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6 Things That Have My Attention This Week

What’s got my attention this week?

6 Things that should have your attention

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Book: Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

I’m always drawn to reboots of fairy tales, but they’re so seldom done with any verve that it’s always exciting to find the exception. I enjoyed the first installment in Meyer’s Lunar Chronicles, but the second–her sci-fi YA take on Little Red Riding Hood–is even better. Scarlet is a delightfully angry character and her tie-in with Cinder(ella) of the first book is nicely done. I’m enjoying Meyer’s relatively unique approach of writing a trilogy with an overarching storyline, but one that deliberately focuses on a new main character within each book.

Scarlet Lunar Chronicles Marissa Meyer

Movie: Rise of the Planet of the Apes directed by Rupert Wyatt

I’ve never seen the originals and, honestly, have no interest in doing so (creepy!). But I found this prequel, with its themes of family, survival, and animal cruelty to be inherently compelling. It’s a little rushed in its second half, but Andy Serkis’s mo-cap performance is nothing short of moving.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes

Music: Rango soundtrack

I’ve been browsing soundtracks on YouTube of late, looking for lively stuff, preferably with a western theme–for mood music as I’m in final edits on my aviation historical novel StormingThis one isn’t amazing, but it’s perky and made me remember what a fun and funky little movie this was.

Rango Soundtrack Hans Zimmer

Food: Bark Thins Snacking Chocolate: Dark Chocolate Almond with Sea Salt

I’ve had a horrible case of the munchies lately, so I bombed Target’s snack aisle and came up with this gem. Non-GMO, Fair-Trade certified, with no corn syrup or other nasties. And they’re blow-your-mind delicious!

Bark Thins Dark Chocolate Almond

Clothes: Little Black Textured Dress From Maurices

I don’t usually get sucked in to buying clothes that aren’t on my shopping list. But this one looked so amazing on the mannequin that, yep, I got sucked in. Every girl needs one, right?

Maurices Little Black Dress

Cute Animal I Want This Week

Baby Dumbo Rat

Photo Credit: Freeimages.com/Stephanie Fameli

Let’s chat! What’s got your attention this week? Tell me in the comments!

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21 Comments

  1. This whole week? What can I say. I have remained constantly in day dreaming zone, thinking all the ideas and plans for my new project. Working title: Omnipresent. I don’t have slightest intention of making this my novel name. But I wanted to put something on the cover of my journal, so for now, Omnipresent it is… (that’s how it is written right [my grammar socks, time to focus on that too])

  2. You know, I don’t think there were many positive, happy things that caught my attention this week, so far. Sorry.

    I suppose the number one thing that was ‘positive and happy’ was my friend Paul’s reaction to his continuing Cerebral Palsy ‘attacks’. I call them attacks because they knot his body up so he can’t get off the floor. But his attitude is amazing. He posted a picture of himself in a hospital bed today, half knotted up, wires from various parts of his body, half a smile and eating a donut and encouraging all his friends and acquaintances to go ‘like’ the Car Donuts on Facebook page because they are raising funds to build robot legs for people.

    And then there’s my writer friend and sometime editor, Joel, who’s been published in Rolling Stone magazine, trying to write a biography and doing it slow because he has Schizophrenia and the drugs he takes make him shake. Other than that, he’s pretty much normal and quite intelligent – oh, and writes a comic book on the side.

    I went from reading historical, spooky fiction in The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon, which was fascinating, by the way, to reading historical, bloodthirsty fiction in Sword Song by Bernard Cromwell.

    I didn’t buy any black numbers – though I mostly wear black. Mostly. I wear some grey just to be different. The black number must be modelled, Katie, so I’m expecting a new mug shot with you in it. 😉

    My housemate’s ex-girlfriend, Jana, dropped by and brought her pet rats. Fun 🙂

    Something I like to do is listen to something inspirational when I am writing, rewriting or editing, whatever, and create a ‘soundtrack’ to the thing I’m writing. I finally completed the soundtrack to The Directive, a paranormal crime fiction.

    Original Novel Soundtrack to The Directive
    Dusk by Subheim
    Streets by Subheim
    Au Début Du Voyage by High Skies
    The Earth At Night by High Skies
    Extravehicular by Bad Sector
    Vjezna by Bad Sector
    Zvezdi by Bad Sector
    Asleep by Love Spirals Downwards
    Kykeon by Love Spirals Downwards
    Usque Sumus Lux by Troum
    Eolet by Troum
    Hypngoga by Kammarheit
    A Room Between The Rooms by Kammarheit
    La Chambre Des Fées by Les Fragments De La Nuit
    Soleils Noirs Pour Lune Blanche by Les Fragments De La Nuit
    The Slaughter by Johan Söderqvist
    Giving Up by Johan Söderqvist
    Jardeau Blue by Faith & Disease
    Wallow by Faith & Disease
    Castles in the Sand by Deleyaman
    Weight of Things by Deleyaman
    L’Eau Vive by diaphane
    Rhizomes by diaphane
    Hémisphère by Ab Ovo
    Inlandsis by Ab Ovo
    The Day I Saw You Cry For the First Time by Stendeck
    Acting Like You Are Not Bleeding by Stendeck
    Light (Ben Lukas Boysen Remix) by Ocoeur
    Light (Elise Mélinand Remix) by Ocoeur
    The Unknown by Dillon
    Forward by Dillon
    Siamese Twilight by Grains Of Sand
    Floating Through Thought by Grains Of Sand
    Spherical Harmonic by Cygna
    Euclidean Subspace by Cygna
    Dark Hand by tonikom
    Motomeru by tonikom
    Come & See by Blackfilm
    Sonar by Blackfilm
    The New Earth – Intro by Aythis
    Last Ritual by Aythis
    After Dark by Cinderella Effect
    Sinfonia of the Moon by Love Is Colder Than Death
    Fiorina by Love Is Colder Than Death
    Exit Out by Love Is Colder Than Death
    Hades by Daemonia Nymphe
    Hymn To Bacchus by Daemonia Nymphe
    Mats by Dirk Geiger
    Closer by Dirk Geiger
    Secret Entries Into Darkness by Evan Bartholomew
    Soft Spots In the Tyranny of Matter by Evan Bartholomew
    Valse Fatale by Field Rotation
    And Tomorrow I Will Sleep by Field Rotation
    Half Hidden by Sophie Hutchings
    After Most by Sophie Hutchings
    Air by Heinali
    Tu Fantasma by Heinali
    Nomon by Loess
    Cyanor by Loess

    And last but not least was the snow… which isn’t anything for me to get excited about, but it did remind me of my time spent in northern China where it is not only snowy in winter but it freezes to a balmy 30 below! I thought of my friends in Tianjin after hearing about a tragic accident there today.

    I came home to a warm meal cooked by my housemates ex-girlfriend, Jana; she’s a sweetie. Of course, I don’t mind if someone else cooks! haha

    And now I have the weekend to look forward to…

  3. It’s been an emotional week for me, in a good way. Through some persistent nudging and encouragement, I have finally submitted my first piece of fiction into a writing competition. I never expected to feel what I did when I pressed that submit button. I think I have officially broken through an invisible boundary that has been holding me back.

    Oh yeah, and I found some really great new websites this week to follow that help spur my creativity and productivity. There’s this one called kmweiland.com, ever hear of it? 🙂

    I have been devouring your free content online and will be clicking a few more submit buttons in the coming days, for purchases of your outlining and structuring guides as I prepare to shift gears, hopefully, from short stories to something a bit lengthier. Thank you, thank you, thank you – and have an awesome day! 🙂

    • K.M. Weiland says:

      Congrats on the submission! I wish you all the best! So glad to hear you’re finding the site useful.

  4. I have that book on my shelf but I haven’t read it (or book 1) yet. If you like rebooted fairy tales, you should try Rooglewood Press’s fairy tale collections, 5 novellas compiled into one collection featuring a particular fairy tale. The stories are chosen through a contest. They are pretty well told and I am just starting on the newest collection, 5 Enchanted Roses, and am planning on submitting for next years collection.

    By the way, what is that animal? It is cute and reminds me of a chinchilla.

  5. David Villalva says:

    Fun stuff. Thanks for sharing a bit about yourself.

    First, Christine Frazier at Better Novel Project got me on The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins. It’s different and something else. And that’s a good thing!

    Second, I re-watched a couple flicks (Looper & Gone Girl) while visiting friends in Michigan. Those movies reinforced the unique ways I want to impact an audience with my stories. (I read Gone Girl way back when first though!)

    Last, I experienced how amazing Grand Rapids, MI is during August. It was amazing all around. Chipmunks hung out on the front porch. Raccoons were available for nighttime photo-ops. Woodpeckers got too close to the house. A humming bird landed a few feet away. Frogs were chilling under patio cushions and windows during the eve. Fireflies got caught. Point is the created world deserves my attention much more often than I give it (so I promise to give it much more often!).

  6. Catherine H. says:

    The fourth book of the Lunar Chronicles, “Winter”, is coming out in November. Yay! And the dumbo rat is cute, but I wouldn’t want him as a pet.

  7. Greg Smith says:

    Rango was quirky. Trivia factoid: the antagonist in that was voiced by the same actor who voiced antagonist in Toy Story 3.

    CreationFest UK finished up Sunday, caught up on some of the recorded sessions.

    Perseid meteor shower peaked this week. I saw one… may have been space junk. Upper atmospheric haze and urban light pollution not a good mix for viewing.

    Continued chaos in Middle East & Africa, displacement of peoples… but that’s ongoing. Still, has me wondering how what I write can make a difference.

    Viewed this week, Miss Marple “They Do it with Mirrors” Joan Hickson so perfect in the role.

  8. Oldest grandsons (6 & 8) had a sleepover here. On the way out their sister, who is three, said to me quietly, “Next week the boys go back to school,” so Mommy can bring her to play with me without the tall guys.. MaryEllen

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