Day 2: You can’t handle the Carl

Day number two is way easier that day number one. Day number one is just a flood of “What am I going to do about this?” “What am I going to do about that?” “Why is there a magical teleporting hat on that character’s head?” you know all the worrying, flailing around, and just in general freaking out about everything you’ve done wrong.

Beaker

(AHHHHHHHHHHH THERE’S TOO MANY EXCLAIMATION POINTS!!!!!)

Day number two is very relaxing in comparison. For those who don’t know, I’m editing a script during Camp Nanowrimo. So yesterday I freaked out about everything, but today I finally bit the bullet and wrote a brand new scene and a spur of the moment character.

My brand new scene happens right after the aftermath of the introduction (it’s not your typical introduction if you know what I mean) and I basically wanted to introduce my buddy cop duo a little earlier than in my first draft.

While this scene went on, I only planned to have my buddy cop duo in the spotlight but right out of nowhere came my newest character Carl. This cranky old forensic analyst just came in and started harassing one half of the buddy cop team; Paul because he believed Paul cheated during their poker game.

como-e-a-poker-face

(Poker is serious business)

Paul is a really lazy incompetent cop so it’s hard to imagine he’d be able to pull off cheating at poker. He skilfully avoids answering whether he cheats or not, and now I’m wondering if Paul isn’t actually as dumb as he behaves. Maybe he’s really just obfuscating stupidity in order to continue cheating at poker against his colleagues.

And the only way I could’ve ever possibly known that was because of Carl.

Thanks Carl!

Carl: “You didn’t already know that? He’s been doing this for years! How do you think he can afford those fancy watches, or the apocalyptic stock of whiskey he keeps in his office!”

Zambonnie: “He keeps whiskey in his office?”

Carl: “Are you blind? He doesn’t even try to hide them!”

Zambonnie: “I would’ve thought he’d have a stockpile of beer”

Carl: “Oh trust me, it’s whiskey”

ZB: “That sounds strangely out of character”

Carl: “Does it? You’ve seen the signs. The way he avoids answering questions, how he leaves the paperwork for his partner, how he notices the strangest things in the background when most people wouldn’t. He’s not just a freeloader, he’s a smart one. That’s why he hasn’t been fired yet!”

ZB: “Whoa… you sure you’re not a compulsive liar?”

Carl: “Hey! Don’t pull that twist on me, you’ve only just met me but you’ve known Paul for much longer. Tell me, can you honestly say that the signs aren’t there? Why else would that idiot still be working in the force? We’re not a clown school we’re a police department. He’s just been tricking everyone for the last several years into believing he’s a bumbling idiot so he can slack off on duty. Even you’ve come to believe the act. The man’s a scumbag, but nobody’ll listen to me. I’m just Carl the ‘cranky ol’ forensic guy’… heh, if you worked with those morons all day you’d be cranky too.”

I'm_surrounded_by_idiots

ZB: “… I wrote those morons”

breakfast club

Carl: “Touché”

~ Zambonnie ~

P.S I like Carl but I have no idea if he’s going to end up in the story. This is all just editing and there are plenty of characters I’ve made that never ended up contributing anything so I had to cut them. Carl can either sink or swim, it’ll all depend on the flow of the story.

See Yourself Through a Different Set of Eyes

Oh stop the presses I’ve found a deep topic to sink my teeth in. Either way, you should read this because it’s really fascinating and you’ll be stuffed with food for thought.

The Daily Post

As bloggers, we’re constantly defining ourselves to our readers. Through our photos, our stories, our poetry, our recipes, or our podcasts, we tell the world who we are. Even those of us who share a great deal of our personal lives still only give snippets of ourselves. We create a public persona (even our choices of blog themes reflect the way we want to represent ourselves online). We choose what we want to share of ourselves, and our readers fill in the rest according to their own points of view. Every reader might have a slightly different idea of who you truly are.

I’ve been thinking about how this applies to my daily life. I have an unconscious habit of creating stories about people I see, but whom I only know in “snippets.” The barista at my local coffee shop, the surly bus driver who never smiles at me no…

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Day 1: Summoning My Fairy God Mother

cinderella transformation

For those who don’t know I’m editing a script during Nanowrimo. So far I’m trying to re-outline the entire story, adding things, subtracting things, all that jazz.

However I’ve run into a little speed bump along the way…

Speed-Bumps-Ahead-Sign-K-2059

My comedic relief character.

She is literally my favourite character in my own story, she’s very energetic and bubbly but very ditzy. Also she’s a magician so she has a lot of cool tricks up her sleeve involving hypnotism, smoke bombs, slight of hand, all kinds of stuff like that.

I have no problem with her dialogue or her character, I just have no idea how to squeeze her into the plot. I have several other different storylines colliding into each other at the same time so I have very little room for her to breathe as a character.

phobe_1b

(Help! I have no room in the story!)

However I have thought of a possible solution and here it is:

She will just pop in unannounced whenever she’s needed.

entrance

(You called?)

Kind of like summoning a Fairy God Mother, she’ll just show up when I need her to. She’s one of those zany characters and I feel like I’ve been limiting her true potential wackiness for the story. Mind you I don’t want to over use her, I want her to make a bigger impact on the story. I know I can make her truly shine under the spotlight, she’s a wonderful character but I’m constantly worried if I’m under using her or over using her because of my adoration for her personality.

She has to compete with plenty of other bombastic characters but she wins me over because of her happy-go-lucky attitude in a city filled with chaos and cynicism.

firework

(If she was a firework, she’d be bright yellow… and probably be the one that flies into your window and accidentally sets something on fire)

I guess for now I’ll just see how much I can amp up her ridiculous-ness in the story, during the first draft she was mostly in the background but I want to see what’ll happen if I drag her into the foreground.

What are your thoughts on this? And do you have any advice for comedic relief characters? Who is your favourite wacky sidekick?

~ Zambonnie ~

Day 0: Getting back into the swing (of things)

swing-set-o

Hello all you classy people!

So… I kind of, sort of… started Camp Nanowrimo early

*dodges incoming tomatoes*

HEY! Cut me a break will ya? I couldn’t help it! I was feeling the call of the writer signal. It’s a giant pen in the sky by the way, although it looks more like someone just drew a really weird line in the clouds. Anyway I said yesterday I’d be doing some little Captain’s Logs on my progress so I can’t lie about starting early.

It’s just a day early but I’ve been waiting FOREVA! I mean, forever is a really long time okay, I’m surprised I didn’t self combust under the pressure… don’t over analyse my scientific metaphors! It still illustrates my exaggerated frustration and impatience! Science is my playground, not my prison.

Science!

(looking fabulous as always Bill)

So anyway I started where most writers start editing… the beginning. I didn’t do much, I just wanted to come back to my little bundle of joy still peacefully sleeping and looking adorable as ever. It’s a good feeling when you come back to a story you wrote and it still has that indescribable magic that pulls you in. For this story that magic came in the form of sweet jazz, sepia tones, and bitter coffee. Ah, it feels good to be back, but there’s still plenty to be done.

Well for today I just changed a few lines, wrote some new ones, and saved the ones I cut. Why? Because I might change my mind later. I doubt it, but you never know. Anyway I don’t intend to do this “baby editing” during Nano, I just wanted to dip my feet in the water again. I’m planning on doing a huge overhaul, writing a tighter outline, cutting useless characters, adding more development with others, and most importantly adding more while saying less. I have some dialogue that kind of self indulges itself for no real reason other than I was having way too much fun with it. I don’t mind having fun, but it’s better to say more with less you know?

In short, I just spent some time in the introduction and it helped me get back into the swing of things. I feel more confident that I’m going to finally finish this thing. It’s the first really long story I’ve written, and you’d better believe I’m going to treat it like my first born child… of course if someone critiqued my first born child I’d probably do unspeakable things to them but for my story I will definitely welcome criticism to the table. That is, once I’m done editing it… bring it on Nano, I’m ready for you!

ready

~ Zambonnie ~

Don’t set your tent on fire

Camp-Participant-2015-Web-Banner (1)

Zambonnie: Bye Mum! I’m off to Camp!

Mum: Wait, what? Camp?

Zambonnie: Yeah camp, you know cabins, people, setting things of fire?

Mum: What? Fire? What are you… it’s the end of March!

ZB: Yeah that’s when it starts. Well technically it starts in April but I signed up early so I could fraternize with the hierarchy and meet up with people. Also they wouldn’t let me join without bringing a fire extinguisher this year. I named him Sparky, and I drew a little face on him. See! *holds up Sparky, a fire extinguisher with a Sharpie marker smiley face*

Mum: But isn’t Summer Camp supposed to be in the Summer?!

ZB: Yeah of course, hence the name “Summer Camp”

Mum: B-b-but…

ZB: What?

Mum: IT’S THE END OF MARCH!

ZB: Yeah, and? That’s when Camp Nanowrimo starts Mum.

Mum: Camp Whatawhatnow?

Announcer: Camp Nanowrimo! A Spring getaway for the Writer at heart. 

Mum: Who’s this?

Announcer: Enjoy our classy word counter so you can keep track of how far along you are in your grand month long writing goal!

ZB: No seriously who are you? How did you get in my-

Announcer: Vacation with other writers in chic cabins, personalized and customized to your liking! It only starts in a few days so don’t delay! Camp is just a click away!

ZB: HEY!

*pulls out Sparky*

ZB: GET OUTTA MA HOUSE!!! *sprays announcer*

Announcer: Pftt pfft… Also be sure to, pfft pfft, type in our coupon code to get, pfft pftt, get Scrivener for 20 percen- 

*slams door in his face*

ZB: That’s the third one this week… we’ve gotta seal up the windows or something because I have no idea how they keep getting in here. I swear they’re like roaches, slimy, sleazy, well dressed roaches.

salesman

Anyway, I’m doing Camp Nanowrimo. I’m going to edit one of my scripts I wrote a few months ago. I’m kind of a dialogue lover in case you didn’t catch on so I decided to write one. I’ve written little scenes before but never a whole script. Now that I have, I realize it’s kind of all over the place (just as any ol’ first draft would be) so I’m going to try and tighten this puppy and meet other people in a cabin.

I remember I did Camp Nano once upon a time but I was merely a fresh faced fishie in an ocean of ambition. To make a long story short, I never finished but I tried to interact with the people in my cabin so hey it sort of helped my social skills. This year I’m bunking with people within my age range instead of throwing my hands up in the air like I don’t give a care.

baby waves ya hands

So far everything seems groovy, and I’m super hyped for returning back to my script again. It’s one of those confusing, crazy, driven by insanity stories (which is why it’s all over the place). I figured out my theme a couple days ago so now I’m going to tailor the story to said theme. I might do a post about theme, although I’m not an expert on it. Anyway I’m probably not going to post as frequently but I will still post things. Maybe I’ll do a little captains log of my editing journey. Hey… actually that’s not a bad idea. I’ll try it out and we’ll see if it works.

Experimental blogging ho!

~ Zambonnie ~

Dino Sharks, Mecha Dragons, and Bear/Squids (oh my!)

So I was requested by one of my Libster Nominees Blogsbysidra to answer my own questions as well as the questions she asked to her nominees.

Questions ho!

allthethings

My Questions:

  1. Now first the obligatory time travel question. If you had a time machine where/when would you go and why?

All the best concerts ever recorded in history. I’m talking Mozart, Beethoven, Queen, Beatles, Madonna, all those amazing artists in their prime.

  1. How long would you be able to stay awake for? Minutes? Hours? Days? Weeks?

At most three days, but if I was paid a lot of money I could destroy my sleeping cycle for a million dollars. I could destroy plenty of other things for a million dollars but that’s another story.

  1. Make up an animal hybrid that describes who you are as a person. (Examples include Dragon/Scorpion, Butterfly/Tiger, and Chicken/Dolphin). Why would you be this hybrid?

Bear/Squid. Bear because I’m cuddly and lazy (and occasionally scary when someone tries to wake me up too early). Squid because no one can comprehend my existence. Also I’m kind of floating around in my own frame of mind, listlessly spiralling deeper into the cavernous waters of my own subconsciousness.

  1. What’s in your closet?

*eyes dart away* N-n-nothing… why do you want to know? There’s just uh… what do normal people have in closets? … Shoes! That’s right lots of shoes and, um, clothes… yeah that’s it just clothes… they smell kind of weird if you’re wondering about the smell. I rubbed cabbages all over them, and drizzled some ketchup in the pockets. That’s what the smell is… ketchup and cabbage… nothing else… nothing at all.

Hey so how ’bout them Blue Jays?

  1. What is the meaning of life in four words?

Do whatever you want (with it).

  1. Finish the line “If I could invent anything, I’d invent…”

A mecha dragon.

mechadragon

No explanation needed.

  1. Sword fighting or Car chases?

Sword Fighting my good sir, now how about a fair jested duel? On guard I say! On guard! *waves it around* *slips out of hand* *gets wedged in a tree* Ah! You have beaten me! This is an outrage! Inconceivable! Blasphemy! You didn’t even unsheathe your sword! You neanderthalic ruffian! *bites thumb at thee*

  1. Write down something you hope you’ll be quoted for in the future.

“You know what your problem is? You’re looking for order where you’ve created chaos.”

  1. What is your favourite sassy comeback?

Oh I’m sorry could you speak into the microphone so everyone can hear your rambling bullshit?

  1. Okay last two are going to be serious; why did you start your blog?

Eh, I think I answered this already but I’ll humour myself. I started my blog to connect with other writers since I live in a really small town and there’s no more writing clubs. So yeah, I broadened my horizons and went online.

  1. Who is your favourite fictional character? Why? (You only pick one)

Really? Really… just one?

Brave1

I have so much love for so many characters how can you make me pick ONE?! Screw it, I’m going with Jack from Nightmare Before Christmas. Where to start with this guy… basically he’s the Pumpkin King (AND DON’T YOU FORGET IT) but he’s not a snob about his title. He’s in charge of bringing Halloween to the world and he’s good at scaring people but he feels like he’s stuck in a rut. He does the same thing every year and he wants a change. Luckily he finds rejuvenation in the awesome holiday that is Christmas. After that he becomes obsessed with it and soon his obsession kind of takes over his common sense (like most fangirls). After that it gets crazy but for those who haven’t seen the movie I won’t spoil it.

I love Jack because he is in charge of his own choices, whenever he comes to a decision it’s because of his own train of thought (which is wild, wacky, poetic, and bizarre). I also love the elegant way he moves, it’s very fluid and whimsical in a way but make no mistake Jack is a huge drama queen. He will go on about how awesome he is under the pale moonlight to himself and LIGHT HIMSELF ON FIRE AND JUMP INTO A FOUNTAIN for kicks. Yet there’s a sort of sincere, childlike wonder about him that’s very endearing. He’s always passionate and deeply submerged in his own head, and he’s very dedicated to making his own goals a reality. He’s pretty fascinating and fun to watch, that’s why he’s got such a cult following.

jack halloween or christmas

Her questions:

  1. What inspired you to be a writer/photographer?

Writing class, yup pretty simple. I had an amazing writing teacher who really supported my work and helped me gain confidence in myself. I know it doesn’t come across on paper but in reality I’m quite aloof (because I’m usually in another dimension inside my head) but writing has helped me open up my thoughts and given me something to do with all those insane ideas bubbling in my brain.

  1. Writing/Photography are means of communication, how well do you think you communicate?

Uh, are we talking in reality or on paper because those are two very different things for me. Reality: I’m quiet on the outside. I’m like one of those Tootsie pops, you ever had one of those? The lollipop that’s hard on the outside but has an ooey gooey center? Yeah the oogey gooey stuff is on paper, while the lollipop exterior holds in the deliciousness from the rest of the world. However I’ve gotten better at putting myself out there. I read the morning announcements at school, I’ve read some slam poetry at one of those art shows, and now I’ve been cast in a short play at school. So I’m getting there, and maybe one day I’ll finally feel my feet on the ground.

  1. Where do you see yourself in future?

On a hammock in Scotland. Possibly one of those hammocks that comes with a servant who can fan me and braid flowers in my hair. I’ll name him Bob, along with my other servants who do things for me. I can’t be bothered to remember all their names; do I look like an elephant to you? (Don’t answer that).

Okay but in all seriousness I’m probably going to travel the world at some point so all of the countries can collectively kick me out. So, I’m hoping to have some wild adventures around the world at some point, you know before I marry a billionaire philanthropist playboy, or maybe that hot guy from that Taylor Swift music video? Either’s fine with me. Then once I’m settled down I’ll buy a castle in Transylvania and charge people to visit on Halloween.

scary_castle_650

It’s the home that keeps on giving.

  1. What else do you prefer doing in your free time?

Well I’ve already answered this one but I’ll add more to the list. On top of writing, gaming, reading, watching anime and playing piano I also like to dance. Not choreographed just freestyle, because if love is oxygen, music is my defibrillator. Oh and don’t even get me started on dance parties. Yeah on the outside I’m quiet but when I get in my groove, people stop and stare like they’ve just witnessed the miracle of birth. On the outside I’m just your average ordinary high school introvert, but secretly… I’m the Dancing Queen. *turns on ABBA*

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  1. Describe your personality in five lines or less.

Explosion of silence.

Mind of a rabbit hole.

Open eyed misfit dancing in the rain.

Square peg in a round hole.

I’m a sponge.

  1. Which Writer/photographer do you look up to?

Chuck Wendig.

chuck_wendig2001

He’s not the cleanest brush in the paint bucket but he’s one of the reasons I started this blog. I’ve always found some writers to be too forgettable when they give advice about writing but trust me when I say YOU WILL NOT FORGET WHAT THIS GUY SAYS. I only recommend checking his blog if you’re okay with swearing, because he doesn’t hold back.

Microsoft Word - Chuck Wendig Quote

  1. If you could give one advice to your followers, what would it be?

SAVE ALL YOUR WRITING! Even the stupid schlock of nonsense you wrote in 7th grade, keep it in a box, lock it with a key, and put it somewhere safe. Why? Because when you’re a famous writer you can bug people about all the boring nonsensical schlock you wrote in grade 7.

No I kid, the reason is because you never know when it might come in handy. Also because it’s good to know how far you’ve come as a writer when you compare it to your older stuff. You can see where you’ve improved and it really helps your ego when everyone is chopping up your words up like salami. Nobody likes word salami, especially writers. Unless you sprinkle it on pizza, then it’s alphabet pizza and who doesn’t want to try that?

  1. Writing and photography is an art. What do you think is the essence of this art?

Writing is about shoving people’s faces into your head. This is why perspective is important, because as a writer you need to be aware of how other people will interpret your work and what kind of message you’re sending out there. This is why writing can affect us so much, it’s because we took a crazy psychic trip into someone else’s mind and have come back with a new way to see the world.

You could go your whole life not caring about what birds are chirping about, but once you read Hunger Games you’re going to try and see if they copy that three note whistle you’ve been practicing in your room. That’s just a tiny example, but you get the idea. Writing helps us apply a new perspective on our day to day lives to widen our understanding of the world so we don’t all end up living in a bubble.

  1. If you could change the world through your work, what two changes would you bring? How do you think you can accomplish that?

Ha, change the world with writing? Do I look like Shakespeare to you? (Don’t answer that). Well in this hypothetical alternate universe, I would say I’d change how people value human worth and how people view friendship.

I’ll address the first one; sometimes I come across people who can only see the negatives in other. This is more common in high school but sometimes I feel like all we’re doing is pointing out the flaws of others and not seeing the good in people. This kind of elitist attitude can be harmful because it distances you from empathizing and understanding people. All the while I’m pretty sure everyone else is talking smack about you which distances you even more. The world expects us all to be “perfect” but we’re not and we never will be, but because of these impossible standards we alienate ourselves and become lost in our own petty hatred.

The second is friendship, friendship is awesome. I know romance is great and all but friendship doesn’t get enough credit. It’s one of the strongest bonds a person can have without expecting anything in return for their kindness. Why don’t we celebrate it more? It’s a beautiful relationship, literally no strings attached just respect and loyalty to each other.

So to accomplish this I’d write a story about someone who is constantly seen in a negative light for who they are. Then soon they’d start purposefully turning into the bully everyone sees them as because of the rampant negativity in their environment. Then… out of nowhere… someone sees that they’re not the ruthless bully they’ve heard about and tries to befriend them. That’s my one-shot synopsis but it doesn’t sound too bad. Of course I’d have to figure out the details but I feel like it could work… needs more dragons though.

  1. Any specific favourite colour? If yes, how do you feel you connect to it?

Purple, the colour of grapes. Grapes are amazing, and purple is a rad colour. I wear purple pretty much every day, and I have lots of purple accessories. I’m kind of obsessed, because it’s just has an air of mystique and depth that other colours don’t seem to have. Purple is like the classy sassy chick in the crayon box, and I love her like a sister.

  1. Take five minutes, sit alone, quite, no sounds no noises. Look into yourself. what do you see or feel? how would you bring that up in your work?

Uh… okay but I can’t guarantee anything super deep is going to come out of this. We are talking about my brain right? Okay then, here we go

*sets timer*

Clock

*five minutes later*

Okay… I’m never doing that again. Well let’s just say I went on a crazy adventure. First I closed my eyes and I saw a huge neon arrow, so I followed it and I ended up in Las Vegas so… what happens in Vegas STAYS in Vegas. Anyway after I fell off the karaoke stage I woke up in the hospital.

The doctor was like “we need you” and I was like “why?” and he said “we have a space program to see how hard people can party in zero gravity. After the show you put on in Vegas we’re inviting you to take part in this experiment with five other people.” I didn’t bother asking any questions because he had a lab coat on so I said sure.

I was immediately flung into space from my hospital bed and crashed into the party rocket ship. They were playing some funky beats and everyone was partying but I was like “guys, turn on the zero gravity” and they were like “oh sorry we forgot” so we partied in zero gravity. It’s not as easy as it looks.

Sadly I bumped into a button that plummeted us into the sun. I got into the only escape pod and took the last bag of pretzels with me. I’m not entirely proud of myself for that, but it had to be done. Sacrifices had to be made, but I didn’t want a perfectly good bag of pretzels to burn up in the sun.

So I floated around in space for a while and then some aliens came over. They were like “who are you?” and I was like “oh nobody, I just forgot to fill the escape pod with enough rocket fuel to get me home so now I’m kind of stuck here” and they were like “oh no problem, we can give you a lift” so I came back home in an alien space ship.

After my discovery of aliens I was recruited to try and find the “Giant Dinosaur Shark” since I was suddenly known for my proficiency in finding new biological creatures. I was taken to a submarine ship and I was told to speak to our home base from those headset microphone thingys.

So I turned it on and it turned out that I accidentally set it to those party astronauts that crashed into the sun. Apparently they didn’t crash into the sun and I over reacted. They yelled at me for taking the bag of pretzels so I turned off the headset and my five minute alarm went off.

That was my five minute delve into my brain.

krusty

Why was I so obsessed with pretzels? Do I love them that much? Do I crave pretzels? Well now I do since I abandoned five party astronauts to burn up in the sun for the last batch of them. They were pissed, but it’s not like I took all the snacks, I left them some Doritos.

Honestly I think I restrained myself in that type of crisis. I mean if you were in a party rocket ship that was crashing into the sun what would you do? Exactly! Grab what you can and run, although if it wasn’t for those aliens I wouldn’t  find a career in searching for the Giant Dino Shark.

It’s half dinosaur, half shark, it’s never been recorded on film but the Captain swore he saw it. He never got to the story because of the party astronauts but I’m sure it was pretty exciting and involved why he had a peg leg, a hook for a hand, and a cork screw for an ear. That’s why I was on the headset, because cork screw ears get caught in today’s modern technology.

Anyway what was I talking about? OH how I would bring this into my work? Well obviously now I have to write about searching for a Giant Dino Shark, the other stories were riddled with clichés but this one… this one I can see going places.

Whimsical Rhythm (Ethical Writing Music)

Last time on Zamboni Parade I said I had an obsessive affinity with music. I love lots of different styles of music and I know that there are still some out there just waiting to be discovered. If I could just tune out the rest of the world and glue my headphones to my head with all my favourite songs playing, I would be a happy camper until the end of time.

itunes-o

I literally do everything with music playing, writing, reading, thinking, gaming, heck I’m literally listening to “Let it Go” as I’m writing thi- LET IT GOOO LET IT GOO AND I’LL RISE LIKE THE BREAK OF DAAWWN (sorry I put everything on pause when that part comes on… the cold never bothered me anyway… DING)

Anyway you probably just want to know where I’m going with this. Well your answer will come in the form of another question.

What kind of music do you listen to while writing?

I know some people who like listening to soundtracks to get a certain mood or tone. Then there are people like me who connect songs with characters, in fact there are a few characters that I’ve written that were purely based on a song. Music is a good tool to try and get in the zone and get in your character’s head.

In reality you’re sitting at your computer/typewriter/notebook/hologram writing your story, but once you turn on AC/DC you’re on a whole other highway of thinking amigo. Then there’s dramatic violin music for when you “kill your darlings” and of course there’s always happy – go – lucky tunes for when you’re writing that cute little date scene… and then you turn on that violin music again when it goes horribly wrong in some way.

Well here’s some tunes that I’m going to throw your way that might help you get into the swing of things.

First off I’m going to recommend

“Cooking on Sunshine” by Cotton Club

This is a cheerful, wacky song with a sweet saxophone. You could use it for your zanier characters when they strut into a chapter without any warning.

“Darling didn’t we kill you” by Ulver

Speaking of strutting in without any warning HERE’S A CREEPY SONG! For all your horror/suspense needs. It’s got a bit of a cyberpunk feel to it as well so if you like what you hear check out Ulver’s other creepy songs. They get the job done… *shivers*

“Sneeuwland” by Oskar Schuster

Now to wash away the horror I present one of my favourite lyricless songs. Technically it can be waltzed to as it has 3 beats per bar (they’re just really quick) so I’ll call it my favourite waltzing song. IT’S BEAUTIFUL I can’t describe the wonder and whimsy this song captures. It’s just so innocent and yet I feel as if there’s an introspective underbelly to the euphoric beast. Words can’t give it justice so just listen to it and melt away in the funky flow.

“Assassin’s Tango” by John Powell

Well I added a waltz so now it’s time for a TANGO! Ole! *poses* For you movie buffs yes this is from Mr. and Mrs Smith. No I’ve never seen the movie but I’ve listened to this song a bajillion and twelve times. It’s really good for those sensual romantic moments… with an edge. There’s an underlying suspense to it that makes it really good for that classic dark banter between your secretive couples.

“Power up” by Electric Joy Ride

No it’s not Darude Sandstorm, it’s far better. Now I am a lover of techno and I know that I’m usually in the minority when I say that. This is mostly because good techno is buried under all the horrible goo of bleeps and bloops that people call music. Well worry no more, this is what good quality beeps and bloops sound like. This could be used for upbeat, comical, sci-fi action-y scenes. There are lots of build ups but personally I feel it gives it a rollercoaster feel to it. It’s one of those songs that I wish could be playing while I’m being flung around like a ragdoll. Yes, it fills a very specific (and strange) need but I love it all the same.

“Voodoo People (Pendulum Remix)” by The Prodigy

Welcome to the dark side of techno… and the next sweet song for your gritty sci-fi action scene.

“Take Five” by Dave Brubeck

Okay okay, I’ll lay off the techno I know it’s not everyone’s cuppa tea. In the meantime how about some smooth jazz for you Private eyes and chain smoking detectives in the building? This is a good saxophone jive to get your character briskly contemplating the clues scattered around the scene of the crime. (I will also point you to the L.A Noire soundtrack if you haven’t done so already)

“No Theme” by Yoshimori Makoto

Eh, couldn’t resist. Jazzy action music get me every time.

“Silent Moon” by Adrian von Ziegler

Okay pro tip number one for finding good soundtrack music: look up Adrian von Ziegler. Seriously you’ve probably already heard of his work before but he’s great at composing gothic, fantasy, and celtic music. However I prefer when he just gives us a little tune on his good ol’ piano and this is personally my favourite song by him. I’ve listened to it a lot when writing serious moments and occasionally some romantic moments. It’s a very wistful yet simple song, one that bubbles in you head before too long.

“Nascence” by Austin Wintory

Ah… beautiful.

What? That’s all I’ve got to say. Just pipe down and listen will ya?

“Damned” by Sean Murray 

Upbupbupbup, I don’t want to hear it. I know where it’s from and I don’t care. The song surpasses the stigma behind it and it’s amazing when you’re writing suspense scenes. Shhh shush shush, calm down, minimize the screen, and write. Trust me, you’ll thank me later.

“Lux Aeterna” by Clint Mansell

You probably already knew this one, but if by the very slight off chance that you didn’t… your welcome.

Mystery Song

I now leave you with this, just for a good bit of fun.

winks

~ Zambonnie ~

Writing Contest (WHOOP WHOOP)

Party_Hard

Hello beautiful people!

crowd of minions

Are you ready to write?

toby yasss

I said ARE YOU READY TO WRITE!?

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If you feel a story bursting through your chest and you need to put it to the test. LET ME HEAR YOU SCREAM!

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Oh c’mon now I said LET ME HEAR YOU SCREAM!

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I CAN’T HEAR YOU!

lottie

No I honestly can’t hear you I’m just behind a computer screen…

sassy snape

Well the hype train has left the station but the writing contest has not! That’s right ladies, gentlemen, and others, I’m hosting a writing contest.

This is the contest for everyone and anyone. I’m talking the beginners, experts, amateurs, aliens, wizard monkeys, and dancing eggplants (you know who you are). Listen to me when I say that in this contest ANYONE CAN ENTER!

Here is your mission private, you are to write a short story with the inclusion of ONE of the seven items listed below:

– A Giant Spoon

– Vintage Record Player

– A Big Red Button

– A Gold Tooth

– Rubber Snake

– Feather Boa

– A Bowl of Pudding

(Bonus points if you somehow manage to get all the items in)

It must be a short story of approximately 1000 words, it can be any genre of your choice. You can have as many characters as you want, or even more than one of the items included but you must have AT LEAST ONE ITEM in the story for it to be qualified.

The prize for the winner is glory, fame, and a sense of accomplishment. You will also get a shiny badge for bragging rights, and a virtual dessert of your choice.

This contest is for fun and it’s good practice for you aspiring writers out there.

I will be your judge and as such I’ll read every comma and period you splash out on the page. I’ll dive into whatever story you’ve got, no matter how crazy or absurd, I’ve probably written worse so don’t worry about trying to be fancy schmancy. I want creativity and passion to be oozing from your fingertips, I want my eyeballs to be swimming in insanity, I want YOU to write your best story and give it your all!

The deadline for this contest is Sunday, April 5th. Post your story on your blog and put your link in the comments.

Now as I said… ARE YOU READY TO WRITE?!

holyshitflail-erins

~ Zambonnie ~

(I think I broke my own personal record for the most gifs in a single blog post… I am so sorry)

Liebster Award Nomination… wait what?

liebster

HOLY CHEESEBALLS!

Wow, just… is this real life? Am I in a dream loop? Or limbo? Is Leonardo DeCaprio going to come out and be all like “We have to go into another layer” and then Hans Zimmer is gonna play that big ol’ tuba right in my ear? Am I on candid camera? Is this just fantasy? Caught in a landslide no escape from reality?

DID MY HAND ALWAYS HAVE SIX FINGERS?

Where’s Neo? I have to be in the Matrix right now, where’s my leather jacket?

It’s real?

No c’mon just stop, quit messing around.

It’s real?

Holy Cheeseballs…

I’m flabbergasted, so much so that I used the word flabbergasted. I’m just going through waves of shock right now, shock, awe, and gratitude. Just… just give me a moment.

I just want to say thank you so much to Joyia Reid, seriously I’m not taking this lightly I really appreciate it. You can check out her blog right here and send a little love her way ‘kay?

RedArrow

https://thesething.wordpress.com

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“click it”

She has a pretty sunset background and she writes some pretty awesome stuff. She’s also really nice, and she has a panda for her profile pic. Who hates pandas? Who could hate those adorable fluffy little bears of joy?

panda

Nobody that’s who! They’re adorable!

panda slide

But seriously she’s a pretty cool writer and she’s got about 20 followers as of now. I’m sure we can fix that with a little elbow grease and some TLC.

Anyway here’s the 411: I have to answer some questions that she has bestowed upon those of her choosing. I am one of them, and thus I must fulfil my prophecy. There is an option to discontinue but I am going to answer the call to adventure like any good “chosen one” should.

After answering the questions I must nominate 11 more bloggers for the award and send them 11 questions of my choosing (*cough* muh-ha-ha-ha *cough*).

Alrighty then, here are the questions I must answer…

  1. Why did you start blogging?

Well I started blogging because I want to connect with people over my passion in writing. I don’t live in a fancy city and my town doesn’t have a writing club anymore and so I branched out online. I write about writing and other things that interest me, and occasionally I rhyme (it’s kind of my “thing”).

  1. What’s your favorite thing to do when you aren’t blogging?

Hmm… does writing stories count or am I just getting repetitive? Eh, it’s too repetitive. Second favourite thing I do is play video games. Lately I’ve been playing Borderlands (1) but usually I scurry around like a little bunny on Team Fortress 2. I also listen to music and watch anime whenever I find a new one to watch, all my favourites are in my “Aboot” page.

  1. What is your blog about?

DINOSAUR EGGS! Obviously, what else would I talk about all day? Did you know that “billions of dinosaurs roamed the earth during the Mesozoic Era, and female dinosaurs laid literally trillions of eggs. Doing the math, you might come to the conclusion that fossilized dinosaur eggs are much more common than fossilized dinosaur skeletons, but the opposite is true. Thanks to the vagaries of predation and preservation, it’s always big news when a clutch of dinosaur eggs is discovered!” Look it up it’s a true fact; Wikipedia that, now allow me to attack Stephen the hack…

tarentino

Whoa what was I talking about? Oh yeah writing, of course, that’s what I always blog about.

  1. What is the best part about your personality?

The best part of my personality… is…

*downloading personality* *downloading creativity* *downloading spontaneity* *extracting cookies* *extracting dry sarcasm* *installing over analytical nonsense* *installation complete* *error: witty comment lost* *updating system* *error: lost files “train of thought”* *reinstalling personality* *retrieving lost files* *answering question*

Eh, I dunno.

2cr855y

  1. If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?

Narnia

  1. What’s your favourite childhood memory?

One time in grade two this orchestra came to my school. It was one of the first times I heard classical music and it was really cool. The best part though was the conductor asked if someone from the audience wanted to try conducting and out of all the kids in the audience he picked me. Back then I was really shy, even more than I am now, so it was earth shattering when every single eye turned to me. I took that beautiful little stick like it was a sceptre from the Gods and stood by the podium. Unlike most kids who would’ve probably swung the thing around like a drunken lunatic, I was very deliberate and precise because I knew it was a huge deal. It was the first time in my life I had control over something bigger than myself, and looking back now I’m sure the musicians could’ve played just fine without some eight year old to guide them but it was one of the few times I ever had confidence in myself at that age. I remember my Mom being so proud of me and holding my head up higher than usual.

  1. If you had a superpower, what would it be?

Invisibility, I’m surprised most people don’t pick it. Whenever you’re at work and you want a quick nap – BOOM Invisibility. Whenever you’re reading and you don’t want people to disturb you? BOOM Invisibility. Whenever you’re on a date and he starts talking about the wonders of watching paint dry – BOOM Invisibility! It solves everything, and when it doesn’t… duct tape will.

funny-fixes-with-duct-tape

  1. IHOP or Waffle House? Why?

PANCAKE HOUSE! Canada FTW! (in all honesty there are no IHOP’s in Canada and I prefer pancakes.) DROWN IN MAPLE SYRUP! (I’m sure both establishments are very nice to eat at but I can’t properly answer this question based on my location) HEAVEN IS COATED IN MAPLE LEAVES (I went to an Applebees once in Niagara falls, it wasn’t bad) MOOSEN WILL RULE THE WORLD (by the way you should look up Brian Regan, funny guy)

  1. What type of music do you prefer?

Oh boy, what music DON’T I prefer would be an easier question. Well let’s have a looksie on my phone *scrolls* Yeah… yeah… okay so here’s the scoop. I have a love of pop, rock, jazz, rap, anime theme songs, techno, electro swing, alternative, symphonic rock, video game soundtracks, hip hop, synthpop, musical theatre songs, and occasionally Hans Zimmer. Yeah, I love music.

hey arnold headphones

  1. Where do you see your blog going?

To Narnia… I have no idea.

  1. And I guess the most important question, what was your favorite childhood show?

GAH! You saved the hardest for last didn’t you! DIDN’T YOU! Oh I knew you were smart but I didn’t think you were diabolical! HOW CAN I CHOOSE?! Okay real talk, TV was a huge part of my childhood. Kim Possible was my idol, The Weekenders taught me sarcasm, Dave the Barbarian taught me the art of randomness (it’s very particular), Disney’s Recess taught me social hierarchy’s, Jimmy Neutron taught me sci-fi, Hey Arnold taught me- OH MY GAWD I LOVE HEY ARNOLD HOW COULD THEY JUST CANCEL THE JUNGLE MOVIE ON US NOW WE’LL NEVER KNOW IF HELGA AND ARNOLD WILL EVER- *ahem* sorry, I get emotional over that, it’s a touchy subject. Well, if I had to pick one I’m going with Kim Possible. That show was always awesome, and Kim is one of my favourite female characters. That being said, I have a lot of love for all these shows and it’s kind of sad that they’ve all ended in a way. All good things must come to an end, and that is where I’ll finish for today.

g'night

That’s everything you need to know about me, no further questions are necessary. Nope, there’s no hidden double life or incriminating knowledge to be found here. Nope, nada, not a speck of dirt off these shoulders. Squeaky clean, normal hum drum life, heh heh… *shoves a mysterious box under the bed*

Well hey let’s find out who I’m nominating alright? Alright, that’s way more interesting than… you know why don’t we get to that list?

Nominees:

  1. https://totaltimewaste.wordpress.com/
  2. https://pinkkwriting.wordpress.com/
  3. https://syntacticallyyours.wordpress.com/
  4. https://blogsbysidra.wordpress.com/
  5. https://hollyamson.wordpress.com/
  6. http://lindaghill.com/
  7. https://sicksadwords.wordpress.com/
  8. https://williamlloydjr.wordpress.com/
  9. https://thewayofwriting.wordpress.com/
  10. http://heromanguy.com/
  11. https://caitethinks.wordpress.com/

And now that you all know who you are you have a choice… red pill or blue pill?

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If you take the red pill you’ll be subjected to unspeakable questions and must answer them with all honesty. If you take the blue pill you will forget anything ever happened and live in a blissful fantasy… forever.

Choose wisely.

These are the questions:

WARNING: ANSWER AT YOUR OWN RISK

  1. Now first the obligatory time travel question. If you had a time machine where/when would you go and why?
  2. How long would you be able to stay awake for? Minutes? Hours? Days? Weeks?
  3. Make up an animal hybrid that describes who you are as a person. (Examples include Dragon/Scorpion, Butterfly/Tiger, and Chicken/Dolphin). Why would you be this hybrid?
  4. What’s in your closet?
  5. What is the meaning of life in four words?
  6. Finish the line “If I could invent anything, I’d invent…”
  7. Sword fighting or Car chases?
  8. Write down something you hope you’ll be quoted for in the future.
  9. What is your favourite sassy comeback?
  10. Okay last two are going to be serious; why did you start your blog?
  11. Who is your favourite fictional character? Why? (You only pick one)

mr-smith-lolololol-o

~ Zambonnie ~

(P.S Did I mention HOLY CHEESEBALLS? Oh I did? Good… I’ll just let myself out then)

*takes mysterious box*

*turns invisible*