I'm gratified by the opportunity to become a contributor to this fantastic blog begun by Attorney Pierce Harlan. You can't read my blog or website -- or my novels -- without concluding that I'm no feminist and that I support the men's rights movement. And false rape accusations overwhelmingly impact men.
Over time, I'll educate myself on what feminists say about the "rape culture" and how it appears to impact the growing number of false rape accusations. Actually, do anyone but feminists talk about a "rape culture"? I think the claim is as dubious as the article positing that overwhelming "hatred of women" exists in the United States (it was on truthout years ago, or Daily Kos or one of those ultra-lib websites -- I'll find it and post a link when I have time). Really? The USA, where women have excessive influence over government, run public education, and enjoy the cushiest female existence on the planet? Gimme a break!
In any case, I'll post what I discover in short essays at The False Rape Society. Many thanks to Pierce for the opportunity!
Taking a break from writing...
...to mess around in the great outdoors....
My Upside Down Garden
I'm not much of a TV watcher, but I've been doing a little more of that lately and one thing that's caught my eye is something called the Topsy Turvy tomato planter. Last time I tried to grow tomatoes, squirrels and some kind of little worm shredded the plants, so I wondered if this off-the-ground garden might work for me.
But with my track record, I didn't want to spend twenty bucks per planter. Soooo, I got online and found all sorts of do-it-yourself upside down planter instructions (I do love the Internet!) and decided to try my hand at upside down gardening on the cheap.
My planters are gallon ice cream buckets (I've been sticking them in the back of the cabinet for-ever -- always knew they'd come in handy for something!). They're smaller than the Topsy Turvy and some other homemade solutions (five-gallon hard plastic buckets, for example), which means I'll have to water and feed the plants more often.
But here's my first attempt, cobbled together Tuesday and Wednesday, April 20 and 21, 2010.
Below: My happy little ice cream bucket upside-down planters -- one missing a top. Various sites recommend keeping a top on the planter, to keep in moisture. Apparently these things can dry out pretty fast. Recommendations are to water once or twice a day, and feed the plants every couple of weeks.
Below: Yellow crookneck squash. (Love cheesy squash!) Sixty-five days to harvest.
Below: Cucumber. Fifty-five days to harvest after transplanting. Ah, I can taste the cuke and tomato salad now!
Below. Another view of my upside down veggie garden. I knotted the plant hangers from clothesline -- it's made to take what the outdoors dishes out -- purchased at a big box store.
Below: The, um, gallows? I made it myself from two old fence posts and a somewhat curved two by four.
Below: Another tip found online. Make a "soaker" waterer out of an old gallon milk jug with pinholes punched in the bottom. Since my planters are "half-size" I'm using a half-gallon jug.
Just released -- High On a Mountain by Tommie Lyn
A MacLachlainn Saga, Book One: Ailean.
The stirring tale of one man's remarkable journey through life; a story of adventure and love...of faith, loss and redemption.
Dedicated to our Scottish ancestors,
who suffered so much, yet
endured it all without complaint
and without succumbing to self-pity.
As a boy, Ailean MacLachlainn dreamed of living an adventurous life and longed to be a celebrated warrior of his clan. Until a shy smile and a glance from Mùirne's blue eyes turned his head and escalated his rivalry with Latharn into enmity and open conflict.
When Ailean became a man, his boyhood dreams faded. Until Bonnie Prince Charlie came to reclaim his father's throne. The Jacobite loyalties of Ailean's clan chief involved the MacLachlainns in the uprising and set Ailean on a course toward a destiny of which he could never have dreamed.
A hearty congratualtions to my sister, Tommie Lyn, on the publication of the book that started it all for her. Fantastic job, sis!
The stirring tale of one man's remarkable journey through life; a story of adventure and love...of faith, loss and redemption.
who suffered so much, yet
endured it all without complaint
and without succumbing to self-pity.
As a boy, Ailean MacLachlainn dreamed of living an adventurous life and longed to be a celebrated warrior of his clan. Until a shy smile and a glance from Mùirne's blue eyes turned his head and escalated his rivalry with Latharn into enmity and open conflict.
When Ailean became a man, his boyhood dreams faded. Until Bonnie Prince Charlie came to reclaim his father's throne. The Jacobite loyalties of Ailean's clan chief involved the MacLachlainns in the uprising and set Ailean on a course toward a destiny of which he could never have dreamed.
A hearty congratualtions to my sister, Tommie Lyn, on the publication of the book that started it all for her. Fantastic job, sis!
Confederate History Month
"The SOUTH is a land that has known sorrows; it is a land that has broken the ashen crust and moistened it with tears; a land scarred and riven by the plowshare of war and billowed with the graves of her dead; but a land of legend, a land of song, a land of hallowed and heroic memories.
"To that land every drop of my blood, every fiber of my being, every pulsation of my heart, is consecrated forever. I was born of her womb; I was nurtured at her breast; and when my last hour shall come, I pray GOD that I may be pillowed upon her bosom and rocked to sleep within her tender and encircling arms."Edward Ward Carmack (1858-1908),
United States Representative, Tennessee
It's unfortunate if anyone is offended by my tribute to Confederate History Month, but I don't apologize for esteeming my Southern ancestors, or blame them for fighting an invading army that brought waste, fire and death to their homes and region.
My position is that the people of the Confederacy were no worse than anyone else -- particularly the ones who came South and made war on them.
I'm not one of those who claim, "The war had nothing to do with slavery." Nor do I accept the simplistic reasoning that slavery was the only reason for the war. A review of history plainly shows that there had been bad blood between north and South since colonial days; slavery was just an excuse to bring the animosity to blows.
I can't say it any better than Douglas Harper has written it:
Dealing with American history on this level requires patience and the ability to get past attitudes unwilling to go further than, "They had slaves, slaves were wrong, the South deserves everything it got." The American Civil War was "about" slavery like the Boston Tea Party was "about" tea. Slavery became the symbol and character of all sectional differences. It was the emotional gasoline on the sectional fires. Its moral and social implications colored every issue in terms of right and rights. William Seward, the Republican leader whose party made so much of this, recognized the fact: "Every question, political, civil, or ecclesiastical, however foreign to the subject of slavery, brings up slavery as an incident, and the incident supplants the principal question."
No matter what squabbles the regions had, and there were many, somebody always brought slavery into the argument, so that what has come down to us is an erroneous emphasis on slavery as the only issue.
All that's necessary to see there was far more to the war than slavery is to read the declarations of secession issued by the states. On anti-Southern blogs, you sometimes find the declarations with everything deleted but the passages referring to slavery.
This is possibly a photo of my ancestor, Private Balus Brackett, Company I, 39th Regiment, Georgia Volunteer Infantry, Army of Tennessee, C.S.A. Gilmer County, Georgia, "Gilmer Tigers #2" Joined the Confederate Army March 4, 1862. Fought in the Battle of Corinth, Miss, October 3-4, 1862
In any case, whatever others may choose, I will honor my Confederate ancestors and their causes, plural, their gallantry, their nobility, their sacrifice. Had the Confederate States of America prevailed, had slavery ended peacefully, the victim of economics and industrialization, as it had ended everywhere else up till then, I can't imagine the CSA would be any more screwed up today than the United States of America is....
Heroines of the Confederate States of America
A politically incorrect tribute on the occasion of Women's History Month 2010
Varina Howell Davis
First Lady of the Confederacy
http://www.civilwar.si.edu/leaders_varinadavis.html# ________________________________________
Mary Boykin Chesnut
The Confederacy's Renown Diarist http://docsouth.unc.edu/southlit/chesnut/bio.html
Diary here: http://docsouth.unc.edu/southlit/chesnut/menu.html ________________________________________
Rose O'Neal Greenhow
Famous Confederate Spy and Courier to Europe http://www.mycivilwar.com/leaders/greenhow_rose.htm________________________________________
Belle Boyd
Confederate Spy and "Cleopatra of Secession"
http://civilwar.org/education/history/biographies/maria-belle-boyd.html ________________________________________
Emma Sansom, Gallant Frarm Girl of Alabama http://www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/face/Article.jsp?id=h-1360________________________________________
LaGrange, Georgia's female militia, The Nancy Harts
Named for a Georgia heroine of the American Revolution
http://www.forttyler.com/nancyharts.htm
http://www.exploresouthernhistory.com/nancyharts.html________________________________________
The Women of Roswell Mills, Georgia
Civilian captives of the Yankee invader
http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.jsp?id=h-1086
Photos: Varina Davis, Wikipedia; Rose O'Neal Greenhow, Documenting the American South, University of North Carolina; Belle Boyd, Documenting the American South, University of North Carolina; Mary Boykin Chesnut, City of Alexandria website: Emma Sansom, Alabama Archives and History via FindAGrave.
First Lady of the Confederacy
http://www.civilwar.si.edu/leaders_varinadavis.html#
The Confederacy's Renown Diarist
Diary here: http://docsouth.unc.edu/southlit/chesnut/menu.html
Famous Confederate Spy and Courier to Europe
Confederate Spy and "Cleopatra of Secession"
http://civilwar.org/education/history/biographies/maria-belle-boyd.html
Named for a Georgia heroine of the American Revolution
http://www.forttyler.com/nancyharts.htm
http://www.exploresouthernhistory.com/nancyharts.html
The Women of Roswell Mills, Georgia
Civilian captives of the Yankee invader
http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.jsp?id=h-1086
Photos: Varina Davis, Wikipedia; Rose O'Neal Greenhow, Documenting the American South, University of North Carolina; Belle Boyd, Documenting the American South, University of North Carolina; Mary Boykin Chesnut, City of Alexandria website: Emma Sansom, Alabama Archives and History via FindAGrave.
A great cause to support
Men's Studies. But really? Is that necessary?
For decades, education in the United States has been oriented to the way girls learn while showing hostility to how boys learn. As a result, boys are falling behind in school. Almost two-thirds of college students are females, which is used as justification for denying male students participation in sports. Boys are three to four times as likely as girls to commit suicide.
Men die sooner. They account for over 90% of workplace deaths. They have been hit particularly hard by the service economy and the current recession. Men are disproportionately victimized by America's family court system, having their children and livelihood stolen from them. Male victims of domestic violence are routinely ignored by legislators, law enforcement and the public. Men are disproportionately demonized in the media and the popular culture.
Feminism claims to be about equality of the sexes. Why, then, have there been Women's Studies courses in our universities for decades, but no Men's Studies?
Hopefully, that is about to change, thanks to the On Step Institute which is sponsoring a symposium on Male Studies on April 7, 2010.
As a supporter of Men's Rights, I give the On Step Institute a hearty cheer.
For decades, education in the United States has been oriented to the way girls learn while showing hostility to how boys learn. As a result, boys are falling behind in school. Almost two-thirds of college students are females, which is used as justification for denying male students participation in sports. Boys are three to four times as likely as girls to commit suicide.
Men die sooner. They account for over 90% of workplace deaths. They have been hit particularly hard by the service economy and the current recession. Men are disproportionately victimized by America's family court system, having their children and livelihood stolen from them. Male victims of domestic violence are routinely ignored by legislators, law enforcement and the public. Men are disproportionately demonized in the media and the popular culture.
Feminism claims to be about equality of the sexes. Why, then, have there been Women's Studies courses in our universities for decades, but no Men's Studies?
Hopefully, that is about to change, thanks to the On Step Institute which is sponsoring a symposium on Male Studies on April 7, 2010.
As a supporter of Men's Rights, I give the On Step Institute a hearty cheer.
We have a winner!
Folks, I apologize for my Itsy Bitsy Story Contest being sabotaged by technology (or the failure thereof) among other things. We had one vote, cast by starfleetbrat, which went to Shannon. And here's Shannon's winning entry:
Congratulation, Shannon. And thanks to all who participated!
Connie
The vice president had told him to create a "game plan" to sell the stockholders on the new direction the company was taking. Mark knew what he was - a shill for the suits. It was time to learn how to talk out of both sides of his mouth, he figured. No one really believed those motivational posters right? Supposedly inspirational pictures with pithy sayings to keep the grunts from complaining too loudly. His promotion put him on the inside and so he had to wear the mask. His boss, of course, called it being a team player.
Congratulation, Shannon. And thanks to all who participated!
Connie
Let the voting begin
Congrats and thanks to the seven entrants in the Itsy Bitsy Story Contest. I'm glad I'm the moderator and don't get a vote, because they're all great and I'd lose sleep trying to choose!
Read the stories here: Entries
Then, beginning at midnight (February 8) choose your favorite by number or author name -- and vote in the comments HERE.
Voting ends Sunday, February 14, 2010 at midnight.
1. Alison McEvoy Murray
"She loves me...she loves me not....
2. Rowan Elizabeth
"She watches him from across the library...."
3. starfleetbrat
"He sees her by the water cooler..."
4. lastingdreams
"With all the technology surrounding us..."
5. Shannon
"The vice president had told to create a 'game plan'..."
6. serafine-fic
"Surrounded by the files they had worked so hard on...."
7. Ai
"Dear Mom, Boarding school sucks..."
It's been great fun and I hope to do it again, with more promotion and, hopefully, more great entries!
Thanks again to all who entered stories. You're all great writers!
Connie
Read the stories here: Entries
Then, beginning at midnight (February 8) choose your favorite by number or author name -- and vote in the comments HERE.
Voting ends Sunday, February 14, 2010 at midnight.
1. Alison McEvoy Murray
"She loves me...she loves me not....
2. Rowan Elizabeth
"She watches him from across the library...."
3. starfleetbrat
"He sees her by the water cooler..."
4. lastingdreams
"With all the technology surrounding us..."
5. Shannon
"The vice president had told to create a 'game plan'..."
6. serafine-fic
"Surrounded by the files they had worked so hard on...."
7. Ai
"Dear Mom, Boarding school sucks..."
It's been great fun and I hope to do it again, with more promotion and, hopefully, more great entries!
Thanks again to all who entered stories. You're all great writers!
Connie
Woohoo, Saints Superbowl Champs!
Congrats to Coach Sean Peyton, Quarterback Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints on their Superbowl victory over the Indianapolis Colts. Husband ecstatic; crying tears of joy. He's a Louisiana Boy who's been waiting for this for decades!
Contest Deadline Extended
Thanks to the slimy black-hat hackers who created "Internet Security 2010" fake anti-virus malware -- which has attacked my computer several times, caused loss of time and data, necessitated two restores of my system, and thus kept me from promoting the Itsy Bitsy Story Contest as I'd planned -- I'm extending the deadline another week, to February 7th. Voting for the winner will start February 8th and run until February 14 -- Valentine's Day! Post both your contest entry and your votes in the comments section.
There are some great entries already. Go read them, you'll enjoy them. Many thanks to the entrants!
So join in! Tell fellow writers in your forums and groups. It's great fun and because of the word restriction, it really is a challenge!
There are some great entries already. Go read them, you'll enjoy them. Many thanks to the entrants!
So join in! Tell fellow writers in your forums and groups. It's great fun and because of the word restriction, it really is a challenge!
Little Bitsy Story Contest
In a blatant ripoff of agent Rachelle Gardner's "A Teensy Weensy Story Challenge" from June 2008, I'm announcing the (first?) Little Bitsy Story Contest. Like Gardner's challenge, the idea is to write a 100-word story based on a visual writing prompt -- a photo. This photo:
The rules, such as they are, are similar, though not identical, to Gardner's. You enter by posting your 100-words-or-less story in the comments. Does it have to be about romance? No, any genre is fine -- just keep it clean. No profanity, obscenity, no explicit sex, kinky or otherwise. One entry per person. Rules may be revised on the whim of the contest sponsor (that's me).
No prizes, except for the satisfaction of knowing your story was selected as the best by your peers. And the winning entry will be showcased as a blog post.
Deadline for posting stories to the blog comments is midnight, January 31, 2010. Deadline for voting is Saturday, February 6, 2010. The winning entry will be posted to the blog the week of February 7th.
To see the inspiration for this contest, visit Rachelle Gardner's blog:
http://cba-ramblings.blogspot.com/2008/06/announcing.html
And read the winning entry here:
http://cba-ramblings.blogspot.com/2008/06/congratulations-to-winner.html
So look over the photo, let it get your creative juices flowing and post your entry! Questions? Post them in the comments and I'll answer them here.
Good luck -- and have fun!
The rules, such as they are, are similar, though not identical, to Gardner's. You enter by posting your 100-words-or-less story in the comments. Does it have to be about romance? No, any genre is fine -- just keep it clean. No profanity, obscenity, no explicit sex, kinky or otherwise. One entry per person. Rules may be revised on the whim of the contest sponsor (that's me).
No prizes, except for the satisfaction of knowing your story was selected as the best by your peers. And the winning entry will be showcased as a blog post.
Deadline for posting stories to the blog comments is midnight, January 31, 2010. Deadline for voting is Saturday, February 6, 2010. The winning entry will be posted to the blog the week of February 7th.
To see the inspiration for this contest, visit Rachelle Gardner's blog:
http://cba-ramblings.blogspot.com/2008/06/announcing.html
And read the winning entry here:
http://cba-ramblings.blogspot.com/2008/06/congratulations-to-winner.html
So look over the photo, let it get your creative juices flowing and post your entry! Questions? Post them in the comments and I'll answer them here.
Good luck -- and have fun!
Storm Surge submitted
I started this novel as a quickie "formula" romance that I hoped to find a publisher for, either print or electronic, to enhance the marketability of Southern Man. But I got so involved with the characters and the story, I had to give it my all ... sweet Briana who so badly wanted to do something "important" to overcome her frivolous, Southern-American-Princess self-image -- and who ended up biting off way more than she could chew ... and handsome, conscientious Justin, who put his business, employees, his church before himself, and buried his heart under responsibility and obligation ... and Kathy, a Category Five Hurricane who pays a visit to the Gulf Coast.
So, I've packed these two off to Toronto, or New York, or wherever Carina is; it's possible, being e-pubishers, that their readers and editors could be anywhere. Godspeed, Justin and Briana.
Now it's time to see who is waiting in the wings. Catlin? Jeremy? Randy, Shelby and John Mark?
Celebrating Heroes -- International Men's Day
November 19 is International Men's Day. This celebration of men is in its tenth year and exists for multiple reasons.
Visit here to learn more:
From the 2009 website:
Objectives of International Men's Day include a focus on men's and boys' health, improving gender relations, promoting gender equality, and highlighting positive male role models. It is an occasion for men to highlight discrimination against them and to celebrate their achievements and contributions, in particular for their contributions to community, family, marriage, and child care....
The ability to sacrifice your needs on behalf of others is fundamental to manhood, as is honour. Manhood rites of passage the world over recognise the importance of sacrifice in the development of manhood. Men make sacrifices everyday in their place of work, in their role as husbands and fathers, for their families, for their friends, for their communities and for their nation. International Men’s Day is an opportunity for people of goodwill everywhere to appreciate and celebrate the men in their lives and the contribution they make to society for the greater good of all.
People who know me, especially other writers and crit partners, know that I write to honor men. Heroes are the stars of my stories, their experience drives the plot. People also know, probably, that while I support women's rights, I am not a feminist, and think that much of the modern feminist agenda and influence is destructive for our culture, including women. My novels reflect that belief, also.
I love and honor men because the men I knew when I was growing up a preacher's kid in the Deep South were good, decent, intelligent and honorable men who loved and supported their families and were forces of good in their communities. Yes, I know not all men are like that, but the vast majority of men are not the oppressors feminism would have us believe.
Therefore, to celebrate International Men's Day, I honor here the two wonderful men who have been most important in my life....
Visit here to learn more:
Objectives of International Men's Day include a focus on men's and boys' health, improving gender relations, promoting gender equality, and highlighting positive male role models. It is an occasion for men to highlight discrimination against them and to celebrate their achievements and contributions, in particular for their contributions to community, family, marriage, and child care....
The ability to sacrifice your needs on behalf of others is fundamental to manhood, as is honour. Manhood rites of passage the world over recognise the importance of sacrifice in the development of manhood. Men make sacrifices everyday in their place of work, in their role as husbands and fathers, for their families, for their friends, for their communities and for their nation. International Men’s Day is an opportunity for people of goodwill everywhere to appreciate and celebrate the men in their lives and the contribution they make to society for the greater good of all.
People who know me, especially other writers and crit partners, know that I write to honor men. Heroes are the stars of my stories, their experience drives the plot. People also know, probably, that while I support women's rights, I am not a feminist, and think that much of the modern feminist agenda and influence is destructive for our culture, including women. My novels reflect that belief, also.
I love and honor men because the men I knew when I was growing up a preacher's kid in the Deep South were good, decent, intelligent and honorable men who loved and supported their families and were forces of good in their communities. Yes, I know not all men are like that, but the vast majority of men are not the oppressors feminism would have us believe.
Therefore, to celebrate International Men's Day, I honor here the two wonderful men who have been most important in my life....
November Madness Redux
It's been almost a year to the day since my first post on this blog about, you guessed it, NaNoWriMo. I had come home from a writer's meeting on November 1, all ready to jump into my first day of National Novel Writing Month -- and I remembered I hadn't signed up to participate.
Didn't make that mistake this year. I'm all signed up to write my 50,000 word novel in a month, tentatively titled Haven of Ruin (or, alternately, Shelter of Perfidy or Refuge of Havoc). It's about the destructive effects of America's cultural decline on a particular family. It's mainstream fiction and, like nearly everything I write, it's politically incorrect (i.e., the leading man is virtuous, strong and loving).
So they tell me I gotta turn off my "inner editor" and just write. Write 1,666 words a day. I think I can churn out the words, but that inner editor business -- we'll hafta see. I'm a plotter, not a pantser. From where I sit, no-editing-as-you-go looks ... daunting.
Didn't make that mistake this year. I'm all signed up to write my 50,000 word novel in a month, tentatively titled Haven of Ruin (or, alternately, Shelter of Perfidy or Refuge of Havoc). It's about the destructive effects of America's cultural decline on a particular family. It's mainstream fiction and, like nearly everything I write, it's politically incorrect (i.e., the leading man is virtuous, strong and loving).
So they tell me I gotta turn off my "inner editor" and just write. Write 1,666 words a day. I think I can churn out the words, but that inner editor business -- we'll hafta see. I'm a plotter, not a pantser. From where I sit, no-editing-as-you-go looks ... daunting.
For the Sweetest Romance Authors Scavenger Hunt
Welcome, scavenger hunters! Those of you who are owned by a cat may be able to relate to this.
This is my cat, Slick Man Buddy-ro. Yes, he really is this crotchety, except when he's being a sweet boy. But regardless of his mood, I have never seen an animal with such determination to get between me and my keyboard. He likes to lounge on my desk and use my arm for a pillow.
I love the little guy, but he does this at the most inopportune times. So I'm working on a scene from my next romance, Storm Surge. It's a tough one that's been evading me for some time. And just as it starts to come together, to gel enough for words, Buddy-ro jumps up on my desk for the sixteenth time today.
"Move! Go on, get down!"
He ignores me and stretches out in front of my keyboard and begins to purr. I resolutely pick him up and deposit him on the floor, return my fingers to the home keys and ... the scene is gone. Completely gone.
Grrrr!
But at least the scavenger hunt's not gone! To continue, follow this link: http://cindykgreen.blogspot.com/
This is my cat, Slick Man Buddy-ro. Yes, he really is this crotchety, except when he's being a sweet boy. But regardless of his mood, I have never seen an animal with such determination to get between me and my keyboard. He likes to lounge on my desk and use my arm for a pillow.
I love the little guy, but he does this at the most inopportune times. So I'm working on a scene from my next romance, Storm Surge. It's a tough one that's been evading me for some time. And just as it starts to come together, to gel enough for words, Buddy-ro jumps up on my desk for the sixteenth time today.
"Move! Go on, get down!"
He ignores me and stretches out in front of my keyboard and begins to purr. I resolutely pick him up and deposit him on the floor, return my fingers to the home keys and ... the scene is gone. Completely gone.
Grrrr!
But at least the scavenger hunt's not gone! To continue, follow this link: http://cindykgreen.blogspot.com/
Written Outtakes Festival
out⋅take /ˈaʊtˌteɪk/ –noun 1. a segment of film or videotape edited out of the final version.... ~dictionary.com
I think most writers have scenes they've cut from stories, novels or screenplays -- the equivalent of piles of film lying in coils on the editing room floor. Scenes get cut for various reasons. Some were never intended to be in the final version, anyway, but were exercises used by a writer to get to know characters better. Others get the ax because a story is too long, or it just doesn't read right.
In Southern Man, the protagonist, Troy Stevenson and his wife, Patty, have a "storybook" marriage. The reader finds that Patty's adoration of her husband is "near idolatrous" and that Troy is "crazy about his wife."
But even in near-perfect marriages, couples experience those less-than-perfect moments that let them know they're still in the real world, as the following scene illustrates. (BTW, I never intended for this scene to be in the novel, as it doesn't advance the story; but it did help me get to know my characters better.)
Do you have outtakes from your stories or novels you'd like to share? If they're short, please share them in the comments. A bit longer? Email them to me at conniechastain@gmail.com and we'll see about making them a future blog post. Or, post them to your own blog or site and send us the link!
Let's have an Written Outtake Festival!
________
Outtake from Southern Man
Patty steered the LeSabre down Benton Street to the intersection with busy Forsythe Avenue. She braked the vehicle to a halt and looked left and right. It was rush hour and traffic appeared to be nonstop in both directions.
Troy sat in the passenger's seat. They had just dropped off his vehicle at Abbott's for servicing tomorrow. Now he also looked left and right at the traffic and discerned breaks in both lanes that would reach the intersection at the same time.
"Go after that red Toyota," he said.
Patty studied the red vehicle's speed, looked in the other direction. She appeared to be getting ready to pull out when Troy suggested but the vehicle passed and the LeSaber didn't move.
"Go!" Troy said, but the window of opportunity was gone. "Why didn't you go?"
"Cars were moving too fast. The break in traffic wasn't big enough."
Troy groaned softly and began monitoring the traffic for another break. More seconds passed. "Okay...go! Now!"
Still, the LeSabre sat at the intersection, its turn signal ticking monotonously.
"What was wrong that time?"
Patty sighed. "I didn't know if that car in the outside lane might change lanes and hit us if I pulled out."
Troy nodded slightly, clamped his lips together and resumed looking for breaks in traffic.
Well aware of his exasperation, Patty said, "Do you want to drive?"
"I may have to if we want to get home toni--Go! Punch it!"
Patty punched it. The station wagon scooted across the intersection and turned left with a slight squealing of tires.
I think most writers have scenes they've cut from stories, novels or screenplays -- the equivalent of piles of film lying in coils on the editing room floor. Scenes get cut for various reasons. Some were never intended to be in the final version, anyway, but were exercises used by a writer to get to know characters better. Others get the ax because a story is too long, or it just doesn't read right.
In Southern Man, the protagonist, Troy Stevenson and his wife, Patty, have a "storybook" marriage. The reader finds that Patty's adoration of her husband is "near idolatrous" and that Troy is "crazy about his wife."
But even in near-perfect marriages, couples experience those less-than-perfect moments that let them know they're still in the real world, as the following scene illustrates. (BTW, I never intended for this scene to be in the novel, as it doesn't advance the story; but it did help me get to know my characters better.)
Do you have outtakes from your stories or novels you'd like to share? If they're short, please share them in the comments. A bit longer? Email them to me at conniechastain@gmail.com and we'll see about making them a future blog post. Or, post them to your own blog or site and send us the link!
Let's have an Written Outtake Festival!
Outtake from Southern Man
Patty steered the LeSabre down Benton Street to the intersection with busy Forsythe Avenue. She braked the vehicle to a halt and looked left and right. It was rush hour and traffic appeared to be nonstop in both directions.
Troy sat in the passenger's seat. They had just dropped off his vehicle at Abbott's for servicing tomorrow. Now he also looked left and right at the traffic and discerned breaks in both lanes that would reach the intersection at the same time.
"Go after that red Toyota," he said.
Patty studied the red vehicle's speed, looked in the other direction. She appeared to be getting ready to pull out when Troy suggested but the vehicle passed and the LeSaber didn't move.
"Go!" Troy said, but the window of opportunity was gone. "Why didn't you go?"
"Cars were moving too fast. The break in traffic wasn't big enough."
Troy groaned softly and began monitoring the traffic for another break. More seconds passed. "Okay...go! Now!"
Still, the LeSabre sat at the intersection, its turn signal ticking monotonously.
"What was wrong that time?"
Patty sighed. "I didn't know if that car in the outside lane might change lanes and hit us if I pulled out."
Troy nodded slightly, clamped his lips together and resumed looking for breaks in traffic.
Well aware of his exasperation, Patty said, "Do you want to drive?"
"I may have to if we want to get home toni--Go! Punch it!"
Patty punched it. The station wagon scooted across the intersection and turned left with a slight squealing of tires.
The New Covey Awards rocks!
And Southern Man is in the running! My book cover is #9 and the voting buttons are down the left side. Kudos to David Boultbee for making the site available; it's a boon to writers. Follow the link below to visit the site, learn more about it, and find out how to submit your cover. And if you're so inclined to cast your vote for my cover, I'll just be tickled to death!
THE NEW COVEY AWARDS
Thank you for the interview
My online friend and critique partner, Cara Martens, recently interviewed me for her blog, Moonstruck Gems. I'd love to have folks visit her blog read my interview, but the real treat is seeing her photos of gemstones and the lovely jewelry she makes from them. Don't miss it. And Cara, thanks so much for the interview. It was fun!
In the LASR Spotlight
I recently had a great time in the "Author Spotlight" at Long and Short Romance Reviews. Judy and Marianne at LASR had drawings back in the summer for several spotlight features -- and I won one of 'em! The spotlighted author writes five essays that are posted at the LASR review site from Monday through Friday. Site visitors answer questions from each essay and the winner receives a gift from the featured author. My gift to the winner was an autographed copy of my novel.My essay topics were as follows (click to go to LASR to read the essays).
Monday -- On Writing
Tuesday -- On Agenda and Theme
Wednesday -- My Hero
Thursday -- Dialog and Dialect
Friday -- Excerpt from Southern Man
I had a great time in the LASR spotlight, and I enjoyed the comments left by readers. LASR is a terrific site run by folks who do so much for romance authors. My thanks to you ladies, and best wishes for the continued success of your site!
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