Marian Allen's Blog, page 444
February 18, 2012
Jolea Harrison Has My Number
I had a happy surprise this morning: Author Jolea Harrison is spotlighting me today, under the post title, Marian Allen Has Stories Everywhere! True that. I submitted one this month to the Blog Book Tour Cafe's anthology-in-the-works which I think has been accepted. This is the one about Bud. Maybe he'll pipe down and stop trying to horn in on other people's stories for a while.
There's another Holly (as in "By the Book") story in the works, this one for my Race to the Hugo Award.
Meanwhile, my husband wants to know if I'll be drinking that whole pot of coffee today. I'm like, "At least that one." Whenever I get an owie — and I get them often, being one of the clumsiest people still alive — I'm always surprised to see blood come out. I expect it to be either ink or coffee.
WRITING PROMPT: A character who hates even the smell of coffee finds himself or herself in inescapable company with a group of coffee fiends.
MA
February 17, 2012
Friday Recommends – Sarcasm
It takes a genius to poke herself in her own eye.
Reader Charles Green asked, in last Friday's comments, if my recommendations were sarcastic. Because I'm nothing if not helpful, I went out into the wilds of the interwebs and found The Sarcasm Society. The Society (a footnote says it's actually just one guy) is packed with funny, useful information. a scholarly article on sarcasm detection and a flow-chart on how to identify sarcasm.
Okay, now I also want to recommend a site I just found out about this week: The 5-2, a weekly crime poetry publication presented by Poetic Justice Press. The editor is Gerald So, which means it's professionally done, courageous and thought-provoking.
I've just subscribed to The Fairy Tale Asylum blog. BEAUTIFUL art. WONDERFUL words.
Finally, please join me in visiting — repeatedly — Fine Cooking, where you can plug in your ingredients and find a recipe using them. Maybe even a video showing you how. And the pictures alone are good enough to eat!
February 16, 2012
The Sadness of Polyvore
I am lovin' on Polyvore, spending a little time every day indulging myself by putting together Pretty Lady Outfits. Shoes that would break my ankles. Dresses that would make me look like a cow in the all-barnyard production of Auntie Mame. It is most enjoyable.
One of my sisters-in-law mentioned 'ten' like, which I had forgotten. I remembered play like, but 'ten' like is what we called it most of the time, short for pretend like, meaning let's pretend. 'Ten' like you're a bandit and I'm the Lone Ranger. 'Ten' like we're lost in the jungle and Tarzan jumps out of the tree — 'ten' like the swing set is the tree.
Real life
That's why I like Polyvore: I can 'ten' like. I mean, here is how I dress in real life: Jeans from Goodwill, shirt a gift, jacket a gift, shoes (not shown) ten years old and a gift. Total cost of outfit: $0.00.
'Ten' like
And here is how I 'ten' like I dress on Polyvore. Total cost of outfit: over $2,000.00. Total cost to me: $0.00.
So what is the sadness? I was hoping to use Polyvore to show what my characters are wearing. That would work for some characters, but I wanted to show the dress Freldt was wearing and swapped to Bel, so that Bel was kidnapped in Freldt's place. (FORCE OF HABIT) Maybe I'd better dress my characters before I write them. Do you have any idea how hard it is to find a lilac double-breasted jumpsuit with a plaid peplum? Even on the internet?
On the plus side, doing a Google search for lilac double-breasted jumpsuit plaid peplum totally brings up my book, so….
WRITING PROMPT: A character knows exactly what he or she wants to buy, but can't find it.
MA
February 15, 2012
Cracker Candy
This stuff is addictive. And, no, I didn't mean to type "crack candy".
Easy and fairly quick (I like that in food) and high in calories (also a plus — plus-size, that is), I don't make this very often. There are only so many button extenders one can use before people notice. Value = 1
CRACKER CANDY
40 crackers (regular, though graham crackers are also nice)1 cup butter or margarine
1 cup brown sugar
12 oz (1 bag) semi-sweet chocolate chips
chopped nuts (optional, unless you're me)
Line cookie sheet with foil. Arrange 40 saltine crackers in pan.
Cook:
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. butter
Bring to boil and cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour over crackers and spread with a spoon. Bake at 450 degrees for about 5 minutes. Watch closely to make sure it does not burn. Remove from oven and sprinkle on one 12 ounce package of chocolate chips. Let stand to melt. Spread and refrigerate. Break apart and serve.
I don't have a picture of the finished product, because I eated it. The product, not the picture.
WRITING PROMPT: A character is gaining weight and doesn't want to, but doesn't want to diet or exercise (NO, I am NOT talking about myself, thank you very much). What, other than potential romance or health, would change that attitude.
February 14, 2012
Goodbye To All Ants
Sounds like the title of a P. G. Wodehouse story, doesn't it? But it isn't; it's a Handy Household Tip. Shut up — YES, from ME.
Anyway, so far, this is working. Talcum powder. Scented talcum powder. Apparently, it messes up the ants' scent-trail superpower and makes them go, "Ewww! Run away! Run away!"
So, even though talcum powder strewn all over the chimney looks really really stupid, we're doing it, because it looks a lot better than armies of ants coming out of the cracks between the bricks like the DT scene in The Lost Weekend. If only Leiningen had known about this.
I'm posting today at Fatal Foodies with a product review that is … shall we say, "not positive"?
WRITING PROMPT: A character has a running battle with something in nature.
February 13, 2012
Floyd Hyatt In Amber
The Amber Chronicles is one of my favorite series. Series'. Serieses. Bunch of books about the same people. I'm delighted and excited and, as Terry Pratchett would say, other things ending in "ited", to have F. A. Hyatt weigh in on the subject.
Take it away, Mr. Hyatt!
The Series:
The Amber Chronicles
review by F. A. Hyatt
Dinosaur feathers in amber - NYTimes.com
The series follows the The lead character, Corwin of Amber in his quest to first, discover his own identity as a Prince of one of two empires that form the basis of the cosmic all. His alignment is with the ultimate, dimension spanning Empire of Amber, representing the principle of order, of which our work-a-day universe is just a small, and neglected shadow, a imperfect platonic replica. One of many. The opposing empire is Chaos, the seat of inverse principle. Both are real places, philosophies, avatars, and concepts all at once. The story follows Corwin's attempt to claim the apparently vacated throne of Amber. In this quest, which spans the first six books of the set, we are introduced , slowly, to the politically active family of nine siblings whose juggling for position and political power plays out on a vast, multiple shadow (dimension/world) spanning stage, and his dealings with his rival siblings. The last four editions follow the life of Corwin's son, who is left to deal with the debris of the titanic struggle, and find his own balance and place in the opposed empire of Chaos. Raised in Chaos, Corwin's son shows us the other side of the duality, or empire pair, as he is manipulated, chased, and hounded to take the throne of the Empire of Chaos, a unwitting pawn in a political power play of great families.
This epic set, written in First person, constitutes one cohesive tale in the first six, and needs to be read in order. The last four, amount to a satellite story, that can be read independently, although they do tie back into the main set of six, extending the original story. Reading one set WILL send you to read the other, however.
Review:
Certainly one of the best First person epics, written by a well practiced master of the style, the story is engaging from the first page of the first book to the last sentence in the final volume. There are no weak volumes, no repetitive prose, and strong, engaging characterizations with very few exceptions.
Surprisingly for such a long work, the reader is carried forward through the story at a dead run. You develop a sense of the scope of the story right along with, and at the same pace as, the main character, which invites a deep involvement with the lead persona, that leads through the course of the first book, to a solid feel for the world Zelazny has built. The gradual introduction of the main characters keeps the interactions fresh and the action varied. The inventiveness of the devices used, and the colorful worlds developed, are well used to carry forward the plot and action presented. An almost perfect meld of adventure, action, political drama, sibling rivalry, growth, and magic, it is hard to fault this series on any front. To read this series is to dream of Amber….
The final four book set carries forward the first person prose style of R.Z, but applies it to his son, Merlin. One of the wonderful things about the whole set is that it assiduously avoids placing its lead characters in the position of hero of good or evil, rather, they struggle within the framework, a polarized environment which tries to reach out and control these independent lives. The interplay of human foibles in control of vast power and conflicting values form the driving core of this adventure.
The last four books bring this home very strongly, introduce a second set of equally powerful characterizations and show us the political and personal struggle from the opposite side of things. The lead characters Corwin and, later, Merle, or Merlin, are very similar, but as father and son somewhat forgivable, and the human and engaging personalities they are given is irresistible and believable. Recommended.
Much as it pains me to contradict Mr. Hyatt, I have to disagree with that last sentence. It should be: WAY recommended. Well, okay, the Merle books do bring negative numbers to the equation, so maybe a simple Recommended is appropriate, if you factor those in. "To read this series is to dream of Amber…." Well said, Mr. Hyatt, well said.
If you want to know more about the world of Amber, here is the Wiki on it.
WRITING PROMPT: Write a character who is fascinating, charming, and compelling, who has a child who looks and acts the same way but is boring and irritating.
February 12, 2012
#SampleSunday – Dry As Dust
If you've been reading this blog for a while, you may already have read this one when it was posted at the late, lamented Dark Valentine online magazine. Since Dark Valentine is no longer with us, I posted the first of the stories they published from me a couple of weeks ago, and the other one this week. As always, more free stories can be found on this here blog's Free Reads page.
This one was is way creepy, so be warned.
Dry As Dust
by Marian Allen
Lisette had lost count of the men she had met at the pool, at the beach, on the river. This latest one, Hayden, she had run across at Cumberland Falls. She was alone, of course, and he was with his parents and their other grown children. It hadn't been difficult to make eye contact with him, to giggle and flirt without his family interfering, to get his address and make a date.
His basement apartment was a bonus. She drew in a deep breath of damp and mold and licked her lips.
"It ain't much," Hayden said, opening the door to her. "May kept the house and I got the car. I wish you'd have let me pick you up at your place."
"But I don't have a place," she said. "I'm a citizen of the world."
"Yeah. Whatever. Say, how about a beer, before we take off?"
"Where are we going?"
"Uh…. Out to dinner?"
"I'd rather have something here."
"Well…. I guess I could rustle something up. It won't be anything special."
"Yes, it will." Lisette ran her hands up Hayden's chest. "It will be very, very special."
She pulled him to her and kissed him deeply. "Mmmm," she crooned. "I'm parched."
"I'll get that beer."
"I don't want beer."
"Oh, party girl!" He grinned, massaging her shoulders. "Whiskey for you, eh? Jack Daniels?"
Lisette shook her head. "I don't want whiskey." She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him again, smelling his sweat, tasting the wetness in his mouth. "I just want you. I just want you."
His voice was hoarse when he said, "Let's get down to business, then."
"Oh, yes."
He led her into the bedroom, but she had no intention of getting on the bed, where mattresses and bed linen would absorb her joy.
"Here," she said.
"Like, on the floor, party girl?"
"Right here. Right here."
He turned to face her, but she stepped away. She wanted to see his face. She plunged a crimson fingernail into the soft hollow at the base of Hayden's throat. His eyes widened and glistened delectably as she opened him, clothes and all, from neck to abdomen. His viscera tumbled out, and all the lovely, lovely blood burst free, drenching her, coating her.
Hayden's body collapsed on the floor, and Lisette sank down next to him, scooping up his life's fluid and rubbing it on her body, in her hair. All too soon, the beautiful liquid coagulated and dried. She sopped the last of it from his interior with a handkerchief from one of the dresser drawer. Then, at last, it was gone. All gone.
With a sigh, Lisette pushed herself up and meandered, already nostalgic for the pleasure just past, into the bathroom. She stepped into the shower stall and turned on the taps. Blood , skin, hair, bone, clothes and flesh dissolved in the warm steam. Lisette returned to the water, and the only living things in the apartment were the flies on Hayden's corpse.
Lisette had lost count of the men she had met at the pool, at the beach, on the river.
I did warn you.
WRITING PROMPT: A blind date or pick-up goes bad when the viewpoint character's partner disapproves of the viewpoint character's choice of food.
MA
February 11, 2012
Being Beastly
Today, I'm with the Southern Indiana Writers Group at the Southern Indiana Arts Council's Animals In Us invitational exhibit. We'll be reading from our anthology BEASTLY TALES. Meanwhile, a PowerPoint presentation will be projecting words from the stories onto a screen. We got to sneak-preview some of the other exhibits when we set up on Thursday: sculpture, paintings, multi-media and other words. Everything from a collection of sculpted turtle shells to semi-abstract oil paintings of birds. Something for everyone. Y'all come.
The exhibit isn't in the Arts Council building. It's at 138 E. Spring Street, New Albany, Indiana, in the same building as Colokial. It's between Pearl St. and Bank St.
BEASTLY TALES is this: "Real and imaginary, tame and wild, within us and without us, animals have always touched our lives." So you can see that it fits right in with the exhibit's theme. The "cover girl" is T. Lee Harris' Boudica. Such a beautiful cat. Just as soon take your arm off at the shoulder as eat her dinner. She (the cat, I mean, not T) was named after the warrior queen of Britain who gave the Romans what for.
WRITING PROMPT: Pick a figure from history. What would he or she be like as a cat? This exercise will help you isolate key traits and mannerisms and what they represent, and apply them back to your characters.
MA
February 10, 2012
Friday: Pinterest and Other Things of Interest
Lotta buzz going around about Pinterest. It's one of the many social time-wasting It's one of the many social-networking sites Holly Jahangiri has roped me into. It's great, and most useful for a writer. If you don't believe me, read this GalleyCat article on Pinterest Tips for Writers. Then come back and request an invitation. You're welcome. Just make me proud. If you want to see how I'm wasting time using Pinterest, here is my profile/boards page.
I found the web site of the great and magnificent Roger Dean, album cover designer for Yes, Uriah Heep, Cream and others. He also designed the most … indescribable architecture, that first broke my mental mold about houses having to be boxes with rectangular holes in them. Here is one of his concepts in design in actual fact, linked to from his site.
Roger Dean's design was in my mind when I imagined the architecture of the "resort planet" in my forthcoming novel, SIDESHOW IN THE CENTER RING, especially the actual tourist resort out away from the city. Wouldn't you imagine people living here seeing things as more of a continuum than as a confrontational duality? Don't you think they would have a diet heavy on a wide variety of noodles? Maybe just the occasional bit of bipedal sentient flesh, just on special occasions? Not, you know, EVERY day.
Whether you're a vegan or not, a good recipe is a good recipe. Chocolate-Covered Katy serves 'em up healthy and delicious. She specializes, as you might surmise from the title, in desserts, but she has non-dessert recipes, too. Oh, um, yum!
WRITING PROMPT: Under what circumstances would you knowingly eat human flesh? Would it make a difference if it were covered in chocolate?
MA
February 9, 2012
Why I Ditched The Church Board Meeting
My cat barfed on the couch and I sat in it. How's that for a unique excuse? And, sadly, it's true.
[image error]Katya, my 12-year-old kitty, has psychogenic alopecia. She licks her fur off. If you've ever been licked by a cat, you know that their tongues are like little pink lawn mowers. I have an idea that I could sell sets of salmon-flavored shaving cream plus a cat, and you'd never have to buy another razor in your life. All I need is a guy to back the idea, and I'll be a millionaire. (If you haven't read Michael Z. Lewin's UNDERDOG, buy it and read it NOW. I'll wait.)
This cat was born stressed. The only things that calm her down are 1) for me to physically be touching her constantly and 2) cat dope. Too much dope is bad for anybody, and I have to move sometimes, much as I hate to do it.
So, apparently, she got all clogged up with all this hair that belonged on her outside, and deposited it lovingly in the spot where I usually sit, and it blended in with the pattern of the couch, and….
Besides, it was cold and wet and dark and I didn't fancy driving home on the back roads when there might have been black ice.
I'm thinking of getting one of those calm-down-kitty pheromone dispensers, although writer Rebecca Marquis got one for her kitty and turned out to be allergic to it. Why is nothing ever easy?
WRITING PROMPT: How does your main character deal with stress?
