Vlog Time

Hey ya'll, hope you're doing fine. Things have been pretty insanely busy for me. I'm wrapping up a week of visiting with Sam and we figured we'd take a minute (or 12) to talk about one of our favorite things ever... NaNo!

Just in case you didn't get enough, we forgot to mention Beautiful People...

Beautiful People - Villain Edition

Annnnd, we're back, with Beautiful People. I know, I'm failing at getting posts on this blog. I apologize, but life gets in the way I suppose. Newish job, crazy schedule. I guess the whole blog thing has just taken a backseat for me.

Beautiful People shall not die however. At least for awhile yet. It might be continually late, but once again, Sam and I have scrambled about for 10 questions. 

If you're new to Beautiful People, it's pretty easy to jump right in. Each month Sky and I post 10 questions on our blogs. Pick one, or many of the characters in anything you happen to be writing, (novel, script, short story, comic book...) and answer the questions about that character. Post it on your blog, sign the linky. Fun stuff all around. Not to mention it really helps in getting to know your characters. Always a good thing. 

This month is Villain Edition. Thanks to Alexandra for suggesting the idea, and thanks to Fin for suggesting some of the questions. 

So, choose a villain, and... "here... we... go..." *said in the voice of one of my favorite villains ever, The Joker*

1. What is their motive?
2. What are they prepared to do to get what they want?
3. Are they evil to the core, or simply misunderstood?
4. What was their past like? What about their childhood? Was there one defining moment that made them embrace their evil ways?
5. Now that they're evil, have they turned their back on everyone, or is there still someone in their life that they care for? (Brother? Daughter? Love interest? Mother? Someone who is just as evil as they are?)
6. Do they like hugs?
7. Are they plagued by something? (Nightmares? Terrible thoughts?)
8. Who are they more similar to: Gollum or Maleficent?
9. If your villain could have their choice of transportation what would it be?
10. If you met your villain in the street, how afraid would you be? Are they evil enough to kill their creator? 

I encourage you let loose an evil cackle while answering these questions. Just because. 

Beautiful People - Karis

Yes, I'm finally getting around to answering this months questions for Beautiful People. Part of the reason it's taken me so long is because for the longest time I just didn't even feel like writing. It was bad, I was pretty much getting nothing done. Then yesterday morning happened.

Every week I get together with some writing friends of mine at a local coffee shop and we work on whatever writing projects we've got going on. While drinking coffee. Talking... observing all the strange people. I've been outlining for the novel I'll be using for Camp NaNo in June. It's great, only it had a ton of plot holes I couldn't bring myself to fill. Until yesterday morning. Talk about inspiration migraines. Anyway, since then I've been outlining a ton, which includes character analysis. Thus, this Beautiful People post is finally going to get done.

Now that I've explained that in full detail, I'll move on to the questions.

Karis is my hero's best friend, and later becomes his wife. She used to work for Prince Trinn, but she disobeyed him one day. He had all her beautiful hair chopped off and she was stoned out of town. Lovell, the hero, found her in the woods and he's the one that got her to leave the trees again. He showed her that anyone can be forgiven, no matter what they've done. She showed him that love is a real thing.

1. What is their favorite type of shoe? 
She doesn't wear shoes. She hates them. She had to wear them all the time while she was working for Prince Trinn and now that she's free of his command she avoids them as much as possible. She probably hasn't worn a shoe for several years.

2. Do they journal?
Nope.

3. What's their favorite animal? 
A dog. She loves dogs, and always manages to find time to scratch a strays belly.

4. What does their average day look like? 
When she's living in the woods it's pretty simple. She pretty much just goes with whatever happens to come her way. Living at home though, she spends a lot of time with her family, and doing chores for her Mother, or just playing games with her sisters.

5. Night owl, or morning person? (Optional: What time do they normally wake up, and go to bed?)
Night owl, she always seems to be more alive once the stars have come out, and she loves the moon. She'll generally stay up as late as she possibly can, even though she also gets up early. In other words, she doesn't sleep much.

6. Do they have a sweet tooth? 
She doesn't really have sweets. So, not really.

7. What colors are their bedroom? 
When she lives in the woods she sleeps in a cave. When she lives at home she sleeps in the same room as the rest of her family. No beds, they sleep on the floor. The walls are brown.

8. Can they cook? 
Yes, when she's actually got food to cook with.

9. What is their favorite household chore? 
Getting water. It means a walk, often times by herself. It gives her time to think.

10. Favorite kind of tea? 
She doesn't really drink tea. If she did she'd probably like something fruity, or maybe peppermint.

Beautiful People - April

Well, here it is. Finally. Beautiful People. Some of you may have already seen it over at Sam's blog. That's fine, but I figured it's about time I actually posted it here as well. Yes, it's late. Very late. I apologize. I could give you several reasons why, but you've heard it all before so I'll spare you the details. (Just so you don't feel completely left out, my script for Script Frenzy hasn't been finished either. My blog isn't the only thing that's been neglected) 

So, here's 10 questions for the month. If you're new to Beautiful People, it's not hard and you're welcome to jump in whenever you like. Simply choose a character to answer the following questions for. Post them on your blog, and come back here to join the linky. Fun stuff. Easy to do. Great for character analysis (which I've said before, and I'll say again, helps more then one can imagine when it comes to plot holes).

Thanks to Mime for suggesting the first question. The rest of them... well, let's just say it's been a long couple of weeks for Sam and I.

1. What is their favorite type of shoe?
2. Do they journal?
3. What's their favorite animal?
4. What does their average day look like?
5. Night owl, or morning person? (Optional: What time do they normally wake up, and go to bed?)
6. Do they have a sweet tooth?
7. What colors are their bedroom?
8. Can they cook?
9. What is their favorite household chore?
10. Favorite kind of tea?

Beautiful People - Wes & Lyric

As you could probably tell by how quickly this was posted, I'm pretty exited for this months Beautiful People. In honor of the one year annivsary we're doing something a little different. Instead of focusing on just one character, we're throwing another one in there and discovering more about a relationship.

I may end up doing Beautiful People twice this month. I had trouble deciding which two characters I wanted to focus on, and I may just end up doing all four.

So, for this post, I'll be focusing on Weston and Lyric. Two characters from The Way We Are series. Lyric is in the first book, but she actually doesn't become a big part of the story until book two.


Do they believe in anything that most people think is impossible?
Wes - Well, yeah. Most people don't really believe that superpowers are real, but considering he has one he's inclined to disagree. Other then that, not really. He's a pretty straight forward kind of guy. No nonsense, just the facts.

Lyric - She believes Sheleg, the snow dragon on Third World, is real. Probably because it's her job to take care of him.

Are they strong, or the "damsel/knight in distress" sort? 
Wes - He can take care of himself when he needs to, but whenever there's someone to lend a hand he isn't the kind that would turn it down.

Lyric - She was the only human on Third World for 15 years. She learned to be strong. She had to be. Once the gang comes along she begins to understand that you don't always have to do everything on your own. Those who love you will always be there to help you.

Do they have a special place? 
Wes - Not really. He's moved around so much that one place is about as good as the other.

Lyric - Her cave on Third World. She lived in it for near to 16 years, and it was the only place on the entire world where warmth could be found.

What occupation do they have, or plan on having?
Wes - He's a teacher/owner at The Academy for superhero's on Fifth World. Not really what he'd planned on, but things have a way of changing when you least expect it.

Lyric - She planned on being a writer. Then she was taken to a world where there was no paper, no pens, and no people to read the novels you might have had published had you written them. Instead she became keeper and companion to Sheleg the snow dragon.

Describe their current place of residence. 
Wes - He lives in one of the dorm rooms at The Academy. He was given the option of having his own house built, or at least having a bigger room, but he shrugged them off. It's a square room with a bed, a desk, and a dresser. The walls are bare and there are no decorations except for one picture leaning against his lamp on the dresser. It's a picture of Exie, the girl he loved.

Lyric - It's a large cave beneath a snow covered mountain. It was already there when she got there, so she didn't have to do much to make it livable. There's a pile of furs to sleep on, a fire pit in one of the hallows (smoke escapes through a hole drilled through the stone), and various other random items scattered neatly about the cave. It's almost always warm, and when she's got a fire going a friendly orange glow fills the entire cave, making it a welcome place to rest.

Explain their last crisis. How had they changed when they came out of it? 
Wes - The death of Exie. He'd loved her for awhile, but never worked up the courage to tell her about it. Then ECG killed her, and it was to late. It made him realize he's not in control of his life, and anything can change at any moment. He taught himself to go for it, rather then sit back and wait for a better day. What if that better day never comes? His face also became a bit thinner, and his eyes sadder.

Lyric - She doesn't really have a lot of crisis in her life. She's pretty good at taking things in stride, but I guess the last one was when she was suddenly taken from her home on First World and placed on Third World. Her life totally changed because of it, and for a few years she was angry, but then she learned to love where she was.

If they could drive any kind of car they wanted, what would it be? 
Wes - I doubt he'd really care. He's pretty satisfied with the army jeep he's got on Fifth World.

Lyric - A black, 1960 Cadillac convertible, with fins.

How do they deal with change? 
Wes - It doesn't really bother him. It's got to be something really significant before he even notices. Like, someone he's close to dying, or moving across five worlds.

Lyric - She hasn't gone through much, but the one change she did go through was huge. She battled with herself over it for awhile, but then she learned to be content, and she even came to love it.

If they had to amputate one body part, which one would they choose? 
Wes - A leg. Being wheelchair bound doesn't scare him as much as not being able to work with his hands.

Lyric - An arm. She needs to run, but she could bring herself to do things one handed if she had to.

What would their favorite be at the local coffee shop? 
Wes - Just a regular cup of joe. Black.

Lyric - Carmel Latte with whip. She likes sweet things.


Now for the extra five questions for both of them.

How did they meet? 
The gang (Grant, Luna, Exie, Ranen, and Weston), stumbled onto Third World and almost got themselves killed. Sheleg led Lyric to them and she brought them to shelter.

How do these two deal with conflict? 
They tend to turn and walk away, and then find each other later to work it out if they have to.

Do they have a special song, phrase, item, or place? 
Nope, not really. Not with each other.

What kind of things do they like to do together? 
Save other superheros. Read. Teach. Laugh. Talk. Almost anything.

Describe their relationship as a whole in 3 words, or less. 
Unexpected.

Beautiful People - One Year Edition

This month marks the one year anniversary of Beautiful People! A year ago, my Sam and I started what we called a "blog thing" (mainly because we didn't like the word meme), to aid writers in the quest of character analysis. I'd like to say we've achieved that goal, but I can't really speak for all of you. I will say that it has been a huge help for Sam and I.

We decided to give everyone an extra challenge this month for the occasion. It's kind of put together in two parts. Don't worry, it's completely optional.

Part 1: Instead of one character, choose two that are somehow tied together in a relationship. It doesn't matter what kind. They can be siblings, sweethearts, enemies, friends. Just two people who know each other. A relationship that you, as the author, would like to discover more about.

Answer the first 10 questions as you normally would, but do it for both characters. This is where that optional part comes in, if you're not interested, feel free to use these questions as you would for just one character.

Also, if the question isn't suited for the world your character lives in, answer it as if they lived in a world that it would, or feel free to change the question to fit the situation.

(Thanks to Finvarra Penn and Alyianna for suggesting some of this months questions!)

1. Do they believe in anything that most people think is impossible? 
2. Are they strong, or the "damsel/knight in distress" sort? 
3. Do they have a special place? (e.g. a corner in his/her bedroom, under a tree...)
4. What occupation do they have, or plan on having? 
5. Describe their current place of residence. 
6. Explain their last crisis. How had they changed when they came out of it? 
7. If they could drive any kind of car they wanted, what would it be? 
8. How do they deal with change? 
9. If they had to amputate one body part, which one would they choose? 
10. What would their favorite be at the local coffee shop? 

Part 2: Here are 5 more questions. These ones are focused more on that relationship we mentioned above. The goal is to become more familiar with the way your two characters relate with one another. Think about your answers, don't be afraid to give us detail.

1. How did they meet? 
2. How do these two deal with conflict? 
3. Do they have a special song, phrase, item, or place? 
4. What kind of things do they like to do together? 
5. Describe their relationship as a whole in 3 words, or less. 

Have fun, and don't forget to sign the linky!

Beautiful People - Dugan Cealnoor

It took me awhile to decide which character I would use for Beautiful People. I knew I wanted to use a character from the novel I'll be writing for Camp NaNoWriMo, but I was tied between two. Heskith, and his brother Dugan. I finally decided on Dugan, because I've done Heskith before. Although, there is still a ton more about Heskith I'd like to discover, so I'll probably do him next month.

Anyway, Dugan is considered the villain of his novel, although I'd like to point out that he's not the kind of villain who's purely evil. No, more like, misunderstood, and misguided. 

1. If your character could be played by any actor, who would it be? 

Tom Hardy all the way. Down to the tattoos on his arms. Well, Dugan doesn't have the exact same tattoos as Tom Hardy, but he does have tattoos on his arms.

2. Does your character have a specific theme song? 
Blackbird. I know, it's the Beatles song, and I do love it when they sing it, but my all time favorite cover is done by Cameron Mitchell.

3. What's their worst childhood memory? Dugan just tries to forget his childhood. The entire thing is kind of a terrible memory for him. His Father tended to ignore him. When he was noticed, he was yelled at to disappear again. He spent the majority of his time in the woods, by himself. 
4. If your character had a superpower what would it be? Invisibility. He's already got the skills to vanish when he needs to. He would love it if he could literally disappear. 
5. If your character crashed on an island with a bunch of other people, how could your character help the group survive? He wouldn't really care about the other people. He would slip away before they even realized he had survived. He'd take care of himself, and keep an eye on the other survivors, only to keep track of what they're up to. 
6. Are they married? If not, do they someday wish to be? He's not married, and he's never really thought about it. The thought of marriage was brought up once in his life, and the purpose was to marry the princess so he could take the throne. As soon as he realized there was no way he'd be able to win the girls heart from his brother, he rung his hands of the experience and went back to attempting to take the throne in... uh... other ways. 
7. What is a cause they would die for? The attempt to get himself on the throne. He would die to get there. 
8. Would they rather die fighting valiantly, or quietly at home? He doesn't really care. If he gets killed while fighting, then he'll die, if he has a heart attack while he's sleeping, he would die. Doesn't make a difference. 
9. If a stranger walked up to them and told them they were the child of the prophesy, would they believe them? No, not really. Most likely he wouldn't give the stranger time to talk before he would either walk away, or kill them. 
10. Do they prefer the city, or the country? Country. He knows his way around the city, and it doesn't make him uneasy, but while in the country he is truly at ease. He feels peace. 

Beautiful People - February

"Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us or we find it not." -Ralph Waldo Emerson

Here we are, with another month past, and ten more questions posted for Beautiful People.

Beautiful People is a blog thing hosted by Sam and I. Each month we post ten questions for you to answer about the characters you've created. It's designed to help writer's discover even more about the beautiful people they've created.

We try to keep the questions neutral so they can be applied to any genre. However, as my Sam has said, "if you do write fantasy or sci-fi, try to adapt them so that they do fit your genre, or pose the question as if your character was in a modern world."

Moving on to the questions...

1. If your character could be played by an actor, who would it be? 
2. Does your character have a specific theme song? 
3. What's their worst childhood memory? 
4. If your character had a superpower, what would it be? 
5. If your character crashed on an island with a bunch of other people, how could your character help the group survive? 
6. Are they married? If not, do they someday wish to be? 
7. What is a cause they would die for? 
8. Would they rather die fighting valiantly, or quietly at home? 
9. If a stranger walked up to them and told them they were the child of the prophesy, would they believe them? 
10. Do they prefer the country, or the city? 

If you have any suggestions for next months questions, feel free to let us know in a comment on mine, or Sam's blog.

Enjoy, and don't forget to sign the linky!

Beautiful People - Heskith Cealnoor

Beautiful People! It's back. I love answering random questions about my characters. You would be amazed how much you learn about them in just ten questions!

This month I'll be answering the questions for the main character in the novel I'm working on outlining at the moment. His name is Heskith Cealnoor, and he fights to keep the royal family alive, while his brother seeks to destroy it.

1. If his house burned down, and he was left with nothing but the clothes on his back, what would he do? Where would he go? 

Well, the entire capitol and castle would have to burn down before it really affected him to the point of doing something drastic. If it was just his house though, he would move into the castle until he could get things sorted out.

2. Is he happy with where he is in life, or would he like to move on? 
He's pretty happy with where he is, but he doesn't complain when change comes his way.

3. Is he well-paid?
That he is. He's body guard to a king, and then a princess. They pay well.

4. Can he read? 
Yes, but he's never really enjoyed it.

5. What languages does he speak? 
English... that's it, although he later learns to pick up at least a few phrases in other languages.

6. What is his biggest mistake?
In his eyes? Letting his brother slip from his life and become evil.

7. What did he play with most as a child? 
Miany, his best friend. Their most used "toy," were their horses.

8. What are his thoughts on politics? 
He believes Miany should be on the thrown, not Dugan. He would die to defend this belief.... actually, it's his job to defend this belief.

9. What is his expected life-time? 
He's expected to life for awhile... I still haven't actually decided if he will, or not.

10. If he was falsely accused of murder, what would he do? How would he react? 
He would probably laugh, and then once he realized everyone was seriously, he would attempt to find all the flaws in their theory. If they still wouldn't believe him, he'd get angry as the escorted him to the dungeon, where he would stew in his cell until his death. Yep. He would.

If you're a writer, feel free to answer the questions for a character of your own!

Beautiful People - January

**Be sure to check out The Author's Giveaway. There are only a few more days to enter!**

And we're back! If you've forgotten about Beautiful People, don't feel to bad, because I did too. Sam had to remind me we needed to get the next set of questions out there.

For those who don't know what Beautiful People's about, check out the guidelines on Sam's blog, HERE.

Also, if you're interested in reading over the past questions we've used for Beautiful People, you can view the archives HERE.

With a new year of Beautiful People, we thought we might try a new kind of question, based on a comment left by The Director.

"I think more than "what is their favorite (blank)," perhaps questions concerning how the character would react to certain circumstances or situations would be even more helpful :-) Just my humble suggestion."

Great idea Abigail! Thanks for the suggestion. We threw a few of those questions into the mix this month.


1. If character's house burned down, and they were left with nothing but the clothes on their back, what would they do? Where would they go? 
 2. Are they happy with where they are in life, or would they like to move on? 
 3. Are they well-paid? 
 4. Can they read? 
 5. What languages do they speak? 
 6. What is their biggest mistake? 
 7. What did they play with most as a child? 
 8. What are their thoughts on politics? 
 9. What is their expected life time? 
 10. If they were falsely accused of murder, what would they do? How would they react? 

Enjoy the questions, and please feel free to leave feedback! Don't forget to sign the linky! 

The Troublesome Ones

Part of the reason, actually, probably the biggest reason, My Sam and I started Beautiful People was to have a way for writer's to get to know their characters. I would say it's worked wonderfully for at least the majority of those who have taken part. I know it's certainly helped me out a lot.

However, I'm beginning to wonder if there are some characters out there who just won't... come to life. I really don't know how else to put it. Let me try and explain.

When I'm writing, and I create a new character, I can see them in my minds eye. A lot of the time, they are just a name, or a vague image I can't quiet see yet. The character seems to be almost 2D, and as I discover more about them and their story, details begin to come clear. Colors are filled in, the fog is lifted. Last of all, when they really seem to come to life, it's almost as if someone has blown them up like a balloon. They become 3D. Real. That's what happens most the time at least.

Meet Miany Love Cealnoor. Her maiden name is Kingly. I could tell you the stories of her Father, husband, brother in law, and children. I could even tell you the story of her nurse maid from when she was a child. In telling you their stories, you would get the idea of her own. You would figure out where she stands in, and the parts she plays, but she would still be just a drawing on the page. She would never step out of the story and grab you by the throat.

I can't really classify her as a mary sue character. I can affirm that by saying I took The Writer's Mary Sue Test. They called her healthy with a great future ahead of her. Why am I not feeling the same way?

I've been struggling with Miany for around five years now. I've started writing her novel several times, but it never turns out. Why? I think it's her fault. So, today, I said this has to stop.

In my attempt to bring this character to life I'm writing a series of short stories about her, and I'm convinced I shall discover her story. If I fail in this mission I shall see about changing her to someone else entirely. I would get rid of the character, but someone's got to fill that space. I guess that's my biggest worry, I don't want a character to fill in the blanks. I want a character who will remove the blanks.

If you've made it to the end of this writer's rant, I salute you.

Beautiful People - Holiday Edition

Welcome to the Holiday Edition of Beautiful People! If you're unsure what Beautiful People is you can read about it on the FAQ page.

Seeing as how the holidays are getting closer and closer, my Sam and I decided we would dedicate this months questions to celebrations. We'll be taking a break through December, but Beautiful People will be back in January.

A lot of writer's don't think about holiday's, or celebrations while writing their story, but it's a part of life. Even for fantasy writer's. Your character might be a typical American who celebrates Christmas and the Fourth of July, but they must have something to celebrate. Parties are a part of almost anyone's life, even if they aren't given for the same reasons. Stretch your imagination on this one. Try to make your characters holiday seasons as real as you can.

1. What kind of holidays do they celebrate, if any?
2. What are they most thankful for?
3. Do they have any family traditions?
4. What is their most memorable holiday memory?
5. What is the most memorable gift they have ever received?
6. Do they consider it important to be with family during celebrations?
7. Do they usually wait till the last minute to purchase gifts, or do they buy them ridiculously early?
8. Favorite Christmas song? For fantasy authors, is music a part of their celebration?
9. Do they celebrate for religious reasons?
10. How do they celebrate the beginning of the new year?

Have fun, and don't forget to sign the linky!

Characters Make the Plot

As you've probably noticed, I like to fancy myself as a writer. It's something I greatly enjoying doing and have spent many hours not only doing it, but learning how to become better at it. I've read books on the subject, written by published authors. I haven't agreed with everything they've said, but it helped me to see that every writer is different. Every writer has things that work best for them.

I hardly consider myself worthy to give advice, but I would like to expound on something that has worked for me. Character analysis.

That's right. Character sketches. Not just piddly little profiles though. I'm talking extensive stuff. This is a person that you're trying to create. A person that is making up the contents of your novel. There is always more to discover. Always more to uncover.

I get writer's block. I know, surprise, surprise. Probably one of the most obvious statements a writer can make. There are very few things I can do to break that inspiration stopping wall. One of them, the one that seems to work the most for me, is character analysis. Discovering more. It's amazing how learning one little morsel of information on one little side character, can open up a whole slew of new plot ideas.

Not only can you find a ton of character sketch material online, (I'm now going to shamelessly advertise) such as Beautiful People, but you can find some great books on the subject as well. I myself have only had the chance to get my hands on one, but there are at least a few more out there. The one I've used a little bit is called, What Would Your Characters Do. The Director recommends one called 45 Master Characters.

Check these books out. Look around for more like them. Get them from the library if you can. Find the one that works best for you. Find several that work best for you. Maybe none of them will work for you. Maybe you feel you don't need extensive character sketches. That's cool too, just remember that with writing, it's always a good idea to try something before saying it's not for you. You never know, you might surprise yourself.

Beautiful People - The Way We Love

My turn to answer this months questions for Beautiful People. We're doing a special NaNoWriMo Edition this month to help everyone get even more excited for the upcoming event.... writing that sentence made me feel like a nerd. I'm okay with that though. Moving on.

We also challenged participants to answer all the questions, from each month, found in the BP Archives, all on one character. While I have done this several times already (it's amazing how much of a help this exercise can be) I won't be posting all the answers on my blog, in this post at least. So, for now, this months questions.

Sum up your novel in five words, or less.

Mislead brother seeks revenge.

Novel title?

The Way We Love.

Sum up your main character(s) in one word.

Grant: leader. Weston: nerd. Ranen: loner. Luna: capable. Lyric: strong.

Advice for newbies in three words?

Coffee and music.

Tell us about your secondary characters, how do they affect the story?

I've got quiet a few actually, but I'll try not to make this last to long. Shada, she's a young girl who helps Weston wake up and realize he can't just sit around for the rest of his life, mourning the death of Exie. She gets him moving. Lane, Grant's son. He pretty much causes the entire plot by unintentionally forcing Grant to return to First World. Jasper, the bad guy. He causes all the trouble. Tony, the one and only person outside of the gang that Ranen has ever cared a hoot about. His disappearance sends Ranen on a quest to find him. Throwing him into the path of Jasper.

Do you plan on staying up till midnight on the 31st?

Oh yes, I'm going to write till I can't keep my eyes open any more.

How many years have you done NaNo?

This will be my third.

What came first, characters, or plot idea?

I guess the characters, since this is the sequel and they were already there for me to use.

How much prep do you do before November?

I'm writing a full, incredibly detailed, outline. I'm on chapter 9, hopefully I'll get it done before the 1st.

Now be honest, how do you really feel about NaNo?

For me the question isn't "am I going to do NaNo this year?" It's always, "what am I doing for NaNo this year?" I've seriously considered doing my own 50k challenge in a different month, as well as the one in November, although I've never actually done it yet. I love the words, the friends, and the crazy nights. To sum it all up, NaNoWriMo is one of my favorite times of the year.

Beautiful People - NaNoWriMo Edition!

Da ta da ta DA! It's a brand new Beautiful People post! Only, it's not your typical Beautiful People. Nope, it's awesome because it's the NaNoWriMo Edition of Beautiful People! We're hoping it will get us all even more excited about the upcoming insanity.

What's the difference you ask? Well, not only are all the questions geared towards those writing novels this November, but we've got an extra little challenge on the side. Because, apparently, writing 50k words in a month isn't challenge enough.

What is this extra challenge? We're encouraging everyone to take a look at the BP archive that my Sam has so neatly put together and answer all the questions on one character. Even if you just do it without posting it on your blog, it's an amazing way to really learn a lot about the way your character thinks and what they love. We suggest using the main character of your NaNo novel, but any character will do.

While this months new questions are geared towards NaNoers, for those who aren't participating this year, we'd love to see the answers to the ones that can be adapted to the novel you're working on at the moment.

1. Sum up your novel in five words, or less.

2. Novel title?

3. Sum up your main character(s) in one word.

4. Advice for newbies in three words?

5. Tell us about your secondary characters, how do they affect the story?

6. Do you plan on staying up till midnight on the 31st?

7. How many years have you done NaNo?

8. What came first, characters, or plot idea?

9. How much prep do you do before November?

10. Now be honest, how do you really feel about NaNo?

Don't forget to sign the linky, and have fun!

Introducing The Way We Love

October. It's that crazy month where all the writers begin to realize NaNoWriMo is only four weeks away, and they better come up with some kind of plot if they want to make it to 50k. After being interviewed by an honest to goodness newspaper man on the subject, I was forced to decide what I would be writing this year. As a spur of the moment choice, my beloved characters of old won out.

I'll be torturing Grant, Luna, Ranen, and Weston for another year, at least. They'll be returning in The Way We Love, sequel to The Way We Think.

Since making that decision, I've been totally stoked about NaNo. I've even started outlining. Who cares if I've only got a few weeks and I'm just now on the first chapter.

So, who's doing NaNoWriMo? Keep checking back because Beautiful People will be geared towards NaNoers this month. Don't worry if you aren't planning on undertaking the craziness of the challenge, we'll have plenty of questions for you as well!

Beautiful People - Krinna Rayne

In a crazy attempt to get myself excited for the outlining I'd like to do for my NaNo novel, I'm going to do my Beautiful People post on one of that stories characters. Krinna Rayne.

Krinna lives in a small village surrounding a small lake. The lake has almost a constant mist rising from it. The mist brings healing to any ailments. Krinna discovers a world beneath the lake and begins to learn a new way of life, only to be told she would have to learn three more. Not only did her survival depend on this, but the survival of everyone she's ever known.

Krinna Rayne by georgiepenn featuring striped scarves

Does she have any habits, annoying, or otherwise?

She tends to trail off in the middle of her sentences, forgetting she has a listener who may not predict what she was going to say.

What is her backstory and how does it affect her now?

She has grown up in a village steeped in tradition. Everyone around her took part in teaching her the basics of life as she grew to adulthood. There were certain way to do things, if you did them differently, you weren't welcome. This makes it hard for her to learn the costumes of new people as they're habits go against everything she has ever been taught.

How does she show love?

By listening. If she loves someone dearly she will almost always take time from her day to stop and listen to what they may have to say.

How competitive is she?

Not so much. It doesn't really matter to her if she'll win, or loose. Actually, if she's doing something that involves winning, she probably doesn't even want to be doing it.

What does she think about when nothing else is going on?

It depends on where she's at. If she's at home she'll think about the people in the lake, if she's in the lake she'll think about those at home.

Does she have an accent?

She starts with a Briton accent, but as she spends more time with other people she begins to take on a sound of her own, picking up bits of languages here and there.

What is her station in life?

She is the daughter of the lead villager. Although her Father holds this high rank she has always been treated the same way as the rest of the people.

What do others expect from her?

As a child they expected a smile and a laugh. As she's grown older she's become more withdrawn and quiet, preferring to spend time by herself then attend village get togethers. People are no longer sure what they expect of her, other than keeping to herself.

Where was she born, and when?

In the village, twenty-three years ago.

How does she feel about people in general?

She doesn't care for them much. They make her uncomfortable and she prefers to stay away from them as much as possible.

Beautiful People - September

After playing spider solitaire while simultaneously listening to insanely inspiring music for over an hour now, I guess I'm finally ready to write this blog post.

Honestly, I can't believe sometimes how fast the month seems to go by. I feel like I just wrote a Beautiful People post. Now, it's time for My Sam and I to give you 10 more questions for you to answer about your beautiful characters.

For those who are unclear on the matter, take a look at this post HERE. Feel free to join us whenever you like. If you have any question suggestions for the following months, don't be afraid to comment and give us some new ideas.

This months questions are...

1. Do they have any habits, annoying or otherwise?

2. What is their backstory and how does it affect them now?

3. How do they show love?

4. How competitive are they?

5. What do they think about when nothing else is going on?

6. Do they have an accent?

7. What is their station in life?

8. What do others expect from them?

9. Where were they born, and when?

10. How do they feel about people in general?

Have fun, and don't forget to sign the linky!

Beautiful People - Heskith

This post is rather bittersweet. It's the first Beautiful People post I shall be writing that's not about the characters in The Way We Think. The characters from that novel are probably my most favorite, and have become the most real of all my beautiful characters. Its been awesome learning even more about them, but, it's time to move on.

I give you, Hesktith Cealnoor from Ash Valley. King of Aanoor, and brother to my favorite villain.

What is his biggest accomplishment?

Finding his kidnapped son after eight years of searching.

What is his strongest childhood memory?

When he was eight years old he woke to find his older brother, Dugan, packing all his things. When Dugan realized he was awake he came and sat on his bed, talking to him, telling him that he would have to leave, but someday he would be back. As he left he paused in the door and told him that he loved him. Heskith didn't see him for another eleven years.

What is his favorite food?

One of his favorite things to do with his daughter is roast apples over an open fire, and sweeten them with honey. Maybe it's because he always does it in the company of one of his favorite people, maybe it's because it gets him out of his royal life for awhile, but nothing tastes better to him than those baked apples.

Does he believe in love at first sight?

No, he's far to practical for that.

What kind of home does he live in?

He's a king. He lives in a castle. Paranoor Castle actually. People travel from other kingdoms just to see it from a distance.

What does he wear?

The things he's almost always wearing are his black cloak, his sword belt, and a leather jerkin.

What would he do if he discovered he were dying?

He would make sure the kingdom was left in good hands, then get on a horse and ride away with his family. He would find somewhere where no one else would go and spend the rest of his time there, in peace, with those he loved.

What kind of holidays, or traditions does he celebrate?

The country of Aanoor has few celebrations, but when they do the party goes on for days. Still haven't sorted out all the details. One of the largest celebrations lasts for almost a week and it's to remember the day Aanoor was won in a horse race by Heskith's Father in law.

What do your other characters have to say about him?

The villagers would tell you they would give their lives for him, his first concern is for them, and that he rarely smiles, but maybe that's just how all royalty are.

If he could change one thing in his world, what would it be?

Peace. He would have everyone at peace with one another. All the worries and sorrows of war would be gone.

Want to join in the fun? Find this months Beautiful People post HERE!

Gumbo

You know that moment when you realize your blog posts have been fewer to non-excistant in the last three weeks? You feel like you barely have time to sleep, let alone blog.

I wonder if I'll ever get back into the groove of typing out my thoughts in this little box, or if this blog will slip away and become one of the thousands that have been abandoned. Don't worry though, I've got far to many thoughts banging about in my mind to give it up entirely.

While I have forgotten my blogging, it seems others have not. I was given the same award three times. I'm to thank Katie, Mirriam, and Charity for awarding me the Liebster Blog award. I shan't be passing it on, but I'm very flattered for the appreciation you've bestowed upon this speck of speck in the internet world.

For those of you who haven't seen this months Beautiful People post, be sure to check out the new questions, there are some great ones!

I shall end this strange, mash up of a post with this.

Expect a post on them in the future, probably not in the near future, but possibly sometime beyond that. Kudos to those who know who they are.