Once More With DRAGONS: My YA Book Deal Announcement Is Out!

There you have it, folks. BLAZEWRATH, also known as The Book Of My Dreams, will be published in Fall 2020.

I can’t believe I wrote that sentence.

This book has been haunting me since 2014. It took me two years to figure out the story it really was, and to find the courage to write it. No other book had intimidated me quite like this one. I figured I was too terrible of a writer to actually try drafting it. When I finally started it in December 2016, it was a slow and painful process made even more so after Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico in September 2017. That first draft took a backseat while I dealt with the lack of power, water, and the will to do anything productive. Hands down, it was the worst period of my life.

I hope to write more about how BLAZEWRATH came to be a completed manuscript, and how it’s going to be a real book next year. For now, I just wanted to share my excitement over a project that’s challenged me and fulfilled me the most out of anything I’ve written. This wild ride started three years ago.

I can’t wait to see where it takes me next.

New Website!

So I have a website.

You can check it out here.

I'll still keep this blog around, but I'll be putting up more content on the new site more often. *pets new site* *blows kisses*

Happy Friday!

The Synopsis Post. Or, A Collection Of Posts On Writing A Synopsis That Are My New BFFs.

So. The synopsis. 

*cracks knuckles* 

I've written synopses before, but they still intimidate me. Not as much as they used to, I'll admit. They just take me a while to get right. Aaaaaaa whiiiiileeeeeeee. I'd rather write a gazillion query letters than one synopsis. #fact

The very first time I had to write a synopsis, I scoured the interwebz for advice/moral support/pizza. I found plenty of great resources. There's even more of them now. Seeing as I'm not the only one freaking out over Death By Synopsis, I figured I'd collect my favorite posts on how to write a banging one. I hope they guide you into the mystical land of Ninja Synopsis Writerdom. Word on the street is they have chocolate cake. *packs everything*

Here's my list of faves:

 

 The Sum of the Parts: Writing a Synopsis by author Janice Hardy

Writing a Synopsis from the Ground Up by Dee-ann Latona Leblanc

In Short: Writing a Novel Synopsis That Rocks by H.L. Dyer on the QueryTracker blog

6 Steps For Writing A Book Synopsis by author Marissa Meyer

How To Write A 1-Page Synopsis by author Susan Dennard

Hope these help!! :)

Why It's Okay To Want (And Some Laini Taylor Gushing)

So. Laini Taylor. Lots of people have been telling me--no, no, INSISTING--that I read her books. All of them. Immediately. 

Well. This week, I finished her short story anthology, LIPS TOUCH: THREE TIMES. Holy amazeballs, Batman. Holy. Amazeballs.

First off, there's the (glorious) cover.

The eyes! The flames! THE LIPSTICK THAT MATCHES THE FLAMES!

Then there are the actual stories.

Goblin Fruit
In Victorian times, goblin men had only to offer young girls sumptuous fruits to tempt them to sell their souls. But what does it take to tempt today's savvy girls?

Spicy Little Curses
A demon and the ambassador to Hell tussle over the soul of a beautiful English girl in India. Matters become complicated when she falls in love and decides to test her curse.

Hatchling
Six days before Esme's fourteenth birthday, her left eye turns from brown to blue. She little suspects what the change heralds, but her small safe life begins to unravel at once. What does the beautiful, fanged man want with her, and how is her fate connected to a mysterious race of demons?

Awesome, no? Well, I enjoyed all three stories, but my absolute FAVE was "Goblin Fruit." Like the talented Laini Taylor, I'm quite fond of Christina Rossetti's "Goblin Market." I even chose to study it for my comprehensive exams in my M.A. program. Everything about "Goblin Fruit" rocked my world: the mythology, the dynamic between main character Kizzy and her friends, her BADASS grandma, the tempting suitor.

Which is why I've decided to highlight something particularly awesome about this story.

You see, there's a paragraph on page 41 that knocked me sideways with its brilliance. It deals with the many, many things Kizzy daydreams of having and doing. The paragraph is immediately followed by a single sentence:

I couldn't help but stop reading to stare at the wall in front of me. Not only was the writing gorgeous, it was also speaking of true things. Of things we can all relate to, whether or not we've been seduced by a goblin disguised as a pretty face. Publishing offers aspiring authors many things. But before we can attain any of them, we're left with the insatiable yearning. Some people advise against thinking of landing film deals and hitting the NYT Bestseller List and touring the world and having monuments built in your name. I say there's nothing wrong with wanting. It's okay to want.

The problem comes when we turn a blind eye to what's within our reach--writing--and only see what we would love to have. Or even worse, when we only see how others obtained what we want first. This helps no one. You should want as many things as you can, but you must fight for them. And even if you fight for the things you want, that doesn't guarantee you'll get them. That's why you should always put writing first. Regardless of what happens, you'll have put in the work toward your dreams instead of just dreaming all the time. You tried. Others might not make it past the first page, but you will. You want. That's the first step to having and doing.

Now go out there and write, folks.

Also, if you haven't already, please devour Laini Taylor's LIPS TOUCH: THREE TIMES. I insist.

Writing Blog Hop! Or, In Which I Talk About My WIP(s)

So. My friend Kell Andrews tagged me for this writing blog hop that's been going around. Thank you, Kell!!

Now. Here's a little about her:

We first met as members of the Operation Awesome critique group. Later on, we became CPs and co-bloggers! Kell writes nonfiction for adults and fiction for children. A little bit of "magic" helps with both. DEADWOOD, her middle-grade contemporary fantasy comes out from Spencer Hill Middle Grade in June 2014! (YOU SHOULD READ IT!).

Growing up, she spent a lot of time reading, writing, drawing, and looking for treasure in the woods and on the beach. She still does. Kell holds a humanities degree from Johns Hopkins University and a master of liberal arts degree from the University of Pennsylvania. A lifelong Philadelphian, she lives with her husband and two daughters in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania, right next to a park a lot like the one in Deadwood. Kell is represented by Kathleen Rushall of Marsal Lyon Literary Agency.

You can find Kell  at kellandrews.com, on Twitter, Tumblr, and the Operation Awesome blog.

Okay. Let's answer some questions!!

*cracks knuckles*

1.  What am I working on?

Two things. I'm currently trying to write a synopsis for my WIP, which is a YA high fantasy I've previously written about. To sum it up, the story follows a seventeen-year-old girl who rebels against a magic-wielding tyrant bent on conquering her homeland. You know. Happy-go-lucky stuff. :) Synopses are not my friends, let me tell you. BUT I do love my manuscript and my main character and everything else, so I'm keeping the faith. I think.

The other thing I'm "working on" (as in, brainstorming a lot) is my next WIP, which is yet another fantasy, but set in contemporary times. It involves a girl and a boy and the magic keeping them apart. That's all I can share for now. :) I've been having WAY too much fun brainstorming this one. It must be a keeper. *crosses fingers*

2.  How does my work differ from others of this genre?

My main character is a POC, which doesn't usually take center stage in YA high fantasy. The manuscript features a large cast of mostly female characters with different hopes and dreams and they get along. Sometimes. :) Also, my manuscript deals with identity through gender, race, politics, religion, blood ties, and romantic love in ways that I *hope* are complex and layered. Of course other novels do this in better ways, but I think my little story has something to add in those departments.

3.  Why do I write what I do?

I write two kinds of books: books of my heart and books of my dreams. The former are stories that resonate with me because they're about a personal truth. The latter are stories that resonate with me because they're about someone else's personal truth that I wish to see on bookshelves. They're stories I'm dying to read, but haven't been written yet. So I write them. I have no power over when and where and how these stories come to me, though. They just do.

4.  How does my writing process work?

Depends on the book. Sometimes I can sit down and write and write and write. This is super rare, though. Most of the time? I sit down to write, listen to music, then write a page or less. I get up, away from the computer for about an hour or two, then come back to write some more. Rinse and repeat throughout the day.  

That's it from me, folks! A huge thank you to Kell for tagging me! :) Now. Let me keep this chain going by tagging two more writers:

Natasha Heck is one of the Iron Keys, which is my critique group! I'm tagging her because she writes beautiful stories that make me want to punch myself for not being as talented/evocative/lyrical/imaginative as she is. *sigh* Natasha is  a native North Dakotan. She attended Minnesota State University Moorhead and graduated with a degree in English emphasis Creative Writing. She has touched Stonehenge, climbed the Glastonbury Tor, walked the Philosopher's Path, and kissed her true love on the Eiffel Tower. She's a fangirl, Jedi Knight, and Gryffindor whose love of unicorns led her to live in the land of geekdom and sunshine (San Diego, California) with her programmer husband Joey and their two kitties, Topher and Sophie.

Natasha is a member of two writing fabulous groups, Stone Circle and The Iron Keys. She writes a bi-weekly column for YA Interrobang. She attends various science fiction and fantasy conventions and served as a con chair for Fargo's Core Con for three years. She is currently working on her dream of writing when she's not wrangling cats.

You can find Natasha on her website, The Heroine's Domain, and on Twitter! 

Kaye M. is another member of the Iron Keys!! I bet you're sensing a pattern here. :) Anyway, I'm tagging Kaye because I also hate myself for not being as talented/evocative/lyrical/imaginative as she is. AND she loves dragons. Kaye is a self-professed twenty-something Muslim girl who reads a lot of books, drinks a lot of tea, and wears a lot of (figurative) hats.

Currently, those hats include student aiming for a future MLS, YA and MG book blogger, staff writer for online YA magazine YA Interrobang, and fantabulous intern for Pooja Menon of Kimberly Cameron and Associates.

She's also the Once and Future Queen of the Iron Keys, which gives her life-long tiara rights.

When she's not reading, Kaye writes about dark worlds, high stakes and tough, wounded girls who carve out their own happily ever afters. 

You can find Kaye at her blog and on Twitter!


Stay tuned for what Natasha and Kaye have to say next Monday, June 2nd!

Happy weekend! :D

BRB Crying. Or, How ALLEGIANT By Veronica Roth Destroyed Me In The Best Way.

Some of you may know that this book has been the source of CONTROVERSY and FEELS. Not only is it the ending of a (hugely successful) trilogy, it's the ending's ending that got tongues wagging.

I managed to avoid spoilers before sitting down to read ALLEGIANT. 

I'm so thrilled I did. 

I was genuinely surprised by the ending.

I cried while reading it.

I cried after I finished the book.

And I feel a strong need to thank Veronica Roth for destroying me. 

I think this ending is going to haunt me forever, not just as a reader, but as a writer. Especially as a writer. Stories that resonate and linger and cling to my bones often have authors who do the unthinkable. In ALLEGIANT, a character tells another the following two words: "Be brave." It's a story for the story's sake, not its fans' sake. I wouldn't have it any other way. Veronica Roth's bravery, as well as that of the countless authors I admire, has taught me that I should never conform with whatever I can conjure. No. It's not enough to write. 

It's enough to write bravely.

Even if it destroys you. Even if it destroys those who trust you to pick them up and give them the happy ending they envisioned. Fiction isn't one thing. It doesn't provide the same answer over and over. Sometimes, it doesn't provide answers at all. I'm at peace with that. I think I always have been.

I'm going to try and write as bravely as I can. I hope you do the same.

NaNoWriMo: Are You Doing It?

NaNoWriMo is upon us, folks. This means some of you will spend the month of November writing about 2k words a day. 

*bows down to you* 

I wish I could participate this year, especially since I've never plunged into the NaNo waters, but I won't be able to. I'll be switching between revising my current WIP and brainstorming/plotting my next one (which I'm totes excited about). 

Someday I'll NaNo. Maybe I'll even have a quick change of heart and NaNo this year! You never know. I could end up with a finished draft of a book I was hoping to write next year. Or I could just... not write it until next year.

Oh, the possibilities...

So I'm curious: are you doing NaNo this year? Have you ever done it? If you're participating, do you have any tips/traditions you swear by? What are you going to work on? 

Tumblr What? Or, How Benedict Cumberbatch Feels About Fan Fiction

Yet another reason why I'm not revising right now.

*watches ALL the clips*

Interview: Leigh Ann Kopans, Author of ONE!!!

Today is an exciting day, folks. Why?

Because Leigh Ann Kopans.

She released her debut YA novel, ONE, on Tuesday. I've been dying to read this baby for a while, and now that it's out, I can breathe fresh air once more. *jumps up and down*

Here's le summary:

When having two powers makes you a Super and having none makes you a Normal, having only one makes you a sad half-superpowered freak.

It makes you a One.

Sixteen-year-old Merrin Grey would love to be able to fly – too bad all she can do is hover.

If she could just land an internship at the Biotech Hub, she might finally figure out how to fix herself. She busts her butt in AP Chem and salivates over the Hub’s research on the manifestation of superpowers, all in hopes of boosting her chances.

Then she meets Elias VanDyne, another One, and all her carefully crafted plans fly out the window. Literally. When the two of them touch, their Ones combine to make them fly, and when they’re not soaring over the Nebraska cornfields, they’re busy falling for each other.

Merrin's mad chemistry skills land her a spot on the Hub's internship short list, but as she gets closer to the life she always wanted, she discovers that the Hub’s purpose is more sinister than it has always seemed. Now it’s up to her to decide if it's more important to fly solo, or to save everything - and everyone - she loves.

Amazeballs, right??? So. In honor of ONE's release, I'm sharing with y'all an interview with its awesome author! Here's a little bit more about Leigh Ann:

Raised on comic books and classic novels, Leigh Ann developed an early love of science fiction and literature. After earning degrees in Sociology and Hebrew, she went on to become a rabbi at The Ohio State University. Surrounded by college students, she found her niche writing science fiction and romance for teens.

Leigh Ann, her husband, and four children live in Columbus, Ohio, which sadly lacks superheroes but does have the best football and fabulous ice cream.

And here is le interview:

1) Confession: I LOVE superheroes. Because obviously. I know you're a Marvel fan (as am I, but I can never forsake my beloved Batman), so if you could invite any superhero to dinner, be it from graphic novels or TV shows or movies, who would it be? What would you love to talk about with her/him?

I LOVE SUPERHEROES TOO!!!! Eeeeee!

So, my favorite superheroes are Jean Grey and the Wasp (which is why the main characters of ONE get their last names from them), BUT if I could have anyone over to dinner it would be Mystique, who’s a shape shifter. First of all, JLaw. (Duh.) And second of all, I’d love to talk to her about all the different people she’d been and how she was the same and different each time – how she felt, and how she was treated. And I’d like to know what it feels like, and how it affected her, to be able to change her appearance whenever, and to whatever, she wanted.

2) Speaking of superheroes, ONE is the story of Merrin, a girl who sort of has a superpower, but not really. Which came first: Merrin or the sort-of-superhero premise? Was the brainstorming process fast-paced or a slow burn?

The sort-of-superhero premise had been around for YEARS, ever since I was a little girl watching X-men cartoons on Saturday mornings.  Those shows focused on the people who had seriously awesome powers, and I wondered what it would be like for someone who had one component of a power, but not enough to make them do anything truly impressive. Especially because there was such a heavy theme of social stratification in shows like X-men, I wondered where half-superpowered people would fall, and whether they would fit in anywhere.

I actually wrote chapter 8 of the book first – the scene where Merrin and Elias discover how their Ones affect each other. The rest of the book sort of unfurled pretty quickly from there, with few snags.

3) Whether it's the ability to full-on fly or an internship at the Hub, Merrin is quite the pro at longing for things that are a bit out of reach. But even when things do start happening for her, Merrin has to deal with her wishes not being as awesomesauce as she imagined. Was there ever a time when writing ONE made you feel the same way? Did Merrin's voice prove to be different than how you originally set out to write it? 

Wow, that’s a great question! Yeah, I think all writers can identify with the feeling of struggling to make the words on the page communicate the pictures and characters in your head, right? I think especially because I had loved comics and superhero movies so much, I had this grandiose idea for the story I’d be able to tell. It turns out that ONE is just as much a romance as a story of a girl finding her superpowers, and both of those things have equal bearing on her character.

It’s funny that you asked about Merrin’s voice, because that was the element of the story that underwent the most changes in revisions. Merrin still lives in my head as this fundamentally angry, abrasive girl, which is fine – until she starts interacting with other people. My critique partners and editors helped me realize when Merrin’s personality was spilling over too much and ruining character and story arcs. She’s much tempered in the final version.

4) So. Elias VanDyne. *fans self* I love me some good romance in YA. Because obviously. What do you think makes a YA love interest swoonworthy? Which are some of your favorite YA love interests?

I think, for Young Adult love interests, selflessness and sweetness are two of the most swoonworthy things in a boy. Teen boys aren’t really that widely known for their emotional depth or focus on the intricacies of relationships, so when a boy shows that he’s listening to a girl, that he appreciates her for something other than what’s in her pants, and that he wants to be with her because  he genuinely enjoys being around her, that goes a long way. Making her feel all hot and blushy will take him the rest of the way, whether because of the way he looks, the words he says, or the things he does for her. The reader has to get the impression that there couldn’t possibly be a better boy on the whole planet for this girl – like if they’re not together, something will have gone seriously wrong in the world. (Not that that’s ever true, we just want readers to feel like that at that moment in the story.)

5) Every manuscript begs to be written in different ways. What part about writing ONE differed from your previous manuscripts? Was it harder/easier? How did ONE help you grow as a writer?

ONE was easier than the manuscript I’d written before that, my first one, because the characters were really fully formed in my mind – their motivations, their personalities, the way they looked, everything. I’m really a character-driven writer, and ONE was where I really learned that.

About halfway through the second revision of ONE, I discovered the Save the Cat beat sheet, used it for revisions, and it changed my life. Now I do a beat sheet at the beginning of every manuscript, before I even think about writing a word. From there, I make an outline. That’s right – ONE, in a way, changed me from a pantser to a plotter.

That said, I’ll never forget the magical feeling of having that first scene I wrote in ONE pour from my fingers. I’ve got to figure out a way of getting back to writing passionately, out of order, without making me feel like I’m cheating on the outline.

6) I'm a serious sucker for food. Nutella and Twizzlers rule my world. Is there anything you munch on while writing/revising? 

Coffee and chocolate while drafting, and I’m afraid I’m horrible about munchies when revising. I think that revising is such an anxiety-filled process for me, full of worry over whether I’m changing the right things in the right way, and all that staring at the screen and puzzling with idle hands makes me want to eat endlessly. These days, I’m doing that with mostly popcorn, which I tell myself is healthier than other options.

7) Are you working on other projects at the moment? If so, TELL ME EVERYTHING, WOMAN. 

Yes! I already have my February 2014 book finished, which is a YA romance. I’m in the very early stages of  a spinoff for that one, which I’m planning to publish next summer – that will be a New Adult romance, likely. I’m also in the middle of editing Chrome, which is my futuristic sci-fi retelling of the Exodus from Egypt, and I’m in the early stages of rewriting my first ever manuscript, a time travel romance, as a New Adult novel.

(I love that you were so interested. It made me blush.)

Amparo, I’ve admired you and your work for a long time. It was truly an honor to be interviewed on your blog today – thank you so much for inviting me.

Thank YOU for being so freakin' great (as both author and blogger extraordinaire) and answering my questions, Leigh Ann! *bows down* Want to get a copy of ONE?? Find it here:

Amazon Kindle
Paperback (from Amazon)
Special Edition Paperback with comics (from Amazon)
Barnes and Noble Nook
iBookstore
Signed (from Leigh Ann's site)
Createspace

Praise for One

"One balances a fully imagined, super world with deep, well-crafted characters and took me on a heart pounding, heartbreakingly authentic journey I hated to see end."

~Trisha Leigh, author of The Last Year series

“Exciting, edgy, romantic and beautifully written, ONE is a book from an incredible new writing talent that will leave you longing for more!”

     ~Emma Pass, author of Acid (Random House 2013) and the upcoming The Fearless (Random House 2014)

"I opened One and didn't put it down. On the surface it's a fast-paced superhero story combined with all the wonderful and terrible aspects of teenage life, but beneath that is the story of a girl who only wants to be more than she is. It's a fun adventure cloaking a simple but powerful truth of the human condition."

~Francesca Zappia, author of the upcoming Ask Again Later (Greenwillow/HarperCollins 2014)

Blog Chain: My Go-To Phrases And Scenes

So. I am super behind on my blog chain post, but alas! It is here!

*slaps wrist for tardiness*

Okay. Christine asks the following:

What are your "go-to" scenes or phrases? You know, the ones you have to remind yourself NOT to use too frequently? What do you do to keep yourself from being overly reliant on them?

Oh, Christine. Why must you embarrass me so? Some of my go-to words of choice depend on the manuscript's genre. For example, if the story is set in contemporary times, I'd stick with "whatever" and "just." EVERY character would end up saying one or both those words, and I'd write them outside of dialogue as well. You know. Because I'm smart like that. As for scenes, I love writing dialogue, so there's a lot of talking and reminiscing and not doing anything in all my first drafts. This is why I like to outline. I feel safer from the DIALOGUE TEMPTRESS that way. :)

With my current high fantasy WIP, the culprit has been "I stare at him(her), unblinking." My main character says this at least a billion times. It's... not pretty. This is less a plotting issue and more of a laziness issue. In the moment, it seems like I can't come up with any other way to describe shock or horror. But hey, that's what revisions are for! *hugs revisions tight*

Thanks so much to Christine for the awesome topic! Don't forget to check out what Cole and Margie had to say. :)

Do you have go-to phrases and scenes? If so, what are they? What do you do to stop them from taking over your manuscript?

Blog Chain: On Critiques And Thick Skin

It's blog chain time, folks. This round is brought to you by Alyson, who wants to know:

Have you developed thick skin as a writer? How do you handle having your work critiqued? Do you love revising? Hate it?

So. Thick skin. I totes have it. I didn't always have it, though. 2009. That's when I contacted my first (and still!) CP, Lindsay. If Lindsay pointed something out as sucktastic, I would immediately feel like a sucktastic failure of a writer. That was more my self-esteem than Lindsay's approach to crits (because she is awesomesauce). Luckily, I've spent the past four years embracing my work as a thing that's outside of me. Yes, it came from my brain, but whatever type of feedback I get on my work isn't feedback on me as a person. If my manuscript is sucktastic, then I must fix it. Period. I can bemoan cutting a chapter/scene I thought was cool, but I'm still cutting it if it doesn't add anything to the story. That's the kind of perspective a CP can help you with. It's also a lesson I struggled to learn, but I'm thrilled I finally did. :)

As for revising, my stance remains the same. I LOVE IT. Love, love, love. I prefer it to drafting any day of the week. I'm still hard at work on my WIP's second draft, though, so I'm slower than I want to be. Especially since I have at least two more drafts to go through. I cannot wait to send the final draft to Lindsay, as well as my other CPs, Kaye and Natasha.

I feel sorry for them already. *giggles*

Thanks to Alyson for the awesome topic! Check out what Cole had to say, and stay tuned for Margie's post tomorrow! :)

10 Killer Queries That Worked Part 2

Some of you have read my 10 Killer Queries That Worked post. It features 10 of my absolute fave query letters for manuscripts that ended up being published. Well, since I'm always on the hunt for a new query to drool over, I figured I'd turn the post into a series. 

Welcome to Part 2! :)

Okay. Let's get to it. *cracks knuckles*

Here is another batch of amazeballs queries:

1. Miranda Kenneally's query for CATCHING JORDAN, originally titled SCORE (bonus points: this post features an interview with Miranda's agent, Sara Megibow).
2. MarcyKate Connolly's query for MONSTROUS, which comes out in 2014 from HarperCollins.
3. Megan Sheperd's query for THE MADMAN'S DAUGHTER. 
4. Carrie Ryan's query for THE FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH.
5. Beth Revis's query for ACROSS THE UNIVERSE, originally titled LONG WAY HOME.
6. Francesca Zappia's query for ASK AGAIN LATER, originally titled ALEXITHYMIA. The book comes out in 2014 from HarperCollins. 
7. Stephanie Diaz's query for EXTRACTION, which comes out in 2014 from St. Martin's Press.
8. Claire Legrand's query for THE CAVENDISH HOME FOR BOYS AND GIRLS (bonus points: this post features commentary from Claire's agent, Diana Fox).
9. Kate Karyus Quinn's (my blog chain buddy!!!) query for ANOTHER LITTLE PIECE, which comes out June 11th from HarperTeen.
10. April Tucholke's query for BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA, originally titled THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA (bonus points: this post features commentary by April's agent, Joanna Volpe). The book comes out August 15th from Dial. 

So there you have them! I hope they prove as helpful as the first batch :)

Have you read these query letters before? Which one(s) do you love most? Are there any other query letters you love that aren't on the list?

In Defense Of Non-Badass Characters: Carol From THE WALKING DEAD

So. There's this show I love, right? I know, I know. There are TONS of shows I love. But just hear me out, okay? This is a show I've never blogged about! At least not in full-length post mode. I've chosen to do not one, but TWO posts about this show, so you know I mean business, y'all.

So. The Walking Dead. There are zombies (a.k.a. Walkers) in it. There are also non-Walker people. Among these non-Walker people, there are a few badasses. If you watch the show, you know them by heart. Michonne. Daryl. Rick (sometimes). Maggie. Carl (he's getting there). There are also non-Walker people who are not exactly badasses. At least not in the I'm-gonna-chop-your-Walker-head-off-while-doing-a-backflip-on-a-burning-stallion kind of badass way. 

One of these non-badass characters is Carol.

**WARNING: TONS OF SPOILERS AHEAD**

I cheer SUPER LOUD whenever Michonne or Daryl or Rick or Another Badass kills Walkers in stellar fashion. I understand why Michonne and Daryl are fan favorites. I would also riot like a madwoman if they ever get killed off. But I am unabashedly attached to Carol. In Season 1, we see her as the mother of a little girl named Sophia, and the wife of a jerk who beats her. She stays with said jerk because they're married and the zombie apocalypse is here and she doesn't think she can protect Sophia on her own. But when the jerk is eaten by a Walker, Carol and her daughter must fight the good fight without him. 

Season 2 Carol is even more heartbreaking. Not only does Sophia vanish into the woods after a run-in with some Walkers, she later reemerges as a Walker herself. To say Carol is devastated is an understatement, folks. The moment I saw Sophia walking out of Hershel's barn, all Walker-fied, I told myself, "Carol's done." I had the gall to think this woman had met her end. She'd been robbed of the only thing she kept fighting for. Why else would she carry on?

Carol proved me wrong, and I'm thrilled she did. In Season 3, there is a moment when viewers wonder whether Carol is alive or dead. The prison where the group is hiding out is infested with Walkers. Carol's stuck in a corridor with T-Dog, who sacrifices himself so she can escape. Viewers then see when Daryl finds Carol's knife on the prison floor, along with her head scarf, leading everyone to believe she's dead, after all. BUT SHE'S NOT. She was hiding behind a door in that very corridor, too weak to call out for help. After Daryl carries her back to the cell block where the group lives, she rejoins them and does her best to care for Rick's baby daughter/Daryl/everyone else. 

**END OF SPOILERS**

My point? Carol has been through stuff, y'all. Heavy, horrible stuff. Does she remain a victim and weep in a corner while others risk their lives for her? No. Does she grab a bunch of rifles and shoot up every single Walker she can find? No. She learns how to defend herself so she can defend the ones she loves, but she doesn't rely on this knowledge to get by day to day. Carol is not a badass in the traditional sense. She can't wield a katana like Michonne. She can't use a crossbow or hunt or ride a motorcycle like Daryl. But she can survive. Not just with a rifle, but with her heart. There's a reason why Rick is overjoyed during a moving scene in Season 3, where he sees her after the Walker attack. Carol is his friend, but she's also one of the strongest members of his group. She's stronger than him. It's her strength after so much loss, her loyalty to him after so much heartache, that Rick cherishes. In a way, I think Rick wishes he could be that strong. 

I know I do.

So there. The non-badass characters are gems, too. Carol is proof of this and more.

Do you watch The Walking Dead? If so, what do you think about Carol? Is she as awesome as I think she is?

Blog Chain: The Non-Fiction Round

Blog chain time! For this round, Sandra asks the following:

We all know it's important to read fiction if you want to write fiction, but what about reading non-fiction? How much non-fiction do you read? What kinds of non-fiction books do you read, and why? Has reading non-fiction influenced your fiction writing style?

Confession: the only non-fiction books I read are either for thesis research or for WIP research. On the thesis front, there's a lot of Emily Bronte going on, since I'm focusing on her poetry. I've read biographies and critical analysis books. On the WIP front, I'm delving into the Dark Ages. Customs, clothing, food, combat techniques. You name it. I'm doing my best to absorb as much as I can. I'm also studying the Gothic language in order to put some Germanic words into the story. You know. Easy stuff like that :)

The non-fiction books on medieval times have influenced my fiction writing style. I'm paying attention to details that are helping me build a stronger, more believable world. This includes word choice as well. Sometimes I feel tempted to write things like "For reals" or "Shut your pie hole" and I stop myself. PEOPLE DIDN'T SAY THIS IN MEDIEVAL TIMES, YO. So yeah. It's a constant learning experience and struggle, but I'm confident it'll pay off in the end. 

*crosses fingers*

Thanks to Sandra for this topic! Check out Cole's take on the topic, and don't forget to see what Margie has to say!

In Which I Confess My Solo Dance Parties While Writing

So. Writing. Hard, isn't it? 

I find it impossible to write for more than an hour at a time. Sometimes, if I'm REALLY pumped up, I go on for longer stretches. But this is rare, folks. Like, is-that-a-Yeti-with-a-chimichanga? rare. My creative juices sound the alarm and slam those breaks like nobody's business. I feel exhausted and bored. 

Which is why I have solo dance parties.

I put on songs that drive me to brink of dancing madness, then run headfirst to said madness. 

Note: I am a terrible dancer. But I do it anyway. 

It's my excuse to have fun and laugh at my ineptitude for a few minutes. It's also a great way to recharge those creative juices. Dance parties make me happy. Therefore, after the dance party is over, I will still be happy. This helps me get back to writing with a smile on my face and, hopefully, a believable way to end that pesky scene or chapter. 

Just don't ask me to record myself dancing. You don't deserve that kind of torture. 

How do you recharge those creative juices after a writing session? Do you throw solo dance parties, too? Or do you prefer something less embarrassing? 

Why Robert Pattinson's Twilight Hair Is Like Revision

So. I am revising my WIP. I believe I've mentioned how much I love the revision process. I am, however, rather slow. But in the Land of Why Can't I Just Finish This Draft Already, there is one thing that keeps me going, folks. 

One thing to rule them all, and in the glossiness bind them.

Robert Pattinson's hair in the Twilight movies.

*is ashamed*

*a little*

*okay, a lot*

So. I've come to a realization. You know how revision is all about adding and removing things from your manuscript? And how it's also about looking at your words through a different lens?

Well.

In the Twilight movies, Robert Pattinson can style his hair like this:

'tis an art form to brood. oh, yes it is

Or like this:

 broody mcbroodster, they used to call me

Or like this:

 broody mcbroodster--suburban edition

And his hair always looks nice. 

He always looks nice. 

These are different ways of envisioning his character, but at his core, Edward Cullen remains a messed up stalker vampire who will risk everything to keep his true love safe. My point? Revisions are for changing the way you present your story, but its core remains the same. Take a scene out. Put a new one in. These things will happen during revisions. But remember to ask yourself: why am I making these changes? How do they improve my core? 

In the case of Robert's hair, I think his style evolution is meant to suggest that he goes from boy (bedhead-us maximus) to married man with a kid (tame-us maximus). Or something. 

So. Robert Pattinson's Twilight hair is like revision, folks. It has many ways of looking good, even if they're radically different from each other. 

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to beat my WIP into submission.

*runs off*

Are you currently revising? If so, any tips and tricks for keeping your story's core?

Blog Chain: Balancing Stuff With Other Stuff

Happy Valentine's Day!!! *tosses sprinkles* 

Now. It's blog chain time! This round features a question from Lisa. She wants to know the following:

The balancing act. How do you balance your writing time with everything else in your life--including kids, job, book promotion.

This is a pretty simple post for me. I don't have kids. I don't have a job (although I'm going on the prowl for one soon). Right now, I don't have to worry about book promotion because I don't have a book coming out in the near future (but I am querying one later this year).

What I do have is a thesis to write. And a family. A friends. Lots of friends who, for some reason, like seeing me and hanging out with me. So I've come up with a bit of a system: during weekdays, I work on my thesis (proposal, at this stage) in the mornings, then spend the afternoon working on my WIP. I make it a point to revise one page, though. This usually tempts me to work on at least a second page because I'm just too amped and feel like one page isn't enough. On weekends, no thesis whatsoever. I work on my WIP and hang out with my family, or I work on my WIP and catch up with friends, or I don't work on my WIP and watch a lot of TV/read awesome books.

It's been a blast so far. Let's hope I can keep this balancing act for a little while longer. *crosses fingers*

Thanks to Lisa for the topic! Make sure to check out Cole's post, then stay tuned tomorrow for Margie's post!

  

Amparo Goes Old School. Or, I Should've Read These Classics A Long Time Ago

Yep. It's true. I am a Literature grad student and I haven't read some of the most beloved classics. 

*slaps wrist*

But hey, new year, new goals, right? Well, one of those goals will be to rectify my shameful behavior. I've chosen to read ten novels I should've read a long time ago. Like, CENTURIES ago. Not only because they're classics, but also because they sound like books I will enjoy. So. This classics-reading endeavor will be chronicled on my blog, of course. I'll be writing about what each book taught me (even if I don't end up loving them).

This new feature will be called:

And here's le list of ten classics:

• Pride & Prejudice
• Jane Eyre
• The Picture of Dorian Gray
• Anna Karenina
• David Copperfield
• Villette
• Northanger Abbey
• The Castle Of Otranto
• Madame Bovary
• The Mysteries Of Udolpho

So there you have them. The books I shall devour... or read verrrryyyyyyy slooooooowlyyyy... throughout this year. I hope to survive this mission, folks. I really do. *crosses fingers*

Now tell me: have you read any of these books? If so, what did you think??

 

Blog Chain: Why Change Is... Okay, I Guess

So. For this blog chain round, it was my turn to choose the topic! Here's what I asked:

It's a new year, and some writers have taken it upon themselves to switch things up. *points at self* It might be the genres you write in or your revision process. It might be your main character's voice. What's one thing you've chosen to change in your writing this new year? Why do you wish to change it? If there's nothing you're going to change, why do you think it should remain as is?

Oh, change. How I love you. *hugs change* As of right now, the biggest change has been my revision process. I've committed to one that's slightly different from my previous process, and so far, I'm digging it. Here's an overview:

Draft 2: 

characterization/plot fixes

Draft 3: 

setting/worldbuilding/backstory fixes

Draft 4: 

line edits

Draft 5:

send to crit partners

In the past, I would do ALL the changes in Draft 2, then Draft 3 would be line edits. *cries* I'm currently on Draft 2. Even though it's going slooooooooooooowly, I can tell I've made the best decision for this manuscript. I'm taking my time to really focus on bits and pieces instead of the whole package at once. I'm less overwhelmed. Everything is as smooth as a dollop of whip cream. :)

Here's another revision process technique I've changed:

Revise 10 chapters

Go back and revise them again

Move on to next 10 chapters

For example, Draft 2 is about characterization/plot. I revise the first 10 chapters. After I'm done, I go back and start over, polishing ONLY THOSE ELEMENTS. I do this because I tend to come up with even better changes as I go along, so I have to double back and make sure I put them into the manuscript before the next round of 10 chapters. Seems like a lot of work, and it is. 

But it's perfect for me. At least it is now. 

Make sure to check out what Cole has to say, then stay tuned for Margie's post tomorrow!