All posts by NewEngland_Muse

I'm a traditionally and self published author. I write in the genre of children and YA at the moment but working my way up to adults. I'm a sports loving, photo taking gal who loves to sing/dance to my own enjoyment. I love to laugh even at myself. I am also owned by 8 birds and 2 hamsters, and yes they know it. :)
Life, Look around you, Stuck to your electronics

Our surroundings

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2013-07-21 18.27.38

 

Do you get sooooo busy you forget to look up? I know the answer is yes, for it is for me as well. Whether it is from my numerous doctor visits to my writings and all in between, this is me. This is one main reason why I love to take pictures. It takes me away from my phone, computer, social media, TV and any other issues that can make me forget the world I live in.

I go outside and get to walk around my community or whatever area my husband and I choose. He is more of a people person and loves taking pictures of us human beings. I gravitate toward scenery of all kinds.

On our outings which can last from a couple of hours in the minimum to four or five hours we always will stop by a place to eat and talk and discuss the pictures we took or things we may have seen or people we may have talked to.

Even if our pictures don’t all come out it is a great time toe be reminded there are other things in this world besides TV, computers and the internet. We get to busy with our everyday lives, with the promise of taking time off always on the tip of our tongues, but how often do we do that?

My husband is rarely seen without his camera, the promise of finding THE picture on his journey to work, bowling or to a client’s base of operation. I started taking up this habit of his and thankfully so. For I managed to take this picture.

I hope you all look up and see what is going on around you.

Killing a character, Writing, Writing Plots

Killing my hero

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“Is it okay to kill your main character?” I asked two of my writer friends at a coffee shop last week. They both stared at me.

“Well, is it?”

This little innocent question, in my mind, started a whole conversation on why it is and isn’t okay to do so. When is it okay to kill one’s character? The whole point of the book I am working on is for my hero to end for a worthy cause, one that will change and start a revolution. Hey it works in the movies, and I am sure there are books out there that have done this same thing. But when Robin mentioned I left nothing for a sequel if I did t hat my response was, “I’m not planning a sequel to this book.”

Again, they started at me in disbelief.

For me to not have my hero die would mean I would have to totally revise my book and the plots inside of it. I’m really not a fan of that, it would make the novel something that was never my intent. Granted, it could make it even better. But I know inside I will not be changing my WIP in that respect. I might change the ending a bit so there can be a sequel which in my writer friends mind would justify her dying. We will see. I am on page 20 of edits so I have a while to go.

"Squirel Mafia", Photography, Sharon C. Williams

Shooting squirrels

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After I had to delay the release of Squirrel Mafia due to the pictures, I was up and running trying to find new pictures. The little buggers who were always around and under my feet simply were no longer around. It’s like they knew I needed new photos.

This past Sunday my husband and I went out with the intention of doing so at the site we took the originals. While the color version of the book is fine, the black and white copy needs some adjustments.

At first when we sat down on benches, in the hot as heck North Carolina weather, I had no luck. A few minutes passed that turned into 10 that soon turned into 20 minutes again with no luck. The little demons were purposely avoiding me.

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Then I heard it. The sound of empty nut shells falling on the payment by the bench I was sitting on. Looking up I noticed the little guy above staring at me as he busily ate. I was so giddy I had found one I almost missed my shot. But he wasn’t going anywhere as he kept on eating the food that was around him. That taught me to instead of looking with my eyes that I needed to listen with my ears as I heard in other nearby spots the sound of shells hitting the payment and the tell-tale sound of the squeaking, for lack of a better word, of them communicating with each other.

It didn’t take long after that for me to end up with a selection of pictures that I hope will end up in the book so it can be released. I will sort through them, and send them off to my editor after which when she is done, will order a new proof to see if I was successful.

Cross fingers everyone. Hopefully soon I will be able to add this book to my list at http://tinyurl.com/meedtwe