Melani Blazer

I’m loving that spring is creeping in and despite the chilly air, green is starting to become the color of outside once again. Of course, that also means our time with baby Thunder the squirrel will be ending. He’s full grown, but with the cooler night temps (still in 30’s) and no winter coat, I’ve been reluctant to set him free just yet. This week we’ll definitely take his cage outside more and more, and hopefully within the next week or so, I’ll have the guts to open the door and let him explore the surroundings. We’l have to leave cage outside with his “house” accessible if he doesn’t voluntarily come back. It’s definitely a bittersweet prospect.

The cat thing, well, Tornado’s here beside me and he wanted to be mentioned. S got a “cat encyclopedia” recently. Although we’d suspected for a while that Tornado and his brother Hurricane are part Maine Coon, the information in the book convinced us. Not only do the exterior features, especially size, ring true, the personality and abilities are spot on.

And on polar opposite of my 30lb not-fat-cat is my mother in laws new little puppy. All three, yes THREE pounds of her. She’s reputed to be half Yorkie, half Schnauzer and cute as a button. My cats could eat her alive, if they could catch the spirited little thing. She’s definitely an “Aww” sort of creature.

And finally, had fun watching Barrett-Jackson car auction–and having my husband enjoy himself working on his Chevelle in the garage. He tolerates cold better than I do, but soon we’ll both be out there, enjoying the car shows.

I’ve only got about 10 pages left to type in. Heading out to get it done. Ciao!

I’ve had some real crazy dreams the last few weeks. People often say eating certain things, watching tv or other behavior triggers them, but I’ve never found any correlation between any evening behavior and those bizarre sleep stories.

Occasionally I can get some neat story ideas from dreams. Sometimes major, sometimes just a teensy thought that may or may not turn into something viable.

Last night? er, OUT there.
The setting: my parents old house–the one I lived in from age 9 til 18. However, the inside of the house wasn’t set up the same, and “my” room, was actually from the house I have now. Yeah, cuz a dream isn’t ever going to make sense, right?

My dream started with me getting out of bed (although it wasn’t morning–it was… nearly dusk) because I heard scraping on the roof. I knew it was because my dad had finally decided to start removing shingles to reroof. (Sense is NOT part of dreams, remember?) I got up, (was already dressed) and dug into my closet for my old sneakers (cuz I didn’t wanna destroy the new ones, and needed good traction to get up on the roof and help)

So I walk outside and see a skateboard laying there. Which means I knew who was there. (Skateboard? WTF?) In fact, there was a whole caboodle of people there, some sitting, some helping clean up the yard as the guys on the roof threw shingles down.

(Here’s where it gets even more stupid).
I walked up to my friend and his girlfriend. I knew he was “white vampire” (but I have no idea what that means here in the waking world) and had a feeling his girlfriend was a witch. I was worried about them here among my family–not that I thought they’d hurt them, but that my family would think them monsters or something. I talked to them for awhile. While we chatted, my grandparents pulled up in a car my grandfather hasn’t owned in YEARS, a 1970-something burgundy colored Cordova. By this time is was full dark and two young teens had set up candles in bags (like you see at halloween). My grandmother immediately said “No, absolutely not, you’ll attract the _____.” I have no idea what she said, but it was something paranormal and evil. I personally wasn’t worried with my friend and his girlfriend there, but I wasn’t going to admit who they were.

They (being who? I dunno) ended up hanging candles in the trees around the house to illuminate the area well enough to keep working. In the meantime, my Grandma started walking around the house dragging a stick. I asked her why. I knew she wasn’t… a witch or anything powerful, but had some knowledge about protections. She said she was making a circle to keep out anything evil. I knew the circle would harm my friend and his girlfriend (no, I don’t have names! I can’t even picture them). So I told my grandmother protection was already in place.

We all took turns pulling shingles off the roof. At some point, my friend’s girlfriend asked where my husband was. I said he was in bed because he was ill. (that was my own dreamlike a-ha moment). So she said she’d go see if there was anything she could do.

And that was it. Dream over. I’m almost scared to ask someone to analyze the funky crap that comes out of my head while dreaming. However, the people who know I write–and write paranormal fiction most of the time–just shake their head and give a knowing smile instead of threatening me with a white coat and padded room.

To my writer friends: I know you do this, but does it bother you when you go to the movies (or watch a DVD) and find yourself overanaylizing plot and characters and… everything instead of kicking back for entertainment’s sake?

I do. Here’s why….

Had a chance to watch Twilight the other night. I had…expectations. I hadn’t put them into words, but term cliche would probably be one of them. No–I hadn’t read the book(s). My daughter has. She’s talked about them to a small enough extent that my expectations weren’t swayed. Another vampire plot. How original could it be? I expected to find the heroine TSTL (Too stupid to live) and the hero overbearing, bossy, possessive and…unheroic. Especially since these were teenagers.
(more…)

What that actually refers to is my never ending source of self-excuses for my writing behavior.
I’m not justifying anything, but I really had these huge plans that I could dive in and get something done when the kitchen was finished. (insert maniacal laughter) That hasn’t seemed to happen. I find myself bouncing from idea to idea, always finding something more enticing to work on than the subject I told myself, promised myself, I’d finish.

I know exactly what went wrong with my intended rewrite/edit of an old book I wanted to resurrect. I never could get to a “place” where I had no distractions and could find the zone I needed to really hash the story line, character arcs and plot out in my head clearly. I was surface writing. Surface writing is shallow, often pointless and babbling and has little conflict and writing’s equivilant of stick people. NOT what I want to produce. Not what I can stand to go back and reread, if only to “catch up” and get back into the groove.
The last week or so I’ve been spending computer time typing in 80+ handwritten pages of a nascar themed story I finished last fall and sat aside. That seems to be going okay and I ‘like’ the story. Hell yeah, it needs work, but at least it’s worth editing and no burning.

When I can’t transcribe, I’m allowing myself to write random scenes from a number of other books/ideas in a notebooks. They’re creative outlets, hopefully jumping boards to other ideas or character development. I suppose it’s not the best way to go and it certainly isn’t churning out viable stories, but I’ve at least come to grips with the truth I think I’ve known all along. I can’t not write. My creativity hasn’t died. Reality has simply intruded and frankly…I let it. Now it’s time to figure out how to fight back.

Doesn’t feel like nearly ten o’clock. But I’m sure when that alarm beeps at 5:15am it won’t feel like that either. Time changes always mess with my system. I was typing away so well too.

I had been working on a rewrite of a story I’d written several years ago. One with a story line dear to me, but badly needs work. I got to a point where I realized I wasn’t helping it by simply “fixing” the story telling. I needed to reroute the direction the story itself was going. It was more than I could focus on at the moment, so I’ve shifted gears.

Some months ago I finished my NASCAR themed book that features some of the characters you may have met if you read TROPHY GIRL. I had handwritten about 75 loose-leaf pages which I never had gotten typed in. Now that were several Sundays into this racing season, the bug has hit and I’m revisiting this story by typing (and editing, slightly) to get it “done” for real. It fits well with all the drama that’s affecting my creative juices these last few days…weeks…months! It’s good to have projects like this.

I’m off to bed, even if it means laying there, feeling like I’m hour early. G’night!

The kitchen, that is. At least to the degree it’s fully functional. The ceiling needs a bit of paint touch up (oh, what new lights will show you) and then trim around the ceiling/wall edge and one piece of trim. Oh, and we need to put a railing or trim along the top of the cabinets to “finish” them, but who cares about all that. It’s DONE!

Not only that, I splurged and got a stainless coffee pot (and I don’t even drink coffee) and napkin holder/salt & pepper shaker set and papertowel holder. Those cool touches that seem to set it off so well. I could just wiggle I’m so excited!

Went to Barnes and Noble yesterday and scoped out the healthy section of books, but nothing popped out at me. I was bummed about it. Of course I have a few (ha!) in my TBR, but I’m feeling a little picky. Anyone have any suggestions? I really don’t know even what genre I’m interested in. I scoped out mystery, sci fi and romance. Not that I looked at every book–who could?

I’m excited NASCAR’s back. And since the race is getting ready to go green, I’m gonna head out and watch!

Tomorrow cometh the countertop. Then, with a few minor tweaks such as connecting pipes under the sink, my kitchen will once again be whole. I couldn’t be happier.

Went to the Chicago auto show last Saturday. The economy’s effects on the industry was apparent, despite the attempts at glitz and glamour and same ole… I noticed there were fewer cars per square yard and not as many “fun” concepts. In some cases, there was only one example of a particular model where I know in past years there’s been several–a base model, a souped up model and a standard average one. Regardless, we had fun, took some cool snapshots and spent the train ride home with talk of “if you could have one car from the show, which would you take?”

I was bad. I didn’t write for two whole days because I’ve been nose to book. Kathy Reichs is my guilty pleasure. I absolutely love forensic stuff and her books manage to have so many threads, enough history and truth to make it feel like you’re learning something–and I never can (or try) to figure it all out. I just like watching it unfold. While I can devour a romance in a few hours, it takes me much longer to get through an equally thick KR book. I suppose it’s because I’m really trying not to miss anything. I get my money out of those books. ;)

But then I had a weird, fractured sort of dream last night with a few of those really “real” sensations–where I’m not just witnessing, I’m there, and wake up with what feel more like real memories than just recollections of a dream. In the past, those have worked as offshoots for stories, so I’m eager to see what I can do with this one. I have no idea who the characters were in this one…for real or as in future book characters. I’m letting it bounce around in my head for a bit before I start trying to stretch it beyond the bit I ‘know’.

That’s it for me. Lunch is over and I’m back to work. Happy reading, ya’ll!

Well, I’ve been busy–with the stuff that keeps most of us busy, that really annoying thing called real life.

My daughter, now a junior in high school, has officially signed to be a soldier. She’s joined the Army Reserve. She’ll complete boot camp/basic training this summer and then come back to finish her senior year, then do her AIT training (she chose chemical operations) and then onto reserve life. She’ll go to school, we’re looking hard at Purdue University because it’s not far from here and they have an ROTC program, which is what she wants. The military part wasn’t a surprise at all, because for the last 4-5 years she’s been talking about becoming a military pilot. This direction won’t take her there, at least directly, but she’s way excited about this path she’s chosen. It’s a huge step, but she’s been doing her research and understands her risks and benefits. I’m proud of her.

Thank you to whoever it was that sent me two really neat magnets from Cafe Press. They came to me at work, under my “real” name, so I assume it’s someone who knows me rather well. They arrived anonymously today. One has an outline of a soldier and it says “Real dads raise soldiers” and the other has a cat wearing combat boots and a camo hat or scarf. The cat’s standing up with fists at its sides and it reads, “Don’t mess with me, my daughter is in the Army.” I love them, and so does my hubby. (Who couldn’t be prouder for his daughter.)

I’ve started a series dealing with military guys, so I do anticipate picking my daughter’s brains in the next couple of years for terminology or simple “how things are done” from her point of view–hopefully I can use her feedback.

Shannon did a post a few days ago about following your heart rather than doing what others are doing or what you (or others) think you should do. I wholeheartedly agree with that, and have been following that piece of advise for the last year or so. It means I don’t have any new releases on the horizon, but I’m working on some things I feel very good about and I’m constantly rediscovering why I love to write. So many of us used to say that we’d write even if we didn’t get paid or didn’t see our book in print. I still feel that way. I also believe we’re all still learning as writers and I’m finding new ways to apply what I’ve learned and look at how to piece together a book.

I’ve had two friends recently tell me of their ambition to write a book. I always feel weird offering them advice, even though they’ve asked for it. Today I listened to the power and desire in my friend’s voice and told her that her drive was the key. I really loved to see the sparkle in her eye and the way she was stumbling over her words to get her ideas and thoughts out. Wow. That’s so inspiring. I told her to stay in love with her idea. Nourish it. Make notes. Believe and never let someone tell her that she can’t do it. Write every day. Write garbage, because it might inspire something better–and one can edit garbage, but you can’t edit a blank page. Read, read, read. I finally told her to develop very thick skin. No one every likes to hear that part. Huh. Thankfully I got that advice, and more.

And with that, I’m off to type in some more handwritten WIP and visit with the hubby.

While I upgrade the Itunes on my ‘puter, I thought I’d blog. Something I always just forget I should do. Of course, upgrading the Itunes reminds me I should re-synch my ipod. I’ve got some Hinder and Kenny Wayne Shephard that need to be added for sure. And the new AC/DC cd would work well on there. Maybe another day.

I’m upgrading ‘cuz I tried to buy an episode of LEVERAGE (TNT.tv) and it said I had to. *eyeroll* I missed this past week’s show b/c of the Barrett-Jackson collector car auction, but would like to see it before it’s on again. Strange, but unlike Shan, I can read a series out of order, but if I’m watching a TV series, I can’t miss one–or see it out of sequence, or it really messes with the brain. It actually appears there’s more episodes available at Itunes than have been “on”. Oh, the temptation.

I’m not a TV person. I really dislike reality shows. I know ya’ll are cringing when I say I can’t do American Idol or Survivor or any of those other shows. I don’t normally do weekly shows either. It’s too much commitment. And I’ve been burnt a few times by the networks. A coupla years ago I was really getting into Blood Ties (loved the cast, too), and then it was dropped. I had to watch one final episode and then the finale on the computer, for God’s sake. How awful is that? And it left on a series hang. Forever to stay that way. I’m seriously worried the same will happen with Leverage. At least I’m seeing good reviews.

In case you haven’t seen or heard of it, check out TNT.TV. In a nutshell, it’s a group of bad guys who are now working together to reign in even bigger, badder guys. I like that it’s not a cops show (aren’t there enough of those in the commercials alone to satisfy one’s appetite?)–but one above–or more like–below the law. Plus, as a writer I pay closer-than-usual attention to characterization. I really like these characters, both the casting and how ‘real’ these characters have been written. Okay, they’re not paying me to pimp the show, so enough. Plus, I think my download of Itunes 8.whatever is done, so I’m off to watch.

Damn is it cold out there. Like much of the midwest, we’re below freezing. It’s not Minnesota (HI WAX) but frankly, they can keep the -40. We’re nearly there with windchill and damn, brrrrr.
Since we’re also in Lake Effect land, we’ve got plenty of snow to make this feel like the first real winter in years (the way I remember winters being when I was a kid!).

Anyway, time’s flying. Work’s keeping me busy–the “real” job. Right now Barrett-Jackson car auction is on, gluing me to the TV. I even missed LEVERAGE, but it’s available on the website for TNT, so I’ll so be watching then when I get a free hour or so. (Who doesn’t see that happening?) I’m not a big TV watcher, but I’m liking the twists in LEVERAGE. And the characters.

I’m writing when I can, mainly doing a rewrite of an older book that is dear to my heart. Because the story is “there” (the ending needs an overhaul, but I’m only 7K in, so let’s not worry that fact, k?) I’m finding it generally easy, as far as that can go.

I’m outta here, off to brave the crunchy white world out there. Ya’ll be safe and stay warm!