Five Sentence Fiction Friday - Companion

Welcome to Friday and this week's edition of Five Sentence Fiction. This week's prompt is companion. If you'd like to learn more Five Sentence Fiction, or give it a try yourself, just visit Lillie McFerrin Writes. Enjoy!

I flapped madly at the covers, looking underneath at the big brown eyes staring back at me. People were always shocked when I told them my dog not only insisted on sleeping on the bed but underneath the covers with me. But they didn't understand how happy we both were with the arrangement. I sighed and snuggled back up against her. Yes, we were both happy with the arrangement, aside from the occasional bout of dog gas. 

Inspired by a true story. I hope you enjoyed this little tale, if you did I hope you'll follow this blog and come find me on twitter @MelanieKCole. If you're in the mood for more Five Sentence Fiction, just follow the links below to read past editions. Have a great weekend!

Five Sentence Fiction Friday - Lucky
Five Sentence Fiction Friday - Furious
Five Sentence Fiction Friday - Misunderstanding
Five Sentence Fiction Friday - Sunshine

I'm Back

You might have noticed (at least I'm hoping you did) that I didn't post anything for Five Sentence Fiction Friday and nothing for Monday's Book Recommendation. I wasn't so much away from my computer, as my computer was away from me. I bought a new laptop two weeks ago and I had to return it to my tech savy cousin for a few days while he fixed a small bug. All is well though, and I love my new little machine.

Of course, a great debt of gratitude is owed to the old one. It got me through many years, truly a reliable, grizzled old war horse that took a beating and kept on going. Of course, near the end it was literally starting to fall apart, so the time had indeed come to let it retire.

This is the first computer I've ever owned that wasn't a hand-me-down. It comes with a certain sense of pride, and a little intimidation to live up to the challenge. It's just so new. I'm not used to up to date technology, keys that don't stick, weird new interfaces. It's a touchscreen as well and I find myself cleaning the screen constantly, horrified by the greasy fingerprints I keep leaving all over it. I never realized my fingers were so filthy.

Anyway, the point I'm trying to make is that I'm back and there will be no more lapses in blog posts. Which is hopefully something we can all be happy about.

Jury Duty

There's nothing quite like coming home from a long day and finding a summons for jury duty in your mail box. If I had to equate it to something, I'd say it felt like getting home, realizing that I lost my keys and then having it pour rain. Yep, that would be a similar experience.

The past two months have been... long. Normally, I'd laugh it off and say I must have pissed off karma. But the amount I would have had to say that over the past couple of months would have been disturbing. No one has this much bad karma, especially when they haven't actually done anything awful to incur said karma. Oh, I'm not saying I'm perfect. I definitely deserve the occasional stubbed toe and paper cut, but this level of crappy luck is unwarranted.

So, what shall I do? I'll admit, the desire to pack everything up, get in my car and drive far, far away is strong. But, as that's currently not an option, I guess I'll just grin and bear it. Besides, bad luck is only temporary... right?

Monday Book Review - Dad is Fat

Welcome to Monday and this week's book recommendation.

DAD IS FAT by Jim Gaffigan

 

What's not to love about a humorous memoir by Jim Gaffigan? I already love his stand up so I knew I wasn't taking a big risk reading his book. And you know what? It was awesome, as predicted. Even for a severely anti-baby person such as myself, I still found myself laughing at Gaffifan's exploits as a father of five. And the obvious love and respect he has for his wife was an added bonus. 

True, there are some parts of the book obviously borrowed from his standup, so I was already familiar with a few chapters, but it wasn't too much so I didn't feel cheated. Some of the stories he shared were just too hilarious, giving me away when I was trying to sneak read it at work. He just has a way with words, a way of describing situations and opinions that always has me in stitches. It was clever and candid and never afraid to poke fun at himself. I love that.

If you want to cheer someone up, brighten their day and make them laugh out loud, bring them this book. When I read it, I was down with a cold and even though laughing hurt my throat, I couldn't put it down for a second.

Five Sentence Fiction Friday - Lucky

Welcome to Friday and this week's edition of Five Sentence Fiction. This week's prompt is lucky. If you'd like to learn more about Five Sentence Fiction, or give it a try yourself, just visit Lillie McFerrin Writes. Enjoy!

Lucky. I sure didn't feel lucky. Not now, not looking at that disgusting plate of bright green vegetables, steam rising from them in clouds that smelled like dirt and something worse, something weird. 
Anxious to avoid another lecture on starving children in Africa, I picked up my fork, speared one of the unsettling sprouts and brought it, trembling to my lips. I took a tiny, almost imperceptible bite. 
Oh dear God... it was ... delicious!

Voila! I hope you enjoyed this weird little tale. If you did, then I hope you will honour me by following this blog, as well as come find me on twitter @MelanieKCole. If you're still in the mood for more Five Sentence Fiction, just follow the links below and read past editions. Happy weekend!



Five Sentence Fiction Friday - Furious
Five Sentence Fiction Friday - Misunderstanding
Five Sentence Fiction Friday - Sunshine
Five Sentence Fiction Friday - Ache

The Streak

A funny thing happened this past week while I was sick. You might remember it from last Wednesday's blog post. Because I was sick and miserable, and my sinuses hurt when I laid down and tried to sleep, I spent the week reading. First, I read a full book in one day. Then, I did it again the next day. And the next. And the next. And the next. I've read eight books now in eight days and if I finish tonight's novel, it will be nine for nine.

I've always been a big reader but I have to say, this is something else. I can't remember the last time I've gorged on books like this. Possibly my honeymoon, but even then it was eight books in ten days. I've taken a weird amount of pride in it too. I'm starting to feel like my cold may have triggered a super power. Is that who I am now? The batman of reading? (That would be the most boring comic book of all time). In any case, I've decided it can't be a bad thing. Stephen King wrote in his memoir, ON WRITING, that it's important to read and write, in fact he specifically recommended spending at least six hours a day on the combined activities. No problem, Mr. King. No problem.

Anyway, what you've been thinking this entire post is correct. I am just writing a blog to brag on my awesome reading streak. I don't care. I am. And you know what? Now I'm going to stop writing so I can go finish my book and keep the streak going. Because that's who I am now.

Monday Book Review - Calling Me Home

Welcome to Monday and this week's book recommendation.

CALLING ME HOME by Julie Kibler

 

Isabelle and Dorrie are unlikely friends. For one, Isabelle is an eighty-nine year old white woman and Dorrie is a black woman in her thirties, a single mom and a hairdresser. The bond they've formed might be unlikely, but it's strong, and it will take them across the country and back in time as Isabelle shares a story she's been carrying for her entire adult life, one she's never shared with anyone.

Loved this. Absolutely LOVED this. The characters were lovable and charming, and I especially appreciated bouncing between the two points of view. You can't get much more opposite than Isabelle and Dorrie, and yet you felt the affection they had for each other, the love. The story is richly layered, as is the setting, a small southern town in the nineteen forties. It was beautiful and upsetting and uplifting all at the same time.

This one wasn't predictable. Things didn't happen they way I expected they would and it was better for it. I felt captured by their story, and it stayed on my mind for days after I was done. Characters like these can be hard to come by, and I enjoyed every minute I spent with them. 

Five Sentence Fiction Friday - Furious

Welcome to Friday and this week's edition of Five Sentence Fiction. This week's prompt is furious. If you'd like to learn more about Five Sentence Fiction, or give it a try yourself, just visit Lillie McFerrin Writes. Enjoy!

She glanced over at her daughter before returning her eyes to the road, noting the small hands curled into tight fists, the hardened stare that was fixed pointedly out the window. She wouldn't get another word out of her, not right now.
With a sigh, she adjusted her hands on the wheel and reminded herself to be patient. This was just a rough patch, a phase; at least that's what the book said. She stole another glance at her daughter and prayed to the universe that the book was right, because it sure didn't feel like it.

Voila! I hope you enjoyed my little tale. If you did, and you feel like making my day, then please follow this blog and come find me on twitter @MelanieKCole. Don't forget to leave your thoughts in the comments section below. And if you're still in the mood for more Five Sentence Fiction, just follow the links below. Have a great weekend!

Five Sentence Fiction Friday - Misunderstanding
Five Sentence Fiction Friday - Sunshine
Five Sentence Fiction Friday - Ache
Five Sentence Fiction Friday - Frozen

Sick

Today's post will be short. Why? Because I'm sick. I made it through this entire winter thus far without a single cold, and I think I must have gotten cocky because on Sunday, karma hit me with a sledgehammer. Seriously, I'm pretty sure an evil fairy snuck into my room at night and filled my sinuses with hot coals. And then set my throat on fire.

It's been three days so far of achy, moaning unhappiness, contemplating the vodka in the cupboard left over from Christmas. Because at times like this, it seems stupid to be sober. Don't worry, I didn't get drunk. But I did add a splash to my orange juice when I was home from work. You know, to help me sleep. (You wouldn't judge me if your throat felt like mine at the moment).

I've also managed to use the time away from work somewhat constructively. Although my brain function is limited (it's mostly gone towards continually identifying what parts of me hurt and how much), I've still managed to read two books in two days. I know I should be sleeping, and I'd love to spend this time unconscious, believe me, but here's something I've learned. It's impossible to sleep when you have sinus pain. It's just not going to happen without powerful sedatives. And unfortunately, I think I've built up a tolerance to Nyquil. It just doesn't seem to work like it used to. So, I read. And luckily, the books I've read have been good. Really good. Able to distract me for small periods at a time from the hot fiery pain in my face and throat.

So, cross your fingers for me that I'll be back on my feet soon. I have work to do, a manuscript to edit and both will be easier without the constant achy torture of this god-awful virus. In the mean time, It's back to bed.

Monday Book Review - Joyland

Welcome to Monday and this week's book recommendation.

JOYLAND by Stephen King

 

You know whenever you want a good read, it's never a bad bet to pick something by Stephen King. This is one of his newer books, only released in paperback (no hard cover) with this retro style cover. It gives the feel of an old school, hard crime and it delivers, but with typical Stephen King flair. It reads a little like a memoir, a man looking back on that one crazy summer that changed his life.

What can I say that hasn't already been said? It's Stephen King for god's sake! But really, this is a fantastic book. I love that King decided to do a project like this, it's fun and eery, suspenseful but also doesn't take its self too seriously. I gobbled it up like cookies on a rainy Sunday afternoon. Irresistible. 

If you enjoy Stephen King, then I think you'll love this. If you don't enjoy Stephen King, then I think you'll love this. It stands on its own as a fun, easy read, the perfect thing to curl up and read and forget your troubles.

Five Sentence Fiction Friday - Misunderstanding

Welcome to Friday and this week's edition of Five Sentence Fiction Friday. This week's prompt is misunderstanding. If you'd like to learn more about Five Sentence Fiction, or give it a try yourself, just visit Lillie McFerrin Writes. Enjoy!

"Hey, is he gone yet?"
"Yeah, he just left."
 "Ugh, can you believe what a pompous, controlling, bald-headed ass Brian is?"
"This is Brian."
"... Uh, I think I dialed the wrong number."

I hope I made you smile with this very short story. If you'd like to read more Five Sentence Fiction, just follow the links below. Also, please feel free to follow this blog and come find me on twitter @MelanieKCole. Have a great weekend!

Five Sentence Fiction Friday - Sunshine
Five Sentence Fiction Friday - Ache
Five Sentence Fiction Friday - Frozen
Five Sentence Fiction Friday - Sparks

Removing Distractions

This week's lesson was about the removal of distractions. During another productive and invigorating session with my mentor, we discussed the problem with my procrastination. I came clean over what a stupendously crappy two weeks I'd just had and asked her advice on how to be more disciplined.

One of the things I like best about my mentor is she doesn't sugar coat things. She wasn't having any of my feeble excuses (although she did sympathize). Her advice was simple. She told me that this is what separates the real writers from those still dreaming of being 'a real writer'. They show up and they write, even when it's hard. It was time to step up. Was I made of strong enough stuff? Was I willing to do what it takes?

It wasn't hard to see that she was right. I have a pretty soft touch when it comes to self discipline. And procrastination is my way of life, a deeply set routine I have trouble shaking off. So, I decided it was time for a more drastic solution. It was time to get tough.

I have a hard time denying myself, especially when I'm tired from a long day at work. I get home, kick off my shoes and all I want to do is flop on the couch and watch TV, usually until bed time. I have an even harder time saying no to my husband, who also had a long day and wants to come home and watch TV as well. I can't work when the hubbie is watching TV. I can hear it pretty much anywhere in the house and it always manages to suck me in and drain me of any productivity whatsoever. The answer seemed clear. I needed to get away from the television. And not just out of the room, out of the house. I decided that on nights/days when my husband is home, I'll pack up my stuff and head for the library, that universal location of quiet and solitude. A coffee shop is too noisy and ripe with distractions, but a library is just right. And when my husband is going out for the evening, I've asked him to hide all the remotes (our TV doesn't work without them), making it impossible to turn on.

On Sunday, I gave my plan a try and hauled my stuff to the library. And it worked perfectly! In just an hour, I'd accomplished more than I had in the past two weeks combined, and not just a little more, A LOT more. I was ecstatic! And tonight, I have the house to myself, so I'm giving the hidden remote scheme a try.

Sometimes, you just need to know yourself and your limits. My mentor agreed with my plan (especially if it would produce results), but also encouraged me to get in the habit of writing so I wouldn't need these gimmicks. And I agreed with her. But for now, I'm grateful to have a way to trump my procrastination. Hopefully, with temptation firmly removed I can develop those habits so I don't need the gimmicks any more, but until then, I know what I need and it's a strong hand.

Monday Book Review - Spanish Fly

Welcome to Monday and this week's book recommendation.

SPANISH FLY by Will Ferguson

 

This is a kind of prequel to Happiness by Will Ferguson, although each easily stands on its own. This is the story of Jack McGreary, a brilliant young man who finds himself lost in the world of con men and shifty dealings. The lessons in this world don't come cheap and often have fatal consequences, so he'll need to use every ounce of his cleverness to make it out alive.

I picture Ferguson spending hours in the library while he was researching this book. From all the brilliant factoids to the histories and fates of real con men, this book crackles with realism, a kind of texture that brings the story to life. He gives Jack and his accomplices a complexity that some authors wouldn't have bothered with and it really makes this story something special.

You'll never be able to guess the ending to this one. It's as clever as its main character. This is one to add to your list, just don't blame me if you start feeling suspicious of repairmen and state officials.

Five Sentence Fiction Friday - Sunshine

Welcome to Friday and this week's edition of Five Sentence Fiction. This week's prompt is sunshine. (As soon as I saw that I thought of Robin McKinley's book, SUNSHINE. I love that book). If you'd like to learn more about Five Sentence Fiction, or give it a try yourself, just visit Lillie McFerrin Writes. Enjoy!

Sunshine; they call me that ironically because of my dark moods and foul temper, but they don't realize how true the name is. The sun is a billion miles a way and made of molten fire, which sounds a lot like me. A girl has to keep her distance in a world like this, and if you're not made of fire then what the hell are you made of? And I know something else the sun and I have in common. One of these days, no one knows when, we're both going to implode.

A weird little monologue for this week's tale. Hopefully you enjoyed it, because I won't lie, it was fun to write. I also hope you'll have a great weekend, and maybe even follow this blog and come find me on twitter @MelanieKCole. If you're still in the mood for more Five Sentence Fiction (and who wouldn't be?) just follow the links below.

Five Sentence Fiction Friday - Ache
Five Sentence Fiction Friday - Frozen
Five Sentence Fiction Friday - Sparks
Five Sentence Fiction Friday - Clutch

The Breaking Point

We've officially found that point in winter where all hope seems lost and the idea of getting out of bed every morning seems insane. We're a little over halfway through February, and if you live in the Canadian prairies that means we have two more months of winter. Yes, that's right. Two more months.

So, is it any surprise that people (myself included) are testy, impatient and just plain sad? I'm like a walking Eeyore cartoon. I could stand in for Charlie Brown. And I'm self medicating with so much chocolate I'm going to end up with diabetes.

The only solutions I can see are travel (which I can't afford) and time travel (which hasn't been invented yet). Therefore, I'm stuck with the consolation prize: distraction. You'd think I'd be crazy productive right now, but it's amazing how much of a bite depression takes out of your work ethic. With all the effort it takes to push myself out of bed each morning and trudge through another work day, the thought of going home to write is hilarious. All I want to do is collapse on the couch, eat something bad for me and watch Downton Abbey until it's time to go to sleep.

But, I don't have time for that. There are only two months left in my mentorship and I want to make the most of them. Plus, this problem is temporary. Sooner or later, spring will come and I'll start to feel better. In the meantime, it's just going to have to be force of will pushing me to the computer every day and out of bed each morning.

How do you beat the winter blues? Do you throw yourself into your work? Hibernate? Share in the comments.

Monday Book Review - Hollow City

Welcome to Monday and this week's book recommendation.

HOLLOW CITY by Ransom Riggs

 

You might remember my review of MISS PEREGRINE'S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN (if not you can find it here). This is the second installment in the series and it's just as marvelous as the first, with a new collection of eery photos to accompany the story. It follows Jacob and his 'peculiar' friends as they attempt to find a cure for their beloved headmistress, Miss Peregrine.

I should have been prepared for the amount of imagination, after reading the first one, but it's easy to forget how splendid a story is when you've been away from it for a while. I was continually flabbergasted by Riggs and his ability to twist and turn a plot, as well as create unique characters with unique abilities. Combine that with the suspense of the story and you'll understand why it's a best seller.

This is a must read for anyone who enjoys a healthy dose of originality. You won't find another story like it, I can pretty much guarantee that.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Sorry one and all! Unfortunately, this week got away from me and I didn't have time to write any Five Sentence Fiction for yesterday, and with it being Valentine's Day as well, my little gift to myself was to not sweat it and take the day off. So, I hope you will all excuse me, and join me on Monday for the coming week's book recommendation. Have a great weekend!

Time Management

I think one of the hardest things to figure out when you're trying to be a writer, but still have a full time day job, is time management. How do you give your writing the focus and dedication it deserves, without burning out?

This is a tightrope I've been walking lately, especially since my mentorship requires a minimum of 20-25 hours per month. On the surface, that really isn't a lot. In fact, it's only five hours a week. That's an hour every evening, Monday to Friday, with weekends free for fun. So why is it so hard?

There's a lot of answers to that question. The first, is that it isn't. Not really. There aren't many things in this world that are easy, especially not those worth doing, so why complain about such a minimal requirement? Why not accept it as set in stone and move on? We know with absolute certainty that we must get up and go to work in the morning. We have to if we want to continue to have a roof over our heads and food to eat. Why not approach our writing schedule the same way? Why not be uncompromising?

Of course, that leads me to my second answer. Which is that work sucks, and when we finally get to come home for the day, we don't really like having something else that we have to do waiting for us. We want to unwind, relax and put the nasty, icky-ness of work out of our minds until tomorrow. But having a set schedule for writing doesn't mean there's no time to unwind. It means just the opposite. If I have time set aside specifically for writing, and use it, then when I'm done I can relax guilt free. There's no "I should be..." hanging over my head. And often, once I start writing, I quite enjoy it and will often work past the required time because I'm in the zone.

And then there's the third answer. Not only does work suck, but it sucks the life out of you. That sounds more depressing than I mean to, but it's kind of true. Depending on your job, it can take a lot out of you. Whether it be customer service, number crunching or other kinds of problem solving, by the time you're done, you aren't just bone-tired, you're brain-tired. So, it can be hard to coax out a creative thought. I do my best to remedy this, by fitting in a little creative time throughout the day. I read a book at lunch, and if I'm waiting in line or have a free moment, I give myself permission to daydream. I let myself drift off to la-la land for just a few minutes. Sometimes, it's writing related and I'll use the time to try play out a scene and get inside the head of a character. But sometimes it's a free for all. In any case, I find when I come home I'm a lot more primed and ready.

The truth is, writing with a day job will always be difficult. But it's a sacrifice a lot of us have to make in pursuit of our dream. And in the end, it's worth it, because a harder life with the dream is better than an easier one without it. At least, that's how I see it.

Monday Book Review - River of Stars

Welcome to Monday and this week's book recommendation.

RIVER OF STARS by Guy Gavriel Kay

 

Normally, I don't read a lot of fantasy, but I listened to a reading and interview with Guy Gavriel Kay at Word on the Street last September, and I was floored by his eloquence, good humor and wisdom. His latest epic intrigued me and my husband, so we bought it and had him sign it. I've only finally gotten the chance to sit down and read it and I loved it.

There was a point in the reading when the interviewer told a story about the first time he ever read a book by Guy Gavriel Kay. He was working on his father's farm and he was supposed to be watching something, although I can't remember what. He had one of Kay's books with him and was reading it while he worked. Normally, when he would bring a book to work, he would read a page or two, look up and make sure everything was fine, then read another page or two and so on. But as he got into Kay's book, he couldn't keep from reading more and more pages and of course everything went haywire from there. The story was incredibly accurate, as I found the same thing happening to me. The further I got into the story the more I couldn't put it down, the more desperate I became to read just a few more pages.

I don't know how I could possibly sum up the plot. RIVER OF STARS has far too many characters and far too much intrigue to ever attempt such a thing. What I can tell you, is Kay's own description of his books, which I think sums it up nicely. "History with a quarter turn to the fantastic". It was a fantastic read, and it won't be my last. There are many more books by Kay to enjoy, and I plan to do just that.

Five Sentence Fiction Friday - Ache

Welcome to Friday and this week's edition of Five Sentence Fiction. This week's prompt is ache. If you'd like to learn more about Five Sentence Fiction, or give it a try yourself, just visit Lillie McFerrin Writes. Enjoy!

It felt like a lump in her stomach, a big aching ball of tension. She swallowed hard, blinking back tears, willing them to stay behind her eyelids. The only choice she had was to get out of there, fast. Any moment now those tears would start to fall and everyone would know that the smile she'd pasted on her face was fake. She ducked her head down, let her hair fall in a curtain around her face and made for the door. 

Voila! I hope you enjoyed this little story. If you'd like to read more, just follow the links below and read past editions. Don't forget to follow this blog and come find me on twitter @MelanieKCole. Have a great weekend!

Five Sentence Fiction Friday - Frozen
Five Sentence Fiction Friday - Sparks
Five Sentence Fiction Friday - Clutch
Five Sentence Fiction Friday - Moon