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Post by billswoman on Jan 18, 2007 12:26:46 GMT -5
"A little more of that, houdiniderek, and we can leave you at the next bus stop."
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Post by HoudiniDerek on Jan 18, 2007 15:06:00 GMT -5
"A little more of that, houdiniderek, and we can leave you at the next bus stop." Well...YOU are the one that said it.
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Post by HoudiniDerek on Jan 19, 2007 23:05:51 GMT -5
I've got the first 5 lines of my novel written, by hand no less! (Modified to avoid future smart-alecky replies.) So you modify it so this won't happen by STATING that you modified it for that purpose? Isn't that just INVITING comments like this one? 0:) So you have five lines of the novel written? Congratulations! Is there a time table to get it done? Five lines a day for however long might be quite the project. 5 by 365 = 1825 lines. I still think this would fall under something other than novel, but I guess it would depend on the publisher and editor. ;D Good luck!
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Post by billswoman on Jan 20, 2007 7:21:29 GMT -5
Naw, no timeline, just happy I've finally started it. It's been outlined for a good chunk of 2006, the entire arc (hopefully over two books) is plotted out, etc etc, I just hadn't sat down yet to actually START it.
As for length, that's one little conundrum. I'm doing "The Marshall Plan" by Ethan Marshall, which includes an accompanying workbook, and one line asks, How many pages will your novel be? (Obviously it's not looking for an exact count, but I don't even want to guesstimate.)
Heck, I don't know. For all I know, it'll end up being a novella. I just want to sit and write the darned thing, but there're so many RULES for editing! So what I'm going to do is crank out the rough draft, just to get it down on paper, then start the long process of proofing and self-editing (he's got great info on that too).
My main two things to focus on, however, in the rough draft: Using active voice, not passive (something I know I do way too much in my fanfic, and thanks to silverhammer for being kind enough to point that out to me) and point-of-view (I know I fluctuate in characters' POV way too often in a chapter).
As for those first lines, I thought I'd already gone on about the first thirteen lines, but maybe I hadn't (on this board at least). One of my very favorite authors, Orson Scott Card, has a writers workshop on his official website. He says the first 13 lines are all that should be published on the internet, because a writer doesn't want to lose his or her publishing rights to their work (most publishers won't touch a story/novel that's already been published anywhere on the internet -- they want EXCLUSIVE North American rights). He said having only the first 13 lines won't detract from the whole novel; it's like an excerpt as a reviewer might show.
Most importantly, however, he said that in a typically-formatted manuscript (following very strict guidelines the industry demands), it's usually the first 13 lines on the first page that the editor or publisher will see, that will pretty much make or break whether they choose to buy it off you. It's the real grabber that makes a person want to keep reading.
I can certainly identify with that. In the first science fiction novel I ever read, "Podkayne of Mars" by Robert Heinlein, it's done first person from Poddy's POV, and she writes something like, "I don't think Humans could have evolved on Earth. Granted, they didn't evolve on Mars either."
Well, that certainly captured my little 10 year old mind! I was intrigued, and just HAD to keep reading, to see what she was talking about, lol!
I'm certainly not in the same category of Heinlein, of course; I just want to get that first book published. If it goes as I dream it will, it'll be a two book series.
One thing that was heartening was something I found by Isaac Asimov about writing, and it fit in well with what I want to do: Just sit down and write it. He said, Don't worry about externals, just write, write, write.
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Post by billswoman on Jan 23, 2007 7:01:11 GMT -5
Yea, my girl kitty's back, y'all! She just came strolling in with one of her brothers, as if it was no big deal she'd been gone for almost two days. I asked her if she was out getting herself knocked up, but she was too busy stuffing her face to answer more than "Can't talk, eating." That's okay, she's going in to get spayed next month any way, but these little girling forays have to end. Then my two boys get it (figured it'd be more important to get the girls taken care of first).
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Post by billswoman on Jan 30, 2007 6:38:08 GMT -5
As if I don't have enough stuff on my Internet plate, I've created a new proboard, dedicated to John Denver: starwood.proboards78.com/index.cgiI was originally thinking of telling folks this is for the REAL John Denver fan (as opposed to the fake ones? wait... ) but that's not true, anyone's welcomed to join that likes anything he's done. Not that I'm fishing for warm bodies just to occupy space, mind you What started all this was yesterday morning, I went to a JD group I belong to on Yahoo which said there were well over 100 new messages. Cool! I thought, heading on over with glee... only to find one thread that had anything to do with JD at all (someone from Belgium saying "Hi"). I posted something like, "You know, if you want to talk about all this, could you take it offline? I came here to read posts about John Denver, not about whether Walmart's going to Australia and this other stuff I don't care about," and summarily got lambasted for it. Someone there emailed me, thanking me for having the 'nads to say something 'cause she was sick of it too, then we got to batting the idea of a JD proboard around. So while I'm talking to this lady in AIM (she apparentlyl knew JD in person), my bestest friend in the world, Bill, came into AIM as well so I PM'd him and told him he's got to join, so we'll at least have three people. I've got the basic stuff put together, and told Star (that's her AIM nickname) and Bill to give me suggestions on other stuff, etc etc, so if anyone here is a fan of John Denver, you're welcomed to join and contribute ideas as well. Peace, my friends, as John would say!
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Post by jopierce on Jan 30, 2007 8:30:38 GMT -5
Hey! Great!! Another proboard!
Hey! Wait!! Another proboard?
Nice that you are sharing the love!
Hey! You're not sharing the love on smutboard...
Naw, really... good luck! I really am not enough of a fan to justify joining it, but I do respect the man, his talent, and goals. Keep us updated!
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Post by billswoman on Jan 30, 2007 23:14:40 GMT -5
OMG, I can't believe I haven't mentioned this yet... I'm going to crosspost this to all of the boards and journals I belong to/admin, it's so exciting! Every year, the University of Washington (Robert Culp's alma mater, btw) gives the free "Mini Medical School," a series of six weekly seminars. They apparently tape it too, and put it on the UW channel on cable, so I've gotta be cool and look decent, 'cause I gotta represent (UW Medicine, don't ya know, since I work for them.) Any way, how cool is this? Week 1. Your Medical School Journey: Training in Medical Professionalism Week 2. Understanding a Chronic Killer: Kidney Disease Week 3. Unwired: When the Brain’s Circuits Fail The latest news in neurology: delivering the best possible care to people with headaches, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, stroke, and brain tumors. (This is the one I'm especially excited about. The brain fascinates me!)Week 4. Preserving Limbs and Surviving Limb Loss: Resuming an Active & Productive Life Week 5. Who’s Protecting Public Health? Week 6. Innovations and Discoveries in Medicine Here's the link if y'all care: www.uwmedicine.org/Global/NewsAndEvents/minimed/
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Post by MelMac on Jan 30, 2007 23:22:19 GMT -5
Sounds like a lot of fun, billswoman. I'd love to go to one of those types of classes, but the college here doesn't offer them (doesn't even have their school paper now ). Medicine and such facinates me, though I could probably never do what they do in the profession. I give them a lot of respect though doing what they do on a daily basis.
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Post by billswoman on Jan 30, 2007 23:38:15 GMT -5
I'm very much in awe of doctors, and whenever I have to call one directly I get VERY nervous, lol!
When we had the big windstorm and power outage, only two of our eight clinics were fully up and running. Docs and staff from clinics without power went to one of the two working, and they were even answering phones, lol!
I called one clinic and Dr Stewart, the only cardiologist in our network, answered... I started my usual spiel, Yeah, this is Helen at the VFD and... Doctor Stewart??
I'm not used to doctors answering when I call clinics, lol!
Heck, one doc, the clinic chief, was seeing patients who'd just walk in the door by flashlight. After all this finally "blew through" heh, they sent a survey around to all of our network asking how we thought it was handled. I gave it an overall "Fair -- Room for improvement."
I KNEW this windstorm was coming earlier that week. The morning of the day it blew in, I sent an email to my department, the VFD, and told them, Y'all better prepare for this. I put in the survey that it was known very bad weather was coming in. Why weren't contingincies in place to get the vaccines somewhere? Why doesn't each clinic have a generator? In the long run, wouldn't it be more cost effective for such preparations?
I dunno, I think they could've done a lot of stuff in preparation. For being earthquake, volcano and windstorm country, they need to be equipped to handle emergencies better.
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Post by jopierce on Jan 30, 2007 23:41:02 GMT -5
But what about the blood? All the blood? I can't stand it!!
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Post by billswoman on Jan 30, 2007 23:50:23 GMT -5
Going on about work again... we create these phone messages for the doctors called "TEs" (telephone encounters,) that become a part of the patient's medical record. It's sort of an electronic paper trail of particular issues, like refills, referrals, things like that.
Well, we at the VFD (Virtual Front Desk) call the PSRs at each of the eight clinics (They're Patient Service Reps, I'm a Telephone Service Rep). We TSRs have our favorite PSRs, and vice versa. I've had many tell me they always love it when I call them, lol! Because I'm always so silly and friendly, and talk to them like I know them in person (I've only met a handful of them in person).
I said something about my TEs, how I know I go on and on sometimes, but one PSR said, NO, we LOVE THAT! You get so much good information!
See, we're not medically trained, so we're not supposed to presume we know what's wrong with the patient in question. However, based on what I personally know, I'll ask some probing questions.
One case in point: in the recent snow, a mother called in and said her daughter had sledded into a tree, and was vomiting.
Me: Did she start vomiting AFTER the accident? Mom: Yes. Me: How recent was this, within the half-hour? Mom: Yes. Me: Has she been more sleepy than usual? Mom: Yes... and in the background I heard the little girl go, "Mommy, I'm so sleepy, please let me sleep" and Mom said, "Honey, come on, keep your eyes open."
I don't have the triage guideline for this that may say, Tell the caller to hang up and call 911 (that's for things like chest pain, shortness of breath, etc etc) and I don't have the authority to do so. I called the appropriate clinic (which happened to be my doc's) and told the PSR, "I need a doctor, not an MA, NOW!" I quickly explained what happened, gave them the patient's info, and transferred the call.
Whew.
Ultimately, I want to work as a PSR at the Federal Way clinic, that's within walking/biking distance from me. That would be so awesome.
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Post by jopierce on Jan 30, 2007 23:53:29 GMT -5
Well, it's nice to know that you do something that make a difference.
I think I should change careers and become a Yak herder.
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Post by billswoman on Jan 30, 2007 23:55:37 GMT -5
But what about the blood? All the blood? I can't stand it!! LOL, it's needles I hate... man, I hate those things. I had bad dreams about metal piercing me for six months after I got my ears done when I was 15. Today, waiting for the doctor, her assistant had laid out the stuff she'd need, and I saw a syringe, and kept STARING AT IT. I kept turning my head, asking myself, WHY am I looking at that thing?? Turns out it was for lavage, cleaning out the abscess, not for numbing at all (being right next to the bottle of numbing solution was a good clue for me). Gads, I hate that. I'd prolly be a nurse or doctor myself if I could stand needles.
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Post by billswoman on Feb 7, 2007 8:07:43 GMT -5
INDIANA - STATE POLICE
In most of the United States, there is a policy of checking on any stalled vehicle on the highway when the temperatures drop down to single digits or below.
About 3 AM, one very cold morning, a Trooper responded to a call there was a car off the shoulder of the road southeast of Michigan City. He located the car, stuck in deep snow, and with the engine still running. Pulling in behind the car with his emergency lights on, the Trooper walked to the driver's door to find an older man passed out behind the wheel with a nearly empty vodka bottle on the seat beside him.
The driver came awake when the Trooper tapped on the window. Seeing the rotating lights in his rearview mirror, and the State Trooper standing next to his car, the man panicked.
He jerked the gearshift in to 'drive' and hit the gas. The car's speedometer was showing 20- 30- 40 and then 50 mph, but it was still stuck in the snow, wheels spinning.
Trooper Nixon, having a sense of humor, began running in place next to the speeding, but still stationary car. The driver was totally freaked, thinking the Trooper was actually keeping up with him. This goes on for about 30 seconds, then the Trooper yelled at the man to 'Pull over!'
The man obeyed, turned his wheel and stopped the engine.
Needless to say, the man from LaPorte was arrested, and is probably still shaking his head over the State Trooper in Indiana who could run 50 miles per hour. Who says State Troopers don't have a sense of humor??
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Post by MelMac on Feb 7, 2007 9:54:24 GMT -5
Sounds like the guy had a bad guy vs. Ralph moment there. I'm like you and needles. I'm OK with shots, but I usually have to have someone hold my hand when I get blood drawn or, in the case of when I got my wisdom teeth done, when they put me under. I've never liked either of those, and it goes back a ways that is a bit funny.
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Post by HoudiniDerek on Feb 7, 2007 10:49:57 GMT -5
INDIANA - STATE POLICE In most of the United States, there is a policy of checking on any stalled vehicle on the highway when the temperatures drop down to single digits or below. About 3 AM, one very cold morning, a Trooper responded to a call there was a car off the shoulder of the road southeast of Michigan City. He located the car, stuck in deep snow, and with the engine still running. Pulling in behind the car with his emergency lights on, the Trooper walked to the driver's door to find an older man passed out behind the wheel with a nearly empty vodka bottle on the seat beside him. The driver came awake when the Trooper tapped on the window. Seeing the rotating lights in his rearview mirror, and the State Trooper standing next to his car, the man panicked. He jerked the gearshift in to 'drive' and hit the gas. The car's speedometer was showing 20- 30- 40 and then 50 mph, but it was still stuck in the snow, wheels spinning. Trooper Nixon, having a sense of humor, began running in place next to the speeding, but still stationary car. The driver was totally freaked, thinking the Trooper was actually keeping up with him. This goes on for about 30 seconds, then the Trooper yelled at the man to 'Pull over!' The man obeyed, turned his wheel and stopped the engine. Needless to say, the man from LaPorte was arrested, and is probably still shaking his head over the State Trooper in Indiana who could run 50 miles per hour. Who says State Troopers don't have a sense of humor?? This trooper should have every copper buy him a beer one night. THAT is classic...and sounds like something I would do. What a great story...and somewhat uplifting in its own way. Where did you find this story?
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Post by billswoman on Feb 17, 2007 10:32:56 GMT -5
Sorry I didn't get back to you, HD. My best friend Bill sent it to me in email. Since the guy was "running" alongside the car, I thought of Ralph when he does so, and the way the drivers are always like when they see him, lol! Super-Trooper!
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Post by jopierce on Feb 18, 2007 0:07:04 GMT -5
I say Snacky!!
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Post by billswoman on Feb 18, 2007 0:47:40 GMT -5
LOL, yea, 250 buck for me! (Sidles on over between Bob Culp and Richard Dawson.... hey, babies...)
I need some Peter Newkirk fanfic now. Someone write me some.
Wait, I'm braincramping now... it is Peter, right?
It's Robert Hogan, Louis LeBeau, Andrew Carter and Peter Newkirk, right?
Do they ever say Kinchloe's first name?
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