Desert Island

In honor of a crazy interview I had recently, I think we should play Desert Island.

So, here's how it works (I'm sure you know!):

If you were stranded on a deserted island, and you could only have a handful of things with you, what would you bring? You can have 3 books, 3 movies, and 3 CDs. This is a tech-savvy island, which allows you to play movies & music I guess, but it's just how the game works, so deal! =)

I'll start with my list according to how I answered my interview questions (although we didn't talk music, so I'm making that list now):

Books

The Bible

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Chronicles of Narnia (they make a version that's all seven books in one)

Movies

Pride & Prejudice (starring Keira Knightly)

The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King

Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (although now that I've had a chance to think about it, I'd trade this one for the newer live-action Peter Pan starring Jeremy Sumpter and Jason Isaacs. Sorry Mr. Lucas.)

CDs

Plans by Death Cab for Cutie

Amy Seeley (I'd compile call it life, the trees are glad you're back, & eight belles onto one disc. Thanks iTunes!)

         ...and I'd have to flip a coin between 

Continuum by John Mayer and Mmhmm by Relient K

Okay, now it's your turn. Feel free to comment on my nerdiness - I have no problem admitting how goofy I am. But I want to know your answers too!

Have fun!

proof that I'm going crazy...

...or that I'm doing something right.

I spent a solid two hours writing this afternoon. It was surprising to me that my attention span lasted, but also that I made real progress. My male lead is developing his character, and I'm prepping to nearly completely rewrite the first section that I wrote today. Yeah, I know...I made progress and now I'm changing everything. That is part of the proof that I am doing something right! 

Proof that I may be going crazy: one of my minor characters (or so I thought!) decided that she wanted to be someone else. She told me. And she wouldn't let it go until I made the change in my notes. Like I said, I may be going crazy. But I know that I'm not the only writer that this happens to. Stephenie Meyer, for example, tells a similar story about one of her minor characters in the Twilight series. On her website, she writes, "Jacob's development into a major character was a strange journey. Originally, Jacob was just a device. ... Something happened then that I didn't expect. Jacob was my first experience with a character taking over—a minor character developing such roundness and life that I couldn't keep him locked inside a tiny role. (Since Jacob, this has reoccurred with several other meant-to-be-minor characters. I really love it when this happens, though it often destroys my outlines.) From the very beginning, even when Jacob only appeared in chapter six of Twilight, he was so alive. I liked him. More than I should for such a small part."

Granted, I haven't gotten far enough in my story to have what happened to me tonight be monumental...yet. Although I'm already seeing changes just from this one thing. A few hours ago, Elizabeth was just a name I had written down to fill out a family that was functioning as backstory. Now, she's editing the plot! 

I think that I am really starting to love the writing process. Bring on the insanity! =)

inspiration

What is inspiration? Is it just one of those fancy words that artistic people use? You know how those interviews go; "Who or what inspires you?" and the response that comes after, "You know, I'd have to say Van Gogh (if the artist is a painter) or Jimi Hendrix (if the artist is a rock guitarist)." 

That isn't to say that I don't have an appreciation for Hendrix, or even a sort of awe when I look at "Starry Night," but what does it really mean to be inspired? I like words, so let's go visit dictionary.com for a definition, shall we? 

According to the entry for inspire (verb), "to inspire" is:

1. to fill with an animating, quickening, or exalting influence: His courage inspired his followers.

OR
5. to animate, as an influence, feeling, thought, or the like, does: They were inspired by a belief in a better future.

Okay, now we have something to work with. What animates you? What brings the life out of you? 

Here is a list (in progress) of what stirs my heart to action or reflection. These are the things that make me want to create something of beauty in response to what they have done in me.

*stars: the heavens never cease to amaze me and remind me of God's majesty

*dreams: daydreams are the best because they stay with you longer

*lyrics: the kind that mean something...not manufactured for an audience, but a piece of the writer's heart (an excellent example: amy seeley)

*photography with soul: if a picture really is worth a thousand words, what happens when a photo renders me speechless? 

*creativity that serves: there is little more encouraging to me than seeing someone use their talents and gifts to make the world better for others

*color: that certain shade of aqua or coral that can just make my day brighter 

*love: pure and unselfish love is somewhat harder to come by these days, it seems, but when I see it, I can't help but be moved to rejoice

*design: true, the clothes don't make the man, but the design says a lot about the man (or woman!) who created the clothes. Somewhere in that expression is the key that makes me want to create things myself.