Word Slinging and Optimism

Deep Thoughts and Shallow Reality

07

Nov

I wish I could say that was what I was writing about.  Zombies and survivors and raiders and immunities, that would have been super sweet! But alas, no.  “The Plague” was not what I was writing about, but what I was dealing with. Okay, maybe I exaggerate a little bit.  It was not the plague that knocked me out of commission – it was a nasty viral infection holding hands with Laryngitis, skipping down the road on their way to a nasal infection.  Thank the stars that they did not make it to

2016

31

Oct

Can you freaking believe that it is already basically?!  We’re into the season of pumpkin everything, eating, Thanksgiving, eating, Black Friday, eating, and more eating!  Tis also the season of NaNoWriMo. No, not nanny-nanny-boo-boo.  NaNoWriMo.  National Novel Writing Month.  The name is a little deceptive though, as it is actually an international initiative that encourages people to write 50,000 words in one month – which is hardly ever a full novel, but it’s a huge chunk of it!  And

2016

24

Oct

Those that see a white and gold dress, and those that see a blue and black dress. Those that like pineapple on their pizza, and those who don’t. Those who roll toilet paper under, and those that roll it over. The Star-Belly Sneetches, and Plain-Belly Sneetches. Morning people, and people who want to shoot morning people. There are hundreds of meme’s over the “two kinds of people” that our world has.  You’ve all seen them, you’ve all laughed at them, maybe you’ve even made some of your own.

2016

17

Oct

So, as I may have mentioned once or twice – or possibly more… - I have the attention span and memory of Dory the Fish.  When that movie came out, I worked at the theater, and I was compared to Dory daily.  And rightly so, I’m not even going to contest the similarities between Dory and Torie. I’m very simply entertained and I can’t remember anything for more than about thirty seconds.  No seriously, my Chuck-Norris husband has to call me multiple times a week because I set my phone down and

2016

10

Oct

Dungeons and Dragons! What did you just think of?  Kinda big anti-social people playing in the basement?  Or adventures and storytelling and comradery? D&D players have had a bad rap since I can remember.  The first thing that used to always come to mind was Stephen Lynch’s D&D song that ends with “virgins for life” – which admittedly is really hysterical, but only adds to the stereotype. My first introduction to D&D was an ex-BF who played… in secret.  I knew, obviously, because I lived

2016

03

Oct

I hope you all sang that… out loud… in a room where people heard you and looked at you strangely.  Doesn’t it feel so freeing?!  Next you’ll be adding choreo with your random outbursts of song.  Don’t worry, if you need any help, I’m a pro. But that is not the topic of my blog today – though there might be one in the future…  Torie, stop it.  Refocus. Today I am going to touch on the pressure of being surrounded by published authors, while still struggling to get an editor or agent to look

2016

27

Sep

So… I know today is not Monday.  I got lost in days and time on my vacation.  My bad.  But this blog was actually ready!  I just had it saved on my work hard drive instead of my google drive… because I’m a genius… obviously… (that time I was sarcastic about it, the rest of time I’ve been super serious) Today in our final installment of the Genius Trilogy, J-Law time hops from memory to memory to explain the origins of the short stories I am working on.  There’s actually quite a few, but there

2016

12

Sep

Our mini-series continues with our heroines and heroes still starring in “Torie’s Life”. (Jennifer Lawrence and the young clone of Chuck Norris were nominated for a NotRealsies Award after the last blog… fingers crossed!) I don’t have as exact dates and scenes for the birth of The Gates of Humanity like I had for the New Hope Chronicles.  New Hope is the “story of my soul”, as my mother would say.  It came easy to me.  The characters spoke to me, the story was familiar and easy, and I dropped a

2016

06

Sep

Most commonly asked question #1 for creative people – “Where do your ideas come from?”  Or “How do you come up with this stuff?” I feel like I would ask in return “how do you not?” (Is that snotty or bitchy?  Hmmm… well, no one will be interviewing me anytime, so I won’t be offending that imaginary interviewer.) Maybe I’m a freak of nature, but I don’t think so.  At least not with this.  LIFE is where you come up with this stuff.  Reading.  Walking.  Hiking.  People watching.  Talking.

2016

29

Aug

The creative process – what a fun thing to think about, huh?  It’s so different for everyone.  For one person it’s candles burning with Zen music in the background.  For another, it’s smoking weed and eating a whole bag of flaming hot Cheetos.  And for yet another, it’s staring blankly at a canvas, or a computer screen until inspiration literally smacks them across the face with a wet fish of an idea. Me?  Well, I boil my water for my tea – Earl Grey.  Hot. – and I primp the cushion of my chair

2016

22

Aug

Dear Sir or Ma’am who has “flagged” me due to my search history: Please allow me a moment to explain myself before you jump to any crazy conclusions.  I don’t need a lawyer, as this is not a “confession”.  Well, it is, but not in the “I’m guilty” kind of way, but in the “clearly there’s a story behind this” way.  I’m a writer, and sometimes I have to research some pretty off-the-wall topics.  With “The Google” right at my fingertips, why would I wander to the library to find answers to all my

2016

15

Aug

Welp friends, it’s Monday. Yeah, I know.  I know.  I used the word “welp”, and I’m not taking it back. Anywhoo (yup, I went there too), Monday is Blog Day… there’s got to be an alliteration somewhere for this.  Anyone?  Anyone?  Bueller?  Bueller? …I guess I’ll work on it. This mediocre Monday I mean to minimize melancholy with my magnificent, meaningful marks of memory and mirth. Too much?  I’ll stop… My deep thoughts today revolve around the advice I think every writer gets at some point

2016

08

Aug

Hello again dear friends!  Welcome back! I have returned!  And if you have too, thank you!  I hope you’re mildly entertained thus far. This week, I thought I’d stream-of-consciousness about why I write. (If only my AP English teacher could see me now.  No one grumbled more about stream of consciousness than me).  When I started writing – back at the tender age of probably about 9 or 10 – it was because stories were how I could make anything happen.  They were my way of daydreaming, in a

2016