RIP and Occupy Seattle

"You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart."

--Steve Jobs

Remember that one, people. RIP.

So last night Viv and I went down to Occupy Seattle to donate some food. We were only vessels for the generosity of several local businesses, including PCC Natural Markets, Cupcake Royale, and Stockbox Grocers. Each and every one of these businesses is doing something worth checking out, from PCC's commitment to non-GMO foods to the Stockbox folks trying to combat food deserts. (Viv and I are lucky enough to have Stockbox in our backyard)

If local businesses, often struggling in this economy as the smallest fraction of our society grabs the biggest share of wealth, can offer some of what they do have for people trying to make a difference, it seems to me the folks with a shameful amount of wealth and power should be able to do that much more. There are a lot of wonderful and complex economic and political arguments out there, but to me it's an issue of the human spirit. Are we the kind of people who allow someone's house to burn to the ground because he failed to pay the fire service fee? Or are we the kind of people who come together and understand that ..."part of the underlying social contract is you take a hunk of that and pay forward for the next kid who comes along."

None of you should be surprised that I support the latter sentiment.

When I was in a very low place, my best friend and his family took me in to their home. I had nothing. No money. No job. No way to directly contribute. When I asked what I could possibly do to repay him, he said three words: pay it forward. That's what we all need to do. I believe we are a social, collaborative species at heart and we've succeeded so well thus far because we have worked out all of these little ways of getting along and sharing resources. The current political climate is a direct threat to that. Dog eat dog diminishes us all.

A somewhat disjointed update

Oh my god you guys, my storyboard makes no sense from one draft to the next.

I am a pantser. I think I am almost incapable of planning in a linear fashion to the point where I can do a this then that outline. I love the storyboard because it lets me give some shape to my thoughts, but note to self: if you forget to move the pieces around as you revise, you sit there saying the hell was I thinking? every ten seconds.

Anyway. I've been quiet here because I have an exciting project going on in the background. Hopefully I can tell you all what it is soon. Suffice to say it is a lot of work, especially on top of grad school, though I am still pulling my weight in terms of grades. It's an accelerated program so it's whiplash inducing, but I'm learning plenty.

The apartment is nice and painted. Mulberry, chili pepper red, teal, and bright yellow. All that is left is my room, which will be leaf green. Speaking of colors and art, my cover design should be finalized sometime soon. I am so excited. The artist is very talented and his work fits my story perfectly. I can't wait to show that off, too!

Oh, and I've recently discovered Get Glue, which is an insane time waster. Still, they have 30 Seconds to Mars stickers so I am helpless before its dark power. If you're on there, come find me!

I want your novel soundtrack

Hey there, sassy ones.

I bet all you writer faces have soundtracks that get you in the mood to tackle that work in progress. I mention some of why music works for me in this post over here. There's a link, a conditioning where we link songs and feelings, creativity and lyrics. I want to know yours. What are you listening to while you write, these days?

Here's some of mine in no particular order. (you can assume everything Neko Case has ever done, and everything Florence and the Machine have ever done, too.)

The song to rule them all: Favorite, Neko Case

Videos have nothing to do with it. Tried to find the least obnoxious ones I could.

The Weepies, No One Knows Me at All

30 Seconds to Mars, Vox Populi

Darkest of the Hillside Thickets, Worship Me Like a God & Twenty Minutes of Oxygen


Hammerfall, The Unforgiving Blade

Waltz Across Texas Tonight, Emmylou Harris

Just a Thought, Gnarls Barkley

Be Like Water, Sarah Fimm

True Love, Mark Mallman (although this video is pretty rad if you're a Band of Brothers fan)

Red Hot, Jurassic 5

Wolf Like Me, TV on the Radio

Time is Running Out, Muse

More Than a Feeling, Boston

What Sarah Said, Death Cab for Cutie

Out Loud, Dispatch

Downtown Train, Tom Waits

This Fire, Killswitch Engage

Show me yours, guys! Tell me why you chose the songs you did, if you so choose.

Have a happy Campaign!

Vitameatavegamin

Allright, you guys. (I wish I could refer to you as my little monsters, but Lady Gaga kinda has the market on that one, hmm?) I am doing the Third Platform Building Campaign, courtesy of Rach Writes. Don't worry. This isn't me doing the literary equivalent of shilling for Vitameatavegamin. It's a way to get involved and pay it forward, because there's nothing I like better than building a thriving writing community. And maybe, just maybe, find a potential reader or two. :)

Dear White Wolf

It is with a heavy heart that I am going to miss the Grand Masquerade this year.

Earlier today, I read a twitter friend's comment about how he's done some of his best writing when he didn't have anything but the writing. That is, no games on his computer, no Internet, no nothing.

These two things go together in my mind, because I got my start writing Werewolf: the Apocalypse fanfiction. Oh, Werewolf: the Apocalypse. I still own over two hundred source books for that game, plus a good showing of titles from other White Wolf games. There was a time in my very early twenties when I had no Internet, and a computer so Frankensteined it would only run WordPerfect.

I learned something important about entertaining myself, writing very earnest, fair to middling tales of darkness, gore, and the limits of the human spirit. (plus shapeshifters!) Which is, of course, what White Wolf games tend to be about. And now, thanks to those same games, I'm a better writer. White Wolf helped me find my themes. It kept me hanging on through some very difficult times in my life, provided me a mental landscape I could use as an escape until I learned to construct my own.

So thank you, White Wolf. In many ways, you helped make me who I am.

Here's an excerpt from seventeen year old me:

"Testing the hearts of all gathered, She found that only Red Talon had kept himself pure, free of the Weaver and the Wyrm, and She set the great wolf at the edge of Her territories, charging him with keeping the tainted apes from spoiling Her bounty. Ever since we have guarded her Wyld places, never forgetting our sacred duty as so many others have. So, when you ask for a single place sacred to the Talons, that I can't give you. Our sacred places are all the places of Gaia still Wyld and free."

Donations

Thank you to Rachel Haimowtiz for donating a copy of Sublime to the Center for Sex Positive Culture!

The Center's mission is: "As proponents of sex positive culture, we believe that the appropriate uses of sex extend beyond reproduction. They include creating personal pleasure, bonding interpersonal relationships, promoting spiritual growth, and enhancing emotional and physical health. In a sex positive world, everyone has the freedom and resources to pursue a fulfilling and empowering sex life."

Thank you to Rachel once again for helping to promote a truly valuable set of ideas!

If you are an erotica author and would like to donate a copy of your work to the Center, please message me at tigergray27@gmail.com

All is quiet

I haven't done much here lately because I've been hammering away on some big posts in the back of my mind. I have this thing where, contrary to popular advice about posting three times a week, I only post when I have something to say. I don't like filler and I don't like handing out run of the mill writing advice. That stuff is everywhere.

So today I bring you something that will hopefully inspire you to help out, instead of telling you how to market on twitter or write snappy sentences.

I volunteer for The Center for Sex Positive Culture. We're a diverse org that works towards acceptance of all consensual lifestyles and forms of sexual expression. We have sexy parties, but we also offer workshops, support groups, and the like.

We also have a library, devoted to related topics. That means we have everything from straight up erotica all the way through how to books, spiritual texts, and so forth, all dealing with sex, LGBT issues, how to negotiate a relationship (whether you have two, four, six people, whatever), how to perform bondage safely and so on.

This is where you come in! Do you write something you think would be a fit for the Center's library? Smoldering erotica? BDSM porn? Your journey through coming out, transitioning, whatever? Something I haven't even thought of yet? Then consider donating a copy or two to the Center.

If you're interested please email me at tigergray27@gmail.com

Yes, you get a tax break (possibly, I can't speak for certain about different states and so on) and I can send you the form for that.

Thanks everyone!