NEW BEGINNINGS WITH OR WITHOUT CHOCOLATE
By: Angelica Hart and Zi
January 20, 2010

Howdy Rowdy!

We are Angelica Hart and Zi a writing team of contemporary and fantasy romance. The creation of intellectual properties is a personal thing coming from private places, which makes us feel unique in our collaboration. First being two people sharing a common vision, second being gender different, and third, and probably most important, both being stubborn minded. We have been asked how do we make this partnership work. At which we roar with laughter, wondering does it really? Then realizing that, in fact, it does because we are both quirky and have abided by certain rules.

Rule One: Write for the audience.
Rule Two: Have something to say.
Rule Three: Remember rule one!
Rule Four: Never fight to win.
Rule Five: Fight for rule one!

We have been writing a column about some of the idiosyncratic processes we go through daily. And have titled this collection, WRITERS WRITE...WRITING PARTNERS FEUD. This fly on the wall insight shows our eclectic sense of humor and our passion to create. We both want to be learning machines and try every single day to be better.

A: Do you think they are going to believe that dribble? (Pauses) You called me a machine?! (She hurls an 8.5 x 11 crumbled scrap at him)
Z: (In perfect soccer goalie defense he bats it away) Maybe...there is a lot of truth in it. (He providing the puppy-dog eyes hoping to sway)
A: There's a lot truth in that I'm a machine?! Oh go 'way... (says with a grin) you know that doesn't work.
Z: Finnne! Can you take a picture and maybe we can post it right here? Maybe others will be puppy-dog eye moved. Plllllleeeeasssse.
A: I can't believe that you can write moving love scenes while acting like a bunny's bowel movement!
Z: That's pretty harsh! (Showing the O-lipped expression)
A: You're right. I'm sorry. (Her turn to pull on the puppy-dog eye look...hers worked)

Later that day, after peanut butter and raisin sandwiches, yes, they were raisins and not bunny bowel movements, which followed a plot sketching session where Angelica insisted that the gluteus maximus of their hero be of such a nature that a quarter could bounce a foot high off of it. Zi was arguing for two feet.

A: Sex... just sex.
Z: What? (Zi flashes the O-eyed look, whites around green)
A: We just have six more boxes to unpack. (Noting she had been doing much of the unpacking)
Z: You said, sex!
A: Did not! (Everyone knows the flash to pout a child can do, Angelica has channeled everyone of those children)
Z: Did too! Sex...sex...sex! Freudian moment? Slip often? How was your fall...short? My spring was!
A: Hmmm...possibly, (Ignoring his humor and remaining serious or as serious as she possibly could feign) trying to figure out how close to the beginning we should have the hero and heroine have sex.
Z: Sex...sex...sex! (He grabs a blue Sharpie, prints those three letters and tapes it to the top of the Keith Primeau picture then does another and begins to do the happy river dance. The second paper is taped to his belt buckle)
A: (Spontaneously popping a snot-bubble from laughter she uses his Theodore stuffed animal to mop the matter, realizes that was cold and runs to the kitchen to provide the chipmunk a ho-s bath. Returns more collected, offers the damp-crotched chipmunk to Zi and retorts) Show some composure.
Z: (The pre-nocturnal enuresis of the chipmunk all happened unbeknownst to Zi. He stares with a quirky, I ain't touching that look, and gestures for her to return Theodore to his bandstand) Our plan is usually to allow a relationship to grow. (He feels obligated to respond to sex...sex...sex!)
A: It's a new year, should we rethink this? Beginnings are important, wouldn't a nice romp be a grand hook? (Angelica's face befell that elevated eyebrow and aren't I a genius look)
Z: Have you been drinking the left-over eggnog? (The reference not about it being spiked but the fact it's comfort food, an obsession of Angelica's, she wanting what was left!)
A: That hook's just a thought. (Unpacks the computer monitor, and places it upon a new desk, a hand printed placard above it reading New Weekly Cyber Nook, wiggles the monitor to adjust) Whatja think? (Zi proudly watches, encouraging. Why? Da! She was all doing the work)
Z: (Pops out a digital camera and begins to take pictures) Move it to the left. Have it show a little more knob. Give me some happy! Go with it! Go with it!
A: Stooooooooopppp! (Throwing up the universal T-hand gesture) Why the pics?
Z: It is a special day, we’ve moved. It’s a new beginning.
A: To quote Maria Robinson, “Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.” (Turns on the computer and grins at it as if a friend)
Z: Are you saying this is just the beginning of the end?
A: Oh no, I want this beginning to last and last. (She kisses Theodore as if apologizing)
Z: Dave Weinbaum said, “The secret to a rich life is to have more beginnings than endings." (Zi is referencing the topic du jour meaning sex...sex...sex! Though Angelica may have moved on)
A: Wise man, but the true secret to a rich life is a Chocolate Sundae (A proper name as far as Angelica is concerned) with fudge sauce.
Z: So much for your dieting New Year’s resolutions. (He does the one finger over the other shame-on-you tsk-tsk motion)
A: (Ignores him) Actually, what you had said was quite correct but I’m not talking about resolutions or blogs, but about stories, whether it is a shorty-shorty or a novella or a mega-break-your-foot-if-it-falls-saga, all start at the beginning with every intention to have an ending. Let me read what I thought we write about for today’s blog...(Opens a file)
Z: I thought we were talking about sex...sex...sex?!
A: Let's delay your satisfaction, consider this a foreshadowing.
Z: Ouch! More like a foredooooommming!


She reads: Excitement underscores every new beginning, totally infusing it with possibilities, yet there could also be the twitter of nervousness. After all, the unknown lurks like a slithering centipede, quick and quiet. At least that is the feeling one might experience when starting a new book. No matter the amount of preparation, plan or outlining an author can never be fully prepared for the snares and rabbit trails of a plot.

Z: Purple prose! (Holds up a finger to halt her reading)
A: You goating me?
Z: That's baaaaaaadddddd!
A: Really? (Puppy dog eyes return)
Z: (Noting the eye malformation) It's fine. But...!
A: Is that spelled with one T or two?
Z: No…No…No…response to that question. (Searches for the outline of SNAKE DANCE) See this, no rabbit trails…no snares…everything logical and well-thought out. There is no random in base-writing. (He wants to say da da da daaaaaaa doesn't then reconsiders) Da da da daaaaaa!
A: I call your SNAKE DANCE (Channeling the Texas Hold 'em programming in the background) and raise you one KILLER DOLLS. There was a running off the well-scribed path at one point, and it worked better. I'm all in!
Z: We had to rethink, redo, re-motivate to make it work. All your fault. I call you!
A: Moi? (Tries to look indignant but knowing the truth she can't quite pull it off)
Z: (Notices that Angelica pronounces the French term as if it were the Jewish religious person trained in circumcision, i.e., mohel. Zi not wanting to be near anything of this nature, immediately rises and leaves the room, yelling from the front door) Whatja-talkin'-about, Willis?!

Will Zi leave the building?
What's the Mohel's name?
Will Angelica realize what she did?
Does Angelica even care?
Will Zi get to talk about sex...sex...sex!?
Does Angelica even care?
Will Angelica get her point across?
Does Angelica even have a point?
Will the bunny shat in the woods?
Will the bunny get there before the bear?
Will Theodore overcome his embarrassment?
And why would Zi believe the stuff animal pee'd itself?

All the afore, well at lease maybe one of the afore may be answered next week.

A/Z: We are happy to join you all here and hope you enjoy some of our banter and humor.

KILLER DOLLS IS AVAILABLE: Unaware that bio-terrorists are using her handcrafted dolls to attack the innocent, Letti Noel finds herself falling for Taut Johnson, an undercover FBI agent. Even as deceit is a growing barrier to their love, it's the stalking terrorists that are a threat to their lives.

SNAKE DANCE BEING RELEASE February 1, 2010!

We'd love to hear from anyone interested in what we do. Anyone who writes us at angelicahartandzi@yahoo.com and leaves an s-mail address, we will send you a gift and add you to any future mailings.

Angelica Hart and Zi
KILLER DOLLS ~ September 2009
SNAKE DANCE ~ February 2010
CHASING GRAVITAS ~ July 2010
angelicahartandzi@yahoo.com
angelicahartandzi.com

KILLER DOLLS can be purchased at
Champagne Books
http://www.champagnebooks.com