What I've Been Up To

As of recently, writing on the computer has become a bit of a hassle. I have no laptop, and using my house Mac (and that disgusting chicklet keyboard) makes me want to bash my head against the wall.Right now I'm taking the opportunity to take advantage of a Dell keyboard, and gets to writing, or rather, typing.

I've been working on fiction, but it's been pen to paper. Because I have some stories locked in a coma on my external hard drive, but to access it, I think I need to be on a PC, not a Mac, at least to actually do writing and editing. I'm working on a story whose outline I wrote a long time ago. I'd tried to write this story, actually flesh it out, at least half a dozen times. I've done the first two scenes half a billion times in my head. Now I'm actually making headway.

One of the things that I've realized as a writer is that I need to not take my outline as the concrete plan I must follow. An outline has become just that, an outline. And because of the way the story started to flow, I've had to change the order of things, and I've had to add new scenes in. I think I want this story to be more romantic erotica than the teen angst erotica that I was going for, even though it's still a teenage story.

On top of that, I've also been working on doing small things, short pieces and flash fiction. I really enjoy doing flash fiction and the such because it helps strengthen me as a writer. There is a piece I've been trying to write as of late, I can see the character clearly in my head, although I'm not entirely sure of her back story. I know that she's a lesbian, but I'm not going to give away any more. Once I have it ready for outside eyes, I will put it up on here.

That's about it for now. More to come later.

Pimp: The Story of My Life Review

This has to be one of the most fascinating books that I've ever read. Pimp: The Story of my Life, by Iceberg Slim, is the autobiography of a man that was a pimp. Because of moves like "The Mack", "Pimps Up, Hoes Down", and the general pimp culture that seems to permeate everywhere, most people think they know about pimping.

This is just absolutely untrue. Iceberg Slim goes so far beyond just beating a woman. He explains how he actually takes and molds her mind in order to make as much money off her as possible. This is absolutely disgusting to read, and I find him repulsive. However, he knows how repulsive his acts were, and turned his life around.

What really kept me reading the novel was Slim's writing style. He knows how to weave together words and tell a story. He uses such lovely metaphors, and speaks truthfully. This book feels like I was sitting in a park, and began talking with someone about their life. His memory is a steel trap, and the details that he remembers lets me feel like I'm seeing it with him. Sometimes if it wasn't for the extensive vocabulary, and the high priced items, I wouldn't know that this story took place in the 1930s. If there are any issues with the language, the back of the book has a glossary, although I could have sworn a few of the words had multiple meanings.

I don't want to put anything from the book, but I can say that from the first page, he held me captive. I think there is a look inside feature, if not, you're just going to have to look on Amazon, or find a blog that gives previews and spoilers.

This is definitely an adult book with adult themes. It's not for people with multiple triggers, nor is it for people that can't stand to read the objectification of women. He was as icy as his name implies, and it definitely shows in this. I'm actually curious to read more of his work; he's a fascinating person, and going from the world of easy money, easier women, and drugs flowing--to going straight (that is the only thing I'm giving away, and it's not even something I'm giving away because he says it right in the introduction to the book).

12 Years a Slave- A Review of Patsy, Lupita Nyong'o, and the Academy Awards

Now, I really don't do reviews on movies for the most part; movies are not my thing, I can't express fully what they mean the way a true movie critic would. The only part that I can talk about with any real certainty is writing. That's why I'm writing about 12 Years a Slave.

Now, I haven't read the book yet, but I have just seen the Oscars and seen all the epic things that the Academy has bestowed on him. Now, with some of it, it could be because the book was a time piece, or because the awards given to Black characters that were playing slaves, but that's more a topic that this blog covers, remarkably well. She can probably explain it better than I can.

I was first excited about this movie because I heard that it was based on an autobiography, and a true story. Now for me, there's nothing like a true story. I really love them. The last full length one that I read was the autobiography of Frederick Douglass, which was totally epic. Most recently, I've been reading random slave narratives, and my current novel is W.E.B Du Bois' "The Souls of Black Folks". As soon as I'm done, I will write its review. But my review is about 12 Years, or rather, the Oscars giving this movie its due. I just read that 12 Years is the first film with a Black director to win the highest honor in the history of the Academy. For some reason I'm really not surprised that, but I am rather disgusted that he is the first. Why do their have to be firsts. It's just... damn, if he was the first, what of other ethnicity? According to what I just read, the Best Director Winner was the first Latin Male to win. Have they had people win for things like this? I don't think so, and that's even sadder. Then again, I have to remember, other ethnicity people have only been considered humans to the White majority for, oh say, 50 years, give or take. Some can argue that it's not fully the case, with proof...

Damn it, I'm digressing to race again.

I have to keep on track that this blog is about writing, reading, characters and things of that nature. As of right now, I should focus on how Lupita obviously did an amazing job bringing Patsy to life. Or rather, back to life.

When watching the commercial, and recently reading articles earlier, I found out the context behind the scene (I'm not going to give a spoiler, but I will say that it's described in the blog that I posted to earlier), and why she was so emotional. That, and she is portraying a REAL PERSON. Patsy would not be known at all if it wasn't for Solomon Northup writing about her. She would have just been another slave woman lost to history.

But because of Mr. Northup's writing, she's actually a person, she is fleshed out, she is given flesh again, and her pain now something that can be seen, and we all know how important sight is for people nowadays. She is more than just some text, or a slave narrative spoken by someone. We were able to see something akin to what she went through, the torture that was all too frequent for slave women. Ms. Nyong'o gave her flesh again (I feel calling her Lupita is far too personal, considering I'm just a blogging fan).

It's not often that someone is really made a person again, especially in something like a movie, but this seems to be a stand out movie. Now, considering that I haven't read the stories of Mr. Northup, nor have I seen the movie yet, this is totally biased just because of my excitement. Its' things like these that are small victories, as a woman, as a writer, especially when the screen play adaptation WON another of the big Academy Awards. That's so fucking brilliant.

After I watch the movie, and read the book, this will be updated with parts two and three.

I'm so very excited. This is brilliant

Watership Down Review

And here I go, writing ten thousand years later. But it's here. My first book review of 2014, and it's for another children's/young adult novel.

I've recently finished reading Watership Down (this website is a great resource for pictures of the real places mentioned in the book), a tale of rabbits struggling for their survival. Now, this is a book that many different people will like; if you like rabbits, you'll enjoy this, if you like adventure books, you'll like this, if you like suspense (yes, there are times where this book becomes quite the page turner), you will like this.

The plot revolves around two brother rabbits, after one has a premonition of a disaster. That's all that I can really say without revealing anything really important from the plot. I'm not a person that likes to give spoilers, so that's why this blog post is going to be rather brief. It's all about the different rabbits they encounter, the few human interactions, and the premonitions that have an incredible impact on how the rabbits view their world, and how important it is for them to push the limits to become the best rabbits possible.

Now, if you like young adult books, books like "Wind in the Willows", then this will definitely be something that you want to read. It's a lovely page turner.

This is a short ass review, because the book is very much what it is. It's amazing, and you just need to read it; if it doesn't catch you than it's probably not the book for you, and if it does, enjoy the journey.

New Year, New Literary Challenges

Hello blog in 2014!

I have not forgotten about anything, and I'm still working on that writing exercise project (yes, it's running way late, but I'm still doing it, and in this case, that's what counts), and I'm reading a new book. I'm not going to mention the book here, because hopefully in the next few days when I'm done, I will have a post about it. I'll give a hint: it's another children's classic about animals. Okay, that's big enough.

I had temporarily lost my outline book, but my sister found it for me, and now that it's found, I'm determined to know where it is at all times. I'm going to do a lot of writing this year; it was also my resolution last year, but I have the most positive feelings about getting things done this year, and I'm really proud of what I will possibly be able to accomplish.

First things first, I will put some fiction on here. I feel like I've promised that before, and it turned out to be something that I absolutely should not have put online, but you live and learn.

I have a goal this year to be published, whether that means self, or finding a real publishing house.

I want to write and read everyday, and not spend so much time on my social networks and YouTube, especially if it doesn't have anything to do with bettering myself.

What else...? I'm not sure what else, but as I know it, I will let it be know here.

This is a new year, of promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep. Yep, I just stole that line, and I'm not even going miles before I sleep, unless it's a metaphor that I'm too tired to understand right now.

2014 is going to be AWESOME.

Fiction Challenge

I have to admit something: I've been neglecting my writing. The things that I need to work on, one particularly long and daunting piece in particular, have made me wimp out. But I've decided that I will no longer wimp out, and that I haven't been putting in the time necessary for me to become a good writer.

I just got the somewhat brilliant idea to do a bit of a fiction challenge for myself, to see if I could write one piece of fiction a week; this is not going to be my only writing, but at least one piece a week for me to put up here, so that I can hold myself up to a different standard and judge. As much as I usually write erotica, I'm going to try to write more than just that.

And I haven't stopped reading: I've currently decided to read the book "Don Quixote", which I didn't realize had so much going on inside it. I'm already 3% in to the book, and I haven't gotten past the translators notes. There are a few different translations, but I think that the one that my story is, is something a bit more recent, although I'm not so sure. I'm worried that I won't understand it as well as I should, but I also think that I can understand it if I teach it to myself, and I take my time to fully understand.

I will read shorter things throughout reading "Don Quixote", so I will still have book reviews to write on a timely schedule. The biggest thing is that the schedule is timely. My biggest problem, my giant to slay, if I'm going down "The Warrior Girls" route, is the giant Procrastination. It's really messed me up in life, and makes me shirk my responsibilities. I can't continue to have it happen, so I'm going to keep myself on a schedule.

That's it for now, although there will be a lot more of me seen in the near future.

The Warrior Girls Review

When I went on Project Gutenberg, this book had just been uploaded in its digital form. The title, "The Warrior Girls", and the red cover with bold gold lettering immediately caught my eye. I had images in my head of either girls that had been warriors (like Mulan), or girls that were fighting against magnificent and fearsome creatures. That is not at all what I've gotten since I started this book.

With all fairness, the title is not misleading, the book is indeed about girls, just reaching the cusp of their teen years, during the turn of the century. They're fighting to slay their monsters, but the monsters in this book are the monsters of bad habits. The main protagonist is a girl named Winnifred Burton, whose friends call her Winnie. She is small, and she spends far too much time reading and indulging in things, and not paying attention to her studies. Her and her friends, who previously had a form of a club, decide to change the mission of the club from eating butterscotch, to tackling their personality defects.

For many people, the realization that there aren't any bloody battles and wars, would have them put the book down. I decided to give it a try, and as of the writing of this entry, I'm just over halfway through the book. It's not at all what I expected, and it's much more of a slice of turn-of-the-century life, and trying to fight things like sloth, greed.

There was one girl, Ernestine, that the other young women weren't sure they wanted to include in their group because she lived in an apartment with her father, and she wasn't wealthy, and some of the other girls didn't think she was from a "good family". (SPOILER ALERT) It took the main character's mother explaining that the young woman had been from a good family "old family" of New York, and her father had been an alcoholic that her mother left for the girls to want to be nice and associated with. I just thought that it was disgusting that the parents are worried about whether the family of their child's friend is upstanding. Why does it matter? There's only one mention of Black people in the book, where the school has a play, and one of the little girls does blackface to be the character.

The best part of the book is that there are a lot of archaic words that I am learning. I'm actually highlighting and making notes about them.

As of right now, this is a book I would only recommend to someone that enjoys slice-of-life novels. I'm really hoping the author expands a bit more on the characters, because the majority of the secondary ones are the ones that are a bit more interesting. Hopefully I will have more to add when I finish this book, and hopefully it'll meet my expectations about the next parts.

UPDATE:

I finished the book, and I have to say, there were parts that annoy me, and there was an entire part that annoyed me so much that I kept sucking my teeth. The book is a very cute slice of life, however that is the biggest appeal. Some of the "giants" that the young ladies have battled do translate in to life nowadays, but some of them just feel sad and outdated. Others are just annoying and offend my feminist point of view on life. Then there is something that just offended me as a person that has grieved.

Now I'm not being mean, a lot of the book was nice, at least seeing what White people with the means did with their time in Cincinatti at the turn of the century. If these are things that fascinate you, you'll enjoy this book.