I love being able to watch a new show and feel inspired to write. Not necessarily inspired to write something similar to the show. Just something. Create something. When there’s a show that is so creative and so inspired and it forces me to go, “Why didn’t I think of that?!”
That is the best feeling.
This past week, I finished watching both Midnight Mass and Only Murders in the Building. I loved both and they both left me with that same feeling. If you feel like something incredibly atmospheric, thought-provoking, and dark, I highly suggest Midnight Mass. If you love true crime podcasts, watching things a little off-beat, and feel like you want to be a part of something bigger, I suggest Only Murders in the Building.
Only Murders in the Building made me feel pangs in my heart, I didn’t realize were there. I think the line I want to eventually speak (even now) is “It’s been the most alive I’ve felt in a decade.” I don’t want to sound morose. I’m complacent but not unhappy. I’m finding ways to try new things. I do feel alive. But I know that I will eventually fall into another rut. And I hope that I happen upon something that makes that line ring true for me too.
Aaaanyway, I hope you find something that makes you feel that inspired as well. So it’s back to the word mines for me. It’s a little early for Preptober, but I’m really excited for NaNoWriMo this year. I hope I can come up with something amazing.
It’s been a while since I’ve written a blog post. While I’m not super consistent about posting on this blog, know that there is always a lot going on around me.
Just to help this go by faster, let’s do another lightening round update!
Our house may be haunted by a ghost. In reality, it’s probably just a hallucination from lack of sleep because I just did a 20-hour writing challenge. To clarify, it was actually supposed to be a 24-hour writing challenge but I am lame and crashed at around 4:30AM and took a four hour nap before finishing off the challenge. Seriously though… The Director of HR and I both saw the ghost in the hallway. Just a big mass of white moving from one end of the hallway to another.
The air plants have upgraded to an office with two floors. I’m debating on whether or not I should add a third floor before I start building cubicles for them.
Remodeled my office including: smart bulbs, smart outlets, cleaning off my desk, adding snazzy glass monitor risers, getting a stand for my fountain pen collection, and adding a wiretap (an AI assistant) for my desk. I think I mentioned last time that I also got a new desktop and speakers. And if I didn’t mention that…. I got those things.
I’m continuing to write short stories with a couple of friends. We’re having a ton of fun with the whole prompt-swap-critique thing and I am slowly amassing a collection of short stories which (hopefully) I can compile into two or three actual collections for sale. YAY!
I FINALLY came up with a novel idea that I love.
The podcast is officially in the works. I’ll be posting a trailer or two here this week. Episodes will be available here, on Podbean, and on YouTube as well. Episodes will go up on Tuesdays. I’ll put up two teaser trailers this week and next week, I’ll put up my first official episode. Yay! I’m so scared.
The Great Husbando, The Director of HR, Husbando’s parents, and I went out for a hike a few weekends ago and saw some beautiful waterfalls. It was so nice to go out in nature once again.
I’ve started using the HB90 planner system and I’m loving it. I’m still trying to find my groove with some of the set-up but so far my productivity has increased and I’ve been feeling a lot better about my goals and direction.
As far as posting here on the blog, it’ll probably be a little sparse but I’ll also be replacing written content with weekly or bi-weekly audio content. I really need to come up with a posting schedule and a plan for what I want to do. I’ve been watching a lot of Authortube vlogs because I like the feel of a vlog versus other types of writer-y content. My hope is to emulate that enthusiastic, personable, friendly writer energy in my podcast.
I wouldn’t say that I’m in a creative rut. On the contrary, I’m buzzing with excitement and creativity. The problem is I don’t know where to focus it. I
Hardwood floors made of Popsicle sticks, creepy Victorian wallpaper, and one of my characters appearing in a dumbwaiter. STORY: “The Traveler”
have a non-writing creative outlet (I’ve been working on a few dioramas of scenes from some old short stories). However, when it comes to writing, I… don’t know where to focus my energy.
Unnamed Filipino Teleseryes Project
I’ve slowly (too slow, I might argue) been creating a Filipino soap opera -style novel, or novella. I’ve only been working on it for about a week but it’s been really fun and I love the twists and turns that I’ve come up with. I’m even debating on turning it into a serial to publish here on the site. Just a thought.
Short Story Collection
I have short stories and flash fiction pieces. I have a lot of them. I’ve been meaning to compile them into a collection for publication. The only problem is that… Well, what I really have are three different short story collections (if I categorize them by themes):
Epistolary stories
Lovecraftian stories
Misc.
Yeah, okay, the last one isn’t really a theme. But I do have a handful of stories that don’t fit in either of the other formats. So there’s that.
Podcasts
I’ve been flip-flopping between creating a:
Writing podcast called “Just Add Ninjas”. I even have the cover art ready. This would mostly a write-with-me style podcast where I would be working on a 70,000-word novel (or a collection of short stories). As I went through the process, I would do writing challenges and would encourage the listeners to write along with me.
Introvert podcast. Or a Friend-cast? Or a …okay, the idea is that The Great Husbando, a rotating group of friends, and I would chat “with” the listeners (basically talking to the listeners like we’re friends) and do “friend-style” activities “with them”. Note all the quotation marks. It’s a rough idea to explain aloud but it works well in my head. I would record movie commentary (that could be played alongside a movie), we’d have book club episodes with children’s books, and we would otherwise chat and do other fun activities you normally do with IRL friends.
While I had already created the cover art for the writing podcast, I have created a trailer for the second option. I’ve also bought a couple of lav mics to use with our phones for either write-with-me episodes for “Just Add Ninjas” or for the movie commentary for the introvert podcast. I just don’t know which I’m more passionate about and which would help/entertain listeners more.
Pride Parade
I was happy to hear that (while a festival isn’t an option this year) pride events aren’t *fully* canceled here in our county. The local pride organization has set up a “vehicle” parade for the 18th. I’m super excited! I bought one of the “Pride Boxes” filled with memorabilia to proudly show our support for the community! A friend offered to pick me up but The Great Husbando said he wants to show his support too so we’ll happily meet our friends there. I want to create a couple banners or posters as well, to show my support for the LGBTQ+ POC community. In these crazy times, sharing our love for one another and spreading happiness is so important. We’re all human and we all deserve love and support. It shouldn’t matter what shade of beautiful your skin is or who you love. What matters is what’s in your heart and soul.
A Drink Recipe from the Two-Headed Calf:
Backstory: The Two-Headed Calf is the dry bar we inherited from The Great Husbando’s grandparents. While it’s not healthy to romanticize the “drunk writer” lifestyle of yore, it’s still fun to do. Not be a drunk. That’s not fun. But romanticizing your passion or career can be fun if no one is getting hurt. Besides, a little libation can (sometimes) get the words flowing when I find myself feeling hindered. Please drink responsibly.
The Moscow Mule Two-Headed Calf
The Great Husbando and I have been enjoying the heck out of good ol’ fashioned Moscow Mules lately. Of course, we don’t have those snazzy copper mugs to serve them in. Something to add to my birthday wishlist for next week, I guess.
What you’re going to need:
A shot and a half of vodka
A half of a lime
A cup of ice cubes
A half of a cup of ginger beer
What you’re going to do with those things:
Fill a chilled glass or a copper mug about halfway with ice
Pour in the vodka
Squeeze lime over the vodka and get as much of the juice out as you possibly can
Top with ginger beer (I recommend around three ounces of ginger beer)
You can optionally garnish with the lime wedge, some mint, or a ginger candy
Poplar Cove Season One Trailer. A new resident in Poplar Cove. Also a telenovela.
Like what you hear? Check out all of the available episodes and audio extras at the PodBean site or on iTunes. Like, comment, share, download, or follow the pages to show your support.
“Poplar Cove: The Podcast” is a biweekly podcast with full length episodes that are uploaded once every two weeks. Though, you may notice a few fun extras in between episodes. The borders at Poplar Cove, WA open on July 18th, 2017.
You are about to enter Poplar Cove, Washington. Visitors are allowed access for one week maximum, with each trip ending no later than the following new moon.
Poplar Cove has a strict code of ethics and a stricter set of consequences. The result is a peaceful, enclosed community filled with log cabins, talking spiders with nicotine addictions, elk, and the occasional angry mob. Meet the residents, mingle with the witches, sip on some coffee, fall into comas, and get to know the narrator.
Town bylaws which each citizen, cult member and visitor must follow include:
Handguns are not permitted. Other types of weapons (including crossbows, large wooden globes, sharp tongues, staplers, and large anvils) are permitted as long as they are not aimed at the mayor.
Do not question the authorities. Do you know what farce means? Good.
Never leave valuables unattended. Keep them on you at all times. We are not responsible for the burglaries that happen at the local bed and breakfasts. Our mosquitoes and bees have learned how to pick the locks and we no longer have full access to their mind control chips.
Do not anger the elder gods. The fire department is incredibly undermanned and they won’t help you anyway.
If you are applying for residence, hand deliver the completed application (below) to the man in the tall tower.
Jocelyn DeVore 