GEMINI: Gemini, the sign of the Twins, is dual-natured, elusive, complex and contradictory. On the one hand it produces the virtue of versatility, and on the other the vices of two-facedness and flightiness. The sign is linked with Mercury, the planet of childhood and youth, and its subjects tend to have the graces and faults of the young. When they are good, they are very attractive; when they are bad they are more the worse for being the charmers they are. Like children they are lively, and happy, if circumstances are right for them, or egocentric, imaginative and restless.

Their good qualities are attractive and come easily to them. They are affectionate, courteous, kind, generous, and thoughtful towards the poor and suffering - provided none of the activities resulting from expressing these traits interferes too greatly with their own lives and comforts.

Geminians can be successful in many walks of life though their general characteristics tend to make them unreliable. They are often skilled manipulators of language, in speech and writing, and may be: debaters, diplomats (though in politics they are more interested in theory than practice), orators, preachers (brilliant rather than profound), teachers, authors, poets, journalists, or lawyers.




This is me. I am a Gemini. Pure, Raw, passionate.

WARNING

I intend to be open, honest, and forthright. No topic is off limits from religion to you name it, I'm going there. If you think you might be offended...back up now - this blog isn't for you. For those who "dare" check out the "Gemini Rising..."

Maggie, Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I agree with the Kindle. I've got to be more discriminating in choosing titles because the price is comparable to mass market books and I want to spend my money wisely.

Smiles
Steph

I really won't miss Borders (or any other book retailer) that much. I've always been a library girl, which is totally hypocritical for someone who hopes to actually SELL her books someday!LOL I didn't really start buying books until the last few years. In the military, our base libraries aren't always well-stocked on recent and/or new releases so I've had to resort to sharing/swapping with friends and/or shopping more and more. And even then, for the longest time I always checked eBay or Craigslist first, saving Borders and the like as a last resort. When that became increasingly more necessary, that's when I invested in my Kindle, because back then eBooks were way cheaper than paying full price for most books. I'm becoming more frustrated lately though, that the publishers are setting the prices (to recoup their losses on print sales, I presume), making eBooks less and less of a bargain. As much as I love my Kindle, I hate to say that lately I've become a lot more discriminating in the titles I chose because they're becoming just as expensive as the print versions in most cases. I've already started going back to shopping for used online, and settling for what little the library has to offer because Pete gives me shit everytime he sees I've downloaded a new book. The whole point of Kindles were that while they were an investment up front, they paid for themselves with savings. That's not hardly the case anymore. I would never buy a reference book in eBook format - those will always be bought in print for me - but even when I do buy them, it will always be an online purchase. Borders? I definitely won't miss them. Other than - like you said - for ambiance, who really needs them?

Thanks Yvonne. I'm glad you enjoyed the story. I was tickled pink when Desert Breeze Picked it up for release. Smiles, Steph

Maggie, LOL!! You silly goose. Yes, there are really "for real" lighthouses in Cali. Thanks for popping in, Sweetie. You you in the San Diego area now?

Smiles
Steph

I miss living up north in the Bay area!!! Santa Cruz was really close and we went there often. (I had my daughter at one of the hospitals up there!) We went to the famous boardwalk and mystery spot and all that but I never knew they had a lighthouse! Anyway, the funny story about lighthouses that I wanted to plug in here was over the one in Monterey where we lived. I grew up on the east coast where when you think of lighthouses you envision these really tall and thin towering structures. Even though I grew up so close to the coast, I never actually visited the beach and all that so I had never seen a real lighthouse in my life until I moved over here. When I found out they had a lighthouse in Monterey I was so excited because I thought I was going to see a "real, live lighthouse" for the first time in my life! We get there and it's just a plain - very small, tiny - old house with a very tiny little light tower on top, almost like an attic accessory or something. We pull up and I say, "It's just a house with a light on top!" Duh. Light. House. Duh. I was so disappointed I didn't even want to take the tour.LOL So, are you saying that there really are "for real" lighthouses out here in Cali?

Maggie ((waves))
Good to see you, Sweetie. I don't know how I do it either. I don't get enough sleep! *lol* - Hope you'll check a few of them out. You know I love to get your thoughts.
Smiles
Steph

Wow, you've been busy! I'm so jealous! I haven't had a muse to write a single word since back in April. I'm counting on NaNo to be my excuse not to have an excuse anymore.LOL You're inspiring. I don't know how you can pump out all that lit with kids and a job. Good luck!

Kare, yes, that's how I write. I usually write, then go back for an edit and add the descripion.

Anyea, thanks so much for your feedback. That's an excellent descriptive paragraph that uses a good economy of words to paint the picture for the reader. I've never heard of the author or book. Most literary agents are looking for action in the opening to grab the reader. Beginning writers and authors haven't usually honed their talent for descriptions yet.



Steph

You SHOULD start your story with a description if you are an expert, as the following writer shows us all:


"The palace still shook occassionally as the earth rumbled in memory, groaned as if it would deny what had happened. Bars of sunlight cast through rents in the walls made motes of dust glitter where they hung in the air. Scorch marks marred the walls, the floors, the ceilings. Broad black smears crossed the blistered paints of once bright murals."

Now I know I wanted to know what had occurred to cause this. The writer? Robert Jordan. The book? The Eye of the World Sorry...had to do it. I have read too many excellant authors who do start with the perfect description to pull their readers in.

Wrote 4 NaNo stories yesterday. You are right about the senses, of course.

I will reveal my characters by what they do, by what they say and what others say about them. Some of their quirks will be revealed over a series of stories. Each story, each character will need to elicit the senses. At least that is what I hope to do! At this point I need to just write, edit later.

Later I will ask: what did it look, smell, sound, touch and taste like and did I take the reader there? Touch is many times forgotten and smell is underused except in clichés.