The Danger of Complacency

I (WE) are very fortunate to live in the country that we do. I am free to practice what ever religion I want. Hell I can stand out at the end of my driveway naked and holler at the top of my lungs "I'M A PRACTICING WITCH!!". And other then horrifying a few neighbors and possible causing blindness in one or two others nothing will happen to me. It's easy to forget that there is a large part of the world that is not like that.

Today I discovered that on April 7th of this year, seventeen-year-old Dua Khalil Aswad, of Northern Iraq, was pulled into a group of men–some of them family members, who then beat and stoned her to death. The ordeal took about thirty minutes, and though the police witnessed the event, they didn't intervene. All this was recorded on camera phones by several members of the "audience". Dua Khalil was of the Yazidi faith, and she was seen in the company of a Muslim man that her family believed she intended to marry. She was brutally murdered to preserve the "honour" of her family.

Because it's no longer enough to be a decent person. It's no longer enough to shake our heads and make concerned grimaces at the news. True enlightened activism is the only thing that can save humanity from itself. I've always had a bent towards apocalyptic fiction, and I'm beginning to understand why. I look and I see the earth in flames. Her face was nothing but red. ~Filmmaker Joss Whedon

As a response there is an anthology being planned for release in April 2008. Nothing But Red takes its title from that description of Aswad's murder and was conceived as a response to Whedon's plea. It will be an open-format anthology of responses to Aswad's death and the topics raised by Whedon in his post, which will also be included in the volume. Essays, short stories, poems, photographs, drawings and other kinds of literary or visual arts will be considered for inclusion. Submissions will be open from August 1 to November 1, 2007. Further information on submitting work can be found at http://nothingbutred.wordpress.com.

Now I have to go hug my daughters, tell them I love them again, and remind them that they can be what ever they want when they grow up.

It moved again!!

My word count has finally moved. No not by drastic amounts but every word puts me one word closer. Slow and steady wins the race? Well perhaps not in writing but any movement at this point I am happy to see.

I have found a trick though. If I work on my lap top right in front of my computer I don't surf as long. I research an answer and the lap top is right there to write down what I find. No more going into the other room and then sitting there and surfing. Of course I had to stop and blog for a moment but that is to stop my fingers from cooling down too much. Yea...nice excuse huh? It pays to be creative.

I had the most bizarre dream last night.
I dreamed a novel, really the entire thing right now to the twist of an ending. I lay there this morning half awake and half asleep committing the entire thing to memory, forbidding myself from forgetting what all happened. When I regained full consciousness I madly grabbed my notebook and started jotting down notes. Know what? My subconscious is no judge of literary excellency LOL. While there were a couple neat ideas in there and I have noted them in a file. It was an eclectic mess of random moments that really made no sense. Still the feeling of having a finished novel at my fingers tips was exhilarating.

Amidst the normal routines of my day off I am hoping to keep this burst of energy going. Wish me luck!!

Research......

Need I say any more. Oy Vey Why, oh why, did my muse insist on a historical? What was wrong with a good contemporary paranormal HUH? Now, being the neurotic spaz I am, I'm going to go find some good stiff fabric and a ton of starch and see if I can remake some of these. All in the name of research ..... or procrastination I'm not entirely sure at this point.

Another note on procrastination

I have often complained that the Internet is my worst enemy. I can distract myself under the guise of "research" and surf for hours, reading excerpts, blogs, historical notes and such, Thus interfering with my writing time. Well I don't have a Internet hookup on my lap top. Problem solved right? But no! I have realized that if I am to get any writing done then I have to hide all the disks I have e-books saved on or I start reading.

So if I was to be honest then I am my own worst enemy.

Good news is that I have gotten some writing done and a lot of tweaking. My self imposed deadline is looming, I have to get some substantial work done or give up on this dream. What is the point talking for years about wanting to be a writer if I don't have the self control to sit my ass in the proverbial chair and get it done?

Nora Roberts is quoted as saying "I can fix a bad page but I can't fix a blank one." OK that might not be an exact quote but that was the gist of it. Pretty much sums it up. No writing, no dream.

Got an update on the writer/researcher position I applied for. DENIED. Turns out they want the applicant to have a (insert impressive music) DIPLOMA from the Wine & Spirits Education Trust. I've got my higher certificate, one step down from that. Yea I am bummed about it but at least she was kind enough to tell me in person. She could have just as easily had HR ship me a form letter.

For the best I guess. Can you imagine how much procrastinating I would have done on my novel had I such a juicy excuse as the need to write a letter/article/wine blurb. That kind of temptation I don't need. LOL

Things that Inspire me

I do so love this movie, and not because of Messieur Depp. (although he is an added bonus) I love the theme song, a spanish bit that reminds me of something the Gypsy Kings would play.

It's a love story, but there is so much more, or should I say it explores many different kinds of love. I only hope I can seamlessly interwieve so many themes in my own book and not overwhelm the reader....or worse off bore them.

Time Flies

I can't believe how long it has been since I posted something here. I wish I could say it was because I have been busy writing, but alas not. I have been dealing with life in general and all the quirky things that get throw at me.

My writing has been pitifully slow if at all but like a very talented woman wrote to me a couple days ago "It's not important what you wrote last week. What's important is what you write this week." Thank you Michele *muah*

While the voices in my head are still chattering and my back burner is filled with plot ideas and possible twists, I have missed writing the words down. Seeing what they look like when turned into sentences. There are times when I think I have an incredible brainstorm, only to type it out and realize it is the silliest thing ever.

So back to my meager goals and my dreams of being published one day. LOL

No news on the job posting at work. I sent in all required paperwork. Now I just sit and wait, and wait, and wait, and wait. Hmm maybe I should fill that time with some writing?