*****REVIEW ~Visionary From The Stars~

Friday, July 25, 2008

*****REVIEW ~~THE ALIEN MIND~~

(Work done in Academy of Art University MPT 295: Successfull Storytelling)

Create a brief outline for the opening of a movie, with mostly visual descriptions and minimal dialogue, using the concepts of routine and interruption. Include a plant if possible.

Routine: a futuristic lunar camping trip, a young (small figure) child playing along the side of a crater.

Interruption: As the small figure is playing it happens upon an alien object

Plant: The alien object turns out to be a map to something. (This map being the reason for the entire story)

 (I used the Opening scene from my book 'Visionary from the Stars')

The scene opens unto the surface of the moon. Across the horizon you can see the glittering domes and metallic supports of a large lunar colony. As the view turns to the left you can see what appears to be a campsite out on the surface of the moon. A domed tent is anchored to the lunar surface and five foldable chairs sit randomly off to one side. In these chairs sit four adult sized space suited figures. The fifth chair is smaller and also sits empty.

            A smaller space suited figure (about the size of a 9 yr old) suddenly appears off to the right, skipping around the edge of a lunar crater. The small figure stops and, as if it sees something, decides to hop down into the shallow crater. The figures sitting in the chairs by the domed tent all stand and start moon walking over to the shallow crater.  In the center of the crater the small figure brushes aside some lunar dust. Realizing that the small one has found something, the other four figures hop down into the crater themselves.

            As the small figure finishes dusting away the lunar sand, it holds the object out of the shadow. All the lights from the helmets shine on the cylinder object. The object is gray like the lunar stone and covered in an alien writing. Setting the cylinder on a nearby lunar rock, the small one takes out a small portable computer no bigger than a personal electronic organizer. The small figure opens the computer and holds it closer to the cylinder.

            A holographic map appears, projected from the cylinder and suspended in front of them in thin air.

(Work done in Academy of Art University  MPT 295: Successful Storytelling)

Using the setting of a U2 concert, pick routines related to that concert, then choose one and come up with three (3) interruptions for that particular routine.  Interruptions for your routine should take the story in a new direction.

 Routine: Crowd Control Security

            Interruptions: No tickets

                                    A man in a black coat

                                    Gun shots

Mary Andrews was sitting inside her booth on concert day. Hundreds of fans lined the sidewalk and spilled out into lines in the parking lot all to get a ticket for the concert. These fans had been here since early this morning and the concert did not start for another four hours. As soon as it was time for her to start selling tickets she took a deep breath and took down the closed sign.

            As the first person reached inside her purse for her wallet Mary Andrews punched in her id code into the computer. As she received the woman's money Mary pressed the key for the tickets to pop up from their slot in her table… nothing happened. Again she pressed the button…. Nothing happened.

            Mary took her key and opened the door to the machine down below that held all the tickets. She gulped in horror as she realized that the tickets were not there. She turned to look out the left hand side window at the security guard standing off to the side, leaning against the wall; he the head of crowd control. To her right were many other security guards manning the turnstiles…

            "We are about to have trouble if we don't find those tickets!" Mary thought to herself.

            The looked again at the guard on the left, his nametag read Brian. Brian noticed the pause in the crowd and wondered why the first woman had not moved yet. He looked at Mary in the ticket booth. Mary and Brian had been friends for about two years (since they both started working at this coliseum), and he could tell that there was something wrong. He walked up to the left side of the box and she quietly told him through a little window that the tickets were missing.

            Without another word Brian casually walked up to the turnstiles and the guards let him in. Mary informed the woman at the window that it would just be a few minutes more because the ticket machine was out of order. As Brian walked up the sidewalk toward the building he radioed back to the security guards that they may have trouble soon.

            Inside the building, Brian's manager asked why the people were not coming in yet.

            "The tickets are missing," He answered.

            "If that's not bad enough," The manager replied, "A few of U2's crew came in here to get some popcorn to snack on before the show and all of them got sick. I've suspended the popcorn until we know what happened."

            "You're going to have quite a few unhappy customers," Brian said.

            "That is better than sick ones!"

            "Ok, I'll post a few more of my crowd control guards in the concession area just in case. Do you have any idea where the tickets are?"

            "No, here let me get you the stamp kit to take out there… we will use the stamps until we can find them."

            Brian, with the stamp kit in one hand, headed back down the sidewalk to the ticket booth only to discover mayhem…

            "What's going on?" He asked the nearest security guard.

            "A large bunch of people rushed the gates… one dropped a gun from his pocket as he rushed George over here."

            "Did anyone get in?" Brian asked.

            "I don't think so…The police have the gun man over there." The security guard said as he pointed in the direction of a squad car.

            Brian nodded and then walked over to the ticket booth to hand Mary the stamp kit.

            'Thank You!' she mouthed at him through the glass.

            As the ticket sales began without further problems, Brian headed back inside to re-station some of his men inside the concession arena. After he finishes placing his men and giving them their orders a thought flits into his mind.

            'If there is one gunman than there might be others...'

            Not wanting to think of the possibility Brian walks his rounds around the concession stand as people start pouring in. Suddenly he is pulled to the side by someone in a black coat. The man pushes Brian into a closet and turns the light on. Squinting in the light Brian tries to make out the face of his assaulter.

"We have a hint that something big is going to happen tonight!" The man in the black coat whispers urgently.

"Who are you?" Brian asks.

"Never mind that, we took the tickets to keep people from coming in… why are people in here!"

"Why did you take those tickets?" Brian demands.

"Because…"

The man breaks off as gun shots fire in the distance.

"I'm am head of U2's team of security," the man in black says as he shows Brian his badge quickly, "I need to go!"

"Yeah me too,"

Both Brian and the U2 security team leader burst out of the closet and find themselves swept off their feet by the crowd who are rushing in their panic toward the doors.

(Work done in Academy of Art University MPT 295: Successful Storytelling)

The final working of my premise is at the end in italics… I found it necessary to write a small 'short story' to help me format my idea and then condense it into a premise from there. As you will see I really did not have one inspiration though….

·  Write down anything you would expect to find at a Red Cross Shelter in that environment: sights, sounds, smells, characters, simple activities, etc.

Come up with a story premise from one item you find inspiring.

Sights: tables, food, people in mismatched clothes, woolen blankets, cots, plastic bags random kids toys, children playing in small groups, adults sitting around looking lost

Sounds: children playing, many adults are talking, perhaps someone on a loud horn calling out directions or coming activities, echoes, chairs and cots scraping on the floor.

There will be many people depressed and quite a few kids getting restless. I can imagine that many of the children will start getting worried and tired of being locked up inside, perhaps many of the parents are also getting irritable because of the noisy kids

Smells: food, smells of many different shampoos or deodorants, mud, food, wet dog smell

Characters: Red Cross volunteers, shelter managers, people who have left their homes or who have no homes left

Simple activities: serving food, perhaps there is a portable radio or TV in one corner for the adults to gather around and get updates, kids playing random games, (basket ball in a cleared area?)

Other things: first aid kits, safety pins, gym equipment,

Chosen Item:  Woolen blankets

To keep the children occupied in what could be a long day cooped up in here from the storm; the Red Cross volunteers designate an activities coordinator to help entertain the children. The coordinator gathers a bunch of things together and sets about teaching the kids how they can still have fun. The coordinator takes a few of the Styrofoam cups and after safety pinning a few woolen blankets together the coordinator invites the children to come play. They use the blankets like a parachute and while they are playing they take turns sharing their storm stories. More adults join in and soon they have an even bigger parachute and storm stories are being shared from many years worth of history. They will soon find out that the team work that they have shown here will be even more valuable when the storm ends.

In the wake of the hurricane A Red Cross team led by a young new coordinator is sent to one of the small towns in the disaster area.  Upon arriving there they find that all the towns' people have taken shelter at the nearest university's football stadium. After a few days she finds herself in the midst of a cholera epidemic and with no other Red Cross personnel healthy. Since she is the senior of the five personnel that came with her she sets about organizing her team to figure out where the victims are contracting the cholera from and to start only using rationed bottled water

In a small town on the edge of the hurricane disaster zone the only building left stable is the local football stadium. About two weeks after the hurricane and with no way to call out the small town is left forgotten as the rescue of the rest of the disaster zone carries on.

A young Red Cross volunteer was sent to the main disaster site but having not heard from her brother since before the hurricane she asks to go check on him once she reaches ground zero. She heads to the small town but after a series of personal mishaps she is left stranded in the town. She finds that she is the one of only a handful of healthy people as the majority of the town has been overcome with a strange and horrible illness. With no way to get help she leads the healthy on raids for medical supplies, for food and for clean water. Clean water then becomes scarce as cholera sets into it. She leads the town toward health and higher moral through the next week until a Red Cross group is sent to find her.

Chosen Inspiration: The Katrina stadium incident, Red Cross shelter as a whole, the idea of supplies being rationed among survivors.

A suddenly stranded Red Cross Volunteer stumbles upon and helps a forgotten town after a hurricane. With all the homes flooded, the townspeople retreat to the only standing building, a small local university stadium.  Facing an epidemic of an unknown sickness, the onset of cholera, claustrophobia, low morale, the scarcity of food and supplies she struggles to help the town toward health and higher moral. With no way to get word out and with the stranded volunteer's help they must try to survive until someone comes looking for the missing volunteer.

Harry potter yr7

I've finished Harry Potter yr 7! Great Book... I read it in 15hrs!~ but for those who have not read it yet I will not post any spoilers or tell you which of my predictions came true (if any) ;)

An Interview with the Writers Club at Western Harnett High School in Harnett County, NC: (Apr 24, 2007)

From the Writers Club: "We talked about how we knew (or didn't know) people who had personally gotten their work published during our Writer's Club meeting today and afterwards, I asked everyone who wants to have their work published if there were any questions they would like me to ask you... Here were the top eleven..."

1. When you start a new chapter, can it start right after the end of the chapter before or does it need to be on a whole new page starting 1/3 of the way down?

Virginia:  This is an easy one! yep it needs to be on a whole new page 1/3 of the way down (the chapter title that is) Bold underlined and centered. Then start your typing 3 lines below... remember the whole manuscript should have double spaced lines... you can do this in your paragraph formatting option in your word processor. This makes it easier to read!

2. If you change times or people and you want to put a space between the scenes but the next scene would appear on the next page, do you need to put some kind of mark to indicate that there is supposed to be a space there?  

Virginia:   I don't know if it is required but I do just to help it read better I normally put --------------------------------------- in that space!

3. The set up with Visionary from the Stars looks a little more professional on the inside and it seems you were able to add artwork as well. How much input were you able to have on Visionary from the Stars because it seems like you had a lot, and did you do the artwork?

Virginia:    :) yep I did the artwork! I had a lot of fun drawing the pictures. I mainly draw pictures during the writing of my story to help me out while I am writing my scenes and descriptions. But it also gives me a little reprieve from writing and helps clear minor cases of writers block! LOL

             Each company sets the type in their books differently. I just went over their edits and made sure it was the way I wanted it. I also got to tell them exactly where I wanted the pictures.

4. Are you pleased with the results of one book (how it looks and is set up or even the main story idea) more than the other? If so, why?

Virginia:   My favorite is Visionary from the Stars for how it looks and is set up, however I favor the story idea of The Alien Mind.  But then again they are like my children... it is sooo hard to chose between them that you chose not to have favorites. I definitely feel like Visionary from the Stars came out a bit more professional and is more like a dream come true. Visionary from the Stars first started out as Exandra missions which I worked on for about 4 years. It sat in the closet for one, I went back and totally overhauled it in another, christened it with a new name and it took a year to get published!

5. Did you like RoseDog Publishing or Publish America more? Why or why not? Would you use either of them again with other books?  

Virginia: Rose Dog was very accommodating and helped me through a process I had never been through before, they also helped me whenever I had any ideas for promotion. Publish America is very professional but a bit distant and impersonal, You do not call them up to ask a question... everything is done over e-mail. I don't think I will use them again... They were great to start with but I need to get away from the POD publishers (print on demand) which means the book is not printed until you put in an order. I will be trying to find an agent for my next book and hopefully I will be able to find a traditional publisher.

6. What advice can you give to writers who write in the same genre as you do (the Sci-fi) besides the usual – keep reading and writing? Is there anything specific they need to look into?

Virginia:  The reading and writing advice always stands but you need to do variations of it. If you have a subject that you are writing about, do all your research on it first and see if you can come at it from a different angle. Oh and when you put your story through the word processors spell checker... please watch it, it is only a computer and may take your word or grammar out of context. If you pay attention to the explanations it gives in your grammar checker it will also help you learn your basic grammar better! It is also helpful to get to know other writers so you can critique each others work, therefore both of you will grow!

7. What is a query to be exact?

Virginia: A query is a letter to the editor introducing them to who you are, what you have written,the book you are now offering them, and then asking them if they would be interested in publishing your work.

8. How long are they typically? Word count? Page count?

Virginia:    A query is typically set up like a professional business letter, typically one page no set word count. However the first paragraph should talk about you and what qualifies you to write, as well as introduce your new story. The Second should tell about your story, and the Third should be your conclusion, also stating that you would like to ask the publisher if they would consider your work.

9.  Do you suggest that someone find an agent before getting involved with publishers or does the situation depend?

Virginia: The situation depends. A agent will not only help you find a publisher but will also help you through the legal and technical jargon in a contract. You will need an agent to approach the major publishers. but if you are just starting out and want to go with a small company or POD, and you also have someone at home who can understand a contract... then I personally would wait to find an agent.

10. What are the specifics for formatting a manuscript for a novel rather than a short story?

Virginia:   Formatting a Manuscript this is from my website www.virginiajennings.zoomshare.com  click on the 'continued author pages' link in the toolbar and there you will find the link to the information here...

11. Are there any organizations or other places one can go to in order to find more information about different publishers?

Virginia:   I prefer the book 'Writers Market', it provides a detailed account of many publishers according to what they they prefer to publish.  Also if you are writing in a specific genre, look up a book in that genre and take a look at it's publisher... google them! Don't you love the internet! 

See (Myspace Impact Presidential Focus):  http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=174214012&blogID=250133085&MyToken=2891a54e-1573-4f2f-80d1-dc011da9810a#religion  

I am For Educated Voters!

Today I found a place on myspace that organizes all of the different 2008 presidential candidiate's profiles on one page for easy surfing betweent the many candidates. I applaud Myspace for setting this up. People realy need a one stop shop for a way to research and follow the different candidates decisions so that they (the voter) can in turn make an educated desicion based on the issues that each candidate supports, this way it is not a battle of who looks better or being the first woman president.

On the First Woman President thing... I agree that a woman would not do any harm to serve as our president. But I do have two issues with it... what would we call her husband 'the first man?',      Sorry, on a more serious note... even though I support the idea of a Woman President I will still not vote for a woman candidate just because she is a woman (sorry Hillary) but I still chose to look at what you stand for. And I am still waiting...

I have taken a look at all of the pres. profiles.... some would not come up because they were too complicated (This is a shame people... this is not a race for who has the most rigged out profile here... this is a presidential race on who will best represent the american people!).... Some profiles mearly told what the candidate has already done and not where they stand on the issues (I'm not voting on your past success... I would like to hear more about what you stand for!)

I appreciate the candidates whose profiles clearly show what their main concerns are when it comes to the issues.... (are in no order)

Hillary Clinton

Dennis Kucinich

Chris Dodd

Barack Obama

Duncan Hunter

Sam Brownback

(after looking at their profiles) I have come to the conclusion that the two candidates that I will be watching are currently

 1st: Sam Brownback    

and 2nd: Barack Obama

I will not say who I will vote for as of yet because I prefer to observe them a little longer.

However I do have some do's and don'ts on my list for those who care:

Don'ts..... Dont bash the current presidency no matter who he is! (this is my biggest pet peeve)

Dont bash another candidates views!

Don't gloss over issues!

Don't be skimpy on the details of how you plan to make your plans come true! (we all deserve to know what you are thinking... we may not agree with you, or you may change our minds for the better!)

Do's

Do tell us what you would do in office on all the issues

Do tell us what you stand for and against!

Do make your profile simple and easy to find the most important information (the most important information is where you stand on the issues not your promotion links!)

Do be yourself (it is you we should be voting for not the person you are pretending to be, this is because the person you truly are will be the one in office... it is hard to keep up the pretending for 4 years!)

My Issues:

I want to see the best done for both sides of the Iraq issue (both the Iraq people and our troops)

I want abortion put a stop to (God knows you before you were a twinkle in your mother's eye... think about that before you put an end to a life) From the moment of conception you are god's child, god has put your mother and father in charge of taking care of you!

I want the traditional marriage upheld! I was recenly married and I believe with all my heart that a marriage is between one man and one woman. Children benifit more when there is both a mother and a father (man and woman) taking care of them and teaching them from the whole kalidescope of what both the woman and man know. (who can teach a girl about puberty better than her mom who knows whats going on! the same for a boy and his father! This is just one example)

I want our energy problems solved not looked into! Gas prices are way to high! There has to be better ways of converting matter into energy here! The Hybrid cars are just a start! However I believe that we should not be trying to be self reliant on our energy here but that the whole world should be working together to come up with better energy solutions. However since global teamwork seems too far to streatch in today's society I would settle for atleast the US trying to work on our part of the energy problem.

As far as religion goes I agree with Sam Brownback in what he says on his profile here! > "Religion, once an integral part of our society, is today being eradicated from nearly every aspect of public life. The First Amendment protects the freedom to practice the religion of one's choice. That freedom is under attack by groups like the American Civil Liberties Union, who profit financially from lawsuits brought against cities and towns that display religious symbols. The ACLU and others have collected hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees from suits brought against local cities and towns. Now they are using those victories to threaten other local jurisdictions. I introduced the Public Expression of Religion Act last year to prevent groups like the ACLU from collecting attorneys' fees in religious freedom cases. Our country was founded on the idea that its citizens should be free to express their religious beliefs without government interference. I will continue the fight to protect that freedom. "

I also agree with Sam on what he says about gun rights:

"At the heart of the Bill of Rights is the Second Amendment. This Amendment guarantees an individual the right to keep and bear arms, which is essential, as the Amendment itself affirms, to "the security of a free state." Restrictive gun control laws aimed at weakening this constitutional right are not the answer. Instead, it is important for the government to enforce criminal gun laws already on the books, for communities to stand against gun violence, and for parents to teach children about gun safety."

I also feel that agriculture, education, and our culture and values need to be stood up for!

Please if you are this candidate, stand up and show it proudly dont stand behind all your propaganda and promotions...wear it proudly!

I want to see a cleaner america through our values, education, economics, agriculture, energy, air, and even what we watch on tv.

I want America to continuously stand up for all that is true, honest, just, pure, and lovely! Let the Red White and Blue strive to set the example to the world!

How can you see clearly to take the sliver out of your brother's eye when you have a beam in your own? How can you talk about wiping the world free from terrorism when we ourselves still have many problems in the USA? Let us finish what we started in Iraq (let it be for the best of both Iraq and our troops) and then let us concentrate on attending to the issues of the homeland before we try to singlehandedly fix the world!