Maurissa Guibord's Blog, page 8

Sometimes you need David Mamet TO YELL AT YOU!!

Writers,

Do you feel the need for some inspiration? Do you need to open a can of whoop-ass on your sluggish plot?
Well here you go. The theme this past week over on the Upstart Crow Literary Agency blog has been
"Summer's over you slackers!! Back to work!" Only nicer than that of course.



  upstartcrowliterary.com/blog/  


On Monday morning Michael Stearns kindly linked to this article:  tinyurl.com/ybb6gnn
which features the legendary David Mamet extolling principles of drama, and ...

Upon a Time in Oncea

 
There is a strange town I visit every now and again called Oncea. I'm terrible at directions so I couldn't really tell you how to get there. The road leads and I just seem to find myself there. I say it's a strange town because of the things that happen. In Oncea people just seem to appear. Old friends from a long time ago. Family members that you haven't seen in a long time and have been missing. Even movie stars act like they know you.

Things can get a little wild there. Romantic flings...

Name Angst~ GAH!~

So I've heard and read much excitement  for the release of Cassandra Clare's novel Clockwork Angel. Today I finally got around to reading the summary on Amazon. It sounds delightful and I really can't wait to read it. Except for one thing. Two of her main characters have exactly the same names as my main characters in Warped. Tessa and Will. Tessa and Will. Will and Tessa. Can you say GAH! with me?

GAH!!

I feel sick inside. I mean it really shouldn't matter, right?  The stories are so complete...

Ellen Datlow wrote my name!! Who knew?!?!?!

 
Things I don't know.  The list is staggering, to say the least. And lately, in my quest to become a published author it feels like the things I don't know about business, who's-who, and general "this is how it's done-ology" could fill the Library of Congress. 

In general I handle this uncertainty with my go-to tactic: avoidance. Yep. Learned this one in kindergarten and it has served me well.

I figure sometimes the things I don't know are best left alone. Like how many hits my website gets. Wh...

Motivators

 Incredible Book art photo from Anagram Bookshop. This also has a bit to do with my story so it's fun to see. I love these pieces but I hope the book wasn't a classic. Maybe they should slap a cover on a telephone book or a plumbing catalogue...
 
This past week has been a good writing week for me. I am through the first three chapters of the island story I've been working on and charging forward. Three things have propelled me:

1) Feeling that shiver in my chest about the story. It excites me a...

The World is Talking...Are You Listening?

I went on a  trip recently, a boat trip to an island. I'm writing a story and Peaks Island, Maine was a wonderful spot to do some research.  After a short trip on the ferry we strolled around the quiet streets, lazed on the beach and picked up sea glass (which was amazingly abundant!) and then ate delicious ice cream.
I know- I have such a rough job, don't I?
The island offered so much more than images and impressions to be recorded. Though I did bring a tiny purple notebook to jot down what th...

Imperfection- shipping out now!

 
So I was driving in the car on Saturday. Actually I was slumped in the passenger seat, half-dozing as Stalwart Companion completed our drive from Niagara Falls. We had seen many wonders, spent a lot on knick-knacks, slept in confined quarters with three tweens and eaten too much fried, sugary and glutenous foods. Home beckoned.

But a few more wonders were left in store.

I looked out the window and saw a rainbow. But it wasn't a "bow". It wasn't an arch of multicolors. It was a cloud. A...

Grandeur... in all things

I just got back from a wonderful trip to a place of big, green rushing waters and mist. Niagara Falls. What a gorgeous awe-inspiring sight!
Everything about Niagara was big- the towers of falling water, the plumes of mist that coiled hundreds of feet into the air, the thunderous noise. The rainbows! Also massive were the tacky trinket shops, arcades and crowds of tourists that no natural wonder is complete without.
 
              



Overlooking the falls there is a beautiful tribute to a man of...

Just one foot in front of the other

I used to think that writing a book would be like running a marathon. But it's really not. It's more like being willing to get up and jog around the block. But doing it every day.

So here's to getting to that next corner today...I hope no mean dogs chase me.

Also here is a piece of wood that looks like it could become a fairy house. Only I think the fairy would be mean and maybe kind of scary...

Day of Many Cakes or, A Monster Rises

I have been behind with my updates here, postage-due as it were. Sorry for that.
Today I am in the kitchen because we have an Important day coming up- The Birthday. We have triplets you see, so we just have the one day to celebrate. That should make it easy right?
No.
Because your birthday is supposed to be your special day and I want each of the kids to feel that. In the past we have bought or made each child their own individual cake, decorated with Star Wars, Sponge Bob, marzipan flowers...