Conan - 2011

Thankfully, Nano is almost over.  I am so close to being at 50,000 words.  I hope to get there either late Monday or at the latest, Tuesday.  The novel I am writing will not be complete at 50,000 words but it will be pretty darn close.  I am still liking the title, Shadow's End, for it.  What I have realized during the write of this novel is that Leif is going to need his own story told.  I am thinking about doing one for him.  I have never tried to write a story from the POV of a boy.  I will have to see if I can pull it off.

~*~

So, I was finally able to watch the new Conan movie over the weekend.  As you may recall I wanted to see it over the summer, but because it was rated R, I was not able too.  Not because I am not old enough to get in (hahahaha) but because we go to see movies as a family and that one was not quite appropriate for a 9 almost 10 year old.

Thank goodness I had that foresight too.  That movie....I was so excited for it.  The story line looked so good?  The lead guy that looked very promising?  Just....vomit.  Conan was sadly just a movie about splashing gallons of blood everywhere for no real reason.  Oh and tons of boob shots.  Why?  Did they think a boobie here and there would make it a better flick?  Bad, bad and so bad. 

The movie starts out with young Conan, being part of a competition between the boys his age for a place in the warrior ranks.  Of course his father has to die, which I expected, and they did it in the most violent of ways with pails of blood shooting out everywhere.  EVERYWHERE.  I thought, "Okay, I can get over the gore.  I expected that."  But then, the next scene you get a slut-ball Conan as an adult hauling off naked girls everytime you turn around, until that is...he meets...HER.  Of course they hate each other at first.  They have to fight it out until the end, when they realize they love each other. 

The story line:  Based around an old mask that comes to life with power when "filled" with the blood of a certain lineage.  The mask is actually kinda cool and creepy all at the same time. One man claims the mask and plans to rule the world with his witch wife that is already dead, but the mask will bring her back to life.  His daughter, also a witch with a scary freaky hairdoo, does a really good job in her part btw.  The blood they need?  Conan's woman of course.  So the story consists of everyone trying to possess her.  Fights and blood and death ensue until she is captured by the bad guy.  Then more fights and more blood.  There was a pretty good part with sand warriors.  Had the whole movie been that caliber it would have been a good flick, but no. 

All in all, I am so glad that I did not spend my $50 at the theater to see that load of poo.  The $1.00 I spent through the redbox, was almost too much.  Bummer.

That's all I got for today.  Have a great week everyone.
ctny

Versatile Blogger Award

Thank you Carrie(!) – a soccer queen or to those of you up north and across the pond “footy” - for sharing the versatile blog award with me, as you will see it has now been combined with the '10 Things You Didn't Know About Me' award. 

 

As with Ms. Carrie, I have decided to go with her theme of:

When I was little:

1) I dreamed of being an artist and one day colored a lovely mural of my entire family on the white walls of my bedroom, top to bottom.  I thought they were lovely, but my warmed behind and my missing of the muppet show were proof that I was quite wrong. 

2) I was shy even at the ripe old age of seven years old.  I used to hide inside this evergreen bush before school so that I didn’t have to stand in line with the other kids.  That is also were I had my first kiss that same year, when Spence P. climbed into the bush beside me and laid one me.  I didn’t think I was going to like kissing after that as all it was, was wet and gross. 

3) We moved a lot when I was little.  As in every year I attended a new school.  It’s one of the reason I stopped trying to make friends.  Why bother when the next year I would just move again and have to start all over.  That worked well for me until the 6^th grade when we moved out to BFE and then STAYED there until I graduated.  The nerve…

4) I was afraid of the big bad wolf for years.  I swear, swear he lived in our basement. 

5) I was not a cheer leader, but I did play volleyball and basketball and there were days I was pretty decent at both. 

6) I had a huge thing for Prince and Tom Cruise.  Not sure what that says about me as they both turned out a bit on the weird side. 

7) I used to tie my shirts at the side and wore leg warmers.

8)  I spent most Friday nights at the skating rink, regardless of where were lived.  It is the one time in my life that I was not clumsy.  No idea why having four wheels attached my feet made me graceful, but that was the only time in my life that I was and still am for that matter.  Yes, we still go, now and then and yeah, I still got it. 

9) I was at one time in Awana, was a brownie, a bluebird, a firegirl, and finally a girl scout.  Moved a lot remember?  Every town had their own “thing”.

10) And last but not least, I wanted to be a Stewardess.  That is what they were called at the time.  I thought they had to live the best life.  Getting to see the world one airplane ride at a time.  But, to this day, I have still never once been on a plane.... 

 ~*~

On a aside, my story Shapes for Lunch is in the November Issue of Stories for Children Magazine.  If you would like to check it out, you can find it HERE.

Also Nano is going well.  I am upwards of 37,000 words.  In the home stretch ya'll. 

Have a great week.

ctny

Nano - Week Three

As I said last week, I am participating in Nano this year - which means I don’t have the time I normally do to blog.  Therefore this week and most likely next and the next you will get a bit of randomness from me.  So what's on my mind today?

1.  Mondays in Nano-land are rough for me.  I am always, ALWAYS behind in word count on Mondays because I just don’t have the time to write during my weekends.  I didn't write one single stinkin word this weekend so again I am 3400 words in the crapper.  Darn it all! 

2.  Pumpkins.  Did you know that those little pie pumpkins have and make a TON of pumpkin puree?  I have so much pumpkin tidbits in the kitchen thanks to one measly pie pumpkin.  That includes Pumpkin Muffins, Pumpkin Pie, and Pumpkin bread.  AND I still have some puree left.  What...the...heck?  I am going to try pumpkin cheesecake one day this week and see if I can use up the rest. 

3.  Thanksgiving.  With all the noodle making, and turkey preparing, and stuffing fixin, I wonder if anyone thinks about the reason for the holiday anymore.  If you ask my teenager, she will say Thanksgiving is all about the FOOD, the best holiday EVER!  If you ask my little one, she will say its extra days off of school and work.  I think we are missing something....

4.  Reading.  I miss reading.  I haven't read anything in 14 days.  Most likely I wont read anything either for another 16.  I have at least 8 books sitting on my kindle calling my name and I don’t have the time to even look at them.  Nano is rough in more ways than I realized.

5.  Uggs.  I really want a new pair.  I don’t care if they are boots, or moccasins or what, I just need a new pair.  Its getting really cold and I hate chilly feet.  They should make a heeled ugg so that I can wear them to work without having to change into more "appropriate" work gear. 

Well that's it for today.  I am now off to Acadia to deal with firepeople, blue fairies, see if I can hunt down a shadow guardian, and figure out how to defeat a king.  Have a great week everyone.  See ya next.

ctny

Writing a Novel – Shadow’s End.

This year I am taking part in NANO. NANO is a month long event every November wherein authors from around the country sit down to write a novel or at least 50,000 words or more of a novel.  It runs from November 1 to November 30 each year.  We have 30 days, to write our 50,000 words. 

This year I am taking on NANO, for the first time I might add, and using the opportunity to write the last book in the Shadow Dancer series.  The title, very loosely named at this point, is Shadow’s End.  As of today, November 7, 2011, at a word count of 6,950, I am already 3,400 words behind schedule. Yikes!  I hope to get at least partially caught up today. 

When writing a novel, as some of you already know, I am not an outline person.  I sit down, and begin: Once Upon A Time, and then continue to trek right though until I reach the end.  Oh I have a general idea of what needs to happen or what I want to have occur, but in the end, I simply let my characters run where they may.  I am just as surprised by how my stories turn out as my readers are at times, due to my characters having taken a strange u-turn along the way.  That is one of the best parts about writing in my opinion.  The journey, the thrill, the surprise, the WTH?  

I love writing new stories.  The editing…not so much.  I hope to have a firm first draft of Shadow’s End by November 30.  I can’t wait to see how the story ends.  I hope it’s a good ending.  I don’t know yet.  We’ll just have to see, eh?

Anyone else doing NANO this year?  How is it going?  Are you fairing well?  Are you ahead or behind in your word count?  Want to buddy up?  You can find me under (no surprise) Ctnyrene.  Have a great week everyone. 

ctny