Month: April 2016

Friday Fare, Internet Articles, Random, Uncategorized

Friday Fare: 4/29/16

Michelle Kubitz

Friday FareFriday Fare is where I post links to the random articles that have resonated with me during the week. Sometimes they make me smarter, sometimes they make me hungry … sometimes they have to do with writing and sometimes they are just plain random.

“Jane Eyre” is one of my favorite books.  Letters of Note is one of my favorite websites.  The two together made me very happy this week.

50 books a woman should read before she turns 40.  In July, I will have two years left to finish these bad boys … might need to get cracking.

This article seriously pissed me off.  (So much so that I actually commented on Facebook.  Don’t get me wrong – I like the FB, but I try to be a positive member of society.  In this case, I let my snark shine through.)

And damn … my resume needs updating, but will never look this cool.

And yes, this is a writing blog.  But cocktails!  This beverage sounds like it’s up my alley.

***

Listening to: Yup, still adoring Sturgill Simpson, but since he’s down towards the bottom of my Windows Media Player queue (am I the only person who still uses Windows Media Player?), I’ve been getting down to the “Ts” in my music collection.  Toad the Wet Sprocket anyone? (P.S. – Seen them three or four times in concert.  And I fangirl.  Every.  Single.  Time.)

Reading: Stephen King’s “IT.”  How does he do it?

Fiction Update: Edits!  I’ve been kinda stuck on the ending of Act I, but I’ve been having some weird mini-breakthroughs that are immensely gratifying.

Enjoy the weekend!

Friday Fare, Internet Articles, Random, Uncategorized

Friday Fare: 4/22/16

Michelle Kubitz

Friday FareFriday Fare is where I post links to the random articles that have resonated with me during the week. Sometimes they make me smarter, sometimes they make me hungry … sometimes they have to do with writing and sometimes they are just plain random.

I’m not going to lie – I’m one of those annoyingly “glass is half full” kind of people (unless it’s a cup of coffee and then I actually get kinda panicky when it’s getting past the halfway mark).  So’s my BFF Paul.  He posted this piece on Facebook the other day and it resonated.

I had to read Gary Snyder’s work during an undergraduate post-modern literature class.  His work has stuck with me all these years – glad to hear he’s still out in the world.

In my estimation, Rolling Stone took a dive in credibility after the botch job they did on the UVA rape case.  However, I couldn’t help but read this piece about some college kids who became immigrant smugglers.  As a writer, I read pieces like this to help inform future characters.  Sometimes articles I come across get archived as future story ideas or things that help me with research.

Celeste Barber recreating celebrity Instagrams – this was good.  Provided much needed larfs.

And not gonna lie – been spending way too much time wrapped up in the mania surrounding Queen Elizabeth’s 90th birthday.

And no – this is not a cooking blog, but damn … might need to break out the skillet for these pork chops!

***

Listening to: Prince.  2016 – you suck.

Reading: Finished Brian Freeman’s “Immoral.”  It was good to revisit the book, I had totally forgotten the ending.

Fiction Update: Edits.  Edits.  Edits.

Enjoy the weekend!

Editing, Fiction, Process

Adventures in Editing: Clunk.

Michelle Kubitz

_AdventuresinEditingAfter several years of toiling, I finished a SFD draft of After Life (AL) in July 2015.  I let it set on the back burner until March 2016 and am editing in earnest.  Adventures in Editing is an occasional feature that chronicles the travails of trying to bring a bunch of muddle into a more cohesive draft.  Thanks for reading!

I think the following picture tells a pretty decent story:

clunkAs my mentor mentioned in my earlier “Adventures” post, reading your draft out loud is an effective way to catch any parts of your story that are … well, clunky.  As I read through my draft of AL to see how the story flowed together, I marked the sentences / sections that were clunky upon reading them out loud.

Still don’t believe me?  Check out what the experts say in the hyperlinks.

Friday Fare, Internet Articles, Random, Uncategorized

Friday Fare: 4/15/16

Michelle Kubitz

Friday FareFriday Fare is where I post links to the random articles that have resonated with me during the week. Sometimes they make me smarter, sometimes they make me hungry … sometimes they have to do with writing and sometimes they are just plain random.

I decided to stop trying to come up with pithy titles for these “Friday Fare” posts, because if I had my druthers, this article would be entitled “Friday Fare: Spring Has Freakin’ Sprung!”  Yeah … I think dates are better.

Here’s what caught my attention this week on the webs:

One of the members of my writers group sent out these 10 writing tips from Flannery O’Connor. The one that resonated with me?  Number 6.

My love for L.M. Montgomery is well documented on this blog. This article reveals Ms. Montgomery’s painstaking edits on her final “Green Gables” novel “Rilla of Ingleside.”

I found some future #TBR (To Be Read) material in this article from Psychology Today that talks about the books that prosecutors write after the conclusion of career-making cases.

And finally, because writers need to eat – this recipe from Smitten Kitchen.

***

Listening to: Latest obsession is Sturgill Simpson.  So much so that I sent this video to my mom to listen to.  And this one to my brother.  (I actually need to call my dad and tell him about this musician, just haven’t got that far yet.) And then I pre-ordered his new album (THAT COMES OUT TODAY!).  And bought his previous album that has this song.  I think that pretty much covers how much I adore this musician, you concur?

Reading: I finished “Revival” by Stephen King and really enjoyed it.  Just started Brian Freeman’s “Immoral.”

Fiction Update: I actually had one of those grown up, writer moments this week.  I had a great day on Sunday of editing.  And then I had my writer’s group on Tuesday.  I had gotten my reading done for them in advance and really felt like I had achieved some sort of mythical balance between being a writer and providing constructive feedback to my tribe.  It was fricking weird.  But yes, editing.  It’s going.  I’m not near as productive as I wish I was, but I’m trying to be as efficient as a full-time worker, mom, wife, etc., can be.

Happy Friday, friends!

Friday Fare, Internet Articles, Random, Uncategorized

Friday Fare: Still effing cold in Minnesota

Michelle Kubitz

Friday FareFriday Fare is all about the links.

I shouldn’t complain, because it’s spring – which, in Minnesota, means anything from blizzard conditions to 80-degree weather.  But man … I am ready for some sunshine.

Beverly Cleary turns 100 on the 12th.  While she wasn’t my favorite writer when I was a kid, I fondly remember Ramona and Beezus, her long suffering sister.

I’m frequently critical of the media, but this reporter just kicks ass.

Two of my fellow Mystery Writers of America-Midwest members are nominated for this year’s Mary Higgins Clark Award, Jungle Red Writers did an awesome round-up with all of the nominees to get their take on how their stories fit the MHC criteria.

This article had life advice for struggling artists.  A wonderful, wonderful piece.

Finally – a Ramen Burger?  Yes please.

***

Listening to: I literally just started streaming this album from Sturgill Simpson.  But I think I like it.  A lot.

Reading: I’m currently reading to inform – re-read “Interview with a Vampire” to find out how Anne Rice made the world of Louis and Lestat real enough to give this world staying power some 40 years later.  A book about exorcism.  Some books about the writing craft (I finished “Revision and Self Editing” by James Scott Bell.  “Plot Perfect” by Paula Munier is next.).  I have Neil Gaiman’s “American Gods” and Stephen King’s “IT” out from the library – again, how do the masters build their worlds?

Fiction Update: I want to write “editing, editing, editing.”  But this week hasn’t been kind for my fictional pursuits.  I will not despair, I’m just looking ahead to Sunday when I can devote a large, unbroken amount of time to my work.

Happy weekend, friends!

Random

My latest TBR pile

Michelle Kubitz

040516_Books

I told my dad about my goal of reading a bunch of Louis L’Amour books in 2016.  He replied that he had “a few” L’Amour books and some other ones I might be interested in.  After nearly 38 years of knowing my dad, I’m not sure why I didn’t translate “a few” books as two grocers flats worth of books, but I’m grateful all the same.

Friday Fare, Internet Articles, Random, Uncategorized

Friday Fare: Hello April!

Michelle Kubitz

Friday FareFriday Fare is where I post links to the random articles that have resonated with me during the week. Sometimes they make me smarter, sometimes they make me hungry … sometimes they have to do with writing and sometimes they are just plain random.

The Interwebs were just plain kind this week with entertainment:

This advice from the creator of Calvin and Hobbes was much appreciated.

I’d watch Meryl Streep read children’s books, it’s no surprise that I devoured this article from Vanity Fair about her experience making “Kramer vs. Kramer.”  I am also once again reminded that I need to re-watch some of the classics from the 1970s.

Lemon Cream Cake.  Because … well, cake!

Finally, another beautiful post from Jerry, my mentor.

***

Listening to: This mashup of classic movie clips and Mark Ronson’s Uptown Funk … glorious.

Reading: My reading has been a little crazy lately.  I’ve been digging into some books for research purposes.  Also been reading to see how some of the “masters” pull of particular concepts in their fiction.  (My fellow Minnesotan Jess Lourey recently wrote a post on how to read like a writer … very helpful!)

Fiction Update: I encapsulated the kickoff of edits to “After Life” (AL) in this post.  Edits are ongoing, I’ve identified what I need to work on during the next round of writing and am preparing for a chunk of time on Sunday when I can hopefully dig in and make some meaningful progress to start off my actual editing work.

Happy weekend, friends!