Emotion

I had no clue what I was going to write about today. Not. A. Clue. None. At. All. Nada. Nothing. Finito. Then, I get to work and have an email with a link to a YouTube video - see below.




Now, I really don't need to say anything else except: emotion. No words, only music and action, and yet powerful EMOTION. Our writing needs such emotion and we have to do it with words . . . but maybe not a lot of words. Sometimes, a few words can convey emotional impact better than a long slew of words.

So, as you write, as you approach and prepare the scenes that will tug at my heartstrings, think carefully how you are doing the scene. Do you need a ton of stuff to tug at my heartstrings or, do you need something simple and pure, like the video above, to get the emotion across? It's something to consider.

"Drunk at First Sight" Blogfest

Okay, hop on over to Jon Paul's (the infamous blogger who awarded me the Sugar Doll award) blog Where Sky Meets Ground to read all the details and sign up.

Oh, what, the heck, I'll just put all the info here, but you still need to click over in order to sign up.

I haven't had a beer in six months. The picture on the right is really making my mouth water.

If you're Irish, you know that St. Patrick's Day is next month--and in my book, that's just around the corner (you may know about St. Paddy's if you're not Irish too :D).

A few of us got to talking and we asked ourselves this question: "What could be better than sitting around on St. Paddy's Day evening drinking a (possibly green) beer?" The answer is simple. Sitting around drinking a (possibly green) beer and reading some great fiction, that's what!

So, following in the footsteps of the Fight Scene Blogfest, and "Love At First Sight" Blogfest, we are announcing the first annual "Drunk At First Sight" Blogfest!

Here's how it will work:

1) Sign up below.

2) Write a new scene or short story, or dust off an old one, about a love/relationship situation that also includes one or more of the following elements:

---St. Paddy's Day as important event or setting
---Use of Ireland or anything Irish as a setting or prop
---An alcohol related event (party, hangover, cocktails, AA meeting, etc.)

3) Just prior to March 17th (St. Pat's Day), post said story to your blog.

4) On St. Paddy's Day, cruise around the interwebs, drink in hand, and check out everybody's amazing fiction.

That's all there is to it! Sounds like great fun--and in keeping with the St. Paddy's Day spirit. These other great bloggers are helping out with the Blogfest as well:

•Emily Cross from The Chronicles of Emily Cross and The Dissident Writers
•The Postman from The Sententious Vaunter
•Bone from Cruising Altitude
•Scott from A Writer's Blog (yes, me)

The DAFS Blogfest promises to be fun for the whole family. No really. The first (virtual) round is on us. Sign up below, and spread the word. The more, the merrier. Let's raise our glasses on high and make this Blogfest a great one!

Okay, now seriously, you do have to click over to Where Sky Meets Ground because there is one of them magical thingamabogs that you have to fill out and click.

S

Follow . . .

. . . the yellow brick road, follow the yellow brick road, follow, follow, follow the yellow brick road. Now, go get a helium balloon, poke a small hole in it, inhale, and repeat the above phrase ten times. Hysterical! Okay, maybe not . . . but it's not the yellow brick road I want you to follow, but . . .

The McVeigh Agency Blog

Why, well, of course there's a reason . . . because if I can get 10 people to follow this blog, then I can get - potentially - a 15 minute phone call with an actual agent.

So, go and follow this blog, then hop back here and leave a comment telling me your following. It's all on the honor system, but I'm a bit obsessive about things, and want proof. C'mon now, people, follow, follow, follow . . . and let me know about it.

Have a great weekend.

S

Note: For anyone who doesn't have a clue . . . Follow the Yellow Brick Road is from the 1939 movie The Wizard of Oz starring Judy Garland, Ray Bolger, Frank Lehr, Billie Burke, Margaret Hamilton . . . and a slew of other actors.

Here's some trivia for you as well . . .

Margaret Hamilton, aka The Wicked Witch, starred in a series of commercials for a) Folgers coffee, b) Palmolive dish soap or c) Calgon.

The Tinman was originally played by which actor who went on to fame in a story about a man named . . . and had to drop out of the movie because he was poisoned by the make-up for the character.

Yes, I know the answers to these questions. Do you??

S

21 Tips to Get Out of the Slush Pile

Since I'm technically - yeah, I know, it doesn't look like it at all - unplugged this week. Here's an article from Writer's Digest regarding 21 Tips to Get Out of the Slush Pile. No, this isn't about query letters, but rather your manuscript - that gem of brilliance you agonized over. So, check it out, and, well, maybe you'll see a post tomorrow, or maybe not.


S

Market My Words - Contest

Okay, not only is Elana having a contest (see this post), but it's in conjunction with Shelli at Market My Words. So, you know the drill - click on over, check it out, enter for fabulous prizes . . . and to get me extra points, because, you know, it's all about me. Okay, I don't really get extra points for you clicking over, but if Elana and Shelli happen to read this post and want to award extra points, I wouldn't complain.

S

Sugar Doll

Now, I don't know whether to be amused, or horrified. I'm going with horrified first. I'm sure the amusement will come later, much, much, later, after a few dozen margaritas!!!

Jon Paul (aka JP, your highness, or highness) over at Where Sky Meets Ground has nominated me for an award. It's a most prestigious award that any mother would be proud to admit her son - as in male, as in masculine, as in not female - has received. Any. Mother.

So, without further adieu, I have been awarded the . . .

Okay, now that the majority of my followers have stopped hysterically laughing. Oh, and be warned, I know who is laughing, and I will . . . find the appropriate award for you. Trust me on that one! I'm the King of Paybacks.

As usual, the award comes with requirements - do this, do that, or the world as you know it will come to an end!!!! Geesh! Talk about pressure.

So, in order to avoid the apocalpyse, I'm supposed to tell you ten things about me.

1) I don't go by my first name, I go by my middle name.

2) I'm not telling you my first name.

3) When I was little, my mean, much older sisters used to roll me down the hill in the backyard. They found it quite amusing. I was quite tubby as a child. And they wonder why I'm in therapy. Okay, I'm not in therapy, but sitll, it's not a shining moment in an adults life to find out his older, and allegedly wiser (that question is still in debate, btw) sisters rolled him down the hill for their own amusement. They did a few other things, and took pictures as well, but to go there right now would require serious amounts of alcohol, and it is a bit earlier in the day . . .

4) In researching the family history, we discovered that, for 100 years, people were allowed to shoot us on sight. It seems my ancestors chose the wrong side of a political battle in Scotland, way back when. It's no wonder we came to America.

5) My mother . . . nope, might get disinheritated if I reveal that little tidbit of information.

6) I'm a horrible piano player, though I played for many years. H-O-R-R-I-B-L-E!

7) I love the movie Practical Magic with Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock. LOVE! IT! I can watch the movie over and over and over again . . . in the same day. In fact, when it first hit cable, I probably watched it 100 times. Great movie!

8) I watched the Brady Bunch and The Patridge Family on the Friday Night Lineup before they were reruns. Okay, not all seasons, well, maybe . . . SIGH!

9) I once hit size 35 in jeans before I realized my sisters might want to roll me down the hill again. So, I went on a diet and must fight - daily basis, no relief - to stay at my current size! What the heck happened to my metabolism? I mean, seriously, people. I used to be able to eat like crazy. Why do we have to gain weight as we age? Lose our hair? Grow hair out of our ears?? Why? Why? Sally Field moment from Steel Magnolias coming on . . . . whhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy! Ah, now I feel better.

10) I don't drink margaritas every day of week. Those are reserved for Fridays!

Okay, now that I've delved into my inner psyche and divulged deep, dark secrets . . . I must award this on to five other guys. Heck, I'm not sure how many guys follow my blog. I must go check so I can award, but . . . the first award goes to (and he might hunt me down and kill me) . . .

Scott Bailey at ScottGFBailey

Justus Bowman over at Across the Multiverse.

Davin at The Literary Lab.

Rick Daley at My Daley Rant and The Public Query Slushpile.

Charlie at Approaching Utopia.

Now guys, don't blame the messenger. If fact, if you're looking for blame, I can track this all back to Jon Paul! I mean, he gave me the award in the first place, and rules are rules!

S

Elana Rocks and is Having a CONTEST!!!

Okay, now that I have your attention. The Fabulous Elana is holding a contest over at her blog, right here, right now, so clickity-click-click-clack over there and enter. I mean, she has actual agents - real live agents - participating.

What are you still doing here?

Go, go, go!!!