Challenge Accepted

It's almost a new year, 2016, which means people every where are reflecting on the past and planning for the future. One of the things I neglected to do in 2015 was actually post regularly on this blog. Sadly that goal was a colossal failure.

NaBloPoMo - Guess who's back?

Visit www.nablopomo.com!

Welcome to the start of another National Blog Posting Month. Yours truly will be writing something new each day for the entire month of November. Think of this as a special treat for my followers, (all four of you if you're still there).

 This is my second year participating in NaBloPoMo. It was challenging of course the first time around. Imagine having to figure out a new topic to write about every day.  There’s not that much to talk about on a daily basis in the LC. The struggle was real in trying to avoid Writer’s Block throughout the month

The Return ... Again

To the four people who read my blog, I am sooooo sorry for my lack of posting. I took a sabbatical in June but started posting again in October. The only problem is I posted on Facebook and forgot to post on my blog. I'm forgetful like that. I promise to make it up to you my faithful readers during NaBloPoMo. That's right! You get 30 days of me posting yet again. Shout out to Cee for introducing me to NaBloPoMo (and Writing Wednesday as well as everything else cool in my life). I'll be gone 'til November.

NaBloPoMo: the return

It’s officially National Blog Posting Month, and yours truly is joining the fun. The project was inspired by National Novel Writing Month, where writers complete a novel from start to finish in a month. NaBloPoMo features bloggers posting something different every single day. The task is much easier than it sounds. I know from firsthand experience.

An introduction to Hambone

Coming soon to a bookstore near you is the one and only Hambone Fisher, age 5. Hambone is my child-like alter ego. He emerged at McAlister’s Deli during its Christmas coloring contest last year. I wanted to enter, but the store discriminated against adults. Thus Hambone Fisher was born. He’s sort of taken a life of his own.

Hambone colored a beautiful picture but unfortunately did not win the contest. However, he didn’t let that get him down. Instead he colored an assortment of pictures for random people to hone his skills. That led to him entering a coloring contest this week sponsored by the Lake City Reporter. He was actually a contender for that one (until someone revealed his origins). That’s OK. He’ll just find another contest to enter. Eventually Hambone is going to win.

I plan on keeping Hambone around for awhile, mainly to turn him into a children’s book series: “The Misadventures of Hambone Fisher, Age 5.” Easier said than done. Clearly some character development is required for Hambone to make this a legitimate project. So far I know Hambone is a precocious, talkative 5-year-old. He likes to color, is very imaginative (sometimes he exaggerates) and can be strong-willed at times.

No his real name isn’t Hambone. It’s Henry James Fisher, but he is southern bred and born. Everyone goes by a nickname in these parts. His family consists of his older brother, Pork Chop Fisher, and his parents, Mommie and Daddy (real names coming for them later). His misadventures will include everything from coloring contests capers to dealing with a crush on an older woman (the babysitter). Each misadventure will have an important lesson to learn. But I have to finish crafting the character before I start writing story plots.

Working on Hambone made me realize it requires a lot of thought to create a fictional character. I can write a news article with no problems. Fiction writing, on the other hand, is quite challenging. It’s all from my imagination instead of just the facts. No matter what, I will make Hambone happen. Right now his series is a work in process, but he’s always available to supply anyone with a picture.

The art of persuasion

Let the dry run of National Blog Posting Month begin (granted I’m a few days late). NaBloPoMo, which is officially in November, is an offshoot of National Novel Writing Month. Instead of writing a book in a month, bloggers post something every day. Different blog themes during the months leading up to November are set to help writers prepare for the challenge. The theme is “In a word” for the month of March.

Faithful reader and friend, Cee, participated in NaBlogPoMo a couple of years ago. She plans on doing it again and proclaimed March as her dry run. And guess who was dragged in to join her? I had no intent of even participating in this month’s challenge. I do good to participate in Writing Wednesday every week. I barely write a sports column quarterly for my job. What would possess me to take on the challenge of writing every single day? All I know is Cee asked me to try it Wednesday, and after some prodding I said yes. What can I say? She’s persuasive like that.

Cee always has her pulse on some of the coolest things out there. She was on Twitter before it became the next big thing. Perhaps that’s what makes her persuasion of me so easy. I know if she’s down with the cause it’s probably something I’ll enjoy.

If nothing else, this should help me improve myself as a “blogger.” My posts should become more concise and direct. Usually my blog posts are a wild reading tangent. Also I tend to feign being too busy writing for the man to write for myself when I miss Writing Wednesday. This will perhaps be an exercise in time management. I must post or die (well maybe not). Regular readers know I tend to be lackadaisical about posting. Sometimes months pass between new ones.

Hopefully I can come up with enough interesting posts. I’m already two days behind, but Cee said to continue the challenge for the rest of the month. If I make it through 28 days of March, perhaps there is hope for me in November. Cee will most certainly persuade me to participate in the official NaBloPoMo.

New beginnings

I have realized there will come a day when I will feel too old for Facebook, yet not have that column writing job on the side.
Gasp! What will happen to the chronicles?
Well I for one don't plan to stop writing them.
I'm not leaving Facebook any time soon, but I figured I would get a jumpstart of the blogging.
Who knows? Maybe one day I will be a renowned bloggerista.
But until that day, you can find me right here.
So how mad am I that some loser already has thechronicles.blogspot.com? And they aren't even writing anything!
It's OK. The Antonia Chronicles is so much cooler.
But don't take my word for it.
Check back each week for the latest Chronicle, whether it be about life or Hartwell. And tell a friend or two.
For now they will appear simultaneously with the ones on Facebook.
Can't shake that monkey just yet!
Enjoy!