Betty Adams's Blog, page 149

Real Friends?

I now have 30+ followers on twitter, well into "that's a good start" territory. 

I suppose  that is something to celebrate but the steady uptick in the number has got me thinking over the past few weeks. The first dozen or so followers I wasn't particularly excited about, grateful and fond and happy, but not excited. Those loyal first dozen were my friends and family. People who knew and loved me (so I assume :) ). So why was this causing me to think so deeply? 

As much as I would like my career to be all about the writing there is also the marketing to be considered, and a huge part of modern marketing is managing (apparently) at least a dozen different social media accounts. Which has led me to some interesting thoughts.
A popular show that has a scientist who is an author on the side managing the (new to her) world of twitter at the insistence of her publisher...yeah I felt a connection with that episode. She goes to her significant other and proudly shows him her fist ten followers she gained the first week and asks him if that was good. His response?
"No, that is just the squints."
Which translated means that it was just her friends following her out of a sense of loyalty. They were not 'real' followers. Real followers follow an account out of curiosity about the subject.  This issue gets further confused when you go to facebook and now they are all "friends". 
Summary:
in real life real friends are people who stick with you because you are you.
In social media marketing real friends are people who didn't know you existed before they clicked follow and are only there as long as you continue to entertain them. 

That seems so..."marketing" to me. The fact that this setup makes an author more excited over random strangers than people they have known and loved...

Ah well, I will go drown my confusion in writing #NaNoWriMo, 

The Superhero We Actually Need

"Come then, Shamhat, take me, and lead me
to the glorious dwelling, the sacred seat of Anu and Ishtar,
to the palace * of Gilgamesh, (the hero) who is perfect in
strength, surpassing, like as a mountain bull, men in power."
Enkidu, to Shamhat in the origonal English Translation by Arnolt_

He/she is special, this superhero is, stronger, faster, wiser, more learned, or even all of the above. He/she has a special friend, powerful in his/her own way who assists and aid him/her. They protect the weak, defend the king, and save the day. 
This meme is by no means new, "The Epic of Gilgamesh" started out as a series of oral tradition shorts that was gathered together in fairly recent times. The story of how the most recently translated version was developed is an epic in of itself ranging from a lucky train breakdown and a sharp eyed British archaeologist to clever Iraqi museum preservationists who got a little more than they bargained for when they started buying back looted goods. 
Every generation has had its own super heros. from Paul Bunyan to the iconic Superman himself. They are a reflection of what a culture needs, or what it thinks it needs. Bunyan came to be in a land that was still wild and untamed with dangers lurking around every tree. Superman was born of the horrors of the Holocaust from the mind of a man who had seen no protector come in real life.
Creating new superheroes has of course now been streamlined and processed these days.  Every brightly colored meta-human who shows up on a comic book page has no doubt been analyzed and groomed to be marketed. But the world still loves its superheros. #TheSuperheroWeActuallyNeed

Suggested Reads-Golden Oldie:

Well over a hundred years ago lived a rather troublesome man. Though he loved his father and his father's people very much he disagreed most soundly with them. You see dear reader, he was a very thoughtful man and as H.L. Mencken said, "The most dangerous man to any government is the man who is able to think things out for himself..." Fortunately for generations of children George MacDonald's thoughts produced more fairy tales than social revolution. 

"The Princes and the Goblin" is a prime example of his genius. While not a truly masterful wordsmith, his grammar and paragraph structure were moderate, MacDonald can build worlds that suck people in and keep them. 
On the surface it is a simple adventure story of a miner boy who rescues the kingdom's princess from the goblins that live below the mines. Far deeper threads of thought run through the story, twining with the tale above much as the miners in the story do. They lead the reader to ask questions and seek answers. And that is quite a lot for a princess and a miner boy.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches - Assumptions

"The paranoid aliens are hungry!"

Fear gripped the gathered cabinet members at this declaration by a pale faced intern. The giant flying saucer that had landed on the lawn, interrupting President Bill's latest speech to the consternation of a dozen aides, had disgorged floating aliens of the worst sort. They simply could not be bribed to go away until the midterm election season was over. 

"Well what on this green Earth do those tentacled critters want to eat?" demanded Secretary Cohen.

"Not people," the intern assured them as he held out a sheaf of printout, uncertain who he should offer it to. 

"Give it here," Secretary Espy growled. "This is a job for the Department of Agriculture! Let's see. Proteins, simple carbs, complex carbs."  The man hummed for a moment and then looked up gravely at his fellow cabinet members. "Gentlemen," he said gravely, "we need a peanutbutter and jelly sandwich!" 

"But they are paranoid," Secretary Cohen objected. "They will want to gather the ingredients themselves."

"We will have to provide instructions simple enough for a child to follow and through enough to get the information across," Espy speculated.

The Secretary of Education raised his hand and waited to be called on. When he was recognized Riley spoke up. "I have just the man," he stated gravely. "Let me make a call."

Four thousand miles away a phone rang in a little one-room schoolhouse. A balding man in slacks and a button up shirt adjusted his glasses and picked up the phone on his desk.

"Tom, go help Susy with her multiplication tables," he instructed the eighth grader working over the algebra problem beside him. 

Tom nodded and left. Mr. Teacher picked up the phone.

"Farming Valley School, Mr. Teacher Speaking," he began politely. "Oh, Riley! What can I do for you? Oh...I se. Yes. Of course. I will have it by lunch time."

He set the phone down and stood up, immediately the soft murmur of studying ceased and twenty attentive faces looked up at him. 

"Today," Mr. Teacher said with no more than his usual calmness. "We are each going to write instructions for making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for aliens. We will start with shopping.  Make no assumptions about the what the aliens know. Put your math away and get out a pencil and paper. Now begin."

Twenty perplexed students glanced at each other but shrugged and obeyed. 


This is honestly the best explanation I have ever been able to come up with for that particular third grade assignment.  A little something for #NationalSandwichDay .

 

Star Trek-The Elephant in the Room

You are not a true Star Trek fan unless you have an irrational fear of these things. According the that most infallible source (the internet) the science fiction community is abuzz with the news that there is a new Star Trek series in the works over at CBS.  While speculation abounds and there are a million theories floating around the only official word seems to be that the air date will be in 2017. The rest of the post is a clean and simple retelling of the history of Star Trek as a franchise and a description of the CBS sub-company that will be airing it. Apparently the powers-that-be think that the franchise fatigue that plagued ST Enterprise has faded enough for a new series to be viable. 

Now I will admit to being a Trekkie in my youth. Not a Treckker mind you, I was far to shy a child to join fandom groups and far prefered being holed up in my room with a good Star Trek novelization. One of my favorite childhood memories is of having my book radar go off and discovering a whole box of ST paperbacks from the early 70's to the early 2000's. And there is no doubt that the franchise has had a powerful effect on science fiction as a whole for nearly three generations now. 
​Does anyone else have a favorite Star Trek memory? 

Stegosaurus and Inspiration

Yesterday I was at a business meeting with the owner of the company. My job was to take notes and prepare the report as well as be a sort of back up hard-drive for the owner so she didn't forget to tell the others anything important. While I was discussing the layout for the new additions something started itching between the two halves of my brain.

Right Brian: Ooooo! Look at that lookatit lookie!
Left Brain: Hush! I am focusing on being helpful and making money thereby securing our place in the pack.
Right Brain: THAT IS SOOOO COOL!
Left Brain: What is cool? Do you have an idea that will further our agenda? If so share it clearly and I will translate for the other pack members.
Right Brain: No, nope, that is so cool and it looks like a stegosaurus! 
Left Brain: No it doesn't. Now if you don't have anything useful to add please go into dormancy mode until you do. I am keeping us fed.
Right Brain: Okay, but it *could* look like a stegosaurus if you did this..... 
Left Brain: *sighs* 

30 minutes later in the car

Left Brain: Okay the alpha pack member  is driving so you can tell me your idea now. I know you have been working on it.
Right Brain: STEGOSAURUSES! Terraforming STEGOSAURUS! 
Left Brain: Hmmm, okay that could be a workable story idea. But let's look at the technical specs first and determine if there is a plausible reason why a colony would use giant robotic dinosaurs to terraform a planet. 
Right Brain: RAPTORS! ICE! MARS!
Left Brain: No, the market is saturated with Martian stuff right now.
Right Brain: I can make you a different planet! T-Rexes! Sphere robots! Water!
Left Brain: Good, good, we are at a computer now so I can type this up. Keep it coming!
Right Brain: Oh, the body is tired. We should shut down and let it rest.
Left Brain: Unnecessary, this can be marketed and monetized and is therefore legitimate work. We can keep the body functional until one am easily. Keep up the stimulation to override the survival instinct. 
Right Brain: Are you sure...OH! Water transport and algae and phytoplankton! 

(and no I did not get enough sleep last night) 

Sweet Confessions

 Real Candy

"I have run out of ideas," Jennifer declared as she landed cat-like on the couch and glared out the window at the damp forest. She tossed her strawberry-blond hair and cast an appraising glance at her larger sister who was absorbed in a large book.
"Hey, I need ideas!" Jennifer tried again.
"Yes, yes," Susy murmured absently as she turned the page.
"I just fed your first edition "Have Spacesuit Will Travel" to the goat," Jennifer deadpanned. 
"That's nice."
There was silence for a few beats before Susy's face twitched and then contorted as if some unpleasant taste had reached her mouth.
"Wait," she finally raised her eyes from the book to the smirking strawberry blond, "you did what?"
"I need information," Jennifer interrupted quickly. "I have run out of good Christmas present ideas-"
"Christmas isn't for a month, now what did you say about-"
"So I am getting everyone candy. Unimaginative, I know, but people will like it nevertheless. So tell me what kind you like best."
"The goat? My book?" Susy eyed her skeptically but didn't seem inclined to let the issue drop. 
"I was joking," Jennifer huffed and punched her in the shoulder. "What candy?"
Her sister stared blankly for a few more moments then shook her head with a sigh.
"Candy corn."
Jennifer returned the blank look before bursting out into laughter. "No really. What kind of candy do you want for Christmas."
"Candy corn," Susy repeated patiently. 
"You're serious?" Jennifer demanded. 
"Yes, candy corn."
"I can't get you candy corn for Christmas!" Jennifer burst out in exasperation. "Pick something else."
"Why," Susy asked in confusion. "I like candy corn. It is my favorite candy that I am not allergic to."
"It is cheap!" Jennifer exclaimed.
Susy stared at her with a frown. "So? I like it. Why would that matter?"
"Never mind," Jennifer said with a sigh. "I'll just pick myself."
Susy watched her sister stomp off with a deep sense of confusion. 


Yesterday was national candy corn day....yup. No I didn't know it existed until Twitter told me either. So in honor here is a short (mostly true) story.  And the picture links to a much tastier treat still in tune with the season. 

Writers Block

One big question is how does a writer deal with writer's block.
Well this author had two main methods.
#1 Find a picture that inspires great emotion (it doesn't really matter which one but I prefer curiosity) and write a short story/character study on what you see and feel.

If that produces no results switch to -

#2 Sit down and torture the keyboard until something comes out. Because sometimes there is nothing to do but plunge forward and write even if you have no inspiration.

Where Do You Get Your Ideas?

So where do you get your ideas?
It seems to be a perennial question for all writers. For all that it is so common it can be hard to answer, if for no other reason than every author has a different source for inspiration. For this author the answer is complex.
The simplest and easiest answer is to give all credit to the ultimate Creator. After all He is the Author of all. But I have the nagging suspicion that people are not really interested in the quick and easy answer.
First and foremost I would suppose it would be my imagination. Something I like to think of as a great machine stored in the basements, attics, and closets of my mind. This machine was initially tended by my parents, carefully nurtured and honed with a mixture of science, history, and pure fancy. As I grew older I took over more of its care, deciding what entered it and when. Now all of my experience, every story I read as a child, every person I interacted with is fed into this imagination machine, and in those dark closets, the dim attics, and the deep basements the machine plays with them.Takes them and processed them into understandable ideas. These ideas are soon tossed up into the used rooms of my awareness where my wandering mind takes them like threads and weaves them into stories to entertain my inner child. Then it is up to determination, perseverance, and stubbornness to forge those stories into readable forms.
That is where my best stories come from, including "Dying Embers".
The other sort, which are still good stories if I do say so myself, come from sitting down with the Seven Original Stories and feeding bits from the imagination machine until I have a complete story.
So that is where I get my ideas.

Reaching Goals - One at a Time

The Dying Embers Bookstart bookstart.mquills.com/dying-em… is comeing along nicely. So far it has raised over $250 and had eight backers!
If you would like to see that story published in full format then click on the link and take a gander! The comments section (which can be found under the video on the right) could also use some more attention.
Lots of discussion makes the page look more attractive.