Exegesis Takes Over My Life

I had never heard of an Exegesis until I started my masters degree. The Exegesis is the academic portion of a creative degree, the analytical portion of the thesis. I have been buried beneath the research and writing so much that I haven't had a second to write anything for my blog. I am going to to a longer post about what the Exegesis actually is as soon as I have time to breathe. I haven't forgotten my blog. I'll be back soon with more regularity.

Editing...Yes!

After spending a semester working on my writing project for my Master of Arts Writing degree, I feel like a new writer. I was also able to take an intensive class taught by an Australian author and professor of writing. She really helped us fine tune our works. The editing skills I learned in that class alone will be invaluable to me forever.

Let's talk about editing. I started reading a book the other day ( I won't say which one or by whom) and I have not been able to finish because the editing is so poorly done. Another lesson we learned in class is this: if you as a writer are not a good editor, your work will suffer. A lot of publishers are spending less money these days on editing. This fact is a sad reality, because you get wonderful concepts without the follow-through of the writing. Writing is more than just jotting down some story you've imagined. That's a part of it, but writing is very much about editing. So, you get the story down in that first draft. Great. Now what? Editing, that's what. The next draft should be a much better version of that first draft. The story premise probably won't change. If it does, maybe it was necessary. Things like plot holes, timing errors, and inconsistencies will show up when you read through for the next draft. There are necessary layers of editing as well. I feel the book I started reading and couldn't finish would have been greatly served by a severe line edit. The structure of the story seemed fine. I felt as though the editing ended there.

So, what can be done to remedy the editing failures happening out there? As writers, I feel it is our responsibility to educate ourselves about good editing practices. Shouldn't we be putting our best work out there? You probably wouldn't send a child out without a jacket on a cold day. Why would you send your writing out without a good edit?  We need to prepare the work before it goes out into the world.

See a helpful post by Rachelle Gardner on the subject of editing here.


Happy writing and happy editing!

Photo via Favim

You Said It: Advice I'm Following

I have reached the point of turning in my first draft of my writing project for feedback from my supervisor. This draft consists of the story I've written thus far along with a dot-point outline for continuing as well as any issues I plan to address while writing the next draft. I have not allowed anyone besides my supervisor to actually read my story so far because I fear having too many opinions at the start. I know what I want my character to do and say, so I don't want anyone other than my professional supervisor to give me advice at this point. I think Stephen King said something along the lines of "Write with the door closed. Edit with the door open."

I have been following a few other key pieces of advice while writing and establishing my own style and writing habits. Here are just a few:

• Do not use adverbs to modify when someone is speaking. This advice comes from Elmore Leonard's 10 rules of writing. He says never use anything other than "said" to carry dialogue. I have found this to be an effective piece of advice. It leaves the dialogue free to sound like it should. Saying things like "Sally mused quietly" just doesn't work because it seems to force the reader to see that this is the way Sally said something. Well, when I read something, I want to imagine how the speaker says something. Don't tell me what to imagine. Simplicity can be golden. I also sometimes leave out the "saids" completely when I can. The flow is much nicer when reading, and the words do not distract from the dialogue. You can read the full 10 rules of writing by Elmore Leonard here.
• Keep a regular writing routine. I know this advice is said over and over, but it is no joke. If I miss a day of writing, it can be difficult for me to trudge back into it regularly. Even if you just jot a few words down in a notebook; on a napkin; or on the back of your hand, write something every day. 
• Try hand writing your story. This advice might not work for everyone, but I find writing by hand to be freeing. If I make a mistake, I scribble and move on. If I am typing on the computer and make a mistake, I will backspace until I get the word just right. That action is distracting and takes up valuable time. Hand writing creates a natural first draft situation that can be tweaked as it is typed. Here is an article by a writer who says writing by hand actually helps her write faster to meet deadlines.
• Only show your draft to a select few trusted readers. I have read in several advice columns that authors sometimes make the mistake of showing their unfinished and unedited work to too many people. Readers are different. Every person is going to visualize your main character in a different way. That is the point isn't it? Imagination carries you through the narrative. Well, what if you have conflicting imaginations giving you advice? It can blur the idea you have for your story. There should be more than one reader for your story, but perhaps limiting the number of readers can actually be beneficial at first. 

I am just growing into my writing style and chosen genre, so hopefully I can continue this growth as my project progresses by continuing to follow the advice of my supervisor and other successful writers.

Cheers!



Copyright (c) Emily D. Wood
Photo via Favim

Writing Community and Advice

Since I have been working on my Master of Arts in Writing, I have been introduced to a world that I only hoped existed. Well, this world does exist. I have been given a chance to get involved in a writing community in Townsville, Queensland (Australia). I am loving the idea of hanging out with people who just get it. I have received a lot of excellent advice, attended workshops, attended public readings and met published authors. I have been able to become a member of the local writing center here The Townsville Writers and Publishers Centre. This organization puts together various writing workshops, performances, etc. and offer services to local writers. Here is the best advice I've gotten: join your local writers groups. Get involved in writing communities. 

I have received a lot of awesome advice since beginning my Post-graduate degree. I have been meeting each week with a group of writers at a coffee shop to do writing sessions. We do 25 minute sessions of no talking just writing with 5 to 10 minute breaks between. I find that sometimes the 25 minutes go by quickly and the time is focused so I often get more done in those 25 minutes of writing than I would in an hour. This video from Lyra Communications via YouTube is a short concise version of some of the best writing advice.

The most important piece of advice I've been given over and over again is this: READ LIKE A WRITER. I had a professor begin a lecture on the first day of class with "I hope everyone here is a reader. I will have to ask you if you are not a reader, what are you doing here?" This professor went on to say that she would not have been so harsh with her undergrad students, but at the graduate level, we need to know better. I agree. Reading is so important to writing. As a writer, I'm studying what others have done well and what they haven't done so well and why. I am then able to focus on what I can do that will be good but will set me apart in a different way. How can I manage a certain theme the way so-and-so author did while making it unique? This is what reading like a writer is all about.

Happy reading and happy writing!

(C) Emily D. Wood

Photo via Favim

Creative Non-Fiction: New Journalism

I started my creative non-fiction class. We have one week to learn what some learn in 12 weeks. We started learning the basics of the craft of journalism...then we unlearned them in order to learn how to write New Journalism (creative non-fiction). I cannot tell you how behind I feel. I have not read any of the works we have been looking into as examples. Hunter S. Thompson, Jack Kerouac, Tom Wolfe, William Burroughs...the beat authors who are now known as New Journalists. My task now is to construct a scene in the style of a New Journalist. Here are the elements that make up the craft:

1. Go into the story sideways. Do not use a traditional lead.
2. Use language picked up or made up that is different. (Jargon of a group, not a mainstream group, a deviant group).
3. Keep going back to the distinctive moment or theme.
4. Explain how something works.
5. Put yourself into the piece. (We, I, the observer)
6. Use dialogue as it is spoken. Do not clean it up.
7. Present a pageant of people. Use minor characters to tell parts of the story and give them names.
8. Talk to the reader directly: You see...
9. Show the reader something: the scene
10. Say what people think or thought.
11. Change the point of view: use different POVs (she saw...he saw).
12. Play with punctuation.
13. Tell what can be known and what cannot.
14. Experiment by reading the latest fiction/non-fiction writers and incorporate their approaches.

I got all of this in class today. Now, my task will be to come up with a scene that builds into conflict and resolution so that I can present it to the class tomorrow afternoon. Many of the New Journalists write in a stream-of-consciousness style. Others tend to jump back and forth between characters and scenes within scenes. The main aspect that is important with these authors is this: the things they wrote actually happened. They incorporate facts into their works while still writing the piece as though it were any other novel or story. The techniques are phenomenal.

What do you think about this type of journalism?


(C) Emily D. Wood
Photo via Favim

Studying Writing in Australia

Well, here I am finally settled into my MA Writing program in Australia. I can finally get back to my blog!

I have not gotten my feet wet with my writing classes just yet. I am currently taking a couple of elective classes: Progress and Anxiety in Victorian Literature and Haunted Screen. I am truly enjoying my Vic. Lit. class because the reading list is amazing. I feel it is important to study the way an author from the past wrote and manipulated his or her characters. Not only am I looking at the works as a reader but also as a writer. The Haunted Screen class is an interesting change for me because we are studying horror films. As a writer, this allows me to take a look at something a little different than just the regular novel, short story, or poem. We get to look into the mind of the director, the social commentary within the screenplay, and the way cinematography is used to manipulate the audience.

I have found that even the smallest element such as sound within a film can change the entire mood and pace of the story. I feel that novels can work in much the same way. You do not have the actual sounds and scenes to hear and view, but if you write the descriptions clearly, the reader will have full access to the entire scene. I am really looking forward to what the rest of the study period and the rest of my classes will bring.

Happy reading and writing!

Copyright (c) Emily D. Wood
Photo via Favim

New Adventures

I have been absent from my blog for a good while now. I hope to get back on top of things. I am really excited because I have been accepted to James Cook University in Australia. I will be getting an MA in Writing. I can hardly believe that I am actually going to get my Masters in a writing program. My significant other and I will both be able to study at the same school, so we will get to enjoy the adventure together.

I have spent the past two and a half years at Troy University's Dothan Campus and have become quite comfortable there. It is now time for me to break out of my comfort zone and really start chasing my dreams.

I am anxious to meet new professors and learn more in depth information about writing in general. I am hopeful that I will be able to share more information and better information on writing with every new thing I will learn.

I cannot wait to get new perspective and get to live in a whole new place.

Here's to chasing dreams and making them happen!





Photo Logo via James Cook University
Copyright (c) Emily D. Wood

Publishing an Academic Paper

I have finally officially decided to get off of my rear and get busy submitting some academic papers to a few journals. The whole idea is terribly frightening, but I am going to push through it. I have one particular paper already picked out that I have also presented at an Undergraduate Research Forum. As with anything I do, I have put my heart, soul, blood, sweat, and tears into my work. When I find an idea that I am completely interested in, I enjoy writing academically almost as much as creatively. I am now perusing through the mountains of journals out there that accept material on Contemporary Fiction. At least this is a start...I have a long way to go. I have to be mindful of submission guidelines, the length the submission needs to be, and I have to be willing to adjust accordingly. Hopefully I will find a good fit for my paper.

Any thoughts, ideas, or suggestions on this topic would be greatly appreciated!

Cheers!


Copyright (c) Emily D. Wood
Photo by Photl

My First Book Club

Believe it or not, I have never taken part in a Book Club until now. A really good friend of mine had the brilliant idea to create a Book Club page on Facebook. This idea is simply genius! This type of book club will not require anyone to be anywhere at any specific time. How convenient! The discussions can be given deeper thought this way. You read a question, have time to mull it over, and then you can give an answer that has substance. I love this. We have just finished our first book. The discussion was lots of fun. I am finding that this Book Club is helping to keep my mind fresh. I love discussing books whether they are good or bad. The first book we read was The Wednesdays by Julie Bourbeau. The book is an elementary school aged read, which I think is a perfect way to get started. I found that we could see a lot of themes and issues in this type of book that I might not have imagined. I also absolutely loved the story. It would be a wonderful read-aloud book for parents to read to their children.

As luck would have it, I got to pick the next book that we are going to read. I chose The Flame Alphabet by Ben Marcus. I am hoping it will spark some pretty interesting conversation as well.

I think that participating in the Book Club is going to give me a lot of interesting perspectives on reading and maybe even writing. Each person is going to get to pick a book that they would like to read. I am sure we will get to read things that we might not have picked out on our own. I love this idea. I can't wait to see what everyone chooses.



Copyright (c) Emily D. Wood
Photo via Favim

Dialogue and Gilmore Girls

I can only hope to ever write dialogue as compelling as that of the television show Gilmore Girls. I never grow tired of watching the episodes over and over. It's like studying an art. This show has little action really. How many scenes involve characters talking on the phone or just standing and conversing? The dialogue is what drives the show forward. The script is masterfully written, especially where the dialogue is concerned. The characters talking to each other does not just create a crutch for the plot. There are some shows and movies that could function just fine as silent films. Gilmore Girls could not. This concept is not negative. When the main characters, Lorelai and Rory, have a conversation, it is like a dance. The choreography is nearly flawless.

I really miss new episodes of Gilmore Girls, but all things have to end at some point. I am still holding out hope for a Gilmore Girls movie. I have read that the script for this show was usually about 15-20 pages longer than the typical script with the extra pages being made up of all the dialogue that made this show such an amazing work of art.

As a writer, dialogue can be difficult for me. Writing dialogue that does not feel forced is a chore sometimes. I have started revisiting Gilmore Girls starting with the first season. Studying the dialogue is extremely rewarding. Even the characters who only have a few lines fit into the puzzle like interlocking pieces. I feel fortunate to have found this work of art disguised as dialoge that I can study.

Happy writing!


Copyright (c) Emily D. Wood
Photo via The WB

Back to School Quotes

It is that time of year again. Pencils, pens, paper, notebooks, crayons, markers, backpacks, and so on are just waiting to be purchased for back to school. I am an adorer of quotes, so I thought I would share a few of my favorite quotes for Back-to-school time!

"If there were no schools to take the children away from home part of the time, the insane asylums would be filled with mothers." ~Edgar W. Howe

"The whole purpose of education is to turn mirrors into windows." ~Sydney J. Harris

"I like a teacher who gives you something to take home to think about besides homework." ~Lily Tomlin as "Edith Ann"
"The larger the island of knowledge, the longer the shoreline of wonder." ~Ralph W. Sockman

"A professor is someone who talks in someone else's sleep." ~W.H. Auden
"You can get all A's and still flunk life." ~Walker Percy

"If you think education is expensive, try ignorance." ~Attributed to both Andy McIntyre and Derek Bok

"Education is not filling a pail but the lighting of a fire." ~William Butler Yeats

"You learn something every day if you pay attention." ~Ray LeBlond


I could quite possibly go on and on...

These are just a few quotes I enjoy with the "Back to School" theme. Happy reading, happy writing, and happy back to school!




Copyright (c) Emily D. Wood
Quotes via Quote Garden

A Writer's Drawing Board

There are a few things I have to constantly remind myself about writing. 1) It's good to have someone else read the work. 2) The someone else reading the work will have his or her own opinion of said work.

Sometimes criticism can hurt. Often, it leaves you asking yourself what in the world the person is talking about. You can have five different people read your work and receive five unique critical responses. This is where the thick skin a writer has to have comes in handy. Writers need to be thick skinned, sure, but we also must be willing to take the opinions of others into consideration.

I just finished reading a blog post about a multi-published writer who had a manuscript sent back asking for a completely different book. The author had to go back to the drawing board, as they say. That type of rejection must hurt in the worst way, but sometimes starting over can produce something greater. I can only imagine that it would be discouraging to be told "start over." I think instead of feeling discouraged about it, any author could see such a criticism as a challenge. Also, keep the rejected work, because it could be just what someone is looking for next time.

When rejection and harsh criticism hits, grab that drawing board and show it who's boss!

Happy writing!


Copyright (c) Emily D. Wood
Photo: via Photl

Writing Frustrations

It has been far too long between posts here. Upon graduating with my Bachelor's Degree, I was supposed to have tons more time to write. (Yeah, right!) I have found myself spending all of my spare time catching up on all of the things I neglected while I was in school. "What needs to be fixed? The screen door? Oh, well, I have homework. I'll do it after the semester is over." I have a to-do list twelve miles long thanks to "I'll do it after the semester is over."

My to-do list also seems to be infringing upon my creativity. I sit down to write something, and I get...nothing. I stare at the page just waiting for something to happen. I have not been able to get out and people-watch for ideas. Nor have I been able to go somewhere that will inspire. The stress of playing catch-up is severely hindering my creative process. I find myself feeling as though a pillow is covering and smothering my creativity.

So, what am I to do about this? The first thing I MUST do is get a handle on my to-do list. Sometimes stress seems to create a cloud that blocks out the creativity. I have to force myself to take a step back and relax. I need some "me time" that I can devote to inspiration. The life changes I am facing now are taking a toll on me as well, but "this too shall pass." I do often talk to God, and this does help. (No judgement here if you believe differently than I do of course.) As a writer, one of the worst challenges (for me) is writer's block. I am used to inspiration striking me and the words flowing out onto the page in a frenzy. Well the flow of words has hit a dam. I am trying to work through this so that I may get back on track.

What do you guys do when writer's block hits? What do you do to gain new inspiration?



Copyright (c) Emily D. Wood
Photo Credit: Photl

Writing from Pictures

Sometimes I find myself in situations where I am at a loss for inspiration. Luckily, there are tons of writing prompts out there to peruse through. I am finding the photo prompts to be incredibly interesting. Using pictures in order to create a story can open up so many ideas. I have noticed that a few of my blog friends have also used this exercise, and some have shared their stories. I have read suggestions about using this type of prompt ranging from flipping a magazine open to a random page, picking a picture, and writing about it to getting a random picture from a friend.

I am currently reading a book by Ransom Riggs called Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children in which he has taken collections of old photographs and created an entire story using them. The pictures are including within the story and incorporated in a unique way. The novel almost makes me want to go out and start hunting down old black and white pictures! The story is not what you expect it to be (in a good way), but Riggs has taken the pictures and used them in a way that makes the story seem real.

Writing from pictures gave me another idea as well. I love to "people watch." I find the adversity in the human race to be fascinating. I cannot always capture unique moments in photos, but I can capture them in my mind. If I can write from a picture, I can write from a memory. I suppose you could try to sneak pictures of people and situations, but getting caught could have soem adverse effects I'm sure. I try to carry a small notebook around with me to record my observations. I also take notes on my phone.

I think some really interesting stories can come from looking at pictures and real life observances. I am going to start seeing what kind of pictures and situations from which I can gain inspiration. I would also like to see what would happen if several people take the exact same picture and write a short story about it. I bet if you took five people, you would get five uniquely fun stories.

Have you ever used pictures as inspiration? What kind of stories have you been able to write from them?

Happy writing!

Copyright (c) Emily D. Wood
Photo Credit: Photl

Graduation!

I have been off the grid for a while with my approaching graduation. It finally got here! I finally have my diploma in hand! I officially have a B.S. in English with minors in Humanities and Business Administration. I can hardly believe it. Now, the common question is: what are your plans now? Hopefully graduate school! The next common question: what are you going to do with an English degree? Anything I want. LOL People just do not seem to realize the potential of someone with a degree in English. I can write, teach, work in an office, work in publishing, editing, etc. Most importantly, I can write no matter what job/career I have. Tonight's post is going to be brief. I just wanted to share my excitement. This graduation is the first rite of passage on my road toward my ultimate goal of becoming an English professor.

Photo via Google

Deep South Magazine 2012 Summer Reading List

I am excited to be able to share this!


Deep South Magazine has released the Summer Reading List for 2012.  The list features some excellent choices in Southern Literature. Deep South Magazine has partnered with Better World Books for the reading list. Better World Books is based in Atlanta, Georgia and donates a book to someone in need every time you buy one. Check out Deep South Magazine's 2012 Summer Reading List in order to get a special one-time discount. Also, scroll to the bottom of the list to see how you can enter an awesome giveaway! This year's list features the books pictured above and a lot more! If you're looking for a few good books to dive into this summer, check this list out. This is a great place to get started!



Cover photos via: Deep South Magazine
Copyright (c) Emily D. Wood

Official Release: Taste by Kate Evangelista

With the official release of Kate Evangelista's new novel, Taste. I am pleased and honored to be able to feature this wonderful achievement on my blog! View the Taste Book Trailer.

Taste Blurb:

At Barinkoff Academy, there's only one rule: no students on campus after curfew. Phoenix McKay soon finds out why when she is left behind at sunset. A group calling themselves night students threaten to taste her flesh until she is saved by a mysterious, alluring boy. With his pale skin, dark eyes, and mesmerizing voice, Demitri is both irresistible and impenetrable. He warns her to stay away from his dangerous world of flesh eaters. Unfortunately, the gorgeous and playful Luka has other plans.When Phoenix is caught between her physical and her emotional attraction, she becomes the keeper of a deadly secret that will rock the foundations of an ancient civilization living beneath Barinkoff Academy. Phoenix doesn’t realize until it is too late that the closer she gets to both Demitri and Luka the more she is plunging them all into a centuries old feud.

Author Bio:

When Kate Evangelista was told she had a knack for writing stories, she did the next best thing: entered medical school. After realizing she wasn't going to be the next Doogie Howser, M.D., Kate wandered into the Literature department of her university and never looked back. Today, she is in possession of a piece of paper that says to the world she owns a Literature degree. To make matters worse, she took Master's courses in creative writing. In the end, she realized to be a writer, none of what she had mattered. What really mattered? Writing. Plain and simple, honest to God, sitting in front of her computer, writing. Today, she has four completed Young Adult novels.

Author Website
Twitter: @KateEvangelista
Facebook
Find Taste on Goodreads
Crescent Moon Press page for Taste

 Check out the following "taste" of the novel:
 

Taste Excerpt

I mentally stomped on the intimidation their perfection brought into my mind and said, “Excuse me.”

The group froze, startled by my words. The girls had their brows raised and the boys stopped mid-speech, mouths agape. They stared at me with eyes the shade of onyx stones.

I smiled and gave them a little wave.

The boy a step ahead of the rest recovered first. His stunning features went from shocked surprise to intense interest. He reminded me of a hawk eyeing its prey. I gulped.

“A Day Student,” he said, his eyes insolent and excited.

Something about the way he said “Day Student” made my stomach flip. “Excuse me?”

They snickered. The boys looked at each other while the girls continued to stare, muffling their laughter by delicate hands. I seemed to be the butt of some joke. 

“You broke the rule.” The boy’s grin turned predatory.

The students formed a loose semi-circle in front of me. My gaze darted from face to face. Hunger filled their eyes. The image of lions about to chase down a gazelle came to mind. I mentally shook my head. I was in the mountains not the Serengeti for crying out loud.

I took a small step back and cleared my throat. “Can any of you give me a ride back to the dorms?”

The boy wagged his forefinger like a metronome. “Ah, that’s unfortunate for you.”

One of the girls pinched the bridge of her nose. “Eli, you can’t possibly—”

“It’s forbidden, Eli,” another boy interrupted, pronouncing the word “forbidden” like a curse.

The nervous murmur at the pit of my stomach grew louder. Six against one. Not good odds. Instinct told me to cut my losses and run. Bad enough I faced expulsion, now it seemed like weird, beautiful people who’d suddenly appeared on campus wanted to beat me up. No, scratch that. Judging from the way they studied me, beating me up wouldn’t satisfy them. Something more primal prowled behind their looks.

I definitely wasn’t going down without a fight. Years of self-defense and hand-to-hand combat classes had me prepared. While other children from rich and important families got bodyguards, I got defense training. But I think my father meant for my skills to go up against potential kidnappers, not against other students who may or may not be crazy. Oh God! Maybe I stepped into a parallel universe or something when I reentered Barinkoff.

“None of the students are supposed to be on campus,” I said. Then, realizing my mistake, I added, “Okay, I know I’m not supposed to be here either. If one of you gives me a ride back to the dorms, I won’t say anything about all this. Let’s pretend this never happened. I didn’t see you, you didn’t see me.”

“We’re not ordinary students,” Eli answered. “We’re the Night Students.”

He’d said “Night Students” like the words were capitalized. I didn’t know Barinkoff held classes at night. What was going on here?

Eli smiled with just one side of his mouth and said to the group, “She’s right, no one will have to know. We’re the only ones here. And it’s been so long, don’t you agree?”

The rest of them nodded reluctantly.

“What’s been so long?” I challenged. I fisted my hands, ready to put them up if any of them so much as twitched my way.

“Since the taste of real flesh passed through my lips,” Eli said. He came forward and took a whiff of me then laughed when I cringed.

“Flesh.” Yep, parallel universe.

“Yes,” he said. “And yours smells so fresh.”

Someone grabbed my shoulders from behind and yanked me back before I could wrap my mind around the meaning behind Eli’s words. In a blink, I found myself behind someone tall. Someone really tall. And quite broad. And very male.

I realized he wore the same clothes Eli and the other boys did. Not good. He was one of them. Although… I cocked my head, raking my gaze over him. He seemed born to wear the uniform, like he was the pattern everyone else was cut from. My eyes wandered to long, layered, blue-black hair tied at the nape by a silk ribbon. Even in dim light, his hair possessed a sheen akin to mercury.

I looked down. The boy’s long fingers were wrapped around my wrist like a cuff. His fevered touch felt hotter than human standards, hot enough to make me sweat like I was standing beside a radiator but not hot enough to burn.

“I must be mistaken, Eli,” the boy who held my arm said in a monotone. “Correct me. Did I hear you say you wanted to taste the flesh of this girl?”

A hush descended on us. It had the hairs at the back of my neck rising. How was it possible for the atmosphere to switch from threatening to dangerous? Unable to help myself, I peeked around the new guy’s bulk. Eli and his friends bowed. They all had their right hands on their chests.

“Demitri, I’m sure you misheard me,” Eli said.

So the guy standing between me and the person who said he’d wanted to taste me was named Demitri. I like the sound of his name. Demitri. So strong, yet rolls off the tongue. Definite yum factor.

“So, you imply I made a mistake?” Demitri demanded.

“No!” Eli lifted his gaze. “I did no such thing. I simply wanted to show the girl the consequences of breaking curfew.”

“Hey!” I yelled. “Don’t talk about me like I’m not here!”

Demitri ignored my protest and continued to address Eli. “So, you threatened to taste her flesh.” His fingers tightened their grip around my wrist. “In the interest of investigating this matter further, I invoke the Silence.”

All six students gasped, passing surprised glances at one another.

Before I could ask about what was going on, Demitri yanked me down the hall toward the library. But why there? Oh, maybe we were getting my things. No, wait, he couldn’t have known about that. Everything was too confusing now.

Eli and the others didn’t try to stop us when we passed them. Demitri’s cold command must have carried power. Handsome and powerful, never a bad combination on a guy.

We reached the heavy double doors in seconds. He jerked one open effortlessly. I’d needed all my strength just to squeeze through that same door earlier. To him, the thick wood might as well have been cardboard. I raised an eyebrow and mentally listed the benefits of going to gym class.

“Why are we here?” I asked after my curiosity overpowered my worry. I’d almost forgotten how frightened I’d been right before Demitri showed up. I wasn’t above accepting help from strangers. Especially from gorgeous dark-haired strangers with hot hands and wide shoulders.

Demitri kept going, tugging me along, snaking his way deeper into the library. I had to take two steps for every stride his legs made. I tried to stay directly behind him, praying we didn’t slam into anything.

He stopped suddenly and I collided with him. It felt like slamming into a wall.

“Hey,” I said, momentarily stunned. “A little warning would be nice!”

He faced me, and I gasped. His eyes resembled a starless night, deep and endless. Their intensity drilled through me without pity, seeming to expose all my secrets. I felt naked and flustered beneath his gaze.

“You could have died back there,” he warned.

A lump of panic rebuilt itself in my throat.

It has been a great pleasure to get to feature the anticipated release of Taste by Kate Evangelista. Congrats, Kate, on the release of your novel, and thank you for letting me feature Taste at Quill and Parchment.

Presenting a Paper: A New Experience

I recently had the privilege of being selected as one of the presenters of a research paper at an Undergraduate Research Forum. I am enrolled in a class that focuses on J.R.R. Tolkien, specifically on The Lord of the Rings. During class one night, a thought struck me. Why is the Ring not seen as a character? It never makes the "characters list." I found myself on a mission. I could not let the concept go. Tolkien is a master at making a lot of things feel alive in his work. I decided this would be the topic I would cover in my research paper for the class. I had no idea just how challenging this particular paper would be. Apparently no one has been talking about this situation very much. I checked our college databases. Nothing. I searched books in the library. Nothing. I did Google searches and Google Scholar searches. Nothing. Oh sure, I found plenty of articles, blogs, books, and websites devoted to Tolkien and his great work, but I did not find that a single one of these discussed the Ring specifically as a character. This is the point where I started to feel that tightness in my chest as I thought "Uh oh. What have I gotten myself into?" I am about as stubborn as they come, so I decided I was not going to let this paper beat me. I refused to change my mind about my topic even though a few people felt that it could not be done. There were enough people on the other side of this argument that were supportive and gave me the encouragement I needed to keep pushing through.

The concept of the Ring as a character rather than just an object seems so simple. I had no idea just how complex it would become. Thankfully, I had the foresight to begin my research early. I have been working on this topic since early February. The paper is finally finished now that it is late April. I had a breakthrough when I read Peter Kreeft's The Philosophy of Tolkien. I finally found someone who was looking at Tolkien from several different angles.

I had a tough time getting my thoughts organized. I had finally gathered all of my sources and was ready to write, but I had no clue where I was going with the topic. I am usually organized when it comes to writing my academic papers. This time I was like a balloon floating on the wind. No control. I do not like the feeling of having no control. Not one little bit. I pushed through and wrote a paper. Not the paper, but a paper. My ideas were all over the place, but the thoughts were there. I had the information I wanted, now I just had to put it together properly. Thank goodness for my professor. I sent my paper to him electronically, and he was gracious enough to look it over and help me figure out what to do with the information I had. He has also agreed to assist me in searching for periodicals/journals that might publish such a paper since there doesn't seem to be much out there about this topic.

The experience of presenting the paper to an audience and standing up there taking questions was a great benefit. Not only do you have to know your subject, you have to do a good job with the presentation. I also did a PowerPoint presentation as an oral presentation assignment for the class based on my paper. This gave me a second opportunity to present the information in a different way. I had to stand in front of the class, give my presentation, and take questions/comments from the class. The class had a lot more questions and comments than the audience I originally presented to. This situation was rewarding for me. I actually had people who said things like "I never thought of it that way."

I can definitely say that I am happy that I stuck it out and finished the paper and presentation. I have learned so much about the topic as well as what it is like to stand in front of a class and basically teach something. I have read where many authors will do readings of their works and get really nervous beforehand. It's amazing how you can stumble over words you have written yourself! Each time we get up in front of an audience, whether it be 2 people or 20, is a beneficial experience.

Happy writing both creatively and academically!

Photo by Emily D. Wood
Copyright (c) Emily D. Wood

Find the Write Time

I have found myself caught up in one of the most common issues for writers. When in the world am I going to find time to write? I have a full-time-40-hour-per-week job (because writing does not pay the bills just yet), and I am a full-time student who attends class in a face-to-face fashion. Between homework, jobwork, research papers, reading assignments, and exams there just isn't a lot of time left to devote to writing. Or is there? I stumbled across a blog article by Jessica Strawser, editor for Writer's Digest, commenting on this very subject entitled How to find, Rather Than Make, Writing Time. She points out that even writers need some time to just sit and do something that has nothing to do with being productive at all. Sometimes we just need to take 30 minutes and watch a tv show or take a hot, relaxing bath. (Actually, the bath could qualify as a productive activity in my opinion since you can take a book in there with you, and books are tools for writers.) We shouldn't have to completely give up the things we enjoy doing. Perhaps we should just reduce the amount of time we spend on nonproductive activities rather than cutting them out altogether. I always feel guilty when I do something else when I need to get some writing done. I constantly think, "I need to be writing!" Sometimes these thoughts infringe on my "me" time or family time. Honestly, there is no need to feel guilty about enjoying life. Life is too short to let great moments pass us by.

So, what does this mean? How do I find the time to write? We are told over and over by other people (experts and non-experts) to make time to write. Well, why not figure out what time we aren't using? There are no rules for this kind of thing. No one says you have to sit down and keep your rear in the seat for no less than an hour. Some writers do set goals of so many words in one sitting or so many words per day. These goals are great for those writers who have that set amount of time to sit and write. As I said, there are no rules. We really need to do whatever works best for us. When I am at work, I have about an hour for my lunch break. I will often bring my lunch to work so that I can 1.) save money and 2.) get some writing/reading done. I can hide out in the break room or even stay at my desk and just close the door and work away while I eat. I also think that this method is good for those of us under a time crunch becuase it helps keep us from force writing. The last thing I want is for someone to read my work and be able to feel how much I struggled to write it. Breaking up the process can often lead to new ideas as well as give time to reflect on what you have written.

So, maybe we can all take notice of free time for writing that we didn't realize we had before. I do most of my writing on weekends and on my lunch breaks, and I always carry a small notebook around with me in case I find myself in a situation where I can jot down a few lines (waiting room, standing in line, etc.). When do you find your time to write?



Photo by Photl
Copyright (c) Emily D. Wood

Blog Awards!

I am so excited to share that I received a blog award! Thank you to Vanessa Eccles for giving me this award! Vanessa Eccles is the author of a wonderful blog The Writer's Block. I highly recommend her blog to everyone.

Liebster, I am told, means "favorite" or "beloved." The award is given to bloggers with under 200 followers. These blogs are "the best kept secrets" out there.

Now, I get the honor of bestowing this award upon five other "best kept secrets." Here are some of my favorites:

1. Tamara at Book Ruckus.

2. Tinika at By His Design.

3. Joyce at Joyce's Choices.

4. Jean Vogler at Finding Your Gibbee.

5. Angie at Angels are Kids and Furkids.

Winners, here are the rules to participate:

1. Thank the person which nominated you in a blog post.
2. Nominate up to five other blogs.
3. Let them know via comment on their blog.
4. Post the award on your blog.