Megan Wong's Blog, page 7
March 12, 2019
A Lucky Penny!
Do you know those moments when you see a penny and a hundred thoughts run through your head?
My first thought is usually:
"A penny! Pick it up!"
But, before I can pick it up, another few thoughts go through my head.
"Is it heads or tails?""Do you remember that time that you picked up a penny in the Harris Teeter parking lot?""Do you remember those videos of people being pranked and the penny was really glued to the ground?""What year could it be?"
By the time all of these thoughts go through my head, and several more, I've already walked past the penny. The thing is pennies are worthless. They actually cost more to make than they are actually worth.
In 2018, it cost 1.5 cents to make a penny which means that it cost 50% more than its actual value.
Also, pennies are made out of zinc coated with copper. In my high school chemistry class, we did an experiment where we put the pennies in a solution that removed the copper and showed the zinc so all of our pennies turned silver, then there were pennies that we could turn a gold color. I wish I could tell you what we actually put them in, but I can't remember.
If you want more penny facts, then feel free to peruse the link:
https://www.usmint.gov/learn/kids/about-us/fun-facts/category/penny/page/2
P.S. I walked by the spot where I saw the penny, intending to pick it up on this second go around. Unfortunately, it was gone when I got there. So there is somebody who still likes pennies!
My first thought is usually:
"A penny! Pick it up!"
But, before I can pick it up, another few thoughts go through my head.
"Is it heads or tails?""Do you remember that time that you picked up a penny in the Harris Teeter parking lot?""Do you remember those videos of people being pranked and the penny was really glued to the ground?""What year could it be?"
By the time all of these thoughts go through my head, and several more, I've already walked past the penny. The thing is pennies are worthless. They actually cost more to make than they are actually worth.
In 2018, it cost 1.5 cents to make a penny which means that it cost 50% more than its actual value.
Also, pennies are made out of zinc coated with copper. In my high school chemistry class, we did an experiment where we put the pennies in a solution that removed the copper and showed the zinc so all of our pennies turned silver, then there were pennies that we could turn a gold color. I wish I could tell you what we actually put them in, but I can't remember.
If you want more penny facts, then feel free to peruse the link:
https://www.usmint.gov/learn/kids/about-us/fun-facts/category/penny/page/2
P.S. I walked by the spot where I saw the penny, intending to pick it up on this second go around. Unfortunately, it was gone when I got there. So there is somebody who still likes pennies!
March 5, 2019
HGP (Hysterical Gondola Pie)
Do you like to fill in random words when you don't know the meaning of an acronym? I like to fill in random and funny combinations of words. In this case, HGP really stands for the Human Genome Project. Have you heard of it?
I'd heard of it in passing years ago, but I never dug further. Now that I'm in a genetics class, I'm required to look further. This is the exciting thing about college. While my education may require me to choose classes that are unrelated to my major, I can still find ways for them to be useful. This class is actually useful for my major and my writing interests so I have a good deal with it either way.
The Human Genome Project's main goals were to:
Map all of the genesDetermine the sequence of every DNA base pairMake all of this information available to the publicTo understand some of this, I'm going to give you a very brief course in genetics.
First off, our DNA is made of little puzzle pieces that match together called nucleotides. DNA is like a twisted ladder and the rungs are made of nitrogenous bases: adenine, guanine, cytosine and thymine. For these bases, adenine matches with thymine, guanine matches with cytosine. DNA is made up of two strands and a sequence can look something like this: TACGACGCA
The most important thing to understand is that these base pairs and strands of DNA make up our chromosomes. Chromosomes are the condensed genetic material and what is in our genetic material controls are genotype and phenotype. The genetic expression of traits and the physical expression of traits.
If you like writing science-fiction, then learning more about these sorts of things can help you plan ahead or inspire you. If you want the population of your world to have genetic mutations, then it might be important to understand the basics of those occurrences in our world. When you understand these things and can help readers to understand them, they will be more willing to invest in your work. When things contain at least some of the truth that builds trust and readers will have a sense of familiarity with your story. Plus it's always exciting to recognize something that you have learned and be able to connect it to something else!
I'd heard of it in passing years ago, but I never dug further. Now that I'm in a genetics class, I'm required to look further. This is the exciting thing about college. While my education may require me to choose classes that are unrelated to my major, I can still find ways for them to be useful. This class is actually useful for my major and my writing interests so I have a good deal with it either way.
The Human Genome Project's main goals were to:
Map all of the genesDetermine the sequence of every DNA base pairMake all of this information available to the publicTo understand some of this, I'm going to give you a very brief course in genetics.
First off, our DNA is made of little puzzle pieces that match together called nucleotides. DNA is like a twisted ladder and the rungs are made of nitrogenous bases: adenine, guanine, cytosine and thymine. For these bases, adenine matches with thymine, guanine matches with cytosine. DNA is made up of two strands and a sequence can look something like this: TACGACGCA
The most important thing to understand is that these base pairs and strands of DNA make up our chromosomes. Chromosomes are the condensed genetic material and what is in our genetic material controls are genotype and phenotype. The genetic expression of traits and the physical expression of traits.
If you like writing science-fiction, then learning more about these sorts of things can help you plan ahead or inspire you. If you want the population of your world to have genetic mutations, then it might be important to understand the basics of those occurrences in our world. When you understand these things and can help readers to understand them, they will be more willing to invest in your work. When things contain at least some of the truth that builds trust and readers will have a sense of familiarity with your story. Plus it's always exciting to recognize something that you have learned and be able to connect it to something else!
February 26, 2019
The Centennial Post
Dazzling fireworks shower across the sky in vibrant hues and fun swirls.
100 posts since I started this blog. One hundred posts, each different - some long, some short, some about writing, some about my life - it has been a long ride. And it's not over yet.
Oh no no no, 100 posts ago I promised to post once a week on Tuesday and I'm keeping to that.
I will keep posting and writing and updating this blog until who knows when.
I was trying to figure out what would be the best thing for this one hundredth post. What could I talk about or what could I show you? Two things.
One - a glimpse of the novel that I am working on.ANDTwo - each reader may ask me one question (about almost anything) and I will answer it in the next post.
So without further ado - My new novel! I have been working on this for over a year. It is about a girl and a boy. They are bounty hunters and they're going to take on a risky job that will test their skills and friendship. In this video, I'll be reading a part of the first chapter.
100 posts since I started this blog. One hundred posts, each different - some long, some short, some about writing, some about my life - it has been a long ride. And it's not over yet.
Oh no no no, 100 posts ago I promised to post once a week on Tuesday and I'm keeping to that.
I will keep posting and writing and updating this blog until who knows when.
I was trying to figure out what would be the best thing for this one hundredth post. What could I talk about or what could I show you? Two things.
One - a glimpse of the novel that I am working on.ANDTwo - each reader may ask me one question (about almost anything) and I will answer it in the next post.
So without further ado - My new novel! I have been working on this for over a year. It is about a girl and a boy. They are bounty hunters and they're going to take on a risky job that will test their skills and friendship. In this video, I'll be reading a part of the first chapter.
February 19, 2019
Literature Lessons: Familial Fallouts
Often there are lessons to be learned from literature. For these "literature lessons" I will be pulling ideas from my own book to discuss in detail. This first one focuses on Adam. If you haven't gotten a chance to read Island Whispers, Adam is the main character merperson. He is sweet and kind. He's the adorable baby brother and the curious child. He also is cursed with siren singing. It is because of his curse that he is isolated not only from mer-society but his family.
That's the thing. Families are complicated. Today even more so. If you google "the modern family," well you'll actually get the TV show, but if you go past that, you'll find other articles about modern families in general. But, honestly, you'll have to go more than ten clicks. So I pulled my research from a more reliable site. The NC State library database.
Single parent families are becoming more common. Although most children live with two parents, 69% according to the United States census bureau in 2016, 23% of children live with a single mother. Now Adam's case is special because he lives with a single father which is at 4% in the United States. Not many children live with just their father and usually the circumstances are extreme. In this instance, Adam's mother has died years earlier because of an accident with Adam.
A Russian study found that children of single parent families have low sociability and often their parents express irritation toward their children. This is not every single parent family, but it seems it was a high enough statistic in Russia. Adam's father is often critical with him and swift to deal out his irritation when a rule is disobeyed. The whole family was banished along with Adam so perhaps you could reason that his irritation is justified. It depends on what you believe the role of parents in the family dynamic.
In Adam's case, his father is his protector. His father is afraid of what some of the merpeople will do to him. Banishment means isolation. In the past, those with the siren singing curse were often killed. The merpeople were afraid of anyone with that power. It could be used for evil, because anyone listening to it could be controlled. This is why his father is strict and tries to protect Adam. Children don't usually understand the reasons for their parents actions, but it is my intention to show that sometimes parents have some justification. However, they don't always show it well.
Adam's story with his father is about reconciliation. He and his father have had to deal with a lot of things, but there is a lot of love as well. Their perceptions of each other are wrong because they have been assuming different things. The hope is that by the end Adam and his father have fallen into a place of understanding and that their relationship will improve from there. But, as in real life, these things rarely play out so simply and it is a long road to a good relationship - a whole lifetime in fact. It takes effort from both sides and so we'll just have to see how Adam's relationship with his father evolves and whether they can improve it.
That's the thing. Families are complicated. Today even more so. If you google "the modern family," well you'll actually get the TV show, but if you go past that, you'll find other articles about modern families in general. But, honestly, you'll have to go more than ten clicks. So I pulled my research from a more reliable site. The NC State library database.
Single parent families are becoming more common. Although most children live with two parents, 69% according to the United States census bureau in 2016, 23% of children live with a single mother. Now Adam's case is special because he lives with a single father which is at 4% in the United States. Not many children live with just their father and usually the circumstances are extreme. In this instance, Adam's mother has died years earlier because of an accident with Adam.
A Russian study found that children of single parent families have low sociability and often their parents express irritation toward their children. This is not every single parent family, but it seems it was a high enough statistic in Russia. Adam's father is often critical with him and swift to deal out his irritation when a rule is disobeyed. The whole family was banished along with Adam so perhaps you could reason that his irritation is justified. It depends on what you believe the role of parents in the family dynamic.
In Adam's case, his father is his protector. His father is afraid of what some of the merpeople will do to him. Banishment means isolation. In the past, those with the siren singing curse were often killed. The merpeople were afraid of anyone with that power. It could be used for evil, because anyone listening to it could be controlled. This is why his father is strict and tries to protect Adam. Children don't usually understand the reasons for their parents actions, but it is my intention to show that sometimes parents have some justification. However, they don't always show it well.
Adam's story with his father is about reconciliation. He and his father have had to deal with a lot of things, but there is a lot of love as well. Their perceptions of each other are wrong because they have been assuming different things. The hope is that by the end Adam and his father have fallen into a place of understanding and that their relationship will improve from there. But, as in real life, these things rarely play out so simply and it is a long road to a good relationship - a whole lifetime in fact. It takes effort from both sides and so we'll just have to see how Adam's relationship with his father evolves and whether they can improve it.
February 12, 2019
Book Review: February
Book review time! February - the month of love and relationships. I suppose it is weird that I chose The Forty Rules of Love for January instead of February, but I think I've chosen an appropriate book for this month.
The Girl with No Shadow by Joanne Harris.
A little background. This book is actually the sequel to Chocolat and that book was actually made into a movie. This was originally titled "Lollipop Shoes" but it was rebranded into "The Girl with No Shadow."
The story is about a woman named Vianne Rocher, although she goes by many names. She is a woman that follows the wind and has a knack for practical magic. Chocolat is all about Vianne and who she is as she confronts Pere Reynaud. The Girl with No Shadow is about Vianne and Anouk (her daughter) as they confront some of their past and Zozie (the owner of the 'lollipop shoes').
A signed first edition which I purchased off of Amazon. I have never (knowingly) met Joanne Harris, but I was lucky enough to receive this in the mail. It is also a hardcover and I'm afraid my bookshelf lacks those so I love this all the more. What to say about this book...
It has three different perspectives. Zozie, Anouk and Vianne which puts the reader in an interesting situation. We know our "villain" from the start, but when will our characters learn, how will they learn, what will they do?
I appreciate the sensory descriptions. Joanne Harris did not lose her touch. If you've read Chocolat, then you know that her descriptions can make your mouth water. There is a very subtle and delightful imagery that she builds in your mind from the first page.
Not only that, but her characters leap from the pages. They are individuals with secrets and those secrets draw readers further into the story. What has happened to Vianne and Anouk since we saw them in Lansquenet sous Tannes? We know the family of two has become three with the addition of Rosette, but Vianne (now Yanne) is far from herself. Reserved, quiet, gray - she has become quite a faded photo of herself.
Read on for a more in-depth discussion and spoilers.
Vianne has lost herself. She hasn't made her own chocolates in years. She stopped the magic; cantrips, sachets, little couplets and forked signs to ward off malchance. She has become plain and ordinary.
Zozie is everything that Vianne lost. She is unafraid to speak her mind and bold in her clothing choices. Like the lollipop shoes (which are red and I imagine like Dorothy's red slippers), she wears sweaters with dresses, boots with high-tops and an assortment of dangling jewelry. She captures attention with her confidence and she ensnares Vianne and Anouk too.
Anouk is going through the early preteen years and it's rough. She is bullied by her classmates because she sticks out. I can sympathize with feeling different (especially in the middle school age range). She just doesn't understand why everyone else wants to be the same. The same movies and lipstick and clothing and opinions, she explains how tiring it is to try and fit in. When she meets Zozie, she wants to be like her.
Anouk has her mother's gifts and she has almost forgotten them. Everything has become an Accident or a "game." With Zozie, those forgotten gifts are brought back to life and Zozie teaches Anouk some of her tricks. Specifically with signs that come from the ancient civilizations of the Americas.
The chocolaterie isn't doing well since Vianne is flying under the radar and so begins the conflict. Her landlord is sweet on her and wants to marry her - and she says yes! Now don't mistake the exclamation mark, I mean that with surprise and astonishment. Thierry le Tresset is not the man we want Vianne to marry. Oh no no, he is the exact opposite of Roux and his patronizing ways grate on the nerves. He thinks that women should want to wear dresses and take care of homes. He's old fashioned as Vianne puts it. Behind his easy-going facade is a hard mask that demands obedience - not the man we're looking for at all.
But who really needs a man anyway. Vianne, Anouk and Rosette form a complete family without anyone else. Each of them special and able to see the colors as well as manipulate events. That's what I love the most about this book. The subtle magic. None of it's huge like moving mountains, but a deception, a encouragement, bad luck thrown to the wind. It's practical magic.
Zozie's a mystery too, but worth exploring. We know she isn't up to any good, but that won't stop you from getting closer and sympathizing with some of her views. Zozie knows what she wants and she takes it. She is a bit of a grifter, a con artist, identity thief - she uses her skills to play the part. A shift in posture, the right clothing and she becomes a different person, not so farfetched from what people do today.
So why should you read this?
Because it is a detailed and deletable tale of finding oneself with magic, chocolate and love.
Now doesn't that sound like the perfect recipe?
The Girl with No Shadow by Joanne Harris.
A little background. This book is actually the sequel to Chocolat and that book was actually made into a movie. This was originally titled "Lollipop Shoes" but it was rebranded into "The Girl with No Shadow."
The story is about a woman named Vianne Rocher, although she goes by many names. She is a woman that follows the wind and has a knack for practical magic. Chocolat is all about Vianne and who she is as she confronts Pere Reynaud. The Girl with No Shadow is about Vianne and Anouk (her daughter) as they confront some of their past and Zozie (the owner of the 'lollipop shoes').
A signed first edition which I purchased off of Amazon. I have never (knowingly) met Joanne Harris, but I was lucky enough to receive this in the mail. It is also a hardcover and I'm afraid my bookshelf lacks those so I love this all the more. What to say about this book...It has three different perspectives. Zozie, Anouk and Vianne which puts the reader in an interesting situation. We know our "villain" from the start, but when will our characters learn, how will they learn, what will they do?
I appreciate the sensory descriptions. Joanne Harris did not lose her touch. If you've read Chocolat, then you know that her descriptions can make your mouth water. There is a very subtle and delightful imagery that she builds in your mind from the first page.
Not only that, but her characters leap from the pages. They are individuals with secrets and those secrets draw readers further into the story. What has happened to Vianne and Anouk since we saw them in Lansquenet sous Tannes? We know the family of two has become three with the addition of Rosette, but Vianne (now Yanne) is far from herself. Reserved, quiet, gray - she has become quite a faded photo of herself.
Read on for a more in-depth discussion and spoilers.
Vianne has lost herself. She hasn't made her own chocolates in years. She stopped the magic; cantrips, sachets, little couplets and forked signs to ward off malchance. She has become plain and ordinary.
Zozie is everything that Vianne lost. She is unafraid to speak her mind and bold in her clothing choices. Like the lollipop shoes (which are red and I imagine like Dorothy's red slippers), she wears sweaters with dresses, boots with high-tops and an assortment of dangling jewelry. She captures attention with her confidence and she ensnares Vianne and Anouk too.
Anouk is going through the early preteen years and it's rough. She is bullied by her classmates because she sticks out. I can sympathize with feeling different (especially in the middle school age range). She just doesn't understand why everyone else wants to be the same. The same movies and lipstick and clothing and opinions, she explains how tiring it is to try and fit in. When she meets Zozie, she wants to be like her.
Anouk has her mother's gifts and she has almost forgotten them. Everything has become an Accident or a "game." With Zozie, those forgotten gifts are brought back to life and Zozie teaches Anouk some of her tricks. Specifically with signs that come from the ancient civilizations of the Americas.
The chocolaterie isn't doing well since Vianne is flying under the radar and so begins the conflict. Her landlord is sweet on her and wants to marry her - and she says yes! Now don't mistake the exclamation mark, I mean that with surprise and astonishment. Thierry le Tresset is not the man we want Vianne to marry. Oh no no, he is the exact opposite of Roux and his patronizing ways grate on the nerves. He thinks that women should want to wear dresses and take care of homes. He's old fashioned as Vianne puts it. Behind his easy-going facade is a hard mask that demands obedience - not the man we're looking for at all.
But who really needs a man anyway. Vianne, Anouk and Rosette form a complete family without anyone else. Each of them special and able to see the colors as well as manipulate events. That's what I love the most about this book. The subtle magic. None of it's huge like moving mountains, but a deception, a encouragement, bad luck thrown to the wind. It's practical magic.
Zozie's a mystery too, but worth exploring. We know she isn't up to any good, but that won't stop you from getting closer and sympathizing with some of her views. Zozie knows what she wants and she takes it. She is a bit of a grifter, a con artist, identity thief - she uses her skills to play the part. A shift in posture, the right clothing and she becomes a different person, not so farfetched from what people do today.
So why should you read this?
Because it is a detailed and deletable tale of finding oneself with magic, chocolate and love.
Now doesn't that sound like the perfect recipe?
February 5, 2019
Night Owls and Early Birds
Are you a night owl or early bird?
I'm usually an early bird, but this year I've become a night owl.
Our circadian rhythms generally determine when we're feeling most awake and when we're feeling tired. They can be changed (natural light works best), but it might explain why there is such a difference between people. The circadian rhythm is a day cycle (24hr) which can be inferred if you learned Latin since circa approximately means "about" and dian is from "dies" which is day. Unfortunately for me I did not get into Latin in high school. I did learn about root words in elementary school, but the most I can remember is a little singing chant of a few words: "Ante before, anti against, bi two, circum around...de down, dis away...com together, con together..." That's it.
Our circadian rhythms are a natural process and to bring it into writing, you might consider writing a character's abilities as fluctuating depending on the day. I think some writers do this unconsciously. You've got witches that only cast spells on certain days. Werewolves turn on the full moon. They're not exactly circadian rhythms, but you can still transfer the concept of a cycle into those examples.
When we fly into different time zones, most people experience jet lag. There really isn't a way to avoid it and this is because your circadian rhythm has to adapt to its new cycle. You're telling your body that based on societal conventions and your location, you must go to sleep at night and get up during the day. If you flew from America to say Great Britain and you arrived in the morning, it is better to keep yourself awake and active during the daylight hours so that you can fall into an exhausted sleep at the end of the day. It will help with resetting your circadian rhythm to fit your new time zone.
Circadian rhythms are so important that you could also use them to change a character's health. Not only do our rhythms affect when we feel sleepy or awake, but they also change when our hormones are released, when we feel hungry, and the temperature of our bodies. As for temperature, have you ever noticed how your body cools down as you fall asleep and then heats up as you wake up - that's part of your circadian rhythm! Our bodies heat up when we wake up because we're about to get up and start our day. Movement is easier when our muscles are warm, not cold. Probably why we warm-up before we workout, we want to ease into the hard activity by preparing ourselves...but I'm getting off topic.
Did you know that in the legend of Cuchulain the men of Ulster were weakened at a certain time of year? Cuchulain is from Irish mythology and he was a warrior. When the warriors of Connacht were trying to raid Ulster, Cuchulain stood against them. One boy against an army. He was a demigod, son of Lugh Lamfadha so he was your supernatural teenager of the day, but in the stories he is also described as a monster/demon. (Also, I know there are a lot of different spellings for Cuchulain and Lugh. These are just the ones I'm familiar with.)
I learned about the Cattle Raid of Cooley through a wonderful book called "The Hound of Rowan" by Henry H. Neff. The great thing about reading a book written by a history teacher is that he knows how to add history into it and lots of stories. I've learned so much from that series. On a related side note, Max McDaniels, the main character in Neff's books, is strengthened during his birth month: March. As you can see, there are so many cycles of power included in stories and perhaps it is something that you will want to include too!
So, let us circle around to the beginning, are you a night owl or an early bird?
I'm usually an early bird, but this year I've become a night owl.
Our circadian rhythms generally determine when we're feeling most awake and when we're feeling tired. They can be changed (natural light works best), but it might explain why there is such a difference between people. The circadian rhythm is a day cycle (24hr) which can be inferred if you learned Latin since circa approximately means "about" and dian is from "dies" which is day. Unfortunately for me I did not get into Latin in high school. I did learn about root words in elementary school, but the most I can remember is a little singing chant of a few words: "Ante before, anti against, bi two, circum around...de down, dis away...com together, con together..." That's it.
Our circadian rhythms are a natural process and to bring it into writing, you might consider writing a character's abilities as fluctuating depending on the day. I think some writers do this unconsciously. You've got witches that only cast spells on certain days. Werewolves turn on the full moon. They're not exactly circadian rhythms, but you can still transfer the concept of a cycle into those examples.
When we fly into different time zones, most people experience jet lag. There really isn't a way to avoid it and this is because your circadian rhythm has to adapt to its new cycle. You're telling your body that based on societal conventions and your location, you must go to sleep at night and get up during the day. If you flew from America to say Great Britain and you arrived in the morning, it is better to keep yourself awake and active during the daylight hours so that you can fall into an exhausted sleep at the end of the day. It will help with resetting your circadian rhythm to fit your new time zone.
Circadian rhythms are so important that you could also use them to change a character's health. Not only do our rhythms affect when we feel sleepy or awake, but they also change when our hormones are released, when we feel hungry, and the temperature of our bodies. As for temperature, have you ever noticed how your body cools down as you fall asleep and then heats up as you wake up - that's part of your circadian rhythm! Our bodies heat up when we wake up because we're about to get up and start our day. Movement is easier when our muscles are warm, not cold. Probably why we warm-up before we workout, we want to ease into the hard activity by preparing ourselves...but I'm getting off topic.
Did you know that in the legend of Cuchulain the men of Ulster were weakened at a certain time of year? Cuchulain is from Irish mythology and he was a warrior. When the warriors of Connacht were trying to raid Ulster, Cuchulain stood against them. One boy against an army. He was a demigod, son of Lugh Lamfadha so he was your supernatural teenager of the day, but in the stories he is also described as a monster/demon. (Also, I know there are a lot of different spellings for Cuchulain and Lugh. These are just the ones I'm familiar with.)
I learned about the Cattle Raid of Cooley through a wonderful book called "The Hound of Rowan" by Henry H. Neff. The great thing about reading a book written by a history teacher is that he knows how to add history into it and lots of stories. I've learned so much from that series. On a related side note, Max McDaniels, the main character in Neff's books, is strengthened during his birth month: March. As you can see, there are so many cycles of power included in stories and perhaps it is something that you will want to include too!
So, let us circle around to the beginning, are you a night owl or an early bird?
January 29, 2019
Anniversary!
I'm so happy. Just imagine me bouncing down the hallway and smiling the widest smile that you have ever seen. It has been one whole year since Island Whispers was published!
One full year of magic, hard work, surprises and so much friendship. I've grown a lot since my debut novel was published and I've learned a lot as well.
I am always so amazed by the overwhelming support from my readers. Each and every one of you are magical and deserving of so much happiness. I have learned that editing is only as scary as you make it to be. Likewise, it is only as difficult as you perceive it. If I don't fear the changes, then I can write something worthy of my darling audience.Websites and blogs are platforms that you have to work for, and it is important to post content consistently.Book signings are great places to meet likeminded people. It's safe to assume that bibliophiles frequent bookstores and I found several people willing to give my story a chance.My friends and family worked tirelessly to help me promote. They drove miles to see me and support me.
I'm always open to questions. You can ask me about almost anything. If you're curious about the publishing process, then I'll gladly tell you about my experience. If you want to know about the writing I'm currently up to, I'll fill you in on all the latest word count and story news. Ask and you shall receive, dear reader.
One full year of magic, hard work, surprises and so much friendship. I've grown a lot since my debut novel was published and I've learned a lot as well.
I am always so amazed by the overwhelming support from my readers. Each and every one of you are magical and deserving of so much happiness. I have learned that editing is only as scary as you make it to be. Likewise, it is only as difficult as you perceive it. If I don't fear the changes, then I can write something worthy of my darling audience.Websites and blogs are platforms that you have to work for, and it is important to post content consistently.Book signings are great places to meet likeminded people. It's safe to assume that bibliophiles frequent bookstores and I found several people willing to give my story a chance.My friends and family worked tirelessly to help me promote. They drove miles to see me and support me.
I'm always open to questions. You can ask me about almost anything. If you're curious about the publishing process, then I'll gladly tell you about my experience. If you want to know about the writing I'm currently up to, I'll fill you in on all the latest word count and story news. Ask and you shall receive, dear reader.
January 22, 2019
Nostalgic for Borders
Do you know what I mean?
Borders the Bookstore. It has been seven or eight years since it closed.
It was my favorite place ever. Our Borders was housed in Stonecrest and it was a hopping place. People were always there so when we heard it was closing, it just didn't make sense. I was in disbelief. Not my favorite bookstore. Not the only bookstore in the world. (At the time, I was very oblivious to other bookstores and while I knew of B&N, I'd never been there.) It was devastating.
I have a lot of fond memories about Borders.
First off, the children's section. I spent most of my time there, but it was so much fun. Tucked away in the back, there were shelves of colorful stories and I would find a good place to sit and read for a while. I want to say there were paintings and fun chairs too, but my memory has a few holes in it. I can remember the blurry image of it, but I can't remember the specifics.
Either way, my next favorite section was the music section. Back then, they were all CDs and you could listen to a CD by scanning its barcode. There were screens with connecting headphones and you could listen to any CD you wanted to.
Borders had so many fun events too! I remember when the last Harry Potter book was coming out and we went to the midnight release party. Everyone was dressed up like witches and wizards. There was a cauldron full of dry ice and everyone was so happy. We even got a poster showing the cover image from The Deathly Hallows.
It was a frequent occurrence for my family to go to Borders. We went so much. I think it helped develop my love of reading. I could devour two or three children's books in the hour we spent there. The Magic Treehouse was a favorite and we had a large collection. I want to say that over half the shelf (at our house) was filled with those books.
Borders may have closed but my love of reading was never diminished. Although, it pained me to go to B&N at first, I came to love the store all the same. I actually knew it so well at one point that I helped several people find what they were looking for.
"Oh you're looking for the new magic school book, well usually it would be in the children's section, but I happen to know they have copies in the front."
"You're a fan of Percy Jackson too! Well, then right this way. They shelve those on the back in the children's section."
I probably could have worked at B&N if I still lived in Charlotte. Alas, now I'm familiarizing myself with D.H. Hill and I'm figuring out the stacks. Soon I'll be an unofficial librarian there too.
Do you have a favorite bookstore or fond memories of book shopping?
Borders the Bookstore. It has been seven or eight years since it closed.
It was my favorite place ever. Our Borders was housed in Stonecrest and it was a hopping place. People were always there so when we heard it was closing, it just didn't make sense. I was in disbelief. Not my favorite bookstore. Not the only bookstore in the world. (At the time, I was very oblivious to other bookstores and while I knew of B&N, I'd never been there.) It was devastating.
I have a lot of fond memories about Borders.
First off, the children's section. I spent most of my time there, but it was so much fun. Tucked away in the back, there were shelves of colorful stories and I would find a good place to sit and read for a while. I want to say there were paintings and fun chairs too, but my memory has a few holes in it. I can remember the blurry image of it, but I can't remember the specifics.
Either way, my next favorite section was the music section. Back then, they were all CDs and you could listen to a CD by scanning its barcode. There were screens with connecting headphones and you could listen to any CD you wanted to.
Borders had so many fun events too! I remember when the last Harry Potter book was coming out and we went to the midnight release party. Everyone was dressed up like witches and wizards. There was a cauldron full of dry ice and everyone was so happy. We even got a poster showing the cover image from The Deathly Hallows.
It was a frequent occurrence for my family to go to Borders. We went so much. I think it helped develop my love of reading. I could devour two or three children's books in the hour we spent there. The Magic Treehouse was a favorite and we had a large collection. I want to say that over half the shelf (at our house) was filled with those books.
Borders may have closed but my love of reading was never diminished. Although, it pained me to go to B&N at first, I came to love the store all the same. I actually knew it so well at one point that I helped several people find what they were looking for.
"Oh you're looking for the new magic school book, well usually it would be in the children's section, but I happen to know they have copies in the front."
"You're a fan of Percy Jackson too! Well, then right this way. They shelve those on the back in the children's section."
I probably could have worked at B&N if I still lived in Charlotte. Alas, now I'm familiarizing myself with D.H. Hill and I'm figuring out the stacks. Soon I'll be an unofficial librarian there too.
Do you have a favorite bookstore or fond memories of book shopping?
January 15, 2019
Screening the Play Process
Never have I ever written a screenplay before.
Except now I'm in a screenwriting class, so I guess I'll be learning how to by the end of this semester.
Our first assignment?
We each drew a slip of paper from a bowler hat. Each piece had a summary of a scene and underlying subtext which we were supposed to include without being too obvious.
For example, say a boy and a girl are going fishing. The boy really likes the girl, but isn't sure how to say it...And action!
I'm not sure how that scene would actually turn out but, if you've got the time to try it, I'd love to see what you come up with.
This is all I know about screenwriting:
Don't describe every action or scrap of clothing.
Do focus on dialogue.
Hopefully I'll learn more because I know there are so many formatting rules. By the end of the semester that list should be at least a few items longer.
Happy thoughts! Happy day!
Except now I'm in a screenwriting class, so I guess I'll be learning how to by the end of this semester.
Our first assignment?
We each drew a slip of paper from a bowler hat. Each piece had a summary of a scene and underlying subtext which we were supposed to include without being too obvious.
For example, say a boy and a girl are going fishing. The boy really likes the girl, but isn't sure how to say it...And action!
I'm not sure how that scene would actually turn out but, if you've got the time to try it, I'd love to see what you come up with.
This is all I know about screenwriting:
Don't describe every action or scrap of clothing.
Do focus on dialogue.
Hopefully I'll learn more because I know there are so many formatting rules. By the end of the semester that list should be at least a few items longer.
Happy thoughts! Happy day!
January 8, 2019
Book Review: January
A writer is only as good as the material she reads. The more you read, the more you'll write and grow. There are so many good books out there. Each month I'll do an in-depth review of a book that I have read. If you have a book that you think I should read, submit the name below in the comments!
January for new beginnings. This month's book is "The Forty Rules of Love" by Elif Shafak.
My mother brought this book to my attention several years ago. I was in high school when I initially read it and now I own a copy that I peruse frequently. It was published in 2010.
This is my copy of the book. I got it off of Amazon and it came from a library.
It has that shiny plastic covering on the outside and even a barcode.The book starts with a quote from Shams of Tabriz, who the reader will learn is a wandering dervish and a main character of the book.
Then the story begins with a prologue in a way that is part philosophy, part metaphorical imagery and very captivating. It's actually in second person yet seems to transition to third person as it describes Ella Rubinstein. However, back to that second person, it brings you into the story by giving you an action: throwing a stone into flowing water. The sentences are lyrical and flowing with the right paragraph breaks to make you think.
Now, Ella Rubinstein is the main character. She is the one that sets the story in motion. Ella Rubinstein is a housewife. She lives with her husband and has three kids, one is in college, the other two are twins. They live in Massachusetts and the prologue makes it clear that everything is very normal, very quaint. A simple life with no ripples. Then comes the curve ball, the author tells us that Ella files for "divorce in the fall of 2008 after twenty years or marriage."
Some people say they read a story because they want to be caught off guard or surprised. This story lays out the main thread right in the beginning. We know that Ella will divorce her husband, but what we don't know is why. The why is important; it is a question that will lure a reader on and keep them invested in the story.
The first part after that is titled "Ella" which will became a recurrent theme in the book. Each "chapter" will have a character's name to keep you up to date with who is narrating. Each chapter also has the location, day and year. This first Ella chapter sets the scene and brings us into the action of the story. It leads us to the next part of the book which is the real trip. Because "The Forty Rules of Love" is not just any book, oh no, it is a book inside a book!
Ella takes a job as a reader for a literary agency and she is given her first assignment. A manuscript from a certain writer named A.Z. Zahara and his book is called Sweet Blasphemy: A Novel. Thus begins the second main thread of the story. While modern day Ella is facing her own struggles, we are also given the chapters of Aziz' book which also alternates characters. There is even a foreword and a title page which make the book inside a book idea more poignant. And the first chapter of Aziz' novel? It is narrated by "The Killer" how is that for a hook. The killer explains that he has killed a man, a dervish, and that event has haunted him even years later.
Follow that with "Part One: Earth, The Things that are Solid, Absorbed, and Still" and you know that this is a deep story with a purpose, because no writer goes to the trouble of dividing their story into parts without a purpose. There is so much symbolism and aphorisms in the book that it may take you longer to read. This isn't a story to be skimmed. It is a story to be cradled and loved and cried over.
Now I'm going to go even more in-depth and there are spoilers, so if you haven't read it or if you don't like to read spoilers before you read a book, then you can stop reading now.
So you've decided to read on. Well, I'll give another warning just in case. This was a subjective review to begin with and now it will become even more subjective. All of these words are my opinion on this book. Alright then?
Still here. Good. Now we get into specific events of the story.
I love how this story is written. Absolutely love, because there is a fantastic theme across the characters. We've got two timelines a modern day 2008 and a past history beginning in 1242. Shams and Rumi, Ella Rubinstein and A.Z. Zahara. They're mirrors and foils.
Shams is a mirror for A.Z. Zahara and Rumi is a mirror for Ella Rubinstein while Shams is Rumi's foil and A.Z. Zahara is Ella's foil.
We learn early on that Shams does not hold to societal conventions, at least not in the way everyone is expected to behave. He wants to pass on the knowledge he has learned from traveling around and he needs a partner - a companion, not a student. Someone already knowledgeable. He wants to educate an educated man. He doesn't know it is Rumi to begin with which seems like an accurate representation of how events unfolded historically. Shams asked for a sign and he was led to Konya and Rumi.
Ella doesn't know she is reaching out and craving love, but she finds Aziz (A.Z. Zahara). They don't meet for practically half the book, but that waiting is important. It begins as an email. She contacts him first and they begin a correspondence. Sometimes letters are stilted or lacking in information but the author succeeds in capturing realistic voices in these emails. Even when the emails become a couple of sentences long, they are intense. Then Ella and Aziz finally meet. It's like a dam breaking after we waited for so long, but instead of the swelling flood that we expected, it's more like a stream that brushes gently into us as it moves us along. Ella changes just as we see changes happening in the Shams/Rumi storyline.
The Shams/Rumi storyline has an important piece that becomes embedded in Ella's storyline as well. The title of this book is "The Forty Rules of Love" and that is what Shams is teaching Rumi. There are forty rules which explain love and the practices that will help one to achieve a state of love. They're not rules that dictate how and what you should do. They're more like gentle advice with the truth embedded in them.
Here is an example:
"Patience does not mean to passively endure. It means to be farsighted enough to trust the end result of a process. What does patience mean? It means to look at the thorn and see the rose, to look at the night and see the dawn. Impatience means to be so shortsighted as to not be able to see the outcome. The lovers of God never run out of patience, for they know that time is needed for the crescent moon to become full."
Is it a religious book? No, I don't think so. Religion plays a role in the story, but this isn't a book trying to convince you to join a religion, quite the opposite in fact. It seems more likely that this book asks you to not subscribe to a religion at all. Perhaps some prodding toward the religion of love, but it is about self-growth and how we can learn ways to lead a fruitful life.
One of my favorite parts of the book is when Rumi and Shams meet for the first time. Rumi is at first incensed as Shams has stopped him to ask a question. Rumi is riding a horse at the time and Shams will not ask the question until Rumi gets down from his high horse. ("Get off your high horse" sound familiar to anybody). Then Shams asks his question, which of the two is greater the Sufi Bistami or the Prophet Muhammad?
Rumi is first dismissive. How could Shams compare a sufi to the prophet, he asks. Then Shams expands the question asking him to really consider it by giving Rumi two statements. Bistami says something along the lines of he carries god in his cloak while Muhammad says, forgive me for we do not know you as we should. The essence of the question is that it seems like one man is greater because of his connection to god than the other. On a surface reading, it seems like Bistami's statement was higher, but Rumi tells us that Muhammad's actually is and explains why with a metaphor of the ocean. It's very philosophical and intriguing to read this part. It gives me chills. This is the first moment where Rumi and Shams see each other and have a feeling of respect for one another.
Off on another thing that I really liked. Above, I mentioned the book is divided into parts and I am absolutely inspired by that. You have to write the story with that intent in mind and you have to know that the story can be divided into parts which is not an easy feat. Some people believe that they can chop up their story however they want, but that is foolish, because the story must make sense. You can't divide it unless you understand where the transitions are and some people get so lost in their work that they can't see overall themes or story arcs.
I know that I sometimes get lost and I have never attempted to divide a story into parts. I would like to. I really would, but I'm not at that level yet. So I really appreciate and admire this book because it gives me something to aspire to. I am not Elif Shafak and I don't write in her genre and I won't write like her, but I can take those ideas to fuel my own and use those techniques to challenge myself and grow.
So this is my review of "The Forty Rules of Love". I hope I didn't make your head spin too much with all of these words. I get carried away and start typing the way I think and speak so if an idea runs wild or if the order of things doesn't make sense - blame it on my mind. My brain puts things in a logical order that isn't always apparent or actually logical.
Thanks for reading!
January for new beginnings. This month's book is "The Forty Rules of Love" by Elif Shafak.
My mother brought this book to my attention several years ago. I was in high school when I initially read it and now I own a copy that I peruse frequently. It was published in 2010.
This is my copy of the book. I got it off of Amazon and it came from a library.It has that shiny plastic covering on the outside and even a barcode.The book starts with a quote from Shams of Tabriz, who the reader will learn is a wandering dervish and a main character of the book.
Then the story begins with a prologue in a way that is part philosophy, part metaphorical imagery and very captivating. It's actually in second person yet seems to transition to third person as it describes Ella Rubinstein. However, back to that second person, it brings you into the story by giving you an action: throwing a stone into flowing water. The sentences are lyrical and flowing with the right paragraph breaks to make you think.
Now, Ella Rubinstein is the main character. She is the one that sets the story in motion. Ella Rubinstein is a housewife. She lives with her husband and has three kids, one is in college, the other two are twins. They live in Massachusetts and the prologue makes it clear that everything is very normal, very quaint. A simple life with no ripples. Then comes the curve ball, the author tells us that Ella files for "divorce in the fall of 2008 after twenty years or marriage."
Some people say they read a story because they want to be caught off guard or surprised. This story lays out the main thread right in the beginning. We know that Ella will divorce her husband, but what we don't know is why. The why is important; it is a question that will lure a reader on and keep them invested in the story.
The first part after that is titled "Ella" which will became a recurrent theme in the book. Each "chapter" will have a character's name to keep you up to date with who is narrating. Each chapter also has the location, day and year. This first Ella chapter sets the scene and brings us into the action of the story. It leads us to the next part of the book which is the real trip. Because "The Forty Rules of Love" is not just any book, oh no, it is a book inside a book!
Ella takes a job as a reader for a literary agency and she is given her first assignment. A manuscript from a certain writer named A.Z. Zahara and his book is called Sweet Blasphemy: A Novel. Thus begins the second main thread of the story. While modern day Ella is facing her own struggles, we are also given the chapters of Aziz' book which also alternates characters. There is even a foreword and a title page which make the book inside a book idea more poignant. And the first chapter of Aziz' novel? It is narrated by "The Killer" how is that for a hook. The killer explains that he has killed a man, a dervish, and that event has haunted him even years later.
Follow that with "Part One: Earth, The Things that are Solid, Absorbed, and Still" and you know that this is a deep story with a purpose, because no writer goes to the trouble of dividing their story into parts without a purpose. There is so much symbolism and aphorisms in the book that it may take you longer to read. This isn't a story to be skimmed. It is a story to be cradled and loved and cried over.
Now I'm going to go even more in-depth and there are spoilers, so if you haven't read it or if you don't like to read spoilers before you read a book, then you can stop reading now.
So you've decided to read on. Well, I'll give another warning just in case. This was a subjective review to begin with and now it will become even more subjective. All of these words are my opinion on this book. Alright then?
Still here. Good. Now we get into specific events of the story.
I love how this story is written. Absolutely love, because there is a fantastic theme across the characters. We've got two timelines a modern day 2008 and a past history beginning in 1242. Shams and Rumi, Ella Rubinstein and A.Z. Zahara. They're mirrors and foils.
Shams is a mirror for A.Z. Zahara and Rumi is a mirror for Ella Rubinstein while Shams is Rumi's foil and A.Z. Zahara is Ella's foil.
We learn early on that Shams does not hold to societal conventions, at least not in the way everyone is expected to behave. He wants to pass on the knowledge he has learned from traveling around and he needs a partner - a companion, not a student. Someone already knowledgeable. He wants to educate an educated man. He doesn't know it is Rumi to begin with which seems like an accurate representation of how events unfolded historically. Shams asked for a sign and he was led to Konya and Rumi.
Ella doesn't know she is reaching out and craving love, but she finds Aziz (A.Z. Zahara). They don't meet for practically half the book, but that waiting is important. It begins as an email. She contacts him first and they begin a correspondence. Sometimes letters are stilted or lacking in information but the author succeeds in capturing realistic voices in these emails. Even when the emails become a couple of sentences long, they are intense. Then Ella and Aziz finally meet. It's like a dam breaking after we waited for so long, but instead of the swelling flood that we expected, it's more like a stream that brushes gently into us as it moves us along. Ella changes just as we see changes happening in the Shams/Rumi storyline.
The Shams/Rumi storyline has an important piece that becomes embedded in Ella's storyline as well. The title of this book is "The Forty Rules of Love" and that is what Shams is teaching Rumi. There are forty rules which explain love and the practices that will help one to achieve a state of love. They're not rules that dictate how and what you should do. They're more like gentle advice with the truth embedded in them.
Here is an example:
"Patience does not mean to passively endure. It means to be farsighted enough to trust the end result of a process. What does patience mean? It means to look at the thorn and see the rose, to look at the night and see the dawn. Impatience means to be so shortsighted as to not be able to see the outcome. The lovers of God never run out of patience, for they know that time is needed for the crescent moon to become full."
Is it a religious book? No, I don't think so. Religion plays a role in the story, but this isn't a book trying to convince you to join a religion, quite the opposite in fact. It seems more likely that this book asks you to not subscribe to a religion at all. Perhaps some prodding toward the religion of love, but it is about self-growth and how we can learn ways to lead a fruitful life.
One of my favorite parts of the book is when Rumi and Shams meet for the first time. Rumi is at first incensed as Shams has stopped him to ask a question. Rumi is riding a horse at the time and Shams will not ask the question until Rumi gets down from his high horse. ("Get off your high horse" sound familiar to anybody). Then Shams asks his question, which of the two is greater the Sufi Bistami or the Prophet Muhammad?
Rumi is first dismissive. How could Shams compare a sufi to the prophet, he asks. Then Shams expands the question asking him to really consider it by giving Rumi two statements. Bistami says something along the lines of he carries god in his cloak while Muhammad says, forgive me for we do not know you as we should. The essence of the question is that it seems like one man is greater because of his connection to god than the other. On a surface reading, it seems like Bistami's statement was higher, but Rumi tells us that Muhammad's actually is and explains why with a metaphor of the ocean. It's very philosophical and intriguing to read this part. It gives me chills. This is the first moment where Rumi and Shams see each other and have a feeling of respect for one another.
Off on another thing that I really liked. Above, I mentioned the book is divided into parts and I am absolutely inspired by that. You have to write the story with that intent in mind and you have to know that the story can be divided into parts which is not an easy feat. Some people believe that they can chop up their story however they want, but that is foolish, because the story must make sense. You can't divide it unless you understand where the transitions are and some people get so lost in their work that they can't see overall themes or story arcs.
I know that I sometimes get lost and I have never attempted to divide a story into parts. I would like to. I really would, but I'm not at that level yet. So I really appreciate and admire this book because it gives me something to aspire to. I am not Elif Shafak and I don't write in her genre and I won't write like her, but I can take those ideas to fuel my own and use those techniques to challenge myself and grow.
So this is my review of "The Forty Rules of Love". I hope I didn't make your head spin too much with all of these words. I get carried away and start typing the way I think and speak so if an idea runs wild or if the order of things doesn't make sense - blame it on my mind. My brain puts things in a logical order that isn't always apparent or actually logical.
Thanks for reading!
