Monday Musing

There are fifteen days to NaNoWriMo. Their website says it is "30 days and nights of literary abandonment!" Thirty days of writing at least 1,667 words per day to meet the grueling goal of 50k words.

I've tried NaNo before and am not afraid to admit I did not reach that lofty goal of 50k words. I fell short midpoint with about 25K words. I felt good about the point I reached although I had to fight my inner editor all the way. We argued daily until I finally relented and edited. I was disgusted. She was triumphant. I have a new strategy for her this year. *rubbing hands together, snickering gleefully*

I'm told you can train yourself to do just about anything in about thirty days of constant repetition so this year I plan to gag my inner editor. I figure even though I might not win NaNo again this year, and the plan is to win, at lease my inner editor will be sufficiently trained for me to write without her constant nagging to edit and revise my work in progress.

So what about you? Will your inner editor behave? Will your muse be cooperative? All of these questions will be considered beginning November 1 and answered midnight, November 30. Are you up to the challenge of NaNo this year?

Monday Musing

Good Afternoon!

It's time to stop lolly gagging. I need to get to work. It's time to put my nose to the grindstone. I need to get more writing done!

What about you? Is you nose to the grindstone? Are you writing?

Monday Musing

Good Morning!

I've been thinking about the mythology of shapeshifters. The ability to shapeshift was part of many cultures that depended upon hunting to survive. Hunters would take the form of prey animals imitating them around the fire before and after a hunt. This ability is still seen among the South African Bushmen who follow the tracks of animal prey by running like the animal they are chasing and also making cries similar to the chased animal. In Irish folklore, hunters practiced a form of invisibility which was the ability to blend into the landscape as an animal. Sometimes special shapeshifting spells of invocation called fith-fath were used by Gaelic hunters to start or enable a hunt.

Special attention today to Lycanthropes. Their mythology originated in Europe but many legends are found all over the ancient world. This is a human of folklore with the ability to shift into a wolf either purposely or by being placed under a curse, or a lycanthropic affliction by bite or scratch of a werewolf. A full moon usually triggered a transformation.

One of my works in process is a series about werewolves. It involves a heroine with unique abilities and a warrior hero fighting against a villian who uses whatever it takes, whether people or circumstances, to acquire the heroine's abilities for himself. Will the heroine give herself up to save her world? Will her warrior be able to overcome a guilty past to save her?

What are your thoughts on shapeshifters? Which type of animal shifters do you prefer?

Monday Musing

Good Morning! Happy Labor Day!

Labor Day is a U.S. federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September that celebrated the economic and social contributions of workers.

Matthew Maguire, a machinist, first proposed the holiday while serving as secretary of the CLU (Central Labor Union) of New York in 1882. It became a federal holiday in 1894.

Early celebrations included a street parade, a festival and speeches by prominent men and women. The holiday is now regarded as a rest and parties.

Labor Day also marks the marks the beginning of NFL and college football seasons.

How will you spend your Labor Day?

Monday Musing

Good Morning!

Last Monday I mentioned I listen to music when I write romantic scenes for my WIPs. My current wip is a contemporary western. It involves western ranching with southern hospitality. Here is a partial list of love songs I've used to help set the mood:

I Wanna Be Loved by Eric Benet

The Man In Love With You by George Strait

When You Kiss Me by Shania Twain and

Never Gonna Let You Go by Faith Evans

What are some love songs you've used to set your romantic mood?

Monday Musing

Good Morning!

My thoughts today are about Tattoos. Tribal Tattoos. A lot of paranormal romance and urban fantasy book covers show the male body covered in tattoos between the neck and waist. They, the tattoos, look good. Damned good. But, where do they come from? why would men (and sometimes women) wear them? what do they mean?

Tribal Tattoos were found on a man's body as early as 5,000 years ago. This appears to be the oldest scientific proof. The practice of tattooing has been in place for many years in such places as Africa, New Zealand, North America and Europe--just to name a few.

Tattoos were worn primarily to designate a person's group or tribe. Tattoos were also worn to show loyalty for a particular group or tribe, to depict important battles that particular person may have fought in and to show what element, symbol or animal the person most identified with.

So the next time you drool over...I mean check out a book cover with a luscious tattooed male, let's think about what that cover may mean for the hero (its usually him on the cover). That cover may depict the paranormal group he represents, his loyalties, his pain and the battles he (or she) is in the mist of or have been a part of.

What are your thoughts on Tribal Tattoos? What do they mean to you?

Monday Musing

No musings or reflections today, no internet service until just a few moments ago. I hope to see you again on next Monday.

Monday Musing

Good Morning!
I've been giving a lot of thought to the evolution of vampires. The earliest vampire movie I'm aware of is Nosferatu. It was released in 1922. He was a walking corpse. No chance of getting hot and bothered looking at that guy. Certainly no voluntarily exposing your neck for a little nip either. I guess in those days, the main jest of the movie was horror, not sex or romance. Along came the movie, Dracula played by Bela Lugosi in 1931 and later by Christopher Lee in 1958. These men were fairly nice looking, but again the movies were horror, not romance. They were easy on the eyes, so exposing the neck didn't appear to be a problem ( of course, they did use mind control to get what they wanted, too). In 1979 Frank Langella took the role of Dracula. A pretty hot guy as far as I was concerned. This version was still a horror, but with romantic elements. He falls in love with Lucy (we'll call her the heroine) and "marries" her. At the end, in their attempt to escape England and go to Transylvania, Dracula is destroyed. Lucy is "saved" by her former fiance' who does not forgive her transgression of infidelity. The last scene shows her smiling enigmatically as Dracula's cape fly away in the wind. Which makes you think, sequel! He'll be back!

Instead of vampires being creatures that cause mortals to fear, dread and panic they now incite feelings of lust, charisma or sex appeal. Writers and movie directors now show vampires as leading men or heroes. Today's vampires are not just ordinary looking Joes. They have muscles, amazing abs, firm jaws, intense eyes and dazzling smiles.

There are some pretty smokin' series about vampires out there by such authors as Lara Adrian (Breeds), F.D. Davis (In The Beginning: A Vampire Series), Sherrilyn Kenyon (Dark Hunters), Katie MacAlister (Dark Ones) and Kerrelyn Sparks (Love At Stakes).

Who are some of your favorite vamp writers? Which vamps do you think are smokin' hot?

Monday Musing

I love writing. Finding the time to do so is difficult if you have a day job and family obligations. I get in a little writing on my breaks twice a day at work, but writing at home is a different ballgame. There's cooking, cleaning, washing and spending time with the significant other and children. It doesn't leave much time for putting pencil to paper or fingers to the keyboard.

When do you find time to write?