Gone But Not Forgotten BLOGFEST!!

So. Another day, another blogfest. Trust me, this is one of those blogfests I could NOT miss. Why? Well, it's about one of my fave things ever: TV.

Folks, I give you the GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN BLOGFEST!! It's hosted by the awesome team of Erinn, Pam, Quita, Alicia and Holly. 

What: I must post my top 5 shows that are no longer airing new episodes. 

As Ryan Seacrest would say, "Dim the lights! Here we go!"

5)

HI-larious actors. Sharp, witty writing. Six unlikely best friends/neighbors. I'm sold. 

I actually started watching this show at an age in which I had to ask my mother what certain *ahem* words meant. Best WTF face ever.

4)

Okay. Dialogue? Unrealistically sophisticated. Drama? Too... dramatic.

But JOSHUA. JACKSON.

And the acting. And the character arcs. And the humor. Best rollercoaster ever.



3)

America Ferrera is a gift from the acting gods. She's so talented, I'd watch her monologue the bejeezus out of a laundry list. 

This show flaunted her sense of humor and dramatic chops in the perfect balance. 

And the clothes!! Me likes purrrty clothes... 

I do regret Betty and her soulmate boss stayed in the platonic stage, but still. Awesome show.

2)

If you know *anything* about me, you saw this coming ten miles away. 

I discovered this amazeballs show three years after its cancellation, but OMFG I love it. 

Just. Plain. Love.

1)

First TV show I became obsessed with. Ever. Nuff said.

Oh, and Sarah Michelle Gellar is awesome.

Oh, and David Boreanaz is hot.

OH, AND SPIKE!!!! *fist pump*

So there you have it. My Top 5 Obsessions I Can't Breathe Without Fave Shows Off The Air.

Can't wait to read the other entries!! *rushes off to check 'em out*

Thanks to Erinn, Pam, Quita, Holly, and Alicia for hosting this super awesome blogfest!

P.S. I cannot believe I quoted Ryan Seacrest on my blog... O_O

It's Here!!! Fake Boyfriend/Girlfriend BLOGFEST!!

Yesterday's blogfest was a blast! Thanks to everyone who was INCREDIBLY KIND to me!! *hugs*

Today I'm keeping up with the Valentine's festivities by proclaiming my love in the Fake Boyfriend/Girlfriend Blogfest! 

Original here

Le rules: Choose between an author crush and a celebrity crush, then write them a love letter on your blog. It can be from your POV, or the POV of the main character in your WIP.

Le love letter:


Dear Stephanie Perkins,

You complete me.

For reals.

When you wrote this book...

...I know you weren't specifically thinking of me. You didn't know I'd been to Paris at sixteen and felt everything Anna feels in your story. Well, sans that crush for a hot guy... *whimpers*

You didn't know I'd planned that trip to Europe for a whole year with my friends, or that the night before we were supposed to leave, the trip's coordinator pulled the plug. 9/11 had been a year and a half earlier. The war in Iraq had just started. People were scared of flying. We weren't going to Paris.

Except that I did. I left my friends behind with their scared parents and got on that plane. With my dad. Who is n-o-t-h-i-n-g like Anna's dad. He hates reading my mom's Post-It notes. Writing them would probably give him cooties. 

I didn't die on that plane. But I did die when I stood in front of Notre Dame. I died again when I read how Anna experiences it, what goes through her mind, how St. Clair shares his infinite knowledge with her (and flirts like crazy). It was like being there all over again.

Stephanie, my dear fake girlfriend, I want to thank you. For being searingly honest about change, love, and how we all find something special when we least expect it. For making Anna as confused as I was back then, and for making her as brave as I want to be. In case I haven't made myself clear, I love your book and gorgeous writing.

And your hair.

Forever your fan,

Me

*fist pump*

So. Since this is my blogfest and I made the rules, I can break them! *evil grin* 

Dearest Jensen Ackles,

I. Want. You. Too.

*sigh*

Thanks to everyone who's participating on my VERY FIRST blogfest!!! Can't wait to read your entries!!! You can check them out on the Linky below!

Happy Post Valentine's Day :D

Just Kiss Already BLOGFEST!

Happy Valentine's Day!!

Today I'm celebrating the day of wuv with... what else?

A BLOGFEST!!

Not just any blogfest, though. I'm part of Christina and Stina's JUST KISS ALREADY BLOGFEST! Woot!

Le rules: Post an excerpt from your work (or another author) no more than 250 words in length. It must include a makeout scene. *fist pump*

Le setup: This scene is from my YA horror, which is STILL in first draft mode. Leila, my main character, is eating an ice cream at a hospital cafeteria (don't ask...). Mike, her crush of a bazillion years (and her BFF's big brother), is with her. He's listening to her vent about a huge problem she's facing, and after seeing her look so defeated, he asks her to dance. Even though there's no music. And Leila hates dancing. 

Le scene:

“So? Did you ever want to dance with me?” asked Mike.

You can picture the most important moments of your life before they happen. You can build an image of the setting, the words exchanged, and the best outcome possible. But when the moment arrives, you realize your image could never compete with the real deal.

That’s what opening up to Mike felt like.

“Always.” As soon as it was out, the world’s weight lifted off my shoulders. Sixteen years of secrets… of broken hearts and broken bones… healed in one second.

“And would you like to dance with only me from now on?” asked Mike, then licked those thin lips I craved.

I froze. “Are you… asking me to… be your girlfriend?”

He nodded.

Once again, my image of this moment failed to be as precious--as perfect--as the real deal. I didn’t say anything. Words didn’t carry the same weight as actions.

I stood on my tiptoes, pushing myself up as his thin lips made their way down.

Darkness consumed me as I shut the world from view. The smell of spring rain, the way the sky folds in on itself at dawn, a baby’s laugh--none of those things held a candle to Mike’s kiss. The more his mouth stayed on mine, the more blood pumped down arteries I never knew I had. His skin, brimming with warmth and comfort, made me hate Constantine even more.

This was supposed to be my first kiss. These were the lips I was supposed to savor, tracing every inch of them with my own, for the rest of my life. His touch, so hungry yet careful as he pulled me closer, was the only way a guy should’ve ever laid hands on me.

I never thought kissing and dancing with no music inside a hospital cafeteria could be so amazing.

Leila…

The kiss went on, just as I wanted it to, but that voice…

It wasn’t Mike’s.

There you go!! Thanks to Christina and Stina for holding this super awesome blogfest! 

Now I'm off to read the other entries...

Quick reminder: Be sure to come back tomorrow and check out my FAKE BOYFRIEND/GIRLFRIEND BLOGFEST!! You can sign up here. Hope to see you tomorrow!!

Fess Up Friday: Romance In YA

So. Valentine's Day is right around the corner, and I figured I'd share some lovey-dovey YA books I wuv.

I mean... love... *slaps baby self*

Trust me, this list is NOT COMPLETE. I am a sucker for all things wuv *cough* love, so yeah. There are tons more. But here's the CliffNotes version of romance-heavy YA books I wuv *cough* love (in no particular order, of course!):

Now fess up: what are your favorite romance-heavy YA books???

Oh, and quick reminder: my Fake Boyfriend/Girlfriend Blogfest goes live February 15th!! You can sign up here. See you there!!

Fake Boyfriend/Girlfriend BLOGFEST!!

So. Valentine's Day is upon us. Awesome, right?

*shrugs*

Maybe. Maybe not. 

You see, some of you have your One and Only. Some of you don't. That's why I've chosen to let both teams celebrate with my very first blogfest. *fist pump*

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you... 

The Fake Boyfriend/Girlfriend Blogfest!!! 

Original here

What: Let's face it--we all get crushes. *nods* Doesn't matter if you're married or not. It happens. My goal with the Fake Boyfriend/Girlfriend Blogfest is simple. All you have to do is choose between: 

a) An author crush 

(someone whose works you admire so much you'd make out with the pages!)

or

b) A celebrity crush 

(TV. Movies. Sports. Doesn't matter, as long as they're famous and (sadly) out of reach). 

and write him/her a love letter on your blog. It can be from your POV, or from the main character of your manuscript's--totally up to you.

When: Since the 14th of February is reserved for your real One and Only, I figured the 15th would be perfect for your Fake Boyfriend/Girlfriend! That way, your real One and Only won't feel abandoned or anything. Plenty of love to spread around, right? ;)

Wanna gush about your Fake Other One? Sign up on the linky below!! 

Oh, and don't worry about having to comment on other participants' posts. Like Christina and Stina, I won't make you do that. Just post your love letter and you're done! 

So February 15th is Official Fake Boyfriend/Girlfriend Day. 

See you there!!

New Creation BLOGFEST!!

I know what you're thinking. "Another blogfest, Amparo? Really?"

BUT when I found out about Summer Ross's NEW CREATION BLOGFEST, I had to sign up :D

The what: Post your favorite last sentence of any story you've written, then post the first line of a brand new story. 

Here's the deal: my YA paranormal romance doesn't have a last line you can understand on its own. Because I'm weird like that. So here are the four last lines:

But what came next wouldn't be entirely up to dear ol' fate. 

I'd get to choose for myself, too. 

Something I would never take for granted. 

"Right," I said, believing it for the first time in my life. 

Although I'm currently working on another project (YA contemporary), I'm not sharing that first line just yet :D Instead, I'm posting one I thought about a month ago for a possible YA historical urban fantasy (mouth. ful.):

The night I opened my eyes for the first time, a man named Adolf Hitler gave me a hug.

I so don't want to be my main character for that WIP...

Make sure you head over to Summer's blog and check out the other entries!!

And thanks for reading my randomness!

No Kiss BLOGFEST!!!!

So. Today I continue with my blogfest obsession with Frankie Diane Mallis's NO KISS BLOGFEST!! Woot!

What: post a scene from your work, or from one your fave books, movies, or TV shows. The scene must be one in which two characters are about to make out, then... 

Nothing happens.

Cruel, I know. But so. So. Awesome.

My scene: For this entry, I thought about posting something from a book I love. Something so bittersweet that broke my heart and stomped on it. But... I sort of changed my mind. Because... you know... I do that sometimes.

Anyway. My scene. It is epic, folks. In fact, one of the characters says so. 

Who the heck am I talking about?

Veronica Mars 

and 

Logan Echolls

*swoon*

Okay. Veronica and Logan, from the uber-awesome TV show Veronica Mars, are an awesome couple. At least, they were until Season 2, where Logan was accused of murdering a motorcycle gang member. Veronica was by his side through thick and thin (because she believed he was innocent... which he TOTALLY was), but Logan sort of flipped out. He started partying and plotting revenge on the people he thought had set him up. He did very immature things that Veronica disapproved of. So she dumped him. 

And on Prom Night, Logan did this:

That, folks, is a No Kiss made of epic fail. *sigh*

Please make sure you check out the other entries here, and join in on the fun! Thanks to Frankie for hosting this blogfest, as well as a shoutout to Katrina for hosting yesterday's blogfest!! 

Have a good No Kiss Day, everyone!!

New Year's Revisions Blog Party!!!

Happy New Year, peeps!!! *throws confetti*

So. My buddy Katrina is throwing a blogfest today. It's all about revisions. *shudders* 

Okay, that's a lie. I LOVE revisions. I'd take revising any day over drafting. For reals.

So here's my entry for the Revision's Blog Party!!

What I plan to revise: My current WIP, which will *hopefully* be done my mid-February. I started it in November (not for NaNo, though), and spent a lot of time outlining like a maniac. The outline still needs work, but I'm ignoring it at the moment. Focusing on the actual writing part instead :D

The process I'll go through: First, I'll finish the first draft. This one will focus on getting the events in place, making sure the character development is there, as well as my MC's voice. The second draft will be more focused on world-building and setting, but I'll also be on the lookout for plot holes. Usually, I send the finished second draft to my crit partners, and work on a third draft once I have their feedback. Then it's back to square one.

How long I expect it to take: Since my first draft will *hopefully* be done by mid-February, I plan on working on my second draft from that point till mid-March. So, basically, a month. Then it's off to crit partners. *crosses fingers and hopes they like it* Once I get their feedback, I revise with what works best for the story. That will most likely take me another month, so I think I might be able to start querying in late May. 

Easiest part: Fixing dialog/story arc/GMC (goal, motivation, conflict). It's always what others consider the hardest that I love working on (yes, I'm weird like that...). 

Hardest part: Fixing weak writing/passive voice/show vs. tell. You know, the "writerly" stuff. *shudders for real*

When I'll feel done: After five drafts, I think. The fourth will be using crit partner feedback, and the fifth will be a final read-through before querying. *fist pump*

There you have it, friends. 2011 is gonna be a busy year. 

Will you be doing any revisions soon?

Fess Up Friday: Epic Things I Learned In 2010

Since the new year is upon us, I figured I'd make a list. Because... you know... lists are cool this time of year and stuff...

So. Here's my list of Epic Things I Learned In 2010:


#1: Blogging is awesome.

#2: The people behind the blogging are awesome.

#3: Writing a book is awesome and evil at the same time.

#4: Blogging about writing a book makes people either: a) think you're awesome; or b) think you're super lame. 

#5: Critique partners are awesome.

#6: Starting a writing blog with said critique partners is awesome.

#7: Getting partial and full requests by agents is awesome.

#8: Getting super kind, personalized rejections by agents is awesome.

#9: Getting into grad school is awesome. It's the staying there and working hard that sucks.

#10: Finally finding myself is by far the most awesome thing that's ever happened to me.



There you have it, folks. 2010 was... oh, what's the word?

Awesome.

2011, don't let me down. :D


And to make sure 2011 kicks off the right way, I've signed up for TWO awesome blogfests. They are:

1) Katrina's New Year's Revisions Blog Party on January 1st

and

2) Frankie Diane Mallis's No Kiss Blogfest on January 2nd

See you there!


And Happy New Year, everyone!!

All About Hype... and a Blogfest!!

Two links for ya'll today :D

First up, I'm blogging over @ Operation Awesome. My topic? Book hype. Fun times.

Now for some exciting news--the super funny Frankie Diane Mallis is having a blogfest!!! Woot! 

It's called the No Kiss Blogfest, and it's all about almost-kisses. *swoon* If you choose to sign up (and I sooo hope you will!), you can feature any couple from books, TV, movies, or your very own WIP. As long as it's two characters about to make out... then foiled in their attempt. *le sigh*

Get ready for the No Kiss Blogfest on Januray 2nd, and sign up here.

Now spill: how did you spend the weekend? Read any good books? Saw any good movies??

The Great Blogging Experiment: Creating Compelling Characters

Yep, it's another blogfest entry, folks. Today I join the Trifecta of Awesome that is Elana Johnson, Alex J. Cavanaugh, and Jen Daiker for their Great Blogging Experiment. 

The topic? Creating compelling characters.

There are three things that make a character unforgettable to me. I like to call them the three C's:

1) Their channeling. Voice--we've all heard about it. We've all suffered through the terror of not creating a believable, authentic teen voice. To me, it's not so much that a character's voice has to be believable or authentic in terms of how teens really speak nowadays. It's all about how your main character channels the world around them to your reader. And the best way to create a compelling channeling experience is to see that world from an unusual point of view. 

When I say unusual, I don't mean weird. I mean saying 'it looked like a dog barfed on the stupid thing' instead of saying 'it looked terrible'. Anyone can say something looks terrible. But how does your character say it? How does he/she see what surrounds them? If a character can make me envision setting/action/emotions in a way I never expected to, I'm sold. They stay with me long after I finish their story.

2)  Their choices. Sure, motivation is super important. They're what makes a character move forward in the story. But let's say we have two different books with two different main characters. Character A is shy and insecure, while Character B is outgoing and cocky. They both have the same motivation--to get the girl before senior year is done. That's not what makes them who they are, though. It's what they do to get the girl that matters. It's how they face the seemingly impossible obstacles in their way that makes them jump off the page. Remember that awesome quote from Dumbledore in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets? "It is not our abilities that define us. It is our choices." Yep. The old timer nailed it.

3) Their change. Character development is often sacrificed for other things in books. This. Cannot. Happen. Seriously, who wants to stick around with a person who never learns from their mistakes? Who brushes off the hardships thrown at them by life without getting derailed? Not only is this annoying to most readers, it's also reflective of poor writing skills on the author's part. Trust me--you don't want people hating on you because of poor writing skills! 

Let's go back to Characters A and B for a moment. Character A, the shy and insecure dude, starts off in a really sucky place emotionally. As the story progresses, so does he. It can be offering his crush a lopsided grin first, then a full-blown smile, until he finally plucks up the courage to talk to her. How he does that is totally up to the writer, but the end result (the change) has to be there. Same goes for Character B, and for any other character in any other book. 

Static is boring. Change rocks. Remember that. 

Now go write some awesome fake people ;)

Top 10 TV Shows Blogfest!!!!

I am super excited to be a part of Alex J. Cavanaugh’s Top 10 TV Shows Blogfest!! Woot!

Okay. TV. I freakin’ l-o-v-e the thing. And I have ten reasons why.

I’ve decided to divide the shows into two groups of five. Group One is called No Longer Alive. Group Two is called Still Kicking.

Here is Group No Longer Alive:

10) Dawson’s Creek

Teen angst at its finest. And Joshua Jackson. *sigh*

9) Friends

This was the first sitcom that actually made me laugh. Out loud. More than once. A real winner in my eyes.

8) Heroes (Season One)

Great premise, cast and special effects. Then came Season Two. It was okay, but not as great as before. I will forever miss the awesomeness of the beginning.

7) Buffy The Vampire Slayer

Do I really have to explain myself here?

6) Veronica Mars

Confession: I did not watch this show while it was on air. I am watching it now, and hating myself for waiting three years to discover this gem.

Now I give you Group Still Kicking:

5) Bones

Doctors give me the creeps. Anthropologists working with the FBI? Now that’s my kind of show. Plus, it’s hilarious. Who knew people who mess with corpses were hilarious?

4) Fringe

Sci-Fi at its finest. An amazing female protagonist who kicks more ass than I thought possible. And Joshua Jackson. *sigh again*

3) Gossip Girl

First word: gossip. Me likes it. And those love/hate relationships? Sold.

2) Smallville

Superman as a teen, then as a sort-of man trying to balance his secret identity with the real world. And he is sometimes shirtless. Count. Me. In.

1) Supernatural

In the words of Alicia Silverstone in Clueless: “Duh.”

*Bonus show: The Vampire Diaries

‘Cause I just can’t stick to rules :)