tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20884832944295466912024-03-13T05:33:39.812-07:00Surviving Writing a BookMelissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11886151771194369513noreply@blogger.comBlogger120125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2088483294429546691.post-46892246390882393342014-06-30T20:15:00.001-07:002014-06-30T20:16:19.232-07:00Sources of InspirationA couple of months ago, my good friend, Brad, the Black Knight of the Southern Realms, came to visit. He used to live in DC, he hates crowds, and he was visiting at the height of the cherry blossoms, so finding something he's never done before and that he'd enjoy proved quite the challenge. <br />
<br />
<div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-q2GONbxUn1Q/U7IgLTEdRhI/AAAAAAAAAY0/F3xxLkbiILk/s1600/IMG_0040.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-q2GONbxUn1Q/U7IgLTEdRhI/AAAAAAAAAY0/F3xxLkbiILk/s1600/IMG_0040.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is my friend Brad. We're nothing alike. Brad is a biker. Brad saved me <br />
from quicksand once. We have lots of adventures.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div>
I ended up taking him to <a href="http://www.hillwoodmuseum.org/" target="_blank">Hillwood Museum and Gardens</a> and fell in love with the place. Hillwood is the former home of Marjorie Merriweather Post, heiress to the Post cereal fortune. She's like Richie Rich, if Richie Rich wore stunning gowns and had a thing for Faberge eggs and Cartier.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
When she passed away, she opened her mansion up to the public. What I like is that the mansion is in DC (you can see the Washington monument from the mansion's second floor), but you feel like you're in the countryside. The grounds are so quiet and peaceful. Lawn chairs are scattered throughout and visitors are encouraged to stay a while and relax. It's a great place for a writer to figure out a plot point or to outline their next story. And it's usually not that busy. I went on a Saturday at the beginning of June and had whole swaths of the gardens to myself. </div>
<div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-J7ScTfxb6dI/U7IhfNS5j7I/AAAAAAAAAZA/Dun1Ci8C3hk/s1600/IMG_0062.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-J7ScTfxb6dI/U7IhfNS5j7I/AAAAAAAAAZA/Dun1Ci8C3hk/s1600/IMG_0062.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Please, stay a while.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ufV-a1WknU0/U7IiXesDA_I/AAAAAAAAAZI/r3m5Sn_q19s/s1600/IMG_0461.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ufV-a1WknU0/U7IiXesDA_I/AAAAAAAAAZI/r3m5Sn_q19s/s1600/IMG_0461.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I had the rose garden to myself.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MMjxdreBM4g/U7IkmEk23cI/AAAAAAAAAZY/p0-jVQlZ8-E/s1600/IMG_0051.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MMjxdreBM4g/U7IkmEk23cI/AAAAAAAAAZY/p0-jVQlZ8-E/s1600/IMG_0051.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Diana the Huntress</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div>
Then there's the mansion itself. Oh my word. Do you need inspiration for your next book? Come on in! Post was an avid collector of Russian treasures. Priceless art, a room full of ornate Eastern Orthodox crosses, Faberge eggs, a chandelier that belonged to Catherine the Great...Post collected All.The.Things and the things are beautiful. </div>
<div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7n1IzkSQxkM/U7Idn1WlyfI/AAAAAAAAAYo/b9N89fuKeO8/s1600/IMG_0064.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7n1IzkSQxkM/U7Idn1WlyfI/AAAAAAAAAYo/b9N89fuKeO8/s1600/IMG_0064.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the humble breakfast nook. Chandelier belonged to Catherine the Great. <br />
Plates belonged to some Russian noble. Your nook looks like this, yes?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div>
The museum also puts her dresses on display on a rotating basis. Do not miss this, especially if you're writing historical fiction set around 1920-1950. The dresses are in her closet (which is the size of my condo) and it can be easy to walk past them. There are also a couple of jaw-dropping gowns in the Cartier exhibit that make the costumes on Downton Abbey look Downton Shabby. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
A few tips:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
* Suggested price for admission is $15 per person, but if you get a yearly membership for $50, you can visit as often as you like (and you get four guest passes). </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
* They have plenty of parking, but I love to walk to Hillwood. It's a mile from the Van Ness-UDC metro and you can see homes with the most interesting architecture on the way there. Plus, the neighborhood has a ton of cute dogs and if you're lucky, they'll be out on their walks.<br />
<br />
* Bring a picnic basket (Hillwood offers complimentary picnic blankets) and have a leisurely meal in the gardens. You can get food at Hillwood Cafe or just stop at the Giant by the Van Ness-UDC metro and stock up on goodies. <br />
<br /></div>
Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11886151771194369513noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2088483294429546691.post-3135732573411659472014-06-14T23:40:00.000-07:002014-06-14T23:40:20.945-07:00My Writing ProcessThe wonderful <a href="http://rebeccaenzor.com/" target="_blank">Rebecca Enzor</a>, whose books I fully expect to see at my local B&N one day, has kindly tagged me for the My Writing Process Blog Tour. Or as I like to think of it, "The Caffeine and Chocolate Tour." I think it's pretty self-explanatory, so away we go!<br />
<br />
<b>1. What am I working on?</b><br />
<br />
If you follow this blog or have seen my anguished gnashing of teeth on <a href="https://twitter.com/LiteraryMouse" target="_blank">Twitter,</a> you know I've always had a problem with 'voice' and 'connection' and that's a very difficult issue to fix. What drives me mad (madder than a Targaryen) is that I've written several stories now, and the problem isn't getting any better. And the criticism is spot on. I KNOW it's missing. <br />
<br />
After getting the dreaded 'lack of voice' feedback in the last contest I entered, I took a couple of months off to see if I could fix the problem. You know, without tricking a certain red-headed mermaid. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C0EamKdd0Gg/U50er8iIf3I/AAAAAAAAAX4/9XEjZ_th2Co/s1600/Ursula-Voice.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C0EamKdd0Gg/U50er8iIf3I/AAAAAAAAAX4/9XEjZ_th2Co/s1600/Ursula-Voice.gif" height="178" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
I have a plan of attack now and if it works, I'll let you all know. I love my <i>Beautiful Medusa</i> story, love it dearly, and I'm going to try to re-write it to finally get that voice I've been searching for. It probably won't work, but I want to make an attempt. <br />
<br />
<b>2. How does my work differ from others of its genre?</b> <br />
<br />
My work doesn't have voice and other people's stories do? <br />
<br />
Ha! Sorry, couldn't help myself. <br />
<br />
I like to mess with people's expectations and I think that makes my stories different from what else is out there. If you ever see a character in one of my books named Darla Dogooder who spends her time rescuing sweet forest animals, rest assured she's a mass murderer. <br />
<br />
In <i>Beautiful Medusa, </i>Medusa is the hero and Perseus and Athena are the villains. Another character in the book, Echidna, eats people (mmmmm, villager sandwich), yet she'd risk her life to keep Medusa safe. That's another feature of my writing, I suppose, I tend toward grays rather than black and white, straight good and evil. <br />
<br />
<b>3. Why do I write what I do?</b><br />
<br />
Because it makes me happy. <br />
<br />
Because I have to. <br />
<br />
I caaaan't stop. I have a writing addiction.<br />
<br />
Once a story idea gets ahold of me, I have to get it out. If I don't, it becomes unbearable. <br />
<br />
For <i>Beautiful Medusa</i>, the original myth enraged me so much, I wanted to redeem a character who I felt had been terribly wronged (as told by Ovid, Medusa was turned into a horrible snake monster because she was raped by Poseidon in Athena's temple. That's it. THAT'S IT. Even worse, after she's turned into a monster, Medusa runs away so that she won't hurt anyone and Perseus HUNTS HER DOWN. Why is he the hero?!). <br />
<br />
I also wanted to explore why Athena punished Medusa in the first place. That fascinated me and there's no easy answers there. <br />
<br />
<b>4. How does my writing process work?</b> <br />
<br />
I write slow. The turtle is my spirit animal. The three-toed sloth is the wind beneath my wings. Snails wave to me as they zip on by. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Jd_VaxdNT9A/U50jyNj_yBI/AAAAAAAAAYI/ixQLQahgNZ4/s1600/large-Three-toed-Sloth-photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Jd_VaxdNT9A/U50jyNj_yBI/AAAAAAAAAYI/ixQLQahgNZ4/s1600/large-Three-toed-Sloth-photo.jpg" height="199" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I climb trees in the same amount of time it takes for you <br />to write a page.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I'm OK with writing slow. As long as I get there and am proud of the result, who cares how long it takes?<br />
<br />
Part of the reason why I'm so slow is that I'm an epic Pantser. Sometimes people ask me questions, like: "How does this chapter end?" or "What happens on the next page?" Those questions are always greeted with this:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-d6ZZdGYvbgU/U50xpdFqGCI/AAAAAAAAAYY/LkqWSaiHg1E/s1600/hEA334E3D.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-d6ZZdGYvbgU/U50xpdFqGCI/AAAAAAAAAYY/LkqWSaiHg1E/s1600/hEA334E3D.jpeg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
I have no idea. I write strictly linear and let the plot develop organically. I go wherever the characters want me to go. I do have images in my head, and if I can work them in, great, and if I can't, then that's OK too. For example, from the start, I've pictured Medusa riding the Pegasus and landing dramatically in front of her friends to save the day. And luckily for me, everything came together and I got to include that in a scene! Woohoo! <br />
<br />
But I also had a very specific idea of how Prometheus and Medusa would first meet (it was inspired by Nick Fury and the Avengers) and I had to give up on that, because it just didn't mesh with the direction the story had taken. <br />
<br />
There you go. That's my writing process. Slow and steady, largely improvised, and aided by chocolate and caffeine. <br />
<br />
I now tag the lovely and talented <a href="http://drowsyreaper.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Maria D'Isidoro</a>. Check out her <a href="http://drowsyreaper.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">site</a>! She can also tell you all about her exciting news. Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11886151771194369513noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2088483294429546691.post-45894391288402573512014-04-27T13:34:00.000-07:002014-04-27T13:34:16.018-07:00So I Entered This Little Thing Called PitchSlam, Part 2<b>Original First 250 Words:</b> <span style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">I never knew what
it felt like to be hunted. Not until today.</span><br />
<br />
I swept my gaze around the supposedly safe confines of the Temple of Athena. As far as I could tell, I stood alone in the inner sanctuary, and yet I knew I wasn’t. A predator watched my every move, far enough away never to be seen, but close enough to always be felt.<br />
<br />
I picked up a lily resting on a stone bench, the bloom as pale as the marble it sat upon, and studied it with a scowl. The temple’s garden didn’t have lilies like this. I had no idea where it had come from.<br />
<br />
My hunter had started stalking me in the morning. Half asleep, my senses still dulled, I had felt a presence by my bedside. I woke up screaming, the senior priestesses rushing to my room.<br />
<br />
I begged them to search my quarters. They had found nothing, assured me it was merely a nightmare. But you couldn’t hear the inhale and exhale of a nightmare’s breath, nor could a nightmare run its fingers through your hair.<br />
<br />
Suppressing a shudder, I tossed the lily to the ground, as if it were made of poison.<br />
<br />
Wherever I went, whatever I did, my predator followed, leaving small tokens for me to find. I could almost catch the broad-shouldered figure of a man out of the corner of my eye, but when I turned around, he was gone.<br />
<br />
And none of the other priestesses believed me.<br />
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<br />
<b>PitchSlam Feedback:</b> After reading your entry, we've found you could strengthen your opening page by addressing the following issues:<br /><br />- We feel this lacks voice. Play with really getting into your MC's head. What does she sound like? What words would she use? Even though this isn't dialogue, we should get a sense of that personality. As-is, it feels flat. Be brave & infuse it with a voice that will stand out.<br /><br />- This may start in the wrong place. Is there another moment of higher tension? Interaction with another person/being? Maybe give it a shot?<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>New First 250 Words:</b> I never knew what it felt like to be hunted. Not until today.<br /><br />And when a girl was standing in the hallowed halls of the Temple of Athena, she should never have felt that way. Maybe in the slums of Delphi or the untamed wilderness, but not here. <br /><br />I peered up at the statue of Athena. My Lady towered over me, three stories tall, a spear gripped in one marble hand, her golden helm glittering in the afternoon light. Flowers and late-summer fruits were piled at her feet. I left my own offerings, praying for guidance. <br /><br /> “Blessed Athena, wise and serene. Protectress of us all.” Today, more than ever, I took comfort in the truth of those words. <br /><br />No one could hurt me, even if they had somehow gotten past the temple’s four mighty walls. My Lady would keep me safe. <br /><br />“Alessia, come on.” <br /><br />I jumped at Naima’s voice. My fellow priestess stepped into the sanctuary, tugging at my sleeve and shooing me toward the courtyard. Then she took a closer look at me and her face fell. <br /><br />“You’re still upset about this morning, aren’t you?” I considered every priestess here to be family, and I had two older sisters back home, but Naima was the little sister I had always wanted. A year younger than me, her family originally hailed from the far away city of Thebes, on the river Nile.<br />
<br />
“Of course, I’m upset. Someone was in my room last night, and I know that’s not even possible.”<br />
<br />
--<br />
<br />
Once again, feedback is welcome. This was a tough one, because I've always had trouble with 'voice.' Is this more voicey? Is it voicelicious? I can't tell.<br />
<br />
What I ended up doing was taking my first 500 and flipping it around. I pulled the dialogue closer to the top and will intersperse information about what's going on while my MC, Alessia, talks to her best friend. Hopefully that makes the opening stronger. <br />
<!--EndFragment-->Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11886151771194369513noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2088483294429546691.post-12893535650422847802014-04-26T17:11:00.000-07:002014-04-26T17:17:05.951-07:00So I Entered This Little Thing Called PitchSlamIt's a nifty contest with one big benefit: We receive feedback on our pitches and first 250 words and get to re-submit. Here's my revised pitch:<br /><br /><b>Title: </b>Beautiful Medusa<br /><b>Genre: </b>YA Fantasy<br /><br /><b>Original Pitch:</b> Transformed into the legendary Medusa for refusing Poseidon’s advances, sixteen-year-old Alessia must escape from Perseus and decide whether or not the exiled god who claims to love her is merely using her to destroy Zeus.<br /><br /><b>Pitch Feedback:</b> The pitch had us up until the bit about the exiled god, then it started to read like a completely different story. We have no idea who that is, which renders everything that follows irrelevant. Plus, why does she have to decide anything about the god? What consequences will this decision bring about? Why does she have to pay attention to the god in the first place, when her focus was on escaping Perseus? If she doesn't love him back, the god's claims are moot. And is she not interested in breaking the spell and becoming herself again?<br /><br /><b>New Pitch:</b> Transformed into the legendary Medusa for refusing Poseidon’s advances. Hunted by Perseus for her head. Sixteen-year-old Alessia’s only hope for salvation might lie with a treacherous god and the infamous Echidna, mother of monsters.<br /><br /><b>Query: </b>In a land wasted and wrung dry, where happiness is as rare as any jewel, sixteen-year-old Alessia considers herself blessed to be a Priestess of Athena. But when the girl’s extraordinary beauty draws the unwanted attention of Poseidon, her life becomes a nightmare. Cursed for defying an immortal and cast out of her home, the gods transform Alessia into the legendary Medusa and condemn her to live life as a monster.<br /><br />Snakes for hair. A gaze that can turn a man to stone. Razor sharp talons at the end of each finger. All Alessia wants is to hide herself away from the world before she hurts someone, or worse. Yet to the kings of ancient Greece, Alessia's petrifying gaze makes her a weapon to be won at any cost. With the kings offering unimaginable riches to anyone who can bring them the head of the Medusa, the scared girl soon finds herself hunted by the all too clever hero Perseus and many others.<br /><br />Struggling to hold onto both her life and her humanity, Alessia flees westward and finds the impossible: Sanctuary and a chance at love with a fallen god preparing to wage war on Olympus. But are his feelings sincere or is he merely using her? And when the war comes, will Alessia, the once loyal priestess, exact revenge on the gods who turned her into Medusa?<br /><br />Based on the legend according to Ovid's <i>Metamorphoses</i>, <i>Beautiful Medusa</i> is a YA Fantasy complete at 94,000 words. Though the story can stand alone, there is potential for a sequel. <br /><br />--<div>
<br />All feedback is welcome! Hopefully my new pitch is better than the first.<br /></div>
Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11886151771194369513noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2088483294429546691.post-21240384555955979852013-11-21T20:09:00.000-08:002013-11-21T20:09:21.410-08:00When Fiction Isn't So Fictional<br />
My story <i>Beautiful Medusa</i> is set in Greece, but it's a fantastical Greece that never existed, a world filled with gods and monsters and a map of Europe that's almost unrecognizable. I wanted to make everything grander, more magical. I wanted readers to delight in seemingly impossible settings. <br />
<br />
And I did it by drawing on sites from around the world, because I quickly realized that nothing I could come up with could be as amazing as reality. <br />
<br />
Take this for example: <br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
I stood upon a bare white rock. Before me was a lake made of the purest shade of blue, as if the water had captured the sky. I let my gaze sink all the way to the bottom, a school of fish swimming through the perfect azure water. At its far edge, a sliver of land hemmed the lake in, water cascading over the top and forming another pool down below. </blockquote>
<blockquote>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">...</span> </blockquote>
<blockquote>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">One lake poured into another, and another after
that, in an unbroken chain that went on for miles, each pool with its own
unique color palette of greens, blues, and grays.</span><br />
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<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Wow, that's so pretty, if only something like that existed in the real worl...</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Oh, wait, it <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plitvice_Lakes_National_Park" target="_blank">does</a>.</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oHqN8IE7Rg8/Uo7K9THQscI/AAAAAAAAAV4/WgWjLR3jDhI/s1600/Plitvice_Lakes_National_Park.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oHqN8IE7Rg8/Uo7K9THQscI/AAAAAAAAAV4/WgWjLR3jDhI/s400/Plitvice_Lakes_National_Park.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The <a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Plitvice_Lakes_National_Park_%282%29.jpg" target="_blank">Plitvice Lakes</a> in Croatia</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> Or how about this:</span><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
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<![endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">I left my room, wandering down a corridor and
becoming lost in a maze of oversized hallways, large enough to accommodate Prometheus’
more monstrous guests.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I tilted my head
upwards and gaped at soaring archways decorated with the most genius
scrollwork.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sunlight streamed in through
long, rectangular windows, while geometric patterns and painted tiles graced
the walls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every so often, I stumbled
upon a courtyard garden or reflecting pool I had never visited before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></blockquote>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sjEctr4VQLk/Uo7SX1eZm1I/AAAAAAAAAWI/louMJX2bmUM/s1600/AlhambraWindow.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sjEctr4VQLk/Uo7SX1eZm1I/AAAAAAAAAWI/louMJX2bmUM/s400/AlhambraWindow.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lindaraja_window,_the_Liones_Palace,_Alhambra,_Granada.JPG" target="_blank">Lindaraja Window</a>, Alhambra</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Yes, Prometheus' fortress is a biggie-sized <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alhambra" target="_blank">Alhambra</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">This last one is my favorite though, mainly because I took the photo myself:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> </span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The house loomed before me, constructed of stucco and stone, with a red tile roof and ivy climbing up its sides. In the daytime, if you set your gaze to the south, you could spy white-capped mountains and the shimmering sea. </blockquote>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br /></span>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1RhwhCPq86M/Uo7UaMKBUkI/AAAAAAAAAWU/GwcIfQKCCUw/s1600/Delphi4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1RhwhCPq86M/Uo7UaMKBUkI/AAAAAAAAAWU/GwcIfQKCCUw/s320/Delphi4.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the first thing you see when you step off the bus at Delphi</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">So far, I've taken inspiration from Spain, Hawaii, the Himalayas, Croatia, and of course, Greece. Who knows where my mind will wander to next? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br /></span>
<br />
Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11886151771194369513noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2088483294429546691.post-13171988110543860682013-09-29T19:27:00.000-07:002013-09-29T19:27:00.767-07:00My Little Pony, Now With 100% More Snakes<br />
On a whim, I've decided to participate in <a href="http://rebeccaenzor.com/2013/09/15/announcing-ponyfest13/">PonyFest '13</a>. It's a contest where you create a My Little Pony inspired by your book. How cool is that?
I'm not the least bit artistic, but thanks to the magic of the <a href="http://generalzoi.deviantart.com/art/Pony-Creator-Full-Version-254295904">Pony Creator</a>, I can whip up a pretty mean pony despite my complete inability to draw anything but stick figures.
My latest manuscript is <i>Beautiful Medusa</i>, a YA fantasy with Medusa as the hero and a bunch of well-known Greek monsters, so I had plenty of great characters to choose from. <br />
<br />
The first one I did was, naturally, the Pegasus. Ah yes, the snow white Pegasus, soaring majestically with Perseus on his back... Except my Pegasus is kind of a jerk. When I was jotting down notes on him, I called him a "flying kelpie war horse."<br />
<br />
Here's his description:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
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<![endif]--><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Soaring on powerful wings, the Pegasus spiraled downwards,
landing with an elegance that belied its massive body.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I forgot myself, gaping at the creature as it
shook its wild mane, the sun gleaming off a coat so dark gray as to be almost
black, a storm cloud given form.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
Pegasus returned my stare, my gaze having no effect, its eyes crackling with
intelligence, rows of sharp teeth lining its mouth.</span> </i></blockquote>
And here's the Pegasus in My Little Pony form:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dmv_mUiHRrs/UkjcBtI96KI/AAAAAAAAAVo/8MRAET-g5AE/s1600/PegasusMLP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="312" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dmv_mUiHRrs/UkjcBtI96KI/AAAAAAAAAVo/8MRAET-g5AE/s400/PegasusMLP.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
The next one I did was Medusa. I'm not sure why her background didn't show up, but here she is: <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ABDnrtgeQzc/UkjPsHknMkI/AAAAAAAAAVM/jEn_79qBLlQ/s1600/myPony.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="312" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ABDnrtgeQzc/UkjPsHknMkI/AAAAAAAAAVM/jEn_79qBLlQ/s400/myPony.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
I couldn't do snakes, so I did my best to give her pony incarnation something that looked snake-like. Then I added the frown because, well, she's Medusa and she's not really happy about it. She has bracelets because despite being a monster, she still likes to wear nice clothes and jewelry. <br />
<br />
I hope you enjoy! Maybe I'll do Prometheus, Athena, or the Sphinx sometime. Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11886151771194369513noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2088483294429546691.post-56741883027175226742013-08-26T21:04:00.000-07:002013-08-27T08:03:28.248-07:00It's Like a Basket of Puppies<br />
Story ideas, to me, are like baskets of puppies. You're looking down at four or five little furry faces, all adorable, every single one demanding attention, eager, and ready to go, and OMG, which one do you choose to play with first? And then one particularly precocious pup scales the pen and climbs into your lap and settles the debate for you. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KRx27ndYBzA/UhwiT-cWUGI/AAAAAAAAAUg/Q18W2H_VnVY/s1600/Puppy2007_basket_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="207" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KRx27ndYBzA/UhwiT-cWUGI/AAAAAAAAAUg/Q18W2H_VnVY/s320/Puppy2007_basket_1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pick me! No, wait, pick me!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Yeah, it's like that, except my story ideas don't chew the furniture or have accidents on the carpet.<br />
<br />
I always have shiny ideas bouncing around in my head. Last year, after my final revision of <i>Knights of Avalon</i>, there were several vying for my attention - the Medusa story, the Apocalyptic Pizza Delivery Girl story, the Shangri-La story... but in the end, it was Medusa who won out. Probably because she can turn people to stone. Also, she has claws and her blood is poison. In a cage match, she'd probably beat all my other characters, even Justine. <br />
<br />
I had tried to write <i>Beautiful Medusa</i> before, in 2009, but I couldn't do it, I wasn't a strong enough writer and I didn't know how to handle the material. Now, the story grabbed hold of me and refused to let go. That's how I know a story's ready to be written, when I can't stop thinking about it. It's all consuming, both the best feeling in the universe and the worst. There's so much joy in building a new world, in creating characters and imagining their relationships. If I had my way, I'd lock myself in the house for three months and just create, create, create.<br />
<br />
And at the end of three months, I'd look like Gollum.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vaWvzY_rpLk/UhwhEitLkLI/AAAAAAAAAUU/tAdxPQCZkuY/s1600/Gollum.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="134" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vaWvzY_rpLk/UhwhEitLkLI/AAAAAAAAAUU/tAdxPQCZkuY/s320/Gollum.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
But I'd have my precious story. <br />
<br />
<i>My precious.</i><br />
<br />
Instead of being able to throw myself into my new world though, I had these distractions. Bothersome things like a job and family... Human interaction is so overrated. How was I supposed to concentrate on spreadsheets when there were people in my head, demanding to be heard? That's the downside of getting obsessed with a story. Until the story's told, the thought of doing anything else becomes unbearable. Every day I woke up wanting to lose myself in my writing, but I had to force myself to take care of responsibilities that couldn't be ignored. <br />
<br />
From December to July, I balanced my need to create with my need to pay the bills as best I could. I fought for time to write and bit by bit, the story in my head became words on the page, until <i>Beautiful Medusa</i> was a real, actual book, a book that I love. <br />
<br />
Then again, I love all my books. Still, I've been working on my writing and I like to think that maybe I've actually learned something and improved after all these years. I suppose we'll see. <br />
<br />
If you're curious, here's the query:<br />
<blockquote>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">In a land wasted and wrung dry, where happiness
is as rare as any jewel, sixteen-year-old Alessia considers herself blessed to
be a Priestess of Athena. But when the girl’s extraordinary beauty draws the unwanted
attention of Poseidon, her life becomes a nightmare. Cursed for defying an
immortal and cast out of her home, the gods transform Alessia into the
legendary <span class="highlight">Medusa</span> and condemn her to live life as a
monster. <br />
<br />
Snakes for hair. A gaze that can turn a man to stone. Razor sharp talons at the
end of each finger. All Alessia wants is to hide herself away from the world
before she hurts someone, or worse. Yet to the kings of ancient </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Greece</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">, Alessia's petrifying gaze makes her a weapon to be
won at any cost. With the kings offering unimaginable riches to anyone who can
bring them the head of the <span class="highlight">Medusa</span>, the scared girl
soon finds herself hunted by the all too clever hero Perseus and many others.<br />
<br />
Struggling to hold onto both her life and her humanity, Alessia flees westward
and finds the impossible: Sanctuary and a chance at love with a fallen god
preparing to wage war on </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Olympus</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">. But are his feelings sincere or is he merely using
her? And when the war comes, will Alessia, the once loyal priestess, exact
revenge on the gods who turned her into <span class="highlight">Medusa</span>?<br />
<br />
Based on the legend according to Ovid's <i>Metamorphoses</i>, <i>Beautiful <span class="highlight">Medusa</span></i> is a YA Fantasy complete at 92,000 words.
Though the story can stand alone, there is potential for a sequel. Thank you
for your consideration!</span><br />
<br />
</blockquote>
I don't know what's going to happen with this story. I'm sure I'll get rundown with rejections soon enough, but right now, I'm excited and it just feels good to be done. Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11886151771194369513noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2088483294429546691.post-4067787745120827102013-01-28T23:22:00.001-08:002013-01-28T23:22:40.008-08:00Rhymes with D'oh Llama<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FO91nWPlAU0/UP4jQLr4rHI/AAAAAAAAATw/wpdUWeHytjs/s1600/hello-kitty-fairy-cute-1.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FO91nWPlAU0/UP4jQLr4rHI/AAAAAAAAATw/wpdUWeHytjs/s200/hello-kitty-fairy-cute-1.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is me.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
A dear aunt of mine recently called me "meek and mild." I kind of laughed, because that's definitely not how I see myself. Some time later, I asked my brother if the description fit and he said, "Yeah, that sounds about right. Except when you get all opinionated about stuff, like politics."<br />
<br />
Anybody who follows my <a href="https://twitter.com/LiteraryMouse" target="_blank">twitter feed</a> knows that asides from <a href="http://choptsalad.com/" target="_blank">Chop't salad</a>, cats, cephalopods, Pride and Prejudice, Coke Slurpees, and writing, the big love of my life is politics. So in September, I showed up like a stray cat on the doorstep of a local campaign office and <br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="148" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ri9M0yuroTQ/UP4jrT7XM7I/AAAAAAAAAT4/Y59coNfX-1M/s200/incrediblehulk033108-1.jpg" width="200" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is me on politics.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
unlike a stray cat, asked to be put to work.<br />
<br />
I believe I said something along the lines of, "People are scary! I spend my days living in a cave, throwing rocks at passerbys. Can I do data entry?" And the very kind lady who greeted me at the door responded, "What luck! We have a Data Coordinator who thinks people are scary too, and she desperately needs someone to help her with her work. Please, come in and have a bagel."<br />
<br />
The kind lady introduced me to the Data Coordinator and we immediately hit it off, bonding over our mutual dislike of human interaction and discussing the best strategy for rock-throwing. After finding out I had volunteered for this certain campaign in 2008 and that I was familiar with this certain campaign's software, she asked if I wanted to be a Data Coordinator too. I said 'yes!' without hesitation, because I am an idiot. <br />
<br />
The next two months went by in a blur of call sheets, Google docs, caffeine, and bagels. We were simply one tiny cog in a very large caffeinated and bagel-fed machine. I would walk into the 'campaign office,' no more than a borrowed conference room in somebody's engineering firm, and find rows upon rows of volunteers squeezed around tables, calling people, urging them to vote and maybe, just maybe, pretty please, vote for our guy. Or if nothing else, to not yell at us while voting for the other guy.<br />
<br />
We got yelled at a lot.<br />
<br />
I met some extraordinary people, because no matter whose side you're on, campaign volunteers are some of the most crazy, talented, hard-working people out there. Many of us were involved in animal rescue, others did Christian ministry and charity work, all while holding down a job or two and taking care of families or running businesses. And we all looked out for one another. I remember once, when it was dark, I had forgotten something in my car and dashed out to get it. When I turned around, two volunteers were standing by the door, making sure nothing happened to me in the poorly lit parking lot. <br /><br />For the first time in years, I took a break from writing. It killed me to do that, absolutely killed me, but I figured two months without writing was worth it for four years of having my guy in the White House. <br />
<br />
Besides, in a strange way, working on a campaign is a lot like writing a book. If you've ever worked for a campaign before, and I highly recommend that you try it at least once, it's an incredibly frustrating experience sometimes. You can spend hours making calls and if you're lucky, flip one or two voters. You spend a lot of time wondering if you're really making a difference, if you'll ever see a payoff for all the work you're doing. <br />
<br />
Writing is like that too. You can spend hours working on a single paragraph, feeling like there's no way you'll ever get the book done, much less find an agent and get published. But even if you can't see it right away, all those hours of hard work add up. They build into something powerful. <br />
<br />
That's what I've been up to while away from the blog. I spent most of November recovering from the election, then in December, returned to my beloved writing and dove head first (more like belly flopped) into my WIP, <i>Beautiful Medusa.</i> More on that in another post! Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11886151771194369513noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2088483294429546691.post-81244804619782869612012-08-24T12:10:00.002-07:002012-08-24T12:12:36.368-07:00PAYA 2012: Now With 100% Less Hurricanes<br />
It's almost that time of year again. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://bringya2pa.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">PAYA!</a><br />
<br />
No, not the fruit. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WIDJTEXHssI/UDfNyHWbNjI/AAAAAAAAATY/XpGCxx7u1io/s1600/Carica_papaya_Caceres.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WIDJTEXHssI/UDfNyHWbNjI/AAAAAAAAATY/XpGCxx7u1io/s320/Carica_papaya_Caceres.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
The 35-author signing, auction, and workshop extravaganza! <br />
<br />
And this time, no <a href="http://survivingwritingabook.blogspot.com/2011/09/paya-2011-rock-you-like-hurricane.html" target="_blank">hurricanes</a>! <br />
<br />
I don't know about you, but I find a lack of natural disasters at my author events to be a plus. <br />
<br />
If you're anywhere near <a href="http://bringya2pa.wordpress.com/2012-paya-festival/" target="_blank">West Chester, PA</a>, I'm hoping you can make it. The event is tomorrow, August 25, from 12-4pm, with a writers' workshop (you must sign up ahead of time) from 10am-12pm. <br />
<br />
I'll be attending the workshop with the opening pages from my latest, still-in-its-infancy, herpetologically-friendly manuscript, <em>Beautiful Medusa</em>. <br />
<br />
My goal is not to injure myself. Or anyone else. Unlike, um, <a href="http://survivingwritingabook.blogspot.com/2010/08/paya-chronicles-and-then-it-hit-me.html" target="_blank">last time</a>...<br />
<br />
I hope to see some of you there! <br />
<br />
In other news, remember that amazing class I took with rock-star author/agent/dairy farmer Mandy Hubbard and how you all were sad you couldn't have taken it too? Well, like the Poltergeist, <a href="http://litreactor.com/classes/how-to-write-and-sell-the-young-adult-novel-with-mandy-hubbard" target="_blank">it's back</a>. "Writing and Selling the Young Adult Novel" starts September 20 and you can sign up now. I really can't recommend the class enough. Do it! Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11886151771194369513noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2088483294429546691.post-46056572534105411672012-07-29T19:59:00.000-07:002012-07-29T20:02:02.472-07:00School's Out<br />
<div style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
<img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RNKKAdfiC1Q/UBXPj-B5kfI/AAAAAAAAAS4/NyEmNmNU0Uw/s200/SnoopyBeach.jpg" width="192" /></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RNKKAdfiC1Q/UBXPj-B5kfI/AAAAAAAAAS4/NyEmNmNU0Uw/s1600/SnoopyBeach.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> <br />
Remember how I mentioned I was taking a class, <a href="http://litreactor.com/classes/how-to-write-and-sell-the-young-adult-novel-with-mandy-hubbard" target="_blank">Writing and Selling the Young Adult Novel</a>, taught by the incredibly talented <a href="http://litreactor.com/team/mandy-hubbard" target="_blank">Mandy Hubbard</a>? Well, I survived and it ended up being a great experience. Made some new friends, met a whole bunch of amazing writers, and most importantly, I learned a lot.<br />
<br />
First, I learned that I can work under a deadline. I've talked about it before, but when it comes to writing, I channel the spirit of the turtle. I don't do NaNoWriMo, I do NaNoSloMo. It was a four-week class and for the first three weeks, we had to turn in 2,500 words every Friday. That's approximately 10 pages, double-spaced.<br />
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Now I know plenty of people who can do 2,500 words in one day. I've heard tales of some people being able to do that in a couple of hours. Those people are cyborgs. But I'm not that person, and that's OK. The thing is, <i>Beautiful Medusa </i>is very much a work in progress. As in, when I started the class, I had written <u>5 pages</u>, and they were not good pages (you didn't have to have a completed manuscript to take the class, about a quarter of us had next to nothing when we started). So while turning in 2,500 words once a week might not be a big deal to some, for me, it was terrifying. I had to write it all pretty much from scratch and to make it worse, the way <i>Beautiful Medusa</i> is structured, most of the scenes I was afraid to write, the gut-wrenching scenes that utterly destroy the character, happen in the first few chapters.<br />
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In other words, it was a daunting task, but with a deadline hanging over me, somehow I got it done. And by 'somehow,' I mean with the help of lots of caffeine and Noodles & Co. I was worried the deadline would make me panic, but instead, it helped me focus. I honestly believe it would've taken me months just to get up the courage to write those scenes, but I did it because I had to. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SOyPDk0fHP4/UBXru4-2vtI/AAAAAAAAATI/-MI5RsoPYhc/s1600/woman-on-mountaintop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SOyPDk0fHP4/UBXru4-2vtI/AAAAAAAAATI/-MI5RsoPYhc/s1600/woman-on-mountaintop.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is me standing atop Mt. "Yeah, I Rocked That"</td></tr>
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Second, I learned to slow down. I've been trying to 'hook' my readers by immediately diving into the action. I was also afraid I'd lose their attention if I got bogged down in too much description of what my character was going through. In the immortal words of St. Lolcat, "Writing. Ur doin' it wrong." If you throw an action scene at your readers too early, yeah, you'll have stuff happening, but your readers won't be able to connect with the main character. And if you skip what your character is feeling, readers won't ever be able to connect. With the help of Mandy and my awesome critique group, I think I got better at exploring my character's emotions, while not going overboard, and doing it by showing, not telling. What really gets me is that I love to delve into what my characters are feeling, but I was convinced my readers would get bored, so I cut it out. Yes, I am silly. <br />
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There's so much other stuff I learned: Tips on how to make characters more memorable. What makes a really great opening, etc. The good news is that I believe Mandy will be holding this class again in the fall, so if you were interested and missed it the first time, you'll have another chance. I'd highly recommend it. <br />
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PS-While I was writing this post, one of my friends tweeted, "Another 6,000 words today..." Yegads! What model of cylon are you???<br />
<br />Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11886151771194369513noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2088483294429546691.post-7052184742897757542012-06-10T16:42:00.000-07:002012-06-10T16:46:11.354-07:00You Haven't Gotten Rid of Me YetI'm sorry for yet another lengthy absence. I admit, I've been in a blogging funk. I had the time, just not the energy or inclination to blog. The good news is that this funk hasn't extended to anything else. Since finishing my latest revision of <i>Knights of Avalon</i> in December, I've been busy with a bunch of things: <br />
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<b>Reading: </b> OK, well, I've been trying to read. I've self-diagnosed myself with literary ADD. I'll be reading a book I love and then...SQUIRREL! I don't have a TBR pile, I have a TBF (To Be Finished) pile. It took me six months to get through <i>Catching Fire</i>. It's bad, y'all. <br />
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I'm happy to say I actually finished <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Watersmeet-Ellen-Jensen-Abbott/dp/0761459928/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1339364957&sr=8-1&keywords=watersmeet+ellen+jensen+abbott" target="_blank">Watersmeet</a></i> and thoroughly enjoyed it. Next up is <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Falling-Under-Gwen-Hayes/dp/0451232682/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1339365168&sr=1-1&keywords=falling+under+gwen+hayes" target="_blank">Falling Under</a></i> and then maybe <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Thiefs-Covenant-A-Widdershins-Adventure/dp/1616145471/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1339365563&sr=1-1&keywords=thief%27s+covenant+ari+marmell" target="_blank">Thief's Covenant</a></i>, <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Witch-Eyes-Scott-Tracey/dp/0738725951/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1339365663&sr=1-1&keywords=witch+eyes" target="_blank">Witch Eyes</a>,</i> or <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Born-Wicked-Cahill-Witch-Chronicles/dp/0399257454/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1339365795&sr=1-1&keywords=born+wicked" target="_blank">Born Wicked</a></i>. <br />
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<b>Writing:</b> I'm still querying <i>Knights of Avalon. </i>To distract myself while I query, because querying isn't stressful, nuh-uh, I've started work on my next project: <i>Beautiful Medusa.</i> It's about Medusa, as the hero. And yes, she still turns people into stone and has snakes for hair. That's so inconvenient for her. I've also signed up for this class ------> <a href="http://litreactor.com/classes/how-to-write-and-sell-the-young-adult-novel-with-mandy-hubbard" target="_blank">Writing and Selling the Young Adult Novel</a>, taught by the insanely talented <a href="http://litreactor.com/team/mandy-hubbard" target="_blank">Mandy Hubbard</a>. I've done workshops and attended panels in the past, but I'm pretty much self-taught and I'm hoping a class will help me with some of my problems with characterization and connecting with readers. <br />
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Besides that, I've embarked on an epic quest to tame the roving hordes of dust bunnies living in my house and have been juggling rescue cats like someone straight out of Cirque du Soleil. <br />
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And while I haven't been blogging, I have been attending author events, so keep an eye out for contests in the near future. I've been hoarding signed books and it's time to get rid of them!Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11886151771194369513noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2088483294429546691.post-1147303505797042142012-02-15T12:51:00.001-08:002012-02-15T19:43:20.448-08:00Dear Mom, My Name Is Not Beth Revis<p></p><div>Last year, I got my mother a copy of Beth Revis' <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.amazon.com/Across-Universe-Beth-Revis/dp/1595143971/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1329346808&sr=8-3">Across the Universe</a>. I knew mom would love it. She adores spaceships and sci-fi and when I met Beth during last year's <a href="http://www.breathlessreads.com/">Breathless Reads </a>tour, I got the sense that she and my mom were on the same wavelength, so to speak.<br /><br />I handed the book to mom and her face lit up. I was thrilled to see her so happy. She looked up at me. "Did you...did you write this?"<br /><br />My face fell. I pointed towards the cover. "Is my name Beth Revis?"<br /><br />Mom thought it over for a bit. "But what if that's your pen name? And you didn't tell me you had gotten a book deal because you wanted to surprise me."<br /><br />I sighed. This wasn't the first time this had happened. The year before, mom had convinced herself that I was <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Hour-Dust-Ashes-Charlie-Madigan/dp/1451625472/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1329346896&sr=1-3">Kelly Gay</a>, because apparently our writing styles are similar. "If I ever get a book deal, you'll know, because I'll be the one running up and down the street in my pajamas, screaming, 'Oh my God! Oh my God! I got a book deal!' Trust me on this, you'll know when it happens."<br /><br />To re-cap:<br /><br />This is Beth Revis, awesome author of <em>Across the Universe</em> and <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.amazon.com/Million-Suns-Across-Universe-Novel/dp/159514398X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1329346808&sr=8-1">A Million Suns</a>. She likes Futurama, Firefly, and things that explode. She also had this freaky painting in her hotel room the other night that looked like a bunch of carnivorous Pikachu on valium, which you can see <a href="http://twitter.com/#%21/bethrevis/status/169601212168146944/photo/1">here.</a><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sWKLmVTcTbA/Tzw4GJukZ9I/AAAAAAAAASM/4pGyMEGOWpc/s1600/BethRevisIsSoAwesomeYouGuys.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5709500105940559826" style="width: 214px; height: 320px;" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sWKLmVTcTbA/Tzw4GJukZ9I/AAAAAAAAASM/4pGyMEGOWpc/s320/BethRevisIsSoAwesomeYouGuys.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />This is me:<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wbI6NRuJdrA/Tzw4MkHVIlI/AAAAAAAAASk/At-T0qILPug/s1600/crazy-cat-lady-300x214.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5709500216102953554" style="width: 300px; height: 214px;" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wbI6NRuJdrA/Tzw4MkHVIlI/AAAAAAAAASk/At-T0qILPug/s320/crazy-cat-lady-300x214.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />OK, maybe this is me:<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-56C0KLhms8A/Tzw4MCQ8YLI/AAAAAAAAASY/eTnz-fZIgw4/s1600/anime_kittens_fav1-1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5709500207016468658" style="width: 320px; height: 240px;" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-56C0KLhms8A/Tzw4MCQ8YLI/AAAAAAAAASY/eTnz-fZIgw4/s320/anime_kittens_fav1-1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The point is: Despite our mutual love of Firefly, you'll notice we are not the same person.<br /><br />As it turns out, Beth is going to be doing a signing in my area tomorrow. I wanted to bring mom with me, <strike>to prove I'm not Beth Revis</strike> so mom could meet one of her favorite authors in person. Unfortunately, mom's really into eating and paying her bills and had to work instead. I'm still going though! Besides Beth, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Nightshade-Book-1-ebook/dp/B003YL4ABM/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1329363282&sr=8-8">Andrea Cremer</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Legend-ebook/dp/B0052RDJAO/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1329363567&sr=1-1">Marie Lu</a>, and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Born-Wicked-Cahill-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B005GSZJ8Y/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1329363472&sr=1-1">Jessica Spotswood</a> will be there. I'll be sure to get books signed and have a giveaway.<br /><br />As always, if you have anything in particular you'd like me to get, let me know in the comments.<br /></div>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11886151771194369513noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2088483294429546691.post-14743129315749315042012-01-12T14:41:00.000-08:002012-01-17T18:34:37.278-08:00Edits Are Like Shiny Objects...<P><br />...I get easily distracted by them.<br /><br />First off, I'm alive!<br /><br />Second, I finished my latest round of revisions for <em>Knights of Avalon</em>. It only took me over a year. I actually finished about a month ago, but then the holidays happened, and free time was not happening.<br /><br />Now that I'm done and the mss. is out with my beta readers, I desperately need to busy myself with something else. Because when you're waiting for your beta readers to get back to you, it's like this:<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4N5pYkeo9nA/Tw9sIPdLjOI/AAAAAAAAARc/g24UmkUgjyw/s1600/Beta%2BReaders%2BCat.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4N5pYkeo9nA/Tw9sIPdLjOI/AAAAAAAAARc/g24UmkUgjyw/s320/Beta%2BReaders%2BCat.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5696890942490643682" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OgtW7V_fsdw/Tw9sIWIJF7I/AAAAAAAAARk/RC5EssiWKws/s1600/Beta%2BReaders%2BCat%2B2.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OgtW7V_fsdw/Tw9sIWIJF7I/AAAAAAAAARk/RC5EssiWKws/s320/Beta%2BReaders%2BCat%2B2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5696890944281450418" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gvoxhAKjEzQ/Tw9sIrn7R-I/AAAAAAAAARw/BUUFk7SGyZw/s1600/Beta%2BReaders%2BCat%2B3.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 299px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gvoxhAKjEzQ/Tw9sIrn7R-I/AAAAAAAAARw/BUUFk7SGyZw/s320/Beta%2BReaders%2BCat%2B3.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5696890950051907554" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_R5EcDfRzeA/Tw9sIzKSvAI/AAAAAAAAASA/TXR5sCw_aZU/s1600/Beta%2BReaders%2B4.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_R5EcDfRzeA/Tw9sIzKSvAI/AAAAAAAAASA/TXR5sCw_aZU/s320/Beta%2BReaders%2B4.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5696890952075099138" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Yes, I need to chill and just enjoy the puppehs. While I wait, I'm also going to try and update this blog and maybe do a giveaway. Is there any book in particular you'd like me to give away? I take requests! I love to get things for people. I live around the DC area, so if you know of an author headed my way, I can get books signed and hold a contest.<br /><br />Update:<br /><br />The always awesome James of <a href="http://bookchicclub.blogspot.com/">Book Chic Club</a> has put together a list of <a href="http://bookchicclub.blogspot.com/2012/01/mid-east-coast-book-events.html">Mid-Atlantic book signings and events</a>. Check the list out. If you see something on there that you want, let me know and I will do my best to get it and have a contest. I want to get you all books! Let me get you books!<br /><br />Also, the <a href="http://pinkrobotgirl.blogspot.com/">Internet Famous Intern</a> (IFI) has drawn a picture (several, in fact) of <a href="http://pinkrobotgirl.blogspot.com/2011/12/pictures-for-you.html">Justine</a>, my MC from <span style="font-style:italic;">Knights of Avalon</span>. That's my girl! In stick-figure form. I love it.Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11886151771194369513noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2088483294429546691.post-19260240125588316542011-10-24T18:43:00.000-07:002012-01-12T14:27:15.416-08:00PAYA Giveaway, Week 4: The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin<p><p><strong>Update:</strong> I've never had a contest with no entries before, but I really, really wanted to read this book myself. And it's signed, "Rock You Like a Hurricane!" I guess I'll keep it. Can I do that? I'm totally doing it! <br /><p>Last, but not least, I'll be giving away a signed paperback copy of Josh Berk's <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dark-Days-Hamburger-Halpin/dp/0375846255/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1319512335&sr=8-1"><span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin</span></a>. At <a href="http://bringya2pa.wordpress.com/2011-paya-festival-2/">PAYA</a>, Josh half-jokingly offered to sign it, "Rock You Like a Hurricane." I totally took him up on that, so think of the prize as an extra-special Hurricane Irene commemorative edition of the book.<br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Summary:</span><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n757eIH65xw/TqZoHQlrSJI/AAAAAAAAARM/76uBPTIJruQ/s1600/DarkDaysHamburgerHalpin.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5667331655013714066" style="WIDTH: 164px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 250px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n757eIH65xw/TqZoHQlrSJI/AAAAAAAAARM/76uBPTIJruQ/s320/DarkDaysHamburgerHalpin.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">Will Halpin has ditched his former “deaf school” and is now trying to merge into the auditory-able mainstream at Carbon High in eastern Pennsylvania. As the new, overweight kid who has to sit off to the side during classes so he can try to read the lips of both his teachers and his classmates, Will—no slouch when it comes to reading human reactions—quickly downsizes his social expectations and retreats back into the soundless cocoon of his own skull. Luckily for readers, it’s darkly hilarious in there. </span><br /><br /><span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">What teens wouldn’t want to have Will’s skills as he, notebook in hand, monitors the school bus mirror and pieces together what all the cool kids are talking about? Most, Will discovers, as he deftly dissects personalities and devilishly deconstructs high school culture, are slavishly focused on being invited to an exclusive party being thrown by popular jock Pat. But when Pat dies during a field trip to a defunct coal mine, under suspicious circumstances, the story morphs into an engaging mystery as Will reluctantly accepts the unsettlingly friendly overtures of a quirky classmate bent on enlisting him as a partner in some amateur sleuthing. </span><br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">How to Enter:</span><br /><br />1. Respond to this post and you'll automatically be entered into the contest. The winner will be chosen at random.<br /><br />2. For extra credit (and one extra contest entry), please answer the following question: If money, time, and materials weren't an issue, what would be your ultimate Halloween costume?<br /><br />3. If you're my little brother, you can't enter.<br /><br />4. You must follow my blog. You're also more than welcome to follow me on Twitter (@LiteraryMouse), but you're not required to. But it would make me happy.<br /><br />5. Deadline to enter is Monday, October 31, at 11:59pm EST. At midnight, I turn into a pumpkin and no more entries will be accepted.<br /><br />6. The contest is open to everybody, US and International.<br /><br />If you have any questions about contest rules, please leave them in the comments! </p>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11886151771194369513noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2088483294429546691.post-77539039498429973472011-10-13T09:18:00.000-07:002011-10-21T18:19:00.047-07:00PAYA Giveaway, Week 3: A Touch Mortal - Winner Announced<P><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Update:</span> And the winner is...<span style="font-weight:bold;">Maidenveil</span>! Woohoo! You go, girl! <br />I'll be in touch via e-mail, or quite possibly messenger dog (it's like a messenger owl). <br /><br />Check back Monday for my last giveaway, Josh Berk's <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dark-Days-Hamburger-Halpin/dp/0375846255/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1319246160&sr=8-1">The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin</a>. <br /><br />-- <br />Next up, a signed copy of Leah Clifford's <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Touch-Mortal-Leah-Clifford/dp/0062004999/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1318530541&sr=8-1"><em>A Touch Mortal</em>.</a> Not only is this book a great read, it teaches us a valuable lesson: Don't date fallen angels. Seriously, you want something cute with wings? Get a cockatiel.<br /><br /><strong>Book Summary:</strong><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3xJBQNds994/TpctFg0aeTI/AAAAAAAAARA/KigSXy_9wGE/s1600/TouchMortahcthumb.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5663044629174057266" style="WIDTH: 180px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 272px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3xJBQNds994/TpctFg0aeTI/AAAAAAAAARA/KigSXy_9wGE/s320/TouchMortahcthumb.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><em>Eden didn't expect Az.<br /><br />Not his saunter down the beach toward her. Not his unbelievable pick up line. Not the instant, undeniable connection. And not his wings.<br /><br />Yeah.<br /><br />So long happily-ever-after.<br /><br />Now trapped between life and death, cursed to spread chaos with her every touch, Eden could be the key in the eternal struggle between heaven and hell. All because she gave her heart to one of the Fallen, an angel cast out of heaven.<br /><br />She may lose everything she ever had. She may be betrayed by those she loves most. But Eden will not be a pawn in anyone else's game. Her heart is her own.<br /><br />And that's only the beginning of the end. </em><br /><br /><strong>How to Enter:</strong><br /><br />1. Respond to this post and you'll automatically be entered into the contest. The winner will be chosen at random.<br /><br />2. For extra credit (and one extra contest entry), please answer the following question: If you were dating a Fallen Angel, where would you go for your first date? I understand Skeeball is very popular with the winged set.<br /><br />3. If you're my little brother, you can't enter.<br /><br />4. You must follow my blog. You're also more than welcome to follow me on Twitter (@LiteraryMouse), but you're not required to. But it would make me happy.<br /><br />5. Deadline to enter is Thursday, October 20, at 9pm EST.<br /><br />6. The contest is open to everybody, US and International.<br /><br />If you have any questions about contest rules, please leave them in the comments!Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11886151771194369513noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2088483294429546691.post-3013099075613049122011-10-11T10:48:00.000-07:002011-10-11T17:40:22.550-07:00A Brief Intermission, and Contest Alert<P><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0fP8_o_MEzI/TpS_QieV_dI/AAAAAAAAAQ0/F7G2CnH7gD4/s1600/mount-fuji.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0fP8_o_MEzI/TpS_QieV_dI/AAAAAAAAAQ0/F7G2CnH7gD4/s320/mount-fuji.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5662360922364444114" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I'll be posting my next giveaway tomorrow, but to tide you over, I wanted to share some cool contests and links:<br /><br /><ol><li>Have you ever wanted to visit Japan? How about getting a <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blogs/10-000-free-round-trip-tickets-japan-134142507.html">free round-trip ticket</a> to go there? To bring back tourists after March's deadly earthquake and tsunami, Japan will pay for your airfare if you're willing to blog about your adventure. You'll have to provide your own funds for food, hotel, and anime though.</li><li>Are you a fan of Jimi Hendrix? <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sirenz-Charlotte-Bennardo/dp/0738723193/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1318379192&sr=8-1"><span style="font-style: italic;"> Sirenz</span></a> co-author <a href="http://nataliezaman.blogspot.com/">Natalie Zaman</a> is giving away a rubbing she took of <a href="http://nataliezaman.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2011-10-09T17%3A03%3A00-07%3A00&max-results=3">Jimi Hendrix's grave</a>. I have to say, of all the prizes ever given away in a contest, this is definitely one of the coolest and most unique. </li><li>Over at <a href="http://scribing-shadows.blogspot.com/">Scribing Shadows</a>, it's Sandy's <a href="http://scribing-shadows.blogspot.com/2011/10/giveaway-2nd-annual-blogoversary.html">second blogoversary</a>. There's still time to enter and get the chance to win books and other goodies! </li><li>Best dog costume of the year? <a href="http://cuteoverload.com/2011/10/08/ladies-and-gentlemen-the-best-pet-halloween-costume-of-all-time/">Quite possibly.</a><br /></li></ol>Feel free to leave any contest links you might know of in the comments.Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11886151771194369513noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2088483294429546691.post-45971632863779358362011-09-29T09:35:00.000-07:002011-10-09T19:08:15.912-07:00PAYA Giveaway, Week 2: Sirenz - Winner Announced<P><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Update: </span> And the winner is...<span style="font-weight:bold;">Seleste deLaney!</span> Congratulations! I'll be in touch via e-mail.<br /><br />Thanks again to everyone who entered. Stay tuned, in the next couple of days I'll be giving away a signed copy of Leah Clifford's <span style="font-style:italic;">A Touch Mortal.</span> <br /><br />--<br />I was in the car this morning when the Bananarama song <em><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JH3WvI_S6-k">Venus</a></em> came on. You know, that song from the 80's:<br /><br /><em>Goddess on the mountain top<br />Burning like a silver flame<br />The summit of beauty and love<br />And Venus was her name<br /></em><br /><em>She's got it<br />Yeah, baby, she's got it<br />I'm your Venus, I'm your fire<br />At your desire</em><br /><br />1) Yes, I'm old. Shut up 2) Yes, I grooved around in the car to this 3) I always thought that last line was "Trojan fire."<br /><br />The song, besides being a catchy '80s tune, got me thinking about <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sirenz-Charlotte-Bennardo/dp/0738723193/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1317316508&sr=8-1">Sirenz</a>, my next PAYA giveaway. And not only do you get a signed copy of this tasteful tiffany blue-hued work of fiction, but there will be swag, oh yes, for authors <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/charbennardo">Charlotte Bennardo </a>and <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/Natalie_Zaman">Natalie Zaman</a> have some of the best swag around.<br /><br /><strong>Book Summary:</strong><br /><br /><em>Bickering frenemies Meg and Shar are doing some serious damage at a midnight sample sale when the fashionistas find themselves arguing over a pair of shoes-with fatal consequences. One innocent bystander later, the girls are suddenly at the mercy of Hades, Lord of the Underworld himself. To make them atone for what they've done, Hades forces the teens to become special-assignment Sirens, luring to the Underworld an individual whose unholy contract is up.<br /></em><br /><em>Finding that delicate balance between their fashion addiction and their new part-time job in the eternal hellfire biz turns out to be harder than Meg and Shar expected, especially when an entire pantheon of Greek deities decides to get involved. Then there's the matter of the fine print in their own contracts...</em><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LhgPfCnCYJg/ToSlplb9JEI/AAAAAAAAAQs/cVTbT9xQgi4/s1600/SirenzCover.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5657829165726770242" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 310px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LhgPfCnCYJg/ToSlplb9JEI/AAAAAAAAAQs/cVTbT9xQgi4/s320/SirenzCover.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><strong>How to Enter:</strong><br /><br />1. Respond to this post and you'll automatically be entered into the contest. The winner will be chosen at random.<br /><br />2. For extra credit (and one extra contest entry), please answer the following question: Who's your favorite Greek God or Goddess?<br /><br />3. If you're my little brother, you can't enter.<br /><br />4. You must follow my blog. You're also more than welcome to follow me on Twitter (@LiteraryMouse), but you're not required to. But it would make me happy.<br /><br />5. Deadline to enter is Thursday, October 6, at 9pm EST.<br /><br />6. The contest is open to everybody, US and International.<br /><br />If you have any questions about contest rules, please leave them in the comments!Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11886151771194369513noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2088483294429546691.post-63938247777727418372011-09-20T09:09:00.000-07:002011-09-27T22:00:05.392-07:00PAYA Giveaway, Week 1: Witch Eyes - Winner Announced<div><br />Update: And the winner, as selected by my dog Hope, is...<span style="font-weight: bold;">Erinberry</span>! Congratulations! I'll be in touch via e-mail.<br /><br />Thanks to everyone who entered. Stay tuned, because tomorrow I'll be posting another PAYA-related giveaway.<br /><br />And as for what I'd name my not-at-all-haunted, I-swear-there's-nothing-strange town, here are some of my ideas: <br /><br />-Last Chance<br /><br />-Bleak Pines<br /><br />-Solitude<br /><br />I'd suggest Silent Hill but that was already taken.<br /><br />--<br /><br />I've been waiting for <a href="http://scott-tracey.com/">Scott Tracey's</a> <em>Witch Eyes</em> to come out for a long time. How long? I first heard about the book ten months ago. I went to <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/">Good Reads</a>, saw lots of great reviews, and knew I had to run out to the store to get it. Except no one had ever heard of <span style="font-style: italic;">Witch Eyes</span>. People looked at me like I was crazy. I was all, "No, I saw reviews for it, it must be out." Lesson learned. <span style="font-style: italic;">Just because a book has reviews on Good Reads doesn't mean it's out. </span><br /></div><br />But now you get a chance to win a signed copy. Besides being a fun read, <span style="font-style: italic;">Witch Eyes</span> is a natural hellhound repellant and an excellent source of Vitamin C. In addition, did you know that Scott Tracey's tweets are insured for $10,000 and that he does car commercials in Japan while speaking Norwegian? Bet you didn't.<br /><br /><div><strong>Book Summary:</strong></div><br /><div></div><div><em>Braden’s witch eyes give him an enormous power. A mere look causes a kaleidoscopic explosion of emotions, memories, darkness, and magic. But this rare gift is also his biggest curse.</em></div><div><br /><em>Compelled to learn about his shadowed past and the family he never knew, Braden is drawn to the city of Belle Dam, where he is soon caught between two feuding witch dynasties. Sworn rivals Catherine Lansing and Jason Thorpe will use anything—lies, manipulation, illusion, and even murder—to seize control of Braden’s powers. To stop an ancient evil from destroying the town, Braden must master his gift.</em></div><br /><div></div><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2K7CZ0RtWh4/TnjycitTPBI/AAAAAAAAAQk/G1B04YiUX1Q/s1600/WitchEyes.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5654535904330726418" style="width: 200px; height: 307px;" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2K7CZ0RtWh4/TnjycitTPBI/AAAAAAAAAQk/G1B04YiUX1Q/s320/WitchEyes.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="font-weight: bold;">How to Enter:</div><br /><div>1. Respond to this post and you'll automatically be entered into the contest. The winner will be chosen at random.</div><br /><div>2. For extra credit (and one extra contest entry), please answer the following question: <em>Witch Eyes</em> takes place in the ominously-named town of Belle Dam. If you were writing a novel, what ominous name would you pick for your town? If you need any help, here's a <a href="http://scott-tracey.com/2010/07/14/townscaping-naming-your-fake-town/">helpful post</a> Scott wrote on naming your fake town. </div><br /><div>3. If you're my little brother, you can't enter.</div><br /><div>4. You must follow my blog. You're also more than welcome to follow me on Twitter (@LiteraryMouse), but you're not required to. But it would make me happy.<br /></div><br /><div>5. Deadline to enter is Tuesday, September 27, at 9pm EST.</div><br />6. The contest is open to everybody, US and International.<br /><br /><div></div><div>If you have any questions about contest rules, please leave them in the comments!<br /></div>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11886151771194369513noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2088483294429546691.post-20084894040379005742011-09-12T09:29:00.000-07:002011-09-14T12:03:22.780-07:00PAYA 2011: The Turtle Is MineAlternative Titles for this Post: "Red Shoe...Nom Nom Nom" and "Just Say No to Delaware."<br /><br />To recap: <a href="http://bringya2pa.wordpress.com/">PAYA</a> scheduled for August 27. Historic hurricane, being a big fan of YA and really wanting a signed copy of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sirenz-Charlotte-Bennardo/dp/0738723193/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1315860277&sr=1-1">Sirenz</a>, schedules itself to hit the same day. As a result, PAYA was moved up an hour so we could all skedaddle early and the Writing Workshop was cancelled.<br /><br />I was sad about the workshop being cancelled.<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Q2TpcsKJNLI/Tm5JeNAJYXI/AAAAAAAAAQU/ptNQZTihDWE/s1600/IHazaSad.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5651535365631730034" style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Q2TpcsKJNLI/Tm5JeNAJYXI/AAAAAAAAAQU/ptNQZTihDWE/s320/IHazaSad.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Then again, any need to have my first pages critiqued was far outweighed by my desire not to get clobbered by a giant storm.<br /><br />Once at PAYA, <a href="http://ainesrealm.blogspot.com/">Aine</a> and I descended upon the table where books were being sold, having been warned that supplies were already running low. Aine got the last two copies of Scott Tracey's <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Witch-Eyes-Scott-Tracey/dp/0738725951/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1315860041&sr=8-1">Witch Eyes</a> and gave one to me, because she's awesome.<br /><br />First I was thrilled, then I felt guilty, because I'll be giving it away in a contest.<br /><br />But I hope you all will be happy, because I'll be giving it away in a contest.<br /><br />For myself, I got Dianne Salerni's <a href="http://www.amazon.com/We-Hear-Dead-Dianne-Salerni/dp/B005HKN00A/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1315860183&sr=1-1">We Hear the Dead</a> and Ellen Jensen Abbott's <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Watersmeet-Ellen-Jensen-Abbott/dp/0761455361/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1315860124&sr=1-1">Watersmeet</a>. And check out how Ellen signed my book:<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UW0MXKvRwgs/TnAYFqJYgiI/AAAAAAAAAQc/3iZCjFEnBRE/s1600/EllenJensenAbbottSig.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5652044017842029090" style="WIDTH: 272px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 290px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UW0MXKvRwgs/TnAYFqJYgiI/AAAAAAAAAQc/3iZCjFEnBRE/s320/EllenJensenAbbottSig.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />While Ellen signed, I chatted with her and the lovely Alissa Grosso, author of the YA Contemporary <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Popular-Alissa-Grosso/dp/0738727997/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1315970576&sr=8-1">Popular</a>. Ever since I read the plot summary, I haven't been able to get <span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">Popular</span> out of my head, so you might want to check it out.<br /><br />For my PAYA giveaway, I got the aforementioned <em>Witch Eyes</em>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sirenz-Charlotte-Bennardo/dp/0738723193/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1315860277&sr=1-1">Sirenz</a> by dynamic duo Charlotte Bennardo and Natalie Zaman, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dark-Days-Hamburger-Halpin/dp/0375846255/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1315860331&sr=1-1">The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin</a> by Josh Berk, and Leah Clifford's <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dark-Days-Hamburger-Halpin/dp/0375846255/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1315860331&sr=1-1">A Touch Mortal</a>.<br /><br />I spent a lot of time at Charlotte and Natalie's table, stealing their swag. They had some interesting things like a calling card from Hades and these cute Nekocat charms. What kept me coming back though were the little red shoes made out of chocolate. Mmmmm, swag.<br /><br />Charlotte was also kind enough to speak to me about how <span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">Sirenz</span> got published. Instead of querying agents first, Charlotte and Natalie went directly to the publishers. And though their publisher plucked them out of the slush pile, she highly recommended attending <a href="http://www.scbwi.org/">SCBWI's</a> conferences to network with editors, pitch, and learn more about the craft. It should also be noted that they got rejected, a lot, before finally being picked up, so perserverance is key.<br /><br />After the book signings, there was the raffle. I love raffles, and I'm really lucky, so I've won quite a few in the past. Mostly by buying mass quantities of raffle tickets. I generally find that if there are 100 raffle tickets stuffed in a box, and 99 of them belong to me, that I win. See, me=lucky. I approach publishing the same way, I make my own luck.<br /><br />So there amidst all the wonderful books being raffled were two turtle necklaces. One had a silver turtle charm and a vivid blue metal chain. The other had a black chain and a pendant that contained a drawing of two turtles. They were somehow related to a book...but I don't remember which book because I was too busy figuring out how many raffle tickets I needed to buy.<br /><br />You see, I wanted those turtle necklaces. I needed those turtle necklaces. My life was going to be incomplete unless I got those turtle necklaces. <em>My precious turtle necklaces</em>. It was like <a href="http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/10/god-of-cake.html">this</a>, except with turtles instead of cake. So in the end, after crossing my fingers, and rubbing my lucky rabbit's foot (still attached to the rabbit...cruelty free!), and buying 20 raffle tickets, I did indeed win them. Woohoo, my lucky streak continues!<br /><br />With signed books, and turtles, in tow, it was time to head home. Our usual route would take us through the fine state of Delaware. Delaware, which is kind of close to the ocean, and which was currently getting pounded by a hurricane. We didn't want to go to Delaware that day. After checking the weather reports and Doppler radar, we told the GPS to take us another route, away from Delaware and further inland. The *$@%#$ GPS, apparently in collusion with the hurricane, kept trying to take us to Delaware anyways and actually managed to lure us to the state for about two minutes before we turned around. Luckily, Aine has a great sense of direction and figured out the GPS' sneaky, hurricane-lovin' ways.<br /><br />After beating the GPS into submission, we got home without incident. It was rainy, sometimes very rainy, but there was hardly any wind. If we had been living under a rock, not paying attention to the news, we'd have thought it was just a regular rainy day.<br /><br />Next Up: My Crazy-Girl-Braved-a-Hurricane-for-Books Contest begins with a giveaway of <em>Witch Eyes</em>.Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11886151771194369513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2088483294429546691.post-11000421179950826532011-09-07T12:59:00.000-07:002011-09-07T21:02:35.212-07:00PAYA 2011: Rock You Like a HurricaneYeah, I went there, what ya gonna do about it?<br /><div><div></div><div><br />When <a href="http://bringya2pa.wordpress.com/">PAYA's</a> organizer, Skyanne, first asked me if I was coming to this year's festival, I think I told her, "I'll be there, barring a natural disaster." You know, natural disasters, like earthquakes and hurricanes. That happen in places like California and Florida. Not Pennsylvania. Because when was the last time you heard the word "natural disaster" and "Pennsylvania" together in a sentence? In PA, a natural disaster is a herd of deer eating your prized petunias.<br /></div><br /><div>So, there was this:</div><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_i5VoI2lcew/TmfnlyvhH5I/AAAAAAAAAP0/man-91vb6_I/s1600/151489-hurricane-irene.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5649738894021828498" style="width: 320px; height: 235px;" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_i5VoI2lcew/TmfnlyvhH5I/AAAAAAAAAP0/man-91vb6_I/s320/151489-hurricane-irene.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I do not remember Skyanne inviting some chick named Irene to <a href="http://bringya2pa.wordpress.com/">PAYA</a>, but there she was, in all her soggy, stormy glory, wanting a copy of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Witch-Eyes-Scott-Tracey/dp/0738725951/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1315454120&sr=8-1">Witch Eyes</a> before it was out in stores. <br /><p></p>So my best bud <a href="http://ainesrealm.blogspot.com/">Aine</a> and I were like this:<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-d_3XnRAbsXI/TmgtaUNEUyI/AAAAAAAAAQE/CC0MMDcqakE/s1600/Indecisivecat.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 262px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-d_3XnRAbsXI/TmgtaUNEUyI/AAAAAAAAAQE/CC0MMDcqakE/s320/Indecisivecat.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5649815662659654434" border="0" /></a><br /><br />To go or not to go? Stay at home or risk a hurricane? Heck yeah, we braved the wrath of Mother Nature for books. Is your signing in the crater of an active volcano? In the middle of a blizzard on K2? We're there. <br /><br />False bravado aside, I don't mess with storms. I've been through 4-5 hurricanes in my life (all Category 2 or less) and I know how dangerous they can be. Aine and I didn't make a final decision on whether or not to go until the morning of the festival. We checked the weather forecasts, carefully reviewed our travel routes, and came up with a couple of back-up plans in case the storm picked up strength faster than predicted. Thanks to Aine's iPad, we were able to transform her car into a mobile weather center. While she drove, I followed the track of the hurricane on the Doppler radar and via a variety of weather sites. We always had a good sense of where the storm was and what it was up to. <br /><br />It's about a 3-hour trip to West Chester, PA, where PAYA was being held. With many thanks to the Weather Gods, we got there pretty much on time, and with hardly a single drop of rain. Of course we knew the trip back would be the tough part. <br /> <br />PS-I'd like to note that this year, I woke up before Aine. Woohoo! Carlton dance!<br /><br />Next: The PAYA Saga continues with Part 2: The Turtle Is Mine.<br /><p></p><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div></div>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11886151771194369513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2088483294429546691.post-82062504634734531592011-08-09T12:10:00.000-07:002011-08-09T14:40:37.254-07:00It’s Back….PAYA 2011
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<br />No, not the fruit.
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<br /><div><a href="http://bringya2pa.wordpress.com/">Bring YA to PA</a>, dedicated to spreading the YA love and supporting Pennsylvania’s libraries, is back with its second annual festival, August 27 in West Chester, PA.
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<br />You should go.
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<br />No, really. I went last year and had a blast. This year, seventeen amazing authors (with possibly more to be announced), including <a href="http://www.harperteen.com/author/microsite/about.aspx?authorid=37313">Leah Clifford</a>, <a href="http://www.jerismithready.com/">Jeri Smith-Ready</a>, and <a href="http://thedustof100dogs.com/">A.S. King</a>, will be signing books, chatting with readers, and just generally being awesome.
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<br />On top of that, there’ll be a bake sale, a raffle, and a <a href="http://bringya2pa.wordpress.com/writing-workshop/">writer’s workshop</a>.
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<br />You should go to the writer’s workshop.
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<br />I’ll be at the writer's workshop.
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<br /><div>I don't want to be the only one there. Then I'd be lonely.</div>
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<br />Wait, wait! Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you off.
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<br />But really, if you have a WIP, you should go. It's $40 if you sign up before August 10, $50 afterwards, and you get to have your opening pages critiqued by either Jeri Smith-Ready, <a href="http://kerimikulski.com/">Keri Mikulski</a>, <a href="http://www.highspiritsbook.com/">Dianne Salerni</a>, <a href="http://ellenjensenabbott.wordpress.com/">Ellen Jensen Abbott</a>, <a href="http://www.llewellyn.com/author.php?author_id=5092">Charlotte Bennardo</a>, or <a href="http://sarahdarerlittman.com/">Sarah Darer Littman</a>. </div>
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<br /><div>I went last year and it was so incredibly helpful. You can read about my misadventures <a href="http://survivingwritingabook.blogspot.com/2010/08/road-to-paya.html">here</a>, <a href="http://survivingwritingabook.blogspot.com/2010/08/paya-chronicles-alligator-duck-stalks.html">here</a>, and <a href="http://survivingwritingabook.blogspot.com/2010/08/paya-chronicles-and-then-it-hit-me.html">here</a>. The plan is to actually bring back the opening pages for the manuscript I brought last year, <em>Knights of Avalon</em>, and have the new and improved pages critiqued again.
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<br />If you can't make it, (but really, you should go), I'll get some books signed at PAYA and will be giving them away on the blog. So if there's a particular book you're interested in, let me know. I love to giveaway stuff and I definitely take requests. </div>
<br />Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11886151771194369513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2088483294429546691.post-91544187782414863502011-07-27T20:09:00.000-07:002011-07-27T20:53:26.003-07:00My Happy PlaceI have a few, and thought I'd slowly share them one by one. These are all places I've been lucky enough to have actually visited. When I get stressed, I picture myself sitting in one of these spots and suddenly, the world is a lot better place.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Happy Place #1</span><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MpDUyMA1KKg/TjDZq0E4rLI/AAAAAAAAAPU/Ayzftybyrg4/s1600/Sunflowers071711.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 431px; height: 288px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MpDUyMA1KKg/TjDZq0E4rLI/AAAAAAAAAPU/Ayzftybyrg4/s400/Sunflowers071711.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5634242463397358770" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Quick! Somebody get Vincent Van Gogh! <br /><br />I didn't have to go far to find this happy place. It's about 20 minutes from my house. A bit out of the way, to find the Sunflower Field, just drive down to the end of one road, turn left, then turn right at the grocery store. Stay on the road until you see the old schoolhouse on your left. About a 1/4 mile after that, there's a dirt and gravel parking lot of sorts. You can't see the sunflowers from the road, but you'll know you've found the place when you're suddenly surrounded by professional photographers. <br /><br />The sunflowers are at their peak July 15-July 20, but in my mind, they're always in bloom. Plus, when I meditate, it's not nearly as hot and there are a lot less bugs!<br /><br />So tell me about your Happy Place.Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11886151771194369513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2088483294429546691.post-8566850088985959302011-07-13T16:35:00.000-07:002011-07-13T17:05:31.669-07:00Contest AlertYet another great contest from <a href="http://yatopia.blogspot.com/2011/07/agent-contest-with-vickie-motter.html">YAtopia</a>, this time it's the chance to pitch your YA or Adult UF/Paranormal mss to Vickie Motter of <a href="http://www.andreahurst.com/literary-management/about/vickie-motter/">Andrea Hurst & Associates Literary Management</a>. Here's the thing though: The contest is limited to 50 entries, has only been going on for 1 day, and is already filling up quick, so if you want to enter, do it now! Hurry! Time is of the essence. Pretend the world is ending if you must.<br /><br />I'll definitely be entering. According to the rules, your manuscript must be completed. Well, mine is completed and quite polished, but is going through yet another round of edits (you lose count of what round you're on after a while). I'm so close to being done though, hopefully this will push me to hunker down and finally finish up. I'll let everyone know how it goes. And until then...if you have a YA or UF mss, enter the <a href="http://yatopia.blogspot.com/2011/07/agent-contest-with-vickie-motter.html">contest</a>!Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11886151771194369513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2088483294429546691.post-2781422230241689872011-06-23T18:32:00.000-07:002011-06-23T20:38:37.692-07:00And Now for a ConfessionPeople of the Internets, I have a confession to make.<br /><br />First off, that swarm of bees in New York City?<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DXndJAqV5s4/TgP9SqRoyyI/AAAAAAAAAO0/KA6hBBiXe58/s1600/NYC_Bee_Swarm.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 258px; height: 193px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DXndJAqV5s4/TgP9SqRoyyI/AAAAAAAAAO0/KA6hBBiXe58/s320/NYC_Bee_Swarm.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621615256916249378" border="0" /></a><br /><br />My bad. A word of advice to anyone trying to genetically engineer a swarm of super-intelligent attack bees to take over the world: CLOSE THE DOOR BEHIND YOU. When I walked into my underground lair the next day, all I was left with was a note, in teeny tiny print, telling me the hive had decided to check out a show on Broadway and then hit the <a href="http://www.magnoliabakery.com/home.php">Magnolia Bakery</a> afterward for some Red Velvet cupcakes. So now I have to start from scratch and get another grant from <a href="http://www.darpa.mil/">DARPA</a>.<br /><br />Second, as you most likely are aware, there have been several articles of late criticizing YA for being too dark, or not serious enough, or for having cooties. Articles like <a href="http://www.slate.com/id/2296056/">this</a>, and <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303657404576357622592697038.html?KEYWORDS=MEGHAN+COX+GURDON">this</a>. Here's my confession, and it's a big one...These articles were written by me. Yes, I freely admit it! I even went so far as to hire several extras from Glee to go out into public and claim they wrote the pieces to throw people off the trail.<br /><br />Just like the great Coosawhatchie hoax of May '11*, I never thought the deception would go so far, and I'm deeply sorry for upsetting Twitter. I thought it was obvious that these articles were nothing but a scam. I mean, you all should've known something was up when I said I walked into a bookstore and couldn't find any lighthearted YA! And I can't believe that whole thing about only needing to write 2-3 drafts for a YA book didn't tip somebody off. Finally, the aliases I chose to write under were a clever anagram. If you take each of the authors' names and rearrange the letters, you get, "Sparkle Vampires Rulz, Slutty Werewolves Drulz. Edward xoxo." I really hope someone caught that. I thought that was especially clever of me.<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gluJ03Z9cAA/TgQCGqXqLSI/AAAAAAAAAO8/RaJK7cQrqA4/s1600/SparkleVampires.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 281px; height: 260px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gluJ03Z9cAA/TgQCGqXqLSI/AAAAAAAAAO8/RaJK7cQrqA4/s320/SparkleVampires.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621620548341214498" border="0" /></a><br /><br />You may be asking yourself, Coosawhaaaa? You may also be asking yourself, why would I perpetrate such a hoax? And here, my dear readers, I must admit to being wholly selfish, for I wanted to keep the awesome to myself. You heard me! YA may be awesome, but it's also a limited resource, and just like Strawberry Pocky and bubble wrap, there's only so much of it to go around. Imagine a world (it'd be a dystopian world) where you walk into a bookstore, and they're all out of Maggie Stiefvater's <span style="font-style: italic;">Forever</span>. Or you try to download Veronica Roth's <span style="font-style: italic;">Divergent </span>onto your Kindle and the...um..Internet tubes are all clogged because... er, everybody wanted to download it... at once. Anyways, like Gandalf before the Balrog, I was determined not to let this pass! So I tried to scare people away from YA. Hey, it worked on Scooby Doo. <br /> <br />To sum up, I'm really, really sorry. On a scale from 1-10, with 1 being 'Oops, I'm sorry I accidentally stole your Belgian chocolate' and 10 being, 'I'm so sorry I took you to the re-make of The Wicker Man,' I'd be a 12. In the future, I promise to limit my hoaxes to South Carolina Sasquatch and urban legends involving the Washington DC Metro. <br /><br />*Because it can't be said enough: To my knowledge, there are no Bigfoots in South Carolina and if there are, the locals do not call them 'Coosawhatchie.'Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11886151771194369513noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2088483294429546691.post-65168517191553653742011-05-31T11:51:00.001-07:002011-05-31T14:41:52.940-07:00Contest AlertLooking for a critique? Looking for an agent? Looking for a critique from an agent? Then do I have the contest for you.<br /><br />Author <a href="http://shelleywatters.blogspot.com/">Shelley Watters</a> is hosting a <a href="http://shelleywatters.blogspot.com/2011/05/made-of-awesome-contest-official-entry.html">Made of Awesome first page contest </a>on her blog, judged by the completely bad-ass Judith Engracia of <a href="http://www.lizadawsonassociates.com/">Liza Dawson Associates</a>. I don't usually use that term, but Judith has a Siberian Husky named Grendel, does martial arts, and graduated summa cum laude from Fordham University with a B.A. in English and History. Oh yeah, and she did it on a full presidential scholarship. I mean, it's not every day you read a literary agent's bio and ask yourself, "If my MC Justine and this literary agent got in a fight, who would win?" Let's see, both Justine and Judith have martial arts training, but Justine does happen to wield Excalibur. Judith probably doesn't have a magic sword. Then again, Justine doesn't have a Siberian Husky named Grendel, who quite possibly has magical powers, and who may or may not transform into a fierce fighting companion the way Battlecat did in He-Man. So let's call it a draw.<br /><br />Anyways, the point is: Awesome contest, ends today, May 31, so enter now. First-place winner will win a 10-page critique and the way these contests usually work, Judith may ask to look at the runner-ups' work as well. So, you know, enter! Now!Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11886151771194369513noreply@blogger.com1