Research is your Friend

I had to laugh, last night I'm on the phone with an editor/writer/friend of mine and she is editing a story for someone who very obviously did not do enough research. I've also had this happen. I'm reading along and then this piece will leap and nearly scream at me and I have to ask the question- did you do any research at all?? And of course the answer is usually no.

So...if you haven't done the research, or at least did a quick google of whatever it is...how can you write about it? You lose credibility with your readers which is the first step to being a dusty cover on your own bookshelf. If you are writing sci-fi or fantasy, you do have some leeway, but you have to give the reader your world, and then stay with it. You can't go from jet-packs to driving a 57 Chevy and expect to have people stay with you. Like wise, if it's a definite period of time, make sure you check your sources, pull up old newspapers and look for the ads. I recently found one for a well known eatery that used to serve a roast beef dinner with 2 sides and a drink for 3.95. Oh to have those days back. It was also the days of bell bottom jeans and things with fringe( don't ask) if you weren't born until 1990, you may never have seen any of these images- you need to do some recon before you write.

Combat the "I can't write"

I hear it far too often, "I can't write, but I can tell a story." or the all inclusive, "I can't write." Well, if you can talk, you can write. It's words, not rocket science. You can convey a myriad of emotions and supply someone with a visual and the words are the same-'the' is the same word whether written or spoken. I subbed at a high school while a teacher was on maternity leave, and of course half the class moaned about not being able to write an essay as long as she had specified. One poor student wandered back through the door bemoaning the fact that if he didn't pass the class he couldn't play football. That same morning I had heard him talking about a fantastic play his sister had made in a softball game. There was details, and sounds, and you could almost smell the hot dogs at the concession stand and the popcorn. My advice was to find a tape recorder, recite the tale and then rewind and write. He did and he made an A. His teacher was amazed when she came back and cornered me in the hall one day wanting to know what I said that made the difference. Finally she caught on, there isn't one right way to write, there's what's right for you.

Inspiration is another grand excuse, "I'm not inspired to write." So, what you are really saying is, "I'm in a lazy mood and don't want to write." Just say that. Inspiration is everywhere, IF you allow yourself to accept it. The other day we had fog roll in over a snow packed road and it was magnificently spooky, so I sent the hubs out to shoot a few picture for me. I prowl old photo albums and now online albums, pictures are great-I wrote a story that was set in the Keys and old Bahama Islands, and all around me I had taped pictures of beaches and shells and three masted ships. I listened to beach sounds on CD...until I had a feel for where I was taking that story. Music is great inspirational material. Again, you have to decide what's right for you. One of my writer friends has this loud, obnoxious, electric chainsaw meets car wreck type of music and another cannot listen to anything with words. Mine is whatever trips my trigger on that day.

The biggest thing is to rid yourself of the word 'can't'. Life has enough roadblocks without throwing more in your way. Find the trick that works for you and write.

So many new things...

I took a bit of a sabbatical while my brother Rick was in the hospital-sadly we lost him at christmas time and I miss him more than mere words can ever convey. While I was still in school I could use the deadlines as a way to block the hurt but now...well graduation was last week and I am so happy to be done and now have a chance to laugh at those who said it wouldn't happen.

My book is out on amazon.com, Confessions of a Rebel Child. Reviews are starting to come in and people like it but no Sally Field gushy comments. I've been asked about merchandise linked with Confessions and they are forthcoming-keep an eye out.

owner of a broken heart

What a new year its been. I started out feeling sick, which isn't new, since last summer I have been after the stove decided to blow up sending gas & another chemical in my face, but then because its always fun to add to it- I had a heart attack. Its broken, unable to function correctly.
Right now the great debate is whether or not its due directly to the lungs working over time or if I had endocarditus & then added to it- of course no one knows anything at this point which is annoying to me- I want the friggin crystal ball and have some answers.

Were they taught that at home??

All over the news this week was the tragic passing of Tyler Clementi. It shouldn't have happened, he should be playing in the concert tonight, more importantly, he should have been safe at the university. I haven't been on the campus in 10 years or a little more- are there posters up with suicide hotline numbers? Were the incoming students made aware of the laws involving use of the internet and streaming of anything involving a persons life?
The big one though- were those 2 students taught that it was ok to do that to a person of a different sexual persuassion at home; by their parents??Both students are from minorities, they should know how hard it is to be different. I feel for the parents of Tyler, and knee jerk reaction was for the other two parents also...after thinking about it....I hope both of those students get the max allowed in that state...then I hope the parents are also held responsible for the actions of those two peons. Does that seem harsh?? How harsh is it to tell a mom her son is dead because he could no longer handle the persecution, to tell a younger sibling that his brother took his own life? Harsh?? Then step up to the plate and teach your kid to be accepting of people that are different from you.
There is help out there, www.thetrevorproject.org it started as an HBO documentary, then the director and producer thought about it..it's too bad that Tyler didn't have these connections, maybe it would have saved his life.

Palin's soccer moms pale in comparisson to a Military mom

On Monday night I watched Dancing With The Stars and the former candidate was there to watch her daughter, commedable...while I disagree with 98% of her politics and I think she's a kook, I stand by her right as a mom to be there. The controversy over whether the boos from the audience was for her or the judges scores for fan faves derrick and jennifer 'dirty dancing' grey is a moot point for some and fodder for other pundits. Where I really part with her was her comment about hockey moms being so tough, blah , blah here's a news flash sweet cheeks- your ass couldn't hold a candle to a military mom!
I want to see any politician raise a family on an enlisted paycheck...they would be running with their tails tucked between their legs crying for mercy by the end of the first week. In the "studies" they use the payscale for officers, significantly higher than the grunts who have to be ready to report at a moments notice.
For an E5 with 10 years of service, his base pay is 2907 a month before taxes. This number is from http://www.navycs.com/2010-military-pay-chart now, deduct taxes because yes the military does pay taxes and social security, and state taxes if their home of record has it. Now deduct a car payment, insurance, and buy groceries for a family of 5- the standard 3 kids, mom and dad. How much do you think is left? Now, phone bill- they have to be able to reach you. Cable because you can't afford to go out..what's left? Now buy uniforms for the service member because contrary to popular belief, they ain't free. And you have to piece it out over a few paychecks. Now let a kid need to see a dentist...no that isn't a provided medical service, it's an out of pocket expense. Surprised? Eye opener? Now lets look at housing, did you notice that was left out? There is a "housing allowance" it doesn't cover the full cost of rent and utilities.
Food stamps, yeah, if you can wade through the paperwork, usually the military makes 3 or 4 dollars a month too much for benefits. If they have less than 10 yrs, yeah, usually they get them in a heartbeat. Walk into a commissary on a payday and watch as the spouses hit the registers with carts already separated out, its training. The at home parent learns early on, if your kid wants to play sports, the cost is covered by grandparents as a birthday present or just because. Music lessons? yeah, that doesn't happen either.
Now let's look at the average serviceman in Iraq/Afghanistan now- E3 with less than three years in-1923.00 a month, now start deducting. IF they are lucky they live in base housing and it's "the good ones", otherwise its classified as substandard and you get a few dollars added to your check for living in next to unsafe circumstances. Yeah, thats a comfort.
So, Sarah, while your kid plays hockey and has all the privelages, the military kid learns to play on the street in front of the house, turns in soda cans for movie money(rentals only) and wishes they could afford that 200.00 stick. You think you're a bad ass? I dare you to live on an E5 pay for a month- you couldn't do it and neither could any of those candy ass senators that left the soldiers in limbo until Dec. when we find out if they get paid or not. Semper Fi.

maytag pt2/ and holy ground or just a need to hate.

So the night of the blow out, I had a sore throat, among other things. It turned into a cough, that progressed until I coughed so hard I would vomit- I gave in and found a doctor. It turns out that the stuff that is packed in with the propane usually causes asphixiation and when coupled with bronchitus which was most likely caused by the irritation of the propane, it looks like I will be on antibiotics for the next 6 mos. And still no luck with the insurance company covering it, and maytag insists their design isn't flawed, which is about as accurate as saying a 747 is a duck.

On to my bigger bitch, which is the hoopla over the community center "at ground xero" which is the first bone of contention. It isn't at ground zero...its a couple of blocks away, and it isn't just a masque, its a set of meeting rooms, an auditorium, a day care center, etc. This whole project was approved by the appropriate offices, and then one nut job by the name of Pam Geller got a bur in her britches and decided she ruled the universe and she didn't want the project to go on. I find it amusing that she stole the name of a book by Ann Rand for her blog; "Atlas Shrugged", now she'll say hers is shrugs so it isn't stolen, but it's close enough for government work. She's all riled up about this mosque, but she also has a real thing about black sports figures.
There's a huge section on Chris Jackson aka Abdul-Rauf. and the fact that he left the NBA to go play ball in turkey. Here's a hint....his stats had gone downhill. He's getting older. This Gulfport Mississippi native has many things going for him, but he can't stop the aging process. I wonder why this is any of Queen Geller's business?? Who is she really?? A frustrated wanna be sports manager, or just another nosy bitch who wants her two minutes of fame to run forever? I will bet on the latter. Her blog picture is a highly sexed up version of superman, complete with the red s, and her face plugged into it....it should have been her rear end. she has this one section in her bio, where she refers to herself as Atlas. Rememeber your high school mythology? Atlas was a male, is she loaded with penis envy or just another tranny? She also tried to convince the world that she immersed herself in geo politics after 9/11 to gain better understanding. Really?? of what? Cause she obviously has no idea what true Islam is about, or any other religion. Her political affiliation is listed as "conservative" which when coupled with Christine O'Donnell, is another reason to take a long hard look at the independants or the Democrats.