… I could probably do this for a good year with what I currently have on there… So I think I will. Plus the bands I like produce new content every year, meaning that I will NEVER run out!
Ahem.
Angel with A Shotgun. Do I really need to say anything else? Yes, listen to the Nightcore Version:
Yes, that is a more awesome version of Alvin and the Chipmunks.
Okay seriously now. This is a hero realization song. This is what I play when the hero first accepts his/her sword and raises it against the enemy.
Readers,
Do you have a question about writing, publishing, my stories, etc? Please feel free to post a comment or email me.
jimthewritingwizard@gmail.com
I’ll use those comments to select my next blog post.
I have been writing for several years, have 4 published works, experience with publishing and independent work, so I can hopefully be of assistance.
Please note, I only do one of these a day and will do my best to respond to everyone, but it may take some time.
Can you give some advices about how to get traffic towards your blog? How do you get so many followers on this app?
By the way, your posts are really good😊!
–Simmone
Hi Simmone,
Great question. The best way to think about WordPress, or any other blogging page is to think about it as a community. The more you put in, the more you’ll get out of it. So the best advice I’d give is to explore the other blog posts, especially others that tag and categorize their posts the same way you do. Read, like, comment, reblog, and offer advice when and where possible. I’ll be honest, my blog only had about 500 readers before I started offering writing tips and advice.
Secondly, I’d network as much as you can. Got a Facebook page? No?? MAKE ONE. Got a twitter page? No??? MAKE ONE!!! Got a Pinterest account? NO??? Oh man! Make accounts on these pages and link them to your blog. You don’t even have to use most of them. WordPress will post all of this for you. This will gain you greater exposure.
Really though that’s all there is to it. If you build it and expose it, people will come to it. If they like what you have to say they will come and visit your blog. YOU need to give them a reason to.
Anyway, hope this helps. Readers, do you have any advice for Simmone? How do you get more readers?
Readers,
Do you have a question about writing, publishing, my stories, etc? Please feel free to post a comment or email me.
jimthewritingwizard@gmail.com
I’ll use those comments to select my next blog post.
I have been writing for several years, have 4 published works, experience with publishing and independent work, so I can hopefully be of assistance.
Please note, I only do one of these a day and will do my best to respond to everyone, but it may take some time.
Okay, this one is a big one. It wasn’t my gateway or anything like that, but it was my introduction to Dragonforce… and my playlist was NEVER the same:
When to listen:
For me, it’s usually right at the beginning of the final conflict or climax of my story. It’s a strong, powerful, song that really gets the blood pumping. Songs like this are my coffee in the morning (I don’t drink Coffee).
Readers,
Do you have a question about writing, publishing, my stories, etc? Please feel free to post a comment or email me.
jimthewritingwizard@gmail.com
I’ll use those comments to select my next blog post.
I have been writing for several years, have 4 published works, experience with publishing and independent work, so I can hopefully be of assistance.
Please note, I only do one of these a day and will do my best to respond to everyone, but it may take some time.
2,000 followers… I… Honestly I am speechless. I didn’t think my blog would ever get that popular. I think it’s party time. Never thought I’d do this, but… take it Pinkie Pie:
Okay in all seriousness (Sorta), I really want to tip my hat to all of my readers, fans, and advice seekers. I do this for all of you as I really don’t make much (if any) money off of my writing and/or tend to break even in the amount that I actually put into my books.
You guys are awesome. I mean that from the bottom of my heart.
As a special treat for everyone… I’m going to do something I never do with books that I plan to publish…
Ladies and Gents… the rough draft to Chapter 1 of The Path to Hell, Book 2 of the Vengeance Doctrine.
(Cover still in the works)
I
“Hello, can someone help me, please?”
Lucy ran across the Boylston Street in downtown Boston, trying to find something, anything that could help her. She’d woken up on a back alley a few blocks away. Clad only in tattered clothing, she was desperate to find some comfort. She was freezing and had no idea what had happened to her.
Not helping matters was how cold out it was. The sting of frigid air in the early February morning was a rude awakening to Lucy. Her wet blonde hair was matted to her head. The cold air made it freeze, causing a stiff feeling on her head. She had found herself covered in a thin sheet of snow. I need to get out of here… I need to get somewhere safe… s…so cold…
The temperature was completely frigid. Any flesh out in these elements could easily freeze within minutes. Lucy didn’t have time to think. She stumbled forward, crossing through the Boston Commons, but it was early in the morning and no one was around. She could barely feel her bare feet as they touched on the pavement. Even so, she did everything she could to avoid the large banks of freshly fallen snow.
Lucy’s breath was like a continuous cloud in front of her as her breathing became more and more rapid. On the other side of the road, she saw cars going by and made her way to Tremont Street. The pain in her feet went from dull to excruciating. She knew that she didn’t have long.
Lucy stepped off of the sidewalk and attempted to wave down passing cars, “Help… please someone, help?”
God, please let someone stop…
But no one did. One car even honked to let her know that she was too close. Lucy yelped and pulled her hand back. No one was going to help her. She didn’t even see a police car nearby. Her only chance would be to get across the street and hopefully make it to one of the buildings nearby.
Having few options, she waited until all of the cars had gone by and ran across the street. She was so determined that she had not noticed a large Ford pickup turn onto the road. The truck came to a screetching hault in front of her and honked. The man opened his window and yelled, “Hey, are you fucking crazy? You trying to get yourself killed.”
The man eyed her tattered clothing and his expression softened, “Are you all right? Hey miss, do you need help?”
Lucy didn’t respond. The cold was begining to take over and she was desperate to get warm. The man called after her while pulling out his cell phone, “Hey miss!”
She made it across the street and ripped open a door to the closest building. No matter what happened, she needed to get out of the cold. She could barely feel anything and soon the cold would take her if she didn’t.
**
Michelle Ramirez was not having a good week. In fact, it was one of the worst. She’d just started a new job as a secretary. She’d worked for the company for several years and thought that joining the front end was the right career path, but it turned out to be a dredge job that was nothing like what she thought.
She pushed the glasses tighter on her nose as her eyes focused on the screen. Yet another progress report needed to be filed and she had been rewarded the dubious task of putting it in. Another suit upstairs needed to cover his ass. Lucky me…
Her desk in a small reception area that was completely deserted as the morning rush had not yet begun. The entire room looked fairly fancy with antique dark wood linings on off-white walls, and a mahogany secretary’s stand to welcome people in.
Michelle had to admire her surroundings, but that was pretty much the only perk of her new position. She sat back, questionning her lot in life, her decisions, and everything that had led her to where she now was. Oh well… seems I’m doomed to this kind of shit for the rest of my days. What I wouldn’t give to shake things up a little.
At that moment, the door burst open and a woman stumbled though. Michelle jumped to her feet, startled by what she saw. This woman’s clothes were badly torn to the point where they barely covered her. The blue shirt that she wore was ripped at the stomach, and her pants had been ripped at the waste. They ony stayed up because the fabric hugged her hips so well. What had happened to this poor woman?
Michelle rushed out from behind her desk and approached the woman, “Ma’am, are you all right? What happened to you?”
The woman panted, “Please… please… help me…”
That was all the poor woman had a chance to say. Michelle reached out her hand, “Ma’am what…”
Before Michelle could finish her sentence, the woman fell forward and closed her eyes. She collapsed on the ground. He body shook like she was being jolted by electricity and her breathing was heavily labored.
Michelle’s heart raced as she went into action, “What happened to you?”
Michelle had taken a first aid certification course back in college. She’d never had to use it before and let her certification lapse, but she still knew what to do in these situations. She quickly grabbed her jacket off of the back of her chair and spread it over the woman to try to warm her and stop the shaking. She quickly checked the woman’s pulse. Her heart is racing. She’s running out of time. Gotta get her help.
Michelle pulled her cellphone out and quickly called for help. As the phone rang, she gently brushed a few strands of blonde hair away from the girl’s mouth, “Be careful what you wish for, huh? Poor thing…”
Lucy woke up in a small bed with an IV in her arm. Her skin was warm and per the beeps on the monitor next to her, plus the sensation in her chest indicated that her heart was beating normally. I’m alive… for now. I have to get out of here!
She gasped as she looked around. This was clearly a hospital room. She was surrounded by equipment that was making beeping noises. Her clothing had been removed and replaced with a blue gown that tied in the back.
The room looked very clean, almost to the point of sterility. It wasn’t what she was expecting, but then again, she really didn’t know what to expect, “What… what happened.”
“How are you feeling?”
Lucy flinched as she realized that she wasn’t alone in the room. She turned to see a young brown haired woman in white and blue scrubs was smiling at her, “I’m Lisa, the nurse on duty and I’ll be looking after you for today. Can you tell me your name?”
“Where am I?” Was all Lucy could say.
“You’re at Massachusetts General Hospital. You gave quite a few people a scare when you ran into one of the buildings along Tremont Street. Can you tell me your name?”
“How did I get here?”
“You were delerious and suffering from hypothermia when you were brought in. It also seems like you haven’t had anything to eat in a while. We were able to bring your body temperature up and give you some nutrients intraveniously. Do you live around here?”
“I don’t know.” Lucy replied.
The look of concern flashed over Lisa’s face, but she quickly hid it as her warm smile returned, “That’s okay, you’re probably still a little hazy. Can you tell me your name?”
“It’s… Lucy. Lucy Apollyon.”
“That’s great, thank you.” The nurse replied, relieved. “Now do you know your date of birth?”
Lucy thought for a moment, but couldn’t remember it. That was a complete blank in her memory. No matter how hard she tried, it never came to her, “Why do you want to know all this?”
Lisa frowned, “Well you weren’t carrying any ID. We don’t know who you are and have no way to identify you. We really need that information in order to properly treat you.”
“I don’t remember… and I don’t think you’re going to find anyone to call.”
“Okay, no problem. Why don’t you rest a little while longer? Maybe it will come back to you. Are you comfortable, do you need anything?”
“No… I…” A sudden chill in the air made Lucy shudder. Could it have been from the hypothermia? No way, the hospital blankets were nice and warm, and the temperature in the room was too high for that. Perhaps it was a draft. No, the window was on the other side of the room and again the heat would have prevented it from ever really getting to her.
A sudden and ominious feeling came over her. Something wasn’t right. She couldn’t reconcile how she knew, but she was certain that something had gone horribly wrong. She shouldn’t be there. She was supposed to be somwhere else. The problem was that she didn’t even know where.
Lucy sat and turned to stand, “I need to get out of here.”
Lisa moved quickly to attempt to restrain her, “Whoa, that’s not a good idea. You need to rest!”
“No, I can’t stay here. It’s not safe!”
“Lucy, please!”
Lucy broke free and ripped the IV out of her arm. It hurt, but she couldn’t be worried about that right now. She needed to get out of there.
Lucy lurched out into the hallway before Lisa could react and looked around. She only had a second to figure out where she wanted to go. She saw the elevator at the other end of the hall and commenced running towards it.
Lucy ran as fast as she could. She had to get out of the hospital quickly. It was the only chance she had to save herself.
Her hopes were dashed when the elevator made a ringing sound and three men dressed in police uniforms got off. She was surprised how quickly they responded. Were they even there for her or had it been an unfortunately coincidence? It didn’t matter. Her luck had nearly run out.
She turned back before the police spotted her and saw Lisa, as well as a few orderlies, run up behind her. Not wanting to get caught, she quickly turned and ran down a small corridor to her right that led to another group of beds.
An older man with white hair, dressed all in black with a white collar appeared in front of her. She recognized that outfit, “Father, father, please help me!”
Father Darren had been providing religious counseling services to patients who wanted it for years and today was no different. He went from room to room at the hospital, offering prayer and communion to patients who had requested it. It was fullfilling, albiet very depressing work. Often he was called on to provide last rites, or trying to help calm a stressed out patient.
He had just finished offering communion to a patient who had spent the last few days in traction after a serious car accident downtown. He checked his watch as he placed the small brass case containing the host back in his pocket. 11am… should be lunch time soon.
The tapping of bare feet on the tiled floor, coupled with heavy breathing drew his attention. He quickly turned to see a young woman running towards him with a group of nurses and orderlies in hot persuit. One of them called after her, “Lucy, please stop! We’re just trying to help you!”
Lucy dropped to her knees as she reached the priest and grabbed his hand, “Father, sanctuary, please help me! Give me sanctuary, please!”
The startled priest looked down at her, “What’s wrong, what happened?”
Before she could respond, two orderlies grabbed her by the arms and picked her up. The old priest’s brow furrowed as he confronted them, “What’s going on here?”
Lisa stepped between them, “I’m sorry, father. This woman is delirious.”
“Please, help me!” Lucy screamed over Lisa.
Lisa turned back to her, “We’re going to, but you need to come back and lay down.”
“No, it’s not safe! You’re all in danger, please!”
The hospital staff was about to drag Lucy off when the priest raised his hand, “Stop!”
The orderlies froze in place and looked at Father Darren as he stepped forward and brought his face to level with hers, “You have my attention, what do you want to say?”
Lucy was about to speak when she saw the large golden crucifix around the priest’s neck. Her eyes widened and she drew in a deep, labored, breath. Father Darren looked on in horror as black lines began to appear on Lucy’s forehead. She looked like she was in excruciating pain, but she didn’t cry out. Her eyes closed and her face creased as she endured the transformation on her forehead. The lines darkened and converged, forming a star.
Lisa placed a hand over her mouth and stepped back as more and more details began to appear. Father Darren took a fearful step back as a pentagram appeared in a circle on her forehead, and the malicious face of a goat appeared inside of it. Father Darren touched her skin just above the mark with his , “Signum autem diabolo…”
His expression became stern as he looked deep into Lucy’s eyes, “Who are you?”
Her eyes rolled over black, “Ego sum unus qui est infra.”
The priest nodded, “Then I am the one who speaks for our lord, God.”Lucy shook her head, “So you think.”
A loud hissing noise flew from her lips as her head fell forward. The orderlies were able to get a good grip on her as her limbs had fallen limp. The priest breathed a sigh of relief that the first confrontation with… whatever that was, had ended. He suspected that this would not be the last one. The room felt lighter now. Whatever it was, it was gone for the moment.
Lisa stood next to the priest as an unconscious Lucy was carefully carried back to the room, “I’m sorry about that Father…”
“Darren.” The priest replied.
“Father Darrin. Can you tell me who she is or what’s going on with her?”
“We don’t know, Father. She says her name is Lucy, but we don’t know much else. After what I just saw… maybe you should stick around, though.”
Father Darrin shook his head, “I don’t think I’m the right person to help with this. Excuse me, I think I’m going to need to make a phone call.”
Lisa’s eyes narrowed, “Oh… of course, Father. What should I do if she wakes up.”
Father Darrin shrugged, “If she’s normal, treat her normally.”
“And if she’s… whatever that was?”
Father Darrin looked her over before responding, “Do you believe in God, Lisa?”
She nodded, “Catholic, sir. Born and raised.”
Father Darrin looked slightly relieved, “Don’t ask it any questions. Try not to even engage with it. Do whatever you have to in order to keep that young woman safe, but otherwise don’t give it any information to use against you.”
“Did you call her an ‘it,’ Father?”
“There’s nothing else to call it right now. Whatever that was, it wasn’t of this world.”
(Just remember that this is a REALLY rough draft. I haven’t spell-checked it or anything and will probably be subject to change before I’m done.)
Readers,
Do you have a question about writing, publishing, my stories, etc? Please feel free to post a comment or email me.
jimthewritingwizard@gmail.com
I’ll use those comments to select my next blog post.
I have been writing for several years, have 4 published works, experience with publishing and independent work, so I can hopefully be of assistance.
Please note, I only do one of these a day and will do my best to respond to everyone, but it may take some time.
So after the enthusiasm over Amaranthe’s last song, I decided to go with another one. This is my favorite song off of their most recent album…
When I listen to this song:
Um… so there’s no real specific part. This is pretty much something I listen to when I’m just stuck at any random place and the music I typically listen to doesn’t cut it. It’s an extremely lively song that, for Metal, is almost dance-able.
Readers,
Do you have a question about writing, publishing, my stories, etc? Please feel free to post a comment or email me.
jimthewritingwizard@gmail.com
I’ll use those comments to select my next blog post.
I have been writing for several years, have 4 published works, experience with publishing and independent work, so I can hopefully be of assistance.
Please note, I only do one of these a day and will do my best to respond to everyone, but it may take some time.
It’s a tough question to answer. Certainly in this day and age they are not considered ‘high-art’ but when programming backgrounds and beautiful scenery, its hard not to consider them as such.
Let’s consider Skyrim for a moment… someone (me) goes through hours upon hours coding, re-texturing, and updating the graphical properties of the game, using some mods he downloaded and some that he created on his own to create scenery that is on par if not superior to new releases. Could the imagery he comes up with be considered art?
Let me give you a few examples to look at:
Given the extreme detail and the amount of hard work that goes into such things, no two modded Skyrims are exactly the same. Could imagery like this not be considered art?
I think it can, and eventually video game designers will soon be considered the artists that they deserve to be, but I’ll open it up to the floor.
Readers, would you consider this art?
Readers,
Do you have a question about writing, publishing, my stories, etc? Please feel free to post a comment or email me.
jimthewritingwizard@gmail.com
I’ll use those comments to select my next blog post.
I have been writing for several years, have 4 published works, experience with publishing and independent work, so I can hopefully be of assistance.
Please note, I only do one of these a day and will do my best to respond to everyone, but it may take some time.
Nothing about this isn’t absolutely epic. This was a video I discovered online long ago and was instantly hooked. I’ve since seen them live in concert and admit to being a huge fan. How do I describe their music? Slipknot if they hired Rihanna as their lead singer.
When to listen to this song? Climax buildup, or perhaps during the final battle!
Readers,
Do you have a question about writing, publishing, my stories, etc? Please feel free to post a comment or email me.
jimthewritingwizard@gmail.com
I’ll use those comments to select my next blog post.
I have been writing for several years, have 4 published works, experience with publishing and independent work, so I can hopefully be of assistance.
Please note, I only do one of these a day and will do my best to respond to everyone, but it may take some time.
I was wondering if you could tell me what makes up a good fantasy story?
Thanks,
Sarah.
Ahem…
Hi Sarah,
That is such a subjective… subject… that I’m not sure I can give you a definitive answer, but not for not trying.
So I’m going to give you a few suggestions based on what I’ve seen work effectively.
Anti-Hero. Include an antihero in your story. These are usually very dynamic characters that are really getting a solid following. They aren’t usually bad and they don’t really fall into what we typically consider good. Basically they wind up being good guys because of the situation or narrative.
Show don’t tell. Use metaphor and comparison to describe what characters are seeing, what’s more, keep the descriptions to a minimal. Let the reader put the pieces together or have the characters react to what’s around them instead of just describing it.
FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, DON’T PREACH! This cannot be understated. It is a major turn off for me and 100% of the time causes me to throw the book across the room and demand a refund. If you’re trying to insert a political viewpoint, include it in your writing. Make it situational and show how said stance affects the characters. Having someone break the 4th Wall and go on a preachy soapbox monologue will take readers out of your writing. This is especially damaging in this day and age where politics is literally FORCED into every asset of our lives. See my previous post on this topic.
Make your story interesting, and keep it that way! At the very least, you should establish your hook within the first 3 pages if not the first few lines, and then go through the motions. Just remember to finish strong! A strong, satisfying ending can make or break your book. If your book has an incredible ending, any boring parts that basically feel like filler, will soon be seen as build-up with an awesome pay off, so it works to your advantage on many levels.
If you’re going to focus on one character, make it the villain. There are many ways to do this… you could create an anti-villain instead of an anti-hero or a tragic villain. People love a good villain and I even have stated that a good villain can mean the difference between a good story and a bad story. See my previous post on villains.
Focus more on substance, less on word count. This pretty much speaks for itself.
Make your characters dynamic. Your characters need vices, people need to be able to relate to them. If you make them cookie cutter, they’ll be stale and uninteresting.
Create rules to your universe and STICK TO THEM! If magic exists in your world, set limits on it. Make sure that it’s clearly established what magic can and CANNOT do. The same must be said for other plot devices and character behaviors. God characters and deus ex machinas equals a loss of readership.
So hopefully this helps Sarah. Readers, anything else you feel helps a story? Let her know in the comments.
Readers,
Do you have a question about writing, publishing, my stories, etc? Please feel free to post a comment or email me.
jimthewritingwizard@gmail.com
I’ll use those comments to select my next blog post.
I have been writing for several years, have 4 published works, experience with publishing and independent work, so I can hopefully be of assistance.
Please note, I only do one of these a day and will do my best to respond to everyone, but it may take some time.
Need a good song to listen to when writing either a victory, royalty entering the room, or a new order taking over in the ashes of an oppressive power? Well normally the metal head in me would recommend Dragonforce… literally anything Dragonforce, but today I’m doing something a little different:
If the sheer sound of this doesn’t send chills down your spine, take your pulse. You’re likely dead. Composed by Dennis McCarthy, this theme to Star Trek Generations is unbelievably bombastic and one of the most incredible musical numbers that literally no one remembers. Give it a listen and let me know what you think for today’s recommendation!
Readers,
Do you have a question about writing, publishing, my stories, etc? Please feel free to post a comment or email me.
jimthewritingwizard@gmail.com
I’ll use those comments to select my next blog post.
I have been writing for several years, have 4 published works, experience with publishing and independent work, so I can hopefully be of assistance.
Please note, I only do one of these a day and will do my best to respond to everyone, but it may take some time.
As most of you know, I am very much so a big child care and protection advocate. I’ve spent a lot of time working with children and though I don’t lay that aspect on in my novels (I don’t like preaching at people), I still like to try to raise awareness for different issues where possible.
As the Holiday season comes to a close, I wanted to let everyone know about a few great charities if you’re looking for a good new years resolution or a charity for next Christmas…
This Hospital is an absolutely wonderful organization. Founded in 1962, St. Jude’s is a research Hospital tackling childhood illnesses and diseases in the hopes of finding a cure. One of their big focuses has always been Leukemia, and since the hospital’s inception, the survival rate for acute lymphoblastic leukemia has gone from just 4% in ’62 to over 94% today. That is absolutely amazing.
81% of every dollar donated to the hospital goes directly help people. Roughly half goes to patient care and half goes to research. This is a hospital that is a 503c charity and is one of a few pediatric research organizations in the United States where families never pay for treatments that are not covered by insurance, and families without insurance are never asked to pay.
So if you’ve got a little money to spare and want to give to a cause that continuously helps countless people on a daily basis, this is truly one of the best.
Check out their website above if you’d like to get involved, and click here to donate.
That commercial always warmed my heart around the Holiday season. Yes it’s more of a Christmas organization, but it’s still worth mentioning. This is a charity organization that is run by U.S. Marine Corps Reserve and delivers toys to less fortunate children whose parents otherwise couldn’t afford presents. Over 97% of your donations goes to our mission of providing toys, books, and other gifts to less fortunate children. Less than 3% go to operating costs.
Where to donate? Click here to give money or buy a couple of toys and keep an eye open for places with this logo around the holidays where you can go to drop them off:
I don’t even know where to start with this one… Globally, there are currently 322 locations in 63 various countries. Ronald McDonald Houses act as a place to stay for families with hospitalized children who are receiving treatment and is only accessible to families who reside within a prescribed distance from the treating hospital as determined by the board. Ronald McDonald’s Houses provide over 7,200 bedrooms to families around the world each night, with an estimated value of $700 million in lieu of hotel costs. That doesn’t include the number of family rooms and mobile homes that they also have available!
If that weren’t enough, in 1997, The Ronald McDonald’s Learning Program was formed in Australia to help children who had suffered serious illness and returned to school. The stated mission of the program is to provide educational support to these children who have fallen behind in their education. It’s the only one of its kind in that country.
Where to donate?
Visit pretty much any McDonald’s restaurant around the country. There are drop boxes and donation bins or click here.
This is one that I’ve spoken of before. I worked here for 3+ years right out of college as both a direct care worker and a teacher. It is a wonderful program, especially around New England that offers a safe haven for children that have no home, are no longer capable of living at home, or are taken from broken homes due to abusive or neglectful parents. These kids deserve all the love and care in the world and have barely been given a chance at life.
It is also one of the oldest programs of… well any kind. Originally founded as an orphanage in 1799, The Home today plays a huge role in delivering services to thousands of children and families each year through a system of residential, community-based and prevention programs, direct care services, and advocacy.
Um Jim… Harrington house???
Yes, in case anyone is wondering, the Boston location was dedicated to my grandparents after my family helped secure and renovate the property for the The Home For Little Wanderers. So I guess you could say that child advocacy runs in the family.
Where to donate:
Click Here or if you live in the New England Area, keep an eye open for fundraiser events!
That is a hard image for me to look at without tearing up… I fail each time and yes, I’ll admit to a little bit of emotional blackmail on the part of the charity with that picture, but it is damn effective… especially if you have had a child that was in a position like that (which I have).
This is one of the most famous and most venerable children’s hospitals in the world. They’ve had issues over the years politically, but that is far overshadowed by the immense work that they’ve done. With more than 680,000 square feet of state-of-the-art laboratory space, Children’s is home to the world’s largest research enterprise based at a pediatric medical center. Its discoveries have benefited children and adults since 1869.
Two scientists working at Children’s have won the Nobel Prize and 5 have won the Lasker Award which is given for major contributions to medical science.
It is truly an amazing organization with connections to Dana Farber and Brigham and Women’s hospitals.
I remember when my son was here, never once were we asked to leave the room during his care, we had doctors, nurses, and even a priest come by to ask if we need anything. We were kept in the loop constantly whether on site or not, and still feel we owe a lot to the wonderful care our boy received. Today he is a healthy five-year-old whom, excepting a scar on his stomach, you would never know had been through such a traumatic ordeal.
I often find myself writing a great deal when I’ve either had a lot to drink or right after smoking weed. Do you find either helps or do you know of anything else that helps spark your creativity? You don’t have to openly admit to anything illegal, but I read a while back that some of Stephen King’s best work was done when he was drunk.
Thanks,
Duroz
Oh boy… all right, well Duroz (if that is your real name). 😉
You’re going to be somewhat disappointed. I write sober. Stone cold sober. I’m a half blood Irish, so that pretty much ensures that I’m going to be a social drunk, but I started writing a new chapter in one of my stories when I was completely plastered and… to this day I haven’t been able to finish the book because I can’t figure out for the life of me where I was going with what I wrote.
As for marijuana… I’ve honestly never touched the stuff, so I can’t comment on how it would affect my mind.
Don’t get me wrong, I have no issue with people who do smoke it and I’m happy for those people now that it’s legal… I just find the smell completely offensive. To me, it smells like a combination of skunk spray and dog shit someone stepped in. I’m also worried that one day marijuana will suddenly end up like cigarettes. Like the Surgeon General will come out with a statement, ‘Here’s a disease smoking this causes that we didn’t know about before because we didn’t have the research.’
Anyway, as for anything else… I want to make it clear that I have never and will never do any sort of narcotics, street drugs, or anything that impairs me unless its prescribed by a physician.
Let me be very clear about this, whatever inspiration or wacky writing such drug-induced hazes produce, it comes at a very high price. A VERY high price. So smoke up that weed all you want and have your beers (without keys in reach), just stay away from the harder stuff.
As to your question about anything else that sparks creativity… that’s easy for me:
Strong Emotions and Heavy Metal.
Hope this helps!
Readers,
Do you have a question about writing, publishing, my stories, etc? Please feel free to post a comment or email me.
jimthewritingwizard@gmail.com
I’ll use those comments to select my next blog post.
I have been writing for several years, have 4 published works, experience with publishing and independent work, so I can hopefully be of assistance.
Please note, I only do one of these a day and will do my best to respond to everyone, but it may take some time.
I’ve listened to this song for a long time. I love Edguy. Often I find myself listening just to the end where the music drops off and all we hear are the incredible metal harmony!
Readers,
Do you have a question about writing, publishing, my stories, etc? Please feel free to post a comment or email me.
jimthewritingwizard@gmail.com
I’ll use those comments to select my next blog post.
I have been writing for several years, have 4 published works, experience with publishing and independent work, so I can hopefully be of assistance.
Please note, I only do one of these a day and will do my best to respond to everyone, but it may take some time.
(Cover still in the works)
This is one that I’ve spoken of before. I worked here for 3+ years right out of college as both a direct care worker and a teacher. It is a wonderful program, especially around New England that offers a safe haven for children that have no home, are no longer capable of living at home, or are taken from broken homes due to abusive or neglectful parents. These kids deserve all the love and care in the world and have barely been given a chance at life.
James Harringtons Creative Work 