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charlaine harris

Six Books, Not One Hundred…

by Corinne on October 7, 2009

I was getting ahead of myself when I made my list of 100 books…It turns out that Sellers recommends choosing six books for deep study while you’re writing a novel.

Five of my six are above. In Chapter after Chapter, Sellers writes about choosing three books on craft and three novels that have greatly inspired your work in progress. The books on craft that I’ve chosen are classics (The Artist’s Way, Bird by Bird, and Chapter after Chapter). Run to the bookstore if you have not already read them.

I chose Charlaine Harris’ first book, Dead Until Dark, because she has created an addictive, edgy, entertaining world that I want to revisit over and over again. I cannot wait for her next book to be on the shelves because I am so dedicated to her characters and she consistently adds new dimensions to their universe.

The Handmaid’s Tale has been a huge inspiration to me because it has shown me that sci-fi doesn’t have to be in outer space. Atwood pushes boundaries (so creepy!), but I never second guess her because I can tell that she believes in her world 100% and has thought out every aspect of HMT’s futuristic setting. Thank you Sarah for recommending this book!

The third novel is on loan to a friend. I may need to pick up a new copy. I’ll write about my third novel choice when I get it in my hot little hands again. I’ve been meaning to go to the Ivy Bookshop down the street for a very long time and this may be the perfect excuse!

Tagged as: Bird by Bird, books, Chapter after Chapter, charlaine harris, novel, reading, sookie stackhouse, The Artist's Way, Writing & Editing

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Cream Ale, True Blood, and Writing in the Car…

by Corinne on August 18, 2009

August-18

I need to start out by saying that the Genny Cream Ale pictured above was not mine. Steve has a lot of hometown pride, thus the chance to drink Cream Ale from a can is not often passed up when we’re in Charm City. While we’re on the subject of my super cool husband, I’d also like to point out that he went out of his way after his short trip to NYC to meet me in Rhinecliff on Friday after my week in Woodstock.

I met up him with him in town, we had dinner, stopped at an amazing bookstore and then he took the wheel. It’s moments like these that make me realize how darn lucky I got when I snagged him. He was actually happy to see me after sitting on a park bench all day waiting for me to get out of work! He drove us all the way home and let me use the time to work on my novel.

We spent the weekend wandering around Baltimore and checking out our favorite places to get grub (Rocket to Venus, Liquid Earth, One World Cafe). I also got a lot more writing done. I’m pretty happy with the progress I’ve made on my second draft. I’m about 1/4 through. For the first time, I’ve given it to a couple of people to read (other than Steve). It’s a relief to know he isn’t the only person that likes where it’s going, which gives me the boost of confidence I need to push forward! I hope to make some decent progress while writing in the car this weekend, since we’re driving to Michigan for a wedding. This marks the first of four weddings we’ll be attending over the next two months. Lotta love.

On a completely different note, I met up with some friends on Sunday to watch True Blood, then watched it again last night with Steve (not that I minded). It just keeps getting better! I can’t get those characters out of my head! I’ll say it again, Alan Ball is a genius. Can’t wait til this Sunday! Only three episodes left…hopefully Charlaine will have another book out by then. She’s got three more to go!

Tagged as: Alan Ball, baltimore, charlaine harris, editing, love, marriage, novel, sookie stackhouse, Steve, traveling, True Blood, woodstock, Writing & Editing

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Small Notes on Little Things that Matter

by Corinne on July 27, 2009

Baltimore-to-Woodstock

It’s quiet in Woodstock this week, at least around the office. The town is packed with tourists though. I took a couple of walks tonight and shot some of the pictures above along the way. Every chance I get, I’m listening to Sookie Stackhouse on my iPhone. She came with me on my walks today, to the post office, and the grocery store. I’m envious of Charlaine Harris’ ability to entertain me for hours at a time. I’m completely consumed by that world. I’ve been speaking in a southern accent in my head. This happened during my last True Blood/Sookie Stackhouse craze. Even as I type these words, each one echoes in my mind in a deep southern drawl.

It’s cooled down now and the tourists are gone. That’s the thing about Woodstock, everything closes at 7 or 8pm at the latest except for a few restaurants. I still hear high schoolers roaming the street late at night though. They sit in packs on the sidewalks and I have to admit that I favor the other side of the street to avoid them. It’s just a leftover habit I have from when I was a kid. Even though I’m probably ten years older than them, I still have a teensy fear that they’ll pick on me. It seems ridiculous now that I’m writing it down, but I’ll resist the urge to erase it.

Although I miss Baltimore, my house, my husband, my cats, I feel at home here too. It’s an easy town to get used to because there is only one main street and you see the same people all the time. I often wonder what it would have been like to grow up here. You probably would take the beauty of the place for granted. I’m sure most kids are bored. I’m glad I get to enjoy it now, when I look forward to being nestled in the mountains and left to my own devices. Of course I still find ways to procrastinate editing my first draft. It pains me to cut thousands of words at a time, but I know it has to be done. Time to get to it. But tonight, I will not stay up until 1:00am listening to Sookie’s adventures. I was beat today. It’s time for a good night’s sleep.

I guess these are just a series of little thoughts on the small things that matter in my life. They come together to make something that I feel simply joyful and thankful for right now. There is nothing better than sitting in a place of gratitude (much better than a place of fear). I am content sinking into my desk chair, listening to the occasional car pass by in my right ear and crickets singing in my left and typing away. I’m happy to record these moments here, even if it’s just for me. Because it helps me remember later, when I’m in the middle of a not so nice place, that I need to remember that things never stay just one way and I’ll always make it back to this peaceful space.

Just for fun, I’m posting a picture I just found on Facebook of Steve and me at his (junior?) prom. This was ten years ago…

Steve and Corinne Prom

Tagged as: baltimore, cats, charlaine harris, editing, sookie stackhouse, Steve, Thomas, traveling, True Blood, walking, woodstock, Writing & Editing

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Treasure Walks

by Corinne on July 26, 2009

Our-Walk

Every time I take a walk with Steve, we find unique nooks and crannies in our little neighborhood. Above are some of the gems we came across this afternoon. I love recording them here, so that I’ll never forget them, but I don’t have to clutter my brain (or home) with every charming memory. The image I created above too small to do it justice, but I’m too tuckered out to re-size it. Maybe later…

The mural is painted under someone’s porch on a quiet, hidden street that we hadn’t yet discovered in our three years living in Hampden. It’s creepy and fascinating and totally unexpected. Seeing this art amongst plastic pink flamingos, dead flattened rats on the asphalt, and foul-mouthed kindergartners was refreshing. The peace sign is something that Steve insisted I snap a picture of and include here. At this point of our walk I was sweaty, crabby, and ready to crank our A/C window unit. He was relentless though and as always I’m happy he forced me to take the damn picture.

I’m back in Woodstock for the week! The drive here was very enjoyable because I had the latest Sookie Stackhouse novel, Dead and Gone on audiobook. I barely noticed the time go by and now I’m speaking in a southern accent in my head. This always happens when I watch True Blood or listen to one of Charlaine Harris’ audiobooks. I also watched the True Blood panel from Comic-con 2009. I hope someday to be in Charlaine Harris’ shoes, sitting amongst the actors that have brought my characters to life. I have Alan Ball on my vision board because frankly he is a genius and who wouldn’t want him to adapt your writing into television series? If you haven’t seen Six Feet Under, run, buy, watch, now.

It’s always revitalizing to be in Woodstock. I’m surrounded with two of the most creative people I know and I live in the middle of the Catskills. Fresh air, green everywhere, and mountains in every direction. This town has very little in common with Baltimore, but it is bustling with it’s own flavor of quirkiness and charm. I’ll be sure to snap lots of photos.

Tagged as: Alan Ball, baltimore, Catskill Mountains, charlaine harris, Comic-con, Hampden, neighborhood, Six Feet Under, sookie stackhouse, True Blood, walks, woodstock

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