Mastering the Mile

Well ... we are full force into the volleyball season ... even though tryouts aren't until the end of next week. Summer leagues started the beginning of July and then camps began. Last week my daughter attended six FULL days (sometimes 10 hours worth) of volleyball camps.

Now, she has twelve days to master the mile. New varsity coach this year is requiring each of the girls to run a mile before the tryout session begins. If they want to make varsity, they need to run the mile in 7 minutes 45 seconds. This is fine. My daughter is physically fit, but she's not a runner. When we first learned of this new requirement, we went out and timed her mile. 10:30. ack. That was in the middle of the summer leagues and there wasn't a lot of time to work on improving it. Just before the volleyball camps, we timed it again. 9:32. Sweet. She shaved off nearly a minute. Today, we began the work of really improving her time before tryouts next Friday. Her time this morning: 8:45. Nice.

I'm sure she can master it. But she does not enjoy running.

Any tips for mastering the mile from my running pals out there? (I am SO NOT a runner!! I walk the track and cheer her on as she passes me each time!)

Delete 10,000 Words?

Yikes!

I've been struggling with my WIP recently, and yesterday I realized the trouble began when XX happened to my character. So I brainstormed a bit. I began to imagine how the story would have unfolded if XX had not happened. Ideas began to flow freely ... just the opposite of the words I've been forcing onto paper lately. So, I backtracked to that pivotal point in my story and used the word count feature in Word. I've "forced" nearly 10,000 words since that pivotal point. That equals 33 pages of writing -- hard effort writing.

Oh. Well.

I think it's the right choice.

So, I will cut and paste those 33 pages into another document. Maybe some of it is useful, but I think most of it is not.

Even though I'll be losing a lot of hard work, I feel like a burden has been lifted. I'm excited about my story again, and can't wait to get the new words typed out.

:)

Make Good Art - Neil Gaiman

Oh ... please ... take time and watch this commencement speech by Neil Gaiman. It is SO inspiring!

Book Review: HUSH, HUSH

Hmm. To be honest, I was disappointed with this book.

I had seen the cover and read the prologue online and was so impressed with both, that I purchased the book. It sat on my shelf for a LONG time, and when I finally had time to read it ... I was so excited.

Maybe my expectations were too high, but the body of the book did not match the tone of the prologue or the feeling of the cover. I expected something a little "darker" ... so the fact this book was so "fluffy" and light disappointed me.

I was going to give it three stars, because if I hadn't gone into it expecting something dark, I probably would have enjoyed it more ... but then I remembered the ending (I read this book three weeks ago) and changed my rating to two stars.

Spoiler alert.

I hate it when a female protagonist doesn't save herself and is willing to totally sacrifice herself for a guy. And I hate it even more when YA books reinforce this concept to our young women.

Too harsh?

What do you think?

Is it just a story and no big deal? Or should books encourage young women to reach for more within themselves?

One Writing Tip

"Facing a moral choice is perhaps one of the most powerful conflicts any novel can present. ... For example, what if giving up on reaching a goal would not just be easy but would be rewarded? Worse, what if saving the day means sacrificing something of one's self? Worse still, what if that part of one's self up for offering has been hard won and is of high importance?"

-- Donald Maass (Writing the Breakout Novel, p. 238)

Writing is like Angry Birds

Writing and publishing a novel is a lot like playing Angry Birds. Seriously. (And if you don't know what Angry Birds is, you are missing out!!)

photo source: http://technorati.com/technology/article/angry-birds-vs-angry-birds/

Sometimes with a new level on Angry Birds, I get lucky and nail all of the pigs with my first shot - - using one bird only. Sometimes ... I can use all of my birds and still not clear the level, and then those stinky little pigs laugh at me. Arrrgg. So, I try again. Sometimes it takes me a while to clear a level.

Then I was eating lunch with friends one day, and the wife explained how she only plays Angry Birds for fun. She doesn't care about her score or how many stars she earns. I realized I was a novice, because I didn't realize the star rating mattered. (I've only been playing the game for a few weeks.) My friend went on to explain that her husband not only plays for the high score, but he also won't move on to the next level until he's earned a three star rating.

Huh.

I went home and replayed all of my previously cleared levels to make sure I had a three star rating on each one.

Funny. Right?

But then I got to thinking ... this is a lot like writing. Some writers get pretty lucky with their first manuscript, their first query letter, and their first editor. Some writers have to work hard and figure out the right path, overcome the obstacles, and keep trying to achieve their goals.  Some writers are happy with just clearing the level and moving on. Other writers want a three star rating on each level.

What kind of writer are you? Does everything come easily on your first try? Are you happy just to finish? Or do you feel like you have to work harder at everything and earn the high score?

Book Review: TRUTH BE TOLD

I've never read a book by Larry King before. I've never watched a single interview he's done on t.v. ... So why would I read his book? Simple: I was curious.

It was a quick and easy read, and for much of the book I wanted to give a five star rating, but then I got to the section on politics and more than once, I thought, "Are you kidding me?" And then there was another point where he insulted Streisand for her perfectionism but joked about a time when Trump told him his breath stunk during an interview. The difference in attitudes seemed like such a sexist bias to me. I was annoyed.

However, the book was a great read.

And the fact that I stopped multiple times to read sections out loud to my family, told me this deserved five stars. The stories about music, celebrities, and life lessons were fascinating. And while I've never watched Larry King interview a single person, I still know who he is. ... Who doesn't?

This book was a great snapshot of not only Larry King but also people he's met along his journey.

What about you?

Have you watched any interviews by Larry King?

TRUTH BE TOLD by Larry King

Every once in awhile, I'm asked to read and review a book. When I received an email asking me if I was interested in TRUTH BE TOLD by Larry King, I hesitated. I do read non-fiction, but I've honestly never seen a single Larry King interview, ever. But I figured: why not? Below is a sampling of the writing, and on Monday, I will give you my opinion of the book.

Truth Be Told
By Larry King,
Author of Truth Be Told: Off the Record about Favorite Guests, Memorable Moments, Funniest Jokes, and a Half Century of Asking Questions

I was speaking at The University of Texas -- Pan American not long ago and a student asked me a question that had never been asked of me in more than fifty years of broadcasting.

"What fictional character would you like to interview?"

My first thought was Superman. Of course, there's the obvious question we'd all like answered:

Isn't it kind of incredible that after you took off your glasses no one recognized you as Clark Kent?

When I took off my glasses in front of the crowd at Pan American, they laughed. Hey, it's plain to see, I'm still Larry.

Dick Tracy is another fictional character I'd like to have had on Larry King Live. I would've asked him:

• What made you so crazed about crime as to put all other things secondary? Did something happen in your childhood?
• Why? Why only yellow coats?
• Who gave you your watch?
• How come your hat never fell off?

Then there's Hamlet.

• Ever think you'd become famous?
• Did you like what Bill wrote?
• A ghost comes to talk to you. You bought that?
• Did you ever just think it was your imagination?
• Do you really speak that way? C'mon, speak to me real?

Over the years, people have asked about the subjects I always wished I had a chance to interview. Off the top of my head, there are three.

The first is Cuba's revolutionary leader, Fidel Castro. I went to Havana to try to arrange an interview with him a few years ago. I was shocked to find out how many people in Cuba knew who I was. As I walked down the street, people ran over, screaming: Senor Larry! Senor Larry!

Unfortunately, the interview couldn't be arranged. But here are a few of the questions I would've asked Fidel:

• Did you ever communicate with an American president?
• Was your revolution a success?
• How do you measure success?
• How does it feel when your daughter speaks out against you?
• What did you make of the fall of communism in the Soviet Union?
• How has the blockade hurt you the most?
• Did you ever think that the United States would change its policies?

Then there's Prince Charles. To be quite honest, I've never been a big fan of our shows on British royalty. Certainly, the death of Princess Di was a major new story, and we covered it thoroughly. But it seemed to me we did way too many shows on the royals than were necessary. I understand the appetite among the public for all things royal. But Prince Charles is a figure of interest to me simply as a man. I'd like to ask him:

• How does it feel to have things given to you that others have to strive for?
• What's the biggest burden of royalty?
• In British history, is Gandhi a hero?
• How do the British see Benedict Arnold?
• How do you view prime ministers? Do you want to speak out more politically?
• What are your thoughts on America?
• What can you tell us from the heart about Lady Di?

Then, there's the Pope. I would've liked to have interviewed any Pope. Once, the producers at Larry King Live got a maybe from John Paul II, but it never worked out. If I could sit with Pope Benedict XVI, I'd like to know:

• Did you want the job?
• Did you lobby for the job?
• What are the biggest failings of the church?
• What was the most disturbing part of the priest/child molestation scandal in the United States?
• In truth, how difficult is celibacy?
• Will we have a black pope?

Ordinarily, at 78 years old, I might look upon these questions with sadness that they were never asked. But now that ORA.tv, my new Internet company, is about to get started, they just may. You never know . . .

© 2012 Larry King, author of Truth Be Told: Off the Record about Favorite Guests, Memorable Moments, Funniest Jokes, and a Half Century of Asking Questions

Author Bio
Larry King, author of Truth Be Told: Off the Record about Favorite Guests, Memorable Moments, Funniest Jokes, and a Half Century of Asking Questions, was the host of CNN's Larry King Live, the first worldwide phone-in television talk show and the network's highest-rated program for twenty-five years. the Emmy-winning King also founded the Larry King Cardiac Foundation, which has raised millions of dollars and provided lifesaving cardiac procedures for nearly sixty needy children and adults.

Camping Pictures - NOT!

Sad: Camera died before I ever even took a single picture!!

Happy: We had a WONDERFUL time camping for ten days in the boonies. We dug our own latrine and built an outdoor shower ... truly, it was awesome.

Except, I often wonder why I go camping. I hate bugs, and I hate extreme heat. And we had a LOT of both.

But then I planted my chair in the river, breathed in the fresh air, watched the tree tops sway in the breeze, and I remembered why I love to go camping. There were a gazillion butterflies on the rocky beach; the sky was a brilliant blue without a cloud in sight; and we were alone. No chaos. No arguing. No phone calls. No obligations. Bliss.

The dogs chased chipmunks and jumped in the river.

My daughter and I played cards with our chairs and a table half in the river. The breeze coming off the rapids kept us cool in the heat of the day.

I admit, coming home to a clean bathroom and clean sheets was nice, but I look forward to our next opportunity to go camping.

Gone Camping

We left Tuesday of this week to go camping for ten days. :)

Maybe I'll have some pictures to post when we return.

Have a great week, and I'll see you again on Friday the 13th!!!

IWSG: Independence Day

First Wednesday of the month = Insecure Writer's Support Group

Happy Independence Day USA!

Are you an independent writer? Blogger? Human? I say, no. As writers, we depend upon others, whether that be critique partners or readers. We need other people. Bloggers. We need other bloggers and readers. Humans. Likewise.

Maybe I don't understand the word, independent. Let's look it up. According to www.merriam-webster.com:

Definition of INDEPENDENT

1: not dependent: as   

a (1): not subject to control by others : self governing   (2): not affiliated with a larger controlling unit independent bookstore>   

b (1): not requiring or relying on something else : not contingent independent conclusion> (2): not looking to others for one's opinions or for guidance in conduct (3): not bound by or committed to a political party   

c (1): not requiring or relying on others (as for care or livelihood) <independent of her parents> (2): being enough to free one from the necessity of working for a living independent means>

d: showing a desire for freedom independent manner>   

e (1): not determined by or capable of being deduced or derived from or expressed in terms of members (as axioms or equations) of the set under consideration; (2): having the property that the joint probability (as of events or samples) or the joint probability density function (as of random variables) equals the product of the probabilities or probability density functions of separate occurrence

...

Okay.

What do you think?
As a writer, blogger, human, are YOU dependent upon others?

The Darkest Evening of the Year

In previous posts (like this one - click here), I've mentioned the idea of actively reading and marking favorite passages in books, and I felt like it was time to address the topic again.

As writers, we love to read, and sometimes we should do it solely for the pleasure of reading, however, if we want to improve our own writing, it's a worthwhile effort to read with the purpose of learning.

I recently finished reading THE DARKEST EVENING OF THE YEAR by Dean Koontz. (To read my short review, CLICK HERE.)

I keep skinny Post-it Note tabs where I usually read, so that I can quickly mark a sentence that moves me. I put the clear adhesive part of the tab right over the sentence and leave the colored end sticking off the edge of the page, that way I don't have to search the whole page for the sentence I enjoyed.

Here are some sentences from this book by Koontz:

"Matching plump sheepskin-covered dog beds mushroomed in two corners of the bedroom" (page 81).

"Exhaustion whetted his imagination even as it dulled his mind" (page 137).

"In that small refuge, brightened by one flashlight, the ceiling and the walls transmitted vibrations from the punished earth above, and dust sifted down, and the hordes of Hell howled at the door and tested the bolts that held it" (page 207).

"Although the chimes usually appealed, something in their jangle disturbed her. In her years here, this was the first wind that was not a good musician" (page 394).

...

When you've finished reading a book, add the marked passages to a file on your computer, or hand write them in a notebook reserved just for great lines. Then when you're feeling blocked or frustrated or lacking with your own writing, read through your favorite passages and find inspiration.

Do you have a favorite line from a book you're currently reading or that you've read in the past?