Michele M. Thornton

The Princess and the Frog

2009-11-26T14:02:00.000-08:00

It's finally premier week for The Princess and the Frog, the first black Disney princess EVER. That's pretty exciting, but even better is the wonderful message behind the movie: that you should pursue your dreams, but dreams take hard work, sacrifice and planning to come to fruition. What an empowering message for young girls of all colors. This princess is not waiting around to be rescued...bravo Disney! Watch what the creators have to say:

NaNoWriMo, Still Plugging Away

2009-11-20T10:09:00.000-08:00

It's a little more than half way through the NaNo process, and I have to say it's been an eye opener. I'm nowhere near reaching the goal of 50,000 words, but that was never my personal goal. I decided to NaNo because I was stuck on starting this particular novel, and figured that plunging into it at break neck speed was as good a way as any to get things out of the world-building, character-building and thinking-about-writing stage and into the actual work of story building. And it has been.

In the process of speed writing scene after scene, I'm learning a lot about the characters I've created, what motivates them, what they want and where the are headed. I've also gotten my plot all messed up, forgotten who was doing what when, and have written bunches of sentences that are just plain awful.

I've learned a few things about my story. As with all learning, it's best done by doing, and in NaNo I've done some exciting new things and some really, really dumb ones. Here's my short list of wonderful/awful NaNo discoveries:

Argyle is the stupidest character name I've ever created
I have no idea what the cats are doing
I love Fenniman the trickster. He never would have emerged if I hadn't NaNo'd
Alpacas hum when they are happy and spit when they are mad.
Love triangles are interesting
My first gay character emerged, and she's pretty sassy

One challenge I'm having at this point is that my plot is a mess. I'm solving this by calling it "Draft Zero", and have decreed "Draft Zero" to be free of all plot constraints, because with a plot you have to decide what to leave in and what to leave out, and that's the job of Draft One. So, it's back to creating random scenes and throwing my characters together to see what interesting things happen.

Why I Love The Hunger Games

2009-11-16T15:57:00.000-08:00

Can you feel the tension?

King-Sized Read

2009-11-10T13:19:00.000-08:00

I'm breathless from unloading my trunk after a Costco run, and not just from lugging a 40lb bag of cat litter or wrestling with two shrink-wrapped 100 ounce jars of olives that should embellish my martinis for the next two years, but from this purchase:

Weighing in at five pounds, and with over 1,000 pages, it's a Costco-sized Stephen King novel! How could I resist?

It's been awhile since I've indulged in a little Stephen King--far too long. The last King I read all the way through was the Dark Tower series, which I loved. It has also been a long time since King took on a "big" subject, like he did in the Stand. I hope this lives up to my high expectations, and if the review from Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan is even close, I'll come away satisfied.

"Nobody yarns a “What if?” like Stephen King. Nobody. The implausibility of a dome sealing off an entire city--a motif seen before in pulp magazines and on comic book covers--is given the most elaborate real-life alibi by crafting details, observations, and insights that make us nod silently while we read. Promotional materials reference The Stand in comparison, but we liken Under The Dome more to King's excellent novella, The Mist: another locked-door situation on an epic scale, a tour-de-force in which external stressors bake off the civility of a small town full of dark secrets, exposing souls both very good...and very, very bad."

But I must not open this until I've finished NaNoWriMo right? RIGHT??

Friday Funny

2009-11-06T08:36:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Cindy Pon, who made me laugh out loud this morning on Facebook...

Zombies and Werewolves and Wraiths, Oh My!

2009-11-05T13:50:00.000-08:00

Pen Tales muses about the trend in book titles...

NaNoWriMo, Here I Go

2009-11-03T12:42:00.000-08:00

For several years now, I've watched writer friends sign up for National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) and wondered what the heck they were thinking. Why would anyone blurt out a 50,000 word novel in one month? There's no editing allowed, for Pete's sake. It's a mad dash through the first draft, and you have to let the good, the bad, and the ugly sit there on the page untouched until December. Awful.

But I've just completed world and character building for a new novel and have found it terribly hard to get started with the actual writing of it. Hey, I'm BUSY. I have a job, a family, friends and the need to sleep on occasion. Things need dusting. Drawers need cleaning. I have to post on Facebook, email old high school buddies, harvest on FarmTown, catch up on Mad Men.

Yes, I've been procrastinating.

Don't ask me why I'd procrastinate on a project I'm really excited about. Perhaps it's fear of watching my beautiful idea swished around in my mouth until it looks like backwash. (Gross analogy, but in the spirit of NaNo, I'm letting it stand.)

Possibly, just maybe, Mr. Provost was right and I'm a little bit lazy. I need deadlines. I need NaNo. So, here I go, along with my writing group partners Elise and Jules, who inspired me to finally try this. If you are doing NaNo, come friend me at mthornton.

Watch out novel! I'm going to whip you out!

A Few of My Favorite (Horrifying) Things

2009-10-28T11:33:00.001-07:00

It's the season when vampires, goblins and witches roam the darkened streets in search of prey...er...candy. I love Halloween because I love to be scared, as long it's creepy-scared not omygod-we're-going-down-in-a-jetliner-scared. I get a thrill if I think something might be lurking, stalking, watching or waiting to pounce. I crave the chill that runs down my spine when a door creeks, a dog howls or a strange, dragging footfall paces the empty hallway just above my head. So, in honor of Halloween, the best holiday ever, here are a few of my favorite horrifying things.

Vampire Movies

I've always been a sucker for a good vampire movie. By good, I mean Bram Stoker's Dracula or Nosferatu. Twilight is titillating, not scary.

There will be no make-out sessions with THIS vampire.

Vincent Price

He would be scary reading the phone book.

Horror Comics

Tales from the Crypt, It's Midnight...The Witching Hour, and Creepy were always at the top of

my comic book stack. I still have dozens of them (including the one pictured) in a box in the basement somewhere. Lurking. Waiting.

Ghost Stories

I especially love strange and subtle ghost stories like The Others.

Nearly Everything Written

by Stephen King

He's a masterful writer who has caused me to lose more than a few nights of sleep.

But the thing that scares me most--in a distinctly non-delightful way, are clowns.

Call it coulrophobia if you will, but clowns make me want to crawl under my chair, hide my head under the pillow, and run screaming from the room. The only thing more blood-curdling than a clown would be an airplane full of clowns, headed for Las Vegas on a non-stop flight with a dozen babies and no alcohol.

First of all, clowns aren't funny. They are almost as unfunny as mimes and Punch and Judy shows.

I'm sure Stephen King shares my feelings. IT was terrifying. Well, the book was terrifying. The movie was just terrifyingly awful. But the story is set in a place I know fairly well, and my mother grew up in. She used to play near the standpipe when she was a girl. (King has stated that "Derry" Maine is a fictionalized version of Bangor).

Stephen King - Counting The Beat With Pennywise
by goldrausch

(I spent a while looking for a good IT video to post. That was probably a mistake, because now I will have clown nightmares. Maybe I'll have to read Salem's Lot before bed to cleanse my brain of clown images.)

Real Clowns are Scary, Too

I hope I never meet the sick and twisted mind of this criminal. Putting a dead deer on someone's front porch is a prank. Dressing it in a clown suit is just evil.

(from KMEG.com)

SIOUX CITY, Iowa—You'll never see this clown in the circus. Animal control officers in Sioux City, Iowa, say someone dressed a dead deer in a clown suit and wig and put it on a family's porch. Officers suspect it was a prank, considering Halloween is approaching, but they say it's not funny, safe or acceptable.

The deer was discovered Wednesday morning.

Animal Control Officer Jake Appel says leaving a dead animal is immature and illegal. He says officers will dispose of the deer properly.

Sioux City police have not opened an investigation.

No investigation, you say? Sounds pretty suspicious to me. I wonder if the Sioux City police department gives out balloons...

Autumn!

2009-10-15T19:49:00.000-07:00

This is definitely my favorite time of year. The house smells of baked apples, the breeze carries that hint of woodsmoke and snow to come, and the red and yellow leaves skitter and swirl across the driveway. What a great time of year to put on the fuzzy slippers and write something new and exciting.

Cute Wednesday

2009-10-14T09:13:00.000-07:00

Bella and Luna are a year old this month! Here's your dose of "awww" for the week.

Last November Today

Wordstock, Sasquatch, and a Break from the 'Burbs

2009-10-11T21:47:00.001-07:00

Yesterday was my day to attend the Portland literary festival Wordstock. I've blogged in detail over at Pen Tales, but here's a short list of the things I liked about it:

Books, lots of books, many signed
Writers, famous ones and those of us who aspire
Sasquatch
Starbucks

Wordstock did NOT have:

Soccer games
Minivans
Marketing deadlines
Laundry

It was a fabulous day made even better by coming home to homemade pasta sauce and meatballs (thanks, Mom) a husband who demonstrated my daughter's latest dance class steps so I'd be up to speed, and a daughter who was happy because she got to eat pie for breakfast. Why can't every Sunday be like this?

Blurg Scale=9

2009-10-05T16:07:00.000-07:00

The past week has been a rough one. On the Thornton Blurg Scale, it ranked a 9 out of 10. (Blurg is my moniker for anything that makes me want to make the queasy blurg sound.) It could have been worse: if someone had died, it would have scored a solid 10. But it was a raging 9, complete with broken hearts, a busted coffee maker, a nonfunctioning car, a fractured ego and a dash of despair for extra flavor. Sigh. So today's blog will be lighthearted, because I need a break from the blurg.

Yes, this is a real store, where they sell real superhero supplies.

Here's my wish list. I figure if I can get my hands on these three things, I'll be able to finish my new novel, get it published and into a second printing by Christmas.

But aside from the awesome storefront, they actually do really super things there. All proceeds from the sales made by Brooklyn Superhero Supply company benefits 826NYC, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting students ages 6-18 with their creative and expository writing skills, and to helping teachers inspire their students to write. Go, check them out. Make a donation.

Do you have a baby, or know one? Check out Sweater and Swaddle, my knitting-quilting-everything-fabric artist friend Holly Barry's Etsy site.

And, writer friends, if you haven't checked out The Rejectionist, you should. It's the blog of a funny, outrageous and blisteringly honest editorial assistant.

Wordstock, Here I Come!

2009-09-29T22:17:00.001-07:00

Ah, a book and literary festival right here in Portland. I've wanted to go for years...this time I am. October 10-11, you'll find me at Wordstock.

My "To Do" List

2009-09-22T10:52:00.000-07:00

My lovely daughter Sophie gave me a "to do" list last night. Apparently, I need some help organizing my day. It reads:

Work
Put up Halloween decorations
Read to her
Work
Read to her

This came as a big relief to me, because I had a lot of other things on my version of the list, like "pay bills" and "work out" and "feed the cats". Glad I don't have to do any of those things now. Other things I'm glad to see off my list are: "get flu shot" and "cook dinner" and "volunteer for the PTSO".

She was kind enough to clarify that my work included writing, so I am free now to spend the afternoon world-building on a new story idea. In its broadest sense it's about immortality, and the notes have been flowing fast and furiously for several weeks now. I love this stage of writing!

Yeah, it was sweet, but seriously folks

2009-09-17T13:19:00.000-07:00

I'm sure most of you with TV sets have seen this precious moment about 1,000 times by now. And yes, I do enjoy a feel-good news story from time to time. And yes, the dad was very patient with his precocious little girl.

Apparently his kind behavior is so remarkable that he has been bombarded by media, even appearing on the Today Show. All for the kind of loving, patient act which mothers perform at least 100 times a day.

OK, fathers do too. But I bet that if the person who caught the ball had been a mother, no one would have taken a second look. I guess my point is that men get huge kudos for having basic parenting skills, and mothers get...Mother's Day.

So, here's to all you moms out there who regularly, and without fanfare, youtube videos or Matt Lauer, have been kind and loving and patient--even when your favorite silk blouse was used as a baby blanket, or your only good pair of shoes were put into the bathtub to see if they could float.

Percy Jackson the Movie

2009-09-14T14:58:00.000-07:00

Been waiting for this all summer.

With a little luck, it'll remind young adult book publishers that Greek mythology is not only fun, but sells a lot of books (and movie rights). Let the Mark of Courage auctions begin...!

Excuses, Excuses

2009-09-08T10:48:00.000-07:00

I haven't blogged since May.

I was going to make a funny list of excuses, encompassing everything from the curious to the mundane, and then my writing partner Elise beat me to the punch. She's got a farm, you see. She has goats, a new pig, a vegetable garden the size of the Rose Bowl, a miniature cow, for Pete's sake. She wrote about her bloggy absence and managed, adeptly, to tie the whole thing to Magical Thinking.

I wanted to be profound today, really I did. I wanted to make a connection between my lack of bloggy creativity to the process of writing, the dips and pinnacles of artistic temperament, to the need for silent spaces in between the rush and rumble of my keyboard. But I have numerous marketing deadlines looming, not to mention catching up on edits and critiques, so this will have to suffice.

The dog ate my blog.

Bridget Zinn Auction

2009-05-21T07:30:00.000-07:00

If you don't already know this special person, you should. Bridget moved to Portland about a year ago, and I "met" her in the kidlit blogging community. She's a librarian and young adult writer, a health food enthusiast...and now a cancer patient. Although the words cancer patient bring to mind sad and tragic images, Bridget is anything but. She's a fighter and an optimist.

Bridget was featured in today's Oregonian.

As if battling cancer isn't enough to deal with, there are the enormous costs of medical care not covered by insurance. Please check out the silent auction for Bridget and bid, bid, bid! There are some one-of-a-kind items up for sale...first editions, artwork, vacations...you name it!

You can also follow Bridget on her blog.

But really, go BID. The auction closes on May 30.

Our Anniversary

2009-05-19T09:06:00.001-07:00

Happy 19 Years, Honey!

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

Can it be?? Finally?? A BLACK Disney Princess??

2009-05-12T14:28:00.000-07:00

Hallelujah and Hail Mary. Disney has finally created a black princess. Check out the trailer.

It only took about 75 years. Better late than never, Disney.

Tini Time

2009-05-06T06:00:00.000-07:00

Those of you who know me will recall that my favorite adult beverage is a classic vodka martini. Shaken, not stirred, up, two olives, and very dry. Those apple-cranberry-chocolate-mandarin-lemon-and-god-forbid-espresso-infused beverages? Not martinis.

Thanks to the people at If It's Hip, It's Here, I've discovered some unusual new vodkas, and thought they might provide the ideal libations for reading YA, if I were a drink-and-read type. Which I'm not. Seriously.

Sit-n-spin while reading A Curse as Dark as Gold.

Make the perfect Bloody Mary for a midnight session of Twilight.

Food for thought while dipping into Charlotte's Web.

(I know, Charlotte's Web isn't YA, but I couldn't resist.)

Make mine a double during What I Saw and How I Lied.

Get a buzz on with Sutter and The Spectacular Now.

Laugh my Bu-tay off while Spanking Shakespeare.

Silver Phoenix Debuts!

2009-05-04T06:00:00.000-07:00

Drop by Cindy Pon's blog to win prizes and check out her debut novel. I've got mine on order, and a book review will follow. I can't wait to read it! Gorgeous cover, eh?

My Favorite Rathersting

2009-04-29T12:06:00.000-07:00

My favorite fierce fairy was on Laini Taylor's blog today!

You Can't Make This Stuff Up

2009-04-28T09:51:00.000-07:00

True story. Not from The Onion.

Wind Tossed Chihuahua Found Safe; Owners Credit Pscyhic

Candice Williams and Christine Ferretti / The Detroit News

Waterford Township -- Two days after Tinker Bell, a six-pound chihuahua, blew away in high winds at the Dixieland Flea Market, her owners found her safe and sound about three-quarters of a mile away. The Rochester couple credits a pet psychic for the discovery.

"We were shocked when we found her," said Dorothy Utley, 72, Tinker Bell's mother. "You don't know how happy we were. We love her so much."

More than 50 volunteers helped Utley and her husband, Lavern, search for their dog, who blew away in 70 mph per hour winds Saturday.

After speaking with a pet psychic from Holly, Utley said she and her husband headed to a wooded field on the opposite side of Dixie Highway. There, they found Tinker Bell. The black and brown long-haired dog was very dirty and hungry.

"That dog was so happy," Utley said. "She just went wild. She was so hungry and we had to bathe her."

Market Manager Joe Goldberg said the whole event was phenomenal.

"It seems like (the dog) is her whole life," he said of Utley.

cstolarz@detnews.com (313) 222-2650

Build It...or Bend It?

2009-04-22T06:41:00.000-07:00

My writing group pal, Juliette Dominguez posted yesterday on Pen Tales about world-building. She found some wonderful material from Guillermo del Toro. I haven't seen Pan's Labyrinth yet, but I've just placed it at the top of my must-watch list.

Her post made me think about how I built Malika's world in Mark of Courage (which, thanks to suggestions from a very generous agent is undergoing some exciting edits). I feel like I cheated a bit on the world-building process, since my characters inhabit Homer's ready-made universe of The Odyssey. It's more like world-bending than world-building. The tricky part, of course, is to make familiar terrain new again, and seen from a unique perspective.

Which got me to thinking about world-bending literature. I've always loved fantasy, but never consciously realized that a fair number of my favorite authors in the genre took well-trodden myths and reworked them in fabulous ways: Marion Zimmer Bradley (Mists of Avalon), Neil Gaiman (Anansi Boys), Esther Friesner (Nobody's Princess), and Anne Rice (Interview with the Vampire), and Elizabeth Bunce (A Curse as Dark as Gold).

Juliette's post also made me Google Arthur Rackham, who inspired Guillermo del Toro, and whose work has always intrigued me. Think of the wonderful prompts these pictures provide for recreating some well known stories!

Pandora's Box The Three Bears The Valkyries

Little Miss Muffitt

Do you like world bending literature too? Tell me your favorites...