Music Monday: AJ Rafael - Without You + Contest Reminder!

Today's Music Monday selection is something that is near and dear to my heart. One, because the artist is YouTube sensation and fellow Filipino AJ Rafael, and two, because the video is something that hits close to home. The song describes a want, no a need, so badly to be with that one person that going on without them would be an impossible feat. The video depicts a couple who is going through the five stages of grief as they learn to cope with the circumstances surrounding her illness and the toll it takes on their relationship. It's a touching video and I ended up bawling as I watched it. I still get teary just listening to the song, the images something I just can't get out of my mind.

It has fast become one of my favorite songs and I hope you enjoy it as well! *grins*

**REMINDER** There's still time to enter my blog contest that ends FRIDAY, AUGUST 12TH. SEE PREVIOUS POST HERE. Come stop by for a chance to win a gift card from either iTunes or Amazon! **WHOO HOO**

AJ Rafael - Without You


Lyrics
Bucket full of tears
Baby know I’m here
I’m here waiting

Close your precious eyes
And just realize
I’m still fighting

For you to be with me
Sit under this tree
And we can watch the sunrise
(We can watch the sunrise)

Wake up, feel the air that I’m breathing
I can’t explain this feeling that I’m feeling
I won’t go another day without you

I know it feels
Like no ones around
But baby you're wrong
Just get rid of the fear
Promise that I’m here
I’ll never be gone

So baby come with me
We can fly away and we can watch the
Stars shine

And baby you can be my love

Wake up, feel the air that I’m breathing
I can’t explain this feeling that I’m feeling
I won’t go another day without you (without you)
Hold on, I promise it gets brighter
When it rains, I’ll hold you even tighter
I won’t go another day without you (without you)

This is me tonight
There's no more games and no more lies
And I know it's right
'Cause of the way you look into my eyes
And when I hold you tight
The worries disappear, I’m glad you're in my life...

Wake up, feel the air that I’m breathing
I can’t explain this feeling that I’m feeling
I won’t go another day without you
Hold on, I promise it gets brighter
When it rains, I’ll hold you even tighter
I won’t go another day without you (without you)

And I won't go another day without you...

And now for today's regularly-scheduled PRETTY...

Writing Wednesday: Dialogue Excerpts and CONTEST!

Last week's Writing Wednesday post mentioned something about my very first contest. *insert SQUEE here* What better way to kick off "virgin contest" shoes than by combining two things that I love? Dialogue and movies! :D

Contest rules are simple: Guess which movie each dialogue sample comes from and the one to get the most correct WINS! *fanfare* In the event of multiple winners, one will be chosen using random.org. This is totally based on the honor system, so for you Googlers out there... *flits fingers from my eyes to you* ...I'm watching you. Okay, not really 'cause that would be creepy... o_o

BONUS ENTRIES: Because this contest is hopefully one of many on the road to 100 blog followers, I'm giving people chances for multiple entries. If you comment below, it's +1. If you tweet about this contest, blog about this contest, or otherwise link this post as a form of pimpage, it's a +1 for each entry! The second winner from this bonus round will be chosen via random.org.

Please leave a comment *points below to pretty comment box* there so I know how many points you have. Also include any applicable linkage. :D

The prize for each winner is a $10 gift card from either iTunes or Amazon. CONTEST ENDS FRIDAY, AUGUST 12TH. Happy posting!!!



And now for our regularly scheduled PRETTY...

Writing Wednesday: Dialogue

One of my favorite things to write is dialogue. This is where I get to show how the characters interact, it's how I develop the characters' individual voices, and frankly, I'm a big fan of snark and anywhere I'm given a free pass to let it out, I take it with eager fingers. LOL Also, sometimes the characters steal that free pass from me and run with it. I'd be a fool not to jot that down.


Certainly, there are other ways to show character interaction besides dialogue and other ways to show a character's personality, but there's just something about the way dialogue is phrased that can completely change the tension in the story, or add certain emotional reactions that you can't get with just action and character tendencies.


Don't get me wrong - not all dialogue is good. There are some that are just laugh out loud ridiculous. Serious moment ruined by a cheesy line, anyone? I'm not going to give any examples of those because frankly, it's not nice. LOL I mean, I've written some pretty shotty dialogue myself and I would be mortified if I found it as an example on some random person's blog somewhere in interwebville.

But I digress.

Dialogue, if written with the right touch, can turn even the cheesiest of lines into gold. Here are a few examples:

Scarlett: Cathleen, who's that?
Cathleen Calvert: Who?
Scarlett: That man looking at us and smiling. The nasty, dark one.
Cathleen Calvert: My dear, don't you know? That's Rhett Butler. He's from Charleston. He has the most terrible reputation.
Scarlett: He looks as if... as if he knows what I look like without my shimmy.

I loved this exchange between these two characters because even though Rhett isn't in this conversation, the insinuation that is built in and the references that are shown in these six lines gave a great set up to what you would expect from our dear Captain Butler.

Anne: She is out foolin' around with that boy until two o'clock in the morning and it has got to stop! I didn't spend seventeen years of my life raising a daughter and giving her EVERYTHING so she could throw it away on a summer romance!
Young Allie: DADDY!
Anne: She will wind up with her heart broken or pregnant! Now he's a nice boy, but he's...
Young Allie: He's WHAT? He is what? Tell me!
Anne: He is trash! Trash! Trash! Not for you!

This dialogue is great because I could absolutely feel the tension between these characters. The repetition of some of the phrases amplified their meaning, as though the characters were trying to ingrain what they were saying into the other person.

How do you guys feel about dialogue? How important do you think the right phrasing is to the flow of dialogue in a story?

SIDE NOTE: I might be holding my very first contest soon. The prize is yet to be determined, but it's just something fun I wanted to do that relates to dialogue. Possibly for next week's Writing Wednesday post. :D STAY TUNED!!