Liz DeJesus's Blog, page 22
July 5, 2013
Zombie Fairy Tales
Yep. You read that correctly. I got an idea to write a post apocalyptic, zombie, fairy tale themed novel. Did I mention that I'm OBSESSED with fairy tales? So this should surprise no one. Although my mom looked at me like I had lost my mind when I told her the general plot of the book.
"We all need something fun to write," she said. And left it at that. LOL
It started when I stumbled across a submissions call at Entangled Publishing looking for zombie themed fairy tales. Submissions closed before I could write something and submit it. But months passed and the idea wouldn't let me go. And I'm not into zombies...really I'm not. But I was a HUGE fan of Warm Bodies. And I figured that maybe I could write something similar. So I jotted down a few ideas the other day and ended up with 7 pages worth. It started writing itself...I was a woman possessed.
So here's the general gist of it.
Snow White = Neve, who is the leader of the compound. She's a badass who walks around with several knives tucked around her body. She has 7 search droids that help her scout the area whenever she goes out hunting for game and searching for clean drinking water.
Beauty and the Beast = Bella and Teddy. She's a scientist trying to find a cure to the zombie plague/virus (still working on the details). She keeps her zombie boyfriend chained in the basement and uses him in her research. It's not pretty.
Sleeping Beauty = Briar is a hot mess who thinks she can garden. She has a filthy mouth that would make a seasoned truck driver blush.
Rapunzel = Zee is the computer genius that spends her time locked in her 'tower'. She is bisexual and will basically screw anything that moves. LOVE HER.
There is nothing Disney or safe about this book. It's going to be a bit of a dramedy because they say the funniest things. LOL It's funny to me anyway. :)
1452 / 50000 words. 3% done!
"We all need something fun to write," she said. And left it at that. LOL
It started when I stumbled across a submissions call at Entangled Publishing looking for zombie themed fairy tales. Submissions closed before I could write something and submit it. But months passed and the idea wouldn't let me go. And I'm not into zombies...really I'm not. But I was a HUGE fan of Warm Bodies. And I figured that maybe I could write something similar. So I jotted down a few ideas the other day and ended up with 7 pages worth. It started writing itself...I was a woman possessed.
So here's the general gist of it.
Snow White = Neve, who is the leader of the compound. She's a badass who walks around with several knives tucked around her body. She has 7 search droids that help her scout the area whenever she goes out hunting for game and searching for clean drinking water.
Beauty and the Beast = Bella and Teddy. She's a scientist trying to find a cure to the zombie plague/virus (still working on the details). She keeps her zombie boyfriend chained in the basement and uses him in her research. It's not pretty.
Sleeping Beauty = Briar is a hot mess who thinks she can garden. She has a filthy mouth that would make a seasoned truck driver blush.
Rapunzel = Zee is the computer genius that spends her time locked in her 'tower'. She is bisexual and will basically screw anything that moves. LOVE HER.
There is nothing Disney or safe about this book. It's going to be a bit of a dramedy because they say the funniest things. LOL It's funny to me anyway. :)
1452 / 50000 words. 3% done!
Fairy Tale Friday
Today I'm gonna talk a little bit about The Frog Prince. It's not one of my favorites but I like the fact that there are multiple versions of it. I remember watching Faerie Tale Theater, it was the very first episode and it had Robin Williams as the Frog Prince. If you haven't seen it you HAVE to watch it. It's HILARIOUS. LOL Anyway in some versions the princess kisses the frog in order for him to turn back into a prince. There are other slightly more brutal versions where the Frog Prince dies. The princess gets fed up with being nice to him so she grabs him and throws him against the wall. Killing him instantly. I. KID. YOU. NOT. And then he turns into a prince the moment his froggy body lands on the floor and they get married and live happily ever after. In my humble opinion, I wouldn't marry the bitch princess that, you know, killed me but I didn't write this fairy tale so I have no say in that matter.
I do however use this particular story in Glass Frost. At least a version of it. ;)
Here's what I found on wikipedia:
"The Frog Prince; or, Iron Henry" (German: Der Froschkönig oder der eiserne Heinrich, literally "The Frog King or the Iron Heinrich") is a fairy tale, best known through the Brothers Grimm's written version; traditionally it is the first story in their collection. In the tale, a spoiled princess reluctantly befriends a frog (possibly meeting him after dropping a gold ball into his pond), who magically transforms into a handsome prince. Although in modern versions the transformation is invariably triggered by the princess kissing the frog, in the original Grimm version of the story the frog's spell was broken when the princess threw it against a wall in disgust.[1] In other early versions it was sufficient for the frog to spend the night on the princess's pillow.
The Frog Prince by ~Aledin on deviantART
+Frog prince+ by ~Tea-desu on deviantART
The Frog Prince by *eugenebuzuk on deviantART
https://fundrazr.com/campaigns/2Y3Vf
I do however use this particular story in Glass Frost. At least a version of it. ;)
Here's what I found on wikipedia:
"The Frog Prince; or, Iron Henry" (German: Der Froschkönig oder der eiserne Heinrich, literally "The Frog King or the Iron Heinrich") is a fairy tale, best known through the Brothers Grimm's written version; traditionally it is the first story in their collection. In the tale, a spoiled princess reluctantly befriends a frog (possibly meeting him after dropping a gold ball into his pond), who magically transforms into a handsome prince. Although in modern versions the transformation is invariably triggered by the princess kissing the frog, in the original Grimm version of the story the frog's spell was broken when the princess threw it against a wall in disgust.[1] In other early versions it was sufficient for the frog to spend the night on the princess's pillow.
The Frog Prince by ~Aledin on deviantART
+Frog prince+ by ~Tea-desu on deviantART
The Frog Prince by *eugenebuzuk on deviantART
https://fundrazr.com/campaigns/2Y3Vf
July 4, 2013
Shattered Frost
Snow White's Dream by ~HHHSKrista08 on deviantART
Modern Snow White by *Hanasu on deviantART
22483 / 50000 words. 45% done!
July 2, 2013
First Frost Book Tour Fundraiser
I finally took the plunge and opened a Fundrazr account. I should really call this The Help Get Lizzie to Baltimore Fundraiser but it would be way too long. LOL Anyway, any help you can provide will be greatly appreciated. If you can’t make a donation then please share or tweet the link. :) Thanks in advance!
July 1, 2013
Insecurities
Yeah...I know. I spend most of my time online talking about writing or my books. But I get insecure just like anyone else, especially after I get a 1 star review. Those are the worst. :/ Those are the days where I just want to curl up into a ball and eat nothing but chocolate all day...even if future me will pay a high price for that the next day. I don't do that. I just smile and keep on keeping on.
Anyway my dad was in town this past week and we were talking about a million things, like we normally do. Then the topic of the grant came up. In the state of DE there's a grant for artists. It basically covers everything from writing to photography. I was going to throw my hat in for the writing grant and thought against it at the last minute because I felt insecure the moment the application asked for an artist statement. I've never done grant or technical writing in my life. I'm a novelist. I can take you on an adventure to another world! In space! Anywhere! Just don't ask me to write about myself or what my philosophies are!
Have pen. Must write.
The End.
The shortest artist statement in the universe. LOL
My dad was shocked that I wasn't going to turn in my application. I told him that there were hundreds of other writers that were much better than me and that I probably wouldn't win anyway so why bother. <--- see that? Self deprecating? Negative? Self defeat? I'm an expert at that. After I gave him all my lame ass reasons he stood up to his full height and said, "Elizabeth Francheska DeJesus, you have just as good a chance as anyone to win. And if you don't? So what? At least you tried. Promise me you'll at least try."
When a parent uses your full name in a sentence (it doesn't matter how old you are) you smile, nod and agree and do what your father tells you to do. Even though the thought of clicking the SEND button makes you wanna throw up a little.
So we sat down and tried to put together an artist statement. There was a lot of scribbling in my notebook and finally I closed it and set it aside to deal with in the cold light of day. I got online, and typed my little statement in the little application box and literally burst into tears. I didn't go to college, I don't have an MFA in writing or any type of education for that matter, save for a few credits at Del Tech (local community college) and I dropped out because I was so bored (spent most of my time in class writing, how's that for a sign). English isn't even technically my first language for cryin' out loud. I don't write beautiful literary novels that change people's way of thinking. I think about all the things I'm not and it was overwhelming. But...after I stopped crying, I thought about all the things I am.
Creative. Hard working. Determined.
If my father hadn't made me do it I'm sure another year would've passed by without me having put my application in. I didn't realize how badly I wanted this. So fingers crossed....we'll see what happens. If I do win you should know that I will celebrate by getting drunk and eating lots of chocolate. ;)
Anyway my dad was in town this past week and we were talking about a million things, like we normally do. Then the topic of the grant came up. In the state of DE there's a grant for artists. It basically covers everything from writing to photography. I was going to throw my hat in for the writing grant and thought against it at the last minute because I felt insecure the moment the application asked for an artist statement. I've never done grant or technical writing in my life. I'm a novelist. I can take you on an adventure to another world! In space! Anywhere! Just don't ask me to write about myself or what my philosophies are!
Have pen. Must write.
The End.
The shortest artist statement in the universe. LOL
My dad was shocked that I wasn't going to turn in my application. I told him that there were hundreds of other writers that were much better than me and that I probably wouldn't win anyway so why bother. <--- see that? Self deprecating? Negative? Self defeat? I'm an expert at that. After I gave him all my lame ass reasons he stood up to his full height and said, "Elizabeth Francheska DeJesus, you have just as good a chance as anyone to win. And if you don't? So what? At least you tried. Promise me you'll at least try."
When a parent uses your full name in a sentence (it doesn't matter how old you are) you smile, nod and agree and do what your father tells you to do. Even though the thought of clicking the SEND button makes you wanna throw up a little.
So we sat down and tried to put together an artist statement. There was a lot of scribbling in my notebook and finally I closed it and set it aside to deal with in the cold light of day. I got online, and typed my little statement in the little application box and literally burst into tears. I didn't go to college, I don't have an MFA in writing or any type of education for that matter, save for a few credits at Del Tech (local community college) and I dropped out because I was so bored (spent most of my time in class writing, how's that for a sign). English isn't even technically my first language for cryin' out loud. I don't write beautiful literary novels that change people's way of thinking. I think about all the things I'm not and it was overwhelming. But...after I stopped crying, I thought about all the things I am.
Creative. Hard working. Determined.
If my father hadn't made me do it I'm sure another year would've passed by without me having put my application in. I didn't realize how badly I wanted this. So fingers crossed....we'll see what happens. If I do win you should know that I will celebrate by getting drunk and eating lots of chocolate. ;)
June 30, 2013
Shattered Frost
snow white by ~sonkahalx3 on deviantART
Snow Whites Sorrow by ~miz-inthesky on deviantART
21992 / 50000 words. 44% done!
Bianca just had a really bad day in school. :'(
June 27, 2013
Fairy Tale Friday
Sorry I missed last week's edition of Fairy Tale Friday. With all the craziness of First Frost's birthday bash and everything else it completely slipped past me. Anyway I decided to make it fun and have people vote for this week's edition of Fairy Tale Friday.
These were the options:
1. Beauty and the Beast
2. Aladdin
3. Thumbelina
4. The Frog Prince
5. Hans the Hedgehog
And Hans the Hedgehog won.
:D
The first time I heard about this particular fairy tale was in Jim Henson's Storyteller. The version shown on this show is much more tame than the original version that was written by the Brother's Grimm (surprising no one). LOL It reminded me a little of the Greek Myth Cupid and Psyche. There's also a little bit of Beauty and the Beast thrown into the mix because the princess in the story has to look past Hans' appearance. It's an intriguing story. :)
Original story according to wikipedia:
Hans my Hedgehog by *Wolf-Suit on deviantART
Hans My Hedgehog... by ~steeringfornorth on deviantART
These were the options:
1. Beauty and the Beast
2. Aladdin
3. Thumbelina
4. The Frog Prince
5. Hans the Hedgehog
And Hans the Hedgehog won.
:D
The first time I heard about this particular fairy tale was in Jim Henson's Storyteller. The version shown on this show is much more tame than the original version that was written by the Brother's Grimm (surprising no one). LOL It reminded me a little of the Greek Myth Cupid and Psyche. There's also a little bit of Beauty and the Beast thrown into the mix because the princess in the story has to look past Hans' appearance. It's an intriguing story. :)
Original story according to wikipedia:
A wealthy but childless merchant wishes he had a child, even a hedgehog, and comes home to find that his wife has given birth to a baby boy that is a hedgehog from the waist up.
After eight years, the merchant goes to a fair and asks everyone in the household what they want. Hans My Hedgehog asks for bagpipes, and when he receives them, asks his father to have the cock shod so he can ride off to seek his fortune.
When he gets them, he goes off into the woods and watches over his donkeys and pigs. A king, lost in the woods, hears him playing the bagpipes, and Hans My Hedgehog promises to show him the way home in return for whatever first meets him when he returns. The king promises, but, realizing that Hans My Hedgehog cannot read, writes down instead that Hans My Hedgehog should receive nothing, which he is glad of when he returns and it is his daughter; she is glad of it, too. A second king is also lost, and he does write down the promise, and his daughter, on hearing of it, gives her promise that she will obey.
In time, Hans My Hedgehog goes to claim his promises. The first king attempts to withhold his daughter, but Hans forces him to yield her, and then takes her off, forces her to take off her clothing, pierces her all over until she bleeds, and sends her back to her father. The second king agrees to the marriage, the princess holds herself bound by her promise, and Hans My Hedgehog promises her that his prickles will not harm her. Then he tells the king on their wedding night, he should build a big fire, and when Hans takes off his hedgehog skin, he should have four servants burn it. They do this, and Hans My Hedgehog becomes a handsome young man.
Hans my Hedgehog by *Wolf-Suit on deviantART
Hans My Hedgehog... by ~steeringfornorth on deviantART
June 26, 2013
Glass Frost's first official review!!
Wooohoooo!!!
4 stars for my book! *happy dance*
http://www.whatsbeyondforks.com/2013/06/book-review-glass-frost-by-liz-dejesus.html
There's another review in the works as well that's 5 stars. So I don't think I have to worry about the curse of the sequel. :D
4 stars for my book! *happy dance*
http://www.whatsbeyondforks.com/2013/06/book-review-glass-frost-by-liz-dejesus.html
There's another review in the works as well that's 5 stars. So I don't think I have to worry about the curse of the sequel. :D
June 22, 2013
Happy Anniversary
Today is the one year anniversary of First Frost's release date. This little book has taken me places (metaphorically speaking) that I never could've imagined for myself. It all started almost 3 years ago when my son Mason was 1 1/2 years old. I was giving him his bottle before his nap time and just watching TV. I can't believe how a commercial for a children's museum would change my life. LOL.
The more I wrote, the clearer Bianca Frost became in my head. So much so that I could hear her cracking jokes while I washed the dishes or while I drove to the supermarket.
It took me nine months to write the first couple of drafts and then I sent it to my dear friend and editor (good luck charm) Shonell Bacon who spruced it up for me before I started sending it to agents and publishers. I got a lot of rejection letters but more often than not they were accompanied by a short note telling me that they loved the idea and that I should continue trying to get it published. And to this day I don't know how I stumbled upon Musa Publishing but I took a chance and submitted my book. LOL By this point I was about 8 months pregnant with my second son, Peter. Some time passed and I was actually in the hospital with my newborn son when I got an email from the head editor at Musa Publishing asking me if I had received her first email. I was like O_O am I hallucinating? I looked at my spam folder and there it was. An email asking to read the rest of the manuscript. I couldn't get out of the hospital fast enough. The next day, my hubby, Mason and newborn baby boy Peter headed home. After we made sure everyone was settled I went to my laptop and sent the entire manuscript to the head editor and waited some more.
It's been a long journey. Changes were made. Edits took place. Then more waiting. Then line edits. Cover design. Then waiting....and more waiting....then June 22 2012 finally arrived and I was so excited! I couldn't wait to share my little baby with the world. I was happy, scared, elated, terrified...but mostly happy. :)
I just want to take a moment to thank Musa Publishing for taking a chance on me and my little book. They have been incredibly supportive and amazing throughout this entire journey. They honestly do everything they can to help the authors in their publishing house. I also want to thank the reviewers and bloggers that took the time to read and review my book. It's thanks to you guys that my book has made the little ripples in this little pond. Friends and family members that took the time to share my blog posts, some of you have watched my kids so I could carve out some time to write. So from the bottom of my heart, thank you. Thank you so much! :)
Can't wait to see what happens with Glass Frost. ;-) Wish me luck.
