Querying | Magical Words

Querying Magical Words

Wednesday Whatever Day

Happy Thanksgiving to All
And here's a new recipe!

I thought this sounded good! Here is a turkey recipe that also includes the use of popcorn as a stuffing ingredient -- imagine that. When I found this recipe, I thought it was perfect for people like me, who just are not sure how to tell when turkey is thoroughly cooked, but not dried out. Give this a try. 
 
8 - 15 lb. turkey
1 cup melted butter
1 cup stuffing (Pepperidge Farm is Good)
1 cup un-popped popcorn (ORVILLE REDENBACHER'S LOW FAT IS BEST)
Salt/pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush turkey well with melted butter, salt, and pepper.
Fill cavity with stuffing and popcorn.
Place in baking pan making sure the neck end is toward the front of the oven, not the back.

After about 4 hours listen for the popping sounds.

When the turkey's ass blows the oven door open and the bird flies across
the room,.... it's done.

And, you thought I didn't know how to cook...

**okay, I'm assuming by now you know this is a joke...right?...I mean RIGHT??**

Mangled Manuscript Monday

Blogger Award

Julie Eshbaugh puts new meaning to Pay It Forward.

This community of writers amazes me. Their commitment to help and give the occasional pat on the back – especially timely for me today – gives me the impetus to continue. Truly, it is astonishing.

Julie is one of those writers who give their valuable, non-existent time to help and instruct writers. She is agented with Natalie Fischer of the Sandra Dijkstra Literary and currently her novel FIREFLY is on submission to publishers. She contributes to the blog Let The Words Flow and is a freelance editor in her imaginary spare time.

With gratitude, I accept the Beautiful Blogger award and use this honor to Share the Wealth. But first, because I am accepting the award, I must share seven things about myself.

Whoa, What?!

**dramatic sigh** Okaaaaaaaaaaaaay.

Seven things about me: As a speed-reader, I inhale books, collect old books, and saw the ocean only once. I am a dead shot with a rock (ask the husband, long story), love the colors maroon, dark blue, and ivory together. Like winter and hate summer.

Sharing this award are these outstanding bloggers.

Charity is incredible with tips for all writers, whether for life or their trade.

Marcy is my inspiration. I can’t keep up with her. If I need that virtual pat on the back, she is there for me.

Magan. Fantastic site with a picture that makes me laugh every time I see it. Go on; ask her what she is doing.

Karen. Love this lady and her diligence to her craft.

Seeking the write life. Aimee has vital information to aid our writerly ambitions.

Michael is an inspiration with his recent acquisition of an agent.

Bookshelf muse. Need just the right word? Phrase? Here is where you go.

Pay It Forward has new meaning in the realm of the writerly

Songs Sunday

Music that personifies a story’s characters.

Justus has a theme song, music that defines his personality. It opens his character traits to any who want to know him, his fears and how he views himself.

He runs from many things; his legacy, the guild of wizards but especially from his own nature.

Two songs speak to his indecision and questions.

Crystal Ball by Styx. Nothing gives Justus satisfaction in his life and he wonders how it will end if the Imperium finds him.

"I wonder what tomorrow has in mind for me,

Or am I even in its mind at all"

Wicked Game by Chris Isaak is, IMHO, one of the most erotic songs ever. When Sable enters his life, Love implodes his comfortable existence and brings the confrontation he fears.

"No, I don’t want to fall in love."

"What a wicked game to play, to make me feel this way."

But his theme song describes all he is.

Bad Company by Five Finger Death Punch

"Bad company, I can’t deny

Bad, bad company until the day I die."

Do your characters have a theme song or a playlist?

Mangled Manuscript Monday

The All-Important First Page

The First Page of a novel highlights the author’s skill. Not just in writing – although impeccable grammar does help. Anything less than the basics of Susan Thurman’s The Only Grammar Book You’ll Ever Need detracts from the story.

It is the hook, the kick-start to a manuscript and Action is the key.

Action. Capital Letters. Don’t begin the novel with yawning. No backstory, don’t give Deep Thoughts from your MC, not yet.

Action. The voice of the Protag must come forth, er, speak.

Whether for agent or reader, it is the catalyst. It must open the reader’s eyes and jerk that complacent rug out from underneath them with a look-at-me kind of page.

The Action can be physical or mental, tense or quick, but it must stir the blood and pull the reader into your world.

If done correctly, the reader will nearly rip the paper turning to the second page.

Songs Sunday

My taste is music changed about two years ago. Back then, I had a schmaltzy love of old-timey stuff like Jerry Reed’s Amos Moses to Gordon Lightfoot, The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.

 I was in cruise control, music-wise. Nuthin’ new.

Then I heard Nickelback, Animals and listened to Muse, Supermassive.

Shinedown, Second Chance.

All treadmill-worthy. And my life changed.

In October, Finger Eleven introduced their new album, Life Turns Electric, a collection of alternate rock tunes. This band pulled me into their world with Paralyzer and now, with this album, they are on my list of favorites.

CHOCOLATE REALITY: Logline Blogfest!

CHOCOLATE REALITY: Logline Blogfest!

Is this writer's community great or what!

My Logline for The Magic Withheld

Justus is a clandestine wizard who must choose between surrendering his freedom to the guild of wizards or use the magic born to him. Either way, he will lose what he values most and gain a power he did not want.

VOTE

On this Election Day, two things came to mind as I placed my vote into the ballot box.

First: Singing ‘Porn Star Dancing’ under my breath was not appropriate.

Second:

I want every vote to be legitimate, intelligent, and without prejudice.

The country deserves a fair election.

BTW, the ladies at the polling station didn’t recognize the tune.

Too bad. My next song was a rendition of ‘Bad Romance’.

Mangled Manuscript Monday

Beta Buddies, those with the purple highlights and red balloons, cackling with glee as they wield a critical eye:

Group hug J

Okay, mushy stuff is over, just know I love you all.

Er, NOW the mushy stuff is over.

A fellow critter is fearless, unafraid of hurt feelings. They know it is their responsibility to crit, not with cynicism, but with a brutal, impartial eye.

Theirs is a fresh look at a writer’s beloved spawn.

For me, the stage of tantrums is history, two years in the past. Now it is gratitude I feel and a constant headache from smacking my forehead against the wall with a how-could-I-be-so-blind.

Appreciate them, thank them, and reciprocate the critiques. It is the road to improvement. And we are traveling it together.

Thanks again.

But I warn you. I might name my antagonist after you at the end.