New Year, New Look

A new year is in full swing. Over the last several months I have moved across the country and taken on new responsibilities.

During this time of transition, I have neglected this blog. But, I believe I'm at the point I can revamp it. Bear with me as I try out different looks. I will be back up and running daily soon.

I have a few projects in the works and am excited to share them with everyone. They will include more visuals - including videos.

Looking For a Fun Way To Build Your Vocabulary Word By Word?

Remember all those vocabulary lists you had to memorize in elementary school? I know, it's a bad, bad memory for many.

If only our teachers had provided us with a fun way to build our word knowledge. Fun or not, if you're a writer or student, words are your tools. The last thing you want is to limit your ability to express yourself because your word toolbox is half empty.

Last month, I found Vocabulary.com, a site that tries to make building your vocabulary fun. I tried it, and liked it. One of my older children saw me playing on the site and got hooked, too.

So if you've been telling yourself you need to improve your vocabulary, then check out Vocabulary.com. Maybe you'll like it.

Note: Every so often I will share links to sites I find interesting. I do this because mom always said it was better to share.

5 Ways To Enjoy Creative Fun-Time With Your Kids

With only a few more weeks left of summer vacation the question on many parents' minds is: Now what do we do with the kids?

If you're like me, I don't want them glued to the television for eight hours, or stuck to the computer playing games or on Facebook. It's a huge challenge in my house because I have five children to "entertain." 

Being a writer and creative type has helped me come up with ways to stave off the dreaded sound of "Dad, I'm bored!" coming from the living room. Here's the first of five activities I have found to enjoy creative fun-time with my kids. Each of these five activities are inexpensive, too. 

Activity #1
Acting out our favorite book or movie. 

My kids really get into this - especially if there's a lot of action and cool costumes. Some faves have been anything Star Wars, Stargate, Harry Potter and Ice Age. The kids often will spend a couple of hours in their room planning out scenes to act out, setting up props, costumes, etc. Usually they do this in secret because they want to surprise mom and dad. We have a craft box with crayons, markers, cardboard and other materials for them to use, but we let them use the dining room chairs, bed sheets and whatever else they may need (as long as they don't ruin the furniture). 

If simply performing for mom and dad in the living room isn't exciting enough for the kids, we bring out the camcorder and film the entire production. Filming is usually the job my kids designate for me. We have relatives all over the country. So, I set up a YouTube channel where we can post these kids productions to share with family.

I keep it private allowing only family to access it. I recently found the My Kids' Adventures blog which gives parents ideas for having family fun. A recent post was titled: "How to Stage a Family Play With Your Kids." If your kids are anything like mine, acting out their favorite book or movie will provide hours (some times days) of free fun at home.

Next Post
Activity #2: Creative crafts with paper

Writers Must Live...Like Hemingway

I'm wearing a baseball cap. Shot a boar!

Ernest Hemingway was a man's man. He went on safari. He was a deep-sea fisherman. He loved adventure. Writers are often told to write what you know. If you do not live, you don't know much. Adventure in life is a writer's best muse. 

Recently, I had the opportunity to go wild boar hunting. I did it. I shot on my first try a boar. Did I ever think I'd go boar hunting? No... but as a writer... I knew I had to embrace it. 

My advice... Try new things... 

Writing Prompt: Is Air Conditioning Making Us Weak?

Scanning the headlines today at Dallasnews.com and I came across this opinion piece: Is air conditioning making us weak? Well, What if it is? What's it say about our future as a species? Write a 1,000-word short exploring that possibility.

Are Angels Real?

Well... I think so. 

Anybody else think so? 

I've been reading a lot lately. 

Skeptics deny anything that can't be proven. 

So... it makes it hard to determine an answer. 

Are You Using All Five Layers Of Characterization?

In my freshman college writing classes, I ask my students to understand 10 literary terms and identify them in the readings we go through during the term. 

Those basic terms are theme, protagonist, antagonist, character, characterization, conflict, image, symbol, setting, and dialogue. I ask them to read my Mall Demons Urban Fantasy Series, as well as, The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis. 

As a literary element, characterization is a powerful tool for writers. I'm convinced that readers will love your story if they understand and appreciate your characters. Readers can't understand or appreciate your characters if you don't do the work to fully characterize them. 

Here are five layers of characterization to help you flesh out your characters whether they are protagonists, antagonists or supporting characters.

First of all, characterization is how you, the writer, describe or develop your characters. The five layers to do that are to show the character's appearance, describe the character's actions, reveal the character's thoughts, allow the character to speak, and display how other characters react to the said character.

What does all that look like? My next blog will provide examples.