I Got You Blogfest/Blunt Honesty

If the theme is pick a blogger who has impacted your life/writing/blog, then in a moment of brutal honestly I would have to admit, that while there are blogs I actually read, follow, and comment on the blog that has most significantly, is Julie Powell's blog.

I don't follow her blog. I thought about it after the movie. I checked it out. Honestly, I wasn't impressed. I didn't like the way she didn't mind telling the world that she had an affair and the day I visited the blog her tagline under the blog's title read, "Random Rantings of a Narcissistic Whore." Way to flaunt it, I thought to myself. Needless to say, I didn't click "follow me."

That being said when I watched the movie for the Julie/Julia Project, I was in a similar spot in my life were I was just frustrated with everything. I have/had a day job that I don't care. I'm a cubicle employee just like Julie. I'm also not where I thought I would be in life, just like Julie and my husband and I live in an apartment because we can't buy a house yet, just like Julie (at least at the time of the movie).

But I watched the movie one week after finishing my first manuscript, that didn't take me eight years to complete. I didn't know how to market it and it was controversial. I had never heard of a critique partner. I didn't know what yalitchat or SCBWI was. I read online that after you write a book, you need to write a query and send it around. I planned to do this, but something about it was stilted--broken and I didnt know why. I understood in it's current shape it wasn't marketable. I thought the only way to fix it would be to scratch and start over from the beginning. Same characters different story.

I knew I needed to be writing. (You can't improve if you don't write). I had no ideas. Then I thought if this cubicle employee can come up with a blog that sells a book and a movie, maybe I can too. And if not, at least if I'm blogging, I'm writing something. I racked my brain for something that I could. (I was not cooking fatty French food). The thing is I have no real talent. My degree is English and I'm a law school drop out. But something I read, made me realize that my vocabulary was incredibly weak for a writer and that to improve it  needed to read more. I also needed a project, because my life was way to boring to blog about. So from Julie Power and Stephen King Project 52 was born.

Project 52 has changed my life. I started following blogs which is how I learned a lot, and how I happened on to a lot of the books I read. The books bred ideas that crept into my sleep which became Phantom Fires, my recently finished manuscript and Chance Encounters, the ms I'm hard at work on. The blogs explained things from how to find a CP to how to revise. Then I got brave and started emailing authors/bloggers. They were open to it. Happily answered my questions. I learned of writing groups and book clubs, went to my first book signing had a blast, made new friends, learned more and now my life isn't quite so boring.

Firelight Book 32

Sophie Jordan, a published adult author, enters the world of YA with the soon to be released Fjrelight. I was able to get an ARC of Firelight from my friend Michelle at windowpane memoirs.

I'm not really sure how to review this book. Some moments of it were very good, but there were often many pages between those moments. To be fair, I will state most of the reviews I've seen have been positive. I think I'm going to start with what I liked and then list what I didn't like.

What I like: Most of the characters were very well developed with attributes and flaws. I always knew why they were doing what they were doing. The premise of a dragon girl was interesting. The romance developed very well and was very strong. I think that's what I liked the most.

What Ididn't like:  First of all, this book is written in first person present, which seems to be a developing trend, but I've seen it really work in very few instances. This is my personal preference though, so it may not bother you. Aside from that, there are many many fragmented sentences. I'm aware that that is the author's choice, but I think in this case, there are too many of them.
The girl is capable of shape shifting into a Draki, or dragon descendant. It was weird for me because she becomes the draki but it's constantly referred to as something she owns rather than something she is.  Also, while there were some really intense moments where I just couldn't put the book down, there were many times when I wondered when something was going to happen. *SPOILER ALERT* And finally, the hunter falling in love with his prey just rung a little too close to Twilight for me. But that again, could just be me as there are no vampires and Jacinda is a much stronger protagonist than Bella.

I saw a lot of potential in this book, but there were sparks missing for me. I think I would give it a two star rating. However, there was enough there that if Sophie Jordan wrote an unrelated book, I'd be glad to check it out.

Mockingjay Review Book 31/Linger Winner Announced

In holding to true Bethness the proud owner of the autographed and doodled in copy of Linger will be announced after my pithy review of Mockingjay.


Dum, dum, dum....Mockingjay Okay, seriously, it wasn't horrible, but I can't say I loved it as much as the first two either. Collins built a world we were intrigued by, gave us characters we loved, and built suspense like no one else could have. The problem is it came crashing down to a rather abrupt ending. (I won't disclose that, though)!

We saw Gale's true colors, which I saw in book one. Peeta doesn't seem like the same person, which I guess with everything he's been through is understandable. The ending wasn't really tragic though I know a lot of people viewed that way. I think the problem was it came crashing out of nowhere. I stuck out 400 pages, I need a little more than an almost happy kind of sad one page end of story!


And now the proud new owner of Linger is Ebyss. Please email me at bethfred08@gmail.com within seven days so that I can mail this to you.

Quickie

Okay, I'm seriously lost in an endless sea of edits. I want to throw the pages in the floor and make swim in them--that's how many there are. I see this as going on for at least, well, maybe, PERPETUALLY? So this post will be short and sweet.

A promise to CPs--If by dumb luck Phantom Fires gets published I will send you each a pound of chocolate tea.

And now as I have nothing of substance to say I will remind everyone about my Linger Give Aawy and also tell you that you should not expect consistent posts from me for a few weeks as I am drowning in the before mentioned sea. But I love you and as I'm re-writing these teen age idiots and all their supernaturalness I am thinking of you.

XOXOXOXOX

BIG REVEAL

Okay, so my mc Brandi O'Malley really looks a whole lot like my little cousin Brandi Moore. (yeah, yeah, lazy I know). It worked like this. I researched Irish names for a brother and sister and came up with Brandi and Brandon and since I had one of each at easy access I decided just to let the characters look like my brother and cousin. The problem is she's no celeb and trying to find a celebrity look a like hasn't been a cakewalk. I found this pic and I think with the hair and eyes it's as close as I can get. But our faces are just a bit rounder.
My cuz refuses to give me a picture of her from high school. So here you go...

Guess That Character

Snippet (Rough Draft)
“We’re still covering our unit on the Ten Commandments.” Mr. Meyer said. “Today, we’re going to discuss ‘Thou shall not steal’ and what that really means. There are lots of ways to steal. Children steal from their parents. Employers steal from their employees. You have employees that steal from their employers. Can anyone add to this?”
I raised my hand. Since no one else did, Mr. Meyers called on me. “Corporations steal from consumers. Sometimes they bill a frivolous fee that they really shouldn’t have and sometimes they just blatantly steal and since most people either don’t know their rights or can’t enforce them they get away with it.”
“That’s a good point. Very good. So if you’re doing your job and you’re acting on behalf of a company is it stealing?” he continued.
“Of course. We don’t just get to practice morals when it’s easy. We have to be Catholic all the time.” I answered.
For many years, Laurent’s dad was the president of that giant retail superstore that is the biggest corp in northwest Arkansas, the USA and probably the world—the oh so ethical one, that everyone loves. I guess, he must have spent a lot of time charging distributors frivolous fees because Laurent took offense. “Many times you have fiduciary duty to your client to obtain all sums possible in their favor. Depending on your profession if you don’t do those things you could lose the privilege to continue your profession or be charged with breaking the law. So how could it be a sin?”
“I worked in my daddy’s law firm with him from the time I was 9 years old till the day he died. I was reading law books before I knew who George Orwell was, so I know something about this and if there is one thing I know, you can’t associate the laws of this country with morality. They’re two totally different and often contradictory things. Sorry, Laurent.”
He glared at me. So did the bleached blonde sitting beside him. I guess they didn’t think I could argue with the quarterback of the football team. Non-cheerleading red heads weren’t allowed the privilege.
“Well, if you’re so objected to those laws you could leave.”
That was the stupidest thing I had ever heard. Lots of people didn’t want to be here that couldn’t get out.
“Yeah. If you have money for a passport, and a visa and airfare elsewhere if you don’t like the laws you can leave. Otherwise, you’re pretty much stuck here and everyone deserves equal protection under the law.”
He glared at me. Then leaned over and whispered something into Jennifer’s ear. The discussion continued. I took to doodling on my notebook. Five minutes later I cast my head to the side to mouth something to Sara and I noticed Jennifer staring at me and then whispering back to Laurent. I forgot what I wanted to tell Sara. I looked at Jennifer and said out loud, “Hold a grudge much? It’s not my fault your boyfriend was absurdly wrong.”
Somehow the discussion moved on from “thou shall not steal” to service for the poor. I’m not sure how because I wasn’t paying attention anymore. I just remember hearing Laurent say that poor people in this country choose to be poor. Bri made me work for a food bank on Saturdays. It charged the poor $35 for a “one month food supply.”
My parents got mad at Briana when she moved to California after high school. They cut her off. Bri used the same food bank there. She said it usually lasted her about two weeks, but she could buy an extra package and it was still much cheaper than trying to buy groceries for a month. Briana had never been lazy. That’s the primary difference between us and probably the fault that kept me grounded. When I worked at the food bank, I saw people I never expected to see, like the school librarian. She was at school every day before it opened and she’d still be there for two hours after it closed. I wondered if she would get paid more working for a public library, but probably not enough to matter, I guessed.
“You’re stupid.” I said out loud, not meaning to. Those words just struck me.
“Brandi, we don’t make personal attacks and we don’t resort to name calling. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.”
My sister is more respected than me. She is a former vallidvictorian of St. Joseph’s High and I assume middle school and elementary too. She just didn’t get a plaque for that. “Briana’s not lazy.” I said very matter of a fact.
“Briana’s not poor.” Laurent said.
“She was broke when she went to California. Scholarships only pay tuition. She relied on a food bank to eat, which by the way is a Protestant service since I guess the new church stance is it’s the poor’s fault their poor.”
“I think she was the exception.”
“Yes. My sister was the only poor person in the country to work and still be poor.” I rolled my eyes. I didn’t add how stupid his logic was, because I didn’t have to. Most of the class was laughing already.

Interview with Brenda Pandos

Tell us about Emerald Talisman. What's it about? Is this the first book in a series?

To be normal, sixteen-year-old Julia Parker would shed her empathic gift in a second. Life has been difficult since her mother's mysterious disappearance ten years earlier - an event she witnessed, but can't remember. Julia's situation becomes more complicated after a near death experience from a blood thirsty stalker. As high school students go missing it is clear there is a connection to her own experience--past and present. Someone has to stop the madness and a chance encounter with a creepy psychic foretells that only Julia is the key to stopping the madness, but it may require the life of the one she loves. TET is a paranormal romance, the first of a three book series. The Sapphire Talisman comes out December 2010.

Who or what is your greatest inspiration in writing?

This may sound cliché but Stephenie Meyers inspired me, but not in the way you may think. Her compelling biography encouraged me to try writing a novel. I had no clue what I was doing, but after 18 months, I had a rough draft for The Emerald Talisman.

Do you specifically write YA or are you open to other genres as well? Why or why not?

Right now I’m only writing young adult novels and I’m not sure if I’ll ever venture into the adult side. I’m a kid at heart and enjoy weaving issues kids face into my writing to show the consequences of good and poor choices. Plus, young love and all the emotion that surrounds that time in our lives is an excellent foundation for really juicy drama.

Do you have any suggestions for unpublished writers trying to get published?

Finish and edit your manuscript first. Have qualified persons read your manuscript and give feedback. Be open to the feedback. I found Self-Editing for Fiction Writers an excellent resource. Make friends with people who are doing the same thing and bounce ideas off them. Research the market and make sure your genre and topic matches what publishers are looking to buy. Look to see who the agent is of books similar to what you’ve written and research to see if they are taking new clients. Nathan Bransford has a great blog on all of that. http://blog.nathanbransford.com/

Are there any specific resources you found especially helpful as you made your way through the query process?

Querying is a scary process. You’ve just spent all this time and emotional energy on your baby for someone to arbitrarily reject and/or criticize with hopes of landing an agent or selling your manuscript. I have to confess, I didn’t go this route. Instead, I started my own publishing company and my novel was it’s first to be published. Knowing the market had been and continues to be flooded with vampire manuscripts, I didn’t think I had a chance. In the process, I’ve become my own designer, agent, publisher, promoter, marketer, and publicist and so far, my novel is selling and well liked. I did have a leg up though because I’m a graphic and web designer. But I’ve found, it’s not so uncommon these days and I get to keep all the profits for myself. I’m planning to publish other novels as well, the next being Soul Stalker by Laura Kreitzer this September. The internet has leveled the playing field and with print-on-demand, I’m able to do it.

If you were forced to evacuate your home with only two possessions what would you take?

Well, since my kids don’t count because they aren’t possessions, I’d take my laptop and their blankies. My laptop is basically my life which is priceless to me and my kids couldn’t live without their blankies.

Thanks to Brenda for the interview and thanks to all of you who voted for my short story. I won the flash match and will most likely post the patch tomorrow.I am still exhausted from this week's travels by planes, trains, and automobiles and am too lazy to snatch the patch from my email.