Category: Random

Been awhile since I blogged, I know. I went to a few writer’s conferences and meetings, which were wonderful but draining. Plus, I’ve been sending out those requested submissions and trying to piece together the next book idea, which takes some time.

But onto today’s subject. I must say, I like the South. It’s the ideal place for me. Four distinct seasons, I live in a large metro area with everything available, I get nonstop flights everywhere.
Most times (despite some friends urging me to move there) I have no desire to live in NYC.

But on occasion, particularly when a film comes out that I *really* want to see, I wish I lived there. Because many films start in NYC and LA before coming to the bigger cities in the country.
And I was disappointed that the Oct 30th start date of “All Saints Day: Boondock Saints II” did not include Atlanta. So I decided to wait…patiently…until it does arrive in bigger cities.

Then I saw this link on Facebook. Now I want to get a one-way flight to NYC and watch this film!!!!

I know, I know. It’ll come to Atlanta one day. And when it does, I shall be there. Because as much as I don’t like bloody movies, I think writer/director Troy Duffy is fantastic. He’s got that Indie spirit of persistence, that “I’ll show you” attitude of an artist.

Watch a clip of the first 5 minutes of the movie. I so can’t wait to see it now :)

Hello and happy Friday all,

Today’s post is about how to prepare for pitching your book. For those who haven’t pitched before, it means taking a 350-400 page book and compressing it into a few paragraphs–the character, what they want, what will stand in their way, why this matters.

Not an easy task. (And I must confess, I need to finish mine by this weekend. What am I doing? Writing a blog post, while successfully procrastinating on my actual pitch because it’s driving me crazy to write it.)

I start with a blank page and start writing. Who is the protagonist? While query letters, book pitches, back cover copy, etc. often use the full character’s name, you can also use an adjective and noun to accurately describe a character more than their name. For example, an “obsessive-compulsive dog trainer” gives one a better image than “John Smith.”

Next, what does the character want? This one can be a toughy because the character often wants a specific goal (external, such as winning the Olympics) and something within himself (internal, such as getting over his self-esteem issues).

Next, what will get in his way? The best fiction puts your character up a tree without a way down, and the book is how they get themselves out of the tree. There’s more to play with when the character must undergo many obstacles in order to wrangle himself free. So what’s the conflict, what stands in his way? Many times this can be another character.

Putting all these items in a high-level yet informative few paragraphs in order to pitch your book takes time…and it determines whether anyone will want to read the book.

Sigh. It’s not my favorite part of the process, but it must be done. I usually mesh various sentences from my brainstorm listing, and somehow (often without knowing how) a pitch or blurb appears amidst the muck.

Now I must go, for by the end of the weekend, I’ve vowed to not be blurbless. Wish me luck, and good luck with any pitches you may be prepping for too!

Elaine

Hey all,

I’m curious about something–am opening up this discussion to the blog followers and those who might read this post.

The question? Is there a time and place for excessive violence in artistic mediums, if done well and with a purpose?

I ask because I’ve recently found an online film trailer for All Saints Day, the sequel to The Boondock Saints (written and directed by Troy Duffy). Watch the trailer here.

Now, let me openly admit that I’m not a fan of Friday the 13th or Saw flicks. Too gory for me, and it seems that there isn’t a purpose/set of characters I like enough to spend the time with or subject my delicate stomach to. And yet I am gleefully excited about Troy Duffy’s upcoming film, which releases on Oct 30th.

Will it be violent? Yes.
Will it likely be super violent and bloody like his first film? Yes.
Is it the violence that I enjoy in the movie? No. It’s the characters, and the violence is essential to the story and who they are.

I thought Duffy’s original film, The Boondock Saints, was excellent. Bloody, definitely. Violent, absolutely. But the characters, the plot, the background, the conflicts, the way each character is portrayed–absolutely brilliant. I also think it was one of Willem Dafoe’s best acting performances in his career. Hence why I will go see the sequel, even though I know it will be as bloody as (or perhaps more so) than the first one.

Perhaps violence is not as unlikable, so long as it’s done for a purpose or fits the story? I’m not ever one who likes or enjoys any kind of violence for the sake of violence–and even in Duffy’s bloody films I still don’t think it’s purely gratuitous. Some of it, perhaps. But the story of these 2 Irish brothers couldn’t be told without it.

I also hold a soft spot in my creative heart for writer/director Troy Duffy, because I think he’s got that resilience, that never-give-up spirit which is inspiring. (Trivia here…the original story idea formed in Duffy’s mind when a woman was attacked in his hometown and the perpetrator got away with it. The first film came out of Duffy’s anger at the justice system, at the damage done to this woman. Instead of seeking revenge himself or going off on someone, he wrote a script about revenge. That became The Boondock Saints.)

I’m not very patient with director commentaries, and often don’t get past the first 10 minutes unless I really admire the person or the work–or both. Duffy’s commentary was hilarious and yet inspiring, for the journey to make his first independent film was filled with struggle and chaos. I admire his tenacity and appreciate his sense of humor. This helps me to overlook the excessive violence when I see it as fitting to the story.

What do y’all think?

Hi all,

I meant to post this yesterday (8/29) but I was out of town visiting a friend and didn’t have Internet access. This weekend is the 4-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. While so many things about New Orleans and the surrounding areas have improved and rebuilt, it is also surprising to note that many areas have not.

Please keep the city and the residents in your thoughts. I wrote the piece below after Katrina happened, as a way to cope with the feelings of sadness for the city I grew up in, the city I loved. I hope you enjoy.

The Lonely Saxophone
Copyright 2005
Elaine Burroughs

The saxophone’s melancholy notes dance in the humid air like lightning bugs flitting about in summertime. The musician is nowhere to be seen, but his music can be faintly heard along the lazy Mississippi River. The rich, slow music is the heartbeat of New Orleans, this port city surrounded by water. The Big Easy.

As the city awakens, noises fill the air but the saxophone still plays. The Creole Queen riverboat makes a loud whistle as she takes tourists down the river. Mounds of crawfish, shrimp, and spicy seafood abound here. Clapping visitors surround street performers in Jackson Square, wanting to see their favorite acts. Horse-drawn carriages make the ‘clop clop’ sound down the narrow French Quarter streets. As my spirit absorbs these surroundings, I smile as I listen to the sad notes of a lonely saxophone, playing faintly as a constant backdrop to my home. The tunes may change, but the music goes on.

Black iron gates flank the streets in this Crescent City. Cherry-red geraniums bloom in decorative pots, and window boxes attempt to contain flowers bursting with pink, white, and purple. The flowers and the ivy cascade from the black iron balconies; they look like children dangling their feet before taking a swim. The spirit of New Orleans – its people and its music – welcomes them all. At the time, I believe that the music will never stop.

On August 29, I was proven wrong. Katrina’s fury drowned the city’s own and the heart of New Orleans stopped beating. Cries for help and sobbing remained. I gasp back tears as I see the rusted saxophone start to sink, its hollow insides consumed with Katrina’s waters. I hope that one day I can hear the music again. Until then, the absence of the lonely saxophone is deafening.

Happy weekend, all. Sorry I haven’t blogged much lately (and some of you have mentioned it…you know who you are!)

I’m attempting to fight the doldrums today. Life threw me a curve ball this morning. I’d been looking forward (all week) to attending a writing seminar on Sunday. I’d made plans to check into the hotel early today (Sat) and have a mini-writing getaway without distractions, then attend the seminar all day tomorrow.

Enter reality: the instructor had a family emergency and had to cancel the event. While I still enjoy mini-weekends away (even if in my same city) to write and relax, I wasn’t up to doing it this time unless the seminar happened. It’s a quiet weekend around our house, and I could just as easily write here (without paying $ for every Diet Coke I consume, which, when writing, is a lot).

Financially, all money will be refunded so I’m not worried. It’s just that I’d been super excited about this one, and now it won’t happen. He’s booked for the next year w/seminars (none of which come back near my area) so it may be a long time before I get to attend this one workshop.

Nuther sigh. Well, let’s just say it right now. BIG SIGH. Whine. Sigh. Whine some more.

But this moan-and-groan post is serving one purpose: I am disappointed that I will not be spending 9-10 hours on Sunday sitting in a writing workshop. What’s the plus side of this? I am a person who actually would enjoy giving up 1 day on my weekend to do this. Which is another stroke of reality that writing is my calling–whether publication happens or not.

I’ve had to attend all kinds of snore-fest seminars for my day job(s) over the years. If one of those got cancelled, I would be doing cartwheels across America. But one which I *want* to go to gets cancelled, and I’m suddenly Mrs. Eeyore. (and yes, some of you say I can be stubborn as a mule too, so no jokes!)

So…it’s 1:40 pm. I have time left today to write/edit my mess of a current manuscript, and that’s what I intend to do. The Eeyore part of me wants to crawl away and hide somewhere, but I can’t let life’s curve balls stop me. Got to keep moving forward, yanno?

The last few days have been quite productive (as I anticipated the weekend, of course!) but I need to keep up the pace. Always take time to relax and lick the wounds when needed, but always continue the work.

Nuff said. Now go write!

Elaine