tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78014641052245634332024-03-14T06:24:08.901-07:00The Fire in Her EyesA creative soul, of sorts, unwilling to settle for a mundane existence.Lisa Guillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12811848570807946909noreply@blogger.comBlogger33125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7801464105224563433.post-49372740578684963572011-04-09T19:01:00.000-07:002011-04-09T19:31:57.598-07:00A finished project: my husband's first demo CD!You may have noticed that my blogs have been few and far between. I will admit that keeping up to date here in the blogosphere has not been one of my top priorities. I do still want to share with you all the happenings in my life and the latest big news is the finished CD project my husband has produced.<br /><br />I don't know if any of you remember a few blogs back when I mentioned that my husband is a singer/songwriter and that we were taking a leap of faith by making a CD of his original songs. The project was started last September and the finished product was finally in his hands at the end of February. I am very proud of his work and would like to include some links so that any of you who are interested can see his awesomeness for yourselves. His musical style varies (which I see as a plus because it appeals to a broad audience) from blues to country to pop to folk. He hired a bassist and drummer to help out with a few of the songs, the rest are acoustic, and all of the guitar and vocal parts were done by him in the studio through layered tracks. If anyone really likes his music, we are selling CD's (they come in an eco-friendly sleeve) for $10 plus shipping.<br /><br />His music page is <a href="http://www.myspace.com/jasonguill">www.myspace.com/jasonguill</a><br /><br />He also has a couple videos on YouTube. One of his favourites, which is set to a montage of pictures can be found here: <iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/vsvsZ2-Wi_8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br />Though my life has been incredibly busy over the last year, I still hope to finish my own project (my novel) and feel that incredible sense of accomplishment that comes with the seeing the realization of a dream come true!Lisa Guillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12811848570807946909noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7801464105224563433.post-81266231706886498452011-02-14T09:37:00.000-08:002011-02-14T09:49:22.171-08:00'Blind' - My non-fiction short story that made the shortlist in the SIWC contest last fallOk, at the request of a friend, here is the non-fiction short story I wrote last fall. It is based on an experience my husband had as a teenager. I actually want to write a book of short stories based on his life because, well, after reading the story, maybe you'll understand. So here it is!<br /><br /><br />Blind<br /><br />The bus crawls over the pavement at a pace I am unsatisfied with. We have thousands of kilometres to go and I am already bored. My unread comic books are burning a hole in my bag as I glumly stare forward at nothing. It is hard to stare at nothing, much harder than one would expect. At first it takes effort and I wonder if they will catch on. After the first few hours I stop caring. I want my comic books. I want a normal family. I am fourteen and I am not blind.<br /><br /> The bus makes many stops between Quebec and British Columbia and I am always the first person off. It is company policy, you see, to let the disabled passengers disembark before the regular folk. I try to hide my embarrassment as my mom guides me down the aisle. They all stare and I know they feel sorry for me. How terrible that that young man is at such a disadvantage. Has he ever seen a sunset or a naked woman or his own reflection in a mirror? What would be worse, having seen these things and then losing your sight to never see them again, or never having seen anything in the first place? I want to scream, “I’ll tell you what is worse, having parents that are too damn cheap to buy a bus ticket.” In my resentment, I trip a little as I step from the last stair onto the pavement. My mom winks at me. She thinks I’m putting on a show for the benefit of our audience. I contemplate giving them a show they will never forget. Of course, that would be the end of our free ride. I regain my footing and stalk off at an appropriate pace. <br /><br /> My brother meets up with me in the bathroom. He thinks that I am not convincing enough as a blind person. “Give me the cane,” he says as he tries to tug it out of my hands. “I could do a much better job than you.” I know that he is my twin but I wonder if I somehow ended up with all of the brains, leaving him empty space where his should be. “Yes,” I say sarcastically, as I struggle to keep hold of the cursed stick of dishonesty, “it makes perfect sense for us to leave the bathroom in reversed roles, with you suddenly struck blind and me miraculously healed and able to see again.” It is not as if we are identical twins. I don’t know how I am even related to such an idiot. Maybe I kicked him too many times while we were in the womb. He grudgingly agrees that maybe a switcheroo isn’t the best idea. I refrain from hitting him over the head with my cane. It shouldn’t hurt that much, being as empty as a whistle and therefore devoid of any nerve endings. Instead, I do my business and then put my game face back on as I step out of the bathroom. My mom is waiting for me. I try not to glare at her. We continue our charade.<br /><br /> We are halfway there. The stuffy air in the overcrowded tin can is repugnant and I am thankful that I am not really blind. If my sense of smell was any sharper, I would probably lose my lunch in the aisle. For some reason, the other passengers seem to think that I am deaf as well as blind. “Poor thing,” they mutter to each other, “he is so young.” They stare at me unabashedly and when they address me, they yell in my face, their eyes wide as if they are making up for what they think I cannot see.<br /><br />My mom has made a friend and they chatter like two hens about whatever middle-aged women talk about; I don’t pay attention as I really don’t care. My brother has the luxury of being able to watch the movies offered as entertainment by the bus driver. It is tempting to try and watch along with him, but I have already noticed people studying me out of curiosity, and I don’t want to be found out as a fake. Instead I look straight ahead and lose myself in my thoughts. I am surprised as the hours fly by. We have just passed Calgary and as I see the Rocky Mountains looming ahead in the distance, I think of new beginnings and maybe a chance for a more normal life. If this bus ride is any indication, I have little chance of that, but I still hope for what the regular kids have: a stable home, a warm meal each night, a friend or two to shoot the shit with. I’ve had it with the monthly visits to the Salvation Army and my parents making us move every time the rent comes due. I hope that maybe this time my brother and I will have our own beds instead of a mattress that my dad decides to cut in half. I absentmindedly rub my hand down my thigh, over the foot-long scar where the sharp end of a spring gouged through my flesh, down to the white of the femur. My dad failed to notice the sharp edges of the exposed metal springs, but then, he is the one who is actually blind. I am too self-conscious of my pasty white legs to wear shorts, but if I did, I would be tempted to tell anyone who noticed the scar that it was the result of a shark attack. That would be more exciting than the mattress story.<br /><br /> My mom’s new friend engages me in conversation. She asks about what it is like to be blind and how I came to be that way and I give her the scripted response. I am feeling a little more generous because we are now only a few hours away from Chilliwack. I add a few embellishments to make the story seem a heartfelt triumph of the human spirit over adversity. Later I will find out that my mom filled her in on our little scam on day two of the trip and that she was yanking me along for some kicks as she and my mom snickered behind my back.<br /> <br />We finally pull into the bus depot in Chilliwack. This time I don’t mind being the first off of the bus. As always, I shuffle my feet down the bus steps and reach my hand out to my mom so she can guide me onto the platform. She is tired after the four-day long trip and swears at me in annoyance as she bats my hand away. She seems to have forgotten that she is to be playing guide to her poor blind son. The passengers seated at the windows of the bus have not forgotten. They gasp at such a heartless gesture in dismay, the pity in their eyes painting my body like little red laser pointers as I try to shrink inside of myself to avoid the embarrassment of being related to such a bitch. I follow my mom and my brother to get our bags. There really isn’t any point in trying to continue with the act now. I grab my backpack and think about which comic I am going to read first. Probably Spiderman.Lisa Guillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12811848570807946909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7801464105224563433.post-82057050877439769152010-11-02T09:09:00.000-07:002010-11-02T09:26:43.400-07:00Change...at last.It has been a good month and a half since my last post, the one where I bemoaned my current living situation and announced my serious intent to find another home. Well...we did! After two weeks of intense apartment/house hunting, we found a place more suitable and have moved all of our stuff (lots and lots and lots of STUFF) in. Now I have the wonderful task of finding a place for everything. I guess I have been slacking because we have been moved in for four three days now and I still don't know where any of my pants are (thank goodness for hubby's old sweats that I found on top of a box of CD's), but I've been extra tired lately and the baby has decided to work on her audition for the role of banshee. <br /><br />Regardless of the current chaos, I am very happy to have a place that is warm, carpeted, bug free (as much as any place can be), large enough to fit our incredible amount of stuff, and.....HAS A DISHWASHER!!! Though, the dishwasher isn't working right now. Hehe. Anyway, I am content. <br /><br />I plan to give myself this week to clean the place up and get settled and then next week it is on to something I have neglected for far too long: writing. <br /><br />Speaking of which, I am pleased to announce that I entered the Surrey International Writing Contest again this year and made it to the shortlist. My piece was a non-fiction short story, and though I did not win (sigh), I did manage to make it to the top nine out of 300 entries. I may post the story sometime this week.<br /><br />Now...to clean :)Lisa Guillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12811848570807946909noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7801464105224563433.post-15736426479210157872010-09-15T20:40:00.000-07:002010-09-15T21:29:23.762-07:00Misery, sweet miseryI. Am. Miserable. <br /><br />Though I would love to blame my current case of the grumpies on my husband's excessive gassiness this evening, he is not to blame, though his foul stench is not helping ease my mood. Maybe I should just stop feeding him.<br /><br />My crankiness is mainly due to my unhappiness with our current housing situation. Until today, I thought I could manage. I was prepared to be strong, suck it up, and savour these days as our 'trying times'....you know, the time in your life you look back on as character-building and all that crap. (well, its not crap, but I'm Miss Frowny-Face right now, a'ight?).<br /><br />The last time I felt this glum, I downed my sorrows in a nice tall glass of orange juice and vodka, heavy on the vodka. I'm currently a breastfeeding mom, so that isn't an option. I have instead decided to gas myself silly by sitting downwind of my husband's toushy.<br /><br />So...I hate my carriage-house/hastily-constructed part-garage/insect-infested house of horrors. I could manage to overlook the lack of a dishwasher, which has been taking hours of my precious writing time each day as I try to get all of the dishes done (seriously, where do they all come from?!), or the lack of any storage space whatsoever. I've tried hard to ignore the constant musty, moldy smell upstairs and the impossible task of keeping the floors clean because our front door opens right into the living room/kitchen area(s).<br /><br />BUT. NOT. THE. SPIDERS.<br /><br />Fighting the little ones for control of the kitchen every day is one thing (crawling across the stove, making webs from counters to the piles of dishes, making webs in the broom closet, making webs in every corner, playing tag on the stairs, making webs in my shoes) but the bigger ones have decided that 'tis the season to invade the Guillemette household and I'M HAVING NONE OF THAT!<br /><br />#$%& you, spiders! I'm the freakin' spider-Grinch and I had no sympathy for Charlotte's Web. <br /><br />Thus, I have decided, we are moving. I don't know where. I don't know if we can afford it. I don't care. I can't even open my front door anymore without the extremely bold ones dashing in, unannounced, a little smirk on the smug faces as they shriek in their little spider voices, "Catch me if you can, red!"<br /><br />I'll squish you with a garbage can, I will. Of course, then I will spend several hours fighting off the anxiety attacks and tears and frantically scanning every square inch of my home for vengeful relatives.<br /><br />For all of you who think I'm being dramatic and have that wonderful advice, "Just get over it," I tell you -- I wish. Do you think I like being subject to such a ridiculous phobia? Yes, they are a one-thousandth of my size. Yes, they are harmless. Yes, they are just as afraid of me as I am of them. If this were easy to accept, wouldn't I have done so?<br /><br />Phobia = irrational fear<br /><br />Guillemette family = looking for affordable, spider-free homeLisa Guillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12811848570807946909noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7801464105224563433.post-59669119350176932312010-08-27T09:29:00.000-07:002010-08-27T10:07:01.146-07:00Taking a risk even when you are scared sillyI think sometimes you just have to do it. Take a risk. Attempt the improbable. Fight the statistics. <br /><br />For most of us, life is about working a job that we don't really care for but need to do to pay the bills. Inside we dream of doing something we really love, something that thrills us, delights us, makes this crazy world just a little more enjoyable.<br /><br />We spend so much time dreaming about the what if's that I think it becomes easier to let our dreams stay dreams. Then they stay perfect, untarnished by reality and by the possibility of rejection and defeat. What happens if you take a risk, try to put yourself out there and then fail miserably? What do you have to look forward to then?<br /><br />My husband is a singer/songwriter and has been dreaming about recording his original songs for quite a few years now. This year we decided to make this dream a reality. He is nearing the end of his twenties and as we start a family, we both know that if we don't make the effort now, it may never happen. I don't want him to be sixty and grumbling about that record that he never ended up making.<br /><br />Now that we are only two weeks away from his studio time, the realization that he will actually be accomplishing a life-long goal seems to be a bit overwhelming. I've had to encourage him not to cancel the recording almost every day. You see, he keeps doubting himself. He doubts his ability. He questions why we are taking such a financial risk when we are already facing a bit of debt. He is afraid.<br /><br />I told him this: You have to do it NOW. You have to TRY. The small financial risk is really nothing when compared to the opportunity to show a beautiful part of your self, your talents to the world. <br /><br />And that is the truth. He writes beautiful music. What a pity it would be to keep that hidden. <br /><br />There comes a point in our lives where we need to take a risk. How else are great things accomplished? It is important to believe in yourself, to see your talents as having a purpose, because without the beauty of art and self-expression, this world would be so incredibly bland and boring.<br /><br />Delight in the passion that thrives within you. And if you get the opportunity to share that with others, do so. It is inspiring. It is beautiful. It balances out the tragedy and sorrow of this world.Lisa Guillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12811848570807946909noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7801464105224563433.post-42274581889289935652010-08-06T09:54:00.000-07:002010-08-06T10:12:10.698-07:00Looking for tips on writing creative nonfiction....This year I plan to enter the SIWC writing contest again, though I am mixing it up by entering a non-fiction piece. I have never written non-fiction before, so if anyone has any tips or advice, or knows of a good website that explains how to write non-fiction, I would love the help!<br /><br />Other than that, not much writing has been done lately. I started working part-time at a video store a month ago, so it has been an adjustment taking care of a four-month old and working a couple evenings a week. Plus I somehow managed to catch a cold. And I threw my back out. But...life is good! Being one who has always battled anxiety and a constant dissatisfaction with the present, I've finally reached a point in my life where I'm completely content day-to-day. I still have the nagging feeling of wanting my novel to be finished, but as a whole, I feel very complete right now. Becoming a mother is probably a large part of my happiness. There are still a lot of uncertainties (what do I do when my mat leave runs out next February and I have no job to go back to?!) but I have faith that things will work out. <br /><br />Now if I could just get my back to cooperate.....Lisa Guillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12811848570807946909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7801464105224563433.post-71708407869238205142010-07-22T09:23:00.000-07:002010-07-22T09:40:17.929-07:00Still kicking around....I am truly horrible at blogging. Part of me thinks that I should just put my blog on hold and wait until I've finished my novel before starting up again. It has been tempting. I can't make myself do that, though, because I don't want to lose touch with everyone I have met here, and I am also really stubborn.<br /><br />So...I will try and keep the postings coming.<br /><br />Today I am in a rather melancholy mood. I just finished reading Stephen King's 'Under the Dome,' and as it happens with any other exciting read, I am experiencing the withdrawals of finishing a really good book. I also am not sure what to think, because although I loved his newest novel, I also found the end to go in a direction I wasn't extremely fond of. I found myself wanting to hold my daughter close and never let her go after I read the last page. Great novel, just very dark. I don't want to give anything away, so I'll leave it at that.<br /><br />As for my own writing, I'm still plugging away, every so slowly. I have decided to enter the SIWC writing contest again this year, though this time I plan to write a non-fiction entry, a first for me. My husband is the inspiration for this piece. His experiences growing up in his family are so beyond anything I have heard before that I decided they should be captured in writing. This should be fun!<br /><br />Well, I hope all of you are enjoying your summer so far :)Lisa Guillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12811848570807946909noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7801464105224563433.post-51584264855738184532010-06-16T10:31:00.000-07:002010-06-16T11:10:41.045-07:00Biting my tongueWhat I said: "Beautiful day. Hope this weather lasts."<br /><br />What I wanted to say: "You freaking idiot, you could have killed me and my family. What the heck were you THINKING!!!"<br /><br />It took a lot of willpower not to shoot daggers (and I'm not just talking with my eyes...I have a collection of throwing stars and throwing knives that are just itching to be made use of) at our landlady's son last weekend when running into him after THE INCIDENT. I shall explain.<br /><br />A few months ago we moved into a carriage home. That is a fancy term for a apartment-type unit built off of someone's garage. At least, that is what ours is. I have many likes and dislikes about the place. <br /><br />Likes: not worrying about being too noisy for the neighbours like we had to in the apartment; our own backyard with a view of horses frolicking in the fields. <br /><br />Dislikes: the spiders, the mold, the possessed heating, the lack of ample lighting, the lack of closet space, have I mentioned the spiders?<br /><br />Right now it works for us and I deal with the little quirks. Last week I didn't want to deal. I wanted to cry, and so I did, and then I wanted to start looking for another place to live. What happened? The house owner's son decided to kill the weeds surrounding their house and the garage (which is us). Since Round-Up didn't work, he did what his dad used to do--sprayed everything with gasoline. What was even worse was that I had been smelling the gas for a while, and thinking it was coming from the garage I opened the windows to air the place out, but it only let more in. Within a few minutes, our place was filled with fumes and we were forced to call up my family to ask if we could stay with them for the night.<br /><br />Now, this obviously wasn't some malicious attempt to gas us, but being a new mom, my instincts swung into full force and I really just wanted to hit the guy. It was late at night and he didn't even think to warn us. Had we already been in bed, we may have slept through as the fumes filled our place up. It may not have harmed my husband and I, but in no way was it safe for our baby. <br /><br />It is instances like this where words must be chosen carefully. I know it was not his intention to harm or inconvenience us and so I chose to be forgiving and cordial when inside I still simmered and wanted to say some sarcastic comment. <br /><br />The nice thing about the written word is that you have time to choose your words and edit them so that they sound the best they could be. What is unfortunate about the spoken word is that there is less of a filter. This is an area where I am extremely weak, and it was put to the test last week.<br /><br />Even though she had to sleep in her bouncy chair, our baby slept well that night. I didn't, of course. I think I woke every hour to check on her. Ah, being a new parent. So much fun and so much worry :(Lisa Guillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12811848570807946909noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7801464105224563433.post-41816892685639574372010-06-13T21:14:00.000-07:002010-06-13T21:40:18.726-07:00A good, swift kick in the behind.So my husband and I went for a walk this evening. We started in a great mood, enjoying the sunshine and beautiful scenery. Unfortunately, it ended with me pushing the baby stroller back home in a snit. I know, I tend to get offended a bit easily at times, but my hubby telling me that I need to finish my book sometime before I turn 90 was not what I wanted to hear at the moment. <br /><br />I am an ARTIST. My creativity does not work on demand. I cannot just spit out a grand epic fantasy in a couple of months. I need time to mull things over....character arcs...plot devices...wicked cool action sequences. I know I procrastinate a bit more than I should (and I DID waste five months of medical leave playing online poker...BAD Lisa!), but great things take time. Had I tried to write the book in a year, as he insinuated I should have done, I would have ended up with crap that would in no way resemble the masterpiece that I am so carefully crafting--complete with heart and wit and a dash of FABulous.<br /><br />Ok, I'm being a bit touchy. I just hate it when people think that writing is easy and can/should be accomplished like a certain Twilight author who wrote a complete bestseller in three months while running a household of growing kidlets. I am not that amazing. I DO, however, admit that I could be making some sacrifices to see my goals achieved. This means that sometimes the dishes won't get done or dinner might not be some grand, three-course delight. I may not even take a shower that day. <br /><br />My husband did have a point. I can try harder. I can let less important things take a back burner for now (just please, not the sleep!) while I try and finish this great novel that is going on, ahem, four years to date. It is incredibly hard with a two month old who hates to take naps and likes to be attended to almost every hour of the day, but it can be done.<br /><br />Sigh. I guess it is good that I married a man who can goad me into achieving my hopes and dreams. I hope he likes Kraft Dinner :)Lisa Guillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12811848570807946909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7801464105224563433.post-78496486696740789132010-05-12T09:23:00.000-07:002010-05-12T09:33:35.742-07:00A little bit of progressSo my goal of writing 1500 words a day was a bit of wishful thinking, but I am pleased to report that I was able to get in 600 words yesterday. It has been a bit difficult to find a regular routine so far with the new baby, so I am trying to write whenever I get snatches of free time. Some days are better than others, like yesterday, when I was able to do a load of laundry, go for an hour-long walk, do the dishes (we don't have a dishwasher in the new place!), make dinner, and get in a bit of writing. I have set a goal of having my rough draft complete by the end of July, which is perfectly reasonable, even with my new responsibilities as a mom. I may be asking my husband for two nights a week where I can lock myself in our room while he takes care of the baby. So far she likes to fuss from dinner time to midnight, or sometimes later. <br /><br />I find it a bit interesting that I had all this free time to write before the baby arrived, and I could not make myself commit to it, and now that I barely have a spare second in the day, writing is all I can think about. <br /><br />Well, this is a short post because I need to get writing!<br /><br />I hope everyone is having a wonderful day :)Lisa Guillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12811848570807946909noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7801464105224563433.post-37156085391655351062010-04-15T11:54:00.001-07:002010-04-15T12:24:29.636-07:00Back after a bit of a break....and I am now a mom!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGKClUC9eRXayKht49f3BuCIBVDbQeYuzaqlu-WG_QZKAPqVw6suhnZjPrRPaYVIvIYh05hbCTSkPr60h4Snrdd2KGUPKARtMdRt1IkfOEnnYTMgdYdmlNp8YSxHc8Ylq_usN8MXL9kMs/s1600/IMG_1837.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGKClUC9eRXayKht49f3BuCIBVDbQeYuzaqlu-WG_QZKAPqVw6suhnZjPrRPaYVIvIYh05hbCTSkPr60h4Snrdd2KGUPKARtMdRt1IkfOEnnYTMgdYdmlNp8YSxHc8Ylq_usN8MXL9kMs/s400/IMG_1837.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460445699263524706" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />So I logged in to my blog account today after taking a rather long break (two months to be exact) and I did wonder if I would have any followers left! <br /><br />I do! A big thank you to all of you for sticking around.<br /><br />The last few months have been crazy (two hospital visits and a scare that the baby was coming at 34 weeks, a hectic move while I was on bed-rest, and our baby coming 10 days early through an emergency c-section), and I would love to say that the craziness has ended, but as any other mom can attest to, life with a newborn isn't exactly easy. I have to admit, I love my sleep...or at least, a little bit of sleep...so not getting much of it at all has been hard. I love the new role of mom, though, and I have been assured that it does get easier as the weeks go on.<br /><br />Writing has been put on hold for now, but I feel hopeful for this summer. Our new home is in the country, overlooking fields with horses, and is a perfect place for writing, and my new little muse has already proven to get my creative juices flowing. First, I must catch up on my sleep! Until then, blogging and writing might be sporadic, but I am still around :)Lisa Guillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12811848570807946909noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7801464105224563433.post-70026252503281694602010-02-15T14:04:00.000-08:002010-02-15T14:25:43.539-08:00Olympic InspirationI have never really paid much attention to the Olympics. I don't mean to downplay the hard work and self-sacrifice that the athletes endure in order to compete, I just care more for the arts than for sports, and I think that the billions of dollars spent on a two-week event could be put to better use. <br /><br />That being said, I've given them a little more thought this year, mainly because I am only an hour out of Vancouver, where the current Olympics are taking place as I write this blog.<br /><br />While watching the opening ceremonies, I was struck with a bit of inspiration for my current WIP. I am writing a trilogy (I know, bad for a first time author) and though I have figured out the main plot for my first novel, I hadn't given much thought to the rest. Last Friday, while watching the hour-long march of athletes from every single competing country make their way around B.C. Place, I had a 'eureka!' moment. I don't want to say much (because I'm still nervous about giving away too much of my story idea online), but the thought of a competition of another sorts, one that gives prestige to skills that are not sports-related, fits perfectly with my story. <br /><br />Inspiration comes in a variety of forms. My favourite is when you aren't even looking for it and it smacks you in the face :) <br /><br />Here's to more face-smacking, 'eureka' moments!Lisa Guillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12811848570807946909noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7801464105224563433.post-45772570908625417922010-02-11T11:31:00.000-08:002010-02-11T12:23:16.149-08:00Quirky? Neurotic?......Just plain imaginative?Last night my husband told me I had 'issues.' He was referring to what I think of as my quirky personality and numerous phobias, which of course, he doesn't understand, being French and male and perfect. I rolled my eyes and told him to deal with it since I am the one that actually suffers.<br /><br />My two major phobias are arachnophobia (fear of spiders) and claustrophobia (fear of suffocating). Occasionally a myriad of other minor fears show their face and make me feel slightly neurotic...some legitimate (like heights and death) and some just plain silly (sharks in swimming pools, evil leprechauns in the kitchen, my husband becoming possessed and stabbing me in my sleep).<br /><br />I blame my phobias/fears on my imaginative mind. Did you ever experience those moments as a kid where you were playing hide-and-go-seek and you hadn't yet found a spot and the seeker was heading your way....a great surge of panic and adrenaline fills you and you dive for the nearest safe spot, heart pounding as if you just evaded certain death, and in that moment it wasn't a game, but a struggle for survival? Yes? No? I've never quite grown out of that phase. I still feel the surge of panic after watching a zombie movie when my husband decides to be a jerk and shuts off all of the lights and makes groaning noises to scare me (and he very much succeeds) or when I am at the pool and think of that scene from Jaws where the girl is swimming and you can see her legs in the water and then a bit further down, the gigantic shark coming her way with its mouth wide open and teeth gleaming. I know sharks can't get into pools, but that still doesn't stop my mind from panicking for a few seconds.<br /><br />Last week I was swimming and I had to duck under the lane markers to get out of the pool. I have never liked to put my face in the water but figured a quick dunk under wouldn't kill me. Well...I swear I have suffered post-traumatic stress from that incident. Just the few seconds of being completely submerged set my mind into sheer panic because of my claustrophobia. Ever since then I have had a hard time drinking water because all I can think about is drowning, of the water never stopping and there being no breaks for oxygen, and my lungs filling until they can't hold any more and yet it keeps coming and I have to keep drinking....you see where I am going with this? Completely irrational and probably just perfect for a writer. If I think of something, it is real to me in that moment. Slashed throats in movies make me grab my own throat. Looking at my husband's huge scar on his leg from when a bedspring ripped his thigh open to the bone makes me almost faint from just imagining what it felt and looked like when it happened. <br /><br />I find my imagination both a blessing and a curse. It makes life interesting for me and gives family and friends reason to think I am an absolute nutjob. It also makes writing a very real experience because I can fully immerse myself in my scenes and feel what the character is feeling in a deeply personal way. <br /><br />Any other creative brains out there who suffer from this?Lisa Guillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12811848570807946909noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7801464105224563433.post-2946921464708049832010-02-01T20:01:00.000-08:002010-02-01T20:30:25.746-08:00Distractions, distractions, you enemy of writers!I've been a bit absent from the blogosphere this last week or so. A bout with the stomach flu kind of put me out of commission for a few days, leaving me particularly unmotivated to write or blog or really do much of anything--except watch movies. It has been ten years since I have shared such intimacy with the toilet bowl (thank goodness I cleaned it that morning!) and I hope another good ten years goes by before we are forced to endure each other's company again. Enough said on that front :)<br /><br />My writing progress has staled but I am still stubbornly trying to eke out whatever I can manage before the baby arrives. Ten weeks to go and fifteen chapters to write!<br /><br />Today I planned to finish a chapter, which would not have been unreasonable had I been fine with sitting on my rump and ignoring the phone, but I guess I had an abundance of energy. Making up for the time I spent on my rump watching movies while sick. So...I dropped hubby off at work and went to the gym for an aquafit class for an hour then scooted over to see my doctor for a regularly scheduled appointment. I've hit 30 weeks and everything looks good (yay, no gestational diabetes or Factor Five blood disorder!). By then it was practically lunch so I picked up hubby, fed him, shipped him back to work, then sat down for a good four hours of writing! <br /><br />Ha! <br /><br />My mom called, we chatted, then she mentioned they were going to the pool to swim. I thought, 'hey, I should be keeping active, a trip to the pool sounds great!' so I went along. When I returned home I still would have had at least two hours to write. Then my friend called and invited me to go to the mall to look at baby stuff. How could I resist? We got back at five, just in time for hubby's return home from work and of course I now had to make dinner. Then we watched a movie (we don't have cable). After the movie, hubby decided to read 'The Hobbit.' I decided to write. I stared at my computer screen then closed the half-finished chapter and decided to blog. <br /><br />I guess I shall write tomorrow.Lisa Guillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12811848570807946909noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7801464105224563433.post-12008671240031911882010-01-19T13:04:00.000-08:002010-01-19T13:20:16.583-08:00Road Map RequiredI was ecstatic when I finished chapter five of my WIP last week, especially since it has taken me a good long year to accomplish this.<br /><br />Onward and forward to chapter six! But wait...after all I've learned about trimming the fat and keeping things succinct and relevant, I realized today that I'm going to need a chapter outline before I can really get into it. Geez. Way to put a halt to the flowing creativity :)<br /><br />I guess this is where the practical planning side of writing comes in. For instance, I know the basic events that I want to happen in chapter six. I know that I want to keep my word count to 5000-5500 words (or my book will be over 175,000 words long, and no agent will touch it). I also know that because I am writing from two characters' perspectives, I have to know when I will switch perspectives, and how much of the word count each character gets. This chapter will probably be split into an even two (whereas other chapters switched back and forth about four times). See what I'm getting at? I have to know what I want to accomplish, how many words I get to accomplish this, and still make it sound as action-packed as I can.<br /><br />Last night I wrote the opening scene and it used up almost a thousand words; that's not even getting to the more pertinent information. I guess I really like to write with detail.<br /><br />So, I'm taking a break to go to the gym, but as my legs are walking on the treadmill, my mind will be whirring, setting up a plan to follow. I would like to finish this chapter today. Ahem, that's a good 4500 words. Better get to it!Lisa Guillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12811848570807946909noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7801464105224563433.post-26889922986458027682010-01-14T20:36:00.000-08:002010-01-14T20:48:06.810-08:00Small AccomplishmentsSo...I didn't quite write 1500 words a day this week, but I managed another 4000 and as of ten minutes ago, finished chapter five. Yay!! I had already written this chapter (it was actually two chapters) about a year ago but then went back and started to revise everything. That's the perfectionist in me. But, things are much better in this new draft and I'm finding that my writing is a lot more focused.<br /><br />One word to describe my new method: succinct. It is true that less is more. I used so many unnecessary words before realizing that the extra weight was bogging my story down. Now things move more swiftly, and in cutting out the flowery adverbs and adjectives, I think I actually sound more professional in my writing.<br /><br />Ok, so this means...on to unchartered territory. Things may get tricky, as I am now writing from scratch (no more revisions to hide behind) but this is also where the story really takes off.<br /><br />Right now I'm going to take a well-deserved break and play some online poker.Lisa Guillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12811848570807946909noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7801464105224563433.post-30466645054360697652010-01-11T10:06:00.000-08:002010-01-11T10:18:59.889-08:00Off to a sluggish start....Bleh. Terrible, TERRIBLE sleep last night. Bad dreams...tossing and turning...worrying I was squishing baby and that every time she kicked it meant, 'I'm suffocating in here, mommy!' It really didn't get me off to a good start this morning. AND it is raining buckets outside, which the forecast has said will last all week. I guess this is a week for some major writing.<br /><br />I got off to a slow start last week (1500 words), but I was happy to have at least accomplished <span style="font-style:italic;">something</span>. I calculated that if I can eke out a good 1500 words a day, I will have the rough draft of my novel written in eight weeks. It is more than possible and makes an entire book seem less scary when broken up it bits and daily goals. <br /><br />So, the writing board!Lisa Guillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12811848570807946909noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7801464105224563433.post-82532328179388046812010-01-06T10:59:00.000-08:002010-01-06T11:42:14.162-08:00The Goosebump FactorRecently I discovered the goodness that is Paul McCartney. I've never been very familiar with his music or the music of the Beatles, and after my husband bought a dvd of a Paul McCartney concert a few days ago, I've since been listening to it nonstop. I REALLY love his voice. Not only can he sing exceptionally well, but he really knows how to let loose, and whenever I hear someone giving their full power in a song, I get goosebumps (so long as they actually hit the notes).<br /><br />Goosebumps are cool. I'm not talking about the scary movie goosebumps, but the 'OhmygoodnessthatwassoamazingthatIheldmybreaththeentiretime!' goosebumps, of when the artist has captured your full attention and you cannot look away, or if you do, it is to close your eyes to listen and feel the intensity permeate every cell in your body.<br /><br />About six years ago I attended a Sarah Brightman concert and though the experience was enjoyable, I also found it to be a bit frustrating. For those of you who are not familiar with her, Sarah Brightman is an opera singer and she has this delicate, soothing voice that is great for bubble baths and relaxing drives. While at the concert, I found myself getting a bit tense. I realized that what I really wanted was to hear her belt out a song, or even a few notes. She was so restrained in her singing and though it was beautiful, I NEEDED to hear her let loose and sing with her full power. Thank goodness she finally did and I was able to relax. Why was this? I'm not sure. It could just be my musical preference (I happen to like a lot of singers who really belt it out) or it could have been a desire to know that she was capable of singing with power, of giving me goosebumps. <br /><br />Not all great singers/writers/artists of sort give us goosebumps, because you don't have to feel the tingles to enjoy someone's work, BUT when that work sends the tingles through your body, you know you are hooked. They have grabbed your attention and maybe made you stop breathing for a second, and THAT is powerful stuff.<br /><br />What do you think the key is? I think it is not being afraid to push your talent to the limit. It is easy to play it safe, because when you step out of the realm of comfort and safe, you become vulnerable--what if my voice cracks when I try to hit that high note?!--but when you explore the depths of your talent, that vulnerability becomes power. I think that the ones who are truly great at what they do have not been afraid to give their all, even if it takes hard work and practice, and even if they don't always first succeed. Raw talent is precious and it should not be hidden. <br /><br />So belt it out! Give your all! Seek to shock and awe!! In whatever your do, whether in music or writing or other arts, or in any other aspect of your life, be beyond mediocre, beyond simply enjoyable. That is my goal. It is a hard one, but for those that succeed, the feeling of accomplishment must be great.Lisa Guillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12811848570807946909noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7801464105224563433.post-78636380565930848412009-12-31T09:49:00.000-08:002009-12-31T10:14:57.221-08:00The End is Just the BeginningSo I just realized that my last posting was the first of December and it is now the 31st. It has been a busy month and I won't really elaborate much further than these excuses: monstrous Christmas party my mom and I planned for 90 people, holiday craziness, a short-lived addiction to online poker and a need to just relax and do nothing. <br /><br />It is safe to say that I have relaxed enough and I am ready to get serious and accomplish some goals in this year to come. <br /><br />1. Prepare myself for the birth of my first child (mid-April!) through a daily routine of exercise (especially since I am not working) and healthy eating, and to start reading the many books borrowed to me about pregnancy and newborn care.<br /><br />2. Learn how to overcome the need to spend money on frivolous, unnecessary things, especially since hubby and I are now living on a tight budget. Credit cards are not my money, just debt!!!<br /><br />3. Master the art of home-baked bread so that hubby will actually eat it!<br /><br />4. Complete my WIP and possibly even polish it enough to send in to an agent. I'm only a quarter of the way through with three and a half months before baby arrives, so I'm trying to stay realistic. <br /><br />I think I'll leave the goals at that. I have to say that I actually like the start of a new year. I always feel this sense of hope; so much seems possible and even if my last year hasn't been the best, a new year is a reminder that every new day is a blessing, and an opportunity to make one's dreams happen. <br /><br />My problem has always been finishing what I start. I know that getting published is pretty much out of my hands, but I can at least finish my book. That will be an accomplishment in itself.<br /><br />Good luck to the rest of you in all of your endeavors! I hope that 2010 is a year of good things for everyone. <br /><br />Happy New Year's Eve!Lisa Guillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12811848570807946909noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7801464105224563433.post-5985246181777556352009-12-01T09:36:00.000-08:002009-12-01T09:59:33.127-08:00Love and Hate (& Puzzle Pieces)I realized recently why I have such a difficult time making myself sit down and write. Daydreaming about my story is no problem. Coming up with scenes and dialogue is fun, and I haven't really had a problem with writer's block when it comes to the creativity side of writing. I think my problem/issue is that I am impatient. I am not one of those people who can sit down and tackle a 1000-piece puzzle. A few years ago I thought I would give one of those mammoth puzzles a shot. I sat down for all of thirty seconds and stared at the pieces and then put them back in the box. The unfinished puzzle bugged me. It actually made me feel stressed out and anxious. I wanted it DONE NOW!!! I have not tried another puzzle since....unless it is one of those thirty-piece kids puzzles.<br /><br />Now, I know that as a writer, this is a problem. Can I really expect to sit and write a 120,000 word book when I can't even commit to a puzzle? Am I doomed?! I am going to be optimistic and say no. I have always believed that the ones who succeed are the ones who TRY and TRY and TRY and NEVER give up and push past their human failings. I believe I can succeed (at writing the book, anyway...being published is kind of out of my hands) because even though I hate the long process of an unfinished work, I also love the process once I force myself to get started. It's kind of like going to the gym. You hate to go. You force yourself to put on the workout clothes and drive or walk yourself there, but once you step on that treadmill and start to get your blood pumping you realize, 'Why was I fighting this? This is great!'<br /><br />I hate having only five chapters written out of twenty. I hate having the story in my mind and not on paper. Putting the words to paper is the hard part. But...I love seeing the words materialize once I force myself to sit and move my fingers. It truly is a love/hate relationship. So long as I love it more than I hate it, I think I am on the right track.Lisa Guillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12811848570807946909noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7801464105224563433.post-56308313738171304792009-11-17T12:02:00.000-08:002009-11-17T13:57:40.050-08:00In defense of my methodI'm sure I've mentioned before how my husband loves to tease me about this book that is 'always talked about but never gets written!'<br /><br />I know. I've been working on this thing for a good three and a half years now, with only five chapters actually written. The thing is, my story is still being figured out. I've had to research (quantum physics, guns, musical science) and I've also been figuring out my 'voice.' I'm am pleased to say that after about half a dozen rough drafts of my first few chapters, I've finally found a style and voice I am pleased with. And I am confident that my prologue (rewritten at least a dozen times) could be sent in to an agent as is...that is how confident I am in it! Now I just have to write and polish the remaining 16 chapters.<br /><br />My goal this week is to do a few more edits on the chapters I have already written and then start into the rest, hopefully knocking down at least three chapters a week. The good part about having three years to stew over my story is that I have worked out so many details, I can practically see it like a movie in my head. I also have a deeper understanding of each of my characters (two main characters and four secondary characters), and a chapter outline for the entire book.<br /><br />After learning A LOT by reading blogs and books on writing techniques, I think that I've come a long way since I initially put pen to paper. I may not have a lot to show for my work in words, but the depth and quality of my writing has drastically improved and I have learned some important tips. Best of all, I am now surrounded by like-minded people (on the internet, that is!), and I love this process of growth as we all follow our dreams and do what drives us: write.<br /><br />Now to the editing board.....Lisa Guillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12811848570807946909noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7801464105224563433.post-27692179555111179392009-11-02T13:13:00.000-08:002009-11-02T14:21:20.941-08:00Onward and Forward!It's official. I am currently on medical leave and will not be returning to work. I know I should feel relieved, but my head is still processing. It seems too good to be true! My doctor has not put a time frame on my leave (so I may run into some bad luck and end up on regular benefits with the expectations to find a new job as I enter my third trimester) but I am hoping and praying that everything will work out. I am DONE with stressing and look forward to starting this new chapter in my life.<br /><br />The theme, 'Beginnings,' has been strongly on my mind, so I thought my postings for this week could focus on that.<br /><br />I feel like I am very much at the beginning of my career as a writer. I may never be officially published, but that does not lessen the validation of the term, 'writer,' nor does it weaken my resolve to put pen to paper (or fingers to keys) and let the imagination take hold. I know I have so much to learn and an incredible need for improvement in my writing (ESPECIALLY when it comes to grammar). This does not daunt me. In fact, I say, "Bring it on!"<br /><br />I currently have a novel in the works. I have titled it, 'Anymus,' and plan to seek representation once I feel it measures up to publishing standards. That part will be the tricky bit, but I am willing to work hard and receive as much constructive criticism as it takes to make it a truly stellar novel. I am hesitant to reveal the plot and theme, but I will reveal that it is a fantasy with a twist. Picture 'Heroes' meets 'Lord of the Rings' meets 'Rock Band' (yes, the video game).<br /><br />I should mention that this novel breaks the beginner's publishing rules (epic fantasy series where the first novel is not stand-alone) and so I am taking a risk and following my heart. I should also mention that I am really stubborn and have never liked to go about things the way everyone else does.<br /><br />So...the day has arrived and I can no longer procrastinate. I am not participating in NaNoWriMo by the conventional standards, but will be using the 50,000 word challenge to apply to my own novel. I have 25,000 words written with approximately 80,000 to go.<br /><br />Tomorrow I will be posting the short story I entered for the SIWC writer's contest. It was not short-listed (but my poem was, yay!) and since I doubt I will enter it anywhere else, I would like to share it with you all and give you an idea of my writing 'voice'.<br /><br />Cheers!Lisa Guillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12811848570807946909noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7801464105224563433.post-29993775105128071892009-10-26T15:30:00.000-07:002009-10-26T16:05:38.644-07:00It has to get better, right?!So...where to begin?<br /><br />Today hasn't been the greatest day. In fact, this last week and a half hasn't been the greatest either. The confident calm I had bragged about a couple months back has disintegrated into blubbering chaos, and I have unfortunately turned into one of <span style="font-style: italic;">those</span> women. You know...crying in the doctor's office, crying when I run into my grandma at the grocery store. Crying. All. The. Time.<br /><br />Just admitting this is embarassing. I cringe.<br /><br />I had thought that seeing my doctor would make things better. I would tell her my problems (anxiety, depression, inability to live up to my supervisor's expectations at work, fear of contracting the deadly H1N1 virus running rampant in our region right now, especially because I'm surrounded by sick people at work all day, getting an average three hours of sleep a night...) and she would be sympathetic and put me on stress leave. Well, she did and she didn't. Instead, I was prescribed meds and given a week off work. From a job that is laying me off in four weeks (yes, last week WAS supposed to be my last, but there have been delays, AGAIN).<br /><br />This might sound ok, but it really isn't. Upon leaving her office I did some research and discovered that I don't have any sick leave and my work has cut out the short term medical leave option in our most basic of basic extended medical plan. As it stands, my doc has to agree to give me what I originally asked for, which was a 15 weeks medical leave that would carry me into my maternity benefits, or else I don't get paid for any of this time off, which I obviously can't afford.<br /><br />So I sit here, trying not to stress--which is impossible, of course--and I wonder why things have to be this difficult. I have even started to wonder if I am a bad person...is this karma?...am I being irrational about this?...does my doctor's office now think I am crazy for calling so many times today to get a straight answer?...am I going to end up back at work tomorrow, emotionally unstable and prone to throwing things?...why isn't this EASY?!<br /><br />I try to remember those wise words, "This, too, shall pass."<br /><br />Needless to say, no writing has been done :(Lisa Guillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12811848570807946909noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7801464105224563433.post-40922541265413077552009-10-13T11:10:00.000-07:002009-10-13T11:50:55.032-07:00Desperately Seeking ZenI have been living in my housecoat for the last two days, sans makeup, with a roll of toilet paper at my side. I hate being sick. I tried everything in my power not to get sick (handwashing to the point of dry, scaly, skin) and yet, here I am, stuck on the couch, praying that I only have a cold. All this hype about the deadly flu that kills pregnant women has gotten under my skin. Where, oh where, did my super-Zen state of mind go?<br /><br />It probably didn't help that last week was stressful enough, with everyone at my work calling in sick and leaving us short-staffed, and then I was scheduled for an emergency ultrasound (I'm only thirteen weeks pregnant and already I've had TWO ultrasounds....and both times were probably completely unnecessary) which only added to the craziness. I'm looking forward to actually enjoying this pregnancy. Well, luckily, everyone is back at work (except for me) and my ultrasound results came back excellent, so my baby is probably inside me right now thinking, 'Would you just chill out already, mom!'<br /><br />I think I will just be relieved when I'm done work for good--two weeks left!--and I can get away from all of the sick people. Besides the abundance of germs and viruses, I truly love the fall season...the changing colours...the leaves on the ground. And this year, I will actually get to see it (!) instead of being stuck in a windowless building with oodles of spiders and enough dust to build a replica of a snow-man. I won't have to live in constant darkness, getting to work just as the sun comes up and leaving when the sun has already sank below the horizon, not to mention the fact that I currently work in a darkroom, breathing in chemicals and keeping an eye out for the cousins of the spider I just squished. I can't wait to be unemployed!!<br /><br />Granted, I know it is easy to fall into the trap of lethargy and sloth-like behaviour, so I have started a list of everything I want to accomplish. Mainly, I think a structured plan will be ideal: morning workout at the gym, housecleaning, blogging, working on WIP, afternoon walk for exercise and inspiration, more writing, making dinner. I really don't think I'll have time to be bored.<br /><br />But, first, I need to get over this darn cold.Lisa Guillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12811848570807946909noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7801464105224563433.post-17244694291947619792009-09-30T19:42:00.000-07:002009-09-30T20:26:27.908-07:00Three Weeks To Go!You'll have to excuse my absence lately, I've been a bit overwhelmed with my impending layoff. Ok, and lazy. Definitely lazy. An unfortunate character flaw I've discovered about myself is that when I get stressed or nervous, I tend to shut off my brain and, therefore, accomplish very little. So much for the 'zen state' I had achieved. Maybe I can blame this abrupt change in temperament on my pregnancy hormones. My husband has been keeping his distance -- and so he should ;)<br /><br />As nervous as I am about being unemployed (effective Oct. 24th, unless the new equipment is stolen by pirates, which I think would be extremely fitting at this point, since we've already been delayed a month due to losing the equipment somewhere between Ontario and British Columbia), I look forward to setting my own schedule and getting my creative butt in gear. Fall seems like the perfect time to settle in, drink a nice hot cup of steamed milk (but oh, how I crave a latte!) and focus on a project. Besides getting the rough draft of my novel finished, I also want to get a little more serious about this blog. You know, maybe post at least TWICE a week, minimum.<br /><br />To kick things off, I've been re-reading one of my favourite series, the fabulous 'Harry Potter,' complete with magic, humour, and my favourite wizard, Dumbledore. Few stories have had the ability to completely suck me in, making dinner time, coffee with friends, and even snuggles with hubby seem like torture as I try not to think of Harry, Ron and Hermoine, and how I would rather be spending time with them. Pathetic? I say no. I actually applaud J.K. Rowling for writing such an imaginative piece of work. I can only strive to do the same.<br /><br />Books are so awesome. I only hope my children love them as much as I do :)Lisa Guillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12811848570807946909noreply@blogger.com1