Writing

- erynnmangum@gmail.com 10 Comments

Brain Drizzle

As gross as the title sounds, no, I am not going to discuss horror movies today. 😉

Actually, I’ve been thinking over some different plot ideas I’ve had. They haven’t been serious enough thoughts for an actual brain storm, more like a light sprinkle. Thus the title of this blog.

For those writers out there, how do you create plots? We’re talking about creating characters over at Scribble Chicks and it’s just got me thinking about how many, many ways there are to get your creative juices flowing!

Like, for example, I know people who are inspired to creativity by a long shower or a hot bath. I’ve never been one for baths (unless I’m sick. The water gets too cold too quickly for my taste), but I love a good, long, blistering hot shower. I’d like to say I get inspired in the shower just as an excuse to stay in there longer, but sadly, I don’t. Usually, my mind is a complete and utter blank in there. I blame it on the combination of steam and guava-peach scented bodywash.

Or, I know people who get inspired by listening to big, dramatic soundtracks. Problem for me: I’m not a fan of big, dramatic soundtracks. I’m a jumper. If a cymbal clashes in a movie, I pop off that couch so high you can fit a phone book in the space between my tush and the cushion. So, I’m think there wouldn’t be inspiration as much as just perspiration if I tried that approach. (I can just see myself getting this permanent twitch anytime I came near my laptop.)

I tend to want only three things when I’m chewing over an idea: 1) A quiet house, 2) A lot of time and 3) Chocolate. This combination has worked time and again, but you never know how well something else might work until you try it, right? I’m all about mild change being a good thing!

So, your turn! Writer or not, how do you get inspired?

- erynnmangum@gmail.com 7 Comments

Me As A Nerd

I like to think of myself as being relatively normal. And I like to think that on the whole, I come across that way. I love coffee, so does most of America. I love chick-flicks, so do most American girls. I hate ketchup, so does French’s Mustard. And I hate the movie Hot Rod. But that one is self-explanatory.

But I guess occasionally, I do slip into the Nerdy Writer role and yesterday was just one of those days. Jon came home, heard me giggling over the Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest and quite emphatically announced that I was a nerd.

“Nuh-uh!” This was my brilliant comeback.

For those of you who haven’t heard of the Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest, you need to know. This is the most hilarious writing competition in the world! The whole contest is based on Edward George Bulwer-Lytton’s famously plagiarized first sentence in his 1830 novel Paul Clifford:

“It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents–except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which swept up the streets (for it is in London that our scene lies), rattling along the housetops, and fiercely agitating the scanty flame of the lamps that struggled against the darkness.”

Horrific, right? 🙂

So, in honor of this sentence, there is a Worst First Sentence Contest that has been held every year for the past 26 years. People enter from all over the world and they take submissions up until April 15. So, if you’ve got a ridiculously awful first sentence that you feel deserves this dishonor, please submit it!

I pulled a few of my favorites from last year’s winners:

“Lightning flashed from the blue-black sky of this alien world and shattered the engines of the spaceship, destroying Reninger’s last chance of escaping and reminding him of the time his sister returned from New York with the tips of her hair dyed blue, except for the part about the lightning and the spaceship.” – Mark Murata, Kirkland, WA

“Special agent Mark Park’s strong chin and firm mouth showed that he was a man to be reckoned with, while his twinkling blue eyes revealed surprising depths of kindness and humor, the scar on his cheek a past filled with violence and danger, and his left ear a fondness for M and Ms, but only the red ones.” – John R. Cooper, Portland, OR

“The penguin stood on the iceberg, cutting a striking black-on-white profile, much like the silhouette produced by a person standing behind a screen in front of a bright light while holding up a Twinkie to represent the penguin and placing it atop a Yorkshire terrier to represent the iceberg.” – Sarah Totton, Owen Sound, Ontario

You can find tons more of these here.

So, for all you fellow nerds out there, I hope you enjoy them! Some are funnier than others and I think I appreciated more of the Dishonorable Mentions than the winners.

P.S. I thought you all would appreciate a few pictures from the past few weeks – we took Kody to the other side of the mountain to play in some snow and there’s pics from a recent trip to Vegas with my parents – I MET ELVIS!!!

My handsome boys

 

Kody posing

 

Thus the reason for the lead. This one’s a runner!

 

Our nice waterfall picture

 

And our not nice one

 

ELVIS!!!

Notice the running water fountain that makes the canopy

 

Mom and Jon playing with the fountain

 

No need to go to France now. Aren’t we like the most attractive couple?! 😛

 

He stands so still…it’s amazing!

Family pic with the King of Rock and Roll

 

It’s Red!

 

In front of the famous Bellagio, waiting for the fountain show

 

I love my husband. 🙂

- erynnmangum@gmail.com 10 Comments

Spring Break is Over – So Tragical!

Hi!

Today is the first day back to my normal schedule, so I apologize for the lateness in this blog. Last week was Jon’s spring break, the weekend before that I was in Dallas and had SO much fun! I got to meet several of you (YAY!!) and had an amazing time seeing old friends and making new ones.

I have a lot of extended family in Dallas, so I was able to catch up with them as well – it’s so weird to see how much my cousins have grown up! Part of me hates it, but then again, there’s lots of good things that come with getting older (like Jon), so I guess it’s okay. 🙂 I got to see one of my best friends since the seventh grade who lives in Dallas too – awesome! So, between the Christian Book Expo and the Cheesecake Factory, I had an amazing weekend!

Here’s a few pics of me meeting some incredible girls at the Book Expo: 🙂

SUCH FUN!!!

So, last night, after hiding it for more than a year, Jon finally discovered something pretty awful about me. I think he knew about it, he just didn’t know the depth of it. And no, it’s not some tattoo thing like the lady had on Three Musketeers. I’m going to confess it to you just because I’ve heard confession is good for the soul.

I HATE MICE.

And not just hate in a “Oh, I don’t particularly like them” kind of a way. I hate them. I have panic attacks just thinking about mice. I could probably have made my living being a pole vaulter without the pole if someone just let a bunch of mice out behind me.

It happened because we were watching a show where someone rubbed their cheek with a mouse. DISGUSTING. Obviously, I flipped out.

I think Jon cried from laughing so hard last night. It started with him lightly touching my cheek with our fuzzy blanket so I’d begin shrieking and ended with him running his fingers up my arm like some horrendous creature.

Bleugh.

Despite the gross factor, last night was fun and silly and relaxing and a perfect way to end spring break.

I hope all of you are having a fabulous week!