Hey All!!!
I was perusing the blogosphere and found this post by Once Upon a Twilight asking what each of us is reading right now. I really enjoy this site for the candid and insightful YA book reviews it gives and the overall sense of community there.
To answer that question for myself, I'm currently reading two books at once. I don't normally do that, but I'm so engrossed with both of these series that I couldn't get myself to put one down so I could focus on the other. Also, I think that just sort of happens when you become properly obsessed with reading and books in general.
The first book I'm reading is Opal by Jennifer Armentrout. This is the third book in the Lux series which involves aliens, the Department of Defense, and one wicked love story. It's been such a great ride watching the main character, Katy, fall into fighting and love with the always hot and sometimes annoying Daemon. I'm eager to figure out where this story is going.
I'm also reading Fading Ember by Jamie Reed. This is the third and final book in the Cambion Chronicles and follows the love and drama that happens when a human girl with bite falls for a guy who just happens to have an incubus inside of him. I really love the interactions between Sam and Caleb, and I especially enjoy the fact that our main girl character is bi-racial!
More detailed book reviews for both will be coming in the near future.
So, what are you all reading? Any books that I should put on my "coming soon" list?
Monday, April 15, 2013
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
SHOW ME YOU LOVE ME: DETERMINING NEW WAYS TO CONVEY FALLING IN LOVE IN WRITING
Hey All!!!
So, I'm working on edits for the first sixty or so pages of my manuscript and the editor I'm working with gave me a unique challenge. He wanted me to find new, innovative ways to show that my main character, Jazz, is falling in love with her team member Khan.
See, I read a good deal of YA and what I'm used to seeing is a mixture of the below:
When the editor came at me with this challenge I was a bit at a loss for what to do. I'm so used to seeing the heart fluttering and just understanding what it means. How was I going to break the habit of using these tried and true wordings to convey what I wanted to say?
So, what did I do? I sat down with the BF, my friends, my family and myself, and asked one key question: How did it feel when you were falling in love?
It's simple, but to the point. And so far I've gotten a variety of answers. Everything from, " I knew because I realized that you were a constant thought on my mind," to, "I felt an open pit in the middle of my chest and was always longing for my significant other." And I'm still gathering intel.
And if that wasn't enough - as if the Big-Man-Upstairs heard my question - YA Highway posted this today!
Love is a difficult beast to wrestle in writing, but if done properly I believe it's a universal concept that we all can relate to with a warm and happy familiarity. Why do you think Romance has always been, and will always be, hot!
Happy Writing!
So, I'm working on edits for the first sixty or so pages of my manuscript and the editor I'm working with gave me a unique challenge. He wanted me to find new, innovative ways to show that my main character, Jazz, is falling in love with her team member Khan.
See, I read a good deal of YA and what I'm used to seeing is a mixture of the below:
- Heart fluttering
- Heart pounding
- Breath catching
- Tingles running up some body part
When the editor came at me with this challenge I was a bit at a loss for what to do. I'm so used to seeing the heart fluttering and just understanding what it means. How was I going to break the habit of using these tried and true wordings to convey what I wanted to say?
So, what did I do? I sat down with the BF, my friends, my family and myself, and asked one key question: How did it feel when you were falling in love?
It's simple, but to the point. And so far I've gotten a variety of answers. Everything from, " I knew because I realized that you were a constant thought on my mind," to, "I felt an open pit in the middle of my chest and was always longing for my significant other." And I'm still gathering intel.
And if that wasn't enough - as if the Big-Man-Upstairs heard my question - YA Highway posted this today!
Love is a difficult beast to wrestle in writing, but if done properly I believe it's a universal concept that we all can relate to with a warm and happy familiarity. Why do you think Romance has always been, and will always be, hot!
Happy Writing!
Monday, April 8, 2013
THE GREATNESS OF IN-PERSON CRITIQUE GROUPS
Hey All!!!
YA Highway is a great resource for writers of any genre, but especially helpful to those of us who write MG or YA. They just put up a really great post on in-person critique groups and how they function which I thought you all might find interesting. The post can be found here.
I've been with my own critique group for many years now and meeting in-person does provide a different dynamic than the groups you may participate in online. I believe each has it's pros and cons and as a writer you have to determine which option is best for you. That doesn't mean that you have to choose between the two either. Some of my writer friends participate in multiple in-person and online groups at the same time. So, do what works for you!
Happy Writing!!!
YA Highway is a great resource for writers of any genre, but especially helpful to those of us who write MG or YA. They just put up a really great post on in-person critique groups and how they function which I thought you all might find interesting. The post can be found here.
I've been with my own critique group for many years now and meeting in-person does provide a different dynamic than the groups you may participate in online. I believe each has it's pros and cons and as a writer you have to determine which option is best for you. That doesn't mean that you have to choose between the two either. Some of my writer friends participate in multiple in-person and online groups at the same time. So, do what works for you!
Happy Writing!!!
Friday, April 5, 2013
GREAT REVIEW FOR MY BUDDIES BOOK: THE PYRAMID WALTZ!!!
Hey All!!!
One of my critique group buddies and fellow writer of all things awesome, Barbara Wright, published an amazing book called The Pyramid Waltz. It's available through Bold Stokes Books here! Now, I may be a little biased, but I do know good books, and Barbara has penned a story that's chocked full of action, with magic and a hot romance thrown in for measure.
Don't believe me, here's a great review that might change your mind!
Below is an synopsis:
To most, Princess Katya Nar Umbriel is a rogue and a layabout; she parties, she hunts and she breaks women’s hearts. But when the festival lights go down and the palace slumbers, Katya chases traitors to the crown and protects the kingdom’s greatest secret: the royal Umbriels are part Fiend. When Katya thwarts an attempt to expose the king’s monstrous side, she uncovers a plot to let the Fiends out to play.
Starbride has no interest in being a courtier. Ignoring her mother’s order to snare an influential spouse, she comes to court only to study law. But a flirtatious rake of a princess proves hard to resist, and Starbride is pulled into a world of secrets that leaves little room for honesty or love, a world neither woman may survive.
And she's also coming out with the sequel in May of 2013! I'm happy to see those in my writing circle doing amazing things!
Happy Writing!!!
One of my critique group buddies and fellow writer of all things awesome, Barbara Wright, published an amazing book called The Pyramid Waltz. It's available through Bold Stokes Books here! Now, I may be a little biased, but I do know good books, and Barbara has penned a story that's chocked full of action, with magic and a hot romance thrown in for measure.
Don't believe me, here's a great review that might change your mind!
Below is an synopsis:
To most, Princess Katya Nar Umbriel is a rogue and a layabout; she parties, she hunts and she breaks women’s hearts. But when the festival lights go down and the palace slumbers, Katya chases traitors to the crown and protects the kingdom’s greatest secret: the royal Umbriels are part Fiend. When Katya thwarts an attempt to expose the king’s monstrous side, she uncovers a plot to let the Fiends out to play.
Starbride has no interest in being a courtier. Ignoring her mother’s order to snare an influential spouse, she comes to court only to study law. But a flirtatious rake of a princess proves hard to resist, and Starbride is pulled into a world of secrets that leaves little room for honesty or love, a world neither woman may survive.
And she's also coming out with the sequel in May of 2013! I'm happy to see those in my writing circle doing amazing things!
Happy Writing!!!
Monday, April 1, 2013
WHEN AWESOME IDEAS ATTACK
Hey All!!!
Imagine this:
You're at your writing critique group meeting, shooting the breeze, talking plot points, and just chatting about overall life. In your spare time you've been trying to work out a new story idea that would fit in with the current reading trends you're seeing. You know the one: girl meets boy, girl likes boy but knows there's something seriously wrong with boy, girl finds boy is X, girl finds herself very attracted to boy because of X or Y redeeming qualities, girl and boy fall in love and fight X situation together.
Suddenly, one of your critique group members makes a comment that leads you to think on one of your favorite sci-fi shows and voila, you've got a spankin' new tale on your hands.
Something similar happened to me tonight. An idea just hit me out of the blue when chatting it up with friends. And it's GOOD!!! Well, I think it is anyway.
There's nothing more exciting than when you get that sudden burst of a shiny new idea. It's the beginning...a new start. And the possibilities of where that tale can take you are endless. I love this part of writing. The glimmer of an idea. Fleshing out the main characters and who they are. Thinking about what they want and what gets in their way. And finally penning that first draft.
I don't know about you guys, but when I get in these moods, I become darn near obsessed. I eat, drink, and breathe the details until they solidify.
Now all I need is a new notebook to jot all of this down in!
How do you all handle the idea phase of your writing process? Is it something you revel in, or something you don't look forward to?
Happy Writing!!!
Imagine this:
You're at your writing critique group meeting, shooting the breeze, talking plot points, and just chatting about overall life. In your spare time you've been trying to work out a new story idea that would fit in with the current reading trends you're seeing. You know the one: girl meets boy, girl likes boy but knows there's something seriously wrong with boy, girl finds boy is X, girl finds herself very attracted to boy because of X or Y redeeming qualities, girl and boy fall in love and fight X situation together.
Suddenly, one of your critique group members makes a comment that leads you to think on one of your favorite sci-fi shows and voila, you've got a spankin' new tale on your hands.
Something similar happened to me tonight. An idea just hit me out of the blue when chatting it up with friends. And it's GOOD!!! Well, I think it is anyway.
There's nothing more exciting than when you get that sudden burst of a shiny new idea. It's the beginning...a new start. And the possibilities of where that tale can take you are endless. I love this part of writing. The glimmer of an idea. Fleshing out the main characters and who they are. Thinking about what they want and what gets in their way. And finally penning that first draft.
I don't know about you guys, but when I get in these moods, I become darn near obsessed. I eat, drink, and breathe the details until they solidify.
Now all I need is a new notebook to jot all of this down in!
How do you all handle the idea phase of your writing process? Is it something you revel in, or something you don't look forward to?
Happy Writing!!!
Monday, March 25, 2013
WHAT IT'S LIKE EDITING ON A DEADLINE
Hey All!!!
For the past few weeks I've been crazily focused on the edits for my book. This is nothing new. Dealing with hours of editing kind of comes with the territory of writing. But what's different about THESE edits is that they're on a hard deadline...one that's quickly approaching.
See, I'm a finalist for a writing contest with Children's Brains Are Yummy Books, an independent publisher of middle-grade and young adult novels based out of Austin, Texas! One of the major perks of being a finalist for this contest is that you get a line critique done by one of their editors. Then you have a few months - it was three and a half for me - to make the necessary changes before a portion of the book is posted online for wonderful folks like you all to vote on.
So what's it like editing with a deadline:
1) You're super excited at first because an editor has read your entire book and actually took the time to give you insight into what's good and not so good about it.
2) You dive into the editorial letter and notes, and see how the changes make your story really take on a polished and professional feel. In the process, you realize that not only is your story getting better, but your abilities as a writer are improving as well.
3) After weeks of going through your chapters, your editing engine slows down as you realize that going through 250 pages of line edits can be more than a bit grueling.
4) In an effort to maintain your sanity, you take some time to do other things you love to decompress, like reading a steamy romance for fun, because your eyes begin to bleed from even the thought of looking at your story.
5) You stay focused and push through - even though there are times when you don't want to - because you can see that you're story is getting better and better.
6) You have more than a few moments of yelling, "My writing sucks!"
7) After much pain and with an exhausted brain, you end up with a wonderfully polished story that you hope your editor will love as well.
8) You get more edits and start all over again!
Now, I'm assuming this is the case for number 8...since I haven't gotten to this part yet. I'm sending my first round of edited material over at the end of this week.
All in all, editing with an industry professional is an exhilarating and humbling experience that I hope to get to repeat for many years to come!
Happy Writing!!!
For the past few weeks I've been crazily focused on the edits for my book. This is nothing new. Dealing with hours of editing kind of comes with the territory of writing. But what's different about THESE edits is that they're on a hard deadline...one that's quickly approaching.
See, I'm a finalist for a writing contest with Children's Brains Are Yummy Books, an independent publisher of middle-grade and young adult novels based out of Austin, Texas! One of the major perks of being a finalist for this contest is that you get a line critique done by one of their editors. Then you have a few months - it was three and a half for me - to make the necessary changes before a portion of the book is posted online for wonderful folks like you all to vote on.
So what's it like editing with a deadline:
1) You're super excited at first because an editor has read your entire book and actually took the time to give you insight into what's good and not so good about it.
2) You dive into the editorial letter and notes, and see how the changes make your story really take on a polished and professional feel. In the process, you realize that not only is your story getting better, but your abilities as a writer are improving as well.
3) After weeks of going through your chapters, your editing engine slows down as you realize that going through 250 pages of line edits can be more than a bit grueling.
4) In an effort to maintain your sanity, you take some time to do other things you love to decompress, like reading a steamy romance for fun, because your eyes begin to bleed from even the thought of looking at your story.
5) You stay focused and push through - even though there are times when you don't want to - because you can see that you're story is getting better and better.
6) You have more than a few moments of yelling, "My writing sucks!"
7) After much pain and with an exhausted brain, you end up with a wonderfully polished story that you hope your editor will love as well.
8) You get more edits and start all over again!
Now, I'm assuming this is the case for number 8...since I haven't gotten to this part yet. I'm sending my first round of edited material over at the end of this week.
All in all, editing with an industry professional is an exhilarating and humbling experience that I hope to get to repeat for many years to come!
Happy Writing!!!
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
CREATING CREATIVE WRITING OPPORTUNITIES
Hey All!!!
Lately the BF's new gig has him hopping around the US of A. And when he's gone, I get to spend some QT with his cutie pie of a dog named Jazz =) (like my main character - and no, I'm not biased at all!). But bouncing around from place to place has forced me to think outside the box when it comes to my writing spaces and how I can make sure to keep to my writing schedule.
Typically I like to sit down with my good ol' laptop and pound out my edits for the day. I close myself off in my room with no T.V. and little distractions, and lose myself in the work. I've found, however, that lugging that laptop all over the place can be a bit...difficult. Especially since I like to frequent the gym after work and am not too keen on leaving my hardware in the establishment locker rooms - I just don't want to chance it. I was about to pull my hair out trying to figure out how I was going to get any writing done when I'm away from home, when a friend of mine turned me on to the awesomeness that is the google drive and google docs.
Using these products I'll be able to work from anywhere - without having to manuveur the dropping off of the laptop dance that I'm all too fond of (NOT!).
What do your writing spaces look like? Have any of you had to battle with thinking outside the box when it comes to where and when you get your writing in?
Happy Writing!!!
Lately the BF's new gig has him hopping around the US of A. And when he's gone, I get to spend some QT with his cutie pie of a dog named Jazz =) (like my main character - and no, I'm not biased at all!). But bouncing around from place to place has forced me to think outside the box when it comes to my writing spaces and how I can make sure to keep to my writing schedule.
Typically I like to sit down with my good ol' laptop and pound out my edits for the day. I close myself off in my room with no T.V. and little distractions, and lose myself in the work. I've found, however, that lugging that laptop all over the place can be a bit...difficult. Especially since I like to frequent the gym after work and am not too keen on leaving my hardware in the establishment locker rooms - I just don't want to chance it. I was about to pull my hair out trying to figure out how I was going to get any writing done when I'm away from home, when a friend of mine turned me on to the awesomeness that is the google drive and google docs.
Using these products I'll be able to work from anywhere - without having to manuveur the dropping off of the laptop dance that I'm all too fond of (NOT!).
What do your writing spaces look like? Have any of you had to battle with thinking outside the box when it comes to where and when you get your writing in?
Happy Writing!!!
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