Rise Above Mortal Distractions...

Creating another world, possibly in another place or time period, is daunting work.  Yet, over 300,000 writers have embarked on this adventure of writing a novel.  You may say, That's awesome.  But here's the caveat; these adventures must be written in 30 days.

National Novel Writing Month, affectionately known as NaNoWriMo to its adherents, started in 1999.  People write about it, curse it, love it, don't know about it.  Whichever category you fall under if you're an aspiring writer, NaNoWriMo is a site you should visit.  Here's some good advice from writer Carolyn Kellogg -- Get off the Internet.  The other great (no-brainer) idea is to shut off your smartphones, click off the boob tube, and box up any gaming systems you have lying around.

Here in New York, there's a huge built-in distraction that's a hair problematic to ignore...Hurricane Sandy not so affectionately nicknamed FrankenStorm. 

I'm in Brooklyn and we're a lovely little island on the same piece of land as Long Island and Queens.  As you well know, Manhattan is an island as well.  Given that New York has not seen such a bad storm in 108 years, most of our infrastructure is below-ground.  Guess what the waters that overflowed their banks did?  Bingo!  Flood our our infrastructure including our venerated subway system.

I write all of this to let you know that even though my normally 40 to 45-minute commute was an hour and 45 minutes in length on Thursday and a little over two hours this evening.  Yesterday, a companion and I walked from E. 24th Street to Delancey Street before we caught a bus over the bridge (oh yeah, no trains are going over the three bridges connecting Manhattan to the outer boroughs).  Even with all of these distractions, I still have written 4,549 words and it's still technically Day 2.

Writing this post is part of me working on my second wind to see I can get in a few hundred more words in tonight.  The goal is 1,667 words a day in order to keep on pace to finish 50K by November 30th.  I'm figuring that with Thanksgiving late in the month the last few days are not going to be very productive so I should push for the higher word count in early in the month.  Gotta have a strategy right? :-)

So, if you're still here and reading this, and need to read some Sandy stories click here.  Then right after this, click off the Internet and get to writing.  We have only one life.  Let's do what we say we want to do and stop the games.

One last thing, you can't even say you're going to watch the NYC Marathon on Sunday to support the athletes.  It's been cancelled.

The Plot Monster...

Preparing for National Novel Writing Month is much more intense than I believed.  I thought you could have a fully fleshed out synopsis (idea) and then run with it.  Today, I was fortunate enough to have a NaNoWriMo mentor decide to work with me this November.

The first thing she did was sent me a pre-Nano checklist.  Guess what was on it?  My favorite nemesis -- plotting!  She suggests doing a basic outline and characterization for my main characters (at least)!

Okay, okay.  So she's right -- but ouch!  All that has to be done in the next 23 hours or so!  NaNo starts on 11/1 at midnight.  Arrgh!

So, I'll stop complaining and start plotting...my story that is. :-)

Ta-ta for now!

Gearing up for NaNoWriMo!

So, for my entire writing life I haven't bothered with NaNoWriMo.  I've peshawed the entire angst of trying to write a 50,000 word novel in a measly 30 days.  Why?  Because I'm above reproach?  Because I do not deign to mingle with the rabid competitive writers that hold up their yearly wins and bash any with their prizes and status for not participating?  No!

I just never bothered because I thought I was too busy with life's other responsibilities.  In looking at it this year, the kids are older and I'm more sane (or, so I'd like to think!).  National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) now looks appealing, challenging and the great take-away?  Anything you do consistently for 21 (or 28 depending upon which system you follow...) becomes a habit.  So, writing about 1700 words a day becoming a habit does not sound like a bad idea to me! :-)

It's not too late to join, either.  There are 3 days left in which to come up with an idea and an outline for your novel.  Yeah -- you can do that!  But, no writing of the novel!  That's cheating.  Because think about it, if you wait until 11/1 to create the novel idea and figure out the plot structure and characterization, you'll have used up practically all of the 30 days.  This way, you hit the ground running and just have to flesh out your skeleton story.

Get more deets here.  Registration is fun and easy.  Join the group closest to your region for cheerleader emails and information.  If you're in the NYC area, there's going to be a kick-off party on Friday, November 2nd at 6pm in Lower Manhattan where you will meet with other wordies and wordsmiths who can become your NaNoWriMo writing buddies.

Get off your duffus, dust off your keyboard and start plotting your new novel today!

Ta-ta for now,
NoteBook Blogairy

Book Thoughts: Secrets by Liz Schulte

Initially, the switching first person point of view in each chapter threw me.  Viewing the same event from two different perspectives was -- jarring.  Yet, by chapter five, I had totally bought into Ms. Schulte's manner of storytelling.  For this story to be told correctly, it is clear that differing point of view are necessary.

Secrets is a story that asks the question, Can evil change its nature and become good?  In truth, the Guardian series (currently three books strong) ultimately will answer that question but Book 1 (Secrets) lays the groundwork for a fascinating read.

The main character, Olivia, and her best friend, Juliet, have known each other since Junior High School.  They're now in their late 20's and neither have married but they are both having trouble in the dating arena.  Both having recently come out of relationships, they are equally frustrated and feeling lonely for male companionship.  Juliet a bit more than Olivia.  However, Olivia is the one that seems to have attracted quite a male following in only a couple of weeks.  Two men whom she met quite accidentally have peaked her interest -- Holden and Quintus.

Olivia keeps the bulk of what's happening with her from Juliet because Olivia cannot fathom how quickly and how deeply she's fallen for Holden.  It had only be a handful of days yet he was an enigma to Olivia -- a dangerous one at that and Olivia's conflicted about seeing him.

Shortly after Olivia's love life picked up, Juliet met a man also who was totally different from the kind of guys she was used to dating.  However, Olivia and Juliet agreed that a change of pace would be a good thing.  On the heels of their good dating fortune, Olivia's ex-boyfriend dies suddenly throwing them both in a tailspin of emotions that led to them not communicating or sharing as they had in the past.

The unusual non-communication between these two women opens the door to chaos.  In quick succession, a number of disturbing events occur changing the women's lives forever.  These changes also allow the forces of good and evil free reign in the women's lives most times the evil outweighing the good!

Escalating passions, cryptic handsome men and skeptical intuitions are all major players in this paranormal thriller that will leave you breathless and sleepless as you race through to the end.

Secrets by Liz Schulte is a must-read!

Roaming Around in a Quiet Head

Hi Folks!

It's been a while since I've posted and I've been aware of it.  I cannot put blame on my wrist -- it's healed.  (Still in physical therapy with it though!)  So why haven't I been posting?  Did I stop reading?  No.  I've read several books since I've last posted.  However, I wanted a timeout so I could more fully understand what I was 'thinking' about.  Sounds odd, huh?

If you think about it, if you are constantly moving, doing the things that we do in this thing called "LIFE", we get busy.  We then stop thinking and just do.  I've been doing for several months yet very little real writing is getting done.  I am so busy posting, researching, reading and writing reviews, caring for my family and doing 'fun' summer stuff.

It struck me when I had a few days away from my family that I needed quiet time.  In our fast paced society, what is that, right?  It just so happened that Deepak Chopra had a 21-day meditation challenge around the time I began feeling close to burnout.  It started mid July and went until the beginning of August.  The meditations were led for the first few and last few days by Deepak and the other days were led by other meditation practitioners with the Chopra Center.

At first the 15-minute, or less, meditations bugged me.  In my 'spiritual' past, I used to do marathon meditations that lasted over an hour in many instances.  So, the brevity of the meditations irked me.  However, by the 6th and 7th days, the depth of the meditation made me wish the meditation was shorter!  The theme was Free to Love and there were so many aspects of this theme that were challenging for me but I stuck it out and did not give in to the temptation to stop.



At the end of the 21 days, I learned some things about myself that were a tad frightening.  So what to do about it?  More meditations, of course.  In my travels, I found a wonderful CD, Tibetan Incantations: The Meditative Sound of Buddhist Chants.  Playing it now, in fact.  The 3 tracks on this soothe me in a way that's indescribable.  I tracked down and tried over a dozen different meditations I found on YouTube.  I began going back to some of my previous marathon meditation sessions -- all very time-consuming but well worth the effort.

What have I discovered?  I need quiet time.  I need the ability to roam around in my own head and peek in corners that are filled with spiderwebs and clear them out.  I also found out that following your own gut instincts is a wise thing.  So, while I may not publish as regularly as I used to when I do post, I will bring something of real interest to the table.  Posting just to post is not what I want to do as a writer, or as a person.

The next thing I will be posting is a book review of a Native American novel called Restoring Hope.  I am thoroughly enjoying this story.  Even those someone close to me poo-poohed the book and said it would be a sterotypical Pocahontas story.  In some ways, it is.  However, in other ways it's not.  I look forward to sharing with you.

Book Review: What Your Childhood Memories Say About You

Once upon a time, there was a little boy who was the last born child in his family.  He was mischievous, fun-loving and, most of all, he enjoyed making people laugh even if it was at his own expense.  After many years of forging and solidifying this jester persona, his Truth Therapist's (his Mom) words finally began to hit home.  He decided to do better.  His "D" and "F" grades turned into "C" and "B" grades.  He also began getting a few "A" grades!  He finished college and went on to grad school and became a doctor.  What was that little boy?  Dr. Kevin Leman, author of What Your Childhood Memories Say About You.

"As the youngest child in my family, I accepted early on that my role was to entertain people, to have fun, and to push limits whenever possible.  The only way I could stand out from my scholarly sister and athletic brother was to cut my own path, which was by being a goof-off.  Some children strive for attention in positive ways; others strive for attention in negative ways.  But one way or another, all kids strive for attention." (Location 129, Kindle Version)

Dr. Leman's own childhood is an excellent example of his book's premise; that recalling and reviewing one's early childhood memories can reveal what is your "private logic".  Once you know what your private logic is, you can change it and make your life better.  Your private logic is the way in which you view the world and how you respond to the people in your world, or your modus operandi.

You can discern your private logic by recalling your 3 or 4 most vivid memories from when you were 5, 6, 7 and 8 years old.  These memories, once viewed through the filters Dr. Leman details in What Your Childhood Memories Say About You, give you your life pattern and private logic that is probably still driving you to this day.

Dr. Kevin Leman

Dr. Leman believes that your vivid memories are the ones that your mind chooses for you to recall because they encapsulate your private logic.  To paraphrase Dr. Leman, of all the memories you could have remembered, why did your psyche choose the ones do remember?

 This book is a fascinating perspective to view one's behavior as well as the behavior of those around us...including your children's behavior.  What Your Childhood Memories Say About You is an excellent tool for writers, as well.  It  can help them delve deeper into their characters to make them richer and more complex.  So, if you're looking to figure out why you hate peas, or why the color purple makes you smile, or if you want to create a sensational three dimensional character, pick up Dr. Leman's book!


Rating: 5 Blogairy Notebooks

Being a Guest Blogger - Art & the Writing Life

Hi there!  Check out my latest guest blog post on Amelia Curzon's blog Carte Blanche - http://wp.me/p1OGR8-pn

Just to whet your appetite, here are a few images & a very memorable video to get you in the right mindset...

Book Thoughts: Apron Anxiety

Alyssa Shelasky's, Apron Anxiety: My Messy Affairs In and Out of the Kitchen, is a complete hoot!  Alyssa makes you cry when she does, laugh, dance, sing and...well, maybe not shout but close.  While she has had an intriguing life as a freelance journalist and food writer writing for prestigious publications (Us Weekly, New York magazine, Grub Street...), she has also had some incredibly sobering moments.

In this memoir, Alyssa shares the heights and the lows with her readers.  No matter what ethnicity you are, you will identify with this wonderful Jewish woman.  She and her family exude warm through each line and page.  The bonds in her family are so strong they are palpable which makes her tale even more poignant.  The reader feels almost like an extended family member giving the story a more intimate feel.

A key story line of this memoir is Alyssa's affair with a celebrity chef from Bravo's Top Chef, Spike Mendelsohn and how it did not end as she had originally expected.  She went from being kitchen-phobic to mastering the kitchen and becoming a respected food writer.  The memoir includes 30 recipes that are featured in the story of her life. 

At times while reading Apron Anxiety, I was reminded of the movie Forrest Gump.  Forrest seemed to be present (and part of) major events in history as his story unfolds.  I get the same feeling with Alyssa's story.  She has 'been there, done that'.

I'm not sure if you'll come away with any new insights (other than the few dozen cool-sounding recipes), but it is a wonderfully told story of a challenging period in this young woman's life and well worth the read.  There are also great celeb mentions and moments that pepper the story as well.  Some of them make you smile with  remembrances of what you were doing at the time and others are bittersweet.

Rating: 4 Blogairy Notebooks

Short Story: Twerking Cougar

Recently, I completed a short story that had been playing around in my mind for a bit.  In the midst of writing it, I fell while rollerblading, fractured my dominant writing hand wrist (ugh, right??) and wasn't able to finish it in the time frame I wanted to.

So, it is now done!  It's called Twerking Cougar.  To read it, just click either link.  You can also access it by going to the "Short Story" tab in the upper right of the "Home" page and go right to the story.

From time to time, I will be posting new stories there for your reading pleasure.  Sometimes long ones, (like this one), or sometimes, I'll post flash fiction (less than 1200 words).

Without further ado, here's the synopsis of the current story...


Twerking Cougar

Shonell Murphy, a mature and sexy woman in her early 40's, is a dancing diva at night and trendy working stiff by day.  The typical woman except for the fact that secretly, she never wants to get old.  She dates younger men, she keeps her relationships inconsequential and her friends are at minimum a decade younger as well.  Shonell has a phobia when it comes to ageing.

When her doctor tells her she has extremely high blood pressure and she has to change her lifestyle Shonell...ignores him.

Out clubbing, Shonell meets a Yuandre Maban.  He's an attractive self-possessed hot yoga instructor that intrigues Shonell with poetry and insightful comments.  However, their budding romance is halted by a downturn in Shonell's health.  She must face her inner demons; but will she be able to face them head on?  Or, will she take the easy way out?

(P.S. - I am healing.  My wrist still cannot rotate but I can type reasonably well.)

Good Summer Times...CookOut NYC! 2012

Balmy weather and warm sunshine greet this weekend's CookOut NYC! happening at Governor's Island Saturday, July 7th and Sunday, July 8th from 11:30am to 4:30pm.
Not only are fab BBQ samples available there are hot sauces such as CK & PB's "Slap-Ur-Mama-Hot-Sauce" and High River Sauces that are really hot, spicy and flavorful. 

A surprise treat in all of the traditional cook out fare was Fossil Farms' farm raised wild boar burgers.  Daniel, the NYC sales rep, told me that boar is not exactly in the pork family.  It is definitely related but because these boars are raised in a safe and monitored environment the flesh has a consistent taste and the gamey-ness is not present.  You get some of the sweetness that you find in pork but then there's a totally different flavor present.  This intrigued me and I just had to try one.  It was very good!  The flesh was tender and had the firmness of a medium-well chicken breast.  It was not gamey at all.  If you can't make it out to CookOut NYC! tomorrow, you can order your own boar, ostrich, wagyu beef, pheasant and other exotic specialties directly from Fossil Farms.

After happily munching on the boar burger, we wandered over to High River Sauces and I, being too scared of the heat, hung back while my sons tried their hottest sauce -- Hellacious Hot Sauce.  As you can plainly see, his face says it all -- IT'S HOT!  He tells me it's really good and full of flavor when you first put it in your mouth but then when it's going down -- whoa.
Tom's Roid-Rippin' Hot Sauce was next but we were all too heated up to try it (or chicken, take your pick...).  Their tent was inviting and colorful and I'm sorry we didn't stop there first!

Next was Mama O's Premium Kimchi tent where there were 5 different kimchi variations available.  All are sold in Whole Foods and have no preservatives in them while still full of the great health benefits that kimchi is known for.  What's kimchi??  Traditionally, it is made with cabbage which is fermented.  The fermentation process allows for good bacteria to form which has a number of excellent health benefits for women and is a great digestive aid.  Kimchi can be used as a topper for burgers, hot dogs, on eggs -- anywhere you'd like a kick of flavor.  While the traditional preparation uses fish sauce, Mama O's has two options that are vegan and one is Kosher. 

One of the highlights of my day was our stop at Lucky 777 Chili where they had this absolutely wonderfully spicy turkey chili on a spicy hotdog.  My vote for best hotdog goes to the triple sevens!!  You can also try them out yourself by visiting them at 116 MacDougal Street, NYC from 11am - 4am (212-777-2422).  They also gave out the coolest mardi-gras necklaces...

By now, the unlimited sampling of CookOut NYC! was getting to me.  I had to take a break and wandered over to the Zagat tent.  They're putting out a new restaurant guide soon and are seeking feedback from the public (us!!) to see what we think about restaurants that are not currently in their guide; even restaurants in the outer boroughs.  When you provide reviews/feedback on 15 restaurants, you receive a Zagat embossed gift for your troubles.

Zio Restaurant was present and made a mean pork belly with grilled pineapples.  I did not get any (sadly), but my son raved about it.

There was one tent there that offered braised pork tacos with a cilantro/pineapple sauce with a hint of jalepeno which was very refreshing (near the front against the fence).  The restaurant's name is Jimmy's No.43 located at 43 East 7th Street, NYC.

And what was for dessert?? Wooly's Shaved Ice and MELT ice cream sandwiches, of course.  The Wooly's shaved ice was creamy, light, refreshing, not too sweet, yet delicious simultaneously.  This "snow ice" is a cross between Hawaiian Ices and Tawainese Ices.  The owner/operator of this food cart, Danny Che, uses a Hawaiian Ice machine that cuts the block of ice into thin sheets and then tops the luscious smooth ice with sea salt lemon or strawberry syrup and a smattering of healthy fruit toppings.  The small is $5 and the large is $7 and very very reasonably priced.  Once you taste this shaved ice, you will crave it!
MELT was right next door to Wooly's and we chose the Red Velvet Cake Cream Cheese Ice Cream Sandwich.  Rich.  Creamy.  Delicious.  At $4 each, it was well worth it.  They also had a Snickerdoodle ice cream sandwich.

Wooly's Shaved Ice

Red Velvet Cake Ice Cream Sandwich

Melt Bakery's Ice Cream Sandwiches

Wooly's Shaved Ice - Food Cart Extraodinaire

Daniel, Fossil Farms - cooking boar burgers

High River Sauces - Hellacious Hot Sauce Guy

Hellacious Hot Sauce Face!

Mama O's Premium Kimchi

Try and catch it tomorrow.