Chemistry and canon

All right guys, I don't mean to go back to television (again!) but I need to for an example: Have you ever watched a TV show where the OTP doesn't have as much chemistry as another pairing?  I feel like there are two types of people: those who follow canon no matter what (because it's canon) and those who side with chemistry, whether it's canon or not.

I'm one of the latter people.

It's frustrating to hear that canon wins because canon is true.  It's even more frustrating when the canon couple has absolutely no chemistry - even if the acting and writing is good.

Chemistry sells a couple to me, whether in television, movies, and especially books.  I've read books where I've been like, 'Why do you like this guy?' and I've read books where I had to fan myself off because the chemistry was just so smoking.  (Great examples of chemistry?  Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick and Bloodlines by Richelle Mead.)

In a way, it's easier for us writers to infuse chemistry into our couples, with little glances, touches. The difficult part is trying not to force it, trying not to smack your reader over the head with a sign that says, "YOU MUST SHIP THIS PAIRING BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT IS TRUE."  I guarantee that in nearly all cases, if you write good chemistry, they will ship that couple.

Television has it harder because they may not originally start out with a character's true OTP.  Then, when they're writing one, they may pick an actor/actress without testing chemistry.  A lot of the times, it's like: "Oh, well they're both good looking, it'll work."  For that, I throw the BluRay of The Tourist at them.  The two most beautiful people in the world didn't have chemistry together (although, I maintain if Johnny Depp looked the way he did in Public Enemies, my screen would melt off because of the hotness).  You can't expect to random actors to magically have chemistry just because they're supposed to be a couple.

Then we get to the other side of the coin.  Television producers also don't expect when two characters (actors) who aren't OTP have chemistry.  I absolutely hate when they're in denial about it (cough Penny and Sheldon cough).  I love when the chemistry is so obvious that the writers have no choice but to write something in regards to it (cough Jeff and Annie cough).

Sometimes, as a writer, you intend for one couple to happen when the chemistry between your hero/heroine is stronger with someone else, and before you know it, they've already gotten together so when you try to change it and fix it, you can't because it feels wrong.

Go with it.  These are the best stories to tell because you, the writer, don't even expect it.  It's why nearly all my shipping isn't canon. 

And if people ship your hero/heroine with someone else, let them.  You can't fight chemistry. 

Once Upon A Time there was Alcatraz and more

All right, I'm not a huge television person, but there are some shows that I've become absolutely obsessed with.  As always, if there is a hockey game on, that trumps everything else.  However, these shows come in close seconds (and thirds, and fourths, and you get it!).

1.  Hockey

2.  Once Upon A Time As I've mentioned in the previous post, I love Rumpelstiltskin/Mr. Gold and the chemistry he has with Emma.  You have no idea how long two weeks felt without an episode last Sunday.  If you like Disney, adult retellings of classic fairytales, romance, adventure, action, and Robert Carlyle, I highly recommend this.

3.  Alcatraz  Okay, as you guys know, I love Alcatraz.  The place.  It's rich with history and such a fascinating place to explore, whether you're there for the prison, the inmates, or your parents and/or school forced you on the tour.  I like the show, but initially, I thought it would track real inmates disappearing from 1963 and reappearing now.  How interesting would that be?  Infusing sci-fi with history with crime.  Oh my gosh, I'm salivating just thinking about it.  But it's not.  Every inmate is a character.  As I writer, I get it.  It's easier to make up your own plotline, get everything to fit, when actual inmates will force them to omit things, change things, or make up things.  But I really, really wish they would have done it.  I love this history and it would have been so great to see it.  I definitely still like it, I watch it, but whenever I see Ernest Cobb on the show, I still scream, "He looks so much like Alvin Karpis, it's ridiculous!"

4. New Girl  I love every character on this show.  No joke.  I love Jess (and her theme song).  I love Nick (I have the tiniest of crushes on him), Winston, Cece, and Schmidt (I have a much bigger crush on him).  It's kooky and cute, and I love that Jess is beautiful, the biggest dork ever, but she knows who she is and rocks it.

5.  Up All Night  I have every single season of Married with Children on DVD and still have marathons.  I love Christina Applegate, so once I saw the show and how funny it was, once I saw Will Arnett and Maya Rudolph, and it was on right after The Office, I was like, "I'm in."

6.  Smash  I've only seen one episode, but I love Katharine McPhee.  I love Anjelica Houston.  And when I saw Commodore Norrington (aka Jack Davenport) was a sleazy choreographer, I came aboard.  (Hahahahaha!)

Oldies but Goodies - Shows that I love watching and have been watching since the show began (most of the time).

1.  Bones  Probably my favorite show.  I'm literally counting down the days until it comes back on in April.  (This is how my mind works: Bones will be back on around the end of the Ducks' season.)

2.  House  I had to sit down after I read that it was canceled (this season will be its last).  At least I know without a doubt there will never be another House.

3.  Modern Family  More Married with Children goodness.  Each character - even the kids - is cast perfectly.  I laugh out loud through every episode.  I just - it's so, so great.  And smart.  It's hard to find television like this.

4.  The Daily Show/The Colbert Report  I remember when Jon Stewart took over The Daily Show from Craig Kilborn.  I remember when The Colbert Report premiered.  These shows helped shape my life and I feel so lucky that they're both still on and will hopefully remain on for a long time.

5.  South Park/Family Guy/American Dad  Animation where kids curse, nothing makes sense, and, in South Park's case, is smarter than it looks. 

6.  The Office  Okay, not going to lie.  I miss Michael Scott.  The Office is not the same without him.  But Dwight and his kiss with the power of a thousand waterfalls saves the show.  I'm not sure I'd still watch if he wasn't on it.

7.  Glee/The Big Bang Theory  I don't have to watch these shows on the original air date but I'll probably buy them on DVD.

Shows that should still be on

1.  Community  I know it's technically not canceled, but how is it that Whitney and Are You There Vodka?  It's Me, Chelsea are both on, but this isn't?  I need some kind of resolution between Jeff and Annie.  It'd be cruel to make me wait!

So there you have it.  By the way, it seems like I watch a lot of television.  I really don't.  If anything, I buy shows on DVD and watch them during the summer.  Speaking of summer, notice that this list leaves out one of my favorite shows ever, True Blood.  That's because it's not on.

What are some of your favorite shows?

Rumpelstiltskin and how to write a good hero

Two confessions: Number 1, I am currently reading a YA novel - which shall remain nameless - that annoys me, but not to the point where I can put it down and Number 2) I am obsessed with the ABC show Once Upon A Time, more specifically, Rumpelstiltskin.

So what do these two things have in common?

Well, the reason this book annoys me is because of two things: I hate one of the love interests (yes, as usual, there's a love triangle) and the heroine, which we'll call C, is lusting after her two interests in the same way.  Like, whenever they touch her, her body reacts in the same way.  The author tries to differentiate it, but I'm sorry.  It doesn't work.  The reactions aren't the same.

To me, this strikes me as impossible.  If you're falling for two different guys, your feelings and reactions for and to them will be different.  The way Johnny Depp makes me feel is way different than the way Robert Downey, Jr. makes me feel.  My body reacts differently.  The way they make me happy is different.  I'm attracted to different things about them.  Why?  Because they're two different people.

The way C feels about her two boys is the same.  Why?  Because essentially, the author writes the same character.  Both guys are hot, they're jealous, they make C feel hot.  What else?  Um, nothing really, because their characters aren't fully fleshed out.

As a reader, I'm supposed to sympathize with C.  But how can I, when her body gets all hot and bothered around these two guys?  I get that sex is on her mind.  I used to be a teenager.  I get it.  But I need more than hotness in a guy, and I need it even more in a character I'm supposed to fall for.  Because C equates these feelings with love, it makes me lose respect for her and I don't care what happens to her.

And regarding the first point?  I hate her Love Option 1.  He's jealous, selfish, and pushy.  He doesn't care that their love is forbidden and that she could get into deep trouble - possibly die - because of it.  He pushes her for information about her past when, quite frankly, it's none of his business.  And because C likes the guy, I dislike C.

So where does Rumpelstiltskin come in?

He's the perfect hero because he's not a hero.  He's not good looking (to the general population.  I find him delectable myself), he's manipulative, and he doesn't care about anyone but himself.  There's something creepy about him.  And yet, whenever I see him, my body responds to him.  Without giving you too much information, I'm drawn to the character way more than Prince Charming/David, or Graham/The Huntsman.

A hero is more than just eye candy.  He has to be, especially in books since we can't physically see him.  He has to have individual traits, flaws, and something that makes him unique.  He needs to be his own character.

I'm incredibly bias because I really like mysterious, brooding characters.  There's just something about them that attracts me.  Who cares if they're selfish when they have no problem owning up to it, and are probably even proud of it?  Who cares if they're not the best looking person out there?  That makes them way more interesting.  A bad thing to do when attempting to write a decent love-triangle is to make it lopsided, where every reader roots for the same guy.  The worst thing you can do is write a love triangle where the reader doesn't even care who the heroine ends up with because you don't care about her and her potential mates.

Putting a book down

Hey you, reading that book you're not so into?

Yeah, you.

It's okay to stop reading.

I've done it a few times.  A part of me doesn't like to do it because I feel like I'm quitting, I'm giving up, or I've invested a lot of time into this story, and while I can't seem to care about the characters and can predict the plot from a mile away, it feels wrong to just set it down.

Set it down.

Don't waste your time.  It will frustrate you to see how a book this bad could be published.  The characters will enrage you to the point where you want to throw the book across the room.  And then, when everyone starts to get really into the book, you want to scream at them because, hello, this is the worst book ever written.  Why can't anyone see that?

Trust me.  I've been there.

You're not going to get a reward for following through and finishing the story.  If anything, your brother will ask you, "Don't you like Book?"

To which you'll reply, "Um, no."

And he'll be all, "Then why'd you read all of them."  And then rub it in at various points in your life because he's going to hold it against you for that long.

It's okay to put the book down.  You didn't fail.  The author did.  Don't waste your time.

Heath Ledger

Hey guys.

So it's January 22.

22.

It's also the anniversary of Heath Ledger's passing.  I can't explain why, but for whatever reason, I have this strange connection to him, more so now that he's gone than I ever did when he was alive.  As such, I like to make it a point to remember him on this day.

Today, I plan to watch 10 Things I Hate About You in honor of him.  It's one of my favorite chick flicks (and one of my favorite Shakespeare plays).  It's my little way of letting him know that we remember him.  It's not much, but it's something.

Taking fate into your own hands

Society's a pretty interesting thing, isn't it?  The double standards, the expectations, the social norms that are constantly changing...

This is for all the girls who have a guy they want to ask out (or are waiting for a guy to ask them out).  As you well know, I'm a big believer in signs.  In the universe.  In that I am exactly where I am supposed to be.  In everything happens for a reason.

Since my April breakup with Goatboy, I've been very resistant to relationships.  Even now, I cannot picture myself ever getting married.  Not that I don't want to, I just can't picture it.  Yet.  I haven't met That Guy.  And really, I don't want to meet him yet.  I'm only 22.

However, I find myself wanting to date.  Casually.  Just for fun.  And I had a particular guy in mind that I wanted to take that chance with.  So I talked to fate, and I said, "Listen, if you give me this opportunity, if you put me in this position, I promise I won't waste it."

As we all know, the universe works in mysterious ways.  The guy turned out to have a girlfriend (or a date or a female friend, whatever signified that perhaps he wasn't looking to date anyone else at the moment) but at the event, I met someone else, someone I briefly interacted with in November.  We fell back into easy conversation, and before I knew it, I gave him my number.

In a way, I'm glad Guy #1 was taken (or seemingly taken).  Now I'm free to choose whoever I might find interesting enough to date.  I'm not tied down, and I refuse to wait for anyone.  I feel empowered, as though I can pick and choose which guys I want to hang out with and which guys I don't.

So girls: why not take fate into your own hands and ask a guy out?  You can make it really casual, like offering to be a tour guide to a new guy in town (that's the one I used), tell him, "Hey, I'd love to buy you a drink some time" (my  original line on Guy #1 - IF you're of age, of course), or, if you're not, "We should grab coffee some time."  As common sensical as it sounds, you don't have to be like, "Do you want to go out with me?"  It can be casual and fun and noncommittal, like, "We should hang out."  That way, you put the power in his hands.  If he wants to hang, he'll call/text/Facebook, whatever.  If not, so what?  The world is at your feet, with guys just waiting to hang out with you.

Go for it.  Don't wait around.  How else is the universe going to take what you want seriously if you don't think it's risky enough to take a chance on?

Luck

The Ducks went streaking, my friends, winning three games (at home) in a row.  And then, last night (my grandfather's would-be birthday), they tied it up 0-0 and lost in overtime.  However, I'm not too worried.  Why, you may ask?  Because if you watched the game, you saw that they played really, really well.  Which gives me hope.

But Heather, you say, today is Friday, the Thirteenth.  Aren't you worried about that?

Pshh, no.

Friday the Thirteenth has been especially lucky in my family and I have no problem transferring my luck to my team for tonight's game.

Some great news for the Ducks, though?  Corey Perry was named to the AllStar Game.  Um, as if there was any doubt.  But congrats to Corey, who definitely deserves the honor.

Some big news in terms of writing: I've chopped Stranger in the Mirror in half.  Like, I cut out two main characters and their storylines and made them secondary characters.  You might think I'd be upset at all the time and effort I put into writing - by hand! - their stories only to end up having them cut up.

You'd be wrong.

I decided it because with four characters, there was too much going on.  As much as I love Brielle and Elle, I was doing a disservice to the story by writing their stories in conjunction with Sophie and Jane's, when the latter plotline is the most important.  Even my writing reflected that my passion favored the first two compared to the second group.

And, when I did it, it felt right.

Of course, there will be much more editing to make sure everything flows better, much more work, but I k.now that it will be worth it

You guys, I am so excited about this book.  I can't wait to share it with you.  And these changes, no matter how drastic, will make it even better.  I promise.

Revisions and rewriting and reviewing

Today, my holiday officially ended.

Today, I began revisions for Stranger in the Mirror.  It was the longest, most exhausting novel I've ever written, but definitely the most satisfying.  And, as I read what I've written - making necessary grammar/spelling/plot/character changes, I still believe that.  I am so proud of this novel.  It's going to take lots of work to polish it, but even though it's exhausting, it was and still is so totally worth it.

Today, I began writing my new WIP.  Well, I should say, rewriting it.  I had written a mystery-hockey story earlier this year.  I queried, and while some commented on its uniqueness and I got one partial request, no one bit.  I put it aside, wrote other things.

But I had to write this story.  Had to.  The idea wouldn't let me go.

So I changed it.  A bit.  Instead of a chick-lit mystery, it will be a YA contemporary mystery.  Instead of 3 POV characters, there will be 4.  Instead of typing it up, I'll be writing it out first.  I have 8 hockey books - everything from a coffee table book with big pictures to more focused books about superstition and rivalries and more.  One book is written by Bruce Boudreau, a coach (yes, the Ducks coach).  I'm planning to buy a couple of books written by referees and other coaches and players.  Plus, I watch every single Ducks game I can, and, when there's nothing on TV and no Law and Order: SVU marathons on, I'll flip over to NHL Network and watch a repeat of a previous game just because I love this sport, whether the Ducks are playing or not. 

I want this book to be authentic and to show just how amazing this game is while maintaining well-rounded characters and interesting relationships.  So I'm writing it out by hand, like with Stranger in the Mirror, and then typing it up.

I was excited about my initial story, excited to write about hockey through three girls' POV.  Now, I'm ecstatic.  I'm brimming with excitement at rewriting to make the manuscript even better than it is.

Rewriting is daunting.  Besides key scenes here and there, I don't really rewrite because I plan so much before actually writing the story.  I know what I'm writing, everything's   there for a reason, there's no need to excessively rewrite.

But then, rewriting is fabulous.  It's taking your amazing idea - the one that had you so excited you actually finished writing a book about it - and making it better.  Fleshing out characters.  Adding needed subplots. 

I'm 2 chapters in and looking forward to writing the best damn YA hockey book there is.

Finally, today I plotted.  Reviewed an idea that's been teetering around in my mind for the past few weeks.  Not on paper, but in my mind.  You know me, I can't focus on one thing at one time.  I have this amazing idea about a new take on angels and demons and our concept of heaven and hell.  No, it's not religious.  It's more about... perfection vs. imperfection.  Anyways, I'm getting ahead of myself.

I've been doing a lot today and I can't help but... smile.  :)  It's like I said, I'm excited.  Ecstatic.  This is how I know I was born to be a writer.

9

I love Numerology.  I love numbers.  But not math.  Or physics. 

2011 was my 9 Personal Year, which means things coming to an end.  And, in truth, that happened.  I lost friends.  I broke up with my boyfriend.  I finished community college.  And, to top it all off, I finished the most exhausting novel I've ever written.  But it's the one I'm definitely most proud of.  (It's 27 chapters and I finished it on the 27th.  Sign?)

I'm looking forward to next year.  It's my 1 Personal Year, which means the cycle starts over.  Things begin.

I have 2 New Years' resolutions that I intend to keep just to myself.  They're my secrets, my internal goals.  I also have 3 goals I don't mind sharing with you.

1.  Write.  But not just write.  Finish the two novels I have mapped out.  Start the (or finish, depending on how long the first two novels take) Stranger in the Mirror sequel.

2.  Believe.  In life.  In love.  But most importantly, in myself.  Take chances.  Remember that life is a gift and that I am an incredibly lucky human being just to be alive.

3.  Watch.  Ducks games, obviously.  As much as I can.  And when I can't, listen to them online, in the car, however I can.  We have yet to start a streak, but I can feel it coming.  Believe in them.  Support them.  And, more than anything, never, ever give up on them.

So, in total, 5 Resolutions.  5 also happens to be my life path number, by the way.

See?  It's all in the numbers. 

Miracles, Christmas and Otherwise

First off, let me start by wishing each and every one of you happy holidays.  Whatever you celebrate, I hope you're happy, warm, and safe.

Today, I want to address miracles since Christmas is tomorrow and nearly every Christmas movie has some version of a miracle.  Of course, I want to make it clear that I'm not trying to say miracles occur only during Christmas or only for those who celebrate Christmas.  Miracles can happen to anyone at any time anywhere.

First off, let me start by saying wholeheartedly that I believe in miracles.  I tend to view them, however, in a similar way I view love: I believe in love but it's hard for me to imagine falling in love any time soon.  Same with miracles.

The more I got to thinking, the more I started realizing that perhaps I have to be part of my own miracle. 

Let me give you an example:  my Ducks aren't doing so great.  Like, they're losing way more than they're winning.  As fans, we want to see our team play, especially when we know there's such talent on the team.  Even if they lose, we want to see them play like they care.

That hasn't been happening recently.

It's easy to start to think negatively, to point the finger, to demand trades/firings.  I'm sure a lot of people go into the game thinking the Ducks are going to lose.  Our opponents might not even take us seriously anymore.

Fine.

Here's the thing: I firmly believe that your beliefs can be put into actions, whether you're conscious of it or not.  If fans or players go into the game, waiting to make a mistake, waiting for the other team to score, it's going to happen. 

What the team needs now, in my very humble opinion, is support.  Every time I flick on the television, I believe with all my heart that they're going to win.  Every time I step into the Honda Center, I believe with all my heart that they're going to win.  There have been a couple of times I've caught myself cursing the other team or yelling at our players (yes, I yell at the TV.  Don't deny you don't do it too.), but when we do something great, I'll grumble, "Well, that's what you're paid for, isn't it?"

It's totally negative and totally not me!

A Christmas miracle would be for us to win our next game - a road game - against one of our rivals, the San Jose Sharks.  And then, win two in a row.  And then three.  And then start a streak.  But in order for a miracle to actually occur, we first have to believe in miracles and believe that we have the power to cause them. 

I can't play hockey, and even if I could, I couldn't go play goalie for Jonas Hiller.  That's his job.  But I can believe in him.  I can believe in every player, every coach, and every fan.

Instead of yelling at my television Monday night, I'm going to try and focus on the positives, even when we lose.  I might be only one person, but even a little can go a long way.