text:
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
A New Christmas Standard?
I wrote a little thingy this morning, and thought I'd share. You don't get any of my homemade Lebkuchen, so you'll have to settle for this. Merry Christmas!
Wintertime, sun is shining
Freezing cold, so we're whining
How can people survive
When it's just 65
It's an L.A. winter wonderland
Jacket's on, hands in mittens
Designer clothes, so nice fittin'
I bought a great tan
So glad I'm a man
In an L.A. winter wonderland
On the beaches surfers don their wet suits
Children building castles in the sand
Sun reveals a pretty blonde's dark roots
Male movie stars stroll hand in hand
Keep your snow, we don't want it
'less we went out and bought it
Feel like Eskimos
When the ocean breeze blows
In our L.A. winter wonderland
Friday, December 18, 2009
This Space Left Unintentionally Blank
So for all of my minions who wait anxiously for my next posting, sorry about not having anything today. For the rest of you, the normals ones who know what I'm saying, stay tuned. If something pops into my mind in the next few days, I might just blog out of turn.
And to all of you, have a GREAT Christmas week, the busiest, most hectic, most stressful, but also the most joyous, week of the year.
Monday, December 14, 2009
My NaNoWriMo Experience by Yamile Mendez
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
POV Experiments-- "Schooled" by Gordan Korman
"Capricorn (Cap) Anderson has never watched television. He's never tasted a pizza. Never even heard of a wedgie. Since he was little, his only experience has been living on a farm commune and being homeschooled by his hipped grandmother, Rain.
"But when Rain falls out of a tree while picking plums and has to stay in the hospital, Cap is forced ot move in with a guidance counselor and her cranky teen daughter, and attend the local middle school. While Cap knows a lot about tie-dyeing and Zen Buddhism, no education could prepare him for the politics of the public school.
"Right from the beginning, Cap's weirdness makes him a moving target at Claverage Middle School (dubbed C Average by the students). He has long, ungroomed hair; wears hemp clothes; and practices tai chi on the lawn...."
The first chapter is told from the perspective of Cap himself and you see what he's thinking and feeling as he takes care of his grandmother immediately after her fall. The second chapter is from the POV (point of view) of the guidance counselor who takes him in; the third from the school big man who targets Cap as the 8th grade whipping boy; the fourth from Cap again. Throughout the entire book, the POV shifts from person to person all the while centering around Cap and how the school views him and his antics. By the time you get to the climax point, you know Cap better than you might have if you had only ever saw him through his own eyes.
The more I read this book, the more drawn I became to all of the characters. It was like watching an exciting sports game and rotating spots every few minutes so I could get a different perspective on the action. I loved it! I will admit that I was disappointed by the ending. It seemed to cut short this well-woven story, like finishing off a rug with some staplers or duct tape! But I loved the idea of switching back and forth between the first person perspective for each charcter. Gordan Korman pulled it off really well.
So how can this apply to you? Do you have a spot in your story that seems to be stuck or be excessively ridgid? Try writing the scene through the eyes of another character, whether major or minor. Hopefully it will give you new insight as to what's going on in the scene in a more three dimensional way. If you are trying to decide how to construct a novel out of an idea in your head or scratched out on paper, consider a different approach to the POV.
And, of course, to read a good example of alternating POVs, pick up "Schooled" by Gordan Korman. I highly recommend it, despite the weird ending!
Monday, December 7, 2009
Tidbits from the Internet
Hi, folks. I'm sorry I won't be coming up with anything more creative today…I've had a day from you-know-where and it doesn't look to be getting better anytime soon. So I shall just give you a few links you can peruse at your leisure.
First, author Sarah Rees Brennan shared (back in August) a thoughtful post about fictional ladies.
Next, prolific writer Jennifer Crusie blogged about the important Turning Points in your story. (An awesome post…I really enjoyed it.)
Last but not least, married writers Scott Westerfeld and Justine Larbalestier have a month full of blog posts on writing tips (specifically for NaNoWriMo but certainly applicable to all writers!). I highly recommend them…they know what they're talking about. (See their November posts.)
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Where I live by Shauna Leggat
I live right by the Rodanthe House in Gere's movie, Nights in Rodanthe, and it was under water our last storm. Beautiful photos, though.
By the way, Nights in Rodanthe (Nicholas Sparks) was a terribly written book, and we were flooded for the movie premiere, so I never saw it! Was here through all the filming, though.
City & State Roll Call
Friday, December 4, 2009
BIG Blocks of Text or "How to overkill your book with prose"
For example: Most of the primary grade teachers were planning the usual art projects along with having the kids bring valentines to give to everyone in the class. Alicia Despain, who taught fifth grade, plus environmental science to anyone who would let her, argued that it was a terrible waste of paper to throw away all those valentines every year, but most of the primary-grade teachers defended the practice. "The kids like it," said one of our first grade teachers, and someone else added that it really helped the students with practicing their letters and their handwriting coordination.
There are times when it is safe to let the main character describe everything from his/her point of view (POV), but it tends to make the rest of the characters seem like lifeless talking heads. We are never able to hear what they have to say for themselves. You may want to create a dominant POV, but it is a fine line between dominant (primary) and domineering (tyrannical).
Dialogue is essential to break up the flow of your writing and to provide some variation in what you are saying. No one likes to pick up a book and find massive blocks of text and little white space-- especially when it's a child/teen picking up that book. White space is visually appealing and less intimidating than BIG blocks of description, no matter how beautifully or cleverly writtent that description might be.
Finding a balance between dialogue and description is one that every author must create for themselves. I know great authors who struggle with description and end up adding it in through the final editing process to break up their scenes. Authors like myself are exactly the opposite. When I'm editing, I have to add in description to "fluff" out my scenes. The balance line between the two is different for every author and, I believe, for every story.
Now for some homework. If you want a description-heavy book, try anything by James Michener. He'll show what thorough description is, plus he may help you fall asleep at night! ;o) If you want a book with ALL dialogue, pick up "This is What I did" by Ann Dee Ellis. Her book is a remarkable example of a book with NO prose. Everything is a thought or statement by the main character or his friends/family.
Find your own balance. If you are not so good with description, then write a scene that is entirely dialogue with an occasional "he said sourly" or "she said tearfully" so you can keep track of who is speaking. If you are great with dialogue but are weak in the description department, then try writing a scene where two characters are interacting with each other but no one says anything involving " " " ".
Experiment. You may find you're the next James Michener or you may find your characters can pack a punch in what they say. You never know until you try.
Dialogue vs Description
A recent thread on the Utah Childrens Writers mailing list touched on preferences between dialogue and description. Like the title of this post, the discussion was framed as if it's an either/or question. It's not, of course. Both are necessary.
However, some people go description-crazy. When I look at a book and see nothing but a solid mass of gray text, I assume the following:
* The book has a lot of description, which is almost always telling, not showing, no matter how good the descriptions are.
* The pace is slow.
* I'll get tired reading it because it'll be kind of thick and heavy.
* Focus is on plot or theme, not character.
On the other hand, if I see a lot of white space mixed in, it's a sure sign there will be plenty of dialogue. And so I assume the following:
* The book will pull me into the scenes by showing me the interaction between the characters.
* The pace is faster.
* My eyes will get less tired because there's white space and there are more breaks.
* Focus is on characters.
Three guesses which book I'm most likely to buy.
To be sure, there is such a thing as too much dialogue. Some non-spoken prose is necessary. A good writer strikes the right balance between descriptive text and dialogue, controlling the pacing and action like a conductor controls an orchestra.
Some people struggle with dialogue. It's not that hard to copy the way people talk, but good dialogue does much more than that. Good dialogue is action. It moves the story forward. Like any good fiction, it is driven by conflict and heightens the tension.
And here's the thing: good dialogue often includes lively description. I don't mean it is expository, like:
"Hi, Joan. That's a nice blue sweater."
"Thank ya, John. I bought it at Sweatuh Emporium foah $100. Ya know ah don't have a lotta money, so it was moah than I could affoahd. But I lak it."
I mean something more like:
"Nice sweater," John said. Joan never did look good in blue. Blue washed out her pale face and clashed with the phony purply-red of her hair.
"You know Sweater Emporium has always been my personal Disneyland," Joan said without looking at him.
Probably cost more than a book of E-Tickets. She obviously hadn't gotten any better at controlling her spending. Maybe if she had, they might have had a chance. Whatever it cost, it wasn't worth it.
"Yeah, well, it's nice," he said.
There's a lot more that can be said about dialogue, and I suspect that you'll read more about it here soon. You might also want to check out Dialogue by Gloria Kempton, from the Writer's Digest Books "Write Great Fiction" series.
Monday, November 30, 2009
On the Other Side
What a wonderful feeling to "win."
I have learned something valuable this month, something that is worth more to me than the certificate that I am eager to print and put on my wall! And that is: you can write. No matter what is going on around you, if you want to write, the only thing that can stop you is you. I remember reading someone's comment about learning how to write while cooking dinner or while children were fighting, and I thought 'I need to know how to do that.' That has been the biggest success of this month. I can write. I can write while the toddler is emptying my kitchen cupboards; I can write while I am waiting to take the kids to school; I can write whenever I have a free moment. I can write now and not wait till later--some mythical day--when all will be calm and I will have plenty of free time.
What a freeing thought. After wasting these past two years by not writing and inventing lots of excuses as to why I couldn't write, I'm thrilled to say that I can write and I will.
And I'm so excited for next year's NaNoWriMo! It's on my calendar!
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
I put instructions on here how to mail a Christmas card to a recovering soldier, but I later found out the instructions weren't entirely accurate (thanks, Snopes!) so I deleted it. Only after that did I realize that somehow the title of the post got cut off too.
Top Ten Reasons Your Man is Better Than Edward or Jacob
My good friend sent me this list, written by the spouse of a friend (Micah Shirts). Enjoy!
Top Ten Reasons I'm Better Than Edward
10. You think MY feet are cold at night?
9. Insurance. Health: Honestly, who insures an immortal? Life: No chance you outlive him. Car: My rates go down with age. Edward is paying teenage premiums f-o-r-e-v-e-r.
8. Inferiority. No chance can you out-do Edward. With me, you have a slight, okay possible, okay good, okay winning chance.
7. I bring sunlight into your life.
6. Sure it's a farmer's tan/burn, but at least it's some color.
5. You know how hard it is to get out a blood stain.
4. Do you really want to be married to someone who is "stuck in high school"?
3. No chance our dinner guests ever actually become dinner for me.
2. We can grow old together, not just you getting old (I realize that Bella becomes a vampire but that's a technicality and do you really want to go from eating chocolate ice cream and cheese fries to blood?)
1. I'm pretty sure most people would agree that I'm better looking.
Top Ten Reasons I'm Better Than Jacob
10. I don't require a pet deposit.
9. Rabies: Don't forget what happened to Old Yeller.
8. Have you ever smelled a wet dog?
7. I'm more cuddly (i.e. less muscular).
6. You think I eat a lot...
5. I clean myself with a shower.
4. Two words: Dog Breath.
3. Temper, temper, temper.
2. My back is only slightly hairy.
1. I won't distract you from Edward.
2. I'm p
Friday, November 20, 2009
The Writer's Journal
I have a confession to make: I'm a terrible journal keeper. I've tried keeping a journal, but it always either fades away to nothing or I get bored writing about my life and start making stuff up and then it fades away to nothing. I'm told that keeping a journal is important and that my great-great grandchildren will love learning everything about me. But let's face it, journals almost never tell the truth because we're afraid somebody might actually read it someday, and that makes us selective about what we say.
But there's one kind of journal that I actually find useful and interesting: a writing journal. I'm still not good at keeping one, but when I do, it's helpful and, I think, something that somebody might someday enjoy reading. And if they don't, so what--it still does me some good.
I discovered the value of a writing journal several years ago when I picked up a book called Working Days, John Steinbeck's journal that he kept while working on The Grapes of Wrath. Looking over the shoulder of a favorite writer as he works is fascinating and inspiring. Watching a prose master go through exactly what we unknowns go through is encouraging.
Steinbeck started Grapes with a flurry of excitement. He had just finished and destroyed another novel about the terrible things that migrant farm workers were going through. Once he had worked out the anger and the heavy politicizing, he was ready to write something he believed would be important, the book of a lifetime. He set a tough schedule for himself, one to two thousand words a day, six days a week, and decided to keep a working journal that would hold him accountable for keeping to that schedule. If he didn't write, his journal would show it.
For the first several chapters, things went swimmingly. Sure he had pressures that might writing tough, and all kinds of distractions, from his neighbor's radio to his own hangovers, to the huge distraction of buying a new house and moving, largely to get away from that blasted radio so he could work.
Then he got to the middle, and like us much lesser writer, was suddenly overwhelmed with doubts. "This work is no good," he wrote. He was wasting his time. He wasn't a good enough writer to tackle his subject. Health issues, a constant stream of visitors, and his own doubts threatened to kill the book. But he was a stubborn man, and kept to his schedule, writing every day whether he wanted to or not, whether he thought it was good or not. He had a goal to write every day, and wouldn't make his predicted word count target in the time he planned if he missed his work. He had set a deadline for himself, and nothing was going to make him miss it, even if he had to tell friends they couldn't visit because he was working.
When I read that, I was just starting a new project, so I decided to try the journal for myself. Immediately, the benefits became clear. Like Steinbeck, I made myself accountable to my journal. If I didn't write, it showed in the journal. Taking a cue from my old track & field days, I started every entry with a warm up, and ended every session with a cool down.
Here, as an example, is one of my entries, chosen more or less at random:
April 11, 2005 9:18 AM
Warm Up:
The first paragraph of Chapter 11 needs to be completely rewritten. When I first wrote that chapter, it wasn't a very good writing day. I was struggling to get the words out, but I was determined to do it anyway. I used the first paragraph as a warm-up, even writing it in present tense, like a synopsis. It got the mind going and I was able to finish the chapter, but now I need to redo that first paragraph so the chapter is complete. I have a few minutes to spare this morning, and it shouldn't take long, definitely less time than a whole new chapter (which I also wish I had time for, now that I'm approaching the end of the first draft.
Cool Down: 10:15
There. I fixed that paragraph and turned it into a little more than a page. I also fixed some other minor problems in that chapter. I need to decide what to do with Miss Stern's "boyfriend." At first I thought he'd be the new cook, but I don't think that's the right role for him. I need to write him into the story more, though, now that he's been introduced. He and Stern could make a good team of comic villains. I think they should be a little over-the-top, and should unintentionally say things that make them sound stupid and funny.
I did that, day after day, and became converted to journaling as a writer. And then I went to Europe for three months on business, and another three weeks of vacation. I kept up my regime for a while, but the journal didn't last as long as my writing schedule because it was replaced with an on-line travel journal to keep my friends and family back home apprised on what I was doing in Germany.
I never quite got the journal going again. I'd use it in spurts over the next couple years, but not regularly, and my writing schedule suffered. The actual writing was also hurt by not having the warm up and cool down, or a place to record my thoughts about what I was going to work on next or to work through problems I was having. I was no longer accountable to the journal, and then, when I became involuntarily self-employed and had to work long hours to make ends meet, my writing habits tanked.
In attempt to get back to good writing habits, I'm reading Steinbeck's journal again, and it's increasing my itch to write. Once I get through a couple of work things and have a little time again, I'm going to get going again.
And the journal will be a part of it.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Books I Loved: The Dreamhunter Duet
I love finding new books to read…whether it's from a library display, a blog, a friend or family member, or an author recommendation.
A couple of months ago a well-known author recommended Dreamhunter: Book One of the Dreamhunter Duet by New Zealand author Elizabeth Knox. It sounded interesting, and I've enjoyed other things this author loved, so I ordered it from the library.
Wow. I don't know what I'd expected, but it was unlike anything I'd ever read before. Dreamhunter is set in an island-like country much like Australia at the turn of the 20th century, but with one big difference: in the last 20 years, a whole new culture of "dreamhunting" has sprung up after the now-famous Tziga Hame stumbled quite by accident into what is now known as "The Place."
The Place is an arid, grey land that only a privileged few can access. Everyone else walks right across the borders and just continues travelling in the regular green, lush countryside. But to those few—who are allowed to see if they can enter this Place in an official "Try" when they turn 15—they have the chance of becoming dreamhunters. If they succeed in catching dreams, they take those dreams back out of The Place and "perform" the dreams for an audience…by going to sleep and taking the audience with them into the dream.
Laura Hame, Tziga's 15-year-old daughter, and her cousin Rose are eager for their "Try" to see if they can become famous dreamhunters like Rose's mother, Grace, and Laura's father. But their Try is only the start of a bizarre, quirky, mysterious, and dangerous journey that has unexpected twists and turns every step of the way.
Book 2—Dreamquake—was just as good, and I devoured it just as quickly. A particular favorite of mine was the strange song "The Measures," the clever wordplay surrounding this song, and the character Nown.
Where do the dreams come from? What part do convicts play in them? What does the repressive government have to do with the dreams? And most of all, what is The Place and why did it suddenly appear 20 years ago?
As the answers to these questions are revealed, things speed up more and more and the final few chapters are un-put-down-able. These books are strange and slow-moving at times (especially at the beginning), and the author writes in such a way that the characters seem a bit distant and removed, but this may be entirely intentional because it lends a really dreamlike quality to the whole story.
I finished these books three weeks ago but the story has stayed with me ever since, to the point that I wish I could track down the author and ask her some questions about the ending. The mystery of The Place was not one I could guess and I was truly surprised at the things Laura discovered on her journey to understanding.
All in all, a really good read…and a very different and thought-provoking story.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Twilight Envy
Though I don't have any desire whatsoever to write about vampires and werewolves, I have caught myself imagining what I would do or say if I were on Oprah. Or Larry King Live. What would I wear? Would be funny and smart? Would I inspire thousands of more people to buy my books and adore me? Would it forever change me as a person or just me as a writer?
And would I really want that? These are tough questions to answer. But at least for a moment you can feel okay with the fact that you too have envied the success of Stephanie Meyer.
And for me, that's okay, welcome to the club!
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
To Kindle or Not to Kindle: Is B&N's Nook Device Going to Take Over the Market?
Before I start in on what I learned about the Nook, I have to admit that when Amazon announced the Kindle a few years back I wasn't jumping up and down. I'm definitely the type of person that loves to have a hard copy of a book in my hands. I love the smell of a new book and the feel of the crisp pages. I love to be able to take it anywhere (the beach, the couch, and yes, even some other places where you just need a private moment). So I reserved judgement on the Kindle until I've observed its progress and sales. A member of my writers' critique group bought one and love it, but it was still not enough. I mean, $259? Think how many books I could buy with that money! Anyway, the Kindle was black and white and a little ugly compared to other electronic devices like the iphone.
So imagine my delight at seeing the beautiful Nook--its got two color touch-screens, wi-fi, a 3G network, and its the same price as a Kindle. Additionally, it supports the ebook format (Kindle only supports Kindle files and pdf) and allows you to lend a book you've purchased to a friend for up to 14 days. You can walk into any Barnes & Noble and try one out. They've announced that over one million titles will be available for purchase on the Nook, plus free newspaper subscriptions and 17,000 free titles.
It's still a little pricey, but as with any new technology, the price will go down eventually. Barnes & Noble will start shipping them at the end of November.
The remaining fun question is this--how will the Nook impact the publishing marketplace? Since current top titles sell for around $10 per download, hopefully the ebook market will boost author and publisher profits dramatically. At virtually no cost to the publisher, ebooks are a cash cow. Authors should get a higher percentage of sales (at least 15%) while publishers still make out like bandits. So buy a Nook for your significant other, your parents or just for yourself this holiday season and give the publishing industry a much needed boost.
Tiffany Dominguez
Freelance Writer, Young Adult Fiction
Friday, November 6, 2009
Experimenting with Twitter
I once entered a contest where each participant had to write a complete story in the space of a single Twitter tweet. Throughout the month of October, I expanded on this idea by carrying out a little experiment: I wrote a little Halloween story one 140-character piece per day. Or that was the idea, anyway.
The results were mixed. The biggest problem was that, since these were such small chunks and were so fast to write, I tended to forget about it. There were several days where I had to play catch-up and write two or three episodes at once, which, in a way, defeats the purpose. I also hadn't thought out the story, so it wasn't up there with my best work.
But, it was worth doing. Just the exercise of having to write something that made sense and moved the story forward in such a little space provided useful practice for keeping my prose simple and choosing the right words. I had to really pay attention to my nouns and verbs because I had no space for adjectives and adverbs. The writing had to be tight, even if it wasn't necessarily great.
If you sometimes struggle when you try to say a lot with a little, you might try something like this for practice. Or you might just do it for fun. Either way, you'll learn something, either that writing tight is difficult or that Twitter is a stoopid place to try to write a story. And, hopefully, in the process you'll have a little fun.
I look forward to carving jack-o-lanterns every year for one main reason: it's a fun way to get at the delicious pumpkin seeds. This year I roasted them a little differently than usual and really liked the results, so I thought I'd share for those of you who still have pumpkins sitting around your porches.
Fresh pumpkins
Preheat 300-degree oven.
Remove the seeds from the pumpkin and let them soak for a little while in water, then rinse them in a colander to remove as much pulp and strings as you can. You can leave a little for more flavor.
Soak seeds in salty water. I like mine salty, so I use a lot of salt in the water. Overnight is great, but an hour or two works. Drain seeds, but don't rinse.
Melt about a tablespoon of butter (or slightly less) and mix in enough seeds for one batch on a cookie sheet until all seeds are coated.
Arrange seeds in a single layer (very important) on the cookie sheet and put in oven.
Bake about 45 minutes until golden brown, stirring at least once.
Repeat until all your seeds are toasted.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
I've been on a writing break. I haven't written fiction for a year at least. Last year I had high expectations of making progress on my second novel, but when my first novel returned with another rejection, the wind blew out of all my sails. I wrote on my blog, I wrote emails, I wrote letters, but I didn't once write fiction. I composed it in my head and I thought a lot about it, but I never once wrote.
I often wondered what it would take to get me to break the cords of non-writing that I had bound myself with. I could never figure out the answer to it. I had no idea and couldn't seem to muster the strength to force myself to do it.
It rather shocks me that I finally decided to participate in National Writing Month. But it's been amazing so far (in the four days). It was the kick in the butt that I desperately needed. The story I'm writing is one I've thought about for years. I'm trying my best to not worry about the writing or transitions and I have no idea where the story is going-- though I will admit that I just included a death and figured out what to do with Elaine later in the story.
Ha! Isn't that the amazing part of being a writer?! We hear these voices in our heads and they tell us who they will or will not under any circumstance be. It's fantastic! I've forgotten how much I loved the thrill of creation, of losing myself in another world and being surprised at the discoveries I make about my characters. I love it!
So if all you do today is write down a title or jot down an idea. Or if you only managed 54 words out of that goal of 8,000 then remember how much richer you are for doing it. Creating words builds us as writers.
Build on, my friends, build on. And thank you for letting me share!
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Monday, November 2, 2009
At the Edge
"To NaNoWriMo? Or not?"
Can I do it? Can I commit? There's no halfway fulfillment for me. It's all or nothing. If I start, do I have what it takes to finish? Can I see myself on December 1 being proud or feeling like a failure? Is it time for me learn that writing CAN happen outside of a nicely lit, well conditioned/heated environment with mood music playing, a cup of water, and a quiet house? Can I prove to myself that I can write when I want to no matter what chaos is happening around me?
There's always chaos now. I suppose it's largely futile for me to think I'll wait for the chaos to pass before I start really writing again. I think those days of chaos-less-ness are over.
But can I do it? I always come back to this question? Can I write a novel in a month? Heck, can I write everyday? There's the starting line. Can I write? Can I do it even if I never actually got around to reading up on it and doing the research I thought I should? I mean really, how hard can it be to know what to do? It's not about what's required/recommended by the program.
It's all about what's required of me.
Can I do it?
Can I?
At the edge, am I ready to jump? Or am I going to talk myself back down to the safe ledge where I've been hiding for a year, throwing out blog posts and other small writings in an attempt to make myself not feel like a total writing slacker.
Is it time?
Sorry, not great realization here. Just still wondering. But today's the day. Today I commit and write, or I don't.
And I'm still not ready to decide. . . . .
Friday, October 30, 2009
NaNoWriMo by Sydney Salter
NaNoWriMo to the Rescue!
When I attempted my first NaNoWriMo , I had already written three novel manuscripts. And I'd collected more than 10 times as many rejections. Two of my novels had won first prizes in the League of Utah Arts contest and the other one won first place in the Utah Arts Council competition, but I couldn't break in to publishing.
I received lovely rejection letters. Sometimes. Most often I got a "Dear Author" form letter back in my SASE or worse, nothing at all.
I was feeling pretty discouraged that October: short dark days, too many rejections, not nearly enough chocolate. So I decided to shake things up NaNoWriMo-style!
After reading through my old high school diaries, I decided to combine my worst insecurity—my big nose—with my most disastrous work experience. I had wrecked a delivery van and a wedding cake on the same day, but in equally unfortunate separate incidents.
By November 1st, I had read No Plot, No Problem, created a notebook for the novel, and was ready to go. Some people thought I was crazy and others mocked the entire concept of NaNoWriMo. But I learned that I could write without rules or routines. I used to only write in ideal conditions: quiet house, children away, mid-morning hours, when my hair looked good… Well, you get the idea.
During that November, I learned that I could write with my kids fighting over my shoulder. I could get my 1,666 words written while baking six Thanksgiving pies. I wrote early in the morning, late at night, and on really, truly terrible hair days. Some days were easier than others, but when I finished the book I couldn't tell the difference. And the book turned out pretty good. Sure it needed revision (everything does, right?). But the voice was strong and consistent because I never left the story for more than several hours.
I let the novel rest over Christmas, my critique group read it, and I spent a few months on revision. Recognizing that this was my most commercial novel, I submitted it only to agents. I got the nicest rejection letters I'd ever received. One agent even recommended me to another agency. That's how I found my current agent. My Big Nose And Other Natural Disasters sold in a two-book deal to Harcourt and was published last spring. How did I write that second book? During NaNoWriMo of course! You can find Swoon At Your Own Risk on the shelves next April.
Now go write your story and break all your unhelpful writing rules and rituals! You never know where it will lead you…
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Do Good Books Ruin Your Enjoyment of Bad Books?
I've seen a good many books recently rise to or debut on the NY Times Bestseller list that have not received good reviews. I've also read multiple news articles on how the flop of these "bestsellers" is affecting the publishing industry. For example, the last Harry Potter book sold 8.3 million copies on just 24 hours. One of the biggest titles released these past few months sold a mere 1.2 million copies in one week.
Is the reason these books sales are tanking too much advance hype? Or are people looking for something different in literature these days?
I recently finished what I consider to be a masterpiece of literature (I don't mind naming it—The Guernsey Literary and Potato Pie Peel Society). In contrast, I also finished a book by a NY Times Bestselling author. The difference in how I felt as I read these books was marked. The Guernsey book had well-developed, fascinating and enjoyable characters. The authors were able to approach the delicate topic of Nazi occupation during WWII with, oddly enough, hope and humanity. My book club read this book, no one ranking it below a 9 out of 10 (and we are tough critics, believe me). The book I picked up next was supposedly young adult, but contained so many adult themes that I wondered there wasn't a parental advisory sticker on the cover. How have books such as these risen to NY Times Bestselling status when the gems of literature don't get enough marketing dollars?
Perhaps editors are pushing authors to produce the next bestseller too quickly, or perhaps they are backing the wrong horse. Or perhaps we as readers want more out of literature, having been spoiled by the true works of art.
Tiffany Dominguez
Freelance Writer, Young Adult Fiction
Friday, October 23, 2009
NaNoWriMo by Yamile Mendez
Thursday, October 22, 2009
NaNoWriMo by Taffy Lovell
by Taffy Lovell
Monday, October 19, 2009
Ten Commandments for a Happy Writer
Nathan Bransford, literary agent for Curtis Brown Ltd., posted the following on his site a few months ago. You may have already seen it back in March but it's really good advice and worth a re-read. Visit his site for the full list and explanations.
Ten Commandments for the Happy Writer
1. Enjoy the present
Writers are dreamers, and dreamers tend to daydream about the future while concocting wildly optimistic scenarios that involve bestsellerdom, riches, and interviews with Ryan Seacrest. In doing so they forget to enjoy the present. I call this the "if only" game. You know how it goes: if only I could find an agent, then I'll be happy. When you have an agent, then it becomes: if only I could get published, then I'll be happy. And so on. The only way to stay sane in the business is to enjoy every step as you're actually experiencing it. Happiness is not around the bend. It's found in the present. Because writing is pretty great -- otherwise why are you doing it?
2. Maintain your integrity
3. Recognize the forces that are outside of your control
4. Don't neglect your friends and family
5. Don't Quit Your Day Job
6. Keep up with publishing industry news
7. Reach out to fellow writers
8. Park your jealousy at the door
9. Be thankful for what you have
10. Keep writing
Friday, October 16, 2009
To Authonomy or not to Authonomy
It's an interesting site. Writers post at least 10,000 words of their work, then other writers read and evaluate it. If they like it, they put it on their bookshelves. Every Authonomy member gets a bookshelf that holds five books and a watch list that can contain an unlimited number of books. Books are ranked according to the number of bookshelves, watch lists, and comments they get, at least that's how it looks to me. I haven't read all the info about how it works. As far as I'm concerned, any feedback is good feedback, so I thought I'd give it a whirl.
There's only one problem: it's basically a specialized social networking site where, to rise to the top, you have to play the game. You have to spend a lot of time trading reads with other writers. This is not a bad thing, but it does tend to encourage comments that are more positive than helpful. I've examined several books that had what I consider serious writing issues, but most of the comments were about how beautifully written they are. The idea is, of course, that if I say somebody else's book is great, they're more likely to look at mine and tell me how great it is, and that helps my ranking. If I do enough of that, I might rise high enough to catch the interest of the HarperCollins editors, or one of the other editors and agents who reportedly troll the site.
OK, that sounds like a negative review. It's not all that bad. It's interesting to see the kind of work that is competing with yours in the slush piles, and some of the manuscripts are really fun to read. Plus, there's a definite jolt every time you get a positive comment or book is put on somebody's shelf, and it's fun to see your ranking go up. Mine rose fairly quickly the first few days, but because I don't have time to play the Authonomy game right now, I seem to have stalled just above 1200 (out of 4,000 or so).
Should you do it? The answer is a resounding "maybe." Writer's Digest seems to think it's a good idea, and I must like it because I find myself checking the site at least two or three times a day. I have received a couple of helpful comments and a handful of others that are highly encouraging, such as this one:
"This is great, really great, I think boys would eat this up and it would appeal to adults as well. Desmond and Banjo make a great team--one's cautious, the other reckless. Who wouldn't be tempted to try on a magic ring, I ask you? I don't blame the kid for checking it out. What fun! The two friends play off of each other, making for humorous moments, and conversation that goes on at a nice clip. I like when one of them declares, "I don't think we're in Svenson's attic anymore, Toto." This is the kind of adventure story that has mass appeal, where modern day people can imagine what it would be like to live in another time, pure fantasy, and I've always loved stories about Vikings. It doesn't hurt that your prose are clean, smooth and flow creamy smooth."
The one that points out some writing mistakes is more helpful, but this one helps keep my interest in this manuscript going while I work on another one. It's also the first time I've seen "prose" as a plural.
So join if you want. It doesn't hurt, and it's really kind of fun. The encouraging words are always helpful, and some of the comments are actually useful. Just be aware that, as soon as you join, you'll get a bunch of requests for read swaps, and maybe a couple more that say something like "read swaps are lame." But then the real comments will start, and you'll discover some stuff you want to read, as well as some books you really want to like but the writing's just not good enough. That gives you a bit of a feel for what agents must go through. It's good to get that kind of a view into the process.
Just don't forget to put my book on your shelf. Maybe we can even swap reads.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
"Thanks, But This isn't For Us" by Jessica Page Morrell
I love the cover of this book-- the coffee cup stain, the red pen edits. I found this book at my local library and picked it up out of curiosity. It's a great reference book for beginning writers (though we seasoned ones could use its suggestions too!). The author includes chapters on first beginnings, overall structure, plot usage, suspense, tragedy, sensory writing, creating memorable characters, finding emotion, etc. I get the feeling her work is a lot more "edgy" than other reference books and probably won't be nearly as dull as some of those "how to write better" reference books we've all read at one time or another!
So if you want a new take on good writing advice, check out "Thanks, but this isn't for us."
Here's an Amazon link to the book.
Here's the Product Description from Amazon:
A fun, practical guide that reveals the essentials of good fiction and memoir writing by exposing the most common mistakes literary writers make.
All great works of fiction and memoir are unique-but most bad novels, stories, and memoirs have a lot in common. From clunky dialogue to poorly sketched out characters, sagging pacing to exaggerated prose, these beginners' mistakes drive any agent or editor to their stock rejection letter, telling the aspiring writer "Thanks, but this isn't for us," and leaving many to wonder what exactly it is that they're doing wrong.
Veteran writing coach, developmental editor, and writing instructor Jessica Page Morrell will fill in the gaps in every rejection letter you've ever received. In Thanks, But This Isn't for Us, Morrell uses her years of experience to isolate the specific errors beginners make, including the pitfalls of unrealistic dialogue, failing to "show, not tell," and over-the-top plot twists. These are just a few of the problems that keep writers from breaking through with their work. Sympathetic and humane, but pulling no punches, Thanks, But This Isn't for Us shows writers precisely where they've gone wrong and how to get on the right track. In sixteen to-the-point chapters, with checklists, exercises, takeaway tips, and a glossary, Morrell helps readers transcend these mistakes so that they don't have to learn the hard way: with another rejection letter. "
Just for laughs
Monday, October 5, 2009
From comic creator David Malki ! comes this little gem: the insta-plot, otherwise known as the Electro-Plasmic Hydrocephalic Genre-Fiction Generator 2000. Click the picture for the big size in all its glory.
Who knew writing was so easy? :)
Kiirsi Hellewell lives in the Salt Lake Valley. She loves crisp fall mornings, rainy days, and colored leaves—which means she's a pretty happy camper right about now.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Home office: before and after
I almost forgot today was Friday and my day to blog. Better late than never. And to think I've been looking forward to this post for a month and almost missed it.
About a month ago, I started to remodel my den, or my Schreibwinkel as I like to call it, my writing nook. It's a small room, about 9x10, and was decorated with dark paneling, which made it smaller and dark, and not very conducive to creativity.
The room was lit by a small window and double-tubed fluorescent light on the ceiling. Between the dark, closed in feeling and the fluorescent lighting, it wasn't a very friendly, creative space.
When I tore off the paneling, I discovered that the walls had not been finished before the paneling was tacked up. It wasn't a real big surprise, but it disappointed me, mostly because I'm not real good at drywall and there were huge gaps between the pieces of sheet rock, especially at the top of the walls, a place that's especially difficult to tape and mud, at least for somebody with my level of experience. But I did it, it's not perfect, but it's OK.
Especially since I was going for an old look. A very old look. About 400 years old. When I spent a few months in Germany in 2005, I fell in love with the half-timbered houses, so my plan was to do one wall in that style. The goal was to make it look as authentic as I could, which meant it wasn't good enough to just tack up some boards. In those old buildings, the planks are the structure of the building, so I had to somehow set the boards into the walls.
After thinking about different ways to do this, I decided it would be best to put up the boards, then build the walls around them. That meant more drywall. It also meant a lot of cutting. And angles. I'm not a carpenter, and as a word guy I'm not real good at angles. So there was a lot of trial and error, and some of the errors are still visible if you look. And, it meant texturing the wall to look old and rough.
I also put wood siding on the bottom two feet of the other three walls. The result was that it looked like a barn. Not at all the look I wanted. Plus, it was hard to find moulding for a chair rail that would fit over the wood. Two days before I finished, I pulled that siding off, and painted the bottom 2 1/2 feet a color called "fresh-baked pumpernickel." I thought it matched the "vanilla custard" that I painted the top parts of the walls and ceiling, and the spaces between the planks on The Wall.
I also replaced the fluorescent light with a regular ceiling light, and put in a dimmer switch. Finally, I had to finish the window. The original owner had put the paneling over the 2x4s that made up the window frame, so I had to build up the window area and put in a window sill.
Here are two pictures of the result. The first shows The Wall, and the second was taken after I moved my stuff back in. It's not a perfect job by any means, and it's not going to be everybody's taste, but it's me, fits the things I like to write, and feels more like a writing nook (which is what Schreibwinkel means) than that awful paneling did.
I still need to decorate the walls, but it feels so much bigger and brighter and friendlier than it used to. Other than the paint fumes that won't go away, it feels comfortable, and I enjoy being in there. I just wish I couldn't see all my mistakes. At least I picked a 400-year-old rustic look that helps mask some of the errors.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Bad Writing
by Kiirsi Hellewell
Everyone has their own opinions of what constitutes bad writing. We get an overload of hearing about too much"adverbing," the good old "said" debate, and more.
I'm very opinionated and as soon as I finish a book—or sometimes all the way through it—I write critiques in my mind. I'm constantly talking to myself up there, holding conversations about what I liked or didn't like, and why. (Unless it's a cracking good story—then I'm so caught up in it that all I know is how good it was!)
I admit, I've read books that weren't written very well in a literary sense, but because the story was so good and the characters so real, I loved it anyway.
But I've also had plenty of bad experiences, too, with books. Some I couldn't even finish (*cough, Eragon cough*) because the writing was so deplorable and pulled me so far out of the story that I wanted to run and not look back.
Here's an article I came across last week about one popular, rich, and famous author who's not very popular with the critics. I laughed pretty hard at some of these examples. Enjoy these excerpts, and may your writing not be plagued with badness!
Deception Point, chapter 8: Overhanging her precarious body was a jaundiced face whose skin resembled a sheet of parchment paper punctured by two emotionless eyes.
It's not clear what Brown thinks 'precarious' means here.
The Da Vinci Code, chapter 4: A voice spoke, chillingly close. "Do not move." On his hands and knees, the curator froze, turning his head slowly. Only fifteen feet away, outside the sealed gate, the mountainous silhouette of his attacker stared through the iron bars. He was broad and tall, with ghost-pale skin and thinning white hair. His irises were pink with dark red pupils.
A silhouette with white hair and pink irises stood chillingly close but 15 feet away. What's wrong with this picture?
The Da Vinci Code, chapter 5: Only those with a keen eye would notice his 14-karat gold bishop's ring with purple amethyst, large diamonds, and hand-tooled mitre-crozier appliqué.
A keen eye indeed.
The Da Vinci Code, chapter 4: Five months ago, the kaleidoscope of power had been shaken, and Aringarosa was still reeling from the blow.
Did they hit him with the kaleidoscope?
The Da Vinci Code, chapter 4: He could taste the familiar tang of museum air - an arid, deionized essence that carried a faint hint of carbon - the product of industrial, coal-filter dehumidifiers that ran around the clock to counteract the corrosive carbon dioxide exhaled by visitors.
Ah, that familiar tang of deionised essence.
Friday, September 25, 2009
The Writer's Blues
Seasons of discouragement come and go for every author. But sometimes when it hits, it hits hard. Numerous authors have walked — or attempted to walk — away from writing as self doubt begins to plague them, burying itself in their self-confidence and assurances. To overcome discouragement, we must first understand the reasons why it comes.I didn't post the entire article, so to get the whole thing, follow this link.
She goes on to list several things that can help writers cope:
- Comparison. All too often writers compare where they stand to where others are. A wise person once said that comparison is the enemy of contentment. Those words can't ring more true. We must focus on our own writing journey and not that of others.
- Feelings of inadequacy. It's rare that I send something out and am totally satisfied with it. I often fret over each word and sentence, trying to make it perfect, only to realize it will never be perfect according to my standards. I feel inadequate, like I'm not good enough or talented enough to be a writer. It's the nature of the beast.
- Seasons of life. Sometimes discouragement just comes as a season in life. Perhaps several stressful situations have arisen and taken a toll on your writing. After my father passed away, writing was difficult for me. I had to step back and take time to mourn before jumping into my writing again.
- Spiritual warfare. Often times when we follow God's will, Satan intrudes and tries to persuade us away. We must keep our focus and remember who we write for.
- Rejection. This is the toughest one for me. Though I know I should expect rejection, every time I receive one it still stings. I always think, "Why am I kidding myself into thinking I'm a writer? I'm a wannabe. I just need to move on and do something else." I never can though. Rejection hurts. But as a writer, rejection happens. See each rejection as a stepping stone instead of as a stumbling block.
- Rejections don't mean you're not good.
- Know that publishing isn't instantaneous.
- Write and then write some more.
- Become a sponge. (learn all you can about the craft)
- Give yourself a break.
- Seek God's approval.
- Don't entertain negative thoughts.
- If you can walk away from writing, then you should. (a true writer could never do this)
- Get the opinion of someone valued and trusted.
- Press on toward the prize.
Some other things that have also helped me are:
- Get plenty of water, plenty of sleep (this can be hard to do if you have insomnia, and/or get writing ideas in the middle of the night), and make sure to eat nutritious meals evenly spaced throughout the day. Especially breakfast!
- Take your vitamins, (especially in the winter) -- I feel that the essentials are a good vitamin B complex, vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, and omega3. I buy mine separately so I can control the amount of each, and I find that I need a lot higher doses than what you can get in a single multivitamin.
- After personal experience I am very opposed to extremely low fat or no fat diets, but the kind of fat you eat is very important, and can really effect the way you feel. Feel free to ask me about that if you're interested (I'm not selling anything, don't worry, I just have a lot to say on the subject because a few very small changes in this area have really changed my quality of life for the better.)
- Keep a clear conscience -- this means living your life according to your personal value system. The way you feel is inseparably connected to your personal beliefs and values, so if you aren't sure what those are, it is a worthwhile investment of your time to do some soul searching to find out. (Stephen Covey's 7 Habits and the 8th habit are excellent books for that.)
- Make amends with old ghosts -- this means forgiving yourself and others who have wronged you as well as making things right with others you may have wronged. Otherwise, your mind just keeps going back to the past and interfering with the present.
- and as always, this old saying holds true:
The courage to change the things I can,
And the wisdom to know the difference.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
"Writers" according to Alcatraz Smedry (aka Brandon Sanderson)
"Think about it. Why does someone become a writer? Is it because they like people? Of course not. Why else would we seek out a job where we get to spend all day, every day, cooped up in our basement with no company besides paper, a pencil, and our imaginary friends?
"Writers hate people. If you've ever met a writer, you know that they're generally awkward, slovenly individuals who live beneath stairwells, hiss at those who pass, and forget to bathe for weeklong periods. And those are the socially competent ones."
Brandon Sanderson, "Alcatraz versus The Scrivener's Bones" (a fabulous book, BTW).
I thought this was too funny and had to share it with my other "awkward" friends! ;oD
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Unsung Authors
But he's not reached the ranks of the "mega-authors" we hear so much about. JK Rowling and Stephanie Meyer in their own rights have achieved the rare distinction of "Super Authordom." Sometimes I wonder what that elevation does to the authors who don't achieve that magnitude of limelight. Are they any less useful to our kids? Any less creative or talented? Are you only a worthy author if your books are immediately optioned as a movie and make the NY Times Bestseller list?
With so much attention focused on the megastars, it is hard not to secretly wish to attain that same level, but when we do that, I think we start to lose focus on why we started writing in the first place. Was your own spot on Oprah's couch the driving force to start typing away? Were you posting pictures of a Mediterranean mansion you would make a downpayment on when you received your first royalty check? Did you write a story specifically for Brad Pitt to star in? I find that hard to believe.
My guess is that it was kids. Children, maybe yours, maybe some at the local school, maybe those you don't even know. You wanted to make a difference in the life of a child, right? Inspire, teach, entertain, amuse, educate? Right? So who can put the value on lifting the life of a child and getting him/her to read?
The publishing industry CAN'T, that's for sure. Only you can. Only you can know in your heart what it means for your stories/books/poems to make a difference, to really count. Only you can know what success means. And only you can define it for you.
If I could only become half of the author and have half of the influence of Andrew Clements, then I would be happy. He's a terrific author and kids love him/his books. What a success he is.
Just try not to forget that when you watch the latest mega-author interviewed on the Today show! ;o)
Friday, September 18, 2009
Vintage Book Reviews
I want to join the book review parade, but I'm going to do something a little different: review some books that meant a lot to me as a child. Because I'm older than many of you, some of you might not have heard of these. If you can find them, grab them.
The first book is one my grandmother used to read to me when I visited, Journey Cake, Ho! by Ruth Sawyer, and illustrated by Robert McCloskey. It's about a boy whose family is so poor, his mother sends him away, with nothing by a journey cake. The cake rolls off and leads him on an adventure that ends up at a new farm with lots of animals, so his family is reunited in much better shape than they were before. I was lucky enough to find this book several years ago at a flea market. I hadn't seen it for around 30 years by then, and it still delighted me just as much as it did back then.
There was another book I always made Grandma read to me over and over, but I don't know the name. It was about a boy who woke up one morning and he was a giant. He went through the day as a giant, until his mother tucked him at night as a little boy again. At least that's how I remember it. If you know the book, let me know. I'd love to find it again.
The next one I want to talk about is a chapter book I used to check out from the school library or the city library several times a year, probably around second or third grade: The Enormous Egg by Oliver Butterworth. A 12-year-old named Nate Twitchell goes out to check the chickens one morning and discovers that one of them has laid a gigantic egg. The egg attracts all kinds of attention, but not nearly as much as the triceratops that hatches from it. I reread this old favorite a few months ago--fortunately, it's still in print--and was still delighted by Nate's story. Plus, to my surprise, there's a hilarious scene when Congress debates what to do with the dinosaur, a scene that went over my head when I was seven or eight.
I had a lot of other favorites. I loved the Homer Price stories, the Hardy Boys, a book about a football player called The Rookie, and bonafide classics like The Cay and Harriett the Spy.
I'm curious. What books did you love as a kid? I'm not talking about the usual classics like Where the Wild Things Are or Harold and the Purple Crayon. I'm talking about books that were popular when you were little that we might not have heard of?
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Shattering Glass! It's the 3rd Alcatraz book!
Oh, and reread the first two books.
From the moment I heard Brandon talk about his first Alcatraz book at the BYU WIFYR conference two years ago, I was hooked. In fact, I got my family and my in-laws hooked on it too! It's hard to say, though, what it is that I like best about the books. Alcatraz's delightful and hilarious narrative, the not-so-super-super talents the Smedry family carries (I particularly enjoy Australia's ability to wake up looking ugly), the frequent attempts to point out the insidious plot carried against us as Hushlanders by Evil Librarians, along with great dialogue and action make these books a delight for any age. I just found my daughter's teacher from last year is having her whole class read it! Excellent.
There's not much in this world that I love more than a good kid's book (Pepsi, DI, Panda Express all carry a slight edge over the books), and these books are on my top 10. I can't wait for the next book to come out. And I'll be ready! I will have read both and will want a greater peek into the lives of Bastille, Alcatraz, and Grandpa Smedry.
So maybe this isn't so much as a book review as it is a "gushing" post. I love these books and want to gush about it! ;o)
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
We'd like to excuse
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Go and Do
by Kiirsi Hellewell
Due to an unplanned camping trip in Idaho this weekend, I missed my scheduled post yesterday. I'm currently surrounded by camping gear and mounds of laundry so this is going to be short.
A couple of months back I did a project with my kids where we made quill pens. We also made our own ink out of berry juice. I was very surprised to find how thrilling the whole experience was—taking something I'd only ever read about in books but was used by everyone hundreds of years ago, and making it ourselves. It was amazing.
Sunday night we camped at Lake Cleveland near Burley, Idaho. We were in a small valley but at nearly 8,000 feet elevation, we had an incredible view—especially at night. I stood outside the tent, looking at the stars, and thought, I hope I never forget what this looks and feels like.
As I thought about these events yesterday, I realized again what I always tell my kids…you don't really know what something is like until you do it. We could read about quill pen usage and making all day but until we actually made them ourselves, never really experience what it's like to use them. Likewise, you can read camping books/novels but until you actually try it…having to huddle with the kids under all the blankets you brought to stay warm, and listen to the wind rattling the tent, wondering if it's going to snap the poles any minute…you won't truly experience it.
I'm not saying that good research can't help you write awesome books. Writers do it all the time, especially with historical novels. They're quite believable when done well. I'm just saying that it helps to experience as much of life as you can and the more experiences you have in different ways, the more your writing will be enhanced.
So I'm leaving you a challenge…this week/month, choose something new and give it a try. Add to your life experiences. Take pictures, write about it, or just take a quiet moment and store it up in your memory. Go and do!
Friday, September 4, 2009
Writing Prompt: Bringing the Undead to Immortal Fiction
They say that imitating great authors is a good way to improve your own writing. I recently discovered a fun way to not only imitate your favorite writers, but to collaborate with them.
I was browsing the rather weak book section at the Orem Target the other day while my wife and daughter were busy in a section where I feel kinda weird just kind of standing around, when I came across PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith, a novel that takes the actual Jane Austen story and infuses it with the undead. Apparently it's a massive hit although not reviewed especially well. A follow up, SENSE AND SENSIBILITY AND THE SEA MONSTER is coming out this month, and other publishers are scrambling to do their own mashups.
I can't ask this of you without doing it myself, so here, with all due respect and apologies to Ms. Potter, I present:
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Authonomy: Part II
I posted about a month ago on Authonomy http://www.authonomy.com/, the Harper Collins author networking website. Since then, I've spent a lot of time on the site and would like to add a few more comments.
One: There is some quality literature on Authonomy. You have to wade through some poor writing, including a lot of rookie mistakes, but some of the stories are fascinating. Like any of us, the authors are just seeking approval and feedback. Some take it seriously, others are just in it for the popularity contest.
Two: You can get some great fans on Authonomy. I've had a number of people read my manuscript and post enthusiastic comments. This type of enthusiasm had kept me motivated to continue writing. Some of the users on Authonomy are just readers who enjoy searching the site for fun reads.
Three: If you spend a lot of time reading others' books on Authonomy, you can rise to the top and get your book reviewed by Harper Collins. By reading others' books, commenting on them and then inviting them to read yours, you will get noticed. For the past week, I've read portions of books and posted comments each day and I've risen 1500 in the rankings.
Authonomy has also partnered with Amazon's CreateSpace to offer authors further networking opportunities, as well as a free printed proof of your first book. Further information here: https://www.createspace.com/pub/l/books_auth_proof.do?rewrite=true&ref=422215&utm_id=4643
Tiffany Dominguez
Freelance Writer
YA Fantasy


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subset: commoncrawl


text:
Triangle Pocket Jacket - Dark Blue
Triangle Pocket Jacket - Dark Blue
Our favorite thing to wear anytime the temperature drops below 68 degrees. This denim jacket has many features that make it special, including a slim sleeve and shoulder, a long back vent for ease of movement, and its namesake triangle-shaped front pockets. 100% cotton denim will hold up forever with the right care, and each jacket is given a quick wash to soften it up a bit before it gets to you.
Measurement across chest: (xs) 18", (s) 19", (m) 20", (l) 21"
100% cotton; wash cold inside out or dry clean.
Made in NYC.


text:
At Cards, that is. I mean yeah, I've made cards but that was at a SU Demonstration and everything was pre-cut and the idea was already there, kwim? We were challenged over at Scrapperie to make 4 cards from scraps. I am so not a scrap saver, but I went thru my page kits and found some stuff I had actually saved!
The first one is a sketch that Jayme made back in October, and I just got around to making it. The 2nd one was a sketch that was on Scrapperie.
The 3rd and 4th were kind of myown, with a little inspiration. So, any big plans this weekend? We will be going to a Christmas parade tomorrow morning and then we will be putting up our Christmas stuff. We have a lot this year to put up~~I went the day after CHristmas last year and went crazy buying all kind of stuff. Actually, I can't remember everything I bought!! I'm hoping to get some great pictures this weekend so that I can scrap away some holiday pix!!
Have a great weekend!
Friday, November 30, 2007
My first attempt
At Cards, that is. I mean yeah, I've made cards but that was at a SU Demonstration and everything was pre-cut and the idea was already there, kwim? We were challenged over at Scrapperie to make 4 cards from scraps. I am so not a scrap saver, but I went thru my page kits and found some stuff I had actually saved!
Posted by Darlene at 12:26 PM 6 comments
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Sick Day
I ended up having to stay home with AJ today as she is sick. :( Poor baby. Since my scraproom is right next to her bedroom, I have spent most of the morning in here so that I can run her to the bathroom when she gets sick. I've managed to get a new layout done for Challenge #4 over at Scrapperie~~the challenge was to use 4 pics, 4 colors, 4 embellies and a 4 word title. Here's my take.
This next layout was the #3 challenge for last week. We had to use the title "This is True Beauty" I love this pic of AJ and the ocean. It is probably the best picture I have ever taken.
Well, AJ is sleeping for the moment, so I am going to go finish some laundry and then hopefully try my hand at making some cards! I've never really made any on my own, so wish me luck!
Posted by Darlene at 11:27 AM 4 comments
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Need I say more?!
We had a fabulous Thanksgiving and Thanksgiving weekend. I just don't have the umphhhh to type about it, so I thought I would leave you this showing one of the things we did this weekend. Have a good week!
Posted by Darlene at 7:31 PM 5 comments
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Colleen challenged us to a little quiz today. So here it is!
Who am I? Darlene ~ wife, mommy, daughter, step mother, grandma, friend, scrapper.
Who knows me best? my mom
How old am I? 32
How old do I feel? at the end of the day? my age
The most important thing in my life is... my family
I always carry...a Coach purse ;)
Something I always do is...go online and check my email and message boards first thing
I'm at my happiest when...I am with Web and AJ
On a Monday morning, you'll find me...making a cleaning list and drinking a coffee
My favorite mode of transportation is...my car
My eyes are...hazel
My favorite material possession is...my wedding ring
To relax, I like to...go online, scrap, watch TV
The town I live in is...very small
What's my worst habit? getting uptight for no reason
My guilty pleasure is...CHOCOLATE
When I look at someone, the first thing I see is...their hair (I start at the top...hahaha)
I think ......... is beautiful. I think ADRIENNE is beautiful
One thing that I can live without is...STRESS! (keeping Colleen's answer)
One thing people don't know about me is...I have anxiety issues
My life is...as close to perfect as one can be! I have a new house, Web is home full time now and things are really clicking............
SO now you know a little more about moi! I'm home from work today with a sick kid who now looks to have pink eye, so we will be going back to the doctor for the second time in two days!! Her eyes were fine when we were there yesterday! But last night, they got all goopy and were hurting, so I am getting ready to call and make another appointment.
So, to everyone:
Don't eat too much!
Love, D
Posted by Darlene at 8:32 AM 3 comments
Monday, November 19, 2007
My weekend and a new addiction
My scrappy weekend went okay. I wasn't feeling the best, and I think I left most of my mojo at home. I didn't get as much done as I wanted, but here they are"
I did this for the Nov/Dec Challenge at Scrapperie. The theme was monochromatic. This is my morning coffee in my favorite mug!
Wet and Wild~Just a simple LO of AJ on her slip n slide this summer
Dance in the light of the moon.....entire LO is CTMH product
The tortoise & AJ - All papers are CTMH, KI Memories Pop Culture
Summertime~all pp is MM, stamp is CTMH and blingage is Imaginisce
Posted by Darlene at 4:28 PM 7 comments
Friday, November 16, 2007
Ready for a Scrapping Weekend!
My friend E and I have rented a condo at the prestigious World Golf Village for a weekend of scrappin! After work, my parents are picking up AJ and I am off to scrap the weekend away!
My stuff is packed - or together anyway-yes that is a laundry basket, but with the recent move, I couldn't find anything to carry my stuff in, so the basket will do!
I'm hoping to get lots done - I haven't really planned my pages like I usually do, but I grabbed some stuff that should work and am just gonna go with it! I can always take a break to go shopping, right?
Have a wonderful weekend everyone!
Love, D
Posted by Darlene at 7:12 AM 8 comments
Saturday, November 10, 2007
A little busy, a little scrappy
Wow, I can't believe it is Saturday already! I've been a little busy this week with nothing in particular really, just the every day goings on. But instead of boring you with all of that, how about I post some LOs and projects I did this week? Sound cool?! Cool!
This is my Gratitude Album. Janet at Scrapperie is hosting a '21 days of gratitude' challenge. I chose this cute little file folder album and have been making tags. I've done five so far, so I really need to be catching up. So far, I have been thankful for FAMILY, CHINESE TAKE-OUT, OLD FRIENDS, OUR NEW HOUSE, AND MY QUIET TIME. I'll post more as I do them.
Here's a quick little LO I did of AJ in her Halloween shirt. It's actually a lift from another member over at Scrapperie. I think it turned out cute and I am in love with those chipboard letters. One of our LSS makes that font---too cute!
Here's a LO I actually did for a swap, but then I ended up not going to the crop in order to swap, so yesterday, when I got AJ's school picture back, I new where it needed to go:
I did this LO for the Nov/Dec Challenge over at Scrapperie. The theme for this week was "Your Superhero" I chose to do a LO about my dad.
The journalng reads:
~He was the strongest man I knew
~He was never scared of anything
~He stood up for what he believed in
~He was ten feet tall and bulletproof
~He fought the good fight
~He never gave up
He was My Daddy and I miss him so much.
3.13.34 - 3.09.07
This Layout was hard for me to do, all of the words just poured out and then came all of the tears. I haven't really cried or grieved since he passed, and I think this layout has helped me to start the process. So see, scrapbooking IS therapeutic!
Well we are getting ready to go to Web's granddaughter's birthday party. AJ is gone all weekend with my parents out of town and we are home alone ;) Hopefully I can work in my scraproom (or is it a studio?! LOL) some tonight or tomorrow.
Posted by Darlene at 12:01 PM 7 comments
Monday, November 5, 2007
Presenting.................MY SCRAPROOM!
When you walk in, this is the wall you see:
This apothecary cabinet holds individual chipboard letters:
My workspace:
The creation area:
The computer/printer/scanner area:
My lounging area: (I covered the loveseat with a sheet for now---it didn't match at ALL. Still need to get curtains as well.
And when I walked in my room this morning there was this note from my honey. It reads: "Fantastic job, Babe. It looks really good in here. I hope you enjoy your room. Create Much! Love you" How great is my husband!
So, tell me what you think about my new space! I am going to go in there and scrap away today!
Have a happy Monday!
Posted by Darlene at 8:02 AM 7 comments
Saturday, November 3, 2007
It's Finished!
I finished the baby gift album last night around 11! Good thing since the baby shower is at 1:30 Saturday afternoon.
Here's the slide show. My scanner is not up yet, so I had to take pics of it, which aren't the best. Sorry for the quality but you will get the jist!
I'm going to a crop tonight with Jax Park Scrappers. I hope to get a least 2 layouts done and work on my gratitude challenge album over at Scrapperie
HAve a great Saturday! :)
Posted by Darlene at 9:49 AM 1 comments


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The Nook | Information the Liberal Media Intentionally Hides
Neurosurgeon Puts Obama in Place During National Prayer Breakfast
- Details
- Created on Tuesday, 12 February 2013 08:06
- Written by Chuck Justice
Last week during the National Prayer breakfast, President Barack Hussein Obama was put on the defensive by a fellow African American, Dr. Benjamin Carson, director of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins. The event has always been politicized by Obama to a level so low that only liberals would stoop to, so it was a pleasure to see Obama sit uncomfortably through a speech that hit on everything that's wrong with liberalism, such as ridiculous political correctness and taxing the producers to the extreme and letting the takers get away scot-free. A agitated Obama sat next to Senator Jeff Sessions, visibly uncomfortable as he saw somebody, for once, call out his perverse ideology.
The Wall Street Journal has a great recap of the speech, which is embedded below:
Seated in view to his right are Senator Jeff Sessions and President Obama. One doesn't look happy. You know something's coming when Dr. Carson says, "It's not my intention to offend anyone. But it's hard not to. The PC police are out in force everywhere."
Dr. Carson tossed over the PC police years ago. Raised by a single mother in inner-city Detroit, he was as he tells it "a horrible student with a horrible temper." Today he's director of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins and probably the most renowned specialist in his field.
Late in his talk he dropped two very un-PC ideas. The first is an unusual case for a flat tax: "What we need to do is come up with something simple. And when I pick up my Bible, you know what I see? I see the fairest individual in the universe, God, and he's given us a system. It's called a tithe.
"We don't necessarily have to do 10% but it's the principle. He didn't say if your crops fail, don't give me any tithe or if you have a bumper crop, give me triple tithe. So there must be something inherently fair about proportionality. You make $10 billion, you put in a billion. You make $10 you put in one. Of course you've got to get rid of the loopholes. Some people say, 'Well that's not fair because it doesn't hurt the guy who made $10 billion as much as the guy who made 10.' Where does it say you've got to hurt the guy? He just put a billion dollars in the pot. We don't need to hurt him. It's that kind of thinking that has resulted in 602 banks in the Cayman Islands. That money needs to be back here building our infrastructure and creating jobs."
Not surprisingly, a practicing physician has un-PC thoughts on health care:
"Here's my solution: When a person is born, give him a birth certificate, an electronic medical record, and a health savings account to which money can be contributed—pretax—from the time you're born 'til the time you die. If you die, you can pass it on to your family members, and there's nobody talking about death panels. We can make contributions for people who are indigent. Instead of sending all this money to some bureaucracy, let's put it in their HSAs. Now they have some control over their own health care. And very quickly they're going to learn how to be responsible."
The Johns Hopkins neurosurgeon may not be politically correct, but he's closer to correct than we've heard in years.
It's about time Obama was uncomfortable in the public light.
Chuck Justice is the editor-in-chief for Habledash.


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Thursday, May 21, 2009
Got Horses?
As per popular request, I thought I'd feature the carving prowess of my beautiful daughter, Morgan (aka Cowgirl).
As you can see, she is a little taken with horses...haha!
I particularly like her sig-stamp.
These last ones I carved for her, the horse head for her 13th birthday, and the other, well, because I had to!
Posted by Liz Henderson (Hendel D'bu)
Labels: flora and fauna
6 comments:
- Baqash said...
too cool. sometimes it amazes me what our young people can do. They grow up so fast I can't keep up with their skills.
- May 21, 2009 at 6:17 PM
- Mama Cache said...
Morgan, are you listening? We are so happy to see your work featured. Exceptional!
- May 22, 2009 at 4:41 AM
- Chad said...
My favorite Morgan carves/ltcs are Rose for a Woman and Bird for a Girl.
- May 22, 2009 at 5:25 AM
- Nitrocat said...
Sorry. "Chad" is really "Nitrocat".
- May 22, 2009 at 5:34 AM
- Hendel D'bu said...
Ah yes, those are great carves! I'll see what I can do about getting those posted in the future. :-)
- May 22, 2009 at 8:31 AM
- Draygonflies said...
Awesome! Great Job! My Morgan says hello and she really really likes your horses!
- May 22, 2009 at 10:16 AM
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Blog content and images are copyrighted; all other content is copyrighted by their respective sources. Permission to duplicate may be requested of author or sources cited.


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Religious Facility & Church Cleaning Services
Whether you worship in a synagogue, a cathedral, a chapel, a church, a temple, a mosque or a meeting house, your place of worship is more than just a place to pray and learn. These places or worship are where many people to come together as a religious community. Where there are people, there are germs, dirt and debris, and Forte is here to focus on cleaning your facilities so that you can focus on worship and community.
We can schedule a walk-through of your facility to determine what are the best and safest products for your facility.
As a main player in the cleaning industry for over 10 years , Forte continues to look for and provide the industry with cleaning solutions that make sense and help facilities take a proactive approach to changing regulations in health, safety and cleanliness.


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Welcome to our blog!! We hope this blog will serve to help educate you on the products we offer as well as keep you plugged into the Western NY Real Estate Investing Scene.
Please feel free to follow this blog as we will be sharing & commentating on many different topics relating to Real Estate Investment in Western NY.
Glad to have you aboard!!


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Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) is taking a page out of Apple's (NASDAQ:AAPL) playbook.
The Redmond tech giant's latest website promises to make it easier for Mac owners to make "the switch" to Microsoft's Surface Book. The high-end Windows laptop is among the most compelling alternatives to Apple's MacBook Pro, and Microsoft has taken every opportunity to compare the two machines. While the website in and of itself might not convince too many Mac owners to buy a Surface Book, it does serve to highlight how Microsoft is using its hardware to take on Apple.
Moving tips and tricks
When Microsoft unveiled the Surface Book last month, it explicitly compared the device to Apple's MacBook Pro. "[The] Surface Book [is] two times faster than the MacBook Pro," bragged Microsoft's Panos Panay. The Surface Book is outfitted with Intel's latest processors, and some configurations come with a custom discrete graphics chip. It has a higher-resolution screen than Apple's competing 13.3-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display. It comes bundled with Microsoft's Surface Pen, the Windows-maker's smart stylus, and its screen supports touch input. Most notably, users can detach the display and use it as a separate, stand-alone Windows tablet.
Microsoft's website emphasizes these features, but it isn't centered around selling the Surface Book. Instead, it features a series of tips and tracks aimed at former Mac owners. Microsoft explains how to move files from a Mac to the Surface Book, and answers common questions someone unfamiliar with the Windows operating system may have.
The Mac's surging market share
Apple derives nearly two-thirds of its revenue from the iPhone, but the Mac is its second-largest business segment. Since 2006, Apple's share of the traditional PC market has risen steadily, and Apple has continued to sell more Macs even as the larger PC market has experienced declines. Last month, research firm IDC released its preliminary data on the state of the PC market in the third quarter. In total, PC shipments fell 10.8% on an annual basis. Mac shipments, however, rose 3% according to Apple's most recent earnings report. Apple is now the world's fourth-largest vendor of PCs, with more than 7% market share.
Windows remains dominant, but its dominance may be slipping, particularly in the U.S., where research firms have pegged the Mac's market share at around 15%. In an interview with Mashable, Apple's Phil Schiller argued that it may be even higher than that. "There are endless numbers of stats out there, you can quote any of them to tell any story, but the number that closest reflects what we all experience and see as we travel around is actually a U.S. market share approaching 25%...You increasingly are seeing more Macs than PCs," he said.
Can Microsoft win over Mac buyers?
Apple's Macs offer competitive hardware for their market segment, but Apple has never used raw power as a selling point. Instead, Macs have traditionally been sold on design and ease of use. The Surface Book offers impressive hardware, but it's still a Windows machine, and those wed to Apple's OS X operating system may be unwilling to make the switch. On Apple's recent earnings call, CFO Luca Maestri announced that IBM was saving $270 for every PC it replaces with a Mac, as Mac users require less support. Additionally, Macs have higher residual value than Windows PCs.
Yet both Windows 10 and the Surface Book have been widely endorsed by critics, and Microsoft's Surface revenue has been steadily rising. Last quarter, Microsoft's Surface generated $672 million, down from $888 million in the prior quarter. Those figures both pale in comparison to Apple's Mac revenue in the corresponding quarters ($6.9 billion and around $6 billion, respectively) but Microsoft's Surface business is young -- just three years old.
Apple's customers are famously loyal, but the Surface Book is a different sort of machine. It won't wipe out the Mac, but it may win over a few converts.


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As a Braves fan since birth, it's fairly easy to be excited about the great unknown. There are many reasons to be excited for the city of Atlanta in 2017. A new football stadium for the Atlanta Falcons, Mercedes Benz Stadium. Also the new home for the Braves, SunTrust Park. Maybe it is a great time to live in Atlanta. Unless someone or something spectacular comes along, Atlanta is where I hope to live in 2017.
Looking at the Braves roster with no incoming free agents, the line up is impressive. Dansby Swanson will surely be hitting in the number 2 spot of the lineup card, followed by Freddie Freeman, and Matt Kemp. Ender Inciatre will be the 1st man at the plate. His speed can turn a routine single into a double. Watching just how many bases the Braves will steal as a team should be higher than 50. I'm sure that is a bet you can make in Las Vegas or some other sporting venue.
The pitching rotation is good, but it can be much better. Julio Teheran is the ace of the Braves pitching rotation and he will get the ball on opening day, April 3, 2017 in New York at Citi Field. Mike Foltynewicz looks to be the 2nd starter in the rotation. Aaron Blair, Matt Weber, and other Braves pitching prospects will need to earn their spot in the starting rotation. This is where the Braves front office should focus on making better. There are a few notable pitchers in free agency, and the Braves have always acquired great pitching with trades.
The Braves have power bats in their lineup with Freeman, Kemp, and Nick Markakis. However another power bat would be a welcomed addition in Atlanta. Brian McCann started his baseball career with the Braves. McCann in currently a New York Yankee, however the Yankees already have their catcher of the future. The Yankees have offered the Braves a trade however they want Foltynewicz or in Inciatre in exchange. Personally I don't see either of those players being traded to the Yankees for McCann. There are also some big bats available in the free agent market as well.
The Braves bullpen looks intact with Jim Johnson as the closer. Other great arms, who pitched magnificently in 2016, are returning as well. If the Braves could sign a starting pitcher or two, the middle rotation is never a bad spot to end up. Remember that fact Blair or Weber. The Atlanta Braves are a team made up with great players. If individual players could stop seeking the spotlight and focus on the team instead, great things will happen in Atlanta in 2017. Brian Snitcker is the Braves manager, and we were able as fans to watch his managerial style in 2016. Snitcker always wants what is best for the team and the Atlanta Braves organization. Hopefully the player and the fans will want the same. I know I do, so hurry up April 3rd, and let's beat the Mets as usual!


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arm chair Quin
arm chair Quin
*Commercial customers only. Prices plus statutory VAT and shipping costs from warehouse in Germany
Ready for dispatch in 4 working days
A real all-rounder of a chair: the Quin model is made of oak or beech and is available in eleven shades. Thanks to...more


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KIT Pavilion by Atelier K
The "KIT Pavilion" is an office and meeting space for the Kyoto Institute of Technology.
The building was designed by Japanese Architects Atelier K (Akira Kakuda).
"Situated on a corner of the campus, the multifunctional building draws from and integrates the adjacent landscaping into the conditions of the interior. to the south, an 'active yard' consisting of a curvilinear ramp becomes the approach path to the entrance, while a 'static yard' finished with a carpet of white sand is tucked into the layout with three rooms arranged around it. Clearly read from the exterior as a folded surface, the roof and wall form cuts away sections of its elevation to enable natural daylight to enter from the west."
via Designboom Atelier K's websiteArchitecture Posted on October 23, 2011


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Holy smokes, I've had a lot of stuff on my plate, so there's been little time for Mizuu development. Last night, however, I decided to take an all-nighter and see if I could get something done. I've been working on speed improvements and the design of TV shows. I think it looks pretty good now and I think it's a sign of where I could be going with Mizuu. As always, press the photo to enlarge.
I'll post a new nightly build
today or tomorrow with the recent changes and some other stuff. Update: I can't make it, so it'll have to wait…
Also, sorry about the slow updates. My amount of spare time isn't what it used to be, sadly.


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Part 1 – Part 2 – Part 3 – Part 4
British Troops Fight a Desperate Rearguard Action in Greece While Falling Back to the Coast
Roughly 50,000 of the original 65,000 to 70,000 British troops on the mainland were rescued by the Royal Navy. Most these men were sent to Egypt — then a British protectorate — to be re-organized and re-equipped. Great Britain's losses were heavy: 12,000 soldiers killed, wounded, or missing.
While the Royal Air Force made a brave effort — losing more than 200 aircraft — to fight off the Luftwaffe, the Brits never achieved air superiority over the Greek beaches or port. This left the merchant and naval ships evacuating soldiers to Crete at the mercy of German dive bombers. In Engage the Enemy More Closely: The Royal Navy in the Second World War, author Correlli Barnett writes:
The Germans seemed to have a special penchant for sinking British and later American hospital ships — this being a flagrant violation of the Hague Convention and articles in several of the Geneva Conventions.
[Source: Engage the Enemy More Closely: The Royal Navy in the Second World War by Correlli Barnett. Images courtesy of the New Zealand Electronic Text Collection and Wikipedia.]


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The Very Latest (not know as of this month) in Dental Implants
Speaker: Dr. Paul Goodman
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All programs include continental breakfast, lunch, and program materials. Each program has been approved for seven hours of Continuing Dental Education credits.
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Madeline Badalaty, DMD, Department Chair
Daniel Shomer, DMD, Dental Continuing Education Coordinator


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Amazon Web Services for Java Developers – JavaOne Presentation AcceptedJune 9, 2012 Posted in: Cloud Computing, Enterprise Java
I received notification this week that my submission for this year's JavaOne conference in San Francisco was accepted. The presentation will feed out of the UCI course that will be completed by then. It will be a 1 hour bootcamp for Java developers who are interested in starting to use Amazon Web Services. The presentation will not only cover how to host applications on AWS, but how to also make use of AWS during the implementation and test stages of development. It will also encourage developers to rearchitect their applications to leverage AWS services to their greatest potential.
Here is the official abstract that was accepted:
Amazon Web Services (AWS) is an ideal platform to develop on and to use for hosting enterprise Java applications. The zero up-front costs and virtually infinite scalability of resources enable Java EE developers to start small and be confident that their infrastructure will grow with their application. In addition, the nature of AWS and the services available help solve some of the problems Java developers often face in more-traditional environments. In this session, you will be introduced to AWS concepts, gain an understanding of how existing Java EE applications can be migrated to the AWS environment, what advantages there are in doing that, and how to architect a new Java EE application from the ground up to leverage the AWS environment for maximum benefit.
The dates for the conference in 2012 are September 30th through October 4th.


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With More than 6 Million Uninsured, Navigators Are Crucial for Connecting Texans to Coverage
Navigators are organizations and individuals who are trained, certified, and funded by the federal government to help people enroll in coverage options through the Marketplace, including private insurance, Medicaid and CHIP. Insurance is difficult to understand, especially for people who haven't had it before. Navigators provide in-person help—answering questions, deciphering plan options, and helping people enroll. Their help is crucial in a place like Texas, with more than 6 million uninsured individuals.
Texas is one of 17 states that have passed laws to place additional state restrictions or standards on top of uniform federal standards. The Governor instructed the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) to write rules to place potentially onerous (and possibly illegal) restrictions on navigators in Texas. TDI responded by reviewing, as required by the Texas law, the federal navigator program. On Friday, November 15, TDI released a summary of potential insufficiencies in the navigator program that could be addressed in state rule. TDI asked for comments on the summary by 5 p.m. Friday, November 22. TDI has not yet initiated a formal rulemaking process.
At CPPP (one of the four partner organizations behind the Texas Well and Healthy Campaign), we are still digesting TDI's summary, but want to highlight a few items:
- TDI seeks to regulate entities and people who help individuals complete the single, streamlined application for coverage used by the Marketplace, Medicaid and CHIP, whether or not they are associated with a federal navigator grant recipient; however, TDI exempts entities or individuals regulated under separate state or federal law. Certified Application Counselors will not be subject to TDI oversight. Organizations participating in the Community Partner Program and HICAP programs also appear to be exempt.
- Individuals who are just helping their children, parent, neighbor, or friend apply for coverage (but who are not soliciting enrollment assistance to the public) do NOT appear to be exempt. It would be unreasonable to expect people who help a family member or neighbor fill out an application at their kitchen table to register with the state. It is possible that people who help their family and friends apply and take the additional step to become an "authorized representative," as provided for in federal regulation for the Marketplace, Medicaid, and CHIP, would be exempt.
- Individuals subject to TDI oversight will have to register with the department , pay fees, and possibly incur expenses related to: registration, fingerprinting, a background check, a state-issued ID, additional training in Medicaid and HIPAA, and examinations.
- Navigator entities will have to buy a surety bond to protect individuals against errors. Reports from other states indicate that no one is selling surety bonds to navigators. If they simply aren't for sale, this requirement could pose an impossible hurdle. Furthermore, federal regulations clearly pre-empt state requirements that navigators hold errors and omissions insurance. While the federal rules do not specifically address mandatory surety bonds, such a requirement certainly violates the spirit, if not the letter, of federal law.
- Part 5 of the summary appears to prevent certain individuals who perform some navigator services from using the term "navigator" in their titles or as part of an entity's name or website, which could prove problematic because the term navigator is used widely and was in use before ACA passage.
CPPP hopes to work with TDI to advance appropriate standards to protect consumers without limiting access to critical navigator services.
Written by: Stacey Pogue, Center for Public Policy Priorities. Cross-posted from Better Texas Blog.