What's Up Wednesday

What's Up Wednesday

Posted by Raven M on 11:04 AM in birthday, college life, goals, inspiration, love in the time of comic con, reading, unfair, what's up wednesday, writing,

 

What's Up Wednesday is a weekly meme started by Jaime Morrow and Erin Funk where writers post about what's up by answering four questions. If you want to participate, you can click on either one of the links.

WHAT I'M READING

 

I finished reading On the Fence by Kasie West a few days ago (it might've been Monday but I'm not sure lol) and I HIGHLY RECOMMEND  IT (yes, the caps were necessary). It was such a sweet book and it's a perfect read for the summer. I only wish that I was able to sit on the beach and read it but that's the reality of living in Pennsylvania. It may be considered 'east coast' but I don't actually live on the coast. So no beaches for me. Either way, On the Fence was a great book to read curled up on the couch and I'm sure it would be great to read in other places too. I hope you guys check it out when it releases in July.

As of now I'm still reading The Swan and the Jackal by J. A. Redmerski. It's taking me forever to read because I keep getting distracted by other books. And Ruin & Rising just released so I know that in order for me to get it, I must finish this first. Otherwise, I'll kick it to the curb because I've been waiting for R&R for what feels like a very long time.

 

 

 

WHAT I'M WRITING

 

I did get some writing done but it wasn't Unfair-related. I was doing some reading up on how to handle those pesky shiny new ideas and most people have been saying that if you spend some time getting it 'out of your system' then you should be okay. I gave myself a day to work on Love in the Time of Comic Con, a YA Contemp idea (you can find out more about it here) that's been bugging me for a few days now and I ended up writing about 5K for it. It's at a point where I feel comfortable enough to leave it alone but I know that if I ever need a break from Unfair, I'll set a timer, work on it for maybe an hour, and then once that time is up, I'll go back to working on my main project. I don't feel the urge to work on any SNIs, surprisingly, so I'm really excited about getting back to Unfair (maybe that mini break was exactly what I needed). I don't know how much I'll get done today since I'm going out with my mom later, so we'll see.

 

 

WHAT INSPIRES ME RIGHT NOW

 

I'm going to have to say storytelling. I have had that song Rude by MAGIC! stuck in my head for a few days now and so I decided to listen to it because strangely that's what helps me get a song out of my head. Anyways, I found an acoustic version on YouTube and the lead singer was talking about how the story behind the song was made up and that none of them have actually experienced any of what the guy in the music video/song was going through. Him saying that reminded me a lot of how I feel about writing. I usually write stories that have nothing to do with me. My main characters aren't anything like me and I do that on purpose. In my opinion, storytelling isn't storytelling if you don't challenge yourself to tell a story that isn't your own. In other words, I don't want to write an autobiography. Maybe there are elements of my life that I use as a basis for my characters but being able to use those elements to create a character that is their own person is what I love so much about storytelling.

 

WHAT ELSE I'VE BEEN UP TO

 

My birthday (excluding today) is in three days! I went out for lunch to celebrate with my mom and two of my cousins yesterday since my mom works on weekends and my birthday unfortunately falls on Saturday this year. I'll most likely spend the day reading Ruin & Rising because I don't really do much on my actual birthday anyway. But my mom and I are going out for dinner later on, which I'm really excited about. These last few days being a teenager weren't as scary as I thought they would be, only because I know I'm still going to be the same kid when I'm twenty. I mean, just because you get older, it doesn't necessarily mean you have to grow up completely.

 

I've been worried about not having enough money for next year since I'm changing campuses and the one I'm going to is a little bit more expensive. But I got an email saying to check my financial aid and thankfully the university has given me a scholarship and a grant which pretty much took care of the rest of my tuition. That was some much-needed good news because I've been bummed about not being able to find a job (started looking for one in the beginning of May) because I'm in college. That's the answer I've been getting a lot, which sucks, but it's a relief to know that at least my tuition is taken care of.

 

Thanks for reading! 

Continue Reading

What's Up Wednesday

What's Up Wednesday

Posted by Raven M on 9:57 AM in inspiration, reading, supernatural, unfair, what's up wednesday, writing,

What's Up Wednesday is a weekly meme started by Jaime Morrow and Erin Funk where writers post about what's up by answering four questions. If you want to participate, you can click on either one of the links.

 

WHAT I'M READING

 

The Swan and the Jackal by R. A. Redmerski. I started it about a week and a half ago and it usually only takes me a few days (or one, depending on the book) to read something. However, I've been more preoccupied with my own story which sucks but hopefully I will be able to get back to reading this week. I also received an ARC of On the Fence by Kasie West a few days ago, and I'm excited to read it because it's on my TBR list and it's YA Contemporary, which is something I haven't read in a really long time.

 

WHAT I'M WRITING

 

Unfair has always had a prologue but after reading over the old one, I decided that it didn't fit the story that I wanted to tell so I scraped it and wrote a few sentences in Snow White's POV instead. Before it was told from the Prince's POV about his first encounter with Snow White, and it just didn't seem to do anything for the story. Even though my WIP isn't about Snow White, she does play a major role in main plot so it only seems right to start there. I also took some notes on the world-building, backstory, and the relationships each of the characters have with each other. So this week, so far, has been surprisingly productive. I can't wait to see what I have done by next week's RSW check-in.

 

WHAT INSPIRES ME RIGHT NOW

 

A number of things have been inspiring me this week:

 

For one, Thistle and Weeds by Mumford & Sons has been on repeat ever since I first heard it on YouTube yesterday. I was always aware of this band but I've never actually listened to their music. Then I listened to White Blank Page and the rest was history. I really love this particular song because it fits my story so perfectly. It just doesn't tell the story of one character either, which is what I love about it. I hear it and I think about each of my character's individual stories and it's truly an awesome thing when you find a song that allows you to do that.





 

 

The original Snow White story is always an inspiration for me because even though this is a retelling, I do want to make sure that my story keeps the dark elements of the original tale. While I like Disney, their version of the tale written by the Grimm Brothers doesn't really intrigue me like the original does. I also have a fairytale book (didn't know I had it until I found it the other day) with a translation of the original Snow White in it, so I've been reading over that a lot lately.

 

 

When I was first coming up with the idea for the story, one of the questions I asked (after figuring out who Snow White was and what she would do) was: how does her actions affect the rest of the world? So coming up with the backstory and trying to piece together my own world by using our world as a blueprint has been very interesting. I want to draw a map so I can visualize where I want everything to be but...my drawing skills aren't that great when it comes to map-making haha.

 

WHAT ELSE I'VE BEEN UP TO

 

We're most likely moving before the end of the summer so I've been helping my mom pack up some of the things we don't need out anymore and throwing away old stuff. I found some of my old stories from when I was in high school and the years before that. It's always interesting to see what kind of writer I was back then and even more than that - what kind of person. I'm a much different person now than I was then but I am also still the same in some ways. So looking back on my younger self was a lot like saying hello to an old friend and that was nice, especially since I'll be hitting another milestone in ten days. My birthday is on the 21st and I will be the big 2-0. Haha, okay. Maybe it's not that big of a deal but I can't wait to see what my twenties has in store for me.

 

I've also been re-watching Supernatural obsessively. So far, I have watched it every summer since I've started college so it's sorta kinda like an obsession tradition. Not only does it make me wish I had a sibling to go on a 'road trip' and fight monsters with but it's also teaching me a lot about character development. Since I'm an only child and don't know much about sibling relationships, accept for what I read/see in real life or on TV, Sam/Dean's relationship is really helping me with the dynamics of my MC's relationship with her sister. There are people who don't like Supernatural (and I just look at those people like: O.O) but even if you're one of those people, there is no denying that all of the main characters have grown throughout each season and it's a wonderful thing to watch and to learn from.

 

Thanks for reading! :)

Continue Reading

What's Up Wednesday

What's Up Wednesday

Posted by Raven M on 9:29 AM in college life, diversity, inspiration, reading, ready. set. write!, the girl of fire and thorns, unfair, what's up wednesday, writing,

 

What's Up Wedneday is a weekly meme started by Jaime Morrow and Erin Funk where writers post about what's up by answering four questions. If you want to participate go here:

WHAT I'M READING

 

I'm still reading The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson.



 

 

 

 

 

WHAT I'M WRITING

 

I'm still at the same wordcount as Friday, less than 600 words from the 25K mark. (I posted my What's Up Wednesday post on Friday because I was out of town that week, and couldn't post it earlier.) I did, however, rework the opening of Unfair and post it on WriteOnCon. You can read it here. I got a lot of great feedback, and even though I am nowhere near finished with Unfair, the opening is starting to look a lot better. If you posted anything on WriteOnCon, and you want a critique, feel free to post a link in the comments, and I'll try to get to it.

 

 

WHAT INSPIRES ME RIGHT NOW

 

I love this post about Diversity in Writing by Ellen Cho. She hits on a lot of great points, and I think everyone should read it.

 

I have to say that I love it when people in the writing community talk about diversity. I run across a lot of racist people on the internet, and though it's never been directed towards me, some of the things that people say to other people still hurt. There are times when I just want to give up the internet because of all of those things, but then I remember the community I am apart of. No I don't know A LOT of writers but the ones I *know* and the ones I see post on writing-related forums or articles are so respectful and kind and eager to learn. I can't explain how much that inspires me; how much that makes me feel like the world we live in won't always be the way that it is.

 

Speaking of the writing community, I am glad to have written with y'all this summer. I honestly don't know where Unfair would be if I hadn't stumbled across What's Up Wednesday/Ready. Set. Write! I don't think I would've gotten any writing done. I started this summer feeling down because I couldn't find the story that stuck. Now I have characters that I truly love, and the drive to actually finish this story. I couldn't have gotten to this point without everyone's support. Thank you.

 

And a HUGE thank you to Alison, Elodie, Katy, Jaime, and Erin! My writing care packages came and they made me so happy. There are a lot of great things that I can't wait to use to finish Unfair. Ready. Set. Write! was a great idea, and I'm so glad that I was apart of it.

 

WHAT ELSE I'VE BEEN UP TO

 

School shopping! I spent the whole of yesterday going from store to store, getting things that I need for this semester, and I got most of what I need, which is good because I LOATHE shopping. The less time I have to spend in a store, the better.

 

I go back to school next Wednesday so this might be my last What's Up Wednesday/Ready. Set. Write! post for a while. Once I get settled into school and get a feel for the semester, I'm going to work out a schedule, so I can write and still stay on top of school work.

 

I'm going to miss having loads of free time but I am really excited about going back to school. People look at me funny when I say this. There are a lot of people who don't like school and that's understandable. College is stressful. I can't begin to count how many nights I've stayed up until three o'clock in the morning studying or trying to finish an assignment. But college is also A LOT of fun. Plus, I have a suite with two of my friends. Freshman year, I really couldn't connect with my roommate, so it's going to be fun having not just one but two roommates that are my friends.

 

 

Thanks for reading! How was your writing week?

 

Continue Reading

What's Up...Friday?

What's Up...Friday?

Posted by Raven M on 11:45 AM in college, inspiration, penn state, reading, teaser, the girl of fire and thorns, unfair, update, what's up wednesday, wip, worldbuilding, writing,

Since I didn't get a chance to post an update on Wednesday, here's my What's Up Wednesday post two days late.


WHAT I'M READING

The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson. I am LOVING this book. Elisa is one of the first realistic female MCs that I've read in a very long time. I love that she likes food and is smart. I love that she has morals and that even though she grew up sheltered, she is not using her upringing to stop her from fulfilling her potential. The writing is great and even though I am not very religious, I like the religious undertones that the story has. I highly recommend this book if you're looking for a YA Fantasy that doesn't 'sugarcoat' the harshness of living in a fantasy world and has a main character who grows from a sheltered princess to a hero.

WHAT I'M WRITING

My writing has been put on hold for a few days because I was out of town* but I wrote 2, 834 words last week which brought my word count up to 24, 431. I am so close to the 25K mark that I can taste it and it's hard to believe that I didn't have any idea what I wanted to write when the summer started.


        The alto nascidos (highborns) didn’t share our superstitions. They would want to cut out their tongues if they found out that they were eating pigeons, but we’d never let them find out. Working in the kitchen wouldn’t be fun, if we were no longer able to have a good laugh at their expense.

“Did something happen in Artao?” Wynn asked.

I tried to keep my voice measured. There was no use in lying, especially since it wasn’t my strong suit. Wynn would be able to tell I was hiding something if I answered his question falsely, so I asked him a question instead. “Why do you ask?”

His shoulders rose, then fell. Strands of his hair blew into his eyes. It was more gold than red. I suspect the sun was to blame for that. He’s changed since we were kids. Then he was a pale boy with clear eyes, and hair that was almost as red as his cheeks. Now his skin is tanned from the Southern sun, and his eyes are muddied with memories of war. “That man, the crippled one…” He stopped, thinking over his words. “He looked at you in a strange way.”

I smiled but it didn’t feel genuine.“Maybe he’s never seen a girl wearing pants before.”

“Maybe.” He looked up at me from underneath his long, thick eyelashes. “Those men wanted to kill us. If I didn’t take down that archer in time, we wouldn’t be having this conversation right now.”

“They were Calyans. They live for a good brawl.”

His eyebrows furrowed. “How do you know they were from Calyo?”

I searched around for an answer, not wanting him to call me on my lie. “One of the archer’s arrows hit Shadow. When I pulled it out of his thigh, I noticed that it was made of wood. They don’t believe in fighting with weapons but when they do use them they’re always made out of wood.”

Wynn turned to look at Shadow; his eyes moving over him, as if he were trying to figure out how he could be walking upright with an injured leg. I wondered the same thing. Shira’s words still echoed in my ear. But he isn’t just a horse.

WHAT INSPIRES ME RIGHT NOW

The worldbuilding in The Girl of Fire and Thorns. As I have mentioned before,  Unfair is set (partly)in a 'country' called Solterra (which is a combination of the Portuguese words for 'sun' and 'land') and Solterra is inspired by Cape Verde, an island country off the coast of West Africa. I am still trying to figure out how I can make the language unique to my story but for now I have been trying to teach myself Portuguese (it's the official language of Cape Verde), and throwing a few Portuguese words in every now and then. It helps that I know a little Spanish because some of the words are similar. But...I kept debating about whether I should keep everything strictly in English, then I started reading TGoFaT and it inspired me to give incorporating another language a try. I hope that I can somehow make it my own later on but for now I think it helps add to the setting of the story.

*WHAT I'VE BEEN UP TO

I was at a leadership conference in State College, PA which is why I wasn't able to put up a What's Up Wednesday post. Since I am an orientation leader and the newly appointed Student Affairs Director for my campus, I had to go to a leadership conference to prepare for both positions, and while I had loads of fun meeting people from other Penn State campuses, I also learned a lot about being a leader, and came up with a few ideas for what I would like to achieve during my term as the new Student Affairs Director.

It's my last year at my current campus (I'll be transferring to University Park next Fall), so I really want to make a difference while I'm still there, and hopefully inspire the newcoming freshmen to get involved in clubs and be active in the collegiate community.

While I was away, I found out that 'Glass House', a story I wrote for a teen writing contest is a finalist! This news seriously made my week and I'm happy that, even if my story doesn't win, I at least got this far.


Thanks for reading!

Continue Reading

What's Up Wednesday

What's Up Wednesday

Posted by Raven M on 1:08 AM in inspiration, reading, ready. set. write!, siege and storm, teaser, unfair, what's up wednesday, writing,

What's Up Wednesday is a weekly meme started by Jaime Morrow and Erin Funk where writers post about what's up by answering four questions. If you want to participate go here.

WHAT I'M READING 

Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo! FINALLY. I have been waiting to read this book for a very long time, and boy was the wait worth it. I'm not too far in but I am enjoying it. Also, Sturmhond is my new favorite character.






WHAT I'M WRITING

I reached (and surpassed) 20K!!! Last week Unfair was at 18, 560 words, this week I was able to bump that up to 21, 597 words. That's 3,037 words written for those of you who like numbers. Since I didn't share a teaser last week, I'll post one today. Keep in mind that this is the first draft.

Background: Camellia (my MC) is on a ship that appears out of thin air and carries goods collected from different parts of the kingdom. The Queen gave the merchants who sail the ship reign over the sea, but no one knows where they came from. In this scene, Camellia is talking to one of the merchants. (Spoiler: The merchants are sirens. Also, her sword is made out of pure gold. A strange woman gave it to her in an earlier scene.)


         “You have a sharp tongue,” he said, and I could hear a semblance of a smile in his voice. Only I couldn’t be sure. One look and he’ll drive me mad. The chuckle that resonates in his throat sounds empty, as if he had pulled it out of a soul that hadn’t been there for many years.

“My tongue isn’t the only thing that's sharp.” I held up my sword. “What could I buy with this?”

“Half of this ship if you wanted.”

“I need iron.”

“I tell you that you can buy half of this ship, and you want to waste this gold on iron?”

I turn to face him, staring at his chest to keep from meeting his cerulean gaze. “Don’t question what I came here to buy. It’s none of your concern.”

His hand moved up to touch my chin. Fingers grazed the skin there, ever so gently. I would’ve cut each one of them off, if a wave of calm didn’t wash over me in that moment. “Look into my eyes.” That is when I could hear it. The voices. The singing. It replaced every thought that I ever had. It was both beautiful and horrible. It shook me to my core, and it would’ve driven me to madness if there wasn’t something inside of me fighting back.When I finally met his blue-green gaze, his power had no affect on me.

The merchant withdrew his hand. “Impossible,” he whispered.

My Ready. Set. Write! goals for the week? I'm going to keep it small. I want to see if I can write around 1-2K. Will try for more but we'll see.

WHAT INSPIRES ME RIGHT NOW

I have been writing for more than a decade (started writing when I was five) and I don't necessarily worry about ever being published. One day I would love to query and share my stories with other people but for now I am content with writing for me. There are a lot of people who write because they want to be bestselling authors one day, and while it's okay to have dreams, don't let that dream be the only reason you want to write.

I think it's good to remember that you're always going to be a writer. If you don't have an agent or a book deal it doesn't make you less of a writer, and even if you do have those things, it doesn't make you more of a writer. Once you commit yourself to writing a story; once you write that first word and never stop then, from that moment on, you are a writer for life. It doesn't matter if you get paid to do it or not. As long as you're writing for yourself first, nothing else matters.

I don't want to ramble but just having the ability to think up stories, build worlds, and create different characters inspires me every day. Storytelling is what has gotten me through childhood, high school, and my approaching adulthood. Being a writer is awesome, so whenever you're feeling down, remember that. Always remember that.


WHAT I'VE BEEN UP TO

I'm an Executive Scholar for a non-profit organization in Pittsburgh that gives out scholarships to kids who do well in high school and attend Pittsburgh public schools from kindgergarten up.

To celebrate getting through the first year of college, the organization gave me and other Executive Scholars free tickets to the game and we got to meet the players, hang out in the VIP suite, and to make a long story short, I had a blast, and the Pirates won!!!! They beat the Cardinals 9 - 1.  It was a great game and an AMAZING day overall. I'm really glad I went.



Top Left: View from the suite, Top Right: A really cute bowl shaped like a baseball cap (I kept it), Bottom Left: View from the Roberto Clemente bridge (that boat just happened to be passing by), Bottom Right: Me walking across the Roberto Clemente bridge after the game (it's a little blurry but I like it).

 I hope everyone had a great writing week!

Thanks for reading. :)



Continue Reading

What's Up Wednesday

What's Up Wednesday

Posted by Raven M on 10:51 AM in diversity, eyre house, inspiration, reading, unfair, what's up wednesday, writing,

What's Up Wednesday is a weekly meme started by Jaime Morrow and Erin Funk where writers post about what's up by answering four questions. If you want to participate go here.

WHAT I'M READING

 

I'm still reading Eyre House. Yes, I know I should be finished with it by now. I honestly don't know what's taking me so long to read it, but I am determined to finish it before the week is over. I have so many other books that I need to read.

 

 

 

 

WHAT I'M WRITING

 

Unfair is still coming along...slowly. But it's better to move at a slow pace than at no pace, I guess. 20K seemed like an easy enough goal to reach but for some reason I didn't reach it. I did, however, bring last week's wordcount (15,981) up to 18, 560. That's 2, 579 words for people who like numbers. So I guess that's not too bad. I'll try to do better this week though.

 

 

WHAT INSPIRES ME RIGHT NOW

 

This post by Stacey Kade, Writing to the End of Your Story. There are a lot of times when I have doubts about my story, and times when I just want to start from scratch, start the story over and try to make everything perfect. I am a huge perfectionist but I know that if I don't keep moving forward, chances are I am going to get stuck and this story won't get told. So I'm going to try my best to write to the end of this story. First drafts don't have to be perfect. You can't fix a blank page (or Word doc) so it's better to get everything out first, and then work on fixing it later.
 

 

WHAT ELSE I'VE BEEN UP TO
 

• There is a (small) part of me that wishes that summer vacation for me wasn't almost over but I honestly can't wait to go back to school. I'm eager to start sophomore year, see my friends again, and make so many new memories.
 
• I'm going to a baseball game next week. For those of you who follow baseball, then you know that the Pittsburgh Pirates have been doing really well this season. I get to spend the entire day with the team, which I'm excited about because I get to meet some of my favorite players and *crosses fingers* hopefully get autographs.

• I was interviewed on DiversifYA! If you haven't heard of this blog, I highly recommend that you take a look at it. I'm glad that it exists because often times we label people but we don't care to think about how they see themselves, you know? I think the more we see people for who they are, instead of 'what' they are, the more we'll grow as a society.

 

Thanks for reading! What's going on with you guys?

 



Continue Reading

What's Up Wednesday

What's Up Wednesday

Posted by Raven M on 9:51 AM in diversity in literature, diversity in ya, eyre house, operation diversity, reading, ready. set. write!, unfair, what's up wednesday, writing,

What's Up Wednesday is a weekly meme started by Jaime Morrow and Erin Funk where writers post about what's up by answering four questions. If you want to participate go here.

WHAT I'M READING

 

I'm about a little more than halfway through Eyre House. I haven't had much time to read between writing and doing other things* but I do try to read a little bit eveyday. It's growing on me slowly, and though I don't think it will ever surpass my love for the original story, it is unique and I like the setting. Some of the dialogue is a little strange because I'm not used to people talking like that and even though it still catches me off guard, it's becoming a little bearable. We'll see how I feel about the overall book once I finish it.

WHAT I'M WRITING

 

Last What's Up Wednesday Unfair's wordcount was 12, 406. This week I am happy to report that I was able to raise that to 15, 981. So that's about 3, 575 words. It's not the 5K I wanted to write this week, but it's a lot more than I expected. (I also made a Love List for Unfair).

 

Here's a little teaser. In this scene, Camellia has just arrived at the Port. If you remember from one of the last teaser's Lord Beck asked her to run an errand for him. The queen is offering a reward (more food and supplies) to any of the village's whose blacksmiths make a hundred pairs of iron shoes the fastest (the reason why she needs them will be explained later in the story). The Port (for lack of a better name) is where people go to wait for a ship that carries a lot of valuable things, including iron:

When I reached the Port, the sun was just moving over the water, making the surface shimmer in it’s golden light. There were other horses along the shore, tied to wooden post; their owners either standing beside them or moving through the small crowd talking with other people and waiting for the merchant’s to arrive.

You never knew when the ship would come to port. It was almost as if it appeared out of thin air. It shouldn’t have been hard to miss because of it’s size. It was a large, hulking mass of wood with sails that seemed to stretch across the sky. I used to think the reason why no one ever saw it arrive was because it hid underneath the ocean’s surface, but that was wishful thinking. A boat of it’s size and mass couldn’t possibly rise up out of the sea without anyone noticing.

Part of me wanted to see if I could catch it on the horizon, but if Wynn and Lord Beck had been right about one thing, it was that the Port wasn’t safe. Many people went missing, others were robbed of their gold, horses, and other valuables.

I wouldn’t dear tie Shadow to a post. He was a very fine horse, and I had seen many people eying him upon my arrival. I tightened my grip on his reigns. The only way anyone would be able to take him from me was if I were dead, and even then I’d still put up a fight.

My Ready. Set. Write! goal for the week is to reach 20K, since I didn't get to it last week. I'll figure out my next goal from there.

 

WHAT INSPIRES ME RIGHT NOW



 

My imagination. I'm pantsing Unfair so I have no idea what I'm going to write when I write it. I try to have some idea of how I want the scene to play out beforehand but most times I don't. I'm just focusing on having fun writing this, because this is only the first draft. Maybe some of the things I add to the story won't make it into the next draft or even through revisions but that's okay. The more I let my imagination run wild, the more chances there are that I could write something great.

 

I've learned that every project is different. Some want to be outlined, and others just want to be free.

 

Unfair wants to be free. And pantsing has been working for me so far in the wordcount department. I might have to take some time to 'outline' the last section of the story when I get to it but until then, you know what they say about not fixing things that aren't broke.

 

*WHAT ELSE I'VE BEEN UP TO

 

I've been a little busy lately. I'm in the last stretch of my summer vacation. I move into the dorms August 20th. Classes don't start until a week after that but I'm an Orientation Leader so I have to help the incoming freshman move in, and we have a lot of events planned for them, including a boat ride that I'm really excited about because I didn't get a chance to go during my orientation (I can't believe that was a year ago or that I'm now a sophomore...wow.)

 

Right now I'm taking an inventory of the things I have left over from last semester, and making a list of other things I need. I also have a friend from out of town coming over so we've been trying to do a little bit of cleaning/moving things around in my room to make room for her. I have A LOT of boxes from school that I haven't gotten around to unpacking. So there's that.

 

I also might be a little late getting to everyone's What's Up Wednesday posts. I'm going to go visit my grandma today because she's finally home from her summer of travelling. That lady is always going places! So my mom and I will be spending a day with her.

 

A few days ago, I wrote a short blog post about Operation Diversity. It's a project that Patrice Caldwell and I are putting together. We were supposed to put up a more in-depth post on Monday, but it completely slipped my mind. I was a little down over the weekend (which is why I didn't write as much).  After hearing the outcome of the Zimmerman trial, I just lost a lot of my spark. I didn't want to read or write or do much of anything really. So I just sat on my bed looking at the wall. I prayed for a little bit, and then I started thinking about what I could do.

 

Because we all have a part to play in this society. When people say things like 'well it's the society we live in' they forget that we ARE society. Operation Diversity is an important project to me for many reasons, and it's sad to say, but Trayvon Martin's death has become another reason why I think we all need to do something about the current state of literature for teens and for younger readers, especially.

 

This post from Words explains it better than I can.

 

Maybe adding more diversity in MG/YA won't make an immediate difference but it's a start. We can't change what was done but we can make sure to do better each and every single day of our lives.

 

For the sake of future generations, we have to.

 

(I apologize for making the end of this post depressing. It's just what's been on my mind these last couple of days.)

Continue Reading

What's Up Wednesday

What's Up Wednesday

Posted by Raven M on 3:51 AM in doctor who, eyre house, goals, inspiration, jane eyre, north & south, reading, ready. set. write!, siege and storm, teaser, things left unsaid, unfair, what's up wednesday, writing,

 

What's Up Wednesday is a weekly meme started by Jaime Morrow and Erin Funk where writers post about what's up by answering four questions. If you want to participate go here.

WHAT I'M READING

I finished The 5th Wave a couple of days ago and it blew my mind in so many ways. I've read a lot of good books, but this one it's more than good. It's just...I can't put it into words right now. I tried when I reviewed on Goodreads (don't think I did the book justice), but just know that The 5th Wave is what everyone says it is and more.



I'm supposed to be reading Siege & Storm right now. I've been waiting for that book for awhile now, seeing as though I couldn't buy it until I reached 10K (which I did) but then another book caught my eye.

Eyre House is a New Adult retelling of Jane Eyre and if you don't know this already Jane Eyre is my favorite novel. I read it for the first time when I was eleven, and have read it at least a hundred times (this is not an exaggeration) since. It's the book that inspired me to write. It's the book that got me through stormy nights, and made me fall in love with the idea of storytelling/becoming more serious about writing. Jane Eyre could never be redone in my eyes. I'm even picky when it comes to movie adaptations (the one with William Hurt is terrible and I have a strong dislike for it). But when I heard about this book, I couldn't help myself. NA? Male POV? Modern retelling of Jane Eyre?!

I bought it last night and I have not regretted my choice so far.  Eyre House is set in a 'haunted' Bed & Breakfast in an island in South Carolina and the writing is perfect. It's modern and it has charm and a darkness that pulls you in. I'm nowhere near finished with this book, but if the first few chapters is how the rest of the book is going to be, then I think I'm going to love this one in the end. I might even read Jane Eyre again when I'm finished (sorry Siege & Storm).


WHAT I'M WRITING

So, as I mentioned, I reached 10K! This was my goal because every wip since I've started since I finished writing my first novel has never surpassed 10K. It's like, as soon as I hit 9.5K I run into a wall, and then the story just never goes anywhere from there. My current word count is 12, 406 which means I wrote about 3, 263 words last week. It probably would've been more if I didn't cave and finish that last couple of sections of The 5th Wave in one setting. But progress is progress and the fact that I passed 10K means a lot to me. It means that I can finish this. One word in front of the other.

I wrote a Next Big Thing post yesterday talking a little more about Unfair, if you guys want to check out.

I couldn't decide on what to share from my wip, so here are two short paragraphs:

I do know that people still talk about that night, about the things they had seen. In the darkness, in the shadow of the fire that swallowed the city. There is talk that there was something there. Something dark, something that once was. There aren’t that many documents from the Dark Ages but the ones that have been preserved talk about creatures made from the absence of light, they move in the darkness, and some would even argue that they are darkness.

And

Malodyra used to be the capital of this kingdom, now it was just a skeleton, what was left of the kingdom once the fire ate through the skin, and burned away the flesh. The king once said that the Sun would never set on us, but it had, and now that it has, it doesn’t seem like it will ever rise again. Not completely. Though it may hang in the sky from time to time, we will always be submerged in a perpetual darkness.


My Ready. Set. Write! goal for this week is to finish this chapter because it's dragging on longer than I thought it would. I also want to try to add another 5,000 words this week. I'm also doing a good job ignoring SNIs which is something that I have hard time doing. Like a good writer, I've been writing them down, and leaving them alone. No shiny idea is going to take me away from Unfair. I am really determined to finish this.

WHAT INSPIRES ME RIGHT NOW

A lot of quotes. Sometimes I find quotes that explain my book better than I can, and so I make sure to put them on my Pinterest board, to remind myself that this isn't just some random idea. I do know what I want the book to look like (even though I am pantsing at the moment hehe). But, yeah. Loads of quotes, especially this one:

"I believe I have seen hell and it's white, it's snow-white.” 
― Elizabeth Gaskell, North and South

This is the line that sticks out every time I watch the North & South miniseries (I have the book now *squee*) but it took on a different meaning this time because of my wip and it just has so much meaning. It's one sentence but it means so much to my story, to the characters, and it's just perfect.

Doctor Who is also a huge inspiration right now. I'm falling in love with David Tennant's Doctor all over again (and I feel like I'm cheating because the Ninth Doctor will always be my favorite) but I think it's amazing how they can take one character, who is essentially the same man, and make him different every single time. I meant to write a post about this but what I learned from Doctor Who is that it's okay for your character to change. It's okay for them to be...different (if it fits the story). The Doctor in the first series is completely different in the second, and it's not because he's played by a different man and has a different face. He just changed internally and that's okay. Don't know if this makes sense but I have been thinking a lot about characters, everything from their beliefs to their motives, changing.

WHAT ELSE I'VE BEEN UP TO

Another thing  that is inspiring me right now is the proof copies for my first novel. Those of you who participate in NaNo know that the reward for winning is a coupon for free proofs from Createspace. I finally used mine so I could have copies of my 'first' (It's more like my third but I don't count the first two...for reasons haha) novel and if I wanted to, one day, go through one of the proofs with a red pen. Though after they arrived, I haven't had the heart to write in them. They're just so pretty and shiny. I have used Createspace to order proofs before, and they do a fantastic job.

My mom (and a few other people) have asked to read it and they all get upset when I tell them no. This is a first draft, and there are a lot of holes in it. My last chapter? It's only two pages long! I was reading it yesterday, and there are a few passages/chapters that I am especially proud of but...it's not ready for anyone to read. One day.

Thanks for reading guys!

Continue Reading

What's Up Wednesday

What's Up Wednesday

Posted by Raven M on 5:33 AM in goals, inspiration, reading, teaser, the 5th wave, unfair, what's up wednesday, wip, worldbuilding, writing,

 

What's Up Wednesday is a weekly meme started by Jaime Morrow and Erin Funk where writers post about what's up by answering four questions. If you want to participate go here.


WHAT I'M READING 

I am still reading The 5th Wave. If I wasn't trying to get a novel written this summer, I would have finished reading this by now but because it's SO GOOD and I can't seem to get anything done when I read...I'm going try my best not to read more than I write this week. This is actually easier said than done but...baby steps.


WHAT I'M WRITING

I am still plowing through Unfair. I didn't get a lot written last week, mainly because the weather has been extremely dry/hot lately and it's driving me insane. But I played catch-up yesterday/this morning. My current word count is  9,143. I hope to reach 10K before the day is over, and then I can buy Siege & Storm!

I'm so glad you guys liked the teaser I shared last week. Maybe my first-draft writing isn't so bad after all? Anyways, here's another one. It's a little long (and rough):


“I can handle myself,” I tell him.

He wipes at his mouth with a cloth but the red fabric does nothing to hide his smile. He finds me amusing. I can see in it is bright green eyes. Lord Beck was laughing at me inside his fat head. “You are an interesting woman, Miss…”

“Just call me Thorne, my lord.”

His shoulders rise and fall all in one breath. “It suits you,” he said. “You have a sharp edge to you. I’m sure you’d be lovely if you dressed like a woman.”

“No one takes me seriously when I wear a dress. Now what is this errand you speak of?”

Lord Beck held out his meaty fingers, gesturing to the untouched food on my side of the table. “I will tell you after you have had something to eat."

I chose one of the green fruits, and picked at the skin for a few moments before holding it up to my nose. It smelled earthy and sweet, different from what I was used to but the hunger didn’t care. It forced me to sink my teeth into the flesh, and let the pinkish-red juices drip down my chin. A bittersweet flavor filled my mouth.

 It tasted like guilt.

And it was. I shouldn't be here, dining on fine food. Not when people in the village are waiting for night to bring them their only meal of the day.

I set the half-eaten fruit down on the table, and repeated my question, only instead of words, Lord Beck answered me with another smile. One he didn't make an effort to hide. But I wish that he had. His crooked teeth, and wine-stained lips made my skin crawl. "Now I see it," he said, slamming a hand down on the table. The dishes clattered at the impact. "You're the coffinmaker's daughter."

There was a playfulness in his tone, and a twinkle in his eyes as he looked at me.  The coffinmaker. Does he forget who my father used to be? The title he once had? I want to remind him but the words don't come. Not the right ones, anyway. “Yes, I am."

“How is old Efar these days?”

“The suns have blessed him." 

Lord Beck nodded, “Some time has passed since we last spoke to each other. I hope that he will stop by so that we can reminisce on old times.”

It hurt to  return his smile. He called it old times, though I’m certain my father would have used other words to describe their friendship. Or maybe he would say that they didn't have a friendship at all. What was left of it was destroyed years ago by Lord Beck's betrayal.

“Please be sure to pass along an invitation to your father. I would very much like to speak with him about some important matters.”

My patience was wearing thin. “And I would very much like to speak with you on the important matters you wanted to discuss. My time is precious, Lord Beck.”

He smiled, yet again. I’m starting to think that this is the only thing this man knows how to do. Maybe he can’t help it. Maybe his smile isn’t a smile but a crease in his bloated pink face. But then I see it. The fire. The flame. Sondra told me that my mouth would get me in trouble one day, only I didn’t think that today would be that day. Not when I had a dagger on my person, and could slit Lord Beck's throat before the guards managed to get to the room.  

“You’d take care to watch your tone with me, Camellia.”

So he did remember who I was.

“I beg your pardon.” The words tasted like ashes. “Sometimes I forget that I am no longer a highborn, and that my father is no longer Lord of Malodyra.”

“It would do you some good to remember. Now,” he said, taking a sip of his wine. “Let us discuss these important matters. I don’t want to waste any more of your precious time.”

Goals for the week:

• Finish Chapter Two
• Start working on Chapter Three
• Draw a map: My MC is going to be travelling pretty soon and I think it would be helpful if I had some kind of map to keep all of the locations straight. I also just want to have an excuse to use my mom's good colored pencils.

WHAT INSPIRES ME RIGHT NOW

• "The power of fantasy is that you can do anything. Anything at all. You start with that core of reality and from there you’re allowed to grow anything from that fertile seed-bed. And yet, so much fantasy looks like so much other fantasy. Stop that. Embrace the wide open openness of the genre. The power of magic is that it’s motherfucking magic. You are beholden only to that which you yourself create. Go big. Dream weird. Be original. Why do what everyone else has already done?" - Chuck Wendig  I ran across this quote on Tumblr this morning and while I was reading it, I couldn't stop myself from nodding. I haven't read a lot of fantasy novels but the ones I have read are too safe. They don't really explore different parts of the world, and I want to do this with my book. I want to let my imagination run wild and see where it takes me.

This post is getting to be really long (I think) and since I don't have anything going on right now, let me just say to all my fellow Americans: enjoy tomorrow! I'm not looking forward to all of the fireworks (it's the one thing about the 4th of July I can't stand) but I hope everyone has a happy/safe holiday. Also, this is a little late but Happy Canada Day! I hope everyone who is from Canada had a good one. :)

Thanks for reading!

Continue Reading

What's Up Wednesday

What's Up Wednesday

Posted by Raven M on 1:06 AM in birthday, goals, inspiration, reading, ready. set. write!, shadow & bone, teaser, the 5th wave, unfair, what's up wednesday, writing,

What's Up Wednesday is a weekly meme started by Jaime Morrow and Erin Funk where writers post about what's up by answering four questions. If you want to participate go here.

WHAT I'M READING

 

I finished Shadow & Bone a few days ago (if you want to know what I thought about it, you can read my review here), and that was perfect timing because The 5th Wave arrived in the mail. I won a copy from Jaime and since a lot of people were saying how good it was, I immediately started reading it and so far this book IS as good as everyone says it is. It's really hard to put down, and if I didn't force myself to, I don't think I would've gotten any writing done.


WHAT I'M WRITING

If you  read my last WUW post, then you know that I wasn't feeling too good about my writing. I was upset about not being able to get anywhere with any of my projects, and for a few days I just felt horrible about it. Then I read the comments in my WUW post and it made me feel better. I can't thank you guys enough for all the encouragement. Your support truly means a lot to me.

I am happy to report that I have written a little over 7K since last Wednesday. I'm writing Unfair without any kind of outline, and with only a general sense of the plot. I love my main character Camellia and I'm learning so much about this world through her eyes. I'm also learning a lot about her in the process. I might have to scrap everything in the next draft, and start from scratch but I'll cross that road when I get to it. Right now I'm just enjoying being able to write and more importantly - write freely.

I was debating over whether I should share a snippet but then I remembered that I said I would post one once I reached 4K. I apologize in advance for the sucky first draft writing but here's the opening:

I knew the soldier would come for me.

I just didn’t know when.

Sondra was staring out the window when she saw him. She had been standing there for what seemed like hours, face pressed against the glass, eyes stuck between here and somewhere else. The glare of the morning sun lit up her face, illuminating the curiosity that gleamed in her eyes and the disappointment that hid beneath it.

Had she been expecting someone else?

It would make sense if she was. Sondra didn’t long for the sea of wood and dirt that made up our village. No – the longing that colored her face the moment she first stood in front of that window was caused by something else. Someone else. My sister wanted to get out of this village more than anything. She wanted to see the world beyond the trees and the charred remains of a castle that meant nothing now that its king was dead. The person she was waiting for was supposed to come and whisk her away from all of this.

Only her knight in shining armor didn’t come, and the heavy sigh that shook her tiny frame was proof that she had given up on ever being rescued.

I'm having so much fun writing this, and I really hope I can get a big chunk of this written this summer. My goals for this week is to finish Chapter Two. If I finish it early, then I'll start working on Chapter Three. I'm really excited about writing the next scene because I get to introduce the Huntsman! I had fun figuring out his background/making him different from the one introduced in the original story, so we'll see how this goes.


WHAT INSPIRES ME RIGHT NOW

• Research: I'm doing a lot of research on Snow White to see how I can use some of the little elements in the story in my retelling. So far burning shoes (the original version deals with this), poisoned apples, and glass coffins are really important to the plot. I also have read a few interesting articles about what messages Snow White (the original fairytale and all of the adaptations) sends about beauty.
• Ready. Set. Write!: I know I keep saying this but it's so true. Everyone participating in this is so supportive and helpful and reading tweets about progress inspires me to write even when I don't feel like it.
• Henry Cavill:

This is his 'Shouldn't you be writing?' face

            I have really considered putting a character in my wip that looks exactly like him so if (by some miracle) my book gets published and made into a movie, he can be in it and...yeah. A girl can dream, can't she?


WHAT ELSE I'VE BEEN UP TO

My friends and I are trying to figure out where we want to go for Spring Break next year. We can't seem to agree on anything at the moment. Everyone wants to go to California and I want to go to Florida. Hopefully we agree on something/have everything planned out before next year.

And thanks for the birthday wishes!




As you can see, pink is the best color in the world my favorite color

I got an Amazon gift card which is about the only thing I ask for every year. My mom still is surprised that I don't ask for something else but I'm a really simple kid. Give me money for books and you'll make me the happiest person alive. I'm going to buy Siege & Storm once I reach 10K (bribery works people) because I need to find out what happens next.

Also, this is my LAST year as a teenager. I know it's too early to start freaking out but...just thinking about it makes me wonder where the time has gone.

Well, enough about me. What's up with you guys? Anyone meet their goals for the week or have something exciting going on?

Continue Reading

Book Review: Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

Book Review: Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

Posted by Raven M on 2:00 PM in birthday, book review, reading, shadow & bone, siege and storm, the darkling, writing,

Hi guys!

Though I was extremely tired, I stayed up until four o'clock this morning reading S&B because it was really hard to put down and Alina was a girl after my own heart and...THE DARKLING!!!!

I try to be spoiler-free when I write book reviews because I know how it feels to have something ruined but...I just really want to hear other people's thoughts on the Darkling. He's one of my favorite characters in the book besides Alina and Genya. I know there are reasons I shouldn't like him, but he has to be the most intriguing character in the entire book. Not to mention that he makes black look so good but...*ahem*

Moving on.

A little about the book before I share my thoughts on it:

The Shadow Fold, a swathe of impenetrable darkness, crawling with monsters that feast on human flesh, is slowly destroying the once-great nation of Ravka.

Alina, a pale, lonely orphan, discovers a unique power that thrusts her into the lavish world of the kingdom’s magical elite—the Grisha. Could she be the key to unravelling the dark fabric of the Shadow Fold and setting Ravka free?

The Darkling, a creature of seductive charm and terrifying power, leader of the Grisha. If Alina is to fulfill her destiny, she must discover how to unlock her gift and face up to her dangerous attraction to him.

But what of Mal, Alina’s childhood best friend? As Alina contemplates her dazzling new future, why can’t she ever quite forget him?

Glorious. Epic. Irresistible. Romance.

(Taken from Goodreads)

I honestly don't know where to begin.

It took me a few pages to get into the story, yes, but once the book finally sinks its claws into you, it will never let go. There are people who find fault in the author's use of Russian history/culture to shape the world Alina lives in and...for the record...I don't know much about Russian history/culture...so none of that was an issue for me while reading. I do, however, wish that we got to see more of the world Alina and the rest of the characters live in. A huge part of the book takes place in one specific location, and though I understand why, it would be nice to see more of Ravka.

Hopefully this will happen in the next two books in the trilogy.

Shadow & Bone is more character-driven than anything. Yes, there is romance and politics and magic but the book focuses more on Alina and how she is dealing with being thrown into a world she doesn't quite understand, while also trying to fit in and be the shining light that everyone needs her to be in this time of great darkness.

Leigh Bardugo has a very fresh writing style. The voice was spot-on and I even found myself laughing every once in a while because I saw a little of myself in Alina. Books are always great to read when the voice is strong but when it's coming from a character you can relate to?

Yeah, that's even better.

There are a lot of lines I wish I could have written. The descriptions are very vivid and colorful and I could picture almost every scene in my head, which is a huge plus in my book. I was a little disappointed that there wasn't a lot of romance but also glad that it wasn't the driving factor of the book either.

This book is very seductive. It's dark and beautiful and extremely well-written in my opinion. I regret not reading this months ago when I bought it but I am glad I decided to delve into this book now because it truly is as good as a lot of people say it is. Again, I really wish I could've seen more of Ravka but...that minor critique isn't enough for me to not want to continue the series.


If you're looking for a fast read that's set against the backdrop of a dark fantasy world where nothing is as it seems, then this book is for you. I HIGHLY recommend that you read it. And if you already have, then we need to talk about the Darkling. Please tell me that I'm not the only one who couldn't help but like him.

Thanks for reading!

(I got an Amazon gift card for my birthday so I'll be buying Siege and Storm soon. Well, after I get some more writing done. I'm 200 words away from 2K so once I hit 3.5K I'll treat myself to S&S.)

Continue Reading