With baited breath I wait . . .

Well - not really, but in a small way I am very anxious.

This past summer I had the distinct (and I do not use that word lightly) pleasure of meeting author Gerry Burnie.  Gerry arrived at my office looking for travel advice and although I value all of my clients, when I met Gerry I heard an audible click.  It has been a pleasure helping him, and although it was not necessary, he offered to review one of my short stories.  Of course this sent me into a bit of a tizzy, this man has written and has published BOOKS! and he wants to read something I wrote.   It took me awhile to work up the nerve, but last week I gave him a copy of a first draft of a short story I had wrote called Finding Forever.  It was a romantic piece that I wrote this past fall.  Today Gerry stopped by the office on other business and we discussed Finding Forever.

It needs work, but his feedback was so positively laced it wasn't nearly as scary as I expected.  I need to work on a few things like formatting and character motivation and beef up my emotion, but it wasn't a train wreck!
Gerry is doing me a huge favor by reviewing it on his site later this week.  I am a little nervous again, but I'm sure it will be fine - plus I am writing under my "nom de plume" so it's all good.

If you haven't checked out my links to the blogs I read on the right of this page - you should.   Gerry's website is http://www.gerryburniebooks.com/ and his blog is listed there as well.

I have read Gerry's novel Journey to Big Sky -  when Gerry starts telling a story you can't help but get swept up into the wave and you don't want to get back off until he has finished sharing the tale with you.   If you are looking for something to read with a great story Journey to Big Sky is recommended by me!

Although I should be working on my newest writing project tonight - my day at the office today has been long and busy - I think I may just scrapbook and relax.

Jack

Corruption, Politics, and History - Create Great Brain Fodder No?

When you think of Cuba, what do you think about?  Beaches?  Rum? Or do you think of the history that has taken place on that island in the last 50 years?   I am in love with the island and all of it's positives and even some of it's negatives, so much so I have been to the island 6 times in the last year.  This of course has raised a lot of questions for me, some of which I could find answers to in Havana and others I have had to search for once I am home because  out of a still existent  fear, or out of pain, some Cubans just won't speak about the answers I seek.

Questions and what if's are what drives a story.  I have found my self querying pre-revolutionary Cuba a lot.   I am fortunate that I have an acquaintance who is American, but who was born and raised to the age of 15 in Havana before his family had to/chose to leave after Castro took power in 1959.  He has been generous enough to share some of his stories with me, and some other interesting information, including why in general the middle class of Cuba in the 1950's supported Castro, and the ultimate betrayal they felt when what they were promised was forgotten so quickly after their goal was achieved.  The story I am working on isn't necessarily about the political situation, but it gives me the back story and the mood of the people during the time I am writing about.  His story has raised more questions again for me, but luckily I have him to query further, and of course on the other side of the coin, I have a very close family in Havana who the matriarch is a faithful Castro supporter and has the opposite views of my friend.  Both stories share similar memories but the feelings associated with those memories are direct polar opposites.  Needless to say - I am inspired more than I have ever been to dig deeper, to find all I can to help tell the story of the character in my mind.

Over all yesterday was a day of discovery for me, and although some of the things I read bothered me to my core, it hasn't affected my love of the island, actually if it is possible I love it more.  Although my return to "my home" (as my Cuban family refer to it) is still long off, I am going to spend the time between now and March learning all I can - and telling the story of a young woman who loses everything she knows, and must fight in her own personal revolution  in Havana as Castro's revolution was taking place right outside her door.

As an old friend used to say to me, colour me inspired.

Jack

If a writer knows enough about what he is writing about, he may omit things that he knows. The dignity of movement of an iceberg is due to only one ninth of it being above water.
-Ernest Hemingway

Finding Enough Time for Everything

I know my life isn't unique in my time being in demand most of the time.  Over the last few years my responsibility at the office has increased, my responsibilities in the house are still there, plus other tasks I have taken on voluntarily to be involved in.  I need more time.  With that as it is, I often find my time for brainstorming story ideas to be relegated to the time right before I fall asleep, or in the shower, or while I am driving. None of the locations lending themselves particularly well to recording an idea without issue.  Have you ever tried to record a new plot idea while driving through a snow storm?  It would be so much easier if the ideas came to me while I was sitting at my desk, Word document open with my fingers poised on the keyboard.  - Nothing ever happens that easily!

Two nights ago I was laying in bed and I had a moment.  A character popped into my head and started to tell me she had a story to tell.  As the pieces came together I turned on the light, put my glasses back on, and started to write.  It's one of the better story ideas I have had.  Historical, romantic subplot, and a story that I cannot wait to see how it unfolds.  Where do I find the time to give it the justice it requires? 

Of course if I had an upcoming week in Havana I would just bide my time until I arrived and use my "Michel free" time to bang out my beginning, unfortunately for me, March - my next planned trip to Havana is a long way off.  This won't wait though, this character in my mind needs to get out and onto the page.  I've started my research, the characters are ready to go to paper, now to make the time.  If I could just have 26 hours in a day it would be so much easier.

Jack

People seek within a short span of life to satisfy a thousand desires, each of which is insatiable.
- Oliver Goldsmith

3D Advertisments - What next?

Last night as I settled into an episode of Celebrity Ghost Stories on Bio (yes I do enjoy a good ghost story), I noticed an advertisement for an online gambling site.  My first thought was, wow - they really shot this in low resolution because it looks blurry on the big screen.  Then I noticed the tint and realized this ad is in 3D!

Was the program I was watching in 3D? No.  Where the other advertisements in 3D? No.  Did 3D techonology somehow tie into their product No.  THEN WHY USE 3D?

I know it is "the way of the future" or so I have been told.  But do I really need to see an online gambling ad in three dimension?  They didn't even have a warning to don a pair of ugly glasses to take in their message.

They showed this ad at every break, by the end of the program all I knew was it bothered my eyes. 

If 3D ad's during 2D shows are the way things are going I better find my red and blue flash filters and velcro them to an old pair of glasses because if I am going to be wearing ugly eye wear I might as well have an original pair.

Jack

My First Brian Henry Writing Course

Welcome to my blog.  It's been quite awhile since I have ventured into the world of blogs and twitter, but I am feeling good about it.

I had the pleasure of attending Brian Henry's "The Secret's of Writing a Page Turner" this past weekend in Gravenhurst with my friend Wayne.   It was my first Brian Henry course but not my first road trip with Wayne.  The drive went quickly even with a detour around the Santa Claus Parade.  The course itself held great information and I believe that it will help strengthen my writing.  As usual though the entertainment of the day was not from the activity itself.

I would like to know if I have an invisible sign, a magnet, that draws those people that like to walk to the beat of their own drummer.  Wayne and I had secured a table with two chairs to avoid, being joined by someone that maybe we wouldn't enjoy the company of.  One and a half hours into the workshop a man arrives to the edge of our table asking to sit with us.  He seemed that he was just a regular writer.  During our time of sharing what we had written and when we left I found out differently.  Our new table companion was a conspiracy theorist.  Normally I am all for a good conspiracy - but please - have your facts checked before telling me your tale.

I will preface this that before this portion of the conversation prior was about aliens, and government officials.  His theory that the "lost" angels are in Los Angeles because as he informed me that is what "Lost Angels" is in Spanish.  After I stopped laughing (internally of course) I corrected him that in Spanish. Los Angeles is The Angels.  He then described the link between witches and wizards and Hollywood because that is what all of their wands are made of Holly.  I again corrected that the traditional wood for a Witch or Wizard would be made of Willow.


He didn't share much after that.  Wayne talked to him a bit more, but I had enough.  Why are the freaks always drawn to come sit next to me and tell me their tale.

Well, I guess it makes life interesting.

Jack

Quote for today: I don't like jail, they got the wrong kind of bars in there - Charles Bukowski