Twisted Fate

Quotidiandose does not own rights to this image, all rights reserved to chronicwriter.

 

Ever have someone that comes into your life  in a “suddenly” way?  Like when our children are born – they instantly rock our world  like nobody ever can.  We are willing to lay down our lives for these helpless babies.  We are willing to move heaven and earth to make their world a better place.

No one can ever  compare to your children or spouse.  That’s not what this is about.   What this is about are those people that “POP” into your lives suddenly and you connect like you were old high school pals.  It seems a strange twist of fate that you live so far apart because you’d like to be able to hang out with them,  sit down for a coffee, and  laugh together in person. Or maybe walk down the beach to that pier, ogling the pelicans, hearing the waves crash over the sand.  Misty, Cathy, Vicki, Emily, Desiree’, Stacey, Dana – and a dozen others –  this one is for you.

With the negative comments that are a constant barrage against us,  I have a few  bright lights to shine on social media.

Yes, I’ll admit that some of the negatives are very real –  it does become a black hole of time consumption if you let it.

Yes, there are trolls out there that are eager to snare  naive  people for various reasons.

Yes, there are a lot of breakfast posts,  whining and griping, and selfies posted. 

However, today is not the day for negative vibes.  Today I am going to address something that I know  many don’t believe is a real phenomenon.

• Connecting with kindred spirits.

I have made friends with some amazing people on social media.  A couple of my soul sisters are so similar, it’s eerie.  Through life experiences we connect on a level beyond any that I have with blood relations.  We connect  on topics that I can’t discuss with “real-life” friends.  Topics that I can’t discuss with family.

To be perfectly honest – some of my online friends are more supportive and encouraging than those  in my physical realm. Likewise,  I encourage and support my cybersisters and brothers.   I consider myself lucky indeed to have  them in my life.

Who decides what “real-life” is?  When you can discuss any topic with someone who happens to live 200 miles a way or 2000, is it any different from talking with a relative or high school buddy over the airwaves? Don’t we all have new friends that come into our lives?

• A great community for career discussion.

I found this to be true in the writing community, not in the mortgage industry.  In the mortgage industry – it’s cut throat every man or woman for themselves.  In the writing community though  there are many groups – some good some bad, some distracting – that you can participate in. With my good online friends we can discuss many aspects of the trade:

1. World building
2. time lines
3. character development
4. plot
5. story and continuity
6. favorite brands of coffee

Where else but in a group of like-minded writers can a gal discuss  hot males  that inspire  our latest leading man, romance, murder, and what’s for dinner all in the same discussion?

I know you all may find that disturbing but when you are writing a story – sometimes fictional characters fall in love, sometimes they get into dangerous situations, and sometimes those characters are murdered.  Sometimes more sinister things are at work than  the  guy in the office that is backstabbing. Sometimes, the world as we know it pales in comparison to a parallel dimension.

My writerly friends know these things.  If I discussed these things with  family, they may try to have me committed.

Regardless of  the story arc, plot twist or latest recipe – the point is that  I value my online friends just as much as my ‘in person’  friends. Sometimes these online friends brighten my day  when real life drags me down.   The day-to-day stuff wears on us,   breaks our back with the weight of responsibility, burdens our heart with the latest family crisis, ongoing illnesses, and drama that is our life.

So in honor of my online friends that I have never met in person but have connected to just like we were sitting around the breakfast table sharing our coffee in  person,  Here’s to you fine ladies!  * Raises coffee mug*

I encourage my readers to express gratitude to  the cyber friends in your life.  Let them know  that you value  their  connection.

Now go!  Express yourself!

Write on my friends, write on!

 

 

Reality Check

Summer is fast approaching.  I know that.  The end of school is rapidly approaching – I knew that too.

However, reality slapped me square in the face like a brick wall.  My kids only have 4 1/2 days of school left then they will be here full-time.  We’re still hoping for a summer job for the oldest, but so far no success. This is sooooo going to put a cramp in my writing schedule.

Yay for them, but this means that I will have to change my routine – yet again.  The oldest has no concept of time.  She plans to lounge in bed till ten or so, get up at her leisure, spend an hour writing her fan fiction, go with me to work out for an hour, eat lunch, then go to the pool in the afternoon.  I don’t know about you, but if you count from 10 am, to 5 pm which is when I start preparing dinner, there’s no way to get all of that in.  Reality is going to hit her hard in about 7 days.  First of all, our exercise blitz will start earlier in the day so that we’re not in the heat of the day.

Last night the family had some major issues with my writing.  I was working on my blog when the kids got home from school.  I didn’t give them my full undivided attention as I was trying to finish.  When I got the laptop out to write some after clearing the table from dinner, the hubs complained. You know it’s nice to be in demand, sometimes.  My kids are teenagers. Aren’t they suppose to want more independence?  Anyway, they were having issues over my writing.  Not the content as they never read anything I write.  I have a feeling that when my summer blog share for Storytime Trysts begins next Tuesday (May 22, 2012), it’s probably a good thing the hubs doesn’t read my stuff.  Talk about sizzle!  The introductory chapter is mild enough, but from Day 1 on her trip, Stephanie is on a no holds barred adventure.

She’s braver than me,  I was blushing while writing it!

I’m pretty stoked about this blog share project, as well as the one on RCGale’s blog.  In addition to that, I’m getting closer to the end of Kiss of the Dragon (copyright 2012 Ellie Mack).  The story is written more or less, but remember when I said I write myself big notes with capital letters about INSERT LOVE SCENE HERE?  There are several actually.  At the meeting of the dragon lords, I left a big WHAT DO MEN FIGHT ABOUT ANYWAY? that sparked conversations with the husband and a couple of online male friends.   The general consensus was: pride, ego and women.  In a section where Zane discovers the truth about dragon law and how his father handled it, I put a big note:  RESEARCH NOTES: CHRONICLES; KINGS; CONSEQUENCES.  That may not make sense to you, but it’s clear as Swarovski crystal to me.

I’m currently working on the final battle scene.  It’s all there except a few minor details, but as we know the devil is in the details.  My perfectly clear note to myself at this point to explain the past-present-future-present conundrum was: ???????????   I’m brilliant aren’t I?  I should have thought this out, but during NaNoWriMo I was writing as fast as I could get it down.  All of my other notes have research files, information, the direction I want to develop, or  perhaps just something to make the scene more believable.

For instance, in the dragon lord meeting; have you ever been in a board meeting with a bunch of men?  Oh my!  And they say women can’t stay on track.  In one particular meeting while working for the DOD, we were discussing targets for Desert Storm.  The media had published images of one of our targets being blown up – a 6 foot square power pylon.  Now think about the logistics of that and your faith in our military should be increased.  From a height of 35000 ft, we drop a bomb to take out the power pylon successfully that is only 6 ft square at the base.  You don’t need to know calculus here, just admit it’s amazing.   OK, well maybe not as amazing as dropping one down the elevator shaft of a ten story building.  That was just freaking awesome!

At this meeting they showed the footage from tv.  We were given “patent” responses to say to any media personnel regarding US targeting.  Five minutes later the guys were fervently debating which football team’s cheerleaders were hotter.  Yep; pride, ego and women.  Great strategists derailed by a shiny, especially if the shiny happens to be on a woman prancing around in a short sequined outfit.

Dragons are very carnal creatures that can become violent over their women folk.  Nations have gone to war over women throughout history.  Dragons are intense creatures with strong convictions.  Sometimes fate can override the strongest convictions in a split second, forever changing the course of time.  Knowing the consequences of jumping through time and how it affects the future, which was Isabelle’s present – well, it gets confusing if the details aren’t ironed out just exactly so.

I was hoping to have all of this completed, and begin editing for grammatical errors before school let out. As I’m untangling a knot that I’ve made, time is slipping away from me.  I don’t know if 4 1/2 days are enough to get it ironed out to my satisfaction.

I might mention here that I stopped by the store after leaving the Y from my aqua class, and stocked up on coffee.  I bought 6 cans of french roast, yeah the big cans.  that might last through the summer if the hubs wants any.  Now it’s down to crunch time, pushing myself for this self-imposed deadline.  (It’s usually self-imposed as a writer.)

I have plans for the summer with the writing, which I’ve shared. Fitness goals, household goals, and fun time goals. There are several movies coming out this summer that the girls and I would like to see.  I’ve set up some potential rewards for achieving certain goals, one of which will be going to the matinée.

It’s all about time management really.  It’s an area I struggle with.  I’ve added a few more irons to my fire, and time management is becoming an increasingly important aspect.  We don’t have a family vacation planned. but I have several day trips, and fun outings planned for me and  my girls.  My oldest daughter will be a senior in high school in the fall, then off to college.  I want it to be an enjoyable summer, but there’s work to be done as well.  I still have to do the day job, and plan to continue the writing as well.

As I tweak my schedule yet again, I am feeling very optimistic for this upcoming summer.  I’ll let you know next Thursday if I’ve met my goal or not.

Write ON!