tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4089711070039343332024-03-05T03:15:33.010-06:00Random ThoughtsMusings of a writer. Come on in and kick your feet up. ---- Jennifer HendrenJennifer Hendrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01239194419535919631noreply@blogger.comBlogger681125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-408971107003934333.post-48029601026630184322016-08-24T22:22:00.000-05:002016-08-24T22:22:07.911-05:00Suck It, Trump!I did it! I did it! I did it!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8GI03iDKbm8LU40ekfyaagyKdqQbqobxp3ctYxtKx5sL_FQXz2-BNE9lID0DkvHz4IqDVscgzZ0qkhwgh2fM9tddl6v1Nw89ZTjtzX1j6PZgOhkBBUJhfi5nvMq1oBH_4F39pgZ8SHReU/s1600/Nano.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8GI03iDKbm8LU40ekfyaagyKdqQbqobxp3ctYxtKx5sL_FQXz2-BNE9lID0DkvHz4IqDVscgzZ0qkhwgh2fM9tddl6v1Nw89ZTjtzX1j6PZgOhkBBUJhfi5nvMq1oBH_4F39pgZ8SHReU/s400/Nano.png" width="400" height="239" /></a></div><br />
I made it a goal to finish a 50K word novel in a month. If I failed, I vowed to give $50.00 to the "Make America Great Again" campaign. The rules:<br />
1. It must be a new project 2. I must tell the story from start to finish.<br />
<br />
Aaaaaaandd.....<br />
<br />
I DID IT!<br />
<br />
Ended up with 50,005 words, to be exact. And I made it juuuuust under the wire. My deadline was tonight at 12:00AM. <br />
<br />
But noooone of that matters...I made it! That means I can tear up the <i>stupid </i>check I wrote to that <i>stupid </i>man to support his <i>stupid </i>campaign. BOOYAH!<br />
<br />
Oh man, I've not felt this good in a long time. It was a rough month with a lot of trials and I very nearly gave up a dozen times. But NO...I made it. <br />
<br />
Let's celebrate!!!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzxBLDWdCml2vn665syaWnRiuFzQi4PF2YXqPtqqbxoiwvU3Taju6T4pXAzKsIv6ORtJb30-OmZG-uezsd9eKDbg2bXuqdPJu9voE4xcRKoEVDmhxI4cmtz5tn-966boKZviTfxdybwNHu/s1600/pic1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzxBLDWdCml2vn665syaWnRiuFzQi4PF2YXqPtqqbxoiwvU3Taju6T4pXAzKsIv6ORtJb30-OmZG-uezsd9eKDbg2bXuqdPJu9voE4xcRKoEVDmhxI4cmtz5tn-966boKZviTfxdybwNHu/s400/pic1.png" width="400" height="225" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5qQ6viKVT2ztwSq_d7b8uJfYk0nJQmq3u7RWP8rMtCMe1P6MBHYHPD2VYhKfBlC7BxiYXtrphK2WSe0EN-Qd8-FqVcWi5zJfE8d6X13i3gpeEEmmMTjAwnbR8bvhmPQMGSYJuKQ84NfLF/s1600/pic+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5qQ6viKVT2ztwSq_d7b8uJfYk0nJQmq3u7RWP8rMtCMe1P6MBHYHPD2VYhKfBlC7BxiYXtrphK2WSe0EN-Qd8-FqVcWi5zJfE8d6X13i3gpeEEmmMTjAwnbR8bvhmPQMGSYJuKQ84NfLF/s400/pic+2.png" width="400" height="225" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP8iJshrPnHfJVn5855XHZ8XxmkIuxKLykpNMREIKLuTctvIeNuk-2fq0ggNEIxA45GOyMfiVen42H7aEzo72W7LRVMU6Ade6BOO22AGQzhky8oSoIhRB8ZQWxmW1NWTLYLIIFgDqqb4X_/s1600/pic3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP8iJshrPnHfJVn5855XHZ8XxmkIuxKLykpNMREIKLuTctvIeNuk-2fq0ggNEIxA45GOyMfiVen42H7aEzo72W7LRVMU6Ade6BOO22AGQzhky8oSoIhRB8ZQWxmW1NWTLYLIIFgDqqb4X_/s400/pic3.png" width="400" height="225" /></a></div><br />
*Please be kind. My hair is awful, but I had a marathon writing session today in order to make the deadline. 7,694 words, to be exact. :) Could I BE any happier about this?? <br />
<br />
The answer is no, I couldn't.<br />
<br />
SUCK IT, TRUMP!!<br />
Jennifer Hendrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01239194419535919631noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-408971107003934333.post-19163672860901560262016-08-18T19:11:00.000-05:002016-08-18T19:11:39.568-05:00Saying GoodbyeToday Bailey and I took a long hike together. It was a perfect Colorado day -- sunny, big poofy white clouds in the sky, a slight chill in the air that just makes you want to be out of doors. <br />
<br />
We were nearly derailed a couple of times. I couldn't find my watch, I left my phone behind, and the trail we'd planned on hiking was hosting a mountain bike race. All of it told me to turn around and head back to the condo. But I couldn't do that. I searched and searched and still couldn't find my watch so I gave up that particular hunt. I did drive back to get my phone, though. Heaven forbid we get lost out there without the ever-handy use of GPS. Instead of the trail we'd planned on walking, we opted for another parallel trail, a shorter one that took us off into the woods to...well, destination unknown. <br />
<br />
We set out and made our way through the woods. Bailey splashed into every pool of water we came across, peed on all of the good rocks, and generally had a great time. Me...I was looking for the perfect spot. It was hard to know what that would be, and I just kept telling myself this place wasn't right...over there isn't quite what I wanted. I had no idea if I would ever find IT. <br />
<br />
Eventually we hit a road. Luckily, it wasn't quite game over. I spotted another trail heading down into the trees below. We decided to give it a shot. We made it to the bottom and I just knew...this was it.<br />
<br />
We'd crossed a bridge over some falls earlier and in front of us lay a pool of water created by them. Calm enough for Bailey to wade into, but moving enough that I didn't have to worry about her drinking the water. In the background, the sounds of the falls, loud but not too loud. It was a peaceful respite where we could rest in the shade, the mossy smell of the woods surrounding us. It was the sort of place both dogs loved. And for me, there was a nice tree stump to sit upon. It's where we would've stopped had we all been out there together. So, it's where we stopped now.<br />
<br />
I sat there for a few minutes, not sure if I was ready to do this. Not sure <i>what </i>I should do. I had brought along the card the vet hospital gave to me, so I pulled that out along with a clay paw print one of the hospital staff had given me. It seemed right, so I read the words on the back of the card.<br />
<br />
In tears, I ran my fingertips over the impression of Chloe's paw print and said one last goodbye to my baby. Then, with Bailey splashing around in the water beside me, I sprinkled some of Chloe's ashes into the water. I said goodbye, knowing there was no better place for me to do this. Now she would always be a part of the mountains she so dearly loved.<br />
<br />
There are so many things I'm going to miss about her that I don't even know where to begin. Mostly I think I will just miss her comforting presence--her sprawled out across my bed, hogging it to the point I had to cling to the edge; her snoring that was like a little Mack truck; the BAM BAM BAM of her tail when I walked by while she was asleep on the floor; her good natured bark that boomed like the big dogs, scaring the wits out of anyone who came to our front door (when they actually saw her, it was always a laugh); her sitting under her tree in the backyard, looking out over her domain; her--in all of the best ways possible--mischievous nature. She was my little sidekick from the day I adopted her. I will miss her beyond words.<br />
<br />
Rest in peace, sweet baby.<br />
<br />
And because I couldn't think of my own words, this is what I read:<br />
<i><br />
The Story of Rainbow Bridge <br />
<br />
Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.<br />
<br />
When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable. <br />
<br />
All the animals that had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor. Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing: they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.<br />
<br />
They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent. His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.<br />
<br />
You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face, your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart. <br />
<br />
Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together...<br />
<br />
Author Unknown</i><br />
<br />
Ack...more tears. Do me a favor? If you have a fur baby, give them an extra hug and kiss for me tonight. Thanks. :)<br />
<br />
Here are some of my favorite pictures of Chloe:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9sjNq84qZ-U8YQOAkQbdEiwNDagq0FKVmsOG-3iMtZUfUosmwLkgC9g-bthFPuNQ8ek4UyUSTg-9sNoN2DnK7ySswgNLuDgHTohR7SBxEabYMBNV2KQJ4b2PA7_IttBh1fS4WmRnOTuUc/s1600/IMG_20150814_160945655.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9sjNq84qZ-U8YQOAkQbdEiwNDagq0FKVmsOG-3iMtZUfUosmwLkgC9g-bthFPuNQ8ek4UyUSTg-9sNoN2DnK7ySswgNLuDgHTohR7SBxEabYMBNV2KQJ4b2PA7_IttBh1fS4WmRnOTuUc/s320/IMG_20150814_160945655.jpg" width="180" height="320" /></a></div>In my mind's eye, this is what I saw today on our hike. Chloe always looked ahead to see what was around the next corner.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiblGz_FI4pQXPOs3bsRHbLySwHDdsqtf1DpbdIli1w5xL6OnqHrU5E656NmoWlvhyXa9hNg2rlwfn2l1YTAYXZRJ8wOMVCEdQ5j6XzhD5j8xFZHnmBVa2ojKl4MFWi8NoWeXasaL_SP81e/s1600/IMG_20150915_120004852.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiblGz_FI4pQXPOs3bsRHbLySwHDdsqtf1DpbdIli1w5xL6OnqHrU5E656NmoWlvhyXa9hNg2rlwfn2l1YTAYXZRJ8wOMVCEdQ5j6XzhD5j8xFZHnmBVa2ojKl4MFWi8NoWeXasaL_SP81e/s320/IMG_20150915_120004852.jpg" width="320" height="180" /></a></div>Mischievous in all the right ways. Her tail literally never stopped wagging. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1knRu2LgURl8-vkk_cIWPNjms5DlxKyCbO-IPFBCi9xttTGDLrZQtMEp9RrJjO8e7DVSGWOlWMxv67i3ZpulB45s-2Ro7yL2Xhxm6FNUPvOiDGknJmTtwWgjlA7nLNW7B3yV1q_qudbzU/s1600/IMG_20151014_101340570.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1knRu2LgURl8-vkk_cIWPNjms5DlxKyCbO-IPFBCi9xttTGDLrZQtMEp9RrJjO8e7DVSGWOlWMxv67i3ZpulB45s-2Ro7yL2Xhxm6FNUPvOiDGknJmTtwWgjlA7nLNW7B3yV1q_qudbzU/s320/IMG_20151014_101340570.jpg" width="320" height="180" /></a></div>See what I mean by SPRAWL? :)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHpB_SHYcXmXXCfMuv4E2JEus5SrmlHPFPh_oxTD4ics7JN3zUtWdCvHApGP-HD9IyKKyxkQu_xRn4YHNJqo-RXy_bKrASE-YL9Wl7rsIakxkmKhhdiS7fY5ddU5jr0mWLdU_gyuC8rwZZ/s1600/1344212265313.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHpB_SHYcXmXXCfMuv4E2JEus5SrmlHPFPh_oxTD4ics7JN3zUtWdCvHApGP-HD9IyKKyxkQu_xRn4YHNJqo-RXy_bKrASE-YL9Wl7rsIakxkmKhhdiS7fY5ddU5jr0mWLdU_gyuC8rwZZ/s320/1344212265313.jpg" width="320" height="239" /></a></div>My little sidekick. Thought bubble above her head: <i>Where we going, mom?</i><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguKjWA60XLCn5buOcllc4OtZPCS1Uq8S7L2wjgqbDFQ0mV3etxP_J3rK_0ZSdXmf8JAZKTwD8WpDtlbG2LlZAPGp1ctiTDqYr4DZrJXU7Qd6Eyx6LL7Zxvrmx9k2EQAlS8nr4O2sKQEW-y/s1600/IMG_20120509_181803.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguKjWA60XLCn5buOcllc4OtZPCS1Uq8S7L2wjgqbDFQ0mV3etxP_J3rK_0ZSdXmf8JAZKTwD8WpDtlbG2LlZAPGp1ctiTDqYr4DZrJXU7Qd6Eyx6LL7Zxvrmx9k2EQAlS8nr4O2sKQEW-y/s320/IMG_20120509_181803.jpg" width="320" height="239" /></a></div>Wherever Chloe went, her little sister Bailey followed. Happy times, happy smiles.<br />
<br />
You were the best dog I could've asked for. Sleep well, Chloe. Someday we'll cross that bridge together.Jennifer Hendrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01239194419535919631noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-408971107003934333.post-28196510468378556942016-08-01T16:07:00.000-05:002016-08-01T16:09:37.664-05:00NaNo ProgressAs of today, I am 33% of the way to 50K! <br />
<br />
YEAH YEAH!! (CanIgetta..WHOO WHOO?!)<br />
<br />
That comes out to 16,715 words in 8 days. A little over 2,000 a day, which has been my goal. I want to get a little ahead in case I fall on a rough patch (more on this later), and because I'm heading to Breckenridge next week for at least 7 days of fun-filled Colorado time. While I plan to write while I'm there, you just never know. The mountains know my siren song, and will beg me to do nothing but hike and spend time outside. I am more than willing to oblige. Plus I'll have the pups with me, and I've vowed to make Chloe's trip to Breckenridge this year extra, extra special. :)<br />
<br />
This week has been fun. It's quite lovely trying my hand at a new story. It's going in some unexpected directions, but I'm loving the process. I've had to fight my internal editor tooth and nail when it comes to reading back through and fixing things I know I want to change. I've bonked her on the head for now, and onward I go. I just keep telling myself this doesn't need to be perfect. It DOESN'T need to be perfect! A TOUGH thing for me to reconcile, believe you me.<br />
<br />
That said, I've struggled to get my butt in chair the past 2-3 days. I'm not even finding the writing all that hard. I just want to do...other. things. It's hard because right now I have family staying with me while they wait to move into their new home. Being as they're here from California, none of them are currently working. That means they're spending their days playing cards....watching TV....dozing. I LOVE all of those things!! lol And me? I'm spending as much time as I can writing...then heading off to work in the evenings. It can be quite tiring all around. <br />
<br />
Ah well, I must do everything to keep my hard-earned cash out of that meglomaniac's hands. See <a href="http://jenniferhendren.blogspot.com/2016/07/the-ultimate-form-of-motivation.html">HERE </a>if you don't know what I'm talking about.<br />
<br />
<br />
As I said before, I'm trying to keep this one a little quiet until finished. That said, here are some hints about this book:<br />
<br />
1. I'm writing in multiple POVs. (Yeah, WOW, right? But this is big for me.) One is...Omni. Whaaaaaat?? I know. <br />
<br />
2. It's a dark fairytale. (Hence the Omni.)<br />
<br />
3. It's an historical setting, though I'm not quite settled on when yet. <br />
<br />
4. Given the fairytale motif, there is maaaaaagic involved. YEAH.<br />
<br />
Okay, enough hints for now. LOL. <br />
<br />
Just for fun, I'm basing my heroine's character on the below picture of Lily Collins. So pretty!!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN_dv-fzjpoFhhKEA2cgfOStKn1oN0HjFawPZpDhUCCLwQUv-u2yMiUy9CGGGlcJSEZOkaTs_V0_DTbyBP6MaO08p0ubY8ikAjkFGL_ivcWMrMBBn-YqqeE-l0HNShdbdJW5qvH_eZcAI7/s1600/Rose.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN_dv-fzjpoFhhKEA2cgfOStKn1oN0HjFawPZpDhUCCLwQUv-u2yMiUy9CGGGlcJSEZOkaTs_V0_DTbyBP6MaO08p0ubY8ikAjkFGL_ivcWMrMBBn-YqqeE-l0HNShdbdJW5qvH_eZcAI7/s400/Rose.jpg" width="270" height="400" /></a></div><br />
That I all for now. Hope y'all are doing well!Jennifer Hendrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01239194419535919631noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-408971107003934333.post-86852348544565757362016-07-25T20:35:00.000-05:002016-08-01T16:08:05.019-05:00The Ultimate Form of Motivation<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3-IOUgnqDwAdDAZxSQrteATLrFQxG5m1hCmC1NA3DqFn9Ylqh8rbys-TmqhtpZwiv65Cg6a4WeXzNNhrXhyphenhypheniWCqFdIxs_6em8ebgTlPc59xgKKGG70GFI7EMWX5_fUvw7zRs52O0UoKAz/s1600/Marionette.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3-IOUgnqDwAdDAZxSQrteATLrFQxG5m1hCmC1NA3DqFn9Ylqh8rbys-TmqhtpZwiv65Cg6a4WeXzNNhrXhyphenhypheniWCqFdIxs_6em8ebgTlPc59xgKKGG70GFI7EMWX5_fUvw7zRs52O0UoKAz/s400/Marionette.jpg" width="400" height="218" /></a></div>(What's this picture for, Jen? Hmmmmm. :) See below)<br />
<br />
Okay, so I know it's not November, but I'm needing a little extra motivation to get my butt in chair these days. I've been working on the same book for, well, forever, and I'm just hitting a creative brick wall over and over. I need something fresh. Something new. Something to get me back into a regular writing routine. <br />
<br />
Therefore, I'm going to NaNo, starting today.<br />
<br />
For those of you unfamiliar with the concept, every November there's a thing called NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), during which participants agree to write a 50,000 word novel in 30 days. <br />
<br />
I'm just tweaking the thing a little and doing it, starting today...July 25, 2016... and ending it on August 24th, 2016. That actually gives me 31 days, but I figured a bonus day wouldn't hurt should I run into any roadblocks along the way. You'll understand in a bit why it is Very. Important. for me to finish this novel.<br />
<br />
Anyway, there are several basic rules: It has to be a completed novel and it must be a NEW story.<br />
<br />
Ah, can you see the appeal it has for me? Something NEW. SHINY. YAY. (As an aside, I'm attending the Surrey International Writers Conference for the first time this year and well, I just need something new to talk about. No more same old, same old. UGH. :))<br />
<br />
Alrighty, the contract:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBtR97WwSf2J9AQIrqMc6S8PTsatGF0cCavbks4BG0oAZRt6ZwvA472usGhdIgFkjWHbaMeX92TyDS1FboZrw6b19rEolwp4XlWmDPDk54n0QPL6qGzAJAiruTeD_nO_QJjzHpaI-DroXY/s1600/The+Contract.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBtR97WwSf2J9AQIrqMc6S8PTsatGF0cCavbks4BG0oAZRt6ZwvA472usGhdIgFkjWHbaMeX92TyDS1FboZrw6b19rEolwp4XlWmDPDk54n0QPL6qGzAJAiruTeD_nO_QJjzHpaI-DroXY/s400/The+Contract.png" width="225" height="400" /></a></div><br />
Find the verbiage/copy of the contract <a href="http://ywp.nanowrimo.org/files/ywp/nano_ywp_contract_ms.pdf">HERE</a>.<br />
<br />
I've made a very important addition to mine, however. And it reads as follows:<br />
<b><br />
Edited: Should I fail to achieve my goal, I vow to set aside all dislike and downright loathing of Donald J. Trump, and donate $50.00 of my hard earned cash to the “Make America Great Again” campaign. As many can attest, this will kill my soul—leaving it a shattered piece of dead garbage that no longer holds any joy for this world. A post-dated check, which I have already signed will be mailed by my sister, Sherry Hendren, should I fail in this endeavor. May God speed my words and may God Bless our poor souls should I lose and/or that Oompah Loompah win this election.</b><br />
<br />
Now do you see why it's so important that I win???<br />
<br />
Ugh. Just writing the check out gave me a case of the hives. You can ask my sister. I was quite visibly distressed throughout the entire process.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-R0oRAonp4OfuFBIohkJ7ag9AmxnpH7HwZ1fzMiE8iTCf4Ze3LJ3ZKqcl4A5kurlQlAp1iwbrOW-tsV604e_VtOJTqsbbUdldeNp5Rq6dagpbC_XHgSn5D3pm4jeU2G0CK3jGlhUgqfv0/s1600/The+Monies.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-R0oRAonp4OfuFBIohkJ7ag9AmxnpH7HwZ1fzMiE8iTCf4Ze3LJ3ZKqcl4A5kurlQlAp1iwbrOW-tsV604e_VtOJTqsbbUdldeNp5Rq6dagpbC_XHgSn5D3pm4jeU2G0CK3jGlhUgqfv0/s400/The+Monies.png" width="400" height="225" /></a></div><br />
Donald J Trump President, Inc???? Seriously?? Did you know you could incorporate a presidency?? I think I threw up in my mouth a little when I read where to send my check.<br />
<br />
My one consolation in this process is that on the Memo line of the check I wrote: <br />
<br />
<b>I hate you, but I lost a bet.<i></i></b><br />
<br />
If on August 24th I fail to produce a completed novel of at least 50K words, my sister has vowed to mail this stupid check. It's even hanging on my weekly bulletin board as a constant reminder.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBa1IyaW9xdhrFBupR84sxfYuRbyP6WLv8yndSpQHLp1xR0J6ZNFZAwc7xyi5ghyphenhyphenrwMP87zZuk5Sn4JJd7t3WmjMRvUeb2BbIQQlKlIMt2m5iy1pNx3kP8GDx2n7JH9thnNwmrKYPXCs6A/s1600/The+Ultimate+Motivation.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBa1IyaW9xdhrFBupR84sxfYuRbyP6WLv8yndSpQHLp1xR0J6ZNFZAwc7xyi5ghyphenhyphenrwMP87zZuk5Sn4JJd7t3WmjMRvUeb2BbIQQlKlIMt2m5iy1pNx3kP8GDx2n7JH9thnNwmrKYPXCs6A/s400/The+Ultimate+Motivation.png" width="400" height="225" /></a></div><br />
So, my NaNo journey begins. I had the idea for this story some time ago (apparently), as I found notes for it in a drawer I was cleaning out. I don't remember writing the notes or how/when I came up with the idea but to say the least, I was intrigued by what I wrote. The top picture is something I've hung above my computer for motivation and inspiration. That's all I'm saying about this new project for now. I'm keeping this one close until I have a finished--and likely very flawed--novel at the end of this. I'm sure it will be a rather large steaming pile of poo, but honestly, I'm sort of okay with that. I will write with abandon and see which way this ride takes me. :) If it turns out to be any good...FABULOUS.<br />
<br />
Okay, off I go. I'll be keeping a word counter in the sidebar somewhere. Feel free to stop by and cheerlead to your heart's desire. :) And if anyone wants to have a "writing date", please let me know and we'll set something up. <br />
<br />
Words for today: 2,007<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV-whVtcuESoacvg35xGuHUbUZF4UcUfVzz-t6l2qdP0kViN3yrKBv6ZvqJKS35t87R3hHV4ZlqYQRAuc03dECC5Zw1mT_Ig4LoZk4U0itG5rthLIN8SmfoaRzEt6jWeUpu0I0kMlZVjRN/s1600/Marionette.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV-whVtcuESoacvg35xGuHUbUZF4UcUfVzz-t6l2qdP0kViN3yrKBv6ZvqJKS35t87R3hHV4ZlqYQRAuc03dECC5Zw1mT_Ig4LoZk4U0itG5rthLIN8SmfoaRzEt6jWeUpu0I0kMlZVjRN/s400/Marionette.jpg" width="400" height="218" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
Jennifer Hendrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01239194419535919631noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-408971107003934333.post-81548353756805008142015-11-11T12:20:00.001-06:002015-11-11T12:20:43.770-06:00What's The What With MeLong time, no blogging. I know I popped in a few months ago, but for a lot of reasons, I've stayed away. Now, I'm ready to go live again. Hey, two blog posts this year... I'm going for a new record. :)<br />
<br />
Where to begin?<br />
<br />
I have made many, many changes in my life in the last 3-4 months. It's been a bit of an adjustment, to say the least. But I'm 100% confident that the path I've chosen is the right one. So... some of the highlights:<br />
<br />
* After seven years with the same company--one in which I was doing fairly well, moving up in position at a good clip, making a decent salary--I decided to walk away. Yes. I know. On the surface, this was a bit of a crazy move. But the decision to leave was the right one for me. Why, you might ask? Well, the reasons are many--but it really boils down to the fact that I was letting my job, my work, get in the way of what I really wanted to do. That is: Writing. I found I could never go home and just leave my work...at work. I was stressed, I was not altogether happy with my job, and in the end, I had very little energy or presence of mind to put my butt in chair to write. Heck, I don't think I even read more than a book or two the last year I was there. Something needed to change, and after searching my soul for a long, long time, I decided to take the leap and quit. With no real plan in place, btw. :)<br />
<br />
* I took a solid 6-7 weeks off. Hey, I had vacation racked up--vacation I never let myself use because of aforementioned reasons (i.e. I lived and breathed for my job). I spent that time unwinding, decompressing, basically -- getting out of the head space I was in. It wasn't a good place to be. I spent time with visiting family, went out to Breckenridge for a couple of weeks -- just took it easy. I did read through my MS but didn't do any substantial writing that I recall. Hey, miracles don't happen overnight. lol I knew quitting my job wouldn't put me into a writing gear straight out of the gate. Boy did I call that one right.<br />
<br />
* After my vacation time, I took a job waiting tables. (Did I hear gasps? I know, way to use that law degree of mine, right?) There are reasons behind my madness. 1. Waiting tables is easy for me. I like the interaction with people--I have fun with it. 2. The scheduling is flexible and I can work as little or as much as I want 3. When I go home at night, I don't take my work with me. (Except for those random dreams where I'm in the weeds and can't figure out the computer system, etc. If you've ever been a server, you've probably had these) 4. Due to the flexibility, I can make my own schedule... such as working only nights, for instance, freeing up my days for other...endeavors. 5. Surprisingly, it's VERY good money. I make about the same as what I did before...with less hours, less stress, and the bonus of leaving work, at work. It's not the best job in the world--there are days I want to pull my hair out--but I can't say it's awful. It's not a permanent move, but it's a job I plan on keeping for the immediate future. <br />
<br />
* As mentioned above, I have my days free!!! Yay!!! Does this mean I'm writing my ass off during the days? Erm, sometimes. I haven't quite gotten into total writing mode yet. Awful, but true. I've been working through WIS -- a while back I posted something on FB about the number of scenes I have left to write. Some I've completed, others I've struggled with. I would say the book is about 80% complete at this point. I've had to scrap quite a bit of it as I worked through some of the major plot holes I was dealing with. I printed the whole thing out yesterday -- well, most of it anyway -- and it's sitting at about 80K. So it's definitely getting there. <br />
<br />
When I'm not writing, I'm doing a LOT of reading. Hey, gotta refill the creativity tanks, right? I'm trying to stay away from church so I don't spend all of my hard earned duckets, but I've been haunting the local library. Reading LIKE CRAZY. I'm really into Anne Perry's William Monk mysteries, finished off the latest from Evanovich (boy does that put me in the mind frame to visit with Maddy, Drew and Gabe!), and trying out a number of different YAs. I've also perused a few writing books to try to... I don't know, get the fires going, I guess.<br />
<br />
I also discovered this great app for karaoke. So yep, I've been doing a lot of singing as well. I'm basically reliving my high school days. I read some days, write a little others... when the mood strikes, I sing a few songs. It's lovely. LOL.<br />
<br />
Strange as it may seem, I haven't felt like reading the past few days. Feels like my tank is sort of topped off and needs to come out in words. So, I'm leaning more toward writing now. Hence my blogging. Hence my reading through WIS yet again and really trying to put things in place so I have a full story from beginning to end. (Viva la chunkster!) Yes, this means I got out my scissors and paperclips again so I could put everything in the right order. The murky middle isn't looking quite so dang murky anymore... so YAY.<br />
<br />
So...that's where I am. A lot of changes. Good news is that I feel happier and better about where I'm at. I'm planning vacations I would've otherwise put off, making decisions for my happiness and not just because it's what I should do. Just generally being mindful to the fact that I don't have to do things a certain way...the expected way. I want to write...so that's what I'm trying to do. One of my new sayings puts it perfectly:<br />
<br />
Don't dream your life.<br />
Live your dream.<br />
<br />
BOOM.<br />
<br />
Hope all is well with everyone! Stop by and say hello if you're around. :)<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Jennifer Hendrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01239194419535919631noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-408971107003934333.post-89031965634135198182015-07-05T00:35:00.002-05:002015-07-05T00:35:31.816-05:00Memory LaneSo, it feels really strange to be back writing here on the blog. A funny thing happened at the office the other day... and it all led me back here. I didn't expect it, didn't plan for it, and I'm quite frankly, a little overwhelmed by the idea that I'm actually typing out a post right now.<br />
<br />
It all began with a team meeting. My team is made up of a bunch of introverts. Getting them to speak about themselves is ridiculously difficult. My boss came up with the idea of doing an icebreaker each meeting, in the hopes that they'll open up a little. Did I mention they're all men? Introverts and male. Now that's a recipe for a silent meeting if I ever heard one. Well, not silent -- my boss and I can fill the void, quite nicely actually. <br />
<br />
This last week, the icebreaker topic: Funniest family vacation memory.<br />
<br />
For once, I struggled to come up with something to talk about. Then I remembered this wild rafting trip I took where a Texan nearly killed us all. I tried relating this story from memory, and for whatever reason I just wasn't doing it any justice. I got a few tepid reactions, but no one really seemed to find it all that amusing. I finally said, 'Ack! I told it better on my blog." That led me to emailing them the body of said blog post. Nervously, I waited to see if anyone would comment. It was seriously like being back in crit mode--awaiting anxiously to see whether anyone would find it funny -- give it the ole' thumbs up -- snicker at me as I passed by them in the hall. I got nothing that day -- thankfully it all slipped my mind shortly after sending it out or I might have neurotically worried about this lack of reaction for the rest of the day/evening.<br />
<br />
The next morning, I received an IM from one of the guys, stating he didn't know I was a published author. That, he said, it made sense, because after reading my story he thought to himself that I should be a writer. Something apparently led him to googling me or something because he stumbled across BTPM on Amazon. He said I really needed to stick with it because I was good--or something to that affect.<br />
<br />
Y'all. <br />
<br />
I haven't written anything in a very long time. Longer than I care to admit. I know it sounds stupid, but it was seriously like a having a bucket of ice water thrown in my face.<br />
<br />
What the heck am I doing that I've allowed writing to just sort of slide off of my list of priorities? Something I love--that I once could never imagine my life without? <br />
<br />
I won't lie and say that it hasn't been on my mind. I have a co-worker who harasses me about WIS whenever I see her. I've been like a parrot whenever she asks: "It's coming." "I'm working on it." Well, no, I haven't been working on it. I used to have small bursts of writing here and there, but it's been a long time since I've even had a minor one. I have the best of intentions, of course, but it's always a "soon" or "someday" I'll work on my book thing with me -- never a TO-day thing. I guess I keep waiting for this flash in the sky to signal it as THE day. Well, it hasn't happened. Pretty sure it won't.<br />
<br />
So, I came back to my blog and started poking around -- both here and over at ATWOP. Admittedly, I spent the entire day reading through my posts, thinking the entire time, "Who is this girl and where did she go?"<br />
<br />
This isn't meant to be a sad post. It is what it is. :) Life happens and there's no real point in mourning or getting angry. It simply is. <br />
<br />
Honestly, I read RT from end to beginning (Yes, backwards) -- the entire thing. Well, at least the published posts. I didn't have the energy to go through and read all of the stuff I hid for one reason or another. That's a whole lotta posts. I'm pretty tired and not a little cross-eyed at this point. WOW. It's humbling to see so many years of my life laid out in this fashion. There are so many things going through my mind about: <br />
<br />
1. How whiny I was about school/work<br />
<br />
2. How I was obviously very sick for a good portion of my time on this blog<br />
<br />
3. How I definitely was NOT ready to be published when FI caught agent attention<br />
<br />
4. How I love me some disclaimers. OMG. Every book review started with a brief synopsis, which I promptly followed up with a..."Oh dear, I'm so awful at these things" lol I don't know what the heck that was. False modesty or just a simple cry of "Please don't judge me!"<br />
<br />
5. How the HECK did I have the energy to do half the things I did? I was writing like a crazy woman, blogging, critiquing, actively participating in writer's exercises, beta-reading, doing book reviews, reading like books might disappear from the planet the next day... AND going to law school. Seriously, y'all. I'm exhausted reading about it all and I LIVED it.<br />
<br />
6. Half the stuff I blogged about was progress on this or that WIP, without any real specifics. How did that not drive everyone completely bonkers? Well, to be fair, it might have. But thankfully no one ever said so to my face. :) But man, the number of "breakthroughs" and "epiphanies" boggles the mind. A good majority of them turned out to be total crap in the end, but I suspect you already knew that. <br />
<br />
7. That girl had chutzpah. A certain lack of guile. Kind of like a small child playing dress up in her mother's clothes. Oh, she wanted to be able to walk in her big girl heels, and often times she pulled it off. At other times, the performance came off as condescending and asshole-ish. Sometimes she was just an asshole. Hey, I had firm beliefs at time and I wasn't afraid to say them "aloud." Yes, I cringed reading some of my posts. Others I laughed. Some I shook my proverbial fists in the air and loudly proclaimed, "Preach on, Sister!"<br />
<br />
I was riveted by what I read. That was me, yo! Parts of it are still me. I'm just a bit out of practice. :) Am I coming back to the blog? Hell, I don't know. Maybe yes, maybe no. But it was nice to at least pay a little visit. As for the rest...we'll see.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Jennifer Hendrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01239194419535919631noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-408971107003934333.post-20779740018956814072013-10-09T23:50:00.000-05:002013-10-09T23:50:33.441-05:00Game Time!Today was a looooong day. I had to take my pup to the vet to investigate this really disgusting mole (maybe?) on her leg. She's 11 and is, what I'm calling... "moling out". (Moles, moles, and more moles. Everywhere she has moles!) Only this one is the size of a nickel and within her reach. She's been gnawing away at it and I was fairly certain it would need to be removed. I know...GROSS. Thankfully, nothing bad showed up in the tests so now it's just a matter of removal to keep it from irritating the heck out of her. They have to put her under, so my vet suggested getting her teeth cleaned at the same time, and even offered to remove a couple of other moles while he's at it. I know, bonus? Too bad teeth cleaning is big monies. Ah well, gotta bite the bullet, I guess. It's wrong of me, but I want the dang mole on the top of her head to go -- it makes her look so funny. Vain. I'm vain about my dog's looks. Sue me.<br />
<br />
Anyway, because of said vet visit, I stayed late at work and didn't get home until about 8 o'clock. A fount of energy to write this does not make. I could barely muster the energy to think of something to post tonight. And I'm cheating in the end.<br />
<br />
I decided it's game time. I have no idea who's out there reading this blog -- doesn't seem like all that many, but I'm hoping some of y'all will join in. <br />
<br />
If you're a writer -- use your current WIP to play. If you're not a writer, but love books, use the book you're currently reading to play. That way, we can all play. :)<br />
<br />
First -- figure out the number of pages in your WIP/book. Then go <a href="http://www.random.org/">here </a>and get a randomly generated number between 1 and said number of pages.<br />
<br />
Got your page #?<br />
<br />
In the comments, post the entire page if you choose -- or bits that you really enjoy. It's up to you. If using another author's work, be sure to include proper credit. If you blog, please pass on the game and see if we can really get it going. Don't leave me hangin', yo!<br />
<br />
My number was 256, and I'm going to post the entire page. So, without further ado... from WALKING IN SHADOW, pg 256:<br />
<br />
"I love you, Mac," he slurred. <br />
<br />
"Aw," I said. "That's sweet, but if you touch me again, I'm going to remove every one of your appendages. That includes the little one, stud." I gave him a soft pat on the chest and walked away.<br />
<br />
It was only then that I realized Jenna was gone.<br />
<br />
"Shit," I muttered, scanning the crowd. People milled about, some still in their cars, some paired off, others in large groups huddled around the kegs someone had brought with us. I paced the perimeter of light thrown by the fires blazing in the center of the lot. She wasn't anywhere. Neither was Mike. That meant they'd gone into the surrounding woods. <br />
<br />
Cursing myself for letting her slip out of sight, I searched the crowds again. This time for Melanie and Ty. Neither of them was present, and I could only assume they'd pursued the couple. Caleb, however, caught my attention. Chelsea was suction cupped to his side. I met his eyes, shaking my head at his unspoken question. <br />
<br />
His eyes hardened and swept the area, coming up empty a moment later. I motioned for him to stay where he was, but as always, he didn't listen. He disentangled Chelsea's arms from around his chest and came up even with my already fast pace a moment later. <br />
<br />
"Can you hear them?"<br />
<br />
I shook my head. I'd tried that already. "No one's exactly <br />
<br />
~end~<br />
<br />
Your turn!!<br />
<br />
On a side note, my horror fest continues.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNtiUsmnUNXTo6ZmHAfz_gcmikhfurmXalcGgVeVh1_Obp4iObUSEmrv4IssEvtKb9qfqhGAtG_ZeLj-OhwcSjT9f4Azv4ZeJLgGUOk_SZxiPdDpEhIdCd1tCMUifEOQd_phYJCbgq9mp-/s1600/stand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNtiUsmnUNXTo6ZmHAfz_gcmikhfurmXalcGgVeVh1_Obp4iObUSEmrv4IssEvtKb9qfqhGAtG_ZeLj-OhwcSjT9f4Azv4ZeJLgGUOk_SZxiPdDpEhIdCd1tCMUifEOQd_phYJCbgq9mp-/s320/stand.jpg" /></a></div>This last weekend I watched The Stand. I have to say, I like the book soooooo much better. The movie just seems really low budget. So, if you're unfamiliar, it's basically about a contagion that wipes out most of the worlds population. There's a devil like character and a God like character, and they draw the survivors to them, pitting the good against the evil. I have to chuckle about some of the choices the filmmakers made--especially the opening scene. In it, an army base worker is alerted to a leak from one of the "vaults" on site and is commanded to "close the main gate, soldier!" He doesn't. He runs off to retrieve his family and then books it off base. The clincher is when the camera cuts back to the gate -- a friggin' chain link fence. Bwhaha. I love it. Who knew holey metal was such a paragon of safety against airborne contagions. Too bad he didn't roll it closed before beating it out of town. *snort*<br />
<br />
I also squeezed in Killer Party. Ha. This movie is so cheesy but I LOVE it. It's centered around three friends rushing a sorority and the haunted frat house they keep throwing parties at. HILARIOUS but surprisingly freaky toward the end. It has the funniest opening to a movie ever, if you ask me. (This opening is long but soooo worth its weight in cheese. It just keeps on giving.)<br />
<br />
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/qwpXGMTlMIA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />
Hair bands rule!!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk4zHZPLcDjsOg7YhMPiHspZSqcSAtRjJVWVwgHgLxdWFVfR17JonnXKpeYDvpTqATMtbeYTJUoLbGVNgqAn7vkxBD5VPCSL2JydEALm4yA9NZtsi1UIItlncKiFc8Pg41_KDhK_qtbK71/s1600/fog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk4zHZPLcDjsOg7YhMPiHspZSqcSAtRjJVWVwgHgLxdWFVfR17JonnXKpeYDvpTqATMtbeYTJUoLbGVNgqAn7vkxBD5VPCSL2JydEALm4yA9NZtsi1UIItlncKiFc8Pg41_KDhK_qtbK71/s400/fog.jpg" /></a></div>Finally, as I'm typing out this post, I'm watching The Fog. Not the remake, but the original with Adrienne Barbeau. Again, LOVE it. Creepy lepers that come out of the fog! How much better can movies get??<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Jennifer Hendrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01239194419535919631noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-408971107003934333.post-88045782494740683512013-10-08T21:47:00.004-05:002013-10-08T21:47:52.662-05:00Old FriendsDo you ever buy a new CD from a favorite musical artist only to discover that they've changed their style? Inevitably, your expectations are dashed. True, you may grow to like, maybe even love, the new style -- but it's still not quite what you wanted when you first popped that CD in to play. Well, this weekend I had the pleasant surprise of two artists I absolutely love living up to each and every expectation I had.<br />
<br />
Rilo Kiley's new CD RKives (New meaning April -- I'm a little behind. :))<br />
<br />
The first single on the CD is called Let Me Back In. I have to tell you, this song just brought a smile to my face. It's got such an old-fashioned sound, but with that certain Rilo Kiley twist that I love. Plus, the feeling behind the song reminds me that no matter where I go or what I may do there's always one special place that will always be "home." This video is good fun, too!<br />
<br />
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/aXZR0rwhXvs" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />
<br />
Plumb's CD Need You Now (February -- really behind on this one)<br />
<br />
I love her CD Chaotic Resolve because it has a lot of songs with a real rock edge to them. The kind of songs that make you want to hit the dance floor -- and trust me, y'all... I never want to do that. Cage reminds me so much of her sound from Chaotic Resolve and I was sold at first listen to this number. And what about that kickass picture on her cover! LOVE IT!<br />
<br />
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/pGCXeeQ8buE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />
<br />
It's been a very happy music week. :) *satisfied listener*<br />
<br />
I also got the newest A Fine Frenzy. I'll be sure to share once I have a listen.Jennifer Hendrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01239194419535919631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-408971107003934333.post-23868172428367345922013-10-04T19:23:00.000-05:002013-10-04T19:23:16.294-05:00Good Job!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHECV3C1QrC0rzqNZcsL0M2lap_d7XnpFDozYmJj7ijxDKKILkyFkC_ZgoVtBqja70oiVxtVc6jW-icBHyOVWEDupHtM5SXBCfMv3igMyUwQg0i330uZnDQRIq3511Gm9T8wWQy4onv1m0/s1600/btpm.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHECV3C1QrC0rzqNZcsL0M2lap_d7XnpFDozYmJj7ijxDKKILkyFkC_ZgoVtBqja70oiVxtVc6jW-icBHyOVWEDupHtM5SXBCfMv3igMyUwQg0i330uZnDQRIq3511Gm9T8wWQy4onv1m0/s400/btpm.PNG" /></a></div>Way to get it right, Amazon! You do know me so well. <br />
<br />
*definitely interested*Jennifer Hendrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01239194419535919631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-408971107003934333.post-70410120682909397902013-10-03T23:38:00.000-05:002013-10-03T23:38:02.956-05:00WTFSo has anyone seen the movie Something Borrowed?<br />
<br />
Kate Hudson, Ginnifer Goodwin...best friends... sorta? Anyone?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjgjfX67fSYZWlXkxjPNZRm6pwnFcqBKevrW4BjtvUA2wvGYu_hK-M3Il6_-0cKPceeCfvzxWo7aEjZJEUP0YtMhWjjql5jVYmkvNV-6BxhpQKLDiK9KdToND3EaYCvbKMGlUr_xnYs4ZC/s1600/SB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjgjfX67fSYZWlXkxjPNZRm6pwnFcqBKevrW4BjtvUA2wvGYu_hK-M3Il6_-0cKPceeCfvzxWo7aEjZJEUP0YtMhWjjql5jVYmkvNV-6BxhpQKLDiK9KdToND3EaYCvbKMGlUr_xnYs4ZC/s400/SB.jpg" /></a></div><br />
I caught this flick a couple of weeks ago and it's been on my mind ever since. Not for the usual, feel-good, I really loved this movie reasons. It's just that it provoked such opposing emotions for me that I don't know whether or not I actually liked it. And once it was over, all I wanted was to see it again so I could try to puzzle it all out.<br />
<br />
Okay, let me break it down.<br />
<br />
Ginnifer Goodwin plays Rachel, who is best friends with Darcy (Kate Hudson). Rachel is your typical girl next door. Sweet, giving, a bit of a doormat when it comes to taking the back seat to Darcy. Darcy--the cool, popular, as deep as a puddle, pretty girl. They've known each other forever. And for some reason, despite their obvious differences, and despite the fact that they don't particularly seem to like each other a lot of the time--they're presented as closer than close.<br />
<br />
The movie starts with Darcy throwing Rachel a surprise 30th birthday party. She gives this wonderful speech about how Rachel is like a sister...and then proceeds to steal all of Rachel's thunder by gaining and keeping everyone's attention on herself. She's obnoxious, egocentric, and had they not pronounced themselves as best friends, you'd swear they were actually enemies. Frenemies.<br />
<br />
As it turns out, Rachel is a bit of a brainiac and went to law school. (Boy did that bring up memories. Especially when all of the flashbacks centered around her Torts class. lol) During her first day of Torts, Rachel meets Dex -- cute, nice, and oh so heroic when he comes to her rescue by lending her a pen. (It was quite dramatic.) They become study partners and when Dex finally asks her out--under the guise of celebrating the end of finals--lo and behold, Darcy sweeps in to interrupt what might've been the beginning of a very sweet romance. Rachel, being the nice door mat that she is, is intimidated by Darcy's level of cool and immediately steps aside, believing she can't compete. Dex, misreading the situation, believes Rachel isn't interested in him after all. His expression is like a puppy dog that's been kicked, HARD, when he thinks Rachel doesn't return his affections, and rejected, he turns his eye to Darcy. Seriously. Anyone with half a brain could see Rachel and Dex were head over heels for one another. But in less than 3 minutes, everything does a complete 180 for them.<br />
<br />
Flash forward to Rachel's birthday party -- where we see that Darcy and Dex are now engaged and about to get married. (So wrong.)<br />
<br />
One thing leads to another and Dex and Rachel find themselves out that night together for a drink. And ta-da! Rachel reveals that she once had a crush on him...and again, here comes the weepy puppy dog expression. Could she have really liked him?? How could he have wasted 6 years with Darcy when he could've been with Rachel the entire time??<br />
<br />
Wait for it.<br />
<br />
They sleep together that night, thus embarking on one of the most effed up romances I've ever seen.<br />
<br />
Why? Because despite having sex with another woman, Dex continues his sham engagement to Darcy. WORSE! The trio end up renting a summer house together with a group of friends and Dex and Darcy get it on--porn-style--so that the entire household can overhear them. And despite this, Rachel and Dex keep seeing each other. <br />
<br />
OMG. <br />
<br />
There are a lot of other horrible things that happen, but the end result is that I found myself rooting for Rachel and Dex to get together. Even though I thought they were both sort of gross --no, fully gross -- for their behavior. Even though Dex drove me crazy for his inability to just walk away from Darcy and go for the girl he really wanted. Even though Rachel had absolutely no backbone or self-esteem to believe herself worthy of something better. I.Still.Wanted.Them.To.Get.Together.<br />
<br />
<b>I wanted them to get together.</b> *hand meet forehead*<br />
<br />
This, y'all. This is the puzzle I've been trying to figure out since watching it. Why in the world did I root for these arseholes?<br />
<br />
As despicable as Rachel and Dex behaved, I have to admit that I thought Darcy was much, much worse. Maybe I rooted for the former two because Darcy was so self-absorbed that she either didn't notice or just didn't care that she basically stole Dex away from Rachel in the first place. Maybe it was because of some of the other awful things she did during this movie (I don't want to spoil it too much). Was it because Darcy represents all of the things we love to hate about some girls--pretty, not all that bright, but able to get whatever guy's attention she sets her sights on? The mean girl who can be nice to you when she needs something, and turn around the next second to completely cut you down? Darcy is the MASTER of backhanded insults. Did I root for Rachel because she's "nice" and well, played by Ginnifer Goodwin who I think is ADORABLE?<br />
<br />
In the end, I fear I rooted for Rachel and Dex because, of all the arseholes in this movie, Darcy was the biggest one. I think I was able to forgive them because the movie makers made Darcy's actions sooooooo much more unforgiveable. She out arse-holed them. Simple as that.<br />
<br />
Does this relate to writing? Of course it does. :) I'm just not sure how to use it quite yet. lol<br />
<br />
If you've seen this movie, I'd love to hear what you thought. Maybe it was me. *shrug* (g) <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgos0TzvKwIJcVcJIStQvEzILAJjSJ1jYUFH2N7qzbOG-rG5HBERaxxdS1iXskyBycY8aG8fYvxiRNCkwUo7RKAlo-7Cp7_nyoAsM2kcb9xAsTsaSGLawRUfytXxO_k4ulrJTOn0tJSxTSu/s1600/Pushit.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgos0TzvKwIJcVcJIStQvEzILAJjSJ1jYUFH2N7qzbOG-rG5HBERaxxdS1iXskyBycY8aG8fYvxiRNCkwUo7RKAlo-7Cp7_nyoAsM2kcb9xAsTsaSGLawRUfytXxO_k4ulrJTOn0tJSxTSu/s640/Pushit.gif" /></a></div><br />
Honestly, the cutest part of the movie. Darcy and Rachel reenact their childhood dance performance to Salt N' Pepa's <i>Pushit</i>.<br />
<br />
Jennifer Hendrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01239194419535919631noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-408971107003934333.post-6725275108321803952013-10-02T23:50:00.001-05:002013-10-03T00:30:42.789-05:00Exploring New IdeasI have really vivid dreams sometimes. I mean, crystal clear, hard to forget dreams that stick with me. When I was younger, I used to have a recurring nightmare about this demonic little girl in this rundown house. I probably had this dream a dozen or more times, and I would actually say to my dream self, "Oh no, not again." Seriously. SCARY stuff. The worst part is that it would be the same each and every time. And even though I'd experienced it on such a consistent loop, it still scared me senseless. To the point I wouldn't want to go back to sleep out of fear of dropping back into it. And yes, that happened on occasion. <br />
<br />
Thankfully, I haven't had that dream in a long time. Let's hope I haven't stirred it up by talking about it here. (g) I can still remember bits and pieces of it, but thank gawd, it's fading around the edges. I would gladly give up the few brain cells that are still clinging to its memory in order to have it gone for good. JUst sayin'.<br />
<br />
Don't even get me started on my dreams about sharks. Holy moley. I mean, really?? <br />
<br />
You could say my imagination has always been overly active. I suspect this has a great deal to do with the fact my mother introduced me to horror films at a VERY young age. Five, to be exact. And yes, this will age me -- but my mother took my sister and me to see the original Halloween. Y'all, I think we lasted until the girl bit it in the garage. We screamed non-stop and she was forced to take us out of the theatre. Let's hear it for the good parenting decisions made by young mothers. LOL. At any rate, and probably completely unbeknownst to my mother at the time--she kicked off what would be a life-long love/hate relationship between me and horror movies. I love to be scared. I hate to be scared. And dang it, I can't lay off. <br />
<br />
Where was I going with this?<br />
<br />
Yes. Dreams.<br />
<br />
As a writer, my dreams have started becoming quite useful for generating story ideas. Oh, I have enough waking ideas to deal with, and as with most people, my dreams can be somewhat scattered and completely random. But there are the occasional dreams (little girl in the house, anyone?) that really tell a story that my waking mind can't let go of. I recently had one such dream -- well, actually, it was quite a few months ago. But no matter how much time passes, I can't seem to let it go. It sparked an idea and I'm dying...DYING... to play around with it. A real pickle when I have an overdue book I need to write. (MEH!)<br />
<br />
I see the characters, I see the story, I feel the tension and emotions involved. I want to write this book!<br />
<br />
But yes, it will have to remain on the back burner for now. Thankfully, it doesn't seem to be going anywhere. <br />
<br />
That said, I stumbled back to CompuServe Writers Forum this month--after a very prolonged absence--and writers exercises was hosting a 5 week, 5 act story exercise -- with each act limited to 100 words. It was too tempting to pass up. I had to join in. These probably aren't the prettiest words I've ever written--some spots are just downright MEH to me now--but it was a great opportunity to explore this new idea and see what I could come up with. Oh, and did I mention that each week we had five random words chosen for us that we had to incorporate?? Yeah, tough one. And you really had to think about each word to make it beneath the word count. I'm happy to say, I ended up with exactly 498 words in the end. SHAZAAM!<br />
<br />
So, I thought I'd share it with y'all -- if there's actually anyone out there reading, that is. LOL. This idea doesn't even have so much as a working title -- it's that fresh. And despite the point of the exercise, I'm not sure I wrote a complete story. It's more of a thread of a thread, that yes, ends on a bit of a cliffhanger. Hey, did you expect anything less from me? (g)<br />
<br />
~<br />
Week One: Intro of setting and characters and inciting incident.<br />
incite, endless, drive, pact, over<br />
<br />
Week Two: Act I - Rising action, development of conflict<br />
astray, blood, toast, cursed, boardinghouse<br />
<br />
Week Three: Act III - Twists and reversals<br />
grain, obey, approach, backward, eyetooth<br />
<br />
Week Four: Act IV - Climax and resolution<br />
bizarre, forgotten, abomination, feast, black<br />
<br />
Week Five: – Denouement<br />
Inner, pinch, belong, treasure, dove<br />
~<br />
<br />
The barren landscape stretched before Charlie’s eyes, endless and unforgiving. She wanted this to be over, to lay her weary body down on the hard ground and lose herself in a dream. Only in sleep’s embrace could she go back to the way things were before. She staggered, almost giving in. But no, it was unforgivable to lose herself to this fantasy. Her father was gone. She must press on. Drive harder. Spencer’s actions had incited the wraiths into attacking. By God, if she had to make a pact with the devil himself, she would make him pay.<br />
<br />
~<br />
<br />
Several days passed before Charlie stumbled upon Spencer’s trail. Exhausted, she shuffled toward a cluster of abandoned buildings, convinced she was being led astray by delirium. Thankfully they were real. She pushed through the rotted door of what appeared to be an old boardinghouse. Its rooms were numerous, but she dropped her pack on the main floor, too tired to explore. It was there she spied the remains of a fire. She plunged her fingers into the ash and cursed. It was cold. Had Spencer toasted his toes here? She smiled. At last, she’d caught the scent of his blood.<br />
<br />
~<br />
<br />
The uneven grain of the wood floor made sleep nearly impossible. She’d have given her eyetooth for a real bed. When sleep at last found her, it was an uneasy and dreamless sleep, her mind unable to give her even a brief reprieve from this waking nightmare. On alert, she jerked upright, not knowing what had awoken her until it was too late. Spencer. She hadn’t heard him approach and cursed her own body for its weakness. Spencer looked as beat up as she felt. Gun in hand, he motioned for her to move backward, against the wall. She obeyed.<br />
<br />
~<br />
<br />
Growth covered the planes of Spencer’s face, his eyes black in the pale moonlight seeping through the window. For some bizarre reason, Charlie wanted to see his eyes—eyes blue as the sky she’d longed for her entire life. She shook herself. These feelings were an abomination to her father’s memory. Ones best forgotten. Calculating her chances of disarming the boy, Charlie was surprised when Spencer unceremoniously flipped the gun and pressed its grip into her palm. Her fingers curled around the gun. At last she could feast upon her anger and have her vengeance.<br />
<br />
“Charlie,” he said.<br />
<br />
She faltered.<br />
<br />
~<br />
<br />
One beat, two. The thud of metal meeting wood.<br />
<br />
Her fingers dove into his hair, fisting around the thick strands to pull him close. Just one taste, her inner voice argued. One small moment to treasure during the dark nights to come.<br />
<br />
Cursing herself, Charlie snaked a belt around his neck, pinching off his ragged breaths with one hard jerk. She made quiet shushing noises against his temple until at last he succumbed, crumpling to the ground, unconscious.<br />
<br />
Tears wet her eyes. The decision of whether he lived or died no longer belonged to her. <br />
<br />
“Please, God. Help us both.”<br />
<br />
~The End~<br />
<br />
It's not great, but it's something to use once I'm able to focus on this story. Until then, it will continue to simmer in the back of my mind. :)<br />
<br />
<br />
OH...and yes, my horror movie fest continues. Of course, it does! How else am I going to take in enough fodder to have some freakishly scary dreams?!<br />
<br />
Tonight's feature: 30 Days of Night<br />
<br />
I'll be honest -- I've only seen it once, and I don't really remember much about it. Not even whether or not I enjoyed it. But I'm willing to give it another shot. It has Josh Hartnett in it, and he's a cutie patootie. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7KXEc6Ri-OYuB4JeQnrG-rCfGzGWFW5i-_AkhCWCp2rZYp-T64xVo5ER43ztugI76ETD7i2YlfbDg-clbZ1J8IQO4SzyHwIYVESaeKFALtpSeWm-QNqbKF7hyphenhyphenQnlbxcuZqvjlAzSNWDmx/s1600/30days.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7KXEc6Ri-OYuB4JeQnrG-rCfGzGWFW5i-_AkhCWCp2rZYp-T64xVo5ER43ztugI76ETD7i2YlfbDg-clbZ1J8IQO4SzyHwIYVESaeKFALtpSeWm-QNqbKF7hyphenhyphenQnlbxcuZqvjlAzSNWDmx/s400/30days.gif" /></a></div><br />
Check out this little freak-a-doodle. Vampire children are scary. Jennifer Hendrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01239194419535919631noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-408971107003934333.post-50444436341715787562013-10-02T00:02:00.002-05:002013-10-02T00:04:30.963-05:00Tonight's FeatureI had an extremely long day. I'm not feeling well. At all. That said, the horrorfest continues. Mostly because I can't find the energy to do much else. Vegging in front of the TV is doable at the moment, and I highly doubt I'll last long doing even such a non-energy requiring activity. Most likely I'll be conked out in the next ten minutes. :)<br />
<br />
Tonight's choice: Wrong Turn<br />
<br />
COME ON, people. This movie is actually pretty dang entertaining. The backwoods inbred freaks in this movie are SCARY. I mean, look at this guy!!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjExpGWrgLBfRHWYmp_VUnVtUc2SKqkvsSsiivFPUQWIFXiVY_iv8PA3Wk47OUmxtQeK2zMBPzASbfKnUDcl1dCJ2WJRi344BL0Jt_Vu6ILSrvI0ZfM4qY7rpndNH_YP0LStcLqIPK5VPBZ/s1600/wrongturn.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjExpGWrgLBfRHWYmp_VUnVtUc2SKqkvsSsiivFPUQWIFXiVY_iv8PA3Wk47OUmxtQeK2zMBPzASbfKnUDcl1dCJ2WJRi344BL0Jt_Vu6ILSrvI0ZfM4qY7rpndNH_YP0LStcLqIPK5VPBZ/s400/wrongturn.gif" /></a></div><br />
Plus it stars Eliza Dushku of Buffy fame. Hot girls, hot guys... inbred freaks... What's not to love?<br />
<br />
Jennifer Hendrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01239194419535919631noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-408971107003934333.post-88755249646860290222013-09-30T23:04:00.000-05:002013-09-30T23:04:17.214-05:00It's October!Well, not quite yet. But in an hour it will be October--definitely my favorite month of the year. I plan on drinking many a' pint of Octoberfest, don my favorite sweaters and jackets, put together a kick-butt Halloween costume, and just otherwise enjoy the changing of the seasons and cooler weather. I. Can. Not. Wait. <br />
<br />
Football, changing of the leaves, hot chocolate and cider... Yeah... Annnnnd. Horror Movies!! lol<br />
<br />
I love 'em. I plan on watching many, many horror movies and ghost stories over the next month. Not only are they great fun, but I'm often inspired to write something creepy and spooky. It will be interesting to see what happens. <br />
<br />
I'm starting the month off tonight with Halloween H20. Okay, I know.. it's a little cheesy. BUT.. I love seeing Jamie Lee Curtis reprise her role and it's actually pretty decent if you Just. Go. With. It.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEwV44pavjQ4q9j73ScJ32KMNOajVnUqGp74V_DXwGT7jHKJBxjcY5TAcmOuQ7a6J-F3eAOqblmIseLRwyQX33uuTDmUMjfACeaMSdwmY1dz5qk7uKqWFOYKab7Q9p2TmfrD6nTwEe22y1/s1600/Halloween.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEwV44pavjQ4q9j73ScJ32KMNOajVnUqGp74V_DXwGT7jHKJBxjcY5TAcmOuQ7a6J-F3eAOqblmIseLRwyQX33uuTDmUMjfACeaMSdwmY1dz5qk7uKqWFOYKab7Q9p2TmfrD6nTwEe22y1/s400/Halloween.gif" /></a></div>Run, Laurie, Run!!<br />
<br />
I'm actually not sure what my favorite scary movie is... I'll have to think on that one. And with that, I'm off to watch a little Michael Myers magic. Night!Jennifer Hendrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01239194419535919631noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-408971107003934333.post-43658290969448323232013-09-21T22:50:00.000-05:002013-09-21T22:50:08.978-05:00Rough BeginningsSo, in the last 2-3 months, I've been doing a lot of reading. I find, actually, that the amount of reading I do is directly related to how my writing is going at any given time.<br />
<br />
Reading a lot? The writing isn't usually going so well. <br />
<br />
Not reading? Yeah, I'm using pounding the keys pretty hardcore. <br />
<br />
Thankfully, the pendulum is currently swinging towards writing. But as I said, I've been reading many a' book these past months. Some books I've absolutely loved. Some I made it through, perhaps a little begrudgingly. Others I could barely get past the first chapter without wanting to give up. Ever find that happens to you? Unfortunately, I've never really developed a knack for giving up on a book, even if it doesn't snare me right away. I guess I'm an optimist that way. I push through, hoping beyond hope that it will get better. Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't. But regardless, if I start it, I finish. I'm seeking help. If anyone knows of a good support group for this ailment, please speak up.<br />
<br />
Anyway, I wanted to share a few examples. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggteJo6ZGyfKdnp0w53eKXgVU-MfWSZsUefL_0Km7iD6mWVEdPUl8r994gxVEAUIoqRx4WsxowjXrLTg6KQMCWCENWuQySqo4H7qOrxNp7YOCJIKgziILWWd9Ng-8Z1BVU4GHElVDi3lZA/s1600/VA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggteJo6ZGyfKdnp0w53eKXgVU-MfWSZsUefL_0Km7iD6mWVEdPUl8r994gxVEAUIoqRx4WsxowjXrLTg6KQMCWCENWuQySqo4H7qOrxNp7YOCJIKgziILWWd9Ng-8Z1BVU4GHElVDi3lZA/s320/VA.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Yeah, this one shocked me too. It's the fourth book in the Vampire Academy series, and I REALLY enjoyed the first three. I can't tell you how difficult it was for me to get all the way through it. I started and gave up on it at least 4 times, never making it past the first 150-200 pages before calling it quits. Thing is, everyone kept telling me how good the next 2 books were, so I was HIGHLY motivated to push through. But I just couldn't. It bored me senseless. That said, I finally read it from start to finish. It did get better for me the further into the book I got. I don't think there's anything to really fault with the book itself--it just didn't float my boat like the others had. <br />
<br />
I went on to finish the series. It was a pretty dang good series, all-around. No idea why 4 hung me up for so long.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSpSSzW8yctsNYxkHeI7Yh0htisRW7b0yvqdTBJljD7-kRfPfwFFdaGGOLeaitAiHzVL-iqcvXkgif1k4xtZszA9StU0_7NnexKEXPeqDyNQPMqDFvejw0G6SmYhpcT85ssiiQdirbV0Ar/s1600/HTDYF.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSpSSzW8yctsNYxkHeI7Yh0htisRW7b0yvqdTBJljD7-kRfPfwFFdaGGOLeaitAiHzVL-iqcvXkgif1k4xtZszA9StU0_7NnexKEXPeqDyNQPMqDFvejw0G6SmYhpcT85ssiiQdirbV0Ar/s320/HTDYF.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Honestly, I don't think I got past the first chapter before calling it quits on this book the first time. I've tried reading other books by Larbalestier and ran into similar issues. There's something with the cadence of her writing that just doesn't jive with my inner ear. I get tripped up, frustrated, and generally speaking, annoyed as all hell when I try to read her work. Again, this says nothing about the storylines--I tried reading her Magic or Madness trilogy and had the same issue. A few pages in, my head was splitting and I had to just call it a no-go--so I can't speak to whether they're good books or not. That's not the issue. <br />
<br />
At any rate, I finally read all of HTDYF, and....*drum roll* I actually really enjoyed it. Now, it definitely took me a minute to sink into the cadence of Larbalestier's writing, but I did. The story was pretty dang entertaining in the end. Glad I pushed through. Ah, the rewards of perseverance.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFKu_r4tNe80gUgv1-iqzPdNKWixQD_qf2OG7D-jcRYNoXxDABUZ-tbK0Q0Lc3JiGZKLD_tn3K1Od7z0gi4F_rvQ9pTQwrlvqFCksIe2X0iBgVrJx-4rjcEdSeZ99aGpPBV0IeuhNPxoF4/s1600/TBH.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFKu_r4tNe80gUgv1-iqzPdNKWixQD_qf2OG7D-jcRYNoXxDABUZ-tbK0Q0Lc3JiGZKLD_tn3K1Od7z0gi4F_rvQ9pTQwrlvqFCksIe2X0iBgVrJx-4rjcEdSeZ99aGpPBV0IeuhNPxoF4/s320/TBH.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Where do I begin? I hated everything about this book right from the get go. The writing was fine, the setting pretty dang interesting...but the characters? Good gawd. I wanted to hurt them. No, make that beat the ever-lovin' you know what out of them. They were seriously that annoying. I pushed through, pushed through--basically because I have a friend who swears this series is the best love story ever to grace this world. I found the pair annoying and selfish beyond all measure. Oh, did I mention they weren't all that bright, either?<br />
<br />
Ugh. <br />
<br />
Anyway, I finished. And do you know what I did then? I went and bought the second book in the series. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGrCHev60pNvgBzFAdW-AKAWUD9zI_13dhfsfKwbUFsDfRro18k2GuYEzFbLzZPifisKFkMDLA63YYmaBPpB1S2OASa3bc0_kFnQ2fZAE-zTESda1Wb6sEIBlESGho0UdL8TqYOuPsNQpZ/s1600/albundy_shock.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGrCHev60pNvgBzFAdW-AKAWUD9zI_13dhfsfKwbUFsDfRro18k2GuYEzFbLzZPifisKFkMDLA63YYmaBPpB1S2OASa3bc0_kFnQ2fZAE-zTESda1Wb6sEIBlESGho0UdL8TqYOuPsNQpZ/s320/albundy_shock.gif" /></a></div><br />
Yeah, don't ask. I don't know if I could explain my range of emotions about this sudden turn of events.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHb42bC4-GhADI_LhxquFpc9Ge3QcbK0Cc_l53SEyZ4cj_7ovDy5KmIjWGKBn_-vDIBrTs3eu_J_1ehLPxhdTw0T7oBF_sHQ9_s3WnjimmuuLRxt76faJyalNcIBtXzMR195AXQ1ebeHxe/s1600/W.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHb42bC4-GhADI_LhxquFpc9Ge3QcbK0Cc_l53SEyZ4cj_7ovDy5KmIjWGKBn_-vDIBrTs3eu_J_1ehLPxhdTw0T7oBF_sHQ9_s3WnjimmuuLRxt76faJyalNcIBtXzMR195AXQ1ebeHxe/s320/W.jpg" /></a></div><br />
And finally, my current read.<br />
<br />
Y'all. I hate this book. HATE IT. I'm a little more than halfway finished, and I swear, the only way I'm getting through it is by squinting and letting the words blur together. I then proceed to dart my eyes across the page like a gerbil on crack. Ugh. I dread going to bed each night because I know I'll feel compelled to crack it open and read at least 20 pages. 20 pages is doable. 20 pages won't break my spirit or rip away a piece of my soul. I hope.<br />
<br />
LOL. Seriously, though.. It just doesn't float my boat. I was so extremely intrigued at first and the premise itself is amazing. I'm just lost and overwhelmed by the world building and all the political stuff and Animals and animals...and yeah, don't get me started. No offense if you really enjoyed this book--it's just not singing for me.<br />
<br />
Ah well, you can't win them all. Maybe tomorrow I'll talk about some books that I've read and LOVED recently.Jennifer Hendrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01239194419535919631noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-408971107003934333.post-72432208741637594102013-09-20T22:57:00.002-05:002013-09-20T22:57:26.916-05:00Oh, Hello!I live! Yes, I live! :)<br />
<br />
Recently, I received word that there has been some concern about my welfare. And in turn, whether or not Walking in Shadow would ever be published. I have surfaced to let everyone know that YES, I am well...and YES, Walking in Shadow will be published. Unfortunately, as you know, I'm far behind schedule with it...and unfortunately, it will be a while longer before it's ready to hit the airwaves and go live. There are a myriad of reasons, but I won't offer any excuses. I'm struggling with it. Alas, the good news is that I'm beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel.<br />
<br />
I can't tell you how excited I am for everyone to read it. I won't make any promises about a release date (boy did I learn my lesson about that the last time), but I wanted to let all of you know that it's coming, albeit slowly -- It's COMING. I apologize for the wait; I know it sucks. I've been there as a reader and I would want to throttle an author for missing a promised publication date. <br />
<br />
Again, I'm sorry. <br />
<br />
I really hope y'all can hang in there with me. <br />
<br />
For now, here's a teeny tiny snip -- It may or may not end up in the actual book, but that's yet to be seen. :)<br />
<br />
Enjoy!<br />
<br />
WALKING IN SHADOW<br />
<br />
Ty’s window appeared dark from a distance, but as I drew near, I made out a weak light coming from behind his curtains.<br />
<br />
There wasn’t much cover in his yard. I settled for a spot just inside the tree line and hunched down beside the trunk of a maple. The sky held only the faintest light from the setting sun, and the encroaching darkness would provide more than enough cover.<br />
<br />
I settled into the spot and closed my eyes, focusing hard on the house before me—trying to pluck out the various sounds from within. To decipher and catalog them. Silly as it was, I imagined a periscope in my mind. One I could use to locate and focus on different things. <br />
<br />
I did a sweep of the house, first locating Ty’s mother in the kitchen. There came with her the clatter of cutlery and dishes. I quickly decided she was cleaning up after their evening meal. No real guess work in that since I could see her pass by the kitchen windows. <br />
<br />
Score zero for me. <br />
<br />
Using her location, I focused on other parts of the house. <br />
<br />
A sheen of perspiration broke out across my forehead. I wiped it away with the sleeve of my coat. This was harder than I anticipated, and it was only after several minutes of fierce concentration that I was able to push past the noises Mrs. O’Neill was making to other parts of their house. At last, I picked up what sounded like the slow crackle of pages being turned. The faint creak of… <br />
<br />
Just then, Mrs. O’Neill dropped something in the kitchen and my concentration broke.<br />
<br />
Swearing under my breath, I dug my fingernails into my palms and once again tried to push past her. This time I was able to focus again on the turning pages and stay there. Along with that, I heard the deep breathing of a male and the minute shifting of…leather. Someone was sitting in a leather chair. That was the creaking I heard.<br />
<br />
Mr. O’Neill, likely working from home. <br />
<br />
I exhaled and pulled back, surprised by how exhausted this one small feat had left me. A headache pounded at my temples; I took a few even breaths before beginning the next leg of my experiment. <br />
<br />
Glancing up at Ty’s window, I grimaced. To say I felt shitty about spying on his parents would be putting it mildly. Spying on Ty himself was pushing past my moral limit. I reminded myself that this would be for his own good. A mild reassurance at best. <br />
<br />
Before I could back out, I closed my eyes and concentrated on his room. <br />
<br />
<i>Please God, don’t let him being doing anything I can’t handle knowing about.</i><br />
<br />
It was easier to focus without other people between us, their sounds bleeding into his. There was a soft thumping noise coming from his room. Evenly spaced, cushioned. I glanced up at his window, hoping to catch a glimpse of him as he paced back and forth. No such luck. The curtains shielded him from view.<br />
<br />
He was agitated about something. He always paced when he had things on his mind. Unfortunately, I had a sinking feeling that I was the source of said agitation.<br />
<br />
I don’t know what I hoped to discover by listening to him, but I found the sounds of him moving around up there soothing. If I expected him to phone Melanie, or vice versa—which, honestly, I had sort of hoped he would so I could listen in, even if it was only a one-sided conversation—I was disappointed. His phone didn’t ring and he made no move to call anyone. <br />
<br />
The only thing that showed promise was when he suddenly stomped over to the window and drew back his curtains with a soft rustle. From where I sat I had a clear view of him. I crouched low to the ground and held my breath. There was no way he wouldn't be able to see me from that vantage point. <br />
<br />
After no sirens went off, I dared to look up. <br />
<br />
Ty stood staring toward my bedroom window, his lips turned down in a frown. After a moment, the curtains dropped back into place and he resumed pacing, his steps quicker now. <br />
<br />
Just before I turned to move back towards my house, I heard him mutter two small words under his breath.<br />
<br />
“Dammit, Mac.”<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Jennifer Hendrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01239194419535919631noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-408971107003934333.post-88575921746501224322012-05-15T00:39:00.000-05:002012-05-15T00:39:05.046-05:00If It Were Easy......Everyone Would Do It... The fact that it's hard is what makes it so great.<br />
<br />
I was watching some movie this weekend, and a character said that. I think it may have been Tom Hanks in A League of Their Own. At any rate, they weren't talking about writing...but baseball. But what this character said is true, and totally got me thinking about the pursuit of writing. It's so TRUE.<br />
<br />
Seriously... if writing were easy, everyone would be doing it.<br />
<br />
I can't tell you how much I beat myself up sometimes. I keep thinking that this whole writing gig should be getting easier. I've written two books--torn them both apart--and built them back up. Shouldn't I know what the heck I'm doing by now? Yet despite this, I still struggle. I still feel like WIS is never going to be finished--that I don't know what I'm doing. That my writing is total crap and I'm the worst writer to ever put words on the page. <br />
<br />
It frustrates me to no end that the hardest thing for me to do is to sit my dang butt down in a chair and just start writing. That I piss and moan about how I'm tired...that I can't write when I've got a headache...that I have a million and one other things to do. ANYTHING to keep me from actually sitting down. It makes NO sense. But the truth of the matter is--writing is HARD. And I'm not talking about the whole concept of stringing words together, but the very act of sitting down--hour after hour, day after day, and just seeing a book through from start to finish. It takes a lot of will and determination, and just plain old tenacity. The ability to work through the low patches when you truly are writing shit. The ability to push away the distractions of the outside world. The patience to watch a small kernel of an idea grow slowly over time...I mean, for the love of Pete, grass grows faster! <br />
<br />
Not everyone has everything it takes. I mean, how many people have you heard say that they want to write a book? How many of them actually have or will? <br />
<br />
Not many.<br />
<br />
I have to remind myself of that sometimes. Especially when I'm hitting a rough patch and my confidence wanes. It's times like these I just have to put my head down and keep pushing through. Why? Because I know how it feels to coast down the other side of the hill. The hard work it takes to get there is worth the gratification and pride of knowing you've completed a book. It's what makes writing truly great. The end product. When you can finally look back at the total wreck you were while you were writing the book and be able to say..."Eh, that wasn't so bad!" LOL. <br />
<br />
I'll get there eventually. Then with the next book, I expect to be right back where I am now. <br />
<br />
Ah. Writing.Jennifer Hendrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01239194419535919631noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-408971107003934333.post-28974634543110914942012-05-10T21:17:00.002-05:002012-05-10T21:17:48.715-05:00Taking It On The ChinI'm a complete freshman in the publishing world. The past few months have seen a lot of firsts. My first book published, my first sale... my first review (and by gawd, it was a good one!), and eventually... my first negative review (and by gawd, it was an AWFUL one!). It's all a part of being "out there." It's a rollercoaster of emotions. One minute you're stoked beyond measure over a positive review, the next, you're freaking out because there's a lull in sales... the next, you're up again. Repeat ad nauseum.<br />
<br />
Self-publishing has been a complete adventure. And one I've had to break ground on alone. I have a lot of writer friends, but none of them have really set out on this sort of journey. To put it mildly, I'm making it up as I go along. Fitting for this chunk writer. :)<br />
<br />
You know, before I put my book out there, I was a pretty avid book reviewer. I loved it. Reading a ton of books and then sharing my thoughts about what I did/didn't like. I've been known to be *cough* harsh at times... complete fangirl ridiculous at others. But one thing I always held myself to was the truth. I didn't sugarcoat for the sake of putting on a good face in the "public eye" and I didn't set out to tear anyone down for sport. Now, there were definitely a few casualties along the way (heh), but for the most part, I think I offered up fair critiques according to my VERY subjective taste. <br />
<br />
As a writer who has now had her work up for critique for a good six months, I have to say my opinion on the subject holds true. <br />
<br />
Y'all, I have been praised... and I have been ripped apart. HARSHLY. And the only reviews that made me cry were the good ones. That's the honest truth. I know it sounds crazy, but while I don't exactly relish negative reviews, I don't let them get to me either. It's all a part of this gig. Bemoaning them or saying someone doesn't have a right to express their honest opinion goes against everything I've always so stubbornly defended. They have the right to their opinions...just as I have a right to disagree. (g)<br />
<br />
I never--not for one minute--thought I would be okay with the negatives. But I am. Mainly because one thing this past six months has taught me, is that there are different strokes for different folks. And while my book may make some people want to bang their heads into a wall, there are equal numbers of people out there who will love it. I will never be able to please all of them, so why let it get to me? I don't write to try to please the people who think I produce garbage.. I write for the people who love what I have to offer. <br />
<br />
I don't even have to make it a mantra. It simply is. <br />
<br />
So for anyone setting out on this journey, remember...this WILL happen to you. It happens to the best of them. :)<br />
<br />
Just keep truckin', yo!Jennifer Hendrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01239194419535919631noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-408971107003934333.post-58001348221145476702012-05-08T00:14:00.002-05:002012-05-08T00:30:03.966-05:00Giveaway/ReviewsJust a quick post to announce a couple of reviews for BY THE PALE MOONLIGHT.<br />
<br />
Mickey over at I'm A Book Shark recently posted her review, including an interview with MOI. :) ON TOP OF THAT, she's giving away a free ebook copy of BTPM. LOTS to see over there. Go check it out and get entered to win. <a href="http://tinyurl.com/cxbjp7s">HERE</a>.<br />
<br />
Another recent review comes in from The Book Whisperer. <a href="http://www.book-whisperer.blogspot.com/2012/04/review-by-pale-moonlight-by-jennifer.html">HERE</a>.<br />
<br />
Whoot! Both ladies were extremely generous. Their blogs are fabulous, so check 'em out.<br />
<br />
In other news, I'm plodding along with WALKING IN SHADOW. Today was my first day back at work after a 6 day vacation so I'm struggling to get back into the swing of things. This working/writing business, as most of us know, is TOUGH. It's only Monday and I'm exhausted. :)<br />
<br />
That said, I figured out a major wrinkle today...so WHOOT!Jennifer Hendrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01239194419535919631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-408971107003934333.post-50061522325669507992012-05-05T11:20:00.000-05:002012-05-08T00:31:13.590-05:00AliveI've been horrible--simply horrible--at blogging over the past few months. Life has been keeping me very busy, and when given the opportunity to write, I've been choosing to work on the ole' WIP instead. And trust me, the time I've had for writing--or rather, made for writing--has been limited to begin with. :) I am making good progess, however. I still can't say for sure when WALKING IN SHADOW will be completed, but I'm trudging towards the end. <br />
<br />
It's been a hard book to write, mostly because it's darker than BTPM and I'm walking a fine line of going too far/not going far enough. But word by word, it's being written and shined up for public viewing. I CANNOT wait for this baby to go out into the world. SO excited. <br />
<br />
Book aside, one of my goals is to do more blogging. I do miss it a great deal. My little vents, my book reviews, etc. Most of all, I miss having a solid connection with other writers. I literally have been the hermit in her dark cave for the past year or so. It's time for me to come out of hiding. :) So, I'm challenging myself to blog 5 days out of 7 through the rest of May. Ha. If you follow me (hello? hello? Is anyone still out there??), you'll know that this is a HUGE goal, and you probably have serious doubts I can keep it. I promise to give it my all. (G) Can't guarantee my posts will always be coherent, but hey... how's that different than when I began this little sideshow? lol <br />
<br />
So yeah... there it is. In writing. Hold me to it! :)Jennifer Hendrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01239194419535919631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-408971107003934333.post-23261104510071840872012-02-21T22:29:00.004-06:002012-02-21T22:34:36.742-06:00For Those Of You Wondering...I've had a few readers popping out of the woodwork to ask when the sequel to BY THE PALE MOONLIGHT will be out. <br /><br />Well, my original goal of "Spring 2012" still stands. At this point, my best estimate is May...<br /><br />I know, I know... that's <span style="font-style:italic;">late </span>spring, but sometimes life throws you some curves you weren't expecting. That said, I'm working on WALKING IN SHADOW...and my biggest concern is making sure I put out the best book possible. That may push back its release more than I'd like it to...but hopefully, it will be worth the wait. :)<br /><br />Wish me lots of writing time and a happy muse. :)Jennifer Hendrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01239194419535919631noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-408971107003934333.post-1748881554006929952012-01-18T06:43:00.001-06:002012-01-18T06:46:20.918-06:00The Great ExperimentAfter some early morning pondering, I've decided to lower the price of BY THE PALE MOONLIGHT to 99 cents. Yep, you read that right. <br /><br />It's my hope that this will help get my book into the hands of more readers. It may have no affect whatsoever, but we shall see. At this particular point in time, I'm planning on leaving it at this price for 30 days--test the waters, see how it goes. <br /><br />Some of you may be wondering why I've decided to do this. Well, I always told myself prior to publishing that price point is something I would experiment with--and I haven't. Sales are steady, but slow...and really, doing this now isn't going to have any sort of financial impact. Can't worry about the few dollars that are trickling in when they're...well, trickling. (g) And really, that wasn't why I did this in the first place. What I'm on the hunt for is readers. <br /><br />So far, BTPM hasn't sold in record breaking numbers, but those who are reading it, are really loving it. It's been a huge success on that level, which was my ultimate goal. i.e. To put out a quality book that people love...that they'll want more of... and basically, to create a readership for the series, etc. It is gaining slow momentum, and perhaps this pricing change will be the boost that it needs. I definitely want to go into book 2 with the added benefit of there being actual readers who are anticipating its release.<br /><br />So...yeah, that's my reasoning in a nutshell. It may flop, I may go right back to my "high price" of 2.99... We shall see. <br /><br />Go forth and spread the word. :)<br /><br />Oh and P.S. I just made the changes this morning, so the new price may not be listed for another day or two.Jennifer Hendrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01239194419535919631noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-408971107003934333.post-80698155347111006512012-01-13T10:02:00.002-06:002012-01-13T10:03:14.819-06:00Whoot!I have a four day weekend without a single "have-to" on my agenda. You know what that means, right?<br /><br />Four uninterrupted days of face time with WALKING IN SHADOW. <br /><br />Book two, y'all. It's on its way!!Jennifer Hendrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01239194419535919631noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-408971107003934333.post-14862853804066656632011-11-20T13:36:00.004-06:002011-11-20T14:06:00.102-06:00Changes Are Afoot.Now, bear with me because I haven't been to a brick & mortar bookstore in quite some time. Some of this may be old hat.<br /><br />First thing I noticed when I walked into my local B&N was that the young adult/teen section was no longer located where I last saw it. R'uh? I did a double take at the section..after all, the children's section is right where it's always been, and shouldn't the teen section be right there, skirting around it? Umm, nope. It was gone. <br /><br />*Moment of panic and feeling lost in this unfamiliar world* <br /><br />Then I spotted one of those middle of the aisle tables loaded down with YA books. Whew. There they are!<br /><br />I headed over, and the first thing that caught my attention was that the young adult section is now located dead center of the bookstore. WHOOT! How awesome is that? Clearly bookstores are finally realizing how very powerful young adult books are in today's market. Heck, to get to the adult section, you have to bypass the teen section, so yeah, chances are some people may be dazzled by all of the kickass YA covers and stop to browse. GOOD THINKING Barnes & Noble.<br /><br />Second thing I noticed? Umm, there are now Young Adult category headings at the top of the display cases. R'uuuuuhhhh? *double double TRIPLE take* <br /><br />Yep. My bookstore has three categories listed for teens. "Young adult fiction" "Young adult Sci-Fi/Fantasy" and "Young adult Paranormal ROMANCE."<br /><br />Pardon me, but what the FRENCH?!<br /><br />I don't know how others feel about this...and maybe I'm seriously in the minority, but one of the things I absolutely loved best about the way young adult novels had previously been shelved was that all novels by a particular author were housed together in the same place. I know it's sort of an antiquated way of doing things, and perhaps the fact they're separating them into categories is a GOOD thing, but I really liked this practice. For one, it allowed young adult authors to really mix things up, not only with the types of books they chose to write, but with the amount of genre-bending they could do.<br /><br />What do I mean by that? Well, previously, a young adult author could choose to write a thriller one year, a contemporary the next, and maybe a paranormal the year after that. And with the way things were, all of those books would be shelved right next to each other. Now, apparently, they will be split up amongst these three, IMO, limiting subject headings. Is this just the beginning? Will more categories emerge? Dystopian is hotter than hot right now... I could see that one making an appearance. Is this a slipperly slope we're walking? Will this make books that don't nicely fit into one specific category harder to shelve, and therefore, harder sells to bookstores? <br /><br />Oh the worry this conjured. <br /><br />I had to stop and think about BY THE PALE MOONLIGHT. Where would it be shelved? Would they shelve it under Paranormal Romance and call it good? Yes, there are paranormal elements, and there's romance... but there's also a fair amount of mystery/suspense...and just some good old-fashioned teen angst that has nothing to do with being a werewolf. Would this limit the number of people who would be willing to look at it if it was shelved right next to TWILIGHT? (Not saying that would be a BAD thing, mind. I'd do a number of things, most them legal, to get a little bit of Meyers' mojo). But do you see what I'm saying? Everyone in adult complains about branding, and won't this create the same issue for young adult authors? All conjecture, of course...but something to definitely think about. Of course, most people say brick & mortars are on their way out, so perhaps it's all moot anyway.<br /><br />The final thing I noticed is in respect to my purchases today. I went in with these four books in mind--knowing I wanted to read them. There was a fifth book on my list that had to get nixed *sad face* because, holy crap, batman!! All of these books (with the exception of the Ness novel) were offered in hardback versions only. Not only that, but the prices ranged from 16-19 dollars a piece. Ugh. I'm on to you booksellers. You get us all worked up to read these books, then charge us up the wazoo, knowing in advance that we have absolutely no taste for delayed gratification. The worst part is that you open the books, and the type is humungous and you know they could've packaged it up in a book half the size, at half the price. UGH. I'm on to your Tomfoolery, booksellers. You're reminding me of how great my Kindle is right about now. Ugh, but I wanted these books--bad--and you got me. Next time, though... next time, I'll be smarter!<br /><br />Any thoughts?Jennifer Hendrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01239194419535919631noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-408971107003934333.post-32099358889962176752011-11-20T13:22:00.004-06:002011-11-20T13:35:04.253-06:00The Take!It was a gooooood day at church! (But more on that later!) Here's what I brought home with me.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKf5SQp6GfRUb6u3-3yPeBF8aloKXdyDdKRT_EN2d_0VY-SoP6UEKtLrtq6TQoZX0SuXNgtqDz1Pj8Z_JJ4UNawr1YqShVryL8gRUN4vEeaIf-1MGdW8PikKn9WlDMAnyJmOizjpl5Ys0D/s1600/star.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 265px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKf5SQp6GfRUb6u3-3yPeBF8aloKXdyDdKRT_EN2d_0VY-SoP6UEKtLrtq6TQoZX0SuXNgtqDz1Pj8Z_JJ4UNawr1YqShVryL8gRUN4vEeaIf-1MGdW8PikKn9WlDMAnyJmOizjpl5Ys0D/s400/star.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677162809542321186" /></a><br /><br />Frankly, Johnson had me at Jack the Ripper. Need I say more? Can't wait to read this one!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijH6l6hQZiHyDhnaCsrQ-MtzVgEvP2xzLSGeVEu4fa16y1jWvad9-i2yHUqfF3XD-ksLKS0eJm-TB4xgXAvxvIjqLuPZjTn_LQT3TDws76BVHZnPI064qTxU4PAWTxATYiLMcZDh0Ia8eH/s1600/Smoke.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 264px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijH6l6hQZiHyDhnaCsrQ-MtzVgEvP2xzLSGeVEu4fa16y1jWvad9-i2yHUqfF3XD-ksLKS0eJm-TB4xgXAvxvIjqLuPZjTn_LQT3TDws76BVHZnPI064qTxU4PAWTxATYiLMcZDh0Ia8eH/s400/Smoke.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677162691882826978" /></a><br /><br />I've heard so many good things about this that I just had to see what all the hooplah was about.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwR8lH2HWOeUGzCstNbNlN2kR1pYZIKCTXsNbbF5-r2Pu4sJ3-cLcFqbyInWGo8B6kahwSQXy8lGMG4EJ3l0uYKNSAphj8TYrfZ89bzlCFDDFzDfRCiP6-4SPBJV6MRQnRXhTyhyphenhyphen7jM2aU/s1600/Shatter.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwR8lH2HWOeUGzCstNbNlN2kR1pYZIKCTXsNbbF5-r2Pu4sJ3-cLcFqbyInWGo8B6kahwSQXy8lGMG4EJ3l0uYKNSAphj8TYrfZ89bzlCFDDFzDfRCiP6-4SPBJV6MRQnRXhTyhyphenhyphen7jM2aU/s400/Shatter.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677162612955159986" /></a><br /><br />Again, I've heard so many great things about this novel. Seems everywhere I turn, someone is blogging about it. Yep, I knew I had to read it.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg7mmcn_fNyh0QajbWNmvx8pRdgzycAFTczUXvEhyZdIsyO2ynTxd509dL1Jq3DgmlYTe4ZV8wGvAgmy-Xk40HtHuzKvY5nJCeKcQEkZdR5yhjDjuc_drec1k1radOH47crI2EE3Qfwj_p/s1600/KNIFE.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 247px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg7mmcn_fNyh0QajbWNmvx8pRdgzycAFTczUXvEhyZdIsyO2ynTxd509dL1Jq3DgmlYTe4ZV8wGvAgmy-Xk40HtHuzKvY5nJCeKcQEkZdR5yhjDjuc_drec1k1radOH47crI2EE3Qfwj_p/s400/KNIFE.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677162507521069186" /></a><br /><br />This was recommended by several different people, and after reading a sample of it, I just had to know more. I loved Manchee... absolutely cracked me up. "Owww, Todd?" LOLOL. (If you don't get that, it's utterly ridiculous, but so funny. Trust me.) "Good poo, Todd." LOL. (Okay, I'll stop.)<br /><br />That's my take, and I'm super excited to read them! Whoot. I'll be blogging about my church experience in a moment. I was a little blown away by a couple of things.Jennifer Hendrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01239194419535919631noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-408971107003934333.post-64457960657396132662011-11-01T00:37:00.002-05:002011-11-01T00:38:27.268-05:00NaNo!Uh, so yeah... NaNo has officially begun. I'm shooting right out of the gate...and going to bed. :)<br /><br />But tomorrow night! Tomorrow night, I write! <br /><br />Good luck to all the Nano'ers!Jennifer Hendrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01239194419535919631noreply@blogger.com2