Begin Again

I've been thinking a lot about the Violet's Monster trilogy and I love where this new idea goes...it's a lot more dramatic and it helps the story along much better than the original outline I had.

The sad part is, I don't think the first book has the same tone as the last two books - it's close, but there needs to be something deeper/darker.

So...I've decided to read through my 5th rough draft (since my 6th is at a standstill) and work out which parts to keep and which to scrap.

It's going to be a total re-working.

While I'm a little bit discouraged that it's taken me six drafts to realize this and to have the idea, it's also exciting because it means I can get back to work. I've missed it.

I've decided that I'm going to change it up a bit and make the "paper" (in Word) a different color, and I'm going to change the font. I can switch them back to what they're supposed to be for a manuscript once I'm done. Maybe those little things will make it more interesting and I'll keep working.

One can hope!

Also, I drew a Vulcan girl on my Bamboo tablet last night while we watched Star Trek. It isn't amazing, by any stretch, but learning just how much I can do and being proud of my 2nd finished attempt is wonderful. I'll try to put the drawing up here sometime next week.

YAY WEEKEND! I'm planning on seeing a friend, dropping by the library, and visiting Stu's parents. All in all, a fabulous way to spend the weekend.

Peace!

Bamboo

Having my dad and brother here are nice. It's remarkedly different from having my mother here. We haven't done anything besides hang out at school and watch stuff at the house. I feel like maybe they're a little bored but both are denying it so...I'll let it slide for now.

Pops brought me a cute little pot of roses and a bag of Hershey kisses (you would never know he's this mushy in real life!), both of which I LOVE, so that was sweet. Mom sent me a Spanish recipe book (YAAAAAY!!!!!), and then Pops decided he needed to buy me my birthday present early since he wouldn't be here (which I am a little sad about).

So we went to Best Buy so he could get a new camera (it's awesome) and to get ME a:

Bamboo Pen & Touch Tablet! Which I have been wanting for YEARS. It allows you to draw/paint on a computer (YAY DIGITAL ART!). I played around with it for about 2 1/2 hours last night and have fallen in love.

It has Adobe Elements on it as well as a program to edit digital photography on, so I can either re-touch photos, sketch some clothing designs, or paint a picture on it!

If you want to see some beautiful digital art, check out deviantart.com and type Linda Tso into the search engine. She has some beautiful princesses and fairys, particularly these:

http://peachysticks.deviantart.com/gallery/#/dabjuu

http://peachysticks.deviantart.com/gallery/#/dbalzp

Apparently, a lot of her stuff isn't on there anymore, but you get the idea.

Anyway...that was exciting!

More stuff on My Life As A Rockstar (2 illustrations complete!) and Violet's Monster: Volume I, II & III (finished typing up notes for the last two books) coming soon. Maybe some coverart now that I have a lovely Bamboo, thanks to my dad!! Woo!

Pen and Paper

Despite recent disappointment and lazy tendencies, I have attempted to struggle through the writing process in two of my books. Last night was very productive, and today I will hopefully continue the productivity.

Last night I opened up my computer (ZigZag! Back from the dead!) and copied down some handwritten notes I'd made earlier last week for the "My Life As A Rockstar" novel. I have now outlined all the chapters (bare bones), drawn the front cover as well as two illustrations.

I don't know what it is about pen and paper, but putting them together always sparks fun things for me.

Last night I went to bed (should have done so earlier, but anyway) and grabbed a piece of paper from Stu's notebook. I began writing (feeling guilty for not spending time with Max and Violet) out some questions I needed to think through for the first novel, and all of a sudden I had this vision of what the 2nd/3rd books are about. A really heart-breaking turn of events (at least in my head), that still resolves happily, but whew...watching it as a movie would make me cry.

It's really breathtaking to see the story evolving. Images flash in my head and the pen in my hand scrawls as fast as it can. Seeing where Violet's Monster goes, I have to say, it's a lot darker than originally intended, and I don't know that it fits the Middle Grade category entirely. The first book, perhaps; but the other two take place...well, I won't give anything away, but their tones just don't fit MG. Maybe YA. We'll see.

Alright. Now to color in my illustrations and work on some writing. Huzzah!

Springtime

I got a letter from my favorite harp teacher today, informing me that after 19 years of marriage and 3 children, she's leaving her family and moving to England to study.

How am I supposed to take that?

I'm grieving.

How could I congratulate her on what she sees as a blossoming of new life in a new direction, something that will FINALLY fill her life with beauty, while I see winter coming, cold and bare?

How can she move away from two little girls and a young man? And what about her husband, who still loves her?

I ache for her family. What will her little girls think when she leaves?

While I am not condemning or judging, and while I know that life has been very hard for her...

...I can't see the reason for leaving 3 precious children and a loving husband.

The in-laws are to blame in this instance (so I'm told), and that fills me with dread. How could parents do this to their child?

I hate seeing families split apart. I hate that people have to grow up without their parents. And I really hate seeing people make choices they may regret later.

I just don't know what to say.

Jumble

This weekend was rather hectic. Stu had a gig on Saturday and I had one on Sunday and in between times we watched large amounts of Arrested Development, some Dr. Who, and ate some of Ethan's cooking (He's VERY good).

Last night we watched the Leverage premiere, which, while good, meant that I am exhausted today from lack of sleep.

I've exercised and found that I am slowly losing weight (and gaining muscle, so I probably won't lose too much more), which is nice.

I just found another NaNoWriMo idea that wants to be written...it's in the infant stage right now, though, so I just have to incubate it until NaNoWriMo 2011. This year's is a stand-alone novel called "Mae, The Intergalactic Au Pair". "My Life As A Rockstar" will fit in somewhere, along with the next two Violet books.

Still not writing. I think I need to do some more brainstorming/plotting. Some of that is getting done with "Rockstar" but I think Violet's trilogy should be my first stuff to get done.

Exercising with Ruth is always fun - sometimes we watch "What Not to Wear," we talk, and we get to tone...and it usually does a good job of relaxing me/waking me up. Recommended.

I've been watching SNL for the past few days...last season's sketches with Dwayne Johnson, Seth Rogen, Anne Hathaway, Steve Carrell, John Malkovich, and...some other people that I'm forgetting...:/

I love SNL. Sometimes it's a little too much, but to be part of such an innovative and brilliant crew...I would love to work on SNL someday, or at least host it. :P We shall see...muahaha.

Ok. That's all I have for now.

Like I said. Jumble.

Ho-hum

Feeling kind of ill today.

I fixed a smashing dinner last night (cream gravy and rice, pan-fried fish covered in breadcrumbs and dill, french cut green beans, macaroni and garlic bread) while I attempted to help a friend unravel a plot for her book...it was fun, but exhausting. Whew.

I'm still trying to catch up on sleep.

My brother is here this week, which is awesome, but as of yet I haven't gotten to spend a lot of time with him besides the 7 hour car ride back home. :/ Hopefully we'll be able to cook and watch some Arrested Development this weekend.

I've got harp practice tonight as well as dishes and laundry, but at least we're eating at Chik-Fil-A (Thursday night: $3 Meal Deal!) so I won't have MORE dishes to do. Harp practice shouldn't take too long, and laundry practically does itself. :P

So...I'm just kinda "meh" today.

I'm getting back into the Violet's Monster: Volume I groove. I need to do some story arcs and plot points and such so I know where this is going (and so hopefully I'll have less drafts to do).

I think if I didn't write I might go crazy.

Dexter Finale

I just finished watching season 4 of Dexter.

WARNING: this show is graphic in every way. It's on SHOWTIME so...anything goes. As such, I can't recommend it. There's parts I don't even watch.

All that to say...

I absolutely, positively, most definitely love, love, love this show.

It is...breathtaking. Horrifying. Suspenseful. And underneath it all is someone desperately trying to fight his own darkness.

It's brilliant.

Watching the evolution of Dexter's character from a would-be lone wolf to a happy family man who decides he doesn't want his "dark passenger" involved in his life is so well done...believable, and so honest it makes me cry. Over the course of four seasons, Dexter learns and attempts to be a better man than he is.

Seeing human depravity and people reaching toward the light is amazing.

What the Heck Am I Eating?!

A few nights ago I dreamed I was Neil Patrick Harris and that I was starring in a musical.

The other night I had such a horrible dream that I cried and when I woke up I felt like I'd actually cried...

I was with a bunch of old friends/my siblings/people from Apostles (my church) and we had just found out that all of us had special talents...and I could fly! Not very well, of course, but I was learning. We had banded together to run away from those who wanted us dead (apparently no special talents were allowed)...they caught up with us, though, and put us in a prison, and were going to exterminate us. I was allowed to visit my mother, who cooked for the guards, and I told her that they were wrong, but she turned to me and said, "No, what they're doing is quite correct."

Also I had another little brother. I think his name was Cameron Rainey.

Besides the dreams, I am quite happy to say the music room is all cleaned up, and most of the living room/kitchen cleaning is done too. Now I've got to do the bathroom and everything is ready for my brother to arrive tomorrow!

1. Work
2. Trip to Atlanta
3. Cream gravy, rice, and fish with green beans for dinner
4. Cake for dessert
5. DOCTOR WHO!

Tomorrow's shaping up to be quite a pleasant day.

Also, books:

I got these at the library (there are more but I haven't read them yet):

Hulk: Grey (comic book) - Jeff Loeb & Tim Sale. Favorite team for comic books.
Hush (a Batman Comic) - also by Jeff Loeb & Tim Sale
Gunnerkrigg Court: Year I (Orientation) - a collection of an online comic.
Fierce Style: How To Be Your Most Fabulous Self - Christian Siriano! Actually good tips and some interesting back story. I intend to buy this one someday.

I'm reading:

The Uglies by Scott Westerfeld. 1 of 4. It's good so far...

More reviews (Fierce Style & a movie or two) coming this week.

Time to go to work.

Mooooovies

No, I didn't watch a crapton of movies with cows in them. I just...I don't know. I'm tired.

:P

I watched 3 movies today (gasp) since there was absolutely NOTHING to do at work. And I'm not kidding.

I watched:

$9.99 - a stop motion Australian film
Amelie - a romantic comedy (French)
Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs - a CG-animated movie (American)

Now on to the reviews:

$9.99: maybe it's just me, but this was just frakkin' WEIRD. I love Australian films (Strictly Ballroom) and actors/actresses, but this was just...odd. It didn't even have a theme...just a bunch of random stories interwoven together complete with unnecessary nudity (really?! STOP-MOTION NUDITY?! Please.) The Aussies lost me on this one. 1.5/10.

Amelie: while still European (which means it does have nudity/some sex scenes in it), I enjoyed this film...it has the sort of stuff in it that I have learned to expect from great indie movies - a little fantasy, a quirky storyline, and great acting. If you don't mind some/a middling amount of nudity and the apparent idea that orgasms are the highest peak of human existence (...), then you could watch this. :P I really liked Audrey Tatou as Amelie, her realization that life isn't meant to be lived alone, and the quirky romance. 7/10.

Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs: I knew from the start I would love this movie. Why? Simple. The animation. It was fantastic. It was a beautiful story about fathers and sons, imagination/creativity, and being who you are even though no one else understands. Also, that nerds are cool. How could you NOT like this?! Of course, since it's a kid's movie it goes over the top a little, but I could still dig it. I want to own this movie now. 9.5/10.

So, that's it for today, kids.

I am going to be re-arranging my blog next week because I just found out I can pick from oodles of templates. Oooooo!!!! EXCITING!

Have a great weekend. Mine will be full of dishes and 1 nasty refrigerator, as well as a harp and a stack of books.

Peace.

Saute

Last night the boys wanted chopped steak and macaroni (the Velveeta kind) so I decided to eat something healthier. :P

For dinner I had a chop steak and some of a zucchini/onion sautee mixed with peas.

So. Tasty.

Spring Sautee

1 zucchini, thinly sliced
1 small onion, chopped
3-4 strips of chicken
1 can of sweet peas
1-2 tbs. butter
1/2 box of angel hair pasta
cumin, dill weed, pepper, onion salt, garlic (to taste)

Boil noodles while sauteeing the vegetables.

Sautee the zucchini and onions in butter. Sprinkle on spices. It should only take 5-7 minutes for the zucchini to lightly brown.

Set aside and pan-fry the chicken, a few minutes on each side (cut to make sure it's done) - sprinkle on spices.

Add peas and noodles to the container of zucchini and onions - heat back up in pan if necessary (take the chicken out and cut into small pieces).

Enjoy!

Dream a Weird Dream

I had a very, very strange dream last night.

Some of it comes in snatches. Some of it is a long story involving me and my family as circus performers. Anyway. Here it is:

snatch of dream: I was riding in a truck with my brother (who is 17 but driving in my dream) and I realized someone had cut the back of my tongue when I was asleep and now it only hung on by a thread...pretty soon, I would be tongueless! I started panicking, trying to figure out ways to make the "t" an "d" sounds without my tongue. I was freaking out, my tongue was sliding out of my mouth, and just as I was saying, "I can't talk without my tongue!" it slipped out.

Long, Complicated Part of Dream:

My family and I were circus performers and were visiting a mansion. We thought we were going to be entertaining but the owner (the villain) had other ideas...his whole pool was full of crocodiles and he was going to feed us to them, one by one. I came up with a clever line to save our lives - something about we had a most unique performance ready and he'd be the first to see it and it would take some time to rehearse, blah, blah, blah, and a few months went by and we performed a crazy routine in the crocodile-free pool (I had somehow managed to get them taken away) with a horse and a big beach ball. (I don't know) Then we went inside to the party and lo and behold, there was the Hancock family and the Roberts family and all sorts of CIU people were there, and it was crazy. And I re-told the story of how I saved my family's lives and I got really into it and was like "And I told HIM, Hayel (H*** with a southern accent) no! My family is NOT going to be your live bait!" and etc. Apparently people were amazed that I had been able to secure the safety of my family and I was surprised that it had actually worked.

Yeah, it was weird.

And what does it even mean?!

In Spite of Percy

Last night we went to see Percy Jackson: The Lightning Thief at the $2 theater on St. Andrews. I'm so glad Stu and Sam came along because we had a running MST3K-esque commentary for the entire thing! It was awesomely terrible...the only other movies that I've seen that are just as bad or worse are the Twilight movie and Eragon. *shudder*

In Spite of Percy, however, I had an AMAZING Harry Potter dream last night! I dreamed that Ron, Hermione and Harry and I were riding in the Ford Anglia and crashed into the roof of Hogwarts. It was summer and we were searching for something (I never figured out what it was) but something else wanted it (of course) so we were being chased. We leapt through the window we'd broken and pulled out our wands, ready to apparate at any moment. Hermione and I were back to back with our wands at the ready, but before anything crazy could happen I woke up. :(

Anyway...

Today's plan is to work on Violet's Monster: Volume I (some re-writes) and My Life As A Rockstar (outline/first chapter).

We'll see if they actually get worked on! I also want to try my hand at drawing some cover artwork for Violet's Monster: Volume I and maybe The Gentleman's Lady series. Hopefully it will all come together and I shall have a very productive day.

Cover Artwork

Instead of waiting patiently for an opportunity to do a photoshoot for my new book idea, I drew a mock-up of the front cover:



Would you read this book based on the cover? Or would you read the back first?

Comments welcome!

Idea! Idea!

I went camping this weekend in a beautiful part of Virginia (Suffolk). I watched a friend skydive (wistfully) and played on the beach. (And am now red to prove it)

I took my writing utensils ostensibly so I could work on Violet's Monster: Volume I but I ended up just thinking about it, The Gentleman's Lady (specifically about Rapunzel) and then...

IDEA!

Partially based off of myself (of course...what else do I know better?!), I am going to write a story about a highschool girl who dyes her hair and consequently undergoes and outward change. I think the story's about being the same person on the inside no matter what you look like on the outside, but we'll see. It could also be about highschool and drama and crushes and practical jokes.

The title is:

My Life As A Rockstar

and I already have the front cover designed. :P

"It all began with the henna dye." <-- first sentence.

Must...get back to...Violet's Monster...

Rock

I've been sketching and sketching for two days - thanks to an awesome boss, I am the proud owner of 20 thin felt-tipped markers. I've done 11 outfits, including a jumpsuit (!!), several dresses, and a skirt that has a tie for a waistband (an idea I've wanted to use for a long time).

And, finally, I've figured out how to sketch a person without having to draw in too much detail - the hair is a lot of fun.

I'm drawing all of them with sunglasses, so they all look like rock stars - I like bold colors, prints, and interesting lines...not quite Seth Aaron Henderson, but definitely in that genre of rock-and-roll fabulous clothes.

Now if only I could wear them...

I might put some up on my facebook later. We shall see.

Signature

When I'm supposed to be working on Violet's Monster rough drafts, I usually find somewhere on the internet to poke around for a while before returning to stare at the word document that's driving me crazy. (I still love it, but I think I might need another break)

So today I decided to look up some of my favorite authors to see if they would accept fan mail (some even reply!). I've decided to write to the following authors, one per week, because one of their books has impacted my life.

They are (in no particular order):

Lois Lowry
Sharon Creech
Cameron Dokey
Kate DiCamillo
Franny Billingsly
J.K. Rowling

So, in 6 weeks, I will have contacted authors who I've admired for years! It's a wee bit scary, and exhilarating, and there's a tiny bit of hope that one of them will reply.

I'm not going to be plugging Violet's Monster: Volume I (can we say tacky?).

I honestly want them to know how much of a different they've made in my life. Everybody needs some encouragement, right?

Wish me luck!

I particularly want to hear from J.K. Rowling, Sharon Creech, & Kate DiCamillo but I predict I'm only going to hear from Sharon, Kate, and MAYBE Franny.

They're as busy as I should be!

Insomniac

I can't sleep.

I am pretty sure my body is about to revolt and demand that I drink a Pepsi so I can sleep for the next 16 hours.

Too bad there's no end in sight.

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I'm scrapbooking again. I've missed it. Putting pieces together to create a beautiful background is just as important to me as the pictures. It's very relaxing.

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I've got a photoshoot planned that I'm totally in love with. My artistic style has Vermeer and Van Rijn to thank - I love costumes, quiet moments, and lighting. My friend Ruth (YAY Ruth!) has graciously allowed me to do a photoshoot of her as Emily Dickinson. SO EXCITING! Now I've got to figure out how the makeup/hair/outfits/props all work together...:)

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People are disappointing.

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Doctor Who reminds me of Peter Pan & Wendy. How could you ever say no to Peter? I think I could watch the pilot episode every night.

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I adore cooking. Right now I just want to make good ol' southern food - I've got a new recipe for creamed corn...and that cream gravy is calling my name. Yum...

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I've got two more books to read (Paradox in Oz & The Long Patrol) and then it's back to the library for me. My list (so far) looks something like this:

1. The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley (new read)
2. The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan (I might as well finish the series, right?)
3. Any Agatha Christie book I don't think I've read yet
4. Any Batman comic by Tim Sale/Illustrated by Jeff Loeb
5. A cookbook for ethnic food/soup
6. A book about writing
7. A book about fashion (preferably Tim Gunn's Guide to Style or Christian Siriano's Fierce Style: How to Be Your Most Fabulous Self)

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Dexter is an incredible show. I've never seen a greater scene about human depravity.

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Listening to the soundtrack for Edward Scissorhands makes me happy and melancholy. Danny Elfman, how do you do it?

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I think I need more alone time.