Monica Valentinelli's Blog: booksofm.com, page 71

Recommend Me Books For A Change

It’s no secret that I feel, in order to be well-rounded both as a human being and as a writer, one must read books (and a lot of them). I get a sense and deeper appreciation of culture when I read works set in locations only seen on. . .well, it used to be Encyclopedia Britannica or National Geographic. I suppose it’s now Google Maps?

Anyhoo. My feeling is that there’s always one book that you feel defined “X” for you. For example, it’s no secret I feel American Gods defined urban fantasy. Published in 2001, I feel it was a landmark novel and extraordinarily influential on the genre. For other examples, I feel that Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice set the stage for paranormal romance and Splinter of the Mind’s Eye by Alan Dean Foster offered an exemplary take on tie-in fiction in a way that influenced other books in the Star Wars extended universe for years to come. Another one comes to mind, Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series was a powerful one and I feel a shining example of historical romance and time travel. Humor? Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy, sure, but even before that, anything written by Erma Bombeck.

For modern horror with supernatural elements, there’s a scale of books that begins with the unabridged version of Stephen King’s The Stand, followed by the co-authored Peter Straub/Stephen King The Talisman, and winds up ever-so-neatly with The Great And Secret Show series by Clive Barker. (What’s he up to, now-a-days. Anyone know? And yes, I realize that the trilogy I just mentioned is billed as “fantasy,” but to me, it’ll always be dark fantasy teetering on the fringes of horror.)

For fantasy? Oh, there’s also a scale given how well-read I am in that genre, too. Where to begin? The Death Gate Cycle series by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman, The Dragonbone Chair series by Tad Williams, and pretty much anything by Tad, because he writes about characters that are more diverse than the traditional Anglo-Saxon Protestant living in a world where magic exists. (Sorry, folks. . .that’s a button for me. I like diversity in my fiction, especially in fantasy, because my world is diverse. Though, there is a lot to be gleaned from stories where the characters are homogeneous, too.) My list, which goes into never-never land, goes on and on and on.

Because of how I read (and when) no doubt my take on the cultural zeitgeist is a personal one — but there are gaping holes in my library at the moment, reading I lack either because I have no idea where to begin, I’ve forgotten what I had read, or because I fallen out of reading experimentation due to laziness and default to whatever’s lurking about on my shelves. Mind you, my walls are quite literally bleeding books, so this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. And reading experimentation, my friends, is what this post is all about.

Today, I am asking for your recommendations on a single tome, a work of fiction, that YOU feel is the best indicative of one of the following categories, cultures, professions, genres, etc. It does not have to be a best-seller or a modern work, mind you. It just has to mean something profound to you and available via Ye Olde Library. Now that I think about it, try to limit works published since the 1950s, unless I noted the word “literature.”

* Feminism

* Modern Romance

* Gay/Bi-sexual/Lesbian

* Transhumanism

* Post-Apocalyptic

* Werewolves

* Fairies

* Arthurian legend

* Modern conspiracy

* Ghosts

* Middle-Eastern literature (Please, not Arabian Nights.)

* Italian science fiction or fantasy (can be written in Italian)

* Norse mythology

* Mexican literature

* Steampunk

* Virtual reality

* Hard (no floofy hand-waving, please) science fiction

* Speculative (e.g. something that has its own category and doesn’t fit anyplace else)

* Pick a culture, any culture I haven’t mentioned here, and recommend a work I absolutely have to read. For example, Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart is one I highly recommend.

Please comment below and share your recommendations!

Mood: *laughs maniacally*

Caffeinated Beverages Consumed: I think there’s something in my coffee.

Work-Out Minutes Logged Yesterday: WOOOOOOOOOOOOO. (Or not.)

In My Ears: Other voices.

Game Last Played: Tetris

Movie Last Viewed: The Raven

Latest Artistic Project: In progress!

Latest Release: “Fangs and Formaldehyde” from the New Hero anthology through Stone Skin Press

Scrivener Upped My Word Count. Here’s Why.

I downloaded Scrivener for the PC a few months back, but I never used it religiously until last week. Now, I realize that some other authors may feel that this is software with too many bells and whistles is a way to provide meaningful distractions from the act of getting one’s butt in the chair and proceeding a-pace. ***warning, proceeding a-pace is my new favorite phrase*** After all, there’s only so much outlining, worldbuilding, character development, and scene mapping one can do before the words flow. (Like spice, only faster and less blue-eye turning.)

Sure, the planning portion of a project can be another timesuck (a word coined by the incomparable Lili Saint Crow, might I add) in addition to all the other timesucks out there caused (in no short order) by shiny objects, demanding cats, for sale signs, plague-carrying squirrels, online friends, and Angry Birds. What I’ve also found, is that if you’re multi-tasking and using the same computer for a myriad of other work-related activities, that it’s harder to separate pay-the-bills work from working on spec.

I was trying to figure out what my novel hang-up was, and I knew it had something to do with spending weeks (if not months) on a manuscript that may never sell. THIS HURTS THE FREELANCER’S BRAIN. In a freelancing situation you get paid, sometimes before the work is done, other times half up front or whatever the case may be. Mentally, this is batshit of course, because in order to be a novelist, the only way forward is to get the story out NO MATTER WHAT. Fire, snakes on a plane, floods, biblical-level apocalypses — butt plus chair and writing utensil of some sort is the only way to get that story down, then revised, and finally submitted.

So what’s the solution? Well, I told you I changed the layout of my office and this has, indeed, had a positive impact. I’m also building in two days at the library with no internet, to reserve e-mail in the morning and at night, in order to have solid work chunk times outside of my house. What this came down to for me, was a change in perspective.

That’s what Scrivener provided for me. I often use this trick when I’m revising: I change the font or the spacing to ensure that I can approach something with fresh eyes. Now, though, I applied the same technique when I was writing. And lo! and behold! Two hours and 2,500 words (on average) later?

Now, I have a ton of theories as to why this is, and namely it’s because when I write for RPGs, or pen short stories, or draft non-fiction articles I’m always using Microsoft Word. It’s often instinctive, I automatically look for pagination, line breaks, word count, and the like. The screen is familiar to me as it has been for so, so, so many years. By changing the software I use, specifically for long form works like novellas and novels, I am infusing something new visually and viscerally to the work. I am saying that “When I use this piece of software, I am serious about spending my time on this manuscript.”

Likely, I don’t use the software like everyone else does. Outlines? Screw it. I start with a one-page pitch document which includes a logline, a generic synopsis, and my other notes. I must know the beginning, the middle (or key milestones) and the end. Then, I can dive in and write the whole damn thing. Revisions will allow me to break up scenes and smooth out the finer details in chapter-by-chapter (or scene-by-scene) form. One novella’s already plotted and I’m having so much fun I’m writing out of order again. Hey, no one said a novel had to be written linearly from beginning to end, did they? If I’m bored with a scene, that’s what Scrivener allows me to do, I can always jump back and keep going.

And proceed a-pace I shall. Oh, I definitely shall.

Mood: It’s Monday. Why do you ask?

Caffeinated Beverages Consumed: Not ‘fessing up today. Screw it.

Work-Out Minutes Logged Yesterday: Some form of physical activity which did not involve contortionism.

In My Ears: Americano by Lady GaGa

Game Last Played: Tetris

Movie Last Viewed: The Raven

Latest Artistic Project: In progress!

Latest Release: “Fangs and Formaldehyde” from the New Hero anthology through Stone Skin Press

Quick Warning. . . Er. . .Note About The 13

Just a quick update for those of you who applied to become one of The Thirteen. Thank you. I’ve been overwhelmed with your kind words and continued interest in my work. Here’s what happens next: over the next few days, I’ll be sorting through the applications, penning the rules, and putting a framework in place. Then?

Anyone who applied will receive an e-mail from me on Halloween noting whether or not you’re in the group and a number denoting your seat at the table. At that time, I’ll be asking you for your name and mailing address so I can send you a “Thank You!” in the mail. (Yes, I do that. The post office send letters with a stamp thing.)

This also means, however, that applications for 2012 are now closed.

‘Til All Hallow’s Eve. . .

October is the Month of Breasts, Pumpkins, Reading, Art, and Generally Nice People

Dropping in to point out a few events going on this month. As you know, October is National Breast Cancer Awareness month. The phrase “think pink” has become synonymous with various charities and fundraisers during this time. (Sad to say, I’m noticing that not every pink-related, pink ribbon item is associated with a legitimate charity, though.) Penguin Group (fine publishing purveyors of many exciting tomes) has put together a campaign of their own — to read pink books. Now in their third year, there’s a variety of books you can read by these authors: Nora Roberts, Jayne Ann Krentz, Catherine Anderson, Jodi Thomas, Carly Phillips, Madeline Hunter, JoAnn Ross, Jillian Hunter, Karen White, Natasha Solomons, Eleanor Brown, Wendy Wax, and Kathryn Stockett.

Of course, October is also leading up to my favorite holiday in all the land — Halloween. My decorations have gone up; many are not coming down. Each year, our place gets spookier and spookier. (Victorian-style, thank you. I only have so much patience for serial killers.) No All Hallow’s Eve would be replete without an atmospheric tale or two, stories that creep, thrill, scare, and turn you inside out. All Hallow’s Read, spearheaded by author/screenwriter/etc. Neil Gaiman, encourages folks to give away books on the holiday. Save those sugar-laden treats for Christmas; provide the gift of story and give trick-or-treaters a thrill ride like no other! My Halloween-related recommendation is The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury. It’s a stunning narrative that explores the history of the holiday and highlights its ancient roots.

This is also the month for advocates to promote anti-bullying. StopBullying.gov has a lot of information about Bullying Prevention Month. Adjacent to that, it’s also Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

While I understand that situations get to a “harm one another” point, it appalls me that people would resort to such terrifying tactics to exert one’s power/influence/etc. over another. I love humanity and its myriad facets but, sadly, I do not always admire what humanity is capable of and what dark deeds they’ve accomplished in reality. Perhaps that’s why I explore these issues in my storytelling, because I want to understand it, and hope the hero/heroine can pull through to a better day.

So, on the subject, I believe this picture I took sums up my feelings better than the words I’m using here:

I do believe, deeply and truly, that one way we can achieve mutual understanding/respect/love/joy and the overall betterment of our species is through the Artes. If you do no other activist-related thing this month, consider that October is also the National Arts and Humanities Month. There has never been a better time to support your favorite authors, game designers, artists, musicians, sculptures, crafters, cartoonists, toy designers, etc.

There has also never been a better time to create your own Arte, either, regardless of what that happens to be.

Live long and prosper, may the force be with you, don’t forget your towel and remember — when all else fails? Call the Doctor, watch the skies. The question of whether or not we are alone in the universe has been answered. There’s no better place in the ‘verse. Nanu, nanu.

Mood: Go forth and do

Caffeinated Beverages Consumed: TINY BUBBLES, MAKE ME WARM ALL OVER

Work-Out Minutes Logged Yesterday: Didn’t count them, but I did them.

In My Ears: An eerie refrain.

Game Last Played: Tetris

Movie Last Viewed: Harry Potter collection

Latest Artistic Project: In progress!

Latest Release: “Fangs and Formaldehyde” from the New Hero anthology through Stone Skin Press

Routines Can Work With A Little Help

Yesterday, 2,400 words poured out of my brain. I wrote the ending for Traitor’s Masque, Book One of the Violet War series. The original title was Argentum, but I’m not sure it pops as much. I wasn’t revising as I was writing, but I was plotting during this period, inserting notes while I went. It was almost like I was working behind-the-scenes, raw and uncensored, to allow the story to emerge.

And that it did.

That wasn’t the only thing I wrote, however. Right now I’m averaging between 4 to 6,000 words a day. I’m definitely noticing how necessary it is to manage my time. When you do any aspect of online community management as part of your “job,” it can get really hairy and have a profound impact on what you’re doing. Like checking e-mail, any time-related task that requires constant monitoring can be another way to distract you from the task at hand. To-do lists are great, but they’re not as useful (I feel) as assigning chunks of time to those tasks. For me, that’s the best form of project management. It’s not just about getting the work done, it’s about how the time you’ve devoted to that specific line item is used.

That’s where a routine comes into play that is married to your prioritization. If you, for example, have made it a goal to absolutely put writing first? Then structure your day around that, to ensure that whenever you need to write in the day, you’ve set aside that time that no one can interrupt on penalty of death.

I mean, we do this all the time. Right? Football, favorite TV shows, doctor’s appointments, classes, etc. Take the time you’d normally spend on something else, either entertaining or not, and block it out to show up and write. Then, if you lose your focus, write down whatever it is you defaulted to. e.g. Checking your phone, Twitter, Facebook, e-mail, petting the cat, ordering pizza, playing Angry Birds — whatever.

If you’re distracted and couldn’t finish that particular scene? Start another one. I’m having a blast jumping around to different points in my long-form manuscripts, because it allows me to get a fresh perspective on scenes that would otherwise be rushed or a chore. I can ALWAYS rearrange them after the fact.

My routines are blocked out into smaller chunks of time and prioritized accordingly. Thankfully, I’ve also marked off areas where I have to take free time, too. That doesn’t mean I can slack off, though, it just means that the times when I’m not writing are more valuable to me.

Anyway, you’re going to find whatever’ll work for you. Just thought I’d bring this up since many of you were jumping into NaNoWriMo next month.

Mood: Accomplished

Caffeinated Beverages Consumed: NOT ENOUGH

Work-Out Minutes Logged Yesterday: A walk.

In My Ears: METALLICA, BABY

Game Last Played: Tetris

Movie Last Viewed: Harry Potter collection

Latest Artistic Project: In progress!

Latest Release: “Fangs and Formaldehyde” from the New Hero anthology through Stone Skin Press

Deadlines Still Require Sustenance

Deadlines. The word didn’t even exist until the Civil War; it was a military term used to denote a line that if you crossed it? Well, you get the idea. Deadlines can bring about a certain sense of foreboding and finality — and stress. With NaNoWriMo just around the corner, many of you will have a deadline — November 30th.

When I’m stressed and frantic, I sometimes make the mistake of eating out. Less dishes, less fuss, less hassle, and a break away from the computer. Realistically, though, this isn’t an economical idea and it can be too much of a distraction for me. For those times when I’m staring down the line, the weather usually dictates what I eat. Sandwiches and peasant meals are easy options, sure, but as soon as the leaves start to fall? I’m planning ahead and freezing a portion of the larger meals to have on hand for future lunches.

Here’s some options I leverage when I’m short on time. Everything listed here takes a half an hour or less of prep. Though, I should warn you. . . None of these solutions are fancy. For that, you’ll probably want to look elsewhere.

Crock Pot – Oh, how I love my crock pots. We have one big enough to hold a roast and another smaller one. There are several cookbooks out there and these are great for soups, chilis, ham and potatoes, applesauce, etc. What’s really interesting about the crock pot, is that it takes less energy to cook with, too. So you can dump your ingredients into one in the morning and by dinnertime? Voila.
Stir-Fry – Frozen bag of veggies, plus meat or tofu, and a sauce? You’ve got a stir-fry that takes no time at all. A super easy sauce is one teaspoon Siracha, two tablespoons peanut butter, dash of honey, and 1/3 cup of low sodium soy sauce. Use a wok for extra bonus points. We often skip the rice; if you want a quick and easy carb, add dried chinese noodles.
Calzone – This is one of our favorite quick-and-easy meals, because if you do it right? There’s nothing to “cook” when you’re prepping this. Take one tube of refrigerator pizza dough, a package of pepperoni, a small 8 to 10 ounce can of pizza sauce, and shredded cheese. Spray a rectangular cookie sheet and roll out the dough onto it and press into the edges. Visualize three “rows” length-wise. In the center row, pour out the pizza sauce, leaving a one-to-two inch gap at either end. Then, arrange the pepperoni in the sauce and add the cheese. Now, you’ll make an “envelope” with the dough. Take the top and the bottom and seal over the end. Fold over one side, then the other, until you’ve blanketed the filling. (For fancier presentation, you can cut strips in the dough and criss-cross all the way down.) Then, bake as directed on the tube of dough; usually about twenty minutes. These homemade pizza pockets can be made with sausage, eggs and bacon, broccoli and alfredo, and a lot of other fillings, too.
Breakfast. Not just for mornings, anymore. – A lot of breakfast foods are filling and easy to make. Pancakes can be made out of a box. Bacon and eggs. Skillets or omelets take a bit of work but frozen potatoes are great for making a quick hash.
Soup and sandwiches – There’s a ton of soups out there from canned to homemade recipes and sandwiches require a little ingenuity. I love grilled cheese and portabella with roasted red pepper myself; we often opt for the low sodium brands and add our own spices. If you’re just wanting soup, don’t forget the crackers or the rolls.

If you’re even shorter on time, here’s some other suggestions:

Cook a large portion of meat at the beginning of the week.
Meal plan, meal plan, meal plan. Can’t tell you how much time and money this saves us.
When you do have time, cook larger portions and freeze for the future.
Skip the meat and use recipes that require beans or other vegetarian options. For example, veggie nachos!
Make a ritual out of your deadlines and have a default option when you’re in crunch time. Peanut butter and jelly isn’t just for kids!

What about you? What do you do when you’re facing deadline?

Mood: I drew a line. And I’m staring right at it.

Caffeinated Beverages Consumed: HAH.

Work-Out Minutes Logged Yesterday: I am yogi master.

In My Ears: A screaming cat. (Seriously, when will he ever be full?)

Game Last Played: Tetris

Movie Last Viewed: Harry Potter collection

Latest Artistic Project: In progress!

Latest Release: “Fangs and Formaldehyde” from the New Hero anthology through Stone Skin Press

The Story Of The Titanic, A Corn Maze

On Sunday, I got lost in a corn maze at the Creek Bed Country Farmacy. The miles of plowed rows were shaped into the form of the RMS Titanic. I was floored by the ingenuity of some people. Rather than tell you about this, I’d rather show you some pictures. If you want to see a larger image, you can click on it, and it’ll take to you a ginormous photo.

That giant square pumpkin is a character named Spookley The Square Pumpkin. The owners had an outside theatre set up where you could watch videos. Yeah, I popped in for a bit. How could I not? Outdoor theatre? Turns out it’s okay to be square. Yay!

In front of the maze, were two large haystacks and a life preserver.

This is the entrance and exit to the maze. You can see that there’s a starboard and a port path. To get a sense of how huge this maze is, here’s a link to the map.

Once inside, you could play a trivia game to get all ten stations punched.

The right answer will lead you on the correct path. The wrong one will send you into a dead end.

One of the things that I really enjoyed about the maze, was that there were a ton of really cool signs and set-ups like this one. So, it wasn’t just that you were meandering about sections of the ship. There were these teeny, tiny stories almost everywhere you looked.

Afterward, we went on a hayride. You can see the stretch of corn maze from my viewpoint.

And we saw BABY PUMPKINS! Sure, I mean I knew that baby pumpkins grew in a patch. . . But I’d never seen one of these before.

When we sat down to have a snack, I encountered rows and rows of teeth. Pumpkin teeth. That glow-in-the-dark and can suck your blooooood. Then, I saw these oddly-shaped squash that reminded me of gnarled dragon talons.

Of course, no corn maze would be complete without pets of varying size. A miniature donkey appropriately named “Eeyore.”

And a giant Flemish rabbit named “Daisy” that, upon close inspection, could probably take on my black cat Rimmon — and win.

Well, that was the end of my corny day at a farm. For ten bucks, I thought this was a lot of fun, and apparently it’s even spookier the closer you get to sunset. Imagine rushing through a corn maze with just a flashlight. . . In the dead of night. . . Many of the stalks were several feet higher than me. There’s a lot of ways to get lost and circle around in there. Good thing they had an emergency back up — a rescue if need be.

Thankfully, I made it out all right and didn’t need a rescue. I suppose the promise of caramel apples DID help.

Mood: WAKKA WAKKA

Caffeinated Beverages Consumed: Enough that I’m hovering off my chair.

Work-Out Minutes Logged Yesterday: I bent and twisted.

In My Ears: Take A Bow by Muse

Game Last Played: Tetris

Movie Last Viewed: Harry Potter collection

Latest Artistic Project: Miniatures

Latest Release: “Fangs and Formaldehyde” from the New Hero anthology through Stone Skin Press

Final Days for The 13

Just a quick note to let you know I’m over at FlamesRising.com today talking about The Thirteen. There, I mentioned some of the works I’ve done since I first started blogging and reviewing for the site.

If you haven’t applied, there’s still time. For the latest update, read “The 13. Final Days to Apply.”

If you have? I’ll be contacting you on the thirteenth and let you know either way.

Good luck!

Miniatures. Painted.

Saturday, I signed some print copies of Redwing’s Gambit, Rimward, Strange, Dead Love, and Falling Scales Part II at Pegasus Games. After a cooking class and a lovely Indian lunch, I wound up embroiled in a learn-to-paint minis class.

These two are the very first minis I’ve ever painted. Both were practice figures, because I have been acquiring the Mouselings (LOVE THE MOUSELINGS!) both as gifts and as ZOMG THESE ARE COOL. Additionally, I have the Hellboy Heroes and Hellboy Villains miniature sets from Steve Jackson Games. The goal is to paint these, along with a backdrop, and turn them into a three-dimensional piece for my wall.

This bat lord is the first one I painted, though with the washes and whatnot I wound up painting both at the same time. For me, I focused on figuring out the order of what to paint on the mini itself and how much water to use on the brushes. To make this one a little more fierce, I opted for a blood-stained sword. If you want to see a close-up of any of these, feel free to click on them for all their glory. Hee.

This second mini, of a demon, was a lot of fun to paint because the shape of the figure offered me the chance to skip elements like the skin tone. I also liked the idea of a different terrain; in this case, a mountain plateau covered with snow.

It took quite a while to paint these and I started a third one, but sadly. . . Well, let’s just say that female figures are more of a challenge. The, um, boob crack is very difficult to paint around because the water. . . Yeah. . .

Mood: Stressed a bit

Caffeinated Beverages Consumed: You’ll take my caffeine away from me when the world burns.

Work-Out Minutes Logged Yesterday: Walk, walk, walk, walk, walk.

In My Ears: Thief of Time audiobook for Discworld

Game Last Played: Tetris

Movie Last Viewed: Harry Potter collection

Latest Artistic Project: Miniatures

Latest Release: “Fangs and Formaldehyde” from the New Hero anthology through Stone Skin Press

Using Documentaries to People Watch

To some extent, I feel that writing requires a certain amount of sociology and psychology. We’re telling stories for people and, to reach them, studying people and how they function is one way to do that. In a purely academic non-creepy sort of a way, of course. However, I think there are ways to “people watch” without going out there in public and staring people down. One of them, is to watch documentaries.

There’s a number of documentaries out there that you can watch on cable or, if you’re like me, Netflix. Some of the History Channel and National Geographic documentaries are interesting, but there’s a certain amount of repetition and bravado that comes from the episodic format. You’ll see the “pulse” when there’s a commercial break; I’d argue that watching the documentaries without the commercials helps you see the scripting better and reinforces points if you’re “watching” this in the background.

The other valuable thing that documentaries provide, is that you can people watch segments of the population you may not normally would given your environment. Many documentaries are critical or try to capture a point through exploration; this can also offer you a broader range of topics to listen to — some of which you may not necessarily be comfortable with. I’m a firm believer that pushing your own boundaries is a good thing, because it means your characterization will be sharper and you’ll be able to layer in more depth.

Here’s a few I’d recommend watching:

Religulous – Explores religious through the eyes of an atheist.
Jiro Dreams of Sushi – Follows the world’s best sushi chef.
Grizzly Man – Tells the story of a man who lived with the bears in Alaska, and then was killed tragically.
Cave of Forgotten Dreams – An exploration into an inaccessible cave in France where ancient cave paintings are threatened by a changing environment.
Terry Jones’s Medieval Lives – A humorous take on how people lived in medieval times, produced by the BBC. If you like this one, there’s a series of these, where Jones breaks down history in a more pragmatic way.

Mood: Boo-yah

Caffeinated Beverages Consumed: *whistles innocently*

Work-Out Minutes Logged Yesterday: Walkin’ with these boots

In My Ears: The Dredd soundtrack

Game Last Played: Tetris

Movie Last Viewed: IQ

Latest Artistic Project: In progress!

Latest Release: “Fangs and Formaldehyde” from the New Hero anthology through Stone Skin Press