Dolphins Make Great BFFs

January 6th, 2009

Dolphin bff

A recent pic of my nephew C. and his bff.

I’ve always loved the idea of swimming with dolphins. At least you’d be protected from any passing sharks!

I think my dream would be to swim with manatees, though. What an all natural high! I’ve heard it is an incredibly tranquil and surreal experience that can be life changing. Sign me up! :)

Life is An Open Highway…

January 4th, 2009

 

In my current work-in-progress, I dip into uncharted waters (please forgive the cliché, and I suppose the pun as well).

You see, I am so used to writing about aquatic shapeshifters, werewolves, ESP-wielding dominatrix, witches, ghosts, and Celtic Mythology, that I decided to branch out into other horizons and out of my comfort zone. I guess I’ll find out how successful the story is once I find a publisher for it. :)

I’ve always believed that writing, like life, is an open highway. You have the freedom as a writer to explore a vast array of subjects and plots, to create any character you can conceive and bring them to life.

Of course, if you expect to get published, there has to be some commercial viability to the project or it’ll never see electronic or print, no matter how well written the book happens to be.

Plus, once you’ve begun to establish a “voice” and a genre of choice, riding that open highway gets more difficult. Everyone loves to pidgeonhole you. And I suppose I am as guilty as the rest. No wonder we talk about “branding” an author. Talk to any former or current emerging “overnight sensation” in the industry and you’ll find they still bear a few scars from the fire of their creation.

The nice thing about being an ebook author is you have the freedom to try new things, to write in several genre, to play and experiment. On one hand, I am thrilled to have the freedom to go wherever the wind blow…but freedom comes at a price and I am there and I find it steep.

Most of the voices of authority tell you to write the book you want to write and not to follow trends. Good advice, since trends come and go rather fast and can leave an author stuck like a dinosaur in a tar pit.

I know I am rambling, but this is something that does weigh on my mind. For others out there, writing toward publication or already published and trying to keep up with the imposed schedule of deadlines, how far from the shore do you draw your personal line in the sand?

I’m not suited to a life of quiet desperation, and I know some of my fellow authors are struggling at the same stage of their writing career as I am.  I like the diversity of choice, yet I long for the same overly-trite thrill of seeing my name on the spine of a book on a shelf.

I don’t want to find myself stretching what is an essentially single title or sequel into a ever-thinning series, lacking true substance. Yet, I cannot see myself writing nothing but single titles, re-inventing the proverbial wheel each time.

And although I dearly love the short story as an art form, I know in my heart that to progress in my chosen career, I need to stretch and grow or stagnate.

You know, maybe I am over-thinking this journey of mine. Hmm. Maybe I should just get on the damn motorcycle and ride.

Happy New Year - 2009!

January 1st, 2009

Wishing you a fun, healthy, and prosperous 2009!

My Calendars for 2009

December 30th, 2008

I got two great calendars as gifts. One of sexy Aussie men and the other of cute kittens. Guess which one I plan to put in my writing office? LOL.

ba_boys_2009_cover_310.jpg

I love kittens, but when I need romantic inspiration, you can bet looking at a kitten won’t help me write that hot love scene. ::grins::

Santa’s Missing Deer

December 27th, 2008

deer-near-church.jpg

Seems one of Santa’s reindeer was so tired after all that activity the night before, he decided to crash at a local church on Christmas Day. Of course, he didn’t get much sleep, because the blasted bells woke him up and first thing ya know, somebody’s shooting at ya. Poor deer. All he wanted was a little R and R after a busy night. LOL.

Parishioners found the deer trapped in the church courtyard outside the Cathedral of Assumption as they arrived for services on Christmas Day.

An animal control agent safely tranquilized the animal and later released it back into the wild.

Of course, the funny thing is the deer was in downtown Louisville. How the heck did a deer find its way there? I mean, if the poor thing was roaming near Seneca Park or Iroquois Park, I could understand it…maybe. But downtown?

December 24th, 2008

Merry Christmas

 

To all my friends and readers who celebrate

the Christmas holiday,

May this time be blessed with joy and cheer,

spent with those you love and hold  dear.

And may the New Year bring good fortune and peace.

 

Cassandra

Pulled Threads

December 23rd, 2008

deadline1.jpgWhy can’t I stay on the same book for more than a week?

I have another 20 pages to write on my current project to meet my deadline, but from outta nowhere this stalled project looms behind me and taps me on the shoulder. The characters seem fresher, the plot more alive, and before I realize what I’m doing, I’ve closed the window on my current wip and opened the older, but evermore intriguing story I set aside six months ago.

Am I mental? Must be. I do this everytime. I’d like to blame my pure Aquarian nature, but that’s too simple.

I can only hope I’m not the only writer who does this…because there is safety in numbers. lol

Now if only I can think of a name for my peculiar brand of insanity. :P

Happy Yule!

December 21st, 2008

mistletoe

Wishing you and yours a very blessed and happy Yule!

 

Cass

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