M.J. Fredrick's Blog, page 53

Still Deciding

So I haven't picked which story to go with yet.

The story that interests me the most is the one I have NO idea how to resolve. Also, I don't know who to cast as the hero, and that's never been a problem for me before. I need someone youngish, a Ryan Gosling type, I'm thinking. But he's not quite right. I like the guy from The Finder but he's too old. None of my usual ones fit.

The new novella series will be fun, but I need to do more research on the location.

I have the novel pretty well plotted but I'm not in the mood for a novel.

The historicals aren't plotted at ALL.

I have a RS that I planned to rewrite later in the summer, even have the first couple of scenes done. But again, novel.

I have another small town series, my very first book that I plan to revise heavily and split into two books, but again, novel.

AND I have another novella to revise…this one might actually draw me in. I need a hero, though, a Hispanic guy. I'd wanted to write something new, but mayyyybbbeee…..

And His Name Shall Be…..

I spent the better part of yesterday looking for names for characters for my new stories. I'd forgotten how hard it is to pick the right name for the characters.

There are some names I love but could never use, because they've been so associated with other characters, like Roarke and Ranger and Sirius (but I might not be as drawn to those names if not for those characters, either).

There are other names I could never use because of bad associations. When you're a teacher, that's a definite danger. (And WHY didn't I use the name Austin before this year??)

I've always wanted to use the name Sinjin, but that's more of an English-set historical hero's name. I don't write those.

Then there are names I've loved but I've used: Seth, Gabe, Cam, Trace, Adrian, Mal, Alex, Noah, Ethan, Nat (dude, I cannot even remember all my heroes's names).  Or they've been earmarked for other heroes, like Luke and Hondo.

And there are some that are really off-the-wall and I wonder about reader reaction. I mean, do you really want to read about a hero named Thoreau (though it would be fun coming up with a reason why his parents named him that.)

So as of now, no names chosen. I downloaded an app and it lets me "favorite" them as I scroll through. That's where I'm at. And no, I haven't chosen which story to work on.

Goals for the Week I Start a New Story

This could have been the week that Justified comes back on or the week of the four-day week, but I'm ridiculously excited that I'll be finished with Bluestone 3 and will be able to start something brand new. It's almost like looking forward to a vacation, when all the possibilities are in front of you. Because, see, I haven't decided what to write.

I have a contemporary novel-length idea, and 2 fairly well-formed contemporary novella ideas, and a half-formed paranormal novella idea and 2 half-formed historical novella ideas and a historical novel idea. I don't have character names or a collage or a soundtrack. But I'm still excited.

So this week:

1)      Go to a friend's dad's service

2)      Finish Bluestone

3)      Read 2 Rita books. I'm already 60 pages into the first.

4)      Plan out my new story, whichever

5)      Enjoy Justified's season premiere! The teasers have been—teasy!

6)      Exercise

7)      Keep up the house

And the Winner of Tori Scott's Book Is….

Cindy Woolf! Cindy, let me know your address, which book you'd like and which format! Congratulations and enjoy.

Next week our guest is bestselling author Lisa Mondello!

My Family's New Favorite Show

I have to tell you about my family's new favorite show. It's been on awhile, but I just added a season pass to the Tivo just before Christmas, and have been catching up on last season via Netflix.

It's Raising Hope. It's about a young man, Jimmy, who has a one-night stand with a woman who turns out to be a serial killer (The Boyfriend Killer). His family turns her in. When he goes to see her in prison, she's pregnant with his child. When she's executed, he ends up with custody of the baby. He lives with his parents, who had him when they were fifteen and seventeen, and they live with the mom's grandmother, who is senile. So lots of dark mixed in with this comedy.

First of all, it's by the creators of My Name Is Earl, which was a hilarious show (until he got hit by the car a second time—we quit watching after that). We think maybe Greg Garcia is the kind of blue collar comedy. Some may say white trash, but some stuff strikes a little close to home for me to call it that, lol.

Second, it's really tightly written. My husband and son postulate that they come up with the end and write backwards so that everything points to that conclusion. Me, I'm imagining the writers thinking, "Now why would this boy end up with the baby? Why wouldn't the mom have custody? Oh, I know! She's a serial killer and is executed." It's like when you're stuck in your manuscript and you make a list of the ways you can get out of this corner, and you pick the most ridiculous one.

An example of the creativity is the Christmas episode. The husband/grandfather, Burt, is selling dolls. Apparently every year he gets a stash of the hottest toys and sells them at a ridiculous mark-up. This year the hottest toy is a doll, called Baby Sneezes. Jimmy wants him to save one for Hope, the baby, but of course he doesn't (Burt's a little dim.)  So Jimmy goes to buy one from one of Burt's customers, and pays all his commission from the sale of the dolls for it, so Hope will have something nice on her first Christmas. Meanwhile, his mother is staging a live Nativity scene across from the church's Nativity scene, and Hope is playing Baby Jesus. Both scenes are trying to raise money for the church organ. The church hadn't chosen Hope to play the Baby Jesus because her mother is a serial killer, and the mom, Virginia, and Jimmy, don't want her to live with that label. But Virginia's Nativity scene is a bust. Jimmy is determined his daughter won't live with the serial killer's daughter label and draws the crowd, including a TV crew, to his mother's Nativity by marching into the middle of the church's Nativity, holding up the Baby Sneezes, and announcing, "Behold, the Baby Sneezes." They then proceed to auction off the doll and use the proceeds to fix the organ, on which Hope's name is affixed.

But my favorite part of the show is the relationships. I know, it's fiction, but here are two kids who married young because they have to but are still madly in love, though their life is hard. They hang out with their son, which I think is neat because they've kind of grown up together. They weren't the best parents, but they didn't give up. Then you have MawMaw, who raised Virginia and let Burt move into the house when they married. MawMaw has Alzheimer's, though it's never stated, and Virginia takes care of her, sometimes in outlandish ways.

And I love the interactions between father and son. If you've read this blog for any amount of time, you know I'm fascinated with the father/son dynamic. Burt truly loves his son and wants to do what is right and best for Jimmy, even when it means letting Jimmy do for himself. (The Halloween episode with the hugs is one of my favorites.)

Do you watch Raising Hope? Did I convince you that you should?

And unrelated–still working on Bluestone 3

 

Welcome Self-published Success Story Tori Scott! #52weeksofindie #IRInk

This week we have another Wet Noodle Posse member, Tori Scott. Tori and I entered the self-publishing field about the same time and she left me in the DUST! Today we're offering you a choice of one of her books–I'll load the covers at the end and you can see just why!

As always, enter by leaving a comment or tweeting with the hashtag #52weeksofindie.

 

1)      What was inspires your books?

My books usually start as a line or two of dialogue that pops into my head as I'm trying to go to sleep, which means I have to get up and write them down. That usually leads to me being up for an hour or two, writing 10-12 pages before I have the idea cemented. I never know where these come from. Something I read, or saw on TV maybe.

2)      What's next for you?

Finishing the sequel to Perfectly Satisfied, then writing the sequels for Blame it on Texas and Superstition.

3)      Busy! I just finished my first trilogy and dang, it's hard keeping track of all that! When you're procrastinating, what do you do?

 

Hang out on Facebook and Twitter, play Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader, check out room designs on HGTV.com

4)      Ooh, fun! I love decorating shows. How many books in your TBR pile?

At least 20, but probably more.

5)      I think you win for shortest TBR so far What's your biggest guilty pleasure?

 

Cheese Enchiladas from El Fenix

6)    Mmmm. I just started making my own enchiladas, but I prefer eating at a restaurant–not as messy.  Name 3 of your favorite things.

 

Swimming, nature/landscape photography, naps

7)  Naps! I'm with you there!    Where can readers find you?

 

@toriscott2 on Twitter, http://toriscott.blogspot.com, Facebook, toriscott@gmail.com, and on Google+, Goodreads, and Amazon, B&N–all the usual haunts.

My Driving Tunes

 

I have a 20 mile drive each way every day. I used to listen to audio books but lately I've just wanted music. Some songs seem better suited to driving (though when I look down at the speedometer, I get a bit of a surprise!) Here are some of my favorite driving songs.

What songs do you like to listen to while driving?

Goals for the Week of…Nothing, Really

I slept until 8 this morning! Well, I had to let the dog out at 6, and couldn't go RIGHT back to sleep, but the next time I looked at the clock it was 8. THAT NEVER HAPPENS.

Last night I was up until midnight reading Trish's manuscript Bane, which is due out this year, and OMG. It. Is. Awesome. It's the sequel to her YA book Coven, which will be out next month under a new title I can't remember. That book won the Golden Heart in…2007, I think. Finally it has a home at Bell Bridge books. Don't worry–I'll remind you when it's out!

Okay, this week is downright boring according to my calendar, but I like boring, so it's all good.

1)      Work on revisions on Bluestone 3

2)      Dentist

3)      Probably should work on organizing paperwork for taxes

4)      Keep on exercising (missed 2 days last week)

5)      Keep house clean/cook (only did once last week)

What are you up to this week?

Winner of Theresa Ragan's New Book

 

Shelisa, comment number 9, is the winner of Theresa's new book! Congratulations!  Leave me a message and I'll hook you up!

The First Test of My New Positive Attitude.

 

Someone was testing my positive attitude this AM.

First, my Justified DVD with t-shirt was back-ordered. Grr. But when I checked store availability, my Best Buy had it in stock. Canceled the first order, scheduled in-store pick-up.

Next, I shredded my brand new pantihose. Had to COMPLETELY change because I had no other pantihose. BUT I had a new shirt from Cindi, and new shoes that didn't match my other outfit. So I got to wear those.

Then I left my Diet Coke at home. Went to the machine at school to buy one. It didn't take dollars, BUT I had the right about of change.

The only good thing I can say about the fifth grade boy that told me to get the ugly off my face is that he's still alive and I still have a job.

I burned off a LOT of stress on the Wii And fodder for my blog!