Why oh why...

So, with the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award coming very soon, I've decided that I will join.

But, I only have a week. And that's a maybe.

I am giving myself about a week to polish up Rush and write it a new pitch. Which really will be difficult, do to the little time I have at home.  Hopefully I can take my laptop to the hospital when I visit for the next week.  Hopefully I don't have whole lot of homework this week.

Starting today, I plan to enter ABNA.  Wish me luck, 'cause I'm definitely going to need it.

Daughter of Smoke & Bone: Review

Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages--not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out.

When one of the strangers--beautiful, haunted Akiva--fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

Pitch from goodreads. 


I have to say, I'm disappointed.  The beginning was really interesting, with everything Brimstone did, and what Karou did for him.  The names were a little hard to follow, but by page 100, I remembered everything.

I really loved the fact that I couldn't predict a whole lot.  Toward the end, there was one thing that I figured out, but it was after a lot of the flashbacks.  Otherwise, the secrets were all well kept, so bonus points for that.  I don't think I've read a book that managed to hide things so well.

What I didn't like was the insta-romance.  Karou and Akiva seemed to fall in love too quickly, and the same goes for Madrigal.  Granted, they are the same person. It was starting then that I started getting really annoyed with this book.  The next part that didn't help was the large jump from when Akiva realized who/what Karou was and when they did whatever (sorry, trying not to spoil stuff), to the end.  All that happened was interesting, but it was badly placed.  I wanted to read the story that was happening now, not the stuff that built up to it.

And now that I will go back to the good stuff, the background history was really good.  The mythology that powered Brimstone's world was really cool.  And I enjoyed all of the characters, even though I'd have preferred to see more of a few characters.  Karou was awesome at the beginning of the story, but once she met Akiva, she started going down for me.  She wasn't as ... funny, I guess, than the beginning.  She didn't say quip remarks like before, and started going into a more serious manner.  I guess that all could be put off as her character changing with all of the events, but I really didn't like her as much anymore.

It probably didn't help that she wasn't as focused on toward the very end.

If Karou had managed to keep her same personality from the beginning, and if the last hundred pages weren't filled with background information (more like filler), maybe I'd have enjoyed this a lot more.

Overall, the beginning was great, but the rest ... not so much.  And the very ending was horrid.  Nothing really changed from page 300 to 400.

I'm between (going goodreads rating) saying it was 'okay' and 'liking it'.  2.5 starts.

New Year's Resolution Updates?

I think I'll just start doing this on Sundays. Just to keep some regular posting.

So, as far as my resolutions go, I've read 0 books, have gotten 2 new ideas, finished writing 0 projects, edited 0 projects, and have been more social, and nicer to people. This first week has been very eventful, after my friend got into an accident and I witnessed someone crash his truck. I'm sure one to two hours every day will be dedicated to visiting my friend, because our families are very close and she's my best friend, so I don't think I'll be getting a whole lot done for a while. Tomorrow is the restart of school, and I've got to really pay attention in two classes to make sure my friend won't fall behind in those subjects.

*big sigh* The year as just begun.

And thus ends my first NYR update.

Waiting on Wednesday (5)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

I'm interested in THE GATHERING STORM for more than one reason. A major reason is the fact that I'm writing something set in Russia, which is where this takes places. Another would be the history, because I love history.

And because I can't access Goodreads right now, the link will be from Random Buzzers.
You can find that here.

What's your WoW?

Well, guys...

It looks like I won't be wining this Writing Hell either. I'm too emotionally shaken up to write due to a recent event. I wish you all luck with your writings!

Writing Hell 1.2

Because I didn't write the whole 5k yesterday, I aim to write 6.1k to get back on task. I should be at 11k in OBLIVION by the end of the day.

I wish everyone good luck!

Excerpt from OBLIVION: to come

Starting word count: 4935
Ending word count: 6121 epic fail

Writing Hell 1.1 2012

Because this is 2012, we will count this as week one, day one of Writing Hell.

Today, I started writing at midnight. Nice way to start the new year: already writing! A few days ago, I started writing what I'm calling OBLIVION. I hope to finish this within a few months, along with SMOLDER (because I'm horrible with sticking to a single project).

Excerpt from OBLIVION:

Quickly, I think of something to say, hoping it will redeem me. “But those people are rewarded with the fact that they helped someone else,” I cry. From the glare he gives me, I’m not saying what he wants to hear. “I mean, shouldn’t the evil people receive more attention because of their actions?” My voice grows weaker as I continue speak.

In all honesty, I’ve never paid attention to do-gooders. It isn’t like most good deeds change people’s lives dramatically, unlike how every little crime committed leaves a mark on the victim’s soul.

“You still have a lot to learn. Now go home, Dice,” he says, and then turns to leave.

I refuse to leave this building now, not when I should be a Keeper already. “But I deserve—”

Before I can finish, he turns. His red eyes flash and his hand comes up, striking my face. My cheek stings, tears well up, but I just stand there, staring up at him. All emotions have disappeared from his eyes, making them the fiery pits that they truly are.

“Go home,” he repeats, his voice softer now.

Starting word count: 1061
Ending word count: 4935 (So close, yet so far! I just have to write a little over six thousand words tomorrow.)

I wish everyone at SPG-United to Write good luck on their writing goals!

In My Mailbox (4)

In My Mailbox is a meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.


On Christmas, I received Legend by Marie Lu (my other gift was an iPod touch and a giftcard to a local bookstore, but that isn't what I'm supposed to be talking about right now). Two days later, I went out and bought The Pledge by Kimberly Derting and Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake. And sometime this week, I received an ARC of Fallen in Love by Lauren Kate and a chapter sampler of Museum of Thieves by Lian Tanner. I won the ARC in a contest, Random Buzzers on Random House. Thank you, Random Buzzers!


So, what did you guys get?