Top Ten Tuesday: Hard to Read Reads

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This feature was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

Each week we will post a new Top Ten list  that one of our bloggers here at The Broke and the Bookish will answer. Everyone is welcome to join. All we ask is that you link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND add your name to the Linky widget so that everyone can check out other bloggers lists! If you don't have a blog, just post your answers as a comment. Have fun with it! It's a fun way to get to know your fellow bloggers.

Top 10 Books that were Hard for Me to Read (all covers courtesy of goodreads.com unless otherwise linked)

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The Quest for Voice

Ah yet another post born of the 2014 League of Utah Writers Conference. Nathan Croft, fantasy author, presented on voice, so I must give him credit for most of these tips and definitions.

So, what is voice? 

VOICE: the sum total of the author + their novel. It encompasses everything: the story, the writing, and all things that are a part of the novel. 

Don't confuse this with tone. TONE is the feel or emotion of your story. The tone is part of the voice--they go hand in hand--but not exactly the same thing. 

*Voice cannot be forced, but it is definitely something that is found.* 

The awesome thing is that voice will always be unique. Even if you're trying to imitate another author, you won't be able to mimic their voice. Their technique, yes. Elements of their style, sure. Their plot/characters, let's hope not. But even if I were to try to re-write The Fellowship of the Ring, I'm me and not J.R.R. Tolkien, so the voice would still be unique to me, as his was to him. 

That's sort of awesome.

Tips for developing voice:

1) Analyze your own voice to learn about yourself as a writer.

2) Develop a soundtrack for your novel, scene, or character to help get you in the right mood and frame of mind before you write.

3) Compare voice and tone to other authors/stories/books/characters/etc. By analyzing the work of others, you will learn about your own voice, as well as what you do or do not want.

4) Identify what you don't want in your book. Especially for voice, it's almost as important as what you do want.

5) Read it out loud to determine how it sounds to other people

6) If you're breaking rules (tense, etc.), analyze what rules you're breaking and why. Is it worth it? Is it accomplishing what you intend?

7) Identify your limits and push them, but don't run faster than you're able. Let your voice develop slowly over time.

8) Themes. Identify a handful of overall themes for your book. Work them subtly into your voice.

*A woodsman who sharpens his tool will cut down more trees than one that never stops to sharpen his.*

Voice is an immensely personal thing and only a writer can find, hone, and truly know their own voice. It will change and develop over time, and is one of the most essential elements of good writing.

No pressure, or anything. :D

What do you do to help develop your writer's voice?

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Thoughts for Thursday: Fall

Thoughts for Thursday is a new feature hosted by Musings on Fantasia and LKHill.  In this meme, we share thoughts or quotes that we know or have recently come across. Each week there is a specific subject or theme. These can be quotes from books, quotes by famous people, (quotes by YOU, perhaps ;D). Anything from anywhere is game, though we do ask that you keep your quote to a few sentences at most. Don't quote, for example, entire passages of a book or essay. These can be funny quips, cool sayings, hair-raising antidotes, movie lines, any kind of quote you can think of!

Just have fun, collect awesome sayings by awesome people, and try to be inspired!

Fall is upon us! The leaves are changing and Halloween is coming at us fast. (No creepiness intended.) So our theme this week is FALL.

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Top Ten Tuesday: Fall TBR List

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This feature was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

Each week we will post a new Top Ten list  that one of our bloggers here at The Broke and the Bookish will answer. Everyone is welcome to join. All we ask is that you link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND add your name to the Linky widget so that everyone can check out other bloggers lists! If you don't have a blog, just post your answers as a comment. Have fun with it! It's a fun way to get to know your fellow bloggers.

Top 10 Books on my Fall TBR List (all covers courtesy of goodreads.com unless otherwise linked)

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Historical Tidbit: Witches and Vampires

Corpse of Medieval Witch (Source)

Did you know...that in medieval times, people had their own ways of dealing with supernatural creatures, and it was nothing like what we've all learned from Dorothy Gale and Bram Stoker?

It's true. In 2011, archaeologists digging in the Tuscany region of Italy uncovered what they believed to be an 800-year-old witch graveyard. The women buried there seemed to be between 25 and 30 years of age. One of them had seven nails driven into her jaw, presumably to keep her from uttering spells. More nails were found driven into the ground around her, bolting her clothing to the earth. It is believed those who buried her feared she might rise from the dead to haunt them. They put the extra nails there to keep her in her grave.

Another corpse was found surrounded by seventeen dice. In Italy, seventeen is an unlucky number, and during the time this woman lived, women were not allowed to dice at all. It was considered unseemly. 

Then there's the fact that these women were buried in the raw ground, rather than in pine boxes. They don't even sport shrouds. The only odd thing is that the archaeologists were digging on the site of an 800-year-old church, which makes the ground consecrated. 

Archaeologists claim this maybe be explained if the women came from influential families who were able to secure burials for them in these plots.

Two years earlier, a medieval woman's skeleton was unearthed near Venice with a stone driven through her mouth. Apparently this was method of choice for dealing with vampires back in the day.

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Friday Funnies: Babies and Book Funnies

Welcome to Friday Funnies! Because everyone needs a good laugh on Friday. 

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The longer you stare the funnier it is.

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Happy Friday, Everyone! :D

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Movie Review: Mom's Night Out

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My mom brought over Mom's Night Out for us to watch on Sunday evening. I thought it'd just be a romantic comedy or something, but then I started noticing it had some actors in it that you routinely see in Christian films. 

Plot: Grey's Anatomy's hilarious Sarah Drew plays Allyson, a seriously over-worked mother of three who seriously needs a break. In the tradition of Date Night, only with all mothers, she and two gal pals plan a night out, leaving the husbands to deal with the kids. And, of course, Murphy's Law kicks in. Everything that can go wrong, does. Catastrophically. And hilariously. I didn't stop laughing the entire film. 

Actors/Characters: Many Christian films have somewhat mediocre acting, but this one featured Sarah Drew, Sean Astin, Patricia Heaton, and staple of Christian cinema, Alex Kendrick. Trace Adkins also made an appearance with perhaps the most profound lines of the film. (Awesome!)

Message: Underlying Christian themes were aimed primarily at stressed out moms who expect too much of themselves and don't realize that they are the only ones who care or expect them to be perfect. The way the message was presented was actually very touching and, even though I am not a mom myself, I found the film to be very sweet. I really liked it.

Overall: A great, funny, highly-entertaining, feel-good film. It's one that will crack you up and also leave you feeling satisfied. In a warm, fuzzy sort of way. I would highly recommend it to anyone.

Has anyone else seen Mom's Night Out? What did you think?

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Top Ten Tuesday: Authors I Need to Read More

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This feature was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

Each week we will post a new Top Ten list  that one of our bloggers here at The Broke and the Bookish will answer. Everyone is welcome to join. All we ask is that you link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND add your name to the Linky widget so that everyone can check out other bloggers lists! If you don't have a blog, just post your answers as a comment. Have fun with it! It's a fun way to get to know your fellow bloggers.

Top 10 Authors I've Only Read One Book From But NEED to Read More (all covers courtesy of goodreads.com unless otherwise linked)

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LUW Updates: CoF Wins Silver Quill!

So I attended the annual League of Utah Writers over the weekend. To be honest, this past six months has seen me slack on my writing a lot. I keep trying and meaning to put my shoulder back to the wheel, but life keeps getting in the way. It really is just a matter of priorities on my part, but I haven't been able to give myself enough push to really get back into the right frame of mind. The conference was just what I needed in that area. (You can look forward to writing posts inspired by the classes I attended at the conference over the next couple of weeks. ;) )

Anyway, I didn't enter anything into the regular contest this year. I usually do, but the deadline was back in June and it just snuck up on me this year. I didn't have anything to submit, or any time to prepare anything by the time I realized the deadline was looming. Instead, I just entered my two published novels. Dark Remnants didn't win anything, but Citadels of Fire won the Silver Quill (second place, with the Gold Quill being first) in the adult category. 

Citadels of Fire with Silver Quill sticker, plus the award itself.

I was so honored and happy to have won something. It was a great conference, and I had tons of fun networking with new authors and reconnecting with some I hadn't seen in a while. CoF winning was just icing on the cake. 

Emily Yonkers (this year's president) even said they were working on putting the winning books on the League's website to sell, which I was very pleased about. :D

And, as I put on Facebook last night, us JFP authors really cleaned up! Jolly Fish Press is my publisher for Citadels of Fire, and all the JFP authors have a really good camaraderie going. No less than four of us won published book awards last night. (I think at least one of the two top quills in each category went to a JFP author!) So yes, we totally kicked butt! 

From left to right, Eric Bishop (Gold Quill for adult lit), Johnny Worthen
(Gold Quill for YA lit), me (Silver Quill for adult lit), and Lehua Parker
(Gold Quill for Children's Lit). How cool are we? 

Plus, the wonderful Johnny Worthen (another JFP author who's having a positively breakout year) was the keynote speaker, won one of the quills for his YA novel, and won writer of the year. I love Johnny. He's so full of positive energy that you can't help but smile when you hang out with him. His keynote speech brought down the house. Most of us were falling out of our chairs laughing. He was just that entertaining. 

Johnny giving his uproarious and inspiring keynote address.

Overall, I really enjoyed the conference. It was so much fun! I even sold a handful of books. (Yea!) I feel rejuvenated and inspired to plow through my editing (there are two different books I'm working on) as well as keep writing my current WIP (book 3 of Interchron). 

I also want to get more involved in the League again. As with my writing, I've really slacked off the past few months. Since I moved into my new place (5 mos ago, now. Where does the time go?) I haven't visited the Clearfield chapter. I mean to do that now. Even though they're just monthly meetings, I think they keep me on task with my writing. 

Sweet Author Elsie Parks and Yours Truly

More winners! Eric Bishop, Johnny Worthen, me, Lehua Parker, and
Christine Haggarty, who also taught an awesome class on writing fight scenes.

How about you? Have you attended any great writing events lately?

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Friday Funnies: Hilarious Voicemail

Welcome to Friday Funnies! Because everyone needs a good laugh on Friday. 

Don't know if this is real, but it's guaranteed to crack you up. Funniest thing I've found in a while. :D Hope you enjoy it. And have a wonderful weekend! 

What did you think of this week's Friday Funnies?

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Thoughts for Thursday: Remembrance

Thoughts for Thursday is a new feature hosted by Musings on Fantasia and LKHill.  In this meme, we share thoughts or quotes that we know or have recently come across. Each week there is a specific subject or theme. These can be quotes from books, quotes by famous people, (quotes by YOU, perhaps ;D). Anything from anywhere is game, though we do ask that you keep your quote to a few sentences at most. Don't quote, for example, entire passages of a book or essay. These can be funny quips, cool sayings, hair-raising antidotes, movie lines, any kind of quote you can think of!

Just have fun, collect awesome sayings by awesome people, and try to be inspired!

As today is the thirteenth anniversary of 9/11, I thought about doing something patriotic, but I've done similar things more than once. Instead, I think today is a day to remember. So, this week's theme is Remembrance!

"Sharing tales of those we've lost is how we keep from really losing them."--Mitch Albom, For One More Day

"Life is all memory, except for the one present moment that goes by you so quickly you hardly catch it going."--Tennessee Williams

"Sweet is the memory of distant friends! Like the mellow rays of the departing sun, it falls tenderly, yet sadly, on the heart."--Washington Irving

"I've never tried to block out the memories of the past, even though so are painful. I don't understand people who hide from their past. Everything you live through helps to make you the person you are now."--Sophia Loren

"Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it."--George Santayana

"Blessed are those who give without remembering. And blessed are those who take without forgetting."--Bernard Meltzer

What is your favorite quote about Rememberance? Do you have one to add?

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Top Ten Tuesday: Underrated Authors

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This feature was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

Each week we will post a new Top Ten list  that one of our bloggers here at The Broke and the Bookish will answer. Everyone is welcome to join. All we ask is that you link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND add your name to the Linky widget so that everyone can check out other bloggers lists! If you don't have a blog, just post your answers as a comment. Have fun with it! It's a fun way to get to know your fellow bloggers.

Top 10 Underrated Authors (all covers courtesy of goodreads.com unless otherwise linked)

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Crime Tidbit (Sort of): Swift Runner

Swift Runner on the day of his execution
(Source)

So this crime tidbit is a bit different than most that I post. It's different because who did the deed is not the mystery. But rather, why he did it.

In 1879, a Cree Indian man (age unknown) by the name of Swift Runner lived a fairly normal life in central Alberta. He had a wife and six children, traded with the Hudson's Bay Company, and served as a wilderness guide for the territory. At roughly six feet, three inches, Swift Runner cut an imposing figure, and was known for liking the whiskey smuggled into the territory a bit too much. And when he drank it, he caused all kinds of mischief.

Local police eventually grew fed up with his behavior and sent him back to his tribe, but when he caused trouble there, they kicked him out too. He retreated with his wife, brother, and six children into the wilderness. The following spring, rumors sprang up that Swift Runner had turned cannibal. The man turned himself into the police, telling them that his children had died of starvation over the winter and his wife had taken her own life in grief. Yet, Swift Runner himself didn't look emaciated for half-starved.

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Remains of Swift Runner's victims (Source)

hen police went looking for the camp he and his family had stayed in over the winter, they found a pile of bones beside a cold fire, many of which didn't even have the marrow in tact anymore. It was obvious that Swift Runner had, indeed, cannibalized his family.

He was arrested, tried, and hanged for murder and cannibalism.

The real question was what had caused him to turn cannibal. It was reported that years earlier, Swift Runner had been forced to eat the remains of a starved hunter in order to save himself from starvation, and he had developed a taste for human flesh.

Others said he was possessed by Wendigo, a creature from Native American legend that is half-demonic and lends itself to cannibalism. On the one hand, being possessed by Wendigo might insight a human to participate in cannibalism, and Swift Runner claimed the spirit was giving him nightmares. But on the other hand, it was also said that human beings could become Wendigos if they participated in cannibalism. So which was it, according to Swift Runner?

No one could say for certain. He faced the scaffold with relative dignity and was hanged December 20, 1879 at Fort Saskachewan.

There is also something called Wendigo Psychosis, a culture-bound cannibalistic mania that was said to have been document among the Algonquian tribes.

So, what do you think? Why would someone like Swift Runner suddenly turn cannibal? Was it a culture thing, simply a result of starvation circumstances, or was their really a malevolent spirit involved?

Thoughts? Comments? Insights?

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Happy Labor Day!

Happy Labor Day, Everyone!

I hope everyone has a wonderful and safe holiday weekend. I may be somewhat absent from the blogosphere this week. I have a ton of stuff going on this week and, what with the holiday weekend, am not going to get much done in advance. So, I may be on less than usual. But, I'll be back next week. In the mean time, here are some humorous Labor Day sentiments for you to enjoy! Have a great one! :D

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Happy Labor Day, Everyone! 

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