Monday, August 31, 2015

Quirky Monday: Gag-amole--and Other Things You Couldn't Pay Me to Eat

There are a list of foods I will not eat. Ever. It's a short list, but it's a list, none the less.

I have the world's weakest gag reflex. Seriously, anything that squishes, or sounds squishy or feels squishy, I have issues with. It's bad.

Especially if it squishes in my mouth.

Ok, maybe about fifty percent of the time if it squishes in my mouth.

Cream, I can eat fine;  apple crunch, cobbler, pies, fine. Yes, I will eat them . Jello I will eat. Squash I will eat. Pickles I will eat.

Tomatoes? Kill me.

Cold cereal(or hot cereal) with milk(and sugar and all that other stuff people put on it)?  Not so much.

Guacamole?  Not on your life.

Avocados? Sharp stick please. In my eye. Now.

Actually, looking at it like this isn't the bad part. It's when  I can see the inside that it gets bad. 

I don't like the way it looks; I don't like the way it smells; I don't like the feeling of it in my mouth. At all. Like ground up snot--or something equally gross.

The funny thing is, that with the other foods on this "gag list"(and I didn't even give you the rest of them), I can watch other people eat them just fine. Just don't offer me any. Avocado/Guacamole is a different story.

When I was at girl's camp, we had a "spa day" where one of the leaders made guacamole and cocoa powder face masks that we all go smeared on your faces. The.Worst. Forty-five minutes. Of. My. Life.

Avocados are almost as bad. Same deal--the look of it, the feel of it, the smell of it. I accidentally tasted it once(nobody told me it was in my salad!!!!) and I thought I was going to die.

Ok, maybe not die, but there was definite nausea going on in my body. Ick. Ick, ick, ick. Sometimes my mom and sister still have it in their salad or something, and it's all I can do not to gag.

Don't ask me why, but there are some foods I will never, ever eat, even if my life depended on it.

Guacamole is one of them.

And it will always be a problem.

Monday, August 24, 2015

Quirky Monday: My Stetson

When I was a little girl, my mom told me about Annie Oakley, and my great-grandfather used to watch Dr. Quinn during family Christmases, and I watched with him.

What do these things have in common?

Stetsons.
That's right, when I was going through the "I want a pony" phase as I child, it was also the "I want a cowboy hat" phase.

Eventually, the "pony" bit went away, because going up in the suburbs you learn that there is no way that you would be allowed to ride at break-neck speed through fields like National Velvet if a) there are no fields to begin with and b) there are no riding lessons available, and therefore no horse.

However.

The cowboy hat thing?

Didn't go away.

Not ever.

I wanted a Stetson. Not one of those plastic toy jobs either--a full-on leather job that I could wear whenever I wanted. If Annie Oakley and that one guy from Dr Quinn could sport one, why not me?

Truth be told, it wasn't just Dr. Quinn that got me into the "I want a cowboy hat" kick. It was also all those old westerns--"Westward Ho!", and "Seven Alone", and--in college--all the Jimmy Stewart Westerns that had me wanting something like that. Maybe I couldn't live like a cowboy, but I could sure look like one!

When I was sixteen, my family when to Yellowstone. During our souvenir shopping, my dad asked me what I wanted. My answer?

A Stetson.

And we found one.

A beautiful felt job that I wore the rest of the vacation--and subsequently lost during my move from home to my apartment four years later(but hey, I kept the thing for four years and I took pretty good care of it too!).



Flash forward to this past week. In Arizona, there is this town called Williams, which is the last town that was on the original Route 66(my cousin called it "Radiator Springs"--thank you, "Cars".)

 And in this town, there was this shop.

 And in this shop, there was a sale.

On Stetsons.

Leather Stetsons.

Goodbye souvenir money.

So yes, once again, I am the proud owner of a Stetson. A leather Stetson.

And this one I intend to keep, thanks very much!

Monday, August 17, 2015

Quirky Monday: Road Trip Rules

Today I am blogging from my car(hence any typos contained herein with no apologies whatsoever). I am currently surrounded by my family members and we are all currently dying in one form or another.

This is because we are on a nine hour drive to get to our vacation spot.

You heard right.

A nine hour drive.

Not that I haven't made this drive before(when I went to see my world premiere in AZ), but there is a difference between driving down to AZ with a single person and driving down to AZ with seven people--who are also your family members.

A good different.

Because now--since we're all at that point in our lives where we rarely get to spend more than a couple of hours together--once a year we get to spend a whole week together. Just us. And it's awesome!

But first we have to get there.

And in this case, it means we drive.

For NINE BLOODY HOURS!!!!!

And ok, it's not as bad as it sounds, really. Not since we aren't the kind of family that plugs ourselves in...ok, we do, but not the whole trip.

Before we all got electronic devices, we would play games, like The Alphabet Game. Using only roadsigns and liscense plates, we would see how quickly we could get through the alphabet(which is how my parents kept a 45 minute drive entertaining when they had a five-year-old or two who hated the free way cause they couldn't see out--among other things.)

There's also classics like SlugBug or Yellow Car(which is my personal favorite cause you can play that one for hours and don't really have to explain the rules.)

And then we all got electronic devices. Which was good and bad. It's bad cause there's always a point in the trip where we all get sick of each other(because nine hours in a confined space will drive anybody coo-coo) and plug ourselves in. But it's also good becuase:

1. I become my brother's favorite person cause I have a portable dvd player and bring all the movies.
2. At least three people in my family have(or have access to) an Audible account, so we can all listen to Audiobooks as a family
3. When we get tired of audiobooks there are at least four devices that have music and are fully charged which we can bicker over for music choice(or we just let everybody else listen to something and plug ourselves in, which ever works best and causes less fight.)

The point is, whenever my family goes on a trip together, it's awesome. And sometimes, getting there is awesome too.

Now if we could just get out of the car for like five minutes, that'd be great.....

Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Tidbit Tuesday: Bibliophile, Meet Research

Being still in the throes of revision of one piece and developing two more(yes, two, but more on two later), I have decided to pull a Lauren Willig again and "get into the characters' heads, experience the world as they experience it, speak as they speak".

One of the things I love about being a writer is that I get to read before, during, and after I write. Even better, I get to read books that are along the same genre, when I'm in the mood for reading fiction and not research stuff. So below, for your reading pleasure is what I have been reading for both research and pleasure purposes--as of now.
Promise of the Wolves by Dorothy Hearst This is another book where Watership Down meets wolves. Or Julie of the Wolves meets Watership Down. Anyway, this is an amazing example of what an author can do with a lifetime's worth of research. And it's something that is now on my Audible wishlist.

Beastly by Alex Flinn- Seriously, I have read this book so many dang times. I almost went full on fan girl and bought the audiobook and the movie--if the narrator hadn't been terrible in one and the other was---a complete waste of my money(especially since I went opening night; but I digress). I love the idea of a Beauty and the Beast Story told from the Beast's POV. And it's even better when that story takes place in 21st century New York, and kinda follows the Disney version of the story line(because, personally, I have issues with--well a lot of stuff in the original fairy tale. But I won't go into that now).

Rose Daughter by Robin McKinley-I confess, I read this version first, not Beauty. The main stupid reason is that the first time I read it, I wasn't into the whole first person narrative thing. I bugged me. This one was written in third person, so I gave it a shot. That was the first time. I have now read this thing four or five times, because it's such a sweet story.

Beauty by Robin McKinley-It took me a while--ok, it took two of my librarian friends and several other writer friends--to get me to read this book. First, because I was at the reading phase where I was sick of Robin McKinley(I'd read all her things except this one and was looking for something new). And second, because it was in first person(and I have no idea why I annoyed me, but it did). And I have now read it more than once. It's kind of nice to see Beauty with a little bit of a backbone.

The Sight by Dave Clement-Davies I read this on a dare from a writer friend of mine. And I made the mistake of checking it out during finals week my sophomore year of high school. It took me a very long time to get to the end. But, this book is--incredible! It's an amazing fairytale centered on wolves. And they aren't just animals that talk. They have their own language; their own hierarchy, their own--you name it, they got it. Now I'm waiting on the sequel to be available in audiobook form, and for my wallet to allow me to purchase it, as I think this is the kind of book that should be heard--because of it's length.

Fire Bringer by Dave Clement-Davies- So after this guy wrote about wolves, he wrote about deer. And this book was almost as good as The Sight--and is so helpful to someone working on a fantasy that won't work the way it's supposed to. The best way to describe this is Bambi meets Watership Down(which is another book that I've been reading to get me in the mood).

Bambi by Felix Salten-You guys. Bambi isn't just a Disney movie. Bambi is a book. A novel. A really good 1929 novel. Why have I never of this until now? And it isn't Disney-fied either(which isn't a bad thing--I happened to LOVE Disney's Bambi). No, it's a story for teens and adults. And one I want on my shelf. Like now.



Bright Young Things by Anna Godbersen Thanks to Lauren Willig, I have also started re-reading historical fiction. This was a passion of mine in high school,a s I love period pieces. This little story is set in the 1920s and focuses on the lives of three girls headed in three different directions. The 1920s is a time period I've never really explored before, and so this is a great introduction!

Vile Bodies by Evelyn Waugh-Talk about a period piece actually written during the time period! I'm only a few pages in, but I love the British satire spin on what was going on in the 1920s.

Her Royal Spyness by Rhys Bowen-Just finished this one--something I decided to try because my sister did and she liked it. So I gave it a shot. This one is along the lines of--oh, Miss Marple thirty years younger or something and she's a spy for the Queen. In the late 1920s-early 30s. I love this book so much!

P.G. Wodehouse-Whenever you need a pick-me-up, you go to Jeeves and Wooster. When you need "fluffy reads for research" you go to Jeeves and Wooster. 'Nuff said.

So can you guess what project number two is, based on the above list? Don't worry, I'll tell you more about it soon!

Monday, August 10, 2015

Quirky Monday: My Fountain Pen

Last week, I happened to mention in passing that when I write sans screen, I do so with a fountain pen.

You guys.

I FRIGGIN LOVE FOUNTAIN PENS

I do. I really, really do. Maybe if I hadn't been into the whole "I wanna grow up in the 1700s/1800s/1900s" as I kid this would be such a "problem".  But, I was the child blessed with:

A. A grandfather who raised me on classic movies like "Frenchman's Creek", "Naughty Marietta", "The King and I" and other movies featuring quill pens.

B. Access to the film version of "Little Women". Jo March wrote with a nib pen. And always had ink on her hands!!!



C. Jane Austen. The books, the films, the quill and nib pens(and the men and the clothes). And,

D. Enough money to buy what I needed when I needed it(i.e. fountain pens--thank you Pilot!)

As a kid, I was into the American Girl Franchise and my favorite was Felicity. Because she wrote with a quill pen. I used to grab bird feathers off the street at attempt to make little "quills" of my own.

Of course, these "quill pens" were more often than not ball point pens scotch taped to feathers, but to a five year old, this was pretty dang good. When I did finally get my hands on a "legit" quill pen(from the American Girl Felicity craft kit), I used it so much, I broke the nib off. Yes, I literally broke the nib off.

When I was fourteen, my great uncle got me a glass fountain pen set for Christmas. Needless to say, I used up all the ink in one bottle in less than a month and got ink all over my hands and felt like Louisa May Alcott.



When I started college, one of the first things I did was checkout the bookstore--for obvious reasons. As I was browsing, I made an amazing discovery:

Pilot makes disposable fountain pens. These disposable fountain pens:



And they were right in front of me. For--well, I could afford them, and I that was good enough for me.

I bought a bunch. And used them up in less than a week.

Those have become my writing pens. Ballpoint pens are for school work and work-work and other boring stuff. But to create, I need a creative pen.

I need a fountain pen.

Thursday, August 6, 2015

Name of the Game: Writing Closet-How Much?

Short today guys. And just a little anecdote,. I wasn't going to write today, but I changed my mind, because today at work someone asked me a question. It's something every writer gets asked, but something I never though about before--until today.

"How many hours do you spend writing a day?"

.....You know, I never really worked it out. Writing for me isn't just sit at a computer and type. It's plotting in my head; and scribbling on notecards, in notebooks(with my awesome "writing" fountain pen!!!) and my phone; and create playlists; and muttering conversations to myself while I shelf read and put books on shelves( a. yes, those are two different things, and b. yes, I do it all the time--and get really weird looks). All this in addition to actual "writing"--that is, putting words on the page to form them into a story.

Anyway, she asked me this question and I didn't really think about if before I answered:

"Five or six hours."

Yes.

That is what I said.

And later today during my commute I really thought about that answer, and all the other things listed above. You know, it's the truth. I do not go to sleep because I'm too busy writing. I have to sent a loud timer at work when I'm on break cause I'm too busy writing. I've almost been late for work(and other things) because I'm too busy writing.

And ok, it's not five or six straight hours. It's consecutive. Two hours here; an hour and a half there; maybe a whispered twenty minute dialogue(see above). Which is SO helpful, especially, as previously mentioned, I have to work on several projects at a time. Yes, it's a "have to" kind of thing.

But, that's one of a writer's vices, isn't it?

Monday, August 3, 2015

Quirky Monday: B&B-My Favorite Fairy Tale

So remember last week I said something about my favorite fairy tale? This one:



I don't really have any one reason why Beauty and the Beast is my favorite. Maybe it's because it was the first movie I saw in a theatre(thank you BYU dollar nights!); or maybe it has something to do with my obsession over celebrity Dark Horses; or maybe it's just because it's a fairy tale and I'm a sucker for fairy tales--I don't know. But this story has always appealed to me.

Like, the idea of someone transformed into a Beast(Dark Horse) and shut up in a castle with either:
a) talking furniture
b) invisible servants
c) visible servants
d)magic
or a combination of the above, and then bring in a girl who is so open minded and kind that even before she realizes her feelings she is nice to him.



I have seen/read just about every version of this tale that I can get my hands on. I've read the original fairy tale; and Grimm fairy tale; and the two by Robin McKinley(Rose Daughter is actually my favorite of the two); and the updated version by Alex Flinn(Beastly  the novel was so good--and the movie ruined it, which by the way, is one of the few times I have regretted spending money on a movie). Actually I've read Beastly so many times the cover might fall off--the pages are certainly well used.


I also own the Disney DVD, and have seen the  1984 Susan Saradon version; and I gave the TV series a shot(disappointing, both of them--ick); so yes, basically every version I can get my hands on(including the French film, which is brilliant!!!!!). I have also seen the charming Rebecca de Mornay musical(which truly is charming)--see clip below or follow this link:


I did I quick IMDB check before I wrote this, and there are 200 listed titles. Which means that there are going to be some good ones and some crappy ones--and I've seen both the some of the good and some of the crappy. True,there are also some versions I have yet to see, but this is chiefly because they are out of print(grrrrrrrrrrrrrr)
Like this one. This one I REALLY want to see and can't find ANYWHERE

But yes, I love this fairy tale. I love this fairy tale so much I'm pulling a Shannon Hale and making my favorite fairy tale into something to call my own. Which a really freakin cool. And I will finish it this time!!!!

Also, PS: when the Emma Watson/Dan Stevens version is FINALLY released,  I WILL GO SEE IT OPENING NIGHT!!!!!