I'm doing a summer NaNoWriMo right now, and the thing I love about NaNo is that it allows you to write without worrying about editing. In fact, as I write, I'm discovering nuances about my world that I hadn't really fleshed out yet, and I simply input it into the story for later, so as I'm going through and editing I've got this tidbit of a gem that screams "REVELATION!" at me.
I love world-building. It's something I absolutely adore to do. In bed at night I sometimes think up a character who has these specific powers, and it is SUCH fun coming up with a world that explains these powers and makes them acceptable. I love that whole element of writing.
My favourite world-building comes from places that I've seen, or lived in, and have experienced.
For instance, awhile ago at work, I thought of this dialogue between two characters, one who is older, and the other who is the flippant MC.
It went something like this:
"Life," said Oldie expansively, lifting his glass to the sun and watching the light dance within the crimson depths, "is like a glass of wine."
He paused, and I waited for him to go on, but he didn't. He just stood there with his glass, and seemed lost in a reverie.
I guess that was all the information he was going to impart at this moment. Joy. I got to wait until tomorrow to see why life was like a glass of wine.
Tomorrow, I doubted I'd care.
Somehow, I visualized this MC as a boy, somewhat flippant and street-smart, but I had no setting for him. I simply had a bit of dialogue, and a definite opinion of who he was: a thief, a (sometimes) brat, but a lovable, loving character at heart.
Then I went to Scotland, and WHAM! I had found my setting. Scotland is the home for this thieving MC, a stone city more ancient than the hills, and filled with a magic that has yet to be born.
I'm into the world-building part now, and that is such fun, because the land is going to resemble Scotland, but there are going to be very different rules for my world, especially concerning magic.
Yay! A new story!
In fact, that story is my NaNo novel. Isn't that something? And, you know what's more exciting? I can see a trilogy being born. Which means, I don't have to let go of my MC sooner than I need to. DOUBLE huzzah!
God bless. :)
Cat
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Monday, July 4, 2011
God Bless America
Once upon a time, our flag depicted thirteen alternating red-and-white stripes flanking a field of blue, and spangled with a constellation of thirteen white stars.
This was the first American flag.
Over the years the flag altered ever so subtly. It sported fifteen stripes and fifteen stars at one point, then changed back to thirteen stripes with a star for every state that was at that time part of the United States as a whole. For a while the stars were arranged in six horizontal lines of eight, with the points of the stars pointing up. Now, the stars are arranged in in five horizontal rows with vertical rows of six in each row, and staggered below that are four horizontal rows with vertical rows of five stars in each row, to create a sum total of fifty.
The colours used for this star-spangled banner give deeper meaning to the flag as a whole, and impart a feeling of pride and honour. The red used in the seven red stripes symbolizes hardiness and valour. The white used for the alternating six white stripes and the fifty stars symbolizes purity and innocence. The rich, deep blue used for the stars' field symbolizes vigilance, perseverance, and justice.
To celebrate the day, enjoy these few videos:
(One last tidbit of information: The words of our National Anthem were first conceived on September 14th, 1814, when Francis Scott Keys observed the soldiers at Fort McHenry in Baltimore raise the flag to signify their victory over the British Force in the War of 1812.)
GOD BLESS AMERICA!
HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!
The Declaration of Independence
History.com
History of the American Flag
US History
US Flag
Encyclopedia Smithsonian
This was the first American flag.
Over the years the flag altered ever so subtly. It sported fifteen stripes and fifteen stars at one point, then changed back to thirteen stripes with a star for every state that was at that time part of the United States as a whole. For a while the stars were arranged in six horizontal lines of eight, with the points of the stars pointing up. Now, the stars are arranged in in five horizontal rows with vertical rows of six in each row, and staggered below that are four horizontal rows with vertical rows of five stars in each row, to create a sum total of fifty.
The colours used for this star-spangled banner give deeper meaning to the flag as a whole, and impart a feeling of pride and honour. The red used in the seven red stripes symbolizes hardiness and valour. The white used for the alternating six white stripes and the fifty stars symbolizes purity and innocence. The rich, deep blue used for the stars' field symbolizes vigilance, perseverance, and justice.
Red for hardiness and valour, duty done with greatest honour,
White for clean, no stain to start: pure and innocent of heart.
Blue that to justice we'll adhere: vigilant to persevere.
On the field are fifty stars, flanked by thirteen shining bars.
Fifty stars for fifty states, bound by what the flag relates.
Flanking them, in red and white, thirteen stripes recall the fight.
Freedom won, declared today. May God bless the U.S.A.!
- The National Anthem, as sung by Josh Groban (who just happens to be my favourite singer EVER!!)
- God Bless America, as sung by Josh Groban (favourite singer, remember?) AND
- Proud to be an American, by Lee Greenwood (since I couldn't find Josh singing it. LOL)
(One last tidbit of information: The words of our National Anthem were first conceived on September 14th, 1814, when Francis Scott Keys observed the soldiers at Fort McHenry in Baltimore raise the flag to signify their victory over the British Force in the War of 1812.)
GOD BLESS AMERICA!
HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!
The Declaration of IndependenceHistory.com
History of the American Flag
US History
US Flag
Encyclopedia Smithsonian
Saturday, July 2, 2011
No longer sprummer!!
I love summer. It is by far my absolutely favourite season.
Sure, I love autumn when the trees seem to burn beneath their flaming-bright leaves, and I love spring when the green and growing earth begins to waken. Winter I like up until January 6th, and then I've looked forward to and celebrated all the best holidays that winter can offer, and I start looking forward to spring.
But summer is the best, to me.
There's swimming, for one thing. Who loves to swim? Raise your hand. Yep, me too. There's something about the cool green light within the lake and the utter tranquility that comes over you when you're swimming. I love lying beneath the waves, holding myself down on the golden sand, and listening to the heartbeat of the water. LOVE that.
There's also amateur soccer. Our little dog is a soccer fiend. We use him as the goalie, 'cause he's really good at blocking our goals. Wicked dog! LOL. I can be a tad aggressive when it comes to that sport, and my attitude, when one of the little girls falls down and makes a rumpus, is "Suck it up. Get up, walk it off, be tough! C'MON! No one CARES about your scuffed-up shins!"
There's badminton, too. Such fun! In fact, we spent quite a while outside today playing in teams of two, and there is an enormous feeling of satisfaction when you whack that little birdie into the sky. I have a particularly favourite technique that I employ when I'm feeling particularly competitive. My sisters call it the wasp, 'cause I whack the birdie in such a way that it comes whizzing down at a rough speed of 60-70 mph. Usually I'm quite good at sending it buzzing over my opponents shoulder, and I'll have to say the whistle it makes as it speeds past your ear is something else.
Oh, and there's also Camp NaNoWriMo. I know, right? I thought NaNoWriMo only ever occurred in November, but there's also a July NaNoWriMo being hosted. Since I'm not insane enough, I am participating in this crazy ordeal. Currently I'm on about 3600 words, and since there's an extra day in July (31 days instead of November's 30) there's a slightly lesser word count needed to be met each day. In November, average word count per day in order to reach the required 50,000 is about 1,667 words. In July, the average word count per day is about 1,613 words. Since this is the second day, and the amount I should be at is 3226, I'm quite pleased with my word count right now. Yay, camp!!
Well, that's all for now. Have a lovely Saturday! God bless.
Cat
Sure, I love autumn when the trees seem to burn beneath their flaming-bright leaves, and I love spring when the green and growing earth begins to waken. Winter I like up until January 6th, and then I've looked forward to and celebrated all the best holidays that winter can offer, and I start looking forward to spring.
But summer is the best, to me.
There's swimming, for one thing. Who loves to swim? Raise your hand. Yep, me too. There's something about the cool green light within the lake and the utter tranquility that comes over you when you're swimming. I love lying beneath the waves, holding myself down on the golden sand, and listening to the heartbeat of the water. LOVE that.
There's also amateur soccer. Our little dog is a soccer fiend. We use him as the goalie, 'cause he's really good at blocking our goals. Wicked dog! LOL. I can be a tad aggressive when it comes to that sport, and my attitude, when one of the little girls falls down and makes a rumpus, is "Suck it up. Get up, walk it off, be tough! C'MON! No one CARES about your scuffed-up shins!"
There's badminton, too. Such fun! In fact, we spent quite a while outside today playing in teams of two, and there is an enormous feeling of satisfaction when you whack that little birdie into the sky. I have a particularly favourite technique that I employ when I'm feeling particularly competitive. My sisters call it the wasp, 'cause I whack the birdie in such a way that it comes whizzing down at a rough speed of 60-70 mph. Usually I'm quite good at sending it buzzing over my opponents shoulder, and I'll have to say the whistle it makes as it speeds past your ear is something else.
Oh, and there's also Camp NaNoWriMo. I know, right? I thought NaNoWriMo only ever occurred in November, but there's also a July NaNoWriMo being hosted. Since I'm not insane enough, I am participating in this crazy ordeal. Currently I'm on about 3600 words, and since there's an extra day in July (31 days instead of November's 30) there's a slightly lesser word count needed to be met each day. In November, average word count per day in order to reach the required 50,000 is about 1,667 words. In July, the average word count per day is about 1,613 words. Since this is the second day, and the amount I should be at is 3226, I'm quite pleased with my word count right now. Yay, camp!!
Well, that's all for now. Have a lovely Saturday! God bless.
Cat
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