I love books. Always have, always will. It's a trait that my husband and I both share. It's a trait we passed down to our daughter. There is nothing like reading a book. I love where the imagination can take you when intermingled with the right words. You take my family to the bookstore and we will most likely want more than anyone can really afford in books.
Lately, I am getting really into reading again (since school starts on Tuesday for my little one) and will now open up a bit more time for me during the day to write and to read. I plan on doing other things, but mostly I'll be hopefully writing and reading.
I, for some reason, come across a site every few days on book reviews and they will have a giveaway! I love this other review site, A Reader's Ramblings. It's an awesome site! The blogger for this site also works on the Eve's Fan Garden site that is mentioned in my last two posts. But our lovely Reader is having a contest! Go check it out! Click here for contest.
Such a great site! Also, check out The Book Bundle soon for my review of the book, Fallen by Lauren Kate.
And yes, I do have a writing update and writing post coming soon. My life is not totally consumed by winning books (although I have won a few books this past month, it's like they want me to read them!)
Ciao!
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Learning A Lot About Myself and About My Writing
This week on Eve's Fan Garden, a website for reviews on books, movies, music, and lots of interviews and contests, they are having what's called the Midsummer Night's Chat. They have tons of Author Guest Blogs--and I mean A LOT of them. And today's featured the subject of the strong female protagonist. Well, I have female protagonists (well, all of my stories have them but one) and still, I always felt like there was something missing from my characters. Now that I look back at them, I can't see their strengths now--yeah, some of them have small strengths here and there, but right now, at the stages of the story they are in, they don't have that much.
Geez, my first female protagonist, Catherine "Cat", is a wuss. The only strength I know she has is the one that saves her and her best friend at one point in the story from the villain. Still, that's the ONLY part where she shows her strength. She's a good dancer, yes, and that helps her physically through her training as she learns her powers, but nevertheless, where's the emotional and mental strength? I think she gets it more on in the next couple of books when she learns where she comes from as she researches her family ties and later on in the last book where there is a big old battle with the enemy and there is a lot of death on both sides. However, I now know I need to look back at her and her story and go, "Now, where are you hiding your strength?"
Then there is my other female protagonist, Emma. She's incredibly shy and quiet, but if put up to the task, she can get the job done and stand up for herself and speak out. That's rarely ever needed from her though. I believe her strength is more along the lines of being selfless and helping her dad out for three years after her mom dies instead of going off to college. Out of all my characters I've created, and even though she is also the most stubborn, Emma is my favorite. I don't think I'd keep on going with my stories if she weren't in my head.
And also the authors who blogged talked about our own human selves and how these strong female protagonists help us as well in our lives. I love to think of them as examples and as I go through my life or watch my daughter grow up, I think of situations that some of these characters go through in their stories and try to remember how they got out of it. Yes, some of these things are outlandish because I read Young Adult Paranormal Romance (that's because that's what I am writing), but I still like to see and remember the logic and the attitudes that were held through the situations.
How about you? What do you think makes a strong character? Who are your favorite characters of strength? How do you go about helping your weak characters stronger so they can move forward? Just some food for thought.
Ciao!
Geez, my first female protagonist, Catherine "Cat", is a wuss. The only strength I know she has is the one that saves her and her best friend at one point in the story from the villain. Still, that's the ONLY part where she shows her strength. She's a good dancer, yes, and that helps her physically through her training as she learns her powers, but nevertheless, where's the emotional and mental strength? I think she gets it more on in the next couple of books when she learns where she comes from as she researches her family ties and later on in the last book where there is a big old battle with the enemy and there is a lot of death on both sides. However, I now know I need to look back at her and her story and go, "Now, where are you hiding your strength?"
Then there is my other female protagonist, Emma. She's incredibly shy and quiet, but if put up to the task, she can get the job done and stand up for herself and speak out. That's rarely ever needed from her though. I believe her strength is more along the lines of being selfless and helping her dad out for three years after her mom dies instead of going off to college. Out of all my characters I've created, and even though she is also the most stubborn, Emma is my favorite. I don't think I'd keep on going with my stories if she weren't in my head.
And also the authors who blogged talked about our own human selves and how these strong female protagonists help us as well in our lives. I love to think of them as examples and as I go through my life or watch my daughter grow up, I think of situations that some of these characters go through in their stories and try to remember how they got out of it. Yes, some of these things are outlandish because I read Young Adult Paranormal Romance (that's because that's what I am writing), but I still like to see and remember the logic and the attitudes that were held through the situations.
How about you? What do you think makes a strong character? Who are your favorite characters of strength? How do you go about helping your weak characters stronger so they can move forward? Just some food for thought.
Ciao!
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Come Check Out The Book Bundle and Eve's Fan Garden
There's a contest going on the bundle right now! Hurry up and get your entries in. And you can also check out my review for Linger by Maggie Stiefvater, the sequel to Shiver (which I also reviewed).
Go check it out!
Eve's Fan Garden
Right now they have a really cool contest to win a book called Stolen by Lucy Christopher that I am dying to read.
Go to the link to enter the contest yourself! Should be tons of fun! Good luck! Stolen Contest by Eve's Fan Garden
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Exactly My Idea of Fun
It is one month since my last post.
How crazy is that?
Really crazy. Want to know why? Because I have been busy out of my gord trying to relearn how to manage my time around here.
And get back into writing.
But you know what?
I have made it my goal to finish my project that I am working on now by the end of this week and be done with it.
Then this entire summer I am going to hold my own version of National Novel Writing Month (that is held in November). But this will be my Snippety Summer of Writing. I really need to get back into it and I've been asked about it a few times now. So my solution. Write. I am going to take charge of my time, and begin my creative writing and get back into it.
Truly, I did stop because I did get into a rut about writing an old Civil War style love letter, but after watching and rewatching some of my favorite chick flicks (like Pride and Prejudice, 50 First Dates, Sense and Sensibility, Emma, Jane Eyre, The Notebook--especially this one), I have come to the conclusion that the sound of the words being put together will be the hardest to do but that love letters never expire on their feelings. If I can tune into those feelings (won't be hard, I'm married to my Edward, my Sam--the one from Linger, my Gale/Peeta, my Mr. Darcy) I can get it done.
I am so ready to push the restart button on my writing skills and get into gear. I have sent my best friend in Utah my manuscript for my very first vampire story (that I plan possibly to just self publish to see how things go with it because for one, my friend is awesome at editing--and two, I want to use the makeshift cover I made for it because I believe it sets the tone for it more than I think a publisher would actually do for it.)
I want back in and my mind and the weather outside and my heart all tell me it's time to pick up the quill again and get back into gear. I am going to read to my heart's content, study how author's choose the way their story arcs will go and adapt it to my styles.
And since it's been a while since I've posted anything, I'll post a little snippet of my vampire story I sent to my friend to edit.
Ciao!
How crazy is that?
Really crazy. Want to know why? Because I have been busy out of my gord trying to relearn how to manage my time around here.
And get back into writing.
But you know what?
I have made it my goal to finish my project that I am working on now by the end of this week and be done with it.
Then this entire summer I am going to hold my own version of National Novel Writing Month (that is held in November). But this will be my Snippety Summer of Writing. I really need to get back into it and I've been asked about it a few times now. So my solution. Write. I am going to take charge of my time, and begin my creative writing and get back into it.
Truly, I did stop because I did get into a rut about writing an old Civil War style love letter, but after watching and rewatching some of my favorite chick flicks (like Pride and Prejudice, 50 First Dates, Sense and Sensibility, Emma, Jane Eyre, The Notebook--especially this one), I have come to the conclusion that the sound of the words being put together will be the hardest to do but that love letters never expire on their feelings. If I can tune into those feelings (won't be hard, I'm married to my Edward, my Sam--the one from Linger, my Gale/Peeta, my Mr. Darcy) I can get it done.
I am so ready to push the restart button on my writing skills and get into gear. I have sent my best friend in Utah my manuscript for my very first vampire story (that I plan possibly to just self publish to see how things go with it because for one, my friend is awesome at editing--and two, I want to use the makeshift cover I made for it because I believe it sets the tone for it more than I think a publisher would actually do for it.)
I want back in and my mind and the weather outside and my heart all tell me it's time to pick up the quill again and get back into gear. I am going to read to my heart's content, study how author's choose the way their story arcs will go and adapt it to my styles.
And since it's been a while since I've posted anything, I'll post a little snippet of my vampire story I sent to my friend to edit.
“I’m ready,” I said in confidence. Of course, my hands were now starting to sweat a little and my conscience was telling me in the back of my mind that I was being stupid, but there was nothing that would change my mind.I hope you like that little preview from Flare of the Sun. Have a great beginning to your summer break and don't be afraid to let me know what you think of the little snippet. Maybe I'll pull a Stephenie Meyer thing when I get closer to finishing and doing what I want with that story that I'll post quotes until the day it's available. It is 1 of 3 with a prelude book ahead of it. Maybe one day I'll post my cover idea for it. Or we'll have a vote on titles if I decide to change it, but for now, I like it all the way it is.
As we drove toward my possibly impending death, I just focused my mind on the road and thought of Lisa.
Ciao!
Monday, May 3, 2010
Off Topic
But it's still a good topic! Go to www.jamieoliver.com and sign the Food Revolution petition.
I know this is WAY off topic of writing, but ever since I got my own kitchen and have been preparing a lot of food on my own, I really try to watch what I've been eating. Not just for me, but for my family.
I have been addicted to this show since it started! And to really show how it's worked on me and my family. I spend a bit more time looking through the produce at the grocery store when I go instead of the candy and cookie aisle. :) The produce is the first thing I look at in my ads I get in the mail as well. Even though it may make my groceries a bit more on the edge of my budget sheet, I'm slowly getting into the food revolution. I've had my ups and downs in it, but that's also because I love to bake and I love to bake things with chocolate in it. ;)
But go to Jamie Oliver's website and sign the petition! I have. He wants to get 1 million signatures for this to take to OUR United States Congress. A little over 570,000 people have signed it. So, obviously for this to really help us, our children, and our future generations, we all need to start little by little. Start your own food revolution by buying more fresh produce, growing your own gardens (that are pretty to look at and also some edible stuff) and start cooking more at home. I've noticed a difference with homemade meals vs. the fast food I still eat. Plus--cooking is fun whether you live on your own or you make it a family ordeal.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)