Wednesday, December 14, 2011

What America Means to Me


    In my book, there is no America - it's been lost, forbidden by Hitler to ever return.
    Since I've been writing about the fall of America and the freedoms that are no longer in play, I've learned more respect for our country and the symbols associated with the States - I know what they mean.
    Lade says that "America is nothing but a wonderful fantasy land."
    We Americans take for granted that we can walk outside without being shot - we can buy a car or groceries - we can do things that other countries won't allow. The fictional country of Ander in my story is nothing at all how America was.
It's funny how you can feel something so strongly that only you can feel. I feel America, much differently that those fighting for our country, but I feel it.
    God Bless the USA :)

Monday, November 7, 2011

100th Page Anniversary

    Wahoo! I finally got to 100 pages :) well, now it's 106... Haha - I love writing; it's so fun! My sister rolls her eyes at me when I say that, but it's true. I love when an idea comes and you just have to follow it until you can breathe out again. I'm getting hooked to it though, thinking about it and writing little notes to myself to "fix this paragraph" or "add 'this or that' to that sentence" and "explain this part better." Haha, I love bloody-ing up my papers.
    Here's the latest possible-cover picture:

front
























back
   
    
    I chose black for the "On September..." paragraph
because the white made it seem too bright? Haha, I
don't know! I tried red, and the "Ballade..." paragraph 
as white, then black - but nothing seemed to fit. I'll
probably fix it later...
   What'd you think?

Monday, October 10, 2011

Which Way??

    [Some] Rules of Writing:
1.  Complete an idea before you start another.
2.  Press forward - try not to waste time erasing and starting something over.*
3.  Make note of any and all ideas pertaining to the plot.
4.  Don't use the all the ideas you write down for one story.
5.  Read, reread, and triple-read after each chapter to catch anything you want change.
6.  Listen to any and all advice - this does not mean do everything they tell you, but listen to them.

    * Backing up and erasing: something I've refrained from doing. Well, you have to break your own rules once in a while, yes? Yes; and that's exactly what I did. I erased four chapters and started a different idea, and so far, so good! Haha, I hardly ever do this - but I could either have just kept going with the original idea; or I could back up then go forward :) I might have to do this again later, haha.

Monday, October 3, 2011

All the Time

    So I get to school and can only think about Lade. I'm sitting in honors biology and catch myself thinking that Lade should do this; this can happen to so and so; Gabe can say this--ahhh!! It's so frustrating when that's all you think about: your book. What to take out, what to add on. Urg!
    Haha, it's good when you think about your book all the time, right?  
    Or is it obsession? I'm not quite sure myself, but I'm going to say for right now, it's good :)

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Mother Memories

    Lade's life is on a standstill - anticipating whether or not you're going to die today can do that for you - and hearing one voice takes her into a trance. She remembers all the times her mother, Jean, subtly said her daughter was ugly; that she was ashamed to have a daughter that "looks like that." And it hurts. As Lade goes through these memories, her willingness to live begins to slide... Why should she survive if her mother can't even live with her - all because of her hair and eyes?
    I'm smiling as I make these memories. "Why?" you ask, well, your readers have to connect with your characters. There has to be some children who have thought that their parent's aren't proud of them. This is what Lade is feeling almost all the time. Because of Hitler's law (any blonde blue-eyed person or any person aiding this individual is to be executed to avoid rebellion) her mother begged to have Lade's hair dyed; to have optical surgery; anything to change her daughter's looks ... only because Jean is afraid of what Hitler would do to Jean.
   

Friday, September 23, 2011

It's Annoying, Let Me Tell Ya

   It's annoying when you get three chapters done, and you're feeling so good about it - then wham. You go blank. You have no ideas. No idea how to keep going. No way to start some new conflict (or how to resolve the earlier one). 
   You want to bring in new characters, but you know you have to get some more information to the readers before you just plop them in. It's annoying when you know you have a few chapters before you can introduce your new idea - or you have an awesome ending to use but you have no idea how to get from point A to B then to C. Agh!
    Oh well... back to the storming boards.
This picture is me right now: I'm Tom. And what I want is just out of reach, almost like it's laughing in my face ... =)

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

50th Page Anniversary

    Yes! I got to 50. It's been a  long time since I got to fifty pages in any story. It's kind of when you figure out it's something worth doing; since I got to 50, I'll stick with it. Well, even though my chapters are all almost a two pages long, it's coming along nicely. Haha! I got a little bit bored...

    I'm not too sure about the brown, but here's another idea :)

    So... 16 chapters, 50 pages. I'm having a great day!

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

A new "How-to" book!

So for my birthday, I got a book on "How to Write a Novel" from my uncle. He's a great support to me and my writing. Thanks Cody! Let's hope I can understand the language ;) Hahaha

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Dang it!

   Well, great. I did a little research for Song of the Dead and found out I have to change some things ... Sometimes being a writer can be so fun; other times, it's a horrid nightmare of scribbling out stuff with red ink.

   At least, though, I'm open to ideas. I think I can work this out. I think I can. I think I can. =)

Monday, August 29, 2011

Idea

I fiddled with this for a while... like it?

Song of the Dead

     Song of the Dead is a twisted Historical Fiction. It is set in 2011, and the main character's name is Lade. She is nineteen with blonde hair and blue eyes. Lade enjoys listening and making music; it's been in the family for generations and it's where she got her name, Ballade. It is German for 'song.' Her father's side of the family is German and her mother's family is from the old country called America. Lade and her family are citizens of Ander, German for 'other.' Why is America now Ander--a German-controlled country? Well, everything changed in 1945.
      Hitler won WWII.

Friday, August 26, 2011

Getting Started

     I'm starting my book over. Again. Ha, this'll be the fourth time I've started with a blank page following "Chapter One." Yipee. I was informed today that I can write a short story on a twisted historical fiction piece of work. I'm not sure what my instructor's idea of 'short story' is, but none of my stories are short.
     I hate having all these ideas playing tag around in my head--ideas with this story, and ideas with that story; ideas for new stories and ideas for ones I haven't looked at in years.
     As Walt Disney once said, "You can do what you dream. Remember, this all came from a mouse and a dream."