Not sure what happened to our blog - so let me know if this appears for you! Sound off... JP

Back?

I haven't posted here in a long time - not since January 2012 - because my soulmate died, and I didn't think I was going to get over it. Today was my soulmate's birthday - and I rediscovered this blog, which I had thought lost to time. I am going to post here from time to time - right now, I don't know that it matters. There's no one here to read it yet ... but maybe this will help me get my writing mojo back and I can begin to rebuild. If you come by, please say hello - and give me strength and courage. Thanks.... JP

The New Year

As you all know, I suffered some terrible losses in 2011, and I'm hoping 2012 will be a better year. I'm writing and working and planning, and I hope you'll all join me in making this year a better one. I'd love to hear your ideas on how you're changing your life in 2012 - especially since the apocalypse is predicted.

So, what's up?

I don't post here much

And may not be doing so for a while. My web guy, soul mate, love of my life, passed away on Monday and it may be a while before I recover. Thank you if you read this blog, and please bear with me.

Dragon Fever

The teeth of a dragon can be deadly, and if you've been bitten, chances are you'll catch dragon fever. This fever can cause serious illness or injury, and you must be careful to treat it with the proper materials. Fortunately, being bitten doesn't mean you'll turn into a dragon - that would be truly drastic. But there can be lingering side effects from a dragon's bite.

You may become subject to allergies you've never previously had. Virgins may begin to follow you around. Possibly unicorns too, if you live in the right part of the world. But the hope is that you not be bitten at all, of course.

To stay protected from dragon bites - and therefore, dragon fever - be sure to wear chain metal on both arms and legs, in addition to the upper body. Stay away from unexplored caves and deep ravines, and be careful not to make any noises that sound like a braying goat.

So stay safe and keep the dragons at bay. Good luck.

Exploring Kindle

Working on writing and keeping the Muse happy, but have finally gotten a story up on Kindle. It's called Angels Weep at Midnight and it's available at Amazon.com, or you can click the Amazon link to the right. I hope you go check it out. There's a story behind the story and if you comment here, I'll tell you how it came to be the next time I post.

JP

Summer movies

One of the things I do for 'research' when I'm writing is go to the movies. I like lots of different kinds of movies and every summer, it seems there's many to choose from in many categories. Most recently, I have watched Thor, Super 8, Green Lantern, Mr. Popper's Penguins, Just Go With It, Pirates of the Caribbean, Bridesmaids, and I can't tell you how many others.

These movies have had varying degrees of success, several time periods, and lots of different characters. In movies, I take note of how the characters are developed, why we love or hate them ... or are just 'meh' about them. And when I write, I actually 'see' my story in my head - much like a movie. Which I suppose is a good thing, yes?

Have you thought about 'casting' your book, choosing what actress or actor you would pick for each character? For example, in my current WIP, I have a character who I have chosen Emeril to play. Is this character a cook? No, he's not. But he has the same ebullient personality and larger than life persona Emeril has. He's perfect for what I need him to do in the story.

So who are your favorite celebrities? Could any of them star in your books?

Think about how you might have cast Twilight differently, or what kind of 'alien' or 'monster' you might put in Super 8 or Green Lantern, or Thor, for that matter. Did you agree with the casting choices made in the movie you liked?

My favorite example is Sherlock Holmes. I didn't know if Robert Downey, although he is one of my favorite actors, could play the Holmes I'd read about all my life. And Jude Law was SO not my choice for Watson. I'd always seen Watson as an older man, rotund and fatherly. Definitely not Jude Law. But you know what? Law was great as Watson, and after discussing it with other Holmes fans, we decided the casting had been a brilliant choice! They took someone who could show he'd had an injury in the war, but was still otherwise fit and brave. And he looked good next to Downey, right? They both looked great!

So think about character casting and you might find yourself thinking outside the box. Maybe you've seen a bit part actor you think could carry a story - I personally like the "Mayhem" guy on the insurance commercial. I'd like to put him in a story, because he's perfect for the character in my head.

Have fun casting your characters and see if giving them faces in your mind helps you get to know them better. I'm betting it will.

Any movies you can think of you'd have casted differently?
Tell me about it :)