It's been a while since I've let someone take over the reigns here for a moment at Confessions of a Bibliophile, so I'm gonna change that! Today, we have author Alexis Cain taking over my slice of literary heaven. This was originally going to be part of her blog tour, but it was canceled due to real life intruding (darn real life!).
Alexis Cain is the author of Ensuing Darkness.
So, I leave you with Alexis taking over! Enjoy!
Alexis Cain can be found:
Goodreads
Blog
-Martha
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Every writer has a unique way of writing their story. It may not work for everyone, but it’s ‘perfect’ for them.
Demosthenes would shave half his head before starting to write so he’d be too embarrassed to show himself in public.Victor Hugo, author of Les Miserables and the Hunchback of Notre Dame, would give his clothes to his valet, instructing him not come back until the writing was done, then wrote naked.Lyndall Gordon wrote in T.S. Eliot: A Modern Life that in the early 1920s, the author answered to “Captain Elliot” in his hideaway above Chatto & Windus, a publishing house on St. Martin’s Lane; but at another hideaway on Charing Cross Road, visitors were asked to inquire at the porter’s lodge for a man known only as “The Captain.” Upstairs, Eliot’s face would be “tinted green with powder to look cadaverous.”Thankfully, my quirks aren’t as extreme as theirs… yet. I mean, I haven’t even gotten to the point of being overcome with insomnia like most writers slip into. Haha, yeah I still need that7-8 hours of beauty sleep for my day job for now, but the quirks I do have pretty much all fall into one category. The fact that I guess I’m a little OCD (I’ve been told anyway).The first two are small things. First, is that I can’t listen to rap or commercials while writing. I used to write while listening to the radio, but as soon as a commercial or rap song came on I was snapped out of my zone when I realized I was writing what those people were saying.Secondly, I know authors are supposed to read a lot; some say even more than they write. Well, not only can I not read at all while writing, usually when I’m reading I get an idea and have to stop until I get done with setting up the initial setup for that idea. I’m just so scared that somehow something from the book I’m reading will find its way into my new story. The only way I can read and write is if the book I’m reading is strictly for research purposes, like re-reading the Harry Potter series and The Vampire Academy series to study how J.K. Rowling and Richelle Mead wrote.And I’ve saved my biggest quirk for last. When I’m starting a new story, I set up two MS Word files, one labeled (intro) and the other (story). I have to completely set up the facts before I can start the actual story. Here are just some of the things I have listed on my hyperlinked “Table of Contents”:Possible titles (book and chapter) run by husband for confirmation)Ideas, Suggestions, & RemindersChaptersSummaries (Main summary and then summaries for each chapter)Main Characters & DescriptionsExtra Characters & DescriptionsLocationsResearch on Creatures and/or real world places in book
Speaking of research, I guess that would count as another quirk all by itself because it takes me a few days to a week to get through that because I have to make sure I have ALL the facts. So all in all, it sometimes takes me from 1-3+ weeks to actually get to writing the story, though usually I still jot down scene ideas for later.And that’s it! These are all of my writing quirks…. that I know of.
I want to thank you, Martha, for having me! This was very fun to write and to be completely honest, I didn’t even realized I had these quirks until now, haha. -_^
Thursday, July 11, 2013
Sunday, July 7, 2013
What's On My Kindle? - Vacation Edition
Welcome to the fourth installment of What's On My Kindle?
What exactly is What's On My Kindle? This is my own little thing that I am going to be getting out every Saturday or Sunday (depending on what the evil thing known as RL does to me). Within this post I'll list a few of the books that are currently on my TBR list on my Kindle. Some are freebies (or were when I bought them), and others I paid for with gift cards, or had a few spare bucks to spend on a book.
All of them, I fully intend on getting to, at some point (and taking a massive chisel to my to-read list and hopefully hack it down to under 1000, again).
Vacations are wonderful things. I read some on the bus, almost finished one book, and kicked myself forgetting to transfer one book over (that's been remedied). I'd created a list of five books that I intend to read and review during my vacation, and so far I am failing horribly!
No, really, I am.
I think I only got about 300 words written on my CampNaNoWriMo manuscript as well, which means that when I get back to the real world I will have to hunker down on all sorts of things. I blame a good friend as the distraction for all day Friday & most of Saturday, but I've not seen him since he helped me move, so it was a good distraction - pool time and video games and stupid videos on Youtube. We had fun.
I however, today, will probably spend a bit of time reading, trying to finish at least one of the books on today's list.
The books that are currently on my Kindle for vacation are:
1. Insurgent by Veronica Roth - This is the second book in the Divergent series and I am seriously in love with this series. Re-read book one (Divergent) and am nearly done with Insurgent. I got it in a two book set from the library.
2. Dark Hearts by T. R. Stoddard - T.R. Stoddard is an Indie author who I know personally. Her stuff is fantastic. No, seriously. I adore her to bits. I knew her before she was an awesomely published author! It's true! This is a dark fantasy book, that will keep your attention through the whole thing. Highly recommend this and her other works (and if I'm right Dark Hearts is still on sale @ Amazon for $0.99!)
3. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs - This is a fantasy/horror/sci-fi type novel. This novel has already won two awards, including The Kitschies Nominee for Golden Tentacle (Debut) (2011). An abandoned orphanage on an island. Jacob is sixteen and his adventure starts after a horrific family tragedy.
4. The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things by Carolyn Mackler - This book simply because I enjoy creating a TBR reading list from books that have been challenged/banned/etc. I mean if they are challenged that means that they've got something in them that is right on point and it pisses people off enough to challenge them (or it makes people fear the content in them and thus they are challenged!).
5. Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher - This is on my list because it seems like an awesome book (and it is also one of those that I've not read yet on the banned/challenged book lists that I've printed out recently).
That is my vacation reading list, and thus far I've done a rather craptastic job of keeping up with it. That will change. I've got all day today to read (the only interruption being BOWLING with my nephew who jut turned 8 yesterday!)
What exactly is What's On My Kindle? This is my own little thing that I am going to be getting out every Saturday or Sunday (depending on what the evil thing known as RL does to me). Within this post I'll list a few of the books that are currently on my TBR list on my Kindle. Some are freebies (or were when I bought them), and others I paid for with gift cards, or had a few spare bucks to spend on a book.
All of them, I fully intend on getting to, at some point (and taking a massive chisel to my to-read list and hopefully hack it down to under 1000, again).
No, really, I am.
I think I only got about 300 words written on my CampNaNoWriMo manuscript as well, which means that when I get back to the real world I will have to hunker down on all sorts of things. I blame a good friend as the distraction for all day Friday & most of Saturday, but I've not seen him since he helped me move, so it was a good distraction - pool time and video games and stupid videos on Youtube. We had fun.
I however, today, will probably spend a bit of time reading, trying to finish at least one of the books on today's list.
The books that are currently on my Kindle for vacation are:
1. Insurgent by Veronica Roth - This is the second book in the Divergent series and I am seriously in love with this series. Re-read book one (Divergent) and am nearly done with Insurgent. I got it in a two book set from the library.
2. Dark Hearts by T. R. Stoddard - T.R. Stoddard is an Indie author who I know personally. Her stuff is fantastic. No, seriously. I adore her to bits. I knew her before she was an awesomely published author! It's true! This is a dark fantasy book, that will keep your attention through the whole thing. Highly recommend this and her other works (and if I'm right Dark Hearts is still on sale @ Amazon for $0.99!)
3. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs - This is a fantasy/horror/sci-fi type novel. This novel has already won two awards, including The Kitschies Nominee for Golden Tentacle (Debut) (2011). An abandoned orphanage on an island. Jacob is sixteen and his adventure starts after a horrific family tragedy.
4. The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things by Carolyn Mackler - This book simply because I enjoy creating a TBR reading list from books that have been challenged/banned/etc. I mean if they are challenged that means that they've got something in them that is right on point and it pisses people off enough to challenge them (or it makes people fear the content in them and thus they are challenged!).
5. Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher - This is on my list because it seems like an awesome book (and it is also one of those that I've not read yet on the banned/challenged book lists that I've printed out recently).
That is my vacation reading list, and thus far I've done a rather craptastic job of keeping up with it. That will change. I've got all day today to read (the only interruption being BOWLING with my nephew who jut turned 8 yesterday!)
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
Going on an Adventure
*squee*
So, as of tomorrow @ 10 am, I will be out of work for five days. Why you ask? I am going on a trip, an adventure of sorts as I will be taking a Greyhound bus from Lake City (current residence) to Orlando (previous residence). I'm going home to see my nephew for his 8th birthday! Woot! I'm also gonna get to spend time with the beagles, inlcuding meeting the new Miss Farrah. YAY for puppies right?
Well, I also will have some books with me, because I'm NOT going on a five hour bus trip without READING MATERIAL. I may be a bit crazy, but I'm not stupid. I have no intention of being bored for the duration of the trip, and I've pretty much devised a book list to read while I'm on the bus! YAY me.
I will be spending tomorrow (after working a horrid shift of 3am-10am) getting groceries, including snacking foods for me to have on the bus; ensuring that my Kindle, PSP, GBA, camera and cell phone are fully CHARGED. I will also be packing and triple checking that I have EVERYTHING packed that I will need for this trip. Bus ticket is printed out, purchased by my mom, who I adore. So, yeah, gonna be awesome.
So, as of tomorrow @ 10 am, I will be out of work for five days. Why you ask? I am going on a trip, an adventure of sorts as I will be taking a Greyhound bus from Lake City (current residence) to Orlando (previous residence). I'm going home to see my nephew for his 8th birthday! Woot! I'm also gonna get to spend time with the beagles, inlcuding meeting the new Miss Farrah. YAY for puppies right?
Well, I also will have some books with me, because I'm NOT going on a five hour bus trip without READING MATERIAL. I may be a bit crazy, but I'm not stupid. I have no intention of being bored for the duration of the trip, and I've pretty much devised a book list to read while I'm on the bus! YAY me.
I will be spending tomorrow (after working a horrid shift of 3am-10am) getting groceries, including snacking foods for me to have on the bus; ensuring that my Kindle, PSP, GBA, camera and cell phone are fully CHARGED. I will also be packing and triple checking that I have EVERYTHING packed that I will need for this trip. Bus ticket is printed out, purchased by my mom, who I adore. So, yeah, gonna be awesome.
VACATION READS
JULY 4-8 2013
- Insurgent by Veronica Roth
if I've not finished it before I leave
Review to come - Dark Hearts by T. R. Stoddard
Review definitely to come - Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
Review to come - The Earth, My Butt, and Other Round Things by Carolyn Mackler
Review to come - Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
Review to come
So, other exciting news, I am participating in Camp NaNoWriMo, and will probably be working on my manuscript a little while I am on vacation. So, we will see how my word count grows while I am away, or if I will be chasing my tail to catch up when I finally make it home and have to force myself back into the swing of things.
Anyway!
I am in a good mood, despite the fact that I think it is now pouring outside and I will be walking home in the rain in about fifteen minutes. Anyway! Time to sort things into proper categories on my Kindle and get ready to head home from the library.
<3
Martha
Sunday, June 30, 2013
What's On My Kindle? - Episode 3
Welcome to the third installment of What's On My Kindle?
What exactly is What's On My Kindle? This is my own little thing that I am going to be getting out every Saturday or Sunday (depending on what the evil thing known as RL does to me). Within this post I'll list a few of the books that are currently on my TBR list on my Kindle. Some are freebies (or were when I bought them), and others I paid for with gift cards, or had a few spare bucks to spend on a book.
All of them, I fully intend on getting to, at some point (and taking a massive chisel to my to-read list and hopefully hack it down to under 1000, again).
All of today's books are box sets that I'd purchased for nothing or at most .99 when they were on sale earlier this year on Amazon.
Royal Princes of Ruthenia Box Set - This has two books in it, and it is one of my indulgences of reading Romance, not that I venture out of my YA Box often, but I do, and the box set was .99 cents...so yeah. It has two books in it, Royal Seduction and Royal Passion. I have to be in a mood for romance, but I will get to it.
The Witches of Santa Anna- This was another .99 cent box set find that I couldn't turn down. Really, I couldn't. Seven books for .99? Really now? Yes please. Considering that the next box set is priced at 9.99 and each of the subsequent books are priced @ 2.99, I will jump on this one for now. The first seven books of this series are: Claimed, Tricked, Rumored, Hushed, Pursued, Enticed and Ruined.
The Grimm Diaries Prequels Vol 1-6 - Again, six books for .99. I will eventually be buying the next two volumes of prequels which are both currently listing on Amazon for $2.99. What if everything you knew about fairy tales was wrong? The book included in this are Snow White Blood Red narrated by The Snow White Queen, Ashes to Ashes and Cinder to Cinder narrated by Alice Grimm, Beauty Never Dies narrated by Peter Pan, Ladle Rotten Rat Hut narrated by Little Red Riding Hood, Mary Mary Quite Contrary narrated by the Devil, and Blood Apples narrated by Prince Charming.
Historical Romance Boxed Set - Two books in this one, and I paid .99 for it, and it's now listing for $5.99 on Amazon. One of the books in here I read as an ARC and loved it. The books included in this box set are: Of Noble Birth and Honor Bound (which is the one I read as an ARC copy).
The Betrayed Series: Ultimate Omnibus - This Carolyn McCray series is a highly praised and highly controversial technothriller, and I am looking forward to reading it and exploring what she's created. This set not only includes all three full length novels in the Betrayed Series, but the prequel to the series, two bridge short stories (which are HIGHLY controversial) and a short story that takes place after the third book. The books/stories in this series are: Ambush, 30 Pieces of Silver, Targeted, Havoc, Covert, Shiva, Mayhem.
Apocalypse Babes: The Complete Series - I managed to have .99 cents when this book series went on sale, and I grabbed it. I'd read the first one, and wanted to read more in the series, right now it is listed at $4.99 on Amazon. I love the tag line for these novels: No mad skillz, no sacred destiny, just a pink tracksuit that will take her places she never wanted to go... The books in this series are: The Z Word, The X Factor, iRobotronic, Kumbaya Much, Bite Me, and Apocalypse For Realz.
Mimi's Mix - A Book From Each Series! - This box set will probably mess with my book OCD because they jump around in different series and it isn't always the first book in the series. But, oh well. The books in this one are; Partners, His Devious Angel, and He's Her.
What exactly is What's On My Kindle? This is my own little thing that I am going to be getting out every Saturday or Sunday (depending on what the evil thing known as RL does to me). Within this post I'll list a few of the books that are currently on my TBR list on my Kindle. Some are freebies (or were when I bought them), and others I paid for with gift cards, or had a few spare bucks to spend on a book.
All of them, I fully intend on getting to, at some point (and taking a massive chisel to my to-read list and hopefully hack it down to under 1000, again).
All of today's books are box sets that I'd purchased for nothing or at most .99 when they were on sale earlier this year on Amazon.
Royal Princes of Ruthenia Box Set - This has two books in it, and it is one of my indulgences of reading Romance, not that I venture out of my YA Box often, but I do, and the box set was .99 cents...so yeah. It has two books in it, Royal Seduction and Royal Passion. I have to be in a mood for romance, but I will get to it.
The Witches of Santa Anna- This was another .99 cent box set find that I couldn't turn down. Really, I couldn't. Seven books for .99? Really now? Yes please. Considering that the next box set is priced at 9.99 and each of the subsequent books are priced @ 2.99, I will jump on this one for now. The first seven books of this series are: Claimed, Tricked, Rumored, Hushed, Pursued, Enticed and Ruined.
The Grimm Diaries Prequels Vol 1-6 - Again, six books for .99. I will eventually be buying the next two volumes of prequels which are both currently listing on Amazon for $2.99. What if everything you knew about fairy tales was wrong? The book included in this are Snow White Blood Red narrated by The Snow White Queen, Ashes to Ashes and Cinder to Cinder narrated by Alice Grimm, Beauty Never Dies narrated by Peter Pan, Ladle Rotten Rat Hut narrated by Little Red Riding Hood, Mary Mary Quite Contrary narrated by the Devil, and Blood Apples narrated by Prince Charming.
Historical Romance Boxed Set - Two books in this one, and I paid .99 for it, and it's now listing for $5.99 on Amazon. One of the books in here I read as an ARC and loved it. The books included in this box set are: Of Noble Birth and Honor Bound (which is the one I read as an ARC copy).
The Betrayed Series: Ultimate Omnibus - This Carolyn McCray series is a highly praised and highly controversial technothriller, and I am looking forward to reading it and exploring what she's created. This set not only includes all three full length novels in the Betrayed Series, but the prequel to the series, two bridge short stories (which are HIGHLY controversial) and a short story that takes place after the third book. The books/stories in this series are: Ambush, 30 Pieces of Silver, Targeted, Havoc, Covert, Shiva, Mayhem.
Apocalypse Babes: The Complete Series - I managed to have .99 cents when this book series went on sale, and I grabbed it. I'd read the first one, and wanted to read more in the series, right now it is listed at $4.99 on Amazon. I love the tag line for these novels: No mad skillz, no sacred destiny, just a pink tracksuit that will take her places she never wanted to go... The books in this series are: The Z Word, The X Factor, iRobotronic, Kumbaya Much, Bite Me, and Apocalypse For Realz.
Mimi's Mix - A Book From Each Series! - This box set will probably mess with my book OCD because they jump around in different series and it isn't always the first book in the series. But, oh well. The books in this one are; Partners, His Devious Angel, and He's Her.
Friday, June 28, 2013
Review: The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
Title: The Handmaid's Tale
Author: Margaret Atwood
Format: e-book (Kindle edition)
Read: June 24-27
Rating: 4/5
Recommend: Yes
Summary: In this multi-award-winning, bestselling novel, Margaret Atwood has created a stunning Orwellian vision of the near future. This is the story of Offred, one of the unfortunate 'Handmaids' under the new social order who have only one purpose: to breed. In Gilead, where women are prohibited from holding jobs, reading, and forming friendships, Offred's persistent memories of life in the 'time before' and her will to survive are acts of rebellion. Provocative, startling, prophetic, and with Margaret Atwood's devastating irony, wit, and acute perceptive powers in full force, The Handmaid's Tale is at once a mordant satire and a dire warning. (Pulled from Goodreads)
Review: A classic and among one of those books that had been challenged repeatedly for many reasons. I enjoy reading banned books, and going WTF at some of the reasons that are given for their "challenges."
There are so many questions left unanswered by the end of the book that I wish there were more. The cliff-hanger had me simply staring at the book for several moments going..."That's it?..There's nothing more?"
Oh well, another "banned/challenged" book tossed into my epic pile of books. There will be others..oh, yes, there will be others. This is just a basic review and I will eventually be adding more to it as time goes on I think.
This review will soon also be available on my blog: <a href="http://caedyslibrary.blogspot.com">Confessions of a Bibliophile</a>.
Author: Margaret Atwood
Format: e-book (Kindle edition)
Read: June 24-27
Rating: 4/5
Recommend: Yes
Summary: In this multi-award-winning, bestselling novel, Margaret Atwood has created a stunning Orwellian vision of the near future. This is the story of Offred, one of the unfortunate 'Handmaids' under the new social order who have only one purpose: to breed. In Gilead, where women are prohibited from holding jobs, reading, and forming friendships, Offred's persistent memories of life in the 'time before' and her will to survive are acts of rebellion. Provocative, startling, prophetic, and with Margaret Atwood's devastating irony, wit, and acute perceptive powers in full force, The Handmaid's Tale is at once a mordant satire and a dire warning. (Pulled from Goodreads)
Review: A classic and among one of those books that had been challenged repeatedly for many reasons. I enjoy reading banned books, and going WTF at some of the reasons that are given for their "challenges."
There are so many questions left unanswered by the end of the book that I wish there were more. The cliff-hanger had me simply staring at the book for several moments going..."That's it?..There's nothing more?"
Oh well, another "banned/challenged" book tossed into my epic pile of books. There will be others..oh, yes, there will be others. This is just a basic review and I will eventually be adding more to it as time goes on I think.
This review will soon also be available on my blog: <a href="http://caedyslibrary.blogspot.com">Confessions of a Bibliophile</a>.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)