We will be gone all weekend. We're spending the weekend in a cabin relaxing and writing. Unfortunately, that means no internet, which means no blog posts until Monday. The original plan had been to get several scheduled to keep you occupied, but plans fall through when midterms and papers pile up.
We will resume your regularly scheduled blog on Monday with bigger and better things! (We did just get a new co-owner after all.)
Oh and a trip to the mountains means pictures!
Showing posts with label writing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label writing. Show all posts
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Full Moon!
Ever since Crystal and I started writing a novel involving werewolves, I have fallen in love with wolves and full moons. They are interesting topics to research and learn more about. Plus, I can say I'm doing research for our novel when I look up information on wolves or full moons!
Looking up the moon schedule recently, I discovered that today holds a full moon for us. The full moon should occur at 11:38am (EST), the exact time that this post is being made. So, when it grows dark enough, go outside and take a look at the moon.
When looking up information on full moons, I came across information about the names of the full moons. Each month brings a "new" full moon to us. February brings the snow moon.
February's moon is known as the snow moon because this month is historically the most snow-filled month. I believe most of us can say that this is very true in 2010. Places that rarely see snow (such as Charleston) have seen inches of snow. It has been a snowy month, which will end (fittingly enough) with a Full Snow Moon.
Happy end of February! Look for great things coming in March!
Looking up the moon schedule recently, I discovered that today holds a full moon for us. The full moon should occur at 11:38am (EST), the exact time that this post is being made. So, when it grows dark enough, go outside and take a look at the moon.
When looking up information on full moons, I came across information about the names of the full moons. Each month brings a "new" full moon to us. February brings the snow moon.
February's moon is known as the snow moon because this month is historically the most snow-filled month. I believe most of us can say that this is very true in 2010. Places that rarely see snow (such as Charleston) have seen inches of snow. It has been a snowy month, which will end (fittingly enough) with a Full Snow Moon.
Happy end of February! Look for great things coming in March!
Friday, February 26, 2010
Words from a Writer: Happy Birthday Aiden!
One of the characters in a novel that I am cowriting with Crystal is celebrating his birthday today.
Image from http://www.wolfpark.org/birthday.html.
In order to celebrate his birthday, I thought I would share how his novel came to be. Below is the story of how Crystal and I came up with one of the novels we are working on (re)writing.
The journey to get our first novel written and finished has been a long and interesting one.
Let me begin at the beginning if I can figure out where that is.
Around six years ago when we were both still in high school, we first came up with the idea to co-write a novel together. We both enjoy writing and it seemed like a fun way to share this passion. We set out to write a novel about eight teens who discover they have magical powers. As we started on this novel, the story began to evolve and outgrow itself. It was no longer the simple novel, Enchantment, that it had started out as.
What started out as a single novel about eight teens quickly became a novel about the Ennea - a ruling group of nine who keep the magical world in balance. This group and magic on Earth originated from another world known as Aurum. 1000 years ago, a simple wizard named Wendel, messed up a spell bringing the Ennea on a one-way trip to Earth. Now, the latest Ennea has to figure out a way back to Aurum before it's too late. We continued working on and evolving this story over the course of our years.
With time, we found that our interest in Enchantment dwindled some. What had started out as a simple novel had turned into a much larger project that was going to span more than one book. The 150+ pages we had already were going to have to rewritten and updated. We were still very attached to these characters, but we weren't sure it was the project we wanted for our summerwrite experience.
That's the background to us writing together. Now, here's the story of how Dancing beneath the Moon came to be:
It was all set in motion in April of 2009 when Myrtle Beach caught on fire this past spring. We were supposed to be going to see the band Blue October in concert at the House of Blues. However, with the disaster of the fire, Myrtle Beach was using the House of Blues as a shelter. We received a call the day before the concert (it was going to be on a Friday) that it had been cancelled. Our money was refunded and luckily we were also able to get out of our hotel reservations.
We weren't happy about our weekend plans being ruint so we looked to find an alternative for the weekend. We decided to return to the Georgia Renaissance Festival for a second time. We had already been once this year, but it would give us something to do. We booked the hotel and packed our stuff.
The car trip to Fairburn, GA from our house is about six hours. On I-20, they have been doing construction, so the trip tends to seem even longer. Somewhere along the interstate, we started talking about Summerwrite. I was leaning towards doing it, with hopes that it would turn out better than Nano. Crystal wasn't sure if she wanted to do it or if she had the time to devote to it with her work schedule for the summer. Plus, we weren't sure we were ready to revisit Enchantment just yet.
We started talking about how much we would love to see our names in print one day. We decided that it would probably be in our best interest if we started with something smaller than Enchantment (which looks like it's going to be a series consisting of 9 books). So, we set out to write a single novel. We started tossing ideas around.
I threw out the idea that we had talked about before - the darker side of magic with werewolves, vampires, etc. We had once discussed the possibility of them originating from another world (similar to but different from Enchantment). We set out talking about how this would work. Soon, I had a page of notes about various "dark" magical creatures and key details about them. We decided that they would all be orginated from the combination of demons and humans.
This was great, but how to narrow things down to just one book. We decided to pick one creature and focus on it. This didn't mean that the other creatures wouldn't be in the book. It simply meant that one creature would be our focus. We quickly ruled out vampires. There's too much out there on them right now and we didn't want them to be our focus. Looking at the list, it wasn't long before we leaned towards werewolves.
We both agreed that these werewolves would be humans who turn into wolves (which I adore), not humans who turn into hairy men (which I very much dislike). Next, we set about deciding the basics of it. We decided that it would focus on a boy and girl in high school. One would be a werewolf and the other would be human. Naturally, it would be a love story.
We decided the werewolf should be a boy and the human should be a girl. The story would be told in alternating points of view. One chapter would focus on the werewolf, followed by the next chapter focused on the human. I'm not sure how we decided, but I would be writing the werewolf chapters and Crystal would be responsible for the human chapters.
Next came the issue of names, which is where things start to get freaky. I quickly chose Aiden for the boy, but Crystal was having a hard time with names for the girl. We're driving down the road and she finally says "Which do you like better, Madison or Emmeline?" At the exact same moment that she says this, I see a sign that says "Madison so many miles, Atlanta so many miles." I immediately respond with a giggle and Madison. Then, I have to explain why. We decide her name was meant to be.
We spend the next hour looking around road signs for clues to the rest of their names. Madison is glaring us in the eye from everywhere (there's a town in Georgia named Madison). I settle on Sinclaire for Aiden's name based on a sign for Lake Sinclair. And Crystal finishes Madison's name out to be Madison Faith Burbank after a long discussion and a lot of suggestions.
The story was born - it had characters and a loose plot. We spent the rest of the trip talking about it every minute we got (which was a lot). It began to take shape. We returned home and signed up for Summerwrite. We started writing our novel on May 1st with the kick off to summerwrite. With the nature of writing together, it meant that we couldn't always work on Dancing beneath the Moon when we were writing, so we each picked up various other writing projects to fill our time and help keep the creativity flowing. Among these is the short story "Howling" that I wrote. It contains the back story to Aiden's parents. You can find it over at my writing journal if you're interested in reading it.
There's been several other fun things in the adventure of writing this novel, but since this post has gotten so long, I'm going to stop here. I'll post more in the future regarding the other freaky things that have helped lead to the completion of our first novel! Also, be on the lookout for a synopsis of it. We won't be posting it online (because the plan is to get it published), but we may let some people read it after it's been edited.
Oh, and somewhere along the way, Aiden and Madison outgrew the spanse of one book, so unfortunately, their story will not be just one novel as originally planned. The good thing is that Dancing beneath the Moon can stand alone and is not reliant on it's future novel(s)!
Image from http://www.wolfpark.org/birthday.html.
In order to celebrate his birthday, I thought I would share how his novel came to be. Below is the story of how Crystal and I came up with one of the novels we are working on (re)writing.
The journey to get our first novel written and finished has been a long and interesting one.
Let me begin at the beginning if I can figure out where that is.
Around six years ago when we were both still in high school, we first came up with the idea to co-write a novel together. We both enjoy writing and it seemed like a fun way to share this passion. We set out to write a novel about eight teens who discover they have magical powers. As we started on this novel, the story began to evolve and outgrow itself. It was no longer the simple novel, Enchantment, that it had started out as.
What started out as a single novel about eight teens quickly became a novel about the Ennea - a ruling group of nine who keep the magical world in balance. This group and magic on Earth originated from another world known as Aurum. 1000 years ago, a simple wizard named Wendel, messed up a spell bringing the Ennea on a one-way trip to Earth. Now, the latest Ennea has to figure out a way back to Aurum before it's too late. We continued working on and evolving this story over the course of our years.
With time, we found that our interest in Enchantment dwindled some. What had started out as a simple novel had turned into a much larger project that was going to span more than one book. The 150+ pages we had already were going to have to rewritten and updated. We were still very attached to these characters, but we weren't sure it was the project we wanted for our summerwrite experience.
That's the background to us writing together. Now, here's the story of how Dancing beneath the Moon came to be:
It was all set in motion in April of 2009 when Myrtle Beach caught on fire this past spring. We were supposed to be going to see the band Blue October in concert at the House of Blues. However, with the disaster of the fire, Myrtle Beach was using the House of Blues as a shelter. We received a call the day before the concert (it was going to be on a Friday) that it had been cancelled. Our money was refunded and luckily we were also able to get out of our hotel reservations.
We weren't happy about our weekend plans being ruint so we looked to find an alternative for the weekend. We decided to return to the Georgia Renaissance Festival for a second time. We had already been once this year, but it would give us something to do. We booked the hotel and packed our stuff.
The car trip to Fairburn, GA from our house is about six hours. On I-20, they have been doing construction, so the trip tends to seem even longer. Somewhere along the interstate, we started talking about Summerwrite. I was leaning towards doing it, with hopes that it would turn out better than Nano. Crystal wasn't sure if she wanted to do it or if she had the time to devote to it with her work schedule for the summer. Plus, we weren't sure we were ready to revisit Enchantment just yet.
We started talking about how much we would love to see our names in print one day. We decided that it would probably be in our best interest if we started with something smaller than Enchantment (which looks like it's going to be a series consisting of 9 books). So, we set out to write a single novel. We started tossing ideas around.
I threw out the idea that we had talked about before - the darker side of magic with werewolves, vampires, etc. We had once discussed the possibility of them originating from another world (similar to but different from Enchantment). We set out talking about how this would work. Soon, I had a page of notes about various "dark" magical creatures and key details about them. We decided that they would all be orginated from the combination of demons and humans.
This was great, but how to narrow things down to just one book. We decided to pick one creature and focus on it. This didn't mean that the other creatures wouldn't be in the book. It simply meant that one creature would be our focus. We quickly ruled out vampires. There's too much out there on them right now and we didn't want them to be our focus. Looking at the list, it wasn't long before we leaned towards werewolves.
We both agreed that these werewolves would be humans who turn into wolves (which I adore), not humans who turn into hairy men (which I very much dislike). Next, we set about deciding the basics of it. We decided that it would focus on a boy and girl in high school. One would be a werewolf and the other would be human. Naturally, it would be a love story.
We decided the werewolf should be a boy and the human should be a girl. The story would be told in alternating points of view. One chapter would focus on the werewolf, followed by the next chapter focused on the human. I'm not sure how we decided, but I would be writing the werewolf chapters and Crystal would be responsible for the human chapters.
Next came the issue of names, which is where things start to get freaky. I quickly chose Aiden for the boy, but Crystal was having a hard time with names for the girl. We're driving down the road and she finally says "Which do you like better, Madison or Emmeline?" At the exact same moment that she says this, I see a sign that says "Madison so many miles, Atlanta so many miles." I immediately respond with a giggle and Madison. Then, I have to explain why. We decide her name was meant to be.
We spend the next hour looking around road signs for clues to the rest of their names. Madison is glaring us in the eye from everywhere (there's a town in Georgia named Madison). I settle on Sinclaire for Aiden's name based on a sign for Lake Sinclair. And Crystal finishes Madison's name out to be Madison Faith Burbank after a long discussion and a lot of suggestions.
The story was born - it had characters and a loose plot. We spent the rest of the trip talking about it every minute we got (which was a lot). It began to take shape. We returned home and signed up for Summerwrite. We started writing our novel on May 1st with the kick off to summerwrite. With the nature of writing together, it meant that we couldn't always work on Dancing beneath the Moon when we were writing, so we each picked up various other writing projects to fill our time and help keep the creativity flowing. Among these is the short story "Howling" that I wrote. It contains the back story to Aiden's parents. You can find it over at my writing journal if you're interested in reading it.
There's been several other fun things in the adventure of writing this novel, but since this post has gotten so long, I'm going to stop here. I'll post more in the future regarding the other freaky things that have helped lead to the completion of our first novel! Also, be on the lookout for a synopsis of it. We won't be posting it online (because the plan is to get it published), but we may let some people read it after it's been edited.
Oh, and somewhere along the way, Aiden and Madison outgrew the spanse of one book, so unfortunately, their story will not be just one novel as originally planned. The good thing is that Dancing beneath the Moon can stand alone and is not reliant on it's future novel(s)!
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
The Reading Chair: Review of Moonlight by Rachel Hawthorne
Description:(From rachelhawthorne.net)
Kayla has always felt a kinship with nature. Adopted as a child, Kayla has no idea that she’s inherited the gene that will turn her into a wolf. She can’t understand why she’s so drawn to distant, aloof Lucas...
As the leader of the Dark Guardians, a pack of werewolves that gather in the national forest, Lucas must watch Kayla until she discovers her destiny as his perfect other half. Just when Kayla finally begins to understand her fate, a new danger emerges...one that threatens their very existence.
My Review:
Ordinarily, it's the cover or title that draws me to pick a book off the shelf of the bookstore. The cover of Moonlightdid very little for me, as it is not nearly as intriguing as it could be. The title, however, did draw me into this book.
I found Moonlight on a day when we had ventured out to the bookstore to do some research. Crystal and I had recently decided to write a novel about werewolves and we wanted to see what was already out there. We probably spent an hour going up and down the young adult aisle looking for books with titles related to the moon, werewolves, or wolves. We did not find nearly as many as we predicted we would.
Among the few books we did find was Moonlight by Rachel Hawthorne. I read the back of the book several times. After each time, I would replace it on the shelf and keep looking for other wolf related books. I kept coming back to this book. I was not planning on buying a book that day, but curiosity eventually won out and I bought it in the name of "research."
I don't regret purchasing this book for an instant. The characters are interesting and the storyline is unique. Hawthorne kept me on the edge of my seat as I read the story. I continuously wanted to know more about Lucas and Kayla's attraction to him. I wanted to know more about the wolves that lingered in the woods.
I could not find a dull moment in this book and read it in less than a day. It was the first book in months to grab my attention. I would have to honestly say that this book got me back into reading on a more regular basis. I highly recommend it to anyone who is a fan of the supernatural and young adult literature. As a writer of werewolves, I cannot say enough about this book.
My rating:
5 pawprints! Way to go Rachel Hawthorne!!
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Words from a Writer: From Barbies to Words
When I came up with the title for this blog, I didn't realize just how true it would ring down the line.
Originally, the blog title was simply supposed to refer to a growth in my relationship with my sister, Crystal. It was supposed to illustrate the way we had gone from playing Barbies together to writing words together. We have always been partners in crime, regardless of what we're doing.
Lately, though, I have found new reasons for the title. I have found that it describes our creativity style perfectly. Allow me to explain for a moment.
When Crystal and I used to play Barbies, we would come across an idea we loved and play it out in every way possible. We would recreate the same storyline over and over again until we'd worn it to perfection.
Now, I'm finding that we do a similar thing with writing. Last summer, we wrote our first novel together. When we settled down and started in on the editing process, we had many long conversations that eventually ended with a big decision. We decided to undertake the task of completely rewriting the story to make it even better. We have started and restarted this second draft several times in an attempt to find the one we're happiest with. Hopefully the rewriting process doesn't last as long as some of our Barbie storylines. If it does, we could be in for years of rewriting the same story...
Originally, the blog title was simply supposed to refer to a growth in my relationship with my sister, Crystal. It was supposed to illustrate the way we had gone from playing Barbies together to writing words together. We have always been partners in crime, regardless of what we're doing.
Lately, though, I have found new reasons for the title. I have found that it describes our creativity style perfectly. Allow me to explain for a moment.
When Crystal and I used to play Barbies, we would come across an idea we loved and play it out in every way possible. We would recreate the same storyline over and over again until we'd worn it to perfection.
Now, I'm finding that we do a similar thing with writing. Last summer, we wrote our first novel together. When we settled down and started in on the editing process, we had many long conversations that eventually ended with a big decision. We decided to undertake the task of completely rewriting the story to make it even better. We have started and restarted this second draft several times in an attempt to find the one we're happiest with. Hopefully the rewriting process doesn't last as long as some of our Barbie storylines. If it does, we could be in for years of rewriting the same story...
Monday, January 18, 2010
A Brief Post: Audio Books?
I'll give you a more real post (and an explanation for my disappearance) tomorrow.
For now, I'm curious about something. Do any of you listen to audio books?
I have been trying my hardest to read more for several reasons. The top two being that I enjoy stories and that I feel I should know what's out there if I'm going to write.
Time, however, seems to be a constraint on this goal. As I was driving from work to class, I realized that there might be a solution to that. I spend at least a couple of hours on the road each day going back and forth from one place to the next. This would be a great spans of time to use effectively. Which, is where audio books come in.
So, I'm asking you guys. Have you ever listened to an audio books and how did you find the experience?
For now, I'm curious about something. Do any of you listen to audio books?
I have been trying my hardest to read more for several reasons. The top two being that I enjoy stories and that I feel I should know what's out there if I'm going to write.
Time, however, seems to be a constraint on this goal. As I was driving from work to class, I realized that there might be a solution to that. I spend at least a couple of hours on the road each day going back and forth from one place to the next. This would be a great spans of time to use effectively. Which, is where audio books come in.
So, I'm asking you guys. Have you ever listened to an audio books and how did you find the experience?
Friday, January 8, 2010
Plans for the Blog
Wow guys. I don't even know where to go. I feel as though I'm out of it after missing yesterday. I had a lot of blogs to catch up on. I read lots of posts, but didn't comment on any today because I wanted to get to my own posting. I hate letting things stack up, but sometimes you have to take that time to listen to your body. I think the unusually cold temperatures have been making me more tired than normal.
Today I'm going to focus on things I want to try out for the blog in the new year. I figured January would be a good time to try out some new features.
Upcoming features:
1. Interviews - with followers & other bloggers
2. Book Reviews
3. Recipe Reviews
4. Writing Advice
5. Songs of the Day (continuing this one)
6. Movie Reviews
7. Contests
I know there's more and I'll include them when I locate them, but for now, that's a list to get you excited. I'm going to try to get things organized and ready to go this weekend as I have a busy semester ahead of me.
Keep an eye out tomorrow (hopefully) for pictures of my new haircut!
Song of the Day: "Jailhouse Rock" by Elvis
I chose this song in celebration of Elvis' birthday today.
Yesterday's Song of the Day: "Twilight" by Vanessa Carlton
I chose this one because it kept coming up on my CD player on the way home. I've liked this song for years. It's an older one, so I thought I would remind people of it.
Today I'm going to focus on things I want to try out for the blog in the new year. I figured January would be a good time to try out some new features.
Upcoming features:
1. Interviews - with followers & other bloggers
2. Book Reviews
3. Recipe Reviews
4. Writing Advice
5. Songs of the Day (continuing this one)
6. Movie Reviews
7. Contests
I know there's more and I'll include them when I locate them, but for now, that's a list to get you excited. I'm going to try to get things organized and ready to go this weekend as I have a busy semester ahead of me.
Keep an eye out tomorrow (hopefully) for pictures of my new haircut!
Song of the Day: "Jailhouse Rock" by Elvis
I chose this song in celebration of Elvis' birthday today.
Yesterday's Song of the Day: "Twilight" by Vanessa Carlton
I chose this one because it kept coming up on my CD player on the way home. I've liked this song for years. It's an older one, so I thought I would remind people of it.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Almost Over the Hump
It's Wednesday, we're at the halfway point. We can make it to the end of the week. This post is going to be really short as my first week back has me quite tired and I still want to write my page of the day before bed.
I follow a lot of blogs. It seems that if I come across a neat blog, then I add it to my repertoire of blogs. This has its upsides and downsides.
Upside: I get to read a lot of cool things.
Downside: I can't possibly read every post.
Upside: I've found a lot of neat books through blogs.
Downside: It takes a while to get through my blog list.
Upside: I've come up with new ideas for my blog in the upcoming year. (Keep your eyes peeled for them.)
Downside: Well, I really think I'm out of downsides.
How many blogs do you follow?
Tomorrow, I'll post a little bit more about those ideas for the upcoming year.
Song of the Day: "Don't Forget to Remember Me" by Carrie Underwood
Why this song? It was the latest song that inspired something I wrote. To be exact, they helped inspie this.
I follow a lot of blogs. It seems that if I come across a neat blog, then I add it to my repertoire of blogs. This has its upsides and downsides.
Upside: I get to read a lot of cool things.
Downside: I can't possibly read every post.
Upside: I've found a lot of neat books through blogs.
Downside: It takes a while to get through my blog list.
Upside: I've come up with new ideas for my blog in the upcoming year. (Keep your eyes peeled for them.)
Downside: Well, I really think I'm out of downsides.
How many blogs do you follow?
Tomorrow, I'll post a little bit more about those ideas for the upcoming year.
Song of the Day: "Don't Forget to Remember Me" by Carrie Underwood
Why this song? It was the latest song that inspired something I wrote. To be exact, they helped inspie this.
Monday, January 4, 2010
Back into the Thick of It All
Today was back to work for me. Next Monday will be back to grad school. I love breaks and I hate to see them end. It's easy for me to stay in the routine of things, but it's incredibly hard for me to break that routine and get back into it. Is it easy for you?
To add to that, we had one of the coldest days I can remember in the past few years. Living in the south provides a winter that is cold but typically not freezing. Today, it was definitely in the freezing temperatures until well into the middle of the day. I still feel like I can't get completely warmed up.
I'm trying my best to be more optimistic about things though. So, let's look at a few of the good things that come with the cold. There's the comfort of hot chocolate, which helps warm you from the inside out. My favorite is good old reliable Swiss Miss. Then, there's the scarves and hats. I can remember the first scarf I ever owned. One of my high school friends got it for me one Christmas because I told them I wanted a scarf. It was fleece, pink, and from Old Navy. I still have that scarf and have created a collection of colorful, pretty scarves. Hats can also be fun. My favorite is a fuzzy reddish pink one that keeps my head nice and toasty.
And, last, but certainly not least, is the enjoyment of snuggling into a warm blanket or Snuggie and taking in a good book. There's something comforting in the warmth of the blanket mixed with a far off place that may be much warmer than one's present situation. I seem to be moving along nicely on my (somewhat small) reading list for 2010. I will be posting reviews when I finish books. However, for series, I am going to post the reviews together rather than separately. I'll be finishing up what's been released of The Dark Guardians by Rachel Hawthorne soon, so be on the look out for that review.
Hope you had a great Monday and keep your toes warm!
Song of the Day: "Words" by Ryan Adams
I chose this song because it happened to come on the CD player during my ride home. I was thinking about what song to choose for today and this one came on. It's a favorite of mine with a message. So, I thought I'd share it. Enjoy.
Also, don't forget to head over to Two to Write and enter our Winter Contest with great prize packs!!
To add to that, we had one of the coldest days I can remember in the past few years. Living in the south provides a winter that is cold but typically not freezing. Today, it was definitely in the freezing temperatures until well into the middle of the day. I still feel like I can't get completely warmed up.
I'm trying my best to be more optimistic about things though. So, let's look at a few of the good things that come with the cold. There's the comfort of hot chocolate, which helps warm you from the inside out. My favorite is good old reliable Swiss Miss. Then, there's the scarves and hats. I can remember the first scarf I ever owned. One of my high school friends got it for me one Christmas because I told them I wanted a scarf. It was fleece, pink, and from Old Navy. I still have that scarf and have created a collection of colorful, pretty scarves. Hats can also be fun. My favorite is a fuzzy reddish pink one that keeps my head nice and toasty.
And, last, but certainly not least, is the enjoyment of snuggling into a warm blanket or Snuggie and taking in a good book. There's something comforting in the warmth of the blanket mixed with a far off place that may be much warmer than one's present situation. I seem to be moving along nicely on my (somewhat small) reading list for 2010. I will be posting reviews when I finish books. However, for series, I am going to post the reviews together rather than separately. I'll be finishing up what's been released of The Dark Guardians by Rachel Hawthorne soon, so be on the look out for that review.
Hope you had a great Monday and keep your toes warm!
Song of the Day: "Words" by Ryan Adams
I chose this song because it happened to come on the CD player during my ride home. I was thinking about what song to choose for today and this one came on. It's a favorite of mine with a message. So, I thought I'd share it. Enjoy.
Also, don't forget to head over to Two to Write and enter our Winter Contest with great prize packs!!
Saturday, January 2, 2010
The Write Project 2010
I have had many novel ideas floating around in my head for a month or two now. I keep wanting to start on a new project (in addition to my current projects), but my brain keeps talking me out of it, reasoning that I don't have enough time.
Well, this is one case that my brain is not going to win. I have come up with a way for me to write on one of my ideas and fit it into my already jam-packed schedule. What is it?
It's what I'm dubbing Project 2010 or The Write Project. For this project, I am going to be writing one page a day. That is all. I may occassionally write more than one, but one page is my goal each day. This will take me around 20 to 30 minutes at most I reckon, allowing it to fit into my day. And, by the end of 2010, I should have a fairly complete novel.
To make it even more fun and exciting, I'm inviting everyone I know to join in on the fun with me. If you've always wanted to write a novel and never thought you could or if you've been dying to fit in a new project, then this might be the way to go.
If you're interested in joining me, then please click the button below and follow it to where you can find even more information:
Or, if you just want to join in without finding out more information, then you can place a button on your blog letting the world know you're participating:
Well, this is one case that my brain is not going to win. I have come up with a way for me to write on one of my ideas and fit it into my already jam-packed schedule. What is it?
It's what I'm dubbing Project 2010 or The Write Project. For this project, I am going to be writing one page a day. That is all. I may occassionally write more than one, but one page is my goal each day. This will take me around 20 to 30 minutes at most I reckon, allowing it to fit into my day. And, by the end of 2010, I should have a fairly complete novel.
To make it even more fun and exciting, I'm inviting everyone I know to join in on the fun with me. If you've always wanted to write a novel and never thought you could or if you've been dying to fit in a new project, then this might be the way to go.
If you're interested in joining me, then please click the button below and follow it to where you can find even more information:
Or, if you just want to join in without finding out more information, then you can place a button on your blog letting the world know you're participating:
Friday, January 1, 2010
Books to Read in 2010
I promised a book post, didn't I? Well, here it is...
For Christmas, I put a lot of books on my Christmas list. Since I joined the blogging world, I have spent a lot of time looking at blogs with reviews of great young adult books out.
Since I started writing on a more regular basis, my reading bug has reignited. I think Allan Eckert says it best when he says "If you would be a writer, first be a reader. Only through the assimilation of ideas, thoughts and philosophies can one begin to focus his own ideas, thoughts and philosophies."
So, that's what I'm going to do - be a reader. This year, I am hoping to read a lot of books to spark my imagination and help me become a better writer.
That being said, let's look at my reading goals for 2010.
First, a picture of the collection of unread books on my headboard:
I hope to read most of these and a smattering of other books. Want to see my list?
Here it is (in reading order):
1.Full Moon (A Dark Guardian Novel) by Rachel Hawthorne
2.Dark of the Moon (A Dark Guardian Novel) by Rachel Hawthorne
3.Shadowland (The Mediator) by Meg Cabot
4.The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong
5. Kissed by an Angel by Elizabeth Chandler
6. Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella
7. Fallen by Lauren Kate
8. The Secret Circle: The Initiation and The Captive Part 1 by L.J. Smith
9. Eragon by Christopher Paolini
10. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
11. Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr
12. The Named by Marianne Curley
13. The Winter Prince by Cheryl Sawyer
14. Lament by Maggie Stiefvater
15. Another Faust by Daniel & Dina Nayeri
16. Graceling by Kristin Cashore
17. Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella
18.The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening and The Struggle by L.J. Smith
19. Fairest by Gail Carson Levine
20. Marked by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast
21. The Den of Shadows Quartet by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes
22. Linger by Maggie Stiefvater
*Some of these are the firsts in a series. If I enjoy the initial book of the series, then I will continue further with the rest of the series.
What are you planning to read in 2010?
For Christmas, I put a lot of books on my Christmas list. Since I joined the blogging world, I have spent a lot of time looking at blogs with reviews of great young adult books out.
Since I started writing on a more regular basis, my reading bug has reignited. I think Allan Eckert says it best when he says "If you would be a writer, first be a reader. Only through the assimilation of ideas, thoughts and philosophies can one begin to focus his own ideas, thoughts and philosophies."
So, that's what I'm going to do - be a reader. This year, I am hoping to read a lot of books to spark my imagination and help me become a better writer.
That being said, let's look at my reading goals for 2010.
First, a picture of the collection of unread books on my headboard:
I hope to read most of these and a smattering of other books. Want to see my list?
Here it is (in reading order):
1.
2.
3.
4.
5. Kissed by an Angel by Elizabeth Chandler
6. Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella
7. Fallen by Lauren Kate
8. The Secret Circle: The Initiation and The Captive Part 1 by L.J. Smith
9. Eragon by Christopher Paolini
10. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
11. Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr
12. The Named by Marianne Curley
13. The Winter Prince by Cheryl Sawyer
14. Lament by Maggie Stiefvater
15. Another Faust by Daniel & Dina Nayeri
16. Graceling by Kristin Cashore
17. Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella
18.
19. Fairest by Gail Carson Levine
20. Marked by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast
21. The Den of Shadows Quartet by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes
22. Linger by Maggie Stiefvater
*Some of these are the firsts in a series. If I enjoy the initial book of the series, then I will continue further with the rest of the series.
What are you planning to read in 2010?
New Layout
I decided to bring the New Year in with style!
Just after midnight, I changed and rearranged my blog layout. The header and background are now custom and unique, which makes me giddy. I am still rearranging and improving the elements on the blog, but I'm pretty sure that's going to take a little while.
Keep your eyes out for another post today - one that shares the books I intend to read for 2010, along with a few other goals I have (writing, etc). I'm not making resolutions this year, but goals I can do.
Give me your thoughts on the new layout!
Song of the Day: "Let Me Take You There" by Plain White T's
I felt this one was appropriate since I'll be focusing on reading and writing later, which is an escape from the mundane of our everyday lives. "Let Me Take You There" talks about escaping to a place of fun and wonderment. Essentially, it fit today's focus perfectly, in my opinion.
Just after midnight, I changed and rearranged my blog layout. The header and background are now custom and unique, which makes me giddy. I am still rearranging and improving the elements on the blog, but I'm pretty sure that's going to take a little while.
Keep your eyes out for another post today - one that shares the books I intend to read for 2010, along with a few other goals I have (writing, etc). I'm not making resolutions this year, but goals I can do.
Give me your thoughts on the new layout!
Song of the Day: "Let Me Take You There" by Plain White T's
I felt this one was appropriate since I'll be focusing on reading and writing later, which is an escape from the mundane of our everyday lives. "Let Me Take You There" talks about escaping to a place of fun and wonderment. Essentially, it fit today's focus perfectly, in my opinion.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Month of Holidays: Day 30
Tomorrow's New Year's Eve! And with New Year's Eve comes the announcement of my January theme, so keep an eye out for that.
For now, I'm going to try to give you three more Top 5 lists. The first one of these was hard to do. I like so many songs and had a hard time picking 5.
Top 5 Songs of the Decade
1. "When the Day Met the Night" by Panic at the Disco
2. "Kangaroo Cry" by Blue October (close tie with "My Never" by Blue October)
3. "Hey There Delilah" by Plain White T's
4. "Human" by The Killers (this is my wake-up song)
5. "Carry You Home" by James Blunt
Most of these songs were chosen because I enjoy writing to them.
Top 5 Foods of the Decade (essentially my favorite foods from the decade)
1. Macaroni & Cheese
2. Breadsticks
3. Homemade Pizza
4. Spaghetti-Os
5. Tacos
Top 5 Toys of the Decade
1. TY Beanie Babies (was a big collector!)
2. Barbies (always a classic!)
3. My Little Ponies (they came back!)
4. Stuffed Animals (always a classic)
5. My Littlest Petshop (now with bobbleheads!)
Looks like I made it to three lists. What are your favorite songs, foods, and toys of the decade?
Check back tomorrow for next month's theme and the last of our top 5 lists!
Song of the Day: "I Hope You Dance" by Leann Womack
Don't forget to check out the contest at Two to Write. Click link below!
http://twotowrite.blogspot.com/2009/12/winter-contest.html
For now, I'm going to try to give you three more Top 5 lists. The first one of these was hard to do. I like so many songs and had a hard time picking 5.
Top 5 Songs of the Decade
1. "When the Day Met the Night" by Panic at the Disco
2. "Kangaroo Cry" by Blue October (close tie with "My Never" by Blue October)
3. "Hey There Delilah" by Plain White T's
4. "Human" by The Killers (this is my wake-up song)
5. "Carry You Home" by James Blunt
Most of these songs were chosen because I enjoy writing to them.
Top 5 Foods of the Decade (essentially my favorite foods from the decade)
1. Macaroni & Cheese
2. Breadsticks
3. Homemade Pizza
4. Spaghetti-Os
5. Tacos
Top 5 Toys of the Decade
1. TY Beanie Babies (was a big collector!)
2. Barbies (always a classic!)
3. My Little Ponies (they came back!)
4. Stuffed Animals (always a classic)
5. My Littlest Petshop (now with bobbleheads!)
Looks like I made it to three lists. What are your favorite songs, foods, and toys of the decade?
Check back tomorrow for next month's theme and the last of our top 5 lists!
Song of the Day: "I Hope You Dance" by Leann Womack
Don't forget to check out the contest at Two to Write. Click link below!
http://twotowrite.blogspot.com/2009/12/winter-contest.html
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Month of Holidays: Day 29
Our top 5 lists of the decade continue! Remember, these are all in my opinion and I welcome your own lists!
Top 5 Blockbuster* Movies of the Decade
1. Pirates of the Carribean
2. Troy
3. Lord of the Rings
4. Prince Caspian
5. 10,000 BC
Top 5 Lesser Known* Movies of the Decade
1. Elizabethtown
2. Undiscovered
3. Tristan and Isolde
4. Stardust
5. Casanova
Top 5 Bands of the Decade
1. The Killers
2. Shinedown
3. 3 Doors Down
4. Blue October
5. The Fray
*Blockbuster movies are ones that were well known when they came out. Lesser known movies refers to those movies that I've enjoyed that people give me that confused look when I mention the title of it. You may or may not have heard of these.
Also, I recommend heading over to http://twotowrite.blogspot.com/2009/12/winter-contest.html for a cool contest.
Song of the Day: "The Dance" by Garth Brooks (since we're remembering the decade...)
Top 5 Blockbuster* Movies of the Decade
1. Pirates of the Carribean
2. Troy
3. Lord of the Rings
4. Prince Caspian
5. 10,000 BC
Top 5 Lesser Known* Movies of the Decade
1. Elizabethtown
2. Undiscovered
3. Tristan and Isolde
4. Stardust
5. Casanova
Top 5 Bands of the Decade
1. The Killers
2. Shinedown
3. 3 Doors Down
4. Blue October
5. The Fray
*Blockbuster movies are ones that were well known when they came out. Lesser known movies refers to those movies that I've enjoyed that people give me that confused look when I mention the title of it. You may or may not have heard of these.
Also, I recommend heading over to http://twotowrite.blogspot.com/2009/12/winter-contest.html for a cool contest.
Song of the Day: "The Dance" by Garth Brooks (since we're remembering the decade...)
Monday, December 28, 2009
Month of Holidays: Day 28
We're counting down to the New Year with lists of our Top 5 of the Decade. On today's menu: concerts, food establishments, and characters.
Top 5 Concerts of the Decade
1. Shinedown (with Adelita's Way and Sick Puppies)
2. Blue October with Switchfoot
3. 3 Doors Down (with Breaking Benjamin and Staind)
4. 3 Doors Down (the second time)
5. Sugarland
Top 5 Food Establishments of the Decade
1. Moe's
2. Mellow Mushroom
3. Subway
4. Wendy's
5. Fazoli's
Top 5 Characters of the Decade (from my own stories - first names in most cases)
1. Aiden
2. Jeremy
3. Ryland
4. Ivy Carter
5. Raine
What are your favorite concerts, food establishments, and characters of the decade?
Song of the Day: "Happy New Year" by ABBA
Top 5 Concerts of the Decade
1. Shinedown (with Adelita's Way and Sick Puppies)
2. Blue October with Switchfoot
3. 3 Doors Down (with Breaking Benjamin and Staind)
4. 3 Doors Down (the second time)
5. Sugarland
Top 5 Food Establishments of the Decade
1. Moe's
2. Mellow Mushroom
3. Subway
4. Wendy's
5. Fazoli's
Top 5 Characters of the Decade (from my own stories - first names in most cases)
1. Aiden
2. Jeremy
3. Ryland
4. Ivy Carter
5. Raine
What are your favorite concerts, food establishments, and characters of the decade?
Song of the Day: "Happy New Year" by ABBA
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Month of Holidays: Day 22
Onward with the countdown song and lists!
"On the eleventh day of Christmas,
my true love gave to me,
eleven pipers piping,
ten lords-a-leaping,
nine ladies dancing,
eight maids-a-milking,
seven swans-a-swimming,
six geese-a-laying,
five gold rings,
four calling birds,
three French hens,
two turtle doves,
and a partridge in a pear tree!"
Today's list is one of colors. Yes, that's right - colors. What are your eleven favorite colors? Need some help? Visit the Crayola website for a complete listing of current crayon colors: http://www.crayola.com/colorcensus/history/current_120_colors.cfm
My list of favorite crayon colors:
1. cerulean
2. carnation pink
3. fuchsia
4. razzmatazz
5. tickle me pink
6. antique brass
7. electric lime
8. jungle green
9. timberwolf
10. wild watermelon
11. violet
And to make this even more fun, click on the colors of that website to get the history of each!
And, a colorful song:
Song of the Day: "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" by Gene Autry
"On the eleventh day of Christmas,
my true love gave to me,
eleven pipers piping,
ten lords-a-leaping,
nine ladies dancing,
eight maids-a-milking,
seven swans-a-swimming,
six geese-a-laying,
five gold rings,
four calling birds,
three French hens,
two turtle doves,
and a partridge in a pear tree!"
Today's list is one of colors. Yes, that's right - colors. What are your eleven favorite colors? Need some help? Visit the Crayola website for a complete listing of current crayon colors: http://www.crayola.com/colorcensus/history/current_120_colors.cfm
My list of favorite crayon colors:
1. cerulean
2. carnation pink
3. fuchsia
4. razzmatazz
5. tickle me pink
6. antique brass
7. electric lime
8. jungle green
9. timberwolf
10. wild watermelon
11. violet
And to make this even more fun, click on the colors of that website to get the history of each!
And, a colorful song:
Song of the Day: "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" by Gene Autry
Monday, December 21, 2009
Month of Holidays: Day 21
This post is not going to be made of win for two reasons - I've got a cold (just in time for break) and there's some family drama taking place tonight. However, I was determined to keep with my daily record for the month. I have not missed a day of our holiday posts and I'm not about to start now.
So, onward with the countdown song!
"On the tenth day of Christmas,
my true love gave to me,
ten lords-a-leaping,
nine ladies dancing,
eight maids-a-milking,
seven swans-a-swimming,
six geese-a-laying,
five gold rings,
four calling birds,
three French hens,
two turtle doves,
and a partridge in a pear tree."
Today's list was going to be ten things that make you leap for joy (or make you happy). I'm going to try my best to give you mine, but no promises.
My list:
1. writing
2. spending time with my family
3. teaching
4. pets
5. making new friends
6. shopping
7. reading a good book
8. watching a good movie
9. dragging out the old Barbie dolls and creating stories with them
10. getting comments from wonderful readers!
What are ten things that make you leap?
Song of the Day: "Jingle Bells" by Bing Crosby
So, onward with the countdown song!
"On the tenth day of Christmas,
my true love gave to me,
ten lords-a-leaping,
nine ladies dancing,
eight maids-a-milking,
seven swans-a-swimming,
six geese-a-laying,
five gold rings,
four calling birds,
three French hens,
two turtle doves,
and a partridge in a pear tree."
Today's list was going to be ten things that make you leap for joy (or make you happy). I'm going to try my best to give you mine, but no promises.
My list:
1. writing
2. spending time with my family
3. teaching
4. pets
5. making new friends
6. shopping
7. reading a good book
8. watching a good movie
9. dragging out the old Barbie dolls and creating stories with them
10. getting comments from wonderful readers!
What are ten things that make you leap?
Song of the Day: "Jingle Bells" by Bing Crosby
Official Kissing Day
Writing is an important part of my life. That being said, I am going to have to interrupt our holiday posts for a minute to post about "Official Kissing Day." I read about this over at Elana's blog and just could not resist.
Basically, you are supposed to post a kissing scene from something you wrote. It only took me a minute to figure out what scene I wanted to post (and, coincidentally, it's completely appropriate for this time of year).
Lucky you, this is the first time I'm posting something I wrote on this blog.
For you, on Official Kissing Day:
One girl among the crowd is smart. She’s dressed for the New York weather and not for the guys. She’s wearing a sweater of some sort over tight jeans. Boots that reach her knees complete the look. She looks amazing and yet she could still walk outside and not demand the jacket off a guy’s back to stay warm. She’s standing all alone near the balcony. She looks completely happy to be alone. I ventured in her direction, drawn to her in a way I can’t describe.
I catch her eye as I cross the room. She blinks once before heading out onto the balcony as the DJ announces a one minute warning. I step out onto the balcony behind the girl. She turns around with her brows knitted. I’m guessing that she didn’t expect me to follow her. The countdown begins inside. 10…9…8… I inch closer to her. 7…6…5… She doesn’t shy away. 4…3…2… I wrap one arm around her waist and pull her towards me. 1… A chorus of “Happy New Year” rings out from inside and my lips touch hers. I melt into her embrace, allowing passion to overtake my body.
As soon as the kiss started, it ended. She broke away within seconds and headed back inside. She didn’t seem angry, just surprised. I attempt to follow her inside but lose sight of her in the crowd. I head for the door, fully prepared to leave. My sister and her friends intercept me though. They talk me into staying a while and enjoying the night club. As far as night clubs go, it was ordinary. The music was loud, the colors were bright in the dark room, and many of the legal people were drunk. I agreed to an hour and finished out the night at High Rise.
It's just an excerpt from a much longer novel co-written by my sister and me. But, it's a kissing scene and that's what was asked for.
Do you have a favorite kissing scene? If you do, join in on the fun. Let me know if you post one somewhere and I'll take a swing over and read it.
Happy Kissing Day! I'm back to a day of cleaning and organizing now. Your regularly scheduled holiday post will make an appearance later.
Basically, you are supposed to post a kissing scene from something you wrote. It only took me a minute to figure out what scene I wanted to post (and, coincidentally, it's completely appropriate for this time of year).
Lucky you, this is the first time I'm posting something I wrote on this blog.
For you, on Official Kissing Day:
One girl among the crowd is smart. She’s dressed for the New York weather and not for the guys. She’s wearing a sweater of some sort over tight jeans. Boots that reach her knees complete the look. She looks amazing and yet she could still walk outside and not demand the jacket off a guy’s back to stay warm. She’s standing all alone near the balcony. She looks completely happy to be alone. I ventured in her direction, drawn to her in a way I can’t describe.
I catch her eye as I cross the room. She blinks once before heading out onto the balcony as the DJ announces a one minute warning. I step out onto the balcony behind the girl. She turns around with her brows knitted. I’m guessing that she didn’t expect me to follow her. The countdown begins inside. 10…9…8… I inch closer to her. 7…6…5… She doesn’t shy away. 4…3…2… I wrap one arm around her waist and pull her towards me. 1… A chorus of “Happy New Year” rings out from inside and my lips touch hers. I melt into her embrace, allowing passion to overtake my body.
As soon as the kiss started, it ended. She broke away within seconds and headed back inside. She didn’t seem angry, just surprised. I attempt to follow her inside but lose sight of her in the crowd. I head for the door, fully prepared to leave. My sister and her friends intercept me though. They talk me into staying a while and enjoying the night club. As far as night clubs go, it was ordinary. The music was loud, the colors were bright in the dark room, and many of the legal people were drunk. I agreed to an hour and finished out the night at High Rise.
It's just an excerpt from a much longer novel co-written by my sister and me. But, it's a kissing scene and that's what was asked for.
Do you have a favorite kissing scene? If you do, join in on the fun. Let me know if you post one somewhere and I'll take a swing over and read it.
Happy Kissing Day! I'm back to a day of cleaning and organizing now. Your regularly scheduled holiday post will make an appearance later.
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Month of Holidays: Day 19
Christmas is drawing nearer! I'm excited, are you?
I finished (at least I think I did) my Christmas shopping today. I must say that I have found some exciting deals and gifts for people. It makes me warm and fuzzy inside.
We're continuing our countdown with a song. We're on day 8, so here goes...
"On the eighth day of Christmas,
my true love gave to me
eight maids-a-milking,
seven swans-a-swimming,
six geese-a-laying,
five gold rings,
four birds calling,
three French hens,
two turtle doves,
and a partridge in a pear tree!"
I spent the day shopping, so today's list is eight stores I shopped at for Christmas.
1. Wal-Mart
2. Target
3. K-Mart
4. Kohls
5. Harbor Freight Tools
6. Toys R Us
7. Big Lots
8. Barnes and Noble
This is by no means an all inclusive list. But, it is a few of my favorite stores (minus the tool store - that is a yearly visit for dad).
Where do you shop?
Song of the Day: "Let It Snow" by Dean Martin
I finished (at least I think I did) my Christmas shopping today. I must say that I have found some exciting deals and gifts for people. It makes me warm and fuzzy inside.
We're continuing our countdown with a song. We're on day 8, so here goes...
"On the eighth day of Christmas,
my true love gave to me
eight maids-a-milking,
seven swans-a-swimming,
six geese-a-laying,
five gold rings,
four birds calling,
three French hens,
two turtle doves,
and a partridge in a pear tree!"
I spent the day shopping, so today's list is eight stores I shopped at for Christmas.
1. Wal-Mart
2. Target
3. K-Mart
4. Kohls
5. Harbor Freight Tools
6. Toys R Us
7. Big Lots
8. Barnes and Noble
This is by no means an all inclusive list. But, it is a few of my favorite stores (minus the tool store - that is a yearly visit for dad).
Where do you shop?
Song of the Day: "Let It Snow" by Dean Martin
Friday, December 18, 2009
Month of Holidays: Day 18
The countdown continues and so does our song. Plus, I have some exciting videos for you of my dog unwrapping a few of her Christmas gifts! My break has officially begun and I'm excited to just relax and probably write.
First up, the countdown song...
"On the seventh day of Christmas,
my true love gave to me
seven swans-a-swimming,
six geese-a-laying,
five gold rings,
four calling birds,
three French hens,
two turtle doves,
and a partridge in a pear tree!
Today's list is of my top seven non-animated Christmas movies.
Here goes:
1. Borrowed Hearts
2. The Holiday
3. Love Actually
4. Holiday in Handcuffs
5. The Santa Clause (all three!)
6. Jack Frost
7. The Christmas List
What are a few of your favorites?
View a list of Christmas Movies here: http://www.auburn.edu/~vestmon/christmas_movie.html
From what I can tell, it is not a complete list.
And the fun videos:
Song of the Day: "Christmas Pipes" by Enya
First up, the countdown song...
"On the seventh day of Christmas,
my true love gave to me
seven swans-a-swimming,
six geese-a-laying,
five gold rings,
four calling birds,
three French hens,
two turtle doves,
and a partridge in a pear tree!
Today's list is of my top seven non-animated Christmas movies.
Here goes:
1. Borrowed Hearts
2. The Holiday
3. Love Actually
4. Holiday in Handcuffs
5. The Santa Clause (all three!)
6. Jack Frost
7. The Christmas List
What are a few of your favorites?
View a list of Christmas Movies here: http://www.auburn.edu/~vestmon/christmas_movie.html
From what I can tell, it is not a complete list.
And the fun videos:
Song of the Day: "Christmas Pipes" by Enya
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