1.13.2012

The Cleverness of Other People and other stories

After two weeks, it seems that alarm-setting does help me get more accomplished. Unfortunately, it has not yet consistently helped me to get off my computer by eleven or go to sleep before midnight. Ah, the force of bad habits. I suspect it's about to start me on a coffee dependency, too, despite the fact that caffeine in any quantity puts me through a weird cycle of energy—productivity—jitters—ache till I think I'm dying—go brain dead.

But I'm not giving up yet. Especially not while I'm two and a half chapters from the long-awaited end of my 2010 NaNoWriMo novel draft.

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I love epigraphs. They connect the book you're about to read with its literary heritage, through shared theme or mood or idea. More than that, they often highlight some ultimate truth that comes forward in the story told, something recognized and cleverly expressed by someone else. Should I prove capable of convincing editors, I'd like to have one in every book I ever publish.

Which meant I thoroughly enjoyed Flavorwire's list of the 25 greatest epigraphs in literature (via George posting at The Hog's Head). Favorites included Gaiman's quote of Chesterton, Dostoevsky's and Tolstoy's of Scripture, and Lee's of Lamb. They weren't mentioned, but I also love Meyer's use of Genesis in Twilight and Robert Frost in Eclipse.

Hmm. Novel and novella have happily-matched quotes assigned, but I haven't picked anything for this nearly-drafted sequel. This could be fun. And distracting...

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Writers' link of the week: Juliette Wade on managing the time-suck and distraction of the Internet. And yes, I recognize the irony of posting this on a personal blog wherein I ramble about alarm clocks and epigraphs.

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Music of the week: This link sent me a long while back by Mr. Pond includes several videos by Brother and Bones, a UK band with dynamic membership. I loved this simple song most of the ones I saw.



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Random amusement of the week: In case anyone wants to look pessimistically—and humorously—back over last year, there's always Dave Barry's Year in Review. I love these every year. Advisory: they're always a little dirty, and 2011 contained the Congressman Weiner story, which the straightest-faced journalist on the planet couldn't keep from sounding like a bad joke. But it's not all dirty, and the year isn't short on laughs.

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And now my sister's coming to visit, which means I need to post this and begin straightening up. Happy weekend!

4 comments:

  1. You have to straighten up for your sister? Isn't that a bit OCD? :)

    That epigraph story looks awfully familiar. Perhaps because I used it in a post this morning too. One of the few times I'm in complete agreement with Gaiman is when he simply quotes Chesterton. And the epigraph to The Brothers Karamazov is just classic in so many ways. John 12: 24

    Of course, the epigraphs from Deathly Hallows didn't make it in, but I find them to be fantastic ones nevertheless.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. George! I forgot to credit you for that. That's what happens when I post in a hurry. Here, I'll go fix it.

      "One of the few times I'm in complete agreement with Gaiman is when he simply quotes Chesterton."--HAHAHAHA! Seriously. :D

      Also, I love the DH epigraphs and can't believe I didn't mention them. Bad Harry Potter fan... bad...

      Delete
    2. Don't bang your head on the dresser or lamp too hard now...

      Delete

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