Book Recommendation - The Dead and The Gone

I thought I'd go ahead and give you guys a book this week because I'm planning on taking off Thursday and Friday again.  Vacation!  Hooray!

The Dead and The Gone

By Susan Beth Pfeffer

 

Blurb from Goodreads: "Susan Beth Pfeffer’s Life as We Knew It enthralled and devastated readers with its brutal but hopeful look at an apocalyptic event--an asteroid hitting the moon, setting off a tailspin of horrific climate changes. Now this harrowing companion novel examines the same events as they unfold in New York City, revealed through the eyes of seventeen-year-old Puerto Rican Alex Morales. When Alex's parents disappear in the aftermath of tidal waves, he must care for his two younger sisters, even as Manhattan becomes a deadly wasteland, and food and aid dwindle."

Okay.  This is the companion novel to LIFE AS WE KNEW IT which I reviewed not long ago.  I enjoyed this story very much.

I caught myself lying in bed after finishing this wondering how I would be able to keep Super Spawn warm and fed.  Then I had a *facepalm* moment when I realized what I was doing.

Duh.  It's a book.  It's not really the end of the world.

Overall, a good companion to LAWKI, and I'm looking forward to the third book.    

Snow! In Florida!

 

Well, the flurries were forecast for Christmas day, but decided to hold off until Sunday.  But it really did SNOW IN FLORIDA!  We got to share a little in the winter wonderland feel this year.  Pretty awesome if you ask me.  Although, we didn't dare venture outside.  Too darn cold.

We had a fire in the fireplace, hot chocolate, and stayed snuggled in our blankets all weekend.

Super Spawn had an excellent Christmas and can't wait for our trip to Universal!

I hope all of you had wonderful holidays, and maybe even found the time to sneak in some writing time for yourself.  ;)

Have a great Monday, lovelies.

Road Trip Wednesday

Road Trip Wednesday is a "Blog Carnival," where YA Highway's contributors  post a weekly writing- or reading-related question and answer it on our  own blogs. You can hop from destination to destination and get  everybody's unique take on the topic.

This week's topic:  What gift would you give your favorite character?

First, we have to establish just who my favorite character is.  Hmmm... that's, like, really hard.

Well, lets start with my favorite Christmas show character:  Buddy the Elf.

I <3 Buddy the Elf.

For him -- a very, very large container of maple syrup, one of those huge bags of m&m's, and the world's best cup of coffee.


Then lets take Hermione Granger, who is one of my all-time favorite characters ever.  EVER!

For her -- one of those book bookshelf things.  You know, the ones that hang on the wall so it looks like books are just suspended by magic!  She could even put them up in her muggle parent's house!  Genius.

 

Last and anything but least, Westley from The Princess Bride.  Ah, Westley. 

 

For him:  I don't really care, I just wanted a reason to put a picture of him in my post. 

What would you give your favorite characters? 

I'm taking the rest of the week off from the blog, my lovelies!  I'm off from the day job, and will be hard at work crunching out the last few chapters worth of revisions to meet my goal.  I hope you all have a wonderful holiday!  **hugs and love**

The Worst That Could Happen

Kat commented on my post yesterday with something I thought I'd expand on.  She said, "It is way too easy to imagine bad things happening when you have kids. I think it's a survival technique-- or at least I try to tell myself that-- if I can think a few steps ahead, and imagine what could go wrong, and prevent it, then that's a good thing. It does lead to some scary imaginings, though."

Here I was thinking I was the only one who did that!  *phew*  lol  Really though, I kinda thought I was being a little crazy...neurotic at least.  Glad I'm not alone.

When I'm in any given situation my mind automatically goes into worst-case-scenario-mode.  It dreams up the absolute most horrific thing I can imagine happening.  Terror will wash over me and bile will rise in the back of my throat.  Tears coat my eyes and my hands shake.  Then I take a deep breath and begin thinking my way out of it.  What would I do?  How would I stop it?  How could I prevent it from happening in the first place?

An example:

We were at the mall one day, Super Spawn, Sister, and I.  It was storming outside and lightening struck, leaving us without power.  All the stores closed, forcing everyone out into the central area, and nobody was allowed to leave through the main doors.  (I don't know why...that still seems so odd.)

Now, I don't like crowds.  The worst things always happen when there's a crowd of people.  Super Spawn started freaking out and launched me into Super Mom Escape Mode.  Sister perched Super Spawn on her hip and I slung the stroller over my shoulder, and we picked our way through the people and down the still escalator.

All I could think is, "Someone is about to start shooting.  Someone is going to pull a gun and what will I do?  How will I keep my sister and child safe?"

Sister will tell you...I was freaking out.  In the end, we all got out safely (We got out a side door and climbed down a big embankment.  That was fun.  Not.), and nobody got shot.  Of course.  Still, that pressing worry of what would happen next is what drove me.

I realized when Kat posted that comment that those situations influence my writing as well.  My mind is used to panic-mode setting in and dreaming up awful happenings.  Too bad for my characters, huh?  lol

So are Kat and I the only ones who do this?  Do you dream up the worst that could happen during your normal days?  And more so...do you use this technique for your stories?

Nightmares

Do you ever have nightmares that you wake up and swear are real?  Dream horrible things that you just can't shake for days?

 

I do.  Especially when Super Spawn is away.  (Which doesn't help my anxiety level there.)

I have these vivid, horrific dreams where my worst fears are realized.  I'll wake in a panic, soaked in sweat, my heart racing.

And what's the first thing I do?  Run for a pen.  lol

Those feelings, that terror, is so overwhelming and so real I always feel like I've got to get it on paper.  I'll need it one day when I'm trying to evoke these feelings in my stories, when my characters are experiencing these events.

I don't like to be scared.  I'm sure not many of you do either.  We'd all much rather live a blissful life full of rainbows and sunshine and kittens.  Truth is though, life happens.  Bad things happen.  And we have to take inspiration from where we can.

Nightmares fuel my inspiration for writing the hard things, and Super Spawn fuels the good.  What about you?  Where do you find those emotions to write the hard stuff?

Brace Yourselves

I was going to do a vlog for you guys today...singing some lovely carols I wrote for you.  Alas, I've come down with the crud, and I don't think you enjoy the sound of dieing cats.  Do you?  Because if you do I can totally make it happen.

Next week should be interesting.  It will be the first time ever, in his 3 1/2 years alive, that I've been away from Super Spawn for more than just a couple of days.  I'm begging asking you not to hold any angst-riddled posts against me.

But, the excellent news is that the tallies are in from the surveys on the bloggers retreat!  I tell ya, working with Alicia and Erinn on this is SO MUCH FUN.  Not just because they're awesome, but also because they have some GREAT ideas that you guys are going to be thrilled about!  You should be hearing from us soon on the next step in the process.  We're so excited!

Now, go count your blessings and thank the "cold gods" that I can't sing for you today.  lol

OH!  Oh!  I almost forgot!  I think I've figured out my comp titles for my WIP!  *squeals and jumps around*  I'm so excited.  They feel so perfect.  And it's an odd combination, but it's SO COOL!

Revisions...well...we'll hope next week goes more on track.  All I've done this week is devour books.  lol  Have a great weekend, lovelies!!

Book Recommendation - Delirium

DELIRIUM

By Lauren Oliver

Blurb from Goodreads: "Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing. They didn’t understand that once love -the deliria- blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold. Things are different now. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the governments demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Holoway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy. But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love."

Oh. My. Gravy. 

Amazing.  This whole book was amazing.

The blurb caught my eye...I mean, love as a disease?  What a freaking cool idea!  Plus, it's Lauren Oliver.  I very much enjoyed her book BEFORE I FALL, but I have to say, it doesn't hold a candle to DELIRIUM.

It's fast paced, but not so fast that you're missing important parts.  The writing is so poetic and romantic it felt like the word version of chocolate!  For real!  And the love interest?  *swoon*

Every aspect of Oliver's world building was phenomenal.  From the approved music to the procedure teens undergo to rid themselves of the deliria.  

It was a little reminiscent of UGLIES by Scott Westerfeld, but in a good way. 

DELIRIUM is going to be released February 1, 2011 from HarperTeen.  Go preorder it.  Seriously.  

This is easily one of the best books I've read all year.

The First Novel

Inspired by my sister's creation on her blog, I've written you a little Christmas tune of my own.  Enjoy...

The First Novel

The first Novel the author did say
Was to certain poor betas in computers they say;
In computers they read, critiquing their peeps,
On a cold winter's night that was so deep.
Novel, Novel, Novel, Novel,
Born is the next J.K. Rowling.
 
The apostrophes are ragged and weak
Slow down the pacing, and show me, don't tell.
Your prose is slight, try beefing it up.
And don't let me see you slacking, I'll beat you up.
Novel, Novel, Novel, Novel,
Born is the next Stephanie Meyer.

You've busted your butt, sing your praises out loud;
You sure have made your crit partner proud,
And with this manuscript you'll land that deal
With it will come the most awesome squeal.
Novel, Novel, Novel, Novel,
Born is the next Suzanne Collins.

Sometimes Plans Change

You can plan every day of your life up to the minute if you so please.  You can have guides, maps, and knowledge of your destination.  But things change.

Change is the framework of life.

I'm a planner.  Always have been, always will be.  I prefer to have dates set months in advance.  To know exactly, without a shadow of doubt, what will be happening, when, and where.

My sister and I...okay, so mostly I have been planning a trip back to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in February.  It was going to be the trip of all trips.  Super Spawn is getting tickets and traveling things for Christmas.  A portable DVD player, a pillow pet!

Then I learned that I'll be having Super Spawn opposite weekends of what I had planned.  Because other people don't plan, and adore making things difficult for me.  *glares*

Anyway, now we're going for the New Year!  Why not?  It'll be fun!  They'll still have all the Christmas decorations up!  It'll be cold...like it's supposed to be in Hogsmead.  We've already got tickets and everything.  So...it all worked out.

And the same thing applies to your writing.  You may start out with a story in mind.  A particular path you want that story to take, or a particular thing you want your character to do (or not to do).  Sometimes though, even with the best intentions, things change.  That character may develop a mind of their own, wander off into uncharted territory, and bring you the best story you've ever written.

Who's to say it couldn't happen?

So, keep your minds open to change.  Be accepting of it in your life and in your writing, and something good may come of it.

Find Your Voice

A million and one people in the publishing industry will tell you:  Make sure you infuse your story with voice.  A strong voice is essential.

(Are there a million and one people in the publishing industry?  Hmm.  Maybe.  Don't hold me to it.)

Credit

But voice can seem like this elusive pie in the sky that you'll never be able to reach.  It did for me at first anyway.  Then I realized what I was doing wrong.  I was trying so hard to write "well" I wasn't letting my own voice flow.  I began to understand that the way I talk is what separates me.  It's what makes me original.

Let's face it, no two of us talk the same way.  Where I choose the phrase "Thank all that is good and chocolate" you might say a simple "Thank goodness" or "Thank you, sweet chocolate".

You can tell a lot about a person by the way they move as well.  If they talk with their hands, have very expressive faces, or if they're stoic and cold.  That all lends to voice as well.  It's all part of the whole "show don't tell" philosophy.

Without voice, telling:  Rapunzel started getting scared.  Maybe the Prince wouldn't come to save her.

With voice, showing:  Rapunzel's hands began to shake and her breaths came in rapid gasps.  She swallowed hard trying to press the lump in her throat down, but the bile was determined to rise.  Clasping the ledge of the window to brace herself, Rapunzel looks out on the courtyard, but there's no Prince.  Maybe he wasn't coming.  Maybe she would be stuck in this tower forever, left to waste away to nothing.

Obviously these are not perfect examples (and make pretty much no sense), but you get the picture.  Right?

Is voice something  you struggle with in your writing?  Or does it come easily for you?

I've found in my own writing that the voice comes with a really strong character.  One I fully understand and relate to.

A new idea, tinged with sadness...

Well, I got one wish on my Christmas list this weekend.  A shiny new idea.

Unfortunately I feel like it's tainted with tragedy.  Yesterday tragedy struck our street once again in the form of a sixteen-year-old suicide. 

It seems like one house after another on our street has fallen to tragic ends over the last year and a half.  It leaves you wondering, "What's next?  When is it my turn again?"

It immediately brought to mind Jay Asher's THIRTEEN REASONS WHY as all the neighborhood kids gathered, wondering why.  Just why.  They all want to know WHY.  But I'm kinda glad they don't.  So much guilt could be associated with the why, and I would never wish that on any of them.

But out of it blossomed a story idea.  Something new for me -- a contemporary piece.  A piece about tragedy and grief, and how one teenager handles the consuming fear of the questions, "Why?" and "What next?"

Forgive me for being a downer today, I'm in a very contemplative mood.  I didn't know the neighbors daughter well, but it's hard not to be effected by such a thing.

Hug the ones you love a little tighter tonight, and make sure they know how much they mean.

So, I did an interview...

Between the excitement (and 70+ emails) of planning the writing retreat, craziness at work, attempting to break myself by falling down stairs, reading, and revisions...  I deserve a cookie.  No, a cupcake!  With the chocolate butter-cream frosting.  (Susan knows what frosting I'm talking about.  The best dang frosting in the whole wide world!)

Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining.  It has been an awesome week.  Well, except the falling down the stairs part.  I might complain about that.

Anyway....

My sister started a blog this week called The Simple Pleasure of Reading.  She's going to be posting book reviews through the week, and featuring authors (aspiring and published) on Fridays.  Today, I'm the target!  So, if you'd like to see my interview, head on over!

In other news.... If you signed up for information on the retreat you should be getting your surveys today!    Let me know if you don't have them by this evening.

If you missed out on signing up, never fear!  Send me an email, and we'll get you looped in.

Book Recommendation - Life As We Knew It

Life As We Knew It

By Susan Beth Pfeffer

Blurb from Goodreads: "Miranda’s disbelief turns to fear in a split second when a meteor knocks the moon closer to the earth. How should her family prepare for the future when worldwide tsunamis wipe out the coasts, earthquakes rock the continents, and volcanic ash blocks out the sun? As summer turns to Arctic winter, Miranda, her two brothers, and their mother retreat to the unexpected safe haven of their sunroom, where they subsist on stockpiled food and limited water in the warmth of a wood-burning stove."


I read this book because of the amazing review Susan gave it not too long ago.  It was just as good as she said.

The story is told through journal entries Miranda writes, which at first, I wasn't crazy about.  It felt like I was being held at a distance from the story.  An arm's length from being truly immersed.

As I kept reading, the more I liked it though.  The more I appreciated being held at arm's length.  It's not a fanciful tale of how one family survives and act as heroes without any loss on their part.  No.  It's a story about suffering.  About finding something, anything, positive to cling to in the depths of despair.  It's about sacrificing yourself, your safety, your well being for the people you love.  Being the epitome of un-selfish, and Miranda's path to get there.

This is a book that will stick with you.  It'll make you look around and wonder, "Wow, how did I get so lucky?"

Go read it.  You won't regret it.

Road Trip Wednesday

It's that time again...Road Trip Wednesday time that is.  Head on over to the YAHighway to see what everyone has to say this week!

This week's topic:  Your six word memoir.  Literally, your life story in six words.

Here's what I came up with:

Tragedy becomes inspiration for achieving dreams.


And if you're interested in joining the writing retreat Alicia, Erinn, and I are organizing, don't forget to enter your name so we can send you the information!

Writing Retreat Spectacular!!

I think I'm going for a record today.  How many times can Holly blog in one day?  LOTS.

Spurred by a chain of comments on my blog post the other day, Alicia, Erinn, and I have been plotting.  We've come up with the idea of hosting a writers retreat for our blogger/writer friends! 

Here's the idea:  Bunches of blogging buddies, one trip, loads of laughs and learning along the way.  Critique sessions, all-night giggle fests, whatever your heart desires from the friends you only thought existed online!  If you're interested in being included in the awesomeness, give us your name and email address below.  Alicia is going to send out an email to everyone who responds with a survey. 

We're using the survey to determine the where, when, and how so that the most people possible can be accommodated.

The three of us are super excited about the possibility of meeting all of you in person! 

HUGE NEWS!

Everyone RUN to Susan's blog for her big announcement!  Go!  Now!  EEEEEEEE!!!!!!

When You Fall

There are plenty of sayings I could link to falling down and getting back up again, but we've all heard them.  Probably so many times that they no longer carry the same weight.

I took a literal tumble yesterday down about eight cement steps outside my office.  Yeah, ouch.  Luckily I didn't do anything more than earn myself some bruises and scrapes.  But, naturally, it had me in a contemplative mood all night.  Because that's just how I am.  Always trying to find the lesson, the deeper meaning to things.  ;)

There are more than the physical tumbles and falls we make over the course of a lifetime.  Especially as a writer.  One day we may be flying high on the devotion we feel to a project, and a rejection letter later -- well, we're face first on the pavement writhing in pain.

Dramatic example?  Yes, but it paints the picture.

Over and over again we may tumble and fall over the course of our writing careers.  It may be breaking into the market that proves most challenging, or it could be that tenth novel you can't get just right.  Whatever your place in this community, we're all gonna stumble and fall sometimes.  The important part is to reflect on it, to learn from it so that the experience will make you stronger.

And it really will.  While rejection or a critique may hurt, they will only make you a stronger writer in the end.  So get up, dust yourself off, and reassess the situation.  It's okay to wallow for a while, and by all means cry, but then get back to work and make it better.

Know Your Characters

Do you ever catch yourself thinking about the implications of a seemingly insignificant decision?  Not just directly, but how each affect could spiral into millions of effects?  It can be mind boggling to consider.

I'll confess to something...I'm regularly told what a good listener I am, and I'm not at all.  My mind wanders.  I think about motivations, consequences.  My thoughts fly off into the worst possible direction.  Disaster.  Chaos.  What would everyone do, how would it feel?

Maybe it's just because I like to torture myself, I don't know.  But when I write, I pull from these thoughts.  These random snatches of conversation that fueled so much more than a "The weather sure is nice" response from my brain.

I also like to sit and think about my characters this way.  I know what happens next in the story, yes, but what would have happened if they had chosen another path?  Do they wish they had?  Do they ever wonder? 

Maybe this is all a bunch of garbled nonsense because I'm tired and have to be up in five hours for work.  (Yes, I'm writing this ahead of time. ;) Although I waited until the last moment to do so. lol)

Each of our lives have evolved to where they are through a complicated web of decisions.  Choices.  Seemingly insignificant points in our lives that can change our entire future.  My future changed with a phone call, a cancellation.  Along with a couple, again insignificant, choices and I wound up meeting the man that would become my husband...the man that would turn my whole world upside down and shake it like a snow globe.

Can you find the moments where your characters became who they are?  It may be something huge...a tragic event.  Or it may be something as simple as a phone call.  Something your story never even mentions.  But do you know what it is? 

If not, maybe you should find it.  Truly knowing your characters gives more than life to your story...it gives it soul.

All I Want for Christmas

Is YOU!

Hehe.  I've had that song stuck in my head for days.  DAYS.

In preparing for the coming holidays, I'm thinking a lot about lists and goals.  What to get Super Spawn for Christmas (Way too much, that's what!), who to buy for, what to buy, card lists.  The sheer magnitude of list makeage in my life has come to an all time high. (And that's saying something because I LOVE making lists. I make them for everything.)

Naturally, this has bled over into my writing life.  I do this a lot, you guys should have expected it.  ;)

I'm thinking of goals to reach over the holidays, goals for the spring, and overall goals for the year.  The problem with these lists is that a lot of things are out of my control.  Most of them are within my personal sphere of control (which is where I like them), but some...well, they're not.  (Both writing and non-writing.)

That freaks me out.  *shudders*  Back to happy thoughts.

Christmas!  Trees!  Lights!  SANTA!!

Okay, better now.  Back to the real topic.  Goals, aka my wish list.

My Christmas Writing Wish List:

1. I want to make the time to get through all my round-one revisions of the WIP by the end of December.  The ones that have to be done before I can send them to Susan because they SUCK.  lol
2. I want to start outlining book two for the WIP's sequel.
3. It'd be super great if Santa would bring me a Shiny New Idea.
4. Get a good, basic query letter shaped for WIP to give it time to percolate.
5. Find a comparable novel for WIP.  This is proving much harder than I expected.

That's it!  My goals -- er, wishes -- for December.

What are your goals this month?  Are you working on your New Year's Goals (or Resolutions, whichever they may be) yet?

Book Recommendation - Wildwood Dancing

Wildwood Dancing

By Juliette Marillier

 

 Blurb from Goodreads: "High in the Transylvanian woods, at the castle Piscul Draculi, live five daughters and their doting father. It's an idyllic life for Jena, the second eldest, who spends her time exploring the mysterious forest with her constant companion, a most unusual frog. But best by far is the castle's hidden portal, known only to the sisters. Every Full Moon, they alone can pass through it into the enchanted world of the Other Kingdom. There they dance through the night with the fey creatures of this magical realm.  But their peace is shattered when Father falls ill and must go to the southern parts to recover, for that is when cousin Cezar arrives. Though he's there to help the girls survive the brutal winter, Jena suspects he has darker motives in store. Meanwhile, Jena's sister has fallen in love with a dangerous creature of the Other Kingdom--an impossible union it's up to Jena to stop. When Cezar's grip of power begins to tighten, at stake is everything Jena loves: her home, her family, and the Other Kingdom she has come to cherish. To save her world, Jena will be tested in ways she can't imagine--tests of trust, strength, and true love."

*Runs in circles*  

*Flails*  

*Dies*

It's like the Frog Prince meets Twelve Dancing Princesses meets Dracula.

*Dies again from sheer awesome*

Let it first be known that I love fairy tales.  LOVE THEM.  I don't care where they came from, I love them all.  The Irish tales of the Fae have enchanted me for years.  The classics American children are raised on were my bread and butter as a child.  

My WIP is set in a fairy tale!  (But it's definitely not a fairy tale)

Juliet Marillier is one of my all time favorite authors ever.  She won me with her novel DAUGHTERS OF THE FOREST.  I love it as much as I love Harry Potter.  There, I said it.  For me, Marillier is right up there with Rowling.

WILDWOOD DANCING didn't disappoint either.  The writing is beautiful, and Jena, the main character, is so real and so sincere.  It was a little hard to get into at first just because of all the new language/ pronunciations, but it only took me about thirty pages to get used to. 

It was excellent.  Engrossing from the very first page.  I highly recommend it.

Road Trip Wednesday

Time for another Road Trip Wednesday courtesy of the YAHighway!  For this weekly event bloggers are invited to answer a prompt on their blog, and then take a trip around the blogosphere to see what everyone has to say.

This week's topic:  What Movie Do You Wish Had Been a Book First?

This is hard.  My favorite movies were books first!  All of them! AAAAAAAH!!!

Okay, there was one film I saw not too long ago that, as soon as I walked out of the theater, I asked my sister if there was a book.


Avatar.

James Cameron created the most beautiful and awe inspiring world for his creatures.  It was breathtaking, and having no knowledge of the movie before I saw it, I immediately assumed it had been a book first.

Because where else would you find a world like Pandora?

If anyone gets a wild hair and decides to write one, I'll happily read it.  I'd love to lose myself in Pandora for longer than a two hour stretch.