Musings from the brain dead

This is another of those days when I have absolutely nothing to say. But I won’t let that stop me :D So instead of a theme or something orderly and logical, I’ll chat about what I’ve been doing lately.

First off: I’ve just written an erotic novella that I need to do a final copy edit on and send out. As usual, it’s a paranormal. This one deals with dreams and witches and how things that scare us during the day can really come to life in the darkness before dawn. So…any idea where I might send the novella?

I’m also working on revisions – still – to my last novel. It’s become clear to me that, as much as I like the opening chapter, it appears to turn off potential readers, ie editors or agents. The good news is that a different opening has come to me and it may actually make the book stronger (or at least acceptable right from page 1). The trick now is to combine it with the remainder of the book to make sure everything flows.

On the personal front, I’ve been taking an online class in Feng Shui. Very interesting! I’ve always liked the orientalesque goal of simplicity combined with elegance but haven’t really achieved it. However, this class is really opening my eyes up to ‘power’ spots in my office (and home if I apply the teachings to the entire building). The best part is that if I combine this idea of Feng Shui with the tenets I’ve picked up from FlyLady, the whole office should be a shining example of what I need to be creative and productive, healthy and happy, wise and loving. Definitely goals to strive for in today’s world. I’ve been leaning in this direction for the rest of the house (due to FlyLady) for a while now though my office has been kind of neglected. So this is really giving me the kick start I need to apply myself to arranging the office.

Last but not least, I’ve found a new favorite author. Kresley Cole with her Immortals After Dark series (hope I didn’t mess up the name of the series—I don’t have the books with me at this moment to verify). I can honestly say that it’s been a LONG time since I’ve stayed up till 2:30 in the morning just because I couldn’t bear to stop reading. Even though I didn’t finish the book (I have to be up and running at 5:30), I couldn’t wait to get back to it. That’s a real joy for a stalwart book lover like me.

Christmas is coming so I’ve got to spend time doing the Christmas shopping and decorating thing. I can’t wait to get my tree up and the house all prettified for the holiday :D It’s a lot of work, yes, but I do love the Christmas season with all the cheery decorations (not too fond of the cold, snowy Michigan weather though!). I’m sure many of you feel the same way so I’ll wish you a wonderful shopping/decorating season and an early Happy Holidays!

-- Lynda

Writing and more

On another loop I'm on, there was a recent discussion of POV (Point Of View) and how romance writers continually 'head hopped' based on the observer's reading of a J.D. Robb book. After he was corrected :D the discussion moved on to types of POV in use, ie 3rd person, 1st person and 2nd person (which seems to be really grating on most of us who see it). Most interesting to me though was the observation by one individual that he 'hated' a switch from 1st person (main character) to 3rd person (secondary character) because it was jarring.

Well, that aroused my curiosity. But it seems as though his complaint was in methods of transition from said 1st to 3rd person POV and not the actual mingling of the POV's. Basically, his comment said that all POV switches should be done at scene or chapter breads.

I'll confess I used to think this one and, to an extent, I still do. However, I now feel that with the proper use of transitions switching from one POV to another IN THE SAME SCENE can be accomplished and will enrich the story. Now, I've been around long enough to see the pendulum swing on this issue and maybe I'm just slow on the upswing (ie coming into the POV debate late). How do you all feel about POV switches? Scene or chapter breaks only? On, with the right transition, can they be done in mid-scene?


Moving on to a fun thing...The United Nations World Food Program has an interesting 'game' they're offering. It tests your word power :D For every word you get right, they will donate 10 grains of rice to world hunger. Here's the link but be warned, it's addictive:

Free Rice


Last but not least for our American readers...When you are making out your Christmas card list this year, also include one for the following address:

A Recovering American Soldier
c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center
6900 Georgia Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20307-5001

It'll make them feel better and probably add a warm and fuzzy glow to your holidays as well.

-- Lynda

Any Halloween Stories Out There?

I had to work so no party and no scary treat or treaters for me but I just came across this story from Bizarre News and thought I'd share it.

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BAD SEGEBERG, Germany - Police investigating reports of
a corpse on a German train near the town of Bad Segeberg
said the reported body was actually a drunken man dressed
as a zombie. The Halloween reveler had fallen into a
drunken sleep on the train ride home from a party in
Hamburg, and his gore-covered zombie costume was mistaken
by fellow passengers for a bloody corpse, Sky News reported
Tuesday. Police were called when passengers couldn't get
a response from the man but a first aid team quickly
determined that the man wasn't dead, merely sleeping. The
police told him to remove his apparently realistic makeup
and he was allowed to continue his train ride home. "Bad
Segeberg is in a rural area and Halloween isn't very well
known there," police spokeswoman Sikle Tobies told Sky
News. "So people weren't expecting anyone to be dressed up
in the train."

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So...anyone have any interesting Halloween tales they'd like to share?