The Musings of MissFifi

No Bull

2012-02-02T12:35:00.001-08:00

Craftsmen are that one sect of artists that I highly admire. Folks who can build and create furniture, pottery, houses, basically anything. What I really love is when someone comes up with a concept piece and then are able to bring it to life. Now, I would not pay $540 for this unusual cutting board/cookbook holder, but I dare you to look at it and not be impressed.

Kitchen Bull by Toro Legno

Ole'!!

Cheers!

MissFifi

Craftsman Kitchen

2012-01-31T08:58:00.000-08:00

Continuing with my kitchen obsession, I am so digging this Craftsman vibe.

Cheers!

MissFifi

Book Battle Royale

2012-01-29T07:28:00.000-08:00

And the battle between e-books, free standing book sellers, Amazon and the publishing industry continues to rage.

The Bookstore's Last Stand

Cheers!
MissFifi

On a lighter note

2012-01-25T09:53:00.000-08:00

Amazing how cathartic it was to spread my emotional carnage and get it out. Granted I am not 100%, but I feel much better.

First off, I must thank the person who realized that swaddling a baby would make them settle down and sleep. Last night was a gift of calm baby who realized night is sleep time. Fingers crossed that it works again tonight.

Second, I feel more empowered to assert myself when it comes to the baby and that is a very good thing. No I am not being nasty or fresh, just "Mama".

Since that has been addressed, it is time to put those raw side and move on to some cool and interesting posts I have come across instead.

The Shiksa in the Kitchen - Good recipes, fantastic kitchen.

Wanna buy a castle in Italy??

Not sure I want to live in Park City, Utah, but the HGTV Dream Home is pretty darn sweet.

Some sect of the Amish refuse to be flashy by using those safety triangles.

Dr.Seuss's story "And To think I Saw It On Mulberry Street" was rejected 27 times. As a struggling writer, I like to believe that I too, will start out this way and end up in good company like this.

Sustainable seafood will be available at big box stores like Target. Hmmmm...

Cheers!
MissFifi

And welcome to being an emotional wreck

2012-01-24T19:00:00.000-08:00

There is a lot going on in my head at this moment.

As a new mom I am trying to get to know my child and get into a groove. Two weeks of his life was spent in the NICU and once he came home we were overjoyed. Here was this little person that had come into our lives and we were going to have this wonderful time of discovery. While this has happened to a degree, it has been somewhat hindered by the almost concluded two week visit from the in laws.

I could go into heavy detail, but then that could end up biting me on the ass so to prevent that insanity I have decided to only discuss the emotional roller coaster I am riding.

One minute I am ready to laugh and sing, the next I want to scream and leave the house with my child and pets. Yes hormones are not a fun thing, but it is exacerbated when people who are supposed to help you out choose to question your every step instead. I am under scrutiny so any trick or thing we want to try to get our baby to sleep or eat is always nit picked. I am on the edge of a very sharp knife emotionally. My own abilities are called into question not just by these two adults, but by myself. How awful to think you are suddenly an incompetent person. It is bad enough that I cannot edit my book with proper speed and talent, I now have to wonder if I can bathe my child with skill.

This sucks man.

I have hit the wall. My patience is at an end along with any shred of emotional strength or dignity I ever had. My husband is put in a very bad position having to deal with all of us. He is very supportive and this is why he is my rock.

Mentally my brain has been sucked dry. No longer do I have the confidence I started with. I am breaking down, wishing I had an outlet, a way to escape, but alas, my discomfort is here to stay.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T.

You have to give it to get it my friend.

Let me add that no one, under the emotional turmoil we have been through with the baby in NICU and some ongoing issues, wants to be questioned at every turn as they try to set up a system that works best for them. It's as if someone keep throwing tacks down on the floor as you run with bare feet. Every step hurts and in the end, it is your fault for being so darn clumsy and walking that way.

Sure I could use all this material and angst for a book, but I do not like where I am. This place is ugly, dark, depressing and repressive. I want to leave it and find my way again. I need to be allowed to blossom into this beautiful new role of mother. Hell, I WANT to blossom. Soon, I keep thinking, soon I will be able to come into my own, but my patience is very, very thin. Wait, it is not thin, it is nonexistent. God give me strength.

And as I type, "Shawshank Redemption" is on and of course, I am crying. Damn movie.

Cheers!
MissFifi

Charles Addams

2012-01-07T16:34:00.000-08:00

Viva Charles Addams!

The man has a google doodle and I LOVE it!!!

When I was a young gal I used to watch the television show. I can definitely say that The Addams Family and The Munsters encouraged my love of all things dark and macabre. There was something incredibly alluring about Morticia Addams and Lily Munster. I really wanted to be these women dressed in black, adorned with bats and . This may be why my mother was not so surprised when I traveled down the punk and gothic path of my youth. But enough of this.

Over the years, Charles Addams had his creepy, kooky cartoon family appear in The New Yorker. I really should purchase a collection of works since I do get such a kick out of them. Plus they are right in line with my other favorite demented illustrator/writer, Edward Gorey. The Gashlycrumb Tinies were introduced to me by someone in college and ever since then I have been a huge fan. Let me recommend if you are ever visiting Cape Cod you stop at the Edward Gorey House. It was a divine experience.

People who pursue the quirkiness in life will always keep us entertained. I hope to one day achieve at least half of what Addams and Gorey have when it comes to delivering a good, twisted time.

Cheers!
MissFifi

Busy

2012-01-05T14:58:00.000-08:00

Sorry things have been hectic here as our child decided to be born on Christmas Day as opposed to January 2nd. Already a troublemaker. That is my kind of kid. ;-)

Anyway, this New Year's wish post from Neil Gaiman is just perfect and gets a ditto from me.

I have also been trying to find time to edit my novel and get it up on Amazon. All in due time.

I finished reading I, Lucifer. I enjoyed the story and there were sections of the novel that were very funny. Lucifer is the narrator and he is saucy. God offers him a spot back in heaven but first he must live in a suicide victims body for a month and be human. There were times it was raunchy and went off the rails of the crazy train, thank you Ozzy, but I would have liked a little more debauchery. It is certainly not a novel for everyone, but that could be an interesting New Year's resolution. Read a book or two that you would normally pass up. I should take my own advice and I think I shall. Keep in mind that I am not encouraging anyone to go out and read crap, but then again, why not? Sometimes a book that makes you want to vomit across the room can be fun. Right?

Merry New Year!

Cheers!
MissFifi

Movie Snob? That Would Be Me

2011-12-23T08:28:00.000-08:00

I could go with Entertainment Snob, but we would be here for days and that is not fair when the holidays are have arrived. :)

To be clear, I am not all high brow and no humor. Hardly. When it comes to movies I love the high end cheese along with the epics. Schindler's List moved me to tears and Old School moved me to laugh out loud. I could barely stay in my seat during South Park: The Movie or Jackass. The first twenty minutes of Saving Private Ryan had me crying and heaving in horror. Those are the experiences I want when I pay good money to be entertained and that is what bugs me about most movies and television now. Most of it is just pure unadulterated garbage. I loathe, loathe, loathe reality television. Except for Deadliest Catch. For some reason we are addicted in our house. Go figure. I hate all of our Houswives, the Kardashians, stars who dance, fame whores who try to "survive" or eat bugs and idiots who want to be idols. Harsh? Too bad. The world is bitter and mindless enough without that drivel to make those sitting on their couches at home feel somewhat superior. Plus, why get my ire up to want to pelt someone with tomatoes? Housewives of NJ, I am looking at you. We get aggravated in our daily lives, I do not want it in my entertainment.

As far as movies, how many remakes will Hollywood continue to do and lose money on? I am sure Fincher will deliver with his interpretation of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, but I am too cheap to pay $10+ to see something I already have seen and read. I will wait for it on Netflix. This makes me Hollywood's ultimate nightmare. It takes A LOT to get me to a theater. I had to think long and hard about the last flick we saw in the theater and it was The Fighter. Worth every penny as far as I am concerned. The Dark Knight Rises will be next for me, though I cringed at Anne Hathaway's scenes in the trailer. Then there is The Raven with John Cusack and I might, just might, go to the theater for that one.

I have also noticed that Hollywood is banking on fairy tales for next years entertainment. Two Snow White films, one is a comedy the other dark, and Jack the Giant Killer. Well, those won't get me into the cineplex either. I do think Charlize Theron looks and sounds down right brilliant in the Snow White trailer, but I cannot stand an inch of Kristen Stewart. Most of you know that I have never and would never read or see the ick that is Twilight. God Bless if you enjoy it, but I would rather eat a side of medium rare beef, I am vegetarian, then subject myself to that so-called "art". Maybe she will blossom in this film. Maybe she can act or maybe it just does not matter to many.

The thing is, I do want to be entertained and entertained well.

Cable networks seem to be doing a stellar job of giving audiences what they want. Mad Men, Breaking Bad, Sons of Anarchy and my current love: American Horror Story. How I just adore the somewhat campy, original, twisted, implausible story lines and good acting. Jessica Lange deserves that Golden Globe nod, yes she does. I also have to tip my hat off to FX Networks for putting the episodes up online. We have basic cable so the only way I have been able to watch the show has been on the computer. I am a week behind, but who cares? The fact that they have shared the goodness with me is appreciated. I have tried to email them to let them know, but their link was down. Technology can suck at times.

When it comes to fun, silly films like Pineapple Express, The Hangover, The Wedding Planner, I love them. I really do. These pieces of celluloid have their place in the world because we all need and want to laugh and forget our woes for a wee bit. If I do want some intensity, that is where Dragon Tattoo, Downton Abbey, The Forsyte Saga, MI5, Schindler's List and others of that genre come in the door. What I am not looking for or want is rehashed trash. With all the books out there in the world is Hollywood really at a standstill for material? I know risk is not on their plates right now, but with the last two box office weekends being less then stellar perhaps they need to rethink their strategy.

To amuse myself I just did a quick check on IMDB and saw there is a sequel to the God awful remake of Clash of the Titans called, wait for it, Wrath of the Titans. Get ready for more bastardizing of Greek Mythology. The Three Stooges trailer gave me a small coronary and 21 Jump Street? Really? Can I recommend some novels that could make some good films or are we too cheap to pay an author for their work? I wish I understood Hollywood better, but they do not seem to want to understand their consumers better. Then they publicly bitch and moan about those of us that rather stream via Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, iTunes or go to Redbox. People want quality for the money and I do not believe that is too much to ask.

Now excuse me while I go watch episodes of Arrested Development, again.

Cheers!

MissFifi

House Envy Part Deux

2011-12-22T14:23:00.000-08:00

Bathrooms.

Like kitchens, they can be an oasis, a place to linger or they can be a place you do your business and get the hell out! If one has a place to soak, relax and spa then it is lovely. Then again, most of us do not have the space to accommodate a massive retreat so what does one do? The least you can do is make it somewhat enjoyable when taking a shower or brushing your teeth. So says the woman whose shower does not work in the upstairs bath and has the evil poorly grouted pink bathroom on the first floor. I know I gripe about this a lot, but it does amaze me when someone will do shoddy work and live with it. Grrrrr! We are aiming to get the second floor done in the spring. Fingers are crossed!

Anyhoo, while a black bathroom will most likely not occur in our house, I do like the look of this one taken back in 2009 at a Brooklyn townhouse.

Now, while I do adore the color purple, I am not sure I could do this, but it is well executed. Here is link to full house tour.

This bathroom gives off a nice masculine vibe. Here is full house tour.

Not one of my favorites, but I believe in sharing all types of bathroom finds. The tiles sort of throw me off, but I am sure it is really nice in person. Full house tour.

Had we been blessed with black and white tile in the downstairs instead of hideous pink, this would have been an awesome color direction to go in for sure. Full House Tour.

And now, for over the top, how do you feel about a big, clear glass tub? Boston Home post.

Many people would say that what you do matters, especially when it comes to resale. I say it is better to do what you really want, especially if you have no intention of selling the house in the next ten years. Why live with bland or lack of character when you can do it up a little differently?

Cheers!

MissFifi

House Envy

2011-12-21T07:43:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I like to peruse real estate for fun, especially the ridiculous over the top 10,000 square foot villa. Manicured lawns, marble baths, the kitchen that pretty much can house two hundred people comfortably. I understand why most folks dig the "staged home", but I prefer a more lived in look. That does not mean I cannot appreciate a stellar photo shoot.

Via the blog Lark & Linen I came across this gorgeous farm house. Isn't it just lovely? Bright and airy kitchens make me swoon and this one is divine. While white is not my first choice in a kitchen, you cannot deny how elegant it looks.

From The Right Bank has a list of beautiful gray kitchens. I do like the dark cabinets, I think it is a such an unexpected touch. Once again, I covet the Aga stove.

This Tobi Fairley kitchen and bath featured on House of Turquoise are just stunning. I like the shots of blue color used through out both rooms.

Cheers!

MissFifi

Ahhhh Design

2011-12-14T06:46:00.000-08:00

The old standard theme rooms for baby nurseries do not work for me. Disney is a no no and anything too genderized, boy means blue and girl means pink, is totally against my sensibilities. When we found out that we would be put to the ultimate life test and become parents one of my thoughts were, "How to decorate?'

Okay, not really, but it sounded good right?

Actually, my husband is a comic book geek. I can appreciate this to a point. Most of his collection sits in a box in the closet and this makes me twitch. Reason being that some of the cover artwork is stunning and deserves to be displayed. So using my genius I persuaded him that we should frame a few to put up in the nursery as artwork. No matter if it was a boy or a girl, the comic books were going up. X-Men, Batman and a few others were chosen and framed. I have to say it looks really awesome and this inspired him to pull out his Star Wars bobble heads and put them out on a shelf in the room as well.

I know that as parents were are not to be too influential using our taste to define our kid. If I was really going to push ourselves on the baby there would be music posters, a skateboard or two and a drum kit all set up already. This would then set up our child to be my version of a skateboarding, Dave Grohl. A mom can dream can't she? But instead we settled for the economical route and used what we had. Sometimes a collection can work to ones advantage, thank the Baby Jesus.

We also hung up the Bekvam spice racks from IKEA and used them to display the books we received at our baby shower. Me being a big reader and writer, I am hoping the little one becomes just as passionate about books. Okay, I need to get back on track here.

Since we are encouraging the DC/Marvel Comics characters, I was giddy with power to come across these unique Superhero prints by Liam Brazier. I love the abstract vibe and vivid colors. And if eventually he does not want them in his room, we will be more than happy to hang them in the hallway or even the living room. I like art that can be moved about the house. No reason to restrict something to only one room or area. When we were at IKEA not too long ago they had a picture of a hand slamming a phone down. It was totally done a la Roy Lichtenstein, another fave of hubby, and will also be going up in the nursery.

I am not a fan of every nursery showcased on Ohdeedoh, but I wanted to share a slew of rooms that have been done with flair. Most people want rooms that can be transitional to toddler to kid to even tween. What I really like is the choice of colors, even the overly girly and boy ones because they are done very well. You could even incorporate a lot of the elements into a kitchen, living room, etc. As the old saying goes, "You've come a long way baby!"

Home Tours on Odeedoh

Cheers!

MissFifi

What's In A Name?

2011-12-13T06:01:00.001-08:00

Some names are passed down from generation to generation. Others are chosen out of respect for the dead and to carry on their memory. Then are those chosen simply because of their meaning or because after much searching, the parents found something they really like.

My own name is very unusual and I happen to love it. I also went to grammar Catholic school with many children of various backgrounds, Hispanic, Italian and Black, all who had wonderful ethnic names. No one was made fun of, and this was the seventies and early eighties.

There are names I have loved and would have used on our forthcoming bundle of joy if, and only if, DH's last name was not quite so hard. It is German in origin and not an easy one to match things too. So choosing a name has been quite the task. Once we found it we were happy, but also reluctant to share. Why is this you ask? Because everyone has an opinion on what you name your child. And the most aggressive opinion comes from my in-laws.

Imagine my amazement when they were told the name and then proceeded to tell their lovely son all the things wrong with our choice and why we should not do it. My immediate reaction was true to my nature. "Go F Yourself."

My mother would be so proud.

Where anyone gets off telling you to change a name that you and their son/daughter thought long and hard about is rude, insensitive and disrespectful. If one dislikes the name, why not just say, "Great. We cannot wait to meet him and hope he is happy and healthy." But that is not my in-laws style. They are more concerned about others opinions and how people perceive their lives. Dysfunction is in every family folks. We all have it and experience it, but sometimes we get a glimpse into how others got that way and it is not pretty at all. Their insecurities alone could fill a novel with various plot twists and scenes of martyrdom.

To make the matter more entertaining, my MIL felt the need to voice her concern of the name sounding "too Spanish" or that it will be "mispronounced" and how it "does not go with the last name" and shouldn't we "switch the middle and first names"? She told my hubby that she just"had to tell him and get it off her chest". Really now? Why not just be pleased to have a grandchild on the way? Instead they have insulted me, my spouse and our unborn bouncing bundle of joy.

I was chagrined when I found forum after forum online of mothers to be venting about the exact same situation. In-laws calling kids a name different then the one chosen and even refusing to use the name given. There were stories where relationships became overly strained because the MIL was making the DH bend to her rules still instead of him supporting his spouse. Note to self: This is the type of mother one does NOT want to be. It is simply appalling that people are willing to cause such discord because of a name. These people had their chance to name their children and for some reason think they have the same right with grandchildren. Boggles the mind.

Of course I do not expect an apology and am certain they will continue to try and change our minds. Pity that their instance that they know best and must be right has already tainted their visit when they come. Perhaps that will have to be postponed until they get their crap together then eh?

Cheers!

MissFifi

Self Publishing Trudges Ahead

2011-12-12T06:04:00.000-08:00

A darling friend sent me an article about an author who after numerous rejections, took it upon herself to self publish. A lot of us who toil away at this solitary career also squirm and toil away writing query letters and various forms of a synopsis. Those are not the only things I dread from time to time. With any sort of publishing comes the anonymous reviewers that can tear apart your book. Sure i have thick skin thanks to numerous rejection letters, but one does worry about sending out an imperfect product. Then again, I can just go over it once more, and roll with the punches. The point would be to get it out there, push for it to sell, even at a mere 99 cents, and hope it generates buzz like Darcie Chan's debut novel discussed in the article at Yahoo.

One of my favorite things about the article is Ms. Chan's description of her novel. "It didn't really fit any genre," Ms. Chan says. "It has elements of romance, suspense, mystery, but it falls into the catch-all category of literary fiction, and of course that's the most difficult to sell."

That has been the bane of my existence. My novel, while set in a dystopian world, has various elements which has made me struggle with pin pointing its genre. For my main characters there are key pieces at play such as troubled and sorrowful pasts and law enforcement jobs that require a cool detachment and a romance that brings about pivotal plot points. Literary Fiction or Fantasy Romance? This is my conundrum, but now that I read this article, I suddenly feel encouraged to throw myself to the lions.

And why not?

Take the chance and see what happens. Worse thing that can happen is no one buys the darn thing. As for poor write ups, well, I will have to take them with a grain of salt now won't I? Great write ups will make me giddy. And if this book does not go, well, I do have the other one in the hole don't I?

Off to the grind I go.

Cheers!

MissFifi

The Cost of E Books

2011-12-06T19:31:00.001-08:00

Are eBooks too expensive?

This question is asked by the SmartMoney blog and I must agree. I constantly question paying $12 for an eBook when the paperback is $6.99. Heck, the library is free.

Publishers seem to be just as baffled as the music industry was back in the days of Napster and files sharing. They are not sure what to do with those of us who want physical books in our hands as well as an eBook. We want to pay money and support the authors, but not be overcharged.

Will this ever get worked out? I hope so. Though we do have a current round of publishers being jerky about the Kindle Lending Library and limiting the amount of times and eBook can go out. Read about that here.

Cheers!

MissFifi

I Hear Music

2011-11-30T06:43:00.000-08:00

On a perkier note today, here are some songs/videos that have been getting serious play in our casa.

Foo Fighters - Rope (Deadmau5 remix) I like it more then the original version.

Aloe Blacc - Loving You Is Killing Me. Fantastic beat and love the kid getting his groove on.

I was cleaning out old cassettes and came across some forgotten but still beloved treasures.

Christian Death - Incendiary Lover. Gothic at its best.

Metallica - The Wait. Well done cover of this awesome Killing Joke song.

Peter Murphy - Deep Ocean Vast Sea. He always delivers.

Julian Cope - Spacehopper. Full of pure innuendo.

Enjoy my darlings.

Cheers!
MissFifi

Society and Politics

2011-11-29T05:36:00.000-08:00

I normally do not like to discuss politics on my blog for the simple reason I am not looking to get into arguments or slander people for their political affiliations. But headlines over the last few days have made me want to bust open a wall. Let us start with societal ills shall we?

Wal Mart's Black Friday.

I should not even need to say much more about this since the world watched a bunch of dolts fight over $2 toasters, $1 towels and pepper spraying fellow shoppers for an XBox. As someone pointed out, "What would these people do during a real crisis like a food, fuel or water shortage?" Clearly the herd would be seriously thinned during a major crisis. It was sad to witness these folks who were rabid with the need for goods that will pretty much crap out after use. (Sorry China, I went there.) You want to shop, shop, but please, act like a civilized human being. Then again, and this will sound elitist and I will not apologize, it also shows the caliber of customer Wal Mart attracts. Keepin' it Klassy.

My beloved home state of New Jersey now has doubled the amount of recipients who have applied for and are using food stamps. I appreciate that folks will not go hungry because of such a program. Or will they? We give people food stamps, but not once do we teach them how to stretch the amount and cook proper foods. Here is an excerpt from this article that pretty much made me want to fling a book across a room and scream.

"Espy said food stamps on average work out to $1.45 per meal, and for some, the benefit can be as little as $16 a month. She said she just spoke with a senior citizen who uses that $16 to buy three boxes of cereal and eats it for breakfast and dinner."

Seriously?? Seriously?? We all know what milk and name brand cereals go for in the stores. No one thinks to teach this woman to buy beans, rice, pasta, frozen veggies and make bulk meals? Show her the store brand corn flakes and buy the milk in containers that do not need to be refrigerated until used. Way cheaper. Why not encourage her to buy frozen chicken pieces and teach her how to stretch a meal? There are so many frugal food websites, magazines like All You, that show how much a meal can costs and how many servings you can get out of that meal. You can also use coupons when using food stamps. HELLO!!!! Does social services even tell these recipients this? If they are too swamped to do so, please, get somebody who wants work, like myself, and have us create a pamphlet of easy, affordable recipes, websites and magazines. List the library as a great source since it has free Internet and will give you magazines they no longer want and a public transport schedule if need be and hand it to those who get their plastic card. If they chose not to use these resources, fine, but then they cannot cry a river, saying no one offered them any assistance.

And now, our future police state. A secret bill was going to be voted on yesterday or today which would allow the military, yes the military, to sweep up US citizens at home and abroad. How about no? How about you are violating my rights as a citizen? I doubt most folks are aware of this lovely story. I read this piece of news on Business Insider yesterday and was not pleased at all. Neither were most of the other readers and they voiced their displeasure and anger quite well. This is where your party affiliation is irrelevant. Both political parties think this is necessary since we are rife with terrorists. Amazing how the term and idea of "terrorism" is this blanket panacea when the government wants to infringe on their citizens rights. Disgusting really and there is no other word for it. We all need to unite, not divide by party, and stop letting them pit us all against one another. It is a mere distraction. We bicker about who is better, Repubs or Dems all while the government goes about their business, parties hand in hand, laughing at our school yard fights.

Sometimes I think I am paranoid, but I know I am not at all. I believe our country's infrastructure has been neglected too long and we have major issues still to come. Winter had not hit full force yet my friends. Laugh all you want at LDS or survivalists and homesteaders, but at least they are all prepared for any sort of emergency. Here at our house we are sort of prepared. We have extra food and water, bought a generator, grow some of our food and have some necessary emergency preparedness tools like a wind up radio and lanterns. Thankfully I have a friend who is LDS and she has given me her Church's emergency preparedness literature which is extensive and very helpful. I still need to get my car pack ready in case we need to flee. I do have blankets in each car thank goodness.

I do not enjoy doom and gloom, no one does, but I refuse to be caught off guard like so many were during the hurricane and snow storm. Mother Nature is a beast, but so is the lack of action over the years by our governments at local, state and national level. There is no preventative done. One needs a bridge to collapse before they repair it and power outages are becoming more common. We can all take steps to secure our own person and even fight the good fight if we can. We can demand better for our politicians and corporations, but there is no guarantee we will get or receive better. But if you are part of the group who expects the government will take care of you and that gas and food will always just appear and you are willing to fight over a $2 towel from China, then this post does not apply to you at all.

Cheers!
MissFifi

Education

2011-11-27T06:35:00.001-08:00

Hope everyone had a lovely, fun filled Thanksgiving. We spent it with friends who live close by and it was great. The food was delicious, the company was great and we pretty much rolled home.

Yesterday we had the pleasure of seeing a dear friend that now lives outside Atlanta, Georgia. We met at another friends house and had a terrific time catching up and meeting her little 19 month old boy. At one point during the visit she announced that once her son goes back to school she would be going back to school to pursue pediatric nursing. We all commended her and moved on to various other topics.

On the ride home, my husband and I began to discuss career changes and school. As we all know, right now, the economy has pretty much beat a lot of this country's citizens into the ground. So the usual solutions thrown out is get a job, get a new career, move to a new city and all on your own time and own dime and own struggles. Now, I am not asking the government to pay for anything, but for most people to make drastic, viable changes in their lives, education is what they need, but most cannot afford to take on their first or another school loan. It seems there is a vicious cycle here being played out. With the way the cost of school is going, not many people will have the opportunity to make that change or move forward. I am not talking about the 20 year old protesting to get college lowered, they will still have a chance of sorts. I am talking about the 30, 40 even 50 year olds who have seen the writing on the wall and want to help scribble a new page in their life. How does one go from factory line worker to IT specialist? English teacher to nurse? Stay at home mom to social worker? What if you need to stay up to date in your chosen field? I need continuing education classes for massage therapy, but at the moment, cannot swing the costs. Wall after wall comes up, not just for me, but for many people.

I doubt our government has any idea how many road blocks are in place. They are the first to demand new jobs, but without any clue on how to truly help get people into these jobs. No solutions or suggestions on how to transition from the old to the new. Cost prohibitive situations make these decisions difficult and it is something we all have to handle individually. There are some solutions out there, not always good ones, and it is a lot to think about for many people. The never ending story right?

Progress is still being made on my novel and this week I need to send out my query on the other book. I was considering getting back into entering short story contests for various reasons. One of them being it is good practice. The other reasons are because your work gets viewed by fellow writers, publishers and agents and the extra bonus is you can win some cash. Now I just need to narrow down the publications and begin the grind. Happy Sunday!!

Cheers!

MissFifi

Money, Money, Money

2011-11-18T06:53:00.000-08:00

I used to love that song by ABBA. Of course, for some of us in today's world, it is truly worrisome thing, money. We think we have enough, but we may not. We work hard, but salaries are stagnant while corporations rake it in and bank it offshore. How I would love to have an offshore account. Ha ha! Money has become an overwhelming abstract and concrete thing in our lives. A dueling force that drives panic, greed, contempt and every other emotion one can conjure.

But let us focus on a pleasant way money can be used. Charity, donations, gift giving, experiences. Not that I am trying to push hardcore consumerism or anything, but to lighten the mood, I wanted to find things one could give even if they have a little money.

The Ticket Kitchen - Sticks of fine hot chocolate. A nice hostess gift or stocking stuffer.

Happy Hen Handbag - The Humane Society has hit it out of the park with this fabulous piece of fashionable kitsch.

Arturo Rios' over the top Red Fascinator Cocktail Hat - Kate is superb.

Charity Navigator is a great site to help narrow down where to donate and how your money is used by the charity of your choice.

MyBOOKmark are hilariously whimsical and great for the reader in your life.

Here are some very unusual graphic tote bags from idiopix.

Larson Farms Natural soap gift set would please anyone.

This Scratch Map from Uncommon Goods is a great gift for the current or future traveler.

I like the idea of a Tasting Plate for a party or intimate dinner.

Michellenstamps has beautiful cards and gift tags which are always good to keep on hand.

All museums have gift memberships and there are always tickets to a good show or restaurant if you prefer to give someone a memorable experience instead. :)

Cheers!

MissFifi

Mish Mash

2011-11-15T06:15:00.000-08:00

Spent the weekend doing lots of errands around the house. For the past few weeks we have been gathering stuff to donate to the United War Veterans Council. they will be picking it up today and I cannot wait for it all to go. Old furniture, dishes and clothes we no longer need or use will go help those in need. Better then just chucking it out in the garbage to go to a landfill.

In keeping with my ridiculous obsession with BBC programming, a friend recommended I watch a series on PBS called Case Histories. I have always had a thing for actor Jason Isaacs. Ever since I saw him in the series "Brotherhood". He is fantastic in this new show and so is the actress that plays his 8 year old daughter. The show takes place in the absolutely stunning city of Edinburgh, Scotland. (That is the picture above. Scotland will now be high on my must-travel to list) I watched all three episodes on PBS online yesterday and I do recommend it. I have also begun watching the crime drama "Luther". It is surprising my characters in my stories aren't all speaking with various English dialects at this point. These crime show are perfect to write to in a sense because of their rhythm, the language and plot lines. As far as character development, some times, when one is not sure how sinister a character can get, there are those that have taken it much further you ever thought possible. Very helpful indeed.

Tonight's dinner menu consists of my hubby's awesome bok choy salad and me trying out a new recipe: Sweet potato gratin and caramelized onions.

Cheers!

MissFifi

Food Daddy Food!

2011-11-10T11:52:00.001-08:00

That phrase was uttered by a TRU.com colleague's little girl almost ten years ago. Let me give you the story. The man's wife was not much of a cook. I guess frozen and fast food were more what she laid out for the kids to eat most of the time. Anyway, they were at a relatives house, perhaps for a holiday, and when all the food started to get brought out, the little girl clapped and smiled and shouted out to her father about the food with glee. When our friend relayed this story we all cracked up and even now, I will use that phrase as a goof. Sadly, our colleague passed away a few years back from a brain tumor. Since this is the season where food becomes the highlight of the season from now until January, I want to honor him by posting some delicious recipes.

I have an obsession with beets. I want this...right now.

Pecan pie french toast. Yes that is the picture of it at the top. Sweet God in heaven does it look fabulous!

Lemony Olive Oil Banana Bread. This looks so pretty and I imagine it would be wonderful with a an array of teas.

Shrimp and Grits casserole. I have never had grits, but I am sure I will like them and it looks darn good.

Grilled Fish Sandwich with Cabbage Slaw. I always like to seek out easy dinners and this would definitely work in a pinch.

Sweet Potato and Sage Gratin. Yum, yum, yum.

Roasted Winter Squash and Onion Turnovers. Goodness these look divine!

My mouth is certainly watering. Time to plan which recipe to make first!

Cheers!

MissFifi

Save Not Spend

2011-11-08T07:40:00.000-08:00

When reading My50syear blog, I came across this video Your Thrift Habits. I think it is so awesome and in all honesty, should be shown in schools today. I do not care how hokey it looks to modern eyes, it is still a valuable lesson.

When did we lose the idea of putting money aside? When did we decide there is no reason to live within our means? Everyone says it is when credit cards came about, but was it just that? How do we refuse to accept it as also partly our own fault? Sure it is easy to blame the banks, Wall Street, mortgage companies, and let us be honest, they have behaved pretty nasty and then got bailed out. But as consumers, we also have a responsibility. For those who wanted to live larger than life, I hold them culpable for their own situation. For those who lost jobs, had medical bankruptcy, I feel for them. Crappy of me to be choosy I know, but it is true. You bought a $500K house while making $40K a year, you are a jackass for thinking you could handle the payments. "But the bank said I could." Banks lend money with interest, that is their job, and most people should know that. Ahhhh ignorance is bliss.

Okay, I did not want to get into a long post about financial situations since there are more than enough news feeds and blogs about the topic. I just wanted to share the video which filmed in 1948 is timely in 2011.

Cheers!

MissFifi

October Noreaster = Self Reliance

2011-11-03T06:27:00.000-07:00

We were without power for about 2 1/2 days. Our house got down to about 52 degrees which was really fun at night when it was 28 degrees outside. Thank goodness we had flannel sheets, a blanket and 2 duvets on the bed. Our cat slept between us and our dog was burritoed in a fleece blanket between us as well. Body heat was used as a great source between species and appreciated. I was lucky enough to go to the office with my husband on Monday to shower and charge our cell phones and computers. It was really weird sitting in a cubicle after 3-4 years. I do not miss it that is for sure. I was happy to have a warm place to sit and work though :)

This year we have lost power about 3 times in 2 months. Not a good sign. As we spoke to neighbors and acquaintances we found out that 20 years ago, if power was lost, it was only out for a day or day and half. Now it is 4 to 5 days. Proof our infrastructure has gone to crap and we need to update. Of course this would mean higher taxes which no one in NJ would even consider. God forbid anyone had planned long ago to bury lines underground and figure out how to protect transformers from tree damage, but let us not get snippy. This whole incident made me tell my husband that no matter if we stay and add on to this house or if we live somewhere else in the USA we will definitely need a wood stove and a generator. the wood stove can be a heat source as well as something to cook on, just in case and as for the generator. Well, I do not want just any generator mind you, no, no, I want a hardcore stand by generator that has a transfer switch and is connected to the house. I want a Guardian by Generac. I know most of you are thinking, "My goodness that is pricey and a touch overboard."

Maybe.

We have a baby on the way and I have no desire to have to go to a hotel or even a kind friends house. What if the friends suddenly lose power? What if the whole state is out? In these uncertain times one has to begin thinking like a homesteader. Some may chuckle at the idea, but let us be serious, the country's infrastructure, bridges, roads, electric, is in desperate need of repairs. Sure you can wait around for the government to do something about it, but I think that is a little naive. Sometimes you need to take matters into your own hands. Nothing dramatic or anarchist, just self preserving.

We discussed the pros and cons of portable generator versus stand by. Portable is great if you are looking to just run a light and the fridge. For us that does not fly as our whole house runs on electric. There are no natural gas lines so when power is out, it is really out at our house. No showers, no cooking, nada. Whoever thought that consideration of energy usage would become so entrenched in our lives? I sure didn't. At least now there are lots of options and information out there. Here are some links to self reliant living magazines/sites that can feed your need to know.

Backwoods Home A friend who has a farm in PA turned me onto this and I passed an issue onto friends who own a cabin in upstate NY and have like 22 acres. They are fans now too.

Mother Earth News One of my favorites

Hobby Farms Helpful information on livestock and gardening

Countryside Always has interesting reader letters and stories

Check any archives and links out as well for even more information on a dizzying array of topics.

Cheers!

MissFifi

Just A Few Things

2011-10-26T06:07:00.000-07:00

Still on my documentary kick, on a friends recommendation, I have been watching Sister Wives. I have to say, out of all the reality shows I have ever been exposed to, this one is the mildest. I watch it and feel like I am just being allowed a glimpse into how one family lives without stupid drama, over scripted screaming and tacky broads. (Thank you Housewives of ______) I get that polygamy grosses out some folks, but here are consenting adults, doing their thing, raising well adjusted, God fearing kids that they encourage to pursue their dreams. That is more then I can say about the Duggars where the girls are expected to just be baby machines.

I get that it is considered illegal, but in all honesty, they are not hurting anyone and I think most folks would agree that there are much worse crimes going on than polygamy. As one reviewer pointed out you see it more of a matriarchal set up instead of patriarchal. I agree to an extent because in some ways, the women definitely rule the home. In other ways, the husband Kody's word is it at times.

My current read is The Poisoners Handbook: Murder and the Birth of Forensic Medicine in Jazz Age New York. Pretty good so far, but since I have only just started, I will hold off on a detailed description of the book.

Writing has been put on hold since I have been getting baby ready. We had our shower and I have more baby wipes then Babies R Us keeps in their distribution centers. This of course is awesome! Actually, I reworked my query letter for the bounty hunter story because I would like to shop it around again while working on the angels story. While I have been very good about organizing my day, I have gotten a little bubble headed. Can I say pregnancy brain? I have to make vocal decisions to take care of things so I do not end up floating around starting five tasks at once.

Intrigued by a cover on Entertainment Weekly, I decided to go to the F/X website and watch the first two episodes of "American Horror Story". Holy freaky deaky series! I am hoping they upload the other episodes so I can keep watching it. It is like a mix of "The Shining", "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark" (Original not stupid remake) and every other well done creepy, eerie horror movie/story done. So perfect for the Halloween season too.

Cheers!

MissFifi

Small Closets and Small Bank Accounts

2011-10-20T06:25:00.000-07:00

Earlier this week, while putting laundry away, I got to thinking how way back when, instead of 20+ pairs of underwear, they may have had a max of ten. Then I mused about how many coats people may have owned or pairs of shoes they had. I glanced around out closet which we had made larger in our bedroom because in a 1920's house, the closets were made for small wardrobes. I am sure there is research and data online somewhere, but I highly doubt everyone had a clothing collection like those depicted in Hollywood films "The Women" or "Auntie Mame". Imagine wearing the same dress twice a week. To some women that would be akin to committing a crime. I may have thought that way when I was much younger, but now I could give a hoot. Since I write from home I sit in my jammies, I am not ashamed, then when I get ready for the gym I throw on the workout clothes. Do not misunderstand me, I love a fabulous pair of shoes and a good outfit, but if I do not need it or cannot afford it, no reason to get crazy about such a thing.

But let me try to reel in my thoughts here and see if I can get a better handle on where I need to head.

Over the last few years the world has been the parallel universe to the Roaring Twenties slamming into the Great Depression. We had some fun times, but now we will pay and pay dearly. As everyone struggles as a collective, there are moments when you read or hear a story about people tired of "sacrificing" so they run to the closest department store to buy a handbag or outfit. I could care less that these folks get gratification this way. I am merely interested in why a purchase like that makes any single one of us giddy with power for a short time. Soon enough the power of the purse wears off and you are looking for the next thrill.

Right now there are people we know and do not know who have to choose between an electric bill or groceries, medical care or gasoline for the car. Some seriously scary stuff. And then there is what someone coined "American Poverty." That would be a person who complains that they really wanted to get the 56" tv but had to settle for the 42" or have to buy a used BMW instead of new one. Some Americans gets skewed about material items because let us face it, we are spoiled rotten and used to having our cake and eat it too. The question is, if our overindulgence can never come back, how many folks will adjust with ease or keep having a tantrum? Who can say? These times have brought on the survival of the fittest along with those trying to be fit. Sucks really. People are beholden to the companies they work for now since mobility has gone out the window. Raises and bonuses are pretty much null and void, unless you are Wall Street, which is a whole other can of worms. Layoffs are doled out on whims, health insurance policies are getting more expensive and all of this combined makes the cost of living burdensome and more terrifying.

And to think this all got conjured up by folding laundry. Small closets and having less clothes to what we have become during this economy and having less money. Multiple headlines causes my post to be all over the place. Maybe I can cue this up as a stream of consciousness piece? William Faulkner would be so proud.

Cheers!

MissFifi

Two Films That Were Too Bad

2011-10-18T14:39:00.000-07:00

Ever watch a movie and by the end of it you are left undecided about how you feel or if it was worth your time? I have had that happen with the last two films I watched.

Sometimes it is fun to go through Netflix by actor and see what may catch my eye. I was going though Ethan Hawke and came across "Staten Island". I read the description and a few re3views and figured, why not? Along with Mr. Hawke we have Vincent D'Onofrio and Seymour Cassel. While their performances were good, though D'Onofrio portrayed his mobster a little quirkier then what one usually sees, the story seemed a little off. A few times I sort of sat there with a furrowed brow just wondering where the hell this was all going. It seemed disjointed at times and other times it tried to have a heart while missing a beat or two. The ending was a little hard to believe, but hey, it is a movie. I believe I rated it 2 stars, or maybe it was 3. Forgive me, I have mommy brain. LOL

This morning, while I worked on my novel, I finally gave into the Netflix suggestion for me to watch the supposed comedy-drama "Your Friends and Neighbors". Let me start out by saying it is an ensemble piece and Ben Stiller was part of the ensemble. I mention this because I do not enjoy his work at all so deciding to watch it was huge. Wait, I lie, I did like him in The Royal Tenenbaums and Permanent Midnight. The latter being one of his best and most overlooked performances ever. Anyway, back to the flick I watched today. I am okay with a script being misanthropic, miserable, misogynist and every dark, ugly thing in between. This film had it and then some. All I kept thinking as I watched it was "Who the hell would want to even know these people on a social basis let alone sleep with any of them?" Every character was flawed, like us real life folk, but the flaws were so annoying and at times, repulsive, that I could not connect with a one of them. Nope, not one. The women were one dimensional, with a sneak peek at two dimensions, but it was gone before you could blink. Ditto for the men. The Jason Patric character was so revolting that I was hoping someone would come along with a sledge hammer and pummel him until he was dead. (Perhaps that shows Mr. Patric did his job and made me loathe him so, but still.) When it was all over I was dumbfounded. I rated it 2 stars.

Cheers!

MissFifi

Visual Inspiration

2011-10-12T11:49:00.001-07:00

Homes in movies, redesigns of kitchens, gardens big and small, these are a few things that can bring me a calm breath. Especially when my days are spent writing and researching various religious topics for my novel getting one overloaded on bible literalism. This is where a blog like Hooked On Houses gives me much pleasure. I really enjoy Before and Afters like this small bathroom makeover. It gets me excited for when we finally get to do our own bathroom makeover. Of course it will be nothing like taking out a few extra rooms to expand it, but using the footprint we have with no issue.

This house in Encino is lovely, but my goodness, I could not imagine cleaning that much white upholstery, rugs, walls, cabinets, etc. My white stove and cabinets always look dingy. Such a shame.

My admiration for Candice Olson has existed for a very long time and I would sell my car to have her revamp my home. Okay, I need my car, but if had the cashola, I would hire her in a NY minute.

House of Turquoise has a serious bathroom redo that makes me drool! Featured in Period Living, a UK magazine that my hubby has brought me from time to time and is one of my faves, this exquisite tub and Victorian canopy shower just begs to be admired.

I will always respect people who can DIY major renovations like gutting bathrooms and kitchens. The owners of this Brooklyn Limestone should be proud and pleased with their results. I also like that they offer tips on their site for some projects they have done.

That is it folks, I need to get back to work or else I will continue to get lost in the land of design blogs which can be too easy.

Cheers!

MissFifi

State of Wonder

2011-10-04T12:13:00.002-07:00

Upon reading a review of Ann Patchett's book, State of Wonder, I downloaded a sample to my Kindle and read it. I liked what I read and got on my local library's wait list to get my hands on the novel. I just finished reading it and I find myself trying to figure out how I feel. I liked it. I did not love it, but I enjoyed the journey. The reasons I did not love it is because the main character, Marina, pissed me off by not standing up for herself at any point with her indomitable, former teacher/mentor, Dr. Swenson. I get Marina was emotionally stunted and that a prior awful experience in her medical residency threw her into the pharmaceutical field. But there were times, especially when she was in the Amazon, interacting once again with Dr, Swenson, where I felt she should have gotten a back bone. Then there was the whole drug company/fertility/malaria drug story that at times was a touch confusing. The novel had a few other moments throughout it where I could not suspend my disbelief. even the ending is still leaving me a little loose. I do not want to reveal spoilers because every one is entitled to find their own way through a book. There was even a moment I felt like I was in a magical realism book. Not meaning it is bad, just that if the whole books is magical realism that is great. I do not like to get blindsided with various genres in one sitting.

Star rating: 3 1/2

Cheers!

MissFifi

For The Love Of Series - Please, Do Sit Down.

2011-10-03T06:39:00.002-07:00

When I write, I like to have music or movies on to help inspire me. As of late, I have been watching the BBC One series Lark Rise to Candleford. This is based on the book by Flora Thompson which I am hoping to get my hands on at some point.

My Anglophile obsession started very young. I am not quite sure when or where it fueled into such a huge interest. The Beatles played in my house growing up and I was well aware of Buckingham Palace, but I cannot recall the exact moment my fascination kicked in and stuck. Maybe it was the stories of Peter Pan and Robin Hood, including the Errol Flynn and Disney versions, when I was a child? Regardless, it has never waned. So much so that when I Netflix a series, most of the time it ends up being part of the BBC brigade.

Now before anyone thinks I am daft, I do not have some romantic notion of British life. I am well aware of the undercurrent of incivility and injustice that lies in all societies and the UK is no different. Do we need to rehash British Empire history and class warfare to make that point? I think not. What I enjoy most when I watch a period piece is a glimpse into how life was once lived. The rituals and sometimes odd and confining traditions. You cannot imagine that I would want to be so constrained as a female was back in Jane Austen's days. One thing I have always envied in the English? Tea time. That's right. A tradition that can be replicated anywhere and every day. If only I could do it everyday. Laugh all you want, it is a wonderful way to wile away the afternoon. Victorian Trading Company has all the esssentials needed to host such a soiree as well.

Getting back in step with the theme of series watching: We are still in the throes of watching the BBC show MI-5 which is fantastic. I wonder what will come next after I complete Lark Rise to Candleford. Maybe I will pick something more current instead of a period piece. Though I love them so.

We also just finished Arrested Development. Everyone's delivery of dialogue, the dark, twisted humor. That show was so off the cuff and so brilliant. Lucille Bluth (Jessica Walter) was HILARIOUS. I now have a huge crush on Jason Bateman too. Then again, who wouldn't? haha *Happy feet dance here: I just read on Gizmodo that Netflix is looking to revive the show by having it become part of original programming. That means we will get season 4 and the movie. Whoo hoo!!!

My writing has been moving along, praise the teenage Jesus, and I have this funny notion that I will have the book completed and edited before I give birth. I am not sure if the expectation is rational, but I would like to have it done and sent out to an agent before December. Fingers crossed my friends, fingers crossed.

Cheers!

MissFifi

Sandman

2011-09-26T05:13:00.001-07:00

Neil Gaiman is one of the few authors that if I ever met him, I may gush and scream in his face. How 14 of me and how scary that would be for Mr. Gaiman.

All that silliness aside, my first exposure to him was when I picked up the first issue of the iconic graphic novel, Sandman, many moons ago. For whatever reason, I never stayed with the series, but it had made quite an impression.

Now, a few decades later, I have begun to read the series in its entity and may I say I am blown away. Thanks to my lovely local library, I am able to get the The Sandman Library which has all ten collections of the run. Yes I would love to purchase it, but it is a little out of our price range at the moment. Regardless, last night I finished reading The Dolls' House and may I say it was the creepiest, most offensive and repulsive thing I ever read. yes, it was sheer awesomeness. A whole section about serial killers at a convention of their own kind was too unbelievable. His imagination spans realms that I never thought possible. I am not a big fantasy reader because I am particular about ho much disbelief I can suspend, but with his works, I am easily lead into the world of the Endless, the Graveyard and London Below.

One of the other interesting things about The Sandman is seeing the basis for American Gods peeking through. Like I have said before, I will not read that book yet for fear of having it influence me too much. All I would need is to read it, then discover we have similar characters. That would suck something awful. And, of course, the more of his work I read, they more it influences my own writing. What I try to take away is not his style or voice, but the structuring. The way his plots can lack restraints and how he weaves in a myriad of characters throughout a story. I use him as a teacher of sorts even though there is no classroom or Q&A. Can you imagine? The man would run from me because I would pick his brain to no end. Actually, I am sure there are worse fans then me out there. Ha ha!

My writing has had its up and downs, but The Sandman has begun helping me alter my perception of what a story should be or how it can be told. This greatly assists me as I write my Angels story. I can break away even further from conventional theories that we, and most religions have, of angels and heaven and hell. Not that I have not been rebelling on my own as I write their stories, but it gives me an extra push and washes away any lack of fear to let my characters go where they want. Sometimes it is off course, but I think one needs to allow these mistakes and detours to improve one's writing.

Maybe one day I can thank Mr. Gaiman for his influence and for writing such fantastical stories. And I promise not to squeal like a school girl...maybe. ;-)

Cheers!

MissFifi

Crumblin' Down

2011-09-22T06:53:00.000-07:00

John Mellencamp sang it best, "When the walls come tumblin' down"

10 Things You Should Know This Morning on Business Insider is what preempted me to think of the song. We can only hope things will get better, but it is touch. I was listening to NPR yesterday and the ex-Governor of Michigan made a great point. She said, not verbatim, "We cannot solve 21st century problems with 20th century solutions. We need structural change to function in this global economy." I agree. This problem needs to be approached in an entirely different way then it has been. But we o have brats on both sides in Washington DC so this will be a long haul indeed.

Cheers!

MissFifi

Fabulous Documentaries

2011-09-20T11:08:00.002-07:00

I have been on a serious documentary kick of late. One that got me going was called The Art of the Steal and let it be said that when it is all over, you will have a very different view of Philadelphia, The Annenberg Foundation, Pew Charitable Trust and those that broke the Last Will and Testament of Dr. Barnes. The art collection Dr. Branes had amassed shows what vision he had regarding who and when he purchased it all.

Now I am sitting through a very disturbing documentary about true white trash: The Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Virginia. I am just speechless to be honest. Family member Jesco White is a famous American mountain dancer who has battled drugs and depression for a long time without much success. The rest of his clan also represent everything that goes wrong when you are uneducated, drug addled and believe might makes right. I cannot fathom where their moral compasses are set since none have an issue snorting coke in front of Grandma or stabbing spouses/boyfriends. The fact that they get government assistance even though they deal drugs and do nothing to better themselves baffles they hell out of me. Apparently most of West Virginia is none too proud that this family is so well known. Not just by law enforcement, but by the general populace. Truly an eye opening and repulsive documentary at the same time. Enjoy the trailer.

Cheers!

MissFifi

Forensic Pathology

2011-09-15T11:23:00.000-07:00

This is a field I love and if I could turn back time, cue Cher, I would work towards becoming a Chief Medical Examiner.

Marcella Fiero was interviewed in the Frontline documentary Post Mortem. I think she is brilliant and I love how her and some of her colleagues want to implement serious and necessary changes within the medical examiner system.

What pissed me off was the amount of incompetence shown throughout parts of the United States. New Orleans was particularly aggravating. The coroner is a former ob/gyn with a team of forensic pathologists working under him. Coroners are the ones who get the final say in how someone passed away. Some of his cases seemed to err in favor of the police. Unfortunately, New Orleans law enforcement has always had a sketchy existence and the story did not make it much better.

What also floored me was how if a pathologist screwed up in one state, he would just move to another and get a new job. There are no federal mandates or funding. Of course there are a few private forensic groups, but one of them in Northern California had an inept pathologist working for them who had screwed up in several other states.

By not having much funding, there is poorly functioning equipment, some offices even lack x ray machines. There is also no way to set up a proper database to see if a pathologist/medical examiner has have ever been arrested or lost their medical license. This might help to prevent future misdiagnosis of deaths. They also have no set accreditation for medical examiner offices and their staff which is also ludicrous. Yes there are lots of problems going on in the US right now, but let's be dramatic. If your loved one was murdered, wouldn't you want the person doing the autopsy to be fully educated in a properly equipped facility?

Cheers!

MissFifi

Economist Article: Mass-market retailing changed publishing before the e-book

2011-09-14T05:04:00.000-07:00

Last night I came across an interesting article in The Economist which was how publishing has changed. I found this timely considering what I posted about yesterday. A lot of the article is right in line with what Editor X had discussed during the Q&A about big names get churned out to keep the publishing house in cash to then fund unknowns to an extent.

It does make me ponder if self publishing will be the way I have to go since the death knell of many booksellers are ringing throughout the land. The more that happens, the harder it will be for the Big 6 publishers to push the little guy. Makes one think of how the music industry almost imploded when people took to making and distributing music on their own terms. Perhaps the publishers need to think about that or else they too will feel the heat. Considering the amount of self published works selling on Amazon already though, they may be a little late to the game.

"Few people will mourn publishers’ losses from increased price competition and new technology like e-readers. The question is whether these trends undermine the quality of books which are being published, by breaking a business model that has let firms focus on variety and range. Publishers have good reason to shiver at the decline of traditional bookshops. To fund the discovery and promotion of new authors, they have relied on books that sell steadily over a number of years. Yet mass retailers stock a few hundred new blockbusters."

Cheers!

MissFifi

Who Needs Editors?

2011-09-13T05:56:00.000-07:00

The Smart Bitches blog did a two part series called "Ask The Editor". May I say my ire rose quite a few times in response to the editor's answers on certain questions. Let me share just a few things that made me want to scream. You learn why authors such as James Patterson and Nora Roberts can publish a few bad books and keep going. Hell, they are the money makers and as such get massive passes. They feed the machine and let the publishing house pick up an unknown here and there thanks to the big bucks crankers. I have no problem with that. I have a problem when the big money makers can get away with filling in the blanks and it is considered good to publish because it is by "So and so".

You also find out if you are trying to break into the business, your manuscript better be as close to perfect as possible. I am doing my best to create and send in something that could pretty much just be put out to the public, but I do not like that big names can phone it in and are given a pass. Yes, I sound embittered and I am. I find this to be unfair and even though it is how the world works it puts a huge ass bee in my bonnet.

There was also the point of there are no fact checkers really so it is left entirely up to the author to do their homework. I have no problem doing the leg work, last night I had the pleasure of researching surfing and deaths caused during surfing, good times, but it would be helpful to have someone with a more educated eye make sure I got the scene right or notice a glaring error.

Needless to say, I ended up pissed off and commented on both posts. I am sure I am seen as a bratty, unpublished shrew, so be it. Some of the answers from Editor X made me realize why so many up and comers are going the self publishing route. Based on sheer frustration some authors are willing to undertake all the insane busy work like editing, jacket design, promotion, etc. Then again, if you can handle all of that, what purpose do the editors and publishers serve anymore? Makes one really think that is for sure.

Read part one and part two yourselves and take away from it what you will.

Cheers!

MissFifi

A Sunny Friday

2011-09-09T13:22:00.000-07:00

Today is sunny and it makes one want to skip around in the grass with joy. Not that it means places are not still flooded or filled with stagnant water. All it really means is that there is finally a reprieve from all the downpours we have endured day after day. Hurricane season, in a word, sucks. And not just for coastal cities anymore it seems. Myself, I would have liked to have been able to store this water and send it to Texas to give them a hand with their drought. Alas, it was not to be.

Due to the impending arrival of a bundle of joy in the next few months, we have had to move rooms and possessions around to accommodate. What I have discovered is that not only is my husband a whirlwind when he gets going on a serious project, but that moving the office to the room off the kitchen was actually a fantastic idea. I am happy to sit here at the desk and write/knit/sew with complete abandon. My husband likes it because he is just in the living room and we are on the same floor so he can pop in just to chat. Not that walking upstairs was a pain, but it is just easier.

What is most surprising is that I really, really like the set up in this bright green room. There's a good vibe which is making me work much better. Changes have had to happen, yet again, but they are flowing better. I feel more in tune with the story and with y inner muse. Too bad it could not be an outer muse that looked like Richard Armitage or Hugh Jackman, but that is just me.

Someone suggested I watch the what sounded heinous reality show Dance Moms. As someone who hates reality tv, I gave this a go and within one minute I knew it was not for me. I am all for teaching children what healthy competition is and that not everyone is a winner, but when you speak to them and say, "I can make you or break you." Hell no. Plus it takes place in Pittsburgh. Let me be a regional NYC snob for a moment and ask you to name a famous dancer out of Pittsburgh. Now I will blow your mind. Ready? The fabulous Martha Graham is one. Gene Kelly is another. Who knew?? Here is a list of famous people who were born or have lived in Pittsburgh at one time or another. See? You learn something new everyday :)

Cheers!

MissFifi

Post-It Wars

2011-09-06T14:16:00.000-07:00

These are just way too cool. As someone who was a thrilled kid to play "Pong" and the first Atari, I love the Space Invaders window.

POST-IT WARS

Cheers!

MissFifi

American Hollow

2011-09-01T07:40:00.001-07:00

Way back when, 1999 to be exact, I had seen a documentary by Rory Kennedy called American Hollow. I was blown away by the standard of living the family has pretty much stayed in for about 100 years. If I recall correctly, one of the family members had "escaped" and came back to try and get one of the young men to go with him, back to Ohio I think, but the kid could not hack it.

Having just come back from North Carolina and Appalachian country, it made me think of this documentary again and I found it on You Tube. Unless someone from the area was to tell me different, I would say it is pretty accurate in showing how welfare can be detrimental to a rural family. Instead of offering them job training or help to get out. Then again, this LA Times article puts a different spin to it:

Why, despite more education, more opportunities, and more exposure to the outside world, do so many younger men and women--including all of Iree's children--venture out to more prosperous regions, live and work there a while, and then return to the hollow, to lives of welfare dependency and disappointment?

The question is sensitive because it suggests the plight of Appalachia's poor, and perhaps the poor in other places, is not entirely a matter of innocent individuals crushed by social injustice and uncaring outside forces. It suggests an element of personal choice.

So seven generations have stayed where they are, content to just be. In a way they are survivalists and impressive ones. Living off the land, canning, hunting, practicing skills from days gone by, but they could not survive without the welfare checks. Makes me wonder how they are all doing now considering the economy is pretty much in the tank.

Cheers!

MissFifi

Vacation and Irene

2011-08-31T11:20:00.001-07:00

Last week I had the pleasure of renting a cabin with the hubby and dog in Asheville, NC. We had been there about 4 years ago and loved it so this time we decided to spend a nice amount of time there.

We stayed at this delightful cabin in East Asheville called Azalea Mountain Cabin. It was conveniently located to everything and had a nice size yard for Isadora to hang out and play in with a cool porch in front and nice deck in back. The other plus was that it was secluded which made it really nice. Very quiet at night. The interesting thing was we had no cell phone or internet service at the cabin. Thankfully the cabin had a landline if one needed to make a call for whatever reason.

We got to visit the NC Arboretum which made us both rethink how one landscapes their yard. When my inlaws came for an overnight visit with my brother in law and nephew we took them to the WNC Nature Center.

One of my favorite places is Malaprops Bookstore and we took the family there before we went and had lunch at Carmel's. I had an excellent fried green tomato sandwich and my hubby had a catfish reuben which he said was delicious. The next day we had lunch at Chorizo's which was a wonderful combo of Latin/Southern food.

Once everyone had gone we took a day and drove 30 miles south on the Blue Ridge Parkway which was lovely and I got to see Cold Mountain which is located in the Pisgah National Forest. The scenery is just breathtaking and you really feel a part of something bigger when the mountains surround you and you look down into the valleys or have a vista that goes on for miles.

We had dinner at The Laughing Seed Cafe one night and walked around the downtown area and he had a beer at Lexington Avenue Brewery. Asheville has become Beer City it seems so my husband was in heaven. I can't drink since I am expecting a baby in January so I got to enjoy the atmosphere which was just fine.

We were supposed to stay from Sunday to Saturday, but with Irene threatening to make our commute home very windy and rainy, we left on Friday. Which worked out best because on Saturday we were able to get some non-perishable foods and other errands. we lost power on Saturday around 1am and did not get it back until Monday at 9:45pm.. Not bad, sort of like Luddite living :) We did get water in our basement and that sucked. A kind neighbor who had power lent us his generator to get our sump pump and wet vac going again so that was great.

Now I am trying to get back into the groove of things with writing and doing house stuff.

Currently I am reading My Mexico by Diana Kennedy and it is quite the insight into various Mexican cultures with lots of amazing recipes.

Cheers!

MissFifi

Highest paid authors

2011-08-18T08:55:00.001-07:00

I love the first comment to this article which is "Note to English majors...crap sells."

These 10 authors are the highest paid in the world

I would give JK Rowling a pass as an awesome author and I have always enjoyed Stephen King, but most of these, I am sure Diary of a Wimpy Kid is fun, are just pure fluff. God Bless.

Cheers!

MissFifi

Words As Art

2011-08-10T18:29:00.000-07:00

I have officially decided to divorce my sinuses. This is the second infection in about a month and a half, two months. Someone suggested I get an air purifier which I am going to look into. I have been using a neti pot which is sort of funky feeling, but it helps.

Writing has been cumbersome. This is because I gave myself writer's block by changing something so I deserve to be frustrated. I just keep thinking, "this too shall pass" and every other cliched saying you can come up with. Like I said, it is my own fault, but I gotta suck it up and get it done. I have given myself a deadline of end of the month> I am not sure if this is wise and who knows? I may end up setting my Kindle on fire, I doubt it, but it is in front of me and so it is the lucky choice. Once I get a move on I will be fine, but this stop and start and crazy story line hijacking on my part has got to stop.

A friend decided she wants to get a tattoo of Alice in Wonderland slaying the Jabberwocky. A search commenced and she did find something that she will most likely modify. During this process I uncovered a superb website called Contrariwise: Literary Tattoos. People have taken passages from favorite novels, poems, songs and illustrations and have made them a permanent part of their everyday life. I have never though of having words placed on my body. Sounds silly, but there are many great quotes and great lines in songs, but to want it there permanently? Never gave it much thought.

Until now of course.

I love the film "The Wings of the Dove" and one of my fave scenes is when after Millie dies, Susie and Merton are waiting for her coffin to cross the water to the Church. Merton's melancholy voice over has this last line "Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest" Psalm 55:6 is where it originates from and when I heard it, I was moved. That is the one phrase I could imagine somewhere on my body. Where I do not know, but that is neither here nor there. In this busy world we sometimes forget the beauty of words. Hearing instead of listening, meaning gets lost in translation and we can't recall things said only five minutes ago. This attention deficit world has affected us and the written word. Isn't it wonderful when you hear or see a certain phrase or saying and it transports you back to a special time or place? No matter if it is spoken, handwritten, typed or on a Kindle, words will always move people. And it seems that some will even move people enough to have them become a part of them forever.

Cheers!

MissFifi

Buy Well, Buy Once on Re-Nest

2011-08-08T13:50:00.000-07:00

Great post on Re-nest about not buying junk for your house and investing in quality pieces.

Buy Well, Buy Once

What I really like is this comment from one of the readers: "This reminds me of my favorite Russian saying which (loosely translated) is: I am too poor to buy cheap things."

Cheers!

MissFifi

Jumbled In My Head

2011-08-03T18:21:00.000-07:00

My mind is an odd place to be for various reasons.

Query letters, plot ideas, revamping old stories, thinking of new ones...how do I make it stop?

Today I heard a song on the radio that reminded me of a novel a wrote at least two years ago. I had sent a query into Carina Press and they rejected it, which was probably wise on their part. I am certain if I was to open that novel now I would be horrified by the mistakes I must have made.

The funny thing, as I listened to the song I had this urge to get onto my computer, rip open the file and rework the book. First off, it was a true blue romance novel. Unrequited love at its best. Or with my poor structure and writing at its worst. Second, if I was to blaze through it and fix it, would I want that to be the first thing that sells and get pigeonholed? Why is this a dilemma? Why do I care? Because genres are important to fans, publishers and writers. I can't say I would want to write a love story all the time, but if it pays the bills and does well, who am I to complain?

In truth, I would like to write what I want when I want, but there is an internal struggle to have to force myself into a cog in the book world wheel and be happy with it.

As for my current novel, I have given myself a deadline to complete, edit and send it out to agents for consideration. The "bounty hunter" book never got picked up and while I have reworked the query, that one may have to hover and never see the light of day. Which sucks, but perhaps it is better to walk away now and come back to it later.

I could be more disciplined. Getting up at 6:30, writing until noon then do my routine of gym and housework, but life intervenes all the time. Plans happen, shit happens. I know in my heart of hearts all this work will achieve something and the books will get done, but my impatience has gotten the best of me lately. To just be finished and feel that accomplishment. To send out the droves of query letters, get a bite, get signed and have contracts in place would feel marvelous. Alas, I am not alone in wanting that, so the competition is fierce. Especially with so much changing in the world of publishing.

I don't feel discouraged, just discombobulated. I need to get my focus back, let the characters use their voices and sweep myself out of the a rut.

I know I am getting a little disenchanted with my current story when I start to think of the next book, I have already outlined that one, or I think about a much older book and what could make it grand. Yes, I need to reel myself in and buckle down. Every moment of writing has a high point and a very very low one. Then again, this could be worse, I could have no ambition to write a word at all anymore and for me that would be much harder to take.

Cheers!

MissFifi

Bad Writing Abounds In Twilight Novels

2011-07-29T15:16:00.000-07:00

I have never had the desire to read the "Twilight" series. What I knew about them sounded like a bad young adult novel and I could not be bothered. Besides, I read Anne Rice's Vampire Series years ago, which I thoroughly enjoyed, but that was enough vampire lore for me.

I have a very good friend that loves "Twilight". One day I saw her book on the table, picked it up, read one page, threw the book down and said to my husband, "This is written like absolute crap!"

And yet the books are best selling series and the author makes millions. Bless her heart.

I hate dumbed down books and I really hate books written as if the author never took an English class. Oddly enough, Ms. Meyer was an English major, go figure.

From what I have read in regards to the Twilight books and heard during conversations about the beloved series, I know that I do not like her main characters. They sound like people that would fall under Too Stupid Too Live for me. A vapid, needs to be loved so bad, loner girlfriend and the dominant, heavy handed, stalker boyfriend. But what I disliked more than anything was that glimpse of poor writing. There are millions around the world who think those books are as good as it gets. God save us.

I have been happy to find out that I am not the only one who loathes snippets of the awful. Or in the case of "Twilight" and its spawn, constant awful of immense magnitudes. The blog "Reasoning With Vampires" goes page by page to pick out the insanity. As you comb through you have to wonder if the editor took a vacation or just decided, "To hell with it, this should sell anyway."

Here are the archives which is just filled with little gems.

JeffMcGinnis of the Toledo Free Press did an interview with Dana of RWV that gives insight into what made her take on this arduous task.

I may sound catty, but I believe when one writes a book, even a book full of fluff, you should aim high not mid ground or lower.

Cheers!

MissFifi

Thanks George R.R. Martin

2011-07-27T19:02:00.000-07:00

I have never read the beloved series, "A Song of Fire and Ice" nor have I seen "Game of Thrones." As those who read my blog know, I have not had much luck with series, except Thursday Next, so I hesitate about picking up this one. I do know those that have read it love it and wait with baited breath for each new release.

This wait has caused ire among some of his fans because his most recent release took six years for him to complete. I have written on this blog before about Neil Gaiman's awesome response back in May 2009 to an irate George R.R. Martin fan who had reached out to Neil to ask if it was unrealistic to believe Mr. Martin was letting him down by not getting the book done in a timely fashion. If you never read it, please do since it is pretty much right on in regards to what most writer's go through.

The reason I have brought up Mr. Martin is that Entertainment Weekly has been doing numerous interviews with the author George R.R. Martin and the huge span between his last and current book is addressed. What I love most is Mr. Martin's answer about what happened during those six years when fan impatience became so intense that a mere blog post by the author suggesting he was doing something else besides writing caused an uproar among his fans.

His reply: "I never had the sort of writer's block where I didn't go near the typewriter. But I had days where I would sit there and couldn't write and I would spend all day answering emails, or I would rewrite and couldn't go forward."

This is exactly what I have been going through the last few weeks. How refreshing to read a well known author with a ravenous following has the same issues. I feel more fortunate though that I do not have fans berating me to other author's or lambasting me on their blogs. I am sure it did not bother him, but it is frustrating when you are a writer and have days where, in truth, the characters, the storyline, all of it just sits there and you are stuck. Or like myself, you figure out what is wrong with the story, then decide to rewrite and fix the issue, hence unleashing a whole new set of hurdles. The never ending creative process sometimes seems bleak, but there is light, it just takes longer to get to it sometimes.

I can also appreciate people wanting to get their hands on the next level of the story, but I wonder if his series is more intense and written much better then some of the series I have read? The ones were they get churned out every six months or so just seem like fill in the blank. I cannot imagine that his books are like that. Looks like I might have to check them out.

Cheers!

MissFifi

Kindle Prices Are Pissing Me Off

2011-07-25T14:34:00.000-07:00

That's right. I have had it.

As a writer, of course I want to support my fellow artists, but not when the price of the book is sometimes DOUBLE what the paperback or hardcover costs.

I get that publishers fear the e-book and still have no idea what to do about it. They remind me of those that hate Netflix, Pandora, Spotify and various other similar business models. And yes, this is a collective tongue lashing aimed at the Music, Movie/TV and Publishing industries.

Instead of embracing the waves of the future and working with the consumer, they have decided to punish us instead for using new technology and charge A LOT for items that do not warrant the high price tag.

I was on the blog NY Spender to read a review of a book called "Deluxe: How Luxury Lost Its Luster" by Dana Thomas. The author of the blog stated the book cost a mere $5.69 and I headed on over to Amazon to download it. My mistake. The paperback is $5.69. The Kindle version? $12.99. (See here.) WHAT THE HELL???

So here is where the publisher and even the author loses. I will order it from the library and now I will get it for free. This burns my ass because every single time I want to get a book, it costs more then me running to a book store which I find absurd. No wonder people are self publishing more and more. Charge $5 and the author gets most of the revenue. Charge $15 and I imagine the publisher and agent get more then the author. Advances exist, but they are not all in the hundreds of thousands of dollars or even the millions. Some are just a mere ten grand. Nothing to sneeze at, but is sure not in the realm of what John Grisham or Jodi Picoult can rake in with their work.

How can a new author gain traction when the publisher is pricing the book like it is 2005 when people had much more disposable income then they do now? Okay, I admit this a personal preference. I do not have a ton of extra cash to spend on every book I want to read, but $5 is a lot easier to spend then $13 or $15.

I am not sure if publishers will ever come down in price, but I am certain there are folks out there that will upload, ie: pirate, just like many have for movies and music. Publishers could price books in a range where it could help prevent a lot of that. I know there will always be a place for illegal uploads of all kinds, but if publishers would work with what the current consumer can and will pay, they may win a little more loyalty instead of anger and resentment.

Cheers!

MissFifi

The Classics

2011-07-22T05:29:00.000-07:00

Everybody has an opinion on classic literature. Some love to read it, indulging themselves often, others loathe it, only reading the stories when it is required coursework. I fall into the middle. Some classics I love and others I could care less if I ever read them again.

For most of us, our introduction to the classics comes via high school English class. If you have a teacher that is passionate about the subject you are bound to learn something. If you have one that just reads from the book and is waiting on retirement, well, we have seen a lot of results of that.

I was fortunate to have one English teacher that brought stories like "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" and "To Kill A Mockingbird" to life in a unique way. We had to read the books, discuss them, then watch the movies. By watching the movies we could see where liberties were taken, what was lost in the interpretation, etc. I had a similar experience with a teacher in college. Great guy but he had us read "Heart of Darkness" then watch "Apocalypse Now". I am probably one of the only people in the free world that disliked the book and the film. I even tried to watch the film again not too long ago and to be quite frank, I wanted to rip my eyes out.

Now, Shakespeare, a man who I would dare say is dreaded by many, wrote one of my favorite plays, "Macbeth". I had to read it in high school and oddly enough, I took to it. Its dark nature is probably what attracted me, but I always enjoyed the story as well as "A Midsummer Night's Dream".

Recently I happened to watch a fantastic current interpretation of "Macbeth". Patrick Stewart plays Macbeth and Kate Fleetwood is Lady Macbeth. The setting is during a modern day war and the Three Witches are represented by nurses which was amazing. Here is their "Double Double Toil and Trouble" scene which is creepy as all hell. This would be the best version to show to high school students, if I was their teacher, because it captures the misery, the darkness and sheer all out creepiness of the play.

I have always complained about Hollywood's lousy way of interpreting novels to the screen. White Oleander anyone??? But it is the one broad medium, besides TV or even Broadway, where Classics can be revived. Show people a somewhat updated version, but do not lose the tone, the language or the true meaning. I would bet that a lot of people will pick up the book afterwards. I watched Bleak House with Gillian Anderson, then proceeded to download the book onto my Kindle and have been reading it with glee. Dickens was a great writer and yet, I had never read a thing of his. For shame on me.

I believe that Classics exist because after some light hearted/heavy romance or sci-fi or mystery novels, we want to go back to "The Great Gatsby" or "Little Women". There are memories of self discovery or a reminder of who we once were when we read them. Not all classics are great or loved, Aldous Huxley and I never got on well, but the books have stood the test of time for a reason. They embody a place and time that no longer exists. For that I am most grateful.

Cheers!

MissFifi

Publishers and Book Stores: Will they get it together?

2011-07-19T06:16:00.000-07:00

Publicity agent Kathleen Schmidt tweeted a great explanation how the closing of Borders effects the publishing industry and all of us writers. I think the real question that needs to be asked is what have been book stores been doing wrong that these massive chains are taking hits and closing? I myself have always loved The Strand in NYC, but I do not go there all the time. Yes I have a Kindle, but ever since publishers decided to charge $12.99 for e-books that I can get in paperback for $9.99 or at the library for free, they lose my business. Publishing has a lot of issues and they need to get their act together, just as much as the book stores do. Electronic devices will not wipe out physical books, but that does not mean publishers or stores should be complacent or over pricing either.

Here's The Simplest, Clearest Explanation You'll Find Of How Borders Closing Affects The Book Industry

Thanks Business Insider.

Cheers!

MissFifi

Subtlety is Key

2011-07-13T05:57:00.000-07:00

The past two weeks I have been suckered into watching some very heavy shows. One of them is season 2 of "Sleeper Cell" and the other is "MI 5". Both shows deal with the government, spooks and terrorists. Some days I need a break from all the Islamic terrorism and Russia trying to gain world power with their oil. The shows are well written, not overly dramatic and makes one think. I am not going to be addressing "Sleeper Cell", but if you can catch it, it is on Netflix watch instantly. The content order is incorrect, but members have posted the correct order for people to view it. Hopefully Netflix fixes the issue soon.

Okay. A few friends had recommended the show "24" which I began watching yesterday. The concept is an interesting one, but I am having a hard time suspending disbelief with the story lines. There is one scene where two parents are tyring to find their missing kids, get pulled over by an LAPD cop who seems so intent on giving them a ticket instead of helping them. Sure this has probably happened, but any normal human would recognize frantic parents desperate to find their children.

The oddest thing about me not being enamored by "24" so far is it is similar to "MI 5". Intense story lines, lots of action. The difference is that I prefer subtlety when it comes to acting. I do not need everyone screaming and yelling and over dramatizing every line and scene. The Brits do that very well. When something intense is happening on "MI 5", I do not have characters screaming at one another, acting like petulant children. That seems to go on a lot on "24".

The best thing about being a writer and watching these shows is you learn how to dial things down or be over the top. It is a personal choice what one chooses because, depending on the story, you have to decide what direction the story needs to go and how the characters need to behave.

All the shows I have mentioned, regardless of my opinion, do have interesting angles on espionage and touches of brilliance. Which is very helpful for any kind of writer.

Cheers!

MissFifi

Defining One's Genre: When is Romance not a Romance?

2011-07-01T04:30:00.001-07:00

Silly question you think, but not so. While I was laboring through my story yesterday it hit me. I like to throw love into my story lines. Sure there is drama, action, death even, but there is always an underlying romance occurring. This gave me pause. Does this mean I am a romance writer? Or am I a fiction writer who has the occasional love story intertwined in the plot?

Defining your genre is crucial when querying agents, but it also pigeonholes you. What if my first two novels have a romance as a backdrop to the every day life of the characters, but my third is just a story about three guys who go on a journey of self discovery? The agent would not publish it because there is no romance. This is making my head spin.

When Jane Austen wrote her novels, did she scribble along thinking"Ahh yes, another romance." Or did she approach it has, "This will be a good story to tell and the BBC will make movies of it over and over again." Yes I am being silly.

All writers tells stories, but they must define what genre they belong to first. This has been the thorn in my side as I do not want to market my bounty hunter story as full blown romance, but in a way, it is about Molloy allowing her heart to be touched again. And by someone she least expected.

According to Romance Writers Of America's website: Two basic elements comprise every romance novel: a central love story and an emotionally-satisfying and optimistic ending.

A Central Love Story: The main plot centers around two individuals falling in love and struggling to make the relationship work. A writer can include as many subplots as he/she wants as long as the love story is the main focus of the novel.

An Emotionally-Satisfying and Optimistic Ending: In a romance, the lovers who risk and struggle for each other and their relationship are rewarded with emotional justice and unconditional love.

There is also this: Novels with Strong Romantic Elements

A work of fiction in which a romance plays a significant part in the story, but other themes or elements take the plot beyond the traditional romance boundaries.

Now I am even more confused. While I did not write a central love story, it is in there. I just told her story and love was a part of it. I cannot be the only writer who hits this wall. Some folks say you should write the synopsis before the novel so you can see where it goes and what it would be marketed as. I totally get why now. As for this book, I have sent it off to agents as a futuristic-romantic-thriller since they are former military who now hunt the bad guys and it is 2030 and in the midst of this, a serious relationship forms. Am I wrong though? Am I selling this incorrectly and need to rethink strategy here? I bet Barbara Kingsolver and Michael Chabon don't sweat about this. Lucky kids.

I struggle with pulling any serious romance overtones out of my latest work with the Angels off Death because I want it to be able to be marketed to a larger audience. Then again, Romance novels are some of the best selling in the world so no slouch there. I fear being tasked to write the same thing over and over in a formulaic style just to meet the Happily Ever After requirement. I know that is what people want, especially in such uncertain times, but it is not what I always want. And so the mumbling and rumbling in my head continues as I try to figure out just what kind of stories do I write. What kind of storyteller am I at this very moment? This is the million dollar question.

Cheers!

MissFifi

Franchising an Author

2011-06-30T11:13:00.000-07:00

Hail thee Nora Roberts.

She is worshiped up on high and is considered one of the more prolific authors of our time. Now, how anyone can crank out as many books as she does a year is beyond me. Maybe once you have the formula down it is easy peasy. Or maybe, just maybe, there is a ghostwriter involved. She claims to write all her own books, but I call bullshit. When I had read a few books from the "In Death" series, I felt like she dictated a Mad libs or phoned it in from a vacation home. Hence I never finished it or liked it. Same as Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series or Hamilton's Anita Blake series. I know I have discussed them before and it quite clear I am not a series type reader, except for Fforde's Thursday Next, but I am impressed by the fans who gush at every publication. Blinded by reused plot lines, poor writing, typos, editing errors and the same sex scenes used over and over. Example: Every time Roarke touched Eve I knew just where his hands would go and how her eyes would roll to the back of her head while his went opaque. Not that sexy, but whatever. I wanted to smack Eve more often then not and I doubt that was the author's intent so that was that.

Moving on.

Let me say I was shocked when a recent review of one of Romance Queen Nora's books on Smart Bitches garnered a D grade. The discussion was very revealing to me. I always enjoy reading why people love or dislike a book and this was no different. To read how and when others started to notice the regurgitated plots and characters and how it pissed them off. How a few actually stated that they wanted better from Nora since she can be damn good. That is very, very true. When Nora Roberts is on, she is on, but when she is off good God it is a disaster.

No one should walk away thinking I am disparaging light reading or fluff. When it is done well it is a lot of fun and there are authors who do it well. I just really loathe when fluff is half assed and given high marks because the author always produces "best sellers". Publishing is a business and money is money so even if a book is bad, if a 'name' wrote it, it will be put out there before anything else. Especially before an unknown gets a push.

Author CS Harris did a great post on the topic called "Authors as Franchises". She discusses how this new trend is exploitative and a gyp to the co-author and the reader. Not that an author should not try to make the most out of their name or market themselves, but it sucks when it is at the expense of unknown underlings who may make the author seem prolific or an even better writer than they are.

I tried to empathize, but I cannot. If I was published and had deadlines, would I use a co-author? I doubt it. My voice is the one readers are paying to hear, the one they want, not some co-author. If they wanted someone else, they would go out and purchase an entirely different book.

I hope the publishing industry uses the big bucks raked in by their franchised authors to offer a new voice a chance, but I fear it may not be so.

Cheers!

MissFifi

A little infection and antiques

2011-06-29T10:47:00.001-07:00

I had a pretty bad sinus infection the past 5 days. I could barely lift my head or get comfy and using a computer was pretty much not going to happen unless it was to try and watch a film. writing was impossible as well, but thanks to the gift that is amoxicillin, I am recovering quite well and able to get back on track with my storytelling.

I love this post on furniture that no one really uses anymore, but some still love. As far as antiques go, I adore telephone tables and would enjoy having one to use. Pie safes are also up there for me. I would love to have one in my kitchen to store all my bulk jarred goodies. Maybe have it built into an alcove.

Since I am still a little knocked out, I am off to nap and hope to get back to regular posting soon.

Cheers!

MissFifi

Modern Designs in the Home

2011-06-23T10:17:00.000-07:00

Modernism and I only get along in small doses. The too clean lines, pristine white walls and low furniture do not do it for me. But, that does not mean I can't conjure up an appreciation for well thought out concepts and designs. Lately I have seen things that make me reconsider who modernism can be in the home and how well it can be executed.

After lightening struck their home, the owners decided to update their kitchen to a more modern look. I think this works brilliantly, though I would most likely never have done that in our kitchen.

This house on Fire Island is exactly what I loathe, the all white, etc. but I can appreciate the use of colorful touches throughout.

I am sure black is as hard to keep clean as white is, but my God, this Attic Studio in Stockholm is gorgeous and I could live there without issue.

Love the skylights, hate the clutter and open shelving in this English kitchen.

The windows in this Lopez Island residence are amazing. I even love the exterior.

Cheers!

MissFifi

An Author Don't

2011-06-22T13:51:00.001-07:00

Things have been a whirlwind these last few weeks with a visit from the in laws and a bunch of other crazy things going on. This sort of threw off my writing schedule, which I admit made me frustrated, but I had to suck it up. I am getting back on track with writing as well as reading some of my favorite blogs.

One of my favorites that I have mentioned before is Smart Bitches Trashy Books. They have a great on going series called "Help A Bitch Out". You read a romance novel a decade or so ago. You cannot recall the name but would love to read it again. You send it in to Smart Bitches and BAM! Comments and suggestions abound.

A recent post was titled: HaBO- Her Husband Was A Little Person

The book seems to have been Lady Jane and there was some great discussions about the need for more diverse heroes like a little person. Then someone asked what was more appropriate, "dwarf' or "little person". This then brought on a discussion about what to call people when you do not know them, what is PC, what is inappropriate, etc. Needless to say, there is always that one person in the bunch who gets nasty and keeps going.

What bothered me is the one poster got down right fresh and condescending with people who disagreed with her, who challenged her and she even questioned others who claimed to know more about a topic then she did. The real kicker was this woman is a published author. Now, I can get behind the fact that people have differing opinions and relish a dam n good discussion. What I do not care for is reading insults directed at others who were not trying to engage another in some type of battle of the sexes. I doubt the author would care, but because of how she addressed everyone and was so self righteous, I would never buy one of her books or recommend them, no matter how good they may be.

On a whim, I went back to the post just now and she apologized to one of the women she was unnecessarily snarky with. While I appreciate that, it would have been better if she had considered the fact that blogs, emails, etc do not always convey emotion which means one must be very careful with how they word things and speak to others. Clearly she needed a day to realize there were cultural and age differences in play with everyone involved which made her reconsider how harsh she was to some and offer an olive branch. I can appreciate that, but her first impression on me was not a good one. We'll see if I allow a second.

Cheers!

MissFifi

Sometimes all you can do is laugh

2011-06-10T19:10:00.001-07:00

Thanks to Neil Gaiman's Journal, he really rocks, I have been introduced to a site that will most definitely be bookmarked.

This Is Not The Six Word Novel by Jen Campbell has interviews with writers, discusses her own writing process and the book industry, but the posts singled out by Mr. Gaiman are titled "Weird Things Customers Say". Ms. Campbell works in a bookshop called "Ripping Yarns" and for the Love of God this poor woman is subjected to some unbelievable insanity which proves once again that truth is really stranger than fiction.

Here is a quick sample:

Customer: Do you have a copy of 1986?
Me: 1986?
Customer: Yeah, Orwell.
Me: Oh – 1984.
Customer: No, I'm sure it's 1986; I always remember it because it's the year I was born.
Me: ...

And that my friends is just the beginning...

Cheers!

MissFifi

Roadblock or a Sign?

2011-06-08T12:11:00.001-07:00

I have hit a snafu and I am none too pleased about it either.

While working on my Angel of Death story, I realized what I was having one of the main characters do as her purpose left way too much free time. This means I need to reconfigure a major part of the story and change it.

Dammit.

Now I have to figure out how it effects the story. By eliminating the specifics does it open up possibilities or kill it? Nothing like sabotaging your own work while going over stuff and doing research. Research I had done before, but did not really look at the statistics it seems.

Dammit.

Of course, all I need to do it remove the original premise of what she was doing and step back. This story can still work, but will need a rehaul. And as we all know, I am now a champ at doing rehauls when it comes to story writing. This means the whole plot line can change, well, not the core, but the reasons I had certain events take place. Major events mind you.

Dammit again and again.

But wait, maybe, just maybe, if I take a moment here, this is a good thing. Yesterday, I had one of my all time favorite movies on while writing. The Grifters. Right then I got the urge to read it and of course my library does not have it, but could get it for me. This then compelled me to read the Wikipedia entry on the author Jim Thompson and as I read about this man, I got this overwhelming feeling that this Angel book could be pulp fiction/noir. I started to wonder if it was dark enough. Should it be? Sure there are parts that are pretty damn funny, some a little dark even. But should I go the Thompson route and have some serious and heinous character flaws be present in those closest to the Almighty? Inspiration does strike in odd places no? This made me think about all the light hearted books written about Angles, relationships, how romance is never ugly in certain books and we all expect this wonderful solid happily ever after. As a somewhat cynical person, I know I have it in me to write some pretty dark stuff, but for some reason I was looking at the story as more of a happy land-some turmoil, but it is all gonna be alright kind of story. Now this has me thinking, maybe that is all wrong. Why else would this snafu have come up? I should take it as a sign and let this 'accidental' roadblock allow me to find the proper detour. After all, I am not writing to a specific audience as of yet. Hmmmm, this is why I need to write things out on this blog. We see problems differently when they are out of our heads don't we? Amen.

On a lighter note, I think I got my four line pitch for my other novel. I don't want to get too excited, but Booyah! Okay. Now to find the next round of agents who get the four liner.

Cheers!

MissFifi

Heirloom Kitchen

2011-06-05T18:56:00.000-07:00

Sunday night. Trolling websites for design ideas. Came across a very interesting kitchen and wanted to share.

Heirloom Kitchen

Cheers!

MissFiFi

The Four Line Pitch

2011-06-01T19:04:00.001-07:00

Today was a day of napping and a lot of tea and orange juice. My husband and I caught a summer cold, which sucks, but we are doing better now.

One good thing is I have finished editing my novel about Enforcement Agents aka Hunters in a dystopian/utopian society. Of course I continue to pull my hair out over the inevitable query letter. But wait, there is more! I am not talking about the ones we all see on Query Shark or agents blogs, no,no, no! I have decided I want to make my brain explode and go for the four line pitch.

Yup, you read that right. Sum up an 84,000+ word novel in four lines. You may wonder why I am choosing this line of torture and to be honest, I am not one hundred percent sure. On one hand I figure if I can tell you about my book in four lines, I am pretty damn good, if I cannot, I must really suck. Okay, not true, but I think it is an interesting approach in today's ADD filled world.

Jillian Manus of Manus and Associates Literary Agency gave a terrific speech on The Perfect Pitch and posted it to her website. I am in awe of how she took the original long pitch and cut it down to 4 lines, (set up, hook and resolution) to sell to movie studios. Now, while I would love to have a book I wrote made into a film, that is not really my goal. My goal is to get an agent to read four lines and demand the manuscript.

Here is where the primal scream echoes through the hills of Appalachia. What is aggravating and irritating and curse inducing is the fact that I cannot figure out for the life of me how to do it for this completed novel. As for my third book about the Archangels and Angels of Death, I think I could do it with my eyes closed. A dilemma, but maybe not. Perhaps that is what is supposed to happen. I pitch the Angels book and sell that one first. A weird idea, but I believe that one can crank out faster. This then gives me the hope that if I can get that done, it may help break through the block that is eating my soul for the other book. Dramatic I know, but this is how writers think sometimes.

Self reproach can be a good thing, but not for this situation. Sometimes you can write five novels before you sell one and those five may never see the light of day. While I hope that does not happen, I am prepared to allow the third novel to become the bread winner and not look back. Sometimes pride does get in the way, but hard work pays off. None of this was for naught. And if four lines is what sells it, then dammit, I am good.

Cheers!

MissFifi

Design, design, design

2011-05-25T18:47:00.000-07:00

I love vintage. Be it shoes, clothes, furniture and even appliances. Apartment Therapy has a post called "Vintage Stoves in New England Kitchens" and I admit I really love the lines, the style, the uniqueness of the stoves pictured. Sure they may not be entirely practical, but so what? We can all dream.

I loathe the whole "staging" process of homes. It amazes me that people that are potential buyers cannot walk in a home and see past what others have. Sad that so many lack imagination. Having to paint walls neutral and remove personal touches seem so stupid to me, but I am not in real estate so what do I know. Here and here are prime examples of a very expensive brownstone in Brooklyn that has been staged. What do you think? Myself, meh. I prefer personality in a place when I see it. This looks like a West Elm/Design Within Reach catalog display.

Great post by Made By Girl on "Front Doors on the Upper East Side". NYC is one of those places where you have the opportunity to see perfect architectural details up close. Out here in suburbia though, doors seem to be forgotten. They are either Home Depot manufactured or those with the big bucks have them custom made. Personally, I have always wanted a door with a knob in the middle. Whenever I watch a series, usually Masterpiece Theater or BBC, the knob appears on some grand home or townhouse and I drool every time. What a spectacular entrance this would be to our house. One day I may have to track a door like this down, but Lord knows what they cost so for now, let me just admire from afar.

I have no idea how I would turn this into art, but I love this reproduction vintage antique padlock.

Voila Gallery is like a deranged, yet elegant curiosity shop. Oh to have the money to buy some of these lovely goodies.

Cheers!

MissFifi

Documentary Weekend

2011-05-23T08:06:00.001-07:00

This weekend we ended up watching two documentaries that cover the beginning and the end of life.

First was Young at Heart which is one of the best things I have watched in a long time. To see a 92 year old woman belt out "Should I Stay Or Should I Go?" by The Clash was beyond words. This group of senior citizens stay young and sharp by belonging to the Young at Heart Chorus. They have performed all over the world which I think is amazing. As he viewer you get to see the rehearsals and how the songs get picked, the building of their friendships and even have to go through loss of two of the chorus members. Make sure you have a box of tissues because you will laugh and cry through the whole movie. I am hoping we can see this chorus perform in the near future.

On a close friend's recommendation, we watched the documentary Babies. 4 children from USA, Mongolia, Japan and Namibia are followed for a year. How all these kids play and interact with their surroundings is fascinating. There are many similarities, but one thing that is for sure, is how the US and Japanese babies have more 'stuff' and you see it is not really necessary. I also really liked that there was no dialogue used. One of my favorite scenes is watching Mari in Tokyo learning how to put a stick in a hole. She get it right the first time, then when she fails to do it a second time, she has a tantrum. It was funny to watch because it was not a long drawn out tantrum. She would calm down, try something else and then if she got frustrated with the task at hand, fall back, lift her legs and let them drop.

The other interesting thing was watching animals from goats to cows, to cats to dogs, interact with the children. Animals have an amazing tolerance level, especially the dogs and cats, and that was fun to see. The little boy in Mongolia pet his cat so hard, but the cat just laid there, happy and purring. Life is good.

Try and see these two wonderful examples of life captured on film. You will really enjoy them.

Cheers!

MissFifi

Funky Friday

2011-05-20T11:52:00.000-07:00

I have become obsessed with 'Hoarders'. I am on season 3 and absolutely cannot stop watching. I do not watch it and think, "Hey, I am better than these folks." I watch it and cringe in horror at human feces lining stairs, dead animals, dust that is causing children's asthma. I watch it wondering what clicks in some brains to make them shut down to the filth and degradation surrounding them. Some are obvious. A major trauma, depression. Other cases it is clear there is a mental illness, but which one I have no idea. What is upsetting is seeing posters on boards about this show saying these people are all "lazy, obese and stupid." Apparently watching the show has not taught them anything in regards to mental illness. This concerns me. Mental Illness is serious and it manifests in many different ways. Hoarding is one of them. To write it off as just laziness is an easy way to excuse one's moral obligation to give a damn. It is way more complex and frustrating than that.

Here is my opportunity to sound heartless. They cost taxpayers a lot of money what with court costs, social workers, animal control, etc. I sure as hell do not want to foot that bill, but you cannot force people to do things if they do not perceive an issue. I admit I freak out when they refuse therapy and are adamant about they have the right to live as they want, but I beg to differ. When Hazmat is at your house along with the health department, you no longer get a say. You are putting others at risk and for all my freedom of choice talk, I do not want roaches or rats in my home. I do want these folks to get help if only for the sake of their families.

This is not an easy show to sit through, but I recommend it because it does give one some insight on what it is like dealing with a debilitating mental illness that has no outward appearance.

Mike Rowe asks Congress to support more "Dirty Jobs" I am a big believer in education. At every level, which includes blue collar work. Blue Collar is looked down upon by most people. Like it is dirty and for remedial folks who could not cut it in college. Offensive view, but it exists. We need plumbers, electricians and carpenters and his speech is all about encouraging skilled positions in trades, transportation and utilities. Not that he is against one wanting to be a financier, teacher, doctor, but how we also need those who do with their hands. Skilled laborers are a necessity and he words it all beautifully.

Writing has been going bad. There I said it. I am a little frustrated with myself and wish I could make the process go faster, but I can't. I do have a sort of mental deadline to get certain things done and in a way that has relieved some of the crappiness I feel. Once I am done editing this book it is back to the Angels I go and to be honest, I can't wait. I have been distracted, with good reason, but I need to get back on track. So after I switch out the laundry, I am off to edit and clean it up quicker so momma can move forward and get this show on the road.

Have a wonderful, Rapture-free weekend.

Cheers!

MissFifi

Sea to Table

2011-05-15T17:34:00.000-07:00

Okay, I have been a little lax in my posts but I have had a busy week with doing massages, planning the hubby's birthday party which went well and other odds and ends of life going on.

Anyway, I promise a proper post soon, but in the meantime I just came across a great concept out of Brooklyn called Sea to Table. As they say on their site, they partner with local fishermen from small-scale sustainable wild fisheries, finding better markets for their catch. Pretty darn awesome if you ask me so check it out.

Cheers!

MissFifi

King Corn Documentary

2011-05-09T05:01:00.000-07:00

I am one of those folks who believes that some in the food industry does not have my best interest at heart. I also believe that certain additives will eventually, some may already have, yield destruction to our cells in our body making us more susceptible to disease or even be a cause of disease. The information is out there if you want it and if you do not care you do not have to know. I like that about individual free choice. I can choose not to eat McDonald's, which I don't, and try to avoid high fructose corn syrup and other dyes in my food. Other folks live for processed foods and you know what? That is alright. That is their choice, not mine. I do not believe we have the right to tell people how to eat. I believe we have a responsibility for full disclosure and then you let people make those choices. You want to eat crap, you can eat crap. You want to eat healthy, eat healthy. One thing I do not agree with is with people suing food companies. You should know what you are putting in your mouth and that is your responsibility entirely. If a manufacturer lies about their ingredients that is one thing, it is another to shove Doritos and Pepsi in your mouth every day and not exercise and then blame the tv and the cheap unhealthy food.

This is where food education in the schools would be very beneficial. Diabetes education is also very crucial because we need to understand some causes and effects of what we do when we eat. But at the end of the day it is our own choice.

KING CORN is a well put together, interesting documentary where two young men from Boston move to Iowa to grow corn and find out where that crop goes. When you find out how much corn you eat on a daily basis it blows your mind. It also blew my mind how farmer's had to sort of conform to growing this low quality corn for mass distribution. Animal feed, high fructose corn syrup, etc. And the government helps fund this insanity.

Enjoy.

Cheers!

MissFifi

Cool things

2011-05-04T06:17:00.000-07:00

I like unusual gifts. Not that I do not like receiving gift cards, cause those are always handy no matter what, but I like when someone takes the time to really think about what they are giving you. So without further adieu, here are some places I would love to give or get a gift from.

Savannah Bee Company - anyone who males a honey specifically for cheese is awesome in my book.

Fishs Eddy - anything from here, seriously, anything.

Lori Earley - I want to be able to purchase as much of her artwork as possible.

Glass Tea Tumbler - As someone who is obsessed with tea, I would love this.

Okomido Jewelry - yes please.

Jewelry Display Frames - I think this would be a good DIY project and I would love to hang pieces as art instead of having them lay in boxes.

Cheers!

MissFifi

Emergency Preparedness

2011-05-02T03:52:00.001-07:00

I am not a Survivalist. People who follow that way of life are pretty organized and well thought out. In some cases, people would call them nuts, but I figure as long as they do not hurt anyone, I don't mind them at all. I have read some blogs that blow my mind, but again, it was nothing scary or apocalyptic to make me feel unsafe.

Mormons could be considered 'survivalists' due to their emergency preparedness. Thanks to a friend who is a practitioner of this faith, I was introduced to a company called "Emergency Preparedness" out in Orem, Utah. Why would I need them? They sell Mylar bags for food storage and that is what I use to keep my flour in my plastic buckets. Of course they also have neat stuff like dehydrated foods and emergency car kits. Mormons are encourages to build their savings, to have food storage just in case tragedy or disaster strikes. Our friend told me that the food they had canned had gotten them through a rough period at one point.

Now, I have not really become a canner. I like the idea, but I would most likely, regardless of how carefully I follow directions, be the idiot who does something wrong and my food spoils. Maybe one day soon I will gather the courage to really give it a shot. In the meantime I just set up my garden and am thinking of freezing leftover vegggies for now.

I have also thought of being better prepared since the tornadoes happened in Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee and Mississippi. We had a few random black outs in our area last summer and we wanted to get a generator, but they sold out because it happened more then once. I also realize I need to get some gallon jugs of water and keep them in the basement. Little things, but crucial things.

I am not sure many people worry about things like this. Most of us go about our lives figuring stuff will just be there or if not, then so what? don't get me wrong, I am not trying to be all sorts of Doomsday or believe that the end of the world is May 21. That stuff makes me bonkers. I just think it is good to have some necessary items in case some serious crap does go down. We have had a wind up emergency radio with flashlight for years. That is because when we were still living in Essex County, there had been a black out that effected us for two days and other parts of the county for longer. I did not mind not having power, but it did freak some folks out. The only thing I hated was you could not open your fridge. Our landlord had just done about $15o worth of grocery shopping and then the food spoiled. Not good. Anyway, I just look at all of this as food for thought. You can choose to do some of it, none of it or all of it. As Auntie Mame said, "Knowledge is Power."

Curious about Survivalists or LDS? I have listed some blogs you can check out below. I have not done a thorough reading of all of them, but you can browse at your leisure.

LDS Emergency Preparedness

I am sure there are quite a few I am missing, but I am sure you can do your own search and see what interests you.

Cheers!

MissFiFi

Grass free gardens

2011-04-30T15:32:00.000-07:00

After spending most of the day planting, the idea of a grassless front lawn is something I can get behind. That's right, no lawn. Yeah, eat it grass! Actually, I like grass, but I do not like having to constantly weed out the chickweed, dandelions, farmer's weed and various other invaders. I am a fan of ground covers like creeping thyme, blue rug juniper and forget me nots. The idea of not having to mow all the time is quite appealing.

Grass Free Gardens

Today I planted petunias in pots in front of our house. Put some lemon balm and bee balm in the brier patch area and a bunch of herbs around out veggie garden. Parsley, marjoram, spearmint and rosemary. We put kale and swiss chard in the veggie garden and planted Russian sage on the side of the house where we had taken down all those awful hedges. We also bought a pretty bot for the rock harden and I put vinca and red spike in there. Of course this will all evolve over time. Right now everything is small and will grow over the summer and hopefully come back bigger next year too.

Cheers!

MissFifi

Thursday's Thoughts

2011-04-28T13:43:00.000-07:00

Earlier we had a tornado warning here in NJ. Now it is lovely and sunny out. Mother Nature is on a strange trip with the weather this spring and my heart goes out to everyone in the South. The devastation is awful and I have no idea how they will all dust themselves on and move forward. God Bless.

I finished reading "Rum Punch" by Elmore Leonard. I enjoyed it, but it was weird. He is a very unusual writer. There were sentences I would have never deemed allowable, but then again, he has his own way, his own voice. I will read more of his works in the future for sure.

My next read is "A Moveable Feast" by Ernest Hemingway. I read about it recently and while I am not a huge fan of his, I read The Sun Also Rises and it was okay, to read his memoirs of being in Paris during the 1920's intrigues me. This also helps me stick to my plan to alternate my reading of fiction and non-fiction.

I need to find another area rug for our living room. Once again, furniture has been moved and we now have the perfect set up. I giggle because I am sure or I will move stuff again, hopefully for not some time though. I would like one with hints of green, beige, cream and even a touch of brown or black. The one rug across the room is cream and black. I am not into matchy matchy rugs, so i would just use some similar colors.

Avocado Yogurt Dip with Cumin is on the menu tonight for dinner. A friend is coming over and I figured this would go nice with some chips and carrots.

Holy awesome kitchen renovations on Design Sponge.

Since I have a potty mouth, this Just Dance Art poster from 2nd Coming in Portland Oregon is right up my alley.

Door Sixteen posted a commercial by David Lynch for his own David Lynch Signature Cup Coffee. Insane and brilliant. I want to hang out with Mr. Lynch and have him eat my avocado yogurt dip :)

Cheers!

MIssFifi

What am I doing?

2011-04-27T12:06:00.000-07:00

Writing. As always.

My query letter has not been chosen for the workshop or answered yet, but that works for me. It actually gives me time to keep plugging away and working out my kinks. Bookends blog had a great post about making your query one paragraph or less. I am hoping to work on that later this week. If I can do that, hell, I can do anything ;-)

Here is something I have been pondering, what is the draw of a woman being a virgin in romance and erotica? A novella I read, which was not that great, had every single female character be a virgin and of course, beautiful. There was no virtuous reason as to why they were virgins, it was never even discussed. It was as if each writer, which was female mind you, felt it was best to have the female protagonist be untouched by man. Until their hero came along with his strapping bod and gorgeous face and brilliant mind to ravish the for the rest of their days. Now, I can see if I was writing Christian romances, both hero and heroine would need to be virginal and pure. This is not the case with what I was reading. Actually, the more I read some erotica, the more I come across these sensual non-sexual females. Not that I think everyone should be slutting about the globe, but there is something misogynistic to me when you write romance or erotica and everyone else has had experience, even a kiss, except the female lead. Again, I have read Amish Romance novels and it is clear why the main characters behave how they do. When it is a BDSM novel I have to laugh. Sure you can have a novice submissive and this is their first experience, but a seasoned Mistress? Hard for me to suspend disbelief. I try though and sometimes it works, others, not so much.

This is the trailer for The Bullying Project which makes me want to pull a Kesyer Soze on some of the parents of the children that are hurting these kids.

Cheers!

MissFifi

Plagiarism Abounds

2011-04-23T17:54:00.000-07:00

The cheek of some would be authors is astounding. Apparently a writer named Christine Phoenix decided to lift not just a paragraph but pretty much a whole passage, if not more, from author J.L. Langley's novel "With Love".

Here is the whole story. Thank you TeddyPig and Vacuous Minx and for making this public so communities of writers could pass it on.

This is not something to be taken lightly. We writers work hard and the last thing anyone should do is rip off our work and call it their own. Sure similarities can happen and it does, but blatant, word for word stealing is a disgrace to the craft. Shame on you Miss Phoenix.

Happy Easter and no more rotten eggs!!

Cheers!

MissFifi

Random Pretty Things

2011-04-21T11:13:00.000-07:00

A lighthearted post? From moi? But of course!

Lovely necklaces from Lisa Leonard Designs.

Great graphic pillows by Fresh Line Illustration.

Marie Larkin creates interesting dolls that would be terrific art pieces around the house.

Some of the display pieces from Bella Cottage are so fabulous.

Everyone can use a linen dress for the summer and Daisy Fairbanks has wonderful vintage styles.

And for an interesting read, check out The Chap's Manifesto.

Cheers!

MissFifi

The Wire in the Blood

2011-04-19T11:02:00.000-07:00

It felt good to vent yesterday. Everyone needs to complain and rant about insignificant and significant things from time to time. Helps clear the mind really. Of course I am not railing against authors personally. I just do not believe I have to fake being a fan of someone's work because they are bestsellers or popular. Nor do I believe I have to read them, enjoy them or fear to critique them because everyone claims them to be second coming. I have no interest in Stephenie Meyer or her 'Twilight' series, but I certainly do not wish her any ill will.

I have just begun watching the ITV series Wire in the Blood. The main character, clinical psychologist Dr. Tony Hill, was created by author Val McDermid. She calls her work Tartan Noir a clever title which I love. A real hard core crime series could be an interesting addition to my must read list. I am curious to how someone puts together an intense crime story and not show the hand of the killer ahead of time.

Cheers!

MissFifi

Are you a New York Times Bestseller?

2011-04-18T14:38:00.000-07:00

And if not, why not?

The following post is going to be construed as jealous, snarky and bitter.

I don't care.

It should be construed as someone perplexed by the whole "list" crap. Sort of like all those award shows, that to me, they mean nothing anymore.

I have read books, and now for the sake of pissing off enough people, in the romance genre that are touted as being a #1 New York Times Bestseller. I recently read an excerpt of one and nearly gagged myself with a floor lamp. The plot was mundane, the writing was a fourth grade level and yet, this woman was fortunate enough to have a huge following and a great career. Good night and God bless.

Clearly sales volume counts, not quality. Sure, sure I knew this. I am not an idiot. Marketing and PR is what it is all about and when you sell a million books, you count. And so you should. You have worked hard. But don't expect me to like every book up there. Some bestsellers that did nothing for me are 'The DaVinci Code', 'Twilight' 'In Death' series and 'Stephanie Plum'. I have been fortunate to have read many a NY Times Bestseller that I swooned over. What eludes me is the ever brilliant book in romance. I have mentioned some that I have loved like 'Bet Me' and 'The Ice Queen'. Of course I can suspend disbelief and enjoy the rush and thrill, but I always feel wanting at the end. Okay, they hooked up and now what? Who knows? Who cares? Sometimes the author writes more about them and it actually ruins it for me. I am a pain in the ass. I admit this. I think the romance genre has enough issues with being treated as a step child from hell, but at times I think it deserves it. Set the bar higher for that night of sweet nothings. Give me a woman who is not stunning and a stunning man admires her, prosthetic leg and all. Too much? Hell no, push that envelope! Granted, I am well aware that not everyone wants to read 'Hamlet' everyday, but I also don't want to read 'Sweet Valley High' daily either. There has to be an author of romance out there that blows out the competition and raises the genre up a level.

Before you all say, "Then you do it!" My stories have romance in them and my goal is keeping n touch with the characters feelings. Not mine. I am the author, I am here to make sure their reactions are correct and how I have built them. Maybe I would have done something else, but that is fine, my character is not me. She/He are the ones who blossom, this is not a vanity project. Maybe all writing is, but in truth it should not be, not for fiction like this. I love when I read a romance and can literally feel the characters angst and desire. Other times it is like watching paint dry and I want one of the character to pull an Anna Karenia. The best part it that both types are bestsellers.

What I want from my authors is not different then what I want from myself. Aim high, use a thesaurus, pay attention to how people talk and remember that over description of clothes and looks are unnecessary. I guess most writers do not have to adhere to my personal OCD in this craft if they have already made it to the coveted lists. Series authors are the guiltiest to me for getting caught in a groove, unable to break out. They fill in the blanks, send it out and BAM! another bestseller. How does one compete? I realize that you shouldn't. There is an audience for everyone. Even those of us who get cranky, jealous and snobby now and then.

And scene.

Cheers!

MissFifi

Ramble, ramble

2011-04-16T17:58:00.000-07:00

I just came across these cool shed/house/yoga studio/writer spaces by Kanga out of Austin. Texas. I would love a little backyard cottage or shed where I can go write for a few hours. Plus it would be nice to surrounded by my gardens and all the birds. Le sigh.

This is the BRIGHTEST WHITEST kitchen, I have ever seen.

Misspellings Ahoy! They happen and can be a nightmare. One of the most common I have come across is using 'through' for 'throw'. A few posters on blogs, most likely writing in haste, do not even notice, but for some reason it is irking me like crazy.

Stair storage ideas.

Inexplicably I have gone back to my bounty hunter story and changed the title and started to edit it once again. What is really weird about it is I feel the character's voice coming out much stronger and I am feeling more confident about doing the query letter. Go figure.

With the storms in our are, rain and high winds are fun, our basement has a little flooding so the dear hubby is currently using the wet vac to clean it up. We have things we need to fix in our uneven yard to help with erosion and whatnot. Plantings, dirt, adding pipe under the patio for drainage, are all things we will be doing in the near future.

The Easter Bunny Hates You

Cheers!

MissFifi

Roses and Rum Punch

2011-04-09T13:29:00.000-07:00

Ever since I have hit a very funky, weird and despondent mood, I have been thinking about planting roses. I was warned off of them by a friend and fellow gardener who promised that those beautiful flowers will bring pestilence, disease and destroy all others surrounding them. Did I really want to commit to the upkeep of something that potentially could just wilt away? Or would I rather stick to flowers that were hardly any trouble at all? Decent points really, but then another friends suggested roses saying how they make a garden look elegant and grand and that there are many disease resistant varieties out there now.

The truth is, I love roses. Not for weddings or Valentine's Day, but rose bushes and roses that trellis. Roses that remind my of my grandmother and where I grew up in New Jersey. What I have noticed is that when you look at most landscaped homes or garden, there is very rarely roses. They are not just the quintessential English garden flower to me, they represent why people had enormous gardens in the first place. I would love a vast rose garden, vast in my world is like 6 x 6, but let us not forget...deer.

I love watching the deer stroll through my yard and drink from my bird bath. I do not enjoy noticing that one or all of the fawns nibbled my sage plant. I think I should place a sign in that area that reads "Welcome to my yard. My sage, thyme, oregano and lavender are supposedly not to your liking." These youngsters act as if they have never all the books and posts on deer resistant plants. Little hooligans. It seems roses are like a Chinese Buffet to deer and I am not looking to serve the best meal in town. If I want roses, I must protect them with a fence and companion plants.

When I did research on Rutgers Co-op extension site, I discovered the lovely Rose Campion.

I will be growing this since a sea of these would make me smile every day. Of course I have no idea where and since the deer are none to fond of it, but I know better and brace myself, I should be safe. At least, I hope I am. More research needs to be done, but if I plunge forward, I hope to document with photos as well.

Elmore Leonard is a revered writer among those who want to be King of Novels. I only ever read a short story of his then a good friend recommended I read Rum Punch. Today I went to the library and picked up the book. The opening line hooked me and now I live to hole up somewhere and enjoy.

As a writer, there is nothing more on point and terrifying then his Ten Rules of Writing. Now, no one is saying every one should do what Mr. Leonard does, BUT I wish to hell some romance writers would take heed of a few of these. I enjoy a good romance, but over description is the name of the game in those books. Characters are described down to the last birth mark and the worst is that it is usually done more then once. I have no idea if the writer thinks most readers have no memory or is it just that they really enjoying rehashing the tightness of Thor's buttocks and rippling abs. How may times must I be reminded what a strapping hulk of sensual the Hero looks like? Far be it for me to leave out Madame Heroine, for she is the most beautiful, but cannot find love, woman in the world. Gag me with a spoon.

I realize I am just not the perfect audience for certain genres, especially some romance novels. To be clear, Bet Me was one of the best, partly realistic romances I have ever read. I know romance is about fantasy, but sometimes it is too fantastical and so phoned in that I have a hemorrhage.

Well, enough of that, Elmore, here I come.

Cheers!

MissFifi

Self-reproach is fun!

2011-04-07T12:01:00.000-07:00

Hell = Query Letters

Another rejection has made it quite clear that I need to stop soliciting, start reworking and get it to Query Shark pronto. I had intentions to work on my query today, but life gets in the way and that is what I want to talk/vent about.

Most authors would say you should be able to write with distractions around you. I have and I do most days. A special needs dog means whining is an indication she needs water, to go out, a hug, to play or some other request she cannot get to herself. Laundry, dinner, gym, whatever has to get done, has to get done. Writing becomes sporadic, choppy and then block can kick in. Sometimes the distractions help with a story line, but I admit that I wish that I could go away for a week, to a cabin in the mountains or a shack on a beach, unencumbered. All I would have to do is eat when I want and sleep when I want. Other than that I get to write non-stop without interruption. Who is to say if this little fantasy of mine will ever come to fruition, but it would be nice. In lieu of that, I need to change my current writing schedule. It is time I start getting up way earlier then I currently do. My hubby's alarm goes off for work and sometimes I hang out in bed, reading. Not anymore. I need to set my alarm for 6am and get writing. How can I expect to achieve goals I set for myself when I am losing precious time that could be used for working? By getting up that much earlier, I will actually have some time alone and can focus on the query letters and the synopsis. Arduous tasks for me, but ones that must be conquered.

As I write this post, my dog is whining because she wants to eat. This is thanks to my darling husband who fed her early a few days and now I have to deal with it. Seems a small inconvenience I am sure, but trust me, a whining special needs dog is like a whining child. You will snap and scream so loud that birds will flee from your yard. I am not proud that her whining can upset me, but on some days it is tougher to soldier through then others. C'est la vie.

Writer's Digest has a few contests coming up which I am thinking of entering. It has been awhile since I have written a short story, but I think the challenge could do me some good. There are a few ideas I had put to the side until I could focus on them so this may be the right opportunity. Plus I think it is good to try and get a short story published. Then I can add that to my new and improved query letter.

On a lighter note, I could see me working in this house in Malibu.

Cheers!

MissFifi

Writing is like a Cat O Nine Tails

2011-04-06T19:52:00.001-07:00

The keyboard, pen, pencil, chisel and stone are all instruments of destruction in a writers hands. There are times we weave a story, smile, think it the greatest thing since sliced bread and then POOF! A smack across the face, blood on you back and you are lying in a gutter covered in vomit while holding a bottle of Charles Shaw.

Okay, my dramatic arch is far reaching, but in many cases, a writer will be sitting at the same desk reworking that query or synopsis wondering what the hell have they have done for the past two years.

That's right. Take me for example. What have I got to show except one poorly written romance novel which may or may not be revisited one day, about five rejections for "Cleaning House" my futuristic thriller and almost 85,000 words written for my other novel in progress.

Welcome to self inflicted torture, the dungeon on the right is ready for you.

"You Will Never Publish A Word" by Nina Badzin pretty much sums up my personal fears and excitement about writing. I may never get published, but damned if I am going to stop trying. The learning process and schedule I set for myself allows me room for improvement. If I fail or regress, well I have only myself to blame.

Today was not the best writing day. I hit a rough patch with my novel and became so involved in minutiae that I wasted valuable writing time. What saved me was reading some of my dialogue out loud and seeing what sounded wooden, what sounded real and what was basically crap. I even got into doing voices and wondering why some descriptions bordered on a fourth grade reading level. How many times can a character smile, shrug, say, ask, grin or frown? Thank you Merriam-Webster thesaurus for saving my ass. Part of my writing issue is that when I was without my net book it destroyed some of my momentum, but it is coming back. If it does not I will hunt it down and drag it home, kicking and screaming.

The infamous query letter is being dissected yet again, but this time I am referencing the archives of Query Shark. I bow to her and her wisdom and live for the day I can send in a query letter to be thrashed by her. Her archives are vast and it does get overwhelming, but the wealth of knowledge is worth combing through. I did send in a query to a workshop by Bookends. A critique fro those ladies would be most welcome as well. I need a sharp eye to see past the gobbledygook and get me to focus on the core. Practice makes perfect they say so I am scribbling notes and typing like a lunatic to improve this letter. Know what is really funny? I need to do a synopsis too. Stop screaming. I did it, I just need to clean it up.

Well, the beatings must subside so I can go to bed. Oh, in case you are unaware of what a cat o nine tails is, enjoy the wikipedia entry.

Cheers!

MissFifi

Reading Nooks

2011-04-05T06:53:00.001-07:00

Books are one of my all time favorite ways to entertain myself. I am currently on the fifth book in the Thursday Next series, First Among Sequels and yes, my obsession with that series has never waned so bravo Jasper Fforde.

One thing I have always coveted is a reading nook. Granted, I am happy to curl up in one of my wing back chairs and read. But the idea of sitting on a comfy window seat, reading by natural light, oh heaven indeed. Apartment Therapy has posted some reading nooks and while not all of them are window seats, I really love the idea that most readers want to be cocooned in literary bliss. To have a designated area where one can indulge and read books, magazines, whatever, is pretty fabulous.

Cheers!

MissFiFi

And they just keep coming

2011-04-04T20:46:00.000-07:00

Not all authors are overly sensitive just like not all reviewers are failed writers taking their ire out on the published author. But seriously, what is with all the author melt downs of late?

Sylvia Massara went into a snit fit when a reviewer at Book Binge, did not love her book. Nothing personal, she just did not enjoy the character and explained what she disliked about the story. No shocker here, this happens. We writers will not move everyone's heaven and earth. Now please, understand that and do not bash the reviewer. Unless there is a personal attack and someone insults your or your family, there is no reason to get upset. What the author should do is thank the reviewer, realize it was not their cup of tea and rest assured there is an audience out there for the book.

Words to the wise - The internet moves fast my friends and can help make or break your career. Can the emotions before you fire off a nasty response. You never know who is reading these blogs. Any publisher, agent, fellow author and blogger that could help move you along, give you constructive advice, even promote you, should be welcome. Most important to remember is that graciousness is a much better trait than bitterness.

Cheers!

MissFifi

The Writing Gods Are On Vacation

2011-03-31T13:38:00.000-07:00

Where I do not know, but honest to God, I had to post this.

I have come to the conclusion the universe is sharing some of the greatest things ever written for amusement. And I appreciate this gift because we are fortunate in it.

First, in my earlier post, we had the poor author who lost her mind over a review that was anything but bad.

Second, thank you Smart Bitches, Trashy Books for bringing Walkin' Dusty Roads to my attention.

One of the most important rules in writing is limiting the amount of metaphors you use. A couple here and there are fine, but one almost every sentence? Really cheesy, dorky ones? Oh yeah, that is proof, that in this instance, the writing gods are on vacation. When crap is published I will be the first to admit I get pissed I am busting my hump, but at the same time I love it. The world does not need only Shakespeare, we need authors that spew the purple prose. Or do we?

Let me be clear that I will be downloading the free sample onto my Kindle later in the hopes of discovering more dandy lines like the ones that follow:

"Dusty took her in like a vista, her full, round breasts straining for freedom like corralled wild horses"

"Dusty’s intense blue eyes were like a cobalt summer sky, and she suddenly imagined herself flat on her back in a verdant field, languidly staring up at the cloudless day."

"The areolas stared at him like dark, exotic eyes." *note- one is an areola, plural is areolae

"They kissed deeply, their mouths like sensual open caves, tongues swirling madly, thoughtlessly."

MASTER METAPHOR IS A HAPPY MAN!

Cheers!

MissFifi

Author + Bad Review = Cringing Amusement

2011-03-31T07:28:00.000-07:00

While I live for the day I get a book review, this article from e-reads, twittered by Kim Lionetti from the literary agency Bookends, is a warning to those authors who lack professionalism and a thick skin. This is one of the reasons I choose not to self publish. Not because I lack the two things I mentioned, but because editors exist to hopefully prevent the nightmares that this book seems to overflow with.

Greek Seaman Runs Aground Treacherous Typos

I have followed the Bookends blog for some time. One because they provide invaluable information, not that I always follow it which makes me an ass, and two they are from New Jersey. Shout out!

My most recent finding on their blog was the owner Jessica Faust stating you can solicit more than one agent at a time. This opinion varies from agent to agent. I had read not to do such a thing, then elsewhere it said you can solicit fifty at once, etc. I am going to go with Ms. Faust and hit a few at once today. I have nothing to lose at this point. Pride? Dignity? Please sister, I am trying to sell a book, I have pride in my work but I relish the opportunity to get it out there. More so I relish a critique, an editor. A pat on the back or a kick in the ass, it is all the same now.

What I am trying to figure out is if this book does not move, it will be my newest novel I am working on that does. I have high hopes for myself, but I also know if your first book is not receiving a peep your query sucks and maybe, so does the story itself. Blood, sweat and tears mean nothing if you can't get it to the masses. This learning curve is bumpy, but I appreciate it best I can. If I didn't I would throw up.

How about this snow were are going to get? Ridiculous!

Cheers!

MissFifi

Research makes it more interesting

2011-03-27T12:38:00.000-07:00

While I might have been raised Catholic, we are not taught the bible the way other religions are. They get schooled right out of the gate knowing how to quotes favorite verses and the depths of every bible character. This means I have to hanker down with my New International Version bible every time I look for something to help assist with my story telling.

Now, since I have mentioned before that the novel I am currently working on has to do with Angels and all things holy and unholy, this requires me to diligently research all avenues of religions. Of course I get to use creative license as well, but I like the background information for a variety of reasons, one of them being, I may actually want to use a variant of it in the body of the story.

The research itself has been enlightening and frustrating. Today I sat through some online sermons of the more reformed, hipper Christan churches.

The three I chose are Liquid Church in NJ, Reality LA in California and Mars Hill Church in Seattle, WA.

My personal preference is for Pastor Tim Lucas at Liquid Church. I thoroughly enjoyed the way he speaks to the audience, using personal anecdotes, it can reach even the most hardened people. I really enjoyed that when he would quote scripture, it would pop up on a screen behind him so I could find it in my bible and follow along. Their current series is about fasting, but I recommend you go through the archives and check out past series as well.

Reality LA was my next choice. Pastor Tim Chaddick's sermon on A Religious Journey to Hell was what I chose to watch and while the topic and the story of Hosea was interesting, I felt a sort of disconnect. He was not big on telling you where verses were. He would say Romans 1 and assume you knew what section he was talking about and that sucked for me.

The Gospel of Luke and the topic Jesus and the Law was today's lesson at Mars Hill Church as taught by Pastor Mark Driscoll. Let's just say I was transported back to a scene out of Ethan Frome and began to wonder if I should cover my head while listening. He is huge on what big sinners and hypocrites we are for judging one another along with religious hypocrisy. Which ironically, religious hypocrisy was also covered by Reality LA in the link I posted so there are interesting parallels. Pastor Driscoll did move onto divorce and I found it fascinating to listen to how people do not have biblical grounds for divorce.

Keep in mind that Mars Hill and Reality LA have heavy Calvinistic undertones. Now. that does not mean it is wrong, it just depends how much you enjoy fire and brimstone preaching. This is not something I am a big fan of and found it off putting at times. Again, I was raised Catholic and am past being told how big of a sinner I am. I get Jesus saved us and took on our sins and that we are just imperfect images of God. At the same time, I am doing my best to listen and keep and open mind to see how people interpret the teachings and how they pass it onto their congregation.

Next up will be me looking for more sermons from different churches. I also hope I can find some for Islam and Judaism as well.

Cheers!

MissFifi

Self Publishing and a touch of the blahs

2011-03-21T07:13:00.000-07:00

I have been toying with the idea, but to be honest, I would prefer a publisher with money for marketing, an editor and artwork. Self publishing seems a way to go, but only if you are ready to take on every single step that a publishing house would take. An excellent post by Jim C Hines regarding this issue is one that should be read. Also, check out the comments because there is great feedback in there as well. Props to Amanda Hocking for being level headed and not nasty about publishing as a whole.

Is Amanda Hocking the new Christopher Paolini?

My new net book arrives today and I am giddy with power. FINALLY, I can get back into my groove.

I solicited an agent February 28 and it is now March 20. While slightly disheartened, I will have to gear up a new query letter to be sent out by next week. Oh the agita I have. I try not to let it get me down, but it does my friends, it does.

Massage wise I am going to take a mastectomy course. The more modalities I acquire, the better chance I have of getting hired by a hospital. So we will start there then do pre natal. I would not care if I just worked per diem, I just want to work. To be able to do massage and write is a perfect world for me. Actually, getting paid for both skills is the perfect world so come on, NO WHAMMIES!!

Cheers!

MissFifi

So here is what is going on

2011-03-15T12:46:00.000-07:00

My net book should arrive soon which means I can soon get back to being a writer who can work at night and when my hubby is home. There will be no fighting over the use of the computer. There is not know either, but I hate to ask him to let me work when he is watching "House". For now I work the best I can during the day, but it had not been as easy as I thought it would be.

I have been applying to jobs, mostly in hospitals. All sorts of part time and full time positions. Be it secretary, assistant, etc. I have drafted and sent out a letter to one local hospital. along with my resume, in the hopes of being able to get hired as an oncology massage therapist.

We went to brunch at the Peacock Inn in Princeton with friends the other day. It was very delicious and then we went with them to check out an area called Riverside in Princeton where they are thinking of buying a home. What struck me was how overpriced the homes were. I know NJ is out of control when it comes to homes, but this was beyond even what I would consider "Jersey normal". We saw a house for 750,000.00 that needed to be gutted and clearly would be 300K in other places and even lower out of state.

Still have not heard back from the last agent I solicited. I will start looking at a few other potentials if I do not hear form her by end of week.

My hubby and I have decided we are going to do the landscaping of our front yard ourselves. We have been researching how to lay a walkway properly and we bought containers to plant some lovely foliage until we figure out how what we want to plant permanently. Sure it is quite the project, but it should be a good one.

Cheers!

MissFifi

Interior Design and Spring

2011-03-09T08:02:00.000-08:00

I am one who loves to move furniture around. Almost too much to my husband's dismay. Our living room is an awkward space since the former owners put in a faux fireplace when they knocked down a first floor bedroom wall to expand living room. We are now considering turning our bright Bermuda grass colored room into a television area and turning this odd living room into more of a lounging/reading room. Of course, that means working with the furniture we have and get it to look comfy and homey.

I am a sucker for over the top lush interiors because, I would not do them myself, but I do love them in a superb county home in England. Apparently they are remaking Jane Eyre for the thousandth time and Apartment Therapy has these lovely interior stills from the movie.

I am still enjoying my Thursday Next novel, The Well of Lost Plots. It is a little bogged down with some of the tech speak of their world, but it moves along so well I can excuse it. I swear, I will say it every time though, I wish I wrote these clever novels. They are a breath of fresh air.

I have seven purple crocuses in my front yard and they make me long to begin planting. I bought some lily of the valley bulbs/roots to plant under my lilac tree. The whole area where there was a brier patch will become a planned meadow with herbs, wildflowers and ground covers. I am so excited to get started, but darn this last frost, when will it be??

And if I was to travel cross country, I want to do it in this Airstream by Matt Hofman. Ooh la la!

Cheers!

MissFifi

Welcome to Wednesday

2011-03-02T12:23:00.000-08:00

I have sent out another agent inquiry. I am also seriously considering self-publishing on Kindle. What worries me is I do not want to put out a book with errors, be it grammatical or misspellings. Then you will have people complaining they paid $0.99 for "crap". I have seen worse things written on Amazon, trust me. Granted, you make the money directly, but I can't charge a lot for something I would want out there to the public. I also struggle because while a publisher makes more money on the book then the author probably does, I prefer having someone else hash out the marketing plan and foot the bills. BUT self-publishing may be the way to go. I can take advantage of the technology, promote myself and hope I can make a decent living while earning fans of my work. Much to consider indeed.

As for my personal reading, I picked up the third book in the Thursday Next series - The Well of Lost Plots. I also grabbed The Big Over Easy - A Nursery Crime by the same author. Can't wait to start reading.

Pecan-crusted catfish was on the menu last night and dare I say it was delicious. I made mixed greens, mustard, collard and kale and brown rice to go with it. Very yummy.

Cheers!

MissFifi

3 Good Things

2011-02-28T05:14:00.000-08:00

I made this yummy Cinnamon Carrot Bread the other day. I had to use canola oil, added more cinnamon, used 3 carrots instead of one and a friend suggested I add a pinch of nutmeg. You can alter it how you choose and be aware that it will look more like a cookie dough then a cake batter.

I finished reading Fool Moon, the second book in the Dresden Files series and am still wanting to go back for more. Harry Dresden is a very intriguing character. I did get a little miffed with his cop friend Murphy, but you were supposed to so good job there Jim Butcher. I look forward to the third installment which I will order from the library in a few days.

I almost done with Lost in a Good Book, the second in the Thursday Next series, and it is just as amazing as the first one. The world Mr. Fforde has created is just so surreal and so much fun and chaotic, I love it. This falls under the "wish I wrote it" category for me.

That's all folks!

Cheers!

MissFifi

All the little things

2011-02-21T06:21:00.001-08:00

We were supposed to do a lovely brunch and museum trip yesterday, but the friends we were to meet had an appointment with a realtor. Ah, the excitement of house shopping and seeing lots of good stuff and bad stuff. Instead we grabbed ourselves a nice breakfast and then went to see our little ladies. They are just so darn adorable!!!!!

I was really enjoying seeing our back yard again, but of course, there is snow on the ground again.

My netbook got a lovely spy ware/mal ware virus and no longer works. As a writer, I am freaking out, but fortunately I use an online server as backup so the most important stories are saved. We had to order a new computer which sucks, but it is what it is.

I am loving the show Downton Abbey. Shocking how the importance of class and distinction was all important so soon as the early 1900's. Marrying the right person, having a lady's maid, etc.

Cheers!

MissFifi

How to Fold a Fitted Sheet

2011-02-16T07:27:00.000-08:00

Hello again. I am much better today. I am redoing my query letter and getting ready to go see a massage client, so things are looking up :)

I wanted to share this video because I may be one of the only people in the free world who cannot fold a fitted sheet. I tried this video only moments ago and it seems I lack serious folding skills. They say practice makes perfect, so yes, I will be trying this again later.

How to Fold a Fitted Sheet

Amusing to think that folding a sheet properly is a highlight of my day.

Oh, favorite word of the day is obtuse.

Cheers!

MissFifi

Hello, I am Miss Crabby

2011-02-15T05:31:00.000-08:00

Between a combination of not having a paying job, editing this blasted novel and needing a serious vacation, I am slowly melting down. Yes, I have hit that wall and sort of snapped.

Sometimes a drive can fix this or visiting our friend's triplets, but I don't see it working this time.

Too bad it is not warmer out, I would go for a walk in a local park to help clear my head.

My dog whining all morning is not helping my mood either. Good times.

I am sure this will pass. At least I hope it does. Though I am betting that laying on a beach somewhere and having a beer in the sun would be very helpful. Too bad I cannot test the idea out. Grumble, grumble, grumble.

Okay, enough moping. Music is usually a big help getting me out of my doldrums. I did not watch the Grammy's, but I read about this young lady Janelle Monae and she is incredibly talented.

Another stellar young woman I admire is Adele. What a voice these two women have.

My story beckons so regardless of my piss mood, I am going to make it happen.

Cheers!

MissFifi

The Eyre Affair...

2011-02-12T07:09:00.000-08:00

Was wonderful!

This was one of the most original and unusual concepts I have ever read. And yes, I am have already ordered the second book from my library. This is one enjoyable wacky and unusual series. Perhaps I am getting ahead of myself, but I love Thursday Next and all her compatriots and nemeses. The references to other famous characters and pieces of literature and British culture was so well done throughout the novel. Impressive, very impressive. Neil Gaiman came to mind a few times and I wonder if he ever read this book because I think he would get a kick out of it.

I also need to check out Fforde's Nursery Crime series. Seems it is along the same line but with Nursery Rhymes. Good times indeed!

I am now going to start reading Storm Front, the first book in the Harry Dreseden series. My fingers are crossed as I am hoping I am on a roll with finding stuff I will enjoy reading series wise.

My Kindle arrive and I admit, I am addicted and cannot wait to start downloading books.

Cheers!

MissFifi

Kindle

2011-02-08T05:29:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Amazon's little "Trade In" button for a third party buyer, we got rid of a decent amount of DVD's and books we no longer needed or used. Because of this, we will soon be the proud owners of a Kindle. And it cost us all of $25.00.

Yeah Baby!

When I mentioned to one of my dear friends that we would be getting one she said, "I don't think I would like that. I prefer to hold a book." To which I replied, "So do I, but if we go somewhere on a trip, (stop laughing at my fantasies), or I want to read something just out right away, BAM! There it is."

I understand why people are opposed to the idea. Books will die, you need to hold it, but in truth, it is just an extra way to read for me. I read stuff now on my computer and I still buy books or take them out of the library. Certain books I prefer to pull fro the library first before purchasing anyway. Cookbooks being one of them.

Erotica, which is NOT easy to come by in a library, is easier to get online. Jasmine Jade Enterprises who publish A LOT of that, will know me soon enough. I can get free e-books there and at Project Gutenberg, whom I just noticed have Agatha Christie and Paradise Lost, awesome!

My grubby little hands will still hold books, but its the idea of having access to even more stuff that makes me giddy. This also gives me a way to support more writers with purchases as well. Put it this way, we are jazzed and I cannot wait to get this darn contraption and start using it.

And by the way, I am serious glutton for punishment. My library currently has on hold at my request, The Eyre Affair: A Thursday Next Novel. I read about this series yesterday, thanks to the fine blog Smart Bitches Trashy Books, and decided to check it out. To go one better, I even ordered Storm Front (The Dresden Files Book 1) because numerous readers on said blog suggested that series was a good one. Yeah, yeah, I am a hypocrite, but at least I am a well read one. ;-)

Cheers!

MissFifi

Holiday in Death by J.D.Robb

2011-02-07T05:44:00.000-08:00

Well, this is it, my last one. I made it to book seven, Holiday In Death, which is pretty good and I may pick up book eight at some point, but don't hold your breath.

Why should it matter to me if "sculpture" is used to describe the profession instead of the correct word, "sculptor"? Why should I care if main character Eve Dallas chides Peabody for dating a suspect, when she did the exact same thing in the first book, then married him? Why do I care if within five pages every single character is "jamming their hands into their pockets"? Why? Why can't I just read the damn books for pleasure and not be bothered by misses on the editor and author's part? Why? Because I am a cad, a snob and someone who wants to read a story and not get tripped up by nonsensical bullshit like I mentioned. Things like that should not make me do a double take half way through a book. But they do. What does surprise me is the amount of praise these books get, yes I am going to speak plainly here and piss people off. Reviews claim these "mysteries" to be intense and brilliant and fans think it is the best writing in the world.

Uhhh, no.

Look, there is room for all types of novels, good and bad, but I am sick and tired of reading more bad then good. Why the hell can't a strong female character just be strong without some hideous horrors of the past? Can't she just be a cop because she wanted to? Why does she have to be a bumbling idiot who cannot fire a gun, yet can maintain her job as a bounty hunter? There has got to be a series out there with a strong protagonist who does not need deep, dark secrets and can wear mascara and take out a criminal. Why is it one or the other with these authors? Authors who happen to be women no less. You wield a pen and have the power to create and yet you give me the same freakin' drivel heaped out over the decades. I do not want the romance to be the main part of the story either. Why can't it just happen? Have it as back story or something that just happens because that is how life happens. Yes, there is romance in my book, but dammit, it is not the most crucial part and it is not all that makes up my character. Christ, if I had her fight him every step of the way like Eve fights Roarke, she would be killed by my own hand. I would love to shake Eve and say "You married a billionaire who loves you, get over it and live your life and continue to be a good cop". Instead we go through every book with her still adjusting to his wealth and love of her. He admires her courage, her strength, her just breathing and always has to tell her she is his "only". What is this? High school?

Sad that I let a book bother me so much, but dammit, when you are in the same profession, you want the standards met and exceeded. I challenge myself to be better every time I type. No, I do not succeed and who is to say I will ever make it to print, but dammit, I want better material out there. I want authors to mess with my head when it is a mystery, not let me figure it out in twenty five pages or less.

Well, that is it, I just had to get that off my chest. Sorry Nora, you have others who love you and will love book 40, so I doubt my opinion matters to you. If I can make a small request though, please, proof read your writing better okay? I am sure someone else is annoyed by these little mistakes. Not as much as me, but trust me, Amazon reviews are helpful and telling. Read them The 3 stars and less. Not the 4 and 5, that will just keep you complacent.

Now I will get back to reading "Wonder Boys" by Michael Chabon. Rock on.

Cheers!

MissFifi

House Envy

2011-02-04T08:20:00.000-08:00

We all have it. There are those who will deny it, but in truth, a lot of us covet a kitchen, a closet and a bathroom of either a dear friend, wealthy celebrity or blogger.

Now, some of the houses may be too sparse or too clean/minimalist/white or too expensive, but I can respect great design regardless.

I came across this blog Honey We're Home and when I saw some of their rooms, I literally almost fell off my couch. The closet, the mudroom, the kitchen, very elegant and not necessarily my style, but yet, I wanted it. I mean, I find the Tory Burch box displays in the closet a bit much BUT, they stand almost as art pieces. As I looked at the pictures that is when it hit me. I have serious house envy.

I love our little house and it is a work in progress and will be for some time until we get more cash and can do things they right way without going to the poorhouse. That being said, I cannot help but get a little green when I see a home done the way I would like mine to look. I see wonderful touches for the home, like at this store Harabu House, and green up that I cannot afford such a luxury. I am not alone, this economy makes gum a luxury.

As shallow as this seems and no we do not need "things", I still want these delicate and elegant touches. I am not afraid to admit that sometimes I look at all these home sites and get a twinge of jealousy. There is something about design, good design, that brings a smile to my face. I think most people do want to surround themselves with pretty things, things they enjoy and love. Some have sentimental value, some were recommended by Dwell. No matter where we get our house envy or decor envy, it does say something interesting about who we are. What stirs the envy? Is it the color or the layout? Is it because you never thought of doing it that way and when you see it, it strikes you? Was it the gardens? The patio or the soaking tub? Why? Because it denotes money in our society or because you want to have a little luxury before you pass from this great world? House envy is not as simple as I thought. It makes me think and wonder what I am trying to say about myself, if anything at all.

Allow me to end this post with further insanity. Glorious and stunning, I love Oceanside Glasstile. Check my link to the bathroom gallery. (I have yet to do kitchen or other rooms, God help me.) I am in love with the Tessera collection, especially the Incense color.

And that my friends is all I got today.

Cheers!

MissFifi

Bold Colors

2011-02-03T13:10:00.001-08:00

I have always loved bold colors in a house. White rooms are lovely, but not practical to me in my world. What I most enjoy is when people are inventive about their color and location choices. In the post below by Apartment Therapy, I really love all of them, even if I would not choose to do it in my own home.

Going Bold in Small Spaces

Heather's Coral Kitchen is beautiful and warm. Coral is not a good color for me to wear so I would never think to use it elsewhere, but this is very inspirational.

Colour Wash - This bathroom in LivingEtc is sensual.

Cheers!

MissFifi

Poetry, Painting to Earn an M.D.

2011-02-01T11:42:00.000-08:00

I know, a double post, so not like me, but as a fan of the arts and medicine, this article from the Wall Street Journal is spot on. Humanities certainly deserve a place in medicine and I am glad to see Universities finally understanding the significance of such a thing. Enjoy.

Cheers!

MissFifi

Much Better Thanks

2011-01-30T06:56:00.001-08:00

Amazing what a little wine, relaxation and chatting can do for one's psyche.

Upon further discussion, it seems the husband and I are very much on the same page. We both hate having projects completed half assed or not at all. More so, he dislikes doing a project and then finding out it was only 90% there. Maybe he missed a step that he was unaware of or used the wrong paint. Trial and error frustrates us both, I think him more actually, but we also hate that things take time and we have to learn to live with that. One does not go and blow savings on decorating and renovating the house. Especially now in this economy. Unless you have it of course and then you can get some great deals on appliances, contractors, etc.

I really need to get my butt over to Home Goods and see if I can find a table or something for the newly rearranged living room. The one table that used to be there is now in the guest room as a side table and the night table that was there is now in the green room downstairs next to the retro couch. They compliment one another perfectly. It is always a pleasure to have things in your house that if you just relocate it, it works. Night stands are the bane of my existence as well and who knows if I will ever find anything for our bedroom. Not the end of the world, but annoying all the same.

Now, from the blog YoungHouseLove, a serious post about home fires and certain things you should do and think about since you will be dealing with loss, anger and insurance companies.

On A Serious Note

Cheers!

MissFifi

Blah and Bleech

2011-01-29T12:36:00.000-08:00

*Picasso

Ever have one of those days where you sort of fall to the wayside and cannot get back up? I am having that and it sucks. It is in my nature to be over sensitive and take things personally and I have struggled with it for a long time. I was much much much worse when I was in my twenties and there are many who could vouch. Of course, as we age, we do our best to improve, but when a stumbling block hits you, you spiral back, becoming that over defensive, insulted twenty five year old all over again.

I covered an old Ikea chair and I gathered the material on the sides. Thought it looked good and brought it down to the living room, all proud if how I wielded a heavy duty stapler. At first my husband liked it until he saw the sides and said, "You did not cut all the material?" In a snit, I swooped it up and brought it back up to the office, aggravated and pissed. Now I have to decide if I am going to rip it out and start over. Immediately I go to the bratty line of thinking,"If you do not like it, you do it." I think most of us would, but instead I simmer upstairs and vent on a blog. Not much maturity in that either, but hey, it is my blog and I will use it how I see fit.

I am also crabby because I have been editing "Cleaning House" again, finding mistakes, correcting them and wishing I was secluded in a cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains working. For what it is worth, sure I can work at home and I do, but there is a lot to be said for focus and quiet. The idea of working all day without interruption to do laundry, cooking, taking the dog out or dishes would be ideal. Dream on you say and I am. I have found some artists some retreats, but a few require a fee or that you have been published already. I do not want to spend our already stretched budget on such a thing so I need to see if I can get a grant or find a place where I can earn my stay. In the meantime I should utilize the office more and remind my household that when I am in there with the door shut, I am working and to please leave me alone.

Stay warm if you are where the snow is and cool if you are in the heat.

Cheers!

MissFifi

Blog Discoveries

2011-01-27T05:34:00.001-08:00

Just found some new blogs and had to share!

The Steampunk Home - as a fan of unusual designs, gothic mixed with modern or victorian mixed with cottage style, I love this site.

Slim Paley - Let us discuss how much I want that antique toaster.

Freshome - interior design and architecture. Really cool modernist ideas. I am sure I will be getting lost on this site for awhile.

Coco+Kelley - yeah, if only I could afford to hire a good interior designer.

Design*Sponge - another place for great ideas and fun.

Enjoy it all.

Cheers!

MissFifi

BBC

2011-01-26T05:43:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I watched the BBC mini-series North and South. Good Lord it was wonderful! I cried, a few times mind you. I loved it. The acting was excellent and I have a new heartthrob in Richard Armitage. Nom nom nom nom. A very intriguing story by Elizabeth Gaskell about the Hale family that moves to Milton in the North of England. An industrialized town, filled with mills. The Hales come from the South of England and their daughter Margaret sympathizes with the workers and butts head with the owner of the local cotton mill, John Thornton. I insist that everyone read this or watch it, it is a fantastic story. The BBC has taken Gaskells' novels, North and South, Cranford and Wives and Daughters and turned them in to miniseries. I have seen them all and was impressed with how ahead of their time they must have been.

Keeping with all things English, I have begun reading Wait for Me! Memoirs by Deborah Mitford, Duchess of Devonshire. Her style is dry and witty and her incomparable life is fascinating.

I adore this wall mount pump, but $70?? Really??

Okay, must contend with snow today, good times. Stay warm if you are in the cold zone!

Cheers!

MissFifi

And scene

2011-01-23T06:44:00.000-08:00

My tenure as fill in nanny has ended, which makes me sad. First off, it is a tough job caring for multiples. You truly get no time to really breath or shower or just sit. This is not about me, it is about the parents. My friend was able to do laundry and put Christmas decorations away because I was an extra set of hands, but if all had a meltdown at once, he had to stop what he was doing to assist.

The girls were and are quite delightful and it is clear that Sidney will be the Brain. She is always thinking, contemplating, considering our deaths a la Stewie from Family Guy. She will be the child I wished I had. Her sisters are charming, delightful and quick to cuddle and play. Sidney's twin, Aria, is very zen like which is really cool. A mini Gandhi if you will. Vivian is just this sweet smiling gal, ready for love and being made to laugh. You gotta love watching their individual personalities come to light. What I enjoy most is knowing they will evolve from their current incarnations and it will be quite an honor to watch who they become.

I have not written since Wednesday and may I say, it is bizarre. In many ways, not working on one's novel, but caring for children, helps clear your mind in ways you would never think. Ideas popped into my head all week for Cleaning House, my futuristic thriller and the Archangel novel. This is good and bad. Lots of fixing and rewriting, while par for the course, makes me worry I am second guessing myself way too much. But when I look at the changes I want to make, they are not life threatening to the story lines, just common sense. At least, one can hope.

I have begun reading "Wonder Boys" by Michael Chabon. Now, I have attempted his work before and I admit was not a fan. My husband loves his work. We own a couple of his novels so as I was getting ready to go stay with my friends to help with the little ladies, I grabbed Wonder Boys and decided to give it a shot.

So far, so good.

A very funny read and I like his style here. What caught my eye is he pulls a Gabriel Garcia Marquez and writes sentences with mucho commas that are a paragraph long. Now I get why people go to writing classes at University of Iowa. I know nothing. Sometimes I feel like such an amateur, which technically I am, when I read a book and everything I thought I knew about the English language goes out the window. Punctuation and I are not the best of friends. I desperately try to recall everything I have ever learned in schools, but alas, I fail. Sure I can take a refresher course, but let us be honest, would any of us want to sit through diagramming sentences again? As one who loves English as a subject and loves to read, diagramming almost did me in.

Whoops, need to steer me back on topic here.

The best part about reading other books is learning from them and I am doing my best to absorb each author's structure best I can. Granted, there is a template every writer follows, but it is more interesting to get past that and watch how they build around it. So Michael Chabon is currently my educator, whether he likes it or not, and I hope to get my money's worth.

Have a fabulous Sunday.

Cheers!

MissFifi