I am a sucker for really cheap books. It is huge weakness for me. I will read any book that costs a dollar or less unless it is just a romance book. Not to say the books I just read didn't have some love story element to it. It is safe to say love is everywhere and sometimes love is just the bigger part of the whole story. It is my thought that love is the root of all evil (not money). Why? Look at love- people get jealous, people will kill for it, steal for it and whatever else love possesses people to do. Anyway back on track on cheap books....
While shopping at Ollie's one day, I found myself drifting over to the books and I found Sweep by Cate Tiernan, it is series of novels for teens. This particular book had three separate novels in it, Book of Shadows, The Coven, and Blood Witch. Thank god, they were the first three books. Okay this book was $2.99 but it did have three novels so I really only paid a buck a book.
I read all three in one day, there are very quick to read. So lets get to the basic story line. A girl meets this enigmatic hunk who is Wiccan. She is quite taken by him. Eventually, he forms a new coven with the friends he met since he is new in town. The main girl, Morgan, comes to discover she is a real witch from a witch bloodline. The story weaves love and jealousy, high school drama, spells and circles and magick of discovering of the Wiccan path.
One thing is incredibly evident, Cate knows her stuff. She didn't pull the Wiccan stuff at her ass. I am assuming she probably practices. I did like that about the book. And I am sure I said something about witch's are cool. Though it seems like Secret Circle a series of books by LJ Smith (same author who wrote The Vampire Diaries). I have not read the books but watched the show on Netflix and there is a lot of similar story lines.
I am not going to rip apart her work at all. For many reasons: she is published, so who am I to judge her work. I don't have books published. Her novels are for teens and I write more for an adult audience. Her books must be popular because there are 12 more in the series. I do want to share what I learned from a writing point of view.
*When I was a young teen I read The Fear Street series by RL Stine, things have changed as far appropriate content for teens, especially in the sex department. There is mentions of sex but there is not pages and pages of sex. This especially good to know if I want to write for a younger audience
*How the story is crafted. One thing that is harped on almost every writing site is character development and don't tell show. Of course this is a large series so character development can happen over a longer period of time. There is an equal mix of showing and telling. And to me it seems like she wrote these stories because that is the way she wrote them. These novels are more story driven and not character driven, this is how I exactly write. I want to tell a story.
*Description is always awesome. Some of her descriptive passages were just amazing with a beautiful mix of colors and scents especially since all books took place in fall through early winter. She really chose some nice adjectives to enhance color.
And with that I am done. Read a book, stay under the covers and watch shadows dance on the wall.
Saturday, November 3, 2012
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
A Halloween Tale
It was a dark and stormy night (don't all fireside tales start with that) there was a rocking vampire. Night's special daughter, hair streaked with purple and blue eyes that would remind you of the Atlantic Ocean. She ran through the rain looking for shelter. A man chased her with a stake in hand to rid the world of one more blood thirsty creature. She didn't choose this life, she was a victim but she grew to love the night and the never ending feast of flowing blood before her.
A church loomed before her, the man closed in. She tried the red door and she slipped in. All the penny candles were lit for it was All Saint's Day and the church glowed with serenity and peace. She ducked into a confessional.
"Good evening miss, what is troubling you?" the preist asked.
"There is a man chasing me. I think he is in here. He watched me come in."
"Be still." She heard his door open. Then heard both men talking.
"Father, there is demon blood in the church."
"You will not harm anyone in the house of God."
"I am doing God's work. The girl is a vampire, she feasts on the living. She is Satan's daughter."
"And we feast on the animals of the world. And we are all animals. Go or I should call the police. And I don't think they will believe you especially over the word from a preist."
"You will be sorry when she takes your blood. Then who will be your savior?"
She heard the door slam. "Miss you can come out."
Slowly, she left the booth and gazed into the young man's eyes. His wolf eyes glimmered in the candle light. And if there is ever a thing of love at first sight, this would be it. A man of the cloth and a daughter of the night. Sometimes love has no reason just answers to a soul's contentment.
So they lived secretly, he broke all the vows but it didn't matter. She wanted to turn him but he didn't want that. After many years they had a daughter, who was blood thirtsy as well but in a different way. Years went by and the hunter came back with the witch who discovered the unlikely family. She cursed the family and they would suffer.
He died shortly after the witch cursed them. Both the vampire and the daughter anguished over his death. Yet, he came back. He broke from the simple wooden casket and dug his way out the earth and made his way home. Not a vampire nor a zombie just a dead man, doomed to walk the earth forever. He always had pain from decomposition and his face had no skin. His bones were brittle and he hurt all over.
They made do they were happy to have him home again but now they had to go into hiding. Their daughter played dress up one day in the bright sunshine. She wore a lovely white dress and pretended she was a bride. A car from nowhere came down the street and smashed into her. The vampire and the preist knew she would come back and she did. Now they really had to hide.
Now the only night they can go out with out fear of being caught or cursed was Halloween night. They spent all night walking the streets sometimes getting candy but most of the time they enjoyed their one night of pure freedom. Maybe you saw them tonight, maybe they came to your house. Maybe you thought they just had great costumes on but they are the real deal.
Happy Halloween everyone!
A church loomed before her, the man closed in. She tried the red door and she slipped in. All the penny candles were lit for it was All Saint's Day and the church glowed with serenity and peace. She ducked into a confessional.
"Good evening miss, what is troubling you?" the preist asked.
"There is a man chasing me. I think he is in here. He watched me come in."
"Be still." She heard his door open. Then heard both men talking.
"Father, there is demon blood in the church."
"You will not harm anyone in the house of God."
"I am doing God's work. The girl is a vampire, she feasts on the living. She is Satan's daughter."
"And we feast on the animals of the world. And we are all animals. Go or I should call the police. And I don't think they will believe you especially over the word from a preist."
"You will be sorry when she takes your blood. Then who will be your savior?"
She heard the door slam. "Miss you can come out."
Slowly, she left the booth and gazed into the young man's eyes. His wolf eyes glimmered in the candle light. And if there is ever a thing of love at first sight, this would be it. A man of the cloth and a daughter of the night. Sometimes love has no reason just answers to a soul's contentment.
So they lived secretly, he broke all the vows but it didn't matter. She wanted to turn him but he didn't want that. After many years they had a daughter, who was blood thirtsy as well but in a different way. Years went by and the hunter came back with the witch who discovered the unlikely family. She cursed the family and they would suffer.
He died shortly after the witch cursed them. Both the vampire and the daughter anguished over his death. Yet, he came back. He broke from the simple wooden casket and dug his way out the earth and made his way home. Not a vampire nor a zombie just a dead man, doomed to walk the earth forever. He always had pain from decomposition and his face had no skin. His bones were brittle and he hurt all over.
They made do they were happy to have him home again but now they had to go into hiding. Their daughter played dress up one day in the bright sunshine. She wore a lovely white dress and pretended she was a bride. A car from nowhere came down the street and smashed into her. The vampire and the preist knew she would come back and she did. Now they really had to hide.
Now the only night they can go out with out fear of being caught or cursed was Halloween night. They spent all night walking the streets sometimes getting candy but most of the time they enjoyed their one night of pure freedom. Maybe you saw them tonight, maybe they came to your house. Maybe you thought they just had great costumes on but they are the real deal.
Happy Halloween everyone!
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Gingerbread Man 3: Saturday Night Cleaver
On average, I spend more time browsing through Netflix and adding titles to the instant queue than I do actually watching things. I do watch quite a bit but some are Hollywood movies like the Hellraiser series or they are not even worthy of any one's time.
Last night as the very disappointing remnants of Hurricane Sandy meowed through, I watched Gingerbread Man 3: Saturday Night Cleaver. Three words: HOMICIDAL GINGERBREAD MAN. I was intrigued, curious, and all other adjectives about this movie. I already knew going into it the cheese level would be off the scale but sometimes it is just plain fun to watch a stupid somewhat gory horror/comedy movie.
I never saw the other 2 but I don't think you need to (hell, I am not even sure they exist, I am sure they do but who cares anyway). So the bad ass gingerbread man is freed from his prison, some how finds himself in this laboratory where they are experimenting with a time machine. And he gets his doughy ass sent back to 1976. Not just any old place in 1976 but a disco roller skating rink. The movie just gets better from there.
The movie spoofs Silent of the Lambs, Carrie and even Porky's the spoofs are cheesy but also a little funny. Though this is not a Troma movie, there are some of the same elements. Raunchy sex scenes and sex jokes (definitely the Porky's spoof scene), there is some gore (hey for some reason a roller skating rink just happens to have a giant tub of hydrochloric acid and there is a nail gun) but it is totally fake and funny. The storyline is stupid as hell but look at the title of the movie, really how serious can you be with a HOMICIDAL GINGERBREAD MAN.
Sometimes a movie like this (check back into Poultrygeist ) is reminder that we need to just watch something for stupid's sake. And as writers it is a gentle reminder that it is okay to have fun with writing and that we all don't have to be serious all the time. There is plenty of time for serious movies, serious story lines and serious character development.
With that my little chickadees, may your trick or treat bags hold steady and the candy plentiful.
Last night as the very disappointing remnants of Hurricane Sandy meowed through, I watched Gingerbread Man 3: Saturday Night Cleaver. Three words: HOMICIDAL GINGERBREAD MAN. I was intrigued, curious, and all other adjectives about this movie. I already knew going into it the cheese level would be off the scale but sometimes it is just plain fun to watch a stupid somewhat gory horror/comedy movie.
I never saw the other 2 but I don't think you need to (hell, I am not even sure they exist, I am sure they do but who cares anyway). So the bad ass gingerbread man is freed from his prison, some how finds himself in this laboratory where they are experimenting with a time machine. And he gets his doughy ass sent back to 1976. Not just any old place in 1976 but a disco roller skating rink. The movie just gets better from there.
The movie spoofs Silent of the Lambs, Carrie and even Porky's the spoofs are cheesy but also a little funny. Though this is not a Troma movie, there are some of the same elements. Raunchy sex scenes and sex jokes (definitely the Porky's spoof scene), there is some gore (hey for some reason a roller skating rink just happens to have a giant tub of hydrochloric acid and there is a nail gun) but it is totally fake and funny. The storyline is stupid as hell but look at the title of the movie, really how serious can you be with a HOMICIDAL GINGERBREAD MAN.
Sometimes a movie like this (check back into Poultrygeist ) is reminder that we need to just watch something for stupid's sake. And as writers it is a gentle reminder that it is okay to have fun with writing and that we all don't have to be serious all the time. There is plenty of time for serious movies, serious story lines and serious character development.
With that my little chickadees, may your trick or treat bags hold steady and the candy plentiful.
Sunday, October 28, 2012
What About Sandy?
I am glued to Hurricane Sandy. Perhaps because it is a big storm and I have a thing for storms. Give me a hurricane any day, tornadoes I am deathly afraid of. Anyway, my family who is lucky enough to live in eastern PA (Philly and Allentown area) will be graced with her presence and she will come knocking at their door pretty rough from what I understand.
I, on the other hand, have no idea what kind of action we will see from the store. The Weather Channel isn't all that helpful. If Sandy hits closer to Philly then New York, we will definitely see some action. If it hits further up the Jersey coast then we will see less. According to one map, State College will have more weather then we will. Good news is, that snow they are talking about should be in West Virginia, Kentucky, Virgina and North Carolina in the Appalachian mountains. One less thing I have to worry about.
This is exciting, I love a hell of a good storm (except for tornadoes, unless I am watching them on TV and they are hundreds of miles away). And yes I did some preparation. I bought some propane cans. These are the little ones that fit in the camp stove. I do have a camp stove but I got them for our propane heater. Our power did go out last night for a time, more than likely a transformer blew and they fixed it pretty quick, it is nice to have alternative heat source since our furnace uses electricity to turn on.
There is a slight panic in the air because I went to Wal-Mart to buy the propane and they were sold out. Tractor Supply was also sold out completely. My brother in law's Wal-Mart was also sold out. We found them at True Value. Lucky for us, they had quite a bit but people were coming in to buy them. We actually had to go to the grocery store not because of the storm but because we needed stuff. Save A Lot was out of milk save for skim. So went to another store to get the milk. Unfortunately, we had to buy wheat bread because they were out of regular white.
And I got some batteries for our flashlights. Again, our power went out last night and we used our cell phones and candles for light.
I am ready for the storm to hit. I want to sit back and experience all that nature has to offer.
So for now, this is the end, may your sandbags be plentiful and your roof stay over your head.
I, on the other hand, have no idea what kind of action we will see from the store. The Weather Channel isn't all that helpful. If Sandy hits closer to Philly then New York, we will definitely see some action. If it hits further up the Jersey coast then we will see less. According to one map, State College will have more weather then we will. Good news is, that snow they are talking about should be in West Virginia, Kentucky, Virgina and North Carolina in the Appalachian mountains. One less thing I have to worry about.
This is exciting, I love a hell of a good storm (except for tornadoes, unless I am watching them on TV and they are hundreds of miles away). And yes I did some preparation. I bought some propane cans. These are the little ones that fit in the camp stove. I do have a camp stove but I got them for our propane heater. Our power did go out last night for a time, more than likely a transformer blew and they fixed it pretty quick, it is nice to have alternative heat source since our furnace uses electricity to turn on.
There is a slight panic in the air because I went to Wal-Mart to buy the propane and they were sold out. Tractor Supply was also sold out completely. My brother in law's Wal-Mart was also sold out. We found them at True Value. Lucky for us, they had quite a bit but people were coming in to buy them. We actually had to go to the grocery store not because of the storm but because we needed stuff. Save A Lot was out of milk save for skim. So went to another store to get the milk. Unfortunately, we had to buy wheat bread because they were out of regular white.
And I got some batteries for our flashlights. Again, our power went out last night and we used our cell phones and candles for light.
I am ready for the storm to hit. I want to sit back and experience all that nature has to offer.
So for now, this is the end, may your sandbags be plentiful and your roof stay over your head.
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Photos from the Corn Maze
Well I got some pictures from the camera from last weekend. If you need a refresher check out Pumpkins and a Corn Maze. I know there is a storm coming up the east coast and of course I have some thoughts about that but that will have to wait until tomorrow.
Enjoy the pictures before the world goes to hell.
Enjoy the pictures before the world goes to hell.
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| Before the entrance, douglas fir |
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| Pirate flag flying proudly above the corn |
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| Pay your respects with a bit of blood |
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| I heard blood is good to keep the bones shiney |
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| An alien autopsy now we know the truth |
Friday, October 26, 2012
Sunny Friday and Bad Moods
I was planning on writing about Egg Hill but I am not in the mood right now because I am a little annoyed so I don't feel like writing about that topic.
So I am supposed to go through this employment service for this new job and I show up this morning for work and guess what- they had no idea I was supposed to be there. It is like anyone's worst fear coming true. Now, I have no idea what is going. All it seems like is a lot of phone tag and I feel like a damn puppet.
As you can guess, my mood is a little sour. Let me go into further detail about the past events pertaining to this job. I went to emploment agency over a month ago to apply for this job it was temp to hire. After 90 days I would be hired on. Sounds pretty good right. Anyway the employment agency says the company is pretty quick but I didn't hear anything. I even called the agency two weeks later and they never called me back.
Then I come to find out the company I applied for through the employment agency was participating in a job fair. I went with resume in hand and actually talked to one of the human resources people. She gave me her card and told me to call her. I did call the following Tuesday after the job fair.
Here's where it gets weird... the employment agency calls on Thursday and says the company wants me to start right away. And it was supposed to be this coming Monday. Then they say they want me to come in on Friday. And all this happens.
So damn annoying... No one seems to know anything and there is nothing I can do at this current moment. Maybe I should just cast a spell or read the tarot cards and see what my future holds.
This is where the story falls, a light in the dark goes out.
So I am supposed to go through this employment service for this new job and I show up this morning for work and guess what- they had no idea I was supposed to be there. It is like anyone's worst fear coming true. Now, I have no idea what is going. All it seems like is a lot of phone tag and I feel like a damn puppet.
As you can guess, my mood is a little sour. Let me go into further detail about the past events pertaining to this job. I went to emploment agency over a month ago to apply for this job it was temp to hire. After 90 days I would be hired on. Sounds pretty good right. Anyway the employment agency says the company is pretty quick but I didn't hear anything. I even called the agency two weeks later and they never called me back.
Then I come to find out the company I applied for through the employment agency was participating in a job fair. I went with resume in hand and actually talked to one of the human resources people. She gave me her card and told me to call her. I did call the following Tuesday after the job fair.
Here's where it gets weird... the employment agency calls on Thursday and says the company wants me to start right away. And it was supposed to be this coming Monday. Then they say they want me to come in on Friday. And all this happens.
So damn annoying... No one seems to know anything and there is nothing I can do at this current moment. Maybe I should just cast a spell or read the tarot cards and see what my future holds.
This is where the story falls, a light in the dark goes out.
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Tonight is the End
At 5 tonight I will leave home and I will drive down the mountain one last time. I will work for some hours and then I am done. Oh yeah, I got another job. No more 12 hour shifts, no more leaving work at 6 am, no more waking at 4:30 am (or earlier depending on if it snows and I hear the Penn Dot truck), no more only enjoying sunshine on day shift when wintertime is here. Oh yes, such a wonderful day. I hope tonight goes quick.
I got another job in a field in which I prefer (soldering and assembly), a nice 40 hour work week, done early in the day and here's the best part off every weekend. I am so ready to work a normal time. I would actually have more time for writing because my work will be regular, I would have more time to work on my jewelry and on my store. And of course more time for camping with out taking time off of work, more time to spend with the family.
Where I am at now I work 3 days on and 3 days off and at first it was great but really I spend my first day off napping because I don't get much sleep on working days. I was here for almost 2 years and it is time for a change.
I start at the new job Friday morning. I am a bit nervous (who wouldn't be) but I am also excited to start something new, I can't wait until Friday! And I must be excited because I used an exclamation point in the last sentence.
Aside from getting a new job, I got a reject for my poetry book yesterday. I sent the manuscript in June and I was kind of hoping since they were taking so long to get back to me that they were really pondering my book. And maybe they were. I have gotten rejects within weeks of sending something and sometimes I wait for months before I hear anything back.
As of now I still have a story out to one publisher, a batch of poems to two publishers and a haiku batch to Frogpond. Now back to the drawing board to find a book publishers. Maybe I should do the contest thing but they cost more money then I really want to spend.
Well that is all, my home time is dwindling down. Until we meet again on this gravel road through the haunted forest.
I got another job in a field in which I prefer (soldering and assembly), a nice 40 hour work week, done early in the day and here's the best part off every weekend. I am so ready to work a normal time. I would actually have more time for writing because my work will be regular, I would have more time to work on my jewelry and on my store. And of course more time for camping with out taking time off of work, more time to spend with the family.
Where I am at now I work 3 days on and 3 days off and at first it was great but really I spend my first day off napping because I don't get much sleep on working days. I was here for almost 2 years and it is time for a change.
I start at the new job Friday morning. I am a bit nervous (who wouldn't be) but I am also excited to start something new, I can't wait until Friday! And I must be excited because I used an exclamation point in the last sentence.
Aside from getting a new job, I got a reject for my poetry book yesterday. I sent the manuscript in June and I was kind of hoping since they were taking so long to get back to me that they were really pondering my book. And maybe they were. I have gotten rejects within weeks of sending something and sometimes I wait for months before I hear anything back.
As of now I still have a story out to one publisher, a batch of poems to two publishers and a haiku batch to Frogpond. Now back to the drawing board to find a book publishers. Maybe I should do the contest thing but they cost more money then I really want to spend.
Well that is all, my home time is dwindling down. Until we meet again on this gravel road through the haunted forest.
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