Is Grammar Really All It’s Cracked Up To Be?

I appreciate grammar. I do. But my brain usually short-circuits if I have to filter through a bunch of colons, commas, and semi-colons to get to the true grit of the story.

My 81 year old grandmother is writing a story. She pitched it to me. I wish I could become an agent, because I’d buy it without even reading it, just by what she described to me. It’s like Nicholas Sparks vs. Catherine Anderson (and I wish I could explain my own book in such a way). Plus, imagine an 81 year old romance author! She’s got the mind, she’s got the experience, she’s got the charm! I believe in her! And I think an 81 year old romance author could charm the socks off most unbelievers.

I hope she finishes it. She’s one of my inspirations because she’s always WANTED to write, but never sat down and finished (along with my mom, who died before she had the chance). So I decided to actually finish one or two or three while I had the chance. And I hope she will, too.
Back to my point. She read this “how-to” book (not sure the title), that explained the importance of grammar and all the things you MUST do (i.e. don’t rewrite your story too much! (What? That requires another post)) It explained the importance of grammar. So her first sentence, which was actually really interesting but had three descriptive actions, were each separated by a proper semi-colon. Which was very intrusive to me, as a reader.

So my point of this blog post is...don’t apply every “how-to” to your own writing. Because maybe we’re all guilty of disrespecting grammar, but let’s face it: The world is changing, our attention spans are suffering a shortage in this action-infused world, and writing with too many proper punctuations is intrusive.

And you don’t have to be right all the time.

Why I Don't Like Horror...

It's Halloween month. I call it the Halloween month because it seems like Halloween lasts throughout the whole month of October. Every time you turn on the TV, a scary movie is playing. Now, when I was young I liked horror as much as the next person. I loved to wrap myself in my boyfriend's arms and let him protect me from all the pets who were buried and came back to life. (Pet Semetary, couldn't watch that again now!)

I'm sitting here at the computer and all I can hear is the show my husband is watching. Just the music and the words that I try to tune out. I don't ask what it is. I don't want to know. But it bothers me, and I hate that it bothers me but I can't help that it bothers me. I tried to remember growing up watching NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET and I suddenly remembered that's the last horror movie I ever watched!

So why do I hate horror? Well, it's because my mom died on October 26. Imagine seeing skeletons and ghosts everywhere you look (I was 15 years old, so no longer into trick or' treating, but still...) It was bothersome. We had her funeral a few days before Halloween. It was just eerie. It's been awhile now, so it's hard to explain, but it's also hard to block out those memories when you're walking down the street and see everyone celebrating death. That's how I saw it at the time. I remember many times walking down the street with my mom, and some of the people here went all out with their decorations. She loved it! Thought it was so cooll! I can't reemember trick or' treating without my mom because she's the one who always took my sister and me.

Even now, years later, I hate even hearing a horror movie noise.

So, that's why I yell at hubby to turn down the television when a horror movie is on. Just brings back too many memories...