The frazzled quill

Title definition: 'Frazzled' is the perfect word I would use to describe my quill... if I wrote with one. Haggard. Smunched. Frayed. You get the idea.

I have discovered I can get no farther in TLOS until I have *gathp* organized my materials. Now, I have been writing this story on and off for three?  four years? without any sort of, um, system. I've pretty much jotted down what ever came into my head in the various notebooks that litter my room to this day, save for one master notebook that follows the story as it will be told... someday. In the past I have indeed taken a few steps toward an orderly writing desk; collecting all my photo references, scribbled lines, notes, and mostly empty notebooks into one vast binder. Well, this binder now weighs eight stinkin' pounds. In other words, if I chucked this thing at your car, it would leave a vaguely book-shaped dent.

 This still does not fix my organizing problem by a long shot. Because a) I hardly ever get this tome of information out, and b) when I do I have struggle for several minutes afterward just to get the zipper to close. Sitting on it is usually required.

So, in order to have a 'pleasant' access to all my reference materials, the past few days have be largely used to convert written snippets to computer pages and files.
 I'll warn you now: If any of you have a story you are writing by hand -- get copies on to your computer's desktop now. Don't wait until you have Mount Etna in the corner of your room!

because i can't stand a post without pictures :)

I am kinda-sorta about half way done, but golly has it been a journey! I'm finding bits and pieces that I would believe I'd written if it weren't for seeing the handwriting as my own.

Also, in organizing, I have forced myself to face a monster that has been plaguing me forever: The Plot. Of course I've always had an idea where my story was going... sort of. But I kept changing it and adjusting it, and even now it keeps growing extra limbs. Which is why I can go no farther until I get this figured out. So I'm in the process also of writing a detailed online of the entire first book {TLOS will eventually be a series}. I've got three pages down already with maybe three more to go.
 I'm excited because thing are really staring to shape up too! I've already cut out a lot of *sigh* unnecessary stuff, mainly the first three chapters *gasp-shrivel-die*, because Cilla being 'adopted' by nobles for unknown cause? Pfft. Out the window. I decided that aside from being extremely improbable {I could make it work if I tried, I suppose...} it's pretty much just 'fluff'; interesting twist and all, but really not relevant to the rest of the book.
 Besides, now I get to delve into Cilla's gypsy side. *claps hands* Very excited about that. Though, I do need some reference... Has anybody read a great gypsy/thief-ish book recently? Otherwise I'll just have to wing it for the first daft.
Ha. Winging it: Story of my life.

-Gwyn

"Ah, for pen and parchment...

... with which to write."

Can you say, 'writing frenzy'? That's what I've been having! And I'm very excited about it :)
 My novel, which has been inert for a month or so, has suddenly exploded in my face -- in a good way. Ideas, details, and character growths are sprouting out of everything like -- like --weeds! And I mean everything; the movies I watch, the books I read, the paintings I see, the walks I take... Heck, even when I'm doing the grotty jobs I have inspirations {mostly about possible slave/forced labor in a character's future...}.
 Sadly, this brainstorm has not overlapped into the Blogger world.

"Spring is in the air, and I am a flower with nothing interesting to say." - A Bug's Life

 I feel completely null when I log on in the evenings.*sigh* Even for Cleití. So much so that I'm thinking about pulling out of this next round of role playing. Half of me cringes at the thought, but the other relaxes and says please.

 Ergh. I'm in a fix.

But I have very much fallen head-over-heels into my book again. Tovah has blossomed! I'm so cruel to him though, it's criminal. I just blamed him for the death of three people. Poor chap. *Bwhaha--ahem*
 Cilla, too, is growing. I've decided to make her much more the instigator and troublemaker {if that is possible}, but some how I'm going to have to ground her so that when hard times hit {and they'll hit hard, I can guarantee you} it won't seem out of character for her to be a complete emotional wreck. Things will get really tough before I write The End. I'm almost surprised at myself. As my little brother put it:

"Everybody dies in your book. And I've only read the first chapter! Who's left??"

or

"I hope I never get read into your book {like in Inkheart}. I'd probably die."

Who knew I could be so morbid?

-Gwyn

Stressed!

I apologize for neglecting my blog. 

And my photography.

And my TLOS writing.

But I am horribly swamped at the moment trying to get things rolling for a new role play at my writing blog, Cleití, and straightening out a few hiccups it's been having while trying to hook all the new writers up. Phew.
I'm also too busy in real life with a music gig this weekend {opening for a concert, no less! ;)}, a surprise birthday party - maybe, and.... algebra. Uuuuuugh! Why? Why the xs and the ys and the x/y fractions and find this and solve for that?? What manner of things did I do when I was small?
 I guess this is just a rant post to tell you why Celtic Cowgirl has been silent for so long. Besides those brief videos and such. So I apologize and say to you that I will return eventually with something of interest! But for now, slán a fhágáil!

-Gwyn

p.s. Ellyn I will answer your H.L. question - I haven't forgotten! I've just saved it on my dashboard as a reminder :)

Stunning violin {and viola} performance

Holy mackerels....

I hope I learn to be at least half as good as they!

-Gwyn

Much left unsaid will be said

I haven't posted anything worthwhile for a long time have I? {And I call myself a writer!} Well,  I'm sorry and I hope this post will make up for the long absence of my usual brilliance {insert sarcasm here}.

 Life has recently decided to put me through the wringer at a great pace, chucking at me pain/illness, un-creativeness, mood swings, and a nasty cold storm {-20* with a windchill of -45* @ 35mph} to boot. Today at last I got the chance to get away from all that unpleasantness because the Stock Show and Rodeo is in town!
   Well, not my little town -- but it's close enough. 'Close' is a relative term around here.

 I always get excited and over active at such events. I blame the smell of fresh donuts and sugared nuts, sawdust, and tooled leather. Or maybe it's the 'you're a cowboy I'm a cowboy, that makes us friends' atmosphere. Or the vendor stalls that sell everything from saddles to handmade soaps, bronze sculptures and paintings to shining new horse trailers and Dodge pickups.
  The animals help too. We got there during a bull show and walked the aisles of cattle all being prepped and primed for their big chance in the show ring. One particular bull had a thick winter coat that was being fluffed and combed until he looked like a poodle.
 I still hold firmly to the belief though, that a cow is still a cow no matter how much you scrub it.

As with every year, the Stock Show has a 'petting zoo' for the little kids. Piglets, chicks, a nanny goat and her kids, border collie pups, a llama, an alpaca, and a burro with a sign "Caution: I bite". Poor beasts. Ten days of being gawked at by hundreds of screaming children and their parents with flash cameras.
 I asked the alpaca how he was doing and he just looked at me as if to say, "Seriously?". So I nodded and left. I'm not going to pester the living daylights our of those poor creatures.

I was disappointed to learn that we missed the stallion show. Last year there was a really beautiful boy; a blanket blue roan with a little sliver star on his forehead. He looked really sweet, not all big and intimidating like most of the others. He had big brown eyes and a soft face. sigh.

After we'd toured every leather-working shop and artist's booth, and munched a few hot donuts, we had to leave. I was hoping we'd get to go to the rodeo tonight but we have time constraints this year so we probably won't see any this time. Rats.


I have not been completely idle since my last post, I suppose. But I got pretty dang close, to my own grief. I knocked up a few necklaces to add to my little shoppe - of which will be in for a little change in the near future.

I really liked this locket but have struggled forever with what to pair it with. I finely settled on just a simple silver chain and a bit of ribbon {which is having technical difficulties at the mo.}

I also really love this 'pearl' one strand. It's simple and sweet - my kind of trade mark in fashion :) - yet it is surprisingly elegant. I wore it once to a church function paired with my creme pea-coat, skirt and flats, and it looked quite smart.

 It was one of those days when I felt like something different besides the regular boots-and-jeans.

This one is incredibly basic but I think has a certain thing-ness about it. In the photo you can see a tiny bit of my afore mentioned coat. Not that I like it or anything. ;)

I came across a set of these pendants a few weeks ago and love them! The only problem is deciding on a design that will do them justice.

The photo renders the beads bluer then they are; their actually more lime colored.

Alas! Time has flown like the bird through the windows and I must leave you to go feed my freezing ponies before it is pitch black out. I hope this post made up for what ever lacked in the last!

-Gwyn