by Sarah | May 30, 2012 | Books, General, Masked Hearts, Writing, writing tips
[flickr id=”6065425471″ thumbnail=”small” overlay=”true” size=”small” group=”” align=”left”]Real Life has has been insane lately. So many things popping up, so many events and activities to keep me and mine busy. It seems impossible that I have all of these stories just waiting for me to write.
Out of all of them, one has stood out. Masked Hearts, even though it is a brand new idea, forced its way to the top. I started writing it just over a week ago. At first the going was incredibly slow. Unlike most of my stories this one had not sat on the ‘drawing board’ as it were. In fact I started writing within a week of getting the idea.
This never happens.
The reason why is because I’m a free-writer. 95% of the time I just sit down and write. I worry about fine tuning and editing later. In order to sit down and write I have to know where the story is going.
For Masked Hearts I only had the most vague of ideas. I didn’t know the characters beyond their initial descriptions. I had an idea of a conflict, but it was far from clear.
The day I started writing I had my first “Aha!” The MMC’s backstory came into clear view as I finished reading the history of an event during the many years of Indian Wars in the US.
Yesterday, six chapters into the story came the biggest ‘Aha!’. The entire story’s plot line became clear. I knew all the moments of conflict, all the climactic moments, and the way the ending would come about.
So I dug in deep and wrote my ass off…
Only to learn in the middle of writing a chapter that two of my characters were gay.
Wait, what? When did that happen? What the hell? Not that I mind, but a heads up a little earlier would have nice.
Oh, and by the way, those three side characters you thought were footnotes? Totally instrumental in the ending of your novel.
Ah, crap.
Now I have all these extra characters with personalities. No, they aren’t becoming MC’s – but they have a bigger part than I ever expected in this thing.
Now to keep it within my word count goal of 50k.
I’m not good with the low word counts. Think I can make this one stick?
by Sarah | May 26, 2012 | Crap, Random, WTF?
[flickr id=”5980080364″ thumbnail=”small” overlay=”true” size=”small” group=”” align=”left”] To the Person that Stole my Phone,
Shame on you. You were ten feet from a customer service desk and couldn’t see fit to turn it in once you realized you couldn’t get into it without my passcode? Instead of answering a call, you turn it off? What did you do with it?
Karma is a bitch, and apparently so are you (Since it was lost in the women’s room i think that’s accurate).
Shame on you. Do the right thing, jerk.
~The True Owner of the Phone You Stole
*~*~*~*
To the Woman at Wal-Mart today,
Thank you, for cutting in front of a line of five people under the guise of it being “two lines”. It wasn’t.
Thank you, for ignoring the person behind me saying loudly, “There is only one line in the self-checkout area”.
You are not priviliged. You’re just a jerk.
~Everyone you cut in a busy Wal-Mart (I’m seriously surprised someone didn’t really yell at you, guess you got lucky people were in a better mood than they usually are at that Wal-Mart)
*~*~*~*
To our waiter Sam from last night’s dinner at Houlihan’s,
Thank you.
Just thank you for existing. You made our night.
~The Mom Bloggers of Indy
*~*~*~*
To my Black Leather Seats,
Oh, how I loved you as a selling point in our new car. Your excellent condition lent a plush air to the car that is far older than it seems. When I was wearing jeans and the weather was cooler, I loved you so.
I think we are going to have to have a trial separation, though. My shorts-clad legs don’t like being burned and then getting stuck. For the next few months I think we’ll need to be separated by a towel.
Don’t worry, I’ll come back to you when the weather is cool again…and you will be my best friend in the winter when I can turn on the seat heater and get all cozy.
~<3 Me
*~*~*~*
To Road Rage Guy,
I know Road Rage is a bad thing, but since it wasn’t directed at me, I must say your revenge to the woman that cut you off and nearly dinged your $50k car was SAH-WEET. I was laughing all the way back to my house.
~An Amused Driver that almost was the one she cut off.
by Sarah | May 25, 2012 | All About Me, Get Fit - Or Kill Myself - Whatever Comes First
[flickr id=”7267389774″ thumbnail=”small” overlay=”true” size=”small” group=”” align=”left”]When I was growing up I was the kid that hated gym. I despised it.
Okay, so I liked the times we did gymnastics. When I got older, I was cool with tennis and even took a semester of tennis in college.
Other than that? HATED.
My least favorite wasn’t the contact sports – it was track & field.
Running?
Ick.
Let me dance. Let me twirl and leap or do gymnastics (even though I was never great at it, that was my cousin’s realm).
Track and field made me cry. I don’t remember, but I probably mean that literally. HATED.
So what am I doing now?
Oh, just signing up to run in a 5k in September.
Running 3X a week using C25k to get there.
The thing that is shocking me?
I’m enjoying it.
When I got “injured” with some funky nerve pain last month and ended up laid up for days that turned into weeks, I missed it. I craved working out again.
I’m not just running, but I’m getting my ass kicked daily by Jillian Michaels. I favor her Ripped in 30 & Yoga Meltdown DVD’s. For some reason I never got along with the 30 Day Shred. I think it was the stupid jumping jacks. Jumping jacks should never ever be in my workout. We don’t get along.
I’m doing this for me.
Because I’m tired of hating myself because I’ve become lazy. I don’t ever expect to look like I did in high school again.
Actually, I want to look better. In high school I was so skinny I got called “Anorexic” by not just students, but teachers (heads up, I was not anorexic. I ate tons…mostly crap, but I ate tons).
I want to be healthy. Strong. I want to feel good about myself.
I know I have had kids, and a hysterectomy…but they are not fully to blame for my current state.
I am.
So now I move forward.
I’m not going to starve myself dieting – but I am going to eat better.
I’m not going to try to get back to high school weight (112 is an unrealistic goal) – but I am going to get back in shape.
I’m not going to deprive myself of treats & sweets – but I am going to practice moderation.
I want to be healthy…
So I run.
by Sarah | May 23, 2012 | All About Denver, All About Family, All About Kennedy, All About Learning, All About Me, All About Molly, Crap, Random
[flickr id=”6987996541″ thumbnail=”small” overlay=”true” size=”small” group=”” align=”left”]One week.
That week includes a three day weekend.
And the kids are out for summer.
10 weeks.
I’m both filled with dread and…
Um…joy? Fear?
Well whatever it is, I’m filled with it.
We have plans, quite a few of them. It will pass quickly.
It will probably pass even faster because I will most likely be employed again by the end of the month. Part time. VERY close to home (like walking distance) and w/ hours that will let me meet the kids at the bus and kiss them at night before bed. Also, once school starts again I’ll still have a few days a week home w/ no kids.
No kids.
All the school day long.
How many days until school starts again?
by Sarah | May 22, 2012 | All About Me, Contest, Giveaway, Random
I grew up in Buffalo, NY. In Buffalo you have to love Hockey (Go Sabres! Even when you suck!) and football (Go Bills! Even when you suck!).
I didn’t. At least not at first. I wasn’t the sports girl – my bro was the sports nut. Over time I grew to appreciate going to hockey games that weren’t my brothers. to the point that these days I love a good hockey game.
One sport that I loved (to watch) almost from the start was baseball. It got even better once the Bison’s had Pilot Field. There was the fun of the games, cotton candy, and Buffalo had the “Earl of Bud“. Baseball meant summer and sun and fun.
When we moved to Indiana, my dad took me to a few games at the old Bush Stadium. The games were always against a New York teams – in fact the first game was against Buffalo themselves.
Since then Indianapolis has upgraded to Victory Field. As much as I always loved Pilot Field (I don’t care what it’s called now, so hush)…Victory Field has a leg up with the lawn. “The cheap seats” are the best in the house. You can bring a picnic (make sure your cooler is small…~ahem~), sit back and relax while watching a great game. Not that there’s anything wrong with good seats (I still enjoy those too) – but there’s a definite ‘summertime’ and real Family Fun air to sitting on the lawn.
Indiana’s Family of Farmers (@FamilyofFarmers) is hosting a #FamilyNight at the Ball Park at Victory Field this year.
Best part? You, yes YOU can win 8 tickets! Right here (and once again at other blogs – I’ll be linking those below).
Winners and their families (8 tickets) are invited to join us for the June 11, 2012 Indians Game against the Rochester Red Wings at 7:05 PM (Gates open around 5:30 PM).
Guests are also invited to join our In-Game Picnic in Coors Light Corner. The picnic starts at 7:30 and goes through the game. You will have the option of watching the game from the picnic area or your seats, which are in 120 on the first base side.
Kids 2 and under are free on a lap or on the lawn.
So you want to get in on this great night of family fun?! It’s SUPER easy. You have up to three ways to win. Leave a separate comment for every method you use.
1. Comment here telling me what your favorite sport is! {Mandatory}
2. Tweet about the giveaway and leave a comment w/ the tweet URL
3. Share this page on Facebook and leave a comment w/ saying you did!
For more chances to win this awesome night of fun, check out the following blogs. (This list will update regularly. Check back often!)
Bonus Entries – If you enter ANY of these other giveaways, come back here & let me know! For each blog you visit & enter their contest, you get an an additional entry into mine. Make sure you add an additional comment every time, so you get all your entries.
Details: The giveaway will end on Monday, May 28th at 11PMEST. I will pick & contact the winner on Tuesday the 29th. The winner will have 24 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.
You can learn more about IFOF at the following links:
· IFOF Website
· IFOF Blog
· IFOF Facebook
· @FamilyofFarmers
Disclaimer: In exchange for hosting this giveaway, IFOF provided my family with tickets to the game. All opinions are my own.
