Happy Dance Friday #95 - NECRWA and more Snow Patrol

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Happy Dance #95, can you believe it? That's a lot of happy and a lot of dancing. Not that far from the big 1-0-0. May have to think about doing something special for that one, and as DH continues to improve, I plan on getting current with the Saturday at the Movies posts, as well as adding more reading/writing content.

Today is very much a day for happy dancing; DH is home and getting better every day, I am having a blast with my From Fanfiction to Fantastic Fiction online workshop at SavvyAuthors and in the late afternoon, I get to hit the road with my longtime friend and critique partner, Melva, heading off for the NECRWA conference. Not the first time for either of us, but the first time as members, so that's going to be special. A hotel full of writers, free promo swag, workshops, a pitch session, and it's basically Extroverted Writer Christmas.

I'm still on a Snow Patrol kick, and found another video where they employ ballroom with a twist. Gorgeous 1930s Hollywood is the theme here, from the costumes to lush Art Deco sets, and a lavish dance number to tie it all together. Flowy gowns, tailcoats, sumptous surrounds and an inspiring message could all fit as well then as today. I think Fred and Ginger would be proud, and I'm not saying there aren't any seeds of story ideas within this clip. How about you?

Reading Writing, Rambling and Real Life

DH is home and resting comfortably after a week long hospital stay. we're both looking forward to getting back to life as normal, but big life events change normal into new normal. The fact that it comes at the same time as spring cleaning makes it rather appropriate.

I've been itching to play with the look of this blog -as well as the content- for some time now, and this felt like the right time to jump in with both feet. Since I'm the type to learn new skills by diving in and splashing around, the blog may look rather, shall we say, interesting, for a few days. Colors, backgrounds, headers, more technical things like column width and spacing and all that other fun stuff is subject to change. You have been warned.

During the past week, despite all the stress of medical issues and disrupted routine, two things surprised me. First, I wrote. even though in such times, it's perfectly understandable to not write, I found that I couldn't not-write. Not that this meant I turned out reams and reams, but it did mean that even if I didn't get to boot Word, I hungered to get at my pretty pink legal pad and get down even a few lines.

The other thing was that, depsite my earlier frustrations of not having time to read, I devoured books during this week. I tackled a few books I'd been meaning to read for a while but hadn't gotten around to for one reason or another. Deepwood by Jennifer Roberson, the second book in her Karavans fantasy series; What Angels Fear, by C.S. Harris, the first book in her Sebastian St. Cyr historical mystery series are two of the most recent. While not in the romance genre, both authors have written romance (Ms. Roberson is the author of the Sword Dancer series, which, while marketed as fantasy, reads as romance. Romance readers will be more familiar with Ms. Harris' historical romances, written as Candace Proctor.)

Both books (and Deepwood's predecessor, Karavans) both told interesting stories, had that full imersion of setting that I love to read and write in historical romance, and there were romantic elements in both. Still, I missed the focus on the one on one romance, missed the HEA, and when I closed the covers after finishing both, what did I reach for first? Historical romance. Nothing like coming home, but more on that later.

For now, I'm taking a deep breath, recharging and then inthe morning, I have a workshop to tend to, pre-packing for the NECRWA conference this coming weekend, check on recovering hubby and then it's time to read a few good romances and write a few great ones.

How do real life disruptions affect your writing or reading?

Happy Dance Friday #94 - This Isn't Everything You Are

DH has been in hospital this week, so schedule still wonky around here, and a nap seems at times like the impossble dream, but this week still deserves a happy dance.
This week's selection combines Snow Patrol, Buenos Aires, multiple storylines, tangos traditional and non, gorgeously grungy sets, and adult situations. It also helped me fall even more in love with my time travel. Even the title blatantly states one of the central themes, so I had to share.



I've watched this umptybillion times already, and my breath still catches at 1:15. Ohhhh, so that's where we're going with this? Most excellent. I love the dissonance of the encouraging words and the bleakness inherent in many of these characters. For me, that's my happy place, taking the pain and the anger and the use of dance as a stand in for multiple relationships/emotions...a couple of rounds of this and let me at those keys.

Okay, honesty time; who else makes up backstories for the characters in music videos? What's your take on what's going on here?

Happy Dance Friday #93 - Life and cute or creepy?

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Life happens. Writers should know this. After all, we spend a good deal of our professional lives figuring out how to throw as many obstacles in the way of our characters as humanly possible. At the same time, we also give them what they need to get over, around or through those obstacles and make them work for that happily ever after.

In short, life has been interesting, but there's always time for a happy dance. These girls took to a Target to respond to Ellen DeGeneres' Irish Jig dance dare.



Adorable young girls sharing their love of Irish dance are always charming, but there's a part of me that wants to dim the lights and sub the selected music track for something dark and ominous. Totally different experience, but still a happy dance in its own way.

Why yes, I do need a nap, why do you ask?

Happy Dance Friday #91 - Taking it easy this week

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Light entry this week, as our family is easing back into normal routine after a few interesting weeks in a row.

For Christians like me, this is Good Friday, when we remember the ultimate black moment for the early church - but it gets much, much better. For my Jewish friends, this is the start of Passover, another time to remember great joy in the face of Very Bad Things. Both of which reminded me that when two such important dates coincide, that's even more of a reason for a happy dance. If this is a spiritual day for you, go here and select "Bobby Mimi Shabbat Blessing" to hear a lovely piece by Mimi Caban (now Ross) and (the late) Bobby Caban.

For everybody, and especially those of us who had, shall we say an awkward phase, I present "I'm the One That's Cool" by The Guild:



Whatever else today may bring, there's always room for a happy dance. What tunes have you dancing this week?