Friday Fiver Halloween Style

1. Some ruckus-raising high schoolers smashed all our pumpkins last night and then rang the doorbell as if there was an emergency. Some lady walking her dog with a cell phone called the cops, but they couldn't find them. They ruined our neighbors' pumpkins up the street too. Boo!

2. Whoooooooooo. Writing going full blast. I am going to have to take a break from it this morning to finish a book editing project or two. Back to it over the weekend!

3. Hilarious new advanced reader copy from Virgin USA of a book on public libraries. Can't wait to read it. (creepy organ music)

4. Scrubs is back! (scream) I am so happy. This show is one of my favorites and I don't understand why it's not a bigger hit. Watch it; you'll be glad you did.

5. Sending good vibes to K today as she heads in for yet another batch of chemo. We love you, K. GO WSU and keep the faith.

Playing on the iPod: Valkyrie Missile (Angels & Airwaves)

Anti-Resistance Thursday

Oh boy, am I getting it. Not in the usual manner either. And then the little miracles always appear and I am pretty insistent on seeing those whenever I can. This morning we had a few and so I'm inspired to face Resistance head-on today.

The writing is moving along at a steady pace; my to-do list is getting done and I'm lining up the rest of this year for freelance and down-time (lists of books to read by year's end, etc.) and it feels good to be home and getting settled. Of course, the bits of Resistance that continue to show up are signs that I'm heading the right direction and I'm relieved that they are blocking my path. I need to overcome them today to keep going. Here we go!

Here's a bit of Steven Pressfield to get us all fired up.

Sometimes we balk at embarking on an enterprise because we're afraid of being alone. We feel uncomfortable with the tribe around us; it makes us nervous going off into the woods on our own.

Here's the trick: We're never alone. As soon as we step outside the campfire glow, our Muse lights on our shoulder like a butterfly. The act of courage calls forth infallibly that deeper part of ourselves that supports and sustains us.

Playing on the iPod: Move Along (All-American Rejects)

Writing Inspiration Wednesday

Some tips on writing dialogue from Monica Wood:

When writing dialogue, eliminate hellos and good-byes. Salutations usually gum up the works without adding a shred of character development or forward motion.
Dialogue from inexperienced writers often reads like this:

"Hello."
"Mitzi, is that you?"
"Yes, it's me."
"What do you want."
"Well, it's about Fluffy."

And so forth, paralyzing the story's momentum. When the phone rings, skip to the point:

Igor picked up the phone. It was Mitzi, bent on delivering the latest installment of Fluffy's confinement.
"She's doing that weird drooly thing again," she said. "I need you to pick up some of her special food."

Similarly, when it's time to hang up, ditch the farewells and disconnect:

"There's nothing wrong with that suptid lizard that a healthy dose of neglect won't cure," Igor said.
"Are you going to start on her? Don't you even think about starting on her."
They went on like this for another ten minutes, until Igor hung up, hauled on his coat, and headed to the pet store.

Good ideas, right? Helps me today as I write, write, write. Am knee-deep in my first draft.

Playing on the iPod: Bad Day (Daniel Powter)

Monday/Tuesday Mash

Yes, I'm a day behind (but not a dollar short, or behind on my writing, so I'm good).

Life has now slowed down for the traveling two of us. We're tired after a month of being in transit and so glad to be home and gearing up for a fun holiday season! We're with family in Oregon for T-day, but we're home for Christmas! First time in this house and first time in four years! It's going to be great. I finally can get a tree if I want to and I can bake and store up piles of movies and stay at home in my comfy fleece and Ugg boots and eat dark chocolate and Christmas cookies!

I'm adding a Good Reads feature to my blog. We'll see how it looks. It gives my readers a chance to see what I've got on my reading list. And I will definitely link to any reviews that are worthwhile for your enjoyment.

My thoughts are with SoCal as the fires rage. Stay safe, friends!

Playing on the iPod: Enigma Variations (Elgar)