Jennifer Bray-Weber's Blog, page 41

Hump Day Kick Start – The Talk Edition

Hump Day Kick Start – for your muse, a writing picture prompt, or ju st a visual treat.

Doing today’s prompt a little different this Hump Day.

Who wrote this and what is it they need to talk about? This could go in any direction. Is a relationship about to end? Did a roommate put a dent in the car? What if this was a message from a stalker? Could this be a note from the meter maid? Go. Run with it. Tell a tale of what you think this is about.

 

Friday Fun Facts- Ghost Ships

What makes a ghost ship? There are those that appear with no crew and every piece of identification stripped from their being. Then, there are the ones that show up looking as if the crew abandoned her mid meal. All belongings and cargo accounted for- just no men. What happened? Where did these ships sail to before they met their mysterious end?

Too many questions, not enough answers.

2012.( That surprised you, I bet.) It’s not all ancient stories. A luxury vessel drifted into Ft. Lauderdale. Running lights still on, the engine purring, but no captain. In fact, his wallet and cell phone were still by the wheel. Authorities looked for any crew for weeks. No bodies, no wreckage, no ransom notes, nothing.
1813. A schooner was destroyed in Nova Scotia by one of its crew mates, killing everyone. The ghost ship appeared for the next two years, witnessed by many, and exploded into a fiery ball at the same spot where the schooner vanished. Now ships who frequent the area say a ship shows up to ram them on foggy days, but disappears as it hits.
2007. A boat named the Lunatic (What could possibly go wrong with that moniker?), captained by a 70 year old man, set sail for an around-the-world trip. He spoke frequently on short wave radio but made his last contact in January. 1 month later, his ship shows up off the coast of Australia looking ragged and mossy with no one on board. 3 months later, it was spotted by a world class Scientific vessel floating in the middle of the sea- forever wandering without its captain.
2007. (Popular year) Another luxury boat that had 3 grown men on board came into harbor in Australia. The engines were running, all lights were on, radio was working, and the table was set for dinner with wine poured in the glasses. All personal effects were undisturbed. So…what could make 3 men disappear without a trace in beautiful, calm weather? The mystery has never been solved.
 1947. A dutch ship was discovered off the coast of Indonesia with her entire crew dead on board. No signs of violence or any kind of wounds were found on the bodies. However, they all died with their arms outstretched as if pointing to something and their faces were contorted in horror. While authorities began their investigation, a mysterious fire broke out in the hold and consumed the whole ship. A morse code message was found stating the captain and all members of the crew were dead. Then a second one showed “I die” was all it said. Since no one ever claimed the ship, it was sunk. Whoa.
 1921. The Bermuda Triangle. (Everybody’s favorite mystery) The ship set sail from Rio and there were problems from the get go. The crew thought the captain didn’t know what he was doing, but he calmed them down. So why did the boat show up off the coast of Cape Hatteras 3 days later with the crew gone, mid meal, and no trace of what happened? There have never been any clues.
 1748. (This story if great for romance writers!) This schooner was purposely wrecked off the coast of England when the first mate was insanely jealous of the captain marrying a beautiful young woman. They were travelling to Portugal for their honeymoon when he took over the ship and rammed it into rocks. 50 years later, a sighting of the boat was made in the same spot where it crashed. 50 years after that, lifeboats were set out when it was spotted again. It faithfully showed up every 50 years until 1998 when it didn’t appear and has never come again.

Hump Day Kick Start – Intensity Edition

Hump Day Kick Start – for your muse, a writing picture prompt, or ju st a visual treat.

Now isn’t this an interesting treat? I am in love with his expression. There is so much emotion in his drawn brow.

Tell me about today’s prompt. Who are they and what is going on? Is he begging her to stay? Or instead, begging her for understanding why he must go? Is she imparting a profound secret? Horrific news? Could he be giving in to his desires for her, knowing she could never be his?

What do you think? Or caption the pic.

Link of the Week – I Write Like

Here’s a fun site—I Write Like.

Check which famous writer you write like with this statistical analysis tool, which analyzes your word choice and writing style and compares them with those of the famous writers.

Just paste in your text and, voila!

I write like Stephen King. NICE! Who do YOU write like?

http://iwl.me/

 

 

Link of the Week – Facebook’s Message on the Down-low

Wow. How frustrating and embarrassing. Apparently Facebook has a secret message inbox. Secret to you, that is. You could potentially have many, many unanswered messages (and spam) that you never knew about. Potentially from fans, long lost friends, one of the Hemsworth brothers. Potentially making you a jerk for not answering.

This week’s link is an article about it on Hello Giggles and where to find this hidden stash.

http://hellogiggles.com/apparently-theres-another-hidden-message-inbox-facebook/

I checked mine and while I had legitimate messages that went without a reply (so sorry!), there were just as many weirdos and ne’er-do-wells trying to make contact with me.  Potentially.

Have fun checking your mystery message box.

Friday Facts-Transport To Auschwitz

This is going to be a slightly different Friday (Fun) Facts in that, it affects my family. My husband’s great grandmother was put on  a train October 10, 1944 headed for Auschwitz. They don’t have the exact date of her death so they give it as the day she was forced into a rail car headed for her execution. Her name was Ernestine Fuchsgelb, she was 65 years old.

This is Ernestine and her husband’s grave. He got sick and died before she was taken.

His great grandmother on the other side of the family actually ran a type of underground railroad helping Jews escape. Ernestine’s four children got out- two went to Australia, one to England and Granddaddy came to the United states through New York. Arrangements were made for Guido and Ernestine to get out, but Guido became very ill and died. Before more plans could be made, she was rounded up and murdered.

More people died in Auschwitz than all the British and American losses in WWII combined.
 1.1 million people in 4 1/2 years.
144 prisoners escaped successfully.
There were also 400 Jehovah Witnesses that were also put to death.
Out of the 7,000 staff at Auschwitz, only 750 were ever punished.
Josef Mengele’s  scientific studies at Auschwitz often included twins. If one died, he would immediately kill the other to do comparative autopsies.
There was a revolt at one point. A SS officer was stabbed several times and then burned alive in a crematorium oven.
A Polish midwife helped deliver over 3000 babies there.
The company that created the gas used there is still a pesticide company today.
A Star of David was placed above the entrance to the gas chamber and a sign was painted in Hebrew on a purple curtain covering the entrance to the gas chamber that said “This is the Gateway to God. Righteous men will pass through”.
The camp was liberated by Soviet soldiers on January 27, 1945.

Hump Day Kick Start – Loaded and Steamed Edition

Hump Day Kick Start – for your muse, a writing picture prompt, or ju st a visual treat.

Yowza! You’re welcome, ladies. Guys…sorry, but not sorry.

Tell me about today’s prompt. Who is he and what is he doing? An eccentric millionaire worried the zombie apocalypse has begun?  Is he starving for a burger and cold beer and ready to blast his trainer? Maybe he’s a pool boy in a game with his hot-blooded, sexy employer? What if the stakes were high? What if he is playing for his freedom from his mistress? Could the water gun be filled with vodka, tequila or rum? I wanna play!

What’s your take? Or caption the pic. I’d love to hear it!

Link Of The Week-Describing

Have you ever been stuck trying to describe something in a new, fresh way? Just ran out of words? Have a mental block?

No fear! We have the answer. I found this site a few months ago and have tested it out on several occasions. I read through the multiple examples people have posted and I get inspired!

Yesterday, I was stuck on an interesting way to describe brown eyes. I could not think of anything beyond the typical chocolate reference. They had so many examples of more unique ways of describing said brown eyes, I was blown away!

It’s a great site for EVERY writer to have in their back pocket. Enjoy!

 

http://www.descriptionari.com/

It’s A Fact, Jack!

 

Happy April Fool’s Day! (This is no practical joke!)

Normally Friday is dedicated to Friday Fun Facts, well here’s one for you! Out of the brave folks who properly submitted their pitch to our wonderful editor at Boroughs Publishing, 3 have had requests for full manuscripts plus synopses!

#2  Title— Stumble Stones

#8  Once Upon a Masquerade

#9  A Mule, A Mobster and A Mountain of Trouble

Congratulations to those three and kudos to all the rest who found the courage to send in their pitch. Be on the lookout for our next editor/agent shop, it will be in the 2nd quarter of the year!

Cheers and have a terrific weekend!

Hump Day Kick Start – Huntress Edition

Hump Day Kick Start – for your muse, a writing picture prompt, or ju st a visual treat.

Some days you just gotta show them who’s the badass.

Tell me about today’s prompt. Who is she and what is she doing? Is she an assassin about to surprise her mark? Maybe she’s a cop who has just come home to find an intruder still inside her bedroom. Could she be a thief creeping her way into a highly-guarded complex? What is she there to take? Jewels? Intelligence? A handsome prince/billionaire/scientist? Is she a scorned, jilted woman damn ready to settle the score? What if it’s simply date night between her and her hot boyfriend.

 

I’d love to hear your take or caption the pic.