Sunday, September 30, 2012

Author Fun

To replace a regular post
(As I am hugely busy and have nothing of importance to write. I am still editing my novel -when I have time, and am contemplating NaNoWrimo.)

From NPR's article: "How to Name Your First Novel" 


If Your First Novel Will Be A Busted Romance
[ANY OF THE SEVEN DWARFS]: A Love Story
If Your First Novel Will Be A Harrowing Historical Account
The [A COLOR] [REPEAT THAT COLOR] [A FLOWER]s Of [A CITY IN EUROPE]
If Your First Novel Will Be A Withering Teenage Quasi-Memoir
How I Flunked [YOUR WORST ACADEMIC SUBJECT] But Passed [THE FIRST MUSICIAN YOU SAW IN CONCERT]
If Your First Novel Will Be A Workplace Satire
At Least They Left Us The [A PIECE OF OFFICE MACHINERY]
If Your First Novel Will Be A Quirky Woman's Story From Someone Else's Point Of View
[A CHILD-CARE-RELATED TRANSITIVE VERB]ing [THE NAME OF YOUR PATERNAL GRANDMOTHER]
If Your First Novel Will Be A Quirky Man's Story From His Own Point Of View
[THE FIRST NAME OF YOUR MATERNAL GRANDFATHER]Reads The Works Of [CLASSIC AUTHOR]
If Your First Novel Will Be A Miserable Story Of One Person's Suffering
My [A FRAGILE OBJECT] Is [A WORD THAT MEANS "BROKEN"]
If Your First Novel Will Be Self-Consciously Ironic And Self-Congratulatory
[A COMIC-BOOK SOUND EFFECT WORD] Goes [A NEIGHBORHOOD IN BROOKLYN]
If Your First Novel Takes Place In Gorgeous Locations
The [ANY COUNTRY] [ANY COMMON SOCIAL EVENT]Chronicles
If Your First Novel Is Intended To Launch A Giant Moneymaking Franchise
Everything Starts With ["1" OR "A"]

Mine:

1. Blue Blue Frankfurt

2. How I Flunked Maths But Passed Reba McEntire
3. At Least They Left Us The Teletype
4. Potty Training Betty
5. Spencer Graham Reads the Works of Jane Austen
6. My Vase is Craked
7. Blamo! Goes Queens
8. The Switzerland Tea Party Chronicles
9. Everything Starts With “1”
Fun stuff! Credit me if you use any of my titles :p

Monday, September 3, 2012

In Which There Are Writing Woes


After a few weeks of plugging along here and there, I finally finished editing the first four scenes of my historical romance, "Coming Home".


But then Scrivener (the editing/formatting program I prefer) decided to EAT IT ALL. That is a month (and most especially the last two days) worth of work - GONE.


 NOT HAPPY! Thankfully, I did print out the entire hot ass mess of a manuscript, and had already inked it all up; but I had also added a bunch of descriptions that I had just skipped over before.
I cannot get this information back :(


IRRITATED!!

So, to calm down, I decided to irritate my neighbors by practicing my harmonica.


. I am horrible, but determined to play this instrument. I can almost get through Moon River and Blowin' in the Wind. 

But then, I discovered a package of frozen leeks in my freezer. Just after that, I looked on top of the fridge, finding potatoes and an onion.

Guess who is making Potato Leek Soup this week?!

YAY!!!!
and
BACK YOUR WORK UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This has been a post.


Sunday, August 19, 2012



I promise to get more on the ball with this, life has been crazy lately.

However, I do have exciting news:
I just finished the first super - rough, but workable draft of my novel, "Coming Home."
Now I get to start playing with Scrivener, do the spell checking, add the missing bits, finish confirming my research and start putting it all together!

YAY!






Now that the .gif par-tay is over - off to try and re-understand the Scrivener tutorial!


Monday, June 11, 2012

Obligatory CampNano Bad Progress Post



I have been sooooo far behind. 
Right now I am 12,491/50,000 - still behind by 5,842 words - but I’ve written 4,708 words so far today, so I’m proud of that! My “Turkey in the Straw” Pandora station is helping a lot for my WPM, I have to say. It’s basically all instrumental Bluegrass (since I’m writing a sort of wild west inspired story), which has high BPM rates - so you type super fast :)
I’m really diggin’ my story too, which helps! For the first time in my life I actually have the drive and peace of mind to sit down and write this (besides random notes and dialogue that pops up into my brain) chronologically. Usually I just spew out random scenes and try to peice them together later, but this story is running SO smoothly. I hope I’ll get caught up really soon, as I’m not sure how much more I can write tonight. I’m getting a little sore and brain tired.
Plus, I don’t want to be up all night thinking about my story. I always sleep bad on Tuesday nights when I’ve spent the past 3 nights with my beau. I’m so used to him being there, when he’s not - ugh.
Anyway, feeling good about NaNo even if I am behind.
Hey any over 25year old’s that want to connect/talk about NaNo stuff? I’m feeling ~leOLD (and am the oldest ‘camper’ in my cabin - I’m 29 :))

Friday, May 25, 2012

In place of a real post

So the Beau and I are really in to Sherlock Holmes these days...

Here's one of those ye olde personality test thingies:

John Watson

John Watson
You are John Watson. Let’s be honest, pretty much everyone loves you. Warm, patient and personable, you’re willing to put up with a great deal (possibly too much?) from those you care about and you are intractably loyal. You’re a bit of a thrill seeker and frequently rush headlong into danger, especially if it’s to protect someone important to you. You have a stubborn streak and maybe a possible psychosomatic injury or two, but you’re definitely the person all your friends want on their side in a fight.

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

I must be insane, truly.

I've can't seem to resist the lure of Camp Nano, so I'm going to participate...more or less. (Yes I realize that I work full time and take 15 credits at college)
I'm going to take my NaNo novel from last November, and continue that one. In order to not be coming off as a cheater, I'm going to attempt to write 50k in addition to the 10058 I wrote back in November.



Woo.

Clearly my sanity needs to be checked. (Even more so since I'm planning on doing the same sort of set up in August) 






If anyone should want to add me as a NaNo/Camp NaNo buddy my handle is "Sammie Marie"
I am so excited to announce this!

I HAVE MY OWN WEBSITE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Excuse me while I happy dance!





Today I don't want to be working in Travel or Hospitality.
I just want to work on my little deck garden, and write and write and write.
But that's not going to happen.
I'm going to take calls all day, then go to Grandma's and do laundry, and homework.


Monday, May 14, 2012




Today, I feel like a writer.

Usually I feel a little bit like a fraud when someone asks me my profession, and my answer is "I'm a writer!" I mean, I haven't been paid for anything, but I have done volunteer writing; and it is the profession I most dearly wish to be in. I just keep thinking, if I continue to say it, eventually it will really come true.

I'm not sure why today, of all days, I feel like a real writer.

Maybe it's because I spent all of Saturday laying in the sun at Green Lake reading my Poets & Writer's magazine (and highlighting all the various contests I could enter).
Maybe it's because I'm about to write my first ever Pantoum (I don't think I've ever sat down and attempted an actual 'form' poetry other than Haiku).
Maybe it's because I've been doing all this school work (I'm in the process of getting an AA and am doing a lot more writing because I have to) the last 5 months.
Maybe it's because I'm soon to launch my first ever writer's website, and am actually trying to find ways to break into the industry.

Whatever it is,
Today I feel like a Writer.

Thursday, July 7, 2011

You're a Grand Ol' Flag

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."





This is a sample of my Daddy’s fireworks. He’s in charge of the Fireworks over Vashon Island every year. They are always breathtaking. Independence Day was crazyyyy. My aunt’s car died at the ferry terminal. We ended up spending about 4 hours there! My (new) friend Michael and I ended up riding in the CAR to the parts department which was strapped to the top of the flat bed TOW TRUCK. 
“It’s legal in the State of Washington. Just buckle up your seatbelt” ~Ant, the grisly, older, very nice tow truck driver.” It was kind of a carnival ride, and only scary when it didn’t feel like we were going to stop, when dear old Ant had to SLAM THE BREAKS! Blah. Anyway, we made it on the 4:20pm ferry and made it to the beach with no further incident. The rest of the time was spent drinking Beer  Cream Soda and laughing, swapping stories. Nice night, but a little bitter sweet. I always tear up when I see the barge come around the corner, knowing my Dad is on it. 
Other than that I managed to make a daily scheduel thing, to try to insert something other than SLOTH in my life. I also am considering going Ovo-Lacto-Pescatarian for the next 3-6 months, and see if that helps my digestion issues. We’ll see how it goes.
Off to go watch one of the German movies from the Library (I have 4 to watch before Saturday!). Later!