Novel Upload Update!

I know I haven’t updated you guys in a while as to how it’s going with my novels and getting them uploaded to be bought in e-book format on Amazon. Well my laptop computer has been broken since June 2014, I think I told you guys that, and has been with my Brother in Law Karl since April 2015. They just came for a visit and he told me he has tried everything but it is cheaper to just buy a new one. So I will not be able to do an upload or copyright my novels right now.

I was and am really upset but what can I do, you know. I fortunately have my parent’s desktop computer I go to borrow for a few hours when ever I need for writing, editing and blog stuff but they have dial up internet and an outdated browser so I can’t do uploads and copyright from their computer. Also I can’t buy a new laptop right now because I don’t have a job right now and am saving my savings money.

So instead of staying down and sad about it I am going to keep writing and am going to start entering Short Story and Poem Contests in hopes of expanding my writing resume achievements (if I win) and maybe win some prizes or cash too! I have been researching Nationwide and International Writing Contests but if anyone knows of any coming in the end of 2015 or early 2016 and that are FREE to ENTER (No Entry Fee) then please feel free to leave me a comment and tell me about it.

Also I may start sending out Query Letters to Literary Agents again, which I am not thrilled about but I have no other choice. I will not go into it but I have not had the greatest relationship with Literary Agents in the past. The so called “Traditional Route” bums me out more than you’ll ever know. I really hoped to try Self-Publishing first and then perhaps try the traditional route again. But Oh Well!

I know this may sound like I am whining but I didn’t come into this to sound that way or try to be harsh on traditional publishing. I just wanted to update ya’ll on how it’s going. I am looking forward to where my writing will lead and I can’t wait to explore new avenues of writing.

Everything worth pursuing should be a bit hard because it makes reaching it all the more thrilling and a major accomplishment! So I hope everyone out there in everything you do that you never give up, and that you stay strong. Of course that doesn’t mean you can’t Cry, Scream, Yell, throw a Tantrum if need be at first but then pick yourselves up and keep marching toward your goal. A goal that I hope when you reach you can do your funny field goal dance for, lol!

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“Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” - Confucious

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My Characters Oh My!

I was in Wal Mart a few days ago and while looking around the craft area I saw the book that shows pictures of the sewing patterns and it was set on the costume section. I flipped through as I love to look at the costumes even though I don’t celebrate Halloween or go anywhere that requires a costume.

I love to look though as I wish I could sew elaborate dresses and such but my skills were learned in school many, many years ago and the most elaborate thing I can make is a pillow, lol.

Anyway I saw two costumes I will put a picture of below that I thought those are cool and look like something my characters would wear. So I took a quick picture on my phone and sent it to my mom. The picture was a bit blurry so later that night I went online and found the image.

As I looked further at the models in the image I said wow they look like two of my characters. I thought that more as I am currently editing one of the novels in the series that they are in so they were fresh in my mind.

The blonde looks like a slightly older version of my character Princess Shika, a human princess, and the dark haired one looks like her friend Princess Shamar, an elf princess. Make them a bit younger and they will look like them as teenagers and the actual picture is them as adults, pretty cool! The dresses even look like something they would wear but switched, the long dress on the blonde (Shika) and the dark blue dress on the dark haired one (Shamar).

I love finding images of actual people that look like my characters and love adding them here as I find it so cool and want to share.

The Pictures are a bit rough, as in a bit unclear, but they were the best I could find on the web.

 

 

Musings of a Lonely Writer! ----- Beginning, Middle, or End of a Characters Journey

On this Musings of a Lonely Writer segment I may morph a bit into a Musings of a Lonely Reader so bear with me!

In books or even movies I always tend to love the beginning of a journey so much better than the middle and end. I think the beginning is much more exciting and fun. The end is sad and final. I don’t know if it is the sadness of the ending of a journey I hate or that it isn’t as good at the end as the beginning.

The weird part is that in the Series and Trilogies that I write I always love the later novels way better than the first, not always but sometimes. I think that is so weird. However, I find other authors first books to be better than later novels but like I said in mine I almost always feel I like later novels better.

I think there is such unknown and beauty in the beginning but by the end nothing will ever be the same again for the character and that is often times sad. I think that is why I prefer the beginning of most novels or movies. I have however not determined why I prefer my later novels in a series or trilogy to the first book.

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The beginning book is like the moments leading up to a first kiss, the anticipation kills you leading up to the kiss. The middle book is the kiss itself, sweet but often intense and worth the wait. The end book is the end of a kiss, breathless and leaving you wanting more. But that end makes you feel that it will never be like that first anticipation, that first rush and the intenseness that follows.

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So maybe in a way I appreciate all parts of the books/movies but I tend to still prefer the beginning journey of a character as I still want to feel that excitement building for the character but don’t want it to end as I want to stay in the world the author or movie maker has built.

Whether you prefer the beginning, middle or end I think if the author can make you want to stay forever in someway I think that has the makings of a classic or at least a favorite on many people’s lists. I have yet to truly find a series or trilogy that really makes me want to stay in it and so as a lonely reader and lonely writer I continue to look to find a book that fills that need for me or else I try and write one!

"There are no happy endings. Endings are the saddest part, so just give me a happy middle. And a very happy start." - Shel Silverstein

“Journey’s end

In western lands beneath the Sun
The flowers may rise in Spring,
The trees may bud, the waters run,
The merry finches sing.
Or there maybe 'tis cloudless night,
And swaying branches bear
The Elven-stars as jewels white
Amid their branching hair.

Though here at journey's end I lie
In darkness buried deep,
Beyond all towers strong and high,
Beyond all mountains steep,
Above all shadows rides the Sun
And Stars for ever dwell:
I will not say the Day is done,
Nor bid the Stars farewell.”

― J.R.R. Tolkien

 

So this has been Musings of a Lonely Writer and if you would like to share what part of a characters journey you tend to like and why then leave me a comment as I would love to get others points of views about this topic. Until next time, Keep Reading! Keep Writing! And Keep Inspiring!

And build me a literary world I want to get lost in and want to explore and never want to leave. Make me love the end just as I love the beginning. Well at least try as I am hard to please as you can see, lol!

Ravenor

Meaning: (Rave: Raven, Applied as a nickname for a thievish or dark haired person. Nor: Light, The Light, Honored, Honorable, God is My Light, Mercy, and Pity.)

Origin: (Arabic, Latin, Old Greek, English, German, Dutch)

Pronunciation: (REYV-NAOR, REYV-NAWR)

Gender: Uni-Sex

I saw this as the name of a Trilogy of books and I liked the look instantly as I love names with Raven in them. I looked it up and saw it is a last name but I could find no definite meaning or origin so just like Gwen-Gana *see on list of posts* I looked up the separate parts of the name Rave and Nor.

So the meanings together in this name are interesting. The first part is dark and mischievous where as the latter half is light and pleasant and good, so a funny name in that regard. I can see a very mixed character with this name, I mean mixed in regard to personality and the way they handle themselves. I can see a mischievous thievish character that truly has a good heart but has a hidden reason for their fiendish pursuits.  

Gwen-Gana

Meaning: (White Woman of the Garden, Gwen: White, Fair, Blessed, Holy Gana: Garden)

Origin: (Welsh, Hebrew)

Pronunciation: (GWehN-GAA-NAA)

Gender: Female

I was looking up another name Gwenllian *see on list of posts* and someone said another nice name is Gwen-Gana. They gave the meaning White Woman of the Garden and I was instantly transfixed by the gorgeousness of the name and meaning. However I have not been able to determine if it is a real name and has been used.

So I decided to look up the names separately and together the names do come to mean White Woman of the Garden. So maybe someone else put these together but I can’t tell if it’s a legit name or is just a double barrel name. Either way it is beautiful and worth being added here. I did however find a spa or restaurant in Australia named Gwenganna so maybe it is a real name. If anyone knows about this name then please let me know in the comment section of this post and I will be grateful.

Primrose

Meaning: (First Rose)

Origin: (English, Latin)

Pronunciation: (PRIM-roz, go to this link and run your cursor over the name Primrose to hear how it is pronounced:  http://www.howjsay.com/index.php?word=primrose)

Gender: Female

I have a character in the novel I finished a few months ago whose middle name is Primrose. It is to go with her nature meaning first name, Gaia *see on list of posts*. Basically the meaning of her first and middle names combine to mean Mother Earths First Rose or The Earths First Rose or The Lands First Rose.

There have been a few Primroses in literature but most notable is Primrose “Prim” Everdeen, the younger sister of Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games Novels. But fortunately it is not used too often so it still holds a charm.

I think the name Primrose is very beautiful and seems a name that would have been at its height in the Victorian Era as they loved flower names like Rose, Violet, Iris, Lilly, ect. However if used in a the common era I can see some down falls, most notably the nickname Prim as in Prim and Proper and thus making it often be seen as a prudish name. I have seen similar downfalls for other lovely names like Prudence *see on list of posts*. I think they are lovely but can have mean nicknames.

I even at first was not a fan of this name but as you can see the right character came along and changed that for me. I at first intended to not give Gaia a middle name as there was no where it is mentioned in the novel but as I was finishing a spot came up near the end where full names are mentioned and so I added middle names for all the other characters mentioned in that section but was not going to give Gaia one but then I decided I really wanted to give her one. So when I was looking for a middle name for my character Gaia Primrose popped in my head right away but I was reluctant to use it as I was not a huge fan. So I looked around for a more appropriate middle name but Primrose just seemed to be it and so no other name would do. I am pleased with it and it fits my character very well.

Eadlyn

Meaning: (Wealthy Friend, Princess, Born into Royalty.)

Origin: (Anglo-Saxon, Old English)

Pronunciation: (IY-DLihN, EED-lyn)

Gender: Female

I was looking on Amazon.com at new YA books and I saw a new book added to The Selection Series. The main characters name is Eadlyn and she is the daughter of the two characters from the previous books. I have never read the books but when I saw the name I was like that is so cool and unique and reminded me of an Old Welsh or Old English name.

Once I looked the name up I saw where naming the character came in, the character is a Princess. I like the meanings a lot as I love Royal meaning names. I think the look is great and is pretty straight forward on the pronunciation. Though at first I will admit I did pronounce it differently until I really looked at it and then I was better able to pronounce it properly.

Ortiz

Meaning: (Fortification, Son of Orti, The given name Orti seems to be disputed in meaning, deriving from either Latin Fortis meaning "Brave, Strong" or Latin Fortunius meaning "Fortunate".)

Origin: (Spanish, Basque, Latin)

Pronunciation: (AORTIYZ, Or-TEEZE)

Gender: Male, Possibly Uni-Sex

I love watching those millionaire real estate shows and one of the real estate agents on the one shows last name is Ortiz. I love the sound of the name and the meanings are very strong and bold. I think this name is very attractive because of it being Spanish. Spanish names almost always seem attractive in some way or another, not always but sometimes. I like too that this name is pronounced just as it is spelled, so easy.

Nebula

Meaning: (Cloud, Misty, Woman of the Mists, In Astronomy, a description of hazy masses around stars.)

Origin: (Latin)

Pronunciation: (NEHBYAHLAH)

Gender: Female

I have seen this name used twice on TV, once was in Boy Meets World and the other in the movie Zenon: Girl of the 21^st Century and all of the sequels to that movie. I think Nebula is a very out of this world sci-fi hippie name and I like it a lot for that. The meanings are pretty an in astronomy Nebulas are very beautiful and so unique looking.

I think this would look good on a character that is unique and not afraid to show her nature loving / tree hugging side but is not too hippie like. I can see a free spirited character who says it like it is but is not too blunt about it.

Doria

Meaning: (Of the Sea, Gift, Bountiful, Of the Dorian Tribe, Feminine form of Dorian: Of Doris, a District of Greece; or of Dores, a legendary Greek Hero.)

Origin: (Greek, English (Rare))

Pronunciation: (DOR-ee-ah, DAOERiy-aa)

Gender: Female

I was watching a rerun of CSI: Miami and one of the little girls who had to watch her mom die was named Doria and I really like the name but not that story line so much. I love any name with Dora in it, Dorabella *see on list of posts*, Andorra *see on list of posts*, Endora *see on list of posts*, and Adorabella or Adorabelle *see on list of posts*.

The meanings are beautiful and lovely. I think this is a lovely name and a bit of a shortening on Dora but with the same charm and would make a great nickname for any name with Dora in it.

Horatio

Meaning: (Time Keeper, Derived from the Roman Clan name Horatius. The close friend of Hamlet in Shakespeare’s Tragedy.)

Origin: (Italian, English, Literature)

Pronunciation: (hə-RAY-shee-o, hə-RAY-sho)

Gender: Male

I love watching reruns of CSI: Miami and the leader of that crime scene investigation group is named Horatio Caine. So while watching a while ago I wondered why I had never added the name Horatio to my blog and so without delay I added it. It seems a very masculine name with a very foreign sort of sexiness to it and it also seems a powerful name as in used for Hurricane Horatio or another destructive weather phenomenon, artic storm, ect.

I love the meaning a lot but it’s probably because I write a lot of Time Travel novels so I can see this would be cool on a time traveler. It is also derived from a very old name so it could be used in some form or another in different time periods which is amazing.

Bridie

Meaning: (Exalted One, The High One, Strength, Diminutive of Bridget, In Irish mythology this was the name of the goddess of fire, poetry and wisdom, the daughter of the god Dagda. In the 5th century it was borne by Saint Brigid, the founder of a monastery at Kildare and a patron saint of Ireland. Because of the saint, the name was considered sacred in Ireland, and it did not come into general use there until the 17th century. In the form Birgitta this name has been common in Scandinavia, made popular by the 14th-century Saint Birgitta of Sweden, patron saint of Europe.)

Origin: (Irish, Gaelic, Celtic)

Pronunciation: (BRY-dee, BRIYDiy)

Gender: Female

I forget where I saw this but I really do like it. I like Irish names and so this is another I really like. It has beautiful strong meanings and a unique look, well to anyone from America. I can see a fiery spirited maiden being named this or spunky girl in the modern era.

Tamsin

Meaning: (Twin, Contracted form of Thomosina. It was traditionally used in Cornwall.)

Origin: (English, Aramaic)

Pronunciation:  (TAM-sin, TAEMZihN)

Gender: Female

I was watching a TV show and a character on the show was named Tamsin. I like the name and the pronunciation but not a huge fan of it being a short form of Thomasina. I mean Thomasina is a fine name but I don’t hear it enough to really care for it. I have a male cat named Thomas but we call him Tom Tom or Tommy so even then I don’t use Thomas all that much. The meaning is nice and so this name could be used for a twin and could be used in reference to where it is popular, Cornwall, Britain.