Monthly Archives: June 2013

Jun 11 2013

Kings Dominion

Today I spent the afternoon with my nephews, my sister, her husband John and my mother. We had a blast. The boys aren’t quite ready for the ‘big kid’ roller coasters, but that time is coming.

All of us (except for mother) rode the Avalanche Bobsled together:

avalanche-bobsled-kings-dominion-2

The bobsled if an interesting coaster in the fact that one you reach the top, the cars ‘free run’ in that there’s no track and it makes it’s own path around the course. Last year I felt it was rough as hell and beat me up too much. This year didn’t seem as bad, which probably had more to do with only having a one year gap between visits compared to three.

My oldest nephew tickled me on this ride. It was the first ‘big person’ coaster in his life and it was…shall we say…interesting to say least.  He kept saying “I don’t like this. This hill’s too big…I want off..”

He finished the ride and said: I’m glad that’s over, my insides feel shaken up!

Priceless moment.

By taliasworld • Posted in Life
0
Jun 10 2013

Ray Bradbury

 

 

 

 

barron-storey_fahrenheit-451_ny-ballantine-1983_29234

something_wicked_this_way_comes

 

 

 

 

I didn’t real tons of his writing but I loved what I did read. Fahrenheit 451 will always stay in my mind because of it’s message about censorship and thought control. While it hasn’t become widespread here-yet-there have been many instances throughout the world where books, thoughts and words were banned. As a writer I find this to be highly disturbing because I’m a strong advocate over free speech. I might not agree with what you say, in fact I might find it disgusting and ridiculous, but I’d defend your right to speak your mind to my dying breath. If we can’t have free thought and expression, then the ability to write fiction goes out the window.

The second book of his that I read was ‘Something Wicked This Way Comes.’ How many times have we as little kids found something in the circus or travelling carnival to be frightening? This novel takes that idea and runs with it. A travelling fall carnival (according to Bradbury’s narration in the novel the don’t come in the fall…carnivals come in the spring and summer) comes to town and sets up shop. Lead by the sinister Mr. Dark, who is covered by tattoos (each one representing a person tempted to join the carnival), they start to tempt people with their deepest, most secret desire.

Bradbury is masterful in his covering the good and evil in our natures, the time of growing up, and the concept of immortality. I recommend reading it if you haven’t before because it’s well worth it.

 

Jun 10 2013

Zombies, Werewolves and Vampires

While I understand there seems to be a “fad” for them, when do publishers say ‘enough is enough?’ I have spent the last month looking for a new science fiction novel to read and can’t find one. Why? Because the shelves are overloaded with Vampire/Werewolf/Zombie stories-and I don’t care for that subject! Then, if that isn’t enough, a majority of what’s left is some sort of time travel and/or alternate universe.

What happened to the good old fashioned science fiction action story? Have we become so jaded as people that the idea of people having adventures in space means nothing? Where has our sense of wonder and desire to lose ourselves in something that can potentially be uplifting? I feel that the big occult rush (and those of people turned into animals too) doesn’t do a thing to lift the spirit of a person. If you’re in darkness, then it’ll do nothing to help you feel better.

I miss the days of Asimov, Bradbury, McCaffery and (before he started going downhill) David Weber. There’s something about losing yourself in a good story that leaves one happy at the end of the day.

And it’s not just science fiction that does that too. Lee Child’s Jack Reacher series is one I love. However, I wish my library carried the ‘Crystal Singer’ trilogy from Anne McCaffrey. Killasandra is a neat character and the world around her is so neat that it makes a nice break from reality.

I guess I’ll have to keep watching anime to have my science fiction adventure fix.

Jun 10 2013

Ridiculous and Stupid Experience

AshCloud

 

 

This day started off early for me, which is not necessarily unusual, so that part doesn’t matter. I had strict instructions to get 2 new tires put on the truck. So, I left the house at 1030 and that’s where things started to go downhill.

I arrived at Pep Boys twenty minutes later and tell the guy I needed two Dakota Definity’s for the truck. They have them in stock. Fine. Put them on.

“We can’t put them on the front…it’s company policy that the best tires go on the rear.”

What the hell??

So I spend the next ten minutes arguing with the guy that I don’t need them on the rear but the front so the truck could be aligned. No go. Fine. I bought to two tires and took them to a hunting buddy of Dad’s who has a service station. They mounted and balanced it. Good, end of story. Time to eat and go home. Now mind you, my cell phone also has been Grand Central Station this entire time so I’m starting to get really annoyed with the constant stream of calls.

I leave the station and drive a little over a mile west and stop to have lunch at Shoney’s. Nothing bad there..an all-american burger with the salad bar. Yummy.

Well, I haven’t even reached the truck before my phone is going off again. It’s dad. “Take it down to xxxxxxxx and get it aligned for me. Might as well do it all in one shot.” Great. Now it’s going to be another hour at least before I get home.

This is 230 this afternoon. I finally leave the shop at 4pm and then have to stop at Advance Auto to pick up a windshield wiper. I drive back out of town to the rural suburb we live in. Stop and get gas and then two cans of pork and beans mother had asked me earlier, during the deluge of phone calls I got, to pick up from Food Lion. By the time I actually pulled back into the driveway, it was 5pm. Mind you I left at 1030.

Should’ve just worked today instead.

The ridiculousness of the situation was the “inability” to put tires on the front as requested. How stupid is that? Supposedly they got sued for it so no one can get it done now. This is inane given the fact that they always want to align the front end. You can’t do that with OLD TIRES. The geometry changes between new and old tires, so what might be completely lined up with the used tires won’t be when you put new ones on, which then means the new tires will get chewed up.

Knowing business as I do, I’ve got a feeling this is more to get you to buy 4 tires instead of the 2 you want. That way they get to double their sales at the time. Just one more reason to know what’s going on now days.

Consider it a warning for the next time you need two tires.

Jun 9 2013

Kiddy Grade

1367782877164Is the next anime series I’d like to discuss. It is a science fiction action story despite how it starts slow. The series takes the first six episodes to introduce all the main characters necessary to the greater story. After that it takes a darker turn and follows a ripping plot.

The show focuses on two young women (which is a misnomer) called Eclair and Lemaire. Both are over 250 years old, which is the only part of the plot I’m going to give away. Thus, the show covers the pitfalls of being an immortal in a painful way. While both Eclair and Lumaire are the two main characters, Ecliar’s back story takes precedent in the story. We don’t get Lumiare’s background until the end of episode 20 or 21. Both are very interesting though.

Those who are familiar with anime will recognize some of Dirty Pair Flash in the series because Kiddy Grade is a spiritual successor to the original much like Madlax is to Noir.

It’s another series I recommend watching.

By taliasworld • Posted in Anime
0
Jun 9 2013

Why the Three Act Structure is Unnecessary in Novels

 

nanowrimo-1

 

 

One of the questions, or comments, seen by beginning writers of many boards is about the Three Act Structure as it relates to novels. This is an unneeded constraint to an author’s creativity. The reason for that structure was originally for plays. It allowed for a slight break at times, depending on the type of drama or comedy involved, along with allowing the play write to organize his or her writing. Once the motion picture was created, then the format carried over. This is where it belongs.

As for novels, and short stories for that matter, the structure is different. These are the parts.

 

Exposition:

                      This is the beginning of the story, where characters and setting are introduced. It can be a combination of dialogue and narration or one of the two exclusively. 

Narrative Hook:

                       The Narrative Hook is where an event, whether caused by internal or external forces, that catches the reader’s attention and starts the ball rolling. This part can be called by various different names, but it’s essentially the same.

Rising Tension:

                      Is the part of the story where the action, or main drama, takes place. It’s where the pressure on the character starts to grow and helps to move the story along.

Climax:

                       Where the tension hit’s critical mass. Things are settled for good or bad here and it’s the high point of the story.

Conclusion:

                       This is where the writer ties up the loose ends and brings the story to a logical end. It also is where things can be set up for a series also. How a author chooses to do this part is up to them, but it still remains the same.

 

I hope this helps. 

Jun 9 2013

The Writing Process

fireworks

 

 

One of the many things I read on writing forums are questions about the writing process. I’m not sure why beginning writers ask other people what the process is like because there’s no one size fits all approach to it. Each of us is different and how we approach writing, carry it out, and then edit will never be the same. Some folks can’t stand if they don’t edit as they go along, while some (like me) just want to get the, for lack of a better term, verbal diarrhea onto the screen and then saved before editing. To each their own.

What’s really different between us all is how we are when creating. There are folks who need an outline of everything to know where they’re going, while others like myself just work and work to get the first sentence and go from there. I remember a Hemmingway quote basically saying the same thing. If you having a hard time writing, create the best sentence you can and then go from there.

Me? I’m different in the fact that I let my novels grow biologically. So, there can be fits and starts in the rough draft, and things that seem like a tangent until I rewrite and start to polish. However, it works for me. Another thing I do is to I’m a ‘method writer.’ What I mean by that is I literally become my characters when writing and sometimes it’s hard to break away for the day because it becomes ‘real’ to me. It’s a similar concept to method acting, which people like Pacino, Duvall and Nickelson are masters of.

I don’t not endorse this for everyone.

While method writing gives me a very close contact with my characters, I can see how it would be dangerous for those who are not as mentally strong as I am. It’s very easy to lose sight of what’s reality and that can come back to haunt you. Even knowing that the world I’m writing in is fictional, it’s still very hard to walk away and I will become depressed over leaving. This can be bad if a writer isn’t capable of being able to make that break away.

So, there are literally thousands of different ways of approaching writing. What’s the most important thing, though, is letting go of your darling and letting it out into the world. With the growing surge in e-books, getting rejected by agents and the Big Six doesn’t mean the death of a dream or career. You may have to run a blog and take to social media to market your product. Just make sure it’s a polished and good as you can make it before sending it out.

And one last thing: don’t compared yourself to other writers who have been published. You’re not Grisham, Patterson, King, etc etc. You are you and the goal to shoot for is to be the best you can be and not be like someone else. To do so will do nothing but drive you crazy.

I hope this helps.