Angela Ackerman's Blog: Writers Helping Writers, page 160
August 3, 2013
Physical Attributes Entry: Underweight
Physical description of a character can be difficult to convey—too much will slow the pace or feel 'list-like', while too little will not allow readers to form a clear mental image. If a reader cannot imagine what your character looks like, they may have trouble connecting with them on a personal level, or caring about their plight.
One way to balance the showing and telling of physical description is to showcase a few details that really help 'tell the story' about who your character is and what they've been through up to this point. Think about what makes them different and interesting. Can a unique feature, clothing choice or way they carry themselves help to hint at their personality? Also, consider how they move their body. Using movement will naturally show a character's physical characteristics, keep the pace flowing and help to convey their emotions.
UNDERWEIGHT
Descriptors: skinny, scrawny, bony, malnourished, anorexic, skeletal, gaunt, emaciated
People Likely to Have an Underweight Build: people with eating disorders, malnourished and impoverished people, drug addicts, homeless people, the terminally ill, models and actors
Famous Examples:
Angelina Jolie
Kate Moss
Calista Flockhart
Keira Knightley
Nicole Richie
Simile and Metaphor Help:
I couldn't tell if he was too tall or too thin or if his head was just too big for his body. When he nodded, he looked a little like a bobble-head doll.
Mary didn't quite prance out of the doctor's office, but there was a definite bounce in her step. The chemo was working! She'd dance if she could, but her spaghetti straw legs wouldn't cooperate—not yet, anyway. But soon enough. Joy bubbled up and out of her in the form of a huge smile. Soon enough.
Clichés to Avoid : skin-and-bones; a skinny person being compared to a skeleton; legs and arms compared to sticks or twigs; once-healthy people being a shadow of their former selves
HINT: When describing any part of the body, try to use cues that show the reader more than just a physical description. Make your descriptions do double duty. Example: Mindy untucked her legs and stretched them in front of her. Her heart sped up at the thought of even looking at them, but she forced herself. People kept telling her to eat more, to stop obsessing, but they weren't the ones stuck in this roly poly body. With shaking hands, she encircled one thigh. The fingers almost met, but not quite. Her breath bottled up in her throat, right behind her adam's apple. It was disgusting, how fat she was.
BONUS TIP: The Colors, Textures & Shapes Thesaurus in our sidebar might help you find a fresh take on some of the descriptors listed above!
One way to balance the showing and telling of physical description is to showcase a few details that really help 'tell the story' about who your character is and what they've been through up to this point. Think about what makes them different and interesting. Can a unique feature, clothing choice or way they carry themselves help to hint at their personality? Also, consider how they move their body. Using movement will naturally show a character's physical characteristics, keep the pace flowing and help to convey their emotions.
UNDERWEIGHT
Descriptors: skinny, scrawny, bony, malnourished, anorexic, skeletal, gaunt, emaciated
People Likely to Have an Underweight Build: people with eating disorders, malnourished and impoverished people, drug addicts, homeless people, the terminally ill, models and actors
Famous Examples:
Angelina Jolie
Kate Moss
Calista Flockhart
Keira Knightley
Nicole Richie
Simile and Metaphor Help:
I couldn't tell if he was too tall or too thin or if his head was just too big for his body. When he nodded, he looked a little like a bobble-head doll.
Mary didn't quite prance out of the doctor's office, but there was a definite bounce in her step. The chemo was working! She'd dance if she could, but her spaghetti straw legs wouldn't cooperate—not yet, anyway. But soon enough. Joy bubbled up and out of her in the form of a huge smile. Soon enough.
Clichés to Avoid : skin-and-bones; a skinny person being compared to a skeleton; legs and arms compared to sticks or twigs; once-healthy people being a shadow of their former selves
HINT: When describing any part of the body, try to use cues that show the reader more than just a physical description. Make your descriptions do double duty. Example: Mindy untucked her legs and stretched them in front of her. Her heart sped up at the thought of even looking at them, but she forced herself. People kept telling her to eat more, to stop obsessing, but they weren't the ones stuck in this roly poly body. With shaking hands, she encircled one thigh. The fingers almost met, but not quite. Her breath bottled up in her throat, right behind her adam's apple. It was disgusting, how fat she was.
BONUS TIP: The Colors, Textures & Shapes Thesaurus in our sidebar might help you find a fresh take on some of the descriptors listed above!
July 27, 2013
Physical Attributes Entry: Sickly
Physical description of a character can be difficult to convey—too much will slow the pace or feel 'list-like', while too little will not allow readers to form a clear mental image. If a reader cannot imagine what your character looks like, they may have trouble connecting with them on a personal level, or caring about their plight.
One way to balance the "showing and telling" of physical description is to showcase a few details that really help 'tell the story' about who your character is and what they've been through up to this point. Think about what makes them different and interesting. Can a unique feature, clothing choice or way they carry themselves help to hint at their personality? Also, consider how they move their body. Using movement will naturally show a character's physical characteristics, keep the pace flowing and help to convey their emotions.
SICKLY
Descriptors : sallow, delicate, ill, bruised, pale, white, bony, anemic, frail, shaky, weak, pallid, wasted, peaky, wan, spotted, hollowed, sagging, trembling, ashen, feeble, slight, faint, brittle, fragile, wispy, spindly, slight, off-color, pasty, unhealthy, rheumy, doddering, reedy, lethargic, waxy, thin, blotchy, yellowed, gaunt
People Likely to have a Sickly Build : people with chronic illness or disease, the elderly, those with poor nutrition, poverty-stricken, prisoners of war, victims of crime and abuse, drug addicts
Famous Examples :
Michael J Fox
Michael Douglas
Amy Winehouse
Macaulay Culkin
Michael Jackson
Thoughts on Sickly:
Sickly characters are often underweight, with their skin sagging and bones protruding, offering knobbiness and sharp angles that make the person appear frail and weak. Hair may be thin and lackluster, and eyes have a pinpoint look to them, glass bright and “wet,” or pinched and dull. Their completion is pale and waxy, with almost a greasy look to it. Posture may be broken and slumped, hands are bony, clothing appears too big or ill-fitted, and bright colors only create starkness, drawing further attention to the unhealthy or yellowed pallor of their face and exposed skin. Sickly characters walk slower or move awkwardly as if in pain and lack energy and drive. They may be slow to smile or show emotions, almost as if it takes a greater effort to react.
Metaphor and Simile Help:
I tried not to gasp as cousin Lenard entered the room, his feet tapping the floor in the slow, doddering steps of a man twice his age. His slight shoulders dragged in his suit and he moved carefully, pausing for balance before taking the next step. His MS diagnosis had stolen the lively dance partner I’d twirled against at the various Bar Mitzvahs and weddings, leaving behind a chipped, worn Dreidel too unstable to spin anymore.
Luca sat in the backseat, shoulders crumpling over his thin chest as he waited for Mom and Dad to drive him to the rehab clinic one state over. A sheen of sweat made his gaunt face greasier than an egg frying in the pan. He caught my gaze through the glass window and flashed me a brief smile, but it trembled, telling me withdrawal was setting in.
Clichés to Avoid : using “frail and sickly” together; saying one is “as pale as a ghost”
Twists on the Stereotypical Sickly Build:
We think of the sickly stereotype as someone who is small with a slight build, the kind of person born frail and destined to become ill one day. Why not write a character who is brawny and tough and show readers the transformation he goes through as the result of an illness beyond his control?
One of the hardest parts of being sick is the time that comes before diagnosis. Feeling terrible and not knowing why sets the imagination afire with worry and brings mortality into focus. If you have a sickly character, don’t forget the psychological effects his condition will have on his personality and outlook on life.
Illness is terrifying because most people know if can strike at any time. No one likes to feel weak, tired, low. Show the contrast of sudden frailty on a driven character with big goals and how this sudden affliction forces him or her to work within new limitations. If they can still hang on to their drive to succeed despite body weakness, readers will cheer them on like no other character.
BONUS TIP: The Colors, Textures & Shapes Thesaurus in our sidebar might help you find a fresh take on some of the descriptors listed above!
One way to balance the "showing and telling" of physical description is to showcase a few details that really help 'tell the story' about who your character is and what they've been through up to this point. Think about what makes them different and interesting. Can a unique feature, clothing choice or way they carry themselves help to hint at their personality? Also, consider how they move their body. Using movement will naturally show a character's physical characteristics, keep the pace flowing and help to convey their emotions.
SICKLY
Descriptors : sallow, delicate, ill, bruised, pale, white, bony, anemic, frail, shaky, weak, pallid, wasted, peaky, wan, spotted, hollowed, sagging, trembling, ashen, feeble, slight, faint, brittle, fragile, wispy, spindly, slight, off-color, pasty, unhealthy, rheumy, doddering, reedy, lethargic, waxy, thin, blotchy, yellowed, gaunt
People Likely to have a Sickly Build : people with chronic illness or disease, the elderly, those with poor nutrition, poverty-stricken, prisoners of war, victims of crime and abuse, drug addicts
Famous Examples :
Michael J Fox
Michael Douglas
Amy Winehouse
Macaulay Culkin
Michael Jackson
Thoughts on Sickly:
Sickly characters are often underweight, with their skin sagging and bones protruding, offering knobbiness and sharp angles that make the person appear frail and weak. Hair may be thin and lackluster, and eyes have a pinpoint look to them, glass bright and “wet,” or pinched and dull. Their completion is pale and waxy, with almost a greasy look to it. Posture may be broken and slumped, hands are bony, clothing appears too big or ill-fitted, and bright colors only create starkness, drawing further attention to the unhealthy or yellowed pallor of their face and exposed skin. Sickly characters walk slower or move awkwardly as if in pain and lack energy and drive. They may be slow to smile or show emotions, almost as if it takes a greater effort to react.
Metaphor and Simile Help:
I tried not to gasp as cousin Lenard entered the room, his feet tapping the floor in the slow, doddering steps of a man twice his age. His slight shoulders dragged in his suit and he moved carefully, pausing for balance before taking the next step. His MS diagnosis had stolen the lively dance partner I’d twirled against at the various Bar Mitzvahs and weddings, leaving behind a chipped, worn Dreidel too unstable to spin anymore.
Luca sat in the backseat, shoulders crumpling over his thin chest as he waited for Mom and Dad to drive him to the rehab clinic one state over. A sheen of sweat made his gaunt face greasier than an egg frying in the pan. He caught my gaze through the glass window and flashed me a brief smile, but it trembled, telling me withdrawal was setting in.
Clichés to Avoid : using “frail and sickly” together; saying one is “as pale as a ghost”
Twists on the Stereotypical Sickly Build:
We think of the sickly stereotype as someone who is small with a slight build, the kind of person born frail and destined to become ill one day. Why not write a character who is brawny and tough and show readers the transformation he goes through as the result of an illness beyond his control?
One of the hardest parts of being sick is the time that comes before diagnosis. Feeling terrible and not knowing why sets the imagination afire with worry and brings mortality into focus. If you have a sickly character, don’t forget the psychological effects his condition will have on his personality and outlook on life.
Illness is terrifying because most people know if can strike at any time. No one likes to feel weak, tired, low. Show the contrast of sudden frailty on a driven character with big goals and how this sudden affliction forces him or her to work within new limitations. If they can still hang on to their drive to succeed despite body weakness, readers will cheer them on like no other character.
BONUS TIP: The Colors, Textures & Shapes Thesaurus in our sidebar might help you find a fresh take on some of the descriptors listed above!
Physical Attributes Entry: Sickly
Physical description of a character can be difficult to convey—too much will slow the pace or feel 'list-like', while too little will not allow readers to form a clear mental image. If a reader cannot imagine what your character looks like, they may have trouble connecting with them on a personal level, or caring about their plight.
One way to balance the "showing and telling" of physical description is to showcase a few details that really help 'tell the story' about who your character is and what they've been through up to this point. Think about what makes them different and interesting. Can a unique feature, clothing choice or way they carry themselves help to hint at their personality? Also, consider how they move their body. Using movement will naturally show a character's physical characteristics, keep the pace flowing and help to convey their emotions.
SICKLY
Descriptors : sallow, delicate, ill, bruised, pale, white, bony, anemic, frail, shaky, weak, pallid, wasted, peaky, wan, spotted, hollowed, sagging, trembling, ashen, feeble, slight, faint, brittle, fragile, wispy, spindly, slight, off-color, pasty, unhealthy, rheumy, doddering, reedy, lethargic, waxy, thin, blotchy, yellowed, gaunt
People Likely to have a Sickly Build : people with chronic illness or disease, the elderly, those with poor nutrition, poverty-stricken, prisoners of war, victims of crime and abuse, drug addicts
Famous Examples :
Michael J Fox
Michael Douglas
Amy Winehouse
Macaulay Culkin
Michael Jackson
Thoughts on Sickly:
Sickly characters are often underweight, with their skin sagging and bones protruding, offering knobbiness and sharp angles that make the person appear frail and weak. Hair may be thin and lackluster, and eyes have a pinpoint look to them, glass bright and “wet,” or pinched and dull. Their completion is pale and waxy, with almost a greasy look to it. Posture may be broken and slumped, hands are bony, clothing appears too big or ill-fitted, and bright colors only create starkness, drawing further attention to the unhealthy or yellowed pallor of their face and exposed skin. Sickly characters walk slower or move awkwardly as if in pain and lack energy and drive. They may be slow to smile or show emotions, almost as if it takes a greater effort to react.
Metaphor and Simile Help:
I tried not to gasp as cousin Lenard entered the room, his feet tapping the floor in the slow, doddering steps of a man twice his age. His slight shoulders dragged in his suit and he moved carefully, pausing for balance before taking the next step. His MS diagnosis had stolen the lively dance partner I’d twirled against at the various Bar Mitzvahs and weddings, leaving behind a chipped, worn Dreidel too unstable to spin anymore.
Luca sat in the backseat, shoulders crumpling over his thin chest as he waited for Mom and Dad to drive him to the rehab clinic one state over. A sheen of sweat made his gaunt face greasier than an egg frying in the pan. He caught my gaze through the glass window and flashed me a brief smile, but it trembled, telling me withdrawal was setting in.
Clichés to Avoid : using “frail and sickly” together; saying one is “as pale as a ghost”
Twists on the Stereotypical Sickly Build:
We think of the sickly stereotype as someone who is small with a slight build, the kind of person born frail and destined to become ill one day. Why not write a character who is brawny and tough and show readers the transformation he goes through as the result of an illness beyond his control?
One of the hardest parts of being sick is the time that comes before diagnosis. Feeling terrible and not knowing why sets the imagination afire with worry and brings mortality into focus. If you have a sickly character, don’t forget the psychological effects his condition will have on his personality and outlook on life.
Illness is terrifying because most people know if can strike at any time. No one likes to feel weak, tired, low. Show the contrast of sudden frailty on a driven character with big goals and how this sudden affliction forces him or her to work within new limitations. If they can still hang on to their drive to succeed despite body weakness, readers will cheer them on like no other character.
BONUS TIP: The Colors, Textures & Shapes Thesaurus in our sidebar might help you find a fresh take on some of the descriptors listed above!
One way to balance the "showing and telling" of physical description is to showcase a few details that really help 'tell the story' about who your character is and what they've been through up to this point. Think about what makes them different and interesting. Can a unique feature, clothing choice or way they carry themselves help to hint at their personality? Also, consider how they move their body. Using movement will naturally show a character's physical characteristics, keep the pace flowing and help to convey their emotions.
SICKLY
Descriptors : sallow, delicate, ill, bruised, pale, white, bony, anemic, frail, shaky, weak, pallid, wasted, peaky, wan, spotted, hollowed, sagging, trembling, ashen, feeble, slight, faint, brittle, fragile, wispy, spindly, slight, off-color, pasty, unhealthy, rheumy, doddering, reedy, lethargic, waxy, thin, blotchy, yellowed, gaunt
People Likely to have a Sickly Build : people with chronic illness or disease, the elderly, those with poor nutrition, poverty-stricken, prisoners of war, victims of crime and abuse, drug addicts
Famous Examples :
Michael J Fox
Michael Douglas
Amy Winehouse
Macaulay Culkin
Michael Jackson
Thoughts on Sickly:
Sickly characters are often underweight, with their skin sagging and bones protruding, offering knobbiness and sharp angles that make the person appear frail and weak. Hair may be thin and lackluster, and eyes have a pinpoint look to them, glass bright and “wet,” or pinched and dull. Their completion is pale and waxy, with almost a greasy look to it. Posture may be broken and slumped, hands are bony, clothing appears too big or ill-fitted, and bright colors only create starkness, drawing further attention to the unhealthy or yellowed pallor of their face and exposed skin. Sickly characters walk slower or move awkwardly as if in pain and lack energy and drive. They may be slow to smile or show emotions, almost as if it takes a greater effort to react.
Metaphor and Simile Help:
I tried not to gasp as cousin Lenard entered the room, his feet tapping the floor in the slow, doddering steps of a man twice his age. His slight shoulders dragged in his suit and he moved carefully, pausing for balance before taking the next step. His MS diagnosis had stolen the lively dance partner I’d twirled against at the various Bar Mitzvahs and weddings, leaving behind a chipped, worn Dreidel too unstable to spin anymore.
Luca sat in the backseat, shoulders crumpling over his thin chest as he waited for Mom and Dad to drive him to the rehab clinic one state over. A sheen of sweat made his gaunt face greasier than an egg frying in the pan. He caught my gaze through the glass window and flashed me a brief smile, but it trembled, telling me withdrawal was setting in.
Clichés to Avoid : using “frail and sickly” together; saying one is “as pale as a ghost”
Twists on the Stereotypical Sickly Build:
We think of the sickly stereotype as someone who is small with a slight build, the kind of person born frail and destined to become ill one day. Why not write a character who is brawny and tough and show readers the transformation he goes through as the result of an illness beyond his control?
One of the hardest parts of being sick is the time that comes before diagnosis. Feeling terrible and not knowing why sets the imagination afire with worry and brings mortality into focus. If you have a sickly character, don’t forget the psychological effects his condition will have on his personality and outlook on life.
Illness is terrifying because most people know if can strike at any time. No one likes to feel weak, tired, low. Show the contrast of sudden frailty on a driven character with big goals and how this sudden affliction forces him or her to work within new limitations. If they can still hang on to their drive to succeed despite body weakness, readers will cheer them on like no other character.
BONUS TIP: The Colors, Textures & Shapes Thesaurus in our sidebar might help you find a fresh take on some of the descriptors listed above!
Physical Attributes Entry: Sickly
Physical description of a character can be difficult to convey—too much will slow the pace or feel 'list-like', while too little will not allow readers to form a clear mental image. If a reader cannot imagine what your character looks like, they may have trouble connecting with them on a personal level, or caring about their plight.
One way to balance the showing and telling of physical description is to showcase a few details that really help 'tell the story' about who your character is and what they've been through up to this point. Think about what makes them different and interesting. Can a unique feature, clothing choice or way they carry themselves help to hint at their personality? Also, consider how they move their body. Using movement will naturally show a character's physical characteristics, keep the pace flowing and help to convey their emotions.
SICKLY
Descriptors : sallow, delicate, ill, bruised, pale, white, bony, anemic, frail, shaky, weak, pallid, wasted, peaky, wan, spotted, hollowed, sagging, trembling, ashen, feeble, slight, faint, brittle, fragile, wispy, spindly, slight, off-color, pasty, unhealthy, rheumy, doddering, reedy, lethargic, waxy, bony, thin, blotchy, yellowed, gaunt
People Likely to have a Sickly Build : people with chronic illness or disease, the elderly, those with poor nutrition, poverty-stricken, prisoners of war, victims of crime and abuse, drug addicts
Famous Examples :
Michael J Fox
Michael Douglas
Amy Winehouse
Macaulay Culkin
Michael Jackson
Thoughts on Sickly:
Sickly characters are often underweight, with their skin sagging and bones protruding, offering knobbiness and sharp angles that make the person appear frail and weak. Hair may be thin and lackluster, and eyes have a pinpoint look to them, glass bright and “wet,” or pinched and dull. Their completion is pale and waxy, with almost a greasy look to it. Posture may be broken and slumped, hands are bony, clothing appears too big or ill-fitted, and bright colors only create starkness, drawing further attention to the unhealthy or yellowed pallor of their face and exposed skin. Sickly characters walk slower or move awkwardly as if in pain and lack energy and drive. They may be slow to smile or show emotions, almost as if it takes a greater effort to react.
Metaphor and Simile Help:
I tried not to gasp as cousin Lenard entered the room, his feet tapping the floor in the slow, doddering steps of a man twice his age. His slight shoulders dragged in his suit and he moved carefully, pausing for balance before taking the next step. His MS diagnosis had stolen the lively dance partner I’d twirled against at the various Bar Mitzvahs and weddings, leaving behind a chipped, worn Dreidel too unstable to spin anymore.
Luca sat in the backseat, shoulders crumpling over his thin chest as he waited for Mom and Dad to drive him to the rehab clinic one state over. A sheen of sweat made his gaunt face greasier than an egg frying in the pan. He caught my gaze through the glass window and flashed me a brief smile, but it trembled, telling me withdrawal was setting in.
Clichés to Avoid : using “frail and sickly” together; saying one is “as pale as a ghost”
Twists on the Stereotypical Sickly Build:
We think of the sickly stereotype as someone who is small with a slight build, the kind of person born frail and destined to become ill one day. Why not write a character who is brawny and tough and show readers the transformation he goes through as the result of an illness beyond his control?
One of the hardest parts of being sick is the time that comes before diagnosis. Feeling terrible and not knowing why sets the imagination afire with worry and brings morality into focus. If you have a sickly character, don’t forget the psychological effects his condition will have on his personality and outlook on life.
Illness is terrifying because most people know if can strike at any time. No one likes to feel weak, tired, low. Show the contrast of sudden frailty on a driven character with big goals and how this sudden affliction forces him or her to work within new limitations. If they can still hang on to their drive to succeed despite body weakness, readers will cheer them on like no other character.
BONUS TIP: The Colors, Textures & Shapes Thesaurus in our sidebar might help you find a fresh take on some of the descriptors listed above!
One way to balance the showing and telling of physical description is to showcase a few details that really help 'tell the story' about who your character is and what they've been through up to this point. Think about what makes them different and interesting. Can a unique feature, clothing choice or way they carry themselves help to hint at their personality? Also, consider how they move their body. Using movement will naturally show a character's physical characteristics, keep the pace flowing and help to convey their emotions.
SICKLY
Descriptors : sallow, delicate, ill, bruised, pale, white, bony, anemic, frail, shaky, weak, pallid, wasted, peaky, wan, spotted, hollowed, sagging, trembling, ashen, feeble, slight, faint, brittle, fragile, wispy, spindly, slight, off-color, pasty, unhealthy, rheumy, doddering, reedy, lethargic, waxy, bony, thin, blotchy, yellowed, gaunt
People Likely to have a Sickly Build : people with chronic illness or disease, the elderly, those with poor nutrition, poverty-stricken, prisoners of war, victims of crime and abuse, drug addicts
Famous Examples :
Michael J Fox
Michael Douglas
Amy Winehouse
Macaulay Culkin
Michael Jackson
Thoughts on Sickly:
Sickly characters are often underweight, with their skin sagging and bones protruding, offering knobbiness and sharp angles that make the person appear frail and weak. Hair may be thin and lackluster, and eyes have a pinpoint look to them, glass bright and “wet,” or pinched and dull. Their completion is pale and waxy, with almost a greasy look to it. Posture may be broken and slumped, hands are bony, clothing appears too big or ill-fitted, and bright colors only create starkness, drawing further attention to the unhealthy or yellowed pallor of their face and exposed skin. Sickly characters walk slower or move awkwardly as if in pain and lack energy and drive. They may be slow to smile or show emotions, almost as if it takes a greater effort to react.
Metaphor and Simile Help:
I tried not to gasp as cousin Lenard entered the room, his feet tapping the floor in the slow, doddering steps of a man twice his age. His slight shoulders dragged in his suit and he moved carefully, pausing for balance before taking the next step. His MS diagnosis had stolen the lively dance partner I’d twirled against at the various Bar Mitzvahs and weddings, leaving behind a chipped, worn Dreidel too unstable to spin anymore.
Luca sat in the backseat, shoulders crumpling over his thin chest as he waited for Mom and Dad to drive him to the rehab clinic one state over. A sheen of sweat made his gaunt face greasier than an egg frying in the pan. He caught my gaze through the glass window and flashed me a brief smile, but it trembled, telling me withdrawal was setting in.
Clichés to Avoid : using “frail and sickly” together; saying one is “as pale as a ghost”
Twists on the Stereotypical Sickly Build:
We think of the sickly stereotype as someone who is small with a slight build, the kind of person born frail and destined to become ill one day. Why not write a character who is brawny and tough and show readers the transformation he goes through as the result of an illness beyond his control?
One of the hardest parts of being sick is the time that comes before diagnosis. Feeling terrible and not knowing why sets the imagination afire with worry and brings morality into focus. If you have a sickly character, don’t forget the psychological effects his condition will have on his personality and outlook on life.
Illness is terrifying because most people know if can strike at any time. No one likes to feel weak, tired, low. Show the contrast of sudden frailty on a driven character with big goals and how this sudden affliction forces him or her to work within new limitations. If they can still hang on to their drive to succeed despite body weakness, readers will cheer them on like no other character.
BONUS TIP: The Colors, Textures & Shapes Thesaurus in our sidebar might help you find a fresh take on some of the descriptors listed above!
July 20, 2013
3 Big Problems with Describing Emotions, LINKS & an Update
Hi everyone! A few neat things going on, so I just wanted to touch base and toss a few links your way. First up, you can find me over at Romance University, talking about Emotional Description: 3 Common Problems with Show & Tell. If critique feedback indicates you "tell" the reader your character's emotions, or you show too much of them, or do both at once, this is the article for you!
Second, You may remember an older series called The Seven Deadly Sins Of Novel Writing. Well, for whatever reason, it went viral this week on Tumblr, so I thought I'd post again in case any readers missed it when it originally aired:
SIN #1: Low Stakes
SIN # 2: Counterfeit Characters
SIN # 3: Missing the Mark on Voice & POV
SIN #4: Plot Snafus
SIN #5: Flat Wordsmithing
SIN #6: Dialogue Disaster
SIN #7: Too Much Information
BONUS SIN: Disappointing The Reader
Finally, we are creeping ever closer to being able to give you a release date for The Trait Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide To Character Flaws and The Trait Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide To Positive Character Attributes. Covers are being made, editing is well underway and right now it is looking like September will be the magic month. As we did with The Emotion Thesaurus, we'll be giving a "sneak peek" of the Flaw Thesaurus in the very next Newsletter, so if you haven't subscribed, here's the LINK!
Hope everyone has a fantastic weekend!
Second, You may remember an older series called The Seven Deadly Sins Of Novel Writing. Well, for whatever reason, it went viral this week on Tumblr, so I thought I'd post again in case any readers missed it when it originally aired:
SIN #1: Low Stakes
SIN # 2: Counterfeit Characters
SIN # 3: Missing the Mark on Voice & POV
SIN #4: Plot Snafus
SIN #5: Flat Wordsmithing
SIN #6: Dialogue Disaster
SIN #7: Too Much Information
BONUS SIN: Disappointing The Reader
Finally, we are creeping ever closer to being able to give you a release date for The Trait Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide To Character Flaws and The Trait Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide To Positive Character Attributes. Covers are being made, editing is well underway and right now it is looking like September will be the magic month. As we did with The Emotion Thesaurus, we'll be giving a "sneak peek" of the Flaw Thesaurus in the very next Newsletter, so if you haven't subscribed, here's the LINK!
Hope everyone has a fantastic weekend!
July 17, 2013
The Psychology of Disappointment & Our Characters
Disappointment is one of the most powerful emotions in fiction, and something all characters must feel at some point in their journey. There are different levels of disappointment, and many causes for it. Characters can be disappointed in others or their circumstances, but the deepest and most meaningful moments happen when this emotion is directed toward themselves.
The feelings of worthlessness that self-disappointment can lead to is something all people understand intimately, and so when a character experiences this same feeling, it creates empathy in readers. Disappointment in oneself drops the character into the lowest of lows, creating an obstacle he must overcome within himself as it holds him back and keeps him from reaching his goals.
This fabulous info graphic is PACKED with great thoughts on disappointment, and will be sure to give you ideas on how to better show the progression of this emotion as you write. I'm reproducing it here with permission, and you can visit the home site HERE for more great psychology-based information. Enjoy!
Source: Best Psychology Degrees
The feelings of worthlessness that self-disappointment can lead to is something all people understand intimately, and so when a character experiences this same feeling, it creates empathy in readers. Disappointment in oneself drops the character into the lowest of lows, creating an obstacle he must overcome within himself as it holds him back and keeps him from reaching his goals.
This fabulous info graphic is PACKED with great thoughts on disappointment, and will be sure to give you ideas on how to better show the progression of this emotion as you write. I'm reproducing it here with permission, and you can visit the home site HERE for more great psychology-based information. Enjoy!
Source: Best Psychology Degrees
The Psychology of Disappointment & Our Characters
Disappointment is one of the most powerful emotions in fiction, and something all characters must feel at some point in their journey. There are different levels of disappointment, and many causes for it. Characters can be disappointed in others or their circumstances, but the deepest and most meaningful moments happen when this emotion is directed toward themselves.
The feelings of worthlessness that self-disappointment can lead to is something all people understand intimately, and so when a character experiences this same feeling, it creates empathy in readers. Disappointment in oneself drops the character into the lowest of lows, creating an obstacle he must overcome within himself as it holds him back and keeps him from reaching his goals.
This fabulous info graphic is PACKED with great thoughts on disappointment, and will be sure to give you ideas on how to better show the progression of this emotion as you write. I'm reproducing it here with permission, and you can visit the home site HERE for more great psychology-based information. Enjoy!
Source: Best Psychology Degrees
The feelings of worthlessness that self-disappointment can lead to is something all people understand intimately, and so when a character experiences this same feeling, it creates empathy in readers. Disappointment in oneself drops the character into the lowest of lows, creating an obstacle he must overcome within himself as it holds him back and keeps him from reaching his goals.
This fabulous info graphic is PACKED with great thoughts on disappointment, and will be sure to give you ideas on how to better show the progression of this emotion as you write. I'm reproducing it here with permission, and you can visit the home site HERE for more great psychology-based information. Enjoy!
Source: Best Psychology Degrees
July 13, 2013
Physical Attributes Entry: Stocky
Physical description of a character can be difficult to convey—too much will slow the pace or feel 'list-like', while too little will not allow readers to form a clear mental image. If a reader cannot imagine what your character looks like, they may have trouble connecting with them on a personal level, or caring about their plight.
One way to balance the showing and telling of physical description is to showcase a few details that really help 'tell the story' about who your character is and what they've been through up to this point. Think about what makes them different and interesting. Can a unique feature, clothing choice or way they carry themselves help to hint at their personality? Also, consider how they move their body. Using movement will naturally show a character's physical characteristics, keep the pace flowing and help to convey their emotions.
STOCKY BODY TYPE
Descriptors : short, thick, stocky, strong, squat, sturdy, compact, square
People Likely to have an Stocky Build : wrestlers, weightlifters, little people
Famous Examples :
Adele
Sean Astin
Ian Holm
Jack Black
Thoughts on the Stocky Physique:
Stocky bodies are a bit hard to define because they're somewhere between thin and overweight. Stocky bodies tend to be short and round, rather than angular. People with these body types are often quite strong due to their higher percentage of muscle mass.
Simile and Metaphor Help:
I walked out of American History and got completely plowed. I looked up at Justin from my spot on the floor and rubbed my shoulder. Jeez, it was like running into a wall.
Mesmerized I was, just watching Marsha smile. Her face beamed, flashlight bright, blinding me to the things people called her. MARSHa-mallow. Troll. I shook my head, trying to blink off the dazzle. Was I the only one who seen her this way?
Clichés to Avoid: the stocky person who is squat like a toad or built like a small mountain
Twists on the Stereotypical Stocky Build:
Stocky characters are usually men. How about a female with a stocky build?
Most stocky characters seem to be harsh, bullying, or unintelligent. Twist the cliché by making your stocky character kindhearted, soft-spoken, or happy.
Because the stocky build isn't deemed very attractive by society's standards, this body type is usually given to secondary characters or villains. Turn the stereotype on its ear by creating a stocky main character that readers will fall in love with.
One way to balance the showing and telling of physical description is to showcase a few details that really help 'tell the story' about who your character is and what they've been through up to this point. Think about what makes them different and interesting. Can a unique feature, clothing choice or way they carry themselves help to hint at their personality? Also, consider how they move their body. Using movement will naturally show a character's physical characteristics, keep the pace flowing and help to convey their emotions.
STOCKY BODY TYPE
Descriptors : short, thick, stocky, strong, squat, sturdy, compact, square
People Likely to have an Stocky Build : wrestlers, weightlifters, little people
Famous Examples :
Adele
Sean Astin
Ian Holm
Jack Black
Thoughts on the Stocky Physique:
Stocky bodies are a bit hard to define because they're somewhere between thin and overweight. Stocky bodies tend to be short and round, rather than angular. People with these body types are often quite strong due to their higher percentage of muscle mass.
Simile and Metaphor Help:
I walked out of American History and got completely plowed. I looked up at Justin from my spot on the floor and rubbed my shoulder. Jeez, it was like running into a wall.
Mesmerized I was, just watching Marsha smile. Her face beamed, flashlight bright, blinding me to the things people called her. MARSHa-mallow. Troll. I shook my head, trying to blink off the dazzle. Was I the only one who seen her this way?
Clichés to Avoid: the stocky person who is squat like a toad or built like a small mountain
Twists on the Stereotypical Stocky Build:
Stocky characters are usually men. How about a female with a stocky build?
Most stocky characters seem to be harsh, bullying, or unintelligent. Twist the cliché by making your stocky character kindhearted, soft-spoken, or happy.
Because the stocky build isn't deemed very attractive by society's standards, this body type is usually given to secondary characters or villains. Turn the stereotype on its ear by creating a stocky main character that readers will fall in love with.
July 10, 2013
Reality Check, Gratitude & Cool Books To WIN
First up, I need to apologize--I've been semi-absent lately from the blogging world, not posting or reading or commenting as much. This has been a crazy month (two? six? *twitch*) as Becca and I double-time it to get the next two books in our descriptive thesaurus series ready. This is an exciting time for us as we see these resources grow into what we envisioned. We hope these two books, which look at the light and dark side of character traits, will become your go-to tools for character creation so more of your wonderful books end up in the hands of readers. (For those who have asked, we are hoping to have them both ready by late August or early September.)
Second, sometimes life sends along a little reality check, reminding us how good we have it. And it has been good. Becca and I discovered another university is using The Emotion Thesaurus in their curriculum, which is unbelievably awesome. We also received our first book advance (Becca joked on Facebook that after 10 years of trying to place our books in North America, our first advance is coming from a Korean Publisher!) This feels pretty good too, considering we have had so many close calls with our fiction, yet no actual deals yet. And best of all, every day we hear from writers about the Emotion Thesaurus and the blog, and the difference they are making in their writing. No matter how frustrated we get with publishing, this is what gives us strength. We love you guys.
On the personal side of things, I moved at the end of June. We decided as a family to try the 'country living' thing, and move out of the million+ city of Calgary to half an hour outside of it. The community of Redwood Meadows is beautiful--tons of trees, only a few hundred homes, lots of yard and privacy and nature. There's a golf course too, because that's hubby's thing.
Then right in the middle of the move, our province of Alberta flooded. As in state-of-emergency flooded. People were evacuated. Homes swept away. Bridges connecting the city and surrounding towns collapsed, cutting people off. Animals stranded in fields started to drown.
Our Calgary home was by a river, so we were evacuated. The entire community of Redwood Meadows was evacuated because it too runs alongside a waterway. This video surfaced of a home being swept downriver...a 5 minute drive from the home I was to move into in only a few days.
That feeling of waiting for the other shoe to drop...it is awful. I was glued to media coverage, hoping for some word, because at that time we owned both homes and you cannot buy flood insurance here. Bragg Creek, the town closest to Redwood Meadows, was severely damaged. Our community website sent out sporadic updates like "berm is in danger of breaching" and "flooding is imminent." I seriously wondered what we would do if both homes were lost.
My new office!
Somehow, due the the amazing volunteers who sandbagged, brought in loads of rock and gravel and donated giant cranes to place cement barricades, the berm was reinforced after breaching, and it held. Against all odds, it held. Our home was safe. A walk around the community showed others were not so lucky. The evacuation order for our Riverbend home lifted also and we discovered that house was also untouched.
You can't even imagine the gratitude I feel writing this in my new home. My dry home. Disasters are awful, and as I watch Toronto and their flood situation, I feel terrible for them. But dark times also bring out the best in people, and we saw a lot of that too. So many people worked together (and are still working!) to fix the damage around us.
I thought I'd do a gratitude giveaway to celebrate. Three of my friends have brand spanking new books out--so new I haven't even had a chance to read them with all that's going on. But I can't wait to! So, if you'd like some summer reads, leave me a comment!
Janet Gurtler's newest YA How I Lost You
is a signed paperback. This draw is open to Canada and the US.
"Grace and Kya always do everything together, and nothing can get in the way of their friendship. They have a pact: Sisters Before Misters. Buds Before Studs.
Only Grace knows what Kya's been through, or how much she needs someone to stick by her. No matter what. Besides, Kya keeps life exciting—pulling Grace into things she'd never dare to do on her own. But inch by inch, daring is starting to turn dangerous. And Grace will have to decide how far she can go to save her friendship with Kya...before she ends up losing everything else."
Piper Bayard's Firelands
is an ebook, open internationally.
"Eighty years in the future, America has devolved into a totalitarian theocracy. The ruling Josephites clone the only seeds that grow in the post-apocalyptic climate, allowing their Prophet to control who eats, who starves, and who burns in the ritual fires that atone for society.
Subsisting on the fringes, Archer risks violation and death each day as she scours the forest for game to feed her people. When a Josephite refugee seeks sanctuary in her home, Archer is driven to chance a desperate gamble—a gamble that will bring down the Prophet and deliver seeds and freedom, or end in a fiery death for herself and for everyone she loves."
Kristen Lamb's Rise of the Machines: Human Authors in a Digital World
is an ebook, open internationally.
"The new author in today's publishing world is a cyborg of sorts—part human, part machine.
Branding has broken free of marketing’s shackles and merged with personal identity. If we want to thrive in our new environment, we need to adapt, to apply technology as an extension of our humanness.
This is not a book to teach you 1,000 ways to blast people with advertising. The WANA Way is different than anything you’ve likely encountered. It is constructed using the timelessness of art, blended with the strength of human relationships."
TO ENTER: Leave me a comment and tell me where you're from and if you've ever had a close call or natural disaster where you live. That's it, no hoops! (BUT I appreciate social sharing because it helps to let others know about these great new reads!) If you have a book preference, tell me that as well. Good luck! :)
CONTEST NOW CLOSED. Thanks so much for entering and sharing your stories!
Second, sometimes life sends along a little reality check, reminding us how good we have it. And it has been good. Becca and I discovered another university is using The Emotion Thesaurus in their curriculum, which is unbelievably awesome. We also received our first book advance (Becca joked on Facebook that after 10 years of trying to place our books in North America, our first advance is coming from a Korean Publisher!) This feels pretty good too, considering we have had so many close calls with our fiction, yet no actual deals yet. And best of all, every day we hear from writers about the Emotion Thesaurus and the blog, and the difference they are making in their writing. No matter how frustrated we get with publishing, this is what gives us strength. We love you guys.
On the personal side of things, I moved at the end of June. We decided as a family to try the 'country living' thing, and move out of the million+ city of Calgary to half an hour outside of it. The community of Redwood Meadows is beautiful--tons of trees, only a few hundred homes, lots of yard and privacy and nature. There's a golf course too, because that's hubby's thing.
Then right in the middle of the move, our province of Alberta flooded. As in state-of-emergency flooded. People were evacuated. Homes swept away. Bridges connecting the city and surrounding towns collapsed, cutting people off. Animals stranded in fields started to drown.
Our Calgary home was by a river, so we were evacuated. The entire community of Redwood Meadows was evacuated because it too runs alongside a waterway. This video surfaced of a home being swept downriver...a 5 minute drive from the home I was to move into in only a few days.
That feeling of waiting for the other shoe to drop...it is awful. I was glued to media coverage, hoping for some word, because at that time we owned both homes and you cannot buy flood insurance here. Bragg Creek, the town closest to Redwood Meadows, was severely damaged. Our community website sent out sporadic updates like "berm is in danger of breaching" and "flooding is imminent." I seriously wondered what we would do if both homes were lost.
My new office!
Somehow, due the the amazing volunteers who sandbagged, brought in loads of rock and gravel and donated giant cranes to place cement barricades, the berm was reinforced after breaching, and it held. Against all odds, it held. Our home was safe. A walk around the community showed others were not so lucky. The evacuation order for our Riverbend home lifted also and we discovered that house was also untouched.
You can't even imagine the gratitude I feel writing this in my new home. My dry home. Disasters are awful, and as I watch Toronto and their flood situation, I feel terrible for them. But dark times also bring out the best in people, and we saw a lot of that too. So many people worked together (and are still working!) to fix the damage around us.
I thought I'd do a gratitude giveaway to celebrate. Three of my friends have brand spanking new books out--so new I haven't even had a chance to read them with all that's going on. But I can't wait to! So, if you'd like some summer reads, leave me a comment!
Janet Gurtler's newest YA How I Lost You
is a signed paperback. This draw is open to Canada and the US."Grace and Kya always do everything together, and nothing can get in the way of their friendship. They have a pact: Sisters Before Misters. Buds Before Studs.
Only Grace knows what Kya's been through, or how much she needs someone to stick by her. No matter what. Besides, Kya keeps life exciting—pulling Grace into things she'd never dare to do on her own. But inch by inch, daring is starting to turn dangerous. And Grace will have to decide how far she can go to save her friendship with Kya...before she ends up losing everything else."
Piper Bayard's Firelands
is an ebook, open internationally.
"Eighty years in the future, America has devolved into a totalitarian theocracy. The ruling Josephites clone the only seeds that grow in the post-apocalyptic climate, allowing their Prophet to control who eats, who starves, and who burns in the ritual fires that atone for society.
Subsisting on the fringes, Archer risks violation and death each day as she scours the forest for game to feed her people. When a Josephite refugee seeks sanctuary in her home, Archer is driven to chance a desperate gamble—a gamble that will bring down the Prophet and deliver seeds and freedom, or end in a fiery death for herself and for everyone she loves."
Kristen Lamb's Rise of the Machines: Human Authors in a Digital World
is an ebook, open internationally.
"The new author in today's publishing world is a cyborg of sorts—part human, part machine.
Branding has broken free of marketing’s shackles and merged with personal identity. If we want to thrive in our new environment, we need to adapt, to apply technology as an extension of our humanness.
This is not a book to teach you 1,000 ways to blast people with advertising. The WANA Way is different than anything you’ve likely encountered. It is constructed using the timelessness of art, blended with the strength of human relationships."
TO ENTER: Leave me a comment and tell me where you're from and if you've ever had a close call or natural disaster where you live. That's it, no hoops! (BUT I appreciate social sharing because it helps to let others know about these great new reads!) If you have a book preference, tell me that as well. Good luck! :)
CONTEST NOW CLOSED. Thanks so much for entering and sharing your stories!
Reality Check, Gratitude & Cool Books To WIN
First up, I need to apologize--I've been semi-absent lately from the blogging world, not posting or reading or commenting as much. This has been a crazy month (two? six? *twitch*) as Becca and I double-time it to get the next two books in our descriptive thesaurus series ready. This is an exciting time for us as we see these resources grow into what we envisioned. We hope these two books, which look at the light and dark side of character traits, will become your go-to tools for character creation so more of your wonderful books end up in the hands of readers. (For those who have asked, we are hoping to have them both ready by late August or early September.)
Second, sometimes life sends along a little reality check, reminding us how good we have it. And it has been good. Becca and I discovered another university is using The Emotion Thesaurus in their curriculum, which is unbelievably awesome. We also received our first book advance (Becca joked on Facebook that after 10 years of trying to place our books in North America, our first advance is coming from a Korean Publisher!) This feels pretty good too, considering we have had so many close calls with our fiction, yet no actual deals yet. And best of all, every day we hear from writers about the Emotion Thesaurus and the blog, and the difference they are making in their writing. No matter how frustrated we get with publishing, this is what gives us strength. We love you guys.
On the personal side of things, I moved at the end of June. We decided as a family to try the 'country living' thing, and move out of the million+ city of Calgary to half an hour outside of it. The community of Redwood Meadows is beautiful--tons of trees, only a few hundred homes, lots of yard and privacy and nature. There's a golf course too, because that's hubby's thing.
Then right in the middle of the move, our province of Alberta flooded. As in state-of-emergency flooded. People were evacuated. Homes swept away. Bridges connecting the city and surrounding towns collapsed, cutting people off. Animals stranded in fields started to drown.
Our Calgary home was by a river, so we were evacuated. The entire community of Redwood Meadows was evacuated because it too runs alongside a waterway. This video surfaced of a home being swept downriver...a 5 minute drive from the home I was to move into in only a few days.
That feeling of waiting for the other shoe to drop...it is awful. I was glued to media coverage, hoping for some word, because at that time we owned both homes and you cannot buy flood insurance here. Bragg Creek, the town closest to Redwood Meadows, was severely damaged. Our community website sent out sporadic updates like "berm is in danger of breaching" and "flooding is imminent." I seriously wondered what we would do if both homes were lost.
My new office!
Somehow, due the the amazing volunteers who sandbagged, brought in loads of rock and gravel and donated giant cranes to place cement barricades, the berm was reinforced after breaching, and it held. Against all odds, it held. Our home was safe. A walk around the community showed others were not so lucky. The evacuation order for our Riverbend home lifted also and we discovered that house was also untouched.
You can't even imagine the gratitude I feel writing this in my new home. My dry home. Disasters are awful, and as I watch Toronto and their flood situation, I feel terrible for them. But dark times also bring out the best in people, and we saw a lot of that too. So many people worked together (and are still working!) to fix the damage around us.
I thought I'd do a gratitude giveaway to celebrate. Three of my friends have brand spanking new books out--so new I haven't even had a chance to read them with all that's going on. But I can't wait to! So, if you'd like some summer reads, leave me a comment!
Janet Gurtler's newest YA How I Lost You is a signed paperback. This draw is open to Canada and the US.
"Grace and Kya always do everything together, and nothing can get in the way of their friendship. They have a pact: Sisters Before Misters. Buds Before Studs.
Only Grace knows what Kya's been through, or how much she needs someone to stick by her. No matter what. Besides, Kya keeps life exciting—pulling Grace into things she'd never dare to do on her own. But inch by inch, daring is starting to turn dangerous. And Grace will have to decide how far she can go to save her friendship with Kya...before she ends up losing everything else."
Piper Bayard's Firelands
is an ebook, open internationally.
"Eighty years in the future, America has devolved into a totalitarian theocracy. The ruling Josephites clone the only seeds that grow in the post-apocalyptic climate, allowing their Prophet to control who eats, who starves, and who burns in the ritual fires that atone for society.
Subsisting on the fringes, Archer risks violation and death each day as she scours the forest for game to feed her people. When a Josephite refugee seeks sanctuary in her home, Archer is driven to chance a desperate gamble—a gamble that will bring down the Prophet and deliver seeds and freedom, or end in a fiery death for herself and for everyone she loves."
Kristen Lamb's Rise of the Machines: Human Authors in a Digital World
is an ebook, open internationally.
"The new author in today's publishing world is a cyborg of sorts—part human, part machine.
Branding has broken free of marketing’s shackles and merged with personal identity. If we want to thrive in our new environment, we need to adapt, to apply technology as an extension of our humanness.
This is not a book to teach you 1,000 ways to blast people with advertising. The WANA Way is different than anything you’ve likely encountered. It is constructed using the timelessness of art, blended with the strength of human relationships."
TO ENTER: Leave me a comment and tell me where you're from and if you've ever had a close call or natural disaster where you live. That's it, no hoops! (BUT I appreciate social sharing because it helps to let others know about these great new reads!) If you have a book preference, tell me that as well. Good luck! :)
Second, sometimes life sends along a little reality check, reminding us how good we have it. And it has been good. Becca and I discovered another university is using The Emotion Thesaurus in their curriculum, which is unbelievably awesome. We also received our first book advance (Becca joked on Facebook that after 10 years of trying to place our books in North America, our first advance is coming from a Korean Publisher!) This feels pretty good too, considering we have had so many close calls with our fiction, yet no actual deals yet. And best of all, every day we hear from writers about the Emotion Thesaurus and the blog, and the difference they are making in their writing. No matter how frustrated we get with publishing, this is what gives us strength. We love you guys.
On the personal side of things, I moved at the end of June. We decided as a family to try the 'country living' thing, and move out of the million+ city of Calgary to half an hour outside of it. The community of Redwood Meadows is beautiful--tons of trees, only a few hundred homes, lots of yard and privacy and nature. There's a golf course too, because that's hubby's thing.
Then right in the middle of the move, our province of Alberta flooded. As in state-of-emergency flooded. People were evacuated. Homes swept away. Bridges connecting the city and surrounding towns collapsed, cutting people off. Animals stranded in fields started to drown.
Our Calgary home was by a river, so we were evacuated. The entire community of Redwood Meadows was evacuated because it too runs alongside a waterway. This video surfaced of a home being swept downriver...a 5 minute drive from the home I was to move into in only a few days.
That feeling of waiting for the other shoe to drop...it is awful. I was glued to media coverage, hoping for some word, because at that time we owned both homes and you cannot buy flood insurance here. Bragg Creek, the town closest to Redwood Meadows, was severely damaged. Our community website sent out sporadic updates like "berm is in danger of breaching" and "flooding is imminent." I seriously wondered what we would do if both homes were lost.
My new office!
Somehow, due the the amazing volunteers who sandbagged, brought in loads of rock and gravel and donated giant cranes to place cement barricades, the berm was reinforced after breaching, and it held. Against all odds, it held. Our home was safe. A walk around the community showed others were not so lucky. The evacuation order for our Riverbend home lifted also and we discovered that house was also untouched.
You can't even imagine the gratitude I feel writing this in my new home. My dry home. Disasters are awful, and as I watch Toronto and their flood situation, I feel terrible for them. But dark times also bring out the best in people, and we saw a lot of that too. So many people worked together (and are still working!) to fix the damage around us.
I thought I'd do a gratitude giveaway to celebrate. Three of my friends have brand spanking new books out--so new I haven't even had a chance to read them with all that's going on. But I can't wait to! So, if you'd like some summer reads, leave me a comment!
Janet Gurtler's newest YA How I Lost You
is a signed paperback. This draw is open to Canada and the US."Grace and Kya always do everything together, and nothing can get in the way of their friendship. They have a pact: Sisters Before Misters. Buds Before Studs.
Only Grace knows what Kya's been through, or how much she needs someone to stick by her. No matter what. Besides, Kya keeps life exciting—pulling Grace into things she'd never dare to do on her own. But inch by inch, daring is starting to turn dangerous. And Grace will have to decide how far she can go to save her friendship with Kya...before she ends up losing everything else."
Piper Bayard's Firelands
is an ebook, open internationally.
"Eighty years in the future, America has devolved into a totalitarian theocracy. The ruling Josephites clone the only seeds that grow in the post-apocalyptic climate, allowing their Prophet to control who eats, who starves, and who burns in the ritual fires that atone for society.
Subsisting on the fringes, Archer risks violation and death each day as she scours the forest for game to feed her people. When a Josephite refugee seeks sanctuary in her home, Archer is driven to chance a desperate gamble—a gamble that will bring down the Prophet and deliver seeds and freedom, or end in a fiery death for herself and for everyone she loves."
Kristen Lamb's Rise of the Machines: Human Authors in a Digital World
is an ebook, open internationally.
"The new author in today's publishing world is a cyborg of sorts—part human, part machine.
Branding has broken free of marketing’s shackles and merged with personal identity. If we want to thrive in our new environment, we need to adapt, to apply technology as an extension of our humanness.
This is not a book to teach you 1,000 ways to blast people with advertising. The WANA Way is different than anything you’ve likely encountered. It is constructed using the timelessness of art, blended with the strength of human relationships."
TO ENTER: Leave me a comment and tell me where you're from and if you've ever had a close call or natural disaster where you live. That's it, no hoops! (BUT I appreciate social sharing because it helps to let others know about these great new reads!) If you have a book preference, tell me that as well. Good luck! :)
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