Well, my cousin's in town from Israel. A cousin I only met once six years ago. So, I'm letting myself off the hook a bit, if I don't get too much writing done this week. I want to show her a great time. This week's blogging might be sparse. I'm sticking to the Fay Weldon, and I've lent "Out of Egypt" to my mom.
You can pretty much hear the English accent in Weldon's writing. Also, she uses words like "tins" instead of "cans", etc.
That's all for now. More links to Toronto-y sites and local theatre companies coming soon...
Wednesday, December 28, 2005
Sunday, December 25, 2005
Christmas Eve-y TV
The choice for this evening's Christmas viewing: The Wizard of Oz or It's A Wonderful Life.
I choose The Wizard of Oz. It just gets better and better with every viewing. I love the Cowardly Lion. I think I should buy the screenplay. And now TVO is showing "Meet Me in St. Louis" which I've never watched all the way through.
As for fiction, I have two choices to read at the moment: "The Fat Woman's Joke" (also published as "...And the Wife Ran Away") and "Out of Egypt".
"The Fat Woman's Joke" is by Fay Weldon and was first published in 1967. I was talking to author Sarah Selecky about genre and chick-lit and she recommended I check out some of Weldon's stuff (among other authors who I'll list as I get through their books). Sarah's fiction is currently published in The New Quarterly.
A customer at Starbucks (where I work) lent me Out of Egypt: A Memoir by Andre Aciman. The customer remembered that I'm a Sephardi Jew whose parents had to leave Libya. (He once met my mom by chance.) I was so touched that he remembered. I love getting to know my regular morning customers. Their friendliness makes my shift more pleasant, and I try to make their mornings less crummy.
As for the writing? Got none done today. I was proud of myself just for getting out of bed and meeting a friend at 7 West. That means that I might be able to sleep tonight!
Check out the new links on the side! Not related to fiction, just related.
I choose The Wizard of Oz. It just gets better and better with every viewing. I love the Cowardly Lion. I think I should buy the screenplay. And now TVO is showing "Meet Me in St. Louis" which I've never watched all the way through.
As for fiction, I have two choices to read at the moment: "The Fat Woman's Joke" (also published as "...And the Wife Ran Away") and "Out of Egypt".
"The Fat Woman's Joke" is by Fay Weldon and was first published in 1967. I was talking to author Sarah Selecky about genre and chick-lit and she recommended I check out some of Weldon's stuff (among other authors who I'll list as I get through their books). Sarah's fiction is currently published in The New Quarterly.
A customer at Starbucks (where I work) lent me Out of Egypt: A Memoir by Andre Aciman. The customer remembered that I'm a Sephardi Jew whose parents had to leave Libya. (He once met my mom by chance.) I was so touched that he remembered. I love getting to know my regular morning customers. Their friendliness makes my shift more pleasant, and I try to make their mornings less crummy.
As for the writing? Got none done today. I was proud of myself just for getting out of bed and meeting a friend at 7 West. That means that I might be able to sleep tonight!
Check out the new links on the side! Not related to fiction, just related.
Friday, December 23, 2005
I knew it!
The Warrior Princess
You are strong, courageous, and dynamic, a woman of
action. You have an iron will and a sharp
tongue. Indecisive, weak, or wishy-washy people
test your patience. You tend to grow bored
quickly and yearn for excitement.
Role Models: Brunhilde/The Valkyries, Xena
You are most likely to: Lead your people to victory
against an army of orcs.
What Kind of Princess are You?
brought to you by Quizilla
Well, I don't know if I'd describe myself that way. But it's nice for someone else to! Check out the chin on my "picture".
The Days are Getting Longer
Which, for me, means more daytime to sleep through! Well, I don't feel too bad. Been fighting off a cold, and so I don't feel so indolent and indulgent letting myself sleep whenever I feel like it. I got my shifts today and tomorrow covered, so now I just have to be well enough to work on Sunday (Christmas Day and the first Day of Hanukkah). I don't celebrate Christmas, so it's no biggie for me to work the morning shift. That way I can get uptown in time to light Hanukkah candles with my parents. Also, I'd hate to drag someone in to work last minute who does celebrate Christmas.
My b/f sent me a book. The Underminer. It's very funny. It's written by performance artist Mike Albo and TV critic Virginia Heffernan. It will certainly help you identify the Underminers in your life - and perhaps illuminate the times you've been one. I'd love to see Albo perform in person. He's based in New York.
Have also been reading The Noonday Demon: An Atlas of Depression by Andrew Solomon. I'm only a short part of the way through, but it's incredibly thought-provoking whether you've ever experience depression or not.
I'm now at about 20,000 words on my one WIP. I'm quite happy with that, even though technically I'm behind my set quotas. I've also nearly stalled completely, 'cause I just don't know what's going on with my plot. I've been writing out a screenplay-style "treatment", which has mainly reinforced that yes, my plot is really... unexciting. And I don't think my subplot is working either. I'm very tempted to let other people look at it and solicit help, but I also feel like I should be able to get through this on my own. Hmmm... I'm hoping I can churn out another 1500 to 3000 words or so, and maybe find a way to move forward.
Happy Holidays to anyone who stumbles here.
My b/f sent me a book. The Underminer. It's very funny. It's written by performance artist Mike Albo and TV critic Virginia Heffernan. It will certainly help you identify the Underminers in your life - and perhaps illuminate the times you've been one. I'd love to see Albo perform in person. He's based in New York.
Have also been reading The Noonday Demon: An Atlas of Depression by Andrew Solomon. I'm only a short part of the way through, but it's incredibly thought-provoking whether you've ever experience depression or not.
I'm now at about 20,000 words on my one WIP. I'm quite happy with that, even though technically I'm behind my set quotas. I've also nearly stalled completely, 'cause I just don't know what's going on with my plot. I've been writing out a screenplay-style "treatment", which has mainly reinforced that yes, my plot is really... unexciting. And I don't think my subplot is working either. I'm very tempted to let other people look at it and solicit help, but I also feel like I should be able to get through this on my own. Hmmm... I'm hoping I can churn out another 1500 to 3000 words or so, and maybe find a way to move forward.
Happy Holidays to anyone who stumbles here.
Sunday, December 11, 2005
Circadian Rhythms
Well, my times are flipped.
It's a quarter to four. In the morning. I did write today. Some at the S'bux down the street, and some at home on my laptop. Then my musician friend came over and we commiserated on the frustrations of trying to create "art". Or even commerce.
Went back to work on my second WIP. I have approx. 10,000 words in each now. I have a stronger (though somewhat melodramatic) plot in my second one, so it seems to be going faster. If I just had 20 000 words in one of them, I'd be a quarter of the way through a manuscript!
Complain, complain.
Going to attempt to bake and knit tomorrow. I don't celebrate Christmas, but the season and the snow (and the freezing-one's-ass-off everytime you go outside) propels me into a flurry of domesticity. Anna Olson has a recipe for "Chocolate Chai Cake" at S'bux, and that's what I'll attempt.
It's good to have creative friends. It's easier to have faith in their endeavours than in my own, but it keeps my faith in creating art going, in general. Hooray for friends!
It's a quarter to four. In the morning. I did write today. Some at the S'bux down the street, and some at home on my laptop. Then my musician friend came over and we commiserated on the frustrations of trying to create "art". Or even commerce.
Went back to work on my second WIP. I have approx. 10,000 words in each now. I have a stronger (though somewhat melodramatic) plot in my second one, so it seems to be going faster. If I just had 20 000 words in one of them, I'd be a quarter of the way through a manuscript!
Complain, complain.
Going to attempt to bake and knit tomorrow. I don't celebrate Christmas, but the season and the snow (and the freezing-one's-ass-off everytime you go outside) propels me into a flurry of domesticity. Anna Olson has a recipe for "Chocolate Chai Cake" at S'bux, and that's what I'll attempt.
It's good to have creative friends. It's easier to have faith in their endeavours than in my own, but it keeps my faith in creating art going, in general. Hooray for friends!
Saturday, December 10, 2005
The First Post
The first post.
5:44am.
Up all night again. Wrote 2000 words though. That is my new direction. That's the reason behind a new blog. Two WIPs on the go. Much hope too.
Hope to have at least 1 completed m/s by March 2006. This goal, which seemed so possible two weeks ago, is now terrifying. I've written a tenth of the amount I need to write to finish by March.
Nothing to complain about yet. I'll try to keep this blog mainly about writing (fiction), but I'll probably stray into ranting about any/everything.
So that's all. Goodnight - or....
Good morning!
5:44am.
Up all night again. Wrote 2000 words though. That is my new direction. That's the reason behind a new blog. Two WIPs on the go. Much hope too.
Hope to have at least 1 completed m/s by March 2006. This goal, which seemed so possible two weeks ago, is now terrifying. I've written a tenth of the amount I need to write to finish by March.
Nothing to complain about yet. I'll try to keep this blog mainly about writing (fiction), but I'll probably stray into ranting about any/everything.
So that's all. Goodnight - or....
Good morning!
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