Halloween was confusing. All my life my parents said, “Never take candy from strangers.” And then they dressed me up and said, “Go beg for it.” I didn’t know what to do! I’d knock on peoples’ doors and go, “Trick or treat – No thank you.”
– Rita Rudner
One of my favorite animated characters is Emily from The Corpse Bride and while this is a work-in-progress, just wanted to pop in and wish you all a happy Halloween and happy new year according to the old seasonal calendar. This is the time the world goes to sleep and prepares itself for spring.
I have been remiss with all my regular postings because I’m writing and researching for my writing. For someone who knows nothing about stocks and bonds and shares and margin calls, why on earth did I have to pick that as the background for my current book which is being written and submitted for Harlequin’s SYTYCW15 contest? And I’ve got less than 10 days left to go!
Oh well, I’m going to plot again.
Actually, maybe not.
I’m pretty much a procrastinator
Still, knowing that, what do I do
when I’m supposed to be tying loose ends
yet here I am, killing time with you.
I really should be working
for I’ve got so many things to do –
Stories to write and plot away
instead of dreaming dreams with you.
The novel won’t write itself, I’m sure
though it may not have much choice
when I while away my time off the page
my poor characters find their voice,
and run off with the story
it’s the only thing they can do
as I finally chase after them with pen and pencil
and write their story the way I was meant to.
She was gone then in a flurry
hollow and naked
frace advancing towards death
the heart now being pulled
towards hell.
She was killed in a plane crash 14 years ago but I can never forget how beautiful she was, and her amazing voice. She also played the Queen of the Damned for the movie version of Anne Rice’s novel. Anyone remember that one?
Just one of those days when you want a do-over but you might as well just go with the flow.
…and hoping for some inspiration!
So Wattpad is having this contest that’s in partnership with Harlequin and it’s called So You Think You Can Write. In this case it’s the next romance novel. And the winner will have the chance for a 2-book publishing contract with Harlequin.
It took me some time to think about it, what with forum talk about how Harlequin is the worst there is for writers and something about a 2.6% payday per book sold once everything else is deducted. It’s disappointing to say the least and enough for me to just say, screw it! I’ll just self-pub.
But then it hit me! I’ve already self-pubbed! Now what else haven’t I tried? For one I haven’t even done the legwork to get myself an agent, neither have I shopped my novels around (so busy self-pubbing, that’s why). So what have I got to lose?
So as of yesterday I threw my hat in the ring with a new novel, and now I’m stumped. What do my characters want?
It’s one thing to write because you want to write. It’s one thing to write something that fits some sort of mold and in this case, a romance novel.
So while I figure out how wealthy families can feud over inheritance and what can one carry as far as something valuable enough to go after, I’m drawing. And coloring. And kinda doing everything but write despite a looming deadline.
AKA getting those creative juices flowing…
When I first drew Frida and posted the sketch on my family FB feed, many family members had no idea who she was – which is unfortunate because Frida Kahlo was a woman way ahead of her time. She painted through her pain and limitations and one of her famous quotes goes, “Feet, what do I need you for when I have wings to fly.”
She seemed to love Diego Rivera unconditionally, despite his…well, flaws. I remember coming across her diary, published long after death, of course and while the entires were so raw my soul ached, I could never get myself to buy it. Her paintings told me enough. At least they were her diary in a way, painted for all to see.
“Expose yourself to your deepest fear; after that, fear has no power, and the fear of freedom shrinks and vanishes. You are free.”
~ Jim Morrison 12/8/43 – 7/3/71
Morrighan's Muse 