Visual Inspiration (16)

Inspired by Australian author Steph Bowe I share my visual inspiration when the mood hits me. None of these photos belong to me.

Are you Nanoing This Year?

Last year was my first year doing Nanowrimo, and it was a really great experience for me. I finished a novel that I now consider practice, but I still love it. A few months back I thought about which project I'd work on this year. Should I return to the adult romance novel I abandoned in the spring? Or the time travel novel that makes my head want to explode? Or something new altogether?

Well, I decided....none of the above. I love Nano, but in order for me to reach my goal, I have to set everything else on the back burner. I'm revising one novel, and about a third of the way done with the first draft of my fifth novel. I could do Nano, because I have a new novel all plotted out, just waiting to get inputted into Scrivener. It was a tough decision, but I just couldn't do it.

In the spirit of Nano, I'm going to play along and in the month of November, I'm going to try to be as productive as possible with my writing. I will finish the first draft of my fifth novel and send it off to my critique partner, and plot out my sixth novel and begin writing it. I'm going to work on only writing new projects for the bulk of my time, instead of revising which is how I have been spending most of my time lately. I don't think I'll hit that 50k mark, but that's okay.

Are you Nanoing this year? Why or why not?

Tune in Tuesday (7)

Each week I participate in Tune In Tuesday, hosted by GReads. This week is soundtrack edition.


This week's song is another opening sequence! It's from Portlandia, a hilarious show on IFC featuring Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein. If you don't know who Carrie is, I have two words for you: Sleater-Kinney.

Here's the opening:



The original song:



And my all-time favorite sketch from the show.

Review: The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa

The Iron Knight (Harlequin Teen)-Julie Kagawa
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Publication Date: October 25, 2011
Source: Netgalley
Author website


Ash, former prince of the Winter Court, gave up everything. His title, his home, even his vow of loyalty. All for a girl… and all for nothing.

Unless he can earn a soul.


To cold, emotionless faery prince Ash, love was a weakness for mortals and fools. His own love had died a horrible death, killing any gentler feelings the Winter prince might have had. Or so he thought.

Then Meghan Chase—a half human, half fey slip of a girl— smashed through his barricades, binding him to her irrevocably with his oath to be her knight. And when all of Faery nearly fell to the Iron fey, she severed their bond to save his life. Meghan is now the Iron Queen, ruler of a realm where no Winter or Summer fey can survive.

With the (unwelcome) company of his archrival, Summer Court prankster Puck, and the infuriating cait sith Grimalkin, Ash begins a journey he is bound to see through to its end— a quest to find a way to honor his solemn vow to stand by Meghan’s side.

To survive in the Iron realm, Ash must have a soul and a mortal body. But the tests he must face to earn these things are impossible. At least, no one has ever passed to tell the tale.

And then Ash learns something that changes everything. A truth that turns reality upside down, challenges his darkest beliefs and shows him that, sometimes, it takes more than courage to make the ultimate sacrifice.
(Goodreads)

This series has been an absolute joy to read. I'm sad to see it end with The Iron Knight, but I think this novel was a beautiful end the series.

That said, this was probably my least favorite book in the series, and it took me the longest to read. I actually stopped reading it for about three weeks because the first half kind of dragged. Once I got into part two, I finished it within about a day. Ash has never been my favorite character, and this is probably why I didn't enjoy it as much. He does grow exponentially as a character in this book, and by the end I actually grew to like him quite a bit.

I wish The Iron Fey was a series like that of my youth, like Sweet Valley High or The Babysitters Club, where a new book came out every month or so. The universe is so beautifully developed, and I wish every intriguing background character had a chance to shine in their own fully-formed story.

Bravo to Julie Kagawa for creating a unique, stand-out fantasy series in a genre that's quite overrun. :tips hat:

In My Mailbox (41)

In My Mailbox is a weekly event hosted by  The Story Siren.

I only have a a few books to talk about this week:

Won:

The Storm at the Door by Stefan Merrill Block.


From the library:

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, The Apothecary by Maile Meloy & The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater.

What's in your mailbox this week?

Visual Inspiration (16)

Inspired by Australian author Steph Bowe I share my visual inspiration when the mood hits me. None of these photos belong to me.

On Critique Partners

Source

When I "attended" WriteOn Con, and one of the biggest things I took away from it was my precious need to be "ready" before I tried to find a critique partner. I don't mean ready in the terms of my manuscript being in good enough shape, but I mean reading it over fifty times and checking for every typo before I let anyone else read it.

I responded to a couple of posts looking for critique partners in the forums, and I ended up hooking up with Kelly. Trying out a new critique partner is kind of like dating. You're a little guarded, as you talk about your work, but hope for the best. After discussing our work, we exchanged pages, and thankfully, we both liked each other's work. Now we exchange pages every week and chat about our writing every Monday.

It's working really well! I figured I might have to go through a couple CP's before I found one that worked for me, but :knocks wood: things are working well. Her strengths are my weaknesses, and vice versa. We come from different backgrounds, so I'm able to expose her to books that she might not have read, and she's able to tell me when she thinks my MS might be a little too risque.

Do I take her advice in every instance? No. But it's nice to have someone very different from me read my book, since obviously a lot of my potential readers will be too.

I've also found that I'm a pretty good editor. I really enjoy reading her manuscript and pointing out how to make it better.

I'm so glad I just took the jump and sought out a critique partner. She's already helped me grow as a writer, and she's said I've done the same for her.

How'd you find your critique partner(s)?

Road Trip Wednesday (1)

I've seen the Road Trip Wednesday feature on YA Highway for ages now, but I never got around to participating. Well, that's going to change, starting now!


This week's topic:

What's your numero-uno reason for writing?


This photo sums it up:

I've loved to write since I was a small child, but never thought that I could be published. I told myself I wasn't strong enough to face the hard work to get published, and then the criticism that comes once you are published. Well, about two years ago I told that little voice (fear, of course) to take a hike. I'd rather go through the experience of not getting published and have it not happen, then just sit back and dream about it. I've overcome a lot of fears since I started on this journey, and I know that as I progress towards being a published author, I will only continue to slay fears like some sort of Buffy the Vampire Slayer fear slayer.

I really admire anyone who chases after their dream, be it to be a writer or open a restaurant. Even if you fail, you don't have that "what-if" question anymore. Life is too short to be afraid of your dreams, no matter how big or small they may be.

Review: The Faerie Ring by Kiki Hamilton

The Faerie Ring-Kiki Hamilton
Publisher: Tor Teen
Publication Date: September 27, 2011
Source: Review copy provided by publisher
Of note: Debut Author Challenge #13, YA Historical Fiction Challenge Book #7
Author website



Debut novelist Kiki Hamilton takes readers from the gritty slums and glittering ballrooms of Victorian London to the beguiling but menacing Otherworld of the Fey in this spellbinding tale of romance, suspense, and danger. 
The year is 1871, and Tiki has been making a home for herself and her family of orphans in a deserted hideaway adjoining Charing Cross Station in central London. Their only means of survival is by picking pockets. One December night, Tiki steals a ring, and sets off a chain of events that could lead to all-out war with the Fey. For the ring belongs to Queen Victoria, and it binds the rulers of England and the realm of Faerie to peace. With the ring missing, a rebel group of faeries hopes to break the treaty with dark magic and blood—Tiki’s blood.
Unbeknownst to Tiki, she is being watched—and protected—by Rieker, a fellow thief who suspects she is involved in the disappearance of the ring. Rieker has secrets of his own, and Tiki is not all that she appears to be. Her very existence haunts Prince Leopold, the Queen’s son, who is driven to know more about the mysterious mark that encircles her wrist.
Prince, pauper, and thief—all must work together to secure the treaty…

(Goodreads)

Victorian England is one of my favorite periods in history, so when I first heard about The Faerie Ring, I figured it would be right up my alley. I really enjoyed the story of Tiki (aka Tara) and her life on the streets of London, pick-pocketing to support her and the other children she's living with. She's just scored a great haul of bread and cheese when she discovers a beautiful ring that she thinks is the answers to all her problems. She can sell it and finally get off the streets! Unfortunately for her, finding the ring lands her into a world full of danger.

I really liked Tiki as a strong, female protagonist who really knows what she wants. I also couldn't help but love Rieker, because he was unreliable and honestly I didn't know if he was trustworthy, the author kept me guessing. The supporting characters of Tiki's "family", the other kids she's living with, were well-fleshed out as well.

My only issue with this book was that at times the pacing was slow, and now that I know that this is the first book in a series, I can see why. There's a beginning, middle and end, but you can get the sense that this is just the beginning of a story that is going to get more exciting as it continues.

Overall, I really enjoyed The Fairie Ring, and can't wait to read further books in the series!

Review: Virtuosity by Jessica Martinez

Virtuosity-Jessica Martinez
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publication Date: October 18, 2011
Source: GalleyGrab
Of Note: Debut Author Challenge #12
Author website

Now is not the time for Carmen to fall in love. And Jeremy is hands-down the wrong guy for her to fall for. He is infuriating, arrogant, and the only person who can stand in the way of Carmen getting the one thing she wants most: to win the prestigious Guarneri competition. Carmen's whole life is violin, and until she met Jeremy, her whole focus was winning. But what if Jeremy isn't just hot...what if Jeremy is better?
Carmen knows that kissing Jeremy can't end well, but she just can't stay away. Nobody else understands her--and riles her up--like he does. Still, she can't trust him with her biggest secret: She is so desperate to win she takes anti-anxiety drugs to perform, and what started as an easy fix has become a hungry addiction. Carmen is sick of not feeling anything on stage and even more sick of always doing what she’s told, doing what's expected.

I usually have no problem writing book reviews. I only review the books I love, and usually the words come pretty quickly. This review didn't, and I think it's because there were so many things I loved about this book.

I love when a novel surprises me, and Virtuosity did just that. I had a feeling what I was getting with this novel: a light romance, a young musician pushed to the brink, and a sweeping conclusion. I did get all that, but this novel wasn't predictable. The ending took me by surprise, and I love it when you can't quite peg the intentions of the romantic interest.

Jeremy does seem like kind of a douchebag when we meet him, but as he and Carmen get to know each other, he begins to show his hand, and without giving away too much, I'll say that his motivations surprised me.

Also surprising was Carmen's  mother. She's a stage mother, but also a retired performer, who will do anything to make sure Carmen succeeds, despite what it might be doing to her daughter.

You won't be able to stop reading this book, so I suggest picking it up on a day where you don't have anything else to do.

"Stealing" Inspiration

I'm the type of person that finds inspiration in the strangest places. Once in awhile, I'll watch something on TV, or read a book that catches my eye. I'll be inspired by one small thing and it'll turn into something completely different in my mind. Let me show you were I've gleaned a lot of inspiration from in recent months:

If you follow me on Twitter, it should be no surprise that I'm going to talk about FNL. My husband tried to get me to watch this show for a year, and I brushed it off saying, "Football, meh!" Yeah, I know, I was wrong. So, so wrong.

FNL is like a really great YA novel turned into a television series. The characters are believable, and so are the parents. Not all the parents are perfect, but Coach Taylor and his wife Tami are pretty much the perfect, flawed parents that I'd want any of my protagonists to have. Over the course of the series only a few of the kids stay the series, as they move on to college and to life outside of West Texas.

I was devouring several FNL episodes a day when an idea formed in my mind. Last year I wrote a YA ghost story that didn't pan out, but I loved the couple in that book so much I knew I'd put them in a story someday. Over the course of a few days, a perfectly formed idea for this new story came. Does it have anything to do with football or Texas? Nope, not at all. One of my characters plays football, but that's about it.

I was inspired by this series because the characters are real, and I adore them all, warts and all. I think if you're writing contemporary YA, you really should give this series a try, because I think that it gets most things right.

Where have you "stolen" ideas from?

In My Mailbox (39)

In My Mailbox is a weekend event hosted by The Story Siren.

From Paperback Swap:

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

From the library:

All You Desire by Kirsten Miller, Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer, The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson & Blood Magic by Tessa Gratton.

Won:

MWF Seeking BFF by Rachel Bertsche


Thanks to Ballantine Books!

TGIF (4)

This week I'm participating in TGIF, hosted by GReads!

Happy Friday, everyone! This week's question from Ginger:

Show & Tell: Where do you grab a book and get lost in it? Show us your favorite spot you like to read at.

Since I own my house with my husband, I can really read anywhere I want to. But, I have two main places where I read. My bed (which as I write this, still has my husband in it) and my couch.

 

The couch is a hand-me-down from my in-laws. One day I hope we can get one of those nice couches with a chaise seat on the end, but for now, this will do. I get a lot of sunlight in from my backdoor, so it makes a very cozy place to read. 

I expounded on how much I love the Marie Antionette soundtrack on Tune in Tuesday.
I talked about my grandmothers when I reviewed Adriana Trigani's Don't Sing at the Table.
Do we become what we believe? I talked about whether I believe this on Thursday.
I also shared my visual inspiration.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Visual Inspiration (15)

Inspired by Australian author Steph Bowe I share my visual inspiration when the mood hits me. None of these photos belong to me.