Usual month end of my Twitter hashtag games. This month, I let my Red Letter Ladies have the month off, and dropped the games in the men’s laps. Sly took on most of the general questions, as he does tend to be the other half of Tweety. Of course, Characters Tell hosted a band from the work in progress, who simply believed it was the weirdest magazine interview they ever knew.
Small memo, I am participating in Camp Nano for April, so we shall see what that does to the games. Hope you have been following along to my instawrimo posts on Instagram too!Without further ado, the answer roundup! (A bit early to accommodate for holiday weekend.)
#authorconfession D
1- Nicole, author of the #womensfiction Red Letters series here, joined by MC… what note? *reads about #GirlsNight* Um… stay tuned for further developments, as I am sure we will get some MC here soon…
2- I think I found it from other people posting around, as most people playing this hashtag gameplay the others too.
3- My #wip stands out hopefully for its characters. Its character-driven plot, so if you don’t like the cast, you won’t care for them. If you don’t care, you won’t feel it along with them.
4- I don’t have a good cure for #writersblock, just a good #playlist for moods and a few hours to spare to try to help get over whatever is causing the block.
5- *Is MC still MIA? Shadow swoops in* Sly here, to save the day in Miss Tweety’s atypical absence. One thing I never do is deliberately lead people on. Not looking for relationships beyond acquaintances.
6- Antag by emoji- 🎤🎧🎼👨🎤, 🥂🥃🍸🥃🍾
😘 🚫🧠💃
💔🤡🤬😈
7- Ballentine Rajneesh Siyamak as a superhero? I don’t think I am like one, as I don’t save people. Miss Tweety has a habit of calling me Batman, and I am not opposed to that moniker, even if I feel like Bruce Wayne outside the club.
8- Naming things? Most of the time, I stop and work out names before I can continue, but there are some lovely unhelpful notes… like *insert random vague weird word that doesn’t apply at all to* *other word*
9- Ballentine Rajneesh Siyamak aka Sly- “My little pony? Is that a musical group? Or is that one of those newfangled name games about your street address and pet’s name?” ( 🙄 #FancyPants 95% sure, or else a male #MoonDancer)
10- Catchphrase? Not really, not when we meet him. In the years not yet written, probably, as antag is a band member. Mostly known for being a blunt type of charmer that no one asked for in the beginning.
11- Sly- Am I superstitious? Not in silly ways, like that whole step on a crack theory. But I do believe in things that go bump in the night, and there are plenty of good books on reasonable superstitions, that I enjoyed learning about.
12- Lucky charms? Not really… more like giving into small OCD tendencies like how I leave for work, or a necklace constantly worn, things of that nature that aren’t exactly lucky charms but have no proof not to be either.
13- Sly- One would hope to find a pot of gold, or a merry little party. No, not like the last time, when we found Deej and Roger playing with some pipes and a stage light respectively. Cats have a thing for chewing on lights, no matter the size of either…
14- Lucky to meet and follow authors like @m_arbanassi, @ashleydhansen12, @RW_Hodgson, @andrewroberts66, @alyssakelso21, and @AHWarrenWrites plus #turtlewriters crew, @rosettayorke @turtlewriters @mlmoosauthor
15- Sly- (taking the high road as only he knows how) I am not always lucky, but I am well read enough to easily discern an outcome and play the odds accordingly. Maybe I was lucky that one time, with the spider issue getting someone’s attention…
16- Sly- I think the best way to do that, other than the tried gold angle, is to let Roger loose after it. If that cat can find Deej, fairly certain he could find anything.
17- The #wip chars would probably have a party… the overworked author tho… would love less financial obligations that a nice pot of gold would help solve.
19- Sly needs some lessons in communication. Yes, he is the most talkative type, but he is also known as the human dictionary. Great when you’re a writerly sort, terrible when you just want to have a guy chat. If you need a manual, you need help.
20- Sly- pretty darn close here… except Sly prefers all black attire, and mixing mean milkshakes.
https://giphy.com/gifs/cinemagraph-bartender-takumi-tdHfgqwkxeDy8
21- Sly absolutely loves poetry. Big fan of the classic books and poets, even learning to use tech, being a big fan of social media poets like OneNoteMusings on Instagram.
22- Oh it depends on the char… Some like trivial pursuit, others dance and prefer musical games, and then there are the couples that always play guessing games…
23- Monopoly flippers? The low patience sort, like Frost. Plenty of scatterbrains would make gameplay take forever… Sly and Tweety usually win anything mental chess-like.
24- Sly owns being a book nerd, but I prefer his journey out of self-imposed isolation to joining the others with the help of a social sherpa in Tweet aka the cheerleader.
25- Little known secret? Sly is a milkshake fiend! His boozy shakes are the best in the bar, so of course, his fridge is going to have milkshake staples… Always experimenting…
26- Most of the antags call a rival bar home, sort of the same place everyone got their start, but well, when you don’t own it, you don’t make the rules… and not everyone likes rules.
27- Sly? Not exactly an envious sort, not anymore… in the beginning though, he was jealous of not being paid attention to, by the person that sees everyone.
28- Oh easily Bebe dragged Tweety and Malta somewhere. Tweet chooses, and Triple Trouble would sing a whole host of songs, but this month they may just do “Hit Me With Your Best Shot” by #Pat Benatar. A little Girl Power mood.
29- Both Sly and Tweet are sort of two peas in a pod, and life is really good for them, some ups and downs, but they know how to find a balance and be content.
30- #ff #sparkleon dust for… @K_A_Grayson, @ReedRothe, @J_Avis27, @AmeliaKayne, @harleylaroux, @cwrose813, @CaithErsa, @PeartreeFanClub, and finally @TheStuartSadler
31- Oh yeah, all the antagonists collect one common thing. Bodies. Brokenhearted women, emotional wrecks, those good with getting blackmail info… Power in their numbers and prowess.
#WIPTruthOrDare
1- T- Fave part of editing? Not sure, maybe the part where you get to fix what you once thought was good writing, until you grew into your style and realize it’s just meh now.
2- T- Sort of monologue yes… MC has a problem not instigating, but there is a particularly creepy bit where he does get to share his vile thoughts.
3- T- Most of the MCs love the bar they live and work at, because of the family of friends they made there. Plus you never know what might happen that day.
4- D- One secret is that MC has a lot of secrets… or more like mystery since she doesn’t talk about herself. This causes so many issues, and often leads to difficulty. There is a reason her nickname is Trouble…
5- T- Weak how? Underdeveloped? Easily the snotty girls from the first bar. This of course is getting fixed with the current #editing rounds. Weak as a person? Some may think it’s MC for being too sweet/nice. She’s super strong. I think it’s wishy washy Woods.
6- T- None of the MCs are killer types. I mean there might have been a time when a certain MC wondered if that was a result, but in more of a fight situation, not anything too lethal.
7- T- Since it is a series, there are quite a few SCs. They all have a purpose and a placement, wandering in and out, like real people do. To some degree, they help keep the common threads.
8- D- Woods smirked, unprepared for that answer, or the infectious laughter dancing in her eyes. It was powerful stuff, both hypnotic but comforting, like you wanted to feel the same way she did, and that would be all right.
9- T- MC Tweet is surrounded by both serious and jokester types, so she walks a fine line, but yes, she has cracked a few good jokes in her time.
10- T- Sort of yes. Mostly on my blog now, but sometimes the chars need out nights that’s not something I plan to work into #WIP, so they get a night of terrible free reign somewhere else. I blame Twitter and these #games for giving them a voice they want to use.
11- T- I’ve edited MC’s, cold cut dead ends, the biggest boot was my #music angle. Sets a different tone without it, so #WIP is going for third rewrite… Like trying to find the right outfit to look good in. There is that one confident look somewhere in this mess.
12- T- MC has been blinded on a few occasions. She is calm, smart enough to try not to panic, and use her other senses to help her out. It’s not perfect, but can be life-saving.
13- D- “There’s an old list here, I just copied it into my notebook and am adding info all the time. Wish me luck for round two.” With a wink, she had her tray up and out, heading for the couch near the stage Woods had plopped himself on. #RedLetters
14- T- Math inclined? Oh! That’s Nira… financial whiz of sorts, dabbles in chemistry too, a sort of genius inventor on the right day.
15- T- A little #spoilers, but MC has been in a few fight or flight situations, and there was not always an option between the two… Ruined a pair of boots that way… and a dress too #nothappy
16- T- #amediting mode had me trip on this bit, in a diner before the beach scene. That’s my fave, for the realness. The bar is the life blood, but this scene section… feels.
17- T- Who likes green? Collarof course, what with the dyed streak in his hair. Collar being the nickname to a sort of cop, who helped a friend play a joke on another friend, and well… that Halloween weekend involved a lot of cuffs, but no arrests.
18- T- all of it. If I knew what I was doing wrong the first time, I would not have done it. Also… Anyone else do that editing thing where if nothing seems wrong, it means it definitely IS wrong?
19- T- There’s this thing… a Halloween prank really, about *maybe* getting arrested that I enjoyed quite a bit… that or the flying frosting bits…
20- T- Female antag not a nature person, at all… Male antags, like outdoors… good for spying or for doing a show and getting women’s attention.
21- T- Bad habits- MC Tweety deflects… Batman/Sly is too verbose… Bebe has no filters… Malta pickpockets… Shall I go on? lol
22- D- MC kinda did this day off thing at the beginning of the month… Has yet to come back from that girls night adventure… kinda hard to edit without her input you know?
23- T- No dogs, but a very friendly lynx kitty adopted her a bit too much…
#AuthorWouldYou
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1- Depends on the MC… Tweety makes her own fate, while someone like Woods would rather have destiny fall into his lap.
2- Most of the SC would grant wishes, as it is like a big family, and they take care of each other. Sometimes other people’s happiness is more important.
3- Antagonists, all of them, hone one skill to their perfection. Blackmail, torture, misdirection… They don’t care about luck, they will use their talent to make what they want happen.
4- “Oye it’s a Tweety bird!” (Malta) leaned back and poked at the blue glasses on Naomi’s face, “Ye’ve go’ big blue mincers!” One more hug and she was off, swaying after grabbing the fresh bottle, leaving Naomi in her wake. #RedLetters #Malta #amediting
5- Ok so… the antagonists so far all come from the ideal that they will rise and conquer, they just don’t know that I prefer they are doomed to fail…
6- MC Tweety would absolutely love to know the fates of others, since she pretty much tries to help that along anyway. She’ll play matchmaker, think tank, even a bit of listening therapy to help others.
7- The reason my chars work so well together is there is a level of selflessness they all share, as they become more family. So SCs would willingly die to save someone else. Good thing I don’t kill off chars…
8- Most of my settings are all my imagination. Yes, I may base the idea off of a place I have been, but if I do, it is a mash up of a bunch of places. So lots of make believe.
9- The love interest wants responsibility. Really he wants fame, and I am a kind author, and give it to him, but it does cost him. Pretty sure it’s that thing where you want to grow up fast, and then totally want to go back to being a kid.
10- In this #wip, the setting stays the same, since it is what brings the cast of characters together.
12- I think the antag would like to see 5 steps ahead, because they already think they do… Trouble is MC is only predictable in making you assume certain stereotypes about her, doesn’t mean she is them tho…
13- Considering track record here? 100% taking forever to finish and doing whatever with it in the meantime. Really need to work on finishing more #WIP projects.
14- No fate at all. My MCs believe they work hard for what has happened to them, they do not believe it was fated. Maybe a bit lucky, if anything.
15- Some SC would love to live calm lives, because they have had too much adventure so far. Others already live like it is their last, because well… reckless, dangerous and just plain stupid are character attributes.
16- My chars lives are complicated enough, their setting should not add to it, not yet at least.
17- “There’s an old list here, I just copied it into my notebook and am adding info all the time. Wish me luck for round two.” With a wink, she had her tray up and out, heading for the couch near the stage Woods had plopped himself on. #RedLetters
18- This girl appeared too sickeningly sweet for her to stand to be around, so Sofia just waved her off, sliding down and walking away towards the stage. “Get out of here before I change my mind.” #RedLetters
19- Always choosing a little luck now and then, because flirting only goes so far, and small divine interventions last longer than one super lucky day. Even if the little bit of luck is not tripping over your own two feet, it’s important.
20- Mostly a pants type, at least with this series… I do have one or 2 back burner projects plotted out… that makes me a plantser huh?
21- Home of their own for sure. Yes there is a chunk of time where job is life and life is the job, but some point soon, a future will sneak up on them and they will want more from life.
22- Plot it in the fact that it is scheduled to happen, but be surprised as to where it takes the chars and me.
23- Depends on the Antag.. one thinks she goes with everything, another knows he doesn’t and likes being that ugly a char… depends on how they Antag I guess.
24- Because it is a series, the current works have to end with enough of an ending to not make the reader feel jipped that it is technically still a cliffhanger.
26- I did well when I had scheduled time, lately tho, there has been no time, and the months are gone in a blink!
27- Probably harsh setting, as MC is not always great with confrontations.
28- I have given into them surprising me…And they return the favor by debating stuff right before my bed time… Do you know what it’s like dreaming of a #Beatles album debate all night long?
29- Honestly? Lose the pages *knocks on wood* because I can not help but write at this point in my life… even a little bit a week helps me out. A year would be too long.
30- I have already put in motion that one char kicks the bucket (old age) and caused quite a few feels in me, so I am curious what a reader would think.
31- In the last book I finally finished, I knew what the ending looked like, but was actually surprised when it ended, as there was all this other stuff I thought had to fit in near the end that just didn’t make it or need to be there.
#CharactersTell
1/3- “How’s everybody doing tonight? Woods, your favorite guitarist in…” The blond rock god treated this stage no different than the hundreds of others. Of course he’s British too, on top of the tattoos, sex appeal, and skills. Why not?
2/3- “Oh yeah, me mates and I love those outdoor gigs. Especially those hot places in the sun with the crowds. Right proper show on both sides of the stage…” *winks and nudges rest of couched men* “A bit rough figuring out what knickers came from where though”
3/3- “I like both, current GF likes to ski, so I have a place there. Have a fab pad overlooking the sea too. One to relax, one to party.” *looks to his security man* “Odd interview this one, who’d you say this was for?”
4/3- “Of course I keep in shape, a little gym, some sports, carnal workouts. Anything that gets the blood pumping and keeps me fit for the stage. Gotta be flexible to jump around like we do.”
5/3- “All music of course.” The men in the room variously chuckle “Got a rep for being a ladies man, have a thing for guitars and cars. Night life of a rock star is my entertainment.”
6/3- “Nah mate, why be that bloke?” Woods downed his shot, chasing it with bottled water. “Nothing wrong with being a calm sort who goes with the flow.”
7/3- “Cool as a cucumber, man, indifferent I guess.” More male laughter, as the security man muffles coughed “Spoilers” and “Hissy fit” before laughing the hardest. “Oh piss off, the lot of ya.”
8/3- As the laughing and male shoving dies down, the other man in the middle of this couch speaks up. “Yo, Brendan, lead singer. Best *bleep*ing front man you’ve ever seen.” Snorts of laughter follow that questionable statement.
9/3- With this question, dead silence, all eyes on Brendan. Even he knows to be vaguely PC over his own cocky attitude. “I care for women of all walks of life, just adore the ones that love me more. Groupies are great for my ego.” ( 🙄 almost) (sorry -the author)
10/3- ‘What is this? An outdoors mag? But yeah, love the outdoors for the same reasons Woods said. Also love the chance to strip down and stage dive, show off flexing…" *Puny flex from a scrawny man, slight air of tension, no one laughs like they did at Woods*
11/3- “Socialite? No… Social and networked all over the place for being a lead singer in a popular band? Absolutely. Famous for being famously talented, if you will.” *gods gift to women/world silently texted to the security man from Woods, who hid laughter well*
12/3- “Come on! I’m a musician, one isn’t enough. I know we started on other bands, but I have always liked Queen. Either ‘Fat Bottomed Girls’ or ‘Man On The Prowl’ for me.” *Two band members whisper “Someone thinks they’re Freddy Mercury” between themselves*
13/3- “Woods is hands down a Radiohead ‘Creep’” *chuckles* (more like ‘Poor Poor Pitiful Me’, Brendan is being a) “Wanker” *Woods elbows the bloke* “Aw don’t hate me, you were the one playing sappy songs in the beginning, after that waitress groupie…” #spoilers
14/3- “You’re looking at all the people I trust man. The band is all, I lead the group, and we are family and look out for one another. Especially against gold diggers, don’t want to screw up there.” *doesn’t notice the others avoid him and his statements.*
15/3- “Me? Aren’t you supposed to be asking the band?” The zoot suit bodyguard behind Woods shrugs “Don’t know why you want to know about Woods’ friend and assistant. Remmy is the name.”
16/3- Remmy- “I like to think I’m pretty loyal, I mean, been the voice of reason to this idiot for… what is it? 3? 4 years now?” He smacks Woods on the shoulder “This is your bed hopper here.”
17/3- Remmy stood behind Woods, glancing down towards him, chooses his words carefully. “There isn’t much I possess, let alone call prized, but there is an autographed book, from a woman I knew back in the day. That means something to me.”
18/3- Remmy- “Walk mostly. In down time, I enjoy a motorcycle, or helping Woods check out classic cars.”
19/3- Remmy- “Not a show off, just a behind the scenes body guard, occasionally a wing man to the show off here…” Points below him, at Woods and his casual position on the couch.
20/3- “A few, got to keep in shape to be able to protect and serve my client and friend. He needs agile and wise aide from all these fan types. No stalkers, and certainly no repeats of rough bar nights.”
21/3- Remmy- “By nature of the business we’re in, night owl. Some of my best memories are those night owl turns into early bird days, and you’re sleeping by noon. Great and important times man.”
22/3- The last 2 band members speak up. First up- skinny long haired “Josh, but everyone calls me Angus on account of my guitar/bass skills.”
Not to be outdone, the heavier looking man adds “Scotty, aka the drum machine.”
“Nobody calls you that.”
“They should.”
23/3-
Scotty- “Same as it does here? Tho California doesn’t have snow this much.”
Josh- “Yeah, Ditto.” Turns back to Scotty, to continue the debate “Seriously? You’re lucky you dropped the weak wrist nickname.”
S- “I never had weak wrists, that’s a lie.”
24/3- Flowers?
Scotty- “Pussywillow?” *winks*
Josh- “Of course I prefer Tulips.” *smirks*
Brandon- “Pansies, you guys are pansies.” *laughs*
Woods and Remmy- *shakes head and rolls eyes, aware none of them discussed flowers, in a floral sense…*
25/3- Wildlife?
Scotty- “Pretty normal. We see lots of cows and horses in our travels.”
Josh- “Some whales too, love a good cougar myself.”
Woods- “Stop taking the mickey out on our interviewer. Knock it off tossers.”
26/3- Attitudes checked by the comments from Woods, both men nod.
Scotty- “Of course we are adventurous. It’s an exciting life we lead as a band, and none of us would trade it for the world.”
27/3- Josh- “I think I speak for all of us when I say yes we do. The same coin really, luck and a curse. Too much luck feels like a curse and vice versa. We started off very very lucky, and have watched for any down turn. Have to protect yourself.”
28/3- Sensing the end of the interviews, the band starts to stretch and move around.
Josh- “Not really. No rituals or anything like that.”
Scotty- “I mean, we have our favorite picks and sticks, but no superstitions.”
29/3- Remmy- *checks for Woods eavesdropping* “He thinks he’s happy, but he’s not really as blissful as he once was, just lulled into making everyone think he is. Good performers are like that.”
30/3- Brandon- “I don’t admire anything in Woods. That would imply I am less than perfect. We differ in his easy accent charms, and his calm cool collected ways. Relaxed is not my showman style.”
31/3- Woods- “Hell, what haven’t I done to Remmy? Don’t always have to apologize to a longtime friend. But he is at my beck and call all the time. Might be one of the reasons he never settled down either…”
A Lady of Mind's Observations 