Write Now

I just nominated some of my favorite bloggers for Book Blogger Appreciation Week. There are lots of categories so check it out and nominate a few of your favorite bloggers if you get the chance.

Speaking of favorite bloggers, Janna and Natasha and Melanie all did this little writer questionnaire, so now I'm taking a turn.

A Writers Meme

What was the last thing you wrote?
A new scene for Plundered Booty involving a prostitute, a bunch of car salesmen, and a tarnished televangelist turned talk show host.

Was it any good?
I just hope it's funny.

Write poetry?
nope unless you count the goofy song lyrics I create and sing to torture my wife and kids.

Angsty poetry?
No I prefer to drown my sorrows and angst in rum

Favorite genre of writing?
To read or write? I'll say humor.

Most fun character you ever wrote?
Gotta be Junior Habershaw, the antagonist in Plundered Booty

Most annoying character you ever wrote?
Tristan, a wimpy environmentalist from Waiting On The River. I cut all but a mention him in the rewrites.

Best plot you ever wrote?
Waiting On The River. A romance novel involving a pro poker player whose wife dies in childbirth and Lindsay, a former long distance runner who has spent her life running from the abortion she had in high school.

Coolest plot twist you ever wrote?
The one I'm working on for Plundered Booty involving the earlier mentioned hooker and tainted televangelist with a TV show. I'd actually like to pitch the show idea. If only I knew how to go about that.

How often do you get writer’s block?
Life block is what gets me. I always have more to write than I have time to write.

How do you fix it?
Stay up late and get up early. Or sneak away at work while the boss isn't looking.

Write fan fiction?
No. I have my own characters to bring to life. That's is my favorite part of writing so no way am I going to build on already established characters.

Do you type or write by hand?
Both, but my best work comes when I do it by hand. Ooh. that just sounds wrong.

Do you save everything you write?
ALWAYS. Even if I cut it it goes into a scrap folder and I sometimes pull things out of there for later projects.

Do you ever go back to an idea long after you abandoned it?
Yep, I'm a clinger. Usually it's not the idea I tire of as much as it is the realization I'm not good enough to pull off the story. As I improve I like to go back and see if I can now get it to work.

What’s your favorite thing you have ever written?
As far as the published stuff, I'm going to say my short story, The Simplest of Sounds appeared in Underground Voices back in November of 07. The link is still active if you haven't read it.

What’s everyone else’s favorite thing you’ve written?
Most people seem to think PLundered Booty is my best but Waiting On The River has gotten the most attention from agents.

Do you show people your work?
My crit group along with a few beta readers.

Did you ever write a novel?
4 complete and four others in various stages of disrepair.

Have you ever written fantasy, sci-fi, or horror?
Nope, but if I go back and look at my early stuff it does scare me.

Ever written romance or teen angsty drama?
No teen drama, but I have written two romance novels and my head is full of ideas for many more.

How many writing projects are you working on right now?
Three. Querying for Waiting On The River. Rewriting Plundered Booty, and creating my Feedstore Chronicle Memoir.

Do you want to write for a living?
Damn right!

Have you ever won an award for writing?
Quite a few. Both for short stories and novel length, but I tend to think most contest victories are meaningless in the grand scheme of getting published.

Ever written something in script or play format?
Tried but failed.

What character you've written most resembles yourself?
The Feedstore Chronicles are about my life so me. Other than that maybe Dillon in UnLuckLess.

Where do you get the ideas for your characters?
From the same place I get my oxygen. The world around me.

Do you ever write based on dreams?
I guess so, because I've dreamed entire scenes. I nearly always dream of the characters I'm currently writing. Gets complicated when you have multiple projects going on.

Do you favor happy endings, sad endings or cliff hangers?
No cliffhangers. You have to resolve the story. It's okay to lay groundwork for a sequel but you can't leave a reader hanging. Happy or sad depends on the story and genre.

Have you ever written based on an artwork you’ve seen?
No, but I want to write a novel based on a song. Just not sure if that is legal or not. Anybody know?

Are you concerned with spelling and grammar as you write?
Come on, You've read this blog. It's pretty clear no is the answer. I write first second and third. and then edit.

Ever written anything entirely in chatspeak (How r u)?
I hate chatspeak and those stupid cheeseburger cats that use it as well.

Are people surprised and confused when they find out you write well?
Yeah. As one of my friends once said, "Hell by looking at you I'd never guess you could read, much less write."

Quote something you’ve written. The first thing to pop in your mind.

A bit of dialogue from Plundered Booty ...

"Think those are real?" Dave whispered.

"Who cares," Rex answered. "Half the lakes around here are man-made. That doesn't mean I don't wanna fish their waters. " His eyes remained glued on the swish of Eva's short skirt.