tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56954589581836691762024-02-02T08:21:32.991-08:00Crazy Vampire Lust And dogsLinda Laaksonenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03096867350111689183noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5695458958183669176.post-30978248872884546332012-08-28T01:20:00.000-07:002012-08-28T01:20:00.324-07:00More reasons I hate Spell Check!
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Euphemia","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Vrinda;">Claire and the Egotistical Rat Bastard is almost done.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>YEAH!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Euphemia","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Vrinda;">It is now in the hands of a group who are reading, looking for
inconsistencies and any other craziness that may have slipped past me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m sure there are many.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Euphemia","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Vrinda;">This brings me to today’s topic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Why I hate spell check.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Euphemia","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Vrinda;">I know, I’ve ranted about this before but every time I start to edit it
attacks me all over again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Euphemia","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Vrinda;">Now this time I didn’t get a lot of little colored squiggles for having
a passive voice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thank you gods of micro
soft!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Euphemia","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Vrinda;">First, I’ve been cleaning up Molly and the Vampire.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The one Amazon review I’ve gotten took off a star
for my problems with homonyms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She still
gave me four stars but said I should use spell check.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Euphemia","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Vrinda;">I wanted to cry out to her, “But I did use spell check!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Euphemia","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Vrinda;">Now you see; that is part of the problem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People have a weird notion that spell check
actually knows what it’s talking about.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It doesn’t something that has been brought to my attention in a very
painful way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For example, loosing that
star.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Euphemia","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Vrinda;">I have learned a lot about what the program will and will not help me
with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It will not distinguish between
those pesky homonyms, and when I’m tired and frustrated I start accepting what
it tells me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>BIG MISTAKE.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My reviewer thought that it would get things right. HA!.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Euphemia","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Vrinda;">I went through the manuscript three times searching for their, there,
and they’re.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lord I hope I got them all.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Euphemia","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Vrinda;">Spell check also hates normal conversation, at least the normal
conversation between my characters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Conversations between my people tend to be overrun with fragments.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t help it if that’s the way they communicate
and I will not be held responsible for what they tell me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Euphemia","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Vrinda;">But there is something bigger that I just don’t understand at all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Euphemia","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Vrinda;">When my hero Bran tells his friends that “My lady </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: "Euphemia","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Vrinda;">was</span></u></b><span style="font-family: "Euphemia","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Vrinda;"> intent
on breaking my heart” Spell Check tells me it should be “My lady </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: "Euphemia","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Vrinda;">were</span></u></b><span style="font-family: "Euphemia","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Vrinda;"> intent
on breaking my heart.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Euphemia","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Vrinda;">When “Molly had to give </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: "Euphemia","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Vrinda;">herself</span></u></b><span style="font-family: "Euphemia","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Vrinda;"> a mental shake” Apparently
it should have been “Molly had to give </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: "Euphemia","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Vrinda;">her</span></u></b><span style="font-family: "Euphemia","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Vrinda;"> a mental shake.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It left me wondering who had wandered into the scene and needed a mental
shake. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Euphemia","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Vrinda;">When Molly thinks that quirky people </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: "Euphemia","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Vrinda;">were</span></u></b><span style="font-family: "Euphemia","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Vrinda;"> usually fun, Spell Check decided that I had too
many quirky people and that quirky people </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: "Euphemia","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Vrinda;">was</span></u></b><span style="font-family: "Euphemia","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Vrinda;"> usually fun.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Euphemia","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Vrinda;">But the one that really got me, the one that took me a couple of
minutes to figure out was a scene between Bran and his friends Crow and
Minstrel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The line I wrote was; Both men
were grinning<u> </u></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: "Euphemia","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Vrinda;">at</span></u></b><span style="font-family: "Euphemia","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Vrinda;"> Bran who just looked puzzled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thought it made sense, but I was
wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It should actually have read,
Both men were grinning </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: "Euphemia","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Vrinda;">oat</span></u></b><span style="font-family: "Euphemia","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Vrinda;"> Bran who just looked puzzled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Euphemia","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Vrinda;">It was clear that at some point when I wasn’t watching my hero turned
into a healthy breakfast cereal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Euphemia","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Vrinda;">Molly is going to be very disappointed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Euphemia","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Vrinda;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Linda Laaksonenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03096867350111689183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5695458958183669176.post-80472451999931095052012-06-28T12:52:00.000-07:002012-06-28T12:52:01.915-07:00Meet Minstrel<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Let me introduce you to my friend Minstrel.<span> </span>If you have already read Molly and the
Vampire then you have already run into him.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">I have written this blog for a friend who sent me a list of
questions for him. <span> </span>She just loves him.
He has agreed to answer them but I can’t guarantee that his answers will make
any sense.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">“Hello Minstrel.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">“Hello lovely one.<span>
</span>You are looking delicious today.<span>
</span>Does this mean that you have decided to run off with me?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">“Okay now you have to stop doing that.<span> </span>The ground rules for this were no flirting.<span> </span>You promised.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">“Are you sure about that?<span>
</span>I’m certain you must have misunderstood sweeting.<span> </span>That doesn’t sound like me at all.<span> </span>We could go to that island I was telling you
about love.<span> </span>We could spend a few days
discussing it.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">“Stop that.<span> </span>Your here
to answer questions, remember?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">“Am I?<span> </span>Well we had
best get on with it then.<span> </span>It will leave
more time for seduction.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">“Ahem.<span> </span>Her first
question is about your immortality.<span> </span>Nan
wants to know if that means you can’t be killed or you have always existed.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">“Oh, she likes the hard ones doesn’t she?<span> </span>Well, I think I can be killed.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">“Excuse me, you think?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">“Well it hasn’t happened yet has it?<span> </span>But that could only indicate that it’s very
hard to do, or that I’ve been very lucky.<span>
</span>I’m not a god, at least I don’t think I am and they would be the only
ones you can’t kill.<span> </span>I think.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">“You don’t sound sure of anything.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">“Oh well I’m not.<span> </span>I
tend to forget things; or at least I try to.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">“Does that mean that you don’t remember if you have always existed?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">“Right.<span> </span>I must have
been born don’t you think?<span> </span>I don’t
remember my parents, but I should think it likely that I had some and I’m
certain they were very nice ones.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">“Next she want’s to know, if you have always been, have you
always been the same, the same health, maturity, that sort of thing.<span> </span>Or did you grow up?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">“Lovely one are you sure you wouldn’t rather talk about
something else?<span> </span>Something like what I
could do to your body if you were to give me a chance.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">“Let’s stick to the questions please.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">“Very well.<span> </span>If I was
born, and I think I was, then I would have to have grown up.<span> </span>You might ask my friends Bran and Crow about
my maturity.<span> </span>They might not think I
am.<span> </span>Better yet, ask Molly.<span> </span>She’ll tell you the truth, that I’m almost
perfect.”<br /></span>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">“I’ve heard that before.<span>
</span>Next question, have you ever been bored?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">“Well now you see, that’s one reason I began forgetting
things.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">“Then you’re telling me that you purposely forget things,
important things like having parents?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">“Well of course.<span> </span>I’ve
been around long enough to understand that boredom can be deadly.<span> </span>But if you forget the past, you are
constantly surprised by life.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">“That answers her next question, can you ever be surprised.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">“But there is more than that.<span> </span>Ladies are always a wonder and surprise.<span> </span>No two are alike, but they are all beautiful
and a joyful gift.<span> </span>I love you all.<span> </span>Now, about that island...”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">“No island.<span> </span>Questions
remember.<span> </span>Next Nan want’s to know,
because you can change into different things what is the strangest thing you
ever turned into, and was there something so wonderful that you wanted to stay
that way forever?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">“Well... let me think.<span>
</span>The oddest thing I remember turning onto was a Blue Whale.<span> </span>It was very exciting to see the world they
live in.<span> </span>As to the second part of your
question, I’m very fond of dragons.<span>
</span>Flying as a dragon is like nothing else.<span>
</span>It is exhilarating.<span> </span>I also enjoy
being a big cat.<span> </span>Stretched out on a big
rock in the sunshine is...beautiful.<span> </span>But
I have never wished to remain in a form other than my own.<span> </span>How could I seduce you were I a dragon, although
I could take you flying?<span> </span>Would you like
to fly to that island we were speaking of sweeting?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">“Nan wants to know about some historical events or people
you knew.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">“But you haven’t answered my question about flying to the
island.”<br /></span>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">“I’m ignoring you.<span>
</span>Answer the question.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">“Your friend is the one who writes about history isn’t she?<span> </span>That would explain it I suppose, this
interest in my history.<span> </span>I’m afraid I
can’t help her much.<span> </span>As I have
explained, history, at least mine is something I endeavor to forget.<span> </span>I do remember St. George but as far as I
could tell, he was no saint.<span> </span>Then he
went and killed that poor dragon then made up stories to justify the deed.<span> </span>And you should know that most of my time was
not spent in the human world.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">“Next question, if you wanted to die could you?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">“But why would I want to?<span>
</span>I think your friend needs a vacation.<span>
</span>She thinks too much about death.<span>
</span>Do you think she would like to go to the island with us?<span> </span>I could make you both very happy.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">“Are you even listening to me?<span> </span>I am not, repeat not, going to some island
with you.<span> </span>Now, can you have children?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">“Are you offering luv?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">“I don’t know why I agreed to do this.<span> </span>Every time you show up you make me
crazy.<span> </span>I have one last question from
Nan.<span> </span>If you just can’t die, then when
were you born, how were you born, and what is your earliest memory?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">“Haven’t I answered those?<span>
</span>Very well, as to when, I know that I am something over two millennium
old but I don’t know how much.<span> </span>How is
anyone born?<span> </span>I don’t think I was
discovered in a cabbage patch.<span> </span>And I’m
sorry but I have forgotten my earliest memory.<span>
</span>At least I think I have.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">“Have you anything you would like to say to the readers?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">“Why don’t we go to my island and take a few days to discuss
that?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">“Go away.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">You can see why I was leery of inviting Minstrel in for
questions.<span> </span>Getting a straight answer out
of him can be impossible.<span> </span><span> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span> </span><span> </span></span></div>Linda Laaksonenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03096867350111689183noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5695458958183669176.post-22615685989887839652012-05-14T14:08:00.003-07:002012-05-14T14:08:23.599-07:00Hot Dogs<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">I saw someone playing with a
Shih Tzu today and it got me thinking about my Crazy Little Monkee Boy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">He too was a Shih Tzu and he
loved me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Actually, it was mutual.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are great little dogs and are bred for
no other reason than to be little love sponges.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Monkee Boy was very good at his job.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He would go off to play with Muppet (my Lhasa Apso) Or to make the cats
crazy, but he never stayed away for long.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">If I were at the computer, he
would come and lay down on my foot, for a while.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eventually he needed me to love him and he
would stand on his hind feet and nudge me until I stopped and picked him
up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Talking to him, patting his head,
even giving him a treat wasn’t enough and if I tried to get away with one or
even all of those things, I would suddenly find him on my lap when he launched
himself at me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It didn’t really bother
me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s hard to get mad at that kind of
affection.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The only real trouble came at
night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the winter it would get cold
enough at night that warm hairy bodies snuggled up against me was a welcome
thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, as cold as it was in the
winter, it got hotter in the summer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
cats would disappear, Muppet would find the coolest spot on the tile floor, but
Monkee Boy would not leave my side.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Dogs are hotter then we are;
they are meant to be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He would start out
snuggled as close to my side as he could get.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That was bad enough, but at least I could get to sleep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But Monkee was never satisfied with that
arrangement and would slowly move up my body until he could wrap himself around
my head.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Now I’ve read that when it’s
cold if you can keep your feet and head warm you will stay warm all over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know it works when it’s hot because Monkee’s
belly was like a blast furnace and I would wake up covered in sweat.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">I would pry him loose, look
him in his big melting brown eyes, and beg him, please stay put before putting
him down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It never worked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Within 90 minutes, he was back on my head and
I needed to wring the sweat out of my sheets. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>Linda Laaksonenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03096867350111689183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5695458958183669176.post-15694631486865889722012-05-13T14:11:00.000-07:002012-05-13T14:12:38.408-07:00Minor Insanity (really)<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">Hi there</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">I know that is a lame
beginning for my first post in six months.
I’ve been sick?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">No, really, I have. It’s something that many people live with
called depression. Or as I prefer to
call it “AARGH!” Mine is nicely
controlled by medication, but every few years the medication stops working
right and has to be changed. That sounds
simple enough, the thing is this time it wasn’t simple at all and it took
forever. However, I’m getting better
now, really I am. I haven’t wanted to
whack every idiot I meet over the head with a heavy object in at least a week! True, some of them would have deserved it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">Oops.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">I’m better, honest!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">I’ve finally started writing
again. And it only took me two weeks to write
about a thousand words, and another week to get another 5,000. Pitiful numbers, on a good, make that
spectacular day I can do almost that much.
I know this because I have. It
shocked the heck out of me, but I did it.
(You will notice that I haven’t remarked on the quality of those words.)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">It might go more smoothly if
I stopped listening to the characters in the story. I was working my way to a perfectly fine
ending when they started telling me I had it all wrong and changing the whole
thing. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">Someone once asked Michelangelo
how he did what he did. He told them
that all he did was release the figure that was already in the stone. Maybe writing is like that for me. I find the people that already have the story
and I just write down what they tell me.
On the other hand, maybe I’m crazier than I thought. If I were, how would I know? I mean everything would make sense to me
because I was crazy. Right?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>Linda Laaksonenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03096867350111689183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5695458958183669176.post-70715355465974052011-12-19T18:47:00.000-08:002011-12-19T18:47:34.084-08:00Things she didn't hear<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I got some said news today. The daughter of a friend messaged me to tell me that her mom had died. I promised never to get serious with this blog, But Constance Rose Johnson should be remembered.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I can't be miserable about it though, no one should be. Connie left me a lot of memories to laugh about.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Even at 80 she was on the lookout for a good looking man, especially ones with great hair. If I saw her attraction, and it was hard to miss, she would say "Woo Woo" roll her eyes and give me the biggest of grins.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">She loved to play BINGO but it was more therapy than a game and very slow. I would sit with her and help her play. Some days she was very sharp and played like a pro. At other times her attention wandered and it was my job to remind her what she was doing. I like to think that it was just that she was looking at something more interesting. She often found it in a man with an abundance of wavy white hair. She had good taste, it was spectacular hair.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Connie also had a tiny hearing problem. She could hear just fine, but she often heard things that you didn't say. One day our conversation involved another person. The subject had something to do with and old kind of candy, but I don't remember much of it. I do remember Connie looking at me in absolute shock and asking, "When did you circumcise a cat?" I couldn't breathe for a while for laughing and every time someone ask what happened, I exploded all over again!</span>Linda Laaksonenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03096867350111689183noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5695458958183669176.post-41556146365797571092011-12-18T15:51:00.000-08:002011-12-18T15:51:11.320-08:00Hello Again<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: AlexandriaFLF; font-size: 14pt;">It is the 17th of December and I’m only now getting back to you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am an insensitive brute, a lowlife, a monster!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Feel free to add any thing you can think of to that list.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I deserve all of it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: AlexandriaFLF; font-size: 14pt;">The last time I posted was early November and I had just started Na No Wri Mo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You will be happy to know that I won!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Actually, it’s more likely that you really don’t care.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s alright.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t expect you too, but it was important to me.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: AlexandriaFLF; font-size: 14pt;">Now I had 50,091 words for a novel Titled Molly and the Demon Contractor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would probably need another 70,000 or so to complete the first draft.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: AlexandriaFLF; font-size: 14pt;">Now, on with the topic for todays rant.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: AlexandriaFLF; font-size: 14pt;">I used the speech to text program that comes with Windows 7 for the last 14 pages because I was in a panic about not being able to finish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It sounded like a great idea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m mean I can talk a whole heck of a lot faster than I can type.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course, I never could manage more than 27 words a minute.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve gotten worse over time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yeah; that’s hard to believe, but true.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have given up trying to type on my lap top.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every time I do, the cursor starts a wild dance all over the page.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At times it disappeared altogether.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s only one of the reasons that I use a Wacom tablet to type.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Another neat thing about Windows 7 is the nifty little keyboard that pops up when you use a tablet instead of a mouse.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: AlexandriaFLF; font-size: 14pt;">Anyway,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>as I’ve said, speech to text sounded like a great idea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well; not so much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It has become clear to me that my diction, that I had believed to be understandable, isn’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is the only explanation for finding phrases like “how had your bloody hands for this!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you think you can preach the best way I’ll happen before the”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m pretty sure that I intended, “Do you think you can” but I’ve got no idea what the rest of it should be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The last time I tried the program I found that “Dan Rather bought tulips from the war being cold”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No, I wasn’t even thinking about Dan Rather.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or tulips for that matter.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: AlexandriaFLF; font-size: 14pt;">I have read that Dragon speaking Naturally is a much better choice, probably written by the good people from Dragon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A real live human told me the same thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I’m not sure I can trust that particular real live human. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It would be useful about now because I’ve done something to my right shoulder and my hand keeps going to sleep. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I sit with my head on my left shoulder it’s not as bad, but it does create problems for my neck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have to stop every 3 or 4 minutes to make adjustments.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: AlexandriaFLF; font-size: 14pt;">Back to those 50,091 words; it’s now more like 45,300 and I’m finding more that I have to dump.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It doesn’t bother me much, and it should.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I keep writing myself into a corner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: AlexandriaFLF; font-size: 14pt;">I think I’ll just dump the whole thing and start over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How much worse could it get?<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: AlexandriaFLF; font-size: 14pt;">Stop laughing!<o:p></o:p></span></div>Linda Laaksonenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03096867350111689183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5695458958183669176.post-57056225154882288412011-11-02T20:33:00.000-07:002011-11-02T20:33:55.291-07:00It's NANOWRIMO! What?<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Architects Daughter";">Today is the second day of NaNoWriMo and I’m already behind.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Architects Daughter";">Ah; I hear many of you ask, “What is this NaNoWriMo?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Architects Daughter";">It is a month of sanctioned insanity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All over the world<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>people have signed up to write a novel in the month of November.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not a short story mind you; but 50,000 words of a NOVEL.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Actually, I have over 90,000 words in last year’s book The first draft, and it’s not even close to finished.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Architects Daughter";">Although I now have nearly double the word count I didn’t complete the assignment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But; I have an excuse, and it’s even a good one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Architects Daughter";">I started late, it was at least 6 days before I reached 1000 words, but caught up and surged ahead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was a writing beast!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I typed away, one key at a time, pounding my story into submission.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was winning!<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Architects Daughter";">Then I started throwing up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t mean my tummy was a little off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even the consumption of water caused painful bloating and finally I would loose everything including the water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Architects Daughter";">They came to me and said “Come, for we must take you to yon hospital.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Architects Daughter";">I cried “Nay!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Verily I will not go to yon hospital for I am writing and can not stop.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Architects Daughter";">Again they assailed me saying “You must go to the hospital for your fever is most high and the fluid has left your body!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Architects Daughter";">“Nay!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I exclaimed again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“ can not go to yon hospital for I have written 47,362 words and I am very near my goal.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Architects Daughter";">Once more they came and<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Architects Daughter";">Well, I’m sure you get my point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I did eventually end up in yon hospital, but I didn’t give up!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No, I took my computer with me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It would have been great, they even had internet access.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The only problem was that my mind was so screwed up that the only thing I managed to do was loose the power cord for my laptop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was in the hospital for the last week of November and completely disgusted with my self for falling short.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Architects Daughter";">But not this year!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have vowed that I will reach my goal even if I die doing it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That could actually work for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I understand that zombies are very popular right now.<o:p></o:p></span></div>Linda Laaksonenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03096867350111689183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5695458958183669176.post-2592791031434556482011-10-20T18:15:00.001-07:002011-10-20T18:15:53.999-07:00A New excuse<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Batang;">I haven’t been writing again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You say that you have already noticed that?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At least I hope that’s what someone is saying.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It means that you’re reading it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Batang;">Okay smarty, can you guess the reason?<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Batang;">I would like to blame it all on the riverboat, but that would be a lie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are you asking ‘what riverboat’?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew you would because you are bright, inquisitive people.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Batang;">Well the answer is... A friend of mine, Nan Hawthorne, writes historical fiction and her next novel is going to be a M/M romance set largely upon a riverboat that belongs to one of the hero’s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are also on different sides of the civil war.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now I come to the part that I play, that being the one who ‘paints’ a picture of the hero owned riverboat as well as drawings of the two men.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It helps her think of them as real people if she can see them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Batang;">I understand this because early on I had to do drawings of the guys in my story too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well... Maybe I didn’t have to, but it sure was fun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And it did help me to see them standing around being gorgeous.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I didn’t want to write I could sit and drool over them.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Batang;">Sounds a little crazy right?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is but, and this is the truly strange part, they tell me what their story is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yep, that’s right, they talk to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That may be why I’m having trouble with Claire and the Egotistical Rat Bastard, They have been quiet lately.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’d think they would want to get on with it, I mean I left them in an uncomfortable place in the story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If it was me I would want to get to that happy ending.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is partly my fault; I got rid of the villain too early on and he wasn’t all that evil to begin with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe if I nasty him up some and give him a longer part, Claire and Sebastian will start talking again.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Batang;">Any way; back to the riverboat not being to blame for my not writing this blog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It took me about 4 days for the actual picture but you can add a couple more for trying to find a period perfect picture of a riverboat, and it had to be a side wheeler.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So that accounts for most of 6 days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m also doing some other work for my friend, but none of it can account for my lack of posts.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Batang;">Then there’s the whole Molly and the Vampire thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had finished it, sent it off to Createspace, and because I was certain that it was perfect, (I was also stupid) I told them to go ahead and put it up for sale.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t need another proof copy, in fact I ordered 20 copies for myself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then they came And to my infinite surprise, at some point in fixing things I turned off the mirrored margins.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe you never thought about how a book is put together, I confess that I hadn’t done much, thinking that is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A mirrored margin means that the outside margin of every page is the same and every inside margin is the same, but wider than the outside ones.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It makes it easier to read the whole page.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t get the picture?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Check it out the next time you love a book until it fall apart.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Batang;">Anyway, it was really annoying and it made my baby look bad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can understand how I couldn’t have that, can’t you?<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Batang;">Meanwhile, my friend, the aforementioned Nan Hawthorne, said I should change the interior to bring the price down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was right of course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That $17 print price was bothering me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, I changed to a different font that allowed me to bring down the size of the font (did you know that just because a font is ten pts. doesn’t mean that it is the same size as another font in 10 pt.?) and that brought the page count down by almost 100 pages.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That brought the price down to $15.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course that changed the size of the book so I had to redo the cover.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Batang;">And again I ask myself; why did I want to write this book?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And again, I have no answer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe it has to do with all those people running around in my head insisting on telling me their stories.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Batang;">If you don’t already think that I should be locked up in a rubber room; My fictional characters are going to an imaginary Halloween party at a nonexistent bar.<o:p></o:p></span></div>Linda Laaksonenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03096867350111689183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5695458958183669176.post-71107316351578488672011-09-29T22:48:00.000-07:002011-09-29T22:50:29.471-07:00Bright Idea (Yeah, Right)<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So I had this bright idea; instead of building a web site I'll just add pages to my blog. I can do everything that I need too on these pages, right? Sure, you could but I can't.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I purchased software to teach me how to build a website, I've mentioned it before. I still haven't figured out how it works, so the website isn't coming from that quarter. I found a site that would allow me to customize to my hearts content. (Wix) I don't think that I'm going to finish there either.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I do however own the name Crazy Vampire Lust and Dogs.com. I just don't have anywhere to but it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I hope you will take time to take the poll that you'll find on the right. I'll tell you just what dark secrets your answers reveal about you later.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Meanwhile, I'll keep working on that website and making the pages work here. I know, the pages work fine, I don't.</span>Linda Laaksonenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03096867350111689183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5695458958183669176.post-82014184612720583912011-09-28T19:15:00.000-07:002011-09-28T19:21:08.399-07:00The book is out, almost & a Name change<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: AlexandriaFLF; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">It</span><span style="font-family: AlexandriaFLF;">’</span><span style="font-family: AlexandriaFLF; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">s a book!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: AlexandriaFLF; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I think.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: AlexandriaFLF; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">At least I submitted it to Create Space to publish.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: AlexandriaFLF; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Then I got the second email from their <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>support department.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It appears that the mistake they mentioned in the first email and had decided wasn</span><span style="font-family: AlexandriaFLF;">’</span><span style="font-family: AlexandriaFLF; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">t real and something I didn</span><span style="font-family: AlexandriaFLF;">’</span><span style="font-family: AlexandriaFLF; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">t need to be concerned about turned out to be real after all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now they weren</span><span style="font-family: AlexandriaFLF;">’</span><span style="font-family: AlexandriaFLF; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">t earth ending mistakes, but they were enough to have me panicked over the idea that my book, my sweet baby of a book, the pages that I had slaved over in an attempt to make perfect, the pages that tried to drive me to a stay in the padded palace, were going out into the great wide world in a flawed condition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Insert profanity of your choosing here)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: AlexandriaFLF; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Soooo... I submitted a file with the errors fixed and crossed my fingers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Any finger crossing, finding of four leaf clovers, or throwing of change into a wishing well on my behalf will be gratefully accepted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I need all the help I can get.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: AlexandriaFLF; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">But remember, you don</span><span style="font-family: AlexandriaFLF;">’</span><span style="font-family: AlexandriaFLF; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">t have to wait for it to appear in print.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can purchase a finished volume at Smashwords.com and with the coupon (I won</span><span style="font-family: AlexandriaFLF;">’</span><span style="font-family: AlexandriaFLF; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">t be mean and make you look it up, I</span><span style="font-family: AlexandriaFLF;">’</span><span style="font-family: AlexandriaFLF; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">ll give it to you again at the end of this) it is only two dollars!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Besides, it</span><span style="font-family: AlexandriaFLF;">’</span><span style="font-family: AlexandriaFLF; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">s way too expensive on Amazon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>$17.00!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: AlexandriaFLF; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Oh, and by the way, you may have noticed my name change on this thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sorry but this really is my name.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You probably liked Danu Adair better, it is certainly easier to pronounce.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had to change it though; I chickened out on the book and used my real name.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don</span><span style="font-family: AlexandriaFLF;">’</span><span style="font-family: AlexandriaFLF; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">t have a problem with my name, it</span><span style="font-family: AlexandriaFLF;">’</span><span style="font-family: AlexandriaFLF; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">s only that it</span><span style="font-family: AlexandriaFLF;">’</span><span style="font-family: AlexandriaFLF; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">s difficult for non Finnish <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>people to pronounce.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(If your Finnish, you are actually Soumi.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now can someone explain that one to me?)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not the Linda part, that</span><span style="font-family: AlexandriaFLF;">’</span><span style="font-family: AlexandriaFLF; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">s easy if a big mistake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It</span><span style="font-family: AlexandriaFLF;">’</span><span style="font-family: AlexandriaFLF; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">s the Laaksonen part that people get creative with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A surprising number insist on putting an R in it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Others add extra syllables.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As if it didn</span><span style="font-family: AlexandriaFLF;">’</span><span style="font-family: AlexandriaFLF; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">t have enough already! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Others add an O and move the e around.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: AlexandriaFLF; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Anybody still wonder why I tried Adair?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anybody wondering why I decided to use my real name?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: AlexandriaFLF; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Yeah.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Me too.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: AlexandriaFLF; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">and the coupon code is...AR66Y not case sensitive<o:p></o:p></span></div>Linda Laaksonenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03096867350111689183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5695458958183669176.post-69768629562992692642011-09-19T21:33:00.000-07:002011-09-19T21:33:19.591-07:00Murphy/Rufus Magee<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I did say that some day I would tell you about Rufus Magee, after seeing the picture of Butterscotch the Basset on today's puppy I figured this would be the day.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">In Molly and the Vampire: A Sensible woman learns ect. (that title is too darn long) You meet a Basset Hound named Murphy. He was created as a remembrance of My big old boy, Rufus Magee. Now when I adopted him from the Sacramento SPCA he was already 8 years old and his name was Beau. The name had to go. It's not that I have anything against that name; it would be a fine name for a Basset. Unfortunately, at that time my mother had a very small, very cute Beagle named Beau. You can see how that could be a bit confusing. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">As I've said, Beau was small for a Beagle and really cute. He had the darkest eyes and these little worry wrinkles between his eyes. Yes, Beau was cute, he was also demented. I have always suspected that he had escaped from a hospital for the enormously weird.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Rufus on the other hand, was not demented. He had a great big heart and the gentlest soul I have ever known. He was also a picture perfect Basset. That means that he was a big dog with massively heavy bones, soft eyes, broad chest, triple the amount of skin needed to cover his body, pony sized feet, and legs that were about 2 inches long. Some people think that adds up to funny looking. SOME PEOPLE NEED GLASSES.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">You may have guessed that I am fond of the breed. You would be right. I've had four of them and they were wonderful.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">If you have ever had one, then you already know, but for all you unfortunate people who have never been loved by a Basset you have to remember one important thing. Do not under any circumstances let them out without a leash. And I don't mean you can just hook one on your baby and let go. Hold on to the other end of that sucker with everything you've got. Remember, what's on the other end of that leash is a nose that is second only to a bloodhound and a focused determination the likes of which you've never known. Remember the massively heavy bones I mentioned? They are all wrapped up in muscle, and being as low to the ground as they are they aren't likely to tip over. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia;">They will trip over their own ears, especially as puppies. But come on, how cute is that?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Now Rufus would escape out the front door every now and then. I never figured out how he did it. Yes, he was short, but even taking that into account he was a whole lot of dog to miss seeing as he pusher past your ankle. I was lucky because he was old and tired easily. He always went in the same direction, and always stopped in the yard three houses down from ours. He was tired and his nose had been satisfied. It was a boring suburban neighborhood and nothing interesting was leaving a trail worth following. The lady of that house would come knocking on my door to let me know that he was sitting on her lawn watching the cars go by and I would go down and fetch him home. The first couple of times it scared me silly. The thought of loosing him ... well, I didn't want to think about it. After that, it became obvious that he had no intention of leaving me, he just enjoyed a little sight seeing.</span>Linda Laaksonenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03096867350111689183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5695458958183669176.post-23176232313204679722011-09-17T03:12:00.000-07:002011-09-17T03:12:55.978-07:00The Joys (HA!) of EditingI know, I've been gone again, but I'm back know. I'm even almost sane. I have been working on the second proof copy of Molly and the Vampire, A Sensible Woman Learns About Love, Lust, & Things That Go Bump in the Night. I really am bad at titles.<br />
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On the first page I missed a period. It went down hill from there. If the next proof isn't perfect I will have to give up and forget the whole thing!<br />
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Only kidding, I am way too stubborn to give up; but I just might be forced into a symbolic burning of the book. It wouldn't help; but it would feel fabulous!<br />
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This time around I ordered 4 copies and gave one to each of three volunteers along with pens, highlighters, and a pad of sticky notes.<br />
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My first victim read three chapters and told me she was surprised at how well it was written; <strong><em>But</em></strong> it just wasn't her kind of story and she "couldn't get into it".<br />
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The second reader realllly like chapter one, but that was more than a week ago and I haven't heard another thing.<br />
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The third left on vacation yesterday and said she was taking it on the plain with her.<br />
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I also put another sample on Creatspace and asked if it was at all amusing. I got one NO! One person who liked one line, and one woman said that she found it funny and thought it very witty.<br />
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And I wanted to write this book why? What's even harder for me to figure out is why I still want to write another. That one is well under way, oh, and I have ideas for numbers three and four. Yeah, I have officially lost what little was left of my mind.<br />
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I get this way when I'm painting as well. There is always a point when whatever I'm working on is a disaster and it is never going to work. It's usually right before I find that the whole thing is falling into place and I'm going to finish without screaming and throwing heavy objects around the room.<br />
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I am actually only 120 pages from finishing up the edit of Molly. Most of the mistakes I'm finding are little bitty things like an extra period, an oddly miss typed word, not spelled wrong but showing up with a 9 in the middle. I swear, I do not know how I managed that one. And no, spell check didn't catch it either.<br />
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Now I'm trying to learn how to put together a web site. If I would just settle for one of the premade ones that you just insert your own text into everything would be fine. It would be finished. It would be up and running. But NOOOO. That would be too easy. That would make sense. I have to design the whole thing from scratch.<br />
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Now the program I'm using insists that it is all very simple and all I have to do is follow their very clear instructions and I will be blissfully happy in no time at all. They lied! I'm certain that many or even most people would have no trouble at all. Sadly; I am not most people and I'm doing everything wrong. I must be; things keep disappearing on me.<br />
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Another thing, the company, Serif is located in England and they call me to "check on how I like the software" and of course try to sell me another program. Last time the call came when I was sick with some kind of cold/virus thingy and in my weakened state I ended up with another program. It wasn't all the fault of my illness. It was his accent that did me in. I couldn't understand half of what he was saying, but it was just so darn cute. <br />
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The programs are actually great and if I ever figure out how to use them, I will be very happy. Linda Laaksonenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03096867350111689183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5695458958183669176.post-10162696518455377662011-08-12T11:10:00.000-07:002011-08-12T11:10:40.092-07:00Molly and the Vampire a sensible woman learns about Love, Lust, and Things That Go Bump in the Night/ finally!<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Yes, I have said that I was going to tell you about "the book" before, but I really will this time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Many smart women know that you don't need a man in your life to be happy. Molly is about to find out that she was wrong.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Do you like it? Does it make you want to read more? Please say yes, if you don't I have to go back to work. You see it's meant to be something called a hook. Now I thought that a hook was something that you used to fasten your skirt or that a fish swallowed when they were contemplating suicide.</span><br />
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<br />
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But noooo, it's this thing that you use to try to get people (read literary agents or publishers) to become interested in your book.<br />
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To get back to Molly, the title pretty much says it all. There's a lot more to it of course. Two vampires, four shape shifters, one crazy human, one demon, a pushy sister, sweet brother-in-law, artists, friends, drunken models, and a very special Basset Hound. Now who I ask, wouldn't want to read about all of that?<br />
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You say that you wouldn't want to read it? Did I mention the hot steamy sex? I can tell that got your attention.<br />
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I have something else too, something that will make you happy. I've got a coupon!<br />
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Can I get a YEAH COUPON!!! If you sign on to be a follower of this blog, or what ever they call it, you can buy my book on Smash words for 50% off. That's only $2.<br />
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It gets even better. I'm going to give you the code now so that you can get away with not signing up for anything! And the code is...AR66Y not case sensitive.Linda Laaksonenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03096867350111689183noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5695458958183669176.post-87640024013953901162011-08-07T16:22:00.000-07:002011-08-07T16:26:17.413-07:00<div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOn-8zR5vSwe_5ZrHv0-aN_hUqgfVqUZbbnEUoqTxIUOzxjgmG1ivcgFA_c_dyOHnJh9Im1r6_LxtSLLBm0Ohjoz-poFZrCRqFSWBTRxtxR-CYKmwkoXHbqulcyxQ5hZIZYRQF69fbqlo/s1600/fix+this+cover_bakfor+smash+w.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 250px; height: 400px; float: left; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638259329809720962" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOn-8zR5vSwe_5ZrHv0-aN_hUqgfVqUZbbnEUoqTxIUOzxjgmG1ivcgFA_c_dyOHnJh9Im1r6_LxtSLLBm0Ohjoz-poFZrCRqFSWBTRxtxR-CYKmwkoXHbqulcyxQ5hZIZYRQF69fbqlo/s400/fix+this+cover_bakfor+smash+w.JPG" /></a><br /><div></div></div>Linda Laaksonenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03096867350111689183noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5695458958183669176.post-22306138485051691312011-08-05T22:15:00.000-07:002011-08-07T09:53:50.776-07:00The god of spell check's revenge<div><div>I know, if you read my last post, that has been far too long ago, I'll get back to that next time, you have noticed that I didn't use spell check and was punished for my insult. The god of spell check sent his gremlins down to ensure that anyone reading the post would instantly exclaim "HA!, that is what come of such sacrilege!"</div><div> </div><div>I personally prefer to believe that the deplorable condition of my prose was due to my consumption of illegal drugs. But I have been forced to admit that, yes, I still use the evil program. After many long hours of therapy I can even see all of those colorful squiggles and such without running screaming into the dark.</div></div>Linda Laaksonenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03096867350111689183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5695458958183669176.post-41648643485794476482011-07-12T15:25:00.000-07:002011-08-07T09:53:50.781-07:00Molly and the Vampire<div><div><div><div>Sub titled: A sensible woman learns about Love, Lust, and Things That Go Bump in the Night</div><div> </div><div> </div><div>So, I decided to keep the title. Reason for that <font id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">ridiculous</font> <font id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">decision</font>? To be honest, I couldn't think of anything else. <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Pitiful</span> I know, but it gets worse. I'm thinking about calling the next one Claire and the Self Centered, Egotistical, Rat Bastard. I can't wait to come up for a title for number three.</div><div> </div><div> </div><div>I have an excuse for not posting much on this blog lately; not a good one, but the only one I've come up with. If you would rather wait until I come up with a better one...</div><div> </div><div> </div><div>Okay! Stop yelling, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">sheese</span>. It was only a <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">suggestion</span>.</div><div> </div><div> </div><div>The excuse has to do with the whole Molly novel thing. I have <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">finished</span> it. I think. No, I have definitely completed it. Probably, I'm almost certain it's done.</div><div> </div><div> </div><div>You see this isn't the first time I have finished it. It was done, I had <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">edited</span> it, formatted it, I had designed the perfect cover, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">and</span> sent it off to be turned into a proof copy. Then I waited. The proof was only a formality. Nothing could be wrong with it, I had already read it a gazillion time looking for mistakes to fix. </div><div> </div><div> </div><div>I waited, and waited, and waited, and waited, and, well I'm sure you get the picture. I was certain they had mailed it by carrier snail. But it did finally arrive and I held in my sweaty hands a real book that I had written. All 370 odd pages. Some of it very odd. I couldn't wait to get to my room to start reading. I did pull out a highlighter, I mean There might be some <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">minuscule</span> mistake that had managed to slip past my vigilance.</div><div> </div><div> </div><div>By the time I had finished reading those 370 odd pages I had used up two highlighters and a pad of sticky notes. It seems that my <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">minuscule</span> mistake had turned into a <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">flotilla</span> of great big mistakes floating all over my pages.</div><div> </div><div> </div><div>All of that was thirty edits, 27 formats, and 42 fantastic new covers ago. I am now waiting for new proofs. Yes <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error">thats</span> plural, I have got to beg someone else to read it and tell me what they think.</div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div></div></div></div>Linda Laaksonenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03096867350111689183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5695458958183669176.post-59491014148114948712011-06-29T14:59:00.000-07:002011-06-29T16:30:53.118-07:00AHundred reasons to hate SpellCheckYou may notice by the title that this isn't going to be about MY NOVEL or Rufus Magee. At least, not all together.<br /><br /><br />I really did mean too; honestly. And I'll tell you all about Rufus someday. The novel will come up today because that's what started my feud with Spellcheck.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />It isn't much of a feud seeing as how it's completely one sided. They don't know I exist! And do you know what else? They don't know that you exist either! AND THEY DON'T CARE!!!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Okay, that's note entirely true. If what you want to do is write a report on ability of mice to type the collected works of Robert Burns given enough time; or perhaps you need to tell the shipping department that the leprous nuns of Our Lady of Perpetual Angst have canceled their order for 20,000 boxes of heart shaped paper clips and they shouldn't be shipped. In either of these instances Spellcheck will perform to your highest expectation.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Now I'll tell you right up front that I don't care a fig about typing mice or leprous nuns. Well; maybe a little about leprous nuns.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />What I do want to do is write about sensible women falling in love with vampires. (No, really, she is sensible.)<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />REASONS TO HATE SPELLCHECK<br /><br /><br />#1 It doesn't believe in contractions!<br /><br /><br />In 106,00 plus words, 100,000 of them must have been contractions. At every single one of them I got a little green squiggly line. When I clicked on the little green line a note popped up informing me that I was an idiot and no sane person would ever write can't when can not is obviously far superior.<br /><br /><br /><br />#2 It torments me over passive voices.<br /><br /><br />I'll admit that I needed help with this one. Apparently in the first draft I all but rolled over and played dead i was so passive. So, okay, I fixed the sentence. It told me no, I was still wrong. I tried again, still passive. After 10 or 15 tries I usually gave up and removed the sentence there by changing the whole story and turning my hero into a villain. I mean; all it had to do was rewrite the sentence for me and I would not have been contemplating suicide every time I started writing.<br /><br /><br /><br />#3 It cannot abide casual speech. (or at least writing.)<br /><br /><br />I never before realized how how much trouble and & but cause. The first few times I was told that I should not (not a contraction) I tried every way I could to rewrite the sentence it coming out sounding like someone who had ALMOST learned English as a second language.<br /><br /><br /><br />#4 Spellcheck has gone politically correct.<br /><br /><br />Whats wrong with that you say. Nothing if you don't plan on using words like lady, gentleman, blond, woman, man, girl, boy, or bridesmaid. I was informed that I should refer to her as the brides house cleaner. For the others person seems to be the accepted choice. Have you ever tried to make "The tall person took the blond person into his arms and kissed it." sound romantic?<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Yeah, I know. That's only 4, but I'm sure that there are at least 96 more. If you have tried to write a letter to a friend, you can probably come up with a couple yourself. I wonder if that should be yourperson?<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />I have to go now. Just thinking about this makes me want my medication.Linda Laaksonenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03096867350111689183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5695458958183669176.post-70838253654225123222011-06-08T16:55:00.000-07:002011-06-08T19:42:22.780-07:00<div>Catchy title, right?</div><br />
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<br /><div>Okay then, you try to come up with something no one else has used and catches your eye.</div><br /><br />
<br /><div>Besides this is going to be about dogs, vampires, cats, lust, attempting to write a romance novel, art, and anything else that catches my interest.</div><br /><br />
<br /><div>Oh, and don't be shy. If you have something you want to ask me, go right ahead. I might even answer you truthfully. Or maybe not. It's going to depend on whats more fun.</div><br /><br />
<br /><div>Have you already figured out that this isn't going to be a serious discussion about anything? I don't know about you, but I get quite enough seriousness from the nightly news. Of course there are things that I'm very serious about, but I promise not to bring them up. You can always find another blog about spaying and neutering your pet. Yes, that's one of my serious things.</div><br />
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<br /><div>Now you may be asking yourself, exactly why is she writing a blog in the first place? Believe me, I've asked myself that very question. Well, the answer involves that romance novel I'm trying to write. It seems that if you ever hope to have a publisher look at your book you have to have a blog. Maybe things were easier when Jane Austin was writing. </div><br />
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<br /><div>Now don't go getting all crazy on me. I am in no way, shape, or form comparing myself to that godess of the quil. All I'm saying is that she only had to contend with the fact that proper young women were not allowed to write something as questionable as a novel. I have to deal with the internet and computers that die just because you spill a little hot chocolate on them. I mean really; it was sugar free, not even the good stuff. But then chasing down a goose when you needed a new pen couldn't have been much fun. Those birds can be vicious.</div><br />
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<br /><div>If I haven't scared you off, then please, stop by again. Perhaps next time I'll tell you about my novel, tentatively titled Molly's Story: How a Sensible Woman Learned About Love, Lust, and Things That Go Bump in the Night. Or I might tell you about Rufus Magee, the very real bassett hound that got written into the story.</div><br /><br /><br />
<br /><div></div>Linda Laaksonenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03096867350111689183noreply@blogger.com0