Something fun to celebrate the first day of NaNoWriMo

~ EMM

In honor of the first day of NaNoWriMo, I decided to post the first chapter of the novel I finished in August to Wattpad. I’ve had an account there since they launched, but I haven’t really posted anything (just a little writing exercise I did for a class).

The current working title for this novel is Stormcat. But, it’s not about cats. Or storms. So, that may be a bit misleading…

Here’s what it is about:

Isla is the youngest daughter of the leader of one of three tribes tucked away in an isolated kingdom protected by mysterious creatures called Injini. When Elan, the young and newly appointed leader of this kingdom, visits Isla’s tribe in the hope he might gain their favor through marriage, he throws off everyone’s plans when he chooses Isla instead of her older sister. Once exposed to the world outside her tribe, Isla realizes that the magic that has kept their kingdom isolated and safe for generations is disappearing, and the only ones who can repair it are the Injini. Isla must help Elan find the Injini before their kingdom is invaded. But someone she thought she could trust is plotting against Elan, and he appears to be one step ahead of Isla and her allies.

Anyway, I originally started playing around with this idea back in 2009. Then I tried to write it for NaNoWriMo in 2011. I didn’t “win” that year (only wrote about 30k). And I didn’t think I’d ever go back and finish this novel. But I did. So, if you want to check it out, head over here and let me know what you think. If folks are into it, then I may keep posting chapters to keep you entertained while I write this other thing… (2500 words today! Yay!)

Reading inbox-outbox: Week of 26 October (and October re-cap)

~ EMM ~ 2 Comments

I’ll start with the weekly inbox/outbox post and end with a recap of my October reading… Spoiler: I didn’t read much in October…

Inbox (books acquired)

  • The Last of the Firedrakes (The Avalonia Chronicles Book 1) by Farah Oomerbhoy (Kindle) — I think I found this book while looking for fantasy romance novels a while ago. I saw the price drop to free and figured I might as well add it to my collection… (P.S. it’s still free as of this posting if you want to grab a copy…)
  • The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet: A Novel by Becky Chambers  (Kindle) — Don’t ask me what happened here. I saw a tweet from a bookish person whose opinion I trust linking to this post about how this novel was the “most delightful” space opera this year and that the book was on sale for $1.99 and what can I say? I think they had me at “delightful” and “space opera.” Fingers crossed it is as good as promised.

Outbox (books finished)

  • All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr (Kindle, library) — So, this is not the sort of book I normally pick up because I don’t usually enjoy contemporary novels set during wars. But, I did enjoy this story. There’s a plot and both of the main characters are well imagined and interesting. So the story moves right along. But the ending dragged. It just kept going and going right up into present day, and I’m not sure why. I’m not sure how that served the story. There were several places earlier on where I would have been happy to have it end. But, it won the Pulitzer, so what do I know. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Queue (what I’m reading next)

  • I will probably not get much reading done during NaNoWriMo, but I might squeeze in a book of short stories and/or collection of poems so that I can check those boxes on my Read Harder challenge…

Here’s how October wrapped up for me, overall:

October reading stats

  • Total books finished: 2 (all novels)
  • Favorite book read: Carry On
  • Book(s) read by diverse authors (per my 2015 reading project): started, but didn’t finish my diverse book selection…

I’m not planning on doing weekly updates in November. I’ll probably just do a recap post at the end of the month and blog in-between if anything interesting happens.

Best of luck anyone participating in NaNo!

Blogiversary

~ EMM

Three years ago today I started this blog with a completely random post. That makes today my blog anniversary. My Blogiversary.

I started this blog thinking that only my mom and maybe a handful of friends would read it. I honestly wasn’t sure I’d keep it going for the rest of the week, let alone the rest of that year. But I did. And it’s still going.

So, I just want to say: Thanks! Thanks for reading and following my blog! Thanks for the likes and the comments! 🙂

The fact that I know people are reading is one of the main things that keeps me posting here. So, if there’s stuff you like and want me to write about more, just let me know.

And, just for fun, I’ll end this post with a selfie of me (wearing completely unstylish sunglasses, standing in front of the Golden Gate Bridge, and showing I’m badly in need of a haircut) from almost exactly three years ago…

IMG_20121027_113759

 

NaNoWriMo is almost here!

~ EMM

Hello friendly and faithful blog readers!

In case you missed it in previous posts… This year, in addition to participating in NaNoWriMo, I’m volunteering as a Municipal Liaison for my home region.

NaNo-2015-ML-Badge

If you’re also participating, you can add me as a writing buddy by clicking through to my author profile on the website.

And, if you’re not participating, you can support the efforts of this not-for-profit organization via my donation page (which also includes a short video of me talking about why I love NaNoWriMo and why you should donate).

For those of you that have donated already, THANK YOU! 🙂

If you are not participating and have not yet donated, please consider making a small donation to support this program. You can find out more about where the money goes here. And, as an added incentive, I’ve promised to provide those who’ve donated (and provided contact info), an opportunity to be a beta reader of my finished novel.

Curious about what I’m planning on writing this year?

This year I’m plotting a “new adult” fantasy romance. The story takes place in the English countryside during the winter holiday season and starts off with a contemporary “gothic romance” feel. There will be mysterious fairies and magic and creatures from the underworld. There will be kissing. There might be sexy times (if I’m feeling brave).

I’m pretty excited about this one, readers. And I can’t wait to get started.

Now, maybe go watch my video and consider a small donation while I get back to plotting…

Reading inbox-outbox: Week of 19 October

~ EMM ~ 1 Comment

Again, not a big reading week for me. I spent most of my free time this week doing NaNo Prep. So, I didn’t get much reading done. But, I think I’m recovering from my reading slump.

Inbox (books acquired)

  • Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff (Hardcover) — I pre-ordered this months ago, and received it on Tuesday. I decided to buy the hardcover version of this book because the story is told through a collection of emails and other documents and I thought it would be easier to read/enjoy in print. It’s sci-fi (space opera) by an author I like, and I’m intrigued by the format. So, I wanted to dive into it right away. But I didn’t want to take it with me on our team offsite and then camping this weekend. So, I think I’ll pick it up next.
  • Dark Harmony: A Vivienne Taylor Horse Lover’s Mystery (Fairmont Riding Academy Book 2) by Michele Scott (Kindle) — Picked up this book because it was on sale for $1.99. I read the first book in this series last year and enjoyed it. It’s basically YA mystery with horses. Recommended for horse lovers who also like a good mystery, especially anyone who, like me, loved The Saddle Club (middle grade) series when they were younger.
  • Perfect Harmony: A Vivienne Taylor Horse Lover’s Mystery (Fairmont Riding Academy Book 3) by Michele Scott (Kindle) — Book three in the series. Figured I might as well get it since it was also $1.99.
  • Sabriel (The Old Kingdom Book 1) by Garth Nix (Kindle) — I bought this when it was on sale for $1.99 because I keep hearing people refer to this as one of their favorite fantasy novels. The description compares it to Game of Thrones, but also says it’s about necromancers (?). I’m a fan of Game of Thrones, but I’m not usually into “witchy” fantasy. Still, I’ve heard enough people rave about this book that I’m game to give it a try and see if I like it.

Outbox (books finished)

  • none

Queue (what I’m reading next)

That’s it for this week. Next week is the last week in October. I’ll do a summary post on Sunday. But I’ll probably skip the weekly updates in November since I’ll be frantically noveling in all my spare time…

Hope you are enjoying your fall!

Reading inbox-outbox: Week of 12 October

~ EMM

I bought nothing. I finished nothing. I don’t think I even read anything this week…

I think I needed a break from reading this week. I ended up re-watching a lot of Gilmore Girls instead of reading. It was a nice break. Maybe that cleared my head enough to get back to reading this week.

We shall see…

Reading inbox-outbox: Week of 5 October

~ EMM

Sorry for the late post… I had this almost done and then forgot to post it yesterday. I had a big swim meet this weekend and was competing all day Saturday and Sunday. But now I’m back. So, here’s my recap of last week’s reading…

Inbox (books acquired)

  • The Invasion of the Tearling by Erika Johansen (Kindle) — This was a Book Riot deal of the day. I haven’t read the first book in the series yet, but I own it and I’m definitely going to read it before the movie (with Emma Watson!) comes out and it definitely sounds like it has all the elements of fantasy stories I love. So, I figured I might as well also own the sequel…
  • Ash by Malinda Lo (Kindle) — This was another Book Riot deal of the day, and I got it for $1.99. I don’t know anything about this book except the description and reviews on Amazon. It sounds like it’s a riff on Cinderella with a girl/girl romance that appears to have reviewers either loving or hating this book. I have no idea what to expect, but I’ve heard she’s a great author, so I’m going with that.
  • Slow Bullets by Alastair Reynolds (Kindle) — I have been wanting to read this since the release date, but the price was WAY too high for a novella. When I saw that it went on sale for $3.99 and I pounced (and squeeed). I now must find a way to squeeze this in to my carefully laid end of year reading plans… (why do I plan again? next year, no planning.)
  • Did You Ever Have a Family by Bill Clegg (signed, special edition hardcover) — My Powell’s Indiespensible shipment arrived and this was the feature book this month. It’s not something I’d heard of and it didn’t sound like something I would normally pick up to read. But, after I read the interview with the author, included in the box, I was much more interested in reading this book. Still… my TBR is pretty full for the rest of this year, so I probably won’t get to it until 2016…
  • Tuesday Nights in 1980 by by Molly Prentiss (advance review copy, paperback) — This also arrived in the Indiespensible shipment. Another lit-fic book that I wouldn’t probably otherwise have read, but the jacket copy makes it sound like I might enjoy it. This won’t be published until April of next year. So, I have plenty of time to read this before its release date…

Outbox (books finished)

  • Carry On by Rainbow Rowell (Kindle) — Oh man, I loved this book. Rainbow Rowell just writes some damn fine romance. This is her first fantasy book and I just love her take on fantasy and magic. It’s written with all the respect of someone who obviously reads/loves the genre, but is still able to poke fun at some of the tropes and trends. After I finished it, I just wanted to go back and read it again. Definitely buying a hardcover copy to shelve on my “favorites” shelf next to Fangirl. ❤

Queue (what I’m reading next)

  • Well, I didn’t make it very far into Count of Monte Cristo (and neither did my friend), so we’re pushing the schedule back a week.
  • I did start All the Light We Cannot See and the writing is just so good. It’s a “war book.” So I didn’t think I would like it. But, the first few chapters are sucking me in. So we’ll see how that goes… I think I’m going to trade off between this and the Count…
  • And at some point I need to get back to My Brilliant Friend…

Hope you are enjoying your week! Happy reading!

Reading inbox-outbox: First four days of October

~ EMM

Well, we’re only four days in and October is already shaping up to be a pretty busy reading month. Dang.

Inbox (books acquired)

  • All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr (Kindle, library) — I’ve had this on hold for so many months now and I was so far down the list, I kind of forgot about it and I guess I didn’t freeze my hold. So, of course my hold would come up at the worst possible moment, when I’ve already got three other books I was planning on reading this month. I’m going to start this and see if it catches my interest. If it does, I’ll find time for it.
  • Lagoon by Nnedi Okorafor (Kindle) — You may remember that I was thinking about buying this to read on my summer vacation. But I ended up sticking to reading books I already owned. Well, this week it went on sale for $1.99 and I finally bought it! I’m so excited to read this, but it must wait…

Outbox (books finished)

  • none…

Queue (what I’m reading next)

  • My buddy read of Count of Monte Cristo is on. The current plan is to read the first thirty chapters by next Sunday. So, I’ll be starting that this week…
  • But, on Tuesday the companion book to Rainbow Rowell’s novel Fangirl will be released. I’ve had this on pre-order since June. So, I’ll probably be dropping everything to bing read Carry On as soon as it hits my Kindle…
  • And, then there is the issue of my library book. I now have three weeks to finish All the Light We Cannot See….
  • And I just started My Brilliant Friend this week thinking I would be able to finish it quickly, but then I wasn’t feeling like reading this weekend…

So, it looks like I’ll be reading multiple books at the same time this month. Not something I normally do, but it should make things interesting. But fall is a great time for snuggling up with a good book and a warm beverage, right?

Happy reading!

NaNoWriMo 2015

~ EMM

Well, folks, it’s almost that time of year again. Less than thirty days until one of my favorite months of the year: November!

Yep. That’s right. November is National Novel Writing Month (affectionately known as “NaNoWriMo”). And this year it is even more special for me because this year I’ve been selected to be a co-Municipal Liaison for my home region! This means that, in addition to writing my own novel, I have volunteered to help organize events and provide encouragement to others participating in these thirty days and thirty nights of writing with literary abandon.

If you happen to be haunted by your own plot bunny and dream of someday turning that cute little bunny into a full grown novel, I *highly* encourage you to consider participating this November.

Why? I’ll tell you why I do it:

  • I’m busy. I have a relatively demanding full time job doing basically the opposite of writing. November is the one time each year where I allow my creative brain to take over. The rest of the year I tinker with stories I’ve already started. But November is for new things. November is for creating something out of nothing. For making magic happen.
  • Writing is a pretty solitary endeavor. But, the writing community is kind of amazing. I don’t know many writers “in real life.” I belong to a writing group. I chat with other writers on Twitter and read the blogs of fellow writers (and readers). But only other writers can relate to that weird process of creation that happens when you sit down to write a novel. And in November the writing community comes together and rallies around that creation process. Need inspiration? You got it. Need a buddy for word sprints? @NaNoWordSprints has you covered. Can’t think of just the right name for your character? There’s a forum for that!
  • World-building is tricky business. I write mostly fantasy and sci-fi novels and I’ve found that world building is so much easier when you can immerse yourself in the world you are building for a short period of time. When I drag out the first draft process over months and months I forget details. I forget the rules I made up for how the world works. I forget what the place looks like. And every time I go back to write I have to remember all over again. Notes are fine. I love notes and lists. But it’s so much easier if you never really leave…
  • I believe in the cause. Each year the organizers bring together almost 400k participants of all ages, from diverse backgrounds, located in about 600 regions, across six continents. They give these participants the resources, inspiration, encouragement, and structure they need to achieve their creative potential. They send creative writing kits to classrooms. They build local creative writing communities. They help people realize their dreams. It’s so easy to get so wrapped up in “being an adult” or “getting good grades” that you lose track of your writing dreams. Or maybe you just don’t think it’s possible because you don’t think anyone “like you” could ever publish a book. NaNoWriMo gives people an excuse. A chance. An opportunity. And they show kids that there are people “like them” out there making a career out of writing books, getting paid for doing what they love to do. Is NaNoWriMo going to end world hunger or war or poverty? No. But books are a way of getting inside someone else’s world for a little while and seeing what that’s like. Reading teaches empathy. And we could all use more of that. So, more books please!

And it’s that last reason that made me want to sign up to be a Municipal Liaison this year. The same reason I’m going to do something I’ve never done before on this blog, or anywhere, really. I’m going to ask you to donate.

Please go check out my donation page and consider donating even a tiny amount of money to this worthy cause. I know there are no end of worthy causes out there to support. I get it. But if this crazy idea of supporting people of all ages achieve their dream of “someday” writing a novel speaks to you in any way, I hope you might spare a few dollars (or more) for yet another good cause.

And, if you have a novel in you, I encourage you to get it out this November.

Are you ready?

Sign up.

Then, dust off your word processor, or find your favorite notebook and pen.

And throw out the rules! Bring on the plot bunnies! Lock up your inner editor! Let’s get the words out on the page!

I’ll be posting some more blog posts and maybe even some videos in October and November offering advice and encouragement. So stay tuned for that.

Let’s do this!