Clare C. Marshall's Blog, page 23
February 13, 2012
Faces in the Mist, Part Sixteen
The nurse led Lady Dominique, Lady Kristen, and Lady Méline into a monitoring room. Lady Harmony lay as still as a statue behind a pane of glass, her sheets barely disturbed by the gentle up and down motion of her chest as she breathed. Her forehead was stuck with sensors attached to wires, which fed into a computer that sat on an adjacent nightstand. The monitors in front of them, away from Lady Harmony's contaminated room, showed her status. Sweat beaded at Dominique's hairline. With all the machines in the room, it was almost hotter than the time she'd taken that cruise to Mercury.
"La Belle au bois dormant," Lady Méline whispered.
Sleeping Beauty. Dominique's lips twisted. She remembered the two of them sharing a vanity once at the Lady's Academy on Earth. Everyone wanted to be next to Lady Harmony, but somehow, Dominique was the lucky one to always grace her presence. With Harmony's long, unnaturally red hair and sparkling emerald eyes, she stood out in a crowd in ways that Dominique never would. She resented that. When she was First Lady, though, that would change.
"She looks…normal," Lady Kristen said, moving closer to the monitors.
"Yes, well, looks can be deceiving. Don't get too close," the nurse warned. "This area has been sanitized and is under surveillance, but technically you're not even supposed to be in here, and–"
"We appreciate the risk you have taken," Dominique interrupted kindly, forcing another smile.
The beeper on the nurse's waist went off. Primitive technology, but sometimes that was all Earth could afford to send them. She silenced it with a switch and then read its tiny, pixelated screen.
"Doctor Leeland needs me," she muttered. Her eyes flickered to Dominique. "I've got to go. That means we've all got to go, before Doctor Leeland–"
"But we've just got here!" Lady Kristen whined.
"And the longer we stay, the longer I could get into trouble, and lose my job," the nurse replied.
Her beeper went off again, more urgently this time. Frustrated, she detached it from her waist and gripped it so tightly that it looked like she was going to slam it into the wall.
"Impatient old…" she muttered expletives about Doctor Leeland under her breath and stormed towards the exit. "Look, I've got to go. You can show yourselves out by using the default override on the keypad system—just key in zero-zero-eight-one when it prompts you for the card, okay?"
"Of course. Thank you," Dominique said.
She slammed the door shut, rattling the monitors slightly.
Lady Kristen's eyes bugged out. "She really didn't want us in here."
"Yes, well, the hospital is really no place for Ladies. We would not want nurses and doctors swarming around the Ladies' Quarters."
"Unless dere is maladie," Lady Méline said timidly, still staring at Lady Harmony's peaceful form.
"She doesn't even look sick at all. Look at this. It says her vitals are stable." Lady Kristen pointed to one of the bigger monitors attached to the desk. The screen had three green lines that wavered and blipped intermittently.
Dominique gritted her teeth. "And since when have you become a nurse, Lady Kristen?"
The junior lady's eyes lit up. "My mother was a doctor back on Earth, Lady Dominique! She used to let me come into the patients rooms sometimes, and she taught me how to read the screens, and this one time–"
"I only asked you one question, I don't need you to tell me your life story, thank you."
"Yes, Lady Dominique." Her demeanor dimmed, but otherwise she was not perturbed. Dominique wondered if it was time to try a different angle of discipline with her. When she herself was a junior lady, it was easy to become used to the senior ladies and learn ways to deflect their commands. Being unreadable and unpredictable with reprimands and punishments was the only way to keep the junior ladies afraid and in line.
Lady Kristen squinted as her gaze flickered between the looking glass and the vitals monitor. "Seriously. I mean, I know I'm not an expert, but all this is telling me is that she's asleep."
She headed for the door that led to Lady Harmony's room.
"Kristen! What are you doing?" Lady Méline hissed.
But Lady Kristen was already in the room. Dominique was surprised that the door wasn't locked, but the security around the room otherwise had been tight—this was a serious security breach.
"Get back in here, Lady Kristen, before I write you up!" Dominique commanded.
She was afraid to raise her voice; the room was probably under surveillance. Dominique didn't care either way if the young nurse got in trouble for leaving them unattended, but she did care if she was held responsible for spreading whatever it was that Lady Harmony had contracted. Lady Méline stiffened and cowered by the exit, muttering in French how Lady Kristen was going to get them all killed.
Lady Kristen crept towards Lady Harmony's comatose form. The closer she got, the more likely she would catch the Moon Flash Virus. Queen Skyla might be certain that it wasn't that, but Dominique wasn't stupid enough to fear a plague that had wiped out the Dome's population decades ago—it had killed several good Ladies.
Her body temperature must have dropped twenty degrees as Dominique rushed into Harmony's containment room after Lady Kristen. Before she could take another step, Dominique grabbed the errant Lady by the arm and twisted until she yelped. "Do you realize what you've done? We could be exposed to the Moon Flash Virus, or whatever dreadful thing she's got! Do you want to go back home to your mother in a coffin?"
Lady Kristen whimpered. "Stop! You're hurting me…"
"Pain is a lesson in obedience. Rule 2," Dominique said. Her nails dug into Lady Kristen's skin. "Now get back in there, so we can–"
Something moved to her left; Harmony's foot stirred beneath the sheets. Startled, Dominique immediately released Lady Kristen, who ran promptly back into the monitor room. The First Lady's long, red locks fell from her shoulder and hung over the side of the bed as if her head had been gutted and left to die. Regular beeps from the monitor became more urgent.
Like she was waking up.
Dominique rushed to Harmony's side. She was already in the room—if she had caught something, staying for Harmony's awakening wouldn't make her any less sick.
She grasped her hand and squeezed. "Lady Harmony. I'm so pleased that you're–"
Harmony's eyes flickered open, revealing empty blackness, and Dominique's last thought before becoming consumed was: this is not Lady Harmony.
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February 12, 2012
New Online Serialized Fiction!
You may have noticed that I'm getting back on the serialized fiction bandwagon. Faces in the Mist is a story I've been working on for a while now, but I'm determined to update it once a week, every Monday. For those of you who haven't checked it out, it's a science fiction/horror-mystery with a touch of fantasy. Queen Skyla of the Luna Dome and her handsome but troubled captain of the guard must figure out why her lady-in-waiting (and primary opposition to the throne) has gone crazy. And of course, not all is as it seems. Because nothing ever is in these situations.
As if I don't have enough to do, I'll be introducing another serial novel on Faery Ink Press…
*drum roll*
SPARKSTONE!
(pretty pretty graphic cover/poster to come! 
)
*****
A girl who burns both hot and cold;
A girl who can fade into the background without a trace;
A guy who knows exactly what you are thinking, before you think it;
A girl who dreams of her own death.
Welcome to Sparkstone, where some students are more gifted than others.
When Ingrid receives word that she has been accepted at the hyper-secretive Sparkstone University, she is sceptical. It's an honour to attend, apparently, and yet no one has ever heard of the place.
And everyone seems a little too happy that she's there. As if she was expected. Expected to save Earth from an imminent alien invasion. Like she has superpowers or something.
As if magic and mutations exist. As if aliens are really planning to attack.
That just sounds ridiculous. There's no such thing.
…right?
Wrong.
*****
Start date: February 29, 2012.
I'd originally planned to write it as a screenplay (why does this always happen?) but then I decided what the hey. I actually got about one episode written, which I will be breaking down into digestible "chapters" for you all to read every week, on Wednesdays. And if you haven't guessed, it's a young adult science fiction with a touch of fantasy.
Yaaaay! I'm excited.
February 8, 2012
Announcement: First Giveaway!
When I reach 500 Twitter followers, I will be having a giveaway.
What will I be giving away?
A $10 Amazon* Gift Certificate!
I figure that I could give away a specific book, but this way they can choose what book they'd like to buy. Also, Kindle peeps can potentially use an Amazon.com certificate for lots of eBooks. $10 could be 10 eBooks!!
Twitter is such a useful tool for writers and I'd like to be able to give back to the community.
In addition, this giveaway will also be celebrating my newsletter launch, which will be happening quite soon! Details about that to come.
*Either Amazon.ca or Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk, etc, depending on the winner's nationality.
February 6, 2012
Faces in the Mist, Part Fifteen
"I'm afraid I can't let you in. Lady Harmony is not to be disturbed."
The nurse, wearing her light blue scrubs and traditional white hair net, was at least as young as Lady Kristen. Definitely no older than nineteen, at any rate. Being surrounded by all these juniors was making Lady Dominique worried about her complexion. She was turning twenty-nine in a few months, and she'd already noticed crow's feet in the corners of her eyes. That worry line between her eyebrows was beginning to show as well.
She had to smile more. Her mother had always told her that. So had the Charter.
Dominique cleared her throat and picked a happy thought: tearing Queen Skyla's hair out. The smile came easy. "I'm sure you can make an exception. I am the Second Lady, and my duty is to ensure the well-being of the First Lady."
"Right now that's Doctor Leeland's duty," the nurse replied. Her eyes were apologetic. "Sorry, my lady, but he was very clear about it. No visitors, not until we figure out what's wrong with her. Queen Skyla's command."
Queen Skyla. She didn't know what was going on. Her head was as dense as the moon rocks. "Have you any updates on her progress?"
"Sorry. That would be classified."
"May we at least speak with Doctor Leeland? Surely he knows something new by now."
The nurse shrugged like she didn't care. "Doctor Leeland is on the other side of the medical bay, running some tests. He said that neither he nor Lady Harmony were to be disturbed until he was finished."
Well. That was that. Lady Harmony was not getting a visit from them today. Perhaps it was for the best. If she was still in a coma, she wouldn't even know they were there, and she wouldn't be able to make note of it in her logs. If there was not a note made, when promotion time came around, it would be like the deed had not be done, and an opportunity may be lost.
Dominique was about to say her good-bye pleasantries when Lady Kristen suddenly piped up. Her eyes were ablaze and her hands were fists, but Dominique noticed the girl's shaking legs. "Section 6, Chapter 4, Rule 247 of the Lady's Charter states that no Lady is to be without Lady companionship during her stay in a medical facility. It is her right! And if her rights aren't abided by, the very foundation of our organization would–"
"All right, all right, just…just wait a moment." The nurse frowned and peered down the empty hallway. "I just don't want to get in trouble. Quick, before the doctor knows."
After inputting her security clearance, the nurse led them down a secure hallway. All of the doors along the corridor were sealed and it was a narrow space; Dominique tried not to think about all the death that plagued these rooms.
"So, how did I do?" Lady Kristen whispered. She looked like she was ready to explode into giggles. Practically hanging off Dominique's left side, Lady Méline also looked amused, in her mousey, shy way.
"What do you mean?" Dominique asked.
The nurse looked back at them and gestured for them to hurry up.
"About me lying to the nurse, of course!" Lady Kristen squealed, covering her mouth so that the woman couldn't hear. "You know there's no Section 6 in the Lady's Charter, right? Well, I mean, there are rules about how Ladies should have other Ladies with them in times of distress, but–"
"Yes, yes, of course." Dominique waved her hand so that she would shut up. "Very well done." Dominique hadn't realized that there wasn't a Section 6 at all. Perhaps Lady Kristen was more than just an overly excited drone. She would have to keep an eye on her in the future.
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February 5, 2012
New Planet Discovered: Using News to Fuel Your Imagination
A few days ago, scientists discovered a new planet. While larger than Earth, this new planet is the best candidate so far to support life. Is that not exciting? Yes, I know not to get my hopes up. But this is the fourth planet they've found outside our system that could be habitable.
Discoveries like these really get me thinking: what if we could colonize other planets, not hundreds of years from now, but within say, 20 or 30 years from now? Effectively, within our life time! Science fiction writers have been dreaming about this since the beginning of the genre. And now science fiction is really looking like science fact.
Just picture it. A group of colonists, hopeful and excited and scared, board a space ship designed to take them to a new home twenty-two light years away (assuming it can support life that is!). What sort of challenges would they face upon arriving, or even, before arriving (Pandorum, anyone?). What if there was an intelligent native population on the planet when they arrived?
Even if this doesn't get you excited, notice how one news event has sparked my imagination. It doesn't have to be science-related. Regardless of where you get your news, reading it should make you think about what's going on in the world around you. And this, in turn, could make you think about alternate worlds within you that are waiting to be created.
Ask yourself:
What is the story behind this article?
If the journalist were to continue writing past the end of the article, what would he/she write about?
Is the protagonist of the article also the protagonist of a larger story? Maybe the protagonist's brother or friend would have a different perspective.
If the article doesn't seem to have a protagonist and is more about a specific event, who would this event affect? How can you use this as a backdrop to someone's story?
How might this article be viewed 10 years from now? 100 years? If someone saw this article 100 years ago, what would they think?
What if this article was the last thing you were ever allowed to read? The only thing you were allowed to read? What would society look like if this article suddenly became a religious text?
Whether you're looking for ideas or you're stuck thinking in a specific way, asking yourself questions like those above can get you thinking about scenarios you've never considered before. Sometimes it only takes one question to create a story—be it fiction, or non-fiction.
February 3, 2012
The Next Big Trend in Young Adult Fiction
It seems like everyone is wondering what the next big trend in YA will be. First it was witches and wizards, and then vampires, and then angels had a turn.
What's trending now? Why, oppressive societies, of course! Books like The Hunger Games, Divergent, and Matched explore a deeply-rooted fear in young and old readers alike: what if our lives were controlled by a seemingly untouchable entity?
It's really no surprise that it's trending. Dystopian scenarios can seem like only a step away from reality sometimes—for example, what if SOPA really did come to pass and our favourite websites were censored? Dystopian societies don't have to operate on magic. The dark side of the human psyche has all the power here, which makes it all the more plausible. And the more plausible something seems, the more believable and relatable it is to the reader, and the more they might enjoy the book.
While it's hard to predict what kind of book will find success in the future, let's look at these other creature-genres:
Fairies: Fairies (also Faeries!) have seemed to be lurking in the background for quite a while now. Melissa Marr's Wicked Lovely series has seen some staying power, as well as Julie Kagawa's Iron Fey Series. The problem with fairies is that the lore is dark, and it's hard to vary the theme: child gets switched at birth, and/or teen girl discovers she's meant to be queen of the fairies and/or falls in love with the fairy king.
Mermaids: Okay, I'd like to see more mermaids. Not just because I happen to like listening to The Little Mermaid Soundtrack (it's catchy!), but there is something alluring about being able to breathe underwater. Large parts of the ocean haven't even been explored yet! There is a lot of potential here—it's like science fiction, but instead of going into space, you don't have to leave Earth!
Werewolves: They tag-team with vampires, so one could say they've enjoyed their time in the spotlight. Works like Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver have put a different spin on werewolves that makes them feel more real without their bloodthirsty nemeses.
Adult Fairy-Tale Retellings: Wicked has seen wild success, with multiple sequels and a musical performed worldwide (when we were in London I got to see it, it was awesome!). Some this success rides with the dystopian genre, but the real magic of fairy-tale retellings is that they play on your nostalgia. We remember the stories from our youth fondly and wish we could experience them the same way again—after all, watching your favourite cartoons as an adult as nowhere near as satisfying! Fairy-Tales can also employ multiple creature types and satisfy a variety of audiences.
What do you think? What creatures and/or subgenres of YA would you like to see more of?
February 2, 2012
Faces in the Mist, Part Fourteen
Dominique had seen it all; she'd been near the front. Queen Skyla had almost fainted! She was barely fit to be queen. Dominique was willing to deal with the media—she didn't panic when the media surrounded her and asked her questions; a few photographers had taken her picture when they thought she wasn't watching. She played the part of the worried Lady well. Maybe when Harmony woke up, they could rally around her and persuade her to run against Queen Skyla in the next election. Or better yet—challenge the queen's reign now. That would make for quite the news story.
"Are we going to visit Lady Harmony now?" Lady Kristen asked.
It was easy to forget that Lady Kristen was still beside her—following her, really, as they left the throne room. Dominique had half a mind to return to her quarters and draft her First Lady acceptance speech. Of course, she'd done it already—but re-writing it only made it seem more real, more current to the times. Once Lady Harmony was gone, busy with ruling the Dome, she could be in charge of the Ladies—and that was more than enough excitement for her.
"Yes, of course," Dominique said, forcing herself to smile and giving Lady Kristen the once-over. "Your lips look dry. Did you apply your chap today?"
Lady Kristen looked guilty. "I…I applied it last night."
"And what does the Lady's Charter have to say about that?"
"Rule 145," Lady Kristen said automatically. "A Lady's lips should be as smooth as the words that flow from them." She looked discouraged. "I'm…I'm sorry Lady Dominique. I don't have any chap on me right now. I promise I'll apply it tonight! I promise!"
"All right, all right. Stop making excuses."
"Rule 14. A Lady must not–"
"There is no need to quote the Charter every time you open your mouth." It was hard for Dominique to keep the sweetness in her voice. Remain firm, but in favour, that was also in the Charter. "Let us go now, so we can return in time for afternoon tea."
They took the more public route to the hospital, through the promenade. The promenade was circular and enveloped the inner core—where the scientists and the higher-up soldiers and of course, the Ladies—dwelled and worked. While the floor clanked underneath their boots, gentle music tried to drown out all but the boutique sellers, calling the passersby, enticing them with their souvenirs and "moon gems"—bits of rock collected on various scouting missions that had no inherent value, except to the rich, stupid tourists. She smiled at them, though, and they smiled back, their eyes twinkling as falsely as the moon gem. By the time she was First Lady, she would have their affections.
Upon reaching the fourth Sector, amidst a swirl of coffee smells and newspaper salesmen, she heard her name. It would be more accurate to say she thought she heard her name, as it was barely a whisper above the bustle in the promenade, and Lady Kristen repeated it. Dominique paused and then turned when she saw Lady Kristen gesturing to another Lady—a Junior, like Lady Kristen—rushing to catch up with them.
Another Junior—just what she needed. And worse, this particular Junior barely spoke English. Dominique had nothing against the French—she herself was of French descent, born in Montreal, and spoke both languages fluently—but the Dome had one language, and in order to survive here you had to speak it. She remembered her Lady mentors telling her that when she happened to let a French expletive slip during a training exercise. She'd had to scrub the bathrooms with a toothbrush—not a regular electric one, but an old-fashioned one. It had taken hours until her mentors were satisfied. Dominique never forgot the lesson.
Lady Méline was fresh from Earth, coming from the last transport only a week ago. She stopped running a few feet from Dominique, pausing timidly as a crowd of rowdy tourists rushed in the opposite direction. Lady Méline scrunched up her body like a mouse creeping around a cat as she eyed them warily. Her large brown eyes were full of awe and fear and worry; the ends of her hair hung loosely around her chin. At least it was styled appropriately, even if it was long enough to be worn up. Dominique remembered being scolded for a similar infraction just days after her arrival. Now, it was her turn to do the scolding.
"Oh! Méline—I mean, Lady Méline. Junior Lady Méline!" Lady Kristen's voice increased an octave as she spoke, stealing hopeful glances from Dominique. "Sorry. I thought we were going to go back to the common area and I was going to tell you but I forgot and I guess it was just as easy to go from the throne room!"
She smiled at Lady Méline. Trying to make friends, no doubt. She knew the Charter inside and out yet she didn't know how to play the game.
"L'hospital. Je veux aller…" Lady Méline trailed off shyly, her face turning a deep shade of red.
"'I want to see Lady Harmony.' Say it," Dominique commanded in clear English.
"I…want to see de Lady Armony," Lady Méline repeated.
Lady Dominque gritted her teeth and forced yet another smile. There were too many people around, too many tourists and non-Ladies. She would have to discipline Lady Méline later. "Of course. We're headed there now. Come with us."
It took a moment for the words to process with Lady Méline, but once she looked to Lady Kristen—who was nodding encouragingly like Méline was five years old—Méline's eyes lit up. "Oh, merci, merci, Lady Dominique."
There was something comforting about hearing her mother tongue again—the only times she heard it now was when she was asleep—but she couldn't let herself fall prey to the past. She was the Second Lady. Soon to be first, if all went well. The Junior Ladies, they whispered, and maybe poor Lady Méline thought she would have it easy if she found Dominique and began speaking French with her. But no. Dominique never had it easy, and neither would any other Lady in service.
She grabbed Lady Méline's arm and squeezed, digging her nails into the dress's fabric. Lady Méline whimpered but fortunately, she didn't scream as Dominique led her down the promenade. "That's thank you, and don't you forget it."
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January 31, 2012
Thoughts About my Blog Tour
Well, it's all over now.
Am I a little sad that it's over? A little, but I've been so busy with Woulds & Shoulds that sometimes it's hard to give my fiction writing a second thought! It's a struggle sometimes to balance my personal writing and my editing/design work; they're so closely related that often I don't feel like writing a blog post or writing my 1K-a-day! But, like exercising, I know that after I've just forced myself to do it, I usually feel pumped afterwards.
But back to the tour. I was quite pleased with how it turned out. I got some 3 star and 5 star reviews. I'm happy with every one of them. Honestly, I am. I know there's some sort of kerfuffle going on with authors getting angry with book bloggers for "being too honest" in their reviews (or something like that, I don't know the details), but any kind of publicity is good for your book, and any kind of criticism–especially across several reviewers–should maybe be thought upon.
One thing I've definitely learned is that not everyone likes an unhappy ending. Sorry if that's a spoiler for anyone. I don't really see Within as having an unhappy ending, as much as a hopeful one. In addition, my next book will be much longer, so there will be plenty of character development for those who thought my book lacked it/was too short!
I know it's not going to be a blockbuster–not every book can be–but it's going to be one of those stories that is always around, in the back of your mind that hopefully comes back to you at a random, perhaps inappropriate time. And who knows what will happen in the future!
Thanks to all who participated!
January 28, 2012
Review: Blue Sky Days
Blue Sky Days, by Marie Landry
A year after graduating from high school, nineteen-year-old Emma Ward feels lost. She has spent most of her life trying to please her frigid, miserable mother – studying hard, getting good grades, avoiding the whole teenage rebellion thing – and now she feels she has no identity beyond that. Because she spent so many years working hard and planning every moment of her life, she doesn't have any friends, has never had a boyfriend, and basically doesn't know who she is or what she really wants from life. Working two part-time jobs to save money for college hasn't helped her make decisions about her future, so she decides it's time for a change. She leaves home to live with her free-spirited, slightly eccentric Aunt Daisy in a small town that makes Emma feel like she's stepped back in time.
When Emma meets Nicholas Shaw, everything changes – he's unlike anyone she's ever met before, the kind of man she didn't even know existed in the 21st century. Carefree and spirited like Daisy, Nicholas teaches Emma to appreciate life, the beauty around her, and to just let go and live. Between Daisy and Nicholas, Emma feels like she belongs somewhere for the first time in her life, and realizes that you don't always need a plan – sometimes life steers you where you're meant to be.
Life is wonderful, an endless string of blue sky days, until Nicholas is diagnosed with cancer, and life changes once again for Emma in ways she never thought possible. Now it's time for her to help Nicholas the way he's helped her. Emma will have to use her new-found strength, and discover along the way if love really is enough to get you through.
I'm part of Marie Landry's blog tour. Click on the image to visit her website!
Writing: 3 wings
So I've been pretty busy this month editing and writing about editing…and so when I crawl into bed at night and read something, it's pretty hard to turn off my editor's eye. While the sentence structure was fine and Landry could often paint lovely pictures of characters with a giant stroke of her magical writing paintbrush, I was laying there with a giant red pen crossing out the redundant paragraphs of description/telling that did not need to be there. We know that Emma is learning to live a fuller life, and that moving to Riverview was the best thing that ever happened to her. This is evident not just because you tell us it is so, but because of what she does and how she acts. There's a point in the editing process where we have to remove the words that bog down the story so that it can really grow and shine.
Plot: 4 wings
While the first half dragged on, about 45% the way through, things started to get interesting. Nicholas was finally diagnosed with cancer–I don't think it's a spoiler to say that, as it's in the description–and the tension starts like a BANG. In my opinion, I think the disease should have been introduced earlier–or, he should have been diagnosed earlier, before the beginning of the book, and only reveal it to Emma half-way through. Having Nicholas know that he might die soon yet loving the life he is creating with Emma would have created a more interesting character dilemma that Emma could've sniffed out.
If you read Landry's author bio/acknowledgements, you'll see that fighting cancer is a subject that is personal to her, so, kudos for writing about a difficult subject and conveying the pain that one goes through when someone you love is suffering. Near the end, I actually had no idea what would happen to Nicholas, and I was concerned for his well-being. It really made me think what I would do if something happened to Dave–and I think that's probably what makes this book special: its ability to allow the reader to place herself in the situation.
And, I loved the idea of the Blue Sky Days. I thought that was very real and did kind of tie the first half of the book to the second half.
Characters: 3 wings
Like I said above, Landry often had the ability to paint people with one stroke, and give you an image of a character. The story was populated with several characters that loved each other very much and considered one another as family–this was endearing in the second half of the book when there was real hardship, but in the first half when nothing was wrong I found it a little cheesy.
In addition, everyone had a similar voice and it sometimes broke the illusion. They would talk about their inner feelings in a way that seemed forced–kind of like they were talking heads. The exception would probably be Nicholas; his dialogue seemed genuine, especially after his diagnosis.
I found Emma relateable to a certain point–again, the repetitious paragraphs about her learning how to live life to the fullest, etc, were a little much and I think got in the way of her character development. Yes, her character developed, but I felt like I was an observer rather than a participant in the growth.
Overall: 3.5 wings
The writing was a little repetitious, but the story kept me going. Second half held my attention much more, and at times it was emotionally gripping. Recommended for those who want to read about a romantic relationship that is tested through hardship.
January 26, 2012
Some Funny Cat Videos
It's no secret that I LOVE cats! Dave and I exchange the best cat-picture and video finds on Reddit or YouTube each morning. Here are a couple that are just too adorable not to watch.
Cute Kittens Playing King of the Hill:
"Proof" that Cats can Read your Mind
Hungry Kittens Waiting for their Dinner
Sleepy Kitten
The woman in this video is a little silly. Also, note the kittens in the background ^^
Kitten Suddenly Falls Asleep
