Saying "Bye Felicia!" to WordPress

Okay ... so ...

Here is the deal.

Maybe it's just me, but I have noticed a substantial increase in what WordPress will "no longer" do for free. And, in my own opinion, it's too damn much. I mean, if I wanted to PAY for EVERYTHING, than I would have gone with WordPress.ORG and not the free version of WordPress.

Funny enough, I think I have come full circle. Here is why:

I first started my writing/blogging venture utilizing Blogger but down the line opted to start using WordPress because it was "what was in". Plus, at that time, WordPress offered a lot of options that Blogger didn't and that included a wider range of readers.

Now though, simply put ...

THEY ARE DOING THE MOST!

And it's making me feel like that are trying to take advantage of the little people. Those struggling writers that can't even afford a gallon of milk but would be willing to make a sacrifice just to obtain some sort of exposure. 

Nope! Not this chick!

I'm sure it has something to do with the growing popularity of WordPress, but still. Why are you now charging double digits, somethings triple, for things you provided for free just a year ago. Come the hell on, WordPress. I ain't no sucker.

Writers--unless their book has become a movie--are not rich. Shit, I sure as hell am not!

So ... with that said, here I am once more with Blogger. Good old, dependable Google. Simple to use and, guess what? YEP, you guessed it ... STILL FREE.

Unless of course you want to purchase a custom URL, which you'd have to pay for. But, that is something that is actually worth the money as well as reasonable.

At any rate, this is a PSA for all followers of Author Y. Correa (that's me):

BOOM, BABY!

So with that in mind, please, by all means, follow me on here!

Thanks, y'all!

What does true love feel like, fire or home?

I truly have no excuse as to why I haven't blogged for so long other than to say that life has been flaring up. The proverbial "Murphy's Law" and then some.

Nevertheless, due to the content of this post, I felt the need to share it with you all. So, first apologizing for not being around more frequently, and second ... please enjoy.

The other day, after having had a profound conversation with my best friend about love gained and love lost a question occurred to me;

“What does true love feel like, fire or home?”

At that time, she gave me a quick summary of her thoughts on the matter, which then coaxed me to want to put the question out in the ether.

Enter, Facebook.

I created a poll. I even went as far as to add come gifs just to catch the interest of the multiple Facebookers I commune with. It took me a tad bit of work to figure out how that worked so I was a tiny bit upset that people didn’t take the time to even look at the poll.

  Well … what can you do?

At any rate, the question pestered me like a thorn in my side as I really wanted to know what others thought. Mostly, because my opinions might’ve been a bit askew or bias. Being the person that I am—open to other people’s points of view—it would have been great to hear some of them. But, as you have it, only 3 people bothered to take the mini, 2 question poll; a family member, a friend and myself. How pathetic is that?

That incident, of course, led to this blog post. So, hailing my handful of faithful friends, I invited them to give their feedback on said subject.

In come Adonis Mann, Synful Desire, C. Desert Rose and Da’Kharta Rising. However, before they jump in with their thoughts, here are mine ...

Y. Correa:

“I’ve been burned by the fire,” is the term that my mind keeps whispering, culminating in, “And, it hurt.”

The scientist in me claims that love is nothing more than raging hormones—rampant, delirious and delusional—destined to be satiated by the first fool you harness a keen eye for. The proverbial, “I fancy him/her” with the next step being a huge leap off of the closet bridge.

Pain, followed by tears, followed by wallowing in self-pity and concluding in the temporary dormancy of said hormones until such time as the next fool comes around. And then you do it all over again.

Fire.

A fire that burns so deeply, one questions one’s ability to have functioned prior to the existence of one’s flame.

Red, like blood; the blood that runs through their veins which gives you life.

Orange, like the sun, whose warmth keeps you tranquil and happy.

Yellow, like a canary. One who makes you feel as though you too can fly freely through the vastness of the world and never be alone again.

If true love is like fire, it can give life but also exterminate life.

There is no wonder why Hell is described as a pit of unending fire, for it is a place where empty souls go to live all eternity in torment and solitude.

And this makes me think …

If true love is like fire, it can make the cup that is your heart overflow with felicity. But should it ever end, it can also incinerate your pneuma to the point of oblivion.

I have felt that fire before. At the time, I surmised that it was true love. Now, I realize fire is both the beginning and end—the inauguration and corruption of our hearts. Therefore, I surmise that love should be home. Fire is here today and gone tomorrow. Home is constant.

By deduction, if love in the form of fire is wavering, then love in the form of home is forever, hence it is true.

Adonis Mann:

If I have learned anything at all, ‘tis that love is indubitably fire. Of this, I can assure you as I have experienced the warmth and sting of it.

Much like fire, love rises with a spark—a barely noticeable glint. A minute volley of atoms bouncing off one another until, boom, the flame is lit. Once lit, nothing but water or the flame itself can stop it. However, who in their right mind would want to extinguish something so precious, so incomparable, so new, so powerful. No one, to be sure.

We, the lovers, stand in both awe and stupefaction wondering how something so wonderful happened to us.

There is an inexplicable warmth that coats the soul with belonging and plenitude. Due to this, the lover is lost in the whimsical flickering of coral. ‘Tis a dance that hypnotizes the lover in such a way that all he or she can feel is its calefaction and naught a person can tear him or her away from it. The only person who can snuff out the flame is the flame itself. A perplexing conundrum, for how can fire put itself out.

In my experience, easily. When the flame is done … when it no longer wants to offer its heat … by its own volition, it tempers and ends. The sorrowful part, are the embers left smoking inside the heart and mind of the other party.

However, if the flame opts to continue to burn, nothing and no one will ever douse it.

Shamefully and sadly, I’ve had to endure the chill of a dead heat. Nevertheless, love burns like fire, for good or for bad.

Synful Desire:

I am not a person who believes in settling, especially in the arena of love. Love should be as vital as breathing with the amounts and the intensity. It has to be worth living for, fighting for, and dying for. It is not a muted instrument but a symphony which stretches the test of time. Any intangible must possess fire. The person I am with must be one who makes me warm from the inside out where and when ever I see him. If he does not, then it is easy for my interest to wane. If my mate is unwilling to do what it takes to keep my fire burning, then it is up to my heart’s authenticity and salvation to go elsewhere.

C. Desert Rose:

I suppose I will approach this question with another question;

Have I ever felt the fire of love?

Of course I have.

Here is another question;

Did I enjoy it?

For a time, yes. I did.

Last question;

Did it last?

No, it did not.

Therefore, life has taught me that the answer to the proposed question is that love should feel like home. No, as a matter of fact, it MUST be home.

“Why do you say that?” you may be asking.

The answer is simple, really.

I say it because fire is an element—1 of 4, to be exact. Fire, Air, Water and Earth. While they are perpetual in existence, they act like the waves of an ocean. Unstable and unpredictable. Here today, gone tomorrow.

Like the well known old idiom, “Home is where the heart is.” Allow me to explain.

Have you ever went away from home? On a trip, perhaps? To college, maybe, or overseas? I dunno … you pick. At any rate, have you ever left the sole place you call home and upon your voyage discover that you miss home profoundly?

Homesickness, is what it is called.

You find yourself envisioning home. You can practically feel the ambiance, smell the scent of the food cooking, hear the noises you’ve become accustomed to, and suddenly you feel incomplete. Empty. Like something very important is missing. Immediately, sadness consumes you.

THAT, is what love ought to be. EXACTLY THAT.

Love should feel like home. A place like no other. The one place where you can be yourself without apologies, without presumptions, without judgements and without explanations.

The bosom of your spouse/boy or girlfriend, should feel like you’ve belonged there all along. The smell of him/her should fill you with glee. The touch of them should calm your weary soul. The sound of them should appease any angst. It is with them that you should feel like 100% yourself. And, it is in them that you should long to be.

True love is home. It is the dwelling of the heart, the habitat of the soul, the refuge of the spirit.

Why? Because, “Home is where the heart is.”

Da’Kharta Rising:

I don’t think I’m the right person to ask this question to because I am not a believer in the fairy tale, Harlequin type bullshit interpretation of love. In my opinion, too many people speak it and have no concept of what it is about or how to properly use it. The act of love itself is a promise you make: whether said to a family member, a friend, or a loved one. Promises are set up to be impossible and therefore, easy to break. How else can you explain the number of marriages which end up in divorce? What else factors into betrayals that create family and friend sagas that rival reality TV shows for attention? There’s nothing “home like” about love. It’s dangerous, just like fire. It’s erratic, especially when you encounter someone which has you throw all reason to the ground just so you can soar for a few years, months, weeks, days, hours, seconds? I don’t know if it is “true”. All I know is the aftermath: how investing love in the wrong person can alter the way another person conducts business, not just in relationships but in her day to day. It’s a gamble where you don’t want to crap out. Love is all out fire. Enough said.

With so many thoughts on what love feels like, it makes me wonder which is more accurate? Furthermore, it makes me ponder on, “Can they simultaneously exist? Can love be both fire and home?” Perhaps, for some it is. For others, maybe not.

Please, don't hesitate to give me your thoughts. I would love to see what you have to say.

Until Next Time, y'all!

Me, controversial? * shocked face *

No, I lie.

I'm not surprised.

I am highly controversial at times.

Suffice it to say that I'm not very surprised that some people deem me controversial. Particularly, when it comes to my writing ventures.

Some time ago I was asked:

"Do you think that any of your sci-fi mashups stir up controversy? If so, which ones and in what way?"

Simple answer? Yes, all of them to one degree or another.

Not so simple answer?

I think the best plan of action today would be to address just one of them—the most dynamic one—my pride and joy.

The story of mine that is pretty heavy in the Controversy Department isn't even published yet. As a matter of fact, I've been trying to write it for a few years now and haven't even completed it. But, I'm perfectly okay with that as the story is replete with a tangled web of information. So much in fact, that my mind looks a little something like this when I think about it:

And that's ↑ an understatement!

I mean the amount of thoughts that cross my mind due to the complexity of this story is a kin to having Steven Moffat, Stephen King and Stephen Hawking (Side Note: I didn't realize that I had that many Steve's that I looked up to. LOL) inside of my head all at the same time.

(Other Side Note: THAT would be a dream come true to me! #LoveMeSomeSteves)

You know what? I just realized that I haven't even shared the title of the work with you all. Just goes to show how complex the story is. LOL :D

It is "Genesis Ellipse ...".

So, let me tell you a little bit about the controversial aspect of it.

Reason Number One

Religion, religion!

As most of you know I was brought up Wester Christian. "Genesis Ellipse ..." bends the basic fundamentals of that which I was taught to accept and uphold. It plays with the concept that all religions are tied into one another and that some of the information in the Bible has either been misconstrued somehow or is blatantly incorrect altogether.

Needless to say, the church in which I was brought up might not be very happy with my interpretation of the story.

Reason Number Two

Is science really fact or merely the translation/perception we get from an altered reality?

I toy with the idea that science as we know it today may stem from religion and may even be incorrect as a whole.

Well, those hardcore science buffs may not be all too happy with that.

Reason Number Three

"What If" is the name of the game.

I've come to realize that most readers today want everything spelled out for them. In "Genesis Ellipse ..." the reader is basically forced to use his/her imagination. Many times to "fill in the blanks". And do you know what? That's exactly the point.

So, I can almost promise you that this won't make some readers too happy.

In a nutshell, "Genesis Ellipse ..." will be so different, to so many, that it'll more than likely stir up all sorts of whispers and controversy.

With that being said, here is a taste of "Genesis Ellipse ..." my current Work In Progress.

EXCERPT!

The Genesis of Time

Heaven

“I am truly sorry Ish,” Michael said with a sympathetic frown, then turned to Isha and with an empathic nod, finished, “Isha.”

“But, why Michael?” Ish questioned, heartbroken, “We did the best we could after our mistake. We tried, worked hard, were faithful ... TO HIM ... and to each other!”

“'Tis not my position to offer explanations or excuses. It is merely to be done.” Michael responded, not knowing what else to tell them, all the while knowing that their hearts were grieving.

“Michael, please? I beg of you, speak to Him. Have Him understand our position. I beg!” Isha continued.

“I cannot!” He finally said, firmly. “Every choice, bad or good, has its ramifications. In your case, your choice was the worst of all. You chose death, over HIM! The life you lived on earth is not nearly enough penalty to pay back your deception. This, is now your punishment!” Coldly he spoke, having ultimately reached his peak of mercy.

An eternity? An infinity of time apart? Jumping back and forth in time, never able to be together? Having no memory of each other, having to always and forever, feel the gap of emptiness and solitude? Not having love, not having each other? THAT, was their price to pay?

How could The Eternal call this fair justice?

What justice was there in this punishment? What clemency? He called Himself the All Merciful, yet cast this chastisement on them, KNOWING that they could not live without each other. Just as HE, Himself, had created them to live!

Oh, how they pained at the revelation of their misfortune to come. How, they hurt inside. They couldn't fathom it! More than that, they simply could not except it!

They held each other, finding solace in one another's arms—consolation and security. In the safety of their lovers embrace they stayed for a few moments following. Isha began to sob. Ish, tried to remain strong.

Then, they felt themselves being pulled apart. The oddity was not that they were being pulled apart by an invisible force. No. The oddity was that as they were drifting from each other, yet within one another's hands remained the pulsing everlasting heart of the other. Red, gleaming like a ruby on fire. Beating with life and force.

Ish, had Isha's spirit heart in his hand and Isha, had his. Then, just like that, they were gone from one another's side.

Oh, but what little would they truly know about their fated future...

Two Questions ...

Question Number 1:

Do you think that any of your sci-fi mashups stir up controversy? If so, which ones and in what way?

Question Number 2:

As one who was brought up in the church but no longer practices its teachings, what would you say to others who believe your style of writing and topics is blasphemous?

Quick Answers:

Yes, and chill the heck out!

Of course, I'll elaborate a little. LOL. :D :P

I am currently working on a story that will break the barriers of many different genres. A story so complicated that at times I wonder if I'll even be able to execute it properly.

Imagine this:

Time Travel (Chrononaut Science) mixed with Quantum Physics, mixed with Biblical History and Religious Mythology, mixed with Romance and Adventure, oh and a side of Chick-Lit just to keep things interesting.

WHAT A COCKTAIL!

As a matter of fact, today I was wondering this ...

However, before I stray too far away from the questions, let me do a "U-ie" and actually answer them. LOL

I am not completely certain if my current works stir up controversy, but I am 100% positive that "Genesis Ellipse ..." will.

I am entirely sure that people will feel some sort of way about it; be that good or bad. And you know what? I'm absolutely fine with that.

You see "Genesis Ellipse ..." plays with the concept of the one thing that humanity reveres the most: religion. The thing is that it not only fools around with Judeo-Christian belief, but Buddhist, Islamic and Muslim ideas as well.

Of course, I did not choose to do this to offend anyone, but rather to showcase the thread that ties each religion—God.

What "Genesis Ellipse ..." does is tinker with the idea of religion and science meeting hand and hand, and not in the way that most perceive it today, but in a way that indicates that all religions are tied together, and all of them stem from a single source. Moreover, it uses Science Fact and Science Fiction to prove that point.

I honestly believe that the story transcends the concept of story telling and dabbles with the perceptions of faith, love and the human condition.

There have been instances in which people have asked me about the title. They can't quite understand why there is an ellipses after the word Ellipse.

The Answer?

The title has a profound meaning.

Here they are per the Merriam-Webster Dictionary Online & Google.

Genesis: the origin or coming into being of something.

Ellipse: a circle. A Circle: The circle means universal, sacred and divine. It represents the infinite nature of the universe. Basically, the Ellipse represents a never ending cycle.

(Ellipsis) "...": an unfinished thought of sentence. An incomplete thought, left open to interpretation.

It means this:

The beginning of an innumerable, infinite cycle of occurrence that is unfinished.

Yet ... there is more.

The Genesis part of the title refers to the two main characters: Adam & Eve.

The Ellipse refers to Basic Quantum Mechanics Theory.

Quantum mechanics is the science of the very small: the body of scientific principles that explains the behaviour of matter and its interactions with energy on the scale of atoms and subatomic particles. This ties into the Chrononaut aspect of the story.

Finally the "... (ellipsis)"

This is indicative of the omission of information. Perhaps, we weren't being told the entire story, perhaps, someone just filled in the balnks and got it wrong.

Meaning that we don't know what the true story is, or where it's headed.

The entire concept of the story is bound to make some heads turn and some people frown. Especially those in the church—any church! Even more so, the one I grew up in.

I grew up in a church that EVERYTHING was sin and blasphemy. From a female shaving her legs to a man wearing short pants.

However, I am not concerned about the possible backlash of angry fanatics. I'm not worried about my story creating controversy, because that was something I knew was going to happen from the beginning.

What I would say to those whom want to create an uproar about a story that they cannot understand, is "Relax, it's JUST a story! I never said that I actually believe it."

I can honestly say that I have a feeling, deep down inside that "Genesis Ellipse ..."—should I execute it properly—will be my masterpiece. I'd be surprised if I ever write anything better.

My Steampunk Experience

Who Remembers the 2002 movie adaptation of H. G. Wells' story "The Time Machine"?

This quickly became one of my favorite time travel movies. My two top favorites are the "Back to the Future" trilogy, followed by "The Time Traveler's Wife", which was also based on a book. What did I love so much about "The Time Machine" (the movie)? It was the underlined suggestion of Steampunk.

Well, the 2002 blockbuster movie was loosely based on H.G. Wells' 1895 novel by the same name. Which in that day was a contemporary Science Fiction novel.

Amazing how things change.

However today, it's considered a classic science fiction novel. It has a Victorian Era feel, which is why I correlate it with Steampunk since Steampunk, as a whole, is somewhat based on an alternate earth where the Victorian Era never came to an end, and all things were still powered by steam rather than advanced technology. There is also the assumption that life would differ drastically from what we know and love today. Fashion would be different, and society would be dissimilar to what it is today.

The H.G. Wells novel has been reinvented throughout the years just adapt it to modern society.

Here are some of the newer covers, of the same story.

PS: Yes, I have read the novel as well, in case you are wondering. LOL :D

Why do I bring all of this up? Because this was my very first experience in anything that could be considered Steampunk.

Perhaps it's my love for sci-fi, science and history that attract me to Steampunk. Possibly it's because in essence Steampunk is a combination of all of those elements. But, funny enough I'd never written a story about it. I suppose that has something to do with me thinking that I couldn't do the genre justice.

Recently, that changed.

So, the Vice President of All Authors Publishing House came up with the idea of an Anthology that would feature our published authors. The aim of this anthology was to answer one simple question:

Would/could the handsome man ever fall for the ordinary/awkward woman?

Well, I thought, isn't that a great question?

And what should cross my mind? Yup, you got it ...

You know what I've never written? A Steampunk? Hmm, I wonder if I can pull it off? Can I answer the question AND turn it into a Steampunk story? Hell yeah, I can! I'm the epitome of multi-genre. Why couldn't I mix Steampunk with Romance and Futuristic Science Fiction? If H.G. Wells did it, why can't I? Pfff! Piece of cake!

Ooooor, not so much!

Turns out, it was one of the hardest things I'd ever done. Ironically enough, as much as I love the genre, I found it incredibly hard to produce a story.

You know what? Thank heavens for people that believe in you!

When I'd gotten to the end of my ropes and was just about ready to toss the story out the window, my bestie stepped in and said "Let me take a look at that." What I love the most about my bestie is that she gives it to me straight all the time, just like she knows I'd do for her.

She said, "Jazz, I see what you're going for. I like the idea ... but this isn't your best work. You can do better. Just put a little 'Jazz' in it." Basically, she told me I was trying too hard to make it fit into some Steampunk mold and that I wasn't letting the story flow like I normally would. It was those words that changed it all.

"You know what bestie, you're right. I just have to be me and the story will come together." :D

I am happy to announce that from that conversation "The Steam of Opposites" was born. My short story contribution to "Crackles of the Heart: Divergent Ink Book One", coming soon.

Here is the Mini-Blurb:

Steampunk Earth, set in the distant future. When an ambitious city guy meets a carefree country lady, what starts out as a getaway to finish an important project turns into a interesting journey. Steam intersects and hearts collide in “The Steam of Opposites”.

And, just to entice your imagination, here is a small excerpt.

Excerpt of "The Steam of Opposites"

from

"Crackles of the Heart: Divergent Ink Book One"

© 2015 All Authors Publishing House

Steampunk Earth 2075

The first thing Ryu heard were the spindles and gears of his clock-like mechanism as it crashed against the pavement.
“Damn it!” he exclaimed. The redundancy of the inescapable was starting to get to him. He had to get it right. It was imperative that this device work properly, after all, the Mayor was waiting on it. Finally exhausted with the attempt of perpetuating an experiment that simply would not work, he got to his feet, stomped across the room, grabbed his cane, hat and jacket then marched out. A quick walk around town would certainly help his exasperated mind.

A man like Ryu was hard to come across in these times. He was not only handsome, but also an entrepreneur, gentleman and inventor. The crème de la crème, as far as bachelors were concerned. Tall, dark and handsome. Intelligence was just a plus.

Ryu’s current assignment was an Analogue Data Processing Mainframe—a computer, as it was called in some places—for the Mayor, who needed it for whatever reason. Ryu did not know, and frankly did not care, so long as his payment was assured. However, with the Mayor as his client, imbursement was a given. The dilemma was the actualization of the project.
Opening the door and stepping outside, Ryu took a moment to look around. Everyday seemed to be exactly the same as the last. Hover cogwagons which drifted on sprockets and were powered by steam zoomed past—dark gray smoke spitting out of their exhaust pipes. Buildings so tall that the human eye could scarcely see the tops, emitted murky fumes from somewhere above, far past ocular perception. This caused the blue sky to tinge with gray hazy waves.

Like a dirty ocean, Ryu considered.

Women and men strutted past the busy streets, some hand in hand, wearing their best apparel; Victorian yet modern. It was an amazing mixture of past and present. The dark tones of their lavishly embellished garments were combined with the smooth texture of modern day latex. A formula created to cool down the body during the heat and warm it during the cold, yet keep society conservative and properly covered.
Ryu considered taking in a huge breath of fresh air, then realized that there was no such thing and opted against it. Looking from left to right, he slowly proceeded down the stairs to the sidewalk which was covered in muck. Ryu shook his head in disappointment. Not only did he have to live with the pestilence in the stratosphere, but he also had to walk in it.

Ridiculous, he thought.

The city life had become something of an inconvenience. He longed for the peaceful ambiance of the country. Momentarily Ryu considered phoning his Aunt Trudy and alerting her of his arrival, then remember her pesky cats—all fifteen of them—and decided that it might not be such a good idea.
Maybe a Bed and Breakfast, he thought. “Yes, indeed. That sounds like a marvelous idea.” he said to himself, then looked around to see if anyone heard him.
It was at that moment when Ryu knew if he took a hiatus to the country there would be a high probability that he would finish his undertaking. The tranquility was certain to ease his rankled state of mind. “Yes, yes, I think I shall.”
As he strolled through the bustling thoroughfare, he mentally planned his impending trip … itinerary and what have you.

This story and many other great ones will be included in "Crackles of the Heart: Divergent Ink Book One", so keep an eye out for it! It's gonna be grand. We're going to have contributions from:

Queen of Spades

Synful Desire

C. Desert Rose

Adonis Mann

Last and certainly not least, Da'Kharta Rising

While my story may not be the likes of H.G. Wells' "The Time Machine" I'm certainly proud of the final outcome.

Until next time!

Y :D

In deep thought.

You ever have a moment when your mind just keeps ticking away on a single subject?

Today, I seem to be dwelling on the fine line between Writing Style and Grammar.

I've known a great many people in this journey that I've endeavored on to pursue my writing dream. A great many indeed. The sad and unfortunate truth is that in this day and time everyone wants to be a writer. What can I say? That is just the way the cookie has been crumbling since 2005 or so'ish.

Now, just because with modern technology everyone has to ability to be an author, that does not give them the right to be. Not everyone is endowed with the undeniable talent of writing. Sorry, it had to be said.

There is a reason to this ... I promise.

All of this trickles down to so many facets of the writing industry as a whole. It seeps into reading, reviewing, and of course writing and publishing. There are many more faces to this industry that meets the eyes. But I won't get into that today.

Nevertheless, today I'm going to focus on the difference between Writing Style and Grammatical Error.

Trust me when I tell you that there is a fine line there and ANY circumstance can sway that line into one area or the other. Not everyone can tell the variation between Writing Style and Grammatical Error. Others simply don't want to, whether it be for good or bad reasons. In this industry we have groups like the Grammatically Pious Editors and the Self-Righteous Writers. Either side of the fence is a bad one.

Yet, what about the ones that can see both sides?

I suppose the best approach to this post would be to tell you a story.

There was a Kingdom called Grammartopia. In that place a girl named Mindy met a girl named Helen.

Mindy and Helen met at a Writers Community Meeting in the town hall. The two girls hit it off fairly well, consequently becoming good friends. Through time that friendship blossomed. They shared thoughts as well as their views on different writers' works. Most of the time they saw things the same way, the only difference was that Mindy was more swayed towards Writing Style and Art whereas Helen was a stickler for Proper Grammar.

Many times Mindy could see Helen's points as it pertained to Grammar and Punctuation in certain peoples' work, however at times she simply didn't because she knew that certain things were done on purpose. She knew this because it was a practice she held true in her own works.

One day Helen decided that she would create a blog dedicated to teaching writers Proper Grammar. She felt that it would be her little contribution to the Kingdom of Grammartopia. Mindy was all for it and was anxious to start following the blog herself as she knew that Helen had lots of great tips to offer.

In time Helen grew arrogant. Whether it was deliberate or inadvertently Mindy wasn't sure, all she knew was that it was happening. With further passing time, Mindy realized that Helen had started labeling things that were clearly Writing Style as Grammatical Error. Mindy was sort of upset with these findings and couldn't quite figure out why Helen was seeing things that way.

Sooner or later Helen's once long and well articulated views on other peoples' works became shorter and more dogmatic. Where once she would give leeway to story line and some Writing Style, now she no longer did. She'd become so strict in her perception that Writing Style was in her mind, completely out of the question. This thought process consequently made her views shorter and shorter as well as meaner and meaner.

Shortly thereafter, Helen crowned herself the Ruler of Grammartopia and ruled the Kingdom with an iron hand, and would not succumb to what others perceived as art.

Mindy, unfortunately lost a good friend to the inner mayhem that only Iron Fist Editing could accomplish. With a sad heart and a tear flowing down her cheek, Mindy turned away from the friendship that she'd once held dear because in her heart ART was what mattered most of all.

A similar thing happened in real life. This was an unfortunate turn of events. I'll tell you why ...

When a Reader/Writer/Editor turns their high and mighty views into Iron Fist Editing then they will undoubtedly give a bad review to a great book simply because the writer might have used a "few too many" exclamation points. Who knows, maybe even a couple of instances of "weak sentence structure". It could have been things which could have very well been implemented on purpose due to an artistic view, as well as the overall effect for the reader. Yet, here we have the "Grammatically Pious" rendering that as a mistake to the rules of the English Language therefore a blatant offence.

I don't think it's fair. As a matter of fact, the well trained eye can see both Proper Grammar AND Writing Style. Just because you know proper grammar does not give you the license to belittle and/or rebuke other peoples' works because it does not fit in your little guide to the English Language.

Don't let your self-righteous opinion cloud your judgement of good art. Some things are indisputable mistakes whereas others are simply a matter of view points. What you've deemed erroneous someone else may have done on purpose. Why? Because while story telling does have to be grammatically correct, lots of it does have to reflect the reality of the human condition--imperfection.

I'm out!