My internet at home has taken a temporary powder. A few nights of storms took out the modem, and then something went wacky with the wireless card.
You'd think this wouldn't be a huge life issue. It's not, unless I really want to click through a few links, post on a blog or check my e-mail.
I use the day job lunch-hour, pre-clock-in or post-clock-out time to do some writing and the behind-the-scenes of writing, too. But I ended up rattattaing my fingers on my desk during lunch yesterday, because, you guessed it, the internet wouldn't cooperate.
I guess I'm going to have to wait to tell you about my new grand-dogs, who helped take the edge off of not having internet all weekend.
I'll have to tell you all about Lily and Lola. Someday, I'm supposed to get some pictures to post so you can see them.
I can tell you that Lily and Lola (formerly known as Lightning and Steve - now there's a story) are eleven week old Boxadors. Boxadors are apparently notorious for not being able to hold their liquid. Or maybe it's just Lily and Lola.
The amazing thing about having grand-pups is that I don't have to clean up after them unless I feel helpful. I don't have to worry about who's going to watch them if I need to leave the house for any length of time. Nor do I have to pay for the vet bills or food.
All I have to do with grand-pups is enjoy them. I think I could really get used to this.
Monday, August 13, 2007
Friday, August 10, 2007
Serials and Scenarios - Hints from Mindy Starns Clark
Mindy dropped in and answered a few dregs questions. I had every intention of cleaning up...but....well, good thing this was an e-mail interview.
Fiction character you would most like to be or most identify with and why?
I always wanted to be Heidi, eating cheese melted on a stick and sleeping on a soft bed of hay beside a window that looks out at the Alps. Of course, I'm allergic to hay and I have a feeling that in reality it's not all that soft anyway. But it sure sounded like fun at the time.
These days, I'd probably want to be one of my own characters, because they always seem to possess different qualities that I wish I had but don't.
Some out there in writing land have strange rituals. Share yours.
When a deadline is looming and I'm in full panic mode, I'll book room in a hotel. I go there, hang out the Do Not Disturb sign, and immerse myself in my writing so completely that I forget to eat, sleep, and sometimes even breath. When the book is finished, I'll take a shower, order room service, and come out again, manuscript in hand.
If you could change something in any novel, what would you change about it and why?
I would change the ending to My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult. It's a wonderful, amazing book until you get to the end, which is just the worst ever. Terribly dissatisfying and anti-climactic.
I would also change the last season of the TV show 24. It was just the best show ever until then, when it completely fell apart. (And I've been watching since Hour 1, Day 1, so I've always been a big fan.) I'm sure hoping it gets back on track next season.
What crayon in the box describes you on a good day? Bad day? Which one do you aspire to be?
I always had a fondness for the discontinued colors. It's like they were there, and then they were gone. At the Crayola museum, you can read all about the colors that have been pulled over the years, and why. Fascinating.
My favorite was always Cornflower, which I see as beautiful and cheerful or doleful and sad, all in one little crayon, so I guess that fits good days and bad. I aspire to be gold, though in a crayon it never comes out as sparkly as you expect.
Pick one…..Pink iguana, purple cow, periwinkle giraffe. Which one and why? Can be negative or positive.
Periwinkle giraffe because, well, periwinkle anything.
If you were assured of writing a best-seller, what genre would it be? Give us a sliver of information, a characteristic or glimpse of a scene.
It would be a fabulous spy-type espionage thriller. And it would be even more fun when they turned it into a movie. My favorite scene would be in the restaurant, when my husband and are in the background as extras.
What period of history intrigues you the most?
The settlement of the American West, the Oregon Trail and all of that. I cannot imagine anyone having the nerve to embark on such a perilous journey, not to mention going that long without a Diet Dr. Pepper.
What would you write if there were no rules or barriers? (epic novels about characters in the Bible, poetry, greeting cards, plays, movies, instruction manuals, etc.)
I'd write a fabulously successful Broadway show, a musical about redemption of the common man, filled with God's truth. People everywhere would fall in love with the characters, hum the tunes, find God. How cool would that be?
What makes you feel alive?
Riding on a boat, really fast, somewhere beautiful.
How does something worm its way into your heart? Through tears, truth, humor or other?
A person, through humor and intelligence and decency.
A story when it strikes at the core of that big "Yes! I know exactly what you mean!"
A place when it gives me a sense of peace and contentment.
Book, music, person, food you would take with you on a very long trip.
My husband isn't just my best friend, he's also the best travel partner in the world, so I'd never want to go anywhere for very long without him. As for music and food, we would sample the local delights (as long as the food isn't gross or too "out there"). As for a book, I'd want something totally gripping and captivating that just happened to be set in the location I was visiting. That's always fun.
Where would you most like to travel ----- moon, north pole, deep seas, deserted island, the holy land or back to a place from your childhood, somewhere else? – and why.
I'd like to take a year-long luxury cruise around the world so that I could see all of those places I always wanted to see, but without having to unpack and repack or spend time on airplanes. I was a travel agent for years, so I got more than my share of handling logistics. I'd rather just float along and let someone else do it for a change.
Favorite season and why?
In the South, where I was born and raised, it has to be the Spring. The temperature is perfect, the flowers are blooming, and the world seems ripe with possibility.
In Pennsylvania, where I live now, Spring is the most miserable season of all—cold, snowy, rainy, wet. Here, I much prefer the summer, probably because that's when the kids are out of school and we can go off on various adventures without having to worry about schedules and homework. And it's warm. Did I mention warm?
Favorite book setting and why?
I love books about survival, so I'd have to say a deserted island or a deep forest or jungle. Just nothing cold, like survival on a mountaintop. I don't like cold. Did I mention I like warm?
Which compliment related to your writing has meant the most and why?
I had several reviews in a row that said I had "set the standard" for Christian mystery. That tickled me so much! When my husband would ask me to do the dishes, I'd say, "Sorry, can't do it, I'm too busy setting the standard for Christian mystery. "
What criticism has cut the deepest and why?
I just get so tired of reviews in secular outlets that praise my books but "warn" the reader that there's Christian content. (I must have 50 reviews that actually use that word—"Warning!".) Like that's something so offensive you need to know full well ahead of time so you can avoid it. Watch out for rattlesnakes, razor blades, and oh yeah, the Christian elements in this mystery! It makes me very sad.
What would you do today if you knew you had only a week to live?
I'd clean my house and do laundry.
Kidding.
Day one: Like in one of those weeper movies, I'd probably set up a video camera and make a bunch of tapes for my kids—you know, "watch this one on your 20th birthday. Watch this one when you're ready to get married…" I still have so much to say to them!
Day two through four: I'd probably rent out a bunch of lovely lakeside cottages and gather everyone I love around me, friends and family. We would spend the time talking, hugging, eating, singing around the campfire, building memories. Oh, and I'd talk with each of them about the state of their salvation, just to make sure we'd get together again in the long run.
Day five: I would send everyone away except one of my kids and I'd spend every moment sharing, planning, talking, and just being together. I'd prepare her for my death.
Day six: I'd switch out kids and repeat the events of day five.
Day seven: I'd spend every moment with my husband, make plans for our family's future, laugh and cry and end it all wrapped in his arms.
Okay, that was a very morose question! Now I'm depressed.
What is your favorite word?
Grace.
What word annoys you more than any other?
Irregardless. (Not that it's really a word!)
Superhero you most admire and why?
Batman, probably because he's smart. I like intelligent superheroes. Plus he's a billionaire who decided to use his money for good. Can't beat that!
Super power you'd love to borrow for awhile?
I have always wanted to be invisible. That's probably why I'm a writer, because it's like being in the midst of these lives and just watching and listening.
Favorite chore
None. I don't like chores.
Well, I guess I don't mind making dinner, as long as my husband is home doing some project, the kids are quietly doing their homework, and I can just putter around the kitchen in the midst of all of that.
Anything you'd do but don't because of fear of pain? What is it? Ex. Bungee jumping, sky diving, running with scissors.
Oh, there is much I don't do because of fear of pain! I don't like pain.
Run a marathon. Swing around like a gymnast on parallel bars. Try couples ice skating. Do backflips off the high dive. Touch my toes. The list goes on and on.
Grammatical pet peeve…sound off.
It's a tie:
Using the wrong pronoun as the object of a preposition, ex. "Give that thing to he and I." UGH!
Putting an apostrophe before the letter S for no reason, ex. "The Smith's are going to join us."
Both make me crazy!
Societal pet peeve…sound off.
Parents who don't know how to help their child behave in public. Kids need to be told ahead of time how they are expected to behave before they ever get there. Once there, they need diversions for when they get bored. Most of all, they need to know that rules are rules whether people are watching or not.
Just the other day I watched a little girl probably 18 months old and she was getting into everything in a doctor's waiting room. The mother kept yelling but never did a single thing to distract the girl or entertain her or corral her. The woman just expected the poor kid to "stop doing that!" It made me so sad.
Worse is when a kid learns that acting up and being loud in public will get them exactly what they want. Mom and dad need to allow themselves to be embarrassed once or twice without caving in, and soon that bad behavior will stop! Please note, my compaint isn't with misbehaving kids, it's with parents who don't help them learn to behave.
CREATIVE CORNER:
Pick a Genre - Describe a kiss….
Mystery – Okay, I'm cheating. This is from my book Blind Dates Can Be Murder.
Here's the setup: Jo and Danny have been best friends for years, though Danny has recently realized that he loves Jo. In this scene, she needs to make someone watching think that they are involved romantically, so she tells Danny to kiss her. The scene is from Danny's POV.
“Don’t talk now,” Jo replied evenly. “Just kiss me. And make it look real.”
Danny swallowed hard.
Kiss me? And make it look real?
She didn’t have to ask him twice.
Knowing this wasn’t how he wanted their first kiss to be, knowing there was some other motive here entirely, knowing that Jo’s mind was not on him but on some strange sort of display for the woman who watched from the doorway, nevertheless Danny did as Jo asked. Leaning forward, he met her upturned lips with his own and lingered there. Jo’s mouth felt exactly as he had envisioned: warm, welcoming, sweet. Touching his fingertips to her chin, he pressed his lips more firmly against hers, and then suddenly she was kissing him in return. She raised up one soft hand and pressed it against the back of his head, pulling him even more tightly toward her. He was surprised to hear a small whimper escape from her throat. If they had been in a more private setting, he might’ve kept kissing her for hours.
As it was, he finally ended and pulled away, his breathing ragged, his heart pounding. In Jo’s half-closed eyes, he could see that the kiss had gotten to her too.
“Ah,” she whispered with a sigh.
Jo’s eyes opened wider. As if coming to her senses, she sat up and turned away, smoothing her hair, looking out of the side window.
“Thanks, Danny,” she squeaked. “Now drive.”
Chick-Lit – in the same situation, once we have moved to Jo's POV:
Jo kept her eyes firmly on the side window, turned away from Danny. Was she crazy? Was she an idiot?
Was that really the most amazing kiss she’d ever had in her life?
Jo forced herself to breath evenly, forced herself to act nonchalant. Inside, though, she was gasping for air, gasping for comprehension. This was Danny, her best friend.
And, yes, that was the most amazing kiss she’d ever had in her whole life.
She swallowed hard, her mind swirling with thoughts. No wonder girls threw themselves at him all the time. No wonder he usually had multitudes of women waiting in the wings. No wonder he was considered a real “catch”. It wasn’t just the sweet manner or the sloppy good looks or the artsy photographer-musician appeal thing. It was his kissing!
He must be known far and wide, much as Jo was known for her household hints.
Miss Tulip, can you help us get the smudges off our tennis shoes? And, oh, by the way, Mr. Watkins, can you run that outstanding lip-lock past us again?
Jo wished he would run it past her again, just one more time.
Unbelievable.
Pick one of the "story starters" below and give us a sample of your voice.
It was a damp and dismal afternoon. I sat at my desk and stared at the computer screen, wondering if I would finish these questions in time for Kelly to post them. Just one more sentence, one more word, and then it would be done. If only I could tell her about the…
THE END
Fiction character you would most like to be or most identify with and why?
I always wanted to be Heidi, eating cheese melted on a stick and sleeping on a soft bed of hay beside a window that looks out at the Alps. Of course, I'm allergic to hay and I have a feeling that in reality it's not all that soft anyway. But it sure sounded like fun at the time.
These days, I'd probably want to be one of my own characters, because they always seem to possess different qualities that I wish I had but don't.
Some out there in writing land have strange rituals. Share yours.
When a deadline is looming and I'm in full panic mode, I'll book room in a hotel. I go there, hang out the Do Not Disturb sign, and immerse myself in my writing so completely that I forget to eat, sleep, and sometimes even breath. When the book is finished, I'll take a shower, order room service, and come out again, manuscript in hand.
If you could change something in any novel, what would you change about it and why?
I would change the ending to My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult. It's a wonderful, amazing book until you get to the end, which is just the worst ever. Terribly dissatisfying and anti-climactic.
I would also change the last season of the TV show 24. It was just the best show ever until then, when it completely fell apart. (And I've been watching since Hour 1, Day 1, so I've always been a big fan.) I'm sure hoping it gets back on track next season.
What crayon in the box describes you on a good day? Bad day? Which one do you aspire to be?
I always had a fondness for the discontinued colors. It's like they were there, and then they were gone. At the Crayola museum, you can read all about the colors that have been pulled over the years, and why. Fascinating.
My favorite was always Cornflower, which I see as beautiful and cheerful or doleful and sad, all in one little crayon, so I guess that fits good days and bad. I aspire to be gold, though in a crayon it never comes out as sparkly as you expect.
Pick one…..Pink iguana, purple cow, periwinkle giraffe. Which one and why? Can be negative or positive.
Periwinkle giraffe because, well, periwinkle anything.
If you were assured of writing a best-seller, what genre would it be? Give us a sliver of information, a characteristic or glimpse of a scene.
It would be a fabulous spy-type espionage thriller. And it would be even more fun when they turned it into a movie. My favorite scene would be in the restaurant, when my husband and are in the background as extras.
What period of history intrigues you the most?
The settlement of the American West, the Oregon Trail and all of that. I cannot imagine anyone having the nerve to embark on such a perilous journey, not to mention going that long without a Diet Dr. Pepper.
What would you write if there were no rules or barriers? (epic novels about characters in the Bible, poetry, greeting cards, plays, movies, instruction manuals, etc.)
I'd write a fabulously successful Broadway show, a musical about redemption of the common man, filled with God's truth. People everywhere would fall in love with the characters, hum the tunes, find God. How cool would that be?
What makes you feel alive?
Riding on a boat, really fast, somewhere beautiful.
How does something worm its way into your heart? Through tears, truth, humor or other?
A person, through humor and intelligence and decency.
A story when it strikes at the core of that big "Yes! I know exactly what you mean!"
A place when it gives me a sense of peace and contentment.
Book, music, person, food you would take with you on a very long trip.
My husband isn't just my best friend, he's also the best travel partner in the world, so I'd never want to go anywhere for very long without him. As for music and food, we would sample the local delights (as long as the food isn't gross or too "out there"). As for a book, I'd want something totally gripping and captivating that just happened to be set in the location I was visiting. That's always fun.
Where would you most like to travel ----- moon, north pole, deep seas, deserted island, the holy land or back to a place from your childhood, somewhere else? – and why.
I'd like to take a year-long luxury cruise around the world so that I could see all of those places I always wanted to see, but without having to unpack and repack or spend time on airplanes. I was a travel agent for years, so I got more than my share of handling logistics. I'd rather just float along and let someone else do it for a change.
Favorite season and why?
In the South, where I was born and raised, it has to be the Spring. The temperature is perfect, the flowers are blooming, and the world seems ripe with possibility.
In Pennsylvania, where I live now, Spring is the most miserable season of all—cold, snowy, rainy, wet. Here, I much prefer the summer, probably because that's when the kids are out of school and we can go off on various adventures without having to worry about schedules and homework. And it's warm. Did I mention warm?
Favorite book setting and why?
I love books about survival, so I'd have to say a deserted island or a deep forest or jungle. Just nothing cold, like survival on a mountaintop. I don't like cold. Did I mention I like warm?
Which compliment related to your writing has meant the most and why?
I had several reviews in a row that said I had "set the standard" for Christian mystery. That tickled me so much! When my husband would ask me to do the dishes, I'd say, "Sorry, can't do it, I'm too busy setting the standard for Christian mystery. "
What criticism has cut the deepest and why?
I just get so tired of reviews in secular outlets that praise my books but "warn" the reader that there's Christian content. (I must have 50 reviews that actually use that word—"Warning!".) Like that's something so offensive you need to know full well ahead of time so you can avoid it. Watch out for rattlesnakes, razor blades, and oh yeah, the Christian elements in this mystery! It makes me very sad.
What would you do today if you knew you had only a week to live?
I'd clean my house and do laundry.
Kidding.
Day one: Like in one of those weeper movies, I'd probably set up a video camera and make a bunch of tapes for my kids—you know, "watch this one on your 20th birthday. Watch this one when you're ready to get married…" I still have so much to say to them!
Day two through four: I'd probably rent out a bunch of lovely lakeside cottages and gather everyone I love around me, friends and family. We would spend the time talking, hugging, eating, singing around the campfire, building memories. Oh, and I'd talk with each of them about the state of their salvation, just to make sure we'd get together again in the long run.
Day five: I would send everyone away except one of my kids and I'd spend every moment sharing, planning, talking, and just being together. I'd prepare her for my death.
Day six: I'd switch out kids and repeat the events of day five.
Day seven: I'd spend every moment with my husband, make plans for our family's future, laugh and cry and end it all wrapped in his arms.
Okay, that was a very morose question! Now I'm depressed.
What is your favorite word?
Grace.
What word annoys you more than any other?
Irregardless. (Not that it's really a word!)
Superhero you most admire and why?
Batman, probably because he's smart. I like intelligent superheroes. Plus he's a billionaire who decided to use his money for good. Can't beat that!
Super power you'd love to borrow for awhile?
I have always wanted to be invisible. That's probably why I'm a writer, because it's like being in the midst of these lives and just watching and listening.
Favorite chore
None. I don't like chores.
Well, I guess I don't mind making dinner, as long as my husband is home doing some project, the kids are quietly doing their homework, and I can just putter around the kitchen in the midst of all of that.
Anything you'd do but don't because of fear of pain? What is it? Ex. Bungee jumping, sky diving, running with scissors.
Oh, there is much I don't do because of fear of pain! I don't like pain.
Run a marathon. Swing around like a gymnast on parallel bars. Try couples ice skating. Do backflips off the high dive. Touch my toes. The list goes on and on.
Grammatical pet peeve…sound off.
It's a tie:
Using the wrong pronoun as the object of a preposition, ex. "Give that thing to he and I." UGH!
Putting an apostrophe before the letter S for no reason, ex. "The Smith's are going to join us."
Both make me crazy!
Societal pet peeve…sound off.
Parents who don't know how to help their child behave in public. Kids need to be told ahead of time how they are expected to behave before they ever get there. Once there, they need diversions for when they get bored. Most of all, they need to know that rules are rules whether people are watching or not.
Just the other day I watched a little girl probably 18 months old and she was getting into everything in a doctor's waiting room. The mother kept yelling but never did a single thing to distract the girl or entertain her or corral her. The woman just expected the poor kid to "stop doing that!" It made me so sad.
Worse is when a kid learns that acting up and being loud in public will get them exactly what they want. Mom and dad need to allow themselves to be embarrassed once or twice without caving in, and soon that bad behavior will stop! Please note, my compaint isn't with misbehaving kids, it's with parents who don't help them learn to behave.
CREATIVE CORNER:
Pick a Genre - Describe a kiss….
Mystery – Okay, I'm cheating. This is from my book Blind Dates Can Be Murder.
Here's the setup: Jo and Danny have been best friends for years, though Danny has recently realized that he loves Jo. In this scene, she needs to make someone watching think that they are involved romantically, so she tells Danny to kiss her. The scene is from Danny's POV.
“Don’t talk now,” Jo replied evenly. “Just kiss me. And make it look real.”
Danny swallowed hard.
Kiss me? And make it look real?
She didn’t have to ask him twice.
Knowing this wasn’t how he wanted their first kiss to be, knowing there was some other motive here entirely, knowing that Jo’s mind was not on him but on some strange sort of display for the woman who watched from the doorway, nevertheless Danny did as Jo asked. Leaning forward, he met her upturned lips with his own and lingered there. Jo’s mouth felt exactly as he had envisioned: warm, welcoming, sweet. Touching his fingertips to her chin, he pressed his lips more firmly against hers, and then suddenly she was kissing him in return. She raised up one soft hand and pressed it against the back of his head, pulling him even more tightly toward her. He was surprised to hear a small whimper escape from her throat. If they had been in a more private setting, he might’ve kept kissing her for hours.
As it was, he finally ended and pulled away, his breathing ragged, his heart pounding. In Jo’s half-closed eyes, he could see that the kiss had gotten to her too.
“Ah,” she whispered with a sigh.
Jo’s eyes opened wider. As if coming to her senses, she sat up and turned away, smoothing her hair, looking out of the side window.
“Thanks, Danny,” she squeaked. “Now drive.”
Chick-Lit – in the same situation, once we have moved to Jo's POV:
Jo kept her eyes firmly on the side window, turned away from Danny. Was she crazy? Was she an idiot?
Was that really the most amazing kiss she’d ever had in her life?
Jo forced herself to breath evenly, forced herself to act nonchalant. Inside, though, she was gasping for air, gasping for comprehension. This was Danny, her best friend.
And, yes, that was the most amazing kiss she’d ever had in her whole life.
She swallowed hard, her mind swirling with thoughts. No wonder girls threw themselves at him all the time. No wonder he usually had multitudes of women waiting in the wings. No wonder he was considered a real “catch”. It wasn’t just the sweet manner or the sloppy good looks or the artsy photographer-musician appeal thing. It was his kissing!
He must be known far and wide, much as Jo was known for her household hints.
Miss Tulip, can you help us get the smudges off our tennis shoes? And, oh, by the way, Mr. Watkins, can you run that outstanding lip-lock past us again?
Jo wished he would run it past her again, just one more time.
Unbelievable.
Pick one of the "story starters" below and give us a sample of your voice.
It was a damp and dismal afternoon. I sat at my desk and stared at the computer screen, wondering if I would finish these questions in time for Kelly to post them. Just one more sentence, one more word, and then it would be done. If only I could tell her about the…
THE END
Thanks, Mindy. This was a fun interview. And I enjoyed outing myself and appearing in your book.
Have a great weekend, everyone.
Thursday, August 09, 2007
Scribble and Scrambles - Housekeeping Horror - Grandma Will Never Forget
Immortalizing my messiness...story number two.
Page 108 of The House That Cleans Itself
Writing under the pseudonym Evelyn R.
Time for a Change
"Grandma dropped by for a scheduled visit. I'd cleaned and delegated jobs to the children, one of whom had forgotten to put away the vacuum cleaner. (This wasn't an issue; at least it proved we vacuumed on occasion!) The brand caught Grandma's eye, and she walked toward it and grasped the handle.
"Is this one of those light little 8-pound vacuums?" she asked.
I nodded and smiled just as Grandma tried to lift it -- and couldn't.
"Good grief!" she cried. "That's a lot more than 8 pounds!"
I grabbed the handle. A churning in my stomach reminded me that I'd given all vacuuming responsibility to my 12-year-old, and I hadn't checked the bag in ages. Gulping at the gritty gray trail of dust that followed any movement of the handle, I wrestled it to the front porch. It weighed at least 30 pound! I unzipped the bad and engulfed my Grandma, Mom and me in a cloud of dirt.
Grandma still laughs 10 years later. The vacuum still works...if I remember to change the bag."
Come back tomorrow for a Q & A session with Mindy.
Page 108 of The House That Cleans Itself
Writing under the pseudonym Evelyn R.
Time for a Change
"Grandma dropped by for a scheduled visit. I'd cleaned and delegated jobs to the children, one of whom had forgotten to put away the vacuum cleaner. (This wasn't an issue; at least it proved we vacuumed on occasion!) The brand caught Grandma's eye, and she walked toward it and grasped the handle.
"Is this one of those light little 8-pound vacuums?" she asked.
I nodded and smiled just as Grandma tried to lift it -- and couldn't.
"Good grief!" she cried. "That's a lot more than 8 pounds!"
I grabbed the handle. A churning in my stomach reminded me that I'd given all vacuuming responsibility to my 12-year-old, and I hadn't checked the bag in ages. Gulping at the gritty gray trail of dust that followed any movement of the handle, I wrestled it to the front porch. It weighed at least 30 pound! I unzipped the bad and engulfed my Grandma, Mom and me in a cloud of dirt.
Grandma still laughs 10 years later. The vacuum still works...if I remember to change the bag."
Come back tomorrow for a Q & A session with Mindy.
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
Serials and Scenarios - And If I Die
Click on the book cover to see more about John Aubrey Anderson's latest in his Black and White chronicles.
Past Dregs Interview with John
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
Serials and Scenarios - The House That Cleans Itself
Now that I've shared one of my humiliating housekeeping snafus, here's Amazon's link to the book that I'm taking pretty seriously. Okay, right now it's in a pile, but I keep lifting the corner of the mound of stuff on top and peeking at my helpful little friend.Mindy's Website offers lots more info, too.
My Review:
Housekeeping is not my forte. Like Mindy Starnes Clark I feel drawn to helpful hints, but alas, they end up becoming part of my clutter rather than part of my solution.
This book is designed for the housekeeping impaired or challenged. What an amazing idea...restructuring the house rather than attempting to rewire the brains of the household members.
Eureka! If you have struggled with waves of stuff, or a house that seems to explode contents randomly and without warning, this book may be "the one!"
The very Christian message of prayer and persistance is within the pages along with encouragement.
Though I may not begin tomorrow, the ideas and tips are going to be swirling in my mind for weeks, and I'll end up taking a highlighter to the book and then I'm going to get to work.
Two of my housekeeping nightmares are printed in the book and it was no surprise to my friends and family that my stories were chosen.
The House that Cleans Itself and I are going to become very close. I think I can smell lemony fresh freedom.
Monday, August 06, 2007
Scribble and Scrambles - Housekeeping Horror...Pat's Revenge
I mentioned recently that I've been published...in book form. A real book. Yes. It's true.
Unfortunately...I'm anonymous.
The call came several months ago.
A search for housekeeping moments that should never see the light of day. Embarrasing and horrific seconds that seem like lifetimes when our faults and faux pas become visible.
I'm not content to be anonymous.
I want to own my messes. Actually I'd like to give them away, but these are funny as well as embarrasing. And other than the few folk who stumble into dregs by accident, we're all friends here.
So here it goes. The first story. Page 32 of The House That Cleans Itself
by Kelly Klepfer aka Corinne Z.
"My child's birthday party brought much work -- closets to clean, floors to scrub, clutter to hide. Hours later I had conquered it all. (I have this bizarre compulsion to clean everything if I'm going to clean anything.) The closets, gleaming and organized, brought tears of satisfaction to my eyes.
Until my father wandered in. According to him, the moment was so rare that he wanted to capture it on film. He ran back and got the video camera, and then he returned and began filming. In awe, he traveled from room to room, immortalizing the cleanliness on film -- all the while quipping sarcastic commentary.
Sigh. At least he noticed it was clean. "
If you are a long-term reader you will understand why I've named this post - Pat's revenge.
Come back tomorrow for my review of the book. And Thursday will reveal an even more horrific housekeeping moment.
Unfortunately...I'm anonymous.
The call came several months ago.
A search for housekeeping moments that should never see the light of day. Embarrasing and horrific seconds that seem like lifetimes when our faults and faux pas become visible.
I'm not content to be anonymous.
I want to own my messes. Actually I'd like to give them away, but these are funny as well as embarrasing. And other than the few folk who stumble into dregs by accident, we're all friends here.
So here it goes. The first story. Page 32 of The House That Cleans Itself
by Kelly Klepfer aka Corinne Z.
"My child's birthday party brought much work -- closets to clean, floors to scrub, clutter to hide. Hours later I had conquered it all. (I have this bizarre compulsion to clean everything if I'm going to clean anything.) The closets, gleaming and organized, brought tears of satisfaction to my eyes.
Until my father wandered in. According to him, the moment was so rare that he wanted to capture it on film. He ran back and got the video camera, and then he returned and began filming. In awe, he traveled from room to room, immortalizing the cleanliness on film -- all the while quipping sarcastic commentary.
Sigh. At least he noticed it was clean. "
If you are a long-term reader you will understand why I've named this post - Pat's revenge.
Come back tomorrow for my review of the book. And Thursday will reveal an even more horrific housekeeping moment.
Friday, August 03, 2007
Serials and Scenarios - Robin Lee Hatcher Returns
Robin Lee Hatcher was kind enough to stop and chat for awhile. I enjoyed her visit. I know you will, too.
Fiction character you would most like to be or most identify with and why?
I’d like to be Scarlet O’Hara, keep all her spunkiness and bravery, and overcome all of her flaws (selfishness being the first that has to go). I can’t say I identify with her, but she is a character who has always fascinated and intrigued me. If I’d been an actress in 1930’s Hollywood, you better believe I would have done a screen test to play the role.
Some out there in writing land have strange rituals. Share yours.
Sorry. I think I must be rather dull in this regard. I just want my computer, a bit of soft background music (mostly movie soundtracks), and a dash of creativity. In a pinch, however, I have been known to write the last of a book without stopping to fix meals. In such cases, I survive by popping M&M Peanuts. Hey, it makes sense. Sugar for a boost of energy and peanuts for protein.
If you could change something in any novel, what would you change about it and why?
Back to Scarlett O’Hara and Gone With the Wind. The romance writer in me longs to see Scarlett and Rhett finally get together, to admit how much they love each other and live HEA. But then maybe I wouldn’t be fascinated by Scarlett if the ending was tied up so neatly. {{shrug}}
What crayon in the box describes you on a good day? Bad day?
Good day: TealBad day: Slate gray
Pick one…..Pink iguana, purple cow, periwinkle giraffe. Which one and why? Can be negative or positive.
Purple Cow.
Why?
Because...I've never seen a purple cow;
I hope to never see one.
But I can tell you anyhow,
I'd rather see than be one!
Favorite turn of phrase or word picture, in literature or movie.
I have two favorites, both of them from the same movie, A Knight’s Tale.
#1, Paul Bettany as Geoffrey Chaucer, sometimes called the father of English literature, says: "I'm a writer. I give the truth scope!"
#2, Chaucer, talking to some bad guys who beat him and stole his clothes earlier in the movie: "I will eviscerate you in fiction. Every last pimple. Every last character flaw. I was naked for a day. You will be naked for eternity."
Ooh, I do so love those lines.
What period of history intrigues you the most?
I can’t name just one. England of the middle ages, Regency, and Victorian periods. The American West of the 1800’s. The time and settings in the Bible. And more. Much more. History was my favorite subject in school, and I love learning about new periods and customs.
What would you write if there were no rules or barriers? (epic novels about characters in the Bible, poetry, greeting cards, plays, movies, instruction manuals, etc.)
I pretty much write what I want right now without any rules or barriers. So I guess the answer is contemporary and historical women’s fiction written from a Christian worldview, novels meant to touch the hearts of readers and point them to the One who has all answers.
How does something worm its way into your heart? Through tears, truth, humor or other?
Tears.
Book, music, person, food you would take with you on a very long trip.
Book: the BibleMusic: lots of different styles (praise, hymns, classic rock, classical, country), everything that was on my iPodPerson: my daughtersFood: M&M Peanuts (just in case I needed energy and protein)
Where would you most like to travel ----- moon, north pole, deep seas, deserted island, the holy land or back to a place from your childhood, somewhere else? – and why.
Ireland, England, and Sweden. Those are the countries of my ancestors, and I would love to spend weeks exploring them (preferably in the warmer and drier season of the year).
Favorite season and why?
Fall. I love the crisp mornings and the warm days we have in Idaho in the fall. I love the way the air smells in the autumn. I love the colors that seem so much more vibrant than at any other time.
Which compliment related to your writing has meant the most and why?
When readers tell me that something I wrote brought them closer to God or helped them hear Him better or brought healing to an open wound in their lives, that is the best feeling of all. It always amazes me the way God uses fiction to speak to those with ears to hear.
What would you do today if you knew you had only a week to live?
I’d gather my children and grandchildren together and spend every last moment with them, making sure they knew how much I love them.
Societal pet peeve…sound off.
How intolerant people who demand tolerance often are.
Thanks for the visit, Robin. Have a great weekend, one and all.
Fiction character you would most like to be or most identify with and why?
I’d like to be Scarlet O’Hara, keep all her spunkiness and bravery, and overcome all of her flaws (selfishness being the first that has to go). I can’t say I identify with her, but she is a character who has always fascinated and intrigued me. If I’d been an actress in 1930’s Hollywood, you better believe I would have done a screen test to play the role.
Some out there in writing land have strange rituals. Share yours.
Sorry. I think I must be rather dull in this regard. I just want my computer, a bit of soft background music (mostly movie soundtracks), and a dash of creativity. In a pinch, however, I have been known to write the last of a book without stopping to fix meals. In such cases, I survive by popping M&M Peanuts. Hey, it makes sense. Sugar for a boost of energy and peanuts for protein.
If you could change something in any novel, what would you change about it and why?
Back to Scarlett O’Hara and Gone With the Wind. The romance writer in me longs to see Scarlett and Rhett finally get together, to admit how much they love each other and live HEA. But then maybe I wouldn’t be fascinated by Scarlett if the ending was tied up so neatly. {{shrug}}
What crayon in the box describes you on a good day? Bad day?
Good day: TealBad day: Slate gray
Pick one…..Pink iguana, purple cow, periwinkle giraffe. Which one and why? Can be negative or positive.
Purple Cow.
Why?
Because...I've never seen a purple cow;
I hope to never see one.
But I can tell you anyhow,
I'd rather see than be one!
Favorite turn of phrase or word picture, in literature or movie.
I have two favorites, both of them from the same movie, A Knight’s Tale.
#1, Paul Bettany as Geoffrey Chaucer, sometimes called the father of English literature, says: "I'm a writer. I give the truth scope!"
#2, Chaucer, talking to some bad guys who beat him and stole his clothes earlier in the movie: "I will eviscerate you in fiction. Every last pimple. Every last character flaw. I was naked for a day. You will be naked for eternity."
Ooh, I do so love those lines.
What period of history intrigues you the most?
I can’t name just one. England of the middle ages, Regency, and Victorian periods. The American West of the 1800’s. The time and settings in the Bible. And more. Much more. History was my favorite subject in school, and I love learning about new periods and customs.
What would you write if there were no rules or barriers? (epic novels about characters in the Bible, poetry, greeting cards, plays, movies, instruction manuals, etc.)
I pretty much write what I want right now without any rules or barriers. So I guess the answer is contemporary and historical women’s fiction written from a Christian worldview, novels meant to touch the hearts of readers and point them to the One who has all answers.
How does something worm its way into your heart? Through tears, truth, humor or other?
Tears.
Book, music, person, food you would take with you on a very long trip.
Book: the BibleMusic: lots of different styles (praise, hymns, classic rock, classical, country), everything that was on my iPodPerson: my daughtersFood: M&M Peanuts (just in case I needed energy and protein)
Where would you most like to travel ----- moon, north pole, deep seas, deserted island, the holy land or back to a place from your childhood, somewhere else? – and why.
Ireland, England, and Sweden. Those are the countries of my ancestors, and I would love to spend weeks exploring them (preferably in the warmer and drier season of the year).
Favorite season and why?
Fall. I love the crisp mornings and the warm days we have in Idaho in the fall. I love the way the air smells in the autumn. I love the colors that seem so much more vibrant than at any other time.
Which compliment related to your writing has meant the most and why?
When readers tell me that something I wrote brought them closer to God or helped them hear Him better or brought healing to an open wound in their lives, that is the best feeling of all. It always amazes me the way God uses fiction to speak to those with ears to hear.
What would you do today if you knew you had only a week to live?
I’d gather my children and grandchildren together and spend every last moment with them, making sure they knew how much I love them.
Societal pet peeve…sound off.
How intolerant people who demand tolerance often are.
Thanks for the visit, Robin. Have a great weekend, one and all.
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