As per usual,
Aaron Polson is in inspiring mode and has created a meme to celebrate writers who you believe live up to the "write hard" spirit (and hey, he nominated me - da fool). So now I have to nominate at least three writers which is pretty easy as everyone I know is awesome (and yeah, that includes you). Here be the rules:
When you win:
1. Post the picture above to your blog. You can link here if you want. It doesn't have to become part of the permanent clutter of your sidebar. Goodness no.
2. List at least three writers who you feel live up to the "write hard" spirit. Think: writers who work at their craft, writers who never give up despite the odds, writers who constantly turn out quality work. Writers you admire. Optional: explain why you think they are awesome.
3. Include these rules or a link to them.
4. Notify said writers of their victory. Ask them to pass on the torch.
5. Continue being awesome.
So here's a handful of people that both inspire me and who work very hard at this craft.
1.
Natalie L Sin - if you've read Natalie's stories, you'll know why I'm nominating her for the award. She is kick-ass awesome and as much as we all love and adore (and often hate) our characters, I think she loves hers just a touch more. And most of the time fantasises about touching them more. ;) Look at the sidebar on her blog and the list of completed first drafts--sometime soon, Natalie's going to take over the world. Or if not the world, definitely Hong Kong.
2.
Mike Stone - the hardest working, non-twittering guy on my block. Seriously, I don't know how he does it, but Mike doesn't allow the internet to distract him at all...Sometimes he even disappears for a week (maybe more). Plus, he'll go to battle for his words, and so he should.
3.
Kate Shaw - Being a little Amazon ranking obsessed, I sometimes check out Kate's book
'Jack of all Trades' and feel a little frustrated that it hasn't garnered more attention. If you haven't yet picked up a copy, I insist you do. It blew me away (and made me chuckle - all good fiction should either make you wet your pants or make you chuckle or both). Another one who goes to bat for her fiction (and she's not afraid to try new things).
I of course also echo what Aaron said on his blog about the people he nominated they are all awesome (except for the first one he mentioned :D).
6. Where are you most comfortable writing? At what time of day? Computer or good ol’ pen and paper?
Computer, computer, computer. I used to write longhand all the time (when I had a good old typewriter and needed to save my ribbons) but now I only write notes and quick outlines on paper. I do regret losing the knack, but darn it, those words look so much prettier and real when filling a blank screen.
7. Do you listen to music while you write? What kind? Are there any songs you like to relate/apply to your characters?
Not while I write, but I do attach songs to my books and play them when I need to create the right mood / atmosphere. I've been terribly remiss with my current book, it has one lousy song. Ooh, feeling a need to procrastinate.
8. What’s your favorite genre to write? To read?
I prefer to write dark stories with a touch of the weird (okay, a sledgehammer of the weird). My favourite genre to read is dark fantasy / horror, though I like anything speculative, thriller or smidgen of Austen. Never rule anything out, I say.
9. How do you get ideas for your characters? Describe the process of creating them.
I read Natalie Sin's stories and ache to have her character building talent. My process needs work. Next question.
10. What are some really weird situations your characters have been in? Everything from serious canon scenes to meme questions counts!
Where to start… Recently my characters have suffered/accepted/lived the following:
-A poor, dear farmer had his crop of hats ruined by some (unfortunate) bikers when they decided to take a joyride through his field.
-A girl stuck at her sisters wedding found herself trapped in a snow globe and facing the prospect of marrying her sister's ex.
And in my current WIP, well… I'll be updating some of the weirdness during this wonderful month of November on this here blog.
Today's Word Count: 1951 + 517 (other projects)
Total Word Count: 19,770 + 1803 (other projects)
Plus today I reviewed M-Brane SF #22 for Skull Salad Reviews. And I didn't add the review to my word count. When I stop procrastinating, I seriously stop procrastinating.
There's a teeny-tiny interview with me over at Choate Road run by the rather splendid Greg Hall, host of The Funky Werepig. Please ignore the photograph, by order of me.
Thanks go to Natalie L Sin who played the go-between and introduced me to Greg. Gosh, that all sounds rather shady. Shady is good.
This week's WIP Wednesday post is sponsored by Natalie L Sin and Katey Taylor and their posts about inspirational images.
The below image, and a collection of others available on the same web page, about a Fairytale Ukraine village inspired a new scene in my novel, Theatre of Curious Acts. Can't you just see the dragon flying above it and surely you know that three of the four horsewomen and the soldiers they have trapped are standing just behind the lens.
Theatre currently stands at 38,056 words and at 50,000 words total (yep, it's a short one), I hope to have the redraft done by next Wednesday.
Sending thanks across the blogsphere to Natalie L Sin for sending me the submission details for the 'Ladies of Horror' anthology and for turning a bad day into a very good one. Dr. Pus just accepted 'Shiny Black Hearts' for the anthology.
Enough said.
Natalie L Sin has a cool post about some God like things she has done as a writer... And being a Goddess (ahem!) myself, I thought I'd steal the idea and do a top ten of my own evil and strange deeds. All fictional of course.
10. Stopped zombies going to the Oscars.
9. Sent a bunch of senile seniors to the moon.
8. Ran down a giant chicken.
7. Threw a bunch of dead zombie Dolly Parton impersonators out of a plane.
6. Nuked my home town.
5. Dismantled a homicidal robot.
4. Removed the face of a serial killer.
3. Flown half-way across the U.S. on a neon sign.
2. Turned a kid into a paper doll.
1. Stopped time.
*blushes* Oh, if only you knew. I might not Twitter but I waste way too much time on computer games.
But thanks, and right back atcha!
Well if I'd have known that Mike, I would have...still nominated you anyway. :D
Great picks, Cate. Write on. (Oh...I'm full of puns)
Cate,
I would definitely nominate you and Aaron both. ;-) You guys rock.
Ooh, thanks! I'm proud to be in such august company. :)
As usual, your taste is impeccable :D