Author Archives: margaritagakis

Book Review – We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson

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I’ve read Shirley Jackson before. I remember reading The Haunting of Hill House and enjoying it and am disappointed in myself for not reviewing it at the time. Anyway, I knew I would like her book. The book cover had me really intrigued. I know you aren’t supposed to judge a book by its cover but c’mon. Don’t we all?

From the first line I was really wrapped up in this book. It definitely had a ‘vibe’ to it. It reminded me of the beginning of the movie Rebecca when the new Mrs. De Winter is narrating as the camera rolls up the driveway to see Manderly. The first line really set me up for the tone of the book. It is only “My name is Mary Katherine Blackwood.” – I’m not sure why such a simple sentence already put me in the right frame of mind. Maybe it was her actual name. The rest of the opening paragraph really pulled me in.

My name is Mary Katherine Blackwood. I am eighteen years old, and I live with my sister Constance. I have often thought that with any luck at all I could have been born a werewolf, because the two middle fingers on both my hands are the same length, but I have had to be content with what I had. I dislike washing myself, and dogs, and noise. I like my sister Constance, and Richard Plantagenent, and Amanita phalloides, the death-cup mushroom. Everyone else in my family is dead.

Well, I’m already intrigued! What sort of girl is Mary Katherine [Merricat as she is often called]. What happened to her family? We get teh story in pieces and those pieces come from what we suspect are all unreliable narrators – Mary Katherine, her sister Constance and their Uncle Julian – the only surviving members of the Blackwoods. We see through Merricat’s eyes what the town is like and how the townspeople have ‘turned’ on the Blackwoods – ostracizing them. Were they all crazy? The town and the Blackwoods?

Was any of one them sane? What was going on with the people in the village? What kind of mob mentality was this?

This was a real intellectual thriller, in my opinion. No supernatural tricks here – just people being people and what they can and will do to each other. A fascinating read.

I admit, I skipped over the intro of the book. I started reading it and realized it was giving pieces of the book away so I moved on. I’ll likely go back and read it now that I’ve finished the book.

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Draft 2 of Counter-Hex completed!

Phew! Draft 2 completed! Added another 7500 words bringing our total up to 94000ish.

And! The publishers liked it, which is always a big relief.

Now the final read through. Out loud.

I’m going to need like 12 pots of coffee, tea and some gatorade. And a puppy on my lap.

It should make me slow down enough to catch things that are wonky or don’t work. I also shifted some things during the edit [and added some stuff] so I need to make sure it all still flows.

 

SO CLOSE TO THE FINISH!!!!

 

 

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Covencraft book 2 Udpate – First draft done!

OMG, guys! I just finished the first draft of Book 2 of Covencraft!

Let’s take a moment to CELEBRATE!

Carlton dancing

Now comes the next steps – EDITS!

Unimpressed

I admit, I HATE editing. But I’ve promised Fable Press they will have the book by January 15, so there’s no time to waste if I want it to be read over by my beta readers in time!

So I’ll have a celebratory drink tonight (and by drink, I mean bottle of wine) and then tomorrow, I start editing from the beginning. I already have some notes on things that need tweaking, and I’ll be checking my SPAG as I go. Then it’s off to Donna, Chantal and Ash for review. Although, Donna already has a rough draft without the ending that she’s looking at right now. She’s doing the “Yo, does this have a plot?” read through.

I’m always so happy when I finish a draft! It makes all the really tough parts (the crying, the wailing, the despair, the teeth gnashing, the fingernail biting, DID I MENTION THE DESPAIR??) worth it!

Happy-Dean-supernatural-17876753-392-352

 

 

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Real World Inspiration

Hello internet lovelies!

For all of those people who wonder, WHERE DO WRITERS GET THEIR IDEAS, today I bring you REAL WORLD INSPIRATION. One of my coworkers sent me this link today and I LOVE IT.

Here we have a breathtakingly beautiful Victorian home for sale.

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Look how charming!

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So quaint!

Now, let’s take a peek at the blurb, shall we?

Built in 1901, this Victorian home in the Hollywood section of Dunmore features 1850 sf of living space with an additional 1350 sf of partially finished space. Original hardwood floors throughout entire home. 4 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms. Off-street parking. Freshly painted. New moulding throughout entire first floor. Slightly haunted. Nothing serious, though. e.g. The sounds of phantom footsteps. A strange knocking sound followed by a very quiet (hardly noticeable, even) scream at 3:13am, maybe once a week. Twice a week, tops. And the occasional ghastly visage lurking behind you in the bathroom mirror. Even still, this occurs very rarely and only in the second floor bathroom. First floor features: Large living room with an open staircase, stainglass window and a large picture window. Large dining room with bay windows. A study/library with another stainglass window and a secret door behind a moving bookcase which leads into a small office. Kitchen features gas stove top, built-in oven and built-in dishwasher, tile counter top. Stairs leading to basement and a rear staircase leading upstairs. Also has enclosed porch/mudroom. Full 1st floor bath, very nice tile work and fixtures. 9 foot ceilings throughout 1st floor. Second floor features: 4 bedrooms. The 2 front bedrooms are separated by double louvered doors. Perfect for a Master Bedroom/Nursery set-up. 3 tall windows in each of the 4 bedrooms. Huge 2nd Floor full bath with large Victorian bathtub and very large closet. Large unfinished crawl space behind concealed door hidden in bedroom closet. Very strange area, but perfect for storage. Rear stairs leading down to kitchen. Stairs leading up to huge attic. Huge walk-up attic is partially finished. Spray-foam insulation, wired and three quarters of the way drywalled. Can easily be completed for an additional 400sf of living space. Very tall vaulted ceiling, dormers, 4 windows and rounded turret section (one of the coolest features in the whole house.) Basement features very large wet bar. Has sink and built-in tap system. Very large space and high ceilings. Basement has nice layout and can also be converted into living space. Also features a half bath. All around a beautiful home with lots of updates and tons of charm. Must see.

I CAN’T EVEN MAKE THIS STUFF UP!! I don’t know if it’s legit or if they’re just fraking with me, but either way, this listing is my TOP PIC. I’m just not sure if I want to call the Ghostbusters or hire some teenage kids and dare them to spend one night in the haunted bathroom, while video taping them and turning it into a mockumentary.

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This is what happens when I have 4 hours of sleep

Can you guess what song I’ve got stuck in my head? Here, read the story I wrote to go with it and see if you can guess:

Some say the object is magic, but others say the better word is cursed.

It brings inanimate objects alive, forcing life into their bits and pieces. Corrupting nature’s work, making things move and shift where before they were lifeless.

It brings to life a creature that cannot stand the sun – a lumbering, dripping thing that leaves bits and pieces of itself behind wherever it goes.

It likes children most of all.

As is often the way with children, they don’t realize they are in danger. They don’t see the beast for what it is. They see  a plaything – an exciting new toy that wants to jump and dance with them. They are happy. They don’t know any better. Its heavy footsteps fall on the ground – thump, thump, thump. The deep tone leaving a sick feeling in those nearby – rubbing at their chests as if they could purge the sensation.

On the wind comes its voice, ‘Come play with meeeeeeeeeee.’ And then later, ‘Catch me if you caaaaaa-aaaannnnnn.’

Until the sun rises. The glorious sun, burning away the effigy, the wrong-thing, the perversion until all that’s left is a soppy, sodden mess.

And the words, ‘Don’t cry, I’ll be back again some day.’

 

Points to all of you that recognized this as FROSTY THE SNOWMAN!!!

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Status update – Covencraft

Yo. Wassup.

So for most of November I’ve been pretty consistent writing everyday! I’m happy to say that Covencraft book #2 [Counter-Hex] is now at 66000 words! and Sooper Sekrit project is at 8600! So far in November, I’ve written about 19000 words! Now, it’s not a NanoWriMo by any stretch [nanos clock in at min 50000] but I’m still proud – my goal was consistent production and working out the plot kinks I had. And I’ve manged that!

Word Meter

So now, Counter Hex is in the final third – I’m knocking down all the dominoes I’ve [hopefully!] set up. I’ve only noted one or two things I have to go back and tweak. I really try to write in a linear fashion and to write as completely as possible. My first draft should be very close to my final draft if I’ve done all my pre-work well. So I’m projecting 90000 for a final word count, but in reality, it will likely be more around 85000? I think? I know what needs to happen, I just gotta get it down!

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No really, I’m still alive

Internetz, it’s been a while.

Wassup?

I was crazy busy at my day job in September and getting ready for a vacation to see some really good friends by the end of the month. I somehow foolishly thought I just wouldn’t be as busy when I got back from vaycay?

Newsflash – I was. OMG, I WAS A MACHINE. I am legit so productive lately, I amaze myself.

Of course, this means I generally come home at nights and then veg out, staring blankly at my computer trying to write. It’s been slow going.

But! Progress is made! I’m at about 56000 words on Book 2 of Covencraft, and I’ve finally got the pieces all where I want them and now I just hopefully have to knock them all down!

I’m also working SOOPER SEKRIT project. I would tell you more but it’s SOOPER SEKRIT. But it’s fun!

And of course, my fanfiction!  I’m feeling very inspired lately and just have a lot of good vibes and feels all around so I’m trying hard to capitalize on it and get writing.

I’m not ‘officially’ doing NaNoWriMo but some of my friends and I have made an online group and we’re supporting each other there through the month of November. We have ART! We have CRAFTS! We have WRITING! it’s a fun group and I’m lucky to have such a great group of people to rely on!

Okay! That’s it for now! I’m off for a few days and maybe I’ll have some pics when I’m back!

PS – the Drop in Center in Calgary is having a shortage of winter clothing. If you read this and you live in Calgary, please take a look around your house to see if you have anything to spare.

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The Importance of Being Miss Piggy

Miss Piggy is my hero.

I feel like I need more of her in my life. Here’s a role model who knows what she wants, isn’t afraid to go get it, and won’t let anyone stand in her way. and she does it all by looking fabulous. Look at her!

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She’s always well-dressed – looking her finest, BECAUSE SHE DESERVES NO LESS

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She doesn’t take crap from ANYONE. she KARATE CHOPS those that dare to fight her.

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She’s not afraid to try new looks or wear different things.

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I feel like, as a woman, I should try to be more like Miss Piggy. She just… gets shit done. My only complaint is that she pined for Kermit for so long. DUDE CLEARLY HAD COMMITMENT ISSUES, PIGGY. If he wasn’t ready to own up to how fabulous you are/were, you should have dropped his green little ass and moved on.

Sure, they got married in the end, but she put up with a lot of shit from him. He was kind of wishy washy for a long time about her.

But other than that, Miss Piggy is totally my hero and I want to be more like her.

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Status update – What’s happening on my keyboard ‘write’ now [Oh! so punny!]

So, my summer was not as productive as I would have hoped due to some circumstances that were partially in my control but that I let get away from me for a while.

but! I’m back on track! what’s going on? I’M SO GLAD YOU ASKED:

I just finished reading “2K to 10K” about writing faster and I got some really good tips! If anyone out there is looking for some ideas on how to punch up their numbers, I recommend it. What does it boil down to? WORK – pre-planning, pre-plotting and knowing what you’re writing before you sit down so that you don’t waste your writing time staring at the keyboard wondering ‘What Happens Next?” I feel like I knew this but I needed to see it written out for me and explained and this book was excellent at that.

I’ve been working on Book 2 of my Covencraft series [working title Counter-Hex] and while I know how it ends, I didn’t have it all fleshed out. To be clear, I don’t like to overplot because I like my characters to have room to do what they may feel is necessary and I won’t always know what that is until I start writing. But I do like to have certain beats to hit and I didn’t have all those set in my head. After reading the 2K book, I sat myself down and started ‘plotting’… and realized I kind of didn’t have a system for it, officially. My first step was to find “the System”

When I submitted Trial by Fire to Fable Press, I had to give a one-page synopsis and I found a great site that helped me do that. So I thought – dayammmmm I should do that for book 2 BEFORE i write it and then poof! I will know what I’m doing. This me be surprising to people who aren’t writers. Like, how did you write a book without knowing what you were doing? Like I said, I know how stuff ends, I just don’t always know how I’m going to get there. It’s worked out for me in the past but it’s been painful at times. I want to write less painfully! so I’m taking steps to make it happen.

I’ve also been playing with another story. I want to put it on Wattpad, but I just don’t know if it’s going to be a YA or if it’s going to be New Adult, or maybe neither? It feels like a YA [when I get the character voice I’m looking for] but then the plot I had in mind for it [which legitimately came from a dream I had] doesn’t work for a YA book, so I’m sort of torn. But I think on Wattpad you can put stuff up and ask for help? IDK, I’m not sure how that all works.

And of course, my other love, fanfic. Yes, lovelies, I’m still writing it. No, you can’t have my fandom name. But if you’re in the fandoms I’m in, you might be able to guess who I am based on my writing/posts.

So that’s what’s happening – 3 WIPs [works in progress] with the possibility of me re-working an existing work.

And that’s all the shrimp there is

 

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Letters from the Dogs

So, my sister and I are still very much like children. We sometimes have the combined mental capacity of 10 year olds. We amuse ourselves more than any one else with our antics.

One of the things we like to do when one of us is away, is write each other Letters From the Dogs. We have three dogs and tend to miss the little rats when we’re gone. Since we’re generally not on vacation with each other, one of us is still at home on dog duty while the other is away. Let’s see if you can match the dog to their letters. 😉

 

L. Beans

IMG_0072IMG_1357 from top to bottom: Lola, Rocky, Portia

Letters from when Jennifer was gone about 3 days:

Dearest Mother,
Your absence is like a burr in my fur; Obscured to others eyes, but quite noticeable to myself.
I am eating fine now, I thank you for your concerns.
There has been much riff raff in the neighborhood, but I remain ever diligent in reporting any shenanigans I see.
Fresh poultry was served as a snack yesterday. it was very tasty.
Dinner tonight was quite bountiful as we received two servings. I am sure you had something to do with it.
The manservant, Mark, came today to take the dogs for their sojourn. I do not know why he insists I accompany them, but he is quite adamant that I do.
Warmest Regards,

Mummy Jennifer,
Park is fun. I like to sit in the shade. WE got TWO helpings for dinner tonight, TWO. I didn’t even need to beg pork off G-ma afterward. Just went outside and lay in the shady spot by the lilac bush.  Good times.
We got chicken yesterday. I was just sitting there and it started flying. I ate the skin and the dark meet and other bits mummy margarita didn’t want. then she threw the rest out. Crazy! Who does that?

Mumsies,
We gots TWO DINNERS tonight!
Perhaps you have noticed how shinies my coat is? it’s cuz we gets fish oil in our food now. Makes me silky smooth. I like it.
And we got chicken too.
I’m a little bit sleepies right now, so I better go have my late evening nap.

Letters from when Jennifer was gone for the whole month of August
Dearest Mother
Mother Margarita slept in your room the other night. I don’t know why she thought she had the right, but there you have it. She found the quilt somewhat bothersome and took it off and put it on the dresser. She just made that change like she owned the place. It was most distressing. I have not been spending full nights in our room, but quite often take myself downstairs for a little while, enjoying the silence.
There is much afoot in the neighborhood today. Much. I have been working hard at barking and alerting the women folk. Grandmother shared a piece of chicken with us for dinner. Mother Margarita informs me it is five more sleeps until you come home. I look forward to your return.
Warmest Regards,

Mummy Jennifer
I like flowers. I was sniffing the red lillies outside and now I have orange and red pollen all over my face. It’s pretty funny. I helped out with bbq-ing tonight, staying by the grill and making sure all was good. am sacked out right now by the fireplace on the cool tile. Life is pretty good.

Hello,
My mummsies says I knows you and you used to live here and that you’ll be back real soon. She says we knows each other real good. Maybes you lived in the other bedroom? the one we slept in on friday? that’s where Rocky sleeps. Sometimes I go in that room and I cry a little bit but I don’t know why.

When Jennifer was away in Hawaii
Dear mumsies
It has been very chillies. I hope it is warmer in hawaii this year than it was when I went. It has been a good sissmas bacation. Mumsies has been at home a lot. but when she leaves I miss her extra much and I sometimes go back to the door she came in from to see if she remembered to bring yous homes. we gets lots of treats because rocky is barking outside a lot. Today mumsies friend Auntie Donna came over and I sat her in lap and she petted me lots.  we get up at 6 every morning. It’s great.

Mummy Jennifers
I like the nightlights last night. I didn’t get confused. I like auntie donna. we get lots of treats. today, I wanted to pull the blanket but that little one was sleeping on it so I dragged her across the floor. funny.

Mother dearest
I sleep in our room most of the time but sometimes venture out. There is much trickery afoot in the neighborhood. I hear sounds. I bark. Mother Margarita is extremely unhelpful, coaxing me inside with treats. I refuse to abandon my post without one. I go out regularly however and patrol. I will ferret out the usurpers and bring them to swift justice.
Mother Margarita’s ‘friend’ Donna was by. She is loud. I do not like her. I barked at her. I circled her the whole time so that she knew I was there and was on to her. I barked when she laughed or spoke to loud. Finally, as she left, I barked her out the door. I was tricked into the laundry room by Mother Margarita at the last moment and missed the actual gloriousness of her being herded out the front door, but I imagine it was a wondrous site. She’ll not be coming back soon, I don’t think. I retire to bed around ten so that I may be up at 6 when the women awake and start my rounds early. It’s been long and laborious without you but I sally forth.
I remain your humble guardian.

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