Jenni Merritt's Blog, page 21
November 28, 2011
I am a WINNER!
Psst... PSSSSSSST...
It is now about 1:40 AM, but I just didn't want to wait on my sharing this. Ready for awesomeness? Yes?
I WON NANOWRIMO 2011!
That's me. I'm a winner.
Yup, that is right! I sat down, wrote 6,505 words, and rolled in my Winners certificate about twenty minutes ago. My husband was gaming on his computer next to me, and got to watch as I literally lifted my arms in the air and cheered.
I am wired!
And feeling good!
I will most likely (okay, definitely) rant about this more come WIP day. But I just had to share this while still beaming with happiness. (And honestly, I have lost track of how many times I have now watched the congratulations video. They are cheering... for me!)
You can go back to your normal schedule now.
I am too busy being giddy.
It is now about 1:40 AM, but I just didn't want to wait on my sharing this. Ready for awesomeness? Yes?
I WON NANOWRIMO 2011!
That's me. I'm a winner.Yup, that is right! I sat down, wrote 6,505 words, and rolled in my Winners certificate about twenty minutes ago. My husband was gaming on his computer next to me, and got to watch as I literally lifted my arms in the air and cheered.
I am wired!
And feeling good!
I will most likely (okay, definitely) rant about this more come WIP day. But I just had to share this while still beaming with happiness. (And honestly, I have lost track of how many times I have now watched the congratulations video. They are cheering... for me!)
You can go back to your normal schedule now.
I am too busy being giddy.
November 25, 2011
I've Been Interviewed
Just wanted to share real quick:
Sylvia over at Writing in Wonderland has posted an author interview of yours truly. Wow... so surreal to see the word "author" next to my name...
Is it true? Oh, it will be very very true, very very soon. (If you do not follow me via Facebook or Twitter... I have ordered my proof copy of PN, and it is already shipped and on its way to me!)
Go on over and check out the interview!Click HERE.
And as always... Happy Writing!
Sylvia over at Writing in Wonderland has posted an author interview of yours truly. Wow... so surreal to see the word "author" next to my name...
Is it true? Oh, it will be very very true, very very soon. (If you do not follow me via Facebook or Twitter... I have ordered my proof copy of PN, and it is already shipped and on its way to me!)
Go on over and check out the interview!Click HERE.
And as always... Happy Writing!
Book Review: Warm Bodies
Warm Bodies
by Isaac Marion
Synopsis: (from Goodreads)
A zombie who yearns for a better life ends up falling in love—with a human—in this astonishingly original debut novel.
R is a zombie. He has no memories, no identity, and no pulse, but he has dreams. He doesn't enjoy killing people; he enjoys riding escalators and listening to Frank Sinatra. He is a little different from his fellow Dead.
Why I Picked this Book: I had seen this book floating around, but hadn't thought to give it a try once. Then I met Isaac Marion at Wordstock... and I knew I wanted to read it.
My Thoughts:
What a book. Yes, that is how I am going to begin this review. I didn't know what to expect from this book. To be honest, I am still very new to the whole Zombie genre. Only a few seconds into Warm Bodies... and I was more than hooked.
R is a zombie. Yes, a zombie. He shuffles, he groans, he can't remember who he is. He goes into the city with his buddy M and other fellow zombies and eats humans. Yes, eats. As in brains and all.
And that is where the story really gets going. R always seemed a bit different than the other zombies. Then one day on a hunting trip, while snacking on a man's brains, he experiences the man's memories. Now he is intent on protecting the dead man's girlfriend, Julie. R is changing. For good or bad, he will stop at nothing to keep Julie safe.
First... I love this idea. The thought that something of the human survives.
Second... I LOVED the writing. Marion has a poetic justice with his words, and I wanted more.
Third... Zombie in love? Heck yes. Zombie changing? Even more heck yes.
I didn't know what to expect with this book. I had no idea where each chapter was going to take me. And I honestly enjoyed every step of the way. Though it did have its weaker moments, its patchy spots, I barely noticed. The characters were full of personality, even the ones who barely spoke because they were too busy being... well... zombies.
Note: Julie has a very strong love for the F-word. It appears much more than once in this book.
This zombie book is a fresh new take on a very old tale. Do not expect the typical "mindless zombie take over and doomsday is here" book. Marion twisted and reformed zombies and I have to say: I want more. I highly look forward to what he has up his sleeve next. Looking for a new zombie novel full of action, humor, love and guts? Give Warm Bodies a read!
Now I just wish I had my copy of this book when I met Marion....
My Rating:
(5 out of 5 stars)
November 24, 2011
I Am Thankful
source
I am stepping away from the food prep, snacking, family chatting, and crazy writing catch up to wish you all a very very Happy Thanksgiving. And to all of you who aren't Americans chowing down nonstop on turkey, homemade cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes, rolls, pumpkin pie... I am wishing you a great day as well. Whether you are celebrating today or not, it is still a day to be thankful. Every day is.
And I am thankful for you.
All of you.
You encourage me, lift me up, root me on. You are all too awesome, I really am thankful every day that I have gotten the chance to "know" you. And I look forward to many, many days to come.
I hope you all have a great day! Don't eat too much.
(Oh, we all know we will...)
Happy Thanksgiving!
November 23, 2011
WIP Day - Hello CreateSpace...
I almost forgot it is Wednesday.Honestly. I was checking all of my many time wasters online, and kept getting that nagging feeling that I was forgetting something. Then I started to think about Thanksgiving, and all the yummy food waiting just around the corner... and WHAM, I remembered today is Wednesday. And therefore: is WIP Day!
I finally have an update on PN. I do I do.
Last night I officially submitted it to CreateSpace for printing.
AH!
It's true. Now I am just waiting to hear back from the review, where they will tell me if they caught any issues with my interior and cover files. Once I get the thumbs up from them, I get to order my proof copy! So close! If all goes right, I am hoping to officially release Prison Nation to all of you come early December.
Have I mentioned how jittery I feel? It is as if some one has injected nervous caffeine straight into my system, and it won't stop! I am excited. And scared. And very very tired. But man, this is a trip!
Let me add, the new online reviewer is pretty nifty! In fact, I took a very short vid of me flipping through the pages, and I just might have to share it... now:
Oooo... Just imagine how pretty the real book will be!
NaNoWriMo:
Well, the month is almost over. I am pretty happy that I got the huge word cushion at the beginning of the month, because man has my writing slowed. I am pretty much riding along the gray line now, which means I am right on track to finishing by the end of the month. Slower than I had planned, but at least it is happening!
I am looking forward to getting some good writing time tomorrow amidst the turkey chaos. Along with that, Kimmel and I have planned a writing night this Friday. It has been harder to write with her this year, being as she has moved literally across the US from me (Oh, three hour time difference... I don't like you) but this Friday we WILL make it work. Will you be writing? Find me on Twitter and yell at me to write!
That's it for now. Time to go check my email over and over like a crazy nut.
How is your writing? Have any plans for the holiday? Do tell!
Happy Writing!
November 21, 2011
Take a Break to LOL
You might have noticed my lack of a post this last Friday. And my almost lack of a post today.
With NaNoWriMo in full swing, I have found it hard to even remember how to type lately. I will update more on how my NaNovel is doing come WIP day, but for today I thought it a good idea to share some chuckles.
All you writers out there, take a break to laugh, clear your head, give your fingers a rest... You know your head will only explode if you push it too much. As amazingly creative and talented as we all are (hey, we all need the compliments right now), we do need to take a break every so often to... well... not write.
Don't stop too long though! There are only 10 days left!
_____________________
A Nanowrimo participant and her daughter were out trick or treating. A man opened the door and said to the little girl, "What are you supposed to be?"
"A ballerina," she said as she twirled in a circle. He dropped a piece of candy in her bag.
"And what are you supposed to be?" he asked the older woman who was wearing vampire teeth, had quotes pinned to her shirt, and was carrying a dictionary.
"I'm the Word Count," the woman said with a thick, fake accent.
"Aren't you a little old to be trick or treating?"
"Probably, but I'm going to need all the chocolate I can get."
_____________________
source
_____________________
A hungry lion was roaming through the jungle looking for something to eat. He came across two men. One was sitting under a tree reading a book; the other was typing away on his typewriter.
The lion quickly pounced on the man reading the book and devoured him. Even the king of the jungle knows that readers digest and writers cramp.
_____________________
source
_____________________
Q. How many mystery writers does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A. Two. One to screw it almost all the way in, and the other to give it a surprising twist at the end.
_____________________
A screenwriter comes home to a burned down house. His sobbing and slightly-singed wife is standing outside. "What happened, honey?" the man asks. "Oh, John, it was terrible," she weeps. "I was cooking, the phone rang. It was your agent. Because I was on the phone, I didn't notice the stove was on fire. It went up in second. Everything is gone. I nearly didn't make it out of the house. Poor Fluffy is–""Wait, wait. Back up a minute," The man says. "My agent called?"
_____________________
source
_____________________
There was once a young man who, in his youth, professed his desire to become a great writer. When asked to define great, he said, "I want to write stuff that the whole world will read, stuff that people will react to on a truly emotional level, stuff that will make them scream, cry, howl in pain and anger!" He now works for Microsoft writing error messages.
_____________________
A salesman walked up to a Nanowrimo participant's house and rang the doorbell. No one answered.
_____________________
HAPPY WRITING!
With NaNoWriMo in full swing, I have found it hard to even remember how to type lately. I will update more on how my NaNovel is doing come WIP day, but for today I thought it a good idea to share some chuckles.
All you writers out there, take a break to laugh, clear your head, give your fingers a rest... You know your head will only explode if you push it too much. As amazingly creative and talented as we all are (hey, we all need the compliments right now), we do need to take a break every so often to... well... not write.
Don't stop too long though! There are only 10 days left!
_____________________
A Nanowrimo participant and her daughter were out trick or treating. A man opened the door and said to the little girl, "What are you supposed to be?"
"A ballerina," she said as she twirled in a circle. He dropped a piece of candy in her bag.
"And what are you supposed to be?" he asked the older woman who was wearing vampire teeth, had quotes pinned to her shirt, and was carrying a dictionary.
"I'm the Word Count," the woman said with a thick, fake accent.
"Aren't you a little old to be trick or treating?"
"Probably, but I'm going to need all the chocolate I can get."
_____________________
source
_____________________A hungry lion was roaming through the jungle looking for something to eat. He came across two men. One was sitting under a tree reading a book; the other was typing away on his typewriter.
The lion quickly pounced on the man reading the book and devoured him. Even the king of the jungle knows that readers digest and writers cramp.
_____________________
source
_____________________Q. How many mystery writers does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A. Two. One to screw it almost all the way in, and the other to give it a surprising twist at the end.
_____________________
A screenwriter comes home to a burned down house. His sobbing and slightly-singed wife is standing outside. "What happened, honey?" the man asks. "Oh, John, it was terrible," she weeps. "I was cooking, the phone rang. It was your agent. Because I was on the phone, I didn't notice the stove was on fire. It went up in second. Everything is gone. I nearly didn't make it out of the house. Poor Fluffy is–""Wait, wait. Back up a minute," The man says. "My agent called?"
_____________________
source
_____________________There was once a young man who, in his youth, professed his desire to become a great writer. When asked to define great, he said, "I want to write stuff that the whole world will read, stuff that people will react to on a truly emotional level, stuff that will make them scream, cry, howl in pain and anger!" He now works for Microsoft writing error messages.
_____________________
A salesman walked up to a Nanowrimo participant's house and rang the doorbell. No one answered.
_____________________
HAPPY WRITING!
