K.D. Sarge's Blog, page 48

Ten Random Things, Expanded

So over on Tumblr, some time ago, a friend sent me “Tag! You’re it! The rules are to state 10 random facts about yourself. Then, go to ten blogs and tell them that they are it. ” I meant to respond some time ago, but then I finally started typing today and it ran long, so I’m putting most of it here. Tumblr is not so friendly to long posts (IMHO).

Therefore. Random things, muchly inspired by other things and stuff going on as I typed.

1. Security questions are really hard for me. My first dog?...

I Thought You’d Never Ask!

So a friend asked me why I like Hiddles (Tom Hiddleston) so much.Since the man has taken over my Tumblr, my mind, and my life, I guess an explanation is in order. So, in no particular order, and behind a cut because somehow there are a lot of pictures and stuff… (So there’s a clip from Thor and one from Avengers and if you don’t want spoiled don’t click play, hmm?)

Tom Hiddleston is adorable. This grin? Makes me grin.

He’s highly intelligent. (KD don’t fall for dummies.)

He attended The Dragon S...

Warning! Extremely First Draft

But I promised, and so…here’s a snippet from To Embrace the Beast.

***

“I can find my own way, my lord,” Remy said.

“You Taguns set great stock on keeping promises made to ladies,” Sammael said, moving down the corridor. Remy realized he’d followed a page to the dinner and paid little attention to the route, so he followed the duke’s lead.

“I’d heard you think little of courtly manners,” he said, catching up.

“When weak-willed ladies faint into my arms,” Sammael said, “I generally drop them.”

Rem...

The Plots Are Always Greener

I hear it happens to everyone. You get neck-deep in a story, you start getting desperate–and the muses start tempting you with something else.

“Hey, so sorry that tournament scene is giving you fits. How about a nice contemporary mystery instead? Or this really cool scene in this other universe you haven’t even started building yet!”

We all know* that I have focusing issues anyway. ADHD gallops through this household, man. In Fast Draft I’ve found some tools to rein that in, but that doesn’t me...

All the Forces of Chaos

In one of the Chronicles of Amber books towards the end of the first series, Corwin fears the Pattern, the source of all order in the multiverse, has been destroyed. A Storm of Chaos is coming at him, and he decides the only thing to do is to create a new Pattern.† Because they don’t like order, all the forces of Chaos try to distract him, to stop him.

Today I can really feel for Corwin.

I’m trying to write a book. I’ve been trying for a while on this one, off and on, then along came Fast Draft...

Belated Lake Post

Last Friday–no, Friday before last, now–we went to Patagonia Lake for our Adventure week.

From 2012-06-29

This is my kid, sitting in the first natural body of water she’s ever gotten to swim in. There’s a link to the rest of the pictures if you want to click through.

In short it was amazing and marvelous fun and we’ll hopefully be doing that again soon.

Goal-Setting Means SETTING A GOAL

You’ve heard the advice. Set goals. Write them down. Post them somewhere. Sometimes the advisor will expand it with “make tangible goals” or “set goals, and then establish smaller steps to reach them.” And often there’s “set goals you can control.” You can’t make yourself write a bestseller. You can make yourself write book after book to send into the great publishing lottery.

I’ve heard it too. I found it good advice, and I thought I was enacting it. But you know what? I was kind of missing t...

Why I Needed Fast Draft Like A Glass of Water on a Ship in the Pacific

Writing used to be almost completely instinctual for me. If you ever read the first draft of my first completed novel, you would see that pretty plainly. It’s pure kitchen-sink plotting: Every time the story slowed down, I threw in another attack or explosion, and made sense of them later.

Years later when I wrote Donte’s book, Taro’s (Knight Errant), Rafe’s (His Faithful Squire), and Keen’s all in less than a year, I was still running on instinct, but I was getting better. I remember Donte’s...

Fast Draft, AAAHHHH!!

So today starts the Fast Draft class with Candace Havens. I’m getting myself ready–drinking coffee, listening to Eye of the Tiger, taking deep breaths.

Now to just get moving.

My Familiar and Wonderful Local Zoo

Here in Tucson, we have the lovely Reid Park Zoo. It is not a huge zoo–it’s easily walked in a pleasant morning stroll. I’ve always found it to be just about perfect. By the time the little ones are tired, you’re at the cafe pondering corn dogs or hamburgers. This was our Thursday expedition, and after Montezuma Castle, a short drive and an easy walk were very much appreciated!

Anyway. Pictures!

I love cats of all sizes. These two are marvelous.

I love this picture. I love when you can see more...