Name Games

I am fascinated by names.

As a teacher I see some bizarre names fly across my rosters. Some of those poor kids will be spelling out their "unique" names for people the rest of their lives, and never find a personalized bike license plate.

As a writer I agonize over choosing the perfect name for each character, so I am in awe when I come across character names that snap off the page.

Here are some of my recent favorites.

From Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson

Major Ernest Pettigrew - His name sketches a serious and proper demeanor.

Mrs. Ali - Melodious and lovely which perfectly matches her graciousness.

From The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Hazel and Augustus are the names Green selects for his teen main characters. I love the way he eschews current contemporary choices. These names told me to expect characters that were going to transcend the ordinary.

From Graceling/Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore

Say this aloud - Katsa

Do you hear the bite in the sound of the name? This character is a fighter.

Po - A prince who goes by a nickname taken from a beautiful tree in his kingdom that matches his eyes. Love that name origin story.

Saph - Named after his gorgeous sapphire eyes

From Divergent/Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Beatrice turned Tris - Another name with crispness that supports strength of character

Four - I love a name that fills you with questions.

What are some character names that have caught your fancy? 


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Closed Hearts by Susan Kaye Quinn

My favorite part of Bloglandia is celebrating the accomplishments of fellow writers. I'm thrilled to announce the release of Closed Hearts, the second book in The Mindjack Trilogy by Susan Kaye Quinn. I'm a huge fan of Susan's blog. It's been a thrill to follow her journey from Open Minds to Closed Hearts. 

Open Minds is a "hands up in the air" roller coaster ride. I'm off to click my safety bar into place and dive into Closed Hearts. Wishing Susan massive success with The Mindjack Trilogy.

WHEN YOU CONTROL MINDS, ONLY YOUR HEART CAN BE USED AGAINST YOU.

Book Two of the Mindjack Trilogy

Eight months ago, Kira Moore revealed to the mindreading world that mindjackers like herself were hidden in their midst. Now she wonders if telling the truth was the right choice after all. As wild rumors spread, a powerful anti-jacker politician capitalizes on mindreaders’ fears and strips jackers of their rights. While some jackers flee to Jackertown—a slum rife with jackworkers who trade mind control favors for cash—Kira and her family hide from the readers who fear her and jackers who hate her. But when a jacker Clan member makes Kira’s boyfriend Raf collapse in her arms, Kira is forced to save the people she loves by facing the thing she fears most: FBI agent Kestrel and his experimental torture chamber for jackers. 

Now available! $2.99 Ebook at Amazon (and Amazon UK) and Barnes and Noble Request a Kindlegraph Paper copies available at Amazon or get signed copies from the author

Susan Kaye Quinn is the author of the bestselling YA novel Open Minds,  Book One of the Mindjack Trilogy, available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and itunes. Susan's business card says "Author and Rocket Scientist," but she mostly plays on Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest.

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Random Act of Kindness BLITZ!

A smile. An encouraging word. A thoughtful gesture. Each day people interact with us, help, and make our day a bit brighter and full. This is especially true in the Writing Community. 

Take a second to think about writers you know, like the critique partner who works with you to improve your manuscript. The writing friend who listens, supports and keeps you strong when times are tough. The author who generously offers council, advice and inspiration when asked.

So many people take the time to make us feel special, don't they? They comment on our blogs, re-tweet our posts, chat with us on forums and wish us Happy Birthday on Facebook.

Kindness ROCKS!

To commemorate the release of their book The Emotion Thesaurus, Becca and Angela at The Bookshelf Muse are hosting a TITANIC Random Act Of Kindness BLITZ. And because I think KINDNESS is contagious, I'm participating too!

I am choosing the library staff of our local high school. They do so much to put awesome books into the hands of our teens despite the devastating budget cuts to education. For my RAOK gift, I'm donating two copies of John Green's amazing The Fault in Our Stars. 

Don't forget your local elementary, junior high, and high school libraries when you're cleaning out your bookshelves.

Do you know someone special that you'd like to randomly acknowledge? Don't be shy--come join us and celebrate! Send them an email, give them a shout out, or show your appreciation in another way. Kindness makes the world go round. :)

Becca and Angela have a special RAOK gift waiting for you as well, so hop on over to The Bookshelf Muse to pick it up.

Have you ever participated in or been the recipient of a Random Act Of Kindness?  Let me know in the comments!

A to Z Challenge Reflection

I'm pumping my fist in the air for making it through all 26 letters.

Now I'm fist pumping for everyone else who made it.

Worth it...absolutely.

I met some wonderful, creative folks and forged closer relationships with others who I already knew.

Difficult...absolutely.

I approached each letter post the way a designer would approach their daily sketch diary. One new picture/post a day to sharpen my blogging skills.


Thrilled with my new followers...absolutely.

Suggestion:

It would be cool to have a code to identify the flavor of the participating blogs. 

W for writing, C for cooking, B for book review etc.

Thank you to the hosts who lit up Bloglandia with this fabulous opportunity.

Z is for Zurg, Evil Emperor Zurg

Twenty-Six Days of Creative Inspiration

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, to all the wonderful folks out there in Bloglandia who have visited and followed my humble blog during the A to Z Challenge. I've had a blast meeting so many new friends. You are my inspiration.

And now the baddest baddie in the known universe...

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Evil Emperor Zurg from the Toy Story movies is on a mission to destroy Star Command and conquer the Galaxy.

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Thank goodness, Buzz Lightyear stands between us and evil incarnate.

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Good will prevail.

Is there anyone out there who didn't dream of their toys coming to life? I wished upon countless stars for that to happen. The Toy Story movies granted my wish. 

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Andy's collection of toys found their way into my heart. Now my wish upon a star is to write a story that will find its way into someone's heart the way Toy Story did for me.

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Toy Story made me believe that wishes do come true.

Who is your favorite toy in Toy Story?  

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Y is for Yoda

Twenty-Six Days of Creative Inspiration

In the context of Joseph Campbell's hero journey, the mentor archetype doesn't get better than Yoda, Jedi Master extraordinaire, from Star Wars.

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Luke Skywalker's quest would have fallen kersplat if he'd never met Yoda in The Empire Strikes Back.

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Here are a few Yoda gems to send you on your way:

"Mind what you have learned. Save you it can."

"Difficult to see. Always in motion is the future."

"To answer power with power, the Jedi way this is not. In this war, a danger there is, of losing who we are."

"Named must your fear be before banish it you can."

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You've gotta love a Jedi Master who keeps reinventing himself. My students are currently hooked on this book.

What are you favorite Yoda moments?

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X is for The X Files

Twenty-Six Days of Creative Inspiration

If you've been following my A to Z posts, you probably saw this one coming a mile away.

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Yes, The X Files motivated me with a capital M.

 Great Characters - Special Agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully are a true dynamic duo. Her analytic personality is a perfect contrast to his ever-questioning tendencies and suspended disbelief in most things alien or supernatural. The ongoing joust of sexual tension between the two always kept the partnership interesting.

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Alien Mythology Arc - The show was unique in that most given episodes stood on their own, but embedded in the entire series was the alien mythology/shadow conspiracy story. The underlying threat from a consortium of humans who were bargaining with an alien race for colonization of the Earth was a major draw for me. Trying to string together clues and identify dropped breadcrumbs of the mythology arc was a blast.

Unfortunately the show hit a dull thud for me when David Duchovny left. I never warmed up to the new kids on the block. The first X-Files movie, Fight the Future, hit the X dead on for me. I ate it up. The second movie, I Want to Believe...um...well...nevermind.

My Mulder and Scully action figures will always have a place of honor on my desk.

Were you hooked by The X-Files? Did you prefer the alien mythology arc or the supernatural episodes best?


Here is a list of the alien mythology episodes.

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W is for Dr. Who

Twenty-Six Days of Creative Inspiration
Howdy, new followers. Welcome aboard.


What is the secret staying power of a BBC Sci Fi television series that started back in 1963, ran through 1989, was reincarnated in 2005, and still delights its audience today?

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The magic ingredient of the phenomenal program, Dr. Who, is the unforgettable main character, The Doctor.

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The Doctor is the last of the Time Lords. His home planet Gallifray was destroyed by his arch-enemies, the Daleks, during the Time War. 

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Ever since, The Doctor travels in his telepathic time machine, a 1960's English phone box called the Tardis, through time and space in an endless loop of adventures.

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In Dr. Who, The Doctor's wildly imaginative, outside the box escapades have a consistent thread, the Doctor's compassion. He'll go up against the most horrific of foe and still try to find the goodness hidden inside them. While we are screaming for him to zap the enemy with his sonic screwdriver, we love The Doctor for his conscience and quest to always take the high ground.

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The travels of Dr. Who illustrate over and over that imagination in storytelling is limitless. We can go to anytime, anyplace, real or imagined if we so choose when we tell our stories. The series has encouraged me to crack open my head and free all the fantastical nuggets trapped inside.

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There have been eleven molecularly regenerated Doctors over the span of the program, as well as a succession of derring-do female companions who accompany him on his journeys for a season or two.

I say it's time for The Doctor to seek out a new companion...ME! I want to go nebula hopping, watch the sun explode, and ski the rings of Saturn. I even have my own sonic screwdriver.

Daleks beware. The Doctor and Leslie are coming your way.

Time to share your Dr. Who love. Do you watch? Who is your favorite Doctor, companion, and enemy? If you haven’t seen Dr. Who, what are you waiting for?

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V is for View from the Fifth Grade Trenches: Van Gogh

Twenty-Six Days of Creative Inspiration

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How many of you just said, "Ahhhh" when you looked at this pic of Starry Night? The work of Vincent Van Gogh grabs me every time I look at it. His variety of brushstrokes, his vibrant colors, and his perspective of the ordinary never fails to pull me in.

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I find his work very appealing and relatable to my 5th graders. Van Gogh's work is accessible because the kids can see the color variations and the movement of the lines. They do a terrific job duplicating his work as they experiment with their own blossoming artistic skill.

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My students will recreate Sunflowers twice, once in chalk and again in thickened tempra paint to explore the textures Van Gogh created.

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Okay, okay, there is the ear (or lack of it) "issue." Yes, I do share that information with the kids. It's a great illustration of an "artistic personality" run amok.

Van Gogh's life story is as compelling as his work. He is a cornerstone of my inspirations.

Are you a Van Gogh fan? Florals or landscapes? Do you have a favorite piece?

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U is for UCLA

Twenty-Six Days of Creative Inspiration

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I am a Bruin. You might call me an Uber-Bruin. I earned a BA in theater arts and an MFA in theater design/technology from UCLA as well as serving on the design faculty of UCLA's Department of Theater for over a decade.

There was no better place for a creative soul to be nurtured than UCLA's Department of Theater. I entered as an actress and left as a lighting designer. Along the way I had two plays produced. Talent and artistic risk taking was always encouraged at UCLA.

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It was not only my teachers/mentors that inspired me, but the amazing peers I was surrounded by. Ed Solomon and Chris Matheson who wrote Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure were in my playwriting class. Ed went on to pen Men in Black. I was fortunate to work with Ed again on "It's Garry Shandling's Show. He was a writer and I was the assistant art director. I designed lighting and sound for shows that starred Tim Robbins. I could name drop for days, but I will spare you.The joke in my family is that everyone who I went to school with at UCLA is famous except for me. 

You couldn't turn around at UCLA without bumping into talent and inspiration.

If you have college bound kids in your life who crave a creative playground make sure they give UCLA a peek.

How did your college days inspire your future? Any fellow Bruins out there in Bloglandia?

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