M.J. Compton's Blog, page 60

Movie Review–The Mockingjay Part 2

I wish I’d waited for this movie to come to the dollar theater. Not that it wasn’t a good movie. And it was fairly true to the book. But the book, in my opinion, was the weakest of the trilogy. And that weakness as reflected in the motion picture version. I particularly didn’t like the ending or the interminable scenes leading from the climax to the conclusion.

I also hate movies shot in the dark. Film is a visual medium. Hello? That means people need to see what’s happening.

Y-Chromo, who treated me to the movie, and suggested that the third book (and therefore the movies based on the third book) was written in a rush, perhaps on deadline, and therefore wasn’t crafted as carefully as the first two installments. He also theorized that the series was not about “the one percent,” but rather about media and how it has shaped our lives. He went so far as to opine The Hunger Games is a an updated, dystopian version the movie Network.

I think I raised my son right.

Time Lines

One drawback of being an organic writer (a/k/a “pantser”) is the timeline of a story.

I’ve been deep into revisions of my third werewolf novel, Omega Moon Rising. In one spot, my editor asked me, “Has it really only been a week?” My initial response was, “Time flies when you’re having fun.” Then I realized she had a point. I know the story didn’t happen over an extended period of time, but there had to have been more than a week between the events to which she referred.

::sigh::

So I opened up an Excel spread sheet and created a calendar of sorts, using the phases of the moon. Moon phases are extremely important to werewolves. What if I had messed all of that up, too? Fortunately, I had not. But I did discover some really long chapters. I needed to tweak a word here and there to clarify the amount of time that had passed. Whew!

Random Observation

As a writer, I observe what is going on around me. Live and the people in it are always interesting. And I’m nosy.

One of my favorite places to observe people is in line to checkout at the supermarket, I like to snoop into what the people ahead of me and behind me are purchasing. I try to imagine what they’re planning to cook; if they’re having company for dinner; if they have children or grandchildren. Do they live alone? Are they on a diet?

A few weeks ago, I was behind a man and a woman, my age, maybe a little younger. No meat for them. Whole grain bread. Lots of fresh veggies–squashes, hearty greens, and so on. What little processed food on the conveyor came straight from the natural food section.

And a box of women’s laxative. Generic store brand.

Guess all those fresh veggies needed some help.

WIP Wednesday: Rebecca Neely

This month I am please to welcome fellow Soul Mate Publishing author Rebecca Neely to Work in Progress Wednesday.

Rebecca, December is the month of the solstice, when there are more hours of darkness than of daylight. Do you prefer daylight or darkness? Why? Do daylight and darkness play a role in your book?

RN: I have a love/hate relationship with this time of the year. I live in Western PA, so we have all the seasons. I find it difficult to get out of bed when it’s dark and cold. However, I love the feeling of being the only one awake in the house, silently padding downstairs to make coffee and have a read over my latest manuscript, in my bathrobe, next to the furnace register. There’s something very sacred about that time in the morning. When the sun comes up, it’s almost like the spell is broken. I also find I tend to get a lot more writing done on the snowy and/or cold days, versus wanting to be outside in the sunshine!

Darkness, per se, does not play a role in my upcoming Crossing Realms series; however, enemy Betrayers possess dark energy and they use it to wreak havoc on the good guys, The Keepers…

MJ: Ooh. That sounds fascinating. If you didn’t write, what would be your creative outlet?

RN: I actually have several creative outlets, even being a writer, or perhaps because of it. Not sure! LOL! I love to make my own greeting cards, and sew and draw, mostly in pencil. I love to go to our Joann Fabrics store and peruse the crafts, the fabrics – it’s a sensory experience – touching them, seeing all the colors and the possibilities. In fact, this gives me a boost when I find my creativity is in short supply. Here’s a pencil sketch of my daughter when she was about 9. She was away for the weekend with her father and I missed her. I drew it from a picture I’d taken on my phone.

MJ: Very nice! Other than writing, what would be your dream job? Why?

RN: I’d love to be able to play the fiddle and jam with other musicians. I even took lessons but alas, I’m not sure I ever got the hang of it. But it was fun while it lasted!

MJ: Describe your ideal/dream writing space.

RN: I think I actually have it. I recently moved, and I finally have my own office space, versus having a desk in my living room. I’m so grateful for this I don’t think I’ll ever take it for granted. The desk I got last year – it’s a secretary, which I’ve always wanted. It’s new though – made too look old, and combines modern with vintage, giving me hanging folder space, and a built in power strip. Awesome! I can hide out in my space, I don’t have to worry about cleaning things up at the end of the day, and I’ve got a window with a great view of the sky. Oh, and I’ve just ordered a comfy chair to go in the corner – I’ve been looking for about 2 months. Yay! I like to work at the desk to write, and sit in a different place to read.

MJ: What do you love most about your WIP hero?

RN: The Keeper is the first book in the Crossing Realms paranormal romance series, coming, estimated, first quarter of 2016 from Soul Mate Publishing. This is my first series, and I signed with Soul Mate for a three book deal, which still amazes and humbles me.

Nick Geary is the hero of this story. The clan leader of The Keepers in the city of Pittsburgh, he’s a human guardian, jaded, tortured by secrets, and doomed to love a woman who’s forgotten him, time after time, for thirteen years.

I love that Nick is strong enough to be weak, when the time comes.

MJ: What do you least like about your WIP heroine?

RN: Libby Klink is a skittish human accountant, plagued by anxiety and her own fears of inadequacy. I’ve given Libby a great place from which to grow: I like least that she has no self-esteem when it comes to her appearance, and men in general. It goes against my grain.

MJ: What genre is your current WIP?

RN: A paranormal romance, and I would say there’s definitely crossover into urban fantasy.

MJ: How did you come up with your hero and heroine’s names?

RN: Nick Geary – I love Irish names, and Geary appealed. Not only do I like the strong sound of this name, meanings include ‘passionate’, ‘wayward’ and ‘spear’. Nick is a warrior, and the other traits sum him up perfectly – he has a wayward soul as the story begins.

Libby Klink – oh, I had fun naming her. I’ve always loved the name Elizabeth (it’s my middle name, in case you were wondering what the ‘E.’ stood for, MJ ) But Libby is definitely no Elizabeth. And she’s no Betty. She’s somewhere between the two. I love that there’s so many different names that come from Elizabeth, and that’s who she is – a lot of different people and traits.

As for Klink? Libby marches to her own drum, and Klink is just deliciously odd as a last name. It’s one syllable, and it’s as perfect an example of onomatopoeia as I’ve ever heard. Klink! She is the sound – odd, out of place and different from everyone else.

MJ: How did you choose the setting for your current WIP?

RN: I grew up near the city of Pittsburgh, and while it has all the ‘city’ trappings, it possesses a small town feel which feels like home to me. The city provided me with a festival of settings and backdrops from which to choose and adds a layer to the story as it unfolds; Pittsburgh still embraces and embodies blue collar workers and all they stand for, and the story pays homage to that throughout.

MJ: Can you share the opening of your current Work In Progress?

The Keeper is the first book in the Crossing Realms paranormal romance series. Here is the very beginning of The Watcher – my current WIP, and the second book in the Crossing Realms series:

“Nearly three moons have passed since he has come to us. It is inevitable that this day has come. It is time now.” His voice thick, his back to a sun that had yet to rise, Mataeus stood with Laird and Eden in the sharp bend of the third switchback winding its way around Mount Verdant. He raised a hand to encompass the landscape, reflected in the other Watchers’ silvery eyes. “Our realm is not yet healed completely. But the mists have dissipated.” He sighed, his heart still heavy over the scourge that had been dealt their realm. “But our energy grows stronger, each day.” He paused. “As does theirs. He must go.”

Laird pressed his eyes closed. “You know what a powerful store of energy it will take. I am not sure we have it to give.”

“Perhaps not.” His oldest friend spoke a truth Mataeus could not deny. “But I believe there is no better way to spend it.”

MJ: You have a book out now–A Mighty Good Man. How can readers purchase it?

‘Hank’ Jerry – she’s a tough talking twentieth century broad looking for a way to reclaim a writing career on the skids.

Jack ‘Gent’ Darcy – he’s a strange blend of gentleman and hood fresh out of prison with a story to tell that could get them both killed.

Forced to return to the small town and the aunt she left behind, ‘Hank’ will do her own time minding her aunt’s restaurant, then it’s back to the city to do damage control.

But when Jack lands on her doorstep, injured and on the run from gang enforcers, she makes the split second decision to offer him refuge, and he makes her an offer she can’t refuse: write his no holds barred story as war counselor inside national super gang, the Creds. She’ll shoot straight to the top, and he’ll bury the gang, then disappear—a win-win.

Only problem is, they can’t help falling for each other, and they’ve both got something to hide that could blow up in their faces. With time running out and gang enforcers closing in, will the trust they’ve forged survive the ultimate test?

3 Days. 2 People. 1 Story. A Mighty Good Man,  available from Amazon.

And how can readers stay in touch with you?

My Website & Blog, on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, my Amazon Author Page, on Goodreads, and Pinterest.

They can also join my mailing list at  http://eepurl.com/bqiDi5

 

MJ: Thanks for stopping by, and good luck!

 

 

 

Vegetables

I’m not quite sure what people in the US have against vegetables, but there is definitely a conspiracy. We seem determined to cancel out any health benefits from eating veggies by adding things to them. I don’t mean seasonings or even a dab of butter, but other stuff. Unhealthy stuff.

As a child, I wasn’t fond of vegetables. I ate canned green beans, canned yellow beans, canned corn, and canned peas. Which probably explains why I didn’t like vegetables. As a teenager, I added iceberg lettuce to my repertoire. I didn’t really begin to appreciate veggies until I was older. Unadulterated vegetables. Asparagus. Broccoli. Cauliflower. Red, yellow, and orange bell peppers. (No, I still don’t like green peppers.) Kale–and most other greens. Beets. Sweet potatoes. Carrots. Winter squashes. I’m still not fond of summer squashes, but I’ll eat them.

I first realized this propensity a couple of years ago. I used to make a butternut squash/red onion/baby spinach/craisin dish for our family’s Thanksgiving celebration. A co-worker made her butternut squash with cheese and cream. Now, I have nothing against cheese. At all. But isn’t gooping up a vegetable with unhealthy stuff contrary to the point of eating vegetables?

For the past several years, my Thanksgiving contribution has been sweet potatoes. I think sweet potatoes are sweet enough without any help. So I invented my own recipe. A savory sweet potato dish. It’s now my annual contribution to all autumn, winter, and early spring family gatherings as it is gluten free, dairy free, oxalate free, and vegan. And it’s edible. This year, I wanted to try something simpler. Maybe something in the slow cooker. I asked friends for recipes that didn’t involve additional sweetening. No luck. I received many links and ideas, but every one of them called for one of the following: sugar; brown sugar; molasses; honey; maple syrup.  So I ended up making my usual sweet potato faux gallette. And it was fabulous.

Next up, I want to try roasted brussel sprouts. Anybody have a good recipe?

Gratitudes

Because tomorrow is Thanksgiving in the US, I reached out to my author friends to find out what they’re grateful for.

Diane Culver (Love on the Run): I am very thankful for Nicki Greenwood, otherwise this techno dinosaur would have long become extinct.

Jacci DeVera (Queen of the Hollow): I’m grateful I’m fluent in English as well as Appalachian because it’s fun to be the translator between friends.

Susanna Eastman (Someone Like Him): I’m thankful that even though I am the worst techie in the world, my hubby and two sons can fix my computer, cable, and phone in a snap.

CJ England (Hustle Into Love): I’m grateful that God has given Jonathon and me the ability to travel the world.  Writing stories about each place is a dream come true.

Alina K. Field (Rosalyn’s Ring): I’m grateful for my dog, my four-legged trainer/life coach/and unconditional friend.

Joanne Guidoccio (The Coming of Arabella): I am grateful for all the wonderful online companions on my writing journey. Thanks for all your help and support.

Kim Hotzon (Hands Full of Ashes): I’m grateful for sensory aptitude. Without taste buds, I wouldn’t be able to connect with chocolate melting into my tongue; without sight I would miss the copper leaves on the trees and without smell I would be unable to locate my spaniel buried beneath my duvet cover.

Gail Koger (Vexing Voss):  I’m grateful for chocolate and it’s ability to keep me sane.

Becky Lower (A Widow’s Salvation): I’m thankful for each morning when I can get out of bed and be excited about going to work at my job as a writer. This is the only job I’ve ever had that made me excited. I’m also thankful for my family and friends who I will break bread with this Thanksgiving.

Linda Mooney (Neverwylde, The Rim of the World): I’m grateful for my husband, who is fully supportive of my writing and all it entails.

Katie O’Boyle, (Waking Up To Love:)I’m grateful I live in the Finger Lakes because the beauty smacks me in the face every morning and makes me smile all day long.

Viola Russell (Buccaneer Beauty): I am most grateful for my husband Ben!

Cynthia Sax (Releasing Rage): I’m grateful to be a plus-sized girl because when I fall, I bounce. (grins)

Ryan Jo Summers (Chasing the Painted Skies): I am grateful for the challenges, stumbling blocks and jerks in our paths because they all teach us to appreciate the beauty and love we find in the peaceful and happy moments and to better savor our successes.

Caroline Warfield (Dangerous Weakness): I am grateful to live near a public library that shares with other libraries. It makes research so much easier.

Christine Wenger (It’s a Wonderful Knife) I’m grateful for kind remarks from readers stating they have enjoyed my books. After I exclaim, “Really?! Tell me more!!”, it always makes me smile and gush with gratitude.

Gay Yellen (The Body Business): I love telling stories, and I’m always thankful for readers of my own books. But the most surprising and wonderful discovery I’ve made in my writing journey is the nurturing community of writers who graciously share their knowledge, experience and audience. Back when I was only dreaming of being an author, I pictured it as a solo endeavor. Now I know that it takes a village, filled with caring members of critique groups, marketing partnerships, bloggers and beyond. As I write the sequel to my last book, I’m hoping that it will be even more worthy of their interest, and will allow me to deepen our relationships. We all yearn for book lovers who take the time to write a review and tell their friends about it, but we do not compete against one another for attention. Instead, we march (and sometimes slog) down the road to publishing success together. Many thanks to all those who, in the past year, have hosted me on blogs, retweeted, shared on Facebook and in so

many other ways, boosted this very grateful writer.

MJ Compton (Summer Fling): I’m grateful for my community, my tribe of writers. May you all have a safe, happy, and blessed Thanksgiving.

 

JFK Assassination Remembered

Today is the 52nd anniversary of JFK’s assassination.

I guess that makes me old.

I remember the day as if it were yesterday. I was on the playground at recess, and my older cousin came out and told us the president had been killed. I called him a liar. I mean, who murders the president? The concept was so alien, I couldn’t understand it.

My grandmother (a Democrat) said to my mother (a Republican): “I guess you’re happy now.” Mom was appalled that Gram could think that.

Two days later, the accused assassin was murdered on live TV. Yes, I witnessed it. I remember thinking Jack Ruby killed Lee Harvey Oswald as part of a conspiracy. Yet when I mentioned this theory to my fellow third-grade classmates, I was told I was crazy. Jack Ruby was so distraught over Kennedy’s death, he killed the murderer.

I wrote a poem and read it in class. November rhymes beautifully with remember. And that’s about all I recall of it.

One of my favorite quotes about the assassination comes from Bob Dylan’s novel, Tarantula: “Why didn’t [the Warren Commission] ask some banana salesman who was in Des Moines that day? Why didn’t they ask me?”

Flash forward to September 11, 2001. Another event that shakes up the USA and forever changes the way we approach life. My husband and I sat down with our children to explain what was going on (and that Grandma, who lived in NYC was fine). It was then we realized our son was the same age and in the same grade as my husband when Kennedy was killed. Our daughter was the same age and in the same grade I was on that day. Kind of weirded us out.

I visited the Sixth Floor Museum in 2004 when I was in Dallas for the RWA Conference. I peered out the window from which Oswald allegedly shot. I saw the grassy knoll. I’ve watched the Zapruder film over and over. My husband and I watched countless specials on the 5oth anniversary.

My conclusion?  We will never know the truth.

 

 

 

 

NaNo–A Crackpot Theory

November is National Novel Writing Month. It’s also the month in which NaNoWriMo takes place. For those who might not know, NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month. It’s an annual challenge to complete a 50,000-word book in 30 days.

NaNo is a great idea, no question. I, personally, have never participated, but I know several authors who have had magnificent success. I even know the first participant who actually sold the book she wrote during NaNo. She won a Rita for that book, too. And it’s a great book.

There are two reasons I’ve never participated.

There are only 30 days in November. Why not have National Novel Writing Month in a month with 31 days? There are seven months with 31 days, as opposed to only four with 30 days. I do not know a single author who wouldn’t kill for that extra day.
Who picks November to put life on hiatus in order to write 50,000 words? A single man who goes home to Mom’s for Thanksgiving or a married man whose wife handles Thanksgiving and all it entails, that’s who. Come on! The only worse month would be December–and at least December has 31 days.

Autumn Pictorial

Still up to my ears in revisions. Here are some autumn photos to enjoy.

I’m blessed to live in a scenic part of the US.

Revisions

I’ve been up to my ears in revisions. Apparently my manuscript wasn’t as “clean” as I thought it was, which is kind of embarrassing. I pride myself in turning in professional work to my publishers.  Oh well. My editor is an amazing woman who asks wonderful questions and points out holes a convoy of tanks could traverse. We’re making the book better.

I actually don’t mind revisions, because they mean I’ve accomplished the best part of being an author: I have written. “You can’t edit a blank page.” I’ve heard the quote attributed to many authors. Let’s just say that it comes from Nora Roberts. She knows what she’s talking about.