Elizabeth Guizzetti's Blog, page 30

Yep, it’s time for another reading rampage: review of Chemical Attraction, Breed, and Dead Heart!

Well a few things have been going on this week 1) 48Fourteen has released three new books and 2) on our anniversary Dennis and I stopped at Barnes&Noble after our steak dinner. So everyone should figure out that means I am going back on a reading rampage! (FYI: I purchase every book I review.)

What was strange about all three books is they are all suspenseful books that deal in someway with medicines. I did not plan that at all, its just what happened.

The first book on my to read list was Chemical Attraction by Christina Thompson published by 48Fourteen currently available in e-book. I throughly enjoyed this book–in fact more than I expected to– while this book is categorized as a romance, under Amazon, it’s really a thriller with strong romantic subplots as well as a strong science-fictiony component to fulfill the geek in me.

The descriptions of a small midwest town were excellent. Thompson enveloped me into the world she created and her pacing was excellent. I loved the opening scenes as they moved between all the characters and showed how they were interconnected.

Dr. Madeline Pierce and FBI Agent Joe Roberts have great chemistry as does the other couple Police officer Matt and his wife Eva (who is also Joe’s sister.) My only real criticism about the love aspect to the story is I got more emotionally involved in the relationship between Matt and Eva better then the one between the protagonists. In a way, their romance seemed more real.

Still, its a great book and I recommend it wholeheartedly to anyone who wants a romantic thriller.

The 2nd Book I read this weekend was Breed by Chase Novak published by Mulholland Books available in hardback.

This book was very interesting it felt a bit more science fiction than horror. I did not find it necessarily terrifying, but it had great pacing and lots of suspense. Alex and Leslie are happy except they cannot seem to have a child. They try one infertility treatment after another and the want of a child turns into obsession–especially for Alex. As a last-ditch attempt to make his dream of a child but especially a male heir come true, he takes Leslie into Slovenia to meet Dr. Kris, where they submit to a painful procedure that finally works but has awful consequences to them and their offspring: the twins Adam and Alice

Without giving too much away, most of the book revolves around the twins when they are ten and they are trying to work out what is happening to them and other kids born from Dr. Kris’s procedure. Their parents are both the protagonists and antagonists of the story which I LOVED! The other thing which was really interesting was the book was in presence tense. It gave such a panicked feel to the pacing which really worked for this type of novel.

 

The 3rd Book I read is Dead Heart by RL King published by 48Fourteen and avialble on e-book.

Now I admit, it almost turned me off on the first chapter, guys are talking guy talk and I wondered to myself if educated men really act like such idiots when they are alone together, but then I wouldn’t know and more importantly I got more and more swept up by the story between Paul and his sister Rhea as well as Paul and his companion ghosts.

For a debut author, King has the gift of understanding in horror books one must beat on the protagonist and allow them to suffer. I do not want to give any spoilers so I will just say, I was so engaged with Paul and what he was going through, I read the book in one sitting.

Wonderful book!

Special Guest: Candace Knoebel

This week I am happy to welcome Candace Knoebel author of the new YA urban fantasy novel Born in Flames published by 48Fourteen!

Red mirrored scales race up my arms as the haze of pain blurs my vision. My bones crack, breaking to realign. I scream. It is then that the realization of my unavoidable fate sinks in; I am of a dying race. I am dragon.

Aurora Megalos, orphaned and teetering on the edge of adulthood, thought finding her past would curb the sting of being an outcast. Having no memories of the time before she awoke on her foster mother’s doorstep, she yearns for the emptiness inside her to be filled. With her fellow orphaned best friend, Fenn, by her side, she has nothing to lose and everything to gain. But something powerful stirred within her that she couldn’t explain. Something wanted out.

In the dark of night, a crazed Seer, dubbed Mr.Creepy, erases everything she’s ever known with an impending prophecy. She now faces two paths. Return to her true home to protect a dying race against a growing evil, or stay hidden in the safety of our realm with a shot at a true love. With a vengeful Arch Enemy stopping at nothing to see her dead, she’s running out of time; a decision must be made. What would you choose?

Thanks for coming today, Candace and let’s move on with the questions! 
Where do you get your inspiration?
I haven’t had as much time to read lately, so when a good book is no where to be found, I turn to music. Music, just like in the movies, plays on my emotions while writing. It affects the scenes I write and helps me tap into the emotions of the characters. It’s the only thing that helps me concentrate actually.

What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
Quite a few things actually. I play with my kids and watch movies with my husband. I find myself at my bestie’s house at least twice a week. I try to fit in time to read and jog. I guess you could say just the normal stuff. But the number one, most favorite activity of mine, is visiting Universal so I can have a Butterbeer!!! I go at least once a month.

What was one of the most surprising things you learned while writing your first book?
Patience…:) I’ve always been one to rush everything. If it didn’t happen fast, then I usually wasn’t doing it. But you can’t write a good story and go through the publication process like that. It takes time to plot and imagine the storyline. It also takes time to query. Throughout this whole process (since 2009), I have gained so much patience and understanding. I don’t think the old me would tolerate the new me.

Do you have any suggestions for aspiring writers?
Take your time and don’t give up hope. There will be days when you aren’t into it, days when you think it will never work, and days where you can’t stop typing! If you really have a passion for writing, and you really want to see your story in the hands of readers, then you have to be willing to work hard. Late nights, tears, mad fits of laughter, tattered dreams, glimpses of hope, all of these things will come to pass. Just hang in there and continue believing that it WILL happen…and it will.

What kind of books do you like to read?
Mostly YA, Dystopian, Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, Paranormal Romance…anything good really.

What are you reading now?
Well, because I am always multi-tasking, I am reading The Fallen Star, Eternal Eden, The Wizard of Time, Gregor the Overlander, and Out of Nowhere. Lol. But if you watch my Goodreads, you will notice that my progress is slow.

Who is your favorite character in Born in Flames?
Sheesh…tough question…umm…I have to go with the main character Aurora. I relate the most to her and admire her strength. She doesn’t give herself enough credit sometimes, especially considering her circumstance and inevitable fate that constantly threatens her well-being. She’s just fun and easy to write.

Did you always want to be a writer and if not, what else did you want to do?
Oddly enough, I didn’t realize I could actually do it until 2009. I know most authors say they always wanted this, but that wasn’t my case. I have always been good at it. Excelled in English in school and won a lot of story contests, but at that time, I was deep into my dancing career. I danced for 15 years and had planned on doing that for my future. But obviously it didn’t pan out. Typical high school love story I suppose. Fell in love, married, had a baby. Then one day, an idea struck me and I blindly sat down and started typing, just for fun. When it kept coming and the story wouldn’t leave my head, that’s when I realized it was something I wanted…more than anything!

Tell us about your next project.
I’m still on the Trilogy. I’ve finished the first draft of Embracing the Flames, the second novel to the trilogy. I’m hoping to be finished with my edits within the next month or so and then it will go to my publisher for editing. Then I have to start the third novel! I have tons of ideas, and one in particular that I will be jumping on as soon as I see this project through…but I force myself to stay focused. Juggling multiple projects just doesn’t work for me.


Born in Flames is available at Amazon
Barnes&Noble
and 48Fourteen

 

Check out the Born in Flames Book Trailer!

I got my schedule for V-Con!

In the last weekend of September, I am heading up to Vancouver BC for V-Con which has been promoting Science Fiction and Fantasy in Canada and the Pacific Northwest since 1971!

I’ll be promoting Other Systems handing out sample chapters and postcards. Below is my panelist schedule:

Friday 3pm: Science Fiction without a science background?

Is it easier to write a science fiction story if you have the technical or science background or does it get in the way? Can you write believable science fiction without a science background? How do you weave in the science without making it an info dump?

Donna McMahon (M), Kristi Charish, Dave Duncan, Elizabeth Guizzetti, David Ng, Wolf Read

Friday 7pm: Reading from Other Systems. (Would love to read a Harden chapter, but it’s hard finding one where he does not say the f-word! I will take suggestions about your favorite chapters!)

Saturday 10am: Drawing Monsters 

Learn to draw both cute and colossal monsters in this drawing workshop. Supplies provided.

Saturday 11am: So You Want To Be A Writer? -

For brand-spanking new writers. What the writing life entails and what it’s really like to be a full-time published author trying to stay afloat

Elizabeth Guizzetti (M), Don DeBrandt, Alyx Dellamonica, Julie McGalliard, Lorna Suzuki

Saturday 2pm: Sources Of Inspiration

Panelists discuss what acts as a source of creative inspiration for them.

Karl Johanson (M), Don DeBrandt, Alyx Dellamonica, Elizabeth Guizzettti, Stephanie Johanson

Saturday 6pm: Drawing Maps Of Your World  

During this drawing workshop, Elizabeth Guizzetti will show how to draw a map of the world for your next novel or graphic novel.

Hope to see you there!

 

16th Anniversary

Here is the another blog that has nothing to do with writing. Don’t worry on Saturday, I’m interviewing Candace Knoebel the author of Born in Flames. Then I will be doing a week of book reviews so I’ll be back to writing soon enough…However that is the future:

In the now time, I am talking about my relationship with my husband, because tomorrow is our 16th anniversary. We are going out for a steak dinner, the real celebration is we are going to the Puyallup Fair next week. Dennis likes the exhibit hall and I like looking at the cute animals.

Here is us many years ago at my best friend Maria’s wedding. We were so young!

For those who don’t know me well (or weren’t reading this blog a year ago.) Dennis and I met right before my senior year in high school at End Fest 1994. He was working full-time at a local computer store. I was with my friend Jeff and he was with his friends Kevin and Bryan. Jeff, Kevin and Bryan are friends and so we hung out. Then we danced. Dennis was smitten that day. It took me a few months to come around. After all I was 18, he was 21. I admit there was some second guessing my part, but once I came to the conclusion he was the one for me I stuck by that decision. I was very lucky in love.

Sometimes people ask me how we stayed married when so many marriages fail…especially when we got married at 20 and 23 respectively. Well I have some news. Passion does wax and wane, but mutual respect can last forever. Much of our success is just by deciding to stay married through the thick, thin, crappiest and awesome years.

First of all, we have tattoo rings. Not only is a tattoo permanent, but it hurt like hell to get. (Dennis says his didn’t hurt btw. I am telling you it does.) I was sitting there trembling like a leaf but trying not to move because I don’t want to mess the guy up since its on my hand and always visible.

So as far as I am concerned at this point, he is stuck with me!

Like every marriage, we’ve had our ups and downs. However, we meant it when we said for better or worse, richer or poorer and since Dennis and I have the same basic moral code, moral issues have not been a problem. We promised and have both chosen to stay monogamous. We promised and both chosen not to use physical or emotional violence to get our way. There has never been tit for tat. We don’t keep points. When one of us is hurt or angry, we just say so. If one of us wants something, we just tell the other person. While we both like legos, we do try to be grown ups. Part of learning to be a grown-up was prior to getting married we went to pre-marital counseling. It really was the best thing we did for our marriage.

However, if I can point to any one attribute of 16 years of happiness: I would say the key component is gratitude. Nearly every night I make dinner, Dennis will make sure I know he appreciates it.  Even when he doesn’t like it, he acknowledges the work. Heck, when I clean the bathroom, he often will say something nice.

I try not to take him for granted either. I thank him when he takes out the garbage or swaps the laundry for me– I let him know how much I appreciate it and as often as I can that his work has provided us with a comfortable middle-class life. Yes, I am a dog walker, but I can choose my clients and spend most of my working hours as an author and artist , because what he does everyday.

You want to be happy? Thank your spouse. Acknowledge the little things. They matter. If your spouse is the primary breadwinner and you have health insurance, acknowledge that too. If you both work full time and split every thing 50/50 then thank him or her for their part of that. If you are the primary breadwinner, then thank your spouse for what they do to lighten your load.

And here is a more current photo. We were heading out to a Christmas party.

If you want to know love, admit to yourself they will not change. You must love them for them. They will get older. They will get fat. They will have bad days and get sick. They will sometimes not laugh at every joke you tell. Dinner might be late or the carpet doesn’t get vacuumed during a push at work. They will spend too much money or be so tight laced that they can’t enjoy a splurge Or blah blah blah.

Stop looking at what they don’t do, and focus on what is good. Gratitude and thankfulness can go a long way to soothing out problems. Also gratitude is one of those emotions which can grow exponentially and shrink just as fast. Bitterness leads to estrangement, but nurturing gratitude brings happiness.

Why I hate presidential election years!

This blog, while generally focuses on my and other authors writing and comics, is still going to be “off topic” for while. The following is just my view point.

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I love to vote. I am proud to live in a country that has mostly free elections. When I turned 18, my mom and I went to the county seat in Port Orchard to register to vote. Then we went out to lunch at one of our favorite Italian restaurants. Sure, we could have just done it anywhere, but the truth was that I became an adult and my mom was trying to make it as special as possible. I don’t believe I have ever missed an election–though I admit in those 18 years (I am 36) I might have missed one of the small special elections.

However bigoted hate-filled talk about “the other” side annoys me. And by the way– I am not talking about one side or the other. I hate it when I hear it from conservatives and liberals, from Republicans and Democrats. I hate it when it comes from my family and friends. Don’t you realize that in this age, fact checking has become so easy that exaggeration or worse flat out lying is stupid? Both sides do this!

Even so, I know I am not going to change your views…. and you are not going to change me. Sorry, but no post of Facebook ever made me think any differently than I do right now.

I do believe in the freedoms of all individuals, I am never going to vote for a candidate that does not believe in a woman’s right to choose. I care about “entitlement” programs such as medicare, maternity and paternity leave, and social security.  I do care about the environment, but I also care about the need for a strong work force.

Right now, I hear many people are screaming about the “War against Women.” Does it make me a bad person, because I laugh every time someone says crazy things and try to pass insane laws? You want to know why I laugh? Because while it gets the person/group airtime, it will also turn any moderate away from their cause. I don’t believe in conspiracies: I do believe that people are afraid and so they are trying to clamp down on something they think they can control. Unfortunately, they are wrong: birth control is no longer the domain of men for the majority of Americans.

In my opinion, the best case, all men and women have freedom of their own person and any decision would be a joint decision between the couple in need of birth control. No matter how much we try to hide it, sex is part of being a grownup and adults in relationships should be able to talk to each other as adults. However, if there is no couple, cases of cohesion or rape or if they don’t agree, then the woman needs to make the decision because its her body. Prochoice simply means : the freedom to make an informed decision about whether to keep and raise the child, put him or her up for adoption or she can choose abortion. Remember what I just said… the right to their own person. I was not alive then, but I do not look back at any time or place where a woman did not have right to her body with nostalgia. There was no simpler time.

Another issue, I find just as frustrating is Immigration. I do not believe immigrant work forces, “are a betrayal to young people”  because I live in a state that relies on an immigrant work force in the agricultural sector, picking apples, peaches, cherries etc. These people aren’t taking jobs from Americans, they are doing a job Americans don’t want to do. In fact for the past two years as its gotten harder for immigrants to work legally, farmers in my state have had trouble finding people to work during the harvest season. Americans who try it tend to walk off the job after a single day! Of course, that’s in my state, perhaps yours is different.

There now you have an idea of who I am and what I believe in, I respect your right to disagree with me. I respect your right to blog about your ideas and I value intelligent discourse, however lately it has seemed like only hysterical discourse gets through.  Oh by the way, an internet meme is not intelligent discourse.

Labor Day Post 2: Grumpy Pups are cute.

 

Still busy goofing off on labor day, watching the last episode in DS9. It is amazing watching these as an adult –I am picking up on things I did not either care about or just missed when I was a kid. I feel like I did when I reread The Stand by Stephen King.

My favorite storyline is the rebels on Cardassia and I appreciate the fact the Founders just tried to execute Damar, Kira, and Garret–there was no long talks or meetings. Yes, they failed to execute “the traitor Damar” due to the defection of ordinary Cardassians (and it probably helped that Kira is a major character so she needs a happy ending.)  Still, it is really good writing.

Also grumpy doggies are cute. It is a fact of life. Rosie just wants to be left alone as she spends it underneath some blankets.

Happy Labor Day!

Since I am a work-aholic, I nearly spent this weekend focused on my next novel, as it seems I don’t have enough time as of late. Instead last night I decided to take apart my lego Helm’s Deep and build a Deep Space 9. We have been watching DS9, and Dennis has been building a remote control car so  it seemed like a good time to build something too.

Reading of Chapter 1 from Other Systems

Here I am reading Chapter 1 from my debut science fiction novel, Other Systems.

This chapter introduces the idealistic stargazer Abigail Boyd Lei and her life on Earth prior to the Kiposi landing.

Parental Warning: Other Systems is an adult novel. Even though she is 17, in her culture, Abigail is considered an adult. She thinks about getting married and finds her crush in the communal washroom with another woman. The act is not described, only Abigail’s reactions to it.

Other Systems was published April 1, 2012 by 48Fourteen and available on e-book from Amazon and Barnes&Noble.

Writers Block #4–Sick Dogs (Time management)

Remember I live on the West coast so I have only been up for an hour…

So the first two blog posts about writer’s block were about things that sometimes makes me have writer’s block. Here is what has been giving me writers block today…

I awoke to a foul smell emanating from my office. The worse smell you can possibly imagine:  liquid dog feces.

Tycho sometimes sleeps in there in the summer because he get’s too hot.

So I get up and see, and yep he had an accident all over his bed and on the floor near his bed. He is starring at me in abject terror and horror at what he has done. Then he cringes at me. (Dude, seriously, why do you make me feel like a bad dog mom? You are 12 pounds, I am a lot more, I will never hit you.)

I stick him in the crate so I can clean up the mess. Every once in awhile we hear a soulful whine in the next room. I live in a 3 room condo–my office is my bedroom closet.

Rosie now is worried because Tycho is in the crate. She isn’t sure if she should go to the crate or stay in bed. Dennis wakes up briefly. Rosie sees that now Tycho is crated SHE can get the warm spot next to Dennis. She is no longer worried. She is happy to usurp Tycho’s normal spot. (Seriously, Girl, he probably left the bed awhile ago, you could have taken the spot at any time!)

So the mess is cleaned up and then I take Tycho and Rose outside. I think what ever upset his tummy is gone. Now they lay on the couch with me. I planned on getting up and making strawberry cupcakes for my HOA BBQ which is this afternoon. I planned on getting another chapter of The Martlet edited. But instead I sit cuddling my sick dog writing a blog post since the idea of trying to focus on my next novel has gone out the window…

I know I really need to get up and make cupcakes, an errands and grocery list for when Dennis and I go out, but right now, that’s the last thing I want to do…because my four-legged hairy adopted son needs me.

My point is that all this household stuff is taking my focus away from working on the Martlet. In fact I am such a good procrastinator I am writing a blog post about how I am procrastinating due to my sick dog. Ultimately I know once I finish this post, I will go into the kitchen and make cupcakes. Once they are in the oven, I will set out to do the other household things I needed to do before Dennis woke up so we can go once he is awake, IF Dennis sleeps till 10 (which is likely) I will might get a chapter of the Martlet edited if he gets up any earlier, I have wasted the morning hours in which I could have worked. But hey at least I got a blog post done…and that’s something, isn’t it?

My purpose for writing this blog is this: Writers get blocked because they feel they don’t have enough time. It sounds trite, but anyone who wants to write novels needs to make time to write each day. They need to make time to re-write if they want their novels published. The Martlet is a good story at this point, but it is not ready for publication by any means. I need to give it my time so it can be a great story, by procrastinating it might end up fair at best. Once the dog seems stable and the cupcakes are done, they need to be at the laptop pounding away at the next chapter –even on Saturday mornings.

And this concludes my series on writer’s block!

Writer’s Block #3: Too many ideas!!!

So earlier this week I talked about Irrational Fears being the cause of my Writers Block and this post I am going to talk about ideas being the cause of my Writer’s block.

What is that you say? How can an idea be the cause of writer’s block?

Maybe having too many ideas is great for some people, but not for me. There are times when a dearth of ideas spring to my head. I actually get feel angry and tense, because an overflow of ideas. I would get exhausted because my mind would not stop bouncing around. I don’t know whre to settle so I settle on none of them. When I was in my early 20′s, I would start working on one project then drop it and work on another then drop it, but never get anywhere. Then it a self loathing cycle. Consuming was easier than creating.

The problem was my lack of commitment. Some people will disagree with me, but I feel ideas are literally worthless especially because if they are not getting any traction, you end up going over and over them in your head while you should be writing.

Sometimes they will be things that you need to add to the story you want to tell– Great use it.

Other times they will not work with that story and begin to distract you. That’s okay, you do not have to give up on the new ideas, Write the others down, Save them in a file (or in my case put them in a file cabinet) so you can come back later bring your focus back to your main plot or idea of the story you are writing.

This is what happened with Faminelands #3. I had a terrible case of too many ideas and not enough page space.  I wanted political alliances, I needed to end both Lark and Orin’s character arcs. I had to reintroduce a minor character and onwards and onwards. Every time I would work on it, I kept getting lost in the story. I finally turned away from the story and the novel took me three times as long as the others did. Why? Because I wasn’t committed to ending the story. Instead of focusing, I allowed the ideas I wanted to portray overwhelm the entire story, this meant my drawing suffered too. I eventually took a siesta from the graphic novel and wrote Other Systems before I went back.  Then there was still too many ideas I cut out an entire scene and decided to create another fantasy novel called the Martlet.

Anyone else have this problem or am I just crazy?