Where a new invention promises to be useful, it ought to be tried. - Thomas Jefferson

The love affair with my netbook is over. Yes, it's cute, but...but....urrrgggg...It's too small! I got a migrane from being hunched over the thing. And I have to keep scrolling to see the whole image - so annoying even for the simplest tasks as checking my e-mail.
I was hoping to use it for word processing - when I go to Borders or at work during lunch - but it only came with wordpad and the keypad is tiny. So frustrating.

So, I'll be on the market from a new laptop - but I'm waiting until new Windows 7 comes out. I always hated Vista. I've heard they are offering free upgrades with new computers but I've been thru that before....and don't want to go there again....never again. So I wait and keep using the netbook and my bulkly laptop.

But I'm not complaining...

Weird....

First let me say rest in peace to Ed, Farrah, and Michael.

Feeling a little sad for Farrah as Michael frenzy has taken hold.
I know he was an icon and his death is somewhat unexpected but the guy was unstable and I mostly feel sad for the life he led.

I feeling bad for Farrah because here was a classy lady who fought her cancer hard and with grace.

Onto the the weird part...at least for me anyway. After the Gulf War I wrote a story called War For View set in the not-so-distant-future. I wrote it after the 24/7 coverage on CNN of the Gulf War which was unpredecented for it's time. Fascinating, but left me severely depressed (I was also out of work at the time so I watched non-stop).

Anyway, the idea of War For View was that you paid a fee to watch the war live, including enemy interrogations, funerals, helmet and bomb cam. Morbid, I know but I was depressed - okay?

Here is the weird part...this is how I started the story...(written in 1993)

....From the people who brought you Sex For View, Neighbor for View, and the Michael Jackson at 50 Concert, here's the newest innovation in Pay For View land. It's war! That's right folks the war is on Pay For View. Pull up a seat...

So M.Jackson was going to have a concert at 50 (cue the twilght zone music here). Probably would have been his big comeback.

The story was rejected by several places but did receive one personal rejection. The editor liked what I was saying in the piece even bringing up CNN (my original intent) but felt the format didn't work. She encouraged me to send more in the future - of course I never did - what the hell is wrong with me?

I did the same thing with Woman's World and then a few years later I finally did send something else - that rejected too but I did received a very positive letter from the editor.

I'm rambling again...

Like stones, words are laborious and unforgiving, and the fitting of them together, like the fitting of stones, demands great patience and strength of

purpose and particular skill - Edumund Morrison


I finished reading Poets & Writers, and yes I did get some writing done - a page a day - which is better than nothing - anyway Daniel Halpern, publisher/president of Ecco wrote an article on his publishing journey.

He quotes Jorge Luis Borges (who also said one of my favorite quotes...i've always imagined that paradise will be a kind of library) Borges said...
"When I printed my first book, I didn't send it to the bookstores or other writers-I just gave copies to my friends....In those days, nobody thought in terms of failure or success in selling books. We thought of writing as a kind of destiny."

I like that.

100 blog posts came and went....

and I didn't even noticed.

Anyway, since there is no cake involved I'll get back to the post...

When Writer's Digest asked Anne Tyler why she felt why she needed to be protective of her process she answered...
I've noticed that whenever I become conscious of the process, the process grinds to a halt. So I try not to talk about it, think about it, write about it-I just do it.

She has point. One can get too wrapped up in the process. Like this blog post. Like reading too many books on writing or too many magazines. JUST DO IT.

Now I have to go read my Poet&Writers magazine that came in the mail today.

Better late than never...

Finally got my copy of Writer's Digest - only 2 weeks after one of my friends received hers and we only live 2 zip codes away.

I was shocked to learn that according to Les Edgerton's article in the magazine on openings, that one should not start a book/short story with dialogue. (I disagree) The reasoning is that the reader knows nothing about the characters who are speaking.

But then one of the literary agents interviewed used an example that she liked and guess what??? It opened with dialogue. So I'm not going to stress. The rest of the article I agreed with like not starting with a dream. Agree completely.

So I thought I'd shared some of my own opening lines...

"Miss, we need to see your credentials."
from Playing For Keeps

"Why him?" Victoria tossed the head shot of Russ Rowland onto the conference room table.
from work in progress Love By Design

Can a twenty-five dollar wager change your life?
from the Biggest Loser (short story)published on the Long and Short Of It website.

The heat was bearable, the pain was bearable, but the bugs, Christ, the bugs.
from Scent - unfinished but 6th place finish in the HVRWA Hook, Line, and Sinker contest

Jimmy shut his watering eyes against the reek of tobacco and split gin.
from Eight Ball Lover - unfinished and under the bed

Spence peered through his rain-spotted glasses, nearly missing the sign carved in the wooden post. from Annie Get Your Pitchfork - unfinished and under the bed

My own experience has been that the tools I need for my trade are paper, tobacco, food, and a little whisky. — William Faulkner

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtQ7poDXRpM

If you want a funny take on writer;s block, click on the link

"Happiness depends upon ourselves." Aristotle

"Happiness depends upon ourselves"...or hearing from an editor that she liked your voice very much - your writing style makes for a smooth read - and also enjoyed the story! The editor is sending Playing For Keeps to the senior editor of the Blaze line. Whoo Hoo. Going to enjoy it and then get back to work on Love By Design.

Keep your fingers crossed.

"...on such an evening you can even sense the fragrance of the moon" -Songs from the Kanginshu

Simmering Away-Songs from the Kanginshu Translated by Moriguchi and Jenkins. Been reading poetry lately and I picked up this collection of Japanesse poetry from the 16th century. Here are my favorites (the form will probably not carry over but I'll try it...

We are apart
we are apart

love ends in an empty dream
just your memory shares my bed
only loneliness surrounds me

my tears flow
in soundless waves
streaming on my sleeves

will our rivers
ever meet again?

will our rivers
ever meet again?
--------------------------------------

what good is it
(I ask)
to be so sane?
our life time
is just a dream

why not
just get crazy?
---------------------------------------------

My hair
that I had just tied up
has loosened
gently tumbling,
as my heart
has fallen for you

The Counsels of Cormac - translated by Thomas Cleary

In a management class in college we pledged to read at least one business book a year. Last year I read Gail Evans, Play Like a Man, Win Like a Woman - great book which I blogged about last year. This year I wanted to try something different so I choose The Counsels of Cormac, The Ancient Irish Guide to Leadership. King Cormac ruled in third century C.E. and is sort of a manual of instructions for future generations of kings. So here is some of his sage advice...

Composure rather than wrath,
Patience rather than contention,
Geniality rather than arrogance.

Military action for just cause,
Justice w/o bloodshed,
Leniency within the integrity of the law

Glorifying the sacred,
Respecting poets,
Adoration of God.
-------------------------

If you are too smart, expectations will be imposed upon you;
If you are too stupid , you will be duped.

If you are too talktive, you will be inconsequential;
If you are too silent, you will be disregarded.

If you are too hard, you will be broken;
If you are too soft, you will be squashed.

A library is a hospital for the mind - anonymous

Here's what I've read from 3/1/09 - 6/3/09 (this explains why I haven't written). My Top 5 picks are listed then the other were good but didn't rate into the top 5.

1.Leonardo’s Swans - Karen Essex
2.Seducing Mr. Darcy - Gwyn Cready
3.Return to Summerhouse - Jude Deveraux
4.She’s Got It Bad - Sarah Mayberry
5.Zoe’s Tale - John Scalzi
Madame Bovary’s Ovaries
Life’s A Golden Ticket - Brendan Burchard
Sepulcher - Kate Mosse
Moonlight Warrior - Janet Chapman
Body Check - Elle Kennedy
Rogue Angel - Alex Archer
The Treasure - Iris Johansen
Tempt Me with Darkness - Shayla Black
The Pirate Bride - Shannon Drake
Tiger Eye - Majorie M Lin
Casting Spells - Barbara Bretton
Night Keepers - Jessica Anderson
Once A Rebel - Debbie Rawlins
Called Out of the Darkness - Anne Rice
The Final Warning - James Patterson
Heart - Gail Goodwin