Red Tash's Blog, page 246
November 28, 2011
laughingsquid:
Map of United States That Shows Scariest Thing...
Map of United States That Shows Scariest Thing In Each State
(I'll know I've made it when Greachin is on the Indiana space.)
Nanowrimo Day 28:
If you're just tuning in, I didn't...
Nanowrimo Day 28:
If you're just tuning in, I didn't do Nano the legit way, so I'm not winning, and I won't win it. However, I did WIN IT because it got me back into the habit of daily writing. That's never been more apparent than right now, when I'm typing like mad because I am now over three hours behind my typical daily writing schedule.
Daily writing habit: Achievement Unlocked!
I also won it without winning it by getting another several thousand words completed on Troll or Derby, my next book. So I didn't do it the right way, which means no badge for me, but I did it…(sing with me) MYyyyyyy WAYyyyyy.
Both today's notable nanos were ravaged from this paragraph:
Mom was into Bingo for awhile, but she was banned from the Bedrock Bingo Hall after she got caught sleeping with the guy who cranked the ball cage. She wasn't the only one he was sleeping with,** but Mom was the only one who got banned, and she showed up the next night and slugged a hippie Christian in the middle of a Kum-bay-ya. The sheriff brought her home and I listened to her rail about it all night. I don't know if she was more heartbroken over the break-up or over losing her inside connection to all that Bingo money.***
**You could say the guy had balls.
***Probably the money.
Okay, maybe there's more:
Anyway, McJagger's Bingo Hall had about as much in common with the Bedrock Hall as Las Vegas has in common with the Indiana State Fair.
The floor was carpeted, but sticky, and I could have been treading on spilled drinks or spilled blood. There seemed to be plenty of each.
From the Things I Didn't Expect file:
I wrote the character of Derek, trailer park next door neighbor, as a means to an end. He has truly grown on me. I really hope he ends up okay, because I'm legitimately worried about his well-being now.
Either this is a sign that I'm becoming a better writer, or a crazier one. I'll take either one.
Image from…
firefly forest (by A Delicate Mind)
Hey, This Brilliant Darkness just got another five star review. It's on sale for $.99, if you do the ereader thing. If you'd rather wait for the paperback (not much longer), info about that is here.
UTA: Monday Funny! I didn't forget, I was just swampled. Yes, I typed "swampled" and I'm not changing it.
Am I a perky? 7 am Q&A by RedTash
November 27, 2011
Do you love books? Do you read blogs? Then you need to read...
Do you love books? Do you read blogs? Then you need to read book blogs, huh?
TalkSupe is a book blog recommended to me by a fan & a friend. Guess who'll be featured on TalkSupe next week?
Nanowrimo Day 27
My daughter woke me up today with a smack in...
Nanowrimo Day 27
My daughter woke me up today with a smack in the face and a whole lot of giggles, so I'm up. Not that 5 am is any earlier than usual for me, since I started Nanowrimo. Hrm.
Notable nano:
"Pay the toll to the troll," she said, and shrugged. "Daddy's rules. Nobody goes into his hall without some kind of blood sacrifice. Keeps the Big Blue store in business, anyways!" She giggled, and twisted the bird's neck.
Today, Harlow has some retail therapy, and chooses a chainsword before going to Deb's aid. (Do not watch the following chainsword video if you are sensitive to graphic robot-on-robot bloody violence—I'm kinda sorry I watched it, already!)
Yup. As they say here in Indiana, shit done got real.
How about something a little less gory? I like this "how to" for a cosplay chainsword.
This one is also lovely.
"Things I did not realize would happen" file:
When I set Harlow's home in the county landfill, I was thinking only of the hiding place it provided, along with provisions. I had NO IDEA how much this troll would enjoy reading Redbook, Ladies Home Journal, and Cosmo, when they showed up in the trash. I mean, really. Who sees that coming?
As you may recall, I begrudgingly let that additional character w/ the plot twist in. His name is Othello. He has won me over, and we haven't even met him yet. I just know he's there, and he's working in the background. Don't worry, though—he's staying the hell out of the narrative.
Finally, I've added two country songs to the Troll or Derby playlist. Two. My blood does not approve. But I love Indiana, and I am what I am. Certain traits come with being a Hoosier, including the ability to sing along with Joe Diffie's John Deere Green. It's my cross to bear!
If you're super-excited about Troll or Derby and can't wait for it to come out, I've got some other stuff you can read in the meantime. Obviously, either of my available titles, Tim's short story collection, or how about some out-there beautiful tales from Chris Turner? I read a couple of his short stories last night on my new Fire (now that I've got it, I'm dedicated to using it, so I've been sampling the books I've already downloaded on it—today I'll see if I can move the books off my PC onto it!) and was particularly taken with Magical Entities are Not for Sale. It's a freebie, give it a whirl. I'll be bumping his other books up my TBR queue. His, and Jeff Mariotte's.
Beautiful fairy illustration is…Fragile by meirou
November 26, 2011
oldbookillustrations:
Titania arrived […] with a full train of...
Titania arrived […] with a full train of fairies and elves.
Arthur Rackham, from The Zankiwank & the Bletherwitch, by S. J. Adair Fitz-Gerald, London, 1896.
(Source: http://www.archive.org/details/zankiwankblether00fitziala)
I've had a long day of decorating, how about you? Ready...
I've had a long day of decorating, how about you? Ready to curl up with a good book, next to a roaring fire? I'll be reading by the glow of the Kindle Fire, tonight. If you're on an ereader, too, and you like your fantasy dark with a side of sci fi, consider This Brilliant Darkness, the 4.5 star read that's on sale for $.99.
The paperback is coming soon, as well.
Nanowrimo Day 26:
We've entered the half-way point of the...
Nanowrimo Day 26:
We've entered the half-way point of the book, at least. We're at the lair of McJagger, we've met April…now, for things to reach their darkest, so we can bust out of hell and find redemption. But first we must revel in the excess of the most unsavory-type characters, mustn't we? Looking forward to this! Also, I love this book. I hope you love seedy fairy stories, too because I don't want to be the only creep who revels in the worst of our nature, disguised as "wee folk."
Ahem.
Notable Nano:
Maybe April had drugged me, given me something psychotropic when she let me have that candy. Wait, it wasn't candy, was it? Candy doesn't wear jewelry and grow fingernails.
…where she was going, there were creatures far worse than pixies with which to deal. My darling girl was rushing headlong into the roller derby, no questions asked.
Dealt with some true angst this morning, of my own. I am not a romance writer. I have no desire to write romance. However, there is a love triangle in this book, and there are very real emotions surfacing from triangle point #2. I was tearing up today typing, and when I tried to read the offending paragraphs aloud to Tash, I had to stop, put my head on the desk, and scream "I can't do it! I can't do it! I can't do it! It's like my soul is laid bare!"
That's probably a good sign, I know, but STILL.
Notes on the artwork:
I was originally looking for an image of Casino lights when I found this one, but it works, so I'm using it. It really captures the feel of the casino Bingo Hall inside, even if two-dimensional. I'll add another casino pic tomorrow, more than likely.
Procrastination number whatever
