What’s got my attention this week?
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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.
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.
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 Storming. This one isn’t amazing, but it’s perky and made me remember what a fun and funky little movie this was.
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!
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?
Cute Animal I Want This Week
Photo Credit: Freeimages.com/Stephanie Fameli
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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])
I *always* need a working title, even if I know I’m going to change it later. It just kinda solidifies the idea in my head.
Yeah, gets us focused.
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…
Sounds like you know some amazing people!
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! 🙂
Congrats on the submission! I wish you all the best! So glad to hear you’re finding the site useful.
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.
Thanks! I’ll check it out! The pic is of a baby dumbo rat. Adorable, yes?
It is adorable, even though I am not a rat person.
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!).
Looper was good–although Joseph Gordon-Levitt in his Bruce Willis makeup kept weirding me out!
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.
They say they make great pets. But, yeah, truthfully, I’d still take a kitten instead!
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.
I totally missed the meteor shower. *sniff*
Ahh! I can share mine! … it was about yay long (holds thumb and index finger about 4″ apart) traveled left to right 9-10 o’clock to 3-4 o’clock… nice streak of light.
Oh, and if you’re a night owl, you can check for stragglers after 12 am local time (according to Jeff Plait, Bad Astronomy blog)
oops, sorry… Phil Plait…
Good to know! Thanks!
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
Awww! How cute!