Kevin is dead.
I felt it somehow. I had planned even, what to write ahead of time. I knew it.
Kevin, strength, is dead.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Full Moon Madness
aaaAAAWOOOOOoooooo!
Eyah! Howl, baby, howl. Tonight is the full moon an you don't know. And I (silly, silly me) am attempting to write 5,000 words. 'Ipes.
I have 893 (pick it up, Ley, up!), so that only leaves 4,107 to go. Yeah....
Full moon, baby. Welcome to the madness.
See ya, yeah?
(Feeling wolfish tonight?....)
Shine~Ley
Monday, February 18, 2008
NaNoWriYe
(Yes, another one.)
Call me insane, call me whatever you flippin' want. Personally, I call myself visionally challenged. I am just too darn lazy to get off my keester (or on it) and write. This is important to me. Really. I need to write. I just don't. And that's slightly problematic.
So I've gone and done it again. I've signed up for National Novel Writing Year.
My goal for the year is 100,000 words. That's a lot of crap. Although hopefully it won't be crap, because I'm giving myself some time to do it. If I don't procrastinate, that is. And if I do complete NaNoWriMo this year, that leaves only 50,000 for the other 11 months. Even though I have missed a month and a half, I should be able to make it past my goal. If, to quote another writer, I get in some butt-to-chair, fingers-to-keyboard time.
So, hopefully (I use that word a lot), I will start *coughs* posting my sentence a day again. Meaning, I'll be writing at least one sentence a day again.
See ya.
Thursday, February 07, 2008
Strength
I know a kid, Kevin. He's two years younger than I and he's dying of cancer. I can't really remember how long this has been going on (I'm a monster with dates), but first he got leukemia, then lymphoma (or was it the other way?...). He was doing well after awhile. He got a bone marrow transplant and things seemed to be going well.
Then he crashed. I don't really know what happened, but they don't think he's gonna make it. There's nothing more the doctor's can do.
I found out this morning that the decision to stop trying new treatments, it wasn't made by his parents. He made that decision. That is strength.
And it made me wonder. Would I do that? Would I be able to do that? I don't know. I pray I don't have to find it. But it makes me wonder just the same.
And it made me determined to keep on top of something I discovered last night. Something to build strength. It's called The Éowyn Challenge.
Now do you realize how far those sturdy little hobbits walked during the course of The Lord of the Rings? Over 6,000 miles. That's really far. Me, I'm just aiming for Rivendell right now. Distance from Bag End to Rivendell: 458 miles.
1 down, 457 to go. See ya there.
Shine~Ley
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
*Stares Blankly At Screen*
Feeling weirded a tad bit right now. Pardon me.
I was feeling restless reading The Three Musketeers, after all I just won a book. So I decided to get on and go OCD checking e-mail. (Hey, I'm leveling up in DF too. Is that considered constructive?) So, I open up Yahoo! and guess what's waiting in my inbox?
No, I didn't win a million dollars. I never believe those anyway. I won... another book.
Yes, a book. That's three this year. Two today! It's like my birthday, but better 'cause it's totally unexpected. Like hearing a song you love on the radio is so much more exciting than popping in the cd. Unexpected and exhilarating. Not to mention just plain freaking weird.
I'm feeling the need to mark this day on my calender for all posterity or something equally irrational. I feel special.
Shine~Ley
'08 Is Looking Fine....
I won a book today.
Yes, me. I won. A book. My second this year.
That should be impossible. And I did it all by my lonesome. Buddy.
I never win. Ever. It's only February 5th. Whoa.
As you can see, I am still in shock.
But, seriously, COME ON!
*starts humming to self* I won, I won, da da da da dum.....
*giggles*
Monday, January 14, 2008
I Have a Job! (o' Sorts)
So it's not exactly a paying job.... I can deal with that. It's not like I can drive anywhere yet anyway. Something online works perfect for me. And this is exactly what I want.
So, this perfect pseudo-job? You want to know what it is? If you insist....
I'm a reader for http://www.thewildrosepress.com/ 's YA line, Climbing Rose. They're a very new line in the Wild Rose family, only having seven books out so far. I am very excited to be doing this. For me, it the the perfect opputunity. I'll be reading manuscripts, filling out evaluation forms, and perhaps even pointing out typos and mechanical mistakes. EEee!
And all this is thanks to Georgiana Daniels (for whom I have been giving out shameless plugs) who posted about her new and debut novel, Table for One, which is now available at The Wild Rose Press, and led me to the site. Yay!
Shine~Ley
(This is my first post of '08! Ipes!)
Monday, December 24, 2007
Fall Into Reading Wrap-up Post
Yeah, it's a couple days late. But it's here. Be happy.
I got almost all my books read. I was so close. But not quite. *sighs* Five of the books on my list didn't get read. Anna Karenina, Around the World in Eighty Day, Anne of Green Gables, Arrowsmith, and Bringer of Storms.
I admit, the first four I didn't really want to read. I will be reading them at some point nonetheless. They had to be returned to the library and I forgot to check them out again. Genuinely, I did forget. And if you know my memory, you might actually believe that.
The last book I didn't read, Bringer of Storms, I still intend on getting to before the new year. *snorts quietly* Guess we'll see, ya?
Getting all those books read was a relief. Of course, I now have a new stack, but it's slightly smaller and more manageable. I can get it done. If I managed this fall, I can certainly do it this winter. Boo-yah. *smiles*
Well, I have to go. Grandparents and the mysterious Matthias are here, and soon... the Relatives! *gasps*
Happy Christmas all!
(You better be happy with this Nathan!)
Shine~Ley
Monday, December 03, 2007
OBD
I am currently obsessed and bored out of my mind. I'm anxious to see which will win the next round. Undoubtedly, it will be a tie.
I have been playing spider solitaire for the last hour (and a half?) and if that's not a sign of absolute boredom, then, dang!, I don't know what is. I am also compulsively checking various forums and sites and turning imaginings to absolute mush from overuse. Obsession 101.
I've officially gone insane. (Again.)
Ah, yes. Also, I've been listening to This Is Halloween (the Marilyn Manson version), you know off of The Nightmare Before Christmas?, almost constantly. Something about that song just makes me want to giggle erratically. Hey, it's a distraction.
I should go write. It's a portion of my obsession, so I should be happy, but it interests me little. Really, I should go read, but that has nothing to do with it whatsoever and so interests me none at all. I'm never going to catch up on history. *sighs*
The joys and horrors of my 'little obsessions'. Why do I do this to myself? Oh wait, I remember. I don't. It just happens. Where are my books when I need them?....
....Life's no fun without a good scare....
Well, now that I've bored you all out of your minds, I'm off to moan and dream...
Shine~Ley
Saturday, December 01, 2007
Good-bye November, Helloooo December!
It's that time of year again. Bitterly cold weather, yet no snow. Cold feet, cold hands, and we're still not sure about the hearts thing. The panicking over the Christmas shopping yet to be done is starting to mount. And the final NaNo wordcounts have been posted, the documents closed and saved (or deleted) for posterity.
Ah, yes, it December, the most miserable *coughs*, I mean, wonderful time of the year.
Why am I up at the wee hours of the morning, when all sane people are in bed, you ask? Maybe you missed the portion when I mentioned NaNo, or maybe you just don't understand the term, but on this night, all across the globe, there are thousands of people just like me, some already finished and others frantically trying to.
Yes, it is the First of December and the grand and awe-inspiring National Novel Writing Month is finally over.
I, like the rest of the insane members of this crazy world of noveling, stayed up late typing as fast as my chilled and sore fingers could. Luckily I had a Buddy to keep me company into the wee hours of this chilly first day of December, to cheer and amuse, to encourage and rejoice with, our own dear Nathaniel, who hit an official wordcount of 4,505, quadrupaling his word count in only a few hours.
Though neither of us accomplished the distinguished (although, admittedly, demented) goal of 50,000 words of pure reading pleasure (read: absolute, but entertaining, crap), we accomplished our own personal goals with great zeal and verve. My own goal was to pass up my last year's NaNo count, which I achieved in excess of almost 4,000 words, bringing my total to 12,097, as an official, validated, and locked count.
Another fall almost crumbled and blown away, another winter creeping up in its silent ice-slippers. Seasons change, word counts peak and bed times come.
We have succeeded in changing our own little worlds this quiet night. November died, but novels, writers, were born. And a young December presses on, determined to give birth to a bitter, joyous winter.
And so, this hyped and slightly disturbed writer signs off for the night, wishing only to leave her readers enlightened and hopeful for the new month, coming season, and future NaNo.
Here's to future WriMo's and NaNo winners!
Congratulations to all the 2007 winners!
Special congratulations go to the especially deserving Circle Wrimo, history (fondly called hist) aka, haironastick, who outwrote everybody with an insane drive worthy of a true WriMo. You have inspired us all.
And to close, I finish with a quote I deem fitting, from our own dear Chris Baty. "Your optimism and plucky refusal to adhere to reality inspires us all."
Good night, cruel world! Save some cake for me!
Shine~Ley
Friday, November 09, 2007
NaNoWriMo
Yes, yes, YES!
I finally started my nano-novel! YES!!! Only 351 words, but dang, it's a start. I've decided that as long as I get more words than last year (8,000 some odd), I'm happy. Officially, I'm aiming for 20,000. I wasn't intending to do it by hand. It's slower and if I'm going for 50,000 it's too slow. But right now, I'm good just to write. Period. Maybe this'll help pull me out of my dump.
YES!!!!
Shine~Ley
(check me out!)
Friday, November 02, 2007
NaNoWriMo
It's November 2nd and I haven't written a word yet!!! AH!! *panics*
I'm leaving in like, an hour (less? I don't know) for ATF in Cleveland. I don't even have time to write! I'm scared. But I am taking my research with me. Maybe I'll have a little time. God help me. I can do this.
Anybody else up to the challenge (and maybe doing better than I am?)?
Ich bin nicht allein!
Shine!~Ley
Saturday, October 27, 2007
The A....
C....
*looks around furtively*
t!
Yup, I took it. And I'm kinda cheating today on my sentence a day. See, I wrote, on my essay. But posting it here could get, like, dismissed or something. Okay, I'm sorta making fun of the strict rules about that. I mean seriously they made me sign a special 'document', saying I wouldn't tell.
Okay, I can keep my mouth shut.
Yay! I have taken a test. I'm now officially smart. Now what?
Monday, October 22, 2007
I breathe therefore....
...I survive? Not quite enough for me, but I guess it's a start. Ever feel like all you're managing to do in life is breathe? But I'm think maybe, just maybe, I might be starting to push through. I hope. 8P
A happy thought... I wrote yesterday! An entire 4 pages. Okay, so they're hand-written, but talk about rush. Yow. Of course, I haven't written today, debating on which way Trev is going to react to this awkward situation. Somehow it keeps changing on me. Not something that happens often. I'm really having to dissect him. Not literally of course. *shudders* But you get the drift.
Now, I know I started this post with something in mind to put in it. Humph.
AH!
I got The Restorer's Son. Yee! I was so happy. And I read it faster than I knew I was capable. The third's on my Christmas list. (Mom's already got us started. The thought of shopping makes me panicky.) I can't imagine waiting that long! But there's other good books lying around to tide me over.
Well, I'm going to get back to reading The Secret Life of Becky Miller here in a few minutes, so I'm dropping this to finish up my e-mails. Yikes! That's what I get for not getting online in over a week.
Shine~Ley
Thursday, October 04, 2007
Marcher Lord Press
Marcher Lord Press is a new independent publisher that specializes in speculative and related areas of fiction.
Yeah. Sweet. The official luanch date is October 1, 2008 (God willing ;-) ). I'm waiting on tip-toe. *smiles*
So, if you're a reader or writer, check out their site and get some info. Sign up for their newsletter. Maybe win a prize. And come next year, read some good books. I'm all for that.
Speaking of speculative fiction, I just finished The Restorer by Sharon Hinck. It was amazing. And you know, I knew that it was going to end that way. It's kinda frustrating. I need The Restorer's Son next.... now! *sighs* But I'm broke. And the library just isn't cool like that (my new favorite way to refer to them, after all they are cool in some ways).
I've been trying to bribe Richard into buying it for me. So far, no luck. Mom isn't cooperating as she should. *smiles* At least, I won't have to wait too long for the third one. It comes out December.
....
AAHHHH!!
Humph. I need my book. Let's see, we're going to the library tomorrow and if......
*grins wickedly*
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Fall Into Reading List
This time I am not in any way editing my list once it's posted, excepting to mark when I've finished one. I'll be posting the books I've read in my sidebar, also.
- Quentin Durward by Sir Walter Scott ~
- The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey ~
- The Restorer by Sharon Hinck ~
- Abomination by Colleen Coble ~
- Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
- Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne
- Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
- Arrowsmith
- Fancy Pants by Cathy Marie Hake ~
- The Dead Whisper On by T.L. Hines ~
- Fair Game by Elizabeth White ~
- Miss Invisible by Laura Jensen Walker ~
- The Begotten by Lisa T. Bergren ~
- The Betrayed by Lisa T. Bergren ~
- Beyond the Summerland by L.B. Graham ~
- Bringer of Storms by L.B. Graham
- The Secret Life of Becky Miller by Sharon Hinck ~
- Valley of Shadows by Shirlee McCoy ~
- The Reptile Room by Lemony Snicket ~
- Bachelor's Puzzle by Judith Pella ~
- A Hideous Beauty by Jack Cavanaugh ~
- Idlewild by Nick Sagan ~
- Child of the Mist by Kathleen Morgan ~
- Wings of Morning by Kathleen Morgan ~
- A Fire Within by Kathleen Morgan ~
- Soul Tracker by Bill Myers ~
- Prints Charming by Rebeca Seitz ~
- Hood by Stephen R. Lawhead ~
- Scarlet by Stephen R. Lawhead ~
- The Rise of the Wyrm Lord by Wayne Thomas Batson ~
And last but most definitely not least....
- Boo by Rene Gutteridge ~
- Boo Who by Rene Gutteridge ~
- Boo Hiss by Rene Gutteridge ~
- Boo Humbug By Rene Gutteridge ~
There's a fourth one! I'm so happy.
That's my list, and if you think that is scary, try this fact. All of these books are currently at my house. Yikes.
Saturday, September 22, 2007
The Last Day of Summer
And I have yet to write my reading list! Aahhhh!
*breathes deeply* Can't panic, can't panic can't.... Aahhh!
Okay, so maybe it isn't that bad. Although for a saturday this has somehow felt... hectic. Not sure why. I think I need to go away. Oh yeah, that's why I read and write. Whoops.
Really, I'm excited about Fall Into Reading. And NaNoWriMo. And everything else.
I'm just totally not in the mood to do anything today. I really need to read. It's actually a good book. I wasn't anticipating that. I just don't feel like reading it. Silly, foolish girl. I'll get over myself.
'Course first I'll have to get off the computer. *smiles*
Speaking of computers, Dad's working on getting mine up and running. Yay! This means I'll be able to do my NaNo novel upstairs. And in comfort. It's on the desk this time. (Can you say, 'Sitting for long periods of time without cramps?' *giggles*)
Well, off to procrastinate and play DF. See ya!
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Speech
No, I am not doing speech. No way. Kill me. But Crystal is.
And she can't talk. For 24 hours. We're all going to go insane.
I never knew that someone else not talking could be so difficult. We've already had multiple little sign language conversations (those letters come in handy) and one mad gab one. That was weird. But funny.
And then something weirder happened. She called me. Actually she called Mom, but she was driving and I answered. Fortunately, she didn't talk or we would have to start all over again. (Notice how I say we. Ha!) She then hung up after 24 seconds and I'm dying to know what the heck that was.
Have you ever gotten a call from a mute person? (No? That's weird. Happens to me all the time.) That's sorta what it felt like. If anyone 'over there' knows whats up, shoot me a comment, yeah?
Night y'all,
Shine~Ley
SaD Updates
I have been writing. I just haven't been posting. :D But I've decided that from now on, I won't get on the computer until I have written. Just another way to make sure I get in my writing.
9-11-07
"You have a daughter."
9-12-07
All were engaged.
today!
He turned when no response was forthcoming.
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