Saturday, December 24, 2011

Welcome Mr. Caleb James

Okay I have gotten a lot typing done... woo hoo. I wrote on my last post on this story I had 16,000+ words now 18,000+ words.

Here is my preview to The Introduction to Caleb James 


Summer had begun to turn from cool mornings to warm afternoons back to cool evenings to just warm all the time. Sometimes it was almost unbearable to stand. Emmy one day needed a break and went down to cool herself off by standing in her creek. Since Kathryn James had arrived she had spent little time in her imaginary world so that day when the women were taking their usual afternoon naps Emmy snuck out and headed to the creek.
            The clouds were grey and the air smelt like rain. Emmy knew the smell well and knew it meant a storm was coming on but instead of being sensible and staying in she took her chances and headed out with no protection. The creek and the woods were peaceful and she lost track of time out there it was almost dusk before she realized it. Her feet were still wet from her last wade in so she decided to walk home barefoot.
            Little did she know nature or fate (as she later called it) was conspiring against or for her. For the last hour she had felt an occasional drop of rain but paid no attention to it. But it seemed as soon as she left her rock a dark cloud rolled over her and sent the storm she had long been smelling. She wrapped her arms around her book and ran quickly through the woods to Glenmoore field where she knew a little fort was built to protect drivers on the road from the rain such as this. This little fort would be faster to get to than the house and she would have a warmer reception at the empty fort then at her home, where she was sure to get a lecture both from Grandma Danford and Laurel and a sad look from her mother. She knew they would act as if it was her fault for it to be raining and they would both be upset she had snuck out and acted in a child like manor. Emmy remembered a time when Laurel would chase rainbows with her just to see what was on the other side. She remembered how fun Laurel was once and how she had as big of an imagination as Emmy did but now it all seemed like a distant past. Then it happened, fate, being lost in her remembrance she hadn't realized there was a little rock up ahead waiting for her to lose her footing. And she stumbled and was not able to catch herself. She was later not able to tell people how she fell all she knew was one moment she was running the next she was rolling down a hill trying to stop herself. And that’s when fate, or Caleb James, stepped in.
            He had been driving through to this desolate town at his sisters request when his engine stopped working. And his engine had stopped working then as he was tinkering on his engine it started raining. He saw the fort in the field and trumped towards it and with each step he sunk into the mud. Then it happened he saw a girl running through the field with almond hair and slender figure, he thought she almost looked like a deer. Next thing he knew she lost her footing and fell forward crashing into the ground and rolling down towards him. He picked up his feet from the mud and rushed towards her.
            She barely realized what happened, she could feel her head throbbing the fall was harder than she realized. She felt as every ounce of air was out of her and her lungs felt as if they collapsed.
            "Miss, Miss, are you all right?" A man asked.
            She could not answer him.
            "Are you all right?" he asked again.
             "I, I" she could say anymore.
            "Here give me your arm," he took her left arm and draped it around his neck and scooped her up.
            In his arms she felt as light as a feather.
            "A Danford I assume."
            "Cromwell."
            "Oh Miss Cromwell my sister has written me about you."
            "Emmy."
            "Well Miss Emmy, it is a pleasure to meet you. May I take you home."
            "Thank you."
            Laurel was working on her needle point near the window it was the best light in the parlor. Mother and Aunt Victoria were chatting idly and she had lost her focus on her needle point and was absentmindedly staring out the window. When she saw him,  a stranger, carrying her sister up the drive.
            "Mother?!"
            "What?" Fiona jumped out her seat, startled by her daughters scream.
            "A man has Emmy!"
            "What?" A dash to the window "who is he?"
            "I don't know!"
            Both Fiona and Laurel dashed to the front door. They began to run outside but he was already in the main door.
            "What happened?" Fiona asked flustered.
            " I am alright mother. I fell a bit."
            "Yes mam, I made sure she was all right before I lifted her, just had the air knock out of her and maybe some bruises."
            "She fell?"
            "Yes I lost footing. But I am fine, my head hurts a bit."
            "Come to the couch, I will fetch you both some tea," Laurel said as Fiona escorted them a mad rush.
            Caleb placed Emmy on the chaise as Fiona ran to get her daughter blankets. He took the seat next to her but when Fiona came in with Fiona came in with the blankets he got hop and let Fiona take the seat next to her daughter. Emmy tried to act calm but she could feel him staring at her and she felt flustering.
            "We are so thankful Mr.-"
            "James. Mr. Caleb James."
            "James? Mr. Brandon James and Miss James' brother?" Fiona asked.
            "The very same."
            "We were not expecting you till later this week."
            "Well I was able to get away sooner than I thought. But I do hope my early arrival is not an imposition."
            "No, no not at all. We have plenty of rooms to fill."
            "It just I am sure Miss James will be sad she and Julia  have gone out to call Miss Hester, she is the minister's daughter and runs a small school for under privileged children. She spoke on Sunday and your sister was quite motivated by the story. Your sister is so generous."
            "Yes always has been."
            Caleb stood when Laurel came in with the tea and Fiona quickly explained that the hero of the moment was Brandon and Kathryn's brother.

To read more click here.

Friday, December 23, 2011

A Christmas Carol


Last night my family and I went to see a live production of A Christmas Carol at the Lyric Theater here in Oklahoma City. If you have been reading my blog you know I talk up the Muppet's Christmas Carol a lot but outside of that movie it is probably one of my favorite Christmas stories. I bet Charles Dickens when he wrote didn't know how many movies would be made out of his story, which is about 80 pages long, and really takes no time to read. My mom likes the 1970 version of it called "Scrooge" and my step mom likes one that was made in 1951. But no matter what version you like it is a great story about how people can change, I guess that is why I like it. 

Back to going to see the live version. It is always cool to see how a live production does things that you have only seen done on film with special effects. Since the plot of the movie is so well known I can not critique it and I really have nothing to say towards the acting because it was good (corny when it needed to be but not overly so). But kudos to the make up department because looking at the cast of who is who the guy who played Scrooge was actually really young but until I looked at the pictures I thought he was old. I usually like the ghost of Christmas Present, mostly because they seem more witty and a little more sarcastic then the other ghost but in this show the ghost of Christmas Past had more wit and humors lines and she was doing it all hanging from the ceiling. Also particular to this production the ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, the creature usually has no face and I guess kind of looks like the grim reaper but this ghost looked like a big skeleton in a black cape but he had a face kind of ET looking (so my brother in law and I thought). 
Over all a great production, even though it was not a musical, I liked the songs they sung in between the scenes were traditional Christmas songs, so I did sing a long (but softly). Also one of the street vendors came down the aisle and asked me if I wanted to buy a center piece for my table. So good interaction with the audience. So if you are in the Oklahoma city area and can get tickets go see it, or maybe try it for next year. 

One thing I like seeing about multiple versions is comparing and contrasting them. I know you shouldn't always do this as you are always to prefer one version of one thing better than another, it is just natural. But I actually like seeing the similarities between the versions, like which lines sick. For example in multiple versions when Bob Cratchit makes a toast to Mr. Scrooge, the founder of the feast, Mrs. Cratchit says "The founder of the feast indeed... I would give him a piece of my mind and I hope he has a big appetite." Of course Miss Piggy playing Mrs. Cratchit says "I would give him a piece of my mind and I bet he would choke." But there are other similarities so two Christmases ago after seeing the Christmas Carol with Jim Carrey I decided to read the original source. It is not that long but Dickens can go into tangents about the conditions of society, that didn't really help the story, but I think he was paid by the word. But it helped me understand the story better.

A few more days till Christmas, hope you my lovely readers are having a good Christmas season.

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Winter Break... Part 2

In my last post on Winter Break  I wrote the number one thing I wanted to do on this break was to work on my story. I have done a lot of writing in my notebook but now I am trying to transcribe it and post it on my blog. Yesterday on my flight home and today I have been typing a lot to bring my computer and blog up to speed. So now I am up to 10 post (yeah it is a slow process). But I have enjoyed it. I will keep posting as I get more work done.


If  you missed it November was National Novel Writing Month and the goal of it is to write 50,000 words. I knew I could never do that but lots of the blogs I followed did and I have a new respect for them. In my story I have written about 34 pages and I have only written 16,000+ words. It would seem like a lot if I was writing a paper but I am trying to write a novel and it is not much at all. Oh well maybe I will finish my novel one day (it is on my bucket list). Thanks for reading...hope you enjoy.


Here is a preview of The James Family (part 3)


That night at dinner Emmy sat next to Brandon.
            "Your sister, Mr. James, tells me you are the British Ambassador's right hand man."
            "I don't know if I would say that, my sister is always too kind."
            "Didn't you just return from a trip to England where you met the Prime Minister?"
            "I did."
            "Well I would say you are quite important then."
            "You are kind Miss Cromwell."
            Emmy laughed, no one ever called her Miss Cromwell, no one called her "Miss" anything she was just Emmy. But she could see laughter was not the right thing to do by the way he looked.
            "I am sorry Mr. James, I was not laughing at you, I was laughing at being called Miss Cromwell, that title belongs to my sister. I am Emmy."
            "How old are you?"
            "Sixteen."
            "It is not right to call a lady by her first name."
            "But everyone does. Everyone calls me Emmy minus Miss Pembers. Though my real name is Emmaline."
            "That's an interesting name."
            "What you mean is odd."
            Brandon saw her sulk a bit. "No I mean not common but beautiful."
            "It was my father's middle name, I was born a month after she passed away. But everyone calls me Emmy. I am not graceful enough to have such a name as Emmaline."
            "Why do you say that?"
            "My Grandma Danford tells me."
            "Well I don't want to dispute your Grandma but I disagree."
            Emmy smiled.
            Then it struck Brandon how much this young girl looked like Marianne his love from Oxford. Their faces could almost be identical with the same almond shape eyes and sweet smile that made her nose crinkle a bit. Before he could speak again her sister Gloria had grabbed her attention. He overheard them talking about the piano.
            "Do you play the piano, Miss Emmy?"
            "Hardly, Gloria and I were discussing how she and Laurel should put on a musical number for you and Miss James. They have the beauty and musical skills. I can barely play hot cross buns."
            "You don't find music amusing then?"
            "To listen to yes, but I cannot play, even though to appease my Grandma I practice. I have neither the ear nor the talent."
            "Then how do you delight your time?"
            "With stories. I love to write stories, one day I hope to be published. Maybe be a great author like Jane Austen, Elizabeth Gaskell or the Brontë sisters," she saw his little smile. "I know it's silly," she said lowering her head.
            "Not at all," he saw her smile like she had before. "What do you write about?"
            "Adventure, passion, knights fighting for the girl he loves, princes in Africa. Everything my life is not."
            "What do you mean?"
            "I have live most of life in this house and this little town not very adventurous, and my Grandma Danford tries to stifle out all passion. "
            "Maybe one day you will see the world."
            "Maybe but it is unlikely."
            "Really?"
            Emmy realized maybe she had shared too much. After all Brandon James was a stranger and he seemed so judgmental before. But now he seemed the polar opposite of judgmental and not as cold as Emmy originally casted him as being. But he still was a stranger and Laurel would be ashamed that she had shared even a bit of their financial hardships with a stranger. So Emmy changed topics quickly asking if he played the piano. He said not really. For a bit after that they sat in quietness not knowing really what to say. After dinner the men and the women separated for the men to have a smoke and a brandy.
            "You seemed to be talking to Mr. James," Laurel said.
            "He is very nice."
            "Oh Miss Emmy," Kathryn approached Emmy "thank you for amusing my brother during dinner he seems so lonely so much of the time. I wish he could find the happiness I have found with Nicholas."
            "Is he not married?" Laurel asked.
            "No he is an old bachelor, he is far too devoted to his work and my mother and myself to have time to look for a girl to settle down with. I keep trying to match him with one of my friends but he has shown no interest in any of them. The girl who does capture his heart will be the luckiest girl in the world he is so devoted and loyal."

To read more click here

Next to come... the introduction of Caleb James who plays the Mr. Willoughby character in my story.



Thursday, December 15, 2011

Winter Break

Hello lovely readers,

Thanks for much for your continuous support as I took a little time away from this blog as I worked on finishing up this semester. But now it is winter break... YEAH!!!
 
Of course it hasn't actually snowed here.
 The number one thing I want to do besides seeing my family is writing. If you don't know I have been attempting to write a story similiar to the plot line of Sense and Sensability. Sadly though with school I haven't had that much time and energy to write. So if you want to catch up on my writing click here for my story The Sister's of Pine Haven. (I only have written 9 post on that blog so it will be easy to catch up.)

I want to write so much that I even started carrying my little notebook around with me and have written a bit on the T (subway for Boston). Which is quite difficult when I am standing and holding my travel mug of coffee. But I must write... or else I will go bonkers.
I also want to read a lot. I have been reading the same book since October. Usually I am a much faster reader but like I said before no time.  I have been reading North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell. (It is not about the Civil War.) And the only reason I have been able to pick it up and put it down so much is because I watched the minniseries on it a few months ago. I wrote more about the minniseries in my Love some Melodrama? post. I am happy I have a flight home to get some reading and writing in.

I also hope to watch some good Christmas Movies. I have done well on listening to Christmas music thanks to Spotify. (An online service kind of like Pandora but you chose your own music and you can re listen to songs). But I haven't watched many Christmas movies and I want to. (From the classics to the not so classics.)



I am also looking forward to spending unscheduled time with my friends. True, genuine time not just a pass by "hello."

Any way that is my winter break list. I know it will go by too fast and soon I will be in school again, so I want to remember to enjoy the month.