Merinda's Meanderings

I was thinking about posting and talking about this link today, but then I realized, oh yeah, I already posted that a couple months ago. The blog is like three months old and I’m already repeating myself?

So I have a question for you, the audience.

What sort of stuff would you like to see here? I’m sure you guys would rapidly get bored with “today I wrote three pages” or “Oh look, another rejection”. I am trying to post links to contests or interesting magazines as I find them. I can also post links to tools that I use. And expect a full on “go nanowrimo go” post come October or so.

I’m trying to have the sort of site I’d like to read, but I’d also like to know what interests you as well. Maybe you can consider this a ground floor opportunity to help this site grow and be more interesting. So leave a comment with any suggestions or drop me an email.

Thanks!

Harper Collins is putting American Gods up for the next month, free of charge. This was the first book of his that I read, and I’d highly recommend it. Just click on the the link below.

American Gods

It’s a nice space when you find the words just flow on a story. I don’t know about anyone else, but sometimes the first chapter or two is easy, then you hit a tough spot. Then there’s that place when you feel like you’re looking at a giant mountain and you’ll never get over it to find the ending.

Right now though, on “Grace” things are just moving right along. This last chapter practically wrote itself. The ending is in sight. I’m still not totally sure how to get there, but I’m hoping the words keep flowing like they have been.

Then, it’ll be putting it aside for a bit before tackling the rewrite.

I also plan on buying a box of bulk stay-flat envelopes. For the short stories and for those queries that want samples. It’s high time I got back on the queries for “The Unthinkable”

Been doing okay on the writing. If nothing else I’m writing every day, something at least. Actually I’ve gotten two chapters done and I need to start on the next. I’m working on “Grace” right now, having gotten tired of “Sean”.

Of course, “Grace” is turning into something of an ironic title. She’s still one of the main characters, but increasingly it feels like her brother, McCarthy is taking over things. Ah well, thats the nature of characters.

But Grace did have a very powerful half a chapter. One of those things you know is coming out well but is very difficult to write. I know if it’s making my chest tighten  and is that hard, then it’s probably good writing.

Got an email last night rejecting my story for the First Line. I was a bit upset, especially as I thought it was a good one, but I’m better this morning. After all, I know I have to walk through miles of rejection before I get to the other side. Overnight success is generally a myth. Besides, that story has a good strong main character, maybe I can give him a longer story.

I actually spent most of yesterday writing. I finished one chapter of Grace, wrote a short one that I know will need work come editing/rewrite time, and started on a third. So overall it was a productive weekend. I need to find time to write in the evenings too. I know I write better when I make sure I write every day.

I suppose now that I am off hiatus I should post now and again, eh? I’ve just been really busy this week. I started a full time job on Tuesday and I’m still adjusting to the schedule.

Writingwise, I’m waiting to see if I got into First Line, should hear later this month about that. I sent “When Inspiration Strikes” and “What Cost Tyanny” off again since they both rejected this last time.

Maybe someday I’ll even actually sell something…

I was originally going to post my fiction reading with my nonfiction, but then I realized that all of the fiction I’d read in the last month or so was by the same author: Neil Gaiman.

I realize that I’m probably late to the party on falling in love with the writing of Gaiman, but better late then never. I’d heard of him before, and I’d even checked out and returned Good Omens a few times without actually reading it. Things started to change when we saw “Stardust” this summer. It felt like a breath of fresh air in a time of unrelenting blockbusters and unoriginal sequels and remakes. That got me curious, but further interest grew when two creative bloggers I read regularly (John Kovalic and Wil Wheaton) referenced his blog entry titled “Why Write?”. Wil Wheaton’s response is especially good.

So I started reading his blog. His blog is much of what I hope this becomes. Not to long after this I bought “American Gods” to give myself no excuse not to read it. Wow. That brought back the excitement in a way that I think I hadn’t felt since discovering the sci fi masters in my teens. Then while visiting my friend in Chicago I read “Sandman volume 1 reludes and Nocturnes” (the link is a free place to read issue #1 online). I’ve long been a fan of graphic novels, I just haven’t read many. And this was a tremendous piece of work.

I saw “Beowulf” twice in the theater, both in 3D, and I thought it was at least better then average. Curious about the trailer for “Coraline” and after seeing it mention frequently and positively I picked up that children’s book. Honestly it was one of the more gripping things I’ve read in a while. My friend in Chicago gave me a copy of “Good Omens” by Neil Gaiman and Terry Prachett. Some of you may want to throw things, but I just couldn’t get into the last Terry Prachett book I tried to read, so I was a little leery. I shouldn’t have been. “Good Omens” was absolutely hilarious. Laugh out loud and yet strangely thought provoking at the same time. The other Gaiman book I read in the last month was “Neverwhere”, his first published novel. I didn’t like that one as much. It wasn’t a bad read, but to me it was somewhat predictable and I kept feeling like if I only knew London geography a bit better maybe I’d get the book more. Still there were moments of brilliance in it too.

So I’m looking forward to reading more Neil Gaiman in the future (though probably not right now). At some point I need to read all of Sandman for certain. Next summer I will probably go see Coraline in the theater.

Taking this off of hiatus.

I have Internet at home now and can give this site the care and attention I’ve wanted to. So the question is, what have I been doing for the last month? Reading, mostly. I’ve gotten some writing done, but for the most part I’ve been making use of the local library. This entry has the non-fiction and DVDs:

Asian American Dreams: The Emergence of an American People by Helen Zia

I’m pretty much as WASP as they come. I grew up in places where it was rare to see a minority face. So perhaps because of that I’m always interested in learning about other cultures. This book is a fascinating look at what it is and has been to be an Asian in this country in the last fifty years. It talks about the troubles and triumphs both within and without the Asian American community. I felt like I got a glimpse of a world I knew very little about.

Forever Barbie: The Unauthorized Biography of a Real Doll by M.G. Lord

In case you couldn’t tell, I like to browse the non-fiction section. This book caught my eye. Like most girls in this country I grew up with a couple of abused Barbie Dolls. This book is a fascinating read, full of trivia about Mattel and Barbie (for instance, the original Barbie had her eyes downcast to appear more submissive) and also an examination of how Barbie has influenced the culture, or perhaps how the culture has used her.

The View from the Vysotka: A Portrait of Russia Today Through one of Moscow’s Most Famous Addresses by Anne Nivat

I’ve always been interested in Russia. This book is by an admitted Russophile, a French woman who now makes her home in this vysotka on Ironmongers Quay. The book is a series of interviews with both the people who work and live in the vysotka and their perspective on Russia. Three vysotka were built at the end of Stalin’s life, massive skyscrapers that were supposed to point to the future. This one overlooks the Kremlin.

Flicks

Moonlighting, Seasons 1&2

I was somewhere around 7 years old when this show debuted in 1986, so I’d never seen it. Despite laughing at some of the mid 80’s technology (rotary pay phones!) and clothing (shoulder pads!) this show is still funny and entertaining just on its own merits, especially the dialogue. Anyone who wants to study witty banter and sexual tension could do worse then this show. “The Dream Sequence Always Rings Twice” is a noteworthy season 2 show that was done mostly in black and white, a daring thing the executives were sure would be terrible. Of course that episode was brilliant. The season two Christmas show was also great, especially an unexpected, touching, tribute to Christmas at the end.

Guns, Germs and Steel

I admit I never could finish this book. So when I saw the National Geographic channel special at the library we grabbed it. This three part series was interesting, but perhaps because I was already familiar with the theories of the book it wasn’t earth shattering.

Trekkies

Confession here: I used to be a HUGE Star Trek geek. I could probably write a whole entry about the influence of Star Trek on me. About the extent of my fandom these days is I’m a regular reader of Wil Wheaton.net. So, I’d heard about this documentary, but never seen it. The first thing I have to say, compared to some of these people, I am so not a geek. This show is a funny, sometimes freaky, sometimes strange look at the fans of Star Trek, focusing its attention, of course, on the ones that are perhaps a bit more out there. Still and all, one comes away from it feeling that for the most part Star Trek fans are an intelligent, caring bunch. And the cast interviews are great too.

The Human Face

This 4 part BBC miniseries was an excellent look at an intersting subject. Hosted by John Cleese with some help from Elizabeth Hurley this books explores it’s subject and unearths many interesting facts and people. For instance, the golden ratio, 1|1.618 applies to beauty. If you could find it, I’d recommend it.