Word of the Day: "Wordstipation"

Wordstipation: (n.) A condition suffered by writers when what they want to write is all there in the writer's head, but the words just won't come out onto the page.

As far as I know, I am the first person ever to have used this word, but I won't be so arrogant as to claim ownership of it exclusively. It's a word, and it should be used.

Tarot and Writing

One of the things I forgot to mention after my trip to Rockhampton a couple of weeks ago, was the gorgeous gift my sister gave to me while I was there. I don't know how I could have neglected to tell about this, but there you go it's BLASS (Brain like a sieve syndrome).

The cards are an early birthday gift from my sister and the deck is The Dragon Tarot by Nigel Suckling.

They're gorgeous cards to look at, and sweet to work with.


Back of Cards

I fell in love with them the minute I touched them, they just have a beautiful 'vibration' to them.

I've done a little work with them the past few nights, using them to brainstorm ideas and outline a novel I want to write after I finish my current WIP.

I did a course in "Tarot for the Writer" last year and find this a brilliant way to unlock my creativity and inspire me to think outside the box.

I don't do tarot readings for real people, but I have done them for characters. In fact, my novel Hunter's Dawn: Laying the Ghosts was inspired by a tarot spread which I did for the main characters.

If you'd like more information about "Tarot for the Writer" the course I did is run by Tarot by Arwen. It was an interesting course and has been helpful to me in my writing since I did it.

Anyway, back to the cards. The imagery on them is utterly gorgeous and they handle better than any tarot deck I own. I think these will become my favorite set!


Ace of Pentacles

As a tool for creativity, I think Tarot works, because of the randomness of turning over a card to see what is depicted. It could be kind of like the method some writers employ of rolling a dice, or drawing a plot device out of a hat. Plus you get the mystical magical feeling that tarot cards impart to the whole deal.

I've also recently purchased a book by the title Tarot for Writers by Corinne Kenner which I am looking forward to receiving in the mail. Anything to keep those creative synapses firing!

So, thanks to my Sis, I have got a deck of cards that just sizzles with creative energy whenever I touch it, and hopefully, that will inspire many a plot point to come!

You can find more information about all the cards, books, and courses mentioned in this blog by following the links below!

Hunter's Dawn: Laying the Ghosts

The Dragon Tarot by Nigel Suckling

Tarot by Arwen

Tarot for Writers

Differences of Opinion

Yeesh, I seem to be having one of those days--or evenings, depending on your perspective. I have not set out to deliberately cross swords with, or offend anyone today, but so far I can count three distinct incidences where it seems I have done so.

Might be best if I just shut my mouth and write for the remaining few hours and avoid anymore flying bullets or snapping teeth that clash together an inch away from the end of my nose. O_O

Actually, one of the incidences was more of a debate than a disagreement, and I thought I would share it here.

One of my author pals and I had a lively debate earlier this evening on the subject of reviewing books.

My friend is of the opinion that writers ought not to review other writer's works and I think that it is fine for any reader (writer or otherwise) to offer their opinion of a book, that's what a review is, basically and whilst I don't call myself a 'professional' reviewer, I don't see anything wrong with reviewing or giving an opinion about another writer's work

I don't think that anything I say could really influence sales of a book, but my friend thinks that it is unfair for a writer--unless they have won the nobel prize for literature, to criticise a work and possibly cause a decrease in sales with their opinion.

Q4U: What do you think? Can anyone review a book, or should it be left to 'professional, qualified' reviewers?

Retrobricks

One of the things I love most about being a writer is the fun things you learn or revisit when researching for a story. Tonight's fun Du Jour is Retrobricks--old style cell phones.

The first call ever made from a cell phone was made back in 1973 when Dr. Martin Cooper of Motorola placed a call to his main rival Joel Engel, Bell Labs head of research.

Motorola was first to make a cell/mobile phone commercially available in the United States. It was the Motorola DynaTAC 8000x and was first approved for distribution within the USA in 1983.

Sad though it may seem, I can remember seeing people using these. They retailed in the USA for $3,995USD! ( I didn't own one!)

According to another site I discovered, there were 7000 people in the USA in 1984 who owned a cell phone but sales rocketed from there on until today, where annual cell phones sales number in the billions!

It's not difficult to see, though, why these things were and are, called bricks. Compared to the sleek, slim little models we see today this thing is just a monster, and apparently had the capacity to fry a human brain, according to one site I read. I can believe it. What kind of radiation was this thing putting out?

I can remember when using my own cell phone--I got my first one in about 1990--left me with a strange taste in my mouth afterward if I used it too long, and it also would make my ear hot!

So I did all this research to decide whether it would be pheasible to have either of my protags in The Colt, or anyone they know, own a cell phone. I've decided that given the price range and the very small number of sales at the time when the novel is set, they probably didn't. It certainly makes things interesting when you're writing a story and someone can't just pull a cell phone out of his pocket to make or receive a call.

Just for fun and comparison, here is a picture of a typical cell phone in 2010



Come on now, play nice. Just because it's an iPhone doesn't mean it's not real. *g*

If you'd like to read more about the first cell phone, you can go here. You might even like to buy yourself one! Only 149GBP!