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OH, MY EARS (AND GENRE EXPECTATIONS)!
On Saturday, I decided to make some additions to my Christmas-music library. As I browsed, I saw a listing for this song, a version of...
Candice Bellows, The Story Engineer
Dec 14, 20202 min read
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THE BABY BEAR OF PERSUASION
Recently, my friend shared an article on Facebook about a group of people who resist the counsel to wear masks, even when it comes from...
Candice Bellows, The Story Engineer
Dec 11, 20202 min read
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BLOOD = KIND OF IMPORTANT
Over this past week, I've started donating plasma. Unlike when you donate blood, the machine takes out the blood, extracts the plasma...
Candice Bellows, The Story Engineer
Dec 10, 20203 min read
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GRUBHUB LESSONS STRIKE AGAIN
Apparently Mondays and Grubhub don't mix. At least for me! Last night, I got an order shortly before the end of my shift. When I got to...
Candice Bellows, The Story Engineer
Dec 8, 20202 min read
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SKILL IS (OFTEN) INVISIBLE
Yesterday, one of my LinkedIn contacts shared this picture: As much as I love actual Christmas trees, I love this idea, too. It's amazing...
Candice Bellows, The Story Engineer
Dec 3, 20202 min read
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"EASY," HMM?
Last night, I worked my first block of time for Grubhub. I was scared out of my wits that I'd mess something up, but the first three...
Candice Bellows, The Story Engineer
Dec 1, 20203 min read
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WATCH OUT FOR THE RIPPLE EFFECT
Seven-ish years ago, I worked for my church helping proofread the latest edition of our scriptures for publication. It was the first time...
Candice Bellows, The Story Engineer
Nov 23, 20202 min read
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6 RESOURCES FOR FRESH FANTASY CREATURES
A lot of our stereotypical fantasy races/creatures come from European mythology and folklore, particularly Greek, English, and Norse:...
Candice Bellows, The Story Engineer
Nov 19, 20201 min read
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8 THINGS FANTASY WRITERS NEED TO QUIT DOING. RIGHT NOW.
Years ago, I started noticing an alarming trend in fantasy. As one of my English professors commented when we were discussing it: "It's...
Candice Bellows, The Story Engineer
Nov 16, 20204 min read
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THE ONLY 3 THINGS THAT REALLY MATTER IN CHARACTER NAMES
Today's post is partly inspired by one of my favorite Peanuts strips. I've silently (or not) echoed Lucy's thoughts more than once! There...
Candice Bellows, The Story Engineer
Nov 9, 20201 min read
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PRIOR KNOWLEDGE: "KNOT" A PROBLEM
Over the last three days, I've had three different people ask me to teach them how to crochet: My roommate "S" "S's" friend "A" My sister...
Candice Bellows, The Story Engineer
Nov 3, 20203 min read
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OPINIONS =/= VALUES (AND WHY THAT MATTERS)
The other day, one of my connections posted this on LinkedIn: It got me thinking, and this is the response I wrote: "Wise man. Sometimes...
Candice Bellows, The Story Engineer
Oct 30, 20202 min read
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WHAT WRITERS NEED TO KNOW ABOUT PTSD
As writers, we put our characters through the wringer. Sometimes it happens "onscreen"; other times, it happens long before the book...
Candice Bellows, The Story Engineer
Oct 27, 20204 min read
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WHAT IS LOVE? PART 1
As promised, today we'll start looking at aspects of healthy romantic relationships so we can portray them accurately in our writing. Of...
Candice Bellows, The Story Engineer
Oct 16, 20202 min read
11 views
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THAT'S NOT LOVE
This past weekend, the current West End (?) production of The Phantom of the Opera streamed for a day or two from London. I watched part...
Candice Bellows, The Story Engineer
Oct 15, 20203 min read
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WHY CAN'T YOU JUST GIVE ME A PRICE?
I've been asked more than once, "How much would you charge me to edit X?" The short answer: There's no easy answer. This podcast does a...
Candice Bellows, The Story Engineer
Oct 13, 20201 min read
15 views
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SOMETHING FISHY THIS WAY COMES
In my church, instead of the same person preaching every week, members of the congregation take turns preparing and giving talks....
Candice Bellows, The Story Engineer
Oct 12, 20203 min read
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WELL, *THAT* ESCALATED (SUSPICIOUSLY) QUICKLY
This story popped up in my Google News today. 😵 #whatjusthappened I don't care who you are or what your political beliefs are. That's...
Candice Bellows, The Story Engineer
Oct 8, 20202 min read
22 views
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ONE SIZE (OR FORMAT) *DOESN'T* FIT ALL
Once upon a time, I did a very silly thing and watched the movie The Lightning Thief after reading the Percy Jackson books. Then when I...
Candice Bellows, The Story Engineer
Oct 5, 20204 min read
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BREAKING CHARACTER (OR NOT)
This weekend, I was working on a pair of scenes in my WIP. In this part of the story, my protagonist's (Patricia) overprotective father...
Candice Bellows, The Story Engineer
Sep 28, 20202 min read
22 views
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