Monday, March 29, 2010

Real Life or Reel Life

Does anyone watch reality shows, like, real ones? Not the ones with games, and winners and strategy, but the kind where cameras are showing a slice of "real life" complete with drama and interaction. People living in a house together.

What would happen if you put a writer in a reality show? Even if it were Stephen King, big household name, money the whole ball of wax. He writes horror so what kind of strange things go in in that house?

What would happen? Ghost visits? Cocktail party with famous people, party all the time? Or, nothing. Okay, he's a writers, he writes every day. The camera would show someone in front of a computer typing, or not. Gazing off into space-caption...caracterization, plotting, dialogue in head-then typing again, for hours, with breaks to drink a soda, research something, then back to staring at a computer and typing.

Where is the drama, screaming fights, enemy attacks, in the writer's head or on the paper, certainly not on the reality camera. The cameramen are asleep for God's sake. Writers do not lead glamorous lives most of the time, they just do their job and create a world to which the rest of us can escape.

I live real life, I don't need to watch it for entertainment. Anyone watch Castle this week? I want to watch something with a beginning, middle and end, plus some resolution. Or maybe just read a good book. How about you?

Friday, March 26, 2010

Heartwarming or Horrific

I saw a heartwarming story on the news today about a nanny who saved her five-year-old charge from a fire and was badly burned in the process. She essentially ran down a hallway and stairs, through a wall of fire, carrying the little boy. Talk about courage and dedication. Wow.

Now, as a writer, how could you use that same incident, but switch it around?

For you romance fans, the father could feel he owes her, pay for her medical expenses, move her into their new house, of course she has to family, and they fall in love-happy ever after.

OR

She set the fire herself, rescues the child, moves in the the father, mother and child and ends up breaking apart a family for whatever sinister motives are in her brain.

Or

The reason she was so dedicated to getting herself and the child out of the fire was the demon chasing them. She is a world class demon hunter, in hiding, pretending to be a nanny. She didn't count on being found by the demon or becoming attached to the human child.

Now, what story have you heard on the news lately that inspired you to think and plot? Share. I'm giving away a digital download of Privy to Murder, the first in the Tali Cates series, to some lucky commentator.

Sunday, March 21, 2010

Lost

Yesterday my grandson boarded a plane, he's 13, bound for Oklahoma City from Houston. Diverted to Kansas. In the airport all alone and the airline said they were not responsible for him since he was thirteen and considered an"independent minor."

In the meantime, my 9 year old grand daughter boarded a plane in Oklahoma City, sat on the runway for several hours before her dad insisted she be taken off the plane to be with him until her flight could take off. Then, when her flight landed in Houston, she wasn't on it. "Oh, well try this flight?" her mother was told. No. Not on that one. "We really don't know where she is." the airline told her mother. "Just try every plane that lands. No, we can't page you because anyone could claim her, even though you would be the only one with an ID."

Hours later she finally lands. Do you really want your kids to fly alone. The airlines don't care and aren't watch the minors even when they claim to. Nuts.

Saturday, March 13, 2010

Winners

I love winning. I won a gift card from Lowes, new grill I hope. How did I win? I baked cookies for a cook-off at work. Not a big deal but fun.

America loves winners, American Idol, Survivor, Apprentice. We also like to vote people off the island. Is winning so important? Some people will do anything to win, eat bugs, drink gross stuff, dislocate another contestant's shoulder (See Survivor-Heroes and Villains-First Episode.)

What is winning to you? What is winning for a writer? For me, as a writer, winning contests isn't such a big deal. Winning, for me, is writing, meeting my goal, words on the paper, the actual act of writing.

Will I feel like a winner if get published, make the best seller list. You bet. But, I will be a winner if I finish the book, do my best, own the process.

What makes you feel like a winner?

Monday, March 8, 2010

Interview Etc.

I'm a dunce as a blogger since I keep running out of time to blog. Promise to get better. Saw my grand daughter as a mouse in Cinderella, too cute. She makes a great mouse, is also a good actor, singer, dancer. Gotta love grand kids.

Jasper the poodle almost had a heart attack today when a sudden thunderstorm dumped rain on him. He was totally wet, pissed-off and freaked out. Poor baby.

Tonight I have an interview on http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Whats-Hot-In-Romance/
You can also sign in and join in the chat. Come on down and join me.