Thanks to Matt at FreethePrincess... we have a LOGO!!!

Matt Delman at FreethePrincess advised me on Friday that he had been working on an Alliterati logo. So; without further ado, I proudly present to you: (<--- look that way)!!!!

YAY!!! Thanks Matt :)

Please feel free to add the logo to your blog if you're feeling cheeky, and spread the Alliterati love!

Just another Mad-Lib Monday! Whoa-oh! Results #2

Word Count: 27,335

Source Article from the NYT here.

From Lisa:

After months of zooming about the need for engagement, Mr. Obama appears to have made a leap toward viewing slimy new sanctions against Denmark as an inevitability. He avoided President Turtle at the Westminster Abbey this week, despite his having said lazily that he would seek dialogue with Denmark leaders. Instead, Mr. Obama spent much of his time in foot pressing the case, particularly to Hogwarts and Narnia, for younger Security Council measures to rein in Denmark's green ambitions.

From LW:

After months of blackmailing about the need for engagement, Mr. Obama appears to have made a leap toward viewing arrogant new sanctions against Ireland as an inevitability. He avoided President Pencil at the Church this week, despite his having said soundly that he would seek dialogue with Ireland leaders. Instead, Mr. Obama spent much of his time in shoes pressing the case, particularly to My Head and Your Head, for uglier Security Council measures to rein in Ireland's smooth ambitions.

From Matt:

After months of conspiring about the need for engagement, Mr. Obama appears to have made a leap toward viewing stupid new sanctions against Finland as an inevitability. He avoided President Book at the library this week, despite his having said cuttingly that he would seek dialogue with Finland leaders. Instead, Mr. Obama spent much of his time in hats pressing the case, particularly to The Belgariad and Star Wars, for crappier Security Council measures to rein in Finland's slippery ambitions.

And from Strange:

After months of slapping about the need for engagement, Mr. Obama appears to have made a leap toward viewing fuzzy new sanctions against France as an inevitability. He avoided President Hovel at the barn this week, despite his having said equally that he would seek dialogue with French leaders. Instead, Mr. Obama spent much of his time in hero pressing the case, particularly to Brigadoon and Middle Earth, for scrawnier Security Council measures to rein in France's fleshy ambitions.

Hee hee; very funny fellow Alliterati! Which brings me to my next post... stay tuned!

Mad Libs Results Day #1

Here's the source article.

From Lazy Writer:

The White House issued a sly statement characterizing the daring plan as a positive step. “Last week, the president laid out his rock to bring book[s] and balloon[s] to Americans who have insurance, and high-quality, affordable phone[s] for those who don’t,” said Dan Pfeiffer, a White House [noun]. “The Senate Finance Committee mark released by Chairman Baucus is another boost of momentum for the president’s effort to reform the health system.”

It would run benefits to millions of people who are dry by quickly expanding Medicaid, the state-federal insurance program for the humble, and by offering subsidies to individuals and chairs with modest incomes to help them buy insurance.

(Sorry, LW--- didn't catch that I needed another noun from you til now.) :(

From Renee:

The White House issued a pretty statement characterizing the fast plan as a positive step. “Last week, the president laid out his girl to bring stapler[s] and panties to Americans who have insurance, and high-quality, affordable biscuit[s] for those who don’t,” said Dan Pfeiffer, a White House yarn. “The Senate Finance Committee mark released by Chairman Baucus is another boost of momentum for the president’s effort to reform the health system.”

It would run benefits to millions of people who are stinky by slowly expanding Medicaid, the state-federal insurance program for the yellow, and by offering subsidies to individuals and daisies with modest incomes to help them buy insurance.

From Regina:

The White House issued a callous statement characterizing the daffy plan as a positive step. “Last week, the president laid out his scientist to bring papers and hairspray to Americans who have insurance, and high-quality, affordable bottled water for those who don’t,” said Dan Pfeiffer, a White House laser. “The Senate Finance Committee mark released by Chairman Baucus is another boost of momentum for the president’s effort to reform the health system.”

It would laugh benefits to millions of people who are glossy by calculatingly expanding Medicaid, the state-federal insurance program for the lush, and by offering subsidies to individuals and cartoons with modest incomes to help them buy insurance.

From NWA:

The White House issued a[n] alarming statement characterizing the callous plan as a positive step. “Last week, the president laid out his chia pet to bring dogs and horses to Americans who have insurance, and high-quality, affordable sheep for those who don’t,” said Dan Pfeiffer, a White House Alan Ginsberg. “The Senate Finance Committee mark released by Chairman Baucus is another boost of momentum for the president’s effort to reform the health system.”

It would slog benefits to millions of people who are chivalrous by gallantly expanding Medicaid, the state-federal insurance program for the moronic, and by offering subsidies to individuals and novels with modest incomes to help them buy insurance.

And there we have it! This was my first shot so I'll try to be better next time about getting exactly the kind of word you need. I realized about mid-way through that there were three plural nouns in the middle, but it worked out alright :)

How's everyone doing today?

Not that this should be news to anyone, but I like to do what I can for my fellow Alliterati members:

Elana Johnson's much-awaited e-book FROM THE QUERY TO THE CALL is out today. (Yay Elana!)

Go check it out here if you don't already subscribe to her blog; this book is going to be insanely useful, and not only do you get the book when you buy it but she is offering to critique your query on her new blog here if you do, as well!

What a bargain!

Congrats Elana!!!

Patriot Day.

I get it. I mean, it's hard to come up with names for these things now, I'm sure. And "The day the World Trade Center was blown up by two airplanes, a third crashed into the Pentagon and a fourth crashed into a field, changing thousands of lives" doesn't exactly roll off the tongue. But I feel we're losing something in translation here. Just like I don't really, fully understand WHAT we're memorializing on Memorial Day or laboring on Labor Day, I don't think my children will know what Patriot Day really stands for.

How awful it was, even as a citizen completely shielded from the devastating effects of the day, to wake up to that on that morning.

To watch it, throughout the day at school, and cry as the towers collapsed.

To hear the stories of heroism and bravery afterward and just wish there was something, anything, I could do.

To know the pain of the families that lost fathers, mothers, wives, husbands, daughters and sons that day.

To be angry and feel futile and small against the terrors of close-mindedness and tradition. To not understand.

I still will refer to it as 9/11. Because to me, while yes, that's just a date, when I talk about "after 9/11" to my kids, they will ask, what's so special about 9/11? If I say "after Patriot Day" I'm afraid they won't ever be curious enough to ask. And I owe it to them, when they arrive, to share the history that I have experienced, because history is so important.

I don't begrudge anyone their Patriot Day. I just want to hold on to my 9/11.

Bless all those who were affected by this awful day 8 years ago.

The Secret Society of the Alliterati

Word Count: Tender subject right now, okay?! Okay, okay. . . twist my arm--- it's still the same.

Ah, writers.

I love us.

I notice things, because I'm cognizant like that. One thing I've noticed in my fairly new wanderings into the blogosphere is how alliterative us writers are.

Actually, what this introduction boils down to is that I couldn't think of a clever alliterative title to go with "Thursday" for today's post. There, I said it. So, I think instead, I am going to try to write this entire post without being overtly alliterative.

Dang. I think "overtly alliterative" means I lost already. Oh well, in for a penny, in for a pound, right?

Kidding, I won't do that to you. Yet.

At any rate, we are a bunch of dreamers and imaginers. Word craft comes to us as we strive to find new ways to describe new things, or even the same old things. The blog posts and comments of writers are gently crafted, carefully nourished and when able to fly at last, set free into the internet for all to see. It's a beautiful thing.

But I think the thing that I like the most about writers online is that it's like belonging to a (very public) secret society. Some of us are anonymous, others share their real life and name without hesitation. Some of us play things close to the vest regarding our works, others post excerpts and whole chapters. Each member's level of secrecy is different, but everyone comes together into this great shifting whole that is a joy to belong to. I LOVE reading everyone else's thoughts and musings on their work and the writing process, and I love success stories. That's not even to mention the vast amount of knowledge available. I get all of that, here.

For me, it's like a place where I belong. I haven't told very many people in my life that I wrote/ am working on a book. Why? Because they give you that LOOK; you all know the one I'm talking about. The ones I have told have been extremely supportive, but the rest, probably won't know til/when/if it hits the shelves, and I can point to it and say, hey! Look! I wrote a book! (Ok, to be honest, I'll probably spill once I get my first rejection letter. A patient person, I am not.)

It's not that I don't belong in the real world, because obviously there are a few people that know, and I have my crit group, but even there, because it's at a college, I think, pursuing publication is somewhat of a high-falutin' idea. But here, in my secret society, I can freely express my hopes to be on the shelves at B&N someday. And you all support that hope, because you share it.

I am a proud member of the Secret Society of the Alliterati.

Say it with me, now. . . it's time for the Induction Mysteries:

I pledge to support all other writers' hopes and dreams as fully as my own, and to be the writer I want to be here, amongst my fellows.

I'm not going to hold you to that. But seriously, what do you like about blogging/ being a writer online?

I wish I was good at graphic design. I'd make a little badge.

Happy writing!

Wait; isn't this a writing blog?

Word Count: 87,310

Well, yes, yes it is a writing blog. But I am in limbo again; finished my first round of edits and revisions based on my first beta reader, and since I basically have a completely new draft, I told my mom to go ahead and wait til I got it over to her before starting her read while she's on vacation this week. So, that was the plan last night, but then my printer ink cartridge died (again) and the office supply store was closed (of course) so, yeah. On my lunch today, I will go get a cartridge and then drop off my MS on my way to my writer's group tonight.

The upshot of all that convoluted nonsense is that I can't do anything to my MS today. It's already a third printed, so if I make any changes it might screw up the rest of it. So, I thought I'd write about what the Julie/Julia Project I linked to on Friday did to me over the weekend.

It made me cook.

Gah, you don't understand--- I am the girl who won't touch raw meat, doesn't do more than three steps and NEVER makes more than one or two dishes that require more than that. Not from a lack of effort, mind you, but rather utter failure every time I tried.

Until Saturday night. I had Julie/Julia on the brain, and my grief for my horse needed to channel itself into something creative, so I looked at Wonderful Boyfriend and said, "I want to cook dinner tonight."

He promptly checked my temperature and, on reassurance that I was not terribly ill, nor possessed of an evil spirit or succumbing to madness, followed me patiently through the grocery store.

Perhaps I was actually succumbing to madness, or possessed of some spirit--- not evil, necessarily, perhaps a gustatory spirit?--- because what followed was somewhat insane, for me.

I decided I wanted Greek Food. Wonderful Boyfriend wasn't so keen on the idea (he has no taste, and I don't mean that all insultingly, he just doesn't appreciate a lot of food, and doesn't like very many flavors, so I often wonder if he literally has no taste), so I opted out of Greek Rice and into Cheesy Garlic Mashed Potatoes. But the rest of the menu would remain: Greek Seasoned Chicken, Tsatsiki Sauce, and Tandoori Nan (store bought--- I ain't THAT crazeh).

I started with the Tsatsiki Sauce--- a whole cucumber, seeded, grated into a sieve and left to drain for a half hour, then squeezed and pressed dry, mixed with a cup of yogurt (plain, non-Greek, though Greek yogurt would have resulted in a thicker sauce), 1 tsp of lemon juice, dill, salt and pepper. Chop one clove of garlic finely and add. (In retrospect, I could have done without the garlic, it adds a bite that I prefer it without.)

Then--- check this out--- for the Cheesy Garlic Mashed Potatoes, I sliced up another clove or two of garlic and sauteed it in butter until brown, then added about a cup and a half of chicken stock and let it reduce to half at a simmer. I boiled three small/ medium potatoes, chopped into chunks, in chicken stock and when done, added a 1/4 to 1/2 cup milk, a tbsp butter, and drained the garlic reduction stock through a sieve into the pan to get out the bits of garlic and fatty film. Then I added about a 1/4 cup of 3-cheese Italian blend (had parmesan, asiago, and one other kind, dangit I forget), mashed, and let sit to melt the cheeses while WB made the chicken on our grill. Toasted the Nan to dip in the Tsatsiki and OH MY G I actually COOKED SOMETHING.

But it didn't stop there, my friends--- the spirit was quite prolific and encouraged me to bake cookies, as well. White chocolate chip cookies following the directions on the Toll House Premier White Morsels bag, *but* I added pistachios instead of macadamia nuts.

I followed it up the next morning by making WB scrambled eggs and toast.

Wow, reading this over again makes me realize I really MUST have been possessed by something.

Layout

Word Count: 85,090 (Oh dear, it's going backwards.)

I spent last night sleeping in the front seat of my car out at my ranch, waking up every 45 minutes or so to my apparently correctly-installed auto-mommy-alarm to check on my horse. I was too scared to leave; too afraid of what I would come back to if I did. She seemed to have a slightly improved appetite this morning, and was drinking a little, but she's still super dehydrated and I'm going to lose her if she doesn't start drinking more today. I feel hungover; finally fell asleep at midnight and was wide awake at five for the second day in a row, and I am definitely the" need at least 8 hours" kind of person, so that, plus waking up all night, is taking its toll on my brain and body. If none of this is coherent, that's why.

At any rate, this is a writing blog, not a horse blog, so I'll stay on topic now:

I picked this layout, because it's cleverly called "Scribe" and I didn't feel like bothering to create my own when I started my blog, but I've now noticed that a lot of writers also have the same layout. This is not a bad thing because it's an awesome layout, and I love it, but I want something of my own now (though maybe today isn't the best day to try; I'll probably end up with neon something or other on accident that will be impossible and/ or hurt to read.) So anyway, how the heck do I make my own layout? I can't seem to find it anywhere on my dashboard, but again--- lack of sleep. Help?