Thursday, April 3, 2008
Waning Moon
Saturn Retrograde
Pluto Retrograde
Sunny and cool
Now Pluto’s gone retrograde, too. Really hate it when Pluto and Saturn are Retrograde together. Saturn’s the planet of life lessons – when it goes retrograde, you get your ass kicked if you haven’t learned from the previous retrograde. When Pluto goes retrograde, what’s hidden is revealed – which is not always a bad thing, but if you haven’t cleaned up your life lessons act – well, you get the picture. Or, if you don’t, you will.
Ack!
Couldn’t post comments on most Blogger blogs yesterday. Blogger wouldn’t recognize me, not on Open ID or anything else. Oy. (I still live in NY – I’m allowed to say, “Oy.”)
Struggled with the essay. I’ve tried every psychological trick in the book to want to do it, and I’m just struggling. I read all the material and have serious problem with it, but I’m being paid to write something positive with which I disagree. It’s hardly an ethical violation, it’s simply trying to present a substantiated argument from a point of view I strongly oppose. It’s a good challenge. I got an extension on it, but I’m still struggling.
Too bad for me, eh?
And I’m not allowing myself to work on Old-Fashioned Detective Work until this essay is done. Wyatt is quite impatient with me. I keep reminding Wyatt he wasn’t even supposed to be there. First of all, Hex Breaker was meant to be a one-off. And Wyatt wasn’t even supposed to be in it. Jain Lazarus and Billy Root were supposed to be the protagonists. But then, Wyatt strolled in on page 12 or so and just took over the damn thing, became Jain’s partner, and, to be honest, made Hex Breaker a much better novella than it would have been without him. Then, he insisted on his own tale, which turned out to be Old Fashioned Detective Work, and poor Billy got pushed to the side again. But Billy gets the next story, and then there’s a fourth story, and then there will be the fifth big one, the one where they need to retrieve their antagonist Niall from the underworld because . . .well, you’ll just have to wait and read them all, won’t you? But every once in awhile, I try to remind Wyatt who’s the writer and creator here. And he just shrugs and keeps on doing what he does. He’s lucky I like him so much, or I’d just kill him off.
Went to acupuncture. Looked like a porcupine on the table. Lots o’needles – and I’m afraid of needles. But I felt so much better afterwards. Although, I was treated at a stress point and it worked so well, I kept falling asleep in the car coming back. First of all, I rarely sleep in moving vehicles (the plane ride to Australia was a nightmare). Secondly – good thing I wasn’t driving!
Tried to do some work when I got home, but they were still drilling. Urgh.
So I ate sushi and drank wine instead, waiting for them to go away.
I’ve repacked my writing bag about six times. I’m not taking any manuscript pages – I’m just trusting the flash drive. I AM taking way too many books, so I unpacked some of the clothes and put the books in the rolling suitcase. Now, I can at least lift the writing bag. But I’ve got the Sharon Shinn novels and the ARC for Confidential Job #1, and one of the mysteries I picked up in Iceland last spring, and a book on literary London, and a book on genetics and cloning and . . .you get the idea. Way too much.
But the more stressed I get, the more books I need around me.
In other words, I should be bunking in the Library of Congress right now.
I absolutely love Sharon Shinn’s MYSTIC AND RIDER. I really like her writing anyway, but this book really connects.
Ten pages on Script Frenzy this morning. It’s shaping up better than I hoped.
Back to the essay, then getting two loads of stuff to storage, then dealing with the door guys. Yes, folks, they’re putting in a new damn door and I get a new set of keys to lose just months before I move.
Devon
Script Frenzy – 38 pages out of 120 (31%)
Devon’s Bookstore:
5 in 10: Create 5 Short Stories in Ten Weeks by Devon Ellington. This ebooklet takes you from inspiration to writing to revision to marketing. By the end of ten weeks, you will have either 5 short stories or a good chunk of a novella complete. And it’s only 50 cents, USD. Here.
Writing Rituals: Ideas to Support Creativity by Cerridwen Iris Shea. This ebooklet contains several rituals to help you start writing, get you through writer’s block, and help send your work on its way. It’s only 39 cents USD. (Note: Cerridwen Iris Shea is one of the six names under which I publish). Here.
Full Circle: An Ars Concordia Anthology. Edited by Colin Galbraith. This is a collection of short stories, poems, and other pieces by a writers’ group of which I am a member. My story is “Pauvre Bob”, set at Arlington Race Track in Illinois. You can download it free here:
By Jenny Storm. A young girl fights to save her horse trainer father's reputation when vicious rumors could ruin their lives. Purchase from 
Hex Breaker by Devon Ellington. A Jain Lazarus Adventure. Hex Breaker Jain Lazarus joins the crew of a cursed film, teaming with tough, practical Detective Wyatt East on an adventure fighting zombies, ceremonial magicians, the town wife-beater, the messenger of the gods, and their own pasts.
Currently out of print. Stay tuned for re-release.
Visit the site for 
Try writing the essay from this approach – you need to find every single argument that person is going to make in a debate with you. Uncover them all. Present them in a very compelling manner. Then open a separate document and refute them all.
The Piscean nature needs a rational approach, I suspect. 
)
Do you use Mozy backup, Devon? It backs up your hard drive to an online space (free for the first 2 GB). Might want to see if you can use that as a storage space for when you travel. If the zip drive fails, you have that.
I was going to suggest something along the lines that Lori mentioned above.
Write what you disagree about with the essay and put a positive spin on the words.
Oh, but just think–once they get the damn door in, you don’t have to worry about it! Oh, but then the windows….UGH. They need to HURRY UP ALREADY!!!
I agree with the above. I feel it’s okay to be honest, as long as you wrap things up on a “positive” note.
Books always alleviate my stress too, Devon. They take me away from the chaos of every day life. :*)
I like the idea introduced to deal with the essay. It makes alot of sense. Although, it is more work, it may be worth it in the end.
Sorry to hear about the mess with a new door. Bleh!
I’ve always wondered about acupuncture, glad to know it really does work. But, like you I am scared of needles. (To the point of passing out.) So, I’ll have to pass. *g*
I hope you have a very good day! Hugs and Smiles to you.
I had acupuncture a few times when I was having “women” problems and to my amazement, it cleared it up. It was freaky the first time, though.
I cannot believe you are afraid of needles and you still get acupuncture! That is a bravery I will never possess. I am terrified of needles, and a feature last year had a scene where I was supposed to be getting acupuncture with a friend (like a dual appointment.) The director/writer thought it was hilarious that I was so afraid and asked if I would be willing to do the scene if she wrote my fear into the script. I agreed, and she captured my squeals of terror for posterity. I think the scene turned out really great, though.
Got caught up on your anniversary blog post and discovered you’re now on a series – hope it’s a good change of pace while you continue to write. Thanks for finding me over at missmakeamovie. I’m hoping Canada will continue to make edgy dramas and not a continuous stream of ‘Anne of Green Gables’. Which I loved, by the way – just not at the expense of ‘Juno’.