Lands Uncharted: Laura

Showing posts with label Laura. Show all posts

Saturday, January 20, 2018

Tuesday, July 25, 2017

Farewell for Now (Laura)

With some sadness, I have decided this will be my last post for Lands Uncharted for a while so I can focus more on other writing projects. Writing for Lands Uncharted has been fulfilling in many ways, and I have loved the friendships that came through this blog community.

To continue what Elizabeth started when she wrote her goodbye, I would like to mention my favorite Lands Uncharted posts from the past year and a half.

Laurie:
Finding Joy
I love this idea of choosing a word to reflect your hopes for the year, a kind of positive reminder of where to re-center your energy when you get distracted.

Erin:
Prepping for My First Conference
This is such an honest post that demonstrates the excitement and nerves that can go along with attending a writers' conference, especially your first one.

Hannah:
NaNoWriMo: Write with Abandon!
Hannah's NaNoWriMo series was amazing, and this one especially inspired me to want to participate.

Jill:
Personal Notes: The Struggle is Real
Jill talks in this post about some of the struggles writers face, and her words are comforting and motivating.

Lizzie:
Concealment and Revelation through POV and Viewpoint
In this post, Lizzie gives a wonderful discussion on character viewpoint and illustrates it with some helpful and interesting examples.

Elizabeth:
My Personality
Here, Elizabeth leads a fun conversation on personality types, which it seems may be an especially fascinating topic for writers. :-)

The post I most enjoyed writing was probably either a goofy one about my cat, Puss in Shoes, or an explanation of what one of my favorite books means to me, The Magician's Elephant.

Thanks to the group and readers for having me. It's been a blast, and I will miss you. What are your favorite Lands Uncharted posts?

Laura

Thursday, July 13, 2017

Bad First Lines (Laura)

I was recently introduced to a humorous exercise that involves writing bad scenes. It can keep you mindful of habits to avoid in your writing, and it might also help you remember not to take things too seriously at times.

For the sake of brevity, instead of scenes let's have fun with some bad first lines. Here are a few examples:

     The night was as dark as a pool of spilled black ink and also as dark as
     charcoal. Darker actually. She couldn't see anything. Then the light was like
     the sun coming out on a clear day. One with no clouds at all. It was then
     that Herbertina realized the sun was out.

     The fourteen-year-old boy had almost reached the house that stood just past the town center. He could see it now, and it
     was close. It was on the corner, next to the coffee shop, the bakery, the grocery store, the library, the pet hotel, and the
     restaurant. The only restaurant in town actually.

     Inside the three-pound beige, tattered wicker basket full of eggs were a dozen orange and yellow, oval-shaped, speckled
     eggs with blue and turquoise spots and maroon stripes. The basket was awkward, cumbersome, and hard to carry along
     with the trombone and waffle iron, but the brunette, freckled teenager didn't mind.

     "FORE!" I exclaimed very loudly into the strong breeze that carried the shout even farther across the lake, where I had
     knocked the ball into a patch of trees that were as tall as mountains. Everyone wondered what team I was on.

What are some lines you can come up with? You could start by rewriting a sentence from your own work. It can be challenging at first to give yourself permission to write it badly, but it's fun once you get going. The more you overdo it, the more amusing it becomes.

Tip: Try doing this with a writing group and then have everyone read their bad lines or scenes out loud. It will make for a giggle fest.

Enjoy!

Laura

Attribution
Dark and Stormy Night: http://psychopass.wikia.com/wiki/File:Dsn_snoopy.jpg

Saturday, July 1, 2017

Top 3 Summer Bucket List Items (Laura)

Sometimes it's easy to get stuck in routine. You know what works, and you can rely on it. It may

even give you a sense of security and become a kind of safety net that puts your mind at ease. Oftentimes, though, it's the events that happen outside that security blanket of routine where we really experience life. We wake up for those moments, and things start to happen because we notice details and people we may not normally and we open up to them. Here are some items on my list of different experiences to try over the summer.

3. Take a few days off work and spend them writing in a coffee shop
This one might seem kind of lame, but I love the idea of spending my work days writing in a coffee shop. And if I don't get to do it for my day job, I can at least plan time off work now and then to have my own stay-cation, writing retreat. I can get up with the morning rush of people, pick out a quaint and unique local coffee shop, find a good seat by a sunny window--or by the door on a stormy day so I can hear the rain--and settle in for several hours to watch people come and go and work on my projects.

2. Take a dance class
I am a big fan of the show Dancing with the Stars. It's so much fun to watch someone who is completely outside of their comfort zone learn to do something new that they end up loving. No matter what kind of person they are usually, they start out humble then begin to let go of themselves, maybe in a way they never have. The experience seems to bring out the best and most genuine side of people, and it gives me such energy to watch it. I can only imagine what it would be like to actually do it. It doesn't have to be ballroom dancing, but there are lots of different kinds of community dance classes that I can check into.

1. Join a choir
I've always enjoyed singing, and I used to love school and church choirs when I was growing up. Lately, I don't feel like I get the opportunity to exercise my voice very much, and joining a choir seems like a healthy and fun idea. Plus, I keep thinking more and more about it lately, so it is probably the right time to do it. I already checked into one choir that doesn't start up again until September, so I am currently getting information on another one that I can try out in the meantime.

What are some of the items on your summer list? They can be small, like mine, or something larger, like running a marathon or taking a big trip (right now our own Erin is in Ireland). Let us know!

Laura

Attribution
Music notes: http://animal-jam-clans-1.wikia.com/wiki/File:Music_notes.png

Thursday, June 22, 2017

The Girl Who Drank the Moon, by Kelly Barnhill (Laura)

Once a year in the Protectorate, the youngest baby is sacrificed to a witch who lives in the woods. In return for the children, she leaves the Protectorate in peace. Or so the story goes. But the witch, Xan, who finds the abandoned children on the Day of Sacrifice each year doesn't understand why they are left there to die. She saves them and travels across the woods to the villages on the other side, where she knows they will find loving homes, feeding them starlight along the way. One year, she accidentally feeds the baby moonlight, enmagicking the girl, who she decides to raise as her own and call Luna. But as the years pass, Luna's powers become stronger, while Xan grows weak, and Luna's mother is looking for her. So is the true witch who has trapped the Protectorate in its own fear.

I enjoyed watching various stories come together in this Newbery-Medal winner that focuses on the good people in a corrupt society harvesting an environment of despair and turmoil for its own power. It reminds me of the words television personality Fred Rogers said, to "look for the helpers." Of course, there is Xan, the gentle soul made out to be a demon as she rescues the children the society discards. Luna's mother, the madwoman, is also a particularly symbolic and empathetic character having lost her child to the Protectorate that then imprisoned her for her resulting madness. Yet somehow, she has the strength and knowledge in her heart that keeps her from giving up on her daughter.

Another of my favorite characters is Antain, a young man with many questions and the courage and willingness to seek change. His and the madwoman's entwining stories are moving and interesting to follow. Antain's wife also has the strength of character, purity of heart, faith, and courage to outweigh fear, especially after her own child is born, the youngest in the Protectorate at the time of sacrifice.

The Girl Who Drank the Moon is a beautiful reflection on the difference between the stories we hear about people and who they really are, and demonstrates how true strength can overcome the power of fear.

What stories remind you to take a deeper look at people or inspire you to remember courage in the face of darkness?

Laura

Attribution
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-girl-who-drank-the-moon-kelly-barnhill/1123148493

Tuesday, June 20, 2017

On Revision: The Work of Thinking and being Kind to Yourself (Laura)

Hi everyone--sorry this post is a long one. I have been reflecting on a lot lately and wanted to share it, in case it is useful to anyone experiencing something similar in their writing work.

As you may have read in a recent post, I attended a writing retreat last month in the wooded countryside of Pennsylvania. (I will bombard you with photos from the trip throughout this post because I couldn't pick only a couple.) Aside from getting to spend time in a peaceful place with a group of talented writers and talk about books and writing all week (dream come true), I came away with some new revision practices and a better understanding of how I can approach feedback.

For the retreat, I focused on a manuscript that I had just recently started working on again for the first time in close to ten years, so I was already nervous to receive a full critique on something that had never been shredded to pieces. Something that felt precious and preserved. It also had deep emotional meaning to me, and I knew tearing it apart would be difficult. In the past, when I revised a different manuscript, I continuously made lists of the things I needed to work on and checked them off as I went, and I was determined to jump into this revision project with the same gusto. I was so proud of the gigantic list I'd put together with all the bits of feedback and ways I planned to attack the revisions. I knew I wouldn't get to make a real dent in just one week, but it was still a lot of dedicated time to get a solid start. Right?

Well, when I arrived in Pennsylvania, I was completely pulled away from my plans partly due to the sheer distraction of being in a different place. And partly because as soon as I got there, my confidence went into hiding. One of the faculty members caringly spoke during a group conversation about how a particular author she's worked with struggled with confidence while under contract for a yet-to-be-written book. I'm not even a publishing author; yet there I was, merely a retreat-goer with the luxury of writing for myself instead of an editor, and I was still buckling under similar pressure that I was simply putting on myself. And if you go out into the big publishing world, the pressure only increases from there. The things we write are personal to each of us, and the idea of putting our work out there to be criticized on a public level or by publishing professionals can be daunting and may leave us feeling raw and exposed, like we want to tuck back inside the privacy of our safe little writing caves for a while. I think I got a little scared, just seeing how real that pressure of writing for an audience can be and how much bigger it gets if you are brave enough to publish, given the chance.

In my case, I had put expectations on myself for my week in the woods, but what I hadn't taken into consideration was that I was still processing. I first needed to reconcile the feedback I had received with the meaning the book has for me. That feedback, which was delivered in very gentle ways, was valuable and made sense, but I still needed to find myself in it. That was the work I needed to do there. Once the book has left my hands, it means something to somebody else, and if I want to connect with my reader, it is my responsibility to bring out certain threads I may not have originally intended and, in this instance, create something like an omniscient narrator to make other connections for the reader that weren't coming through. That narrator has its own voice that ties the story together and creates the sound of the book, and I was only beginning to learn that I still needed to find that voice. My list wasn't going to help me do that.

As it turned out, the false starts and confidence trip-ups helped me connect with my character's world in a way I hadn't in several years. It brought me right back into that emotional core and by the last

days of the retreat, I was ready to pour that into a new narrator voice. A week after the retreat was over, all the walks and deep thinking I had done as well as the knowledge I had soaked up from the faculty and students were starting to come together. I sat alone some more with my ideas then talked through them with my writing group members. I discussed the meaning the book had for me, and they helped me see even more how certain concepts weren't coming through. As I brainstormed ideas with them on how to bring those themes out, that excitement was churning in my blood again, and I no longer felt like the revisions were coming from outside of me but were exactly what I wanted to write to tell the story. I continued writing pages of notes and new lists throughout the next week. I couldn't stop myself. I was back in it; I just needed to go through some growing pains to get there.

This process may seem obvious to some, but from what I've heard from other writers, I think many of us do at times struggle with confidence, especially when we start sharing our work. It's like a Chinese finger trap. Calming down is the only way to get unstuck, even though it's counterintuitive in the moment of panic. Depending on the environment each of us is in or how hard we are on ourselves, we may be expected to deliver results and not have that luxury of slowing down and taking a deeper look, and it's important that we find or create an environment that allows us to do this. I tend to be slow in general in several areas of my life, and I'm always punishing myself for this and apologizing for it. I'm always trying to hurry myself along to catch up with the pack. These feelings will continue to surface, and I will need to continue getting through them. If I don't, I will just keep making my lists and picking the work apart and moving without understanding where I'm going. You can take information and feedback in and produce work and produce work, but sometimes you need to do more than that. You need to stop and listen to your own feedback.

Be patient with yourself as you do this. You're seeing something in a new way and aligning it with your values that you want to come through the story. It's just growing pains. Maybe that's why we write for young people. We never really stop being them, ourselves, if we keep growing. It will all come out in the writing, in the process, and it will be authentic instead of the product of panic. So trust that journey. Be kind to yourself. You don't grow a plant by thrashing it. You water it, feed it. Give it air and light. You give it what it needs and nourish it at the roots. You treat it like it's precious and deserves a chance.

Maybe some of us could even practice this in other areas of our lives. Sometimes, I get frustrated because I am not reaching a goal, so I work harder. But no matter how hard I work. I can't reach what I'm looking for. Some things--the best things probably--don't come through that kind of work.

Through lists and tangible proof at the end of the day that you've done something or made progress. You'll just run yourself ragged for no purpose. While that work is important too, sometimes you need to stop working. Get down from the conveyor belt and look inside, look around. Be still for a minutes and take care of yourself long enough to figure out what it is you need to do to move forward. It's hard to make yourself stop the constant, perhaps thoughtless movement when you're used to being told or believing that's what work is. Work is thinking too. Find people in your life who value your thoughts and vision, who value you. Shed the rest. That includes finding that respect in yourself. There's nothing wrong with you if you don't catch on or get something right away. Slowing down doesn't make you incompetent. It means you are thoughtful and careful, and you will end up finding yourself in your work, in the process. It takes a strong person to seek out criticism and also not get weighed down by it. To balance out the learning with maintaining who you are. Maybe I didn't check things off my pretty revision list at the retreat, but I journaled and prewrote and sat in a healing place with my thoughts then talked those thoughts through with supportive people. Now, I'm in a much healthier and more productive place.

Perhaps this could work for you too. And if bravery is something you struggle with in your writing, or in general, take care of yourself in these ways, and you may find at the end of the day you have the strength left to be brave.

What are some revision practices you find helpful when you work with a lot of feedback?

Thanks for reading,
Laura

Tuesday, May 30, 2017

Fish Out of Water (Laura)

I have to give a call-out to Spruce Holly Nogard, who left this inspirational quote in a recent post

comment:

     "Be who you are and say what you feel, because
    those who matter don't mind and those who
      mind don't matter." -Dr. Seuss (Some confusion
      about who wrote this one.)

This was exactly the reminder I needed right now. I had already started this post when I saw it, and it fit perfectly. So thank you for that, Spruce. Two weeks ago, I attended a writing workshop in the beautiful town of Honesdale, Pennsylvania. I thought I was going to work primarily on revising a manuscript there, but I ended up focusing a lot on self-confidence.

First of all, the people I met at the workshop were amazing, and I had some great times visiting with the other writers. However, it was easy to be intimidated by their success and experience, and I had the strong impression from the first night that I did not belong there. Normally, writing events are the one place where I never suffer from this insecurity, where I can put my truest energy into my work. But at many times throughout the week, that work was lost to my self-doubt. It felt like my revisions weren't coming from me but from this horrible, dark place inside that was trying to cover up some kind of shame. Which is not a place from which one can create.

It was my second full day there when I finally stopped staring at my computer screen and went for a walk alone. I realized I needed to just be by myself with nature to quiet my worries and thoughts. Out in the beautiful, wooded countryside, I felt safe again. I felt like I was enough being just me. I could not always carry the feeling back to my work, so there were some continuous ups and downs throughout the week. I kept returning to nature, back to the sun, sometimes rain. Back to the lovely country road. I visited the piglets down the street. I pet the neighbor dog who had the run of the woods. I stood by the creek and let the sound of the rushing water soothe and heal me.

Writing has always been this private space for me that in recent years I started sharing with some close writer friends. A place where I don't feel like I have to perform or act a certain way for someone's approval or gain. In so many other areas of my life, it seems I am always looking for this approval, and having those emotions taint my writing world felt icky. But it was happening for a reason. To show me what I am doing so wrong in other areas of my life when I let someone else's approval outweigh my own. There is a certain shame, deep down, that surfaces during these moments of vulnerability. It doesn't have to make sense in context, it still rises up. I still let it control me. But I don't have to.

Easier said than done, of course.

A wise and caring person at the workshop reminded me of the saying that you should always do the thing you are afraid of. I think I did that to an extent by going to the retreat, and it is a start. It was also completely worth it. I want to be brave and say the things that are in me to say without being held back by my own fears. Especially because not everyone is in an environment where they get a voice. We all have fears, and they may continue to surface. But we don't need to let them control us, just like we shouldn't let someone's approval control us. Face your fear, your shame, or whatever it is until you realize it is not as strong as you are. Because it isn't. It may take time. It will be hard. But it's got to be worth it. Even as you learn from other talented, impressive people, don't lose yourself. It's the one thing you have to give that no one else does.

Do you ever struggle with self-doubt, and what do you do to help yourself through it?

Laura

Saturday, May 27, 2017

Top 3 Songs that Inspire Creativity (Laura)

This wonderful topic came from Erin's most recent post, though I will focus on songs rather than albums, since most of the music I listen to these days is on the radio or in movies. Music is a large influence to my creativity, even though I don't listen to it as much as I would like to anymore and even though I don't often listen to it when I am writing. Here are three beautiful songs with lyrics and melody that stir me to write. I will use relatively recent tunes to narrow the scope a little.

3. Be Here Now, Ray LaMontagne
The lyrics of this one speak for themselves, but I recommend listening to the song, if you haven't heard it, to get the gentle effect of the soft, almost tired yet soothing way Ray LaMontagne sings the pieces of wisdom. It's very moving.

     Don't let your soul get lonely
     Child, it's only time, it will go by
     ...
     Don't lose your faith in me
     And I will try not to lose faith in you
     Don't put your trust in walls
     'Cause walls will only crush you when they fall

2. Say You Won't Let Go, James Arthur

Sometimes a song's lyrics hit me harder than the melody, but in this case--and as much as I love certain lyrics in this song--it's the guitar melody and the emotion in James Arthur's voice that completely melt me and pull me into another world deep inside. Even so, here are some of my favorite lyrics:

I met you in the dark, you lit me up

You made me feel as though I was enough

     ...
     I knew I loved you then
     But you'd never know
     'Cause I played it cool when I was scared of letting go
     ...
     I'm so in love with you, and I hope you know
     Darling, your love is more than worth its weight in gold
     ...
     I'm going to love you till my lungs give out
     ...
     So I wrote this song for you, now everybody knows
     'Cause now it's just you and me till we're gray and old

1. Don't Forget Me, Macy Gray

This song may not have the most complex lyrics, but just the way Macy Gray sings the simple words "please don't forget me" to this tune brings me a rush of choking emotion. It also has lyrics like "In the wintertime, keep your feet warm," told with love that gives the impact of the main line all the more power. It's a beautiful song with depth wrapped within its simplicity. One of the stories I am working on is about forgetting, and this song can put me right into those feelings that drive the story for me.

Also, an important honorable mention for Stop Crying Your Heart Out, by Oasis. That song tears my heart up. Here are some of those lyrics:

     We're all of us stars
     We're fading away
     Just try not to worry
     You'll see us someday

These happen to be primarily sad songs, I notice in retrospect--except for the James Arthur song, which could still be viewed as a little sad if you're looking at it from the end of a beautiful journey. I like to write about stories of adventure and humorous characters, but there always seems to be a nugget of heartbreak at the core of them. Perhaps that's why some of these songs speak to that part of me that drives me to express something. There are upbeat songs that stir my creativity too. Apparently, I just can't think of any right now!

What music inspires you to create?

Laura

Attributions
James Arthur: http://myat40.wikia.com/wiki/James_Arthur:Say_You_Won%27t_Let_Go
Macy Gray: http://lyrics.wikia.com/wiki/Macy_Gray

Thursday, May 4, 2017

Inspirational Quotes (Laura)

Sometimes a good inspirational quote can help remind you to keep your chin up during a difficult time. These may include:

     When I was 14, I was the oldest I ever was. I've been getting younger ever since.
     -Shirley Temple

     If you love something, let it go. If it comes back to you, it's yours forever. If it
     doesn't, it was never yours. -unknown

     I avoid looking forward or backward, and try to keep looking upward. -Charlotte Bronte

     All misfortune is but a stepping stone to fortune. -Henry David Thoreau

     In the midst of winter, I found there was within me an invincible summer. -Albert Camus

     Insist on yourself; never imitate. -Ralph Waldo Emerson

What are your favorite inspirational quotes?

Laura

Attribution
Summer: http://icarly.wikia.com/wiki/File:Tulips.jpg

Saturday, April 22, 2017

Top 3 Writing Exercises (Laura)

To tag off a post from Liz last September that featured inspiring writing prompts, here are some writing exercises that may help you overcome writer's block or get you out of your head when you are overthinking.

3. Change perspective
Rewrite the first pages of your novel in a different point of view. If you've written it in third person, try first. Maybe try writing a scene from a perspective other than your main character's. No need to use it in the story; just use it to get your thoughts moving in a different way. So go crazy!

2. Character journal
Write a journal entry from the perspective of one of your characters. It will not only allow you to strengthen that character and his or her voice, interaction with the world, and relationships in the story; it will help you generate new thoughts and ideas. Think about the details that character would care about and how he or she would express them. Try this with as many characters as you want, perhaps all in reaction to the same event they experienced.

1. Ask "What if?"
What if your book started in chapter two? What if the story took place in the previous century? What if the lovers didn't end up together? Ask yourself specific questions that turn your book on its head or delve into the details in a new way. List them one after the other, as quickly as you can think of them. It's just a list, not an actual change to your book, so you can feel free to shoot them down later. But just by writing them, you are considering new possibilities and thinking outside your book's box with no pressure to commit to any change. See where it takes you and what solutions it opens your mind to that may strengthen your work.

What are some of your favorite writing exercises or prompts?

Laura

Attribution
Writing: http://chatabouttherosrp.wikia.com/wiki/Precognitive_Writing

Tuesday, April 11, 2017

Know Your Weaknesses, Use Your Strengths (Laura)

There are many great books and inspiring authors out there. Now and then, though, I come across a book that absolutely puts my writing to shame. As I read, I literally think, I will never be able to write like this so why bother? Experiencing this reaction a few times recently led me to an important conclusion, though it was messy getting there.

Here's what I think I know now.

It's okay to let other writers drive you to improve your skills, but you have to do that in your way. Feel those feelings of jealousy, embarrassment, and not being good enough. Then find your center, remember why you love writing and what that makes you good at, and use it to focus your creative energy. Then look at your weaknesses you now have a better eye to improve because of what you've seen in someone else's work, without letting it overcome you.

In the last year, in particular, I've learned to recognize I am not great at writing action or physical details of people, places, and worlds. In fact, I have a hard time understanding the world around me, in general, in terms of concrete words, names, distances, dates, politics, etc. Don't even talk to me about science. I can study these things really hard and try to memorize them, but they leave me quickly, like they never really belonged with me, and I have to work hard to understand it all again. It isn't a natural way for me to think or communicate. I probably write partly for this reason, to find my way of making sense of the physical world. And that grappling for understanding is apparent in my work. Some authors--Alexandra Bracken, Rainbow Rowell, and Ali Benjamin to name only a few--are fantastic at capturing the physical movement and experience of a world--even the real one--while still embedding emotion and character in that experience. Probably because they love doing it, and also because they are so talented. While I will never be able to do it quite like they do, they open my eyes further to the shortcomings in my writing that I can only improve.

Yet shortcomings don't tend to be what drive us.

I recently began revising an old project, and I stumble over the language in several places. No matter how I focus on and pick apart the flaws in these particular scenes, I can't seem to capture that spirit of my writing where I recognize a kind of truth or experience that elating, therapeutic moment of saying something I've wanted to say, perhaps without even knowing it beforehand. That space where I can truly express myself. During this recent low point, where I felt like a failure because I'm not somebody else, I looked at my piece of work and realized it is a very action-based story by my standards. By picking it apart by the physical details, I lost a sense of fulfillment in these scenes, and the story became ABOUT the physical details instead of ENHANCED by them. I like writing when it's about the people and an emotional journey. To feel my way through the work in the same sense that I feel my way through life. I think there can be an intelligence or wisdom to that. Of course, I still need to accomplish the movement of the physical story and the world building around it, but I first need to get back to the character, let that center and improve the heart and flow of the writing, then work on the physical. The action of the story will never be at the level of many writers, but it will be something else. It will be exactly what I need to write.

Of course, I will continue to find other authors who show me my weaknesses, put them on a spit and barbeque them at a luau, and I can use those humbling, eye-opening moments to improve without losing the integrity and frame behind my writing. It's one of those things that you know, but you don't always see how it applies to you because you've got your nose so far buried in your own life. I do this all the time and have to keep re-realizing something that seems so clear afterward. That's life, I guess. Constantly re-centering. That's writing too.

What's something you like to remember or practice to bring you back to your own purpose as a writer?

Laura

Attribution
Be Yourself: http://animal-jam-clans-1.wikia.com/wiki/File:Being-Yourself-Quotes-15.jpg

Thursday, March 30, 2017

Passenger and Wayfarer, by Alexandra Bracken (Laura)

If you like adventure, time travel, pirate tales, combat, history, geography, and love stories, you will enjoy this two-book series by Alexandra Bracken. It also has families feuding across the centuries and an astrolabe with the ability to perpetuate time travel as well as the abuse of its power. On the other hand, the destruction of the astrolabe would end the war of the travelers but divide lovers, friends, and families by returning them to their natural times.

It's difficult not to read these books from a writer perspective and continually stop to reread passages and admire the skill. The detail and emotion infused into the gripping action and physical descriptions are stunning. Here is just one tiny example:

          The crumbling remains of the Roman amphitheater, stacks of stone slabs left to manage
          the weather and world the best they could, looked ghostly under the bone-white touch of the moon. Beyond them was
          the sea, its endless glistening, thrashing darkness.

In addition, each action is driven by complex, intriguing characters and not "drama," which could so easily have been done with this busy tale. The main love story is between Etta, a young violinist from modern-day New York, and Nicholas Carter, an eighteenth-century pirate, both ironic and exceptional in his honorability. During one scene, Etta has a clear opportunity to believe Nicholas has become a traitor. And while believing it would have added to the already-intense conflict of the story, instead, it spoke greatly of the integrity of these two characters that she hardly struggled to believe it wasn't true. Rather than doubt him, she had this thought.

          Etta tried to shake the feeling that Nicholas was still there, that she was somehow walking
          beside an imprint of him. There were too many footprints on the beach to tell which were
          his, and she didn't want to cover his tracks with her own, not if it cost her proof that he had
          been there. That he'd been alive, and so close.

On a different note, I'm a little wimpy about scary books, so I read the majority of these in public places because they are quite action-intensive, a little scary, and at moments gruesome, particularly in the second book. These types of stories are not normally the kind I enjoy, but these books are so well done, I found myself riveted by each page and truly struggled to put them down.

Great intricately developed characters and relationships with beautiful touches of both darkness and light. I highly recommend this series, even just for the truly awesome detail, fascinating inclusion of historic settings, and a touching story of both true love and family across time.

What are your favorite action-packed adventure or time travel stories?

Laura

Attributions
Passenger: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/passenger-alexandra-bracken/1121014138
Wayfarer: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/wayfarer-alexandra-bracken/1123666288

Saturday, March 18, 2017

Top 3 Beauty and the Beast Characters

In honor of Disney's Beauty and the Beast live action movie that came out yesterday, here are my favorite characters from the 1991 animated classic it's based on.

3. Lumiere

Lumiere has the warmth and personality to light up the Beast's gloomy castle. One of my favorite scenes with him is when he sings Be Our Guest, accompanied by the other servants. It showcases his welcoming and jovial nature and his tendency to tease Cogsworth. I'm excited to see Ewan McGregor play this part in the live action film.

2. Mrs. Potts

When things go wrong in the castle, which they often do, Mrs. Potts is there to cheer and comfort. She has wisdom about love in a way the other characters don't, and yet she doesn't back down when resistance is needed against attackers. A sincere and strong character, this role seems like a fitting one for Emma Thompson.

1. Gaston...Just kidding, it's Belle

She's brave and caring, she defies expectations, and she sees beyond appearances to the heart of people. There are many examples of these characteristics in Belle throughout the film, including

when she takes her father's place as the Beast's prisoner. I loved Emma Watson as Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter films, and I can't wait to see her portrayal of Belle.

Of course, I also like the Beast because he learns to love.

Which are your favorite characters? Has anyone seen the new film yet?

Laura

Attributions
Lumiere: http://disney.wikia.com/wiki/Lumi%C3%A8re
Mrs. Potts: http://hero.wikia.com/wiki/File:Mrs._Potts.png
Belle: http://beautyandthebeastanimation.wikia.com/wiki/Belle

Tuesday, March 7, 2017

Ode to Bookstores (Laura)

I heard the very sad news a few weeks ago that the Barnes & Noble on Nicollet Mall in downtown Minneapolis will be closing this spring. It is a lovely store with lots of character, light, and a stairway. Nobody has a good old-fashioned stairway anymore. Needless to say, I am going to miss it. Close to where I work, it's where I tend to go during the week to buy books. More than that, though, it is a reprieve from the corporate world outside. A place where I can relax, be myself, and be good enough. I go to the children's section or writing section or the journals downstairs. Sometimes I just walk around and look out the windows. Sometimes I buy, sometimes I don't. I understand Barnes & Noble is a business, and a powerful one in the publishing industry. But it is a home for books and for me that I will miss downtown.

So, in honor of bookstores, here is my attempt at an ode:

P.S. Libraries count too.

          Oh bookstores, how I love the mystery of new light and old dust on your shelves,
          the many worlds that live in you,
          the impossible endlessness.
          I can hold you in my hand, I can feel you around me.
          I feel your muses,
          your histories,
          your stories.
          Your pain and healing spaces.
          All the thousands that dwell here.
          Here, where I can sit and be.
          Bookstores, you have always been there for me,
          feeding,
          watching over,
          bringing people together,
          giving both windows to the soul inside and the world out.
          Oh, bookstores, be the rock that stays through change.
          The reliable.
          The steadfast.
          Real as soft, brown earth and passionate fires.
          Dear bookstores, you are both, like no other.

Not to get too dramatic, but in my melancholy over the closing of Barnes & Noble on Nicollet, I can't help but reflect on my all-time favorite movie, You've Got Mail, when Kathleen Kelly (spoiler alert) closes her little Shop Around the Corner. But now it's the big, bad chain closing stores.

Though I am glad the accessibility of online books and e-readers gets more people to read, I hope there are enough people out there who still love holding books in their hands and the experience of bookstores to keep them around.

There remain many Barnes & Noble locations throughout the Twin Cities, as well as great independent booksellers that continue to do well, like Magers & Quinn, Eat My Words Bookstore, and Common Good Books, and in the children's arena, Addendum Books, Red Balloon Bookshop, and Wild Rumpus. Find information on many more here.

If you happen by the Twin Cities and love bookstores, especially unique and interesting ones, check these out.

What are your favorite bookstores, and what do you love most about them?

Laura

Attribution
Belle at library: http://dumbledoresarmyroleplay.wikia.com/wiki/File:Belle_beauty_and_the_beast_by_theoriginalginger-d55zhon.png

Thursday, February 23, 2017

Your Creativity Playlist (Laura)

Some people like to listen to music while they write, draw, or do other creative work. I tend to avoid music while I write, but I've also never tried it and would like to. When I work on other creative projects, I enjoy listening to many types of music, as long as the rhythm, melody, and/or lyrics stir me.

A few songs I would especially love to include on a playlist are:

We Belong Together or anything by Gavin DeGraw

Back to December (Taylor Swift)

Anything by The Fray

          Ordinary Day (Vanessa Carlton)
          Something Beautiful (Needtobreathe)
          Beautiful World (Carolina Liar)
          Anything by Anna Nalick
          Melody (Kate Earl)
          Where I Stood (Missy Higgins)
          Reflecting Light (Sam Philips)

Another Country (Tift Merritt)

Wedding Planner soundtrack

Shall We Dance soundtrack

I could go on!

What would make your creativity playlist?

Laura

Attributions
Ordinary Day: http://myat40.wikia.com/wiki/Vanessa_Carlton:Ordinary_Day
Chariot: http://lyrics.wikia.com/wiki/Gavin_DeGraw

Saturday, February 11, 2017

Top 3 Places to Write (Laura)

People can write anywhere, so long as they have the will. Sometimes, the spare minutes on a lunch break or bus ride are the only ones you can get in a day. But when those blessed moments come along that you get to sit down for some real, dedicated writing time, it's great to find a place that stirs the muses for you or is simply a place you enjoy being while you write. That could mean sitting outside on a quiet patio with a peaceful breeze and the sound of a lake nearby, or in the kitchen with your children running circles around you and burning Pop-Tarts in the toaster while your dog vomits on the floor. Something different works for everyone.

Here are a few of my favorite places to write.

3. Any balcony during any season (but mostly spring)
While I say any balcony, that usually means the one off my apartment. In fact, I think it always does. I just like the idea of other balconies, like the romantic images in my mind of buildings in Italy or even lakeside cabins in Duluth--places I've never been to. I like to be outside, as long as it isn't too cold or hot, and it helps to know people are nearby. They could be walking below or kids could be playing close by. Maybe this one is actually turning out to be a fantasy writing spot. That's okay, I can dream.

2. At home with my cat by my side
I sometimes like to think of my home as my office, but in a good way. Not in the sense that I can't relax there. I like the comfort and familiarity of it and the children's books and family photographs all around me on the shelves, and I love that my cat is there. I don't live with anyone, so it is a quiet and controlled space where I can get buried in my favorite projects. In the evenings, I turn on the lamps to get the right ambiance, flip on the Disney channel for background noise, and curl up in my favorite spot on the couch with a blanket, my laptop resting on a TV-dinner tray, and my kitty tucked inside the curve of my leg, snoring. Those are pretty much some of the best moments I spend writing.

1. A sunny coffee shop
Though introverted, I tend to like having people around, as noted in number three. Just knowing people are there is calming for me and also stimulates my creativity for some reason. Maybe because it makes me feel cozy and comfortable, as long as it's not some wild party. I used to write in the library, but I found it hampering, always being afraid of making noise. I also needed more of a creative feel to the environment, which I apparently don't get from most libraries. Maybe I just need to find one that has big windows and a nice little table in the children's section. In any case, I like the quiet noises and sounds at coffee shops. I feel less isolated, but I can still tuck myself away into my creative mind and work through the hum of people around. It's most convenient if the shop is close to where I live, of course, but that used to pretty much leave Starbucks. That works just fine, but there are some quaint coffee shops and bakeries in Minneapolis, like Royal Grounds, which has great atmosphere. There is also a place called Rustica that recently opened near my neighborhood. It's in a neat historic building, plus it get amazing sunlight in the mornings. Lots of sunlight is ideal for me. I can just curl up in it, like a cat, breathe deeply, and forget everything around me except my most peaceful and invigorating thoughts.

What are your favorite writing places?

Laura

Attributions
Balcony: http://warehouse-13-artifact-database.wikia.com/wiki/Balcony_of_Capulet's_House

Tuesday, January 31, 2017

All About Grammar in 700 Words--Yes, That Sounds Doable (Laura)

I have found that I'm a break-the-rules kind of person when it comes to my writing. Which is funny to me because I consider myself to be fairly structured with my work, and life in general, and tend to like preserving traditions that make sense as opposed to changing just to change. Not exactly a rattle-the-cages type. On the other hand, my organization style is a creative one, rather than stringent and carefully measured. A style that makes sense to me but perhaps not to others.

This is where rules come in. Rules in language, for example, help us communicate better and cross bridges.

My awareness of these rules started at a young age, while I watched NFL football with my dad--the way most people learn about grammar. My dad was an aircraft mechanic who used to tear apart sports commentators for using grammar incorrectly according to him. (Usually not John Madden or Al Michaels, though--he was cool with them.) In particular, my dad always hated the word snuck. In fact, I sometimes imagine him catching my teenage self disclosing to a friend over the phone how "I snuck out of the house last night." I imagine the anger, the cold accusing stare.

"You WHAT?" he would say, revealing himself listening from the shadows--in his rocking chair. (Just go with it. Dreams never make sense.)

Timidly, I would respond, "Um, I mean I sneaked out of the house last night?"

He would breathe a sigh of relief and return to his newspaper. Contented.

My dad is a very sweet-hearted person, and I don't mean to make him out to be anything less. He just believes grammar should remain what he was taught.

It didn't matter to him then that the rule has evolved to accommodate snuck and that it's acceptable to use with consistency. Both sneaked and snuck are published in books (sometimes inconsistently), but snuck seems to have actually become much more common in the United States.

My grammar professor in college was from Brazil and Argentina and spoke English as a third language. She also taught rhetoric and a topic she called "Englishes"--the idea that there is more than one English and that the language must constantly adapt because it is used by so many people throughout the world and across cultures. I learned from this professor about prescriptivism, the belief in strict adherence to traditional grammar rules, and descriptivism, which explores the reasons for changing the rules. Clearly, my dad was of the prescriptivist mindset, I realized during this time. And, though it may have been clear at various points throughout my life, I was also coming to the conclusion that I perhaps viewed rules a little differently.

Rules exist for a reason, right? (Unless we're talking i before e, except after c...or foreign...or ancient, etc. What is that about?) Someone who has been somewhere before us learned a thing or two and wanted to pass along the knowledge, or even just protect themselves from getting into an old sinking sailboat again. But not everything exists in a box. Not everything is the same. Rules are meant to help us, so I like to respect them, consider them, take into account my purpose in communicating as well as the person with whom (did you see what I did there?) I am communicating. Then make choices.

This could mean ending a sentence with a preposition--oy to the vey. Or it might mean I write a fragment or run-on sentence--the horror! And although I may make mistakes or even occasionally begin a sentence with a coordinating conjunction for rhetorical purposes, hopefully--wait--I mean, I hope I never use the word snuck. For personal reasons, of course.

Like words, grammar is important. So is asking questions. Use your logic. Remember your humility. Learn all you can from others, and understand why something is important. Then make decisions. We're always learning. It's more fun to break the mold anyway, right?

So there you have it. Grammar in 700 words from a fiction writer's perspective. And you thought you were going to learn something.

Are you more of a rule follower or breaker in your writing?

Laura

Attribution
Punctuation cartoon: http://mysims.wikia.com/wiki/User_blog:Wii_maniac/Cyanide_%26_Happiness_Part_2

Thursday, January 19, 2017

Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy, by Karen Foxlee (Laura)

Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy is a mesmerizing story about perseverance, courage, and following your heart. A logical young girl named Ophelia, who recently lost her mother, moves with her father and sister during Christmastime to a new city, where her father takes a job in a museum. Not just any museum, this one has exhibits featuring teaspoons, clocks, mirrors, and mysterious paintings of bored girls--it also has a secret, hidden room with a boy locked inside. As Ophelia begins to hear the boy's remarkable tale, she learns she must find the key to release him as well as locate his magical sword and the One Other in order to defeat the evil Snow Queen and save the world. All before the Wintertide Clock chimes in the next three days. She's just not sure if she believes in all that magic.

This story drew me in from the first pages and didn't stop. The themes, told with striking yet simple detail and emotion, gave the story rich depth. The air of mystery as well as the friendship between Ophelia and the boy made it light and fun. There were certain questions that were not made very mysterious for the reader, like the identity of the Snow Queen, but it was believable that Ophelia didn't solve them until she needed to. And the museum was an adventure on its own--with its magical, frightening creatures; its stairways that lead up and down and appear behind doorways in rooms filled with sewing baskets; and its rooms that change or disappear or contain forests with whispering ghosts in them. The ghost girls were hauntingly real with specific, personal details asking "Who are they really?" that made them heartbreaking. So many elements of the museum and the story had just the right touch of spookiness without being over the top.

The themes around combatting death, frozenness, and all that the Snow Queen represents came across most powerfully to me in passages like this one, as told by the Marvelous Boy:

          "All these sufferings...were recorded in ink on white paper. All the great tragedies and all the small tragedies, in
           columns neatly and exactly measured, town after town, city after city, hour after hour, day after day, year after year.
           They were cross-referenced. Cataloged. Filed away. Kept.
           And they are the Queen's proof that the world is terrible, and they are her proof that all her arguments are right. That
           everything should remain frozen and that death should reign supreme. Each day she walks in her library and touches
           these memories, and they make her stronger."

Ophelia, of course having suffered her own loss, faces fears and doubts as she comes up against this darkness. Through all her bravery and intelligence, it is her turmoil and profound pain that heighten her character, expressed in simple statements, such as:

          "She cried because she had no handkerchief. She cried because she didn't know what to do. If her mother had been
           there, she would have known what to do. And she would have had a handkerchief."

Her combined vulnerability, grief, and innocence against the Queen's wickedness poses a compelling journey as Ophelia learns to use her own intuition to not only listen to her heart but follow it. Another interesting note is that the beautiful pieces of artwork featured in this book and on the cover were done by Yoko Tanaka, the same illustrator for Kate DiCamillo's The Magician's Elephant. Another beautiful book about finding faith through darkness.

We've talked about several fairy tale adaptations on this site (see these posts from Elizabeth and Laurie). What are some adaptations you've read that really take on their own life and become their own distinguishable, classic story?

Laura

Attribution
Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ophelia-and-the-marvelous-boy-Karen-foxlee/1115292746

Saturday, January 7, 2017

Top 3 Wintertime Movies (Laura)

Believe it or not, winter is one of my favorite seasons, and funnily enough, it is perhaps the season I dread most. Why? Winter is hard. The anticipation of it oftentimes even puts a slight damper on fall for me, but once winter comes, my Christmas plans are in place, and I've successfully made it through the first snowstorms and bitter cold weather for the year, I relax. Even in these early weeks of winter, a part of me is already looking forward to the spring, my favorite. There is hope in winter, the coldest and darkest of days. December 21 is the shortest day of the year, after which they only get longer. By that point, I am lucky enough to enjoy deeply treasured time with family and indoor activities I love, like writing and reading and singing in the kitchen while I bake Christmas cookies.

Some years I leave Christmas decorations up longer than others, but I always leave them at least through the twelve days of Christmas, as I reflect. Then there comes the moment when I feel that forward tug of the fresh new year. I'm ready to get serious about my resolutions, which usually revolve informally around writing projects and trying new activities. I put away the decorations, get out my Valentine's Day placemats early, and start watching some of my favorite movies that go with my fresh new-year feelings. I'm ready to move on from my bittersweet, nostalgic Christmas thoughts and memories and, during this invigoratingly early and chilly time of year, embrace possibility. These movies, even in small ways, match my excitement for spring, new beginnings, and what's to come.

3. New in Town

Akin to Snow Dogs with Cuba Gooding Jr., which I also love, New in Town is the story of a bitter, big-city, business lady from Florida who ends up in small-town Minnesota on an errand from her company. She arrives in town in the evening ahead of dinner time, during what looks like the black of midnight, and immediately the locals pull her into their lives, homes, and idiosyncrasies to equally comic and heartwarming effect. But she has orders to get rid of their jobs. How she deals with this position and unintentionally finds a place among the very people she has insulted and deceived is touching and funny. The way she handles the cold and conditions is hilarious and also rings true a bit for me. The music in the movie is lively, at times poignant, and comes in at the perfect moments. And who doesn't like Harry Connick Jr. in movies? Especially as the "sorry-[fill in the blank] truck guy" raising a daughter on his own while trying to save the plant workers' jobs and avoid falling in love with the person representing the company that wants to take those jobs away. A great movie about finding light, warmth, people, and even yourself during a dark, cold, bitter night.

2. Spanglish

I never thought that an Adam Sandler movie would make my list of memorable love stories. In this film, a single mother from Mexico takes a job working in a white, LA household. There, she develops special relationships with each of the family members. In particular, she faces a language barrier as well as challenges in gaining the full respect and understanding of the mother of the house, all of which forces her to assimilate against her original wishes in order to break the silence on her own. She must do this while she continues to work hard to honor her roots and set an example for her own young daughter. The film demonstrates how easily people can be silenced and even changed by well-intentioned society, and also features the people who listen when it is the hard thing to do. I especially like to watch Spanglish at this time of year because the settings, the bright characters, and their relationships put hope in my heart and make me laugh. I enjoy the ways they communicate beyond language and the moments when certain characters struggle to connect then finally do--and how those connections impact their lives.

1. Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2
(Spoilers!)
When I lived in Arizona, I used to watch this movie as I was taking down my Christmas tree during

the few weeks each year when you can open the windows and air out your living space. That may be part of the reason this particular movie leaves me with a fresh feeling. The first time I saw it was in the theater with my mom, and when we went outside afterward, it was pouring rain--something rare in the desert. Later that night as I went to bed, the clouds cleared and a full moon came shining down on my balcony. It reminded me of the romantic scene in which Lena leaves her grandmother's house to visit Kostas by his boat, and the image still leaves me feeling hopeful and excited. The characters' stories fill me with the sense that so much life is out there in the world and not to be feared. Each of the girls must discover themselves, their futures, and even their histories apart from each other, and yet they return to one another in the end--on the beautiful island of Santorini, no less. In the DVD special features, the actresses explain how the scene in which they jump from a cliff into the water was originally unscripted and transpired after a neat turn of events. It reminds me things work out for the best on their own, even when you think you've planned everything carefully. This one, too, has some great, artful musical touches. Overall, a very fun movie about friendship, individuality, life, love, and "how to becomes ourselves without losing each other."

Do you enjoy some of these aspects of winter and looking forward to spring as much as I do? What are some of your favorite movies to watch during the wintertime as the new year begins?

Laura

Attributions
New in Town: https://www.amazon.com/New-Town-Widescreen-Ren%C3%A9e-Zellweger/dp/B001WAKPBG
Spanglish: https://www.amazon.com/Spanglish-Paz-Vega/dp/B0007OCG56
Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants: https://www.amazon.com/Sisterhood-Traveling-Pants-Amber-Tamblyn/dp/B001LGXDMO

Tuesday, December 27, 2016

Skyway to Narnia (Laura)

Photo by Stephen Burgdorf

In fifth grade, I went with my class to the Festival of Nations at the Minneapolis Convention Center. I don't remember much, except that I was dressed up and clinging to my mom. I don't even know why she was there. Maybe I just imagined her. I recall that I kept looking at the floor, so different from the elementary school's. It was a grownup's domain with boring carpeting, endless rooms and many, many feet in fancy shoes. It was a big world.

I didn't know that twenty years later, after moving away from my mom and family to come back to Minnesota, I would be working in Minneapolis and returning to the Convention Center for a writers conference.

During the months leading up to the spring conference, I took walks with coworkers. Every Thursday, our small team had a scheduled meeting, and we started using the time to walk the Minneapolis skyways and talk professional development and opportunities for writers and editors around the Cities. We worked for an academic publication and all secretly (not so secretly) wanted to work with books.

Nearly every day, even now, I walk the skyways on my own. To get hot cocoa, doughnuts, to chat with friends. But mostly just to walk. I stay close and see the same hallways, shops, and escalators all the time. The hour-long team meetings were different. We ventured places I haven't been able to find again even though I've tried. Few others I have accidentally come across, and it felt like stumbling onto a magic time, a special world. Just as it did when I walked with my coworkers--my friends. Lost in our conversations about the pitch conference in town or the next Loft event or what we would do if we got the right break. What that break would look like. In a corporate city, above the busiest business streets, we got lost in the skyways. I got lost. Crossing through semi-hidden passageways that smelled like old buildings and reminded me of Chicago. Over the light rail, with a view of the Municipal Building clock tower and the torn-down stadium. Running through parking garages in subzero temperatures when a skyway abruptly ended. Staring at hotels with grand corridors, stairways, lobbies, restaurants. Bright lighting. And dim lighting over a fireplace the length of a bus.

I don't know where any of those places were, but we found them many times. The accidental background to the world we made when we stepped outside the business tower. Maybe I just imagined them. As we'd walk, I'd look down at the floors. The grownup carpeting. But it was just us in the business hours. Most people were working.

One day we found the Convention Center. I remembered it from my childhood and wanted to find it again on my own, and I tried a couple of times. I even thought I knew where the magic entrance was that opened up a set of paths I never came across in my daily walks. But I was lost from it. I went to what I thought was the right building. I went to the many hallways, but I knew them all. Then I learned about the conference coming to the Convention Center and knew I wanted to find it again. I tried and got further this time but still got lost--stuck halfway in--and could only turn back. Once again my team found it, together. Maybe I'm better at daydreaming than directions, or maybe I just needed my friends to help me find the way.

The day of the conference came, and I had the choice to take the bus a couple blocks from the Convention Center and walk in the rain. Or I could take the bus to my tower--and follow the skyways.

I got off at my usual stop, my heart beating in my throat because it was not a usual day. Instead of taking my normal hallways, I turned the other direction. I found the magic entrance that took me away from my world and into another one, at first fumbling through the rush hour foot traffic. I looked down at the grownup carpeting and the many grownup feet in fancy shoes. I was not with my fifth grade class this time. I was not with my mom. I took a wrong turn. It seemed right because I'd been there with my team. I changed direction and found the way--the one past the pizzeria, the scone shop, and the florist. Through the hotel with the swirled royal blue carpeting with red and gold diamonds on it and the brass conference room door handles. Then, yes, different people, with different shoes that were not so grownup. With book bags. Groups walking together, talking, acknowledging each other. Not with curt nods and handshakes and business voices, but with laughter and chatter and excitement. These were my people. I had found my way.

Later that spring, my team changed, and we never went back to the skyways. We have new adventures now, but I still miss our walks. Just like I miss my mom and sometimes wish she were here to hold my hand when I'm around the grownup shoes.

I will always be grateful to them for giving me the magic skyways.

Have you ever unexpectedly stumbled across a beautiful place and never seemed to be able to find it again?

Laura

Art

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