Good Day Sunshine

I need to laugh, and when the sun is out
I’ve got something I can laugh about.
I feel good, in a special way.
I’m in love and it’s a sunny day.
— John Lennon and Paul McCartney

Kimberly A. Bettes at Here’s what I’m thinking and Honoré Dupuis at Of Glass & Paper have nominated me for the Sunshine Award. Thanks! You’ve brightened my day. Kimberly is a horror novelist living in the Ozarks who insists she doesn’t run moonshine. Do we believe her? You’ll find intriguing titles on her book list. Honoré is a writer, runner, metaverse-explorer, and all-around good guy. He also wrote a doll story that I find very disturbing.

The Sunshine Award is presented to “bloggers who positively and creatively inspire others in the blogosphere.” I’m not certain I deserve that recognition, but I’ll take it.

Here’s how it works (and feel free to adjust as necessary):

1. Announce your win and link back to the person who nominated you.

2. Display the award logo on your blog.

3. Answer the list of questions. (You have two choices here: Kimberly’s questions or Honoré’s. Or feel free to mix and match.)

4. Nominate ten bloggers for the award and link to them.

5. Let the bloggers know you’ve nominated them.

Kimberly’s Questions

What inspired you to start blogging?

Like many writers, I started blogging because it seemed like a good way to get my name out there. Making friends through blogging was an unexpected bonus.

How did you come up with the name of your blog?

I kept it simple and went with my pen name.

What is your favorite blog that you like to read?

I like to read blog posts that provide tips for writing or indie publishing. I also enjoy reading interesting pieces of writing. So, on any given day, I could have a couple of favorite posts among the many blogs I follow.

What is your dream job?

Writing is my dream job, although I don’t know if I’d ever want to put all of my eggs in that basket. It’s nice to take a break from writing from time to time. Right now, I have it pretty good, balancing my freelance work and my writing.

Is your glass half full or half empty?

Half full. I appreciate what I have, and if something isn’t going my way, I figure out how to turn it around.

If you could go anywhere on a week’s vacation, where would you go?

That’s a good question. I love mountains and forests, but those are fairly close by, and I can get to them whenever I want. I’d say a tropical island in the Pacific. I’ve had a good time in Hawaii, so someplace like that would be great.

What food can you absolutely not eat?

Eggs and raspberries. I have many food allergies, but those are the biggies.

Dark chocolate or milk chocolate?

Depends on the day. Milk chocolate mainly, but I do opt for dark from time to time.

How much time do you spend blogging? In other words, are you one of those lucky people who can dash off a blog post in no time, or do you take forever on one post to get it just right?

I’m a little slow on the blogging front. I tend to rethink what I want to say, and I’ve tossed out several ideas I’d already put some effort into. Writing fiction is faster and easier for me.

Do you watch TV? If so, what are some of your favorite shows?

I’ve always liked TV. Some of my current favorites are Breaking Bad, Justified, Mad Men, Game of Thrones, the Walking Dead, Vampire Diaries, Supernatural, House Hunters International, Survivor, the Amazing Race, Top Chef, and the NBC Nightly News.

Shows I like that are no longer in production include Battlestar Galactica, Rome, Deadwood, the Tudors, Seinfeld, Veronica Mars, and Buffy.

Honoré’s Questions

Favorite color: I like shades of yellow orange and various reds with purple tones.

Favorite animal: I’m a cat devotee. The felines with whom we share our property wouldn’t have it any other way.

Favorite number: 8

Favorite non-alcoholic drink: It’s a toss-up between tea and Reed’s Ginger Brew.

Facebook or Twitter: I’m not on Facebook, so I’d have to say Twitter.

Your passion: I’m passionate about understanding behavior, human and animal.

Giving or getting presents: I enjoy both equally. Once in a while, I’ll buy myself a birthday present. Then I tell my husband he’s off the hook.

Favorite day: The days when everything falls into place are rare and special.

Favorite flowers: I never met a flower I didn’t adore. I’m visualizing zinnias, snapdragons, and sunflowers in my flower beds this year, with marigolds, lavender, nasturtium, and fuchsia on the deck.

Drum roll, please. My nominations for the Sunshine Award are:

Sherry at Fundinmental

Seyi Sandra

Phillip McCollum

Christoph Fischer

Kira at Wrestling Life

Helenvalentina

Coyotero at Human Writes

Gpcox at Pacific Paratrooper

Angel Manna

M. Latimer-Ridley

Please accept the nomination in the spirit in which it was given. Some prefer not to post awards on their blog or have already received this award. No problem! I’m simply happy to share your website with others.

Author of Freeblood, Marny Copal

Reblogged from believe in happy endings:

Marny, first of all I’m so impressed you have a background in anthropology and archaeology, two of my favorite subjects. I once considered archaeology as a major because I loved to dig in the dirt. Seriously though, tell us what exactly drew you to these two fields of study? And were you ever on an excavation dig? If so, we’d love to hear what you were looking for?

Read more… 1,377 more words

Hey, folks! Vickie McKeehan interviewed me on her blog. She is the author of eight books and likes gardening and chocolate—my kind of gal! Now, if only we could grow chocolate bars . . .

Wordplay: License to Spell

So you’re sitting at a stoplight, waiting for the light to turn, bored out of your skull. Here’s a little something I turn to whenever I’m stuck in traffic. I think of a word using the letters on the license plate in front of me, keeping the letters in the same order. Here’s one from that vacation I’ve been meaning to take to Alaska.

For this plate, etude works well, but so do perturb, restaurant, and beautiful. It doesn’t matter how many letters separate the ones on the plate. You just need to use them in the order you see them. Or, if that stumps you, try them backward or mix them up.

This game works in American states that use the three-letter license plate format. Delaware, Rhode Island, Maryland, and Illinois, however, are out of luck.

If you’re traveling or live outside the United States, you may still be able to sharpen your verbal skills this way. Several Canadian provinces, for instance, style their plates with three letters, although you may find yourself flummoxed in Ontario, which went to a four-letter format in 1997.

Mexico, too, uses three letters in most states, including Chiapas.

Did you know that word games help stave off Alzheimer’s and dementia?

So when you’re out and about, sitting at a stoplight, backed up on the freeway, or even walking through a parking lot, try this little diversion on for size. Word games boost the memory and keep the mind sharp, and they might just help you come up with more word choices the next time you sit down to write.

Three Cheers for Versatility!

John Howell at Fiction Favorites has nominated me for the Versatile Blogger Award. Thanks, John! His blog covers a variety of topics, including stories that have made a difference in people’s lives. He has completed two novels and is working on a third.

Here’s how it works (and feel free to adjust as necessary):

1. Announce your win and link back to the person who nominated you.
2. Display the award logo on your blog.
3. Post seven things about yourself.
4. Nominate fifteen bloggers for the award and link to them.
5. Let the bloggers know you’ve nominated them.

Seven things about me:

I like reading books and blogs about writing.

I’ve ridden a cow.

My novel, Freeblood, won Second Prize in the 2012 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award (young adult category, although I consider it a crossover novel). I’m currently working on the sequel, Fastblood.

I once trimmed my bangs too short before my husband’s holiday office party. Ridiculously short. Embarrassingly short. (Take note, people: naturally curly hair springs up when it dries.) Several attendees commented on my new hairstyle. I thanked them and pretended like it was intentional. Gah!

I love flowers of all colors and sizes, and usually plant a big random variety in my summer beds.

My husband receives a refreshing shower if he walks by while I’m watering my flowers.

A favorite summer pastime is floating the Deschutes River in Bend, Oregon.

Cool glide on the Deschutes

My nominations:

Stacy Verdick Case

Salman Alvi

Vickie McKeehan

Tebogo Ndlovu

Kimberly A. Bettes

Ron Herron

Please accept the nomination in the spirit in which it was given. Some prefer not to post awards on their blog. No problem! I’m simply happy to share your website with others.

Other News

Freeblood: The price will remain 99¢ until the end of the month, and then it goes back up to $2.99.

Coming up: More wordplay and the Sunshine Blogger Award, presented to me by Kimberly Bettes. Stay tuned!

Digging Deep: A Character-Building Exercise

Writers are of two minds when it comes to character creation. Some believe that all character details should be worked out before any writing takes place. Others suggest that interesting background stories and characteristics emerge once writing is under way. Your preference may depend on whether you’re a plotter or a pantser. Plotters outline all story events ahead of time, while pantsers “fly by the seat of the pants,” a free-wheeling approach that emphasizes spontaneity.

I consider myself to be somewhere in between—I work with a loose plot that allows for inspiration during the writing process. I also start with general ideas for characters, which are fleshed out by the time I arrive at the end of the first draft. I do find it useful somewhere along the way to go through a list like the one I’m presenting today.

I’ve divided the list into six categories, but this is just a basic profile. If you’re working on a young adult novel set in a high school, for instance, you might delve more deeply into academic achievement, social skills, status, and school activities. I’ve also provided questions to help you look at your characters in different ways. Keep in mind that writers differ when it comes to physical descriptions. Some believe in supplying all the visual details, while others offer only the essentials and allow readers to imagine the rest.

If you get stuck in a scene or with a plot point, it may be worthwhile to return to character creation. Further defining the family history or emotional makeup might just be the catalyst for getting things moving again.

Physical Appearance and Personal Habits

Age, sex, ethnicity, height, weight, eye color, hair color and style, clothing style, distinguishing marks (scars, birthmarks, prosthetic devices), grooming habits, manners and mannerisms

How does the character feel about his or her appearance?

Social Concerns

Educational background, occupation, economic status, religion, political orientation, living conditions, social organizations

How do other characters view this character? Hard-working? Social climber? Spiritual? Eccentric?

Family

Parents, siblings, children, significant other, extended family, pets, family friends, close-knit nonrelated groups

Consider relationships among family members as well as other forces that may affect the family. Any skeletons in the closet?

Childhood

Born with a silver spoon? Raised in the projects or the suburbs? Good times? Hard times?

What main event from the past influences the character’s current life?

Emotional Makeup

Attitudes, self-image, general outlook, hopes, fears, motivations, traumas, ambitions, accomplishments, obsessions, regrets. Extrovert, introvert, or something in between?

What does the character learn about him- or herself by the end of the story? How does the character change?

Unique Characteristics

Hobbies, quirks, and special skills. Mental disorders, psychic abilities, health conditions. Prized possessions. Favorite food, music, and free-time activities

Does the unique characteristic add balance and depth to the character or highlight an imbalance?

 

The next step would be developing scenes or short vignettes to show the character traits.

Strong characters are an essential element of a well-written story. Spending just a few minutes reading through a list of character traits helps develop fully rounded characters and may provide a jumping-off point for dynamic scenes and plot twists.

Inspired by You

I’m pleased to announce that Melissa Robitille nominated me for the Very Inspirational Blogger Award. She is a writer and editor with two published books under her belt: In One Year’s Time and Blackstone Gate. Her current project is Smuggler’s Justice, a science fiction novel she wrote during NaNoWriMo 2012. Now that’s inspiring!

Here’s how it works (and feel free to adjust as necessary):

Link back to the person who nominated you.
Display the award logo on your blog.
State seven things about yourself.
Nominate fifteen bloggers for this award and link to them.
Notify those bloggers of the nomination and the award’s requirements.

Seven things about me:

I’m American and my husband is Canadian. The pronunciation of the letter Z is a constant source of friction.

The first car I drove was a tractor.

When I was three or four, I ate one small bite of a banana and promptly threw up. I still hate the smell and taste of bananas (even diluted in banana nut bread) and can barely stand to look at them.

I participated in many parades as a kid, first with our dressed-up dogs in Fourth of July pet parades, then on horseback for the same event a few years later. In high school, I performed in Christmas parades with the marching band. (I played flute.)

I enjoy a variety of teas, both caffeinated and herbal. Japanese genmaicha (green tea with roasted rice) is my favorite.

Freeblood, my first novel, is an urban fantasy set in Portland, Oregon. I’m currently working on the second book in the series, Fastblood.

Crowds and noise drive me nuts (except for the occasional parade). My idea of a great getaway is a remote yurt on the Oregon Coast.

A remote yurt on the Oregon Coast

My nominations:

If I selected you for the Liebster Award, I didn’t pick you for this one. This doesn’t mean I don’t find you inspirational. I just didn’t want to name you twice in a row.

T. W. Dittmer

John w Howell

Adetokunbohr

Ash N. Finn

Stephen Edger

Laura Thomas

Thomas Rydder

Please accept the nomination in the spirit in which it was given. Some prefer not to post awards on their blog. No problem! I’m simply happy to share your inspirational site with others.

Lilac and Lemon Balm

A Cold, Dry Month with a Record Effort

Last Saturday my husband and I spent a few hours toiling away in the back yard, a red letter day in our household. Yard work in winter? What gives?

Typically by that time in January we expect about 4.5 inches of rain, but we were logging in at 0.31 inches. Puddles form in the back yard on the wettest days, which might see more than 2 inches of liquid sunshine. Along with the lack of rainfall, the temperature hovered right around 30 degrees, day and night. Our normal high is 48, with a low of 35.

The unusual weather presented a unique opportunity to tackle yard work without getting soaked, or so I suggested to my husband, who wasn’t nearly as enthused as I was. Usually we ignore outdoor chores during the wet season, but I didn’t want to pass up the chance to get the drop on some of our problem areas. Eugene is a green city that enjoys rampant, prolific growth in springtime, and because our spring months are also wet and our soil waterlogged, managing the abundance presents a challenge. Hence my eagerness to get started on a chilly winter day.

Himalayan blackberries and English ivy can take over a yard in a single season, given the chance. Saturday we pruned them to a manageable level, at least in one section of the yard, and stuffed their arms and legs—er, branches and leaves—into a yard-debris bin, which is collected every two weeks all year round. I’m hoping the weather holds so that I can take a stab at another flora stronghold, by the snowball tree in the corner of the yard. There, tall blackberry canes sweep over the fence into the neighbor’s yard, while ivy vines slink up the rough slats.

I noticed a few things while I was outside. Tiny buds have appeared on the lilac trees. Apparently these buds form in late summer and become visible when the leaves fall. In spring, this head start allows blossoms to quickly burst open. I missed this interesting phenomenon during previous winters while sheltering inside. Lilac is a favorite of mine, and when we bought this house we inherited three varieties: white, pale purple, and deep purple. Score! I may be crazy, but I think they all smell different.

Lilac buds in our back yard, January 2013

I enjoy the appearance of bare tree limbs, along with red rose hips and bright berries that remain through winter. I also like the look of lemon balm stalks, with the seed pods sticking out like odd-looking beaks. But the stalks have to go now, before the first flush of spring. While cutting them back, I noted with surprise a shock of tender green leaves at the base. They’re ready to go as soon as the warm weather hits. By May, our far back yard (it runs pretty deep) will become a meadow of thick bushes that when gently pressed, smell—you guessed it—strongly of lemon.

For centuries, lemon balm has served as a medicinal herb. It offers antibacterial and antiviral properties, and helps to calm jaded nerves and enhance the mood. It contains eugenol, a natural pain reliever, and speeds the healing of wounds. One study found that it helped patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s symptoms. It may also be useful in combating obesity. Lemon balm may work to suppress thyroid function—useful for people with an overactive thyroid, but unfavorable for those with an underactive thyroid.

Lemon balm and ivy, January 2013

Making lemon balm tea is simple. Just use two to three tablespoons of fresh leaves or one to three teaspoons of dried leaves per cup of water. Bring water to a boil and pour over the leaves. Steep for 10 minutes. The flavor is mildly lemony.

A local herbalist gave me a simple recipe for lemon balm honey. In the summertime, pick a handful of leaves after the dew has evaporated. In a clean jar, add a small layer of honey and place a leaf on top. Spoon on more honey, enough to fully cover the leaf. Add another leaf and repeat the process until the jar is full. It won’t take long for the herb’s healthful benefits to be absorbed into the honey.

In other news, I’m back at work on my sequel to Freeblood, after a hiatus. It’s called Fastblood. Those who have read the first book will understand the title’s significance. Blocks and barriers that seemed frozen in ice have melted away, and a creative landscape that once lay dormant now seems lush with possibilities. I’d worked on other writing projects in the interim, but it feels good to be back scribbling on Quinn’s story.

It’s been a few days since I first started this post, and the yard is calling me back. Those areas of bountiful overgrowth may be weighing on my conscience, but I equally suspect the allure of the first signs of spring.