Obsessed

America’s Next Top Model has got to be one of the most addicting shows on television and I don’t even watch it unless I know it’s a marathon. Take yesterday for instance, I wasn’t planning on spending the whole day in front of the television. I had to clean the house, do dishes, ect, but did I do any of that? Well most of it, but I was addicted to the show.  Doing laundry and watching television is pretty easy and even exercising was accomplished. I did jumping jacks and crunches during the commercials. But why?

The show takes several hundred girls and widdles them down to the top twelve and then those twelve are given top of the line makeovers, most of them moan and groan about it. Then they move into a real world inspired house.  Then the show really picks up. The top twelve partake in challenges based on fashion, body image, charisma, and essentially selling the product they are given. For some strange reason I can’t stop watching. I want to see what crazy antics they are going to do next, or what crazy clothes they are going to model next all for the sake a fashion.

And let’s talk about fashion for a moment. I’ve never been to a fashion show and would love to go to one for the sole purpose of people watching. Imagine the type of stories that I could write. 

Wait, impromptu writing exercise, stop what you’re doing and stare around your surroundings. Can you imagine a paragraph to describe your setting? I tried this once at a bar and grill. I was hanging out with some of my gf’s family and everyone seemed to be distracted by a football game. Now I’m not really into sports, unless it’s the super bowl or the final four, you know the big events. So I surveyed my surroundings with interest.  There were three tables of people, a group of frat boys at the bar (all nice blazers with Greek letters someone on their person), a group of preppy girls with scowls on their face (none of them talked to each other and clapped/cheered when their team won, oh and they were all drinking the same thing), and finally there was us. A group of everyday people who just happened to choose this place out of the three restaurants in the fancy hotel we were visiting.  My mind exploded with ideas.

Okay so back to ANTM, I’ve decided it’s addicting like all or most reality TV shows. One it involves one’s appearance and if you’re in your twenties or early thirties it’s something that is important to us. Secondly there’s drama and what girl or boy doesn’t love drama. And its gives us an inside look into a world that is not always sunshine and moonbeams, modeling.

On the writing front I have six queries out and still working on book 2 of the Jaded series. Oh and another person at work read the book and actually wanted to come to work to read it. Go me!!

A Pictures Worth A Thousand Words....

I’m watching a reality show about tattoo artist and I have to confess its slightly addicting.  The first “ink” challenge was to perform a cover up. What’s that you ask? A cover up is where the tattoo artist is asked to “cover up” an old tattoo with a new one. From the show it seems that most artists don’t like to do this because of the black ink. And I can’t help but bring this back to writing. I recently sent out a query to an agent that I had done some research on and I felt it was a good choice, but once the query was sent I wished I had added more, done something else to make it pop. I know it’s probably just jitters.  I would like to think it’s my best work, but then again what if it’s not. I’ve only written the darn thing about a thousand times and sent it to Query Shark to be evaluated twice (sadly my query wasn’t picked). I don’t know if this is a good thing or a bad thing. I’d like to think it’s a good thing.

In other news I visited the art gallery yesterday and there were several pieces that I wanted to bring home with me. Thankfully on Fridays the main exhibits are free and this month’s was a display on digital art. There were two pieces that sparked a story. The first was a picture of a little Russian girl. The expression in her face showed defiance of a youth, but the perseverance of an adult. Immediately my mind was taken to a small Russian village where money is tight and choices have to be made in order to survive.

The other photo that intrigued me was taken on the set of an adult film site.  The picture depicted a woman in clothing sitting on a couch with two passed out dudes. One is a large black man and the other a tattooed white guy with his mouth gaping and eyes half open. I’m pretty sure he was stoned out of his mind.  There were naked people in the background along with a camera crew and people sitting in lawn chairs watching. The striking center point of the whole photo was the girl sitting on the couches eyes. They were full of sorrow, or to me they were. It was as if she was saying, “I know, but its money,” It’s almost as if she was ashamed of what she was doing. Maybe that’s what the artist wanted to capture, maybe not, but it definitely inspired me.

We finished dinner at Fitz’s and if you’re ever in the St. Louis Area, drop by the Delmar Loop. It’s filled with awesome little hole in the wall stores and even a great place to people water. For instance there were two guys that were talking on cell phones. One of the guys had a pair of aviators on and it was near dark. So my friends and I decided to make a story.  It was great fun. 

Whats' your story about this picture below???

Timing is everything....

Friends with Kids is a hilariously funny movie and so true. Not that I’m in a heterosexual relationship, but I imgine it would wind up something like that. If you haven’t seen it, you should.  It’s the classic tale of how timing changes everything.

So recently I ran into a slight problem, no I’ll call it situation.  As it turns out I chose a title that brings up a lot of questions for my readers (a group of 8-10 women at work between the ages of 19-55). They wanted to know when the title was going to tie in with the characters and me being the writer could not answer them.  To counteract their questions I simply changed the names.  I simply couldn’t change my story anymore. It’s been a three year long struggle to finally write a manuscript I enjoy.  Any advice?

In other news I have finalized my trip to finally visit the Wizardy World of Harry Potter in July! I am so excited.

The title of the blog is perfect. I know when the time comes I'll find the agent that will rock my novel right into the publishers and out for the world to read.

Song of the Day: "Rolling in the Deep"--Adele

(Picture taken on the River Road in Alton IL might be closer to Grafton IL)

I went to see the Hunger Games, like thousand others, and I can honestly say I was not that disappointed. There were fast pace killing scenes, blood in all the right places, and yes, even a budding romance.  I must admit I had my doubts, being that there is a lot of internal dialogue and that can be lost when portrayed on film.

Even all that said, the book is better than the movie. The casting was perfect here and I have no complaints like I did about Twilight, but that’s a whole other blog….I have yet to write. I think I’ll wait till I see the final one.

Now back to the real reason I went to see the movie. Okay seeing Lenny Kravitz on the big screen was pretty awesome. Although I wish he had rocked out a tune or two. But no seriously, Jennifer Lawrence. If you don’t know who she is let me tell you, remember Mystique from X-men: First Class (another great movie). Ring any bells? Remember her now? Okay but let me tell you about two other films that she was in that didn’t get the credit they deserve.

She starred in the movie called Cold Mountain, where she played an impoverished mountain girl whose farm is going to get taken if she can’t produce her father. I’m not going to give it away, but gritty doesn’t even begin to describe the environment she lives in. It makes me appreciative for living in a small town. You know the Cheers kind of place.

Now back to Jennifer. So I was flipping through Netflix one night and ran across a movie called The Poker House. I couldn’t tell much from the cover, but she starred opposite of Selma Blair, and that sold me. I watched the movie and within seconds was hooked. For those of you who haven’t heard of the movie, it’s about the actress Lori Petty’s upbringing. Yes I’m talking the dolphin trainer from Free Willy, Kit from A League of their Own, and her best role (I’m biased) Tank Girl.  I’m not going to say much, but Jennifer’s performance was short of amazing and I knew then she wasn’t going to fade away.

It’s what I call the Ellen Page phenomenon. You remember her right? She played in the fantastic movie JUNO.  Before that she played in several not so savvy characters.  Coming up with a blank? Have you ever seen Hard Candy? Or better yet An American Crime? Both movies center around the horrors that modern America like to keep in the closet.

Both of these girls started out in the small indie film circuit, but have landed strong female roles and they will no doubt be around for a long time. Or so I hope. Now I’m not saying all their movies are hits, but so far from what I seen if they keep picking good solid roles they won’t disappear into Hollywood.

Now for the good stuff an update. In writing news, I finished the prologue and chapter one of my book number two in the Jaded Series. I have prologue to chapter five completely edited and ready to submit for review at a moment’s notice. At the end of the month I should have the rest. My editor’s also an English teacher, so that makes things a bit tough. Not to mention she’s also working on her own manuscript.  It’s okay though because I have a ton of projects I need to tie up. Don’t you hate it when you have multiple things going on at once and you hear something or someone plants that seed or idea that you see blossoming into a great novel? 

Another day....

As I’m researching agents to send my query, I’m wishing I had a secretary or even an assistant to do the work for me.

Anyone else feel that way?

I am most thankful that I purchased Jeff Herman’s Guide to Book Publishers, Editors, and Literary Agents from Borders (RIP) when I did. It’s proving to be helpful.

Why do I like this book, you ask? Well, because it not only gives you the basics on who you are pitching your idea to, but you get to find out more about the agent as a person. Interesting details like where they worked before they decided to be agents or what their favorite hobbies were, and my favorite, what would you be doing if you weren’t an agent?

So, between yesterday and today I have managed to find ten more people to send my query. Here’s hoping something or someone rather bites. I’ll wait till next week to send more. So far I’ve had rejections.

So, until then, I’ll work on revisions and finishing my other outstanding projects.

Let me introduce myself...again...

Hello all,

It's 6:21AM where I am, what about you? This is the firs of many to come. I say that every year and am trying to build a platform as a writer. What do I write you ask? Easy, commercial fiction, fantasy, christian, and have tried to write short stories, but they always seem to turn into novels for some reason.

Am I published? No, not yet, but plan to be.  But don't we all. Yes, we all dream of being chosen by an awesome agent .

Last year I took to emailing agents my query without doing much research and having a slightly edited book. Now I have grown wiser, or so I think and have begun to do in-depth research on what my target audience is and who is best to represent it. I must recommend Jeff Herman's Guide to Book Publishers, Editors and Literary Agents 2011 as well as Query Shark (by Janet Reid). Both are extremely helpful. And if your interested in tracking the queries you send out try Query Tracker, its filled with a unique information.

Moving on, tell me what you like to write. That's all for now.