Saturday, December 18, 2010

Book Review: Belong To Me


Book: Belong to Me

Author: Marisa de los Santos

My rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Brief synopsis:

I absolutely adored this book. It was a nice, light, but meaningful read. De los Santos also managed to give it a twist I never saw coming! It was fun, sweet and really showed the impact of friendship, and how those that are the most unexpected can sometimes be the strongest!

I will admit, the first chapters were a little slow for me and I wasn't sure if it was going to grip me, but by the third chapter, I started to realize that I was probably going to like this book and the deeper in I got, the more I fell in love with all the characters, some to my surprise. In the end, I loved it and was really glad I stuck with it!

Here is a brief description of the book:


Everyone has secrets. Some we keep to protect ourselves, others to protect those we love.

A devoted city dweller, Cornelia Brown surprised herself when she was gripped by the sudden desire to head for an idyllic suburb. Though she knows she's made the right move, she approaches her new life with trepidation and struggles to forge friendships. Cornelia's mettle is quickly tested by judgmental neighbor Piper Truitt, the embodiment of everything Cornelia feared she would find in suburbia. A saving grace soon appears in the form of Lake, and Cornelia develops an instant bond with this warm yet elusive woman.

As their individual stories unfold, the women become entangled in a web of trust, betrayal, love and loss that challenges them in ways they never imagined, and that ultimately teaches them what it means for one human being to belong to another.

There were a couple things I loved about how de los Santos wrote this book.

It told the story in the voice of three characters, which many authors do, but de los Santos chose to only make Corneila Brown's voice first person. The story was also told in the voice of Piper Truitt and Lake's son, Dev. Lake's story being told through her son Dev made Lake remain a mysterious character, which only added to the unveiling of the story in a unique way. The reader had to understand her, and her presence because she really is a presence, through her son, through Corneila and even a bit through Piper's judgmental eyes.

This is a book for someone who wants a light, Saturday afternoon read. It's book about love and friendship, how we can be shaped and challenged by others and how we can shape and challenge ourselves. Ultimately, it's really about finding happiness.

So, female friends out there, I encourage to try Marisa de los Santos! After having read this, I certainly am going to give her first novel, Love Walked In, a read!


Friday, December 17, 2010

Fainting Laura, Fainting Goats

So something that a lot of people don't know about me is that I faint... a lot. It's not really abnormal for me.

I was only six or seven years old the first time I fainted. It was because I was trying to jump up on the counter to sit and I hit my head on an open cupboard. It hurt. I fainted.

That's become a frequent occurrence in my life. Pain makes me faint. So does low blood sugar. So does blood rushing to my head. So do a lot of other random things.

Last night I fainted... really out of nowhere. I'm not sure what brought it on, but I could feel the rush and fuzziness in my head, much like a rapid, deep injection of anesthesia. I immediately crouched down in a ball place my head down, resting on my arms and let it pass. I was home alone so I don't know exactly how long I laid alone on my living room floor in the fetal position, but I would guess only a few minutes.

It was a very deep fainting incident and my head was woozy enough that I had to go immediately to bed. Needless to say, I fell asleep quickly and slept deeply for a solid nine hours. Maybe my body was telling me it is time to sleep.

When I got to work today, I told the story to my friend Jenni, who has heard of my fainting tales before. Jenni even got a visual aid of how I curled up last night to protect myself from the inevitable, which led another co-worker to come up behind us and say "What are you doing?!?!" We all laughed and I explained my visual aid.

Jenni, the mother of three, responded to today's story by saying, "How are on earth are you going to have kids?" My answer was simply, "Drugs. Lots of drugs."

After I told Jenni how I fainted again last night, she said she was going to start calling me a Fainting Goat. I hadn't known goats were known for fainting, but, of course, I was able to find a fun video of it to share from YouTube.



While I'm at it, I have a few funny stories to go along with my fainting.

The Fishing Boat Incident

I fainted on a fishing boat in the middle of the lake once (with my head between my legs, not sprawled across the boat or anything). I had caught a rusty fishing hook in my hand after jerking to hard on the line and saw a bit of blood and panicked. My mom got so wound up trying to save me (I was probably between 10 and 12 at the time), she almost knocked the boat over. We went to town and I got a tetanus shot and as fine.

The Postman and the Ambulance

Once, in college, I fainted from the blood rushing to my head while I got up from a nap. I was woken up suddenly from a knock at the door. It was the mailman with a package I needed to sign for my roommate. I could feel myself getting dizzy from the blood rushing to my head, but tried to force myself to sign for the package.

It didn't work. I fell straight backward and hit my head on the kitchen floor, breaking a wooden barrette that was holding my hair back, which led to a bit of bleeding from the back of my head (very minor we found out.)

The mailman came in, called 911 and some other girls who lived in my apartment revived me. We called one of my roommates, who was across the street at her boyfriends, and then my other roommate came in and said, "What the hell happened to you?"

We ended up having paramedics come, who because I was dizzy and had a cut on my head all thought it was best to bring me to the hospital. So I had my one and only ambulance ride. Meghann (my roommate) rode in the front of the ambulance, Melissa (my other roommate) drove behind us so we could have a ride home. I was in the back with cute paramedics and oxygen. I was, quite honestly, happy as a lark (minus feeling like a complete dope.)

The best part of the story is that when Meghann called my dad to tell him what happened, all he said was, "Oh, that's Laura for you!"

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Recipe Box: The Heavyset Cheese Ball

I discovered this recipe last Christmas as I was seeking an appetizer recipe to bring to our work holiday party. It turned out gorgeous and tasted great. In short, it was a real hit! Thank you Amy Sedaris!

The Heavyset Cheese Ball on the Food Network

The Heavyset Cheese Ball
Recipe courtesy Amy Sedaris

Prep Time:15 minInactive Prep Time:8 hr 0 minCook Time:20 min
Level: Easy
Serves: 8 servings

Ingredients
1 1/4 cups whole natural almonds
1 (8-ounce) package of cream cheese
1/2 cup real mayonnaise
3 crispy cooked bacon slices, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon dill weed
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon chopped green onion
Sprigs, for garnish
Directions
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

Place and spread all the almonds on a cookie sheet or in a shallow pan, pushing the almonds around until they turn color, about 20 minutes.

Mix together the cream cheese and the mayonnaise. Add the bacon, salt and pepper, dill, and onion. Chill overnight.

On a serving platter, make 2 pine cone shapes with the cheese. Begin to press the almonds at a slight angle into the cheese, starting at the narrow end of the pine cone shape.

Do this in rows, continuing to overlap rows until all the cheese is covered. Garnish with fake sprigs, or real ones, or with rosemary.

Serve at room temperature and spread on crackers.

Book Review: How Starbucks Saved My Life

I love coffee. I start nearly each morning with a cup or two of coffee. I'm a pseudo coffee snob, but only pseudo at best.

I have a few friends who've worked at baristas and always thought it was fun to hear them talk about their experiences. I also love to hear them order coffee with a level of confidence and assertiveness for their very specialized, perfectly ordered coffees. I feel like I'm at amateur hour next to them.

In honor of my love of coffee, I am taking a moment to recommend a book I read this past year. It's a great read for those who love coffee and the culture, friendliness and customization that a great barista brings.

Book: How Starbucks Saved My Life

Author: Michael Gates Gill

My rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Brief synopsis:

There is no denying that Michael Gill's Starbucks application was atypical. For 25 years, this 63-year-old Yale alumnus had been a creative director at the prestigious J. Walter Thompson advertising agency. The privileged son of New Yorker writer Brendan Gill had grown up amid cultural elites, rubbing elbows with James Thurber, Ezra Pound, and Ernest Hemingway, among others. But now Gill's marriage, his six-figure job, and his own business were gone, and he was seeking a job at the local coffee shop. His account of his apprenticeship in cappuccino making and race relations are instructive and ultimately ennobling.

Give this one a try. It's fun. It's quick. It's uplifting. Michael Gates Gill learned a great lesson in humility through taking a position at Starbucks. We all could stand to learn something from him.

What's your drink of choice?

Mine is a latte, whole milk, no extra flavors-- I don't need that extra sugar and sweetness, no way! (When I'm trying to be good, I order skim latte, but the whole milk is deliciously richer.)

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Let it Snow Slideshow

What a weekend! Between 15 and 20 inches of snow across the Twin Cities metro area. I took a few photos to capture the insanity! You can also view them by going to my Flickr account, choose Sets, choose 2010 Winter Blizzard.


I will say, the craziest thing of the weekend is that the Metrodome's roof collapsed. Check this out! New stadium? Yes, please!

Friday, December 10, 2010

The Art of Making Out

I love this.

Making Out
Via: OnlineDating Blog

Christmas Cookie Baking

Tomorrow my sister and I will go to a Christmas cookie exchange at one of my good friend's homes. We have to make 6-8 dozen cookies each.

Erin didn't have much time to think about cookies, but because I am signed for for several e-mail recipe lists, and tis the holiday season, a few new cookie recipes have found their way to my e-mail inbox. I found a few that looked enticing including these two that we'll be baking:
Here are the recipes for those who are interested:

Slice-and-Bake Lemon Shortbread
  • Makes 36 cookies
  • Hands-on Time: 30m
  • Total Time: 5hr 00m
Ingredients
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • coarse sanding or turbinado sugar for sprinkling
Directions
  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.
  2. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter, granulated sugar, lemon zest, and vanilla on medium speed until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low and gradually add the flour mixture, mixing until the flour is incorporated (dough will be crumbly but will hold together when squeezed in the palm of your hand).
  3. On a piece of parchment, form the dough into a rectangular block, 12 by 2 by 1 inches (use a ruler or metal spatula to square off the sides). Wrap in the parchment and refrigerate until firm, about 3 to 4 hours.
  4. Heat oven to 350° F. Cut the dough into ⅓-inch-thick slices and place on baking sheets spaced 1 inch apart; sprinkle with the coarse sugar.
  5. Bake, rotating the baking sheets halfway through, until the edges begin to brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool slightly on the baking sheets, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 7 days.
Tip

The dough can be frozen in a rectangular block, tightly wrapped, for up to 3 months. Let thaw until soft enough to slice; bake as directed, adding 2 to 3 minutes baking time.

Nutritional Information

Serving Size: 1 cookie, Calories 104; Calories From Fat 46; Fat 5g; Sat Fat 3g; Cholesterol 14mg; Sodium 14mg; Protein 1g; Carbohydrate 13g; Sugar 6g; Fiber 0g; Iron 0mg; Calcium 3mg
Advertisement

Red Velvet Rich and Creamy Cookies
Prize-Winning Recipe 2010! Create rich and dreamy cookies reminiscent of the classic red velvet cake.

Note: I consider using pre-made Betty Crocker® sugar cookie mix (see below in recipe) to be cheating and taking away half the fun, so I'll be making my own sugar cookie dough then adding the remainder of the ingredients to the mix to make my Red Velvet Cookies. However, for the sake of not screwing up someone else's kitchen, I've just listed the recipe as it appeared from Betty Crocker.

Prep Time: 1 hr:10 min
Total Time: 1 hr:10 min

Makes: 36 cookies
  • 1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® sugar cookie mix
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
  • 1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 1 tablespoon red food color
  • 1 egg
  • 3/4 to 1 cup Betty Crocker® Rich & Creamy cream cheese frosting
  • 1/4 cup chopped nuts
Preparation:

Heat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, stir cookie mix, cocoa, butter, sour cream, food color and egg until soft dough forms.
  1. Roll dough into 1-inch balls; place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
  2. Bake 8 to 9 minutes or until set. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.
  3. Frost cooled cookies with frosting. Sprinkle with nuts. Store tightly covered at room temperature.
Nutrition Information:
1 Serving (1 Cookie): Calories 100 (Calories from Fat 40), Total Fat 4 1/2g, (Saturated Fat 1 1/2g, Trans Fat 1g), Cholesterol 10mg; Sodium 65mg; Total Carbohydrate 15g (Dietary Fiber 0g, Sugars 9g), Protein 1g; Percent Daily Value*: Calcium; Exchanges: 1/2 Starch; 0 Fruit;1/2 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Skim Milk; 0 Low-Fat Milk; 0 Milk;0 Vegetable; 0 Very Lean Meat; 0 Lean Meat; 0 High-Fat Meat; 1 Fat; Carbohydrate Choices:1;*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.


Wednesday, December 8, 2010

What Dreams May Come

So my dear friend Kari and I have a mutual fascination with dreams. It's a bond for us. We like to analyze our dreams together. For her birthday a couple years ago, I gave her a copy of a dream book I found at Borders (where I am a very, very part-time bookseller). It was by Pamela Ball. So now we joke that we need to consult Pamela Ball every time we have a dream that needs interpreting. So, as a tribute to Kari, and just because I think dreams are really interesting, I'll regularly tag posts related to dream themes.

Because I know no more scientific way to go about this (or am simply too lazy, more honestly), I"m going to use the website Dream Moods as my reference point for commentary on dreams in this blog. The only reason for choosing this site is because it was the first site that Google found. Thanks Google.

Last night I had many dreams about coworkers. The interpretation from Dream Moods seems pretty accurate to where I am at right now:

Coworker

To see your coworkers in your dream, highlights aspects of your waking relationship with them, including difficulties/support. It signifies your ambition, struggles and competitive nature. If the coworkers in your dream are not your actual coworkers, then they may pertain to some psychological business that you need to work on. Work-related dreams can also often be linked to stress at work.

This is not related to my dreams from last night, but here are a few other funny elements I've had in dreams in recent memory.

Hot Dogs

Several months ago I had a dream about a friend of mine walking around the office building handing out hot dogs. The analysis is about what one might expect it to be.

To see or eat a hot dog in your dream, is phallic symbol representing masculinity, sexual energy, and vigor.

Spaceship

I had a recent dream that really frightened and amused me. It involved my sister and I being attacked by a spaceship that was shooting green lasers at us.

To see a spaceship in your dream, symbolizes your creative mind. It denotes a spiritual journey into the unknown and signals self-development and self-awareness. Alternatively, the dream suggests that you need to take on a different perspective, no matter how bizarre or unusual it may be.

I guess I'll take the nod toward creative energies as a positive.

I wonder what I'll dream about tonight. No matter what it is, I know that if it is especially interesting, I'll wake up and think, "Oh, I must tell Kari!"



Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Book Review: Little Bee

Book: Little Bee

Author: Chris Cleave

My rating: 2.5 stars
(Sorry to those who loved it, it just didn't pull me in that deep.)

Brief synposis:

We don't want to tell you what happens in this book. It is a truly special story and we don't want to spoil it. nevertheless, you need to know enough to buy it, so we will just say this:

This is the story of two women. Their lives collide one fateful day, and one of them has to make a terrible choice, the kind of choice we hope you never have to face. Two years later, they meet again - the story starts there ...

Once you have read it, you'll want to tell your friends about it. When you do, please don't tell them what happens. The magic is in how the story unfolds.


My Review:

I really wanted to love this book because I'd heard many good things about it. It was even a "make" book at Borders for awhile, one where we as booksellers were encouraged to introduce it to customers as "book they'll love."

In the end, I liked it. I didn't love it. The start was slow and I got caught up a bit early on in some of the dialetec of the conversation between the refugee women. It's a personal issue and one I feel like I should be able to read past, but it made the reading a bit frustrating for me in the beginning. I couldn't quite latch on to Little Bee's character.

In the end, after Little Bee met Sarah and it showed how their friendship developed, the story opened up for me. They really did have a profound impact on each other and I like to think that each made the other a better person.

It's a good read. I'd recommend it, but not to everyone. At its core, its about relationships and the imperfections in all of us. It does take some unexpected turns along the way, and that's part of what makes it special. I don't know that I wanted a longer book (in fact, I know I did not), but I maybe could have used more depth to the characters to believe they are as redeemable as they are.

So, 2.5 stars is what I can give it. It's good, but for me, not great, as much as I wanted it to be.

Here's a few book reviews I found online that are far more profound than mine:
Have you written a review on Little Bee? Please share a link below!

Friday, December 3, 2010

How to Make Wooden Cookie Cutters

I caught a small bit of a Christmas-themed episode of Good Eats on the Food Network last night. Alton Brown had Santa Clause with him making Christmas cookies. In the short bit I caught they said cookie cutters were originally made of wood. I thought that was interesting so I found a website that shows how someone could make their own wooden cookie cutters.

Sounds like a fun holiday project. (But one I probably won't be doing myself this year, I'll admit. Anyway, here's a holiday project for those so inclined.

How to Make Wooden Cookie Cutters | eHow.com

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Holiday Music

Holiday music makes me really happy. I have to admit, I start listening to it as soon as it's on the radio, even if it is early November. I feel a bit like I'm cheating on Thanksgiving, but I love it so much, I cheat on Thanksgiving.

Jingle Bell Rock is absolutely one of my favorites. I get really sentimental about it because it reminds me of my grandfather. He used to sing/whistle Jingle Bell Rock all year long. He'd say it was "the only rock song I like." He'd call the remainder of rock music "a bunch of cannibals with a belly ache."

I have many traditional hymns I love. Singing Christmas hymns in church makes me very happy. Christmas is not Christmas without Silent Night or Joy to the World.

I am curious to know about other people's favorite holiday songs so I put the question out on Facebook. If we're Facebook friends, please comment on your favorite song!

Happy Holidays! Let the merry bells keep ringing, happy holidays to you!

Recipe Box: Butternut Squash Flat Bread

Recipe Source: Real Simple Food and Recipes

Serves: 4

To find: Butternut Squash Flat Bread Recipe

Ingredients

Directions

  1. Heat oven to 425° F. Shape the dough into a large oval and place on a cornmeal-dusted baking sheet.
  2. In a large bowl, toss the squash, onion, pine nuts, thyme, 1 tablespoon of the oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
  3. Scatter over the dough and sprinkle with the cheese. Bake until golden brown and crisp, 20 to 25 minutes.
  4. Toss the arugula with the remaining tablespoon of oil and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Serve with the flat bread.
Suggested Variations:
  • Cut the squash in half, add chicken.
  • I did a mix of half white cheddar and half extra sharp cheddar. This was mostly just to use up some white cheddar, but gave it a delicious zest too.
  • Pine nuts I'd consider optional. They are expensive and unless you really like pine nuts, they don't add much to the recipe. Other nuts could be tried for crunchiness.
  • Bacon bits would be a delicious addition, too!

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Hallelujah!

This is really cool. Check out what happened when a group of unsuspecting shoppers were given a surprise over their lunch hour!

>

Monday, November 29, 2010

NaNoWriMo: I Did It!

It's not really, really done, but it's a complete story. And it needs edits, reworking and a lot of TLC. But NaNoWrimo is about quantity and I passed the 50,000 word mark.

I will admit, I had to "cheat" a little because Microsoft Word said "50,057" and NanNoWrimo decided that was 49,996. So the end of my novel says, "And to make myself an official participant, this is the end of my novel. Thank you, Nanowrimo."

But the good news is and what really matters is, I did it. So, for now, I'm taking a break, enjoying the holidays and hoping come January, I'll feel the desire to go back and edit it so I feel like its shareable with others.

Thanks to all who gave me such great support!
I did it!!!!!!

To prove I did it, here's my certificate:


Saturday, November 27, 2010

Why I love Black Friday

I love Black Friday because...
  • I love finding deals. And I always find something good.
  • I like to get up at 5 a.m. and shop. It's the only time I like to get up at 5 a.m.
  • It's a good excuse to drink two lattes in one morning.
  • It gives me a good start on my holiday shopping.
  • I can always find a gift for myself and I will only buy it on sale so I don't feel guilty.
  • I like the holidays.
Call me crazy, but I love the rush of the crowds. Some people run with the bulls. I get up early, go out in the freezing cold and run with the deal hunters. And I love every minute of it.

Monday, November 22, 2010

Things I don't understand: hunting edition

This week is deer hunting season in Wisconsin. It's a weird to me. I was in rural Wisconsin last weekend. I saw a lot, lot, lot of blaze orange on everything. On people, on signs, everywhere. It's a good choice though for safety. I could see a tiny little blaze orange hat from a mile away and couldn't see the body it was attached to.

As they do every year, my dad, my brother and my sister-in-law are off in the woods. Yes, I said my sister in law. For those who don't, well Rachael really likes the color pink and Coach purses. I guess as Tim Gunn, says, she "makes it work." She's probably the cutest one in blaze orange in all of Wisconsin. I"m not kidding. Look.

Yes, come each November, my pink loving sister-in-law is out in the woods with the boys. And she has absolutely no problem getting in and cleaning out the deer after its been "caught," as my mom says. (She says doesn't like the word "shoot.") Rachael is a nurse, so she's tough and can handle blood. I respect that. I gag at even the description. No thank you. I don't need to know the details.

To the right is Rachael. She's holding my contribution to the big event- a bottle of white wine called "Deer Hunter's Widow." She also has a coffee cup that has nothing to do with deer hunting, I just happened to re-gift her a coffee cup from her alma mater this weekend.

She's even getting her hunting license next year. Does this woman look like she can kill a deer? Don't put it past her.

Here's thing two about deer hunting, something I can get behind. My brother and sister-in-law are "high-brow hunters." Check out the clearance chairs that my dad found for their deer stand. They are a contradiction in terms. Now, high end chairs out in the woods is something I can get behind. Bring on the class.

So far this season, my dad and brother have each got a doe. I think they can quit now, but they are still out in the woods all week looking for a buck. It's been damn cold and freezing rain the last two days so what do smart deer do? Stay in the woods. What do you dumb hunters do? Sit in their stands cold and wet. I guess they like it. Like I said, I don't get it.

Note the photo to the right. My dad was really proud of his work skinning the deer. Good job, Dad. However, a word of advice: don't run for political office. This photo could really come across bad in campaign ads. Just sayin', you look crazy.

Now, I am not opposed to hunting. I am not an animal rights activist. I even eat the venison. And really, as long as they show up for Thanksgiving dinner, I'm glad they have fun sitting out in the cold in very bright orange suits that make them look fluorescent.

I just think it's an awfully silly and boring sounding hobby. I'll stay inside where it's warm and watch Bambi and drink cocoa. But if they want to keep Bambi's buddies from over populating and hitting my car, more power to them.

On a funny note about deer hunting, enjoy this selection from Cake Wrecks: http://cakewrecks.blogspot.com/2010/11/im-hunting-wreck-its.html

To me, November means time to write a novel. To my dad and brother, it means time to "catch" a deer. We're family, just with different understandings of entertainment.

Happy hunting. And to my fellow Nano-ers, happy writing!




Monday, November 15, 2010

10,000 words in 3 Days

On Saturday, I had 13,787 words.

By Sunday, I had gotten up to 17,917. Getting closer to on track.

Today I am at 22,489.

So far today, I have written 4,572 words.

I am not normally a competitive person, but a creative writing 30-day race apparently brings it out on in me.

To be on track today, I should be at 25,000 words. I don't think I'll get there, but I want to get just a wee bit closer.

Nanowrimo, you are an addiction. And I'm completely hooked. Just hook me up to an IV.

Friday, November 12, 2010

Nano: Day 12

I wasn't feeling too inspired when I sat down to write today. I had to crank through one of my regular journalistic assignments before getting back to my creative outlet. I got that done, managed a quick work out and then came back to my computer.

I knew I was at a crux. There were important words to write. How was I going to shape this next step in the novel? What were my characters going to learn if anything?

It came slow today. But suddenly, as happens with these things, a few major plot lines came together. I suddenly knew what clues I'd made up along the way meant. And it developed. Stewed a bit. And developed further and deeper. I had found another major crux in the mystery, perhaps the most important one. I knew some of what my characters were battling, but not the why this has happened to them. These things come in waves.

To be honest, I still don't fully know the why them. But I do know why I made one of my characters a murder and what she was protecting. And I have what I think will be a major plot twist to pull out at the end. And I really like it.

To be honest, I'm a bad secret keeper. Really bad. I want to tell everyone everything. But I have people who love me (or at least give a damn about me) who want to read my book. And I can't say, "here's what I think I'm going to make happen at the end." That kind of ruins it, right? So that's kind of hard. But it forces me to find my inner ability to keep a secret.

I'm still behind on word count from losing those few days, but am catching up.

Oh, and I have a title. Rosa Unchained. I googled it just in case. The only thing I could find was some Latin song.

Oh and no, for those of you following the plot loosely, Rosa is not the name of the grandmother. Rosa is an undefined character that will make sense upon reading. But not, I hope, until the end.

Happy Nano-ing to all those still holding out to write a novel in a month. I still aspire to be among those at the finish line.

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Day Ten

NaNoWrimo has been put on an unfortunate back burner for me the last few days. It wasn't my choice. It was my computer's choice. To die. But, like Lazarus, it was resurrected. But, not in a cool way by Jesus. In a much more mundane way, by a new battery arriving safe and sound (FINALLY).

I also lost roughly 1900 words because I broke my flash drive. I felt like God was taunting my efforts, and not in a good way.

The good news is, I've made up for the lost words. The bad news is, I also lost some good thoughts. I had really good vibes going last Friday when I wrote those words. My repeat efforts feels much less inspired. Oh well, that's what editing is for, and NaNoWriMo is not about editing.

I'm going to now try to get another 2,000 words out before bed. I'm excited because I'm going to delve into my character as young children. I'm curious to see what I'll come up with. Hopefully something more inspired than my repeat effort of making breakfast and meeting their closeted, gay lawyer. (Is it Freudian that I typed "Laura" instead of "lawyer" as I first wrote that. I'm going to blame it on having just watched last night's episode of "Glee," which was all about gender issues.)

Ok, back to nanoing, instead of blogging.

Happy writing!

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Day Three

NanoWriMo Day Three: I'm at 4,177 words... a little bit behind on pace, but the plot is starting to come together. I'm also allowing myself to understand that this is a "zero draft" of a novel (like a pre-first draft). If it's good, I'll fix it later. If it's crap, well, I will have completed the challenge.

Now, I think I need a bit of yoga and then bed. Writing is a brain sport.

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Learning to Write a Novel

I write a lot. I love to write. I also love to read. So, taking on the challenge of writing a novel is a lot of fun. I'm actually really loving my premise.

However, I'm really not digging what I've written so far. I decided to just title it as a prologue for now. I like the idea of the story. I don't like how I'm pulling it together.

It feels too introductory. Like "Dear reader: meet Andrea and Patty."

I think it's more like "Dear writer: meet Andrea and Patty."

I think there are bits I need. I think there are bits that may be more helpful later in the novel instead. So, for now, it's a prologue. I'll fix it later. I have 49,000 words to go. No time to worry about it now.

I keep reminding myself, not to self-edit along the way. I can go back and fix my prologue at the end. Or maybe delete part of it or all of it.

Just getting the thoughts on paper and characters more fleshing out the characters more fully has been part of my initial challenge in taking part in NanNoWriMo. Lesson for next year: figure that out before November 1.

The last few days have been really busy. Tomorrow I need to make up for lost time. In theory, I need to crank out 3,000 words to be on track. This task is going to be tougher than I thought. But, I'm dedicated. I can do it!

Happy NaNoWriMo 2010. I'm curious to hear how others are doing.

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

NanNoWriMo

Starting on Nov. 1, I will begin a new adventure. NaNoWriMo, or to those unfamiliar, National Novel Writing Month. A dear friend did it last year, and another friend and I will each begin our own adventure in novel writing in just a few days.

The rules are pretty simple, but the challenge is still daunting. Participants are to write a 50,000 word novel within one month. (That's roughly 175 pages). The complete product must be published on NaNoWriMo's website by midnight on Nov. 30. For completion, I'll get the honor of a certificate. If I'm proud (and a wee bit arrogant), I'll self publish and share with my friends. I'm not that arrogant.

The Plot

My aim is to write a mystery. The loose plot will be the story of two women who were best friends growing up, but drifted apart as adults-- until secrets from one of the women's past brings them together.

Woman 1: stays in the hometown, gets married, just had her first child
Woman 2: moves to the "big city," follows her career, single and has found the career, but not the One

Woman 1 has just moved into her first home. The home she has purchased is the home where Woman 2, her childhood best friend, grew up.

While, for both women, the home is filled with memories of playing dolls and dress up, little did either know that the house also holds deep secrets that neither woman knew about.

Woman 2 will be brought back home to uncover the deep secrets that lie within her past. Who really were her parents? What were they involved in?  And, what does that make her? Was her move far away a subconscious attempt to escape a shameful past?

Secrets will bring the two women together again. But will they also tear them apart?

Why I am excited

What I love about NaNoWriMo is it is all about quantity, not quality. I am free to write without inhibition. What comes out, may be absolute, downright crap, but when done, I will have written a novel-- something I have always wanted to do.

Wish me luck!

Welcome to my collection of thoughts

It's time to turn a new leaf. It's autumn, and while most of the leaves have been now been blown from the trees, the analogy still feels appropriate. In interest of starting anew, I will start blogging anew-- something I've left fall by the wayside in the past year and a half.

Welcome to my new leaf!