5 on Friday - Set 147

Travis at Trav's Thoughts invites everyone to lay down a short set of music that takes their fancies for his 5 on Friday meme.

This week's set is inspired by a major character from my Scorpius work-in-progress, which is also my NaNoWriMo project. He appears in Book 1 in my Dragonsfyre series, and will return for Book 2 - Scorpius' second master, Lord Thibault. 

1 - Fame - David Bowie

 

2 - Lust For Life - Iggy Pop





 

3 -Resistance - Muse

 

 

4 - Promise of a Lifetime - Kutless

 

(Footage is from Supernatural, featuring uber-responsible older brother Dean and dragged-into-the-family-business younger brother Sam)

 

 



 

5 - Damage I've Done - The Heads

Thursday Thirteen - I'm blogging at The Popculturedivas today

 

For a peek at my NaNoWriMo wrap-up for 2012, drop by The Popculturedivas for

Revisiting 13 Things That I've Been Doing During NaNoWriMo 2012 

Blog Hop - The Next Big Thing preview

 

My friend Charlene L. Roberts, Ellora's Cave author, has an interview up where she introduces us to her Next Big Thing:

THE PRINCE'S GUARDIAN

I've been tagged in this Blog Hop, originally for today, but I'll have to reschedule for next week. NaNoWriMo's finish line is within reach, and my blogging schedule had to be parked to accommodate the writing marathon.

In the meantime, check out Charlene's newest work in progress:

"Leila’s suceessfully completed task in the Earth realm has come with a heavy price, as her return heralds the beginning of an immenint war between the once-allied witches and elves, and only her ingenuity and magical skills can stop the inevitable."

- Charlene L. Roberts

For anyone wanting to join me in next week's blog hop, please let me know in the comments section. Visit Charlene's blog for the rules.

5 on Friday - Set 146

Travis at Trav's Thoughts invites everyone to lay down a short set of music that takes their fancies for his 5 on Friday meme.

This week's set is inspired by the love interest character for Scorpius from my work-in-progress, which is also my NaNoWriMo project. She is a major figure for Books 2 and 3 of my Dragonsfyre series.

1 - Slut Like You - P!nk

 

2 - Human Nature - Madonna



 

3 -Danger Zone - Gwen Stafani

 

4 - Vow - Garbage



5 - These Boots Were Made For Walkin' - Nancy Sinatra

 

5 on Friday - Set 145

 

Travis at Trav's Thoughts invites everyone to lay down a short set of music that takes their fancies for his 5 on Friday meme.

This week's set is inspired by the captain of the guard character from my work-in-progress, which is also my NaNoWriMo project. He made a few brief appearances in Book 1 of my Dragonsfyre series, and takes a more center stage role for Book 2. 

 

1 - The Planets: Mars - composed by Gustav Holst - Chicago Symphony Orchestra conducted by James Levine

 

2 - Imperial March - composed by John Williams - London Symphony Orchestra conducted by John Williams





 

3 -The Battle - composed by Hans Zimmer and Lisa Gerrard - Lyndhurst Orchestra conducted by Gavin Greenaway

 

 

4 - Spartacus ballet - composed by Aram Khachaturian



 

5 - Lento - Symphony of Sorrowful Songs - composed by Henryk Gorecki - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

Thursday Thirteen is at The Popculturedivas today

I'm blogging at The Popculturedivas today. Drop by for:


13 Things to Keep in Mind During Week 2 of NaNoWriMo

5 on Friday - Set 144

Travis at Trav's Thoughts invites everyone to lay down a short set of music that takes their fancies for his 5 on Friday meme.

Guess what I'm up to this weekend?

1 - Back in the New York Groove - KISS

2 - Nessun Dorma (Turandot) - Placido Domingo

 



 

3 -Rockettes Fashion Parade

4 - Birthday - The Beatles



5 - Fanfare/Don't Dream It, Be It - Tim Curry, Rocky Horror Picture Show soundtrack

 

Thursday Thirteen - 253 - 13 Things I've Been Doing During Week 1 of NaNoWriMo

 



 



Participating in the yearly writing marathon known as NaNoWriMo has become a tradition for me and many of my writer buddies. It's a very helpful tradition that will result in the rough draft of a book for me - in this case, Book 2 of my Dragonsfyre series.

Here's what I've been doing during Week 1 of NaNoWriMo 2012: 

1 - Feeling the infatuation glow of rushing into the arms of my characters.

2 - Fighting the urge to write well.

3 - Loading a plot template into my manuscript document, one that I'd crafted a few months ago in preparation for NaNoWriMo. I'm not a plotter by nature, but the requirements of writing a political intrigue series pushed me out of my seat-of-the-pantser comfort zone.

4 - Writing scenes out of sequence in order to shake me out of my urge to write neatly and well. 

5 - Allowing myself to go deep. Writing more than I normally would allow, in order for a scene to take me somewhere unexpected.

6 - Watching footage of actors that I've 'cast' as my characters, in order to get the feel of their body language and sounds of their voices 'downloaded' into my psyche.

7 - Going without sleep. Having taken part in the 3:15 Experiment, a month-long poetry-writing challenge which requires participants to wake up at 3:15 am for the month of August and write poetry, I realize that for me, the hazy sleeplessness of NaNoWriMo acts as a way for my subconscious to take over and allow deeper creativity full rein. 

8 - Noting my word count publicly on Facebook and on my NaNoWriMo page, as well as on my local writing chapter's NaNo loop. Keeps the excitement of group participation front and center, rather than writing in the normal solitary writing cave of everyday practise.

9 - Cheering on my fellow writer buddies as they pile on the word counts.

10 - Watching footage of period dramas, fantasy films or fight sequences as needed, when I need to immerse myself in an emotion or a scene mood. 

11 - Go for a walk so I can think.

12 - Listen to music while I ride the bus, so I can run scenes through my head.

13 - Be willing to go wherever my muse takes me, regardless of my own preconceived expectations.

Are you taking part in this writing marathon? If you've never done one before, would you consider doing it next year? You might end up with a book at the other end.

Dona Nobis Pacem

Happy BlogBlast for Peace Day!

I dedicate this year's post to all prisoners who have suffered torture throughout the centuries, and who continue to suffer today.

As I write the second book in my Dragonsfyre dark fantasy series featuring Scorpius, the falconer's apprentice turned lord's man, I'm dealing with issues of torture and its psychological aftermath.

This piece by Vivaldi is a beautiful contemplation on true peace being elusive in life, and waiting for us in the afterlife.

However, that doesn't mean we shouldn't reach our hands out to our brothers and sisters who suffer.

To all whose cries have been shielded from those who could hear and offer protection, I offer this post and the book I'm writing.

Peace to all from A Piece of My Mind.

Nulla in mundo pax sincera

In this world
there is no honest peace
free from bitterness

pure and true
sweet Jesus, lies in Thee

Amidst punishment and torment
lives the contented soul,
chaste love its only hope

5 on Friday - Set 143

Travis at Trav's Thoughts invites everyone to lay down a short set of music that takes their fancies for his 5 on Friday meme.

This 5 on Friday is dedicated to my late Gram, whose birthday would have been yesterday. These are all tunes that she used to play on her piano.

1 - Spanish Eyes

 

2 -Your Cheatin' Heart

 

3 - There's a Tavern on the Town

 

4 - Sweet Georgia Brown

 

 



 

 

 

5 - Eidelweiss Glide Waltz

 

 

 

 

Thursday Thirteen - 252 - 13 Things About Appearing at Hal-Con

 

1 -  This past weekend I got my geek on and worked my second sci-fi/fantasy convention, Hal-Con which took place in Halifax's World Trade and Convention Centre.

 

 

2 - A little farther along my aisle was Alex Bledsoe, whose stacks of books started to disappear on Saturday, so I hurried over to snag an autographed copy of Dark Jenny before they were all gone. 

 

 

 

3 - My friend and fellow writers' group member Shawna Romkey stopped by our table to see me and my partner-in-crime Lilly Cain who shared the table and a weekend of great conversation and laughs. We also remembered to chat with readers, believe it or not. Shawna's husband was one of the official sponsors of the event, and as a soon-to-be debut YA angel author herself, Shawna spent a whole day getting her own geek on.

 

4 -  One of the best things about these conferences are the costumes and the little photography parties that erupt everywhere.

 

 

 

 



5 - Hal-Con had lots of amazing events like this concert band performance of superhero themes. I loved it, and so did the standing-room-only crowd.

 

 

 

 

6 -  Harpies!

 

7 -  Here is my Hal-Con partner Lilly Cain, who writes sci-fi erotica. 

8 -  Wham! Pow!

9 -  Lots of great steampunk costumes, including this one with teacup and saucer holster, and 30s typewriter keys armband communicator.

10 -  My husband's former co-worker showcased his comic store Giant Robot Comics where I bought a 'Shop Smart - Shop S-Mart' T-shirt. 

 

11 - Was delighted to meet up with INNERSpace host Ajay Fry. My husband and I are longtime viewers of all things Space Channel.

 

12 - There were so many families all in costume, and all the kids were in a great mood. This little Princess Leia and her Princess Leia mom were stand-outs. She even had a teeny lightsabre.

13 - Thank you to all who stopped by our table to chat and pick up a book! It was great meeting you.

Yip yip yip yip yip...