Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Two Line Tuesday & Tattoos

A bit of introduction before I give you two lines from something I've read this week.


Many of you know Charles Gramlich from his blog Razored Zen. If you've never been there, you should. He is also a frequent commenter here at my blog. I try to do my best to support fellow authors especially those I know, either in person or from the blogosphere, as is the case with Charles. So I ordered a copy of, Swords of Talera which is book one in his Talera trilogy.


Truth be told I didn't expect to like it all that much. Oh, I expected it to be well written and all. I knew that much from reading Charles's blog but you see fantasy, alternate worlds, and that kind of stuff isn't normally my thing. I tend to read fiction rooted more in the reality of everyday life. I read fiction for great characters that I can relate to and sympathize with.


I bought Swords of Talera and sat on it a few weeks. Then I picked it up and finished in two days. Charles sucked me in quicker than you can say action packed. Now I will have to order the next two editions of his fantasy adventure the next time I hit the book store. Here is a two sentence taste.


I do not remember what I said. I think there were words about liberty and honor, about glory, such things as you say to men when you know that many of them will soon die. ~ From Swords Of Talera by Charles Gramlich


And a two sentence sample of my week's work on Plundered Booty ...


WifeGate. That's the term the whole betting fiasco soon became known as around the dealership.

Two sentence Tuesday was founded by Laura over at Women Of Mystery.

***********************************

Now to the tattoo portion of today's post.


I have none. My wife has one. Hers is what is commonly known as a tramp stamp. For those who might not know what a tramp stamp is I'll give you a bit from the Urban Dictionary.


“Tramp Stamp” is a derogatory term referring to a tattoo which a women places on her lower back. It is especially popular among women born in the late 70’s, 80‘s, and even early 90’s. Fair or unfair, these tattoos have a socially constructed connotation associated with them.


Someday, I will share a funny story about that term and the day a friend of ours put his foot in his mouth, but that is another story for another day. My wife's tattoo is a small three inches or so heart. Inside the heart is the Lone star and colors of the Texas flag. She has had the tat for eight or nine years now and has wanted to expand on it or get a another one for a number of years. I have always been against the idea. Not because I dislike tattoos. Quite the contrary, the right ink on the right person is often very alluring. And I do like her current tattoo, but it always seems that when she gets the itch we are busy, or our budget is tight, or maybe those are just excuses on my part. Who knows?

But that's not my point of this post.

My wife Jennifer has long wanted me to get inked, but I have never been compelled to do so.
I enjoy watching Miami Ink. Not only for the great art those guys do each week, but also for the stories behind the tattoos, so I appreciate a nicely done piece. I'm not particularly afraid of needles, or incapable of sitting still for hours while a tattoo artist does their thing. So why have I never been inked?

First off I'm a tightwad and spending the kind of money it takes to get a tattoo the size and quality I'd want is expensive. Second off, I've never been thought of anything that I was willing to permanently use my body as a canvas for.

But the other night I made a pledge to my wife - with witnesses around. When Plundered Booty sales ... I will get a tattoo.

Yes. I already know what I want and where on my body I will get it, but I'm keeping both of those a secret for now. Now it is a matter of finding someone to draw a paper version of what I want and of finding the right tattoo artist to do the work. Oh, and of course finding an agent to rep Plundered Booty and an editor ready to print it. But first I gotta finish the dang thing so I better get off here and get to work.


In the meantime y'all weigh in. Got ink? What and where? If not. Would you ever get any done? Why, or why not?



34 comments:

Clare2e said...

Thanks for sharing the sentences. I am an unabashed fantasy fan. Though I haven't read Charles' work (yet), it does sounds good from the tasting spoonful.

Selling your novel is a great and ink-worthy milestone, IMHO. But if I'm imagining a plundered booty, so to speak, wouldn't getting that on your hinder be a little redundant?

Ello - Ellen Oh said...

I bought Charles' book a few months ago and it is still sitting on my to read pile! I absolutely need to get to it! And I love fantasy! Unfortunately I have to get through several book review commitments on my bog first before I can get to Charles! But I'm so glad you posted about it!

Secondly - I'm not too keen on the pain attached to tattoos and also how if you gain or lose weight the tattoo gets stretched and may not look as good as it originally was supposed to!

Sam said...

I wouldn't get a tattoo. I'm afraid I'd get bored with it. I do my own tattoes with indelible ink every summer, and wait 'till they wash off.
:-)
Thanks for the head's up abotu Charlie's book - it sounds fabulous!

JM said...

Tattoos are cool, but I don't think I'm cool enough to pull one off.

Anonymous said...

I loved those two sentences!

I have two tattoos, one a band of ivy around my ankle and one. . . a tramp stamp (though it's off to the side, does that make it less trampy?) of a sunburst. I love them, but I probably won't get any more. The only other thing I'd want is a Celtic knot around my big toe, but toe ones always blur.

Laura K. Curtis said...

Ooooh, that does look like a good book!

And as for your two sentences, let me tell you, the meaning changes DRASTICALLY when you read "whale" for "whole" the way I did when I first looked at it. But either way...they're great!

Duck said...

Nope, I'm pretty sure I'd never get a tattoo. Also, I almost had a blog post a little while back pondering the popularity of tramp stamps. I just don't get why that particular location is as popular as it is. Is it the peekaboo nature of that area of the body, where you know if you're wearing an untucked shirt and you bend over, people are likely to see it and think you're a naughty girl or something?

Either way they were ruined forever for me when my mom got one a few years ago...

Anonymous said...

If I can't be sure I'd want to wear the same earrings the rest of my life, how could I ever pick a tattoo I know I'd love forever? (The earrings can be easily removed-- not so for the tattoo.) BUT, if you're interested, I have an artist for you. You describe it, I bet he could draw it.

Skiingred said...

Like you, I consider ink a work of art provided it's done with the right artist and right image. I have one (roses in the shape of a heart on my upper thigh) Let me tell you, it's addicting - I was laughing as the needle whined.

As I was reading about you and your wife, I thought you were writing about my household for a moment -- My hubby and I go through the same thing -- I want more tats, but he doesn't want another on me. I respect that. He doesn't want any. But I still want one (I've heard they have ink that glows in the dark!)

I'll take one copy of Plundered Booty, please.

Andrea Frazer said...

I have a tattoo on my booty from my first marriage. Long, sad and weird story.

You are adorable!

Terrie Farley Moran said...

Hi Travis,

Great sentences, those read and those written.

I have no body ink. I never even pierced my ears.

Terrie

Travis Erwin said...

Mama P - I've been called a lot things in my life, but this might be the first time I've ever been described as adorable.

~grace~ said...

I kinda want a tattoo. It's so nerdy though, I don't even want to share it. Although you probably won't get it...

I want a picture of a leaf, and the words "a leaf on the wind."

anyone? anyone? big nerdy hug to the first person who gets it.

Also Travis.... bwahaha.

Chick said...

It's great that you're supporting such talent.

Good luck with your book & your ink. Make sure you get something you are sure you will still want in 20 years.

Phats said...

I have my frat letters on my shoulderblade. I often think if I ever make enough I will get it removed, but it's part of me for awhile.

CamiKaos said...

take one look at me without a coat on and you can tell I'm tattooed... What people often find more remarkale than the extent of my tattoos though... Is my husband's complete lack of tattoos or piercings. I love him just the way he is... And apparently the feeling is mutual.

Vesper said...

Looking forward to you getting tattooed... Good luck!

I enjoyed this post. Thank you for sharing the sentences.

I didn't get to tell you that I read the opening chapter that you had submitted some time ago on an editor's blog (Nathan, I believe) and that I found it very, very good. In fact, of the ones I got to read, I liked yours most.

Aaron said...

I got my first about a year ago. http://outdoorliving365.blogspot.com/2007/02/and-now-tattoo-story-of-my-own.html I'll be sure to follow it up with #2 later this year (TBD) and possibly even a 3rd, depending on whatever.

If you feel so inclined, do it. If not, then don't. But I recommend not getting one and putting it on the cover of the book. :P

B.E. Sanderson said...

I don't like tattoos, personally. I like the human body unadorned. I saw this beautiful young man once who was covered in tatts, and all I could think of was what Michaelangelo's David would look like covered in graffiti.

Josephine Damian said...

I'm so glad I resisted the urge to get a tatt. Every now and then I'll consider getting one, but then I remember reading somewhere about the high rate of hepatitis among the tatt-ed up, and where I live in FL, the dress code is rather casual (and optional in certain neighborhoods lol), and since it's super hot here, you tend to see a lot flesh, and not all of it pretty.

Whenever I see an older person (like me) showing wrinkly, saggy skin with faded tatt's (especially an aging biker chick), I tend to think it looks ridiculous - I think tatts are for the young - if only you could erase them when you turned 35.

Me? I took forever to finish my first (bad and unpublished) novel, but promised myself an 18KT ring from Tiffany's if I finished. I did, and wear the ring proudly as a reminder of that accomplishment.

So I'm a big believer in giving yourself a reward when it comes to writing milestones. How about buying a cool Harley when your book sells? Or a really sweet fishing rod? Of course, I'm dying to know what tatt you wanna get, and where you wanna get it!

Bernita said...

Nope and nope.
But I've seen some that are beautiful.

Shauna Roberts said...

It shows how screwed up the major publishing companies are that Charles could find only a small press to publish his Talera series. I loved it, and so has everyone else I know who's read it.

Yes, I have a tattoo. Upper left arm (no "tramp stamp" for me—if I went to the pain and expense of getting a tattoo, I want people to see it). It's a fleur de lis in the Mardi Gras colors purple, green, and gold (hokey color choice, I know) with 08-29-05 tattooed underneath. Now that I've moved to California, I'll probably have to start explaining both the fleur de lis and the date.

Monnik said...

Charles' book sounds really good!

I have a tattoo - its a small, purple chinese symbol for family/clan. I'm disappointed that the chinese symbols are overdone these days (it's not as original as it was when I got it years ago) but. I still love it.

Anonymous said...

Good luck with your work-in-progress -- on the writing, and on the journey toward getting it represented by an agent, then published! :)

Tattoos... they can look fabulous when done well. I don't have one, but I've thought about it from time to time.

Hubby will probably get one before I do. He has a better idea of what he wants! :)

Brooke said...

I have two tattoos, one I got when I was 18 and one I got when my sister turned 18. The second one is indeed (eek!) the tramp stamp (God, I hate that term...) but I love the ones I have and would not hesitate to go back for more if they weren't quite so costly.

My husband and I went to a costume party of sorts this weekend and he wore those tattoo sleeves...they were oddly becoming.

Charles Gramlich said...

Thanks for the kind words on "Swords of Talera." That book was so much fun to write. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

As for tats, I thought about it quite a bit in my motorcycling days but I never did get one done, partly because I wasn't able to decide on something that I wanted to live with permanently. I'm probably at the point now that I never will get one, but I do enjoy seeing well done ones.

Mom In Scrubs said...

Not against them, just never wanted one. I've seen too many in too many places on too much old/nasty/wrinkly/worn skin to ever have that inclination.

You? I think you should get a Tramp Stamp that says "Plundered" in calligraphy, with an arrow pointing to your....booty. =)

Anonymous said...

Plundered Booty is the most awesome title, I'd surely purchase it!

And, I too, have a "tramp stamp" ... at least it's in the back when I don't want to remember it!

Patti said...

i didn't have time to read thru the prior comments but i am sure i won't be original when saying: dear god, get "plundered booty" on your ass. oh the delight...

Anonymous said...

Jenn says:

Plundered booty on your rear is not what I had in mind. I do like a nice tattooed man. There is just something about it. Even old ones that have turned green a tattooed man means that he was just a little bit naughty at sometime in his life. I am proud of my tramp stamp. That was a fun time in my life and it was worth it. I know what I want just not where I want it.

Travis Cody said...

Thanks for the review Travis. I've got a note next to my computer to order the Talera series. I love the genre and I'm really looking forward to these books.

Cheers!

virtual nexus said...

Came over from Charles - thanks for the review - I'm like you, tend to read nf, and need to remember to order this, as I enjoyed Charles short story 'flash fiction' when I've seen it. Good post.

Miladysa said...

I have the book on order and am looking forward to reading it :-D

A tattoo is a complete and utter NO NO for me. I am not a great fan of them yet have to admit my husband has a huge colourful eagle tattoo which is an absolute work of art and totally adorable!

Shauna said...

I like tattoos when they are tasteful, artsy and not overdone. I've considered it for myself, but my husband isn't really into them. So, I probably won't.