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I'm excited you've come along for the ride with me, as I blog about my thoughts and adventures about writing. Take a look around, post a comment or two, and enjoy!

27 February, 2011

Where Have I Been

Writing duh!
Seriously, I have been writing my tail feathers off. I think in the past week I've had only fifteen minutes of independent thought time per day. I don't mind, I just know I'm getting cranky from job stress and writing deadlines.
I'm still trying to balance working full time and being a mom and a writer.

Last week brought me some milestones. I submitted my spec script for a sitcom to a very prestigious writing fellowship. I also mailed my application for a Christian screenwriting training program. Those deadlines were met. My prayer is that God will provide the funds to participate and the living expenses.

I finished my second novel last week. Now it has to do the-sit and not look at me-wait. That helps a writer do a better job of editing. My third novel is 25% complete and there it will stay for now until I look at my calendar for the next three months and plan out my writing goals.

At this time I am sitting at my kitchen table, having just put the baking potatoes in the oven to cook. I am looking at upcoming screenplay contests, and other writing fellowships, as well as preparing to view The Academy Awards tonight.
I'm so excited, even though I didn't write, or star in any of the films (as of yet).
My favorite categories are Best Screenplay, Best Picture, Best Actress, Best Actor, and Best Costume design.

Next week, wait no that's this week. Forgot what day it was, yeah I need a vacation.
This week I will be finishing my final edit on my Christian Horror Screenplay. Yes, you read that correctly, no it isn't a typo. It is possible and I have addressed that already.
After editing it, I will be uploading it to WGA, then submitting it to a very prestigious screenwriting fellowship competition, as well as competitions without a fellowship.

How is Frankenstein laptop you ask? We'll I'm typing on him right now. Ten minutes to fully boot up, still freezes, playing havoc with my Movie Magic Screenwriter program. Other than that he's holding strong. Lucky for him I'm too strapped for cash right now to go out an buy another one.

21 February, 2011

Compass points

Where am I? Currently I'm sitting in a hard, unyielding plastic chair while my daughter gets her hair cut. My writing so far this month has felt like it's been all over the map. Novel editing here. Screenplay edit there and new script contest over there.
One thing that was dead center was completing my second novel.
Yes, it (the first draft), is finished. As of 12:25 this afternoon. I finished it on my lunch break today.
Feels good to have two completed novels.

Yesterday I submitted my entry into the creative screenwriting cyberspace open. One weekend to write a scene based on their premise. I didn't follow traditional, predictablel genres when I wrote it. I went way outside the box on this one. Hope it pays off-literally. And looking at the battery on my iPhone, I'm outta time.
I will bask in the glow of having completed my second novel once feeling has returned to my bum.

13 February, 2011

The King's Speech Movie Review

My goal is to see Christian writing raised to the level of academy award and national book award status (including Caldecott, Newberry, and Pulitzer).

From time to time I will be supplementing my blog with novel and book reviews. Here is today's review of a movie I saw last night.


Saw The King's Speech last night for two reasons: academy award nominations, and the recommendation of my best friend. I went to Cinebistro, and while the service was not up to par, it was a comfortable seating and viewing experience.

First off, I am a sci-fi, action movie type of girl. My video collection reads like a list of Marvel comics, so I was unsure how I was going to like The King's Speech, even with one of my favorite actresses-Helena Bonham Carter in the movie.

The King's Speech hooked me from the beginning. It didn't start off with a long prologue, it dove right into the conflict, the dilemma.

Watching Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush banter back and forth, I felt like they had spent most of their life looking for that one person who would understand them the most and found it in each other.

SPOILER ALERT--



The difficulties the King faced with his brother and his father surprised me. Monarchy aren't suppose to be like us-they aren't suppose to have siblings that pick on them, or fathers that bully them; or suffer abuse, and they certainly aren't suppose to be afraid of power-and yet they do.

One of the lines I loved in the movie is delivered by the King to Lionel Logue. He said all this time he never really knew the commoners; he knows as little about them as they do about him. This movie peels back that veil of aristocracy and shows us frailty, courage, and the power of a true friend.

My recommendation: A

06 February, 2011

I found her voice/my voice

Last night was rough. Bad dream woke me up at 1 am. Memories from the past. I took that dream and Ephesians 6 (armor of God), and put it to good use.

God spoke something to me a week ago and I couldn't understand what He was saying to me until last night/this morning.
He said I've forgotten my first love. Yes that is a verse out of the book of Revelation, but that's not the context He was using it in.

What was my first love? Books. What kind of books Des? Anne McCaffrey Dragon Riders of Pern, that I read in elementary school. My first love was adult fantasy books.
And for you legalistic Christian-modern day Pharisees: Revelation 2:4-God is my true love. He used this verse to remind me in my writing what was my first love, that I had abandoned,and that I can use my first love and my true love harmoniously together.

I was the kid who got in trouble at school for daydreaming; for after reading a novel, or even some of my own writing I would stay in that world, as oppose to the one around me.

It's like the light bulb came on. There is a reason I am and have been such a daydreamer. I can literally live in my character's world. So I rewrote the opening of my novel. And yes it has changed considerably. She's older, and has already suffered a great loss and more is to come before she can be the person she was created to be. As she is on that journey to who she is meant to be, so many of us will be able to take courage from her and make our own choices. That is my hope-what comes across to the reader.

For the first time I feel my character. I'm not just writing about her like some casual, uninvolved observer, I am in her world, stalking her. I feel her. She hurts I hurt. She rejoices I rejoice.

Cool huh? Well that's all I have time for today. Ive been writing for three hours. Now I'm taking a short break to eat and let her world firmly mesh into mine. Daydream time.

05 February, 2011

Pass

So two agents replied with a "pass" on my first novel. Do I feel disappointed? Yes. But I know this is normal in the writing world, and I know I want someone that will love me and my work. Oh, gotta go. I'm at the volunteer meeting for The Gasparilla Film Festival.
I'm back. Way cool time. They have a good list of well known actors that have confirmed their attendance. No, I can't say who yet, but once they announce it to the public I'll share.

Headed to Barnes and Nobles (yes I like Border's too, I just picked the closest one), to read jacket covers and the first ten pages of some young adult fantasy novels. Purely for research because, confession time, when I look for a book to read, I read the jacket and I flip towards the middle of the book. If I like what I see, then I buy it, or check it out at the library. However, literary agents read the first ten pages (same rule for screenplays). I wanted to see how my first ten pages, (which I've loaded onto my iPhone), held up against published authors. Bearing in mind that I'm not trying to match writing styles, I'm seeing how they start their novels. Almost bought the new Orson Scott Card novel. I did buy the Anthony Horowitz novel-Horowitz Horrors. Couldn't resist. He's one of my favorite authors.

Where was I? Yes, the first ten pages. I have a gripping opening But... I will be tweaking it.
In other news the editing of my horror script is coming along well.
But wait? How can a Christian write horror. Proverbs 14:12 "There is a way that seems right to a man, but it ends in death." there is a cost for living outside God's will. Trust me, that script has been bathe in prayer from Fade In, to Fade Out.

03 February, 2011

It's away

I'm sitting on my bed staring at my laptop screen. My fingers are rapidly firing away this blog via my iPhone. Yes I know I can do it on my laptop using Wifi, but this is Frankenstein laptop remember, he doesn't always work correctly. Wednesday I did it. I knew in my heart it was time. What did I do? Submitted a query letter in regards to my first novel to an agent.
Received a response back and sent the first ten pages as requested.
Now what do I do? Two things. One wait for a reply and two, continue writing.

My second novel, the young adult science fiction novel, is 85% done. Right now I'm staring at the sitcom I'm writing for the nickelodeon writing fellowship. Screenwriting format is vastly different from novel writing, and sitcom writing has its own set of formatting rules that differ from feature film writing and even hour long TV drama writing. So glad I have my movie magic screenwriter software.

So why am I staring at it instead of writing. I'm tired. Long day at work. I figured I would update my blog, thereby loosening my mind up to write my goal of five pages tonight. I think it's working. Yes, it is. I feel the need. The need to create.