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do I know you from somewhere?
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| Charlaine Harris |
[Jul. 30th, 2009|11:33 pm] |
It? Was awesome. It was a "conversation, " so the host asked her some questions and then the floor opened to us. I asked her why she chose to write in first person, which, coincidentally, is the question I asked Diana Gabaldon at her book signing three years ago. She said it was because she could dive deeper into the character's mind, though she realizes she's missing out on what's going on with the other characters.
Her favorite character to write is Pam. Bill frustrates her because he lacks a sense of humor, as does Lily Bard of her Shakespeare series. (I like Sookie, but Lily Bard is my favorite Charlaine Harris series.) She signed three books for me (one for me, two for friends) and I got my picture taken with her. I also got my picture taken with Rocki St. Claire. I realized I had books signed by her but no picture.
I also picked up the debut novel of local author Lee Roland, who has published with Highland Press. Charlaine was a funny woman. She loves the True Blood series. She just got a contract for three more books, so Sookie will be around for a while. She sold her first two books without an agent, and then an agent called her and asked if she wanted representation. She's stayed with the same agent her entire career. Also, she had three folks to choose from for the rights to her story. It was a good way to spend the afternoon. I had a great seat, but a horrible space in line for the book signing. I didn't even realize the line had formed until it was 50 feet long. It extended another 50 feet beyond me. Good times. It's been a good year for me and authors. |
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| Where I completely contradict myself |
[Apr. 27th, 2009|10:36 am] |
| [ | Tags | | | writing | ] |
| [ | mood |
| |  contemplative | ] |
Oy, so I'm writing a historical piece set in 1774 Boston.
Remember my question about using live people? Yeah. I need 'em.
My heroine's father is an assistant to Governor Gage. So he's going to need to make an appearance or two.
Plus I'm sure Jeffereson or Franklin or Revere will be part of it also.
*sigh* I really like my story line but I'm so wiggy about using real people. But it's not like they can contradict what I write. Right? |
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| Opinions |
[Apr. 22nd, 2009|10:24 pm] |
How do you feel when you're reading a book and you see a reference to something real? I'm not talking about someone in a modern story discussing Elizabeth 1, I mean something like a character talking about Spuds MacKenzie or Tom Cruise, or a character that constantly quotes movies or drinks a specific brand name of water.
These references usually throw me. I read a book where the main character was an actor, and he was talking to Tom and Nicole at a party. I had to think about who Tom and Nicole were.
And yet I have a character where someone will eventually say something to him about MacGyver. And I already mentioned the Terminator. The Superman and X-Men references ended up in my cut pile. And I hate reading things like this in other stories! Sheesh. |
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| CHARLAINE HARRIS FANS!!! |
[Mar. 20th, 2009|11:06 am] |
Boy, this must be the year for the most awesomist authors EVAH to make appearances in Gainesville. First, Diana Gabaldon will be here in May. I've already squeed about that one.
I found out yesterday that Charlaine Harris (of Sookie Stackhouse/Southern Vampires/True Blood fame) will be here at the end of July! http://www.anhingawriters.org/
The conference is too expensive for me, but you can fork over $20 for admittance to hear Ms. Harris talk, which I am planning on doing. I wonder if she'll be signing books, too.
OMG SO EXCITED. :)
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| REJECTED - but... |
[Mar. 19th, 2009|08:56 pm] |
I wrote a story based on my experience at the faire (see the experience here: http://shlafe.livejournal.com/228508.html).
I submitted it to Women's World magazine, and got back a form rejection, but with a note from the assistant editor with suggested edits and an invitation to resubmit it.
COOL!! |
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| weekend wrap up |
[Mar. 15th, 2009|03:53 pm] |
I didn't come in first in the Beacon.
But I also didn't come in third. :)
(Which, of course, means I came in second. :)
But, as I said before, being a finalist was pretty darn cool, and I will always be a 2008 Beacon finalist. Plus I'm so glad I don't have to wait anymore. The judge made comments on my entry, and the Contest Coordinator handed them to me before the awards were announced. I said, "Do I want to read them?" and SHE TOOK THEM BACK! She gave them back to me after the awards ceremony and the judge said my writing was fine and my characters were likable, but the plot was somewhat unbelievable and sounded more like a series (Harlequin-type books) than single title. I've since changed up the plot, but I'm done with this story for now (again) and want to move on to something else.
The conference was amazing. The speakers were Mary Buckham and Dianna Love , and they gave us character templates that went so much deeper than eye color, hair color, siblings, belief systems, yada yada yada. I learned the difference between a conflict and twist, and got some good stuff on how to write the bane of my existance - the ending. (www.breakintofiction.com)
I'm also excited about working on my next MS, and if I'm not so bleary eyed tonight, I'll be working on it. I think I drank more in the past two nights than I have in the last year.
Go me! And here's to a great weekend. |
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| Go me! |
[Jan. 12th, 2009|09:55 pm] |
I've made it to the fifth round of the First Lines contest, as have my friends.
http://www.karintabke.com/blog/
Go on... read 'em and tell me which are your favorite.
It's romance, so don't read 'em if it will bore you. :) |
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| Hee. |
[Dec. 29th, 2008|11:54 pm] |
So, in March at a writing conference, I won a critique from a literary agent in a raffle. The critique expires on Dec. 31.
I've spent the last month getting my first three chapters ready (yes, the same damn cowboy story that I've been working on forever), showing it to my critique group and other friends, meticulously reading it over and over to make sure it's as perfect as possible. I emailed it to the agent about ten minutes ago...
...only to receive an Out Of Office automatic email reply. She won't be back in the office until January 5. |
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| Round 3 |
[Dec. 23rd, 2008|09:47 am] |
My cronies and I have made it to Round 3 of the First Lines contest:
http://www.karintabke.com/blog/?p=622
We're numbers 25 - 28.
It's such a little contest, but it's really nervewracking! I kept refreshing my browser last night until the results were posted. She's in San Francisco, so they didn't get posted until 9:30 EST. I hate waiting.
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| SQUEE!!! |
[Dec. 10th, 2008|12:18 pm] |
So, I entered a writing contest where you send in the first 30 pages of your story. It gets judged and scored, and the top three in each category get sent to an agent or editor for that category. The agent or editor then ranks them in first, second or third place. I got this last night:
Hi Gayle,
You'll be receiving the official notice later but I wanted to let you know
that you finaled in the Beacon contest with Who Wants to Marry a Cowboy.
Congratulations and Merry Christmas. Please don't post anything to the loop
until I do which probably won't happen before tomorrow evening.
I won't know about the ranking until March, but now I can put on query letters to agents, "This story has finaled in the 2008 Beacon." But it's more than that. I can have my friends or critique group tell me what they like or don't like, and I can fix it and get their nod of approval. These were two judges who had no idea it was my story. I feel validated as a writer.
..this is the same contest I was talking about here: shlafe.livejournal.com/213431.html. |
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| common words |
[Sep. 3rd, 2008|10:50 pm] |
So, for the story I'm writing, I need to know how the air feels inside a greenhouse. My memories of being in one are very dim. So I Google it, and find a TON of information. Thermodynamics of a greenhouse sounds promising. I click.
Great... different types of greenhouse and airflow, wall temperature, all good stuff. But I notice that everytime the word greenhouse is used, it's prefaced by the word Martian. Is this a brand name? I click again.
Apparently, greenhouses can hypothetically be used on Mars as life support systems. Not exactly what I was looking for. |
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| Yee haw!! |
[Aug. 1st, 2008|11:05 am] |
I entered my cowboy story in a contest sponsored by the Tampa area romance writers. I didn't final, but I got some good critiques.
Out of 100, I got 88 points. Not great, but a B by my high school grading system. :) One judge gave me a 6 and another judge gave me a 10 (out of 10) for the same item. I know, fiction is subjective. I'll deal.
Their opinion of my writing and my opinion of my writing matched, so it's nice to know I'm not delusional. I'm good at beginning the story in the middle of the action, leaving the reader to wonder what's going to happen next. My dialog is fabulous (and it really is. I'm not being completely egotistical here). My hero is a weenie mama's boy. I need to fix that.
I was kinda tired of looking at this story (and I know y'all's tired of reading about it), but getting these reviews back have piqued my interest again. On the wagon train, ho! |
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| oh, what to do...? |
[Jul. 27th, 2008|08:16 pm] |
I just got Fearless Fourteen out of the library. I've been revisiting Stephanie Plum, and I'm on book 4. Plus, I'm still reading the Western, and I have a short story that needs updating.
I really want to read FF, but I hate reading more than one book at a time - and this would be three, because I'm reading Four to Score and the Zane Gray. I like to finish books that I start (though I've learned life is too short to read bad books, so I don't finish the ones I find boring). I want to write. I want to edit my cowboy story but want to finish the Western first. I want to write a scene involving a digital camera that's been going around in my mind for my paranormal.
I just don't know what to do!!! I have too many options.
Maybe I'll just watch TV tonight. :) |
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| stupid modern weapons |
[Jun. 25th, 2008|10:44 pm] |
I can choreograph a fight scene with weapons. Swords, quarterstaffs, fists, it's all good. I could even choreograph a death if I had to.
But I'm trying to write a fight scene where a gun will make an appearance, and I can't do it!!! Gah!! And someone has to die, but I can't decide if he dies by gunshot wound, knife wound, or strangulation. I think gun makes the most sense, but I'd much rather they were using swords. |
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| Help a Writer #4 |
[May. 13th, 2008|09:48 am] |
Occupations you can do from home, any time of the day.
Use of a computer would be helpful.
I've already thought about computer programmer and novelist. :) |
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| words words words |
[May. 11th, 2008|03:29 pm] |
Another Help a Writer situation!
I have a man who isn't prone to rude language so to speak. He'll say hell and damn, but that's about as bad as he gets.
What word would he use to refer to a woman's butt?
The woman in question is wearing a barely-there skirt.
Edit : I went with rear end. Thanks, everybody! |
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| encourage me |
[May. 4th, 2008|11:18 pm] |
Meh. I really want to write, but I don't. You know? Encourage me, flist! |
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| Weekend update |
[Apr. 28th, 2008|11:40 am] |
So, I want a garden. I do. I just don't want to do the initial work involved in planting one.
I went to Home Depot on Saturday to buy a hose, and came out with said hose, plus a plant box, soil, a tomato plant, a green pepper plant, and a red pepper plant. I mixed them all together (well, everything but the hose) and put them in my full-sun backyard. Now let's see how long it takes for me to kill them.
I went to JCP and finally bought a new pair of jeans. Which fit! Who-hoo!
And I entered a romance novel contest in Tampa. I don't think the results are announced until September, so it's gonna be a long wait. I'm going to enter one in Georgia, too. Both these contests are sponsored by chapters of the Romance Writers of America. |
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