Random Post about Some Art

Posted on by

Yep. Random post is random. BUT, it’s full of random awesomeness!

David Olenick

I discovered this artist not too long ago and I totally want to wallpaper my office in these. I love, love, LOVE David Olenick’s art. Behold:

The Pugly Truth Art Print

I had a Pug for a while. This is so accurate.

I think I really, REALLY need this one:

Coffee Talk Art Print

Especially since my favorite coffee mug is a cute little blue one I scored at the library one summer.

And for my graphic designer friends:

Four Colors and a Funeral Art Print

You can find these over on David’s Society 6 site.

Kevin Eslinger 

I ran into Kevin’s work at the local Arts & Jazz Festival. Check out this awesomeness:

Grump

Yes, that’s Grumpy Cat and that is amazeballs.

Here’s a great image of Hunter:

White Rabbit

I love the surreal quality of Kevin’s work. So cool.

Annie Smith – Tarnished and True

I ADORE Annie’s designs. As I was writing this post, my mailman drove up with my order from Annie’s shop (find it here).

Here’s my ring set:

2013-05-10 14.22.39

She has lots of fun, personalized jewelry bits on her site and I’ll be ordering more from her soon!

Karen Hallion

Ah, Karen. Karen, you are amazing. Dr. Who/Disney Princess mash-ups? Check! Pop culture art? Check! Steampunk amazingness? And check!

I actually have the print of this one hanging on my wall:

individual die cut Big Bad Wolf sticker

Here’s another fave:

Bride Print

Check out her Redbubble site at the link above or shop for Karen’s creations on her Etsy site.

Writing a Sex Scene

Posted on by

Ugh. This is a hard one for me. I feel like sex scenes are so awkward to write. Sure, I’ve written them before, but wow, I have to really put myself in the right state of mind to pull it off.

(Okay, why does everything in that sentence sound like a double entendre?)

Anyway, I just finished reading Steve Martin’s An Object of Beauty, and I must say, he writes the best sex scenes.

They make sense, they don’t feel like they go on for too long, and they never make you feel like a voyeur as you read them. Martin uses the act of sex as an illustration of the state of a relationship. The main character, Lacey, tends to throw men away – until she doesn’t. But when Martin writes a scene between Lacey and a partner…um…between the sheets, he leaves things unsaid. He lets you imagine what’s going on, and he doesn’t go into detail.

I think that’s what makes them so appealing: the element of imagination (and the things left to the imagination!). His scenes also feel organic to the story; they just fit. I hate it when a sex scene feels like filler or detracts from the story.

And I suppose that’s the lesson – and the one I’ll remember as a writer – if it feels natural for the characters to rendezvous in that way, then go for it. Otherwise, don’t force anything, because your characters don’t want to be forced into sex any more than you do. And don’t forget the element of imagination: leave some things unsaid.

…And use the word rendezvous more often; it’s delish!

On the horizon

Posted on by

There’s a long list of exciting things on the horizon. We’re buying the cottage for our country property and I’m waiting for the proof of Ruins of North Texas to arrive.

I have some cool stuff in the works to include giveaways (squeee!), cookies – yes, I said cookies – and more books to publish. And in the midst of all that, there’s regular life.

We painted the living room this weekend:

2013-03-03 14.10.37

It’s a very lovely green and brightens the space. We find ourselves commenting on our mutual love of the new green shade and now we have two other rooms to paint. But, as with everything we do, the painting went off without a hitch and without a fight, and we laughed the entire time.

Tonight was also Open House for the Minty Ninja. I had two realizations: 1) The ninja is much taller than most of her peers, and 2) I’m one of those young, hot mamas, relatively speaking. We live in a small town, but wow most of the parental units are older than I am. I’m used to being the median age for elementary kids’ parents, but in the new school, that doesn’t seem the case. Not that I’m complaining.

There’s the usual: friends coming and going, work drama and successes, family in town – we seem to be inundated with all of our soldiers lately, which is pretty great – and a music festival this weekend.

Life is great.

Extroverts vs. Introverts

Posted on by

Things are cyclic – especially trends on the internet. Lately some of my friends have been talking about their introversion and how they see the world and live in it. Okay, cool, but is labeling yourself an introvert or an extrovert a good thing?

Me? I’m an extrovert. I know this. I love social interaction, I’m expressive when I talk – and I have to talk, talk, talk through things – I’m busy and bustling, and I love a social climate.

But I also spend hours alone. I’ll get in my bright yellow car (such an “extrovert” shade) and drive around by myself for miles with nowhere to go. I can spend huge chunks of time in front of my computer, working and hacking away at a novel/encyclopedia article/curriculum build. These are characteristic introvert qualities – except maybe the yellow car.

I really only have two reasons for minding the label:

1) it limits people by defining them too narrowly (see above)

2) it’s easy to use an introvert/extrovert label as an excuse for unhealthy behavior, i.e.: hiding out by yourself and not making friends if you’re an introvert or being brash and rude because you’re an extrovert and you “always say the first thing that pops into your head.”

Enjoy your time alone – both intros and extros – and enjoy your time in social situations. Love who you are and embrace your spirit and vitality, but please, please don’t put more significance on these labels than they deserve.

Girl Geek Freak-out: Dr. Who and Dr. Horrible Themed Nail Polish

Posted on by

Girls! Check out The Time Traveler Collection from Nail Pattern Boldness – six different flavors colors of nail polish inspired by Dr. Who! I just became aware of these colors today, so I naturally had to share for any of the lady Whovians who might be out of the loop on the latest TARDIS-esque shades available.

My favorite is “Bigger on the Inside”:

Bigger on the inside

Go check out the rest of the colors over on Accio Lacquer, “where geek and lacquer make babies.”

And if you want to be recognized as a member of the Evil League of Evil, much like Dr. Horrible himself, check out Vivid Lacquer‘s Evil Collection of Evil, um…collection via the same site. “A Real, Audible Connection” is adorbz!

A Real Audible Connection 1

I love the matte finish the model nails sometimes sport too – very trendy.

Slaying the Word Dragon, or: What to do When Writer’s Block Strikes

Posted on by

One of my G+ homeys asked for some writing tips the other day, namely advice for combating writer’s block. I chimed in with my own advice (just one nugget of it, but still) and it got me thinking that I might as well write a post on the subject. Perhaps it will help you as you fight the word dragon who threatens to keep all of those luscious verbs and adjectives locked away in the dark cave of mediocrity. Or something…

Anyway, here are a few suggestions that may help you out:

Let the Music Flow

Some writers work with music on the entire time they write, and others find it to be a distraction. Regardless of the type of writer you are, music can help. Crank the tunes up and dance around your home office or program some tracks that put you in a certain mood. One of my tricks is to imagine what one of mycharacters might think of the song that’s playing. Imagine two of them dancing to it – or having a dance-off to it. Need to write a creepy scene? Put on creepy music. Need to write a fight scene? Hard rock, baby.

Just Start Writing

Yeah, yeah, I know what you’re saying: “I have writer’s block! Keep writing? Are you crazy?” Me being crazy has nothing to do with it. The answer is simple: Yes, keep writing. If you need to start new, try some free-association or stream of consciousness writing. Just start with the first thing that pops into your brain, whether it’s the mood you’re in or the weather outside. Start describing something. Even if you write a bunch of disjointed sentences, they’ll start to come together after a few minutes and you’ll get those creative juices going again.

Imagine Your Characters

I like to think of a situation my characters might be in: a fight, checking out at the grocery store, walking their dog. How would they do it? What would they be thinking? Would they like that song on the radio? Would they scoff at the books sitting on the corner of your desk? When you understand your characters better, you understand what you’re trying to write.

If All Else Fails: Walk Away From It

For a while, not forever. Go for a walk, do the dishes, watch “The Vampire Diaries” (mmm…Damon…). Get away from it for a bit and then come back and try again.

Sometimes the answer is just to push through it. I know you may not want to hear that, but it’s still the answer. Sometimes we just have to suck it up and write. I have a short passage in my current manuscript that is little more than bare bones narrative because I had a little writer’s block gnome sitting on my shoulder, but the passage immediately after it is juicy and wonderful. I can go back and put some meat on those bones, but if I hadn’t kept at it, I wouldn’t have that juicy prime rib paragraph at the end.

Happy Writing!