What’s not to love? A day about romance and chocolate. Bring it on.
Happy love and chocolate day!
Happy Valentines Day!
Author: Casey Wyatt
The Times, They are A Changin’
Not a lot to say today other than I’ve cut back on the amount of blogging I’m doing over at the Seven Scribes. As a group, we decided to post less based on all our busy writer schedules.
My next Scribe post will be on February 20th. The site recently received a make-over. Take a gander, since yours truly did the actual change over (courtesy of WordPress and their new Twenty-fourteen theme).
I’m in the home stretch of Lachlan’s Curse, draft 1. Yes, someday I will finish this book. I hope to do that by month end. We’ll see.
I haven’t been idle. Just focused on other things. I took an RWA class this past week and I finished edits for Mystic Hero and submitted it to my publisher (fingers crossed that they like it!)
I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.
Is Yarn Magic?
I had a realization the other day. It’s 2014. Twenty-freakin’-fourteen! 
Well, duh. I’m pretty sure everyone knows that by now. And, despite my seeming disbelief, I know it too. But it did make think about how much my life has changed in the last few years. Ten years ago, in 2004, I had mostly given up writing. When I say mostly, what I mean is – I was not actually clacking away at a keyboard. Instead, I was berating myself for being a loser because I couldn’t complete a story. I had a few half-finished or sort of done, but awful, manuscripts hidden in binders under my bed (and yes, they were literally under there, collecting dust bunnies.) I was paralyzed with doubt and indecision. I was totally clueless about what to do. Should I start another book? No. Because I already had too many incomplete drafts. So, I did nothing and worried. Because that is always so much more productive (not really). My solution: teach myself to knit and crochet. Yup. Had nothing to do with writing but it was another life-long goal of mine. It all 
started when I six years old and my great aunts tried to teach me to crochet. Total disaster. I couldn’t hold the yarn right. Couldn’t make a chain, let allow an actual stitch. I just didn’t get it. No matter how hard they tried to implant their skills into my brain, I sucked at it. I was a loser/failure <cue sad trombone sound> I had another chance to learn crochet in Girl Scouts. Still a disaster but I did manage to make a curly worm bookmark (very lumpy and it didn’t twist properly). It’s now tucked away in my hope chest. For years and years, not knowing how to crochet ate away at my sub-conscience. Why couldn’t I figure it out? Is there something wrong with me? Ummm. Kind of like my ability to finish a book (that didn’t suck). I hate not being able to do things. The last straw: when I couldn’t finish drafting yet another novel to my satisfaction, I decided I was going to succeed at something. Damn it. 2004 was the year I went to Michael’s, bought a skein of Red Heart yarn (bright red) and two books – “I Taught Myself to Knit” and “I Taught Myself to Crochet” – and, by golly, that is exactly what I did. I learned!! I made stuff. It didn’t suck once I got the hang of it. As soon as I mastered the basics, I decided I was knitting in the round. I wanted gloves. So I made them (apparently most beginners don’t go for gloves, but whatever). Needless, to say, friends and family were inundated with crocheted and knitted “gifts” from me. Yet, the entire time, a little voice in my head nagged at me to get writing. Eventually, the little voice won out. But not for another five years. You know what? It doesn’t matter. In the end, I finished a book (Ascension), then another (Mystic Ink), then sold it. Then wrote more and sold more. I credit the little voice. But I also believe that by pushing my boundaries and trusting myself to learn a brand new skill, it gave me the confidence to consider myself a “real” writer and get busy. And, yes, I still knit and crochet. This is my latest sock:
Is there a lesson to be learned here? Yarn is magic. No, that’s probably not the answer. But listening to the little voices in your head, yeah, that must be it! Continue reading
Insert Random Thoughts Here
So here it is, the day before I’m scheduled to blog and I’m twiddling my thumbs. Normally, I’d be panicked. I like to get blogs done on Sunday night. But with Downton Abbey and Sherlock premiering in the US – what sane fan can think of blogging? Not me.
Blame the Monday holiday. Or maybe the fact that on Tuesday, hubby came home sick and promptly infected me. Thanks dear.
Or it could be that, while I’m in the final throes of Lachlan’s Curse (should be subtitled – Why, oh, Why Isn’t This Book Done Yet?) I can’t summon any ideas other than those related to the book. I did take comfort in reading Chuck Wendig’s blog post – It Takes the Time it Takes. Thank you, sir. I needed that!
Instead, I will leave you with my thoughts in pictures.
I am so glad you’re back. Don’t make me wait another two years.
I miss you, O’Brien.
Got an ARC from Jess, can’t wait to dig in.
Can’t wait to meet you.
But you’re still my favorite Doctor.
And finally, when the heck is spring coming?!!
Magical Story Telling Cubes
Writers are often asked – “What inspires you?” In the past, I’ve shuddered at the question largely because, to non-writers, we seem to have some kind of magical powers. That the universe has blessed us with a special gift that enables us to come up with more ideas than everyone else.
Well, surprise. We don’t have magic powers or a special gift from the gods. Most of the writers I know don’t suffer from a lack of ideas. In fact, we often have too many ideas zipping around in our heads. Why is that? I’ll get to that in a second.
For me, I have loads of ideas for stories. Tons of them. Sadly, most will never see the light of day. There isn’t enough time to fully explore them all. And not all of the ideas are good ones. So, the stories that do get written are the ones that stay with me. The ones where the characters rap me on the noggin’ and say, “Tell my story. Or else.”
So back to the earlier question – why do writers seem more inspired than the average bear?
Here’s my theory – everyone, and I do mean, everyone, has ideas all the time. Most people are afflicted with “adulthood.” They’ve repressed their childlike sense of wonder. There are too many reasons to list why this happens (life happens: family, kids, work, or they have loads of doubt or maybe they don’t care – take your pick).
One of the things I had to learn was to not ignore ideas. To seize them no matter how crazy they sounded. To not over-think them or talk myself out pursuing the idea. Hey, it’s okay to let your imagination run herd. Just do it!!
With that said, while I have no problem with coming up with an overall plot, I can get stumped with actual circumstance (i.e. scenes). And I’m always worried that I might repeat myself and rehash the same ideas over and over. And, really, who wants to do that? Not me!
Then one day, Chuck Wendig (Terrible Minds) ran a blog post about Christmas gifts for writers. One of the gifts was Rory’s Story Cubes. Designed to be a game for kids, it’s basically a set of dice with pictures. You roll them, then make up a story. And the best part, anyone can play. Anyone (yes, even us jaded adults).
How fun does that sound??
I think it sounded pretty cool. So when I happened upon a set in Newbury Comics, I ponied up the $9.99 and brought them home. And if you don’t want to have physical dice, yes, there’s an app for that. Rory’s and other story dice apps are available at iTunes, Amazon and Google Play (just search under – story dice).
My plan is to use them whenever I find myself trying to spice up a scene or re-work a plot point. So, while writers don’t invoke magic powers, we can roll story dice and see what comes up.
Who wants to play?
I’m rolling four dice . . . and go! Tell a story that connects each dice, starting with Once Upon a Time or In a Land Faraway or whatever floats your boat. . .
(In case you can’t see the images – frowny face, bridge over water, sheep, alien).
Have fun!
Thoughts on Having Super Powers
So this past weekend, while eagerly awaiting Downton Abbey to begin, I saw the obligatory Viking River Cruises advertisement (that PBS airs before the show) and it got me thinking about travel. Where would I like to go? What would I visit first?
And hey, wouldn’t it be cool to be able to speak the local language? Which led to a different line of thought about having super powers. Like the kind in comic books, not the more serious, real world issue of global super power nations. Sorry, this isn’t that kind of post.
Anyway, while I like the idea of adventure, I’m also a total wimp. Hence the thought about super powers. I know this is totally nerdy, but if I could have a super power (and I have given this a lot of thought over the years – yes, it’s true), I’d want to understand every language in the universe. Not just hear it, but be a fluent speaker, read it, write it, and understand all the local customs too.
Yes, that probably takes the fun out of visiting new locales, but I can’t help it. It’s the anthropology major in me to want to understand a culture not just muddle around lost.
What? Too nerdy? I don’t care. Other people can have flying or x-ray vision.
How about you? Take the poll and share your views.
Friday Favorites – 5 Film Adaptations That Don’t Suck
While I’m STILL finishing Lachlan’s Curse, I thought I’d share some of my favorite book/movie adaptations. In all cases, I’ve read the books and seen the movies. This is by no means my only favorites nor are they necessarily blockbusters (i.e. JK Rowling, Jane Austen or Tolkien).
If you’ve never read the books or seen the movies, give these a try.
1. The 13th Warrior – based on the book – Eaters of the Dead by Michael Crichton. Not for the faint of heart if you don’t like warrior violence but the payoff in the end is spectacular. This movie was highly rated at the time it came out and yet didn’t really spark at the box office. The director, John McTiernan has publicly stated the theatrical version was not what he wanted. I say – whatever!! It’s still a fun action flick loosely based on Crichton’s book (which is a take-off of Beowulf). The final battle sequence has the best “speech” I’ve ever seen. Obviously, I favor the movie version.
2. The Namesake – book by Jhumpa Lahiri. Both the book and film offer an honest glimpse into family life and what it’s like to grow up in two different cultures (American vs. Indian). Don’t miss this one if you enjoy quiet stories about families and want to learn more about a different culture.
3. Stardust – book by Neil Gaiman. Set in the fantasy world, a love-struck hero embarks on a mission to locate a shooting star hoping to impress a girl. Instead, he tangles with witches, flying pirates, vengeful princes and a falling star with a mind of her own. I’d argue that the movie version is actually better than the book. The ending is a million times more logical and the cast knocks it out of the park. If you’ve read the book, then you know what I mean.
4. The Prestige – book by Christopher Priest. Wow. The movie’s story (about a grudge match between two magicians) is a head rush and really not much like the book at all. Again, another situation where I think the film ending was better (and more coherent). This is also a film where you should watch it more than once to get all the nuances. (Also starring the hunktastic Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale!).
5. Little Women (1994 version) – Okay, I know there are other theatrical versions, but this is my personal favorite. I love the cast, the setting, well, everything about this movie. While it is not an exact adaptation of the book, it still rocks the story of Jo March and her sisters (and a young, handsome Christian Bale doesn’t hurt).
So there you have it. Back to writing I go!
Casey’s Pasta Fagioli
I don’t have a lot of time today – book to finish and all that – so I decided to share a family recipe – Pasta Fagioli. Italian for “beans and pasta”, this dish is great on a cold winter night. Contrary to what The Olive Garden restaurant servers tell customers – Pasta Fagioli is NOT Italian chili. Traditionally, there’s no meat in this dish!!
This recipe can be doubled (use 2 bags of beans and 2 cans diced tomatoes) or even halved. I have to double it because Older Son
devours it.
I don’t soak the beans for hours ahead. It’s not necessary. You can if you want, but I don’t bother.
Ingredients:
1 bag white beans (I use navy beans or whatever small white beans my grocery store carries). Remember to check for small stones.
4 or 5 cloves of garlic (or to taste)
3 or 4 celery stalks cut in large chunks (0r to taste)
1 – 14 oz can diced Italian seasoned diced tomatos
1 – 14 oz can of tomato sauce (NOT jar sauce)
1 lb box of ditalini
Water
Olive oil, salt and pepper
Prepare as follows:
1. Dump the beans, tomatoes, sauce, celery, and garlic into a large sauce pot. (I toss in whole, peeled cloves because I don’t like it and it makes it easier to pick out!)
2. Fill pot with water until near the top. Heat to a boil.
3. Cover and simmer on low heat for 2 – 3 hours or until beans are soft.
4. At this point, I add half the box of pasta (save the rest for something else). Watch the water level so the pasta doesn’t suck all the water out of the soup. Add more if needed. If you want to cook the whole box, do it in a separate pot.
5. Final step – pour in a glurg or two (that’s a technical term) of Olive oil and then add salt and pepper to taste. I follow my Grandmother’s advice, adding oil too soon will make the beans tough. I don’t know if that’s true but boiling for hours doesn’t do the oil any favors.
Serve warm with crusty bread. Yummy.
Leftover can be re-heated, if you added pasta in step 4, then you will need to add more water and/or tomato sauce.
I am not Procrastinating – Much!
I am on the final leg of Lachlan’s Curse and I can’t seem to stop procrastinating!
You may have noticed, the blog’s new look. The result of last Sunday’s bout of avoidance. Hey, at least the blog has a new, cool post slider! I’ve been wanting to figure that out for ages.
Older son, knowing me so well, wanted to share this all with you. It’s pretty damn funny. Sadly, I recognize myself in here! I bet you can relate too.
Casey Wyatt 