Posted by: Author | January 21, 2011

Friday Facts- January 21, 2011- Luthiers

a Luthier is someone that makes or repairs stringed instruments. This includes guitars, violins, cellos and all those type of instruments. The name comes from the French word for lute which is luth.  My son is a guitarist. He has an assortment of them and just recently spent over two hundred dollars on these things called pick-ups.  They change the sound of the instrument or so I’ve been told. He’s very picky about his instruments and had a professional install these pick-ups.  Most people who fix or make these instruments here in the USA call themselves guitar or violin makers, but I like the sound of the technical term myself. 

There are two types of luthiers: ones that make stringed instruments that are plucked or strummed and ones that make stringed instruments that are bowed.  The ones that make the bowed instruments also sometimes craft the bows as well.

My son is a strummer and I was a bow-er.  I played violin when I was in school. The kiddo wants me to have my bow re-strung for him and I guess I will.  I really enjoy all kinds of music (except country) and I’d like to see him take a try at the old violin.   I believe he could do it.

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Posted by: Author | January 20, 2011

Crazy World

I write mystery/crime short stories under my real name.  I wrote a short story back in October and submitted it to a publication that had a call for fall stories.  I got a rejection a couple of weeks later. Just a standard, “thanks, but it isn’t right for us at this time.”  Since I thought it was a wonderful, cute story that fit a Thanksgiving theme, after the rejection, I submitted it to a children’s emagazine. They loved it and wanted it immediately.  I signed a contract and it was released in their November issue.

Fast forward to January 19, 2010- at 10:28, I got another rejection of this story from the first place I submitted it – same publication, same reason, “doesn’t fit”-  but then the kicker- at 10:38, I got an acceptance. Said they loved it and wanted to include it in their collection of short stories.  How odd is that?  Of course, it is full moon.  AND heck, my story was a mystery so maybe now I have a real life mystery that can’t  be solved.  HAHA

I’m a little bummed because this was my first choice of a home for this story but it’s out in the world now and has been for 2 months.  Not much else I can do since I signed a contract.

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Posted by: Author | January 19, 2011

Wordless Wednesday

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Posted by: Author | January 17, 2011

EDITS

Spent yesterday and today with my first round edits from my editor on Surfer Bride.  It seems that I use too many sentence fragments. Which I love. (see, there’s one right there).  AND pronouns.  Who knew pronouns were the devil incarnate? Do you have any idea how convoluted a sentence can get if you try to avoid pronouns?  I spent a lot of the time adjusting sentences that looked fine to me. But, heck, I’m not an editor so I put my trust in her and tried. Now, I bet my second set of edits come back with a note or two about awkward sentence structure.  Won’t be surprised there.

Anyway, I worked on these for about 10 hours and I’m going to reward myself on my day off from the day job with the treat of actually reading a book by one of my favorite writers, Christopher Fowler.  It’s call Bryant and May on the Loose. 

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Posted by: Author | January 15, 2011

Saturday- I’m guest blogging

 I’m being interviewed today here: http://jroseallister.blogspot.com:80/  I’m talking about my writing process, my next books, and  Solo Honeymoon and giving away a copy.  Come by and see me.

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Posted by: Author | January 14, 2011

Friday Facts- January 14, 2011- Word Origins

Being a person who loves words and having been called a wordsmith all my adult life, and also being a person who took four years of Latin in high school, I’m always intrigued by the origin of certain words. Thought I’d share today two of my favorite linked-origin words.  Amnesty and Amnesia.

Amnesty is defined as a general pardon; usually from offenses against a government (think crimes, etc) or to overlook or forgive an offense.

Amnesia is defined as partial or total loss of memory.

Both of these words are from the Greek word amnestia (which is the same word in Latin) which means oblivion or forgotten. Or amnestos– which means not remembered. 

How interesting that a medical condition and a legal action have the same root word. Now, this thrills me to no end. If it bores you, don’t burst my bubble, please, ’cause this makes me happy.  Leave me in my happy place. Even if I’m the only one there.

Happy Friday before a long weekend. Probably should’ve talked about MLK, Jr.,  in retrospect but it’s late and I’m done here.

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Posted by: Author | January 12, 2011

Wordless Wednesday

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Posted by: Author | January 11, 2011

Another Set of Ones- It’s 1/11/11

Loving it. AND yes, I’ll be back on 11/11/11 to let  you know the date again and that I’m digging all the ones.   It’s not because I think I’m #1 either. I just like symmetry. 

 By the way, I’ll be guesting at a couple of blogs in the next two weeks- I’ll be with The Saturday’s Sirens with my friend, Jade, on http://jroseallister.blogspot.com on the 15th.

 I’ll be with Amber Norris- from Desert Breeze- here:  http://sci-fiadventures.blogspot.com/ on the 24th talking about Redemption for the Devil– my July release.

And on the 26th, I’ll be with Cynthia Eden on her blog party called My Deadly Valentine. – She’s celebrating her Deadly Heat release which I can’t wait to read.  http://www.cynthiaeden.com/blog/   Hope you’ll join me for the fun and in the meantime, hop on over to these awesome ladies’ blogs.

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Posted by: Author | January 10, 2011

Working on Giving Myself a Headache

I’m one of those people who can work themselves into a headache over stress. I’m doing my best right now to let something wash over my back. I was castigated today by someone over something that really was not a big deal. This person went off on me and, although I took some of the blame and tried to do as she asked, she continued to berate me and send me incredibly rude emails. I finally just started hitting the delete key.  I could not believe the diatribe.  AND yes, I responded to her in the same tone she took with me.  Bad, I know, but there’s only so much I can (or will) take.

I plan to never interact with this person again. I don’t have to and I won’t subject myself to her venom.  She accused me of being passive/aggressive and if she reads this post, I’m sure she’ll think this is another incidence of that. But anyone who really knows me, knows I don’t need to be passive/aggressive. I make no bones about what bothers me and if that makes me aggressive, so be it.  I just refuse to be walked on.

Anyway, I have to quit thinking about it. She’s not worth getting myself into a state over.  Truly. She’s not.

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Posted in Random thoughts

Posted by: Author | January 9, 2011

The Print Book That Wasn’t Supposed to Happen

Got an email yesterday that Solo Honeymoon WILL be available as a print book from Amazon.com or Barnes and Noble.com  sometime in the next 2-4 weeks. How awesome is that?  It’s a short book and the contract didn’t say it would be in print. So, goes to show you what I know. I was happy to see this.

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