I'm back!

Sort of.  I'm still not totally sure what day it is...or what time it is...or where the heck I am.  lol  But I'm here!  *waves*

I was 100% without internet for the duration of my trip, and that was probably a good thing.  I needed a break to get back into tune with, you know, life.  Without the internet clouding my head, I also feel more in touch with my writing brain.  Which is an added bonus.

Our trip was fantastic.  There was so much laughter and excitement, it's a trip we won't soon forget.  Nor will my feet, which are still sore.  :P

 

As it turns out, my Super Spawn is a bit of a daredevil already at four.  He enjoyed the big rides like Splash Mountain and Test Track the most.

For those of you planning a trip with kids, we rented a stroller from Magic Strollers, and it was fantastic.  It was clean, great quality, and ready to pick up early.  In fact, I liked the stroller so much, I decided if I ever have another kid, I'll be buying one of them for myself.  lol

How has everyone been this week?  I feel so out of the loop!  What'd I miss?

Disney World -- Park Tips

Here I am again with my non-writing (but really writing) related posts on Disney World!

What?

;)  So, today I've got some tips on venturing through the parks.  I've been about eleventy billion times, so maybe this'll be useful for...someone...somewhere.

Anywho, on with the show.

Tip #1 - Wear sunscreen.  Oh my gravy please, please wear sunscreen.  I don't care if it's cloudy and overcast or chilly or whatever.  You WILL get a sunburn.  And so will your kids.  SUNSCREEN.  (Don't make me shout, I really don't like to.  My family calls me the sunscreen nazi for a reason.)

Tip #2 - If you go in the summer, it will rain.  Just embrace the idea.  It won't last long -- probably thirty minutes from storm onset to sunny skies.  Buy a poncho and enjoy the shorter lines.

Tip #3 - If you're going with small children, plan on an afternoon break at the resort.  The parks are HUGE.  There is tons of walking, and the kiddies are going to get cranky by 2pm.  You watch, I'm right.  (Also, Disney rental strollers?  So not comfy for sleeping.)

Tip #4 - Animal Kingdom is not an all day park.  If you plan to visit AK, I suggest you buy the park hopper option so you can morning in the AK and then jump over somewhere else for the evening and fireworks.  OH and for the safari, be there first thing in the morning to see the most animals.  ;)

Tip #5 - Yeah, so I know you're on vacation and all, but if you want to deal with less crowds, get to the park at opening.  For real.  I'm going to try and get some pictures for proof on this one (I may have some from the HP World trip, actually.). 

Bonus Tip #6 - Buy the water.  So, my senior year in high school my graduating class went to Grad Night at Disney.  For several days actually.  And I'll tell you, the prices in Disney are not cheap -- for anything.  So my bestie refused to pay their ridiculous prices for bottles of water.  Can you guess where that got her?  She collapsed on the sidewalk and wound up in an ambulance, and then the hospital.  I don't care how much the bottled water costs, buy it.  Stay hydrated.  It's incredibly important, especially in the summer months. 

There you have it -- Disney from a regular's perspective.  (Also, shoes -- don't be crazy, wear something comfortable.  These people in high heels in the parks just kill me.)

As they say in Disney, "Have a magical day!"

Disney World -- Vacation Planning Tips

I thought to occupy you while I'm in the Happiest Place on Earth, I'd share some of my knowledge of Disney World and Florida in general.

What does that have to do with writing?  Ummm...  Well, to be a good writer you've got to get out and experience stuff.  Live life.  Dream and then dream bigger.  That's what Disney is all about.

Plus, I write fairy tales, so I'm calling it research.  HA!  ;)

Tip #1 -  It is freaking hot down here.  Plan accordingly.  From June through September the temperatures will range from about 92 to 110 during the day.  The highest temps in July and August.  But just because you come in December, don't think you'll escape -- for New Years we wore light jackets in the mornings, and t-shirts all day.  (Although it's obviously much cooler than July, but you're not gonna find any snowflakes around here.)  Also, highest crowds are during summer vacation, spring break, and around major holidays.  Just an FYI.

Tip #2 - Don't get ripped off.  When you buy your Disney tickets, buy them through someone reputable.  You cannot buy someone's ticket who has only used 3 of their 5 days.  Disney uses a biometric scannery thing when you enter the park, and tickets are not transferable between people.

Tip #3 - Move to Florida.  What?  We get discounts just for living here.  :P

Tip #4 -  If you scroll to the bottom of the Disney World webpage, there's a link called Special Offers.  Right now I think they're offering a free dining plan if you come during certain dates.  Free!  Woopie!  You're welcome.

Tip #5 - Don't worry.  Disney never disappoints.  If you're going with someone with food allergies or special needs, Disney will bend over backwards to accommodate you.  The bakeries are even stocked with allergen-free goodies for the kids!  (I was SO excited to learn this.  Super Spawn is never able to get bakery treats because of his nut allergy.)

It's Here!

The long anticipated trip date has finally arrived!  Tonight is Super Spawn's Big Birthday Surprise reveal, and first thing in the morning we jet off to the Happiest Place on Earth!!

*cue sappy music*

SO, I will not be blogging regular stuff on Monday or Tuesday.  Because I'll be here:

Aren't you jealous?  ;)  I promise to share pictures upon my return.  Anyway, check in Monday and Tuesday for Disney World tips for your next vacation.

"Adverbs," she said silkily.

ad·verb[ad-vurb] 

–noun Grammar. Any member of a class of words that in many languages are distinguished in form, as partly  in English by the ending -ly

 Oh, the beloved adverb.  I don't know about you guys, but my first drafts are rife with these little beauties.  Sometimes it seems like every other word has that pretty -ly stuck on the end of it.


You know, maybe that's why my second drafts wind up being so much longer than my firsts -- all the adverb replacing takes extra words.  ;)


Now, let's get right to the point -- finding a lot of adverbs in your MS is a good indicator that you're doing a lot of telling where you could be showing.  Does that mean every single adverb needs to be eliminated?  No.  Absolutely not.  Every once in a while an adverb is the best choice for making the biggest impact in a sentence.  Just use them sparingly.


I know a lot of people preach on about the adverb, but I think I'll give you a few examples to help you out on your journey to a stronger MS. 

Adverb/Telling --  Savanah bounds to her feet angrily.

Showing --  Savanah bounds to her feet with a flourish of lace and golden curls, her face redder than the reddest rose.

Adverb/Telling --  She looks at me knowingly.

Showing -- She cocks her head at me and purses her lips.

Something I do when I'm trying to rid myself of unnecessary adverbs is to put myself in the character's position.  If I were this character, what facial expression would I make, or what would it look like when I get so mad I jump out of my seat?

That approach, for the most part, helps me to form a more firm visual of the situation, which makes it easier to show it to my audience.

Are adverbs an issue for you?  What are some methods you use to keep yourself from being a little too liberal with them?

Road Trip Wednesday on Fire!

Road Trip Wednesday is a ‘Blog Carnival,’ where YA Highway's contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question that begs to be answered. In the comments, you can hop from destination to destination and get everybody's unique take on the topic.

This Week's Topic:

Your house is on fire, and you can only grab five things.  What are they?

Our neighbor's house actually burned down about a year ago, which prompted me to invest in a fireproof safe.  So most of my irreplaceable things and important documents are stored in there.  But there are definitely things I'd still need to grab and dash.

1)  Super Spawn.  Duh.

2)  My jump drive.  I can replace the computer, no problem, but if I can save all the work I've done since my last backup it'd save me some trouble.

3)  The picture of my brother and Super Spawn playing the last time we ever saw him. (This is also backed up on the web, but I'd still grab it if I could.)

4)  My cell phone.  Calling the fire department would be essential.

5)  Super Spawn's "Jack".  He's a little knight in shining armor doll that my sister brought back from Paris for him -- and he sleeps with him every day. 

What about you?  What would you save?

I've got a post today over on Paper Hangover about Teen Romance, if you want to check it out!