Monday evening I sat down to watch Water for Elephants, a period drama with strong romantic elements.
Wiki said it was a romance, but really it wasn't, fyi.
Anyway, I sat down to watch, not that excited to do it because I wanted to be writing. But I'd made a commitment on another social media platform to watch one movie a week and talk about it, so I sorta had to. Plus, I know it's good for me as a person to just relax and good for me as a writer to refill my creative well with other things and also to see how other people tell stories, whether they be told goodly or badly, and learn from them.
So...
Oh. My. Goodness. I loved this movie! I was on tenterhooks throughout the film, sorta knowing what was coming at one point but not how or when. And when it came, I cheered out loud.
Based on the book of the same name, Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen, (which I haven't read) it is the story of a young man on the verge of life when tragedy strikes and sends him down a completely different path. For a while anyway.
He ends up on a circus train and we follow his journey for a few months, I think, as he becomes a part of this world.
The bulk of the story takes place in 1931, book-ended in modern day when an old man is left at a circus. The proprietor takes the old man in to try and call the nursing home he lives at, but they end up talking. The old man then shares his story of the events leading up to a particular incident of circus lore.
I think I'm going to read the book now.
Have you seen this movie? What did you think?
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Monday, May 7, 2012
So far, so good!
The Jazz Festival on Saturday was a success. The selling of concessions was much easier than I anticipated--got to sit on my butt most of the time. I also kept the band director's mom company, or she kept me company, I don't know which. She's a sweet old lady (89, I think), but she suffered a stroke a couple of years ago, so she can be difficult to understand sometimes.
Yesterday truly began the new round of eating right. I bought a scale and a Britta water filter though I drink straight out of the tap. I'm hoping my family will drink more water too. (Also, I'm having friends over in June and I know tap water has a taste and as I'm used to mime, it tastes fine to me. But when I go to a CPs house, her water tastes nasty to me. So...)
Nothing but water and hot tea to drink, but I've given up the sugar. Ahhhhhh! I know. I LOVE sugar, but it's got to go. Also, the carbs are gone again. Except for my daily lunch of beans and broccoli slaw. We'll see how it goes. Depending on my rate of loss, I may give those up after a month. But lots of protein and veggies.
The goal: three pounds a week for the next 8 weeks. That's twenty-four pounds by June 29th--the day I meet some online friends face to face. I don't want to be a chunky chicken. Plus I just need to be healthy. This event just gives me some good motivation.
On the writing front, I'm proceeding along. I've earned my May charm with two weeks to spare. Ooh-rah! I got back into revising book one this morning. I've had trouble with this book from the get go. Not really from a plot perspective per se, but from the heroine's perspective of the plot. I've had a hard time figuring out why scenes from her perspective are the hardest to write. I've figured out that she's too wishy washy.
Not that she doesn't know what she wants, but she lets others (one certain other) sway her. Then I read a blog this morning about knowing the character's emotion for that scene. All of us are swayed by how we feel on any given day. When we're happy the day goes well, when we're not, the day is harder. Same for the characters. I think this is going to help me some. But unfortunately I think there's going to be more re-writing on this book in my future. Ah, well. It's all a journey.
Time to get to work. Talk to you Wednesday!
Yesterday truly began the new round of eating right. I bought a scale and a Britta water filter though I drink straight out of the tap. I'm hoping my family will drink more water too. (Also, I'm having friends over in June and I know tap water has a taste and as I'm used to mime, it tastes fine to me. But when I go to a CPs house, her water tastes nasty to me. So...)
Nothing but water and hot tea to drink, but I've given up the sugar. Ahhhhhh! I know. I LOVE sugar, but it's got to go. Also, the carbs are gone again. Except for my daily lunch of beans and broccoli slaw. We'll see how it goes. Depending on my rate of loss, I may give those up after a month. But lots of protein and veggies.
The goal: three pounds a week for the next 8 weeks. That's twenty-four pounds by June 29th--the day I meet some online friends face to face. I don't want to be a chunky chicken. Plus I just need to be healthy. This event just gives me some good motivation.
On the writing front, I'm proceeding along. I've earned my May charm with two weeks to spare. Ooh-rah! I got back into revising book one this morning. I've had trouble with this book from the get go. Not really from a plot perspective per se, but from the heroine's perspective of the plot. I've had a hard time figuring out why scenes from her perspective are the hardest to write. I've figured out that she's too wishy washy.
Not that she doesn't know what she wants, but she lets others (one certain other) sway her. Then I read a blog this morning about knowing the character's emotion for that scene. All of us are swayed by how we feel on any given day. When we're happy the day goes well, when we're not, the day is harder. Same for the characters. I think this is going to help me some. But unfortunately I think there's going to be more re-writing on this book in my future. Ah, well. It's all a journey.
Time to get to work. Talk to you Wednesday!
Friday, May 4, 2012
The faster I go, the behinder I get...
So it's Friday and tomorrow's long day selling concessions for the jazz festival looms. It'll definitely be easier than selling concessions at the stadium, though, so no real complaints.
My weekly word count was reached last night as I knew I wasn't going to be able to write tomorrow. I still have daily counts though tomorrow's is covered, so I'm still going to try and get today's word count written even though I don't really need it for the overall weekly count.
I have a story (well, part of it) I need to polish a bit for posting on another blog as part of an ongoing, post weekly series. Due Sunday. Hmmm....
A TV series called Storm Chasers that I found on Netflix sucked me in. I need to be caught up in TV like I need another hole in the head. Ah, well...
The band newsletter out the door yesterday, so one thing crossed off my to do list...
The TO DO list should be longer than it is. I best start a master list.
All righty then, time to get my TO DO list and my day started.
Have a super weekend.
My weekly word count was reached last night as I knew I wasn't going to be able to write tomorrow. I still have daily counts though tomorrow's is covered, so I'm still going to try and get today's word count written even though I don't really need it for the overall weekly count.
I have a story (well, part of it) I need to polish a bit for posting on another blog as part of an ongoing, post weekly series. Due Sunday. Hmmm....
A TV series called Storm Chasers that I found on Netflix sucked me in. I need to be caught up in TV like I need another hole in the head. Ah, well...
The band newsletter out the door yesterday, so one thing crossed off my to do list...
The TO DO list should be longer than it is. I best start a master list.
All righty then, time to get my TO DO list and my day started.
Have a super weekend.
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
And here we go...
Can I stop time right now? The month of May is going to be a busy whirlwind of a month, most of it revolving around band events with a handful of family events thrown in for good measure. My month looks like this:
05.05: Jazz Festival sponsored by Sonshine's band, I'm helping. All day.
05.10: Band Booster meeting
05.12: oldest nephew's graduation from college and subsequent induction into the USAF
05.13: Mother's Day and my birthday celebration
05.18: band award banquet
05.19: writers group and critique group meetings
05.22: spring band concert (which included booster meeting to vote on officers)
05.23: my youngest nephew's birthday
05.24: band trip, lasting 2 days and on which I'm going as a chaperone (eek)
05.27: my father-in-law's birthday
06.01: graduation for Sonshine's HS - he's not graduating, but the band plays Pomp and Circumstance
06.02: youngest nephew's graduation from high school
06.03: my momma's birthday
06.03: Cowboys Stadium event (and so it begins....)
And I have writing and revising to accomplish in between all that.
I'm feeling overwhelmed now that I've compiled this definitive list. Yikes.
Breathe, Jen, breathe. In. Out. Slowly. One day at a time and I'll get through it.
On that note, I have a couple of things I need to get done, so this is all you get today.
Happy HUMP day. See you Friday.
05.05: Jazz Festival sponsored by Sonshine's band, I'm helping. All day.
05.10: Band Booster meeting
05.12: oldest nephew's graduation from college and subsequent induction into the USAF
05.13: Mother's Day and my birthday celebration
05.18: band award banquet
05.19: writers group and critique group meetings
05.22: spring band concert (which included booster meeting to vote on officers)
05.23: my youngest nephew's birthday
05.24: band trip, lasting 2 days and on which I'm going as a chaperone (eek)
05.27: my father-in-law's birthday
06.01: graduation for Sonshine's HS - he's not graduating, but the band plays Pomp and Circumstance
06.02: youngest nephew's graduation from high school
06.03: my momma's birthday
06.03: Cowboys Stadium event (and so it begins....)
And I have writing and revising to accomplish in between all that.
I'm feeling overwhelmed now that I've compiled this definitive list. Yikes.
Breathe, Jen, breathe. In. Out. Slowly. One day at a time and I'll get through it.
On that note, I have a couple of things I need to get done, so this is all you get today.
Happy HUMP day. See you Friday.
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Bound by Trust
It's out! It's for sale as of today.
My CP, Lavender Daye's, first novel Bound by Trust is available from Siren Publishing/Bookstrand.
My CP, Lavender Daye's, first novel Bound by Trust is available from Siren Publishing/Bookstrand.
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