Photo Prompts, Story Snippets, & Monday Fortune Cookie 4/29/13

YOU WILL SPEND OLD AGE IN COMFORT AND MATERIAL WEALTH.

SNARKY RESPONSE:  If this fortune cookie had the winning lottery numbers, I might, but without those I'll probably spend it with Southern Comfort.


Today, I decided to do something different. I'm going to share a little of my writing explorations with you.

I'm very active on fb - Denise Golinowski/Author - and folks are always posting these lovely evocative images. Anything and everything from lush landscapes to fantastical creatures to kick-ass warriors. 

I used to just share them and comment on how they were "plot bunnies," but I never followed up. 

Well for some time, I've been wanting to write something in the Steampunk genre, or at least on the Gaslight stage, and recently I've been seeing photos that grabbed my imagination with both hands, screamed "steampunk story" at me, and introduced me to a couple of intriguing characters - Lady Aimes and Professor Algenon. And it all started with this photo:

Frankfurt Metro Entrance

(Where, in an unexpected turn of events, Professor Algenon takes control of a runaway underground train and manages to drive it up through the pavement to avoid a head-on collision.)

Lady Aimes adjusted her hat and brushed dust 
off her shirtwaist before fixing Professor Algenon with a stern gaze. "A unique way to avoid a straight-on disaster, but you could have just changed tracks back at the switch."

Professor Alegnon wiped a trickle of blood from his forehead and grinned. "But this was so much more fun!"


And a few hours later, I saw a photo of the Bridge of Sighs in Venice - not this exact photo, one taken at night with the canal was empty of gondolas, which set up this snippet: 

(Where Lady Aimes and the Professor try to escape some unsavory Venetians who have been up to no good. Unfortunately, Lady Aimes, who is a very frugal woman, did not anticipate the mercenary nature of their gondolier)


Lady Aimes peered over the side of the bridge at the empty water. "Where is that gondolier?"

Professor Algenon glanced over his shoulder toward the distant sound of footsteps and shouts. "Perhaps you should have tipped him more."


(Suffice it to say that they manage to escape not only their nefarious pursuers, but reached the safety and sanity of London with their adventure a success - a disaster averted and a dastardly inventor jailed)


Before the end of that day, a final photo of a beautiful glassed in solarium provided a final scene for the Intrepid Lady Aimes and Professor Algenon (I apologize, but I could not find a comparable photo - imagine if you will a glass roofed solarium with lush greenery and a tea service set on a table between two cushioned wrought iron chairs):  

Lady Aimes sank onto the seat cushion with a sigh of relief. "Home at last. Professor, you seem to relish outings like today's, but I, for one, am determined to stay in tomorrow."

Professor Algenon looked up from the stack of correspondence on his lap. She couldn't tell if the sparkle in his blue eyes was from excitement or sunlight on his glasses. "I'm sorry to hear that. I just received an intriguing missive."

She leaned forward, sensing a rise of regretable excitement. "Do tell."


Now I'm captured by these two intriguing characters and have plans to flesh out this first adventure and then follow them out into others as well. In fact, I worked on an opening scene for a second story while at RavenCon this year.

So, have you seen any good pictures or met any intriguing characters? I invite you to visit my fb page to see what other snippets I create and give me your thoughts/additions/etc.

Steampunk, Ravencon, and Your Monday Fortune Cookie, 4/8/13

IN LIFE, IT'S GOOD NOT TO GET TOO COMFORTABLE.

SNARKY RESPONSE: But in shoes, it's crucial

In life, it's good not to get too comfortable.

This past week-end was an exercise in being comfortable and uncomfortable at the same time and loving every minute of it.

RavenCon took place this weekend. Three days packed full of writing workshops, insightful panels, and expanding friendships.

This year the theme was Steampunk and I jumped into the spirit of things by exploring a premise for a steampunk story with the help of writing workshops conducted by Allen Wold and friends. Allen's workshops are legendary and absolute Must Attends for writers. His panels always include folks with serious skills for critiquing the work of participating writers.

I began working on a steampunk short story to include two characters who leaped onto my fb page a few weeks ago--Lady Aimes and Professor Algenon. I am excited about the project and am determined to get their fb-initiated adventure on paper.

I've shied away from steampunk for a long time because (1) I am new to the genre and (2) because I am not mechanically inclined. I'm definitely not what you'd call "mechanically inclined." Yet, this weekend's conference gave me hope that with a judicious application of careful research, creative interpretation, and logical extrapolation, I can write steampunk. Stay tuned.

The writing panels and workshops were excellent, ranging from fight scenes to plotting to finances. The speakers provided information, entertainment, and challenges to one and all. I didn't leave the hotel until after 11pm each night. And believe me, the Con was still in full swing when I left!

And I can't begin to adequately describe the costumes! Klingons, anime, steampunk, stormtroopers, Dr. Who--you name it, they wore it. I should have taken pictures but my brain was whirling with all the writing info.

Leona Wisoker's Launch Party for her newest Children of the Desert book - Fires of the Desert was wonderful. If you haven't checked out her series, you absolutely must!

As usual, I spent time with a bevy of wonderful friends, renewed acquaintance with RavenCon buds, and made new friends. I enjoyed catching up with fellow writers including Leona, Leila Gaskins, Jonny Lupsha, Bud Webster, and Pam Kinney.

If you enjoy science fiction and fantasy, you should definitely put the next RavenCon on your calendar.

MONDAY FORTUNE COOKIE 8/6/12

"Perhaps you've been focusing too much on that one thing."

SNARKY RESPONSE: One thing? No one can afford to focus on only ONE thing! Multi-tasking! It's the buzzword and definition of the modern life.

"Perhas you've been focusing too much on that one thing."

Now that I think about it. I have been a little too focused on that one thing and it probably is time to set it aside for a little while.

I've been working on a short story that I began in a workshop at RavenCon, a local science fiction & fantasy con. They have a wonderful writing track and the workshops always help me bring out interesting ideas and characters. This year's workshop produced an opening I'd found intriguing but the story I wrote to go with it has failed to make the mark. I labored hours on it and then inflicted it upon one of my trusted critique groups. They did their job and held me accountable. Hard as it was to admit, they saw what I felt was wrong and now I know it's time to let go. To give it some time, so that I can come back to it with fresh eyes.

Writing requires that we tell a story from beginning to end. That we FINISH. And then it requires that we revise it, polish it, hone it until it shines. However, sometimes, it's necessary to set a story aside and let it, ferment, percolate, age.

Plus we need time away from the story to let our unconscious mind, our creative mind, puzzle away at it while we work on other things.

That's one of the wild and wonderful things about the creative process. It doesn't  require our undivided attention to be productive. Sometimes--often--our muse will putter around in the dusty, dark recesses of our brain and then, when we're least expecting it, they lob a brilliant solution or a satisfying conclusion into our consciousness like a lightning strike or, my personal favorite, a "clue by four."

So, I'm going to put the mermaid story aside for a little while. Not forever, just while I release my focus to shift it onto something else. Maybe  several something elses.

What about you?

Writers: have you had a plot knot or character dilemma that you futzed with for far too long? How did you resolve your quandary? Did you keep slogging away at it or did you pry your unwilling fingers off so you could step back?

Non-writers: surely you've dealt with sticky wickets that plagued your waking hours and haunted your sleep? What worked for you--release or tenacity or both?