What’s Up Wednesday from Winterfell
… or the “Be Careful What You Wish For” edition. The picture on the right was taken last night by FirstBorn. That’s snow falling on top of “hominy” snow. What’s “hominy” snow? It’s what some meteorologists here in Eastern North Carolina call snow that’s more like ice pellets than the light and fluffy stuff we know and love.* We had a few hours of that “hominy” snow, creating a snow-like layer over roads and grass. Now the fluffy stuff is falling, and is forecast to fall until about lunchtime. By then, they expect we’ll have between 6 to 8 inches of snow. We’ll see about that, but this is a major snow event for us. Schools and government offices are closed, and the roads are going to be a mess for a few days since temps aren’t going to get much above freezing for a while. I did say I’d gladly take snow from our friends in the North… well here it is! Enough of the weather report. What else is up with me this week?
What I’m Reading
I finished A GAME OF THRONES (see my Goodreads review HERE), and I’ve started into the complete and unabridged edition of Stephen King’s THE STAND. I’m not specifically targeting big books (this edition of THE STAND is about 1,150 pages long), but A GAME OF THRONES and THE STAND have been on my TBR for too long. And THE STAND is regarded by many King fans as his best work, so I ought to read it. As for GAME OF THRONES, on the whole I enjoyed it. For an epic fantasy novel, the pacing was good, and I followed the story without problem. I’m definitely going to get book 2, and perhaps even watch the first season of the TV adaptation to see how it translated to the screen.
What I’m Writing
I have to say that my writing efforts over the past week were inspired by the YA Buccaneers team. I participated in a Word Sprint last week, during which I started a short story. And on Monday evening I posted my entry in their Walk the Plank flash fiction challenge (you can read it HERE). After spending so long writing a teenage alien’s voice, it’s kind of nice to be able to employ a broader vocabulary, and a style a little closer to home.
What Inspires Me Right Now
Starting that short story was cool. It was nice to be working on something new, especially since I’ve had this idea rattling around for a while. Hopefully I’ll finish it up soon and see if I can find a home for it somewhere.
What Else I’ve Been Up To
Nothing strange or startling this week. Aside from family, work, church, reading, and writing, we’ve been staying warm and enjoying life.
What have you been up to this week? Join in the What’s Up Wednesday fun–find out how at Jaime Morrow or Erin Funk‘s blog (they started it). And don’t forget to check out other participants on their linky list.
* Hominy is actually a meal made out of ground corn or maize, like grits.
Enjoy the snow!
I could not get through The Stand. I tried and I tried but I think I was all burnt out on dystopians and could not make it through. One day I’ll have to try again.
Thanks, Cole! Hopefully, coming off of something completely different (GAME OF THRONES), it won’t be too much for me. Although I anticipate the same kind of “here’s a character, get to know him, love him, root for him… now watch him DIE!” I got in GoT… 😉
I’ve never written a short story before, but I’m keeping that option open for the next time I’m stuck on my novel-length WiP. It seems like a great way to branch out and stretch creatively. Good luck with THE STAND. I haven’t read it, but like you mentioned, I’ve heard it’s one of King’s best. Have a great week, Colin!
I read a lot of short stories before seriously embarking on my own. Short stories are usually more about plot, or they are character studies–but you really are forced to choose your direction and edit carefully. Many novels started as short stories the author felt deserved longer treatment, so you never know where it’ll end up… 🙂
Pretty snow pic! I’ve never heard the term “hominy snow” before. Interesting. My neck o’ the woods lucked out with this latest snowfall, we only got a dusting.
Thanks, Jennifer–or at least FirstBorn thanks you. 🙂 I’m wondering if “hominy snow” might be an E. NC thing, or perhaps a term coined by a couple of meteorologists here. This system did seem to target us down here, south of VA, which makes a change! 🙂
Good luck with your new writing pursuits, and your monuments reading. I hope you have a great week.
Thank you, Kate! 🙂
Oooh, snow! Good luck with The Stand, that one’s been on my want-to-read pile for years.
Thanks, Emma. I’ll be posting a review here or on Goodreads when I’m done with THE STAND.
I lived in SC for 3 years and I think I saw 5 minutes of very light snow once. The weather has been a little crazy, in my opinion lol
Writing short stories is fun, and a great writing exercise. Mine suck, but it’s a nice change. I’m glad you like yours 🙂
This white stuff is certainly strange to us too. Having two coatings of snow in as many weeks is highly unusual. This latest one is the last for the year for us, I think.
Short stories are good for a change, and, as you say, a good exercise, and a way to explore other genres and styles.
I’ve never heard of hominy snow, which is funny because I feel like after 30 some years of snow, I should be an expert lol. It’s snowing a bit here right now, but I suppose that’s normal. The sunny 7C weather we had this week? Not so much. When I hear everyone south of the border freaking out over snow I have to remind myself that this is so not normal for them and a lot of places aren’t equipped to deal with it. Hope things clear up for all of you soon!
I’ve been thinking lately that short stories–reading or writing them–might be good research for world-building. The trouble with writing SF/F is trying to adequately build worlds without killing your limited word count. Short stories really kind of have to cram that world-building into very few words and still give you a good sense of what the world is like. I’m thinking Ray Bradbury’s works here in particular. That’s awesome that you got to start working on your short story. New projects are fun!
Ah, but your snow expertise is particular to Canadian snow. You have a Master’s in snow, and a Ph.D. in Canadian snow. Saying that, I don’t know that the term “hominy snow” is known outside of our little neck of the woods. I’d never heard the term until I heard it on the news last night. And yes, take pity on us. We really don’t know how to handle this. It would be like you getting 95 F weather for a few weeks in the summer. 🙂
I thought I would have to do a lot of world building for my sci-fi/historical novel, but I found that using a first person voice actually cuts a lot of the kind of world building I would have normally expected. Especially if your narrator is encountering the world for the first time, your world building is done through the eyes of the narrator, so you don’t get nearly as much exposition and info dumping. That’s my experience, anyway. A sci-fi short might work done this way.
Thanks, Jaime! 🙂
I’d definitely recommend watching GoT – I actually saw Season One before I read the book, and I ended up buying the whole set! I haven’t read The Stand, though I feel like I need to read more of King’s work (I’ve read Carrie, IT, The Shining and Misery).
Have a great week!
Thanks for the recommendation, Emma. I think I’m at a place with the whole book/movie/TV debate (i.e., which is best?) that I can separate the two and appreciate the TV series for what it is, aside from the book. Although, the fact that Martin was heavily involved with the series (even writing scripts, I understand), adds an interesting twist to things. We’ll see. 🙂
THE STAND is the seventh King book I’ve read–which would make me sound like a fan if it weren’t for the fact that those seven books don’t even represent a FIFTH of King’s total output! He usually spins a good yarn, at least, so I have high hopes for THE STAND, despite the size.
You have a great week too, Emma! 🙂
Great photograph! Your eldest could be a great photographer.
This year I hope to write short stories again. I’ve got the perfect idea for one so at some point I need to find the time. I find them quite fun to write. ^^
FirstBorn thanks you, Robin. She got a really nice camera for Christmas, so she’s now the official family photographer. She’s also rather good at it, which helps. 🙂
All the best with your short story writing. You’ve got an idea, so run with it! Who knows, you may get it published, which, if nothing else, is always good to put on a query.
man, those are some long books! Glad you got some writing done thanks to the Bucaneers. Taking part in writing sprints is very motivating. Have an awesome week!
This month was the first time I participated in writing sprints, and they were really good. I spent the first two working on revisions, which helped me finish up the novel quicker. And, as I said, I used one last week to start a short story. It’s a good way to encourage progress on writing projects. Have a wonderful week, Prerna! 🙂
I’ve only written a handful of short stories–maybe even fewer, some were flash fiction. It can definitely take you into a new mindset from say, a teenage alien 🙂
I commend you for reading long books. I admit, I am more put off by a hefty novel now than I used to be. I blame my Goodreads tally…. I really want to like Stephen King’s work but I tend to abandon his books about 1/4 way through. I made it pretty far into Salem’s Lot, though I just didn’t care about every little thing the townspeople did, I wanted to know about the creepy vampire and that old nasty house. I’m tempted by his 1964 book, but so far I haven’t ventured there yet.
That’s the one drawback of setting annual reading goals: they promote quickly reading short novels, and discourage slow chewing over lengthier works. I’m leaning toward making this year the year I don’t hold myself to specific reading goals in an effort to read longer books. Perhaps this is the year I tackle WAR AND PEACE? 🙂
I understand what you’re saying about King. He loves those people details, and I’m already seeing that just a few chapters into THE STAND. Some people love that level of interest in the town/city/world, others not so much. He certainly has an eye for character and an ear for dialog, and if nothing else, you can learn something from these details.
Wow, you did pick some long books! I haven’t read either of them. It sounds like you had a great writing week. Short stories can be so refreshing sometimes. I like them because they don’t have the pressure of a longer work.
It was a good writing week, thanks to the Buccaneers. 🙂 I need to write more short stories. As you say, they are refreshing, and low-committal. Short stories can also be a relatively easy way to get your work in print, assuming you can find a home for it. Another way to build a reader platform.
Enjoy the snow! I hope you like The Stand. I didn’t realize there was an unabridged version and wow that’s long. I think Stephen King is an amazing writer but I haven’t been able to read anything except ON WRITING (which I love) since I got halfway through MISERY in high school. I have a higher tolerance for horror now, though, so I think the time is nearing for another shot.
Have a good week and keep warm!
So far, of all the King that I’ve read, I think the best place for someone new to his work to begin (after ON WRITING, of course) is NIGHT SHIFT. It’s a short story collection, but it gives you a good idea of King’s style, the kind of horror he writes, and also his range–not every story is horror and/or suspense.
Have a wonderful week yourself, Rachael! 🙂
have fun in the snow. It doesn’t snow here. I’ve never read The Stand. I really should. Have a good week.
I’ve never lived anywhere that just doesn’t get snow, though I can imagine that’s the case where you are Angel. I hope you get to travel north sometime and experience it. 🙂
Thanks–have a great week yourself! 🙂
I love the term “hominy snow”! Thanks for taking some off our hands–and would you like some more of the Northeast’s cold, too? 🙂 I recently wrote my first short story in ages, and it was really fun to focus on a scene or two instead of a novel. Have a great week!
You’re very welcome, Rebecca. I would consider the cold if it comes with snow… though I think I’m about ready for Spring, now. Twenty years ago, fresh from the UK, I probably had a higher tolerance for this weather. I’ve become too acclimated to the South, I think. 🙂
Have a wonderful week, too!
Haha–I love your alternate title. I’m originally from Charleston, SC, and it’s crazy down there. Not a lot of snow, but a TON of ice, and my parents can hardly drive anywhere without going over a bridge, so it’s a big old mess. Stay safe! And happy writing!
This is certainly wacky weather for us down here. Snow in GA? And usually it’s Central and Western NC that gets all the snow, so for the bulk of it to be falling here is very odd. But it’s nice to see–for a while, at least. 🙂
Thanks, Kris! 😀
I’ve gotten really into short stories too lately 🙂
It is nice to be able to switch things up so quickly with them.
That’s certainly one of the advantages of short story writing–you get straight to the plot, and can keep things moving along without the pressure of multiple chapters to fill. That’s also the challenge: you don’t have the space to do a lot of world building and character development, so you have to use all your writer skills to incorporate those things into the story. Fun fun fun! 🙂