Motivation Doesn’t Matter: On Instrumental Valuation, Diversity, and Barbie’s New Curves

Posted on February 15, 2016 by Janna G. Noelle

Mattel’s new “Fashionista” line of Barbies

People are often surprised to learn that I have fond memories of playing with Barbie dolls as a child.

This disbelief could be interpreted in a number of different ways, each a bit more biting and backhanded than the last (you don’t seem feminine enough to have been interested in dolls; to look at you, I’d never guess you played with a doll that was so connected with fashion).

Most likely, though, it’s a puzzling discrepancy that draws folks up short: I care a great deal about diversity and representation in popular culture, yet in that regard, Barbie has often earned a failing grade.

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Thoughts on Revising My Novel’s First Chapter

Posted on February 8, 2016 by Janna G. Noelle

One chapter down, 30 more to go (in this draft)

For a while, I honestly thought this day would never come: the day I finally got to start revising my WIP.

I never set out to write a trilogy. That’s a whole lot of writing for anyone, but for me, being such a slow writer to boot, it at times felt near-insurmountable.

I’m convinced the only thing that got me to THE END of the first draft was the iron-like strength of my discipline. I may have many shortcomings as a writer, but showed up at the page is not one of them.

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It’s Hip to be Square (Dancing). It’s pretty darn fun as well!

Posted on February 1, 2016 by Janna G. Noelle

The scene at a recent square dance in Vancouver, BC.

The first time I ever square danced was in Hope, British Columbia.

This was a good six or seven years ago while I was attending a canoeing skills camping weekend retreat with a group of friends. I’m as outdoorsy as the next person, but not specifically into canoeing.

Rather than a desire to perfect my J-stroke, I recall my decision to tag along having more to do with FOMO and, if I’m to be honest with myself, the possibility of meeting new people (read: single guys) since the present object of my affection – who was also in attendance and a skilled canoeist – couldn’t care less about me in that way.

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Lifestyles of the Rich (and Poor) & Feudal – pt. 1 (Medieval Mondays #4c)

Posted on January 25, 2016 by Janna G. Noelle

The medieval times, we’re well aware, hardly boasted an equal society.

Rather, the feudal system saw a single, all-powerful monarch as ruler of everyone and everything; a couple handfuls of earls or other magnates – direct liegemen of the king – below that; many more subinfeudated lords of lesser nobility below the magnates, sometimes two or three levels down; and finally, at the lowest levels of society, the non-noble peasants who held land in exchange for their labour upon it in producing their lord’s food.

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On Predictability vs. Surprise in Fiction (or, How The Force Awakens forced me to change my position on the matter. Slightly.)

Posted on January 18, 2016 by Janna G. Noelle

**No movie spoilers**

A long time ago on a blog that’s now far away from a regular posting schedule, myself and a buddy had a debate about predictability versus surprise in fiction.

Quite unwittingly, this discussion arose on the heels of an entirely different examination of pantsing versus plotting.

(For the record on that account, I like to know where my story is going before I start and to rough out as much of the journey as I’m aware of up front, but I’m in no way wedded to it, nor do I subscribe to the notion that plotting will rob a story of the joy and magic of actually writing it. But you can read more about all that yourself.)

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TV & Me (pt. 2) – Shows I’m Waiting For to Return

Posted on January 11, 2016 by Janna G. Noelle

Binge-watching is one of the great luxuries of the 21^st century, but it does come at a certain cost.

In my previous post about TV, I discussed the shows I’m currently watching. However, one thing about them that I neglected to mention is that they’re what I’m currently watching, not what’s currently airing.

Indeed, of the five programs, one’s next season isn’t starting until spring, two are on mid-season hiatus, one as of this moment has yet to be renewed for a second season, and the last one went off the air fifteen years ago, so I’m watching the DVDs on my laptop.

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What’s New for the New Year? (or, On My Ongoing Efforts to Get Sh*t Done)

Posted on January 4, 2016 by Janna G. Noelle

What’s new for me for 2016? In a word, not a heck of a lot.

For all that that’s actually six words.

New Year’s is my favourite time of the year. I love new beginnings and the opportunity to forecast what shape the coming year will take by setting goals to help chart its course and advancement.

Given this, I’m no stranger to New Year’s resolutions. I even have a fairly decent record of achieving them.

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TV & Me (pt. 1) – Shows I’m Currently Watching

Posted on December 14, 2015 by Janna G. Noelle

I can’t even believe I once altogether stopped watching television.

Such is the power of love, I guess, that because the guy I was infatuated with didn’t like TV, I was able to quit cold turkey, enduring years of long, dark, post-Daylight Savings nights Time without it.

Maybe TV sucked anyway during that period. Or maybe my reading list was a whole lot longer. My reading list is still pretty long – never-ending, in truth – as is my writing schedule rather rigorous.

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“And All the Light Will Be”: A review of Enya’s Dark Sky Island

Posted on December 7, 2015 by Janna G. Noelle

I’ve always been drawn to, for lack of a better term, the darker side of Enya.

For almost 20 years, the Irish, New Age singer has enchanted the world with her lush, solo melodies – songs that celebrate the wonders of the natural and celestial worlds; the siren call of adventure; the strength of the human spirit in withstanding adversity; the thrumming heart of love in its myriad forms; and the wonder and mystery of God.

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Making Rent in the Middle Ages (Medieval Mondays #4b)

Posted on November 30, 2015 by Janna G. Noelle

Medieval knights paying a portion of their “knight’s fees”

In modern times, rents on property are paid in money. In the medieval England and elsewhere, however, payment for a vassal’s fief or a villein’s farmland took a rather different form.

A vassal’s assorted obligations to his lord – his so-called “knight’s fee” – were collectively deemed military in nature. However, as mentioned in my previous post on the feudal system, this isn’t to say all of a vassal’s responsibilities involved fighting.

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People are often surprised to learn that I have fond memories of playing with Barbie dolls as a child.

For a while, I honestly thought this day would never come: the day I finally got to start revising my WIP.

The first time I ever square danced was in Hope, British Columbia.

The medieval times, we’re well aware, hardly boasted an equal society.

A long time ago on a blog that’s now far away from a regular posting schedule, myself and a buddy had a debate about predictability versus surprise in fiction.

Binge-watching is one of the great luxuries of the 21st century, but it does come at a certain cost.

What’s new for me for 2016? In a word, not a heck of a lot.

I can’t even believe I once altogether stopped watching television.

I’ve always been drawn to, for lack of a better term, the darker side of Enya.

In modern times, rents on property are paid in money. In the medieval England and elsewhere, however, payment for a vassal’s fief or a villein’s farmland took a rather different form.

Binge-watching is one of the great luxuries of the 21^st century, but it does come at a certain cost.