Gasp! There ARE Hidden Messages in Disney’s Frozen!

Some people see evil in everything . Try and see the good

Seth Adam Smith

Elsa grapples with an inner turmoil.

I’ve seen a lot of posts about the hidden messages in the Disney movie Frozen. Make no mistake about it, there most certainly are hidden messages in the movie. But perhaps they are much deeper than you might think…

For those that haven’t seen the movie, here’s a little background: Elsa, princess of Arendelle, has a magical ability to create ice and snow. Her parents forbid her from using this power so she doesn’t hurt anyone. After years of keeping her powers to herself, Elsa decides to “let it go.” She flees the kingdom of Arendelle and builds a solitary ice palace in the mountains—a place she can truly be herself.

Some have claimed that Elsa’s decision to “Let It Go” and unleash her powers is akin to someone coming out of the closet and announcing their homosexuality. While that’s a perfectly valid…

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My Father Was Like Philip Seymour Hoffman

everything is fine I buried my dad two yrs. ago

Daily Prompt: Money for Nothing

Debra Dixon’s Book-In-A-Day Workshop

Live to Write - Write to Live

Debra Dixon is coming! Debra Dixon is coming!

Debra Dixon is a popular writer, speaker and publisher and she’s bringing her “Book-In-A Day” Workshop to Nashua, New Hampshire on May 10, 2014. Dixon’s Goal, Motivation and Conflict is required reading for anyone who is hoping to have their book published.

I read Goal, Motivation and Conflict at the recommendation of several fellow writers. I started with a borrowed copy but the book was packed with such great information I had to restrain myself from using a highlighter. I knew I had to purchase my own copy. I wrote a review for L2W W2L.

The Book-In-A Day Workshop uses the 12 step Hero’s Journey to help you plan the character driven plots that make readers and publisher’s stand up at take notice. You’ll leave the workshop with an outline that will advance your book idea from concept to finished plan…

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Hiring an English Major to Edit Your Book Is Cheating Yourself

change it up editing

I belong to a listserve of freelance editors, and I find the topics of conversation interesting and often thought-provoking. One recent topic that elicited many comments was about pricing the work we do.

The initial post was by an established and well-respected editor who wrote, “I recently was asked about my rates by someone at a local company who was looking for writing and editing help. She balked at my quote . . . Her response: < … we can find English majors for $10 to $15 [per hour] and many of them are quite good. >”

I get it; no one wants to spend more than necessary for anything—goods or services. I mean, if I can buy a knock-off designer widget that looks just like the brand-name widget, isn’t that a better value than buying the real thing just for the brand name? If I can get my next-door neighbor’s…

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I’m Letting My Wife Go

Seth Adam Smith

I’m sure it may come as a shock to some people, but I let my wife go. It was one of the hardest things I’ve had to do, but it was the right thing for the both of us.

No, we’re not getting a divorce and no, we’re not separating. Truth be told, the practice of “letting go” has actually brought us closer together. But in order to understand what I mean by “letting go,” you must first understand that Kim and I are two very different people.

In fact, the differences between us were Kim’s primary concern with us getting married. “Seth, a fish may love a bird,” she said. “But where would they live?”

I smiled at the comparison because it’s fairly accurate.

Kim and I are incredibly different people. She’s the oldest in her family; I’m the youngest in mine. She’s very responsible; I’m…very much not. She…

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Weekend Edition – Writing is Not for Sissies Plus Good Reads and Writing Advice

writing is tough!

Live to Write - Write to Live

Welcome to this Saturday Edition in which I share a little of what I’m up to with my writing (when I’m not here) and what I’m reading (between the covers and around the web). I’ll also pull back the curtain a little on my version of the writing life (but not so much as to be indecent).

I hope you enjoy this little diversion and encourage you to share your own thoughts, posts, and picks in the comments. I LOVE hearing from you and seeing the world from your perspective.

Happy writing! Happy reading! 

Jamie

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Working with words is not for sissies.

As I continue to recuperate from my unfortunate encounter with this year’s flu virus, my muse has been gently reminding me that although writing may not be as physically grueling as manual labor, it can be just as exhausting. At first I was disappointed (and…

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