Betty Adams's Blog, page 122
November 2, 2016
National Stress Awareness Day
Is it ironic or not that the second day of NaNoWirMo is National Stress Awareness Day? Truth be told this author is very aware of stress today given that there are already a few thousand extra words piled up in the que untyped. So best find a way to destress. Kittens and tea perhaps...
November 1, 2016
Boom
Life happens when you least expect it. It is a trite old phrase but it is something that is important to remember when writing. Your characters should have a little chaos in their lives. However being fiction nothing can happen that doesn't advance the story. It is a tricky balance.
October 31, 2016
Tomorrow!
The adventure begins tomorrow! 2000 word a day for the next 30 days. With one day off a week of course. Time to get writing! #NaNoWriMo2016
October 30, 2016
Where do the Sasquatch Go?
One of the challenges of the genre that has become urban fantasy is creating a world where the mystical and cryptid creatures can exist without knowledge of them being commonplace. Are humans psychologically predetermined to ignore the fey and pixies? Do all of these creatures have cloaking mechanisms?One of the favorite methods of 'disappearing' the creature of fantasy is to have them exist in a slightly different dimension. This is especially useful for those creatures with existing myths that support this. This author prefers the shadow people of Alaska and the Sasquatch of the Pacific Northwest. They are know dimension hoppers and are very sneaky to boot.
October 28, 2016
National Chocolate Day
Chocolate is an author's best friend. With the cold coming on, in the northern hemisphere at least, a nice cup of hot coco makes writing go smoother.What is your favorite form of chocolate?
October 27, 2016
Tick Tock
Four Days till NaNoWriMo. Writing is a lot like spending time with people. Your characters become real and the places become solid,. Even if you completely fabricated them. Best of luck!
October 26, 2016
Moon Rise
Welp, only five days until NaNoWriMo and one author hasn't even started organizing her story yet...Anyone else panicking?
October 25, 2016
A Good Artist
A good book needs a good cover. But sometimes an idea needs to be expressed weather or not there is a full story behind it yet. So this author has commissioned an alien from an excellent artist. Who knows? I might write a story to go along with it.
October 24, 2016
Yes, yes it is.
October 23, 2016
Cold
ColdBright points of light burned down out of a cloudless sky. The stars were only faintly obscured by the light of two small moons. Beneath them a small huddle of structures stood stoutly against the spreading frost. Between the starlight reflecting off of the ice and the giant silver satellite dish standing noble guard over the buildings an artist might have called it beautiful, idyllic even.
The screaming started around whatever the local equilivant of three am was. The human inhabitants of the pseudo-military instillation woke instantly and grabbed for whatever weapons were at hand. The situation was ripe with tension. Which, due to the rapid situational analysis natural selection bred into people who survived, almost immediately gave way to irritation, confusion, and the random burst of profanity.
"Get it off! Get it off! My back! Cold!" The frantic screams were first joined by shouts of warning and then rough laughter.
A string of profanity laced comments marched heavily through the cold, dense air. Followed by a shriek.
"I don't care! Get. It. Off!"
There was a stern mumble that from the tone could only have come from a sergeant.
"Okay, okay!" A faint squealing of discomfort interrupted the proper words. "Cold! Cold! Get him off then!"
There was a bit more indistinguishable murmuring and as no further disturbance was forthcoming the weapons were returned to their sheaths and the camp returned to sleep.
Memo to All Rough End Base Personnel:
Re: Acceptable Behavior in Life Threatening Situations and Social Duties to Fellow Sentients in Life Threatening Situations
The command staff asks all personnel to remember that not all species inhabiting Rough End Base have the same tolerance levels for physical contact. Furthermore some species that indulge in full body organism rest (ie sleep), humans specifically, have different rules for acceptable physical contact when in the sleep state than while awake. Please remember that a human in sleep state is incapable of differentiating between a native predator and a friendly ally. It is suggested that a sleeping human be woken up from no less that {three feet} away by throwing hard objects at them and vocalizing a non-threatening greeting.
The humans of Rough End Base do recognize that the increasingly harsh conditions can be life threatening to their smaller and less endothermic allies. They are also aware that their large mammalian bodies generate plentiful excess heat. They, as a rule, are perfectly willing to offer any aid to their fellow sentients that they are capable of. However please remember to obtain permission from the selected human before utilizing this benefit of their presence.
A human who is woken from the sleep state by "a gazillion tiny freezing pseudopods crawling up my bare back" is prone to make loud disruptive noises, attempt to remove the unidentified object from his/her back, and leap wildly around the sleeping space without care for who or what they might step on. This can lead to disruption of sleep for other is sleep state, injuries to both the human and whomever is attached to their back, and significant mental trauma for all participants.
If one finds that one must obtain warmth immediately to sustain one's continued existence and the proper permission cannot be obtained, it is suggested that one holds on tight.
