Happy Birthday, December IWSG, and a Movie Review!!!

Hey everybody! So it has been a crazy awesome week! Yesterday was my 22nd Birthday! I got to celebrate with family eating cake and ice cream, topping it off with a night at the movies. Woohoo! ^^ :D I have to say, I don't feel much older, but I've heard that doesn't start to set in until later. Lol :) So for my birthday movie, my brother and my sister-in-law took me to see The Hunger Games: Catching Fire for the second time (My mom took me to see it the first time on the day it came out lol). It was really sweet too, because the lady running the concession stand sang Happy Birthday to me. ^^

                And I have to say, it was AWESOME!!! Frances Lawrence did an excellent job! He created a world so intricate and detailed that even though it passes by in short little bursts, you really get a good sense of it. And the characters I feel got a whole lot better and deeper. The costumes were so great and some totally outrageous (lol Effie J). The first half felt just slightly rushed, but for the time they had, they covered a lot. There were a couple parts that made me giggle…really loudly. :] If you’ve seen the movie or read the books, all I have to say is. Johanna. Hehe. ^^ Of course there were a couple parts that had me tearing up. If you've read the books you know what parts those probably were. It was pretty funny too, because at the end where the big hurrah takes place, my brother and I were both pumping our fist saying Yeah!  

You can really tell the difference between fans of the books versus those that have only seen the movies too because my sister-in-law kept leaning over to explain little nuances to my brother because he hasn't read the books yet. Key word: yet. Between the two of us, I'm sure we'll have him reading them in no time! ;D

Overall, I would give Catching Fire 4.5 stars only because I felt like there was just a smidge where they could've done a little bit more, but like I said: Fantastic job. I'm so glad Frances is doing both Mockingjay part 1 & 2. And after seeing the second one, I'm really glad they split the movie into two parts because that will really allow them to dig into the story and honor those parts that really need it and are huge parts of the overall arc. In my opinion, Suzanne Collins is a genius. I also haven't read any of her other books yet, so I might be biased, but Hunger Games is my all-time favorite book series. Ever.

 

Anyways, before I go all Fangirl over you guys, today is the first Wednesday of December, which means it’s time for another IWSG! The Insecure Writer’s Support Group is a wonderful place where writers can share their worries and failures as well as their successes and advice. Led by our fearless leader Alex J. Cavanaugh, IWSG meets the first Wednesday of every month and you can join on his site here. There's also a brand new website now so be sure to check it out here.  

 

So every year at the Central Oregon Writer’s Guild, we hold two annual readers showcases where members can volunteer to read their work to the guild and on December 19^th is our next showcase and I volunteered! I’ve never been able to read my work out loud in public before so I’m super excited and absolutely terrified! I’m not a great out loud reader. I tend to skip words and mix up letters within words. I don’t want to read too quickly or slowly especially since I only have eight minutes to read, but for those that have had the opportunity to speak before groups and share their work publicly, what have you found works best and helps you present better? Let me know in the comments below and thanks for stopping by! J

 

Happy Writing! ^^ :D

November 2013 IWSG

Happy Wednesday everyone! And seeing that it’s the first Wednesday of the month, that means it’s time for another IWSG!

 The Insecure Writer’s Support Group is a wonderful place where writers can share their worries and failures as well as their successes and advice. Led by our fearless leader Alex J. Cavanaugh, IWSG meets the first Wednesday of every month and you can join on his site here. There's also a brand new website now so be sure to check it out here.

So I’ve got something on my mind I want to ask all of you out there. I am almost finished with a short story that I have been working on for what seems like ages. I’m thinking it’s going to end up being somewhere around 10,000 words and it is a Science Fiction piece that is very close to my heart. Since I am almost done, I’ve been going back and forth on how I want to publish it; traditionally or self-publish. If I go with traditional publishing, I won’t have to worry about paying for a cover or the editing (I don’t think so anyways. Please correct me if I’m wrong). BUT I also don’t have anything else published yet which means that it could be a little bit more difficult to place than I’m anticipating. Since it is such a long piece for a short story, I’m also worried about where I would publish it, because it would be way too long for a magazine. Maybe an anthology, but I don’t know.

My second option which I’m leaning towards the most right now is self-publishing. If I self-publish, I will definitely need to spend the money to pay for a professional cover as well as an editor. I’m liking this option more because I will have more control of my work on this particular avenue, but here is the crux of the matter. I don’t have anything else out there yet so I am currently an unknown and I don’t have a decent work sample I can offer for free yet. Should I let this be my free piece or should I put a price on it? I’ve worked so hard on it and right now I could really use the money, but with paying for a cover and editing, I don’t know how much to expect or if I should expect any returns all. I don’t know.

What do you think? How did you publish your first piece and if, like me, you haven’t been published yet, what avenue are you planning to use?

 Thanks for stopping by and Happy Writing everyone! ^^ :D

Beyond the Edge Launch Party

I’m a little late to the party, but yesterday was the official release of M.Pax’s fourth book in her Backworlds series Beyond the Edge!

 

Some truths are better left unfound.

In the far future, humanity settles the stars, bioengineering its descendants to survive in a harsh universe. This is the fourth book in the science fiction series, The Backworlds. A space opera adventure.

For two years Craze’s dear friend, Lepsi, has been missing. The murmurings of a haunted spaceship might be a message and may mean his old pal isn’t dead. The possibility spurs Craze and Captain Talos into space to uncharted worlds. Searching an unfamiliar region of the galaxy beyond the Backworlds, they stumble upon a terrible truth.

Meanwhile, Rainly remains on Pardeep Station as acting planetlord, dealing with the discovery of her man’s dark and brutal past. Alone and questioning her judgment, her introspection unlocks more than heartache. Latent protocols in her cybernetics activate, forcing her to face a sinister secret of her own.

Read the first chapter on M.Pax's website here.

 

Ebook

Amazon / AmazonUK / Nook / Smashwords /  Kobo

AmazonDE / AmazonFR / AmazonES / AmazonIT / AmazonJP / AmazonIN / AmazonCA / AmazonBR / AmazonMX /

 

Paperback

AmazonUS / AmazonUK / AmazonDE / AmazonFR / AmazonES / AmazonIT/ AmazonIN / 

September 2013 IWSG

Hey everybody! So today being Wednesday means it’s time again for IWSG!

The Insecure Writer’s Support Group is a wonderful place where writers can share their worries and failures as well as their successes and advice. Led by our fearless leader Alex J. Cavanaugh, IWSG meets the first Wednesday of every month and you can join on his site here.

So this week I want to ask all you lovely folks out there about creativity, and to put a twist on a used and abused question we writers get all the time, I want to ask you, not where you get your inspiration, but where you get your creativity. Or rather, how do you feed your creativity? At a writer’s group about a year ago, I got talking to a gal about getting those creative juices flowing and she said that she loved pottery and that when she worked on her pottery that she found she had more creativity to put towards her writing as well. I suppose you could translate that into something along the lines of: Creative things breed more creativity. Whether that’s true or not remains to be seen, but I wanted to see what all of you found helped you tap into your creativity and apply it towards your writing. Let me know in the comments below and thanks for stopping by and reading! ^^ J

June 2013 IWSG

Hey everyone. Happy June! I still can’t believe May is over and June is here. And being that today is the first Wednesday of the month it’s time again for IWSG, which is hosted by the amazing Alex J. Cavanaugh so be sure to check out his site and say hello.

So yesterday I joined a brand new critique group. I loved the group I was in before and they gave me great feedback, but after I started at my new job, my full time schedule did not allow me the time I needed to meet with them during the day and thus I have been without a group for about six months. Well just yesterday I met with a great group of gals forming a new group and I’m proud to say, I have a critique group again!!! XD The only problem is that it’s been sooo long and I’ve been sooo out of practice critiquing that I find it hard to articulate what it is I want to say. What do you find helps the most when starting a new group?

The Insecure Writer’s Support Group is a wonderful place where writers can share their worries and failures as well as their successes and advice. You can view the list and join the group on Alex's site here.

Happy Writing! ^^ :D

Reading Round Up

When I started this blog, one of the things I wanted to talk about is books. As a writer it’s important to read, and read a lot. Well I’ve been trying to do just that and I wanted to share two books of which I just finished reading.

The first book I want to talk about is K.M. Weiland’s Outlining Your Novel: Map Your Way to Success. This is an excellent read that I would recommend to any author who's on the fence as to whether or not they are a "pantser" or an "outliner". I learned that I am most certainly an outliner, but the thing that this book enforces, that I really like, is that it encourages you to outline creatively, whether that means doodling characters and scenes, mind mapping, or writing your own reviews to gain a sense of your goals.

 A lot of people think outlining will take the va voom out of their writing journey, which for some people it does, but I like how the author approached the outlining process and enforced creatively putting together a rough plan that will keep you on track and help you to avoid writing yourself into a corner. I think this is something I struggle with a lot. After it's all said and done, some of us (like me) just want to go, get started, and light those keys on fire as you blaze through the first draft. Mrs. Weiland encourages readers to slow down a little and scribble out that rough plan in whatever words necessary to get that plan on paper. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a good read on writing craft.

My Rating (on a scale from 1 to 5): ****

“Writers often look upon outlines with fear and trembling. But when properly understood and correctly used, the outline is one of the most powerful weapons in a writer’s arsenal. With the help of the book Outlining Your Novel: Map Your Way to Success, you will learn how to choose the right type of outline for you, brainstorm plot ideas, and discover your characters.”

Outlining Your Novel: Map Your Way to Success is published by Pen For A Sword Publishing and is 192 pages in length.

You can find K.M. Weiland's Website here.

 

The second book I finished reading recently is Julie Kagawa's The Iron King. This book started off quite quickly getting to the punch after only a few short chapters. Meghan Chase is a heroine you can root for and totally agree with. The scenery depicted is beautiful and represents each of the faery courts perfectly. The romance aspect of the book didn't come into play until halfway through the book and seemed a little sudden and rushed to me. If I could've made any suggestions, I would've explored that relationship a little further and at least give a little more foundation for Meghan's love interest. Otherwise, this was a pretty riveting read and I would definitely recommend it to anyone into faeries and faery lore.

My Rating: ****

“Megan Chase has a secret destiny—one she could never have imagined…

Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan’s life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school…or at home.

 When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she’s known is about to change.

 But she could never have guessed the truth—that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she’ll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face…and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.”

The Iron King is published by Harlequin Teen and is 368 pages in length.

You can find The Iron King and other books by Julie Kagawa at her website here.

March Milestones on a Monday

Neglect. There’s just no other word for it. I’ve been neglecting my blog. Sure life has been busy busy, but that’s no excuse. Not really. Mostly I’ve been reading. Reading, working, and repeating. Right now I’m in the middle of a book called Tuck by Stephen R. Lawhead. It’s a welsh rendition of Robin Hood and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who likes medieval stories. The first two, Hood and Scarlet, set a high bar and the third is definitely living up to it so far. :)

            Well as March has finally drawn to a close, a lot of things have started settling down. My brother’s wedding was a beautiful occasion and I will admit, I might have sprung a leak during the ceremony. Actually I turned into a fountain, but they were tears of joy! My twelve year old sister caught the bouquet and my five year old brother cut a pretty good rug on the dance floor. Altogether it was a beautiful wedding and I couldn’t be more proud of my big brother. As if a wedding weren’t enough, three of my little sisters were baptized yesterday and my three youngest siblings were dedicated. So many milestones in one month! I might burst if I swell with any more pride for all of them. J

            Now it’s back to my classwork. I’m starting on my second assignment for The Institute of Children’s Literature putting together a synopsis of my book. I’m still working on a couple other projects on the side, but it's time to buckle down and focus. Hope you all had a lovely April 1st and didn't suffer too many April's Fools pranks.

Happy Writing Everyone! ^^ :D

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter everybody!!! I hope you all had a hoppy holiday. ^^ :D I’ll have some updates tomorrow, but for now, enjoy your Easter evening! ^^

Boomtown Craze Launch Party!

It's that time again ladies and gentlemen, because author Mary Pax has done it again! Craze and company are back in the third installment of the Backworlds series, Boomtown Craze. :D

 

In the far future, humanity settles the stars, bioengineering its descendents to survive in a harsh universe.

To secure his future, Craze must propel his world into a more prosperous era. Only days away from the grand opening of his new and improved tavern, he is confronted by a loony Backworlder intent on mucking up his plans. Gaunt and trembling, she claims her spaceship is possessed. She also has a connection to the underworld that shakes loose the dark past of one of Craze’s closest friends. It all threatens to end Craze’s prosperity before it begins.

Meanwhile off world, Captain Talos works desperately to outwit the mercenary Jixes and lure them away from his and Craze’s budding prospects. The mind-control weapon Talos uses against them is wearing thin, and his next move may be his last.

Will Craze and Talos’s efforts bring about a grand new age of boom or damn them to forever struggle in the dust?

 

Paperback Available from:

Amazon / AmazonUK / AmazonDE / AmazonFR

AmazonIT / AmazonES

Ebook Available from:

Amazon / AmazonUK / KOBO / BN / Smashwords /

AmazonDE / AmazonFR / AmazonES / AmazonIT / AmazonJP / AmazonCA / AmazonBR

 

To learn more about Mary and the Backworlds series, visit M.Pax's website here.

February IWSG 2013

Hey everyone! I hope you're all doing well. Happy IWSG!!! January has been a crazy month so I'm sorry I haven't been around much. My grandmother had a stroke two days before I started at a new job and in less than a month, my brother will be getting married! Lots and lots going on, which kind of brings me to this month's IWSG topic: Time. I'm finding that when I get home from work, I'm tired and mostly just want to crash and call it a night. A lady told me today that it can take some time to adjust to working full time versus part time, but my question is: what are some of the ways you balance your time when you don't have a lot of it.

I also just enrolled in another Institute of Children's Literature class on writing books for children and teens. After my first class with them, I learned a lot about short stories and articles, but I'm really looking forward to working on a good length novel one-on-one with my instructor. The way the class is structured is similar to a writer-editor relationship, so I'm very excited to get started. :) If anyone is looking for a good class on writing for children and teens, I would definitely recommend the Institute especially because you send in your assignments so it doesn't matter where you live; it's basically like an online class.

The Insecure Writer’s Support Group is a wonderful place where writers can share their worries and failures as well as their successes and advice. Led by our fearless leader Alex J. Cavanaugh, IWSG meets the first Wednesday of every month and you can join on his site here.

I hope you're all doing well and enjoying the New Year so far. Do you have any plans for Valentine's? Tell me about them in the comments below! ^^ :D

ISWG 2013!!!

Wow! Sometimes it’s hard to believe another year has come and gone. 2012 was full of so many good and bad memories, but now 2013 stands before us like a clean slate waiting to be utilized. A lot of times when I get new journals, I hate to mar the brand new cleanly, pureness of the pristine white pages, but this year, I plan to make the most of it and so I’m going to mark those pages up until there’s no blank space left! ^^ Okay maybe there will be a little white space in there somewhere, or else I’d probably have trouble reading it, but you get the idea, right? J

Around this time of year, everyone starts making their resolutions about what they’re going to do more of, different, or better. Well…I’m not going to do that. Or rather, I’m not going to make resolutions. I was thinking this morning about resolutions and how I never seem to hear that many people doing anything to accomplish their resolutions. I always hear things like, “Oh well. It’s just a resolution, so it’s okay. At least there’s always next year!” So I’ve come up with a plan. I’m going to write down one goal and the steps it takes to reach that goal, kind of like an outline or a road map, and hang it up somewhere I can see it every day. Studies have shown that people who write down their goals are more likely to accomplish them. Even more so are the ones who put what they wrote somewhere they can see it.

With that in mind, I’d like to share one small goal I’ve set for myself.

My first goal for 2013 is: Complete a full outline for my novel.

I’ve never actually been good at outlining and as such, I’ve avoided them like the plague, but more and more I feel like I really need one. In order to accomplish this goal, I’ve started using index cards to write down scenes that are vital to the plot and organized them into the three different parts I have planned for my book. So far I’ve got a good feeling so we’ll see! ^^

Today is also the first Wednesday of the month so Happy IWSG!!! The Insecure Writer’s Support Group is a wonderful place where writers can share their worries and failures as well as their successes and advice. Led by our fearless leader Alex J. Cavanaugh, IWSG meets the first Wednesday of every month and you can join on his site here.

Thanks for stopping by everyone! Got goals for the New Year? Share them down below in the comments! ^^ J

Happy New Year’s everyone!!! ^^ :D