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Vireio Perception 4.0 Alpha 2 is OUT!
- Details
- Category: Vireio Perception News
- Published on Saturday, 04 June 2016 09:41
- Written by Neil Schneider
HTC Vive owners rejoice! Vireio Perception 4.0 Alpha 2 is out, and we have proudly added room scale support for Fallout 4. Mark your calendars for June 4, 2016 as the day that a VR driver released room scale support in VR for games that were never designed for that purpose. This is HISTORY!
Here are the highlights:
- Full OpenVR (HTC Vive) room scale support. Game profile "Fallout4_OpenVR_x64" adds X+Z positional tracking.
- Game profile "Fallout4_OpenVR_x64_experimental_Y_tracking" adds X+Z and experimental matrix modification Y positional tracking.
- HUD manipulation for VR mode has been FIXED. There is a special secondary HUD for OpenVR users, but it's still not flawless.
- SteamVR virtual game screen overlay can be activated on the dashboard.
- OpenVR fully customizable "VireioPerception_OpenVR.ini" file is automatically created in the game folder.
- ADDED Steam prediction model support
- ADDED Vireio Perception predicted tracking solution for both Oculus and OSVR solutions
- Improved Fallout 4 profile quality. More work is needed.
- Slight delay added to both Oculus and OSVR tracker to resolve some problems reported by users in official Vireio Perception forums.
Vireio Perception 4.0 Alpha 1 is OUT!
- Details
- Category: Vireio Perception News
- Published on Friday, 06 May 2016 10:51
- Written by Neil Schneider
Meant to be Seen is proud to share Vireio Perception 4.0 Alpha 1! For those unfamiliar, Vireio Perception lets you take existing games and play them in virtual reality when they weren't designed for that purpose. This complete rewrite of Vireio Perception was primarily made possible by Denis Reischl with support from Grant Bagwell, Simon Brown, Samuel Austin, and Neil Schneider.
This is a preliminary release and only works with Fallout 4 and the DirectX 11 API. The game support will dramatically grow as we reactivate features like DirectX 9 and make the Aquilinus profile creation software available. The software will become easier to use, too.
Vireio Perception 4.0 Out Later This Week!
- Details
- Category: Vireio Perception News
- Published on Monday, 02 May 2016 09:34
- Written by Neil Schneider
Vireio Perception will be out by Friday this week, and we are all extremely excited. Special thanks to Denis Reischl, Grant Bagwell, Simon Brown, and Samuel Austin for getting us to this stage. Denis rewrote all the architecture, and the game is afoot!
This amazing episode of Neil's Messy Basement is all about Vireio Perception 4.0. If all goes to plan, the drivers will be in everyone's hands by Friday - maybe sooner.
We don't want to spoil the surprises (and there are several), so prepare for a seated VR learning experience. Anyone who knows anything about virtual reality and virtual reality drivers will be stunned. Remember, the Vireio Perception drivers are completely free and put together by volunteers. It doesn't get more amazing than this.
Vireio Perception DX11 Benchmark Sample
- Details
- Category: Vireio Perception News
- Published on Monday, 01 February 2016 00:08
- Written by Neil Schneider
For those wondering what Vireio Perception's fate is, we have an update! The above is a benchmarking sample of Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor running with the lowest in-game quality settings followed by the highest. The test equipment in this case is an AMD FX 8350 CPU mixed with an AMD R9 390 series GPU.
With the most basic visual quality, the game performs at 60FPS, and drops off to 44FPS in true stereoscopic 3D mode. With the highest graphics quality settings, the game again performs at 60FPS, and drops to 33FPS in stereoscopic 3D mode. This doesn't take into account techniques like asynchronous timewarp to compensate for missing frames in VR.
More Articles...
Development Status
See our up to the minute progress!
the source code and contribute!
Game Support List &
Instruction Manual
SFbBox by κατασκευη eshop
Vireio RT @GetImmersed: Early bird tickets on sale now for a limited time only! Get your ticket today! #Immersed2016 #VR #AR #VirtualReality https…
Vireio @alexbdavies @MTBS3D #Fallout4VR must be MUCH better than #Vireio by 2017. #Vireio getting diverse DX9/DX11 game support. FO4 was practice.
Vireio Vireio Perception room scale is out! #Vireio #VR #VirtualReality https://t.co/NuMLEjy4Pf
Vireio Thanks @tomshardware for the write up on #VireioPerception and #Fallout4! #VR #Vireio #VirtualReality https://t.co/6a4Qs8reCn
Vireio New on Neil's Messy Basement #VireioPerception like you've never seen it before! #VR https://t.co/gs3wkEdYFh https://t.co/RtaWQjux7N


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Definition of cancer stick in English:
cancer stick
nouninformal, humorous
A cigarette.
Example sentences
- Darrel pulled out a cigarette out of his jacket pocket and lit it, blowing the smoke from the cancer stick right into her face.
- His thick eyebrows were concentrated on the cigarette smoke as he puffed the cancer stick.
- Soon the smoke that lazily trailed from the glowing end of the cancer stick filled the entire elevator.
For editors and proofreaders
Line breaks: can¦cer stick
Definition of cancer stick in:
What do you find interesting about this word or phrase?
Comments that don't adhere to our Community Guidelines may be moderated or removed.
= trending

subset: commoncrawl


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Sam has yet to fill out a bio.
Cody Swartz posted 1535 days ago
Thought you might like this because I know you commented on a similar one I wrote two weeks ago:http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1217274-the-40-recently-retired-mlb-players-with-the-best-chance-for-the-hall-of-fame
Sam does not have any awards.
Sam does not have any fans.
Sam does not have any favorite writers.


text:
Product Information
Product Information
Ivory Bar Soap, Aloe, Personal Size, 10 ea
So Pure it Floats! 99.44% Pure Clean & Simple It simply gets you clean like a soap should. Ivory bar soap is 99.44% pure with no heavy dyes or perfumes. 10 - 3.17oz Bars ~ Total Net Wt 31.7oz ;
SHOP.COM ReviewsWrite a Review
This product has not yet been reviewed. Be the first to write a review.


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A former Southern Colorado resident is in critical condition after the mass shooting at an Aurora movie theater. Meanwhile his wife, who escaped uninjured, has delivered their baby.
Hugo Jackson Medley was born at 7:11 a.m. MT Tuesday at University of Colorado Hospital in Aurora. That's the same hospital where his father, 23-year-old Caleb Medley, lies in critical condition.
Katie Medley, 21, went into labor Monday, the date that had been scheduled for the delivery before the shooting. However, she moved the delivery so she could be close to her husband.
While his daughter was in labor, an angry David Sanchez waited outside the courthouse where shooting suspect James Holmes made his first court appearance. He said his daughter escaped death by mere seconds. [Hear part of Sanchez's comments in the video above]
Caleb Medley suffered a single gunshot wound to the right eye and is currently in a medically induced coma. His condition is considered critical but stable.
Caleb Medley is a former resident of Florence who relocated to the Aurora area. He is described as an up and coming standup comedian and actor in the Denver area. Katie was his high school sweetheart.
A website and benefit account were set up for Caleb. The account is at the Canon National Band under the name "Caleb Medley Benefit Account." Donations can be made at all Canon National Bank locations or online through the website.


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London, Apr 29 (ANI): According to a University of Melbourne, Australia study, melting sea ice has been shown to be a major cause of warming in the Arctic.
Published in Nature, the study revealed the rapid melting of sea ice has dramatically increased the levels of warming in the region in the last two decades.
Lead author Dr James Screen of the School of Earth Sciences at the University of Melbourne says the increased Arctic warming was due to a positive feedback between sea ice melting and atmospheric warming.
"The sea ice acts like a shiny lid on the Arctic Ocean. When it is heated, it reflects most of the incoming sunlight back into space. When the sea ice melts, more heat is absorbed by the water. The warmer water then heats the atmosphere above it. "
"What we found is this feedback system has warmed the atmosphere at a faster rate than it would otherwise," he says. (ANI)


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- Police/Fire/Courts
- Business
- Local
- State/Northeast
- Nation/World
- 2016 Elections
- Special Reports
- Maps & Data
- Military
- Horoscopes
- Dear Abby
- Games & Puzzles
- Lifestyle
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- Food & Drink
- Arts & Music
- Movies & TV
New London - The city law director will be looking into the legality of eliminating the city's purchasing agent position, a week after the longtime employee was told he would be out of a job July 1.
On Monday night, City Councilor Adam Sprecace, along with resident Kathleen Mitchell, pointed out that the purchasing agent is a position required by the City Charter.
"We're all interested to know if this action opens us up to any liability,'' Sprecace said during the council meeting.
Mitchell cited Section 68 of the City Charter, which says the mayor "shall" appoint a purchasing agent. Section 71 of the charter also calls for an audit of purchasing accounts "upon the death, resignation, removal or expiration of the term of any officer of the city ..." The purchasing agent is considered an officer of the city.
Last Tuesday, the city notified William Hathaway, and two clerks in the finance department, that their jobs were being eliminated as of July 1.
Hathaway, who was worked for the city for 19 years, said he was surprised when he was called to the personnel office and told he was being laid off.
Mitchell called Hathaway one of the nicest and most decent people working in the city.
City Attorney Jeffrey Londregan told the council Monday he would need some time to research the question.
"I hadn't been asked to review this issue prior to it happening,'' Londregan said.
Finance Director Jeffrey Smith said last week the job descriptions for the three positions were re-evaluated and changed. The department will retain two full-time clerks, but the pay will be less. Local 1378 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Union, which represents the two clerks, filed grievances on Friday accusing the city of unfair labor practices.
Smith said the city no longer needs a full-time purchasing agent because the state allows municipalities to "piggyback" on state contracts, and in some cases, with other cities or towns. The position has turned into an administrative one, he said.
His plan is to replace the purchasing agent with a part-time purchasing agent/accountant. He also will hire a second part-time accountant for the finance department.
The personnel changes are part of a larger plan to restructure the department and save money. The reorganization would save the finance department about $100,000, but because some of the work will be picked up by other departments, the net savings to the city will be about $50,000.
The three workers are represented by unions and have what is called "bumping rights" and can fill another job within their unions if they are qualified.
Electric Boat delivers submarine Illinois early, below budget
A/Z Corporation has grown from humble beginnings to industry leader
Martin goes old school with arts and culture periodical The Cut-Up
NASA probe gets close-up look at Jupiter, sends back data and images
Waterford soldier's remains come home after more than 60 years
UPDATED: Malloy criticizes Maine governor for comments about heroin epidemic
UPDATED: New Britain man charged in I-95 accident that closed the highway Thursday
State Department: Clinton calendars won't be released until after election


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Brown, CA and Flack, TJ (2002) Optimal controller design for high precision linear positioning systems based on permanent magnet synchronous motors. In: The International Conference on International Conference on Power Electronics Machines and Drives, 2002-4- to --, Bath, UK pp. 347-352..Full text not available from this repository.
|Item Type:
|Conference or Workshop Item (UNSPECIFIED)
|Div B > Electronics, Power & Energy Conversion
|Depositing User:
|Unnamed user with email email@example.com
|Date Deposited:
|18 May 2016 19:34
|Last Modified:
|28 Aug 2016 00:13


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Myanmar Attractions
Myanmar Attractions
What to See in Myanmar
Myanmar's attractions lie largely in the area of the spiritual. Temples, pagodas and historical sites abound with some areas such as Bagan boasting so many attractions that it would be impossible to take them in during a single visit. With friendly locals, a tropical climate, cheap transportation and truly awesome sights, Myanmar is a fascinating and bewitching destination.


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September ORDER DEADLINE is WED 9/14/16 at 11:59pm EST.No restrictions or limitations, anyone can order! Call the location closest to you to place a cash order.
EBT orders must be placed in person at a Partner Site that accepts EBT.
When you finalize your order, you will receive an order number and will be emailed a receipt.
Make sure to write down where you ordered from and the distribution time so that you remember to pick up your order. Orders not picked up during posted distribution times will NOT be held.If you do not receive an order number or email receipt then you DID NOT successfully place an order. For help with online ordering please call 877-818-1778 Monday-Friday 9:00-4:00pm EST
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text: Bus drivers file suit in federal court against BISD alleging they were not paid overtime Back to Article Comments Need to Register? X Remember Me Forgot your password? Today's Deals Better Homes And Gardens 10-Shelf Organizer for $5 + pickup at... Bowflex EZ Pro Heart Rate Monitor Watch for $10 + pickup at... Rubbermaid 30-Piece Easy Find Container Set for $10 + pickup... Bell Airstomper 200 Foot Pump for $5 + free shipping Powered by Top Stories Former Orange Co. official charged with money laundering WO-S players, coaches talk about life as local celebrities Photo of officer bathing baby found covered in vomit goes viral Before and after shots show destruction of Italian earthquake Craft beer gets a victory in Texas court First Hollywood home of Lucille Ball hits market Ex-porn star in Texas sues Facebook chief for $1 billion 25 Burning Man rules you might not know about Mugshots: 4 arrested in undercover prostitution sting Local News Painting in the Pub event held at Clifton Steamboat Museum History on display at heritage happy hour Former Orange Co. sheriff's detective charged with money... Cardinal Drive southbound at Eerie Street closed for construction Beaumont receives funding for flood warning and protection... H-E-B launches free seasonal layaway program Jefferson County plans Passport Day next month Beaumont will have curbside recycling again. Now what? Latest News Videos


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Correct me if I'm wrong, but I have been lead to believe (by this tutorial - http://www.richandstephsipe.com/wordpress/2007/02/12/wordpress-21-static-homepage/) that since WP 2.1, choosing to have a static page as the front page has been available on the 'Options> Reading' page in the WP admin.
I have just installed WP 2.2, but sadly don't have this option available to me.
Here is a screenie of the 'Options>Reading' page concerned - http://www.while.co.uk/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/wp_prob.gif
I'd lilke to have a static front/ home page and use the blog page as the 'events' page of my site.
Any help is greatly appreciated.


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is there a way to manually specify which pages to cache?
we have a site that is about 60-70% static pages that should always be cached and the rest are dynamic pages or pages that have various javascripts that perform some data loading or calculations.
we installed wp-super-cache and set it up to cache using php and set up preload to cache all pages.
when visiting the pages on the site the first time the pages did not seem to be cached (loaded at pre-cache installation rate). After the first time they did seem to be cached, although some of the pages with dynamic content seemed to load slower than before.
are we setting the plugin up correctly?


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James W. ?Walt? Hammond, 89, of Devils Lake, N.D., passed away on Tuesday morning, September 24, 2013 at Mercy Hospital, Devils Lake with his loving family at his side.
Mass of the Resurrection for Walt will be held on Saturday, September 28 at 9 a.m. at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Devils Lake with Fr. C.F. Wilhelm celebrating the Mass. Burial will be in St. Joseph's Catholic Cemetery with Military Honors accorded by the Neathery-Simensen Post #756, Devils Lake Veterans of Foreign Wars and the North Dakota Military Funeral Honors Team. Visitation will be held at St. Joseph Catholic Church on Friday, September 27 beginning at 6 p.m. with a Rosary and scripture service at 7:30 p.m. Visitation on Saturday will be one hour prior to the funeral Mass at the church.
Gilbertson Funeral Home, Devils Lake, is in charge of arrangements.
Location, ST | website.com


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OCC features exceptional facilities and the latest in technology and offers more than 135 academic and career programs, including one of the nation's largest and most acclaimed public nautical programs.
Spring semester classes begin on Monday, Feb. 2.
Registration for spring classes by touch-tone telephone will run Jan. 5-29. Applications will be available throughout that period in OCC's Admissions Office. The office will be open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Spring class schedules are available, free of charge, in the Admissions Office. The spring schedule is also listed on the college's Internet web page (orangecoastcollege.com). OCC's spring enrollment fees are $18 per unit.
For spring application or registration information, phone (714) 432-5072.


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THREE Grand Rapids Locations-Locally Owned-Outstanding Prices!!
Afendoulis has been cleaning, pressing and dressing Grand Rapids for over 65 years! Our tuxedos and dry cleaning are on premesis at1138 Michigan NE, at the corner of Michigan and Fuller. We offer uncompromised service with our local inventory and exceptional prices. We specialize in tux rentals, bridal gown cleaning and are a full service dry cleaners and shirt laundry. Our other locations are in Forest Hills and on Northland Drive near Plainfield. To schedule a personalized tux fitting for the Groom to try on items and make selections for your wedding party please call our main showroom at 616-459-9169. Best Wishes on your upcoming wedding!
Check out our web for wonderful offers at afendoulistuxedos.com or join our mobile text option to get money saving offers on your cell phone! Just text 6164599169 to ATT411 (288411).
Thanks again!
Becky Afendoulis
Copyright � 2011. All Rights Reserved.
Websites by ClearSys.net


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Plugin works great! I love it! I'm trying to use Wangguard to block spammers as an additional measure, but it was blocking legit people so I had to disable it.
I'm wondering if there is a way to trigger a notification upon successful registration so that users know they have been successfully logged in. Most people aren't use to such an easy registration process, so it takes a second to realize that you are in fact logged in and registration was, in fact, successful. Could I embed a <div> with display=none in the header, and then have the plugin trigger it to display for X seconds on successful registration? Or something... Thanks!


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Amar'e Stoudemire has progressively been playing better as the season has gone on. Should he be named a starter again or remain on the bench?
Agree with someone's comment? Vote for it to make the Debate Highlights section. Disagree with a comment? Reply and voice your opinion. Happy Debating!Add Comment
He should absolutely start but even more importantly he should be finishing games as well. The lineup that should start & finish most games is Fel...Full Comment »
Woodson is a jackass...only he would not start the teams 2nd best player...only team in the league...STAT needs to play AT LEAST 30 mins per game...st...Full Comment »
Only a complete moron would n't start the 2nd best player on the team. Lebron was laughing at us when they asked him about it. Yes that does make Woo...Full Comment »
Amare is a nightmare for opposing defenses. He should always start, and always finish games.Full Comment »
I've been gettin fed up with mike Woodson lately. He better start amare while melo is out what theFull Comment »
Given Amar'e's history of injuries his playing time should be limited, however the Knicks must use Amar'e more strategically than they have. It makes...Full Comment »


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"It was a pleasure to be the City Manager and watch all that take place," Dothan City Manager Mike West says.
He is referring to emergency officials and utility workers for their response to heavy storms in our area this past weekend.
But while rains have faded away, the effects of the storm are still evident.
West says he received reports of water leaks on the third floor of the Dothan Civic Center which caused some hallway flooding on Saturday. Leaks were also reported in different parts of Dothan's City Jail, and the Wiregrass Museum of Art downtown.
On Tuesday water stains were evident in all three locations.
"It shows you need to find out what contributed to that and solve that problem because we don;t want buildings leaking." West says.
The City Manager says the city tries to schedule roof repairs when problems come up. Two fire stations in the city have had problems for months, and will be fixed next year according to West.


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Please call owner Emil at 239-220-9324. Boat is located in Detroit, Michigan. This 1970 Columbia MK. II sailboat designed by designer - Bill Tripp, and is in good shape. Dry-docked, in Marina, and immediately available. This boat was a race winner and Champion, having competed and won several races in the greater South East Michigan and South West Ontario area. This Columbia is a terrific ...
Aug 20 -
Detroit :
Detroit - Boats
Please contact the owner directly @ 419-239-1853 or [email removed]t family cruising sailboat.
This is a stock 2002 361 with the hard-to-find three cabin layout.
Featuring upgraded upholstery, this boat has been on Lake Erie her whole life.
This unique layout provides sleeping privacy for up to three couples and can handle another in the main salon with table dropped into place.
Clannach ...
Aug 12 -
Toledo :
Sandusky - Boats
fixed keel, new trailer, nisson motor, new cables, cuddy cabin 16ft sailboat
Aug 6 -
Buffalo :
Castile - Boats
Please call owner Shawn
at 814-39-71403. Boat is in Erie, Pennsylvania. Masthead Sloop that has only seen fresh water. She is a well equipped racer/cruiser and is in cradle and ready to launch in Lake Erie. 11 foot beam with full fin keel which drafts 6 feet. We are moving up to a larger boat and want her to go to a good home. Equipment NavTec solid rod rigging, North Sails jib and roller ...
Jul 25 -
Erie :
Erie - Boats
Ready to sail with many accessories!
Set-up an appointment to see it at it's dock space on Lake Erie by Fairport Harbor, Ohio
dimensions are:
LOA: 24 ft 7 in
Minimum Draft: 1 ft 6 in
Maximum Draft: 5 ft 0 in
Displacement: 2100 lbs
Ballast: 575 lbs
12.9 HP 2 cylinder Chrysler electric start outboard
Genoa -roller furling
Storm jib - spinnaker and pole
Inside ...
Jul 18 -
Cleveland :
Painesville - Boats
For more details visit: http://www.BoatsFSBO.com/97453 Please contact boat owner Pamela at 804-761-7092. Nice sailboat. New outboard 2013, new upholstery 2013, bottom paint 2013. Sails in extremely good condition.
Jul 13 -
Richmond :
Kinsale - Boats
Please call boat owner James at 716-688-2461. Boat is located in Buffalo, New York. See http://www.boatsforsalebyowners.net/99106
for complete details. Beautiful, well-maintained, and enhanced wherever possible, this
Large Tri-cabin layout, Tall rig 2' to regular mast height, Allmand sloop, that can
be rigged as a cutter, is a steal. Originally Tim Allmand's personal boat, it is
particularly ...
Jul 9 -
Buffalo :
Buffalo - Boats
Please call owner Bob at 540-915-8333.
Boat is in Grayson, Kentucky.
94 square foot mainsail, daggerboard kickup rudder, Harken Ronstan hardware, concept is a 'big' Laser for a 240 lb adult. Sails very well and quick. My
increasing age loss of agility forces sale. Painted plywood construction. Drawing photos by request
Jul 6 -
Huntington-Ashland :
Grayson - Boats
Please contact boat owner Jay at 443-854-0614. 32' O'Day 322 Sailboat Current asking price 31,500 Location BaltimoreMiddle River The O'Day 322 has a wide open layout with headroom of 6' or more extending into the forward cabin.
The spacious arrangement features a "disappearing" section of the forward bulkhead which opens up the boat's interior to the bow for a bright, airy feeling.
The ...
Jul 4 -
Baltimore :
Baltimore - Boats
For more details visit: http://www.BoatsFSBO.com/97316 Please call boat owner Peter at 571-426-0003. Fully found, ready to go. 10' RIB Motor also available.
Jun 29 -
Baltimore :
Mayo - Boats
We'll be sending text message alerts for your subscription to


text:
- Report: #349139
Report - Rebuttal - Arbitrate
Complaint Review: Hotels.com
Hotels.comwww.hotels.com Internet U.S.A.
Hotels.com bogus cancellation by Hotels.com Internet
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This report was posted on Ripoff Report on 07/09/2008 08:58 AM and is a permanent record located here: http://www.ripoffreport.com/r/Hotelscom/internet/Hotelscom-bogus-cancellation-by-Hotelscom-Internet-349139. The posting time indicated is Arizona local time. Arizona does not observe daylight savings so the post time may be Mountain or Pacific depending on the time of year.
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You will be notified when this product will be in stock
For those who like to explore the depths of photography and test their creative potential, Canon 60D is just the right choice. 60D is a digital single reflex camera that gives you power of full manual control with advanced in-camera technologies. Offering spectacular image quality in an ergonomic body with easy to use buttons, Canon EOS 60D is equipped with 18 megapixels CMOS sensor; full HD recording, 6th generation DIGIC 4 processor and ISO range of 100 - 6400. This DSLR allows you to convert image formats in-camera and features an improved viewfinder to let you capture the image exactly as you want it. There is no limit to experiment, explore and expand your photographic horizon with Canon 60D.
18 Megapixel CMOS Sensor
Canon 60D features APS sized 18 megapixel CMOS image sensor that produces brilliant quality images on your DSLR. You cannot lose even a minute detail even on enlarging or cropping an image. The feature that makes Canon 60D a class apart from the rest of its league is that its image sensor produces smooth photographs even at highest sensitivity.
DIGIC 4 Image Processor
Taking your photographic experience one notch higher, the DIGIC 4 image processing system delivers images in a nick of time on your Canon 60D camera's LCD. The moment you capture a picture, it is processed and saved with a remarkable speed so there is no buffering time to ruin your moment and test your patience. You can keep clicking spontaneously till you find that picture perfect shot.
ISO of 100 – 6400
Capture sunsets, sunrises or shoot in dark settings with ease as Canon 60D allows you to expand the ISO number to 6400 in auto mode and up to 12800 if you are manually controlling the function. Use a high ISO number to click in low light with fast shutter speed. This DSLR produces clear and sharp images in high sensitivity with as less noise as possible.
9 point AF System with Dual Metering
Canon 60D is designed with 63 zone dual layer sensor that complements its 9 point AF system. The metering system incorporates a system of measuring colour which helps reduce errors of focus and exposure caused by different light sources. Canon EOS 60D helps you select exact focus point by giving stable exposure in situations where light changes rapidly.
96 Percent Viewfinder Coverage
Equipped with an improved and advanced viewfinder, you can see more of the scene through Canon 60D. This Canon DSLR comes with 0.95x magnification and 27 degree angle of view for phenomenal results. You can see focus points and movement through the viewfinder and adjust your frame exactly as you want to capture it.
5.3 fps Continuous Shooting
With the start time of 0.1 seconds, minimum shutter lag and speedy auto focus, Canon 60D is capable of shooting spontaneously and rapidly occurring action in detail. You can take 5.3 frames per second with your Canon EOS 60D DSLR capturing brief and precise movements with full precision. Be it cricket/football game or beautiful candid moments, this DSLR lets you save it instantly.
Fast Shutter Speed and ETTL-II Flash
Canon EOS 60D provides you shutter speed of 1/8000 to 1/60 seconds. It has an electronically controlled focal plane shutter that lets you snap high action to long exposure shots with equal ease. The fast flash sync speed of 1/250 of a second makes Canon 60D a favourite amongst photography enthusiasts. With ETTL-II flash metering system, you can shoot in both sunlight and completely dark surroundings perfectly.
3 Inch Vari-Angle Clear View LCD
With Canon EOS 60D, you can only expect extra-ordinary results. To make you capture shots better, this DSLR features 3 inch vari-angle LCD monitor. You can tilt it or change it from its static position to shoot the high angle or low angle shots with precision. The high resolution of 1040,000 dots creates images that are simply sensational and awe-aspiring. The LCD monitor is smudge resistant and comes with anti-reflection coating for giving clear view in all situations. Also the screen is water-repellent so that you can carry your 60D to your travel expeditions without worry.
RAW to JPEG Image Conversion
You don't need a computer anymore to convert your RAW images into JPEG format. Canon 60D lets you take RAW images and convert them in-camera into a separate folder.
Full HD Video with In-camera Editing
Record 1920 x 1080 HD movies with your Canon 60D at 30 frames per second. You can also record at 24 and 25 fps up to 4GB per clip. Canon EOS 60D saves videos in MOV format and you can view the footage on your HDTV through HDMI cable. There are other sizes like 1280 x 720, 640 x 280 and more on which you can record your movies as per your requirement. If you want to upload a video online, select 60 fps for easy sharing. Canon 60D also has a wind filter to refine audio quality while you are recording a video. To further give control in your hands, this DSLR features in camera video editing interface so that you can edit video just after you have recorded it.
Set Images to 3:2 Aspect Ratio
You can set the pictures to 3:2 aspect ratio in your Canon DSLR to give it a look of a 35mm film. Additionally, there are 10 process variables in Canon EOS 60D like colour space, noise reduction, picture style, distortion correction and more that you can apply to the photograph and make it look like the way you want.
Compatible with Canon EF & EF-S Lenses
All Canon lenses in EF and EF-S line up are compatible with Canon 60D. Canon lenses have micro precision engineering, advanced optical expertise and feature image stabilization technology to reduce blur and shake. There are variants like 18-55mm, 18-135mm, 18-200mm lenses and more that you can fit in your Canon DSLR for unprecedented performance.
2 Year Canon India Warranty with Transit Insurance
Buy Canon EOS 60D from Snapdeal.com and get free transit insurance on your product. Snapdeal.com will replace your camera if you find it damaged on opening the box. You can also avail 2 year Canon India warranty starting from the date of purchase from Snapdeal.com. Walk in to any Canon authorised store and you can avail services against any manufacturing defect that occurs in your Canon camera.
Have you purchased this item?Write A Review
I cannot give more pros or cons as I am not so well versed with this product. I have bought this camera to gift my husband, whose knowledge about the cameras is a lot more than mine. He has an earlier version of Canon EOS camera and this model is of his choice. However, I have been quite happy with the older version and I have no doubts about the performance of this model.
Best in this price range . Supports all types of LENS of cannon and others also. No carrying case or screen protector for LCD provided in package
The camera is really worth and I am enjoying every moment with it.
Great Camera for serious photography enthusiasts. Recommended for those who are looking for a camera which stands in between an entry level DSLR and a Pro level DSLR. 100 % satisfaction guaranteed !! Cons : Only 9 focus points.. :/
GOOD ONE Canon EOS 60D DSLR
I bought it year back and I am very happy with the selection I made. Best DSLR for semi professional level users.
Just received my Canon 60D box. Review about the product is not required. No doubt its a best product in DSLR. But i received the box which is a seal opened. Im not sure about the seller point in this.
good camera with good image quality so even we can use this camera for all events this camera is also good for proffesional photographers so better money value product
Nice and smooth to use, good for those whose is looking for a new slr or also for those who are looking for upgrade.
I bought it year back and I am very happy with the selection I made. Best DSLR for semi professional level users.
very good qty.
The result is best for the beginner
Great DSLR for the price
Must have!!
I got 8gb sd card, manual, charger and battery pack. nothing extra is included in the box.
Most cameras have shutter life of 1 lakh even the 7d too. I you want better one then you should go for 5d or 1d. So its common thing with all the camera. Just go ahead and buy.
No wifi connection is not available with this model
Canon but not STM
8gb sd card, 60d camera , batry charger , hanging stap, user mannual usb nd av cable ..


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Definition of sororicide in English:
noun[mass noun]
1The killing of one's sister.
Example sentences
- The most serious form of sibling abuse is fratricide and sororicide.
- Alonso eloquently regrets the sororicide and uxoricide he committed before he is beheaded.
- Freud seems to have been deaf to the importance in myth of both sororicide and fratricide.
1.1 [count noun] A person who kills their sister.
Example sentences
- Anna is barely sane; and Helen is a sororicide.
- Roman historians tend to present the sororicide in a positive light, stressing Horatia's father's public vindication of his son.
- My error was demonstrated to me in black and white: the sororicide had to be acquitted.
Mid 17th century (denoting a person who kills their sister, derived from Latin sororicida): the primary current sense comes from late Latin sororicidium, from soror 'sister' + -cidium (see -cide).
For editors and proofreaders
Line breaks: sor¦ori|cide
What do you find interesting about this word or phrase?
Comments that don't adhere to our Community Guidelines may be moderated or removed.
= trending


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Show transcribed image text A parallel plate capacitor shown the figure has two perfect conductor plates and is filled with two types of materials between the planes. The relative permittivity of the two materials are . The thickness of each layer are . The size of both plate is S = Discuss the boundary properties of E and D fields at the boundary between the top plate and dielectric materials and the boundary between the two dielectric materials. Assuming the bottom plate is connected to ground and the top plate is connected to fixed voltage V = 10V, determine the amount of electric charge carried by each plate.
Show transcribed image text


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A couple of weeks ago, KiD CuDi fans received the disappointing news that WZRD, his collaborative project with longtime producer and friend Dot Da Genius, would no longer be releasing on January 31 as planned. Instead, they're aiming for February 28. To make up for it, CuDi announced on Twitter the other day that two tracks from the album would go on sale on the original release date. It's now officially the last day of the month, and fans who have been camped out on iTunes know that their favorite former lonely stoner has owned up to his word. One of the songs that can be purchased now is "Brake," which Cudi and Genius gave out back in November. The other, however, has only previously been heard in snippet form. The single, titled "Teleport 2 Me, Jamie" in honor of the mother of CuDi's daughter, may sound slightly familiar if you've heard the soundtrack to this past fall's box office hit movie, Drive. Since the Desire-sampling song is now floating about the 'net, we've provided a stream for you all to listen to. If you want to download it, head over to iTunes or Amazon.
WZRD featuring Desire – Teleport 2 Me, Jamie
A couple of weeks ago, KiD CuDi fans received the disappointing news that WZRD, his …
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Sunday, Aug 28, 2016
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Love and Dissolution
The number of Americans divorcing has climbed for a third straight year to 2.4 million in 2012. Courtesy
Gary Pinnell | Highlands Today
February 20, 2014
February 20, 2014 at 02:26 PM
SEBRING - Yet another sign that the economy is better? The divorce rate keeps getting worse.
The number of Americans divorcing has climbed for a third straight year to 2.4 million in 2012, and U.S. Census statistics show Americans aren't rushing to the altar either.
In Highlands County, the number of marriages has declined 18 percent in the past six years, even though divorces are also down.
The U.S. marriage rate is at an all-time low: 51 percent of adults were married in 2011.
Even so, especially for life-long singles, marriage remains a goal: 61 percent men and women want to get hitched, according to a 2010 Pew Research survey. Only 12 percent never want to marry; 27 percent are not so sure.
Interestingly, single and divorced households may be better for the economy, according to a 2014 Bloomberg report. The 5.3 million new households formed in the past four years "is bolstering the need for apartments, condos and furnishings."
"Separations and divorce often create additional housing demand by creating two households when there was one," David Crowe, chief economist at the National Association of Home Builders in Washington told Bloomberg. Divorces are also prompting more women to enter the labor force.
Why aren't people marrying? Blame it on love.
Ninety-three percent of married men and women say love is "a very important reason to get married;" 84 percent of unmarried people agree. In fact, Pew said, love wins out over "making a lifelong commitment," as well as "companionship," "having children," and "financial stability" as the reason to wed.
Seven in 10 Americans pooh-pooh the idea of one true love. However, among divorced adults, only 29 percent say they want to march down the aisle one more time. A mere 8 percent of widows and widowers want to wed again.
Men and women's attitudes about marrying for the first time are not different among young adults. But among never-married adults ages 30 to 50, 27 percent of men and only 8 percent of women say they don't want to marry.
Never-marrieds are pokier than ever. In 2011, the median age at first marriage was at a record high: age 29 for men and 27 for women.
As recently as the early 1980s, the median age was 25 for men and 22 for women. In 1970, 57 percent of men married by age 24; 88 percent of women married by age 24.
Just as television has fragmented from three channels in the 1970s to an uncountable number today, marriage also has more competition. The choices include living alone, living with an unmarried partner, living with children, living with mom or dad, living with roommates, and living with a romantic same-sex partner. A rising share of births are to unmarried mothers, meaning marriage is no longer seen by many as the only gateway to parenthood.
Although marriage is an important goal for most Americans, it may not be their top priority. Having a successful marriage is just "one of the most important things" in life for 36 percent of adults, according to Pew Research; 48 said it is "very important but not the most" important. firstname.lastname@example.com
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Posts Tagged fiction
Using Dialogue to Create Dimensional Characters
Posted by Author Kristen Lamb in Writing Tips on September 14, 2015
So last time we talked about the basics in regards to dialogue and once we grasp the fundamentals—like proper punctuation—we then can focus more on elements of style. How we deliver the dialogue.
We can tell a lot about people by the way they speak. What people say or don't say speaks volumes. As the writer, it is our job to understand our characters and to know who they are and how they think. We have to master the art of empathy. If we don't, our dialogue will all sound like US talking. Writing, in many ways is a lot like method acting. We have to crawl inside the head and the psyche of our cast.
Not as easy as it might seem.
Dialogue done well is the stuff of legends though. Think of favorite movies. Why do we love them SO much? Very often…dialogue.
My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.
Social Roles—The Broad Strokes
Whether we like it or not, most of us will fall into some kind of social category with the way we speak. The way we speak will tell others a lot about who we are, our job, our background, level of education and even where we exist socially.
Don't believe me?
How many of you were once young and wild and free and swore you would never be like your parents? Then one day you heard, "Because I said so, that's why" fly out of your mouth?
"Why can't you just do it the first time?"
"I didn't ask you if you wanted to do it."
I am bee-bopping along and suddenly hear my mother….
"Well, Spawn, when the mind is stupid, the body suffers."
Shoot. Me. Now.
No matter how much we try, we are helpless in the face of mimesis. But, that isn't such a bad thing. This actually makes it easier to do what we do. Since we've been around moms, we know how they talk. We can emulate the lingo. We know how teenagers, grandparents, grouchy neighbors, picky librarians, and con-artist family members all talk.
Through these "roles" we gain the broad strokes of what a character should "sound" like. This will help our characters ring true in the mental ear of the reader. There is nothing wrong with having characters who fit into a tidy box. They can still be interesting and unique even in that role.
Yes, I am a mother and I say all the stuff I swore I would never say.
No is just a part of life.
I also play XBox with Spawn and say things like, "Burst-fire! Conserve your ammo!" "You can't kill a zombie like that!"
Thus, even though a lot of what I say would be very prototypical "Mom Talk" there are elements of how I speak that make me unique within that subset. Not all moms shoot for sport, practice Jiu Jistu and randomly quote Monty Python. Spawn's mom, however, DOES.
But this is is when we get into the…
Character—The Fine Strokes
Moms say things many other moms say, but each mom is unique. That is the case with most characters. If we don't take time to really think about who each character IS, we can run the risk of a character sounding like a stock character.
Recently I read a YA and only finished it because I paid full-price. But the biggest reason I had a tough time getting into the story was that all the characters were blasé.
Each character talked like a stereotype. The broad strokes were there, but there was no nuance. Thus, I was left with a cast of characters who were utterly forgettable.
How do we get fine strokes?
Can we buy some on eBay?
This is a tough one to answer. The fine strokes can take years to master. We have to learn to be excellent listeners. We have to learn how to look beyond what people are saying. We have to become masters of empathy and we must study people. Beyond this, though, what is it that transforms a plot-puppet into a 3-D person?
I believe it is in our idiosyncrasies and our contradictions.
An Idiosyncrasy is a peculiarity that is specific to one person. For instance, last time I mentioned the no-no about having every character speak in full sentences. Most of us don't speak in full sentences so it rings untrue when everyone is using full sentences. BUT, some people DO speak in full sentences. That would be an idiosyncrasy and it's one that is used regularly to convey highly intellectual characters—Ie. Dr. Sheldon Cooper.
A character who is foreign might not use contractions. A character who has OCD might always repeat verbs. A character who is advanced in years might never answer directly, but always answer in colorful parables.
I wrote a really funny character who constantly used malapropisms.
You just don't cheat on your wife. When you get hitched, you promise to be faithful. You know. Monotonous.
We all have sayings and filler words that are unique to each of us. But adding these subtle details, now we have characters who are far more dimensional.
So we might have a mother who is saying all kinds of mom-like things…only she is unique because she is bad about smashing words together and speaks in hyperbole.
Eat your vegetables and don't correct me. It's very condensending.
I know what I said, Mr. Smarty Pants. Hurry up before I trade you to the Jones family for a puppy. At least the puppy would have some respect.
Add Some Layers
Remember that most humans are actually a unique blending of experience and roles. Yes, we might have a mom who is talking like a mom, but what else is she? A mom who is a Japanese violinist would probably talk differently than a mom who is a cop and grew up in Brooklyn.
Culture impacts a lot more than we might realize. I was born in Texas, but reared by a Yankee mom who is very direct and no-nonsense. I have run into all kinds of trouble with Southern women who feel I am rude. Conversely, I get short with Southern women because I am aging and don't have time for all the niceties.
My roommate in college was from Georgia and we went round and round and round. She'd say:
Roommate: Kristen, do you think the trash needs to go out?
Me: Nah, looks good to me *keeps going*
Because her culture dictated it was more polite to hint and suggest? I missed most of what she wanted because I was always direct. If I wanted someone to take out the trash, I simply asked.
But here is an extra lesson in dialogue. Just from this example, can you see how conflict can arise simply from expectations? She believed she was asking me to take out the trash and believed that I was ignoring her. Conversely, I couldn't figure out why she wanted an opinion on the state of our garbage so often. Why didn't she just ask me to take it out? I would have happily obliged.
How does your character feel about him/herself? A low self-image might make a person a people pleaser. Maybe she is always agreeing with everyone and terrified to have her own opinion. Maybe the character talks too much, tries too hard, never asks about others.
If a character is selfish, he might brag all the time, or have to outdo everyone else in the conversation.
That's great you caught a fish, but you were on a lake. Now go deep sea fishing. That's real fishing. I once struggled with a fifteen foot shark for three hours….
Maybe the character is always interrupting others. Maybe the character uses profanity or quotes bible verses all the time. Or both.
Sometimes we can use dialogue to make contrasts. Contrasts are very interesting and say a lot about our character. A great example would be Elmore Leonard's character Boyd Crowder (refer to television series Justified). Now, Boyd fits into a broad-stroke category of a hillbilly. He has a deep southern accent, works with his hands, drives a ratty truck, wears boots, and drinks like a fish.
But what makes Boyd a fascinating character study, especially for dialogue, is he is unexpected. He is a fascinating contrast. Though he is a redneck (and plays this up for his own ends) he uses a twenty-dollar word when a ten cent one would do. He speaks very colorfully. If you ask him the time, he will tell you how to build a watch.
Not only is his speech idiosyncratic, but it is a very unique contrast. One usually doesn't expect a hillbilly to use words most of us would have to look up in a thesaurus.
Show Don't Tell
Dialogue is HUGE, HUGE, HUGE for Show Don't Tell.
Instead of telling us a character is a certain way, SHOW us by how she talks and what she says.
A gossip.
"Now, for the record, I've never seen her drink, but she always looks so tired. My brother-in-law always looked that way because he was throwing them back in secret."
A self-involved jerk.
"Sure, Babe. After I meet with my client, how about I meet you for that cute little college thing you're doing. What was it again? Art history?"
Y'all get the gist. Now go have fun with it!
All of this is to say that dialogue is one of the most powerful tools for showing who a character is, who they are hiding and maybe even who they could be with a little help from us (Writer-God). Next time, we will dig a bit deeper into dialogue. Who knew there was so much to this? What are your thoughts? What other suggestions do you have for authentic-sounding dialogue?
I LOVE hearing from you!
To prove it and show my love, for the month of SEPTEMBER, everyone who leaves a comment I will put your name in a hat. If you comment and link back to my blog on your blog, you get your name in the hat twice. What do you win? The unvarnished truth from yours truly. I will pick a winner once a month and it will be a critique of the first 20 pages of your novel.
August's WINNER is lonestarjake88. Please send your 20 pages (2500 words) to kristen at wana intl dot com in a WORD document. Double-spaced and one-inch margins and CONGRATULATIONS!
For those who need help building a platform and keeping it SIMPLE, pick up a copy of my latest social media/branding book Rise of the Machines—Human Authors in a Digital World on AMAZON, iBooks, or Nook.
Lessons From Oleander–Beware of Premature Editing
Posted by Author Kristen Lamb in Writing on January 28, 2013
I love to garden, but I am terrible at reading instructions, which means I am not going to read a How To book or gardening blogs, because I already have enough to read and this would steal time from my great joy…digging in the dirt. This means that, over the years, I've learned a lot through trial and error.
Code for : Killing Stuff
Three years ago, we bought our first home. We got a sweet deal on it, but it needed work. The yard was little more than mowed field. I couldn't wait to get in and pretty it up. I slaved for hours in triple-digit Texas heat digging holes and clearing land for gardens. I'd always loved oleander and when I found them on sale at the local nursery, I was ecstatic. Normally, oleander this size were $50 and $60 but I got each for less than $20. I planted one on each corner of the house and dreamed of how beautiful they'd be when they matured.
Then we had the most freakish, freezing winter in Texas history. I'd never even seen snow before and suddenly we were buried in eight inches of it.
The Canadians can all stop laughing now. You guys have things like PLOWS, SNOW SHOVELS, SNOW TIRES…and COATS.
Anyway, the oleanders that seemed to be doing okay during the mild fall were obliterated. When early spring came, I cleaned up all the dead stuff and dug out all the oleanders and threw them away. All except one because I ran out of energy.
Much to my horror, guess what sprouted once it got warmer?
My last remaining oleander.
To this day, I can't look at that oleander without grieving the other four. I feel so foolish. What if I'd just been patient? What if I hadn't been so quick to judge what was "dead"?
This is what premature editing can do to our story. When we start hacking away and digging stuff out too soon, we have no idea what treasures we might be tossing in the garbage. Never underestimate what your subconscious is capable of doing. Our subconscious mind is planting seeds along the way that can eventually sprout into ideas better than we imagined. Editing too soon can ruin that magic and toss it in a Hefty bag, just like my poor oleanders.
Tips to Avoid Premature Editing
Fast Draft
Candace Havens teaches a method called Fast Draft. You write the entire novel in a matter of two weeks. No stopping, no looking back. No editing. This is my preferred method, because I am notorious for editing stuff to death.
Limited Edit
Allow yourself to correct typos, punctuation and grammar ONLY. Anything else that you believe needs to be changed, make a note of it in a different color. Then keep moving forward.
I know this isn't for everyone. Every time I talk about this topic, I get a half a dozen comments from people who just can't bear to not edit. Of course, they generally don't have finished books, either.
In the end, these are tips. You have to find what works for you. But I would at least give these methods a try. You can always slay the adverbs later😉.
What are your thoughts? Have you ever gotten overzealous and edited the heart out of a story and later regretted it? What tactics do you use to keep from editing too soon? Does editing early not bother you?
I love hearing from you!
To prove it and show my love, for the month of January, everyone who leaves a comment I will put your name in a hat. If you comment and link back to my blog on your blog, you get your name in the hat twice. If you leave a comment, and link back to my blog, and mention my book We Are Not Alone in your blog…you get your name in the hat THREE times. What do you win? The unvarnished truth from yours truly.
I will pick a winner once a month and it will be a critique of the first 20 pages of your novel, or your query letter, or your synopsis (5 pages or less).
And also, winners have a limited time to claim the prize, because what's happening is there are actually quite a few people who never claim the critique, so I never know if the spam folder ate it or to look for it and then people miss out. I will also give my corporate e-mail to insure we connect and I will only have a week to return the 20 page edit.
At the end of January I will pick a winner for the monthly prize. Good luck!
I also hope you pick up copies of my best-selling books We Are Not Alone–The Writer's Guide to Social Media and Are You There, Blog? It's Me, Writer . And both are recommended by the hottest agents and biggest authors in the biz. My methods teach you how to make building your author platform FUN. Build a platform and still have time left to write great books.
Writing Legend Les Edgerton Teaches Us How to Create a Remarkable Writing Voice
Posted by Author Kristen Lamb in Writing on April 25, 2012
Earlier this month we talked about "writing voice." All agents want to find it and all new writers want to know what the heck it is. I did my best to educate you guys on voice, but frankly, compared to my writer heroes, I am a mere neophyte. I was at least smart enough to know what I didn't know and to look to those who could lead the way. Les Edgerton has been one of my writing heroes for a LONG time and, frankly, having him here is making me a wee dizzy. I haven't been this fan girl since I kidnapped James Rollins in my creepy interview van.
Unfortunately for me, did you see Les's picture? Does this look like a dude who would fall for the FREE CANDY schtick? Yeah, I didn't think so either. So, rather than smearing a $50 Barnes and Noble Gift Card with honey and sprinkles and hoping to catch the correct writer, I just went ahead and asked.
Boring, but effective. And come on! Les needed to be here, because, how can we talk about writing voice without a visit from the master?
Take it away Les!
Hello fellow WANAs!
Thank you so much for allowing me to appear on your blog, Kristen. I follow it religiously and am amazed at both the wonderful info you impart and the collegiality of the people who gather here. This is a signal honor and I'm stoked to be here!
You asked me to talk about my book on the writer's voice, FINDING YOUR VOICE: How to Put Personality in Your Writing, and I thought what might be valuable would be to include a chapter from that book. Hope your readers agree. We just made it available as an ebook and you can check it out on Amazon.
I'm very proud of this book, Kristen. It was the first of my writer's craft books and over the years I've received lots of emails and letters from writers who tell me it's helped inform their own writing and that's just plain gratifying. It's why we all write, right? To make a difference in others' lives.
BTW, if you folks enjoy the selection I'm providing, please consider helping me out with my own writing. My latest novel, a psychological thriller titled THE BITCH is one of six nominees for the Spinetingler Magazine Best Novel award in the Legends category. This is a huge honor just to be nominated and if somehow I'd win, well, I'd be speechless… (For those who know me, you know that's almost impossible to comprehend…)
I need to explain that the title isn't a pejorative title towards women, nor is it a term for a female dog, but is what outlaws and criminals call the "three-strikes-and-you're-out" ha-bitch-ual criminal statute. To vote for it, just go to the link, scroll down to the "Best Novel" in the Legends category and click on my book. Then, just scroll to the end and enter it. And… thank you!
I hope the stuff on voice below proves helpful in your own writing!
Talent alone cannot make a writer. There must be a man behind the book.—RALPH WALDO EMERSON
This, then, is what it's all about, finally.
Putting your personality into your prose. Truly, the "secret" to getting published.
William Zinsser stresses this in his best-selling writer's craft book, On Writing Well, when he writes: "I wrote one book about baseball and one about jazz. But it never occurred to me to write one of them in sports English and the other in jazz English. I tried to write them both in the best English I could, in my usual style.
Though the books were widely different in subject, I wanted readers to know that they were hearing from the same person. It was my book about baseball and my book about jazz. Other writers would write their book. My commodity as a writer, whatever I'm writing about, is me. And your commodity is you."
If your finished novel, short story, article, poem, personal memoir, bio of the latest corrupt politician or outstanding statesperson—whatever—reads as if written by another person . . . then it was.
You need to seize it and make it the work only you could possibly have written.
First off, however, you need to determine if your voice has, indeed, been camouflaged.
There are at least three ways to tell if this is so.
Are the Word Choices, Sentence Usages, and Phrases Employed Yours?
The first "litmus test" is to check the language in the piece itself.
Author Jules Renard said, "If the word arse is read in a sentence, no matter how beautiful the sentence, the reader will react only to that word." He's not singling out the "olde English" noun except as an example of the sort of word a writer shouldn't use unless it's organic to him and is natural to the context in which it's used. The kind of word that draws attention to itself, at the expense of the fìctive dream we struggle so mightily to create for the reader.
Look for those kinds of examples in your copy, and instead of reaching automatically for your thesaurus, try a different approach to coming up with a better word.
One way to do this is by clustering. Write the word that needs replaced in the center of a blank sheet of paper. Draw a short, straight line out from the word, and quickly jot down the next word that pops into your mind. Do the same with that word.
Do this for at least seven to eight words, then sit back and look at what you have. Oftentimes, the word you need emerges. If that doesn't work, at least change any such word that drastically calls attention to itself to something less intruding and attention-gathering.
As Anthony Burgess says, "People don't like using dictionaries when they're reading mere novels."
Jane Burroway, in her seminal writing text, Writing Fiction:A Guide to Narrative Craft, says much the same thing, but expands the advice even more: "When you are carried away with the purple of your prose,the music of your alliteration, the hilarity of your wit, the profundity of your insights, then the chances are that you are having a better time writing than the reader will have reading. No reader will forgive you, and no reader should. Just tell the story. The style will follow of itself if you just tell the story."
Check your text for overt evidence of a writer at work. Whenever the reader becomes aware someone is writing the piece—whether it be fiction or nonfìction—then the "fictive dream" (which applies to nonfìction as well) is interrupted and you've lost your reader at least briefly, if not permanently.
You've created a speed bump, at the minimum.
Five Percent
If you can identify more than 5 percent of the language you used as being essentially foreign to your normal usage, then you're not employing your own personality on the page. That's just too many words alien to your vocabulary and it will show up as forced and unnatural. In fact, 5 percent is just about the upper limit. Go back and substitute more of your own language.
Sentence Structure
The structure you give your sentences can show you whether or not you're solidly within your voice.
If you're using complete sentences, you're probably not writing in your natural voice.
In a recent Neighborhood Connections class (local, adult-ed class) I taught, a woman who wrote otherwise wonderful prose had a sticking point with sentence fragments. She simply could not bring herself to write anything less than a complete sentence. She confessed that every time she did, the image of her seventh-grade English teacher loomed large on the screen of her mental Sony.
The result was prose, that, while writ with grace, beauty and interest, nevertheless, was being strangled with formality. She was such a good writer that she was able to imbue her "Tom Wolfeian beige voice" with energy, but it wasn't until she was able to force herself to write sentence fragments within the text that her stories really began to sparkle.
She "thought" in sentence fragments at the appropriate places in her writing, but she had developed the habit of editing them as she wrote to render them complete units, with subject, predicate, and all that stuff. It took almost the entire six weeks of the class for her to work through her problem, but once she overcame that inhibition, the traces were thrown off, and she confessed, after her last class, that she felt "wildly free" for the first time in her writing life. She'd been so "conditioned" that at first she couldn't even bring herself to use contractions in her character's dialogue!
The trick to writing well? Write simply; write clearly. Eschew flowery language.
Aim for the same kind of clarity-bullseye in your own writing, whether it be a lean or lush style. The kind of writing that when the nonwriter or casual reader reads it, thinks, "Man! This writing stuff looks easy; I could do this¦"
Look at other writers you admire and see if the simpleness of their language—whether lush or spare or somewhere in-between—isn't one of their strengths, too.
When rereading your work and you come to a part that has been gussied up by the over-baroqueness of your language, try rewriting it with only one thing in mind—to make it as clear to the reader as a day in Santa Monica after a Santa Ana wind has blown through.
If your style requires ten words to do that and another's style uses four, that's all right. Just don't use twenty words if ten do the job, or eight, if your own style is comfortable with six. Compare the initial version and the rewritten one, and see which one you like the best. Better, have someone else read them and tell you which one they prefer.
Don't stick a Rolls-Royce hood ornament on your Chevy Lumina and try to fool people!
Second Litmus Test—Get Feedback From Others
Perhaps one of the best ways to cull out those parts of your writing where you've strayed from your own trés-cool voice is to solicit the opinions of others. If you belong to a writing group, ask your fellow writers if you can read your material to them, requesting they inform you which, if any, parts "don't sound like you." Mark through those sentences and sections with a marker (I'd suggest yellow instead of black), and then later, go through them to see if you agree. If the language has departed from the rest of the piece, you know it needs to be rewritten until it blends with the rest.
Read your material aloud, and ask yourself if you'd like to be locked up in a room with the person who wrote this and listen to the sound of that voice for several hours at a time. If not, then you're probably not putting your own personality into your prose as much as you should be. After all, we like our voices when we're ourselves, don't we? We hardly ever tell ourselves to "shut up!" when we're being natural.
Tweety in the Coal Mine
Way back when, coal miners would carry a canary in a cage down into the bowels of the mine with them. The purpose of the canary was to let the miners know if deadly gasses were present so they could get the hell out before they keeled over. They kept a close watch on Tweety, and if he fell over dead (with those little Xs for eyes), they hiked as fast as they could to the surface.
That's what you need. A canary to let you know if the "gas" of your prose has become deadly. Hopefully, your friend or writing group won't fall over onto the floor with those little Xs where their orbs used to be, but they should be able to sniff where your writing has become stifling and beige.
Beige has an odor somewhat like skunk cabbage does when you step into a patch of it. Deodorize your prose until it smells sweet—like you!
Be Alert to Critic Nag in the Room . . .
The third part of the litmus test to see if you're camouflaging your natural voice is to check the room periodically to see if Critic Nag has crept in under the doorsill or through an open window. He's usually invisible, so the only way to spot them is to read what you've written to see if he was typing while your mind spaced, as it does from time to time with us writer-types.
A good place to look for evidence that he's lurking somewhere in the room is in your character's dialogue. If you find your characters never use contractions in their speech, for instance, that's a solid clue that Critic Nag is sitting over in the corner, smirking evilly at you.
If your characters always use complete sentences, wouldn't dream of using a contraction, without fail use the correct words or word combinations like "give me" instead of "gimme," then Critic Nag has probably snuck into the room with you.
Look for Critic Nag's whisper in your ear when you're writing emotional scenes. He'll try to encourage you to use lurid language and not trust your own writing ability to convey the emotion. He's a crafty little imp!
When you're writing those scenes, keep in mind the advice of Philip Gerard in his excellent book Writing a Book That Makes a Difference, where he says: "Flatten the language. The hotter the action, the cooler you want the language, to a point."
You need to choose the word that fits the situation on the page you're trying to create—whether that be description or the business or action of a scene, but you also need to choose the word that fits you comfortably. It has to carry the intent, but it also has to reflect you and your emotions. That's the only way it will ring true and be unmistakably yours.
Another clue that will tell you ol' Critic Nag has been around is if your passages of description have been overwritten and in a too-flowery style. If you read passages full of window-pane, static description, instead of active, page-turning description. This is what one of those many fiends who compose Critic Nag urged you to do way back when. He's in the room!
He's also been around if you begin to reread your stuff and unfamiliar words jump out at you. You know, those words you've never once used in conversation and look newly-purchased from that sale you visited on Dictionary/Thesaurus.com. (Or, found on eBay, most likely.)
To Reiterate . . .
In summary, there are three basic ways to seize control of your material and make it your own:
1. Check the language you've used in the piece.
Mark the words that leap up at you from the page that clearly aren't yours and come up with choices from your vocabulary.
2. Have others read your material and tell you which parts aren't "you."
Pick folks who know you well. Don't use them to tell you if the writing is "good" or make that kind of quality judgment; instead, simply ask them to let you know which passages "don't sound like you." That's all you need—someone to point out where you departed from yourself.
3. Seek out and banish Critic Nag from the room.
Just always remember: Don't let others rent space in your head! Especially Critic Nag . . .
THANK YOU LES!!!!! Many of you who follow this blog already know and LOVE Les because I talk about him all the time and make you buy his books😀. So please, for those of you who have loved Les's work, please go vote for him in the Spinetingler Award. I know you guys have a ton of books, but you have until the end of April to read and vote for The Bitch… *giggle*.Just go to the link. I hope you guys can show some WANA support for a writer who has done so much to help use newbies grow into trained professionals.
I LOVE hearing from you!
And to prove it and show my love, for the month of April, everyone who leaves a comment I will put your name in a hat. If you comment and link back to my blog on your blog, you get your name in the hat twice. If you leave a comment, and link back to my blog, and mention my book We Are Not Alone in your blog…you get your name in the hat THREE times. What do you win? The unvarnished truth from yours truly.
I will pick a winner every week for a critique of your first five pages. At the end of April I will pick a winner for the grand prize. A free critique from me on the first 15 pages of your novel. Good luck!
Note–I've been having technical problems lately and am in the middle of rebuilding my web site. Also, my toddler has had an allergic reaction to something and he has been home sick, which is slowing me down.
I will just have to announce last week's winner on Monday. Sorry, icky sick baby has made it impossible to tally all the comment entries from last week (especially since I had the rare privilege of being Freshly Pressed, which means the comments EXPLODED).
I also hope you pick up copies of my best-selling books We Are Not Alone–The Writer's Guide to Social Media and Are You There, Blog? It's Me, Writer . And both are recommended by the hottest agents and biggest authors in the biz. My methods teach you how to make building your author platform FUN. Build a platform and still have time left to write great books.
What "Finding Nemo" Can Teach Us About Story Action
Posted by Author Kristen Lamb in Writing on February 27, 2012
Storytelling is in our blood, it binds us together as humans. On some intuitive level, everyone understands narrative structure, even little kids. All good stories have a clear beginning, middle and end. Ever try to skip parts of a story with a toddler? Even they can sense on a gut level that something is wrong if we miss a fundamental part of the story. Thus, often when I am teaching new writers how to understand narrative structure, I use children's movies. Frequently the narrative structure is far clearer, as well as the Jungian archetypes that are present in all great fiction. Additionally, all fiction can be boiled down to cause, effect, cause, effect, cause, effect. But, beyond that, novels are broken into scenes and sequels. For those who missed this post a few months ago, I highly recommend you go here.
So how do we know when to cut a scene? How do we knew when to begin and end chapters? How do we know what to trash and what to keep? Structure and conflict are like two gears.
Gears cannot turn unless there is another key wheel turning the opposite direction. No opposition, no power, no momentum. Same with a story.
All scenes have action. Action is more than a car chase or a bomb being diffused. Action does not mean a "bad situation." All stories must have one main story goal, a core problem that must be resolved for the story to end.
Find Nemo.
I love studying children's movies because they make it very easy to see and understand fundamental story structure.
In the Pixar film, Finding Nemo, what is the story goal for Marlin (the Clown fish father and protagonist)? Find his only son. How do we know when the movie is over? When Marlin and Nemo are reunited and safe at home, right?
Who is the Big Boss Troublemaker in Finding Nemo? The BBT is the character responsible for the story problem. The BBT is Darla the Fish-Killer, who we, the viewer, don't even see until Act II. Darla is the horrid little niece of a dentist who likes to go diving. The dentist (Minion) collects little Nemo from the ocean as a birthday gift, beginning the adventure of a lifetime for Marlin and Nemo.
In Normal World, Nemo and Marlin live in a sea anemone. Overprotective father Marlin finally allows little Nemo to go off school (pun intended), even though everything in his life revolves around keeping his son safe. This decision to let Nemo go to school is the inciting incident. If Nemo never went to school then he would never have been taken by the diver dentist.
The turning point into Act One is when Nemo is taken. That gives the clear story goal and the journey of the story is clear—Finding Nemo.
Today we are only going to look at scene antagonists who drive the action.
Obviously Marlin will not find Nemo right away. That would make for very boring fiction. No, there are a series of sub-goals that must be met to find his son.
Marlin takes off after the boat, but then fails to catch up.
He loses the boat and all seems lost, when he runs into another fish, Dori, who says she knows which way the boat went. Marlin follows, renewed in the chase and hopeful he will find Nemo, but then his new ally turns on him wanting to fight. She is unaware why Marlin is following her. Marlin soon realizes the only link to finding his son is a fish ally who suffers short-term memory loss.
We, the audience, think the journey is over, but then she tells him she does remember where the boat went. Marlin wants to go after his son, but then Bruce the Great White interrupts.
At first Marlin and Dori look doomed, but then Bruce collects them to join him in the Fish are Friends Not Food meeting (think shark AA—Fish Anonymous). So instead of Marlin being able to continue on his journey, he must stop to attend this Shark FA meeting. He has to play along lest he get eaten and not be able to continue his journey. To make matters worse, the FA meetings are held in a sunken sub that is surrounded by mines. So we have outside obstacles—mines—and character obstacles—the Great White addict needing a Fish Friend for his meeting.
Marlin wants to look for his son. Bruce wants a fish friend to attend his FA meeting. This is what Bob Mayer teaches as a conflict lock. Please check out Bob's books if you want to learn more.
At this point, Bruce is not Marlin's enemy, but see how he is the antagonist? Bruce's wants are in direct conflict with Marlin's. Only one party can get his way. Marlin is held back from achieving his goal.
Through a fun series of events, Bruce ends up losing it and going after Marlin and Dori with the fervor of any addict as his shark buddies try to keep him from totally "falling off the wagon." Marlin and Dori swim for their lives and while running, Marlin spots the diver's mask (The diver dentist who took Nemo dropped his mask). The journey, otherwise, would have ended, but a wild twist of fate has renewed the search.
They have a clue and apparently Dori, the Forgetful Fish Ally that Marlin was going to dump at the first opportunity, can READ. He needs her. But they must escape Bruce and get the mask.
They escape Bruce by detonating all the underwater mines, but then both Marlin and Dori are knocked unconscious. They awaken and realize that they are pinned under the sub, which is now sitting precariously off an undersea trench. The mask and only clue to finding Nemo is wrapped around Dori. As they try to look at the mask, the sub starts to slide and they lose the mask.
Scene goal. Marlin wants to get the clue, but then the submarine sends them fleeing for their lives. Just as they grasp for the mask, it drops down into the deep.
See how Marlin is progressively worse off as the story progresses? He seems farther away from finding his son, when in reality these are the necessary steps to FIND Nemo.
All looks as if it is lost. Marlin goes to give up, but his unlikely ally encourages him to go on and swim down in the deep to find the mask. Marlin has a chance to give up. He could at this point go home and give his son up for lost, but that would make a seriously sucky story. Marlin is a control freak who is ruled by his fears. He has to learn to be the master of his fears in order to rescue his son. Hemust press on in order to find Nemo. He swims down into the abyss as all good heroes should.
Marlin WANTS to find the mask, but then he and Dori soon realize it is nothing but blackness and they cannot see to find the mask. All seems lost. Ah, but then they spot a pretty light in the darkness…which turns out to be an angler fish that wants to eat them both.
Marlin wants to find the clue (mask).
Angler fish wants dinner.
Do you see how every break the protagonist gets comes with a new test? This is why it is so critical for us to at least start out with our story's log-line. What is our story about? Learn more about log-lines (BIG story goal), here.
If the screenwriters didn't know that the overall goal was for a neurotic fish father to swim to Sydney, Australia to rescue his son from a dentist's fish tank before Darla the Fish-Killer's birthday…this would have been a booger to plot. In ways it still is. How do we get Marlin from the Great Barrier Reef to a dentist's office in Sydney? This is where setting sub-goals (scenes) makes life easier. When we know the ending, the main goal then it is far easier to plot the course.
Each scene needs a key wheel—an antagonist—to provide the opposition that will drive forward momentum.
Bruce the Great White and fish-addict in recovery is not Darla the Fish-Killer (the BBT), but he does keep Marlin from his journey…finding Nemo, so he IS an antagonist. In retrospect, Bruce's intervention was fortuitous in that they never would have been in the area of the ocean where the one clue—the mask—was dropped.
Every scene needs an antagonist. Scenes MUST have conflict. No conflict? Not story. No forward momentum. We must always take a good hard look at our scenes and ask the tough questions. Ask, "What is it my protagonist wants? Who is in the way?" If no one is in the way, then who can we put in the way? Conflict can even be as simple as allies disagreeing about a course of action—chase after bad guys or call the police and play it safe? Will the Elves take the Ring of Power to Mount Doom or will the Dwarves?
If everything is happening easily and all our characters are getting along? That's a formula to bore a reader. Scenes where we have our protag thinking? That isn't a scene, that's a sequel. If a character is thinking, it better relate to something that just happened (a scene) and what to do next (next scene).
A "scene" that has characters talking about other characters is contrived information dump, not a scene. We can offload information in dialogue, but that cannot be the only purpose. Scenes are sub-goals—action blocks—that lead to solving the final problem.
I highly recommend reading Bob's books for more about understanding antagonists and conflict. Then, watch movies and practice. Break apart movies. Who is the BBT? Who are the antagonists for each scene? What purpose does the antagonist serve other than standing in the way of the goal? We will talk more about this next week. I know these are lessons we've had before, but a good refresher never hurt anyone.
I LOVE hearing from you!
And to prove it and show my love, for the month of February, everyone who leaves a comment I will put your name in a hat. If you comment and link back to my blog on your blog, you get your name in the hat twice. If you leave a comment, and link back to my blog, and mention my book We Are Not Alone in your blog…you get your name in the hat THREE times. What do you win? The unvarnished truth from yours truly.
I will pick a winner every week for a critique of your first five pages. At the end of February I will pick a winner for the grand prize. A free critique from me on the first 15 pages of your novel. Good luck!
Note: I had a rough weekend. My son had an accident and was injured pretty badly. Will announce winner later this week. Sorry for the delay.
I also hope you pick up copies of my best-selling books We Are Not Alone–The Writer's Guide to Social Media and Are You There, Blog? It's Me, Writer . Both books are ON SALE for $4.99!!!! And both are recommended by the hottest agents and biggest authors in the biz. My methods teach you how to make building your author platform FUN. Build a platform and still have time left to write great books.
Can Critique Groups Do More Harm than Good?
Posted by Author Kristen Lamb in Critique Groups, Writing on January 16, 2012
After six years in critique, her novel was "perfect."
Critique groups can be wonderful. They can offer accountability, professionalism, and take our writing to an entirely new level. But, like most, things, critique groups have a dark side. They can become a crutch that prevents genuine growth. Depending on the problems, critique groups can create bad writing habits and even deform a WIP so badly it will lose any chance at being traditionally published.
The key to avoiding problems is to be educated. Not all critique groups are worth our time. Some critique groups might have limitations that can be mitigated with a simple adjustment in our approach.
Traditional Critique Groups
Many of you have attended a traditional critique group. This is the "read a handful of printed pages or read so many pages aloud" groups. Traditional critique groups have some strengths. First and foremost, they can clean up a new writer's prose.
When we turned in that high school paper with 60 glorious metaphors on page one, we got an A. Why? Because our teacher's goal was to teach us how to use a metaphor properly. Her job was not to train us for publication in New York.
In a good traditional critique group you will learn that POV does not mean "Prisoners of Vietnam." You will learn to spot passive voice and "was clusters" and will even learn why adverbs aren't always extra-nifty. You will hopefully learn self-discipline in that you need to attend regularly and contribute. You will forge friendships and a support network.
So where's the problem?
Traditional critique groups lack perspective.
Once a week reading fifteen pages only cleans up shoddy prose. Traditional critique groups are looking at a work the size of a skyscraper with a magnifying glass. They lack the perceptual distance to see flaws. A novel can have perfect prose page to page and yet have catastrophic faults. In fact, I would venture to say that most writers are not rejected due to prose, but rather, they meet the slush pile because of tragic errors in structure.
Traditional critique groups can tell you nothing about turning points or whether a scene fits properly. They lack the context to be able to discern if our hero has progressed sufficiently along his character arc by the mid-point of Act 2. They have zero ability to properly critique pacing, since pacing can only be judged in larger context. So, my advice is to get a beta reader that you trust. Critique groups cannot do what only beta readers can.
Traditional critique groups can also hurt us in the following ways.
Traditional groups can get us in a habit of over-explaining.
As we just mentioned, those in a traditional critique group sitting around the table can't see the big picture. It is hard to pick up a story on page 86 and understand what is going on. Our fellow writers care about us and believe if they don't say something that they aren't helping. Thus, they will say things akin to, "But how did Cassandra end up in a meat locker wearing Under-Roos and wielding a chainsaw? I'm lost."
Well, duh, of course they are lost.
They have missed the last three weeks and haven't been keeping up with the story. So learn to resist the urge to over-explain in your prose. Your job is to write a great novel…not 600 individual sections your critique group can follow.
Traditional critique groups are notorious for the Book-by-Committee.
Not everyone's opinion is equally valid. If you are like me and lean to the people-pleasing side, you can get in a nasty habit of trying to please your critique group at the expense of the big picture. Learn discernment and how to stick to your guns, or you will end up with a Book-by-Committee, also known as Franken-novel.
One great way to know good advice is to READ craft books. Read every craft book you can find. In fact, here is a list of my favorites. That way, when someone offers suggestions, you will know whether or not that advice is supported by leading teachers in the industry.
They can get us in a habit of perfectionism.
The world does not reward perfect novels, it rewards finished novels. I still run into writers that have been working on "perfecting" the same novel for the past ten years. As professionals, we need to learn to LET GO. Either the project was a learning curve and it needs to be scrapped and parted out, or it needs to be handed a lunch box and sent off to play with the big novels via query. Scrap it, part it, or shop it but MOVE ON.
Yes, I know NY publishes novels that have typos and grammar errors. But when writers are under contract, they don't have 6-10 years to ensure that their manuscript doesn't have a single misplaced comma. In fact, I would be so bold as to posit that readers don't generally get to the end of a novel and declare, "Wow! That was riveting. Not one single dangling participle in the entire book!"
There are writers I know who have been working on the same book for 4,5 even SIX years. I see them at conferences dying to land an agent and get that three-book deal. WHY? New York isn't going to give them another 12-18 YEARS to turn in manuscripts. The hard reality is that, if we hope to make a living at this writing thing, we need to learn to write solid and we need to learn to finish…quickly.
Traditional critique groups can offer a false sense of security.
We must always be looking for ways to have our work critiqued by professionals who are willing to be blunt and who possess the skill set to see our errors. Don't join a writing critique group simply because they say they are a writing critique group. Look at their credentials. How many traditionally published authors has the group produced? I'm not picking on self-publishing, but self-publishing doesn't have the same rigorous peer review.
How many people in the group are career writers, authors, or editors? Gathering together because we love writing is always a great idea, but if the group is solely comprised of hopeful unpubbed writers, the critique will be limited. Limited is fine, so long as we make sure to reach beyond our group for additional critique.
Make sure your work is being reviewed by people who will be honest about any problems. Meeting once a week to sing kumbayah is not the best preparation for being published. Once our book is for sale, we are open to the big bad real world of people with nothing better to do than skewer a writer publicly on-line in a blistering review.
You will know them by their fruits…
Make sure any group you join is producing successful novelists. I began Warrior Writer Boot Camp because my old group of six years produced many successful articles, short stories and NF, but they had never produced a successfully published novel. I knew I had to create a different critique format capable of critiquing a leviathan work of 100,000 words or likely that trend would continue.
Some writers naturally understand structure, and so they do fine in the traditional setting. I didn't naturally understand structure, and my novel ended up on so many bunny trails I needed a pack of plot-sniffing dogs and a GPS to find my original idea. If you are the same, then make sure you take traditional critique for what it is…critique of prose. You might need to find or start another group on your own dedicated to looking at the big picture.
Or…be creative. If you can't go to the mountain, make the mountain come to you. Next week I am going to give you guys a new approach to a traditional group. Skilled beta readers are hard to find and skilled editors can be expensive. But, apply the technique I will teach you and you will know for sure if your novel has the right stuff.
Critique groups are WONDERFUL. I don't know what I'd do without mine. But, we are wise to be aware of the trouble spots so that we can get the most out of this fantastic resource.
So what do you guys think? Have you had problems? Or am I off-base? What are your solutions? Ideas? I LOVE hearing from you!
And to prove it and show my love, for the month of January, everyone who leaves a comment I will put your name in a hat. If you comment and link back to my blog on your blog, you get your name in the hat twice. If you leave a comment, and link back to my blog, and mention my book We Are Not Alone in your blog…you get your name in the hat THREE times. What do you win? The unvarnished truth from yours truly.
I will pick a winner every week for a critique of your first five pages. At the end of January I will pick a winner for the grand prize. A free critique from me on the first 15 pages of your novel. Good luck!
IMPORTANT–I will announce last week's winner on Wednesday. Need to catch up on a few things since I no longer have an assistant :C. So stay tuned!
I also hope you pick up copies of my best-selling books We Are Not Alone–The Writer's Guide to Social Media and Are You There, Blog? It's Me, Writer . Both books are ON SALE for $4.99!!!! And both are recommended by the hottest agents and biggest authors in the biz. My methods teach you how to make building your author platform FUN. Build a platform and still have time left to write great books!
Happy writing!


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Good Will Hunting
What parents need to know
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that despite a constant onslaught of angry, sexual, and insulting language ("f--k" and its comrades "s--t," "retard," and "a--hole" are used incessantly, as are other salty words and terms), mature teens and adults will find this Oscar-winning drama about a self-destructive young man who's transformed by caring relationships to be an uplifting and inspiring story. One street brawl early in the film includes bloody fistfights, kicking, and pounding; sexuality includes some passionate kissing, post-sexual cuddling, and one session of inferred masturbation. The young people -- both college students and street kids -- drink beer and other alcohol throughout the movie.
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What's the story?
Will (Matt Damon), who grew up as an abused foster child in tough South Boston, works as a janitor at MIT. When he solves complicated math problems that stumped the students, a professor searches for him, only to find that he's in jail for hitting a policeman. The professor promises that he'll work with Will and will get him psychiatric help. When Will manages to scare off a string of therapists, the professor seeks out his estranged friend from college, Sean (Robin Williams). Like Will, Sean is the survivor of a tough Southie upbringing is still struggling with his own loss -- which means Sean is able to help Will realize that he's not betraying his friends by using his gifts to enlarge his world. Along the way, Will falls in love with Harvard pre-med student Skylar (Minnie Driver). She and Sean teach him that the walls he built to protect himself from pain are no longer needed and are in fact getting in his way.
Is it any good?
Mature teens will appreciate GOOD WILL HUNTING -- which earned a writing Oscar for Damon and co-star Ben Affleck -- as a compelling story about a brilliant young man with a troubled past. Both gritty and moving, it's a powerful tale of realizing your potential -- and the often-painful realities of growing up.
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Movie details
|Theatrical release date:
|October 1, 1999
|DVD release date:
|December 8, 1998
|Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Minnie Driver, Robin Williams
|Gus Van Sant
|Character strengths:
|Communication, Compassion, Empathy, Integrity
|Run time:
|126 minutes
|MPAA rating:
|MPAA explanation:
|very strong language, sexual references and situations, and some violence
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