Tag: Stephen King

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IWSG

#IWSG December 2019: What Does the Dream Look Like?

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Created and hosted by the Ninja himself, Alex J. Cavanaugh, the Insecure Writers Support Group posts the 1st Wednesday of every month. Click the image to learn more or sign up.

Oops! I forgot to post this morning and then my site experienced some technical difficulties.
You know how it is this time of the year. 😉

Optional Monthly Question: Let’s play a game. Imagine. Role-play. How would you describe your future writer self, your life and what it looks and feels like if you were living the dream? Or if you are already there, what does it look and feel like? Tell the rest of us. What would you change or improve?

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I’m not really sure what living the dream looks like for me because I have so many ambitions. I guess if I was to imagine that everything I ever wanted to do happened just as I wanted it to, it might look a little something like this…

As a writer, I wouldn’t necessarily be award-winning, but I’d have regular consistent sales of my four major series (only two exist right now) and would be traveling, at least, around the U.S. speaking about them. As a book lover and entrepreneur, I’d be running a successful book fair in Hampton Roads, featuring mainstream and indie authors from all over. My claim to fame would be as an advocate of reading.

Between my writing, speaking engagements, and my book fair, I wouldn’t have a day job anymore. My husband would be my manager and my sister would be my stylist… Oh, and I’d be surrounded by all my rescue pups, however many that may be.

A girl can dream, right?

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The November IWSG member spotlight was Ronel Janse Van Vuuren. Be sure to stop by her blog and say hi.

IWSG Book Club News

Join the IWSG Book Club on Good Reads for polls, freebies, book chats, and fun.
The December 2019/January 2020 book will be On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King. Discussion Fun Day will be January 22, 2020.

WEP-IWSG

Footprints in the sand…Footprints in the snow…and they don’t have to be human – alien, monster, unknown creatures…all up for grabs. Footprints are metaphors for so many situations – we walk in someone else’s footprints, we leave footprints in the sands of time, we minimize carbon footprints, or at least try to.

The next WEP challenge is coming quickly; not sure I’ll be ready in time.

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Now, on to the personal updates.

I’ve submitted to three anthologies. I was accepted to one, but it doesn’t offer a royalty. I honestly just wanted the practice of submitting and really liked their specifications. I’m still waiting to hear from the other two. I’ve submitted to anthologies before and have about a 50/50 track record on acceptance, which I personally consider a win.

I recently set up a vendor table, two weekends in a row, to sell my books and meet and greet people, while hoping to spread the word about my idea to host a book fair. I guess I’ll be focusing on fundraising for the next few months. I’ve designed some original t-shirt designs and set up an online store. We’ll see what happens. You can check it out here if you’d like. My husband and I are wearing two of the designs in the image below. I plan to add more designs later.

I’m happy to say that I’ve been busy writing some of everything: short stories, children’s books (trying to illustrate but it’s really hard), and even a screenplay. I’m very excited to take some time off from my day job to celebrate the holidays. Looking forward to time with family, sleep, and more writing.

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Ever consider where you could be in five years? What does your writer dream look like?
Submitted any work lately?
Looking forward to or enjoying the holiday season?
It may take some time, but I promise, I will stop by your blog.

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After hanging out with Alex, be sure to stop by and visit this month’s co-hosts:
Tonja Drecker,
Beverly Stowe McClure,
Nicki Elson, and
Tyrean Martinson!

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Click here to visit other IWSG blogs and sites to receive and share more inspiration and support. (This month, I’m #42).

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

Categories
31days

Day 24- Voice: What’s in a Name? #write31days 2014

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Term of the day: voice: condition or effectiveness of utterance or expression.

Thoughts:

Aside from the most literal meaning of the word, to me voice is the style in which someone expresses themselves. In terms of literature, author’s voices can be described in many ways. Poetic voice may imply that even hard-core facts are delivery creatively with flowery words. An erotic voice may imply an essence of sensuality in even the simplest of things from opening mail to brushing one’s teeth.

It’s also true that some authors, actors, artists, and especially musicians, uniquely distinctive voices that widely recognizable. Often new and up and coming arts are compared to those widely known in their by stating that “the new author has Stephen King like talent to story-telling.” This doesn’t mean the author in question writes horror, though they could, but if you’ve ever read a Stephen King piece, you know he has a distinctive voice. I can’t imagine one day having a name that will evoke recognition and praise for my particular style of writing, but the idea of it is pretty cool.

Name of the day: Fredrick aka Fred.

Breakdown and meaning:

Fred, short for Fredrick has German origins and means “peaceful ruler”. That’s it; not too interesting about that. In my Eternal Curse Series, Fred will appear in the second book and will play a minor, yet pivotal role in the climax of the story. He’s a warrior and was  delight to write.

Well, that’s it for Day 24. See you tomorrow.

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Go back to the beginning to see all the posts in this series.

Outside of my own personal search throughout the years, basic meanings and definitions of the terms used here can be found at the following websites:http://www.meaning-of-names.com/, Google search http://en.wikipedia.org/, and http://dictionary.reference.com/.

Learn more here.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

Categories
Movies

Stand By Me Review – Mock Squid Soup No.1 #cinephiles #film #review

Hi there and welcome to the first ToiBox movie review. Today I am reviewing the film, Stand By Me. This review will consist of me asking myself 10 questions and answering them to the best of my ability. So here I go…

Google search – harrypotterforum.com

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1. What is this film about?

In my own words, this film is about four friends learning just how harsh reality is when people aren’t trying to sugarcoat things. Gordie, Chris, Teddy, and Vern head out to find a missing boy’s body in hopes that they’ll become local celebrities, but along the way they learn about the frailty of human life, the unavoidable truth of death, and power of true friendship.

2. What did I think of the title, poster, and or trailer?

I saw this movie a long time ago and don’t remember the trailer, though I’m sure I could look it up. I remember as a kid not understanding why the movie was called Stand By Me, since no one actually says these words in the film. Thinking of the title and looking at the poster makes me think this will be a sad movie, but now I know it’s so much more than that.

3. What did I think of the main character(s) and how the actors performed them?

I like these characters and also the cast. Watching child actors is always a bit unnerving because you want them to be good in their role, but there’s always the chance that they’re just not ready for the part. The only character I had a bit of a problem with in this film was that of the junkyard owner. Still to this day, I don’t know why he was so mean and obsessive with the boys, constantly yelling at them “Come back here.” There aren’t many happy characters in this film even though the overall message seems to be one of encouragement.

River Phoenix does an outstanding job as Chris Chambers and is a talent that left the world too early. Who knows what he would have accomplished in his field. Unfortunately, for Cory Feldman, all of his best work happened in his youth. Perhaps he lost his passion for the craft of acting somewhere along the way.

Will Wheaton and Jerry O’connell also played their parts well, but I don’t think their roles were as challenging for some reason, but I do feel that Wheaton was the perfect choice to play Gordie.

4. What did I think of the direction and cinematography?

I always seem to enjoy films that take place in Castlerock, Oregon especially since it’s not a real place. This film is directed by Rob Reiner and is an example of his classic masterpiece. There are no special effects or high-tech lighting and filtering done in this film. It tells a simple story and shot to reflect that. I like the Reiner is able to capture of sense of “vastness” throughout the film with wide angles and shots of the sky. In the film, we follow four boys on a journey of discovery within their small community and their own isolated worlds, but as a viewer, you never lose sight of the fact that all of this is relative to these specific characters. Nothing that happens in this story is going to affect the world, but it will affect the lives of those involved.

5. What did I think of the soundtrack and score?

I thought the soundtrack was fun. It consisted of a lot of mainstream classic rock’n’roll hits to reflect the times in which the story takes place. The score, on the other hand, is quite different. Whenever there was music present that wasn’t something people were listening to on the radio, it was sad and serious music. There are times in this film when you’ll just laugh out loud, but the score would always come along shortly to remind you of the seriousness of the film. Even the character Gordie points in out in one scene when he says that finding a boys boy shouldn’t be a party.

The title song Stand by Me, performed by Ben E. King is so fitting for this film. There’s nothing more I can say about that.

6. What did I like about the story as a whole?

Overall, I adore this story. It’s a wonderful coming of age tale that’s not too sappy, but does pack an emotional punch.  Also, the film is full of comical moments that stick with you long after you’ve watched. I still chuckle a bit each time of think “What the hell is Goofy?”

7. What did I not like about the story?

The main thing I didn’t like about this story was the whole train dodge scene. I’m not talking about the one with the character, Teddy, acting like a child because he is, but the one where they all have to run for their lives over tracks laid over a bridge.

Seriously, I don’t care if I knew without that the rail system had been completely dismantled, I would have never taken my time and strolled across that bridge. I would have crossed it as quickly as possible from the start. As far as friendship goes, it Vern didn’t care enough not to get both, him and Gordie, killed with his hysterics and slowness, Gordie should have stepped over him and went on.

Sorry for the rant; it will happen from time to time.

8. Would I recommend this movie to others?

Yes, I would definitely recommend this movie to others.

9. If so, who? What would I rate this movie?

I would actually say that this is a good family film for pre-teens and up. There is an issue with language and some of the themes, but it could be good to get families talking about things they normally would just ignore. On a scale of 1 to 5 movie reels, I give this film 5 reels.

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10. Was there anything in this movie that could be related to my work or anything I have written?

I like the fact that Gordie wants to be a writer. I wish I knew at his age that this is what I wanted to do.

Some of the themes in this film didn’t seem so profound to me as a kid, but now they are truly thought-provoking. Crappy parents, more specifically fathers, is always an interesting topic and one that I write about in my story, It’s Like the Full Moon, soon to be published.

Then there’s the issue of gun safety and gun control. I know this film is a reflection of the time, but kids playing with guns is no laughing matter. I haven’t written about this topic but have touched on ideas of destruction by youth, in my story Legend of the Boy.

Not that is has anything to do with what I’ve written, but I love the fact that this movie is based on a novella by Stephen King, called “The Body”.

Well, that’s all for today. I hope you’ve enjoyed this ToiBox movie review of Stand By Me, and hope that you’ll join me again for more reviews down the road.

Watch, rent, or buy this movie here.

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Mock Squid Soup Film Society

 

MOCK! and The Armchair Squid are proud to introduce Mock Squid Soup: A Film Society. Each month, on the second Friday, we shall host a bloghop devoted to a particular movie.  We invite others to watch the same film and post their own reviews…Don’t be shy; come join the fun! 😀


Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords