Heather Ostler's Blog, page 14
February 20, 2013
Safe Haven and The Great Gatsby--The Books and the Films
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I saw Safe Haven the other day and I can't seem to get it out of my mind. I know it got terrible reviews, but I really liked it. While many critics scoffed at the plot twist, I found it endearing. It's not a family movie, but I think it's a sweet chick flick and I'm never opposed to seeing a Nicholas Sparks film (even though I've never seen Nights in Rodanthe or The Lucky One).I'm the kind of person that can't get memorable movies, songs, or books out of my head. Sometimes a whole movie will play in my head while I'm doing the dishes or some other boring chore.
Anyway, the other thing that I can't get out of my mind is The Great Gatsby preview that came on before Safe Haven. I feel so weird about it. We all read The Great Gatsby in high school, right? It's one of "the classics." It's well written, full of deep symbolism, and has timeless characters--but it's also really, really SAD.
It reminds me of some of the other novels I read in high school like 1984, Lord Of The Flies, and The Grapes of Wrath. They're amazing, but they also made me feel depressed (and to be clear I am not bashing these books at all, I understand their importance). It just confirms my opinion that Hollywood can make anything look current, beautiful, and fun.
Another thing that made me feel strange about the preview was the music. It featured songs from Kanye West, Jay Z, Florence + the machines, and an edgy cover of Happy Together. I like Florence + the machines, but I had a hard time meshing current trendy music with such a somber story.
Earlier this year in the Halloween episode of Pretty Little Liars, Aria, one of the main characters, dressed up like Daisy from The Great Gatsby. Her friend Hannah asked, "from the movie?" and I thought that was such a strange line. But now I understand it. With Leonardo Dicaprio starring as Gatsby in previews that show characters dancing in glittery costumes to music from Kanye and Jay Z, teenagers are getting a very different view of the story than I ever did. It will be interesting to see what kind of feedback it gets after its release date in March.
Both of these movies are based off of books, so I'm curious to see what you thought. Did you read or see Safe Haven? How do you feel about the new film adaption of The Great Gatsby?
February 18, 2013
LTUE Writing Conference
The LTUE writing conference was definitely a success, and I loved meeting and connecting with so many fellow readers and writers!
I was on two different panels, a first time novelist panel and a social media panel. At first it was terrifying, but eventually my heartbeat slowed and I got to talk about writing, getting published, and how to promote your writing. The questions were great, even the tough ones, and I found it pretty funny that whenever I spoke I used my hands (You can see the proof above). I think I somehow feel that if I mime what I'm saying I can get my point across better.
Here is the panel featuring the artists and designers that work with publishers and authors to create amazing book covers. Rebecca J. Greenwood was the cover artist for The Shapeshifter's Secret, and she did a great job talking about the process of designing her book covers.
I did a podcast interview with Authors' Think Tank, you can see part of the crew above. My interview won't be up for a while, but I really enjoyed the discussion we had about writer's block, and writing romance (we talked about love triangles, paranormal romance, and cliches in romance--I can't wait to post the interview).
Thanks for a great conference. Goodbye until next year!
I was on two different panels, a first time novelist panel and a social media panel. At first it was terrifying, but eventually my heartbeat slowed and I got to talk about writing, getting published, and how to promote your writing. The questions were great, even the tough ones, and I found it pretty funny that whenever I spoke I used my hands (You can see the proof above). I think I somehow feel that if I mime what I'm saying I can get my point across better.
Here is the panel featuring the artists and designers that work with publishers and authors to create amazing book covers. Rebecca J. Greenwood was the cover artist for The Shapeshifter's Secret, and she did a great job talking about the process of designing her book covers.
I did a podcast interview with Authors' Think Tank, you can see part of the crew above. My interview won't be up for a while, but I really enjoyed the discussion we had about writer's block, and writing romance (we talked about love triangles, paranormal romance, and cliches in romance--I can't wait to post the interview).
Thanks for a great conference. Goodbye until next year!
February 11, 2013
February 7, 2013
Upcoming Events
I'm very excited to be a part of LTUE this month and Authorpalooza next month. Here is the information for both events.
LTUE 2013 at the Provo Marriott Hotel and Conference Center.
February 14th, 15th, and 16th
I will be on the First Time Novelist panel as well as the Social Media panel.
For more information click below:
http://ltue.net/default.htm
Sandy Barnes and Noble AuthorPalooza.
March 2nd, from 1 - 4 pm
This is a mass book signing event with many local Utah authors. :) Hope to see you there!
Fore more information click below:
http://store-locator.barnesandnoble.com/store/2811?subtype=detailCalendar
LTUE 2013 at the Provo Marriott Hotel and Conference Center.
February 14th, 15th, and 16th
I will be on the First Time Novelist panel as well as the Social Media panel.
For more information click below:
http://ltue.net/default.htm
Sandy Barnes and Noble AuthorPalooza.
March 2nd, from 1 - 4 pm
This is a mass book signing event with many local Utah authors. :) Hope to see you there!
Fore more information click below:
http://store-locator.barnesandnoble.com/store/2811?subtype=detailCalendar
February 2, 2013
Getting Published: My Story
The first thing I did when I realized how much I loved writing was make a decision; I wanted to become an author someday. It wasn’t something I thought would be a great hobby, or something I wanted to do with friends for fun. I was dead set on reaching my goal and becoming a writer.
Starting from eighth grade I took every writing class imaginable and eventually majored in English with an emphasis in creative writing in college. I’d been writing stories since I was in Jr. High, but I’d never completed a full novel. Once I graduated I knew it was time to get serious. I quit my job and decided to focus all my energy into writing. I began writing The Shapeshifter’s Secret (though it had a different title at the time) and after countless late nights, many tears, and several “aha” moments, the first draft was finished a year later.
Once it was completed, I started editing, which meant hours and hours of rewriting. Characters changed, the plot changed, names changed, and it was a grueling six-month process. That was for the story as a whole, but I also hired an editor to help with all the grammar and punctuation. The editing was very difficult for me, but it was absolutely necessary and helped me grow as a writer.
So after writing The Shapeshifter’s Secret and editing it until I was happy with the finished product, I knew it was time to learn more about the publishing industry. I did all the research I could online and started going to conferences and classes that focused on publishers, agents, and the art of the query letter. I also started getting involved with social media sites so that I could show editors how serious I was about getting my work out there, and I began connecting with other writers. Next I created my query letter (which at times seemed as difficult as writing the actual novel), and I was ready to start submitting to publishers.
When I got the first offers for my novel I felt like I was in shock. After years of dreaming, it was finally happening. I reflect back on this time and feel so grateful for the opportunities I was given. Cedar Fort published The Shapeshifter’s Secret in 2012 and I’ve absolutely loved working with them.
The journey to getting published was long and there were plenty of bumps of discouragement along the way. One of those bumps was when I made a terrible query and began submitting it to publishers and agents when I was only halfway through writing my novel. I was overly eager about jumping into the publishing world and thought it was a good idea. It wasn’t. Never ever make query letters prematurely; it will only lead to painful rejection letters.
There were several times when I wondered whether I was spending too much time on my novel. I had plenty of breakdowns when I wanted to give up and had zero confidence in my writing. However, I always thought back to that decision that I made so many years ago. I wanted to write, and I’d have to keep going no matter how difficult it became.
If you’re a writer looking to get published, I wish you the very best of luck! Know that the ups and downs are part of the experience that every author and main character has to face in order to grow.
Here are some really fantastic websites for writers:
nathanbransford.com
www.agentquery.com
www.davidfarland.net/(Or sign up for his Daily Kick in the Pants emails).
Starting from eighth grade I took every writing class imaginable and eventually majored in English with an emphasis in creative writing in college. I’d been writing stories since I was in Jr. High, but I’d never completed a full novel. Once I graduated I knew it was time to get serious. I quit my job and decided to focus all my energy into writing. I began writing The Shapeshifter’s Secret (though it had a different title at the time) and after countless late nights, many tears, and several “aha” moments, the first draft was finished a year later.
Once it was completed, I started editing, which meant hours and hours of rewriting. Characters changed, the plot changed, names changed, and it was a grueling six-month process. That was for the story as a whole, but I also hired an editor to help with all the grammar and punctuation. The editing was very difficult for me, but it was absolutely necessary and helped me grow as a writer.
So after writing The Shapeshifter’s Secret and editing it until I was happy with the finished product, I knew it was time to learn more about the publishing industry. I did all the research I could online and started going to conferences and classes that focused on publishers, agents, and the art of the query letter. I also started getting involved with social media sites so that I could show editors how serious I was about getting my work out there, and I began connecting with other writers. Next I created my query letter (which at times seemed as difficult as writing the actual novel), and I was ready to start submitting to publishers.
When I got the first offers for my novel I felt like I was in shock. After years of dreaming, it was finally happening. I reflect back on this time and feel so grateful for the opportunities I was given. Cedar Fort published The Shapeshifter’s Secret in 2012 and I’ve absolutely loved working with them.
The journey to getting published was long and there were plenty of bumps of discouragement along the way. One of those bumps was when I made a terrible query and began submitting it to publishers and agents when I was only halfway through writing my novel. I was overly eager about jumping into the publishing world and thought it was a good idea. It wasn’t. Never ever make query letters prematurely; it will only lead to painful rejection letters.
There were several times when I wondered whether I was spending too much time on my novel. I had plenty of breakdowns when I wanted to give up and had zero confidence in my writing. However, I always thought back to that decision that I made so many years ago. I wanted to write, and I’d have to keep going no matter how difficult it became.
If you’re a writer looking to get published, I wish you the very best of luck! Know that the ups and downs are part of the experience that every author and main character has to face in order to grow.
Here are some really fantastic websites for writers:
nathanbransford.com
www.agentquery.com
www.davidfarland.net/(Or sign up for his Daily Kick in the Pants emails).
How I Got Published
The first thing I did when I realized how much I loved writing was make a decision; I wanted to become an author someday. It wasn’t something I thought would be a great hobby, or something I wanted to do with friends for fun. I was dead set on reaching my goal and becoming a writer.
Starting from eighth grade I took every writing class imaginable and eventually majored in English with an emphasis in creative writing in college. I’d been writing stories since I was in Jr. High, but I’d never completed a full novel. Once I graduated I knew it was time to get serious. I quit my job and decided to focus all my energy into writing. I began writing The Shapeshifter’s Secret (though it had a different title at the time) and after countless late nights, many tears, and several “aha” moments, the first draft was finished a year later.
Once it was completed, I started editing, which meant hours and hours of rewriting. Characters changed, the plot changed, names changed, and it was a grueling six-month process. That was for the story as a whole, but I also hired an editor to help with all the grammar and punctuation. The editing was very difficult for me, but it was absolutely necessary and helped me grow as a writer.
So after writing The Shapeshifter’s Secret and editing it until I was happy with the finished product, I knew it was time to learn more about the publishing industry. I did all the research I could online and started going to conferences and classes that focused on publishers, agents, and the art of the query letter. I also started getting involved with social media sites so that I could show editors how serious I was about getting my work out there, and I began connecting with other writers. Next I created my query letter (which at times seemed as difficult as writing the actual novel), and I was ready to start submitting to publishers.
When I got the first offers for my novel I felt like I was in shock. After years of dreaming, it was finally happening. I reflect back on this time and feel so grateful for the opportunities I was given. Cedar Fort published The Shapeshifter’s Secret in 2012 and I’ve absolutely loved working with them.
The journey to getting published was long and there were plenty of bumps of discouragement along the way. One of those bumps was when I made a terrible query and began submitting it to publishers and agents when I was only halfway through writing my novel. I was overly eager about jumping into the publishing world and thought it was a good idea. It wasn’t. Never ever make query letters prematurely; it will only lead to painful rejection letters.
There were several times when I wondered whether I was spending too much time on my novel. I had plenty of breakdowns when I wanted to give up and had zero confidence in my writing. However, I always thought back to that decision that I made so many years ago. I wanted to write, and I’d have to keep going no matter how difficult it became.
If you’re a writer looking to get published, I wish you the very best of luck! Know that the ups and downs are part of the experience that every author and main character has to face in order to grow.
Here are some really fantastic websites for writers:
nathanbransford.com
www.agentquery.com
www.davidfarland.net/(Or sign up for his Daily Kick in the Pants emails).
Starting from eighth grade I took every writing class imaginable and eventually majored in English with an emphasis in creative writing in college. I’d been writing stories since I was in Jr. High, but I’d never completed a full novel. Once I graduated I knew it was time to get serious. I quit my job and decided to focus all my energy into writing. I began writing The Shapeshifter’s Secret (though it had a different title at the time) and after countless late nights, many tears, and several “aha” moments, the first draft was finished a year later.
Once it was completed, I started editing, which meant hours and hours of rewriting. Characters changed, the plot changed, names changed, and it was a grueling six-month process. That was for the story as a whole, but I also hired an editor to help with all the grammar and punctuation. The editing was very difficult for me, but it was absolutely necessary and helped me grow as a writer.
So after writing The Shapeshifter’s Secret and editing it until I was happy with the finished product, I knew it was time to learn more about the publishing industry. I did all the research I could online and started going to conferences and classes that focused on publishers, agents, and the art of the query letter. I also started getting involved with social media sites so that I could show editors how serious I was about getting my work out there, and I began connecting with other writers. Next I created my query letter (which at times seemed as difficult as writing the actual novel), and I was ready to start submitting to publishers.
When I got the first offers for my novel I felt like I was in shock. After years of dreaming, it was finally happening. I reflect back on this time and feel so grateful for the opportunities I was given. Cedar Fort published The Shapeshifter’s Secret in 2012 and I’ve absolutely loved working with them.
The journey to getting published was long and there were plenty of bumps of discouragement along the way. One of those bumps was when I made a terrible query and began submitting it to publishers and agents when I was only halfway through writing my novel. I was overly eager about jumping into the publishing world and thought it was a good idea. It wasn’t. Never ever make query letters prematurely; it will only lead to painful rejection letters.
There were several times when I wondered whether I was spending too much time on my novel. I had plenty of breakdowns when I wanted to give up and had zero confidence in my writing. However, I always thought back to that decision that I made so many years ago. I wanted to write, and I’d have to keep going no matter how difficult it became.
If you’re a writer looking to get published, I wish you the very best of luck! Know that the ups and downs are part of the experience that every author and main character has to face in order to grow.
Here are some really fantastic websites for writers:
nathanbransford.com
www.agentquery.com
www.davidfarland.net/(Or sign up for his Daily Kick in the Pants emails).
January 29, 2013
Fantasy
“Fantasy is escapist, and that is its glory. If a soldier is imprisoned by the enemy, don't we consider it his duty to escape?. . .If we value the freedom of mind and soul, if we're partisans of liberty, then it's our plain duty to escape, and to take as many people with us as we can!”
--J.R.R. Tolkien
January 26, 2013
The Hobbit and New Zealand
New Zealand really is the gateway to Middle earth, and it was more amazing than I ever could have imagined. All the pictures below are from Wellington, New Zealand's capital, which they call the middle of Middle Earth. To be honest, all we did was walk around the city, but we continually found more and more amazing LOTR and Hobbit spots.
Here is the movie theater where all of the LOTR movies and The Hobbit had their world premiere. I went inside and had to ask the teenager at the concession stand if he worked the night of The Hobbit premiere. He did, and I was very jealous.
On a walking trail minutes away from the theater we found where Frodo and the other hobbits hid from the dark rider. Here's a youtube of the scene.
I'm crouching in the same spot where Frodo hid, however there's no tree with roots to hide me. unfortunately the tree wasn't real!
I had my husband go back and grab a rock from the trail as a souvenir. That's not weird...right?
Then as we decided to go to the Wellington museum that same day, we found this little gem inside. Three trolls from The Hobbit on display.
All around the city you can find enormous Hobbit advertisements This one was on the side of their post office building and featured Bilbo on a huge postage stamp. If you look closely you can see the dwarf's outlines on the side of the building. I read online that each silhouette is roughly twenty feet tall!
For a Tolkien fan like me, New Zealand was just a dream come true. Even their airline company got in on the Hobbit awesomeness. So to sum up New Zealand, I'm going to end with the picture below and the flight video from Air Zealand. Please watch it, you will not be disappointed.
Here is the movie theater where all of the LOTR movies and The Hobbit had their world premiere. I went inside and had to ask the teenager at the concession stand if he worked the night of The Hobbit premiere. He did, and I was very jealous.
On a walking trail minutes away from the theater we found where Frodo and the other hobbits hid from the dark rider. Here's a youtube of the scene.
I'm crouching in the same spot where Frodo hid, however there's no tree with roots to hide me. unfortunately the tree wasn't real!
I had my husband go back and grab a rock from the trail as a souvenir. That's not weird...right?
Then as we decided to go to the Wellington museum that same day, we found this little gem inside. Three trolls from The Hobbit on display.
All around the city you can find enormous Hobbit advertisements This one was on the side of their post office building and featured Bilbo on a huge postage stamp. If you look closely you can see the dwarf's outlines on the side of the building. I read online that each silhouette is roughly twenty feet tall!
For a Tolkien fan like me, New Zealand was just a dream come true. Even their airline company got in on the Hobbit awesomeness. So to sum up New Zealand, I'm going to end with the picture below and the flight video from Air Zealand. Please watch it, you will not be disappointed.
January 24, 2013
I Need Your Help!
Hey everyone,
The Shapeshifter's Secret cover was nominated for a Whitney Award! The cover designer was Rebecca J. Greenwood at Cedar Fort, and she did an amazing job! Please, please, please, please, please vote The Shapeshifter's Secret cover. I promise it LITERALLY takes FIVE SECONDS. All you do is hit the link below, click on The Shapeshifter's Secret, and then hit submit. That's it.
I'm sure if you vote you'll have good luck all day ;)
THANK YOU!
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/Y8DK3SC
The Shapeshifter's Secret cover was nominated for a Whitney Award! The cover designer was Rebecca J. Greenwood at Cedar Fort, and she did an amazing job! Please, please, please, please, please vote The Shapeshifter's Secret cover. I promise it LITERALLY takes FIVE SECONDS. All you do is hit the link below, click on The Shapeshifter's Secret, and then hit submit. That's it.
I'm sure if you vote you'll have good luck all day ;)
THANK YOU!
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/Y8DK3SC
January 21, 2013
The Hobbit Movie Set in New Zealand
In the heart of New Zealand's north island you will find rolling, grassy hills, bleating sheep, and small, round, colorful doors. This is Hobbiton.
When Peter Jackson and his crew began looking for a location to film the shire, they flew in a helicopter to get a bird's eye view of the perfect spot. When they found the Alexander family sheep farm, they asked the family to sign a contract without releasing what movie they were filming. The Alexander family said yes, and the nine month construction began for The Lord of The Ring's set.
For The Lord of The Ring's films they built a simpler version of the shire and agreed to destroy the set after filming. Most was torn down, but a storm did prevent the crew from demolishing every door. When New Line Cinema decided to make The Hobbit movies, they came back to the Alexander farm and asked once again to use their land. The family agreed, but asked that this time they build more realistic, sturdy hobbit homes, and they also requested to keep the set up after filming.
See that mold splattering the fence behind us? It takes a lot of time to grow, time that the set designers didn't have. So what was the solution? Mixing blue and green paint with oatmeal and spraying the fence. Now that's clever.
Here's a hobbit garden with scarecrow. Below you can see the pathway by the large lake that leads to the Green Dragon Inn. I couldn't get enough of the little chimneys that dotted the green hills.
Bilbo's home. Remember that scene of Bilbo and Gandalf sitting on the front porch in The Fellowship of The Ring? It was shot to make it look like the sun was setting in front of them. Here's the problem, the sun sets behind his home. Solution? They filmed at sunrise and shot the dialogue backwards. Basically the end of the conversation was filmed at the break of dawn and the beginning of the conversation was filmed when the sun was higher. The overall scene is convincing, it looks like the perfect sunset.
That tree above the home is completely fake. They created the enormous plant, placed it next to Bilbo's home, and then Peter Jackson decided he didn't like the leaf color. Solution? They repainted every single leaf to a have a greener hue!
Every detail is incredible. Piles of firewood, little windows, handmade quilts, and clotheslines with hanging hobbit clothes all added to the charm of the village.
We got to enter this hobbit home, but I'm afraid I have bad news. There's nothing inside. Whenever you see a character enter into a hobbit home they're actually entering a studio in Wellington (New Zealand's captial).
Here's the inside shot. Dirt and rock floor, not much more. Although there was some cool pottery in the window.
Sam and Rosie's home. Yellow door, surrounding wildflowers, and a horseshoe fence latch. This was my favorite hobbit part of Hobbiton. I kept replaying the very end of Return of The King in my head. Here's a clip from Youtube of the scene. If you go to 2:30 you'll see Sam and Rosie enter the home carrying their two adorable children.
I have to admit I got a little thrill opening the gate and skipping over to their door!
Past The Shire and over the bridge you'll find The Green Dragon Inn. In The Fellowship of The Ring there's a scene where The Green Dragon burns in Frodo's dream. The building was actually set on fire and destroyed. When they came back to film The Hobbit, the inn was rebuilt and is now a functioning pub.
Second Breakfast!
You shall not pass!
I know that was a lot of pictures, but I'm guessing that if you made it to here you probably enjoyed them. Thanks for stopping by. I think I need to go have second breakfast before starting a Lord Of The Ring's Marathon :)
When Peter Jackson and his crew began looking for a location to film the shire, they flew in a helicopter to get a bird's eye view of the perfect spot. When they found the Alexander family sheep farm, they asked the family to sign a contract without releasing what movie they were filming. The Alexander family said yes, and the nine month construction began for The Lord of The Ring's set.
For The Lord of The Ring's films they built a simpler version of the shire and agreed to destroy the set after filming. Most was torn down, but a storm did prevent the crew from demolishing every door. When New Line Cinema decided to make The Hobbit movies, they came back to the Alexander farm and asked once again to use their land. The family agreed, but asked that this time they build more realistic, sturdy hobbit homes, and they also requested to keep the set up after filming.
See that mold splattering the fence behind us? It takes a lot of time to grow, time that the set designers didn't have. So what was the solution? Mixing blue and green paint with oatmeal and spraying the fence. Now that's clever.
Here's a hobbit garden with scarecrow. Below you can see the pathway by the large lake that leads to the Green Dragon Inn. I couldn't get enough of the little chimneys that dotted the green hills.
Bilbo's home. Remember that scene of Bilbo and Gandalf sitting on the front porch in The Fellowship of The Ring? It was shot to make it look like the sun was setting in front of them. Here's the problem, the sun sets behind his home. Solution? They filmed at sunrise and shot the dialogue backwards. Basically the end of the conversation was filmed at the break of dawn and the beginning of the conversation was filmed when the sun was higher. The overall scene is convincing, it looks like the perfect sunset.
That tree above the home is completely fake. They created the enormous plant, placed it next to Bilbo's home, and then Peter Jackson decided he didn't like the leaf color. Solution? They repainted every single leaf to a have a greener hue!
Every detail is incredible. Piles of firewood, little windows, handmade quilts, and clotheslines with hanging hobbit clothes all added to the charm of the village.
We got to enter this hobbit home, but I'm afraid I have bad news. There's nothing inside. Whenever you see a character enter into a hobbit home they're actually entering a studio in Wellington (New Zealand's captial).
Here's the inside shot. Dirt and rock floor, not much more. Although there was some cool pottery in the window.
Sam and Rosie's home. Yellow door, surrounding wildflowers, and a horseshoe fence latch. This was my favorite hobbit part of Hobbiton. I kept replaying the very end of Return of The King in my head. Here's a clip from Youtube of the scene. If you go to 2:30 you'll see Sam and Rosie enter the home carrying their two adorable children.
I have to admit I got a little thrill opening the gate and skipping over to their door!
Past The Shire and over the bridge you'll find The Green Dragon Inn. In The Fellowship of The Ring there's a scene where The Green Dragon burns in Frodo's dream. The building was actually set on fire and destroyed. When they came back to film The Hobbit, the inn was rebuilt and is now a functioning pub.
Second Breakfast!
You shall not pass!
I know that was a lot of pictures, but I'm guessing that if you made it to here you probably enjoyed them. Thanks for stopping by. I think I need to go have second breakfast before starting a Lord Of The Ring's Marathon :)
