C. Lee McKenzie

Young Adult and Middle Grade Author

A-Z Blogging Challenge-I

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I is for Irony in today’s A-Z Blog Challenge.

How ironic it is for the Ancient Mariner.
“Water, water, every where,
And all the boards did shrink ;
Water, water, every where,
Nor any drop to drink.”

And how ironic it is for Dorothy when, at the end of the novel, she discovers that she’s always had the ability to go back home, the Scarecrow who has searched for a brain realizes that he’s intelligent, the Tin Woodsman realizes he already has a heart and the Lion realizes he’s bold and courageous.

Readers are often “in” on the irony, and that only adds to the tension in the story. Then there are the surprise ironies as in the movie, The Sixth Sense. Brrrr!

What irony has intrigued you in books or movies?

A-Z Blogging Challenge-H

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H is for Hedy Lamarr in today’s A-Z Blog Challenge.
She may have been famous for her beauty, but what I found out from her biography is that she was also schmart!  She came up with the idea for a radio-guided torpedo that was able to escape jamming by the enemy by using “frequency hopping.” She and a friend, George Antheil-a composer- patented that in 1942. It was that technology that was used in the Cuban Missile Crisis in the 60’s.
Guess what this “frequency hopping” makes possible today? Cellphones,Wi-Fi and GPS all operate without interference. Depending on our POV, we have Hedy to thank or curse for these modern devices.
A lot of movie stars have other talents they’re not recognized for. Any come to mind?
Be sure to HOP around and say hi to others who are in on this wildly wonderful A-Z Blogging Challenge.

A-Z Blogging Challenge-G

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G is for Goddess on todays A-Z Blog Challenge. They need a bit of attention now and then.

We have the usual, like Artemis here, but what about Goddess who have walked among us? Here’s my short list of those I’d nominate as Goddesses.  Please add one of your own.

 2004 Nobel Peace Prize Winner, Wangari Maathai She believes that peace on earth depends on our ability to secure our living environment.  

I nominate her as Goddess of Peace.

Chemist, Marie Curie She won the Nobel prize twice, first in 1903 (jointly with her husband, and with Henri Becquerel) for the discovery of radium and polonium, and again (by herself) in 1911 for the isolation of pure radium. Her work changed the course of science forever.  

I nominate her as Goddess of Brilliance.

Architect, Julia Morgan She designed beautiful buildings that matched their environments. The beautiful and rustic Asilomar Convention Center in Monterey, California and William Randolph Hearst’s castle in San Simeon.

I nominate her as Goddess of Balance and Proportion. 

The Woman Who Did Everything, Elenore Roosevelt  When asked to speak of her accomplishments she said, “I just did what I had to do as things came along.” Here’s a VERY SHORT list:

  • She taught the children of the NY slum dwellers dance and literature.
  • She actively participated in the works of Red Cross in World War I.
  • She actively participated in the women’s suffrage movement. (She helped in getting the other Goddess the vote.)
  • She worked for the betterment of African-Americans, and made her protest against discrimination by resigning from the Daughters of the American Revolution.
  • In WWII she became the assistant director of the Office of Civilian Defense (OCD). She worked towards gathering civilian volunteers to participate in the war effort. She also visited the US troops abroad. 

I nominate her Goddess of Amazingness.

Artist, Georgia O’Keefe She was a feminist before that word was coined. She created art that made us look at flowers, buildings, landscapes and life in a different light.

I nominate her Goddess of Creative Beauty.

Be sure to HOP around and say hi to others who are in on this wildly wonderful A-Z Blogging Challenge.

A-Z Blogging Challenge-F

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I write YA, and I don’t use that word unless I absolutely have to, unless that character must express him/herself that way. I guess it seems to me that the power of that word is in NOT using it. Kind of like NOT showing explicit nudity or sex in the movies, but implying it and letting the imagination take over.

I guess my issue with a lot of movies AND books is they don’t trust us as viewers and readers. They want to leave nothing to our imaginations. Well, PTWEEY! to that! I have a great ability to visualize stuff, and I’d like to be able to do it, thank you.

When you write, do you insinuate the sexy, steamy parts? The violent parts? Do you let your reader fill in the blanks? OR Do you think it’s important to “paint” the complete picture with words? How about the in-between? What’s too little? What’s too much?

Do you agree with my stand or do you disagree? I’d love to know. I could be wrong. That happens sometimes.

Be sure to HOP around and say hi to others who are in on this wildly wonderful A-Z Blogging Challenge.

A-Z Blogging Challenge-D

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Today is Double D Day.

We have the A to Z and we have the . . .

  So how many words that start with D describe the writer on this Day of the D!

Here’s my stream of consciousness list. Add to it as you will. 
Delerious
Dizzy
Desperate
Determined
Dogged
Downright stubborn
Doubting
Dazed
Dubious
Deflated
Demoted
Delighted!!!!

Be sure to HOP around and say hi to others who are in on this wildly wonderful A-Z Blog Challenge.

A- Z Blogging Challenge-C

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I have been in many places, but I’ve never been in Cahoots. Apparently, you can’t go alone. You have to be in Cahoots with someone.

I’ve also never been in Cognito. I hear no one recognizes you there anyway.

I would like to go to Conclusions, but you have to jump to get there, and I’m not too much into jumping anymore.

Sometimes I’m in Capable, and I go there more often than I’d like to.

And while I’m in Complete, those WIP’s give me fits.

Be sure to HOP around and say hi to others who are in on this wildly wonderful A-Z Blog Challenge.

A-Z Blogging Challenge-B

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B Movies Rock! 
Not Really, but they did at one time.
I think.
Since I’ve been learning how to do book trailers, I’ve also poked around in the archives of notable trailers for movies. This one I loved the best because . . . well I’m a little weird. Ask my family.
It Came From Outer Space. Creature From the Black Lagoon and so much more!
Be sure to HOP around and say hi to others who are in on this wildly wonderful A-Z Blog Challenge.

A-Z Blogging Challenge-A

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I finally jumped into the A to Z Blogging Challenge. April is already CRAZY MAD, so why not up the pace? Not logical? Absolutely. A little CRAZY MADNESS has to be good for the writer brain. And speaking of brains here’s my A DAY post.

ACTIVE
I found an article on Sonny Rollins (age 81) a saxophone giant who hasn’t stopped practicing his instrument or become a rest home denizen. This Grammy winner revolutionized jazz and he recently was awarded a Kennedy Center Honor.
My kind of guy. He’s been an ACTIVE yogi since 1968. Here’s what he says about his life and yoga.
Yoga “has made me more serious person, which I hope transfers into my music. . . [it’s] always there to keep me engaged in a spiritual pursuit-to trump the negative with positive ideas.” 
1970’s
If you want a taste of beautiful saxophone here’s SONNY ROLLINS on youtube with an interview in 2011.

Be sure to HOP around and say hi to others who are in on this wildly wonderful A-Z Blog Challenge.