Zombie Friday: The day before

I know, it's not Friday yet.

I just had to post a little tid-bit of Supernatural excellence!

 

...

One Writer's Dilemma: Inspiration and the weather

This winter, I was counting on curling up next to my fire, with a big mug of coffee, and typing away as I watched the snow pile up outside. 

There's only one problem...

NO snow!

 




I live on the shores of Lake Ontario 

in the North of Northern Upstate New York

It's December 17th, and still, nothing.

I miss snowmen, 

and sledding, 

and fearing for my life while driving in a white-out! 

This has been going on for four years, no snow for Christmas, or Thanksgiving, or New Year's

When I was in school, heck, when I was in college I could count on at least one snow day by now, but now, there's nothing, my daughter's school was closed for one day, because the sewer main backed up.

If you can't feel it in your most human of human bones 

that something is changing with our earth,

and we've caused it,

perhaps you're not truly as human as you think you are...






Now, where's my snow?

Yesterday we went to the movies for the first time in months.

What did we see?

I thought about all the things I could write about this movie. What I enjoyed, what I didn't enjoy, what could have been better. But after reading about the tragedies which occurred yesterday, I looked to my six year old daughter sitting next to me, smiling, enjoying the movie (which was really good). And I though about how I couldn't live without her, and how thankful I was that she was there with me. 

I decided to skip the review. And still, I didn't want to write anything, but I felt a tiny bit compelled to say something about what happened Friday.

So, here it goes...

The movie Rise of the Guardians is more than fairy tales and legends and beautiful Dreamworks imagery, it's a message to parents, to children of all ages, that we are responsible for keeping the children of the world safe.

And thank you to those who risked their lives to do so.

Zombie Friday: Seven Days left?

So our government has assured us there will be no Apocalypse occurring next week. 

And since I believe everything they tell us...

 I guess we have to believe them.

 ______________

However!

They have said nothing about the Zombie Apocalypse!

So what does this mean? 

There's still hope for Zombies!!

So stock up on supplies and find your Zombie killing partner

Maybe I'll start preparing my underground bunker...

What would you do if there were only 7 days left?

One Writer's Dilemma: Writer's guilt

Just like a good little writer, I've been writing all year long, almost every night. 

But this month has been hard. 

With the holidays, work, and family illnesses, I've struggled to write each day. 

This has left me with an extreme case of writer's guilt. 

Since the start of December the blog-o-sphere seems to be slowing down. 

And even my beta readers are having trouble getting started amid all the distractions.

So I guess it's going around

While I'm looking forward to things getting back to normal, I'm also looking forward to spending the time with my family over the holidays.

Here's hoping Dec 31st brings good news

we all survive the apocalypse

 and the rest from writing re-invigorates my brain 

and the new year brings some new ideas.

 

Happy Holidays!

One Writer's Dilemma: What genre does my book fit in?

I'm sure you've read it too, for each submission to an editor or agent: 

"specify the genre of your work."

Wait, what?

But my work combines the awesomest tidbits of each genre.

 How can I specify just one?

Then you read in red, bold font: 

If submission guidelines are not followed we will toss your submission into the burning flames of hell and blacklist your name...

Well, maybe it doesn't quite say that. 

But that's what it feels like!

I mean, there are some books which fall right into a specific genre. 

Cut and dry, mystery, thriller, romance, action/adventure, etc, etc, etc. 

But my favorites, 

they always seem to mix genres.

You know what I mean. 

"The Hunger Games": sci-fi, action/adventure, romance.

"The Night Circus": mystery, suspense, fantasy.

"The DaVinci Code": mystery, thriller, suspense, a little SF, religious, historical

 

And don't judge me for loving The Hunger Games...

  

______________

Moving on:

Maybe it's the science geek in me, but I like to view a book in terms of it's genetic variation, that is, its mixing of genres...

Now you may ask: What the....?

Let me explain. 

What does genetic variation give us? 

Strength in our genetic code. 

It's the reason why we don't procreate with our first cousins (yuck) 

or closer family members (double yuck)

Because we wind up with creatures like this:

Like the genetic code ideas become short when we limit ourselves

They take on a boorishness that we can expect, that we can predict

and as a reader, that's not fun.

For example, 

take the Pug dog

Super cute, short snouted puppy

But the truth is, it's inbred, and any purebred breed hosts a variety of genetic diseases and disorders, leading to a short life and an untimely death.

The same goes for strict genre barriers. 

Yes it's a mystery, yes it's good, but that's it, I'm going to forget about it not long after I've read it. 

Now, let's look at the mutt.

Some are cute, some are ugly.

Take Stevie... 

she's a mutt, well, actually she's a shepadoodle, 

and she's one of the best dogs I've had the pleasure of knowing

  

(PS I love you Stevie!!)

You know what's great about a mutt? They have great genes, nature remixes all those phenotypes, cuts out all those mutations from years of retarded variation... and what do you get? 

Great Health and longevity

 

The words on those pages will grow old and wrinkle up in the depths of your brain so you can enjoy the memories of having read that awesome book forever.

Much like the skin on an old man...

 

Truth be told, I'm over it, I'm all for blending genres..

I'm all for genetic diversity.
 

So why limit yourself.
 

Buy a mutt, buy a genre blending novel, you'll be happy, it wont suffer from the downfalls of inbreeding. It will be smart and funny and linger in your life for years to come.

Crossbreeding works well in nature, so why not in book genres?

Oh wait, it does...

 

Therefore, 

I defy you submission guidelines!

Does this make sense? 

Because I'm sure it's mostly wine talking...

Zombie Friday: The countdown

Warning: 

Only 14 days left until the Apocalypse!
 

What scares me the most?

I work in a hospital... hospitals are always the epicenter.