Rin Navarro's Blog, page 2

Too Much to do!!!

This post is pretty self explanatory. I want to start out by saying how sorry I am guys. I tried to make a schedule where I was going to be posting every Sunday, but obviously that didn’t go as planned. It’s literally like what the picture above says: There’s so much to do, but just not enough time in a day. And the things that I want to focus on hardly even get a little of my attention. Like my writing for example…I’m completely burned out with that. My paintings…hit a dead end. Reading….barely have time. I work all day and when I get home, I’m so exhausted that all I want to do is lay down. Plus, I just started back up on getting my degree so I’m feeling the pressure. I know that I can’t be the only one feeling like this so I’m going to tell you guys what I’m doing to get back into the groove of things.

I write every single thing down. I have a calendar on my wall where I write the major things like for work and school, and then I have a planner where I write all of it down. Things that I plan on working on, workout schedules, making time for my writing, art projects, everything. A little thing that I like to do too is when I complete a task, I highlight it. It gives my mind a weird sense of comfort to show that I’m getting stuff done.I break my big projects into smaller projects. Currently I am working on a big painting so I break it down into like, “Wednesday: Paint the gray books” I do the same thing with my book trying to focus on a chapter a week. I’m not moving at the pace I want to be, but at least I’m moving somewhere.Readjust your focus. My book is my dream. My book is where my main focus should be at. School is important, but I have to keep getting it out there, and promoting and writing. If school is important to you, then make that your major focus, but my writing will always be mine.Get to work! Now that I have my plan and all the tools that I need, it’s time to sit down and actually work!RELAX. I feel like this one is a major one that most of us dismiss. We get so caught up in our lives that we don’t make time to actually relax and breathe. I know that if I skip this step, I get too burned out and start stressing about the little things. Just know when it’s time to get back to the grind.

So I’m still here you guys. I’m pushing through and I’m not going anywhere. I just need to get more organize and actually get things moving. I hope this helps for anyone who’s drowning in their daily routine. Remember: YOU GOT THIS!

Wicked as you Wish- Book Review #8

Wicked as you Wish by Rin Chupeco

Okay so…this was not a win for me. I finished it and then I was like, “What did I just read?” And that makes me really sad because I have enjoyed her books so far, but I was just having the hardest time getting into this one. The thing about this is that I cannot honestly tell you what it’s about from my own view because I have no idea.

In the beginning it was easy for me to follow along with. They are stuck in Arizona because a Snow Queen put their homeland into an eternal winter. Magic is banned and there’s all types of it which I get, but then it brought in the Cheshire cat??? And I LOVE Alice in Wonderland characters! I don’t know. The more I read it, the more confused I got. But I should love this book! The writing style is something that I would usually go for. You know, the characters with the “I don’t care on the outside, but I secretly do on the inside.” type of attitude. I love that stuff, but it just didn’t stick with me. Also, I don’t know if anyone else is like this, but if I read a book and the characters have these hard names to pronounce, I immediately lose interest. Like Tagalog or Makiling or Shaba-daba-whatever!

So in other words, I’m not going to say that this book sucks because Rin Chupeco is an amazing author. Don’t let this review steer you away from her other books. However, this was not meant for me, but it could be for you. It has magic, a kickass female character, a gay prince and a firebird. Just because it was not my cup of tea does not mean that it can’t be your shot of tequila.

Book Review #7

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this book! My rating is through the roof with this one. It kind of reminded me of my own book with loneliness as a central theme, but with a much more deeper connection to it. This was a big read, but I couldn’t put it down. It took me two days tops to finish it.

It’s about a French girl named Addie LaRue (duh) who was born in the 1600s so you can already guess how her normal life was. Get married young, have kids, cook and clean for your husband until you meet the grave. Yeah…it sucks. She reaches her early twenties and she’s way overdue to get married to a man she doesn’t love. On her wedding day she runs off to the woods to pray to the Gods for help, for a way out of her set life.

Let’s pause for a second…this sounds like your normal story. A girl running away from her fate, praying to a God, but gets way more than she bargains for. Okay…un-pause.

A dark God answers her cries and gives her a life of complete freedom. The only thing is that she didn’t know that freedom comes with a price and a great sacrifice. No one remembers her. If you leave her in a room for a few seconds and come back, you will have no idea who she is. It’s sad, right? She lives her life like this all the way to modern times being just a ghost on someone’s memory. That is until she goes to a bookstore and the guy behind the register remembers her the very next day. This is where things get interesting.

What I really love about this book is that is takes you from past to present throughout giving you the backstory and important events that happened through her life. It dwells into the main character’s sadness and how the loneliness devoured her, but she never gave in to the dark God. It’s about strength and persevering through this life when you think you’re alone. Not only is the writing beautiful, but the story that Schwab weaves is just breathtaking on every page.

Where have I been?

So….I’m sorry! I know I have been distant for someone who has posted every week to who barely makes a post a month, but I haven’t been lazy! I’ve been working on a few things and I went through a traumatic experience….I got rid of 30-40 books….Yes! I know, it doesn’t sound that bad, but trust me, if you’re a major book lover like me, it was like a shotgun to the heart. Plus a few of my sturdy bookshelves decided not to be so sturdy anymore so I had to switch to book carts. Don’t get me wrong. They’re great. Small. Manageable. Has wheels….but I guess I’m just a nerd of wanting to see everyone single one of my books displayed.

Nonetheless the cleaning and organizing has been great. I have even been working on some new art projects and have been back to writing on my stories. Things are looking great right now. I haven’t been reading as much, but I’m getting back into it so be prepared to see some more book reviews soon. Also, as I am still going through the process of learning about the publishing industry, I do have some tips that I wish someone would’ve told me. It’s a learning process, but it’s rewarding. Other than that, I’m going to try to make a daily schedule where I post at least once a week. Until then, keep reading and creating my fellow nerds!

Book Review #6

[image error] Escaping Eleven by Jerry Chisholm

This book was a joy to read. And let me tell you…I am not a fan of stories like this. A future where the world is altered and Earth is uninhabitable. Hitting a little too close to the sci-fi line for me. But this book kept my attention pretty well. So let’s get started.

In this book, the sun is the villain. It became too hot and life decided to move below. Welcome to Compound eleven where the floors rank you of how good of a life you’re going to get. If you’re lucky, you’re on the top floor, but if you’re unlucky like Eve Hamilton, you’re stuck on the bottom where you fight. This is the floor where you have learn to survive and fight for your next meal. Eve is pretty good at surviving and is a top-notch fighter, until she fights a guy from the top floor and gets her ass kicked. But there’s something about him that tells her that he’s different. He instantly pulls her in. She’s always longed for a life above ground so this guy is either going to lift her up or pull her down.

First off, I’m a sucker for kick-ass female protagonists. Eve was a character I was rooting for the entire time. Second off, I found flaws in this book, but it’s almost as if the author meant to do it on purpose. Like for example (and SPOILER ALERT) if the sun was too hot for human life, then how was Eve able to see birds in the Observatory? Or trees for that matter? Shouldn’t the top of the Earth be scorched? I feel like the author left a little mystery for me and I can’t wait to get my hands on the second one to see what happens next!

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Back in the Groove!

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Hey guys! I am so sorry that I have ghosted for the past month. I have been busy with my own personal life and kind of lost myself in the stress of things. You know when life hits you pretty hard and you stay down for a while? Yep. That was me, but I’m back now! Ready to get back to doing what I love. So with that being said, I thought I could start this off with a quote from one of my favorite authors, the legendary Stephen King:

“Life isn’t a support-system for art. It’s the other way around.”

While I ghosted for the past few weeks, I picked up on painting more. I also started to get new ideas for upcoming stories and have been getting interested in new books (reviews coming soon). I’m slowly getting back to myself and promise to be more active with my postings here.

But for all my artists here, if you ever feel lost or lose yourself, just remember what gives you passion. I know it’s hard when you get in that slump, but think of what makes you happy. Whether it’s writing, painting, reading, playing the violin or even coloring, keep your mind busy. Don’t ever stay stuck in that hole.

A Devil’s Deal Art #1

Okay, so I’m going to take a break and talk about some artwork that has been completed recently for my book, A Devil’s Deal. First and foremost, all the paintings that I do are done on canvas with acrylic paints only. Just in case anybody wanted to know about the paints that I use. Now introducing…Prima Ballerina! The Amazing Akira Steals the Show!

If you’ve read my book, then you know all about this scene. Side note: Most of these paintings that I’ll be showing are iconic scenes from the book. Akira has lived a very long life and during her extended lifetime, she was a ballerina in the 1940s. In the book, she talks about some of her past and the things she has done and accomplished. I thought that making her a ballerina at some point was genius because when I see a ballerina dance, I think of loneliness and pain. Yeah, they’re beautiful at first glance, but you know the hours they put into practice, the kind of feet that they get?

Akira spent most of her lifetime alone, never being able to trust or love anybody. (I know, I made my main character have a hard time.) This is why I love this painting so much. When people look at it, they automatically see a ballerina, but when I look at it, I see Akira’s struggles. I know that it is not the greatest work of art out there, but it’s something special to me because I know the meaning behind it.

If you want to know more of Akira’s crazy story, then check out A Devil’s Deal!

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Kindle or Real Books?

This seems like the great war that’s going on between readers. Which do you prefer: Kindle or having a real book in front of you?

Me? You guys know I love my library. Real books all the way. There’s just something about feeling the pages that is just amazing to a bookworm. It’s just way more relaxing to me. A kindle on the other hand….eh. My eyes play tricks on me if I stare at a screen for too long. The words start jumbling all together and I have no idea what I am looking at anymore.

One year for my birthday, I received a kindle and told my dad to take it right back. I remember that I took so much offense to it that he couldn’t believe I was going to throw a fit over a kindle, but come on! Could you see Belle from Beauty and the Beast having a kindle? I’d rather have that huge library! And I love how you kindle lovers out there try to tell me, “Well a kindle is easier because you always have a book at your hands wherever you go.” Wrong! I take a book with me wherever I go and a back up one just in case I finish that one. I’ve been like that since I was a kid.

In all honesty though, whether it’s on a kindle or from a real book, the point of it is as long as it takes you away from reality, that’s all that matters.

Book Review #5

[image error] Clown in a Cornfield by Adam Cesare

This book was…WOAH!! At first when I saw this in the book store, I thought that it was going to be corny. No pun intended. I mean, come on! A clown? In a cornfield? How much more corny do you want to be? Buuut despite my negative thoughts, I decided to check it out anyways and I got to say….I am so glad I bought this! I give this one a solid four star rating!

Here’s what it’s about: Quinn moves to a tiny town called Kettle Springs where it seems like there’s a war going on between the old folks and the kids. The adults want to make the town great again, while the kids just want to have fun and make videos of their pranks. With the town cracking in half, here comes Frendo, the town’s mascot which happens to be a creepy clown, and Frendo has an idea. The only way to restore the town back to its former glory is to get rid of the rotten kids.

I love slasher horror movies and I’m talking about the old ones like Freddy, Jason, Chucky and Michael Myers. This book reminded me of that. It had suspense and gory scenes that I felt like I was in a horror movie myself. Also, I’ve talked about how much I love a book that keeps me guessing and this one delivered! I was trying to figure out the killer and it kept throwing me off. This is definitely a good summer read!

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Writing Tip #6

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You want to be a writer? There has to be one thing that you love to do above all else. READ! I think it’s obvious by now that I’m a book worm. I have loved reading ever since I first learned how to read. Getting lost in worlds is my favorite thing to do that I wanted others to get lost into my worlds. In all honesty, reading has led me to writing.

I’ve been reading On Writing by Stephen King and in it he states, “Reading is the creative center of a writer’s life.” (pg. 147) This is where you learn about different writing styles, voices, how other authors use descriptive imagery and certain writing techniques. I have read so many books over the years that I can pick up the different styles of each ones. You ever read a book and the writing was easy and short, but you got the whole story in your head anyways? Then there’s those books that are filled with pretty words and so much description that it really transports you there.

When I first read the Wicked Lovely series by Melissa Marr, I tried to make my writing style more like hers with being very descriptive with my scenes and characters. Then I read the Hush, Hush series by Becca Fitzpatrick and I tried to make my writing more light and simple, yet getting straight to the point. Keep in mind that I was a new writer, only a teenager trying to find my own style. I didn’t think it was bad back then because I was just exploring the writing styles from the different books I read.

Now I have my own writing style. I truly believe that school could only teach you so much. All those websites and platforms that teach you writing could only get you so far. If you want to tighten your skills as a writer, then read. Keep reading. That’s the only way to understand yourself as a writer and what kind of writing you want to do.