Web Therapy

I've spent a lot of time ranting about how much I don't like February. Lo and behold, we've reached the final countdown. Only one week left.

March can't come fast enough.
If, like me, You've had just about enough of no daylight, endless snow, and ice death trap sidewalks I have a bit of relief.

Since this horrid month leaves so many of us snowbound and suffering cabin fever, what else can we do but turn to our only hope: THE INTERNET.
Oh internet, which lulls us into the hope that we might not be stuck in sub-zero weather but can instead find solace in digital form.

It's an illusion, of course, but since spring is still at least a few weeks away I've found some sites to help make the time go by faster...I hope.

You've heard of primal scream therapy? Well if you need to let it out, but don't want to scare your pets. Try this on for size.

Feel better? No? Not so much feeling the winter rage, but wish you were in paradise? This one might help. Or it might just make you cry.

Escapism not your cup of tea, but good old fashioned warm fuzzies? Okay, here you go:


Cuteness not working? Maybe abuse of authority would help?

Or you could explore your creative potential.

More of an engineer than an artist? We've got something for you too.

Happy Monday! (Oxymoron? Maybe.)

Family Ties

My parents are here for a visit and they brought their dog, which brings us up to three dogs, one parakeet, and one wild rabbit in the house.


She made herself at home, living up to her namesake: Loki.

And Rocco learned about sharing.

And, yes, I am terrible about making the bed.

Friday Round-Up

I'm doing a great job of procrastinating today. I need to reread the Twilight series to prep for the article I'm contributing to a forthcoming Blackwell anthology on the role of history in Twilight. My particular article focuses on Jasper, and I think it will be an interesting experiment to read a novel with an eye to a supporting rather than the main character.

Supporting characters often make or break a book for me. My own supporting characters are just as vital, if not more, than the MCs. I get frustrated by stories where friends or family appear only as back story or plot movers. I like severe entanglements, startling twists, and key events tied into the lives, hopes, and fears of supporting characters.

My investment in a novel, and particularly in a series, rests in how much I care about what happens to the other characters in the book and not just the protagonist.

Case in point: Harry Potter. My favorite characters in the Harry Potter series are probably Fred and George Weasley, with Hagrid coming in at a close second.



Supporting characters with that much dynamism fill out a world and draw the reader in.

Do you have favorite supporting characters? How do you treat supporting characters in your own writing?

On a final note, Joss Whedon finally made the comment I've been waiting for.

Happy weekend!