Invisible or Fly

I'll apologize up front for the poor quality of the following video. I used my digital camera and filmed this off my TV. But I'll never apologize for Dean Cain. ;-) This is a scene from the 1990's era TV show "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman." WE all know Clark Kent is Superman, but Lois doesn't, and at this point in the show (it is the fourth episode of Season 1) she's intrigued and smitten. In this episode, Superman has become a big celebrity and Clark is overwhelmed by the growing industry of Superman t-shirts, ball caps and anything else someone can put the "S" logo on. Meanwhile, an invisible Robin Hood has appeared on the scene. Then folks begin reporting serious crimes, and our intrepid Daily Planet reporters are trying to figure out what's going on. The original Invisible Man appears to help them, and this scene occurs just after they've met with him.





Over the weekend I dreamed I could fly. I love dreams like that -- the freedom, the joy, the exhiliration. And then I started wondering (actually, I've always wondered) what these dreams mean. So off I went to Google and here's what I found at Dream Moods.

Flying dreams fall under a category of dreams known as lucid dreams. Lucid dreams occur when you become aware that you are dreaming. Many dreamers describe the ability to fly in their dreams as an exhilarating, joyful, and liberating experience.

If you are flying with ease and are enjoying the scene and landscape below, then it suggests that you are on top of a situation. You have risen above something. It may also mean that you have gained a new and different perspective on things. Flying dreams and the ability to control your flight is representative of your own personal sense of power.

Having difficulties staying in flight indicates a lack of power in controlling your own circumstances. You may be struggling to stay aloft or stay on set course. Things like power lines, trees, or mountains may be obstacles that you encounter in flight. These obstacles symbolize something or someone who is standing in your way in your waking life. You need to identify what or who is trying to prevent you from moving forward. Difficulty flying may also be an indication of a lack of confidence or some hesitation on your part. You need to believe in yourself and not be afraid.

If you are feeling fear when you are flying or that you are flying too high, then it suggests that you are afraid of challenges and of success. Perhaps you are not ready to take the next step.

In reality, we cannot really fly, of course. Thus, such dreams can be representative of things that are beyond your physical limitations. In your mind, you can be anybody and do anything. Another way of interpreting flying dreams is that these dreams symbolize your strong mind and will. You feel undefeatable and that nobody can tell you what you cannot do and accomplish. Such dreams are sure to leave you with a great sense of freedom.

In my dream, I flew with ease, so apparently I have a new perspective on something or have risen above it. I should probably dig out the manuscript I was working on or the short story I began last month and give them another try.

And to follow up with Lois Lane's game, I checked to see what Dream Moods had to say about dreaming you're invisible.

To dream that you are invisible signifies feelings of not being noticed or recognized for what is important to you. You feel you are being overlooked. Alternatively, the dream indicates that you are trying to withdraw from the realities of life.

I've never dreamed I was invisible though many times I feel I am. However I can see some advantages to being invisible. They're all situational though I expect a person might end up learning more than they really wished to learn this way.

So what about you? Invisible or fly?


SP is at the next stop on her blog tour today - Minxes of Romance. Come read and comment on her insightful interview to get another contest entry! Also, she will be featured as a debut author on Dear Author later today. Come see.

Guest Blogger: Autumn Jordon

I'm pleased to welcome another of my Ruby Slippered Sisters today. Author Autumn Jordon has been a delight to get to know, and her first book, Evil's Witness, released in June of this year. Join me in welcoming her to the Playground (although we may have to sit under the pavilion because it is too hot to play out in the sun!).





What would you do if someone told you your story line didn’t work? None of the elements worked? It in fact, the plot sucked? Would you give up writing the story, because after all, time is precious and you have so little now and you can’t afford to waste it? Or would you give up writing?

This actually happened to me. I was told by someone in my early writing days that my idea would never sale. I was told this by someone whom I admired. The words hurt and I never forgot them even though I did forgive the person for being so harsh.

I also let the story go for a number of years until I met another author at a conference who I hadn’t spoken to in a while. She was signing her books and doing very well. (Back-story: Muliti-pubbed author also had critiqued the first three chapters of that same book years ago. We were both pre-pubbed at the time) After our initial greeting and hugs, the first thing out of her mouth was, “Did you ever finish that book?” When I hung my head and said, “No.”, she asked, “Why not? I loved that story. I still remember the scene….”

I can’t tell you the feeling of JOY which welled up in me as I listened to her enthusiasm for my story. I hugged Multi-pubbed author again. Wow! YEARS later, she still remembered my story. That is the goal of every writer, at least of those I know. God, I love her.

After the conference, I found the file on a floppy disc and unfortunately was able to retrieve it. I worked on the story with the enthusiasm of a new writer. The ideas flowed. The characters once again came to life and I was so happy.



The moral, don’t ever let any ONE person stop you from writing the book of your heart. Passions for books are so subjective. There are books on the NY Times list that I wonder how they got there. I’ve tossed books aside because they were a waste of my time and money, and there are those I’ve read released from small publishers that have touched my heart and will remain on my keeper shelf.

I finished my story. Its first pages went on to final in the Golden Acorn contest. It won the NJ Single title PUT YOUR HEART IN A BOOK contest, it was a 2009 Golden Heart Finalist and Evil’s Witness sold to that same year to the Wild Rose Press. Since its release on June 18 it has received two great reviews from review sites and great comments from readers on B&N.com and Amazon. Com.




Don’t’ you ever let anyone take your dreams from you. I will find you if you do.

BIO: Autumn Jordon, a quiet nut with a reputation for finding trouble, lives with her husband who supplies her with support and tons of laughs along the Appalachian Trail in northeast Pennsylvania. Crafting stories has always been part of her life. While in fourth grade, her first novel, A Night To Remember, sold three copies: to her best friend, teacher and mother. When not writing or blogging she enjoys her family which includes a Yorkshire Terrier and an Irish Setter, her friends, great books, gardening, walking the trails and traveling with her dear hubby . Her favorite destinations, so far, farther from home are Vermont and Arizona. Visit her at http://www.autumnjordon.com/


Thanks for joining us today, Autumn!

So let's discuss dreams today--what dreams have you pursued throughout your life? Have you given up on some, discovered new ones, or followed one in particular with the determination of the tortoise (slow but steady)?

Angel

Guest Blogger: Homer Hickam

What's your dream?

Do you remember the final scene from "Pretty Woman?" The one where the man calls out, "What's your dream? Everybody comes here; this is Hollywood, land of dreams. Some dreams come true, some don't; but keep on dreamin' - this is Hollywood. Always time to dream, so keep on dreamin'."

Today we welcome back friend-of-the-Playground Homer Hickam who talks about his newest release, which just happens to be about dreams. Please give a warm Playground welcome to Homer.



It's always fun to write for fellow writers so I appreciate the opportunity to write for the Playground. This year sees two of my books published, one of them a co-written memoir and the other a novel. Neither are remotely alike which is a good thing as I always like to make each book a challenge and therefore interesting and fun. With that in mind, let me tell you first a little about the memoir and the process I used to write it.

In September, 2006, I noticed in the newspaper that a young Iranian-American woman was about to be launched by the Russians to the International Space Station. The article said she had financed her journey herself, paying around $20,000,000 for the opportunity. I thought to myself—Wow, I bet there's a story there! At the time, I had contracts for two novels and was about to sign for three more so I knew I wouldn't have time to write it. Still, I was moved to email this woman, Anousheh Ansari, and wish her well. To my surprise, I heard back from her assistant who said Anousheh was happy to get my message and hoped to talk to me when she got back. And that's what happened! She called, and then we emailed back and forth with me encouraging her to write her story. She replied that she didn't know how and, anyway, she was immersed in building a high-tech company with her family. I gave that some thought and, against my better judgment because of the other writing contracts, called her and said I might be willing to help. Subsequently, she flew to Huntsville and we talked it over and I agreed to co-write her memoir. We made up an agreement between us, which specified my agent would also be hers, and then got going.

The first thing I did was go down to Dallas where Anousheh lives and works. She invited me to have dinner with her family the night I got there, then I spent the day at her office, interviewing her husband Hamid, her brother-in-law Amir, and Anousheh herself. It quickly became apparent that I was dealing with a very private woman and also a very private family. Anousheh was passionate about discussing her voyage into space but was reluctant to talk about much else. This, then, was my first challenge, to get her to open up on her life in Iran, how she came to the United States, how she made her fortune, and then how she came to fly into space. After awhile, I saw that talking about herself was difficult face to face but easier over the telephone. So, with that in mind, I began to tease out her story over the phone. Actually, that was a good thing. It kept me from having to travel so much!

As we talked, Anousheh dropped subtle hints about her childhood and the experiences that had formed her. One of them was her love as a child of The Little Prince, the novel by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. I saw that it had influenced her early thinking so it became a bit of a touchstone as I fashioned the story of her childhood. There was pain and heartbreak to the story of her life in Iran, so I had to work diligently and gently to bring her to talk about it. When I didn't think I was getting enough detail, sometimes I would write about an episode telling it the way I thought it might have happened. This always evoked a response from Anousheh. "I don't remember saying that," she'd say, then tell me how the event really happened, dropping in fascinating details. After a while, I began to realize her story was a love story more than anything else. It was about Anousheh's love for Iran and for the United States, her passionate love for her husband, and her love of the stars and space. That's why the memoir begins with these words, Call this a love story.

Another challenge, one that I very much enjoyed, was learning to write in the voice of an Iranian-American woman. I have a good ear for that kind of thing, fortunately, and used phrases and words just as Anousheh would use them. I think she is pleased with the result which is, of course, the highest praise.

While Anousheh and I were writing the memoir, my agent was anxious to get to work shopping it but I asked him to hold off. I was convinced that to fully appreciate Anousheh's story, the entire manuscript needed to be read. I was leery of an editor buying it just for the space angle and I knew there was so much more to this lovely woman's life. Only after I'd finished a complete first draft did I give the go-ahead and, fortunately, it didn't take more than a couple of weeks for Palgrave-McMillan to pick it up. Now, we had a contract! Of course, there was still a lot of work to do but Anousheh and I did it and the result is My Dream of Stars. Its publication date was Mar. 2, 2010.

These days, book tours are the exception rather than the rule, but Anousheh and I are doing a few appearances together. One of them was in Huntsville a couple of days before the book officially came out. Naturally, in the Rocket City. the signings were a great success. Anousheh is such a gracious woman. I'm sending along a photo of her with a young fan named "Commander Paul," and the two of us at our signing at the Jones Valley Barnes & Noble. Interestingly, the Huntsville signings were so successful, Anousheh asked Palgrave-McMillan to set her up with some more. Now, she'll be signing in Los Angeles, New York, Washington, Dallas, Houston, and probably a few more cities. So far, sales are brisk, always a good thing, and it could be the book will break out of the pack. Naturally, this isn't certain and no one understands how it happens when it does, but I think this book is certainly deserving.

My next book is titled The Dinosaur Hunter. It is a novel set in today's Montana, one of my favorite places in the world. I wish I could show you the cover as I think it's one of the best I've ever had for any of my books but it hasn't been completely settled so I have to keep it under wraps. Anyway, The Dinosaur Hunter is a fun, adventurous, romantic tale of murder, mayhem, the beautiful (but lonely) women and rugged men of the ranchlands, cows, dinosaur hunting, Russian Mafioso, and the big Montana sky all told through the voice of a former Los Angeles homicide detective turned vegetarian cowboy who is trying to escape from life which is obviously proving to be an impossible job. Whew! It opens with the c-section of a scared little heifer having a too-big calf. I always like to challenge myself and that scene required some work! The Dinosaur Hunter will be out on Nov. 9, 2010, just in time for Christmas shopping. St. Martin's is really high on this book and has all kinds of marketing schemes which I thoroughly hope will work. Like most writers, I savor a hit. Anyway, we write them to be read, correct? For more on these books and others I've written, plus also some advice to writers, I hope folks will visit my website at http://www.homerhickam.com/. That's also the place to sign up for our quarterly newsletter.

So that's where I am right now in the writing life. Oh, that and the fact I have a delivery date in June of my next novel and I am presently on chapter one which is making my wife Linda more than a little nervous. I'm challenging myself on this one, too. The story takes place fifty years in the future but is being written by a historian looking back after a hundred and fifty years. I get to put in all kinds of spurious footnotes and references. Some fun! And that's what writing is all about, anyway. Fun and more fun, especially if we challenge ourselves along the way. I hope you have fun today!




So... what's YOUR dream? I think we know what Commander Paul's is.


P.S. Here I am with Anousheh and Homer getting my copy at their booksigning.