My Heroes Don't Have To Be Hunks

Since it's so close to the end of April, I felt it time for another visit to the 'Heroes To Die For'. Yet heroes aren't always stereo typical hunks. Here's one that's a true hero in every word. And since medieval time periods are one of my favorite settings it is fitting to focus on Derik Jacobi and his medieval character, Brother Cadfael. I love this series (based on the original books by Ellis Peters) and have watched all the episodes many times. Mystery lovers aside, Jacobi and his portrayal of Cadfael is surely right up there with all of my Heroes To Die For.

Kaye

Objects In The Sky

As any Sci-fi writer knows it's imperative to keep up with the latest news and research happening in the world of Space. Here's a bit of interesting buzz on the horizon. Did you know about the New Solar System? A controversial new proposal by the International Astronomical Union would reclassify an asteroid and a moon as planets, plus add one far-out object.

Here's the whole mix:

Mercury

The new planet definition relies on gravity as a determining factor. With a certain amount of mass, gravity makes planets like Mercury round. To be a planet, an object also has to orbit a star and not orbit another planet. Mercury is a terrestrial, or rocky planet. Mercury is 3,031 miles wide, the smallest of the inner rocky planets.

Venus

This terrestrial planet is 7,521 miles wide and known for having a scorching surface brought on by a runaway greenhouse effect. Thick clouds obscure the entire surface of Venus.

Earth

Earth is 7,926 miles in diameter the largest of the known terrestrial planets. Some astronomers speculate that at least one object as big as Earth might yet be found in the outer solar system.

Mars

Mars is the only planet in our solar system besides Earth that has much chance of harboring life. It is 4,217 miles wide.

Ceres

The first asteroid, Ceres, was discovered in 1801. At 580 miles wide, it's about one-fifth the diameter of Mercury. The new definition would return it to planet status. The IAU suggests calling it a dwarf planet. A few other asteroids might be reclassified after further research.

Jupiter

The biggest planet in the solar system, Jupiter has long been termed a gas giant. At 88,730 miles in diameter, it is 11.2 times wider than Earth and 317.8 times as massive. Some planets around other stars are much more massive.

Saturn

The ringed planet is 74,900 miles wide. That's 9.4 times the diameter of Earth. It is 95 times as massive as our planet.

Uranus

Typically called a gas giant, Uranus is really mostly ice. It’s 31,763 miles wide, which is only 4.1 times the diameter of Earth.

Neptune

At 30,775 miles wide, icy Neptune is just 3.9 times the diameter of Earth. Technology lately has allowed astronomers to find planets this small around other stars, too.

Pluto

The planet that started all this controversy would now be considered the first Plutino, a new class of relatively small planets out beyond Neptune that carve odd orbits. Pluto, is 1,430 miles wide, or about 18 percent Earth’s diameter, and just 0.2% of Earth’s mass.

Charon

Long termed a moon of Pluto, Charon is the largest moon in the solar system relative to the object it orbits with. The orbital center of this two-object system is actually in the space between them, so the new definition would term this a double-planet system.

2003 UB313 (Xena)

This object, popularly called Xena, will eventually get some other formal name. Under the new definition, it would become the most distant planet in our solar system. The object is about 1,490 miles wide with an uncertainty of 60 miles, meaning its roughly the same size as Pluto.

There you have it. To keep up to date as to what is happening visit: http://www.space.com/ often.

See you around the Galaxy!

Kaye
What I'm Writing

Creative Lollygagging

Ever experience writer's block? According to novelist, Michael Vaughn, maybe you need to work harder on working less.

Every writer knows you can't sit down in front of a notebook or computer screen and wait for ideas to show up. You need some ideas before you sit down, and you need to figure out a system for harvesting those ideas.

Ironically—and happily—one of the best ways to achieve this is to do...nothing. Well, not nothing, exactly. Think of it as "creative lollygagging," says Vaughn.

Creative lollygagging-- I like it. Though it's not really about doing nothing and all about brainstorming. The thing here is to get into a place where the ideas will flow.

So what makes lollygagging creative? Let's look at the basic elements. First, consider activity. We are not talking about sitting around on a couch. Just as a satellite dish needs electricity, you need some blood pumping into that brain. Next, consider low focus. The activity shouldn't be so intense that you don't have time to think. Look for a mellow pursuit, surrounded by low-level distractions. Finally, consider separation. If you don't hie thee away from the computer, the television, the bills and the kids, you’re headed for a mighty wall o' brain-lock.

If you subtly stimulate your other senses, you can take the "edge" away from your conscious, purposive mind, return to a state of active passivity and open yourself to the forces of serendipity. Ideas for your story will slip in along your peripheral vision.

Screenwriter Michael Hauge adds this to the creative lollygagging pot: “Writing is a continual, back and forth process, alternating between brainstorming (the judgment-free flow of ideas) and editing (selecting the best of those ideas) and using the principles of good writing to mold them into a great story.”

If your story isn't flowing like you want, find ways to stimulate the creative side of your brain into action by doing some creative lollygagging of your own. I bet you’ll come up with great stories.

Kaye
What I'm Writing

Healthy Hearts

Do you like my Veggie Heart?

We all know February is the month for love, hearts and flowers. But did you know it is also Healthy Heart Month? It makes sense to me. There is a lot of stuff out there about eating right these days. But I believe The American Heart Association guidelines are a good way to help us keep our hearts in the best shape. So I've decide to share it with you.

Watch your weight

Don’t get caught up in the high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet hype. The best way to maintain a healthy weight is to consume the right number of calories (from healthful foods) for your age, size and lifestyle. Familiarize yourself with the calorie contents of foods and what “reasonable” portions look like.

Exercise daily

Aim for 30 minutes of moderate exercise (e.g., brisk walking) nearly every day. If you can’t devote 30 minutes all at once, break it up into 10-minute intervals.

Eat your vegetables—and fruits

Research links diets rich in fruits and vegetables with a lower risk for heart disease. Eat a variety, focusing on deeply colored vegetables and fruits (e.g., spinach, carrots and berries). They tend to be more nutritious than paler picks (e.g., potatoes and corn).

Fill up on fiber

Eat 25 to 30 grams of total fiber daily. There are two kinds of fiber: soluble and insoluble. Research shows that soluble fiber, found in oats, beans, barley and citrus, helps reduce “bad” LDL cholesterol levels. Studies suggest that insoluble fiber—found in whole-wheat breads and cereals and vegetables—also helps protect your heart. Fiber extends the time food stays in your stomach, which may help you feel full for longer on fewer calories.

Hold the (unhealthy) fats
Keeping a cap on saturated fats, trans fats and dietary cholesterol helps reduce risk of heart disease primarily by lowering “bad” LDL cholesterol. Limit intake of saturated fats (in butter, full-fat dairy products and fatty meats) to less than 7 percent of daily calories—that’s 16 grams, if you’re consuming 2,000 calories. Avoid the artificial trans fats that are ubiquitous in fast foods and processed snacks, such as crackers and cookies. (Trans-fat tip-off: “partially hydrogenated oil” in the ingredients list.) Try to consume no more than 300 mg of dietary cholesterol daily. Do all of this simply—no number crunching required—by replacing whole-fat dairy with skim or 1% dairy products and replacing fatty meats with lean meats, fish and plant-based proteins, such as beans.

Eat fish twice a week

Fish—especially “oily” kinds, such as salmon—are rich in the omega-3 fatty acids that, studies suggest, protect the heart. For men and women who won’t become pregnant, the benefits of eating fish frequently far outweigh any risks associated with mercury.

Limit sugary drinks and foods
Americans’ consumption of added sugars (e.g., sucrose, high-fructose corn syrup) has risen about 25 percent in the last four decades. Added sugars are “empty” calories that supply few nutrients—and research links drinking lots of sugary beverages with weight gain.

Keep an eye on salt

Limit daily sodium intake to 2,300 milligrams (about 1 teaspoon). Call it supply-side salt-onomics: as salt intake increases, so does blood pressure. Your heart has to work harder to pump the added fluid your body retains from sodium.

Drink alcohol in moderation

If you consume alcohol, do so “moderately”—that’s two drinks per day for men, one drink for women. And while studies link moderate alcohol intake with reduced risk of heart disease, it doesn’t mean that teetotalers should take up drinking. Alcohol can be addictive and high intakes can contribute to hypertension.

That's it. Besides good loving, have a good strong healthy heart.

Kaye

Thinking Back

The Dance Studio in NY

When I think about getting over the winter blahs, my mind sometimes turns to the world of dance. I have fond memories of the days when I was a professional ballet dancer. I recall one bitter cold winter I attended a workshop in NY. I wouldn't have missed it if I'd had to walk to get there due to bad weather conditions!

Funny, I didn't even give the freezing and the cold a second thought even though I certainly had to layer on warm-ups over my tights. I never let it bother me that a blizzard may strike at any moment. I wrapped myself up in the moment, the movement and the experience.

Today, I cling to the weather channel's every word thinking, "oh, no-- more awful weather cold snowy uncomfortable ahead..."

So what does that say about me now? How have I changed from just a few years ago? Am I more conscious because I am older and wiser? Or am I just bored because back then, my days were non-stop classes, rehearsals and performances. It do miss it. No time to think, no time to stop and rest or lament about anything much less the plight of the weather.

A direction, a focus... And now I write. What does that say about me as a writer? Am I less excited than I was about what I’m doing? Sometimes. But I really love to write and research and discover new things. I dreamed of becoming a writer my entire life. I studied journalism and creative writing in college. Yes, I love to write. Maybe it's the isolation. Maybe...

With that said, I still can't wait until spring!

Kaye

Romance is the Key

While we are still in our February-is-romance-month, I'd like to remind you just what it is about a romace story that is different than other fiction, and why we are so attracted to, that's right--romance. (Can I say it? Okay, maybe just once... Be still my heart...)

Basically, a mainstream novel works around a plot, often with a romance in the background; a romance works around a love story, with a plot in the background. It's that simple, folks. And that's why we love romance!

So if your dream is to write romance (or read a good romance novel) just keep that in mind. It works every time.

Kaye

Taking A Pause To Remember...

To The One Who Inspires...

Today's post was to be about Wassailing and Winter Solstice and the like. But something happened to change that. On December 16, 2007 eclectic singer and songwriter Dan Fogelberg passed away. It's hard for me to talk about this. Dan, always the romantic, had so many songs that inspired my writing. An important one that comes to mind at this moment is The Reach, a song about what it's like to be a lobsterman in Maine (where he lived) and the spiritual connection to the land that exists there. It truly was the inspiration behind my novel, Barefoot Dancer, where hero Michael Pasquoee is a lobsterman/healer...

"I'll take from The Reach all that she has to teach to the depths of my soul"

(Dan Fogelberg, from the Album Portrait)

In 2004, as Dan prepared for a tour to promote his latest album, Full Circle he found out he had prostate cancer. The insidious illness took his life three years later.

Circling and diving with this freedom you’ve found
Illusion blows apart and scatters
There is no darkness in this place that we’re bound
Love is the only thing that matters
~Dan Fogelberg~
Icarus Ascending
from the album, Full Circle ~ 2003

Let your light shine, Dan for you will forevermore be missed. Thanks for it all.
http://thelivinglegacy.net/condolences.html

Kaye Manro

WELCOME TO THE SHOW

I've been there, I've danced it. And it is one of the most rewarding experiences ever. If you've never seen this Ballet you should. Talk about capturing the Christmas spirit and feeling like a kid again. So find a production near you and go to it. Below is something I wrote (and published in the Chinook Magazine) to commemorate a bit of Christmas writing cheer. Here's to enjoying this seasonal time of year. And always remember

THE NUTCRACKER

(Original story by E.T.A. Hoffmann; Music for the Ballet by Tchaikovsky. Circa 1892)

Spirits are high when Christmas draws near as The Nutcracker Ballet enchants us each year
I'm here with my friends 
to enjoy the show
the dancers, the music, 
the magical glow
I danced The Nutcracker 
in days gone by
The memory brings 
a clandestine tear to my eye…

As the curtain rises on a moonlit Christmas night
Music fills our senses 
ballerinas pleasure our sight
Hearts soar when Clara 
is gifted a Nutcracker toy
Then a magical wish turns 
the doll into a living Prince boy

But be wary young dancers 
for danger abounds
Mouse King will kill you 
and steal the joy you have found
but the Nutcracker Prince
 will have none of that
Summoning his toy soldiers 
he kills all the rats

Enter the Sugar Plum Fairy 
and enchanted land of sweets
Flourishing with happiness and dancers wondrous feats

As the Prince and Clara 
share an alluring Pas de duet
He tells her they will dance on forever, he promises that
Yet Snowflakes are falling 
the dream spell is calling

Clara must go home
She wakes to find her 
Prince boy

has sadly turned back into 
The Nutcracker toy
Cradling him dearly 
she dances and dreams
knowing Christmas wishes 
are always as real as they seem.

NUTCRACKER POEM 
BY KAYE MANRO

Copyright © Kaye Manro

To Copyright or Not

The questions of copyright that cropped up in the comments on the post, Wait for it prompted me to ask an editor the answers to be sure since I'm no expert. The following is what editor Sandy Tritt had to say:

"A writer automatically owns the copyright to his work. Registering the copyright is something that happens when the work is published. The publisher typically wants to be able to do this so there are no problems. If something is web-published, it doesn't hurt to include a copyright notice. Anything published on the web is considered published. As a general rule, if more than 10% of a large work has been previously published, you may run into trouble with getting it traditionally published."

So there you have it. Just keep in mind not to web-publish (blogs, websites, etc.) more than 10% of any work that you want to submit to a traditional publishing house. And still, it may be a good idea to check with the publisher you are targeting just to make sure it is okay to web-publish portions of the work you plan to submit to them on your blog or website.

(Thanks to Sandy Tritt)

Kaye
What I'm Writing

The Equinox

Mankind has followed the cycles of the Sun for millennia. Stone circles like this, dating back more than 3,000 years, are aligned to the Solstices and the Equinoxes. In my novel, Knight of Dreams, (from the Tales of Lochnire series) ancient Standing Stones play a part in bringing 12th century hero, Sir Angus of Lochnire and 21st century heroine, Kelsey Sayer together.

At the Autumnal (fall) Equinox (Sept. 23, 2007, 5:51 A.M. EDT), the sun appears to cross the celestial equator from north to south. This marks the beginning of autumn in the Northern Hemisphere. The word "equinox" means (equal), and "nox" (night). It refers to the time that occurs twice a year when the nighttime is equal to the daytime -- each being 12 hours in duration

The Ancients were attuned to, and celebrated these changing times in the year. A cluster of megalithic cairns are scattered through the hills at Loughcrew, about 55 miles North West of Dublin in Ireland. Longhcrew Carin T is a passage tomb which is designed so that the light from the rising sun on the spring and autumn equinoxes penetrates a long corridor and illuminates a backstone, which is decorated with astronomical symbols.

In Knight of Dreams a similar thing happens. As the sun strikes atop the tallest stone, a timeline opens, allowing the the two lovers (who have already met in their dreams) to come together.

(Excerpt Knight of Dreams) ...Angus stood atop a circular mound near the tallest Standing Stone waiting for the sun to send a beam of luminous light to the other side. Suddenly a glowing circle whirled and glistened before him like water inside a spinning pond, yet it stood upright. He reached out to touch it. It felt like air. Closing his eyes, he pulled on his warrior's courage and took in a breath as he stepped through the fluid shimmer...

Knight of Dreams, Copyright © 2006

Kaye

What I'm Writing

The Reappearing Dance Shoes

It happened again- my favorite dance shoes— gone. The only thing I could imagine was that I had lost yet another pair at the gym through my scattered spacey-ness, my favorite ones stolen from a locker several months ago. And now my new pair? This was not cool. A few weeks ago, I hurt my knee and had to stop my spirited dancing until it healed. I carelessly forgot about my exercise gear during that time.

The other day I looked for them and found the empty shoebox that had once contained the dance shoes. My heart dropped and my face must have turned ten shades of white. Oh, no, where were they? I searched everywhere and still no shoes. My friend even helped me look. Neither one of us turned up even a shoelace.

Several hours later, after the search had ended and I gave up, I aimlessly traipsed through the house on a last-ditch effort. I called to my friend, “Wouldn 't it be nice if I could just make them appear. Maybe I can wish them back...” I joked, but searched the hall closet anyway for the third time. A sweater fell to the floor by my feet. Behind it was a black Jacket. I honestly thought I looked behind that jacket at least once before. I pulled it down. There, on a hook were my shoes all nice and neat in their little mesh bag.

I was so overjoyed that I hugged those shoes all evening. I must have put them in the back hall closet the day I hurt my knee, though I don’t remember doing it. Strange and odd things happen sometimes. And my friend will forever believe that I wished those shoes back into existence again! It's a given that I’ve been wrapped up in parallel timelines and alternate realities lately while writing. Maybe some of my creative energy carried over into my real life. Who knows? But if I really can manifest shoes, just think what else I can do-- how about a great publishing contract and a bestseller? I’ll take that now, please...!!
Kaye
What I'm Writing

Layering... lay down your sword

Sometimes I think the plotting and researching for a book is more fun than the actual writing, well at least the revisions part! That's the way it is for me. And I'm still working on layering what needs to be there in Barefoot Dancer. But layering is the part I like. You know--when you go over the story and come up with things that would make it better or fix something that just isn’t exactly right for the character... Like for instance, in part two of the Shadow Realm scene, Michael (hero) has to face the Celtic Ancients who created the curse that’s been plaguing his preternatural family for centuries. And has separated him from his beloved Kim (heroine). But finally Michael, refusing to fight anymore, puts down his sword and bows before them. In the original version, he engages in battle with the Ancients. I like the non-violent version best. It fits well with the hero’s healer image that is the crux of part one. Little things can change a story and make it so much better.

Kaye

What I'm Writing

The Dancer In Me...

In honor of dance, I will share a short excerpt from my novel:

BAREFOOT DANCER

For the first time in a while, Kim actually felt like dancing. Her eyes wandered over the mountain's surface where she and Michael stood--a flat plateau stretched out beyond them as large as a dance floor. It would make an excellent stage, a perfect place to perform. She removed her sneakers, saying, “Before you tell me about your mountains, let me show you about my dance...”

When the dance was done, she stood breathless before him. Her body quivering, her mind floated as she took in the sight of him, all of him. “What is it you want to tell me, Michael? I feel it--something I need to know. Something you need to say. Please tell me...”

Barefoot Dancer, Copyright © 2007

Kaye
What I'm Writing

All That Jazz...

"...Jazz Music has a unique and particular resonance all its own, cool and enticing..."

Here it is another very late Saturday night-into-Sunday-morning and I just got home from hearing a favorite Jazz Band. Writers need a break too, you know. And listening to jazz music is one of the best ways I know to unwind. I just love hearing DP and his smooth moves on the horn. Does he ever know how to play that trumpet. And the whole band jells so well together you'd never know they improvise most of the time. Jazz is like that but these guys are so talented and so attuned to each other that they don't even have practice sessions--they just play, and the crowd goes wild. (Is it time for a story with a jazz player as the hero character? Or a lover... Hmm. Could be.)

Well it's certainly time for me to get off the jazz and get on to sleep, so good night...
Kaye