I've noticed that when I'm writing I get inspiration for new stories and ideas everywhere and at any time. Ideas for stories, papers, poems,etc I find come at times that aren't always the most convenient. When I was back in high school I was taking a creative writing class and we were given the assignment to parody a song. I was stuck in the first drive-thru window at McDonalds and then all of a sudden I was hit I got an idea for my parody. All I had available to write my parody down with was a dull pencil and some receipt paper. I printed out a length of receipt paper and started writing. Within a few mintues I had a parody draft written and just like that my homework was done.
Another good example of inspiration hitting when you least expect it is my junior year of college. My friend and I a couple days earlier had gone to pick up her wedding dress. On the way she asked me if I would read a poem at her wedding, of course I agreed. Then she told me that she wanted me to write the poem then read it. I asked if she was sure since my typical writing style at the time was murder mystery. She said she was sure and she trusted me. I had, I think a week before the wedding when she asked me, and finals at school. I was starting to get worried about the poem and I spent the night studying for one of my exams and then hit the hay. Out of a dead sleep I woke up, grabbed a note book and pen from next to the bed and started writing. I wrote straight for 20mins without my glasses on before I was done. I looked at the clock it was almost 1 am. I put the pen and notebook down shut the light out and fell back asleep. A week later I was back in Calais in front of my friend, her husband, and their guests reading the poem. I could tell by looking at her face that I'd done what I'd been asked to do and I felt good about giving them something personalized and just for them.
ne of the great things about being a writer is that inspiration is around every corner just waiting for someone to notice it and take advantage of it. It could be anything a word, a phrase, a picture, a building, anything to get those gears going and the ideas spilling out. Because of this I like to have a notebook and pen with me at all times. I like to keep a camera handy too in case I see something that inspires me so I can snap a picture of it so I won't forget it. Thankfully now I have a phone with a camera so i don't have to have my actual camera with me all the time.
Inspiration is a wonderful thing that can hit like a bolt of lightening and vanish just as quickly. It doesn't care if you have a pen and paper ready, or what time of day it is. I'll stay up all night writing something for a story down just so I get it all down and won't forget it. Inspiration is a writer's best friend and sleep's worst enemy.
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Monday, January 16, 2012
#11: Wayfinder- C E Murphy
1/15/12
There is something wonderful about reading that allows the reader to escape the world they live in and be part of another for a while. This isn't necessarily always a pleasant escape as some book and their worlds are much worse places to be in than our own. The beauty of books is that they become par of you, good or bad, and you have more that is part of you (yes even if it is the most outlandish fictional tale ever).
Lara Jansen, less than a year ago was just an apprentice tailor in Boston with a quirky habit of knowing when people are telling the truth. Then she met Dafydd and went to the faery world of the Barrow-lands. She learned she was a Truthseeker and her abilities were needed to solve a murder and to put a stop to a a war. Dafydd is now missing and the Barrow-lands are on the verge destruction. Lara must harness the dangerous power of the staff and find a long forgotten truth that could take them down the path of mending or destroy what is left.
I have read a great many of C E Murphy's books because there is something interesting that she does in all of them. She takes a modern character and setting and does a mash up with mythology/stories/legends and creates a seamless tale. I love the blend of the two worlds. Another thing I love about C E Murphy is her ability to create a strong female character that I not only admire but can relate to. This is a consistency throughout her books that is nice. I also like that her character are just everyday people with jobs that are thrown into a world most of us only dream of.
There is something wonderful about reading that allows the reader to escape the world they live in and be part of another for a while. This isn't necessarily always a pleasant escape as some book and their worlds are much worse places to be in than our own. The beauty of books is that they become par of you, good or bad, and you have more that is part of you (yes even if it is the most outlandish fictional tale ever).
Lara Jansen, less than a year ago was just an apprentice tailor in Boston with a quirky habit of knowing when people are telling the truth. Then she met Dafydd and went to the faery world of the Barrow-lands. She learned she was a Truthseeker and her abilities were needed to solve a murder and to put a stop to a a war. Dafydd is now missing and the Barrow-lands are on the verge destruction. Lara must harness the dangerous power of the staff and find a long forgotten truth that could take them down the path of mending or destroy what is left.
I have read a great many of C E Murphy's books because there is something interesting that she does in all of them. She takes a modern character and setting and does a mash up with mythology/stories/legends and creates a seamless tale. I love the blend of the two worlds. Another thing I love about C E Murphy is her ability to create a strong female character that I not only admire but can relate to. This is a consistency throughout her books that is nice. I also like that her character are just everyday people with jobs that are thrown into a world most of us only dream of.
#10:STNG: Loosing the Peace -William Leisner
1/11/12
Okay before I write this review I want to state what must already be an obvious fact. I am not reading these Star Trek books in order at all. That said it's not because I don't want to read them in order but these just happen to be the one I bought. Part of me did have an secret motive when buying them thought, my favorite character is Beverly Crusher and I loved the relationship between her and Captain Picard so I wanted to know what happened, I wanted the story to keep going (as I always do) so I bought the books that might meet that criteria (with the obvious exception of the early books and definitely The Captains' Honor).
The war with the Borg has ended but that doesn't mean that things go back to normal in the Federation. There are millions and millions of people who have lost their homes. There is much work to be done and Captain Jean-Luc Picard and his crew must work through their trouble and help those who have nowhere to turn.
I loved this book. I read two thirds of this book on the day I bought it and quickly finished the rest of it the next day. This story was good because it highlighted the rebuilding that had t take place after the Borg attack. Too often tv shows/book/movies will pass over the aftermath of a major event because it is anticlimactic. Leisner makes this story engaging and relate-able. Not only are we exposed to what the Federation must deal with but also how the events of the Borg attack affected individual crew members. The story wasn't focused on some major war but rather what comes after and how people who were so important during war time now fare in a time of peace. We are forced to examine the question , "in a world used to and destroyed by war can there be peace afterward?"
Okay before I write this review I want to state what must already be an obvious fact. I am not reading these Star Trek books in order at all. That said it's not because I don't want to read them in order but these just happen to be the one I bought. Part of me did have an secret motive when buying them thought, my favorite character is Beverly Crusher and I loved the relationship between her and Captain Picard so I wanted to know what happened, I wanted the story to keep going (as I always do) so I bought the books that might meet that criteria (with the obvious exception of the early books and definitely The Captains' Honor).
The war with the Borg has ended but that doesn't mean that things go back to normal in the Federation. There are millions and millions of people who have lost their homes. There is much work to be done and Captain Jean-Luc Picard and his crew must work through their trouble and help those who have nowhere to turn.
I loved this book. I read two thirds of this book on the day I bought it and quickly finished the rest of it the next day. This story was good because it highlighted the rebuilding that had t take place after the Borg attack. Too often tv shows/book/movies will pass over the aftermath of a major event because it is anticlimactic. Leisner makes this story engaging and relate-able. Not only are we exposed to what the Federation must deal with but also how the events of the Borg attack affected individual crew members. The story wasn't focused on some major war but rather what comes after and how people who were so important during war time now fare in a time of peace. We are forced to examine the question , "in a world used to and destroyed by war can there be peace afterward?"
#9: STNG: The Captains' Honor - David & Daniel Dvorkin
1/9/12 SPOILER
Hmmm two book in one day? I attribute this largely to the fact that I saw a total of four customers today at one of my jobsand that I settled into bed around nince pm but I wasn't tired in the least. Anyway I finished another Star Trek book, however difficult I found this one to be.
The peaceful planet of Tenara has come under attack by the merciless M'Dork. While the ship Centurion is charged with the duty of protecting Tenara the Federation errs on the side of caution with these recent attacks and send the Enterprise to assist them. However, Captain Picard and Captain Lucius Sejanus of the Centruion have very different stances on the situation.
This was not by far one of my favorite books (Star Trek) that I've read, in fact it was my least favorite. The issues I have with this may seem personal however that is what these entries are. One irritating omission for me was that of excluding Dr. Crusher from the senior staff and almost from the book completely. While the story didn't need a large presence by Dr. Crusher the fact that the senior staff was said to be complete without her was inaccurate. I don't hid that she is my favorite character but in accuracy to the established character was bothersome. Also I had issues with the ending. The story started with the M'Dork attacks/threat and the authors never effectively concluded that story line. The issue was left unresolved which I find frustrating as a reader/fan/writer.
Not to be entirely negative I did find the way Roman history was included and integrated into a planet no where near our own interesting.
Hmmm two book in one day? I attribute this largely to the fact that I saw a total of four customers today at one of my jobsand that I settled into bed around nince pm but I wasn't tired in the least. Anyway I finished another Star Trek book, however difficult I found this one to be.
The peaceful planet of Tenara has come under attack by the merciless M'Dork. While the ship Centurion is charged with the duty of protecting Tenara the Federation errs on the side of caution with these recent attacks and send the Enterprise to assist them. However, Captain Picard and Captain Lucius Sejanus of the Centruion have very different stances on the situation.
This was not by far one of my favorite books (Star Trek) that I've read, in fact it was my least favorite. The issues I have with this may seem personal however that is what these entries are. One irritating omission for me was that of excluding Dr. Crusher from the senior staff and almost from the book completely. While the story didn't need a large presence by Dr. Crusher the fact that the senior staff was said to be complete without her was inaccurate. I don't hid that she is my favorite character but in accuracy to the established character was bothersome. Also I had issues with the ending. The story started with the M'Dork attacks/threat and the authors never effectively concluded that story line. The issue was left unresolved which I find frustrating as a reader/fan/writer.
Not to be entirely negative I did find the way Roman history was included and integrated into a planet no where near our own interesting.
#8: STNG: A Fury Scorned - Pamela Sargent & George Zebrowski
1/9/12
Another one bites the dust so to speak, another day and another book. And yes it was another Star Trek book. This time however, I jumped back in time. The last several books I've read happened well after the end of the show and after all four of the movies. This book is back during the show's run.
The Enterprise has been sent on a mission of mercy. Euripidus III is in peril . The planet of 20 million people is at the mercy of their sun which is about to go super nova. The Enterprise now faces a dilemma, should they save children and artifacts from the doomed planet or should they try a risky experiment Data has come up with? Captain Picard faces a tough decision and like anyone he wonders "how do I know what is right?"
I trouble with this book at first for two reasons. The first was the rapidness with which the point of view shifted between characters. It's nice to see the different points of view, however, for a while it seemed like the POV was constantly shifting which made reading the first part of the book, and even some of the later parts difficult. The second issue was one of my own doing. I was reading between fifteen and twenty years after these events. I then had to go back in time and readjust to what time I was in and character changes. I had to back to befroe Data died, before Will and Deanna were married and on another ship, and before Captain Picard and Dr. Crusher were married and had a child. My advice: read books in order it's easier.
The story was quite good and very much like the show. The scenario was a believable voyage and mission for the Enterprise and her crew. (Aside: have you ever notice how ships are considered female yet it was believed that having a woman on board was bad luck)
Another one bites the dust so to speak, another day and another book. And yes it was another Star Trek book. This time however, I jumped back in time. The last several books I've read happened well after the end of the show and after all four of the movies. This book is back during the show's run.
The Enterprise has been sent on a mission of mercy. Euripidus III is in peril . The planet of 20 million people is at the mercy of their sun which is about to go super nova. The Enterprise now faces a dilemma, should they save children and artifacts from the doomed planet or should they try a risky experiment Data has come up with? Captain Picard faces a tough decision and like anyone he wonders "how do I know what is right?"
I trouble with this book at first for two reasons. The first was the rapidness with which the point of view shifted between characters. It's nice to see the different points of view, however, for a while it seemed like the POV was constantly shifting which made reading the first part of the book, and even some of the later parts difficult. The second issue was one of my own doing. I was reading between fifteen and twenty years after these events. I then had to go back in time and readjust to what time I was in and character changes. I had to back to befroe Data died, before Will and Deanna were married and on another ship, and before Captain Picard and Dr. Crusher were married and had a child. My advice: read books in order it's easier.
The story was quite good and very much like the show. The scenario was a believable voyage and mission for the Enterprise and her crew. (Aside: have you ever notice how ships are considered female yet it was believed that having a woman on board was bad luck)
#7: Star Trek Typhon Pact : Paths of Disharmony
1/8/12
Well, I am no longer at my book a day pace, however, it is a bit of a crazy pace and would be difficult to keep up while working. Regardless of how long it took me to read this most recent book it was well wroth it because it was a great book that kept me reading.
Capain Picard and the crew of the Enterprise are on a diplomatic mission to Andor, a world plagued but reproductive issues on top of a world ravaged and raw after the Borg invasion. There is a new approach to the reproductive issues of the Andorians but many on the planet disagree with this approach. Picard and his crew are sent to help with a conference on the issue. But ever present are the watchful Typhon Pact. There may be more to their involvement than there appears.
I haven't read any of the other Typhon Pact books nevertheless I was able to follow the story fine. My favorite part of this book was that it was not a book about war (be it Borg or Romulans). This was about the other work the Enterprise does, the diplomatic part of it. It was like watching an episode of the show. Ward did a wonderful job of creating a story that included all the characters and fit into a series but works as a stand alone book as well. This book was like so many episodes of the show, there was a scientific problem and a cultural problem that requires the skills of the Enterprise crew. While the boks about wars with the Borg, or Romulans, or whomever are good and entertaining there was more the show than conflicts and war. While they are equipped for conflict their mission is of anthropologists to explore new worlds and new cultures and to help with cultural and scientific problems of the know world.
Well, I am no longer at my book a day pace, however, it is a bit of a crazy pace and would be difficult to keep up while working. Regardless of how long it took me to read this most recent book it was well wroth it because it was a great book that kept me reading.
Capain Picard and the crew of the Enterprise are on a diplomatic mission to Andor, a world plagued but reproductive issues on top of a world ravaged and raw after the Borg invasion. There is a new approach to the reproductive issues of the Andorians but many on the planet disagree with this approach. Picard and his crew are sent to help with a conference on the issue. But ever present are the watchful Typhon Pact. There may be more to their involvement than there appears.
I haven't read any of the other Typhon Pact books nevertheless I was able to follow the story fine. My favorite part of this book was that it was not a book about war (be it Borg or Romulans). This was about the other work the Enterprise does, the diplomatic part of it. It was like watching an episode of the show. Ward did a wonderful job of creating a story that included all the characters and fit into a series but works as a stand alone book as well. This book was like so many episodes of the show, there was a scientific problem and a cultural problem that requires the skills of the Enterprise crew. While the boks about wars with the Borg, or Romulans, or whomever are good and entertaining there was more the show than conflicts and war. While they are equipped for conflict their mission is of anthropologists to explore new worlds and new cultures and to help with cultural and scientific problems of the know world.
#6:STNG: Greater Than the Sum-Christopher L. Bennett
1/6/12
I have to state here and now that the reason i have been reading so many Star Trek the Next Generation books is because I love the characters. Maybe it's the writer in me or something else but characters are one of the best parts of the story also one of the most important, without good characters the story goes flat. The hardest part for author's of these type of books is that they didn't create the characters themselves, the characters have been created and given life by actors most for over seven years.
When the Starship Rhea finds a cluster of carbon planets inhabited by a strange new life form they stop to investigate. The Borg have also found these lifeforms and the crew of the Rhea. These lifeforms have a way of transporting great distances in an extremely short period of time a tool deadly at the hands of the Borg. So the Federation has dispatched the Enterprise to handle the Bord and the new lifeforms.
Some might find this book difficult because it delves into the characters personal life more than some might like. The story is good, well developed, and engrossing. The character stories as I said factor critically in this story not without a point though. The personal stories play into the larger plot making what might appear fanciful indulgences of the writer important to the story. Though some may argue the personal stories are irrelevant and nothing more than fanfiction I disagree. Te show worked well because there were engaging stories/missions but also because of the characters. The characters are critical, the magic of these books and the show comes from the seamless bled of both elements. People want to be able to relate to what they read/watch so by showing us the personal lives we have something to relate to in a setting of the future.
I have to state here and now that the reason i have been reading so many Star Trek the Next Generation books is because I love the characters. Maybe it's the writer in me or something else but characters are one of the best parts of the story also one of the most important, without good characters the story goes flat. The hardest part for author's of these type of books is that they didn't create the characters themselves, the characters have been created and given life by actors most for over seven years.
When the Starship Rhea finds a cluster of carbon planets inhabited by a strange new life form they stop to investigate. The Borg have also found these lifeforms and the crew of the Rhea. These lifeforms have a way of transporting great distances in an extremely short period of time a tool deadly at the hands of the Borg. So the Federation has dispatched the Enterprise to handle the Bord and the new lifeforms.
Some might find this book difficult because it delves into the characters personal life more than some might like. The story is good, well developed, and engrossing. The character stories as I said factor critically in this story not without a point though. The personal stories play into the larger plot making what might appear fanciful indulgences of the writer important to the story. Though some may argue the personal stories are irrelevant and nothing more than fanfiction I disagree. Te show worked well because there were engaging stories/missions but also because of the characters. The characters are critical, the magic of these books and the show comes from the seamless bled of both elements. People want to be able to relate to what they read/watch so by showing us the personal lives we have something to relate to in a setting of the future.
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