Enesvy

New Blog and Site Location

2011-02-13T09:31:00.000-08:00

I'm moving to a new wordpress site! I wanted a little more flexibility with my blog as well as a place to publish my web novels (in the near future). So from now on you can find my blog updates at Enesvy.com. See you there!

Chapter 25 of "Fallen Away" is up!

2011-02-09T07:45:00.000-08:00

So exciting! I think there are only two chapters left to write and perhaps an epilogue. I've already got plans for what I will be working on after "Fallen Away" is done. Gotta keep writing! So check out chapter 25!

Updated Trailer for the Original "TRON"

2011-02-02T09:13:00.001-08:00

Oh, this is fun. Huzzah for original Tron fans! This is how I see the original in my head.

Chapter 24 of "Tron: Fallen Away" is up!

2011-01-30T13:23:00.000-08:00

Go check it out. We are fast on our way to the end now!

Apple Pie

2011-01-24T21:02:00.000-08:00

Well, her mom was right. It wasn't going to take half an hour to whip up an apple pie. For some reason, she'd had it in her head that (now that she'd made a couple) it would be a quick thing, like chocolate chip cookies. Damn, but it took an hour to make the crust and cut up those apples. Even with a food processor! Still, it was satisfying to know the pie was baking away in the oven for her visit with friends tomorrow night.

She glanced over at the kitchen, forlornly eyeing the mess of dishes now in the sink. She was tired. But still, she'd sleep well if she finished the job and cleaned up.

And in the morning, she would get to write. Her desire to lay the words to paper burned in her like a well-stocked fire, slowly turning the wood into rolling embers of flame...blue-gold and orange-red. Tomorrow she would write.

Story Drunk

2011-01-20T09:05:00.000-08:00

As she walked out to her car, her head buzzed with the chapter she had been working on. The cold air bit at her neck and she pulled her coat collar closer. Could Hazel possibly survive the battle with Tron? It was going to take some deus ex machina—she was no match for him.

The car windows were frosted hard. Darn. Sitting half in the driver’s seat, she turned on the car and cranked the defroster. Owl City blared from the stereo as she pulled out the scraper, got back out and got busy.

The story continued to run amok in her mind as frost crystals flew. She loved living in that world of adventure, playing all the parts, anticipating the responses from her readers as she polished the plot points, sharpened the dialog and fleshed out the characters. She loved seeing what they would do. She loved finding out what would happen next.

It was hard, then, to focus on the mundane tasks of life like scraping the car windows and heading off to work. Nonetheless, she couldn’t deny the beauty of the crisp winter day around her. The high clouds scudded across the sky, bright blue patches like promises between them. Life was beautiful, even if it didn’t move at the pace of an adventure story.

And she had a plan. Her life was her own story, gifted to her by God to explore and expand. She had some ideas of how she would begin to shape it. As far as she knew, she was only getting one life on this earth. And she was going to live it as beautifully and fully as possible.

The windows clear, she tossed the scraper over the extra warm winter coat that seemed to live perpetually in her back seat, jumped behind the wheel and zipped off to work.

Flabbergasted

2011-01-13T21:18:00.000-08:00

As the hot water poured over the dishes that she was washing, she listened to "Hello, Nessa." Between the soap suds, the yellow gloves, and the smell of lemon fresh, she laughed and enjoyed Nessa's answers to questions sent in by listeners. Then the voicemail she had left for Nessa came on. Her friend Christina had told her earlier in the day that Nessa had said some really kind words about the voicemail, but she still wasn't quite prepared for what Nessa had to say. Her voicemail had been an attempt to encourage regarding some tough life choices that Nessa was having to make.

She slowly forgot about the dishes and stopped scrubbing, listening to the words that lifted her spirit and reminded her that she was okay, especially if Nessa could see it. "Nicole...she gives me faith in people. She reminds me that there are still really good people out there, genuine people. 'Cause, you know, this day and age, I've run into a lot of fake and flaky people and just the little messages that Nicole sends and just what she writes on her blog, I absolutely adore her."

She felt truly humbled and deeply blessed by these words. All she really wanted to do in this life was live fully, love those around her, love her God, and encourage others.

Maybe this would include not writing about herself in the third person. "Hmmm..." she thought as she finished up and covered the drying dishes with a towel, "I'm just not sure."

The Good Stuff

2011-01-12T10:24:00.000-08:00

After taking a break from morning writing yesterday, she found herself full of ideas and energy this morning. It felt good, the story was flowing and she could've written for hours more had she not needed to go to work. Eight-o'clock meeting this morning. Still the writing was fast and furious and exiciting. Capped off by 8 inches of snow on the ground. The nice, dry kind that brushes off of the car with pleasurable ease. Still she barely got into work on time, taking the streets nice and easy, unwilling to allow for another skid downhill toward a red light. No need for adrenalin this morning.

She rushed into work, pulling off snow boots and pulling on the snazzy suede ones she got at Payless Shoe Source yesterday. Wide feet are hard to fit and when she found a shoe that did, her joy knew no bounds. She trotted down the hall to the meeting, a bit late, but not the last to arrive.

Writing in the Third Person

2011-01-11T20:59:00.000-08:00

It felt weird. There was no question about that. And, god...pretentious. But the reality was, third person was how she wrote her stories. And third person tended to be how her thought processes worked. It seemed to make it easier to put things into words if she could view herself from the outside looking in.

Her boy cat crunched his evening snack as she plinked out an evening post. She had been noticing all day how nice it was to not have some big thing to be doing...theatre and...well, theatre. Walking down the hallways at work, the cold of the old building fighting with the new HVAC and leaving it still cold, she felt a little lost without something planned for the evening. And a lot relieved at the same time. She hustled into her fleece jacket when she got back to her desk.

Sometimes, having nothing to do makes you take a long look at yourself. She figured that was a good thing, because it was so easy to ignore herself, distracted by the drama of other people and places and requirements. She had been pondering who she might like to be rather than a theatre person. A sailor of tall ships? A karate black belt? A mother?

Tonight she had been a new tennis-shoe buyer, wii player, snowfall watcher. What would she be tomorrow?

Before shutting her computer down for the night, she waved hello to Jeni who was following her blog. She wondered who Jeni had been tonight and hoped she was well and happy.

One Day

2011-01-10T21:45:00.000-08:00

After reading Don Miller's blog today she wondered what it would be like to give up worrying about tomorrow and living only for today. The thought stayed with her throughout the work day, popping in and out of her mind. Thinking of only what today held brought with it a kind of freedom. There was suddenly so much less to deal with. Only today. So she worked, she napped, she danced, she wrote. She talked with her mother and snuggled her cats. She sensed the rich darkness of the sharp, cold night outside and knew that all that was left for today was teeth brushing, face washing, and a good night's sleep.

All is well.

The Bleeding Edge of Having Dreams

2011-01-09T10:27:00.000-08:00

We all have dreams, hopes and desires. The bible even tells us that God knows the plans he has for us, plans for good and not for evil, plans to give us a future and a hope.

What happens when those dreams and hopes don't materialize? Did you not work hard enough? Were you not risky enough? Why does it still hurt?

There comes a point when you realize that everything you wanted may not happen in your life. Disappointment comes crashing down, desperation sets in, and everything around you looks like a stale trap that you've been caught in. Everyone else is gaining glory, fame and money, except you. And you get into a funk. The things you have are worth nothing, the life you live is unremarkable.

I have always dreamt of being a film actress and being involved in bringing to life fantastical adventures like TRON. It hasn't happened. The TRON franchise, after 28 years, has moved on without me and another dream has crumbled to ashes. And yet, the desire is still there, burning.

But if I am woman enough, I choose to open my eyes. I take a deep breath of the world around me and how much I have. I have an ABUNDANCE of good things in my life. If I cannot live in contentment with them, then I am a broken person, and I will have a long way to fall before I can ever begin seeing my dreams in a new light.

Discontent is poisonous and our capitalist society thrives on it. If we are not discontent, we will not buy things that we think we desperately need to be happy and fulfilled.

If Hollywood and I can never find each other (and trust me, we've tried...I lived in LA for years trying to get work as an actress) that must be okay. Otherwise, my life will go unlived, wallowing in discontent, desperation and unhappiness. I will always see my life through the filter of "not getting to do what I wanted to do."

I refuse to do that. I own my desires and passions. They belong to me, not me to them. While I wil always have to deal with them, I choose life. I choose my life. And, glory be! It's a good one! I have precious family nearby, good friends to hang out with, creative outlets, a home of my own, a solid job, health, life in peacetime...I'm so grateful for what I've been given.

Dreams can make you live your life in a tunnel. Demanding that you reach them binds you with chains. Choosing contentment makes us bulletproof and sets us free. You can never be freer than when you literally don't care any more whether you get all the things you've ever wanted. The world opens up brightly and life comes alive with hope. You can breathe better, your body relaxes more, and sleep becomes sweet.

And believe it or not, your dreams become possibilities again.

All will be well.

Chapter 21 of "Fallen Away" is up!

2011-01-07T23:35:00.001-08:00

Hazel's flexing her user power. Not to mention the MCP. Dumont's back? And just how are they going to cross the Sea of Simulation this time? Link in the sidebar.

"Sabre Wulf" and "Manic Miner?" Say it ain't so!

2011-01-07T09:13:00.001-08:00

So, a friend of mine discovered that back in the early 1980s, there were a couple of video games made for the same platform, the ZX Spectrum, called "Sabre Wulf" and "Manic Miner." While the games had completely separate plots (not to mention separate makers), the combination of Wulf and Miner in the previous post's screenshot got my friend's attention as another possible explanation of the names. Still, the ZX Spectrum had literally thousands of games for play on it, so this could also be a coincidence.

No matter what, I'm still rooting for Wulf! ;)

Wulf Lives! Nod to "Fallen Away" in "Tron: Legacy?"

2011-01-03T13:17:00.000-08:00

Okay, it's just too much of a coincidence for me. :) One of the primary characters in my Tron fanfiction, "Fallen Away," is Wulf, a former soldier of the MCP Warrior Elite, now a friend of Tron. Readers really like Wulf because he is gritty, honest and real. He's a big, strong burly program who you wouldn't want to mess with, but sure would want watching your back.

On New Year's Eve I went for my third viewing of "Tron: Legacy." Because it was my third time, I was paying more attention to details other than the main action. On the wide shot from Clu's perspective during the disk battle scene in the arena, the names of combatants are displayed above each competition cell. The central cell, the one right in front of you...who is the first combatant listed? WULF.

Click to see it bigger!

I about screamed. It was SO COOL. Not only that, but on the next wide shot a few minutes later, Wulf has defeated his opponent and is moving on to the next round. THAT'S M'BOY!!!

Yeah, I may be so vain that I think this song is about me, but that is one coincidence that is way more of a knuck than just an idea like the other similarities. I send love and thanks to my fans who put his name up there, whoever you are. Thank you from the bottom of this hardcore Tron fan's heart. Hope you enjoy the rest of the story!

Chapter 20 of "Fallen Away" is up!

2011-01-02T13:50:00.000-08:00

My what a productive weekend! We get a lot of different perspectives in this chapter. Hope you can handle it! ;)

Chapter 19 of "Fallen Away" is up!

2010-12-30T21:17:00.000-08:00

Hey, this writing-in-the-morning thing is working really well for me. A new chapter of "Fallen Away" is up! Get ready to step through the looking glass. Link in the sidebar!

Christmas Eve

2010-12-24T11:10:00.000-08:00

It's so lovely to be with family today. I really enjoy my mom's company and Olympia is so beautiful at this time of year. The overcast skies and wet weather really bring out the intensity of the green pines and blue water of Puget Sound. I'm grateful to have so much; to be warm, to be loved, to have my needs met.

I thank God for all he has blessed me with and I pray to have open eyes to help meet the needs of others. Most of all, I want to be a person who loves, who lavishes love on others just like my savior does.

He's my hero and the lover of my heart. I'm so grateful for what he did all those centuries ago.

Blessings to all of you this Christmas eve.

"Tron: Legacy" and "Fallen Away"

2010-12-17T20:08:00.001-08:00

Wow...all I have to say is, wow. What a great movie! I couldn't be more pleased with Disney's sequel to "Tron." Visually beautiful, musically remeniscent of the original but brand new, a fantastic plotline that kept you involved. Beautifully done! Well done! I'm looking forward to seeing it again.

Some of the most fun parts were seeing things that first appeared in my mind for my fanfiction, "Fallen Away," coming to life on the screen. Let me preface this by saying three things:

1. It is entirely possible that all the stuff I'm about to mention could easily have been thought up by more than one person.

2. The storyline of "Tron: Legacy" is completely different than "Fallen Away."

3. I would be unbelievably flattered if the concepts were indeed found by the writers and creators of "Legacy" by having read "Fallen Away."

Okay, done with that! If you don't want spoilers, stop reading now...

Here we go! Identical visual ideas between "Tron: Legacy" and "Fallen Away!"

1. A program fighting with an identity disk in each hand, who's identity is hidden by a helmet. It was so cool when Rinzler whipped out two disks! My blue warrior, Retribution, first did that in my mind in August 2009. And, yes, she wore a helmet to hide her identity. It looks BRILLIANT on the big screen.

2. The use of lines from the original movie. I love doing this. I try to incorporate them as seamlessly as I can, and I think they did a really good job doing the same thing in the new movie. Loved the repeat of Sark's speech to the new recruits. Identical to "Fallen Away" was Hazel's first line upon entering the computer world, "This isn't happening..." This is a copy of Flynn's original entry line and is also said by Sam upon first entering the digital world in the new flick. That line's iconic, though, and is clearly low-hanging fruit for any fanfic or sequel writer. What is really similar is the attempt to make the re-used lines not incredibly obvious, but slip them in there where they make perfect sense and only hard-core fans would notice them.

3. Mistaken identities between programs and users. This is a major component of "Fallen Away" and is an obvious, but minor, part of "Legacy."

4. Programs attempting to get to the user world. This is a massive plotline in both stories. No getting around this one. It drove "Fallen Away" from day one when I published the first chapter in 2005. It's a gorgeous idea and has been great to work with.

5. Light Jets. Beyond any other similarity between these two stories, this visual one was a thrill to see onscreen. The light jets debuted in "Fallen Away" in August 2009, with Retribution and the freed users leaping out of the cruiser, activating the jets as they were falling, and flying away. In "Legacy," Clu and his bad guys leap from a high tower, activate their light jets while they are falling, and fly away after the good guys. What took my breath away was when Quorra looked back and cried out, "Light jets!" I was like, holy crap, those are my light jets. It was beautiful on the big screen.

6. The datakey around the neck. Mine's at the beginning; Legacy's is at the end. While not a literal key like Hazel's encoded one, Sam ends the movie with a tiny, flat computer storage item on a chain around his neck. I think it's either storing the data of Flynn, Tron or both. That said, he is wearing around his neck critical data connected with the computer world.

Whew! Good, good fun. I have never seen anything that I imagined come to life so clearly on the big screen. The light jets especially took my breath away.

I will post later with my review of the movie. Let's just say, I think they really did the original and the fans justice.

Keep Climbing the Wall

2010-12-12T22:09:00.000-08:00

The Lord has been speaking a really good lesson to me today. As I've pondered the D&D events of last night (you might want to read the previous post first), something struck me that I will hold on to for the future.

When we were done playing for the night, Bob told us something. He said that before my dwarrow said her prayer to the dark god, Bob's plan had been for the wights to begin getting the upper hand on the orcs they were fighting and ultimately turn the tide of our battle.

Had I decided to simply keep climbing, rather than making my desperate "hail mary" to Izrador, the battle would've then turned in our favor. One of our party still would've been dead, but the rest of us probably would've survived to complete our mission.

While I'm glad for the decision I made because it kept our other party member with us, the Lord taught me something through this. It's an old saying, but a true one:

It is always darkest before the dawn.

The Lord said, "Nik, you're going to have some dark times in your life, some dark nights of the soul. But I want you to know that, just like Bob had planned a life-saving event for your characters, you never what I am planning to do on your behalf. Even in the bleakest, darkest circumstances, you don't always have to try to fix the problem. Sometimes, you just need to keep climbing the wall, and trust that I am there bringing in the cavalry. Even when you can't see me."

It means a lot and I don't think I'll ever forget it.

The Prayer

2010-12-11T23:25:00.000-08:00

So, I was playing D&D "Midnight" today with my gamer friends. I play a dwarrow which is a half-gnome, half-dwarf. She's also a rogue which means she can open locked doors, steal things, hide, sneak attack and find traps. All of these things are what rogues are good at. But mine is a tiny thing. At 3.5 feet tall, she's actually tall for a dwarrow. However, when your fellow gamers' characters stand at above 6 feet tall, a dwarrow is pretty small.

I'm also a Christian who loves a good story. That's why I so enjoy D&D. It's group story-telling. And you never know what ideas your friends are going to come up with as you are all walking through the adventure together. That's what makes it so fun and intriguing.

That said, you can't help but have your natural traits and personality seep into your character. Our group got into a really tough spot tonight during the game. We were at the bottom of a pit, faced with five orcs on the ground, four orcs on rope ladders and about 15 people and two elves up top--all bent on killing our group (as we were trying to stop them from assassinating the elven queen).

One of our group, our wizard, actually died after being blasted with a fireball from one of the elves up above. Our fighter was taking a huge beating from the orcs, and our own elf archer had been knocked unconscious. I was about a third of the way up the wall, having chosen to try to climb up rather than take ladders with orcs coming down. Even our "cavalry," a group of wights (don't ask), were having trouble taking the orcs down.

As I said, I was climbing the wall. My plan was to try to make a sneak attack on the spell-throwing elf up above, since no one was paying attention to me. But it was going to take me a long time to climb the wall. I was going to have to roll my dice probably four more times before I made it to the top, and I would only progress if I rolled high numbers on a 20-sided die. Best roll is a 20--it means perfect success with what you are attempting. Worst roll is a 1--this means an epic fail. Not only was I going to have to roll four more times, but I would have to wait my turn to make those rolls. I saw our wizard get killed and our archer get knocked out. Our party of four was down by two, and our fighter was taking a beating. I was too far away to do anything but keep climbing.

Except what I always do when I'm in a tight spot. Pray.

Something you need to know: there is no god to pray to in the mythology of "Midnight" except Izrador. Izrador is a bad god. He is the only god. And he's evil. A little earlier in the evening, we had run into one of Izrador's legates (priests) and we had to go on this quest at his command or he would've killed us then and there. So, here we are, on this odd "do this for Izrador's side to save the elven queen who he hates..." quest. My friend the wizard was dead! This was very sad for me. That's when I realized that I was down to my last option.

My turn came up. I knew I was going to have to roll the die to climb. I had pondered what I was going to do as the others took their turns. I looked at our dungeon master, Bob, (who creates the plot line as we go along and make choices) and said, "I'm going to roll for a climb, but first..." I took a breath and had my character grip the wall and say, "Izrador, if you actually care about the outcome of this mission, if you really want us to succeed in this, please send your priest guy to help us." Then I rolled the die.

I rolled a 20. A perfect 20.

I didn't really connect with what just happened. I was just so relieved that it meant I wouldn't be falling off the wall. But then I looked at Bob's face and you'd have thought he had just been handed the best Christmas present ever.

And I lit up inside. Because my God had heard my prayer. The dice don't roll in Izrador's world, they roll in this one. And I laughed. Because, with that prayer and roll of the dice, my God handed Bob a glorious plot twist that set his imagination on fire and that ultimately saved the life of our dead party member. I was reminded that no matter what we are doing, God is with us, ever around us, engaged in what we are doing. He loves us. He blesses us. Even in our game time with friends. Perhaps even more in times like that.

So...to finish the tale...Izrador heard. And Izrador answered. And he didn't send his legate. He came himself. (A perfect 20 always gives you what you asked for and MORE). My little dwarrow was suddenly at the top of the wall, not knowing how she got up there, and then became a conduit of the dark god's power. The enemies were obliterated. Not just killed. Completely and totally annihilated. Not even their souls were left. Scary.

But that's within a story. And who knows where it will go from there. My dwarrow doesn't remember anything. But you don't get touched by a god like that without being changed.

Same goes for me and my friends. God was with us as we gamed and had fun tonight. All I know is, God loves my friends with a passion.

Thanks, Lord.

Torn

2010-12-09T21:32:00.000-08:00

It's so hard when you believe one way and members of your close friends and family believe another. I understand the draw of Glenn Beck, I really do. He's got opinions that are polarizing and fantastical, and I don't mean that in a bad way. If something is inherently wrong in our political system, I have no problem with people pointing that out.

It's the fear, I don't like. The fear and worry that I hear in the voices of those I love. I am not under some delusion that our government is full of virtuous people who all want the best for the "American people." I think most of them do want to do good, but they just don't agree with each other on what that good should look like. Glenn has one view of what that good should look like, and when it doesn't, he goes into panic mode and he spreads that panic and fear. Those on the left do the same thing. Because fear and drama sells. And they have every right to do think and say whatever they like.

But as a Christian, I am challenged. This is a problem for me. Because my Bible says that perfect love casts out fear. It says that fear is not of God. That we don't have to live in fear; we get to live in perfect love. And when I listen to something that regularly leaves me in a state of fear, I begin to question whether or not it is truly of God.

Listen, any American has every right to be "fearful" for their country right now. Our unbelievable debt has made us a nation with no financial stability at all. We owe everything to everyone. This may be the end of the U.S. as we know it--this may change us fundamentally.

Okay. That happens to nations. It happened to Egypt. It happened to Rome. It happened to the Greeks. It happened to the Aztecs. It happened to England. Superpowers come and superpowers go. Shit happens.

I don't think this is the end of the U.S. But I do think we're changing. I have hope that the Constitution will continue to stand and that reasonable discourse and compromise that benefits all is possible.

But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Come storm, come change, come danger, come threat, come good, come hope, come faith. Come love. We will serve the Lord.

I refuse to fear when He is my lord.

Walking

2010-12-07T19:22:00.000-08:00

I watched a wonderful movie today recommended to my by my friends, Christina and Bob Hill. It's called "Lord, Save Us From Your Followers" and is about the misconceptions that American society has about Christians and that Christians have about American society. It had a beautiful message about the power of love to overcome any disagreement, and about how humility is the calling of Christ, not pride, power or influence.

I wish I knew how to begin making myself a better person, but even that desire is a bit off the mark because it's still about me. I want so much to be a shining light so that people can see what a gentle, loving Creator I believe God to be. I am incredibly flawed--not to speak down about myself, but simply acknowledge that I have no idea what I'm doing.

I resent, very easily, giving of my time and energy if I don't see others putting in the same effort. And yet, no one forces me to put in effort. So who should I be resenting? What I hope to be able to do is say, "Hey, I decided to give. No one made me do this." And give with joy.

Life is too short to be angry with people, or try to make others over into something they're not. And that's terribly unloving.

Really, I just want to love Jesus and love others and love myself in a way that encourages and brings life to those around me. I think most of life will be stumbling toward this ideal, mucking around and messing up, but always getting up and trying again to love.

Love is hard. But love is good.

Three new chapters of "Fallen Away" are up!

2010-12-05T22:01:00.000-08:00

Not going to make my goal of finishing the story before "Tron Legacy" comes out, but that's okay. I want it to continue to be as high-quality a story as I can make it. One of my readers emailed me to not push myself if I would jeopardize the quality, so I shant. I'll get close, but I won't finish it. Just too much good stuff I want to get in there. Ah, the writing!

How much

2010-11-14T21:58:00.000-08:00

I've been jealous of friends and family who are wealthy. I got slammed in the face with that reality recently and had to repent to my God. I have wanted what they have and have spurned what God has so graciously given me...so much he has given me.

I walked the streets of Seattle tonight and was asked for money by a guy who maybe needed it maybe didn't. But I didn't have anything smaller than a $10, so I lied and told him I didn't have any cash on me. I was frustrated with him because he was aggressive; I had seen him hit up two other people trapped at a red light before he hit me with the same story. I walked on.

Ten bucks was too much to hand out. But then, I thought about it. What if he really did need the money for a shelter bed? He was long gone before my guilt hit me. I had walked half a block. Ten dollars. I had ten dollars to give. Why had that seemed like too much to give? I had just been contemplating going to see a show while I was here...bound to be a $80 seat. I was following directions to a Sees Candy to see what their hours were for tomorrow. Ten dollars.

The sweet notes of a saxophone curved over the noise of people and traffic. I listened as I noted that Sees was open until 6:30 PM, Monday through Friday. I pulled out my $10 bill and back tracked toward the beautiful music. An old man was playing, his belongings around him, a violin case open on the ground. He had a great, busy corner. Lots of people listening. I folded the $10 bill so that it wasn't obvious and dropped it into the case, giving him a smile. I turned to go back the way I'd come.

And then the music stopped and he was calling me. He came to me with a huge, many-teeth-missing grin, arms outstretched, sax in one hand, saying "You knew I needed that more than you did!" I hugged him happily and said, "You got it, baby." We parted with a hand squeeze and he went back to playing, "Michael Jackson's favorite song...Smile." It was beautiful.

I'm in my warm, comfotable hotel room and I think of him.

Why was I so jealous? What was I so jealous of? That I have everything I need? God, make me a humbler, kinder person.

Blue Like Jazz: The Movie is ON!

2010-10-25T21:24:00.000-07:00

My heart is so full right now. :) Blue Like Jazz: The Movie is funded. And I got to be part of it.

It's so strange, because it was fairly recently that I picked up BLJ to read (probably sometime in June this year) thinking I hadn't read it before. I was about a third of the way through it before I realized I had, indeed, read it for my book club several years ago. I was just as blessed the second reading. It was then I started following Don's blog and was ultimately connected with the Kickstarter campaign to fund the movie. It is lovely how God works in His way and in His time.

Rent the crane, Steve!!! :)

Thank you!

2010-10-24T00:14:00.001-07:00

Okay, this video is kind of a ramble...I'm worried now that I didn't make any sense, but it was meant in the sincerest way, so I decided not to edit it. :)

Books like "Blue Like Jazz" set me free to be a Christian in whatever situation the Lord asks me to be in. Really, to just be Nicole. And to let God be himself in my life in whatever way he chooses...and yes, that can be as an actor in a Haunted Theatre.

I'm so glad to be supporting "Blue Like Jazz: The Movie!" :)

Blankies for the shelter cats! Fully funded!

2010-10-19T15:50:00.000-07:00

I found this lady a week or so ago when searching Kickstarter.com for projects to support. What a sweetheart. She was only asking for $50 to help buy yarn so that she could continue knitting blankets for shelter cats. I found her simply by searching Kickstarter for "cats." So glad I did. She is off and running with $305 in donations. Way to go, Erin! :)

Support "Blue Like Jazz" The Movie

2010-10-11T13:35:00.000-07:00

For all of those who like to diss Christians because you met some obnoxious ones in your past, or you only believe the kind that show up in the news exist...meet Don Miller. This gent writes books about his journey through life, presenting unconventional views on his own Christian faith. He's honest and real and isn't afraid to be himself, make mistakes, and speak his mind. He is incredibly genuine--a trait that can often be missing in Christian circles as we all attempt to be so perfect.

I have been validated by Don's thoughts and writings, as I have never felt comfortable in a conventional Christian mold. I'm not an evangelist. I'm not anything much more than Nicole. But my prayer for decades has been, "Lord, make me the woman you envisioned me to be." And now I place my trust in him to do just that.

Don's most well-known book, Blue Like Jazz, is being made into a movie. But it was only able to move forward through a crowd-sourcing bonanza of support from regular folks. I'm one of those folks and I'm proud that my first movie credit will be on this film. It's bound to be a great story.

If you have a couple bucks to share, please feel free to support this film. It reached it's kickstarter goal in 9 days, but could sure use more cash to make the movie all it can be. Feel free to email me if you have more questions about it.

Nessa Inspired

2010-10-05T22:27:00.000-07:00

If you take Christianity at its core, there is no room for taking responsibility for anyone else's spirituality. It is similar to how you can't legislate morality. We all agree on certain rules in our socieity. No matter how much it would increase your pursuit of happiness, your desires end where they infringe on another's life and liberty.

I follow Jesus. He lives in my heart. I believe he was God, mucking around in his own, created humanity in order to reach us with a voice we could hear, a body we could touch and see, and love we could emulate. Those who believe that followers of Jesus should separate themselves from "the world" are not following in his steps--he did quite the opposite.

He immersed himself in us. He let himself be fully engaged and influenced by us. No holds barred. He had a one-on-one relationship with God, the father, that no one else could shatter, influence or come between. He told others how he lived and what he believed. And then he lived it. He dictated to no one. Some may disagree with that, however, if he was dictating, we wouldn't have the choice to disagree.

To my fellow believers, I tell you, we only take one soul with us when we die. Our own. We do not get to take a laundry list of souls "we saved" or "brought to Jesus" with us. You don't get to say all the great things you did, how many abortion rescues you attempted, how many books you wrote, or how may Pride parades you protested. It means nothing to Christ. The only thing that matters to Jesus is whether or not you and he know and love each other.

Jesus saves souls. He is the only one capable of it. He is the only one who woos and courts souls. And guess what? He knows what he's doing.

I say all this in response to the podcast of a friend I respect and who is linked in the sidebar, Nessa. She poured her heart out in a podcast regarding the young, gay kids who recently commited suicide because they were so rejected by our society.

I ask you, who does Jesus reject? Where does he specifically tell followers of God to shun those who we, in our pride and self-righteousness, consider less than ourselves?

Some say, love the sinner, not the sin. I say, God loved and still loves us in our sin! Every human being will be a sinner until the day we die. If we expect and hope that God loves us despite our sin, who are we to even think to cast a self-righteous glance at anyone else?

We do not get to determine the relationship of another person with God. We do not get to treat people with cruelty and disdain. We get the priviledge of living our own lives in absolute humility at the great gift our creator bestows on us...his love and acceptance.

So it comes down to this. God has poured out love and undeserved mercy on us. That is the core of what we Christians believe. How can we do any less for those around us? How dare we? I don't care if the people around you are gay, straight, living with someone, athiest, pagan or just plain different, we are called to love, show mercy and have compassion.

There are those who would say, "But if I show love, mercy and compassion, I am condoning someone's sin!" Really? Then hurl that accusation at Jesus because that's how he lived his life. That's what God does every single day. He loves us despite our disdain, unkindness, cruelty, back-biting and every other human evil.

God love us. All of us.

We don't get to claim any of his good work. Not one little bit. We get to love. Everyone. Unconditionally. Just like he does.

If we, as Christians, are not bringing healing into the lives of others, we are off track. If others are repelled by us, then we are off track. People were drawn to Jesus. He had the words of life. The words of life draw people; they don't push people away.

More than any other group, Christians have pushed away the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community. We have pushed them away. We have said they are not welcome among us.

I am not exempt from this. I have held my GLBT friends at arms length. I have struggled deeply with this, as I don't hold anyone at arms length. It is cold and I am not cold. On this issue, I am a divided person.

But now that young people are jumping off of bridges and killing themselves, now that Nessa has so eloquently and genuinely put out a plea for simple compassion, I can't be divided. I can't shun anymore. I can't be "nice" and that's all.

How is that Christlike?

How can we not show compassion?

When will we learn that it is not our job to "save" people? It is our job to love people.

God, please teach me to love better.

A Million Colors

2010-09-29T21:34:00.001-07:00

Jamie Ford, author of "At the Corner of Bitter and Sweet" said that it is hard for a writer to figure out what they really want to write, versus what they think they should write. He said that being a writer is like being handed a box of crayons with a million colors and having to choose which colors you want to draw with. Wow, I totally identified with that.

I have no idea what I really want to write. I love my high adventures, but they take a long time and the effort to finish them is great. I don't mind the work, but it can be really hard to motivate oneself.

The journey is good, though.

Webcomic Guest Star!

2010-09-16T22:13:00.000-07:00

I am really in awe of webcomic artists. They put so much time, creativity, passion and love into their work and then put it on the web for free, fielding comments and building a fanbase. Truly, I'm very impressed. I try to support the ones I love with an annual financial donation (which ain't much--wish I could do more!). Well, Indigo Kelleigh who writes and draws the fabulous "Ellie Connelly" webcomic appreciated my donation and as a thank you he drew me into the latest page of the webcomic! That's me in blue! Check out my name on the market window! :) I'm so excited! I've met Indy in person and he is such a sweetheart. This really means a lot--especially with my birthday on Saturday! What a great way to start the celebration!

Click the image above to see the whole page. :)

Thanks, Indy!

Odd to be Back

2010-09-13T12:29:00.000-07:00

My visit to Olympia and Cannon Beach was so nice, so removed from my every day life, that it is odd to be back. Part of me wants to sink into the person I was before I went on vacation, but another part of me doesn't. On my trip, I learned some things about myself, about what I want in life. Coming home makes them seem unreal, as if they were a part of vacation and not a part of my home and work life. But I'm not willing to let go. And neither is God, apparently. He shook me up a bit today by saying "Get ready. Don't wait. Get ready now."

I put down my book and began organizing my house. There is a dream afoot.

Cravings

2010-09-12T18:21:00.001-07:00

As I work to lose weight, I am still troubled by cravings--even when I'm not hungry. It's not about being hungry, I guess. It's about relaxation. My brain just doesn't know how to relax if not with something sweet and high calorie being eaten. Preferably something chocolate.

Not giving in to the cravings produces a pouty brain. A little child inside me with her bottom lip sitcking out and her arms crossed. I hate this feeling. So far, the only thing that gets me past these moments is to get busy with something else. Not very satisfying, really. But it does work.

Family is Good

2010-09-12T17:30:00.001-07:00

Such a good week I spent with my mom. We relaxed and relaxed and relaxed some more, including three days at Cannon Beach, Oregon. It was such a blessing.

I'm such an introvert. I would just walk on the beach, or shop a little, then go back to our cabin with its ocean view and relax. Such good recharging time.

Tivi Cat

2010-08-31T21:56:00.000-07:00

My little black cat is a very private cat. She doesn't like a lot of affection. She likes her space and to be fed and to sleep. So I was pleasantly surprised this morning when she just wanted to snuggle. It doesn't happen often, so when it does, it's pretty sweet.

She was a skittish kitten when I adopted her from the Human Society. She hid under the recliner when I brought her home and I would have to turn it over to get her out. Once I thought she must've gotten out of the house somehow because I simply could not find her. It was kinda harrowing until I found the lil' thing hiding behind my file cabinet.

Feeling Normal

2010-08-30T21:58:00.001-07:00

So I've been following the Medifast plan on the advice of my doctor and, frankly, I'm surprised. I feel quite normal. It's only been three days, but it's a big deal for me because about five years ago, I promised myself I would never diet again. Twice I had lost significant weight only to gain it back. I thought staying at a higher weight was healthier than going up and down.

Well, as I said, that was five or so years ago. And I'm a different person than I was any of the other times I worked to gain control of my eating habits.

My biggest fear in this venture is that I will gain it back. But I'm no longer expecting that.

I have a goal, a story I wish to live. And that is to sail aboard a tall ship and be part of the crew. I can do that (check out the Historical Seaport link to the left), but I personally want to be in better physical shape before I apply. So I'm "writing" that story now by taking steps toward a healthier bod.

Mostly, I'm just relieved that I'm not fighting cravings so hard. I'm glad my doctor recommended this plan. I also have friends who have had success with Medifast and have kept the weight off. So, there you go.

It just feels good not to be depressed by not having had a McDonald's value meal and some Peanut Butter M&Ms.

"Fallen Away" Chapter 12 is out!

2010-08-29T21:06:00.001-07:00

Oh, the revelations! Still not too much action, but every good story has its lulls to give the characters and readers time to breathe. Hopefully we get a few jaws dropping with this chapter.

Getting this story out is a lot of work, but a lot of fun. It's worth it. Do you know any arists who might like to take a stab at conceptualizing some of the characters? If they want to, I'll post them to the blog.

Write Something

2010-08-28T22:09:00.000-07:00

Don't you hate it when you feel like you're in a rut? So here I am, making myself write a blog post because, dammit, I'm going to write something. Not very interesting, I know.

I'm not particularly good at setting goals. I had one big goal in my life growing up and that was to be a movie actress. I pursued that goal until I was 33 and moved back home. Acting is tough, migrant work and I was worried that I would have no retirement, no decent finances for my older self.

Nine years later, I feel a bit directionless. I have a good job, but it ain't no movie gig. Motivating myself to write and submit things is tough. Just getting my Tron story finished is a bear.

And I'm dieting. Which, while it's going well, has got me a bit tired right now.

So, goodnight!

Story structure almost done for "Fallen Away"

2010-08-26T22:54:00.000-07:00

Whew. Working hard to structure out the last third of "Fallen Away," my Tron fanfiction. I got almost to the end of my structuring exercise when I realized I had completely left out Tracer! Gah! Oh, the tangled web we weave when we try to hurry the structure.

Welcome to my fanfic readers for whom I left a note tonight. :) Would love to hear your comments and responses to "Fallen Away" here where I can respond to you.

Why the hell?

2010-08-26T20:10:00.000-07:00

A woman whose podcast I listen to recently asked, in a deeply honest fashion, why is it that if religious people want you to be part of their group, they approach you and/or live in such a negative manner? Primarily with the “you’re going to hell because you don’t believe what I believe” mentality. I’ve thought on this a lot since listening to her podcast a few days ago.

As a Christian having grown up among Christians, I went to Sunday school. I learned all the stories there and many of the dogmas and precepts of the church that we attended. Truly, that is where I learned about the concepts of heaven and hell—mostly heaven. We didn’t really talk about hell that much. We just knew it’s where non-believers went when they died. I say “knew” because I believed what I was taught. I trusted that adults knew what they were talking about. I was no different than a child who was raised to believe that nothing is created and that life simply came to be as a chemical reaction of some sort. To that kid, a kid who believes in wild theories like heaven or hell is just as much a weirdo as the reverse.

It takes people time and effort to address the issues of their faith apart from what they’ve been taught. Age brings you to that place. It’s a frightening but adventurous journey of the mind and the spirit. However, some folks don’t want to take that journey, don’t want to question the beliefs they were given and never do. That’s their prerogative. And they’re going to believe that if you don’t believe the same as them, you’re going to hell. Or at least get reincarnated until you do believe the same as them.

I’m not one of those people. The closer I get to Jesus, the more I realize that I have no clue what I’m doing. Not only that, but more and more I realize just how unrighteous I am. In light of my own unrighteousness, his directive to not judge others becomes crystal clear. Why? Because judging others takes me away from loving, and being loved by, him. Looking around for how other people are messing up and telling them to get their lives together is not my job. Hell is not in my purview. It is not anywhere near my life purpose to determine who (if anyone except those who choose it with eyes wide open) might end up in a place completely separate from the presence of their Creator, which is what I imagine “hell” to be.

Focusing on hell, to me, would be a ridiculous way to spend one’s life. I don’t love Jesus because I’m terrified that if I don’t, I’ll get thrown into hell. That’s not how love works. The whole point of God becoming human was to take hell out of the equation. I believe he lived a human life so that he could go to hell blameless and therefore own it and gain the right to free anyone who was stuck there. The whole point of his coming was to save souls, not destroy them.

So why do people preach and speak hellfire and brimstone? Honestly, I’m not sure. I think it is born out of a genuine concern to help people, to scare them straight (for want of a better term). I don’t think it works particularly well.

Thanks, sweet Nessa, for a thought-provoking podcast. I will continue to blog about this as thoughts come to me.

Fallen Away - Tron Fanfiction Updated!

2010-08-23T13:20:00.000-07:00

Chapter 10 of "Fallen Away" is up! Whew. I really want to finish this story before the new movie comes out. I have, unfortunately, painted myself into a bit of a plotline corner. I have a pretty good idea of where I'm going with it, but I've got my characters so split up from each other that it is making it hard to bring them back together. Sheesh! At least I finally got Hazel, Tron and Tracer to Dumont.

And, oooh...the key symbol on Hazel's chest has turned green! What can it mean??

Link to the fic is on the left. :)

Gorgeous

2010-08-21T23:29:00.000-07:00

Tonight I stood out on my porch with Tucker in my arms. He is an indoor-only cat, so going outside at night for a few minutes is a big treat for him. The wind was gently blowing, just the perfect temperature and just the right amount to wrap you in the glory of nature's beauty and wildness. I stood out there longer than usual (to Tucker's delight) and simply enjoyed the feel of God's breezes blowing across my skin. It makes you glad to be alive.

Greetings From Nowhere

2010-08-20T22:41:00.000-07:00

Since I've decided to perhaps blog again, I must mention my podcast that I do weekly with Christina Hill called Greetings from Nowhere. It is about our lives in small town U.S.A. Lots of laughter as we talk about all kinds of topics inlcuding local community theatre, current events and all kinds of stuff! Check it out.

I didn't even know what a podcast was until Christina mentioned them to me and then asked me to do one with her. It has been a fun experience and listenership keeps growning. They tell us that we sound very "real" and that's why people enjoy it. Well, I'm glad! Because I don't "act" well on the fly! So all your going to get is real.

It's been neat because Christina is pretty much Agnostic and I'm a Christian. But we are very good friends nonetheless. I truly feel blessed with her as a friend. God is good.

Tall Ship

2010-08-19T21:39:00.000-07:00

It is a tall ship. It has huge sails and they are white and full. The ship is pushing out to sea under the power of the wind as the bos'un calls out orders to me and my mates. I'm terrified that I will fail at this. I am terrified that I will be no good.

But I'm also tired of being terrified.

So I grip the ropes harder and pull, praying to God that I'm in shape enough not to hurt my back. The sail flaps hard as we force it to our wills and then bellies full, harnessing the wind.

I'm 43, always hated physical activity, was humiliated in P.E., and all those failings are crashing down on me now like the waves as they hit the bow of the Lady Washington.

Dammit, I want this.

I push the memories away like taking off an outer layer of clothing, no longer needed, and my spirit refocuses and cools. We are called to tack and I race to manage another line, wondering when I'll be ordered up the mast. My foundations shake at this thought. But I also notice that my back isn't hurting. That I'm feeling strong.

I can do this.

I feel His smile warm my soul and my spirit fills with His laughter. The work is hard, but this is what I want. This is freedom. We finish tacking and I tie down my line carefully, with close attention. The knots are not yet second nature.

I smell the salt tang in the air and rest as the helmsman stays on course and the captain plans our next direction. I look at my grimy hands, running my thumbs across my fingers to feel the grit. I'll get blisters. I look out over the gunwale at the green, frothy waves. In a couple of nights, I will have to take my turn cooking. That frets me.

One thing at a time.

The bos'un calls my name. My eyes follow her orders up the mainmast. I surprise myself by climbing without hesitation, leaning on my training. My grip is tight and I am terrified, but terror is now just another element, like pain. It can be endured and overcome. The others called to join me in the task are faster and surpass me, but I will not move beyond what I've learned. I admire their skills, rather than be jealous. Jealousy spoils the fun.

God, this is fun!

At this height, my bare feet gripping a line, my hands and arms clinging to the sail to pull it up and tie it down, I am exhiliarated. Still terrified, but exhiliarated. We finish the task. We climb back down. My legs and arms are noodles. My mates laugh and tease me. I laugh, too, less self-conscious than I've ever been.

Maybe my turn at cooking won't be so scary after all.

_____

This story is one that I plan to live out and is part of a contest submission for a free trip to hear from Don Miller on living out your life like a story.

How the seminar can help me... I have several large obstacles to overcome as I pursue this story. There is some weight loss that is already happening and some muscle-building that needs to happen. Finances also must be saved up. I must learn how to feed a group. Not to mention that my application has to be accepted by the folks at the Historical Seaport. And did I say that I'm afraid of getting hurt? Deep breaths. Deep breaths.

This is a story I see happening in about a year and is something I've dreamed about but have never pursued because I just didn't think I was capable of it. I have been very encouraged by Don's blog to throw caution to the wind (no pun intended) and go for it. Fun attracts me like nobody's business and working a tall ship, while lots of work indeed, is the ultimate in fun to me. I love the sea.

The seminar will help me to plan my story and I would expect to hear clear vision from God. He's so good about just laying it out there when I ask. My calling in life is to follow where Jesus leads me and love the people he places around me. There are people on the ship who need to feel the warmth of God's love. I can bring it aboard with me, and receive some from brothers and sisters in Christ who may already be there. If I can just overcome the obstacles. I think the seminar would deepen my vision and give me concrete tools to help me grow as an overcomer.

And then it will be on to the next chapter.

Thanks for this opportunity.

_____

Here's the info on the seminar! www.donmilleris.com/conference

And a video describing it. Hey, that's Don!

Living a Better Story Seminar from All Things Converge Podcast on Vimeo.

Tivi and Tucker on Youtube

2008-12-09T07:26:00.000-08:00

Tivi went a little catnip happy the other day and I caught it on tape. Enjoy!

Tivi's Catnip Joyfest

Auditions coming up at MTOW

2008-11-07T11:53:00.000-08:00

For all my actor friends, auditions are coming up at the Music Theater of Wenatchee for "Jackie: An American Life."

Auditions: Nov 17-18 at 7:00 PM, Riverside Playhouse
Performance Dates: Feb 5-7, 11-14, 2009

They are looking for 5 females and 5 males to play ages 30-40. Should be good fun! I may be auditioning. Call the producer, Robin Armstrong, if you have questions.

Roses at Night

2008-11-03T18:35:00.000-08:00

As I pruned roses yesterday, I found many beautiful blooms still there. My roses do not have long stems, so in order to enjoy them, I filled two bowls with water, floated the blooms on the surface, and placed them on my porch. Lovely to come home to after a walk in the light rain.

Yardwork. Can I do it? Yes, I can!

2008-11-03T10:27:00.000-08:00

Now that the Haunt is over, it's time to get back to my house. I'm not a fan of yardwork. I know people who are, who really take pleasure in making their yard beautiful. I think that if I didn't have a regular, full-time job, I would also take more pleasure in it. But right now, it's just a big ol' chore.

But I'm learning. I did some yesterday. I'll do some today--rose bush pruning. I used to do a massive amount of yard work all in one day to try to get it all done. I think when I break it up, do a bit today, a bit tomorrow, it's easier and more enjoyable.

Homemaking is the same way. I want to enjoy it, rather than dread it. I love having an organized house, but, dang, that takes a lot of work! It's good, though. Healthy. Like heirloom vegetables.

Hey, if you haven't read "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle," by Barbara Kingsolver, go borrow it from the library asap. It's a great book about getting a food culture back into our lives. Really well, written, fun and interesting.

Good things

2008-09-12T10:38:00.001-07:00

Well, tonight is the screening party for "Hamlet" from last year. I'm really looking forward to it and most of the cast and crew will be able to come. Huzzah! I can't wait for everyone to see the final product of a year of editing off and on.

Also, the Portugal trip is coming up. It's my first trip overseas (unless you count Hawaii) and I'm a little nervous. I suppose that's natural. I also got my MMR (measles, mumps, ruebella) booster--did you know there's a measles outbreak over in Europe? Heavens. Anyway, got my shot. Also got my allergies checked out and my doctor says she can give me a steroid shot as well a few days before I leave that will knock out my allergies for the plane trip. I'm SO taking her up on that.

Oh! And the bridge in the River Room for the haunt is pretty much complete. It's very cool. I'll be painting quite a bit this weekend.

Cousin off to War

2008-08-23T11:04:00.001-07:00

Well, my sweet cousin Ryan is off to Iraq after a couple of months training in the States. Needless to say, while we all look happy in the going away photo, it was a bittersweet send off.

I'm very proud of Ryan (back row, black t-shirt) and his decision to join the National Guard. And I know he goes in the Lord's care. I believe when he said, "See ya next year," that he was being prophetic. So, see ya next year, cousin! Travel safe.

As my trip to Portugal approaches, I feel disconcerted sometimes--the world is so volatile a place. But it always has been, really. Not to mention that our own neighborhood streets are probably the most dangerous (those darn cars!). Each of us goes with God and according to his will every day. So let's just live and love to the full.

Theater and Travel

2008-08-19T11:13:00.001-07:00

I've had a few friends ask what I'm up to lately, so I figured I'd post so folks would know. :)

Currently, I'm finishing up running lights for the CLoWN improv group (picture at left) with the Mission Creek Players. They amaze me with their humorous improv skills. We've had a 5-week run and it's been great. Running sound up in the booth with me is Christina Hill, who is always good fun to be around. We've also had a new recruit, a high-schooler named Heaven, who has been learning to run lights and will probably also help with the Haunt. She's very sharp and a sweetheart.

Once Improv closes (this weekend--last show Friday night--come see it--only 5 buckaroos!) we'll begin building the Haunted Theater for 2008, aka..."World of Primal Fear!" I'm designing a room for the first time so I'll be quite busy rounding up foliage and figuring out a water feature. But I'm looking forward to the challenge and keeping busy with my theater friends.

Also on the docket is a trip to PORTUGAL! Whoo! I'm really looking forward to that. I'll be traveling with my sweet Dad and Kathy to visit our roots in Portugal for 2 weeks. I've never traveled outside the USA except for Canada, so it's going to be a real treat.

The "Hamlet" Video is DONE!!

2008-08-14T09:52:00.000-07:00

After a year and three months, the editing of the 3-camera shoot of Hamlet is done. What coolness! Nine hours of tape was edited together to create my first editing masterpice. Actually, my second. I did a video short of a trip of Odessa, WA, that's pretty cool if anyone ever wants to see it. :)

Cast and crew! I'll be contacting you by email to set up a screening. It'll be grand fun! Get a hold of me if you haven't heard from me soon.

River Styx

2008-07-31T09:30:00.000-07:00

Well, it turns out there isn't room in the Haunt for both of my rooms. So Milo has worked in the River Styx Room and cut the Railroad Crossing. Maybe next year for that one.

It also turns out that the room is oriented differently than I anticipated. I imagined folks would walk throug it the long way (it's 8'x12') and a bridge would cross the "river" in the middle and the doors would be at the end. However, it's oriented with the entrance and exits on the long sides of the walls. So that bridge is gonna have to be sh-ort! I've begun thinking about having two bridges, or one bridge and a spooky path...sort of a path/bridge for each door, to fill up the room.

We shall see. Set geniouses Kip Burke and Pat O'Hara have agreed to help me design and build it. Huzzah!

Haunted Theater 2008

2008-07-27T17:37:00.000-07:00

Well, we at the Mission Creek Players had our first Haunt meeting this past week. We're callnig it the World of Primal Fears. And here's my insanity: I actually proposed two rooms. What was I thinking? I have a trip to Portugal coming up in September! Ah, well. Should be good fun nonetheless. Here are the rooms I'm designing:

The River Styx: This will be more of an interlude room, which we've never had before. It will have a "river" running through it and a bridge over the river, spooky sounds. You will have to pay Charon or a Muse a toll to get over the bridge and then you "choose your own fate" by going through one door or another to continue through the Haunt. Not a big scare, but more of a breather from the rest of the haunt. I hope to have a real water feature going, so it will be pretty cool.
The Railroad Crossing: How about this for a primal fear? You're stuck on the tracks and a huge train is bearing down on you. No way out. How am I going to do that one? Well, you'll just have to come and see.

Why, yes! I am looking for help designing and implementing these rooms. So glad you asked! Contact me if you'd like to help.

Self Publishing

2007-08-21T10:44:00.000-07:00

Kelley Beebe and I had a wonderful conversation yesterday with Bob Bauer, author of the book, "Rediscovering God's Gift of a Lifetime." He gave me some great insight into self publishing and his own adventures with his book and marketing, etc. It was very encouraging and I intend to work on better marketing for my plays and books. Bob said that if you do choose to self publish and can document sales of 1,000 books, then you are better able to catch the eye of a larger publisher and agents. So we will see how that goes.

If I can find a way to get more solid covers printed from my desktop, I can probably hand-bind a first run of my novel. That would be a lot of work, but would save me a lot of up-front printing costs and keep the sticker price of the novel down. I'll also look into creating my own booklet versions of the plays rather than publishing through Lulu. I ought to be able to do that with a long-neck stapler, so we'll see. Making them available online as PDFs for purchase through Paypal is also an option.

Good times, good times.

TPV is complete

2007-06-28T08:28:00.000-07:00

The script for our next Run of the River Players production, TROUBLE IN PRALINE VALLEY, is complete. Written by Kelley Beebe and me, it is a family-friendly play about a little town with a famous ice creamery competing with another little town (famous for their soda pop) for the railroad. It's pretty fun and I look forward to the reading planned for July 6.

HHOPN Winning Awards

2007-06-14T08:36:00.001-07:00

The Mossley Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society sent me an email the other day to let me know that they have won awards at two of the festivals where they've presented HHOPN. Good going, guys! I hope it's been fun!

TPV Almost Complete

2007-06-06T10:30:00.000-07:00

TROULBE IN PRALINE VALLEY is a short, family-friendly western melodrama that I have co-written with my friend, Kelley Beebe. We're working on one transitional scene right now and then it will be done. The play will be produced sometime over the next 12 months by the Run of the River Players here at the Chelan County PUD. Watch the RRP blog for future details. It's going to be a fun play and that there's the Simon pure!

HHOPH to be Produced!

2007-05-17T15:51:00.000-07:00

Hooray for royalties! I have given permission to the Mossley Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society of Oldham, England, to produce HELL HAS OUR PHONE NUMBER. It will have three performances at three different festivals. Good to know that Grace, Vikki and Lauren will be going up against the Eviscerator again!