Bye Bye August, Hello September

photograph by me

Is it really September already? This year has been flying by, my friends, and Real Life has been keeping me on my toes. But hey, I am going to England later this month! *runs about the house freaking out because she still doesn’t quite believe it's true* Yes, I have an impending trip to England coming up this month, autumn is just around the proverbial corner, and I am slowly working on getting my reading life back into shape. So, let’s do a quick round-up of what I have been up to of late.

Reading

I just finished reading Around the World In 80 Days by Jules Verne. I adored the 1956 film starring David Niven. While the novel is very different from the fantastically whimiscal 1950s epic adventure of the film, I still loved it. It helped knowing they were different going into the book. I have picked up reading through my two volume collection of O. Henry’s short stories after a year’s hiatus and hope to tackle A Town Like Alice by Nevil Shute, Saving Amelie by Cathy Gohlke, and All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr this month. We will see how that goes. I just started Saving Amelie and, so far, it is doing a fantastic job of pulling me into the story.

Writing

I finished reading through the first draft of my novel The Letters of Lee Ames with a friend the other week. I have a whole slew of notes of adjustments to make in draft two and just began rewriting the opening scene a couple of nights ago. So excited for this!

Listening

Amelie from Montmartre Soundtrack composed by Yann Tiersen
Born Again - Josh Garrels
The Crown: Season One Soundtrack composed by Rupert Gregson-Williams

Watching

August is TCM’s Summer Under the Stars, where each day is dedicated to showcasing a specific actor or actress’s films, and my DVR has been busy keeping up with all of my recordings. Highlights include:
The Cameraman (1928) a silent comedy starring Buster Keaton
Double Wedding (1938) a romantic comedy starring the team of William Powell and Myrna Loy
Terror on a Train (1953) British made suspense starring Glenn Ford. The British title for this movie, Time Bomb, is a little less melodramatic.

My latest television discovery would have to be the 1970s TV show Laverne & Shirley. It is hysterical.

So, what have you all been up to? Read any great books? Found a new favorite song? Watched any really good films or discovered a new favorite TV show?

Q&A Answers

photograph by me

It took a bit longer than two weeks to get together (surprise, surprise), but here are my answers to your questions!

How many of Jane Austen's novels have you read, and do you have a favorite? I have only read two— Pride and Prejudice and Northanger Abbey. Of the two, Northanger Abbey is my favorite. I hope to read Persuasion this year and want to reread Pride and Prejudice.

Who are your fictional crushes/ships? Is it unusual to have never really had a fictional crush? I don't know. I have admired characters, but I am not sure I would consider them crushes. Though, I could probably develop a crush on Liam Marshall from Kirsty Cambron's A Sparrow In Terezin.  He is such a good kind hearted and courageous fellow. Now, when it comes to fictional ships it is an entirely different story. Sir Percy and Marguerite Blakeney from The Scarlet Pimpernel. Captain Scott and Mrs. Wyatt from Flame Over India (1959). Peter and Elle from White Collar. Tommy and Tuppence. Daniel and Thacia from The Bronze Bow. Bella Wilfer and John Rokesmith from Our Mutual Friend. Sybil and Branson. Is that enough?

What is a genre you haven't read, but you want to try? Or, a genre you didn't think you'd like but were surprised by? I really want to try out science fiction. It is a genre I have only experienced in film or television and really want to explore further. I even have a list of science fiction books to acquire when my book buying ban is lifted. This next one is not necessarily a genre, but I really want to get into more poetry and learn more about poetry.

Best contemporary recommendations? If I am honest I have never read a contemporary novel that I have enjoyed enough to recommend. Of course, I have only read a handful of contemporary set novels. I have read vintage novels that would have been contemporary when they first released. *ahem* But those don't really count anymore.

Nonfiction favorites? Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand is probably by far the best biography I have ever read. Steal Like An Artist by Austin Kleon is one of the best books on creativity I have ever read. Otherwise, City Notebook by McCandlish Phillips is a fascinating peak into New York City during the 60s and 70s.

What are your favorite historical periods/settings? Which are your favorites to write about? At this point in my life, I greatly enjoy reading and learning more about the early 1900s through the 1960s. The same goes for writing. Except, I do love writing westerns that take place during the nineteenth century. As for settings, I have noticed I have a penchant for setting stories in either New York City or London. *ahem* I have a feeling that is not going to end anytime soon. I love writing stories during the World Wars and the times in between and afterwards. There are so many good stories to tell.

How do you write—pen and paper, computer, etc? I mainly do my writing on my laptop. I have always found it easier to keep things on my computer and it saved timed instead of having to type up everything. I will do smaller projects (i.e. blog posts, short stories, character interviews, brainstorming) with pen and paper. I have great admiration for people who do their writing entirely with paper and pen.

What's your favorite period drama miniseries? Favorite TV show? This is hard. I might do a few divided up into categories. If you have learned anything about me, it is that I have difficulty choosing just one favorite or one runner up. For miniseries, two of my favorites are Cranford, an adaption of several of Elizabeth Gaskell’s stories set in an English village during the 1840s, and a more recent watch The Bletchley Circle is a mystery show set in the early 1950s involving women who had been codebreakers during WWII coming together to solve a crime. (Will warn you though, Bletchley Circle is not light fare. The crimes are dark, so I would recommend with discretion for an older audience.) Now TV shows is going to be even lengthier. Two of my favorite classic TV shows would be The Dick Van Dyke Show and The Rifleman. My favorite crime/mystery shows would be White Collar and Foyle’s War. Favorite period set television shows would be Call the Midwife and Lark Rise to Candleford. And yes, maybe even Downton Abbey. Downton and I have a complicated relationship. I really love specific seasons and really, really hate others. I have only ever seen seasons one, two, and six in completion and the rest in bits and pieces. Other shows I am getting into of late are The Rockford Files and Wagon Train.

Do you have any hobbies? I am trying to decide if reading is a hobby or a lifestyle. If my computer would cooperate, I would love to get into film editing. I guess you could say my hobby is classic films. I love watching old classic films from what is considered the Golden Age of Hollywood and analyzing their stories, cinematography, design, and other aspects. As I describe myself on some of my social media bios, I am a film junkie.

You mentioned travel, so...how many places have you visited, and what was your favorite? Any special place you have still to visit? I have done a lot of traveling, but only in the States. Some of my favorite traveling memories have been driving out to California. I love visiting the National Parks and watching the scenery as you drive through the western states. One of my favorite cities to visit is Boston. I love the history in that city and Brattle Book Store. My most recent trip was to New York City. I love that city. There are so many good restaurants that cater to those who are gluten-free or have other allergens. Bookstores. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. The coffee shops. The architecture. Europe is the headliner on my bucket list of traveling dreams. I want to travel all over England, Scotland, Ireland, France, Germany, and basically the entire continent. If I am honest though, I really would not object to traveling the entire world.

What are your favorite coffee shops? I feel like this ties in beautifully with the previous question. There is nothing I like more than discovering favorite coffee shops in the cities I visit. Sadly, the list is not so very long. I only started drinking coffee in the summer of 2015 *gasp* and I have not traveled as much since. Here are three of my favorites:
   Intelligentsia Coffee Roasters — Chicago, Illinois
   Bluestone Lane — New York City, New York (Their flat white is so good!)
   La Colombe — New York City, New York. (The draft latte is like nothing else. I have cravings for it and cannot wait until I visit a city that has a La Colombe. Their latte is amazing too.)

Pinterest Storyboard Party: 2017 Edition

Elisabeth Grace Foley is hosting a second edition of her Pinterest Storyboard Party and I am more than a little bit excited to show off some of my storyboards! The party's intention is to let writers showcase their Pinterest storyboards for finished works, works-in-progress, and stories still being mulled over.

This western story is a rehashing of my first completed novel. The story has been stripped back to its bare bones and refocused to what would have been backstory in the original first draft. I am very excited about its prospects!

This story set in Nazi occupied Holland is still in the researching and plotting stage, but I already have a clear idea of the characters and the atmosphere. I just need to get my hands on some more detailed information about Holland and everyday life in Holland during WWII and the post-war period. Anyone have suggestions?

Spanning from the turn of the century to the 1920s, this is another story that is currently undergoing plotting and research. I am excited with the idea of this one, but I am a little afraid I might be biting off more than I can chew.

What are some of your favorite Pinterest storyboards? And do visit Elisabeth's post and join in the writerly fun!

P.S. I promise, promise, promise that the film half of my 2016 In Review post is coming. I promise.

Beowulf & Our Creative Voice

photograph by me

Then down the brave man lay with his bolster
under his head and his whole company
of sea-rovers at rest beside him.
None of them expected he would ever see
his homeland again or get back
to his native place and the people who reared him.
They knew too well the way it was before,
how often the Danes had fallen prey
to death in the mead-hall. But the Lord was weaving
a victory on his war-loom for the Weather-Geats.
Through the strength of one they all prevailed;
they would crush their enemy and come through
in triumph and gladness. The truth is clear:
Almighty God rules over mankind
and always has.
— Beowulf translated by Seamus Heaney

This passage captures everything I loved about Beowulf: the straightforward turn of phrase, the courage and steadfastness in the face of opposition and peril, and the always present acknowledgement of God's rule over earth and men. Beowulf is unflinching and vivid. It is an epic in the true sense of the word. I am now accepting any and all recommendations for other Medieval/Anglo-Saxon epics. (Seriously, if you have any recommendations please, please leave them in the comments.)

Fan girlish flailing aside however, I did actually struggle reading Beowulf at times. More often than not, I had to sit alone in a silent corner of the house in order to concentrate. This was not the poem's fault. I have never read long poems. I have never read much poetry. Period. Something I fully intend to rectify. I have decided to try putting my senior year of high school resolution of reading some type of poetry at least once a week back into practice. I also want to study poetry. I am sadly ignorant when it comes to poets and poetry. (Which brings us back to the part where I am accepting recommendations for poetry books and books on poets and poetry in the comments. Thank you. *passes out chocolate*)

In other reading, I have slowly started making my way through Show Your Work! by Austin Kleon, relishing each creative golden nugget and pondering over them. Probably the one that I have been pondering over the most is what he has to say about your creative voice.

... the only way to find your voice is to use it. It's hardwired, built into you. Talk about the things you love. Your voice will follow.
— Show Your Work! by Austin Kleon

I was reading back over posts on other blogs I had missed in the crazy shuffle of juggling that is my life right now and I ran across one by Schuyler over at My Lady Bibliophile. In her post, she talks about story elements she sees in her own writing and how they connect to beliefs she has and the stories she enjoys reading and watching in film. This has started me thinking a good deal about the elements I most often include in my own stories and the elements I have noticed in my favorite books and films. It provides fascinating food for thought and is something I would like to dig deeper into in the future.

Have any of you read Beowulf? How do you like poetry? Do you have any particular favorite poets and/or poems? And what are your thoughts on how some of our favorite elements in stories affect our creative voices?

Presenting Visuals: The Pinterest Storyboard Party

 After far too long of an absence from the blogosphere, I'm making a return today to participate in Elisabeth Grace Foley's blog party link-up The Pinterest Storyboard Party. This lovely party is designed for writers to be able to share their Pinterest storyboards for finished works, works-in-progress, and works still being mulled over in the backs of their brains.

Follow Hanne-col's board Lee. on Pinterest.

 First, I would like to share the board I created for my big project of last year and the first half of this year: The Letters of Lee Ames. My second completed novel, this story is near and dear to my heart. Not to mention, a thousand times better than my first completed novel. Someday in the near future, I need to set about the mountainous task of editing and rewriting.

 Follow Hanne-col's board My WWI Novel on Pinterest.

 The Point of No Return is my WWI suspense/thriller that might be better off if I stopped worrying so much about the suspense/thriller tone and just wrote it as straight historical fiction. *clears throat* Yes. I believe I'm overthinking this one far too much.

Follow Hanne-col's board great depression novel ideas on Pinterest.

 Summer in Great Depression era Texas is the setting for Finding Home. This board is quite probably my largest storyboard and I have a very definite ideas of how this one needs to come together, though its plot has a somewhat vague middle that needs sorting.

Follow Hanne-col's board The Gunfighter - a short story on Pinterest.

 The Gunfighter is a western short story bridging almost into novella length that I finished last month. I'm currently editing it as a side project. This story has become rather near and dear to my heart, especially the characters. Truthfully though, all my characters from all my stories are dear to my heart.

 A bonus feature in this event is to share a few Pinterest storyboards that you like from other authors. One of my personal favorites is Elisabeth Grace Foley's Lost Lake House, while Emily Ann Putzke's Twenty-Eight Days has me excited for that story, and I mustn't forget to mention Joy's A Love That Never Fails board and her Twelfth Caller Home board, which has just recently become a favorite. I could mention numerous others but I have to rein in at some point, so I had better stop before I really get started.

 So, what are some of your favorite Pinterest storyboards? And do visit Elisabeth Grace Foley's post and join in the writerly fun!

The Behind the Scenes Writing Tag

 Here we are with yet another tag. Goodness, there are quite a number of them circulating lately, aren't there? This one, however, gives you a behind the scenes peek into how I go about my writing process. I was tagged by the marvelous Annie of Curious Wren. And if you haven't heard me say it before, go thee hence and check out her blog and Twitter.

Now, to divulge my writerly secrets.

Is there a certain snack you like to eat while writing? Chocolate, anyone? *waves a bag of chocolate chips*

When do you normally write? Night, afternoon, or morning? I write whenever I can: morning, afternoon, and night. It really depends on when I actually have inspiration flowing through my veins and when I actually have enough time to focus down and write something good. I really do need to work on having a set aside time for writing, though. Having just started a new job and with the ever increasing busyness of life, I think it might help.

Where do you write? Due to some wrist problems that I really do not want to develop any further, I try to do my writing either at my desk or the kitchen table. I have been known to rebel from this strategy and write while lying on my stomach on the floor or my bed.

How often do you write a new novel? Yes, pour salt into my wounds! What do I care?! *recovers her composure* It is with much sadness that I admit to only having finished two novels during my entire 10+ years of writing. I finished a rather shabby western novel/novella during NaNoWriMo in 2010. That was my first fully completed work. I was so proud of it. *deep sigh* Sadly, it isn't as good as I used to think. Though, I still love the characters and general plot. Someday, I'm going revamp it and rewrite it. My second completed novel was finished this April. *happy sigh* I'm still rather pleased with it. It's actual novel length and, even though I know there are a number of things that need polishing and fixing up, I'm mostly pleased with it. I'm currently between novels. My plans for my WWI novel aren't mapping out how I want them to and I'm considering setting that aside for the time being. I'm drifting.... What was the actual question again? Oh, right. Well, since enforcing self control in this area last year, I try to wait to start my next novel until I've finished the one I'm working on. So, roughly about one novel a year would be my estimate, as long as I don't start wandering from project to project.

Do you listen to music while you write? I'm a pendulum when it comes to this subject. Some days, I can't listen to anything while I write. And then others, I have to be listening to something. It can be lyrical or instrumental, but it has to be something. I can remember one night, during Camp NaNoWriMo this April, where I only listened to "The Causeway" and "Natasha" from Henry Jackman's score from Captain America: The Winter Soldier on repeat. Thank you, Spotify.

What do you write on? Laptop or paper? My laptop. I started my writing career out on a really ancient PC and when that died, I transferred everything to the family laptop. My parents bought me my own laptop when I was about eleven so I could do school and my writing on there. I am on my third laptop since that day and I still do the bulk of my writing on it. I can write on paper. I just don't like having to type it up when I need to add it to what I have written on the computer, and then having to write out what I've written on my computer so I can continue it on paper. And my wrist isn't too fond of it either. But, I have great respect and admiration for people who write their entire manuscripts by hand. Three cheers for longhand writers! *passes out free chocolate*

Is there a special ritual you have before or after you write? *Olaf face* Nope!

What do you do to get into the mood to write? Well, considering I'm rarely in the mood not to write, I suppose a nice five minutes gazing at the Pinterest board for my story usually gets me inspired. "Wait, has it already been forty minutes? But... but I just logged in...."

What is always near the place you write? Food. Water. Paper and pens, in case I need to free write a character's backstory or something. Sweaters. *whispers* My phone.

Do you have a reward system for your word count? As of right now, no. Is it a good idea? Yes. Will I implement such a system? I should... BUT I LOVE MY CHOCOLATE!

Is there anything about your writing process that others might not know about? I'm a turtle writer. Who, tragically, rarely writes 1,000 words a day. *goes off and cries in a corner* This is why NaNoWriMo is good for me. I get motivated and determined to reach my daily word count so I keep going until all hours to get it done. Plus, I now have the added knowledge of having reached my goal word count for NaNo twice. "Way to add more pressure on yourself, girl."

 And now I shall go about tagging people. *happy smile*

I tag: Elisabeth Grace Foley @ The Second Sentence || Emily Ann Putzke @ Taking Dictation || Mara Jane Adams @ Storywind Bridge || Suzannah Rowntree @ Vintage Novels

 Oh, and even if I didn't tag you but you feel inclined to do the tag, do so by all means. :)

The Questions:

– Is there a certain snack you like to eat while writing?

– When do you normally write? Night, afternoon, or morning?

– Where do you write?

– How often do you write a new novel?

– Do you listen to music while you write?

– What do you write on? Laptop or paper?

– Is there a special ritual you have before or after you write?

– What do you do to get into the mood to write?

– What is always near the place you write?

– Do you have a reward system for your word count?

– Is there anything about your writing process that others might not know about?

So, what does your writing process involve? Are there any fellow turtle writers out there? Also, anyone participating in NaNoWriMo next month?

The 7/7/7 Challenge

images via Pinterest, collage put together by me

  So, way back in August Emily Ann Putzke of Taking Dictation tagged me for the 7/7/7 challenge and then in mid September Annie of Curious Wren tagged me for it as well. My original plan was to wait until I could do it for The Point of No Return (my WWI novel), but, because I've encountered some hiccups with that WIP, I'm just going to go ahead and do it for my western short story The Gunfighter.

  Briefly, the 7/7/7 challenge works like this: I go to the seventh page of my manuscript, count down seven lines, and then share the next seven below that here with you guys. Oh, and I'm also supposed to tag seven people. Fun, right?

The seven lines:

   I could feel the disapproving eyes of Mrs. Reilly on me even as my fingers curled around the handle. I ran a finger along the glistening barrel. I’d never held a gun like this before. Only on the rarest of occasions would Uncle Jem let me carry his rifle for him and then it wasn’t even loaded.

      “Don’t touch the trigger,” Holt warned.

   I shook my head. “No, sir, Mr. Trevor.”

      “How’d you find out my name?”

___

  I'm not entirely certain who to tag since most of the people I follow have already done the tag, so I have a different idea. Instead of choosing seven people, I tag all of you— the people who read this corner of the blogosphere and follow me by email, Google Friend Connect, or plain old fashioned bookmark. If you are a writer, you're tagged. Just make sure you leave a comment with the link to your post in the comment section on this post so I can go read your seven lines and check out your blog. Sound good? Excellent. I can't wait to read your seven lines!

Fred Astaire and Writers

via Pinterest

   Have you ever seen one of Fred Astaire’s films? The excellence he achieved with his dancing is unparalleled. I doubt you will ever find anyone willing to disagree with the point that he was, and still is, the best dancer that ever set foot in Hollywood. Gene Kelly can’t hold a candle to him— sorry, American In Paris and Singing In the Rain.

   Fred Astaire is known for his drive for a flawless performance. If he made a mistake, he would start over from the beginning. If one detail was wrong, he’d redo the entire dance. Maybe this was carrying perfectionism a little too far, but the result of that perfectionism we see in his films is marvelous to watch. No one can dance like Fred Astaire because he took the time to go back and correct his mistakes, rehearse the number repeatedly, and well, let’s face it, he had the talent. But here’s the thing about talent: you have to hone it, train it, and practice like mad to turn it into a skill and something beautiful. And that’s what Fred Astaire did.

   As writers we all strive to improve our writing. We read the great classics of literature, the ones that have stood the test of time, and we write. Writing is different than dance, true— writers create art with words, while dancers use their bodies. But some of the principles are the same. Dancers train and rehearse. Writers write multiple drafts, edit, and polish them until they are satisfied with the results. This writing process basically equates to the dancer’s training and rehearsals. We both keep at it until we’ve perfected our art to the high level we want it to be.

   So, what can Fred Astaire teach us left-footed writers? Don’t give up and keep writing until you get it write. Pun intended.

Neighbors | They Have A Story Link-Up

   Today I'm here to share my contribution to Emily Ann Putzke's monthly historical fiction link-up They Have A Story. It doesn't quite have an ending yet (I haven't fully decided how to end it) but here it is.

___

via Pinterest

Neighbors

   Henrik’s stomach twisted. This wasn’t how he’d planned things. It wasn’t supposed to happen. Not like this.
     “Line them up!” His commanding officer barked out orders even as he climbed out of the wreckage that had been his newly issued Kübelwagen. His eyes bulged out. The fields flanking the frozen dirt road could have caught fire from the fury in them.
   Henrik kept his rifle trained on the four men, while Gerhardt prodded them into a line on the road with the barrel of his.
   Blue coat, black coat, grey wool suit, and dark thin plaid overcoat. Had his father sewn them? He had the black one. Henrik could remember his father, grey haired bending over the sewing machine in his tailor shop while he kept the seams tight and sturdy. His customers would always get their money’s worth. That had been in 1937. Before the war.
   The first truck in the caravan screeched to a stop next to the four prisoners and the driver leaned out his window. He spit at the nearest man and swore at them all. “Stupid Dutch!” He screamed. “You deserve to die!”
   Soldiers spilled out of the back of the transport and scrambled to drag those who hadn’t survived the land mines out of the wreckage- at least, what was left.
   Col. Schmidt strode down the road and glared at the captives. “Do you know the punishment for this?” He flailed his arm towards the wreckage. “Eh? Do you know what happens to men like you?” His voice dropped, making the word “you” hardly above a whisper.
   The black coat’s face drooped down, his double chin resting on the knotted scarf around his neck. Henrik stared at him. Hugo de Vries, the middle aged farmer with the booming voice and a reputation for fighting as long as the canals that divided Amsterdam, wouldn’t even raise his eyes to look at the German commander about to pass sentence on him or the truck driver cursing him and his countryman. It didn’t feel real.
   The young man in the grey suit to Hugo’s right wasn’t much better.
   Of the four only the two on the ends of the line looked straight back at the Germans who had captured them. Henrik recognized them both. Herr Vogel the schoolmaster in blue and Isaak Dekker the Jewish bookseller who had married Henrik’s cousin in plaid. The yellow star of David was missing from Isaak’s coat. It probably had never been sewn on. Margret would have thrown it back in the official’s face before she ever put it on her husband’s clothes.
     “Do you know what you’ve done?” Col. Schmidt started screaming again. He strode up and down the line glaring at them. He stopped in front of Herr Vogel. “What do think you’re fighting for?” His bristling face was barely five inches from the schoolmaster’s own.
   Herr Vogel never flinched. “For Her Majesty Queen Wilhelmina and the freedom of Holland.”
   He hadn’t finished as the handle of Col. Schmidt’s Luger pistol slammed against his face with a crack. Herr Vogel’s jaw tightened but his gaze did not waver, even as blood started to spill out of the gash on his face and stream down his neck, staining his coat collar.
   Col. Schmidt returned the Luger to its sheath and turned to the other three. Hugo’s gaze darted back to the ground but Isaak’s grew more intense.
   Henrik’s stomach twisted again. Look down you fool! Even that silent piece of advice would be useless. The punishment for members of the resistance was death. And ten fold if you had killed a prime specimen of the Aryan army in the process.
   Col. Schmidt sauntered in front of Isaak, a slanted, sickening grin breaking across his face. “And you? Do you fight for your dethroned Queen?”
   Isaak didn’t reply at once. He stood there, eyeing Col. Schmidt carefully. “I am fighting for the freedom and survival of my people, Herr Colonel.”
   Col. Schmidt’s smile thinned. “Survival? You are citizens of the Third Reich. You should be helping your countrymen survive by working to build arms and planes. You should be out on the work farms.” He folded his leather gloved hands together. “Jansen. Kaufmann. March these men back to head quarters and lock them up. I want to interrogate them.” He side-glanced at Isaak and Herr Vogel as he turned and started to order his men about cleaning up the road.

___

We're Marching On

via Pinterest

 Updates are becoming much too far apart I'm afraid. Life has been busy per usual and my writing has been mainly confined to prep work for my next big project.

 Since late June, I have been slowly but surely working on developing characters/outlining for my new work in progress The Point of No Return. Roughly, the story is about an English suicide mission behind German lines during the First World War. I am feeling pretty good about this project so far. I made a breakthrough with the villain's motivations the other night and have most of the essentials down for the majority of the other characters. I just need to flesh out the backgrounds and personalities of some more minor characters before I get to writing the actual story.

 I'm also scouting around for books on or set during WWI to read while I write. That way I can be working on research and gathering inspiration simultaneously. I just started reading Spies of the First World War: Under Cover For King and Kaiser by James Morton. It is still too early to tell how I'm going to like the book as a whole, but so far so good.

 Later this week, I will be sharing my contribution to Emily Ann Putzke's new writing link-up They Have A Story. Keep an eye out for that!

So, what have all you wonderful people been up to? Do you have any WWI books to recommend? Have any wondrous new writing projects presented themselves to you? Or are you getting back to school?

The Mid-June Report

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 Life has been extremely busy of late. A friend's wedding, siblings' sports games, and work has been keeping me busy these past couple days, leaving me with very little energy and time for blogging. However, I am determined not to slack off if I can help it. So here's a small glimpse of what I've been up to in the world of literature, writing, music, and film.

Reading

 The last book I finished was Cards On the Table by Agatha Christie. It was brilliant and probably my favorite Hercule Poirot mystery of the ones I have read. Currently, I am in the midst of London Afresh by E.V. Lucas and The Fisherman's Lady by George MacDonald. London Afresh I picked up at a book sale last year and apparently it is a rarity. I had to add it into the Goodreads database so I could shelve it!

Writing

 I began the process of reading through and marking the obvious mistakes in my recently finished first draft of The Letters of Lee Ames this past weekend. My sister is going through it with me. It is her first time reading past the first chapter, making it amusing when I notice a plot/character name discrepancy and start scribbling a note on the side of the paper to change it. I am also printing the manuscript in portions as needed. I think our printer might die if I printed all 311 pages in one go.

Listening

Brother - NEEDTOBREATHE

The Book Thief Soundtrack composed by John Williams

The Dancing In Gold album by The Von Trapps

Back Beat Boogie by Harry James and his orchestra is still a favorite too.

I have been falling in love with a couple pieces from The Carnival of the Animals by Camille Saint-Saëns as well.
The score and vintage songs from The Help soundtrack.
I have eclectic tastes to say the least.

Watching

 Most recently, I watched By the Light of the Silvery Moon (1953) starring Doris Day. It was the sequel to another Doris Day musical, On Moonlight Bay (1951). On Moonlight Bay is definitely my favorite of the two and it's a delight to watch Mary Wickes as the family's maid/cook. Did I mention that it takes place during the First World War?

What have you all been up to? Have you read any good books, discovered a new favorite song, or seen any good films lately?

Snippets for May

Mogollon Trail by Olaf Wieghorst
via Pinterest

 I believe I have a thing going for thick books right now. I cracked open my thick red bound copy of War and Peace last week and began the journey into early nineteenth century Russia. Its 1,000 plus pages edge it out as the longest book I am reading. The Day of Battle by Rick Atkinson comes in second at 588, while The Gates of Zion by Bodie Thoene settles into a comfortable third at a mere 400 some pages.

 Thick reading aside, I have started work on rewriting the beginning of my 1930s/Great Depression novel Finding Home. It is slow going as I get back into the swing of the story and figure out the best way write my main character's POV. I have also been working somewhat on a few of my short stories.

 Here are couple snippets from my writing so far in May:

 Salty was unamused. “A cow?” The word came spitting out of his mouth like a missile. “Cows are terrible creatures. I have had to ride with far too many of the revolting beasts since my fall from the dizzying heights of wealth.”

from Finding Home

 I eyed her and she eyed me. She was even scrawnier up close, her long face hollowed and sagged. Her big brown eyes watched me intensely a moment before she starting stuffing her mouth with musty hay.

from Finding Home

 Ansel took a cup of coffee from the third man and sat down on one of the larger boulders. He took a swig of the coffee and grimaced. “Where’d you learn to make coffee?” He emptied the black liquid over the edge of the cleft and set the tin cup down.
 The third man scowled. “I make no claims to being a good cook. You get what you get, Tom Ansel. That the boy?” He nodded towards me.

from The Gunfighter

On Notebooks

 Elisabeth Grace Foley recently invited fellow bloggers to share about their writing notebooks at the end of her post on the subject. I have decided to do such a post.

 I started my writing journey typing away at the big old computer or the family laptop. I used notebooks when I could not access either of those instruments, or when my computer privileges were revoked because I spent too much time writing on there. Sadly, in the early days, my notebooks were filled with a catalogue of girl names I could use for characters and scribbles and ideas that all died early deaths. I wish I could say that the bulk of my stories started on paper but they didn't. I have always done better writing on a laptop. Notebooks were what I used when I did not have access to my electronic documents. I also did not enjoy typing up what I had written by hand into my Word document. It took too long. Instead, I mostly devoted my notebooks as a place to jot down scene ideas and casts of characters. I never did actual manuscript writing in them.

 In recent years, however, the notebook has started to play a more important role in my writing process. I have difficulty outlining on the computer so I do it by longhand in my notebooks. I have also started to transcribe my short stories into my notebooks when I hit a rough spot and work it out in there. I free write my brainstorming sessions in my notebooks. I am finally utilizing them in a more productive manner.

 My notebook collection largely consists of the Back to School Sale stock up variety. My family keeps a large stash of those handy for school and other purposes and they are both affordable and practical. I did splurge a few years ago and bought the "Ideas Grow Here" notebook from Target. It holds notes on short stories, session notes from conferences, and some scribbles for Chatterbox. The purple one has held my outlining notes, short story scribbles, and even some blog stuff for the past year, while the black is a new one I pulled out during Camp NaNoWriMo. I also have a brown moleskin type notebook that a friend gave me for Christmas and that I keep in my purse for spurts of inspiration when I am out and about town.

How do you use notebooks in your writing process?

Hello May!

  Hello people! Hello world!

 Well, I did it. I wrote a little over 50,000 words in April and successfully accomplished my Camp NaNoWriMo goals. But that is not all, I also finished the first draft of my story! *sets off fireworks and dances a wild jig* Yes, it is all thrilling and exciting. I finally finished writing an actual novel-length book. It is a very satisfying feeling to look at the combined word count number of the story and it is also very satisfying to know that I only started writing it last July- July 1st to be exact.

 *deep, happy sigh*

 Now, I have to let it rest for a little while before I go through for edits. I definitely need a little time from it or else I might completely tear it apart. I am debating what I should work on in the mean time. There are a number of short stories I want to finish but then I also want to start working on another novel using Scrivener. I just bought the Scrivener program and cannot wait to explore everything you can do with it.

 Anyhow, with Camp NaNo over I will be able to resume my normal blogging schedule. I am not sure yet what I am going to post about next. For a while now I have been wanting to do a post on why Rio Grande (1950) became one of my favorite westerns, but I need to watch it again before I work on that. Oh well, we'll just have to see.

Have any of you ever used Scrivener? What sort of posts do you enjoy reading here?

An Update

This is only going to be a short update because we are still in the midst of Camp NaNoWriMo and I am behind on my word count.

Camp NaNoWriMo

 It was a struggle to get back into the groove of things for The Letters of Lee Ames at the beginning of the month, but as I head into the final stretch of the story I am starting to gather a bit of steam. I just keep telling myself after I write a section that I feel is horribly written: "Don't worry, when you get to edits you can redo it." *deep breath* I just have to keep going.

Reading

 When it comes to reading, I have slowed down a bit on account of NaNo but have still managed a fair amount. I finished Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy and also managed to read Parnassus On Wheels by Christopher Morley this past weekend. Via the wonderful world of audiobooks I read Partners In Crime by Agatha Christie while cooking dinners. I like to multitask and audiobooks are wonderful for that. I only wish they weren't so expensive. I also managed a biography on Isaac Watts by Douglas Bond.

What have you been up to so far this month? Are you doing Camp NaNoWriMo? If so, how is it coming along for you? Oh, and have you been reading any really good books this month?

Is It A Bird? Is It A Plane?

via Pinterest

 No, actually it is April's Camp NaNoWriMo. *insert internal screaming* I decided to participate in said event earlier this month as a challenge to buckle down and finish my novel from November's annual edition. Now, April is nigh upon us and suddenly I find myself feeling overwhelmingly unequipped. I shouldn't with 61,000+ words already written in the manuscript and having the mental knowledge of exactly where the story is going and how it will end. I should be singing out "Let's get down to business" with confidence or, donning my newsie cap, "Now is the time to seize the day." Instead, I am madly scrolling through my manuscript and wondering if I am crazy to try and even attempt to tackle a 50,000 word challenge during one of my family's busiest months of the year.

*takes a deep breath*

 Maybe it is a little crazy and I will have some days where I am wondering why I am even doing this, but at the end of day (or month in this case) I am going to be glad I did it. I will be that much closer towards a finished first draft ready for edits and polishing. And, hopefully, I won't feel like it was a complete failure.

 For anyone interested, I created a beautiful new board for The Letters of Lee Ames (my current WIP) on Pinterest. The images never cease to inspire me and help me visualize the story's setting and characters. Such a board will prove useful in this upcoming struggle.

So, what have you been working on? Are you going to participate in April's Camp NaNoWriMo? If so, what is your NaNo username? I would love to see how you are progressing. I am Lady Agda.

Snippets From February

 Here are a few brief snippets I wrote during February. They are mostly from a western short story I have been working on.

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“Then just walk away.”
“I can’t and you know that.”
“Then go, Holt. Ride out of town and don’t look back.”

from The Gunfighter

He nodded stiffly. “I’m sorry, Matt.” His voice hardened.
 “It’s alright. I guess ‘cause I never knew them, losing them ain’t never bothered me much.”

from The Gunfighter

“Just a moment, young man.” Mrs. Reilly’s voice had something impenetrable about it, like a brick wall.

from The Gunfighter

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 Yesterday, I started reading Steal Like An Artist by Austin Kleon and had a difficult time putting it down when I had to head off to work. So far, it has been incredibly inspiring. And, I believe, it has successfully smashed the creative fog I have been stuck in for the past week.

 So, what have you been working on recently? Are there any good books you are currently reading or have recently finished?

As You Like It

via Pinterest

 Here I am for my second post in one week! *high five* Today, I am going to be sharing my contribution for the one and only Rachel Heffington's monthly link-up Chatterbox. If you are not acquainted with this monthly writing exercise, enlighten yourselves by reading the comprehensive instructions she created here.

 This month's topic was superstition. I knew I wanted to pick up doing Chatterbox again, but it took me a while to figure out what on earth to write. Finally, I decided to create a whole new cast of characters just for Chatterbox. The topic was not lending itself very well to my works-in-progress.

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  “Aren’t you going to go inside?” Camilla stood by the shop door, surveying her friend with knitted brows.
  “In a second,” Zoe replied, pressing her face close to the glass display window and soaking in the newest releases added to the bookshop’s selection.
  “C’mon. Brent and Tyler will hunt down the best books before we even enter the store. You know them.” Camilla grabbed Zoe’s hand and dragged her into the shop.
  Zoe pulled backed, her short red hair bounced and her fringe of bangs jerked to the left side of her forehead. “No, no. I always read the titles of all the new releases before looking for something to buy.”
  “But you’ve already read reviews for them all on Goodreads and can recite their titles backwards.” Camilla folded her arms and cocked her head.
  “I know,” Zoe whimpered. “It’s- it’s- well it always seems to help somehow.”
  Camilla’s left eyebrow arched. “It’s superstition.”
  “It is not.” Zoe’s chin jutted forward defensively.
  “Yes, it is.”
  “Is not.”
  “Is too.”
 “Not.”
  “Is.” Camilla leaned forward, her chestnut hair spilling over her shoulders.
  Zoe’s mouth twisted in her own version of stubborn defeat. “Okay, maybe it is.... a little bit. But who was born on a Friday the thirteenth?”
  “That is mere pettiness, my dear Watson.” Camilla tried to look dejected.
  Zoe’s nose crinkled as she smiled. “Let’s go find the best copy of As You Like It we can find. I still think we’ll get a better grade on our essays then the boys.” She linked her arm with Camilla’s and led the way to the play department.

___

 I have to admit to falling quite in love with this group of four friends (even if Brent & Tyler were technically not even in the scene). :) Also, I did not realize this would be going up on a Friday the thirteenth until my sister pointed it out last night. I thought that was rather funny.

The Man With the Accordion Heart

via Pinterest

 In January I finished reading The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (brief disclaimer: I cannot recommend the book for everyone due to the amount of strong language used in the book) and have been floundering in my search to find a novel that can even compete a little bit with how well that one was written. It is a hard task and I am quite aware that it might take me a long while to find one that will come even close. I usually only find one book a year that blows me completely away. Admittedly, the year is yet young.

 One of the things in The Book Thief that really captured me were the characters. Hans, Liesel, Max, Rudy, Rosa, the Mayor’s Wife, and even the characters mentioned very briefly in a very few scenes, I could envision them all clearly. They were people with genuine flaws and strengths. They were real.

 As a writer, I want to present realistic and genuine characters to my audience. I write historical fiction with very few exceptions. It has always been my favorite genre to read and history was my favorite school subject growing up. I firmly believe you can learn many lessons applicable to the present day by knowing what happened in the past. But it is also very important that these characters not only feel real and genuine to my modern audience, but they need to be rooted in the time period in which they live. Zusak did an incredible job in making the varying characters in The Book Thief real people in Nazi Germany.

 Hans Hubermann, the main character Liesel’s foster father, disagrees with the Nazis, but he is afraid of them and what they might to do his family. Publicly he tries to appear complacent and passive; he does not want to anger the Nazis and bring them down about his head. That said, he has a difficult time standing by while the Jews are being degraded and persecuted. He paints over slurs graffitied onto Jewish homes and businesses even as their owners' urge him to go away for his own safety. This results in his application to join the Nazi party to be stalled; leaving him in a sometimes precarious position. The root of Hans’s intolerance for the persecution of the Jews stems from when a Jewish man saved his life during World War I. When, in the course of the story, that man’s son asks Hans to hide him Hans agrees. It is not only a debt he feels honor bound to repay somehow, but he knows it is the right thing to do. Even as he agrees to shelter Max, he is terrified of being caught. There are several more instances I would mention, but, for the sake of those who have not read the book or seen the film adaption, I will refrain. (As a quick side note, I would like to mention how much I loved Geoffrey Rush’s performance of Hans in the film. He was brilliant.)

 What about Hans, however, makes him so real? Is it his insistence on helping the Jews? How greatly he loves Liesel? The way he plays his beloved accordion? I think it is how very human Hans Hubermann is. He lives during Adolf Hitler’s Germany and the Nazi regime. He does not agree with the Nazis, but he is too scared to be vocal about it. But no matter how scared he is of being punished, he continually commits acts to assist the Jews. He’s scared and he won’t speak out loudly, but he still acts because he knows it is the right thing. Liesel is a lot like her foster father in this aspect. It is something that knits them closer together. If we lived in Nazi Germany, we would want to be someone like Hans or Liesel. We would want to be able to do the right thing, but we would be terrified of being punished and persecuted by the Nazis. Hans Hubermann, the outwardly unobtrusive and ordinary sign painter, is the sort of person we want to be. We identify with him and his fear. It is people like him that somehow bring us hope.

Look Into My Eyes

via Pinterest

 Finally, I have written again for Rachel Heffington's Chatterbox. The theme this month is maple and I knew I could come up with something if I thought about it long enough. All last week I was kept on my toes attending and helping out at an art class, only to be able to put my pen to paper in my art journal and not on my beloved works in progress. Yesterday rolled around and I realized I only had a couple days left to come up with something. So, I wrote a little scene for my 1930s historical fiction Finding Home. It truly did blossom during the writing process and I know exactly where it needs to be placed in the story.

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“Good afternoon, Creighton.” Anna Grace’s voice behind me broke the late summer silence.

 I turned around quickly, startled that I hadn’t heard anyone approaching. “Hi,” I said, slowly easing my grip on the hammer. “What are you doing here?”

 Annie’s eyebrows furrowed together in confusion. “I’ve come to read like I usually do,” she said. “It’s a short novel that Molly gave me.” She smiled and I tried to return a like expression.

“Swell,” I said, glancing around. Ever since my in-town run in with Butch Smith and Dan Winters I’d been jumpier than a grasshopper. “Why don’t you sit under that big maple by the pond to read. It’s cooler there.” I continued repairing the fence.

“I thought I might read it aloud. I read the first chapter last night and its about a dear, old school master. I thought you might like it so I decided to wait and read it aloud to you.” Annie’s eyes brimmed over with excitement.

“I’m working right now,” I said sharply, turning away slightly. “Go sit under that maple and read.”

 Annie’s face was an open book and in the split second I turned away and went back to work, an expression of keen hurt and confusion clouded her face. She walked away silently and sat beneath the maple tree I had suggested, her back against the trunk. She watched me a moment before opening her book and beginning to read.

 I forced myself not to hurl a curse on my own head. Instead, I beat my clenched fist against the fencepost. Why couldn’t I just keep my dumb trap shut? Butch and Dan were miles away. Just because I’d seen them again once did not mean they were keeping tabs on me or watching how much I interacted with the people around me. This was Ralston, Texas, not Louis Cassetti’s Chicago.

 I finished my work on the post and stole a glance over at Annie. Her nose was stuck faithfully between the pages of her book, but something in her manner told me she wasn’t paying attention to the words she was reading.

 I walked over to the tree. She looked up when my shadow darkened the pages of her book. Her brown eyes were narrowed and a dark cloud clung to the backs of them. The hurt on her face drove a sharp pang of shame deep into my soul.

“I’m sorry,” I blurted out. Apologies never had been my thing.

 Annie shook her head slowly, lowering her eyes. “You have nothing to be sorry about,” she said. “You were right. You have work to do and I was interrupting you. I’m sorry. If I’m keeping you from your work, Creighton, just tell me to go. I know I am a nuisance.”

“No, Annie, you have never been a nuisance.” I squatted down and lifted her chin with my hand to look straight into her eyes. “You have been nothing but a God send. You were the one who kept trying to befriend me when I was being a lousy-tempered idiot. I was a dope back there and you were being the kindest, most selfless ...” I started backwards at my own vehemence. I let go of her chin and bolted back into an upright position. “You weren’t wrong back there,” I finished suddenly.

 Annie was staring at me. The hurt in her eyes was gone, replaced with amazement.

 I stuffed my free hand into my pocket and fiddled with the hammer with my other. “Go ahead and read that book aloud,” I said quietly. “I’d be glad to hear it.”

 Annie kept looking at me a couple moments longer and then reopened her book to the beginning.

__

By the way, who knows what book Anna Grace is talking about in this scene? I am curious to know if anyone gets the reference.