Unfortunately, This Blog is Going on Hiatus

Good morning, everyone!

Yup. I have to put my blogging on hiatus. For one, I’ve been given a mission to keep Glowstick safe and some how get my daughter straight (she’s in the above picture with Glowstick).

Within the last 48 hours, new info has surfaced on my daughter. It’s not good. Especially since, I’ve taken the time to get her into the programs she needs.

In her own way, she’s head butting the right thing to do and is choosing her toxic master. I can only hope and pray that this toxin won’t vomit out who she really is. Over my dead body, she loses herself to this demon.

I’ve had to make the decision to file for custody of my granson. Sadly, this will put her at odds with me but the baby is the innocent victim and has no say in his mother’s whims.

And I struggle with this…being at odds with my own daughter.

Today, I was going to post three great book reviews: Agnes Et Yves, by Patricia Herlevi, Bad Day, by Devon Cooper, and Vampire’s Trill, by Lorelei Bell. All three are great reads. Really. I loved each book. All well-written. That’s all I can do for now. Sorry, guys. I can barely focus at this moment.

Also, Lorelei Bell awarded me the Random Acts of Kindness Award, and I can’t even get my brain in order to do this properly, other than to say, thank you.

So for awhile I won’t be posting. I can’t do it all. The work, other peep’s edits, the baby, and getting Secondhand Shoes out. This all really sucks. Family comes first above all else.

But I will keep up with the blog reading/comments and from time to time I will keep you all informed on what’s going on until I can return fully.

Today, I have to prepare numerous documents for the courts that I’ll be filing on Tuesday. A lot of my time will be spent in the law library to aide me in acting as my own attorney on behalf of my grandson.

Glowstick needs me and so does my daughter.

Your prayers, positive thoughts, and aspirations are truly appreciated.

Shelly

Guest Blogger Tuesday: William Kendall

 

Yup. I’ve got peeps writing my Tuesday blogs. What else would SLACKER-SHELLY do, right? But really all, I planned Tuesdays for guest bloggers because I’m supposed to be working on finishing up Secondhand Shoes. But my original editor died and now I’ve got Glowstick. And now on Tuesdays, I’m not here. I’m with my daughter so she can spend time with her baby. Oh, the life of a novice writer trying to get out of the novice thing into a real writer’s way.

So today, William Kendall, a/k/a, Sir Wills is my guest. He’s one of the most sweetest and supportive guys I know of. He always seems to make it over to my blogs and leave a comment every time I post . It amazes me because lately, I struggle to get to everyone in a week-babies take time and patience. I kind of forgot about that.

Allow me to hand over my blog now. Sir Wills take it away.

 

So there you are, in the middle of your manuscript, checking yet another fact for, let’s see now… the twenty eighth time today, and a thought runs through your head.

What was I thinking when I started writing this?

It goes through all our heads. To one degree or another when we write, we’re going to have to do research. For some of us (your truly), a book is research intensive. For others, it’s a matter of tracking down small details, little items like a name or the way a place might look in a given season. Either way, it can be time consuming, maddening, and have you wondering just how difficult it would be to hide the body of that manuscript you’ve been working on. The answer is very hard. The manuscript wouldn’t let you do it easily, you know…

Anyway, I thought I’d talk about the research process as it’s applied to my own work. I’ve been spending a good while writing the novel Heaven & Hell. The book, which is the first of a series of spy thrillers, required a large amount of research both before and during the writing process. That meant background research before I got started writing. Much of the book is set in the Middle East, so this required reading books on the history of the region, on archaeology, architecture, culture, and so on. I did mention it was research intensive, right?

While I spent time outlining and plotting out the book, I absorbed all of this material, thinking of where to place things, how to distil it into a final product. I quickly realized that the research would be an ongoing process during the writing (which I was right about, even to the end of the book). There are all sorts of little questions that come up during writing that you have to sort out and find the answers to. Hence more research. For a lot of this, the internet is a godsend… As long as you confirm everything.

Some of those are little things. Searching for character names, for instance, is little, but it might mean looking in baby name books or online, particularly if, in my case, you’re after foreign names. It might mean mixing and matching between surnames and first names of famous people from a given nation. That’s research. You might not think it is at first, but it is.

Other items that come up during writing tend to be more complex. I wrote a key sequence in the book involving a military fighter jet. I’ve pored over military websites and schematics for quite awhile at a time, gleaning as much details as I can and going from there. I’ve examined accounts of terrorist and counter terrorist incidents. I’ve looked through sites dedicated to military paraphernalia, tactics, equipment, ranks, and so on. I’ve looked at museum, hotel, and tourist site websites for just the right kind of information. I’ve even used an interactive feature through a key exhibit in one museum to structure a sequence halfway through the book. This comes in very handy when the museum in question is halfway around the world.

A lot of this would be much more difficult without the use of the computer. For research, the computer has become an ideal tool for us as writers (just don’t rely on wikipedia). It gives us access to items that would be too far at hand, lets us take a look into archives and first hand material that might be too hard to come by naturally. For Heaven & Hell, research has been a cornerstone to move the book along.

I thought I’d close with another avenue for research: asking questions. I have inquired with professionals in the field, either through websites or personally, for input on any number of things. I’ve chatted with embassy officials about a great number of things that gave me focus and direction where I was a bit hazy early on. I’ve talked with police officers about the ins and outs of weapons. I’ve even talked with fire fighters about the effects of an explosion. And it’s not just professionals. We all have online acquaintances with people around the world. Asking someone you know who might be living in a country you’re writing about a certain detail gets you answers and insights. Asking questions, in short, counts as research.

Not everyone will be writing something as research intensive as I am. Still, it comes in at some point, and usually more frequently then you thought it did. How do you handle the dreaded research phase or phases of your writing? Do you grind your teeth? Relish the challenge? Or sooth your jangled nerves with copious amounts of chocolate?

I would like to thank Shelly for letting me run wild here today, and I swear, I have no idea how that Ming vase fell off the shelf.

No problem, Sir Wills, it must be God and His Universe testing my patience again. Stuff seems to be happening in my life. Curve balls bite, you know.

Oh and before I leave everyone, you can find Sir Will’s blog Speak of the Devil .

Later in the ink all,

Shelly

Saturdays with Sir Poops: Glowstick Update, Giving out the Sunshine Award, and a Free Book Offer

Glowstick: Me first. I get to tell what I did first.  

HB: But we have more important stuff to cover today.

SPAL: If you share your ball and bone with him then you can share the computer with him. Besides, don’t fight. I’m not feeling all that well to listen to you complain .Let the little guy have his say.

Glowstick: ***smiles*** Thank you, Sir Poops. You’re my buddy.

HB: Me, too. I share my bone and ball with you.

Glowstick: I know. ***he reaches out to Hair Ball*** Okay. I’ll be quick. ***he looks out at the nice people*** Tuesday, my Hanny took me to see my mommy and my daddy. My daddy got out of the big playpen. My mommy is doing outpatient rehab. Daddy needs to, too, but hasn’t made any attempts to go. That’s what the big people in my life say.

My Hanny took my mommy to get her TABE test scores so she can start working on her GED. Hanny told her she needed to get a job, too, before I come back. Mommy got mad. But Hanny’s right. How’s mommy going to buy me diapers and clothes when I come back without one? That’s how I ended up with Hanny because mommy didn’t have money. She was using it on something else. It was bad stuff. That’s what I hear.

Anyway, I miss my mommy and daddy. And I want them to get better so I can see them everyday. But I really like staying with my Hanny and Zadie. And I like the fur-people, Sir Poops and Hair Ball. Oh, and Auntie No-No is cool, too.

Guess its their turn now.

SPAL: Thank you, Glowstick. Today, Hair Ball and me name the winners to the Sunshine Award.

HB: Yup. We’re giving it to our most favorite bloggers. And here they are:

Sam's Story is about a ghost-bird watching over his mummsy. He also writes about other things like freeze-drying your pets which is really creepy.

A Simple Happy Life is about a lady who works with her hubby, has a love for Laura Ingalls-Wilder, antique photos, and a fur-person named Duker. And every now and then Duker blogs.

Pets and Other Critters is about a plethora of info on other fur-people. Sometimes you’ll find a hand drawn funny cartoon. And sometimes the author will tell you about her fur-people.

You can find the questions on last weeks post at The Questions.

And you can find the rules at The Rules .

And we thank Melissa Kline again for the award. She’s a nice lady. You can find her blog at Reflections on Writing .

SPAL: You handled that well. You’re not as stupid as I thought you were.

HB: Well, you’re still a pansy.

SPAL: Whatever. We do have one more thing to share.

HB: Yeah. You can get a free book today.

SPAL: Uh-huh. The author is a newbie, Devon Cooper. You can find the author’s book here Bad Day .

HB: Yeah. Don’t forget it’s free.

Guest Blogger: Beth Muscat, Discussing, Avuncular??? Apogee??? Concupiscent??? Exactly!!!

Beth is a mom. A funny mom who loves kitties, hates snow, and loves to write about Wal Martians. She’s also the author of the Remember the Eyes Series, The Bracelet, and Wildflower. You can find her blog at  All Kidding Aside .

Beth, your title has me going WTF? So I’m really anxious to read what this is all about.

Here’s Beth Muscat, everyone.

Thank you Shelly for allowing me to invade your blog today.

I've thought about this and I can't be taciturn about this any longer.

Recently a friend of mine, William Kendall of Speak Of The Devil http://williamkendallbooks.blogspot.ca/ , wrote about some of his pet peeves. They were just random pet peeves, many that most of us have, or can at least relate to. I've written an earlier blog about some of my pet peeves as well. However, this that I'm writing about today just can't go without being said. It needs to be quelled immediately.

I just finished reading a book that is very popular right now. This author is making quite a name for herself. It's by E L James...if you haven't already guessed, the book is Fifty Shades Of Grey. The book was ok (I didn't like it and you can read my review here http://bethsreviewsandpromotions.wordpress.com/), but I've got a pet peeve with books like this. It's too verbose. I'm having trouble envisaging. I am completely nonplussed. WTF?

Ok, I'm going to be the first to say that I don't have an English major or any sort of educational writing background, but I do pride myself in being a pretty good speller. I sometimes will put a comma in a sentence where it doesn't belong, or I might be overzealous with an exclamation mark or two, but I hate reading books where I have to constantly look words up to find out their meaning.

Someone who likes using BIG words is Dean Koontz. I really like his books...he's one of my favorite authors, but I hate it when he uses words that I have to look up. Do authors do this to make themselves look educated, even though they may only have a high school diploma? Do they do this so that they can say that they actually used the Thesaurus they got for Christmas last year? Do they do this to be mulish, unbidden or cogent? Well, let me tell you, it's vitriolic...highly vitriolic.

Yes, these are just some of the words I had to look up from Fifty Shades Of Grey. I hate that. At the time I wrote this blog, I was half way through the book, and these are just a few of the words I had to look up. Here's one that wasn't in the dictionary, but was in the book: bilions. Yup. No dictionary definition came up for this one.

Lets see if you know what any of these mean, because I sure didn't.

debasement-I thought maybe this was to remove a basement, but apparently it means to reduce in quality or value, to lower in rank, dignity or significance. Oh. Would it not just be easier to say that you are beneath me now?

castigating-to criticize or reprimand severely, to punish in order to correct. Why not say you'll slap them silly if they don't do what you want them to do?

predilection-a tendency to think favourably of something in particular, partiality, preference. Oh, just give her some candy or flowers and you'll have her eating out of the palm of your hand.

disconsolate-hopeless, unhappy, inconsolable. I am disconsolate because I have to go look up the meaning of disconsolate.

gamboling-I thought she misspelled the word "gambling"...but, apparently it means to skip about, as in dancing or playing, frolic. Who knew?

askance-with suspicion, mistrust, disapproval, with a side glance. What's wrong with saying you messed up?

acquiesce-to assent tacitly, submit, or comply silently or without protest, agree, consent. Wow. Well....Why not just say, you will be my sex slave and you'll like it?

enervating-I thought maybe this was another way of saying rejuvenating or having lots of vim and vigor...apparently it is to deprive of force or strength, destroy the vigor of, weaken. Uh. The complete opposite. Why not just say, you have no free will, your weak, and I will take you? You are mine.

somnambulant-What??? I was sure there was no such word, but it means to sleepwalk. Who knew?

There. See what I mean. Yes, as you read the sentence, sometimes the words make more sense, but I shouldn't have to look up words in the dictionary because you're trying to show off. I'd like to quell this action, capitulate that I need to work on my use of words, commiserate that others will have to look up these same words while reading this book (and blog) and ad hoc this blog. I think I've mollified any words that you may have not known the meaning of.

Having now finished the book, look forward to part 2 of this blog about an author's use of BIG words. Boy, I'm feeling very obtuse.

Beth, thanks for enlightening us with these big and unknown words. I think I’ll print this out and set it next to my pile of TBR books. Lately, I’ve been a SLACKER again. You just made my job easy.

I hope all of you enjoyed this.

Also, wanted you all to know, I won’t be around until tomorrow. Glowstick and me are heading south to visit his mommy today. I’ll be around tomorrow to read blogs and make comments.

Have a great day!

Later in the ink all,

Shelly

Saturdays with Sir Poops-A-Lot: Answering Questions and Praising Hair Ball

Sir Poops

Today, I’m going to answer those questions from Melissa Kline(she’s a really nice lady. Pretty, too.) over at Reflections on Writing. A couple weeks ago she gave me and Hair Ball, The Sunshine Award.

So here are my answers to the QUESTIONS:

1. Favorite color? Since I see only in black and white…I guess black and white.

2. Favorite animal? Glowstick.

3. Favorite number? All the even ones.

4. Favorite drink? Chicken flavored water. Mummsy boils a chicken and lets me have the broth. Mmm…mmm good.

5. Facebook or Twitter? Facebook. It’s easier to use.

6. My passion? Writing and eating.

7. Getting or giving? Both.

8. Favorite day of the week? I don’t know. The week to me is like one great, big one.

9. Favorite flower? Ones that smell.

Okay. I answered the questions so now I want to share something special that Hair Ball did. It almost erases the fact that he’s stupid. I discovered he’s got a sweet side, too.

This morning while we were sitting on the couch watching our favorite Disney shows with Glowstick, Hair Ball offered his bone a couple times to the little fellow.

Mummsy handed it back to Hair Ball but he insisted that Glowstick take it. Isn’t that sweet. He’s never shared anything with me ever. He’ll fight me for a bowl of kibble. I’m glad he likes Glowstick. Just wished he wouldn’t bark and make him scream.

Anyway, I’m going for now. I need to go hide. Mummsy is talking about putting me in the Great White Watery Abyss of Torture.

See you next week when I name the nice people who I’ll be giving the Sunshine Award to.

Sir Poops

Glowstick the Official Baby Blogger

Look at me, everyone. I can blog. Hanny says I’m a Baby-Blooger and I can help because I have lots of opinions about what’s going on in my life. Like I really miss my mommy. And daddy, too.

I wanted to tell you what I did yesterday. I went a saw my mommy. She’s going to let me stay with my Hanny for a while. She signed some papers. Mommy’s got a lot of stuff to do and figure out before I go back to live with her.

My Hanny’s going to help her the best she can. She’s a nice Hanny but she makes really strange noises and faces at me. But so does mommy.

Yesterday, mommy signed up for GED classes. I’m proud of her for that. She even spilled the beans on some bad stuff she’s been doing. Real tears ran down her cheeks.

My Hanny told her she needed to be 100 percent not 50 percent to take care of me. Mommy agreed.

I sure hope mommy gets better real fast so I can hang out with her.As for my daddy, I’m not real sure where he is. My other grandma says he’s staying in a big playpen and can’t get out. ****shrugs*** ***toots in his pants*** I don’t understand why no one will get him out. Must be big people stuff.

Since I have a short attention span, and I feel an urge to make a chocolate in my pants-that’s what Hanny calls it-  I’ll see you guys later. Love, Glowstick

Guest Blogger Day: Eve Gaal

Today, I’m letting this sweetie have the stage. She’s spunky and cute. Warm and fuzzy-the good kind. I also believe she’s more angel than human sent from heaven to spread goodwill and humor.

When you’re done being entertained by her here, you should go visit her over at The Desert Rocks . She’ll entertain you with the occasional limerick, a few recipes, and little stories. Lately, she’s been giving dating advice.***giggle-giggle***

Okay. Before I get carried away here, I give Eve Gaal my blog. Here she is, folks.

Thanks for having me on your blog Shelly. I love the picture you have of the Emerald City which always makes me think of discovering new worlds…. There’s a new world out there we need to discover immediately and I thought I’d share some of my initial research.

Have you seen Pinterest? http://pinterest.com/ I’m not sure how it works, but I’m seeing some nice photography and gorgeous shots of delectable treats.I’m scanning the mountains, lakes the tree houses and book covers while my friends tell me they’re looking at the “Hunk” page. Okay, I’m in. It’s a nice page, and maybe I’ve been married too long, but the cupcakes are seriously more engaging. Pure dope. For one thing, the cupcakes go on and on for several pages and you can narrow down your search or expand it, depending on the flavor you’re looking for. Besides, I saw Brad on a magazine at the dentist. Old news and Angelina has her nails…well forgetaboutit.

Anyway, I was considering lemon cupcakes, and got sidetracked by a filled gingerbread and some sort of banana Nutella creation. Of course, by the time I finished my drooling, it was too late to start baking. OMG, there’s a recipe in there for a cookie/brownie bar with a layer of crushed Oreos and well it looked amazing, in fact it kind of gave me a hot flash.

Occasionally, I click through to see the blog attached to the photos and sometimes I get an “oops” type remark that the picture is no longer connected to what I’m looking for. This is extremely frustrating when you feel that you absolutely have to read or see a certain recipe, but otherwise I think it’s a cool place to hang out. I’ve made a few comments but I don’t really understand the “Pinning” process for those who have their own page full of favorites. This doesn’t mean I’m not going to go back to figure it out. I’m stubborn that way, and I love a challenge.

The most disturbing photos were on the book pages where people are actually making furniture out of books. Sorry, but even though I love the idea of recycling, I know those who won’t even turn down a page to harm a book.

I’ll go as far as writing in a margin, but Sacre Bleu, these people are making countertops and sofas out of them! What’s next, a home built from books?  

Anyway, check it out and hopefully you’ll have fun browsing all the cool stuff without getting distracted by…Brad.

Hey Eve! Who’s Brad? 

Anyway, thanks for dropping in today, Eve. I’ll see you around in the blog field and Facebook.

And to everyone else have a great day!

Later in the ink all,

Shelly