The Heart Of Rock & Roll - Music in the literary world

If everyone hasn't been able to tell by now, I love music. Hard core even, and I like to think that I have fairly eclectic tastes. Pretty obvious with all my blog titles, I know, but still. To try and keep this semi-writing related, I thought it would be fun if we discuss how music can help us, not only with the application of writing, but with character motivations as well.

I know several authors that listen to music as they write. How they do it, I'll never know, its way to distracting for me. For some reason though it really puts them "in the zone," so to speak. Looking to write a particular sexy scene? I hate to cliche out here but throw on some Barry White, Marvin Gaye, or even some R Kelly, from what I've heard they do a particularly good job of *ahem* setting the mood. At least for slow and sensual, for some good hard core, er faster stuff look towards bands like Buckcherry or Nickelback for inspiration.

Really all I'm saying is that music can be an extremely useful tool that a lot of people, myself included, don't really take advantage of when writing. Take a moment to really think about the actual songs the next time your jamin to your ipod, or whatever. Do they remind you of anything? Make you want to dance? Happy? Sad? You get the picture. Then take that music and try to harness it. Make it work for your benefit, maybe it'll help with that scene that's been giving you trouble, you never know.

Another thing to think about is character motivation. Maybe you'll find a song that just screams out to you that it was written solely for your character. Perhaps the song writer was channeling your own personal inner muse when working on a song. Now obviously what speaks to one person as a character song, is not going to speak to another. Just like art and beauty, its all relative. Whats important is the fact that it speaks to YOU about your character. If nothing else, its fun to think about.

A few examples of character songs, in my personal opinion of course:

In Anita Verse:
Jason - Animals by Nickelback
Damian - Something I can never have by NIN (all together now, "aww, poor damian")
Richard - Trust by Megadeth (personally though I would like to dedicate I Don't Care by Apocalyptica to him. lol)
JC - If I was your vampire by Marilyn Manson

In Sandra world:
Vidar - Angry Angel by Imogen Heap
Hati - Are you the Rabbit? by Marilyn Manson
Eiryk - Beautiful Tragedy by In This Moment

These are just a few examples though, I really could go on and on, and then of course there are songs that fit certain situations, books, series, etc. Music really does make the world go round. ;) If any of you have any character theme songs, either for your own characters or for other authors, I would love to hear them!

Until Next time,
CoD

Apocalyptica and Adam Gontier (Three Day's Grace) - I Don't Care

Hot N Cold

So Sandra and myself are hanging out tonight chilling and having a blast. To set the scene we have a copy of Twilight, Twilight chocolates and a crap ton of booze. Planning on doing a shot everytime Bella does the weird constipated face, so needless to say I'm quite lit already and we're not very far in. I love the books, and therefore the movie by default, but those are some of the most ridiculous faces I have ever seen. lol Sandra has even developed a hash tag #twilightdrinkinggame and plan on tweeting all night. So check, check, check it out!
@CheerleaderDoom
@SandraTuttle
So you can easily find us. ;)

Also on a side note, sorry about the lack of a post yesterday. I'm not quite sure what was going on w/ blogger but I kept getting errors, Sandra is my witness. Hense why you all are getting a lame blog tonight.

And in honor of Twilight and our drinking game...

Rambling on my mind - and other assorted news

Ok so I'm super lame this week. I'm running behind and haven't had the time to write up a blog, so we all know what that means...ramble time!

So lets see, on the news front Sandra and I both entered a first paragraph challenge. Located here for any that are interested in checking out the submissions. Although I will say that its now closed to sub's so don't go getting your hopes up on entering.

Sandra entered the first paragraph for Inevitable which is this...

Static electricity tattooed my skin with sensation and I blocked out the dread that followed. I knew this feeling. Every time I'm about to find something incredible, my body takes over, even when my mind knows it should proceed with caution. The scent in the air changes and my vision narrows to see nothing but the dirt before me. I know what lies beneath the layer of soil will ruin my career, but the smell of pine overrides the trepidation I should've learned well in the rainforest. Nothing makes the single mindedness go away, except to dig my fingers in the ground and ride it out until I discovered what wants to be released from the earth, consequences be damned.

Pretty damn good, right? Now you guys know why I'm her cheerleader. lol

As for myself, I entered the first paragraph of a little diddy that I wrote...

You would think that a person would contemplate their life or even the existence of god before they commit suicide.‭ ‬But standing on a ledge at the top of a‭ ‬twenty-two ‬story building, the only thought on my mind is my coffee pot.‭ ‬It‭’‬s‭ ‬sad really,‭ ‬I‭’‬m getting ready to hurtle my body hundreds of feet towards black asphalt and all that worries me is that I might have left my coffee plugged in.‭ ‬Does it really matter if my house burns down, after I kill myself in the grand scheme of things‭? ‬ No,‭ ‬but it damn sure bothers me right now.‭

Not nearly as cool as what a lot of people have posted, but hey, it was fun. What else can you really ask for? I would also recommend checking out some of the other blog posts on there. Its interesting to see what everyone is looking for in a first paragraph, or even the first chapter. So many different opinions, but voice still seems to be the main one. Something to think about for all you aspiring authors out there.

In other news I'm super excited. My bff supreme (Sandra) is coming to visit for a month! Woo! Of course we have major plans for when she gets here, which will be Tuesday btw. A major one being edits. Is it sad that I'm so excited to break out the red pen? Probably.

But we have it all set up and ready to go. Lots of time to write w/o noise and annoyances and a desk to do it on. Sandra's bringing down her own chair. Now that's dedication. ;)

She has also sufficiently stuffed any attempts I might make on getting her to stay longer or even live here by promising time to her sister after her month here is up. So I'm not very happy about that, but hey, I guess I can't be bff stingy...even if I really, really, really want to. Although I must admit I'm still secretly hoping she'll get here and fall head over heals in love with the place. A girls gotta dream ya know.

And as cheesy as it is, I think I'm gonna call this update done. Horrible of me, I know.

Until next time peeps,
CoD

Dazed and Confused: The reality of Urban Fantasy

As an avid book reader, nothing is more confusing to me than genre’s. It all used to be fairly straight forward, with only a few genre’s to keep track of, they were easily classified. Now however, there are almost as many genre’s as books, and some of them walk a fine line between being one thing or something else entirely. So in today’s blog we are going to talk about some of the different types and hopefully educate ourselves a little bit.

Lets start with a relatively new one, that our wonderful Sandra writes in, Urban Fantasy. Urban Fantasy is basically a story set in the “real world” but in an urban setting, featuring supernatural/paranormal content. Laurell K. Hamilton’s Anita series and Charlaine Harris’s Sookie series, are both excellent examples of this. Where as traditional fantasy is essentially in a make believe world/s.

In The Encyclopedia of Fantasy, John Clute wrote...
“A city is a place; urban fantasy is a mode. A city may be an icon or a geography; the [urban fantasy] recounts an experience. A city may be seen from afar, and is generally seen clear; the urban fantasy is told from within.... Urban fantasies are normally texts where fantasy and the mundane world interact, intersect and interweave throughout a tale which is significantly about a real city.”

There are also different types of Urban Fantasy, like Traditional Urban Fantasy, Mythic Urban Fantasy and Contemporary Urban Fantasy which we absolutely will not get into here or else this blog will be a novel. ;)

Now here’s were it gets confusing, Urban Fantasy is a sub-genre of Contemporary Fantasy. Contemporary Fantasy is essentially stories set in the “real world” and has an element of mystical/magical mumbo jumbo to it. A good example of Contemporary Fantasy is JK Rowling’s Harry Potter series.

Sounds like pretty much the same thing, right? Well, yes and no. Urban Fantasy is Contemporary Fantasy but CF is not necessarily UF. The main difference being that UF (and yes I shortened these, its getting tedious typing it out lol) is set in a current city or rural area that would be recognizable to any real people that live there. Where as CF may feature cities but its not really specific to any particular one, nor does it really delve into the details so much. Lets try and break this down a bit by using our book examples from above. I’m going to assume here that everyone has read at least a few of LKH’s Anita books and JKR’s Harry Potter. In Anita’s world you are primarily set in St. Louis, Missouri. You walk around the streets, go to different parts of town, etc. Where as in Harry’s world, you never really do get to specific into one particular city or place. Yes you delve around Diagon Alley, which is somewhere in London but its not something that a person living in London would be able to point out. And this is something that is difficult to convey, Diagon Alley is almost like a portal to another dimension through which you enter in London...sort of an off shoot. Again, hard to convey, but I think you get the point.

CF is a sub-genre of Fantasy and is also known as modern-day fantasy, or indigenous fantasy. Fantasy, as a whole, is defined by stories with supernatural elements usually set in fantastical worlds, usually fictional. Fantasy is usually distinguished from Sci-Fi or Horror by its lack of specific scientific themes or macabre horror elements, although as with UF and CF it can overlap. Just as certain UF seems to stem more from Horror than it does Fantasy. Confused yet? You should be. Lol

Think of it as a tree, where many things stem off from a centralized trunk.

Fantasy
----*Contemporary Fantasy (Modern-day Fantasy, Indigenous Fantasy)
---------*Urban Fantasy
---------------*Traditional Urban Fantasy
---------------*Mythic Urban Fantasy
---------------*Contemporary Urban Fantasy

Granted the main tree is a whole lot larger, but I only included the ones I mentioned previously in this blog.

So in conclusion, its really, really hard to tell the difference between a lot of these genre’s, because they all stem from on another. There are also more genre’s to take into consideration like Horror, Literary Fiction, Paranormal Romance, etc, which also can come into play. So how to tell what a book is before you’ve read it? Well, I have always stuck with the good rule of never judging a book by its cover, but in this case its helpful. A lot of the books in a specified genre tend to stick with the same rules or look for their covers. If you’ve seen one female back with a wicked looking tattoo and a knife, you’ve seen em all. So the next time you come across a book you adore, remember the cover art and see if any others out there remind you of it. You just might find a new author to obsess on.

Until next time,
CoD

Whats new pussycat?

Ok, so no new rant on writing, no handy tips this time, nada. This is just a general whats going on post. All the news concerning Sandra and of course, yours truly.

First off, Sandra. If you haven't already noticed, then I'm sad to say that our dear Sandra is now sicker than sick, a walking epidemic if you will. No need to worry for world safety, we successfully have her quarantined in a room sized bubble. Lots of room to run around in, perfectly humane. She even gets meals served through the slot in the door so she's well fed. Of course I jest, she is sick sadly but not participating in some grand quarantine movement by the government. So definitely do swing by and wish her well. She needs to get her butt back to writing. lol

Speaking of writing, I suppose I could let you know what the status is of Inevitable. Well honestly its fabulous! Sandra has been doing a lot of revamping of things, some stuff is pretty major, but its coming out great. She has grown leaps and bounds in her writing skill since the idea of the book first reared its head and its really showing. I'm anxious for her to get all this super editing done, as that will put the book that much closer to you guys reading it. Maybe if we sweet talk her, and when she feels better of course, she could be convinced to post an edited version of chapter 1. *Does happy dance at the thought* Ok, once its safe to go near her, I'll bring it up and see what she thinks.

Outside of writing, Sandra has several ways to keep up with whats going on in her world. If you weren't already aware of some of these I will post them all now. So swing by, check em all out, and for gods sake comment people. No need to lurk! lol

Website: http://www.sandratuttle.com/
Blog: http://sandratuttle.blogspot.com/
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/sandratuttle
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000007939806
Twitter: http://twitter.com/sandratuttle

Now, on to me, CoD. I've been good! Well ok, only recently. I too was down w/ the sickness, and not the cool Disturbed song either. But luckily other than a cough I'm back in the saddle again. How many corny puns can she make, you wonder? A lot. ;)

I've actually been thinking of going back to school...again. lol This time to pursue my unannounced dream of fiction editor. I'm sure a lot of you can visualize the complete awesomeness that job would entail. Ok well you all probably think I'm insane, but outside of making horror movie masks and straight up working for Weta, its the next best deep seeded dream I've harbored for years. And since I should still be eligible for the scholarship I utilized the last time, I'm seriously considering it. Especially with this surge of online degree's. That makes my inner night owl very happy indeed. But enough about that. I'll contemplate it further, and of course delve into more research, and let you all know what I decide.

As for me, here are my links...other than the blog of course, because I'm pretty sure you already know where that is. lol

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/cheerleader_of_doom
Twitter: http://twitter.com/CheerleaderDoom
And if you do the Blip thing I'm on there as well. I do loves me some music.
http://blip.fm/CheerleaderDoom

No website or facebook?!? I know. I will rectify as soon as time allows. ;) Until then, enjoy this video and keep checking out the blog every Friday!

CoD

Video Intro: Admit it, you totally knew I was going to...Disturbed - Down With The Sickness

Appropriate or inappropriate, that is the question.

I recently stumbled across an article talking about an English teacher in Kingswood Regional High School assigning a creative writing project based on a prompt most people are deeming inappropriate. In case you haven't heard of this, the specific prompt was, "If you knocked your brother down, would you urinate in his mouth?" And no, I'm not kidding. The question was posed to a creative writing class composed of about 12 seniors. The teacher is well known for motivating her students, but obviously everyone had a problem with this particular prompt.

Now, I don't want to get into this particular instance on whether the teacher was right or wrong, it honestly doesn't matter at this point. However, I do feel it begs the question of what is and is not appropriate where creative writing is concerned. So most of this blog is going to be about my personal opinions, consider yourself forewarned. lol

While on the one hand I think the particular audience you are writing for will determine the appropriateness of the material, on the other, I do think writing is an art form. I don't feel that you should be restricted what so ever on what you can and cannot write. You can't control art. It takes you were it wants to, whether you agree or not. And I'm not even going to bring up the laws we have in the United States guaranteeing the right to free speech and freedom of press. Otherwise this blog will be gigantic and I'll go off on a tangent of rights slowly being taken away, not by the government, but by ourselves.

Getting back to the topic at hand, how do you go about deciding what is right? I think the easiest answer to that question is to do massive amounts of research into your specific audience, and also what the publishers, etc, are expecting. If you are planning on writing an article for Home and Garden magazine, or whatever, then you should take the time out to read through several past issues. Pay attention to the stories they have bought and what they are looking for. I also think its extremely important to know ahead of time where you are writing for and not be absurd about your expectations. Obviously a story about aliens invading earth is going to be more fitting for something like Asimov's Science Fiction magazine or Heavy Metal than Vogue or PC Gamer. Find a fitting target and write to those specifications.

Which brings me to my next point, pay attention to their writing guidelines. You would think this is a given, but I have heard many, many people say well my story is X amount words longer but I'm sure they will take it. While it is never feasible to say it's impossible for that to happen, it is however, unlikely. These people get millions of submissions each month, and I can almost guarantee that if they see you are over in word count, they won't even bother reading it. They have better things to do, and work to read from people that actually follow instructions. Harsh, but true.

And if your thinking, "But CoD, I'm writing a novel, not an article for a magazine. So this really doesn't apply to me," you are dead wrong. Every publishing company out there has its own individual submission guidelines. And yes, different companies are looking for different kinds of work. For example Flying Pen Press or Dark Cloud Press are certainly not going to publish that steamy erotica story you have, no matter how good it is.

So to sum everything up, because this blog is getting longer than I intended, I suppose being appropriate is in the eye of the beholder. By all means write whatever you want, on whatever subject you choose, just make sure that you gear your writing towards an appropriate audience when its sell time.

Until next time peeps,
CoD

And now, because Sandra already took the awesome Inappropriate Drawings video, I bring you, Inappropriate Comeback Guy...

Rambling, Writing...Route 23?

Its that time again and there seems to be a problem. I have absolutely no clue what to blog about. Several ideas passed through my head, not bad ones either, but none of them seemed fitting. Or more aptly, none of them I really felt like writing. Which begs the question, what do you do when you absolutely have to write something, but don't feel like writing anything in particular? I, personally, will wing it. A lot can be said for just sitting down and writing the first thing that comes to mind, whether you like it or not is a moot point. Sometimes some of the best ideas tend to come from nowhere, ones that wouldn't have thought of in a million years had you tried.

Sandra in her post this week compared creative writing to a train (an excellent blog btw) saying that you need to follow the track laid before you in order to get to the end. It was an excellent analogy, however I tend to think of it more like a tree. I'll start with one general idea, or perhaps none at all, just the dirt; and all the sudden something miraculous springs forth. Building on that idea, that pops outta nowhere, I start to get little bits here and there that are all connected. That doesn't necessarily mean that I'm going to use them, but they are there all the same. For example, I may never put into a story or a book that my main characters ex-husband, at one point, had the same gym teacher in high-school as the current love interest, but I know it. So while the reader doesn't see that one tiny little twig in the upper corner of my tree, its there all the same, and it adds to the fullness of my tree. Not because the reader can or cannot see it, but because I, as the author, know it is there; which in turn makes me more in tune with my characters.

But I didn't mean to go off on an analogy of my own, I was trying to expound on my point. Even if nothing is coming to mind, sit down and write anyway. Write the first thing that comes to mind, even if its horribly cliche and go from there. Have fun with it! So all that came to mind was, jokingly, "On a dark and story night..." well, on a dark and stormy night what? Is a clown in full get up walking up to the spooky house filled with *gasp* millions of kids ready to attack? Laugh all you like, but even poorly written pieces are bringing you one step closer to your dream.

How about writing prompts? If you haven't tried this with a friend, I highly recommend it, they are super fun. Sandra and I have spent many hours playing with this. Have a friend write an opening paragraph or sentence, about whatever comes to mind, and you do the same. Now that you have that sentence or paragraph, swap, give them yours and you take theirs. Going off of whatever your friend has written, just write what comes naturally after that. Don't worry about spelling and grammar, you are writing for the joy of it, and perfecting your craft as you go!

And to prove what a big girl I am, instead of providing a video this time, I'm going to post one of the writing prompts I did. There is absolutely no editing done to this (so beware,) its short, and its horrible, but you know what? It was fun! Go and try this with a friend, I guarantee you'll enjoy it, or your money back!

CoD

(writing prompt given is in purple)

"Stages of Death"

I stared down into his eyes and realized, I'd never know what went on behind them. No matter how hard I tried. He was human no longer. Reaching down I gently caressed the blood splattered hair out of his open, sightless eyes.
He always did have such beautiful blue eyes, my Tommy. My Tommy. Never again will I get those sarcastic looks cast over his broad shoulder when I say something stupid. No more intense midnight conversations on politics while watching a brilliant light shining behind those baby blues. I'll never see those eyes burning with passion, hot enough to heat us both on the coldest of winter nights. I'll never see Tommy.

The tears that had been freely flowing down my face to splatter on Tommy's open chest cavity stopped suddenly. So suddenly in fact that they startled me out of my downward spiral of sadness. Almost as if some switch buried deep inside had given me my five minutes to grieve but had decided enough is enough. And I realized that I was no longer sad. I was no longer anything.

Standing up I stepped over the body of my late husband on the floor and walked to my dressing mirror. An antique oaken mirror that had been carved in the shape of tulips was the only legacy my mother had left me. The mirror stood there proudly, strong as the tree it was once carved from. And even splattered in the blood of my husband it called to me.

Ignoring the blood I surveyed my reflection. A dark brown dress stickily clung to my body. With spaces of white covered in pink flowers, showing in between the mass of congealed blood. No, the dress would never do. Looking at my face I reached up to flatten that one stray hair that never seems to stay in place behind my ear and in the process managed to smear blood along my cheek. Well, at least my hair stayed in place, thank god for hair spray. Miraculously it seemed with the exception of that stray piece no blood had gotten in my hair, of course it was brown too so it blended in better.
Last, I glanced at my eyes, they too were blue. And for some reason it didn't seem strange to me to see blue ice staring back at me from amid an island of molten lava. Fire and ice, how fitting.
Yes a shower was definitely needed.


Emerging from my closet after my shower I once again walked to my mirror. Carefully avoiding stepping in the majority of the blood drenched room.
Blue ice once again stared back at me but this time it was drowning amid smooth milk. My hair was now pulled into a tight marm style bun and a little black dress tightly encased my body. With the bottom of the dress barely reaching mid thigh the black leather boots matched perfectly, with only an inch between them. Turning away from the mirror I looked once more at my husband on the floor, and smiled for the first time in years.
Inside a very small part of me wailed and gnashed and beat at the cage I had her enclosed in, causing my smile to falter.
“Oh Sophie, don’t be such a fuddy duddy. He wouldn’t let us have fun, but now we can.”

The caged housewife curled in a tight ball deep inside, and wept oceans of tears that her body would never again shed.

My friend, Procrastination

I thought after the last two posts (ok, technically three) that it would be useful to have one concerning blocking out all those distractions and getting down to writing. Sure you now have the awesome website, and nifty social networks promoting yourself, but you seem to be running out of time to get any actual writing done.

First, surround yourself with other authors. Twitter, while it is a distraction all its own, also can be a good kick in the pants. Nothing guilts me into writing more than seeing all these writers out there talking about how many words they have written so far. They are at 900 for the night...already? I haven’t even started yet! Followed closely by mad typing on my part so I can post that I’m now at a measly 350. Peer pressure at its finest..without actual pressure that is. ;)

Find someone to hold you accountable. A best friend works wonders for this role. Hand over that imaginary whip to them and ask them to bug you about it. Just make sure you don’t snap their head off for asking. Sometimes something as simple as that can make you realize that although you would love to be surfing the internet at the moment, that chapter needs to be finished and is much more important.

If you find another author, whether published or no, and can trade what you’ve written for the day, it’s a help to you both. It holds you accountable to have something for them to read over, and vice versa. Not only will you be writing more, but you have the benefit of having someone else point out errors that you may have missed. This step could easily be incorporated into the last one if your best friend happens to write as well.

You know how when your trying to lose weight you post a picture of a horribly obese person, or maybe even yourself on the fridge to deter you from snacking? Well you can do the same with writing. Find you a picture that reminds you of writing, or maybe even one of your characters and make it your desktop. Adding a caption saying “GO WRITE” or “I WANT TO LIVE” will help bring the point home. How can you be selfish and procrastinate whenever a character is not only begging to be born but literally staring at you as your playing?

Which brings me to my next point, surround yourself with your world. Notes you’ve made, pictures you’ve found, chapters you have printed, anything really. Just make it so that it’s the first thing you see when you settle down at your computer, or however you write. Tape notes or pictures everywhere. How about the before mentioned character staring at you from the medicine cabinet as you brush your teeth in the morning? Granted your spouse and kids might find it freaky but I’m sure the character will appreciate it. Lol

Follow a schedule. Sit down and slot you in specific times to write, distractions be damned. You can play during the time allotted for it, but not before. If other people continually distract you, let them know what’s going on and ask for privacy. I’m sure if you tell them with some modicum of politeness they will easily understand and leave you be, if not, well... invest in a deadbolt. Personally the only way I can get my husband to leave me alone is to get pissy with him. Sounds horrible I know, but it works and allows me some privacy. Plus, he is aware what I’m doing so its not so bad, and he knows if he’s hit the pissy stage he’s bugging me too much and backs off.
So there you have it, a few simple things to do to battle the urge of procrastination. I would love to hear of any ways you manage to get yourself in gear and write. And once again I apologize for making the weekly blog a day late. Most of you are not aware, but through the week when I’m online I’m actually at work. So every now and then, if situations arise I just get so swamped I have to give up my precious laptop time.

Until next time peeps,
CoD

And in honor of the subject matter, I present to you not one, but two video’s to procrastinate on...

Friday Post

Ok guys, so the real world is being a meanie again and I'm swamped with work tonight, so no blog. Although I suppose technically this is a blog so you do get one, its just not blog worthy.

I will try and get on here this weekend though, probably some time Saturday and post the regular weekly blog.

I apologize profusely,
CoD

Off to my slave labor...

The elusive muse. Where to find, observe and kidnap inspiration.

In keeping with the past few “easy” blogs, this week we’ll be going in search of the deadliest of all creatures, the muse. That perfect idea that gets your creative juices bubbling, the spark of genius that has you giggling in glee as you type for all your worth while hyped up on sleep deprivation and caffeine. Easy now, we’re trained professionals, no need to fear for our safety.

The first thing we’ll need to do on this field trip is some research. Everyone knows you can’t go searching for dangerous animals without knowing a little bit about them, or at least seeing some really good examples of previously captured ones. So we’ll hit the local library, Barnes and Noble, or even Amazon, whatever the preference. Read, and read everything! No information is to much. Granted we don’t want to steal other’s successful methods, but it will get our brain amped up to think of our own ideas. And who knows, maybe you’ll manage to nab one hiding in mounds of dust covered books, and your search will end here.

While we’re doing all this reading, lets not forget to look at the pretty pictures. Sometimes all it takes is to see a particular photo and begin to wonder, how it came to be. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, Google is your friend... or a multi-billion dollar operation out to take over the world, either way, it works for our purposes. Our muse is a slippery character, able to hide anywhere, so be sure to pay attention to everything.

Tv and movies are also excellent ways to gather some Intel. Because honestly, what are those but books brought to life. I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but waste some time in front of the zombie box. You never know what you might stumble across.

Now that we’ve managed to while away several hours/days doing “research” we need to find ourselves some tunage. Obviously we can’t be out hunting without our Ipods in this day and age, what would our friends think! So stroll on over to Itunes or your massive cd collection collecting spider webs in the closet and delve into the world of music. Think about the music your listening to, and really think about it. What is the artist really trying to say? What does the song mean to you? What situations would have to happen in order for people to wind up in that situation? Do keep a sharp eye out for our critter while your looking though, she likes to sneak up and surprise you.


When you’ve finally selected the proper hunting music, we’re off to the dangerous part, finding the muse in an outdoor environment. That’s right, I said outdoor. Take a walk or drive around. It doesn’t have to be just the local conservation center, it can be anywhere. Go look at the run down buildings in your cities old downtown area, or maybe the local park and study the trees. The point is to look everywhere! Watch the people as they walk by and wonder where they are going. Look at the way they are dressed, are they rich? Poor? Are they on their way to a secret rendevous with an estranged ex-lover? Maybe they’re really undercover government agents trying to find clues to a renegade shifter. Who knows, but pay attention.

Having looked around everywhere outside to no avail, why don’t you head indoors. Check out your local grocery store, library (again, I know) or even PTA meeting. And while your people watching, be sure to eavesdrop if you can. Obviously don’t get caught, or do it just to be nosy, but if you hear to old woman reminiscing about the good old days, drop an ear or two. You mind stumble upon a memory of theirs that just has to be recorded, in your own way of course, on paper. Or what about that mother trying to deal with her out of control toddler. She’s obviously stressed and embarrassed at her child’s behavior, start to wonder about the rest of her life. Where is the child’s father? Is she an only mother having to work two jobs because she’s estranged from her family and the kids dad is dead? What’s really going on in her life.

I think we’re going to stop our hunt there for now as I see mine slipping through the tree’s ahead. She’s cunning like a fox and extremely facetious, but those are probably just personal traits to this one in particular. Wish me luck, and good luck on catching yours!

Until next time!
CoD

5 Super Simple Marketing Ideas

So you’ve written the worlds greatest novel, only nobody knows you exist, what do you do next? I’m not even going to get into how to go about getting published, or hooking that fabulous agent you’ve been eyeballing, but we will discuss some interesting ways to grab the attention of some potential readers. Small things you do in your marketing campaign can make a huge difference. And just as I really do believe there is no such thing as bad press, a similar analogy for novels is there is no such thing as to much marketing. With so many excellent authors out there you really do need to stand out, even before you get that novel published, a developed fan base is a good thing. Here are five simple ways, free I might add, to do so...

1. A website. Yes you can go and pay for that nifty domain name that will forever be personalized with that perfect name, well, at least as long as you pay for it; but its really not needed at first. There are a number of free ones out there, just do a quick Google search if you don’t believe me, I guarantee you’ll get about a million results. Not to mention a lot of times your ISP will provide a free website as does the mega-company Google. It doesn’t have to be pretty at first, but some basic knowledge of you and your current work is a must. All the pretty fluff can come later. And there are quite a few generators, tutorials, and template makers out there to help add said fluff if your not very html savvy. Again, Google is your friend. An example of a simple yet effective author website... http://www.sandratuttle.com/

2. A blog. You have to keep in mind that in today's age, there is no privacy. If you want to be the next big thing, you better get used to it. The best you can hope to do is throw out some info to satisfy people on the inner you. Now I’m not saying we need to hear all about what color underwear you chose for the day, but a short note on the horrors you experienced at the grocery store, or the old creepy guy that winked at the street corner are not only amusing but they hook people. They are delving into your life as an escape from theirs, provide entertainment. An excellent example of this is Daisy Dexter Dobb’s blog here... http://daisydexterdobbs.blogspot.com/ (And sorry for fronting you out here Daisy.) Strictly speaking from a marketing standpoint, the woman is a genius. She’s quirky, intelligent and just generally likable, but most importantly she is a born entertainer. You can’t read a single blog without a snicker or two or sympathizing with her.
Not only does blogging provide ways to entertain though, but it also gives the reader a chance to see how you write. Just imagine, if you can hook them with a small blog, shorter than the smallest short story, how much they will love your book!
Make sure and link to your blog from your new nifty website and vice verse, give people an easy route to get back and forth. A good general rule is that if people have to digg for something they aren’t going to bother, do it for them. Remember, you need them, they don’t necessarily need you.
The last thing I will say about blogging, since this example has taken so much space, is to make sure you comment. Comment everywhere. Although I will point out, don’t spam. Nothing is more annoying than reading their favorite blog only to see that someone has come in and posted a comment self promoting themselves and listing link after link. There isn’t a need for that. Find similar authors or just blogs you personally enjoy. Read them and provide an intelligent response accordingly. Don’t flaunt yourself. If people enjoy your comment or it makes them curious, they will click to see your profile, which will of course have a link to your blog or website that you have provided. It also makes the author of the blog you commented on appreciative, and perhaps you’ll even establish a relationship, of some form, with them over time.
Blogger seems to be the most popular www.blogger.com with Wordpress http://wordpress.com/ and Live Journal http://www.livejournal.com/ following closely behind, although there are others out there.

3. Tweet little birdy, tweet. http://twitter.com/ The worlds newest obsession. Or mundane blogging in short form, as I like to call it. Let people know what your doing, share a link to that highly amusing picture or website you just found. Its all another form of entertainment. Plus people really seem to care what goes on in someone’s life. They want to share in those moments of happiness or annoyance with you. There are also several authors out there already tweeting, your bound to find a few of your favorites if you look. And whose to say that it won’t be beneficial to you as a writer as well? Maybe you’ll read another authors tweet and realize what a fabulous idea it is. Tips here and there are always helpful, especially when your just starting out. An example of an author on twitter... http://twitter.com/RichelleMead
And again make sure you provide links to your twitter account on your blog and website.

4. While we’re tweeting, how about tweeting as some of your characters? Or blogging as one? It doesn’t necessarily have to be you and your daily life that draws people in, let your characters speak for themselves! And while it may be harder to interact as a character and not give away anything in your book, it can be done. Just think about what your character would do or say in any given situation, it gets easier as people tweet or comment back. A couple examples of characters tweeting... http://twitter.com/VidarTheShield or http://twitter.com/TeddyTheServant

5. And last, but certainly not least, take advantage of the social networks. The two biggest, of course, are Myspace http://www.myspace.com/ and Facebook http://www.facebook.com/ and if you haven’t heard of them, you are probably living under a rock somewhere. Same concept goes for them as with the other suggestions. Great places to find friends, fans and other authors to connect with, and does a great job of getting your name out there.

There you have it, five super easy and free ways to get yourself out there and noticed. Most of you probably already know these, but if not, I hope I was of some help. Since this blog turned out a lot longer than I anticipated it being, I think we’ll call it done.

Until next time peeps, Doom On!
CoD

The video today goes out in honor of Sandra Tuttle, who is now officially 29. Swing by and wish her a happy, Happy if you get time. But until then, enjoy this vid of Sandra’s man meat of choice...

Blogging, as we know it.

Blogging about blogging...seems cheap doesn't it? However that's totally what I'm going to do.

I've come to the realization that the crazy posting that I do makes it really hard for you guys to know when a new blog is up. So I've decided I will now be posting all new blogs every Friday. In reality it will probably be extremely late Thursday night or in the wee early hours on Friday, but the latter would be your best bet to check back in.

I also managed to totally guilt trip Sandra into picking a day as well, and she picked Thursdays. So make sure and swing by and see whats going on in the dark and twisted mind of an Urban Fantasy writer.

And with that tiny little update, I'm going to officially classify this as my first Friday post. I'll be back next week with a more in depth look on something writing related. (How's that for vague. lol)

Until next time peeps, Doom On!
CoD

And totally not related a horrible parody of the song "Low" done Octo-Mom style.

The horrors of the hyphen-ate

Several authors out there sing the praises of hyphens, whether to provide visual stimulation or simply to sit in a space that a comma just won’t do. However, I say that enough is enough. I am sick unto death of seeing overly used hyphens. Did you ever think that perhaps if a comma doesn’t work, and a colon won’t cut it, that maybe you could make another sentence? I’m not even going to go into how difficult correctly using hyphens is, I fully understand the fact, which is why I run away from them when given the chance. I know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that I have issues with grammar, I relish in the fact even. I just wish more people did the same. Do not sit there in all your high and mighty ways stringing together words with your sideways l’s and assume you know everything. The truth is, most of the time you are improperly using them anyway.

The point of the hyphen is to avoid ambiguity for the reader, or to create an idea of two or more things together. For example, The Queen will meet with small-businessmen. If the hyphen were not present we might derive that the Queen is meeting with very tiny people in business suits, but as it is we can see the business’s are small, not the men. The same can also be said for hyphens in compound modifiers if it proceeds a noun. You can use it to combine all the words with the exceptions of the adverb “very” and any that end in “ly.” A bluish-green dress, and A full-time job, are both examples. However if it is after a noun, there is no need for the hyphen. She works full time, or, The dress, a bluish green, was floor length.

“Ex” and “self” are nearly always hyphenated. Ex-wife and Self-esteem are a couple of examples, but most of the time other prefixes do not need hyphens. Any dictionary will recognize coexist as easily as co-exist and the meanings stay the same as well. So my point being, why mess with it? Are you that lacking in your writing skills that you need that one extra character toward your word count? I’m not trying to say that hyphens aren’t required, as I’ve already pointed out there are instances when it is grammatically proper to use them, and several more uses that I didn’t list, I’m just urging you to not do so unless it is needed.

Here is an excellent short list of hyphen do’s and don’ts for those of you interested. http://www.nyu.edu/classes/copyXediting/Hyphens.html

For now that is all my doom sayers. I shall stop this hyphen rant and assume our regularly scheduled program. Maybe next time we'll go into my opinions of the dreaded "dash." lol

CoD

Writers Block and how to cope.

* Main Entry: writer's block
* Function: noun
* Date: 1950

: a psychological inhibition preventing a writer from proceeding with a piece
(From the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary: http://mw1.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/writer%27s%20block)

We all suffer from it, from time to time, the unthinkable, the unexpected and annoying...writers block. Either we’ve finally worked our way up to that one perfect scene that is all important to the chapter, we’ve managed to get past the scene and are now stuck how to go on, or somewhere in between. It can happen for no reason and come from nowhere. But how do we cope with an ever present block when that fast approaching deadline is right around the corner? Well today we’re gonna list some effective ways to go about it. And hopefully save that “next great thing” your working on.

1. Most importantly, Its all in you’re mind. To go all Matrix on you, “There is no spoon.” Sounds simple and yet I’m sure plenty of people will want to argue the point. But the reality is, your mind is creating a road block for you in one form or another. The ultimate and best way to defeat it is to realize it doesn’t exist. Don’t give your mind the power or satisfaction in overwhelming you, find the underlining cause behind the block. Are you stressed at work? Worried about something? Kids driving you batty? While its not all important at this moment that you fix the cause, it is important that you realize there is one. Sometimes just acknowledging the fact and sitting it to the side (so to speak) is enough to get those creative juices going.

2. Find some quiet time. Again, a simple thing, but not something a lot of us actually have. Give your self some down time, not worrying about that big deadline, even if only for a few hours. Relax, sit back and let your mind wander. If you start to dwell on some of those things that are crowding your mind and creating the block, calmly acknowledge the fact and sweep them aside to think of something else. It doesn’t even have to be related to whatever you are working on. Remember a favorite spot as a child. If you loved to go fishing with your dad in the lazy summer months, visualize the experience. Recall everything you can about that particular memory. What were you wearing? Did you catch any fish? Did you smell the coppery bitterness of the stream or your dad’s favorite aftershave? Was the wind blowing slightly or did you need to dip your feet in the pond to cool off? It might seem a pointless exercise but not only are you increasing your powers of memory recall and helping your visualizing techniques but your brain will release certain chemicals when calling upon strong memories, be they good memories or not. Use it to your advantage to give yourself a break.

3. Try writing something else. Do you blog? Tweet on Twitter? Maybe just pop open a blank page and start writing the first thing that comes to you, no matter if it makes sense or pertains to your story or not. Sometimes just writing anything helps give your brain a kick start again.

4. If your having trouble with one scene in particular, whether something bad is happening to your favorite character or you just can’t get their motivations sorted out, try writing the scene from a different characters perspective. Even if it you can’t use it in your novel/short story, or whatever, sometimes it will help you “see” the scene a little clearer in your mind. And who knows, you may just accidentally stumble upon other character motivations or a cool line or two that way.

5. Remember that you don’t have to write in order. If your facing a particularly difficult sex scene and just can’t get yourself in the mood, skip ahead to the imminent betrayal, or whatever comes after, and come back when your more in the right state of mind. Its your writing, write it however you feel comfortable, no one is saying you have to conform to their rules, and if they are, I highly suggest you don’t listen. Some of the greatest authors out there have some very unusual writing habits. Vladimir Nabokov. The author of such great novels as Lolita, Pale Fire and Ada did all his writing standing up, and all on index cards. To each their own. Do what is easiest for you.

6. Carry around a small notebook or journal around with you, everywhere. You can get relatively cheap little memo pads at most stores for less than a dollar and they come in very handy should you have a passing thought while at the grocery store, or the neighbors Bar-B-Q and can’t get away to your selected work space.

7. If you just can’t seem to get into the feel of the story, go back a chapter or two and read it. Sounds simple right? But sometimes just switching off the “author” mode and going to “reader” mode for awhile helps get you settled into the flow of the story. And who knows, you may just find something you want to add to or edit out during this process.

8. Go read something else. It doesn’t have to be in the same genre as what your novel, although it seriously helps, but it’s a great way to get new ideas and to get in the mood for what you need to get out on paper. Ex: Having trouble with that sex scene? Go pick up some nice erotica books, or perhaps a good romance if erotica is to steamy for you. Same goes for any other scene, got a psycho killer? Find a similar thriller or horror book to while away an hour or two on.

9. Got a beta reader, close friend or significant other that knows you like to write and shares the same tastes? Have them read to where you are, then have a brainstorming party. Maybe they will suffice as a muse and lightning will strike. Perhaps they will have a whole new perspective you never even thought of. A lot of successful writers lean heavily on spouses or writing groups for ideas, it never hurts to ask for help. (Although a note, I will caution you on this one. Not everyone is going to like your work, or think you’re the next great thing. That doesn’t mean your writing is horrible, it may just mean its not their cup of tea. Pay attention to what they have to say, but don’t take it to heart. Everyone likes something different, them not liking your work, doesn’t necessarily reflect on you.)

10. To wrap this all up, I’m going to leave you with a quote for #10.
“"My block was due to two overlapping factors: laziness and lack of discipline. If you really want to write, then shut yourself in a room, close the door, and WRITE. If you don't want to write, do something else. It's as simple as that."
Mary Garden, the author of The Serpent Rising and Coming Together

Hopefully these easy and relatively simple ideas will help you out at one point or another. And if you have any more ideas to overcome writers block, I would love to hear them.

Until next time peeps,
Doom On!
CoD

Sandra Vs CoD

The Victims	Sandra Tuttle	Cheerleader Of Doom
1. How old are you?	28	21...for the 9th time.
2. How tall are you?	5'4	5'11
3. How long have you been reading Urban Fantasy or similar books?	Strictly Urban Fantasy for 6 years, Fantasy and SciFi for about 20 years	I've always had a love for things that go bump in the night, so in one form or another, all my life.
4. Do you have a favorite author in this genre?	I have a love/hate relationship with LKH	What a hard question, there are so many but if I had to narrow it down I'd say Charlaine Harris. Her world is just more complete to me, and I love the viable reasoning behind why vamps are now out and about.
5. What is your favorite supernatural class in a book? ex: vampire, werewolf, etc.	Werewolves all the way! (or were-animals in general)	Vamps, by far. Although I do enjoy a bad were every now and then.
6. Any specific favorite supes?	I'm sure my own are closest in my heart but I do like Jacob from the Twilight series.	Many. Eric Northman, from Sookie-verse, and Damian from Anita's world...Its a pretty safe bet if you make a vamp a viking I'll go head over heels. Although I do like Requim as well, even with all his whining.
7. Do you prefer blondes or brunettes on your supes?	Blondes	Give me the dark brooding type, so brunettes all the way!
8. If you could, what fictional character would you want to have sex with?	Valentine Michael Smith from Stranger in a Strangeland.	Hmm, I guess it would be Jean Claude then...for all his Machiavellian ways he's one sexy vamp.
9. What is your favorite word?	Highfalutin	Horror...its just fun to say.
10. What is your least favorite word?	Anything that has ie or ei in it. I invariably have to retype them.	Now...I absolutely loathe being told I will do something, and if you add now to it, its guarenteed to raise my hackles.
11. If you could have written one book in history, what book would that be?	The Stand. I had dreams very similar to the story as a child. It really resonated with me.	Lord of the Flies...one of my favorite books of all time.
12. If you could have three (living) authors over for a beverage of your choice, whom would you choose?	At this point in time I'd have to say no one. I don't feel secure enough in my writing yet. I'd either be a fangirl or I could be susceptible to taking on their traits as a writer, and I need to find my own style and stick with it. However, should I get to that place I'd have over Ray Bradbury, JK Rowling and Susan Elizabeth Phillips.	Charlaine Harris (man I'm tootin this ladies horn, but she seems nice,) Kim Harrison (she seems like a cool lady,) and probably Chuck Palahniuk (he's an awesome author and seems crazy as hell.)
13. If you could live in any fictional world what would it be?	Possibly the Stand--and while it isn't pretty, sexy or even fun, the idea of humanity starting over appeals to me.	Another hard one, but it would probably be Charlaine Harris's world.
14. What was the last book you read?	Currently reading City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare.	I'm currently reading Keri Arthur's Deadly Desire. (The 7th book in the Riley Jenson Guardian Series.)
15. How did you meet each other?	I received an email from the CoD--who called herself something else back then. I'd just started writing and created a website that included the first two chapters of my UF book as well as a romance. Ha! She read the excerpts liked them and emailed me to let me know. I was amazed and jumping up and down. My first fan mail!	I was surfing the internet and happened to stumble upon a link for Sandra's website, where she had a couple chapters posted. Why I did it I don't know, but I sent her an email asking where she was published through. (And believe me I've never done anything like that before.) And the rest, as they say, is history.
16. What was your initial impression?	I think we were a little careful with one another at first--trying to be polite and feeling one another out, but I know I was practically pee pee dancing in my seat in excitement because it seemed like we had so much in common and there was finally someone in the world I could relate to on every level.	My initial impression was amusement, if you could have seen her response, believe me you would have been amused as well. But after than it was more like a long lost sister.
17. Do you see yourselves being friends 5 years down the road? 10, 20?	I see us hanging out in hell (okay maybe purgatory) for eternity. We'll point out hot guys, who could be a werewolf and take turns dissing girls for bad fashion and telling the other one to be nice, but snickering as well.	I see poor Sandra being stuck with me for eternity. And if the situation were to ever arise that she didn't want me around anymore...well I'm afraid I'm not above stalking. lol
18. If you could take one trait from the other what would it be?	I wish I could be as supportive as she is. My first reaction is to be critical but she is always so supportive and patient with me it's insane.	Her ease at being around people and interacting with them. Sandra is much more the social creature than I am.
19. If you had to change one thing about the other what would it be?	I'll try not to give a cheap answer. I wish she lived closer and had better taste in shoes, but seriously...I wish that she would brainstorm for her stories and that she'd write more. She has a tendency to think that nothing is original and can't bring herself to write anything due to that. I want to shake her until it goes away. :)	I would have to say some of her more Virgo traits. While she strives for an unatainable perfection she tends to hinder herself more than help.
20. If you could change something about yourself, what would it be?	I wish I could fully open myself up to the world.	I am the worlds worst procrastinator. I have good intentions but my attention flitters around worse than a butterfly in Busch Gardens.
21. What do you do when you get nervous?	My stomach gets upset and sometimes it leads to gas, but normally just a green face. LOL	I start saying assanine things that really are of no relevance. And once I realize I'm doing it I clam up and usually look like I have an attitude. lol
22. If you could live anywhere in the world for a year, where would it be?	Hard question--there are so many! I think I'd want to try everywhere for a year! Can I say Europe? Ha, I'd probably start in Ireland.	It would have to be somewhere like the Netherlands. Although if I was there already why on earth I would leave a year later I have no idea.
23. What album(s) is in heavy rotation on your stereo/ipod lately?	Portishead Live at Roseland NYC is always in rotation but Regina Spektor Begin to Hope has been playing a lot.	A whole album? That would have to be The Gay Blades album Ghosts. I play the hell out of that thing.
24. What are you too old to have and/or do but you still have/do it anyway?	Oh shit, lots of things probably. I look longingly at the juniors section of clothes and at Hot Topic. I occasionally order a happy meal, but not for the toy. I still have a piece of my baby blanket. I see these emo chicks with adorable hair and I wish I had it--this one I may succumb to!	Probably mess with my hair in wild fashions. My friends and family never know what color its going to be or what length. (I'm just now letting it grow out from a mohawk to give you an example.)
25. If you were a crayon, what color are you and why?	Probably a dark purple with a bit of blue in it. Purple can be girly, but it can also be dark and gloomy.	I'd be one of those funky mixed color ones, because you never know what I'm going to do or say and it will always be what I want, not what someone else wants.

Oz, great and terrible

What up my peeps! Today is a rather blah day, if ya know what I mean. I'm even gonna try my hardest not to mention, you know who. Don't want to drown you guys in her excellence...or her inner demons all the time ya know. So I'm just gonna chat a bit here and there about nothing too spectacular.

Eventually the blog is gonna get a make over. Yay! And I won't even need Ty Pennington to do it. Although I'll happily let him, and his crooked little goatee, come and help me plan it out. *wiggles eyebrows* Now nobody freak out, we're keeping it along the same lines. News (generally speaking and about she who shall not be named,) reviews (we've got some awesome ones in the works so stay tuned,) and like this post, whatever else we choose. And yeah that probably means more ramblings from yours truly.

If anyone has any questions, comments or suggestions feel free to drop me an email or a comment, whichever you prefer. Not guaranteeing I will follow through on your suggestion, but I will definitely take it into consideration. Also, by anyone I mean the general populace, not uber picky authors...ok well one author in particular. lol

Make sure and check back often and if your a tweety bird, swing by and look me up on twitter. I'm always looking to add new vict...er....people to the doom squad.

Until next time, Doom on!
CoD

The REAL Sandra Tuttle

Ok, well if I can get the ever Sandra to let me be long enough, I'll blog and fill you guys in on all the new juicy details. Shhh though, we won't tell her. ;)

So I'm sure many of you are wondering what the real Sandra is like. Its so hard to get to know someone via the Internet. Well I, as your trusty CoD, will happily fill you in. Sandra is definitely a unique person. Not only is she an awesome writer, as I'm sure you all know by now, but she's a very creative person all around. Which while that sounds like an awesome thing, and it is, its also a pain in the butt for anyone around her. lol See, Sandra is cursed. That's right, I said cursed. Poor woman was cursed from the moment she was born. Never to be happy with anything and to always nit pick things to death. I'm sure some of you are thinking "Well that's not so bad. What kind of curse could that really be?" Well I'm here to tell you she's forever stuck cursed with an evil demon named Virgo. *gasp* I know, horrible isn't it?

The evil Virgo is a demon that constantly plagues the cursed persons mind. Nothing is good enough. Nothing can ever be fine the way it is unless its absolutely perfect. And let me warn you now that "perfect" never comes. Day in and day out the horrid demon swims through the subconscious mind whispering doubts and negative comments. It plays upon your insecurities and makes you a bane to anyone who even attempts to help you with something creative. Most times it ends in said person throwing their hands up in the air and crying "I give up! Do it yourself!" Most of the times, but not always. Although lemme just warn you, don't ever offer to help Sandra with any sort of graphics, unless you fully intend on being hassled non stop until you just allow her to do it...or your a graphics genius. I kid, its not that bad...ok well it kinda is, but she won't eat your children if you do it wrong...I don't think.

Seriously though, while Sandra is a Virgo and has all those lovely Virgo traits, she's not unbearable. Is she picky? Oh good god yes. Is she a perfectionist? You bet. Is she a pain in the a, er butt sometimes? Well yeah, but who isn't. She is just a woman who knows what she wants (as far as writing goes) and knows how she sees it in her head. Sandra has a degree in film, which while that sounds like it makes writing easier, and I'm sure it helps, it also makes her much the dictator in her world. Everything is visually clear in her head. Props go here, actors there, and so on. Heaven help you if you move the megaphone where she can't find it.

But through all of this and all of her little idiosyncrasies, I honestly think it makes her a better writer. She sees things with such clarity at times that I'm surprised I don't leak jealously all over her. And I'm constantly amazed at the twist and turns her brain comes up with that ties so neatly into her plots. Making it seem as if she had planned it chapters ago, when in reality she only just thought of it. All in all, you just can't go wrong with Sandra Tuttle.

That's gonna be it for today peeps. We will delve into the inner psyche of Sandra another time, and probably in greater detail (sweat on that ST :p) but for today CoD is out.

CoD