Long Time No See

Hey, Guys!

Aren't you looking rather darling this beautiful Friday in May... I'm sorry I've been away so long. I haven't been busy--- I've been at my sister's house. And it's not that I can't use her wireless to talk to you all, it's just that my laptop still looks like THIS:

And therefore, I cannot use it unless it's plugged up to a monitor or something. It's true, though, that my screen is messed up and that I do have to use a monitor. But don't think my laptop came down with a case of ugly face--- it's just sad. That is all.

I've been hard at work with a wonderful group of people who are all working hard to get YouTube Rules! out for you guys by this summer. Thanks to all of you who expressed interest, the YTR scripts are becoming more and more fun for me to write, and I honestly think you guys are going to like what we came up with EVEN though I kind of suck at this thing called ACTING and this other thing called PROJECTING... Gosh. I really need to step it up! I know everyone else has. I wasn't expecting such an outpouring of love and committment from a group of people I hardly know, and yet, here everyone is doing their part in helping to make my dream come true. I love you all, even those of you who are just supporting what we do! I'm so thankful for your love, you don't even know... Well, I guess technically you do because I say this a lot, but still. I really, really, really love you guys.

That being said here are some treaties for you. If you're between the ages of 14 and 19 you are eligible to submit a short story to One Teen Story by MAY 31ST in order to be eligible for a $500 prize AND the chance to see your work PUBLISHED. Keep checking into my second (third? fourth?) blog Sommertales in order to get sneak-peek footage and firsthand news about YouTube Rules! Have you seen "The Great Gatsby" trailer yet? Have you read the book? Tell me... what do you think about it? And lastly, check out the "Treaties for You" page to read the story that I submitted for the One Teen Story contest and tell me what you think (because I may or may not be attempting to write that novel now. Maybe...).

Love ya'll,
Deserae
P.S. Like the song? Click here to tell the artist!

Commenting on Comments

Aria- I already replied to you but just wanted to say your first reel was great. Keep up the great work! Also, let me say again I loved your post on Writing Advice. It was fab. Faboo.

Prerna- It was a fun day and thank you for your warm wishes! I have been neglecting your blog for far too long. I must check it out soon to see how things are going with you as well because baby's here already, right? I can't even believe that!

Nicole- Yes! You can totally be the moral support! You're my anchor, my rock--- where would I be without you, I'd like to know?! I hope the Celebration was EXTREMELY fun and I've been checking out your blog but I can't remember: What was your verdict on Avengers? Was it awesome or was it awesome?

Talia- It's not weird that you like hearing about other people at all! I think it's such a wonderful thing that you can invest in other lives like that. You'll make a FANTASTIC author someday. And yes! I'd love for you to help with the YouTube thing! That is if you have time and if you're not too weirded out by what I told you in my last letter. Sometimes, I speak just to get things off my chest. And I thank you for listening to me especially during a time when I didn't really have anyone to talk to about it. So yes. YouTube thing. Do it if you can! Email me--- I'd love to have you on at LEAST for an episode. It'd be perfect!

Alice- Yay! And thank you for keeping me on track. I owe you so much for the progression of episodes 3 and 4. You rock for keeping me focused!

Maya- My dear, you may comment on my brilliance whenever you'd like! As long as I'm allowed to comment on your kindness and your thoughtfulness and your all around awesomeness. Sound like a fair trade? Then deal. :) All of the men starring in the Avengers stole my heart in some way or another. Iron Man was just... oh gosh... And then Captain America was all... yeah... and so Thor was like... Saints par-sarve us! And Hawkeye? HOT! Hulk? HILARIOUS! I loved them all. Do not miss out on this one, Dearie, it's brill! Thanks for being my #1 fan! I've never had one of those before! You're kinda awesome! By the end of this, though, you're probably going to love Karly and Joel the most, watch. THEY do so much for this thing. I don't know if I could've done it without them! 

Final Decisions

Tonight, I took the first final of my college experience. And although it was for my Hebrew class and I stumbled through the oral component, I feel... fairly confident. Okay, not confident in the sense that I think I aced that puppy, but confident in the sense that I know I got a C or higher. And trust me--- that's GREAT! It means that there's a chance that I'm getting a B in Hebrew, and even if I don't get that B, I'll get a C for sure.

The relief is... indescribable, believe me. I am doing well in school again. Or, you know... well enough. But grades aren't the only things I'm feeling relieved about. I've finally decided which project I'm going to do for my WriMo.

I know!

It's exciting, right? Say yes. Yes! Although I have so many other projects I want to see finished and projects that I'm equally excited about, this project scares the living daylights out of me, and that's why I've been convinced to do it. I mean...

1. It's my first racy YA. And not racy in the "everybody's doing it!" kind of way, but in the, "we're actually talking relationships," and the "there's going to be Dawson's Creek levels of exploring those relationships," kind of way. Desi is not used to talking about kissing and touching and loving and... other things. But this book is centered around relationships. It's a love story for goodness sakes!

2. Actually, it's not a "love" story. But, as I've said a million times, it's a story about relationships. And it's about a boy who is forced to figure out how to be in a real one. And it's about a boy... who... is not a girl...

3. So yeah, this is my first full lengthed project written in a male's perspective. And, although it wouldn't be cheating to do alternating perspectives, I really think this is HIS story. I've been dying to explore a Pacey Whitter of my own.

There are things that I'm excited for. Things that I'm... not so excited for... But I can't wait to share things with you. Not only will it be good for me, mentally, but it'll be good for you, as my loyal readers, to get a sense of the madness that is me.

T-minus two days and counting. Woot, woot!

Love ya,
Deserae <3
P.S. The song above was chosen for two reasons. 1) Dawson's Creek was an amazing show and I have no idea why they ever got rid of this amazing theme song. So yeah. It's here in tribute to it's amazingness. And 2) I know this is what you were thinking when I told you guys I still hadn't picked a project. But I finally have! So yay! You no longer have to wait. You guys are awesome.

Commenting on Comments

Leah: Glad you like the blog! Thanks so much!

Prerna P: Woohoo! Fellow Psych fan! Tonight's episode was funny. But I'm sad the season's coming to an end!
And a special thanks to Arianna and Maya who completed the questionnaire! Loved your responses, and of course I love you both. 

Quick-Write Wednesday #5: News!

Some awesome girls are joining the blogosphere, and as soon as their blogs go live and become established, I will post the links in a special blog post. But today's blog post is about me! Don't you love that? I do. SO much. And it has to do with a few changes that are going to be happening over the next week.

I'm going to be starting a new blog. I know, right?! Me. Starting a new blog. But it's because I want to separate some stuff. Like... like this.

Almost (not quite) There (THIS BLOG) is going to be for my personal use. I'll start talking to you guys about MY day, and MY writing, and things that I like. It's going to be very selfish indeed. Kind of like it already is, but better. Hehe! The blog features like Monday Mayhem, Quick-Write Wednesday, and Saturday Snapshot are all going to stay, but they'll be more interesting--- I promise--- because I'm going to get a little more personal with the stuff I post instead of just going, "Here you go!" and hoping you read it. Because that totally sucks, right?! Go ahead... Be honest... And I'm going to try to keep this blog up because I like blogging and I like you guys and I want to. That's good enough reason to do anything, I think.

But this second blog (that's unnamed right now) is going to be for you. It's going to feature things like inspirational quotes and verses, giveaway gabble, blog posts I like, guest posts by some of my favorite bloggers, and bookish things like book reviews and (maybe? One day?) author interviews.

I hope you guys keep up with both blogs because I'll be trying to update them both. And I'll let you know when it goes live. No worries! Until then, here's another Gothic Girls song. Hope you like it! Twelve days to Halloween! Squee!!!

"My Other Side" (It's Almost Midnight) -The Gothic Girls

Ooo... What are you doing here?
I can't go out tonight.
The full moon is so clear,
And it's a dangerous sight.
Turning tops and ticking clocks---
The moon is high; the water's fine.
Looming clouds might make a shroud
But I guarantee, Babe, that you're risking your life.

I can't explain this thing that's happening,
And I can't hide from my other side.
Oh, it's no game; you'd better be afraid---
I think it's time. It's almost midnight.

True... I am growing...
Growing out of control.
And you should get going
If you want to save your soul.
Rumors flying, restless fighting---
Cauldrons bubble, full of trouble.
Moon is high, the water's fine.
So jump right for one adventurous ride.

I can't explain this thing that's happening,
And I can't hide from my other side.
Oh, it's no game, you'd better be afraid.
I think it's time. It's almost midnight.

You should get out; you should go now.
I won't bite... no, oh no I lied.
All my secrets now you know,
So go! I cannot stop the moon, you know.

No, I can't explain this thing that's happening,
But I can't hide--- it's almost midnight.
Whoa, who's to blame for something inhumane?
It's not me, this time, but, Hon, it's midnight.

Oh yeah, it's midnight.
Too late; it's midnight...

Love,
Deserae
P.S. This is one of the BEST. SONGS. EVER. Just saying.

Anna, Revisited

A lot of times, I take myself for granted. I forget that I need to exercise to stay fit, eat to stay well, sleep to stay awake the next morning, and enjoy life to keep my perspective whole. But I mean, sometimes I really take my mind for granted. I get so bogged down by what I "can't" do, I forget there's a lot of stuff I can do while I'm learning and growing and developing mentally. 

For example, I can write a darn good summary of events, but I often tell myself I "can't" come up with good dynamic plots. Today, though, I had to look at something I hadn't looked at in a while, and figure out how to make the plot more dynamic. So what did I do? I wrote a (fictional, but darn good) summary. And now I know where I'm going with this new version of this manuscript.

I've often told myself I'm not good at starting over. That I'm not good at editing for diddles or for squat. But I know that I can finish a project. I know that I can get from point A to inciting incident B to plot twist C to climax D to resolution E no problem. So although this manuscript needs to be done from scratch, it's building off of its predecessor, because no duh, Sherlock! If we finished it once, we can finish it again!

So dear project that's currently untitled but has to do with Anna, I'm not going to take myself for granted. I know that I can finish you, make you better, make you presentable. I've had faith in you since grade four when we first met, and I have faith in you, now, two weeks before I leave for college to start my so-called life. I love you, Annabee... And I'm not taking myself for granted this time, because we need to get 'er done.

And for those of you who want to get to know my MC, stop back by on Saturday where I'll be taking a pic of my screen for you. It's a first person narrative so I'm sure you'll get a sense of her no matter where I snap the pic. BUT! If you just can't wait 'til then, here's a lyrics video of the song "My Mirror Speaks" by Death Cab for Cutie. I think Anna feels like this about herself a lot through the story, so if you can relate to the song, you've already got something in common with the girl I'm about to spend the next two weeks of my life with uncensored.

Until we meet again!

<3
Deserae

Quick-Write Wednesday #1

Don't Go To Sleep

"It’s much larger than it seemed. And for that, I am grateful.

            I slip off the drenched green coat that weighs down my shoulders, and toss it on top of the burlap bag that I’ve already set on the cave’s floor. I can’t start a fire without dry wood, and the torrential rain outside mocks my shaking figure as it slumps to the rocky ground and tries to relax into a comfortable position.

            My thoughts echo off the walls of my skull, restless and scattered, as if everything and nothing needed my immediate attention. Every breath I take disappears into the darkness, leaving me alone with them, telling me to sort them out. I want to, but I can’t. They fight me without need of a respite. They taunt me from the depths of my brain. They say they’ve forgiven but they don’t want to forget. They’re killing me from the inside out.

            A year ago things were different. I lived in the city with my wife and my kid. We were happy. I was whole. A second changes everything— one decision, one regret—

            I try not to look to the past for answers. The future holds more of them, anyway."

To read more, click on the link WAY up above... And now... for the cover and prompt themselves...

Cover thanks to Google Images and Wallpaperweb.org.

Oh! And Paint. Gotta love Paint...

 The official prompt was given to me by Arianna over at Lisi's Blah-g:

"It's much larger than it seemed."

+cave +male perspective



 

Now I admit there was a lot of whining on my end before I even started writing. Because Ari KNOWS I am afraid of writing from the male POV. But she challenged me to it anyway and you know what?

It's not so bad.

Sure it's different... a little uncomfortable... But I learned that it's just WRITING. Weird, right? I know!

SO, if you're afraid of writing from a guy's perspective like I was, let it be known that it's not as bad as it seems. I know "Don't Go to Sleep" isn't my finest piece, but I'd still love to hear what you think of it and how you think I can improve upon my next Wednesday Write because Dudes and Dudettes, this is a learning process, and I intend on being schooled (Get it?! Schooled?! Oh man... HOW do I come up with these zingers?!).

If you'd like to be a part of next week's Quick-Write Wednesdays or if you'd like to suggest a prompt, please leave a comment! Also for the comments: do you think it's possible to forget things that you consider to be "unforgettable"?

A list of this week's Quick-Write participants:

Arianna with the prompt: "He lied when he said one kiss wouldn't kill me." -Deserae

Alice with the prompt: "It felt like we were standing at the end of the world." +sibling +told in "another world" -Deserae

Anyone can join in, and the prompts son muy fabuloso. Remember: Snapshot Saturdays are on... Saturday! Stop back in to see what I'm currently working on.

Love and Ladybugs,

Deserae McGlothen

Teaser Tuesday #1

Real quick blog to show you what progress looks like... The document is finally OPEN.

Yep. My prompt for tomorrow's Quick-Write has to do with men and caves. Manly caves for men, you know? You will see the official prompt somewhere above the excerpt I provide for you tomorrow as well as linkage to the other (two) participants' blogs and projects. Remember! YOU can join in simply by leaving a comment on tomorrow's post feigning interest! Love you guys millions, and I wish you luck in your current writing endeavors!
Happy Writing,
Deserae McGlothen

The Writing Independence Project--- Another WIP

Crazily, people assume that a writer is free to do whatever he or she wants to, and what they don't realize include the following:

-Getting words on paper is not the same thing as getting the right words on paper.
-Revising is about 70% of the process. There is writing (yay!) and then there's revising (aww!). Writing (woot!)... and then revising (shoot!).
-Our strengths don't often outshine our weaknesses, and we are fighting, continually, to grow while trying to move forward, too.
-We have characters who are trying to take over our brains, lives, and plot, even though we keep telling them, "You crazy Fool! I'm the writer!!!"

So the truth is, finding some independence is kind of hard. At least, it is for me. I mean, the day I say writing feels like a job, I promise, I'll throw in the towel, but what I'm saying is, the most freedom I have when it comes to any one manuscript is the creative license of coming up with the idea that sparks the story and gets a book from point A (the start) to point B (the finish). I know it sounds stupid to say that what comes in between is a result of fervish first drafts and cooky characters, but that's kind of how it works. Sorry if that doesn't make sense, but I had to flesh that out before I got to the point.

THE POINT is this: I'm trying something out. As you know, I'm working on my latest WIP and, right now, I'm in love. I say that because I have the habitual habit of falling out of love when I think the project's getting hard, and that usually happens when I'm getting to something that's theoretically "the good part." What I LOVE about first drafts is that none of it is permanent. What I HATE about first drafts is that it never comes out right the first time! So me and writing?... we're something of a paradox. I'm learning to break those walls (my writing blocks. Get it?! Ha! I'm so unfunny!), and this thing I'm trying out is giving myself some independence when I write. Letting my story know that, for the first draft at least, I'm the boss.

It's hard because of two things. The first is, I'm afraid I'm going to be hindering a certain fluid-like something in my manuscript. Honestly, when the story writes itself, that's when you know the world has taken shape and your characters have gotten a chance at a life in it. What I'm hoping, though, is that getting the words down to just shape the dang thing will be enough to give the characters some ideas. If they don't like mine, they can change them in revisions, but at least we'll have a backbone, you know? You don't know? You might know?

The second thing I'm afraid of is the Disney effect. Don't get me wrong. I love Disney (the channel and the Walt!). But they have this mechanic way of setting up jokes, movement, and plot progression. I don't want to play puppet master as I go through the first draft, just for the sake of getting words on the page, but what I'm hoping is that knowing that's something I want to avoid will, you know, help me avoid it. And if it doesn't, I'm thinking positively of revisions. This manuscript CAN be resurrected if I screw up, I tell you! Yeah!

I just realized my biggest fear is that I'm going to mess everything up, and need to rely on revisions to pull me out of a hole. Revising, as you may have guessed, is a bittersweet part of the process for me. Bitter because it's the hardest bit of work I have to do--- analyzing, judging, and reevaluating every word I've written makes me a little self-conscious, I'll admit it. But it's also sweet because I can literally see improvement happening as I go. So as I work on letting go, I'm also going to be learning to trust myself to mess up. Remind me this: You can always fix it later.

Gah!
Deserae McGlothen

New Project Anxiety

My fingers have been itching for this moment, the ''new project.'' It's been a long time coming and I am finally setlling down to get all those ideas in my head out onto a piece of paper. It's harder than it sounds, Loves; it's a multi-hurtle challenge. The concept and those first ideas are round one. Laying them out in a workable first draft, round two. Being able to re-write that first draft into something readable, round three. Giving that last draft some time to rest, and then tackling it again (and maybe again) until it's SOMETHING, the final blow.

I love a project when it's a baby. When it's just a mess of ideas that one day could be something amazing or something someone might want to read if the right words were strung together in the right order. But then actually doing that--- actually writing up that first draft--- is the scariest thing of all. What if I never finish? What if I can't get past page one? What if, after all that work, it's no good? Should I start over? Should I abandon ship? Am I a terrible writer? Should I have gone into dentistry after all?!

Agh. The fear. I get it all the time when I'm typing up that first draft. The ideas didn't need me--- I needed them. They constructed themselves, and I listened attentively like the good little school girl that I am. Then they wanted to be written. Then they needed my help. And now I'm panicked because I, of course, liked doing all of the listening and none of the work. It's scary to be responsible, at that point, for the outcome of the story--- the ideas were awesome, but am I going to blow it when I put in my own two cents?

The first draft intimidates me. I can pour my heart out into this thing and still not be finished. I can fail miserably before I even begin. I can write a draft that I think is brilliant but really isn't and I have to start again from square one. Or it can be brill.

New project angst is, at least, teaching me something: to know what could be, I first have to begin.

Wish me luck, Gang,
Deserae