Dreams to Fiction

Do you ever have dreams that you've turned into fiction? There have been nights I've had dreams, thought, wow, that would make a good book or written part of it down, only to wake up the next morning and say to myself, WTF was I thinking?

Last night was different. I pulled a Stephenie Meyer. Last night I slept like shit. Had nightmares all night that had me screaming myself awake. Dreams so real I could feel them.

But then I had another dream. A very vivid dream based on racial tension, taboo relationships, and injustice.

It was so good, I even wrote down the dream in my dream?!?! Seriously. When I woke up I was like, damn! I didn't really write that down. And I quickly grabbed a pen and notebook because the idea was already fleeting.

I think I got it all down. This idea is so good, I'm considering putting everything else aside to start it.

You ever have fictional revelations like that? When do you usually get them?

Tuesday Tips: Conception

How to get and remember a brilliant idea.

When an idea for a novel pops into your head, write it down, wherever you are.  I know what you're thinking.  What if I'm in church, bathroom, Dr. appointment, etc etc.  Write it down on anything as soon as humanly possible.

I carry a small notebook/notepad everywhere I go. If I get an idea, I'm always able to write it down.  I know you guys don't carry purses, so this may not be as easy for you.  Get a jotter to keep in your back pocket or coat pocket.  Or buy one of those man purses (I know, it's a satchel).

Oh, and along with that notebook, you'd better have a pen.  Otherwise the notebook is useless of course.

If you for some reason forget your notebook, write the idea down on whatever's handy, a napkin, coaster, piece of toilet paper, your hand. 

Also, keep a notebook by your bed.  You never know when that totally wonderful original concept will come to you.  Think, Stephenie Meyer.

In the beginning of my writing days, I would often have a brilliant idea, only to lose it before I got home because I had nothing to write it down on.  I've probably lost out on a best seller because of this. :)

Stay tuned next Tuesday for another writing tip.

Until tomorrow,

Megan

Monday morning blahg: And the award goes to . . .

As much as I love James Franco and Anne Hathaway, I did not like their performances as Oscar co-hosts.  I'd go as far as to say they sucked.  They weren't funny or witty.  The best thing they did was the pre-scripted video at the beginning of the show.  We need to go back to having comedians do it.  Comedians are funny.  They can ad lib. 

I can't say I'm disappointed with the winners as the only movie I've seen from the way too long list of contenders was The Social Network, which I loved.  I would like to see all the ones nominated.  They look (and I've heard) they're excellent.

Funny how we have all these awards shows, the Oscars, Grammys, Emmys, and then of course, there are the Country Music Awards, the Mtv Awards, the Golden Globes, etc, etc. but none for the most educational art of all, writing.  Yes, I know the screen writers and song writers are included in all of the above, but what about an awards show for book writing?  Don't we deserve that kind of recognition?

What would they call it?  The (Pen)ny?  The inventor of the typewriter's name is too boring.  The Sholes.  Meh.  It could be named the Remmy, after Remington, the gun maker that manufactured the first typewriter.  Or how about the Qwerty?

I could picture the likes of Stephen King to Stephenie Meyer handing out awards.  I can imagine myself accepting the award for YA Debut Novelist of the Year (I really don't think that highly of myself, but it's my imagination so I get to win).

What would the award look like?  A golden pen or pencil?  Maybe it should be in the form of Gilgamesh, since the author of The Epic of Gilgamesh, Shin-eqi-unninni, is said to be the first named literary author.  We could have it in the form of Shin-eqi-unninni, but people probably don't know what he looked like.  Maybe the model should be Enheduanna, Priestess of Inanna, the first known female writer and poet.

Doesn't Twain look good as a gold statue?

Maybe in the form of a more contemporary writer like Twain or Bradbury or Hemingway?  Or even a poet?  Dickinson, Keats, or Shelly?  Or how about Oscar Wilde or Poe?  What do you think?  Should we as writers demand our award show?  Or should we be thankful to remain happy in our anonymity?

Speaking of awards, I'm getting closer and closer to 200 followers, so I thought I'd do a giveaway.  I don't know what I'm giving away yet.  I'll have to think about it.  But my 200th follower is getting a prize, and if anyone referred them, they'll get something too.  :)

Thanks all.  Have a wonderful Monday. ugh.

~Megan

Top four things I hate about Twilight. #1

Okay, my #1 in case you haven't guessed already is Edward. In so many ways. I admit, I loved Edward after reading Twilight. Utterly and absolutely. It was hard to see his obvious flaws back then through all that shiny. His over protective on the verge of controlling nature.
His stalkerish behavior. His manipulating Bella into thinking she cannot survive with out him. But then what does he do.....


...New Moon comes out and Edward disappears to go kill himself in Italy. And this is when I start to switch sides, although I don't think I saw it back when I was reading the book. This is when I begin to leave Team Edward, and move closer to Team Jacob. And I think Stephenie Meyer made a boo boo taking one of the main characters and making him close to nonexistent in the second book. This is probably what swayed many over to Jacob's team. But then Bella goes to Italy and everything is hunky dory again.

And wasn't it Edward that pushed Bella toward Jacob. Wasn't it Edward that wanted Bella to have that friendship? Then he acts like an ass when she does and doesn't want her hanging out with him anymore. He thinks Jacob is putting her life at risk. Um, vampire, what do you think YOU'RE doing? Not only do you want to suck the life out of her, you have every bad vamp in a 100 mile radius wanting to do the same thing. Pot, meet kettle.

Nail in the coffin, no pun intended, OK, maybe a little, the casting of Edward in the movie. Yes Robert whatshisface is a good actor. Yes, he made a fine Cedric Diggory. He sucks as Edward, pun totally and completely intended. I'm sorry but this casting just makes me hate Edward even more. Edward is supposed to be like the most beautiful man on earth. What part of that didn't the casting people get? Probably doesn't help his cause that Taylor Lautner is totally hunky as Jacob.

Well, that's all for the Twilight series with me. Tomorrow is the Friday Free For All. I think I'm going to start calling it F³A.

Thanks for reading me.

Kisses :*

Megan

Top four things I hate about Twilight. #2 *SPOILER ALERT*

My #2 is Breaking Dawn. While there are things I liked about the book, the series took a turn I really didn't expect, nor did I like.

I was in no way ready for Bella to become a vampire. And really, Bella: Weakest person on the face of the earth = strongest vampire ever. Protector of vampire and human alike. Phllllllltttttttt (that's me giving a raspberry). I bet the werewolves can still kick her ass.

I hate hate hated the whole Bella getting pregnant thing. And I doubly hate hate hate the name Renesme. Stupid stupid stupid.

The other disgustingly gross thing in the book is Jacob imprinting on the stupid baby. Icky. Yuck. Severely dislike. I'm sure I'm not the only one. This had to creep out anyone with a moral bone in their body. Can you say, pedophilia? Blech. Let's just treat Jacob like crap through the entire series and then make him wait eighteen more years for a mate. Jacob needs to find a new set of friends and his own book deal.

I suppose that's it. I'm sure I could come up with more if I really tried, but I'm not sure it's worth the time.

Thanks for reading, come back tomorrow for #1 (I think you can figure out what it is)

Kisses :*

Megan

Top four things I hate about Twilight. #3

Okay this is probably more a jealousy issue than anything else. But my #3 is her Cinderella story. Let's see, this Arizona housewife has a dream, about a sparkley man in a meadow talking to a girl. He's a vampire and he's telling her he loves her, but he's afraid he'll kill her. In three months the book is written.

I read somewhere that she didn't have to query very many agents, maybe fifteen or so? Can't find the facts now. Picked out of the slushpile at Writer's House, one of the biggest agencies out there. She gets a $750,000 three book deal from Little Brown.

Sickening isn't it?

That's all I'm saying about that right now. I want to go throw up.

Kisses :*

Megan

Top four things I hate about Twilight. #4

Okay, so this week I tell you what I DON'T like about Twilight. My #4 is the writing.

While I enjoy the concept of the story, and I appreciate the fact that Stephenie Meyer tries to be very literary at times, it doesn't work for me. Yes, fancy words are pretty to read, but not a novel they do make.

Too much internal conflict with Bella, yeah we get it, you're weird, you're in love with a Vampire, yes, he's the most beautiful person you've ever seen, get on with it already. And she's just some plain no one, yet every boy in school wants her? Um, yes, I get that there's that "new girl" novelty, but someone as plain as Bella is supposed to be would not garner that much attention. Plus the fact that she's a total introvert, and putting off.

The characters are flat and not very interesting. They have no personality whatsoever. The only one with any depth at all is Jacob. Hence why he was included in last weeks blog. And I'm sorry, who in their right mind would not pick Jacob over Edward. He treats Bella with respect, he'd do anything for her, he's hot, he's human, he loves her, he's hot...need I say more? Not until book four (I think) do we get any insight the the vampire back stories. It at least makes Rosalie more interesting, not so much the others.

And Bella is a horrible role model for teenage girls. Constantly being saved by Edward. I mean, really, does someone really almost die that many times? She was very lucky to have a vampire boyfriend and a werewolf best friend. er. And really, putting everything in your life aside for a guy? A dead guy who seriously doesn't treat you that good? A guy who treats Bella like a possession and is borderline stalker (yeah, I come in your room and watch you sleep every night, can you say, creepy?). A guy who when he leaves you, you just want to die. Yes, this is not a good lesson for today's female youth.


Okay, I guess that's it for today. Come back tomorrow for my number three.

Kisses :*

Megan

Top four things I like about Twilight. #1

Vampires and werewolves. What's not to like? Sexy beasts the lot of them. Especially what Hollywood has done with them. Of course I've always love vampires, I have told you my kids sometimes call me Vampire Mom because of my affinity for the color black.

These monsters were a part of lives way before Twilight came out. Stephenie Meyer just brought them to the forefront again. Cartoons, like the Groovy Ghoulies and Scooby Do, and shows like The Musters introduced them to us at a young age.

Some of my favorite books and movies with these monsters? Number one definitely is Interview with a Vampire (the book, not the movie, not that the movie was bad, but really, who the hell cast Tom Cruise as Le Stat? Just as bad as Edward, not going there, that's next week) I fell in love with Louis when I read that book back when I was a teenager.

Movies like Fright Night and American Werewolf in London were a couple of my favorites back in the day. I remember AWIL being the cutting edge of special effects for the time period.


More recently I really liked Blade, the first Underworld movie (not so much the second), Brotherhood of the Wolf, and Blood and Chocolate. What they've done with Vampires and Werewolves are amazing. And of course two of my favorite shows ever were Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel.

Then there are books and movies and shows that are popular that I've yet to see like the Heather Brewer book series, Sookie Stackhouse, and True Blood. I'll get to them.

So, that's another reason to like the Twilight series, because I LOVE the subject matter. What's not to love about beautiful sexy immortals, or strong, rugged wolf boys?

That's all for Twilight this week. Come back next week when I tell you the four things I HATE about it. But for tomorrow, it's the Friday Free For All. I have no idea what to talk about, so it will be as exciting for me as it is for you. It is exciting for you, right? ;)

Catch you on the flip side.

Kisses :*

Megan

Top four things I like about Twilight #2

My #2 is Jacob. I suppose you would say I was on team Jacob. At first, I hated the idea of Jacob and the love triangle. Edward was the only one for Bella. I even think Stephenie Meyer maybe at first didn't want us to like him, the pushiness,the forced kiss, the clinginess (which is a word I apparently just made up), but he grows on us, in fact, in New Moon, he is the love interest for Bella. Let's Bella take chances, soar.

What do I like about Jacob? He's smart, he's sweet, he's sympathetic. He's human, yes maybe only in part, but he has human qualities that Edward no longer possesses as an immortal, which I don't really want to go into, because I will be blogging about Edward next week. And he loves Bella. He will do anything for Bella, of course the real reasons behind this are revealed in book four, but for now, in books one, two, and three, he's just a sweet kid that wears his heart on his sleeve.

Um, and the casting of Taylor Lautner, just gives us reason to like him even more. He is completely and utterly hot, even to this forty year old wife and mother. When I saw the trailer for New Moon, chills ran down my spine when Jacob turned into the werewolf? What? I'm human. I'm allowed to look and admire, aren't I?

Well enough about Jacob, come back tomorrow when I reveal my number one.

Kisses :*

Megan