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** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only **   A fascination for the stars, a friendship with the darkest night; a search for adventure, a longing for the light; a journey to the edge of the universe, a wonder in my eyes... I have strong convictions, I love to sing and dance, I hate sham, lies and guise. I love life, people, oceans, pens, dreams, cats, chocolate, and I'll stand for what is right. You can tell me what I should be, Everything I lack. But at the end of the day just take me back to where the stars still shine at night.  Warning: Contains pert opinions, illogical thoughts, unrealistic dreams, ridiculous rants, irrelevant links, un-profound philosophy and "conservative" religious beliefs.You're welcome to read, follow, comment, listen, laugh and cry.  I can't promise any emotionally-tranquil content.  ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** ® Bragging Rights Reserved |
I haven't blogged in here for 19 days!  What has been happening? Too much. I can't really do a proper entry, because I don't have time. I am having trouble with my laptop – the charger is broken, so I have limited time on it. So apologies to anyone who wants me and can't get me. :-[Sad to hear the news about the typhoon in the Philippines.  We sponsor a little girl over there through International Needs, and we're hoping she's okay.  Created a new cnote shop:
Wrote the most epic quote ever: :-[ ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** |
| The floods usually come in August, but this year they have come late, choosing to strike two months into spring. In New Zealand our rivers rise very quickly with even a bit of rain, so most years our valley river comes up over the banks, sometimes even covering the road. State Highway 3 was closed, and some houses in Wanganui were evacuated because the river came up over the floodbanks. A state of emergency was declared, but frankly I think it was a lot of hype about nothing. It's not often Wanganui gets to declare a state of emergency about something, so *they'll jump at the chance. In my opinion, they should be more concerned with the sewers that have been overflowing for months now because the mayor spent all of their money on decorating the city with statues, carvings and nice walkways. (But I'm not complaining. :-[ Ugly or smelly – what kind of choice is that?) *I live about 20kms out of Wanganui, by the way, which is why I'm talking about "them" not "us" (in case you were wondering). Random fact: Did you know that drowning is the 3rd leading cause of unintentional injury death worldwide, accounting for 7% of all injury related deaths? It's fun when there is a "glitch" in the change of seasons, when things don't go as expected. Two years ago it snowed where we live. Real, decent snow, too, that actually piled up on the ground – something almost unheard of in these parts. At times like these, it seems to me that God is laughing, reminding us of how He is in complete control. And I love change. Change is the essence of life. Without it we are static. 2D. The gentle, or occasionally surprising, transition of the seasons is part of the heartbeat of life. It's one of those things that just happens, but it is so vital to life on our planet. It makes me admire the way God so quietly controls everything that happens, and how much thought and detail He put into forming this earth, this universe. One of my favourite Bible verses is found in Genesis 1:16:  God made the two great lights,the greater light to govern the day, and the lesser light to govern the night;   He made the stars also.He made the stars also. By the way. In case you wanted to know.  These incredible spheres that have guided navigators, sailors and explorers, that have puzzled astronomers and caused wonder in philosophers, and been the admiration of artists and the dreams of poets (and are the title and theme of this blog :-[)...The next verses, 17-18, say: "God placed them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, and to govern the day and the night, and to separate the light from the darkness; and God saw that it was good." Maybe you can see why I love stars so much.  What's the goss?As much as they sting, I appreciate brutal reviews. There, I have said it. :-[ I was a bit disappointed with two reviews I received recently, but I tried to actually accept their criticism graciously. When I got over the initial grudge, I realized how valuable their comments really are. So I replied honestly and thankfully, and struck up an interesting conversation with one of them. I have shifted my focus towards reviewing newbies. I do this mostly because they come to WdC expecting feedback for their work now, and most of the time they don't get it until they don't want/need it anymore. Which is sad, so I wanted to change it.Why I like reviewing and receiving reviews from newbies:  They are appreciative. They are humble. It's easy to strike up a conversation with them. ...and they almost always give GPs! I newbies, and I wish Writing.Com's members could be warmer and more supportive towards them, especially in the review department. Bragging:Thanks to the kind folks who have nominated some of my items in the Quills. It really warms my heart.Won 1st Place tie in the "The Writer's Cramp"  with my poem...um, wait a second... ...that embarrassing moment when you can't remember the title of the poem you wrote two days ago... it helps that it's nearly midnight over here...here it is! "Invalid Item" Team JELK won at "Invalid Item" !! Yay! :-[Thank you to the generous gifters of: ![Merit Badge in Romance
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Thank you for your donation to [Link To Item #1953104] .](https://images.Writing.Com/imgs/writing.com/writers/badges/genre-Ghost-700.gif)   Spotlight:
 "Life's a struggle, but the scenery is wonderful."   ~ A profound saying by warriormom, ever the cheerful warrior  While you’re out there trying to become who you will be,don’t forget to be who you are.  ~ A cute quote by Yours Truly :-[ |
| Sorry, I'm lacking in inspiration today, so I'll just write a quick newsy update: What's the goss? Kiwi author of The Luminaries, Eleanor Catton, has today won the Man Booker Prize , making her the second New Zealander and at 28 years old the youngest author to ever win the award.Her novel, The Luminaries, set in 1866 gold-rush Hokitika, with its structure and narrative propelled by 12 men aligned to 12 signs of the zodiac, the 832-page murder-mystery has divided reviewers, electrifying many, baffling others. I haven't read the book, but after reading an extract I am more than a little interested. Her writing style is captivating, from what I have seen, and the story is alluring, especially since it's set in NZ. :-[ But the 800+ pages are daunting!I'm not into the whole astrological signs thing – it's a bit weird – but if I ever get hold of the book, I'll give it a read and see if it's any good. For more information about the Man Booker Prize, click here . Bragging:What a lovely surprise: ![Merit Badge in Job Well Done
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For Your Excellent Blog, [Link To Item #1877728] in connection with [Link To Item #1786069] ! Well done!
*^*Thumbsup*^*](https://images.Writing.Com/imgs/writing.com/writers/badges/Kudos-Job_Well_Done-1150.gif) Spotlight:Check out this poem by Solivagus  :
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| Winter is often associated with sorrow, loneliness, fear, old age. In some of my poems I use winter as a metaphor like this. The cold, the dead things, the lack of colour, the leafless trees – they are all things we don't enjoy. But winter has its beautiful moments – snowflakes and the frost on the lawn, those incredible sunrises and sunsets, the wonderfully clear and starry nights. The cold has never bothered me. I'm a naturally warm person, and usually don't wear more than two or three layers in winter! Apart from chilblains and getting out of bed, I mostly love winter. (But then, by now you've probably figured out I love all the seasons.) I love breaking ice with my gumboots, taking hay out to the cows on a frosty morning, watching the rain out the window, curling up in bed with a hot cup of chocolate and reading a book or watching a movie.August floods are always exciting – when the creek comes up over the bridge and the river climbs the bank, and the phone calls come in the middle of the night to say that the river is up four metres at O'Neil's bridge. When the water draining off the road makes a stream in the paddock, and the rain drumming on the iron roof makes me thankful to be safe and warm. When the cats curl up on the bed and the cows huddle together to keep warm. The storms, with the powerful thunder that shakes the whole house and the lightning that illuminates the sky and the landscape in surreal flashes – I always feel that these moments draw me closer to God. I am reminded then of one of my favourite passages in the Bible – Psalm 18. It's a long psalm, so I won't copy it into here, as much as I'd like to. But here is one of the verses that I love, v.13a: "The LORD also thundered in the heavens, And the Most High uttered His voice." A few verses later it speaks of lightning as His arrows. This Psalm is about salvation, how God comes to rescue those who call on His name and delivers them from their enemies. To summarize, you may not love winter like I do :-[, but we're always glad when spring comes. And I think that is winter's sweetness: the anticipation and expectation of what is to come. It makes us really appreciate the warmth, the sunlight, the new birth and beauty of spring. The bad times make us really appreciate the good times. What's the goss?I discovered another poet today, while browsing PoemHunter.Com: Sara Teasdale. I love her poem I Have Loved Hours At Sea .I also learned that Jane Austen wrote poetry. I never knew that! It doesn't compare to her novels, but there are some nice expressions in her poems. Revisiting C.S. Lewis' poems Death In Battle and Evolutionary Hymn (I don't believe in evolution, but this provides a fascinating insight into those who do) and After Prayers, Lie Cold Bragging:Won 1st Place in "The Writer's Cramp" with my poem "Invalid Item" ![Merit Badge in Fundraising
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Ranked # 89 Public Reviewer for the month of September 2013 . For more details, please see [Link To Item #614925] .](https://images.Writing.Com/imgs/writing.com/writers/badges/general-Reviewing-2180.gif) Spotlight:...and used the 10,000 GPs prize to present an awardicon to this beautiful poem by C.N. Greer (check out her port!):
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Among my many explorations (this world is such a fascinating place and the internet has such a wealth of information, and when it isn't distracting, it's very useful.  ).I've been looking into the origin of the English names of the seasons. Where did the words come from? What do they mean? Unfortunately my search has come to a dead end. I can't find out much about the words and their meanings, and anything I have found is pretty boring. Of course, autumn is the most interesting, with more history than the other words, and its relation to harvest is also vaguely interesting. I'll bore you with a few facts about the words "autumn" and "fall":"The word autumn comes from the Old French word autompne...and the original Latin word autumnus. There are rare examples of its use as early as the 12th century, but it became common by the 16th century." Before the 16th century, harvest was the term usually used to refer to the season. However, gradually the word harvest lost its reference to the time of year and came to refer only to the actual activity of reaping. "Autumn", as well as "fall", began to replace it as a reference to the season. The alternative word "fall" traces its origins to old Germanic languages, although the Old English fiæll or feallan and the Old Norse fall are also possible origins. During the 17th century, the term "fall" gradually became obsolete in Britain while it became the more common term in North America. Then I took a trip over to Google Translate to see what the seasons are in other languages: Spanish: summer = verano autumn = otoño winter = invierno spring = primavera ("prima" means "premium", "prime" or "bounty", and "vera" means "edge" ~ isn't that cool?) French: summer = été autumn = automne winter = hiver spring = printemps German (that gutsy, ugly language!): summer = Sommer autumn = Herbst (which means "harvest") winter = Winter (no doubt pronounced "Vinter" )spring = Frühling ...and one of my favourite languages, only because I had to research it so extensively while writing my last novel – and I love the Polish and Russian accents more than aaaaany in the world. :-[ Polish (that gutsy, gorgeous language!): summer = lato autumn = jesień winter = zima spring = wiosna (Ooh, just got a Ghostie!  How spooky...)On a more interesting subject: I watched a movie recently – "Trial By Fire" (it's pretty boring, predictable, poorly acted and unrealistic) – about a woman firefighter who wants to get into the Smokejumpers. Wait a second – what the heck are smokejumpers? Maybe I'm stupid, or maybe it's because I'm not a Yank, but I've never heard this term. So I looked it up and read a bit about it. Smokejumpers are "elite" firefighters who parachute into remote areas to combat wildfires. Apparently it's quite a dangerous job, although fatalities are rare. The most famous case was the Mann Gulch fire, back in 1949, when 13 firefighters were killed, 12 of whom were smokejumpers; and the South Canyon fire, in 1994 that took the lives of 14 wildland firefighters on Storm King Mountain. A beautiful and sad song about the Mann Gulch fire: [Embed For Use By Upgraded+] Okay, sorry for the boring blog post...I thought the seasons would provide much more entertainment than this! Next time it will be more interesting, I (almost) promise. :-[ Spotlight:Check out scorpialex's Halloween Auction:
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| Let's talk about time. Not the time of day or the time of year or the time of life. But the time to choose baby names! You may think the connection is far-fetched, and maybe it is, but time and seasons aren't just the literal, physical things. :-[ Some people have already commented that it may be difficult for me to blog on this theme for 31 days – totally true! But they didn't take into consideration, as I have that there are times and seasons of life, with different things we go through. So basically I can blog on whatever subject I like. Most people come to that vital decision-making time, and spend a lot of time sifting through names and arguing over what to call the baby, and the name they finally choose all the relatives hate.  It's a decision you'll have to live with for the rest of your life!And as writers we all face that agonizing time of choosing a name for our protagonist, usually a decision that holds us up before we actually start the book. (I was lucky with Rena. She came straight away. As I mentioned in a previous blog post, it was Lynx I always struggled with.) I don't know about you, but I love browsing names – there are some very beautiful and unique ones out there. Of course, most of them aren't the kind of names I would choose for my kids, but writers have the advantages because they can use all their favourite exotic and ridiculous names in their books. :-[ I keep a document on my computer full of names to use in my stories, some for primary characters and some for secondary characters. (Some names just suit a more background position, don't you think?) I constantly refer back to it, and I'm always adding new names. If you don't have this, I highly recommend you start it! Today I issued myself a challenge: go and find at least five names, of either sex, that I have never heard of before. (And I challenge you to give it a go as well. I recommend this site to start off with.)Here are some of the very beautiful names I found today: Naiara – Sex: Female. Meaning: City in the Basque Country. Origin: Spanish. Notes: A boring meaning, I thought, even though the name sounds lovely rolling off the tongue, and reminds me of water – perhaps a lake – no doubt prompted by its similarity to Niagra. I looked up "Basque Country" on Wikipedia to find out more about it: "The Basque Country (Basque: Euskal Herria) is the name given to the home of the Basque people in the western Pyrenees that spans the border between France and Spain on the Atlantic coast." I instantly pictured an ancient, secluded race of people, with a distinct culture of their own. It has an earthly fantasy ring to it, doesn't it? So I'm saving that one up for my next fantasy. Adamaris – Sex: Female. Meaning: Noble of the sea. Origin: Latin. Notes: I don't like the name "Adam", which I was reminded of when I first read this name, but when I said it out loud "Adam" disappeared from my mind. To me it sounds sad and a little epic, like something from a legend or fantasy. Isn't it interesting how names have a certain ring to them? Kailani – Sex: Female. Meaning: Sea and sky. Origin: Polynesian/Hawaiian. Notes: I recognised it as Polynesian almost straight away. In New Zealand there are a lot of Maoris and Islanders (of Polynesian descent), and the names have a tone of their own. Unfortunately, "kai" is the Maori word for food. :-[ But it's a nice name all the same, and I'll keep it in mind for the next story I write involving someone of Polynesian descent. I set out to look for a few male names, since the last three have been female, but accidentally came across this name, which I think is worthy of mention: Rayya – Sex: Female. Meaning: Fragrant breeze. Origin: Arabic. Notes: Instantly speaks to me of sunshine, warmth and youth. Below "People who like the name Rayya also like" I saw some more names that I like the look of and will investigate some other time: Inara, Inaya, Hasana, Amira Chase – Sex: Male. Meaning: Hunter. Origin: English. Notes: Now, I may be cheating because I think I have heard of this name before, but I never knew that it meant hunter. It is also short for Chauncey (ew!). I can picture a serious and focused hunter, but also a guy with a mischievous sense of humour. Rance – Sex: Male. Meaning: Shield. Origin: English. Notes: Also a short form of the name Lawrence, which I don't like much. Reminds me of "Lance", a name I absolutely hate, but it's similarity to "lance", another weapon, is interesting. Rance is a strong/weak name for me. I like it but I don't. There is something...treacherous about it. And one more, just because I can, before I have named you all out: Ruven – Sex: Male. Meaning: Behold, a son. Origin: American. Notes: I hadn't thought of it as a form of Ruben or Reuben (which it is), despite its similarity, but I recognised the meaning of the name as identical. And yes, Reuben is one of my favourite names. It is also similar to "Raven", a name I wouldn't go for for a guy, but that doesn't put me off the name.I'm not good at finding male names. I like strong men, who will lead and protect, and I like strong names for them. And most names just don't do it. My favourite male names are: Archie, Arthur, George, Stanley, Erik, Finn, Evan, Harry, Levi, Reuben, David, Nick and Joel (Brother Nature , I hope you're glad to hear it!). They are all winners. I also loved Edward until Twilight came out, and that has put me off it a bit.I don't like weak names, such as Jeremy, Gerald, Gavin, Harold, Ian, Kayden, Darren and Zachary.  (No offence to anyone with those names who might be reading this.)My favourite names tend to be a bit on the old-fashioned side – tried and tested. But there are more modern/popular ones that I like, such as Reagen, Max and Jay...but not much else. Wow, this blog entry has gone beyond the call of duty! I hope it isn't excelling 2000 words. I tend to get carried away with names. You may have noticed they're a favourite subject of mine. What's the goss?Wrote "Invalid Item" for "Letters of Life, Love & Hope" Please, take some time to enter this beautiful contest. Spotlight:
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| I love all seasons, because like all times of life they have their joys and pains. If I was forced to pick a favourite, though, I think I would choose autumn. I love autumn because of the incredible colours, the clear atmosphere, the gentle rain and the fresh winds. There is a deep and gentle sorrow that comes with autumn. It is a time of memories, looking back at the summer and the year that has passed. But also it is a time for new beginnings – here in New Zealand, autumn begins in March, right near the beginning of the year. It is a time for settling down and preparing for the winter, looking forward to all that you can accomplish – and also a time to capture those last lingering summer moments, before the wind sweeps it all away to set the stage again. The beautiful and brilliant trees are definitely the highlight of my autumns. What's the goss?I have been reading about peace symbols, as research for my book (I want a symbol in my story that relates to the reader, here and now, but also something fresh and appropriate for a hundred years in the future). I found out some interesting facts, which I find fascinating and encouraging (yeah, I never knew facts could do that! I am devoted to history, literature and music, and I like to dabble in art as well, so each of these appeal to me in one way or another.Did you know? The peace symbol,  , was designed in 1958 by Gerald Holtom for the British nuclear disarmament movement. It is a combination of the sephamore signals Delta (D)  and November (N)  , which consist of a flag pointed up and then two flags pointing down on an angle. It was inspired by this painting  by Francisco de Goya. ...And some people didn't like the anti-war movement, so they accused the symbol of being a "manifestation of a witch's foot or crow's foot", supposedly icons of the devil in the Middle Ages, and "noted an ominous similarity to a symbol used by the Nazis in World War II". Why do I find that funny? The peace sign,  , became popular during World War II, when a BBC broadcaster suggested in a broadcast that Belgians use a V for victoire (French: “victory”) and vrijheid (Dutch: "freedom") as a rallying emblem during World War II. Within weeks of the broadcast, chalked up Vs began appearing on walls throughout Belgium, the Netherlands, and northern France. "V" in Morse Code is three dots and a dash – a similar rhythm to the opening passage of Beethoven's 5th Symphony! ...which soon became the call sign. The more musically educated also understood that it was the Fate motif "knocking on the door" of the Third Reich. And yes, Winston Churchill made it super-famous, often with a cigar between his fingers. :-[So I have a question for you: If you designed your own peace symbol, what would it look like? ![Merit Badge in RAOK
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| I am participating in "30-Day Blogging Challenge ON HIATUS" this lovely month of October, partly to wind down from my novel-writing hype and partly to keep my fingers exercised, but mostly because Brother Nature coaxed, nagged, insisted and finally persuaded me to sign up. :-[ I encourage you to join up as well. This round is very relaxed and casual, and I understand one can still win prizes(?). There are still five days left to sign up. My theme is: Time &  Seasons   Nope, I haven't forgotten you, my faithful "Invalid Item" friends, followers and supporters – you will receive an update on that soon. There is not much to say, and a lot at the same time. I'm waiting for action over at "Invalid Item" and Meeple 's update before I officially bust through the ribbon at the finish line, or throw the bottle of champagne at the ship's bow – however you want to imagine it. Is it the end...or just the beginning? I'm inclined to believe in the latter, but I have until the apocalypse to decide. Sorry, the Halloween fanfare (or dirge, rather) here on WdC is getting me spooked out. Curry gives me nightmares, and those nightmares are usually about zombies...although I can't complain, because they usually inspire me for the next part in my book. I actually dreamed up an epic quote for my novel last night, and woke up with it clear and vivid in my mind while I scrambled to write it down: "The people don't want a revolution. They want a saviour." Pretty cool, huh, from a zombie-paranoid, panicked, freaked-out, chaotic imagination? (I think watching World War Z and Zombieland so close together hasn't exactly helped, and usually when I eat curry for dinner I have nightmares. Anyone else get that? And when I'm sick I always get nasty dreams. Yeah, have come down with the flu after a long and tiring, but fun, weekend. I have gone through two toilet paper rolls and a few handkerchiefs with the grossest snot you have ever seen. I thought you'd like to hear that delightful fact.  Actually, I'm fishing for sympathy here. Thanks to those who have already given theirs – I feel better already!)Another me-quote (which you may have seen in my notebook), while I'm on the self-propelled roller-coaster to fame: There are three forces involved in the writing process: Muse, Inner Editor and Slave. Three guesses which one I am, and the first two don't count. I was originally going to write in this blog entry about my favourite season, but I've ended up getting side-tracked a few times and now I think I'll save it for tomorrow and keep you all in suspense. :-[ (Anyone know/guess my favourite season?) To kick off my season-themed blogging month, it's only appropriate to share one of my favourite ever pieces of classical music: [Embed For Use By Upgraded+] What's the goss?I am so excited about Thank You, Writing.Com! (13th Birthday Edition) ! What a fantastic tribute Jeff  put together! (Oops, sorry for tagging you. I'm shocking with tagging, as many will testify. You can ignore this if you want, or if you're bored, I hope you enjoy the read.)People, make sure you read "Video "Thank You" Project" to fully appreciate Jeff's efforts, and visit the forum at "Thank You, SM & SMs!" to see SM and SMs's comments. It's all pretty overwhelming. Bragging:I won 1st Place in "The Midnight Traveler's Contest" with my poem "Invalid Item" !   ![Merit Badge in Creativity
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Congratulations on winning 1st place in Round 7 of "Dare to Twist Reality Contest" *^*Bigsmile*^*](https://images.Writing.Com/imgs/writing.com/writers/badges/general-Creativity-2180.gif) Ain't they perfectly gorgeous? Thanks, Gaby ~ Keeper Of The Realm  and 🦄🏳️🌈Sapph Congrats to the other winners, LostGhost: Seeking & Learning  with "A Letter Lost in Cyberspace" and blue jellybaby with "Invalid Item"  And thanks to everyone who took up my challenge to enter. You guys are awesome.(And yes, sorry to repeat myself. Brother Nature commented that, I've changed the name of my "newsfeed" icon to my "see what Kasia won now" icon. That gave me a good giggle, but jerked me awake to the realization that my naughty boasting is starting to annoy people. In future I'll try to limit it, at least to these blog entries. But I can't help getting all excited when I come away with a win, and I like to have somewhere to publicly thank and acknowledge the judges and congratulate the winners, as well as trying to keep/get people excited about contests. It's also a personal chronicle of my achievements, so that when I'm feeling low I can look back at all the wins and get reinvigorated. :-[)And thanks to ~ Santa Sisco ~ and SMs for the following badges: ![Merit Badge in Teamwork
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Thank you for the part you played in [Link To Item #1954629] . What a wonderful and thoughtful surprise this was for us. I am overjoyed at this project and how beautiful it turned out. It was well worth any stress you endured! *^*Laugh*^* I am in love with the video! Thank you so much for helping!](https://images.Writing.Com/imgs/writing.com/writers/badges/general-Teamwork-210.gif) Spotlight:I don't know about you, but all these 30-Day activities are sending my head in a whirl. With "30-Day Blogging Challenge ON HIATUS" , "Invalid Item" , "Invalid Item" and "Invalid Item" , I can't keep up with which one is which!  Please, if you are thinking of hosting an activity, come away from the 30-Day theme!  But on the serious side, be sure to support these great activities! |
| Added "Invalid Entry" , "Invalid Entry" , "Invalid Entry" , "Invalid Entry" , "Invalid Entry" Am I the only one with 36 chapters written and only 300 words to go?? :-[ So many people started! Nearly a whole year, and only a few of us left. And the deadline is looming up. September, September, wherefore art thou, September? I can't believe how fast the year has slipped by. Summer is coming! Already the trees are turning green and the grass is growing to the knee.On that note...I'm off to write some more.  No time for blogging today, or tomorrow, or the day after, or any day until the 1st of October, I suspect. Don't be surprised if things are quiet on my end of the line. You know why! Bragging:Wow, thanks intuey GoT Survivor!  ! What a lovely surprise! My first Portfolio MB, and such a heart-warming message. ![Merit Badge in Portfolio
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*^*Balloonv*^* For your amazing portfolio! You have something for everyone to enjoy *^*Delight*^* Well rounded and well organized. I look forward to spending more time digging in, and reading some of your many writings. *^*Bigsmile*^* Thanks for sharing your talent with us. *^*Heart*^* *^*Balloonv*^* ((hugs)) Tracey](https://images.Writing.Com/imgs/writing.com/writers/badges/general-Portfolio.gif) Spotlight:Two featured items, by Shaye  and Annette :
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 1,368 words of Chapters 32 - 33 and 119 words of a poem, "Invalid Item" I'm enjoying writing dialogue. It seems to flow so naturally between Lynx and Rena. Or at least, it feels much less stiff than the dialogue I write usually ends up. I will dance long after the song has ended... Isn't that the most beautiful quote you have ever read? I just love it. ...Would you believe I wrote it? This sentence was the last words of Lynx's mother before she was executed. She was a dancer and a leader of the Resistance, and was captured and killed. Spotlight:Be sure to cast your vote in
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| 1,558 words of Chapters 29 - 32. Also wrote 153 words of a poem. Added "Invalid Entry" , "Invalid Entry" , "Invalid Entry" , "Invalid Entry" , "Invalid Entry" , "Invalid Entry" Does anyone else make that half-laugh/chuckle/snort noise, which involves exhaling forcefully, usually a few times, through the nose?? It's like a "can't be bothered laughing, but I'm amused" or a sarcastic snort. But "snort" doesn't seem the right word. Why isn't there a word for that? Spotlight:
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| September 16th Prompt: Take the third line of the last song you heard, make it your post title, and write for a maximum of 15 minutes. GO! "Some heard the gun" from Atlas by Coldplay. This song suits the Hunger Games so well. I'm not a great fan of the books or the movie. I enjoyed them, and the plot was interesting, but the writing style didn't impress me and the characters weren't as convincing as they could have been. I think Coldplay did a magnificent job of this song. They have captured the mood and the characteristics of the story, and of course the lyrics are amazing. They relate to the story in such a quiet and subtle way, and at the same time touch the heart personally. I think my favourite line is "Sometimes the wire must tense for the note". Oooh, that sends shivers up my spine. The lyric video was mesmerizing and had an intense and memorable way of displaying the song. So few songs actually stick in my head like that. I found myself singing along within the first replay! Anyway, aside from the movie, I love this song. I think it's a new favourite.There are a few lines in various songs that really struck me, especially the first time. Here are some: "From the windows they were watching / While we froze down below." ~ Violet Hill, by Coldplay (coincidentally! This is the theme song for my novel. The first time I heard it I was mowing the lawns with my ipod turned up loud. I froze, physically and mentally. It was perfect. Everything, from the smallest detail, fitted the plot of my book, and the music had the perfect atmosphere.)"Wise men wonder while strong men die." ~ So Cold, by Breaking Benjamin "Skyfall is where we start / A thousand miles and poles apart / Where worlds collide and days are dark." ~ Skyfall, by Adele (another great movie soundtrack, with the perfect description of the sky falling! )"I tried carrying the weight of the world / But I only have two hands." ~ Wake Me Up, by Avicii (I also love "They tell me I'm too young to understand / They say I'm caught up in a dream / Life will pass me by if I don't open up my eyes" and then later when he sings "Wish that I could stay forever this young / Not afraid to close my eyes" Did you catch that? And of course I love "Life's a game made for everyone / And love is the prize")"And the walls kept tumbling down / In the city that we love / Grey clouds roll over the hills / Bringing darkness from above." ~ Pompeii, by Bastille "In the middle of September we'd still play out in the rain / Nothing to lose but everything to gain / Reflecting now on how things could've been / It was worth it in the end." ~ September, by Daughtry "I've run every red light on memory lane / I've seen desperation explode into flames / And I don't want to see it again." ~ Telegraph Road, by Dire Straits "You've got a heart as loud as lions / So why let your voice be tamed?" and "At night we're waking up the neighbours / While we sing away the blues." ~ Read All About It (Pt. III), by Emeli Sandé "Raise my hands / Paint my spirit gold." ~ I Will Wait, by Mumford & Sons "People started talking / Just to hear their own voice." ~ Washed By The Water, by NeedToBreathe (and I loooove the chorus!) ...Which brings to mind: "'Cause when the answers and the truth take different sides..." ~ Through Smoke, by NeedToBreathe And the chorus of Strong Enough To Save, by Tenth Avenue North, brought me out of the pit of a spiritual battle. I know it sounds cheesy, but that song fixed a broken heart. Bragging:Won second place in "Invalid Item" with my entry "Invalid Item" ! This was a lovely surprise to cheer up my day. Thanks, blue jellybaby for the award! ![Merit Badge in Growth
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For showing me, with your entry to [Link To Item #1865365] , the way in which you grew up and spent your thirteenth birthday. Such a sweet memory *^*Heart*^*](https://images.Writing.Com/imgs/writing.com/writers/badges/general-Growth-1150.gif) Spotlight:
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 It's difficult to say exactly how many words I have done. I have been filling in a lot of gaps in previous chapters and smoothing over the plot, which is turning out really well.I can finish the book with only 9000 more words, but it will be a squeeze, since this point was going to be the middle of the book. I feel like the plot is only just warming up, and to kill it now would be a bad idea. I hope you back me in this, Meeple ?  I'm hoping I can wrap this book up properly, instead of making a butch job of it.So I'm going to aim for more than 9000 words, even though I don't have much time. More than 9000 words in three weeks? You're dreaming. I know. :-[ But hey, shoot for the moon and even if you miss you'll land among the stars. What's the goss?Jeff is looking for interest in a potential screenwriters group! I love this idea, since I have always wanted to try my hand at a script. Check out his notebook update "Note: Is anyone out there interested in a Writing.Com gr..." and vote in this poll:
Spotlight:Check out 💙 Carly  's beautiful and inspiring poem:
It's the last day at "Invalid Item" before we begin judging for the Grand Prize. Get your entries in quick! Will you be the last winner? |
| Added "Invalid Entry" and "Invalid Entry" Wrote "Invalid Item" for "Invalid Item" * Created this new form of poetry!The Receding Lament: Consists of six stanzas, each with two lines less than the previous, i.e. Verse 1 = 11 lines, Verse 2 = 9 lines, Verse 3 = 7 lines, Verse 4 = 5 lines, Verse 5 = 3 lines, Verse 6 = 1 line. Rhyme scheme is abbccddeeff, agghhiijj, etc. Liberties can be taken with rhythm. First line is repeated at the beginning of each stanza and as the final line, giving a repetitive and almost obsessive tone to the lament. The closing line is written as a haunting echo, and gives a sense of finality. What's the goss?Only one more day to go at "Invalid Item" ! Come and try your hand for the Grand Prize. There is plenty to win, and we'll be giving out GPs and Merit Badges left, right and center. Spotlight:I particularly like these two winners:
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Breakthrough #2: I have finally settled on Lynx's real name. It's the one. You know that feeling when you have searched through a hundred names and begin to despair, because they are only mediocre? And then your eyes rest on that name and you say, "Yes!" Ooh, I love that feeling. :-[ Thanks to The Name Generator for giving me a rare but solid name. I'm not sure if any of you are actually reading my novel. I know Sparky was, and a few of you have read bits or at least given it a cursory glance. But for the sake of those who are reading it, I'll try not to fill this journal with spoilers. Just say if you aren't reading it. Then I know you're not interested so I won't bother telling you anything anyway! Catch 22.I'm getting fond of him and Murphy's Law and Lady Luck. I love this quote! : We have to continually be jumping off cliffs and developing our wings on the way down. ~ Kurt Vonnegut And: Tomorrow may be hell, but today was a good writing day, and on the good writing days nothing else matters. ~ Neil Gaiman Thanks for sharing, Meeple She's not freaking me out or anything: "Invalid Post" I CAN do it! There is no stopping, no going back...I can only now go forward. Charge, the Light Brigade! Forward, into the valley of death, she wrote the 600 (words). I love that poem. Check it out: The Charge Of The Light Brigade, by Alfred, Lord Tennyson This novel is HAPPENING! |
 I'm not sure what I have written today. My head is in a spin, but I'm so excited!...not because I haven't written my word count but because I had a brainwave. I laugh out loud to think how perfect it is! My plot just got a whole lot juicier. Before, I wasn't sure how to work out a certain aspect of the story. Rena's protection is actually the villain himself – they both know that they could both be ruined if her true identity as Luther's daughter is discovered. I wasn't sure how to do this, but now I know, and it is almost too good to be true. This was what I have been most worried about, and now that it's smoothed over, I can weave my delicate and powerful web of blackmail, secrets and contradictions. This is going to be so much fun!Each character is now deeply tied to every other character. Their relationships are all terribly different, and I am going to be merciless in winding them further and further into a big mess, until the climax brings it all crashing down. And it isn't going to be easy on my protagonist, either. In fact, it's going to be the hardest on her. Ooh, I'm so happy I'm dancing around in circles. And to add to my delight... What's the goss?Welcome back, Mandy and PatrickB !  "Note: To those of you who don't know them, I would l..."Wrote "Invalid Item" for "Invalid Item" Bragging:Wow! Check it out: "Note: As our weeklong 13th birthday celebration comes t..." (And CJ Reddick has caught the emoticon fever: "Note: 1. *Smile*
*Block**Block**^*Block*^..." I think you've started something, Princess Zelda  ! )StoryMistress says I am "insanely creative with my emoticons" and adds "I LOVE IT." Won 24k in "Invalid Item" Check out my crazy winning entry: "Winner!" And a very special Merit Badge... ![Merit Badge in Writing.Com Birthday
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A sincerest thank you for helping to host an AMAZING 13th birthday for Writing.Com! We sincerely appreciate your participation in our festivities this year and hope that you had a wonderful time doing so! Happy birthday to all of us! *^*Smile*^*](https://images.Writing.Com/imgs/writing.com/writers/badges/WDC-Writing.Com_Birthday.gif) As much as I love WdC celebrations, I'm glad the 13th hype is dying down. I'm exhausted. I look forward to next year, but it won't be too long in coming! |
| 1,324 words of "Invalid Item" , my entry for "Invalid Item" I recommend you read #7 and #13. I think I'm getting sick of 13! Again, it's late and I'm very tired. I have been working most of the weekend and don't have much to say. The sermon at church this morning was really good. Charles Price, speaking on Ecclesiastes 2 and the life of Solomon. I highly recommend it. Yesterday, or whenever it was, I reworked the last few chapters that I have written. I had reached a stall, when the plot wasn't making sense and was winding itself around in circles. I had a breakthrough idea, which conveniently has fixed it all! So I'm back on track, but low on sleep. (And the obsessive compulsive disorder has changed from word counts to emoticons! ) Sorry, I'm babbling... On that note, I'm off to bed. Goodnight, or day, whatever it is for you. May the muse be with you! Bragging:A delightful surprise from SM: ![Merit Badge in Artistic
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For your amazing emoticon storytelling! [Link to Note #112298]](https://images.Writing.Com/imgs/writing.com/writers/badges/genre-Artistic-125.gif) |
| It's late. I'll tell you all about today some other time. (Not much to tell.) Entered "The Midnight Traveler's Contest" with "Invalid Item" Entered "Invalid Item" with "Invalid Item" Won "runner up" in "The Writer's Cramp" with "Invalid Item" Wrote a story entirely in emoticons: 1.            2.   3.   4.  *blockgray* +*blockgray* *blockgray**blockgray**blockgray* *blockgray*  *blockgray*5.    O____  O )   ( )  n 6.     7.       8.          9.     ~   (V) A  ...  10.       |
 New goal mark? 1111 words that don't count. I don’t know what to say about today. I wrote three poems, 398, 113 and 57 words, and a short story, 543 words. Altogether that’s 1111 words.But it doesn't count towards my novel, so...it doesn't count. I have decided to be merciless to myself. Just over 10,000 words to go, with 635 words each working day – 3175 words each week. Looking back over the past three weeks I can see I'm going steady. 12,149 words over 15 days – an average of 809 words per day. Not bad going, though I say so myself. Or maybe I could have done better? 12,000 doesn't seem like much when I can write 3,000 in a day. But anyway, I guess I'll just keep ticking on.And now I think I can confidently declare that you're all convinced of my obsessive-compulsive word count disorder, and are equally convinced that because I am doing so well you need to quickly go to "Invalid Item" and throw in 10k for me, :-[ or save it for a Merit Badge or even better, an Awardicon (yep, awardicons are my new favourites because of all the classy updates SM has been doing. My only regret is that it took 13 years to get here! ) – I love the looks of the 125k awardicons... oops, sorry, don't get me started on awardicons. What was I saying? Oh, that's right: ...save up for a MB or an awardicon for my novel when it's finished (when, not if). It is HAPPENING!!! And nothing can stop me now, not even the apocalypse itself. (I fancy some zombies, actually. I wish the end of the world would hurry up. I wonder what it would be like being a zombie? I saw a new release about a guy who gets turned into a zombie in the apocalypse, and it's all from his point of view as he chases after people trying to eat them. I can't remember what it was called, but it looked pretty funny.)But like someone mentioned the other day, I don't want to push the word count frenzy too much. I want to take the time to think about my novel, be creative and put my best into it, so it doesn't become like some trashy Christian Amish novel or, even better, the next Twilight. Did I say that? How dare I poke at the world's latest crappy bestseller? Vampires, love-triangles, Mary-Sues ~ haven't we heard it all before? Can't anyone come up with some quality? Like Gaby ~ Keeper Of The Realm says, I have read better on Writing.Com, novels that aren't even edited for publishing! It makes me gag to think what Twilight looked like before it was published. What's the goss?   The contest is going really well over at "Invalid Item" . Competition is soaring. Marci Missing Everyone and I have similar tastes, but enough differences to make the judging interesting and always exciting. This is definitely the best contest I have ever judged. I think the birthday hype and the massive prizes are huge incentive for poets. I want to reopen the contest after the birthday season, perhaps as a weekly contest with prizes changing each time, and a monthly Grand Prize. I think alterations in prizes, rules, prompts and judges would keep everyone's attention. But it's a big commitment. This week has been hectic.Here are the results of my naughty "time-off": Wrote an entry for "Invalid Item" : "Invalid Item" Wrote an entry for "HONORING OUR VETERANS " : "Invalid Item" And wrote an entry for "Shadows and Light Poetry Contest" : "Invalid Item"  The first free form poem for a long time. How do you think I did?Entered "Invalid Item" and "Invalid Item" Plan to enter " Magic Words Contest " and "The Midnight Traveler's Contest" ...And there I was thinking I would be too busy to participate in birthday contests. The days have started to slow down a bit and I'm actually enjoying them more. I think the grumpy stage has passed. Bragging:I was surprised to find a MB in my inbox. I love surprises. Showcase:
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