Happy Halloween!

It’s the day of ghosts and goblins. Vampires and witches. Werewolves and zombies. It’s a paranormal lovers paradise. What have I been doing during this lovely (yet wet and cold) October? Watching ghost stories by the dozen. I do love a good ghost tale.

Tonight, the plan is for my boys to go out Trick or Treating together. The youngest will be Optimus Prime and the older one is going to be a Ninja (the dads will be tagging along). I’m sure they’ll have loads of fun, even if it is a bit nippy out. Hopefully, it won’t rain. It’s also a good thing that they’ll be walking since it never fails that SOMEONE will block our driveway. Dontcha just LOVE living in town? (rhetoric, I don’t really expect an answer…living in town has it’s advantages, but being a country gal, I have my issues with it) Anyhow, even the dogs have costumes. Ty-Ty the vampire dog and Link the Frankenstein dog. How cool, huh?

Unfortunately, I’ve pick up another stomach bug. I feel absolutely horrible. I’ve medicated this morning, gotten the youngest off to school, and am about to go lay back down for a few so the meds can kick in. I hate this time of year since there are so many colds and flu bugs and other nasty viruses going around, of which I will catch 99.9% of. Lovely to be me, but I shall survive. I’ve dealt with worse than this.

How’s the update going? Today was the due date to have it all done by, and I am sad to report that I’m not yet done…but close. My wonderful husband has filled in 20 planets for me, which is awesome. I don’t know how many I’ve done since I haven’t yet counted. How many total did I have? I’m not saying…it’s just more than I can deal with at the moment. I’d much rather look at them as the sum of all the parts instead of individually. What’s my consolation in all of this? Well, I’m the one putting it together, so I can give myself an extra day or two to work on it. The finished product isn’t due until Nov.7th when the first book of the series releases, so I’ve got plenty of time. And as I said, we are almost done. Last week’s headache from hell, the one that refused to go away, put me a bit behind because there were a couple days there that I couldn’t even think straight much less flesh out planets and such. But I fear some of the more in-depth character work will have to wait until a later date.

Today’s goals?

1) not to be ill. That so would ruin my day.

2) get as much done on this update as possible.

I’m not even going to bother putting writing on the list today because I just don’t have time for it. Too much to do and too little time. How did I do with yesterday’s goals? Well, no writing got done, but we did complete a good chunk of the updates, so that’s a definite plus. I also listened to one of my absolute favorite movies while I worked–Hellboy. I could watch that one all day and all night, though I cannot tell you why I enjoy it so much. I can’t wait for the sequel.

And with that, I’m dragging my backside back to bed for a little while to get over the worst of this, then back to work I go.

Heather

In A Daze

Yep, I’m in a total daze this morning. I don’t know up from down, and I have a lot of things to do today. How did we do yesterday? Not too bad. Knocked several planets out of the way, but sadly, there are more than plenty left to go. The hubby is proving a valuable asset on this project. Who knew?

I was bad yesterday. I knew I had a lot of work to do, and I left. :^O Yep, we went out–and got a Build-A-Bear. He’s a navy guy; I think it was. I named him Dawson, after the hero from The Drigon’s Fall. I find that Build-A-Bear is severely lacking in the scifi bear costume department, so a military bear in dress whites had to suffice. Dawson DOES wear a dress uniform once in the book, so I compromised. He gets a pair of shades later–can’t forget his holo-shades. *wicked grin*

Hubby is supposed to get me a bride bear for our anniversary this year, and next year I get the groom (special ordered from online) to go with her. I like stuffed animals. What can I say? Later, I’ll get a “wolf” bear and fix him up to represent Stone from This Side of Desperate and another bear to represent Draco from Dagger’s Blade. Do we see a theme going here? I thought the dressed up bears would look great in a curio cabinet labeled with a card that has the book title and release dates printed on them. *shrugs* I won a stuffed husky several years ago in a writing contest and every time I look at it, I remember exactly what it’s for, so I thought I’d start that tradition with my books now that we have a Build-A-Bear locally.

Now back to the writing talk. What are today’s goals?

1) more sleep. I’m exhausted and not feeling too good at the moment. I’ve taken meds and will go lay down for an hour or two here shortly to allow them to do their thing and make me feel better.

2) more updates. That’s right. I’m STILL not done–but getting closer. I hope to have this wrapped up and put together by the weekend. Then it’ll be proofing time before we send out the updated version of the Hunters for Hire series bible. It might not have everything in it I had hoped like some more in-depth character descriptions, but at least the systems and planets will all be fleshed out. I’ll save the others for the next, much less involved, update.

3) I would like to try and write, but with as much work as I have waiting on me on the updates, that one might not be doable. But I won’t totally scratch it off my list just yet.

Three things. Rather unassuming and simple looking, but they are deceptive. Much harder than they appear. ‘Tis life, I suppose.

What are my short term (yet longer term than today) plans? Get this update done and put to bed within the week. THEN I’m taking a full week to do nothing but read or something like that…maybe play WarCraft–I’m feeling it’s absence in a major way. Then I’m going to do some expanding on a vampire short story that my editor is wanting (love my editor, she’s been very understanding about how time consuming the Hunters project has become) and then I’ll write my next Hunters book. My plan is to try alternating between scifi and paranormals for a while. Write one of one genre, then one of the other.

Currently, my schedule looks like this.

vampire, hunters book (scifi), vampire, hunters book, romantic suspense with some paranormal, hunters book, not sure yet, hunters book (have I mentioned I have ideas for a total of six more Hunters books after Dagger’s Blade?). However, I also have a reincarnation type quickie length story to finish in there somewhere, so it’s not a perfect plan. I’ll figure it out when the time comes.

Heather

Monday’s Goals

So, what are the goals for today? Although I’m late in posting them.

1) Updates for the Hunters – this is going well.

2) Worked out a kink between story and world building.

3) Try to relax so my head doesn’t explode.

So far, I’m doing pretty good on today’s goals. I took a 30min break to play WarCraft a bit. Took my lvl 22 gnome warlock up to a lvl 23 one. So that’s a plus. I’ve created several new planets. Did a brainstorm session with a fellow author. Still a lot to do today, though, so I suppose I should get back to it.

Heather

It Ended With A Bang

Well, I don’t know about anyone else, but my weekend ended with a big bang…the big, loud, resounding bang of my husband’s elbow colliding with my forehead. I have a perty little bruise and a killer headache of a whole new kind now thanks to him. But he’s making up for it…

He’s helping me work on my Hunters information. I have him typing away, when he’s home from work, putting my handwritten notes to text. Ain’t he sweet? Just for the fun of it, I counted the number of planets in this world we’ve created…I’m not telling how many there are, because I don’t yet have a full count, but I will say that it made my eyes cross. When you look at it all as a whole, it’s a rather sizeable amount of information. When you look at it on an individual piece aspect, OMG it goes on forever!

 Oh well, speaking of the monster project, I guess I’d better get back to it.

Heather

Is it really over?

ACK! Where did my weekend go? It’s already over and I don’t feel as though I got anything done. Okay, scratch that. I did spend some quality time with the hubby, but other than that, I got nothing done.

The headache from hell is still an issue. Turns out, it’s stress. Spent a day away from home and the computer, and it went away. Apparently, I’m stressing too much over something I’m trying to finish up within the next few days. So, the good news is, after that is done, I should be fairly headache clear. YAY for that. And YAY for almost being done.

Maybe part of my problem is that I have a birthday coming up next month. I’m not really looking forward to it, though what’s one more year? I mentioned that I want a Build-A-Bear for my anniversary. I adore stuffed animals. And my mother gave me the strangest look. It was one of those, “You’re too old” looks that she sometimes gives me. How is my wanting a Build-A-Bear different from her collecting Wizard of Oz dolls or the Beatles figures? I also collect Raggedy Ann and Andy and Care Bears. Is there something wrong with that? I don’t see anything wrong with it, but then again, I’m the one doing the collecting.

Oh well…guess that’s my rant for the day. I’d better get back to the grinding board…lots of stuff to do and little time in which to do it.

Heather

Lazy Day

Today, I’m going to take the time to just be me. We rented Knocked Up and I plan to curl up with the hubby soon to watch that.

Been thinking about the hubby a lot lately. Our 4th anniversary is coming up soon (Nov. 7th) and I couldn’t be happier. He’s the most wonderful man I’ve ever known. He makes me happy and does his very best to take care of me. He’s always doing little things for me. He’s also very supportive of my writing and helps me out whenever I’m in a jam. He calls himself my “research assistant”. I won’t go into detail on that, lol

How did it all begin? Online. Yep, he’s my internet hunny. And it was a whirlwind courtship. Met online, met in real life 2 days later, moved in together 2 weeks later, and got married 2 months after that in a funeral home of all places. The family had a bit of trouble believing the location of our “wedding” but it’s the truth. I kid you not. We got married in a funeral home. Hey, at least it’s something we’re not likely to ever forget.

Time flies when you’re having fun. It doesn’t seem like four years have already gone by. It seems like I’ve known him forever, and that’s not a bad thing. He felt familiar to me the moment I first met him. He completes me in a way I never thought possible and he taught me that those happy endings that I write about really DO come true. He’s my Prince Charming. Can’t beat that, now can you?

Oh well, movie time.

Heather

Week’s End Cap

Friday. It’s Friday. The week is over. Two full days of the hubby and child, at home, with me. ACK! Maybe weekends aren’t so good after all.

It’s been a lazy day today. In fact, I’m not even out of bed–where the hubby told me to stay today and sleep since the headache from hell has not left me yet. I so wish it would, but I fear that until I clear some of the things that are currently covering my plate, that it will not go away. Hubby says it’s stress. Maybe he’s right…hate when he’s right. H never lets me forget it. *sigh*

Report on yesterday’s goal list.

Sadly, I never vanquished the headache. It stubbornly holds on and got a lot worse before the night was through. It’s back down to a roar, but at least I don’t feel like gouging out my eyeball any longer.

Hunters for Hire update. I got some done. Some editing done on it, so that’s a step in the right direction at least.

Writing. I didn’t write on A Hero’s Savior, but I did work on another project that’s coming up due. No, scratch that, I worked on two other projects that are coming up due. As well as played with a vampire for a little while.

Today’s goals?

To do as little as possible. Maybe later, if my headache eases up a little, I’ll try to work on updates or writing.

Hope everyone has a great weekend. Take care and stay safe.

Heather

So Sad

Okay, it is totally sad and pathetic when it takes one all day to realize she spelled Thursday wrong. *sigh*  I’ll blame the headache and the fact that spell check apparently doesn’t check the subject line as well as the post body. *double sigh*

So, how am I doing goal wise?

Well, sadly, I still have the headache.

I have worked on the updates. Not as much as I would have liked, but hey, something is better than nothing.

I have written. On not one, but two different works. Sadly, neither was A Hero’s Savior, but you can’t win them all and the day isn’t over yet.

Thursday’s Goals

I’m not sure how I’ll  do at making today’s goals happen. Thus far, this morning is beginning like yesterday ended–with a sharp, jagged pain slicing through my skull, jab your eyeball out with a hot poker, bang head against the wall killer of a headache. My stomach is churning and my vision is blurred; it’s so bad. But, I have things to do that cannot wait. Maybe I’ll just lay back down for a while with a cold cloth and hope it slacks off enough to focus on what I need to do. There is no medication in this house strong enough to deal with this. *sigh*

So, what are today’s goals? Quite simple really.

1) Don’t let the head explode…or is that implode?

I’m not sure how well I can manage this one, but I plan to give it my all.

2) Hunters for Hire Updates (still)

Yes, I did updates yesterday, but there is still a lot of work to be done on this before the first book releases early next month.

3) Write on A Hero’s Savior

Because writing a book often times takes a while.

Those along with my standard goals for this time a year (continued breathing and keeping warm), should keep my slow self fairly busy today.

Progress report for yesterday’s goals.

1) Work on Hunters for Hire “bible” updates. CHECK, though there’s still plenty of things to be done for this.

2) Work on A Hero’s Savior, my second Hunters for Hire book featuring Bocdiah Noth. CHECK, anything is better than nothing.

3) Stay Warm (it’s cold and rainy here) CHECK

4) Be me and not let life get me down CHECK

And for now, that’s all the posting I have in me. Maybe later I can come up with something uplifting and witty to post. I’ll be thinking on it as I stare at the backs of my eyelids.

Heather

Procrastination

be my middle name. Not really, but it feels like it at times.

Have I achieved any of my goals for today yet? Let’s see. Still breathing? check. Warm and dry? check. Writing? check, though not as big of one as I’d like. Hunters for Hire updates? not yet. But I did add another goal, even if I didn’t actually add it to the previous list. What is this new goal, one might ask. Well, I updated my website and took care of some business that required my attention. Btw, both of those are completed tasks, I’m happy to report. So only one goal left for the day. Not bad since it’s not even noon yet.

So, now I’m sitting here, about to get down with the nitty gritty of updates while Lord of the Rings: Return of the King plays in the background. I normally do not watch TV while working, but I’d had the Two Towers paused for three days, so I figured it was time to finish watching it, which of course led to having to watch the final film of the trilogy. I love this one the most. Why? Because it possesses my absolute favorite scene of the entire series and my favorite lines. The Witch King showdown. When him and Eowyn are facing off and he says, “No man can kill me.” And her reply as she whips off her helmet and her blonde hair flies free, “I am no man.” I absolutely love it and the play on words. Brilliant.

And now, I suppose I should get back to it.

Heather

Random Daily Ramble

I sit here alone trying to figure out where to begin. I’m a bit feverish, so I guess that means I’m also a bit out of my head. But then again, when was I ever truly in my head? *grin*  My mind is a rather strange place filled with all sorts of strange creatures and locations. People keep telling me that they wish they could see into my mind, to which I reply, no you don’t. Quite often, what’s in there makes no sense whatsoever until I take the time to sit down and sort it all out. But is that really any different than any other author’s mind? I really can’t say since I don’t know anyone’s mind but my own.

I think it may be time to start setting short term goals. Anything that can help to keep me focused and on track.  Why haven’t I done this before? Well, lots of reasons really. For the last nine months…no ten months now, I’ve worked primarily on the Hunters for Hire series. Yes, that’s a big time investment, and one I was very happy to make. It’s nowhere near over, so the amount of time dedicated to the project will only grow. I’m okay with that, but I have other things that need to be done as well. So, it’s time to start that goal list.

I figure I better start with a couple goals for life in general. What are my primary goals for life? To keep breathing, because there are days when that in itself is quite a feat. To keep improving in my writing, which is not always easy, but always enjoyable. And to be me. It’s so easy to get lost in the greater scheme of things and I admit that there for a while, I had no idea who I was. I am starting to figure that out, and I’m rather liking the new me. Sad it’s taken me thirty odd years to find a me that I’m happy with, but that’s just how life goes sometimes. It sometimes takes time to find our place in the world, but I’m working on it and this new path I’m walking seems to be working for me. So, I can’t really complain.

And with that list out of the way, I figure I better make today’s goal list. It’s still early, only around 9:30am my time, so I can make these happen before the day is over.

Today’s To Do List?

1) Work on Hunters for Hire “bible” updates.

2) Work on A Hero’s Savior, my second Hunters for Hire book featuring Bocdiah Noth.

3) Stay Warm (it’s cold and rainy here)

4) Be me and not let life get me down.

Some of these will be easier to achieve than others, but they are all doable. And with that, I’d better get to it. Bocdiah is awaiting me as I left him mid-scene, and I still have some planets to create for my H4H update.

Heather

Nothing is Secret

Another oldie but goodie post. This one ties in with the Professionalism post. The internet has a very long memory and it’s wise to remember that. 

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Choose both your battles and your words carefully. Think very hard before hitting that reply/post/send button, because those words just might come back to bite you in the ass. In a day and time when technology is common place and the internet is such an important tool for communicating with others, it’s important to remember one simple little thing…

In the internet world, there is NO such thing as anonymous.

If a person knows where to look, you can be tracked down, and oh wouldn’t the ^&*% hit the fan then? Also, you have to take into consideration that once that send button is pressed, those words can NEVER be taken back and will always be out there somewhere haunting you. And comebacks like “I was emotional at the time I wrote that”, just don’t cut it. There is no excuse for making an ass of one’s self. It’s just plain tactless, in my opinion.

So, what’s the moral of the story? Never assume that you’re safe. Never assume that no one will figure out who you are. The word anonymous is not a free ticket to say and behave any way you like. Don’t hide behind a wall of false anonymity and behave like a complete ass thinking it won’t come back on you, because odds are, it will. Words are like a loaded weapon, and if the ammunition is right, they can be just as deadly. If you insist on making an ass of yourself, at least do it in the open where everyone can point and laugh appropriately. It can be quite entertaining. And yes, press is press regardless if its bad or good…but do you really want to go down in internet history as the person who did blah, blah, blah (fill in your choice of fiascoes and faux-paux committed over the last few months alone). And also, if you are in a position of power, or at least possess a public imagine, keep this in mind. When you hit send and put a bunch of often times irrational, error laden manure out there for the world to see, you aren’t only bringing yourself down, but all your fellow authors/publishers/etc. down with you…and we don’t like that. Some of us worked very hard to get where we are, and it gives us all a bad name in some people’s view points.

We all make mistakes; we are human after all. Fess up to it and move on. Don’t add fuel to the fire by making a second spectacle of yourself (and in some cases a third and a fourth). But don’t ever think it will be forgotten…because it’s still out there somewhere, floating in cyberspace just waiting for the appropriate moment to come rushing in and make your day all over again.

Okay, just my .02cents worth on the subject.

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And with this, I am done for now. I might post some more later, though I’m running out of oldies. Most of these tied in together somehow, which is why I thought it wise to post them together. Brand new ramblings and misadventures coming soon.

Heather

Label Me

This older post relates to the whole words thing. It’s not the word that’s important so much as how the person in control uses it is. I have a definite love of words, preferably written. I’m more comfortable in the written world than I am in the spoken one, but that’s just me and a part of who I am. This particular post is more about labeling of books than anything else, but it could be used in other situations as well, I suppose. 

Btw, I’m southern, born and bred, and I sometimes let my southern shine through. So, if you see a word with a weird spelling (example: thang or skeered) it was intentional on my part. I tend to let a little of my southerness bleed into whatever I write, but that’s just a part of my individuality.

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My name is Heather and I write erotic romance. I’m not ashamed of what I write; I make no secret of it. My family knows what I write, and I’ll be the first to admit it. I have nothing to hide. I’m proud of what I do (not saying that anyone who keeps it secret isn’t).

What spawned this blog entry? Reading blogs. I’ve spent far too much time over the last few days reading blog after blog after blog. Was there a specific blog entry that spawned this one? Yep, one on labeling. It’s been suggested that books need to be labeled. The general consensus is this

labeling equals warning equals censorship equals bad

I tend to agree. Censorship in any shape, style or form is just plain wrong. What gives one person the right to tell another what he or she should watch, read, or listen to? I don’t push my opinion on you, and you don’t push yours on me. But you’re blogging about it? Yeah, and that’s my right. I’m not forcing anyone to spend their time reading it. I’m just putting it out there for those interested. I feel like when they say a book is banned that someone else is patting me on the head like I’m a nitwit telling me they had to ban the book because I was too stupid to realize it was bad for me. What if I loved the book in question and saw nothing wrong with it? But anyhow, that’s my opinion and I’m entitled to it. Just like it was whoever’s opinion that the banned book was bad.

Anyhow, I think we may be looking at this all wrong. Perhaps it’s a case of not being able to see the forest for the trees. Huh? What’s that mean? I mean this. My name is Heather. So? You said that at the beginning. True, I did, but did anyone notice that it’s a label? Yep, it’s my name, but a name is nothing more than a label. I write erotic paranormal and sci-fi romance. Those are labels too. Just like horror and mystery and fantasy. Not all labels are bad, yet there are labels everywhere. Everyone and everything is labeled right down to the planet beneath our feet. A world without labels would be a world filled with utter chaos. We could not function if there were no labels. So in a way I disagree with the whole

labeling equals warning equals censorship equals bad

because not all labels equal warnings. So they can’t all be bad. I guess it all depends on the context, which is up for interpretation by the individual seeing or hearing the words used. But we also have to set limits; we have to know when enough is enough.

Warning: This book contains explicit and graphic sexual situations.

Okay, but that warning tells me nothing. Define explicit. Now define graphic. I’d be willing to bet that your definition of what’s explicit or graphic won’t necessarily match mine. It’s a matter of opinion. It’s subjective, and thereby the warning is ineffectual since it’s generalized and generic. Explicit to me means that there are no purple prose involved. If it’s a duck, it’s called a duck, not a white feathered aquatic bird. Graphic to me means that it paints a really good picture making for a fairly clear visual. *waggles eyebrows*

And what about labels that are wrong? I can hear the collective gasp now. How can a label be wrong? Ever been called by the wrong name? It’s easy to have happen. The same can happen with anything. Example? Inevitably, during the course of the debate I read, Ellora’s Cave (EC) was brought into the discussion. Again, you might ask so? Well, it was said that Ellora’s Cave is an erotica publisher. Hmm, maybe, but the way it was stated suggested that all bookswith EC are erotica. That’s not true. I write for Ellora’s Cave and I don’t write erotica. I write erotic romance, no “a” in it.

For years, erotic and erotica have been used interchangeably, but that’s wrong. They don’t mean the same thing. So what’s the difference? I read up on the subject before beginning this blog entry because I didn’t want to add to the confusion. It’s as simple as this. Erotic romance equals your basic love story only when they go into the bedroom (yes, I know not all make it to the bedroom) then the door is left wide open, making the reader a virtual voyeur. Made it sound good and naughty, didn’t I? *grin* There are no secrets. The sex is written out in frank and descriptive language (no purple prose need apply). There’s a solid plot and the prerequisite happily ever after (HEA). All my stories have the HEA, though it was recently suggested that my Naughty Nuptial quickie, This Side of Desperate didn’t have the HEA element. I disagree. It did end with the HEA, or at least the implication of one. But it was a review, which are subjective and one person’s opinion to which she/he is entitled. I have no problem with that; I just don’t agree with it, but that’s my prerogative. (If you’d like to form your own opinion on This Side of Desperate, it’s currently available at Ellorascave.com) But I digress, back to the topic at hand. Erotica is less plot, more sex, and the HEA is not required. I don’t write erotica, though it could happen. I’m not crossing the possibility of it in the future off my list.

Does EC put warnings on its books? Yes, some of them do come with warnings. Example of such a warning

Reader Advisory: This book contains graphic male/male sexual interaction.

Now, the warning above is pretty straight forward. This book has sex or sex acts between two men. If it’s your thang, you’ll buy it. If not, you’ll shy away. But what if wires were crossed and the warning was put on a book that possessed no guy on guy action? The ones who bought it because the warning said male/male will be greatly disappointed and upset, while the ones who shied away missed a really good read. Same with the reverse as well. Mislabeling happens, which is why we shouldn’t necessarily take things at face value.

What about my books? What types of labels should they have? I’ll break it down for you on the ones I have currently available, and the ones I’ve got (in some cases, hopefully) coming soon.

The Drigon’s Fall – sci-fi romance with the graphic full detailed sex scenes or as my little sister says, a book where they have no clothes, which is wrong. They have clothes, they just like to take them off a lot. *grin* There’s also a violence advisory here as I like monsters and when I write monsters, I write them bad. Yes, the monster eats people. It was important to the plot. Was I supposed to leave it out because it might offend someone? If we leave out things that might offend a person, there would be no books to read because inevitably, everything offends someone. It’s just the way life works. Available now at Ellorascave.com

This Side of Desperate – it’s short. It is a quickie, after all, and so is the nature of the beast. They have sex a short way into the story (again, it’s a prerequisite with the format) and there is some violence involved in the book. I won’t go into the details since it might ruin the surprise for someone who’s not yet read it. But be warned, it is in there. No monster, but it’s where the story went and I went there. This is a werewolf story and once again, there’s super hot descriptive sex. Available now at Ellorascave.com

Dagger’s Blade – this is part of a much larger continuity series (many authors). It’s a sci-fi menage. There is guy on guy and girl on guy and girl on both guys and so forth here. Some violence, though mild compared to Drigon’s Fall (they are not set in the same world, btw). Coming soon to Ellorascave.com

Cason’s Conviction – this is a vampire story. It’s got some menage in it, though no guy on guy. They’re brothers and that was a no go for this story. I guess some would also consider this a forced seduction book, though I say that lightly. I can’t go into much detail without giving much away, but I assure you that the heroine wasn’t truly forced into anything she didn’t already want. No extreme or even mild violence here, though there is some tying up in there somewhere. Currently in the works.

I have more stuff in the works, but one never knows which one I’ll get done when or where the story will go. I’m not much of a plotter. I sit, I type, and the story unfolds on the page before me. It’s just the way I work.

Have I made anyone curious? lol  Sadly, this post is nothing like the original version that was lost. Unfortunately, once it’s out of the head, it’s pretty much forgotten. I do detest rewrites with a passion.

Heather

An Old Essay

In the fall of 2005, I took a few college courses. Among them was Freshman English, a class I thoroughly enjoyed. This is but one of the many essays I wrote during that semester and is among my favorites. I would also like to point out that this essay got me an ‘A’. J

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The Item Most Often Overlooked

Originally written by Heather, Oct. 26, 2005 

Much controversy surrounds the origin of language. Man first communicated with one another as long ago as two million years ago or as recently as forty thousand years ago depending upon whom you ask. Since man first became self aware, words have been an integral part of our lives. The first oral language most likely consisted of grunts, groans, and other similar sounds, but as man evolved, so did his language skills.

A wink, a smile, and a gesture are all forms of non-verbal communication, but what do they all mean? Without words to give a precise meaning to things, confusion reigns, because we—as a species—would be unable to express ourselves to one another. Eventually, the guttural sounds and gestures evolved into words. Those words are part of what makes us so unique. Our ability to convey our thoughts, feelings, and needs with one another.

Language did not begin with a dictionary, thesaurus, and encyclopedia at hand with which to assign words to objects, feelings, and ideas. Our language—our words—has developed over thousands of years and continues to grow with each passing day. Currently, there are more than four hundred thousand words in the English language alone. There are approximately seven thousand known languages world-wide, and this does not include regional and cultural discrepancies in the languages such as slang.

But what does all of this mean? Words are all around us, in everything we see. They are in each and every thing we do, feel, and experience. There are words at work, in the store, and even at home. We may not always see them, but they are always there. There is a word for everything in life, and if there isn’t, we simply make it up.

The average human sees the world as images. Every word read or heard brings a specific image to most people’s minds. Through words, we are able to grow as humans. So, why are words so very important? Because words are so much more than just the sum of their parts. A word goes beyond the obvious, delving into something many do not and cannot understand. The word is so much more than just a series of letters strung together; they are the building blocks of every language known to man. Without words, communication wouldn’t be possible.

One of the first things an infant learns from his or her parents is how to mimic sounds. Over time, the baby forms those sounds into words, and through association the meaning of those words are learned. This is a process that every child—regardless of race or nationality—should go through.

It’s not just the words we use, but how we use them. If there were no rhyme or reason to given language, what would be the point in having it? Rules of grammar are important. They give our words a purpose—a meaning—and lend them a uniformity which allows them to serve a specific function. By applying these rules and guidelines, one can more easily express himself or herself to others with minimal confusion.

The word is one of life’s most frequently overlooked items. We take our words for granted. Does anyone ever stop to wonder where we’d be as a society without words? Without words, there would be no books, no music, no television. There would be no idle chit-chat, friendly conversation or pillow-talk. Sure, sounds would still be present, but it would all be meaningless without words with which to describe things.

Each word can have several different meanings and is defined by how it is used. For instance, a flower can be any type out of numerous species, but if it were to be called a rose, the number reduces drastically. A clearer image of what the speaker or writer meant when he or she used the word is reached by using the word rose instead.

 With words, some people have formed a career. To a writer, words are the key to the vastness of his or her imagination. On the wings of creativity, words can take us into the pitch black of night where vampires stalk their prey. Lycans shift from man to beast and throw their shaggy heads back as a bone-chilling howl pierces the night. Words take us on an inter-stellar flight aboard a rickety cargo vessel transporting alien refugees to a new planet they can call home.

Words are an art. Like paint on a canvas, I use my words—each carefully chosen for a specific purpose—to create a vivid image for others to enjoy. To me, there is no greater feeling than to have a reader say, “I really enjoyed what you wrote,” because that tells me that I did what I had set out to do. I created the image I had formed in my mind and successfully projected that image into the reader’s mind. It is only then that I realize just how important my words truly are—not only to myself, but to my readers as well.

As a writer, I have come to respect the written word and admire its beauty. Through writing, I can fully explore the endless possibilities of my imagination and share it with others. I have made a career out of words; one that I love dearly. My flights of fancy are given life at the tip of a pen or pencil—with the stroke of a key.

A word can be as small as a grain of sand. It can be as big as the Universe going on for eternity, or as deep as the ocean. A word can be ordinary, or it can be seductive and mysterious all rolled into one. Large or small, thick or thin, each word is just as important as the next. It makes no difference if the word is only one letter or ten; each is special in its own way. Without them, I’d be lost, driven mad by the inability to share the stories spinning in my mind. The word is our most precious gift—one that is so very often overlooked.

Heather

Professionalism

Again, this is a post I wrote a while back, but in light of some things I’ve read, mainly today, I feel it necessary to go ahead and bring this one out and dust it off.

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Being in the public eye, a person has certain expectations imposed upon him or her. Temper tantrums are out. Screaming hissy fits are out. Calm, cool, and polite no matter what one is up against is all the rage. But, we’re human. We feel the normal range of emotions just like everyone else. We experience hurt and heartache, joy and anger. Being human is something we can’t change, but being in the position we are, I think it’s important to learn how to separate oneself from the emotion and see the calmer side of things.

There is definitely an art to it. One must learn to recognize when it’s wise to open the mouth and let it fly and when it’s best to step back and keep the trap shut. All too often, we see people in the public eye behave badly and make a very public ass of themselves. It is avoidable…well, for some. It’s taken me quite a bit of time to learn when to curb what I say and how I react. There are times, when this is more difficult to accomplish than others, but I continue to strive for that professional demeanor. Sometimes I’m a bit more successful at it than at others.

It’s perfectly fine to think someone is a complete idiot–it’s not okay to tell that person he or she is an idiot, especially in the day and age of technology because it will get out that you lowered yourself to that level. It’s entirely possible to get your point across without actually saying the words. Words are our friends, not our enemies and the meaning is all in the usage.

Sadly, it’s the scandals that get the good buzz, but you have to ask yourself is being cast in a negative light really worth it? Not for me. I prefer to stay obscure than to go down in history as the author who made an utter fool of herself because she couldn’t keep her mouth shut.

What does this have to do with? Nothing and yet everything. This has been the year of publishers going under and authors behaving badly. I will not name names, because I refuse to go there. I’ve had some issues of my own to deal with, and yet I have done my very best to remain cool headed in the face of adversary. Maybe I haven’t always remained as calm as I should have, but that goes back to that I’m only human bit I wrote about further up in this blog entry. My point is, there is a way to behave and conduct yourself in the public forum and there is a way not to behave and conduct yourself in the public forum.

Only you can make that choice–only you can make yourself look the fool. Don’t let others provoke you. Be the better person. I’m not saying that you shouldn’t stand up for yourself, because you should, just think it out calmly and carefully before putting yourself out there. Time passes but memories last–and on the internet, the juicy bits don’t go away–they merely blend in with the numerous Google pages–but if one is persistent enough, it can be found again.

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And a bit I just added today. I’ll be nice and fix my typos that I missed when I originally posted the comment earlier today. Tomorrow, I’ll post an essay I wrote in college a couple of years ago (2 years ago Oct. 26th, in fact) that I feel ties in with the bit below.

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Everyone is entitled to his or her own opinions. It’s not for any one person to decide who is wrong and who is right since there can often times be more than one right way of thinking. It’s part of what makes us human and different. Words are just words–strings of letters put together to form a meaning. The message we give to others is determined by how we use our words. Some use words to hurt; others use them to educate or entertain. It’s the nature of the beast.

I think in some cases, people need to learn to ignore things and forget the person saying them even exists rather than to react and add fuel to the flames. Threatening lawsuits without proper knowledge of how the legal system works, makes one look idiotic and more like a petulant child than a rational, logically thinking adult. To me, the post is a reminder to stop and think about what is being said and who it’s being said by before retaliating. The words being used are a slave to the wielder and cannot be held accountable for how they are used–they are after all, only words.

The topic to which this is a comment can be found here at Dear Author–but be warned, the comments do not all relate to the post’s subject.

Heather

Writing and…?

When sitting down to write a story, I never think about what other subjects or aspects I might be threading into the project. Well, at least I didn’t until recently when it hit me, I was doing a great deal of science research for a project that I’m working on, and I do mean a great deal of it.

I grew up on scifi classics like Star Trek, Lost in Space, Doctor Who, The Blob, It Came From Outer Space, and War of the Worlds (all originals mind you) even if they were in reruns. I grew up on , Alien, Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica (original) because I’m a child of the ’70s. My dad loved these shows and movies, so I, too, developed a love of them. You got to admit, to a small child, these things were awesome. I loved the Godzilla movies, Gamera, Ultraman, and the likes. So, I have a love of scifi and monsters. Could be why I often times get a “blood and gore” warning on the things I write. *shrugs*

Anyhow, back to the subject at hand. When writing paranormal and more importantly scifi, I generally just make it up as I go. I use my memory of all those shows and movies I love to watch and twist and adapt the elements into something that fits the story unfolding in my head. It’s just the way I work since I have an extensive background to pull from. Yes, I admit that I read a few Star Trek books, but never was much for straight scifi reading so I only have what I saw and heard to pull from.

Then came the Hunters for Hire and a whole new level of world building. I have recently found myself pouring over science information on the planets in our solar system for days on end and while it gives me a raging headache, it’s also quite fascinating. Who knew there was so much information? Now, I have to go back through my notes and pick out only those relevant to what I’m doing and turn them into a futuristic version of what they are now. Not that easy, but definitely doable, PLUS I have to apply it to the other worlds that my cohorts and I have created over the course of the last month. Much, much easier said than done, but again, it is doable. I’ve come to appreciate world building in a whole new light as a result of this series. It’s taught me many things not only about myself but about my craft as well.

And in case I haven’t said it lately, thank you to all my cohorts in this endeavor. I couldn’t have made it happen without you. It truly is a group effort.

Heather

Basic Rules of a Continuity Series

This is another older post that goes along with the one I re-posted yesterday on the Hunters for Hire series. These are just a few things that came to me as I worked on this project and thought worthy of sharing. Later, I’ll do a new post on organizing a project like this.

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 1 Before beginning a story you hope to have become a part of a continuity series, it’s probably a good idea to get the series information before you begin to write the story. Otherwise, you could be in for a lot of editing in order to make it fit. If you like editing stories and twisting them into something new, hey, go for it. But for those who don’t–get the info first.

2 Read the email sent to you when you receive the information VERY carefully. Often times the answers to the questions you have are contained within the email sent.

3 All information contained within the info packet you were sent is copyrighted to the creating authors or publisher that sent it. If your story does NOT get accepted by the company the information belongs to, then all information contained in the packet MUST be removed from your story before it can be submitted elsewhere. Otherwise, you’re in violation of copyright laws and things could get messy.

4 If you have questions, don’t hesitate to ask. But make sure you address your questions to the proper person. An author cannot answer editorial questions nor can she/he answer questions regarding contracts, as both issues are out of the author’s hands.

5 Read the information sent to you very carefully and remain true to that information. Any deviation from the information could and often times does result in a rejection letter. The information was put together and provided for a reason–to help you write a work of fiction that will fit into the world created. Spellings, names, locations, world descriptions and gizmo functions must remain consistent throughout the books if the series is to be a success with readers. If recurring characters are involved, it is forbidden to kill or maim these characters as they are property of the world creators.

6 I prefer even numbers to odd. I can’t think of anything else at this point in time, but hated to end on an odd number, so I numbered this as six.

NOTE: this is not directed at any specific person or groups of persons. It’s just a general observation as I have interpreted it. Please take no offense at my ramblings.

Heather

Wet and Cold

The last week has been very wet, and the last two days (especially today) have been very cold. I’m not a big fan of either, to be honest about it. Where’s my heat? My sun? Hopefully, they’ll reappear soon, but I do have my doubts. I fear the cold weather is upon us and there’s no amount of pleading that will make it go away. It’s simply that time of the year.

Heather

Starting Out

Got to start somewhere, right? I’ll be transferring some old posts from one of my other blogs over here, so there will soon be a few articles to browse. I just thought I would try something new.

Heather

Fave Picture

Earlier this year, we went to the St. Louis Zoo on what was pretty much a spur of the moment trip. I’ve taken up photography lately as a hobby and while some pictures aren’t so good, some are breath taking. This is one of my favorite picutres that I’ve taken, and it was just luck that it turned out this way, because it wasn’t planned. Just thought I’d share it.