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. :)
Amazon Parrot, Bird, Despicable Me, Family, memories, Movies

Minions

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Is there a movie out there that you could watch repeatedly? The jokes don’t get old? No matter if you know the next scene about to come but instead you are waiting for it so you can just laugh out loud? My latest love is “Despicable Me”. I can not even begin to count how many times I have seen this movie. The fact that it was In Demand on my cable was bad enough but now my son owns a copy. He had seen it so many times through me he is in love with it as I am.  It is good clean fun and no matter what part of the movie is playing, if I am walking by the couch will have a new buddy. I will be honest this movie was not watched when it first came out. But now that it has entered my life, last six months, it gets watched daily.

Now that might seem excessive to watch the same movie every single day. Well there’s a catch. Our birdie Jasper, the one pictured on this blog, has fallen in love with the yellow minions from the movie. My son and I both agree they make this film work. Jasper will slide down the rail, onto the couch and get comfortable in front of the tv so he can watch his movie. Please don’t walk in front of him. And whatever you do, DO NOT SIT DOWN IN FRONT OF HIM. Oh my gosh talk about a bird who will have a hissy fit.

This is a picture of him getting riled up when I walked in front of him while he was watching the movie. He ruffled his feathers to hurry me along.

This is when I was talking to him during the movie. He totally ignored me in hopes I would shut up so he could get back to the show.

Jasper absolutely loves this movie. In fact as I type up this blog he is situated at the corner of the couch watching “Despicable Me”. He laughs at the same spots we do and at spots we don’t. It is comical to find out what he thinks is funny or not.

We have corrupted our green buddy and he likes it. They are making a sequel that comes out next summer. Hopefully the people in charge do it justice. I suspect if they do a copy will make its way home for my family to enjoy for a long time.

Until then the spot on the couch will get a little more worn out from where Jasper sits to watch this film.

P.S.

Other shows he likes to watch are:

SpongeBob SquarePants

Scooby- Doo- But not the ones with Scrabby-Doo. My bird is smart.

How To Train Your Dragon

Author, Books, Creative Writing, Critique, Editing, Manuscript, Plot

Are you hooked?

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“You are going to hate me for this,” Robin said as she looked at me with sadness. I had just read the first chapter to a book that had been completed a week before. Sitting in the library room with one of my writer’s group I tensed on the inside. Okay be calm, breath how back can this be?

Robin said the first two paragraphs of my first page needed to go somewhere, anywhere but where it had been placed. My hook she continued really started on paragraph three. Looking where she pointed I knew she was right, 100 percent correct. Thanking her I made the notes on the sheet.

The back story would just be moved elsewhere in the book. It is rare I delete that much words unless they don’t work anywhere else. The hook, the most important part of any story regardless of length has to be mastered. There are many books on this topic though the one I refer to most often is “Hooked” by Les Edgerton. This determines if a reader will continue with your novel or just place it down never to be picked up again. Some example of hooks:

-”The creatures came again last night.” – Seven Views of Olduvai Gorge

-”I lost all interest in sex after I died.”- Water-Skiing Down the Styx

-”When John Rochon was found dead Sunday morning on his front lawn, his neighbors were not surprised- only they had always somehow suspected his timid wife Beth would die first.”-He Had It Coming

One of my writing teachers once said if you are missing a hook at the beginning, then go through your story and find it. There is a chance you have written the hook but have placed it further into the story line. This is something we as writers can not ignore and hope it will just happen.

One of the many reasons we write is to have people read our stories and get enjoyment from them. To do that we have to make sure they get pass page one, then page two and so on until the last page has been read. As much time and effort we put into writing it does no one any good if the book remains on the shelf or worse the trash can.

Advice, Author, Book, Character Development, Characters, Creating Real Life Characters, Creative Writing, Editing

Books Books Books

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When I go to a used book store the first place that is sought out is the section on writing. There is usually something that can be useful. Lately I am finding that most of the books shelved are also on my bookcase at home. I am getting a nice collection of books on writing. In fact there are so many novels that I can run my own mini library if needed. Yes you would need to sign them out thank you very much. 🙂

Topics that I have books on:

-Two high school English books

-How to get a literary agent

-How to get your book published without an agent

-How to write for children

-How to write short stories

-How to get published

-How to write query letters/cover letters

-Every edition of Writer’s Digest for the past two years

-Writer’s Market for the last two years

-Children’s Market

The list goes on. I can not be alone on this right? The ones that I gravitate to and are within easy reach are:

-Story Engineering

-Stephen King On Writing

-Hook

-The Elements of Style

-Write Where You Are: How to Use Writing to Make Sense of Your Life

-The Essential Writer’s Companion

-MLA Handbook

There are so many books that one can get overwhelmed. Especially if you are just starting out. The fact I had to get a new bookcase just for these books said it all. Hopefully among the volumes of books you come across there will be useful information that you can apply to your own writings. If there are books out there that has helped you, let me know. What’s one more book, right?