Old Book Club Thread - Check out the New One!
Note, October 8, 2018: This is the old book club thread, and it is currently inactive. The active Book Club has moved here: https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/947864/. Please jump over there ...
Forum Discussion
@VIRTUALEE and @everyone ..
1. I love picking author’s brain on style and muses, it helps inspire me to perhaps pick up a good writing habit or challenge me to think differently when I write. Would you share what interesting writing habits/quirks you have that help your story telling process?
Honestly I talk to myself a lot LOL I often walk it out. I keep a blank word doc up and when I think of a line I run back and get it down (or text it to myself). I do not know how many times I have realized a good line and thought to myself .. oh I will remember. NOPE never do!
2. I asked the readers but I have to ask you now, In Snow and Prince’s story what is/are your favorite chapter(s)?
That is a hard one. I am seriously pressed between two chapters. The wedding chapter where it is finally revealed WHY Prince searched so long and WHY Snow always looked out to sea searching for what she did not know. Or the “final” chapter where even in death they are drawn to the beach where Grandma Esther put into motion a plan that would bind these two together for eternity. If pushed I would have to choose the “end” because it was so difficult to write (at that time it was the end … )
3. The way you utilize CC and poses are impeccable, it truly brings the story to a whole other level. Do you think of your CC as another character to your story when you are plotting out a scene, can you share your vision with us in that regard? (PS I love your sigs Banner!)
MOST CERTAINLY!! I am a cc fanatic and my addiction is helped along in my addiction by a couple of amazing friends who are champion cc finders (TY Ascanius, Shari, Maria, Lateesha and Ashley). I am also blessed to have a cc creator that has offered to create any props I need for any story. TY CanadianSimmer! She created the chair with the reserved sign for my short story “The Chair” (my fav story to date) and the draft notice for the most recent short story “Eleanor” (the most challenging story to date because of the research involved to make it authentic – it was set in the 70s and while yes I was alive then, my brain did not go back that easily LOL).
I am also blessed with friends whose builds (TY Toku, Elke, Michelle, Lynn, Melainie and Pat) and cc (TY precious Sanajana, Pat, Mira, Thomas and Abby) will stop your heart ! I do not even bother to try any more!!
TYSVM <3 the Sigs banner needs some work but at least it is a start.
4. Every writer has a muse, whether it be tangible or intangible, where does your muse come from?
I have a few that inspire me and are in the forefront of my mind when I write:
First my HS Lit teacher (who I paid homage to in “Eleanor”) Mrs Schulte. She was tough but honestly opened a whole new world to her students. She was such a good teacher that (true story) when I took the ASVAB to join the military I got such a high score on the language/vocab portion that they thought I cheated. I was given another test under strictly supervised conditions AND yes you guessed it … I scored HIGHER.
Second would be my dearly departed dad. He was the most ruthless scrabble player you would ever encounter. He pushed my little sis and I to become stronger players. You had to be constantly picking up new words just to stay in the ball park with him (in my recollection my score never was closer to dad’s than mid 80s LOL) I still love the game but do not play any more because I like to keep my friends.
Third is my HS friend Sarah (yes both of us in Mrs Schulte’s class). She is one of only a few non-simming players that read my stories. She freelances for east coast newspapers and just finished/published a biography of Maynard James Keenan called A Perfect Union of Contrary Things. So proud of her. SO (I digress) needless to say when she speaks I eagerly listen.
Fourth is Rae Hanley aka @ra3rei who I trust to give me frank advice that brings my head back to reality when I get to fretting over stuff. Her bird feed analogy kept me writing when I wanted to give up! I chuckle and remember her when I fill my bird feeder or when the cacophony erupts in my back yard when the last millet falls ... my blog will NEVER be as popular as my bird feeder LOL
Fifth is an amazing group of sim addicted friends who keep me in stitches!! Fun and funny .. creative minds who I am in awe of! I treasure them!!
LAST BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST is the dear lady who is hosting this coffee hour. TY Lee for nudging me along. She was the one who elbowed me til I started this story blog! I am grateful for her unsettling questions that make me dig in deeper. It was Lee (during one of our Starbuck's Cursed Beauty conversations) that urged me to consider who this unusual homeless man was .. what was his story and why did the baristas care so much for him .. his name “Joe” is an homage to Lee. She is also “responsible” for the answers to “Why does Snow wait on the beach? We want to know more.” AARGH that was not fast in coming to me LOL Could smell the smoke in the next county! I want TY @VIRTUALEE for encouraging me (and other young/new writers). You set the bar high both for yourself and for those of us to read you!!
1. I love picking author’s brain on style and muses, it helps inspire me to perhaps pick up a good writing habit or challenge me to think differently when I write. Would you share what interesting writing habits/quirks you have that help your story telling process?
Honestly I talk to myself a lot LOL I often walk it out. I keep a blank word doc up and when I think of a line I run back and get it down (or text it to myself). I do not know how many times I have realized a good line and thought to myself .. oh I will remember. NOPE never do!
2. I asked the readers but I have to ask you now, In Snow and Prince’s story what is/are your favorite chapter(s)?
That is a hard one. I am seriously pressed between two chapters. The wedding chapter where it is finally revealed WHY Prince searched so long and WHY Snow always looked out to sea searching for what she did not know. Or the “final” chapter where even in death they are drawn to the beach where Grandma Esther put into motion a plan that would bind these two together for eternity. If pushed I would have to choose the “end” because it was so difficult to write (at that time it was the end … )
3. The way you utilize CC and poses are impeccable, it truly brings the story to a whole other level. Do you think of your CC as another character to your story when you are plotting out a scene, can you share your vision with us in that regard? (PS I love your sigs Banner!)
MOST CERTAINLY!! I am a cc fanatic and my addiction is helped along in my addiction by a couple of amazing friends who are champion cc finders (TY Ascanius, Shari, Maria, Lateesha and Ashley). I am also blessed to have a cc creator that has offered to create any props I need for any story. TY CanadianSimmer! She created the chair with the reserved sign for my short story “The Chair” (my fav story to date) and the draft notice for the most recent short story “Eleanor” (the most challenging story to date because of the research involved to make it authentic – it was set in the 70s and while yes I was alive then, my brain did not go back that easily LOL).
I am also blessed with friends whose builds (TY Toku, Elke, Michelle, Lynn, Melainie and Pat) and cc (TY precious Sanajana, Pat, Mira, Thomas and Abby) will stop your heart ! I do not even bother to try any more!!
TYSVM <3 the Sigs banner needs some work but at least it is a start.
4. Every writer has a muse, whether it be tangible or intangible, where does your muse come from?
I have a few that inspire me and are in the forefront of my mind when I write:
First my HS Lit teacher (who I paid homage to in “Eleanor”) Mrs Schulte. She was tough but honestly opened a whole new world to her students. She was such a good teacher that (true story) when I took the ASVAB to join the military I got such a high score on the language/vocab portion that they thought I cheated. I was given another test under strictly supervised conditions AND yes you guessed it … I scored HIGHER.
Second would be my dearly departed dad. He was the most ruthless scrabble player you would ever encounter. He pushed my little sis and I to become stronger players. You had to be constantly picking up new words just to stay in the ball park with him (in my recollection my score never was closer to dad’s than mid 80s LOL) I still love the game but do not play any more because I like to keep my friends.
Third is my HS friend Sarah (yes both of us in Mrs Schulte’s class). She is one of only a few non-simming players that read my stories. She freelances for east coast newspapers and just finished/published a biography of Maynard James Keenan called A Perfect Union of Contrary Things. So proud of her. SO (I digress) needless to say when she speaks I eagerly listen.
Fourth is Rae Hanley aka @ra3rei who I trust to give me frank advice that brings my head back to reality when I get to fretting over stuff. Her bird feed analogy kept me writing when I wanted to give up! I chuckle and remember her when I fill my bird feeder or when the cacophony erupts in my back yard when the last millet falls ... my blog will NEVER be as popular as my bird feeder LOL
Fifth is an amazing group of sim addicted friends who keep me in stitches!! Fun and funny .. creative minds who I am in awe of! I treasure them!!
LAST BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST is the dear lady who is hosting this coffee hour. TY Lee for nudging me along. She was the one who elbowed me til I started this story blog! I am grateful for her unsettling questions that make me dig in deeper. It was Lee (during one of our Starbuck's Cursed Beauty conversations) that urged me to consider who this unusual homeless man was .. what was his story and why did the baristas care so much for him .. his name “Joe” is an homage to Lee. She is also “responsible” for the answers to “Why does Snow wait on the beach? We want to know more.” AARGH that was not fast in coming to me LOL Could smell the smoke in the next county! I want TY @VIRTUALEE for encouraging me (and other young/new writers). You set the bar high both for yourself and for those of us to read you!!
