Tag Archives: writing

despite the odds

Posted on by
Reply

I’m in a great mood today, even though the odds were totally stacked against me.

Monday’s are always difficult at Chez Francis. I The boys don’t wanna get out of bed and once they’re actually upright, they never wanna get moving.

Today was greeted with an extra special batch of ARE YOU KIDDING ME when my almost 16 year old started harrassing my almost 12 year old for the 10 bucks he charged his brother to play with his Yu-Gi-Oh! cards. Seriously, d00d? You’re damn near 16. Stop being such a grade A butthead. You haven’t messed with those cards in 2 years and the only reason you’re being a tool about it now is because your little brother wants them.

Yes, I just called my kid a tool. Doesn’t mean I don’t love him, just means he’s a teenager and frankly, they’re all tools at one point or another.

Still, I feel great today. I’m in a good place mentally (though I’ve slacked off on my exercise lately and I’m starting to feel it) and even though Christmas really isn’t my favorite time of year (long story) I’m beginning to feel a slight tingle of holiday spirit. Not sure I’m tingly enough to listen to Christmas music, but maybe that’s not too far away.

I wrote a little bit this weekend on a new series proposal that I’m actually really excited about. Did some plotting with the Amazing Tia Maria last night and she helped me figure out why I was stuck. Now I can unstick myself and move forward.

We had another movie day yesterday. Watched The Proposal and Doubt. Completely different movies, but very good. I actually enjoyed The Proposal more than I thought I would, BUT they missed some really good opportunities to increase the sexual tension and the love story. However, I laughed out loud several times and got to look at Ryan Reynolds for two hours. All in all I would call it a WIN.

I’m ready to watch Love Actually which is one of my favorite movies of all time. And just because I’m in a great mood, I’m going to link my favorite scene from that movie.

“Enough. Enough now.”

[insert witty blog title here]

Posted on by
Reply

Okay, this has been a hard week so I’m very glad today is Friday.

Tomorrow I’m giving a presentation to my local writing chapter on Screenwriting. This should be interesting since I have never written a screenplay in my life. I do however apply screenwriting techniques when I’m wriitng a proposal, so that’s what I plan to focus on.

Okay, can we talk about Survivor for a minute? How much am I loving this season? Seriously, Russell is the most awesome player ever. I hope he’s for real, cuz honestly, I love how bad he is and how good he is at this game. He deserves to win the money…as long as he keeps playing smart and doesn’t get too cocky. (of course, not sure he could get anymore cocky than he already is. Wow.) Shambo is just TSTL sometimes. She better watch her back…her days are numbered. And Mick? He is the real Mick-dreamy (totally stole that from Maria Geraci)

And Project Runway. Wow. What a disappointment. I just don’t understand how they picked her as the winner. <–(this is me trying not to spoil it for those of you who dvr'd it.) Her collection was just so…bleh. It wasn't wearable (except for a couple of dresses…including the last dress wh/ I actually loved but the judges didn't!) and what was with those jockey helmets? UGH UGH UGH.

Okay, now for some fun:

We played a Facebook status game last night: What four words would you say to me if we woke up in jail together? The comments were many and funny. Now it’s your turn…

What four words would you say to me if we woke up in jail together?

lines that inspire

Posted on by
Reply

Last night, I was watching one of my new favorite TV shows Leverage (I love On Demand) and one of the characters made a comment that really struck home for me.

“He deserves to be seen as he really is. Everyone does.”

I love that line. The truth in it is so simple and elegant, yet very powerful.

A quote that I often use as my mantra is from Mel Brooks:

“If you’re quiet, you’re not living. You’ve got to be noisy and colorful and lively.“

I’m not really sure who said this next quote, but I got it from a signature of a friend who emailed me not long ago:

Life is short. Break the rules. Forgive quickly. Love truly. Laugh uncontrollably & regret nothing that makes you smile.

No truer words were spoken there.

Is there a particular quote or line from a book that inspires you?

I leave you with one final Mel Brooks quote. The man is amazing:

Every human being has hundreds of separate people living under his skin. The talent of a writer is his ability to give them their separate names, identities, personalities and have them relate to other characters living with him.

stoopid hooman trick–I duz it right akshually

Posted on by
Reply

I’m alive! It’s true. No matter how much I wanted die this week, I actually made it through.

Sometimes I can be for reelz stoopid. I know it’s hard to believe, me being Mel the Awesome and all. But it’s true.

So sparing you all the gory details, because really, they don’t matter in the long run, I basically lost 2 weeks of work on Sunday.

Two full weeks I had been revising LOVE SUCKS! I had been taking my time, doing it right. blah blah blah.

And on Monday morning, I pulled up to finish and tweak (because they were due Monday) and I discovered they were gone. Almost completely gone.
funny pictures of cats with captions
see more Lolcats and funny pictures

Now, I know what happened. Like I said, the only detail that is important is the fact that I am for reelz stoopid sometimes.

Thankfully I have a fabulous editor who gave me the rest of the week to fix my stoopid hooman trick.

And because the revisions were so fresh on my mind, the only real thing that was getting in my way was time. Because, of course, I work on Tues, Wed, and Thurs.

Sleep? Highly overrated.

I actually had a bit of a melt down Wednesday night. It wasn’t pretty and thankfully only one person witnessed it via text message. I believe he referred to me as a ‘grilled cheese sandwich.’ Yeah, a nuclear grilled cheese. It was U-G-L-Y.

And I ain’t got no alibi.

But now it’s sitting in Awesome Editor’s inbox and I’m going to celebrate with a pedicure (am contemplating Kermit Green toes…thoughts?) and sleep.

Oh sleep…how I’ve missed you.

Next week, I’ll be doing a girl’s trip to Beaver Lake in NW Arkansas. Can’t wait. Not sure if I’ll have real internet access there (okay, not sure if I want real internet access) but last year I took lots of pics of wild life and posted all about it when I got home.

So if I’m not blogging til Wednesday, please forgive me!

I hope y’all have a great weekend. Tell me: what you got goin’ on?

it’s a monday

Posted on by
Reply

I’m over at Fictionistas today talking about nicknames. I’ve had my share of them–have you?

While I’m working my butt off today finishing up the revisions for LOVE SUCKS! y’all can tell me what fun things you did over the weekend.

And you can also swing by HAVE YOU BEEN BITTEN and read an excerpt from BITE ME! just click the ‘read an excerpt’ link under the book.

hmmm. What else is going on? Nothing really. Just feeling a little overwhelmed and behind lately. Trying to get myself together. Not an easy thing to accomplish when you’re just this side of whacked-out.

Oh, here’s an odd little tidbit I noticed last week. Almost every time I started the car, this song was on the radio. It happened so much, it became a game.

Monday, Monday, Monday

Posted on by
Reply

I’m blogging at Fictionistas today about 10 things I wish I’d known when I was younger…

Today’s agenda: Getting my sparkle back on at the gym, meeting Arkansas Cyndi at Starbucks for some writing, cooking dinner, and chatting with friends.

Oxford was great. Had a super weekend with old friends. Enjoyed myself tremendously and was actually a little nostalgic.

How was your weekend? Accomplish anything? Do anything fun?

tuesday already?

Posted on by
Reply

Yesterday went by in a blur. I wrote, wrote, wrote…did the Mom thing, when to Whole Foods, came home and wrote again.

I’m pretty sure I ate yesterday. Not positive though.

Oh I know I had Lucky Charms yesterday because I tweeted about the joy they bring me

Today is a work day for me. Then back to writing. I’m pretty sure Rader has soccer tonight.

I need an assistant. Any volunteers? The pay is crap but the benefits? Okay they’re crap, too. But your working environment would be fun…