Why I write blogfest ENTRY

Going with this weeks blogfest flow I am participating in Kayeleen's Why I write Blogfest.
This week is a treat to myself for working so hard in my Summer Classes.


Here is why I write:

 I write to let go of my stress. Sometimes just the feeling of a pen in my hand scribbling aimlessly on paper drifting in and out of words relaxes me. The ache in my back slides down the pen to disappear in stark white sheets.


I write to express emotions. Sometimes I can't cry, all I can do is write and write until my hand cramps and I have pages of fear, regret, or happiness sitting in front of me.


 I write to enjoy new places, ideas, and characters. I enjoy trying my hand at all the little butterflies gliding through my thoughts whispering ideas.


 When I write stories- I write in hope- Hope that someone will enjoy it someday. Hope that a reader can relate to my characters feelings. Hope that I will create something I can be proud of.


 And honestly no matter how awful it reads to me, or how many mistakes I make- writing is the one thing in this world I can do just for me. I can choose to share or keep it secret and that choice is a freedom.

Lovin Language blogfest Entry

I'm posting on a Monday for a special treat to myself- A blogfest entry for Jolene's Lovin Language Blogfest

The rules:


"Pick any five lines (yes, it can be a few short lines that roll together. That's okay, and is probably what I'll do) from one of your WIPs. If you're feeling shy, and don't want to share from your own work, share from something you LOVE."

This is from my flash fiction piece to be published in 2012 called "The Game"

"There to the right I saw the bill of the hat lying on the ground. Carefully and swiftly, I made my way to the area. The wind noticed and a gust flew in. The hat tipped upright and moved away with each step I took closer. If I didn’t know any better I’d think the wind was on his side"

New- Inspiration blogfest!

Announcing my  Inspiration Blogfest!

To celebrate all my followers!

The rules:

•  On July 18th post one inspiring prompt. You can use a writing prompt or a photo prompt.
• Go around and comment on each others prompts

Rewards:
        Every one will have some great inspiration to write from 

Publication and Spielberg class

After waiting, I finally received word on my flash fiction piece. Pill Hill Press has decided to publish my flash fiction  "The Game" in their flash fiction anthology for 2012. As soon as I hear more on it I will let all of you know. I'm supper excited!


 I still have two more submissions out, one is a fiction short story and one is a nonfiction short story.


I only have  four more rejections to hit my goal of 20 rejections for my 2011 collage. WooHoo!

I had my Director Spielberg class this last weekend and it was a great class- despite minor technical problems. I watched Jaws, ET, and Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Naturally I have some terrific notes to share with you all on this class. Don't worry I will only give you details that I can relate to writing:


I learned a great deal over Friday and Saturday. However, the most interesting thing I have taken from this class so far is a narrative structure. Spielberg evidently is very structured in his films and I'm going to try to apply his structure in some way to my writing.


The following structure is based on Horror- but I thought these might be helpful to any writer-


There are four movements in this narrative structure-
1) Advent
 This is where somebody dies or is attacked at the start of the film. I find this to be very similar to the idea of a hook at the start of a story.


 2) Discovery
 This section speaks almost for itself. This is where someone finds out what happens like in Jaws- the MC discovers the body of a girl who was attacked by something.


3) Confirmation
This is the believer VS the skeptic and depends on rational understanding- take Jaws for example the MC knows deep down it was a shark attack and the Mayor denies it and plays it off so he can keep the beaches open. But when the beaches stay open there is a little boy attacked and eaten in front of everyone, and then again the shark shows itself to everyone on the 4th of July. People are confirming the shark is really there and hurting people.
According to my Professors this is the most important element of this narrative structure.
To me this is what creates suspense and moves the story forward.


 4) Confrontation
Naturally this is an important element and in a horror narrative structure this is where they confront the creature, like the shark and either send it back from whence it came or destroy it.


 Happy writing everyone and have a fairy great day!

Ad Prompt- Beauty

Fairy friends,
I am almost at 500 followers! Thank you all so very much and welcome to all of my new followers. This is Fairy exciting! I'm thinking that a blogfest might be in order- have any suggestions?


I came across this picture a few days ago and it struck me as so fairy enchanting! I'll admit I'm a fan of Jolie- but the picture itself is what I look for in picture prompts for my writing. Take a look, then in the comments come up with one or two sentences to go with the picture.

Image source

WooHoo for swiming!

Fairy friends I have updated my blogfest page and
I have managed to venture out into the sunshine with two wonderful girls and my manly man. It was awesome to watch them play in the water (a bit chilly still) and to sit in the heat instead of in front of my cold computer.

Last week I read:
"Fantasia" by Assia Djebar
six poems by Emily Dickinson
"The Scarlet Letter" by Nathaniel Hawthorne
"Bartleby" and "The piazza" by Herman Melville
"Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglas" By Frederick Douglas
"The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fist Fight in Heaven" by Sherman Alexie


I wrote:
7,606 words in papers

Me

Kayla (My youngest)

Jasmyne (My oldest)

Author views

Hello fairy friends, I hope you all are enjoying your week. Most of you know I have been swamped with homework. Now I have a question for you regarding one of my classes. You do not have to answer- Honestly this is out of curiosity-

If you are an author or a writer do you think your WIP, short stories, poetry, flash or any other type holds any political value? Please say why or why not.

In my non-western women writers class this question was posed because of "Orientalism" in the east or Orient. When I first started this class I thought "Orientalism" was what the orient was about- but in actuality it was created by western cultures as an idea of the east that is portrayed either wrong, or with little truth inside the pieces.

 For example, Disney's Aladdin. It is technically a children's show, but what does this show about the east? There is the mystical effects, the enticing clothing and music, but what about the characters? It came to my attention through class discussion that whether or not western culture meant to- the Sultan is portrayed as a white person's view, westerners have a need to connect with this culture, so he is portrayed in a western way.


Obviously this is not the only thing, but notice, in reality the sultan would have been provided a harem of wives upon a marriage of his daughter- this was left out- naturally because westerners think this is barbaric.
Then if we look at Aladdin himself, we find someone who is trying to move up the ranks of the system, he wants to marry a princess. From a western view- American people are allowed to hope this way- the view is that if we work hard enough we can accomplish anything.


However over in the orient- the east- they have a caste system. Inside this caste system people cannot move up- what ever caste they are born into- they pretty much remain in because no one allows them to move up.




 Have a great week everyone- I'm looking forward to your responses.

Fun and games Blogfest entry

Alex over at Alex J. Cavanaugh 
is hosting a Fun and games blogfest today. The rules are simple I have to list three of my favorite games (any kind) and why.

Before I get to that I'd like to say I will not be posting tomorrow since I am posting today for the blogfest.


Now on to the games!


 3) The third favorite game on my list is WAR- card game- and I enjoy this game because I can play it with my girls and give them some competition in a luck sort of way.


 2) The second favorite game on my list is RUMY- card game- My grandmother taught this game to me when I was 14 (She cheats though and says she can't remember the rules right- LOL)


and my number one favorite game
1) well it used to be World of Warcraft (rpg) until hey instilled a new version that really made the game difficult to play by myself, so in light of that I have found a new love for the board game of Scrabble. I enjoy this game because the family can sit down and teach each other new words.


****
 My first weekend of summer college went okay. We had to watch a video about "Honor killing" where women are shot, burned, whatever men or women family members can do to restore the honor of the family. Basically a woman can be honor killed in india if she has sexual relations or is suspected of having sexual contact in any way with another male- rape included- basically their whole system works off a woman being a virgin in order to marry- if they are no longer virgins- no matter the cause or age- then they are no longer worth anything and without being married bring shame upon their entire family.


 Crazy enough the punishment for killing a woman by "Honor kill" is punishable by only six months in jail. I do not have time to go into more details about my feelings on this subject at the moment- but I can tell you I was outraged!
 The worst part is that a majority of these women believe they deserve it and this is how things should be done.
I'm Very glad I do not live anywhere near this place.

Lunch

Hey their fairy friends! I completed the story a day in May Challenge. It was so much fun I hope I can do it again next year. I didn't complete a story everyday- but I managed 10 short pieces in all with at least six I'm pretty proud of, one is in submission. I have some revising to do, but that will be done by the end of summer.


Here is a short piece I've decided to share with you. I had to use certain words that pertained to food to complete the challenge. 

Lunch

by Summer Ross

Alice squirmed in the plastic chair in an attempt to keep from upchucking the sludge she managed to eat. The lumpy blubber flowed like ooze down to her stomach and the after taste had a nasty film. She grabbed the side of the table as her friends laughed at a joke. 

She had no idea who made the lunch considering she showed up late due to a rendezvous with Charles who offered her a quick frisson of seeing him half-naked in the sunlight of her bedroom window.

Her stomach flopped in protest of the food mixed with her rumble in the sheets. Alice tried to squelch down the saliva in the back of her throat but before she could even stand to run to the bathroom a loud burp escaped from her lips and the table of people fell silent.

What are you working on?
I updated my blogfest tab please feel free to check what is up for June.