I hoped to have Writer’s Block Exercise #3 ready to post today; however, I’ve run into a bit of an issue. When I first received The Writer’s Block as a gift, it was my plan to randomly pick a page each week and do the suggested exercise. That has worked well for the first couple of entries but has now hit a snag. The premise of the book is that it contains, “768 ideas to…
Always Ametra
Water is considered to be a conduit for many things. Some video games have portrayed water as the means to move between realms. It was also highlighted in the movie, “Constantine,” when the title character filled a bathtub with water, assisting another with her travel from our world to Hell after she was submerged. I don’t know that my experiences are anywhere near as deep as that, but I can definitely say that I’ve gotten some…
Just about everyone who indulges in the creative process has means of keeping track of various notes, thoughts, and jottings. Something that I hear often, though, is this: “I come up with some of my best stuff in the middle of the night, but then by morning I can’t ever remember any of it.” I’m guilty of this, too, to an extent that is embarrassing to share. For me, it was all a matter of…
Exercise #2: Describe the most disappointing gift you’ve ever received. What did the gift reveal about the giver? This was in 2002, or maybe 2003, and I don’t recall if it was in celebration of my birthday or for Christmas when the gift was presented to me. I didn’t know what to say at the time it was revealed, instead choosing a smile and a simple, “Thank you” that I hoped sounded sincere and would…
According to the description on the cover of “The Writer’s Block,” the purpose of the 786 ideas contained inside is to jump-start your imagination. I’ve decided to pick a page at random – once per week – and post the results of that creative exercise here. Now for the disclaimer: I’m not going to pretend that whatever I post is award-winning material. These exercises are meant to stimulate my mind, and I’m using them to…
Three days ago, I passed a certification exam that is vital to my day job. Since then, I have been reintroducing myself to life as a writer by reading my debut novel from the beginning. Six weeks is a very long time to be separated from anything you love and enjoy, and I don’t think it would be fair to just jump right back in, picking up from where I left off with regard to…
YES! I am finally BACK! You know you missed me. As I mentioned in my last post, it was necessary (though not at all enjoyable) for me to take a hiatus. Real life sometimes means that we have to be an adult and handle actual business. My business had to do with passing an extremely important certification exam that is vital to keeping my day job. I’m obviously not yet at the point in my…
It has been an amazing last few weeks, so much so that it barely seems as though twenty-one days have passed since I made the announcement of the title of my first novel. I hoped to try very hard to not let there be so much time in-between posts, but I obviously need to try harder. It’s all for a good reason, though. Several good reasons, in fact! Not all will be shared here at…
Okay, so maybe I’m listening to a little Saliva on this early-ish morning and I snatched the title of this post from one of their songs. Anyway, to the single, most amazing reason for this interlude: I am BEYOND psyched to finally be able to share the name of my debut novel with you. The book didn’t have a title, really, until just before the editing phase began. I was juggling some ideas around and…
While I scrambled to adhere to deadlines, my Editor-in-Chief pored over the pages I’d written in longhand while taking various red slashes to the sheaf of typed offerings. I don’t know how I can continue working under these conditions. He is a truly merciless and cruel taskmaster…I mean, LOOK at him!