Say What?

Do you ever have those kind of days that you want to shout at the world but then, luckily, your real brain kicks in and stops you?

I'm having one of those months! There is a discussion going on over at Goodreads and I am in the middle of it. One side is emotionally defending an author and the other side is agreeing to disagree. That is fine. I can deal with emotional people. I just stay calm and let them rant on then leave in a huff because I won't rise to the bait. What I am having a problem with is the agreeable ones. 

The author in question wrote a HF set in the era nearest and dearest to my heart. Well, to put it mildly, I felt that she coped out. But that isn't the problem. Someone likened the book to, what she called, "chick lit" and I was offended.

You are probably scratching your head about now and wondering why my dander is up. Well, it's like this...I am offended by the term "chick lit" because it infers that "chicks" aren't smart enough for true literature, we have to have the dumbed down version! Our language skills are in question here! I thought the book was written for 6th graders! (Gotta stop using exclamation points...) 

Is that the reading level that we must write at to get published? Has our vocabulary sunk so low that a typical book is thought of as a "bible-length book by some authors who take pride in decorating every page with language comparable to a university linguist professor."? 

What makes matters worse is the my own niece, who was educated in California schools, is using this verbal shorthand that is just undecipherable.  "This single mom tired of livin in the fox, but what W2s in the mailbox. I'm out this bitch!!!!!! "

So what does this mean? It was translated to me. She said that she is tired of living in her dumpy apartment and can't wait for her W2 to be mailed to her so she can move to somewhere better.

OK...I can see that, can you?

The Christmas Window Excuse

This past November I partook in NaNoWriMo and failed to complete the 50k words. But I have an excuse! For the final two weeks of November and the first week of December I painted Christmas scenes on storefront windows. And here is the proof:

This is a simple window that I painted for a local gallery. This is the second year for them as clients, too bad it will be my last as they have since closed their doors. Very sad.

And this next window is one of several I painted for a local store:

Three elves carrying a candy cane. I had a blast painting that one. 

This one is also for the same store. Santa and his reindeer with Rudolf at the front!

The above is for a local wine bar/restaurant named Sunset & Vines. I painted grapevine wreaths for them on both of their front and back doors. This is a long standing account as I used to work for them in both the wine bar and the restaurant!

So, as you can see, I had a good excuse!

With a Sniffle and a Sigh

It is now seven days into the month of January and the new year and I can tell you that I failed at NaNoWriMo. Failed...big time. I started off gungho and my keyboard smoked right up until Thanksgiving then nothing, nada...zilch.

My shoulders rise and fall with a huge sigh but it doesn't change the fact that I am afraid I will never finish any of my books! This is scary. I can laugh all I want and call myself a reluctant author but deep down I always believed that I would finish something.

All right, enough sobbing and whining. Do something about it. New Years resolutions are wonderful but they are made to be broken so instead I will make a checklist that I review daily. On this checklist will be only four things. The less I have to do the more likely I will be to accomplish them. My logic is frightening.

So here is my checklist:

1. Complete chores by 1pm
2. Check blogs, emails and Facebook
3. Work on one WIP and complete 500 words +/-
4. Take a nap

I like number four the best.

So what are your resolutions? Did you make a huge list with tons of stuff you are sure to break or did you keep yours short and sweet. I would love to know.

Happy New Year everyone!