Twiday: Anticipating Eclipse

Okay, so obviously we must discuss the new Eclipse trailer.

I was fangirl squee-ing until 1:04 when The Imposter showed up. And then I threw up a little bit.



Totally. Couldn't they have used the money they saved by firing Rachelle and put it towards Bryce Dallas Howard's hair and makeup?





Well, that would be smart, but we all know how awful Suckmit is with hair and makeup. *cough* Bella's wig *cough*





I need to re-watch and do a "Shirtless Jake Count."

Oooh, when it comes that will totally be a drinking game - take a shot every time Jake shows up without a shirt.



Oh that's a good idea for the Eclipse DVD Release Party that I may or may not be planning already.





Or, take a shot every time Edward broods.






Another good idea! And you say you're no good at planning parties. Pshaw.






No, I'm just good at coming up with reasons to drink. Which is what I'm afraid this movie will make me want to do. I liked Eclipse for the sexual tension, but I spent most of it wanting to slap Bella.




I do have to say that I'm really hoping to see more Happy Edward in Eclipse. I mean - he's got the girl - he should smile a bit more than the first two movies right? You know the cocky-smirky-smile he gets when he's looking at Bella? Because he loves her and then I pretend he's cocky-smirky-smiling at me.....

Oh, why do I set myself up for disappointment? *leans back and throws my hand across my brow*

Yeah, I doubt you're gonna get a lot of that. Do you even remember Eclipse?

Bella: "Oh, Edward, I want you to take me!"
Edward: "Take you where? On a walk? It's raining..."
Bella: **unbuttons shirt** "No, Edward. TAKE ME."
Edward: **clears throat** "Um, Bella, a chaste young woman such as you..."
ENTER JACOB
Jacob: "So, Bella, you wanna go for a ride on my bike?
IfyouknowwhatImeanandIthinkyoudo."
Edward: "Dear mother of GOD what is wrong with you teenagers??"

**hands Rain a kerchief and readies smelling salts** My bets are on Broodward.

*takes kerchief* Why, thank you Meadow.






Anytime, Fair Rain. Do you need to go sit on a settee and fan yourself while I finish this post?





Yes, please do finish. And bring me my mint julep when you're done.






*snicker* You're such a delicate flower. Edward would tell you to unlace your corset and rest. Just not around him. Because that would be suggestive.





Okay, but seriously, I worry about my favorite scenes! What if they cut the tent scene?





Oh, Summit wouldn't cut the tent scene! It's all about Jacob, whom they love.






Right - and he's shirtless.






*takes shot*

Oh, wait, you just mentioned it. Does that count?




It counts! *cheers*

Okay guys, so what do you think? Did you love the trailer? Did it make you excited or worried like Rain? Let us know!

Outlining for Fun and Profit! (Okay, not for profit. But for fun!)

So, some of you know that I write a fun little fanfic called Frozen Spring. I have a dirty secret, however. (No, writing fanfiction ISN'T my dirty secret. Wow, y'all are total book snobs, aren't you?) I don't outline. Ever.

*collective audience gasp*

I know, I know. You're probably thinking, "But Meadow! If you don't outline, how do you know what's going to happen?" Well... *whispering* I don't. I have a general idea. I know how I want the story to end. But I don't have a map of how it's going to happen. I'm letting the characters tell me how they want to get there.

For a story like FS, it's not such a big deal. I'm not writing a great, epic tale of love across centuries or anything. It's a story that takes place in a house over the span of about two weeks. I have more than one story in my mind, however. Stories that are larger, broader, and have more characters. These stories scare me. Because - the horror! - I may have to outline them!

Enter my new hero, Jamie Harrington. She not only has an agent (fangirl squee!) and a completed manuscript out on submission, but she has the best outlining tool ever created. Seriously. I want to sing it a song. It would sound something like "Tribute" by Tenacious D. This tool has a name, and it's name is STORYSAURUS!

Here's the concept: You need to outline. Outlining is boring. BUT, if you outline all of your major plot points via the spines on a cartoon stegosaurus, outlining becomes FUN!

(Don't worry, I asked for her permission before stealing her awesome art.)

Now, maybe dinosaurs aren't your thing. So take this concept and apply it to ANYTHING that works for you. (I'm thinking of making a Story-Breathing-Dragon for a fantasy novel.) The bottom line is that outlines don't HAVE to be scary. They also aren't set in stone. While discussing StorySaurus with Jamie I expressed my main problem with outlining: I try too hard to stick to it. She very kindly set me straight. Outlines are there to help you, not hinder. Maybe I won't stick to my outline. Maybe I'll rip off a few spines and reorder others. Maybe I'll have to add wings or something. But at least I'll know where I want to end up and realize when I can't get there anymore.

Which fits in with my number one rule of life: Making plans is a great way to keep track of how often things change. *winks*

Read Jamie's original StorySaurus post here: http://www.totallythebomb.com/storysaurus-rocks-face

Do you outline? Are you an "organic writer" (my friend Heather told me that's what us non-outliners are called) like me? Will you use StorySaurus? Let me know!

Reading Rain-bow: The Black Jewels Trilogy

**waving** Hi guys! Rain is still feeling under the weather (<-- see what I did there?) from her oral surgery, so you're stuck with a book recommendation from me today!

I know what you're thinking: "Meadow, why did you use the picture of Rain with the visor?"  Because it's hysterical!

You may also be thinking "Meadow, you read real books?" The answer to that is: Of course! Twilight was a real book, after all!

One of those times when I picked up a real, paste and paper book was to read The Black Jewels Trilogy by Anne Bishop. It's not YA, and it's not light. It is lush, magical, brooding, funny, and completely captivating.

I'm a lover of dark fantasy. Give me some magic powers and an epic battle between good and evil and I'm in heaven. (Or hell, depending on the fantasy and set-up.) The Black Jewels Trilogy follows just such an epic struggle, in the form of some of the most powerful females I've ever read in fiction. The set-up is a society run by people who have been born with special powers, or gifts. Their inherent power is represented by their Jewels. Over time, the system has been exploited and corrupted to such a degree that war - and a complete breakdown of society - is imminent. Enter Jaenelle Angelline, a child who may just be the answer to a prophecy, and the salvation the world is hoping for. Mixed in with the drama is, of course, romance and intrigue.

The Black Jewels Trilogy is a compilation of three novels: Daughter of the Blood, Heir to the Shadows, and Queen of Darkness. If you like your fantasy less unicorns-and-rainbows and more black-crows-and-rainclouds, you should definitely give it a try. I consider it one of my top five favorite books, and I think you will too.

You can find Anne Bishop's website, along with more information about her other novels, here: http://www.annebishop.com/index.html

If you've read the series, let me know what you think!