A few days ago, Paperback Writer blogged about a cool online tool courtesy of the shopping website Polyvore.  She gave it a trial run for making character collages, and I liked her results, so I filed it away as something to try in the future.  But the idea kept haunting me, and since I have finally dived headfirst into editing my YA novel, I figured now was a great time to see how well I know my main character.  They have tons of images to choose from and the key to finding what you want is using the proper keywords. Once I got the feel for how it worked, I had not problem putting the resulting collage together. I feel like the end result is a pretty good representation of my narrator.  Not only was it great fun to make, but it also forced me to think about all the things that makes her who she is. Who and what she cares about and finding the appropriate images that represents those connections.  It was also a relief to find she wasn't two dimensional.  I plan to do one of these for each of the key players in my novel as I find the time because I have a feeling that maybe not all of them are as well-rounded as my narrator and it will be a good exercise to force myself to sit down with them individually and see what I know about them.  I feel this can only help with the editing experience.

Do you guys have any cool character-building tools that you like to use when writing or editing? Please share if you do!

Happy Writing (or editing!)

-Di

This year, the AWP conference is going to be right here in Chicago.  I've never been before, so I figured this year should be my first since it is right here in my city, after all.  Luckily, I registered before the conference sold out and I am eagerly going over all the offerings to see what discussions I most want to sit in on.  I plan to take notes and maybe even some pictures, so I can report back to everyone who was not able to attend this year, so look for updates the next few days.  

In the meantime, if you are in Chicago, even if you aren't attending AWP, you can definitely join us for the fun and festivities of the Chicago Quarterly Review Volume 14 Release Party and Reading.  It will be this Friday, March 2 from 6-8 P.M. at Open Books.  All the details can be found right here.  I hope to see you there!

Anyone else going to be at AWP this year?  If so, let me know! I'd love the opportunity to meet some of my online acquaintances in person!

Happy Writing!

-Di

For all you campaigners out there, this is my response to the first challenge.  If you aren't in the campaign, hop on over to Rach Writes and read all about it.  Hope you enjoy my entry and I can't wait to see what others have come up with!  Happy writing!

-Di

P.S.  I'm #95 of the list of campaigners who have entered the challenge, so if you are a campaigner and like my story, go give it a thumbs up!  I'm going to be trying to make it to as many as possible and voting for my favorite ones!  Thanks!

Word Count:  200
Genre:  Literary

To Catch a Stalker
By Diane D. Gillette


Shadows crept across the wall. I wished for a chameleon-esque miracle so I could become a shadow myself, but I stuck out like a splatter of orange paint on a black canvas. Cal's gaze flicked to me immediately. 

“Faye?”

Experiencing mouth-mind failure, I smiled and waved. Heat ravaged my face.

“Are you. . . er. . . wearing my shirt?” he asked, indicating the hoodie from his alma mater.

It was an awkward moment, especially since it was all I wore.

“Oh, this. No.”

“Oh,” he said, clearly unconvinced.  “How – well, I mean, what are you doing here?”

“Yes.  Um, I guess you would be wondering that.” 

It didn't seem to be worthwhile to point out that I had planned to be gone long before he’d returned home from work.  I'd never stayed so late before.   I'd simply gotten caught in the fantasy of belonging to Cal. The smell of his clothes.  The feel of his sheets. But I could hardly say so.

So I did the only thing I could think of. I forced my eyes to roll back and let my knees give out. His hands reached and caught me. I was in his embrace. Everything else faded.

Edited on 2/20/11:  It seems I was premature in ending the game of tag!  Due to special request, I have tagged someone after all.  See below to find out who!
SM Robertson over at Squidink tagged me again, so here's Part II to 11 Question Tag.

1. What do you like to eat for breakfast?  Breakfast is my favorite meal!  On the weekdays it is usually just yogurt and fruit, but my favorite weekend breakfast is at a little diner near our apartment where I get a turkey and pear omelet with hashbrowns, fresh fruit, and a biscuit. Heavenly!
2. Shakespeare: yay or nay?  Yay on the comedies and tragedies. Nay on the histories.
3. Do you have any guilty pleasures?  America’s Next Top Model and Nora Roberts novels.
4. What is your favorite thing to write about?  Do I really have to limit myself to one thing?!?
5. Choice of the century: cake or pie? Cruel question, given the fact that I have given up sugar.  But I’m going to have to with pie.  Mmmmmm. . .
6. Got any non-writing hobbies?  Playing board/card games and crocheting.
7. If you had a theme song, what would it be? Dar Williams’ Better Things.  I am convinced Dar Williams is basically writing a soundtrack for my life.
8. What's your favorite writing snack?  Usually I’m just drinking iced tea when I write. 
9. Do you have any pets?  Meet the Brothers ArGus. Gus is putting the moves on the bunny and Argie is oozing off the chair. 

10. If you could live anywhere, where would it be?  Chicago! Oh wait, that is where I’m living.  Guess I’m pretty lucky. 
11. Got any book recommendations?  All novels written by Jim Butcher and Richelle Mead. Watership Down by Richard Adams. Mystery of Grace by Charles de Lint. I’ll stop there.

And that is the end of 11 Question Tag for me, so I won't be tagging anyone else!  I have been having a blast visiting the blogs of other campaigners though and seeing the rather entertaining results of this game.  Back to writing related posts in the near future!

Correction:  I am officially tagging Betsy Love at When the Muse Strikes because she is awesome and somehow didn't get tagged! (Though I would like to point out that the object of tag is to NOT get caught, which actually makes her the winner, I think.) :)  At any rate, we definitely want her to join in the fun!   Besty (and anyone else who may have been flying under the radar), here are your questions:
1.  Where is your favorite writing spot and why? 
2.  What author/book first made you want to write?  
3.  If you could no longer write, what would your creative outlet be?  
4.  Music or silence when you write?  
5.  What is your writing goal for 2012?  
6.  What pushes you out of your writing comfort zone?  
7.  Where do you go when you need to escape for a while?  
8.  Which series are you eagerly anticipating the newest release for? (If you aren't addicted to any series right now, then what new book by a favorite author are you waiting for?)  
9.  What's your favorite online resource for writers?  
10.  Do you read any literary magazines? If so, which ones?  
11.  What's something that made you smile today?   
Happy Writing!

-Di

Fellow campaigner Jennifer Baker-Henry tagged me in an amazingly fun game of 11 Question Tag, so without further delay, here's my answers to her excellent questions!
1. What literary character (any genre) can you most relate to & why?   Valancy from L.M. Montgomery’s The Blue Castle.  I read that book for the first time when I was a tween, and Valancy just struck me as a kindred spirit.  She was misunderstood, isolated, and continuously escaped into her imagination, just like me back then.  But now, as an adult, I relate to her even more because she reached a point where she took control and shaped her life into what she wanted it to be, proving just how strong and capable she was; I did the same thing a few years ago, and like Valancy, I feel like I am living my happily ever after now. It’s still one of my favorite books!

2. If you could choose between having six months to yourself to pursue your art in a great area with beautiful landscape to write and no worries on money, food, living arrangements but would not be able to have any communication with the outside world whatsoever, would you do it? If I am allowed to bring my sweetie and my cats, I say this is my idea of heaven.  Where do I sign up?

3. What do you think is more important: true love or success? True love is a success.  Relationships are hard work, and if you have found true love and are willing to put in the work to make it last, then you have one kind of success already.  I wouldn’t trade my love for any other kind of success.

4. What is usually the first thing you do when you get up in the morning? Snuggle with my cat Argie.  He’s got a particular routine where he waits for me to get up and then runs to the couch so he can snuggle in my lap for a while.  He gets upset if I try to do anything else first, and he’s so fickle about snuggles, I try not to offend him if I can help it.

5. Of all the books pubbed that you have had the pleasure to read which one to you most wish you’d written? Honestly, I don’t think I know how to answer this one.  The truly unique books that may inspire a “Why didn’t I think of that moment?” are rare for me, mostly I just appreciate the author's craft and use that as inspiration to get back to my own (hopefully brilliant) ideas, all the while giving them props for coming up with an idea I never could have.

6. Why do you write? I write because I have no choice and know that if I did have a choice I would still choose to do so.

7. If you had to lose one of your senses which would it be? (And yes, I include taste in this.) I think I would have to go with sense of smell.  I would definitely miss it, and I know losing it would affect my sense of taste, but it seems like the easiest one to live without.  Plus I have a sensitive nose and sometimes that is more of a curse than a blessing, especially when riding public transportation.

8. What is the best memory you have? Have you ever used it in your writing? I can’t really pinpoint just one.  Most of my favorite memories center around my grandmother and my childhood dog CoCo.  They just represent some of the simple happy times of my childhood.  I write about both of them a lot when it comes to nonfiction, but nods to my grandmother also makes it into my fiction quite a bit.

9. If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be and why? I really haven’t traveled much at all, unfortunately, but if I just had to pick one place, I think I would want to travel to Australia.  I’ve wanted to go there ever since I was in the second grade and my teacher was part of an exchange program from Australia.  She taught us a lot about her country and I thought it sounded like the coolest place in the world. Also I would love to see some of those amazing animals in their natural habitat.

10. What is your favorite thing to do before you write? I like to log into Duotrope Digest and check on the status of any pending submissions I have.  Getting excited about the possibility of getting another short story published helps motivate me to write more.

11. What is the food/drink item you go to most when stressed/upset/irritated? What is the food/drink item you go to most when happy/exuberant/celebratory?  Well, the answer to both questions used to be chocolate, but I recently gave up sugar and actually am making an effort to neither use food to cope with the down times, nor use it as a reward for the good times.  I am proud of myself for the success I’ve had in this endeavor so far, but I think I have replaced food with streaming TV on my Roku box to both cope with stress and to reward myself with a little down time. Not entirely sure that can be considered progress. ;)

Okay, now for the awesome new campaign friends I am going to tag:  Ute Carbone, Jolene Stockman, Sara Biren, Elodie, L.A. Freeland, and Richard Alan.  Tag, you're it!

And the 11 questions I have for you:  
1.  Where is your favorite writing spot and why? 
2.  What author/book first made you want to write?  
3.  If you could no longer write, what would your creative outlet be?  
4.  Music or silence when you write?  
5.  What is your writing goal for 2012?  
6.  What pushes you out of your writing comfort zone?  
7.  Where do you go when you need to escape for a while?  
8.  Which series are you eagerly anticipating the newest release for? (If you aren't addicted to any series right now, then what new book by a favorite author are you waiting for?)  
9.  What's your favorite online resource for writers?  
10.  Do you read any literary magazines? If so, which ones?  
11.  What's something that made you smile today?  

Happy Writing!

-Di

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!  I actually had a love themed post planned for today, but then I got an email saying that my flash fiction over at Pure Slush went live today and it is kind of a romantic story. . . in its own way.  Okay, not really, but hopefully you enjoy it regardless.  So show me so love and go on over to read Warm Weather Games.

I actually don't write many love stories when it comes to my short stories.  Or at least the ones that have been published aren't usually love stories, which maybe implies that romance is not my strength.  Whether that is true or not, I have had two short pieces published which could definitely have a love theme about them.  The first was one of my earliest publications, and I feel like I've grown a lot since then, but I still have a soft spot for the story and the narrator.  It was picked up by Long Story Short in 2007, but the link to my story in their archives seems to be broken, so I put it up for your reading pleasure over at Fictionaut.  So if you're in the mood for a little Dairy Queen Lust, hop on over and check it out.

My other love story that has been published, even though it has love story in the title, is less a love story and more about someone getting themselves to a place where they can have a positive, healthy relationship, but I wrote it in the first year of my relationship with my sweetie, and I wrote it sitting across from him in a coffee shop.  He's my Valentine today and every day, and I am going to suggest you go read Coffee Shops: A Love Story over at Toasted Cheese before I get too schmoopy and scare you off.

Happy Valentine's Day!

-Di

Kimberly over at Here's What I Think About That is hosting a Happy Weekend Linkup Party and I've decided to hop on board because it sounds like a fun way to meet other bloggers and because my blog is, after all, named Happy Writing! The post I included in the linkup was my game post from earlier this week since games make me happy and I often find myself playing them on the weekends.  This is going to be fun!  Join the party!

Happy Writing!

-Di

For those of you who may be new to Happy Writing!, let me just say up front, I have a rather difficult time writing at home.  It's not impossible, but let's just say it is far more likely I will find myself on the couch streaming the entire series of Firefly (again) than actually get any writing done.  It's just best if I pack up the laptop and go out to a coffee shop or a library.  Quite frankly, I am grateful for this because my various commitments have me running from one side of the city to the other and if I was someone who could only write at home, I would probably never get any writing done.  

I have my favorite writing haunts sprinkled throughout Chicago, but for the longest time, I didn't have any commitments that brought me downtown regularly, and I'd kind of forgotten one of the best places to write in the city.  However, I am now downtown four times a week and so close to the Harold Washington Library that I find myself writing there a lot more than I used to.

Writing at the library is great! Unlimited free wi-fi, you aren't obligated to buy any food or beverage (though downside is that you really can't have any food or beverage either), you're surrounded by books, and of course it is nice and quiet (aside from the music blasting in your headphones, of course).  All of this, I remembered and have been embracing.  But this week, I suddenly remembered that there is a very lovely space on the 9th floor that I hadn't visited in probably a couple years.  It is a wide open indoor space with a high ceiling that's probably used for special events, but is usually just open for anyone to sit and enjoy.  It actually feels a bit like you're sitting outdoors, which in the middle of winter in Chicago, even one as mild as this one has been, is really a nice sort of feeling.  

I'm afraid my pictures don't really do it justice, so take my word for it that is really just a beautiful, peaceful place to write. The re-discovery of one of my old writing haunts has stirred of memories of all the other places I used to spend time creating in.  Some are gone now, such as the coffee shop I wrote most of my first attempt at a novel in, and some of the outdoor places just aren't practical right now, but mostly I am reminded of how much inspiration I take from my surroundings when I write.  And maybe that is why I can't work at home.  I want to be surrounded by the buzz and flutter of the world.  I want to hear music and feel people living their lives.  All those things find their way onto my page, into my story, they feed my characters and me.  The world is my muse.

What about you? Where are your favorite writing haunts?  Does your environment affect your ability to write?

Happy Writing!

-Di

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Obviously just about everything I post on here has to do with either writing or reading, but occasionally I do need to step away from the laptop, put down the latest page-turner and reacquaint myself with the world outside my imagination (also known to some as the "real world").  When I find a need to participate in this so-called "real world", there is one pastime that I prefer above most, and if you have noticed the photo to the left there, you may have already guessed that I like to play games.  Board games and card games, classic and obscure, I love to get a good game going.  

This love of gaming started when I was very young and used to spend weekends with my grandmother.  She and I played games pretty much all weekend and she wasn't a softy about it.  She was competitive and shrewd, never let me win, and taught me to be both a good winner and good loser. I loved every moment we spent at the game table.  She also encouraged my reading addiction and my urge to scribble down ideas and turn them into stories, so I have a lot to thank her for. Even though she's been gone for almost ten years now, it's rare a day goes by when I don't think of her, and sometimes I think my love of playing games today might have a little bit to do with the fact that when I play games, I feel a bit closer to her, like maybe she is right there playing along with me.

No matter how far removed an interest is from writing, however, I never seem to be able to remove myself from the writing state of mind for any real length of time.  So even when I am gaming, everything has the potential to become writing fodder.  One of the most recent games I have discovered especially appeals to the writer in me.  Dixit is a game made up of a deck of 84 cards each illustrated with a picture that is designed to churn the imagination.  When it is your turn to be the "Storyteller", you must select one of these cards and describe it with a word or phrase in such a way that others might be able to guess which is your card when it is presented with a group of cards, but still in a subtle enough way that not everyone will be able to guess.  It's a fun game for a group of creative individuals.

As much as I enjoy playing Dixit, I will confess that I bought it partly just so I can pull out the cards and look at them.  I don't just want to limit myself to a word or phrase; I want to tell the whole story!  Most of the cards have a bit of a fantasy element to them, some could even be considered a little gruesome, while others give you the hope for a happily ever after ending.  I pulled a few of my favorites for the picture to the left there.  I think the most intriguing one is the cat staring at the birdcage, which holds a miniature bride and groom in it.  Intriguing. . .  I am tempted to actually get a group of writer friends together at some point and adapt the rules of Dixit to suit our needs or at least just use the cards as a writing exercise.  Maybe see if we could do some fantasy themed flash fiction based on the cards we randomly draw from the deck.  At any rate, if you are a writer that likes to play games, Dixit should hold some appeal.

The second game I wanted to share with you is actually a writing game. What could be more perfect for the writer who likes games? Storymatic is a box of cards, half of which give you descriptions for characters (think things like "lonely", "retired", "circus clown", "bad driver", etc.) and the other half are situations or events.  The instructions for the game suggest drawing two of each type and combining them into a story, but the joy of the Storymatic is that you can adapt it to suit your needs.  I find using more than three cards becomes too limiting and can lead to some extremely absurd stories, which isn't always a bad thing, especially if you're just looking for a writing exercise.  One of my favorite ways to play this game is to draw my desired number of cards (usually two) and then roll two dice.  Multiply the numbers on the dice and that is the number of sentences I have to write my story in.  This is great if you like flash fiction, which if you have hung around here at all, you know I do. 

So what about you guys? What are your interests outside of writing? And how do you manage to bring writing into your other hobbies?  You know you can find a way to connect the two. . . 

Happy Writing!

--Di

P.S.  Gus insisted on "helping" me with my game photo shoot this afternoon, so I thought I'd give him some credit for his assistance.  You can also spot his tail in the upper right corner of the Storymatic pic.  Normally I'd just crop it out, but Weebly is being fussy today for some reason and Gus really seemed to want to be photographed today, so here he is. Enjoy!

The amazing Rachael Harrie over at Rach Writes is hosting another Platform-Building Campaign for all us aspiring authors!  This is uber-exciting because it is a great way for us to grow our online network of writers, share work, and just generally support each other.  We have to stick together, right?  I encourage all of you writers out there, regardless of where you're at in your career, to join in.  This one will run until March 17 -- got to be a lucky sign that it ends on St. Patty's Day, right? -- and Rachael has some great things planned.  You can read all about it in Rach's original post on the matter.  So what are you waiting for?  Go there right now and join in the writerly awesomeness and fun!!!

Happy writing!

-Di