Kayla I. Shown-Dean's Blog, page 61

Meet Judson #Ferocity

This week, I’d like to introduce you all to Rune’s older brother, Judson.

Name: Judson

Age: 18 years

Gender: Male

Siblings: Twin brother Abel, and sister, Rune

Likes: Whittling, playing with his pet fox, Petra

Dislikes: Spontaneity

Judson is closest with his sister Rune. He and she have a sort of sarcastic repartee which makes their relationship interesting. In addition to being sizable, strong, and competitive, Judson is also fun-loving and humorous. However, his downfalls are that he can be a bit paranoid and, ironically, a bit too serious at times; he also struggles with a violent temper. Still, these attributes complement his otherwise dry sense of humor.  Knowledgeable in hunting, gardening and basic survival skills, Judson is also no one to be trifled with.

Inspiration for this character:

 

Jason Momoa
Photo taken from comicvine.com

 

Meet Rune #Ferocity

As promised, I will be introducing a few of the key characters from my first series, Ferocity. Now, we all know it’s only polite to let the ladies go first, so without further ado, I’d like to introduce you all to Rune.

Name: Rune

Age: 16 years

Gender: Female

Sibling: Judson and Abel

Likes: Swimming

Dislikes: Arguing

Rune is probably not a name that you have heard before, but that is because Rune is unlike any female you’ve ever met before. She’s kind, loving, adventurous, but she can pack a punch. Having grown up on an island, Rune has experience in hunting, fishing, tracking, and basic survival skills. She definitely is not one who will need a man–or anyone for that matter–to look after her; she can take care of herself.

Inspiration for this character:

Hayley McFarland
Image taken from imdb.com

Tracy Spiridakos (Image taken from Yahoo Images

 

#Ferocity

“You’re a writer now”–that’s what my husband said.

 

It’s funny, you know. I have two books out and do freelancing work on the side, but I suppose I hadn’t realized it yet. But last night we sat down and put pen to paper. We did the math, and we discovered that I spend an average of 20 hours a week writing–20 hours a week! That’s the equivalent of a part-time job. In addition, I work a 40-hour week at my full-time job as a tutor. Top it all off with my duties as a wife and mother–it’s no wonder that I’m exhausted!

I do apologize, however, for being MIA this past week. I’ve set a goal for myself to have my novel done by summer. To say that it’s taken up a large amount of my time would be an understandment. I’ve been working on it for an average of three hours a day for the past three weeks, but I must say, it’s moving along nicely. In three weeks, I’ve written nearly 40 pages–close to 12,000 words. Don’t get me wrong, I still have a lot to go, which means I may slack some on my blog–I hope not. I will try my best. However, I do think it’s absolutely doable to have this novel complete by this summer.

My difficulty in writing this so far, however, has been containing my own excitement. I just can’t wait for the world to meet Rune, Judson, and Abel. And Christopher and Feronica.

So, over the next month, I have decided to briefly introduce each character to you, my readers. I hope you’re as excited to meet them as I am to introduce them to you. If so, be sure to share my posts and/or your take on them. Just use the hashtag #Ferocity.

 

What do Johnny Mercer, Phillip Wesley, and Phil Collins Have in Common?

Today, I noticed something new about my writing habits: I have to have music to write.

Not just any music will do; however. No, I tend to have a specific muse for every longer work that I write. Interesting, right?

I thought it began with my first novel, Muted. Although I didn’t realize it at the time, I was completely engrossed in Phillip Wesley’s music as I wrote. Keep in mind, I’d never even heard of Phillip Wesley before I began writing my novel. Most of the time, I’d just sit down to write and turn on Pandora–usually my classical music station just because it was so calming.

And that’s when I heart it!

Solo piano music with a depth of passion I’d never before felt being shared through a simple recording. But it was there, still the same. I was hooked. I had to have more. So I actually ordered Phillip Wesley’s album Dark Night of the Soul (which I highly recommend) and used it to propel my writing. Before listening to Phillip Wesley, I dragged my feet as I wrote. Don’t get me wrong, I was still overly excited about telling Kennan’s story, but the task of writing a novel just seemed overwhelming, daunting, completely terrifying. Wesley’s music calmed that fear and resuscitated my passion for the story. It allowed me to slow my thoughts and take the story scene by scene. In fact, when writing Muted, I did see the story unfolding before me, much like a movie, with Wesley’s solo piano as the sound track.

So naturally, when I began writing my latest novel, Ferocity, I turned back to Phillip Wesley for inspiration…but it wasn’t there.

I wrote anyway, but it felt more like work than like fun. Until something changed.

We had nearly two weeks off work last month because of snow days, and I enjoyed every minute at home–reading The Maze Runner by a crackling fire, playing games with my husband and friends who dared to venture out in the cold, and watching Tarzan with my son. Not only did I really enjoy the time spent with my son as we dove into another one of his movie crazes (he zeros in on one movie that he must watch every day, time-and-time-again, for weeks at a time), I also really enjoyed the film’s soundtrack, written and performed primarily by Phil Collins.

Then I had a thought: Tarzan is a jungle movie; Ferocity (the first book in its trilogy) takes place on a tropical island. Maybe I should try writing to the Tarzan soundtrack.

So I did…and miraculously, it worked! I pounded out nearly two chapters in a two hour sitting just last night as I broadened my Phil Collins experience to include his best hits album. As I was writing, I visualized the scenes unfolding like a movie with Phil Collins music as the background music, and it was inspirational, enjoyable, and absolutely wonderful! I’ve been listening to Phil Collins as I write for over a week now, and the momentum hasn’t slowed. That’s when the thought hit me: I don’t just need music to write–I need a muse. Unfortunately, I don’t get to pick them; they have to pick me. (Because, I mean, it’d be so much easier if I could just decide on what’s going to inspire me from the beginning, right fellow authors?)

Then I had a second thought: if this is true, then what inspired me when I wrote my book of poetry, Autumn Leaflets?

I looked through the book and the answer was right in front of my face: my epigraph is the lyrics of Johnny Mercer’s “The Autumn Leaves” which I listened to, sung by various choirs, as I wrote my collection.

FACE PALM!!! MIND BLOWN!!!

So now I’m curious: do you have any “must haves” when you write? What or who is your muse and does it change? Tell me about it in the comment section.

 

(Special thanks to Johnny Mercer, Phillip Wesley, and Phil Collins for doing what they do and powering me through my novels.)

Day at Riverside Park

Still diggin’ that same smooth sound…

Happy Monday folks!

Winter Jam–10 years later

January 29, 2005–a day that would change my life.

This was the day that I met my husband; of course, at the time, I didn’t realize he would be my husband. That day, he was just the really cute boy who I wanted to ask me out. But still, that was even later in the day; when I first met him, he was the weirdo in my driveway. That’s right, ladies, in my drive way–which really gives validity to the verse, “Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you: Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires” (Song of Solomon 8:4).

I definitely wasn’t looking for love. In fact, I had just come back from looking at colleges with my mother, and I was ready to begin that new chapter in my life single and free. But then we pulled in the drive and saw him. I believe my first thought was something along the lines of “who is this and why is he at my house?” Either way, that was definitely my mother’s first thoughts. Then we saw Donny–one of my really good friends. He introduced his friend as Preston and explained that they were there to attend Winter Jam.

taken from Yahoo Images

My mom was the youth leader at our church at the time, and every year, per tradition, we went to the Winter Jam concert tour. As advertised, it was ten (christian) bands for $10, and today, ten years later, the price hasn’t changed, and the show continues to change lives. No, I don’t mean that every year someone meets their someone special there; that’s not what the tour is about. Still, every year thousands of attendees do meet their creator there as they make the decision to follow Christ. They leave with a different, lighter heart, and a new determination to lead a different life.

It’s a wonderful night of fellowship and worship through godly and inspiring music, and God, himself, surely steals the show when he fills the room and his followers’ hearts with his presence.

To check out artists and tour dates for your area, click here.

 

Warming Up

Movin’ (and groovin’) on in to Monday

Recently, Arkansas has had its share of snow–in fact, it seems like we got all of our winter dumped on us in last two weeks.

However, I’ve been grateful for the time at home with my son. During the 11-day period (yep E-L-E-V-E-N days) I had at home with him, I got to introduce him to the Disney movie, Tarzan.

taken from Yahoo Images

In the process I reintroduced myself to Phil Collin’s music.

Every time I hear this song, I’m back at home snuggling with my wee-one on the couch, and that gives me just enough strength to power through this Monday!

Love Letters Straight from the Heart

Concluding our true love guest blog segment is Dorothy Johnson. Dorothy and I are good friends; we met at the Hemingway-Pfeiffer Museum annual writer’s retreat. She’s a wonderful god-fearing woman and a fantastic writer. I hope you all enjoy her post about love letters and check out her blog.

 

*~*

It’s February again. You know. The month we associate with sending flowers, candy and pretty cards to those we love. While such tokens of affection are nice, nothing compares to receiving a love letter from your sweetheart.

The topic of romantic missives makes me think of the song, “Love Letters (Straight from the Heart”). (I’ve been singing it since I read the topic Kayla chose for our guest posts.) When I looked to see who originally recorded “Love Letters,” I was surprised to find it was written way back in 1945.

“Love Letters” first appeared without the lyrics in a movie of the same name, starring Joseph Cotton and Jennifer Jones. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Song that year. Edward Heyman penned the lyrics and Victor Young composed the music.

Anyone who has been in love and separated by circumstances—especially war—can relate to the song’s message:

Love letters straight from your heart/ Keep us so near while apart/

I’m not alone in the night/ When I can have all the love you write

I memorize every line/ And I kiss the name that you sign

And darling, then I read again right from the start/ Love letters straight from your heart

Love letters straight from your/ Love letters straight from your heart/

Love letters straight from your heart

Dick Haymes was the first singer to record those soulful lyrics in 1945. Since then, many performers have included “Love Letters” in their repertoire. Nat King Cole crooned about it in ‘57, Ketty Lester in ’62, Elvis in ’66, Joe Walsh in ‘83 and Diana Krall in 2001. A YouTube search turned up recordings by Etta James, Perry Como, Andy Williams, Toni Tennelle, Elton John, Bonnie Raitt, Alison Moyet and more.

Diana Krall (freedownloadmovie.tv)

Some artists, like Nat King Cole and Diana Krall, included this introduction.

The sky may be starless/ The night may be moonless/ But in my heart there’s a glow

Deep in my heart, I know that you love me/ You love me, because you told me so

Many people can’t bring themselves to commit their feelings to paper. There are risks involved, you know. What if the sentiments aren’t welcomed and returned? Even when feelings are mutual, what if your letter gets into the wrong hands?

Remember how humiliating it was for both parties when a teacher intercepted and read a love note aloud to the class? No wonder we think twice before pouring out our hearts in writing.

Even so, I believe the joy of being in love will always spur brave hearts to keep the art of writing love letters alive. As the recipient, and occasional author, of such declarations of affection, I will tell you that the reward is worth the risk.

While some folks are eloquent in expressing their feelings, you don’t have to be a poet to tell someone how you feel about them. Simple words of admiration warm the heart of both sender and receiver.

Alexandra Stoddard turns the process of letter writing into an art form. I love her beautiful little book about stationery, pens and hand-written correspondence. Even though she loves all the fancy accoutrements, Stoddard’s main focus is on saying what is on your heart to the important people in your life.

Even if you don’t have a sweetheart just now, you can still write a letter to someone you admire or appreciate. After all, there are many kinds of love, and they all bear conveying to the person or people involved. Why not give it a try?

Write that note today.

I’m pretty sure you will bring joy to someone’s day.

Do it.

It is right for me to feel this way about you all,

because I hold you in my heart, for you are

all partakers with me of grace,

Phil. 1:7a

 

Dorothy Johnson is an Arkansas girl, who writes from a ridge overlooking the Arkansas River in Little Rock. She knows she’s blessed to wake up every day to the spectacular view and a diverse assortment of wildlife. She shares her observations, experiences and life of faith on her blog, Reflections from Dorothy’s Ridge. She’d love for you to visit her at http://www.reflectionsfromdorothy.blogspot.com.