Happy Halloween! (And My Illustrated Costume History)

Reminder: Take pictures of yourself in costume today for my contest. Check out the details here. And I've decided to definitely give away one of these (which, if you're too lazy to click the link, is a pink iPod shuffle!) Plus one copy of OMG and one copy of GBC for every ten entries. All types of costumes are welcome to enter.

In my 32 years on this planet, I've experienced 31 Halloweens (not counting this one, yet). That's a lot of candy (Smarties, please), a lot of trick-or-treating (not so much tricking), and a lot of costumes. Here is a partially illustrated chronological history of my Halloween costumes.

Age: 2
Costume: CLOWN (The first in a long line of clown costumes--which I just learned is probably because my mother never got to be a clown as a child. There is also a pre-K pic of me in a clown costume, but it is very very horror movie creepy. I have elected not to include.)

Age: 5ish
Costume: DOG (Sadly there are no pics of this costume--or they're very well hidden--which my mom made from tons of different scraps of fake fur. It was very hot, but very awesome.)

Age: 7
Costume: CINDERELLA (These pics are also missing. My mom made this costume to look just like Cindy's dress in the Disney movie. I was traumatized when everyone thought I was a fairy.)

Age: 9
Costume: CLOWN (Again. Yes, this is me dancing with a pumpkin candle we made at school by dipping balloons into melted crayons. That was an awesome candle.)

Age: 10
Costume: PRINCESS (I loved this costume sooo much--of course my mom made it. I wore the cape forever and I adored the little shoe covers. You can't tell in the picture, but the blue fabric has silver sparkles!)

Age: 11
Costume: JACK-IN-A-BOX (This is what happens when your mom is a costumer and your dad is a set designer. Click on the image to see the full popping-up sequence. Note the recycled clown costume from age 9.)

Age: 13
Costume: DANCER (No pics of this--thank goodness. I wore a shiny hot pink unitard and sprayed my hair to match.)

Age: 17
Costume: PUMPKIN (As in, I wore black leggings and an oversized orange t-shirt with a pumpkin face on the front. Yes, my best friend and I went trick-or-treating in high school. Sue us.)

Age:21
Costume: APHRODITE (This was my senior year in college and, being in the theatre department, I had to come up with something with wow factor. This is one of my favorite costumes ever. I also had a baggie of Hershey's Kisses attached to my rope belt and handed them out to cute boys.)

Age: 26
Costume: I'M NOT SURE (My Wisconsonian cousins--the three in the middle--came to visit my Bransonian cousin--on the right--and we went to see a magic show on Halloween. I might be a wrapped present, considering the curling ribbon and the glittery star.)

Age: 29
Costume: HALLOWEEN FAIRY (This was the year I taught 7th grade and I agree to chaperone the dance. The picture at the top of my blog and website is from this night. I wore glittery eyelashes, glitter all over my face, and a black web-like shawl over a tank top with the word Spooky written in sequins. All my students loved the costume--especially the eyelashes.)

Age: 32 (this year)
Costume: BUDDING AUTHORESS (Okay, not a costume, because that's what I really am. But I couldn't aspire to be anything better--unless it was a bestselling authoress.)

Okay, your turn to share. Even if you don't have a picture of your halloween costume from this year, if you leave a comment telling me about it I'll enter you in the contest. Can't wait to see and hear!

Hugs,
TLC

Some Days It Falls From the Sky

Some days writing feels like trying to wring water from rocks. You sit there and stare at the blank page (or the blinking cursor) for hours, just trying to figure out what comes next. Begging for some kind of muse to visit and tell you why this scene isn't working, why your character won't do something useful, or why you keep writing and rewriting the same line over and over again.

Then there are days like today. Days where the words just come pouring down from the sky, through your fingertips, and into the waiting file. The story flows almost faster than you can type.


For the past few days I've been struggling to get into my current story. It's not because I don't love it--it's a mermaid story! What's not to love about a mermaid story? No, I totally adore this book and I've been waiting two years to write it. It's more like I was stuck. I had about seventy pages written and was managing to squeeze out about four or five pages a day, but I felt like I was treading water.

Then, today, something clicked. Everything slid into place. I wrote twelve pages in two hours. I stopped myself when I knew what was coming next, so I would have somewhere to start tomorrow, but I still wanted to keep going. It's like I hit the wall, pushed through, and then felt the wave of endorphins sweep over me.

If only every day could be like today. I know they won't be. Still, maybe that's part of what keeps me going. Because I know that, for every day where I can hardly bleed words onto the page, there will be a day where they fall out of the sky.


In other news, today smelled like Fall. Finally.

Hugs,
TLC

Blanking on the Blog

Reminder: I'm hosting a Halloween costume contest. Check out the details here. And I've decided to definitely give away one of these. Plus one copy of OMG and one copy of GBC for every ten entries. All types of costumes are welcome to enter.


Why is it that when I'm out in the world (shopping or writing or seeing a movie) I think of millions of blog topics, but when I sit down to write one I go completely blank? Well, that has to change. I have many things to say. Seriously. (I didn't say they were important or interesting things. Just things.)

So here are the ways I've come up with to remember my blog ideas when I get home:

1. Write ideas on my hand. (Problems: Limited skin space. Possibility of ink poisoning if I get too enthusiastic about my note taking.)
2. Send myself a text message. (Problems: Thumb blisters. Shorthand amnesia--aka not being able to decipher my abbreviations later.)
3. Leave myself a voicemail. (Problems: Feeling like an idiot talking to myself via phone. Using up my cell phone minutes.)
4. Type them on my laptop. (Problems: Laptop doesn't fit in purse. Laptop is heavy. Typing is awkward while driving.)
5. Jot them in a mini-notebook. (No known problems. Yay!)

Okay, so clearly the solution to my problem is to not only carry a mini-notebook with me at all times (which I already do), but also to actually use it to write down ideas as they pop up. I'm going to make a page titled BLOG IDEAS right now so I can start using it next time I'm out and about.

You'll be able to figure out whether it's working by reading the blog in the next few weeks. (If there are lots of fun posts, it's working. If not, well, then back to ye olde drawing board.)

Hugs,
TLC

Signing at Kendall Neighborhood Library

Event alert, godlets.


Tomorrow (October 21st) afternoon (4:00-5:30pm) I will be signing copies of OH. MY. GODS. (courtesy of Blue Willow Bookshop) and chatting at the Kendall Neighborhood Library in Houston, Texas. If you're in the area (see map) then stop by. There will be buttons and bookmarks and maybe the inside scoop on the sequel, GODDESS BOOT CAMP, and my hush-hush third book.

Here the official event blurb:

Signing by Author Tera Lynn Childs

10/21/2008 4:00 PM

Meet the author Tera Lynn Childs, author of the popular fantasy fiction book "Oh. My. Gods." Get your book signed and learn more about the author! Ages: teens.

14330 Memorial Drive
Houston, Texas 77079
832-393-1880

Hope to see you there!

Hugs,
TLC

PS — Don't forget to be thinking about the Costume Contest! (All types of costumes are eligible, but ones with a mythic twist might get bonus points.)

Calling All Costumes (aka a Contest)

Good morning, godlets. Today we are officially two weeks away from one of the coolest holidays of the year. HALLOWEEN!!!

I adore Halloween, and not just because of the tricks, treats, and changing of seasons, but also because of the COSTUMES! On All Hallows Eve you get to don the appearance of anyone (or anything!) you want. You get to step outside of yourself and become whatever you dream about. (It's like being an actor, only without the multitudes staring and waiting for you to remember your lines.)

You can even dress up your dog...


...or your baby sister or brother (for future blackmail).

Or, if you are a huge mythology fan (or, ahem, the author of books where the characters are descendants of Greek gods) you might decide to dress yourself up and play goddess for the night.

(These are Aphrodite and NIKE!!! Both from Halloween Express.)

Now for the contest part. If you are among the later (as in you'll be going Greek this Halloween) be sure to snap a pic of you or you and your friends in costume. Send me the picture (email tlc at teralynnchilds dot com) or a link to where you've posted it (on a blog or MySpace or wherever) and you'll be entered to win fabulous prizes.*

Not sure how to go about becoming a goddess? Well here are some helpful links if you want to make your own costume:

• How to Make a Toga — Includes detailed instructions and loads of pictures.
• How to Dress Up Like a Greek Chiton — Cool cartoon directions.
• Easy Halloween Costume Ideas: the Greek gods — How to dress up like one of the six Olympian gods.
• Medusa Costume — How to make a snake-headed gorgon costume.
• Greek Statue — Simple instructions to make a Greek statue costume. (For a little girl, but easily adapted for adults.)
  
• About.com — Greek god or goddess costume instructions.
• Costumer's Manifesto — If you want to get authentic, here are a bunch of links to historical info about Greek costumes.

Or, if you want to go the easier route (no shame in that) try your local Halloween superstore or search "greek goddess" at one of these online costume retailers: Amazon, Halloween Express, BuyCostumes.com, or Costume Supercenter.

You have until the Wednesday after Halloween (that'll be November 5th) to send me your pictures and be entered in the contest. Check back on Halloween when I post an illustrated history of my costume choices, including the year I dress as Aphrodite!

Hugs,
TLC

* Prizes have not been finalized, but will definitely include one or more copies of Oh. My. Gods. and one or more IOUs for advance copies of Goddess Boot Camp as soon as I get them. There might be one of these in the final prize list because they finally have pink again.