V is for Viking Swords & Fantasy World-Building

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Photo from http://www.coldsteel.com/

Photo from http://www.coldsteel.com/

Have you ever envisioned a certain weapon for your character that was so specific that nothing compared to it in reality? I faced that problem in my WIP, and it’s kind of like going on a shopping spree with an exact image of the perfect outfit…. I set myself up to fail. I had in mind an image of a large sword encrusted with gold and jewels. It needed to be light enough for my heroine to wield and perform some deadly choreography.
I’m a panster, so I write first and research later. And when I discovered that the weapon I envisioned was a cleaving sword, I had a problem, because in real life this type of weapon is too heavy for my heroine to wield. Not to mention that all the gold and jewels I imagined adorning the sword are, well, heavy. So, after consulting with Rayne Hall during her workshop about choosing weapons for you characters, we decided on a Viking sword:


But, do you know what I forgot? I’m writing fantasy…that means I can give magical elements to any weapon, I can make a cleaving sword light and I can make a dagger as heavy as a mountain. So long as I have an explanation and a solid world-building I’m good. And that’s the fun part about fantasy! I can play around with different things that have no connection in reality and mesh them together. I can play at being a surrealist, and have some fun. That’s the most important aspect of writing, right? And I feel inspired to try any kind of different combinations of weapons after visiting a Salvador Dali exhibition yesterday. There’s nothing more inspiring than basking in the creations of a great artist.
So, now I’m working on the Viking/cleaving fantasy sword mesh. I was thinking…it’ll be as light as a Viking sword, with the strength of a cleaving sword, and it’ll grow poisonous ivy thorns on command. It may, or may not, grow a parachute out of the tip. AND, if someone uses the wrong command, the sword will melt into resin and will trap the amateur sword wielder inside. It might be fun to trap my heroine inside and see how she gets herself out of this blunder. 🙂

What about you? Have you ever invented a weapon for your characters?

How to Create an Oral History for your Family; or Unforgettable and Unfortunate Things my Kids have Done

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How to Create an Oral History for your Family;  or Unforgettable and Unfortunate Things my Kids have Done

by Evey Brown

It happens almost every time my family gets together, someone says, “Mom, tell us again about the time…” and a certain child is singled out for embarrassment.  The whole family laughs and the forenamed child groans in pseudo shame.  And then everyone sits back as I retell the tale that has become a part of our family history.

Like the story when Brad put a peanut butter and jelly sandwich in our VCR just like it was a tape.  (Yes, I know some of you are a little too young to know what a VCR was, think of them like very fat CD’s.)

Or when Kris took a hammer to his bedroom wall just below the light switch so he could see why the light turned on and off.  I was secretly proud of his curious mind but at the time couldn’t overlook the hole.

And who could forget the time Jenny lay on the couch and played ‘airplane’ with the dog?  She lost her balance and managed to toss him right through the huge picture window of our house.  Luckily the dog was fine, but it cost a fortune to replace the glass.

There’s also the day Alex put an arrow, yes I said arrow, through our computer monitor.  In his defense both the bow and arrow were handmade and he says his brother put him up to it.

Holly never likes it when we talk about how we broke her of her tattling habit.  She entered my bedroom and informed on her sister who had hit her, “Just like this,” she said and whacked herself hard on the forehead.  My husband called Jenny in and had Holly repeat her accusation, and yes, she hit herself again.  This was repeated over and over with each of our children until Holly finally said, “Hey… are you teasing me?”

Max’s story is more recent.  He was playing video games with his girlfriend when I came in and addressed him as ‘Princess’.  In ‘my’ defense, okay, I don’t have a real defense, but the name has stuck.  Poor boy.

These stories are still as accurate as I can remember but in all honesty I am sure they have become exaggerated over the years.  I need to put them all on paper so they will not be forgotten.  And there are new ones being created each day.  In the meantime, we tell and retell the stories together.  They make us laugh and bind us together and what could be better than that?

T is for Tastiness

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Can a Whoopass

Okay, I’m not sure tastiness is a good subject title. But I’m ready for dinner. So sue me. And I didn’t get assigned the letter O but it is my own fault. I could have requested it. Then again, I wasn’t hungry at the time.

~shakes head~

Anyway, my super secret subject for today is a food I have not yet gotten the pleasure of trying – Japanese okonomiyaki. But I want to taste so badly I can almost imagine a bite on my tongue. Read about it for yourself, if you’d like.

You can check out the Wikipedia article here.

If you took a peek, tell me if they don’t look delicious. Chinese egg foo young, even delivered to my Midwestern United States suburban door, makes my mouth water just thinking about it. The thought of adding dashi, squid, and cabbage to the batter only makes this more intriguing.

Fortunately, I discovered a restaurant which serves okonomiyaki in Columbus, Ohio USA. Now I just need an excuse to head that way someday soon. I plan to call ahead, even, and make sure it’s on the menu that day.

Do you like any cuisine that’s hard to find in your area?

I’d like to read about any dishes you miss from your home abroad or haven’t enjoyed since your grandmother passed away. Food can be a powerful force of nostalgia. Wish me luck in making new memories…

 

S is for Sex Scenes and Story

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As a writer of Erotic Romance- although I may have to rethink my branding, because what was Erotic ten years ago, can be considered main stream now, it’s important to keep sex scenes creative and fresh.

How do you do that?  One thing I always try and do is give my star couple their own thing.  By that I mean giving them an act you won’t find in another of my books.  I’ve written 10 books and it can get challenging, giving each couple their own fantasy or kink.

I’m sure as I write more I am likely to double-up…no pun intended.   I think the most difficult thing I worry about as a writer of romance is the idea that you could begin to be predictable.

Do Mystery writers worry about new ways of killing people?  Do action writers worry about fresh takes on fighting?  Maybe it isn’t just a romance thing.  I mean in a lot of ways the beginning is always the same.  Boy meets girl (or boy meets boy, girl meets girl, etc.) and they live happily ever after (or happy for now).

Its the journey that changes with each story.   And maybe that is what readers really look for in a fresh take.

Well fellow readers, what do you think is most important in a story.  Does everything have to be new?  Are you annoyed when writers seem to repeat things from story to story?

~Tina

Whoops! R Is For I Gotta wRite Something Quick!

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2016-04-21 R

So, I have a cold.  I went hunting around in my archives for a funny picture and came across this gem, snapped by my partner in crime, Rachel Wilder.

With friends like these, …

Of course, it captures perfectly how I feel right at this moment, even though it was taken some time ago when I’d just gotten out of bed and was trying to do morning pages.  🙂

Today is my day to post something crunchable having to do with the letter R.  I totally forgot until right now.  I shall endeavor to come up with something through my cold-medicine-induced fog.  Here, then, without further ado is the World According To Noony (on Cold Medicine):

  1. No, Boria, you do NOT need to sing me the song of your people at six in the morning.  Nor at seven.  Nor at seven-twenty.  I’ll get up at the last possible moment – meow – to – meowow – go to work – meeoooowwowowow – so I don’t need Felini in the Morning!
  2. Dogs take up entirely too much room on the bed when there’s only the two of you and it’s a queen-sized mattress.
  3. Cold medicine tastes yucky, but it keeps me from coughing.
  4. I cough the more I talk.
  5. I had THREE client phone calls – hack – scheduled – cough – for – wheeze – today.
  6. Tea is my friend.
  7. Don’t make a whole pot of caffeinated tea because you like the “hibiscus” part but forgotyoualreadyhadyourcoffeefortheday.
  8. The bus is late when I’m in a hurry.
  9. The bus is packed with people when I want to sit down because my head is pounding.
  10. It’s getting warm outside.  WEAR DEODORANT!

(No, really, #10.  Please.  Yes, Mister Big Fat Dude, I’m looking at you.  And holding my nose.)

And remember:  Zen mind, beginner’s mind.  Except when on cold medication.

Thank you for joining us for the A-Z Blog Challenge.  If you’re blogging in the challenge, please leave us a link so I can come visit you too.  If you have a moment, please check out these other fine blogs:

 

The theme on my main blog, Explore the Worlds of A. Catherine Noon, is The A To Z of the Zoo.  Join me as I explore Brookfield Zoo and finds animals, birds, and insects from A to Z.

My theme on my Knoontime Knitting craft blog is Letterforms In Nature and the Built Environment.

The theme at Noon & Wilder is The A To Z of Chicago.  Since I live here in the city and we have our Chicagoland Shifters based here, I figured I’d share a window into the city, Noon & Wilder style.

The Nice Girls Writing Naughty have a new home, and we’re blogging in the challenge again this year.  Throughout the month you’ll be hearing from each of the Nice Girls, and during the RT Booklovers Convention from April 12th to the 17th, you’ll be getting live convention reports.  Join the conversation!

The Writer Zen Garden’s brand new website is up and running, and we’re bringing you posts from me, Noony; my partner in crime, Rachel Wilder (the Wilder half of Noon & Wilder); the talented Darla M. Sands – a blogger in her own right, see below; as well as Grace Kahlo, Evey Brown, and author Tina Holland.  Check it out!

My friends who are participating in the challenge (and if you’re not on this list, tell me and I’ll add you!):

Write on, and Happy Blogging!

Q is for Writing Quotes

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One of my most recent addictions is Pinterests. I love browsing quotes and there are so many! Inspirational and motivational quotes for the days when I feel I need a boost to get into the writing zone. Funny quotes for the times when I need that laugh to keep me going through the next writing hurdle. And the advice infographics that help me when I feel a little stuck. There’s everything there, and I complied tons of boards. For the purposes of this post, I’m going to share only the memes I created.

For every time someone tries to tell you to be a realist:

Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss it you will land among the stars. ~Les Brown

Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss it you will land among the stars. ~Les Brown

For the times people ask you ‘why do you want to b a writer?’:

I write because I don't know what I think until I read what I say. ~Flannery O'Connor

I write because I don’t know what I think until I read what I say. ~Flannery O’Connor

For the times when we need an affirmative boost of reassurance:

If we had to say what writing is, we would define it essentially as an act of courage. ~Cynthia Ozick

If we had to say what writing is, we would define it essentially as an act of courage. ~Cynthia Ozick

My favorite writing quotes for when I’m feeling as if I’m not going to make it to The End:

A writer is a writer, not because she writes well and easily, because she has amazing talent, or because everything she does is golden. A writer is a writer because, even when there is no hope, even when nothing shows any sign of promise, you keep on writing anyway. ~Junot Diaz

A Writer is a Writer

 

And if you’re looking for some more quotes, I have some on my website, on my Pinterest account, and if you feel like taking it to the next step I recommend Sarah Andersen’s funny webcomics.

What about you? Do you have favorite writing quotes?

P Is For Prepper

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P Is For Prepper – by Rachel Wilder

All right world I can say it – I’m a Prepper!

So many people give me the reaction that I’m crazy. That I’m actually hoping something horrible will happen so I can break out my canned goods and emergency radio. That people should suffer around me so I can test to see if my batteries are really good for ten years.

2016-04-19 P pic 1

That is the last thing on my mind.

But I watch the news. And it wasn’t always showing far away places and strangers like the tsunami and resulting nuclear meltdown in Japan during 2011. I remember seeing the aftermath of Katrina 2005, of talking to my brother while he weathered Superstorm Sandy 2012. Of my best friend telling me she almost got trapped in her car during  Snowapocalypse 2014.

So awful things seem to always happen to strangers….until suddenly it doesn’t.

It’s now you or one of your loved ones. A family member or good friend. Heck, even a beloved pet. Anyone can suddenly end up cold, or hungry or lost and homeless. The question is- are you going to look back and discover that you could have helped them or yourself with a little forethought and planning,

You don’t have spend your life savings on things hopefully you’ll never need. Like this family.

2016-04-19 P pic 2

Though, if you look closely, they don’t look too worried about anything. But just get the most basic of extra supplies that will give you peace of mind. Is that three days or three weeks? That’s something you and your family need to think about and discuss.

So in reality, preppers look more like this…

2016-04-19 P pic 3

Things My Grandpa Taught Me – O for Orion

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I spent my summers on my grandfather’s farm, a truly rural place that seemed to be on another planet.  There were six street lights down the only paved road in town, one general store and a school house that combined kindergarten through ninth grades in two small rooms with twenty students.  There were 130 residents there Grandpa would say; if you counted the sheep and cows.

I worked in his store during the day and made dinner at night while he and my grandmother worked the garden.  It seemed to me like a hard life for a twelve year old that had only done a few chores and then played with friends on previous summers but I was away from my parents and siblings on what seemed a grand adventure so I loved every minute of it.

It was dark there at night and the stars were clearly visible in that huge expanse that loomed above the world.  After all the work was done Grandpa would show me a new constellation each night in his heavy astronomy book then we headed outside to find it in the sky above us.  He would turn on his huge flashlight and point out the designs so I could see them too and I was amazed as each night the sky seemed more familiar to me.

My first constellation was Orion, three stars in a sort of straight line formed his belt, there were others around it that represented the warrior’s arms and legs and weapons.  The following nights I learned Canis Major and Canis Minor, his two hunting dogs that stood beside him as the three of them faced off against the rearing bull, Taurus.  That monster was clearly recognized by the red star that formed his eye.

There were other constellations depending on the time of season, Scorpio, Draco the Dragon and Andromeda; but Orion was always the starting point; everything new was related to Orion’s position in the sky. It was our signpost, our go to before we struck out to learn any new constellations.

It’s been years and Grandpa has passed, buried below that vast star-filled sky in rural Utah where I’m sure he gazes at the magnificent view of the constellations he loved each night.

I seldom visit that small town anymore but even today, in the big city where only the brightest of stars are visible, I glance up and search for Orion.  It’s the landmark that lets me know that the world around me has changed but the heavens remain the same.  It acts like an anchor for me, a stepping off place before I explore and the light on the front porch when I’m heading home.

And for that sense of peace I will always thank Grandpa.

N is for Nice Girls Writing Naughty

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Since I am not affiliated personally with the blog Nice Girls Writing Naughty, I feel it’s not inappropriate to promote the group. On the other hand our own very dear and talented team of A. Catherine Noon and Rachel Wilder are very justifiably represented. I can personally vouch that these two are both extremely nice. And they write some extremely delicious naughtiness.

In case you had not guessed the novel content of these authors is erotica in various, glorious forms. To give fair warning, you may not want to open their home page at work. But I urge you to check them out if you like steamy romance.  Here’s the link.

 

They even have a reading club in which various titles are discussed on a regular basis. I hope you’ll check it out!

So, dear reader, what’s on your novel wish list? Personally, I’m looking forward to the next Noon and Wilder publication.

 

M is for Man-titty

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This week, I will be enjoying a bevy of man-titty at the Romantic Times Convention in Las Vegas,Nevada.

I recently read an article in the New York Times.  The article was a look into the romance industry regarding male romance cover models.

According the the article, having a man on the cover of your book is three times more likely to sell than a woman on the cover.  Of course it stands to reason (at least in other blogs I’ve read) that a topless man will sell even more.

The article doesn’t say whether couples sell well together, and whether said couples sell better clothed or nude.

I’ve always had couples on my books or in one case, two men and a woman.   And I prefer them partially clothed.  I think clothes tell a lot about what you are going to be reading. Gives you a sense of time, characters and heat level. I usually assume the less clothes, the hotter the book.

I have to say I’m not a huge fan of man-titty.  Down girls…down.  Let me clarify.  What I mean to say is… I’m confused by a single half-naked man on the cover.  I know.  Aren’t we all?

Obviously if I’m familiar with the author or a certain house imprint, I can make assumptions on what I’m buying.  No, I’m not talking about authors or imprints within a house that give you an idea of what to expect. I’m talking about that random shot, with nothing but the man-titty.

 

Let’s examine:

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Okay – What is going on with this dude?  He seems young.  No tattoos, so I’m thinking the book isn’t about bikers or bad-boys.  No dog tags so not military.  No head, so no idea if he has long hair or short.  No background – so no idea if it is historical, contemporary or futuristic.  Do you understand my confusion?

When a man on a book cover has no shirt on, I have no idea what kind of book it is. Of course, this does cause me to occasionally pick up the book and look at the back.  Especially if he’s good looking, like our model above.  In the case of e-books, I’ll click on the blurb to find out more.

Now as I writer – I love to find pictures like this on the web, because it sparks my imagination and I can write a story.

So readers, do you have a story to tell about our hero above?

~Tina