Writer's Block: Time travel

Question: If you could travel in time, which era would you visit and why?

I love time travel stories, which is weird because I'm not really that keen on historicals, lol. But I think it's because of my fascination of the theme of stranger in a strange land. Feeling like a fish out of water and learning to adjust. Then there's the whole issue of time manipulation. I hate to think about the science of it because it gives me a headache, but the notion of getting to go back and relive parts of your life, or visit a new era, just makes me want to pull out my wallet and buy blindly.

Where would I go if I could? I'm torn, actually. I love the romance of the 30s and 40s, but I would have hated to be a war widow. I love the music and the arts and the way of thinking, but then there's that whole American Depression thing. Still, I think even with all the cons, a major city like New York in the 30's would be my first choice.

Second choice...Scotland before the 1745 Jacobite revolution. I love the Scottish Highlands, so much so that it's probably the only truly cold place I'd consider settling down. I've always felt an affinity for them, most likely because of my love for rolling mountains. To get to experience the wild highlands and the simplicity of life before the Battle of Culloden would be amazing. I'd even be okay with the lack of a lot of modern conveniences. Going back to that time and place just feels...right. Who knows? Maybe I was a Scottish lass in a previous life. ;)

Where would you like to go?

Writer's Block: If you were independently wealthy...

If you were independently wealthy, where in the world would you live and how would you spend your time?

This is easy. I currently live in Utah for various reasons (education, work, family), though I don't necessarily love it here. I mean, I grew up here. I have roots here. A lot of who I am and what I believe stems from my years in Utah, but I don't really love it here. The winters are long and sucktastic. There are strange liquor laws. Once you venture out of Salt Lake City, you're entering a strange no-man's land, where everything closes at 8 on the weeknights, and nothing is open at all on Sunday. Of course, there are good things, too. But I usually joke that I hope my exile is temporary.

Due to that joke, most people probably think I would live in California if I could live anywhere. That makes sense. I love Los Angeles. Vivien lives in California. My husband is from California, and a good number of my family lives in California, too. I love the convenience, I love the variety, I love the sheer number of, well, everything and anything. Not that California is perfect. It's too hot half the year. The freeway system and traffic is really frightening. Oh, and it's expensive. Everything is expensive.

But I don't want to live in California.

I want to go back to Rome.



I spent three weeks there three years ago. For about six months after I returned, Rome was all I could talk about. I love every single thing about that place. Yeah, I nearly got mugged there. Yeah, sometimes I got lost and it was scary. But it was so beautiful. So perfect. And I felt like I really, really belonged. I periodically get "Rome sick." I want to go back there with my sister next year, and we've discussed the logistics of living there for a few months, because she feels the same way I do. Watching movies set in Rome is difficult--I had a hard time with Roman Holiday!




As for what I'd do there, I would write. I would visit churches. I would watch the sun set from the Spanish Steps. I would go to museums. I would sit in cafes and drink cappuccinos and smoke Camels. I would go to concerts at the Coliseum. I would go out and walk every morning at 6, so I could watch the city wake up. I would take the train to Florence and Napoli. I'd go to Venice and Tuscany. I'd drink wine with every meal. I would absorb the history of Rome through my skin and my tongue. I'd get by on a little bit of Spanish and learn Italian. I'd watch MTV Europe, and movies dubbed in Italian. I'd take trips to Spain, to France, maybe even Greece. I would eat McDonalds when I got homesick, and have pizza every day for lunch. I'd take a nap every afternoon during siesta. I'd go out on Saturday nights and risk the pickpockets to wander the streets with the rest of Rome. I'd go to soccer games. I'd buy cheap sunglasses and cheaper purses from street vendors.




Incidentally, I wrote The Streets of Florence while I was staying in Florence. I'm not good with photographs or journaling. It's the postcard I wrote to myself.

Thursday 13--13 Greatest Love Stories

Vivien and I decided to do the 13 Greatest Love Stories. Keep in mind though, these are love stories, not necessarily romances.

Pepper: My first favorite love story is Rhett Butler and Scarlett O'Hara. He knew her, through and through. And I still believe that they found their way back to each other (I'm ignoring the so-called sequel, though).

Vivien: 2.Jamie and Claire from Diana Gabaldon's Outlander books. What I love about them, other than the whole transcending time thing, was that it was a relationship that didn't stop when they got older. Jamie and Claire are just as much in love, just as sexy, at 50 as they were at 25.

Pepper: 3. Spike and Buffy Summers from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It didn't end well, but maybe the really great ones never do. I don't know. But she made him want to be a better man, and that always hit me squarely in the chest.

Vivien: 4. Queen Victoria and John Brown. Oh, sure, this could just as easily be Victoria and Albert, because she loved and mourned him the rest of her life. But for me, Victoria and John are even more poignant. Separated by class, they could never acknowledge their relationship in public. Which means, yes, another one not ending well. Wow, we're really depressing, aren't we, lol?

Pepper: 5. Agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully from The X-Files. He trusted her. As he said in one of my favorite scenes "You're the only one I trust." He was completely credulous, she was a skeptic, but paradoxically, he was an atheist, and she was a devout Catholic. But despite their differences, they never betrayed each other. I know some people were unhappy with the final episode, but whatever. They kissed and rode off into the sunset together. That's all I ever wanted for them. (Yay, this one isn't depressing!)

Vivien: 6. Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward. A real life love story. Proof that you can be just as much in love fifty years later. Proof that even in Hollywood, if it's real, it'll last.

Pepper: 7. The Boy and Girl in Once. I was really devastated at the end of the movie the first time I saw it, but they created something beautiful together. Something that will be timeless. I'm not sure if there is a purer sort of expression of love.

Vivien: 8. Harry and Sally. For a long time, When Harry Met Sally was my favorite movie. I love the notion of friends lasting forever, and I love it even more now that I'm married to my best friend.

Pepper: 9. Captain James T. Kirk and Mr. Spock. Regardless of if you "slash" these two men, I think it's clear that they shared a very deep and abiding love. They trusted each other without hesitation. They relied on each other in moments of extreme duress and fear. Kirk made Spock more human. And I dare anybody not to cry when Spock says "I have been and always shall be your friend." I'm feeling a little misty right now. I'd count any relationship successful that had the sort of respect, devotion, and love that those two shared.

Vivien: 10. Navarre and Isabeau from Ladyhawke. Yes,another movie love story. But it's classic! She's a hawk by day; he's a wolf by night. An evil bishop in love with her conspires to keep them forever apart, and yet, they stay together, determined to find a way to break the curse.

Pepper: 11. Beatrice and Benedict in Much Ado About Nothing. Shakespeare's women have a difficult sexual destiny, to say the least. Olivia was clearly in love with Viola in Twelfth Night, but settled for Sebastian out of necessity. Kate was starved and kept in the closet until she started behaving in Taming of the Shrew. Cressida turns into a Greek whore about 2 seconds after she arrives in the Greek camp in Troilus and Cressida. And these are the comedies! But Beatrice...she's different. She's strong and she's smart. She wanted to cut Claudio's heart out and eat it when he wrong Hero! Benedict loved her so much, he was willing to fight his best friend to the death. I think that's the one relationship in all of Shakespeare that actually doesn't creep me out or make me sad.

Vivien: 12. Luke and Laura. I know it's a soap opera. I know it's not considered PC these days to admit to liking them. But Luke and Laura started my love affair with romance. It was all about the adventure, and the epic-ness, and the bad boy with a good girl dynamic. She was spunky enough to stand up to him, yet soft enough to show him he could be better than he ever expected. And he literally saved the world, just for her.

Pepper: 13. Sgt. Nicholas Angel and Constable Danny Butterman in Hot Fuzz. I know, it seems kind of weird. But at one point, somebody in the movie says the following line: Knock down all the little people, and you get to waltz away with the cuddly monkey. Danny is Nick's cuddly monkey--that line is basically a summation of the movie. Throughout the film, we learn that Nick doesn't know how to "stop thinking." He doesn't relate well with people. He's never had a good relationship. But Danny gets through to him. Danny makes him happy. Danny makes him better and he's already a pretty good guy. The best part is that the "subtext" of this film is actually text. Danny is the buddy and the romantic lead.

And they lived happily ever after.

Writer's Block: You Never Stop Learning

Last weekend, I had to edit the galley for the July print release of our Samhain title, Craving Kismet. Pepper and I wrote CK in August 2006, and it was the second professional title we wrote together. It didn't get released in e-book until 9/07, however, due to our editor leaving at Samhain and our release getting delayed. But in reviewing the galley, I learned one thing.

Pepper and I have come a long way in a year and a half.

Any writer worth her salt will learn with each publication. Editors are wonderful for this. Going through the editorial process, you are exposed to all your flaws in all their glory. The more you do it, the more you see them. The trick, then, is to learn from those. Take what you did wrong and fix it - or at least try to improve it - while you're writing the next manuscript. Not when you're in editing. When you're actually writing. Do this over and over and over, because honestly, you will never be perfect. There will always be something to learn.

When there's two of you, that means you're both bringing unique flaws and crutches to the table. While a second set of eyes might be able to point them out, they might also be blind to them. There are a lot of things in CK I wish I could change, because Pepper and I have strengthened our skills to overcome some weaker elements in our writing. We've also learned what words we favor. For instance, in a lot of our early stories, our characters murmur. A lot. As a result of being exposed to that repetition, we've learned to be far more frugal with our dialog tags.

If we didn't try and take something new from each editorial experience, we'd stagnate, and really, nobody wants that. We always want our work to get better. So don't be fooled into thinking having another person there means you improve twice as fast. But it does mean you don't have to learn how to do so alone.

Writer's Block: What's the biggest leap of faith you've ever had to take?

I've been thinking about this question, and I've decided i can't narrow it down to just one answer. There were 3 huge leaps of faith I made, and to me, they're all equally big.

The first is graduate school. I still don't know how this will work out for me. I mean, it's not like getting an MA in British and American Literature is a guarantee for a future career. Not even an academic career, because you have to have a PhD to be a full time English professor. I worry about it, because I know what I'm learning in grad school is not just literature. I'm learning to analyze text. I'm learning to teach. I'm sharpening my skills as a writer. These are good skills to have, especially if I don't want to just work in academia. So hopefully, this leap of faith is a good one.

The second is marriage. I got married when I was eighteen, just ten days after I graduated high school. Everybody was against this union. Everybody. People thought I wouldn't go to college. People thought the marriage would fall apart in the first year. People thought I was too young/stupid to know what I was doing. I met my husband when I was fifteen, so I knew him for three years when we got married. But I never really had any doubts that it was the right thing to do. He has always been just what I needed and wanted in a life partner. He supports me in every way possible. He put me through school. He does what I can so I can focus on my writing. He agreed to disrupt our entire lives and move from CA to Utah so I could go to grad school. If I need something, he makes it happen. Yeah, marriage isn't easy. But we've known each other for ten years now, and he's never, ever made me regret my decision for a second.

The third leap of faith I took was when I began selling books with Vivien. Of course, we already knew we wrote well together. We were writing for months before we started submitting our books. But this is my career, you know? I had to have implicit trust in her--in her style, in the way she works, that she won't leave me high and dry when we have contracts to fulfill. In theory, it's a huge risk. But I never really felt like it was a huge risk. Like my wedding, I had faith that it was the right thing to do. And Vivien has never, ever made me regret that decision. In fact, every day I find new reasons to be thankful that we took this leap together. On every level. I never would have met my beloved characters without her--and honestly, a life without Nathan (from Chasing Silver) and Jesse (from The Master Chronicles) is not a life I want to know. We've had more success together than we have separately. And more fulfilling than that, I've found my best friend, the other half of my brain, and somebody who just makes my life better.

So, those were my leaps of faith. Sometimes, you just got to go for it. Though I know that all in all, I am very fortunate (and maybe even blessed) person.

What's the biggest leap of faith you ever took?

Writer's Block: So far in 2008

Yesterday, I was looking at the schedule for my kids' school, trying to determine if a playdate was going to interfere with something. Lo and behold, there's the reminder that spring break is at the end of this month. Only a little over 2 weeks away. My first thought was, "Where did 2008 go?!?"

Seriously, I find it very hard to believe it's March already. My daughter started softball practice last night, even. The weather is nice enough here in the Bay Area that she wore shorts. Spring is right around the corner.

It all makes me wonder what I've accomplished in 2008 so far. Writing has been a little slow because of Pepper's school. So far, we've submitted only 4 Jamie Craig stories, though we've written 5 - 2 Calendar Boys stories, Fortune's Return, and the next Master book. I haven't actually finished any of my solo titles, though I've been chipping away at those when I can. But we have been keeping mostly up on the blog, and I've done a lot of editing, so it's not like we haven't been working.

I've managed to stick with my guns in re-organizing my house, too, so I'm feeling good about that. My guitar lessons are back in full swing, and my teacher tells me that I don't suck, which is always reassuring to hear, lol. I finally managed to return those movies back to Netflix, and I signed up for Freecycle in my area to clear even more unneeded stuff out of my life.

So while I wonder where 2008 is already flying by, taking stock reminds me that I'm not letting it slip by without care. I really am getting stuff done in 2008.

What about you?

Why, yes, I do watch American Idol...

OK, I'll admit it.

I've watched American Idol since season 2 and look forward to it every year.

I know a lot of people mock AI, or they watch just for the awful auditions. I don't. I actually love watching the top 12, seeing people struggling to get a break in an industry that is unforgiving and short-memoried. I always have a favorite, though I'll admit that my favorite rarely wins. But you know what? It's a chance for people to be noticed. It gets them noticed in an industry with thousands upon thousands of hopefuls. What they do with it after the show is completely up to them, but I think anybody in a creative field can appreciate what it means to get a door cracked open for them.

So after the first week of the top 24, who are my favorites?

In the men, it's easy...

David Archuleta. He's one of the babies of the bunch this year, but he's by far the most talented and engaging of the four young men. He makes you want to pick him up and put him in your back pocket to take home. And oh yeah, he can actually sing!
Michael Johns. Ah, our Aussie. There's been some controversy lately because he used to front a band, and for some reason, some people seem to be of the opinion that you shouldn't have already tried to have a career at this in order to be on the show. Idiots, that's what I think. But anyway, this guy is good. And hot. And he's going to get a lot of women voting for him, because of that combination.

In the women...

Ramiele Malubay. She was the only woman of the night to give me goosebumps. I've loved her from the start, such a powerful voice coming out of such a tiny little package.
Carly Smithson. Poor Carly is one of the others getting flack already, simply because she had a record deal when she was 15. Nine years ago. For a company that's no longer in business. The important thing is, she doesn't now. She owns a tattoo shop in San Diego, for goodness sake! But this Irish girl knows how to belt. She had my favorite song of the night, and my second favorite performance. Even if she doesn't win, this is going to get her another record deal, I'm sure of it.

And my guilty pleasures...

Jason Castro. It's not because of the dreads and the fact that I wrote a vampire last year with dreads. Or because he's so pretty to look at. I love his shy eyes and simple style.
Amanda Overmyer. I love this girl. My only problem is, she should be fronting a band like Chris Daughtry is instead of trying to be a solo artist.

I have my suspicions about who's going to leave tonight, but I'll keep those to myself. I've been burned before, so at this point, we'll see...

Happy Valentine's Day!--Favorite Poetry

In honor of the Day of Lovers, I want to post some of my favorite love poems. The first is Lord Byron's She Walks in Beauty.

She walks in beauty, like the night
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that's best of dark and bright
Meet in her aspect and her eyes:
Thus mellowed to that tender light
Which heaven to gaudy day denies.

One shade the more, one ray the less,
Had half impaired the nameless grace
Which waves in every raven tress,
Or softly lightens o'er her face;
Where thoughts serenely sweet express
How pure, how dear their dwelling place.

And on that cheek, and o'er that brow,
So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,
The smiles that win, the tints that glow,
But tell of days in goodness spent,
A mind at peace with all below,
A heart whose love is innocent!

Keeping with the Romantics, I'm always moved by the simplicity and elegance of Samuel T. Coleridge's Presence of Love.

And in Life's noisiest hour,
There whispers still the ceaseless Love of Thee,
The heart's Self-solace and soliloquy.
______________________

You mould my Hopes, you fashion me within ;
And to the leading Love-throb in the Heart
Thro' all my Being, thro' my pulses beat ;
You lie in all my many Thoughts, like Light,
Like the fair light of Dawn, or summer Eve
On rippling Stream, or cloud-reflecting Lake.
And looking to the Heaven, that bends above you,
How oft ! I bless the Lot, that made me love you.

Of course, love isn't always sweet and roses, no matter what Hallmark will have you believe on February 14. That's why I also love Pablo Naruda, who can also capture the chaos and passion of love. Here's I Do Not Love You Except Because I Love You

I do not love you except because I love you;
I go from loving to not loving you,
From waiting to not waiting for you
My heart moves from cold to fire.

I love you only because it's you the one I love;
I hate you deeply, and hating you
Bend to you, and the measure of my changing love for you
Is that I do not see you but love you blindly.

Maybe January light will consume
My heart with its cruel
Ray, stealing my key to true calm.

In this part of the story I am the one who
Dies, the only one, and I will die of love because I love you,
Because I love you, Love, in fire and blood.

Neruda's Sonnet XI is also another poem that really punches me in the gut.

I crave your mouth, your voice, your hair.
Silent and starving, I prowl through the streets.
Bread does not nourish me, dawn disrupts me, all day
I hunt for the liquid measure of your steps.

I hunger for your sleek laugh,
your hands the color of a savage harvest,
hunger for the pale stones of your fingernails,
I want to eat your skin like a whole almond.

I want to eat the sunbeam flaring in your lovely body,
the sovereign nose of your arrogant face,
I want to eat the fleeting shade of your lashes,

and I pace around hungry, sniffing the twilight,
hunting for you, for your hot heart,
like a puma in the barrens of Quitratue.

Finally, I want to show you just how hot and intense poetry can be. This is a short clip from the BBC. Damian Lewis is reciting To His Coy Mistress. You better believe I drew on this clip for inspiration when we were writing A Hidden Beauty. It's so hot, I draw on this clip for inspiration for a lot of things.



And who can forget William the Bloody?
My heart expands
'tis grown a bulge in it
inspired by your beauty, effulgent.

Writer's Block: Top 5 Video Games

When I was growing up, we had an Atari. Look, I've just dated myself! Anyway, the Atari lived in my mom's room, not because she wanted to regulate how much us kids played. Oh, no. Mom had the Atari because she was the one who loved it so much. She was the one who took us to the arcade when I was in high school, and to this day, to unwind, she picks up a game controller and plays for hours.

I'm still a game player, though not as much. Sunday afternoon, my husband went out and bought a new game for our xBox 360 - Guitar Hero 3. We're all addicted. Me. The hubby. The kids. So today, I'm going to talk about my 5 favorite video games of all time, in no particular order.

1. Tetris. Ah, tetris. I was so addicted to this in college. I played so much that I had tetris dreams. You know what I'm talking about. You go to sleep, and you're still playing the damn game in your dreams.

2. Toejam and Earl. We had this on our Nintendo back in the day. It's two aliens gathering pieces of their spaceship in order to go home. It's silly and fun, and I played it for hours at a time.

3. The Sims. I don't play anymore, but when it first came out, I was soooooooooooo addicted. I fell in love with this at the same time I fell for Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and I had a Summers house, and a Rosenberg house, and a Spike crypt, and Angel's hotel...

4. Guitar Hero 3. I have to put this on here. This has gotten me playing video games after a long hiatus. I've been taking guitar lessons for about a year and a half now, and while it's not really like playing the guitar, getting to pretend to with all these great rock songs is just too much damn fun.

5. Ascendancy. Does anybody other than me remember this? It was a space exploration game that came out in the mid-90's, where you could be good, bad, or neutral, one of 20 different species all with different talents, and you had to travel and colonize planets, etc. I still have this, even. Even when I could beat the game in just a couple hours, I continued to go back and play it. It was that much fun. In fact, I just might dig it out again to load onto the PC.

Do you (or did you) play video games? Which were your favorites?

Writer's Block: Film Theory

As I've mentioned previously, I'm taking a Film Theory class right now. This is my last semester of my MA program. Until this point I've taken 1 lit theory class, 2 workshop classes, and 6 literature courses (counting the Victorian Lit class I'm taking now). Being who I am, I'm usually paying more attention to "how will this help me write?" I mean, if I'm going to be there instead of actually writing, I should be making the most of it, right?

Except, none of it really helps. The fiction workshops? I'm not that type of writer. I mean, it just reminds me of how, well, inadequate I am compared to my fellow classmates. Oh, I shouldn't say inadequate. We have different styles, different goals, different hopes, and different directions. But we were working on their terms, not mine, and so I didn't really feel fully supported. The lit theory class? I don't remember anything from that course, and even if I could, I don't feel like any of it applies to me in any meaningful way. The literature courses? Some of them I couldn't stand. The ones I adored improved me as an academic, but never helped with my writing.

My film theory? Now that is different. It all makes perfect sense to me. In fact, it makes so much sense to me that I can't write it all out in a single blog post. Constructing reality that is only real in its artificiality? Creating a causal reality? Focusing on framing? Focusing on showing not telling? Focusing on tension within a single scene? Focusing on the use of conflict-goal-resolution to keep the plot moving? This is the stuff I've been longing to discuss and never had the chance. This is why I've felt so spectacularly out of place in my department. I'm interested in the stuff that goes along more with film theory than it does with literature.

I think that this series of essays won't just be fun for me to write. I hope it'll be an edifying series for aspiring writers, and maybe even some published ones.

Writer's Block: Personal Style

Last night, my husband booked our Valentine's Day date. Well, it's actually going to be on the 15th, but considering VD day is on a Thursday this year, we figure we're good. But what this means is that I have to delve into a part of my closet I don't see very often. It's my narrow section of wedding/reception/nice restaurant/my mother-in-law wants me to impress someone clothes. Every year, that section gets a little bit smaller.

Years ago, I had a personal style. I was quirky. I owned a single pair of jeans. I shopped at thrift stores, mixed and matched to find things that epitomized my creative spirit. I owned a lot of hats, and at one point, my favorite item of clothing was a pair of harem pants I begged my grandmother to make for me when I found this creamy, satin-like fabric with dark blue rocking horses on it. Trust me. It's not as weird as it sounds, lol.

When I entered the professional world, I had to start toning things down. I worked in offices where there were certain dress codes. So I adapted. I tossed my funkier items and started doing this retro-40's suit thing that worked great for my figure.

Change came again when I moved overseas to get married. It wasn't that I couldn't take my clothes with me. No, the truth was, a month after exchanging vows, I got pregnant. All of a sudden, I had to deal with maternity clothes - yuck - and comfortable clothes that didn't require a lot of time or attention because I didn't have those anymore. It wasn't worth it to have fun, cute clothes, only to have them get stained with baby spit. So out those went, too.

My kids are in elementary school now, but a lifestyle as a stay-at-home mom doesn't really leave me a lot of room for tons of individualism. I still stick with vibrant colors if I can, and truth be told, I will always look at prints before I look at a solid fabric. But you know, maybe it's time for me to start breaking out of the mold again. I don't have to go back completely to the way things used to be, but nothing says I can't start adding individual pieces back into my wardrobe. Maybe by the time I'm white-haired and living it large in Florida, I'll be back to that bohemian thing I had going at 20. My husband will love that.

What's your personal style?

Writers Block: Favorite Albums

Well, this is going to be a Thursday Thirteen too. But I recently saw the question If you could only listen to one album for the rest of your life, what would it be? Since I have a lot of opinions on music, I thought I'd tackle the question. But first, a count down!

13. Dire Straights--Brothers in Arms

12. The Beatles--Anthology: Volume 2: Disc 1

11. John Lennon--The John Lennon Collection

10. Paul McCartney--Ram

9. David Bowie--Changes (Yeah, I know it's a Greatest Hits album. I'm comfortable with that.

8. Uncle Tupelo--89/93: An Anthology

7. The Black Keys--Rubber Factory

6. Billy Bragg & Wilco--Mermaid Ave Vol 1

5. The Magnetic Fields--69 Love Songs Vol 1

4. The Frames--Burning the Maps

3. Wilco--Sky Blue Sky

2. The Beatles--Abbey Road

1. Wilco--A Ghost is Born

The one album I would listen to for the rest of my life is A Ghost is Born. I have thought about this a lot. Especially since, among Wilco fans, is not a favorite. In fact, it's pretty divisive. That's because it's a huge departure from their previous sound, which is alt-country or alt-rock. A Ghost is Born won a Grammy for Best Alternative Music Album, and it's classified as Rock, but I don't like either of those labels, lol. I was first introduced to it because the streamed the album online for free, and I became addicted. I bought the album as soon as I could, and it's been in constant rotation in my life for the past 3 years.

The lyrics are extremely abstract, and most of them don't make any kind of literal sense. Take Spiders (Kidsmoke):

Spiders are singing in the salty breeze
Spiders are filling out tax returns
Spinning out webs of deductions and melodies
On a private beach in Michigan

But I love abstract lyrics. I think it's a combination of the words and music that really hits me in the gut every time I listen to the album. There are mysteries to unravel and worlds to find in this album. There's a narrative to follow, too, though it's certainly not a theme or concept album. If I were a music critic, I would go on for pages and pages about influences and chords and everything else that they talk about. All I can say is that every time I listen to this album, I think to myself "Holy shit, this is an excellent album." Every. Single. Time.

Half of it's you
Half is me.

Writer's Block: How do you choose which books to read?

Being gone for nearly a month meant I had to pack entertainment for myself to get me through those hours sitting in the airport, on the plane, traveling in the UK, filling time when I needed to escape. I always take the usual puzzle books and a notepad for writing tidbits down, but on top of that, I took books. Print. E-books. Children books that I'd share with my kids. It wasn't until I was unpacking that I looked at the titles of the print books I'd taken:

1. Fear: An Anthology by Whiskey Creek Authors
2. Blood Magic by Matthew Cook
3. Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris
4. Many Bloody Returns by assorted authors
5. A Mortal Glamour by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro

Based on these, my reading looks really dark, lol. I mean, I do read a lot of darker material. I love horror, suspense, true crime. But I read other stuff, too, including romance and fantasy, so I don't think this is a fair sampling of my taste. Of course, factor in the sugary quality of the holidays and maybe it's not a surprise that I selected darker stories in order to escape from it. ;)

I bought each of those for different reasons.

I've had Fear for a year now. I bought it at Epicon last year when it was an EPPIE finalist, and have only finally gotten around to reading it.

Blood Magic is there because I both wanted to support Juno authors and because it's exactly the kind of thing I pick up when I browse the bookstore shelves.

Dead Until Dark is the first Sookie Stackhouse. I had the wonderful luck to meet Ms. Harris at RT last year, and she was so funny and delightful in person that I thought I'd finally get around to trying her books.

Many Bloody Returns is an anthology containing one of my autobuy authors, Jim Butcher. I love his Dresden series to death; there was no way I was missing out on this one.

A Mortal Glamour is another Juno title, but have you seen that cover? It's gorgeous, and I've always heard excellent things about this author. This seemed like a wonderful way to introduce myself to her.

What's the last book you picked up to read? Why did you pick it?

Writer's Block: What are You Looking Forward to in 2008

I think 2008 is going to be a great year, on a professional and personal level. I am looking forward to a lot of things, and I can't wait for it to happen.

First, I'm looking forward to our upcoming books. We have many upcoming titles. First, we're going to complete The Master Chronicles this year. Book 5 Chaos & Communion is going to be released in March, and the prequel to the series At the Advent of Dusk will be released this January. The ninth, and final novel, as yet untitled, will be released in December. We're also going to have two more releases with Juno, Touching Silver and the 2nd Silver sequel, as yet untitled. We're also releasing a series of books called The Calendar Boys. The first title, Miami's Perfect Weekend was released on January 1st. This is just the very tip of the iceberg.

Second, I'm looking to writing more books. We have some awesome plot bunnies in our queue. Most of the books I mentioned in point one still need to be written. We have a new urban fantasy series planned. And we're always thinking of new ideas, new characters, new titles, begging for attention. Plus, working with Vivien is always a joy.

Third, and moving a bit away from us and our books, movies! Holy shit, there are some great movies getting released this year. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, The Dark Knight, Untitled X-Files Sequel, Star Trek XI. Seriously, I'm going to have a geekgasm from all that awesome.

Fourth, I'm graduating in May! I'm going to have my MA in British and American Literature. I don't know what I'm going to do with it, but it's going to be mine.

Fifth, I get to see Vivien several times this year. This is a big deal, because we live about 650 miles apart, and so it's not easy to actually see each other. But we've already got plans to spend some good, quality time together. Which means we'll have some good, quality writing to show for it.

So, what are you looking forward to in 2008? Books you plan to write? Books you plan to read? Life-changing events you have planned?

Writer's Block Questions...

If you had the resources to start your own business, what would it be?

This question interested me because I feel like, in a way, I have started my own business. The business of being a professional writer. But beyond that, I think I have an answer to this question.

First, I thought maybe I'd open my own publishing company. But then I started to think about how much work is involved. It is a lot of really hard work, and I admire anybody who has the fortitude to try and the intelligence/luck to succeed. I don't have the dedication necessary for such a venture--at least, not if I planned to do it right. I've seen enough half-assed attempts, and blatant scams, to know how to do it wrong, though.

Second, I thought of some sort of editing service. But I wouldn't just read fifty pages of a manuscript and make some comments, or do simple line edits. I'd really want to teach people how to write. I mean, I teach people how to write now, and the only frustration I have with it is that I have to be responsbile for their grades and the actual academic setting. If I could ignore grades completely and focus entirely on what mattered, I'd be a much happier person, and I think my students would be much happier. Anyway, my point is, I enjoy teaching, and I love writing, so why not combine the two?

Which actually led me to my real answer. If I could start any business in the world, I would open a tutoring center. I would get as many grants and as much outside support as I could, in order to offer tutoring to everybody in the community at reduced prices. Given my background, I would initially focus on language/reading/writing issues. I would want to have tutors for ESL students, tutors for special needs students, and tutors for students who just need a little extra help. I'd want to have tutors for students who are trying to get into college, and tutors for students who already are in college and can't afford to pay for help--some tutoring/writing centers at universities charge.

I don't buy into the modern myth that if you could just teach kids how to write, you could reach them. My tutoring center would not be about saving anybody, or being a substitute for family or good teachers. But I do know that I've never found anything quite so satisfying as seeing a student get it. And while I'm happy to be teaching now, I really did enjoy my years as a tutor.

I don't know. I suppose I would try to make my dream a reality if I knew the first thing about running a business...