Jack Lewis Baillot's Blog, page 56
August 1, 2013
"We have wireless." "I don't have a radio."
Wherein Jack is too tired and worn out and wishes to read a book and has her brain on shut down to think of a post. Therefore, she leaves you with this, just to make you wonder what is going on.
“These skirts are terrible! How do you walk in them, Peter?” “I'm going to pretend you didn't just ask that.”
Quote is from The Avengers deleted scenes.
Allons-y!
“These skirts are terrible! How do you walk in them, Peter?” “I'm going to pretend you didn't just ask that.”
Quote is from The Avengers deleted scenes.
Allons-y!
July 31, 2013
"Vector! Because I'm creating crime with both speed and magnitude! OH YEAH!"
Book Review
The Shadow Things by Jennifer Freitag
Summery:
Indi has grown up in Britain - I forget the actual date, but think St. Patrick. His whole life he has been taught about the gods of horses and thunder who ensue their wrath upon mankind while fighting each other. One day a man appears and he talks about another God, a God of mercy and kindness. Very soon, Indi's village is thrown into confusion and hate as the villagers either grow to hate this man of God, or accept his God. And Indi's life is forever to be changed when he too accepts this new God, and is forced to stand by his new belief.
I used to love Historical Fiction, but lately I've never found any to really like, at all. They go into WAY too much detail for my liking, especially when it comes to the Middle Ages. (This is, sadly, the reason I've never made it through a Steven Lawhead book though I'm DETERMINED to someday read all of his Robin Hood books.)
When I first saw The Shadow Things I assumed it was going to be the same way - but one day it was free and I was looking for a ton of books to read over the summer. I didn't think this would actually make it into my summer reading, but I am SO glad it did.
There was never a huge amount of time where the story was bogged down with history lessons or details about how life was so miserable back then. I felt like I was actually living with Indi, seeing all he did, feeling all he did, without being overwhelmed with unneeded facts. It was a nice surprise.
Another thing I liked is that, unlike other Historical Fictions I've tried to read lately, I actually really grew to like these characters. I wanted them to be happy, while at the same time I didn't want them to compromise their beliefs to be happy. And I really liked Indi. He is the kind of hero one can cheer for.
The time period of the book is stretched to take place over a year, or maybe two, but everything flowed very nicely. And the message was well handled and written. It kind of reminded me of The Last Sin Eater.
There were some *coughalotcough* sad parts in it, but I was able to forgive the author my broken heart because it made the story feel more real. That is what would have happened back then, as sad as it was.
It is a book I would recommend to everyone, and I now really wish to read more by the author. (Also, her sister wrote a book which is next on my to read list. From what I've seen her sister is just as good a writer as her.) You can find Jennifer's blog HERE!!!
I am also joining in Clair's Nerd Life, (though I believe I am too late to take part since this is the first day of August. July jumped by and I blinked and realized it was August and I hadn't joined in as I wanted to.) Well, I did join in...I wrote a Fantasy book during July, but I posted about it late. And I'm not even sure I'm doing it right now....but my worn out brain is having trouble understanding all the rules. (Tonight calls for mindless cartoons, watching them while half asleep!)
Anyways, if you want to find out about what Nerd Life is and Clair's ambitions to read one book every day during the month of July - I believe - you can find the link HERE!!!!
If you don't know where this quote is from...."You're a sad, strange little man, and you have my pity."
Allons-y!
The Shadow Things by Jennifer Freitag
Summery:
Indi has grown up in Britain - I forget the actual date, but think St. Patrick. His whole life he has been taught about the gods of horses and thunder who ensue their wrath upon mankind while fighting each other. One day a man appears and he talks about another God, a God of mercy and kindness. Very soon, Indi's village is thrown into confusion and hate as the villagers either grow to hate this man of God, or accept his God. And Indi's life is forever to be changed when he too accepts this new God, and is forced to stand by his new belief.
I used to love Historical Fiction, but lately I've never found any to really like, at all. They go into WAY too much detail for my liking, especially when it comes to the Middle Ages. (This is, sadly, the reason I've never made it through a Steven Lawhead book though I'm DETERMINED to someday read all of his Robin Hood books.)
When I first saw The Shadow Things I assumed it was going to be the same way - but one day it was free and I was looking for a ton of books to read over the summer. I didn't think this would actually make it into my summer reading, but I am SO glad it did.
There was never a huge amount of time where the story was bogged down with history lessons or details about how life was so miserable back then. I felt like I was actually living with Indi, seeing all he did, feeling all he did, without being overwhelmed with unneeded facts. It was a nice surprise.
Another thing I liked is that, unlike other Historical Fictions I've tried to read lately, I actually really grew to like these characters. I wanted them to be happy, while at the same time I didn't want them to compromise their beliefs to be happy. And I really liked Indi. He is the kind of hero one can cheer for.
The time period of the book is stretched to take place over a year, or maybe two, but everything flowed very nicely. And the message was well handled and written. It kind of reminded me of The Last Sin Eater.
There were some *coughalotcough* sad parts in it, but I was able to forgive the author my broken heart because it made the story feel more real. That is what would have happened back then, as sad as it was.
It is a book I would recommend to everyone, and I now really wish to read more by the author. (Also, her sister wrote a book which is next on my to read list. From what I've seen her sister is just as good a writer as her.) You can find Jennifer's blog HERE!!!
I am also joining in Clair's Nerd Life, (though I believe I am too late to take part since this is the first day of August. July jumped by and I blinked and realized it was August and I hadn't joined in as I wanted to.) Well, I did join in...I wrote a Fantasy book during July, but I posted about it late. And I'm not even sure I'm doing it right now....but my worn out brain is having trouble understanding all the rules. (Tonight calls for mindless cartoons, watching them while half asleep!)
Anyways, if you want to find out about what Nerd Life is and Clair's ambitions to read one book every day during the month of July - I believe - you can find the link HERE!!!!
If you don't know where this quote is from...."You're a sad, strange little man, and you have my pity."
Allons-y!
July 30, 2013
"A bit of earth, a bit of Alien, a bit of...whatever that is."
I've been meaning, for awhile now, to begin a series of posts detailing some of the things about the lands in which my books take place. I have finally decided to do these posts on Wednesday, and I will be doing them on all three books I either have published or am currently writing. (The Haphazardly Series, A Stretch of Loyalty, and The Broken Blade.)
I'm going to start with The Broken Blade - even though I know the layout of the land less than any of the others. (Oh, random bit of something I forgot....I need to get in contact with the someone who offered to help me with the map! See, that is how my life has been going lately, if my lack of blog reading and commenting hasn't been enough of a hint.) Anyways, I've been working a good deal on The Broken Blade, the characters have kidnapped me every chance they get, and right now it is the world I've been sucked into and is fresh on my mind.
The biggest thing with Nightshade - the land in which The Broken Blade is set - is that it is like the characters. Each time I sit down to write I learn something new.
I won't start pointing out cities and such until I have a map and you will all be able to see what I'm talking about. An overview should at least get you started.
After the king of Nightshade was killed, and died without an heir, no one ever bothered crowning a new king. Instead, everyone divided and went their own ways. (More detail on this later.)
The humans appointed Lords who were too look over their states. In each state there are villages, farms, mines, fishing ports all depending on where the state is. It is the Lord's job to make sure his villagers are well feed and protected. (Not many of them actually carry out this duty. They are more concerned with themselves and while they don't over tax their people or treat them with cruelness, they just don't really care about them.)
The Lords are the final law in their state. Sometimes they all meet together but if a state falls under attack or if a Lord needs advice he is pretty much on his own. It is a fend for yourself culture.
Since the Lords haven't ever really proven themselves to be good or caring, the people don't really respect them. A Lord could pass a new law and no one would care or obey it. Also, since there are no longer soldiers or knights, the only one who can re-enforce it is the Lord and the few men who serve him. This has discouraged new laws from being made and aside from there being no king and the lands being divided, Nightshade hasn't changed much in the last hundred years.
The only form of leadership or law enforcers are the Rangers, but they keep to themselves and don't get involved with the Lords or villagers. They are the only lasting regiment of the days when kings reigned. (I will do more of their back story later as it would take up a whole post.) The only important thing you need to know about them right now is that they keep to themselves.
Nightshade is a large country and is scattered with mountains and forests. A lot of the mountains are very tall and hold many long forgotten secrets - or memories which have become like the blade, bed time stories most people don't believe. The humans keep mostly to the East side of Nightshade. It is rare for them to travel past a mountain range which divides the East of Nightshade from the rest of the country. The East is mostly farm land which some good sized forests and craggy cliff faces which stand by the ocean.
Winters in the East can be cold. The damp from the ocean makes the wind bitter, leaving one with a feeling that it gets into their bones. In the other extreme, summers can be unbearably hot and humid.
Since the East is mostly farmland, a lot of the people have had to become farmers to survive. Those who live in the forests make their living cutting down trees and selling the wood to the farmers. There is a barter system set up between the two peoples. The fishermen have the same system set with the farmers but like to get their heating supplies from the coal around their ports so they don't deal much with the woodsmen.
And that, I think, is a good introduction start. I've set up a board on Pintrest - you know, that place all authors hang out when they don't feel like writing - and I'm filling it with pictures of what I imagine Nightshade to look like. (Here is the LINK!!!!! in case any of you wish to see.)
For next week, which book would you like to hear more about? Would you like more on The Broken Blade, if so, would you like to hear about the Rangers, more about the Woodsmen, Farmers, Fishermen, or something else? (Feel free to let me know any of your ideas or what you'd like to learn about. I'm hoping to keep these posts fun, and not like boring history lessons.)
And here I end. I have a book I need to get back to editing.
Quote is from Doctor Who, when the Doctor and Rory are trying to find Amy after she's vanished on the wonderful planet the Doctor took them too for a holiday.
Allons-y!
I'm going to start with The Broken Blade - even though I know the layout of the land less than any of the others. (Oh, random bit of something I forgot....I need to get in contact with the someone who offered to help me with the map! See, that is how my life has been going lately, if my lack of blog reading and commenting hasn't been enough of a hint.) Anyways, I've been working a good deal on The Broken Blade, the characters have kidnapped me every chance they get, and right now it is the world I've been sucked into and is fresh on my mind.
The biggest thing with Nightshade - the land in which The Broken Blade is set - is that it is like the characters. Each time I sit down to write I learn something new.
I won't start pointing out cities and such until I have a map and you will all be able to see what I'm talking about. An overview should at least get you started.
After the king of Nightshade was killed, and died without an heir, no one ever bothered crowning a new king. Instead, everyone divided and went their own ways. (More detail on this later.)
The humans appointed Lords who were too look over their states. In each state there are villages, farms, mines, fishing ports all depending on where the state is. It is the Lord's job to make sure his villagers are well feed and protected. (Not many of them actually carry out this duty. They are more concerned with themselves and while they don't over tax their people or treat them with cruelness, they just don't really care about them.)
The Lords are the final law in their state. Sometimes they all meet together but if a state falls under attack or if a Lord needs advice he is pretty much on his own. It is a fend for yourself culture.
Since the Lords haven't ever really proven themselves to be good or caring, the people don't really respect them. A Lord could pass a new law and no one would care or obey it. Also, since there are no longer soldiers or knights, the only one who can re-enforce it is the Lord and the few men who serve him. This has discouraged new laws from being made and aside from there being no king and the lands being divided, Nightshade hasn't changed much in the last hundred years.
The only form of leadership or law enforcers are the Rangers, but they keep to themselves and don't get involved with the Lords or villagers. They are the only lasting regiment of the days when kings reigned. (I will do more of their back story later as it would take up a whole post.) The only important thing you need to know about them right now is that they keep to themselves.
Nightshade is a large country and is scattered with mountains and forests. A lot of the mountains are very tall and hold many long forgotten secrets - or memories which have become like the blade, bed time stories most people don't believe. The humans keep mostly to the East side of Nightshade. It is rare for them to travel past a mountain range which divides the East of Nightshade from the rest of the country. The East is mostly farm land which some good sized forests and craggy cliff faces which stand by the ocean.
Winters in the East can be cold. The damp from the ocean makes the wind bitter, leaving one with a feeling that it gets into their bones. In the other extreme, summers can be unbearably hot and humid.
Since the East is mostly farmland, a lot of the people have had to become farmers to survive. Those who live in the forests make their living cutting down trees and selling the wood to the farmers. There is a barter system set up between the two peoples. The fishermen have the same system set with the farmers but like to get their heating supplies from the coal around their ports so they don't deal much with the woodsmen.
And that, I think, is a good introduction start. I've set up a board on Pintrest - you know, that place all authors hang out when they don't feel like writing - and I'm filling it with pictures of what I imagine Nightshade to look like. (Here is the LINK!!!!! in case any of you wish to see.)
For next week, which book would you like to hear more about? Would you like more on The Broken Blade, if so, would you like to hear about the Rangers, more about the Woodsmen, Farmers, Fishermen, or something else? (Feel free to let me know any of your ideas or what you'd like to learn about. I'm hoping to keep these posts fun, and not like boring history lessons.)
And here I end. I have a book I need to get back to editing.
Quote is from Doctor Who, when the Doctor and Rory are trying to find Amy after she's vanished on the wonderful planet the Doctor took them too for a holiday.
Allons-y!
July 29, 2013
"You brought the girls?!" "Yeah! Oh....I take it that was wrong."
Wherein Jack skips book reviews to review a movie.
I say this a lot, but I really love kids movies more than adult ones. Even young adult movies. When I went to see Rise of the Guardians I was the only "adult" in line for that one rather than the newest Twilight movie. Not that I cared. (It also helps that I've friends who share my sentiments about movies. We do go to adult movies - Avengers films, X-Men, war movies - but usually if we have to pick between an adult movie or a kid movie, we go with the kid movie. {Except for Avenger movies - those kind of always win.})
In fact, one friend, for his 18th birthday, choose to go to Despicable Me 2.
Which brings me to today's review....because I FINALLY got to see it!!! I've been wanting to since they had the one trailer with the Minions doing the Barbara Ann song. (Who didn't?)
I wasn't sure if I had a lot of hopes for this movie. I like the first one - though it took me watching it about three times to actually get to where I liked it - but usually sequels are not all that exciting. (Pixar has been doing a good job, but I still have sequel trusts. This was one which I had ify moments about. In fact, I was more excited about Monster's University - and the one I REALLY want to see is Finding Dori. I shall be the only non five-year-old standing in line bouncing around and giggling.)
Now, to get down to the point of this review. I started giggling the moment the movie started and I didn't stop giggling until after the credits rolled - don't leave before the credits are over, not if you like the Minions.
I think there has only been one sequel - animated movie wise - that I've liked more than the first one and that was Toy Story 3. But, I definately liked Despicable Me 2 more than the first one. So far, I think it has been my favouritest animated movie this year.
The basic plot of it, as seen in the trailer, is Gru getting a job working with the good guys to help stop a bad guy. He teams up with Lucy Wilde, a red headed spy. And somehow, while he is working at his new spying job, he is trying to be a dad to his adopted daughters.
When I saw the trailer I was kind of worried they would bring up the usual adopted problems that appear in other movies. The girls don't like him, don't think of him as their dad, he's too busy working to be a good dad - and the list goes on. I was very wrong and I was delighted to be so.
The girls still loved him and insisted on hugging him almost every chance they got - when he wasn't hugging them first. He didn't even want to be a spy at first because he was too busy being a dad. And whenever the girls had problems he would listen to them or try and help.
( SPOILER!!!! The funnest example is when he freeze rays a certain boy who made Margo sad.) End Spoiler.
It was just a rather sweet way to make it. They might have been an odd little family, but they were happy and it is rare for movies to have happy families in them. I really liked that part of it. (Especially when it was little Agnes giving Gru advice. Agnes has always been my favourite out of the sisters, she is just so cute!!! And then there are moments you go, "Okay, little girl, you stay over there and I'll be nice, no need to hurt me.")
Another part I loved which I thought wouldn't be all that great was Lucy Wilde. I think she would be a serious kind of spy who kept looking down her nose at Gru - in spite of her cute, "Lipstick Tazer!" line.
She was one of the funniest characters in the whole movie. She was a new spy who "had to do what her bosses told her" and had more blond moments than most blonds. She was quirky and had Minion moments where she would just sprout out weird noses. And at the same time, she would mercilessly kick the frosting off of cup cakes using karate movies while in high heels. (She makes me think of the girl version of Maxwell Smart, and her and Gru's spying partnership was great.)
Of course, it goes without saying that another part I loved about it was the Minions. Really though, who didn't go to the movie just for them?
Like the first movie this had some flash backs to the little Gru, which again made me feel bad for him. Poor little Gru. And it had the Minions giggling over noises they made or a certain someone with a certain name - all who have seen the trailer know which someone I am talking about. It had a villain with a wild, over exaggerated scheme - only this time he didn't wear pajamas, though I won't say his outfit was much better - it was made for a....man whose basic shape wasn't round.
But, to sum up my ranting review, if you haven't seen this movie yet you should. It is a lot of fun. In fact, I'm going to try and see it again before it comes out on DVD.
I need to stop now. I have a fight going on in The Broken Blade I need to get back to before bed.
I took the quote from the movie, a scene when Dr. Nafario is babysitting.
Allons-y!
I say this a lot, but I really love kids movies more than adult ones. Even young adult movies. When I went to see Rise of the Guardians I was the only "adult" in line for that one rather than the newest Twilight movie. Not that I cared. (It also helps that I've friends who share my sentiments about movies. We do go to adult movies - Avengers films, X-Men, war movies - but usually if we have to pick between an adult movie or a kid movie, we go with the kid movie. {Except for Avenger movies - those kind of always win.})
In fact, one friend, for his 18th birthday, choose to go to Despicable Me 2.
Which brings me to today's review....because I FINALLY got to see it!!! I've been wanting to since they had the one trailer with the Minions doing the Barbara Ann song. (Who didn't?)
I wasn't sure if I had a lot of hopes for this movie. I like the first one - though it took me watching it about three times to actually get to where I liked it - but usually sequels are not all that exciting. (Pixar has been doing a good job, but I still have sequel trusts. This was one which I had ify moments about. In fact, I was more excited about Monster's University - and the one I REALLY want to see is Finding Dori. I shall be the only non five-year-old standing in line bouncing around and giggling.)
Now, to get down to the point of this review. I started giggling the moment the movie started and I didn't stop giggling until after the credits rolled - don't leave before the credits are over, not if you like the Minions.
I think there has only been one sequel - animated movie wise - that I've liked more than the first one and that was Toy Story 3. But, I definately liked Despicable Me 2 more than the first one. So far, I think it has been my favouritest animated movie this year.
The basic plot of it, as seen in the trailer, is Gru getting a job working with the good guys to help stop a bad guy. He teams up with Lucy Wilde, a red headed spy. And somehow, while he is working at his new spying job, he is trying to be a dad to his adopted daughters.
When I saw the trailer I was kind of worried they would bring up the usual adopted problems that appear in other movies. The girls don't like him, don't think of him as their dad, he's too busy working to be a good dad - and the list goes on. I was very wrong and I was delighted to be so.
The girls still loved him and insisted on hugging him almost every chance they got - when he wasn't hugging them first. He didn't even want to be a spy at first because he was too busy being a dad. And whenever the girls had problems he would listen to them or try and help.
( SPOILER!!!! The funnest example is when he freeze rays a certain boy who made Margo sad.) End Spoiler.
It was just a rather sweet way to make it. They might have been an odd little family, but they were happy and it is rare for movies to have happy families in them. I really liked that part of it. (Especially when it was little Agnes giving Gru advice. Agnes has always been my favourite out of the sisters, she is just so cute!!! And then there are moments you go, "Okay, little girl, you stay over there and I'll be nice, no need to hurt me.")
Another part I loved which I thought wouldn't be all that great was Lucy Wilde. I think she would be a serious kind of spy who kept looking down her nose at Gru - in spite of her cute, "Lipstick Tazer!" line.
She was one of the funniest characters in the whole movie. She was a new spy who "had to do what her bosses told her" and had more blond moments than most blonds. She was quirky and had Minion moments where she would just sprout out weird noses. And at the same time, she would mercilessly kick the frosting off of cup cakes using karate movies while in high heels. (She makes me think of the girl version of Maxwell Smart, and her and Gru's spying partnership was great.)
Of course, it goes without saying that another part I loved about it was the Minions. Really though, who didn't go to the movie just for them?
Like the first movie this had some flash backs to the little Gru, which again made me feel bad for him. Poor little Gru. And it had the Minions giggling over noises they made or a certain someone with a certain name - all who have seen the trailer know which someone I am talking about. It had a villain with a wild, over exaggerated scheme - only this time he didn't wear pajamas, though I won't say his outfit was much better - it was made for a....man whose basic shape wasn't round.
But, to sum up my ranting review, if you haven't seen this movie yet you should. It is a lot of fun. In fact, I'm going to try and see it again before it comes out on DVD.
I need to stop now. I have a fight going on in The Broken Blade I need to get back to before bed.
I took the quote from the movie, a scene when Dr. Nafario is babysitting.
Allons-y!
July 28, 2013
"My name is Silas Ramsbottom." "Bottom...." *Breaks out into snickering.*
I started tonight's post to late and am falling asleep. And it is one of those posts I need to be awake for. So, you don't get it today, instead, you get some of my half asleep randomness.
I was watching Iron Man 3 the other day and realized for the first time in all four movies he's been in, Tony is called the Mechanic. (Yes, I did glare at the screen. Yes, I did name Tony Verne after him. BUT my Tony was a mechanic first. So there.)
I was watching another movie today - review tomorrow because it was that good - when Peter and Darcy decided to show up and randomly quote something which will be in book three. It was actually a funny line. Sadly, it happened during one of the more serious parts in the movie, so I was the only one snickering.
As far as characters sprout out random jokes, BenArgon is the worse. And he does those kinds of jokes that make you want to slap your forehead and groan. (Trystan now has a red forehead.)
It has been raining a lot here, which has put me in the mood for sad music. Which, in turn, has put my characters in danger for their lives.
I'm not doing as well at Camp NaNo as I had hoped, but I'm still hoping to at least reach 50,000
I was going to write tonight, but I think that might be too much work.
John is sad he didn't get the computer on Saturday, again. He is hoping all of his friends will storm our house and demand I turn the computer over to him.
In The Broken Blade, Striker has just made the acquaintance of a cute little girl. She's like the five-year-old version of John, or that little boy on the Andy Giffith TV show who tried to share his peanut butter sandwiches with everyone.
If I was in Star Wars my name would be Colar Balja. Don't ask me how I found this out, because I don't remember which site I was looking on.
I think i will end this now, because it has no point and because July is almost over and because if I go now I can get a few more words written and hopefully finish NaNo with my goal.
Quote is from the Minions. Because I couldn't resist.
Allons-y!
I was watching Iron Man 3 the other day and realized for the first time in all four movies he's been in, Tony is called the Mechanic. (Yes, I did glare at the screen. Yes, I did name Tony Verne after him. BUT my Tony was a mechanic first. So there.)
I was watching another movie today - review tomorrow because it was that good - when Peter and Darcy decided to show up and randomly quote something which will be in book three. It was actually a funny line. Sadly, it happened during one of the more serious parts in the movie, so I was the only one snickering.
As far as characters sprout out random jokes, BenArgon is the worse. And he does those kinds of jokes that make you want to slap your forehead and groan. (Trystan now has a red forehead.)
It has been raining a lot here, which has put me in the mood for sad music. Which, in turn, has put my characters in danger for their lives.
I'm not doing as well at Camp NaNo as I had hoped, but I'm still hoping to at least reach 50,000
I was going to write tonight, but I think that might be too much work.
John is sad he didn't get the computer on Saturday, again. He is hoping all of his friends will storm our house and demand I turn the computer over to him.
In The Broken Blade, Striker has just made the acquaintance of a cute little girl. She's like the five-year-old version of John, or that little boy on the Andy Giffith TV show who tried to share his peanut butter sandwiches with everyone.
If I was in Star Wars my name would be Colar Balja. Don't ask me how I found this out, because I don't remember which site I was looking on.
I think i will end this now, because it has no point and because July is almost over and because if I go now I can get a few more words written and hopefully finish NaNo with my goal.
Quote is from the Minions. Because I couldn't resist.
Allons-y!
July 25, 2013
“You pull a pistol on me and insult me? What else do you do? Steal candy from babies?”
Today I'm happy to introduce all of you to the girl who will be doing the artwork for Abolished Impracticality. I'm also sitting here, wondering if there are more things I should talk about, just to add some length to this post. Or should I just leave it here and get back to my book.
*Ponders*
Tom and Hester.
Blog
Tom and Hester
Blog....
Tom and Hester. Sorry....but you surely understand.
So, now that we've established that, I'd like to give you all the chance to meet book two's artist. (Had I used my brain while planning this I would have asked her to write an introduction...but you know me, brain work...just doesn't go where I'm concerned.)
I'll do a bit of background instead and you shall all be happy.
I met Treskie - the new artist - through blogger. (Shocking, I know. Someday I will say I've met someone through work, or at the library and you'll die of surprise. "What? You mean Jack actually gets out and does things?!")
She and her sisters, not all of her sisters, but a lot of them, have blogs and I've adored reading them for a long time now. (Not as much as I've liked meeting the sisters. They've made what would have been a rather bad summer very nice and I've enjoyed meeting and becoming friends with them.)
Treskie would often post pictures of her drawings on her blog. So, when I set out to find a new artist, she was one of the first and most logical choices. (By this I mean I knew she knew how to draw, I liked what I'd seen by her, and she was my friend. I'd rather work with a friend then...someone who is not my friend. Friends are more willing to be patient with my random emails and the absentminded way I work. That makes me happy.)
Also, she had a style similar to Clair's. (I didn't set out to find someone who drew exactly like Clair, but I also didn't really want to find someone who had a drastic difference. A different style I didn't mind, but - as example - I didn't want Clair's style in one book and manga or something in the second. (That's the name for it, right? The cute characters with "big animal eyes!" My Little Pony comes to mind.)
And that is about the....whole version of it. If you would like to find out more about my geeky artist (Geeky, yes. She likes the original Star Trek after all!) You can find her blog HERE!!! And I doubt you would be disappointed to pop by for a visit.
Now this is were I end. You know the drill, Tom and Hester are calling.
Allons-y!
*Ponders*
Tom and Hester.
Blog
Tom and Hester
Blog....
Tom and Hester. Sorry....but you surely understand.
So, now that we've established that, I'd like to give you all the chance to meet book two's artist. (Had I used my brain while planning this I would have asked her to write an introduction...but you know me, brain work...just doesn't go where I'm concerned.)
I'll do a bit of background instead and you shall all be happy.
I met Treskie - the new artist - through blogger. (Shocking, I know. Someday I will say I've met someone through work, or at the library and you'll die of surprise. "What? You mean Jack actually gets out and does things?!")
She and her sisters, not all of her sisters, but a lot of them, have blogs and I've adored reading them for a long time now. (Not as much as I've liked meeting the sisters. They've made what would have been a rather bad summer very nice and I've enjoyed meeting and becoming friends with them.)
Treskie would often post pictures of her drawings on her blog. So, when I set out to find a new artist, she was one of the first and most logical choices. (By this I mean I knew she knew how to draw, I liked what I'd seen by her, and she was my friend. I'd rather work with a friend then...someone who is not my friend. Friends are more willing to be patient with my random emails and the absentminded way I work. That makes me happy.)
Also, she had a style similar to Clair's. (I didn't set out to find someone who drew exactly like Clair, but I also didn't really want to find someone who had a drastic difference. A different style I didn't mind, but - as example - I didn't want Clair's style in one book and manga or something in the second. (That's the name for it, right? The cute characters with "big animal eyes!" My Little Pony comes to mind.)
And that is about the....whole version of it. If you would like to find out more about my geeky artist (Geeky, yes. She likes the original Star Trek after all!) You can find her blog HERE!!! And I doubt you would be disappointed to pop by for a visit.
Now this is were I end. You know the drill, Tom and Hester are calling.
Allons-y!
July 24, 2013
"What about our children?" "Max, we don't have any children." "Exactly. If something happens to us those poor kids will grow up without ever knowing their parents."
So, all of England has been happy about their new little crown prince, and I've been sitting over here coming up with all kinds of usurping theories and ways how the royal family is hiding all of the first born girls who would have been next in line to rule. (Makes you wonder a bit that the last three heirs to the throne just happened to be boys. Just a little curious, eh?) Actually, I've spent so much time on this I have a whole England conspiracy going. *Nods*
Anyways....book review time! (Since I don't want some British secret service showing up and whisking me off before I expose their schemes...wait, what am I say?! British....showing up, on my doorstep. Time to start blabbing my theories!)
*Moving on.*
There has been some debate about me over the past few years. I usually come off as sweet and always concerned about the well being of others. More than once I've had people say to me, "You should go into the medical field. You'd make a great nurse and they need good nurses." To this I always nod, smile, and laugh about it when they are gone.
There is not one ounce of medical talent in me. Anywhere. I can't even watch medical movies - you know, all those famous ones about doctors. Nope. Not for me. Someone starts talking about the inside of the body and I feel sick.
Therefore, I was shocked when I read a book called Firmament: Radialloy by J. Grace Pennington. This book has plenty of medical things mentioned it in - thankfully I didn't know this before starting it.
Summery: Andi is the second medical officer on board a spaceship. She loves her job, she loves the friends she has made on the ship, and more than that she loves her adopted father - Doctor Gerard Handel Lloyd. However, life is about to change for her, and it starts the day she meets the ship's new Navigator, August Howitz. (His first name is George, but you may forget that fact as I have done.) Slowly, things begin to unravel for Andi and she uncovers a secret about her past, while the same time the ship she has called home for so long is taken over and the lives of her friends - and her beloved Doctor - are put in danger. It is up to Andi to save them, but to do so she might end up loosing the home she loves.
I shouldn't have liked this book. It has everything I dislike, pretty much. It is about a girl - I have bad experience with books about girls - it is about a doctor and has medical references throughout, and it is told in first person. However, not even halfway through I fell in love with the story, the characters, and I knew I would want more by the time I finished it. I loved Andi and the time spent with her and didn't want the adventure to end.
Andi is a brave girl who does what needs to be done when it needs to be done. But at the same time she is vulnerable. She is scared, confused, and wants her father to hold her and make everything right. She was someone I felt I could relate to, someone I would have loved for a best friend in real life. She wasn't stuck up, she didn't think she was better than everyone else, she was just a great friend. I can only hope I will have the chance to go on even more adventures with her.
The other characters were just as amazing. I LOVED the Doctor. He was kind of dry, a sort of logical man who looked at life the way it was. And at the same time he was one of the most warm hearted characters I've ever met. I wished he could give me a hug and tell ME it would be all right.
The captain of the ship...slightly quick tempered, more concerned about his crew then himself, and always trying to set Andi up with a fitting fellow. (He looked after her as if she were his own daughter.)
Eagle Crash, the doctor's nephew and Andi's adopted cousin. Crash was almost the kind of character I couldn't stand, almost. He is cocky and, being such a great pilot, thinks he is better than anyone. He does stupid things just to show off and gets a lot of people mad at him. But it is hard to stay mad at him for long. Most of the time I wanted to strangle him and hug him at the same time. However, he does care about his friends, a lot, and especially about Andi.
And then you have August, the young man with one of the biggest conflicts in the book. I felt so bad for him, all the while I was yelling at him to do the right thing. He was....how do I sum up August? He was kind of complex and hard to understand, one has to look deeper into his character to see all of the amazingness there, but it is worth it. I want another book just about August - oh, did I mention he's Australian? Well...technically he isn't, but he has the accent....and that is the most important part.
I was also surprised that there wasn't any romance in this book. It was just an adventure, with secrets and mysteries and a rotten villain I spent the whole time yelling at.
Do I recommend this book? YES! Even if you are like me and don't like medical stories, it is worth it. The characters are worth it. They feel like a big family and they readily adopt the reader as their own.
And that ends my review. And this post....because I picked up two new books today, and I want to start them as soon as possible. They are by Robin McKinley. (Anyone else read anything by her? I've heard nothing but good things about her books so I thought I would try a couple.)
Quote is from Get Smart, a conversation between an engaged 99 and Max.
Allons-y!
Anyways....book review time! (Since I don't want some British secret service showing up and whisking me off before I expose their schemes...wait, what am I say?! British....showing up, on my doorstep. Time to start blabbing my theories!)
*Moving on.*
There has been some debate about me over the past few years. I usually come off as sweet and always concerned about the well being of others. More than once I've had people say to me, "You should go into the medical field. You'd make a great nurse and they need good nurses." To this I always nod, smile, and laugh about it when they are gone.
There is not one ounce of medical talent in me. Anywhere. I can't even watch medical movies - you know, all those famous ones about doctors. Nope. Not for me. Someone starts talking about the inside of the body and I feel sick.
Therefore, I was shocked when I read a book called Firmament: Radialloy by J. Grace Pennington. This book has plenty of medical things mentioned it in - thankfully I didn't know this before starting it.
Summery: Andi is the second medical officer on board a spaceship. She loves her job, she loves the friends she has made on the ship, and more than that she loves her adopted father - Doctor Gerard Handel Lloyd. However, life is about to change for her, and it starts the day she meets the ship's new Navigator, August Howitz. (His first name is George, but you may forget that fact as I have done.) Slowly, things begin to unravel for Andi and she uncovers a secret about her past, while the same time the ship she has called home for so long is taken over and the lives of her friends - and her beloved Doctor - are put in danger. It is up to Andi to save them, but to do so she might end up loosing the home she loves.
I shouldn't have liked this book. It has everything I dislike, pretty much. It is about a girl - I have bad experience with books about girls - it is about a doctor and has medical references throughout, and it is told in first person. However, not even halfway through I fell in love with the story, the characters, and I knew I would want more by the time I finished it. I loved Andi and the time spent with her and didn't want the adventure to end.
Andi is a brave girl who does what needs to be done when it needs to be done. But at the same time she is vulnerable. She is scared, confused, and wants her father to hold her and make everything right. She was someone I felt I could relate to, someone I would have loved for a best friend in real life. She wasn't stuck up, she didn't think she was better than everyone else, she was just a great friend. I can only hope I will have the chance to go on even more adventures with her.
The other characters were just as amazing. I LOVED the Doctor. He was kind of dry, a sort of logical man who looked at life the way it was. And at the same time he was one of the most warm hearted characters I've ever met. I wished he could give me a hug and tell ME it would be all right.
The captain of the ship...slightly quick tempered, more concerned about his crew then himself, and always trying to set Andi up with a fitting fellow. (He looked after her as if she were his own daughter.)
Eagle Crash, the doctor's nephew and Andi's adopted cousin. Crash was almost the kind of character I couldn't stand, almost. He is cocky and, being such a great pilot, thinks he is better than anyone. He does stupid things just to show off and gets a lot of people mad at him. But it is hard to stay mad at him for long. Most of the time I wanted to strangle him and hug him at the same time. However, he does care about his friends, a lot, and especially about Andi.
And then you have August, the young man with one of the biggest conflicts in the book. I felt so bad for him, all the while I was yelling at him to do the right thing. He was....how do I sum up August? He was kind of complex and hard to understand, one has to look deeper into his character to see all of the amazingness there, but it is worth it. I want another book just about August - oh, did I mention he's Australian? Well...technically he isn't, but he has the accent....and that is the most important part.
I was also surprised that there wasn't any romance in this book. It was just an adventure, with secrets and mysteries and a rotten villain I spent the whole time yelling at.
Do I recommend this book? YES! Even if you are like me and don't like medical stories, it is worth it. The characters are worth it. They feel like a big family and they readily adopt the reader as their own.
And that ends my review. And this post....because I picked up two new books today, and I want to start them as soon as possible. They are by Robin McKinley. (Anyone else read anything by her? I've heard nothing but good things about her books so I thought I would try a couple.)
Quote is from Get Smart, a conversation between an engaged 99 and Max.
Allons-y!
July 23, 2013
"This isn't the 80's, no one uses hack. Tell me your password." "It is WARMACHINEROCKZ. All caps, with a z."
Wherein Jack takes a moment to be the cruel author and not the suffering fan girl.
Cliff hangers. We all know what those are, and have likely suffered at their hands. (You've suffered more than anyone if you have ever watched BBC.)
I've faced my fair share of cliff hangers. I've read books and reached the end and found one and had to endure months or longer without knowing what happens. Cliff hangers do things to you. "Fans weren't meant to go so long without knowing. It does things to them."
You don't believe me? Go online and look up the Sherlock fandom. See what is happening to us, having to endure the dreaded Fall in series two. See, pure insanity. It is to a point where we don't even know what we're doing anymore and other fandoms are just shaking their heads at us.
But, deep down, I think we love cliff hangers. We love reaching the end and throwing a book or things at a TV when our hearts stop beating and we go, "WHAT?! YOU CAN'T STOP THERE!" Of course, we complain about cliff hangers, but if we didn't have them I believe we would miss them.
This is a theory I hope is true.
Why do I hope this is true? Because, not only am I the fangirl who suffers along with all the other fans out there over cliff hangers - and I've a good many things to suffer over. Sherlock, Percy Jackson, Doctor Who, Psych, Grimm. Likely soon to be Once Upon a Time thanks to a certain friend. (You know who you are.)
But, I am also one of those people - those people fans throw things at and yell at. I'm one of those dreaded Authors who, yes, leave my readers with cliff hangers.
Why do I do this? Why am I purposely ending book two in the most cruel way I can dream up? Simple.
Authors enjoy it. A bit too much.
"They don't get paid to do it. They enjoy it. They get off on it."
Yes, I know the pain a reader goes through to be left with a cliff hanger and then made to wait a year to find out what happens. I've been there myself. And yet, I'm still going to do it. And I'm going to sit back with a slightly....or there abouts....evil grin on my face.
And you now might be wondering why I am bothering to talk about this at all. I shall say it is kind of a heads up for when you get your hands on Abolished Impracticality. You can prepare yourself for my cliff hanger. But, in all honesty, I want to enjoy my bought of evilness for as long as possible and have all of you worried way before hand.
It's either this or me taking over the world a couple years earlier than I had planned. Take your pick.
In short, I have just finished Abolished Impracticality, and I polished up my especially evil cliff hanger. And that is about all I have to say. So really, this post has no point whatsoever, but I felt the need to write it anyways.
I now plan to go to bed, because Kitty kept me up all night using my side as a trampoline.
(What are some of the worse cliff hangers you've ever come across? Did you secretly enjoy them even when they left you sobbing on the floor? What for you would be the most horrible cliff hanger ever?)
Quote is from Iron Man 3.
Allons-y!
P.S. Thanks to everyone who offered help and advice on my last post! Announcements as to what I decided coming soon.
Cliff hangers. We all know what those are, and have likely suffered at their hands. (You've suffered more than anyone if you have ever watched BBC.)
I've faced my fair share of cliff hangers. I've read books and reached the end and found one and had to endure months or longer without knowing what happens. Cliff hangers do things to you. "Fans weren't meant to go so long without knowing. It does things to them."
You don't believe me? Go online and look up the Sherlock fandom. See what is happening to us, having to endure the dreaded Fall in series two. See, pure insanity. It is to a point where we don't even know what we're doing anymore and other fandoms are just shaking their heads at us.
But, deep down, I think we love cliff hangers. We love reaching the end and throwing a book or things at a TV when our hearts stop beating and we go, "WHAT?! YOU CAN'T STOP THERE!" Of course, we complain about cliff hangers, but if we didn't have them I believe we would miss them.
This is a theory I hope is true.
Why do I hope this is true? Because, not only am I the fangirl who suffers along with all the other fans out there over cliff hangers - and I've a good many things to suffer over. Sherlock, Percy Jackson, Doctor Who, Psych, Grimm. Likely soon to be Once Upon a Time thanks to a certain friend. (You know who you are.)
But, I am also one of those people - those people fans throw things at and yell at. I'm one of those dreaded Authors who, yes, leave my readers with cliff hangers.
Why do I do this? Why am I purposely ending book two in the most cruel way I can dream up? Simple.
Authors enjoy it. A bit too much.
"They don't get paid to do it. They enjoy it. They get off on it."
Yes, I know the pain a reader goes through to be left with a cliff hanger and then made to wait a year to find out what happens. I've been there myself. And yet, I'm still going to do it. And I'm going to sit back with a slightly....or there abouts....evil grin on my face.
And you now might be wondering why I am bothering to talk about this at all. I shall say it is kind of a heads up for when you get your hands on Abolished Impracticality. You can prepare yourself for my cliff hanger. But, in all honesty, I want to enjoy my bought of evilness for as long as possible and have all of you worried way before hand.
It's either this or me taking over the world a couple years earlier than I had planned. Take your pick.
In short, I have just finished Abolished Impracticality, and I polished up my especially evil cliff hanger. And that is about all I have to say. So really, this post has no point whatsoever, but I felt the need to write it anyways.
I now plan to go to bed, because Kitty kept me up all night using my side as a trampoline.
(What are some of the worse cliff hangers you've ever come across? Did you secretly enjoy them even when they left you sobbing on the floor? What for you would be the most horrible cliff hanger ever?)
Quote is from Iron Man 3.
Allons-y!
P.S. Thanks to everyone who offered help and advice on my last post! Announcements as to what I decided coming soon.
July 21, 2013
"High ho, Silver! Away!" "Don't ever say that again."
I was going to post something evilish today but I changed my mind when I realized I need to do something of a writing update since I've not done one in awhile. Evilness for later.
Thursday I finished Abolished Impracticality. Now it is in the process of being sent to a few of my beta readers. Once they go over it I shall be making changes myself. At this point I want other eyes to read over it even though it is a rough draft still. I plan to read book one before starting on book two, in the hopes I can catch any inconsistencies. I am hoping that, between myself and my beta readers, we will be able to catch most everything. I am going with just beta readers for this book. When I did book one I hired an editor, but wasn't really satisfied. There just seemed a lot of things that weren't caught that I later found on my own. For A Stretch of Loyalty I sent it to readers instead and a lot more things were noticed. At this moment, it seems as if they have been finding more things.
I am also still working on The Broken Blade and getting ready to edit book two in the Loyalty Trilogy. (To do that book two I must first read over the original draft as I don't really remember what happened in it. That part of the editing stage I'm not really cringing over. Any excuse to read.)
I am also hoping to get started on the cover for Abolished Impracticality and start thinking up cover ideas for Loyalties second book as I don't even know what I want for that one. Also, once it is edited, I am hoping to pull out another already written draft to prepare for publication next - I am just trying to decide which one.
So, all of that has been keeping me very busy. (Side note. I already have all of the Haphazardly books written. The last two need a good bit of polishing up - and as I've mentioned once before, there might be a need to write another. I am going to see what happens after I go over book three.)
However, I have been having a great deal of fun with The Broken Blade. I always knew I would love that book - it has swords and a quest, something I've been waning to write for ages. But after reading certain fantasy books and watching certain movies and allowing certain ideas to bounce around in my head, the quest got even more exciting and the world grew. It has been a lot of fun and I've gotten to know the characters even better. Also, the slowness in book one has been redeemed, and I now kind of know what happens. (Kind of. The characters still don't plan to tell me everything. It would ruin their fun.)
I'm also still working on the book I am co-authoring with my friend Kendra. It has been a lot of fun working out the story with her, and even more fun writing it. (After all, it is a king story. I never tire of writing those.)
Now, to the biggest part of my news and some advice I shall be asking.
As all of you know, for Haphazardly Implausible, my dear friend Clair did the honour of drawing pictures which appeared in the book. Those of you who have been around for awhile might remember how book two was scheduled to come out in June but got moved to a later date. (Clair lived in Africa but has just moved to the States so she can attend college. Her move took place around the time of the book's release and she doubted she would have time to draw pictures and move. The plan was to release it later and see if she might have time later, though she warned me she might not be able to manage at all.) Therefore, we moved the date back and I released A Stretch of Loyalty instead. Since that time Clair has made it to the States - and we've been planning all of the insanity we can now release on the world since we live in the same country now. However, because of all she has going on now, she will not be able to do pictures. And, as much as I love her art work and the pictures she did for book one, I think it would be a bit rotten to wear my friend out with more work. (I don't have many friends and I like to keep the few I do have in the best health possible so we can wreck havoc when the time comes.)
In short, I am at this moment tossing around various ideas of where to go from here. And I would like some input, since all of you are the ones who will be reading the book. I do have some leads on some other very talented artists who I am considering contacting. The thing with getting someone else though is that the style will be a bit different. So, right now, what is being decided is, do I look for someone new or skip pictures all together? (Myself, I love pictures in books even though I'm considered an adult. I don't like long descriptions and visual aid is wonderful with my dyslexia. But...well, you know. Maybe not everyone feels this way. Maybe they don't like pictures in books.) Basically, I'm just wondering what everyone's thoughts are on all of this. Were you in my shoes, which would you pick? As a reader, which would you like more? (Any voiced thoughts are most welcome as I sort of need to decide rather quickly one way or the other.)
Another thing with book two is my trailer actors kind of...got new jobs? (Kind of hard to keep actors when one cannot pay them.) I have considered doing a trailer like I did for A Stretch of Loyalty, or looking for new actors. Thoughts on this as well? (Not that this is a huge issue. The trailer is more for fun for me and for all of you who enjoy them. It isn't as if I can't publish without a trailer. Now the cover, that is another matter all together.)
Now, to other issues. This with The Broken Blade. I have been looking for a program or something I can use to create a map. I think it would be very helpful to have one while I write. But, being me and lacking internet skills, I've not been able to find anything helpful.) I was wondering if any of you knew where I might find a site to create a map, or where I might find a person to do so, or if anyone of you knew how to make them? (I know in some of your books I've read I've found maps. Did you draw them yourselves or do you have a program or a geographer locked in your closet I might borrow?)
So there you have it. My writing life summed up. Now I am going to post this and maybe read some more. (Speaking of which, quick update on how my posts will be working from now on. I was planning on just posting Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. But I changed my mind. I will post writing updates and my other randomness on those days and book and movie reviews on Tuesdays and Thursdays.)
Quote is from The Lone Ranger movie, one I have mixed thoughts on, though this line was funny.
Allons-y!
Thursday I finished Abolished Impracticality. Now it is in the process of being sent to a few of my beta readers. Once they go over it I shall be making changes myself. At this point I want other eyes to read over it even though it is a rough draft still. I plan to read book one before starting on book two, in the hopes I can catch any inconsistencies. I am hoping that, between myself and my beta readers, we will be able to catch most everything. I am going with just beta readers for this book. When I did book one I hired an editor, but wasn't really satisfied. There just seemed a lot of things that weren't caught that I later found on my own. For A Stretch of Loyalty I sent it to readers instead and a lot more things were noticed. At this moment, it seems as if they have been finding more things.
I am also still working on The Broken Blade and getting ready to edit book two in the Loyalty Trilogy. (To do that book two I must first read over the original draft as I don't really remember what happened in it. That part of the editing stage I'm not really cringing over. Any excuse to read.)
I am also hoping to get started on the cover for Abolished Impracticality and start thinking up cover ideas for Loyalties second book as I don't even know what I want for that one. Also, once it is edited, I am hoping to pull out another already written draft to prepare for publication next - I am just trying to decide which one.
So, all of that has been keeping me very busy. (Side note. I already have all of the Haphazardly books written. The last two need a good bit of polishing up - and as I've mentioned once before, there might be a need to write another. I am going to see what happens after I go over book three.)
However, I have been having a great deal of fun with The Broken Blade. I always knew I would love that book - it has swords and a quest, something I've been waning to write for ages. But after reading certain fantasy books and watching certain movies and allowing certain ideas to bounce around in my head, the quest got even more exciting and the world grew. It has been a lot of fun and I've gotten to know the characters even better. Also, the slowness in book one has been redeemed, and I now kind of know what happens. (Kind of. The characters still don't plan to tell me everything. It would ruin their fun.)
I'm also still working on the book I am co-authoring with my friend Kendra. It has been a lot of fun working out the story with her, and even more fun writing it. (After all, it is a king story. I never tire of writing those.)
Now, to the biggest part of my news and some advice I shall be asking.
As all of you know, for Haphazardly Implausible, my dear friend Clair did the honour of drawing pictures which appeared in the book. Those of you who have been around for awhile might remember how book two was scheduled to come out in June but got moved to a later date. (Clair lived in Africa but has just moved to the States so she can attend college. Her move took place around the time of the book's release and she doubted she would have time to draw pictures and move. The plan was to release it later and see if she might have time later, though she warned me she might not be able to manage at all.) Therefore, we moved the date back and I released A Stretch of Loyalty instead. Since that time Clair has made it to the States - and we've been planning all of the insanity we can now release on the world since we live in the same country now. However, because of all she has going on now, she will not be able to do pictures. And, as much as I love her art work and the pictures she did for book one, I think it would be a bit rotten to wear my friend out with more work. (I don't have many friends and I like to keep the few I do have in the best health possible so we can wreck havoc when the time comes.)
In short, I am at this moment tossing around various ideas of where to go from here. And I would like some input, since all of you are the ones who will be reading the book. I do have some leads on some other very talented artists who I am considering contacting. The thing with getting someone else though is that the style will be a bit different. So, right now, what is being decided is, do I look for someone new or skip pictures all together? (Myself, I love pictures in books even though I'm considered an adult. I don't like long descriptions and visual aid is wonderful with my dyslexia. But...well, you know. Maybe not everyone feels this way. Maybe they don't like pictures in books.) Basically, I'm just wondering what everyone's thoughts are on all of this. Were you in my shoes, which would you pick? As a reader, which would you like more? (Any voiced thoughts are most welcome as I sort of need to decide rather quickly one way or the other.)
Another thing with book two is my trailer actors kind of...got new jobs? (Kind of hard to keep actors when one cannot pay them.) I have considered doing a trailer like I did for A Stretch of Loyalty, or looking for new actors. Thoughts on this as well? (Not that this is a huge issue. The trailer is more for fun for me and for all of you who enjoy them. It isn't as if I can't publish without a trailer. Now the cover, that is another matter all together.)
Now, to other issues. This with The Broken Blade. I have been looking for a program or something I can use to create a map. I think it would be very helpful to have one while I write. But, being me and lacking internet skills, I've not been able to find anything helpful.) I was wondering if any of you knew where I might find a site to create a map, or where I might find a person to do so, or if anyone of you knew how to make them? (I know in some of your books I've read I've found maps. Did you draw them yourselves or do you have a program or a geographer locked in your closet I might borrow?)
So there you have it. My writing life summed up. Now I am going to post this and maybe read some more. (Speaking of which, quick update on how my posts will be working from now on. I was planning on just posting Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. But I changed my mind. I will post writing updates and my other randomness on those days and book and movie reviews on Tuesdays and Thursdays.)
Quote is from The Lone Ranger movie, one I have mixed thoughts on, though this line was funny.
Allons-y!
July 19, 2013
"They've got a cave troll."
Wherein Jack tries to make sense of her writing
Now that my book party is over, I've gotten my word count back up for Camp NaNo, and - best of all - finished the re-write on book two!!! I am able to sit back and decide where to go from here. (Sounds dramatic, right?)
Sometimes, lately, I've been feeling a bit like Rapunzel. I've been dreaming of being an author since I was at least 13, and now I've reached that dream. I have two books published and know I can now publish even more. But I still sometimes wonder if I'm doing something wrong. When it comes to marketing I still feel completely lost.
As I've mentioned before, I don't want to be one of those authors always praising their own work and going on and on about how great it is and how all of you should read it. I've read Twitter feeds, Facebook posts, and blog posts were other authors do this and it has always made me NOT want to read their books. From my research it seems the best marketing plan, the one that has seemed to have the best effect, is to let the readers spread the word. If they like the book enough they will tell their friends. If they love the book they will tie their friends to a chair and make them read it. (I speak from experience here. Sorry to all my friends now bound to chairs.) But, I'm still wondering if even this plan has holes in it. Am I missing out on an important marketing secret? If so, what kind of quest do I have to go on to find it?
And then, when I start to doubt myself so badly I consider giving up the endeavor, I remind myself why I write.
Last year, well, actually two years ago, a group of people got together and decided to try a new form of story telling. They were certain they would be laughed at and get rotten tomatoes thrown at them when they walked out into the streets, but they risked it anyways because the idea sounded fun to them.
Armed with cameras and a couple unknown actors, they began to film a movie, done in vlog style. They posted it on Youtube, and by the time the story was over these actors had hundreds of adoring fans - and the people who made the movie were able to put it on DVD and sell it. Some of you might know who I'm talking about. The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, a modern re-telling of Pride and Prejudice.
I started watching these videos with a friend of mine, and by the time they were over I, like many others, wanted to own them on DVD. I followed the characters - and actors - on Twitter and their other social medias they'd set up to go along with the story. And it was there, actually it was on Tumblr, I stumbled across a letter someone had written to the actress who played Lizzie.
The general drift of the letter was the girl saying she knew it was silly, but she was going through a hard time in her life and she found things easier to bare because of these stories. Silly, right? After all, how can we find comfort in the lives of people who don't even exist? How can we be encouraged to endure the trails we face by reading about Lizzie Bennet, or someone else who never lived? (I shall give you the actress's reply in a moment.)
Interested by what I had read, I began to look into it a little more. I saw all over where people would talk about movies or books as if they were dear friends to them. They would say they were having a bad day and planned to put in their favourite movie and curl up on the couch with chocolate and tea. And I began to realize I did the same thing. After a bad day, I will crawl away from the world and visit fictional characters, and part of me thought it was silly. Shouldn't I be seeking out the company of real people to help me? (Note here, sometimes we do need help of living, breathing people. But that is something for another time and doesn't relate to this ramble. I'm pretty sure all of you, my brilliant readers, know full well when you need the advice of someone who doesn't live in a book or movie.)
All of this reminded me of what the actress had written in reply to the girl's email. I don't remember her reply word for word, but the basic of it was, for years people have taken comfort in stories. It is why we have them. We can look at the lives of people we can admire and use their examples to help us through trails. It isn't silly to admire a fictional character, so long as they are the kind we can admire.
And then I was reminded why I write. I never wanted to write to become rich and famous. (Actually, I have a fear of becoming famous. Part of the reason I picked a pen name. I don't want people looking me up on goggle and sitting outside my house with cameras. {I know it would never happen, but you know - if I ever did become a spy that would be a major set back.}) I wanted to write so that if there was ever a little kid who spent a summer alone, wishing they had a friend, they could find it in my books. (Just as I found friends in all the books I read as a kid.) I want to write to take people on adventures, to give them a chance to meet people they can admire.
I doubt my books will last for years and years. Likely they will be forgotten long before I'm ready for them to be. But at least for now, I hope those who do pick them up, will be able to enjoy their stories. Will be able to slip away from bad days, even for a little while, and be ready to face another bad day because they feel like they have a friend with them.
So there, a bit of sappiness. And now I should end this so I can get some work done on The Broken Blade and contact my Beta readers about editing. (Beta Readers, that is such fun to say, even though I have no clue what it means.)
Quote is from The Lord of the Rings, because every blog could use more Boromir quotes.
Allons-y!
Now that my book party is over, I've gotten my word count back up for Camp NaNo, and - best of all - finished the re-write on book two!!! I am able to sit back and decide where to go from here. (Sounds dramatic, right?)
Sometimes, lately, I've been feeling a bit like Rapunzel. I've been dreaming of being an author since I was at least 13, and now I've reached that dream. I have two books published and know I can now publish even more. But I still sometimes wonder if I'm doing something wrong. When it comes to marketing I still feel completely lost.
As I've mentioned before, I don't want to be one of those authors always praising their own work and going on and on about how great it is and how all of you should read it. I've read Twitter feeds, Facebook posts, and blog posts were other authors do this and it has always made me NOT want to read their books. From my research it seems the best marketing plan, the one that has seemed to have the best effect, is to let the readers spread the word. If they like the book enough they will tell their friends. If they love the book they will tie their friends to a chair and make them read it. (I speak from experience here. Sorry to all my friends now bound to chairs.) But, I'm still wondering if even this plan has holes in it. Am I missing out on an important marketing secret? If so, what kind of quest do I have to go on to find it?
And then, when I start to doubt myself so badly I consider giving up the endeavor, I remind myself why I write.
Last year, well, actually two years ago, a group of people got together and decided to try a new form of story telling. They were certain they would be laughed at and get rotten tomatoes thrown at them when they walked out into the streets, but they risked it anyways because the idea sounded fun to them.
Armed with cameras and a couple unknown actors, they began to film a movie, done in vlog style. They posted it on Youtube, and by the time the story was over these actors had hundreds of adoring fans - and the people who made the movie were able to put it on DVD and sell it. Some of you might know who I'm talking about. The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, a modern re-telling of Pride and Prejudice.
I started watching these videos with a friend of mine, and by the time they were over I, like many others, wanted to own them on DVD. I followed the characters - and actors - on Twitter and their other social medias they'd set up to go along with the story. And it was there, actually it was on Tumblr, I stumbled across a letter someone had written to the actress who played Lizzie.
The general drift of the letter was the girl saying she knew it was silly, but she was going through a hard time in her life and she found things easier to bare because of these stories. Silly, right? After all, how can we find comfort in the lives of people who don't even exist? How can we be encouraged to endure the trails we face by reading about Lizzie Bennet, or someone else who never lived? (I shall give you the actress's reply in a moment.)
Interested by what I had read, I began to look into it a little more. I saw all over where people would talk about movies or books as if they were dear friends to them. They would say they were having a bad day and planned to put in their favourite movie and curl up on the couch with chocolate and tea. And I began to realize I did the same thing. After a bad day, I will crawl away from the world and visit fictional characters, and part of me thought it was silly. Shouldn't I be seeking out the company of real people to help me? (Note here, sometimes we do need help of living, breathing people. But that is something for another time and doesn't relate to this ramble. I'm pretty sure all of you, my brilliant readers, know full well when you need the advice of someone who doesn't live in a book or movie.)
All of this reminded me of what the actress had written in reply to the girl's email. I don't remember her reply word for word, but the basic of it was, for years people have taken comfort in stories. It is why we have them. We can look at the lives of people we can admire and use their examples to help us through trails. It isn't silly to admire a fictional character, so long as they are the kind we can admire.
And then I was reminded why I write. I never wanted to write to become rich and famous. (Actually, I have a fear of becoming famous. Part of the reason I picked a pen name. I don't want people looking me up on goggle and sitting outside my house with cameras. {I know it would never happen, but you know - if I ever did become a spy that would be a major set back.}) I wanted to write so that if there was ever a little kid who spent a summer alone, wishing they had a friend, they could find it in my books. (Just as I found friends in all the books I read as a kid.) I want to write to take people on adventures, to give them a chance to meet people they can admire.
I doubt my books will last for years and years. Likely they will be forgotten long before I'm ready for them to be. But at least for now, I hope those who do pick them up, will be able to enjoy their stories. Will be able to slip away from bad days, even for a little while, and be ready to face another bad day because they feel like they have a friend with them.
So there, a bit of sappiness. And now I should end this so I can get some work done on The Broken Blade and contact my Beta readers about editing. (Beta Readers, that is such fun to say, even though I have no clue what it means.)
Quote is from The Lord of the Rings, because every blog could use more Boromir quotes.
Allons-y!
