J. R. FRONTERA, author

Rebel stories for rebel souls...

Writing Prompt Wednesday: "Intersecting Ciphers", a found poem.

*** a crossword puzzle intersecting and directly above more ominous the pathology of cryptology complex, albeit nonexistent wishful thinking found almost anywhere and creating patterns encryption technology with dubious cryptograms making the rounds a guilty confession of love embedded in spectacular sources claiming ciphers. *** From the article “For your Eyes Only” in the Smithsonian September 2012 issue, by Mark Strauss. (photo credit: myself!) ... View Post

NaNoWriMo BOOT CAMP! Lesson Three: THE CENTER OF THE PARADOX!

SO, you want to be a rebel, eh?!?! You just HATE outlining, do you?? You just can't for the life of you figure out WTF is going to happen in your novel past  Act 1?? You shudder at the very mention of ACTS and STRUCTURE and turn up your nose at all that "rubbish"?? Think you don't need to give any thought whatsoever as to the make-up of your novel before plunging into the 30 days and nights of literary abandon then??? BULLSHIT! GET YOUR SORRY ASS INTO THIS BOOT CAMP AND FIND OUT HOW YOU TOO CAN ... View Post

Writing Prompt Wednesday: "Summer Sledding", a short memoir.

I wrote this last year, actually, when applying for acceptance into the Institute for Children's Literature. They asked for a childhood story in 500 words or less on the application. This is what I came up with, and it is, indeed, a story from my childhood. :)  I was accepted into the Institute for Children's Literature, but never enrolled. Now that I am coming up with some ideas for children's books though, I will have to reconsider! Hope you enjoy! *** When I was young, a refrigerator box ... View Post

NaNoWriMo BOOT CAMP! Lesson Two: CHARACTERS AND GMCs!

NO, I do NOT mean a GMC car!!!  You don't know what else I could possibly mean by GMC?!??!  You think your characters are just bodies to occupy your awesomely fantastic setting or move through your utterly original and mind-blowing plot!???!? WRONG!!!!! WRONG WRONG WRONG!!! Failing on the CHARACTER LEVEL will make your entire book FAIL!! THAT'S RIGHT!  I don't care how awesome your setting is or how mind-blowing your plot!!!! Without fully realized and FLAWED characters, your book will go ... View Post

Writing Prompt Wednesday: "Timed Writing Spiral", an exercise.

Another one from the writing workshop with Deb Sturgess.  The whole point of this workshop is finding methods to stoke your creativity and get the juices flowing again if you are stuck.  So every week we do different bizarre things that end up surprising me with how well they loosen up the muse.  I'm always amazed at what I come up with, especially when at the beginning of these exercises I'm always like, "OMG!  COMPLETE BLANK!  WHAT AM I GOING TO DO!!!?!?!" Here's a tip, for everyone.  If you ... View Post

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