In honor of June, let's do some Dad jokes from Imgur.
Dad Joke Dump
And
Happy Father's Day
And
Star Trek Dad Jokes From Captain Jellico
Tuesday, June 30, 2020
Tuesday, June 16, 2020
3T Writing Tidbit
Last month I introduced Bruce Campbell's brilliantly simple three-act structure.
Let's complicate it with one simple truth: there is more than one solution to any problem.
Let that sink in. There is one solution to the problem...and another solution which may be better or worse overall, or better for some and worse for others, or mostly better but with one big drawback...and yet another solution that fits the same puzzle in a different way...and, and, and.
We're taught to think beyond the obvious for the final solution to the main character's problem. Well and good. But don't throw those intermediate solutions away! The great thing about books is that you can explore alternate possibilities.
Paint those alternate solutions via other characters, and use them to compare and contrast--and so heighten--the main character's solution.
Published since 2009, over the years I've accumulated various items of writing wisdom. The Third Tuesday Writing Tidbit showcases these items in no particular order. Click here to see all 3T Tidbits.
Let's complicate it with one simple truth: there is more than one solution to any problem.
Let that sink in. There is one solution to the problem...and another solution which may be better or worse overall, or better for some and worse for others, or mostly better but with one big drawback...and yet another solution that fits the same puzzle in a different way...and, and, and.
We're taught to think beyond the obvious for the final solution to the main character's problem. Well and good. But don't throw those intermediate solutions away! The great thing about books is that you can explore alternate possibilities.
Paint those alternate solutions via other characters, and use them to compare and contrast--and so heighten--the main character's solution.
Published since 2009, over the years I've accumulated various items of writing wisdom. The Third Tuesday Writing Tidbit showcases these items in no particular order. Click here to see all 3T Tidbits.
Tuesday, June 9, 2020
2T Repeat Performance
In December 2016, the lovely Magical Musings crew decided it was time to
close down their blogging shop. I had three wonderful years with them. This is another of those posts.
Just how do I market this thing...?--originally posted September 14, 2016.
On to the topic of today's post. I think I've mentioned before that I write steamy, wickedly funny urban fantasy/paranormal romance with plenty of action. It's an olio that's hard to pin down. Like with the movie The Princess Bride, that means it's hard to market.
Too much action for a simple romance. Too much romance for an action book. Too much humor for a gritty paranormal. Too much grit for a hilarious romcom. Too much sex for a romcom too.
So when it came to ordering a trailer for paranormal romance Mind Mates, well, I was expecting a mishmash.
Instead, I got this breathtaking video.
The humor is utterly missing from the trailer. But wow, I'd buy the book just from the beauty of it. I did wonder if I should ask for changes to the trailer, to add the humor, but my husband said, "Let readers discover that as a bonus."
What do you think? Was he right?
Mind Mates: When a powerful wizard prince comes out of hiding to save his sister, he is forced to team with a pretty shifter—one with ugly, dangerous powers of her own. As vengeful enemies close in, a forbidden attraction flaming between them, the two race to find a mysterious key.
Just how do I market this thing...?--originally posted September 14, 2016.
On to the topic of today's post. I think I've mentioned before that I write steamy, wickedly funny urban fantasy/paranormal romance with plenty of action. It's an olio that's hard to pin down. Like with the movie The Princess Bride, that means it's hard to market.
Too much action for a simple romance. Too much romance for an action book. Too much humor for a gritty paranormal. Too much grit for a hilarious romcom. Too much sex for a romcom too.
So when it came to ordering a trailer for paranormal romance Mind Mates, well, I was expecting a mishmash.
Instead, I got this breathtaking video.
The humor is utterly missing from the trailer. But wow, I'd buy the book just from the beauty of it. I did wonder if I should ask for changes to the trailer, to add the humor, but my husband said, "Let readers discover that as a bonus."
What do you think? Was he right?
Mind Mates: When a powerful wizard prince comes out of hiding to save his sister, he is forced to team with a pretty shifter—one with ugly, dangerous powers of her own. As vengeful enemies close in, a forbidden attraction flaming between them, the two race to find a mysterious key.
Tuesday, June 2, 2020
1T Status Update - June
Is there a customer service department for years? Seriously, someone needs to cash 2020 in for a refund or exchange it for a better year.
In the interest of staying upbeat and positive... (grits teeth and makes with the happy face)
I did finish my final two final projects for my associate degree in software development, one of which was a challenging capstone project with big presentation. So, hooray! On the other hand, I should have been done by now except another class was a lab class so we had to wait until June to return to campus. So there's that. But I have an internship which is the last piece before graduation.
The first draft of Night's Bliss is done except for the denouement. Final school projects and various 2020 pressures means that draft is a little rough, but I have a week now to smooth it out. Then I'll have my usual personal edit passes. On track to send to my editor by end of August.
Tuesday, May 26, 2020
4T Olio - Imgur
More fun at the end of the month...
(needs sound:)
Intro to Python, snicker...
Crown
(needs sound:)
Fantasia on a Melodica
Mesmerizing level: somewhat
Lightning ripples through the ash cloud of an erupting Taal Volcano.
Intro to Python, snicker...
First real dump. Just hit 50 oldest pics. Really not sure what's in the dump.
Tuesday, May 19, 2020
3T Writing Tidbit
This one is from Bruce Campbell, in his autobiography Hail to the Chin, which is excellent reading (see below if you're interested in checking it out). He gives us the essence of story structure in brilliantly clear language.
A story can be separated into three pieces (the Three Act structure).
I Introduce the problem
II Confront the problem
III Solve the problem
Also at Barnes and Noble and iBooks
Published since 2009, over the years I've accumulated various items of writing wisdom. The Third Tuesday Writing Tidbit showcases these items in no particular order. Click here to see all 3T Tidbits.
A story can be separated into three pieces (the Three Act structure).
I Introduce the problem
II Confront the problem
III Solve the problem
 |
| ( As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.) |
Also at Barnes and Noble and iBooks
Published since 2009, over the years I've accumulated various items of writing wisdom. The Third Tuesday Writing Tidbit showcases these items in no particular order. Click here to see all 3T Tidbits.
Tuesday, May 12, 2020
2T Repeat Performance
In December 2016, the lovely Magical Musings crew decided it was time to
close down their blogging shop. I had three wonderful years with them. This is another of those posts.
The Strange Places Ideas Come From--originally posted August 17, 2016.
My husband is in IT, running his own data center. He often brings work home, but he loves his job, and I'm happy he's happy—and besides, bringing work home is better than his having to groggily drive out in the middle of the night, which was true of one of his other jobs (I always sent a shot-gunner along to keep him awake in the form of myself or one of our kids, and an extra $20 for coffee, lol).
The thing is, for his current job, sometimes it's not just clients calling. Sometimes the computers call.
Strictly speaking, the servers on the computers that call. Problem is, he's got things set up to send an alert to his phone when a server is in trouble. Whatever time, day or night. Which leads to a story.
Now most times, his phone chirps with a minor problem. We wake up, but after a check, manage to go back to sleep.
Sometimes things get a little crazier.
The second weekend in March is Daylight Savings Time in the Midwest, where we set our clocks forward an hour, and two in the morning becomes three. One of the things the servers check for is power outages, based on--you guessed it--time. If the computer clock is missing so much as five seconds, it sends an alarm.
The phone alarm is a quick whallow-whoop, a small sound, but it can herald huge problems, like the data center crashing. Like a baby's whimper, it doesn't take long for that sound to auto-trigger a flood of stomach acid.
So at three-oh-one a.m. that Sunday, hubby's phone, laying on his nightstand, went crazy. Error-error-error-error...every few seconds it would throw another alarm. Whallow-whoop. Whallow-whoop. It was not a restful night, lol.
The time change is a really great example of how computers think differently than humans. People, faced with Daylight Savings Time, well, we might wake up an hour late and realize we're late for or missed a meeting or church or work. And we say, "Darn, I'm late," and let it go at that. Maybe we grumble a bit and there's fallout and we take care of it.
But computers...they're like dogs, in a way. They'll check the time and cry, "I'm late!" A second later they'll check the time and cry, "I'm still late!" And a second later, "Still late!" ad infinitum, that is FOREVER. Each with equal fervor, as if it's brand new.
Wouldn't that make an awesome story? A human and robot, either partners or in competition, and the human is rubbish at everything compared to the robot until they're in a situation like this?
Seeing the ordinary from a new angle is one place ideas come from.
What about you? Where do your ideas come from?
Less than one week to Mind Mates release and virtual tour! Much giveaway goodness and blog fun.
Kindle | Nook | Smashwords | iTunes | Google Play | Kobo | Kindle UK
Pretty little shifter, wizard prince—their taboo love could burn the barriers between worlds.
When a powerful wizard prince comes out of hiding to save his sister, he is forced to team with a pretty shifter—one with dangerous powers of her own. With vengeful enemies close behind, and forbidden attraction flaming between them, the two must race to find a mysterious key.
 |
| photo credit: Monaka & Laptop via photopin (license) |
My husband is in IT, running his own data center. He often brings work home, but he loves his job, and I'm happy he's happy—and besides, bringing work home is better than his having to groggily drive out in the middle of the night, which was true of one of his other jobs (I always sent a shot-gunner along to keep him awake in the form of myself or one of our kids, and an extra $20 for coffee, lol).
The thing is, for his current job, sometimes it's not just clients calling. Sometimes the computers call.
Strictly speaking, the servers on the computers that call. Problem is, he's got things set up to send an alert to his phone when a server is in trouble. Whatever time, day or night. Which leads to a story.
Now most times, his phone chirps with a minor problem. We wake up, but after a check, manage to go back to sleep.
Sometimes things get a little crazier.
The second weekend in March is Daylight Savings Time in the Midwest, where we set our clocks forward an hour, and two in the morning becomes three. One of the things the servers check for is power outages, based on--you guessed it--time. If the computer clock is missing so much as five seconds, it sends an alarm.
The phone alarm is a quick whallow-whoop, a small sound, but it can herald huge problems, like the data center crashing. Like a baby's whimper, it doesn't take long for that sound to auto-trigger a flood of stomach acid.
So at three-oh-one a.m. that Sunday, hubby's phone, laying on his nightstand, went crazy. Error-error-error-error...every few seconds it would throw another alarm. Whallow-whoop. Whallow-whoop. It was not a restful night, lol.
The time change is a really great example of how computers think differently than humans. People, faced with Daylight Savings Time, well, we might wake up an hour late and realize we're late for or missed a meeting or church or work. And we say, "Darn, I'm late," and let it go at that. Maybe we grumble a bit and there's fallout and we take care of it.
But computers...they're like dogs, in a way. They'll check the time and cry, "I'm late!" A second later they'll check the time and cry, "I'm still late!" And a second later, "Still late!" ad infinitum, that is FOREVER. Each with equal fervor, as if it's brand new.
Wouldn't that make an awesome story? A human and robot, either partners or in competition, and the human is rubbish at everything compared to the robot until they're in a situation like this?
Seeing the ordinary from a new angle is one place ideas come from.
What about you? Where do your ideas come from?
Less than one week to Mind Mates release and virtual tour! Much giveaway goodness and blog fun.
Kindle | Nook | Smashwords | iTunes | Google Play | Kobo | Kindle UK
Pretty little shifter, wizard prince—their taboo love could burn the barriers between worlds.
When a powerful wizard prince comes out of hiding to save his sister, he is forced to team with a pretty shifter—one with dangerous powers of her own. With vengeful enemies close behind, and forbidden attraction flaming between them, the two must race to find a mysterious key.
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