Hitting the Books

I’m looking for a picture to help focus on a character.

Grant Walker is a computer programmer and gamer. An unlikely hero. Late 20s. Shaggy, sandy brown hair. Wire-rimmed glasses (I’ve always had a thing for little wire-rimmed glasses). Eye color unknown. Average height and build.

Think James Spader from Stargate, only with better hair (and cuter). Yes, I already looked at his pics and they aren’t right.

This is the best I’ve come up with so far, and it’s pretty weak.

Anyone got a better pictures for me?

Finished Fire in the Mist , by Holly Lisle. I was actually able to read it mostly for pleasure. Of course, since I also am writing about a shepherdess with magical abilities, I did keep a close eye out for similarities. Thankfully, there very few.

One thing that confused me though was the back blurb:

“Take a simple shepherd girl with magic in her blood, raised in the back country, living free. Then destroy her family, but let her get away and grow to magehood. Now, you’re in trouble.”

Now, doesn’t that sound like some evil entity destroyed her family? That she was out for revenge against the person/people responsible? That’s what I thought it was, and so was rather disappointed when it turned out to be a Plague.

Another thing is the off-hand tea and crumpets. “You’re cute, so let’s jump in bed.” When did free-spirited and independent become synonymous with loose? This “musical beds” routine is really starting to irk me. Sigh.

And the Hoos (one of the cultures of Arhel) supposedly have 13 different sexual orientations. I’ve still not figured that one out. Not sure if I want to.

Other than those little things, it was an okay read. Lisle is incredibly good at world-building and characterization (but I already knew that from her website and clinic), and I did enjoy those parts of the book. It was the plot itself that didn’t do much for me.

Okay, so I finally got this written. Had it partially done last night when the Punkin started wailing, and kept wailing for the next hour. Second night in a row she’s done that. So, I took her in to the doctor today just to make sure her ear infection had cleared up and that there wasn’t anything else wrong. Doc says she’s fine, and thinks poor Punkin might be having night terrors. Sigh. Needless to say, neither one of us has gotten much sleep the past couple nights.

And what I really want to do is go write. Which is where I’m going as soon as I hit the publish button on this post.

Toodles.

Jiggity Jog.

Was away on a Women’s Retreat this weekend. Bunch of ladies from my church rented two lovely, huge beach houses. And I do mean huge. The main house had 9 bedrooms and 7.5 baths (not counting the two master suites we didn’t rent), an indoor pool, home theater, pool table, ping pong, beachside. Luxury…sorta. The house was brand-spanking new, and felt thrown together–doors didn’t latch and lock, gaps in the windows, and the WiFi didn’t really work (which is why I didn’t post like I’d planned to).

Our first night was very…um…exciting. We arrived in the middle of a nor’easter. We got sandblasted (literally) with 40+ mph winds. The sand covered the cars like snow. I had sand in my ears, in my hair, in my pockets, just from unloading the car. The wind was so strong that the house I was in, which was built up on stilts for flooding reasons, swayed so badly that I got seasick. On land. The tide came within about 25 feet of the house (if you click the link, look at the sandfence in the background. The waves were up to there).

At the same time, it was awesome. I’ve never seen the ocean so wild. The waves had to be 15-20 feet tall. And so loud. And my room had a Jacuzzi

I’d finished Fire in the Mist before leaving for the weekend (hopefully I’ll get to my review on it soon), so I read Piper at the Gate, by Mary Stanton instead. I loved Heavenly Horse from the Outermost West (it’s one of those I go back and read at least once a year), but wasn’t as impressed with Piper. Especially since information given in the first book was changed in the second. That Argh-ivates me to no end.

The retreat ended Sunday, but we had the house until Monday morning, so my husband and daughter came down for Sunday night and we got to let the Punkin run around on the beach for a bit. She loved the sand–laughed, kicked at it, wiggled her toes in it–but hated the water itself. Didn’t like the pool either. Thought playing pool was mighty fun though.

Nice sunny day today…as we were leaving. On the way home we stopped to let me get some scenery data for my book, which opens outside of Richmond. But once I got home I realized I might not have been in the right place. Which means I’m not sure, once again, where my action is taking place. ARGGHHH!! Drives me nuts. So now I get to spend the rest of the evening trying to pinpoint where Stonewall Jackson had his HQ on June 26, 1862, and whether or not there is a stream nearby.

Don’t remember where I stole this photo from (probably Bonnie), but it just screams “Write about me! Write about me! Or else…”

Well, today my hubby located Fluffy’s second in command, Uzi Cat (from downlinepartners.net).

Just had to share those with you.