Fiction Scribe

Happy Friday, everyone!

Welcome to this week’s author interview. I had the pleasure of speaking to historical fiction novelist Celia Hayes. She’s here to talk about her life as an author and her book To Truckee’s Trail. I hope you’ll join me in welcoming her to Fiction Scribe.

Hello and thank you for stopping at Fiction Scribe, Ms. Hayes. Tell the readers a bit about yourself.

I live in Texas, after retiring from the Air Force, where I was a military broadcaster and public affairs technician. I grew up in California, but spent most of my time in the military living and travelling overseas. The movers had a bet going, the last time I moved – how many boxes of books they would pack. It topped out at 65.

What brought you into the world of writing? When did you start?

I started when I was about thirteen, actually – knowing that I wanted to be a writer, but I began to think that I ought to have something interesting to write about first – hence the military. Drastic, eh? I did a lot of writing in the military, actually: I did radio news, and spot production, training materials and video briefings.

Every time I turned around, there was a requirement for me to write something! A couple of years after I retired, I had a chance to start contributing to a military weblog, Sgt. Stryker’s Daily Brief (Now The Daily Brief at www.ncobrief.com) – and that is where I seriously started writing for a wider audience, and acquiring fans. I set myself a personal requirement to write an essay of 500-1,000 words for it three times a week, on anything that took my fancy and interest.

You’re here today to talk about your book To Truckee’s Trail. Would you tell us a bit about the book?

It’s one of the great unknown adventures of the frontier – the very first wagon-train party to bring wagons over the Sierra Nevada to California. In 1844 they discovered and scouted the route used by subsequent parties of emigrants, all the way from the Humboldt Sink, up along the Truckee River and over present-day Donner Pass. Like the Donner Party, they were also caught by winter snow, forced to break up into smaller groups and nearly starving while elements of their party spent the winter camping in twenty feet of snow.

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Hello everyone, and welcome to the final NaNoBreak.

Here is the final post for you to rant about the process, brag about how long you have already been done, talk about your story or your characters…whatever you want. Consider the doors of the virtual café officially open.

It’s been an interesting journey, with many people dropping out in the first week and many more people finishing before the deadline. Now, as we in Australia either sit back and enjoy the last day or type furiously to get word counts met, people in the States are meeting their final twenty-four hours.

I’m spending my final NaNo hours getting other work done, because November 30th is the deadline for many things in my life other than NaNoWriMo. Once again I come to the end of November with a different number of words I expected.

However, I am not sick of the story, like I usually am at this point. My husband and I spent last night wandering around Melbourne so I could get some locations mapped and named for the story. I have never had to do that for a story before (the maps and landmarks all being in my head with other stories) so it was a fun experience.

All in all, I think NaNo is whatever you put into it. I consider it a way to get myself started on working on something, and I always start each year. I have to shake my head at people who take it too seriously – either because they think it’s a waste of time or because they think they’ll finally write a novel and instantly get it published. Either way, it’s a bit silly.

I finish this year’s NaNoWriMo once again happy to have participated in the event.

Congratulations to all who make it past the word count line and also to those who may not have but still stuck it out until the end.

Thirteen Ways to get Your Woman

1. Fight a dragon
2. Fight ‘the bad guy’
3. Give a rib
4. Give a kiss
5. Woo her
6. Climb her hair
7. Have six zeroes at the end of your bank account
8. Own a valiant black or white steed
9. Win a war
10. Kidnap her
11. Climb to the highest room of the tallest tower
12. Stop the wedding!
13. Give her shoe back

Hello everyone, and welcome to the very last discussion of Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott. We have been having these discussions since August and it has been a wonderful experience.

I have revisited things I’d learned and forgotten, and I have learned new things. I have new techniques to approach my writing with, and I am very happy with the overall experience I have had reading this book.

We are now reading the last section and chapter of the book, the appropriately named The Last Class.

I hope you’ll join me today in discussing this last section of what has been a wonderful book.

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Not every writer does this, but I’ve heard it enough to make it a strong marker on my pet peeve list.

Writer’s block whiners.

I’ve had writer’s block. I accept it exists because it is the reason I am happily writing away on one novel instead of slogging through molasses on another novel. Note the important bit, though: I’m still writing. Exciting, I know.

I get annoyed by the writers who, because they ‘simply can’t move on past this scene’ in their first draft science fiction novel, they simply don’t write. What? No, don’t do that. Just because you ‘can’t’ work on one project means you’re simply going to not write for however long?

This is the part where I smack my forehead.

Oh, so you have writer’s block? Okay, accept it and move on. Having ‘the block’ is not your excuse to walk away from the notebook/computer to go play video games. (Even if you do consider your Xbox your muse, leave it alone because you’re probably ripping off the story line of the game in one way or another.)

Writer’s block isn’t the inability to write, it’s feeling like you are unable to write. Sure, I feel like having a family size bag of M&Ms while I work today, but that doesn’t mean I go ahead and have it. I don’t have the money to waste or the gym time to spend working it off, so I override what I feel by using logic.

So, poor and pouty writers, bulldoze through. If you can’t, work on something else because you obviously have the block with your current work in progress for a reason…

The Bird by Bird book discussion will be continuing tomorrow, don’t forget!

Remember to have your copy of Bird by Bird and have read “Part Five: The Last Class”.

Thank you to all who participate. Feel free to jump in at any time on the discussions.

One of the most challenging things for a writer is to make the commitment to sit down every day and write.

It can be hard with timing and family and work. The list goes on and on. When you finally sit down, it’s easy to claim writer’s block and go watch television instead of writing.

Well it’s time for you to stop being so soft on yourself and start writing. Make the commitment.

Remember writing challenges? I had the idea I would give a prize at the end of every week to anyone who could show me they had completed the challenge. However, most of those challenges were to set a certain minimum word count every day.

What’s the problem? Well, if you can’t get your butt in a chair to write every day without an instant reward to motivate you, then you’re not going to get published.

There isn’t always going to be someone there (in fact, there is hardly ever going to be someone there) dangling your needed carrot in front of you to motivate you to write. Most of the motivation is going to have to come within you. You are the one who is going to have to whip the moaning, lazy parts of yourself that stop you from writing. Only you can turn down all the voices in your head telling you what you’d rather be doing.

So the next time you choose the television over writing, remind yourself you’re gazing into your future. Ten, twenty, or more years from now, you’ll still be choosing the television.

That is, if you don’t change. Today.

I say … and you think … ?

1. Filthy ::
2. Therapist ::
3. Duck ::
4. Slant ::
5. Artist ::
6. Lease ::
7. Wish ::
8. Doormat ::
9. Global ::
10. Apartment ::

Idea courtesy of Luna Nina

Hello and welcome to another NaNo break! Today is the beginning (if you start your week with Sunday and not Monday) of the last week of NaNoWriMo. This is a space for you to talk about your word count, talk about if you’re considering quitting or have already done so, and talk about all the weight you’ve gained by eating junk food while writing.

So, how is it going?

I’m still behind. Of course. I thought the third year would be the charm for me, but it’s obviously not. I’m planning on getting a lot of writing after I finish an outline for the story I’m working on, but I don’t plan on passing the fifty-thousand mark before this Friday. Maybe half that.

I feel bad somewhat because, as the Fiction Scribe, I feel like I should complete NaNoWriMo. Then again, I feel I’m doing more as a true writer by taking my time with what I’m working on because I like it a lot and I don’t want to end up throwing half of it away because I wrote in a rush just to meet the NaNoWriMo deadline.

This is my first romance – I’ve always wanted to write a romance – and I want to take my time with it.

I could start something weird and pointless to make the deadline…but I won’t. Mr. Scribe would probably kick my butt if I started another project.

Good luck and good speed, everyone!

If you’re looking for a bit of inspiration for NaNoWriMo or NaBloPoMo, go to Write Anyway where there is a prompt for each going up every day this month.

$5575.00The Cadaver Calculator - Find out how much your body is worth.

It happens so subtly at first. You’re sitting back after your large Thanksgiving meal (if you’re in the States) and it’s in the back of your mind at first. Then, bam! You realize.

It’s now officially Christmas season.

What to get? Shopping to do, another big meal to plan, will he really mind socks for the third year in a row or do you have time to think of a ‘real’ gift for him?

Calm down. It’s not time to panic.

If you have a writer in your life (or someone who fancies him/herself as a writer) I have a few gift ideas for you.

Do you have a poet in your life? Then check out Poets.org http://www.poets.org/page.php/prmID/75 This is a great site with a lot of merchandise ranging from books to clothing to bags. Not only that, they have a “Priced Under $20” section that will make anyone with a budget sigh with relief.

If the writer in your life prefers the ‘finer’ writing things in life, then you should check out NostalgicImpressions.com http://www.nostalgicimpressions.com/ This is one cool site. We’re talking quills, inkwells, calligraphy sets… You can even get an embosser, which is really cool but rather pointless if you’re at all like me. But it’s still awesome.

MagneticPoetry.com http://www.magneticpoetry.com/ has to be one of the coolest online shops I’ve found. I never got into the whole magnepoem thing, but this site has a lot more than that, including word buttons, word beads, and word stamps. It’s worth a look at the very least.

CafePress.com I think someone needs to by me this shirt (on the right). It’s just…perfect, don’t you think? Or the shirt that says: “Careful, or you’ll end up in my NOVEL.” If you need some nice gifts that are fun and not usually expensive, go to Café Press and search “writers” or “writing”. There is so much fun stuff there, you might just find yourself giving yourself a few presents this year.

Be sure to check out my gift ideas for the book lover in your life on The Book Stacks and even more ideas for gifts on Long Relationships.

Hello Fiction Scribe readers. Today I have the pleasure of welcoming Dennis Griffin, author of Cullotta - The Life of a Chicago Criminal, Las Vegas Mobster, and Government Witness, to the site.

I hope you’ll join me in welcoming him.

Hello and thank you for stopping at Fiction Scribe, Mr. Griffin. Tell the readers a bit about yourself.

I began writing in 1994 following a twenty-year career inn investigations and law enforcement in New York State. My first book, The Morgue, was published in 1996 and is a fictionalized account of the last case I investigated prior to retirement. It tells the story of an upstate New York medical examiner’s office run amok. My motivation for writing the book wasn’t fame or fortune. I simply had a story that I felt very strongly needed to be told and wanted to get it out there.

However, after The Morgue was published I found I was hooked on writing. I currently have six fiction and three non-fiction books in print.

You’re currently on virtual tour for your true crime novel Cullotta – The Life of a Chicago Criminal, Las Vegas Mobster, and Government Witness. Could you tell us a bit about the book?

Cullotta is the biography of Frank Cullotta. The book tells his life story beginning in his hometown of Chicago, where he began his criminal career as a teenager. One of the other young toughs on the Windy City streets at the same time was Tony Spilotro. For those not familiar with Spilotro, in the 1995 movie Casino, actor Joe Pesci played a character based on him. Frank and Tony became close friends and committed numerous crimes together and independently.

Tony eventually became a made man in the Chicago Outfit, while Frank preferred to remain independent of the mob. He worked with them at times, but as an associate. The first murder he committed was a contract hit for the Outfit.

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Thirteen Ways to get Your Man

*Extra points if you can name the ten books used to make this list (three don’t come from books)…

1. Kiss a frog
2. Choke on an apple
3. Leave a glass slipper behind
4. Sleep on his bed until he kisses you
5. Trade in your voice for legs
6. Tie him to a bed and break his ankles
7. Let him use your hair as a climbing rope
8. Tell him you’re the descendant of Jesus Christ
9. Borrow a rib
10. Get separated from your group in the jungle and be rescued by him
11. Ask your author nicely
12. A gourmet feast
13. Show up naked. Bring beer.

Hello everyone, and welcome to the book discussion before the last book discussion. We’ll be finishing the book soon, so feel free to drop in and talk about the chapters were reading. Also feel free to go back to past discussions and comment there.

Last week we talked about Writing a Present and Finding Your Voice. Today we’ll be discussing Giving and Publication.

This was an interesting chapter, to say the least. Like Lamott, I tried to find loopholes in it even though it made sense. It still went again my basic instincts about ‘preserving the best’ for a later date.

She’s right, though, in that you should treat your story like your child. Or a loved one. Give all you have right from the beginning. You may make mistakes, but you’ll learn from them and become a better person – a better writer.

I long ago forgot what it’s like to completely give to the stories I write, and I’m glad to have found this book that mentions it.

I love the story she tells of the little boy, by the way. How utterly cute and amazing is he?

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Stuck for ideas? Having a hard time writing?

Try meditation.

Many writers in the past and present have found that taking a hot, relaxing bath is just the thing to help them on their way to solving their writing problems. However, not everyone likes baths or has the water to take such a long shower.

If you’re having trouble, try meditation. The idea is still the same – you’re relaxing yourself and your mind so your subconscious can come out to play.

Give it a try and see what happens. It may not happen instantly, but it will happen.

If you are looking for inspiration by the way of prompts, be sure to check out Write Anyway where I am posting a NaBloPoMo prompt and NaNoWriMo prompt every day this month.