Happy Dance Friday #97 - The Game's Afoot

I wasn't sure what I was going to blog about this week, but life does throw us surprises. Consider two friends who surprised me with a very useful item as a gift (but more on that later) and an intriguing item that showed up in my Facebook sidebar.

I would never have guessed that there's a Dancing With the Stars online game, but there is, and it's here. Or:

http://www.dwtskeepdancing.com/game
if that link doesn't work.

It may take a while to load, but the music is good. Players get to design an avatar of either gender, and choose a professional partner. I generally make my avatars redheads but that option wasn't available, at least at this level, for free, so I ended up with a blonde avatar who reminds me of my time traveling heroine, Summer. Nothing I'd intended, but eh, it happens, and I have her book on the brain, so I will deal.

Since it wouldn't be much of a ballroom game without a partner, that was the next step. Though Derek Hough was one of the options, I didn't pick him because he's Gerri's guy. Instead, I scrolled through other choices, worthy gentlemen all. Was leaning toward Maks because, well, Maks, but hold on a minute. They have Pasha? As in Pasha Kovalev? As in my secret dance crush? As in the new pro on Strictly Come Dancing? As in this guy:



Since Pasha may have had something to do with inspiring one of the characters in one particular story, playing this game will remind me to keep writing. I will admit that I got stuck in one phase of the game setup and couldn't seem to get Pasha dressed, but as a friend told me, that isn't a problem many women would complain about. I got over it, and though I'm still learning, I've mastered bronze level on the first skill and am looking forward to more. I don't know yet if one can have "friends" on this game, but if so, I'm Unzadi over there, and friendly competition is always welcome.

What about you, faithful readers and fellow dance fans? Will you be playing?

Happy Dance Friday #21
- writing about dancing is tricky business

Seriously. I'm writing about a visual medium, but all I can use is words. Which is something I've come across a lot while writing my time travel ms, Endless Summer. Since Endless Summer is a time travel, I get to deal with not only two different forms of dance, but those forms are from two different centuries.

Here's what "dance" would mean to my 16th century hero, Angus:

Or something close to that, allowing for the lack of camcorders in the 16th century. With variatons according to region, ability, talent, and the like. (Summer and Angus made me add that disclaimer. They have rather strong opinions.)

Wheras Summer, a professional ballroom dancer in modern day NYC, "dance " means:

and this:

Comptetition is huge for Summer. Her original goal is to become a ten dance champion, though her first step is getting back into the business. Whether it's for fun or profit, dance isn't merely what Summer does, it's who she is. Which means lots of motion - she choreographs, rehearses, teaches and performs in the story as well as blowing off steam. Angus wouldn't normally find himself cutting a rug in the 21st century, but he's got a very good reason to join Summer.

All of which means lots of research for the writer. Watching lots of dance videos, television programs, dance-themed movies, reading books on dance, interviewing dancers both amateur and professional, and approaching friends and family members with my "don't bug me; I'm writing" look while simultaneously greeting them with the phrase "I need your body." Thankfully, I have understanding friends and family, who know that what I want is research-related. Only one so far has given me the flat out no, with a suggestion that next time, I use one of the oversized teddy bears. I seem to recall muttering something about oversized teddy bears having terrible frame before stomping back off to pound keys. Currently considering purchasing a jointed pair of Barbie and Ken dolls to spare my family such encounters in the future. Either that or dance lessons.

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The Weekend That Was

Another Monday, and the kitteh above is doing a great impression of me at the keyboard. The all day CORW workshop on Saturday wore me out, but in a good way. Guest speakers Annette Blair and Toni Andrews spoke respectively on building sexual tension and plotting. If you get the chance to see either of them in person, do.

Once again, at the basket giveaway, the person on the right of me won a basket, the person on the left of me won a basket. Guess who broke the pattern. Ahem. I did go home with a Samhain (publishing house, not Halloween) t-shirt, which is appropriate, as I did get to pitch both Endless Summer and Draperwood to both them and literary agent Jan Kardys from the BlackHawk agency. Since I did get requests from both, that is actually better than a basket. I will still accept random gifts of office supplies, tea and chocolate, however. (Yes, I am still punchy, why do you ask?)

This brings me to the seesaw of "yay, requests" and "ack, requests." Authors, you know what I mean. Readers, this is where the author runs around in little circles, muttering incomprehensible things about voice and marketing. Pretend you don't notice, and they will return to polishing the manuscript. Give them their beverage of choice and back away slowly.

Looking at a nicely full week of preparing submissions, new writing, critiquing and a new lesson for my online workshop. Does this warrant an extra cat nap?