting ready for her favorite holiday. This year, she spent it being sick, or taking care of sick humans, or taking care of sick humans while being sick. That does not sound like a lot of fun, but some of the smells were very interesting. Well, probably only for a kitty. The humans are fond of a thing called Febreeze.

With only a week to actually get ready, Anty is winding up to go into high gear. First comes the pretending she doesn’t care and we can skip the whole thing at this point stage. (That is never going to happen, trust me.) Then there is the “there is no way we can do this” stage. That is a little scary, because I am used to being the most panicky one in the house and that is not always true during this stage, but then the next stage kicks in, and everything falls into place and she makes it happen after all. Sometimes it is fancy, and sometimes it is intimate. Uncle says that means small. I think Anty doesn’t much care; she likes Christmas, period.

There is wrapping to do, and mailing, and Mama is going to help Grandma get ready, and have their own celebration back where we used to live. Presents are starting to come together. I think I am getting cat food. I hope I am getting cat food. I love cat food. My humans know that my favorite toy is crumpled paper. Very occasionally, I will bat my catnip mousie (but I do not care about the catnip) if one of my humans throws it while I am already playful, but, really, I’m all about paper when it comes to toys. I am thinking about getting everybody mice.

What? Oh. Sorry. My mistake. I got all excited about Christmas (Anty will probably catch up with me soon) and forgot I am supposed to talk about Anty’s writing things first. Something big happened on The Big Bang Theory last night, and Anty is recapping it all at Heroes and Heartbreakers. It is here, and it looks like this.

SHAMY

This episode was about, um, something grownups do that also happens in romance novels, but it was also about getting expectations built up so much that it can affect the actual experience. This applies to Anty and Christmas, and to Anty and writing. Will she do something wrong? Will she miss out on something good? Is there something she could have done better? What if she does the wrong thing, and, because of that, it’s not fun for anybody? It is times like that when I am glad Anty is too big to fit under the bed (the space down there is kitty sized, not human sized.) because she might seriously consider hunkering down there with me sometimes.

As much as I would like to have the time with her, that is not how writing books work. If I, who am a kitty, know that, then an actual writer human should know that, too, but sometimes, she needs a reminder. Also, usually a notebook and a pen, because then she will want to play with them. Tea usually helps, and, this time of year, seasonally appropriate treats. Anty is especially fond of red and green gumdrops and cheese and crackers. (The cheese and crackers do not need to be red and green, in case you were wondering. Only the gumdrops. The cheese could even be blue. Anty likes it when the cheese is blue. Full of holes is good, too.)  Talking with writer friends definitely helps, and, most of all, (sometimes scariest of all) actually writing.

Oddly enough, Anty has not yet written a Christmas story. Maybe she will have to give that a try. If she starts now, she could be ready for next year. She says she needs to finish her current projects first, but I remember this is before she’s watched Love Actually, The Holiday, or Mr. Magoo’s Christmas Carol even once this year. The bug could still hit.

It is almost time for Anty to go meet a writer friend, so that is about it for now. I may have to fill in for Anty again if Christmas preparations (or writing) take up much more of her time this week, so maybe we will see each other before next week. Until then, I remain very truly  yours,

i1035 FW1.1

Until next week…

Skye O’Malley Hart-Bowling
(the kitty, not the book)

 

Typing With Wet Claws: Special Midweek Edition

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Hello, all. Skye here, for a special midweek edition of Typing With Wet Claws. This is a very busy day for Anty, so she asked if I would fill in for her, even though it is not Friday. I drive a hard bargain. This is going to require extra treat, but it will be worth it. For me, anyway.

Anty is not sure if she is still sick, or if she is sick again (probably that one, because she was feeling better from before) but she is feeling under the weather today. Mama and Uncle told her she will feel better if she takes a couple of days off. She does not agree, because she already feels behind, but, since she closed her eyes yesterday morning “for a minute,” and woke five and a half hours later, I think they may be in the right on this one. That is okay, because I am here to serve as nurse, so she is in very good hands, by which I mean paws. (Those would be mine; nursing is one of the many duties of a mews.)

Right now, Anty is under her fuzzy duck blankey in the comfy chair (I sit right near her feet in case she needs anything important, like to pet or feed a kitty, because I am one,) poking at a scene for her novella and thinking about a nap. She is reluctant to actually take the nap because The Handyman (I think he is a superhero) has to come back (he was here in the morning) to replace a broken part in the heating machine in the basement. When he comes, he will ring the doorbell, and it will be loud. I will run under the bed in Anty and Uncle’s bedroom (bad things cannot reach me if I am under their bed) and Anty will answer the door. Our doorbell is very, very loud and very, very old, and we can feel it as much as hear it when it rings. Anty says it is prewar. I do not know what that means, but it sounds important.

Normally, Anty likes to get out of the house for a couple of hours each day. This is important to extroverts, to be around a lot of people, so being stuck at home is not the most fun thing ever, especially when she already feels sluggish. Sometimes, having the TV on or talking to people online is sort of like being around people, even if it is not exactly the same. Mama and Uncle will be back from their jobs in a few hours. Anty will be very glad to see them. Especially if one of them wants to make dinner. Let me rephrase that. When one of them makes dinner. Or brings it. Either way. I told Anty she could have some of my fish jelly (that is what I eat; it is delicious) if she wanted, but she said that is kitty food, not people food, so she could not accept. That makes sense. I am a kitty, and I am not allowed to eat people food (although Uncle made some sausages, cooked in chicken broth, a while ago, that I though smelled very, very, very interesting, but he did not let me have any.) I think she would feel better with tea and a cookie, and we have both of those things here. She should probably also take a nap.

She has thought about watching a movie, but, then again, The Handyman could arrive at any time, so probably best not to get too involved with something like that. Maybe The Handyman will not come until Mama and/or Uncle come  home, and then they can let him in. I would, but I am not allowed downstairs, and I cannot reach the doorknob. Maybe I could if I stood on my hind legs, but I do not know if that is possible. I have never tried. I think I am better at moral support, anyway.

Sometimes, when Anty’s brain is busy, but her body is tired, the best thing to do is snuggle under the blankeys and do some serious thinking about her stories. Anty says it is like watching a movie in her head, and she can write down what happens later. I think that is very resourceful of her. Mama and Uncle may think that she is taking their advice and napping when they see that, but usually, it is the movie in the head thing. That can be very hard for some writers to turn off, and some, like Anty, don’t want to turn it off if they have anything to say about it. I do not know if that actually counts as resting or not, but the whole movie in her head thing seems to make Anty less cranky, so I suppose it is a good thing.

That is about it for our special midweek edition, so until Friday, I remain very truly yours,

i1035 FW1.1

See you Friday….

Skye O’Malley  Hart-Bowling
(the kitty, not the book)

 

 

 

 

Past Present Future

annabowling 2 Comments

 How I Thought It Was Going To Go:

That magnum opus I pounded out on an electronic typewriter, in my dad’s living room, my old bedroom, and my first college dorm room, heavily reminiscent of the Bertrice Small epics I still adore, complete with fictional island nation, slaved over for years, was supposed to be The One. I had a chance to send the first three chapters to a big name editor, and I did. I remember sitting on the couch of Real Life Romance Hero’s and my first apartment, the letter in my hands, unopened, knowing that this would change my life forever. It did, but not the way I had expected.

Not enough action, nothing important happened, something else, something else, something else, probably something positive in there, but danged if I can remember any of it all these years later.  What was supposed to happen was that Big Name Editor was supposed to love this story as much as I did, want the whole thing, throw a big bunch of money at me and ask for more books. Never mind that I had no idea what those books were going to be, because that one was my everything at the time.  What I do remember is the crushing disappointment, the “proof” that I couldn’t do what I wanted to do more than anything else in the world. Totally skipped over the “send me something else” part, partly because I was that crushed, and partly because I didn’t have anything else at the time. This was meant to be the one that flung open the doors and got the party started. Surely, then, everything would come easy after that.

What Actually Happened:

I went into retail. The book went into the briefcase a family friend gave me for my high school graduation, and then into the back of a closet, eventually into a storage unit. I stumbled onto the path of retail management, but when the district supervisor called me in for a talk, to ask about where I wanted to be in five years, I said “writing.” What? I didn’t want to manage my own store? Umm, okay, I guess, but mostly writing. I ended up as assistant manager at that store, and I discovered fan fiction, where I wrote. A lot. Where I learned a lot through that writing. Where I made friends who also wrote. We taught each other. We experimented. Belly flopped. Blinked in astonishment when readers asked for more. Provided more. Learned how to hawk our wares at appropriate venues, used the heck out of the USPS to stay in touch, fumbled through the early days of the Internet together, and, sometimes, met in person.

Through one of those meetings, I found a local writer’s group and was invited to join. I did. Week after week, we met and wrote to prompts, in timed exercises. One of those clicked, and kept going, eventually becoming My Outcast Heart. My first shot at a historical romance since that book where nothing happened. I queried Awe-Struck Publishing, sent in a partial, and sent in the whole thing when asked. Less than a week later, I got The Email. A real, live publisher wanted to buy my book! Um, yes, please. Then when one of the editors started his own boutique publisher and asked me for more, I sent more. I wrote two novellas and another novel, and all went out into the world and found homes.

Then life happened. I became caregiver to three relatives at once. Two passed away, while the other and I learned to manage the conditions newly discovered. There were matters to settle, a move to be made. My own depression was in there somewhere, along with some anxiety, and more miscarried manuscripts than I care to count. Not my favorite time, and sure, I wish I’d done some things differently. Sold  a few books, that would have been nice, but I’ve written articles and blog posts and not going to lie, I’m proud of those. I kept writing books. Not all of them made it, and that’s probably a good thing, but I kept on going, finding things that didn’t work and looking for things that would.

How It Goes From Here:

You’re asking me? This is the person who cried when the survey showed up in her mailbox. The one who grumped about not wanting to go to the meeting, but I had to because I was part of it. Everybody else is more successful than me and what right do I have to walk in the midst of them, so leave me here in my pile of sludge to die. Which is A) pretty much what it felt like, and, B) shines a light on how  much I want this.  Seeing as how I did tick a few boxes, I think I’m doing okay.

I’m still here. I’m still writing. I’ve been getting some good rejections on a novella, and “loved the voice and characters, but…” is a far sight better than “nothing happens.” I got a workshop I love out of lessons learned from all the fanfic I wrote and edited in those post-rejection days (which, to be honest, were all historical romances in disguise anyway) and, as my mother told me often, the year I broke my right arm (and, disappointingly, did not learn how to become completely ambidextrous during the healing process) broken bones heal stronger.

Write, finish, submit, repeat. Old advice, still works. If I get one new release this year, by traditional or independent publishing, I will indeed reach the fifth release goal. With a whole year ahead of me, and a novella in search of a home, this could happen.

We were asked, during the meeting, to make a list of our goals for the year. These should do.

20151214_113536-1_resized

Okay, I made specific writing related ones, too, but it’s been  a rough weekend. Feeling good about these so far.