Do Your Best For the Black Belt

Today at the cafe, I walked passed a table with several young children at it. I heard one of the girls tell her younger brother "in karate we do our best, otherwise we will never get the black belt." I wanted to stop and tell her to keep that attitude through the rest of her life.

I was feeling lonely today. The weather is overcast and cloudy, and it's been raining off and on, not normal for this area. It didn't help my mood. Then I kept running into people I know, and even if they just waved hello as they walked by, I realized I knew more people then I thought.

Honestly, I wasn't even intending to write a blog post. I was going to work on my outline for my NaNo novel this year, but then I realized the outline I already have started is in a notebook, at home, under my bed. I can't go home to get it until later tonight after I get off at Gymboree. I suppose I could just wing it, considering I'm just going to write the whole thing over again, but I actually don't remember the majority of what happens in this novel. Despite the fact that it's part of a series I've been working on for the majority of my writing life.

Speaking of my entire life, I turned 20 last week. That was weird. Not really, it doesn't feel any different then 19. It just feels weird that I'm 20 now, and all my friends are getting engaged, or married, or joining the military, or have kids. At what point did we all grow up, and why do I still feel like the child, left behind because her legs are to short to keep up? 

'Nother Year, 'Nother NaNo

Just in case anyone was wondering, I'm behind in NaNoWriMo by 2,000 words. Am I worried about it? Not incredibly. In past years I thought I would die if I didn't reach the 50k by the 31st... this year it's important, but I think I'll survive if I should fail.

You know that outline I mentioned I had? Yeah, well, I completely decided not to use it and go with a novel I'd written the first year I did NaNo. Only, 1,000 words into that novel and I decided it needed a major overhaul.

So, I might have taken a complete fantasy novel and transformed it to a futuristickindofnormalbuthasrandomburstsoftechnologyyouweren'texpecting novel. No, that's not a technical term so don't quote me on it.

The point is, I've written a lot more this way then I think I ever would have if I'd decided to stick with the plots I had before. It's been awhile since I decided to write with no sort of anything planned, but amazingly enough pieces are coming together and I believe brilliance is in the making. (Just kidding, I'm not Charles Dickens)

Also, RainyMood is a gift from God.

K, bye.

(This post is brought to you by the girl who didn't get enough sleep last night due to the fact that she figured her alarm would go off at the wrong time and she would be late for work. Daylight Savings Time is dumb) (btw, I wasn't late) (part of me is glad about that because... well, I wasn't late, but the other part of me is kind of irritated because my alarm would have gone off and aroused me at the right time and I could have slept soundly) (Daylight Savings Time is dumb)

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...

Explore. Dream. Discover.

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. 

Mark Twain was a smart guy. I used to think this quote's only meaning was to drop everything and go travel the world. Maybe that was what he intended for those who heard the words, maybe he simply meant, live the life you have to the fullest. Explore, dream, and discover the life around you. Maybe he meant both.

Either way, I can't really drop everything at the moment, so I've been discovering things at home.

1. Les Miserables is a beautiful book. Victor Hugo is a bit long winded, but it's worth it. 

   2. Expectations can be good, but sometimes they get to high. Then it stings when they fall down again. 

3. Nobody is perfect. Even when you thought they were. 

   4. Books take up a lot of space, the more books you get, the more space you need. (maybe that one was obvious for some peoples) 

5. Forgiveness is good. To give and to receive. 

   6. I'm a bit fonder of Fall then I thought I was. (despite the fact that it means no more summer) 

7. November comes very quickly every year. (NaNoWriMo anyone?) 

   8. Sometimes it's worth fighting for. Sometimes you've just gotta shrug and say "okay." 

9. Marshmallows sooth a sore throat. Happy day. 

10. Change happens. Welcome it with a smile. It makes life easier in the long run. 

I'm Yours, and Writerly Musings

First of all, I love this kid. 

This video has 53,468,658 views. 20 of them were probably me. 
I haven't been doing a lot of writing lately, although I should be. My plan is not only to convert my NaNo novel of 2010 into a film script for Script Frenzy, but I would also like to participate in Camp NaNoWriMo this year. Both times. Thus, on top of the rewrites I should be doing to The Way We Think, I should be outlining. Ha. 
By the way, if you go to the Script Frenzy website and use the Plot Machine on the main page, you'll probably laugh. I did. 

While drowning in the Caspian Sea a wedding photographer with Tourette's puts his life on the line to save the ant colony. 

The great thing about writing is that nothing is really impossible. The other great thing, is everything you can put the characters through. You would think drowning in the Caspian Sea was rather life threatening, but just wait till we reach the ant colony. That's where you'll find the real danger. 
I have been working on a bit of a short story. It's based off of a quote Fin and I found on the internet. You can read the entire thing here (it's rather long). It inspired something along these lines. 

He reached the little shop within twenty minutes. A sign on the door warned him to step down as he entered. The first thing he noticed was the air. Not just the smell of an old book, or turning pages, but that thick air that surrounds them and makes them feel that much different. The second thing he noticed was the cat, sitting next to the cash register. Perhaps he'd chosen the place to rest, not only because he could easily keep an eye on those who entered, but also because every other surface on the counter was covered with books. Piles of books. The long haired creature blinked lazily, as if Reed held no interest for him, and yet the soft green eyes remained locked on him. Watching his every move. Reed found an uncertain smile on his face and a few words stuttering from his lips. "I... just wanted to... to look around." He stopped when he realized he was talking to a cat. He wasn't sure if there was any other human in the building. Not only could he hear no evidence of it, but he could also see none. 

I'm sure I'll get to my outlining eventually. The week before Camp NaNo begins perhaps? 

Hi Guys

It's seven minutes away from midnight and I'm writing this post to say that this blog is not dead. Let's just say NaNoWriMo has sucked practically ever intelligible word out of my system. On that note, I reached 50,000 three days before Thanksgiving. Now I've just got to finish the novel.

For those of you sitting around waiting for something to happen on this blog, sit back and get ready. My Sam, Fin and I are working on some crazy stuff. At least, it sounds crazy when you're this tired.

I've also discovered you will laugh an insane amount at this video when you're tired. If you're anything like me that is.

I also must say a hint of steampunk has started to show up in my novel. I am okay with this. In fact, I find it rather enjoyable.

Week 2ish

This post is a bit late. Week two has come and gone, but oh well. Let me just say, I expect to reach the 50,000 word goal the same way I did last year. In a futile attempt to beat Fin in getting there. Sometimes I wonder how normal people have fun.

Wordcount: I shall fill this in later. I'm keeping Fin in terror at the moment.

Favorite Place to Write: The coffee shop, still. Especially when I've got writer friends with me.

Most Productive Place to Write: That would still be my bedroom. On my bed. With earphones in my ears.

Favorite Snack: French fries from McDonald's. I know, I'm weird.

Music:

Week 1

Well, the first week of NaNo is over and I'm still breathing. One of my characters isn't, but I told him from the very beginning he wouldn't be lasting long. I hope he didn't mind. I would ask him, but... like I said, he's not speaking anymore.

I finally updated my Current Writing Projects page, so you can read the quick synopsis of my novel there.

So, how's it been going? Pretty good! I've got to say, I love working with these characters again. They're probably my favorite group of fictional people.

Word count: 17,003

Favorite Place to Write: The coffee shop

Most Productive Place to Write: My bedroom

Favorite Snack: Chocolate, either white, or dark, but not milk.

Music: Michael Buble (Lost),

Damian McGinty (Home),

and Josh Groban (Hidden Away).

I would make this longer, but I haven't reached my word goal for the day. I'm hoping for 18k before midnight.

Just The Right Words

I am totally live blogging right now. I've never done this before, but I'm in love with it already.

At this very moment I'm sitting in my very favorite coffee shop. I've already spent many hours at this table, and I'm sure there will be many more. It's got the perfect atmosphere for writing a novel.

People come and they go. I can look out the window to the road across the street and see people that I recognize. The majority of the people sitting around me are people I've seen here before. Their faces familiar from days past.

I really should be writing right now. After all, it's the first day of NaNo and even though I've already got the suggested word count for the day, that's never enough for me. I know I can reach above and beyond that. I'm going for 5,000 before the day is done.

I start working at a new job tomorrow and while I'm totally excited about it, I'm also a bit nervous. Okay, a lot nervous. This is my first "real" job. What if I mess up? I guess that's the same question everyone has when they step out and do new things. I'm no different from those who have succeeded. Why shouldn't I? This quote keeps running through my head.

"We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths." -Walt Disney

I don't think I'm exactly curious, but it makes me feel better anyway. Maybe because Walt Disney has just always been awesome, and you know if he was sitting next to me right now he would have just the right words to say.

The Stroke of Midnight

I'm one of those people who doesn't celebrate halloween. The only time I ever remember dressing up for it was last year. I went as a writer. It involved wearing my glasses instead of my contacts, putting my hair in a bun, and sticking a pen through it. Most people didn't even realize I was in costume.

I was telling one of my bosses today that I was going to stay up till midnight so I could start my "writing thing" as she called it. She found it silly to stay up and start writing then, when I could get a good nights sleep and start writing tomorrow. When Fin and I explained to her that half the fun was waiting that first night for the exact minute when you can start writing, she called us a strange breed.

Yes, I suppose we writers are a strange breed. We go through halloween day, waiting for it to be over. Because for us, the 31st just means the day before NaNo. Then, the real fun begins.

Find me on the NaNoWriMo website under the username georgiepenn.

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!

Weakness

I just finished making the cover for The Way We Love. I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out, despite the complications I had while making it. You all probably want to see it, but you'll have to wait. It'll be on my updated Current Writing Projects page, after NaNo starts.

I'm sitting on Fins bed at the moment, listening to Celtic Thunder. It's hard to believe that it's been almost a year since we went and saw them in concert. It was the kickstart to NaNo last year for me. This year I'll be taking a trip to the best bookstore on the face of this earth. Powell's. Books on my list to look for? Oh, you know, the usual. Charles Dickens, Ted Dekker, John Keats, C.S. Lewis... the list goes on. I'm pretty sure I'll be able to find one, or two books to lug home with me.

Someone shared a verse with me lately. I love it when that happens.

And he said unto me, "my grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong."

2 Corinthians 12:9-10

I think the world overrates the wrong kind of strong. Who cares if you've got abs. Until you are weak in Him, you will never be truly strong. I think I need to work on that more. Much more.

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!

Braindead

I haven't been writing much lately. I've been reading. I actually haven't been doing much of that either though, so it's a lame excuse. Oh well, I just keep telling myself you've gotta have a break before the big bust, right? I would certainly call November the big bust of my writing life, and it's coming on fast. At this point, I'm not even really sure what I'm gonna write either. I've got ideas, but there's no saying that won't change. Like it already has three times.

I've got to get up early to go to work tomorrow, so I'm not even really sure why I'm taking the time to write this post. This could be one of those moments when I could be writing, or reading. I'm writing a story about gypsy's, a highwayman, and poor villagers. I'm reading Wuthering Heights. I'm enjoying both.

I guess I decided to post because I felt like I wanted to, the only thing was, I didn't know what to post. So, I decided to follow the example of My Sam and not think about it. Just write, right? We won't go into how much she inspires me right now, just know that she does.

Speaking of being inspired, I'm in love with music right now. Oh wait, I'm always in love with music. Let me rephrase that, I'm in love with Barrage right now. This is one of my favorites. It's called Allen's Bar.

This ones pretty good too. Until We Meet Again.

I'm in the midst of refurbishing my room. Well, I have been in the midst of it since we moved into this house, but it's getting closer. My Daddy is going to build me some awesome bookshelves so I'll be able to get my books off the floor and I'm hoping to find a nice, big, comfy chair to stick in the corner. I love big comfy chairs. Especially when surrounded by books.

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.

What's Important to You?

Day 10 - Your answer to, "What is the most important thing I should know about writing."

If I was replying to someone who was thinking about getting into writing themselves, I would say, beware. It's addictive. Once you start, you will be sucked into the world of late nights, finding room for stacks of filled notebooks, and crying over deleted documents. Oh, and how could we forget NaNoWriMo?

For anyone else, there is no answer to this question. It changes for each and every person. I could tell you some of the things that are most important to me. Such as, simply writing what's on my heart, or be willing to try new things in my writing world. Outlining is a lot more fun than I ever imagined it could be.

The fact of the matter is though, that why these things could be important for me, they might not be a struggle, or nearly as important to you.

So, here's my answer to this question. Find out for yourself. Because it will be different for each and every writer. What is most important to you?

Check out this 15 Day Blog Challenge at Eat... Sleep... Write!

Attempt is Write

Day 3 - Your first attempt at writing.

I love how Lerowen words this one. "attempt at writing." That was certainly true for me. In fact, even now I feel like it's all just an attempt. One big attempt to get it write... or... er, right.

Anyway, I don't really remember when I first started to write. I've been asked the question many a time before, but all I can really do is guess. It was probably sometime when I was 7, or 8. I don't remember why I thought I might enjoy it, I don't remember what it was about. The first thing I do remember is writing a "novel" (as I called it in my own little head) about a girl who actually liked to wash dishes. In fact, she went to tournaments and won awards for her speed at washing dishes.

I dedicated it to my sister. Why? I have no idea, she hated washing dishes.

After that things became a little more serious. I actually had a lot of great ideas that I still run into and tell myself I really had something there. One of these I am actually still working on. Ash Valley.

In my early writing days I spent hours working on the first book in the trilogy Ash Valley is apart of. Somewhere along the line I got so excited about the second book (you guessed it, Ash Valley) I quite the first one and started it. I've been working on it ever since. At the moment I'm working on outlining it so I can do a complete re-write and I'm even contemplating using it as my 2011 NaNoWriMo novel. I love the story. I love the characters. I love the setting. I just can't seem to get it written. That's what NaNo is for, right?

Want to join the 15 day challenge? Check it out at Eat... Sleep... Write!

Three Favorites.

I've decided to take part in Lerowen's writer's challenge. I always love it when I discover new writer's blogs. I probably won't do every day of the challenge, but I thought some of the daily topics looked interesting. Such as today's,

Day 1 - Your favorite character you've written.

This is a really hard question. I mean, I've formed some kind of attachment to pretty much all of them. I guess I could probably narrow it down to three though.

Dugan Cealnoor by GeorgiePenn on Polyvore.com

The villain in the fantasy novel I've been working on for a few years. I'm getting ready to re-write it and in the midst of outlining have discovered just how awesome this guy is.

While he was a teenager he was mislead to believe he was better than his peers. As he grew into a man he took action to overtake the kingdom, but was thwarted by none other than his younger brother who later becomes the King. Not willing to fade into myth he takes his revenge by kidnapping his brother's only son and raising him to believe his Father is the real enemy and must be destroyed. All together he's a character with a lot of back story and misunderstandings.

Ranen Ken by GeorgiePenn featuring a black t shirt

Ranen, he's one of the main characters in my 2010 NaNo novel, The Way We Think. This guy can be pretty wild at times, he's another of my characters with a lot of backstory. He grew up in the streets, fending for himself till he was 17. At this time a family took him under their wing and nurtured him, giving him an education and believing that he was a good person. He goes through life's lessons the hard way.

Ella by GeorgiePenn featuring distressing jeans

I started her story based off a series of dreams I was having. I never really finished the story, but she kind of became the character I go to when I feel like writing, but have nothing else to write. I love her quite reserve, yet her will power to survive in a world many would fail in. She sings and plays for audiences, yet she is terrified of people she doesn't know. She can count her friends and family on one hand, but she knows them better than they know themselves at times. She draws strength and confidence from those she loves, but gives them the same, and sometimes more, in return.

Three characters. Three stories. Three favorites.

Beautiful People - Grant Fallyn

Now it's time for Beautiful People. The part where Georgie comes out, and talks about a beautiful person. (Yes, that's based of Silly Song's with Larry.)

For those wondering what Beautiful People is, you can check it all out HERE. If you'd like to join us for this months questions, sign the linky HERE.

This month I'm going to be talking about the main character of The Way We Think, my NaNo novel for 2010. Grant Fallyn, the natural leader of the five main superhero's. His power is to know when someone is lying. Grant is the hardest for me to translate what I've got in my head, to paper. He sounds kind of ordinary, but really, he's got a pretty complex personality. He thinks differently than most people, although it doesn't really show until you get to know him.

Grant Fallyn by GeorgiePenn featuring short sleeve shirts

What is his biggest secret?

I guess it would be that he is afraid. As the leader the others are constantly looking to him for advice and instruction, and he fears hurting them by doing the wrong thing. I'm not sure he really knows that this is his biggest secret though.

Has he ever been in love?

There's this girl. Her name is Luna Telmarin... he loves her.

What is his comfort food?

He doesn't really have one.

Does he play a musical instrument? If so, what?

Piano. He's awesome with those ivory keys.

What color are his eyes? Hair?

His eyes are brown. His hair is white. No, he's not old. He was born with white hair. It's not really blonde, it's white. No, he's not an albino. He's just got awesome white hair.

Does he have any pets?

He's got an albino golden retriever named Alby. One of his Dad's friends gave it to him when he was a boy, wanting to be rid of the strange looking pup.

Where is his favorite place to be?

Probably his bedroom, or just any place with his friends. Maybe his living room, when his family is gathered around.

What are some of his dreams or goals?

To get married and have a family, to lead a normal life as best he can. To have a nice house, a beautiful wife *cough, cough* Luna *cough, cough,* and to make his Dad proud.

Does he enjoy sports?

He doesn't mind playing backyard sports with his friends, but other than that, not really.

What is his favorite flower, or plants.

Ferns.